This Week in Gaming 2011/5/13

PHEEEW. Hell of a work week, I tell you what ...

... that doesn't mean I didn't spend some quality time with Brink, because I did.

Brink is a further iteration on the amazing and awesome Enemy Territory concept that was refined in both Return to Castle Wolfenstein and Quake Wars. Played properly, every character is a real player, and a tug-of-war style campaign is played out over many matches. On PC, on a good server, it makes for wicked fun, especially with some buddies.

Alas, all my friends, whether they be from cyberspace or meatspace, are all pussies, and don't play PC games, so I just have to imagine how cool it would be to play this game with them.

'But ... but ... Blaine, why don't you play the PS360 version of it?'
 - I don't want to play the ugly, low-res version of the game
 - I don't want the crippled, limited controls
 - Console gamers that I don't know are like others peoples' children; they all suck huge balls and are annoying and mean and 14
 - I only buy digital products whenever possible (games, books, movies/TV, music, etc)
 - I want to be able to pick my server and evaluate the ping

So let's review all that:
 - on PC, I get the better-looking, better-controlling version of the game with infinitely more control over the multiplayer experience.
 - on console, it is altogether a worse exerience

And, this is a terrible game in which to not have hot keys. Of course this game sucks on consoles!

Anyway, it's a great game on PC, so quit jacking around with your little brother's PS360, and man up to the big boy table with Brink on PC.

I've also been playing quite a bit of Fallout 3. I have no idea why. I am still trying to love this game, and it is growing on me, now that I'm somewhat over the horror of the VATS system (this was accomplished by just flipping the game to 'easy.')

Even on 'easy,' this game isn't easy (cue that 14-year old telling me that I suck and that I'm gay or something), but it is strangely compelling, despite the combat, despite the lack of depth in dialogue and characters, and despite the game's continued bugginess.

I dig the world, even if it is crazy intimidating. I think I'll stick with it, at least until ...

Next Week
Man, this week is going to be great. Not only is the Witcher 2 finally dropping, but  L.A. Noire is out, as well (sadly, only on consoles.)

I gushed last week about both games, but I really can't convey enough how great the Witcher was. If you've ever wanted to be treated as an adult by a game, the Witcher is for you.

My only gripe about L.A. Noire is that PSN is still fucking down. I'd get the 360 version, but the visuals are even worse and it's on three fucking discs, since MS went with a nearly 20-year old optical format as its main retail storage medium.

The reason that PSN being down is a problem is because I'm getting preorder DLC with the game ... except I won't be able to retrieve any of said DLC ... or the inevitable 0day patch that every game gets now.

I'll also be snagging DiRT 3 on PC the following week, to which I'm looking forward.

Down the road, I'm really looking forward to E3. I'll be taking that week off, of course, and am pumped to see what the Big Three have in store, as well as a real look at Mass Effect 3 and Star Wars: the Old Republic.

What's on your radar, game-wise? What are you looking forward to at E3?

Lemme know!

-Blaine