What game(s) are you playing right NOW?

[Sharingan]

Any platform, new or old, it doesn't matter. Might be fun to know what we're playing to pass the time with. Could even give others ideas to check out games they never even knew about.

I just started playing Shadow Hearts: Covenant on the PS2, after having it shoved into a corner collecting dust for nearly a year. When I first tried it out a year ago, I simply couldn't get into it. Didn't think I would ever get started on it again, but now that I'm on sick leave from work, I thought ... well, let's give this a try.

What was I thinking back then?

This is such a gem of an RPG: quirky, likeable characters, a suitably dark atmosphere, dark humour and a battle system that actually makes you do something. Even though the production budget was likely a fraction of Final Fantasy's, Shadow Hearts II definitely is up there with the best of them.

I'm also replaying Resistance: Fall of Man on Hard difficulty right now, and attempting to grab all the skill points.

[v85rawdeal]

This year, I be mostly playing:

World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions & Hot Shots Golf (PSP)

Oblivion & Resistance: Fall of Man at the weekends (PS3)

Final Fantasy X (PS2)

Yu-gi-oh: Forbidden Memories (PS1)

GTA: San Andreas (XBox)

Minority Report (Cube)

Resident Evil IV (Wii)

Pirates (PC)

Frontier (Amiga)


Niiiiice!!!

[Demon Cleaner]

As I finished God of War some time ago, I'm currently playing God of War 2.

I also have the 3 Shadow Hearts games, and they look pretty good. The last one is From the New World I think. Definitely a nice setting.

[Teho]

These days it's mostly Warhawk (PS3) and I still need to finish Bioshock (PC).

[toomanymikes]

warhawk and resistance ps3 at the mo

[Harrison]

This week I reinstalled X3 so have been floating around the universe killing and taking over everything. ;)

I'm also currently playing Final Fantasy 1 on the PSP.

[Puni/Void]

I'm currently playing Civilization 4 with the Beyond the Sword expansion pack, some Command & Conquer: Tiberium Wars, and I'm planning to have a go at Hearts of Iron again in the near future.

[Stephen Coates]

I tend to play Solitaire most of the time (the version that is included with Windows).

[TiredOfLife]

For the last month or so-

GTA Vice City Stories (PS2)
Foundation (Amiga)

[Harrison]

I'm planning to have a go at Hearts of Iron again in the near future.

I tried that game a while back and it was bloody hard!

[Sharingan]

I figure I'll be done with Shadow Hearts: Covenant quite soon, and am actually considering replaying it through the New Game+ option. Don't you just love it when you start a game, not expecting it to be that good, and it turns out to be brilliant fun?

After Shadow Hearts, I'll give Rogue Galaxy and Valkyrie Profile 2 a go. Who said the PS2 was dead? :)

[Harrison]

The PS2 is far from dead. I think it will go on for years to come. There are so many games released on the platform that I can't see it ever truly dying completely.

I didn't get into Rogue Galaxy when I tried it. I only played for about an hour but I found the realtime control system a bit fiddly. By contrast I really enjoyed Valkyrie Profile 2, and am still playing the PSP VP game at the moment.

[Demon Cleaner]

Don't you just love it when you start a game, not expecting it to be that good, and it turns out to be brilliant fun?That is always a surprise.
After Shadow Hearts, I'll give Rogue Galaxy and Valkyrie Profile 2 a go.Why don't you try Shadow Hearts: From the New World?

[Harrison]

From the New World is a great game too, and I like the new direction they took the series with that one. The 30's style art deco America works very well and the visuals are very nicely done. It doesn't follow on from the previous games but is set in the same gaming universe and has a similar combat system that I've always liked.

And that is true about such games. So often I've tried a game and not liked it or it hasn't gained my interest, and I've come back to it much later and suddenly been hooked on it and really enjoyed it. I think it is these games that normally end up being some of my all time favourites in the end.

[Sharingan]

I'll pick up the third Shadow Hearts as well at some point. The one I'd really like to try though (for the storyline) is the first Shadow Hearts. Maybe I can snatch it up secondhand somewhere.

I suppose games are like food, to a certain extent - you need to be exposed to them for a time before you can really make up your mind whether you like a certain taste or not.

