My games career progress - Page 19

NokkonWud · 28-04-2009, 15:13

I used to go around my neighbours house, she'd boot it up, we'd go play upstairs or outside and come back about 30 minutes later to play the game \o/.

Kitten · 28-04-2009, 18:32

(blue and red screen, blue and red screen, blue and red screen)(squiddly yellow & blue screen)
[duuuuuuuuuuuuuh, duh.....duuuuuhhhhhhh][deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee]

repeat until load or crash (right at the end), occasionally stopping to add [poke>3543345] or similar.

(hopefully those with spectrums can recognise that

)

Admiral Huddy · 08-07-2009, 08:42

Far Cry 2

Publisher : UBIsoft
Developer : UBIsoft Montreal
Release date : 24th October 2008
Official website : http://farcrygame.ubi.com/

What's it about?

An epic first person shooter, you are mercenary whose single mission is to search and eliminate a notorious arms dealer that goes by the name of “The Jackal” and that’s your main objective. The trouble is you are thrown into a vast free roaming African landscape covering at least 50km of wide open space so finding him isn’t going to be that simple.

The game provides realistic environments such as day, night, soaring temperatures and bad tempered militants who want your blood. The journey to your objective can’t be achieved without getting your hands dirty and making alliances is key to you finding your man. Of course there are other factions such as the ULL and APR that will hand out choice objectives along the way but the games remains open and your destination remains in your hands. The entire landscape is seamless wit roaming animals and breathtaking views.

My Review:

You know as soon as you start this game that you are in for something different, something big and something very special. Far Cry 2 promises a vast free form environment where for the first time, you can within reason, seamlessly explore as far as the eye can see without any loads or cut scenes. You can run, walk, drive, swim, and even hang glide your way around the gorgeous African landscape at your hearts content.

Without a doubt, the environment is simply out of this world. When you’re not being chased by a bunch of militant extremists, it’s hard not to actually take a look at the breathtaking views and stunning landscapes. Day does turn to night and Far Cry 2 provides amazing African sunsets which I wonder how many gamers hit the screen-print button at some point or another. My guess is quite a few. It’s actually quite hard to believe this is a computer generated image based on ideas and imagination. That said this is no place for picnic.

The game is ultimately about locating a known arms dealer who goes by the name of the Jackal and stop the civil war that troubles these parts. However, to find him you collect intelligence on his whereabouts by entering the world of the enemy and embark on their missions for information.

The game is split into two maps. The north; where the game starts, and the south, with a small conjoining bit in between which doesn’t count. Both areas are massive and cover 50km between them so you best be ready for a lengthy game. This isn’t a quick experience by any means unless you don’t intend to complete it. However, a lot depends on what objectives or missions you take in the process.

You can obtain your primary missions from either of the two factions; the ULL or the APL. To obtain these missions you must visit the faction leaders when you have no pending quests. The faction leader will reward you in advance with diamonds, the local currency. However, you will normally get a phone call for an alternative mission from one of your buddies. The choice of mission you take is yours and this leads to some confusion in the game. There is no direction or incentive in which mission you should take. The outcome regardless of your choice has no impact on the game, its progress nor its ending which is a shame really because you need to know who’s side you are really on.. For example [Spoiler warning]; I have just accepted a mission to report the location of a gold pile to the ULL. Alternatively, my game buddy has asked me to obtain a gold ring of a king in the same location. I can’t do both, I have to choose. The problem I have here is that I have no idea who I should be working for or where my loyalties really lie? You have no idea what your character is really trying to achieve by being here in the first place. I guess if you start choosing sides, then the game turns into more of a RPG than a simple FPS.

That said, after awhile you tend not to care and off you go about your business. The missions can send you to any corner of the map depending which mission you have accepted. You’ll be spending a lot of time travelling to your location which is where the bus can come in handy. The buses allow you to travel to various corners of the map bypassing both time and confrontation.

