Some Thoughts on Some Games

Been kinda busy lately. Not much time for blog posts, but here are a few quick comments on some games that I've been playing recently.

Hunted: The Demon's Forge (Windows)

I like this game. Like so many others these days, it has problems, but they're pretty easy to overlook, especially if you're playing with a friend. Everyone who complains about there being no good co-op games should pick this up and play it with a friend. It will occasionally frustrate you, but there will be more good times than bad.

F.E.A.R. 3 (Windows)

Again, lots of good co-op action to be had with this game. Some folks are complaining about the intangibles in this one; saying things like, "It's not as scary or atmospheric as its predecessors." Whatever. :) Shoot things in the face with your friends and embrace the silliness. You'll have fun. Don't have any friends? Then this probably isn't your game. :)

Two Worlds II (Windows)

This is a game I wish I would have had when I was 13. There's an awful lot to it and I respect the almost slavish hardcore, old-school RPG-ishness of it, but I doubt I'll ever have the time or will to experience it properly or fully. I'm sure people looking for what this game has to offer will really enjoy it, but it's a bit much for me at the moment. :)

Test Drive Unlimited 2 (Windows)

This is a game I really want to love and in some respects I really do, but there's just enough jank to it to keep it from really fulfilling its potential. That being said, it's still a lot of fun, but go into it knowing that certain aspects of it will occasionally frustrate you, be it the handling model, the performance of the game engine at speed or the uneven quality of some of the art assets. There have been quite a few patches for it and it has improved noticeably since launch, but it's still more of a guilty pleasure than a true gem. The biggest thing it has going for it is that there's really nothing else quite like it out there.

Modern Combat: Domination (Mac)

I've talked about this budget shooter and my unhealthy obsession with the PS3 version of it before. Just a quick note that it has come to the Mac via Apple's Mac App Store and the Mac version is actually quite good. More and more iOS games are making the jump to OS X as it's a pretty easy migration path and it's nice to see the Mac getting a few fun "exclusives" even if the gaming elite may turn their noses up at them.