What Are You Playing? 2012 Happy New Year Edition!

Happy new year to you all :]

Everyone looking forward to playing some games this year? Maybe you plan to take less time off from them? Either way, time for our monthly edition to see what you're playing in the first month of 2012.

inFamous
Carried over into the new year, since I started playing it two days ago. I've an absolute ton of games to clear through, which I plan to do my best of this year, and this one has been on my shelf since exactly a year ago. I've not got anything else on at the moment, since I'm planning to do one game at a time. But I intend to do Portal 2 next.

Tales of the Abyss - On my second playthrough right now, and if anything the Grade shop bonuses make the game even more fun. More stuff gets unlocked to play through in a second go too, and since I know what's coming up I can take my time and explore properly this time around. Abyss has clocked in over 40 hours now, making it my highest played 3DS game over YuGiOh 2011. Swish!

Gears of War 3 - Playing though this with my brother every now and then, just got to the part where you encounter the queen of the grubs again and hitch a ride on that airship thingy. Not really my kinda game but co-op is still good fun. ^^

( Edited 01.01.2012 08:47 by Phoenixus )

Azuardo said:

I've an absolute ton of games to clear through, which I plan to do my best of this year, and this one has been on my shelf since exactly a year ago. I've not got anything else on at the moment, since I'm planning to do one game at a time. But I intend to do Portal 2 next.

I know this feeling, i keep getting suckered into buying new games (or games i don't have and then never playing them)

Ironically its because i keep going back to old games instead.

Sonic Mega/Gems Collection

Its been a long time since i went through the original Sonic's so i have been busy completing Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 on iOS then played through Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles as well as Sonic CD. I had tried to go through 3D Blast and Heroes but it was just too much effort.

Sonic Adventure DX and Sonic Adventure Battle 2

Just ran through these, completed them and shelved them again.

Sonic Colours

I actually nearly completed this back a few months ago but started playing Mario Galaxy 2 instead and got distracted. I have started going through this today, i still have all the levels on the Sonic Simulator to do and one or two of the last levels as well.

My next game will go onto Sonic Generations then onto Donkey Country (SNES) Donkey Kong Country 2 (SNES) and then Jungle Beat (GC) to round off my January

Ahh, a nice month of Sonic! Very jealous ;]

Finished up Infamous. Pretty decent game.

Portal 2
Moved onto this fantastic game. Only played for about an hour, but it's hilarious and bending my brain already! I loved the first one, and this is going to be no different.

Final Fantasy IV
I think this year will be Mission: Complete Nearly Every FF Game. Starting with finishing FFIV which I played for 20 hours then put down. Going to stop making a habit of that and make sure once I start a game, I'll see it to the end. Replaying this reaffirms how much I've started to get annoyed by random encounters. I loved 12 and 13 since you could see them on the map, and I'd use no encounter abilities in other more modern FFs like 8 and 10. Random encounters are probably the one thing that put me off these sorts of games now.

Just like the last 4 months, I've been playing pokemon RBY online battling. I'm seriously starting to think it's the greatest video game ever. It's got everything. A beautiful blend of skill, luck and even psychological battles. I love it. (If anyone wants to give me a game sometime, let me know and I'll point you in the right direction.)

Also, just bought Red Steel 2 from amazon.

Catching back up with Skyrim, one of my dark brotherhood quests is glitched which is really annoying so i've just skipped it and moved on.

Started Saints Row the Third which is good fun, just trying to upgrade my character and do missions.

Just finished the single-player portion of Uncharted 3. Fabulous, of course. It's one of those kinds of games where it's underwear-shittingly good the first time, and not worth playing again. Still, I was swayed by the multiplayer after a friend brought it round and we played split-screen online.

Both using our own PSN accounts and levelling-up. Awesome feature (and you'd be surprised how well UC3 runs in split-screen). The weirdness of shooting as I've mentioned many times before does irk me, but it's not that bad. Maybe they patched it?

I'm playing Kirby's Epic Yarn, currently. A super fantastic 2D platformer which every Wii owner should have. Utterly charming and has a superb art style and great music.

