Borderlands 2 - Part 1

The Man Who Would Be Jack

Alright, things are looking up for Borderlands 2. Questing is actually interesting again and the enemies are starting to become a lot more varied in areas, rather than being restricted to facing on type of enemy at a time. And I encountered the best quest ever.

So fucking dumb

I played the first Borderlands as Mordecai, and he certainly has the best arc of all the original Vault Hunters in this one. Roland and Lilith are pretty well portrayed, but lack any character arc, while Brick is kinda shitty. Mordecai, on the otherhand, has an arc that actually had me emotional involved; something I never thought I'd say about a Borderlands character. Obviously the emotional attachment was probably amplified because I played a whole game as the guy, but it's still the best of any of the characters so far.

Love ya buddy!

I've decided to focus less on side-missions going forward, since I'm pretty close to the end of the main story and have four DLC add-ons to play after that. I'll still do some of them, but they will be less of an objective, more of a "Oh, I'm nearby, let's do it". That doesn't mean the questing is bad in Borderlands 2, it's just feels less varied overall compared to the first one. There are a few standout ones, like McShooty up there, or having to solve a murder mystery in the dumbest way, but most just involved clearing an area or finding a recording, which is kinda boring after doing it fifty times.

Finding sexy pictures of Moxxi was an obvious drag

Thinking ahead, I'm planning one more main story update, and then one for each DLC, so it should be good fun. Back to Pandora!

Borderlands 2 - Introduction

First off, the plan was to do co-op with my brother, but schedules didn't line up enough times for playing video games and I want to get this game finished as quickly as I can. Secondly, I had started playing Borderlands 2 before this challenge, but decided to begin from the start again, but I didn't wanna document any of it, because, to be honest, it's mostly set up and nothing too interesting happens.

One of my favourite cover arts in recent memory

I loved the first Borderlands, it was basically Diablo blended with a first-person shooter with MMO style progression. And the humour, while pretty referential to pop-culture, was pretty well written and played most of the time. But above all, Borderlands just played well, the shooting was spot-on and it never seemed boring to me, especially when playing it with a group.

Which is why Borderlands 2 is sorta disappointing in the first couple of hours. It doesn't ramp up fast enough and makes it a slog. However, that could possibly just be a side-effect of playing it for a second time, and, as any ex-World of Warcraft player will you, leveling up by doing the same quests in an MMO is dull as shit. But now I've caught up to where I was and I'm ready to murder some fucking midgets!

Vault hunting!

Blocks That Matter - One Shot

The Game Is Okee-Dokee!

Am I a racist for all the written dialogue in this game being rendered in my head as the Swedish Chef from The Muppets? Eh, whatever, bork bork bork!

I always imagine walruses and meatballs, not indie games

Now, racism aside, Blocks That Matter is a neat game. Combining aspects of Tetris and Minecraft into a puzzle platformer is clever, but the game isn't without it's frustrations. I have no real problem with the key mechanics of the game, quite the opposite, I love them. Finding materials around the level to build Tetris-shaped platforms is fun, and often pretty challenging, but my problems come down to a puzzle-genre fundamentals one.

Similar to Aquaria, Blocks That Matter seems to disregard the additions to puzzle games over the years that have seen them becoming more prevalent, especially in the indie space. One could consider Portal the start of the puzzle-craze, and while many cite the humour and environment as the highlights of Portal, the core puzzles in it are still challenging and engaging, but the reason it was so open and reached such a wide appeal was because implemented the idea that there wasn't really a way to 'fail' a level, no matter what you did, you could still finish the level with what you had available.

Fuck yeah Rayman!

Blocks That Matter doesn't do this. It is entirely possible to screw yourself at the very start of a puzzle, but you are only able to realise it at the end of the level, when you are one block away from the finish. This becomes even more infuriating towards the end of the game, when the platforming is also a challenge, so having to replay a level from the start isn't so much a challenge as it is a drag. And it really dampens the experience as a whole, which is a huge shame.

While I may come across as entitled or whining, the reason I rag on games like Blocks That Matter and Aquaria for not having features that are a standard of that genre is because it's exactly that: a standard. The reason they caught on is because they made life easier, while not cheapening the experience. And it's a shame that Blocks That Matter didn't adapt some of these, because it would've been a good game with them. Instead it becomes a middling, frustrating experience without them.

Stockholm is calling! Bork bork!

Next up...Borderlands 2! (And I'm bringing a friend!)

