I want to start this entry discussing the used game business, one company in particular. I found out that GameStop was doing a sale on both used and new games. All the used games they featured were 50% off, and the new games they featured were anywhere from 10%-50% off. I can honestly say that they had some pretty good deals, and I wish I had more money (and time). For $24, I ended up getting six used games, with four of them actually being worth it. The other two came as package deals, with one that I'll play and might enjoy. The other...ehh, we'll see, maybe I'll pop it in one day and see how long I can play it before my head hurts. I spent extensive time looking over the new games, and seeing what was worth it in the long run, how much the games are used, how much will they go down to soon, and so on. Ah, but with GameStop, there is always a catch.
It wasn't until I took a game up to the counter that I found out that the game wasn't actually new, it was gutted (opened) with the disc behind the counter. The man behind the counter said it's ok, the game really is new, they just had to keep it somewhere else. Now normally I wouldn't complain, but to me that's false advertising. My plan was to buy it, keep it unopened until either A) I felt like playing it or B) decided to sell it as new. Some may say that reselling a game (new or used) is pretty much against the law, only licensed retailers can do that! If that were so, then many companies just like GameStop (and Glyde, though it's still in the Beta phase) wouldn't exist. But still, many argue, what's the big deal, so what if the game is opened, does that really change anything? So you can't sell it as new, that's a shame, but as far as playing the game goes, isn't it the same thing, but a guarantee (supposedly) that the disc is new and that it's completely untouched (and unscratched, not smudged, etc.)?
Here's my point. Sometime last year an article went around the internet about a boy and his mother who bought a copy of a game, but were angry to find out that there was game content not included with the game, although the box had said there was. Turns out that they bought the game used (from GameStop!), and the box had very clearly stated, right on the back, that the extra content included was downloadable online using a ONE TIME code. In effect, it was definitely not the stores'/company's fault for not informing the customer, it was the customer's fault for being an idiot and not reading the back. They actually took the case to court, though I'm sure they lost and I hope they got mocked, since almost every gamer out there agreed that the case was a joke.
The game the boy had bought was Mass Effect 2. That same game was one of the ones GameStop was advertising AS NEW for 25% off. I thought about it, and realized that there was a very good chance that the downloadable content code would not be included in the box. The reason being is because when they put those boxes out on the shelf, they keep the books inside, the disc behind the counter, but don't see a point in putting out any other stuff inside the case for random reasons. Extra content or "free stuff" inside the case would get stolen, so it's taken out, and extra crap just gets thrown away. So what's the chance that the extra free stuff is still behind the counter? How do we really know that the game is "new" and not preplayed by some of the employees, and have not used the d/l content codes? Seems farfetched? When I took the copy of Darksiders up to the counter, I figured that I'd get a new copy, why? Because the box I brought up was beat up, had more than one sticker on it, and had scratches all over the cover and even the case. It looked like a used copy of the game (gamers will understand the difference immediately). And yet, he took out the "new" disc from behind the counter, and proceeded to put it into that exact case. I wouldn't even be able to consider that "excellent" condition on Glyde. As for the Mass Effect 2 type of case, they had the Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition box out there, also with a one time downloadable content code included. I wish I knew people who had bought either to see if they got scammed. Now that's a case that could be taken to court as false advertisement, and could win. Screw you GameStop, stick to selling used games and new games that are actually new.
Sorry for my rant, but it was much needed, and I've been thinking about it for days. I thought it stopped me from spending $20, but then at a different GameStop I found a used copy of a game that I rarely ever see, in great condition, for $20. So I ended up buying Futurama for the PS2. I love the TV show, and the game so far has a story just like an episode, with great voice acting from all the stars from the show. The jokes are the same as the show, and they have many references to old jokes and props scattered over the levels. Unfotunately, the game has horrible controls, and an even worse camera. I don't know why every adventure game from that generation has such horrible controls and cameras. Only a few developers since then have nailed it, which is maybe why you don't see very many adventure or 3D platformers anymore. Thank goodness Nintendo was one of them to figure it out.
