3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures Deluxe

This is a fairly straightforward fantasy minigolf game, and if I remember correctly, this is one of the first games I bought on Steam.  It has appropriate, "cartoony" graphics and it's easy to sit down and get started, as the gameplay is straightforward, you aim, then you putt.  There is the option of using the tradition 3-click method of computer golf games or a simpler hold and release method.  In either case, most people won't have any problem with the basic mechanics though it can be tough to gauge the proper amount of power to use.

The course designs are what you would expect from a minigolf videogame and include Wild West, Space, and Carnival themes.  The game also includes a course editor that I didn't try during my time with the game.  

One interesting element is the powerups obtained by rolling over brightly lit icons with your ball: these include spring, fire, and ice powerups.  These powerups can then be deployed by a mouse-click and interact with the course environment in various ways.  These seem a bit out of place, but they do make for an extra bit of thought after the shot, a relative rarity in a golf game. 

Overall, it's an interesting time-killer and right in line with what you would expect for the price and the genre.  This is a game targeted at the casual gaming/family audience.  However, that's not to say that it's easy; one of my biggest frustrations with the game is its seeming emphasis on "trick" shots.  On most holes, there is a method of just making it through the hole contrasted with a high risk "trick" shot that most often results in a hole-in-one.  This results in a bit of a balance issue in some situations; effectively taking the "safe" route resulted in a score of one or two over par while the "trick" shots were sometimes so difficult that not even twenty tries would result in a success.  I understand that there should be an incentive to take the risky shot and that the risky shot should be challenging, but I feel like the proper balance is off.  There is no real psychological reward to making the "trick" shot because it sometimes feels more like luck than skill and taking the "safe" route results too often in a bogey or double bogey as opposed to a par or bogey: the result being that you can't afford to take a shot at the trick shots and miss, but you can't afford to simply play it safe. All of this may have gotten better with practice (and some may think this is appropriate), but the learning curve seems a bit steep.  

Conclusion

With the exception of inconsistent difficulty, this game is exactly what you would expect and makes for a satisfying change of pace when you're tired of shooters. It's a casual, reasonably fun, and good looking game that holds some appeal for anyone who's visited a miniature golf course (especially those who think it would be really super cool if they kicked it up a notch).

http://store.steampowered.com/app/10140/

Away this weekend

My wife and I spontaneously made a trip out of town this weekend for a friend's birthday, so I didn't make much progress on the quest. I've started my playtime on 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures Deluxe, and barring any unexpected work complications, I should have the blog up tomorrow.  In the interim, a couple of screenshots from my Minigolf playtime.

Looking confident...it's just minigolf, right?

Yes, that's a seagull laughing at my performance thus far.

1... 2... 3... KICK IT! (Drop That Beat Like an Ugly Baby)

Genre: Music-Based Action

I picked this up during the Potato Sack promotion preceding the release of Portal 2.  I played it a little during the "boot up" prior to Portal 2's release.  I understand it was then, and is now, a pre-release.

The gameplay involves you traveling/falling through a landscape generated based on an MP3 file of your choice.  You are scored based on your continued proximity to obstacles without hitting them ("kisses", passing through targets, and a multiplier for multiple "kisses" without hitting an obstacle.

Your enjoyment of the game will depend on your library of DRM-free MP3 tracks and, to some extent, your taste in music. I tried a few different tracks and had the best results with a guitar cover of the Goldeneye 64 music and Alien Ant Farm's cover of "Smooth Criminal."  I had OK luck with Reliant K's "Sadie Hawkins Dance", and less luck with U2's "Beautiful Day."  Faster, more rhythmic tracks work better especially those including crunchy rhythm guitar and heavy drums.  The game's description indicates that it would also work well with Trance, but, as my music library doesn't include many good examples, I'll leave that to someone else.

Conclusion
I enjoyed playing, and will play again.  It may not be something I return to on a daily or weekly basis (more due to the genre than the game itself - though it seems like it could be addictive), but I can see myself being in the mood for it a couple times a month.

