It's time for more arrogant statements from everyone's favorite misogynistic game developer! In an interview with Kotaku, Team Ninja's leader Tomonobu "Bitch Please" Itagaki announced that his upcoming bloodfest Ninja Gaiden 2 would be the last game in the series, and that we are to consider it a "swan song" for the franchise. Personally, I find this incredibly hard to believe, considering that a) Ninja Gaiden brings in tons of money to pay for his nightly visits to the strip club, and b) he saw the need to update/remake the first Ninja Gaiden not once, but twice before the sequel was even released.
Speaking of the original game, which saw a PS3 remake, Kotaku inquired as to whether or not Itagaki would consider making a Ninja Gaiden "swan song" for the PS3. His reply?
That would be ridiculous. A big round of applause for one of the few developers who actually manage to be console fanboys! Because seriously, fuck Sony and their PS Triples! You didn't even want to make Ninja Gaiden Sigma, you just needed a bit more settlement money so your female coworkers wouldn't sue your ass into oblivion!
When asked what he'd like to make next, now that he will "never" return to the Ninja Gaiden series, Itagaki confirmed that he wants to work with something completely new and not tied to any existing franchise (re: the Dead or Alive series that he manages to mix into whatever he's doing). So what is his grand, original idea?
I think it would be cool to work with an American developer and do a game based on the Pacific Theater. That's right, just what we need, another WWII game! For Japan, this may be an original idea, especially if they don't throw in werewolves and zombies, but he's pitching this to Americans? We practically wrote the fucking book on the war! Even Call of Duty has abandoned the subject matter in favor of its own story!
There is a silver lining here, though. If the idea of a Japanese developer making a WWII game turns too many heads and is too politically troublesome, Itagaki says he'd like to address the same issues and themes - in space. That's right, Space Hitler and Astro Nazis. God bless you, Itagaki, God bless you.
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Yeah yeah, Viva Pinata 2, whoop de doo, we all know you're here for the info on the next Banjo game. Rare's new game is not actually called Banjo-Threeie (much to my disappointment) or Banjo-Kazooie 3, but Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts. "Nuts and bolts," you ponder? "Why would they call it that?" Apparently, a major focus of the game is not only riding around in elaborately pieced-together vehicles, but constructing said vehicles from over 1600 parts. Building the vehicles is supposedly very intuitive, which is good because they are a major focus for most goals in levels. One example is given:
We saw one where you had to collect coconuts from a field and got a small truck that could suck them up. Unfortunately you couldn't fit all the coconuts in the truck and had to back and deliver them in a large barrel. We were then shown how you could create a helicopter with a hook, that could pick up this large barrel, fly to the coconut field and fly low to scoop the coconuts in the barrel. The game also apparently has a robust multiplayer component, well advanced over the random multiplayer tossed into Banjo-Tooie.
As a giant Banjo-Kazooie fan...this isn't quite what I was expecting. The original poster, believed to be from GameReactor, goes on in the thread to emphasize how much fun the game is, which is all well and good, since Rare needs more games that are enjoyable. However, I can't help feeling disappointed that we're not getting "just another platforming adventure." Because honestly, that's all I really wanted. Needless to say, my anticipation has dropped. Sigh...and that teaser trailer got me all hyped up when they showed off Jiggies and Honeycombs on Spiral Mountain.
As for Viva Pinata 2: I don't care as much, since I never played more than the demo (I KNOW IT'S GOOD SHUT UP), but Rare's added some new features. The stand-out addition is Vision Camera support in the vein of Eye of Judgment, where new pinatas are added to the game by scanning in cards. (Brings me back to the days of the e-Reader.) This can also be used to generate codes for created pinatas, allowing you to openly share them on forums. I'm sure someone finds that enthralling.
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Necros Says: Hey. It's been a while. As a weekly column, Rantoid is back, for now at least. We'll see how summer break affects its continued appearance.
