Oh, What Did I Get?

I know everyone loves to show off 'the haul' as it's colloquially referred to, and I decided "Hey, I can get in on that action".  Especially since it's easy and probably the only thing I -could- talk about because it's easy.  I think it'd just be best if I went down the list here.  From left to right:

• Dishonored:  Game of the Year Edition - It's supposed to be good, right?  So, I'm going to see what it's about.  Having all the DLC and such helps as well.
• Remember Me - Yes, I know it's got its flaws, but I really wanted to give it a shot.  I'm an expert at enjoying games that other people don't, after all.  Plus the whole aesthetic is just too good to ignore - if only developers could take that sort of world and make undeniably good games with it.  Here's hoping for Watch_Dogs, I guess?
• Red Dead Redemption:  Game of the Year Edition - Would you believe I've never owned nor played Red Dead Redemption?  Because I haven't.  I figured this was the time to change that.  Wanted GotY Edition because....well, I think that's obvious.  No reason to not want that since it's been out for, what, two years?  Three?
• Deadpool (in a GameStop Used Case hrrrg) - Again, one of those "I will probably enjoy it because other people didn't" and also Deadpool.  I think I watched the trailer for it when it was announced for like an hour straight because it was that enjoyable.  So I figure the game should be pretty damn funny if nothing else, and that's worth it to me.  Also Nolan North.
• Metal Gear Solid Legacy Collection - I never did get the HD Collection on PS3 because Konami apparently did a really small printing of it.  I got it on my Vita and have yet to even start it, but it's apparently the only way I'll ever play Peace Walker with proper controls unless I rebuy Peace Walker which is an unattractive idea, unfortunately.  Not that they don't deserve the support or the sale, of course, it's just that I bought the UMD on Day One, put 100+ hours into it, and space is at a constant premium on my Vita.  Not to mention the Legacy Collection comes with Metal Gear Solid 1 (download, I thought it was supposed to be on-disk, but this works better I suppose) and the VR Missions which I didn't own, as well as the Digital Novels or whatever they are that were almost impossible to find.
• Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City Twin-Pack - Much like Red Dead Redemption, I have never owned either Asylum or City, but I have also not played City.  I've got a good grip of the trophies in Asylum (I think I only need Hard Mode and a couple challenge maps), but it was through a rental, and I found myself unwilling to actually -buy- it again just for that, but I also find renting a bit...distasteful anymore.  Not trying to be a snob, of course, I just like owning my things.  I never played City because it was described as "Asylum, but better" and I was like "Well....Asylum was -okay-" and couldn't really think of how much better it could theoretically be.  I suppose I'll find out.
• Tales of Xillia: Limited Edition - I'm always going to kick myself for not buying the Collector's Edition, because I really wanted that Milla figure for some reason (I have no place for it, no understanding of the character and did I mention that I have no room for it) but I always felt that pang against logic, that simple wanting of it and I never did indulge that.  I wanted to get to Tales of Graces F before buying Xillia because I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy the series, but that bridge is a little too late to cross now and I'm not too fussed by it.  The series has a lot of fans and with any luck, more purchases means more localizations and I want to support that.  (Worked with Zestiria, so maybe we can hope on really late localizations of Vesperia and the Vita ones?  Maybe?  No?  Please?)

Aside from that, I got $150 in GameStop funbux which will go directly towards the purchase of a PS4 sometime within the next couple of months, and some nice Pajama Pants because Pajama Pants are so comfortable, you guys.  Just so comfortable.  All in all, not a bad lot of games!  Now if only I had the time to play any of them.

I pretty much just want figures from like every goddamn game I've played ever, so maybe that's why I wanted Milla - I blame my Cole statue from inFamous 2

All Wrapped Out

So, this is the first year where I've managed to secure presents for more than a choice few members of my family (namely the children) which is good!  The spirit of giving is strong in me and I love being able to give like I am.  The issue that arises, however, is that, while I like wrapping presents, I'm not necessarily a fan of wrapping presents for three days straight (as I still have more to do tomorrow).  Such a task has proven to be rather...draining and there's no big news that I can see, so I give you K-Pop.  I would like to give myself the opportunity to rest, but alas, there are action figures and kitchen gadgets and clothes to be adorned with festive trappings.  Enjoy, all!

