The Gaming Diary: Chapter 2

[Link41]

1942: Joint Strike (XBLA) - Still trying to beat the game with the Shinden, much harder then I initially thought.

[GrayGhost81]

Nier on 360.

I'm not very far in but it came very highly recommended from a buddy and I like it a lot so far.

Very easy to find and cheap right now, I feel comfortable saying snatch up a copy if you see it.

[Izret101]

I have heard such widely varying comments on that game.

But never an explanation one way or the other. What is it that makes it good or what is it that could make people say it is terrible?

[techwizard]

the last couple days:
Link's Awakening - finished the first dungeon and found the entrance to the next one. i'm trying to play each zelda game in the way they would have been experienced at release, so that means using the original Gameboy. ah the days when you needed to play a handheld next to a lamp.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 - did another hour or so in this, i had started about 3 and a half hours over a month ago and wasn't really hooked, but now i'm hoping to try getting it done.

Metroid Prime 3 Corruption - finally going to try finishing the MP trilogy, i started this last night, just went through to the point where you first land on the planet.

[wildbil52]

Final Fantasy XIII-2 - did another hour or so in this, i had started about 3 and a half hours over a month ago and wasn't really hooked, but now i'm hoping to try getting it done.

This happened to me too.  I really liked XIII and was excited for XIII-2, played for a few hours, didn't hook me, stopped playing.  I will have to go back to that one and give it another try.

[techwizard]

Final Fantasy XIII-2 - did another hour or so in this, i had started about 3 and a half hours over a month ago and wasn't really hooked, but now i'm hoping to try getting it done.

This happened to me too.  I really liked XIII and was excited for XIII-2, played for a few hours, didn't hook me, stopped playing.  I will have to go back to that one and give it another try.

same i loved XIII. XIII-2 seems potentially good, but the time travel aspect is a bit out there. everyone is just kind of going along with it like it all makes perfect sense and will answer all their questions about Lightning, while i'm just sitting here like "what the **** is going on?". there's no real explanation for "why" the time travel stuff is happening, or why the story was altered. but it feels like they're trying to slowly explain that, so i'm going to give it a chance. i know i felt similar about XIII at first, but at least that one had a semi clear goal to deal with: the purge. this one feels like there isn't really much of an actual reason for all the time travelling yet, because there's no explanation about how exactly travelling through time is supposed to find Lightning.

[Fleach]

I want to play XIII-2 but there are things about the game that make me lose interest like Lightning's sister. I just don't know how she fares as a lead character.

I'm still plugging away at Ni No Kuni. 4 months and 40 hours later I'm at roughly the three-quarter mark. Currently tracking down the second of the three magic stones. I'm enjoying this game a lot, but had no idea it'd be such a time investment.

[Am4zingGam3r]

Started playing Fallout New Vegas Ultimate Edition a awhile ago. Im at the REPCONN facilities and already have Boone as a companion

[Duke.Togo]

New Vegas was so good. Let's hope for a new Fallout announcement soon.

[GrayGhost81]

I have heard such widely varying comments on that game.

But never an explanation one way or the other. What is it that makes it good or what is it that could make people say it is terrible?

It's one of those games that "tries to do too much" or "doesn't know what kind of game it wants to be."

It looks like your typical 3rd person hack n' slash rpg, but then all of a sudden you're platforming, then all of a sudden the camera goes above you and you're playing Gauntlet.

These things are what is making the game awesome for me. I never understood when games get criticized for that kind of stuff.

Another thing people complain about is the abysmally unplayable fishing mini-game. I just did it last night and it was a horrorshow. However I understand you only have to do it once, so I'm psyched about moving on with the game.

[Link41]

Welcome Park (Vita) - I have more time on my hands then usual, so I should be wrapping this up and getting my 100% today.

[JSoup]

I have heard such widely varying comments on that game.

But never an explanation one way or the other. What is it that makes it good or what is it that could make people say it is terrible?

I never understood when games get criticized for that kind of stuff.

They get criticized for that when they do too many things poorly. A lot of PS2 3D platformers are like that, trying too many things at once and the controls aren't precise enough for any of those things.

[GrayGhost81]

I have heard such widely varying comments on that game.

But never an explanation one way or the other. What is it that makes it good or what is it that could make people say it is terrible?

I never understood when games get criticized for that kind of stuff.

They get criticized for that when they do too many things poorly. A lot of PS2 3D platformers are like that, trying too many things at once and the controls aren't precise enough for any of those things.

Fair enough. Having said that I don't think that applies to this game at all, except for the fishing.

[Izret101]

I have heard such widely varying comments on that game.

But never an explanation one way or the other. What is it that makes it good or what is it that could make people say it is terrible?

It's one of those games that "tries to do too much" or "doesn't know what kind of game it wants to be."

It looks like your typical 3rd person hack n' slash rpg, but then all of a sudden you're platforming, then all of a sudden the camera goes above you and you're playing Gauntlet.

These things are what is making the game awesome for me. I never understood when games get criticized for that kind of stuff.

Another thing people complain about is the abysmally unplayable fishing mini-game. I just did it last night and it was a horrorshow. However I understand you only have to do it once, so I'm psyched about moving on with the game.

I didn't know that it had that many facets. I thought it was JUST a hack n slash style game.

[JSoup]

I have heard such widely varying comments on that game.

But never an explanation one way or the other. What is it that makes it good or what is it that could make people say it is terrible?

I never understood when games get criticized for that kind of stuff.

They get criticized for that when they do too many things poorly. A lot of PS2 3D platformers are like that, trying too many things at once and the controls aren't precise enough for any of those things.

Fair enough. Having said that I don't think that applies to this game at all, except for the fishing.

Oh, yeah, I agree, it's a great game. Mostly I think it's due to training that people respond like that. Having games with derp mechanics being tossed at us left and right all through the PS2 and original XBox eras trained players to just automatically be down or otherwise pissed when the game tosses something new at you. Hell, I'm prone to it too, had a few "are you fucking kidding me" moments at this and that in Sly 4, despite those segments not being nearly as bad as I was making them out to be.