InFamous 2 (PS3)

Date Purchased:  June 5, 2012
Date Completed: May 27, 2015
Price: Free (PS+)

I rushed through this game.   InFamous 2 is quite fun and has a good story.   I do have a number of beefs with it though, the mission structure is quite repetitive, the camera can get a little “odd” at times, and after playing “SunsetOverdrive” the traversal seemed a bit slow.  Infamous 2 was probably a great game in it’s day, but the core gameplay of something in this style has been improved in more “current” games.  I’d recommend it in 2012, but in 2015, pass.

Monument Valley (iOS)

Date Purchased: May 23, 2015
Date Completed: May 26, 2015
Price: $1.19 (iOS App Store)

I rarely play games on mobile OS.  I used to play a lot of them, however after feeling burned by so many of them, I gave up trying.  For the most part, touch controls are poor unless a game implements them really well.  Secondly, most of them are "endless", I like an ending (as if you didn't already know) to feel like I can move on.  Finally, the constant milking of my credit card a dollar at a time has is a real let down in mobile gaming.  Okay, Enough about that.

I first saw Monument Valley on an episode of "House of Cards" during it's third season and have wanted to try it ever since.  It was a small product placement in the show that apparently sent the game into the top 10 of the App Store.  Nice work whoever made that happen.

The game is a relatively simple puzzle game where you control your character by tapping where you want it to go.  The graphic art style is what drew me in, and I found there to be an extra layer there with some mind bending optical illusions.  The game is not overly difficult (admitting one YouTube check to get through an early level).  The sound and music is very minimal, but well done.  There's not a lot to the story, but then end is satisfying.

High recommendation.  

The Pile 05/23/2015

A couple new games added to the pile, Donkey Kong for the Gameboy which was free from Club Nintendo, and Monument Valley, on sale for $1.19, the very first iOS game to make the cut.  I've wanted to play Monument Valley since I saw it "featured" on "House of Cards".  I haven't played it yet, but it looks promising from the video I've seen.  As for the big budget games, working on Infamous 2 after having owned it for years. 

The Unfinished Swan (Vita)

Date Purchased: May 6, 2015
Date Completed: May 13, 2015
Price: Free (PS+)

Neat little adventure game in first person.  Described as a children’s story, but there ain’t no kid who’s going to want to hear it.  The story itself is so open ended and left to interpretation it leaves something to be desired, trust me, I read a lot of children’s stories.  Graphics are simple but nice, sound is great although the narrator sucks, which is too bad, because the kid and the king both sound great.  There are some really great game mechanics here that I'd like see expanded, but those are over far too quickly (I'm looking at you box building sequence).  You can blow through this in a couple hours, and at free, I recommend you do it.  I would not pay for it.  (Also available on PS3/PS4)

 

 

Destiny (Xbox One)

Date Purchased: November 15, 2015

Date Completed: May 12, 2015
Price: Free (Xbox Game Share)

 

I love and hate Destiny.  I hate the story, so much so, that I started listening to sporting events while playing (which I actually quite enjoyed and can see ... err .. hear myself doing more of with other games).  But the story isn’t the lone reason I dislike Destiny, the main reason being that I played it all wrong.  I played Destiny alone.  I can see how fun this game could be with a friend, I love co-op (probably because I stink at competitive multiplayer) and this game is a co-op gamers dream, it’s meant to be played with friends.  Every mission is playable with a partner or two.  I really enjoyed the shooting, the environments, the weapons and the enemies were cool as well.  Big boss battles are something you don’t see in too many games anymore and this game has some of the best.    I ended up putting in about 15 hours into Destiny and the odd time I’d hook up with some random stranger who happened to be in my vicinity and we’d blast away together.  Those were some fun moments, but then that stranger would ride off into the distance … so long old friend … we’ll always have that battle together.   Do I have friends I could play Destiny with?  Yes, and no.  I game on my own terms, for however long I can or feel like.  What I don’t have time or patience for is waiting for a friend to sign on, install an update, get in a lobby and join up.  By the time that’s all done I’m usually left with about 20 minutes to play.  So was Destiny worth it as a single player game?  Yeah, for the right price I’d say so.  But at $70 (CDN)?  No.  Still, at the end of it all … Recommend.

 

 

Box Boy! (3DS)

Date Purchased: May 2, 2015

Date Completed: May 9, 2015
Price: $5.50 (eShop)

Fun little puzzle game well worth the price of admission.   Each world has it’s own “mechanic” so it doesn’t get insanely difficult by the end.  You can also “buy” hints on each level with currency earned in game, so if you’re stuck, you can progress without feeling like a dirty dirty cheater going to youtube.  The first few levels are insanely easy, but the challenge ramps up and the bonus worlds have you using all your known skills to complete them.  But, for me, once I see the credits, the game’s usually retired for a while.  Recommend.

2 More Games

This month's free Playstation Plus games are out and there are FOUR games that look okay.  I've already started and am digging "Unfinished Swan", so it's on the pile.  I also bought "Box Boy!" on the 3DS eShop.  Still slowly working through Destiny, but the home console games are tough to get to with the warmer weather.  Thankfully all the PS+ games I'm interested are also available on Vita.