And I Still Haven't Finished Devil May Cry 3!

So this is an update on the games that I'm supposed to finish (and already finished playing through) before the end of this month. In my post on February 12, I said that I was going to complete three games. I'm done with 2, although one of these was not part of the list initially (more on that later).

The first game that I was able to complete was Devil May Cry 4. I know I said I'd start with Devil May Cry 3 but turns out there is a limit to my masochism. When you've been playing a game for an accumulated 20+ hours and you still haven't finished it you'd probably feel that it isn't worth any more of your time too. Well, I still have 2 days to finish the game so I think that would be fine by me. Currently, I'm working on an article regarding my impressions and reflections after Devil May Cry 4 and Strider (that's the other game that I finished).

Strider is actually the first game that I pre-purchased/ordered (via Steam) so I had to make sure that I played it first over Devil May Cry 3 and Darksiders 2 (at this point I already completed Devil May Cry 4 on Devil Hunter difficulty). The game was actually fun, albeit a bit short. I'll go into more detail on that in another post. Well, that's it for my update, check back within the day for my impressions/reflections of the games I've played this month.  

Am I a Masochist at Heart?

Devil May Cry 3 has made me realize two things: Vergil is a d*ck and this game is for masochists. Seriously. I've been playing the game for a week now and I'm stuck on the 20th mission which is the third boss fight with Dante's twin brother Vergil. I mean the guy's near invincible and no amount of timing, Air Raiding, and Air Hiking I do will save me from his Yamato combos. Man, and you add the crappy camera that this game has and you're sure to get killed in the first 5-10 minutes of the fight. Even at Normal difficulty this final boss fight is difficult. I've spent more or less 2-4 hours getting killed by the guy. Well, I'm pretty sure that I'll get the hang of it if given three to four more hours but man, I'm seriously thinking that I've been a masochist all along because of this game.

The start of the fight.

That aside, my impression of the game has somewhat changed in the last week or so that I've been playing it. Seeing the game's metacritic rating I actually had low expectations of it and that's probably the reason why I enjoyed it. Of course, there's the crappy camera and the crappier backtracking segments of the game but those things aside I actually liked the idea of finishing a game that people thought was really crappy. It's really unfair to say that the game is bad as what most Steam users are saying on their reviews of the game. Most of their beef with the game was with the fact that the port was sloppily made but since I've never played the PS2 game I couldn't really offer my two cents on this issue. However I will say that I enjoyed playing Devil May Cry 3 for the PC regardless of what people are, and have been saying about it.

After 8-10 minutes Dante's life meter is nearly depleted while Vergil's is the complete opposite.

The combat system is, in my opinion, where the game truly shined. It actually takes a lot of skill and strategy to be able to beat the hordes of enemies and the bosses in this game. If they were able to fix the camera with this port as well as the gamepad and keyboard configurations then this probably would have fared a lot better. But all that's water under the bridge now and it is what it is. 

I'm never gonna rest until I beat this game, dammit!

What I could advise people who have plans in buying this game either through Steam or on PC-DVD is to lower your expectations about it. For a game that was first released in the early days of the Playstation 2, Devil May Cry 3 and its graphics have seen better days. If you're expecting it to have the same level of detail with its graphics as games released 2 or 3 years ago then you'll just be disappointed. But like what I said earlier, it is a fun game. The English voice acting was great although I would have preferred it if there was a setting to turn on Japanese voice acting on it. The fact that you need to be able to master the controls in order to be proficient at the game is a big plus for me. There are a lot of games now that just let you mash buttons and don't require any skill and strategy at all to finish. Overall, I would recommend buying this game if it were on sale on Steam or on any other service/establishment that sells it (I got mine through the Steam Capcom Sale). Would it blow your socks off? Probably not but who knows? Devil May Cry 3 just might awaken the masochist in you.

