With the completion of the third stage of Beautiful Katamari, I have completed my quest to have some achievement points for all of my played Xbox 360 games.
Next step: actually finishing the main story modes of these games (where applicable). That could take me a while. Especially while I try to keep up with all the new games. But it is the slow season, so the break is appreciated.
But in the future, I will be sure to make sure I get some points before I quit playing a new game.
Actually, the only two games I have full Achievement points for right now are two games I rented: Spider-Man: Friend or Foe, which is a terrible game, and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which is less bad but still dull.
For the Record, these are the only games I've completed the main storyline or equivalent (with one character, in cases of games with multiple character storylines) on the Xbox 360, as of January 25, 2008:
Amped 3
Assassin's Creed
Bioshock
Bulletwitch
Dead or Alive 4
Dead or Alive Xtreme 2
Dead Rising
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Fuzion Frenzy 2
Gears of War
Guitar Hero 2
Gun
Halo 3
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Lego Star Wars 2
Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Ninety-Nine Nights
Perfect Dark Zero
Samurai Warriors 2
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe
Tony Hawk American Wasteland
Tony Hawk Project 8
Virtual Fighter 5
Total to Date: 23
Total Games played (including Live Arcade Games & them Burger King ones): 113
Average Achievement Points per game: 176
I didn't list any of the games with only 200 gamer points, or any sport games without definite stories or such to complete. I'll try to update the blog with a running total every couple weeks when I complete more games.
Oh, and this is the third time in four posts where I mention Dead or Alive Xtreme 2. Just thought I'd point that out.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
More Money, Less Rocking
So, Guitar Hero III is still releasing more downloadable songs. It's quite sad that more people don't have the cash to upgrade to Rock Band so they can have four parts to play in each song, rather than two. Especially since they're more expensive on GH3. Five hundred Microsoft points will buy you a GH3 3-pack of songs. 3-packs on Rock Band = 440 points. Even individual songs for Rock Band mostly cost 160 points (three ala carte songs = 480 points), some are even listed for 80 points.
So is having "Peace of Mind" by Boston or Journey's "Any Way You Want It" worth it ("Juke Box Hero" is already available for Rock Band)? Not to have to sit there and watch Freaky McBigMouth sing it without me, or the animatronic drummer spaz-play yet another song.
If they want to continue overcharging for lesser content, they should begin including extras with the songs: New costumes, new arenas, maybe even new characters (or bring back Pandora, perhaps? She's already designed, just give her some new clothes.).
Convince your friends and neighbors to plunk down the cash for Rock Band, and leave the price-gouging Guitar Hero series behind. The only time they'll realize people won't pay for over-priced merchandise, is when people stop paying for over-priced merchandise.
So is having "Peace of Mind" by Boston or Journey's "Any Way You Want It" worth it ("Juke Box Hero" is already available for Rock Band)? Not to have to sit there and watch Freaky McBigMouth sing it without me, or the animatronic drummer spaz-play yet another song.
If they want to continue overcharging for lesser content, they should begin including extras with the songs: New costumes, new arenas, maybe even new characters (or bring back Pandora, perhaps? She's already designed, just give her some new clothes.).
Convince your friends and neighbors to plunk down the cash for Rock Band, and leave the price-gouging Guitar Hero series behind. The only time they'll realize people won't pay for over-priced merchandise, is when people stop paying for over-priced merchandise.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The Second Impression
I am glad I went against my first impressions when it came to the new Burnout game. I had played the demo, and was quite unimpressed. There wasn't much road to roam or things to do in the truncated piece of the city they provided. I was thinking about actually not buying the game, a first since I got my first taste with Burnout 3. But I went ahead and picked it up, and I am not disappointed so far.
Yes, there are a lot of things taken out of the game, when compared to the previous entry, Burnout Revenge. I miss the revenge rivals, and the aftertouch, and the crash mode, and especially the local multiplayer. And I still am a bit put off about the more realistic physics.... the cars actually feel weightier and you don't pinball the cars around like before. It does lose a bit of what made Burnout unique, and there are already plenty of Racing sims.
