I keep considering Bayonetta. The demo was okay gameplay wise, but it was stunning to watch. I think it's about £12 now online which is a good price. I have too much to play though and button mashers don't do a great deal for me, no matter how exceptionally flashy they are 
I got Split/Second: Velocity on Friday. I'd played the demo and thought "it's okay I suppose".
It's okay I suppose.
The basic concept is that you're in a game show or some such other rubbish. Basically, you have to drive fast and blow stuff up. You gain "power" by drafting, drifting, jumping and avoiding death. There are three power bars which can unleash three levels of death to competitors. These are called "Power Plays"
Level one are simple little explosions. Things like lorries or cars exploding at the side of the road and spinning into the way of competitors (or you if you've mistimed it). This is a decent way to maybe hit one opponent, and knock another couple around a little bit.
Level two are much bigger. Building exploding in huge way (or collapsing completely onto the track), helicopters dragging enormous trucks down the road, boats in dry dock falling across the path - that kind of thing. You can usually get a few people with these.
Level three lets you change the route of the race. This is done by altering parts of the track in huge ways. Knock down a smoke stack, drop the entire road into an underground car park, blow the hole in the side of a cargo ship to let you race through it, etc. You'll usually finish off anyone partway through the section going down when you trigger these.
It's all pretty much a mild twist on kart racing, with massive explosions to spice things up. To be fair, the alternate routes tend to be spectacular. You're now forced down a runway with a Jumbo Jet crash landing heading towards you, exploding all around you as you swerve to avoid bits of engine and fuselage. The broken ship sends you leaping up through decks until you explode out the end onto the deck on a aircraft carrier, with Top Gun-esque jets taking off and landing around you. A suspension bridge collapses and drops you off the twisted metal onto the bay side.
I've not seen them all yet, and some have "multiple levels" of destruction. It's good stuff, but saving up for those level threes will mean you getting quite far down the pack. And this is where the game starts to suffer a little.
The balance isn't quite right. You need to take risks and try to destroy the other cars to get ahead. This means you often miss the better side routes. Drifting isn't a quick way around a corner, but you need to do it to get the power to set off a power play. So by trying to get enough power to take out second place ahead of you, you can end up losing out to fourth place and then have to take HIM out.
Worse than that, trying to catch up is tough at times, but at least it's a fair challenge. Not so much when you're out in the lead. Racing well you'll find yourself running away with a 12 second lead - brilliant, reward for playing the game brilliantly.
However, knock a barrier slightly and lose the tiniest amount of momentum and bamm! Suddenly you're being overtaken by three cars who have closed a 12 second gap in half a second. Even worse, crash or get taken out and you'll find yourself back down to 7th place and with a royal fight on your hands to try and gain any placing back.
It's designed to be a challenge, but it just feels like you're being cheated. This permeates right through the whole game where you always feel that no matter how good you are, you're never quite good enough for the game.
It sound much harsher than it is though. Some of the game modes are really fun. Dodging missiles shot from a helicopter - you have three lives to build an "avoidance" multiplier and get a high score. Overtake articulated lorries dropping payloads of explosives all around you. "Detonation" which is a time trial lap, with random set pieces going off to try and take you out and lose you the places. They're great fun to play.
When the game is "there", it's brilliant. You have ridiculous explosions, massive set pieces, excitement and thrills. It's really enjoyable and when you string everything right together to bring you from last place to first through the guts and wreckage - there's a real buzz. It's refreshing like the first two Burnout games were, and the game is reminiscent of Burnout in a few ways, all good.
When it's not "there" though, it's a bit of a struggle. It's niggly and irritating. You feel cheated and frustrated and you want to throw things at the TV. Though race over, you hit replay and off you go again on the promise of a "good" game this time around.
Online play is quick to join and good fun. It's a little unbalanced not matching your online ranking and car choice well - but it doesn't matter, it's the same game only against real people, you feel a little less cheated at least
So overall, it's a mixed bag of brilliance and Chinese water torture. The fact you want to come back play some more means it must be good. You'll certainly find yourself lost in an hour of "just one more goes". Is it a keeper though? Nah, you'll reach your limit in a week or two and then find the aggravation of the game design out weighs the joy of seeing the same track set pieces over and over. It was worth it at £35 on release (a good price in the high street for any new release), and if you see it cheaper and like a Burnout type or arcade racer then snap it up. Otherwise, you were probably better of trying to snag a copy of Red Dead Redemption.