But that was just a game I tried out to see how it is. Do not worry, I still have not touched Super Mario Galaxy 2, and have not touched any of the other six games either. All in due time. First is Persona 3, which I've really come to enjoy. The biggest complaint I had before was having my teammates get tired so quickly while in a dungeon, having to leave and them being sick the next night, one less party member to fight. But as the game progresses, this becomes less prominent. Oh, it's still there, and still frustrating, but it's nice being able to spend much more time in the dungeon before having to leave. And now having a fourth party member, if one gets tired I can return to the first floor, let them leave, and continue back inside with just the other two like the game first started out, to fight a few more battles. No point in risking another getting tired.
The social aspect has become more interesting as well. I was bored with it before, but since taking a very laid back approach to it, it can be more fun. I just do anything I want, and not worry about the consequences. Raising the social links doesn't change much (at least not my enjoyment), and I'm not a huge Persona person. I've come to love fusing the Personas, and seeing what fun ones, while still functional, I can create. We'll see where it takes me.
Okay, enough talking about Persona, I'm tired. Maybe I shouldn't have spent so much time ranting about GameStop. But c'mon, a new game is new, and a used game is used. Period.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Finally finished
Okay, so I don't normally post twice in the same day, but I feel the need to add on to my earlier post from today. I finally finished Shadow Complex, at least for a few weeks. Maybe by the time I get back into the mood to play another Metroidvania type of game, Metroid: Other M will be out, or I could just buy Cave Story for WiiWare, which I've been meaning to play.
But yes, I have finished Shadow Complex, accomplishing my goal. Just a few minutes ago I beat the game for the fourth time. In doing so, I acquired not only the Minimilist achievement (beat the game with 13% or less of the items), but also the Insurgent Master Challenge (beat the game with 4% of the items). Now, originally I stated that I refused to use a guide, and I wanted to figure out for myself how to sequence break the game. Well, I gave in after spending about an hour running around the few rooms I had opened up, trying to figure out some secret passage. I got frustrated, and resorted to using GameFaqs, and found out something interesting. To actually get the Insurgent Master Challenge, you need to start out the game not by sequence breaking, but instead by using a sort of hidden passageway only available for about 30 seconds after a certain sequence of events. Normally this is sort of sequence breaking, but to me it seems more like the developers intentionally opened this passageway for players attempting to break the game. Yes, I understand that developers purposefully allow players (in most cases) to sequence break if they are good and smart enough, but this was much more intentional than just doing things out of order.
There is no way I would have figured out that this passageway would be open (there is absolutely no sign that a passage would ever appear there), especially having only 30 seconds to get there after one particular event. It was neat, but kinda cheap. Either way, after that I was stoked that I was much further in the game than I should have been, without certain items, but sadly, kept making wrong turns, and found that I couldn't go back. I had to restart the game like two more times (this is after starting the game about three times previously, before I checked a Faq, trying random ways to progress at the expense of accidently gaining 1% and the game automatically saving) before once again checking online where to go. And once again, I would have never figured out how to get past a certain door, though this time, it was definitely sequence breaking and pretty cool, since I only saw this done once in four times of playing through the game. After that I was pretty much home free, quickly acquiring the foam, and then sequence breaking from there on. This included a rather difficult sequence breaking to acquire the missiles, but it was worth it. From there it was easy to figure out how to activate the ending sequence, and finish off the final boss within two or three minutes. My final time was 47 minutes, and I actually beat it with 3% of the items, not 4%. Enough Shadow Complex, I'm gonna find something else to do.