There's a solid core mechanic here that the developer seems to be consistently improving, and I particularly like the possibility of bringing your own music.  It's hard to put any negatives on it other than it feeling incomplete -- and that makes sense, it's a pre-release.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/15540/

Getting Started - The List

I have not enough time and too many games.

I have the good fortune to have a job and the even better fortune to have a job that allows me to buy games. I've come to the realization, however, that having a job reduces the number of hours available for gaming.

Through sales, name your own price deals, gifts, and the rare full price purchase, I've ended up with an overwhelming collection of games.  Focusing just on Steam and omitting consoles or non-steam games, I have over 250 games in my library, and the vast majority are unplayed and, in most cases, not even installed.

This is silly and sad.

So, I've decided to start a quest and document it here.  No longer will these games remain unplayed.  I will be playing every game on my Steam account, bar none.

The Rules
1. I will play the games in alphabetical order as displayed in my Steam library (with the exception of multiplayer-specific games and the reordering of series).
2. I will play each game for a minimum of one hour, but I do not plan to limit my time with any one game if i am enjoying it (this is about enjoying the games I own).
3. I will post my reactions to each game here.

The List
Below is a list of games on my account with their current playtime, if any.

1... 2... 3... KICK IT! (Drop That Beat Like an Ugly Baby)
10.9 hrs on record

3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures Deluxe
0.6 hrs on record

A.R.E.S.
0.2 hrs on record

AaAaAA!!! - A Reckless Disregard for Gravity
1.4 hrs on record

Age of Booty
1.4 hrs on record

Aliens versus Predator Classic 2000
0.3 hrs on record

Altitude
0.3 hrs on record

Amazing Adventures: The Lost Tomb

Amazing Adventures Around the World

Amnesia: The Dark Descent
0.3 hrs on record

And Yet It Moves
21.1 hrs on record

Aquaria

AstroPop Deluxe

Atom Zombie Smasher

Audiosurf
1.7 hrs on record

Bad Rats
0.5 hrs on record

Batman: Arkham Asylum GOTY Edition

Beat Hazard

Bejeweled 2 Deluxe

Bejeweled Deluxe

Bejeweled Twist

Ben There, Dan That!

Big Money! Deluxe

BioShock

BioShock 2

BIT.TRIP BEAT

Blueberry Garden
0.1 hrs on record

Bookworm Adventures Deluxe

BookWorm Deluxe

Borderlands
0.7 hrs on record

Borderlands DLC: Claptrap’s New Robot Revolution

Borderlands DLC: Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot

Borderlands DLC: The Secret Armory of General Knoxx

Borderlands DLC: The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned

Braid

Cake Mania

Cake Mania 2

Cake Mania 3

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Multiplayer

Capsized

Chuzzle Deluxe
0.6 hrs on record

Cogs

Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3

Commandos 2: Men of Courage

Commandos 3: Destination Berlin

Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines

Commandos: Beyond the Call of Duty

Counter-Strike: Source
0.1 hrs on record

Crayon Physics Deluxe
0.5 hrs on record

Darkest Hour: Europe '44-'45

Dark Messiah Might and Magic Multi-Player

Dark Messiah Might and Magic Single Player

Darwinia
0.2 hrs on record

DEFCON

Defense Grid: The Awakening

Delve Deeper
0.2 hrs on record

Demolition, Inc.

