akhera's GameLogBlogging the experience of gameplayhttps://www.gamelog.cl/gamers/GamerPage.php?idgamer=1613Burnout Paradise (PS3) - Mon, 10 Dec 2012 02:26:41https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5392 For this week's gamelog, I decided to play Burnout Paradise, which as an addicting racing game developed for several platforms.The game brandishes sandbox style game play taking place in the fictional Paradise City. This style of game play lets the user play in a “sandbox” about the size of New York City engaging in races with the AI opponent or online players. The game world features realistic looking buildings that you would come to expect from the Burnout series. Weather conditions are absent; however, with an update download, night races are available. The game world can best be described as a valley and an ocean that sandwiches the city in the middle. Roads take the player through different scenery ranging from mountains, busy highways, straight aways, tunnels, and off-roads. Street level design is very detailed with realism extending towards showing off billboards of the 2008 presidential race of then Sen. Obama; displayed only on the Xbox version of the game.The game has racing modes designed to challenge the player in various ways. Hitting brake and accelerate at the same time will put the player in one of the following racing modes: Point-to-point – These are races against the AI. You must finish in first place to win. Takedown- In this mode, you attempt to crash your opponent a set number of times before the time expires. Stunt runs- In this mode you perform drifts, jump using ramps, and other wreck less acts to gain the maximum amount of point before the time expires. Duals- With duals, you race against another opponent in a one on one match. If you win, you get your opponents car. Nothing happens if you lose however. Survival- In survival mode, everyone is after you. You must make it to the checkpoint without being totaled. (This entry has been edited2 times. It was last edited on Mon, 10 Dec 2012 02:31:35.)Mon, 10 Dec 2012 02:26:41 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5392&iddiary=9754God of War 2 (PS2) - Mon, 10 Dec 2012 01:49:29https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5411This week I decided to play God of War 2, which is one of the best action adventure games on the Playstation 2.The only interaction pattern in God Of War 2 is single player vs. the game, but the player has the option of replaying the game with more difficult enemies. The game follows the story of Kratos (The God of War) who is seeking revenge against Zeus, after Zeus slays Kratos and betrays him early on the game. The objective of the game is to travel through the Underworld to come back to life and slay Zeus. The game features a series of boss battles against several of Kratos' old foes as Kratos makes his way back to Olympus in search of Zeus. There are also several logic puzzles incorporated into the game which are used as transitions between boss or monster fights. The resources that the player has to manage in God of War is Kratos' health and magic. Magic is a special resource which allows Kratos to perform powerful attacks. Both of these resources can be replenished periodically if the player finds a magic or health treasure chest.Mon, 10 Dec 2012 01:49:29 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5411&iddiary=9753Halo 2 (XBX) - Wed, 05 Dec 2012 01:17:22https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5390Halo 2 is a first-person shooter game developed by Bungie Studios. The game was released for the Xbox video game console on November 9, 2004 and it is second series of Halo franchise. Just like the previous Halo, the player assumes the roles of the Master Chief. However, new feature is added to Halo 2, where the player assumes the roles of the alien Arbiter. There are two modes in Halo 2. First mode is campaign and there are four levels of difficulty: Easy, Normal, Heroic, and Legendary. It offers both single-player and cooperative multiplayer participation. Basically, the player has to complete storyline by completing a series of levels. These levels alternate between Master Chief and the Arbiter (a Covenant Elite). After completing each level, there is short scene that connects each level. Furthermore, there is hidden content within the game. The hidden content that I found out was really strong weapon that is located on the top of building. This weapon is known as Scarab Gun. It is a reward given to a player who took time to steal enemy’s Banshee and fly this through a tunnel without getting it destroyed. The second mode that Halo 2 offers is multiplayer. Like previous Halo: Combat Evolved, multiplayer mode allows players to compete with each other in split-screen and system link modes. Several new maps were introduced and some old maps were still offered in this mode. Players could utilize new vehicle in some maps which is Banshee. Although there was Banshee in Halo: Combat Evolved, players could not operate or ride on Banshee. Also, there were several new weapons that players could use. Furthermore, there was glitch in one map where a player does specific thing then his or her character will hyper jump and land on top of the building. I used this glitch to get to the top and sniped others with sniper rifle. (This entry has been edited1 time. It was last edited on Mon, 10 Dec 2012 03:22:40.)Wed, 05 Dec 2012 01:17:22 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5390&iddiary=9704James Bond Goldeneye 007 (N64) - Wed, 05 Dec 2012 01:17:11https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5389In