Colette: Still hacking away at Persona 4, but also picked up My World, My Way and am really enjoying it’s old-school battles and cute dialogue.
Jonathan H: Disappointment of the week was the RE5 demo. It’s not bad or anything, but after playing it once I was pretty much done.
Pleasant surprise of the week was GTA:Chinatown Wars, which I got to play at the New York Comic Con. I haven’t been interested in a GTA games in years, largely because they’ve been trying harder and harder to be like movies. Chinatown Wars is different. It really feels like a videogame, while retaining all the freedom and options of it’s more movie-like predecessors. In fact, in some ways, Chinatown Wars felt even more detailed than GTA IV. When stealing a parked car, sometimes you actually have to de-activate the car’s security system using the touch screen. I was surprised by how much the little touches like that worked to make the game more immersive. The game also looked fantastic, way better than it does in screenshots.
I also got some time in with MadWorld (awesome), House of the Dead:Overkill (good), Sonic and the Black Knight (not bad), The Conduit (good), X-Blades (good), Velvet Assassin (not bad), DC Universe Online (ugh), Marble Saga Kororinpa (awesome), BlazBlue (awesome), and a bunch of other games I can’t remember right now.
Jim: Mostly been playing Waiting For My Fucking Review Copies To Arrive. I have about three games that need reviewing by next Tuesday and none of the required tools. Apart from stressing out like fuck on that, I am slowly getting in all sorts of new recording equipment for our video reviews. The pop filter arrived on Friday, the rest should get here on Monday. Pro-sounding reviews are on the way!
Anyway, videogames. Been rocking a the demo of Killzone 2. Almost exactly what I’d expect, and that’s a good thing. Disgaea 3 has been sucking up my time and energy, and my regular Left 4 Dead versus matches have not stopped for weeks. Also played a little more Lock’s Quest. I’m so behind on my portable gaming, and it’s a real shame.
Samit: I downloaded 3 on 3 NHL Arcade from the PlayStation Store on Thursday night. I’ve only played five or so games so far, so I don’t want to (and can’t, really) give a fair opinion — I’m also doing a full review, by the way — but I’ve loved what I’ve played. Like I’ve been saying, people: NBA Jam on ice … but with power-ups. Preview of the review: fucking buy it.
I’ve also been at New York Comic Con this weekend — though somehow, Mr. Holmes and I managed to not meet — and it’s been a great time. As the press release said, there is a significantly larger gaming presence, so I’ve gotten hands-on time with MadWorld (lots of fun, but I don’t know if it could keep me interested for more than a few hours if that’s all there is), Red Faction: Guerrilla (not much different from what I played at PAX 08, which was okay), and a lot of other stuff that I’ll be doing previews on. I’m going back today (like, I’m going to be late for my train if I don’t finish this blurb quickly) to see what I haven’t seen yet, including Prototype.
Jim: “Mr. Holmes and I managed to not meet — and it’s been a great time”
I love what this implies.
DMV: Finally beat Castle Crashers, and have been playing through Donkey Kong Country, which can be a total headache at times, but I’ll save that rant for elsewhere. Other than that, I finally started Resident Evil 4 in the hopes of beating it before 5 comes out.
Jonathan R: The usual TF2 and Left 4 Dead. Also been playing My World, My Way like Colette, and I love it too. It’s way harder than you would expect just by looking at it. Also played a bit of Big Bang Mini, which is quite a bit of fun as well.
Dale: Steal Princess for the DS is stealing my free time. Great game. Also, strangely, I’m still playing Final Fantasy XII, even though I became sick of it long ago. Finally, Iron Chef America is coming up for a video review. It’s unintentionally hilarious.
Jonathan H: Oh, and I did not have a good time at Comic Con because I did not meet Samit like I planned to. I only got one day in at the event because my video producer (and my ride) had to come back to Boston to shoot some reality show.
God damn reality shows…
Jonathan R: Oo, what show?
Jonathan H: I’m not allowed to say, but if it’s shot in Boston during the winter, you can bet it wont feature and half-naked people or washed up celebrities, so don’t get your hopes up.
Chad: I am finishing up Call of Duty: World at War on Veteran difficulty. It’s super hard, but not as mind-numbingly challenging as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare‘s effin’ Ferris Wheel level. Also started on the remarkably charming The Maw. I really, really love that XBLA game.
And, of course, some retro goodness care of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Sonic Chaos.
THE PUPPY BOWL WAS AMAZING!
Niero: This week in Destructoid’s new office/my apartment I been playing with a Power Drill, which let me level up my bedroom closet and put in some shelves in the living room. I also pinched my thumb while tightening the bit so it looks like I have a small angry vagina growing out of my finger. Earlier in the week I spent some time with Savage Moon and thought it to be cool but a little joyless. A killer soundtrack could have made that game so much more engaging.
Off topic, you must get these if you like music mash-ups.
Grim: As much as I’d love to buy some new games, I’m on a tight budget right now. That means going back to older games like Hydro Thunder, House of the Dead 2, Burnout Paradise, Donkey Kong Country 2, and even trying to beat the damn sniping mission in Call of Duty 4 on Veteran that Chad mentioned.
Nick: Am I late on this? I played a lot of games this week. Multiplayer Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned (can’t talk about it, yet!), Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, MadWorld, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and some more. When I got home, I found final Street Fighter IV code waiting for me, and I just lost about two hours to that. This coming week won’t see me playing too many games, as I’ll be going out of town to see things. By things, I mean God of War III. That’s right, I said it.
