Monday, April 25, 2011

Expanding my horizon

game played week of 3/28/11, I apologize for the delay of the blog

Hmmmm. Another 2 weeks have gone by and now it's time for another game(s) to be played. Needless to say, I have a good supply of games to keep me occupied for awhile but at the same getting tired of the same games.

This week, I decided to expand my gaming horizon a bit and decided to open a game that's traditionally not a game I would play.

Game: Bakugan: Battle Brawlers
Price: I don't want to reveal a price for this game... hah

From the looks of the first couple of scenes, it seems that this game would be similar to a Pokemon game where you battle your opponents with your "bakugan".

On writing this review, I did not play the game as I simply watched a guest player to play the game for a week =] As the player is only a minor, I will simply use the term guest for the player.

I do not have a specific story line to review this game since it's an experience-gaining game to improve your player. The storyline is pretty straight forward: you play in a tournament, beat your opponents to advance to the next round and gain experience points (XP) to upgrade your so-called bakugan.


This game is very simple. You just play with three bakugans in your "hand" with some deck cards. Once a bakugan landed on a field card (I forgot the terminology for the card, I think it was gateway card or something like that), it will transformed from a ball to the bakugan monster. You earn a point one of two ways: you landed 2 of your bakugans on the same card, or you battle another bakugan on the same card.

The three battles consists of Power Battles, Shooting Battles, and Timing Battles.

REVIEW SCORES:

GAMEPLAY: 5 or less *for me
(As I said earlier, it's a very simple game that doesn't require a lot of thinking though it's somewhat of a strategy game. OK game for the kids)

PLOT/PRESENTATION: 3.5 (Pretty straight forward game, beat the opponent and advance. Upgrading your bakugans is necessary, doesn't really affect "plot" too much)

GRAPHICS: 8 (By far the highest score of the review for this game. It is HD like and very much realistic. Like the graphcis better than the actual gameplay, though you can't really see the details of the bakugans very much)

Sound/Music: ? (I hate to say it but I don't remember much of the sound nor music from this game)

Replay Value: very low (This would be a first day trade-ins for me. Not much else to play there except to battle bakugans and it's very repetitive)

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I also played a game that I opened a long time ago (2 years ago) but only played the first two levels.

GAME: Kung Fu Panda

I'm not going to provide any reviews for this game just yet considering I'm only 3 levels in and forgot the game already. I will pick this up at a later time and will provide the review at that time.

I apologize that this blog is 4 weeks late (2 blogs behind) as I have been busy.

Thanks for tuning in,

The19MrHockey

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

UP! UP! And Away!

So tonight is the start of the second bi-weekly blogging of games.

After some thoughts on what games to open and play, I decided to come back to an older game that I acquired awhile ago.

Game: Disney Pixar UP!

I decided to go with this game because it looks fun and if it relates anything to the story, it should be a good one!

Loading game....
No update! Yay, finally a game that doesn't require updates every week.

First impression: the music reminds me of the movie and makes me want to watch it again! The picture quality looks ok, not too great but fun nonetheless.

For the first mission, you are Doug (the dog) and your mission is to protect Russell and Carl from the enemy planes. From then on, the story places us, Russell and Carl in Paradise Fall, or at least according to Russell "we're in South America alright".

The game somewhat take over parts of the movie where you find Kevin and have to free him and stuff. They added some "boss" levels just for added adventure and spice things up a bit. Both Russell and Carl have special abilities such as using the bugle and fixing the earpiece, respectively.

At the time of the writing, I just finished the first boss level, Level 4. After 90 minutes of playing, I've finished until to chapter 5, unlocking 16 achievements and 325 Gamerscore points. OK, I went to the next level and knocked out the campfire and got another achievement so it's actually now 17 achievements unlocked and 345 Gs.

Overall, the game is very simple and the objectives is relatively easy. So far the achievements unlocked for playing the levels, smashing up bugs, using your special abilities certain times, and others are in gameplay.

