What are you playing today?

[Dr. BUGMAN]

This

[Arcade]

Back to the old GAmeboy Tetris...

[cjmcray]

Dusted off my copy of Shenmue. Kept freezing, so I had to wash it a couple times. Sounded like my DC was going to explode trying to load the damn thing.

Managed to get it working. Helped the old lady find the Yamatos house.

[Ritz]

Finished Deus Ex a few days ago after three all-nighters. I was concerned I've been a bit of a wet blanket with me only ever playing 2D arcade shmups, so I've determined to start branching out. Amazing game, by the way!

[Farmer]

LittleBigPlanet at my brother's flat, because I clearly needed more reason to be jealous of PS3 owners than I am over Wipeout HD.

Curse you, Sony.

[Crowbar]

I was concerned I've been a bit of a wet blanket with me only ever playing 2D arcade shmups.

Are you referring to run-and-gun shooters or scrolling shooters? Becuase the latter is like the least wet-blanket genre of games in existence, and the former isn't far behind.

I'm technically not playing anything right now as I am stupidly busy, but a little while ago I played Megaman Zero 2-4 after getting the collection for christmas. They were all great, and I felt each instalment was better than the last. I gather 3 is the most well-liked, but I thought the Zero Knuckle was a really fun addition, and I also liked the higher difficulty level of 4.

One of these days I must get around to playing at least some of the rest of the X series (only ever played up to X3).

[Radrappy]

One of these days I must get around to playing at least some of the rest of the X series (only ever played up to X3).

Well then you've only got one left to go.

[FlashTHD]

One of these days I must get around to playing at least some of the rest of the X series (only ever played up to X3).

Well then you've only got one left to go.

Hey, 5 through 7 may be pretty dire but X8 is actually good :(

Also, if you get the X Collection for GC/PS2, X6 is probably worth trying for a while to experience how comedically slipshod it is. But don't try to beat it unless you seriously feel the need and/or are bored.

[FlashTHD]

...or, alternatively, read this funny walkthrough for a preview. Take it from me, just about none of it is exaggerated.

[Crowbar]

Yeah, I'm well aware of the reputation of the rest of the series. I just generally like to find these things out for myself, otherwise I'll always be wondering "How bad is it REALLY?" It's a bit self-destructive sometimes but I can't help it.

Unfortunately, in order to play X Collection I'd have to get my PS2 chipped, which I can't really be bothered with. I'll likely just eBay the original PS1 discs.

[Dr. BUGMAN]

I just found a website that gives out software that simulates old out-of-production LCD games, including some Game & Watch games. Course they're simple as your hillbilly cousin and just as fun.

Did you know Mario served in 'Nam? FUCKING 'NAM, MAN!

[Green Gibbon!]

So are you just gonna bogart the URL?

[Dr. BUGMAN]

I didn't want to link to anything of dubious legality without some A-OK! Linky.

[Ritz]

Are you referring to run-and-gun shooters or scrolling shooters? Becuase the latter is like the least wet-blanket genre of games in existence, and the former isn't far behind.

Both, but it's about me, not the games. No one likes a one-trick pony.

Did my annual Clockwork Knight 2 marathon yesterday and recorded one run for kicks. Also, finally got around to completing Keio Flying Squadron 2 now that the last FMV cutscene doesn't freeze SSF up anymore. Next up is Bulletstorm.

[gr4yJ4Y]

After playing about 20 hours in MvC3 I had the urge to play a game from the Makaimura series. The only one I've ever played was Ghouls n' Ghosts on the Genesis in 1992. That's right, I had the urge to play a game that I hadn't played in 19 years!

It's a pretty rad game. I can get past the beginning of the second level now and it's not horrifying like I remember it being. Even though it has a reputation of being very difficult, I'd actually say that it's not that hard yet (I'm playing on the default "practice" difficulty). I think I might check out Super after I finish this one.

[Farmer]

Minecraft.
My thirst for knowledge of what's going on is absolute.

