Not gonna make a pun...

Far Cry 2 is quickly getting on my nerves with the random encounters, mounted weapon aiming, and lack of any compelling narrative whatsoever since the opening scene... Which is sad because I had really high hopes for this one, and it feels like it's so close to being awesome.

Whoops...

Completely forgot to mention that Aban Hawkins & the 1000 Spikes and Wizorb on XBLIG are amazing, while Rochard was a pleasant surprise and Sideway: New York turned-out to be only pretty good on PSN.

Kinda started Far Cry 2 on PC last night, and it's strangely compelling... A gorgeous map and solid gunplay hampered by a ridiculous scenario and some mildly frustrating gameplay mechanics (saving progress, fighting the effects of malaria) even-out to be a very pretty game that keeps me coming back for more... More of what, I'm not sure yet. I doubt I'll finish this one, but I'm not ready to put it down just yet either.

Duke Nukem, Forever!

I finished the single-player campaign of Duke Nukem Forever, and it was killer! That was some proper, oldschool, circle-strafing FPS! It's definitely an outdated game in terms of design, and the tone and environments are barely cohesive, but it's a perfect iteration on Duke Nukem 3D: Solid graphics, tasteless "humour", visceral weapons, and awesome environmental interactivity (the ego system is genius!). The quick load times and extra weapon slots of the PC version make it the platform of choice, and the $10~$30 price tag is more than worth it. I was bothered by the numerous negative reviews I saw around the Internet though... How is this game a failure? It could use some more polish and it isn't an industry-changing revelation despite apparently common unrealistic expectations, but it's a complete and enjoyable product that hearkens back the era in which it it was born. Duke Nukem Forever a relic loaded with history and nostalgic value, and that's worth much more than a write-off by the gaming press.

So far, so good...

I'm about a third of the way through Duke Nukem Forever (Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is still on the backburner), and it's pretty good! I'm waiting to see why so many people hated this one so much... Sure, many aspects of the design are pretty dated, the graphics aren't as pretty as Crysis 2's, and the humour is particularly crude, but then that's kinda par for the course for a Duke Nukem game; they've never had the most ingenious design (gunplay, story, etc...), greatest graphics, or any sense of taste. What makes the series enjoyable is the campiness and interactivity, and Forever has both locked-down... So far.

Too Much

A complete copy of Snatcher for SEGA CD is going for $250!? Damnit! I knew I should've picked it up at $100 a few years ago...

Just finished the Protector Trials and Minerva's Den. The former was a bit of a chore, but the latter was fantastic; that's what DLC should be! Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood has been on hold in the meantime.

Picked-up Duke Nukem Forever for $10 on Steam, Child Of Eden and Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 (360), The Ico & Shadow Of The Colossus Collection (PS3), as well as Ghost In The Shell, Pandemonium 2, and Shipwreckers! for PSX. Traded-in my broken 360 Pro (w/HDD, headset, power adapter, Ethernet cable, and box), Ico and Shadow Of The Colossus (PS2), Super Street Fighter IV and NHL 10 (360), and a stack of XBOX games toward some of that.