planetf1.com

I hear ya! I have the GOTY edition but haven't yet started on the DLC's. Don't think I'll be able to wait for the GOTY edition of Borderlands 2 though! Couch co-op FTW!

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Räikkönen - Vettel - Rosberg - Bottas

It's a bit twitchy at first but you'll get used to it. I drove off the track trying to shift, hit DRS and hit KERS all at once on a curved straight. I didn't think I moved the stick much but there I was, flying into the grass. It's not SO twitchy, but it's more sensitive than F1 2011. I've only ever used controllers when playing racing games, and I think this game really was made for them.

Braking in 2012 is better since you have to make sure you don't let the RPM get too high on the downshifts. I'd say that whatever braking points you had in F1 2011, brake a little sooner each time and you'll be just about on it (unless me setup was crap ) in most corners. Also, being in the right gear has never been more important.

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Already is

Not many games are being made to be played 2 player's on screen at once or split screen being even rarer. Mainly down to the increased accessability of online gaming and partly cause the graphics are.so demanding, some games/machines can't handle split screen.

As for having a laugh with co-op, have you tried terminator salvation? I've been told its an awful game and probably would be single player, but we had such a laugh with it playing through in split screen co-op.

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There is no theory of evolution, just a list of animals that Chuck Norris allows to live.

I dunno, still a lot of games coming out with couch coop. Me and my buddy have done a fair few on the eggsbawks.

And I have Terminator Salvation. It's basically just a poor man's GoW (I think it came out before, but I played it well after) in my eyes. I doubt I'd go back to it again. Enjoyable enough game for £4 though.




Btw, anyone interested in Resident Evil 6 or cool marketting (Warning - This isn't really dodgy but perhaps it falls under NSFW)
http://pickyglutton.com/2012/09/28/huma ... -butchers/


Anyway, got a new PC (a desktop) with a nice processor, some RAM, a graphics card and a big(ish) monitor. Actually runs my games at a tolerable level (actually mostly I play Red Alert 2 which isn't taxing) but my laptop struggled with Dawn of War on medium settings. Now playing on highest settings on that game. Feels different. Having persistent bodies makes the end of a large battle feel kinda creepy actually.

And finally, I'm replaying Final Fantasy 9. Enjoyable game. Only went through it once. Plan on doing Ozma this time.

@mac_d - that butchers looks awesome! Loving the 'offal' although technically it abound be internal organs, but who cares! Next time I'm in London I know where I'm taking my veggie sister-in-law!

I'm really looking forward to resident evil 6. Just a shame it's VAT return time so I'll get started on it a couple of days late

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There is no theory of evolution, just a list of animals that Chuck Norris allows to live.

I've just upgraded my graphics card to a Radeon 5850 and have gone a bit crazy. Have Crysis running smoothly at 1080p, so have been looking around for horror games. Dead Space and Cryostasis have both come today and Metro 2033 is coming tomorrow. I've found you can't truly appreciate a game until you run it how the developers play it with everything ramped up to pretty.

just bought deus ex human revolution and red faction armageddon (both cost like 10 quid)

only played deus ex, and my god its hard

crouching around trying to get past enemies, who seem to be bloody everywhere!!!

still like it though, even though its super annoying! (i'm not the most stealthy type!)

You don't need to play stealthily, though in that game I'd suggest it was definitely the way to go. What abilities have you upgraded? Upgrading the stealth abilities over almost everything else is advisable. I wouldn't waste Praxiz on Typhoon or extra energy cells either. I played it on Hard and didn't find it too bad, but I did use a side-quest guide to make sure I got absolute maximum experience I could get. With that, and lots of points in stealth, the game becomes easy. I had a stealth cloak ability and silent running capability. With those, it's mostly sprint from A to B, hide and recharge battery then repeat. With some actual play chucked in quite frequently. I also played for the Pacifist and Foxiest of the Hounds achievements... no non-esential kills and no alarms set off anywhere in the game. Safe to say I did have to reload a fair bit. It is a truly wonderful game though. Excellent story and gameplay, one of the best games of this generation.

Red Faction is okay. I preferred what they did with Guerrilla to this, though it is fun to play and the destruction and reconstruction engine is, if nothing else, pretty damn pretty.

Anyone have lots of issues with Steam? I got Metro 2033 on Tuesday, and it still won't let me play because Steam fails the update it apparently desperately needs every time it boots up. Last night I managed to get it to install the game after 2 days of trying, but now it won't let me play the game because Steam is again crying out for an update. It's driving me insane.

I was playing some Dawn of War yesterday, and a few other games recently and they have all been fine. Generic advice but try re-installing? Only issue I've ever had with Steam involves the fact you need to be online to set the program to offline mode. Which is irritating the first time you have no internet connection and want to play some Defense Grid.

hey mac,

so far i've upgraded arm and leg strength (so i could move heavy objects for vaulting

i think i will go down the stealth root, although killing the guards seem to be ok (i'm playing normal difficulty at the moment) and head shots seem to dispose of guards.