Golden Eye 007, you are Bond, James Bond and your mission is to recover the key to a devastating Soviet orbital weapon, GoldenEye. The core mechanic of Golden Eye is shooting. The primary interaction patterns are single player vs. game and multilateral competition. In the single player mode, your objective is to save the world by destroying the Soviet forces. However, in multi player mode your objective is defeat the opposing players. The resources that each player has to manage in each match is health and ammunition. There are a variety of different weapons such as the Golden gun, proximity mines, and the magnum,which are placed at random locations in each map. Therefore, map control is especially important in order to secure a strategical advantage. However, the weapons are balanced and the maps are designed extremely well. So if a player does not get to his or her preferred weapons it is not the end of the world because every weapon can hold its own in combat. Also the levels are designed so that players can find a way to take control of a portion of the map from the opposition because of the prevalence of several flank routes in each map. (This entry has been edited1 time. It was last edited on Mon, 10 Dec 2012 03:15:32.)Wed, 05 Dec 2012 01:17:11 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5389&iddiary=9703Super Mario Sunshine (GC) - Wed, 05 Dec 2012 01:16:42https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5217Super Mario Sunshine is a 3D adventure game featuring Nintendo’s most successful character Mario, which was released for the Nintendo GameCube system back in 2002. The setting of the game is on the tropical Isle Delfino, where Mario, Toad, and Princess Peach are taking a vacation. A villain resembling Mario, known as Shadow Mario, vandalizes the entire island with graffiti, and Mario gets blamed for the mess. After a rigged trial, Mario is ordered to clean up Isle Delfino, while saving Princess Peach from Shadow Mario. Mario utilizes a device called the F.L.U.D.D (Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device), which is essentially a water hose, to clean up the graffiti from the island and destroy his enemies. He also collects Shine Sprites throughout the game, which are used to restore power to the city. The narrative descriptors of Super Mario Sunshine and most Mario games in general, give the series a heroic and chivalrous feel. Mario is summoned to rescue a princess or perform a heroic deed and the player feels obligated to help him accomplish this task. The mood is lively, cheerful, and relaxing and even though a variety of enemies are thrown Mario’s way, the player knows exactly how the game will end. (This entry has been edited1 time. It was last edited on Mon, 10 Dec 2012 03:17:01.)Wed, 05 Dec 2012 01:16:42 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5217&iddiary=9702Super Smash Brothers (N64) - Wed, 05 Dec 2012 01:16:34https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5388Super Smash Brothers is an intense and action packed multiplayer fighting game developed for the Nintendo 64. The primary objective of the game is defeat the opposing players. Each player chooses a specific Nintendo or Pokemon character such as Pikachu, Captain Falcon, or Mario at the beginning of the match. Each character has its strategic advantages and disadvantages and special abilities, however, they are pretty well balanced. For example, Donkey Kong's attacks deal lots of damage, but his maneuverability and speed is poor and Pikachu has very powerful ranged attacks, but his melee moves are relatively weak. Every match turns out to be extremely intense and difficult because each player is simultaneously battling up to three different opponents at a time. Additionally, to make matters more complicated there are power-ups that periodically appear which, if obtained, can give a player a significant advantage. Power-ups range from health to companions which help you for a short time or the super hammer. Therefore the player has the difficult task of juggling his enemies and being in positions to obtain the power ups. (This entry has been edited1 time. It was last edited on Mon, 10 Dec 2012 02:23:42.)Wed, 05 Dec 2012 01:16:34 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5388&iddiary=9701Galaga (Arcade) - Wed, 05 Dec 2012 01:16:20https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5387Pacman is a simple maze escape game in which player controls the Pac Man character through a maze and helps him eat pellets. The goal of the game is to eat all of the pellets in that stage and advance to the next level. There are 255 levels in the game, each of which, get progressively more difficult as the game progresses. There are four enemies nicknamed Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde who roam the maze trying to catch Pac Man. If an enemy touches Pac-Man, Pacman loses a life. When all lives have been lost, the game ends. Pacman must evade the enemies unless he picks up one of the four power pellets in the maps which allow Pac- Man to eat his enemies. My experience playing Pac Man was awesome primarily because Pac Man was the first video game I ever played. I remember being in awe when I went to arcade, put in a quarter, and started playing Pac Man. As a little kid, I used to always question everything I was unsure of. However, even though I had no idea what a yellow ball like thing was doing running away from ghosts and eating pellets, I felt an unparalleled attachment to the game and Pac Man and loved everything about it. It was very simple, yet extremely fun