Wednesday, July 27, 2005

BROTHERS IN ARMS FINISHED

Yesterday I finished Brothers in Arms . It has been a good experience, and as I wrote a few weeks ago, the only criticism I have is the fact that brothers killed or badly injured in the previous chapter appear in a good shape and in full health in the following chapter, taking into account that all the game is developed in a space of time of 8 days! That's not realistic at all! But it is a minor detail.

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Another frustration from my point of view is the restricted use of hand grenades. If I'm not wrong the player has at his disposal, in a few chapters up to 2 grenades only. That's by all means insufficient. It is know that hand grenades is one of the weapons most used in urban warfare, because his efficacy in eliminate enemies. But you can also provoke losses by friendly fire. May be, one reason to limit the use of hand grenades is to maximize the use of firearms (rifles, machine guns, and so on) that it is obviously one of the game's philosophy. Speaking about friendly fire... I wonder if, as in Call of Duty, you can be penaltied for killing a brother. I will check it out this evening.

Some of the chapters I have played deserve top rankings at my particular records as a game player. One of those is the battle at Carentan church. The reason is simple. I was unable to keep alive my unit, violating then the main rule I imposed myself to not to proceed to the next chapter unless all my men were alive. After several tries I gave up and disobey the fucking rule. Damn!

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Now I will proceed to play the Authenticate level, that is the level in which there is no red balloons upon the enemies you attack, so you don't know if the enemy is engaged or if he is suppressed, or even if he is alive or dead. Well you can only know it risking your own life and your men's too.

Looking forward at the next version of this game, I will ask for more weapons access such as mortars and guns, and also to be able to command more squads, and to control individuals soldiers, not only one. Well that's all, right now.

Friday, July 01, 2005

TWO GAMES DISCUSSED

It is near a month since I wrote my last post. The reason is that my home internet connection was interrupted abruptly. And to be worse, the internet provider company told me that the reconnection will be not possible until near a month or so. Fucking idiots! Well stay calm.

Alternatively during the last weeks I have played Brothers in Arms, Kingdom Under Fire, Men of Valor and Predator Concrete Jungle, among others. In particular, I want to talk about two of these games that shared in common a very bad media review. Or, to be fair, that the reviews I have read about them (I do not intend to have read ALL the reviews) put them in a very fragile stand.


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Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders is a big game I love so much. I agree that the music is a little bit annoying (non-stop heavy rock or something similar). But the characters are good and the story too. It's the kind of game that allows you let your imagination fly free, and to enter in a new dimension of fantasy and epic. Until now I have played two characters: Gerald and Lucretia, and both are good enough, even I prefer Gerald (sorry girls), my materialist-realist view is too strong. I think that once I advance more in the game, my empathy with it will increase even more.


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The second game I want to talk to is Predator. Concrete Jungle. I have read really strong criticism about it. And, to be sincere, I don't agree. I think that the game is gore style, yeah, but also has a story and, particularly, the challenges are very interesting parts of it. I must confess: I'm really a bad player with this game. I obtain low scores, and even my 11 years old son, advances me not one but two or three times. Notwithstanding,the characters movements are well solved, and the different vision options (infrared....) are also a good resource.

Other games
Lately I have bought a few new games: "Warrior Kings:Battles", "Killzone", "Dynasty Tactics 2". I know Killzones since I've rented it a few months ago. Pretty nice. On the other side, Call of Duty, The Finest Hour's I have rented last weekend was disapointed. The playability is good, but the drawings are rubbish.

That's all right now.

One more thing. A few weeks ago, it was announced that "The Soprano" tv mob serie, will have his own digital game version. Good news, since I love so much T and all the people over there.

TONY SOPRANO