Video Games - a general discussion thread — Page 238

CP3S said:

EDIT: Oops, thought you said Elder Scrolls V and that we were still on the subject of the next console gen being due. Not sure where my head is. Perhaps I should go to the Q&A thread and inquirer.

National Enquirer spelling fail.

Seriously? We don't have any other Black Ops players around these parts? Loving the new map pack, spent a ridiculous amount of time on them this last weekend thanks to double XP weekend.

Well I know you don't.

Woooooo!!!

Lego Monkey Island came out a few days ago, wooooo!!!

xhonzi said:

How is it?  I saw 7.5 on IGN. 

7.5 balls?

xhonzi said:

How is it?  I saw 7.5 on IGN. 

Not surprised it is getting lower reviews. The fact is, it is another Lego game. They get new updates and improvements every time (the dynamic split screen was a brilliant addition to the newer titles), but essentially they are the same thing all over again. That said, what they are is really fun to begin with, and I for one hope they keep cranking them out (know it will never happen, but a Lego Lord of the Rings would make me pee myself with joy... maybe when The Hobbit comes out...)

Pirate Legos were my favorite as a kid, so while I am not a huge fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean films (like the first two, can't stand the second two, no interest in the fourth), anything that mixes Lego and pirates is pretty cool.

As far as the Monkey Island connection, it is hilarious how tangled that web has become.

Originally Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert said that the game's inspiration came from the Disneyland Pirates of the Caribbean ride, and the game does give several nods to the classic ride.

Many years later a movie based on the ride came out that seemingly took quite a lot of inspiration from The Secret of Money Island. Kind of fun when when things come full circle like this (kind of like that Indiana Jones game that felt like a Tomb Raider clone when Tomb Raider itself was heavily inspired by Indy).

Shortly after that, Ron Gilbert admitted on his blog that the true inspiration for Monkey Island was actually a little known, and at the time, out of print Tim Power's novel called On Stranger Tides. An awesome historical fiction/fantasy about Blackbeard the Pirate. I immediate got my hands on a copy and read it, and there is no doubt that Ron borrowed a lot of elements from that book for the story of the first two games.

Years later Disney buys the rights to the book On Stranger Tides and adapts it into the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, they even kept the title. Since I really love the book, I am not a big fan of this idea. The book is pretty dark, there is no way a family friendly Disney adaption could do it justice, even if Jack Sparrow were not replacing the books main protagonist. I honestly don't think Disney ever would have even considered adapting On Stranger Tides had Ron Gilbert's blog not mentioned the book several years back. I think this is positive proof that some of the creative minds behind the Pirates films have been Monkey Island fans. Which is kind of cool, actually.

Tim Power...? not Tim Powers of The Anubis Gates fame (now that would make a great film/game/game of film/film of game but you'd have to call it Monkey Ball Island : The Secret Of The Anubis Gates Of The Caribbean Star Tour to sell that to a room full of suits)?

Are there any Assassin's Creed players here? if so, what do you think about Assassin's Creed Revelations coming out this November? finally going to put closure to Altair and Ezio, and explain the link between them 2 and Desmond, I know I can't frackin wait, Ubisoft wants to put closure to this, to get us ready for Assassin's Creed III.

Bingowings said:

Tim Power...? not Tim Powers of The Anubis Gates fame...?

Yes, Tim Powers, the writer of Anubis Gates. I put my apostrophe in the wrong place in the possessive of his name.

If you liked Anubis Gates, I'd definitely recommend On Stranger Tides, it is an enjoyable read. It just got a reprint a couple of years back, so it shouldn't be too hard to find. I would fear a dreaded movie tie-in edition of the book with Jack Sparrow and co on the cover, but the book is way too un-family-friendly to bear the Disney logo... and Johnny Depp doesn't actually appear in the story, though the main protagonist's name is, funnily enough, Jack.

dark_jedi said:

Are there any Assassin's Creed players here? if so, what do you think about Assassin's Creed Revelations coming out this November? finally going to put closure to Altair and Ezio, and explain the link between them 2 and Desmond, I know I can't frackin wait, Ubisoft wants to put closure to this, to get us ready for Assassin's Creed III.

Look just a few pages back and you can read about my ill fated experience with Assassin's Creed II. I am now further than I was when my game save spontaneously disappeared on me, but still haven't beaten it. I am still determined to beat it and get all the achievements, eventually. Someday I'll probably pick out AC:Brotherhood; haven't heard much about AC: Revelations.

So, from what you said I take it they plan on introducing a new assassin for ACIII? That will be cool. ACII is my first AC game, having played the first one but never giving it much of a chance. Four Assassin's Creed games (II, Brotherhood, Revelations, and III) in so few years sounds risky. Hope they keep them interesting.

I am not sure, but I think Desmond will be back for AC III, he just won't be playing as Altair or Ezio, those 2 will be finished up with AC Revelations, although I could be wrong, but I thought I read somewhere that Desmond will still be around, if anyone knows please let me know what you read?

xhonzi said:

The short turnaround between ACB and ACR gives me a slight cause for concern... but they've pulled it off so far, so I guess they'll do alright.

I was worried until I read what Ubisoft has done, these games came out on Montreal which employs over 200 people, Ubisoft got many of the other divisions around the World to team up and get this game right and done soon, if I find the link I will post it, but after reading that, I am not concerned at all anymore, this Game has 1 huge team working on it.

It might have been in the latest Game Informer magazine, if you guys are a fan, this is a definite good read, love the new hookblade for Revelations.

xhonzi said:

Make sure you do all of the Subject 16 stuff.  In my humble- it's some of the best stuff in the game.

That is actually what has kept me playing it. First thing I do anytime I open a new area is eagerly run off and find the glyphs. I think I only have four left.

Finally decided to come out from under your rock?