Blogging the experience of gameplayhttps://www.gamelog.cl/gamers/GamerPage.php?idgamer=531https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2995Gameplay: Though the storyline for Jak and Daxter is very captivating, a lot of the gameplay is centered on participating in many side activities. The interactivity between the character Jak and the many townspeople in the different worlds is also important in order to get the tasks for the side activities. The one thing I am most impressed with, with this game, is the amount of explorative freedom you are allowed. The areas there are to explore always bring something new to the game and add great levels of entertainment to the game. There are several areas to explore and many puzzles to solve, whether it is on foot or in the air. I still have a long ways to go before I beat the game and I want to know how it ends. Design: As I have discussed in various areas of the gameplay sections, the areas to explore are very extensive and very well developed. The addition of several puzzles and good jumping mechanics give the game great exploring based, gameplay. Another factor that give the game great gameplay are the realistic graphics and cartoony characters. Though none of Jak’s abilities are feasibly real, the environments he gets to explore with them are very vast and interesting because of the well-developed graphics. The other nice design aspect of this game is the ability to manually maneuver the camera. I have noticed that in some games, the camera mechanic is very poor and the designers don’t give you the option to control it, but in this game you have that ability.Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:49:06 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2995&iddiary=5633https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2995Summary: Jak and Daxter is an action/adventure game that follows two friends who seek to rid the world of “dark eco” and turn Daxter back to his former self. Gameplay: The graphics for Jak and Daxter are fairly impressive. Though the characters are very cartoon-like, the graphics are very realistic and add a great sense of adventure to the game. One of great things I noticed about this game is that there are very large and expansive areas to explore. There are also lots of mini games to do in order to collect the many power cells scattered throughout the world. The controls for this game, I found, are very simple to master. Jak, the main character, has very simple gameplay mechanics (single and double jumps, kicking, and punching). The one downfall to the controls is that Jak is fairly slow moving. I still have more to play, which means more areas to explore.Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:09:30 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2995&iddiary=5631https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2630Gameplay: Shadow of the Colossus is a very interesting game due to the fact that there are no minions to defeat; there are only bosses, which are the colossi. Throughout the game finding each colossus becomes more and more difficult. Using Wander’s sword with its beam of light to find each colossus can sometimes be misleading and adds that adds a great puzzle element to the game. Some disappointing aspects of this game include things such as: no mini games, minions to defeat, no dungeons to explore, and nothing to collect except colossi defeats. In some ways, the extensive world and puzzles make up for the lack of the things previously listed. I have a little more to play and hoping to finally defeat the last colossus. I want to see how the game ends. Design: A new element of design/gamplay that not many other games have used, is the one, main fact that there are only bosses to defeat. The absence of other game elements such as dungeons, enemy sprites, and other characters to interact with brings out a whole new breed of game. The extensive gameworld and well-developed graphics also make Shadow of the Colossus stand out from any other games I have ever played. The landscaping details in the world make the game interesting to explore, though the duo of characters are difficult to control. The storyline is also very detailed and interesting, despite the obvious gender role. After each colossus defeat you start to notice that Wander’s complexion and his health slowly begin to deteriorate (there is no health to collect throughout the game). The fact that the main character’s deteriorating health is incorporated into the gamplay, his grip becomes weaker and his stamina goes down, adds a really cool element of game design that I have not seen many other games have.Sun, 17 Feb 2008 01:47:03 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2630&iddiary=4990https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2630Summary: Shadow of the Colossus is an action/adventure game where the main character, Wander, is placed in a situation in which he has to restore the life of a girl. With his trusty horse Argo, Wander must find and kill a total of 16 monsters collectively known as colossi. Gameplay: The controls for the Shadow of the Colossus were, at first, very difficult to control. The main character, Wander, is slow responding and his horse Argo is also fairly difficult to control, if he is not going in a strait line. In addition to the difficulty in controlling the two characters, you must also hold up Wander’s sword to locate the colossi and that is also hard to get used to. Once I got past slow responding controls, it was much easier to control the pair. The topography of the world is very much like a movie and so is the storyline, the typical gender roles of the boy saving the girl. Hills, mountains, deserts, lakes, and other vast landscapes can be explored, though you cannot defeat any of the colossi out of order. There is still more to play and I am anticipating what challenges the many colossi entail.Sun, 17 Feb 2008 01:00:16 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2630&iddiary=4989https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2333Gameplay: For the second half of gameplay, I focused on what aspects of the game are more appealing and entertaining than the elements in Ocarina of Time. The element of time travel is a recurring theme throughout both Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, though the story line's are very different. The storyline to Ocarina of Time was very detailed and captivating, whereas the storyline to Majora's Mask is mediocre. It is apparent that a lot of the character sprites and music are recycled from Ocarina of Time. Even though these elements of the game are apparent, there is somewhat more freedom allowed to your character in the sense that you are able to transform into different thing and do more activities. I still want to see how this game ends and will continue to play it. Design: The new puzzle elements in Majora's Mask are very interesting and add great depth to the game. In order to do most of the puzzles you are required to transform into a different animal of some sort that allows you to perform the task at hand. In comparison