Month in Review: June 2010 Continued

Part two of June's Monthly Blog, featuring some of the games that have been eating my time. More than a few, no?

Games Played

Assassin's Creed (X360)

I finished the first Assassin's Creed way back at the start of June. Overall I found it a highly enjoyable game and one of the few games of recent years to really try something unique in terms of gameplay styIe setting and storyline. The historical setting fascinates me and you can never really go wrong with evil Templar cults. People complain that the secondary missions and assassination targets in the game are very samey and become repetitive... and to a certain extent they are right. I would have liked a wider variety of tasks to undertake, rather than the same old interrogations, thefts, flag hunts... but I don't think it really dectracts too much from the overall game. I love the fluid, free nature of the controls, which makes running through the Holy Land a joy, and the assassinations are pure fun. I have completed the main storyline and all the secondary tasks bar the flag hunts and Templar assassinations, which I probably won't take the time to complete as it might take the rest of my natural life. I've also gained a further 9 achievements for 305 points.

Assassin's Creed II (X360)

And this is the game I've just started to play. I'm only up to DNA Sequence 4... which isn't bad for a day's play I suppose! So far I'm really enjoying myself with this one too. I can see that the major complaints of the first game have been addressed - namely the repetitive nature of the missions - and already I have encountered a wide variety of unique and interesting challenges. I like the additions to the gameplay too - upgradable weapons and armour, a stronghold to improve and expand, new combat moves. The setting doesn't quite grab me the same as in the first game, but it is finely detailed and the characters (including real life folks such as Da Vinci) are great. Give me a little more time to really get into the story and this game will most likely surpass the first one for me. The game is generous with achievements too, it seems. So far I've dinged 18 achievements for 285 points.

Brutal Legend (X360)

Well this was a surprise for me. Before playing Brutal Legend I was under the impression it was just a fun third-person hack-n-slash type game. As it turns out, it's actually quite unique. I wasn't prepared at all for the real-time strategy elements, which play a pretty large part of the game and might put people off... but I say give it a chance. It's a great little game with a fun story and a wicked sense of humour. This game is funny. I am a fan of metal, and this game draws from that certain sense of the ridiculous that surrounds old-school, traditional, 'true metal'. I might not recommend it to someone who doesn't like metal as the soundtrack can be quite overpowering and because so much of the humour and story is dependant on an understanding of the culture and the in-jokes of that world. I've finished the main storyline of Brutal Legend, I may go back and mop up the remaining secondary missions and collectables (of which there are a lot), but for now I'm done. I've got 17 achievements for 280 points.

Giants: Citizen Kabuto (PC)

Now this is a great game. It's an action game, but it's such a weird mash-up of all sorts of genres that the label barely does it justice. It's a third-person shooter, first-person shooter, action-adventure, real-time strategy, racing... it's everything! It's quite a long game, as you get to play a series of missions from the perspective of three distinct factions: the Meccs (alien soliders), Delphi the reaper (naked sea nymph) and the Giant Kabuto of the title. It's really hilarious too. I love the Meccs, ostensibly a highly advanced alien race with weapons and spaceships... but they're just a bunch of English guys on holiday, trying to get to Planet Majorca! At the moment I'm working through Delphi's missions, trying to steer this damn reaperski through chasms of ice.

King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne (PC)

Continuing the adventure binge for what must be the fifth or sixth month, I played through the second King's Quest. I never paid much attention to these back when I used to be a real adventure buff (I was always more of a Space Quest fan), but they are actually pretty good - if truly ancient in all aspects of sound, graphics and gameplay. King's Quest never really got the humour down quite as well as Space Quest, but it's a damn sight funnier than most games.

Maniac Mansion (PC)

Ah, because fun never gets old. I'm surprised I've not died laughing this month. Anyway, I'd like to play through all the SCUMM games again, so what better place to start than at the beginning? Maniac Mansion isn't as refined as later games to use the engine, but it features enough unique ideas and side-splitting humour that I can forgive the clunky interface. I played through using Dave, Razor and Bernard... and yes, I did microwave the hamster. It just has to be done!

Maniac Mansion: Day of the Tentacle (PC)

If Maniac Mansion is good, then Day of the Tentacle is pure perfection. I'd even go so far as to say it's my favourite adventure game ever, ahead of all the Space Quests, all the Monkey Islands, all the Broken Swords. Rarely does a game marry spot-on humour, addictive gameplay and a great storyline quite so well. It's infinitely quotable too. I'd recommend Day of the Tentacle to everyone. It will make you feel stronger and more aggressive. Perhaps so much that you'll take on the world!!! Mwahahaha etc.

Professor Layton and Pandora's Box (DS)

I rarely get a chance to play handheld games these days, but lately I've been forgoing my bedtime read for my DS Lite. The reason? A little adventure/puzzle game that is really no more than Dr. Kawashima in a deerstalker. Yep, Professor Layton blends a neat little adventure mystery with addictive puzzle gameplay and it's got me hooked. I'll have to track down the first game at some point. So far I've reached Chapter 4, wearing my investigating shoes.

Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection (X360)

Now I've got a Mega Drive I'm actually a little stumped for what games to get first. Sure, there are all the great games I remember from my youth: Sonic, Streets of Rage and so on, and some RPG must-haves, but I'm really going to have to do my research. Playing this collection again helps as I've already added some of the games included here to my wishlist. Why buy games on cartridge if I already have them on collections like this, you may ask? You know the answer. It's just so much better to play a game on its original format. Scanlines and all. While mucking about with this collection I managed to grab myself a few achievements too, 5 for 125 points.

Streets of Rage II (MD)

Streets of Rage II is actually the only game I've played in the series. I probably own all the games a dozen times over on compilations like the Ultimate Mega Drive Collection, but I've never played the original. I think because I played the sequel so much as a kid (it was one of the games my cousins would always dig out when I went over) I got a little spoilt... because it's so awesome! When I got hold of a real copy I played through twice in one night, which is pretty unheard of for me. I have a pretty short attention span and it's rare for me to finish a game even once, let alone twice - so that just goes to show it's something special.

In Conclusion...

I've had a really good month for both collecting and playing. I never managed to get any of those big-name new releases... but my brother still owes me a birthday pressie so I might drop some non-too-subtle hints :P

Take care!