Michael Kontoudis' Admin Profile
Name: Michael Kontoudis
Level: VIP
If you could only own one gaming system what would it be?» Playstation 3
What is your all time favourite game?
» Shadow of the Colossus
What is your favourite gaming genre?
» Action / Adventure
What consoles do you own?
» Nintendo DS, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Dreamcast, Super Nintendo, Mega Drive
What is your favourite forum on PALGN?
» 47
Michael Kontoudis' Profile
PALGN Regular
Contact Information
Contact Information
| Email address: | |
| Private Message: |  |
| MSN Messenger: |  |
| Yahoo Messenger: | |
| AIM Address: | |
| ICQ Number: |
| Username: | Michael Kontoudis |
| Joined: | 17 Nov 2005 |
| $poons: | 221.40 |
| Total posts: | 817 [Show all] [0.11% of total / 0.30 posts per day] |
| Post Score: | 580 ( 590 /  10) [Show all] |
| Total votes: | 228 [Show all] |
| Location: | |
| Website: | |
| Occupation: | |
| Interests: | |
Referrals
Michael Kontoudis has not made any referals.
Michael Kontoudis has not made any referals.
Buddies
People with Michael Kontoudis as their buddy: 3
Michael Kontoudis' buddies: David, G3ck0
[Add Michael Kontoudis to your buddy list]
People with Michael Kontoudis as their buddy: 3
Michael Kontoudis' buddies: David, G3ck0
[Add Michael Kontoudis to your buddy list]
Michael Kontoudis' Recent Forum Posts
Re: Gaming Bargains V2 (1 year ago)
- I have a proposition for you (maniacal laugh).
Re: PALGN Apologises to FalconDude (1 year ago)
I cry for what this website has become, but I have to believe that the core community is still strong and will ascend, Phoenix-like, from the ashes of this sad time. We just need everyone to hang in there.
Re: Goodbye and Thank You (1 year ago)
Jedi_Amara wrote
Thanks for your work! It's taken me this long but I finally (just in time) figured out why your name sounds familiar - you're Rita's husband, aren't you?
Goodbye and Thank You (1 year ago)
Dear Staff (past and Present) and Readers of PALGN,
As most of you know, this Friday marks the end of an era. I won't wax lyrical about the history of PALGN, nor what it means to me, because I think it obvious that the site has seen grander, more glorious days and means a lot to everyone involved.
As of today, I am no longer a writer for PALGN, although truth be told I have distanced myself emotionally well before today.
I just wanted to take this opportunity to say goodbye to all and sundry, and give my many thanks to the editorial team, my fellow writers, and the PALGN community for giving me the opportunity to do something I love: write about games and come up with terrible puns in article bylines. It's been a terrific half-decade and I shall miss the site terribly.
With those few parting words, I just wanted to say to everyone that it must be borne in mind that PALGN is much, much more than a web address, or a logo, or even any particular staff member... PALGN is the community of readers, posters and lurkers. That is its heart, its lifeblood, and as long as that exists I think the spirit of PALGN shall yet survive.
For now, I wish you all farewell and thanks. Perhaps, someday in the future, we shall meet and speak again. After all, something Rocket this way comes...
...until then, seeya later.
Warm Regards
MK
As most of you know, this Friday marks the end of an era. I won't wax lyrical about the history of PALGN, nor what it means to me, because I think it obvious that the site has seen grander, more glorious days and means a lot to everyone involved.
As of today, I am no longer a writer for PALGN, although truth be told I have distanced myself emotionally well before today.
I just wanted to take this opportunity to say goodbye to all and sundry, and give my many thanks to the editorial team, my fellow writers, and the PALGN community for giving me the opportunity to do something I love: write about games and come up with terrible puns in article bylines. It's been a terrific half-decade and I shall miss the site terribly.
With those few parting words, I just wanted to say to everyone that it must be borne in mind that PALGN is much, much more than a web address, or a logo, or even any particular staff member... PALGN is the community of readers, posters and lurkers. That is its heart, its lifeblood, and as long as that exists I think the spirit of PALGN shall yet survive.
For now, I wish you all farewell and thanks. Perhaps, someday in the future, we shall meet and speak again. After all, something Rocket this way comes...
...until then, seeya later.
Warm Regards
MK
Re: The Darkness 2 (1 year ago)
Loved the demo - I can only hope that the full game hangs together and the narrative boasts the same sort of emotion offered by the first.
Kilik is a 'mimic' character like Edgemaster. He adopts other fighting styles, such as Maxi's, at random.
Oh, and I don't think Seung Mina has made the cut - the staff now goes to Xiba, who for all intents and purposes looks like a Kilik clone.
Oh, and I don't think Seung Mina has made the cut - the staff now goes to Xiba, who for all intents and purposes looks like a Kilik clone.
Re: Which was the last game you finished? (1 year ago)
Frozencry wrote
Honestly Arkham City is a very good game. Very polished and genuinely quite fun. But it has a lot of issues which a lot of reviews seemed to have skimmed over because BATMAN.
It's definitely no gem though.
It's definitely no gem though.