But yes, I have finished Shadow Complex, accomplishing my goal. Just a few minutes ago I beat the game for the fourth time. In doing so, I acquired not only the Minimilist achievement (beat the game with 13% or less of the items), but also the Insurgent Master Challenge (beat the game with 4% of the items). Now, originally I stated that I refused to use a guide, and I wanted to figure out for myself how to sequence break the game. Well, I gave in after spending about an hour running around the few rooms I had opened up, trying to figure out some secret passage. I got frustrated, and resorted to using GameFaqs, and found out something interesting. To actually get the Insurgent Master Challenge, you need to start out the game not by sequence breaking, but instead by using a sort of hidden passageway only available for about 30 seconds after a certain sequence of events. Normally this is sort of sequence breaking, but to me it seems more like the developers intentionally opened this passageway for players attempting to break the game. Yes, I understand that developers purposefully allow players (in most cases) to sequence break if they are good and smart enough, but this was much more intentional than just doing things out of order.
There is no way I would have figured out that this passageway would be open (there is absolutely no sign that a passage would ever appear there), especially having only 30 seconds to get there after one particular event. It was neat, but kinda cheap. Either way, after that I was stoked that I was much further in the game than I should have been, without certain items, but sadly, kept making wrong turns, and found that I couldn't go back. I had to restart the game like two more times (this is after starting the game about three times previously, before I checked a Faq, trying random ways to progress at the expense of accidently gaining 1% and the game automatically saving) before once again checking online where to go. And once again, I would have never figured out how to get past a certain door, though this time, it was definitely sequence breaking and pretty cool, since I only saw this done once in four times of playing through the game. After that I was pretty much home free, quickly acquiring the foam, and then sequence breaking from there on. This included a rather difficult sequence breaking to acquire the missiles, but it was worth it. From there it was easy to figure out how to activate the ending sequence, and finish off the final boss within two or three minutes. My final time was 47 minutes, and I actually beat it with 3% of the items, not 4%. Enough Shadow Complex, I'm gonna find something else to do.
More Shadow Complex
Whew, so I've played quite a bit of Shadow Complex lately! You could almost say I've been addicted to it. I have now beaten the game three times, progressively getting much better and smarter. The first playthrough I beat on Normal difficulty, 100% items and map, with a time of around 10 and a half hours. The second time I beat it on Insane difficulty, 100% items and map, with a time of around 9 and a half hours. Last night I beat it for a third time, finally leveling up to the maximum level of 50 (my main goal of the multiple playthroughs, Insane difficulty rewarding higher amounts of exp) on Insane difficulty, 100% map and 98% items (finding the last two items would have taken me quite a bit of time to find, and I was already at level 50 by that point), with a time of around 3 and a half hours. Like I said, I've become much more efficient with my playthroughs. Also, I should mention that I did not use a guide to find the items (or clear the map, obviously) on my first playthrough. I did use a guide on my second playthrough, because the game made finding the items a little more difficult on Insane difficulty, which was a nice touch. This resulted in the higher game time, as I kept running back and forth across the map to get to these item locations on the guide, to see if I had found the item at that location yet. On my third playthrough however, I did not use a guide, so I was very happy with my 98% item completion with a low game time. There is even a Master Challenge (I incorrectly called them Master Achievements in an earlier post) where one must beat the game on Insane difficulty with 100% items in under 3 hours. After my last playthrough, I believe that I might be able to complete that challenge, though I honestly doubt I'll ever try.
Which leads me to why I'll never try to complete that challenge. Today I started work on a different Master Challenge titled Insurgent. In this challenge, one must beat the game on any difficulty with only 4% of the items: flashlight, backpack, grenades, foam and missiles. Each pick-up counts as one percent, with the exception of the flashlight since you start with it. This means that the player can not pick up any extra items in the game, such as guns, health, gold bars, passkeys, or ANY extra grenades, foam or missiles. It is very difficult, and requires quite a bit of thinking to make sure to avoid such items, especially guns since they trigger cutscenes and unlock doors to progress the game. I refuse to a use a guide, and am stuck with the flashlight, backpack, and grenades (so 2%), but cannot progress any further because to do so I would have to pick up a weapon, which would count as 1%. So now I have to figure out where I need to sequence break, or how to obtain either foam or missiles early, which are just out of reach or blocked. At least I'm playing on Casual, so 200 health should be enough to complete the game...I hope.
