What are you currently playing?

[Chimpzy]

Playing Sakuna: of Rice & Ruin.

It's a rather interesting combo of a 2.5d sidescrolling action rpg that plays much like Muramasa: The Demon Blade, and a farm sim like Harvest Moon. The big difference with the latter is you only grow one crop: rice, but it's way more indepth. You need to sort the good seeds, fertilize and til the soil, sow seedling with proper spacing, maintain the water level of the paddy, keep an eye out for weeds, pests, diseases, soil nutrients, and so on. All so you can get bigger yields of higher quality rice. Which matters, cuz it's not just your food, but since you play as a harvest godess, it also doubles as experience. More and better rice means bigger statboosts and ability unlocks come the harvest. And when you're not tending your rice, you're out exploring the island, gathering ingredients and fighting enemies for meat and parts, which you can then use to create new equipment, farming tools, make better food for temporary buffs, or work into compost for your fields.

Aside from that you're also interacting with your adopted family of mortals, all of whom seem to have a pretty tragic backstory, like the Dutch missionary who's implied got kidnapped and sold as a slave for certain nightly duties, a disowned samurai who turned to banditry to escape starvation, a toddler who saw his father murdered by his (and the samurai's) best friend, and so on.

I just did a missions where I chased away people protesting a whore by threatening to dump a bunch of jizz napkins on their heads. I mean..it's sooo crazy and funny that I can't put this game down.

Also I run a snack cake store, and I'm a master of Yakuza Mario Kart. Also there is a guy who wants me to complete an enemy database in order to catalog all the creepy people he calls Sujimon which is a play on the Japanese word for "creepy men" and it's literally a Pokedex for yakuza bad guys. It's amazing.

That's pretty much Yakuza for you. One moment it's a fairly serious crime drama, then the next you're fighting off zombies while Michael Jackson dances down the street for a music video directed by Steven Spielberg.

 

[Ezekiel]

Wow... Took me... four hours to take out the APC in the rainy stealth section where Nadine is pinned. With a lot of trial and error and waiting pretty long to watch patrol routes. Suppressors are utterly useless on Crushing, since they see you even if you're aiming from tall grass and almost everyone wears helmets. I hope this was the worst part of the game. Nothing in the old Uncharted games was as hard as this forced stealth. I wish you had more options if they're gonna force it, like distractions.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

This explanation really doesn't work with your aim being badly disrupted whenever bullets are coming your way.

You know that shake in confidence you get when you're staring at snake eyes at the Craps table or a pair of 6's in Blackjack? I think it's kinda like that here in these games.

 

[deleted20220709]

DELETED

 

[Kwak]

ps4 sale so just bought rage2, and two 2d scrollers Dark Devotion (similar vibe to blasphemous) and Chasm. So Sniper GW Contracts and Mafia 2 go back on hold for a while. They just updated Crysis Remastered on ps4 too so might have another go of that.

 

[Xprimentyl]

So you did end up finishing DS2, cool. Yeah, pretty sure 3 will play like a breath of fresh air for you after that.

Breath of fresh air? More like an exercise in anxiety.

I feel like I did in when I first started DS1, only this time, I DON'T know what's coming up, so progress has been slow and timid. I'm on the High Wall of Lothric, and the constant moans and from [initially] non-hostile mobs have me on a constant swivel. Oh, and the red-caped knight I died to about 10 times before finally killing for a measly 250 souls? Woulda been nice to know he respawns. The 3-4 estus limit makes exploring far from a bonfire stressful. I just reached the area after the rooftop where the mob turns into that huge amorphous, black monster (like Gundyr,) and see a bunch of dead knights in capes are strewn about an open area... *sigh* I can't right now.

I'm also noticing the controls are slightly less responsive than DS1. I've never been good at parrying, but even when I try (red-caped knight made me desperate,) there's like a half-second lag between input and action, same with shield raising, that, or the massive, stamina-draining combos a lot of the enemies have make my starting stamina amount a moot point.

That said, I am enjoying it, believe it or not; just need some breathing room in the form of more flasks, health and stamina.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Breath of fresh air? More like an exercise in anxiety.

I feel like I did in when I first started DS1, only this time, I DON'T know what's coming up, so progress has been slow and timid. I'm on the High Wall of Lothric, and the constant moans and from [initially] non-hostile mobs have me on a constant swivel. Oh, and the red-caped knight I died to about 10 times before finally killing for a measly 250 souls? Woulda been nice to know he respawns. The 3-4 estus limit makes exploring far from a bonfire stressful. I just reached the area after the rooftop where the mob turns into that huge amorphous, black monster (like Gundyr,) and see a bunch of dead knights in capes are strewn about an open area... *sigh* I can't right now.