the music honestly does help, but still, just so much wrapping

A Christmas of Nines

If there's anything that I honestly didn't need this Christmas, it was even more games, but you know what?  I like games.  I wanted more games.  And thus, so it was that I got some pretty great games for Christmas - some surprising ones even.  I think one of the stand-outs (the other of which I'll probably speak on tomorrow) is that my parents managed to do what I haven't been able to in two years, in finding a copy of 999:  Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors.  I mean, yes, I could have always gotten a copy online or something, but that's no fun - the hunt itself is a thrill and being able to taste the fruits of that effort, so to speak, is a wonderment all its own.  It's not enough that they managed to track this down for me, but when I unwrapped it and saw it - the first thing I noticed was that it was a copy that had the original box art and not the new art that re-brands the game retroactively as a part of the now-established "Zero Escape" series, of which 999 and Virtue's Last Reward (For 3DS and Vita) are now a part of.  I don't mind the new box art at all, and it wouldn't be a deal-breaker one way or another, but regardless, I thought that was pretty neat.

In actually playing the game, I have found it to be something of an actual treat, which surprised me a little.  I worry about the learning curve in games like these, but so far, it's been kind to me I believe.  At least, I haven't had to look up a guide yet, though I'm not sure at all how far into the game I am.  I expected something rather lengthy, but if the pace is anything to go by, then I'm actually drawing near to an ending, of which there are many.  I figure this can't be, and that something will reveal itself, but I'm not quite sure really.  It's still too early to tell, of course, and I'm really just more concerned about the -game- and the story than the ending(s) for now.  Since, I mean, it is a visual novel/old-style adventure game, so there's not a lot else -to- do but worry about the story of it.

I did mention that the puzzles haven't been especially hard, but I will say that they've been clever at points.  One such puzzle took me to peaks of frustration as I tried to figure it out, and when I was tempted to give up, I thought about it for just a few extra moments before that "Aha!" moment hit and it clicked.  It's honestly very, very difficult to actually make things so you'll have that moment since it requires a delicate balance that few are able to implement.  It's either too obscure so that you can't honestly be expected to figure it out, or too easy that there's no challenge to it.  Being just tricky enough that you force somebody to wrack their brain, looking at the details and realizing that there's a -reason- they don't add up, that's some sort of talent right there.  Because when you figure out which detail it is that doesn't fit, that's just wrong in the context of the situation, it pushes on that spot on your brain that feeds on the 'smugness' you get when you figure things out like that.

I do worry somewhat about just how fleshed out the characters will get before the end of it however.  Like I said, I don't quite know how far into the game I am, but I've played for a good clip and some of them are still a bit thin.  The logical part of my brain understand that there are reasons why the characters haven't been explored really, but at the same time, that doesn't preclude being able to develop them in ways that aren't subtle personality quirks and the like.  I want a little more from them as a cast, because if something were to happen to somebody, I feel like it would help if it actually meant something.  Since I mean, you put people into a gauntlet of traps and 'games' where losing means your death, you sort of -expect- for there to be some casualties.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm just guessing.  I might also be being intentionally vague and/or flippant or misleading so as to not spoil things for others.

Regardless, it's been a good trip so far and I'm quite happy that I did finally get my hands on a copy of the game.  I always figured I would, since there's not been much of a price hike ever since the reprinting, but the comfort in having the game, being able to hold it and watch it and play it is nice all the same.  With any luck, I'll like it enough that I'll want to pick up Virtue's Last Reward, which I totally can on my Vita and have that to hop into afterwards.  Of course, after I beat that, then there'll be a long, long wait for the next game in the series, but at least I'm set for the near future if nothing else.  And man, am I ever set for the near future in terms of games.  That, however, is a tale for another night.  In the meanwhile, I just hope everyone had a great Christmas, because hey, I actually did too!

Merry Christmas Eve!

