StarDestroyer.Net BBS

I picked up a copy yesterday when I found it for $25 (on sale at GAME stores nationwide if you want to get in on the scam) and the disc (despite being brand new) wouldn't read. No biggie - turns out that you can flip these babies at JB for $33 on trade-in. So I traded in two other games and got a copy of Arkham Asylum.

Then I just bought a second copy of it and this one works and I've been playing it. Knowing that sometime in the next few weeks I'll trade this one in for a similar profit perhaps may be skewing my perceptions, but this is a fairly fun game and the combat though repetitive is enjoyable enough that because I'm effectively getting paid to play this I have no issue with it.

My demo perceptions were slightly out as there was no tutorial in that and thus many mechanics (like how to put a gun away) weren't explained, but the demo also didn't show off its LAAAAAAZY level design. Because, all of the crazy brain-washed international assassins I know don't get fucking stopped because someone put the velvet rope across a stairway. "Hmm, shit, I can either step over, undo or somehow get past this rope and go in this door, or I can go ALL THE WAY AROUND THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS LEVEL to go up the stairs over there. Actually, that rope may be there for a reason, there could be an OHS hazard or something, I better play it safe. I'd rather face another 40 guys with shotguns than risk slipping on a stair."

The demo was a mess of boring gunplay and "QUICKTIME EVENTS MEMORIZE OR DIE".

Yeah, the game is by no means exceptional, but should you be presented with an opportunity to play this game for a profit, it isn't a bad way to burn a few hours for easy achievement points and some quite creative violence.

OK, I finally finished it (yeah, it's about that long) and can say that a play through is enjoyable, but with a dose of slightly frustrating - especially the boss fights. Oh dear god the boss fights. Thankfully I figured out the "always win" option after a while of block until they do a takedown on you, counter that, then flurry, then block again. Eventually you get enough "adrenaline" to do a takedown of your own. Rinse and repeat. About 10 times per boss. Tedium = 1. Additionally, bosses will fuck you right up if you do a single thing wrong, and if you are unlucky (like me) you'll die against a miniboss who's at the very end of a particularly unpleasant shooting segment with nary a checkpoint to be had.

This baby is getting traded right in. But seeing as how I'm making money on the trade I can't complain at all.