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General Chat => Games => Topic started by: Keef Monkey on 11 June, 2011, 09:35:35 AM

Title: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 11 June, 2011, 09:35:35 AM
Struck me there isn't a thread for this in Games, but there is in movies. Thought it'd be nice to be able to post about a game you just played without having to start a dedicated thread to it.

I just finished Amnesia: Dark Descent last night on the PC, was really good. I'd watched a couple of reaction videos online beforehand, which sold it to me as the most terrifying experience imaginable. It's creepy, and absolutely dripping with atmosphere, but is more about a constant state of unease than all out terror, and didn't brown my trousers the way something like Condemned did. There aren't a lot of games with that atmosphere though, and the gameplay/story are really absorbing (ends a bit flat though). Recommend it, I grabbed it for £12 off Steam and definitely got my money's worth.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: strontium71 on 11 June, 2011, 10:03:49 AM
I really ought to be getting back into my 360 - I had a bit of a funk and went off it oddly - but I can't seem to stop playing Bejewelled Blitz on Facebook - Damn that bloody game!!
Holding out for Batman - Arkham City , Skyrim , COD:MW3 and Final Fantasy 13/2
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 11 June, 2011, 10:21:04 AM
Played the Lego PotC demo last night. Addicted to Entanglement on the Chrome browser, and just downloaded Myst on the iphone.
I may be some time...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Michaelvk on 11 June, 2011, 10:22:04 AM
Call of duty black ops.. Was mkay, just more of the same and horribly anachronistic regarding the weapons.. Put Ghostbusters into the PS3 again..
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: chris_askham on 11 June, 2011, 11:27:29 AM
Eternal Sonata. A pretty old 360 RPG. It's pretty simple and basic, but quite entertaining if you look past the sickly sweet cutesy anime style characters. Looks quite pretty.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 11 June, 2011, 11:38:06 AM
Currently basking in the High Definition glow of my shiny new telly and its ability to make everything look great except tv programmes.

On the 360, I'm still obsessively trying to finish DeathSmiles without continuing. This is looking like a long term project.

I only discovered a month ago that Wipeout Pulse was released for the PS2. Blasted through the early levels and it's starting to get as reassuringly frustrating and difficult as I'd hoped.

For light relief I'm also replaying the old Amiga game Alien Breed. Can get about halfway through so far. Cracking game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 11 June, 2011, 12:34:53 PM
Are you playing Alien Breed on an Amiga or through some... other means? I would be... curious... to know how to play it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 11 June, 2011, 12:38:00 PM
I'm currently playing through LA Noire on the PS3 - though I'm so busy I've only found the time to have three goes on it since I bought it a couple of weeks ago. Very slick, and I'm enjoying it, but it's a little frustrating and feels a bit restrictive and linear compared to other open world games.

Also playing Infinity Blade on the iPhone. It's basically a mixture of an extended QTE, grinding and cutscenes, though it's not as terrible as that sounds. Quite good, and the graphics are amazing, but the play area is tiny - the entire gameworld is about the size of an average level in another game. Very repetitive - I'll probably get bored long before I finish it. But perhaps it's not fair to judge it against other games - for £1.79 it's an absolute bargain!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 11 June, 2011, 02:03:12 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 11 June, 2011, 09:35:35 AMI just finished Amnesia: Dark Descent last night on the PC, was really good. I'd watched a couple of reaction videos online beforehand, which sold it to me as the most terrifying experience imaginable. It's creepy, and absolutely dripping with atmosphere, but is more about a constant state of unease than all out terror, and didn't brown my trousers the way something like Condemned did. There aren't a lot of games with that atmosphere though, and the gameplay/story are really absorbing (ends a bit flat though). Recommend it, I grabbed it for £12 off Steam and definitely got my money's worth.


I loved Amnesia, for me it was the best game released last year. I sat in my little computer room with the lights out and my surround headphones on and I could barely play for more than ten minutes at a time without having to change my undies.
I agree about the endings though, I did three of the possible four and only one of them felt satisfying.


I'm currently playing my Wipeout HD freebie on the PS3 and loving it and on the PC I have just started Red Faction: Guerilla after having it sitting unloved on my Steam account for months after picking it up in a sale.

I'm just killing time until Deus Ex: Human Revolution comes out which will tide me over until Battlefield 3 lands.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Radbacker on 11 June, 2011, 05:57:56 PM
going hard on Battlefield Bad company 2 again in preperation for BF3.  Started my Avatar multiplayer on Shogun 2 : Total War the other week and thats quite adictive, they've added character progression for your comander and you have to earn new troops by capturing regions which gives it a real one more go feel.  New troops just got to try em out. 
Unfortunatly i'm completely addicted to these two games to the detrement of anything else, last new game i bought was Crsis 2 and played that for a while but didn't finish it.

CU Radbacker
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Batman's Superior Cousin on 11 June, 2011, 10:45:28 PM
Gonna start Portal 2 by the end of the week (hopefully) followed by inFamous, inFamous 2, Batman: Arkham City, Resistance 3 & Hitman Absolution. I've already downloaded my free inFamous game AND have pre-orded Batman: Arkham City & Hitman Absolution.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 12 June, 2011, 12:13:21 AM
Dragon Age: Awakenings.

Been playing it and the main game (both for the first time) on and off since February.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mudcrab on 12 June, 2011, 12:44:51 AM
Good thread. Mothing would play on my PS3 so I dug out the 360 and played R-Type and Speedball 2. Joyous times. All set to catch up on Mass Effect.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 18 June, 2011, 05:24:20 PM
First time here since the forum had a polish, very swish!

Been playing Mafia 2 today, it's pretty decent. The actual movement and shooty mechanics aren't quite working for me, but the characters and setting seem pretty decent. Having spent a ridiculous amount of time in Liberty City, it feels more like LC in the '40s than New York to me, like a retro GTA. In fact it's far closer to the '40s GTA that I think folks may have expected from LA Noire, although it has a similar linearity to Noire. Will see how it pans out, so far it's alright but not really setting my world alight.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 18 June, 2011, 05:46:39 PM
Got a review copy of Child of Eden through today.
It looks wonderful, and is quite and experience, but it is- when you boil it down- a standard on rails shooter. Still a lovely game though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 18 June, 2011, 06:58:57 PM
A couple of guys in the office were playing that yesterday, looked gorgeous but we only had a short break to give it a try and the opening cutscene was loooooong and unskippable. It mainly made me want to have a Rez session!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Misanthrope on 18 June, 2011, 10:07:24 PM
Saints Row 2. Finished the game yonks ago, but I now spend my time making famous people to run around as.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Simply Si on 19 June, 2011, 06:43:38 PM
Does it have to be a computer game? Just finished a game of MTG Commander if that counts?!  :-\
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 20 June, 2011, 08:28:10 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 18 June, 2011, 05:46:39 PM
Got a review copy of Child of Eden through today.
It looks wonderful, and is quite and experience, but it is- when you boil it down- a standard on rails shooter. Still a lovely game though.
It kind of is, but so was Rez and that was still great. I foresee the same incessant replaying to get a perfect score on every level.  Favourite bit so far is the giant, luminous space-whale that turns into an even gianter space-phoenix thing.

Quote from: Keef Monkey on 18 June, 2011, 06:58:57 PM
A couple of guys in the office were playing that yesterday, looked gorgeous but we only had a short break to give it a try and the opening cutscene was loooooong and unskippable. It mainly made me want to have a Rez session!
Really? I don't recall any intro sequence, although I was very drunk when I first put it on.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 20 June, 2011, 08:34:02 PM
QuoteI foresee the same incessant replaying to get a perfect score on every level.  Favourite bit so far is the giant, luminous space-whale that turns into an even gianter space-phoenix thing.

Agree on both counts! It took a couple of goes, but it has really sucked me in.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 21 June, 2011, 12:48:56 PM
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D.

It's Ocarina of Time that you know and love but with polished 3D graphics, extra garnishing in many scenes, a fabulous touch screen inventory and map  plus some fancy gyroscopic control tricks.

The 3D and polished graphics really work to immerse you better; the lava and fire in Dodongo's Cavern was always a bit flat and lifeless but now you get a good sense of depth and scale.  The extra garnish is great; decorating the shops and the town and teh countryside but without getting in the way.  The touch screen inventory is just brilliant and makes life so much easier and saves a lot of fannying about. 

I'm not quite so sold on the "move your 3DS about to emulate the view" feature mainly because it sometimes takes you out of the 3D sweet spot and leaves you with a blurred double vision (not good when trying to aim) .

Nut overall, best game on the 3DS so far (though I am REALLY enjoying GHOST RECON)  and I'm looking forward to completing it ON MY OWN without children wrestling the Nintendo 64 or Gamecube or Wii controllers from me.

Tiny Tips convinced the kids to club together and get me this for Father's Day (I feel like a fraud).  But then I don't have a 3DS so Tiny Tips has ended up playing more than me. Clever boy.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: TordelBack on 21 June, 2011, 01:17:40 PM
Played long session of Lego Star Wars III on the Wii last night with the Boy - the missus was at a work thing, and we stayed up way beyond his school-night bedtime and were caught and roundly reprimanded on her return (I am irresponsible 'fun Daddy', apparently - guilty as charged).   But what a game - so much to do, so many ways to do it, so many mildly frustrating puzzles and the elation of discovering their solutions! 

Much like the DS and X-Box predecessors I'm familiar with, the real advantage of this game for playing with little kids is that you can plough through it satisfyingly working out solutions, and then once you have the basic answers for progression you can play it for points, then completeness etc. etc.  There's no danger of wee ones getting utterly frustrated by dying just short of the goal, and no danger of 'using up' the game by blasting through it. The vehicle modes in this one work brilliantly (taking control of a Vulture droid and stomping around the hangar blowing things up had me rolling about with glee), and there's some good intuitive use of the Wii controllers. 

Really great fun. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 21 June, 2011, 09:26:44 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 20 June, 2011, 08:28:10 PM

Quote from: Keef Monkey on 18 June, 2011, 06:58:57 PM
A couple of guys in the office were playing that yesterday, looked gorgeous but we only had a short break to give it a try and the opening cutscene was loooooong and unskippable. It mainly made me want to have a Rez session!
Really? I don't recall any intro sequence, although I was very drunk when I first put it on.

Yeah, there was a few screens of text explaining the concept, then a film of Lumi in Eden getting overtaken by...badness or something. It may have been skippable, but we tried every button to no avail. Only annoying because we wanted a quick jump in and out, I don't skip cutscenes generally so it wouldn't bother me ordinarily.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 22 June, 2011, 01:26:55 PM
I'm playing Assassin's Creed Brotherhood at the moment (it's just come out on XBox classics) and I'm loving it.

I played AC2 last year which I enjoyed, but i rushed it a bit because i had other games waiting. Now I feel like going back and playing 2 again and then trying out the first game.

I love the over the top italian accents and the graphics are really lovely. I'll never get tired of burning down Borgia Towers or just galloping down narrow streets on horseback.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 22 June, 2011, 01:41:39 PM
QuoteI'm playing Assassin's Creed Brotherhood at the moment (it's just come out on XBox classics) and I'm loving it.

