Gaming thoughts, bite-size chewables - new orange flavor!

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Muted (0)
JustBreathe

JustBreathe

Ars Tribunus Militum
2,315
  • #23,322
    Diabolical said:
    Oh, I fully understand why. Logically I comprehend fully. My post wasn’t seeking an explanation as to the how or why.

    Emotionally, I find it fucking disgusting.

    But that’s reality. And my opinion of it won’t change it because I’m not a megalomaniacal billionaire person or a soulless corporation or a dictator.
    Click to expand...
    Over the last ten years, I've genuinely lost my tolerance for "super stock polite corporate games". I'm not a capitalist, I never will be; and when my livelihood gets stolen from me by the same people that were 'just' skimming my unpaid labor, the sociopaths responsible will be lucky to just skate with me moving on, saying nothing, and collecting my benefits until I can scrape together the next labor-thieving only-pays-as-much-as-gig-work arrangement I'm going to be stuck in.

    Like, I don't get how capitalists can seriously just expect that kind of loyalty out of even those they shitcanned; but I'm with you. I'm so not about it, but there's nowhere to escape it.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: blath and GMBigKev
    Scifigod

    Scifigod

    Ars Tribunus Angusticlavius
    8,849
    Subscriptor++
  • #23,324
    Ed209 said:
    Ha! Just got an email from EVE Online asking me to resubscribe and resume/revive my old EVE character. I haven't played EVE since... 2006? 2007, maybe...? I have to admit, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious, but I have no where near the time or the will to get back into all of that. Not happening.
    Click to expand...
    They just announced they are going live with another connected fps game too. I played the shit out of dust514 but I don't know if I want to step back into that pit of suffering.

    https://vanguard.eveonline.com/
     
    • Like
    Reactions: blath and Ed209
    Diabolical

    Diabolical

    Senator
    29,142
    Subscriptor++
  • #23,327
    Nauls said:
    Went to peruse the Steam reviews for PAYDAY 3 out of curiosity and hoooo boy. Online only, ok whatever, but you have to queue in matchmaking even for solo play. WTF..
    Click to expand...
    Happysin said:
    Oh that's a fuck all of the offs decision for me.
    Click to expand...
    nope_nope_nope_nope.gif

    Absolutely not.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Ed209
    CuriouslySane

    CuriouslySane

    Ars Praefectus
    4,176
    Subscriptor
  • #23,329
    Lies of P is a perfectly cromulent Soulsborne (seriously, it's such a convincing iteration, you could think you were playing Bloodborne 2), but the early game feels like a bait-and-switch for difficulty that turns unpleasant by the midgame. The block/parry mechanic doesn't interrupt attack cycles, and when bosses are rubber-banding cuisinarts knocking you away before you can even get hits in, it's just not realistic. I've played my share of this genre, but I'm having trouble with enemies that aren't even minibosses. I downloaded a console hack that enables god mode, and it's stupid but also an enormous improvement. I'll give it a few tries before cheating to get the flavor, but I'm way past needing to do it the hard way. I just want to see the damned game.
     
    Diabolical

    Diabolical

    Senator
    29,142
    Subscriptor++
  • #23,330
    Finished off ITTA before jumping into Cyberpunk 2077. Twin stick shooter with a bonkers little story, a pixel art style inspired by Hyper Light Drifter, some annoying habits (mostly hit by off screen or stuff hidden by foreground art), and amazing accessibility options. It’s a game broken out into exploration and fighting bosses - no regular enemies in the exploration areas. The bosses start to feel pretty samey towards the end, but overall it’s a fun little game.

    I’d make two attempts, and if I was struggling I’d turn on the damage multiplier and invincibility in order to get through the boss to the next one.

    I enjoyed my time, glad I paid less than $5 when it was massively on sale at some point. Why? Because I beat it in just over 2 hours.

    Now, onto CyberPunk.
     
    Thorvard

    Thorvard

    Ars Legatus Legionis
    24,663
    Moderator
  • #23,331
    I don't know if it's worth posting this in the Cyberpunk thread or not but I'm still not feeling it. I put about 40-45 hours into it at launch and maybe another 10 since the new patch(all new character).