As I have sort of inferred before, and I believe even outright stated a number of times, Christmas is a time of year where I get overwhelmed with all sorts of pleasant feelings.  As I have said, they are the 'fuzzies' and they're wonderful and sometimes it's not only those fuzzies that make the Christmastime great, but even still, the fuzzies are strong.  This year, it's more than that, which I have also alluded to, but I won't go into detail because when do I ever go into personal detail?  Never.  And just considering that now, it's kind of incredibly rude to bring it up and not say, but whatever, maybe some other night.  When I'm clutched by the fuzzies and such, unfortunately, words don't flow like normal, is what I'm trying to focus on, so when they reach critical levels at Christmas Eve, there's not a whole lot I can do except be very very excited and happy.

I guess that's not a wholly bad thing.

So, much as last year, this is a short post, but it's a heartfelt one in every sense of the word.  Hopefully you're spending the holidays with someone you can really say you love, and if not, then may you be so lucky next year.  In any case, to anyone reading this, I hope sincerely that you have a Merry Christmas.  I think that I just might be able to, myself.

I Tried to Celebrate The Season Today With Games

Last night, for reasons unbeknownst to my own mind, I went to myself, "Self, you know what you really need to do?  Download the Metal Gear Solid 4 patch." and so it was.  Truthfully, I'd been -wanting- to do just this since it was announced and much more when it was actually released, but I've just never gotten to it.  And while I have other games I -need- to play, I figured it was a good time to catch up, what with REVENGEANCE on the horizon and all.  So I downloaded the patch last night and, since there was other stuff to attend to, I simply turned off the PS3 when it was done.  "Tomorrow is MGS4 day", I said, fully intent on realizing that goal.  I started wondering to myself just how far into the game I was going to make it today, feeling confident in my MGS abilities to kick ass, take names and speed through.  Then I played today, only to find a rather startling revelation that shattered me to my very core.

I was terrible at MGS4.

I didn't use to be.  In fact, I would say that I use to be pretty good at Metal Gear Solid games.  Peace Walker saw me as a pretty formidable foe, I should say, as I would go through entire levels without regard to anything resembling a problem.  I was one with the CQC and the Fulton system and through it, entire armies trembled and wept at my feet before being judged worthy of my ranks.  I have fond memories of Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 as well; most notably being the accomplishment of sneaking up on The End for his camo.  So, again, I should say that I have been a good Metal Gear Solid player in the past.  Perhaps it's just rust, perhaps it's that I simply don't like the Chapter 1 area, or perhaps I just wasn't feeling it today.  It did get to the point, unfortunately, where I was so frustrated with my lack of cohesive ability that I simply decided to move on to something else.  Perhaps I will try again tomorrow or so, restart and just get a feel for the controls, the style again, hopefully awakening my abilities.

In the meanwhile, I thought "Well, what the hell am I going to do now?", and for a moment I pondered.  Then it struck me.  "Self,"  I said, "Self, you have just the game for this occasion and you've actually been saving it for this time of year!"  Indeed, I had truly forgotten all about it and it was just happenstance that I remembered today, but I did, and I do believe that's the point that matters.

Way back in October, when the Halloween PSN Sale was in full swing, one of the heavily discounted items was Costume Quest, specifically as a full bundle.  This bundle included the original game, but it also had the only DLC pack that came out for the game, titled Grubbins on Ice.  Where Costume Quest as a basic experience was themed towards Halloween (hence its inclusion in the sale), Grubbins on Ice was billed as a more Christmas-themed romp which, having never experienced Costume Quest before I played it, let alone the expansion, seemed just fantastic to me.  I mean, I've said it before, but I -love- Christmas things in games and whenever someone is willing to include them, I'm more than happy to enjoy it.  So even with the tepid response I held towards Costume Quest, which I attributed to a sour mood, I venerated its expansion as a thing that I wouldn't partake in just yet.  A present to myself to be opened at the appropriate date, if you will.

Upon opening that present, I found that I was greeted with the equivalent of socks, possibly basic white, though I suppose they just might have been a fancy black pair.  They were socks, nonetheless, which basically means it was not what I was expecting at all, and...it wasn't very exciting, nor satisfying.  While I can't bring myself to say that Grubbins on Ice was a disappointment, as that feels akin to punching a small child with puppy dog eyes, I'm not going to say I was enthralled, nor could I even muster up a basic interest in it as I played.  Betrayed once again by expectations, I suppose, but in this case, my expectations weren't exactly unfounded, nor were they outrageous, and it's a little disheartening that my meager hopes for the title couldn't have been met.