[Puni/Void]

Harrison wrote: (In connection with the Hearts of Iron series)


I tried that game a while back and it was bloody hard!

I can agree with that. It takes time to learn to play the game properly and to manage to overcome the first obstacles. I've actually spent some time reading the manual, which proved helpful.

It's a great time and a true strategy game. It's not a title which you can pick up and spend an hour playing, as a full game takes quite some time to finish.

Tried playing as Norway by the way, and THAT was hard, as you don't have much in the way of resources or manpower. Managed to halt of the Axis invation for a while, but it proved to tough in the end. Guess I'll have to play the game a lot more to be able to fend them off at a high difficulty level. ;) It was fun to try though.

[FOL]

Im back to playing homeworld 2 (thanks to harrisons post on space games) with the Battlestar Galatica mod. The detail on the ships is awesome, and the gameplay is good. Its a bit hard though, get hit by 5 cyclon torpedo's and your dead, :(.

[Harrison]

I've not tried the HW2 BG mod yet. I really have to try that very soon as I'm getting BG withdraw symptoms waiting for the final series to air.

[Sharingan]

I'm currently on Shadow Hearts: From The New World. It's a decent RPG, but truth be told, it doesn't feel as involved or compelling as Covenant. Not by far. The dark and sarcastic humour that was so prevalent in Covenant is also absent, being replaced by something more light-hearted, and, dare I say, adolescent. The gameplay remains intact, however, with some improvements here and there to keep things fresh.

[J T]

Guitar Hero 2 (PS2)

Resident Evil 4 (Wii)

Haven't really played much else recently, not to any proper degree anyway. Been ('Trialing' - Ed) a lot of DS games but not really got massively stuck into all that many.

[Harrison]

I'm very tempted to buy a DS and flash cart soon now that so many RPGs are available for the system.

[J T]

You won't regret it should you get one. However, there is a LOT of shit out for the DS too. But I trust that you would be able to tell that something called 'My Pony Club' wouldn't be for you.

I love my DS, although the other day my micro SD card in the M3 Simply wiped itself, taking a lot of save file with it, annoyingly. I will have to back it up more often, and maybe not mess about with the Action Replay features unless I know what i'm doing :ninja:

[Submeg]

...I will have to back it up more often, and maybe not mess about with the Action Replay features unless I know what i'm doing :ninja:

whoops :p

[Demon Cleaner]

I find it always great to have an AR to use, can really make life (game) easier.

[Sharingan]

Heavenly Sword Ninja Theory

So I managed to pick up a copy of this game for relatively cheap, and here's some impressions from me.

Let me start by saying that Heavenly Sword's production values are top-notch. Rarely have I seen a package that simply oozes quality from beginning to end. Obviously, a lot of care has gone into making this title look, feel and sound like a thrilling blockbuster movie. The cinematography, dialogue, lip synching and facial expressions, both during FMV and in-game cutscenes, are absolutely breathtaking; under Andy Serkis' (who played Gollum in the LotR trilogy) supervision, Heavenly Sword's narrative and storytelling has become something you simply won't encounter in any other game so far released. You won't find any wooden or unnatural acting here ... every single character, each with their own distinct mannerisms, ranging from quirky to plain insane, has been lovingly motion-captured, animated and rendered. Similarly, the dialogue is exceptionally strong and voiced very, very well. From the moment I first saw the intro movie, to the moment I finished the second chapter, my jaw was hanging open, so engrossed was I.

I don't really think anyone can complain about Heavenly Sword's graphics, either. Barring some minor amounts of stutter and screen tearing, framerate remained steady, even with dozens and dozens of enemies on-screen. The landscapes and scenery are stunning to behold, and the character models move with such fluidity and grace, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were watching real people dance across the screen. The sound effects and music are top-notch as well; I'm really looking forward for some musical score to become available, for the orchestral soundtrack is something of a treat to listen to.

Two things most reviewers have been moaning about is the game's length, and the lack of variety in the gameplay. At 6-8 hours, yes, this game isn't going to last the average player very long. But then again, Halo 3's singleplayer mode supposedly can be blazed through in co-op mode in 4 to 5 hours (!), with Gears Of War being just as short, and everyone and their neighbour's pet dog has been showering THOSE games with perfect 10/10 scores, so this argument doesn't really cut it, in my opinion. If you're going to point out a major flaw in a game, a flaw enough to knock 20% off the score, then at least have the decency to be consistent in your reviewing policy.