Within the past year, there has been a lot of discussion in the gaming community about the worth of the review system. It has been posited that review scores are only for fanboys to generate flamewars (and higher traffic) and those who are too lazy to read the meat of the text. At the same time, they're a necessary evil, as the majority of gamers prefer some sort of quick summary to collect the reviewer's thoughts. Sites such as Metacritic and Game Rankings also rely on scores to give a popular opinion of titles, though these systems are routinely undermined by different interpretations of a number's scale. There have been numerous strategies for how reviews can be fixed, such as 1UP's independent letter scores and Kotaku's highly original score-less reviews focused on pros and cons, but gamers can not and will not come to any consensus on this issue.
Now that I have your attention, I'm shifting this article elsewhere. Because seriously, I think we're all sick and tired of talking review formatting to death.
What concerns me is how reliable game reviews can be in the first place. Consider this: every publication and independent review source plays these games under extremely different conditions. Some assume that running through the entirety of the game is the only way to get a true feel for how well the game succeeds at its goals. Others believe that merely getting the general idea of the game is enough to give an accurate opinion of these games. In the past, Gabe of Penny Arcade has called out reviewers on specific oversights in reviews, telling that anyone who played the whole game knows that the review is inaccurate and flawed. I have to agree on this point: if the game changes mid-way, how would you know if, having played through only the majority of the game, a reviewer failed to mention the ending of Bioshock, generally held to be a let-down? The reader simply assumes that the reviewer knows the entire content of the game.
So what can be done? The easy answer would be to assure every review is done after a complete run through of the game. This is completely impractical. How many reviewers devoted the time to covering the 100+ hours of content in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion? I doubt any did. Then what about MMOs? Were reviewers able to reach level 60 in World of Warcraft before it was time to submit their review? And how deep did they get involved in guilds and PVP? For that matter, it's impossible that reviewers were able to determine whether Halo 3's multiplayer would be entertaining enough to last beyond an initial month or two of play.
The problem here is time constraints. An accurate review is always highly desirable, but when it comes down to it, a review released to gamers a week or two after launch can be nearly worthless, much less the comfy period of a month some of these games require. Film critics have it so much easier: 2-3 hours of their time, followed by the time it takes to analyze 2-3 hours worth of content. With games, though, it's a never-ending struggle between balancing a game's length with the deadline.
This deadline also causes a bigger problem: it hinders the gameplaying experience by causing unnecessary fatigue and stress for the reviewer. Picture this: knowing the deadline, a reviewer boots up Game X to see he has only completed four of the game's 15 dungeons (according to the developer) and he must focus his energy to plowing through the game. That was the scenario I found myself in last month for dvddesign's achievement contest. I bought Rock Band early in the month, since I was told completing Band World Tour would take a long time, and with RHWeeeee6 as my bassist, began crashing through the game on drums. It started out fun, but by the end of the month, when we were playing for long bouts nearly every day, the pleasure was quickly replaced with tedium. We lifelessly hit and strummed our instruments, desperately attempting to get through all the cities to meet the deadline at the end of the month. Notably, my bassist's girlfriend asked if we were even enjoying ourselves anymore.
No, we were not. In forcing ourselves to push through a game in too short a time, we had sucked the life out of the game, reducing it to a series of tasks. In short, the game (noun: an amusement or pastime) had become work (noun: exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil). There is something extremely wrong with that. So when 1UP's features editor Jeremy Parish writes on his personal blog that he is currently "working on" six RPGs for reviews, you have to wonder how much of a damper is being put on his opinions by slogging through six lengthy games at once; he notes shortly thereafter that he's "blowing off" his work to play the new GTA IV (emphasis added mine - except for the game title, that's just good game title formatting).
