Today, I played the game Air Pressure. It is a very quick game that only involves clicking a response for your character to act on, so it is very story driven. I had played it about two years ago and I wanted to play something short before work.
I had first seen this game in a list on a blog. It was under the list of “Another 20 Games that Make you Think About Life”. I was and still am very interested in these sorts of games, so I read the little description and proceeded to play. The story has three different endings, two of which could be about a relationship either getting better or worse, while the third definitely relates to a drug addiction. With the last ending, I like how until the end, you don’t realize it is an addiction, seeing it as only what the game’s creator wanted you to think.
I replayed the game until I got all three endings and then stopped, feeling satisfied. Replaying this game after a few years felt like the equivalent of re-reading a book. It brought me a little satisfaction, but not nearly as much as it had the first time, because it was an okay game, without being a great game. I can reread some books over and over again and fall in love with them every time, just as I can play certain games from my childhood and be anxious to complete them. This game does not have that quality.
June 17-19, throughout the day and evening: Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
As a result of the video game sale going on this week, I found two games that were free for PS3 and decided to give them a try. The first one was Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time. I was excited to see how it turned out, since I was somewhat familiar with the series. I played around four hours or so over the next few days. After playing, I still find it enjoyable, but now that I’m older, I’m a little disappointed in the characters themselves, and the situations. For example, Carmelita Fox, the inspector who is always chasing Sly, is a stereotypical Spanish lady, who owns a gun and can shoot well, but still needs Sly to rescue her and although she constantly is telling him she will lock him up, she blushes and thinks of how handsome he is, especially when he steals a kiss from her. Another example is the character Murray dressing as a geisha to distract their enemies, and putting on a dance for them. The enemies react loudly and wildly, even throwing money at Murray like he’s a stripper. While he’s dressed up, the main villain of the chapter, El Jefe smirks at him and slaps his butt, making Murray jump. I haven’t seen any other women characters so far and so at this point I am disappointed. It has fun gameplay for the most part, so I will continue to play. I hope more female characters make an appearance.
This was the other game I picked up in the PS3 sale that was free. I really fell in love with the aesthetic of the game, and the story, although a little childish, is entertaining so far. Everything looks as if it is being seen on a stage, like a play. The audience gasps and laughs as you control your main character, Kutaro, through the level. It’s like a side scroller, but the characters and scenery are 3D.
I haven’t played enough to really analyze the characters, as Kutaro doesn’t talk and the only other character that is around enough is a catlike bug that makes bad puns, but the gameplay is very original, because although it is a side scroller, you also control the catlike bug that helps with certain objectives while running across the screen. Halfway through the first chapter, you encounter a magical pair of scissors, which becomes a large part of the gameplay from there on, cutting your way through levels and obstacles.
So far, I would recommend this game, as it is very unique and fun.
As the Sims is my favorite series, I always enjoy spending a few hours here and there, creating a family and seeing them live their lives. While Sims is known for not having a direct goal while playing, there are lifetime wishes that you can try to complete so your sims can die happy or you can buy certain rewards with the amount of points you earn them.
However, there is a large Sims community online that has made challenges for people that want more of a goal to accomplish besides just living out their lives. One of the most popular challenges is called the legacy challenge, in where you try to reach ten generations of one family without cheating or switching to a different household. There are variations of this as well, like an Uglacy or a Prettacy, where you start out with the prettiest sim you can make and mate them and their descendents with the ugliest sims, or vice versa, or a challenge called Differences in the Family Tree, where with each generation you have to accomplish certain goals.
I currently am trying a normal legacy, since I have never played with one family for that long, as I usually get bored. I also have mods in my game that make it a little less glitchy and more fun. The family I currently have is two gay sims that have four children of their own, thanks to a mod that allows gay sims to have children without adoption, so their genetics can be added to the gene pool.
This is a fun online game I found out through watching a Youtube gamer’s channel, MangaMinx. She has now become one of the characters, if you choose to put money into the game, which I though was pretty cool. It’s nice to see a female gamer getting more recognized.
This game is like the game Mafia. Everyone in the town has a role, whether they are Town (good), Mafia, Serial Killer, Witch, Arsonist, and more. Your goal is usually to survive till the end of the game, unless you are a Jester, where you try to mislead the other players into getting yourself hung, and then you can kill someone who hung you.