The other reason I am doing this is because I only have one achievement left to acquire, which is to beat the game on any difficulty with 13% or less of the items. I figure I might as well complete the Master Challenge, which will unlock this achievement as well, cutting down on playthroughs. After this playthrough I'll probably be done for a while. At most, I'll play through it one more time on Casual and see how quickly I can beat the game with 100% of the map and items. Then I can shift my entire attention to Persona 3.
Also, I was excited to see that when I bought Super Mario Galaxy 2 used, it came with a Club Nintendo code, which I entered (and it worked!) yesterday. So thank you to whoever previously owned the game for not only not using the code, but actually keeping that piece of paper with the case.
Which leads me to why I'll never try to complete that challenge. Today I started work on a different Master Challenge titled Insurgent. In this challenge, one must beat the game on any difficulty with only 4% of the items: flashlight, backpack, grenades, foam and missiles. Each pick-up counts as one percent, with the exception of the flashlight since you start with it. This means that the player can not pick up any extra items in the game, such as guns, health, gold bars, passkeys, or ANY extra grenades, foam or missiles. It is very difficult, and requires quite a bit of thinking to make sure to avoid such items, especially guns since they trigger cutscenes and unlock doors to progress the game. I refuse to a use a guide, and am stuck with the flashlight, backpack, and grenades (so 2%), but cannot progress any further because to do so I would have to pick up a weapon, which would count as 1%. So now I have to figure out where I need to sequence break, or how to obtain either foam or missiles early, which are just out of reach or blocked. At least I'm playing on Casual, so 200 health should be enough to complete the game...I hope.
The other reason I am doing this is because I only have one achievement left to acquire, which is to beat the game on any difficulty with 13% or less of the items. I figure I might as well complete the Master Challenge, which will unlock this achievement as well, cutting down on playthroughs. After this playthrough I'll probably be done for a while. At most, I'll play through it one more time on Casual and see how quickly I can beat the game with 100% of the map and items. Then I can shift my entire attention to Persona 3.
Also, I was excited to see that when I bought Super Mario Galaxy 2 used, it came with a Club Nintendo code, which I entered (and it worked!) yesterday. So thank you to whoever previously owned the game for not only not using the code, but actually keeping that piece of paper with the case.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Getting there...
So, every day I see Super Mario Galaxy 2 just sitting there on my shelf, waiting to be played. And yet, I'm still resisting until I finish some other games and books, just like I said I would (I once did this during my senior year of high school, forcing myself to read through Crime and Punishment for a class before I could even open Final Fantasy X-2, the new hot game at the time). Normally I would give in, having an inkling that by the time I get around to the game, I won't be interested in playing it, but not this one. Any Nintendo game from one of their three main series (Mario, Zelda and Metroid) developed for a console (I don't get as excited for their portable counterparts, after Phantom Hourglass and Metroid Prime Hunters) always has me excited, no matter what time of year. And when I say that, I mean that my gaming mood changes throughout the seasons. One part of the year I'm into RPGs, another part I'd rather play a FPS. One month a racing game, another an adventure with a grand story. Not those three series though, those I always look forward to playing.