At the same time, should experience even play into a game review? I, as do many of my fellow Dtoiders, agree that game reviews are inevitably subjective, and to try and separate bias is an exercise in futility. However, how much should one's personal enjoyment of a game be allowed to filter a review? Before you disagree with me, allow me to turn your attention to 1UP's review of Halo 3. A 10/10 before their switch to a letter scale (resulting in the obvious change to A+), the review's final paragraph clarified that, despite the notable drawbacks that Editor in Chief Dan "Shoe" Hsu took the time to note, the game was still so much fun and offered so much to any gamer that it deserved a 10. I'm not disputing his score, because in that context, it clearly fit; what I question is how much the personal experience of the gamer should factor in to the final review.
As for answers to these questions, I sadly have none. Sorry to disappoint you. The answer of how to analyze the conditions of gaming for a review are too complex to encapsulate in the summary of some no-name writer on a free blogging network. I can, at least, plea to reviewers to make some note of the circumstances of your gaming, even if it's not as blunt as Kotaku's review footer, which notes which version was reviewed and what percentage of the game was actually completed. It might mean some reviews won't be completely accurate, but at least it's somewhat more honest.
Necros spent the last month playing Rock Band and struggling to finish the end of his sophomore year at Syracuse University. When he's not neglecting Destructoid for real life activities, he can be found as a regular on Failcast.
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Oh wait...damn, forgot. Sorry about that.
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In these troubled times, we need to protect our children as much as we can. Not only do dangerous internet vigilantes threaten their morals with swear words and male genitalia, but they are constantly under assault from violent sex in the latest Mario games. However, we should not overlook another key fear to instill into your horror-stricken minds: wizardry.
Recently, one Jim Piculas, a substitute teacher in Pasco County, was supervising a class in lieu of their normal God-fearing instructor. Somehow, this man was able to make a toothpick, an item of monumental size, disappear for a whole 30 seconds, before making it reappear. Thankfully, the supervisor of teachers immediately removed him from any future duties before he could teach our children to summon Satan and cast curses on their parents. Goodness knows we have enough problems with those Middle Eastern students with the dots on their foreheads.
Source: Local6.com
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April is old news. Seriously, who gives a shit about it? May is where it's at, my friend. Well, except for you kids still in high school. And you adults who don't get out of your jobs. Actually, I guess May is only important to college kiddies like myself, done with finals and ready to party.
Anyway, you guys played a bunch of games, and I'm impressed. I even contributed a few few. Still, we need to pick up the slack in May - in terms of what's listed, we played 4 less games than we did in March, which was already 5 less than our high score in February. Come on guys, go add more games to the full list so we can out-do February!
To put a little context to the way the list works:
1. Completion does not mean that you have to do X, Y, and Z for it to be completed. Completion is whatever you consider finished, whether that is just beating the game, getting every achievement, or unlocking every single item.
2. Games released via digital distribution count too! You can list XBLA and PSN games separately, but realize that I will be putting them under Xbox 360 and PS3 listings in the main list. Wii VC games will be listed under their console of origin, since they play exactly the same with no changes.
3. If you beat a game that you've beat in the past, it still counts! The list is for games completed in 2008, regardless of previous completion.
4. Some "games" are actually compilations, such as Sonic Mega Collection and The Orange Box. Since there are multiple games, please list each of them separately.
5. If the game is multiplayer only, it's hard to actually complete it. If you want something like Team Fortress 2 to count, make sure it's some goal like "got all achievements" or "raised skill rank to 50" and note it in your list.
6. Remember, this isn't a competition. This is just for fun. We're not here to compare our e-peens.
-13thDragon-
Xbox 360
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements
Transformers: The Game
-A New Challenger-
DS
Chibi Robo: Park Patrol
GBA
Ninja Five-O - Normal
PS1
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
PS2
Katamari Damacy
Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
-Aertyr-
PC
Assassin's Creed
F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate
Gears of War
-Atlas-
Xbox 360
Guitar Hero II - Hard
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock - Medium
Rock Band - Medium
-Billychu-
Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Easy
Xbox 360
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Mass Effect - Hardcore
Rock Band - Expert
-blehman-
Xbox 360
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock - Medium
Mass Effect
Rock Band - Hard
-bloodylip-
Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Hard
Xbox 360
Dead Rising
Omega Five
Wartech: Senko no Ronde
-braulio09-
DS
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Rings of Fate
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword
-bunnyrabbit2-
PSP
Loco Roco
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
Riviera: The Promised Land
Xbox 360
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Hardened
Dark Sector - Normal
Mass Effect - Normal
Skate.
