[Crunchy in milk]

I just picked up Mage Gauntlet for iOs. It released today and is on sale for a couple of days, $2($3).

There are a few games that claim to be the closest thing to zelda on iOs, this doesn't claim that but it really is. The protagonist Lexi is charming in her resolve and the gameplay really is remeniscent of Link to the Past, as are the delightful graphics. The spell mechanics are great and the control scheme is a clear example of understanding the platform its built for.

Initial release is iphone/touch but the first update will bring proper universal (ipad) support and right now it plays great at 2x anyway because of the neat controls. Next update will support custom music from your library too in place of the sweet chip tunes.

[TimovieMan]

I'm currently replaying some classic games, or discovering some old classics for the first time.

Now playing (more or less simultaneously):

- Deus Ex (First mission at the Statue of Liberty - just started this game, never played it before *gasp*)
Edit: just read there are some hi-res mods for this - will get these first and start over, it's not like I'll lose hours of gaming by restarting...

- Maniac Mansion (still early game also, and also never played it before - I always did prefer a "No Death"-policy)

- FIFA 12 (PC version, 3/4 into the first manager career season, would've gotten further if it didn't effing crash so much)

- Tennis Elbow 2011 (halfway through my first career season, if only I didn't insist on the max amount of sets/match, I'd be further into the game )

[Crunchy in milk]

Adventures of Tintin : The secret of the Unicorn.

Its a fun if vapid little 2D platformer. Lots of charm like the comics, but also the weird 3D versions of some childhood favourites akin to the movie it parallels. The best bits are the strictly side-on platforming sections, so much so that the occasional 3D chase/exploration bits seem woefully tacked on.

While I'm enjoying the gameplay even though it is quite simple, I think Tintin is voiced by Adam Howden, so all I hear is that winy #$%^ Anders from Dragon Age 2. 'Uncle Gamlen' from Dragon Age 2 is the voice of Alain...

Unless your kid(s) (including that one inside of you) is begging for Tintin, wait for a sale, there's more than a couple of hours fun to be had here but it never feels more than casual.

It has low system requirements so that's nice too.

[inm8#2]

I haven't played Bioshock in 4 months. I really enjoyed it but have been busy and then found myself playing other AGs or casual games. I need to finish Bioshock before the year is up.

[Gledster]

Originally Posted by inm8#2

I haven't played Bioshock in 4 months. I really enjoyed it but have been busy and then found myself playing other AGs or casual games. I need to finish Bioshock before the year is up.

Bioshock is on my 'to-play' list too. I started it but it freaked me out too much.

I'm currently playing Doom 3 (with the duct-tape mod). Really enjoying it, but it's taking forever to finish. According to STEAM I'm 12 hours in and still not finished! I'm up to "Delta Labs 3". Got a boss-fight to go then I'm heading to Hell!

Once I'm done with Doom 3 I've got Syberia 2 to finish as well Runaway: A Road Adventure. My main complaint is that I've got to stop playing games to go to work 5 days a week!

[terhardp]

I'm playing L.A. Noire on my PC and I'm enjoying it immensly so far, after going through hell to make it playable and decent looking on my rig.

[erodola]

Currently enjoying Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom (NES), coming up Tex Murphy: Martian Memorandum (GOG.com rules!!)

[TimovieMan]

Crud! I'm playing L.A. Noire, I'm still at the traffic desk, and already the game is starting to annoy me.

My initial "ZOMG! This game is beautiful!!!" shock-and-awe moment has fleeted and now the game is slowly but steadily starting to bug me...
Even though it looks amazing (my 3-year old rig is so l33t that I'm able to play it at max resolution and max quality while still maintaining the forced cap of 30 fps! ) and a lot of detail went into recreating 1947 L.A. and having facial motion capturing for EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE GAME!!!

The driving was already getting tedious immediately after the tutorial. It's impossible to drive one block without hitting a car or nearly running over a pedestrian, unless you want to drive at speeds suitable for Miss Daisy. And having your partner drive makes you miss all the street crime (which for some reason always ends with me putting a bullet in the perp's head - why can't any of them be calmed down or taken in peacefully?). Car chases are also proving impossible. Every one of those feels like I'm chasing Rémy Julienne.

