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[Eel O'Brian]

Robert joins Doug and Kevin once again for our year-end wrap-up, with obligatory underrated/overrated/games of the year picks, and a lengthy discussion about the ups and downs of digital distribution!

direct download: http://media.libsyn.com/media/borecast/Borecast30.mp3

(15:00) Our underrated/overlooked picks of the year

(36:00) Our games of the year picks

(54:00) Our overrated/stupidest games of the year picks

(1:12:00) Digital Distribution & DLC - games that improved via DLC, DD criticisms and benefits

Listen at the end for one last chance to enter our L4D Christmas giveaway!

We'll talk to you again in 2010!

 

[Deleted member 30609]

nice, was looking for something to listen to today.

 

[Eel O'Brian]

I sort of flubbed my Saboteur talk. I forgot to mention some of the cooler missions, etc.

 

[Fragamemnon]

This was a fun episode to do. I'm really interested to hear how some of the PC gamers might respond to one of my "overrated" picks-it's a bit unconventional but I totally stand by it.

 

[Drinky Crow]

this one turned out better than i feared, despite the last minute agenda.

 

[Drinky Crow]

also, someone gin me up a dancing cat avatar, please

 

[Drinky Crow]

srsly

 

[AniHawk]

I don't think the dimensions are correct. I found it on wayback machine.

 

[Drinky Crow]

awesome. i take back a good 40% of the horrible things i've said about you!

 

[Archie]

Wii Music was 2008, but hey I can't complain about further bashing of that "game"!

 

[Drinky Crow]

it all blurs together at my age

 

[Fredescu]

In a way, I liked PvZ because it was stupid. It was my switch off and have fun game. There are times when I can't dedicate 100% to a game, but have one playing anyway while I'm doing work remotely or something. PvZ was great for that. I can appreciate when your options are between playing PvZ or EU3 for 12 hours, you wouldn't pick the former. For me, it was great under the right circumstances. Especially at $2.50.

 

[Hitokage]

Being the total VP whore that I am, I bought "Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume" simply because it had "Valkyrie Profile" in the title, but I'd certainly agree it's a disappointing entry to the franchise. They didn't even bother to make new music for it and just lifted tracks from VP1 at random. While the battle system won't make me stop playing, the inability to call off a series of attacks after starting annoys me and mixing AP with a strict turn-based system wasn't well thought out.

That said, I think it came up with a couple interesting ideas. Dragging your allies down to hell for your own benefit instead of sending them to Valhalla is hilarious. Too bad you're actually penalized for doing it.

 

[Eel O'Brian]

Just a reminder to everyone that there's still time (until 10 p.m. EST tonight) to enter our L4D1 giveaway!

 

[Deleted member 30609]

It's nice to hear Anno getting some recognition, I had a lot of fun with that earlier in the year. Outside of Chris Remo and Nick Breckon back in the Idle Thumbs days, I don't remember anyone even mentioning it back when it launched, so yeah, thumbs up.

I really need to give Red Faction another try. I played a bit less than an hour, and it just didn't click with me. But so many people (who's opinions I respect) can't stop raving about it, so I really need to give it another hour or two, at least.

I never played PvZ, but then Tower Defense games have never really been any fun for me. A lot of the time, I find them too rigid and trial and error based. Granted, I might be playing the wrong games.

I was expecting Doug to mention Spirit Tracks. It's certainly been one of the most over-rated games of the year in my opinion. Not awful, just... not all that great.

 

[iconoclast]

I really need to give Red Faction another try. I played a bit less than an hour, and it just didn't click with me. But so many people (who's opinions I respect) can't stop raving about it, so I really need to give it another hour or two, at least.

Red Faction is really good. Just stay away from the hostage rescue missions and you should be all set. Even the multiplayer is pretty decent!

 

[Kevtones]

Loved the episode, nice to hear mention of Anno and Dead Space Extraction. I keep saying it but Kevin really ought to try HOTD: Overkill.

I didn't know Doug was so into Demon's Souls as I've never seen him post in the large thread on it here.

 

[Alex Connolly]

Red Faction is really good. Just stay away from the hostage rescue missions and you should be all set. Even the multiplayer is pretty decent!

Hey now, the hostage missions are great fun! Break in, bust caps and don't hang around! And just keep that getaway vehicle parked nearby.

 

[Fragamemnon]

It's nice to hear Anno getting some recognition, I had a lot of fun with that earlier in the year. Outside of Chris Remo and Nick Breckon back in the Idle Thumbs days, I don't remember anyone even mentioning it back when it launched, so yeah, thumbs up.

I think the game got a bit of the short end of the stick, at least with the press here in the States. On the other hand, I was happy to see that the game got at least some attention at all-previous entries in the series got no recognition by US journos outside of the occasional cranky strategy game reviewer that (half the time) wasn't able to get over his desire to play SimCity instead of Anno.

