Saturday night I found myself at home with my youngest son along with my oldest daughter's husband. We probably should have been attending one of two family events happening that evening but rebelled and told our wives we didn't want to go. My youngest son suggested we find a video game that the three of us could play together. I had one that I had been wanting to play for a long time after playing it at work with some of my colleagues. The game is called Helldivers and is available for the PlayStation 4 console as well as the PS3, PS Vita, and the PC. We played it on the PS4.
We started up the game and immediately jumped into play without waiting for an update to load. That limited some functionality and so every time we completed a level, it wouldn't upload it to "Galactic Command." We didn't mind as we just wanted to spend a little time together killing time and bad guys.
The first time I played the game, it felt like being a part of the 1997 movie "Starship Troopers." You and up to 3 of your friends (if you have enough controllers) are sent to various planets with specific missions. As we just started the game, we had a number of really easy missions where we landed, cleaned out an area of bugs, robots, or cyborgs, and then got extracted. When we got that down, the missions got a bit more difficult and we had to do things like find some keys, get a black box, and then get extracted. For the most part, we kept the difficulty of missions to super easy while we got used to the top-down view of our players. As all 3 of us shared the same screen at the same time, we couldn't advance on the map unless we all moved in the same direction and stayed together. The moment one of us tried to go up while another tried to go down, scrolling stoped and we got stuck until we cooperated.
One problem that I experienced initially is that I kept losing track of which player was me. All of the characters have your name below them but I would get so caught up with one of the other players that I switched my attention to the wrong avatar and got scolded for not moving in the right direction. After about an hour of play, I figured it out and never lost track of my character again. It also took about that long for me to figure out the controls as I am more used to 1st-person views in the games I play.
I know I tell people to limit video game play to about an hour but we played for a couple and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. When my youngest son's wife returned from one of the family events for the evening, I suggested we might want to stop playing. My son pleaded that we do one more mission that would finish the planet and allow us to get some extra experience points. I gave in and it surprised him that he convinced me to play one more game so easily. Fortunately it was he who got in trouble with his wife and not me. We finished up the game and had an enjoyable evening.
Today I looked at what it would cost to buy the game today. You can get a basic version for $20 and that is well worth the price. The version I have is on disk and currently sells for $40 but we never got into any of the extra features that come with a higher purchase price. Helldivers is rated T for Teen by the ESRB because of cartoon violence with blood and gore combined with some mild language. I don't remember any language in the game other than the game's title.
My son, son-in-law, and I had a great time playing and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a family bonding activity with at least two other people. If you are by yourself, the missions are almost impossible and so you will want to partner with people online, which is also an option.
Showing posts with label PS Vita. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PS Vita. Show all posts
Monday, August 5, 2019
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Video Game Review: King Oddball
I am always looking for games to play on my PS Vita during my weekly flights between Salt Lake and San Francisco. I started playing Spy Hunter but quickly lost interest. PlayStation Plus offered King Oddball free for PS3, PS4, and PS Vita last month. I downloaded it to both my Vita and PS4 and started playing it on the PS4 in my office right before heading to the airport to catch my flight home. Let's just say that the game is very addicting and I had to rush to the airport even though I knew I could play it on my Vita while on the go.
The game is available on almost every platform possible. It is very similar to the Angry Birds series in that you have an object you lob at tanks and army men in an effort to destroy them. Each puzzle lasts a few minutes at most and then you move around the map faced with increasingly complex scenarios. There are a few areas on the map where you have additional challenges such as tossing grenades instead of rocks or trying to win with at least one remaining piece of ammunition. Then when you complete the game there is the secret game.
King Oddball kept me entertained for a month's worth of airplane flights and is great for someone looking to be entertained during a bus, plane, train, or ferry commute (don't play it while driving). You can get it for your phone or tablet and so you don't require a PlayStation device to enjoy the game.
King Oddball is rated E 10+, meaning it is suitable for anyone over the age of 10. Why not everyone? The fantasy violence. Tanks explode and little army men go poof. I got the game for free as part of my PlayStation plus subscription and it is worth every penny.
The game is available on almost every platform possible. It is very similar to the Angry Birds series in that you have an object you lob at tanks and army men in an effort to destroy them. Each puzzle lasts a few minutes at most and then you move around the map faced with increasingly complex scenarios. There are a few areas on the map where you have additional challenges such as tossing grenades instead of rocks or trying to win with at least one remaining piece of ammunition. Then when you complete the game there is the secret game.