After finishing the game once, you can still go back and try to get 'perfects' in all levels, which will unlock new combo moves, as well as artwork, movies and 'making of' featurettes. There's a Hell difficulty mode to try as well. All in all, I think that if you were to try to unlock everything, you could very easily get 25+ hours of game time out of this, plus a couple more just for seeing all the unlocked bonus goodies. More, if you simply want a quick killing fix, or just want to see the storyline again.

The repetitive gameplay argument can be construed as being more valid, I suppose. Let there be no mistake: HS *IS* all about hacking endless droves of enemy fodder to pieces, with the occasional sub-game (using cannons to destroy enemy catapults, sniping enemy troops with bowgun) to mix things up a bit. As such, this game will not be for everyone. If you're generally not into Dynasty Warrior-esque hack'em up style games, then chances are you won't like HS either. If, on the other hand, you do enjoy highly stylised fighting, and aren't overly concerned with 'doing the same thing over and over', there's quite a bit to be enjoyed here - thinking of more stylish ways of finishing off the enemies is one.

The boss fights in this game are a definite highlight, in my eyes. You'll just have to see them for yourself some time. They're definitely on par with what we've seen in the Metal Gear Solid series.

Closing comments: if you own a PS3, you owe it to yourself to at least give this game a try. Rent it ... borrow it from a friend. Most important thing is to keep an open mind, and simply immerse yourself in the story. Enjoying the tale has been half the fun in my experience. It isn't a perfect game by any means - there's plenty of little things that could be improved - but Ninja Theory, the developers, really deserve kudos for pouring so much care and imagination into a video game. If you thought movies were the only entertainment medium capable of evoking emotions of this level, think again.

[Harrison]

Nice little review. Once I have a PS3 I will definitely get the game. I do sometimes like a good hack and slash title just as much as a slow turn based and more complex RTS or RPG.

[Submeg]

Ahh, getting a PS3, yep yep on my to do list also :)

[Demon Cleaner]

Nice little review. Once I have a PS3 I will definitely get the game. I do sometimes like a good hack and slash title just as much as a slow turn based and more complex RTS or RPG.You better play through both of the God of War games, the Heavenly Sword demo is pain enough, after that your thumbs and fingers will hurt enough ;)

Nice review :thumbs:

[Harrison]

Already played both the God of War games. Amazing games and really show the power that can be squeezed from a PS2. Great fast action and some amazing set pieces. :)

[Demon Cleaner]

You finished them?

[Harrison]

Yep, ages ago. :)

[Sharingan]

I think Sony, too, deserve some credit for supporting and funding entirely new projects, instead of trodding on tried-and-trusted paths. Whereas most big name companies rely on existing franchises, rehashing the same old things again and again year after year, to milk out as much profit as they can (EA Sports, anyone?), it's refreshing to see some companies actually taking risks in unknown territory. That's the only way to realise 'true' next-gen gaming, in my eyes: not just achieving some prettied up graphics, but also finding ways to get people emotionally attached.

I don't doubt that eventually, hardware will mature enough for us to see photorealistic graphics, but if THAT'S all next-gen has to offer, then it feels pretty much hollow to me. An empty shell, so to speak - all show, but no substance. I feel the majority of the gaming industry thus far has only been trying to raise the envelope for better graphics, but forgetting entirely about other aspects.

Without taking financial risks on new, untested ideas by the big companies, how will it be possible for creative talent out there to bring us such games as ICO and Shadow of the Colossus?

[Harrison]

I totally agree Sharingan, and this was what I was trying to get at with my recent poll about preferring more realism or artistic style within a game.

As hardware becomes ever more powerful developers keep pushing for realism until one day we definitely won't be able to tell it isn't real footage being used. This will be great for games that can use realism to shock and excite the player. As I also mentioned in the other thread about this for a war game, the realism of war is something that would enhance a game and give added realism to the immersion of the experience. But for many others a unique artist style is more important than realism. Gameplay and enjoyment have to come first.

