Working nights

I am working nights and it's really kicking my rear end. I work 4-5 days a week from 12:30am to 4:30am. I feel like I spend all my time trying to sleep now. It will get better but my blog has been suffering for it.

I have played more of Bastion and I am in love. I really recommend downloading this one. It feels good to play an old style dungeon crawler and to have the comedic narration makes it even more worth it.

From Dust is really making my brain hurt. I mean it. I am a smart cookie but this game has me scratching my head sometimes. You have to be able to solve problems by looking at things from the least obvious ways.

I downloaded Fancy Pants Adventure for the younger kids. This is a flash game turned XBL arcade game. It's simple and silly. You are a stick figure looking for your kidnapped sister. You get to wear pants. It's a side scroller. You can have up to 4 people playing split screen so it's definitely a family game. It was on sale for 400 points so it was cheap and worth 400 points. It's not a spectacular game at all but it is a good, easy family game.

Borderlands 2, Bastion, From Dust and more

The big announcement today was the official word from the powers that be that there will be a Borderlands 2. Now Borderlands was a game people seemed to either like or hate. There didn't seem to be a middle ground. Personally, I liked it and I can't wait to play another one. I played the hell out of the first one. Hopefully they keep the same graphics style since that is what made the game unique and added to the experience of playing. It will be out "the new fiscal year" so that means 2012. I am willing to bet it will be around Christmas.

The Xbox Arcade has gotten some really cool games this summer. Yes, some are available for the PS3 as well.

Bastion is a "dungeon crawler" type of game that reminds me of older system games like Sword of Vermilion and Soul Blazer. Typical story, you are a hero in a ruined world and you must rebuild it. They did away with the complicated items menus and whatnot, making it a very easy game to pick up and play even if you don't like RPG/Adveture games. The graphics are lovely and cartoon-y but the best part, the game narrates EVERYTHING you do in a comical way. You see a fountain, you drink and the game says "everyone gets thirsty sometimes."

From Dust is also on both platforms. This one reminds me of a Civilization games but simplified. You are the Breath and you must help the people make villages and create the world. You will have timed missions and you can fail. Trust me, my village was wiped out by a tidal wave because I didn't get them to where they needed to be (to learn repeal water) fast enough. It will make you think and you will need to be good at problem solving. It's addictive though. There are subtitles since the game seems to be narrated in an African dialect. I don't know if it is in fact a real dialect but that is what it sounds like to me.

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet is a gorgeous game. I really mean that, gorgeous. It is a side scrolling, artistically genius, puzzle adventure. In all reality, there really isn't a true category for this game. It's wonderful. You are a ship and you will find artifacts, build tools and try to save your planet/world. Again, you will have to think and each tool can be used to solve a variety of puzzle types. There will be boss battles too. Who said boss battles were a thing of the past?

All three of these games have demos you can download and try before you buy.

L.A. Noire is a game I am still playing and trying to finish. Now that I have played more of it, the more I love it. The cases are getting longer and harder to get 100% correct. I am about halfway through the 95 cars I need to find and I just discovered I have hidden shields to look for too. Add to that film reels and street crimes, and I have a ton of work to do still. The stories are engrossing and I like the methodical pace of the game. Still have the driving mechanics. Sorry but I do. I have said it before, I am not a fan of racing games so I find overly sensitive driving controls frustrating especially during the chases. Your siren is pretty much pointless since even if you have it on some dumb car will cross your path or stop in front of you causing you to crash or lose momentum, thus losing the car you were chasing. It's a pain.

I played an older game last night, that belongs to my daughter. I was running on 3 hours of sleep and needed something simple to play since I was overtired and couldn't sleep. Working nights sucks sometimes. Anyway, it was Bayonetta. Bayonetta is a button masher, fighting game like Devil May Cry with a thinner story and strippers. Okay she's supposed to be a witch but come on, we all know she is really a pole dancer for her day job. This game was written by men, for men. I found myself laughing and shaking my head. It's fun to play, for something really simple, but do we need the moaning when her clothes get sliced, the stripper dances/walks and suggestive taunts? Plus she looks a lot like Sarah Palin, which I find truly disturbing. The game is truly ridiculous.

My new goal is getting one of the Star Wars Limited Edition Xbox 360s. Sick I know but I have to have it. I grew up on Star Wars, the original 3...the good movies, and this just speaks to my little geek heart. I'll have to trade in my Kinect since it comes with one but I really need this system.

Now I had last night off, so I got some sleep. Need to do some laundry and get on and play something. Hard part is what to choose?

L.A. Noire

I finally picked up L.A. Noire. I am cheap, actually I am the mother of 5 and usually broke, but I got a nice deal on this copy.

