65 - Hitman: Blood Money (Steam)

Genre: Stealth
Rating: M
Developer: IO Interactive
Publisher: Eidos
Platform: Steam (Also: PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360)
Release Date: 2006

This is the only Hitman game I've spent serious time playing although it was not my first experience with the series. I started off with the first game, Hitman: Codename 47, but found it much too difficult to play. Although generally stealth games are pretty cool, they are often way harder than I can handle. It's one thing to understand how to be quiet and stay out of site but it's another thing to actually be able to carry it out.

So, with my normal inability to play stealth games I ended up really enjoying this game all the same. I think it's due to the fact that in Hitman: Blood Money you don't have to be stealth if you really don't want to. Obviously the game pushes you in that direction but allows most missions to be completed regardless of getting seen by people, killing civilians, or whatever else trouble you might get yourself into. I appreciate this because it means the game is really open to all kinds of play styles and techniques (including my bumbling, Rambo-esque one).

The game has a really strong sense of self. I often found myself just wandering around to listen to characters chatter on or just explore. Everyone has their own routine. It's pretty cool how nicely realized the world is, although it certainly gets very dark at times. As this is a game about a hitman, you're going to be forced to think about the ramifications of your actions - even if Agent 47 himself isn't.

I really, really like this game. Although I'm absolutely horrid at it the game accommodates itself to me and allows me to continue. The world is cool and I want to see it all. Definitely check this game out if you're in need of stealth games.

44 - Mister Mosquito (PS2)

Genre: Shooter
Rating: T
Developer: Zoom
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Platform: PS2
Release Date: 2002

Mister Mosquito is a game I had wanted before I even had a PS2. I saved a magazine advertisement for it and probably still have that somewhere. However, only this year was I able to finally add it to my collection. After all those years the game is still tremendously entertaining. In fact, I'm surprised how well it holds up in terms of comedic value and playability.

In the game you're a mosquito (who would have guessed?). You are set to get your fill of blood thanks to the Yamada family. They're not happy about it though, and do all they can to keep from being your meal. Strangely, a calm female voice narrates your insect life story and tells you about various locations in the house. When you die, she nonchalantly remarks things like "too bad".

The damn game is fantastic. It's supremely Japanese in flavor and the characters have such funny actions and reactions to you. For example, the mother character goes into the laundry room to search for a photo album at one point. As you try to hone in on a good bite spot, she will spontaneously get in a kung fu stance. Why? Why not? It's weird as can be, especially when the act of biting feels like Star Fox. The mosquito will have a rectangular marker pop up on good bite spots and show how close or far you are from it. It's all incredibly strange.

For whatever reason you can also customize the colors for your mosquito. If he were modeled realistically the game would lose some of its silly flair, but he looks like a very cartoony guy. He reminds me a bit of Buck Bumble but instead of being cool he's a complete dork. It's a great time and I can't wait to try it again. In case you're wondering, I died while trying to bite the Yamada's daughter in the bath. I didn't even get to see anything!

Would I play again? Yes!

43 - Mad Maestro! (PS2)

Genre: Rhythm/music
Rating: E
Developer: Desert Productions
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Platform: PS2
Release Date: 2002

This is one of those games I passed up on innumerable times. Back when I would see games like this and Rhapsody: A Musical Tale on store shelves I was a connoisseur of Dance Dance Revolution. Because of this I was kind of stingy with other rhythm and music titles. Nothing would be as good as DDR, so why even try? That's how I felt for a while anyway before finally latching onto each music game that would come out.

I do kind of regret not getting it sooner, as well as those other musical titles. This one isn't especially difficult or anything, but it's certainly a new idea (conducting). It's really simple to understand how to play too. There are 4 markers on screen and as a ball passes through them you are supposed to hit a button. It doesn't matter which button, you just need to get it in time with the music. Along with that, the markers have one of three colored borders. The varying colors tell you how hard you should press down on the buttons. It's a slightly unusual gameplay mechanic which took surprisingly long to get used to.

Beyond this stuff, the story was really cheesy. The point of the whole thing is that a concert hall is going to be closed so you are tasked to gathering up musicians to play in it and convince people to save it. Once you start interacting with the cast of weird characters you realize it's so very Japanese in style.

I managed to push through all the chapters and get to the finale concert in maybe an hour. However, at that concert I completely failed on every song and couldn't save the concert hall. What amused me though is that when you fail the screen doesn't say Game Over. No, it says "Nooo...." which is really how I felt at that moment.

Would I play again? Nah.

17 - Blood Omen 2

Genre: Action, horror
Rating: M
Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Publisher: Eidos
System: PS2 (Also: GC, PC, Xbox)
Release date: 2002

Here's the second vampire-centric game so far! As shameful as it may be to say I've never played any games in the Legacy of Kain series before. I have 2 but was waiting for a rainy day before busting any out. Either way, on an actual rainy day here I stuck it into my PS3 and wished I'd done so months earlier.

This is a great game! There was an issue with the brightness which couldn't be fixed in game but I'm starting to think it may be my television which is causing the issue. That was certainly a little tough to deal with because the game already takes place in dark corridors, alleys and whatnot in the dead of night. In fact, there was a point where I needed to kill a woman chained to a wall but she was completely shrouded in darkness. I had to strike wildly around with only her shrieks of terror to guide me.

Despite the brightness issue this game was solid and fantastic. I enjoyed the feeling of power that I had inhabiting this vampire and sneaking up on unsuspecting street people for a bite. I haven't had this much fun with a game based around vampires since Vampire: The Masquerade.

Again there was talk about vampires not being able to touch water so I figure that's a legitimate thing and not just the constraints of programming. I bring it up because that's how I led my avatar to death. He was supposed to jump over a pool of water to reach the other side, or so I thought. My poor avatar met his death four consecutive times. Finally I figured out what was actually supposed to happen but by then it was definitely time to play something else.

Would I play again? Yes!