Topic: Videogaming v2.0 [post individual threads for games]

[The Boston Crab]

I found Condemned to be genuinely unsettling, to the extent that I could never play it for long on my own. Quite depressing. At the same time, I didn't think the actual gameplay was up to much...

[HappyTree]

I'm told that people like to watch films and play games that make them feel scared. I don't understand that. I want to play fluffy games of fairies and magic that make me feel comfortable and warm. I get scared enough in real life trying to live in a country whose administration and red tape is the joke of the Western world.

[mobias]

I've written a polite yet mildly threatening letter of complaint to Sony.

Sounds like the right thing to do. Seems to be a matter of course with hardware companies like Sony, Apple or whoever that its just your luck of the draw who you deal with on the phone and who deals with your complaint.  If they're some bored twat who just wants to give you grief for the hell of it or some guy who actually cares. Going up the chain of command until you're dealing with someone who does actually care about customer service is always the best thing to do, though it can take time. I'm sure it'll come good in the end.

[mobias]

I don't understand that. I want to play fluffy games of fairies and magic that make me feel comfortable and warm.

Funnily enough I just finished playing Flower on the PS3 this very afternoon. What an incredible game, very simple but the atmosphere and music is superb. I really wish there more games like this for consoles. Flower would have been even better had it been longer and with better graphics, the graphics are pretty simplistic but they do do the job. Its nice to play something that's clearly geared towards being an experience rather than a game. Best £5 I've spent in ages. 

[HappyTree]

Yeah, Flower is one of the few things that make me wonder if I should have "gone Sony". But I make do with playing Skate on the Xbox and just dicking around. I got Katamari because it looked like another great way to dick around but the time limit puts pressure on the game that makes me uncomfortable. I wish there were a mode with no time limit that just allowed me to have fun picking up weird objects.

[falafel]

Or eating them, like in Noby Noby Boy...

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

There's nothing wrong with nobying boys

[mcbpete]

I wish there were a mode with no time limit that just allowed me to have fun picking up weird objects.

There is on the PS3 version, in the setting called Katamari Forever Mode.

[falafel]

Looks like somebody shoulda bought a PS3.

[/fanboy]

[HappyTree]

The controller is poor, that's basically the only reason why I didn't.

[spanky]

And they'll steal from you given half the chance.

[Spiteface]

Yeah, I'm posting more Sonic the Shedgehog stuff:

Sonic 4???

Project Needlemouse reveal, merely hours away

YAY~!  Only thing that sucks about this is I have to wait til I get home from work tomorrow to check this out, bloody time difference.  As a fan of Sonic since 1991, I am very excited right now.

[VegaLA]

Sega confirms that the AVP demo will be available tomorrow (Thurs 4th Feb) for XBL, PSN and Steam.

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/22027/Sega-Confirms-AVP-Demo-For-XBL/

[ozziechef]

Splosion Man is 400 points on XBL at the moment - I've heard nothing but good stuff about it so downloaded it yesterday. A cracking game, slightly frustrating but good fun. Not tried Multiplayer yet but I can guess how that will be - excellent!

[chand]

Sega confirms that the AVP demo will be available tomorrow (Thurs 4th Feb) for XBL, PSN and Steam.

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/22027/Sega-Confirms-AVP-Demo-For-XBL/

PS3ers also get a Heavy Rain demo today, and slightly belatedly Battlefield Bad Company 2. And FFVIII finally so people can stop complaining.

[turnstyle]

Just wanted to recommend the game 'Condemned' in case anyone lissed it since its such an old game.

It's strange you mention this as yesterday I ordered Condemned 1 + 2, inspired by a Neogaf thread about the creepiest monsters in video games:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386493

I remember playing the demo when I first got my 360, and wandering around that building as homeless drug addicts threw themselves at me. I found it rather unsettling to be honest. However, having read more about the games recently, I'm going to grow a pair and get stuck in. Will report back on my findings.

The great thing is I managed to get both games for £11 (second hand, but still).

I used to be really into horror games. I played the first Silent Hill to death, and I was massively into the Resident Evil series. Most recently I played Dead Space, which was excellent but I got distracted round about level 9, and need to return to it. Oh, and I also played Silent Hill Origins a couple of years ago on PSP, which wasn't one of the best in the series, but still got the job done.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

I'm told that people like to watch films and play games that make them feel scared. I don't understand that.

A subtle form of masochism perhaps? Or maybe it's a vicarious thrill from the adrenaline rush of danger without the actual risk. I don't know, I'm no psychologichiatrist, but I do enjoy a good horror now and then. Silent Hill 2 is still probably the best example of gaming as art that I've played.