Anyways, I won't start SMG2 until I finish some games and books. For the books, I just want to look at my bookshelf and not see as many unread books that I've been wanting to read for years. And for games, the first on my list was Shadow Complex. I can happily say that I thoroughly enjoyed the game, or at least after I obtained the jetpack (the second time through is fun without the jetpack, since the levels make sense). It is extremely similar to the Metroid series, especially Super Metroid, right up until the end when one has all the upgrades, and then explores the whole map looking for missile and other expansion packs. On my first playthrough, I made sure to play on Normal difficulty (options are Casual, Normal, Hard and Insane). At first I thought maybe I chose something too difficult for myself, but now I think I was just getting used to the controls. Having beaten it once so far, I can say that while the controls are not perfect, the developers did a fine job for their first time making a game of this sort. Later in the game the controls become second nature, and speedy gameplay is easy to achieve along with quick advanced maneuvers. I would recommend Normal difficulty for all first time players, maybe even Hard difficulty if you're willing to put up with some cheap deaths here and there.
So I finished my first playthrough on Normal difficulty, having explored 100% of the map, acquired 100% of the items, ending with a time around 10 hours. Not bad for a $7 (normally $15) game. Now, that's not even counting replay value. Normally I'd probably play it once more on casual difficulty, seeing how fast I can beat the game, like I did with Super Metroid (though Metroid games, besides the Primes, don't have difficulty options). But there were some achievements I wanted to nab. Now now, these aren't stupid achievements people want just for the useless points, these ones seemed fun. I wanted to get the achievement "Beat the game with less that 13% of the items," but then I wanted to push myself even harder. The game comes with four more "Master Achievements," that don't even unlock any official Xbox 360 achievements, but are for the most hardcore players to strive for. So now instead of the previously mentioned achievement, I'm aiming for something much harder, which is "Beat the game with only 4% of the items," a Master Achievement. This one takes a little bit of planning, and some serious sequence breaking. Before I begin to undertake this run, I'm playing through a second time on Insane difficulty. I'm doing this to level up my character, since a new game + character occurs with each new game, continually carrying over the player level, and a few other random tidbits. The higher the difficulty, the higher the EXP gained, and man, is Insane difficult. Unlike normal difficulty, I must be extremely careful whenever I enter a room, and plan out each move, whether it be crouching behind certain crates, firing a well projected grenade with a jump, or trying to wing it. Definitely fun. Leveling up doesn't change the character much, but it also brings other perks, which can be useful in multiple replays.
Whew, what a long post so far! Sorry, but I felt the need to explain my happiness with Shadow Complex, after originally feeling rather disappointed with the game. In no way is it comparable to the likes of Super Metroid, but Nintendo should be proud of what they inspired. Also, I'm curious to look into Orson Scott Card's novel, Empire, which is what Shadow Complex is based of off (with the second novel as well, Hidden Empire). I'm already a huge fan of his novels (Ender's Game series, awesome books), and after finally understanding the story at the very end of the game, the plot seems interesting, if not VERY cliche. But with his writing, who knows what he could do with the story.
Yes, besides Shadow Complex, I have been playing a tiny bit of other games. I started Metroid II, just to see what it's like, and boy, is it tough. The gameplay and fighting isn't extremely difficult (though not easy either with low health and dangers with every step), but the whole world is one giant maze, and everything looks exactly the same. Trying to find and kill 39 Metroids? I've found and killed 3, and that seems like enough for me. Maybe one day I'll sit down with a guide and work my way through the game, but I highly doubt I'll ever beat it on my own.
I also played an hour or so of Persona 3, but it's just so hard to get into. Maybe it's because I've never played an RPG like this before, but it's radically new to me with too many details for me to remember and consider. I'll slowly keep putting more time into it (and want to beat it before I start SMG2), but we'll see how my feelings change.
Oh, and I want to start creating some games or at least some worlds for Kodu, but I just don't have any ideas. So, if anyone has any basic ideas for something to create, please let me know. Once I start with something, I'm sure it will grow and lead to other ideas.
