I have some sort of bizarre compulsion to buy truckloads of games at the moment.
It's weird. I'm fortunate enough to get a reasonable amount of stuff sent to me via PR companies, so there's rarely much need to purchase anything. In the past fortnight, though, I've bought seven games. All old, decrepit, budget things, of course, but still. Seven. That's quite impressive.
My favourite recent purchase (LIES. That's Braid. But it doesn't sit nicely with what I want to talk about) is Hitman: Blood Money. Which is just all kinds of brilliance. Sneaky-stabby-shooty-non-linear gorgeousness. I rate it more highly than Thief. Seriously. I've not had this much devilish fun with a stealth game for years.
(On that note, I have a really bizarre urge to play Metal Gear Solid 2. Why number 2? That was sorta the worst one, wasn't it?)
Today I bought one of the old Crash Bandicoot games for my missus, and Amped 3. For no reason whatsoever other than that I saw it, second hand, for far cheaper than I expected. It's one of the nuttiest, most bizarre things in the world. The cut-scenes are the obscurest of obscure. It doesn't seem to be very good, you understand, but it was worth the fiver for the bizarro presentation alone.
It appears not to have split-screen mode, though. Which is just inexplicable. This is a fucking snowboarding game that's purely single-player. What the bottoms were they thinking?
Anyway, I was going to buy another game today as well. Something off Steam or Gamersgate, I would imagine. But, for the life of me, I can't remember what it was. Maybe it was Psychonauts - I have been intending to pic that up for a while. But it doesn't seem to click. What on earth was it?
Meanwhile, my search for the elusive ICO continues. If anyone can find a copy anywhere in the world for below about forty quid, I'd be a very happy chappy.
wolfqueen001 Apr 26, 2009
Plus the whole premise (which would be spoily if I told you) is just a bit ridiculous, which makes it funny and quirky.
Haven't played it in a while. I might rate it higher than 7 now, but I might've been disenfranchised with the controls or something.
Lewis Blogger Apr 26, 2009
Sorry, "Indigo Prophecy" as you lot hilariously call it.
Will still probably get Psychonauts, though. And then never have enough time to play anything.
EmP Staff Apr 26, 2009
wolfqueen001 Apr 26, 2009
Suskie Apr 26, 2009
honestgamer Staff Apr 26, 2009
Cheap games are going around and I would be buying them like crazy if I had the money. I did pick up the combo of No More Heroes/Red Steel that Ubisoft is offering around here for $30 before discounts (I had a 10% off coupon and then got another 10% off on top of that as an emloyee), but mostly I've had to ignore other potentially good deals like Bladestorm on the Xbox 360 for $35 or Crackdown for basically $10. Devil May Cry 4 is going really cheaply, too, and The Club (which is a really good game). It sucks that I work at a store that frequently has great deals and selection in games...
EmP Staff Apr 26, 2009
The Fahrenheit name didn't stick to the NTSC versions of the game thanks to the SEGA CD firefighting game of the same title Suskie nearly reviewed a little while back. Because it didn't get a release here (or the copywrite laws are much looser -- I forget. I read this way back in the game's release when researching for the first review) the original title could happen here but not over there. I have a feeling that the PS2 strain of this game had to lose the Fahrenheit moniker, too. Which is why when I reviewed on that system, I swapped names!
Confused? You should be.
This has been a public education annoucement by EmP Inc.
espiga Apr 26, 2009
Anywhere? Like do you have a modded PS2? American copies generally run about $35 on eBay, whereas Japanese copies are much more expensive. Not sure about UK though, because I don't give a damn about that region. =x
Halon Apr 26, 2009
zippdementia Apr 26, 2009
Indigo Prophecy is a better name than Farenheight, but both names kind've blow, if you think about it. As does the game. Actually, the game had really awesome gameplay and really terrible story. Upsettingly so.
Here's the real wierd thing, though. I keep having dreams about playing MGS2 again, though I agree it's one of the worst in the series. I actually thought 4 was the worst.
EmP Staff Apr 27, 2009
Lewis Blogger Apr 27, 2009
EmP Staff Apr 27, 2009
But I still prompt you to play it. I'm interested in your thoughts.
EDIT: I'm getting very skeptical with "clever video-game commentry" and believe at least half the time this phrase is used, it's people looking for hidden artistic merit in what's nothing more than a crap game.
Lewis Blogger Apr 27, 2009
I think there's certainly an element of this.
Sold, anyway. Should I buy it for PC or PS2? Both are four quid on Amazon.
EmP Staff Apr 27, 2009
Lewis Blogger Apr 27, 2009
My PC has a strange tendency to spit out disks with even the slightest mark on them, so I might go PS2 actually. I'm not sure. Any discernable differences other than boring tech stuff that I never notice anyway?
EmP Staff Apr 27, 2009
Another way to look at is I've already reviewed the Xbox and PS2 versions, leaving the PC strain minus a staff review.
Really, each version has very little difference. It was a game built with a multi-platform release very promenantly in mind.
Lewis Blogger Apr 27, 2009
I *will* order it tomorrow, in one form or another, so I can hopefully spend Wednesday with it - as the rest of the week is out of bounds.
EmP Staff Apr 27, 2009