Arm strength is also important. A lot of the wee hide-y holes you can sneak through areas in have heavy boxes in front.

I was partial to the Tranquillizer Rifle. Long range and stealthy. Plus, iirc more experience for incapacitation than a kill.

I played Deus Ex HR mostly combative. only sneaking when absolutly needed.

Couple of times I have to retrace my steps a lot looking for ammo and weapons but over all it was straightforward.

I don't think I ever fired a gun outside of one of the bosses, other than my Tranq Rifle. I did holster and unholster the pistol a lot, I really liked the animation for it...

I've been meaning to replay Deus Ex, both for fun and also to go on a killing rampage, but I have so many other games to play (my backlog is always huge) that I doubt I'll get round to it.

My only criticism of Deus Ex is that the pre-order bonus mission is badly placed. It comes right in the build up to the finale and totally killed the pacing of the story for me. I want to delete it, but you get a couple of nice items for having it, and iirc, the game doesn't like you deleting the DLC with a save that originally had them.

i try to sneak around but end up just going guns for glory

i kill one guard and lure the rest towards me and pick them off

sneaky in a way but class

Installing a whole load more games onto my new desktop.

Downloading Tiberian Sun (probably the best C&C game). Just downloaded Dawn of War II + Expansion packs. Installed Civ 4, Installed Red Alert 2 and Yuri's Revenge, Installed Age of Mythology, Epires 2 and Empires 3.

Also playing Harry Potter 7 Pt 1 on Xbox atm. It's slightly odd as it is basically Gears of War with a wand... It's basically a shooter. It's an okay game.

One of the most amazing videos I've seen in a while. This is the Ohio State marching band performing at halftime and its an entirely video game related theme.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAzzbrFgcUw

Nice! You rarely meet anyone here in the UK with any interest in marching/show bands, so not many people on here will appreciate the complexities of that.

For any other ex band geeks, really impressed to see some traditional high knees marking time in the middle of that, don't see it too much in American drum corps or college bands.

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There is no theory of evolution, just a list of animals that Chuck Norris allows to live.

I thought that was amazing.

We don't have a marching bad culture here, but I thought that was very cool. Doubley cool as I was always playing on Nintendo consoles when I was younger, and most of the gaming references and music seemed to be Nintendo.

Very enjoyable.

Shared that vid on my failbook profile for all my gamer friends.

Two words for you ps3 owners, I am jealous you are going to be getting this but could be one of the most exciting games of all time..


DUST 514...


Also pC gamers, please please check out EVE online, yes its a bitch of a game, and such, but hit me up in game at Milla Lekarariba, or shoot me a mail on here and I will send you to the right places to help get you started, they do have a free trial, well worth trying

EVE was a harsh game when I played it but after nearly 4 years of my life I decided CCP games had enough of my money. I had a whole stack of other games on my desk I'd been meaning to play.

Been looking at Dust 514. It looks like its got real potential.

Eve is something I've wanted to get into for a long time, but just feel it'd be too late to start. Plus, I often lose myself in games like that, and frankly I'd rather have the time doing something else.

Anyone else enjoying a bit of nostalgia with X-Com? Have to say I'm enjoying it quite a lot despite it seeming a bit smaller in scope than the original.

Dead Island (GotY) -

Well, I bought this as it sounded cool. It is a pretty fun concept with a beautiful hotel resort getting over-run with zombies. The gameplay is similar to most recent WRPGs especially Elderscrolls imo. But it's just poorly balanced. I picked the gun specialist (you pick from 4 character types) and in a 32 hour game, I think it took at least half of that before I got a gun, and probably to 20 hours before I reliably could have ammo for said guns too. That just irritated me. I get it from a power balancing point of view, you want the early game to be about using anything you can get your hands on and starting with a shotgun would take away from the survival feel. Story was okay except the cutscenes focused mostly on a character I didn't play as. Gameplay was okay-good. I'd give it a solid 7/10.

Yesterday I tried the new Test Drive Ferrari legends and it feels really funny to drive. I haven't unlocked many cars yet but I could try the old F1/87... and that's what I call uncontrolled power directed to your drive wheels!

I'll try to unlock f1 Ferraris from 1974, 79, 82, 90 and 64?. There's also the ancient Ferrari 125, nostalgia!

World of Tanks. it's free and it's like counterstrike for tanks. Work you way through various tech trees to use light tanks medium/heavy tanks or tank destroyers and artillery. It also has a freemium model so if you dont want to wait you can compete with bigger tanks for a few £$€ but TBH I would say the free model is pretty good.