My favourite game of the past couple of years.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 23 June, 2011, 09:54:35 PM
I bought Frozen Synapse a couple of days ago, it's not the usual type of game that I go for but it looked intriguing and a bunch of people I regularly game with all have it so I figured I could have some multiplayer fun.

Unfortunately I suck so badly at it that I'm too embarrassed to challenge any of my buddies to a game  :-[.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: strontiumdawg on 24 June, 2011, 07:31:25 PM
I'm mainly playing Black Ops at mo multiplayer, its like crack I can't seem to give it up, even though i know BAd Co 2 is by far the better game...  But the new zombies map looks pretty good :)

For Single player I've just returned to GTA4 as I only got a few missions in and other than that Dragon Age which is excellent and ties in nicely when I have just watched that game of thrones...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Peter Wolf on 26 June, 2011, 04:06:58 PM
I just finished Call Of Duty 4 Modern Warfare and it was very very good so much so i want to play through it all over again.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 26 June, 2011, 09:48:29 PM
Section 8. A good old fashioned,futuristic, FPS shoot-em-up. Alas the tossers at Micro-fuhrer have decided to lock me out from x-box live until tomorrow,(without which nothing get s saved in the game the w8nkers)  whilst they mull over my attempts to log in. The curse of the password is back...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 26 June, 2011, 10:19:52 PM
On the 4th 'interval' (of 8 I think) in Fear 3 (or F.3.A.R. if you're pedantic) and loving it. Loved the first two, still up there with my favorite shooters ever made, but have to admit I was sceptical about this. It's a different studio, and the trailers had been a bit cheesy, so it's a huge relief that they've done a great job.

If you hadn't been told it wasn't Monolith you'd never know, because it looks and feels like they've been at the wheel, and if anything the mechanics feel a lot tighter than 2 (and the movement is certainly less spongey). It's not been scary as such yet, just the odd jump here and there, but it is pretty intense and some of the new enemy types show they've been paying a lot of attention to Left 4 Dead and have done a good job re-appropriating that sense of panic. It helps that I'm playing it on the hardest setting, because I usually keep that for a 2nd playthrough but chose it on a whim and it means survival is far less certain which adds a ton of tension. The MP modes are great fun too (Fucking Run is particularly great).

Probably shouldn't praise it too highly without finishing it, but unless things go sorely tits up in the last half then I'd call this a great sequel.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 28 June, 2011, 12:08:01 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 20 June, 2011, 08:28:10 PM
[Child of Eden] I foresee the same incessant replaying to get a perfect score on every level.  Favourite bit so far is the giant, luminous space-whale that turns into an even gianter space-phoenix thing.
Up to 99% clear on the first two levels and I just can't see what I'm missing.

Recalling a drunken conversation with Satanist and Dr X, I grabbed Jetpac Refuelled from the XBLA and been annoying myself with that for the past couple of days. Does exactly what it says on the tin, quite vibrantly.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: James Stacey on 28 June, 2011, 11:50:00 AM
Just finished Assassins Creed Brotherhood  : The Da Vinci Disappearance. Now I have no more to play  :'(
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 03 July, 2011, 10:07:37 AM
Finished F3AR and have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm a bit of a FEAR fanboy though, played the first couple of games pretty endlessly. I'm happy to call this a worthy sequel and a nice apocalyptic trilogy-finisher. It's not particularly scary, although I did jump a few times and made an embarrassing yelping noise that the missus heard from the bedroom. It's certainly more creepy and tense than the 2nd game, but lacks the impact of the 1st.

Gameplay-wise it's pretty smart, really tight shooter mechanics, an occasionally useful cover system and the joy of slo-mo. The slo-mo doesn't have quite the same kick as it used to (there's a lot less audio and visual feedback to it) but in general it's a very nice looking game, but without the showyness of 2 (playing 2 now it feels like there's vaseline all over your eyes with the amount of motion blur and HDR lighting on show). The ranking/leveling system is fun too, and suggests that co-op is probably the best way to play the game so I'm looking forward to trying that.

Read a couple of pretty negative reviews of this, but I'm really happy with it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 03 July, 2011, 11:33:33 AM
Just Cause 2.   Very good fun though I seem to have wandered off the storyline forever driving, parachuting around simply so I can blow up things, kill Authority figures and innocent by standers. Well it is a Dictatorship though the Freedom loving Reapers I'm fighting with are mostly in it for their own rather than freeing the soon- to- be -massacred, huddled masses.

It was the Reapers or two other purely criminal gangs you could fight for and of course it's all on behalf of freedom loving Uncle Sam who can't abide the fact that THEIR Dictator was overthrown in a Military Coup. Your a sort of Latino James Bond zipping around with your hookline that can latch onto concrete, flesh anything and if your clever latch two objects together at once something I've yet to achieve. It looks stunning, has a fully destructable enviroment and was just a paltry £3 something or other from STEAM though I think it's gone up in price again. Destructively [is that a word, it is now] addictive!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 03 July, 2011, 02:49:16 PM
I grabbed Just Cause 2 and all the DLC from the Steam sale too and it's a blast.

I'm only on the second mission so far (the one with the casino) but it's a lot of fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 03 July, 2011, 05:12:31 PM
Just finished Dante's Inferno, and quite enjoyed it. I haven't played a lot of God Of War (only the 1st) but it's just a clone of that really. Advantage of not playing much God Of War is that I wasn't bothered by that. Not my genre really but love the Dead Space so wanted to give another Visceral game a pop, it's no Dead Space but still a lot of fun. Very button bashy (but that's the genre I guess) but runs for just the right length so I didn't get bored. Some good epic moments too, and I'm way too low-brow to find all the clitoral/cock based stuff offensive. I'd play a sequel but that doesn't seem to be on the cards, despite a 'To Be Continued...' at the end credits.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 04 July, 2011, 08:13:33 PM
Dungeons and Dragons Daggerdale. It's ok but a bit limited. Not too great menus etc but good  fun all the same. At £6 from Steam can;'t complain really but I will anyway!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mudcrab on 06 July, 2011, 01:19:51 PM
On a similar note (maybe not), I'm currently addicted to Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes. Very cartoony in that Japanese way but the fighting is more like a puzzle game. Turn based, line up 3 units for attacking/defending, link attack units etc etc. Apparently it's like Final Fantasy Tactics if you've seen that. In any case I'm thoroughly hooked cos of the fights. Demo/game on 360 and PS3. Oh and the DS, for those of you that way inclined  ;)

http://mightandmagic.uk.ubi.com/clashofheroes/



Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 06 July, 2011, 02:48:33 PM
QuoteI grabbed Jetpac Refuelled from the XBLA and been annoying myself with that for the past couple of days. Does exactly what it says on the tin, quite vibrantly.

After reading this I also downloaded it. It's great.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hegel on 06 July, 2011, 05:14:02 PM
Quote from: Lobster Doug on 06 July, 2011, 01:19:51 PM
On a similar note (maybe not), I'm currently addicted to Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes. Very cartoony in that Japanese way but the fighting is more like a puzzle game. Turn based, line up 3 units for attacking/defending, link attack units etc etc. Apparently it's like Final Fantasy Tactics if you've seen that. In any case I'm thoroughly hooked cos of the fights. Demo/game on 360 and PS3. Oh and the DS, for those of you that way inclined  ;)

http://mightandmagic.uk.ubi.com/clashofheroes/

Great game - I've clocked up 20 hours and still have one of the 5 main campaigns to do. Multiplayer is fun also (xbla). The puzzle mechanics work brilliantly.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 10 July, 2011, 01:51:09 AM
Had a pretty epic split-screen co-op session on Fear 3 the other night, me and a mate got about halfway in. It's fantastic fun, him as Pointman and me as Paxton. It's interesting how differently it plays as Fettel (Sniper on high? Instead of fighting your way to him just possess him and the snipee becomes the sniper!) and the competitive elements of the co-op make it a good laugh. It's obviously not that scary when you're both on the couch bantering through it, but in terms of fun and the excitement of the action it's turning out to be possibly my favorite Fear since the 1st game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 12 July, 2011, 09:43:52 AM
Finally got round to playing Tomb Raider Underworld. It's bloody great.

Anyone who says riding a big motorcycling around in a Mexican tomb and shooting jaguars is not very very cool is a liar. A dirty rotten liar.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: bluemeanie on 12 July, 2011, 09:47:52 AM
Other than games mentioned in other threads I'm now sadly addicted to Flight Control HD on the ipad. Also found out MyBrute is free on there so I'm... well I was gonna say "playing that" but you dont really play MyBrute. You just watch it and wonder why the fuck you cant stop
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mogzilla on 12 July, 2011, 04:05:00 PM
asides from the excellent buletstorm and still new vegas i'm not averse to having a go on nintendogs ! while shes at school!!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 12 July, 2011, 06:27:57 PM
Completed Shadows of the Damned last night. Reminds me of an old PS1 game called Nightmare Creatures.

Very short but has one of the best levels of its type [spoiler] (stripper dreamscape)[/spoiler] and some crazy 2d shooter levels just for the hell of it.

No exploring really and no replay value whatsoever but its a blast all the same. Rent or buy cheap.

Traded it today for Child of Eden.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 15 July, 2011, 07:06:18 PM
Been playing Infamous from off of that free PSN thingy. It's actually very, very fun. The karma system is pretty lightweight (the choices are all ridiculously black and white) and the free-running is a bit twitchy/fiddly, plus it's got a real lack of polish. BUT the presentation is really cool (all comic book-style cutscenes), the side-missions are all enjoyable and varied and the powers are a lot of fun, and you feel a real superhero after a few hours when you've mastered a ton of stuff, whereupon all the wee niggles fade away pretty much. Just mopping up the second island and (I assume) one more to go, but so far I'd say this is the most I've enjoyed a PS3 game (and yes, I've played the Uncharteds).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 16 July, 2011, 11:19:57 AM
D& D Daggerdale still. Completed  it as three of the stock characters and now I'm belting Undead/Zhents/goblins as a dwarf cleric.! See goblin! kill goblin! Um.. :-[

At least it isn't taking over my life though. As I'm a firm believer in repeating a lie often enough and loud enough until I believe it...a career with the 4th estate beckons!  :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: M.I.K. on 19 July, 2011, 04:56:47 PM
Jacked : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3UpR_qhhhE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3UpR_qhhhE)

Got it from The Works along with Rag Doll Kung Fu. A solitary pound for the two of them.

Didn't expect much for 50p, but it's actually rather good. Seems a bit difficult to begin with, but quite addictive once you get the hang of it, (which doesn't take long).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: [Carl] on 19 July, 2011, 05:27:20 PM
I just finished Half Life 2 for the umpteenth time :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hegel on 19 July, 2011, 08:49:03 PM
Earth defence Force 2017 as an appetiser to this friday's release of the sequel Insect Armageddon!!!!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Chris Fain on 20 July, 2011, 05:14:23 PM
I have Red Dead Redemption on heavy rotation. There is no feeling like murdering someone online, and then stealing their Zebra.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 23 July, 2011, 02:10:23 PM
Finished Infamous on PS3. Really, really enjoyable and a great ending that has me dying to get onto the sequel. Definitely the most enjoyable game I've played on PS3, and the only PS3 exclusive I've played which I would stick on my shelf of minor classics. I can't put it on my shelf though because it was a download. Sometimes the digital age makes me sad.

