What are you currently playing?

[meiam]

Um, what?

You can pull a "technically" and say that the Prime Evils have lost against humans in a sense, but that's one hell (no pun intended) of a technically. Dark Exile? Sure, the Prime Evils were each imprisoned, but all of these things ended up furthering their aims (e.g. Mephisto corrupts all of Zakarum), and that was after centuries of carnage. D1? Sure, Diablo is defeated 'technically,' but at the cost of the heroes' sanity, plus all of Tristram. D2? Sure, each Prime Evil is defeated in a sense, but it avails humanity nothing but a short repreive. D3? Yes, Diablo is defeated at the end of vanilla, but that's rendered moot by the end of Reaper of Souls. The entire thematic throughline with the Prime Evils (heck, Hell itself) is that they can't be defeated, that all you can do is buy yourself time, effectively. Every attempt to even seal the Prime Evils in soulstones has ended in disaster.

Even in the scope of D4 itself and nothing else, the Prime Evils have "won," at least in the long term. As I understand, it's one of the key drivers for Elias's motivations. Eventually, the Prime Evils will return, and when they do, there's nothing to stop them. Mephisto (as the Bloodied Wolf) outright states that he liked the world as it was (bleak, shattered hellscape) before Lilith turned up. Lilith is the threat to Mephisto, humans are nothing more than playthings sans their nephalem birthright, and that seems to have faded into the background).



I'm assuming this is based on POD-theory; as in, you're entertaining a hypothetical that would have to emerge from the ending of ROS, since none of that is true in D4 itself, or in anything between D3 and D4. Humanity lost 50-90% of its number by the end of ROS, there's nothing in-game (that I've seen) to suggest that technology has improved. If you want to suggest that's how the story should have gone, okay, sure, that's a different issue, but there's no way D4 could exist as is if it did. You'd need a completely different game for it.



Alright, seriously, what's wrong with Neyrelle?



Eh, could work. That being said, that comes more off as a repeat of Reaper of Souls.

I'm not following the actual diablo plot, I'm just saying it would be more interesting than what we actually got, which was just a big "congratulation, nothing you did accomplished anything". Convincing a prime evil would at least be threading new ground.

As far as Neyrelle, none of your ally are ever useful and all they ever do is just weight you down the entire game. Ironically the only ally that's ever actually useful is Mephisto, hence why he's the only character I actually liked in the game.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

I finished off Arizona Sunshine, and boy howdy does it really start falling apart in the final third, in both a technical (lighting glitches, level navigation problems) and design (abrupt, uninspired ending) sense. It's a shame, because it followed a really tense and interesting section in a pitch-black disused mine and I was hoping that it could finish just as strong.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

Just finished Death's Door, I rate it a strong 8/10 (due to how the combat never really evolved but everything else is superb), and I'll most likely give that Quake 2 remake a shot next

It's my favorite game I played this year, even though it was a replay, and even with all these huge beloved games that came out this year, some of which I played.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

Loving Armored Core VI. The franchise that truly deserves the abbreviation, AC. From Software happily delivered on old-school, PS2 style, hot mech on mech action, mixed with plenty of new school. I am still on Chapter 1, but I am probably near the end of it. I do the training missions to get free stuff and upgrades that are better than what's sold at the shop.

While downloading AC VI at the time, I did some more boss replays in NMH III. The night before that, I upgraded the rest of Travis's stats and attributes, getting the trophy for it. I do find it weird this game is on XBOX ONE & SERIES and PS4/PS5, but neither are the first two games. Travis Strikes Again is on their respective digital stores, but neither 1 nor 2. Grasshopper and Suda should really get on that for those that care about the story, and don't have a Wii, Switch, nor don't play on Steam.

I'm glad you're enjoying it

 

[BrawlMan]

Although, even the story of the Diablo franchise probably makes more sense than Killer 7.

Most things are, but I find Killer 7 more interesting than whatever is going on in D4.

 

[Hawki]

As far as Neyrelle, none of your ally are ever useful and all they ever do is just weight you down the entire game. Ironically the only ally that's ever actually useful is Mephisto, hence why he's the only character I actually liked in the game.

Um, okay...

Sorry, I just can't reconcile that with my own experience (up to Act III). From a gameplay standpoint, I can't think of any time thus far when a character has weighed me down. While it's true that characters like Neyrelle don't do that much in combat, they still have status effects and the like - it's completely minor, sure, but nothing is lost from their presence.

