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'Tis the Season...

by megalowho

I have so little time to play games these days as it is I should probably be doing that now instead of writing this. Especially since I've been picking up a bunch of these new releases, dabbling for a bit and knowing that eventually I'll get back to it - but damn if the next one isn't more engaging than the last. Nothing super revolutionary but so much genre refinement, enjoyable characterizati...

I have so little time to play games these days as it is I should probably be doing that now instead of writing this. Especially since I've been picking up a bunch of these new releases, dabbling for a bit and knowing that eventually I'll get back to it - but damn if the next one isn't more engaging than the last. Nothing super revolutionary but so much genre refinement, enjoyable characterization, satisfying gameplay and memorable moments across the board. Lessons have been learned from previous titles and really I haven't been disappointed with a single purchase I've made this holiday yet. Some quick hits on what's out there from me: 
 
 Assassin's Creed 2Assassin's Creed 2 - A few hours in and so far so good. It's everything I could have wanted in a sequel to the first game, with a lot I didn't know I wanted. The pacing, characters, and overall variety has improved by leaps and bounds. Can't wait to see how this one unfolds, lots of odd graphical glitches for some reason though. 
 
Dragon Age: Origins - For my tastes there's nothing quite like a BioWare RPG, flaws and all, and Dragon Age is the best yet in many respects. Part Baldur's Gate, part Mass Effect, part Lord of the Rings. I've spent way too much time just playing the different origin stories, my main isn't even that far into the storyline. Looking forward to spending many hours with Dragon Age for sure.
 
Borderlands - Gun loot madness, satisfying FPS action. Excellent and unique visuals, tons of fun with friends. It's a winner no doubt, but I feel like it may take a back seat to the two single player epics above for now. 
 
New Super Mario Bros. Wii - Haven't touched it yet, but I'm looking at the box on my desk. Maybe try to play through this weekend. No impressions but hey, a new Super Mario Bros. on my Wii to play. Awesome. 
  
Torchlight - Time has disappeared when playing Torchlight, 11pm turns into 4am like that. It scratches the Diablo and the WoW itch in me like nothing since, well, Diablo or WoW. Feels timeless and effortlessly enjoyable, if you like well crafted dungeon crawls.  

  TorchlightMario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story  - Fun, but the constant chatter at every turn grinds the game to a halt. It's well written but so much doesn't feel conducive to short burst portable gameplay sessions. I'm spending more time hitting X to get through speech bubbles than I am moving through the story or leveling up. Still, it's my go to DS game of choice right now.

Demon's Souls - Too many long  RPG's on this list. Don't know when I'll get back to this one seeing as it's such a slow burn. But the few hours I played were tense, dark and engrossing to be sure.
 
Uncharted 2  - The campaign was eye poppingly great - a far more engaging and satisfying experience than Resident Evil 5, either Gears of War, pretty much every other third person action game out there. It sets a new standard for the genre and I've really enjoyed the multiplayer under my belt so far. 
 
I'm still trying to achievement hunt in Batman: Arkham Asylum, Beatles: Rock Band and Brutal Legend. I've got my eyes on Modern Warfare 2. It seem like overkill compared to the landscape a few months ago, but I'm all for it.