I have a mass of games to get through though. I got a lot for Christmas and before that I also bought some on Steam. I think I have enough to last me the rest of the year, since I don't get through games that quickly these days.

( Edited 02.01.2012 23:14 by Marzy )

Battlefield 3 PC

Assassins Creed Revelations

Skyward Sword

Mario Kart 7

Halo: Combat Evolved ANV

Skyrim

Skyrim

I get to easily distracted by exploring when moving between places and haven't done so much of the main quest as a result

Cheesing it up said:

Also, just bought Red Steel 2 from amazon.

I found Red Steel 2 quite good actually, but i only played it for about 30 minutes, after which it felt like the missions were tediously the same and based in the same areas. It also feels like you have to swing to much which after work i sometimes feel to lazy to do.

Azuardo said:
Ahh, a nice month of Sonic! Very jealous ;]

Starting Generations right now, completed Colours but then realised you need to get all those red emblems in all the levels before getting all the emeralds, i think that might be something i do when i go through it a second time. I already have about 120, but you need 180 and i am in a bit of a rush to clear out some games.

Sonic Month between Dec and Jan, DK at the end of Jan and start of Feb, then we can move onto my outstanding Zelda games.

I still have Killzone 2, inFamous and Uncharted 1 to touch as well! Let alone Metroid Prime Trilogy and Other M in plastic wrapping still!

Ketsui Death Label

I'm playing Skyward Sword right now. Worried that I'm not going to finish it before the break is over.

Also still playing Final Fantasy 13, though I haven't played it in a while because of Skyward Sword.

I want a new game for my DS as well. I want to get 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors, but the game is still a bit more expensive than I would like. Generally like to get my games used around the $15 mark.

Playing Skyward Sword and Bayonetta, I'm also on the last boss of Final Fantasy XIII, I just got really pissed off at the spam attack just as I was about to finish it, I will finish it at some point though.

Not bringing any consoles back to university this term, so making the most of the following (I don't mind waiting till Easter break to play these again, and other than SSX, there's not much on the horizon for me):

Rayman Origins

The game looks incredible in HD but retains that magical platforming charm that I haven't felt properly since the days of the SNES. It's platforming goodness, is what this is. Hope there's a resurgance of these types of games. So long as they're new, not HD remakes.

Sonic Generations

I thought this would hit a similar sweet spot, but not so far. While it does seem like the best Sonic game in a very long time, there's something a little off about it. Most of the time I'm blindly holding forward, occasionally tapping a button or having to avoid some annoying form of 'off-the-rail' death. For some reason, dressed up in insane HD graphics, the sense I'm on a fixed roller-coaster ride is far more profound. Hopefully I'll change my mind on that. Out of interest has anyone found that in HD on the 2D stages it's quite hard to see certain details like enemies? Sometimes I run straight into them because they seem to hide behind the scenery.

LA Noire

Have been meaning to check it out for a long time. It's really impressive - a whole new take of a genre of gaming, packed to the brim with details, looks incredible, especially the animations. Thumbs up for a new experience, it really pushes the boundaries. If they're going to use the technology used here for GTAV, then I have really high expectations.

Zelda Skyward Sword

I think it's really beginning to show its age, and it doesn't do enough to really be different in comparison to the rest of the series. But that said, it's Zelda at its most refined and there's absolutely no reason not to like it. Motion controls are great in this, yes. I concede there is a little worth in that. But in all honesty, still would have just preferred Link in HD. Just saying, Nintendo.

Fifa 12

I feel like a mug for buying it every year, I try and dig my feet in each time. But again, this is football simulation at its most refined. Online is absolutely brilliant and highly addictive stuff. I've been playing it for much of last year, I'll be playing it a lot this year.

The Strat Man said:
Not bringing any consoles back to university this term, so making the most of the following

Sonic Generations

I thought this would hit a similar sweet spot, but not so far. While it does seem like the best Sonic game in a very long time, there's something a little off about it. Most of the time I'm blindly holding forward, occasionally tapping a button or having to avoid some annoying form of 'off-the-rail' death. For some reason, dressed up in insane HD graphics, the sense I'm on a fixed roller-coaster ride is far more profound. Hopefully I'll change my mind on that. Out of interest has anyone found that in HD on the 2D stages it's quite hard to see certain details like enemies? Sometimes I run straight into them because they seem to hide behind the scenery.

