Couch Lounger

I’ve decided to wait until I’m deeper into Mass Effect 2 to comment on it – but my early impressions are very good, I’m enjoying my playthrough.  Today I am going to talk instead about another recent Bioware game – Dragon Age: Origins.  This came came out near the end of 2009 as a multiplatform title.  My opinions on it are based on the 360 version.  I’ve heard that graphically the PS3 version looks sharper, but the 360 is less prone to glitches and runs at a faster framerate.

Dragon Age: Origins is a fantasy RPG, in which players are tasked with destroying a horde of Darkspawn and defeat the Archdemon about to overwhelm the Kingdom of Ferelden.

UPDATE: In a followup post on Penny Arcade, this was revealed to be based on a test build and is incorrect.  Mass Effect 2 DOES NOT allow you to edit these past actions.

Penny Arcade’s Tycho spoke with Bioware’s Chris Priestly on the subject of Mass Effect 2 recently.  Mr. Priestly confirmed that players who no longer have their Mass Effect save file need not fear.  When you create a new character, Mass Effect 2 will let you select a variety of options that you were able to affect when playing the first one (space bugs, anyone?)  so as to recreate the universe that your role play had created.  I think this is a great idea.

An oldie but a goodie. This hilarious IGN video explores the hardships endured by those living with Duke Nukem’s Disease.

If you came of age online before year 2000, you probably remember MUDs – those text-based multiplayer games that were the precursor to EverQuest and World of Warcraft. Even remembering those old games is enough to put a date stamp on you if you’re old enough to have played them during their heydey. Without any shame for our advancing age, this is a nostalgic look back at those traits possessed by gamers when the only images their digital worlds had were those conjured in the imaginations of the players.

Mass Effect 2 is being well received.  IGN gave it a 9.6 / 10.  As of when I looked this evening, Gamerankings.com had given a 98.33% score, based on compilation of 3 reviews.  This is one of the games I’ve been waiting for for some time and is on my list of top 2010 games.  Mass Effect was a game that completely took me in.  I enjoyed every minute of that game and am eagerly anticipating the sequel which comes out next Tuesday in North America.

There are some good looking games coming out this year for the Xbox 360 and the Wii.   Not an exhaustive list, by any means, but these games are the ones sparking my interest at the moment.  Here are some of the ones I’m excited for..

I have to confess it’s been a long time since I so thoroughly enjoyed a video game. Thanks Dave for getting me a copy of the new Super Mario Bros. Wii this Christmas.

For those who haven’t tried it, the new Mario Bros. Wii is classic Mario at its best; 2D running, jumping and stomping without all the camera angles we’ve had to endure in the latest games. No pretentious storyline with long cut scenes, just eight worlds of side scrolling fun (nine, if you can find all the goodies). I honestly felt like I was playing through a game that was built from the best elements of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World.

One of the regular arguments we see these days on the interwebs is about the value of the Wii and the contribution it makes to gaming.  Many self-proclaimed ‘hardcore’ gamers seem to despise the Wii and some of their points are quite true – the Wii is home to a great deal of ‘shovelware’.