NEW! Part Two: Vidyea Gamez!

I'm not inside my own mind today... VIDEO GAMES!

Yeaaah, I've been playing my fair share of Xbox games lately. Certain individuals in my life would even claim that I was "xbox hogging" whatever this audacious term means, I'm not privy to it and I do not respond to it Yes, there have been a lot of new games that have come out, and I've been playing them! So I'll touch base on the games I've been playing and my thoughts on each game.

First and foremost; BATMAN ARKHAM CITY

OH MY GOD!

My inner 5 year old explodes when I even THINK about this game.

It's a masterpiece, and I'm not exaggerating. This is one of the best video games I've ever played and it's earned a spot in my all-time favorites hall of fame. It's probably hands-down, the best superhero video game ever made and it's story mode alone runs at the 10-15 hour mark which is easily two times larger than most video games that are released today. With the side-quests that bumps it up to over 40 hours. There's so much to do and if you cant' do it all?

Once you beat the game, you unlock the "plus" mode. You can play it again, keep your upgrades and the game is more difficult, but all the side-quests and riddler challenges you've completed to this point carry over so you can continue with your plus play through. When I beat the game the first time, I was just over 40% complete, and then my save file corrupted so I had to start over. It's okay with me, I'm taking the time to try and do more extras so that when I have beaten the game maybe I'm over half-complete.

The ironic thing, to me, is that Arkham City isn't just a great Batman game, it's also a great Spider-Man game.

What?

Yeah that's right, I said Spider-Man game. The Catwoman missions are a great vacation, (so to speak) from the Batman portions. Catwoman has her own distinct play style and she has "theif vision" which is similar to the detective vision that Batman has but its not nearly as comprehensive. Her combat is very acrobatic and she can climb up walls, and use her whip to jump from building to building. She's a spidey-sense, and web shooters shy of being BETTER at being Spider-Man, than Spider-Man!

Activision should take note! Pumping out a new, mediocre game every 12-15 months isn't going to help your cause, take the time to build a PROPER Spider-Man game, the one fans have wanted since the Spider-Man 3 debacle and then you will see them come.

That's what Rocksteady has done with Arkham City. They took the time to build a proper sequel, rather than pumping one out ASAP to cash in on the success of Arkham Asylum, they decided to improve upon Arkham Asylum in virtually every single way. The ways of which Asylum outshines its successor City are minimal, and you have to comb the game to find them.

Overall, Arkham City is a triumph, any Batman fan would lose their shit playing this game and for casual gamers who aren't hooked on pointy eared superheroes, this game is too fun to not enjoy it. Worth your time to check it out, TRUST me.

Then we've also got MADDEN NFL 12

I wrote about the Madden Conundrum a few months ago. However, Madden 12 is the real deal. They've overhauled the game in aspects of the game that haven't so much as been looked at by developers in FIVE YEARS like parts of the Franchise mode, such as post-season activities.

Gameplay itself has been overhauled, Madden 12 plays a lot smoother than Madden 11 and the hits are that much more dynamic. You will find yourself wincing at some of the on field contact, that's a service not only to the great details made on the animation but also the audio as well does a great job of capturing that dynamic aspect of Football.

As you would come to expect from any EA Sports title, presentation is top notch. A step up from Madden 11, the team specific introductions are a great touch that seems much more monumental in a game like Madden where there are only 32 teams than compared to the NCAA Football game that has over double that. Prestentation and gameplay aren't the only aspects Madden has improved though.

The game is much more complete than games past, almost every single game mode has received some due attention. Online Play is much more convenient now with the way they've set up their LIVE mode. The Ultimate Team mode is improved, though it's still as erroneous a game mode as it ever was. Be A Superstar mode has been upgraded as well though the bulk of my time is spent playing the Franchise mode there are a lot of other avenues for Madden to take up your time.

Madden 12 is THE most complete Madden that's been produced to date, current generation, or even last gen as well. As we draw closer to the next stage of gaming  (the next-next gen) I expect EA Sports to stifle the progression of their titles and take their time  (3-4 years) figuring out how to get the most out of the next generation. For now, Madden 12 is a success and although the Curse has hit Peyton Hillis and the Browns hard this year, I won't hold it against the video game!

Part 3 is going to be a movies post but that may have to wait until a later time. We'll see!