Bioshock Infinite (1999 Mode) - Completion

Is A Better Home Awaiting In The Sky?

Just a warning, there gonna be some pretty heavy spoilers here! If you haven't played Bioshock Infinite yet, 1] what the hell is wrong with you? And 2] only read on if you don't care about playing the game.

The seed of the prophet shall sit the throne...

First thing, 1999 Mode takes some hard swings at times. Was kind of strolling through with little to no problems until the last couple of battles then I was dying left, right and centre. However, I persevered through anger and stress to complete the game, in about 15 hours, if Steam is to be believed. Shockingly, not actually that far off my playthrough on Normal difficulty, so maybe I've gotten better at video games recently. Or muscle memory kicked in through some fights and helped a lot.

Unlike a lot of people, I loved the gunplay in Infinite. While, it's nothing groundbreaking, the game does a good job of slowly dishing out new weapons and vigors a pace that allows to experiment with the new things you acquire, before making you choice to keep it or get something new. Finding the right combination your playstyle isn't hard, but greatly increases the enjoyment of them. It was really satisfying popping someone in the air with a vigor and watching them drop like a sack of potatoes when I put a bullet in them...that sounds a tad sadistic.

...and drown, in flames, the mountains of man

So, let's talk about the elephant in the room: the plot. I've avoided the main plot points in previous updates because spoilers are a touchy subject, but I'm gonna blow the doors off here, so be prepared. Ignoring my problems with Fitzroy (not really relevant to the main story), I only have one gripe with the main story, and that's why does drowning Booker stop every single Booker in the alternate dimensions becoming Comstock. Unless I missed a fairly substantial plot point, this makes no sense. If there really are infinite possibilities, why is this one Booker Dewitt different to any of the other?

I know people lament the whole Booker is Comstock plot point, but it makes sense. The whole mixed identities narrative was in the original Bioshock too, so it makes sense for it to be here too. I don't think the "But they look nothing alike!" argument has any ground because, well...it's a fucking video game! It's called suspension of disbelief. Seriously, the people who nitpicked about this mustn't enjoy any form of fiction.

The names may be different, but the story is the same

While the last half an hour of Infinite is just one piece of exposition after another, it makes sense. Elizabeth can take Booker to any point in history, where anything could've happened. Hell, they go to Rapture, and it's awesome! It links the stories in a way that was missing from Bioshock 2, probably because it wasn't written by Ken Levine, and it finally gives reason to the 'Bioshock' name. And, in my eyes, it links up perfectly. I think the story works, reasons are given for all the major aspects, barring the one plot hole I pointed out earlier.

Overall, Bioshock Infinite is a generation defining game, even more so than the original. Irrational Games have crafted a perfect world, perfect characters, and, near enough, a perfect game. I'll always look back on my time in Columbia with fond joy, because, while there's a problem with the ending, it's not about that; it's about the journey. And it's a damn incredible journey.

Will the circle be unbroken?

Next up...Blocks That Matter!

Bioshock Infinite (1999 Mode) - Part 2

We Are The Real Soldiers...The History That Doesn't Fit In Their Books

Ok, maybe I lied...1999 Mode isn't actually that hard. Once I managed to find the vigors and weapons I loved in my past playthroughs, I've managed to consistently not die in fights and built up a nice bank of money. I'm still being careful with it, like I'm only upgrading the weapons and vigors I'm using constantly (carbine, hand cannon, Buckin' Bronco and Shock Jockey), and only if the upgrade doesn't take me below $1000. Playing safe, but not as safe anymore.

Unlikely partners

Elizabeth is probably one of my favourite characters in a video game this generation. Her character arc is pretty believable and she has a legitimate reason behind everything she does. The game also does a great job of creating the emotional bond between the player and Elizabeth and, while she doesn't need the protection in combat, the constant aid and her struggles to find a place in a world she has been locked away from make her an amazing companion and one who the player wants to protect from the evils of Comstock and the Vox Populi. 

The voice of the people

As in my previous playthroughs, one area of slight disappointment is the woman above: Daisy Fitzroy, the leader of the Vox Populi, revolutionists in Columbia. It's kind of the cliche of any Utopian narrative, that there will inevitable anarchy, but there is no believable reason for Fitzroy to be the leader of the revolution. She was framed for the murder of Lady Comstock, so she becomes a symbol of freedom? Something there doesn't add up in my mind, and it bugs me a little. 