Why create perfect realism and believable environments with true to life physics, when instead you could create something from our imagination, and physics that allow us to do more than reality allows only gives more scope to experiment and enjoy. And why does it even need to be anything like realistic? It doesn't.

Many slag off Sony but as you say they are not scared to take risks with gaming projects. There have been a lot of titles released since the original Playstation that have been quite different and proved you don't need to confirm to known gaming templates for something to be enjoyable, unique and entertaining. Many music based games instantly come to mind such as PaRappa the Rapper or Guitar Hero. And ICO and Shadow of the Colossus really showed how to create games that take away the need for a load of on screen stats and hints, and let the player work out the environments and game mechanics. Much like real life.

Nintendo have always been the other developer not afraid to take some risks. The innovations in their current Wii and DS clearly shows this, but they don't quite take the same risks when it comes to their first party games. They always fit into the Nintendo gaming mould and Nintendo hardly ever step out of their cute little Mario world. They do experiment and explore imagination in their games though so you have to praise them for that, but when you look at the range of variety in the Sony releases they experiment with a much wider variety of genres and ideas.

[Sharingan]

Currently, there's two games I'm dabbling with, those being Folklore (PS3) and Rogue Galaxy (PS2).

Folklore is great. It's not really an RPG as I previously thought it would be, but more like an action-adventure with some RPG elements. Think of it as a cross between Zelda and Pokemon. The storyline is really the game's strong point - there's some plot twists that really took me by surprise. Gameplay is fun as well - there's over 100 monsters to catch, and each of them can be powered up in varying ways. To level them all up, it would take quite a bit of time.

Rogue Galaxy has been quite fun so far, if a bit overwhelming. It seems like there's so much stuff to do, it's easy to get sidetracked. The combat system, I thought, was a bit unwieldy - especially the targeting and the camera were a pain. The huge monster encounter rate and the weird difficulty curve didn't help much either. At one point I thought I was doing okay, even considered my team was a bit overleveled, and then suddenly monsters appeared that started taking 50% health off my characters with single hits. The dungeons seem a tad on the large side too ... some even bordering on the insane. Still, I think it's a pretty good game. The truely hardcore gamers could probably get a lot of playtime out of this should they want to unlock everything there is.

[Harrison]

I completely agree with your comments regarding Rogue Galaxy. I've not played far into the game yet as I still have a few others I'm finishing off first, but the few hours I did play so far gave much the same impressions.

The combat system was probably the one thing that felt over complex and I found myself dying because I was fighting the controls, more than making bad decisions during a fight. The targeting and camera definitely needed some improvement.

And yes, the strength of some of the enemies seems to suddenly shoot up without much warning.

Maybe we have just become too used to games that lead us through the progression too much, giving us helpful stat boosts and level ups at stages in the game where they are just about to be needed. Maybe more games should be like this, going back to the old days where RPGs did contain monsters you had no hope of beating until you did some grinding and levelled up your party enough to finally progress.

But it is always bad design when areas of a game introduce very powerful enemies at a point in the story where the developer knows roughly the level the player will have reached.

Definitely a more hardcore RPG compared to many others, but worth playing for anyone into the genre. The graphics are also some of the best seen on the PS2.

[Sharingan]

Yeah, Rogue Galaxy was the first RPG in a long-ass time where I've actually had a Game Over in. Several times, even. Through no real fault of my own, really, as my team was flattened in 3-4 seconds, by mobs that simply mowed everything down before I could react.

Or maybe I'm just getting slow :thumbs:

[Sharingan]

Currently playing a few games:

Final Fantasy Tactics A2 on the DS: A fun tactical RPG, using the tried-and-trusted formula. The storyline sucks balls, but there's tons of quests to do and dozens of character classes, so expect quite a bit of playtime.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune on the PS3: Began playing this again after the Trophies patch. Forgot how much fun the game was! And, even now after a year since its release, it still manages to impress graphics-wise.

Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty on the PS3: A mini-story that serves as a bridge between 'Tools of Destruction' and the next installment of the series. So far, quite fun, and it's looking better than ToD too due to some revamped textures and effects. Seems like Insomniac didn't optimise this game as much as they did ToD, though, since there's parts with framerate chops where nothing really extraordinary is happening.

