Dude’s Chronicles 9-21-2017: The One Where I Messed Up

Image via giphy.com

It is a low goal to hit two posts a week and even with that I managed to f-it-up. Tuesday I was all set to post a review of Batman: The Telltale Series only to find that I had overwritten it and this was the only text in the post:

A familiar but refreshing take on a Batman story.

I had far more than that in the review. The blame is all mine and I know exactly what I did. There is no blaming WordPress, only my own stupidity. Before you ask, I overwrote it enough times that all of the previous revisions are no better. This is one of those moments when I hang my head in shame of myself.

Just in case I never re-write my review, I really liked Batman: The Telltale Series. I liked it enough that I want to play the sequel but I want to wait until all of the episodes are out.

Entertainment

• Football – There were a lot of games this weekend that had me scratching my head. Jacksonville owns London, they really ought to move there.
• GiantBomb – Congratulations on the chicken dinner you winner winners.  I actually stood up, clapping and cheering when it happened. If my neighbors didn’t already think I’m crazy, they have one more reason.
• The Tick – After accidentally signing up for a trial of Amazon Prime I decided to make the most of it by watching The Tick. I started out with the new version that Amazon did and it was good. It had that campy/cartoony/stupid feel that I wanted. The only thing that disappointed me was how short it was. I was just getting really into it and then there were no more episode. However, I do see that they have the Patrick Warburton version as well. That will be a definite watch.

Games

• Destiny 2 – Pretty sure I’ve had my fill of this game. After not playing it over the weekend I jumped back into see what the Faction Rallies was about. All I found was one more reason they added to grind. This is not what I want and I feel very disappointed. It is likely that I will keep hopping in and out f the game but I don’t feel the draw or dedication I did when playing the original. Frankly, I’m not even sure I’ll care or mind when any DLC comes out. That will be a judgement call at that time.
• Warframe – My curiosity about this game re-peaked after SkillUp did a video on it. I had played it when the PS4 first launched since it was free and there were so few games.  The last time I played it was probably around a year ago and it was a completely different game. Going back to it now feels both familiar and foreign.  For whatever reason, I played it on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The PS4 and PC versions are relatively close but there is a noticeable difference in the Xbox One version. It is not bad but the visual fidelity is not the same. I’ve been keeping myself mostly to the PC version so that I can get some use out of my PC for once and to try to get better with using a keyboard and mouse for gaming. I got out of it for years and… wow… am I uncoordinated.

News

• Volition Layoffs – Anytime anybody loses their job I feel bad. Hearts out to those people and I hope they land on their feet. 30 out of 200 people is a significant cut. Perhaps Agents of Mayhem wasn’t the best idea.
• Battlegrounds vs. Fortnite – This seems like one of those arguments that neither side is right about. I can see where Battlegrounds is upset about Fortnite ripping off the ascetics of their game, particularly the map. However, I don’t think they can lay much claim to the “battle royale” style combat that they stole from a movie. How they “accused” EPIC of impeding on them and I’m not sure I agree with that. How many third person shooters benefited from EPIC developing Gears of War? What better way to know how to optimize/upgrade a game engine than making a game in it? Could EPIC maybe not made Fortnite’s battle royale mode?  Sure, but how many other games are going or already trying to copy this? Then then there is the idea that Fortnite did straight up copy Battlegrounds in several ways.
• MGSV free for PS+ in October? – This may put me back in a tailspin of gaming. I put 70+ hours into this game and didn’t get to what is the “true” ending. Still owning the disc version hasn’t got me back to it but that fact that I can download it and it will be right there…. I used to hate stealth games but I loved this game because, with exception, it gave you allowances to approach a situation any way you chose. There is so much of this  I applied to Horizon Zero Dawn. After looking at the situation I would decide to be stealthy or just outright murderous. Both felt very rewarding and made me think back to MGSV.
• Atari console – Not sure what to think of this. Looks like a Steam Machine and likely to meet the same fate.
• LawBreakers free to play weekend – When your game hits double digit player counts… yikes. After watching trailers and game play of this I just don’t have an interest. I never root for a game to fail but I don’t see a path that makes this game succeed. It is as though it was rushed to market and will have a hard road to recovery, if it ever does.

Closing Arguments

If you don’t hear from me next week please don’t worry. I’ll be taking a trip to see friends. If I can post I will but it will be from the road and from my phone.