So far, I really, really like it. Rockstar finally made a game I like. I am not a fan of Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption felt like GTA with horses. Do not get angry because I said that because it is just my opinion. Red Dead felt like they just slapped a western theme over GTA.

At any rate, I really like L.A. Noire. It is a slow paced game and very methodical. You really have to pay attention to the actions of the characters in the game and every decision you make has a bearing on the story and ending. If you restart a mission, subtle changes happen. Anything from the clothing NPCs are wearing to conversations going on around you.

You are a police officer and eventually become a detective. You find clues and questions people to solve various crimes throughout 1940s Hollywoodland. Rockstar did their research! As a California transplant, I have driven the streets they show in the game and they nailed it.

There are other side things to do like find 95 cars, movie reels and newspapers. It is pretty open world in the sense you can drive to any place you want to. There is a linear storyline though. I still am not a fan of Rockstar's driving mechanics and they have not changed at all for the driving in this game.

The thing that really impressed me was the facial animations. I haven't seen a game that has been able to capture the subtleties of eyebrow movements, forehead wrinkling, and other small facial nuances the way Rockstar has. The mouths moves when speaking and the shape of the mouths when forming the words is absolutely stunning.

You have the option to wear different suits and there is even an option to play the game in black and white, noire style.

If you are looking for a GTA/Red Dead style, fast paced shoot'em up, this is not the game for you. If you want a game that will absorb you and make you use your mind, pick this up.

Bulletstorm!

YES! Thank you EA for your wonderful Insider Deals. I was able to pick this up for $16 and free shipping.

I haven't played much yet but what I have done is just plain, psychotic fun. They did try for a campaign and that was cute but frankly, the game is all about killing and being creative about it. I don't think anyone cares about the story.

I need to pick up the 2 DLC packs for multiplayer. What I have played is pretty simple. You and 3 other people try to reach a certain number of points in a round, try to get that bonus kill type too, to move on to the next round.

There are 5 difficulties and profanity, lots of profanity. The dialogue is hysterical and makes you want to hear more even if the story is weak. Again, though, this is NOT a story driven game so it doesn't effect the game at all.

I need to get Shadows of the Damned too. I wish I could find an epic deal on that one.

Alice: Madness Returns

My best guy friend from California is visiting right now and he brought me a surprise, Alice: Madness Returns. He knew I had been wanting it but had been on the fence about buying since the reviews of it have been in the 6-6.5/10 range.

Well let me just say, I am glad he did. I don't think the game has been reviewed fairly by the gaming industry at all. I have seen reviews whining about the graphics but to me, the way the graphics are designed lends itself to the twisted nursery rhyme aspect of the game. Basically, I think they are artistic and I think that was lost on some people, sort of like how the graphics in Borderlands was lost on some players. People griped and moaned they were sub-par but honestly, they were perfect for the game and were artistically the way the designer wanted them. The voice acting is good as well. I am not going to say these people are up for Oscars but it's better than a majority of games. Cheshire Cat's voice practically purrs.

The controls can be difficult and don't respond as well as I would like. Having to hit LT and A to get an umbrella out to deflect a fireball can easily end up being A to jump instead because the 2 buttons were not hit at the same time. That does get old. I like the fact I can dodge (RB) and it actually works. The pepper grinder could be easier to aim, or I should say quicker to aim but maybe I have become spoiled by auto aim.

The game play is challenging, even frustratingly so with some boss battles. Yes, you read that right, boss battles. I just read an article about how games don't have boss battles anymore. Really? Maybe they should try playing this. In true, old school gaming fashion, the enemies get harder and there are boss battles. Those bosses eventually become routine enemies and replaced by bigger, badder, harder bosses.

It is a hack-and-slash, platformer but the story is rich and there are many small things to accomplish so you don't get bored. I probably played about 10-12 hours today and I haven't even finished Chapter 2, so it is A long-ish game. You can read Alice's "medical record" and get the backstory as to what exactly happened to Alice.

This Alice follows Lewis Carrol's story more and not the Disney-fied version. It's dark and so is the humor. You will bounce between Wonderland and England, as Alice tries to regain what she has lost, her memory.

Now I am far from being finished but so far the one thing that I have learned to thoroughly dislike about this game is timed switches. Trust me, after trying the same switch 6-10 times you'll want to chuck your controller through the TV too. I am playing on normal and I can't even begin to imagine trying to finished this game on Hard or Nightmare. Normal is completely challenging.

I downloaded my copy of the original Alice compliments of EA and it made me happy. There was the game I remember playing. They cleaned up the graphics but you can tell it's an older PC game. It seems to have ported well to console though and I recommend playing it.

All and all, though I don't think this game is a 10 or even an 8 (more like a 7-7.5) I think it's great game all and all. It's worth buying and playing. So go grab a copy of Alice.