King Oddball kept me entertained for a month's worth of airplane flights and is great for someone looking to be entertained during a bus, plane, train, or ferry commute (don't play it while driving). You can get it for your phone or tablet and so you don't require a PlayStation device to enjoy the game.
King Oddball is rated E 10+, meaning it is suitable for anyone over the age of 10. Why not everyone? The fantasy violence. Tanks explode and little army men go poof. I got the game for free as part of my PlayStation plus subscription and it is worth every penny.
Friday, April 13, 2018
Video Game Review: XBLAZE Lost : Memories
After a month or so of playing XBLAZE Lost: Memories, I finished the game on my PlayStation Vita this morning while waiting for service to be completed on my car. I mostly finished the game last night on the flight from San Francisco to Salt Lake City but had to watch the credits and final scene after the credits.
This is really the first time I have ever played a Japanese visual novel and I have to say it was kind of strange. It felt like I played 3 different games all nested within each other. The first game consisted of a well-drawn story where you mostly just watched events unfold between a group of teenagers that also fought magical bad guys. Then you had another story of two sisters in a completely different universe trying to unlock the secrets of their mother's death and father's experiments. Once again, you mostly just watch the events unfold similarly to a movie. Then the third game is a clunky 8-bit graphics treasure hunt with quizzes that sort of ties everything together.
While the game kept me entertained over the past month or so of flights, I can't say that I really enjoyed it. At least not to the extent that I have enjoyed some of the Telltale games where it feels like you have more control over the choices you can make. Towards the finale of XBLAZE, you do have to make a number of choices, some of which take you down a dead-end and you have to go back and redo them in order to finish. The fact that it came at the conclusion of the game confused me and I almost stopped playing the game prematurely. The thing that kept me going was knowing I only had two more trophies in order to Platinum the game and it would be a shame to get that close and not complete it.
In addition to the trophies, I continued playing the game because the dialog is entirely in Japanese with English subtitles. I spend a lot of time in Japan and am always trying to improve my language skills. By the end of the game I had a better comprehension of a handful of more Japanese phrases. I wouldn't recommend this as the only tool for learning the language as you won't pick up much unless you have a foundation to build upon.
XBLAZE Lost: Memories has an ESRB rating of M for Maturity because of Violence, Language, and Brief Nudity. The brief nudity isn't anything beyond well-drawn cartoon characters in skimpy swimsuits but I wouldn't recommend this game for anyone under the age of 18. It is available for the PS Vita, PS3, and Windows PC platform. I got the game in a bundle of PS Vita games I purchased for $5 and so I didn't pay much for it.
Unless you love Japanese visual novels or are looking to brush up on your Japanese language skills, I would not buy the game. If someone gives you a copy of the game and you are interested in a cultural lesson then go ahead and play it. Hopefully this has been helpful.
This is really the first time I have ever played a Japanese visual novel and I have to say it was kind of strange. It felt like I played 3 different games all nested within each other. The first game consisted of a well-drawn story where you mostly just watched events unfold between a group of teenagers that also fought magical bad guys. Then you had another story of two sisters in a completely different universe trying to unlock the secrets of their mother's death and father's experiments. Once again, you mostly just watch the events unfold similarly to a movie. Then the third game is a clunky 8-bit graphics treasure hunt with quizzes that sort of ties everything together.
While the game kept me entertained over the past month or so of flights, I can't say that I really enjoyed it. At least not to the extent that I have enjoyed some of the Telltale games where it feels like you have more control over the choices you can make. Towards the finale of XBLAZE, you do have to make a number of choices, some of which take you down a dead-end and you have to go back and redo them in order to finish. The fact that it came at the conclusion of the game confused me and I almost stopped playing the game prematurely. The thing that kept me going was knowing I only had two more trophies in order to Platinum the game and it would be a shame to get that close and not complete it.
In addition to the trophies, I continued playing the game because the dialog is entirely in Japanese with English subtitles. I spend a lot of time in Japan and am always trying to improve my language skills. By the end of the game I had a better comprehension of a handful of more Japanese phrases. I wouldn't recommend this as the only tool for learning the language as you won't pick up much unless you have a foundation to build upon.
XBLAZE Lost: Memories has an ESRB rating of M for Maturity because of Violence, Language, and Brief Nudity. The brief nudity isn't anything beyond well-drawn cartoon characters in skimpy swimsuits but I wouldn't recommend this game for anyone under the age of 18. It is available for the PS Vita, PS3, and Windows PC platform. I got the game in a bundle of PS Vita games I purchased for $5 and so I didn't pay much for it.