I'm fairly close to the end of the game, so this will be the last update until I finish the game. Shouldn't take more than a day or two, but I can't wait. The last couple of hours of Infinite are fairly mindblowing, and I'm sure I'll still find new things to be amazing by.

Bioshock Infinite (1999 Mode) - Part 1

Bring Us The Girl, And Wipe Away The Debt

I fixed it! Ah, the age old method of uninstalling it and reinstalling it, gotta love it.

There's always a lighthouse

1999 Mode is no joke. The game becomes seriously difficult when you have to balance managing your money (which you lose $100 of if you die) and making every last bullet count in a gunfight. Granted, I haven't seen any of the "this or that, not both" choices that were promised, but I'm still early in the game. I haven't even met Elizabeth yet, which is where the game starts to pick up.

There's always a man

Playing Infinite again has made all the feelings rush back, and it's pretty incredible. I could play through that opening multiple times in succession and be blown away every time  It sets the scene so perfectly for Booker's time in Columbia, from the casual elitist remarks you hear walking down the street, to being egged on to pelt an interracial couple with a baseball for winning a raffle. It brings the idea that you are in 1912 to the forefront and makes it so much more believable.

There's always a city

Despite the frustrations of 1999 Mode, I can see my third trip through the floating city being my favourite.

Bit.Trip Runner - One Shot

We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Broadcast...

"Wait...Bioshock Infinite looks different!" Yeah...technical issues have put Bioshock on hold while I install it again. The game was running like garbage, no matter what graphical settings I had it on, so I wiped it from my computer and now have to download all 17GB again. So, in the meantime, I played Bit.Trip Runner!

Commander Video, you're an asshole

I had played through half of Runner before this, and God damn, if I thought the earlier levels were hard, then those last couple of levels would've killed me. But I think that's what makes Runner an enjoyable challenge, rather than pure frustration: knowing where you went wrong. The game never gives you an impossible challenge, and the course never changes, so it possible to memorise your way through the harder levels.

I would never go as far to say that the game ever becomes easy, no matter how many times you do a level. Precise timing and pretty solid concentration is required at all times. I slipped up many times on the simplest obstacles by losing concentration...or my eyes glazing over from looking at the television for too long.

This is coma-inducng at times

The Bit.Trip games have always had an exceptional sense of style, and Runner is no different. The voxel graphics and chiptune music go hand-in-hand incredibly and the way the music ramps up throughout a level is pretty amazing with how spot-on it is, and how the smallest beat plays in time with the Commander Video's jumping or kicking makes a subtle, yet very significant difference to how you play the game, and once that clicks, it makes the game much more enjoyable.

I'll probably never feel the need to go back to Bit.Trip Runner again. I have no desire to try and collect every single piece of gold or complete all the Atari 2600-style levels, but the time I did have with it was well-worth the price of admission and an enjoyable experience, despite my constant swearing during some of the levels.

Commander Video getting his bit!

Next up...Bioshock Infinite! (Possibly...if not, it'll be Blocks That Matter!)

Bioshock Infinite (1999 Mode) - Introduction

I know we're only in August and the next generation still has to start, but Bioshock Infinite is easily my game of the year, and looks doubtful to be beaten for that title (though Watch_Dogs looks pretty incredible too). I mean, I've completed the game twice already, and was blown away twice by experience. So I decided to mix it up for my third playthrough: 1999 Mode!

Not the official cover, but it's so much better

Ken Levine (lead designer) claimed "average gamers" will be turned off my 1999 Mode, with it being a throwback to old games like Deus Ex and System Shock in terms of difficulty and character progression. I have tried it before, and did fairly well. I didn't give up, I simply moved on and forgot about Infinite for a while. I loved Infinite for the story, but I returned for a second time straight away for the atmosphere. 

Infinite perfectly captures what that period of time was all about and reinforces them with what seems like throwaway dialogue from random NPCs on the streets. Booker Dewitt may seem like an "everyman", but he eventually becomes so much more, not only for the story, but for the player as their avatar in this world, as you both experience it for the first time.

God, I love this game

I haven't played Bioshock Infinite since April, but today I return. I return to rampant racism and American elitism. I go back to the city in the sky...I return to Columbia, and I can't fucking wait.

The Binding Of Isaac - One Shot

You're Not My Real Mom!

After bashing my head against The Binding Of Isaac for a couple of days, I can confidently say that I'm a sucker for roguelike video games. As much stress and annoyance they cause me, I really love the idea and the quick gameplay fixes they can give me. Isaac, FTL and Dark Souls (to a lesser extent) are all in my Steam library and I'm really looking forward to playing them, despite their insane difficulty and risk/reward nature. 