You can of course, take a vehicle, Jeeps, 4WDs, cars etc, but you will soon be stopped by various outpost which block your progress. These posts are strategic points for ammo, weapons and fuel and can be overcome with little effort. However, what’s really annoying about these posts is that they are reoccupied as soon as you travel a few miles up the road and back again. Learning from experience you tend after awhile not bother stopping and drive past taking out what you can in the process. It would have been much better if the post remained unoccupied for a given period, say 24 hours for your hard efforts.

To help break your journey, there is the matter of finding lost diamond cases. I personally got too caught up trying to find the diamond locations which added to the time I spent playing this game. Diamonds are the only viable currency in this war stricken land. A good supply of these diamonds will help you buy or upgrade weapons at various armoury shops. The shops too will offer you missions to complete so that new weapons can be unlocked.

To help you locate the diamonds, your vehicles and PDA are fitted with a diamond proximity which flashes green when you are near a lost diamonds. This means normally hoping out of the car or boat for search around. Diamonds aren’t all by road and riversides and can be scattered anywhere. Some are easy to find, some are harder and some are located on high cliffs which you realise after 10 minutes or so that they are inaccessible other than by a glider, in which caser there should be one around. If you find a glider, then you know you are near a diamond which can only be accessed by this means.

When travelling, keep an eye on your medication. Yes your character is ill and contracted malaria on day one. He obviously ignored all the travel warnings before travelling. In order to stay healthy you complete secondary objects in which you are rewarded anti-malaria tablets.

At some point, you will complete the first mission. All your buddies are exterminated, are extradited to the southern section and the game feels like its restarting all over again. This feels like all your hard work has been wiped off and you are playing this to repetitive strain.

Eventually, you do meet the Jackal and the game does end. However, I can’t help feeling slightly disappointed. After 50 hours plus of game play, the game abruptly ends. I’m not sure what I was expecting really but it felt like an anti-climax.

Overall the though, the game is a superb balance of game play and graphical goodness even though the missions can become tiresome and repetitive. They provide some interesting and intense exchanges which may take some planning and forethought

Most games in the past would have you believe in a free form world not held back by boundaries and linear game design but never deliver on this promise. Far Cry 2 is the exception. Its slick interface and smooth “go anywhere you like” approach is truly next generation. I have to give this game a 90+ score because it truly delivers where all other games have failed.

My Score : 92%

Briggykins · 08-07-2009, 08:47

Nice review. I loved FC2, was one of my top games of 2008. It had its flaws but it just kept me coming back for more, and it looked gorgeous.

Matblack · 08-07-2009, 09:04

I lasted an hour at most with FC2, I searched and searched but couldn't find a plot

MB

Admiral Huddy · 08-07-2009, 09:11

It's a mindless shooter really which you can just load and go without any worry about consequences but sometimes I don't mind that... Which is why L4D is just so attractive at the moment.

I have Fallout 3 loaded and ready but I just can't seem to find the will to get started..

Davey_Pitch · 15-07-2009, 10:38

A wee update for those interested

At the start of last week, I was officially a reviewer for two sites - XboxGameZone, and Play.tm. Thanks to Jen who put in a good word for me, I was contacted by the head guy at The Portable Gamer. An email conversation later, I joined their review team and was given a couple of iPod Touch games to review. My first review went online last week (Real Tennis 2009), while my next review should hopefully go online today/tomorrow (International Athletics).

I made the decision at the start of this week to quit my position at Play.tm. Despite emailing the head guy there repeatedly to let him know I was free to review games, I was kept out of the loop and pretty much ignored, despite review games going out to other people on the team. I obviously burned bridges when I was there last year and didn't get a couple of reviews done inside any respectable timeframe, though if he wasn't willing to give me another real chance, he should never have taken me back on. Anyway, I emailed in my resignation on Monday morning (and I've still not had any reply, another sign of his lack of interest in me).

