CallMeSarge Gaming Journal - 7th Feb 2009

Prince of Persia - PS3

Started it today, managed to put about 3 hours in. Initial impressions are good, took me a while to get adjusted to the 'automatic' nature of the controls – only one button to wall run – but I picked it up quickly. Exploring the world is the main hook here, and the inability to die does not bother me at all. The boss fights seem to be the biggest niggle so far, and one of them had me frustrated for about 10 minutes ( a long time to be fighting an 'invincible boss') until I figured out how to do what the game wanted me to do. So far there have been a couple of good boss battles and a couple of lame ones. Considering I picked it up for £10 from my buddy Russ, so far it seems money well spent. I don't spend as much time on the PS3 as I do on the PC, so it will be interesting to see how far through I get. At the moment, I feel motivated to try and hit the end, I guess the only thing that would stop me is a really hard boss battle with a stupid mechanic that I could not do. I'm not holding my breath.

The dialogue between the Prince and Elika is great, and the 'take it or leave it' approach Ubisoft has used to the back story is a good idea in my opinion. But there can't be that many people out there who are really hyped on Prince of Persia lore – can there?

1 Line Summary: A great hangover game (barring the bad boss battles)

Fallout 3 - PC

Continuing on with second character, and playing as Evil. Finished the Operation Anchorage content, and was less than impressed overall. Very combat focused, and not much in the way of the dark, messed up twists that are the standout moments of the main game. However then end of mission loot was well worth it to me (yes it IS all about the loot), and I will pick up the next to DLC packs as and when the become available – although I resent the fact I have to do it through GFW-Live. Why not Steam?

I am still enjoying the game, and I have probably played close to 100 hours now. I think I will play on until I have seen all I can see, I am still motivated to head out into the wastes and look for random stuff. I may post some spoilerfic thoughts on this later on – best let people play it themselves for the time being.

1 Line Summary: If the DLC was on PS3, those 100 hours would have been more comfortable.

Dawn of War II Multiplayer Beta - PC

I am just not getting on with it as well as I had hoped I would, though I feel this is more to do with me than the game. I loved DoW I, and bought all the expansions, which in turn led me to Company of Heroes.

DoW I was really all bout the compstomp for me. I play online in 3v3s and 4v4s regularly, but the mass blobbing and fast tech driven strats (Dark Crusade's Space Marine Fast Tech to Grey Knights and Chaplain anyone?) did not make it a heart pounding competitive experience. It was more about the satisfaction of building a huge army and sending them out to smash puny humies or lay waste to heretics. The best fun to be had (for me) was comp-stomping against the improved AI skirmish mods that came out, with a friend or 3 vent.

CoH Rocked my world though, and while I was never able to rise above level six (USA/Wehr/PE), 1v1 Automatch is one of the most intense multiplayer experiences I have ever had. A victory can make me smile all day, while a loss can make me do things I'll regret later (like playing 3 more games with the same faction and loosing 3 times). Anyway, so there are my Relic RTS credentials.

I get what DoW II is trying to do with the smaller battles and more intense gameplay, I just cannot tell what the hell is going on at the moment. Tech decisions seem so important that I am worries about upgrading until I see what my opponent is fielding. The VPs seem to drop really fast too, so matches tend to be defined (if not decided) in Tier 1. It is a multiplayer Beta after all, so everyone started from the same place – as a Soulstorm owner, a week early I might add. It just seems to miss some of the charm that DoW I had. In DoW I, the models seemed clear, if a little cartoonish. In DoW II, I find it much harder to differentiate between units. It gets a little easier when they start firing. I think I am going to reserve judgment, but I have to say initial impressions are leaving me a little under-whelmed. I have the feeling that my time playing DoW II will be limited to single player and compstomps – which may be no bad thing.

1 Line Summary: To soon to say, but I am not ecstatic.

Company of Heroes – PC

After some time with DoW II MP Beta, this is like coming home. Jumped on for some random 3v3 pickups, and really enjoyed it. I guess if I get to understand DoW II as well as I do CoH, maybe I will get into it in the same way. Still, an orbital bombardment is no V1 rocket, if you know what I mean...

Give me a yell if you see me in CoH – CallMeSarge or SonOfSarge.

1 Line Summary: Still the my favorite game of all time.