Paul Novak

Owner, Proprietor, Typer of Words, Gamer, Jester

A self described Polish ninja toiling away as an IT professional but more into gaming and writing. Physically existing on the western side of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania yet existentially flowing with the ether of the Internet.

Dude’s Chronicles 8-10-2017: The Exact Opposite of Vacation

Image via ocvisitor.com

Short weeks at work are worse than full weeks. Everybody expects the same amount of work as a full week. Really works out nice when I have to cover somebody else’s job while they are on vacation. But anyway…

Entertainment

• Alien Covenant – This was a hilarious. I know it wasn’t a comedy but it made me laugh. This is my general reaction to horror/suspense films mostly because I find many of the scenarios to be ridiculous and much of the gore to be silly. Even with that, I enjoyed the film with the exception of nuances that just didn’t make sense.
• The LEGO Batman Movie – This one was supposed to be funny and it delivered. I worry when Will Arnett is the lead in anything but this movie was highly entertaining and somewhat heart warming. Well done in many aspects and has catapulted Will Arnett in to the spot as my second favorite Batman(1. Micheal Keaton, 3. Kevin Conroy, 4. Adam West, 5. Diedrich Bader, 6. Christian Bale, 7. George Clooney, 8. Val Kilmer, for the record).
• Giant Bomb – 3000 Miles to Murder Island, I wonder how many people got the reference.
• Game of Thrones(sans spoilers) – Best one yet? I think they are setting it up for Daenerys to be the villain. I also see where they could play it off as a desperation move.

Games

• The Last of Us: Remastered – Finished it. Still reprocessing. Maybe I dislike it less than I did before. Looking to finish the Left Behind DLC this weekend.
• Titanfall 2 – Still loving the Frontier Defense mode.

News

• Horizon Zero Dawn DLC release date – The Frozen Wild will release on November 7th. Already pre-ordered. Done.
• Valve has a new game! – It’s not Half-Life 3, it’s not Portal 3, it’s not Let 4 Dead 3 but it is a card game. React accordingly. If you love DOTA you’ll love the card game based on it… I guess.
• Gearbox’s Project 1v1 – This was “announced” and I got an invite but I don’t think I’ll play it. From what I can tell, it is nothing more than variation of a one versus one area shooter. Not that interesting to me, plus the closed technical test is on PC which I typically don’t game on.
• Super Meat Boy on Switch – I didn’t care for the game and I don’t own a Switch but this seems perfect.

Closing Arguments

So… no plans for the weekend. Probably work. Yeah.

Paul Novak

Owner, Proprietor, Typer of Words, Gamer, Jester

A self described Polish ninja toiling away as an IT professional but more into gaming and writing. Physically existing on the western side of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania yet existentially flowing with the ether of the Internet.

Dude’s Chronicles 3-24-2016: Blueprint Blues

This world is not perfect, first of all I wish all the best to anyone affected by the recent attacks in Brussels and elsewhere. Looking beyond the world news, things have been good in my realm. I just wish everybody had it as good. Chin up everybody.

Entertainment!

After watching the second season of Daredevil, I needed to just watch a few mindless things. So I watched Tim Burton’s Batman yet another time. Then I watched Son of Batman again. For a change of pace I re-watched 30 for 30: You Don’t Know Bo. Finally I watched Serenity. All of these I recommend and will probably watch again, and again, and again.

Games!

The Division is still going strong for me. Rolling through the Dark Zone is an ongoing pain and joy but I keep doing it regardless. I’ve been doing the daily hard missions to get some gear and credits but have yet to complete one of the challenge level missions. One try with a group showed me that none of us had what it takes at the time. Obviously I needed better gear and ran into the same problem as any RPG in that it is quite elusive. Better gear would not drop for me so I bought a blueprint for a high-end SMG and was very happy with it. As soon as I had enough credits built up I bought a blueprint for a high-end marksman rifle, or so I thought I did until I went to craft it only to found I had bought a shotgun blueprint instead. Honestly, it was my mistake for scrolling up and down through the items then not paying proper attention to which one I was on when I went through with the purchase. I wouldn’t feel so bad if I ever used a shotgun. Just another reminder that I can be a real dumbass at times..

The latest patch to the game has been mostly good. They had to back off of their plans to rework the drops for Phoenix credits unfortunately, due to technical reasons. If the Dark Zone wasn’t brutal enough who should like the retuning the did since the NPC’s are far more aggressive and will chase you down given the chance. There is a good and bad to the spawn changes. The good – enemies, including bosses spawn more often. The bad – the will spawn right next to you. Hopefully the later is just a glitch that needs adjusted. Unless they intend the NPC’s to be able to ghost up on you.

