A Gaming Diary
Archive for April, 2009
Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)
Apr 13th
A desert battle. Once again, I chose the right troops but positioned them badly, ending up with two scouts on a ridge overlooking the battlefield and two snipers standing at ground level with limited views. Oops.
I had a hard time at first, being seemingly unable to advance. But after getting a sniper up on the ridge and few scouts running around causing trouble, I managed to clear a lot of enemies away and take the first enemy camp. After that, it all went my way. I distracted the enemy with my tank (with an engineer running along behind to repair damage every turn) while a small force consisting of Alicia, Largo, Vyse and, er, one of my other shocktroopers went up and around, coming into second the enemy camp from behind and killing all their defenders before claiming the camp.
And that was that. Job done. Hooray!
Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)
Apr 13th
Well, golly.
Had an epic battle this morning. It was the chapter five fight and I had to take out an enemy supply base in some woods. I chose a reasonably good set of soldiers for the fight but unfortunately, not knowing what was ahead, I positioned them badly. I won in the end, but it was hairy. Several scouts were knocked out and I only rescued them by the skin of my teeth and my shocktropper Alex died permanently. On the plus side, though, Vyse was an absolute hero in his solo raid to take out an anti-tank gun and Largo and Dallas made a great team when it came to getting behind the tank in the enemy’s main camp.
So, yes, I won, but I think I only got a D rank, I think.
I then bought some new cut scenes, read all the background information I’ve unlocked so far and tried to do the first skirmish map in one turn. Turns out it’s very easy to do using two CP with a single scout at level five.
Brilliant game. Just brilliant.
Pokemon Platinum (DS)
Apr 13th
I know, I know. I’ve played through Diamond and this is pretty much the same game again, with some different gyms and a few wifi additions and other bits and bobs, so why play it again? Well, I was wondering the same thing, but I think the answer is quite simple: it’s Pokemon.
I wasn’t quite feeling it until last night when I caught an Abra. He’s utterly useless in a battle, but his Teleport move seems like it’ll be very useful outside of battle, so I think I’ll treat him like a Magikarp and hope he gets some decent moves before too long.
Animal Crossing: Let’s Go To The City (Wii)
Apr 13th
Forgot to play on Saturday. That’s a fishing tournament and KK Slider missed. Remembered to play yesterday, though, and dug up some eggs. Got a bed out of it.
Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)
Apr 12th
Right, what is going on?
I’m normally one of the “Games are meant to be played! A pox on cut scenes!” brigade – but in Valkyria Chronicles I’m paying in-game money for more cut scenes. Yes, you heard me. I’m spending my money on more cut scenes.
It’s all very strange.
And I played for an hour so before my wife woke up, then told her about the cut scenes I’d seen and even replayed one for her.
Bizarre.
Oh, and I also played some actual game this morning. Didn’t do a new story mission, but played through a couple of skirmishes. Excellent fun.
Red Faction: Guerilla Demo (360)
Apr 12th
Got up, cleaned my teeth, fed the cat, sat down and played through this demo another few times. I really, really, really like this, you know. Things never seem to play out quite the same; it never quite becomes routine.
Awesome stuff.
Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)
Apr 11th
An Easter weekend seems to be a good time to start a time-consuming game you’ve been wanting to play, but haven’t started because you don’t think you have enough time to devote to it.
So, then, Valkyria Chronicles. Lots and lots of cut scenes, an interesting story with likeable characters, some of the most gorgeous graphics ever seen and, when you’re not watching cut scenes or fiddling with your squad and weapons, some incredibly fun turn-based strategy battles that don’t feel quite like any other game.
I’ve put in about four hours so far and I’ve been loving it. I don’t even mind all the cut scenes, for some reason. I think it’s just because I’m starting to care about what’s going on, even if the main character is a bit too good to be true.
Red Faction: Guerilla Demo (360)
Apr 11th
And to prove I was talking nonsense earlier, it’s a third-person game, not an FPS.
It’s really growing on me, by the way.
Red Faction: Guerilla Demo (360)
Apr 11th
Oh, oops, forget what I wrote just now.
I just started this up again and tried playing it as a standard shooter. Turns out, it’s better than I gave it credit for. There’s not enough ammo to do the whole demo level with a gun, I don’t think, but a nice cover system and a better aiming mode (that I missed first time round), makes for a good, solid (if unspectacular) shooter – though the enemy AI doesn’t seem to be up for much.
Then add in your destructive options and… BOOM!
Also, this time when I got to the bridge the truck I was on continued driving straight over it and I won the demo. Hooray!
According to the blurb you get when finishing the demo, this is an open world game, which sounds fun.
My interested levels have gone up for this. I’ll put it down as a probably buy. But I will check reviews and Internet impressions first.
Red Faction: Guerilla Demo (360)
Apr 11th
A mixed bag, really. It’s being sold on the destruction, which is awesome. If you, like me, just enjoy games that let you destroy buildings, then you’re going to be giggling with glee here. Bombs, giant hammers, great big walking mining machines – everything you need to smash stuff up.
It’s great.
On the downside, though, the guns feel rubbish, the enemies have no personality and I keep dying in exactly the same place in the mission and I’m not really sure why. I’m on the back of a truck, firing at enemies coming to me from behind. The truck slows to a stop just before a bridge, my body flies through the air and the mission is failed. It happens at exactly the same point every time. Very odd.
Still, walking through buildings in a giant walking machine as they fall apart around me… I’m not sure that’s ever going to get old. It’s just curiously lifeless when things aren’t falling into bits and, so far, if you strip the destruction away, I think you’d just have a standard FPS from the previous generation of consoles. It really feels like an average PS2 FPS when you’re not destroying stuff. Let’s hope they tweak it a bit before release or, alternatively, that the full game has you blowing up buildings without pause.
I’m interested in the full game now, but I’m not yet sold on it.