Doc Clock: The Toasted Sandwich of Time

DogFighter

Dynomite! Deluxe

East India Company

East India Company: Pirate Bay

Eets

Empire: Total War
0.2 hrs on record

Escape Rosecliff Island

Eufloria

Europa Universalis III

Evil Genius

Fallout: New Vegas

Fallout New Vegas: Dead Money

Fallout New Vegas: Honest Hearts

Feeding Frenzy 2: Shipwreck Showdown Deluxe

Flotilla

Freedom Force

Freedom Force vs. the 3rd Reich

Frozen Synapse

Galcon Fusion
1.8 hrs on record

Garry's Mod
1.4 hrs on record

Ghostbusters: The Video Game

Gish

Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City

Grand Theft Auto IV

Gratuitous Space Battles
0.3 hrs on record

Greed Corp

GridRunner Revolution

Half-Life
0.4 hrs on record

Half-Life 2
3.6 hrs on record

Half-Life 2: Deathmatch

Half-Life 2: Episode One

Half-Life 2: Episode Two

Half-Life 2: Lost Coast

Hammerfight

Hammer Heads Deluxe

Heavy Weapon Deluxe

Heroes of Might and Magic V

Heroes of Might and Magic V: Hammers of Fate

Heroes of Might and Magic V: Tribes of the East

Hitman 2: Silent Assassin

Hitman: Blood Money

Hitman: Codename 47

HOARD
1.4 hrs on record

Iggle Pop! Deluxe

Insaniquarium! Deluxe

Iron Grip: Warlord

Jolly Rover

Just Cause

Just Cause 2

Killing Floor
0.1 hrs on record

Killing Floor Mod: Defence Alliance 2

Left 4 Dead
13.4 hrs on record

Left 4 Dead 2
39.7 hrs on record

LIMBO

Lugaru HD

Machinarium

Madballs in...Babo: Invasion

Mafia

Mafia II

Magic: The Gathering — Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012

Magicka
13.4 hrs on record

Magicka: Final Frontier

Magicka: Frozen Lake

Magicka: Nippon

Magicka: The Watchtower

Magicka: Vietnam

Mare Nostrum

Mass Effect

Mass Effect 2

Medieval II: Total War

Medieval II: Total War Kingdoms

Metal Drift

Monday Night Combat

Multiwinia

Mystery P.I.: The Lottery Ticket

Mystery P.I.: The New York Fortune

Mystery PI: The Vegas Heist

Napoleon: Total War

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
0.5 hrs on record

Need for Speed: SHIFT

Need for Speed: Undercover

Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus

Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee

Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath

On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One

On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two

Orcs Must Die!

Osmos
1.2 hrs on record

Patrician IV: Steam Special Edition

PAYDAY: The Heist
7.8 hrs on record

Peggle Deluxe
6.8 hrs on record

Peggle Nights
1.8 hrs on record

Penumbra: Overture

Pizza Frenzy
1.8 hrs on record

Plain Sight

Plants vs. Zombies: Game of the Year
61.8 hrs on record

Poker Night at the Inventory
8.6 hrs on record

Portal
4.2 hrs on record

Portal 2
11.9 hrs on record

Port Royale 2

Psychonauts

Puzzle Agent

QuantZ

Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale

Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45

Rocket Mania! Deluxe

Rome: Total War - Alexander

Rome: Total War Gold Edition

RUSH

Samorost 2

Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter

Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter

Shadowgrounds

Shadowgrounds: Survivor

Shatter

Sid Meier's Civilization IV
105 hrs on record

Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword

Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization

Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Warlords

Sid Meier's Civilization V
58.5 hrs on record

Sid Meier's Pirates!
0.2 hrs on record

Sol Survivor

SpaceChem

Star Ruler

Starscape

Steel Storm: Burning Retribution

Super Meat Boy
0.9 hrs on record

Swords and Soldiers HD

Talismania Deluxe

Team Fortress 2
51.8 hrs on record

Team Fortress Classic
0.4 hrs on record

Terraria
0.3 hrs on record

The Ball

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition

The Ship
0.2 hrs on record

The Wizard's Pen

The Wonderful End of the World

Thief: Deadly Shadows

Time Gentlemen, Please!

Toki Tori

Torchlight
0.3 hrs on record

Trine

Tropico
4 hrs on record

Tropico 2: Pirate Cove
0.1 hrs on record

Tropico 3 - Steam Special Edition

Tropico 3: Absolute Power

Typer Shark! Deluxe
0.9 hrs on record

Venice

VVVVVV

Wings of Prey

World of Goo
2.8 hrs on record

Worms Reloaded
0.2 hrs on record

X-COM: Apocalypse

X-COM: Enforcer

X-COM: Interceptor

X-COM: Terror from the Deep

X-COM: UFO Defense

Zombie Driver

Zombie Panic Source
0.5 hrs on record

Zuma Deluxe
0.8 hrs on record