I might not think it was quite a 10 myself, but I can definitely see where Cian was coming from.
To my mind, games like Skyrim, Saints Row 3 and (sorry Denny!) Dark Souls have been given free rides in terms of major reviews; all of those games have major deficiencies, almost none of which have been reflected in reviews.
As for me, I just finished my replays of both Shadows of the Damned and Arkham City on New Game Plus. Both were fairly rewarding, but I'm itching for something new. Perhaps a bit of Soul Calibur 5 in early February?
Re: PALGN Game of the Year Awards 2011 (1 year ago)
Jarrod wrote
Michael Kontoudis wrote
Ah Lemmy, it may be a different story if Arkham City had foisted its side missions on you as part of it's main story. Zelda pads out its length with waffle - to be frank, Arkham City's riddler trophies are more meaningful and interesting than any of Zelda's collectathon fetch quests.
With Zelda, I felt like I could see Nintendo straining and heaving to lengthen their game and justify their otherwise-empty environments by filling them with 'tear'-collecting and other nonsense.
I don't mind a 'fetch quest', but the developer had better do its best to at least try and disguise the fact that its sending you on an errand.
Re: PALGN Game of the Year Awards 2011 (1 year ago)
Ah Lemmy, it may be a different story if Arkham City had foisted its side missions on you as part of it's main story. Zelda pads out its length with waffle - to be frank, Arkham City's riddler trophies are more meaningful and interesting than any of Zelda's collectathon fetch quests.
Re: Top 10 Games of the Generation So Far? (1 year ago)
Benza wrote
Quote
EDIT: Hmm, if we're allowing DS games which were already released on GBA, then the Ace Atotrney series has got to be up there. One of my favourite franchises ever.
Re: Metal Gear Rising directed by Platinum Games (1 year ago)
Vanquish, which I reviewed, was one of those games which I had to give an 8 even though my own personal feeling on it was that I could look past most of its flaws and wanted to make sweet love to it.
Re: Top 10 Games of the Generation So Far? (1 year ago)
As has already been said, this is a difficult topic to answer, particular given that I think there's still a whole lot of awesome left to this generation of consoles.
In no particular order, here are the games which, so far, stick in my mind as the best this generation of consoles has to offer:
1. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune / Uncharted 2: Among Thieves / Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
2. Batman: Arkham Asylum / Batman: Arkham City
3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
4. Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2
5. Bayonetta
6. Vanquish
7. Dead Space / Dead Space 2
8. Red Dead Redemption
9. Assassin's Creed 2 / Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
10. God of War III
EDIT: Hmm, if we're allowing DS games which were already released on GBA, then the Ace Atotrney series has got to be up there. One of my favourite franchises ever.
In no particular order, here are the games which, so far, stick in my mind as the best this generation of consoles has to offer:
1. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune / Uncharted 2: Among Thieves / Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
2. Batman: Arkham Asylum / Batman: Arkham City
3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
4. Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2
5. Bayonetta
6. Vanquish
7. Dead Space / Dead Space 2
8. Red Dead Redemption
9. Assassin's Creed 2 / Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
10. God of War III
EDIT: Hmm, if we're allowing DS games which were already released on GBA, then the Ace Atotrney series has got to be up there. One of my favourite franchises ever.
Re: Metal Gear Rising directed by Platinum Games (1 year ago)
I am really, really rabid for this.
Why do people have trouble accepting a slash em up in the MG world, which is what this game has always been held out to be?
This is a spin off, and won't be replacing the mainline MGS series.
I'm happy to see a dev like Platinum playing with Kojima's toys.
This is a spin off, and won't be replacing the mainline MGS series.
I'm happy to see a dev like Platinum playing with Kojima's toys.
Banefire, I would never diss Kojima. I adore Kojima's voice... But this is just so refreshingly balls-out insane and irreverent.
This trailer is like a litmus test for those with no taste. Anyone who can't appreciate the glorious cheese might as well go and stick to 'realistic' and 'serious' games like... erm... Modern Warfare?
I could not be more excited.
The insanity of Kojima's creation coupled with the general excellence of Platinum Games... I love it.
I also love the off the wall 80s kitschiness of the trailer. Fantastically different from Kojima's serious, portentous style.
The insanity of Kojima's creation coupled with the general excellence of Platinum Games... I love it.
I also love the off the wall 80s kitschiness of the trailer. Fantastically different from Kojima's serious, portentous style.
Re: Worst game you bought this year? (1 year ago)
Wait, what? Jarrod, Jarrod, Jarrod - the worst game you've played or the worst you've bought? I could understand if you had only bought a few games this year and Uncharted 3 was, in your opinion, the worst of the lot, but to say its the worst you've played? That's amazing, you must have played only gems this year. If so, I commend you for your taste.
I think the worst game I've played is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. The worst I've actually bought is probably The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword; that is a game which doesn't respect players' time at all, and while there's a lot of amazing stuff there, the overall experience is lacklustre. Still, if that's as bad as it got for me this year, it's been a pretty good buying year.