-Cerialthriller-
Xbox 360
Assassin's Creed
Bully: Scholarship Edition
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Veteran
Lost Odyssey
-Clockwork-Zombie-
DS
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Gamecube
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
PS3
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2: Episode One
Half-Life 2: Episode Two
Portal
Wii
Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition - Pro
Super Mario Galaxy
-Cowzilla3-
DS
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Intense
Xbox 360
Lost Odyssey
-Def JM-
DS
Nanostray
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword - Normal
-Dexter345-
DS
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Xbox 360
Pac-Man Championship Edition
-DickMcVengeance-
PSP
Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness
-digtastik-
PS2
God of War - Normal
-flynsk-
Crysis - Normal
-Grocerspride-
PC
Portal
Xbox 360
Rock Band
-Knives-
DS
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All
-Kryptinite-
DS
Mario Kart DS
Xbox 360
Rock Band - Hard
-MissHinasaki-
Dreamcast
Jet Grind Radio
Wii
No More Heroes
62
-naia-the-gamer-
DS
Magical Starsign
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations
Genesis
Phantasy Star II
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millenium
PS1
Torneko: The Last Hope
PSP
Patapon
Xbox 360
Bioshock
-Necros-
Xbox
Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo 2
Xbox 360
Halo 3
Uno
-NegFactor-
Genesis
Forgotten Worlds
Master System
Golvellius
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap
NES
Life Force
Shadowgate
PS1
Final Fantasy
SNES
Soul Blazer
Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
-Nubc4kes-
PC
Cave Story
-pendleton21-
DS
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
-Poetic Justice-
DS
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All
-Reeper-
PC
Half-Life 2 - Normal
Half-Life 2: Episode One - Normal
Half-Life 2: Episode Two - Normal
Portal - Normal
Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Intense
-Resonance-
PC
Bioshock - Easy
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Veteran
Half-Life 2 - Easy
Medal of Honor: Airborne - Expert
Need for Speed: Carbon
Portal
World in Conflict - Easy
-saddack-
Xbox 360
Army of Two
The Club
Dark Sector
Frontlines: Fuel of War
Lost Odyssey
-Sarin-
DS
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
PC
Bioshock - Normal
Beyond Good and Evil - Normal
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Normal
Crysis - Normal
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic - Normal
Grim Fandango - Normal
Half-Life 2: Episode One - Normal
Half-Life 2: Episode Two - Normal
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne - Dead on Arrival
Portal - Normal
Psychonauts - Normal
The Witcher - Hard
PS2
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
ICO - Normal
Resident Evil 4 - Normal
PS3
Resistance: Fall of Man - Normal
Time Crisis 4 - Normal
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune - Normal
SNES
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
-Shin Oni-
PSP
DJ Max Portable
DJ Max Portable 2
Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Very Hard
Xbox 360
Rumble Roses XX
-Stahlbrand-
PC
Knights of the Old Republic
Silent Storm - Normal
Xbox 360
Assassin's Creed
Rainbow Six: Vegas 2
Rock Band
-Teta-
PS3
Rock Band - Medium
-TheGoldenDonut-
DS
Super Robot Taisen W
Tetris DS
-tsunamikitsune-
PSP
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
-wardrox-
PC
YHTBTR
Xbox 360
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
Halo 3 - Legendary
Viking: Battle for Asgard
-Wario67-
PSP
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
God of War: Chains of Olympus - Hero
Wii
Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Hard
-Wootex-
N64
Perfect Dark - Secret Agent
Pokemon Puzzle League
Xbox 360
All Pro Football 2K8
-yuiichi-
PC
Gunlimb
-Zero_Tolo-
DS
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Xbox 360
Dead Rising
Total Games Played: 152
Note for cblog users: Please don't post your completed games in this post and expect me to update the forum list. Go post it in the thread like everyone else.
