What are you currently playing?

[FakeSympathy]

Space Marine 2, pretty cool so far, even thought it plays kinda awkward. Like, the ranged combat feels really good, but considering the enemies you're facing, they will always be in melee range and dealing with ranged/melee is tricky. Plus, while shooting feels really good, your shots don't really stun enemies so you have to shoot, dodge then shoot against ranged attackers or take damage. Initially I had a lot of technical issues with it. Mouse pointer would cause huge lag, game crashed, etc. But that was all resolved by rebooting and installing new graphics drivers. So yeah, pretty cool, even though it does have its issues.

Pretty much have to agree. I am playing on the hardest difficulty, and I'm starting to these missions were designed to be played in co-op. This is especially clear in near the end of the first mission, where some objectives are spread apart and clearly designed for multiple players to tackle them. The companion AIs are really dumb.

Also, those Zoanthrope can go fuck themselves; I don't understand why they take so much ammo to kill. If they are supposed to be designed as a support unit to the rest of the tyranids and tend to stay on the backside, doesn't it make sense for them to be squishy? IDK, maybe it's a difficulty thing.

Playing operations is pretty fun, because they have the side-story narrative of their own. Love how you can customize your armor sets, with all colors available to earn via gameplay. It's kinda sad that stuff like this is being celebrated when it used to be a common thing in the past, but now restricted with those live-service, battle pass, "cosmetics do not affect gameplay" bullshit.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Got peer pressured by my friends into getting Space Marine 2 so we can coop together. It's pretty fun so far, and one of my friends is a huge Warhammer nerd so we're getting all the backstory.

Pretty much have to agree. I am playing on the hardest difficulty, and I'm starting to these missions were designed to be played in co-op. This is especially clear in near the end of the first mission, where some objectives are spread apart and clearly designed for multiple players to tackle them. The companion AIs are really dumb.

Also, those Zoanthrope can go fuck themselves; I don't understand why they take so much ammo to kill. If they are supposed to be designed as a support unit to the rest of the tyranids and tend to stay on the backside, doesn't it make sense for them to be squishy? IDK, maybe it's a difficulty thing.

Yeah I'm playing on the hardest difficulty as well, both by myself and with friends. While objectives are spread out, I feel like it's still best to be grouped together almost all the time so that if you go down your teammates can pick you back up. If you're all spread out trying to do the objectives at the same time you're way more vulnerable and likely to get overrun and then teammates won't be near you to pick you up. If any single member of the team dies you lose.

 

[Worgen]

Pretty much have to agree. I am playing on the hardest difficulty, and I'm starting to these missions were designed to be played in co-op. This is especially clear in near the end of the first mission, where some objectives are spread apart and clearly designed for multiple players to tackle them. The companion AIs are really dumb.

Also, those Zoanthrope can go fuck themselves; I don't understand why they take so much ammo to kill. If they are supposed to be designed as a support unit to the rest of the tyranids and tend to stay on the backside, doesn't it make sense for them to be squishy? IDK, maybe it's a difficulty thing.

Playing operations is pretty fun, because they have the side-story narrative of their own. Love how you can customize your armor sets, with all colors available to earn via gameplay. It's kinda sad that stuff like this is being celebrated when it used to be a common thing in the past, but now restricted with those live-service, battle pass, "cosmetics do not affect gameplay" bullshit.

They did need to rebalance the main campaign around single player. As you say, feels like it was designed around multi. I'm sure its plenty of fun multi, but I always go through games solo first.

 

[laggyteabag]

Basically finished up Dredge. It is a very low stakes and cozy game, but I wish there was more to it. The first hour of the game is more or less identical last, you're just more efficient. And the DLC so far is just more of the same. Its a fine game, but im not too sure why is caused such a fuss last year.

Otherwise, im currently playing Space Marine 2. Having just recently replaced the first game, this one is much prettier, gorier, and grander. Since switching to a controller, I'm having a lot more fun with it, but it does still feel kind of awkward to play. I think the main issue is that I feel like the character is very slow to react. Slow to turn, slow to dodge, slow to counter, and it means that I feel as though im taking a lot more damage than I feel like I should, because there feels like a constant delay before my character does something, because they're seemingly locked into whatever animation they were doing before.

 

[Worgen]

Finally finished chapter 2 in Darkest Dungeon 2. Holy crap, game is hard, pretty much ended up just burning the enemy to death, only had 2 survivors left.