(Note: screenshots look a little wonky because the game doesn't support the Steam overlay, meaning I used another piece of software to do it)

This cute little game is actually straight from hell!

In The Binding Of Isaac, you play Isaac (shocking!) who is being hunted by his mother who believes she has heard the voice of God, telling her that Isaac has become corrupt and must be sacrificed. Isaac escapes into the basement of their house and proceeds to cry (literally) his way though evil monsters and other spawns of Satan, all in the name of God! The story is satirical in nature, but it worries me that you can easily see similarities to some real world event.

The art style should be instantly recognisable to anyone who's seen Super Meat Boy, and with good reason! Half of Team Meat worked on this game, which also probably contributes to the insane difficulty, and the dark humour. However, the gameplay takes a wild swerve away from the Super Meat Boy style and becomes almost a bullet-hell shooter, with Isaac firing in four directions while avoiding an onslaught of incoming projectiles.

There's some weird stuff under Isaac's house

Now, I'm not gonna sit here and say that me finishing Binding Of Isaac was all down to hard work, determination and skill...not in the slightest. I got damn lucky with item drops, what enemies spawned and the bosses I had to face, but that's kinda part of what makes roguelikes what they are. Sometimes it'll be damn hard and you'll be ready to give up after one attempt that goes south right away, but sometimes it'll click and you'll have a brilliant run. However, that didn't stop me reaching the final floor multiple times and dying.

But no amount of luck could've prepared me for managing to beat Mom on my first attempt, so that was a huge plus, because I thought that that specific run had been going terrible. But again, that's roguelikes, a terrible run can easily turn in a great one with one lucky item drop. For me, I managed to pick up an item that allowed me to cheese my way to max health, but it couldn't be replenished. As I said before: risk/reward. 

My Isaac has seen some shit

So, being a glutton for punishment, I imagine I'll go back to The Binding of Isaac in the future and try to complete it nine more times, as there is achievements for beating Mom ten times. But it's not just because I hate myself that I'll play it, the gameplay is tight, the animation and art style is amazing and humour hits in the right places. In the end, Isaac is a great game, and for £2, it's a damn shame if anyone doesn't own it.

Mommy issues

Next up...Bioshock Infinite! (With a twist!)

Bastion - One Shot

Setting Sail, Coming Home

Bastion was easily one of my favourite games of 2011, and going back to play it for this challenge, all the amazing memories came flooding back. It will always hold a special place in my heart, because it remains to this day the only game I got all the Xbox achievements on, and got them all within like three days of the game's release. And ya know what...Bastion is still fucking amazing.

A proper story starts the beginning...

The game starts with a simple premise: guide the Kid to the Bastion and survive the Calamity. However, the story quickly shows it's true tones, with no one making it to the Bastion and trying to solve the mystery of what caused the Calamity. Rucks, the ever-present narrator voiced by the amazing Logan Cunningham, guides the Kid on his quest, but even he holds some of his own secrets, as do Zulf and Zia, two people you rescue and guide back to the Bastion.

The actual gameplay of Bastion is nothing new, and can kinda be compared to the likes of Diablo or Torchlight, just without the loot grind. The combat is simple, but it can be difficult to master. However, once you find the perfect combination of weapons (hammer and rifle, personally), the combat just seems to click and the game becomes a decent challenge of trying to just not get hit, rather than not dying.

...ain't so simple with this one

Bastion does a perfect job of never taking you out of the action: there's a linear path, but actually makes sense in the world, as the pathway appears as you walk and crumbles again as you get further away, meaning the critical path is always apparent. And the story never stops the action, because Rucks is constantly narrating, which is easy to pay attention to, but doesn't halt the action at any point. Rucks will even narrate the silliest things, such as if you spend a while just destroying scenery, he will say something along the lines of "Kid just rages for a while", in that honey-soaked voice of his.

What do you say to a Kid who's seen too much?

I'll be the first to say that Bastion is by no means a ground-breaking game, it simply manages to be the perfect sum of it's parts. The stunning art style, the amazing music (which is probably my favourite soundtrack in any video game) and the simple, but still satisfying gameplay create an experience that completely blew me away, not once, but twice. People often claim that the older games are the best, but there's still a case to be made for games like Bastion to stake their claim in history.

The last stop on this little journey

Next up...The Binding Of Issac!