Blessed by the Potato

Well, like Yahtzee, I got Force Unleashed on the Wii. There are some issues to be sure, the graphics aren’t as smooth as on the Xbox (and not just a hi-def vs std-def issue, either), and the physics are more cardboard-box-like (a lot of objects will start flying around if you run into them, the same way they do when you force push them).

But I did get into the controls and the experience, and it was fun (though so was the Xbox, and it was fun and pretty). What I found interesting is that the storylines were somewhat different between the two games, and the levels and force puzzles were much simplified on the Wii. The Wiimote is, as usual, pretty spazzy, but it’s a much better sabre experience than Zelda was (which really turned me off). The camera tracking is also pretty terrible (a problem that Zelda also had), and not as good as the Xbox.

The game is fun, though that might be because I just am hard-wired to love Star Wars and lightsabers, and is a great way to pass about 6 hours hacking and slashing and force lightning your way across the galaxy. However, it was short. I was left at the end wanting more, much more. There is the duel mode for the Wii, but the characters get very small since it’s not a split-screen experience, but rather a fixed central camera, and that makes it less satisfying. Also, with a touch of min-maxer in me, I saw the four stat bars and immediately wanted to know what they do for me… but I couldn’t find anywhere what they meant (I even read the manual!).

I would have liked a random level generator, or more “instant play” missions where you could play as the other characters (Obi Wan, Vader, etc.) to stretch it out a bit more, and offer more getting-my-force-on replay value — and I do see a lot of stress relief potential in a game like this.

It also wasn’t particularly deep. Pretty much every mission involves going in and killing everything. There are I think two where civilians or nominal allies appear, but there is zero consequence for throwing them off ledges along with the bad guys. Also, the flying stormtroopers were seriously broken. I know that there wasn’t too much that was terribly challenging in the game, but these guys were just obscenely powerful (both tough and with attacks that you couldn’t deflect).

And as Yahtzee mentioned in his video review, the force powers are a touch ridiculous in this one, while the lightsaber is underpowered. There’s no limb detachment/decapitation! When the kitty decided she wanted me to pay attention to her and not my game, I continued to play with just the nunchuck — no lightsaber, just movement, force push, and force lighting. And I didn’t actually do all that bad!

Other than that, I haven’t been gaming much lately. I got MarioKart for the Wii as well, but haven’t actually taken it out of the box yet. There are a few guys at work that play, and I figure I’ll take it out when we’re all less busy and can do some multiplayer. For the most part, I’ve been trying to finish off Yoshi’s Island for the DS. It’s my sister’s game, which I borrowed for the flight to Chicago, but it’s surprisingly fun. It’s like a juvenile version of Mario, where dying is a lot harder, and there’s a wailing baby now and then (ugh). There are 5 worlds, and the first 3 are really really easy. But the 5th I’m finding is actually quite challenging. I came into it with nearly 200 lives, and that’s just what I got along the way in the first few worlds, no life farming or anything, and I’ve burned through about a hundred of them so far trying to get through world 5. I also installed Strange Attractors 2, which is a fun little game, especially if you only want a distraction of a few minutes and don’t want to have to close all your document windows to launch it :)

World of Warcraft has come out with two expansions now, and I briefly thought about returning. Blizzard did send me a 10-day free trial pass to try to suck me back in, and I might actually give it a whirl after the MRI goes down in December (hey, I’ve got to see how these new fangled weather effects look on my new video card, don’t I?). Of course, I’m going to have to freeze my credit cards when I do, because 10 days is all I can afford to give that game!