Video Games

Anyone play the Alan Wake downloadable content? Beat the game a couple of days ago. Really enjoyed it. Would like to play some more.

really?

I was disappointed by it.

I think it's because I read a review which said it starts slowly, but the second half of the game is full of some incredible set pieces etc.

I got all the way to the end, still waiting for these set pieces! It felt like I'd somehow missed out a huge chunk of the game.

I think the fact that there was a 3 month gap half way through playing that did the most damage though. All the same i felt that it was very monotonous game play and a bit uninspiring. And not scary enough! After the 70th shadowy figure emerges from behind some boxes you sort of lose the shock factor.

Still i did stick it through to the end, so in that respect it beats bioshock...

Yeah im on xbox, username is D Bainbridge

Clan tag sounds good, HTFU?

Sweet ill add you later clan tag htfu you can get your clan tag on you gun aswell lol

really?

I was disappointed by it.

I think it's because I read a review which said it starts slowly, but the second half of the game is full of some incredible set pieces etc.

I got all the way to the end, still waiting for these set pieces! It felt like I'd somehow missed out a huge chunk of the game.

I think the fact that there was a 3 month gap half way through playing that did the most damage though. All the same i felt that it was very monotonous game play and a bit uninspiring. And not scary enough! After the 70th shadowy figure emerges from behind some boxes you sort of lose the shock factor.

Still i did stick it through to the end, so in that respect it beats bioshock...

I'd read nothing about it (except some vague reference to Twin Peaks) and played it almost entirely at night and in the dark on my own. And went through it over a few nights. The shadowy figures kept my heart pumping right to the end, although it was certainly repetitive (point flash-light, dodge flying axe, point flash-light, shoot, repeat). It really put me on the edge of my seat - to such a degree that at points I was reluctant to explore areas that didn't seem to be the direction that story wanted me to go (unless I was being encouraged to go there with the glowing paint). I may be easily amused though.

I'd read nothing about it (except some vague reference to Twin Peaks) and played it almost entirely at night and in the dark on my own. And went through it over a few nights. The shadowy figures kept my heart pumping right to the end, although it was certainly repetitive (point flash-light, doge flying axe, point flash-light, shoot, repeat). It really put me on the edge of my seat - to such a degree that at points I was reluctant to explore areas that didn't seem to be the direction that story wanted me to go (unless I was being encouraged to go there with the glowing paint). I may be easily amused though.

The TERRIBLE dialogue in Alan Wake made me rip my jaw off...

The lights go out
"The lights were completely out"
ROOOOOOOAAAAARRRR
"I heard a deafening roarr"
ALAN!!
"someone was screaming my name..........................Alan..............Alan was my name"

yeah.. I think i'd have liked it more if i hadn't had to pack up my xbox for the summer.

The TERRIBLE dialogue in Alan Wake made me rip my jaw off...

The lights go out
"The lights were completely out"
ROOOOOOOAAAAARRRR
"I heard a deafening roarr"
ALAN!!
"someone was screaming my name..........................Alan..............Alan was my name"

I don't know. I know what you mean, but two things should be kept in mind. First, it's basically a piece of film/video game noir. That kind of first person narration is a hallmark of the genre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_noir#Structure_and_narrational_devices). Second, spolier he's the author of the story. That is, there are two Alan Wakes at any given time. What you are hearing narrated could (should?) be understood to be coming from the narrator of the novel (the creator of the moment, who is actualizing the event only by writing/saying it), rather than the character just expressing what's going on.

Agree with you mark re alan wake

I rarely findgames narratively compelling yet the cheesy voiceover added to the creepyness of the game and it was really scary ( as I noted here http://www.lfgss.com/post1412941-854.html).
...and short enough to finish before boredom set in

The shadowly figure freak me out the first time, mostly because I can't see his face, and it's scarier not knowing what he/she look like, it play on my mind a bit.

However it wear off after a dozen or so similar shadowly figure appear, it end up getting too repetitive to get shocked by it again.