Unless you love Japanese visual novels or are looking to brush up on your Japanese language skills, I would not buy the game. If someone gives you a copy of the game and you are interested in a cultural lesson then go ahead and play it. Hopefully this has been helpful.
Monday, December 12, 2016
Video Game Review: Lego The Hobbit
This evening I decided to go through my blog entries for the past year and realize that I never provided a video game review for "Lego The Hobbit" that I played on my PlayStation Vita earlier this year. I know that a lot of people are looking for video games as Christmas gifts and so I thought I would share my impressions on this fun little game.
Lego games are great for video game players of all ages. Any violence is no more graphic than when a child drops his Lego creation and blocks scatter. Contrast that with a first-person shooter that can be rather graphic. One nice thing about the video game is that you don't have all the little plastic blocks to pick up afterwards and it is a win-win situation for parents. I played the Traveller's Tale game on my hand-held and I understand they changed some of the game play to be a bit more customized for the portable format. However I highly recommend it for all platforms including the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or any of the previous console versions.
The game follows the movie very closely and even uses dialog taken directly from the film. While not everything matches perfectly, I preferred that to having different voice actors narrate the game. You also have the ability to take somewhat different paths through the game and play things out of the order you would expect. I really enjoyed this after I finished the game and could go back to complete scenes I skipped the first time through.
I had an enjoyable time throughout most of the game. Of course I did encounter one or two parts of the game that seemed a bit more difficult than usual and found myself grinding through those sections. With a bit of effort and the lack of anything else to do on my plane rides, I got through them and continued the game.
I can easily recommend this game to anyone that loves either Lego toys or "The Hobbit." For the later it doesn't matter if you are a fan of the book or the movies. The game has an ESRB rating of E for everyone and can be found in most stores for around $20. It is well worth that price.
Lego games are great for video game players of all ages. Any violence is no more graphic than when a child drops his Lego creation and blocks scatter. Contrast that with a first-person shooter that can be rather graphic. One nice thing about the video game is that you don't have all the little plastic blocks to pick up afterwards and it is a win-win situation for parents. I played the Traveller's Tale game on my hand-held and I understand they changed some of the game play to be a bit more customized for the portable format. However I highly recommend it for all platforms including the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or any of the previous console versions.
The game follows the movie very closely and even uses dialog taken directly from the film. While not everything matches perfectly, I preferred that to having different voice actors narrate the game. You also have the ability to take somewhat different paths through the game and play things out of the order you would expect. I really enjoyed this after I finished the game and could go back to complete scenes I skipped the first time through.
I had an enjoyable time throughout most of the game. Of course I did encounter one or two parts of the game that seemed a bit more difficult than usual and found myself grinding through those sections. With a bit of effort and the lack of anything else to do on my plane rides, I got through them and continued the game.
I can easily recommend this game to anyone that loves either Lego toys or "The Hobbit." For the later it doesn't matter if you are a fan of the book or the movies. The game has an ESRB rating of E for everyone and can be found in most stores for around $20. It is well worth that price.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Entertaining Video Games
I am sitting at the airport in San Diego getting ready to play a video game on my PS Vita and I have a couple of choices. I have been trying to get through Sly Cooper but find myself grinding through the various levels and it has stopped being fun. Given the choice of continuing the game or watching paint dry, I am leaning towards the latter. Others may disagree but that is how I feel. Knowing this, I threw in another game in my computer bag before leaving home: Lego The Hobbit.
I have never played a Lego video game for more than a few minutes but find them hilarious. When your character blows up or is killed, there is no blood nor gore. Just Lego blocks being broken down into their individual components. It always makes me laugh.
So what makes one video game more entertaining than another? That is the all-important question and I wish I had a complete answer. I do know that there are a number of games that I have played that are like abusive relationships. The game is difficult and you only continue because you have invested time in the relationship and want to see it all the way to the end. Rather than feeling good because things are going well, you feel good because you didn't get the crap kicked out of you. I hate those types of games and that is what Sly Cooper is turning into.
Contrast that with Tomb Raider or Red Dead Redemption where I got totally involved in the game and looked forward to playing them on a daily basis. Some parts of the games seemed difficult but then they got easier for a time and the story built, allowing me to reinvest in my relationship with the characters.
Sly Cooper was amazing when it first hit the market. Since then games have evolved and it makes it difficult to go back to that style of game. I may eventually go back to it but right now I need something else to entertain me. Hopefully Lego The Hobbit is it.
I have never played a Lego video game for more than a few minutes but find them hilarious. When your character blows up or is killed, there is no blood nor gore. Just Lego blocks being broken down into their individual components. It always makes me laugh.
