Day 3: Recent Gaming

I've not had too much time to devote to gaming, but there are two titles I have been enjoying:

XCOM: Enemy Within (PC)

This is an "expansion pack" for the game XCOM: Enemy Unknown, which I've reviewed before. I loved the original and this addition, while not a true expansion in my eyes (it in no way actually changes or significantly adds to the story of the main gain), it does add enough interesting elements to make the game feel fresher, makes several new viable strategies, and balances certain things from the base game.

It adds three main things: The Exalt faction (human enemies with tech comparable to XCOM) and the missions that deal with them, genetic engineering to power-up your soldiers in interesting ways, and Mech troopers that can make you feel pretty damn invincible (on the basic difficulty). There are a couple of random council missions, a slew of new maps, the pretty awesome inclusion of other spoken languages, and other odds and ends. Playing through the game was familiar because it doesn't change the base game or base story beyond these additions and a few balances that, for the most part, I didn't notice. Sectopods seemed tougher and some perks were expanded, but nothing excessive. The new enemy types, while nice to see, didn't go too far into actually changing the gameplay -- Mechtoids are mostly weaker Sectopods and Seekers, unless found in a group of other enemies, are a bit too easy to deal with.

Happiest moment in the game for me. Well, almost...

There could have been a bit more done, such as three-way battles betwen XCOM, Exalt, and the Aliens. Or some bigger changes with base management, but I'm hoping Enemy Within is successful enough to warrant further expansions. Not exactly confidant, but hopeful. Would also be happy with a sequel...

All in all, a fully worthy purchase (even if you missed the Steam sale). You can access all of the new things in one run through the game, but that doesn't mean they won't remain interesting as you replay for achievements or attempt higher difficulties.

Battlefield 4 (PS4)

I picked this up in the hopes to play with one of my brothers, but he has yet to find a PS4. Either way, I'm glad I grabbed it because I have found much more enjoyment from the title than my experience with Battlefield 3 or the BF4 demo led me to believe possible. Being able to play in 64 player matches was a huge shift, but my favorite addition was the game mode Obliteration.

The goal is to take a bomb from somewhere in the middle of the map to one of your enemy's bomb points and planting/defending it until it explodes. The enemy is trying to do the same thing with the same bomb, so it can become a titanic battle to retain ownership of the bomb long enough to get it across the map. The game is over when 20 minutes have passed or all three of a teams bomb locations is destroyed. Vehicles are kosher and can be clutch in securing/transporting the bomb carrier. I love it because of the short (enough) matches and the high energy that comes from most every player in the match zeroing in on a particular point.

Basically me every time I get the bomb...

I've only found one or two maps I don't like, and even those are bearable. The classes are all solid and enjoyable this time around and they all can cover multiple roles -- by best class is Recon, but I've barely touched the sniper rifles. Set him up with a carbine and some C4 and you've got a nice covert operative that can take down vehicles with some well placed explosives.

I didn't play this title on the PS3, and I'm happy I skipped it simply because of the larger scale available.




Other than that, I haven't played too much. I've got some credit to use at GameStop but, after having cut down on the actual number of consoles I own to fund the PS4, there isn't too much out there that is especially appealing to me. I did try out Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. It was a lot of fun and a bit different in regards to how items are unlocked, but I wasn't in the mood to finish the game. Eventually, sure, but for now I'm a bit apathetic. Kinds wish the PS4 would release some more titles... now! The only one I'm looking forward to at this time is inFamous: Second Son, which isn't out until March!

Now please!

Pokemon XY and Call of Duty: Ghosts... Because that totally goes together.

To catch up on what I've been playing recently, I'm going to do mini-reviews of Pokemon X(Y) and Call of Duty: Ghosts, both of which I was able to pick up on their launch days.

POKEMON Y

I liked the bird better so got Y...

Pokemon XY is the best Pokemon game I've played since the originals. The pacing is similar, the new amount of Pokemon is limited and actually feels interesting to find them (only a touch over 60 added, as opposed to hundreds), and the game has added a few things since the last gen.

Kirlia vs newcomer Fennekin

The new graphics are solid. I'm happy getting away from the 8-bit feel and adding some 3D. Every Pokemon and every move have personal animations, which I think is something we've been missing for ages and it is a HUGE addition for me, even if the overall battle system remains the same. I'd love for some other new RPGs using old school battle formats to follow suit (I'm looking at you, Shin Megami Tensei!).

