Deus Ex: Human Revolution

I started playing it a week or so ago and I'm finding myself becoming more and more fond of it. However, there was a barrier of entry in the early part of the game. I haven't pinpointed exactly what it was, but I think it has to do with figuring out just what to do with your initial attribute points (called Praxis points in the game).

The game is very daunting at first; like Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but it is far more focused. You start out in a given map. Within that map is the main mission you're on, but so are some side missions you can do. When you're finished with the map, you leave and usually don't come back.

The difference from Skyrim, though, is that those side missions are contained to just that map. You'll not spend the next 10 hours of game play going down rabbit hole after rabbit hole that has nothing to do with your real goal. This is somewhat a relief after playing Skyrim since you'll get back on track pretty quickly. Of course, the inherent randomness and vastness that came with Skyrim is lost. It makes me wish that there were a consequence for neglecting the main mission in Skyrim. Or some mechanic in the game that will guide you to do those missions without it simply being because you say, "hey, I haven't found out what's happening with those dragons yet! Where am I supposed to go again?" Yes, your quest log in Skyrim will tell you where to go next (as will markers on the map), but you, as the player, seek those out rather than the game giving you a little nudge in that direction. To do this would be very difficult in Skyrim, since it's one massive map, but a little guiding of the player toward the main quest would do wonders to how well the player receives it.

I've basically turned this blog into a Skyrim blog. It's actually a microcosm of the experience of playing Skyrim because I fell down a rabbit hole into discussing the structure, or lack thereof, in it; when my intention was to talk about how I'm liking Deus Ex quite a bit (despite it's own flaws).

Back to Deus Ex.

The area of the game with the most room for personalization is how you level up your skills. And, it's also the area of the game that leads to the oddest thing about it.

You can level the skills any way you want; whatever best suits your play. However, early on it seems that the best thing to do is initially pocket the points and then play as a slealthy, hacker type. Hacking will yield you more money (you can buy more stuff) and exp (you'll level up quicker). I didn't understand the hacking at first, but then I got the hang of it and it's really satisfying.

But here's the perplexing thing about Deus Ex. It'll let your spend each mission sneaking around, hacking a bunch of stuff, and neutralizing every enemy NPC through non-lethal means. You can put all of your attribute points into "stealth" categories, but when it comes to boss fights (yes, boss fights in a slighty non-linear RPG. It is a curious choice. It reminds me a bit of Alpha Protocol.) you must kill the boss. You can't really make use of skills you've spent the entire mission using. If you use just a tranquilizing rifle, since you don't want to kill dudes (did I mention you also get more exp, if you only incapacitate the enemy NPCs too?), you can't beat him this way. Luckily the game leaves ammo, guns, grenades, and even explosive barrels to throw at the boss.

It's a strange design choice to say the least.

I'm anxious to see how the story plays out. Now back to Deus Ex.

"The Rockafeller Shank" - Fatboy Slim

My Top 10 of 2011

This is my favorite things (games, books, movies, events, etc.) crammed into one compact list.  Truthfully, though, I wanted to do a list of my top video games, but then I realized I didn't buy very many in 2011 because I didn't have moolah to do so.  Games like Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Batman: Arkham City, Portal 2, Bastion, Rayman Origins are all games in my "pile of shame" (the 1st two I did get for Christmas).

With that out of the way, here's my list:

1. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
     - You fight DRAGONS! Need I say more?
2. Week long road trip to Yellowstone NP and Rocky Mountains with a good friend
3. Game of Thrones on HBO
     - I stayed up 'til 6am one morning watching the 1st 8 episodes
4. Luther
     - An incredible BBC show starring Idris Elba (The Wire)
5. Star Wars: The Old Republic
     - Released with just 11 days left in the year, but it is addicting
6. The Broncos return to relevancy
     - Even though it's all due to Tim Tebow
7. I got to eat a Jimmy's Hoagie after more than 10 years
8. Actually getting somewhere with the story I've been writing
9. Fantasy football and bball
10. The best photo I've ever taken

Honorable Mentions:
     - Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, TeeFury, Contagion, Gears or War 3

I usually put a song that I like at the end of my blog, but instead I'm going to plug my favorite podcast:
     - Weekend Confirmed: The Video Game Show

Skyrim Stories #3

There's just the one story in this entry. 

