22nd December 2006, 8:40 PM
What did you do this year regarding games? Played, loved, hated, indifferent to; how was your year in gaming?
I'm still on the last generation, trying to finish it up by playing all the games I'm told I should have been playing all along. I don't remember the order I bought or played the following in, so I'll just break it down by system.
Gamecube:
An uneventful year for my Gamecube. I bought Zelda: Minish Cap for my Gameboy Player and have yet to finish it. I've put quite a few hours this past semester in to Mario Kart: Double Dash and I've gotten pretty good at it. My friends won't play against me anymore. I had intentions of getting Zelda Twilight Princess for my GC, but now I'm not so sure as I think I want a Wii now.
Playstation 2:
I finally finished Final Fantasy VIII. It took me two years of forcing myself to play, and in the end (quite literally about 5 hours before the end) I enjoyed the game. Not my favorite Final Fantasy, but a good one.
I bought Vagrant Story and Final Fantasy Tactics for the Playstation. I've given both some considerable play time and now I don't feel like playing them. I think they're too difficult, and I don't want to waste the little time I have for games on something that's going to frustrate me. I've heard they're both wonderful games though...pity.
I also purchased my first Dragon Quest game, DQ VIII. I had heard how wonderful this series is, and particularly how great this installment turned out to be. I've only put about 12 hours on it but I'm not impressed. The animation and music are absolutely superb, the story is quite good too, but the battle system is about as simple as they come and makes battles more of a chore than an engaging fight. I will finish this game.
Final Fantasy XII; The best Final Fantasy I've played. I've put about 42 hours on it and I'm about 2/3rds the way through (Phon Coast). It's almost unbelievable how high quality of a production it is. I'm eager to finish it.
Just two days ago I picked up Shadow of the Colossus. I'm a little disappointed in myself that I initially wrote this game off, saying it would be tedious and boring only fighting the colossi and finishing them off in the same way. I was so wrong. This easily goes on my top ten list of amazing games for this past generation.
I also picked up Crash Bandicoot Warped (3) for the Playstation. I found it in a bin at Gamestop and the clerk just let me have it. He said they don't sell them anymore, that it must have been overlooked. I played it for a few mintues the other day...I can't believe I used to think they were fun.
My roommate bought Dance Factory and a dance pad. This particular dance game lets you play any cd you want. I went through my entire collection of what I consider dance music. Quite a bit of fun but I got over it in about a two months' time.
Xbox:
Heh, my Xbox got a little more love than my Gamecube, but only because I had fallen so very far behind in Xbox games. Earlier this year I purchased Unreal Championship 2: Liandri Conflict; it's beautiful, fast, and addiciting; easily one of the most underrated games for the Xbox. Melee combat ftw.
I am currently borrowing Fable from a friend. The graphics are not all that. In fact, I think it's rather ugly. The gameplay is good, but not great. I'm thinking this game will take me quite a while to complete as I'm just not that interested. Then again, I've only spent about an hour with it thus far.
About two weeks ago I purchased Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge. I'm usually not a fan of shooters but it was only $4, so I gave it a shot. I'm sorry I passed it up for so long. I spent a good chunk of last Saturday playing the game, and I wish I had brought my Xbox with me to my parents' house for the holidays. A lot of fun. Really pretty, too.
I tried my hand at Panzer Dragoon Orta again. It's still one of the best looking games of last generation. I bought it years ago but got stuck at a boss. I'm hoping to finish it someday, but I'm not going to try too hard. (I'm thinking this game needs to be made for the Wii...it would kick some major arse). Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay is another I bought some time ago, and I would like to finish it. I kind of lost interest though about half way through it earlier this year. A really great game, but I'm not good at the sneaking around like I need to be.
Looking in to 2007:
I plan to finish most of the games I listed here. There are still other games of this last generation I need to play:
Xenosaga II, Xenosaga III, God of War, God of War 2 (assuming I like the first), Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Grabbed by the Ghoulies (not a typo), Fuzion Frenzy, Prince of Persia Warrior Within, Prince of Persia Two Thrones, Katamari Damacy, Jak X Combat Racing, Ratchet Deadlocked
I hope to complete a number of those by summer so I can start on my next gen gaming. The DS will likely be my next system (so many games, OMG). I'm committed to getting a 360 but not until I do it properly with a HDTV (which I'm hoping is right around the time Halo 3 releases).
