Monday, July 19

Unintended Consequences

I doubt that when All Interactive decided to release BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger in Australia with a bonus arcade stick, that they intended for me to boot up Super Street Fighter IV instead of their acclaimed product in an attempt to test drive the included peripheral. It's not that I don't want to play BlazBlue, in fact the opposite is true. My rationale for playing what is the fighting game equivalent of my comfort zone instead of the new kid on the block is that I know how, let's say, Ryu is supposed to respond to my movements. I want to familiarise myself with Ragna the Bloodedge and Hakumen, but for now, I know that forward, down, down-forward + punch = Shoryuken.



I must admit that initially, I thought this generic looking controller would cease to function within minutes; that quarter-circles, double quarter-circles and charges would be beyond its capabilities. I was glad to find that my assumptions were not entirely confirmed. Up-left isn't as responsive as I would have hoped, however I am working it in, and the more I jump around, the more functional the area becomes. The suction cups are making out with my coffee table, and their joyous union is leading to increased accuracy with input. Under pressure however, I can't tell whether the fault is with my articulation of the stick or the controller itself. I lost a few close matches due to the inability to bust an Ultra. I'm going to persist. Not only because I have wanted an arcade stick since I first owned Street Fighter II: Championship Edition on the Sega Mega Drive, but because of the ridiculous price of the package. At least two major retail chains (JB Hi-fi and EBgames) are selling BlazBlue with the stick, for less than half the RRP. The value propositon this package presents is unbelievable: a universally acclaimed fighter and a (so far) competent peripheral for less than (in both cases) 40 dollars. I'll be sure to subject the controller to much more rigorous testing and will pass on the results. Let's hope they are favourable.

I also picked up Blur after playing the multiplayer demo, which was awesome. After 30 minutes I was convinced I was playing the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare of the racing genre. After some positive word-of-mouth marketing from reader 4XScope, I'm hoping that Blur doesn't turn out to be the slot machine that the Penny Arcade team and several other outlets have purported it to be. Also very close to the end of Peace Walker and I will hopefully have a review ready next week.

What were you all playing this weekend?

13 comments:

  1. Welcome to Blur! Please be the PS3 version! In any case, I tend to fall off multiplayer bandwagons fairly quickly, but it's kept me coming back for more ever since I nabbed it. I think you're in a position to take the game to another level with your frequent splitscreen gaming sessions. However, I shan't build it up more than you already know. It's just good fun.

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  2. It is the PS3 version my friend, so if you're online me have to suit up. Carls and I played a few rounds of split-screen and the AI is relentless, I only managed to get on the podium twice. It's much better online against 9 strangers. Much better.

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  3. Indeed. Looking forward to hilarity and/or the horror on the track!

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  4. MASS EFFECT 2!!!!!

    Just had to get that out, man its a good series.

    So I Invested a few more hours into Dantes last night for my second playthrough, and I feel that fact alone, taht Im doing a secfond playthrough makes it better than god of war. Graphicswise...god no, but game play and all out fun, it is superior.

    This was a paid advestisement from Visceral Games and Bioware.....EA Games Challenge Everything!

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  5. Seriously, did you pick up BlazBlue for $40? OMG where?!?!!? I have been looking for that game forever dude!

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  6. Sambo - JB have it for 35, EB for 37. Choose wisely.

    Rubes - who has been paid? If its you I want commission dammit! I've tried to find Dante's Inferno for under $50 but no luck. If you find another copy for cheap, please pick it up!?

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  7. You can just borrow it ya know.

    I just want to finish it again, next time you come up borrow it. Plus you can get all the DLC for free cause you know me I love my DLC.

    Did I mention how good Dead Space was? or how Good Dead Space 2 is looking?! Cannot wait, go preorder it now.

    Man I cannot wait for the next couple of ME2 DLC's cause its apparently going to link ME2 - ME3!

    This was a paid advestisement from Visceral Games and Bioware.....EA Games Challenge Everything!

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  8. Thanks Rubes. Still haven't played the original Dead Space. I just shat myself thinking about it.

    I will have to give Mass Effect 2 another go.

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  9. It is intense at times, but seriously you are missing out, not playing it. Again its only $30 and I have all the DLC :).

    It was the best game of 2008.

    Yes do play mass effect, it is worth it.

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  10. My god I am going to have to go and look for it. I don't know if I will pick up the arcade stick or not, I am torn. On one hand, it would be rad, but on the other, I have nothing to put it on, and I really couldn't be assed.

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  11. I can settle it for you Sambo. Big W is selling it with the stick for $28.84 from Thursday. Get on it!

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  12. I am going for a walk today at lunch! $30 is just too good to pass up!

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  13. Word. Played it last night. Crazy, but fun. More responsive than SSFIV.

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