1404 had IMO the best mix of challenge, variety, and pacing of the series to date. Very good game and I wish Ubi hadn't nailed it with that terrible DRM that turned off so many players (it's gone now, well not in the Steam version), but it was a buzzkill to some people who were genuinely interested in picking it up.

 

[Eel O'Brian]

Loved the episode, nice to hear mention of Anno and Dead Space Extraction. I keep saying it but Kevin really ought to try HOTD: Overkill.

I actually own it! I bought it for $12 off newegg a while back. It's a good game, and pretty hilarious if you're partial to juvenile humor (which I am). I had mentioned it on an earlier show (I had owned it once before, when I was on my second Wii).

Hey now, the hostage missions are great fun! Break in, bust caps and don't hang around! And just keep that getaway vehicle parked nearby.

I accidentally killed numerous hostages. I think I was more of a danger to them than the corporation thugs

 

[Freedom = $1.05]

Good choices all around by all three of you guys on the GOTY stuff, although Doug surprised me with his lack of Magna Carta 2 talk :lol Robert also got a hearty laugh outta me when he let his disappointment be known over the lack of a Strategy category in the Spike VGAs.

 

[Kevtones]

I actually own it! I bought it for $12 off newegg a while back. It's a good game, and pretty hilarious if you're partial to juvenile humor (which I am). I had mentioned it on an earlier show (I had owned it once before, when I was on my second Wii).

Good to hear. The humor is definitely ridiculous but the locales and the general presentation are pretty awesome (particularly the soundtrack). I think it's one of the few light gun shooters that's better solo due to the combo mechanics and technical issues that rise is 2P. Also, it's got replay value in the fact the levels all change significantly the 2nd time through with extra scenes, paths and cinemas.


I should also not Dead Space Extraction is co-op and actually does some really neat things in terms of the puzzle bits. However, I think the game is better played by solo as the reticule is too big and things get cluttered or confusing pretty frequently.

Also, I'm curious about The Saboteur now.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

Sick fucking burn on killzone 2, and is the guy ranting about empire total war our very own frag?

 

[Kevtones]

Good choices all around by all three of you guys on the GOTY stuff, although Doug surprised me with his lack of Magna Carta 2 talk :lol Robert also got a hearty laugh outta me when he let his disappointment be known over the lack of a Strategy category in the Spike VGAs.

That's why it surprised me when he dropped Demon's Souls as his #1. I remember asking why he kept playing Magna Carta 2 each week when Demon's Souls exists and is considerably better/masochistic. Although I guess the pain caused by Demon's Souls and Magna Carta 2 is pretty comparable (albeit the pain derived for different reasons).

 

[Fragamemnon]

Sick fucking burn on killzone 2, and is the guy ranting about empire total war our very own frag?

yes indeed, empire TW was a trainwreck. I'm convinced at this point CA's products are actually development frameworks and art/audio assets so that their fans can make real games.

clarification: The problem with E:TW is that, due to the lack of a competent AI, the game can't actually engage the player in meaningful competition, or even make the illusion that it can (the latter is often good enough to be compelling, at least for the average player). So the game really is more about the "experience" of managing period armies and countries, only that is still incredibly tedious and dull and you'll be doing it a LOT in the map mode versus actually fighting it out on the battlefield (which also gets tedious).

 

[Alex Connolly]

I accidentally killed numerous hostages. I think I was more of a danger to them than the corporation thugs

Most rescue missions kicked off probing the hostage situation with a ram-raid, it must be said. Usually involving the hostages getting crushed under the vehicle.

 

[Eel O'Brian]

Well, out of 17 people who added us to their Steam friends list, only 10 didn't already own L4D, so out of those ten congratulations to Freedom = $1.05, thirdeyephysiology, and Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich! We'll do other Steam giveaways in the future, so don't drop us from your friend list! Thanks for listening this year, everyone.

 

[-tetsuo-]

Will give it a listen tomorrow

 

[Alex Connolly]

Good effort, guys. I've only recently started tuning in, but the banter is witty and the topics interesting - all a man can hope for. Have a great Christmas and New Year.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

Frag is the best third host you've had. Bribe him with PC games to stick around.

Loved his point about game genres being displaced. Hits home with other mediums being displaced (hand drawn 2D sprites).

 

[Freedom = $1.05]

Thanks for L4D! I knew that listening to all that True Blood talk would pay off someday :lol

 

[fizzelopeguss]

yes indeed, empire TW was a trainwreck. I'm convinced at this point CA's products are actually development frameworks and art/audio assets so that their fans can make real games.

clarification: The problem with E:TW is that, due to the lack of a competent AI, the game can't actually engage the player in meaningful competition, or even make the illusion that it can (the latter is often good enough to be compelling, at least for the average player). So the game really is more about the "experience" of managing period armies and countries, only that is still incredibly tedious and dull and you'll be doing it a LOT in the map mode versus actually fighting it out on the battlefield (which also gets tedious).