This game should have had a difficulty slider for the action sequences. And the option to save at your own leisure.

Saving at your own leisure would also have helped with the interviews, because they're starting to get more and more illogical as the game progresses. The way the developer's mind works is not how mine works and interviews are becoming guessing games.

Also, why does Cole Phelps always immediately turn on the ALL CAPS RAGE! when you're doubting an interviewee's statement? Threatening with gratuitous violence is fine by me when dealing with an arrogant hard case, but this guy is immediately bullying sweet housewives if he doubts one little statement after having been told the truth on nearly all other subjects...

I sincerely hope the game gets better, because I was awed during my first two hours of play, but now I'm only getting more and more disappointed...

[D.C.]

Originally Posted by TimovieMan

Also, why does Cole Phelps always immediately turn on the ALL CAPS RAGE! when you're doubting an interviewee's statement? Threatening with gratuitous violence is fine by me when dealing with an arrogant hard case, but this guy is immediately bullying sweet housewives if he doubts one little statement after having been told the truth on nearly all other subjects...

According to Team Bondi, the 'doubt' option was originally 'accuse/force' -- it was changed at the last moment and the dialogue/performance was kept the same.

[Christian IV]

Working on Anachronox, almost done, in the final boss battle, ditto for Omikiron Nomad Soul, working on Mafia I and II, (II is amazingly beautiful and there is a mod that allows you to drive to see the countryside that was put in but not used), 2/3 way thru Vampire Masquerade Bloodlines, Hollywood, about to start Mass Effect II, making major mod for Oblvion, working on a mod for Far Cry, playing Advent Rising and LOVING it...beautiful game.., also playing thru Dreamfall for the fifth time, just got to the show room at the factory, in Japan, working on Silent Hunter V, amazing improvements plus many mods....some others.

[Pallav Nawani]

Playing Mr Robot currently.
A real Indie Gem.

[terhardp]

I've started playing Batman: Arkham City a few days ago. Like its predecessor, it's fun and addictive game. Not to mention the graphic and sound. Still, even though I'm practically at the beginning of the game, I already feel that its going to proudly sit on the second place along with Portal 2 in my book for this year. L.A. Noire still leads.

[TimovieMan]

Originally Posted by Christian IV

Working on Anachronox, almost done, in the final boss battle, ditto for Omikiron Nomad Soul, working on Mafia I and II, (II is amazingly beautiful and there is a mod that allows you to drive to see the countryside that was put in but not used), 2/3 way thru Vampire Masquerade Bloodlines, Hollywood, about to start Mass Effect II, making major mod for Oblvion, working on a mod for Far Cry, playing Advent Rising and LOVING it...beautiful game.., also playing thru Dreamfall for the fifth time, just got to the show room at the factory, in Japan, working on Silent Hunter V, amazing improvements plus many mods....some others.

Jeez, and I have difficulties playing 3 games at once...

[Fantasysci5]

I've been all over the place with what I want to play.

I tried to play "Psychonauts" since everyone loves that game, but although it has a good premise, I just can't get into it. I guess I'll put it away for another day.

So I'm trying "The Witcher". The graphics are gorgeous, and it seems like a good game, but some of the writing seems off...I dunno.

I am going to play some "Zoo Tycoon" to see if I can get into that...

[Hammerite]

Originally Posted by TimovieMan

Jeez, and I have difficulties playing 3 games at once...

One game at a time is all I can manage.
And at the moment, none!

[Crunchy in milk]

Originally Posted by TimovieMan

Crud! I'm playing L.A. Noire, I'm still at the traffic desk, and already the game is starting to annoy me.

Its a very long game, lots of traffic cases, and then lots of homicide cases, and then finally you get to vice...

The threads don't come together till many, many, many hours in. For the most part you're just tasked with living life as Cole. I enjoyed the game a lot more once I stopped pressuring myself to finish case after case in quick succession in the hopes that the main story would pick up.

