I’m in the BEST 1% of PLAYERS in Killzone2

I’m part of the BEST 1% of Killzone2 players

Finest of ’90s #1 Thief: The Dark Project 13th Anniversary Retrospective

Hey, Joey here and yeah, I’m late with the review, since the Anniversary was on November, 30. But here it is, my very first video game review for my new series: Finest of ’90s Games (My alltime favourites, games of my childhood, etc…) with a proud amount of 3 minutes in lenght. Not sure what game I gonna do next time.

Additions:

• I didn’t mentioned the Map, Loot and Buy system between each level but included scenes of it. Strange…
• Should have mentioned the limited fighting capabilities of the player as the reason for him to encourage in hiding & sneaking.
• I shouldn’t had presented the “Blackjack” before I mentioned it in the speech, cuz it destroyed the surprise.
• Removed System Shock 2 from the history list, simply because it’s the creation of Ken Levine and Irrational Games while LGS just lent their Dark-Engine and other small help to finalize the product.
• Didn’t add credits and sources at the end of the video. Here they are: Ultima Underworld, System Shock, Terra Nova: SFC, Thief: DTP gameplay by myself. Cover art by their respected owners. Thief: TDP Credits Theme found on http://www.thief-thecircle.com.

First thoughts on the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (US release)

I ordered the MGS HD collection for my PS3 from the US. I already played 8 hours of MGS3 and realized that euro country facecamos are missing as well as the Snake VS. Monkey mode in which the player needs to catch monkeys in a set amount of time.

The camos reached from French to German country flags and I found them a little bit useless cuz they never were as effective as the ordinary camos. Somehow I am glad that I don’t have to complete all Snake VS. Monkey stages since they were are good pain in the arse.

But I disliked the fact to catch all these frogs during the MGS3 main game. Some of them are easy to miss. Especially the frogs during driving sequences. I may not need to complete all S vs. M stages for a trophy, but of course for shooting all frogs. I wish it would be the other way around, but it’s fine. I see it as a challenge to shoot all frogs this time, since I always avoided to do it on the PS2 release.

I’m a little bit disappointed about the fact that there aren’t trophies for completing the two MSX games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. That way gamers would be forced to experience and maybe going to like the two classic games, which are part of the Metal Gear IP.

My Game Purchases December 2011 #1

Hello Readers, Joey here, and today I wish to take a look at the two new additions to my shelf for video games. Last time I picked The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion GOTY (PC), Drakensang (PC) and Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition (PS3).

There are two major purchases this time. The first purchase got done by my wife, who played the StarWars: The Old Republic Beta. She made a call and asked me if I wish to have her make a preorder for me. I didn’t played the Beta but I agreed cuz I liked what I saw as she played it. And if I am not going to like SWTOR after I playedthe early access, then I just can abort my preorder. More about SWTOR in my gaming activity article next month.

The second major game purchase actually is my first import purchase since years. I am a fan of the Metal Gear Solid series, released for PS2 and I sadly never owned a PSP and couldn’t enjoy MGS:Peace Walker either. The collection will be released in Europe during February. I couldn’t wait. What would be better than just purchasing the MGS HD Collection from an online shop that resides in the US and A? Nothing. I ordered the game on November, 23 and it took over 7 days until it hit my post case. But today it arrived. I unpacked it already and it smells so freaking good! I mean, the manual does. HA HA! Some of the trophies in the collection sound crazy at first. Foremost the one to shoot all green frogs or to sneak behind boss The End in MGS3. But I am up to the challenge. The trophies are made for hardcore MGS fans. They’re made for me! *psychotic laughter* Not sure which game I gonna play first, but I guess MGS:Peace Walker, the game I never played, seems to be the best choise. More about my freaking awesome time playing the games of the collection in my next gaming activity article.

Gaming Activities November 2011

Gaming Activities? Where did I left off last time? Ah, yeah. Welcome to my monthly gaming activity summary. I’m Joey and I gonna tell you what great video games I’ve played last month.