Have moved onto Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood on 360, not feeling it so far. I hated the 1st game, but am persevering as I quite enjoyed the 2nd but this just isn't clicking for me yet.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 24 July, 2011, 12:55:32 PM
Just Cause 2 is taking over my life!

I'm such a fascist when I play massacering the poor civilian inhabitants of the Panuan Islands with merciless abandonment. My favourite 'trick' is too steal a sports car  from some unhappy resident and then ram it at high speed into the petrol tanks beneath the Petrol stations where the Panuan security Forces sometimes gather, leaping clear just before impact to save my worthless hide and machine gun/grenade any survivors.

It's good to be so bad! ;)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 24 July, 2011, 02:07:03 PM
Super Meat Boy, an addictive and frustrating platformer. I thought I was never going to get past the last part of level 3.

Still banging away at Child of Eden too. Notched up my first five star rating the other day.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 24 July, 2011, 04:32:25 PM
Sent AC Brotherhood back to lovefilm, might give it another pop sometime, but in the 2 hours I played it I didn't enjoy it at all. For some reason while I'm playing it I can't at all remember why I enjoyed the 2nd one, the controls are awful and it's a real chore to get around in which I find is the biggest barrier for me with open world sandboxy games. It has to feel really satisfying to get around, but with AC it's just fiddly. Annoyed that I won't get to see what happens in the story mind you, I find that sc-fi side of it intriguing (even if I don't really get into all the Ezio stuff).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 24 July, 2011, 06:24:01 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 24 July, 2011, 04:32:25 PM
Sent AC Brotherhood back to lovefilm, might give it another pop sometime, but in the 2 hours I played it I didn't enjoy it at all. For some reason while I'm playing it I can't at all remember why I enjoyed the 2nd one, the controls are awful and it's a real chore to get around in which I find is the biggest barrier for me with open world sandboxy games. It has to feel really satisfying to get around, but with AC it's just fiddly. Annoyed that I won't get to see what happens in the story mind you, I find that sc-fi side of it intriguing (even if I don't really get into all the Ezio stuff).

Oddly- I felt the exact opposite! I'd not played any of the others, so can't compare, but I loved this game. I thought the controls where brilliantly intuitive, but will say that it did take a while before I tumbled to them.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: HatefulCactus on 26 July, 2011, 04:55:46 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/416Xu4odUHL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JudgeDevlin on 27 July, 2011, 09:05:57 AM
Been playing Call of Duty: Black Ops alot, trying to beat it on veteran and playing it online.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mogzilla on 27 July, 2011, 10:32:58 AM
 black ops but on casual ...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JudgeDevlin on 27 July, 2011, 10:51:10 AM
Quote from: mogzilla on 27 July, 2011, 10:32:58 AM
black ops but on casual ...
For what console? I have it on PS3.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Noisybast on 27 July, 2011, 01:33:56 PM
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensionson Xbox 360.
Good fun. I'm especially enjoying the Spider-Man Noir levels (although I will concede they're a blatant swipe from Arkham Asylum).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: HatefulCactus on 27 July, 2011, 11:36:31 PM
Quote from: Noisybast on 27 July, 2011, 01:33:56 PM
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensionson Xbox 360.
Good fun. I'm especially enjoying the Spider-Man Noir levels (although I will concede they're a blatant swipe from Arkham Asylum).

The 2099 levels were my favorite. Counting the days until Spider-Man: Edge of Time comes out.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 July, 2011, 11:40:18 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 24 July, 2011, 04:32:25 PM
Sent AC Brotherhood back to lovefilm, might give it another pop sometime, but in the 2 hours I played it I didn't enjoy it at all. For some reason while I'm playing it I can't at all remember why I enjoyed the 2nd one, the controls are awful and it's a real chore to get around in which I find is the biggest barrier for me with open world sandboxy games. It has to feel really satisfying to get around, but with AC it's just fiddly. Annoyed that I won't get to see what happens in the story mind you, I find that sc-fi side of it intriguing (even if I don't really get into all the Ezio stuff).

GTA IV gave me this feeling. I could appreciate it, but I couldn't play it
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JudgeDevlin on 28 July, 2011, 08:57:15 PM
Got Dynasty Warriors 7 today, loving it so far.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Radbacker on 29 July, 2011, 02:36:32 AM
Child of Eden, absolutly mindblowingly arsom.  I love Rez but this just takes it to another level.  Motion controls that work and feel completely natural its almost like the Kinnect was made for this game.  My heart rate definatly increases as i play this, when i finished the first level i was breathing like I'd just ran 100m. Cant wait for the new Panzer Dragoon game thats secretly in production for the Kinnect.

CU Radbacker
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 29 July, 2011, 10:50:21 PM
Just blasted F3AR Insane difficulty in the face with both barrels. Which is to say that I finished it on Insane mode. Wasn't too tough actually, or maybe being my 3rd playthrough my F3AR chops are just awesome. I reckon it's that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: bluemeanie on 01 August, 2011, 11:34:47 AM
Global Agenda.
Its another of these big "free to play" MMO's that steam are pimping now, same as Champions Online. This one is like a futuristic tech city surrounded by wasteland type thing.

Loads of fun so far. Plenty of solo missions of dubious morals to complete and it made me do some 4 player co-op with strangers which I would normally have shied away from but actually quite enjoyed.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: HatefulCactus on 02 August, 2011, 05:06:56 AM
American McGee's Alice. Need to buy a better PC if I wanna play Alice: Madness Returns.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 07 August, 2011, 11:52:41 AM
Last night I downloaded Bastion on XBLA. I'd been intrigued by a preview video I'd seen, and when I noticed Edge had awarded it 9/10 I was sold.

It's great! Highly recommended. Sort of like a modern take on the old isometric adventure games. Gorgeous graphics and a neat postmodern sensibility (the fourth wall-breaking voiceover is superb, amazed that it's - as far as I know - never been done in a game before!).

(http://gamesareevil.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Bastion.jpg)

Tend to prefer downloadable titles these days. The lower average price, shorter playing time, instant access and more playful, experimental nature of them suits me down to the ground. I've adored the likes of Shadow Complex, Limbo and Trials HD in recent years. I tried to get into LA Noire, but it's so long-winded and didn't have that immediate, addictive, pick-up-and-play quality I want from my games.

Quite excited about the forthcoming Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine and of course Gears of War 3...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 07 August, 2011, 06:22:59 PM
Just had a lovely Sunday gaming, thanks to Amy popping out for the afternoon. Some Borderlands with workmates (we used to play it a lot and the sequel announcement has got us back into it) then a successful run through Dark Carnival in L4D2 where no man was left behind. It was a bit hairy towards the end but there's nothing like pulling through by the skin of your teeth in that game :)

Been playing Fable 2 on and off since it was accidentally free that one time, and not really feeling it. Feels really unpolished and just a bit meh really. Just looking to rattle through the story quests and draw a line under that one.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 13 August, 2011, 09:26:21 PM
i finally tried a point and click game "The Clockwork Man" and rather enjoyed the whole thing. Seemed very short but some simple puzzles and helpful hints from sidekick robot Sprocket made it seem fun rather than a chore.

It was- well not a word I normally associate with the sort of  games I play-charming.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 27 August, 2011, 01:44:30 AM
RESIDENT EVIL - THE MERCENARIES on my lovely new 3DS.

Cracking fun - but I'm crap at it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 27 August, 2011, 05:32:32 PM
Quote from: radiator on 07 August, 2011, 11:52:41 AM(the fourth wall-breaking voiceover is superb, amazed that it's - as far as I know - never been done in a game before!).

Bruce Campbell narrated a few Spider-Man games directly to the player.  I think my favorite was whatever Spider-Man game (SM3, I think) had him comment "The last last guy who ignored my advice was Matthew Perry, and right after that he went into rehab.  You think about that."  The Simpsons Game did this, too, and Death Spank.

Lego Star Wars 3: Clone Wars.  Excellent.  I never even cottoned how huge the hub area was until I accidentally took a starfighter out for a spin and realised it wasn't just a starship-sized hub, you could actually land on an enemy starship and explore that, too.  Some really obtuse puzzles, but that might be my own fault for not realising the levels had a specific playing order, even though you can play any of them at any time.

Captain America: Super Soldier is a pretty good Arkham Asylum knock-off, just nowhere near as good.  Nothing about it is particularly sub-par, though the script is almost offensively poor.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 29 August, 2011, 05:51:31 PM
I did hear that Captain America game was surprisingly fun, might give it a rent.

Just finished Infamous 2 and found it utterly fantastic. I found the first game exceeded my expectations (I figured it would just be Prototype again, which I found pretty mediocre) but had the odd niggle, so it's brilliant to see that every single element has been improved on in the sequel. Instead of taking a while to get awesome like the first game, it just starts awesome then gets exceedingly more awesomer as it goes on. Loved it, definitely the best thing I've played on PS3 by a mile, and I'd happily put it up there with my favorite games of the generation.

I can't actually think of a better superhero game right now, although it's a while since I played Arkham Asylum and that was ace. Then again, Batman probably doesn't count, so I'll happily crown Infamous 2 the Best Superhero Game Evah.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 31 August, 2011, 01:01:03 PM
Quote(the fourth wall-breaking voiceover is superb, amazed that it's - as far as I know - never been done in a game before!).

Dunno if it quite counts as 4th wall breaking but there was a really elegant solution to you dying (endlessly in my case) in one of the Prince of Persia games. If I recall, the voiceover went "No, that's not what happened" and let you know you were part of a story being told and here was another chance to get it right.


In other news, I strangely excited whenever I get a STREET PASS hit on my 3DS.  If you leave it on wireless then it exchanges little bits of data with other 3DS users that you pass. You might not even know it happens at the time, just get a notification when you fire up your 3DS next.  You can then swap puzzle pieces or play mini games with them.  I remember reading about it and thinking "So what?" but now I've had a few connections with random strangers it's bizarelly addictive.  In particular, one chap called JAMEZ who was at the Grant Morrison SUPERGODS talk in Edinburgh  last weekend and also in Glasgow Central Station last night.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mogzilla on 31 August, 2011, 01:33:06 PM
BULLETSTORM!!!!!  got my own  shiny copy for £12!!! :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 31 August, 2011, 01:49:09 PM
I am still playing the hell out of Fallout New Vegas to the point that I feel I should be ashamed of it.  It's one shoddy update to the far better-realised Fallout 3, but I can't help myself, it's just so damn huge and I have to play it as a goody two-shoes, then an evil bastard, and then as a chick so when I level up I can pick the option to make my character a lesbian so she can lez up with certain characters in the game.

Don't like the ammo switcheroo stuff, though, or the way you get overloaded with aid items so easily, or the quest items you pick up without knowing what they're for (weapons shipments, supply caches, character's heads, brains, or ears) and have to lug them about forever because there's no way to get rid of them.  Lots and lots of niggles and nitpicks, really, but it's still Fallout and I love it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 14 September, 2011, 09:41:12 PM
Question for Keef.