Now the best game I've bought this year, quite ironically, is either Arkham City or Uncharted 3
I think the worst game I've played is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. The worst I've actually bought is probably The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword; that is a game which doesn't respect players' time at all, and while there's a lot of amazing stuff there, the overall experience is lacklustre. Still, if that's as bad as it got for me this year, it's been a pretty good buying year.
Now the best game I've bought this year, quite ironically, is either Arkham City or Uncharted 3
Re: Super Mario 3D Land Review (1 year ago)
Nobody has to like Mario. But those who don't have no soul or taste and will probably spend the afterlife sitting in lukewarm bathwater in purgatory.
Re: Rayman Origins Review (1 year ago)
Difficulty which would prevent an inexperienced or younger gamer from being able to keep up. Seasoned platforming veterans won't have too much trouble on their own. In other words, not like Super Meat Boy.
Rayman Origins Review (1 year ago)
 |
| PALGN Review: Risking life and no limbs? |
| [View Article] |
I've got to say, though, that Skyward Sword's rendition of Link is my favourite. He's amazingly expressive by virtue of the art style.
Such a frustrating game, simply because it would have benefited greatly from some judicious editing. It's one of those cases where excising content would have added to the game's overall impact.
On the upside, my mind is seized by The Ballad of the Goddess. Best new Zelda theme on years.
Such a frustrating game, simply because it would have benefited greatly from some judicious editing. It's one of those cases where excising content would have added to the game's overall impact.
On the upside, my mind is seized by The Ballad of the Goddess. Best new Zelda theme on years.
For my money, Ocarina is still the most cohesive 3D Zelda title. Sure, Wind Waker is more charming, and Majora's Mask is probably most imaginative, but as a total experience taking into account visuals, narrative and formal design, Ocarina is a towering achievement.
Jarrod wrote
**** I love that Beetle.
EDIT: Fourth dungeon is easily in my personal top five Zelda dungeons. Beautiful, creative, great puzzles, fun item, interesting progression and topped off with arguably the best boss fight in the game. Loved every second.
EDIT: Fourth dungeon is easily in my personal top five Zelda dungeons. Beautiful, creative, great puzzles, fun item, interesting progression and topped off with arguably the best boss fight in the game. Loved every second.
There is an amazing 15-20 hour adventure nestled among Skyward Sword's 32 hour duration. Charming characters, gorgeous music, clever dungeons and exciting boss battles are tempered by so... much... fluff. Really good, but Ocarina of Time still takes it.
Need for Speed: The Run Review (1 year ago)
|
| PALGN Review: Running Scared. |
| [View Article] |
Re: What game are you playing? (1 year ago)
Z-Z-Z-Zelda.
About 19 hours in now, and I'm guessing I'm about 60-70% of the way through. This is a massive game. My feelings so far are that the dungeon and boss designs are largely terrific, but that the game's pacing is thrown out of whack by far too many menial fetch quests which feel meaningless in the context of the story and more like, well, padding. So far, it feels like you could cut about 5 hours out of the game and not only not lose much, but improve the game for the better.
Still, its testament to how good the game is that I can't stop thinking about it and just want to play it all day long, to the detriment of everything else in my life!
About 19 hours in now, and I'm guessing I'm about 60-70% of the way through. This is a massive game. My feelings so far are that the dungeon and boss designs are largely terrific, but that the game's pacing is thrown out of whack by far too many menial fetch quests which feel meaningless in the context of the story and more like, well, padding. So far, it feels like you could cut about 5 hours out of the game and not only not lose much, but improve the game for the better.
Still, its testament to how good the game is that I can't stop thinking about it and just want to play it all day long, to the detriment of everything else in my life!
Goldeneye 007: Reloaded Review (1 year ago)
|
| PALGN Review: Reheated? |
| [View Article] |
Re: Assassin's Creed Revelations (1 year ago)
So far (1.5 hours in), Revelations feels a bit limp, and having played Uncharted 3 and Batman in previous weeks, Assassins Creed is starting to look a bit hoary and tired. Number 3 better shake things up or I might have to start youtubing the cutscenes just to get the silly story (which, admittedly, I am now invested in).
Re: Franchise of the generation. (1 year ago)
For my part, I don't think the Galaxy sub-series really counts as a new franchise (but boy, do I love those games - my Galaxy 2 review is testament to that).
For sheer impact, I think the franchises of the generation are ones people have already mentioned: Uncharted, Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect (even though I think Mass Effect is basically shoddy outside its amazing world-building efforts).
However, if you count 'Modern Warfare' as a franchise of its own, which I would, it is undoubtedly the biggest and most defining. Shame I find it only mildly entertaining and largely unworthy of its success, but anyhoo.
For sheer impact, I think the franchises of the generation are ones people have already mentioned: Uncharted, Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect (even though I think Mass Effect is basically shoddy outside its amazing world-building efforts).
However, if you count 'Modern Warfare' as a franchise of its own, which I would, it is undoubtedly the biggest and most defining. Shame I find it only mildly entertaining and largely unworthy of its success, but anyhoo.
http://www.fishpond.com.au/Games/Metal-Gear-Solid-HD-Collection-Playstation-3/4012927053973
Edit: Looks like it's back up to $59.