Enslaved it is!

Spoiler free asessment of Enslaved please. (It can be short).

For my next conquest, I've decided to go on the DL... or rather TO my DL. (DownLoaded games.)

Wow! This game is almost BETTER than any retail game I've played in a while! It's true, I feel very guilty owning it and playing it, due to Orson Scott Card's contribution to it --BUT-- It's my video-game equivalent of Kryptonite. I have always had and will always HAVE a weakness for Metroid-Vania style games.

More Metroid than even Other M, Shadow Complex has you gain skills slowly but steadily and has such upgrades as: A Backpack that gives you the ability to Climb, Grenades that Blow Up Certain doors (Morph Ball Bombs), A Thrust Pack (Double Jump Boots), Friction Dampers (Speed Boots), a Grappling Hook and Rockets... and the list goes on!

One of the BEST innovations this game brings to this genre is the simple Flashlight; not only does it illuminate the dark --BUT-- if you shine it on certain objects, they will change color, indicating what weapon or gadget you need to get past that particular obstacle. TOTALLY INVALUABLE!

As if the whole exploration aspect of the game wasn't addicting enough, there are also a bunch of REALLY fun achievements in the game, awarded for making enemies Scream, hitting them with headshots, using a melee attack, and on and on! The game gives you in-game updates when/if you beat your Live Friend's Achievements as you play! VERY COOL!

I can TOTALLY see why many websites awarded this DOWNLOADABLE game, GOTY awards the year it came out...

...besides, the main character is voiced by Nolan North, that fact ALONE usually puts a game immediately into the running!

Come quietly or there will be trouble!  

bugsonglass said:

That reminds me of Data East's Robocop

Game was amazing on the C64.

Though I think the home versions were handled by OCEAN, at least in PAL land.

bugsonglass said:

phantom_leo said:

LOVE the new Avatar, Bugsie!  

thanks buddy, i think it may be my first gaming related avatar since my Ryu one when i first created a gamespot account nearly 10 years ago.

aspro said:

Game was amazing on the C64.

Though I think the home versions were handled by OCEAN, at least in PAL land.

i only played the arcade one.  it was a wonderful game.  hard as nails ... but then again so was i back in the day

Leo i'll be interested in reading further Shadow Complex impressions though i'll likely stick to my decision against knowingly putting money into the pockets of fascists

You're probably not going to see many more impressions from me. I played through 75% of the game, yesterday alone! I am just travelling through the Complex now, gathering the rest of the components of my Suit, and then I believe I start the final Battle.

The game is really, really, really good Bugs. It is so polished. So well paced. So MUCH a Metroid. I cannot believe I actually gave money to a man that has an Anti-Homosexual agenda, but this is EXACTLY the type of game I live for and dream about. Conflict of interest, I know, but I don't think the $.50 he makes from me is going to make THAT much of a difference... I hope.

This game is probably going to be getting upwards of a 9.5 or so from me, ratings-wise!

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood impressions.  HERE BE SPOILERS!!!

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Let's get the bad, nitpicky stuff out of the way.  The map sucks.  I liked the map in AC2 and it's pretty much the same, but now there's so many things to buy, open up or repair.  If you haven't bought it yet, then it's grey on the map.  If you have, then it's white.  The problem is that it's hard to differentiate between the two.   It's a very light colored shade of grey. I can't tell what I've gotten to and what do I need to explore.  More color for the icons would be nice.

There are so many actions that are mapped out onto the buttons.  It's a little ridiculous at times.  For example, you can use you Eagle Eye, call for your horse or speak to the vendors by pressing 'Y.'  I went to a doctor and tried to talk to him, but before I could, I summoned my horse and went to eagle vision in a matter of seconds.  Just a couple of nitpicky things.

But after a couple of hours of gameplay, I remembered why I chose AC2 as my GOTY.  It's just so much damn fun.  The assassinations were only a small part of the package.  I had to get 100% on that game.  I was gonna own everything, find every glymph and solve every puzzle.  And I did.  To this day, it's the only game that I have scored 1000/1000.  This game is just as fun, despite all of it's flaws.  Will I get all of the achievements like in the previous game?  Doubtful because of some mp flaws that I will address later.

The original Assassin's Creed was meh.  It's story was kinda shitty to me and the gameplay was nothing to write home about.  Assassin's Creed 2 changed for the better.  So much better.  The gameplay in Brotherhood is still incredible and the missions are actually more epic.  I MUST collect all of the feathers and glymphs!!  I want to know what happens with Subject 16!! This game has pulled me in.  This is what I loved about AC2 and in Brotherhood.  They're both just  just so incredibly deep.  I'm with this series to the end now.

But after the 9-10 hour mark, something changed.  A curveball that made this seem like more than AC 2.5.  You can begin to recruit future assassins for your cause.  You can send them on missions across the globe to build their experience, to become assassins just like you.  You reap the rewards, use them at your disposal.

You can also call them for assistance if you're in a bind.  They are at your side whenever you need them.  If you run into a bunch of thieves who want to rob you or guards who want to stand in your way, then summon you assassins to help.  They really are badasses. They swoop down like fucking ninjas, or come riding in on horses, then take off after every enemy is dead.  I get a kick at watching them come to my aid.

Multiplayer is fun, so fun that I didn't even touch the single player campaign for nearly a week.  It's nothing special, kill your target, keep from getting killed.  But I kept wanting to play more and more.  I got to about level 10 out of 50, then quit.   The problem is that I could not get a decent connection during a lot of mp games.  I don't really think itg's my internet connection, could be.  I got tired of trying to level up, only to be disconnected and lose my experience points. I may go back to it soon, but right now the single player campaign is where it's at.

I would easily rate this game a 9, maybe 9.5.  It's so close to being a true sequel, but it's not quite there. Maybe Assasin's Creed 2.8?  I will have a final verdict probably this weekend if I finish it.  Despite it's little flaws with the map,  context sensitive buttons and mp, it is an awesome experience.

Now Playing!

*This was Homer's #1 GOTY last year? Interesting.*

Leo! Gears 2!