Let’s talk about the Tomb Raider HD collection first.

Some trophs were challenging, while other weren’t. I still have to go for some specific trophs, but I have all the time I wish to take to unlock these. Tomb Raider Anniversary belongs to the best TR games that got developed by Crystal Dynamics and SquareEnix. It maybe even is the best Tomb Raider game too. The levels are great expressions from the retro looking ones of the very first Tomb Raider from ’95. It’s amazing how much details you encounter while you play it. The original levels got remade pretty well. Everything is there: The legendary T-Rex and Raptor fight, the amazing puzzle rooms in the greek levels, the outstanding and atmospheric egyptian dungeons and of course the mysterious Atlantis levels. TR: Legend and TR: Underworld are OK, but the first one is too short, the second one is too glitchy if you take a close eye on Lara’s animations. Never played a TR game before? Ever played Uncharted? Then I suggest you to give the TR HD collection a go!

Let’s talk about the game purchase: Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition.

The savegames of my UK Resident Evil 5 work well with the EU Gold Edition and so I didn’t needed to play through the entire game again.

The Versus Mode just kicks arse if you make it to join a game. But to finish a Versus game seems pretty complicated. Simply because most hosts end the game session if they’re about to lose it, which throws you out of the session and kills your score and chance to win. This especially sucks if you made the needed score for your trophy, but then get kicked out before the game ends. Stupid Bastards on the other end of the line. But I am still playing until that trophies drop!

The main reason for me to get the Gold Edition still was the fact that I could play the Two DLC’s. Lost in Nightmares is just amazing once you unlocked the original Resident Evil Camera Mode that allows you to move your character like in the original RE from ’95 through different preset camera angels. It felt so freaking retro that I couldn’t resist to play through it multiple times at once.

Let’s talk about The Elder Scrolls.

Like I said, I don’t have Skyrim. But I have Daggerfall, Morrowind and Oblivion. I played much Morrowind this month, but I got as always lost in side-quests and exploring the game world instead of taking on the main quests. What can I say? Every The Elder Scrolls game is a masterpiece of western RPGs. You either like it or not. For my part? I like it!

Let’s come to an end. What to expect in my gaming activity summary for the month december? I guess that I write up my expressions of the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection and maybe some impressions of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Until then…

Let’s Play!

My Game Purchases November 2011 #1

The Supermarket can be a good place to find video games every month. I’m always broke, but not lately as I now got a job again with extra money to spend. And what am I gonna do when I got some more money to spend? Right, I go to the Supermarket and see what they have to offer. Normally the offer on games is pretty low there. Actually I indented to get the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection because I found the Tomb Raider Trilogy HD Collection in the S-mart lately. Too bad, today the MGS HD Collection wasn’t there, but it will soon I assume. Anyways, a gamefreak how I am needs to buy games from time to time to increase his level of satisfaction.

11/11/11 , Dragonborn, The Elder Scrolls 5 got released. I’m broke. What to do? Playing TES3:Morrowind of course! I just own the ordinary TES4:Oblivion Release and I thought, why not getting my hands on the TES4:GOTY now after I dug the TES3:GOTY out of my shelf?

11/15/11, at the Supermarket to get the TES4:GOTY. Pure luck, they got one box left and it only costs 10 EUR at the Software Pyramid. Let’s grab it. The Software Pyramid is a great invention, as it features top games for a low price. I like the small BigBox that includes the TES4 DVD. It somehow reminds me on the BigBoxe’s from the 90s. Almost every new PC game got released in such a box if you remember. Too bad that these boxes don’t include a well smelly manual or additional stuff like maps or reference cards anymore. But it still looks amazing. The TES4 box imitates a leather book and of course the DLC Shivering Islands, Knights of the Nine together with the armored horse Xbox360 payed one dollar for as digital download. HA! Honestly, am no collector, but I somehow understand the thrill that collectors feel when they grab a ancient bigbox at flea markets. Feels like a nerdgasm.