Globe's FUP and How F'ed Up It Is

Much has been said about Globe Telecommunication's announcement of it's Fair Use Policy or FUP and how the company has been misleading its consumers with their unlimited data promo. In a nutshell, the way the Globe FUP works is that if a subscribers exceeds the data limit of 1GB per day or 3GB per month their data connection will be throttled from HSDPA/HSUPA (or LTE for those who have phones that support it) to 2G (EDGE or GPRS). 

Globe stated that its FUP is justified because a lot of telcos from other countries have implemented something like it. The problem here is that the network infrastructure that they have in place here in the Philippines simply can't compare to what telcos in countries like the USA have. More often than not the maximum download speed I get for my data connection is around 1-2 Mbps on a good day. Sometimes it'll be lower than that. The only way that they could justify the implementation of their FUP is if they guarantee its download speeds and not mislead prospective customers with marketing word plays like "up to 42 Mbps download speeds (for LTE)".

Another issue with the Globe FUP is the fact that 3GB per month for the data cap is simply not enough. This holds true for people like me who tether their computers to their phones to access the internet. And if you're a gamer who downloads games through Steam, then you'll undoubtedly go past the data cap in under a day. This is really a shame though because if there was one service that could help minimize the blatant piracy of software and games here in the Philippines, it would have been Steam. Data capping is never good for gaming, whether it's console, handheld, or PC. Gaming platforms nowadays are slowly integrating digital downloads as part of their system's online service. 

7.12 GB data consumption for Feb 4 - March 3 of this year.

56.75 GB data consumption for Jan 4 - Feb 3 of this year.

When I first heard the news I was outraged. I've been a Globe subscriber for more than 2 years and I just got my plan renewed for another two years last August or September. The reason why I chose Globe is because I trusted that they would deliver on their promise of unlimited internet. I didn't sign up to just use their service to access Facebook or check on my email. I may be in the minority here when it comes to data usage but I shouldn't be penalized for using something that's been touted as unlimited. 

To Globe's credit I've yet to experience being throttled for my data usage. However the fact still remains that one of these days that might happen as evidenced by my data usage in the above screenshots. This doesn't also mean that I approve of the Globe FUP because I know that somewhere in the Philippines someone just reached the 3GB data cap for the month and now he or she is experiencing crappy download speeds. If the problem is with network congestion then there's only two solutions for it. Either Globe improves it's network to accommodate new subscribers or it stops taking in subscribers. Unfortunately both of these options will cost the telco money that's why they came up with a third option which is to screw their current subscribers so that they could get more subscribers that they could consequently screw.

It's a screwed up system and it's not doing gamers and non-gamers any good. Data capping and throttling should stop. I hope that someone from Globe reads this. I know I've been up to my old habit of disorganized writing but I think I was able to convey my point clearly. Disregard the Globe FUP or come up with another one that's friendlier to your subscribers like me who regularly use 50-100 GB of data per month and who got your unlimited data plan for that specific purpose.

Games I'm Playing This Love Month

We're near the halfway mark to February and the hype-train for Valentines day is in full force. I'm sad though because my girlfriend and I won't be able to spend our 2nd Valentines together. Then again, I really am not concerned about Valentines cause I think it's just another way for businesses to siphon off money from us. So what if I'm going to spend my Valentines with my family? Nothing wrong with that right? For me, what's wrong is the fact that most people make too much of a bid deal out of the 14th of February. Wouldn't it be better if you professed your love to your significant other everyday? It'll be better if the both of you played videogames instead of going to a posh restaurant where you're bound to have your pockets emptied.

Well enough of the bitterness and on to the topic and purpose of this site: to document my lazy gaming habits. In my last post (which was a about a couple of weeks ago), I said that I'd finish Bionic Commando before my flight to Manila on the 26th. True to my lazy nature, I didn't finish the game or any other game in my backlog of 58 Steam games for that matter. Anyway, I've thought long and hard about this and I'm thinking of finishing three games in a month's time. Right now I'm working on Devil May Cry 3 and 4 as well as Darksiders 2. I thought of starting with 3rd person beat-em ups first because for me they're easier to complete and personally, I just like playing these kinds of games.