I just started Bioshock 2.
It's annoying me and I'm bored already. It's a bit like a simple (underwater) Fallout 3, without the RPG element, crossed with Rage/Doom 3. All the enemies I have thus far encountered are of the zombie-attacking-you style, with no sense of self preservation. The combat mechanics are awkward and clunky to put it politely, and if I set the screen brightness to the recommended setting, I can see only things which glow.

So far it's dark room followed by dark room. Where nearly naked drug addicts keep hitting me on the back with a metal wrench, almost killing me. While I, in my huge mechanical armoured suit can attack them with a huge tunnel drill and splatter their blood on the camera, and they take ages to die.

I'm contemplating lowering the difficulty to speed up game play and see if it gets any better further into it and with weapon upgrades etc, but every time I play games on easy settings, I find that they aren't very good.

Did you play the first Bioshock game?

I've got Bioshock 2 but am yet to start it. I absolutely adored the first game though, I thought it was fantastic. The story was top notch and I enjoyed the gameplay (not sure how it compares to Bioshock 2 though).


As for Brightness, I always play witht he brightness a good few levels above what it should be or else I find, like you, it's a series of dark rooms. I can't remember what game it was, but it had couch co-op and I had the brightness at max and had to brighten my Tv just to see what was going on.

I haven't played the first Bioshock and I have heard that it is preferred. Bioshock 2 was 98p in the supermarket. Based upon my previous awareness of the game it didn't appeal to me, but positive reviews and the price make it a no-brainer to buy.

I don't play a lot of games, or often. I usually choose ones with excellent reviews and have only once bought one current generation game at the release price.
Maybe it's me being unfair or ignorant, but I think that the combat mechanics in, for example, Halo or Crysis 2 are excellent. I feel makers know they have a problem when they design in being able to pause the game play while you change weapons, or reset/refill your health. Using the a thumbclick on the look thumbstick as the zoom/precise aim button doesn't allow for precise control. And you can't use your powers while you're using precise aim. Dead bodies are subject to telekinesis, but live people are not. That un-armoured, unarmed (comparatively) opponents half my size can kill so quickly in the repetitive stand-up-and-duke-it-out fights. And so on.

I suppose that I'm really critical with games. The following examples ruined these games for me:
COD:<Any> A bullet to the head is often not a kill, while knifing someone is. Also that a knife attack is instant, quicker than changing weapons.
Mass Effect 2: Hiding behind cover is essential. So why does the player character so often stand up temporarily stunned and immobile when the cover (wall/crate/etc) gets hit by a rocket or any other explosion. Instant death follows most frequently. And some levels have several minutes of continuous combat between save points. This was the only thing which stopped me completing it on Insanity. (? or whatever the top level was.)

With regards to the brightness, I agree. Even Halo gets set towards the brighter end, but this was just silly.

I'm back on Mass Effect 2/3 again with intermittent F1 2012... am waiting for a new Ecksbox 360, then I'm getting Halo 1-4 and playing straight through the 4 of them, to relive the younger days of 1-3, and indulge in #4. Cannot wait! Then will probably get Mass Effect 1 for XBox while I'm at it, and blast through that series again, seeing as I've never played #1 before.

Other than those, the only game tickling my interest is Borderlands, I've heard good things...

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"You are the universe expressing itself as a Human for a little while..."

Given this is the internet, I've come back to preface this. I'm not criticising or suggesting you shouldn't play the games you mentioned. I just have some thoughts on them that I thought I'd put out there.

I've come to realise recently that I don't like Halo.

I bought CE Ann Edition for 360. And playing it just reminded me that Halo was basically run somewhere, grab item, run all the way back so they could pad the game. And Ann Edition I figured would include all the gameplay additions rather than being just a HD graphic overhaul (like Twin Snakes was to MGS). Was disappointing they were as lazy. I think I'd rather play CE than CE Ann. Edition. At least CE has the excuse of being old and get the nostalgia factor flowing.

Halo 2 just sucks. I was amazed to find out people liked it.

Halo 3 starts off really craply. The second half of the game is amazing, but the first half is tedious to play.

Halo: ODST - Great game, the best in terms of levels but the dev's seemed to try and torpedo their own game by means of the stupid boring ass over-world of the city.

Halo Reach - Just boring. I ran away rather than fight half the time. Some cool levels but mostly boring.

Halo Wars - Great, but over simplified to work on a console (RTS doesn't work on consoles - either its complex enough to be fun and a bugger to control or easy to control and not very deep). And it lacked a covenant campaign. Otherwise great.

It's funny, I always considered myself a fan until I actually thought about it. So I didn't get Halo 4. I also have issues with how much of a money grab games are becoming. I get releasing sequels is a good thing. I generally like sequels. Assassin's Creed 2 was much better than AC. Dead Space 2 better than Dead Space. Mass Effect 3 is my favourite ever game I think. But Halo was going to end with 3, then we got another 2 new FPS games and a remake of the first. Then the story isn't over and we have 4,5 and 6 coming. It's true for movies too now. I just remember when new games were made, rather than the same IP just being pumped out year after year.