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Rockstar's new game, Grand Theft Auto IV, has been making waves yada yada yada. I'm not going to bore you with my impressions of the game, not only because you should already know enough about the game to make an educated decision about whether it's your thing, but because I haven't played it yet. (Thank one dvddesign for that.) However, I do have a copy of the game's Special Edition in my possession and, in an effort to justify my purchase for the next month, we find ourselves at the start of another Illustrated Review of the 360-flavored version of Rockstar's latest moneymaker.
As always, a note of clarification: having not touched a single bit of the game, or even removed the shrinkwrap, this review offers no analysis as to the success of the game and its strengths and weaknesses. Instead, this is meant to be a critical look at the Special Edition packaging to determine whether or not you should drop an additional $30 on top of the next-gen game pricepoint. As of this moment, Gamestop has ceased selling the Special Edition of GTA IV, but both the 360 and PS3 releases are still in ready supply at Amazon and various other retailers. You shouldn't have much trouble finding a copy, even if it's not as abundant as the Halo 3 special editions.
Before I begin, I must confess that I seriously debated how to go about shooting these pictures. I finally have a "real" camera, which would offer better pictures and more control than my MacBook Pro's built-in iSight camera. However, doing so would remove any reason to stick my shaggy head in the shot, and I know some you enjoy that for whatever reason. Which one should I proceed with?
Honestly, there was no contest.
So here we have the box. It's cardboard. It's white. It has a logo on it. And there's some angry Slavic man looking like he's going to kick my ass for smiling so much. If I didn't feel intimidated by his stare, I would almost consider keeping this box out in my room as though it were a promotional display in a store. PS3 owners take note: your box will not feature an Xbox 360 logo - something about licensing - and has a picture of some hooker (slut? ho'bag?) seductively licking a lollipop. I think I'd be more inclined to keep Sony's variant near my bed for...reference...but oh well.
If you're curious, this is not another box, but the back of the previous box. Looks alright, if a bit minimalist, and I think anyone will make the New York City connection that Rockstar seems to be pushing.
And here we have the main attraction, the star of the show, the big man himself - the actual game. Honestly, there's nothing special here, and I'm not sure that's a bad thing. The box art is the very same one used for the regular release of the game, featuring the now iconic multiple-box layout popularized by GTA III. I can't tell for sure, but the logo also seems to be embossed a bit, which is kind of classy. The reason why I'm not getting upset over the lack of a special cover is because the regular art works so well, I'm not sure why I'd want anything different. So Rockstar, you get a pass on this.
Due to certain circumstances, I am unable to open my copy of the game, but thankfully Gemsi was able to provide me with some inside shots of the case. The disc looks fairly standard, as expected, but the manual is notable in that it's not presented as a standard book of instructions.
From what I can tell, it is a guidebook for Liberty City, similar to manuals in previous games. I always love it when manuals go out of their way to add character to a game, and this is no exception. Also included (but not depicted) is a map of the game. Let's say there's no picture of it in the interest of avoiding spoilers, because I know you lot love to obsess about those.
Now that we've established some of the more mundane elements of the package, let's examine all the bonuses you receive for shelling out $30 more. First and foremost is The Music of Grand Theft Auto IV, a soundtrack comprised of the game's main theme and selected tracks from the in-game radio station. The music is quite diverse and, even though I dislike most hip-hop, tastefully chosen. In particular, the tracks by Greenskeepers, The Rapture, and Fela Kuti resonated with me, so if the full radio stations are anything like this selection, I'll be highly impressed.
