Not-so-short update, in fact
PC gaming
Only Dragon Age. While the story is still neat, unskippable grinding and occasional bugs (game controls plus fancy Logitech mouse equals lots of pain) make it a bit of a drag to finish. I want to complete the story so badly, but the whole gameplay part is getting in my way. Hmm. Not giving up just yet.
Dragon Age II demo was sad, really. The art direction was changed (why the fuck would you change Flemmeth like that?), there seems to be even more repetitive fighting, dialogues are good, but the dialogue options are far more limited and developers have decided to inflate Isabella's breasts which I find an insult (why oversexualize a character that was sexy because of what she did and make her a sex-doll fantasy thing? why?). Overall, I don't expect good things from this game based on demo, which is sad.
PS3 full games
Valkyria Chronicles - played another two hours or so and it's even more meh. Frankly, I've heard it is an underrated gem, but so far it has turned out to be a very bland strategic jRPG. I don't care for characters in the slightest, graphics are mediocre (except for that watercolor filter effect, but take that away and the rest is barely okay), story is cookie-cutter bad empire invasion thing. I am pushing on, because I've heard that there is a great game somewhere inside, but so far I am more and more disappointed.
Prince of Persia - this 2008 game was bashed by everyone, but it is so gorgeous looking that I bought it for PS3 in order to admire the views. There is a shitload of bad design choices in it, such as repetitve fighting, button-mashing fiesta in one of boss fights, lots of backtracking, but there are also spectacular and visionary graphics that make me endure the gameplay for the sake of watching it. I sometimes fall for pretty things like that, my ex-girlfriends will tell you.
Mirror's Edge - now that's underappreciated gem right there. I played PC version for a short while long time ago, it didn't click, I deleted it. I bought it for PS3, because it was dirt cheap (20PLN, which means something like 5EUR), just to give it another shot. And this time, wow, it was great. While the aesthetics of Mirror's Edge have always appealed to me, I failed miserably playing it on mouse+keyboard combo - changing the input method to PS3 controlled made miracles. Not only the control was great, but force-feedback made the interaction with the world so much more real - this game got it nailed. Player can feel passing trains, Faith's (the protagonist) beating heart, friction while sliding down on the cable or the shock of being electrocuted. It adds so much more to the immersion. Also, the story, penned by Rhianna Pratchett, turned out to be good, too: the story about totalitarian regime in white gloves, for once depicted as almost perfect utopia... as long as you don't stick out, because then it's gun time. Much more realistic than evil empires with quasi-fascist emblems. There's also great music, excellent flow-like experience of running and this magical element that makes you go back to it after you have failed a level for fifteenth time - buy this game, if you haven't yet, it is great, even if a little on the short side.
PS3 demos
Killzone 3 - pretty, but boring gameplay-wise.
Bulletstorm - beautiful, but boring gameplay-wise
Dragon Age II - same as above, plus I can't get through boss fight on PS3 (tried three times, then gave up - took me one try on PC). Massive disappointment.
Castlevania - wow. Beautiful and atmospheric graphics, excellent soundtrack, great voiceovers (Patrick Stewart! Natasha McElhone!). I was a sceptic, but I am so buying full game after playing this demo. It is like being starred in your private Dracula movie.
Undergarden - boooring.
Yakuza 4 - even more boooooring, I mean who is paying for this shit? Fighting based on repetitively mashing two buttons, groups of enemies that attack one by one - nineties called, they want their game back.
Ridge Racer 7 - boring, but it's Ridge Racer, so it is expected.
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light - actually quite interesting in two player co-op, we might consider buying it.
PayPal
I have removed my PayPal account and hence the advertising (not that people were exactly queueing to buy it, too). Other than being complete and utter dicks (Wikileaks case, Notch case, Bradley Manning case), PayPal support sucks massively. Someone was pestering me by making tens of automated transactions with small amounts of money being sent to my account and all that PayPal support could reply is:
A) that I can always deny them all (and waste my time on clicking through all of them, because you don't have a fucking Apply To All option, thank you so much)
or
B) that I should create new account (this employee apparently can't understand English complaint, I'm serious, copy-paste from that mail is irrelevant to the question).
Well, it's been a pleasure (not), bye-bye PayPal.
Other things
There has been a bunch of my articles and posts appearing on Polygamia website, but it's in Polish, so I am not linking them here - if you are by any chance able to read this strange language, you know how to find them. There's also been a few interesting short news worth of your attention - check Blip/Twitter channel on the right to have a look at them.
