The Videogames Tab

I'm beginning to seriously think that Metal Gear Rising Colon Revengeance is the greatest game of the previous generation. I'm being serious when I'm seriously thinking about that, too.

When you think about it all the ingredients are there - The mental world of Metal Gear Solid imagined by the guys at Platinum (Bayonetta, MadWorld) Games. The gameplay is as rock solid as a Tekken or a Street Fighter and you don't lose any of the immediacy because it's 3D. It's hellishly fun as well, especially once you've mastered the parry.

Seriously, how can you not fall for something like this? The actual gameplay is exactly what you'd expect from the opening cinematic, which is rare.



Where's my drum? MGSR is also 60fps on both old consoles and looks great while doing it.

The Japanese renaissance continues...

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"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan

Hey Dave: I see you own Lifeless Planet. Whatcha think, assuming you've played it a bit already?

It looks right up my alley. Was thinking of buying it.

I bought it a few months ago when it was still Early Access (and about 50% cheaper) and have been meaning to give it another run now that it's a finished product.



My initial thoughts were that it's a really atmospheric little game, reminiscent in some ways of Journey without the pathos, and all the more impressive when you find out it's the work of one guy in Alaska. Genre-wise I'd call it an Adventure with puzzle elements but nothing too taxing - The story and mood are the standouts here. It's pretty slight though.

EDIT - First thing I thought of when loading the game was Ray Bradbury's Martian Chronicles.

A bit pricey, too. Steam Summer sale around the corner however - If I was thinking of buying but not desperate I'd hold off until then.

One game I won't be recommending is 1001 Spikes. Games rarely put me in a bad mood and I kinda knew what I was in for knowing it's one of the 'difficult retro platformer' breed. Something like Spelunky, for example, is tough but generally fair - 1001 Spikes is wilfully nasty to the player.

You've got no way of knowing what's going to kill you until you learn a level and each time you're hit you have to start it again. Horrible game.

Lifeless Planet's quite a bit cheaper for me on the Humble Store.

I've read a lot about 1001 Spikes and watched people play it. I get the idea/appeal, and I think it's admirable on that level. But definitely not the kind of thing I'd enjoy.

Anyway, yeah, I think I'll wait on Lifeless Planet. A lot of the user reviews are disappointed in its pacing, it sounds like. I might still like it but it seems likely it won't really make good on all its potential, based on that. So I'll try to buy it cheap. Thanks.

It's $19.99 for me on both. Huh.

£14.99 on Steam, £11.99 on Humble. It's rare that pricing favours Europe in digital games, weird.

But yeah, I'd agree with that assessment on Lifeless Planet. Admirable for a one man team but not enough there to justify a $20 game.

A game I'd recommend wholeheartedly is Always Sometimes Monsters. It looks pretty basic (an RPG Maker game, I think) but great in its own way and is basically concerned with the choices we make in life. Very personable and engaging.

And cheap.

Man, Killer is Dead is good. Batsh!t crazy, but good.



It's a really competent Fighter at its core but it's from Suda51 so expect more. More weirdness...

Want a weapon upgrade? Chat up a girl in a bar and if you do it right (I kid you not, by sneaking a look at her chest amongst other things) she'll provide you with one. You get X-Ray specs as well.

That's just the tip of the iceberg.

I want Lollipop Chainsaw now, and I'm thinking about breaking out the PS2 for a blast of Killer7.

I have been thinking of getting that for a while. I might pick it up next time I pass by Gamestop. They have it there for $5.00.

Yep, it seems pretty cheap. I'd dismissed it as trash on seeing a few clips but hadn't realised the developer was Suda51 - It's intentionally trashy.

It's not the developer of the game that got to me, but the fact that writer and filmmaker James Gunn had a hand in developing the game itself.

Here's Jim Sterling's take on the first half hour of Lifeless Planet. It seems a bit more polished than when I played it - Cut scenes etc.



If a sweary Charlie Brooker devotee (good job Jim makes his living in The States - I called him on being a Brooker-lite years ago) offends, don't watch.

Short of today's announcements, what are you guys looking forward to hearing about?

An announcement on Uncharted is the only thing I can think of. There seems to be a lot bubbling under the surface about the Last Guardian, but then again, I guess that's every year.

E3 is total anathema to me, I'm afraid. We'll get some good drunken Giant Bomb videos, I guess, but the show's all just marketing BS.

PAX seems a bit more consumer oriented.

E3 sucked this year. The only thing kind of interesting was the new Crackdown and maybe the sequel to the updated Tomb Raider. Other than that to me it was just boring and nothing worth hearing.

Few more days to go, yeah?

Personally, I'm stoked about Assassin's Creed: Unity and four-player co-op.

True, but I only have Xbox and theirs was today.

I haven't looked over all the stuff, but I guess the Uncharted reveal was after I went to bed. Makes me wonder if Drake is much older. He looks different, almost like Dolph Lundgren in some shots. Disappointed that I apparently won't be going current gen till next year.

I saw you guys talking about Suda, I saw he had a spot http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/06/...245e453d00002e The Reaper on a skateboard seems fitting with his style.

Yep, Suda's new game looks interesting.

Caught a little of the Sony press conference on Giant Bomb. No Man's Sky looks too good to be true and Little Big Planet 3 looks like it's jumped the shark. Best news, though, is Broforce coming to PS3 & 4.

Sony wins this gen!