On Monday afternoon I advertised my services as a freelance reviewer on Games Press, a website for games journalists and website owners. A few hours later, I had an email from the head guy at Xboxer360.com, asking if I would be interested in reviewing for them. Another short email conversation later, and I was welcomed to the team. That was followed by another email yesterday enquiring about me, but the conversation is still ongoing there so hopefully I'll know one way or the other soon.

I also saw an advert last night on Games Press for a freelance reviewer to do a review for Pixelated Gamer for Worms on the iPhone/iPod Touch. I offered my services and was lucky enough to be given the review, so I now have a nice shiny copy of Worms on my iPod to review (and it's bloody awesome as well, I'd have paid money for it).

Hopefully I can get myself a PS3 at some point this year as most of my reviewing is done on the Xbox and most of the freelance reviewers out there also concentrate there, so if I could get a PS3 I'd hopefully open myself up to several more review opportunities. For now though, I'm happy as things look to be going well for me again

Haly · 15-07-2009, 11:16

Congrats on your progress Davey

Pixelated Gamer seem a nice bunch, I'm doing a couple of reviews for them at the moment.

Things have got really busy for me the past week or so, which has been lovely as I've felt a bit in a rut with things. I'll update more tomorrow though as hopefully I'll have a link to provide for an article I'm really proud of as it's something very different from my usual stuff.

Davey_Pitch · 15-07-2009, 11:26

Sounds interesting Jen, I look forward to reading it

Psymonkee · 15-07-2009, 11:32

I keep meaning to have a dabble in this

Must get something sorted....

28-04-2009, 15:13	#181
NokkonWud BD Recruitment Officer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Smogville Posts: 3,880	I used to go around my neighbours house, she'd boot it up, we'd go play upstairs or outside and come back about 30 minutes later to play the game \o/. __________________

28-04-2009, 18:32	#182
Kitten Spinky-Spank Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: 668. The Neighbour of the Beast Posts: 11,226	(blue and red screen, blue and red screen, blue and red screen)(squiddly yellow & blue screen) [duuuuuuuuuuuuuh, duh.....duuuuuhhhhhhh][deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee] repeat until load or crash (right at the end), occasionally stopping to add [poke>3543345] or similar. (hopefully those with spectrums can recognise that ) __________________ "You only get one life. There's no God, no rules, except for those you accept or create for yourself. Then once it's over... it's over. Dreamless sleep for ever and ever. So why not be happy while you're here?" Nate Fisher

