Gaming Addict

I finished Hotel Dusk: Room 215 this weekend and really enjoyed it. It’s such a deep and enjoyable game and it’s so well written that you’re pulled right into the story. You feel like you actually become the protagonist, Kyle Hyde, and will actually come to love and hate many of the characters on a personal level. The game is very wordy which means that the dialog will make or break it. The conversations between characters feel so natural that you’d swear they were really happening. Each character has so many different layers to them that it’s interesting to uncover what each person has to hide. I also love the art style in the game. The characters are presented entirely as pencil drawn black and white animations.

The best way I can describe Hotel Dusk would be that it is the mystery video game equivalent to the movie Crash. Every character in the hotel is in some way connected to the main storyline that is hidden within the hotel’s walls. The game encourages you to explore every nook and cranny so don’t overlook that trash can in the corner, or that file cabinet because there could be big clue hidden within, on top of, or under anything.

If you enjoyed Phoenix Wright then there’s no doubt you’ll love this game as well. The story was so great that I had a hard time putting it down at times and was just sucked into it. The best example to show this? At the end of the game as I was saying my goodbyes and checking out of the hotel I was having a hard time doing it because I didn’t want to believe it was really over. There are multiple endings in the game depending on the choices you make. I won’t give anything away but there are still a few questions left unanswered at the end which leaves hope for a sequel. So get out there and pick up.

One day away from there being an entire month without a blog post. At least it wasn’t an entire month.

Let’s see. Where to begin? I guess I’ll start with a quick recap of what’s been going on with me. No new Wii games to speak of if unless you include VC purchases where I got the previously Japan only Sin & Punishment and Super Metroid. Both great games and I highly recommend you pick them up. The new football season has put the sport back in my blood and I picked up Madden 07 for the first time in a while and got back into my Superstar game. I don’t plan on getting Madden 08 since I got 07 kind of late. When 09 comes around though, I’m there.

No major Wii releases to speak of but and I’m holding out for Galaxy, Guitar Hero, and Brawl. And there’s still a few more games I really want but probably won’t have the money to get. Of course there was a big 360 release to speak of. I think it was called Halo or something like that. Had a lot of fun playing it online with friends and I really want a 360 now. Problem is I don’t have the money. Let’s hope I can get it as a birthday present, otherwise I won’t have one till maybe this time next year.

There was a lot of Nintendo news recently. I don’t feel like touching on all of it but of course the big thing was Smash Bros getting pushed back to Febuary. Oh well. It makes it that much easier for me (and my wallet) to get Mario and Guitar Hero. I was also happy to see new screenshots from Disaster: Day of Crisis. I was really worried for a while that it was gonna go the route of Project H.A.M.M.E.R. and get canned. I’ll be really pissed off if Nintendo were to cut this game off. It’s their first original hardcore game in a while.

I started playing Phantom Hourglass and from what I’ve played so far I’m impressed…. and am not at the same time. The controls really work well and the game is fun to play, but from what I’ve played so far it’s ridiculously easy. More than likely for the pussies (aka casuals). Listen to me Nintendo. If you keep on dumbing down your hardcore games for the casual audience you’re going to have a lot of pissed off Wii and DS owners on your hands. The casual people already have (too many of) the easy games between Cooking Mama and WiiFit. Don’t ruin the one thing us hardcore gamers have left.

I mentioned last time how I wasn’t impressed with Corruption’s difficulty and that still stands. If that and Phantom Hourglass are a sign of things to come, that means that Super Mario Galaxy and Super Smash Bros. won’t be anything like we’re expecting. If those two games are toned down I’m jumping right over the 360 with Gears, Halo, Dead Rising, Resident Evil 5, among many more.

I guess some of you are wondering why I never mention much about the PS3 and seem focused on Wii and 360 talk. Well it’s realy just because nothing the PS3 has now, or will have later on interests me. To make things quick, I’m not an RPG fan so you can keep Final Fantasy. Alone in the Dark 5: also on Wii and 360. Assassin’s Creed: 360. Call of Duty 4: 360. Devil May Cry 4: 360. Fallout 3 & F.E.A.R.: 360 again. Resident Evil 5: 360.

Resistance, and Haze are the only games I’m really considering right now. I’m iffy on Grand Turismo since I’ve never been a huge racing fan and havn’t been a fan of Metal Gear. As it stands for me, the 360 is just a cheaper alternative to the PS3 that plays all the games I want. And $5 says that eventually Haze is ported over.

And just to break up the monotomy of video game talk, I recently had the opportunity to officiate in the Western Canadian Masters/Classics soccer tournament. It was a great experience and I was really honored to have been selected to officiate in a tournament on the national level. This has only been my first year as an Assisstant Referee which made the news that much more surprising. Hopefully bigger and better things await in the future.

I guess I won’t waste anymore of your time. You probably have better things to do anyways. If you don’t, I pity you. Like I said last time I’ll try and update more often… hopefullly.