What are you currently playing? 4.0

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Fatal Frame has caught my interest before, and it seems like one of those games that's more cleverly scary since its not about using guns to shoot the crap out of your enemies, but waiting for them to get super close to you so you can take a little snap shot of them. Pretty cool idea for force you to scare yourself.

Still, the reason I brought up Silent Hill is only because that's what I commonly see people comparing Alan Wake to. Obviously its not the same kind of game, but apparently that's the title that it shares the most similarities with.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I beat Banjo Kazooie yesterday for the first time, so I thought I would post something about it.

IMO, it is a great game. I was able to overcome my hatred of collectathons and actually find a lot to like and love in this game. My only real issue is that unlike, say, Mario 64, you don't even get a hint where the Jiggies are in the level leading to a lot of backtracking, but at least most of the levels are designed pretty well.

Mumbo's Mountain and Treasure Trove Cove are a bit easy to start with, but they are good starting levels. The only level I outright hated was Clanker's Cavern due to the poor camera angle and annoyance of getting air bubbles while underwater, also some of the Jiggies are in real dumb places in here.

Otherwise, I enjoyed my time here. Freezeezy Peak was an awesome level, as was Gobi's Peak, Bubblegloop Swamp,and Mad Monster Mansion. I even enjoyed levels other people hated like Rusty Bucket Bay or Click Clock Woods as they were full of clever ideas and fun platforming. This is one of the few N64 3D platformers that I think gets BETTER as it goes along, both in level design and ideas. So yeah, this was actually a great platformer where most of the collecting comes from using your skills to survey the environment.

I got Tooie on an XBLA sale, but from what I've played already... It's pretty dull.

[Foggle]

You smokin' crack homie. Tooie is way better than Kazooie.

[Avaitor]

Clanker's Cavern is annoying as hell. I've always disliked swimming levels in 3D platformers, but that was just torture.

You sure that Tooie is dull so far? I haven't played the game in full in ages, but from what I remember, when you start going to actual worlds instead of just walking around the mainland it gets a lot more fun.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I don't know, I thought I was in the first world, and I'll I'm doing is walking back and forth doing things other than platforming for Jiggies.

I started it right after 100%-ing Kazooie, so I don't know why it's so different.

[Foggle]

Clanker's Cavern is annoying as hell. I've always disliked swimming levels in 3D platformers, but that was just torture.

I think that's the only level I flat-out hated from either game (Nuts and Bolts doesn't fucking count).

I don't know, I thought I was in the first world, and I'll I'm doing is walking back and forth doing things other than platforming for Jiggies.

I started it right after 100%-ing Kazooie, so I don't know why it's so different.

Mayaham Temple is the first world if you're unsure. Glitter Gulch kind of sucks, but it gets better after that one.

[Avaitor]

It takes a while to get into the main game for some reason. Once it kicks in though, it's like day and night in terms of quality as compared to Kazooie.

If you don't like the funland world you're hopeless.

[Spark Of Spirit]

The music really grew on me, too. It seems generic at first, but then when you spend time in the level, it gets wedged in your head and you start to like it.

Clanker's Cavern is annoying as hell. I've always disliked swimming levels in 3D platformers, but that was just torture.

I think that's the only level I flat-out hated from either game (Nuts and Bolts doesn't fucking count).

I don't know, I thought I was in the first world, and I'll I'm doing is walking back and forth doing things other than platforming for Jiggies.

I started it right after 100%-ing Kazooie, so I don't know why it's so different.

Mayaham Temple is the first world if you're unsure. Glitter Gulch kind of sucks, but it gets better after that one.

That's the one I'm playing. All I'm doing is walking from point A to B. I really hope the level design gets better than that.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Anyway, Tooie aside. WTF was with those fan blades in Rusty Bucket Bay? If I didn't have to fumble with those freaking swimming controls, it probably wouldn't have taken me 3 tries to get it down. The rest of the level had some pretty unique Jiggies, but that one was just sadistic.

Click Clock Woods was a pretty inventive idea, and I liked how the environment would change depending on season. It reminded me of the Zelda GBC game where the same would happen. A lot of people seemed to complain about how tedious they felt it was, but other than trying to find the remaining notes I enjoyed the whole thing. For a final level, it was more than suitable in size.

That Trivia game can go fuck itself, too. The ones where you have to remember specific numbers on trivial things- FUUUCK. Sounds and level pics were easy enough, but it seems most of the questions were almost luck based on your memory of trivial things.

[talonmalon333]

I never got the excitement about the Banjo games. To me they suffer from the same problems that Donkey Kong 64 does. They are how NOT to do a collect-a-thon.

[Spark Of Spirit]

There isn't as much collecting in Banjo Kazooie compared to DK64, though. Other than getting Notes and Jinjos, it's mostly just completing objectives to get Jiggies.

As far as collectathons go, it was one of the few I've legitimately enjoyed because it doesn't go over the top with crap to collect.

[Foggle]

Tooie tones down the collecting, too. Music notes come in clusters of 5 and you don't have to collect Jinjos AT ALL since you don't actually need that many Jiggies to get to the final boss. Saying that Banjo-Tooie is how NOT to do a collect-a-thon is like saying that Super Mario 64 and Galaxy are also how NOT to do a collect-a-thon.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I got to the second world...

Look does this game become a platformer any time soon? I'm getting tired of just walking and backtracking to complete goals. That DOOM segment was cute as was the kickball, but most of the Jiggies were kind of boring to get so far. The mine doesn't seem to even have any platforms at all.

Is the game going to get better soon?

[Foggle]

Like I said, the mine sucks. It's the worst level in the entire series.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Geez, it does take this thing a while to start then, huh?

So how do I get that Jiggy from the snake in the first level? It's the only one I'm missing so far.