What I've been playing . . .

Just to give you an idea of what I've been playing recently (some recorded, some not).  In no particular order.

Lego Batman (Xbox 360)
Lego Harry Potter years 5-7 (Xbox 360)
Voodoo Vince Remastered (Xbox One)
Final Fantasy IX (PS[on my PS3])
Gems of War (Xbox One and PS4)
Skyrim (Xbox 360)
Band of Bugs (Xbox 360)
Back to the Future (Xbox One)
Zombi (Xbox One)

Some of the games pending (which is a polite way to say I need to continue playing them again) are:

Dark Cloud (PS2)
Summoner (PS2)
Psychonauts (PS)
Halo Combat Evolved (Xbox 360 and Xbox One [part of Master Chief Collection])
Dark Souls (Xbox 360)
Rayman Origins (Xbox 360)

And the games that I can't figure out how to record them again:

Final Fantasy X-2 (PS3)
Prototype 2 (PS3)

I started playing the Lego Batman game before I thought about recording it.  I generally play a level as a warm up especially if I haven't played anything in a while.

I'm obsessed with Final Fantasy IX.  I think it's my favorite Final Fantasy game.  I follow the game on Twitch and I'm constantly watching streams of it.  I had to do that because my game disk has an error on it and won't let me get through the first 5 minutes of the game (I think I blogged about that).  So I bought a digital copy through my PS3 so I could play it.  Unfortunately I still can't figure out how to record from my PS3 so I'm just playing it for fun.  I love that game.

I started playing Band of Bugs because I missed playing a tactical RPG game.  I've loved getting back in to this genre even if the game is not that exciting (I'll have a review up once I've finished all the DLC).  There's something about having to plan your move AND your attack that intrigues me.

Back to the Future and Zombi have interesting reasons why I'm playing them.  I'm going to do another blog post about that specifically.  Can you figure out what they have in common?

Skyrim is a very interesting choice for me.  There wasn't any particular reason that I wanted to play that game specifically just that I wanted to play an intense RPG game to scratch a Dungeons & Dragons itch that I have.

Since December I've had a really strong desire/need to learn how to play Dungeons & Dragons.  I bought the Starter Kit, Player's Manual, dice (lots and lots of dice), miniatures and the paint the make them pretty (or at least colorful since I'm just learning how to paint them).  I talked with my brother dain and he said he was interested too.  We even got together and went through the first section of the starter campaign.  Since then, every time I try to get with him to play again, he blows me off.  You want to clean room instead of play D&D with me?  That's like a girl saying "I have to wash my hair" so she doesn't have to go out with you.

Since I wasn't getting my fix in real life I thought I would turn to my digital life to find the equivalent.  I was thinking Elder's Scrolls Online, Neverwinter, Oblivion or Skyrim as good choices.  With Neverwinter or Elder's Scrolls Online I felt like I had to be able to invest several hours of game time to it each time I played.  I wanted something I could pick up for a hour or just 20 minutes.  I've probably got about 10 hours in to Oblivion but I think I would be so lost if I tried to pick up where I had left off.  I wanted to start fresh and new.  So Skyrim it was.  The choice then became: on what system?

I have the original on the Xbox 360 and the remastered on the Xbox One.  I've played about an hour of it previously on the Xbox 360 and had 2 achievements (from 2013).  I could have played the remastered one but then would I be able to go back and play it again on the earlier (uglier) version?  I figured I would start over and play it again on the Xbox 360 and just take my time and enjoy it.  Once I've completed it there I might play again but on the remastered version and record that playthrough to post on YouTube.  At least I'll know what I'm doing and won't be fumbling around so much.

The other games that are pending and I need to play I'm just stuck in or frustrated with.  That's what happens when I play games.  I hit a block and stop playing.  Posting videos to YouTube is suppose to help me keep playing them when I do get blocked.  I think I need to work on that.

For those that I'm recording you can check my progress on my YouTube channel.  For those that I'm not recording you can check my achievement lists to see how I'm doing.  For those that don't have achievements I guess I could start tweeting about my progress.  I need to do more of that too.  You can find me at @PengwennGamer.  Is there any one of those games that you'd like to see me play more than the others?  Let me know in the comments.

1 minute Dragon game

So I’ve got another “1 minute” game for you.  This time, here there be dragons.  Yep.  Those big winged flapping lizard-like creatures.  You have 1 minute to list as many video games that have dragons in them.  Be they bosses, pets, or just in cut scenes.  It should be easy, right?  So . . .

On your mark . . . .

Get set . . . .

Go . . .

You got started off really fast.

You’ve named a couple but are you sure they really have dragons in them?

Oops, is that a duplicate?

Come on keep going.

You’ve run out of ideas already?

Okay . . . and time’s up.

How many did you get?  Here’s my list.  I have a few maybes on it and I’ll have to explain those.

 

My list:

Legend of Dragoon

Final Fantasy X

Final Fantasy VII

Dragon Age: Origins

Dragon Age 2

Skyrim

Spyro the Dragon

Spyro the Dragon: Ripto’s Rage

Sypro the Dragon: Enter the Dragonfly

Blue Dragon

My maybes:

Dark Stone

Balder’s Gate

Champions of Norath

Summoner

Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade

Gauntlet

So I got 10 that I know of for sure that have dragons.  I could have probably listed all of the Final Fantasy games but I wasn’t sure if they all had a dragon in them.  I’m not even totally sure with FF7 but I’m hedging my bet that it does.  And I'm know there are more Spyro games that what I have listed but I can't remember any more than what I put down.

As to the maybes I have various excuses or doubts about including them.  I might have to do some research to see if I’m just imagining things with these games or I got it right.  Unless someone wants to do it for me and put it in the comment’s section. 

It’s been a very long time since I played Dark Stone and then I didn’t even get very far in the game.  I’ve been meaning to go back and what I remember of the game it’s perfect to have a dragon.

It’s also been a very long time since I’ve played both Balder’s Gate and Champions of Norath.  They are also a couple of games that have got to have a dragon or two.  I’m pretty sure that my brother dain and I have finished both of those games but nothing comes to mind specifically about dragons.  Even if not a boss but just something terrifying to look at in a cut scene.

Summoner is the game dain and I are supposed to be finishing for the PS2.  When I think of “summoners” I think of magic and summoning dragons.  So there’s got to be a dragon in that game right?

Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade is a game I’ve been playing on the PSP.  It’s another game that I’m not very far in but seems perfect to having a dragon in the game.  If not a boss, then some eye candy instead.  There’s another game in the Untold Legends series that I have but I can’t remember the name so I didn’t count it.  Warrior’s Code.  Or maybe, Warrior’s Guild.  Or something like that.  Since I can’t remember what it’s called, I’m not counting it.  Even as a maybe.

Gauntlet is a game my brother dain and I have finished a couple of times.  On the N64.  On the PS.  And on the GameCube.  And maybe more systems and versions of the game.  I can’t remember if there are any dragons in the game.  If there are they’re probably fought while on the ground.  At least I don’t remember any aerial combat battles in any of those games.  And since I can’t remember any subtitles for any of those versions I’m only counting them as one game.  And that’s only a maybe too.

Personally I’m disappointed with myself.  I thought I would have done better than that.  Especially since one of my favorite genres of video games is RPGs and those are usually fantasy games.  And aren’t dragons, in one form or another, a requirement in fantasy games?  Maybe if I played more of those games . . . or at least played more IN all of those games that I have I could have done better.  How well did you do?  Leave your results in the comments.  And if you’ve got some ideas for more “1 minute” game ideas leave those in the comments as well.  I’ve got a few more ideas I want to explore but it won’t hurt to have more.