This isn't the first time I have disagreed with the "gaming media experts" and it won't be the last I am sure. I still think Modern Warfare 2 was totally overrated.

I know I have been quiet *Zed's Alchemy*

I have been so terribly busy lately and I haven't had time to breathe, mush less blog. Even my Twitter feed has been quiet. Don't worry though, I am still alive.

All the kids are out of school for the summer and they all have so much they need to do. I have to get my 2nd oldest ready for her first semester in college. My 13 yr old is in marching band and boy scouts and I still have to finish the paperwork for the 4 yr old to start kindergarten in the fall. Don't worry, he'll be 5 by then. My oldest, 20, is off the Florida in a couple of weeks and I am having a birthday party for the 1 yr old today. Whew!

New maps for Call of Duty come out on Tuesday and I am excited. Has anyone noticed that Firing Range is coming up more than normal? I swear I played about 20 rounds on it. It's the new Nuketown. It's fun until it's all you get. Treyarch released an update too that "nerfed" the Famas. I have noticed subtle differences when I use it, such as it bounces a little more and is less accurate. Other people don't seem to have been effected by the update at all. I, for one, have learned to love my Comando.

I found a new addiction too. It's a mobile game called Zed's Alchemy. Who knew something so simple could be so consuming. It's free and everyone should have it. Basically, you start with 4 elements; fire, water, earth and air. You can can combine those elements to create new ones. The you can combine those with the original ones or new ones to create more. So far some of my favorite ones are sushi, Twilight Saga, snail and Plankton. Yes THE Plankton. It's ridiculously fun. Though I do think I should be able to combine clock and lightning to get DeLorean. Might have to suggest that to the creators.

Overwhelming E3

I had to get some actual work done, so I have finally finished gleaning what I wanted from E3.

The new Wii U looks interesting but it was confirmed today that it will not play DVDs nor Bluray. Nintendo has said they feel everyone has enough DVD and Bluray players so it's not needed. Frankly, they should have asked me about that. I get questions almost daily at work asking if the Wii plays DVDs or Bluray. People want one system that does it all. I own a PS3 for that reason. They should have put it in there. I know they don't want to because it'll keep the final cost down but, I still think it's a mistake.

Alice: Madness Returns released with really bad reviews about the gameplay. I didn't pick it up yet because of that. I think I'll wait a little bit and see what comes of it. I haven't heard if the story was good or not. They didn't like the graphics and game style though. Bummer.

Uncharted 3 looks epic as does Mass Effect 3. These are on my must buy list and I have money down on ME3 already. I am going to pick up the recently announced collector's edition. I could kick myself for not getting the collector's edition for ME2. If anyone has one lying around, feel free to send ti to me. You can keep the game. I want everything else, unused. *cheesy smile*

Gears of War 3 was all over the buzz of E3 and while I will get this, I am not a fan of the multiplayer so I didn't care about that. I want to play the story and see the conclusion.

Star Wars: The Old Republic looks amazing as well. I haven't been much into the Star Wars games (like Force Unleashed) but this drew my attention. I will have to watch this one closely.

Elder Scrolls Skyrim is another one that might get me to play a game I am not into. I tried to play Morrowind and Oblivion but I couldn't get into it. Maps were too large, graphics sub par and I spent most of my time wandering around aimlessly trying to figure out where the hell I was supposed to be going. Skyrim looks gorgeous. They fixed the ugly graphics and changed up the mechanics.

Still interested in Bioshock Infinite. After the disappointment that was Bioshock 2, I am looking forward to leaving Rapture.

Halo 4? Ummmm yeah. 343i is putting this next Halo game together and the fanboys are dancing with glee. I think I'll take a pass on this one. I wasn't impressed with Reach, I know that's blasphemy, but I wasn't. It just seemed like a retooling of Halo 3. ODST was fine but not what I was expecting. Graphics weren't that great. Now Bungie isn't even doing it and I have no interest.

Speaking of Bungie, they have a new super secret something called Bungie Aerospace. They haven't said what it is but it's coming. Most think it's their new game franchise.

Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword will be bought, even if it's just tradition to do so. I can always expect something solid from a Zelda game.

Sony Vita, the new PSP. I'll probably wait a bit on this like I did with the PSP. Nothing makes me scream I MUST HAVE IT.

I have gotten back into Borderlands. I really like the comic books graphics and I wish they'd put something out again, similar, not necessarily a sequel. I like the fact the enemies get harder as you rank up, a second playthrough mode that is on par with your skills and weapons that actually do get better with you. The characters are memorable and fun. Actually I wish they'd release a full Moxxi outfit for XBLA avatars and not just the hat. I'd so buy it.