This is a photo of the tracklisting. Or alternatively, you could navigate to Amazon's page, where they offer previews of the songs and the ability to purchase it in MP3 format. Just remember, if you decide to take advantage of Amazon and Rockstar's music partnership to purchase music from the game, take care not to purchase a song you might already have on this CD.
Next we come to The Art of Grand Theft Auto IV, over 65 pages of concept art and renders from the development of the game, as well as a description of the game's art direction. I have to say, this is the best art book I've ever acquired from a special edition. The hard-bound book is just so diverse and well-presented that it's definitely my favorite part of the package. I really liked seeing concept art like the page I'm turned to in the picture, where the artists mix GTA IV's more realistic style with the more exaggerated caricatures of GTA III. When combined with the soundtrack, it's easily the most compelling reason to order the Special Edition.
Now, when you open the initial white box, before getting to all the goodies, you must open a second box. This is the most confusing inclusion in the bundle: a logo-emblazoned lock-box, suitable for...I'm not really sure what. Do they expect me to lock the game up every time I'm not playing it? I honestly don't think that's necessary in the least. Is if for keeping my valuables in? In that case, why wouldn't I just buy a more sturdy lock-box than the rather flimsy one they provide me with? Is it for keeping the bonuses in? I don't see the reason why I'd want to unlock the box when I feel like looking at the art book again.
I suppose that, as a lockbox, it certainly works. It holds the stuff that comes in the package and has a lock which is secured by two provided keys. However, I can't see myself employing this for anything useful. Besides that fact, lock-boxes have always struck me as rather useless. Sure, they deter an initial theft, but all a kleptomaniac would have to do is steal the box instead, then break it apart at their own leisure. You're only delaying the inevitable.
Along with the keys, GTA IV's Special Edition offers a Rockstar keychain, featuring the company's logo. Unfortunately, the picture gives the appearance that it is flat, when it is in fact suitably chunky and unlikely to snap in half. Not much else to say about it beyond pointing out the fact that you can put it on your key ring and...have another thing on your key ring.
The final item included in this large collection is a duffle bag featuring Rockstar's logo. I feel this was a good choice, because while it might have been more obvious to stick the Grand Theft Auto IV logo on the bag, it would have surely become outdated as soon as the inevitable sequel were released, rendering the bag stylistically awkward. But enough about that, I've got an issue with this bag: it's rather small. As such, I can't really see myself using it that much. If it was a little bigger, maybe it could be utilized to cart around a 360 and some gear, but as it is, I couldn't fit in much without feeling like I was going to rip it.
Inserted into the bag for a size reference is one DK Bongo Controller. It comfortably fits it, but adding much more than that might be pushing it. (This picture also displays the deliciously cheesy inner padding, covered with Rockstar's logo and lightning bolts like something out of the 80s.) I dunno, maybe the bag might be more useful for other people, but I just can't see myself finding much use for it.
Finally, I'd like to mention an additional bonus that Amazon threw in for preordering the game, a license plate based on New York's plates. This is actually a pretty cool bonus, marred by one small defect: the plate uses "1V" instead of "IV" in the lettering. I'm no expert on license plates, so maybe there's a reason for this, but I do know that it just seems kind of weird to me. Also, it does not fit into the lock-box. It's no big deal, I just thought I'd try. (Note: Amazon no longer offers these with their orders.)
So where does this leave us? $90 for the game, a CD, an art book, a keychain, a lock-box to hold it all in, and a duffle bag to hold that in. Notably, there is no "Making Of" documentary, which is a shame, because if any game deserved a mini-documentary, it was this one. Should you buy it? For $80, I would insist every gamer buy it. For $90, though? Well, you have to ask yourself if you'll find a use for the lock-box or duffle bag. If the answer is yes, then jump on that shit now before they run out. If you can't think of any situation where you would use those two items, though, then you might want to reconsider and evaluate how much you would appreciate the other bonuses.