[Demon Cleaner]

I just got Uncharted and Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction as Platinum edition for 20€ each, which is quite a bargain. Also got MGS4 at eBay for 33$ and Mercenaries 2 for 40$. I'm currently playing:

- Mass Effect (XBox360, still not finished)
- Burnout Paradise (PS3, great fun)
- Mercenaries 2 (PS3, pure destruction)

I also recently got Bioshock, Gears of War and Halo 3 for 10$ each at eBay.

[Buleste]

I'm feeling a bit retro so i'm playing The Legend of Zelda.

[Puni/Void]

Currently playing the Curse of Monkey Island. :) It's been a long while since I last completed it, so it's fun to re-discover it again.

[burns flipper]

Just finished playing So Blonde and it is the BEST ADVENTURE GAME I HAVE PLAYED IN YEARS.

Everyone go play it!! It's awesome!!1!

[v85rawdeal]

At the moment I am just starting the Tribal section of Spore. I succumbed, and was surprised that my desktop PC can run it...

On or two little glitches, but nothing too bad.

[Cortona]

I am in the middle of doing the campaign on Airborne Ranger on the C64 (a real one), and once in a while I'll load up Pirates! (but that's on tape, so I need at least an hour to get anywhere!)

So many games, so little time...

[Teho]

Wipeout HD on the PS3 nowadays. Incredibly pretty, incredibly good, and incredibly hard. But still fun. :)

[burns flipper]

And now I'm playing "Murder At The Abbey".

Murder!!

[Puni/Void]

Currently playing Warblade on the PC again! :D Addictive game.. Also playing Monkey Island Special Edition.

[woody.cool]

Recently, I've been playing Zap! on the BBC Micro quite a lot.
It's an excellent modern title for a decent retro machine.

[Harrison]

Is Zap! a new game for the BBC? If so do you have a link with some screenshots?

I was always a fan of the BBC Micro and Master range but at the time they were priced to highly for most home users. I would have loved a BBC Master at the time, and the Arch was a great system too.

[woody.cool]

http://www.retrosoftware.co.uk/

There you go :) a link to the website
It is a new game. It was originally created by Jamie Woodhouse (same person who created Qwak and All Terrain Racing for the Amiga) but was unreleased till recently.
I bought it on tape and disk for the Beeb. They stamp each copy with a serial number.
I bought mine on day of release at the Retro Computer Museum event and hence I have bought #2 of both the 5.25" disk and cassette tape version.

[rayzorblue]

I am playing Day of Defeat:Source quite a lot at the moment, also Street Fighter 4 and Left 4 Dead all on the PC. I have a full Band kit on guitar hero for the Wii and me and my girlfriend play it every Saturday night unless we are going out in which case we play on a Friday night lol. I love the drums, girlfriend says I am like animal from the muppet's when I play.
I am also using the Left 4 Dead authoring tools quite a bit too, I am making a map of the store I work at for play in survival mode.
Got Bionic Commando on the PC too but am not overly impressed with it so far, might try getting some time in on that soon, also bought Mad World for the Wii which I enjoyed but don't get on it much as the Wii is hooked up to the TV in the living room.

[Ghost]

I recently bought the new Wolfenstein game but could not play it immediately because there is Securom on it and I did not want to infect my computer with it.

But I now have a solution for it and have played and finished it for the first time.

I am a bit disappointed by the consolification such as the removal of the health bar (auto health now) and quick save options, making it clear this is a port, but at least you can carry more than two weapons and I still had a fun time with this.

The whole 'hub' section from which you go to missions is a little different than the various environs of RTCW but I can't say it bothered me that much.

I enjoyed this game more than Dead Space which I bought second hand some time before, it was rather standard and cliché and the so called scary sections sometimes rather made me laugh than spooking me.

[Demon Cleaner]

Playing Prototype at the moment on the PS3. Played about 7-8 hours now and it still makes fun, but it's indeed very repetitive and I guess it will get boring after some more hours. But as I don't play every day, only from time to time, it might not be that bad.

[Harrison]

Prototype is indeed a bit repetitive and can get boring. Especially if you just spend some time walking around the city exploring. But if you keep triggering events then it keeps things more exciting, especially as you gain the more powerful abilities.

