What are you currently playing?
- Thread starter Nick Calandra
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- Apr 1, 2009
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- Whatever, just wash your hands.
I've been curious about that game, it always looked pretty cool, but also really involved.
- Apr 1, 2009
- 16,557
- 5,133
- 118
- Gender
- Whatever, just wash your hands.
It has a collection of mini game for various system so, but each are pretty simple. But its a roguelike, so your expected to get your ass kicked.
A little over 4 hours in, and I am loving Lost Soul Aside. The combat is a bit awkward, if you're used to paused DMC style combos. This game has them too, but you have the hold the heavy attack or light attack button to pull them off. I did some minor jank, but nothing game breaking so far. The game looks gorgeous, and plays good. I noticed camera does have some issues keeping with enemy attacks at times, but nothing on a constant basis. Parrying and dodging have somewhat strict timing, but if you're used to Bayonetta and DmC (2013)'s Witch Time and Demon Evade, then it will become second nature to you.
I don't know what people are going on about the English voice acting being bad. Ok, it's no Nier: Automata nor Asura's Wrath, but the voice acting is about as good as you expect for a game like this. The main guy who voices Kaser in the English Dub don't sound bad nor stilted at all. If anything, the dubbing reminds me of mid to late 2000s English dubbing of Japanese action games (the between decent and good ones) where most of the bosses or villains are hammy, and the hero is the one playing straight man to them and is partner, Arena Dragon. So far, those two have chemistry. The side character have voices that matches the characters and their respective personalities. Though Arena is by far my favorite of the cast, because of his sass, and even millennia old dragon can loses his stoicism/professionalism and its funny when he does.
I don't know what people are going on about the English voice acting being bad. Ok, it's no Nier: Automata nor Asura's Wrath, but the voice acting is about as good as you expect for a game like this. The main guy who voices Kaser in the English Dub don't sound bad nor stilted at all. If anything, the dubbing reminds me of mid to late 2000s English dubbing of Japanese action games (the between decent and good ones) where most of the bosses or villains are hammy, and the hero is the one playing straight man to them and is partner, Arena Dragon. So far, those two have chemistry. The side character have voices that matches the characters and their respective personalities. Though Arena is by far my favorite of the cast, because of his sass, and even millennia old dragon can loses his stoicism/professionalism and its funny when he does.
Sounds kinda like learning Dodge Offset in Bayonetta for the first time. Took me forever to work out that you have to be holding the attack button through the entire dodge animation to get it to work. Honestly I don't think I even used it at all in the first game.
Wanted something I could beat in four days before Silksong comes out that isn't just spending all my time playing Runescape, so I reinstalled Sonic Adventure DX to see if it's still as good as I remember it being 11 years ago. Potentially better, since I have the SA Mod Manager still installed from when I played SA2 and picked up a couple of mods to fix the lighting and etc.
It looks long, but considering how short all the stories after Sonic's are, I reckon I should be able to finish in time. If not, probably not worth worrying about; Sonic's the meat of the game anyway, and getting through that should give me a decent reminder how it stacks up to SA2.
It looks long, but considering how short all the stories after Sonic's are, I reckon I should be able to finish in time. If not, probably not worth worrying about; Sonic's the meat of the game anyway, and getting through that should give me a decent reminder how it stacks up to SA2.
Standards and tastes change with the times, something can be standard practice and normal for its time, but when looked back on through the lens of the future be considered bad.
Same thing applies to game design.
So, for example while I put up with the terrible boss runs in Demon's Souls back in 2010 when I first played it, looking back on it after having played Elden Ring I can say that it is a pretty horrendous experience.
Learning a boss' patterns and figuring out how to counter them is where the difficulty of a boss lies, not in wasting time running past enemies to get back to a boss' arena. It's especially annoying when your tries take less time than your run up to the boss.
I understand that, but here's my real point: Replaying 4-4 in Super Mario Bros because you misjudged your run under Bowser's jump and got squished is essentially the same thing as boss runbacks in Soulslike games. If you want to compare it to a specific long runback, you just ran out of lives and now you're back at 4-1. You just hear a lot more complaints about one than the other, even though it's essentially the same thing, and I don't think it solely comes down to more people playing Dark Souls in 2025 than Super Mario Bros. Even 'it's an older game, cut it some slack' doesn't really check out to me.
I have the Definitive Edition of MGSV on Steam. Haven’t played it since I platinumed it a few years ago, so I started with GZ as it’s been even longer since I 100%’d that.
First off, I’d have to boot up the PS4 version again to see how aiming feels, because Steam required using some Xbox extension to get my DualSense to work. I have the sensitivity up, but it doesn’t feel as smooth as I remembered.
Secondly, I was planning on just treating this like RDR2 on PC as a leisurely FA&FO game, but I don’t think it’ll work as well for that, unless I can bring myself to ignore the mission rankings (and let’s face it: most of this game revolves around the missions). I think playtime on this will boil down to the finding of my first point more than anything.
Also started Chrono Trigger on Steam for nostalgia and mostly because I never finished it, but we’ll see how long that lasts.
