A Green Mushroom

Continuing with the handheld gaming backlog I sampled while traveling, it's Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate! This is an interesting game because it's an attempt to take a 3D free roaming game and translate it to a 2.5D platformer/beat-em-up. The problem I had while playing this game is that it's so close to the 3D Arkham console games that I love... but it's not a 3D game.  The controls and the structure simply aren't as strong as they are in a 3D world.  I played the game a bunch and it's not really bad but it's not really good either.  It's middling. The biggest thing this game has done is make me appreciate the other Batman Arkham games more than I did before.  I'm really excited for the next console Arkham game to release later this month with Batman Arkham Knight. I probably won't be coming back to the handheld game, but if you're a super die hard Batman fan you might find something here for you.

Monster Bag is a game that isn't worth your time or money.  This is mostly a PSA. I had Monster Bag on my Vita for the trip last week since I had gotten it for free via PS Plus.  It's one of the worst free PS Plus games I've gotten. You are a monster that also happens to be a bag.  You jump from one unsuspecting person's back to another while avoiding people with evil eyes and throwing things also.  I probably just made it sound much more interesting than it is. Just a heads up.  Avoid this one.

You're probably going to see a bunch of quick handheld game impressions here this week since I spent a lot of time on planes last week. The very first game I tried out when travelling last week was Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.  I grabbed it on the PSN store for my Vita right before the trip.  All the talk about the Kickstarter for it's spiritual successor got me really interested in trying the original game. I've played a bit of Castlevania here and there over the years, but it's never been one of the series I go crazy for.  I had never touched this particular Castlevania game before.  But, it's supposed to be one of the best. And the game is actually really good.  I can see the underlying systems that make this game a classic.  I can see the exploration and the challenge that make people love this game. After a couple hours I could also see that this game just wasn't for me.  I think it's a combination of the setting and the power-...