At the moment I'm eagerly waiting to play the new Wolfenstein. Return to Castle Wolfenstein is still one of my favourite games of all time, so I have high hopes for this new one. Really looking forward to playing it and just hope it sticks to the series. :)

[Ghost]

In general I found Wolfenstein's SP campaign entertaining and Raven got the off beat WW2 game story right (on another forum there were people who actually wanted Wolfenstein to be a realistic WW2 FPS, aren't there enough already?).

I had no problem with the graphics while some complained that it wasn't next gen or as complex as Crysis.

What I would have liked was simply a bit 'more', for example a larger hub section which to travel too and bigger 'mission levels', when you look at the size of places like the castle and the Luftwaffe airbase you would really like there to be more to explore.

The quality is there, but I would like some more quantity.

[Demon Cleaner]

Testing some games on the Wii at the moment, I played Cursed Mountain two days ago and I found it quite good and pretty scary.

Also testing WiiWare stuff with my girlfriend, mainly 2 player games.

[Teho]

I've been playing Wolfenstein lately as well. It's absolutely a good game, no question about that. Ok so it doesn't reinvent anything but why does every game have to? As long as they do what they do well, they're great games in my book. And Wolfenstein does what it does well.

[v85rawdeal]

On the PS3, I be mostly playing Fallout 3.

I am working my way through Lost Odyssey on the 360.

Was hoping to be playing Dissidia on the PSP, but I still gotta get a new screen for it.

Haven't touched the Wii for a long time...

Not really doing much at the moment with either the Amiga or the PCs.

[Harrison]

I recently bought the new Wolfenstein game but could not play it immediately because there is Securom on it and I did not want to infect my computer with it.

I hate copy protection systems. It is one major reason in support of pirated games. All such issues removed.

But I now have a solution for it and have played and finished it for the first time.


I am a bit disappointed by... the removal of the health bar (auto health now) and quick save options, making it clear this is a port, but at least you can carry more than two weapons

The removal of the health bar has been common in many recent PC FPS games and I personally think it adds to the gameplay. It requires more strategy as you need to find cover and recover from injury before continuing. This really adds to the suspense of a situation and hightens the real sense of danger in the game as you are aware of every bullet hitting you. With a health bar they make you pretty much immune until it depletes. Getting rid of the bar in my view is an advancement as it replaces arcade style fighting with more realistic situations.

I've also liked the idea of directional indicators showing where bullets are coming from. In the past it has been so easy in FPSers to become disorientated to the direction of the enemy hitting you. With these indicators it adds to your senses and improves things.

As for quick save points or check points. I'm not so sure which works better. Check points give the player a higher sense of achievement when they finally reach one and know they are safe from having to repeat the last section, but equally quick save options allow you to remove the frustration of repeating parts of a game.

[Sharingan]

Been juggling quite a few games lately, among which some spiffy Playstation Store downloadables. Funny how €8 games offer more entertainment and lastability compared to some fullprice titles...

Anyway, I'm currently trying to finish:

BioShock - great atmosphere, expected it to be more creepy
Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires - not much depth, but I like a bit of hack and slash now and then
Burn Zombie Burn - hilarious Smash TV-inspired shooter, but with zombies
Fat Princess - another hilarious PSN game; essentially a RTS, but you get to control the little men doing the harvesting, the fighting, the bombing etc.
Flower - interactive artwork, breathtaking
Batman Arkham Asylum - possibly the best comic-to-game adaptation so far in history
Resident Evil 5 - zombies
inFamous - still have to start this

[Puni/Void]

Recently I've played Fallout 3 with all the different expansions installed. Recommended!

[Tiago]

I am playing "Myst II - Raven" ... i know i know, it's from last century... but i did love Myst I, so i bought it for a very nice price on ebay, and it's cool to play it and read the Myst books at the same time! :)

[Harrison]

I'm currently playing the original Call of Juarez.

I couldn't get the game to install under Vista 64bit when i first got it. It would only install to the default location or the installer would crash, and even then it crashed on start up saying it wasn't compatible with this version of Windows. Grrr. Anyway, I thought I would try again last Friday but the same thing happened, so I had a search and downloaded a copy. This one installed exactly the same (only allowing the default location), but this time it let me apply the update patches and it worked!

I hadn't managed to play Call of Juarez before and it is quite good. The environments look great, especially running the game under Vista with the DirectX 10 patch installed and a good enough graphics card. The two points of view are well done with some great voice acting, especially from the preacher.