I'm also noticing the controls are slightly less responsive than DS1. I've never been good at parrying, but even when I try (red-caped knight made me desperate,) there's like a half-second lag between input and action, same with shield raising, that, or the massive, stamina-draining combos a lot of the enemies have make my starting stamina amount a moot point.

That said, I am enjoying it, believe it or not; just need some breathing room in the form of more flasks, health and stamina.

I should clarify I only meant in terms of gameplay mechanics compared to DS2’s awkward stiffness, especially early on. Oh, and that infamous enemy tracking.

Haven’t noticed significant lag in 3, or being any different from the other games. Would be an interesting study if it’s been done somewhere.

 

[Ezekiel]

Done with Lost Legacy Crushing. The climax is the best setpiece in the whole series, in my opinion. There's more going on than in the similar one in Uncharted 2. Helps the sense of satisfaction and reward that it is at the end. It genuinely excites me.

 

[Xprimentyl]

I should clarify I only meant in terms of gameplay mechanics compared to DS2,m’s awkward stiffness especially early on. Oh and that infamous enemy tracking.

Yeah, I'm glad the enemy tracking has been reigned in, but it was replaced with punishing, 3-4 rapid-hit combos from low-level mobs to beat home the reminder that this IS Dark Souls... I thought I'd have enough DS1-2 experience to jump into 3 like riding a bike , i.e.: two-handing, light armor, etc., but I've been reset to "noob" status. I haven't mid-rolled or worn a full set of armor in forever! This is so weird!

Haven’t noticed significant lag in 3, or being any different from the other games. Would be an interesting study if it’s been done somewhere.

Could easily be just me. When anxiety sets in, time tends to slow down. I try to parry the red-caped knight, and when that doesn't work, I try to raise my shield and that doesn't work either, probably because in panic mode, I'm neglecting the fact that part of the punishment for making mistakes are windows of vulnerability.

 

[happyninja42]

Could easily be just me. When anxiety sets in, time tends to slow down.

Now I'm imagining a game where you play as some really neurotic protagonist, who has bullet time due to massive anxiety spikes. Problem is the longer/more often they use the Anxiety Time, the worse their HP is.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Now I'm imagining a game where you play as some really neurotic protagonist, who has bullet time due to massive anxiety spikes. Problem is the longer/more often they use the Anxiety Time, the worse their HP is.

That actually sounds like it'd be an interesting psychology-based game...

I'm reminded of Condemned 2: Blooshot. The game is a violent horror game, but one level about halfway through, you walk through a dilapidated office area (IIRC,) and... nothing happens. You spend the entire level finding clues and experiencing hallucinations, but no threat ever appears. The entire duration of the game you're taught to beware dark corners and how best to conserve your melee weapons for the myriad threats coming at you left and right, so this level of *nothing* is dripping with unexpectedly high tension.

 

[happyninja42]

That actually sounds like it'd be an interesting psychology-based game...

I'm reminded of Condemned 2: Blooshot. The game is a violent horror game, but one level about halfway through, you walk through a dilapidated office area (IIRC,) and... nothing happens. You spend the entire level finding clues and experiencing hallucinations, but no threat ever appears. The entire duration of the game you're taught to beware dark corners and how best to conserve your melee weapons for the myriad threats coming at you left and right, so this level of *nothing* is dripping with unexpectedly high tension.

Yeah, though I was picturing it more of a comedy/parody kind of thing, sort of like that scene in Futurama where Fry breaks time due to caffeine, except it's panic and not stimulants. But yeah that could work too. Not sure what you'd call it. The snarky bit of me, in my parody version wants to call it Triggered, and have it be a shooter, and the triggers being the enemies are what causes the protag to have panic attacks. Like spiders, or...well whatever typical things make people freak out. Basically a Doom shooter clone but with humor.

But that probably wouldn't test well for most people, and they'd consider it some slam on the actual issue of psychological triggering, instead of just a fun play on words to fit a goofy premise for a game.

But yeah, a psychological thriller could work very well too.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Yeah, though I was picturing it more of a comedy/parody kind of thing, sort of like that scene in Futurama where Fry breaks time due to caffeine, except it's panic and not stimulants. But yeah that could work too. Not sure what you'd call it. The snarky bit of me, in my parody version wants to call it Triggered, and have it be a shooter, and the triggers being the enemies are what causes the protag to have panic attacks. Like spiders, or...well whatever typical things make people freak out. Basically a Doom shooter clone but with humor.