 

[Summerstorm]

Well, i should really finished my Kingdom Come: Deliverance playthrough soon.... but i saw something about Starcom: Unknown Space, remembered that i have played and liked Starcom: Nexus a while back.

So i played an evening of Starcom: Nexus, and then bought the new Starcom. Haven't played it yet, but i expect it being pretty much the same.

It is a bit like a Star trek game (Only with more fighting). The highlight for me are the landing ops and the numerous techno-babble artifacts and anomalies. I would love to have more options with that. Usually it is just: Risking your landing team by exploring / communicating or leave. Sometimes a "rip it apart for science and supplies" or "leave it be, as we are peaceful explorers". But i really liked some ideas. Feels like classic exploration-sci-fi of yesteryear.


For example: Finding a planet covered in solar panels and Radio-Emitters (Which burst out data).
Team analyzes the transmissions: Finds that different data is sent into different directions -
1: Basic Math-Packages with instructions how to read and decrypt the language and following instructions.
2: Basic physics and informational packages on how to construct a computer and all needed pre-techs
3. A complex, encrypted AI-Computerprogram to load.

Team makes a virtual machine and let's the AI run there.
Conclusion: The AI will freely educate the "hosting species" and then automate ressource-gathering and industry for them afterwards - Then, if they are completely dependent, turn on them: take over all industry for itself, build energy-gathering and radio-transmission equipment to the max while wiping them out, and begin the cycle anew. The damn thing is galactic-society wide informational virus. Which infects civilizations instead of bodies or computers.
Also we are too smart for things like that - gain some insight and leave.

I like this. Could be a Next Generation episode. The game has loads of these + an intriguing idea with the big metaplot. Apparently in the second game instead of an "unknown galaxy" your ship will get sucked into a "parallel Universe". First game had some weird fun with that, so i will see if i can guess the twist with this one, hehe.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

Astrobot

It's cute, it's fun. I have nothing smart or important to add to all the coverage it's getting. It looks exactly like what it is, if you have a PS5 it would be actually silly to not play it at some point. It really feels like a PS+ game for like 3 years from now, and there's physical version so you'll be able to buy it real cheap in a couple years.

 

[Ezekiel]

All these shrines finished so far on this second playthrough years later, sixty hours, and still not one divine beast. Having all abilities from the start and no special items that open paths (because the map is too big for that) makes the "dungeons" and main story so boring. Much easier to get lost in than the stale GTA structure of the other modern open world games, though.

I also wish the look of Zelda was more consistent. The designs are all over the place (and time).

 

[BrawlMan]

I also wish the look of Zelda was more consistent. The designs are all over the place (and time).

Ironic, as that is Zelda's own form of consistency now. Like Double Dragon.

I've been bouncing back between Oneechanbara Z2 & Orgin, DMC5, and DmC 2013. I will be picking up Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn tomorrow for the physical copy. The Marvel Collection comes out digitally tomorrow. I am debating between getting it on Steam or PS5. I already have the physical version pre-ordered, but it won't come out until November.

 

[Summerstorm]

Well, i should really finished my Kingdom Come: Deliverance playthrough soon.... but i saw something about Starcom: Unknown Space, remembered that i have played and liked Starcom: Nexus a while back.

So i played an evening of Starcom: Nexus, and then bought the new Starcom. Haven't played it yet, but i expect it being pretty much the same.

It is a bit like a Star trek game (Only with more fighting). The highlight for me are the landing ops and the numerous techno-babble artifacts and anomalies. I would love to have more options with that. Usually it is just: Risking your landing team by exploring / communicating or leave. Sometimes a "rip it apart for science and supplies" or "leave it be, as we are peaceful explorers". But i really liked some ideas. Feels like classic exploration-sci-fi of yesteryear.


For example: Finding a planet covered in solar panels and Radio-Emitters (Which burst out data).
Team analyzes the transmissions: Finds that different data is sent into different directions -
1: Basic Math-Packages with instructions how to read and decrypt the language and following instructions.
2: Basic physics and informational packages on how to construct a computer and all needed pre-techs
3. A complex, encrypted AI-Computerprogram to load.

Team makes a virtual machine and let's the AI run there.
Conclusion: The AI will freely educate the "hosting species" and then automate ressource-gathering and industry for them afterwards - Then, if they are completely dependent, turn on them: take over all industry for itself, build energy-gathering and radio-transmission equipment to the max while wiping them out, and begin the cycle anew. The damn thing is galactic-society wide informational virus. Which infects civilizations instead of bodies or computers.
Also we are too smart for things like that - gain some insight and leave.