To say that Grubbins on Ice is a Christmas-themed expansion pack to Costume Quest is to say that a taxi cab is a perfect vehicle for jumping a shark pit.  Depending on the framing of the situation, yes, you are absolutely right, but it violates the very spirit of what you're trying to say, because you know damn well it's entirely too vague to sustain itself.  Grubbins on Ice has snow.  It has a sort of kind of maybe Yeti-themed Christmas-like thing that is barely touched upon.  And it has....uhh....did I mention it has snow?  No lit trees, no wrapped presents, no sleigh, reindeer, or elves.  Nothing you commonly associate with Christmas is present in the expansion, and in fact, it simply relies on the exact same Halloween mechanics from the base game with not even a little bit of deviation.  You don costumes, none of which are Christmas-themed (the expansion adds Pirate, Yeti and Eyeball(?!) costumes) and you trick or treat while performing little quests around town.

Thee hours later, if that, I had beaten Grubbins on Ice and was no richer for the experience.  I believe I can safely say that, for all its charm, Costume Quest was only decent at best, and it squanders all the things it does well against the things it does mediocre.  It's unfortunate, and while I can't say I regret the purchase or the time spent, I can say that there was quite a lot of possibility there and it's a real shame it didn't end up better than it did.  Now that that's conquered, however, I'll have to find a new way to properly celebrate the season, as, well, I really want to.  It's been a good few days and I'm fully in the Christmas spirit with the fuzzies and all, so I want to make the most of it.  It only comes once a year, after all!  Now...what to play that has a Christmas theme...

Personal Post - Christmas Fuzzies

This is not my house.  It is fantastic, though.

It has finally hit - the aforementioned Christmas fuzzies that have warmed my heart and just made me feel a little bit more at ease which has been very appreciated.  Again, without too much detail since I don't need to bore you with personal issues, it hasn't been too great and in truth it still isn't, but at least I'm managing to deal.  Thankfully, I have a little help with that, and I think that's really what helped get me into the Christmas mood.  Maybe she'll read this sometime and get that she's really been a help and hopefully that won't embarrass her too much.  Or maybe it will.  That's adorable too.  Regardless, it just really sank in tonight and I can' help but have this overwhelming sense of...calm and content wash over me which is good, of course, but it's also kind of a problem when I am trying to summon up venom to properly explain a game in a review. As I intended to do tonight.

Really, the Christmas fuzzies, nice as they are, aren't very helpful for writing much of anything which is the dilemma I found myself faced with tonight.  With any luck, I'll find some time today to do something -interesting- and that way, I'll have...you know, something to write about tonight.  Since there's apparently not going to be anything that's approaching news-worthy, because why would there be, that'd just be too easy.  Since I haven't done enough in Persona 4:  The Golden to update on that (except get to a boss and whittle him down to being literally dead in one hit and then getting sucker-punched to death) nor have I thrown something new into the PS3 (because, again, fuck trying to Platinum FFXIII-2, goddamn slot machines).  There's just -nothing- going on except me feeling all warm and happy and fuzzy inside because of things.

So, that's what I wrote about.  There....is not a lot to say about it, I found.  Oh well!

Merry Christmas! - The Haul

Now, we all like Christmas for various reasons, whether it's for the time with family, the great meals, simply getting a day off of work (In most cases), or a combination of all those reasons or something else.  But we all enjoy presents, all of us, and almost better than getting the presents is being able to talk about just what you got.  Not to gloat, of course, but just to show off the excitement we feel in getting something we wanted without parting with sweet sweet cash to do so.  It is a time-honored tradition after all, of talking about presents that you get, whether it be for your birthday, holiday or some other occasion; mostly because it's in answer to someone inquiring about your gains.

So to answer the question that wasn't asked here, I got quite a nice haul between my parents and siblings and couldn't be happier.  Honestly, I probably got a little too much, but I certainly can't complain nor do I intend to.  Nor will I suggest that I deserve it all, but it has been a fairly rough year so getting what I got was quite nice, not to mention that my actual Christmas day went quite a lot better than I had expected.  Without saying too much on it, my family hasn't all been in the best state this year (Which is part of why it's been a rough year, but not near the full reason) but we managed to get together today and really mend fences and be...well, a family for once and it was nice.  I was quite surprised by that really, and while the cynic in me is being cynical, I'm just going to roll with it.

