Knives
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Added by Knives on Dec. 19, 2008

Gnomes are so fucking hot.
Gnomes are so fucking hot.
5. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King - A masterful addition to unarguably the most complete, polished, and accessible MMORPG to date, Wrath raised the bar in both story-telling and immersion. Arthas has been in our minds since The Frozen Throne 4 years ago, and I look forward to the conclusion of this story arc.  

4. Mega Man 9 - Back to the basics, Mega Man 9 is an example of what I want the video game industry to embrace and encourage. With most developers constantly reaching for the most bleeding edge graphics and gameplay, sometimes the soul of a game gets lost along the way. Fallout 3 is one such game that utterly fails in this regard, providing a cold experience beyond the whole post-apocalyptic wasteland thing. There was a lot of attention to detail paid in the creation of this game, and it shows with the intuitive and classic 2D gameplay we all "love" and grew up with.

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 3. Left 4 Dead - 5,133 zombies were slain in the making of this blog, and this game is fucking awesome. Four movies, each with five chapters of insanity. The only reason this game isn't at the top of my list is do to the lack of modes and more chapters. I know they'll be coming later on, but I'm a greedy bastard.

2. World of Goo - Is it against the rules to pick a small, low budget game as one of the top games of the year? Everywhere I look, it seems that games like Fallout 3, Grand Theft Auto IV, and Metal Gear Solid 4 are at the top of everyone's list. It just so happens all of those games are multi-platinum and multi-million dollar productions. None of those games, I repeat, none of those games provided a more charming, joyful, satisfying, and exhilarating experience than World of Goo. 

More Heroes, please.
More Heroes, please.
1. No More Heroes - This is not the best game of the year. What I mean to say is that this isn't the best made game of the year. And that's why it sucks to be a game critic. They don't get to pick games like No More Heroes. They have to pick the popular games, the cutting-edge games, the games with the most impact on the industry.. not this goofy, flawed game on the Wii. And flawed as it is, despite the flaws I should say, no game in 2008 left a more memorable and lasting impression on me than No More Heroes did, no game captured my interest as thoroughly as No More Heroes, and that's why it is my game of the year. Encore Travis Touchdown, encore.

 This is the first time I've ever concluded any year's top 5 list with a downloadable game on it, let alone two. Honestly, I'm OK with that. The mega-blockbuster titles like Fallout 3 and GTA IV, even Super Smash Brothers Brawl always seem to fail to meet the hype and expectations I have before playing them. This was a pretty good year for gaming, but it is likely to pale in comparison to the monster year about to befall us in 2009. Cheers! Merry Christmas!



Added by Knives on Oct. 7, 2008

Fragile: Farewell Ruins of the Moon
Fragile: Farewell Ruins of the Moon























If there is any game I'm looking forward to hearing more about at TGS, it's Fragile from Namco-Bandai. When I saw the first screenshots of the game, I kind of immediately had an attraction to the art design, almost to a point that I would buy it no matter what reviews it got, just to see the sights. The screenshots just blow me away; and before you jump on me for saying that, I don't mean technically. I like the feeling of loneliness, the derelict world. Simply put, it gives me a good vibe and I want to see more of it. Here's to hoping the combat isn't complete shit!

Awesome.
Awesome.




























It bothers me that I know so little about the game, specifically in how the game with play. But moving on, I also have to mention Madworld, if only because how can one not want to hear more about this title?

Madworld
Madworld



Added by Knives on Oct. 3, 2008

I want my DS to vibrate. Who's with me?!


Added by Knives on Sept. 28, 2008

Mega Man 9
Mega Man 9

I've been playing this game for a few days now (it's great, by the way) and I thought I'd give a run down on my favorite levels and why.

I have to start with Concrete This pick is more a tribute to the music in this level, which is absolutely fantastic. It has solid level design, minus the first 30 seconds of the level, and I of course have to give a shout-out to the elephants, which are adorable.The boss is challenging, but not to the point of frustration. He has the potential to do some lame things during the fight, like the combination of his aerial attack in the middle of the room, immediately followed by his block attack. But, he is definitely beatable with the Mega Blaster, and a lot of fun once you figure out the pattern.

Next up, Splash Women. I've always liked the feel of water levels in Mega Man, and many elements of this level reminded me of Mega Man 5, which is probably my favorite in the series. The bubble-jumping puzzles are always pleasant, but what I really found enjoyable was water-platform jumping later in the level. The music is solid, although not on the same level as Concrete Man, Galaxy Man, or As for Splash Women herself, aside from the 'weirdness' of a female robot-villain in Mega Man (do robots, y'know..), it's another fight on the easy side, very doable with your Mega Blaster and a lot of fun.

Concrete Man, acting sexy for the lady.
Concrete Man, acting sexy for the lady.

Fourth, This level also gets a nod for its music, which is among the best. The level design is overall well done, with the canon interaction. Some of the enemies in this level are a bit annoying though, and the mini-boss can be frustrating. The basic premise for the mini-boss is moving clockwise around a circle of platforms, avoiding a rotating wall of flowers that inflict a lot of damage. Meanwhile, you have to shoot a flower that spawns randomly on one of the six platforms which is trying to kill you with a pedal attack. The problem is that sometimes the flower spawns in the most unreasonable places over and over, which generally leads to fail. The boss is quite challenging, but not too difficult with the Mega Blaster if you can take out the hornets quickly.

Fifth, This boss and level are the easiest, and that may be part of the reason he's this high (or low). The music in this level is also catchy and well done, and keeps me groovin' throughout. There are a few annoyances during the level, particularly with those claws that fall from the ceiling and grab onto you. Other than that, it's a smooth ride. The boss fight is fun, but definitely easy, easier than some mini-bosses. It's nice to have an easy level now and again, you know?

Semi-non sequitur: Is it considered cheating to use special weapons in the actual levels (not counting bosses of course)? I can never shake the feeling that I am whenever I do.