With the new HDTV, it was time to try out some of the XBLA games and see how different they looked. Texas Hold’em was now actually readable, which is nice, and Geometry Wars is, well, bigger. And seemingly more colourful too. Frogger is just the same, only sharper, and Hexic HD is much easier on the eye.
Woo! I have a spangly new HDTV, so I played through a level on this just so see the difference. And oh my – is there a difference. Everything looks a million times better, and suddenly the 360 looks like an actual “next-gen” console should. Amazing. But as for the game, well. There was more flying (rubbish) and some running around on tiny planetoids, but that was about it. Nothing particularly great. Only about four levels left now, though.
Just a quick mention of this, since it’s only a demo. The graphics are nice, the landscapes are almost Oblivion-level of detail, and the four missions you have to do in the demo (I got as far as the fourth, then died) are pretty varied in execution. I like the fact there are bikes, helicopters and boats – all missing from Saints Row.
Played quite a few hands on this this evening, mainly in offline tournaments, but didn’t end up winning all that much money. Played online for a bit too, but everyone kept quitting out again so it was pretty pointless.
Yet more stuff was given to animals today, and finally all my hard work paid off with Bluebear as she finally decided to give me a picture of herself! Bunnie then asked if I still had the picture she’d given me, and practically invited herself into my bed when I told her I did. Not a lot else was happening in Cheese, although Rodeo is now better, and Kody is trying to move out again.
This is what I was downloading when playing Pac-Man earlier. For today and tomorrow, Microsoft are giving it away for free. Aces! It’s pretty good too, if a little hard on the eyes. Maybe a new HDTV will help there. Like the one I ordered today! Anyway. I played offline for a bit to get a feel for it, then played a few random people online until the connection dropped out. I then tried to play Becs of off my …
Whilst waiting for something else to download, I decided to try and progress through this a bit. I wasn’t going for a high score (although I see I’m now 4th, not 3rd, on my friends list), but instead aiming for the Clear Stage 21 achievement. I managed to complete stage 14. And that was all. Rubbish.
Let me tell you about how strange Animal Crossing is. Well, perhaps not strange as such, just a little wrong. Or warped. Or something. Sally and Kody were talking, and if two animals are talking you can kind of listen in (and sometimes take part) in their conversation. So Kody says to Sally: “No! Keep away from me! Don’t come near me!”. Sally responds with “Eh? What? Why? I’m not going to hurt you!”. “No, it isn’t that! I was …
Rodeo is still ill, so no-go with the prism shirt still. Kabuki is after a skull shirt now, so I ordered one, and Bluebear wants yet more furniture, so I ordered that too. Crazy Redd was about again today, and had a Perfect Painting for sale. I bought it, not realising I already had one. Bah. I also found that you can’t actually tell if it’s fake if you’ve already donated one – Blathers just says “lets not consider which …
Bah. Once again I forgot to go and buy turnips on a Sunday. Thats about four weeks running now. Rubbish. Didn’t play for very long today – just time enough to visit all my animals and pander to their wants and needs (clothes and furniture again), and also to do a bit of weeding and stuff.
More working my way through this today, but only a couple of levels. I was a bit wrong about the levels getting shorter, as I got stuck on a stupid exoskeleton-shuttle flying bit for ages as there was no clue as to what I was supposed to do, nor where I was supposed to go. Tch. Anyway, sorted it, and finished with the silly flying bits (for now, at least) and moved on to more indoors bits.
Still can’t give Rodeo his prism shirt, as he is now ill. He’s probably got mad cow disease or foot and mouth or something. Stupid animal. Gave Kabuki a purple tie-dye shirt, and Bluebear more modern furniture, and then went and talked to all my other animals. Kody is trying to move out now. What is it about me? Almost every day one of my animals is trying to leave. Tch. At 7pm the fireworks started again, so I went …
Played quite a bit now, and got past rescuing Jen (only for her to be kidnapped again), did some flying around in a vehicle thing, which was odd, and faught what could be considered a few boss battles. I’m on level 14-ish now, and the levels do seem to be getting shorter and shorter – just like Amped 3 and Tomb Raider: Legend. Is this a 360 game trend? Had some more play online too. The lag was slightly better …
I’d hoped to fly through a few more levels on this today, but it took over an hour to do just one. This was mainly due to me getting stuck and having no idea where to go for ages, before finally realising the puzzle was somewhat easier than I’d expected and so moved on. The freaky ghost kids are scary, aren’t they? Also played online for a bit, but couldn’t even get into a ranked match, and the lag in …
Rodeo still wouldn’t ask me for his prism shirt he wanted, which is a pain as I’m sure I’ll forget what it’s for and sell it accidently when doing my daily buy-clothes-and-sell-them thing. I’m doing that to get all the clothes I don’t yet have, but I’m sure I’m buying mostly duplicates. Bluebear wanted yet MORE furniture today. I didn’t have any, so had to order some. Kabuki is still here, although I’d half expected him/her to vanish overnight…