I caught the Castlevania block on SGDQ before it turned into an indie paradise. I can't say I'm too interested in runs of indie games. Speaking of runs, I went out for a walk for the first time since getting sick. I did some light jogging but I was coughing all over the place. Guess I'm not completely recovered yet.
I was trying to practice deep breathing. I've surmised that shallow breathing is the root of my cramping problems. Of course, with a lingering cough, deep breathing training turned into a mess for me. It was also hot outside. I was walking, coughing, and sweating. Perfect. It wasn't the return to form I wanted, but it was good to get back out there.
I started up Max Payne 3 late at night. My game comes before someone else's game, so I didn't pay too much attention to the SGDQ stream. I kept playing until 4 in the morning. The only thing that stopped me was a hardlock. That's the PS3's way of telling me that enough is enough. I felt like I was in the homestretch though. I ate some leftover Vietnamese fruitcake before conking out.
I played enough of Max Payne 3 to form a solid opinion. It's a good game marred by some bad design decisions. Although I don't mind the cutscenes because it's my first play through, I don't think I'll ever replay the game again. Even arcade mode, which allows you to "skip" cutscenes, is plagued by "Still Loading" segments. It's the reason I only played MGS4 once. The thought of re-installing chapters totally kills my mood.
The next biggest problem is the enemy spawns. A degree of memorization is essential to getting through the game unscathed. It's probably the worst in the favela when you have bastards spawning on rooftops and all around you. It's annoying because enemies deal massive damage, which necessitates the use of cover.
Which brings me to my next issue. It feels like the game doesn't know whether to be a shoot dodge simulator or a cover-based shooter. Cover mechanics slow the game down. If you're good, you can probably shoot dodge everywhere but not on your first time around since you need to know the enemy spawns. Cluttered level design forces a more deliberate use of shoot dodge, which is annoying since I'm used to endless shoot dodge loops in the first two games.
The most optimal strategy is the activate bullet time from cover. It reduces the game to a shooting gallery, but it really is the most efficient way. While shoot dodge gives you style points, the exposure to enemy fire is usually not worth it. This made the game very boring for me. And every time I tried to liven things up, I got punished for it. I guess style is reserved only for those who know the game inside out.
/eventlog