So what makes one video game more entertaining than another? That is the all-important question and I wish I had a complete answer. I do know that there are a number of games that I have played that are like abusive relationships. The game is difficult and you only continue because you have invested time in the relationship and want to see it all the way to the end. Rather than feeling good because things are going well, you feel good because you didn't get the crap kicked out of you. I hate those types of games and that is what Sly Cooper is turning into.
Contrast that with Tomb Raider or Red Dead Redemption where I got totally involved in the game and looked forward to playing them on a daily basis. Some parts of the games seemed difficult but then they got easier for a time and the story built, allowing me to reinvest in my relationship with the characters.
Sly Cooper was amazing when it first hit the market. Since then games have evolved and it makes it difficult to go back to that style of game. I may eventually go back to it but right now I need something else to entertain me. Hopefully Lego The Hobbit is it.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Entertaining Yourself During Long Airport Delays
I have been flying between Salt Lake and San Francisco on an almost weekly basis for the past 6 years and this is the first time I am stuck at the airport trying to get home when the flight isn't expected to depart until after midnight. I don't expect to get home until 4am. This isn't a good way to start my long weekend. Other people I fly with have experienced such delays but this is a first for me. About the only thing I can do is try to occupy my time with something entertaining. Fortunately I have 2 smartphones, a laptop, a magazine, and my PlayStation Vita.
My original departure time was 9:10pm. Then it changed to 9:23pm followed by 1:04am. Now it is scheduled to leave at 12:51am and I expect it to change several more times before I board. That means that I really can't fall asleep or I run the risk of getting left behind. I got to the airport and did a little reading on my iPhone. I have a number of reference books on it and I was finishing up an article I started earlier today. Then I pulled out my PS Vita and started playing Uncharted: Golden Abyss. I will be sure to include a review when I am done, but so far it is an entertaining and fun game to play. The only reason I stopped was because I knew I had some time and wanted to create another blog entry. Once I am finished with this entry I will continue playing the game until my battery is drained to zero. I have the cable to charge my handheld console but the airport is crowded and I don't feel like searching for an outlet. At least not yet.
I really hate feeling like I am wasting my time and so when I think about what I would be doing if I was spending another night on the boat, I would just be playing a video game. My PS Vita is not as enjoyable as a PS3 or PS4 but it does come close. It is definitely better than trying to play a game on one of my smartphones. At times like this I just keep telling myself that sometimes the destination is not nearly as important as the journey. Tonight's journey is going to be a long one.
My original departure time was 9:10pm. Then it changed to 9:23pm followed by 1:04am. Now it is scheduled to leave at 12:51am and I expect it to change several more times before I board. That means that I really can't fall asleep or I run the risk of getting left behind. I got to the airport and did a little reading on my iPhone. I have a number of reference books on it and I was finishing up an article I started earlier today. Then I pulled out my PS Vita and started playing Uncharted: Golden Abyss. I will be sure to include a review when I am done, but so far it is an entertaining and fun game to play. The only reason I stopped was because I knew I had some time and wanted to create another blog entry. Once I am finished with this entry I will continue playing the game until my battery is drained to zero. I have the cable to charge my handheld console but the airport is crowded and I don't feel like searching for an outlet. At least not yet.
I really hate feeling like I am wasting my time and so when I think about what I would be doing if I was spending another night on the boat, I would just be playing a video game. My PS Vita is not as enjoyable as a PS3 or PS4 but it does come close. It is definitely better than trying to play a game on one of my smartphones. At times like this I just keep telling myself that sometimes the destination is not nearly as important as the journey. Tonight's journey is going to be a long one.
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Video Game Review: The Walking Dead, Season 2
It is Monday morning here in Japan even though the time for this entry is posted as Sunday. That is what happens when you cross the international date line. Another thing that generally happens is that you get to spend a lot of time on a plane as I did last night. That gave me time to finish up Telltale Games' The Walking Dead, Season 2 on my PlayStation Vita. I know I wrote that I wasn't going to continue with the game series but when I found I had a copy for my hand-held console, I thought I would give it a try.
The game plays like an interactive movie and the experience I had on the Vita was a bit different than on the PS3. Both versions have a tendency to pause unexpectedly but it happened a lot more on my Vita. Sometimes it was distracting and game-play suffered. It was also very difficult to tell how to interact with the characters. The Vita has a touchscreen and so sometimes you would use that while other times you would use the controller buttons. I missed several choices because I was pushing buttons instead of touching the screen or visa versa. It was somewhat frustrating.
