I am supposed to be playing 48 games. There is something wrong. I am only playing 47! I will be adding another shooter to the roster soon, which will put me back up to 48. So don't be disappointed when you see only 47. Yeah, "only" 47. I'm still a freak!
Now, this is very important. I am not starting any of these games from the beginning. In fact, I am near the end of a couple of them already. I just decided to start this Insanity Project on July 14th, and have been convinced by friends to post this blog here, on August 27th. So I have been at this for about 6 weeks. However, I have been playing some of these games off and on for a year now. I am at different stages in each.
How this works:
My goal is to get a check mark. A check mark means that I have successfully moved the game a step forward. This means very different things for different types of games. So getting a check mark can take as little as 5 minutes for one game, and like, a week of playing for another. As I go over each game, I will also inform you what it takes for me to acquire a check mark in that game.
Here are the current games, broken into eight different categories. I will break this into several blogs, as I don't think I can sit here and write down all 47 active games in one sitting anyway. We'll see.
MIND TEASERS
I am starting with one of the oddest categories, simply because compared to the rest of the categories, this one is not as straight forward. I enjoy games of skill, and cerebral challenges such as the type that those point-and-click adventures provide. I have recently decided that all of the games that come with the computer that I have ignored for years, are deserving of being played and many of them fall into this category. Eventually, I will master some of them and they will therefore be eliminated from my active list, to be replaced with others. You'll see...
Game 1) Chess Titans - This is on my computer. I thought I was good at chess, but apparently I suck at it from lack of playing over the years. I am starting at beginner level, taking on the computer. If I can beat it, then I will advance to the next difficulty level. If I can ever defeat the computer at the hardest difficulty level, this game will be off the list. I am skeptical that will happen, but improving in chess is good for the mind.
Checkmark gets earned when: Either I defeat the computer at the current difficulty level, in which case I am done permanently with that difficulty level, and can begin again at the next difficulty level. However, I also earn a checkmark when I play three matches, even when I lose them. There are many games, especially the sports-related ones, where you cannot expect to win every match. Chess is like that, especially for me. So, I play three matches at my current level of difficulty. And I get the check mark.
Where I am now: I got slaughtered in my first three matches by the computer at easy level. Humiliating. But, hopefully I will not make the same mistakes in my next matches. We'll see.
Game 2) Gabriel Knight: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned - This is an old computer game that I found and was gleeful to discover works fine in my new Asus computer. I haven't played this game in so long that I forgot everything in it. I remember the story being compelling and intriguing.
Checkmark: This game breaks down into time of the day, based upon triggering story events by completing tasks in the game. So, I get a checkmark when I advance from the current time period into the next one by completing every task that needs to be conducted.
Where I am now: Just started this, I completed the first time period successfully, and have advanced into the second time period of the first day of the game. I was right, this game is worth replaying, even though it is archaic compared to video games that are released today.
Game 3) Mahjong Titans - Another game that came with my computer that I blatantly ignored, this is a great mind teaser as you have to free the tiles by eliminating them two at a time with different shapes and difficulty levels.
Checkmark - I get a checkmark for completing the current design. This sometimes takes a few tries, as you can leave a piece you need in a position you can't retrieve it in, and be out of moves in the game. Thus YOU LOSE. When I get through all of the designs, this game goes off my list and gets replaced.
Where I am Now: I earned a checkmark by defeating the first design. Onto the next one, eh?
Game 4) Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened: I recently purchased this game new from Amazon, for my computer. You are Sherlock Holmes and Watson, and you are facing off against a Cthulu Cult. That alone is one of the coolest concepts ever conceived of. I am a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, having devoured everything written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I love murder mysteries, so we're off. This is a point-and-click adventure. And so far, a very good one.
Checkmark - Story progression occurs after a series of activities in a given location are successfully completed. This is how most point-and-click adventures work. So, getting the timing on when to give myself a checkmark is easy to figure out. How long it will take to get one between sequences, we'll see. It could take a little playing to advance the story in some chapters, and some may be extremely long.
Where I am Now - I just found the first dead body in the story. Woo Hoo! After completing two chapters in London, Holmes and Watson are off to Switzerland. They split up there, so it should be interesting to see what each of them needs to accomplish on their own.
Game 5) Spider Solitaire - Yet another game that had been collecting virtual dust on my harddrive, this game is extremely difficult as you move up to different suits. Its very different from normal solitaire and I am enjoying the challenge.
Checkmark - As with most of these challenges, I can acquire a checkmark either by defeating it at the current level of difficulty, thus advancing to the next level of difficulty, or I can lose three times and gain a check mark. As in: Thanks for Playing, Loser. Move on to another game now!
Where I am - I am killing this brain teaser. I have advanced past beginner, and intermediate levels. Now the real challenge begins. Can I defeat this challenging card game on the most difficult setting? If I can, then this will be the first game officially cleared in the 47 on the list. But, let's not brag about an accomplishment I haven't made yet. I do expect winning on Difficult level to take awhile.
Game 6) World Series of Poker - The first game on the list that is on my Playstation 2. I love Poker, and am learning all of its forms through this excellent game that features many pros on the real life circuit. You play in career mode, and your goal is to move through an entire season playing all the various types of Poker available. You also play cash games that you get invited to in order to rebuild your cash reserves, as every tournament has an entry fee. Tournaments require a lot of actual time to be able to play. They could take hours if I am good enough to keep playing. I therefore tend to get a lot of house chores done while playing this game. It's great.
Checkmark - I am viewing this in the same way as a sports game. You compete in a tournament, and there could be thousands of virtual players in the tournament. I have not won one yet, because I am not fantastic at poker yet, in all of its various forms. I am improving as I play through the season, yay me. Anyway, I can play cash games between tournaments and build up my cash reserves. But I get a checkmark for competing in the current tournament on the schedule, win or lose, the career has advanced. Thus a checkmark is earned.
Where I AM - About 25 percent done with my first year on the circuit. This is the kind of game that has endless replay value, and will probably be on my schedule permanently. Like I said, I love poker. And I have a lot to learn, making this brain teaser a great challenge.
So, there you have it. The first six games, and all of the Brain Teasers.
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