@TheDivisionGame DZ after patch when you see: 1 player, worry; 2 players, really worry; 3 players, ur fucked; 4 players, ur really fucked

— Paul Novak (@dudewantshisrug) March 24, 2016

They also drastically changed the penalty for dying as a rogue. It used to be you lost about 20k XP at the least, I died as a rogue after the patch and only lost about 2.7k XP. This huge reduction has been detrimental to solo players like me because it makes it so there almost no penalty for going rogue. Massive and Ubisoft probably did this to get more PVP action but it is way out of whack now. Because of so many people killing other players, I hit level 36 seven times in one day. How? I hit it by killing NPC’s, then died to an NPC which took enough to make me 35 again. I went to get my loot back, farmed again to be 36, then another player gunned me down in the street, 35 again. Fine, get my loot back – again – kill more NPC’s, get 36 again, try to extract and get killed by a gang of other players, 35 yet again. Head back to get my loot, get it, get baited into going rogue by another player, hit 36, try to run out the timer, run straight into a group of four players, 35 again, again. Go get my loot, AGAIN, kill NPC’s at the extraction zone, hit 36, get gunned down by a different group of players, 35 again. Last shot, grab my loot, kill NPC’s, get extraction, hit 36, quit game for the night.

News!

Never a dull moment…

• Destiny April update outline – Higher light level, Prison of Elders revamped, new strikes, and not one bit of it interests me. It could be I’m just burnt out on the game, it could be that I’m into The Division but I just can’t force myself into the thought of playing this game again, for any reason.
• Evolution Studios shuttered – Whether it was the fault of DriveClub or not, it is always sad to see a studio close Hopefully those that are not moved to other studios with in Sony will quickly find work elsewhere.
• Battleborn beta starts April 8th on PS4 – I’m curious about this game but I seem to have a problem as I confuse it with Paragon and Lawbreakers. Maybe playing it will help sort that out.
• Wii U ending production? – Reports claim no more units will be made after this year but Nintendo is denying that claim. Of course they have to deny the claim in hopes that somebody is still looking to buy one or two. However, realistically they have to be winding down production soon if they are gearing up development and then production of a new console.
• VR – With the Oculus Rift releasing on March 28th, the hype-train is in over drive. Pre-orders and different bundles have been announced for PlayStation VR and given and October release. Oddly, there isn’t much talk about Valve’s Vive even though it releases in April. I won’t be a first adopter for any of these since I still need to see something more than just the hype.
• More console upgrade hype! – I still think this all a big red herring and will never really happen. Given the closed build of the systems and the fact that USB just isn’t going to have the throughput needed for powerful peripheral upgrades, this just isn’t very feasible. Plus, given the fact that we are now two and a half years in to the consoles’ lifespan(remember the PS3/Xbox360 era lasted about seven years) it would essentially be asking owners to upgrade or replace their system halfway through their lifespan. Then you would be asking people to replace them again in just a few years. This is near the argument that people have against PC gaming. You might see add-ons, like PlayStation VR, for the consoles but don’t expect anything to upgrade the graphics output of any console.

I’ve been trying to stream more of my gameplay. Through these efforts I’ve grown in respect for those that are not only good at it but are successful since neither are easy and don’t necessarily go hand in hand. If I can keep up with it and get a consistent schedule I’ll be sure to share it here. Otherwise you’ll just have to see when I pop up on my Twitch channel.

So draws a close to another post about nothing but my ramblings. Thanks for stopping by.

Paul Novak

Owner, Proprietor, Typer of Words, Gamer, Jester

A self described Polish ninja toiling away as an IT professional but more into gaming and writing. Physically existing on the western side of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania yet existentially flowing with the ether of the Internet.

Dude’s Chronicles 8-23-2015: Breaking Ground Zeroes

I’m sad. Phantom Pain doesn’t come out for more than a week and I just want to play more Metal Gear. Just for fun, I played a round of Ground Zeroes ignoring the actual goals of the mission and just tried to kill as many guys as I could. That was fun and proves to me that Ground Zeroes is a great little sand box to play in. Other than that I keep trying to play more of Peace Walker but I’m hating the need to grind just to finish the game. I got to the Zeke battle but find it to be damn near impossible without upgrading my weapons. The problem being that it seems to be an almost impossible, at the least annoying, grind to get better weapons for this fight. I want to complete the game but I don’t want to jump through all these hoops to do so. Sure, the clips are all on YouTube but that feels cheap and unrewarding. Not sure where I’ll go with this.