On a scale of one to ten winged-unicorn-bear-knights, Grand Theft Auto IV Special Edition gets:
Pros: Large amount of bonuses, amazing art book, handy soundtrack sampler
Cons: Inclusion of lock-box and duffle bag depends on buyer, no "Making Of" documentary
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Hello Destructoid. I've missed you lately. But now that finals are over, I'm looking forward to spending a lot more time with you guys. For starters, look to see the return (again) of Rantoid, moar comments, and hanging out more in IRC and, yes, even Vent. Because IRL social lives are so overrated.
In the meantime, gaze upon that which I spent $90 on and won't be able to touch for 30 days. I actually want to thank dvddesign for this, because I was expecting to have to jump right into GTA IV this month, having never played the Xbox Trilogy I've had on my shelf for a year. Now I have an entire month to play these games before I probably never touch them again.
Initial impressions of GTA III: fucking christ, I hate these controls.
Because I know you all love them so much, I should be able to whip up an Illustrated Review of the results of my consumer whorism. Gimmie a little time, though. This "freetime" feels quite foreign.
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I'm sorry that this update is a week late, I've just been really busy with school and, in my free time, I've actually been devoting more time to playing games (you know, that hobby we profess to enjoy). Anyways, March was a fairly good month for game playing, though I'm sure most of the month was taken up playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl. I for one have long ago unlocked all aspects of gameplay, and a lot of people consider themselves done with the game. However, I just have this thing where I can't consider it "complete" until I've unlocked every damn trophy and sticker in the game. I'm crazy like that.
In terms of the total number of games played, we had another strong month in March, though we still played 5 less than in February. As always, this list isn't intended as an authoritative index of every single game Dtoid has played, as I'm sure a lot Dtoid's accomplishments haven't been chronicled in the main list. Of course, nothing's stopping you from jumping in right now, provided you've played any games so far this year. So why don't you go add your games to the full list (games from January and February are included in the first post) and see how high we can get the total for April?
To put a little context to the way the list works:
1. Completion does not mean that you have to do X, Y, and Z for it to be completed. Completion is whatever you consider finished, whether that is just beating the game, getting every achievement, or unlocking every single item.
2. Games released via digital distribution count too! You can list XBLA and PSN games separately, but realize that I will be putting them under Xbox 360 and PS3 listings in the main list. Wii VC games will be listed under their console of origin, since they play exactly the same with no changes.
3. If you beat a game that you've beat in the past, it still counts! The list is for games completed in 2008, regardless of previous completion.
4. Some "games" are actually compilations, such as Sonic Mega Collection and The Orange Box. Since there are multiple games, please list each of them separately.
5. If the game is multiplayer only, it's hard to actually complete it. If you want something like Team Fortress 2 to count, make sure it's some goal like "got all achievements" or "raised skill rank to 50" and note it in your list.