I like this. Could be a Next Generation episode. The game has loads of these + an intriguing idea with the big metaplot. Apparently in the second game instead of an "unknown galaxy" your ship will get sucked into a "parallel Universe". First game had some weird fun with that, so i will see if i can guess the twist with this one, hehe.

Ok, have played an evening of "Starcom: Unknown Space". As i suspected: More of the same, but clearly enhanced. Well made sequel i would say (so far).
Some enhancements with the controls. And one which feels weird: Autofire for small guns is aiming/firing in one buttonpush, so you mouse over the target, push the button and hold it. Moving the mouse re-aimes at the target, if you mouse to empty space the guns keep on the last target. Combined with firing your fixed guns by turning your ship (of course) it just feels weird to me.

The planet-side missions have some -reused art assets. They are still mostly super-linear and very short, BUT since you know have named officers with skill-ranks you now have sometimes a skillroll AND/OR an officer coming in with an additional insight/info. Pretty neat.

The ship-building is more in depth now. more modules, more parts, more options: added cooling/armoring/adjacency effects. Looks a bit better too.

Storywise i am not in it long enough. Seems a bit less mysterious big plot than the first. In the first you had these messages in the background radiation of the universe, timelines not matching up, gigantic machines interfering with fundamental forces or sleeping...waiting, aiming at apparently nothing. So far i "only" followed an "emissary" artificial comet-like probe to get sucked into a system with a giant ring-world and have indications of an religion being influenced by an ancient race. So let's see what happens there.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Just started Little Nightmares. About 45 minutes into it, and I must say, I am thus far very pleased. Certainly giving me the INSIDE vibe I've been craving and haven't sated since 2016, and at an appreciable level. Time will tell if it will leave the indelible impressions on me as INSIDE has done, but certainly happy to explore its mysteries for now.

One complaint, controlling the character in the, I dunno what you call it, 2.5D(?) can be a bit tricky. I've already died a few times just walking across the screen to have my character fall off a ledge because my left (East) input was registering slight left and down (East-South-East.) I'll get used to it, I just hope there aren't a lot of puzzles that require precision in that arena.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

I've been playing Windbound, a game I got for free on the Epic Game Store. It's a survival game based around the mechanic of sailing from island to island in a region and scavenging supplies to keep yourself going. The sailing itself is rather interesting, as you need to actually do things like tack into the wind when it's not at your back, but the survival aspect is both kind of bland and challenging, since the islands are very small (the largest I've seen can be run across in the span of a minute) and resources are very slow to replenish, and any region you leave can't be returned to, so there's pressure to keep moving.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Been on a bit of a return to love with Pokemon recently and decided to give Legends Arceus a go, since that game seemed to be the one I had the most interest in since... X & Y. Boy howdy, I SLEPT on this one big time. Maybe it just wasn't the right time until now to appreciate what it was going for and what they accomplished, but I feel it's easily the best the series has been in a long time.
I only wish GameFreak got more time to iron out the visuals and optimization, then it could've been absolutely incredible... But in the 20 hours I've played it so far (and am not even done the second area yet, I've been too busy completing the Pokedex to progress) I am having a blast and really hope Legends Z-A follows this design formula but with more

 

[BrawlMan]

I've been playing the Marvel vs. Capcom Collection! I already completed X-MEN versus Street Fighter. I chose Chun-Li and Rouge for arcade mode. I'm finished The Punisher. I played an arcade session of MvC2. My arcade run was Ruby Heart, Sakura, and Storm.

 

[Bartholen]

Been working my way through ME3 Legendary, finished the Omega DLC last night. Lost about 2 hours of progress at one point because I misremembered how the Citadel DLC works (you're locked into the story the moment you enter the apartment), which was super fucking dumb. The manner in which the DLC missions become available in Legendary Edition is IMO really badly done, because they completely mess with how they're supposed to be paced, and there's zero indication that they even are DLC for unfamiliar players. For example, Arrival in ME2, which was originally released well after everyone had presumably finished the game and thus was assumed would be the last thing everyone does in that game, is available right from the outset. Everything about it is clearly meant as a lead-in to ME3, but an unfamiliar player who hasn't looked up a guide might think it's an urgent mission and be slapped this weird one-off that seems to lead to and imply huge things, but is never brought up in the main game otherwise. Or Lair of the Shadow Broker: Liara is a fan favorite but not available in ME2 as a squadmate, so getting to have an adventure with her should feel like catching up with a friend after you've both been busy. But in ME2 you can just do it from the jump, which completely robs that payoff. /rant