But that probably wouldn't test well for most people, and they'd consider it some slam on the actual issue of psychological triggering, instead of just a fun play on words to fit a goofy premise for a game.

But yeah, a psychological thriller could work very well too.

It could go either way; I think it has the makings for a very austere game, but could see a more lighthearted take, maybe like a Leisure Suit Larry less all the moxie and sex. Or maybe it works best as a gameplay mechanic in Rockstar's Bully 2 which they're definitely making, I'm sure. Ask any of today's marshmallow teenagers about anxiety at school. But like you say, probably wouldn't sit well in today's climate, making light of psychological disorders n'all.

It'd probably play best as a Quantic Dream type game, like Heavy Rain or Beyond Two Souls. As much as people "love" QTE-based games, HR was pretty effective at translating anxiety to button presses, e.g.: the way the prompt jostled around uncontrollably when the protagonist had to cut off his own finger per the instruction of the killer who had his son. Wouldn't hurt to have the same serious research put into it as they did with Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice and schizophrenia.

 

[happyninja42]

It could go either way; I think it has the makings for a very austere game, but could see a more lighthearted take, maybe like a Leisure Suit Larry less all the moxie and sex. Or maybe it works best as a gameplay mechanic in Rockstar's Bully 2 which they're definitely making, I'm sure. Ask any of today's marshmallow teenagers about anxiety at school. But like you say, probably wouldn't sit well in today's climate, making light of psychological disorders n'all.

It'd probably play best as a Quantic Dream type game, like Heavy Rain or Beyond Two Souls. As much as people "love" QTE-based games, HR was pretty effective at translating anxiety to button presses, e.g.: the way the prompt jostled around uncontrollably when the protagonist had to cut off his own finger per the instruction of the killer who had his son. Wouldn't hurt to have the same serious research put into it as they did with Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice and schizophrenia.

Oh yeah it could also make for a really cool action/drama game. Sitting here further expanding on the idea, you could go something similar to the Alice games, where everything is just off kilter a bit, and so you aren't sure if you are in a fantasy or reality. Like the first time I played the first Alice game, by American McGee, I genuinely thought what we were playing was her breaking out of the mental hospital, and going on a bloody rampage through it. Something like that, though anxiety wouldn't be the best condition, schizophrenia would be more apt, and they already did Hellblade like you said.

But it might be really neat, to have say, the mental problems implemented as handicaps to the gameplay, and as you progress, in some way, have the MC improve their situation, to where it isn't an issue anymore, or at least lessened. So, like have high anxiety mode give you bullet time, but you also have shitty aim, as you are stressed and unable to stay focused. But as the game progresses, you lose the shaky bit. Or whatever. Might be neat, to have the game itself built around overcoming and controlling the problems you are having, so that by the end, you aren't suffering from the debilitating effects like you were at the start.

Might be cool.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

I'm also noticing the controls are slightly less responsive than DS1. I've never been good at parrying, but even when I try (red-caped knight made me desperate,) there's like a half-second lag between input and action, same with shield raising, that, or the massive, stamina-draining combos a lot of the enemies have make my starting stamina amount a moot point.

That's definitely not true. The controls in DS3 are much more responsive than DS1. I replayed them back to back recently and there is a much larger delay on your attacks in DS1.

The thing is, enemies in DS3 are much faster and more aggressive than in DS1, the parry has fewer active frames, and blocking takes a lot more stamina. So while your character moves much more responsively enemies are also more punishing and their attacks come out faster and are harder to predict, so it may feel like you are less responsive because enemies give you a smaller attack window.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Now I'm imagining a game where you play as some really neurotic protagonist, who has bullet time due to massive anxiety spikes. Problem is the longer/more often they use the Anxiety Time, the worse their HP is.

Like the beginning of Wanted?

 

[Gergar12]

Destiny 2 Beyond Light, it kinda sucks for semi-casuals players like me, that and the raids are too technical.

 

[Dalisclock]

Breath of fresh air? More like an exercise in anxiety.

I feel like I did in when I first started DS1, only this time, I DON'T know what's coming up, so progress has been slow and timid. I'm on the High Wall of Lothric, and the constant moans and from [initially] non-hostile mobs have me on a constant swivel. Oh, and the red-caped knight I died to about 10 times before finally killing for a measly 250 souls? Woulda been nice to know he respawns. The 3-4 estus limit makes exploring far from a bonfire stressful. I just reached the area after the rooftop where the mob turns into that huge amorphous, black monster (like Gundyr,) and see a bunch of dead knights in capes are strewn about an open area... *sigh* I can't right now.