    It's still Ok/good but I'd rather play Starfield. I like the combat more in Starfield but I hate all the outpost and ship combat nonsense.

    I should like it but it's just not grabbing me. I can't figure out why.
     
    GMBigKev

    GMBigKev

    Ars Praefectus
    5,960
    Subscriptor
  • #23,332
    Still frustratingly impossible to play anything modern with my GPU on the fritz, so I can't play Cyberpunk yet. (I can barely play FF14 and that's so annoying - I lag out during boss battles all the time now.)

    So, I've been playing Dorfromantik, Neon White, and Skyrim again.

    Dorfromantik is a lovely chill tile building game, and I'm trying to get my last two achievements in it (30,000 points and 75 rail tiles connected) which is very hard because you have to balance placing perfect tiles with also trying to complete 'quests' in order to get more tiles to place and it's also got a lot of luck (I had one game where I started with eight forest tiles with quests in a row and couldn't quite put them all together because they'd end up closed off and incomplete.)

    Neon White is a fast-paced platforming game, and I'm trying to get the last two achievements in it (the full-game Hell rushes) which is hard because you have to play 100% of the game with only one life, can only take three hits (though you can replenish your health), and have three chances to use an item card that gives you whatever skill you want in the game.

    Skyrim is Skyrim. I'm playing a conjuration-based stealth archer.
     
    Apteris

    Apteris

    Ars Tribunus Angusticlavius
    9,495
    Subscriptor
  • #23,333
    GMBigKev said:
    Neon White is a fast-paced platforming game, and I'm trying to get the last two achievements in it (the full-game Hell rushes) which is hard because you have to play 100% of the game with only one life, can only take three hits (though you can replenish your health), and have three chances to use an item card that gives you whatever skill you want in the game.
    Click to expand...
    Heh, reminds me of Crypt of the Necrodancer, where the hardest game mode is a no-hit, no-missing-the-beat-even-once mode (with Aria).

    As a big fan of the gameplay (and music, which of course goes hand-in-hand with the gameplay), the difficulty of this mode was quite annoying. Why is my ear-eye-brain-hand coordination not that of a perfect robot? Why, I ask you?
     
    GMBigKev

    GMBigKev

    Ars Praefectus
    5,960
    Subscriptor
  • #23,334
    Apteris said:
    Heh, reminds me of Crypt of the Necrodancer, where the hardest game mode is a no-hit, no-missing-the-beat-even-once mode (with Aria).

    As a big fan of the gameplay (and music, which of course goes hand-in-hand with the gameplay), the difficulty of this mode was quite annoying. Why is my ear-eye-brain-hand coordination not that of a perfect robot? Why, I ask you?
    Click to expand...

    Yea - the issue with the Hell Rush isn't that it's hard. It's that there's 97 levels. You're bound to make a mistake at some point just from not being at the right place at the right time or acting too quickly or something like that. It's going from A to 97 without skipping a beat or without missing your jump.
     
    B

    Bagheera

    Ars Tribunus Angusticlavius
    8,687
    Subscriptor
  • #23,335
    Can you help me pick my next game? TLDR: PS5 on PS Plus. Story-driven and surreal.

    I just finished Observation and was totally blown away. It's definitely "2001: The Game" Can you help me pick something similar?
    I'm looking for games where the story is the focus and the gameplay is easy, if not simple. Something like "Gone Home", "What Remains of Edith Finch" or "Observation."

    I'm also trying to milk PS Plus for all its worth. So I want to get a game on the PS Plus Extra list. Here's what I've found:
    • Observer: System Redux.
    • Life Is Strange (PS Plus includes Before The Storm, Season 2, and True Colors)
    • The Talos Principle
    Which would you recommend?
     
    S2pidiT

    S2pidiT

    Ars Tribunus Militum
    1,738
  • #23,337
    GMBigKev said:
    Skyrim is Skyrim. I'm playing a conjuration-based stealth archer.
    Click to expand...
    1695643104448.jpeg


    Bagheera said:
    Can you help me pick my next game? TLDR: PS5 on PS Plus. Story-driven and surreal.