08-07-2009, 08:42	#183
Admiral Huddy HOMO-Sapien Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chelmsford Posts: 6,692	Far Cry 2 Publisher : UBIsoft Developer : UBIsoft Montreal Release date : 24th October 2008 Official website : http://farcrygame.ubi.com/ What's it about? An epic first person shooter, you are mercenary whose single mission is to search and eliminate a notorious arms dealer that goes by the name of “The Jackal” and that’s your main objective. The trouble is you are thrown into a vast free roaming African landscape covering at least 50km of wide open space so finding him isn’t going to be that simple. The game provides realistic environments such as day, night, soaring temperatures and bad tempered militants who want your blood. The journey to your objective can’t be achieved without getting your hands dirty and making alliances is key to you finding your man. Of course there are other factions such as the ULL and APR that will hand out choice objectives along the way but the games remains open and your destination remains in your hands. The entire landscape is seamless wit roaming animals and breathtaking views. My Review: You know as soon as you start this game that you are in for something different, something big and something very special. Far Cry 2 promises a vast free form environment where for the first time, you can within reason, seamlessly explore as far as the eye can see without any loads or cut scenes. You can run, walk, drive, swim, and even hang glide your way around the gorgeous African landscape at your hearts content. Without a doubt, the environment is simply out of this world. When you’re not being chased by a bunch of militant extremists, it’s hard not to actually take a look at the breathtaking views and stunning landscapes. Day does turn to night and Far Cry 2 provides amazing African sunsets which I wonder how many gamers hit the screen-print button at some point or another. My guess is quite a few. It’s actually quite hard to believe this is a computer generated image based on ideas and imagination. That said this is no place for picnic. The game is ultimately about locating a known arms dealer who goes by the name of the Jackal and stop the civil war that troubles these parts. However, to find him you collect intelligence on his whereabouts by entering the world of the enemy and embark on their missions for information. The game is split into two maps. The north; where the game starts, and the south, with a small conjoining bit in between which doesn’t count. Both areas are massive and cover 50km between them so you best be ready for a lengthy game. This isn’t a quick experience by any means unless you don’t intend to complete it. However, a lot depends on what objectives or missions you take in the process. You can obtain your primary missions from either of the two factions; the ULL or the APL. To obtain these missions you must visit the faction leaders when you have no pending quests. The faction leader will reward you in advance with diamonds, the local currency. However, you will normally get a phone call for an alternative mission from one of your buddies. The choice of mission you take is yours and this leads to some confusion in the game. There is no direction or incentive in which mission you should take. The outcome regardless of your choice has no impact on the game, its progress nor its ending which is a shame really because you need to know who’s side you are really on.. For example [Spoiler warning]; I have just accepted a mission to report the location of a gold pile to the ULL. Alternatively, my game buddy has asked me to obtain a gold ring of a king in the same location. I can’t do both, I have to choose. The problem I have here is that I have no idea who I should be working for or where my loyalties really lie? You have no idea what your character is really trying to achieve by being here in the first place. I guess if you start choosing sides, then the game turns into more of a RPG than a simple FPS. That said, after awhile you tend not to care and off you go about your business. The missions can send you to any corner of the map depending which mission you have accepted. You’ll be spending a lot of time travelling to your location which is where the bus can come in handy. The buses allow you to travel to various corners of the map bypassing both time and confrontation. You can of course, take a vehicle, Jeeps, 4WDs, cars etc, but you will soon be stopped by various outpost which block your progress. These posts are strategic points for ammo, weapons and fuel and can be overcome with little effort. However, what’s really annoying about these posts is that they are reoccupied as soon as you travel a few miles up the road and back again. Learning from experience you tend after awhile not bother stopping and drive past taking out what you can in the process. It would have been much better if the post remained unoccupied for a given period, say 24 hours for your hard efforts. To help break your journey, there is the matter of finding lost diamond cases. I personally got too caught up trying to find the diamond locations which added to the time I spent playing this game. Diamonds are the only viable currency in this war stricken land. A good supply of these diamonds will help you buy or upgrade weapons at various armoury shops. The shops too will offer you missions to complete so that new weapons can be unlocked. To help you locate the diamonds, your vehicles and PDA are fitted with a diamond proximity which flashes green when you are near a lost diamonds. This means normally hoping out of the car or boat for search around. Diamonds aren’t all by road and riversides and can be scattered anywhere. Some are easy to find, some are harder and some are located on high cliffs which you realise after 10 minutes or so that they are inaccessible other than by a glider, in which caser there should be one around. If you find a glider, then you know you are near a diamond which can only be accessed by this means. When travelling, keep an eye on your medication. Yes your character is ill and contracted malaria on day one. He obviously ignored all the travel warnings before travelling. In order to stay healthy you complete secondary objects in which you are rewarded anti-malaria tablets. At some point, you will complete the first mission. All your buddies are exterminated, are extradited to the southern section and the game feels like its restarting all over again. This feels like all your hard work has been wiped off and you are playing this to repetitive strain. Eventually, you do meet the Jackal and the game does end. However, I can’t help feeling slightly disappointed. After 50 hours plus of game play, the game abruptly ends. I’m not sure what I was expecting really but it felt like an anti-climax. Overall the though, the game is a superb balance of game play and graphical goodness even though the missions can become tiresome and repetitive. They provide some interesting and intense exchanges which may take some planning and forethought Most games in the past would have you believe in a free form world not held back by boundaries and linear game design but never deliver on this promise. Far Cry 2 is the exception. Its slick interface and smooth “go anywhere you like” approach is truly next generation. I have to give this game a 90+ score because it truly delivers where all other games have failed. My Score : 92% __________________ I just got lost in thought.. It was very unfamiliar territory. Techie Talk \| My gaming Blog \| PC spec \| The Admirals log Last edited by Admiral Huddy; 08-07-2009 at 08:53.

