Rift, Mafia II
After yesterday's success at completing a game that had been sitting waiting for a while, I was all pumped to try and knock out another game...and then I got distracted by some important stuff I had to do. So...instead I played Rift for a bit, nothing to talk about, but I'm getting a little sick of World Events, because they are too difficult for the current population and often get in the way of my usual questing.
Also played the next chapter of Mafia II, and our hero is finally in the mafia! It only took six hours! Why, you would barely believe this game is called Mafia, for as much not being in the Mafia the main character was doing. Then there was a violent, terrifying montage with happy music in which Vito and his buddy pal around town being mobsters, and then you're moved into a new house, again. And of course the game expects you to know where everything in your home is right away. I really want the game to let off with the leash sometime soon. Every minute, I'm being told that I need to be somewhere right away, which leaves me absolutely no time to explore. It's a bit distracting for what has all the markings of being a sandbox game.
Showing posts with label Mafia 2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mafia 2. Show all posts
What I Played Today: July 12
Mafia II, Puzzle Agent 2
I played through a chapter of Mafia II, and man there was a lot of gun fighting. I finally ran into the section that I played during PAX East over a year ago, with the exactly same problem of finding a phone booth only for the game to spawn some guy already in there. So I pull him out and start a fist fight, only for the cops to show up and want to arrest me! So I lose $300 bribing them because the alternative was worse, and I go to shoot some greasers, even though the game specifically said, "Hey, don't worry, you won't have to kill anyone." This fight was hard and long and I was glad when it was over. I can't wait until they let go of the chain and let me choose which mission I do next.
Also completed Puzzle Agent 2, and oh boy, it gets crazy. It does feel a lot shorter than I would expect, but that's because everything starts falling into place really quickly. The puzzles weren't nearly challenging enough though; the hardest one I ran into was the very last one, after all the consequences were over, and I think I only had trouble because I was just leaving Crazytown. I really liked the story though, just wanted more of a challenge.
I played through a chapter of Mafia II, and man there was a lot of gun fighting. I finally ran into the section that I played during PAX East over a year ago, with the exactly same problem of finding a phone booth only for the game to spawn some guy already in there. So I pull him out and start a fist fight, only for the cops to show up and want to arrest me! So I lose $300 bribing them because the alternative was worse, and I go to shoot some greasers, even though the game specifically said, "Hey, don't worry, you won't have to kill anyone." This fight was hard and long and I was glad when it was over. I can't wait until they let go of the chain and let me choose which mission I do next.
Also completed Puzzle Agent 2, and oh boy, it gets crazy. It does feel a lot shorter than I would expect, but that's because everything starts falling into place really quickly. The puzzles weren't nearly challenging enough though; the hardest one I ran into was the very last one, after all the consequences were over, and I think I only had trouble because I was just leaving Crazytown. I really liked the story though, just wanted more of a challenge.
What I Played Today: July 8
Mafia II
After like six months, I’m finally playing a game that I got through GameFly, and I’m not disappointed in my decision, because Mafia II is not as bad as I thought it would be. It does a lot of things that sandboxes do, although it’s a lot more linear, with your mission being pretty straight forward in each chapter. The controls are a bit clunky, and the dialogue isn’t edited correctly, but it does offer a really intriguing story, and twists in a way that I was not expecting.
The story tells about the slow rise of Vito Scarletta, who is back from the war on disability and is suddenly sucked into a life of crime because a real job is just too much boring bullshit. It’s an odd motivation, that he becomes a criminal mainly because he didn’t want to do a real job. I guess he also needed to raise a lot of money really quickly to appease loan sharks that were bothering his family, but that almost seems like a throwaway excuse.
I played for a good many hours, including having to redo a mission after I had technically completed it because I accidently ran into a streetlamp at 80 miles per hour. It gets into a nice rhythm after a while, although I’m amazed how long I’ve played and Vito is not actually in the mafia yet.
There is a cool moment where Vito’s taken out on the town by his obligatory fat friend, and after the fat friend and another guy get very drunk, Vito starts driving home, only for the other guy to remember, “Oh darn, I forgot there’s a corpse in my trunk.” So as the only sober one, Vito has to drive to the woods and bury the body all by himself, while the other two act drunk. After Vito cleans up the mess, he starts driving home and a Dean Martin song comes on the radio. They scream at Vito not to change the channel, and start drunkenly warbling along. It is hilarious, and it feels very natural. It’s probably the funniest moment in a sandbox game I’ve ever seen, because it doesn’t feel forced.
After like six months, I’m finally playing a game that I got through GameFly, and I’m not disappointed in my decision, because Mafia II is not as bad as I thought it would be. It does a lot of things that sandboxes do, although it’s a lot more linear, with your mission being pretty straight forward in each chapter. The controls are a bit clunky, and the dialogue isn’t edited correctly, but it does offer a really intriguing story, and twists in a way that I was not expecting.
The story tells about the slow rise of Vito Scarletta, who is back from the war on disability and is suddenly sucked into a life of crime because a real job is just too much boring bullshit. It’s an odd motivation, that he becomes a criminal mainly because he didn’t want to do a real job. I guess he also needed to raise a lot of money really quickly to appease loan sharks that were bothering his family, but that almost seems like a throwaway excuse.