I'm still on the last generation, trying to finish it up by playing all the games I'm told I should have been playing all along. I don't remember the order I bought or played the following in, so I'll just break it down by system.
Gamecube:
An uneventful year for my Gamecube. I bought Zelda: Minish Cap for my Gameboy Player and have yet to finish it. I've put quite a few hours this past semester in to Mario Kart: Double Dash and I've gotten pretty good at it. My friends won't play against me anymore. I had intentions of getting Zelda Twilight Princess for my GC, but now I'm not so sure as I think I want a Wii now.
Playstation 2:
I finally finished Final Fantasy VIII. It took me two years of forcing myself to play, and in the end (quite literally about 5 hours before the end) I enjoyed the game. Not my favorite Final Fantasy, but a good one.
I bought Vagrant Story and Final Fantasy Tactics for the Playstation. I've given both some considerable play time and now I don't feel like playing them. I think they're too difficult, and I don't want to waste the little time I have for games on something that's going to frustrate me. I've heard they're both wonderful games though...pity.
I also purchased my first Dragon Quest game, DQ VIII. I had heard how wonderful this series is, and particularly how great this installment turned out to be. I've only put about 12 hours on it but I'm not impressed. The animation and music are absolutely superb, the story is quite good too, but the battle system is about as simple as they come and makes battles more of a chore than an engaging fight. I will finish this game.
Final Fantasy XII; The best Final Fantasy I've played. I've put about 42 hours on it and I'm about 2/3rds the way through (Phon Coast). It's almost unbelievable how high quality of a production it is. I'm eager to finish it.
Just two days ago I picked up Shadow of the Colossus. I'm a little disappointed in myself that I initially wrote this game off, saying it would be tedious and boring only fighting the colossi and finishing them off in the same way. I was so wrong. This easily goes on my top ten list of amazing games for this past generation.
I also picked up Crash Bandicoot Warped (3) for the Playstation. I found it in a bin at Gamestop and the clerk just let me have it. He said they don't sell them anymore, that it must have been overlooked. I played it for a few mintues the other day...I can't believe I used to think they were fun.
My roommate bought Dance Factory and a dance pad. This particular dance game lets you play any cd you want. I went through my entire collection of what I consider dance music. Quite a bit of fun but I got over it in about a two months' time.
Xbox:
Heh, my Xbox got a little more love than my Gamecube, but only because I had fallen so very far behind in Xbox games. Earlier this year I purchased Unreal Championship 2: Liandri Conflict; it's beautiful, fast, and addiciting; easily one of the most underrated games for the Xbox. Melee combat ftw.
I am currently borrowing Fable from a friend. The graphics are not all that. In fact, I think it's rather ugly. The gameplay is good, but not great. I'm thinking this game will take me quite a while to complete as I'm just not that interested. Then again, I've only spent about an hour with it thus far.
About two weeks ago I purchased Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge. I'm usually not a fan of shooters but it was only $4, so I gave it a shot. I'm sorry I passed it up for so long. I spent a good chunk of last Saturday playing the game, and I wish I had brought my Xbox with me to my parents' house for the holidays. A lot of fun. Really pretty, too.
I tried my hand at Panzer Dragoon Orta again. It's still one of the best looking games of last generation. I bought it years ago but got stuck at a boss. I'm hoping to finish it someday, but I'm not going to try too hard. (I'm thinking this game needs to be made for the Wii...it would kick some major arse). Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay is another I bought some time ago, and I would like to finish it. I kind of lost interest though about half way through it earlier this year. A really great game, but I'm not good at the sneaking around like I need to be.
Looking in to 2007:
I plan to finish most of the games I listed here. There are still other games of this last generation I need to play:
Xenosaga II, Xenosaga III, God of War, God of War 2 (assuming I like the first), Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Grabbed by the Ghoulies (not a typo), Fuzion Frenzy, Prince of Persia Warrior Within, Prince of Persia Two Thrones, Katamari Damacy, Jak X Combat Racing, Ratchet Deadlocked
I hope to complete a number of those by summer so I can start on my next gen gaming. The DS will likely be my next system (so many games, OMG). I'm committed to getting a 360 but not until I do it properly with a HDTV (which I'm hoping is right around the time Halo 3 releases).
Jak 3 : Jet Set Radio Future : Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee : Final Fantasy XII : Shadow of the Colossus : more to come...
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