I am finding this to be an issue as well. In the 3D stages or with 'modern' sonic you can boost in the 2D parts, but with classic Sonic you should probably learn to take it easy. I mean in Sonic 1-Knuckles you weren't really flying through stages as you would in games like Sonic Rush, Unleashed or Colours. It would be a bit more slower platforming. It is really difficult with the pacing because you fly through the modern sonic stages but the classic sonic stages can't be really done like that as effectively.

Graphically i don't think it's all that, compared to what it could be. Some of the cut scenes are a little quirky. Feels like watching Sonic Adventure again! Compared to 'some' of the CGI scenes in Colours its a step back if you ask me. If they could all be like the final cutscene in colours then that would be great! Hell the humour in Colours had me grinning at points!

Fifa 12

I feel like a mug for buying it every year, I try and dig my feet in each time. But again, this is football simulation at its most refined. Online is absolutely brilliant and highly addictive stuff. I've been playing it for much of last year, I'll be playing it a lot this year.

I have avoided FIFA this year, as well as Pro and WWE12 because these are games that i would put in too many hours into and would not play anything else. With so many games to go through its just not feasible to play it and other games! Lol. Me and my friends still play the superior FIFA 10, and as a Aston Villa fan, i am vastly better off playing FIFA 10 than 12!

Playing Deus Ex. Just got it, ordered the limited edition off amazon for £11 although they sent me the standard - which is annoying but I don't care it was cheap still.

Done the first level so far and I love it! The look music, voice work all great. Gameplay seems pretty solid though I heard things about glitching/bugs not run into any yet though.

Well i finished the main quest in Skyrim, may go back and clear up the quest journal sometime.

Rayman Origins
I caved in and bought this from ASDA today. It's charming, classic platforming. Quite challenging in places. It's a real shame it's not sold, although the original £40 asking price may have put people off. It may have done better as the episodic title originally announced.

Beat FFIV last week and Portal 2 last night. Portal 2 was a fantastic experience, just like the first. If you love games, you need to play both Portal games. In order too, mind. It's not just the gameplay that's genius; it's the script as well. Definitely on my list of fave games this gen, without a doubt.

On to FF Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates now. Shouldn't take too long to beat. Definitely aimed at a younger generation and hasn't gripped me at all.

Azuardo said:
On to FF Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates now. Shouldn't take too long to beat. Definitely aimed at a younger generation and hasn't gripped me at all.

You can also unlock Moogle and Chocobo pieces of equipment as well (called fauna vest, fauna hat, etc...), which look different depending on who wears them.

I heard about the River Belle area from FFCC GameCube being unlocked too, so I'd love to give that a whirl. But I mean, I'm not up for running through the game again on harder difficulties since I'm strapped for time in beating my games atm, and I'm guessing it doesn't add anything else to the story, save for the items you mentioned.

Nope it doesn't add anything, storywise. Ah yeah i forgot about the river belle area, but yes, that's true. Lame bonus stage though, it looks really ugly and nothing like the Gamecube version of the same location :/.

Really? It sounded like it was the exact same level, so I was looking forward to that. Shame. Will give it a quick blast then check off it off my list, never to play again, most likely XD

The story is nothing exceptional, but I like the music very much personally. The action was thrilling and I found the different bosses to be really well done .

Never got to play it in multiplayer unfortunately, which surely must be even more fun than playing the game on your own. Of course I don't plan to play it again either, but that's only because I have so many other games left to play already XD. Otherwise, it's a fun game, that you can get loads of fun from, even after multiple playthroughs.

Oh yeah, music is a given. Never seem to have any disappointments when it comes to FF OSTs. True, I bet it'd be much better in MP. I forgot it was a MP game actually. Fixed camera angle has been a problem some times, not being able to see some platforms or where I'd be landing, causing a bit of frustration. Combat is simple and story with kiddy voices (a bit cringe-worthy) gives me the impression it'd be a good place for youngsters to start playing action RPG games.