From a narrative standpoint, again, not sure where. Mephisto helps the Wanderer at least twice in the Horadric Vault and Mount Civo (and I've written plenty about him on this thread), but he's hardly the only person to help the Wanderer - Lorath and Neyrelle both aid the Wanderer in the story, and the Wanderer wouldn't even have a bearing without the former.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

Nothing.

Burnt out on games, so it goes- I increasingly need to take longer breaks between games and be more selective in my gaming. My reflexes are slow, my patience is thin.

I was on the fence about Baldur's Gate 3 and Lies of P because they look amazing but I just see myself being so frustrated and I don't wanna. Same with the upcoming Lords of the Fallen.

I'm going back to treating games the way I treat movies, where instead of asking "what should I play next?" I'll just wait until something strongly catches my interest. And I was considering some of the older games, retro stuff, but I also kind of don't want to.

The remaining games of 2023 that interest me are Cocoon (will wait for reviews, it it's as awesome as its promise), Jusant (same), and the two big games I know I'll play are AC: Mirage and Spiderman 2.

 

[Chimpzy]

Yesterday I finished Red Steel 2, and with that done, the number of games in my backlog is single digits for the first time since I started tracking it ten year ago.

 

[BrawlMan]

Yesterday I finished Red Steel 2, and with that done, the number of games in my backlog is single digits for the first time since I started tracking it ten year ago.

I actually have a copy I got for cheap I still have not put in yet. I know it's definitely better than the first game but how did you feel about it overall? I know motion controls work fine, but if Ubisoft did re-release the game in HD with regular controls as an option, I would play it. I do know the game is the best first person shooter and hack and slash on the Wii console. Not that there's much competition on the first person side anyway.

 

[Chimpzy]

I actually have a copy I got for cheap I still have not put in yet. I know it's definitely better than the first game but how did you feel about it overall? I know motion controls work fine, but if Ubisoft did re-release the game in HD with regular controls as an option, I would play it.

When it works properly, it's quite fun. When it doesn't tho, it's a janky mess. And it doesn't work properly quite often. My main issue is that the two main forms of gameplay, shooting and melee, kind of work against each other. One requires steady deliberate aim of the wiimote, the other fast and wide movements. So combining them in combat doesn't flow well and is the source of most of the jank I experienced.

For example, I'm shooting a charging enemy and want to switch to melee when he's close. So I swing the wiimote. But because my swing wasn't wide and fast enough, I instead turn away from the enemy because I put the crosshair near the edge of the screen (which is how you turn). The reverse is also true, and quickly popping a shot off after meleeing is really hard, because after having swung a few times you pretty much always lose track of where the crosshair is on the screen and you waste time finding it so you can recenter. There is an automatic lock on system which mitigates these problems, but only really when you're fighting a single enemy. When there's multiple enemies, it just likes to prioritize whatever, usually not what I want it to.

Also sometimes the motion controls start wigging out randomly.

I do know the game is the best first person shooter and hack and slash on the Wii console. Not that there's much competition on the first person side anyway.

I give it to Metroid Prime Trilogy. Uses the same aiming method, but keeps all other waggle to a minimum. Also, just way better overall games.

 

[BrawlMan]

When it works properly, it's quite fun. When it doesn't tho, it's a janky mess. And it doesn't work properly quite often. My main issue is that the two main forms of gameplay, shooting and melee, kind of work against each other. One requires steady deliberate aim of the wiimote, the other fast and wide movements. So combining them in combat doesn't flow well and is the source of most of the jank I experienced.

For example, I'm shooting a charging enemy and want to switch to melee when he's close. So I swing the wiimote. But because my swing wasn't wide and fast enough, I instead turn away from the enemy because I put the crosshair near the edge of the screen (which is how you turn). The reverse is also true, and quickly popping a shot off after meleeing is really hard, because after having swung a few times you pretty much always lose track of where the crosshair is on the screen and you waste time finding it so you can recenter. There is an automatic lock on system which mitigates these problems, but only really when you're fighting a single enemy. When there's multiple enemies, it just likes to prioritize whatever, usually not what I want it to.

In that case, I might just trade it in later for something else.

I give it to Metroid Prime Trilogy. Uses the same aiming method, but keeps all other waggle to a minimum. Also, just way better overall games.

