What are you currently playing?

[JUMBO PALACE]

Yes I'm pretty sure you are talking about the very little camp I was referring to. It's on the prison island right? Right around the very first area that you start in when you are given control of your character? The 3 people in the little tents, with that one female...I think it was a lizardkin? Tending to them? That's the spot where it happened for me, and I was just totally surprised by it. Happily surprised.

Ahh, I just realized I regurgitated the same story you told me. Sorry about the brain fart. I misread and thought you were talking about Divinity 1. There is a small aid station in the first town in that game and I thought that's what you were mentioning.

 

[happyninja42]

Ahh, I just realized I regurgitated the same story you told me. Sorry about the brain fart. I misread and thought you were talking about Divinity 1. There is a small aid station in the first town in that game and I thought that's what you were mentioning.

Nah, it was D:OS 2 that I played. Never played the first one. It's stuff like that, that is why I tend to play healer/support characters, sadly very rarely does the game actually account for the PC's having healing abilities in the script.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Finished Bastion

I enjoyed it. It's got a variety of mechanics that, without being super deep, go really well with each other. I love how efficient everything is. Stages are short, story is simple but the narration keeps it interesting without getting in the way of gameplay, in between levels you upgrade steadily the buildings/weapons/character and the game is more or less designed to end around the time you've uncovered all there is to it. I guess maybe it's too easy? I didn't die once - not even in the optional enemy wave dungeons with every possible modifier set against me.

 

[EvilRoy]

Finished up Control plus the 2 DLC. I won't say it lit my world aflame, but I did pay for DLC despite getting the base game for free so there was definitely something there.

The game itself is pretty neat in how they work SCP ideas into a relatively straightforward spook-zombie action setting. It suffers a bit in my mind though, by not getting into the individual SCP style items - there are a few really interesting situations/events that you go through, but otherwise a lot of the items are just treated as "catch the thing, do the thing, done" breakdowns. You deal with items as opponents that can be beaten as opposed to other SCP style games that treat the items more like obstructions/dangers. On one hand, that means you get to dig into the guts of a few particularly interesting items, on the other hand it kind of makes them all feel toothless. Sure that fridge probably just ate a dude, but I'm just going to pull my mind-meld trick and fight a thing and yay so its not really going to be a persistent or noteworthy threat for me in the same way it is for NPCs or in the same way it would be in a different SCP game. It also kind of reduces the impact of some of the writing. You find redacted files that discuss these individual items and how they were found/how much devastation they caused so at the start of the game I was getting kind of spooked at the thought of all the dangerous stuff I might get to interact with, but once you realize most things can be dealt with without significant personal danger it strips away the weight of many of the logs. Yeah it sucks that this magic xray box fucked up a whole hospital and killed a bunch of people, but I'm pretty much gonna waltz in without a second thought and slap it around a bit without breaking a sweat.

Gameplay wise its decent, but I feel it was probably more fun to play on console. The difficulty curve is kind of weird because the game expects you to aim pretty well at the start which is a little challenging on PC considering the small reticle and large environments pushing threats into the medium-long range territory. And then you get the ability to chuck shit at enemies and I basically stopped using the gun right then and the difficulty plummeted. Its a little frustrating too because by the end of the game even if I cared to use any of the five or so gun modes the damage output didn't justify it vs banging a forklift off the head of an opponent across the map. Even the dudes that can ostensibly dodge thrown shit can be caught off guard, and once is all it ever takes.

Still, the story was interesting and the characters were on average well written. It was worth the time and money for the DLC. If there's a sequel I'll probably play it but I'm hoping they go for it a bit harder on the spook factor items rather than bogging each level down with the same five or six enemy types over and over.

 

[meiam]

Finished up Control plus the 2 DLC. I won't say it lit my world aflame, but I did pay for DLC despite getting the base game for free so there was definitely something there.

The game itself is pretty neat in how they work SCP ideas into a relatively straightforward spook-zombie action setting. It suffers a bit in my mind though, by not getting into the individual SCP style items - there are a few really interesting situations/events that you go through, but otherwise a lot of the items are just treated as "catch the thing, do the thing, done" breakdowns. You deal with items as opponents that can be beaten as opposed to other SCP style games that treat the items more like obstructions/dangers. On one hand, that means you get to dig into the guts of a few particularly interesting items, on the other hand it kind of makes them all feel toothless. Sure that fridge probably just ate a dude, but I'm just going to pull my mind-meld trick and fight a thing and yay so its not really going to be a persistent or noteworthy threat for me in the same way it is for NPCs or in the same way it would be in a different SCP game. It also kind of reduces the impact of some of the writing. You find redacted files that discuss these individual items and how they were found/how much devastation they caused so at the start of the game I was getting kind of spooked at the thought of all the dangerous stuff I might get to interact with, but once you realize most things can be dealt with without significant personal danger it strips away the weight of many of the logs. Yeah it sucks that this magic xray box fucked up a whole hospital and killed a bunch of people, but I'm pretty much gonna waltz in without a second thought and slap it around a bit without breaking a sweat.

