What are you currently playing?

[meiam]

I'm not sure where I am with FF12. I'm feeling like I may drop it, combat is a weird combination of fun, not fun and frustration, the job system just annoys me, the plot is interesting but kinda poorly told (really feels like this is the Japanese attempt at Shakespeare) I was kinda counting on FF12 keeping me occupied till Baldersgate 3 but with Ratchet and Clank coming to steam in a few days... I don't know.

The plot isn't poorly told, its just poor. There's actually two plots running parallel to each others that only very rarely and superficially intersect with each others. The writer know that and tries to pretend that they are just one plot, and that's where a lot of the problem comes from.

Depending on where you are it might be worth continuing, there's a point where the side content monster hunt really open up and I think that's the best part of the game.

 

[Worgen]

The plot isn't poorly told, its just poor. There's actually two plots running parallel to each others that only very rarely and superficially intersect with each others. The writer know that and tries to pretend that they are just one plot, and that's where a lot of the problem comes from.

Depending on where you are it might be worth continuing, there's a point where the side content monster hunt really open up and I think that's the best part of the game.

I'm at the point where I have to wander north to the capital or something. It does feel like you have the story of Ashe and the magicite then you have the empire stuff and they are both being told in separate rooms. I'm not sure I care about the monster hunt stuff, like I don't like that its so weird to manage threat so enemies just go for my ranged characters, plus it kinda feels like the best thing I could do is just redo all the jobs, have one white mage and everyone else is some kinda melee and that just kinda annoys me.

 

[BrawlMan]

DMC5 Special Edition - God it's so good! There are no load times at all! Turbo Mode makes things so much better!

 

[Specter Von Baren]

Well, I beat Gravity Circuit. Very good game. Has some good challenge in it without being to the level that the Mega Man X series could be and I liked the story, it's pretty unique for what it is. I recommend it.

 

[XsjadoBlayde]

Remnant 2. Wooblie bibblie boo.
Hold up, this might be like quite alright, a fabled improved sequel. I only got to some giant butterfly duo boss in the first game some while ago, so is not clear the precise quality of voice acting, dialogue and presentation back then. However, am kinda confident there's enough of a difference, from the mere desire to want to pay attention to everyone's bullshit this time round.

It's even pandering to creepy socially anxious losers like myself by committing to respectful offline play options - a new class with a doggo companion: who is what am assuming is the "revive buddy'" consolation gameplay mechanic in tricksy moments, smoother difficulty balancing, a legitimately interesting campaign with memorable enemy design/animations and attacks, varied bosses with different challenges, actual puzzles like real fucking puzzles where you gotta think n all that shit (wasn't prepared for last puzzle, feeling nice n comfortable late night sleepy unsoberness just before bed, the game pulled some kinda 5D chess challenge out its ass after 2 hours of not finding any combat, lol). I dunno, think I may have underestimated this one quite a bit for a live service type sequel to an ok game. Plus, lil hot take: this game has the most visually appealing version of the "soulsborne" bonfires.

Current issues are performance technical shortcomings hopefully incoming patches are planned for, like no motion blur toggle, iffy frame rate struggles and quirks, brief flashes occasionally between scene changes in some cutscenes, camera can't orbit during conversation (is a minor niggle, but I'm a swirly speaker, sorry!) and various other optimisation gaps. Oh and the options for character customisation are slim pickings indeed. Around 6 to 8 female voices and I swear they're all the same bloody American accent!

Some pics, might as well commit to this fucking shill post at this point...

Paws weren't meant to be there. Took screenshot for puzzle, but doggins just somehow bumbled onto same table.


This one talked like they hadn't found anyone else to tell dramatic stories to for millennia. The way this scene concludes was intriguing too. Not wantin to spoil. Vague allusion may still count: a choice, though basic, I still picked using a double bluff assumption which am already doubting lol



Got no context here, perhaps for the best.

 

[BrawlMan]

Been testing out RE2R, RE3R, and RE4R on the PS5. They all greatly benefit from free upgrade and resolution/framerate boost. I am not messing with raytracing at all. Not worth it. I'll more than likely do an RE3R playthrough again, considering, I have not touched the game since 2020.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Shovel Knight and really enjoying it. There's not a whole lot to the game but the passion invested in it really shows. It's fun and colorful and filled with personality.

As usual I have to extend my complaint about pitch-black levels simply not being very fun, especially in 1-hit-kill platformers.

 

[Worgen]

Shovel Knight and really enjoying it. There's not a whole lot to the game but the passion invested in it really shows. It's fun and colorful and filled with personality.

As usual I have to extend my complaint about pitch-black levels simply not being very fun, especially in 1-hit-kill platformers.

Wait, did you somehow get the edition that only has Shovel Knight? Cause they released a smash brothers type game, and 3 other full campaigns with other knights, there is a ton of Shovel Knight.

 

[Leg End]

Been testing out RE2R, RE3R, and RE4R on the PS5. They all greatly benefit from free upgrade and resolution/framerate boost. I am not messing with raytracing at all. Not worth it. I'll more than likely do an RE3R playthrough again, considering, I have not touched the game since 2020.