I own all the total wars/expansions except empire and alexander. The games have been a bag of shite since rome thinking about it. The AI is as dumb as a box of shit, so many times i've had enemy formations stop dead in front of my army while i pepper them with arrows and javelins. Medieval 2 was a slight improvment as it didn't have as many science fiction units as rome, but of course i don't think they ever fixed castle sieges.

I think they know they fucked up with empire and that's why they're releasing napoleon as a stand alone. Just thinking about it makes me laugh though, does anyone really think the AI is capable of the rapidly changing fronts or able to form coalitions able to stop Bony?.

No, france is gonna rape russia, every time.

 

[Ricker]

First time listening to this Podcast,I liked it...just wondering what the`` I have talked about it enough before`` overrated game one of the guys was referring to...

 

[Hitokage]

First time listening to this Podcast,I liked it...just wondering what the`` I have talked about it enough before`` overrated game one of the guys was referring to...

Pretty sure you mean Modern Warfare 2.

 

[Corto]

Best 2009 wrap up podcast that I have listen... Eclectic choices, well grounded and you can really engage the listener from beginning to end. Well done!

 

[Brandon F]

Neat, didn't really know about this podcast, even went back and listened to a few older episodes after this new one(couldn't agree more with Doug's assessment of Star Ocean 4 and jRPG's earlier this year).

Is this a weekly thing? I'm now subscribed.

 

[Eel O'Brian]

Neat, didn't really know about this podcast, even went back and listened to a few older episodes after this new one(couldn't agree more with Doug's assessment of Star Ocean 4 and jRPG's earlier this year).

Is this a weekly thing? I'm now subscribed.

Sort of. We normally shoot for weekly unless something comes up and we can't record. Right now we're on holiday break, so the next episode won't be up until January 13th. Thanks for subscribing!

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

Pretty sure you mean Modern Warfare Butthurt Brofare 2.

Fixed!

 

[Odious Tea]

Did Doug and/or Kevin die over the break?

 

[Kevtones]

Yeah, what's the deal?!?!1

 

[Eel O'Brian]

It took us longer than we thought to cover up that holiday crime spree.

There were vacations and illnesses, actually. I felt kind of weird about bumping an old thread, sorry about that. We recorded episode 31 tonight (it might not go up until Thursday morning, though). We'll be back on a regular schedule after that. Thanks for thinking of us!

 

[Odious Tea]

As long as you're not dead.

 

[Drinky Crow]

i had a big whack of vacation and was out of state, and then i got sick with aids of the nose. kevin was arrested for solicitation of another man's sisterwife and spent two weeks in lockup.

the next ep should be up in a couple days. it's a nerd ep. sunday we'll record an ep on genre lit, with my wife guesting, and then robert (frag) will be joining us as the full-on third seat, ensmartening the overall podcast and shaming me into actually playing strategy spreadsheet games again.

 

[Hitokage]

DO YA NEED DONATIONS?

 

[Drinky Crow]

hito, i recorded the forthcoming ep ENTIRELY on a mac. for you. and maybe dragona. but mostly for you.

 

[Fragamemnon]

To make White Man happy, I've come up with a perfect way to bridge talk about Europa Universalis with ABBA. Yes, that's awesome.

We need a dramatic reading from one of those surprisingly raunchy Divinity 2 in-game books.

 

[Hitokage]

How is White Man doing anyway? Hope he's not still having adventures in the healthcare system.

 

[Fragamemnon]

White Man, from what I hear, is pretty happy tending his zen garden of Apple products and has found time to umpimp ze auto as well, which would assuredly make for easier Orange Juice, Teriyaki, and Soy Milk retrieval.

 

[Drinky Crow]

white man's doin' good. new car, getting into the gym hardcore, collecting apple products, and masturbating to his epic collection of erotic estelle getty photoshops.

 

[TheFightingFish]

Kinda glad this guy got bumped recently as I missed it the first time around.

I'm really not a podcast guy (I'd way prefer to read), but since I know that I've seen some pretty good out of the usual recommendations from Frag before on these forums and since I had some random time between compiles at work I gave it a listen for the first time.

I'm glad I did, I liked it well enough to make sure to grab at least the game specific ones in the future. Doug has a really solid radio voice and with Frag and Kevin involved I liked how the recommendations skirted from extreme spreadsheet action (X3) to Wii rail shooters (DS:E), nice to see things not pigeon-holed in any one area / system. Plus someone was pimping Men of War, which was nice to hear. Looking back at the archives I'll have to at least check out at least episode 29 which seems to feature lots of games that I'm interested in.