Gameplay wise its decent, but I feel it was probably more fun to play on console. The difficulty curve is kind of weird because the game expects you to aim pretty well at the start which is a little challenging on PC considering the small reticle and large environments pushing threats into the medium-long range territory. And then you get the ability to chuck shit at enemies and I basically stopped using the gun right then and the difficulty plummeted. Its a little frustrating too because by the end of the game even if I cared to use any of the five or so gun modes the damage output didn't justify it vs banging a forklift off the head of an opponent across the map. Even the dudes that can ostensibly dodge thrown shit can be caught off guard, and once is all it ever takes.

Still, the story was interesting and the characters were on average well written. It was worth the time and money for the DLC. If there's a sequel I'll probably play it but I'm hoping they go for it a bit harder on the spook factor items rather than bogging each level down with the same five or six enemy types over and over.

They already have a two game set in the control universe in development. But yeah the weird item stuff and the organisation aspect were the best part of the game and I kept getting annoyed that the game would constantly stear away from that for the rather mundane brother/sister story and just another fight against enemy I already killed a bunch.

As far as difficulty goes, its a bit hard to find details but the game seem to work with some kind of very aggressive enemy scaling based on your stats and possibly also based on how long ago you died. It results in some weird stuff, like for example you can try heavily investing into health and maybe die in 4 hits and then try teh same encounter but instead put no point into health and you'll still die in 4 hits. And yeah the gun is just there to use when you're waiting for your energy to recharge.

 

[BrawlMan]

I took the plunge and picked up Ninja Warriors: Once Again while waiting for my 'puter to get a new power source, and it's everything you hyped it up to be. I'm quite in love with the new fighting mechanics and wish more b-mups took cues. Thanks!

Who's your favorite character so far? Mines Yaksha and Ninja.

 

[happyninja42]

if I cared to use any of the five or so gun modes the damage output didn't justify it vs banging a forklift off the head of an opponent across the map..

 

[Worgen]

Started playing Sonic Mania, its fine. Well, really its better then fine, its super impressive with great animations and pixel work and pretty good levels. I'm just not into the weird sonic physics, feels so sluggish when you start moving and jumping on an incline is just so annoying. I'll probably finish it but I still don't really like any of the 2d Sonic games.

Also started playing AMID Evil on evil difficulty, few areas down, hard but not that bad so far. Not looking forward to the end game stages since those were hard on hard mode. I have RTX turned on but so far I'm not really noticing much difference aside from my gpu fan going nuts.

 

[BrawlMan]

Started playing Sonic Mania, its fine. Well, really its better then fine, its super impressive with great animations and pixel work and pretty good levels. I'm just not into the weird sonic physics, feels so sluggish when you start moving and jumping on an incline is just so annoying. I'll probably finish it but I still don't really like any of the 2d Sonic games.

I like Sonic Mania, but it does feel over hyped. The fact that Sega would not let the team do all original levels, falls far too much on nostalgia baiting. Sure, it's better most of Sonic Team's recent output, but it's not better most of the 2D Sonic games, nor Sonic Generations.

 

[Worgen]

I like Sonic Mania, but it does feel over hyped. The fact that Sega would not let the team do all original levels, falls far too much on nostalgia baiting. Sure, it's better most of Sonic Team's recent output, but it's not better most of the 2D Sonic games, nor Sonic Generations.

I don't know. I mean I don't think it would convert anyone, but I do think it is the game that the Sonic faithful were looking for. Then again this is the first Sonic 2d game I've really tried to get into in the last like 20 years. I suppose I should play generations, I did end up with a copy, just haven't really played it yet.

 

[BrawlMan]

I suppose I should play generations, I did end up with a copy, just haven't really played it yet.

See that you do. It's basically the best version of Sonic Unleashed without the Werehog levels, and Sonic Colors with out the Wisps (Aside from one level, and it's nowhere near as intrusive). It's the best 3D Modern Sonic Game.

 

[Worgen]

See that you do. It's basically the best version of Sonic Unleashed without the Werehog levels, and Sonic Colors with out the Wisps (Aside from one level, and it's nowhere near as intrusive). It's the best 3D Modern Sonic Game.

Hmm, well, next time I'm looking for a game to play and nothing is coming out, I'll give it a shot. Not sure when I'll get to it since Hedon 2 comes out soon and I'm working on like 4 games at the moment. Plus, I also have Sonic Team Racing to get to, it and Sonic mania were on super sale and I grabbed them both.

 

[BrawlMan]

Sonic Team Racing

It's average. Sonic All Star Transformed Racing is so much better and has all of the Sega characters.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I'm playing Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart.

Overall it's pretty fun. I mean, it's the usual R&C gameplay, so not much has changed. The shift dodge thing is a cool addition though, and on the hardest difficulty it's a total life saver. I do wish it was used better for platforming action.