[graaasp!]

I think it's because after playing the game for a while you become immune to fear. Things which you consider scary in the demo or the early stages become, almost, boring. It makes you want even more to keep the tension going.

From what I remember Condemned 1 and 2 just kept pulling the same stunts, it really is crap when you look back on it.

[turnstyle]

From what I remember Condemned 1 and 2 just kept pulling the same stunts, it really is crap when you look back on it.

Excellent, really looking forward to it now.

[VegaLA]

Excellent, really looking forward to it now.

Don't listen to him. Gameplay is gameplay, you walk around, open doors, use objects, kill enemies, etc..etc, it's the storyline and the atmosphere that make this game. If you enjoy that strong sense of fear during a game this one will deliver. Like I say though the first few levels are run of the mill compared to later on. I just completed the school level and the swimming pool end of level Boss was something else. Completed that by luck methinks.

BTW, if you do play and think the game is shit don't post your findings here and make me look like a complete wuss!

[graaasp!]

Excellent, really looking forward to it now.

Oh, don't get me wrong, it's worth playing. When compared to Resi or Silent Hill though, it doesn't quite match the creativity or atmosphere. The scare tactics feel like cheap tricks.

If your talking about one to add the permanent collection, it's not going to happen. It's worth a cheap buy or rental though.

That's all.

[Jemble Fred]

Oh, don't get me wrong, it's worth playing. When compared to Resi or Silent Hill though, it doesn't quite match the creativity or atmosphere. The scare tactics feel like cheap tricks.

If you mean Resi 5, you'd have to point out where the creativity or atmosphere were. I've seen most of the game, but not really spotted either.

Condemned is a lot older than RE5, but I'd definitely recommend it above the newer title.

[graaasp!]

If you mean Resi 5, you'd have to point out where the creativity or atmosphere were. I've seen most of the game, but not really spotted either.

Condemned is a lot older than RE5, but I'd definitely recommend it above the newer title.

No, the other main titles. That's anything pre- Resident Evil 5. Or, if you want, the entire Resident Evil collection, the good outweighs the bad.

And I do mean all the Silent Hill titles.

[The Boston Crab]

I only played the first little bit of RE5. Some dude chopped my head off in a non-creepy opening section that was almost a shit homage to the much more terrifying village scenes of RE4. I heard it doesn't get much better so facked it off.

[falafel]

Fallout New Vegas cocktease now online

[HappyTree]

Well when I was younger/emotionally dead I watched lots of 80s horror flicks. Then my dad died and that exploded my mind, made me incredibly sensitive to anything emotive. I remain like that to this day and I much prefer myself like this, like I'm an actual human being. But it means that I get genuinely scared at horror films and games and can't use them any more.

In the days of the original Doom I played it in the dark with headphones and the lights off. I found it all funny, but never really got engaged with it. But my dear departed cat gave me a taste of virtual reality one night. I was playing Doom and turned round a corner to meet one of those Chewbacca monsters screaming and scraping at me. At that precise moment my cat who was sitting on my bed decided she was jealous of the attention I was giving the screen and jumped from the bed straight onto my shoulders. You could hear my screams from the next town. She gave me a lovely set of scars down my back, silly thing. Aww, I still miss her terribly.

What I like in games is to get caught up in a story. Not so bothered about actual combat and gameplay, I want to be transported into another world.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Resi 4 wasn't really horror, despite the surface appearances. It's hard to be scared when you're playing as a roundhouse kicking badass (even if he's got a silly haircut.)

[falafel]

Plus the stupid cunt can't even jump

[Space ghost]

Fallout New Vegas cocktease now online

saucy

[Still Not George]

In the days of the original Doom I played it in the dark with headphones and the lights off. I found it all funny, but never really got engaged with it. But my dear departed cat gave me a taste of virtual reality one night. I was playing Doom and turned round a corner to meet one of those Chewbacca monsters screaming and scraping at me. At that precise moment my cat who was sitting on my bed decided she was jealous of the attention I was giving the screen and jumped from the bed straight onto my shoulders. You could hear my screams from the next town. She gave me a lovely set of scars down my back, silly thing. Aww, I still miss her terribly.

Funny you should mention that. At one point I was playing through the early stages of Dead Rising with Bethan in the room (this is when she was still too young to really notice what was happening on the screen; I wouldn't let her be in there with me now) and she took advantage of my distraction to suddenly appear next to my leg, lunge, and sink her teeth into my knee. Which led to her being nicknamed "zombie baby" from then on...