Anyways, I won't start SMG2 until I finish some games and books. For the books, I just want to look at my bookshelf and not see as many unread books that I've been wanting to read for years. And for games, the first on my list was Shadow Complex. I can happily say that I thoroughly enjoyed the game, or at least after I obtained the jetpack (the second time through is fun without the jetpack, since the levels make sense). It is extremely similar to the Metroid series, especially Super Metroid, right up until the end when one has all the upgrades, and then explores the whole map looking for missile and other expansion packs. On my first playthrough, I made sure to play on Normal difficulty (options are Casual, Normal, Hard and Insane). At first I thought maybe I chose something too difficult for myself, but now I think I was just getting used to the controls. Having beaten it once so far, I can say that while the controls are not perfect, the developers did a fine job for their first time making a game of this sort. Later in the game the controls become second nature, and speedy gameplay is easy to achieve along with quick advanced maneuvers. I would recommend Normal difficulty for all first time players, maybe even Hard difficulty if you're willing to put up with some cheap deaths here and there.
So I finished my first playthrough on Normal difficulty, having explored 100% of the map, acquired 100% of the items, ending with a time around 10 hours. Not bad for a $7 (normally $15) game. Now, that's not even counting replay value. Normally I'd probably play it once more on casual difficulty, seeing how fast I can beat the game, like I did with Super Metroid (though Metroid games, besides the Primes, don't have difficulty options). But there were some achievements I wanted to nab. Now now, these aren't stupid achievements people want just for the useless points, these ones seemed fun. I wanted to get the achievement "Beat the game with less that 13% of the items," but then I wanted to push myself even harder. The game comes with four more "Master Achievements," that don't even unlock any official Xbox 360 achievements, but are for the most hardcore players to strive for. So now instead of the previously mentioned achievement, I'm aiming for something much harder, which is "Beat the game with only 4% of the items," a Master Achievement. This one takes a little bit of planning, and some serious sequence breaking. Before I begin to undertake this run, I'm playing through a second time on Insane difficulty. I'm doing this to level up my character, since a new game + character occurs with each new game, continually carrying over the player level, and a few other random tidbits. The higher the difficulty, the higher the EXP gained, and man, is Insane difficult. Unlike normal difficulty, I must be extremely careful whenever I enter a room, and plan out each move, whether it be crouching behind certain crates, firing a well projected grenade with a jump, or trying to wing it. Definitely fun. Leveling up doesn't change the character much, but it also brings other perks, which can be useful in multiple replays.
Whew, what a long post so far! Sorry, but I felt the need to explain my happiness with Shadow Complex, after originally feeling rather disappointed with the game. In no way is it comparable to the likes of Super Metroid, but Nintendo should be proud of what they inspired. Also, I'm curious to look into Orson Scott Card's novel, Empire, which is what Shadow Complex is based of off (with the second novel as well, Hidden Empire). I'm already a huge fan of his novels (Ender's Game series, awesome books), and after finally understanding the story at the very end of the game, the plot seems interesting, if not VERY cliche. But with his writing, who knows what he could do with the story.
Yes, besides Shadow Complex, I have been playing a tiny bit of other games. I started Metroid II, just to see what it's like, and boy, is it tough. The gameplay and fighting isn't extremely difficult (though not easy either with low health and dangers with every step), but the whole world is one giant maze, and everything looks exactly the same. Trying to find and kill 39 Metroids? I've found and killed 3, and that seems like enough for me. Maybe one day I'll sit down with a guide and work my way through the game, but I highly doubt I'll ever beat it on my own.
I also played an hour or so of Persona 3, but it's just so hard to get into. Maybe it's because I've never played an RPG like this before, but it's radically new to me with too many details for me to remember and consider. I'll slowly keep putting more time into it (and want to beat it before I start SMG2), but we'll see how my feelings change.
Oh, and I want to start creating some games or at least some worlds for Kodu, but I just don't have any ideas. So, if anyone has any basic ideas for something to create, please let me know. Once I start with something, I'm sure it will grow and lead to other ideas.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Before I start any more games...