ME3 itself elicits conflicted feelings in me. In some ways it's the best of the trilogy: the movement is slick, the combat is fast and furious, the leveling system is no doubt the best one in the trilogy. It has some amazing payoff moments: Tuchanka, Thane, Joker and EDI for example. From just how long you've been in this world by ME3 really makes it feel like hanging out with old friends, which I've come to realize is an almost complete anomaly in gaming: no other trilogy has yet achieved the same result. Only The Witcher games serve as a comparison point, but those games were drastically inconsistent compared to Mass Effect, and it took until Witcher 3 for the series to truly break into the mainstream.

But on the other hand signs that this was made under an impossible deadline are everywhere: the Citadel is the only recurring location other than Normandy you even can visit, most of the sidequests are boring fetch quests straight out of Dragon Age: Origins (though some of them do have some nice payoff, like the Rose of Illium follow-up), and the writing takes some dramatic dips at points (Kai Leng cough cough). The space exploration element is stripped down to the bonemarrow: In ME2 you had occasional small side missions peppered through the galaxy which incentivized exploring the different clusters. In ME3 that's completely gone, now it's just scanning planets. It's still great, but also painfully clear that this game had far greater ambitions than what it ended up being.

I've been playing mostly as a Renegade, and it's actually been really fun. The characterization of my femshep as a jaded, short-fused brute who's tired of everyone's shit is actually remarkably consistent, and Bioware clearly made an effort to make the Renegade/Paragon options more nuanced in ME3 insted of "cuddle kittens vs. eat kittens". I actually really enjoyed looking like a sith lord by the end of ME2, and I'm working towards that in ME3 currently. The emergent storytelling that comes from the para/rene divide is also really fun. My femshep treated Omega as pretty much a holiday with her hot asari friend with no red tape and no responsibilities.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Just finished Little Nightmares after just starting it yesterday. Short game, but well worth it. I love the art style, like something out of Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas, but very dark, macabre, and gross. One minute, it's whimsical, then the next, it's horrifying. And I really love the implicit storytelling, something I learned to loved with 2016's INSIDE. Not a single word is spoken in any known language as you journey from area to area in this weird, disgusting world, doing equally disgusting things, and with no idea why, where you're going, or what you're doing. It's just an experience; clearly everything makes sense to those in the world, but despite you controlling what happens, you're just an observer. Beautifully done.

Now to the negative: *ahem* pick a damn dimension and stick to it!!! If your camera is going to be a strictly limited to effectively 2D side-scrolling, having 3-dimensional capabilities and requirements is frustrating. There was a point where I was being chased, and had to run and jump and grab a hook; I must have died 10 times because despite my believing I was jumping towards the hook, the game registered me as jumping behind it or in front of it. Or being chased, and getting hung up on obstacles too far in the fore or background because I can't tell where the character is in relation to them. The 3D does give the game a charming, dollhouse-like feel, but mechanically and functionally, it was, at times, a... nightmare.

All in all, great game. Looking forward to Little Nightmares 2.

EDIT: Oh, and the achievements are janky as hell. Most are delayed, and I still haven't gotten the one for beating the last chapter. Did some research online, and some people are saying their achievements didn't pop until HOURS later.

 

[Chimpzy]

I don't know what to play. Got three options.

Blasphermous 2
Pentiment
Sin & Punishment: Star Successor

Whoever recommends something first 'wins'

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

I don't know what to play. Got three options.

Blasphermous 2
Pentiment
Sin & Punishment: Star Successor

Whoever recommends something first 'wins'

They all sound like sacrilegious fun. Might as well start top down.

 

[BrawlMan]

I don't know what to play. Got three options.

Blasphermous 2
Pentiment
Sin & Punishment: Star Successor

Whoever recommends something first 'wins'

I do recommend Sin & Punishment 2. A heads up that this game is really challenging.

 

[Chimpzy]

They all sound like sacrilegious fun. Might as well start top down.

Haha, yes, now that you mention it, there is a bit of a through-line in their titles.

I do recommend Sin & Punishment 2. A heads up that this game is really challenging.

Ok, very well, Sin & Punishment it is.