Games I have been playing.

So I am bored and not got much to do so I decided I'd do a post on here about games I have been playing recently. I might do this every couple of weeks or once a month, if anyway it will be a record for me of what I have been up to.

I have got a bit nostalgic lately and broke out some emulators, only Nintendo ones at this moment in time, I have been thinking getting a Genesis one for road rash and of course some Sonic, I'll get it soon it's on the list.  Anyway the game that has had most of my attention the past week or so has been pokemon, yes I know I'm sad but the game is quite addictive. I started off on an updated version of the original red pokemon for the Gameboy Advance which is the same game but with fancy new (well old now but new back then) graphics but still pretty good for a handheld of its age. But due to the fact I have completed that game numerous times, I though I would give one of the many other pokemon games a shot. So I found myself downloading pokemon emerald which is quite good and I've put a good 4-5 hours into it already. The best part of it that I have come across so far is a pokemon called Lotad, I'm sure that's what it's called but can't honestly remember as I named him Steve and that is what the game refers to it as, anyway getting to my point when it evolved it turned into a stereotypical mexican called Lombre and I found it hilarious when it changed. So Steve the mexican is a pokemon. I am far to easily amused. Along side playing some gameboy, I also broke out the snes, so far I haven't really played much other than Final Fight (which I still can't beat after many years of trying) and Mario Kart.

The past couple weeks have mainly been emulator based and before that was pretty much my Dead Island play through but yesterday I started on the shooter games again. After a couple games of team fortress, I realised I kind of sucked at aiming as I hadn't been around many guns lately. So as I do every time my aim is frankly none existent, I booted up Quake Live for some instagib practice, within a few matches my aim was getting back up to scratch. I recommend this game if you ever want to improve your aim, it does wonders, you either learn to aim and move or die a lot. I will probably keep on at Quake for maybe the next week, give or take, then move onto some other shooters, more than likely a Valve title of some sort. I am thinking some Counter Strike is probably going to be on the agenda as it has been far to long since I last played.

More zombie flicks on the horizon.

Dead Island looks like it is going to be turned into a film. Liongate have announced they have optioned the Dead Island film rights from Deep Silver. It seems the making of a Dead Island movie has been inspired by the trailer which brought so much attention to the game. While the trailer itself had next to nothing to do with the actual storyline in the game (which I quite enjoyed and think would convert well to film), I do think if they elaborate on the story based on the trailer, it could be quite the emotional zombie flick, though I am not sure where about in the story that scene would go but I am a little intrigued to say the least. Liongates co-COO and motion picture group president Joe Drake has commented on why they chose to get behind Dead Island stating:

"Like the hundreds of journalists and millions of fans who were so passionate and vocal about the Dead Island trailer, we to were awestruck. This is exactly the type of property we're looking to adopt at Liongate - it's sophisticated, edgy and a true elevation of a genre that we know and love. It also has built in brand recognition around the world, and franchise potential."

Also as I am on the topic of zombie movies, I came across a fan made Left 4 Dead movie trailer, below, which has now been recognised by Valve them self and posted on their official facebook page. There isn't to much to the trailer, you do however get a glimpse of Bill, there are a couple teasers videos on their Youtube channel as well. I believe this could do quite good, especially with the massive fan base behind the L4D series. I personally think Left 4 Dead would be better if they made it into a series of TV shows and have it like the game running from safe house to safe house until you find a way to escape, and have one series equal to one level with the series finale being the level finale. I could see it working. Anyway I will be keeping an eye on updates for both of these and see what happens with them. I am expecting good things from them both as I am a fan of both games and am yet to get bored the whole zombie scene.

Thoughts of Dead Island

I've played a good few hours or this now. I kind of think of it as Left 4 Dead meets Borderlands. It reminds me of both, L4D due to the fighting though hordes of zombies, which you seem to come across bigger and nastier ones as the game progresses, and Borderlands due to the RPG type element, though I guess you could use any RPG game to explain that side of things.

I played like I said a few hours, you start off on the coast mostly working between a lighthouse and a lifeguard tower, but I have a tendency to get distracted and not follow the storyline in open world type games as I collect every quest available and go do them all at once before I even attempt the story. So after many side quests and many zombies slain just for the hell of it, I finally get on with the story. You start off helping the guys at the Lighthouse and Lifeguard Tower gathering supplies and such. Because you are on the coast and only have a few bars and occasional shop to ransack the supplies you do get don't last very long. So you are asked to further inland to the city to stock up on as much as you can fit in your armoured van (which you get a little earlier after finding a mechanic and saving his daughter) which looks pretty kick ass if I do say so myself. Anyway you head into town, end up having to help more folk in different scenarios. Along you go killing zombies with whatever weapons you can find, which leads me to my next point.

The weapon build system, you get random work benches round the island where you can repair, upgrade or create new weapons. It's a lot like the Dead Rising system. I'm currently using an electrified machete which seems to work quite well at killing most things, just need a knife of your choice, some duct tape, a couple batteries, some wire and you'll be frying zombies in no time. Though you do have to make new weapons every few levels or so as they lose effectiveness when you go up against higher level zombies, so make sure you weapons are round about the same level as you are, you don't start off with any weapon mods but you get more over time though quests or just random looting (which is a must if you want to upgrade).

You also level up after getting so much xp from killing or questing, giving you a skill point to upgrade your special attack, your weapon abilities or survival skills. Each of these very depending on which character you choose to play at the start of your game. I chose Xian, who is an undercover cop that is good with blades, which is why I primarily use machetes, I have 4-5 in my weapons list. But the other characters have different stats, be it more health, quicker attacks and different weapon specialities. Sam B is a stereotypical rapper that specializes in using blunt force (eg hammers, pipes and what not). Logan is an egotistical former pro-football player with a fondness for throwing things, and last but not least is Purna a former police officer turned bodyguard that likes to shoot. It is quite a n addictive little games, I've seen myself just about to call it quits, then thinking I'll just do one more quest then I'll turn the game off for a while, next thing I know its 2 hours later.

I haven't played coop yet, but will do some point down the line, from what I have heard about it though is quite good with you can drop in and out with friends or randoms whenever you like, and when you do join you don't have to stay together and can wander off from each other for a while if you have different objectives. So you can go do a quest your team mate has already done while they continue doing whatever they are doing. I reckon I will play through the game again with a different character once I have finished this run though. I'm definitely not bored with it yet. Whether I will get bored easier on a second play through time will only tell. It seems like a good little game, and I believe some dlc has been already announced for it. Hopefully they will keep updating the game so folk won't be getting bored with the content any time soon.

I would say if you like killing zombies and you like RPG aspects in games along with some pretty funky weapon upgrades, you should definitely give this game a shot.