I'm sure you posted something recently about a game you'd played from the folks who did Okami but I can't find any trace of it. Can you fill me in?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 15 September, 2011, 10:22:46 PM
Might have been Shadows of The Damned, think that was the last game I was enthusing about on here! It's a Grasshopper/Suda 51 game, not sure if they had anything to do with Okami but they may well have. It's a really fun game, a lot of areas that could have done with more polish or a rethink but the crazed invention of the whole thing and the sheer amount of mental ideas keeps it rolling nicely. You've just reminded me Okami is another supposed classic that I've never played and should really get round to.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 16 September, 2011, 12:19:02 AM
Will have a look at that.

I think Okami was Clover. Not sure where I got the idea you were comparing the two. Anyway, I loved Okami but I've never actually finished it. I'd read somewhere that once you went into the final boss level you couldn't come back out to finish up anything that was left over so I spent ages running around trying to collect everything missing, managed to get about 99% of it then left it to long so when I went back I couldn't remember what I was still looking for. This is not the only game I've done this with.

It's worth playing just for the sections where you find and feed various animals and it cuts to a really soothing cutscene. And the fact that they managed to nail a really distinctive visual style for the game which is something I always appreciate.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: judge cooper on 27 September, 2011, 11:13:06 AM
last game i played was call of duty black ops ds
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 27 September, 2011, 12:38:58 PM
OKAMI is pretty cheap on teh Wii these days - I'm thinking I might just accidenatlly pick it up next time I see it in tesco/Asda.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: judge cooper on 27 September, 2011, 01:27:46 PM
has anyone played duke nukem forever
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 27 September, 2011, 01:33:49 PM
Quote from: judge cooper on 27 September, 2011, 01:27:46 PM
has anyone played duke nukem forever

No they usually stop after a couple of hours.


BAMMM!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: judge cooper on 27 September, 2011, 01:35:03 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 27 September, 2011, 01:33:49 PM
Quote from: judge cooper on 27 September, 2011, 01:27:46 PM
has anyone played duke nukem forever

No they usually stop after a couple of hours.


BAMMM!
ha ha very funny!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 05 October, 2011, 10:03:15 AM
Orcs must die! demo. Fabulous. Like a cross between looney tunes and warhammer.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 05 October, 2011, 12:19:31 PM
Currently playing:

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine (Xbox 360) - I've gone on about this enough on the dedicated thread - in short, I love it!

Slam Dunk King (iPhone) - really fun, charming flick-basketball game - if you have an iOS device, get it - it's free!

Shadowgun  (iPhone) - Graphically impressive Gears of War clone - bit pricy at £5.49 - haven't played it much yet but seems pretty solid.

Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition (iPhone) - Never played this game when it first came out - still striking to look at and utterly unique, way ahead of it's time in many ways. Bit frustrating though!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 05 October, 2011, 12:29:10 PM
Quote from: radiator on 05 October, 2011, 12:19:31 PM
Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition (iPhone) - Never played this game when it first came out - still striking to look at and utterly unique, way ahead of it's time in many ways. Bit frustrating though!

Another World on iPhone?? Used to play it about 20 years ago! oooh must looks for it on Apps....

always love Another World poster, that why I remember the game...

(http://griffinriffs.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/anotherworld_poster.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 05 October, 2011, 08:04:22 PM
Another World... wonderfully atmospheric, but agonisingly tricky. I remember repeatedly mistiming jumps and being scoffed by those bastard things in ground with the rings of teeth. I am probably just rubbish, but I only ever completed that by playing the SNES version on an emulator and saving it constantly. Great ambience though, felt like some spooky late night european cartoon of the sort once beloved of BBC2.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 05 October, 2011, 08:09:15 PM
Aw man, Another World! Absolute classic, got a ton of nostalgic memories of turn-abouting that with my mate. So good. Can't remember if it was an official follow-up, but Flashback was pretty amazing too and was out around the same era I think.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 05 October, 2011, 08:38:29 PM
Yeah, I loved Flashback (not a sequel, but same developer). Was quite shit at it though - could never get past level 3 so just used to play the first two levels over and over.

I bought the follow up, Fade To Black, on PSX. It was pretty mind-bogglingly hard and confusing. They don't make 'em like that anymore!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7kzKG4-kxI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7kzKG4-kxI)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 07 October, 2011, 09:02:20 AM
I've just bought the team Ico collection for the PS3. I never owned a PS2 but I always wanted to play Ico and Shadow of the Colossus and now they have been released together on one disc and updated to run on the PS3 in HD.

I've played about 45 minutes of each so far and they are both terrific games, I have a couple of minor niggles with the camera and the lack of a proper save system on both games but that aside they are great.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 08 October, 2011, 07:25:23 AM
Me and my co-op buddy finished Gears of War 3 the other night, and I have to say I'm pretty blown away. The story was the usual Get The Thingumy So We Can Use It To Wipe Out The Thingumys that every Gears has been essentially, but after playing through this war for 3 games I was actually really invested in what happened to the characters and was desperate to see how the war concluded itself.

It also looks stupendous and the actual campaign gameplay never lets up, it's just brilliant moment after brilliant moment. I guess that's what having your game delayed by a year for marketing purposes does, that year must have gone largely into just polishing the thing until it gleams. The multiplayer is also compelling and enjoyable in a way I've never found CoD or Halo, and I'm pretty hooked on it and will be playing for a while yet.

I'm a big Gears fan, and this is easily the best Gears game, very happy with it!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 09 October, 2011, 12:33:24 PM
Played through Dredd Vs Death in it's entirety yesterday as part of my 24hr marathon. I always quite enjoyed it but time has not been kind to that game! It broke on me a couple of times too when progress was halted by scripted events not triggering, plus I got locked in the Fear boss fight with no ammo and there weren't any pickups :( I still reckon Rogue Trooper holds up brilliantly though, so I'm not ragging on Rebellion.

Still, it was short and meant I could get some 2000AD into the marathon. It went really well thanks to a bunch of mates keeping me company for chunks of it (Borderlands, L4D2, Gears 3) and I attempted to play through Resident Evil from start to finish from midnight onwards but come 6am I still hadn't cracked it. That game is way more obtuse than I remember, or my mind was just going by that point.

Bit gutted I failed that particular challenge, but raised £305 so pretty chuffed with it overall :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 09 October, 2011, 01:38:57 PM
Well done Keef Monkey on your marathon!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ghastly McNasty on 09 October, 2011, 05:22:04 PM
Started Dead Island today. Only playes for an hour but it seems really cool. Looking forward to getting proper stuck in
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 09 October, 2011, 11:57:02 PM
Rage - terribly disappointed by this.  It looks great, but invisible walls, poor design, and zero investment in your character (no levelling up, XP system, modification options, not even any motivation or story beyond "wake up and do stuff just because") cripple it.  It could have been epic, but as it is, it's either a massively flawed shooter or one really dumb RPG.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Devons Daddy on 10 October, 2011, 02:24:35 PM
Currently on GOW3 which was a brillant purchase, and enjoying Mass effect 2, as i wish to remind myself of its brillance before ME3 in the new year,

this is due to the fact i see, BATMAN,Assasins Creed, and MW3 taking up rather a large amount of my spare time in the coming weeks.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: SpetsnaZ99 on 14 October, 2011, 08:02:05 AM
Playing Rogue Trooper on my mac at minute thanks to Wineskin for that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: judge cooper on 14 October, 2011, 11:18:38 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 09 October, 2011, 12:33:24 PM
Played through Dredd Vs Death in it's entirety yesterday as part of my 24hr marathon. I always quite enjoyed it but time has not been kind to that game! It broke on me a couple of times too when progress was halted by scripted events not triggering, plus I got locked in the Fear boss fight with no ammo and there weren't any pickups :( I still reckon Rogue Trooper holds up brilliantly though, so I'm not ragging on Rebellion.

Still, it was short and meant I could get some 2000AD into the marathon. It went really well thanks to a bunch of mates keeping me company for chunks of it (Borderlands, L4D2, Gears 3) and I attempted to play through Resident Evil from start to finish from midnight onwards but come 6am I still hadn't cracked it. That game is way more obtuse than I remember, or my mind was just going by that point.

Bit gutted I failed that particular challenge, but raised £305 so pretty chuffed with it overall :)
well done on your marathon and there is a law master shotgun inbetween or behind the buildings during the fight
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mardroid on 17 October, 2011, 02:34:50 PM
I downloaded Knights of the Old Republic last night. Quite an old game now, I know. (My computer wouldn't take the more recent games anyway.) I'm still very early in the game, but it's proving quite enjoyable so far although I'm finding the controls a little unusual to get used to. As selection is based around the mouse, I'd have preferred them to have based movement around it too, (i.e. click the floor destination or map in a WoW style) but it's not too awkward when you get used to it.  Much as I like games with special powers, etc, I find the shere amount to choose from (I'm basing this on the manual, I don't have much yet, having just started)  a bit daunting, but I'm sure it won't be all that complicated.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: davethomson on 17 October, 2011, 02:57:01 PM
Currently getting my ass kicked at Dark Souls and loving every minute of it! :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Devlin Waugh on 17 October, 2011, 11:08:07 PM
Fifa 12, can't stop playing it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: brendan1 on 18 October, 2011, 09:09:07 AM
Quote from: Mardroid on 17 October, 2011, 02:34:50 PM
I downloaded Knights of the Old Republic last night. Quite an old game now, I know. (My computer wouldn't take the more recent games anyway.) I'm still very early in the game, but it's proving quite enjoyable so far although I'm finding the controls a little unusual to get used to. As selection is based around the mouse, I'd have preferred them to have based movement around it too, (i.e. click the floor destination or map in a WoW style) but it's not too awkward when you get used to it.  Much as I like games with special powers, etc, I find the shere amount to choose from (I'm basing this on the manual, I don't have much yet, having just started)  a bit daunting, but I'm sure it won't be all that complicated.

KOTOR is absolutely fucking marvellous. I can't comment on mouse issues, because I played it on the XBox.

Just wait until you finally get your grubby mitts on a lightsaber. Lordy!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mogzilla on 18 October, 2011, 05:03:34 PM
spider man end of time ...not bad not great but something i can play in the earshot of mini...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mardroid on 19 October, 2011, 02:00:31 AM
Quote from: brendan1 on 18 October, 2011, 09:09:07 AM
Just wait until you finally get your grubby mitts on a lightsaber. Lordy!

I look forward to that. Still very early days yet as I'm still a low level scout with my trusty blaster(s) at my side. I won three fights in the arena (actually I lost one fight then had a rematch.) and managed to use up my med packs! Thankfully they're not too expensive.

