Sorry for nothing

No posts since April. Apologies for that, but there is a simple reason: I've hardly done any gaming since April. As I think I've said before, the odd hiatus from gaming is a feature of being an ageing gamer - sometimes real life gets in the way, and sometimes you just don't feel like gaming. I have, however, just invested in a new game, and perhaps that will re-kindle my interest. If it does, I shall post about it. Meanwhile, here is a screenshot (I shall leave it to the reader to work out the game):

Just Cause 2

Since my last post I've been having a ball playing Just Cause 2 (I managed to pass the age verification on the site). I've seen Just Cause 2 compared with Grand Theft Auto IV, but for me it's more like Far Cry 2 on steroids...

Just Cause 2 is a sandbox game. I love sandbox games, but their weakness can be that at times you are left wondering what the hell you should do next. Sure enough, after completing the first few (compulsory) missions you are left on your own, and I spent the next several hours gameplay running around in increasing frustration, getting not very far at all.

The storyline is driven by missions, but you have to 'earn' them by causing 'chaos' across the huge game map, by destroying government installations. This was OK at first, but I soon ran out of triggered explosives, and then found it very difficult to blow anything up. I eventually solved the problem by hijacking government helicopters that had all the firepower I needed to cause plenty of chaos...

... and that is one area where Just Cause 2 becomes totally insane. A large element of the gameplay is the grappling hook that your character is equipped with. This can be used in many ways, for example 'grappling' a helicopter, ridding it of its crew and hijacking it. Reality goes out of the window, but wonderful fun nevertheless. This is a game after all...

Another comparision I've seen is that Just Cause 2 plays like a Hollywood 'B' action movie. It does. I can't stand watching those movies, but playing them is a different matter...

It is also a bloody good looking movie. The scenery is generally superb, with huge view distances and very little pop-up. Loading times are excellent, and there is no loading at all between areas. Makes you wonder why other games can't do this...

One small gripe: when you reload a save or after dying, you're unceremoniously dumped back at some point after a previous mission, and sometimes not the same mission. After about 20 hours gameplay I still can't work out exactly how this works. I'm used to saving a game and then returning to exactly where you save when you reload. Quite why Just Cause 2 can't do this, I don't know.

Still, as I say, that is just a small gripe. If you are looking for a fun action game with few concessions to reality, then Just Cause 2 could just fit the bill.

AGEING GAMER RATING:

Just... one... more... turn

Here it is, the game that was responsible for so much lost sleep. Sid Meier's original Civilization from 1991, in all its 3 and a half-inch floppy, MD-DOS glory ('mouse recommended').

"Build an empire to stand the test of time" went the blurb, and I did... over and over again. Civ took computer strategy gaming to a whole new level, and has influenced much that has come since, including clones, such as the Call to Power series.

It wasn't perfect (having your expensive tanks beaten by ancient spearmen was a well-known frustration), but rarely has a game so drawn you in that you actually cared for your little people and their country, in which you invested so many hours of precious gaming (and sleeping) time. You always just had to do a few more turns to gain that new technology or to conquer that next city, or whatever was your next goal.

Another frustration I recall was the lengthy endgame, where there was no longer any doubt that you would win the game, but you still had to mop up the rest of the map. In the end, however, these gripes did not matter - Civ had given us something new and wonderful, and computer gaming would never be the same again.

Now, if only the upcoming Civ V is half as good as Civ I...

Sid Meier is an ageing gamer!

Gamespot has a keynote speech given at the Game Developers Conference 2010 by legendary games designer Sid Meier, the man behind the Civilization games. At the end he is asked: "When I was young, I loved the detail of your games. Now, as an ageing gamer, I find the choices overwhelming [just as I often do myself]. How do you deal with that?" He replied that he, too, is an ageing gamer, and his response to that was Civilization Revolution, which was designed for the non-hardcore audience. "Not that you wouldn't want to play the full PC experience of Civilization V!" he then joked. How true. perhaps ageing gamers are also masochists...

