PZ's impressions

[Art Blade]

The hovercraft can tip easily though and I had to buy a new one after only like 1 minute  >:(

That's about what it was like for me to play with the free DLC cannon tuk tuk. I think I only bought it twice but never again :)

[PZ]

The monster truck is useful for just about any driving mission, especially those in which you need to deliver a person to a specific location.  The truck will roll over just about everything, and it's mounted gun is worth it's weight in gold.  ;D

[Art Blade]

I'd rather beat a man who gets in my way to death with a couple of gold bars than roll him over with a monster truck. That'd be just too brutal.

[PZ]

 :-()
I can't decide if I admire the courage, or disdain the stupidity of the govmen who charge at me with pistol blazing while I'm hosing them with a minigun in the chopper I just stole from one of their commanders.  :-D

[Art Blade]

Doesn't matter. As long as you smile while killing them. It just looks better.  >:D

[fragger]

I'd disdain the stupidity myself, but still smile a lot >:D

[Art Blade]

hehehe, that's the way we like it :-X :-D

[PZ]

It occurred to me this morning as I was playing JC2 that the grapple method of travel is really essential on a map as massive as this one.  I'm becoming quite adept at grapple flying just about anywhere (except water of course) at speeds as fast as some of the flying vehicles.

If the grapply method of travel is fast and easy - and immediately available.   If one had to drive a vehicle on the roads, or had to purchase/steal a flying vehicle to travel overland, the massive size of the map would be almost too large to want to explore all of it.

[PZ]

People of Panau... I played JC2 on the console this morning, and what a difference between the modded version on the PC and the vanilla game!  As I traveled I felt kind of lonely even while amidst numerous citizens - probably because they were disinterested in what I was up to  :-().  With the faction mod, I've lots of "friends" that come to my aid when being attacked, and because they have no fear, I can always see/join a fight.

I must say that even the smallest villages are fun to visit in the modded game because there is always something to see in the interactions between the factions and the govmen, and even among the factions themselves.

[JRD]

Reading through this thread I see how much you enjoy JC2 and how you compare it to FC2... being in a populated city, wandering and driving around without being bothered, bringing friends to a "party", exploring, modding... about all your complaints regarding FC2, plus beautiful graphics  8) ;D

Man, I`m looking forward to have a PC and start gaming this and AC2.

BL is a great game with very funny shootouts, but not really open world and you barely have other things to do but quests that involves a lot (I mean, a lot) of shooting and looting!

Exploring plays a major role in a game for me. As any other activity I get bored of doing the same thing so the ability to just forget about doing missions and quests and being able to go mind your own business, getting to know the place and all is very welcome in a game.   8)

[spaceboy]

that faction mod really sounds like a winner.  There were certainly a fair amount of faction involved shootouts in the console version and you could drive along with a faction member manning the guns, but those faction helicopters is something I would have really enjoyed!  The devs I think are missing out in supporting the game with more DLC of this type, or more missions, etc.

[PZ]

You're going to love exploring in JC2, JRD - I'm at 99 hour into the game now on the PC alone (even more on the PS3) and I still marvel at the new scenery I discover each day that I've not seen before  :-X

You're correct space - the developers were a bit stingy on how you interact with your faction buddies - all they had to do was put in a menu item regarding choice of how many buddies you can have, their aggressiveness toward each other, the govmen, etc.  and the game plays entirely differently.  I really like how the factions sometimes help me with the military installations now.

[PZ]

I just went into JC2 again last night for a moment - I forgot how much fun it is to navigate throughout Panau.

[spaceboy]

I love visiting favorites.  I just happend to rewatch a vid of mine on JC2 and made me long for Panau.  Too busy right now, but it will sit and wait for me to find the time to visit again.  It's by far my most played and favorite game of this year.

[PZ]

Definitely one of my favorites as well - I've come to realize that the music helps set the tone for my appreciation of the game.

[Art Blade]

Although JC2 is one of my favourites, I've come to realise that I almost always switch game music off.  ;D

[PZ]

I have the music going in some of my games (the ones in which I really like the sound tracks), and definitely turn the music off in those games that have head banging music.  However, in some games I turn off the music to become immersed in the story line - FC2 for instance, and then turn it back on again after a while.  In others, FO3, FNV, I never turn off the music because it defines the game for me.  The bottom line is that the music often adds just what is necessary for me to continue to play the game, or to replay it.  :-()

[spaceboy]

yeah, I'm more along the lines of PZ here.  Music can really help define a game or experience and help me relive it even when away from the game.  Plus, games are just getting better music nowadays.  JC2 is a bit light, although I did download the free tracks they offered, they are pretty short.  Good to have the Panauan national anthem on hand though!

Seriously Assassin's games, inFamous, Red Dead Redemption, Killzone 2, Little Big Planet, Uncharted...all really great soundtracks that definitely contribute to the experience and to my fond memories of the games.

[Art Blade]

Maybe I have just a different taste in music  ;) Not so many games out there with Funk or Deep House or Jazz  ;)

[spaceboy]

Yeah I really like sweeping atmospheric soundtrack music similar to Lord of the Rings etc.  Uncharted series is exceptional. 

You might like the Red Dead Redemption soundtrack. While it has a "western" theme to it, a lot of the pieces have a very definite Jazz tempo - at least to my untrained ear.

[Art Blade]

at least on a PC I can usually play whatever I want in the background while the game music is switched off.. always the right music no matter the game  ;D

[PZ]

Just started playing a bit of JC2 again, and am again amazed at how much you can do in Panau.  Evidently not having a MP element in the game has allowed the publisher to pack much more SP action onto the DVD.  :-()

[Art Blade]

it is a very special game indeed  :) :-X

[fragger]

(Smacks self on head) I totally forgot that I actually have that game. I bought it over a year ago but it wouldn't run very well on my claggy old PC, so I saved it for another day. Well, here it is, another day! Must try it on my new rig very soon :-X

It's a Steam title though, isn't it? Better leave it until I get a night where I don't have to get up for w@&k the next day, so I can get enough access speed up to endure the Steam ordeal in the wee small hours when all the local kids aren't taking up the neighbourhood bandwidth to do homework and play online games. Well, I know it's not just the kids, but I have noticed that my connection speed takes a big hit if I'm home and online around 4:00pm - very soon after school ends for the day. The little buggers should be kicked off the net at 6:00pm so that the big kids can have a go >:D

[Art Blade]

 >:D :-X