Originally Posted by TimovieMan

My initial "ZOMG! This game is beautiful!!!" shock-and-awe moment has fleeted and now the game is slowly but steadily starting to bug me [...]

The driving was already getting tedious immediately after the tutorial. It's impossible to drive one block without hitting a car or nearly running over a pedestrian [...] having your partner drive makes you miss all the street crime

I honestly felt the driving was great (especially compared to Mafia II), I didn't have any trouble using keyboard and mouse, but I have trained myself to tap the accelerator key and listen to the engine rather than hold it down and go for broke, its the only way to account for digital input. The cars handle really well and I never once hit a pedestrian (through sheer luck a few times I'm sure).

I did once have a guy who'd bought a stolen car take out a pedestrian, and when I caught up to him for the cinematic dialogue he had this silly line wondering why he was being pinched... I couldn't even point out that he'd just mowed down someone.

Car chases are usually quite forgiving, they do slow down for you and your partner is usually a crack shot at their tyres if you get him close on the inside.

I don't mind missing the street crime, as you say they're mostly just shoot outs which is the least interesting part of the game for me. They're always on the other side of the town from where I get the call and they really seem more suited to uniformed police... like they're left overs tacked back on, perhaps from a time when the player was meant to be a beat cop (uniformed police) for longer.

Whenever the call comes over the radio I just open the map, if its not immediately on the way to the next destination in my current case I just ignore it. So far as I can tell the XP is good for achievements (no interested) and outfits, which you'll unlock through general play in short order anyway.

Originally Posted by TimovieMan

Saving at your own leisure would [...] have helped with the interviews, because they're starting to get more and more illogical as the game progresses. The way the developer's mind works is not how mine works and interviews are becoming guessing games.

The game does autosave usually right before a conversation or right before entering an area where a discussion will take place. Unfortunately it will overwrite this autosave once you complete dialogue. Your only option is to quit to menu during the dialogue and then 'continue' to retry a dialogue without restarting the whole case.

I loved the Dialogue system, but the prompts you've given (Truth, Doubt, Lie) are confusing. Visually theres no difference in the actors performance between a correct Doubt and Lie response, the only difference is if you have evidence to the contrary. I would love a hack that just changes the word 'Lie' to 'Proof' or 'Evidence'. If you have no proof, use Doubt. If you've got proof someone's lying then the anger makes sense.

I would have preferred no audio or visual clue that you guessed right until the case was over.

Originally Posted by TimovieMan

I sincerely hope the game gets better, because I was awed during my first two hours of play, but now I'm only getting more and more disappointed...

There's definitely a lull in the Traffic cases, I wonder if its intentional so you share Cole's determination to get to Homicide where the real cases are.

There's a similar lull on the Homicide desk and I'm almost convinced its intentional too. The focus turns to Cole's straight arrow nature coming into direct conflict with the need to please his immediate superiors on the force.

Likewise on the Vice desk... they get you settled in (almost bored) and then introduce a distraction that leads to something big.

[Jubilee]

I am currently playing Grim Fandango as I never actually finished it. So far, so good

[Fantasysci5]

Got addicted to "The Witcher", and had done some quests that didn't make much sense, then at least 4 game-days in, I start another quest, that asks me to do what I just did already. Ah, non-linear games.

[Hammerite]

Originally Posted by Fantasysci5

Got addicted to "The Witcher", and had done some quests that didn't make much sense, then at least 4 game-days in, I start another quest, that asks me to do what I just did already. Ah, non-linear games.

The trick with non-linear games is to go absolutely mental seeing how much havoc you can cause before getting killed, or seeing if you can glitch up the AI.

I'm not ready for adulthood, am I?

[Manhunter71]

Lets see,

Batman Arkham City - stuck trying to defeat Mr Freeze
Dark Secrets - stuck trying to find out what to do after visiting Trollglade 2
Last Half of Drkness:Tomb of Zojir - still exploring the house. Just drugged the zombie guy guarding the small box