Devil May Cry 3 is the first game on this list that I'm playing and I just managed to beat Agni and Rudra earlier. At a rate of 5 missions a day (more or less), I'll probably beat the game by February 14.

On a side-note, I'm currently learning how to program using Python and I also downloaded an app on my ipad called Artrage. I really want to try my hand at developing a simple game just to see if I could. Remember that I have no prior experience with programming (I took up a class in Turbo Pascal way back in high school and I've completely forgotten all about it, so that doesn't count) much less game design so this project of mine will probably take longer to materialize. Art is a different matter though. I've been doodling/sketching for years and although I'm not really that good at it, I really enjoy the whole experience. Will probably post a couple of pages from my sketchbook as well as my Artrage output.

That's all for now guys. Keep on playing and dreaming!

My Love-Hate Relationship with Bionic Commando

In an earlier post I talked about how much fun I had with using the grappling hook to explore the island of Panau and Just Cause 2. I also talked of having another game in my Steam Library that made use of the grappling hook game-play mechanic. The name of that other game is Bionic Commando. This week, I was finally able to play the game and I can't say I hate or love it right now. But I will say that it has left an impression on me like no other game that I've played in my library. Below is my initial impression of the game.

Gameplay – Mixed

Using the grappling hook is hard. My main issue with it would have to be the timing needed for swings. It takes a lot of skill (I'm playing on Normal difficulty mind you!) and frankly, there were times where I just wanted to throw my keyboard and mouse at the screen because I always missed latching on to something because I swung too late! That's how frustrating it was for me. And yet, for some reason I can't seem to put down the game. I'm really going to finish this game before going to Manila next week.

I also couldn't help but compare the open-world setting of Just Cause 2 to the linear gameplay of Bionic Commando. BC would have really worked if it used an open-world environment instead of sticking to linear gameplay.

The freefalls were great!

Another thing to take note of is the fact that this game was developed for consoles first and foremost. I haven't tried playing this with an XBOX 360 controller yet. Using one to play this game is probably better than using the mouse and keyboard.

Unlike the original Bionic Commando and BC: Rearmed, initially you'll be working with limited ammo. Not sure if this is only for the early levels though.

Story – Doesn't matter if it's not really that great, still liked it.

One thing that I noticed about this game is that it really forces you to watch through the cut scenes. Not sure if it's because I'm a noob at playing videogames or what but I just can't skip the cut scenes. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though. In fact I liked am enjoying the story so far. The story is also one reason why I'd want to finish the game.

Overall Impression – Challenging game. I'm going to finish this SOB.

Never has there been a game that has compelled me to play it over and over again even though I utterly suck at it. Sure the game isn't as fun as Just Cause 2 but it is in my opinion more challenging. As to which game is better? I'm more inclined to say that, even though I'm not a big fan of it's game-play, I feel that Bionic Commando is more challenging and for me, more compelling.

Playing Around Panau in Just Cause 2

Today really isn't the best day for me. I sprained my finger while playing basketball and now I'm basically typing with just 9 fingers. So anyway, what have I been doing in the last couple of hours or so since sustaining the injury? Really couldn't help with housecleaning and washing the dishes so I just opted to lock myself up in my room and play games. And since I can't mash buttons on my keyboard the way my arm is now playing Street Fighter IV is out of the question. It's a good thing that I was able to download Just Cause 2 and the Just Cause 2 Multiplayer mod last night through Steam so I thought of giving the game a play-through.

This game is looking good on a 1366x768 screen. Need to buy a better monitor ASAP.

I wasn't really expecting much from the game since I really just wanted to see what everyone was talking about with the multiplayer mod. Sadly though, I've been having problems keeping a stable connection with my carrier's mobile data services as of late so I decided to just ditch Multiplayer for now and focus on the single player game.

Combat and vehicle controls were clunky but were still playable.

So far I've been having fun with playing around in Panau, the fictional island in Southeast Asia that the game takes place in. Much like with GTA you get to play around with a lot of things in your environment from the cars to the buildings using your grappling hook. I'm not really too keen on the story since I've never played Just Cause but like with most of the recent videogames that I've played the story really isn't something to write home about. This however does not mean that the game is bad, it's just that this was the impression that I got from playing it without playing the first game.