As I surrounded the Pyramid, another game jumped into my eyes. A only yet in germany released (a US release was planned but I don’t know if it got done already) new video game for the Das Schwarze Auge cardgame, lovely named Drakensang. Not just the main game, it’s the Gold Edition that too includes the only available AddOn (you read right, a add-on! No DLC bullshit), special items and most remarkable: a printed and well smelly manual! Another 10 EUR in the bag. It’s a nice addition to my original first released Drakensang that my wife purchased as it came out. She still got a sweet leather map but lacks the AddOn and bonus content I got now.

Last but not least, I picked the for one year not at the Supermarket available Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition for PS3 for around 20 EUR. I dunno, as I’ve heard it will be released almost a year ago, I wished to pick it right at release. But I was broke like always and so I didn’t purchased it earlier. PlayStation Move support? Allright, I don’t care for move controls as a couch potato and and I’ll scrap that from the list of preferences here. What counts to me are the two DLCs and the Versus Mode for online play. Okay, I purchased a UK release as the original Resident Evil 5 came out and now I own a EU release. I’m not sure if my old savegames work there and if not, then I’m looking forward to play through it again. Even if I have to unlock all trophies again, it does indeed allow me to unlock the to me locked Online Trophies for Versus Mode and the trophies requiring the DLCs.

That’s it for today and for my first Game Purchases post. I’ll hope you find yourself as parts in my description and leave me a comment or two. Until next time.

Let’s Play!

latest gaming activities ;october 2011

“More and more I find myself being warped back to a time in which I came home from school and played video games.”

Another month of gaming and passed new game releases is over and all I did was to play some old games for myself. The most anticipated release for october is definitely Batman: Arkham City. I remember the release of its predecessor Arkham Asylum and the hype given to it by gamers I know all around youtube, gameanyone or twitter. People just loved the game and praised it to heaven, while I just played the demo on my PS3 and left it with many question marks over my head. The little tiny demo didn’t showed me the greatness of Arkham Asylum and I still wondered why so many people couldn’t stop playing it. As you know, I’m always broke and purchasing new games is one of my secondary priorities. I didn’t play Arkham Asylum until last month, when the release of Arkham City made me get the first Batman game in GOTY-Edition for 20 EUR. Guess what? I played through it during one single weekend and finished it, together with all Riddler Challenges solved in less than 20 hours. It was an immersive experience! A hyped and amazing experience that made me understand why it deserved all the hyped reviews of gamers like me.

But Batman: Arkham Asylum is the only old new game release I played. With my new job and the Thief Let’s Play being done and ready to upload in my back, I focused on playing games that collected dust in my gamer shelf. More and more I find myself being warped back to a time in which I came home from school and played videos games for myself. Without being connected to the online world, to social gamer networks or without headset and online play. I mentioned that The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings got to be my game of the month. I played it everyday after I came back from work for several hours since I left it untouched three months ago, ended by a rage quit. It was worth my time, since it’s one of the less good role-playing games out there below the highly overrated Dragon Age or Mass Effect.

The Witcher 2 is simplified and more mass appealing like its predecessor. Once you get your hands on the controls, you realize they were developed to fit perfectly on a console, without being simplified to the extreme. It still features a deep and perfect combat system, one fantastic mature plotline, mixed up with the game worlds politics, sex and strong language. Especially characters like mercenary Vernon Rouche or the traitorous sorceress Phillipa Eilhart stand out from the other crowd around the Witcher Gerald from Rivia. A big plus is the matter of choise during the game. The player can decide if he wishes to help Vernon Rouche or the Elven Rebellion Leader Ioweth and finds himself again in two completely different plotlines, completely different areas, different quests and different outcome of the game.

Some people would say that playing the prequel to a sequel is just stupid, but not to me. As I finished both of The Witcher 2′s plotlines, I decided to finally finish the first game of the series. That even allowed me to compare both games better. I’m still not through with part 1, but all I can tell is that both games are a must play for every role-playing game fan out there without excuse.

