Three quick game reviews

DJ Hero

The controller feels wonderful! I’ve never touched a real turntable mixer thingie like that ever, but this one feels just like I’d imagine them feeling. Just like with Guitar Hero, I’m aware that I’m not ACTUALLY being cool, but it feels real enough to me to immerse me in the experience.
The songs are mostly good. There’s a bit too much scri-scri-scratching going on, but I guess that kinda goes with the whole game idea (“you scratch”). Some of the songs (Dizzee Rascal vs Justice) are so good I’d buy them on cd (or I guess mp3 download these days?).

Best part: Rewinding is more fun than it should be
Worst part: The sample triggers are horrible and never fit in
Score: 4/5

Borderlands

My first impression of Borderlands was that it was a big fat lie. We got promised so much, and got so little. There ARE loading screens, there IS NO randomness to the levels, and the loot is unbalanced as hell. The PC version is pretty much just a poor port of the XBox version, with heaps of control and UI problems.

But wow. Borderlands is like if J.J. Abrams directed cocaine. It’s the single most addictive substance known to man. The loot being unbalanced isn’t really a big problem since you get so much of it. You’re bound to run into a stupidly powerful gun sooner or later, one so broken you’ll go bragging online about it. I got a Tediore Masher revolver early on. It shot seven bullets each time I clicked, each dealing over 120 damage, AND it regenerated ammo over time. I didn’t swap it out until halfway through the second playthrough.

I gave it away to C418, and I kinda miss it now.
Do you still have her?
Are you taking good care of her?

.. does she ever talk about me?

Best part: Corrosive damage. Yum.
Worst part: There are huge glaring holes in this game. I won’t even try to list them all.
Score: 2/5 or 4/5. Can’t decide.

Dragon Age: Origins

This is the best RPG I’ve ever played ever, on any console, in any medium. The plot is mature (as in makes sense, not shows boobs), the combat is intense, the characters are deep, and the dialogue is endless.

Oh, and the world is rich, fairly original, and very interesting. And there’s a lot of backstory you can read up on if you want. And there are multiple beginnings and multiple ends (or so I’ve heard).

And it’s 80 hours long.

I don’t play this much as I know I won’t get anything done ever again if I get too hooked.

Best part: Trying to seduce Morrigan means a lot of interesting moral choices. Damn you, True Neutral!
Worst part: Uh.. I guess the blood spatter on the characters after combat looks kinda silly when they casually ignore it while talking?
Score: 5/5

posted 15 years ago