Storywise... eh. As soon as this franchise started pushing for this corny child-friendliness with Tools of Destruction it sort of lost me. And Rift Apart is similarly designed to be as inoffensive to toddlers as ever. There's still a few funny moments here and there, and the enemy banter and "death noises" are pretty good, but the overall tone still gives me Disney Channel original movie vibes. Also, trying to go for legitimate world building with this series was a huge mistake.

On the bright side (narratively), the new character Rivet is pretty swell. She's quite charming, her design is very cute and colorful, and having her be voiced by Jennifer Hale is the ultimate cherry on top. You can even make her do the Carlton and Peanuts dance, for Christ's sake! Yeah, Rivet is adorable. I mean, she is sorta just Ratchet with different wallpaper, but after nearly 20 years that new wallpaper makes a big difference. I honestly wish the game was just all about her.

 

[Drathnoxis]

Coming back into Dragon Age 2, and yeah, I like it.

The first thing that I notice is just how snappy the combat feels. In DA:O, as a mage, I just vaguely wave my staff in the direction of an enemy, or use one of 3 animations for all of my spells. In 2, im spinning my staff around like a ninja, and fireballs explode the enemy's torsos. It really activates the 4 year old side of my brain. I know it sounds dumb, but I really cannot understate how dull it was visually, to play as a mage in DA:O.

That said, whilst I never really had an issue with it in previous playthroughs, it is quite frustrating to set up your party so that you have your melee characters in front, with your ranged companions in the back, only for a group of enemies to just appear out of thin air behind you - especially as they are coming from a path that you literally just cleared out.

Cooldown timers are also much longer, too. In DA:O, my Heal spell had a cooldown of 5s. In DA2, it is 40s. Fireball goes from 10s, to 20s. Winter's Grasp from 8s, to 20s. I definitely have to be much stingier with when I choose to use my abilities.

Otherwise, I really don't mind the changes to the dialogue. I like having a voiced protagonist - though it is always odd when the text says one thing, and your character says another - and having spent a significant amount of time with ME this year, the dialogue wheel feels right at home. Im not going to deny that it is a downgrade vs DA:O, but I really don't mind it.

Overall, there have been quite a few mechanical changes, which makes the game feel quite different. I am still enjoying it, though.

What class are you playing? Because the game is at its worst when playing as a mage. Not only do you need to put up with one of the whiniest characters in all of Bioware, but the game just falls apart narratively.

 

[Drathnoxis]

Been playing We Love Katamari recently. It's basically more of Katamari Damacy. It doesn't really take the concept in new and spectacular directions, it's just Katamari Damacy... again. Which is good because Katamari Damacy was really fun, but that's all it is. The original game really pushed the concept as it was, so I guess there really too much else they could do with it.

Worst part is I've had Katamari on the Rocks stuck in my head for like TWO WEEKS! Just like constantly playing whenever I'm not listening or watching something else. Whenever I'm at work I'm humming it. I'm starting to feel like that guy from the old Banana Phone flash animation.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Over the years I’ve become more or less convinced that people who don’t laugh or at least smile a bit watching MST3K have been cursed with the touch of satan running through their veins.

 

[happyninja42]

Over the years I’ve become more or less convinced that people who don’t laugh or at least smile a bit watching MST3K have been cursed with the touch of satan running through their veins.

Well then I'm 100% inoculated from the devil, because my humor is pretty much entirely based on that show. I grew up watching that as a kid and teenager.

 

[Hawki]

So I've started playing Resident Evil 6. And so far...really not a fan of it.

This isn't me being a purist or anything - I quite like RE5, and RE4 is still my favourite in the series. However, RE6 is, at least so far, lousy.

Playing through Leon's campaign, I'll give credit where it's due, it does manage to set up atmosphere, but what derps it is the control. Controlling the character's movement feels too fluid, but the shooting feels too stiff. RE2 Remake (and I guess the 3 remake) have left me spoiled when it comes to over-the-shoulder shooting against zombies, as RE6 feel archaic in how it handles it. I like how you can do physical attacks, but the direction is too finnicky to be that effective. Also, no shortage of QTEs...yay...

Also, as linear as hell. Which isn't a problem in of itself (RE4 and 5 were linear), but RE4 at least hid its linearity, if that makes sense. This, however? Yeah.

I might have been more forgiving if I played this before the RE2 and 3 remakes, but as is...yeah. Not a fan.

 

[Chimpzy]

I'm playing Dragon Quest VIII. 3DS version to be specific. Second game i've played in the series, after XI. It's at its core a very simple and basic game, full of cliches. There's a cursed princess, and a big bad, and a hero with a great destiny, and then an even bigger bad. But it presents all of it with such a straightforward earnestness and confidence that it becomes charming. It's jrpg comfort food with no pretences of being anything else.

Anyway, playing the 3DS version, meaning no random battles. Yay. Also, through the miracle of emulation, I can seriously cut down on the grind. Also, you get Red and Morrie as extra party members. They don't really get any extra dialogue and while they are included in cutscenes, they kind of just stand there.