Oh, and I have a date with a sith lady coming up.  (I notice they use the word 'sith' very broadly in this story to include everyone in the Sith empire rather than the Sith Lords specifically. Which actually makes sense.)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 20 October, 2011, 11:56:28 PM
Shadow Complex off Xbox live arcade. Decent side scrolling platform shooter in the mould of Stryker's Run and such. Ludicrously easy, but it looked good, was pretty fun and only cost a fiver so it was all good.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 23 October, 2011, 09:42:35 AM
Grabbed Shadow Complex myself while it was cheap, haven't fired it up yet though.

Been whipping out the psp on the train lately, played through Resistance: Retribution. Never played a Resistance game before but it was pretty fun. Not sure if it's supposed to be funny or if the dialogue is just dreadful but I'd like to think it's very tongue in cheek (hopefully). Controls made a good fist of trying to overcome the single analogue stick issue, and for the most part it worked a treat but towards the end the game starts lazily just throwing more and more enemies at you and the controls have trouble keeping up. It also means it starts to drag a lot in the last couple of hours. Still, was better than reading the Metro over and over again.

Also just finished Resident Evil on the gamecube! Used to play this on PS1 back in the day, and it's still fantastic. Granted it's been tarted up a wee bit, but because of the painted backgrounds and fixed angles it'll always look beautiful in it's own way. It's still surprisingly scary in places too, with a great ominous atmosphere that a lot of modern horror games can't touch. Got 2 lined up, which I remember as my favorite of the series (I reckon 4 and 5 lost a lot of the Resident Evil factor) but reckon I'll wait a bit before popping that on.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mogzilla on 23 October, 2011, 04:37:40 PM
Quote from: mogzilla on 18 October, 2011, 05:03:34 PM
spider man end of time ...not bad not great but something i can play in the earshot of mini...

EDGE of time! wanted to enjoy this but got bored and why does spidey not web his enemies up anymore?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 23 October, 2011, 08:52:40 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 23 October, 2011, 09:42:35 AMNever played a Resistance game before but it was pretty fun. Not sure if it's supposed to be funny or if the dialogue is just dreadful but I'd like to think it's very tongue in cheek (hopefully).

Just terribly writing, I'm afraid.  I've tried to finish this multiple times, but it feels like it's been going on forever.

X-Men: Destiny, which is appalling.  Cliched story and a limited choice of characters and powers just reinforce that you can't play as any of the X-regulars.  I could understand if there was enough customisation options to justify billing it as an RPG or something in that vein, but you only get three pre-created characters and three basic and largely similar combat powers to choose from.  The visuals would be okay if this was on a PS2, I guess, but the dialog is grimace-inducing, and the 'choice' system is irrelevant and slows the pace of combat down rather than adds to the story.  I'm also pretty sure that someone like myself who does not have a great deal of investment in X-Men shouldn't be able to pick holes in continuity, like the Welsh character who here speaks with a Valley Girl accent.

I have no idea who this game is aimed at - it's too basic as a beat-em-up, RPG or fanservice exercise to appeal to any one group of fans, and not good enough as a whole to entice casual gamers and renters.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Radbacker on 24 October, 2011, 04:50:00 AM
Heroes of Might and Magic 6 on the PC, well they haven't changed much up from the last one but these games really dont need to change things too much as they'll loose the fan base if they make it too different.  I love me these old turn based stratagey games and been playing this series since the original Kings Bounty, no time at all for the normal Might and Magic games though give me a world to conquore not a shitty dungeon to clear.

oh and Battlefields 3 is out this Thursday, bye bye any free time I have for the next couple of months.

CU Radbacker
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Spaceghost on 24 October, 2011, 12:04:30 PM
As a lowly Wii owner, I don't have access to all these new-fangled brown looking games featuring grimacing, muscle-bound men wielding huge guns, striding round brown landscapes shooting at other grimacing, muscle-bound men.

I have to make do with jolly, colourful games brimming with innovation and joy.

I've just finished Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (a bit late I know) and it was excellent. It was very similar to the wonderful Ocarina of Time from the N64 days but featured enough in the way of improvement and new features to ensure it fell on just the right side of loving update.

I've never played a Zelda game that I didn't enjoy and this one didn't dissappoint. It didn't have the same feeling of something brand new like the recent Spirit Tracks on the DS but it was just what I wanted as a Zelda fan.

There's the familiar set-up of a hub world to gallop around on my trusty steed, progressively harder dungeons in which you will often find a new item or weapon which in turn is used to beat the boss in a, typically, exciting battle.

I enjoyed it but I'm ready for something different now and apparently, the new Wii Zelda; Skyward Sword, has shaken up the formula somewhat. I can't wait to play it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 24 October, 2011, 12:28:49 PM
It's crunch time for me and Zelda - I might buy Skyward Sword, might not - depends on reviews (can't even remember when I last bought a Wii game - probably around two years ago...?). I enjoyed Twilight Princess, but it just felt like same old, same old, and the dark/light dual-world mechanic wasn't satisfying in the way it was in A link to the Past, or the way the past/future worked in Ocarina of Time. It's a series in desperate need of a shake-up, and I really hope SS delivers.

Early videos I've seen look great and the combat sword-swinging looks really fun - this is exactly the sort of thing we were promised when the Wii launched which has never been delivered on.

Currently playing through Dead Space on the iPhone. It's not bad, and looks stunning for an iOS game, but it quickly becomes apparent that there is a lot of repetition in the levels and it gets boring quite quickly - you're essentially playing the same bits of level over and over. The controls are also an issue - it works better than I expected, but crucially it always gets fiddly when you're under pressure. If only someone would manufacture a sort of clip-on joypad for the iPhone - would make playing these types of games so much more fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 24 October, 2011, 09:09:48 PM
Quote from: Lee Bates on 24 October, 2011, 12:04:30 PM
I've never played a Zelda game that I didn't enjoy and this one didn't dissappoint.
You should try Wind Waker. Only one I've ever played and it was really rather tedious.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 24 October, 2011, 09:15:21 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 24 October, 2011, 09:09:48 PM
Quote from: Lee Bates on 24 October, 2011, 12:04:30 PM
I've never played a Zelda game that I didn't enjoy and this one didn't dissappoint.
You should try Wind Waker. Only one I've ever played and it was really rather tedious.

I thought Wind Waker started well but it went downhill about half-way through. I remember hearing rumours that it was rushed to meet a deadline
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 24 October, 2011, 09:26:58 PM
Quote from: pops1983 on 24 October, 2011, 09:15:21 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 24 October, 2011, 09:09:48 PM
Quote from: Lee Bates on 24 October, 2011, 12:04:30 PM
I've never played a Zelda game that I didn't enjoy and this one didn't dissappoint.
You should try Wind Waker. Only one I've ever played and it was really rather tedious.

I thought Wind Waker started well but it went downhill about half-way through. I remember hearing rumours that it was rushed to meet a deadline

I believe that's true - it's at least a dungeon shorter than it ought to be. That said, I still absolutely love it - it's a gorgeous-looking game and still plenty of fun. As a side note, Ganon remains my all-time video game nemesis - not Link's, mine. I got so into trying to beat him at the end of 'Link to the Past' on the SNES that I forgot I had food in the oven. Many video game bad guys have proved dastardly, but only Ganon has ever burnt my dinner. Bastard.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 24 October, 2011, 10:11:03 PM
It's definitely the most beautiful Zelda game I've ever played
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 25 October, 2011, 01:20:11 PM
I recall TWILIGHT PRINCESS having a really slow start but livening up considerably with some fantastic dungeons.  And the reveal of Midna and the final speechless joke were the perfect ending.

WINDWAKER troubled me for a while because I had a real problem getting past the first dungeon (pirates fortress) and working out the mechanics of the sea and the side quests. But once all of that slotted into place in my head it was great. And the art style is beautifully effective. Definitely short though - one of the bosses was just the previous 5 bosses rolled into one!

I really enjoyed PHANTOM HOURGLASS on my (Frank Quietely Batman) DS Lite. Probably because I actually got to play it ALL BY MYSELF without children snatching the controller from me.  The repeated visits to the temple of time got a tad tiresome though.

SPIRIT TRACKS was just too similar to PHANTOM HOURGLASS (and too soon) so I haven't really given it much of a chance yet.

But really loving the chance to do OCARINA OF TIME in 3D all by myself.  It really is fabulous stuff and the polish to the graphics adds extra character to an already characterful game!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 25 October, 2011, 01:26:27 PM
Dunno where else to post this - don't want to start a new thread...


Did anybody see the BATTLEFIELD 3 simulator that they built on the Gadget Show last night?

Looked fantastic! 180 degree vision (that moved so you never had a gap in the reality), an omni directional treadmill for movement, ambient lighting, surround sound, kinnect controls for jumping and crouching and the iphone shooter app for pointing and shooting. Not forgetting the dozen paint ball guns that fired at you when you took incoming fire in the game.

You do wonder why
a) this sort of "experience" isn't available at movie theme parks
b) why HM armed forces don't use this sort of thing in training (but with more realistic scenarios - Andy McNab was shrugging off RPGs)?
c) Suzi Perry. Yum.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Doctor Alt 8 on 25 October, 2011, 04:02:41 PM
Adrian got me playing some rounds of the X box kinetic adventures... Was surprised at how good I was initially but I'm hardly lady-like in the amount of sweat I produced...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 25 October, 2011, 11:15:42 PM
Just finished reading Edge's review of Skyward Sword, and I'm well up for it now! It'll be nice to use the Wii for something other than occasionally weighing myself!

It got a 10/10, and while that's not quite the mark of quality it once was (I have very much disagreed with the last few 10s they have awarded - Super Mario Galaxy, Bayonetta, Rock Band 3, Little Big Planet all hugely overrated imo), it's still more than enough to reassure me that this will be something special. If only more games like this had been made for the Wii...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 28 October, 2011, 12:01:11 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 24 July, 2011, 02:07:03 PM
Super Meat Boy, an addictive and frustrating platformer. I thought I was never going to get past the last part of level 3.
I am now on the second last level of this and it is teeth-grindingly hard. I can't even get up into the main bit of the level and I've been trying for about an hour.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 28 October, 2011, 12:49:04 AM
And whenever I've been in need of some light relief over the past few months, I turn instinctively to a quick game of Vorpal (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROhtwtwXGqk). A cool little indie shooter with a neat look which is well worth 80p of anybody's money. At least half of the appeal is in the cheesy trance soundtrack though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 28 October, 2011, 12:28:35 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 28 October, 2011, 12:01:11 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 24 July, 2011, 02:07:03 PM
Super Meat Boy, an addictive and frustrating platformer. I thought I was never going to get past the last part of level 3.
I am now on the second last level of this and it is teeth-grindingly hard. I can't even get up into the main bit of the level and I've been trying for about an hour.

I know exactly how you feel!

I'm not afraid to say when I finished the last level I hugged my son and almost wept tears of pure joy/relief!

It was about 2 in the morning and he came down stairs to see what all the swearing noise was about.