The one change they did include for battling is Mega Evolutions. Instead of a permanent change, these are boosts you can use in battle that evolve your monster temporarily. As of now, it's a bit of a shallow system, but there is a lot of potential here. Charizard and Mewtwo in particular got two different options with the Mega Evolutions based on which version you got. The Y stones act mostly as stat increases, while the X stones actually add new types to the Pokemon (Charizard gains Dragon and Mewtwo gains Figthing). The more stones for a given 'mon, the more options. Instead of everyone rocking the final evolutions in battle, we could potentially see the same Pokemon with a VERY different setup. I'm not sure if that's how far they'll go, but for now I'm just happy to see some of my favorite Pokemon getting some new (mostly awesome) looks.

Mega Charizard Y and X.

Mega Mewtwo Y. X looks... stupid.

I honestly felt like I was playing Red again with the pacing of the game and the light touches of an antagonist group (even lighter than the originals, to be honest). There are enough minor changes (Friend Safari, continuous fishing, etc...) to make even the most veteran players happy, especially since the core game doesn't change at all (critics can be hit or miss on this one, I suppose).

The ONE area the game falls short is the post game. It has one series of side missions, access to two more legendary pokemon, and then... well... that's it. Other games allowed you to visit other continents and challenge more gyms. XY just kind of ends. I'm not really one for competitive multiplayer, so my game is kind of languishing. I have several friends who picked up the game, so I'll still get some mileage, but I'm really hoping they change their minds and throw some DLC our way...

Either way, fantastic game. 9/10.

---

CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS (Multiplayer)

Similar to Pokemon, CoD is known for using slight tweaks to their games to push a new edition regularly. While I'm enjoying Ghosts enough, this is the first time it feels especially forced. There are new maps, weapons, and kill streaks, but none of them FEEL new. I don't normally play campaigns for these games, so I can't say if they knocked it out of the park there, but the multiplayer is already beginning to feel stale.

I've read plenty of complaints about quicker deaths and disguised lag, but none of that has been a particular issue for me. The game is fun enough, better when playing with friends, but the game's aesthetic doesn't feel new (they went with a half-assed post-apocalyptic-ish thing that... well, doesn't seem different at all) and there is not a single reason I would suggest someone pick up Ghosts vs the last CoD (which at least had futuristic elements added -- there are none in Ghosts).

They DID add a partner-dog, I guess.

I don't know if next Gen holds any surprises for the title... I doubt it. I kind of wish the Battlefield 4 Beta hadn't turned me off so much from that game, I feel as if I'd have gotten more enjoyment out of it than I have with Ghosts.

If I'm able to get a PS4 around launch (unlikely), I'll update this mini-review. Until then, this gets a 6/10.

---

NEXT GEN

On a minor side not, my local GameStop had a PS4 set up. The console looks nice enough, but I was mostly worried about the controller -- I'm NOT a fan of the Playstation family controllers and honestly feel like the 360 is probably the most ergonomic design we've seen (argue with me if you must). That being said, I REALLY enjoyed the feel of the PS4 controller. The touch pad... well, it's in a bit of an awkward spot due to the fact that I'd have to remove one of my hands from their primary positions to get any use of it, so I'm hoping it's not a big game changer. The share and options buttons were also placed in a spot I didn't enjoy, but the primary play buttons worked well enough. I went through some of the demo for Knack -- not my style of game, but I got comfortable with the controller very quickly. I didn't feel Knack looked any different from a current Gen game, but maybe that's just me.

I'm talking to my local GameStop about letting an extra PS4 fall off the truck, but I don't think they're going to support my poor planning. Also, I kind of need to find a way to PAY for it...

More on that and Thor: The Dark World as we get through the week.

Origin of The Nerd (Part I: Video Games)

No, I'm not talking about the origin of the word "nerd" or even the origin of nerds as we know them. I'm going to do a three part series about how I got into the things I talk about most on this blog: Video Games, Comic Books, and Movies/TV Shows. I don't often write about myself, so this will be an interesting exercise. And maybe I'll connect with some readers who have had similar experiences, would like to get into new things, or want to talk about how they themselves got into the given subject.

I will, however, post the definition I most identify with when I think of nerd:

"A nerd is a person, typically described as being overly intellectual, obsessive, or socially impaired. They may spend inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, obscure, or non-mainstream activities, which are generally either highly technical or relating to topics of fiction or fantasy, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Additionally, many nerds are described as being shy, quirky, and unattractive, and may have difficulty participating in, or even following, sports. "Nerd" is a derogatory, stereotypical term, but as with other pejoratives, it has been reclaimed and redefined by some as a term of pride and group identity."
-Wikipedia (emphasis mine)

For this first installment, I want to talk about how I got into video games. Check it after the break.