I got a few games this year which were the main highlight obviously, but the above-pictured Sonic Generations was the real surprise here.  Three of the games I got, Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3, Fist of the North Star:  Ken's Rage (Two more Warriors-esque games?  I'm obviously a madman) and Shadows of the Damned (in preparation for Lollipop Chainsaw of course), I knew about before Christmas unfortunately as I had to take part in ordering them since folks in my family aren't too well-versed in computer things and the first two games are fairly difficult to find in store.  Ken's Rage and Shadows were both used (only option, unfortunately) so they didn't cost a lot thankfully and I'm just glad to have them, but as I said the element of surprise had been lost on them.

When I went to GameStop with my dad to fix a screw-up with a present for my nephews (more online ordering, got a pretty bad case/game, managed to swap the game) and he not-so-subtly sent me back to the car while remaining, it was fairly obvious that there was at least something else in store.  Being an over-analytical ass, I saw some white in the bag that he carried out and (correctly) deduced that it was Assassin's Creed:  Brotherhood as it had been on my list, which again ruined a bit of the surprise.  But I couldn't tell if there was anything in that bag which sparked the fire of wonderment; really I think that's half the fun of Christmas presents, wondering just what they are.  At the top of my list of possible suspects were Alpha Protocol or Mass Effect 2 for PS3 which are both, thankfully, a mere $20 a piece and just one of them would have been more than enough. 

So as you can see, Sonic Generations completely and happily took me by surprise and I found myself in the delightful quandary of trying to decide between playing DWG3, Sonic Generations or AssBro.  It's a lucky dilemma to be in, let me tell you, and one I don't take lightly.  DWG3 won out, as I loved DWG2 dearly despite not playing enough of it, and as such I've been excited for DWG3 for quite a while.  At face value from a few hours of playing it I am a bit...conflicted, actually.  But that's exactly how I felt between the original and the sequel, so I figure it just takes a little bit of time to get used to how this one works.  If nothing else, I'm sure the new mobile suits and pilots will be enough to make me love the game (especially since I believe Duo Maxwell and Deathscythe made the cut) and can't wait to really get into it.

The other big thing would be the dearth of Gift Cards to GameStop that I received from just about all sides, meaning that my expectations for February's finances just got a whole lot easier.  To say that I got more than I expected is quite the understatement as I saw a figure on a list that was obviously for me because my dad is....not very good at being sneaky with such things.  This completely neglected to factor in my siblings adding to that total (as I didn't figure they would) or the idea that my dad could, er....forget that he bought the amount he was supposed to get for me and buy it again.  The first, I could probably think on, but the latter, well....that was just one of those happy accidents that never ever happen, I'd say.  And I am quite happy with the fact that it did of course.

It was really a very Merry Christmas over here as you can tell, and I hope you all have had equally wonderful Holidays.

Christmas Eve!

It's really hard for me to think of anything real poignant to say tonight as it's quite possibly my favorite night of any given year.  Despite the fact that it might not always be great, nor even something to celebrate depending on the circumstances of the year and its end, I can't help but feel that same sense of excitement build.  And that's a good thing; it's always good to feel that sort of happiness for just any sort of reason because I'm sure we all know that sometime life isn't too keen on giving you a bounty of reasons.  In saying that, I don't think there's a whole lot I have to say tonight, even though I like going on and on obviously, as sometimes the simplest things are the best.

Find someone you love and tell them that.

Merry Christmas, all.

Quick Note: Holiday Edition (Also Mis-Adventures in Bargain Shopping - Christmas Edition 1)

So, you might have noticed a lacking presence here the past couple nights and that was (mostly) an accident and I do apologize for that.  I planned on one night, but I've had family over the last two nights and it's just a little difficult to find computer time when you're expected to host and entertain others, you know?  At the very least it gave me the fodder for at least one other post which will likely be posted up an hour or so after this one, meaning you've got something to look forward to at the very least.  And also, this should be the last 'vacation' I take unless I end up with another unplanned one, which I am hoping against all hopes won't occur for obvious reasons.