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 05 November, 2011, 09:35:24 PM
I played Pokemon Fire Red today. Had to kill a few hours during a dull shift. The battle mechanics in pokemon games can be tedious, but I find it strangely satisfying. Naming your pokemon using swear words can is as fun as ever.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Robert Frazer on 09 November, 2011, 08:45:18 PM
I've been having an outrageous retrogasm with the X-Box Live re-release of Treasure's Guardian Heroes, surely one of the most vivid and vibrant, fluid and formidable, bright and bounding brawlers ever coded. I could barely walk afterwards.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 10 November, 2011, 06:08:41 PM
Uncharted 3 - a solid and accessible platformer elevated by great graphics, fantastic setpiece action sequences, inventive level design, and some great character writing in the script that goes beyond making you just want to kill the hell out of the villains (though you definately will) and makes you really side with the playable characters and get bummed out by one of them biting the dust in the third act.  The script made me think about how games can create spectacular longform and involving narratives in a way that films and television can't because of time and budgetary restraints on either, and like Uncharted 2 it feels like a watershed moment in home entertainment.
Standout moments are the sinking boat, crashing plane, exploding convoy and crumbling city that make you wonder how the main character is allowed to travel anywhere, ever, by any means.  Some minor niggles - we've seen the crumbling city and convoy sequences in the previous game - but the only major one would be that it takes too long to get past the opening flashback sequences into the game proper, though starting with a pub brawl is at least novel.  Great end boss fight, too - not difficult or frustrating, just something to give you closure before the end sequence.

Great game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 16 November, 2011, 09:10:19 PM
Quote from: The Satanist on 28 October, 2011, 12:28:35 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 28 October, 2011, 12:01:11 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 24 July, 2011, 02:07:03 PM
Super Meat Boy, an addictive and frustrating platformer. I thought I was never going to get past the last part of level 3.
I am now on the second last level of this and it is teeth-grindingly hard. I can't even get up into the main bit of the level and I've been trying for about an hour.
I know exactly how you feel! I'm not afraid to say when I finished the last level I hugged my son and almost wept tears of pure joy/relief!
Imagine my delight incandescent fury on finally finishing this a couple of weeks ago only to be confronted with another twenty ultra triple-hard levels all in a sickly shade of pink. Well, I finally made it through those last night and celebrated by dancing a merry jig round the living room and entertaining happy thoughts of buying Arkham City at the weekend.

Then tonight, I found myself idly flicking back through the early worlds replaying the levels I hadn't got the gold medal time on. Only 120 to go...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: judge cooper on 17 November, 2011, 11:13:06 AM
predator concrete jungle
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 18 November, 2011, 01:20:33 PM
Currently playing Superman on the iPhone.

Quite a charming little game - very simplistic, but soaring up into the air, through the clouds and into space is guaranteed to put a smile on your face - well worth 69p of anyone's money!

(http://www.iphonetunes.net/images28/superman.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 19 November, 2011, 12:00:55 PM
Played a couple of hours of Saints Row The Third, and it's just so much damn fun! Was sitting with my headphones on worrying I'd wake Bea any minute I was belly laughing so often. I'm struggling to think of another game (certainly in this generation) that's caused me to laugh like that. The sense of humour is about as juvenile as it gets but I'd hesitate to call it dumb because it's a very well crafted game with a lot of smarts under the hood. It's already obvious that it's a much more technically sound game than SR2, which was fun but mechanically on the edge of breaking at any moment.

So far I love this game, and the Kanye West moment (you'll know it if you've played it) has been one of the best displays of badass awesomeness in a game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 19 November, 2011, 01:26:15 PM
Finished the last of the side missions on Arkham City yesterday - now that I have 100% on both the main story and side quests I don't feel guilty about putting it back on the shelf for a bit while I tackle Assassin's Creed: Revelations. Played about 3 hours so far and I'm loving it - there's just so much to do!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ancient Otter on 20 November, 2011, 05:57:02 PM
Picked up Paradroid on the Wii Virtual Store. This is tough, C64 gamers must have been a right hardcore lot!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 21 November, 2011, 06:48:24 PM
Hydrophobia a sort of cross between Tomb Raider and Die Hard. Good environment destroying fun and some nice easy, hijacking of cctv cameras and frying "terrorists" by remote.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 21 November, 2011, 08:18:11 PM
I'm splitting my time between Halo CE Anniversary and Arkham Asylum (I know, late to party). The updated Halo is pretty good, certainly great graphics, but AA is fantastic. I bought Arkham City at the same time and I can't wait to play it.

JvB
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 22 November, 2011, 01:02:06 PM
Quote from: Martin Costello on 20 November, 2011, 05:57:02 PM
Picked up Paradroid on the Wii Virtual Store. This is tough, C64 gamers must have been a right hardcore lot!

Yes we were! Quazatron on ye olde speccy was better but similar to Paradroid though, give it a whirl if ye can find it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 22 November, 2011, 02:06:47 PM
Quote from: The Satanist on 22 November, 2011, 01:02:06 PM
Quote from: Martin Costello on 20 November, 2011, 05:57:02 PM
Picked up Paradroid on the Wii Virtual Store. This is tough, C64 gamers must have been a right hardcore lot!

Yes we were! Quazatron on ye olde speccy was better but similar to Paradroid though, give it a whirl if ye can find it.

Kids today. Spoon fed everything, and everything is easier.

It's like exams. They were much harder when we were young.

And I remember when this was all fields.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: brendan1 on 22 November, 2011, 02:53:03 PM
Quote
Yes we were! Quazatron on ye olde speccy was better but similar to Paradroid though, give it a whirl if ye can find it.

Not sure it was better - and this is from a Spectrum fanboy - but Quazatron is available on the fabulous World Of Spectrum website for instant Java goodness.

And it's really, really ace.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 22 November, 2011, 03:29:22 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 22 November, 2011, 02:06:47 PM
Kids today. Spoon fed everything, and everything is easier.
People who whine about how difficult it is having to make it to a "save point" make me sick.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: brendan1 on 22 November, 2011, 04:06:06 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 22 November, 2011, 03:29:22 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 22 November, 2011, 02:06:47 PM
Kids today. Spoon fed everything, and everything is easier.
People who whine about how difficult it is having to make it to a "save point" make me sick.

I don't recall ever completing a Spectrum game. I got absurdly good at Match Day 2, and I can't have been been far away from clocking Quazatron, but the hundreds of others?

Not a chance.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 22 November, 2011, 05:04:03 PM
Quote from: brendan1 on 22 November, 2011, 04:06:06 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 22 November, 2011, 03:29:22 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 22 November, 2011, 02:06:47 PM
Kids today. Spoon fed everything, and everything is easier.
People who whine about how difficult it is having to make it to a "save point" make me sick.

I don't recall ever completing a Spectrum game. I got absurdly good at Match Day 2, and I can't have been been far away from clocking Quazatron, but the hundreds of others?

Not a chance.

Did you ever play Bruce Lee?

Easiest end of game boss ever!

I'm pretty sure my brother completed Sabre Wulf and Knightlore. Got about 98% on Attik Attak too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 22 November, 2011, 10:52:55 PM
Castle of Terror was one of the first games I got for my C64. I could finish it with 98% but could never kill Dracula. I tried and tried and even years later it would haunt me that I never got 100%

Then I read recently online that 98% was the max score and that you couldnt actually get 100% or kill Dracula. The guy programmed it that way so you would keep replaying it.

:o

MOTHER FUCKER!

Oh and C64 rules.

...and my last game played is MW3, its a bit meh.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: brendan1 on 23 November, 2011, 08:43:17 AM
Quote
Did you ever play Bruce Lee?

Easiest end of game boss ever!

I'm pretty sure my brother completed Sabre Wulf and Knightlore. Got about 98% on Attik Attak too.

No, Bruce Lee seemed to be one of those yank games that played far better on a C64.

I played Sabre Wulf, Knightlore, Atic Atic and many, many other arcade adventures but without access to a proper playing guide, real instructions (hello C90!), and the fact that I was probably between the age of 10 and 14, meant that I didn't have the playing chops, patience or skills to get anywhere.

I think I probably spent most time on Batman and Starquake (both of which I still play now and then on WOS java) but I never got very far on either.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 23 November, 2011, 09:43:10 PM
Can't decide what to play now. I want Arkham City, but might wait until next year and the inevitable collected with the DLC edition.

Been downloading a bunch of demos but still can't make up my mind. Bastion looks alright, Radiant Silvergun will be grand but I'm not in the mood so maybe something like Geometry Wars or the Alien Breed remake...?

Might just read a book instead.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 23 November, 2011, 09:43:46 PM
I really enjoyed Bastion.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 24 November, 2011, 12:29:54 PM
Beyond Good and Evil is on sale on Monday and thats a brilliant game. I think it'll cost 240 msp, a fecking steal!

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Roger Godpleton on 24 November, 2011, 02:53:06 PM
Tried to get into Saints Row 3, but it's not for me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 26 November, 2011, 12:18:17 PM
Finished Deus Ex a wee while back but don't think I posted my thoughts.

Took me a couple of hours to get into, mainly because I've never been a stealth guy so had to tune into the gameplay, and despite what the marketing said about it being playable as a shooter or a stealth game if you go in guns blazing you're pretty much done for!

Once it clicked it clicked pretty hard though, it's like a mash up of Ghost In The Shell, Mass Effect and Blade Runner and immensely satisfying. A lot of folk hated the boss fights, and they were very poor but thanks to upgrading my Typhoon system first thing I got through every one of them with two button presses so they were ignorable.

Ending feels very rushed, with the last chunk not playing to it's strengths and the multiple endings basically amounting to "press this button for ending 1, this button for ending 2...etc." which felt like a waste. Alternate endings are only really satisfying when your playthrough shapes which one you get, just getting the option at the last minute suggests it was shoehorned in with haste.

Didn't come close to ruining it though, and overall definitely one of my favorite games of the generation for both gameplay and aesthetics.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Roger Godpleton on 28 November, 2011, 06:58:31 PM
Super Mario 3dLand.

The levels are way too short and easy but this is still a Mario platformer and therefore still fun as shit with some inspired moments. I would love to play a 15 minute version of the musical platform level.

Quote from: The Satanist on 24 November, 2011, 12:29:54 PM
Beyond Good and Evil is on sale on Monday and thats a brilliant game. I think it'll cost 240 msp, a fecking steal!

If you want BG&E2 buy Rayman Origins cos Ubi are all like "yo, if you buy enough copies of RO we'll give Ancel a bunch of money."
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 December, 2011, 02:23:24 PM
Halo ODST

Played through this over the weekend after getting it off lovefilm, can't have been more than about 4hrs long.

I've played the first 3 Halos and to be honest didn't enjoy them, but they get so much hype that I feel like maybe I'm playing it wrong, so everytime I get a chance to play another I give it a go on the off chance it'll be the one where I see what all the fuss is about.

Shockingly, all the negatives I can think of from even the very first game are still here.

Ropey checkpointing (they seem to use environmental trigger boxes to mark checkpoints, but they only cover particular routes around the level, so even walking the wrong way past a tree can be the difference between a checkpoint and no checkpoint), very stilted and disjointed scripting (I always find I'm a step ahead of what the game wants me to do, and wind up waiting awkwardly for the next set-piece to kick in, wandering backwards and forwards until it triggers seemingly at random), almost non-existent enemy AI (apart from a pretty flimsy morale system the 2 behaviors seem to be "Run at player" or "Stay in position and side-step every few seconds), some of the worst cut and paste level design in the business (the last hour consisted of wandering through about a dozen identical rooms, then back again, then a driving section where you went along a stretch of road, went through a gate, went along the same stretch of road, went through a gate, repeat to fade), and some very poor visuals for what's such a highly regarded AAA franchise. I spent half the game thinking it was a really brave move to use an unnattractive character model for the woman, before realizing it was Tricia Helfer's likeness.

