Playing Today: Pirates of the Caribbean

I'm officially done with Pirates and I don't mean that in a good way. When playing games there are moments that make you sit up a decided whether or not the game is pure crap or gold. This happened on the last level of this game when I had to play the same stage 20-100 times. On repeated play, the gameplay fails consistently. Enemy AI is practically un-evolved (enemies walking in predetermined patterns would be more modern) and holds back the progression of the game. Objectives in this level are either undetermined, vague, or ignored. And to make matters worse I cannot find an adequate FAQ anywhere on the 'net. Apparently, I must be the first person to make it this far in the game.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (for the PSP) is a cheap game that never should have been made and is one of the greatest wastes of plastic since Limp Bizkit CDs. Curse you poor game designers you don't know how much harm you've really done.

Playing Today: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Wii Sports

Another day without an XBOX. Another day of Pirates. This game so far is a breeze. Just invest about 30 minutes per level and you'll be through in no time. I can't say that I hate that because if you're going to make a crappy licensed game at least make it quick. Remind me what the movie is about and keep it moving. I did find some strange continuity issues where I am mid-fight and the game skips to a cut scene. It's almost as if the game is rewarding me with progress just for investing my time. Odd.

I played some more Wii Sports and progressed further in Baseball. The game does get a little bit harder and pitching to the computer AI is so erratic. It kind of weakens the overall feel of the game. Not a lot, just a smidgen.

Playing This Weekend: Resident Evil 4, Wii Sports, Pirates of the Caribbead: At World's End

My XBOX is officially dead. It boots up and freezes at the XBOX ball. Oh well, now to send this sick puppy back to its maker. In the meantime my Wii has gotten some action.

I spent some time (5-10 minutes) with Resident Evil 4. I like the controls so far and the story is only slightly hokey. Hopefully, Sunday will get a ton of playtime.

I played Wii Sports Baseball and owned the easy computer. I've had lead of home runs three games in a row and forced the mercy rule consistently. This game is fun in multiplayer mode but really suffers because it lacks depth. Three innings is the max that I can play? Why put such a strange limitation on?

Finally, I started playing Pirates on my PSP again. The voiceover really sounds like Johnny Depp. Too bad that Orlando Bloom definitely didn't participate. So far this game is a simple hack'n slash, much like 300 was.

Playing Today: The Bigs, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Another day with The Bigs and plenty more fun. This game is great fun but I'm starting to worry that it will be short lived. If I beat the rookie challenge will it unlock a real season mode with stats? If not, why not?! And, this game really needs some downloadable content. How about a second pinball arena? This is a great game but not perfect.

I picked up Pirates (still on my PSP) again for about 10 minutes. I don't like that I can't just save anywhere, it is kind of annoying. Still, I haven't delved in deep enough to really feel challenged. This game kind of reminds me of 300. Kind of.

Spidey tomorrow? Maybe.

Playing Today: The Bigs, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Another day with The Bigs and plenty more fun. This game is great fun but I'm starting to worry that it will be short lived. If I beat the rookie challenge will it unlock a real season mode with stats? If not, why not?! And, this game really needs some downloadable content. How about a second pinball arena? This is a great game but not perfect.

I picked up Pirates (still on my PSP) again for about 10 minutes. I don't like that I can't just save anywhere, it is kind of annoying. Still, I haven't delved in deep enough to really feel challenged. This game kind of reminds me of 300. Kind of.

Spidey tomorrow? Maybe.

Playing Today: Loco Roco, The Bigs, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

It is about time, right? Two new games played today and one game finished. Finally, Loco Roco is complete and I can still say it is the best game I've played on the PSP. In fact, it is one of the best games I've played ever. This bizarre platform-style game is easy to play and fun to explore. It is reminiscent of Mario Brother but without that silly Bowser guy. Having completed the game I can officially grade it an A.

I picked up The Bigs today and it was a worthwhile purchase. Basically, this is the NFL Blitz version of baseball. Only a few of the big name players are missing and the baseball parks are incredibly well designed. Some of the fielding and base-running is frustrating but maybe I just need to give it more time. And that I will.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End arrived in the mail today for my PSP. This looks a lot like the Pirates game I played on the DS but the controls seem better. The voicework is above average and the actors are hard to differentiate from the real actors. This might wind up being an above average game.