X3 TC: Massive

As part of my continued drive to try out every gaming genre in as short a time as possible, I've been having a look at X3: Terran Conflict. Being a veteran of Elite on the Spectrum, I've always had a soft spot for space games, and X3 is the natural successor to the Elite crown. I did, in fact, try the first X3 game years ago, but never got far with it. What of Terran Conflict?

Well, it looks fantastic, with only the slightly cartoony in game characters looking a bit incongruous. I'm still on the extremely steep learning curve, but I've played enough to realise how massive and complex the game is. However, so far I'm loving it - in fact, if I had absolutely nothing else to do in my life (which unfortunately I don't), I could really get into this game.

I guess the biggest problem (once you've finally learned the game) is: what the hell do you do next? Be a military pilot? Be a pirate? A miner? A trader? Set up your own factory? Or just follow the main story line? If you try to do everything, you'll probably never be very good at anything, whereas if you concentrate on one thing, you get the feeling you're missing out on all the other things the game has to offer. I suppose you could 'complete' a game (whatever that means) as one 'trade', and then play again as another, but you would probably need several lifetimes to do that. Still, I suppose you shouldn't complain that your hard-earned buys too much gameplay...

Civ V First Impressions

Further to my last post, I've just read the Civ V (V, not 5 - duh!) First Impressions on Gamespot. Now I want it even more. It's going to be a long wait...

Civ 5 announced

Well, the big news in PC gaming recently (for me at least) is the announcement of Civilization V, due for release this autumn. I can still recall the excitement of getting the original Civ all those years ago. Thereafter, probably more of my life has been lost to Civ than to any other game. Will Civ 5 have the same effect? We shall see.

Just... one... more... turn...

Napoleon Total War

I've been a fan of the Total War games ever since the original Shogun: Total War. I realise that these are not 'hard-core' wargames like some others I could mention, but they are generally pretty easy to get into and play. I've also been interested in the Napoleonic wars for as long as I can remember, so it was pretty natural that I would have a look at Napoleon Total War, when it came out recently.

What is it like? Well, first impressions are pretty favourable. I've only so far tried land battles (sea battles don't interest me particularly, and I've not had time for a campaign), and they definitely seem to be an improvement over Empire: Total War. They are the best-looking depiction of Napoleonic warfare I've yet seen on a PC. On normal difficulty the AI isn't great, but can be reasonably clever - in one battle I seized the only high ground and felt certain that that would guarantee me victory, only for the AI to attack from my flank and proceed to roll-up my entire army (Napoleon I ain't).

But the main thing is that the battles are a blast to play. I played a battle before writing this post, with the aim of taking some screen shots, but got so caught up in things that I only managed to take one - seen above - when the battle was virtually won (professional games reviewer I ain't either). If I have a criticism, it is that, as with all Total War games, the battles are so frenetic that there is little chance to employ much in the way of strategy or tactics, although there does seem to be less of the 'charge all troops at the same spot and hope for the best' of previous titles.

One other criticism (so far!), and that is connected with buying from Steam, although not necessarily their fault. I love games manuals, and had to wait a full week from purchasing on the day of release before the manual became available. Now, the one time you need a manual is when you buy the game, and I'm sure it's not beyond games developers and Steam to ensure that the manual is available on the day of release, at least to those who purchase the game.

Right, that said, back to battle...

Mount & Blade

Attracted by the £3.99 offer this weekend on Steam, I purchased Mount & Blade. It nearly hooked me...

...but after a couple of hours play, I struggled to find any quests, and every time I was attacked, it was by a far more powerful enemy, with the inevitable results. OK, I'm sure I'm missing something, but this is very boring.

The idea of a completely free sandbox game attracted me, but it looks like I'm returning to the totally story-driven Mass Effect 2...

Mass Effect 2

Hmm, not sure yet what to make of this. Little idea what is going on, but is it dragging me in? Time will tell...

My new bird

No, not that type of bird. I've just purchsed the Lotus Simulations L-39C Albatros for FSX. Not done many hours in her yet, but already I can see that she fully deserves the rave reviews she's been getting. I was sold by this video (WARNING: You will also be sold if you watch it):