Week 10

   I wrapped up on Super Mario Galaxy 2 then, and as I said last week, it was great. The truth is, after last week, I only had the very last level still to do, but i figured it might take a while, because final bosses and so on, but I was done in about 20 minutes. Not that I want to complain about it too easy after saying last week that I didn't want to have to face bosses 50 different times before I could beat them, it's just that facing Bowser/ King Koopa was always the same fight, running around a planetoid while he tries to punch you and you had to stamp on rocks at him, except every time you faced him, something new would be added to it, but it was pretty samey after the second one, so I figured that the 3rd (and final) time you faced him (you only face him in alternate worlds, with Koopalings in between), something different would happen, but it didn't. Still, the rest of the level was good, and the game as a whole.

  I am aware that, that makes 11 games completed, and leaves just one to reach my goal, however, I started playing 2 games simultaneously, so I guess I'm going for more than 12 now. So, first I went with World of Goo, i game I picked up on a Steam sale a long time ago, but had never started before. So, basically, it's a puzzler where you have to cross bridges and such by attaching goo together. That's a terrible description, so:

   I hope that helps. Anyway, it's another great looking game, and with a great soundtrack (though I'd be lying if I didn't admit that when I've been playing mostly I've had Pointless on the TV as well (but that's the beauty with a puzzle game with no time limit, you can just put on something else to the side, and if your concentration slips, it doesn't matter)). I get reminded of Rayman Origins a lot, because the noises that the Goo's make could come straight from that game, except for the fact that World of Goo was out 3 years earlier (however, 13 years after the original Rayman, but I never played any of those ones to know if those sounds were included). It kind of has a similar aesthetic to Origins too with a beautiful cell shaded look (kind of like Archer), an yet with some changing of environments, like night time an underground.

   There is a lot more to come for me from this, I've only finished 2 of the 5 worlds, so I expect lots of good challenges to come. The only problem I've had so far is picking up the wrong Goo when they're all gathered around, and you end up wasting a one use goo, rather than a re-usable one that would help me rescue another Goo.

   So, what's the other game then, I hear no one ask? Well, it's another game I got for free (assuming that I'd pay for XBL Gold anyway (which I would)) and it's Hitman: Absolution. I've never really played a hit man game before, aside from what came on PS2 demo discs with the Official UK Playstation magazine (if that's what it was called), but I had an idea what it was about (it's kinda in the title). You play a hitman, and you have to take out your targets, ideally stealthily (well, that's the theory, when I'm playing though...).

   I'm not sure how much story has played in to the past, but this time around you're not completing hits for cash of government upheaval (don't know if that was ever a Hitman thing, just seemed like a reliable videogame trope) or whatever, but to clear your own name because you're organisation has been corrupted and turned against you. Hell, in the first mission you have to take out your handler of all these years (the one that's been giving you jobs and such) and get outta dodge, which might have been impactful had I ever played others in the series. I do get the feeling like the story isn't really there for me, and that I'm missing a lot of what's supposed to be happening, but I'm hopeful I'll figure out what's going on at some point.

   

   I must say though, I'm not overly enthralled by this one. Don't get me wrong, it's not Mafia 2, but it's not great. It's mostly smaller bits, like the knife, which just seems to be an easy way to take out your target, throw a knife, walk away, it's worked every time for me so far. There's also a lot of escaping, through multiple different areas after you've finished the assignment, sure, I could understand having to get out of the area your in, but when you appear in an area for a kill, then once it's done you have to traverse through 3 or 4 more to escape that you just bypassed on the way in, well, it annoys me. Checkpoints, save the location you have gotten to, but not what you've done, so if you had taken a guard out before you saved at the checkpoint, he'll be back if you respawn. Also, I don't like his voice, I don't know whether it's always sounded like that or not, but I was expecting more of a Solid Snake gruff voice rather than the almost nasally one he does, it just doesn't fit the character right for me.

   What's annoying me most though is the plot holes, there's more than in Red Dwarf! How come I finished a mission in a costume I 'borrowed' (see killed and stole), but by the cut scene I was back in the usual suit, an, instead of leaving in the ice cream truck I entered the mission in, I took a car, and the ice cream van had completely gone. And how come you can wear hats whilst crawling through vents? They could at least add an animation where he carries it instead or something? Right? Okay, rant over, as I said, it's not that bad, hopefully it'll pick up (oh no, I said that about Mafia 2).

No Grid 2

Completed:
                 Mark of the Ninja
                 Donkey Kong country: Tropical Freeze
                 Crimson Dragon
                 Toy soldiers cold war
                Metro: last light
                South Park the stick of truth
                Titanfall
                Brothers: a tale of two sons
                Metal gear solid V: Ground Zeroes
                Mafia 2
               Super Mario Galaxy 2

                

Underway: 

                 World of Goo

                Hitman Absolution