RT really fucks up the performance on 2R and 3R, but 4R especially after patches is pretty nifty with it. If you want to maintain a seriously rock-solid 60 and don't have VRR on your display though and wanna keep it on Resolution, yeah that ain't worth it.

 

[BrawlMan]

Finally got a chance to try Slice, Dice, and Rice. I tried to download the game on PS4 back around 2019, but a weird glitch refused the app to launch. I don't what caused it, but I got refund at the time. It works fine on PS5. It's basically 2.5D Bushido Blade meets Afro Samurai. In fact, next to No More Heroes 1 & 2, it's the best Afro Samurai game ever made. Mainly in terms of its visuals. Still a better Afro Samurai game than the actual one (decent), and especially compared to Kuma's Revenge (fucking trash!). I don't like how almost none of the main characters are available at the start, and you are forced to play the next character after beating story mode with the previous character. When it's multiplayer, all characters are there from the start. Why couldn't they do this from the start? I know it's a fighting game, but there was no reason to do this and only creates padding.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Wait, did you somehow get the edition that only has Shovel Knight? Cause they released a smash brothers type game, and 3 other full campaigns with other knights, there is a ton of Shovel Knight.

I bought Treasure Trove and I'm playing the Shovel of Hope main thing. I just call that Shovel Knight.

When I say that there isn't much to the game I mean in terms of gameplay (as in, how many different ways you have of solving a problem or fucking up). But maybe that's just me being in the early stages.

 

[Worgen]

I bought Treasure Trove and I'm playing the Shovel of Hope main thing. I just call that Shovel Knight.

When I say that there isn't much to the game I mean in terms of gameplay (as in, how many different ways you have of solving a problem or fucking up). But maybe that's just me being in the early stages.

You do unlock a good number of use items that help get past certain problems and you will find a few that you like to use.

 

[meiam]

I'm at the point where I have to wander north to the capital or something. It does feel like you have the story of Ashe and the magicite then you have the empire stuff and they are both being told in separate rooms. I'm not sure I care about the monster hunt stuff, like I don't like that its so weird to manage threat so enemies just go for my ranged characters, plus it kinda feels like the best thing I could do is just redo all the jobs, have one white mage and everyone else is some kinda melee and that just kinda annoys me.

If your not really into the hunt then there's not really that much more to look forward to, the Ashe plot gets pointlessly complicated from here, the empire side is decent but you just get a a few clips here and there.

 

[Specter Von Baren]

I bought Treasure Trove and I'm playing the Shovel of Hope main thing. I just call that Shovel Knight.

When I say that there isn't much to the game I mean in terms of gameplay (as in, how many different ways you have of solving a problem or fucking up). But maybe that's just me being in the early stages.

Yeah, I'd agree on that. Most of the abilities you get are pretty niche so they don't get used a ton in the OG Shovel Knight. Thought the game keeps the challenges you face pretty varied so that doesn't become a big problem other than making the rewards you get for exploring feel a little underwhelming.

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

Got back into Bloodstained: RotN this weekend and made some headway with a new manipulation. Cool. It was kinda by accident too because I didn’t realize when I acquired this item that it might’ve been used for that. Now I’m wondering where that one spot was that had another barrier that I can now move! Guess I should’ve taken advantage of the map marker feature, but that’s another thing I wasn’t even aware of until later.

Also a neat touch is when Miriam sits down at the piano and if you wait a bit performs the menu theme, including vocals. I was using the Carabosse familiar at the time and it’s like she was serenading it lol.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

Hiatus time. Burned out- both from games but also, it's just too hot (my living room, where I play, has no AC, and all this fossil fuel burning is melting our collective balls off).

Meanwhile, hype check: Starfield way down, kinda stopped caring, mostly just cause I don't wanna shoot stuff with guns, and the surprisingly the hype for Baldur's Gate 3 is up and up. I am not a D&D guy but may be I have been in one in my heart. The idea of hardcore nerd dice-rolling elves and sorcery nonsense is appealing.

 

[Worgen]

If your not really into the hunt then there's not really that much more to look forward to, the Ashe plot gets pointlessly complicated from here, the empire side is decent but you just get a a few clips here and there.

I mean, its Final Fantasy, the plot was doomed to go into nonsense sooner or later.

 

[meiam]

I mean, its Final Fantasy, the plot was doomed to go into nonsense sooner or later.

Hehe true, but even by FF standard it goes into real non sense territory, with a major plot point coming out of nowhere and then just being casually dropped off mid story.

 

[Worgen]

Hehe true, but even by FF standard it goes into real non sense territory, with a major plot point coming out of nowhere and then just being casually dropped off mid story.

Well, I already started up Anno Mutationem so, I suppose FF12 is truly dead to me.

 

[Drathnoxis]

Started Cult of the Lamb, it's got a pretty nice style but I'm not sure the gameplay really comes together. I've beaten the first Bishop playing on hard mode from the start, and since I've only died once (second run, really dumb mistake) I decided to bump the difficulty up to max. But now that I'm actually dying I'm starting to see some flaws. Mainly it's really kind of annoying to keep having to go back and manage the cult for 10 minutes after every failed run when I didn't get many resources and just want to try the dungeon again. Managing the cult just kind of feels like busywork actually, there isn't a lot of depth to it and there's too much 'hold down a button for 5 seconds at about 20 different spots'.