Strategy Guide Reviews

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One-a-Wednesday: Dragon Age: Origins Strategy Guide

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Of all the games in my backlog I need to finish, Dragon Age: Origins remains at the top. For one, I’ve meant to finish it, but most importantly, Dragon Age: Inquisition releases this year. That has provided me a bit more motivation.

But BioWare has given me even more incentive to get my ass in gear on that, as DAI will release on October 7th. That really doesn’t seem that far away.

As such, I thought it was fairly appropriate to make my strategy guide for DAO as the strategy guide cover of the week.

I’ve been told if I give it all my attention after E3, I will be able to finish it with no problems before October 7th. Question is, will my OCD let me play just DAO without DA2 before DAI? All signs point to no, dammit.

Monday Gaming Diary: Still Avoiding Finishing Lightning Returns

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legobilboI have a week off before my next video game review for work. That nagging voice in my head says I should probably get back to Lightning Returns and attempt to finish it, but the devil on my shoulder (or perhaps it really is an angel) points out that I should get LEGO The Hobbit to 100% since I’ve already started it. And I just can’t argue with that shoulder entity. She is quite wise.

I finished my evil playthrough of inFAMOUS Second Son last week as well, which was depressing as hell I have to say, and my gaze immediately went to my copy of Lightning Returns on my desk. “Come on, you know you have to see just how awful this game is in the end,” the shoulder demon whispers. “You have to say you know how it goes, so you can have educated hate. You went and bought the Collector’s Edition because you’re an idiot, so get your money’s worth out of this game.”

Then my angel appears and says, “But don’t you want to finish what you start from now on? Don’t you dare abandon LEGO The Hobbit. And while you’re at it, shouldn’t you complete the Paper Trail DLC that was FREE for inFAMOUS Second Son? See, you can’t say you’re really finished with that game, even though you’ve played both Good and Evil.”

They both make such excellent points. I really should complete LEGO The Hobbit to 100% and the Paper Trail DLC for Second Son while I can, as I have four games to review in the next few months. Or wait, I think that’s five. Then July should be completely barren for Lightning to take over. I’ll make myself miserable for my birthday month. That sounds like a good plan.

This may sound ridiculous, but the thought of not playing it through when I spent that much money on it drives me more insane than the thought of playing a game I don’t find fun. I never said I was rational, logical person.

One-a-Wednesday: Halo 3 Strategy Guide

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Today I heard the awful news that one of my favorite video game composers, Martin O’Donnell, was fired from Bungie. I own all of his Halo compositions, and I had planned on picking up his score for Destiny as well, even though I have zero plans to play that game. Bungie has lost a great composer, and I hope Marty lands on his feet very quickly.

Today’s One-a-Wednesday is a dedication to my favorite game of the Halo series, Halo 3, which also had my favorite OST of the bunch.

Dark Souls 2 Strategy Guide Giveaway for FreeGuideFriday

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Dark Souls 2 Strategy GuideIs Dark Souls 2 kicking your ass like it’s supposed to? Are you tired of pulling your hair out after dying from falling off a 2-foot cliff? It just so happens that I have an extra copy of the Dark Souls 2 strategy guide to give away (since there’s no way in hell I’m playing this game). Would you like to get out of that fetal position, stop crying, and accept some help in completing the game?

I’m offering this copy to both Twitter and Facebook fans. If you follow us in both venues, then hey, you can enter twice. Once again, it’s US contestants only.

Twitter Rules

  • Follow @strategyreviews on Twitter.
  • Tweet to @strategyreviews which death in Dark Souls 2 has frustrated you the most. Your tweet must include the hashtag #FreeGuideFriday.
  • All entries must be in by Friday, April 18th, at noon. I will randomly pick a winner at that time.

Facebook Rules

  • Write a comment to the Facebook post announcing this contest that explains which death in Dark Souls 2 has frustrated you the most.
  • Be sure to use the #FreeGuideFriday hashtag.
  • All entries must be in by Friday, April 18th, at noon. I will randomly pick a winner at that time.

You think you got it? Let the entries for this strategy guide commence!

Monday Gaming Diary: So LEGO The Hobbit for the Vita isn’t Terrible

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160095bBecause I’m part masochist and part optimist (at times), I bought the Vita version of LEGO The Hobbit in the hopes once again that maybe they’ll go back to the traditional formula for LEGO games with handhelds. I’m pleased to report that while they have continued their challenge model for the handheld versions, the handheld version for LEGO The Hobbit isn’t as awful as it has been in the past.

One of the biggest problems I’ve had with the handheld LEGO games as of late is that they have time trials as part of the challenges. LEGO games have always been about taking your time to explore and smash all the things, not burn through a level as fast as you can. These time trials put stress on games that have never, ever been about stress. LEGO The Hobbit still employs these time trials, but they aren’t in every level. In fact, many of the levels and challenges really do focus on exploration.

Unfortunately, you can still die or get a Game Over penalty, forcing you to restart a level. One level requires a bit of stealth, and if you fail at any time, you get to do the whole level over again. Any challenges you completed are forfeit as well, so get used to starting from scratch quite a bit.

It’s a step in the right direction, but I really hope they forgo this model completely soon. Although, I guess why would they do that when I continue to fork over my money to them?

I really do need that T-shirt that says, “I’m part of the problem.”

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