Also, it didn't explain a great deal about it's own mechanics. I still don't know if there's recharging health, health packs or an awkward combination of both.

As always with Halo though, the music was really good and anything involving Nathan Fillion inherits a bit of cool.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Roger Godpleton on 05 December, 2011, 03:13:05 AM
I'm on the "special" (read: for grown-ups) levels of 3dLand and you can scratch what I said about this game being too short and easy. This isn't SMG good but I like it more than NSMB, and it's a great reminder of why Nintendo design is the best there is.

Halo will always be about the MP, as it is fun incarnate. I played Reach solidly for about 3 months and barely got a third of the way through the campaign.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 05 December, 2011, 06:44:20 PM
Skydrift -the demo only. A plane flying blast 'em race game. I'm rubbish yet hooked.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 17 December, 2011, 06:31:31 PM
Played through the new Gears 3 dlc today, Raam's Shadow. It's not particularly long but at 3 or 4hrs and with a great deal of new locations and assets it feels like you're getting your ms worth. It's set before the 1st game and story-wise is pretty much a prequel to the graphic novel (which I enjoyed a lot, so it was nice to see the connections). Raam is still a dick to fight, but you do get to play as him for a bit and it's pretty cool to see things from the Locust perspective, particularly getting a better idea of how they use the Seeders and stuff. Good fun, and for me more Gears is always welcome.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Roger Godpleton on 17 December, 2011, 09:33:54 PM
Mario Kart 7. Wwwwaaaayyyyy better than MK Wii with it's wide-ass tracks and an improvement even on MK DS. Just an incredibly fun game, the new tracks are brilliant. It's a bit boring on 50cc though.

Rayman Origins. Over the past couple of years, I've wondered if I was getting bored of games. In truth, I am only really bored with shooters. In Godpletonia, there would be more games like this. I strongly recommend that you purchase this game so that Michael Ansel gets to make more games like this. 3D Land is a shade better but this offers a stronger challenge.

Warioware Inc. Got this in the Ambassador pack. It is fun as shit and is a truly enduring classic.

Gonna start Metroid Fusion next.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 22 December, 2011, 10:06:03 PM
After first starting it 13 years ago, and playing versions of it on 4 different consoles, I have finally finished LEGEND OF ZELDA: OCARINA OF TIME!  On my own. Without a small child wrestling the controller from me.  In your face, Ganondorf!



(Mario Kart DS was fantatsic - so glad I bought MK7 for Tiny Tips' Christmas!)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 23 December, 2011, 12:33:17 AM
Just finished Dragon Age 2, and I really enjoyed it.

This year I have played Dragon Age, then Awakenings, and then this. Plus Portal 2.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Van Dom on 23 December, 2011, 12:59:49 AM
Playing Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword at the mo. As usual with Zelda games, its bloody great and incredibly immersive.  The "gimmick" this time is the flying around on the bird thing and it works really well. Just flying around amongst the sky islands is great fun and very relaxing. The dungeon levels are very well put together as well. And the little beetle thing you get that you can launch and remote guide across the terrain to see whats ahead or collect/activate things is inspired. This is my Christmas sorted I reckon!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Devons Daddy on 01 January, 2012, 05:05:42 AM
Assasins creed, Revelations.

good graphics more depth of colour, decent story line.
if your into the series its good and not to button moshing heavy or all out fire fight.
son and I are enjoying it.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 01 January, 2012, 12:03:35 PM
CRYSIS 2. Very good graphics and Gameplay with Aliens invading New York storyline written by Richard Morgan of Altered Carbon fame. You can up grade your suit, harder Armour etc though this can be a little problematic since you have to walk over the Alien Ceph dead to get the nano somethin' or other stuff to enable you to upgrade. I didn't realize this till I was about half way through the game. Whoops!

Good but some of the levels are sneak through's since your kick ass suit doesn't always seem that capable of kicking ass so that's the only complaint I have for it so far.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mogzilla on 01 January, 2012, 04:48:08 PM
after a little poke around the sales picked up a few for pounds

splinter cell double agent £2.98! the buggers scratched so thats getting swapped next week
dark messiah might and magic £3 first persony oblivion rip off very twitchy controls so thats going
dungeon seige 3 £5 rented it when it came out and thought it was ok and worth a further punt for a fiver just cannot get into it so thats gouing

judge dredd dredd vs death£3 had to give this a blast agian gord bless xbox backwards compatibility
still fun once you get over the next gen graphics loving the hospital and mall levels .


i havent played skyrim for two days!!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Batman's Superior Cousin on 01 January, 2012, 05:30:20 PM
I'm currently playing Resistance 3, after which I'll be playing Deus Ex: Human Revolution - The Missing Link!!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: DoomBot on 01 January, 2012, 06:17:19 PM
Got batman:arkham city for christmas so playing that. So at dead impressed. Just swinging and gliding around the city is fun in itself. Normally I go for games with rocket launchers rather than sneaky cloak and dagger games so not sure it'll grip me to the end. Great start though
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 01 January, 2012, 10:19:35 PM
I got that too Doombot! Found it pretty daunting at first, the city isn't huge but there's so much content crammed into it that you can't move without tripping over another sidequest or collectible or Riddler challenge...

Since I got into the swing of it though I've been utterly blown away by it, it's a great sequel and even better than the original which was pretty spanking to begin with. Still the best fisticuff combat in a game ever too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 03 January, 2012, 01:11:31 PM
Started on Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and my goodness it's a fabulous little bag of tricks.  The control method for fighting and flying is utterly delightful and satisfying and it has so many elements that I've never seen in a Zelda game before mean that it's very familiar yet fresh at the same time (not entirely sure of the "upgrade" thing).

Just Dance 3 - has a really, really poor movement recognition thing going on (i.e. it keeps marking me down!) but is eight drunk mates around the telly fun at it's very best.  Disappointed that the routine for A-hA Take on Me and Donna Summer I feel Love won't easily translate to me dancing on a night out...but hey, that Scissor Sisters routine could easily be nicked...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 03 January, 2012, 01:21:14 PM
Finished Arkham Asylum, well that is to say I finished the story. There's still a ton of stuff to do so I'm looking forward to scooping up all the riddler challenges and playing through again on New Game + (where the difficulty goes up but collectible/side mission status carries over, yay!). Plus, I've only really dipped into the score attack challenges that are separate to the campaign, and they're very addictive. Great story, great design, once again just a brilliant Batman game that I couldn't be happier with.

Now onto Skyrim...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 03 January, 2012, 06:03:02 PM
Currently back on Fruit Ninja on iPhone - engaged in a high score battle with my girlfriend on Arcade Mode.

I'm currently winning with 807...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 04 January, 2012, 02:16:21 AM
Saints Row 3, which finally catches up with San Andreas a mere 8 years and one generation of consoles later.
Fantastic game.  Fixes a lot of what I disliked about GTA4 and goes for enjoyment over realism.  "Jumping a military humvee packed with strippers over a bridge into a city district overrun by zombies as the theme from Karate Kid plays on the stereo" has now overtaken "setting myself alight in a schoolyard" as the way I want to go out.

Battle: Los Angeles, which I finished in about thirty minutes.  An ugly, sluggish COD clone based on the film of the same name, available for download for four quid, which I suppose is reasonable for what you get.

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, which started fun with a few spectacular splosion bits, but then seemed to consist of missions that dragged on forever with combat that feels a bit arbitrary.  Throws cheevos at you if you're into that kind of thing, mind.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 04 January, 2012, 03:01:12 PM
Jetpack on the iphone. Brutally simple and very addictive.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 04 January, 2012, 03:24:22 PM
Do you mean Jetpack Joyride?

There's a game called Jetpack on the App store but it looks like a knock-off of the former, which is better and free.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 04 January, 2012, 07:46:18 PM
Quote from: radiator on 04 January, 2012, 03:24:22 PM
Do you mean Jetpack Joyride?

There's a game called Jetpack on the App store but it looks like a knock-off of the former, which is better and free.

Aye, that's the one!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 06 January, 2012, 09:08:16 PM
Finished Dead Rising 2 last night, which I actually sat down to it quite excited having very fond memories of the first game. It was fun for a couple of hours but became a slog when I realized it was exactly the same game, and that I'd ignored a lot of the original's flaws just because I was chuffed to be beating up hundreds of zombies on my nice new 360 at the time.

I still felt compelled to see it through to the end, but was groaning quite often at the ropey boss fights and clunky systems. Any game that makes fighting zombies seem like a chore and an inconvenience in the way of your 50th fetch quest is just criminal, because everyone knows zombies are arsom. Plus it's odd that the series focuses so much on bosses because they really don't have a clue how to do them right. A good boss fight is almost like a puzzle to be overcome, in DR they just throw you in a room with a guy more powerful than you with unavoidable attacks and hope you've gone into it with enough orange juice to make it through the fight. They'll need to make some pretty big changes if I'm going to bother with DR3.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Durendal on 06 January, 2012, 09:29:59 PM
I picked up Dark Souls today. I heard it's pretty tuff to play and it certainly is seeing as I get a disc read error.
God damn pre-owned junk
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 10 January, 2012, 02:47:14 PM
I'm playing Dark Souls just now and it's a strange one. The graphics are great, story is non-existent, combats basic and the enemies are dirty fucking bastards! I've played for about 10 hours and still seem to be farting about right near where I started and yet I cannae wait to get stuck back in.

I think it's the knowledge that I CAN beat that knight dude if I just take my time and he MIGHT drop something good at the end of it. The whole risk vs. reward thing it has going on is very enticing while making the whole experience extremely tense.

To sum up I am loving it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 10 January, 2012, 07:48:00 PM
Just bought Alien Breed and Alien Breed: Tower Assault from GOG for $5.99, whatever that is in Real Money. All ready to play on a modern PC. Downloading it now!

Wonder if the dark bits are as bloody hard as I remember on the Amiga.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 10 January, 2012, 08:11:58 PM
I misread that and thought you'd got the 'new' Alien Breed stuff, which is actually pretty fun for what it is. So many great memories of those classic Amiga ones though, brilliant!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 12 January, 2012, 10:56:58 PM
Drop7, an addictive little iOS puzzler. It's sort of like a cross between tetris and sudoku. As far as I can tell there's not a huge amount of difference between the free and paid versions so it's well worth a look.

The only problem is that I can only get so far before it just spams you with 1s, the equivalent of those bastard zigzag blocks from tetris, and then it's game over.

