Welcome to Press Start! This is a weekly segment that dives into what we here at The Game Fanatics are currently playing. Feel free to leave a comment with what you’ve been playing or if you have any questions about the games that we are currently involved with.
Jeff: I’m really digging Modern Warfare 2’s Spec Ops mode. The Echo level ops are ridiculously tough, but it’s something I can’t wait to tackle. I also dabbled in Minecraft just a little bit, but I still don’t know how to do anything.
Chris C.: Been mashing a few games of Madden 13, Doug Martin’s amazing performance last week has had me trying to recapture the magic running with the Bucs (in their orange retro jerseys, of course). I also have carried around my Nintendo 3DS this week and have been punishing computer opponents in BlazBlue and Super Street Fighter IV 3DS. Those two titles are older but aside from Mario titles, are the two of the reasons I still own my 3DS.
Jen: I’ve been playing Assassin’s Creed 3 since its release this past Tuesday and I have to say, the game has been more of annoyance to me than fun. No spoilers here, but the game doesn’t feel right. I’ve ran into glitches, the game freezing up on me and laggy controls. I’ve made it up to sequence nine and I’m still not enjoying this game as much as past installments. And its the little things that have been bothering me. Take for instance fast travel. I need to go to New York. So first I fast travel to the frontier but instead of taking me to the frontier, I fast travel right outside. So after waiting through one load screen, when I walk towards the frontier, I have another load screen to wait through. Then I fast travel to New York and of course it takes me right outside the instance, so there’s four loading screens that I have to sit through before going to New York. Why can’t I just fast travel to New York and bypass three loading screens? Another thing that shouldn’t bother me, but does, is Ben Franklin’s papers. At the start of the game, his papers are caught by the wind. Thirty odd some years later there’s more papers flying about. Why are Ben’s paper’s still flying around thirty years later? That last part isn’t a huge deal, but when I start to get frustrated with a game, even the slightest thing out of place bothers me. I have heaps of questions about the story that need answers, but what I do know from the story, well, that’s what is keeping me playing. Until the game froze on Sunday morning before work. I didn’t even feel like loading the game again. In my personal opinion, Assassin’s Creed 3 is getting higher marks than it should. When I first started to play the game, I gave it a seven. Now I’m leaning more towards and eight. Why is Connor’s body able to go inside of another NPC’s body? Why did steps vanish while I was walking on them, causing Connor to hand from them, above a gray emptiness? There are parts in the story that have me screaming at the TV, wondering why Connor isn’t doing something that he was so strong about doing before. I know it wasn’t a change of heart. I am trying my hardest to beat Assassin’s Creed 3, especially before Halo 4 drops, but it feels more like a struggle for me at this point. For me, it feels like Ubisoft took all the stuff that needed to be fixed from the first Assassin’s Creed, and threw it back into Assassin’s Creed 3. Why is there no hud and no weapons when you take control of Desmond…AGAIN?! At least playing as Desmond doesn’t feel clunky as it did in past games. Since Assassin’s Creed 3 doesn’t allow you to save your game when you want, I was able to play some Star Wars the Old Republic before heading off to work. I haven’t had the chance to beat Halo Reach on legendary yet, but I did play a little of it to get some easy achievements that I missed getting when the game released.
Joel: I finally got a chance to sit down and play through some Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception and I am loving it! Really regret waiting so long to play it. Spent some time playing as a Mechromancer in Borderlands 2, gotta say I am having much more fun playing as a Commando. This week I will most definitely be completing Uncharted 3 and play some multiplayer while I wait for BLOPS II to arrive. Cannot forget to mention getting into the Playoffs with the Clippers in MyPlayer Mode on NBA 2K13.
Ben: Finished up my play through of Mugen Souls which is a unique, if a bit flawed, JRPG. Review coming soon! Then I moved on to Okami HD and, while it started very slow, it’s becoming a great Zelda-like adventure.
John: I’ve been playing Assassin’s Creed 3 and the Crysis 3 MP Alpha whenever I have the chance. I’m loving both games. AC3 was pretty slow to start, but there is a nice twist right before it starts picking up. Now I’m loving the open world feel and storyline. Crysis 3 is just as gorgeous as I was expecting it to be. I’ve only been able to play a handful of rounds, but I’m hooked even though I’m doing horribly. On a side note, I CANNOT wait for Halo 4!
Greg: Mostly Assassin’s Creed 3. Enjoying it. Don’t think it’s quite up to the level of the AC 2 Trilogy, but it’s good. Also been playing a few random games on Steam: Torchlight 2, They Bleed Pixels, and Intrusion 2. Good games. All of’ em.
