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The Podcats: Skyrim

This week, I look at the sequel to OBLIVION.

It’s SKYRIM, A Game From Bethesda

It’s a short podcats but see if you can make it through without an arrow in your knee.

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Now Playing: Fable II

So… playing Fable II.

I have a tendency not to read previews very often. For someone who loves games, it seems weird that i cut out 50% of the content on Game Websites and zines. But it also means I don’t always buy into the hype. I never thought about buying Bioshock until about a week before it came out. Same with the Xbox 360. And 4 years ago, I bought and played Fable on the Xbox and enjoyed it since I didn’t hang on every word coming uot of peter Molyneux’s mouth.

So when Fable II was approaching release, I was cognoscente of the fact the sequel to a game I quite enjoyed was due. Even though I was more pumped for Fallout 3, a game series I had never previously played from a developer whose only game I had played couldn’t hold me for more than 10 hours; and I really don’t like traditional medieval era, Tolkienesque RPG’s- I am so glad I got this. I might even put off playing Fallout 3 for a few months just so the Fable II experience I’m having has some room to breathe.

There will be a review on controller1.com in a week or two (probably two) but for now, suffice it to say, this game really builds upon the successes (rather than the perceived failures) of the first game.

Why you should go out and play this?

Its fun to play. Its funny. It looks pretty good. The story is usual ‘chosen one’ are but it is done very well. And the presentation and amount of stuff to do is phenomenal. Its like a single player MMO. Oblivion, but done better and less po faced without the crash zoom cutscenes.

Why might you want to skip this game?

You think Peter Molyneux is a hack who makes shitty games and steals cabs.

We recorded a focus test where this game has much manure heaped upon it, although it received an equal amount of sweet smelling praise. So if you own a 360 and have any inclination to play western style RPG’s, go and get this. Now.

You still here?

GAMES OF OCTOBER

Well the storm begins this week with Little Big Planet and Fable II and next week, Fallout 3. Its not possible to play all of the big games coming out at once. So far this month I have already cut out of my ‘To Do’ list, the following big titles: Dead Space, Far Cry 2, Mercenaries 2, Fracture, Wii Music and Saint’s Row 2.

Why?

Dead Space: Because its a horror game and I can live without horror. Yes I’m a big scaredy cat.

Far Cry 2: I played a bit of the PC original and about 99.9% of Far Cry Instincts on the original Xbox. I though the PC one played a bit ‘meh’ but the console version (a completely different game) was really quite nice. Apart from that cheating bitch of a final boss who never ever died. I liked the game a lot and all I can remember is trying to beat that final boss over and over until he got stuck in the mesh and I stopped caring.

Mercenaries 2: More sandbox and no compelling reason to play. The demo promised much and delivered little. I wasn’t a huge fan of the original.

Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway: I did beat the first game in the series but never played the second, despite my professed love of WWII shooters. Its not really a shooter and its not Full Spectrum Warrior either. I played the demo and was unimpressed. I was unmoved.

Fracture: Another demo that showed off all you need to know in 5 minutes. Generic story and gameplay built around an overused gimmick.

Wii Music: If I wanted to play a music game where all the songs sounded like a Casiotone, I would have bought Casiotone Hero.

Saint’s Row 2: I played the first one even though I wasn’t impressed by that demo. I think I’m just not that keen on sandbox games per se and having played GTA IV, I think I’m done with the genre. SR1 did do some stuff that GTA IV either stole (or should have stolen) but it’s not so great and I’m not that keen to pop caps in people’s asses anymore. I was keen once, but they say you can never go back.

So what do I want to play?

Little Big Planet. One of its major selling points is completely lost on me. I was quite happy to leave all of my spore creations untextured. I do not wish to gain employment as a level designer. I do not wish to make maps for TF2. I just want a platformer. And really, there’s this and Banjo and that’s really it for this year.

Fable II. I must one of the few people who doesn’t hang on Peter Molyneaux’s every word. And hence I wasn’t disappointed in Fable- I was able to ignore the hyperbole and just enjoy what was a very finely crafted game. I only had two minor complaints against Fable 1- you could beat enemies by running circles around them, and you were likley overpowered by the time you reached the final boss. The rest of that game was so much fun I am very much looking forward to number II.

Fallout 3. I have never, ever played a Fallout game. Somehow, this looks like I might enjoy it.

So I’ll get it.

So it looks life Fable II and Fallout 3 on Xbox 360, and Little Big Planet for PS3. Wii and PC go home empty handed.