Weakly recap...

"Ok, here it is... your weekly recap of gaming: It is a good one! NotStyro had seven days of gaming! In a row! I know! Crazy! Too bad gamerscore isn't money because with an increase of 1810 points we could make some bank. Yay for 68 achievements! w00t! "

"I prodded NotStyro to try 6 games last week: Avatar: TLA: TBE, Far Cry® 2, Gears of War, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk™, and Transformers: The Game. It was a mix of good and bad. Also, according to the records, NotStyro's favorite game last week was The Incredible Hulk™. He played it on 4 of the days."

Still jonesing for some new games,  I headed out to the local CircuitCity because they are having some sort of video game sale - $9.99 for games regularly $14.95 - $19.95 (or somesuch). Didn't see much except for some games some idiot customers threw in the box for shits-n-grins (as if CC is going to sell Red Alert 3 for $10). I picked up GRAW & GRAW 2 and headed for the checkout. GRAW was fine, but although GRAW2 fit the pricing they said it wasn't on sale. I tried to argue the point, but just because it was marked $19.95 and the sale covers that range, doesn't mean that it is included. Great bunch of idiots. 

I also hit the local gamestop/EB, but nothing caught my eye/wallet except for a package labeled Marvel Ultimate Alliance/Forza 2.  I didn't know enough about MUA to make a choice on that game, but I know Forza 2 has something to do with racing and was therefore not something I was going to play. Throw in a steering wheel controller along with the game and I might consider, but otherwise - no.  The default 360 controller is kind of anti-racing and anti-flight controller - it just sucks for both.

So now I have GRAW to play. Another FPS with the added bonus of having vastly different button assignments from the COD series. Is it really, truly, that difficult to standardize button assignments and/or allow the player to completely customize the buttons?! 

Bummer...

"Like a king on his throne, NotStyro said 'awaken' and for him I did comply. 9,565 points represents the size of our growing kingdom. Ok, enough of this Monarchy stuff. That is a gain of 50 points over last time! He opened up The Incredible Hulk™ picking up 1 achievement, Transformers: The Game adding 2 achievements, and then... oh wait... no and then!!"

I had to return Iron Man and Hulk yesterday, so I'm a little bummed - I was enjoying Hulk just a bit too much.

I was going to buy Hulk pre-owned from blockbuster, but they wanted $20 for it, with a pre-rented discount. Ugh!  I saw a Gamefly ad that stated $9, so I looked into it...now the game isn't there! wtf?!  sold-out?! If I return Far Cry and get Hulk then I can use the 'keep it' option, but something tells me by the time I am able to do that the price will jump again.  Ah, well, it'll be back down in about 3-4 months...

Third place...

"NotStyro showed up yesterday and we were like a superhero team together. I make a great sidekick! Gamerscore stands at 9,515. Up up and away right? That is a profit of 50 points over last time! He rocked out to Transformers: The Game finishing 3 achievements, and then he tried to watch TV, but I killed the power... If I can't have him, no one can. "

"Oh also, It's all over man! ALL OVER! The gamerscore challenge called 'Mulch's Holiday Challenge' is through after an intense 7 days. I hear first place is nice this time of year, though I really wouldn't know, since we didn't get there in this challenge. Someone once said, 'Winning isn't everything.' Although, losing isn't anything. NotStyro, I want you to think about this while you go sign us up for another challenge."

Yeah, just couldn't touch Snellstedt, so I'll accept third place in the challenge. Still, a fun and exciting challenge for all, but I don't thnk I'll do another for a long time.

Gotta return Incredible Hulk today so maybe I'll ask if they can can anything off the pre-owned price since I rented the game. See if the price matches or beats Gamefly.

Well, soon enough I can go back to my holiday gaming cycle, but in a week I'll restart the diet and exercise routine and have little time for play during my workweek.

So this is x-mas...

...and what have you done
another year over
and a new one just begun.

"I heard someone tell NotStyro to go play outside and he was like 'screw that!' so we did some gaming. Our gamerscore is currently 9,385 points. That is a profit of 285 points over last time! He opened up Iron Man finishing an amazing 9 achievements, The Incredible Hulk™ adding an amazing 10 achievements, and then NotStyro had to stop for a bathroom break or something... Humans really are bags of mostly water. It is worth mentioning that we have played 10 days in a row! Time for a badge I think! "

"Oh, guess what? Our gamerscore challenge is going strong... Check out the progress right now! 13 other people are throwing down in this challenge. If I do the math correctly, it means that 13 players X 7 days means a whole lot of trash talk! Currently NotStyro is holding the number 3 spot in the group... decent. And while we have 2 days left, let's not procrastinate. Pick up that controller and get to unlockin'!"

I want to really like Hulk, but some of the things the developers have done just causes aggravation. The achievements are a bit wonky - fighting the U-Foes, two at a time, doesn't merit an achievement, but running across the UN flagpoles gets you five points. Hm. Then there is the traffic - yea, Manhattan/NYC traffic can be cited under the definition of chaos, but you would think that even New Yorkers would drive elsewhere when the Hulk, the army and the Enclave are battling it out and knocking down buildings. You're battling it out and taxis, buses and other cars are driving all around you...wtf?! Anyway, I guess it is about as realistic as allied ammo being dumped around enemy strongholds. Whatever.

What is good about playing Incredible Hulk? A lot. You've got a big huge sandbox to race around, smash cars, destroy buildings, pummel people and just generally wreak havoc. It is like Crackdown without the weapons. I just might have to buy the pre-owned and add Hulk to my collection.

What can I write about Iron Man? It is a solid rental. The battlefields are large sandboxes and you are able to freely move and fight whatever whenever you like. But like the racing games, the 360 controller is the big problem. Although I haven't tried using a racing wheel and game, I think it would work a great deal better than the controller. That written, I think a flight yoke and stick would work wonders for games that require flying (or at least a good joystick). I just don't have good control of Iron Man when in flight and flying is +95% of what you need to do. It is too bad, because the game has the promise to be very good other than controller-flight issues.

Well, gotta get back into it and try to take back my #2 position from Snellstedt (I have no chance to kick Banjocut from his lead)...

D'oh...

"You would think I had died and gone to heaven when NotStyro showed up to play. Gamer score stands at 9,100. That is a boost of 1,110 points over last time! Welcome to 9,000!! He made some progress on Gears of War, Avatar: TLA: TBE gaining 5 achievements to finish the game, Iron Man finishing 3 achievements, The Incredible Hulk™ adding an amazing 6 achievements, and afterwards, there were some awkward stares and silence... you know how it is. "

"And..... guess what? I will reveal the latest gamerscore challenge status to you as a matter of public record. If you want to follow along at home, catch the action here. 13 other people are also involved... which is madness. Currently NotStyro is hanging on to the number 3 spot. We just have to keep plugging away at it for these next 3 days... insert game... push buttons... get points."

I brought out Avatar and thought "yeah, that'll show Banjocut". Only to have Banjo bring his own jackpot (Madden NFL, or somesuch), then Snellstedt shredded both of us with +2000 points of win. Wow! Hella competition and challenge going.

Iron Man seems to be a cool game, but you can bogged down in it sometimes.   Hulk is cool, it remindes me a lot of Crackdown - wreaking havok in a huge farkin sandbox.

I've still got Transformers and The Club sitting by (Blockbuster is running a special on pre-owns), but I dunno if there is enough time...