Gamer’s paradise.
Normally, I do most of my posting either on Wednesday or Friday nights, since that’s when Jim is usually out with his friends. But Friday night, I got caught up in blocking more of those squares for the baby blanket I’m knitting, listening to the Geek Girls Network podcast, and playing Facebook’s Sims Social.
If you know me at all, that last one should sound really weird.
Jim looked at me like I had grown another head when I told him I was trying it out. Previously, all he’s ever heard me say about The Sims was that it looked stupid. I’ve decided to give it a shot because 1) I desperately want a new game to fill the gaping hole that Warcraft left behind, 2) everyone claims it’s so great, and I really shouldn’t knock things I’ve never tried (unless it’s LARP–everyone should get a freebie on that one), and 3) it’s FREE.
The FREE really got me.
The Sims Social, however, has not.
“I don’t think I’m doing it right,” I complained to Jim. “I’m just clicking on stuff. She eats. She plays her guitar. She even goes to the bathroom. What am I supposed to be doing?”
“You’re doing it,” Jim said flatly.
That’s it? There’s nobody to shoot? I can’t even build additions to the house–the one part I think I would like in the game–because you have to have friends play it, and I refuse to send friend requests for a game. Argh! And what’s even worse is that these Sim people are NAGS. I logged in last night, and my Sims girl’s little happiness level had dropped, she was sighing dramatically, and hinting that she wanted to go visit someone. “Tough luck, bitch!” I told my little Sim chick, and I forced her to go play on the computer instead. If I have to sit at home alone, so do you!
Needless to say, it didn’t take too long for me to log out, hunt down Angry Birds, and play that instead. Smashing snorting little pigs is way more satisfying.
Anyway, that’s been the theme of my week: games. Honestly, that’s been the last few weeks–trying to find a game that I can’t put down. I’ve played some Fable II, and now my character has a husband and a kid. By the way, a game that includes the sex noises for making said baby? Yeah, I’m not a fan of that. I was with Jim when he was helping me marry my character off to another man, so he was also there for the wedding night. I was a little embarrassed.
(For someone who loves dirty jokes, I’m oddly prudish about such things. Weird, I know.)
Still, I’m not finding myself addicted to the game. I’ll go weeks without playing it. I’ve been spending a lot of time searching for other games that I think I would like on the XBox 360. So far, here’s what I’m eyeing:
Dance Central 2
Shut up and dance!
Honestly, any of the dance games, since I’m too ignorant to really know one from the other. I remember I used to love Dance Dance Revolution, but alas, being in a second floor apartment means jumping around isn’t a good idea. I’ve been looking some of the videos up on You Tube, and this game doesn’t look like it has too much jumping, but it still keeps you moving. Acceptable alternatives: Just Dance 3 and Zumba Fitness. I’ve heard that Zumba is a ton of fun.
Alas, I need a Kinect for these games. But if I had one, I would also totally get number 2…
Rise of Nightmares
Rise of Nighmares...or Rise of Barf?
I’ve heard that this game is really gory. Nothing to get you out of the dancing mood like an axe in the face.
To be fair, I don’t know if there are any axes involved. I just know there’s blood. Lots and lots of blood.
Anyway, the idea of a horror game with the Kinect intrigues me. However, I’ve seen some pretty bad reviews of it, so I’m thinking that for this game, I’m gonna wait until it hits the cheap bins.
Assuming I ever get a Kinect to play it with, anyway.
So are there any non-Kinect games I want? Oh, yeah. And Jim’s gonna kill me, but here’s one that I think looks like it has promise…
Final Fantasy XIII
She will cut your FACE.
My knowledge of the Final Fantasy games mostly comes from the anime community, back when I used to go to the ACen conventions. Anime fans love this stuff. They just eat it up. And even though I had never played the games, I always recognized the characters. How could I not? People cosplay them everywhere.
So, one day, back in the days of my Playstation 2, I picked up Final Fantasy X-2.
I was not impressed.
However, I had also heard that X-2 was not the game I should base my impressions of Final Fantasy on. I’ve heard the others were better. Couple that with the glowing review I read just last night of Final Fantasy XIII–and the super awesome graphics, which I’m a sucker for–I’m thinking that I’m definitely willing to give it another shot.
Of course, all this depends on me actually getting enough money in the savings to feel comfortable enough spending some on non-essentials. It took me three weeks to fork over two bucks for lotion, just because I figured I could live without it, so I shouldn’t be spending that money. The car still needs new break pads and an oil change; Jim’s dad still needs to be paid back. Until then, I’ll stick with my knitting. Yarn is only, like, 5 bucks.
And the XBox just cannot beat a deal like that.
*Note: I just realized that I totally stole the title “Gamer’s Paradise” from Jim. Somehow, I think he’ll forgive me. I hope!
Tags: dance central 2, fable 2, final fantasy xiii, gaming, kinect, rise of nightmares, sims social, xbox 360
October 16th, 2011 at 3:44 pm
I have been playing Fable 2 as well on the xbox since we have had it for ever and I never really got out of bowerstone. Jim and nikki played the shit out of it, but this time around I am taking my time and getting alot of stuff done, but it isn’t addicting. I play it till Battlefield 3 is out.
We own Dance Central and it is really fun. Nikki likes it better than Zumba Fitness. We haven’t played Just Dance, but it looked too casual for nikki’s tastes. She wanted something alot like DDR and Dance Central gives her that.
I want to get rise of nightmares, but I have a new First Person Shooter coming out so I won’t be playing much else.
Final Fantasy 11 is the mmo for the xbox. Drisk and his family all play it. They love it. They want me to play it. It is nice because you don’t have to have a Gold Live account to play it. Most of the games need a Gold Live account to play the multiplayer, but this one doesn’t since they charge you a monthly fee.
I really like first person shooters on the console because you don’t have to put in time requirement like wow, but it has levels and “classes” and is highly social on xbox live.
La Noir jim and nikki liked, Red Dead Redemption was ok, Call of Duty games are good but only because of the multiplayer, Rage looks good but not sure myself, Bioshock games are fairly fun, Dragon Age games look good and seem like something i would like to play, Elder Scrolls Skyrim might be up your alley.
note on the sims: I used to build the houses on the old pc versions and kill my sims off in death rooms. The new games blow. Jim used to be a big fan of the sims
October 17th, 2011 at 5:25 pm
Funny you mentioned Bioshock. Jim just got that. He also got Fallout 3 the other day, which he is LOVING.
I plan on getting Jim Red Dead Redemption and LA Noir at some point because I’ve heard good things about them. Top priority for him, though, is that new Assassin’s Creed coming out. He’s a huge fan of those. Oh, and he wants that new Batman, too. And from what I’ve read, you’re right that Dragon Age and Elder Scrolls sound like something I would like. They’re on my “someday” list.
I hadn’t thought about Final Fantasy 11. Maybe I should check it out. Should be a little bit cheaper, right?
Honestly, I would be happy just getting a new computer and going back to playing WoW. I cannot lie. I think I just need a new computer, period. A couple weeks ago, my laptop overheated just during regular surfing, and I’ve already done all the cleaning. It’s kinda old for a laptop, though…about 3 years old. I’m ready for an update.
I’ll be getting a desktop this time.
Can you build houses in any of the non-Facebook Sims? Without having to get other people involved?