Anyway, I've been playing Vanquish, Need for Speed: Shift and Dead Island. Vanquish is okay. Enjoyable but a little mis-balanced in some places imo. NFS:Shift is typical NFS but I find I can't apply power in a straight line. I always end up fish-tailing in the high power cars. Low-mid power cars behave fine. I think I already gave a mini-review of Dead Island, however I played the Arena mode with a mate the other day. I really enjoyed it. Made comical by the fact I use a lot fo guns so was "stealing all his kills" whenever I shot someone he was about to go hack to pieces.

Haha you just know I'm going to end up thinking about what you wrote when I get the games now, what have you done?!

But yeah I can see where you're coming from in terms of sequels/prequels/tie ins being released all the time, but at the same time if the franchise is good then I don't see why you wouldn't. As long as the quality (or perceived quality depending on what you like) remains good then it shouldn't be a problem. Though if it ever gets to Halo 18 I might get a bit annoyed.

Mass Effect 3 is one of the best games I've crossed paths with, if not the best. I can't get enough of it! Was also hooked on Need for Speed: Shift for absolutely ages, I was obsessed with the custom paint jobs and trying to improve my "clean driver" stats ha! Never played Dead Island or Vanquish though...

EDIT: To add to the Halo lark, I think my favourite part of it was the co-op campaign. Me and my brother spent hours and hours doing co-op just for the laughs and fun we had. We were a damn effective team until one of us accidentally shot the other, and then we were as dysfunctional as could be, the covenant didn't need to kill us, we'd do it ourselves.

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"You are the universe expressing itself as a Human for a little while..."

You say that, but even back in the day there were some games where sequels were pumped out... How many Repton games where there?

I know what you mean though. Apart from rare examples, games would probably only get 1 sequel and that was several years later. Not the churn-fest we have these days with yearly releases of FIFA, COD, Halo, etc...

In fact, I've specifically avoided series that have yearly releases. Last COD I had was MW. Not got one since. And I don't think I've had a FIFA this generation.

So how has Halo 4 been so far? i am thinking about getting it in the not so distant future.

I think whats surprising is the sheer number of generic military based team shooters that have been made since the dawn of computer game time. I played operation flashpoint online way back and the next one I brought was Modern Warfare 2. The graphics were better and the maps were different but really the only thing that was significantly different was the increased number of 12 year olds running around shouting "NOOOOOB FAGGOT!!"" every 3 seconds.

it's funny, cause it's true!!!!

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There is no theory of evolution, just a list of animals that Chuck Norris allows to live.

Fingers crossed that come Christmas day I'll be able to tell you... depends if Santa has listened to my requests for Ecksbox and Halo 4...

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"You are the universe expressing itself as a Human for a little while..."

I hope I don't detract from your normal enjoyment or anything.

Halo co-op is fantastic. If you haven't played it and still play co-op I'd recommend Army of Two (40th day - first one is pretty weak comparitively). The couch co-op in AoT:40th Day is great. Resi 5 is also a beauty to play couch coop. I think of all the coop games I've done on 360, Gears of War on Hardcore was my favourite. It was just hard enough to make us really struggle but still be able to get through before getting angry. Brilliant.




The proportion of sequels to new IPs seems to have shifted. I'm as guilty as anyone of encouraging the behaviour. I have all the Halos. I have Cod4, MW2, MW3 and Blops. I have F1 2010,2011 and 2012. I have Madden 08 and 09. I have all 3 gears of war games. I have all 3 Mass Effect games. I have both Dead Space games. I have Bioshock 1 and 2. Left 4 Dead 1 and 2. Assassin's Creed, AC2, Brotherhood and Revelations and will get Ac3 soon. Over various consoles I have Resi 0, Resi, REmake, Resi2, Resi3, Resi3 Gamecube, Resi: CVX, Resi 4 and Resi 5. Morrowind on Xbox, Morrowind on PC, Oblivion, Skyrim. And semi related to them is Fallout 3 and New Vegas. I have Harry Potter 5,6,7 pt 1 and 7 pt 2 on 360 too. I buy a lot of sequels. But, when I look at my Gamecube/Xbox collection or my N64 collection, there are a lot less sequels in the bunch. Perhaps my problem is compounded by the fact that if a game sells well, it is generally good (GENERALLY!!!) and therefore a sequel is a surefire way to make money. So while sequels are a large part of my gaming collection, they tend to be from large franchises that are generally pretty good.




So very true. I've been called shit so many times at CoD:MW2 despite the fact I often got a lot of kills, a great KDR and captured and held points without camping (I played Domination almost exclusively).