But Burnout Paradise offers enjoyment by allowing you to drive at very high speed around all over the city, free from any forced objective. Couple that with the lack of loading times, and it's fantastic driving mayhem.
I am only an hour into the game, and have attempted very few actual events so far, so my thoughts on the game haven't been finalized, of course. I'll see how long the new things will keep me from missing the changes they have made. Or how long I can stand the radio DJ announcer. (He was fine on SSX3, when he'd mention your character by name and talk about how you're doing... but here he gets on my nerves. Perhaps because he keeps popping in with new tips. Grr.)
***
Side Note:
Why have games abandoned true custom soundtracks? I have a hard drive full of songs I'd like to hear while playing the game, not whatever random rock anthems they want me to be impressed by their acquisition of. Sure, I can shut off their songs and play mine through the 360's music player, but then they play over potentially important tips and cutscenes. The old Tony Hawk and Burnout games would incorporate my songs... why not anymore? Now all I have working for me is DOA Xtreme 2.
***
But this whole episode with the off-putting demo makes me wonder if demos really help sell games? I suppose if they include an entire unabridged level or more, they would give a full sense of the game. But the ones I've played were truncated or missing important sounds or such. I've never played a demo that sold me on a game. Most either persuaded me against it or just didn't affect me at all. They sure don't work with these open-world type games.
Yes, there are a lot of things taken out of the game, when compared to the previous entry, Burnout Revenge. I miss the revenge rivals, and the aftertouch, and the crash mode, and especially the local multiplayer. And I still am a bit put off about the more realistic physics.... the cars actually feel weightier and you don't pinball the cars around like before. It does lose a bit of what made Burnout unique, and there are already plenty of Racing sims.
But Burnout Paradise offers enjoyment by allowing you to drive at very high speed around all over the city, free from any forced objective. Couple that with the lack of loading times, and it's fantastic driving mayhem.
I am only an hour into the game, and have attempted very few actual events so far, so my thoughts on the game haven't been finalized, of course. I'll see how long the new things will keep me from missing the changes they have made. Or how long I can stand the radio DJ announcer. (He was fine on SSX3, when he'd mention your character by name and talk about how you're doing... but here he gets on my nerves. Perhaps because he keeps popping in with new tips. Grr.)
***
Side Note:
Why have games abandoned true custom soundtracks? I have a hard drive full of songs I'd like to hear while playing the game, not whatever random rock anthems they want me to be impressed by their acquisition of. Sure, I can shut off their songs and play mine through the 360's music player, but then they play over potentially important tips and cutscenes. The old Tony Hawk and Burnout games would incorporate my songs... why not anymore? Now all I have working for me is DOA Xtreme 2.
***
But this whole episode with the off-putting demo makes me wonder if demos really help sell games? I suppose if they include an entire unabridged level or more, they would give a full sense of the game. But the ones I've played were truncated or missing important sounds or such. I've never played a demo that sold me on a game. Most either persuaded me against it or just didn't affect me at all. They sure don't work with these open-world type games.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Whore of a Different Color
When it comes to multi-platform release games, I will go with the Xbox 360 version 95% of the time. Why? For the Achievements, of course. It's just satisfying for the system to keep track of how I'm doing and let me know when I've accomplished something with the familiar little pop-up. And that makes me an official Achievement Whore.
Generally, AWs are classified by their desire to get every single point they can. While I'm not opposed to that, and I will look through the list and see what extra points I can get along the way, I actually have a different standard to my point hording. In fact, the only two games I have yet to achieve maximum points are two rental games, neither of which I really liked.
I feel the need to have some points at all my games. Having that embarrassing 0 point total on my gamercard brings dishonor to my family. So instead, I have a bunch of games with only one achievement, but I still feel satisfaction. In the past I even bought crappy Xbox Live Arcade games because I had played the demo and got saddled with a permanent Zero for the game until I upgraded. Now, presumably, you can erase demos from your gamercard... but I still just avoid demos, because I would still know how I did not get any achievements.