First off, I’d have to boot up the PS4 version again to see how aiming feels, because Steam required using some Xbox extension to get my DualSense to work. I have the sensitivity up, but it doesn’t feel as smooth as I remembered.
Secondly, I was planning on just treating this like RDR2 on PC as a leisurely FA&FO game, but I don’t think it’ll work as well for that, unless I can bring myself to ignore the mission rankings (and let’s face it: most of this game revolves around the missions). I think playtime on this will boil down to the finding of my first point more than anything.
Also started Chrono Trigger on Steam for nostalgia and mostly because I never finished it, but we’ll see how long that lasts.
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I don't mind the theory of corpse runs/walks of shame as workout to get pumped up and the flow going, kinda like Rocky sprinting up them stairs. But I will admit some of them get stupid. And the longer it takes to get back to the room vs. how short it takes to get curb stomped without having a meaningul go, the likelier I end up looking for a strategy guide.
Or simply not playing. I’ve done enough of that personally to have very little patience left.
I only do a few self imposed challenges.But nothing like iron man runs, where I have to start the entire thing over. Fuck that. I do appeal to some 1CC runs every now and then, for certain brawlers. Those usually are built with that in mind though. Even then it's something that I would never do again for certain games. Especially on their hardest difficulty. Final Vendetta.....
What's your point? Should all games be appealing to all players? I know that AAA tends toward yes, but it makes for bland samey games.
Call that missing the point and thank you for being the example. It's fine not every game is going to appeal for everyone, but at the same time, bullshit design should be and can be called out.
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Finished Sekiro. It was really good! I might even call it it the best Soulsborne I've played. Bloodborne probably has the best atmosphere, and Dark Souls has the best world design, but Sekiro definitely has the best combat. It might have the best melee combat out of any game I've played, ever! It was so fluid and needing to balance attacking, deflecting and dodging to work down an enemies posture worked great. I didn't make terrific use of the prosthetic tools, though, mostly just using the sword seemed the best. Movement was really good too, and the grappling hook was used well in both traversing the environment and fighting larger bosses.
The bosses in general were really fun to fight, especially the human ones. It probably has the toughest final boss that's been in one of these games yet. I spent a couple hours making it through the Demon of Hatred and thought there's no way that the final boss can be harder than that, but it actually was. The third phase in particular was brutal. I didn't love the corrupted monk ghost and the great ape fights, though. They had such a huge amount of health, and racking up posture damage before plinking it down to half with my butter knife was really tough. Maybe it was because I activated the Bell Demon probably as early as you can and left it on for the entire game, though I'm not sure how much harder that actually makes the game. When I got to Ashina Castle, I got a little turned around and didn't realize that I needed to go up the stairs, instead I thought I had come from there and went exploring the side areas like Senpou temple for hours before I ran out of paths and had to backtrack looking for where I was supposed to go.
I do kind of wish the strong attack warning would differentiate what kind of attack it is, though. On human enemies it's generally fine, and easy enough to tell whether it's a stab, a sweep, or a grab, but on some of the weirder looking enemies it's pretty tough to tell. I fought Demon of Hatred for an hour, using the crow feather to dodge the charge because nothing else worked, until I finally looked it up and it turns out it's a sweep and all you need to do is jump and you don't take any damage. Like that makes sense.
Also, I'm not too sure about the way revives work. Because you lose half your xp and money with no chance for recovery if you die for real, you pretty much need to run back to an idol every time you revive or risk losing everything. In practice it pretty much means you have a two way trip every time you die instead of the typical one way run back to recover your souls. Also, I'm not sure why you need to hold down a button to suck up money, what does this add to the game?
Also, I kind of hate how FromSoft design sidequests, needing you to go to random places constantly to progress them just sucks. The one that got me was I ran into an old woman that wanted me to "release" her father from the great carp's power. First it took me forever to figure out how to get to that part of the Fountainhead Palace. I spent a really long time trying to jump up from every angle before I finally found the grapple point in an area I never though would be connected. Then after meeting the father and giving the carp the special bait, it disappeared. Not finding it anywhere, and not having any more interactions available with him, I thought maybe the daughter just wants me to kill him. That would count as "releasing" and I didn't really have anything else to do. So I did, and she had nothing to say about it. It wasn't until hours later I found the carp's body in a completely unrelated area and got the whisker I was obviously supposed to give the father. Great, how was I supposed to know to look there? Why did bait transport the fish for no reason?
The story was also incomprehensible, but that's standard for Soulsborne and the games are more about atmosphere anyway. I have no idea who is on who's side, because I'm buddy buddy wish Isshin Ashina, but everybody in his castle attacks me on sight. Then later some dudes from the army ask me to help repell the ministry invaders, and then both sides still attack me on sight. I don't get it.
Overall, though these are minor complaints, and I think I'm actually going to play through again right away, which is very unusual for me.
Edit: I forgot to mention how much I hate it when you are fighting multiple enemies at once. I had to fight the evil doctor and the modified samurai at the same time and it took like 15 minutes of hit and run tactics on my successful attempt. That was the worst, but it's never fun.
