A few gaming impressions

I got tired of waiting on UPS and finally just carted my ass over to Best Buy to pick up DCUO for the PS3 on Friday.  So far, it's pretty good, but doesn't really feel like an MMO to me.  Maybe it's the lack of crafting, I don't know.  I'm currently on level 12, been having a fairly enjoyable time.  Just not sure if it's $15/month worth of adventure.  I have quite the same gripes with this as with most any MMO.  Some sections are too cluttered with players that waiting for enemies to spawn or to get a drop becomes a hassle.  In the beginning, too many people are spamming requests for grouping and joining leagues.  Collecting gear has been fun, and combat can be satisfying when getting the hang of some different combos.  It does seem that powers aren't really in play, and combat is more reliant upon weapons.  This may be a function of my character being a gadget guy though.

I got Castlevania:LoS on a $20 sale and finally got around to playing it.  I was expecting to hate it, and actually dreaded trying it out after the demo.  Glad I finally gave it a day in court, as the game itself is much better than the demo.  I've completed 4 chapters so far, so my impressions are still fairly preliminary.  I like the sense of exploration it puts on the gamer.  Spamming attacks can only work so well, and after a while you get a hang of the different combos, and what works best for certain enemies.  The platforming is tight, and is more about rewarding the user through exploration, rather than punishing them for not following some imaginary line on a narrow beam (see my Sly Cooper impression to follow).  I do wonder if the game will be too long.  I've spent a fair amount of time getting through 4 chapters, and it seems like I'm only about a third of the way through.  Chapters have anywhere between 2 and 10 levels in them.  I'm still not sure if I'll finish the game, but an 8-12 hour experience would have me more likely than not, attempting a second playthrough to get the things I missed and try to beat the trials.  The boss fights can be a bit over the top, and it seems the game is always throwing some sort of challenge at you.  I went with squire difficulty, as I expected the game to truly be an assgrinder.  I am finding it challenging, but not controller-hurlingly so.  I can also see why the demo had me turned off.  They should have picked a different level, with some powers and a decent battle to expose potential buyers to, not the first 2 levels in the game.

In anticipation of DCUO, I decided to get some stick time in on the PS3 in the form of the Sly Cooper Collection.  I had fond memories of this game, with it's cartoonish cell shaded graphics, and comical platforming.  After playing it for about an hour, I was reminded that I did not, in fact, have fond memories of the game.  Quite the opposite actually.  This game pretty much got me off of PS2 gaming back in the day, and pushed me towards the Xbox.  I absolutely the hate the fact that the game requires exact precision in it's platforming elements.  There is a major problem in a game when just trying to climb up a pipe can be a hassle.  I don't expect the game to be idiot proof, and I do appreciate a challenge.  I think the best platformers have a knack for making a missed jump, grab, swing, etc... leave the gamer wanting to master it, not feeling punished since they weren't exactly lined up for a jump. 

Many years ago, I took a game design seminar over a period of 8 weeks.  It was a fantastic class.  I learned a lot about game design and theory, and got to create a design document.  One of the main things that struck me was the concept of reward vs. punishment.  Good games reward players, bad games punish them.  It's not about difficulty, but an arbitrary trap that is placed upon the user in the guise of difficulty.  Not only did you die because you missed a jump, but you have to start way the hell back in a level. 

Anyway, the controls on Sly absolutely suck any pleasure right out of the game.  Compared with something like Castlevania, where I can have a hell of a time against a boss, or powerful enemy, but I know that my failings are my own.  I wasn't quick enough, I mistimed a dodge, etc... That is much more palatable than falling off a bridge because I wasn't exact with my thumb on the analog controller.  Oh well, I'm about to start babbling, and nobody wants to hear how Ninja Gaiden thumbs it's nose at gamers by eschewing many design principles in favor of appearing "teh h4rdc0rz".

Initial line:

DCUO 7/10 (may be low, as the game is fun, just unsure of longevity)

Castlevania 8/10 (may be high, pending further exploration and sheer number of chapters - will it get old?)

Sly Cooper Collection 5/10