I liked Alan Wake, it's a bit of a marmite, what I don't know is the terrible (in today standard) character model, with the beautiful senario, could they not brush up their character better without looking like a robot off an early episode of Doctor Who?

Even the original Bioshock character model were better frankly.

Agree with you mark re alan wake

I rarely findgames narratively compelling yet the cheesy voiceover added to the creepyness of the game and it was really scary ( as I noted here http://www.lfgss.com/post1412941-854.html).
...and short enough to finish before boredom set in

got any games you wanna swap? :)

...what I don't know is the terrible (in today standard) character model, with the beautiful senario, could they not brush up their character better without looking like a robot off an early episode of Doctor Who?

Even the original Bioshock character model were better frankly.

This was also a nagging annoyance. I also failed to get emotionally invested in any of the characters when they couldn't even get the lip sync down to that of Thunderbirds standards.

Especially his missus! I've not seen a single emotion coming from her, beside an opened mouth, a half-arsed smiley, and an upside down eyebrow.

I'm glad you liked Alan Wake, Mark. It's sick.

Who else thinks they modelled him on Christian Bale? I was convinced he did the voice acting too but couldn't find anything online.

got any games you wanna swap? :)

I have many games for swaps or loans. I think we ought to set up a games libraray between us here so we can all save money by sharing them.
Agree to meet at a 'drinks' or at LMNH for this.

Games I have to offer for loan on 360 are:

Orange box
beyonetta
GTA IV + San andreas+ Ballad of gay tony
Enslaved
Halo 1-4
RDR
batman arkham asylum
street fighter 4
crackdown 1+2
assassins creed 2
... (and more)

Many PS2 classics and gamecube games (would loan my cube too)

So if there is interest i'll suggest a time and date for a gameswap session

I'm glad you liked Alan Wake, Mark. It's sick.

Who else thinks they modelled him on Christian Bale? I was convinced he did the voice acting too but couldn't find anything online.

Voice Actor is matthew poretta though agree that he sounds like Christian bale

is it me or is the campaign easier than the last 3 on black ops? i completed it on hardened, despite thinking that i had lowered the difficulty to normal...

God I thought the campaign on black ops was one of the hardest yet lol. Mainly due to the shitting ai spawning system!

im level 28 now, not quite finished the campaign yet though.

i have a run and gun approach which usually works. i.e. keep pressing forward, otherwise you will stay in the same spot forever

I got it for my PC at work: (shows how busy I am)

Win 7 64 bit
2.67ghz Quadcore Xeon W3520
6GB
ATI Firepro v3700 - 256mb.

On first install it had some DX issues. Tweaked, reinstalled, ran again. Have got it past the opening sequence into Cuba - driving through the streets etc but everything seems to be running at about 75% speed. Nothing else is running in the background.
I'm sure I've got the latest display drivers.
Someone sort it out for me.

^ Shouldn't you be editing together an award winning program on 3D printing instead? ;)

[/hopes it stays broken]

Nah - sod that :)

FYI - I'm waiting on one last interview - so potentially editing and airing 3d printing story in the first week of december - will keep you posted though :)

[/should get act together]

Ha! The Currys scam super deal worked like a charm and with a tidy bonus.

Bought Black Ops, two laptop sleeves and a wireless mouse for £75, returned the cheap 15" laptop sleeve to Currys on TCR at lunchtime and got a full credit for the 17" superduper sleeve I kept cos the assistant was on autopilot.

Delivery note from Currys online store is just a packing list so there was no reference to any discount codes etc on the order.

Currys have effectively sold me the game for £4.99 :D

So my housemate bought Black Ops, to be honest I'm not that impressed (apart from the graphics and the story element, which are both excellent)- all too much melee and firefights - not enough sniper missions etc so far. Not really my kind of game though, far too stressful - I've really been enjoying Red Dead Redemption as an alternative.

On a brighter note, I finally caved to buying Fifa 11 - even though I don't really like it much, it's still better than the new pro evo. I'll join the league when I can. No doubt I'll be dreadful to start with and will be league fodder for a while

No doubt I'll be dreadful to start with and will be league fodder for a while

league fodder is my job...