Day Five

My intent tonight was to fire up Just Cause 2. When I went to launch it, I was instead presented with an error that it required a "newer version of Windows". A quick trip to the Googles and sure enough, Just Cause 2 requires DirectX 10, which requires Vista(shudder) or Windows 7. I guess it's finally time to upgrade my desktop machine from XP to Windows 7. Sigh.

So figuring it was equally light and fun, though a completely different genre altogether, I played Magicka for the first time tonight. It was suggested by r/gaming on the last day of the Steam Summer Camp Sale that this one was worth picking up. I wasn't quite sold until I watched a rather funny video of three video game broadcasters playing it in co-op mode. Heartily entertain and being convinced it not only sounded, but looked like fun, I picked it up.

While the controls are taking a bit of time to get used to for me, the game is indeed a good bit of fun. Instead of a quiver of single click spells, the game offers eight spell ingredients arranged on QWER and ASDF, which you can combine in various ways to often comical effect.

The part of the mechanic that's proving tricky for me is movement. With WASD occupied by spells and with most gamers lacking a third hand, movement is left to left clicking the mouse. But it's not a single left click to a destination, it's click and hold the mouse until you're there. It's a pretty clever control scheme that frees up your left hand for spell combos, but it's unlike any game I've played before so I'm still climbing the learning curve. Despite the controls, I'm enjoying the both the game and the writing thoroughly.

The picture to the left is a spell combination that, from what I can tell, only serves to instantly kill your character. This is right in step with the writing of the game, which is chock full of tongue-firmly-in-cheek pop/geek/gamer culture references. References have so far included Star Wars, D&D, Warhammer 40k, F7U12, RPG tropes and probably a dozen or more that I didn't even catch. The game designers clearly know who their core audience is for a mage combat action click-fest and they're not ashamed to pander directly to them. Not that they should be, I find it quite entertaining.

As you'll see below, they're also not ashamed to pepper you with achievements. I racked up 10 tonight in my first 70 minutes of play and there's still 44 left to be unlocked. I'm particularly proud of the last one, "Oh gravity, thou art a heartless bitch". I have no idea what spell combination I unleashed upon myself, but it sent me flying through the air in flames before coming down for a four digit self inflicted damage total. This was right after a boss fight, but before I got to the next save point. Oops. If only I knew what I did so I could avoid it next time.

Games Played: 
Just Cause 2
Magicka

Achievements:
Cooking by the book
An eye for an eye
No more trolling
Basic Element
Let off some steam
State Alchemist
The Enchanter
Houdini
RPG much?
"Oh gravity, thou art a heartless bitch"