09: How it reams edition

post from Destructoid on 27 December 2009 04:00:00 PM. © Destructoid

Yes, it's more Tonetta this week and you're going to enjoy it even if it kills me. This is very much one of the beloved singer/songwriter's power ballads. It's a stirring and evocative portrayal of a man's sense of power and a warning about the arrogance that can arise from ambition. Round and round, tickles and cleans.

Speaking of tickling and cleaning, games were played this week. Hit the jump to find out which ones, you arseholes.

Ross: Since I've been home for most of the week, it's just been stuff that I'd already installed on my dad's computer back during Thanksgiving: Left 4 Dead 2, Team Fortress 2, and Torchlight.

DMV: Been playing BlazBlue, inFamous (almost done with it) and Sky Crawlers for the Wii. All have been supremely enjoyable, and because of Sky Crawlers, I think I'm going to check out the Ace Combat series. The Wii controls on Sky Crawlers take quite a bit of getting used to, but it's been a blast playing it thus far.

Tolentino: After being unable to partake in ANY of the super-duper Steam sales due to credit card region restrictions and lacking for a home console, my gaming time was taken up by the DS and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor. It's one of the best RPGs I've played in a long time, and by "long time," I mean "I played Persona 4 in January."

That declaration may yet be challenged, however, as I begin playing Persona PSP.

Cantler: Still chugging through Nostalgia for my untimely review, and spending lots of time with the ModNation Racers beta. It's certainly not without its hiccups and problems, but if they can iron some of that out, this game is going to be immensely fun. I already love it. Also played the new Gran Turismo 5 demo, which had the opposite effect on me. Polyphony should be ashamed of themeselves.

Sarkar: Aw, come on, Topher -- the smooth jazz isn't that bad, is it?

Cantler: The smooth jazz might be one of its only redeeming qualities. That, and gorgeous car models. But good sesame seeds and fresh lettuce does not a tasty burger make. The meat is rotten.

Chester: Couldn't pass up with the $10 Torchlight deal, so I was thrilled to find that the $10 deal had turned into a $5 deal when I signed into Steam to purchase it. Needless to say, I have been sinking my soul into that game. As I suspected, it's whole lot of "click click click," but it sure is fun.

Also started playing the Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom for preview (which you can expect mid-January), and should be picking up a competent gaming PC today. I will use it to play... Torchlight?

Sterling: Mostly Left 4 Dead 2, which I play at any opportunity. I'm slowly getting used to nailing those Charger attacks, even if he's still totally fucking hard to line up properly. I also got separated from my team during a Versus round the other night and was forced to fight and kill a Tank single-handedly. We circled each other for about five minutes. It was utterly terrifying, but also the most triumphant moment I've ever had with the game when I finally dropped the fucker. When I'm not fighting Tanks, I'm replaying Indigo Prophecy, which is a lot cheesier and more pretentious than I originally remembered it. The dialog is pretty terrible and corny as well. Still really like it though. Oh, and I've been dipping in and out of the brilliantly fun Torchlight, as well as trying out THQ's own loot-laden RPG Titan Quest, which is surprisingly not terrible.

I've been meaning to download Final Fantasy VIII all weekend too, but so far haven't gotten round to it. Maybe I'll do that today.Chester: Replace "Indigo Prophecy" with "Heavy Rain" and you've already saved yourself the trouble of writing one of your 2010 reviews, Jim.Holmes: Played Animal Crossing: City Folk for the holiday cheer. Also played some Half-minute Hero, LoZ: The Spirit Tracks, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, Mario and Luigi: Inside Story, Scribblenauts, and New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

I also picked up a random WiiWare game for review called Palluriko. It's not as good as Blaster Master on the Virtual Console, which for the record, does have infinite continues.Niero: I've been playing real-world tetris where you take apart ikea furniture then try to shove the Dtoid office and Rey's house into a 17x10 truck. Bicep and backpain achievements unlocked!Sterling: Funnily enough, Nick, I was playing Indigo Prophecy and making the character drink milk and take a shower and I thought ... "Wait, this is Heavy Rain, isn't it?"Holmes: Indigo Prophecy is everything I don't want in a videogame. Except for the giant see-through bugs.

Those I like.Zimmerman: Overlord II took up bit of my time this week. I loved the first game but the camera is a real pain to use in the sequel and it's making me more than a little dizzy and confused at points. It's a shame because I wanted to just dedicate a day to it and play all the way through, but I can't go more than half an hour before I have to put it down for a bit.

I also took advantage of the Steam sale to get Torchlight. Only a little ways in but have determined that this is not a game to be played on a 42" TV because the cursor is so friggin' tiny and hard to see from my couch. And I picked up The Saboteur which is interesting but I'm not sure how much I like it yet.PerLee: I'm just about to finish [/i]Assassin's Creed 2[ii]. It's near the end, and I think this might be the first game I ever get 1000 achievements on. Pretty easy to do, and once I get that, I think I might play it with a different language track.

Btw, am I the only person out there who appreciates different language tracks on games? I tend to find it a decent exercise in learning, especially if the game is fun.

Also, got the [/i]Torchlight[i] because it was so cheap. Haven't started it, so it will probably go in that Steam folder of [/i]Fate of Atlantis[i], [/i]Plants vs Zombies[i] and [/i]Machinarium[i] as PC games that are fantastic, but I'll never get around to playing or beating. Same with my DS. [/i]Chrono Trigger[i] has been begging to be beaten, but might have to wait for a flight I'm taking this week for New Years...that is if the new flight rules don't kill me.

Also, how do you like them italics, Jim? ;D Wots of wuve! And happy new year!Ross: Every single one of those italics tags is incorrect.PerLee: Meh. FINE JONATHAN ROSS. I HATE YOU.Grim: In a single week, I played three weeks worth of The Beatles: Rock Band, Left 4 Dead 2, Far Cry 2, and 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand since I now have a functional Xbox 360. All of those games, with the exception of 50 Cent -- it's literally the exact game I thought it would be -- have exceeded my expectations in some way.Sterling: Finally downloaded FF VIII. Now you can all sod off so I can play it.

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