[Dr. Watson]

Bosconian. You know, space shooter, Atari, 1981. Bought it along with Pac-man and a couple of other games on one of those "plug and play"-thingies back in 2003 and have been playing it at least a couple of times a month ever since. You should really try to find it and try it out if you're into those simplistic, addictive ancient-school games.

[The Doc]

Rise and shine, Dr. Freeman. Rise...and shine.

[K2J]

Pokémon Black. It's really nothing new, but the battles move faster and there are some nice aesthetic touches. The big problem is, of course, the lower screen being useless if you're not doing the battery-sucking (and pointless in Americca) wireless search mode. They could've at least put a button for the menu, but nope. At least all of the menus, once opened, do use the touch screen, unlike Diamond/Pearl.

[Ritz]

X2: No Relief. Horizontal shooter for the PS1. It looks a lot more impressive than it actually is, but then, it really does look impressive. It's practically Sturmwind 14 years early. It's even got the cute little adjustable twin laser weapon. Actually, watching the trailer now, they even share the same green wave weapon. And the enemy formations, design and animation are disconcertingly similar! And-

What the fuck.

[Radrappy]

Pokémon Black. It's really nothing new, but the battles move faster and there are some nice aesthetic touches. The big problem is, of course, the lower screen being useless if you're not doing the battery-sucking (and pointless in Americca) wireless search mode. They could've at least put a button for the menu, but nope. At least all of the menus, once opened, do use the touch screen, unlike Diamond/Pearl.

I haven't touched Pokemon since silver(gbc) and I'm seriously tempted to pick this up. Should I go for it? The main thing holding me back is the pokemon for this generation look FUCKING TERRIBLE.

On another note, I have never played a bioware game before. Like, ever. They get a lot of love from players and critics alike so I decided to take advantage of the features now available to me and download the demo of Dragon Age 2 from PSN. It was awful. Straight up terrible. The narrative, the visuals, the gameplay, everything was a mess. The demo level had my character strolling about a washed out apocalyptic badlands as wave after wave of "demonspawn", the basic enemy grunt, were thrown my way. Characters would occasionally stop to catch their breath and rehearse their laughably bad dialogue, stuff you'd expect pimply adolescents to write in their D&D scenarios. Gameplay was comprised of me mashing the x button and occasionally pressing triangle. So can someone explain how these shitty games are so revered? Or did I somehow pick the worst of the bunch?

[Senbei]

You picked the worst of the bunch. Even the first Dragon Age, which I disliked, is better than DA2's demo made itself out to be.

To be fair, much of the appeal of Bioware's games is in the progression. Your teammates may appear to be one-dimensional stereotypes at first, but if you spend time talking to them, they usually turn out to have deep, well-written, and entertaining personalities. Similarly, choices you make at major events throughout a game will come back to affect events late into the story. Bioware's the best at making you feel like your actions have an impact on the game world, and a half-hour demo isn't capable of that amount of depth.

Nevertheless, the DA2 demo is shit. Play Mass Effect 2! That's a much better representation of Bioware's good qualities. I think there's a demo up for it as well, though again I caution that it probably can't convey all the good stuff I just said.

[K2J]

I haven't touched Pokemon since silver(gbc) and I'm seriously tempted to pick this up. Should I go for it? The main thing holding me back is the pokemon for this generation look FUCKING TERRIBLE.

I honestly can't say yet. Hopefully as I get deeper in I'll be able to say a definite yes or a definite no. You could consider SoulSilver, though, and not just because of nostalgia, but also because, aside from the missing Vs. Seeker, it's the most fully-featured Pokémon game I've seen so far.

[Green Gibbon!]

Nevertheless, the DA2 demo is shit.

Man, no shit. I thought it was an April Fool's joke or something that slipped out early. I couldn't even finish it. Was the first one that bad?

I'm no Bioware fan or anything, but the two Mass Effect games are really good.

[Arcade]

Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (playstacion/psone, 1997) Yes, the game is too cute and easy for its own good but who cares?