It is a fun game to play, with either friends online, or people that you don’t know. A large part of the game is talking through chat, trying to convince people you’re not a threat or that someone else is. You can also write up clues in your death note or your will. While it is a fun feature getting to talk to others in chat, it can also get really aggravating, as there is no filter and some people are very vulgar or not caring about the game at all. I have no problem with cursing in games, unless it is racist or sexist, but I feel uncomfortable when people are overly sexual for no reason.
I would leave some games feeling accomplished from having beaten either the Town or the Mafia, but other times I would give up before the game ended, either because of the people in the game, or there was no enjoyment from the round.
Little Big Planet is a game that I have a soft spot in my heart for because of the whimsical nature of the game and the narrator, as well as the pleasing aesthetics. I’ve realized from playing certain games that the aesthetics are definitely a big part of my enjoyment of a game, and Little Big Planet has pleasing graphics, plus the main character is a ragdoll called Sackboy, which I adore.
Unfortunately, I can’t rave about the actual playing of the game. You mostly roam about the level without much difficulty, but the major problem is moving closer to the screen and away from it. You frequently move your character this way without meaning to and it is frustrating when trying to hurry through a part and you get stuck on the scenery.
Now, I am stuck on a level without knowing how to proceed, and there is no helpful hint pointing you in the right direction, so it quickly becomes tiring. I remain hopeful that I will be able to enjoy this game soon, just not in the close future.
This has been the funniest game I have played in a long time, possibly forever. It is a simple platformer, but it is so funny and original. It is made by the same people that made Castle Crashers, which is a very fun game as well. It helps that you can customize your character with different heads and weapons to keep things interesting.
The first cinematic that explained the situation of the game already had me laughing, but when my brothers and I found a secret level, we died laughing from the song that they played. The narrator was well chosen, as he gives a hilarious take on your situation and your actions; when I pushed my brother into a trap, killing him, he exclaimed, “What a jerk!”
It is a perfect multiplayer puzzler platformer, and I always am in a good mood after playing it, or even listening to the soundtrack.
June 12, 2:00pm – 2:30pm: Air Pressure
Today, I played the game Air Pressure. It is a very quick game that only involves clicking a response for your character to act on, so it is very story driven. I had played it about two years ago and I wanted to play something short before work.
I had first seen this game in a list on a blog. It was under the list of “Another 20 Games that Make you Think About Life”. I was and still am very interested in these sorts of games, so I read the little description and proceeded to play. The story has three different endings, two of which could be about a relationship either getting better or worse, while the third definitely relates to a drug addiction. With the last ending, I like how until the end, you don’t realize it is an addiction, seeing it as only what the game’s creator wanted you to think.
I replayed the game until I got all three endings and then stopped, feeling satisfied. Replaying this game after a few years felt like the equivalent of re-reading a book. It brought me a little satisfaction, but not nearly as much as it had the first time, because it was an okay game, without being a great game. I can reread some books over and over again and fall in love with them every time, just as I can play certain games from my childhood and be anxious to complete them. This game does not have that quality.
Also, here is the link to the blog:
http://www.casualgirlgamer.com/articles/entry/48/Another-20-games-that-make-you-think-about-life/
June 17-19, throughout the day and evening: Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
As a result of the video game sale going on this week, I found two games that were free for PS3 and decided to give them a try. The first one was Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time. I was excited to see how it turned out, since I was somewhat familiar with the series. I played around four hours or so over the next few days. After playing, I still find it enjoyable, but now that I’m older, I’m a little disappointed in the characters themselves, and the situations. For example, Carmelita Fox, the inspector who is always chasing Sly, is a stereotypical Spanish lady, who owns a gun and can shoot well, but still needs Sly to rescue her and although she constantly is telling him she will lock him up, she blushes and thinks of how handsome he is, especially when he steals a kiss from her. Another example is the character Murray dressing as a geisha to distract their enemies, and putting on a dance for them. The enemies react loudly and wildly, even throwing money at Murray like he’s a stripper. While he’s dressed up, the main villain of the chapter, El Jefe smirks at him and slaps his butt, making Murray jump. I haven’t seen any other women characters so far and so at this point I am disappointed. It has fun gameplay for the most part, so I will continue to play. I hope more female characters make an appearance.
June 27-28, most of the night: Puppeteer
This was the other game I picked up in the PS3 sale that was free. I really fell in love with the aesthetic of the game, and the story, although a little childish, is entertaining so far. Everything looks as if it is being seen on a stage, like a play. The audience gasps and laughs as you control your main character, Kutaro, through the level. It’s like a side scroller, but the characters and scenery are 3D.