Okay, so it seems like I keep acquiring more and more games, and once again feel like I need to play catch up before I start too many. If you can't notice by the "Currently Playing" list, I've already got quite a bit on my plate. Some of those, like Castlevania, I may not finish anytime soon. I'll give it another hour or so of play, and if I'm not hooked (I like the game so far, it's just difficult) I'll put it on the backburner, along with a few other games I own. To be clear, I just bought Metroid II and Super Mario Galaxy 2 (used, for a decent price), and I know once I start SMG2, I won't stop until I have every star, just like the first one.
But anyways, the main reason for this post wasn't to talk about what games I bought and what I need to play, it's that I've been playing more of Shadow Complex, and my feelings on the game have been shifting. Originally, I got bored with the game, and felt like the controls were just awful. I was comparing the game to Super Metroid, which most people, critics, and reviewers have been doing, since they are extremely similar. While I still believe that Super Metroid is by far a much better game, I'm finally seeing why people have been raving about Shadow Complex.
To anyone thinking about playing it, I will warn you that the first one to two hours can be kinda boring, as it's not nearly as fast paced or as interesting as most Metroid games. But once you gain new weapons and upgrades, the options on where to go start to open up. I've found that the enemies in the background aren't as annoying as they first were. Yes, they could have still done without them, but I'll admit that it has made for some interesting boss battles and other fights with enemies. In addition, having the background enemies makes sure players don't just run and gun through areas, which starts to be possible later in the game. This doesn't mean it's easy, I still die once in a while, but never a frustrating death.
I'm just over 6 hours into the game, and it looks like I'm almost done with the story. I only have collected around 40% of the items and explored only 70% of the map, so I'm going to spend much more time 100% completing the game before I finish it...as long as I don't accidently find the final boss before I do so, I'm not entirely sure which is the way to the end? I definitely recommend the game to most gamers.
Oh, and I finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Took about 200 pages to get into, and then it finally got interesting. It was a pretty good book, but I feel like it wasn't polished enough. Maybe they wanted to get his three books out soon after he died, to obtain even more popularity, like to use it as a boost for sales, and didn't use that time to edit it more. Either way, good book, but way too many characters, and probably a bit overrated. But that's just my opinion. So I started Still Life With Crows, a horror novel in a series I once got addicted to.
But anyways, the main reason for this post wasn't to talk about what games I bought and what I need to play, it's that I've been playing more of Shadow Complex, and my feelings on the game have been shifting. Originally, I got bored with the game, and felt like the controls were just awful. I was comparing the game to Super Metroid, which most people, critics, and reviewers have been doing, since they are extremely similar. While I still believe that Super Metroid is by far a much better game, I'm finally seeing why people have been raving about Shadow Complex.
To anyone thinking about playing it, I will warn you that the first one to two hours can be kinda boring, as it's not nearly as fast paced or as interesting as most Metroid games. But once you gain new weapons and upgrades, the options on where to go start to open up. I've found that the enemies in the background aren't as annoying as they first were. Yes, they could have still done without them, but I'll admit that it has made for some interesting boss battles and other fights with enemies. In addition, having the background enemies makes sure players don't just run and gun through areas, which starts to be possible later in the game. This doesn't mean it's easy, I still die once in a while, but never a frustrating death.
I'm just over 6 hours into the game, and it looks like I'm almost done with the story. I only have collected around 40% of the items and explored only 70% of the map, so I'm going to spend much more time 100% completing the game before I finish it...as long as I don't accidently find the final boss before I do so, I'm not entirely sure which is the way to the end? I definitely recommend the game to most gamers.
Oh, and I finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Took about 200 pages to get into, and then it finally got interesting. It was a pretty good book, but I feel like it wasn't polished enough. Maybe they wanted to get his three books out soon after he died, to obtain even more popularity, like to use it as a boost for sales, and didn't use that time to edit it more. Either way, good book, but way too many characters, and probably a bit overrated. But that's just my opinion. So I started Still Life With Crows, a horror novel in a series I once got addicted to.
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