1.  I progressed a bit further in the civil war story between the Imperial Legion and Stormcloaks. I sided with the Legion because the Stormcloaks and their leader, Ulfric, are racist, while the Legion are kind of wimpy, but are acting the best interest of everyone.

Since I progressed further, the Legion started showing up inside the walls of Whiterun (the neutral city in Skyrim).  It caught my eye the first time I saw a group of 3 of them huddled just inside the gate.  I looked at them for a few moments noting that my actions in the game were the reason they were there (side note: I love when games show your effect on the world).  Then one of them drew their bow and arrow and a frost dragon whooshes over my head.

I had never seen one attack inside a city yet.  It is awesome.  The dragon perches on top of the weapons store and hits the Legion guys with an ice blast.  I takes off again, landing further into the city, and attacks again.  It dies this time, but it kills one of the NPCs in the town (Armen.  Poor, poor Armen).

I have to say, fighting dragons in cities is even cooler than just fighting them in the open.

Also, I've sunk around 70 hours into the game (and I still two large sections of the map to explore!).  It's ridiculous how much content there is in the game.

"Ain't Nothing Wrong With That" - Robert Randolph and the Family Band

Skyrim Stories #2

1.  As I walk into the settlement of Falkreath, a guard stops me and asks if I saw a dog roaming around the road.  I end up speaking with this guy named Lod who needs a companion and would like me to find the dog.  He gives me some bait to attract the dog.  It does, but then (spoiler) the dog talks.  It turns out the dog, Barbas, and his master are estranged and he wants me to help bring them back together.

I more or less think this quest is pretty cheesy, but the one benefit of this quest is that Barbas stays with you 'til you finish all of it (you can dismiss him, but you'll have to go find him to finish the 2nd part of the quest).  And, the benefit of having Barbas around is that he'll never die.

Seriously.  He's like catnip to all the things you encounter; meaning you can just bow and arrow the shit out of whatever you come across.  It's quite hilarious watching a little dog taking on a dragon and not dying.

2.  I go exploring the mountains south of Ivarstead and a blood dragon starts roaring in the distance.  I see it scorch a tower, circle it, and then come for me.  Blood dragons are harder to kill than the normal ones and not only was I just chilling (get it?  I was chilling because I was on the side of a snowy mountain.) in the open, but my little helper/companion/walking knapsack chick had mysteriously gone AWOL, so I had no help.  After it drains half of my health, I sprint down the mountain and look for some cover.  I find an abandoned building called the Alchemist's Shack and regain some health inside.  I can hear the dragon outside and pop it in the face with a few arrows.  I think, "hey, I may actually be able to just whittle its health down like this!"

Wrong.

I get ready to shoot some more arrows at it and, when I step in the opening of the shack, a blast of fire cooks me to death.  Obviously the moral of the story here is that dragons are dangerous.

"Quiet Dog" - Mos Def

Skyrim Stories #1

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim finally hit store shelves yesterday and I'm going to blog every so often about the random, awesome things I come upon in the game.

1.  Right as I was free to roam the world, after the game's opening sequence, I went off exploring; ignoring the main quest line for the time being.  The first thing I find is this religious shrine tucked away near a lake with a group of bodies and blood around it.

2.  I find a place called South Shreikwind Bastion which is home to a Master Vampire and his underlings.  They were a cake walk, but that dude kicked my ass and I had to run away, but not before I contracted the vampirism disease from him.

3.  This 3rd notable thing just happened.  I came out of a cave and hopped down the mountainside to the road and there's this orc standing next to these two large, dead beasts.  He says he is looking for a "good death" because he's too old to be of any use.  I offer to help him out and I end up killing him.  There's not much to that one, but I think it is cool.

"Way Away" - Yellowcard