I'm also noticing the controls are slightly less responsive than DS1. I've never been good at parrying, but even when I try (red-caped knight made me desperate,) there's like a half-second lag between input and action, same with shield raising, that, or the massive, stamina-draining combos a lot of the enemies have make my starting stamina amount a moot point.

That said, I am enjoying it, believe it or not; just need some breathing room in the form of more flasks, health and stamina.

If it makes you feel any better, the Lothic Knights(The Red Caped ones) are elite mooks for much, if not all, of the game(though they're more or less confined to Lothric Castle. Don't worry, you'll meet other types who fill the same role). In the early game they're best avoided if at all possible. You run into them early because FROM wants you to suffer(I assume this is the same reason there's so many swamps in the game, most of them filled with GIANT ENEMY CRABS).

Yeah, I tried parrying the damn Lothric Knights. I tried to get back into Parrying in general for this game after more or less ignoring it the last two games(I got decent in bloodborne) but then I remembered I'm much better at just blocking and/or avoiding then I am at parrying even on a good day, so I'm back to more or less ignoring the idea parrying is even a thing because I just cannot get it down. Though I keep thinking at some point I'm gonna run across a boss I have to learn how to parry to beat the fucker and then I'm gonna be in a world of pain but so far I've done pretty well using dodging, blocking, a little pyromancy and the occasional summon.

Ironically, I got through Sekiro but Sekiro is rather generous on it's deflect and you can always just spam the deflect and it still more or less works.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

If it makes you feel any better, the Lothic Knights(The Red Caped ones) are elite mooks for much, if not all, of the game(though they're more or less confined to Lothric Castle. Don't worry, you'll meet other types who fill the same role). In the early game they're best avoided if at all possible. You run into them early because FROM wants you to suffer(I assume this is the same reason there's so many swamps in the game, most of them filled with GIANT ENEMY CRABS).

Yeah, I tried parrying the damn Lothric Knights. I tried to get back into Parrying in general for this game after more or less ignoring it the last two games(I got decent in bloodborne) but then I remembered I'm much better at just blocking and/or avoiding then I am at parrying even on a good day, so I'm back to more or less ignoring the idea parrying is even a thing because I just cannot get it down. Though I keep thinking at some point I'm gonna run across a boss I have to learn how to parry to beat the fucker and then I'm gonna be in a world of pain but so far I've done pretty well using dodging, blocking, a little pyromancy and the occasional summon.

Ironically, I got through Sekiro but Sekiro is rather generous on it's deflect and you can always just spam the deflect and it still more or less works.

it doesn't help that the parry window in every souls game is totally different so you have to completely retrain your muscle memory from game to game to do the proper parry timing.

I find the parry timing in Demon's Souls to be the easiest and Dark Souls 2 to be the most awkward.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

If it makes you feel any better, the Lothic Knights(The Red Caped ones) are elite mooks for much, if not all, of the game(though they're more or less confined to Lothric Castle. Don't worry, you'll meet other types who fill the same role). In the early game they're best avoided if at all possible. You run into them early because FROM wants you to suffer(I assume this is the same reason there's so many swamps in the game, most of them filled with GIANT ENEMY CRABS).

Yeah, I tried parrying the damn Lothric Knights. I tried to get back into Parrying in general for this game after more or less ignoring it the last two games(I got decent in bloodborne) but then I remembered I'm much better at just blocking and/or avoiding then I am at parrying even on a good day, so I'm back to more or less ignoring the idea parrying is even a thing because I just cannot get it down. Though I keep thinking at some point I'm gonna run across a boss I have to learn how to parry to beat the fucker and then I'm gonna be in a world of pain but so far I've done pretty well using dodging, blocking, a little pyromancy and the occasional summon.

Ironically, I got through Sekiro but Sekiro is rather generous on it's deflect and you can always just spam the deflect and it still more or less works.

it doesn't help that the parry window in every souls game is totally different so you have to completely retrain your muscle memory from game to game to do the proper parry timing.

I find the parry timing in Demon's Souls to be the easiest and Dark Souls 2 to be the most awkward.

Yeah there were very few normal encounters in DS3 I bothered parrying. Only really tried the knights a few times to experiment, and rarely attempted parrying any bosses as it was met with less success than staggering them. This discussion made me curious though and I just found an old Reddit post that linked this video, which is both impressive and humbling -


Also, it kinda looks like he's playing as an unkindled Lara Croft.