The bosses in general were really fun to fight, especially the human ones. It probably has the toughest final boss that's been in one of these games yet. I spent a couple hours making it through the Demon of Hatred and thought there's no way that the final boss can be harder than that, but it actually was. The third phase in particular was brutal. I didn't love the corrupted monk ghost and the great ape fights, though. They had such a huge amount of health, and racking up posture damage before plinking it down to half with my butter knife was really tough. Maybe it was because I activated the Bell Demon probably as early as you can and left it on for the entire game, though I'm not sure how much harder that actually makes the game. When I got to Ashina Castle, I got a little turned around and didn't realize that I needed to go up the stairs, instead I thought I had come from there and went exploring the side areas like Senpou temple for hours before I ran out of paths and had to backtrack looking for where I was supposed to go.
I do kind of wish the strong attack warning would differentiate what kind of attack it is, though. On human enemies it's generally fine, and easy enough to tell whether it's a stab, a sweep, or a grab, but on some of the weirder looking enemies it's pretty tough to tell. I fought Demon of Hatred for an hour, using the crow feather to dodge the charge because nothing else worked, until I finally looked it up and it turns out it's a sweep and all you need to do is jump and you don't take any damage. Like that makes sense.
Also, I'm not too sure about the way revives work. Because you lose half your xp and money with no chance for recovery if you die for real, you pretty much need to run back to an idol every time you revive or risk losing everything. In practice it pretty much means you have a two way trip every time you die instead of the typical one way run back to recover your souls. Also, I'm not sure why you need to hold down a button to suck up money, what does this add to the game?
Also, I kind of hate how FromSoft design sidequests, needing you to go to random places constantly to progress them just sucks. The one that got me was I ran into an old woman that wanted me to "release" her father from the great carp's power. First it took me forever to figure out how to get to that part of the Fountainhead Palace. I spent a really long time trying to jump up from every angle before I finally found the grapple point in an area I never though would be connected. Then after meeting the father and giving the carp the special bait, it disappeared. Not finding it anywhere, and not having any more interactions available with him, I thought maybe the daughter just wants me to kill him. That would count as "releasing" and I didn't really have anything else to do. So I did, and she had nothing to say about it. It wasn't until hours later I found the carp's body in a completely unrelated area and got the whisker I was obviously supposed to give the father. Great, how was I supposed to know to look there? Why did bait transport the fish for no reason?
The story was also incomprehensible, but that's standard for Soulsborne and the games are more about atmosphere anyway. I have no idea who is on who's side, because I'm buddy buddy wish Isshin Ashina, but everybody in his castle attacks me on sight. Then later some dudes from the army ask me to help repell the ministry invaders, and then both sides still attack me on sight. I don't get it.
Overall, though these are minor complaints, and I think I'm actually going to play through again right away, which is very unusual for me.
Edit: I forgot to mention how much I hate it when you are fighting multiple enemies at once. I had to fight the evil doctor and the modified samurai at the same time and it took like 15 minutes of hit and run tactics on my successful attempt. That was the worst, but it's never fun.
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Should games only appeal to the absolute most hardcore players? See, I can make up weird arguments too.
Getting the hang of the comeback. How you switch between weapons is very DmCish, so Max Dood was not far off the mark. Currently on the third major chapter. I've been rocking Kaser's OG outfit from the first teaser trailer I got via pre-order bonus. It looks so much better.
The game series that already appeal to those hardcore players should be made to appeal to those hardcore players without being watered down for mass appeal, yes.
And I wasn't making up an argument, it's hard to see what you are trying to get at when your argument is highlighting a word I specifically chose to include and nothing else.
Still riding the Pipistrello wave. 17-18 hours, 80% on the file. Game's a blast.
I really dig the game's unique mechanic about going into debt whenever you purchase an upgrade, which effectively depowers you by X amount of hearts, health pickups, attack points and/or badge slots until you rack up a certain amount of money. Back in the day Yahtzee would tout the idea for a Metroidvania where you lose powers by way of progress, and this is as close to that concept as I've experienced yet. You're essentially going into challenge mode with every upgrade.
I'm also very fond of the yoyo moveset and all the different ways you can combo around a puzzle room or obstacle course. With every new skill being tied to your yoyo you end up with some pretty novel variations of the usual abilities.
The game even nails that bubble wrap catharsis of just breaking crates and hoovering up coins and bouncing against pinball pads. Everything feels exactly right.
I really dig the game's unique mechanic about going into debt whenever you purchase an upgrade, which effectively depowers you by X amount of hearts, health pickups, attack points and/or badge slots until you rack up a certain amount of money. Back in the day Yahtzee would tout the idea for a Metroidvania where you lose powers by way of progress, and this is as close to that concept as I've experienced yet. You're essentially going into challenge mode with every upgrade.
I'm also very fond of the yoyo moveset and all the different ways you can combo around a puzzle room or obstacle course. With every new skill being tied to your yoyo you end up with some pretty novel variations of the usual abilities.
The game even nails that bubble wrap catharsis of just breaking crates and hoovering up coins and bouncing against pinball pads. Everything feels exactly right.