Gameplay: 8/10 (Fun game to play and maybe to relax to, a good break from all the FPS games and such. You can also play with 2 players)

Plot/Presentation: 8/10 (I'm basing this score from the movie. So far, it's up to par with some side missions and boss levels to spice up the game)

Graphics: 6.5 (For a movie-themed game, I would say it's pretty decent to say the least. Try not to watch the characters in game when they're in "cinematic" mode<-- not a cutscene but close to it)

Sound/Music: 8.5 (I'm pretty sure they asked the voice artists from the movie to do the voices in the game so that's a plus! Also, the narrator from Muntz's movie [beginning of the movie], narrates the cutscenes between levels to make it interesting)

Replay Value: low (To say this vaguely, this game is a one-time deal. I would sell it after finishing up the game. Knowing me, I would just save it to add to my collection. Plus, it's one of my favorite movies so having the game is not too bad)

Estimated Achievement Difficulty: 1.5/10

Side note: I chose this game so that I could get my 40,000th Gamerscore point with an achievement from one of my favorite movies. I'm also planning on buying a new game after I hit the milestone so I could write up a more recent games rather than the games that's on my backlog right now. I do have top recent games from 2010 including Fable III, NBA 2K11*, Halo: Reach*, Red Dead Redemption* that I have to finish or still to be played.

* denotes games have been played

UPDATE:
I finished this game in approximately 6 hours *according to my raptr account . My 40,000th points was a 50pt achievement "Multiplayer Extras" from the game Disney-Pixar UP, achieved on March 24, 2011. It wasn't a true 40,000 milestone achievement but I did surpassed it with 40,015.

As for additional review for this game, I think it was a fair review for the amount of time I played the game.

Overall rating: 7.75 *according to the previous rating
Overall rating (finished game): 7.0/10 (I gave it a lower rating due to low replay value. I was a bit biased with the hype of the game in comparison to the movie therefore it received a higher overall rating).


Thanks for tuning in for another game blog,
The19MrHockey

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Games beware! (updated)

It's been awhile since I last wrote a blog and I think it's time to start up again.

Rather than explaining on why I stopped, I'm just gonna cut to the point.

As an avid gamer, I try to have the most recent games on my collection. I don't just buy any games, as if I don't have any interest on particular games, then I don't buy it.

Plans for the resurrection of my blog are for me to finally open and play the games I bought over the past year that I didn't have time yet. I'll try to open a new game every other week so I have time to play a game and review it at the same time.


New game for this month/bi-weekly (3.2.2011) : Mafia II Collector's Edition.

Purchased Price: I forgot, $79.99 perhaps

Current Price: probably around $39.99-49.99

In the box: Steelbook packaging, Official Orchestral Score, 100-page hard cover art book, Downloadable Made Man Pack and Guide to Empire Bay printed on specialty tear-resistant paper. Since I bought mine from Best Buy, it came with a code for the Greaser pack for pre-order special. More pictures to be added soon

**Notification: I will be updating the blog until I finish the game, prior blog write-ups will be "italicized" Whereas new ones will be normal font setting

I have played for about 90 minutes and finished the first 2 chapters, dying 6 times in the process (since I didn't know what to do. ha.), unlocking 7 achievements and yielding 90 Gamerscore.
**Update: I finished the game with approximately 17 hours of gameplay on the hardest difficulty unlocking 45 out of 47 achievements with 950 gamerscore out of 1000. I do NOT count DLCs as finishing the game. I'm not intending to purchase the so-called DLCs just because they have some out.

Likes/Pros: *Similar to GTA IV's play but you can't shoot inside a car. You collect Playboy's magazine (no, I'm not a perv thank you), and other items. A lot of cars to break in to and steal, guns, etc (can't really talk much with only 90 minutes of gameplay). The melee combat in this game is easy (almost a joke, but then I only fought 2 guys so far).
Adding to the previously written pros/cons, I like the variety of cars in the game and collectibles: 36 cars to be ridden, 50 Playboys to be collected, and 159 wanted posters to grind out for 40 gamescore points. I don't know exactly how many guns are in the game but the variety of it is pretty cool: handguns, shotguns, machine guns, etc :-)
Also, the cutscenes in the game are not pre-made cutscene where you drove one car and it magically changes to a different car in the cutscene. If your car is damaged, or have a dent, broken glass, etc, it will show that same car in the cutscene.
Talking about cars, I love how you can modify your vehicles to your liking. Just go to one of the repair shops and you can fix your car, tune it, change your rims, repaint the car, and change your name plates!

