Blog, Blog, Bloq

 The Metal Gear brainworms, or nanomachines if you will, have persisted. This has all culminated from the fact that I have finished the main story for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. A game that I never want to play again. The issues far outweigh any joy for me. It lacks that fun videogame feel that I loved in previous titles. The limited loadout in the most expansive title just didn't work for me. MGS: Peace Walker could get away with this because that's a PSP game at its core, and not an over-budget console title. Not to mention, the story beats just didn't work for me. Skull Face was a terrible villain, and then the game fell even flatter in his absence.  While I think the problem starts with MGS4, I find MGSV to be a big nothing burger of a game. None of the character conflicts really matter, and none of the new characters are of any worth. This was a prequel game, and the knowledge of the future just negated any hope for a future appearance from any newbies. But ...

 With the release of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, I've felt compelled to continue my journey into the series. So, I have recently finished MGS 4: Guns of the Patriots and MGS: Peace Walker. And my thoughts are mixed. On the one hand, I like the gameplay of MGS4 for the most part but not the writing. Yet with Peace Walker, I was satisfied on most fronts with some minor issues.  Like, the problem with MGS4 has nothing to do with the long cutscenes. The problem lies in the rewrites of previous game knowledge in order to make this game work. These new revelations even made other characters worse off. What makes this funnier, is that Peace Walker seems to largely ignore any information from that game. To be two years removed from each other and share little to no DNA is one of the best bits in the series. Peace Walker feels like the follow-up to MGS 3: Snake Eater, while MGS4 feels like the alternate reality that others want to ignore.  But, I am not here to just shit ...

 I recently finished the Silent Hill 2 Remake from Bloober Team. And quite frankly, it's good. I'm not in love with it, yet I think they did a great job regardless. While the combat and general movement are vastly different, the DNA of the series is embedded within. It works well enough and there are some really intriguing elements that get added in the Remake that set this game apart from its contemporaries. So, I am going to give my thoughts on the Remake and how it stacks up to the original.  To start off, I think Luke Roberts killed it as James and his acting gave the story the weight it needed. I say this as one of my criticisms for the original is that Guy Cihi can be a little too goofy and awkward. That's not to say James is supposed to be perfect, but the James in the script matches the energy that Luke Roberts gives off moreseo than Guy Cihi. I also feel the same way in regards to Angela's performance in the Remake.  I think that Gianna Kiehl was able to more a...

 Watching through the Friday the 13th franchise and playing some of the Silent Hill 2 Remake has gotten me thinking more on the idea of remakes and reboots. This is because with movies you have many different avenues to access films whether that be physically or digitally. Like, I found a sealed DVD copy of The Matrix at a shop for super cheap. But this does not apply to games. You may have to scour multiple digital storefronts to access a specific title or even shell out loads of money for an original physical copy. That is not even taking into account the process of emulation. An alternative that does not properly serve many people.  This is because emulation runs an imperfect experience. Creating new glitches on top of needing to work with your PC setup. As well as finding the right emulator that fits your preferences. So, it's quite comical to hear people jump straight to emulation when discussing preservation or of ways to play a game. Because at the end of the day, these...

 Summer Games Done Quick is once again upon us. A perfect time of the year for me as I continue to trek through The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in Elden Ring. Something that I hope to be finished up with by the middle of July, so I can post my thoughts on it. Which has been pretty great so far with some minor issues. But I am not here for Elden Ring. I am here for Speed. And this year's SGDQ schedule looks to have some really solid picks. With the only games finished so far being Yoshi's Story and Minecraft Dungeons, as Mega Man 9 moves along. As always, the times and dates are going to be relative to my time zone, which is Central Daylight Time (CDT). So, be sure to abide by this if you happen to be viewing this during the week of SGDQ 2024. Without further ado, let's get into my picks for some games to look out for.  First up, I am going to do a cheeky double pick and give my reasoning. For the first game, I will be picking Bayonetta 2 (Nintendo Switch) Any% Rosa (Easy) tha...

 Horror games are such a mixed bag. That is apparent in franchises more than anything. The whole thing is reminiscent of Horror movies. You could be experiencing some shlocky bullshit or you could be witnessing one of the all time greats. It doesn't matter what the legacy behind the project is, it will eventually come down to the execution. Today, I want to discuss the rusty blade that is Silent Hill: Homecoming. A game that evokes Silent Hill really well in the monster design, but ultimately fails in areas that are natural to the series. This comes down to many factors. The puzzles are laughably easy and can be brute forced more times than not. The character writing is pretty weak for the most part. While the combat is also not much to scoff at, it does have its days. Yet fundamentally, it is easy to see why this game is disliked. I do not hate it like many others, however I wish that the game was something else.  Aside from the glaring issues, there are numerous nitpicks to ...

 My post this time around is to go support Games Done Quick if you are reading this the week it is happening. Sadly, due to the schedule I have made for these posts, I cannot do a recap like I did with Awesome Games Done Quick earlier in the year. Seeing as we are on day three of the event, there is still plenty of time.  There have already been entertaining runs like the Banjo-Kazooie 100% No FFM that was ran by duck or the Bloodstained block that featured runs from The Blacktastic and DanTheVP with the bonus run of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night being ran by Dr4gonBlitz that capped the block off. Different skill points in speed tech being shown off across these games with engaging commentary to boot.  There is no doubt that the rest of the week will feature some absolutely insane games that I have never seen before, much like every GDQ event. So, I will have the runs playing in the background for the whole week like I always do, shifting focus for my most anticipate...