    I just finished Observation and was totally blown away. It's definitely "2001: The Game" Can you help me pick something similar?
    I'm looking for games where the story is the focus and the gameplay is easy, if not simple. Something like "Gone Home", "What Remains of Edith Finch" or "Observation."

    I'm also trying to milk PS Plus for all its worth. So I want to get a game on the PS Plus Extra list. Here's what I've found:
    • Observer: System Redux.
    • Life Is Strange (PS Plus includes Before The Storm, Season 2, and True Colors)
    • The Talos Principle
    Which would you recommend?
    Click to expand...
    I recommend The Talos Principle, though it's the only game on your list that I've played. I've enjoyed the puzzles and the story, multiple times.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: CuriouslySane and Ecmaster76
    S2pidiT

    S2pidiT

    Ars Tribunus Militum
    1,738
  • #23,342
    Dan Homerick said:
    Not Talos Principle, then. It's a puzzler with an interesting story, not the other way around.
    Click to expand...
    Oooh yeah, good point. I missed that in the initial post. Some of the puzzles are difficult to very difficult or timed. Going for 100% might mean using a guide for several puzzles.

    I have not 100% completed The Talos Principle, only because I try to avoid using guides. I feel like I enjoy games more when I explore on my own and find secrets and easter eggs, but I completely understand why people do. I do look stuff up on occasion, especially if something was really unclear or I don't understand a mechanic. Most recently was Hollow Knight when I couldn't figure out where I was supposed to be going next.

    Bethesda games are my main exception. For those, I'm more than willing to open up the Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages. I'm looking at you, Morrowind!
     
    E

    Elore

    Ars Scholae Palatinae
    1,117
    Subscriptor
  • #23,343
    Bagheera said:
    I just finished Observation and was totally blown away. It's definitely "2001: The Game" Can you help me pick something similar?
    I'm looking for games where the story is the focus and the gameplay is easy, if not simple. Something like "Gone Home", "What Remains of Edith Finch" or "Observation."

    I'm also trying to milk PS Plus for all its worth. So I want to get a game on the PS Plus Extra list.
    Click to expand...
    • Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
    • Tacoma
    A bit more rough around the edges, but very much fitting the criteria:
    • Haven
    • Lake
    All available on PS+ Extra.

    And +1 for LiS, although I personally found the writing in LiS1 a bit rough to go back to these days. True Colors is great, though, and while it does feature a character from LiS: Before the Storm prominently, it doesn't have any other narrative connection and can be played on its own.
     
    krimhorn

    krimhorn

    Ars Legatus Legionis
    39,865
  • #23,344
    headache said:
    I really loved Life is Strange. Bounced off Before the Storm and LiS 2, Though. I haven't tried True Colors yet.
    Click to expand...
    I loved True Colors (and the Wavelengths DLC). Never bothered with LiS2 (just not interested in the concept) and Before the Storm was alright.

    Also Tell Me Why was amazing. It was the truest LiS 2 that Dont Nod could have made.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: CuriouslySane and headache
    MichaelC

    MichaelC

    Ars Legatus Legionis
    34,217
    Subscriptor++
  • #23,345
    Thorvard said:
    I don't know if it's worth posting this in the Cyberpunk thread or not but I'm still not feeling it. I put about 40-45 hours into it at launch and maybe another 10 since the new patch(all new character).

    It's still Ok/good but I'd rather play Starfield. I like the combat more in Starfield but I hate all the outpost and ship combat nonsense.

    I should like it but it's just not grabbing me. I can't figure out why.
    Click to expand...
    For me it's the personalities. I've posted this before in the CP thread. But when everyone is an @##$%^& it's really difficult to care about anyone, including my own character. In GTA, everyone is an @##$%^& usually. Occasionally there are sympathetic characters. But usually most have personality and funny dialog. In CP, everyone is the straight man... I'm not getting the subversion, the dark humour, nor light humour. It's what turned me off the animated series as well. The Sopranos is another example of how to do it right. When everyone is deplorable, you give them big personalities, hilarious or outrageous situations. You get your audience/players to like your characters in spite of who they are.