8/10
I got Split/Second: Velocity on Friday. I'd played the demo and thought "it's okay I suppose".
It's okay I suppose.
The basic concept is that you're in a game show or some such other rubbish. Basically, you have to drive fast and blow stuff up. You gain "power" by drafting, drifting, jumping and avoiding death. There are three power bars which can unleash three levels of death to competitors. These are called "Power Plays"
Level one are simple little explosions. Things like lorries or cars exploding at the side of the road and spinning into the way of competitors (or you if you've mistimed it). This is a decent way to maybe hit one opponent, and knock another couple around a little bit.
Level two are much bigger. Building exploding in huge way (or collapsing completely onto the track), helicopters dragging enormous trucks down the road, boats in dry dock falling across the path - that kind of thing. You can usually get a few people with these.
Level three lets you change the route of the race. This is done by altering parts of the track in huge ways. Knock down a smoke stack, drop the entire road into an underground car park, blow the hole in the side of a cargo ship to let you race through it, etc. You'll usually finish off anyone partway through the section going down when you trigger these.
It's all pretty much a mild twist on kart racing, with massive explosions to spice things up. To be fair, the alternate routes tend to be spectacular. You're now forced down a runway with a Jumbo Jet crash landing heading towards you, exploding all around you as you swerve to avoid bits of engine and fuselage. The broken ship sends you leaping up through decks until you explode out the end onto the deck on a aircraft carrier, with Top Gun-esque jets taking off and landing around you. A suspension bridge collapses and drops you off the twisted metal onto the bay side.
I've not seen them all yet, and some have "multiple levels" of destruction. It's good stuff, but saving up for those level threes will mean you getting quite far down the pack. And this is where the game starts to suffer a little.
The balance isn't quite right. You need to take risks and try to destroy the other cars to get ahead. This means you often miss the better side routes. Drifting isn't a quick way around a corner, but you need to do it to get the power to set off a power play. So by trying to get enough power to take out second place ahead of you, you can end up losing out to fourth place and then have to take HIM out.
Worse than that, trying to catch up is tough at times, but at least it's a fair challenge. Not so much when you're out in the lead. Racing well you'll find yourself running away with a 12 second lead - brilliant, reward for playing the game brilliantly.
However, knock a barrier slightly and lose the tiniest amount of momentum and bamm! Suddenly you're being overtaken by three cars who have closed a 12 second gap in half a second. Even worse, crash or get taken out and you'll find yourself back down to 7th place and with a royal fight on your hands to try and gain any placing back.
It's designed to be a challenge, but it just feels like you're being cheated. This permeates right through the whole game where you always feel that no matter how good you are, you're never quite good enough for the game.
It sound much harsher than it is though. Some of the game modes are really fun. Dodging missiles shot from a helicopter - you have three lives to build an "avoidance" multiplier and get a high score. Overtake articulated lorries dropping payloads of explosives all around you. "Detonation" which is a time trial lap, with random set pieces going off to try and take you out and lose you the places. They're great fun to play.
When the game is "there", it's brilliant. You have ridiculous explosions, massive set pieces, excitement and thrills. It's really enjoyable and when you string everything right together to bring you from last place to first through the guts and wreckage - there's a real buzz. It's refreshing like the first two Burnout games were, and the game is reminiscent of Burnout in a few ways, all good.
When it's not "there" though, it's a bit of a struggle. It's niggly and irritating. You feel cheated and frustrated and you want to throw things at the TV. Though race over, you hit replay and off you go again on the promise of a "good" game this time around.
Online play is quick to join and good fun. It's a little unbalanced not matching your online ranking and car choice well - but it doesn't matter, it's the same game only against real people, you feel a little less cheated at least
So overall, it's a mixed bag of brilliance and Chinese water torture. The fact you want to come back play some more means it must be good. You'll certainly find yourself lost in an hour of "just one more goes". Is it a keeper though? Nah, you'll reach your limit in a week or two and then find the aggravation of the game design out weighs the joy of seeing the same track set pieces over and over. It was worth it at £35 on release (a good price in the high street for any new release), and if you see it cheaper and like a Burnout type or arcade racer then snap it up. Otherwise, you were probably better of trying to snag a copy of Red Dead Redemption.
8/10
