Each month of the year our regular staff members come together to tell you what each of them have been playing over the past few weeks, we like to call this our Monster Month. Read on to find out what each of us have been playing over the month, as well as give an insight in the games we are looking forward to playing in the coming month.
Enjoy!
Craig Anderson
Time to reflect
I know people say this all the time, but I can’t believe it’s December already. It is at this point that it’s usually quite good to reflect on the year that has just whizzed past. There have been some good games, not as near a standard as 2011, but good games nevertheless, and as with most games they all seem to be released around the latter few months of the year. My current selection of games include Halo 4, Black Ops II, FIFA 13 and WWE 13. WWE 13?? Surely you can’t be playing that as your an adult? But I am and I love it. I’ll be writing up a review for Console Monster so stay tuned to find out why.
Asides from that there hasn’t really been much that has interested me throughout the year. I loved Trials Evolution and it’s DLC, although my patience did not, and I still plod through my ever growing arcade list to play a few older games. Sometimes you just need to look forward in life and that’s what excites me. Grand Theft Auto V, FIFA 14, a new Call of Duty, the chances of a new Xbox being announced, Dead Space 3 and no doubt a lot more.
Roll on 2013…
Anthony Barker
A Far Cry from The Walking Dead
So it is the last month of the year, and for me it has been a pretty disappointing one in gaming overall in 2012, which makes catching up on the pile of shame a little bit easier.
This month has been mostly scouting around the island in Far Cry 3. What an epic game it is. I love it how you are plonked on this island with the bare minimum and have to make do, skill up and go hunting to craft bits to carry more items – it has been great! If you have yet to try it, I thoroughly recommend you give it a go.
As it is that time of year where we all stuff ourselves full of sweets and fine food I have taken the opportunity to download our game of the year – The Walking Dead – on iOS. I feel the iPad touch screen is one of the best platforms for point and clicks. As promised, the story was a thrilling ride, and I am glad I saw it through, as I was put off during Episode 2.
Next month I am looking forward to checking out the Dead Space 3 demo, but other than that it all seems to kick off in February. So that leaves more time to catch up on the pile and make room for all the good stuff that will be releasing in 2013!
David Bevan
Beginnings and Endings
As we approach the end of the year it would be easy to reflect on the good and bad. As always there are highs and lows, and 2012 is no exception.
As I finish my gaming year, I play through the launch of a new Halo Trilogy in Halo 4. A very short game and much smaller in scope than previous titles doesn’t stop the game from being a very enjoyable title. The smooth transition from Bungie to 343 Industries should be noted and gives confidence to the ever-growing fanbase of the Halo franchise.
I then finished off the amazing Walking Dead, a game that crept up by surprise to wow me. Playing the final 2 chapters back to back really made the hard hitting and emotional ending just that little bit more impactful.
Finally, December was rounded off by the Xbox Live Marketplace sale, which had some great bargains. How I managed to avoid Super Meat Boy until now is beyond me, but what a game and what a bargain. I also picked up Fez, Joe Danger, and Crazy Taxi to name a few.
With Far Cry 3 in the post and on its way to me as well as LEGO Lord of the rings ready to be played, there are still a couple of 2012’s gems to keep me going until the avalanche of games we have to look forward in 2013. My vote goes to Tomb Raider, what about you?
David Wriglesworth
Tis the season to play games
The end of the year is always a great opportunity for me to play games, and this year has been no different.While Santa didn’t deliver any new titles this Christmas, December has given me chance to return to the ever-growing pile of shame. However, I found myself adding to it even more thanks to the Xbox Live Marketplace sales.
Having missed out on the hype earlier this year, Xbox Live Arcade puzzler Fez was one of the first titles I purchased at a discount price. The title’s simple concept certainly had me wracking my brain to try and solve the puzzles. Not only that, but the game looks and sounds beautiful.
Another title that received a lot of hype was The Walking Dead, which has also claimed the prestigious Console Monster Game of the Year award. While I had doubts that a downloadable episodic game could be the best video game of 2012, I was most certainly proved wrong and believe it is thoroughly deserved.
Moving away from downloadable titles, I also managed to obtain the full 100% in LEGO Lord of the Rings. People who know me well will know that fully completing a game is not something I do often, and it’s a title I enjoyed playing from beginning to end.
As for next month, I’m hoping to fully delve into my pile of shame in time for the New Year offerings of Bioshock Infinite, Grand Theft Auto V and more. It’s certainly looking like a good year to be a gamer.
Marty Greenwell
Grabbing a 2012 bargain
December has been a time for picking up titles on the cheap as the pre and post-Christmas bargains kick in. Surprisingly, many of these have been on XBLA.
I’ve had my first taste of The Walking Dead, which at half-price was an excellent buy. The stylised visuals and engaging story make this one of the best games I’ve played on XBLA in 2012 – the first place honour still goes to Trials Evolution though.
I’ve also been putting in some serious hours in to Dishonoured, which can now be had for around the £20 mark. There’s a lot of game here for your money, giving you a choice of how to play the game (and even an achievement for killing no-one at all through the entire story). The look and feel of the game is fabulous, with some stunning vistas to be seen. It plays well, though the controls can seem a little clumsy at times, and the story moves things along well enough. Well worth checking out if you’ve not played it yet.
2013 could hold some real surprises, not least the anticipated next Xbox and Playstation, and perhaps even the WiiU will see some releases that make the machine worth owning. So I hope you have a good gaming 2013.
Justin Ortiz-Burrow
Goodbye 2012…
This month was filled mostly with over-done light displays, ear-numbing festive music (apart from any Sinatra renditions), and way, way too many cookies. But as with every wintery December, one glorious thing stands out: comfy gaming. Yes, there’s nothing quite like sitting in front of a glowing LCD screen while the wondrous white flakes fall outside.
I started off the month with my annual play through of a personal snowy favorite of mine, ‘Fahrenheit’, a game I try to play during the first large snow of the winter. After that I moved on to a new release with quite the opposite of settings: Far Cry 3, an island paradise overrun with chaos. I found the game extremely fun and loved exploring the island. The story however fell a bit flat for me, being almost comical. After I had completed the game’s achievements, I found myself bored. That’s not to say the 19 hours I spent with the game weren’t a blast though.
I also picked up Dead Light and Hell Yeah: Wrath of the Dead Rabbit XBLA titles, both were quite enjoyable but I can’t see myself playing them again. Also, since I grabbed them both half price, I can’t say I regret the purchases one bit.
Next month I’m looking forward to the Hitman HD collection, as well as the new Devil May Cry, well… excuse me, DmC as they seem to be marketing it as, although I can’t say I’m expecting much from the latter.
So that wraps up our Monster Month for December. Why not let us know what YOU have been playing this past month, leave us your gaming antics in the comments below! Until next month, happy gaming to all our fellow Monsters!
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