Category: Columns

Regular columns from the GH team

11/13/17

What’s Gus Playing? Episode 7

Our very own half-pint hammerhead is back at war ~

Lloyd Sabin, 13 November 2017

If you’re keeping track of what I’m playing you really need a better hobby. That said, last week I covered my foray in to the first act of Shadow of War, and despite myself I found I kept coming back for 10-12 hours of pretty mindless orkish bloodletting. Now another week has passed and after moaning and wailing, I have arrived at the second act of Shadow War, just in time for army construction and that sweet, sweet siege warfare I have been screaming for. And wouldn’t you know it, just as I’ve developed a good head of steam and plowed directly in to the act…I have started to lose interest.

So I am some distance in to the second act of Shadow of War and feeling a little ‘meh’ about the whole thing.

I don’t dislike Shadow of War, but as noted last week, the entire first act is more of the same from Shadow of Mordor. Relatively speaking, that’s a good thing and the nemesis system is solid…I just wanted more NEWER FASTER!!! And I didn’t get to it quickly enough.

So I am some distance in to the second act of Shadow of War and feeling a little ‘meh’ about the whole thing. For a time I am going to shelve Shadow of War and move on, for my own sanity and yours. I will come back to it, and probably pretty soon, but right now my brain needs something else. An old favorite, a new take on an old formula, something totally out of left field…I’m not sure yet, put it that way. But whatever I start gaming in the next few days will make this little column here more interesting than my mewling about that sweet, sweet siege action. I know this.

Continue reading →

11/6/17

What’s Gus Playing? Episode 6

The GrogHeads’ munchkin of malice is mauling in Mordor ~

Lloyd Sabin, 6 November 2017

There is a lot to learn and the game is rather wide open, but you can get your ass kicked very easily.

I pre-ordered Shadow of War 8 months ago when I saw some footage of the game’s siege mechanics and drooled all over the keyboard. I am a casual Tolkien and Lord of the Rings fan at best, which is probably a good thing since Shadow of War does NOT stick to canon…not even a little bit. Which has sent some hardcore fans in to a bit of a rage. Fortunately for you, reader, there are other things in the game that have enraged me. The most enraging is the repetitive gameplay…a lot of the missions in Shadow of War are very, very similar, and very similar to the missions in Shadow of Mordor. I am only in the first act out of four, however.

The gameplay can be a bit tough as well, but I have improved at it as I have progressed. Another item that kinda, sorta enrages me is how long it takes to get to the aforementioned siege battles. The developers are making me slog through the first act, which is like a mini Shadow of Mordor game. Maybe I am being impatient but I need that sweet siege action. Give it to me!! Continue reading →

10/30/17

What’s Gus Playing? Episode 5

GrogHeads’ Garden Gnome of Goodness goes granite ~

Lloyd Sabin, 30 October 2017

Yes I covered Witcher 3 Hearts of Stone just a couple of weeks ago but I am so, so, so in love with the game that I am still playing it. Plus, it’s very close to Halloween and this particular part of the Hearts of Stone DLC – taking place in the von Everec manor house – is extremely well done. It is plain old frightening in some spots and I have to say, unexpectedly well done…even for Witcher 3, which is consistently fantastic.

Plus there’s evil, fairly attractive demons, wraiths and ghosts that will make you question your sexuality

The player is sent to the von Everec manor pretty close to what appears to be the end of the main story line of Hearts of Stone, and you get to fill in some major backstory on Olgierd von Everec: how he became character you’re ‘not so sure about,’ where he came from and how his head and scalp got so badly damaged. Plus there’s evil, fairly attractive demons, wraiths and ghosts that will make you question your sexuality. See below for more!

Oh and how could I forget – if you choose the correct path through Hearts of Stone, you can get some, as is tradition in all Witcher games. In this particular case it is with an old love interest named Shani. You attend a wedding with her and it is up to you to decide how you want the evening to end, as long as you are a gentleman about it. Continue reading →

10/23/17

What’s Gus Playing? Episode 4

Our wee warmonger wages (total) war ~

Lloyd Sabin, 23 October 2017

Total War
Yes, Total War. Deal with it!

Some games just capture our imagination and never let go. For me, games like the Thief series, The Witcher series, the Age of Wonders series and Skyrim are all permanently installed on my hard drive. And then there are the games with extra special mojo that I hope to play until my dying day…like the Total War series.

I know, I know…the AI sucks! It presents no challenge after 20 turns!! Total War punched my grandma!!! You know what? I don’t care. It has always been my go-to series of games and I have loved every single one of them since the release of the original Shogun…well, with the exception of the Warhammer: Total War games. I own the first one and still have not started a campaign. I will be playing very soon but I think my delay with Warhammer: Total War is my lack of knowledge about the Warhammer universe. But that’s a tale for another What’s Gus Playing. Continue reading →

10/16/17

What’s Gus Playing? Episode 3

The pint-sized playa’ gets witchy on ya ~

Lloyd Sabin, 16 October 2017

The Witcher 3
Hearts of Stone

The Witcher 3 is still my go to game for almost any mood. Feeling like some creepy scares? Witcher 3. Want some eastern European-flavored dungeon spelunking? The Witcher 3. Scantily-clad fantasy women of all shapes and sizes? Again, Witcher 3.

So it was with some sadness that I completed the main quest a few months ago and shelved it for a few months. Enderal filed the gap for a while but then October hit (despite the 80-degree temps and hair-ruining humidity) and here I am again, needing a Witcher fix. I know there is a kind and loving gaming god because there are the DLC expansion packs Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. Blood and Wine is the equivalent of almost an entire other Witcher game, so I saved that and jumped in to Hearts of Stone earlier this week. And all those feelings came rushing back. Continue reading →