That's not a fair comparison. Metroid Prime is in the league of its own. Note, how I said FPS and hack n slash, but not FPS only. Also, I know there are people who don't like the Wii version of the Metroid Prime Trilogy, because there's no options or just regular controls. Because Nintendo had it in their mind at people would get "used to it" and it's a non-issue.

Though even in the hack and slash apartment, Red Steel 2 is beaten by several games released on the Wii from that genre. At least the game is functional and works most of the time compared to the first entry. I remember doing the early Wii days, that Red Steel and No More Heroes would be sold as a double pack at GameStops for about a few months. There was no way in hell I would ever pay a good game just have a bad one attached to it.

 

[Chimpzy]

In that case, I might just trade it in later for something else.

Like I said, it does have its moments, both in a good and bad sense. The shooting is pretty fun if you don't mix it with melee, and the melee works reasonably well when fighting a single enemy so the lock-on works properly. So I think a lot of its problems could be fixed if regular stages were just pure shooter. And melee was just for bosses, since those are one on one duels, they block most shots anyway, and have enough endurance and tricks so you actually need to engage with the melee mechanics beyond just spamming heavy slashes and the occasional dodge.

 

[Silvanus]

Finished (and platinum'd] Thymesia, and finished Celeste (though not the postgame Core level, and only 2 crystal hearts as yet).

Now playing Blasphemous 2. Just beat Benedicta, and I think I'm about halfway through. It's excellent so far, though the bosses are a little less spectacular visually than those in the first game (except for Radamés).

 

[Drathnoxis]

Yesterday I finished Red Steel 2, and with that done, the number of games in my backlog is single digits for the first time since I started tracking it ten year ago.

Red Steel 2 is the game that led me to the Escapist. Very nostalgic.

In that case, I might just trade it in later for something else.

It probably has the best use of motion controls for sword fighting that exists on the Wii. Far better than Skyward Sword. It's not a long game, and it's not bad either, you should just play it.

 

[BrawlMan]

Red Steel 2 is the game that led me to the Escapist. Very nostalgic.

We know, you mentioned in the wasted plotline/characters thread.

It probably has the best use of motion controls for sword fighting that exists on the Wii.

From a first person perspective and compared to its prequel, but No More Heroes 1 & 2 beats it in that department. Even Oneechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers. An action combat game with the best motion controls will always be MadWorld.

It's not a long game, and it's not bad either, you should just play it.

If I have the time, because right now my gaming schedule is busy and my life is busy. I know the game ain't long, but I got too much lining up right now. Still dealing with Armored Core 6. I make no promises.

 

[Drathnoxis]

We know, you mentioned in the wasted plotline/characters thread.

Ok, jeez. Sorry for repeating myself every 3 years or so.

From a first person perspective and compared to its prequel, but No More Heroes 1 & 2 beats it in that department. Even Oneechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers. An action combat game with the best motion controls will always be MadWorld.

Are you joking? No More Heroes didn't even use the Wii Motion Plus. The motion controls could have been replaced with a button input, same as basically every other Wii game that didn't use the Motion Plus. Also you haven't even played the game so how do you even make that judgement?

 

[BrawlMan]

Ok, jeez. Sorry for repeating myself every 3 years or so.

No apologies necessary. I just wanted to let you know, that I have not forgotten.

Are you joking? No More Heroes didn't even use the Wii Motion Plus. The motion controls could have been replaced with a button input, same as basically every other Wii game that didn't use the Motion Plus. Also you haven't even played the game so how do you even make that judgement?

So? Not many games used the Motion Plus on Wii. A very select few even did so. I know the game improves with the most control plus, but I'm not going on my way to buy that just to make the experience better. I never once had any problems with the most controls on No More Heroes in general. The worst with mad world was that sometimes if you didn't put vertical inputs correctly when it came to a qte. But that only happened if you turned your Wiimote horizontally and then go vertically straight down.

For the record, I did play a little bit of Red Steel 2 at a friend's during college at launch, but that was for about 30 minutes. So I know it's been a long time. I never said the game had horrible motion controls nor trash, but as @Chimpzy pointed out, it does have issues or issues with targeting. That is more so the game's lock on in that case. And I'm only going by what I've experienced so far. I played a lot of Wii games, but as far as I experienced MadWorld and No More Heroes are the best when it comes to motion controls in melee action combat games. If you think otherwise, that is your opinion, and I won't hold it against you. I know you've played No More Heroes, but I don't know if you ever played MadWorld. I'm assuming that's a no. Like I said before, I make no promises. I know it's a good game, but I already got a busy schedule. I'll make time, if I can.

