A weekly log of the games I’ve played accompanied by some random thoughts about them
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Grand Theft Auto IV
This is probably starting to get boring, but I’m sure I’ll mix it up with another game this week. You should be thankful I’m not solely intent on finishing some 100+ hour RPG. Although that is in my backlog…
Just more of the same this time. I’m already caught up and starting new missions that I haven’t done previously. A city this vast and all these cars make me wish there is a car collecting sidequest because that would be a lot of fun. Maybe there is one, I haven’t bothered to go looking anything up.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Grand Theft Auto IV
So I finally stand up for Cousin Roman and end up killing Vlad, disposing of the body just by dumping him in the river. I sure hope Niko watched Eastern Promises and learned a thing or two about disposing corpses in bodies of water without having to weigh it down–it’s all about the undercurrent.
Truth be told, I found Niko’s turn from apathetic to … still mostly apathetic loyal friend in this mission a little jarring. Although the last mission with Vlad ended in Niko giving Vlad a piece of his mind via some not-so-kind words and then Niko has an emotional argument with Roman before he runs to confront Vlad, Niko’s supposed act of loyal friendship felt cold and nearly meaningless. No unlike all his kills in previous missions. Even the execution tutorial, which turns the Niko into a more ruthless killer for taking down a defenseless foe, didn’t evoke an emotional response. I felt disconnected, not too different than when I would fool around and go on a random killing civilians spree just to see how high I could get my wanted stars level before biting the dust. I know this is just the beginning of the game, but it was clear that the game script and cutscenes were trying to create this tenuous indentured servitude between Niko and Vlad where Niko was taking on jobs to spare his cousin Vlad’s eventual wrath. To be fair Niko undertook those missions with some reluctance and a sense of acceptance that this is “what must be done.”
In this instance, Grand Theft Auto IV didn’t develop a close relationship between Niko and Roman enough for me to want to go kill Vlad–I was along for the ride. I wasn’t convinced that Niko wanted to be on that ride either. There was no immediate threat to the safety of Roman or himself which compels him to act so quickly, so decisively, to eliminate Vlad–there were only Roman’s drunken, bitter tears over an unrequited love with Mallorie. An emotion which he had kept hidden from Niko for the entire time we’ve witnessed their interactions–we just thought that Roman was just merely interested in her. Will the script engage me long enough to care about other deaths or killings in the future? I can only hope so.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Unidentified Secret Game C
If I keep this up I’ll get through the alphabet by the end of the year. Can’t say a peep about this one. Spent about an hour and a half on it though. I had…
[REDACTED]
So there you have my full set of impressions.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Grand Theft Auto IV
After disposing of a dealer threatening Real Badman’s business, Little Jacob decided he wants to go to the strip club. And thus began another social sim thread in Grand Theft Auto IV–I’m only about 68% friends with Little Jacob so far, so there’s quite a ways to go. It’s been interesting to have to navigate these social tasks in order to open up certain perks in the game. It’s making me think a lot about Persona 3: FES, a game in which the social/dating sim side of things plays a key role for the RPG. I’m only about twenty minutes into Persona 3: FES, but I know I will return to that soon.
Q.E.D.