I played for a good many hours, including having to redo a mission after I had technically completed it because I accidently ran into a streetlamp at 80 miles per hour. It gets into a nice rhythm after a while, although I’m amazed how long I’ve played and Vito is not actually in the mafia yet.
There is a cool moment where Vito’s taken out on the town by his obligatory fat friend, and after the fat friend and another guy get very drunk, Vito starts driving home, only for the other guy to remember, “Oh darn, I forgot there’s a corpse in my trunk.” So as the only sober one, Vito has to drive to the woods and bury the body all by himself, while the other two act drunk. After Vito cleans up the mess, he starts driving home and a Dean Martin song comes on the radio. They scream at Vito not to change the channel, and start drunkenly warbling along. It is hilarious, and it feels very natural. It’s probably the funniest moment in a sandbox game I’ve ever seen, because it doesn’t feel forced.
What I Played Today: March 27
Crackdown II, Starcraft II, Mafia II, Picross 3D, Puzzle Quest 2, Dungeons and Dragons
I got some early time on the PAX floor today, got a chance to try out some games that I wouldn't have otherwise, on account of me not wanting to wait in line. I played in a short rocket tag version of Crackdown II, losing miserably, but it looks as good as before and while the controls are a bit stiff, I'm sure they'll perform better once my fingers have readjusted.
I played Starcraft II for about 10 minutes, getting a feel for the new system. It behaves a lot like the old system, only with different units and vastly improved graphics. Everything is crisp and updated, and some of the new units, like the Thor, a giant mech piloted by Arnold Swarchenegger, are just awesome.
I wanted to see the presentation of Civilization V (looks great!) but I had a moment to kill so I tried Mafia II in the same booth. Man it looks like a stinker. It's a sandbox game where you're playing a mafioso in the 50's. The setting is the only part that really impressed me, the rest was just dull. They had me handing cigarettes to an dude as part of a mission. Woopie. I also got into a fistfight with an Asian for no discernable reason.
I'm apparently a big dumbie, and have been looking for a game in stores that isn't even out yet, Picross 3D. It was on the floor, and I got about 15 seconds with it before the game froze. Ack. Looks about as promising as I imagined though.
Also spent a fair amount of time observing the new Puzzle Quest 2, due out sometime in the next couple of months. My first thought is how much better the graphics are; they completely renovated the design, and it's a bit more dark and edgey and less middle-school margin doodling. The new adjustments to game play also seem to help ensure the games don't drag forever, and have a much more down to earth adventurer feel, with the world map being a few towns and wilderness instead of an entire continent. I'm looking forward to this one.
I had very little success playing a board game today, but I did finally get to run the DM Challenge scenario that I have been preparing for what feels like forever. It went well, I thought, as I hosted a group who were all pretty familiar with each other. There were a lot of things that I could have done to make the game run more smoothly, and I feel dumb for forgetting them. The party also had a lot of terrible rolls, which even lead to one of them dying, a first for me in 4th edition. I took it real easy for the final encounter, and they mopped it up after the disappointing and long slaughter floor encounter before that. I think it went well...I'll see tomorrow how close I came to winning. I'm not expecting much.
More tomorrow...hoping to play more board games.
I got some early time on the PAX floor today, got a chance to try out some games that I wouldn't have otherwise, on account of me not wanting to wait in line. I played in a short rocket tag version of Crackdown II, losing miserably, but it looks as good as before and while the controls are a bit stiff, I'm sure they'll perform better once my fingers have readjusted.
I played Starcraft II for about 10 minutes, getting a feel for the new system. It behaves a lot like the old system, only with different units and vastly improved graphics. Everything is crisp and updated, and some of the new units, like the Thor, a giant mech piloted by Arnold Swarchenegger, are just awesome.
I wanted to see the presentation of Civilization V (looks great!) but I had a moment to kill so I tried Mafia II in the same booth. Man it looks like a stinker. It's a sandbox game where you're playing a mafioso in the 50's. The setting is the only part that really impressed me, the rest was just dull. They had me handing cigarettes to an dude as part of a mission. Woopie. I also got into a fistfight with an Asian for no discernable reason.
I'm apparently a big dumbie, and have been looking for a game in stores that isn't even out yet, Picross 3D. It was on the floor, and I got about 15 seconds with it before the game froze. Ack. Looks about as promising as I imagined though.
Also spent a fair amount of time observing the new Puzzle Quest 2, due out sometime in the next couple of months. My first thought is how much better the graphics are; they completely renovated the design, and it's a bit more dark and edgey and less middle-school margin doodling. The new adjustments to game play also seem to help ensure the games don't drag forever, and have a much more down to earth adventurer feel, with the world map being a few towns and wilderness instead of an entire continent. I'm looking forward to this one.
I had very little success playing a board game today, but I did finally get to run the DM Challenge scenario that I have been preparing for what feels like forever. It went well, I thought, as I hosted a group who were all pretty familiar with each other. There were a lot of things that I could have done to make the game run more smoothly, and I feel dumb for forgetting them. The party also had a lot of terrible rolls, which even lead to one of them dying, a first for me in 4th edition. I took it real easy for the final encounter, and they mopped it up after the disappointing and long slaughter floor encounter before that. I think it went well...I'll see tomorrow how close I came to winning. I'm not expecting much.
More tomorrow...hoping to play more board games.
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