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lgndsgn

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Games (3)

Average game review score: 6.3

User Score 9

Latest High Score:

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1

User Score 4

Latest Low Score:

Final Fantasy XIII

Score distribution:

Positive: 1 out of 3
Mixed: 1 out of 3
Negative: 1 out of 3

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

Average User Score: 8.4

User Score 6

Just finished the game (on Hard setting). Ok... I wanted to love this game, my hopes were high throughout the prologue but then realized it just wasn't to be. First, the graphics are downright beautiful... more-so static than in motion as the game is plagued by horrid texture pop-in regardless of settings and a high-end gpu, at least for myself and quite a few others. Shrubs and rocks will change size when you are within 5 feet of them - understandable for consoles but not for current gpus. Now... the story... The game is divided into 3 chapters. It is extremely political (more than The Witcher 1) and may be unsatisfying to some people. I found it rather dry, but not horrid. I would have preferred less of the medieval political intrigue and more character development along with a more fantasy/mythological outlook, but I suppose they were trying to keep in context to the books... Now, the combat... I didn't hate it but I didn't like it. I found the first Witcher game to have a more satisfying combat system with the role timing played in it. The Witcher 2 took away the timing as well as the group, fast and strong styles, opting for a simple parry system (which I very very rarely used in the game) and the steel sword/ silver sword combo along with magic. The main problem in my view is the balance. I spent 95% of my time using the same strategy for EVERY enemy, and not because I didn't want to experiment but because everything else took much longer and just didn't work as well. It worked like this - use Quen (guard spell that basically makes you invincible for a few seconds), dodge, attack and kill with sword. You have 3 paths you can take for development - Magic, Swordplay, and Alchemy. I first went for magic, but when realizing how pathetic a fully upgraded fire spell was compared to the sword I lost interest. Now for the alchemy - the game has made this quite a chore in my opinion. You can no longer use potions at anytime. You must use them BEFORE battle. And every time it requires an animation scene that definitely could have been shortened. Because of this I never used potions. Let me reiterate - even on Hard combat requires nothing more than what I mentioned before. Also, for some reason they decided to take away storage. You will be spending a lot of time with too much weight on your hands and will try to decide what you need to keep and throw away/or sell. Some might like this but I didn't not find it enjoyable. Now... the environments. I found them to be beautiful but they felt very limited. The witcher cannot swim. He cannot jump. This isn't open-world. Therefore everything seemed rather linear to me. The environments are nice but not nice enough to prevent you from getting tired of them after doing more than a few quests through them - my main gripe of the first witcher. There isn't much interaction with the environment other than lighting and unlighting fires. The NPCs say the same things constantly regardless of time of day often, and as the chapters progress they seem to say less and less. The diffictultiy... starts off pretty difficult on hard but by the 2nd chapter is pretty easy. I found the ending to be quite unsatisfactory as well, but I won't spoil anything.… Expand

Helpful?

3 of 10 users said yes
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1

Average User Score: 6.2

User Score 9

This game is a lot of fun. Does it play exactly like the old games? No. Does it matter? Unless you're too anal about the changes to enjoy it for what it is, perhaps... But this is honestly the best Sonic I've played. It's not really all that shocking over how many people are upset over the game considering how long it's been since there's been a real 2d game. The kids have grown up, and like most people who age they lose their ability to adapt to change. Ok, so about the game.. the controls are somewhat different, but they're NOT bad, just different. The game is a hell of a lot of fun, especially once you unlock Super Sonic. My only complaint is that it's too short, but considering it's only 10 bucks it is WELL worth the price. Also, there's going to be an Episode II... sweeeeeet.… Expand

Helpful?

5 of 8 users said yes
Final Fantasy XIII

Average User Score: 8.1

User Score 4

Before buying FF13 I knew of two crushing facts about it - no overworld map/controllable airship and extremely linear gameplay. One of the main reasons I bought a PS3 was for this game, so even after learning of the disappointments I still gave it a try. Now I've been an rpg fan for a long time. Playing through Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 6, and Secret of Mana were some of the most memorable expereices I've had. These games have a certain charm, a certain soul, that I believe Square has lost. Indeed, the brilliant minds behind these games are no longer working together (Sakaguchi, Amano, Uematsu, etc.). FF6 I believe was the pinacle, with my enjoyment declining with each subsequent release. There's something quite endearing about the old overhead-view and world maps. You're able to take it all in, your imagination turns, and you feel a real sense of the universe that's being portrayed. But now because of cut-scenes, fixed viewpoints or locations, and flashy graphics we're given a much more controlled and limited environment. With that said, I did enjoy FF7 and I wish they would have stuck with that format at least. I honestly cannot comprehend how they thought taking away a free-roaming world and airship travel would be received well by fans. Actually, I'm sure they realized it wouldn't be, but instead did not care and opted to appeal to a newer generation, thus making more money. Overall, this Final Fantasy is not for me, and I am ok with that. But it is a shame that the days of Final Fantasy as I knew it are gone. Ok, as far as FF13 goes... after 15 hours of playing I have completely lost interest. The story is the only reason I played this far, though at this point I feel as though I understand it enough to not continue with it. The major things that prevent me from finishing are the core gameplay (as I mentioned earlier) and the characters. The characters have stupid names. There I said it. Vanille, Snow, Lightning... Anyone of those is fine by itself but all 3 together? They act too childish. And with all their action, vibrancy of colors, their whining and shouting, I am somehow still left with a vapid taste in my mouth; not to mention how annoying some of the voices are. Most everything about this game comes off as way too contrived. Another thing that has not sat well with me since it was introduced are fight scenes, or cut-scenes in general. This is just a way of making the game more presentable and easier to consume by the masses, who by and large appreciate this and find it entertaining. I do not. I am not a huge movie/television fan to begin with so it does not appeal to me in the least. Maybe a few cut-scenes here and there are fine (like with FF7), but when it's done as much as it is in FF13 you feel as though you're playing an interactive movie, and in an essence that is really what it has become. So if you are new to Final Fantasy, I urge to to take a look at the older ones (or older Squaresoft games like Chrono Trigger or Secret of Mana), and try to have some patience and imagination and I am sure you will find a much more rewarding experience.… Expand

Helpful?

13 of 21 users said yes

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