Games, games, games
I have been fairly obsessed with World of Warcraft since it came out. Which makes me question my continuing need to purchase new games. It it practically a complusion.
Well, yesterday the last two "big" games for the year were released: Knights of the Old Republic II and Battle for Middle Earth. Of course, after work, I went to my neighborhood EBGames and bought them both.
Now KotOR2 is a no-brainer for me. I loved the first game. Mind you, I am still playing it, but I think it was the best game of the last year (actually it was tied for best game with Prince of Persia). I bought it, and am confortable with it sitting in shrink wrap on the shelf until I manage to get around to it.
Battle for Middle Earth has me conflicted though. I don't know if I really want this game. I mean, sure, it is pretty and it is the newest RTS. I am sure that the graphics will entrance me the way a raccoon is mesmerized by a shiny bottle cap. But that will last for all of two minutes.
I also don't know if the game is any good. The reviews have been solidly in the mid-8 range, which is normally pretty good, but all of the reviews comment specifically on the simplicity of the game. The reader reviews, typically a great touchstone of the review process are, in this case, glowing. Over a thousand people on Gamespot have given it an aggregate ranking of a 9.4. Normally, this would be enough to push me out of any sort of doubt. But I can't shake the feeling that those scores are all being skewed by rampant LotR fanboy-ism. I just smell another case of 'Black & White-itis', where everyone wants the game to be so good that the shiny graphics is enough to initially convince them that their dreams have been realized.
The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that the game needs to go back to the store. One game that will sit unplayed for months is enough this week...
Well, yesterday the last two "big" games for the year were released: Knights of the Old Republic II and Battle for Middle Earth. Of course, after work, I went to my neighborhood EBGames and bought them both.
Now KotOR2 is a no-brainer for me. I loved the first game. Mind you, I am still playing it, but I think it was the best game of the last year (actually it was tied for best game with Prince of Persia). I bought it, and am confortable with it sitting in shrink wrap on the shelf until I manage to get around to it.
Battle for Middle Earth has me conflicted though. I don't know if I really want this game. I mean, sure, it is pretty and it is the newest RTS. I am sure that the graphics will entrance me the way a raccoon is mesmerized by a shiny bottle cap. But that will last for all of two minutes.
I also don't know if the game is any good. The reviews have been solidly in the mid-8 range, which is normally pretty good, but all of the reviews comment specifically on the simplicity of the game. The reader reviews, typically a great touchstone of the review process are, in this case, glowing. Over a thousand people on Gamespot have given it an aggregate ranking of a 9.4. Normally, this would be enough to push me out of any sort of doubt. But I can't shake the feeling that those scores are all being skewed by rampant LotR fanboy-ism. I just smell another case of 'Black & White-itis', where everyone wants the game to be so good that the shiny graphics is enough to initially convince them that their dreams have been realized.
The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that the game needs to go back to the store. One game that will sit unplayed for months is enough this week...
posted by Rob at
1:04 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home