Condemned: Final Thought

Oh man has it been a while.  Sorry for the... very few readers that read this blog. Uh... yeah.  I've been busy with work and school and my other blogs.  I haven't had much time to play video games.

Anyways, here's the rundown for Condemned.

Pros:

• If you like this type of genre (psychological thriller/horror), then you'll love this game.  I know there are very few of these games that are done well, but this one ALMOST manages to pull it off.  But I'll get to why its a near-miss in the cons.
• The story line doesn't really disappoint.  It can be a bit confusing at first, and maybe I'm giving it more credit then what's due to it, but I was generally enthralled in the storyline since I couldn't remember it.
• The fighting system was very well done.  It might seem a bit clunky compared to today's games, but I enjoy the block and hit fighting style that this game uses.
• The mood and ambiance are really well done.  I usually play this game in the dark and I'm usually pretty scared by it.

Cons:

• As usual, I've very picky about games, and so this cons list might seem a bit... long.  First thing's first: acting.  This is where a lot of older games fail.... the horrible voice acting is a bit of a pain to listen to.  The second cut scene in the game is like someone scraping their fingernails on a chalkboard for me.  I hate that cut scene with a passion...  Also, the woman you talk to on your phone has almost NO passion in her voice... at all.  Let me stop talking about the voice acting before my blood pressure goes up to high.
• Repetitiveness.  The fights get a bit repetitive after a while... hit, block, taser, hit, block. Or, shoot, shoot, out of bullets, hit, block, hit.  It truly does get annoying.
• Gorefest.  Near the end of the game, guns become a bit TOO abundant.  I blasted through the last level up until the final boss.  That bitch was a ... bitch to beat.  However, when compared to Condemned 2, this "gore fest" is nothing; but that's for another review.

All in all, I'd have to say: if you can buy this game for cheap, GET IT.  Don't hesitate.  9/10.

Viva Piñata

Ok, so this game isn't a year old (it's about 5 years old). But I ordered it anyway. It's shipping today, so expect a review of it in about a week. Until then, I'll be reviewing some other games I own that have come down considerably in price.

Alan Wake: DLC

Yup, still reviewing Alan Wake. But this time I downloaded the first extra episode since it came free with my purchase of Alan Wake. I have to say, if it doesn't come with your copy, you should buy it, because this episode really brings out some new gameplay. The story gets more intricate (and I personally see it as backing up my previous analysis of the plot). All in all, I have to say it was well worth my time. It offers about an hour of extra game play and really touches on some emotional issues.

Alan Wake: Review

Game Review of Alan Wake: 8/10

For those who are looking to pick up a good cheap game, Alan Wake might be what your are looking for. The game offers a great plot and plenty of downloadable content to keep you busy. I know I'm going to be playing it again. The graphics look great and the characters feel real. It's a shame that the game's release date fell on the same day that Red Dead Redemption was released.

However, there are the downsides to the game: the action feels slightly repeatative. You have to use your flashlight over and over and over again. You pretty much use the flashlight constantly. That would be ok, except most of the time, the auto aim tries to help you out by pointing at one enemy -- which makes your flashlight only hurt one enemy at a time.

The other downside of the game is how scared the developers were at having the player try to figure things out. The message "they can only be defeated in the light" is repeated like a commercial slogan. You'd think I'd understand that they can only be defeated in the light after, oh, I don't know... The first level?

If you can look past those two downfalls, then Alan Wake might just be the game for you to pass the time with. It offers some great gameplay and leaves with a great story.

Alan Wake: Chapters 1 - 3

[Spoiler Alert]

Courtesy of Toy TMA

So, I just finished Chapters 1 through 3 in Alan Wake, and so far, the game is pretty interesting.  The plot line is fairly decent, but what I was really interested in were the fighting dynamics.  Your flashlight is your main weapon in this game.  I know what you're thinking: That's super gay.  Hold on though, hear me out.  In order to kill enemies, you have to destroy the darkness that surrounds them first with the flashlight.  Thus, light becomes your main weapon (along with flares, flare guns, flashbangs, revolvers, shotguns, and hunting rifles).  Most of the game takes place in a dark forest, so that flashlight serves a dual purpose: literally to be used as a light, and as a weapon.

That's all well and good, but how's the actual game?


Good question.  If you think gore is what makes a movie or game scary, then you need to spot being 12 years old or a girl or both.  Let's get one thing straight: gore does not equal scary.  This game has little to no blood.  So how does it scare you?  It creates believable characters, spends very little time explaining itself, uses common fears (such as the fear of darkness), and a stunning soundtrack to delve you into the situation.

When I got the game in the mail, I immediately began playing it on Hard, which guess what? It's hard like trying to tie your shoe with one hand.  I constantly run out of bullets, enemies try to attack you from your blind spots, and right when you think: Oh thank god, a hunting rifle, you find out that you've only got 7 bullets with it.

|Overall, this game is rocking my expectations, I can't wait to find out how it ends.

Alan Wake

So it's been almost a year since the game Alan Wake came out, and you can find it for $20 if you look hard enough.  I recently purchased it through Amazon, and am still playing through the game.

Image courtesy of Gossip Gamers

What's Alan Wake?  It's a psychological Action Thriller -- my type of game.  When it comes to video games, I like getting as scared as possible, and while Alan Wake isn't a gore fest, it manages to keep you on your toes.  With stunning graphics, the whole game feels like a television show -- and your the protagonist.

I'll be updating my progress through the game on this blog, and will give my final decision on whether you should spend money on this game.  Until then, I have to say, I'm loving the concept.