    I just don't get any of that in CP the game nor in the series.
     
    CuriouslySane

    CuriouslySane

    Ars Praefectus
    4,176
    Subscriptor
  • #23,346
    Before the Storm definitely has more weight when played after Life is Strange. Life is Strange 2 is different enough to be totally optional, and I didn't enjoy it nearly as much.

    In the story-driven vein, Humble's current Control the Narrative bundle has both Tales from the Borderlands, the Beneath a Steel Sky sequel, an OPUS and a handful of other story-focused games. I let my Plus subscription lapse. I wasn't playing any of it, and the options tend to be things that show up as Epic freebies or bundle fare.
     
    D

    Deleted member 43669

    Guest
  • #23,350
    LordDaMan said:
    So is there a game or two that's always installed in your steam library no matter what else comes and goes? That one game you keep going back to no matter what.

    Mine is the Binding of Issac. Loved that game ever since it was originally made in flash. Still a far cry from 100% despite well over 100 hours in it
    Click to expand...
    Crazy Taxi. Mini Metro. N++
     
    D

    Deleted member 14629

    Guest
  • #23,353
    malor said:
    Tales from the Borderlands is probably my favorite of the Telltale games, with The Wolf Among Us coming in a close second. I wasn't too into their other games, but those two were fantastic.
    Click to expand...

    Same. Tales hit the humor of Borderlands just right, but then...skipped all the combat. Sometimes that's all you need. I had the distinct advantage of having read both Fables and Jack before playing Wolf, so I was already neck-deep in that lore before the game. I can't speak to how it was to anyone without that specific understanding of fables, but I loved it.
     
    • Hug
    Reactions: MichaelC
    MichaelC

    MichaelC

    Ars Legatus Legionis
    34,217
    Subscriptor++
  • #23,354
    Tales from the Borderlands is excellent. And I loved Wolf. I played both without knowing anything about those worlds. Had played only a couple hours of Borderlands previously. And had never heard of Fables.

    This may seem silly now, but I was unaware TellTales was all adaptations. I knew some stuff was adapted . I thought Sam and Max was their IP, same with Wolf.

    So I went in without any knowledge of anything and story wise and character wise loved those two games: TftB and Wolf that is

    I will add that Clementine is one of my favorite game characters. She is from the Walking Dead games they made. Love her story and her character.
     
    MichaelC

    MichaelC

    Ars Legatus Legionis
    34,217
    Subscriptor++
  • #23,356
    I never got through the first Sam and Max game. The mechanics really irritated me.

    I have love/hate relationship with TT games. TftB, Wolf, and TWD all have mechanics or UI issues. And I really dislike the save game feature in their games. But the stories and characters in the few games I played and liked kept me going. S&M being the exception.
     
    CPX

    CPX

    Ars Legatus Legionis
    27,429
    Subscriptor++
  • #23,357
    Funny, Lucas Arts Sam and Max was one of the first adventure games...nay, one of the first video games period I ever completed. I had some difficulty with Telltale Sam and Max because it felt almost Disney-fied.

    Tales From The Borderlands was great but kind of exposed a bigger problem with the Borderlands franchise for me...that Gearbox just wanted a looter game you kept grinding instead of actually telling a meaningful story.

    I'd be giving new Telltale a shot with The Expanse if they hadn't done a fucking Epic exclusivity deal. :mad:
     
    • Like
    Reactions: malor
    Sulphur

    Sulphur

    Ars Tribunus Militum
    2,240
  • #23,360
    I don't jive with distributor-specific exclusives either when it's on an open platform like PC. But if Epic paid the money for that, so be it. As long as it's not a permanent deal, I think it's fine; and having multiple storefronts is good for competition, because being attached to the hip to any one of them doesn't make sense, not even Steam. Valve's 'benevolent' monopoly isn't particularly healthy for the market in the long run.

    Another reason, if a tertiary one, is it's good to not have all your eggs in one basket, because there may be a day when you won't have access to your digital games on a storefront because of <x> reasons.

    RIP Desura.
     
    You must log in or register to reply here.
    Jump to latest Follow Reply
    Jump to latest Follow Reply