6. Remember, this isn't a competition. This is just for fun. We're not here to compare our e-peens.
-13thDragon-
Xbox 360
Assassin's Creed
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
Half-Life 2: Episode Two
-Aertyr-
PC
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic
Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Normal
-Alkene-
CD-I
Hotel Mario
Mega Maze
PS2
Final Fantasy X-2
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock - Hard
Xbox 360
Gears of War - Casual
Halo 3 - Heroic
Hexic - Normal
-Aussieboy04-
Xbox 360
Halo 3 - Normal
Mass Effect - Normal
Turok - Normal
-blehman-
Xbox 360
Guitar Hero II - Medium
-bloodylip-
Xbox 360
N+
-braulio09-
DS
Draglade
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Mega Man ZX Advent
-Butterflies and Hurricanes-
PSP
Patapon
Wii
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
-CastleXvania-
Xbox 360
Army of Two - Contractor
Bioshock - Default
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Hardened
Devil May Cry 4 - Devil
Half-Life 2 - Default
Half-Life 2: Episode One - Default
Half-Life 2: Episode Two - Default
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men - Codeine
Naruto: Rise of a Ninja - Default
Portal - Default
-DaTgUy-
Xbox 360
Rock Band - Expert
-Def JM-
DS
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
GBA
Final Fantasy
Gamecube
Space Raiders
PS2
Alien Hominid - Medium
-destructo5000-
Wii
Super Mario Galaxy
-Dexter345-
DS
Tetris DS
Xbox 360
Bioshock
-digitastik-
DS
Contra
Contra 4 - Normal
Final Fantasy III
GBA
Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy II
Final Fantasy IV Advance
Wii
Super Mario Galaxy
-electro lemon
Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Hard
-flynsk-
DS
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
-Go Man-
DS
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Genesis
Gunstar Heroes
Urban Strike
NES
Battletoads
Kid Icarus
Kirby's Adventure
Mega Man 2
Mega Man 3
Mega Man 4
PC
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock - Medium
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2: Episode 1
Half-Life 2: Episode 2
Portal
Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Xbox 360
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
-Knives-
Xbox 360
Rock Band - Expert
Triggerheart Exelica
-KyleGamgee-
Xbox 360
Bioshock
-Kryptinite-
Xbox 360
Half-Life 2
Rock Band - Medium
Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
-laggikoN-
SNES
Super Metroid
PC
YFTGH
Wii
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock - Hard
-Leonheart515-
PS1
Nuclear Strike
Tomba!
Tomba! 2
PSP
God of War: Chains of Olympus - Mortal
Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai
SNES
Super Mario World
Wii
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock - Medium
Super Mario Galaxy
-L00Z3R-
DS
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Wii
Medal of Honor: Heroes 2
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Strikers
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
-madninja
PS3
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Wii
No More Heroes
-Necros-
Xbox 360
Pac-Man Championship Edition
Yaris
-nikmonroe-
Wii
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
No More Heroes
-Nubc4kes-
PS2
Shadow of the Colossus - Normal
-saddack-
Xbox 360
Blacksite: Area 51
Call of Duty 2
Earth Defense Force 2017
Guitar Hero II - Hard
Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom
Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal
Naruto: Rise of a Ninja
Rez HD
Rock Band - Hard
Undertow
-Shin Oni
DS
Bleach DS: Blades of Fate
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All
Xbox 360
Devil May Cry 4
Dynasty Warriors 6
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam
Trigger Heart Exelica
Virtua Fighter 5
-Teta-
b]PS2[/b]
God of War
-The Brain-
Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation
Assassin's Creed
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Guitar Hero II
Project Gotham Racing 4
-TheGoldenDonut-
PS2
Final Fantasy X
PSP
Final Fantasy
-TrailerParkJesus-
Xbox
Aggressive Inline - Normal
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Xbox 360
Alien Hominid HD - Hard
Puzzle Quest - Normal
-tsunamikitsune-
Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Normal
Xbox 360
Triggerheart Exelica - Normal
-Wii22-
Wii
Battalion Wars 2
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
-Witching Hour-
DS
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations
Pokemon: Pearl Edition
Touch Detective
PS2
Final Fantasy X-2
Kingdom Hearts II
Space Channel 5: Special Edition
Wii
NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams
Super Paper Mario
-Wootex-
GBA
Disney's Magical Quest 3 starring Mickey and Donald
Genesis
Taz in Escape from Mars
NES
Dragon Warrior
Ninja Gaiden 2
PC
Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden
PS1
Syphon Filter
PS2
Maximo vs. Army of Zin
SNES
Sonic Blast Man
SoulBlazer
Xbox
NBA Ballers
Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict
-Zero_Tolo-
DS
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
-Zombian-
PS1
Metal Gear Solid
Tenchu
Xbox 360
The Darkness
Dead or Alive 4
Gears of War
Total Games Played: 156
Note for cblog users: Please don't post your completed games in this post and expect me to update the forum list. Go post it in the thread like everyone else.
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