to the new puzzles, the levels are somewhat boring. The patterns in the game are repeated too often and the world is does not seem as extensive as it should be. The paths to certain levels are very set and the main city is a bit confusing to get around, especially when you only have 3 days to find the main object. The recycled characters and music makes the game a little boring.Tue, 05 Feb 2008 21:37:36 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2333&iddiary=4469https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2333Summary: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is an action/adventure game that is the sequel to the the Ocarina of Time. In this installment, the main character Link is off on his own personal journey, but finds himself in a bit of a time crunch when a boy with a magical mask turns him into something else, steals his horse,and his ocarina. Gameplay: Having played Ocarina of Time before, I wanted to see how this addition to the Zelda series played out. Just as in Ocarina of Time, the controls were relatively simple to get used to, as well as the outdated graphics. One of the advantages to playing Majora's Mask, is the ability to be able to compare it to its predecessor, Ocarina of Time, since they were both made for the same platform. Though the game is entirely different the wonderful atmosphere the world creates is still the same, the only difference is that in this game you are constantly in a time constraint. I still have more to play to begin to really break into the storyline.Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:20:36 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2333&iddiary=4465https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2333sorry didn't mean to do this. (This entry has been edited1 time. It was last edited on Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:48:01.)Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:40:09 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2333&iddiary=4464https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2300Summary: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a fast paced, exciting, action/adventure game where the main character Link is given the task of saving the kingdom of Hyrule from evil by going back and forth through time. Gameplay: The simple controls involved when using the Nintendo 64 console was much easier to become acquainted with than I had originally imagined. Playstation controls are what I am most used to. The main character was very easy to control and the game became much more involving once I was used to the controls. The graphics on the N64 console add to the nostalgic feeling of playing such a classic game. Once the tutorials pass and you are let loose into the world the storyline becomes more involving and exciting. I still have more to play and I am hoping to see more of the bosses and other characters. Gameplay: In most games I usually become more involved in the main storyline, so for this game I decided to see what side games or activities Ocarina of Time has to offer. There are loads of mini games and things to collect. Mostly the Nintendo universal currency, the Rupee. Though the storyline is very detailed and captivating, I am impressed at how much freedom you are allowed throughout the game. One thing I have noticed during this second part of gameplay is that the characters are very well developed. They are all unique and aid you in many different ways. I still have more to play and am looking forward to playing much more (and also to try and finally finish the game). Design: The world in Ocarina of Time is very well developed with several complex areas each containing levels with one or more "dungeons". The puzzle elements, along with button mashing gives the game great gameplay. The graphics, though outdated, are very good for its time. The 3D elements give the worlds great depth and allow for easy exploration. The storyline, though well developed and detailed, directs your actions throughout the entire game. To be more specific, you cannot do anything out of order, there is a set path for you to travel.Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:28:00 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2300&iddiary=4409https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1811Gameplay: During the second 45 minutes of gameplay I find Kratos back in Athens and he sees his ultimate goal within arms reach, Ares destroying Athens. While in Athens I became more involved in the game, there were lots of puzzles and tons of button mashing. Though the Athens has become overrun with monsters and undead soldiers, the civilians don't want Kratos to help them, which make me feel more involved in Kratos' story. The civilians refer to Kratos as "monster" though he is ultimately trying to redeem himself for his past. I found the obstacles within Athens to be well designed and fairly challenging. Kratos' responsiveness makes the game very entertaining when coming up with acquiring new skills to kill you opponents. Design: One of the most innovative and new things I noticed in God of War, was the camera placement during gameplay. I find that in most Playstation 2 games the designers allow players to control the camera angle using the right analog stick or any of the R or L buttons, but this game uses the camera to prompt players in specific directions which eliminates the need for the player to control the camera. Another aspect of the game I noticed, were the elaborate level designs, not only does the game involve effective killing techniques, but puzzles are also placed throughout the levels to keep make the game even more difficult. By also allowing players to select the degree of difficulty, the games possibilities become even greater. The smooth graphics, very responsive main character, and wide range of enemies to test your skills on allow this game to be very fun and involving.Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:43:25 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1811&iddiary=3595https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1811Summary: God of War is a hack and slash action adventure game set in ancient Greece where Kratos, the main character, has been sent on one final mission from the Gods, defeat Ares God of War. Gameplay: Throughout the first 45 minutes of playing God of War I found the game to be very entertaining. The music, excellent graphics, and tense atmosphere of the game really pulled me in right away. As I forged my way through the first level I became wrapped up in the Kratos' story. Kratos is plagued by the horrors of his past, of which I do not know the details quite yet, but you find Kratos has a soft spot for women and children. After defeating the first boss, a hydra, I come to realize that this game is going to become increasingly violent, the hydra's heads explode, which makes me wonder more about Kratos' past and why he has to do this final mission. I can't wait to play more.Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:41:43 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1811&iddiary=3586