55 - Phantom Dust (Xbox)

Genre: Sci-fi, shooter
Rating: T
Developer: MS Studios Japan
Publisher: Majesco Games
Platform: Xbox
Release Date: 2005

Phantom Dust is one hell of a game. For some reason, it never seemed to get much traffic on the Xbox, but it should have.  It was a friend who first turned me on to the game by talking about how wild a multiplayer experience it offered. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to play it online and now can't unless I use some sort of Xbox VPN.

Anyways, the game is sort of like Fallout in a way. You're in an underground world because you and your people can no longer venture onto the surface (it's not safe!). Of course, being the main character you do venture out and when you do there's lots of fights to be had with enemies. It plays a lot like an episode of Dragonball Z, honestly, and that's pretty cool. I never really even liked the show, but being in control of a character who can fly and shoot out powers is crazy fun.

It's intense. The game is very Japanese and a strange take on the sort of post-Apocalyptic world. Things are kind of steampunk style, but then also just super futuristic. I don't know how to explain it. The art style is akin to Jojo's Bizarre Adventure which is love/hate.

I still don't understand why this game didn't become hugely popular. Available only to Xbox gamers, it really seems like a game that tons of people would have liked if they had heard of it.

Would I play again? Sure.

24 - Gears of War 2

Genre: Sci-fi, shooter
Rating: M
Developer: Epic Games
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Platform: 360
Release date: 2008

FPS games aren't really my thing. Anything with guns typically isn't my thing unless there are guns and zombies/monsters/whatever strange creatures. Aliens however don't really fit into this picture so Gears of War has never struck me as a wholly interesting series. I played GoW but this was my first time checking out the sequel.

It's basically more of the same. A lot more of the same. The graphics don't appear improved any although the characterization perhaps seems a bit more human. There might also be even a bit more constant action than there was in the first, but maybe not. It could just be the fact that I'm not usually playing action-heavy games that this seems really wild.

I had no problem playing the game. Something I find odd is that GoW and similar titles are not very hard on their normal difficulties at all. While I died within half an hour on almost all the games I've played for my blog so far I managed to keep on trucking for a really long time in this one. It was only when I got a little too confident in my abilities that I was mowed down. These games seem designed for younger players, it seems.

Overall the game wasn't anything exciting and new but it's done well enough that I didn't find myself getting bored after an hour of shooting same-y enemies. Perhaps some of that could be contributed to my custom soundtrack that was playing through the battles. Normally I don't use that feature on the 360 but I don't really need to hear heavy, orchestral or whatever music as I shoot aliens. I was just fine with a collection of dance music.

Would I play again? Sure.