There were some gaps that I wanted to fill in my xbox360 collection. One game that kept popping up was metal gear rising but it was always sold out on thevideogamecompany website. I also wanted some replacement cases because I bought Skate 3 on amazon (terrible mistake) which arrived loose in a dvd case. Skate 3 is also a clunky game. So I bought 4+1 xbox 360 replacement cases to swap out some of my previous amazon purchases. This time around I am trying to keep my purchases below $100.
The other games are gap fillers. Some of them are worse sequels but I choose to always buy the latest game in a series. I have also started to buying loose games which are cheaper and easier to store than CIB(complete in box) games. Mafia 2 and Alan Wake pops up in discussions and lists on the internet very often. Rayman Legends is a classic 2d, it might be 4 player - I should have at least one co-op multiplayer game.
The list
Dead Space 3 - $14.99 USD Metal Gear Rising: Re-vengeance - $25.99 USD Dead Island Riptide - $8.99 USD Lost Planet 2 (loose) - $0.00 USD Alan Wake (loose) - $7.99 USD Bayonetta - $9.99 USD Mafia II - $11.99 USD Rayman Legends - $10.99 USD Replacement Game Case for 360 x 5 - $11.96 USD
Subtotal $102.89 USD Shipping $34.00 USD
Amazon Purchases
As I mentioned I bought skate 3 hoping that it would be good but it was not. I bought 128gb flash drives for use as additional storage in the 360. The drives had to be as small as possible to fit into the back of the console. I also got inline power switchs so I can switch off the power brick without unplugging it from the wall.
I finally popped this in and was instantly hit by the clean UI and colour scheme. I love lines and wireframes. Most of it seems to be video running in the background but it looks slick none the less. The game itself is pretty clean although I did spot skill tree systens which I find super annoying. Classic Ubisoft trash. I dislike over complicated skills that block you from unlocking things until you complete specific branches. Why not allow me to get the things I actually want instead of walking through pointless upgrades. Might as well just auto upgrade me instead of make me interact with a fixed tree.
The interiors look good. The game UI takes a bit getting accustomed (press/long press) but it all runs slick and colorful. Driving in the city is sluggish like its 30fps. This is the best UI I have seen in a 360 game so far.
In this play session I finally got let lose on the open world and I dicked around for like 3 hours doing side missions and running around. Its fun. The police are really annoying to shake off. Even more annoying than in GTA. I really should head to the main story mission but this world is sucking me in.
I met some guy selling drugs which turned out to be minigames which I played for a bit. The first mini-game I chose over stayed its welcome - its the one with where you bounce on the flowers. I played a couple rounds of this then ducked out for the night.
In this session I finally made it to the next story session. It seems that every time you get into a car they give you a random side mission and I say to myself; "hey why not" which causes me to never reach the mission. I eventually get to the main mission after running from the cops for like an hour. The world is fun to mess around in and the controls are simple. I did find another mini-game called spider tank - its like the best the thing ever. Why isnt there a whole game based on this spider tank minigame?
I am not sure how many hours I am into the game but I am loving this game - all the hate about the graphics is just a distraction from a competent GTA+Assassins Creed mashup. It is kinda the same ubisoft stuff with a mix of Assassin's Creed Parkour but one you get the controls its fun to run around and listen to music on your walkman. This game is going to be in my rotation for a while so I will end the review here.
Conclusion
The game is fun. The game got alot of hate back in the day for the downgraded graphics but in 2025 this is retro. Sometimes its 30fps most times its 25 but as long as I am having fun it doesnt really matter. There is alot to do and lots of random ways to do it. 8/10. Open world fun. Time suck but fun.
Strategy
I mostly just runaway from everything. Use the cameras to bounce from building to building like spiderman.
The game is weird. You go around opening draws and stealing letter openers for money. It has a little learning curve at the beginning but it is not complicated. it is mostly stealth and sneaking around in dark alley ways or roof tops. Its linear but has stats at the end of each level so if you are a completionist and you like the old vibes, replaying levels at your own pace you will like this game. but I wont be doing that. I will play it to the end.
I got stuck in the old library level and had to watch a youtube video to figure it out. Bad level design or maybe I spent too much time running around in the dark looking for stuff to steal? Not sure. I got stuck a second time on a sidequest looking for a voicebox. It is definitely easy to miss stuff in the environment but the game is enjoyable once you get into the act of checking every draw and steal everything thing not nailed down.
The game definitely has a vibe. If you like Deus Ex you will like this in a old english/irish world that is permanently night time.
Conclusion
Initial score 7/10. Its definitely a unique game. Combat is disincentivized but still possible. The more you play it the move you will like the vibe. Watch out for the confusing library level. The game has a unique world that you probably wont find anywhere else. After 21 hours I completed the game and I still feel the urge to go back and search for more loot. Its a fun game. 8/10.
Strategy
Of course I am playing on easy. Buy all the tools from the shop as soon as possible. There is nothing more annoying than being on a mission and the game saying that you need X tool to open a path or deactivate a trap.