08-07-2009, 08:47	#184
Briggykins Vodka Martini Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Exeter Posts: 753	Nice review. I loved FC2, was one of my top games of 2008. It had its flaws but it just kept me coming back for more, and it looked gorgeous. __________________

08-07-2009, 09:04	#185
Matblack Baby Bore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Svalbard Posts: 9,770	I lasted an hour at most with FC2, I searched and searched but couldn't find a plot MB __________________ "we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two" Last edited by Matblack; 08-07-2009 at 09:11.

08-07-2009, 09:11	#186
Admiral Huddy HOMO-Sapien Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chelmsford Posts: 6,692	It's a mindless shooter really which you can just load and go without any worry about consequences but sometimes I don't mind that... Which is why L4D is just so attractive at the moment. I have Fallout 3 loaded and ready but I just can't seem to find the will to get started.. __________________ I just got lost in thought.. It was very unfamiliar territory. Techie Talk \| My gaming Blog \| PC spec \| The Admirals log

15-07-2009, 10:38	#187
Davey_Pitch I iz speshul Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Liverpool Posts: 6,296	A wee update for those interested At the start of last week, I was officially a reviewer for two sites - XboxGameZone, and Play.tm. Thanks to Jen who put in a good word for me, I was contacted by the head guy at The Portable Gamer. An email conversation later, I joined their review team and was given a couple of iPod Touch games to review. My first review went online last week (Real Tennis 2009), while my next review should hopefully go online today/tomorrow (International Athletics). I made the decision at the start of this week to quit my position at Play.tm. Despite emailing the head guy there repeatedly to let him know I was free to review games, I was kept out of the loop and pretty much ignored, despite review games going out to other people on the team. I obviously burned bridges when I was there last year and didn't get a couple of reviews done inside any respectable timeframe, though if he wasn't willing to give me another real chance, he should never have taken me back on. Anyway, I emailed in my resignation on Monday morning (and I've still not had any reply, another sign of his lack of interest in me). On Monday afternoon I advertised my services as a freelance reviewer on Games Press, a website for games journalists and website owners. A few hours later, I had an email from the head guy at Xboxer360.com, asking if I would be interested in reviewing for them. Another short email conversation later, and I was welcomed to the team. That was followed by another email yesterday enquiring about me, but the conversation is still ongoing there so hopefully I'll know one way or the other soon. I also saw an advert last night on Games Press for a freelance reviewer to do a review for Pixelated Gamer for Worms on the iPhone/iPod Touch. I offered my services and was lucky enough to be given the review, so I now have a nice shiny copy of Worms on my iPod to review (and it's bloody awesome as well, I'd have paid money for it). Hopefully I can get myself a PS3 at some point this year as most of my reviewing is done on the Xbox and most of the freelance reviewers out there also concentrate there, so if I could get a PS3 I'd hopefully open myself up to several more review opportunities. For now though, I'm happy as things look to be going well for me again __________________ Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

15-07-2009, 11:16	#188
Haly Do you want to hide in my box? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 14,941	Congrats on your progress Davey Pixelated Gamer seem a nice bunch, I'm doing a couple of reviews for them at the moment. Things have got really busy for me the past week or so, which has been lovely as I've felt a bit in a rut with things. I'll update more tomorrow though as hopefully I'll have a link to provide for an article I'm really proud of as it's something very different from my usual stuff. __________________ Halycopter

15-07-2009, 11:26	#189
Davey_Pitch I iz speshul Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Liverpool Posts: 6,296	Sounds interesting Jen, I look forward to reading it __________________ Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

15-07-2009, 11:32	#190
Psymonkee A cat wearing a wet suit Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: St.Andrews Posts: 2,023	I keep meaning to have a dabble in this Must get something sorted.... __________________ Sonisphere FMC Code: 1k949178