It does have flaws though. I don't think the actual game mechanics are that great, especially compared to many other FPS in recent years. Some combat elements are quite cool, such as the quick reaction mode when you draw your guns as the preacher, allowing you to target multiple shots while your two crass hairs move towards the centre of the screen. And also the red indian bow and arrow is quite a cool weapon. Aiming the bow slows down time allowing you to aim for some great head shots, and gives a great sense of you being hidden with the enemy not knowing what is about to hit them.

The flaws include bad enemy AI. I managed to sneak up to a camp fire with 3 bandits sitting around it, and using the bow and arrow managed to pick them all off one by one without the others noticing. The level designs are also not that amazing, or they introduce silly navigation down rocks.

One game mechanic I hate is the whip/rope to navigate large gaps. It is easy to latch on it trees to swing, but one launched it isn't that easy to work out when you are save to drop at the other side.

Some parts also don't give you time to think, so you end up dying at least once before you know what you have to do next. For example, grabbing some bullets in the cabin sees you instantly caught by the owner, and the game indicating your only option is to escape though the window behind you. Easier said than done when the enemy is holding a shot gun to your head.

The character animations are also not that great. People and horses walk in a very wooden unnatural way.

But the story is great so it is still worth playing.

And if you have a DX10 graphics card the game will give it a workout. Plus it has a DX10 benchmark test program that flies you though parts of the game and highlights different DX10 modes. This allows you to set different resolutions, anti-aliasing etc.. great to see what your GPU can do.

[Ghost]

Currently trying to finish Cave Story.
Damn that last segment, Hell, is truly HARD.
I know it's made to challenge those who succeeded in getting all the accomplishments in order to access it, but Pixel, you could have had some heart at the time for the lesser quick-reflex types amongst the human population.

[Buleste]

Project Stealth Fighter on my C64. Still the best.

[my_lo]

At the moment, i'm playing:

- metroid prime trilogy on wii (near end of first episode, i enjoy every piece of it);

- Zelda - the twilight princess on wii (i don't really like the 3d zeldas, they make me nervous);

- resistance retribution on psp (FPSs on psp, i have some difficulties with the controls, makes me even more nervous);

- new super mario bros on DS (pure delight).

I'll get my PS3 slim on saturday with oblivion, uncharted 2 and killzone 2

note: no more pc games, because no more pc. We've sold them and replaced with 2 imacs 24'' :)

[Harrison]

As a gamer surely you will regret that decision in the end? Macs have crap PC graphics cards compared to a real PC and can't run most of the current games via Windows. For me the iMac is too restrictive too. Nice large screen, that is true, but with everything built into it you have next to no upgrade abilities for future proofing. Plus if the screen fails after the warrant expires you lose the lot.

Did you upgrade the horrible small iMac keyboards to the rip off expensive large keyboards? I think Apple know everyone is going to prefer the larger standard sized (pro?) keyboards so are cashing in on making people buy them as an extra.

[my_lo]

I sold my PCs to avoid PC gaming, i couldn't stand it anymore... I bought a 32'' samsung tv + wii + ps3 :) To be honest, i don't miss a single second PC gaming, i can finally play the games like everybody else on the platform, no need to upgrade,... But that's another debate, pc vs consoles. Let's just says that it was a long time i wanted to switch. So for the gaming, i have no problem to give up the PC. To the contrary: GTA IV (way better than the pc version), killzone 2, resistance 2, uncharted 2, metroid prime, twilight princess...

As for the keyboard: everybody who buys an imac can ask to replace the small keyboard for the larger one with numeric pad, for FREE!!! So those who have the small keyboard and don't like it: their own fault... You can make the simulation of the price of a new imac and you will see no change if you pick the small or the large keyboard. And it isn't only available online but also at any apple store (we bought ours here at the store and we could chose the keyboard of our choice)

For the rest, the mac is way better than i expected. The software integration is amazing, it makes my old PC look like an horrible patchwork of third-party applications. When it comes to working, using photoshop, coding or video editing, that computer is a dream and makes my hours of webdesign a greater experience.

I know that you hate mac, Harrison, but 10 hours on macos made me forget years of hate against that OS.