and addicting and I spent several hours at the arcade each weekend playing it. Overall, Pac Man has had an enormous impact on the gaming industry. Many consider Pacman to be one of the most influential games of all time for many reasons. First of all, the game’s main character Pac Man was the gaming industry’s first mascot or iconic figure. Although there was not real story behind Pac Man, he truly revealed the potential of a gaming character. The creation of Pac Man inevitably lead to the invention of several of the biggest characters in the gaming industry such as Mario, Sonic, and Zelda. Additionally, Pac-Man was the first maze chase game created and it lead to a whole genre of maze games to follow. Furthermore, it was the first game to future cut scenes which brought forth the narrative and artistic aspects to gaming and lead to the development of story driven games such as Final Fantasy, God of War, and Metal Gear Solid. Lastly, Pac Man was the first game to feature power-ups which have become an important part of many popular RPG, Fighting, and Adventure games. (This entry has been edited4 times. It was last edited on Mon, 10 Dec 2012 03:40:37.)Wed, 05 Dec 2012 01:16:20 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5387&iddiary=9700Angry Birds (Other) - Wed, 05 Dec 2012 01:15:40https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5391Angry Birds is a physics-based puzzle game, in which players use a slingshot to launch birds at pigs stationed on various structures, with the intent of destroying all the pigs on the playing field. Each round the player is given 4 birds to shoot from the slingshot, these serve as lives. As players advance through the game, new types of birds become available with special features. These birds include the original red bird, a faster yellow bird, a small blue bird which splits into three birds, the bomb bird that explodes, and lastly the eagle. The eagle automatically defeats the level and destroys the pigs, but it can only be used once every few levels. In addition to the birds, the pigs themselves also appear in different sizes. While small pigs are relatively weak and are easily destroyed either by direct hits or by debris from the damaged structures, larger pigs are able to sustain more damage. In addition, some pigs wear helmets with armor, making them even more resistant to damage. Pigs with crowns or mustaches can take the most damage. If all of the pigs are defeated by the time the last bird is used, the level is completed and the next level is unlocked. Points are scored for each pig killed as well as damage to structures, and bonus points are awarded for any unused birds. When you complete each level, players receive one, two, or three stars, depending on the score you received. (This entry has been edited3 times. It was last edited on Mon, 10 Dec 2012 03:36:39.)Wed, 05 Dec 2012 01:15:40 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5391&iddiary=9699Tetris (PC) - Sun, 02 Dec 2012 16:15:37https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5385This week I decided to play Tetris, which some regard as one of the greatest puzzle games of all time. The game's core mechanic is simple- the player to rotate and align a series of puzzle pieces to create horizontal lines. After a player creates a horizontal line, it breaks. This gives the player more space and more time to continue to form horizontal lines. However, if the player misaligns the puzzle pieces then they quickly begin to stack. This leaves the player with less space and forces the player to react quicker to form the horizontal lines. The primary resource in Tetris is time. As the levels progress, the puzzle pieces begin to cycle through faster effectively giving the player less time to react.The primary interaction patterns in Tetris are single player and player vs. player. In single player, the player's objective is to get the highest score possible, a reward of glory. In player vs. player, the player's object is to outscore the opposing player. Tetris is a pure mechanic game because it lacks a narrative background or description. (This entry has been edited1 time. It was last edited on Mon, 10 Dec 2012 03:18:51.)Sun, 02 Dec 2012 16:15:37 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5385&iddiary=9690NBA 2K12 (PS3) - Mon, 15 Oct 2012 20:49:12https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=52552K’s on-court play has been superb for a few years, but has now become even better. In order to win, even on the default settings, you simply have to play smart basketball. Doing so isn’t easy, either. Not only do you really need to understand your team’s strengths and weaknesses – who you can go to for a clutch outside jumper, who can defend a hot perimeter shooter – but you also have to consistently call for picks, dish to a cutter, and kick out to the open man. Every possession is a chess match on both sides of the court, and getting reckless or lazy is a sure way to an 8-0 run in the wrong direction. The setup is only half the battle. Execution is key, and there are more options for the ballhandlers and defenders than we can ever comprehend at our disposal. Whether you’re shooting fadeaways, spinning reverse layups, or dribble pull-ups, the timing of your shot is hyper-critical; missing open jumpers or layups is common as you learn the individual tendencies and release points of players. Free throws are even more varied; we were amazed at how different it is to shoot at the line with Bird, Chamberlain, or Malone.Mon, 15 Oct 2012 20:49:12 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=5255&iddiary=9534