What I've Been Playing This Week (aka Pile of Shame Sunday)

SAURON!

The following post is part of a series of posts that are published every Sunday to update readers on what Mark G has been up to with respect to finishing off games on his "Pile of Shame". The games to target are picked by Choicest Games contributors Choona, Luke and myself. As I'll be talking about my progress through these games, there may be spoilers ahead, especially for games containing a narrative. Consider yourself warned.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

• Picked by Me
• Percentage Complete = 52%

After defeating the Black Captain (who was responsible for murdering Talion’s family), he meets a woman named Lilthariel who is the daughter of Queen Marwen, hailing from a greener part of Mordor near the inland sea of Núrnen. Talion eventually learns how to brand enemies in this new area and takes them under his control: even Uruk warchiefs can be controlled, and Queen Marwen intends for him to command an Orc army of his own (through a brain-washed Warchief). Talion also manages to meet a Dwarf called Tovrin that happens to be interested in hunting for some artifacts.

Fallout 4

• Picked by Luke
• Percentage Complete = 39%

It took me half an hour to find Aluminium and Nuclear Material and then carry it (using Piper as a mule) to the Minutemen Headquarters. It turns out that not all workbenches have their inventories linked which sucks since then I would've been able to build a large generator the last time I played. Anyway, I finally built that damn large generator and now Freedom Radio is on air.

I also followed the Freedom Trail through Boston to finally meet the faction known as The Railroad, a group of synth abolitionists. What is pretty cool when you first meet them is that a guy vouches for you by mentioning how well you've done with the other factions (i.e. the Brotherhood of Steel and the Minutemen). So, in my case, he mentions I’ve been accepted into the ranks of the Brotherhood of Steel as well that I’m kind of a big deal, as I’m the leader of the Minutemen.

What I still don't like about this game though is quest management. It'd be nice if they categorised the quests by repeatable quests and quests by faction since when you've got about 30 quests in your quest log, it can be cumbersome trying to discover which ones you ought to be aiming for and which ones you couldn't care less about.

The Colonel’s Bequest

• Picked by Choona
• Percentage Complete = 0%

I’ve finally found a few ways to die in this game! I’m so relieved! For a second, I was wondering if I was playing a proper Sierra adventure at all. The first way to die is if you decide to have a shower as you end up dying, Alfred Hitchcock Psycho style. Another way to die (but only at certain times it seems) is while examining a closet on the first floor for if you visit it at the wrong time, you’ll be grabbed by the murderer and killed. Finally, you can also die if you step too close to an old bannister which will result in you falling down the stairs to your doom.

Anyway, it turns out I managed to get stuck in the game as time wasn’t passing after I witnessed Fifi the maid slapping Rudy due to his unwanted advances. There’s hardly anyone to talk to in the house except for Gloria and I’m not sure where everyone else is. After reading a walkthrough though, it seems I’ve missed so much that I might as well start the game again. Unfortunately, it seems like The Colonel’s Bequest is one of those games where there are several dead-end situations you can get yourself into.

LINK:
[ The Pile of Shame ]