Looking for a particular kind of game ...

**econ21** · 08-01-2009, 22:35

They are old, but two that come to mind are Max Payne 2 and Mafia (both were Throne Room recommendations to me, BTW, and not the kind of games I would normally play). I guess you may have played both, but if not...

Max Payne 2 is pretty short. 10-15 hours sounds about right. I found it fun - the "bullet type" shooter gameplay is entertaining, but it is the story-telling that makes it a joy. It is shiny, in the sense that everything seems very polished and well done. It has a lot of style - a film noir feel with interesting surreal touches ("Mirrors are more fun than TV"). It's single player only. The closest on your list to it would be Bioshock. Max Payne has no RPG elements (just a collection of weapons you accumulate) and perhaps has more modest ambitions, although I think it is a better game. I replayed it enough times to unlock the happy ending, which means finishing it about four times more than I play most games.

Mafia is longer than Max Payne 2 but still 15 hours sounds about right; it also has a "novel" like structure with a definite beginning, middle and end. I found it great fun - driving is not something I would think of doing in a game, but I enjoyed it due to the period cars; there are some shooter elements but far fewer than Max and more to my taste (more RPG like than shooter like, in that they have a role to play in the story rather than being the story). But like Max, the main fun to me is the story-telling and this is better than Max's, again because it is more RPG like - you feel you are the protagonist in Mafia, whereas in Max, you feel you are merely viewing him. Shiny ... well, that's harder to say, but yes, I think it is shiny. The voice acting is superb. The mission design is generally excellent, although in a couple of places it is awfully hard so you might have to load up a save to bypass (the car race specifically). Definitely classy - classy like a classic car, classy like the Godfather I and II movies.

Mafia is something I consider to be a great game, so I am not sure it is what you want as a filler. You might have to devote more time to mastering it, depending on your driving skills. Max is more filler material, although also a very good and memorable game.

**seireikhaan** · 08-01-2009, 22:44

Hmm. I tend to play longer games, so I guess I've only got one suggestion, and you've probably played it already, but anyways- Prince of Persia: Sands of Time.

**Jolt** · 08-01-2009, 22:47

Metal Gear Solid. :D

**Chimpyang** · 08-01-2009, 23:15

I enjoyed boom blox for the Wii for a short while- why don't you get a lovefilm sub or something similar for the console games you reckon you'll play once - or to try new stuff out. I'm paying £14.68 a month for the films + games unlimited one with 2 discs out at a time - from which I reckon I've viewed/completed around £200's worth of DVD's and games in about a month.

**Reverend Joe** · 08-04-2009, 04:59

Originally Posted by econ21

Max Payne 2 is pretty short. 10-15 hours sounds about right. I found it fun - the "bullet type" shooter gameplay is entertaining, but it is the story-telling that makes it a joy. It is shiny, in the sense that everything seems very polished and well done. It has a lot of style - a film noir feel with interesting surreal touches ("Mirrors are more fun than TV"). It's single player only. The closest on your list to it would be Bioshock. Max Payne has no RPG elements (just a collection of weapons you accumulate) and perhaps has more modest ambitions, although I think it is a better game. I replayed it enough times to unlock the happy ending, which means finishing it about four times more than I play most games.

I know some will disagree with me, but I personally prefer the first Max Payne. Sure, yes, it is less advanced as a game, but the plotline is so much more enjoyable; it's got a real Film Noir feel to it. The second game just felt silly to me, more like a bad attempt at mixing Die Hard with the Film Noir genre; plus there's way too many plot elements that were unnecessarily recycled from the original, like the weird theme park in the second that is derived entirely from a random moment in the first when a bizarre, surrealistic show appears on a TV screen. I was also bothered by the lack of a distinct driving force in the plot; in the first, Max is trying to solve/avenge his wife's murder; in the second, I often found myself wondering, "What am I doing again, and why?" I guess if the first game hadn't existed, I really wouldn't have minded the plot of the second and instead just enjoyed the cool game, but the fact that the first contained such a good, coherent plot, and even if it got a bit silly at times (okay, Ragnarok, we get it already!) it was still way better than most video game plots, and it was actually entertaining to experience.

**Krusader** · 08-04-2009, 08:46

Was to suggest Serious Sam games, but might not be your cup of tea. They HAD shiny graphics and I just loved mindless shooting at strange enemies, often hordes of them and in mostly open landscapes.

And Startopia...one of the saddest gaming moments, when I lost my CD

**Jolt** · 08-05-2009, 04:19

Originally Posted by Krusader

Was to suggest Serious Sam games, but might not be your cup of tea. They HAD shiny graphics and I just loved mindless shooting at strange enemies, often hordes of them and in mostly open landscapes.

One of the best Multiplayer FPS experiences I ever had. 8 guys playing through the campaign on the hardest level, seeing dozens and dozens and dozens of enemies running straight for you. :D

**Krusader** · 08-05-2009, 09:04

Originally Posted by Jolt

One of the best Multiplayer FPS experiences I ever had. 8 guys playing through the campaign on the hardest level, seeing dozens and dozens and dozens of enemies running straight for you. :D

Agreed. 6-player Serious Sam 1 was one of the most fun I had.

On-topic:

What about the Sam & Max and/or Monkey Island episodic games Telltale makes? I tried demo of Episode 1 and the little I saw I really liked.

**rajpoot** · 08-05-2009, 14:34

Simpsons Hit and Run. Didn't play it myself, but a friend of mine found it very entertaining. Kind of like GTA.

**frogbeastegg** · 08-05-2009, 16:33

Ah - Mirror's Edge. Hadn't thought of that; I've got that on the to-play mountain. That may well do the trick - it's certainly shiny, short, focused solidly about its concept, and singleplayer. If I find it fun as well then it's a perfect match.

I also own Psychonauts. Considering who it's made by, I couldn't not own it. Pretty sure I'd like it, never got around to playing it. If Mirror's Edge doesn't suit me then I shall fall back to this. If both of those games stumble then it will be Trine (would like to see what happens with the rumoured PSN/xbox live arcade version before making a purchase), then a tie between Mafia and Siren.

Thanks, all

**Jolt** · 08-07-2009, 21:43

Originally Posted by Krusader

Agreed. 6-player Serious Sam 1 was one of the most fun I had.

This made me reinstall the game. I had forgot how much fun Cooperative mode was. :D

**frogbeastegg** · 08-08-2009, 13:46

Alright, alright, I'll play Psychonauts first.

Tenchu ... I have the xbox 360 one, Tenchu Z. Another disc on the mountain which I haven't had time for yet. Kind of saving that one for when I'm in the mood for a game with lots of replaying to gather unlockables.