2012 Game Purchases
A list of games I've purchased this year with some impressions if I'm not lazy.
A list of games I've purchased this year with some impressions if I'm not lazy.
Purchased on 360 at the start of the year, and then a second time for Vita during a PSN sale. I probably don't have to tell you that this is one of the best platformers this gen. And damn if it doesn't look gorgeous on the Vita's OLED display.
A really nice surprise, loved the Darkness II from beginning to end.
The story and characters could be better, but the gameplay is great! The Last Story almost feels like a game for people who love JRPGs but have grown tired of a lot of the trappings they come with. The Last Story's combat system gets progressively more awesome as the game goes on and I really like the move away from random encounters to set-piece type battles - it's not something I'd want for every JRPG, but as it stands The Last Story is pretty awesome on the videogame front.
A worthy-as-shit entry into the series, love the game, can't wait for the DLC.
I enjoyed the ending, but then I clearly have a penchant for enjoying terrible Bioware things, what with my love for Dragon Age II and all. Loved Mass Effect 3, it's a shame Bioware have yet to really deliver on Mass Effect's potential and likely never will, but what they've delivered is still one of my all-time favourite series. I've sunk a lot of hours into multiplayer as well, it is a legitimately awesome mode - and I'm not even normally one for horde modes.
I never played flOw, enjoyed Flower but wouldn't rave about it (but totally think it's pretty cool) and expected to feel about the same way about Journey. I remember purchasing Journey and playing through it while waiting for Mass Effect 3 to arrive at my door. I played what will likely be my Game of the Year that day, and it wasn't Mass Effect. Journey is one of the most absolutely incredible games I have ever played.
I didn't really enjoy the gameplay in the demo (but loved the QTEs) and was going to pass, but then all of the raving on the Bombcast caused me to buy it on an impulse. The game never quite clicked with me, really, the QTEs were cool and crazy things happened, but I just didn't really feel it so much. Also would have much rathered if this game had have just done away with the videogame trappings all-together and just gone with QTEs.
A thoroughly underrated system that I have found myself with a wealth of content for thanks to the PSN store. I hope Sony can figure it out and make this thing successful, because it is really a damn awesome portable. If you never owned a PSP, or did but haven't played many of its better titles I would definitely recommend it, there is a huge variety of games available for it.
If nothing else this game showed me that I'm still down for more Drake, though I'd certainly like the series to change up its formula. Drake stranded in an open-world Jungle, maybe? Golden Abyss is fun, I liked the way it harkened back to Drake's Fortune, though I could have done without all of the bolted-on Vita functionality.
Picked this up simply because it was on sale at a significant discount and because it was a Vita game. Found myself pleasantly surprised at how good the game is, it's a really great example of taking a console-like experience while maintaining a handheld game philosophy. RIP Zipper.
There's something super satisfying about this whole Blob thing Tales from Space have going. Mutant Blobs Attack! was a really fun downloadable title.
Seems pretty cool on the Vita, Toriyama is fucking nuts, though.
Really enjoyable story and well-made adventure game, a great way to spend a Saturday morning.
Kid Icarus Uprising is completely insane, funny and relentlessly creative. I definitely wasn't too fond of the controls, but in spite of them the game is kind of incredible. Maybe it's just me, but it feels like Kid Icarus has been flying under the radar and that's a shame - more people should be talking about it!
(Enhanced Edition on 360) Really enjoying the 360 port, I'd already played a fair chunk of the game on PC, so I knew what to expect. The Witcher 2 is a damn awesome game. And what a visual powerhouse, even on the 360.
I really junked on the game for the first week after its 360 release, but soon came to the conclusion that I'd rather spend my time playing something else. I was beginning to come away from my sessions with the game feeling largely unsatisfied with how I'd spent my time.
Picked up a used copy super cheap from GAME's closing down sale, normally I'd directly support a Platinum Games game by buying new, but I'm actually not huge on the game. Still, for around $8, it's a game I'm happy to own.
Another cheap pickup from GAME's closing sale, I'd always been interested in this game, just not enough to buy it at full price.
Finally bit the bullet and bought the Wii version on eBay (it has always been super hard to find). I've played a bit so far, and I have to say that it looks like it could prove to be one of my favourites on the system. I'll have to play more, naturally, but so far it's looking like it's a game that anyone who has a Wii should own.
~$23? Heck yes.
I had no idea this was getting a European/Australian release, really awesome. Hopefully Project Zero/Fatal Frame 4 sees similar treatment. Awfully nice of Nintendo of Europe to pick up Nintendo of America's slack. I don't even know if I'm going to have the balls to play this game, but I most definitely wanted to support its Western release.
Grabbed this and Daxter for my Vita to round out my Jak & Daxter collection. A shame Jak X isn't available for PS3, I guess, I do have an original PS2 copy somewhere though.
Picked this up for around $20. I found that when the original Dead Rising 2 was released I'd already had enough of a dose with Case Zero, Off the Record always interested me, but $20 was always the sort of price I was going to wait for it to hit before purchasing.
I already own a PSP copy of this, but I love the game so much that I decided to buy it a second time packaged with Persona 2 for my Vita. The fact that it has the second playable main character (who I've yet to play as) helped the decision.
For more PSP on Vita goodness.
Purchasing the Vita version when it becomes available on the PSN store this week.
Just goddamn incredible stuff. I absolutely cannot wait for more.
Purchased the Thief bundle during the Steam Summer Sale.
Gifted to me by an awesome friend.
It was $13 and I'd always been interested. I've only played a little bit, but it seems pretty okay for that price.
Really enjoying Dust, lovely art, fun combat and I love me some Metroidvania.
This game is legitimately good. A really nice surprise.
Brilliant combat. Great dungeons, including a wealth of optional dungeons and puzzles. Great loot system. These are the things I love about Darksiders II. A shame that the game is hampered by a rushed last third (including a disappointingly boring trip to Earth), a somewhat forgettable story often lacking in its predecessor's level of presentation and a lot of rough edges. I can't help but feel Darksiders II needed another year in the oven. I still really like the game, but it has its share of flaws.
A shame, the series is toying with greatness, as far as I'm concerned. I also love the fact that these games aren't afraid to be goddamn videogames. Here's hoping we get to see another game with another Horseman that delivers on the series' potential proper.
I am terrible at this, but it is fun. There aren't many tracks on the tracklist that I have much desire to return to, though, and I never got around to buying a Rock Band game prior (partly because of its weird local release history), so I don't have any DLC.
Easily one of the best of the year. Possibly the best stealth game I've ever played. A super nice surprise
There are some nice mechanics in Resident Evil 6, there are even stretches of the game that I really enjoyed. I quite liked Leon's campaign overall and Wesker Jr.'s campaign wasn't bad either - co-op certainly aided in my enjoyment of this game though. The game and its mechanics really shine in Mercenaries. A real shame then that for those few things that Resident Evil 6 did well there are at least two more things that it does terribly. Resident Evil 6 is the most disappointing game I've played this year, and not because it's irredeemably bad. The game is disappointing because I can see where Resident Evil 6 could have been a great game and yet it falls short of this by a country mile.
Pretty incredible.
$6 to find out what all the fuss was about. It seems like it was a little overhyped, but I've only played the game on Easy so far and I'm guessing it impresses more when played on Normal. It's still a very cool game, though.
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