Gaming Tuesday

So, it goes without saying really that the majority of my time has been sunk into Blue Dragon. Since my last update I've done a quest in a "Forest Of Exile" and gone through a laser abused landscape that looked not too dissimilar from those cheese levels from the old Worms games. I realise now why people referred to JRPG as grinding slog-fest affairs. I've not even had to go through grinding up my levels to fight a boss yet. But it still feels like I've been grinding through. There's a lot of pointless cut-scenes as well, which I normally would enjoy. But when you're hunting down an elusive save point so you can go to bed or even just stop playing for a while you end up getting bogged down with a pointless array of 30 second cut-scenes with the little yellow thing screeching "LOOK A *story related item*!!! LOOOOOK THERE IT IS!!!". I'm almost paraphrasing the subtitles with that as well. Even after my criticisms though I am going to finish it. Or at least get to disc three. But then I may as well finish it? Oh dear.

Apart from careering through that monstrosity I've continued to dabble on my Newcastle managerial career on Fifa 10. Achieved promotion and in my second season in charge I'm sitting quite happily around 6th in the table. Bizarrely after my conquest of the FA Cup I'm also in Europe. What area is not specified, probably UEFA Cup though. Celtic are in it. Hopefully I can drag myself away from Blue Dragon to continue this although I've heard upon the rumour mill of glitches and bugs in the achievements for the mode. Not that I'm a big stickler for achievements (anymore) but if the patch that's coming out very soon is going to fix the niggles then is it worth waiting? Probably, saying that I've still got around 90% of the season to go anyway so by the time I get there it may well be fixed.

Finally there was even a little bit of time for ODST. Been a few weeks since I played but I had a friend how suggested Firefight and it seemed ridiculous to say no. Its great fun still, I really need to put some more time into it because it is more fun than Horde I'd say and on a similar level to World At War's zombie mode. It is intrinsically different though as well, no sacrifice to that Halo flavour we're all so accustomed to. At least I can rely on the fact that a lot of people will hold on to their copy just for a bit of that Reach beta. Still plenty of games to come.

Dead Snow

Nazi zombies. Is there anything better? More stereotypically evil? Racist sharks? Dinosaur paedophiles? Who knows. The plot of Dead Snow is simple. There's some kids going to a cabin, there's Nazi zombies who want their gold. Kids find the gold. Zombies kick off. I'm a big fan of zombies personally so I'm very familiar with the formula. Although this spits in the face of zombie lore. For me this doesn't help though, logical thought and squad tactics are not something I think should be associated with the decaying shamblers. Making them run in 28 Days Later was change enough. Ignoring the aversion to zombie rules the film is pretty fun. Even if the director does have a bit of an obsession with Peter Jackson splatter fest Braindead, which is apparent in both the cheap gore and one of the character's t-shirts. The lawnmower finale in that tops any of the heroics in this film though. Also Smithy (of Gavin and Stacey fame) has a long lost brother who does have a very unlikely sexual encounter in an outside loo. This is more puzzling than anything else in the film. Is that how romance works in Norway? Is that a normal coupling? I get the feeling I'd do well there if so. So overall best stick to Call Of Duty for the Nazi zombies.

In game related tones placed my pre-order for ODST today. Only 48 hours before it's released. I doubt any game could sell out here in Cornwall but who can resist the opportunity to play as cigar chomping Sgt. Johnson. Swapgame have treated me to Chronicles Of Riddick this month as well, I'll post my thoughts when/if I finish it.