tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625171860671748699.post9115895443907329418..comments2024-01-30T18:06:40.312-08:00Comments on Up late talking games & writing? You're...: Batman, White Collar, and French PressingBrad Gallawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09452185302281177580noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625171860671748699.post-46702841065573853012009-11-27T02:03:32.078-08:002009-11-27T02:03:32.078-08:00Thanks for the tip, Anonymous... I'll look int...Thanks for the tip, Anonymous... I'll look into it!Brad Gallawayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09452185302281177580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625171860671748699.post-76802856103426847492009-11-27T02:02:15.512-08:002009-11-27T02:02:15.512-08:00Hey Matt.
>>First, I thought the last boss,...Hey Matt.<br /><br />>>First, I thought the last boss, and the way the story ended in general, was absolutely wretched. Given how decent the writing was in the first 95% of the game, the final confrontation with the Joker couldn't have possibly been more stupid. I was basically sitting there, slack jawed, thinking "Uh... really? That's really the best you got?" I mean, Jesus... what the fuck was that ending? It went from being a great episode of the animated series to a shit fanfic written by a 12-year-old. The game was fantastic, but that ending nearly spoiled the entire feeling.<br /><br />That's funny, I heard the same sentiment echoed by a number of people, but I didn't feel that way. The endgame seemed like it was telegraphed from a long way away, and to be honest, it seemed perfectly in line with some of the lesser Batman stories I've read over the years. In case you're talking about the specific way you take down the Joker, then I basically agree with that. That particular mechanic/scenario was pretty weak.<br /><br />>>Second, I felt the game design intentionally crippled its own complexity in order to make itself more accessible to low-attention-span gamers. <br /><br />I agree with that, but at the same time, I think there is something to be said for crafting the experience in the low-impact roller coaster fashion that it is. It had a very rapid pace and there was almost no downtime, something I very much appreciated (especially now playing AC2.) I certainly don't want every game to be like this, but I thought it was a valid choice in this particular instance.<br /><br />>>The action and stealth mechanics in Arkham are both fantastic, but the designers don't seem to have the balls to ever let them really mix together in complicated ways. With virtually no design changes, Arkham Asylum could have easily been a handsome open-ended game in which the player was merely given Batman's tools and let loose to solve problems in any way they could imagine, like Deus Ex or Thief or Hitman or MGS3. <br /><br />Totally agree, and I hope that the developers will expand their vision a little wider for next time. However, I do think that it must be given for the way they turned out such an incredibly polished and focused game. It seemed pretty clear to me that their goal was to have a thrill-ride with a little bit of depth, and I'd say that they achieved it.Brad Gallawayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09452185302281177580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625171860671748699.post-8177362687880115152009-11-25T08:43:56.841-08:002009-11-25T08:43:56.841-08:00On the topic of coffee, which I too need and love,...On the topic of coffee, which I too need and love, I would recommend the<br />Aeropress, http://www.aerobie.com/Products/aeropress_story.htm It might look pretty infomercially, but it makes a good, sharp tasting, cup of coffee without the sediment of a French press. The taste doesn't have quite so much body though. I've made coffee many ways (press, perc, drip), and they all have their appeal, but if you buy this thing I don't think you'll be disappointed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625171860671748699.post-48437661087145104572009-11-24T07:56:54.374-08:002009-11-24T07:56:54.374-08:00I basically agree with what you say about Arkham A...I basically agree with what you say about Arkham Asylum, but there were a few things for me that keep me from the level of enthusiasm expressed by most reviewers.<br /><br />First, I thought the last boss, and the way the story ended in general, was absolutely wretched. Given how decent the writing was in the first 95% of the game, the final confrontation with the Joker couldn't have possibly been more stupid. I was basically sitting there, slack jawed, thinking "Uh... really? That's really the best you got?" I mean, Jesus... what the fuck was that ending? It went from being a great episode of the animated series to a shit fanfic written by a 12-year-old. The game was fantastic, but that ending nearly spoiled the entire feeling.<br /><br />Second, I felt the game design intentionally crippled its own complexity in order to make itself more accessible to low-attention-span gamers. The action and stealth mechanics in Arkham are both fantastic, but the designers don't seem to have the balls to ever let them really mix together in complicated ways. With virtually no design changes, Arkham Asylum could have easily been a handsome open-ended game in which the player was merely given Batman's tools and let loose to solve problems in any way they could imagine, like Deus Ex or Thief or Hitman or MGS3. The mechanics are robust and varied enough to support this kind of gameplay, but Arkham Asylum flatly refuses to let these elements mix and instead insists on shoehorning players into frustratingly contained situations where the goal and the methods to achieve it are handed down to the player from on high. I would have loved to be able to stealth people *instead* of brawling or brawl *instead* of stealthing, but Arkham seldom allowed me this freedom.<br /><br />Regardless of these criticisms, I loved the game. But these reasons are, for me, why it's a bit overrated. The best Batman game ever made? Obviously. But it's important to recognize that it achieves that by basically ripping off all the right games and reconfiguring them in such a way that they contribute to the feeling of being Batman. It's all very well done, but it's also not a better game than any of the games it rips off IMO.Matthew "Sajon" Weisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08379770938858222511noreply@blogger.com