The promissed reviews for Dead Space 2 and The Witcher 2 are cancelled, because I think that posting a summary of my gaming activities is enough to share thoughts of my gaming life. And with that line in mind, let me tease you with some short info about my next month’s gaming activity summary: My new job allows me to buy at least one game or game collection per month, simply because of more money that I have at my disposal. During a little visit in the multimedia corner of the nearby s-mart, I dug out a sweet HD collection for the latest three Tomb Raider games developed by SquareEnix CrystalDynamics. And guess what? I gonna play through all three over the month november and declare them to be my game(s) of the just started month of november 2011. Read my thoughts next month. Until then…

Let’s Play!

A3D’s Diablo Let’s Play

Hey everyone, this is my now complete 30 part long Let’s Play for the original Diablo without the Hellfire AddOn played as Rogue. I don’t like the neat additions of Hellfire like the oils, runes for weapons and different difficulties. I mean, I didn’t had these additions as Diablo got released between the mid and late 90s. My friends and I played it that way. All I ever wanted is to deliver memories of the great games I played back then, and what would be better than playing a game like you used to in the past? I guess nothing!

Preview Episode:

Watch Full Playlist

latest gaming activities ;september 2011

One of the bad things as a dedicated gamer, especially if you’re broke, is that you just can’t buy every new game release. Already spend my money for Deus Ex 3 one month ago, which I bought instead of Warhammer: Space Marine. Several months earlier I had this dilemma with Alice: Madness Returns and The Witcher 2, that concluded into me buying The Witcher 2. And now this madness returns as I need to wait again until I got a little bit more overflow of money again in my pockets for the next big purchase. Now I have once again two more games left behind that I wished to buy straight at release date. And the horror continues in the next months, which will make my life literally hell on earth again. With RAGE, Uncharted3 and The Elder Scrolls 5 get three new top titles in my book of “worthy games” released I just can’t buy yet. I’m just glad that I am not one of these gamers that need to buy every little mini or indy game released multiple times a month on steam or other networks or else I would be more broken than broke on money. Even though I purchased many games at GOGcom.

Anyways, it’s great to be a ’90s game enthusiast, simply because I have the chance to play a lot of good old video games from my childhood. To open my wall cabined that holds all my games and to browse through the almost endless old CD-cases is just amazing! Most of the games did I played already, some never or just for a short period. Others I began but never finished in my life. Especially the last kind of games in my cabined are my beloved ones, since several years later I have the chance to play these again and this time through to the end. This even applies to all the next generation games I bought and put into the cabinet. In some years I gonna start playing them and enjoying them more as I would today. I’m no fan of playing multiple hours of always the same boring online shooters like Call of Duty or Battlefield, neither of playing online co-op with people I met on youtube or twitter. I love to be nostalgic and to give old games a chance. Games I can play alone and games that can deliver a immerse storyline and gaming experience.

Well, what exactly did I play in the last months and weeks? I got finished and loved Deus Ex 3 and Dead Space 2 and if you seen my articles, my raptr tweets or some special uploads on my youtube channel, then you know that I was pretty addicted to the Thief series by Looking Glass Studios. I played the first game, one of the many I never finished in my life and loved it. I played the second game, the only one I finished years ago and then the third one. I got so hyped that I straight decided to capture a let’s play of Thief The Dark Projects, which will be uploaded as soon as my Diablo LP series is complete. Maybe I even decide to allow my youtube followers to pick the next LP with a poll, because I even play and capture StarWars Jedi Knight at the moment.

Lately, to be more specific yesterday, I just downloaded the Patch 2.0 for The Witcher 2 and I’m looking forward to see how much the game has changed with it to give it another go, because the game first felt wrong compared to the first part. This leads me to the last thought that I wish to put on this “short” article: It’s pretty silent on my blog lately after some reviews and new added video entries and I wish to write some more indept thoughts on Dead Space 2 and Witcher 2 in next weeks. So keep your eyes open for any update on my Twitter or Youtube.

