miffy495 Posted January 28, 2009 I'm finding a whole hell of a lot to like about this game. I got it with a gift certificate, as I was on the fence about it but had this $40 card I couldn't spend on anything else. Turns out to have been a really good decision. The goals can be very frustrating at times, but I get the feeling that that's only because I'm going for the speedrun awards when I complete them. Whenever I've ignored the speed aspect and just played for the joy of it I've found the difficulty to be entirely reasonable. Unfortunately, going for those trophies is just part of how I play games, so some frustration has been cropping up. The comedic value of this game is spectacular. I love how much Rare is taking the piss out of themselves. Granted, you need to be up to speed on your Rare history to get all of it (One of my favorites: Kazooie: "So wait, if we can beat her in this arbitrary race, she won't go through with her plot?" Banjo: "I was in a situation like this once before, with a genie and a giant pig...") but it's really bringing a smile to my face. And somehow the frustration of a really difficult race is softened when the enemy trouncing you is named Piddles the Cat. So far I haven't been that creative in my vehicles. I've only really built one thing, and it was pretty basic. I'm holding out for the parts necessary to create a killer airplane. Once I can design a kick-ass bomber and maybe a zeppelin, I'm golden. In the meantime, just playing through everything and enjoying the humor is plenty for me. As one of the reasons that I picked it up was positive response from Thumbers, I'm wondering why it didn't have its own thread yet. Figured I'd start one. So, who's playing? What have you built that's awesome? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
twmac Posted January 28, 2009 I built a giant green dragon with no merit other than it is a giant green dragon. I also mucked about with different helicopter types (which are great for most missions that don't involve racing). I also created a huge tray with balloons attached to it, it has been useless for everything but two challengers I need to do in quick succession. If you are finding time trials and challenges frustrating the first thing you need to do is create. Engine power stacks as well as fuel. So simple 'more is better' philosophy will get you through most challenges. However there are moments where thinking laterally will do you more favours. Having problems racing along a narrow platform? Make a plane and you'll never fall off. Need to guide an antenna up a steep slope? Build an helicopter with a grabbing attachment and pull it all the way to the top in 4 seconds. Also, spend some time exploring the hub world for extra stuff, don't forget you can use your tray as a platform then lift it up to higher ground to repeat. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gdf Posted January 28, 2009 I love it, just playing around with the bits and bobs and throwing them together into a weird mess is great fun. That's usually how I make great vehicles, because I go on the test track, then add or remove parts as required. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thrik Posted January 30, 2009 I love this game. I'm playing it very steadily as it does become a bit samey if you spend hours on end playing it, but by taking it on an 'hour here and there' basis I'm really enjoying every moment I spend with the game. Being familiar with Rare's past definitely enhances your enjoyment, not least because so much classic music and whatnot is redone in full orchestral glory — and I think I've already mentioned the god damn splendour of Banjoland, with pieces of practically every level in the original two games. But it's generally just great playing on stuff like Nutty Acres and hearing that classic beach music weaving in and out of the music, chasing Gruntilda to the most elaborate edition of Teddy Bears Picnic ever, etc. It did take me a little while to get past the fact it's not the same Banjo experience we've always known, but I soon realised that there wasn't really that much more they could have done with the formula beyond making it prettier because its predecessors did such a fine job. The fact it's probably the best vehicle making simulator in any game ever is great in itself. At least, if you liked LEGO as a child. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
twmac Posted January 30, 2009 Not so great to know it has only sold around 140 thousand copies. Hopefully it will be one of those slow burners. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miffy495 Posted February 1, 2009 I sold a mom on it today at work. Hopefully the kid enjoys it as much as I do. If not, her husband seemed pretty psyched at my description... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gdf Posted February 1, 2009 That's good to hear, it deserves to do so much better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miffy495 Posted February 3, 2009 Put in another good session tonight. Just got my 51st Jiggy. I think I'm averaging about 10 per play. I'm discovering that this game is exactly as hard as you want it to be. Trying to do the higher level stuff on Nutty Acres before I'd amassed many parts drove me batty. Now I'm doing the earlier bits of Jiggoseum and ripping through it, getting the TT trophies for almost every challenge. I think right now, my favorite moment was realizing exactly what I wanted my water polo playing creation to do, how to do it, and then watching the whole thing work perfectly. Joyous. Half the time I'll have already hit the minimum requirement for a jiggy, but then quit the challenge anyway because I know I can tweak my machine just enough to get that trophy. Yeah, I love this game. Will be recommending it to pretty much everybody with an Xbox. EDIT: Also, the soundtrack for this is available, right? Listening to those links that you posted, Thrik, has made me realize how huge a part of my childhood that music is, and also that it's really damn good music. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thrik Posted February 3, 2009 It certainly is: http://www.rarewitchproject.com/?action=downloads It'll need a bit of piecing together in a folder by the looks of it, but I'd get it now as it's supposedly not easy to extract and re-encode these (this site is dedicated to that kind of thing). And yeah, I agree that Banjo has wonderful music. I didn't realise there was a bloody night version of the BanjoLand music. Even more nostalgic magic! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Banks Posted February 4, 2009 Not so great to know it has only sold around 140 thousand copies.Hopefully it will be one of those slow burners. surprised to hear this, it's a very good game Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miffy495 Posted February 4, 2009 Another couple of hours put in tonight. I was supposed to be writing a paper on Kripke, but instead I was building an amphibious vehicle to use in boat races and take semi-cheating shortcuts over islands. It has 3 large engines. That thing may as well have wings, 'cause damn can it fly. I felt very Q-labs putting on the deployable propellors and floaters so that it functions exactly like a car until I hit the buttons to make it float and move through water. If I don't bother to deploy the floaters, it works as a perfectly good submarine, thanks to the scuba pod. Damn this game is enjoyable... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
