NinjaBee shipped A Kingdom for Keflings back in 2008. I tried the demo and was hooked, so bought the real game (it is an XBL Arcade game). Other things came up at the time, and I never finished it. Then I got back to the game in September or so and played it through.
Fabulous.
Then I saw news that a new Keflings game was coming out. And even better: Major Nelson said that it was going to be part of a holiday series of sales promotions! Just 800 MSP (aka US$10).
I bought A World of Keflings the very day it came out. My wife and I played local coop through the entire game over the next couple days. It is simply one of the best games for this. Most local coop games have one person in charge of the play, and the second person participates in some limited fashion. Not in World of Keflings. Both players are in charge. It does an amazing split screen when the players are distant and then seamlessly merges the two panels into one, when the players are in the same world space. It is completely fluid and does not disrupt gameplay.
There is a fun story and a great sense of humor throughout the game.
This game is a must-buy, whether you are playing by yourself or with a partner.
(and if you're an XBL friend of mine, then don't hesitate to share collectibles with me! I have enough of them to get you one of the achievements)
radiangames
Tonite, I just saw a new radiangames game ("Fireball") appear in the Indie section. This is their fourth or fifth title so far. As soon as I saw the developer name, I downloaded the trial.
These guys really know how to put together great games and offer them at crazy affordable prices (all their games are 80 points, aka US$1). They have beautiful flowing graphics, great soundtracks, and play mechanics that are easy to learn.
End result? For a buck, you can grab a game that is wonderfully fun to play.
These guys seem to just keep cranking the games out. Maybe one every month or two. I've bought several of them already (including Fireball, tonite!). I'm going to keep watching the Indie games section for them, and if they ever move up to an XBLA or full title? Hell yah.
My eye is on these guys. Highly recommended.
These guys really know how to put together great games and offer them at crazy affordable prices (all their games are 80 points, aka US$1). They have beautiful flowing graphics, great soundtracks, and play mechanics that are easy to learn.
End result? For a buck, you can grab a game that is wonderfully fun to play.
These guys seem to just keep cranking the games out. Maybe one every month or two. I've bought several of them already (including Fireball, tonite!). I'm going to keep watching the Indie games section for them, and if they ever move up to an XBLA or full title? Hell yah.
My eye is on these guys. Highly recommended.
BlindGiRl
I just finished the indie game BlindGiRl. Very cool puzzle game, with an excellent set of visuals and sound. And for just 80 points (aka US$1). The past hour has been well worth it!
Recommended!
Recommended!
Darksiders
I've been playing Darksiders the past few days. Picked it up on sale at GameStop for just $19.99 (see http://bit.ly/aHlprJ). This is a fabulous price given how new this game is. And it is well worth it!
The combat is sweeping and visceral. You fight against multiple foes, moving among the opponents with massive weapons, and some awesomely bloody "fatality" moves. One of my favorites is jumping up to grab onto a huge bat's neck, then plunging my huge sword up through its body, and ripping it into pieces in a spray of gore.
Yup, similar to God of War, and along the same lines as Dante's Inferno that I commented on earlier.
The game feels pretty linear, as you move through the story, growing your fighting capability. Some basic environmental puzzles in the areas (get this, unlock that, jump here, etc) provides for some light thinking between the episodes of combat. The graphics are detailed, with vast, open spaces to play in.
Metacritic gave Darksiders an 83. I agree, and for just $20, this game is a no-brainer to pick up.
The combat is sweeping and visceral. You fight against multiple foes, moving among the opponents with massive weapons, and some awesomely bloody "fatality" moves. One of my favorites is jumping up to grab onto a huge bat's neck, then plunging my huge sword up through its body, and ripping it into pieces in a spray of gore.
Yup, similar to God of War, and along the same lines as Dante's Inferno that I commented on earlier.
The game feels pretty linear, as you move through the story, growing your fighting capability. Some basic environmental puzzles in the areas (get this, unlock that, jump here, etc) provides for some light thinking between the episodes of combat. The graphics are detailed, with vast, open spaces to play in.
Metacritic gave Darksiders an 83. I agree, and for just $20, this game is a no-brainer to pick up.
Pick Up and Play
There are a number of games which you can start up, play for a half-hour, and then set aside. Depending upon your mood, these can be some awesome games.
If you're playing World of Warcraft... you don't merely play for a bit, and go hang with the children. You're in. All in. You sit down at 8pm, and rip yourself away from the keyboard at 4am, hopefully with some nice treasure drops, and a level under your belt.
But what if you only have an hour? Or, heh, what if your attention span doesn't last that long? Here is where your pick-up games come in.
Lately, Mercenaries 2 has been my pickup game. Driving games also excel (heh) at being great pickup games. Shoot some bad guys, or run a race. Done, recorded. Go see your buddy for a nightcap whiskey.
