A Gaming Diary
PSP
Monster Hunter Freedom (PSP)
Aug 5th
Hooray! I completed the big quest to get off the one-star levels!
Boo! I fell unconscious twice doing it and so hardly got any money for it.
Monster Hunter Freedom (PSP)
Aug 5th
Took a while to get there, but I just did my first real monster hunt.
Three blue velociraptor type things called velociprey were causing trouble and I had to kill them. So I wandered around for a while until I found them, then slaughtered them. Ha!
Strangely addictive game, considering the annoying loading times between each tiny area and the rubbish camera. It’s just one of those games where you’re always getting new treats and where each new upgrade or item is just out of reach.
So far I’ve made myself a bone sword and a helmet of some kind. I’ve bought some nice blue pants and a vest of some sort. Annoyingly, I can\’t use the vest because it’s only for hunters who use guns and, after testing one out, I decided against going down that route.
I’m still not entirely sure about how everything fits together, but I’m getting there.
My current “huh?” concerns my inability to cook meat. There’s a fire in the starting area for the quests, but I can’t seem to use it. And the spit roasting item I was given for a quest was taken away again and I’ve not seen another. Better check the shops more carefully, I suppose.
Monster Hunter Freedom (PSP)
Aug 4th
Initially fairly baffling – I’m travelling right now and I didn’t bring the manual – but talking to people and trying different menus and buttons sorted me out. I’ve now done the first four missions and I’m really enjoying it.
I only stopped because – yes – the PSP’s battery died. It has a nasty habit of doing that.
However, I’ve not been in any danger yet. I might start to hate the game once I start to die.
And why can’t I pick up meat that I drop?
Gripshift (PSP)
Aug 4th
Back to this. I finished off the Beginner stages with all the goals completed, which made me feel good.
However, I’m coming to the end of the Easy stages and am having trouble simply completing each stage by getting to the end, without even worrying about medals or anything.
Tekken Dark Resurrection (PSP)
Jul 30th
Crikey.
I played Story Mode as Lili, which was easy enough until the final boss, who took about 45 minutes to defeat. He’s got attacks that kill two-thirds of your life bar at once. And other attacks that restore his health. I hate him.
But beating him unlocked Tekken Bowl, which is a cool bowling mini-game, that rewards me with money far more quickly than fighting. My best score is 148 and I was having a good time. Unfortunately, it’s now time for a recharge. Stupid PSP battery.
Tekken Dark Resurrection (PSP)
Jul 30th
Well, I’m now ranked thirteenth out of sixty in first dojo. Losing lots of matches, though.
And I’ve discovered the very comprehensive training mode. I’ve been looking through Lili’s move list and trying to do the moves. They’re mostly reasonable enough, but there are five or six at the bottom of the list that are just stupid.
Tekken Dark Resurrection (PSP)
Jul 28th
Been a while since I played a Tekken.
This is slightly overwhelming in terms of sheer amount of stuff.
About sixteen billion characters available and a load of different modes.
After going through basic training – which isn’t of much use if you’ve ever played a fighting game before – I chose a Quick Battle and ended up being a panda. My opponent was a polar bear. I lost. Very quickly.
Then I went to Story Mode and chose the default character, Lili, and went through a few fights until some penguins distracted me by being cute and sliding on their bellies and Jack-5 ripped me apart.
Next up I went into Tekken Dojo mode, which wasn’t explained very well, but which seems to be very similar to Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution’s big single player mode. I set it on easy and after winning five matches in a row as Lili I’m now a 9th kyu. Which is a rank of some sort.
Anyway, modes and penguins aside, it seems very slick and good fun, though I’m only one step up from button mashing right now.
LocoRoco (PSP)
Jul 27th
Thought I’d have a go of this between Phoenix Wright cases.
Did a couple of levels which were utterly joyful, but didn’t distract me from the fact that I feel like crap this evening, so I turned it off.
Bloody weather. Too hot!
