Achievement Unlocked 08.13.09: Backlog Beater
Posted by Rod Oracheski on 08.13.2009
With the winter release schedule about to break down his door and the 360 dashboard update adding in solid proof of his failings as an Achievement list "completionist," 411mania's Rod Oracheski finally gets to work clearing out some backlogged games. Can his method work for you?
One part of the latest Xbox 360 dashboard update that I didn't anticipate being a big deal was the revamped Achievement listings. It's a far nicer way to browse the Achievement list, but it wasn't that change that made me give my head a shake.
When you select 'your' panel on the dashboard, just to the right of the game disc's panel, all the games you've played tile out to the right (and for some of us, that's a rather long line...) but the first screen now shows your mark of pride or shame - how many 'complete' Achievement lists you have.
I was surprised to find I had a rather pathetic seven, and headed in search of some proof that wasn't the case. After seeing my terrible completion percentage chronicled at MyGamerCard I was suddenly struck by the need to finish some Achievement lists off for a change.
My Achievement list is both a beneficiary of, and casualty to, writing about games as both part of my spare time and my work. I play a lot of games, more than the average person by far, but rarely have time to 'finish' an Achievement list before moving on to the fabled Next Big Thing.
LEGO Batman
Too cute to intimidate
Using the data from MyGamerCard, I was able to see what games I was close to 'finishing' off and target them specifically - but then I put them aside. Sure, it would be nice to get that last five points in Too Human for the even 1,000/1,000 but getting that last expic armour drop isn't likely to be a quick process. Nor would the final Achievement I'm missing in Call of Duty 4, or NHL 07's pair short...and I doubt I'll ever get the last two I'm missing in Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard.
So using Achievement lists to sort out backlog that way seemed like a doomed endeavour. Hours of play would yield, at best, one complete Achievement list in a game I'd already played to death.
Instead I checked out which of the games in my 'recent acquisition/want to play' pile that I'd gotten relatively few in and came up with some candidates: Harry Potter: Half-Blood Prince, Disney*Pixar UP, Ice Age 3, and LEGO Batman.
A few hours with each, even getting to play UP and Ice Age 3 alongside my young daughter, and I was 30 or 40 Achievements up on where I'd been and had a great time doing it. Definitely a method that's worth a look, if you're wanting to get through some backlog before those Fall titles hit...assuming they're not all in 2010 by now.
This week in The Business: Grin closes its doors for good, High Voltage Software wants to work with "next-gen" platforms, the top-end 360 drops $100, and Turbine's fundraising - but sadly not for Asheron's Call 3.
More of a Frown, Really
After a string of flops (Bionic Commando, Wanted: Weapons of Fate, and Terminator Salvation) Stockholm-based developer GRIN announced its closure earlier this week, citing late payments from publishers as a primary cause.
The company's future was thought to be on the rise after its wildly successful remake of the original Bionic Commando (Bionic Commando Rearmed on XBLA and PSN) but their subsequent three-pack of weakly-reviewed and even weaker-selling games quickly scuttled that positive momentum.
With GRIN's doors closed for good, it's possible some of the latest layoffs may join forces with some earlier castoffs at Outbreak Studios, a studio formed by over 20 of those let go in May.
The 'hardcore' market on the Wii just doesn't seem like enough for High Voltage Software, developers of well-reviewed first-person shooter The Conduit, with the studio licensing the Infernal Engine for what they call development on "next-gen" platforms - namely the Xbox 360 and PS3.
It's possible that the disappointing retail debut for The Conduit helped prompt the move to expand beyond Nintendo's Wii, though High Voltage Software still has a number of games in the development channel for the platform.
Someone should tell them though, we don't call the 360/PS3 'next-gen' anymore...
Microsoft had an announcement spoiled with a $100 price drop for the Xbox 360 Elite unit showing up in a Meijer catalog though it has yet to be announced. The move also seems to confirm earlier rumours about the Xbox 360 Pro SKU being discontinued, with the Elite dropping to $299 and the Xbox 360 Arcade SKU staying at the $199 price point.
Rumours of a price drop for both Sony and Microsoft have been common this year, with Sony's sales down drastically year-over-year and Microsoft riding the waning edges of their last price drop. Sony is expected to announce a price drop, possibly alongside the release of a 'slim' PS3, during their one-hour conference at GamesCom on August 18th.
Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game developer Turbine has raised $6.6 million US just prior to the launch of their free-to-play version of Dungeons & Dragons online, part of an effort to secure $50 million in funding.
Turbine burst on the scene with Asheron's Call (AC), one of the first 3D MMO's alongside Everquest. The game gathered a comparatively small userbase, with Everquest's hardware-accelerated graphics far outpacing those of AC - which didn't require a graphics card at all.
After my initial playthrough of the Batman: Arkham Asylum demo I was disappointed by one aspect of the game - the combat. Without the almost-standard X/X/Y style combos, going up against the thugs found in Arkham's hallways felt overly simplistic.
One button for attack, one for counter, another that allows you to do a roll with a double tap, and the final button for a cape stun...LEGO Batman feels like it has more combat depth on first blush.
Playing the game a few more times yielded a slightly more positive outlook on the combat, however. I still find it my least favourite part of the demo, lacking any of the suspense or excitement found in stalking prey (or fighting in virtually any other game out there) but there's still hope it'll expand more in the final product.
I've also been playing some Madden 2010 and have to say that I'm coming away greatly impressed once again. I considered last year's Madden to be one of the first next-gen ones that were a great buy, even for 2K5 fans, and this year's version is once again an improvement.
There are still some aggravating bugs that need to be ironed out at some point. You'll see the 'school of fish' pursuit at times, where defenders can't seem to calculate the angle needed to intersect your path and just keep adjusting in synch with your movements - never getting closer.
O-line blocking is still spotty as well, especially on pitch plays. After pounding the ball up the gut to set up the defense for a run to the outside, it's frustrating to see the play stopped cold because your guard ignored his blocking assignment and didn't seal up that end of the line, especially when the replay shows he just stood there...
On the bright side the movement of your 'through the line' swim/rip moves to the right stick was a great idea, far easier than last year's shoulder button configuration. It also seems like the bulk of stat problems are gone for those looking for accurate season stats, though I judge that based on only two or three simmed seasons.
Look for video and screens from Madden 2010 tonight or tomorrow.
It's a weird group this week, with Ice Age 3 leading into some solo play from the new Zombie mode map for Call of Duty: World at War. If you think it's challenging in a group of four, try it alone some time! Then there's the not-so-challenging duels from Harry Potter: Half-Blood Prince, and we wrap things up with some footage from an early level of G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra.
Trials HD and Madden 2010 videos will be up tonight/tomorrow, so check the YouTube channel for those.
If you have any questions or want to request any videos, leave a comment below. Until next week, I'm out.