I don't know about you guys, but I've certainly been feeling the holiday season start to really settle in.  I'm not quite sure if it's just because we've put up the Christmas Tree, if it's because I've had the first candy cane of the holidays, if it's because I've already spent a bit getting some gifts, if it's just plain getting colder or any number of other reasons, but I've finally felt that....well, feeling that tells me it's almost Christmas.  And it's a wonderful feeling, I assure you.  Even if Christmas isn't your favorite holiday, I'm sure you have one and know roughly the same feeling, so I figure you can see what I'm getting at here.  Suffice to say, it's finally a good time to be had.

Of course, it's not all good times, as the shopping has been fresh sets of hell that I've not ever seen before, that I can only hope makes for a good story if nothing else.  I can regale you all with the lovely tale of how the local grocery chain decided it was just a fantastic idea to have a Holiday sale that was based off the credit you accrued from purchases made in the previous month.  On the surface, this doesn't sound so bad, of course, but it gets better; the sale only lasted for four days.  What's even better is that it only applied to the specialty items (toys, furniture, etc.) in the specialty versions of the stores (the ones that carry a broader range of products, more like a superstore than just a grocery store) despite the fact that most of the 'regular' stores have...only slightly less product.  I would know, I was exposed to both types of store after all.

Now, the particular store in question, the specialty store we went to is one we've been to before and I hadn't even considered how much of a potential pain it could be to navigate if it were ever crowded.  This was the first fatal flaw, you see, because when I went there on the first day of the sale (which was also the first of the month, which is apparently when a lot of folks get government money) I went in to discover first off that there were absolutely no carts in the building.  Well, in the entrance at least, because the bulk of them were apparently in the parking lot at the returns or, more prominently, being used.  I don't know if you've ever considered it, but take a look at the cart center the next time you go into a grocery store and think of how bad the store would be if more or less all of them were being used.

I'd only intended to get a couple things for members of the family, predominantly younger ones, so I headed off to the meager toy section to look for a few items that'd been featured in the ad.  In what was basically a single aisle (left and right side) split in half and put next to one another (two half-aisles, wasn't sure if the terminology would fly if I just threw it out without a description) there were about twenty people with carts crammed throughout its short/small area.  It was nothing short of a wall of bodies that lived and breathed purely to cause me frustration and rage, as was every single person running the store at the time, apparently.  There was only a token effort to expand the meager selection of toys in the form of a display that had them stacked about it, and that was picked mostly clean already.  Mind you, I went to the store around 10 AM if not earlier and once again, this was the first day.

It took about twenty minutes of lingering about before the throng of people dispersed and I could rush in to grab at something, anything to buy that I'd wanted.  Most of the items were, of course, completely gone, I didn't manage to find anything but a transformer that was not priced at all, which led me to discover that the price checking devices weren't working because why would they be, which led me to toss it back on the shelf where it had been.  After grabbing a few things from the grocery store part of the store (which was strangely normally populated, no more than usual), I headed to the checkout....just as apparently everyone else decided to as well.  Or, rather, just after everyone else had decided to.  It was a painful wait, obviously, and the checkout was less than pleasant as, between the cashier who informed me that I needed to use the credit I'd accrued within the sale days (despite me informing her the shelves were picked clean) and the two managers and/or customer service people who stood next to the bagging area and simply talked until I started bagging my own things, everything just went in the most infuriating way possible.

The conclusion to the story that went on longer than I intended it to go is that the credit did get used, but not for presents, but rather for things for my parents.  The toys, I had to get elsewhere of course, as the second trip to a different version of the store was only slightly more pleasant, but even moreso fruitless as there were literal bare shelves for at least 60% of the toy section.  But at the very least, there was a toy -section- rather than a single aisle, which is about all I could say to the credit of this other store.  Still, the shopping was done and I only have a few other things that will assuredly be easier to pick up and then I'm done buying, which will be a grand feeling.  As is realizing that I intended for this post to be a tiny one, and then side-tracked into a Mis-Adventures in Bargain Shopping discussion.  Happens sometimes, but I'm not complaining.