Let’s Play!

Utopia for a Thief: We know what you’re up to!

Eidos Montreal and SquareEnix did the impossible possible, they recently released a third game set in the famous DeusEx universe by Ion Storm (RIP). They not just brought back the immerse and originality to the industry, they even brought back a franchise that had to be continued after the not very successful second part Invisible War. Until today, even after playing DeusEx3 (I deny to call it just DeusEx since it would be disrespectful to the original from the year 2000), remains the original game on a special place in my heart.

Some say HalfLife was the last game before the downfall of old gaming industry habits, but to me its always DeusEx. The freedom I got as a player while exploring and inhaling the world on its edge before chaos kept stuck in my mind and even forced me to play through it without much sleep and breaks after release in not less than 48 hours straight. I got sucked into its world, tasted the freedom and couldn’t get enough of it. Many games that followed in the decade to come, never thrilled me as much, or half as much as Deus Ex did.

Playing and inhaling the third game Deus Ex: Human Revolution satisfied me to a great extend. I couldn’t believe at first that it can be as near as possible to the original but convinced me pretty fast, even though it had it’s flaws. Nobody will know how the future of gaming will be, but I guess Human Revolution will be refereed to as “one of the best games of that generation” because no other game after it may be as thrilling and immerse like it. But it could be wrong with my vague prophecy. Maybe there could be a second game that can challenge it, a game that got announced 3 years ago and still remains hidden and uncommented by Eidos and SquareEnix. But now, after Deus Ex 3, the time seems right to bring back another long forgotten but by a gigantic fan base long awaited franchise: THIEF4!

As Ion Storm (RIP) got the chance to develop Thief 3: Deadly Shadows, they attempted to lift it into the next generation of games but failed due many limitations of the at their time available technology. Thief:DS got city hubs that sadly got interrupted through annoying loading screens that broke the experience of a live, breathing and constantly changing open ended world. The same flaw could be found in DeusEx2: Invisible War. Both games got released during the same time period and obviously share the same spirit. They’re no bad games, but the time wasn’t right for them to be successful. Deus Ex: Human Revolution is the result of the ideas and mentality found in these two games ten years ago.

Since Deus Ex: Human Revolution proofed that it’s possible to have large city hubs with different layers (sewers, uptown, apartment buildings and rooftops) without to face the need as a producer to split each part of the city hub to allow the world to run without interference on anybodies gaming system of choice, how bad could a possible Thief4 be? I guess, not as horrible as it’s predecessor.

You must blend away the existence of open ended worlds as seen in games like GTA or The Elder Scrolls 4. This franchises just don’t focus on stealth-action gameplay. Eidos Montreal learned from DX:HR and the developer team around Thief4 can only profit even more from Human Revolution’s outcome after release. Some say that a game that is playing with the risk to be denied by gamers worldwide for it’s not as much mass appealing and experimental gameplay can only fail on the market, but DX:HR reversed their possibly small minded opinion.

The people of Eidos Montreal are up to something and we know it. Any employee, press men or administrative at EidosMontreal keep their mouths shut since March 2009, the year Thief4 got announced for the very first time. But if they get asked then they don’t deny it. Lines like “We are absolutely not permitted to discuss any upcoming title releases not being showcased here. We could be fired.” speak of the truth that Thief4 has to be in development. First rumors appeared together with a picture, including two people play testing a game with a hooded protagonist spanning his bow on the official Eidos website in February 2011. Even a senior concept artist job with the description for a “Victorian , medieval architecture and props with a jack the ripper touch” was available for a while until they seem to have found one.

Thief4 is in development, even though any responsible source at Eidos Montreal keeps the iron curtain shut. But we, shall we named nerds, dreamers or fanboys, know what they’re doing, hidden in their sneaksie shadows and behind their closed doors. It’s just a matter of thin growing time for them to make us smile.