Batman, the Michael Keaton version, is still in heavy rotation on my watch list. I tried watching Hurt Locker only to realize I had actually seen it before and don’t think much of it. It feels like one of those movies that was a big deal at the time of its release just because of the time it was released and its relevance to what has happening in the world. Watching the movie now just doesn’t have the same weight as when it was new. Not to say that is a bad movie, just that it doesn’t hold the same attraction that it did upon its initial release.

Finally getting to watch some preseason football felt pretty damn good. Yes, it is not “real” football but it is a signal that it is on the horizon. Still waiting to get my tv service back since the cable company didn’t ship my box for a full week after I ordered it. Not sure how these companies don’t understand why people hate them. There should be an easy way to explain it to them involving a flowchart that ends in a middle finger.

Paul Novak

Owner, Proprietor, Writer, Gamer, Jester

A self described Polish ninja toiling away as an IT professional but more into gaming and writing. Physically existing on the western side of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania yet existentially flowing with the ether of the Internet.

KP DUTY – Episode 002 – Subtitle This!

(Download this episode)

Kayla and I are back to talk about no topic in particular but bounce around things like PAX and Metal Gear. There was some issue with subtitles though.

Paul Novak

Owner, Proprietor, Writer, Gamer, Jester

A self described Polish ninja toiling away as an IT professional but more into gaming and writing. Physically existing on the western side of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania yet existentially flowing with the ether of the Internet.

Dude’s Chronicles 6-12-2015: A Day Without Rain

It’s a beautiful day but I’m not going outside.

This week I tried to play as little Destiny as possible. It feels good to not be playing that game. The fews times I did play were not enjoyable and only reinforced my distain for the game. Perhaps it was Bungie’s lackluster handling of Bungie Day that finally pushed me over the edge. Instead of Destiny, I payed Batman: Arkham Knight. I’m not quite done with it yet and still have some mixed thoughts about it.

I’ve also been devoting a lot of time to Netflix by watching things like….

Because it was there and I still think Michael Keaton is the best Batman, after Adam West of course.

I didn’t know anything about this movie or the fact that people were making a big deal about it. After watching it I see why. It is not what anybody would have expected from Jennifer Aniston but perhaps they should. I won’t go and tell you that it is as fantastic as people are making it out to be but it was worth watching. Unfortunately I identified with part of this movie, the main character’s chronic pain. I’ll tell you that when you have that kind of pain you are not only in misery, you are a miserable person.

Who doesn’t love these movies? They keep getting worse every time and that just makes them even more glorious.

Road House! Which of course has to be said as…

Then there is…

Which is not really worth watching.

Which is funny but not as funny as 30 Rock. Tina Fey is a funny lady but this series just doesn’t have the same appeal as 30 Rock.

Maybe if I could watch Netflix outside I would go out.

 

Paul Novak

Owner, Proprietor, Writer, Gamer, Jester

A self described Polish ninja toiling away as an IT professional but more into gaming and writing. Physically existing on the western side of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania yet existentially flowing with the ether of the Internet.

Batman: Arkham Origins Blocked Gate

One of the better Vita games I’ve played but that isn’t much of an endorsement.

Batman is on patrol in Gotham when he comes across Catwoman for the first time. After a chase and fight, he apprehends her and she is sent to Blackgate. After a time lapse, Batman is alerted to a riot condition at Blackgate. He goes there to settle the situation only to find it worse than he imagined. The Joker, Penguin, and Black Mask are all working plans to use the chaos to expand their criminal enterprises. Now Batman must stop all of them and deal with Catwoman who has tentatively aligned herself as an ally.

Much like the console Batman games, there are good and bad things about this game. As I stated previously, this is one of the better games that I have played on the Vita. With that said though it was also one of the most frustrating. Controls were a big issue throughout the game. When trying to enter an air shaft or other crawl space, you are prompted to hold O or X but if you do not press and hold it as the exact time the game expects you to you may or may not enter into the air shaft. The same timing issue also crops up in game action during fights, particularly when trying to counter an enemy. This is a huge frustration during certain boss fights. On the plus side, the graphics were very good for a handheld game. Keep in mind that this is not meant to be the equal of a Batman console game and is exactly what it was meant to be, a handheld game. The available actions and gadgets are scaled back and this is another plus. It would have been a disservice to the player to try to make them aim a Batarang as they do on the console version.