 

[Dalisclock]

Finally finished Act 4 of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous.

Interestingly, act 4 does a change of pace by sending you to Hell. Or more specifically, the Abyss, the Chaotic Evil version of hell. It's handled interestingly in that you spend pretty much the entire chapter in and around one city there, which actually has been promoted by it's ruler as a trade and "tourist" destination, thus a reason why you can walk around without being attacked every minute, because guests are tolerated. That doesn't mean you won't be occasionally jumped by random demons, but it's treated as street crime because there's no law to speak of. Rather, the rules are generally 'There are no rules" but that also means everyone is generally wary of everyone else and generally either trying to attain more power and/or scheming against each other. In one instance you have to search out a beggar who was once a high ranking demon and actually ran the city for a while before being overthrown by the current leader. Which admittedly must be really shitty for him, to fall from "Living in a palace and running a part of hell" to "Begging for scraps in the gutter, deprived of any wealth, power or influence". OTOH, guy is a demon and it's hard to feel sympathy for him since demons don't show any empathy or kindness towards anyone.

Much of the action in act 4 is you trying to get an invite to talk to to the leader of this particular abyssal city and she won't talk to nobodies, so you need to build a reputation by either killing somebodies, working with demons in their schemes against other demons(often to kill them) or just causing a ruckus. And it's interesting, at least conceptually, of watching the different demons playing off each other and trying to use you as a pawn in their schemes. Amusingly, a number of them know you're the commander of the crusade killing so many of their brethren but in general they don't really care much because demons only care for themselves and other demons getting slaughtered in another world is either treated as "not my problem" or "good, less competition for me". It's been implied before that if Demons could work together for more then a few minutes they could conquer entire worlds but demons are so chaotic evil that cooperation with other demons never lasts long enough to matter much. It's even stated that the leader of this city has no particular stake in the crusade that takes up most of the game and none of her forces are involved in the fighting. At best, she allows another demon lord, Baphomet(who looks like the traditionally goaty depiction of Satan), to use her realm to move armies through but she also is more then happy to stab him in the back the moment she gets the opportunity because fuck that guy. Essentially, the whole chapter has a "What if game of thrones in hell?" vibe.

So it's quite an interesting side trip. Also notable that to reflect the chaotic nature of the abyss, the camera rotation feature of the map actually changes the landscape of the map in certain places, so rotating the camera to find new areas or link certain areas is required. And this is the only part of the game this really matters.

 

[XsjadoBlayde]

Construction Simulator. Not playing it though, it's playing me. For the last year or more, it's been sporadically sending the same PSN notification that's it's 'now available look bro you wishlisted this.' - Ok, thanks. It's just, i did not wishlist this. Also am pretty sure it came out ages ago, and not, like, over a dozen times within this anecdotal timeframe. Did assume it would stop eventually. Yet it persists to this day. The construction simulator just-released notification is part of my life now.

 

[Drathnoxis]

No apologies necessary. I just wanted to let you know, that I have not forgotten.


So? Not many games used the Motion Plus on Wii. A very select few even did so. I know the game improves with the most control plus, but I'm not going on my way to buy that just to make the experience better. I never once had any problems with the most controls on No More Heroes in general. The worst with mad world was that sometimes if you didn't put vertical inputs correctly when it came to a qte. But that only happened if you turned your Wiimote horizontally and then go vertically straight down.

For the record, I did play a little bit of Red Steel 2 at a friend's during college at launch, but that was for about 30 minutes. So I know it's been a long time. I never said the game had horrible motion controls nor trash, but as @Chimpzy pointed out, it does have issues or issues with targeting. That is more so the game's lock on in that case. And I'm only going by what I've experienced so far. I played a lot of Wii games, but as far as I experienced MadWorld and No More Heroes are the best when it comes to motion controls in melee action combat games. If you think otherwise, that is your opinion, and I won't hold it against you. I know you've played No More Heroes, but I don't know if you ever played MadWorld. I'm assuming that's a no. Like I said before, I make no promises. I know it's a good game, but I already got a busy schedule. I'll make time, if I can.

If you don't have a Wii Motion Plus you may as well not even bother playing the game. The use of one to one motion controls is the entire point of the game and if you don't have it you are essentially playing with a broken controller.