I’ve completed three more games, and now I only
have two left to go. And I’ve really been struggling to find the time to write
this entry as I’m up against the clock.
First off I finished The Legend Of Zelda:
Ocarina of Time. This game pops up on “Best Games Ever” lists all the time, and
having just played it I can see why. It’s an incredible RPG with brilliant level
design, fantastic puzzles, and awesome music.
When I talked about Halo: Anniversary I
made reference to infamous levels of classic video games. Ocarina of Times
infamous level is the Water Temple, a supposedly rock-hard mindfucker of a
level. I must say I’m not really sure what all the fuss was about, it wasn’t
that bad! It may have been the most challenging of the temples in the game, but
I must admit to being a little perplexed about what everyone was so dumbstruck
by. I even completed it without realising that I could get a tunic that let me breathe underwater.
Overall I loved playing this game having missed it all those years ago, it was
awesome.
Next up was God of War 2, another game in
the last ten or so that featured swords and slashing and skeletons. Much like
the first God of War game, and Zelda, this one featured great level design,
production, and tight gameplay. I tore through this one in an attempt to get
down to the final few, and it’s insane button bashing fights left me with sore
hands for the week of so I had this one in the disc tray.
The last of the trio I finished recently
was Deadly Premonition, a serial killer murder mystery game that the acronym
“WTF” was invented for. Honestly, this game was next level bonkers. I’d heard
it was mental, but this one has to be seen to be believed. It features a
confusing plot, awful dialogue, terrible voice acting, bad PS2-era graphics, a
totally bizarre soundtrack, and all-round catastrophic gameplay consisting of
poor controls, rubbish driving, woeful shooting, and crappy melee attacks.
And yet it was one of the most entertaining
and contrary experiences I’ve ever had. I’m a long-time lover of movies that are
‘so bad they’re good’. No-one has ever managed to capture that feeling in a
video game before, but this game does, it’s balls-to-the-walls crazy. Jaunty
xylophone music plays as you discuss gruesome murders. The main character
discusses the case with an invisible friend, and it’s not until 8 hours into
the game that you realise that everyone else can see and hear him do this, and
they seem to be quite alright with it. Take a look at this video to see just how wacky this thing is.
So now I’m down to the final two games in my pile of shame. Metal
Gear Solid: Peace Walker, and Dark Souls.
And I think I’ve made a terrible mistake.
I always knew that Dark Souls was hard.
Possibly the hardest game out there. And people love it for that very fact. That’s fine, I
like a challenge and I’m not really a fan of the incessant handholding that
goes on in most games these days. My idea was to leave this one until last so that I
could concentrate on it without having a whole bunch of other games still left
hanging over my head. I also wanted to have another game to play through so
that I had somewhere to turn if things got too frustrating.
But having spent the last week or so trying
to make inroads into Dark Souls I realise that this is a game I should have
been chipping away at over the last year. It’s hard as nails. It’s a complete
bastard. But strangely I’m really enjoying it. It’s a great game, really well
done, and with a fantastic balance of challenge and reward. It’s just not the
game to attempt with a looming deadline.
I'd better get back to it.
48 down, 2 to go, 10 days left.
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