Wednesday, August 24, 2011

COD Black Ops Wii - FK's continuing adventures with Nintendo's finest!



Apart from the ginger gene, the only thing my three sons share explicitly, is the opinion that Call Of Duty (online) rocks. It's the only thing they can agree on as far as videogames go -their gaming preferences outside of the franchise go like this - Joe (20): Fifa, Martin (17): Dead Space, Ted (14): World Of Warcraft -see what I mean?

On the subject of Call Of Duty, however they are in full agreement. Every new edition of the game must be bought faithfully for full price on the day of release - pre-ordered and at a midnight launch preferably- and (most importantly) that from the point of getting the game into the house, right up until the next COD launch, the game will ONLY be played as a multiplayer, online experience.

I could not be more different. I have no compulsion to play these games as and when they are released. I cannot (despite the desire to play) cope with the game online! To me it is a panick stricken, jarring, frenetic, disorienting experience. On top of that, a humiliating one as I simply get picked off by other players repeatedly until the game session ends.

I DO love the franchise though. I've played a variety of the series offerings across a variety of consoles - PS2, PS3, Xbox 360 - I've even played two COD games (COD 4 and COD: World At War) on the DS! But until this month, I'd never played one on the Wii.

Nice graphics for the Wii doncha think?

It was with a look of wearied disbelief, followed by stifled giggles that my sons enquired why I was choosing to depart from the world of the 'serious' gamer, to play the shoddy and inferior offering presented to Wii gamers. Well, I'll answer that question right away!

Ultimately it was the price... Black Ops for the Wii was available for £15 (inc. postage), whereas it's 360/Ps3 cousins were costing above £25, even for pre-owned. It also served as a sweetener, when I took the risky decision of having a Wii only summer... I had read enough reviews online to know that the Treyarch boys had done a rather grand job of furnishing Wii gamers with a faithful edition of the game... not some embarrassing child-like "Wii edition" - the option chosen by some high profile releases - Ghostbusters for example, or even a "down graded" version of the game - the accusation levelled at Dead Rising, the game mentioned a couple of posts ago.

As far as I can tell, apart from a few control issues with the nunchuck and wiimote at times, the Wii version offers a full and comparable alternative to the games I've seen on the Ps3 and Xbox 360. I'd be a liar if I said the graphics were as good as it's high def relations, but they look pretty good for the Wii. Essentially the game offers the same high octane, constantly moving, thoroughly enjoyable experience, for a fraction of the price. (And I've not even played the zombies mode yet!)

Most of the Wii games I've bought this summer: Chop Till You Drop, Cursed Mountain, House Of The Dead 2&3 Return, Red Steel 2, Scarface The World Is Yours, and Dead Space Extraction - cost about £7-8 pre-owned. Ghost Squad and, Gunblade NY cost £5 pre-owned. Geometry Wars and No More Heroes? £2.99! This could be a reflection of sales, but is not a reflection of game quality. The Wii is a mine of untapped potential for serious gamers... You've just got to sift through a LOT of crap, to find the games worth playing. As you can see from the list of titles accquired this summer, I've still got a lot of play left in my Wii before I dust off the old Xbox again!

16 comments:

Unknown said...

Hiya FK, first off I'm with Martin, and second welcome back :)

third your having me on...

(puts on reading glasses, moves closer to the screen....)

....Well I wouldn't have believed it, those graphics are splendid, and the bargains!

..getting a good deal on a preowned game for the rest of the console pack is a rarity..

Just watched some of the playthrough for xenoblade chronicles and it's luscious looking...and I want!!

might just re-write my Santa letter....

Davecaster said...

My goodness, I'm so out of date. I haven't ever played Dead Space or WoW, so I guess I'll have to go with Joe (although I think the last Fifa game I played was on the original xbox). I've played a little COD on xbox and found it quite enjoyable. Keep these Wii reviews coming Mr K, I've really struggle to find Wii games I like (even the classics like Mario Galaxy I struggle to get hooked into).

I've had more of a DS summer myself. 3 games have been picked up. Elite Beat Agents (really great fun rhythm game)£8, GTA ChinaTown Wars (lovin' it)£5 and the amazing (once you get past the hand cramps) Metroid Prime Hunters £4. I'd recommend them all.

Good to hear from you again.

fatherkrishna said...

@The Elderly -Xenoblade chronicles does indeed look luscious dear Elderly! I'm only a little way into Zelda Ocarina Of Time (on the Virtual Console) and even less furhter into Monster Hunter Tri to be considering anything else in the dungeon crawling dept. right now...

@Emma's Daddy - totally with you on GTA China Town Wars... as good a GTA experience on a 'big' console. I've got Elite Beat Agents but I'm rubbish at it! I do have Metroid Prime Hunters as well, and despite some excellent graphics for an early DS release, there was something about the gameplay that left me stuck. I think i was rolling around as the Samus ball in a maze at the time, lol!

Thanks for the comments guys!

Unknown said...

Back from my local game shop and now I'm more undecided than ever, just spotted Metroid for Wii (which for shame I have never played) and since my daughter has "borrowed" my psp for eternity, I have got to get myself a slice of DS action.

Those preowned deals are a major, major incentive...

Junlee said...

Look at me...not even noticing that you're blogging at a somewhat regular (certainly more than myself) basis! I'll be sure to stay on the look out for more updates from you FK!

Unknown said...

waters plants.....

gnome said...

(waters Elderly)

Unknown said...

..plfrrrhhhfff... well Gnome thank you for that!...

...hey which button did you press the last time, maybe if we press it again? no wait this time it's my turn....

(looks up into the next post tunnel)

okay which one do I press?

Unknown said...

...Gnome? FK? anyone?....

...brilliant it's not that like I haven't washed this year or anything.... you guys

(sits down picks up blog revival guide....)

fatherkrishna said...

Sorry Elderly, I just keep wandering off... Alzheimers perhaps? I do hope not... May I fetch you a cuppa or would you like something stronger?

Hi Junlee! Thanks for popping in!

Unknown said...

FK!!!! it's you!!!

(gives FK a big bear hug...)

nope tea will be just perfect!!! :)

Gnome and me been trying to fix your posting chute.. but fraid we're not that technical... which button is it by the way?

Unknown said...

breaker breaker

(psssst...static)

FK can you hear me over

(psssshhhoppp...static)

FK I'm getting interference from the planetary surface, going to head into the blogger chasm to see if I can retrieve the next post.. over...

(pssshhhh...static)

(ties rope around FK's jacuzzi...descends)

Unknown said...

(climbs out of the chasm...)

...? wait now if your over at my place, then what am I doing here..?

(heads back home to meet FK...)

Unknown said...

(re-enters with blogger manual...stares at the complex button array....)

I think it's this one... or is it the yellow one....?

(scratches head..)

gnome said...

(returns from someplace)

That's it. I've got the remote control thingy!

patsm00re18 said...

cool :)
what a very interesting post.
keep it up dude!
brain games online