PS3 report (Gaming)

by Kermit , Raleigh, NC, Wednesday, January 15, 2014, 14:32 (3760 days ago)

Okay, you all gave me some recommendations a while back, so here's my first report card on the PS3, or, as I like to call it, the progress bar console. What is it with the progress bars? I do practically anything and there's a progress bar to watch. You even see it in the game interfaces. Xbox does a good job helping you forgot that you're essentially playing on a computer. (Remember the awesome Halo 3 loading screen?) Playstation reminds you all the time that you've got a computer hooked up to your TV. I don't always love the XBL interface, but it's definitely superior.

Best game played so far:

JOURNEY. Loved it. Played it through countless times. Got the white robe and all the trophies except the one that demands that you not play it for a week. It's on loan right now, so I'll have that trophy next time I play. Great game, and it has me excited about Destiny, which was my hope.

The others:

UNCHARTED. Played all three. Didn't always like the running sequences--you're lucky sometimes and get through on the first try, but other times it felt like an exercise in memorization, not skill. Wish the controls were as fluid as, say, Gears of War, but i got used to it (except for the fire button, which just seems weird). It's obviously heavily influenced by the (good) Indiana Jones movies, and it does a great job with the formula. The characters are well-drawn, but the writing can be spotty. Wheen it's good (say, the last minute or so of Uncharted 2), the dialogue sparkles with Hepburn-Grant era charm. Wanted to try the co-op, but I bought the first two used, and the third one was a loan, and I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for an online pass just to give co-op a spin. My one multiplayer match on 2 took almost as long as the match just to load, and it wasn't much fun, but I'm not a big multiplayer guy.

I've borrowed JUST CAUSE 2 on a strong recommendation. The day I brought it home Xbox Live had it on sale for $7.50. Played the demo, and it's good, wacky sandbox fun, but that seems about all. The story? Meh.

I've also borrowed ICO/SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS and a RATCHET AND KLANK game. Don't know if those are my thing, but my friend was very enthusiastic.

Played the Quantic Dream demos, and found the controls to be strange. I'm still interested, but I'm thinking of them more as interactive fiction than as games.

Currently in the tray--THE LAST OF US. Just started it last night. I treated UNCHARTED as my introduction to Naughty Dog, but I was well aware that comparing these games is like comparing cotton candy to liver cooked rare. I'm anxious about playing TLoU, but so far it's superb.

Maybe if I can get done with that and DISHONORED I can finally fully respond to Jilly's BIOSHOCK INFINITE take down. :)

Later,

Kermit