I've been playing a lot of Sacred 2 over the past months. It does not require a "mindset" to get into, and it has a hojillion quests. It works very well for that casual-gaming / pickup atmosphere. On the other hand, my latest Dragon Age: Origins save game is right before some scary-ass demon bitch with a dozen conversation menus of choices about whether I decide to kill her or not. Oh, and if I fail to kill her? Then I gotta redo the menu sequence all over again. It is a "hump" that I am not looking forward to crossing over and over, so I haven't put that game back in the machine. Dragon Age is great, but it requires a mindset, and a time commitment.
Game style. What do you like? Do you have time? Can you find long stretches of game play? A game could be awesome, but it may require more head-time than you have available.
And with all that said, Mercenaries 2 is available, used, for less than US$20 at GameStop. Pick that up, and go blow up shit. It will take you 15 minutes to use a tank and reduce your enemies to rubble. And Merc2 is wicked about destruction. No holds barred. Adrenaline. ... Oh, then go kiss your wife goodnight. She doesn't need to know you're an avatar of wonton destruction. You can always start up Mario and whistle a tune, if you need cover...
If you're playing World of Warcraft... you don't merely play for a bit, and go hang with the children. You're in. All in. You sit down at 8pm, and rip yourself away from the keyboard at 4am, hopefully with some nice treasure drops, and a level under your belt.
But what if you only have an hour? Or, heh, what if your attention span doesn't last that long? Here is where your pick-up games come in.
Lately, Mercenaries 2 has been my pickup game. Driving games also excel (heh) at being great pickup games. Shoot some bad guys, or run a race. Done, recorded. Go see your buddy for a nightcap whiskey.
I've been playing a lot of Sacred 2 over the past months. It does not require a "mindset" to get into, and it has a hojillion quests. It works very well for that casual-gaming / pickup atmosphere. On the other hand, my latest Dragon Age: Origins save game is right before some scary-ass demon bitch with a dozen conversation menus of choices about whether I decide to kill her or not. Oh, and if I fail to kill her? Then I gotta redo the menu sequence all over again. It is a "hump" that I am not looking forward to crossing over and over, so I haven't put that game back in the machine. Dragon Age is great, but it requires a mindset, and a time commitment.
Game style. What do you like? Do you have time? Can you find long stretches of game play? A game could be awesome, but it may require more head-time than you have available.
And with all that said, Mercenaries 2 is available, used, for less than US$20 at GameStop. Pick that up, and go blow up shit. It will take you 15 minutes to use a tank and reduce your enemies to rubble. And Merc2 is wicked about destruction. No holds barred. Adrenaline. ... Oh, then go kiss your wife goodnight. She doesn't need to know you're an avatar of wonton destruction. You can always start up Mario and whistle a tune, if you need cover...
"God of War" in Xbox clothing
No, God of War isn't coming to the Xbox any time soon. But we are getting Dante's Inferno.
If you haven't downloaded the demo from Xbox Live, then do it now. Serious awesome rush.
For those not familiar with God of War (which is a Playstation exclusive, and I'm assuming this blog's readers are mostly Xbox players), think about an adventure game like The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and mix in some very light platforming like the Prince of Persia series, and throw in a ton of gore and fatalities like Mortal Kombat or Vikings: Battle for Asgard. There are basic combos, and skill progression, but nowhere near the complexity of a fighting game like Tekken or the depth of an RPG like Oblivion.
Does that all make sense? Basically, you're playing through the nine levels of hell being the biggest, baddest, motherfucker in the universe and beyond. Shoot... in the second scene of so of the demo, you fight Death himself! And kick his bony ass, as he blubbers like a schoolgirl to spare him!
The controls in the demo take a bit to get used to (right stick is dash/evade rather than camera, which is mostly fixed). But the fights are fast, gory, and really gets the adrenaline going. You're fighting all these monsters using the scythe you swiped off Death. At the end of the demo, you jam the sucker into this huge monster's head and ride him around like the sandworms in Dune, crushing all the teeny minions sent against you.
A high energy adventure/platformer like this has been a while in coming, and I'm very much looking forward to the game when it comes out next month.
If you haven't downloaded the demo from Xbox Live, then do it now. Serious awesome rush.
For those not familiar with God of War (which is a Playstation exclusive, and I'm assuming this blog's readers are mostly Xbox players), think about an adventure game like The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and mix in some very light platforming like the Prince of Persia series, and throw in a ton of gore and fatalities like Mortal Kombat or Vikings: Battle for Asgard. There are basic combos, and skill progression, but nowhere near the complexity of a fighting game like Tekken or the depth of an RPG like Oblivion.
Does that all make sense? Basically, you're playing through the nine levels of hell being the biggest, baddest, motherfucker in the universe and beyond. Shoot... in the second scene of so of the demo, you fight Death himself! And kick his bony ass, as he blubbers like a schoolgirl to spare him!
The controls in the demo take a bit to get used to (right stick is dash/evade rather than camera, which is mostly fixed). But the fights are fast, gory, and really gets the adrenaline going. You're fighting all these monsters using the scythe you swiped off Death. At the end of the demo, you jam the sucker into this huge monster's head and ride him around like the sandworms in Dune, crushing all the teeny minions sent against you.
A high energy adventure/platformer like this has been a while in coming, and I'm very much looking forward to the game when it comes out next month.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)