Even though the name implies a connection to the Batman: Arkham Origins game, there is little if any link other than the name. The story doesn’t hand-off or pick up much if anything from the console game. There is an attempt to bring the two together in the credits if you watch through them. I personally could not figure out when this game fits into the timeline of the Batman game series. It has to be after the story in Origins but felt like it was before Arkham City. If you or anybody knows how this timeline works, feel free to let me know.

As much as I want to recommend this game I can’t, at least not at the current asking price. I enjoyed the game in the long run but also can’t say that its value was worth the cost.  Amazon and other retailers are still asking about $35 for the game.

Unfortunately, this game and its console companion have been less than what I expected. Perhaps the only hope left is that Rocksteady will take the reins back and do things right on the next-gen consoles but will I still be interested by then???

Related articles

• Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate Review (goodkindofgeek.com)

Batman, Arkham Or A Gin?

Relax, it’s just as good and flawed as the last game. We’ll examine how and why.

On a snowy Christmas Eve in Gotham, Batman has uncovered a plot by Black Mask to eliminate him. Assassins have been offered a handsome bounty to kill Batman. The worst of the worst, or best of the best depending on your view point, have come to Gotham to try to kill Batman and claim the bounty. The world’s greatest detective must prove that he is just that and stop the Black Mask’s plan. Delving into the depths of the underbelly of Gotham will be no match for the young sleuth. It will take all his mettle to solve the mysteries in front of him while outwitting and out muscling his opponents.

There has been a lot said to the point that this is an inferior game but I would argue that it is equal to the last game, Arkham City. I still feel that the original Arkham Asylum is the best game and rate Origins as tied with City.

On a technical level, this game is most definitely the equal of Arkham City. The engine and assets are almost identical. As you glide around the city you will notice very familiar landmarks and artifacts. Remember that part of the city has been flooded in Arkham City so the layout is different in Origins and shows Gotham before the flood. If you know the combat system from the first two games then you will find yourself at home in Origins.  Of course there are some different gadgets. A lot of the gadgets are available from the get go so the sense of discovery isn’t what it was in Arkham Asylum. Takedowns, free flows, and quick gadgets are pretty much unchanged which is nice. I don’t use gadgets too much when I play, I’m more of the straight out brawler, but if you make use of them then you can do so just as you have in the past.

On a story level, the game is both beautiful and broken. There is more opportunity for Batman to be a detective but there is so much hand holding during those instances that it takes away from the experience. Some of the character interactions seem unnatural as well. For instance, while completing part of the main story I found the noise of a crying baby coming from a carriage and when I went to investigate I found that it was the introduction of Shiva. What seemed so bizarre was that Batman just sort of went “Oh, Shiva, it’s you” with no explanation or context. It was as though there was an assumption that the player is familiar with the Shiva character and the game offered no apparent information about her. Maybe there was some information in the Bat-files but I’m not taking the time to read those, I’m here to play the game. What made the campaign worthwhile was the overall context of showing how Batman is in his ‘infancy’ as a crime fighter, making mistakes but overcoming them. I won’t give too much away but the ending was a great setup to the events of Arkham Asylum and I will tell you to sit down and watch the credits for the game(this is a habit I have for all games I complete).

I think there are good things in this game that I have to balance against things that I don’t like. Some of the things I don’t like are inherent in this series of Batman games. Again, I like the campaign and greatly enjoyed the overall story. There are also the challenge maps that have been in the previous games but these seem very tired at this point. Perhaps a player that is new to the game could get some training value from them but I was quickly bored with them. I also found little value in the multi-layer aspect. The gameplay was not clear about the objectives and within the first few weeks match making was already an issue. I got kicked or dropped from more matches than I was actually able to play.  At one point I had wanted to stay with the group I played the last round with but I got a message that I was dropped due to inactivity. Inactivity? I was sitting there waiting for the next game to start. It’s not good if you can’t keep the players that are actually trying to play. The multiplayer just felt so far removed from the rest of the game that it should not have been there. The development time the studio used would have been better spent on the campaign or challenge modes. Much like Arkham City, I found frustration in the fact that I felt as though I was constantly being sent on goose chases across the city to accomplish tasks during the main story. This was something that Arkham Asylum did not do with it’s tight corridors and on rails action. Origins adds a fast travel system but you have to unlock it. Good idea, bad execution.

