Gaming and more...

What i dig at the moment.

So... as promised, here's a small list of what i'm into right now:

i've been playing quite a few games on PS2 lately.

Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht: i originally bought it just over a year ago, and quickly got into it. unfortunately, i reached a boss in the game that i just could NOT beat no matter what i did, so it started to collect dust on the shelf. well, a few months back i decided to pick it up again and see what i could do. i got to that same point, but i was able to get past the boss that gave me troubles before. Yeah! so, long story short, i'm very near the end now. the game has an excellent story line behind it. some good twists when you thought you were figuring out what was going on. it keeps you guessing. i really like the gameplay for it as well. the battle system takes a little bit to get used to, but once you've figured it out, it is really great and can be used to your advantage. another aspect of the game i really like is the cast of characters. there's just the right amount of mystery to some of them that makes you want to know more. granted there are the typical NPC's that make you think to yourself, "why's this guy so pathetic?" but overall, i'd say it's excellent. a must have for any RPG fan out there. and the great thing is that it's just part one of a six part set. woohoo!! five more episodes of greatness to look forward to. granted Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Bose is already out, but i have yet to play it.

Need for Speed Underground: i've been playing this one for quite some time now. i've beaten it and was able to make enough money whilst playing to buy all the parts available for customization, so now i can go to the customize car menu and just sit there making custom cars all day long if i want. not that i'd really want to do that, but sometimes it's fun to see what combinations you can come up with. since i've played it through to the end, i've decided to go through and play all the levels on easy to see what my race win percentage ends up being at the end. and then do the same on medium, and then on hard just to compare them. sound dorky? well, that may very well be, but i do enjoy the racing in the game. overall, i say this is a must have for any racing game fan out there. and if you want another spin on the series, i reccommend picking up a copy of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2. that's a great racing game as well. i own it and have completed it by unlocking all the cars, and i still play it occassionally. a true sign of a good game. i have not played Need for Speed Underground 2, but all the reviews i've read say that it's not worth it. maybe it'd be worth renting to see what it's like, but i don't forsee myself buying it.

007: Everyting or Nothing: now this game is great. i bought it at Gamestop just recently and i've become addicted. i've already completed all the levels in the story mode, but now i'm working at getting platinum medals for all the levels. not an easy task! you have to play through a level and get a gold medal on any of the difficulty settings (operative, agent, or 00 agent), then you have to beat the level on 00 agent difficulty to unlock the possiblility to get the platinum, and finally, once you've unlocked the opportunity to get the platinum, you must beat the level on 00 agent again, but with a specific goal in mind. for some examples, one level you must take less than 500 damage, another you can only fire up to 10 rounds, and in another one you can take NO damage. i really like what EA has done with this franchise. i also own 007: Agent Under Fire, and that one isn't all that great of a game, but i picked it up for cheap. i feel i've gotten my money's worth. but with Everything or Nothing,, the bar has completely been raised. bravo to EA! they kept the "bond moments" in the game which is great, and they added more of a Metal Gear Solid aspect to it as well. i really like the addition of being able to hug walls and hide behind cover during gunfights. Everything or Nothing is a great game, and i highly reccommend it to anyone who enjoys an action game.

posted by stuelu @ 11:36 AM