Favorite Games Podcast

Hey guys! This week Dylan, a friend of mine, and myself discussed our favorite games. Listen to it here.

Ratchet and Clank (PS3 Trilogy)

     Have you played the PS3 Ratchet and Clank games? Known as the future trilogy, these games not only continue the story of the characters, but continues the life of the series from the PS2 days to the newer PS3 system.

     This newer trilogy of Ratchet and Clank games once again follow Ratchet and Clank through three adventures, but these three stories are more intertwined and character-driven than the previous games. This offers a much more engaging and deep story. (Although I have to say the originals possess a certain charm that can never be recaptured.)

     Along with an improved story, the gameplay is also much smoother and tight, allowing quicker and more fluid combat an platforming. The graphics are also heavily upgraded, and the voice acting is superb. Overall, these games are technically better than the older games, and live up to the fun that the series has established, but just falls short on recapturing that original charm.

Ratchet and Clank (PS2 Trilogy)

     Have you played the Ratchet and Clank games? They are a trilogy of classics on the PS2. They have also been remastered for PS3. The games star Ratchet, a dog-cat mix of an alien race called a Lombax, and his minuscule robotic companion known as Clank. Together, these two go on three adventures and save the galaxy each time.

     Each game is pretty much the same, bringing fun, crazy weapons and platforming puzzle solving together for a joy ride. Along with different stories, each game improves on the gameplay formula, integrating new features, such as new weapons and space combat, while improving the base gameplay with mechanics like strafing and quick-select weapon menus. 

     The Ratchet and Clank series is some of the best the Playstation 2 has to offer and are some of the funnest games of all time. The gameplay is exciting and satisfying. The stories are epic and hilarious. Ratchet and Clank is a must-play for everybody.




(Photos belong to Insomniac Games)

Half-Life

     Have you played Half-Life? This game is a blend of a science fiction story and. a horror game, and its topped off with a government cover-up. You are Gordon Freeman, a scientist who shows up late to work one day. And that day is eventful, as you show up to watch a portal open up and bring killer aliens into the deep underground that you are in.

     You are thrust into a first-person adventure where you have to fight your way to the surface, shooting or using your handy crowbar to defeat the vicious aliens and a mysterious military faction along the way. The appeal of this game isn't just the tight combat, but the puzzles you have to solve along the way, including riding conveyor belts and navigating a minefield.

Belongs to Valve

   This game is near perfection, with an interesting plot and fun gameplay. There are a few drawbacks, however. The graphics are a constant reminder of the games age. And there are no cutscenes, with the game relying on in-game dialogue to convey the story. These are negatives, but the positives of the game far outweigh them.

This game can be pretty tricky sometimes, so here is a link to a helpful walkthrough.
http://www.ign.com/wikis/half-life/Walkthrough

Top Ten Games of All Time

Best Places To Get Games in Topeka

Do you like videogames? Do you want more? Then read about these three places that I believe are the best places to buy videogames from.

1) Gamer's HQ: This is the best place to get games in town. They have great prices for games for several consoles, including current gen, PS3 and X-Box 360, PS2, Gamecube, Gameboy and a few others. The primary strength of Gamer's HQ is their prices. They usually have the lowest prices on games of any store. The only drawback is they don't have the widest selection of games around.

2) Vintage Stock: Vintage Stock is practically the polar opposite of Gamer's HQ. They are a little more pricey, but probably have the largest selection of games. These selections also come in a large range of systems, including all of the consoles available at Gamer's HQ plus more, like NES, Super Nintendo, Dreamcast, and several others. Visit their website at http://www.vintagestock.com/

3) Gamestop: Gamestop receives a lot of criticism because of their corporate feel and their awful trade-in prices. However, they do offer pretty much any recent game you could think of and the prices are good, if not great. The biggest drawback for me is the lack of older games available, unlike the other stores. This is fixed online though, as they have a larger selection on their website:  http://www.gamestop.com/