***
Hey, Microsoft: How about giving 10 points for completing a demo? Sounds like a marketing plan that could generate a few extra sales, presuming the game is fun enough to buy... which is the point of having a demo, right?
***
I'm happy to say I finally went back and got at least one achievement at all the games I own. Which is a lot. I still have three games I rented which I failed to get points on: Lost Planet (I got from Gamefly, popped the disc in to see if there was local co-op, then took it out and returned it without playing), Virtual Fighter 5 (I got my butt handed to me so many times, I have an attic full of butt now.), and Beautiful Katamari (I'm a terrible stickyball roller). I will have to get those back and find a way to get some points.
Easiest Game to get initial Achievement Points: Tiger Woods 07. All you have to do is create a custom character. While the options for tweaking your golfer is immense, you could just click through it and get the 5 points.
Most Difficult Game to get initial points: Dead Or Alive Xtreme 2. After about 4 or 5 playthroughs with a single character, I finally collected all of her swimsuits. It took me nearly that long to get the timing of the volleyball down, which probably wouldn't have been that hard if there were options for positioning the camera.
Generally, AWs are classified by their desire to get every single point they can. While I'm not opposed to that, and I will look through the list and see what extra points I can get along the way, I actually have a different standard to my point hording. In fact, the only two games I have yet to achieve maximum points are two rental games, neither of which I really liked.
I feel the need to have some points at all my games. Having that embarrassing 0 point total on my gamercard brings dishonor to my family. So instead, I have a bunch of games with only one achievement, but I still feel satisfaction. In the past I even bought crappy Xbox Live Arcade games because I had played the demo and got saddled with a permanent Zero for the game until I upgraded. Now, presumably, you can erase demos from your gamercard... but I still just avoid demos, because I would still know how I did not get any achievements.
***
Hey, Microsoft: How about giving 10 points for completing a demo? Sounds like a marketing plan that could generate a few extra sales, presuming the game is fun enough to buy... which is the point of having a demo, right?
***
I'm happy to say I finally went back and got at least one achievement at all the games I own. Which is a lot. I still have three games I rented which I failed to get points on: Lost Planet (I got from Gamefly, popped the disc in to see if there was local co-op, then took it out and returned it without playing), Virtual Fighter 5 (I got my butt handed to me so many times, I have an attic full of butt now.), and Beautiful Katamari (I'm a terrible stickyball roller). I will have to get those back and find a way to get some points.
Easiest Game to get initial Achievement Points: Tiger Woods 07. All you have to do is create a custom character. While the options for tweaking your golfer is immense, you could just click through it and get the 5 points.
Most Difficult Game to get initial points: Dead Or Alive Xtreme 2. After about 4 or 5 playthroughs with a single character, I finally collected all of her swimsuits. It took me nearly that long to get the timing of the volleyball down, which probably wouldn't have been that hard if there were options for positioning the camera.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Back To The Drawing Surface
I finally put up thosegamesweplay.com for my webcomic. It has a link to this blog, so if you followed that, welcome. But before you scour this blog for information about the webcomic... let me tell you right now that you won't find much.
This blog is about video games I'm playing, my thoughts about gaming news, and my input on the comic book industry.
There are hints about what I'm working on. Video games I will be reviewing and making strips about will often get talked about here first. But generally, the gap between playing a new game and the time it takes to write that game into the comic is quite large since the comic only updates twice a week. Perhaps that gap will lessen some time in the future, but for now it is as it is.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy stuff I have to offer, and happy new year to you.
This blog is about video games I'm playing, my thoughts about gaming news, and my input on the comic book industry.
There are hints about what I'm working on. Video games I will be reviewing and making strips about will often get talked about here first. But generally, the gap between playing a new game and the time it takes to write that game into the comic is quite large since the comic only updates twice a week. Perhaps that gap will lessen some time in the future, but for now it is as it is.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy stuff I have to offer, and happy new year to you.
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