One final point of argument I have to address, people saying the the “Origins” title is misleading. Remember and realize that this game is called Batman Arkham: Origins not Batman: Origins. The story is set up and plays out the origins of the Arkham not Batman.

With all that said, I want to recommend you play this game and I do. However, I also recommend holding out until the price drops below $40. As much as I like and appreciate it, I can’t help but think that this is not a $60 title especially if, like myself, you are not into the online or challenge modes. As I pen this posting, Amazon already has it down to $50 so my price point is quickly approaching. Maybe this is a nice little early stocking stuffer some gets for you.

Related articles

• Batman: Arkham Origins Review (leagueofmediocregamers.wordpress.com)

Batfuddled!

Welcome to the midnight launch of Batman Arkham: Origins. Hope you enjoy the patch!

Womb Raider

A great restart to a classic gaming franchise. Game of the year in my opinion.

Lara Croft is on the ship Endurance when she is jarred from her bed to find a massive storm tearing the ship apart. Lara is swept away by rushing water and is trapped, only to be rescued by a unknown savior. She then attempts to leap from one side of the broken ship to the other but fails and falls into the sea. Washed ashore on an unknown island, Lara’s adventure begins. She must ascertain where she is, what has happened to her friends and the crew of the Endurance. In doing so, she is drawn into the mysteries and trappings of the island on which she must learn to survive.

I don’t know if the Uncharted franchise ripped anything off from the original Tomb Raider series but this reboot sure ripped a lot off of Uncharted and that is a compliment two both games.. This game plays like Nathan Drake gets Batman’s gadgets. If you ever played Batman Arkham Asylum, it plays a lot like that. The game starts out by having you complete tasks and scenarios to earn items like a torch and learn how to use it. This happens throughout the game but is well integrated into the game play and does not feel like an interruption at any time. Throughout the game you can upgrade weapons and abilities with salvage and skill points, respectively. Salvage is picked up from crates and enemies whereas skill points are earned via XP by completing story missions, side missions, killing enemies, and collecting items.

Crystal Dynamic did a great job putting a new feel on an old franchise with very few issues. The story line is not exactly believable but keep in mind that Lara Croft is essentially a female Indiana Jones and both of these franchises stretch the line of realism. Based on that, I am perfectly fine with everything they presented to me in this game(and it’s a video game which is supposed to be somewhat unrealistic). There are a few moments that you may roll your eyes because it gets so sappy and stupid especially in the dialogue but the action and overall story will surpass these issues. I did like the one moment went she went Rambo and called out to her enemies that she was coming for all of them. I laughed out loud at that point.

On a mechanical level, the game both achieves and baffles. The cinematic sequences are absolutely gorgeous, I can’t put it any other way. This is one of, if not, the best games from a graphics perspective on the PS3 I’ve ever played. If you are detail oriented or an OCD person, you will notice issues like when you are going through a crawl space, the bow strapped across your back will simply phase through any object you get close to rather than your character moving appropriately to accommodate. There was a particular instance I noticed, it was when you come out of a cinematic sequence and you would not have any of your inventory on your character, such as your bow, but as soon as you pressed up on the d-pad it just appeared. If this is the biggest complaint I can put forth for the mechanics then this game is pretty dang solid game.

Yes, there is multi-player. No, I didn’t care to play it. The game modes are basically mods of other modes. One game type has the survivors trying to activate radio towers but this plays like a domination game type as the time to turn on the radio tower is based on the amount of players X the amount of time inside a certain radius of the tower. Not ground breaking but not bad. Team death match is your standard fare of kill or be killed to a count total. I didn’t grasp how to set traps that were available even though I found myself caught in a few.

If you are debating between games to purchase or for Game of the Year awards, the contenders I have played are The Last of Us and Tomb Raider. I give the nod to Tomb Raider. I completely appreciate where The Last of Us came from and what it did but I just flat-out enjoyed playing Tomb Raider more.

This game cost me $30, with a coupon, for a used copy at GameStop. Within two weeks Amazon dropped the price of a new copy to under $20 on Xbox 360 but the PS3 copy was still almost $35. I hope this was a strange error on their part and has been corrected by the time you read this post. Even Gamefly was about $35 for either platform. I recommend this game for any price below $30 but I don’t see the investment in DLC worth it as it is multi-player oriented. If that is your thing, then go ahead and enjoy. Regardless, this is a great game that can be enjoyed on many levels.