Dislikes/Cons: *Can't shoot while inside a car and the enemies are shooting at you! SAVE/CHECK POINTS!!! This game have the worst checkpoints! Even worse than Call of Duty: Black Ops. When you thought you passed a certain parts in the chapter that SHOULD grant you a checkpoint, it doesn't! This could make or break the game for some people. I know it almost did for me during some parts of the game.

* denotes that pros/cons are not 100% accurate at the writing of this blog.

I would write more at this time but I can't do it justice by writing a review during the first few chapters.

Anyways, I will resume at a later time after I played some more Mafia II and getting further in the story line.

As of right now, sit tight and hope my next game is the one that you wanted me to get/open!


The plot of the story is almost like any other gang/mafia games. You're an immigrant from Europe, this particular one is Italy, and just like any immigrants in the 1940s jobs are scarce and not many likes the particular jobs that are open. If you know the right connection, trying to make it in a mafia family will be the best option; not the safest route for your life, but the best financial option. I'm not going to write in depth of the story for this review.

Gameplay: 8.5/10 (Interesting third person game, you can lockpick a car, going undercover to fulfill a mission/job)

Plot/Presentation: 8.25/10 (The story is interesting with a few twists and turns to create the feel of the game but other than that, it feels bland)

Graphics: 8/10 (This would not be your game to show your friends on your new 240 Hz 1080p HDTV to show off how cool your new TV is. The lip syncing is not the best, but Empire Bay does shows off its color)

Sound/Music: 9.5/10 (I thought this game had one of the better music selections on any of my games! The music reflect the season and year of the game: Christmas = Christmasy songs. Voice work is great)

Replay Value: Moderately High Collectibles in the games and "alternate" story lines.

Overall: 8.75/10

Also, Estimated Achievement Difficulty: 5.5/10 for those of you that likes to collect achievements. 47 achievements for 1000Gs

The19MrHockey

Friday, July 3, 2009

Seaworld and girls. Oh jk :-p

Last day of attraction. Seaworld.

Went to the shows. Pretty fun.

I'm tired and don't feel like writing much fromy iPhone.

Rode my first coaster on the entire trip and I didn't even have to wait in lines :-P

ate dinner then we went to the Florida mall.

Bought something from M&Ms world. Then I went to Puma to look around.

I looked at a pair of shoes and decided to buy it. I think the girl that was helping me was a bit nervous lol. So when I checked out, she forgot to take the tag off. I'm sure she just wanted to see me one last time before I leave and go back to Oregon.
Lol. Nah, I'm sure she just wanted me to leave cuz I was the last customer and they closed already lol.

Well now I'm trying to sleep cuz I'm leaving.

So goodbye from Orlando. See ya on Oregon soon ;-)

Orlando3 0401

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Disneyworld (not so magical)

Plan was, to go to D-world. went there. didn't do anything much. followed people around.

Went to Disney's Hollywood Studios. went to like 2 rides and 2 attractions. went around and stuff. Idk if watching HSM3 counts as an attraction....

Decided to go park hopping to Magic Kingdom at like 9.
watched the fireworks show. Don't worry, I recorded both on my iPhone and my camera.

Stuff. Tired. Waiting.

Yes, I'm tired and it's almost 0500

Got home at like 0000. Looked for a place to eat at 0015. Talked to the front desk.
Got back in the room at 035. WAITED again if people want to go eat. "Me, Myself and I" didn't leave the room until 0115. Walked to 2 restaurants and they were closing and kitchens were closed.

Decide to go to a Shari's kinda thing (I forgot the name) and I stayed there for like 90 minutes eating and talking and writing a song.

Got back in the hotel room and they were sleeping already.

Well I'm gonna go to sleep and maybe write some more... (maybe)

M

Orlando 3 0445

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Early blog and turning in early?

Start.

