Journal Entry for Saturday 2/25/2012

It has been  a little while since my last journal entry.  It feels like I've been bouncing between games quite a bit and have yet to get back to Skyrim.  Right now I'm indulging in Asura's Wrath (Xbox360)  and Resident Evil Revelations (3DS) while killing some time with some phone games, mainly Bug Village and Gravity Guy.  Found a way to get around the glitchiness of Bug Village and had to start over from scratch.  Basically Glu put out a real stinkfest with this title riddled with issues like the screen going black once your village is up  and running and certain bugs disappearing making it impossible to 100% the achievements.  I've been having a blast with Asura's Wrath and I'm currently doing a playthrough with the Mortal gauge equipped to earn the "Who Needs Health" achievement and the Obliterator gauge.

Achievement progress:

Asura's Wrath: 545/1000 (34/45)

Bug Village: 80/200 (3/7)

Gravity Guy: 5/200 (1/20)

My last game at 100% was Bastion 200/200 on 2/20/12

Asura's Wrath Review

Asura has a no-holds-barred attitude that's exhilarating

One of the quotes on the packaging of Asura's Wrath is from IGN and reads "in sixteen years of playing games, I've never seen anything like Asura's wrath." I took this statement with trepidation as one that may be used incorrectly if taken out of context.  This statement could be that the game is the worst thing ever played, or a true original gem.  Nothing could be more true than the latter.  In all my many years of gaming, more than sixteen to be sure, I have never encountered something as viscerally appealing and mind-nummigly replete with sensory overload than Asura's Wrath.  It's been a great many years since I have been so rivitted by a game that I could not stop playing until completion, but last night a started the game at 9:30 and at 3:30, half asleep, watched the final credits roll.  This game is completely satisfying from start to finish and I will attempt to break down the reasons why.

Yes, it gets this epic

Graphics & Presentation:  This game has one of the greatest presentations I have ever seen.  From crisp graphics that look like a living painting, a la Street Fighter IV, to a TV show stile presentation complete with commercial breaks to give a pause in the action this game's look and feel is unique.  Each chapter is divided into an episode complete with one commercial break (sans commercials) at the middle point and a preview of the episode to get you excited about the action you are about to partake in.  This break up of the action actually keeps you "tuned in" as it keeps the segments brief and keeps you pushing to see what is going to happen next.  The whole package feels like a gorgeously illustrated, over the top anime with action that makes Dragon Ball Z look like a kitten fight and is just shy of seizure inducing .  And boss fights so epic, they make God of War's look puny.

Asura and the Seven Deities are some
of the baddest mofos in gaming

Story & Gameplay: While neither of these aspects are unique or original, the way they are handled is very fresh.  The story is an old betrayal and revenge story set in a unique world of Eastern Mythology and high technology.  Demigods pilot spaceships and seem to be more machine than man with cybernetic appendages and strange markings and tubing.  This strange blend actually translates well and never feels out of place in Asura's universe.  The gameplay is strictly linear, with no exploration and constant fighting broken up by timed events cutscenes.  There are also a few rail shooting stages thrown into the mix to break up the brawling action.  The fighting is simple, with your usual weak/strong attack, dodges and counters with a burst meter you can fill to deliver a devastating attack which is usually required to advance.  While the combat is not the deepest ever, the challenge is still there when attempting to attain an S rank in the stages to unlock everything the game has to offer, including new gauges that affect gameplay.  Lastly, I have to say, the cast of Asura's Wrath is comprised of some of the coolest heroes and villains that have ever graced the gaming space.  Once you are finished with the game, you will be wanting to go back.

Click the image for the US release trailer

Overall, Asura packs a massive punch and provides a great overall package with beautiful art, lots of unlockables and an amazing level of challenge for those who are completists.  It also offers an easy mode for those who just want to take in the breathtaking visuals and jaw dropping action.  The action never stops, your eyes will grow dry because you feel that you can't blink, and your thumbs will grow tired from mashing buttons and timing presses, but you will love every second of it.  I highly recommend this title, especially if you are into Japanese story telling and Capcom's unique brand of stylish, insane action, and with new DLC on the way which includes Street Fighter characters, this may be one to hang on to for a long while.

Mini Review on Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

What do you get when you combine a baseball star and a comic book/action figure phenom?  A fantasy action RPG, of course!  And how do you get people to try a new franchise in this age of sequels?  Throw in some free and awesome schwag for one of those said sequels.  Kingdoms is a fun romp, but not without it's flaws.  I played this when the demo first launched and found myself enjoying it until the game froze on me, thus keeping e from unlocking the Mass Effect weapon...Upon playing it once again today, I found myself not hating the game, but not loving it either.  Maybe it's the amount of time I've spent in Skyrim, but this title definitely feels like a poor man's version of that title.  With similar combat, crafting and lockpicking mechanics it is apparent that members of that staff were hired by this studio.  It stands as a bit of a hybrid, though, as it also adds the charm, simplicity and cartoony feel of Fable.  With some witty writing and Todd MacFarlane's impeccable design, this game is definitely a step up from the rabble.  My main concern with it was how small and linear the dungeons feel and how twitchy and sensitive the camera is.  I thought we were past the days of constant RS babysitting to keep the camera in place.  Overall, this game shows potential for depth and a charm that I'm sure will propell the story along.  If for nothing else, try the demo for the amazing McFarlane designed Mass Effect 3 gear, but hurry because time is running short!

Mini Review on Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D/MGSSE3D for short...yeesh

Snake got old, and not even a bottle of
Regain can cure his ills

I played the Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D demo yesterday on my 3DS and I was reminded of why I stopped playing the series at around this time on the PS2.  Having to hide in a log, being spotted because of the clunky camera, or being killed because you keep facing the wrong direction while trying to crawl into a hole are still some nightmare inducing and frustrating qualities that this series never fixed.  

Maybe I'm spoiled by Sam Fisher, but Snake just got too old.

On the plus side, the 3D graphics are quite impressive and being able to make camo out of photographs is a fun diversion.  In the end, these console exclusive gimmicks fall short and fail to fix all the glaring gameplay issues with this title.  I may pick this up if it hits bargain bins at some point, but for now, I'll just save my cash for Tekken and Kid Iccarus: Uprising.

Xbox 360 Activity End of Day 2/20/12

Yesterday I got 200/200 on Bastion, making it my 63rd completed game on 360.  Sadly, I've noted that I've been completing a lot of 200GS games and haven't had a completed 1000GS game since November.  I must work on that.  Maybe Skyrim or Forza will be my next.

As of last check, I sit at 63 completed games, 4692 achievements and 106,328 Gamerscore.  Let's see if I hit 100 completed by my birthday!!