A Gaming Diary
Archive for September, 2009
Max Injury Lite (iPhone)
Sep 30th
Well, this was a nice surprise. The Lite version of Max Injury got an update that added a new level.
It’s much better than the other level, too. Instead of flight of stairs, you’ve got great slabs of stone hanging in space and it’s altogether more fun.
Backbreaker Football (iPhone)
Sep 30th
Since working out that there’s a combo system I’ve been enjoying this even more than I was before – and I’ve even got a gold on the second challenge.
Some of the best moments, though, are when you fail.
The tackles can be excellent.
Words With Friends (iPhone)
Sep 30th
Yesterday, I blogged about feeling immature for playing the word PUBES. Last night, I played the word in the screen shot below, which I won’t type out here.
It was the best word I could play, given my letters and the state of the board, but I’m really not sure that’s any excuse. I honestly wish I hadn’t done it, because I feel pretty awful.
Backbreaker Football (iPhone)
Sep 29th
This isn’t a full American football game. It’s an arcade game where you have to run down the field from one end to the other. Like this:
You also have to avoid the other men on the field so this doesn’t happen:
You tilt the phone to turn, use buttons on the screen for evasive moves, sprinting and showing off for bonus points and it’s really very, very good indeed.
Aera (iPhone)
Sep 29th
Heh.
Well, I tried and tried and tried and finally finished the Easy Solo level under Quick Game. Well, all right, it took me about three goes, it wasn’t that hard. (And one of those times I may have finished if I’d not distracted myself by taking a screen shot.)
Anyway, I then decided to bite the bullet and went into Campaign. Did the tutorial again, grumbling all the while, then found that the first level of the campaign is, yes, the Easy Solo level I’d just done. D’oh. Aced it first time, though. This is, as I suspected, a game you do get a lot better at very quickly.
Aera (iPhone)
Sep 29th
Not sure about this one yet, but I think it’s looking good, especially given the current price of 59p.
It looks lovely, all right, using 3D graphics for movement on a 2D plane. (No pun intended.) It’s a bit like NiGHTS, basically. Shame I managed to take the single most boring screen shot possible.
I went to Quick Game, chose School and found myself in detailed and helpful tutorial. Once I inverted the controls it seemed to control well and it felt like it was something special.
However, then I tried a game mode where you have to collect floating balls without hitting mines and I just couldn’t get to some of them. It was quite strange. I think I probably just need more practice, to work out what the plane can do.
Then I tried a combat mission, where you have to destroy enemy planes. That was really rather fun, but, again, I found myself unable to actually get to some of the power ups the enemy planes dropped.
It’ll probably come with practice and I reckon I’m just missing some subtleties right now.
My main complaint is that after those Quick Game modes I went to Campaign and it tried to make me do the the tutorial again. It was useful first time, but I really don’t want to sit through it again, but I couldn’t find any way to skip it.
Puzzle Quest (iPhone)
Sep 29th
Haven’t been bothering with the story much at the moment. If I remember the DS version correctly, leveling up is a must, so I’ve been wandering around the map doing repeatable side quests and random encounters.
I think I’m going to try and learn the Hide spell from my captured goblin, but I’m not sure how useful it will be.
Words With Friends (iPhone)
Sep 29th
Yes, yes, I know.
I may have the beard and hair of an ancient wild man, but in my head I’m still about twelve years old.
Trials HD Demo (360)
Sep 29th
Tried this on my netbook a while back – about the same time as Defense Grid, funnily enough – and didn’t really get on with the controls, so it took me a long time to get round to trying the Xbox demo.
But, yeah, wow. I can see why the game is getting so much praise. Somehow, between PC and 360 the game has been absolutely transformed, from a fiddly physics-based key-tapper into a joystick-wrestling, white-knuckle thrillfest.
If there’s any way I can afford some Microsoft points then this is going to get bought. It’s amazing.
Red Faction: Guerilla (360)
Sep 29th
We’re getting there, we really are.
It’s all coming together.
Last night I was more careful, I died less (though not infrequently) and I had a grand old time. I’m really growing to love the missions that involve other characters, though the “defend a certain area” missions seem to be incredibly tough, with the EDF coming and coming and coming, seemingly without end. I need more rocket launcher ammo, I think.
The only real problem with the game is that driving between missions is all a bit dull. I do my best to enliven it by doing jumps where I can, but that normally ends up just meaning I take longer to get anywhere. Unlike GTA IV, where the driving between missions is probably the best part of the game, Mars is just a bit dull so far.
Still, it’s worth it. Leading raids on chemical plants, bringing down wind farms, killing a courier and making an escape in the martian equivalent of a milk float, these are all great moments.