Today was crummy. Didn't get to sleep until... I don't remember. Did not leave the hotel room until like 1315. Ate lunch at Asia Bagus in Kissimmee, Florida. Yes, it is the right spelling. lol. Did not get to Universal Studios until like 1500ish. Pretty late start to go to a theme park.

Weather: was not that great. Rainy, cloudy, hot, humid. I was wearing the poncho and it made it even humid and hotter.

First: ride was Jimmy Neutron. It's been a long time since I've been to Universal Studios so it was a good refreshment.

So basically the day was spent at the hotel and Universal Studios. We got the park hopper so we went to Island of Adventure at like 20000, which was an hour before the theme park closes. Wow.

Went to the Walk and ate there for some time. I txt Erinn but she was driving to Salem to go take off in the morning to see her man somewhere in Texas (by the Alamo I'm guessing cuz she's gonna give me an alamo paper weight [or so she said]).

Conversation? Private unless you ask me and I know who you are cuz I'm not gonna just post it here for random people to read.

Got back to the hotel, took a shower, relax for a little, waited for MY laptop to be available to me... So in the meantime, I talked to my sis back home and sent her pictures from my iPhone. Thank goodness I brought the iPhone!

Finally I got MY laptop at 0240 and able to do stuff, as in blogging/writing this blog, checking the weather for tomorrow so "I" know what to do. Hopefully I won't be used as the guy-that-carries-their-stuff. It was so frustrating.

So "Patrick" decided to txt me... not just to one number but two numbers... I think he have a problem with texting to one number. Too bad for him that I will have a "new" one later so he won't text me with random stuff! :-P

This was his argument on skype:

[12:58:30 AM] Patrick Robert Sewell: i wonder what my part in the blog will be... "...with my camera... and what the heck!? Patrick just interrupted me on Skype! how rude!!! and then he's just ignoring me (i did tell him to shut up, but thats still rude of him) anywys, as i weas saying, i started to take the picture and..."
[12:58:36 AM] Patrick Robert Sewell: lol
[12:58:47 AM] Patrick Robert Sewell: *anyways
[12:58:50 AM] Patrick Robert Sewell: *was

So enough about Patrick.. that was his 15-minute of fame right there :-P

Of course, I can't forget about Josh! I think he's the guest of honor in all of my blogs so far. Conversation? Private just like the previous one. Nothing cool to talk about

Btw, to answer patrick's question... Yes u did interrupted me and good job on figuring it out on your own: "[1:03:38 AM] Patrick Robert Sewell: i definitely interrupted u"

Anyways, I've been talking to Robin since this blog started cuz it's getting boring writing a blog by myself at 0405. But I think she fell asleep already. She always fall asleep when we're texting.

I should probably get some sleep too considering I will have about 10 miles to walk in D-World and be babysitter for people.

So TTFN from Orlando

WDWR2 0411

PS: Erinn you better remember to call me!!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Off to Orlando

To keep it short, I am writing the same txt that I wrote for Robin, which then I copied and pasted for Erinn cuz I don't want to typed it twice lol.

"Well the first part of the day was travelling time. I didn't get into Orlando until like 1730ish then we checked intro the hotel and like sat there for an hour lol. Looked around for tickets and stuff. Ate dinner and didn't get into Downtown Disney until like 2245. I think I shopped there for 90 minutes lol. Lastly I walked back to the hotel. Tired Now lol. How was ur day?

Sent from my iPhone" --Marshall, "Text to Robin" viewed June 30, 2009 (also in "Text to Erinn")

yes I quoted myself. my degree told me that I have to quote everything (except Wikipedia unless it's a non-science class) and source it!

so basically that's what happen most of the night.

Went back to the hotel and tried to get wifi... it is $9.99 for 24-hr. so that's like a ripoff... no free wi-fi in Orlando I guess?

Took a shower at like 0236 on 6_30_2009 and talked/texted my bff(s) from home.
Patrick decided to join the party on skype

Got my laptop back at like 0400 and just started this blog after getting it.
Now I'm just trying to go sleep but the snoring is not helping.

Ok Well good morning from Orlando/Lake Buena Vista

M-A-G

WDWR1 0446

**EDIT--PS: Erinn if you read this, have fun in Texas and "don't you (forget about me) [!!!!])