I haven’t played enough to really analyze the characters, as Kutaro doesn’t talk and the only other character that is around enough is a catlike bug that makes bad puns, but the gameplay is very original, because although it is a side scroller, you also control the catlike bug that helps with certain objectives while running across the screen. Halfway through the first chapter, you encounter a magical pair of scissors, which becomes a large part of the gameplay from there on, cutting your way through levels and obstacles.
So far, I would recommend this game, as it is very unique and fun.
July 5th, most of the night: Sims 3
As the Sims is my favorite series, I always enjoy spending a few hours here and there, creating a family and seeing them live their lives. While Sims is known for not having a direct goal while playing, there are lifetime wishes that you can try to complete so your sims can die happy or you can buy certain rewards with the amount of points you earn them.
However, there is a large Sims community online that has made challenges for people that want more of a goal to accomplish besides just living out their lives. One of the most popular challenges is called the legacy challenge, in where you try to reach ten generations of one family without cheating or switching to a different household. There are variations of this as well, like an Uglacy or a Prettacy, where you start out with the prettiest sim you can make and mate them and their descendents with the ugliest sims, or vice versa, or a challenge called Differences in the Family Tree, where with each generation you have to accomplish certain goals.
I currently am trying a normal legacy, since I have never played with one family for that long, as I usually get bored. I also have mods in my game that make it a little less glitchy and more fun. The family I currently have is two gay sims that have four children of their own, thanks to a mod that allows gay sims to have children without adoption, so their genetics can be added to the gene pool.
July 11th, 4-6:30pm: Town of Salem http://www.blankmediagames.com/
This is a fun online game I found out through watching a Youtube gamer’s channel, MangaMinx. She has now become one of the characters, if you choose to put money into the game, which I though was pretty cool. It’s nice to see a female gamer getting more recognized.
This game is like the game Mafia. Everyone in the town has a role, whether they are Town (good), Mafia, Serial Killer, Witch, Arsonist, and more. Your goal is usually to survive till the end of the game, unless you are a Jester, where you try to mislead the other players into getting yourself hung, and then you can kill someone who hung you.
It is a fun game to play, with either friends online, or people that you don’t know. A large part of the game is talking through chat, trying to convince people you’re not a threat or that someone else is. You can also write up clues in your death note or your will. While it is a fun feature getting to talk to others in chat, it can also get really aggravating, as there is no filter and some people are very vulgar or not caring about the game at all. I have no problem with cursing in games, unless it is racist or sexist, but I feel uncomfortable when people are overly sexual for no reason.
I would leave some games feeling accomplished from having beaten either the Town or the Mafia, but other times I would give up before the game ended, either because of the people in the game, or there was no enjoyment from the round.
July 18th, 5-6pm: Little Big Planet
Little Big Planet is a game that I have a soft spot in my heart for because of the whimsical nature of the game and the narrator, as well as the pleasing aesthetics. I’ve realized from playing certain games that the aesthetics are definitely a big part of my enjoyment of a game, and Little Big Planet has pleasing graphics, plus the main character is a ragdoll called Sackboy, which I adore.
Unfortunately, I can’t rave about the actual playing of the game. You mostly roam about the level without much difficulty, but the major problem is moving closer to the screen and away from it. You frequently move your character this way without meaning to and it is frustrating when trying to hurry through a part and you get stuck on the scenery.
Now, I am stuck on a level without knowing how to proceed, and there is no helpful hint pointing you in the right direction, so it quickly becomes tiring. I remain hopeful that I will be able to enjoy this game soon, just not in the close future.
July 25th, 9-11:30pm: Battle Block Theater
This has been the funniest game I have played in a long time, possibly forever. It is a simple platformer, but it is so funny and original. It is made by the same people that made Castle Crashers, which is a very fun game as well. It helps that you can customize your character with different heads and weapons to keep things interesting.
The first cinematic that explained the situation of the game already had me laughing, but when my brothers and I found a secret level, we died laughing from the song that they played. The narrator was well chosen, as he gives a hilarious take on your situation and your actions; when I pushed my brother into a trap, killing him, he exclaimed, “What a jerk!”
It is a perfect multiplayer puzzler platformer, and I always am in a good mood after playing it, or even listening to the soundtrack.
For your enjoyment, this is the secret song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwZISypgA9M