Don't know why but I really liked to blow stuff up in this game.

Aside from being able to play around with cars, blow stuff up, and kill enemy soldiers, I really liked my initial foray into Panau. With this being said though, if there is something that I don't like about Just Cause 2 it would have to be the combat system. I just feels clunky or awkward for me at times. This impression might also change if I used an Xbox 360 controller to play the game, which as of now I currently don't have. For third person shooters and platformers, I'd usually prefer to use a controller as opposed to a keyboard. Coincidentally a couple of days ago I also played Bionic Commando Rearmed and I just realized that both Rico (the protagonist of Just Cause 2) and Nathan Spencer both make use of the grappling hook. Granted BC: Rearmed and JC2 are completely different games, I just found it amusing that the games that I played made use of the grappling hook as a major mechanic to further the gameplay.

Once my internet connection is stable enough will give Just Cause 2 Multiplayer a try and will give you guys feedback about it.

The World Warrior

It's the 2^nd day of the New Year and here I am writing my second post. The last couple of days had me reflecting, watching anime, and playing games (not necessarily in that order) all because I was too lazy to really do anything. Today though I'm kind of feeling a bit enthusiastic about writing so once again I hope you bear with my messy chain of thoughts.

The Street Fighter series of fighting games has influenced me a lot not just as a gamer but also a person. Street Fighter II was the first video game that I've ever played. It was also the game that got me hooked to the wonders of playing video games. Back in the early 90s the martial arts/karate era was very much in full swing. Ninja, karate, as well as shaolin kung-fu movies were really popular among kids and young adults during those days. So it's no coincidence that Street Fighter enjoyed the success it had during that time.

Have not updated to SSFIV: AE. Still playing the hell out of SF IV while waiting for Ultra Street Fighter IV.

Another feature that made Street Fighter stand out was the number of characters that you can play and out of all these, Ryu has left the most lasting impression on me. There was a time that I thought that he was the coolest character around because of his fireballs and dragon punches. And although Ken had basically the same moves as he did, I had a better opinion of Ryu because he wore white (I kid you not!). Remember though that this was a time when I really didn't have any idea about these characters and the series in general. With later iterations and newer characters added, Ryu became just one fighter that had basic controls and a generic background story in a rapidly multiplying roster.

Got goosebumps the first time I was able to pull off Ryu's Ultra in Street Fighter IV.

If we're talking about now, what is it that I really like about Ryu, the character? Comparing Ryu to Ken or Akuma, I couldn't help but think that he's too simple. He has really boring move sets, specials, and supers. The only thing that makes him stand out in SFIV is his Ultra, the Metsu Hadouken. His damage is so-so and he's not really that quick on his toes. He is the main star of the series right? Why is it that he's not the most powerful or flashiest moves?

With these questions in mind, I tried to research about Ryu, and his background. As a martial artist he aims to be the strongest and has abandoned worldly things just to be able to do so. He travels the world to face off against the best martial artists and at the same time control the “Dark Hadou” within him. The life that Ryu leads is a good parallel of life. Like Ryu, we also aspire to be the best at the things that we like to do. In my case, I wanted to be the best employee in the company that I was working for. Like Ryu, I had to do things out of my comfort zone and there were many instances where I ran into problems with other people or with myself. Unlike Ryu though, I didn't prevail in the “fights” that mattered. I didn't have the resolve to devote myself to the path I initially chose. I lacked the discipline and that mindset to be the best. Simply put, unlike Ryu, I wasn't strong enough to go against the challenges that came my way.

Dan sucking up all that Metsu Hadouken goodness!

My resignation from my job didn't mean that I had given up though. For as long as I'm alive I'll still continue my fight against whatever it is that life throws at me. Now though I know that I'll have to be more prepared for it. Did I do the right thing in resigning? Probably not, but that's all water under the bridge. I've no regrets and that's what's important. I'll keep on trudging and doing the things that I'm good at until I become the best in these.