The game continued where Season 1 left off and it was like catching up with old friends. I was told I wouldn't like Season 2 as much as Season 1 but they didn't take into account that part of the story takes place at a ski resort. I love ski resorts and so that part of the story resonated with me. As can be expected with a game that mimics a television series where they hope to continue the following year, the game ends with a cliff-hanger and it has me wanting to play Season 3. Unfortunately I will have to wait until 2016 as it is not expected until then.
The Walking Dead, Season 2 has an ESRB rating of M for Mature because of strong language. I would not recommend this game for children or even teenagers because of this.
The game plays like an interactive movie and the experience I had on the Vita was a bit different than on the PS3. Both versions have a tendency to pause unexpectedly but it happened a lot more on my Vita. Sometimes it was distracting and game-play suffered. It was also very difficult to tell how to interact with the characters. The Vita has a touchscreen and so sometimes you would use that while other times you would use the controller buttons. I missed several choices because I was pushing buttons instead of touching the screen or visa versa. It was somewhat frustrating.
The game continued where Season 1 left off and it was like catching up with old friends. I was told I wouldn't like Season 2 as much as Season 1 but they didn't take into account that part of the story takes place at a ski resort. I love ski resorts and so that part of the story resonated with me. As can be expected with a game that mimics a television series where they hope to continue the following year, the game ends with a cliff-hanger and it has me wanting to play Season 3. Unfortunately I will have to wait until 2016 as it is not expected until then.
The Walking Dead, Season 2 has an ESRB rating of M for Mature because of strong language. I would not recommend this game for children or even teenagers because of this.
Friday, October 30, 2015
A Case for a PlayStation Vita
It is no secret that I am a PlayStation fan. Ever since my brother gave me a PS2 for my birthday complete with SOCOM II, I have been a fan of the PlayStation consoles. When the PlayStation Vita came out several years ago, I picked one up and purchased a few games for it. Unfortunately it has sat in my home office for almost a year without anyone picking it up. That may change next week.
One of the problems with the Vita is a lack of good games. Most video game companies have a limited number of resources and trying to put their games on all of the consoles, including the PS Vita does not always make sense. As someone that plays games, I would much rather buy a game for my PlayStation 3 or 4 than my Vita, so I understand why there is a lack of content.
Fortunately for me, there are a number of free games I am given all the time. Some games are good while others are not. This afternoon I was going through my library of games and noticed I have "The Walking Dead: Season 2" for the Vita. Now I know I said I wasn't going to play it in my last review. However the Vita has one thing that will make me change my mind: it is portable. I spend a lot of time on airplanes and in airports. The Vita is a perfect platform entertaining me in those situations.
Next week when I fly to the Bay Area, I will bring my Vita with "The Walking Dead: Season 2" and see if I can't continue the game. Naturally I will provide a review.
One of the problems with the Vita is a lack of good games. Most video game companies have a limited number of resources and trying to put their games on all of the consoles, including the PS Vita does not always make sense. As someone that plays games, I would much rather buy a game for my PlayStation 3 or 4 than my Vita, so I understand why there is a lack of content.
Fortunately for me, there are a number of free games I am given all the time. Some games are good while others are not. This afternoon I was going through my library of games and noticed I have "The Walking Dead: Season 2" for the Vita. Now I know I said I wasn't going to play it in my last review. However the Vita has one thing that will make me change my mind: it is portable. I spend a lot of time on airplanes and in airports. The Vita is a perfect platform entertaining me in those situations.
Next week when I fly to the Bay Area, I will bring my Vita with "The Walking Dead: Season 2" and see if I can't continue the game. Naturally I will provide a review.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Battery Life
My son has a ski race in Sun Valley this weekend and so it is interesting to watch him pack. He thought about bringing my PlayStation Vita on the trip but then decided it would be a distraction. As he was contemplating whether or not to bring the hand-held game console, he didn't even consider bringing the charger for it. Whenever I go anywhere I always make sure to throw in the battery chargers long before the actual devices.
When I was growing up, it seemed like rechargeable batteries were always dying. Electronics today have much better battery life and the effect is that the youth today don't really worry about batteries dying. Battery life is good enough that it lasts for a couple of days and so my son has no need to worry about bringing chargers, just the toys. I wish I could be so carefree.
When I was growing up, it seemed like rechargeable batteries were always dying. Electronics today have much better battery life and the effect is that the youth today don't really worry about batteries dying. Battery life is good enough that it lasts for a couple of days and so my son has no need to worry about bringing chargers, just the toys. I wish I could be so carefree.
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