Also Muffin Knight, again on ios. Fun platformer, reminds me a little of the original (pre-NES era) single screen arcade Super Mario Bros.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: chris_askham on 13 January, 2012, 12:02:42 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 06 January, 2012, 09:08:16 PM
Finished Dead Rising 2 last night, which I actually sat down to it quite excited having very fond memories of the first game. It was fun for a couple of hours but became a slog when I realized it was exactly the same game, and that I'd ignored a lot of the original's flaws just because I was chuffed to be beating up hundreds of zombies on my nice new 360 at the time.

I still felt compelled to see it through to the end, but was groaning quite often at the ropey boss fights and clunky systems. Any game that makes fighting zombies seem like a chore and an inconvenience in the way of your 50th fetch quest is just criminal, because everyone knows zombies are arsom. Plus it's odd that the series focuses so much on bosses because they really don't have a clue how to do them right. A good boss fight is almost like a puzzle to be overcome, in DR they just throw you in a room with a guy more powerful than you with unavoidable attacks and hope you've gone into it with enough orange juice to make it through the fight. They'll need to make some pretty big changes if I'm going to bother with DR3.

Completely agree with you Keef. Everything that was wrong with the first DR is still wrong with DR2. I'm stuck on the last battle with TK, and just can't kill the cunt. Think I'm going to have to just give up on it, but I feel extremely pissed off that I'm not going to be able to complete it. And I refuse to restart the game again just so I can level up a bit more and get an extra couple of health boxes. Pile of shit.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 13 January, 2012, 09:41:08 PM
Quote from: chris_askham on 13 January, 2012, 12:02:42 PMAnd I refuse to restart the game again just so I can level up a bit more and get an extra couple of health boxes. Pile of shit.

While I agree there's a shitload wrong with DR2, the leveling-up problem (which makes DR unplayable until your character hits at least level 15) has been addressed with the Free Play option, which is just you running around the entire playing area killing zombies as you see fit without any of the timed missions to distract you, then you can load your character into the regular game once you've leveled him up sufficiently.  I recommend Free Playing and then hitting that area in front of the hotel with a little path cut down the middle of the island out front (the one that has a maintenance room right next to the door where you can save your game in the middle of the path) and grabbing the grass trimmer and knives nearby and combining them on the workbench, then load a new area by entering a building nearby, then come back through the door - to where the trimmer and knives have respawned - while killing all around you with the knife/trimmer combo for 400xp per kill.  If you can have a magazine in your inventory that extends the lifespan of knife weapons you can repeat this process (killing loads of zombies in one area using good weapons and then leaving and re-entering the area so those weapons respawn) in other places and jump levels really easily.  Just have a look about for somewhere you can rack up a good headcount.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 14 January, 2012, 08:49:47 AM
For what it's worth Chris, I beat TK by running up and hitting him with a 2x4 or similar weapon, then doing the roll dodge before he could hit me. It took a while and was very dull, and you still have to run down the bit at the side to grab more health/weapons at least once (without stopping long or fire shoots out the floor at you).

You're right at the end so you might want to see it through just for closure, but I wouldn't blame you for walking away, that fight is just shoddy.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: SquashedFly on 16 January, 2012, 09:19:47 PM
Dead Rising was a game I really should of hated.

It takes a shitload of grinding to even be able to progress storywise but twatting zombies with a 2x4 never got old. So it never felt like a "grind". Once you get past a certain level it's brilliant but it is one you have to stick with, and for that reason It's not for everyone. DR2 was alright but it didn't grab me in quite the same way. Still enjoyable though.


As for the last game played, Half-Life 2 for me.

It's been a good year and a bit since I last had a bash. After my 360 broke The Orange Box was one thing I was gutted I couldn't play. My sister has a new 360 now and I had a whirl of Half-Life 2, and I was reminded why I still think of it as one of, if not definitely my favourite game of all time. Some of the sequences in haven't been bested in terms of excitement and fulfillment. The attempts to escape the Combine from the beginning, Ravenholm. Just brilliant. Definitely still the best pacing I've experienced in a game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 16 January, 2012, 09:41:45 PM
Run Roo Run - a cool one-button platformer on iphone from the makers of Scribblenauts.

It's really very good, and well worth the 69p.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: SpetsnaZ99 on 17 January, 2012, 12:55:51 PM
Shaun White Snowboarding on my Mac.

Anyone got any clue what im supposed to do?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NorthVox on 18 January, 2012, 01:27:22 AM
Marvel Ultimate Alliance and SimCity 4.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 18 January, 2012, 09:56:49 PM
Finished Max Payne 2 (again) last night.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 20 January, 2012, 02:57:10 AM
MInecraft.

The game that's not really a game. More like a toy. Digital Lego.

For those that aren't savvy, it's a sandbox game in its purest form. You spawn in a randomly generated, blocky world. the only instructions are 'Press 'E' to access inventory'. It's impossible to play without consulting the wiki. I would normally call that cheating, but this game is very different to other games.

The basic idea is this: Ye get wood(careful now, down with that sort of thing), make a workbench, use the workbench to make tools then use said tools to gather resources and build a shelter before night falls. Monsters come at night. Monsters like Zombies, Giant Spiders and Skeletal Archers. There are things called Creepers, they're basically penis shaped hedgerows that blow up if they get too close. And Endermen. Whovian abominations from another dimension who only attack if you look directly at them. Wouldn't be a a problem if they didn't keep using their powers of teleportation to appear right in front of you.

There are no rules and no real goal. There's an end game involving a dragon fight, but it has little to do with the spirit of the game. You make your own rules. Youe make your own fun. Once you have yourself set up with a secure shelter and reliable food source, you start looking around the landscape and thinking:

I don't like that mountain, I'm gonna craft me some TNT and blow the bitch up.

Or:

Y'know what, I'm going to fill this crevice with lava.

Or:

Holy shit, I can make minecarts and tracks. FUCKIN' ROLLERCOASTER

And it goes on and on....

And before ye know it it's three in the morning and ye should have been in bed hours ago
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 20 January, 2012, 03:12:35 PM
Seen a video a while ago of a guy that had built a replica of starship enterprise using minecraft.

The scale of the thing was fucking mind boggling.

Impressive and totally pointless all at the same time! :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 20 January, 2012, 03:16:49 PM
I think that Minecraft is one of those things that I'll never understand the appeal of.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 20 January, 2012, 06:43:36 PM
For me it's one of those games that will never get a look-in because I know it will swallow me up for weeks and I have so many other games to play as it is :).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Radbacker on 21 January, 2012, 04:32:07 AM
Yeah I simply fdont have the time to waste on something as epic as Minecraft, kudos to the dude that built an actual working computer though, sure it was just a big calculator but still genius.

CU Radbacker
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NorthVox on 24 January, 2012, 08:06:07 AM
Quote from: Rog69 on 20 January, 2012, 06:43:36 PM
For me it's one of those games that will never get a look-in because I know it will swallow me up for weeks and I have so many other games to play as it is :).

This pretty much. I've been playing SimCity 4 non-stop since its release. Minecraft is exactly the kind of game that I need to avoid should I wish to retain any sense of freedom.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 12 February, 2012, 06:50:09 PM
Finished The Darkness 2 in a couple of sittings over the weekend, it's a pretty short game. Played it on hard and a couple of fights took a few tries, but the whole thing was over in about 5hrs maybe. I loved every minute of it though and there's a separate co-op campaign which I hear is pretty substantial.

I loved the original game, despite the gunplay being really clunky it had some brilliant character work and a story that was genuinely involving and upsetting in places as a result. This is a different studio though and I'll admit I didn't expect it to match up, but the combat is way tighter (pretty fiddly to learn but hugely satisfying once you do), the writing is still great with the somber tone of the first game carrying over, and the visual style is just gorgeous. A little like Borderlands and a perfect fit for a comic book adaptation, I found myself just soaking it all up at points. Story-wise it might lack the same unexpected punch of the first games twists, but does some similarly interesting things with the game mechanics to make you really feel involved in the love story at the core of the whole thing, and there were times where I felt conflicted and hesitant about a pressing a button on the controller, and if a game can invest a simple act like pressing X into something that twists your gut a bit then it's doing something very right.

Oh, and Mike Patton sounds terrifying throughout, as expected.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Durendal on 13 February, 2012, 08:21:33 PM
Gotham City Impostors. It's like call of duty multiplayer except it's fun and you are a guy in a homemade batman/joker costume, with a cardboard mask and possibly on rollerskates.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8v1qrY0ctPY
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 13 February, 2012, 09:03:39 PM
Jet-pack Joyride is so addictive, I think if I have a game, instead of a cigarette, I may finally kick my nicotine dependency
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 25 February, 2012, 05:47:42 PM
Jak and Daxter Trilogy collects the three PS2 Jak games made by Naughty Dog (makers of the Uncharted series) before it got lost in sub-par spin-offs like Jak X, Lost Frontier and the okayish Daxter, and it is one hefty slab of gaming for your twenty-odd pounds.
A smooth upgrade from the PS2 version, you'd have a time pegging J&D1 as a ten year-old game as it's a solid and polished platformer with a well-judged difficulty level.  Jak 2 is more of the same, only with more variety in the style of challenges it throws at you and a higher - but still well short of impossible - difficulty level and some GTA stylings thrown in for good measure in the open world sections, while Jak 3 - despite some random scripting to accommodate a great variety of minigames, challenges and unlockable in-game content - is still one of the finest last-gen platformers you'll find.  I've already played these games inside out on the PS2 and on my last speed-playthrough of Jak 3 (the shorter game of the trilogy) I clocked in 7 and a half hours before finishing it, so a conservative estimate is that you'll get between fifteen and twenty hours of play from a basic run through the story modes on this even if you're a platforming master, which is better than you'll manage with most games in terms of value for money.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Durendal on 25 February, 2012, 11:45:15 PM
Syndicate
Yes I am old enough to remember the first and jaded enough to be bitter about an attempt to re-imagine it as a fusion of call of duty and deus ex.
But I bought it anyway.
The single player is pretty meh and the bloom levels have damaged my eyes, it's only redeeming feature is the totally sweet guns.
Co-op is awesome though
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Radbacker on 26 February, 2012, 07:27:05 AM
Rayman Origins is totally f'n arsom.  Haven't enjoyed a game so much in a long time, even better with two player co-op but gets a bit messy with 3 or 4 players.  Some of the nicest 2D graphics i've ever seen and music is sublime.  Had problems finding it though, whats with teh big retailers only holding biggest titles?
Asura's Wrath is kooky anime fun, any game where you punch a planet has got to be worth a look.  The between fighting is a bit lame but the boss battles rule and the story's quite enderingly bonkers, lots of screaming from the main character (and when he gets really angry he sprouts extra arms), one of the boss characters has a 14000km long katana.

CU Radbacker
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Roger Godpleton on 26 February, 2012, 11:02:39 AM
Quote from: Professah Byah on 25 February, 2012, 05:47:42 PM
Jak and Daxter Trilogy

Cheers for the recommendation. I loved the first one but never played the sequels so I'll get on this.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NorthVox on 26 February, 2012, 11:38:04 PM
Was feeling a bit nostalgic and sci-fi-ey yesterday, so I hammered my way through Dredd vs Death on laptop. Nearly finished the whole thing without dying, then BAM, [spoiler]right outside the museum where you face Judge Fear[/spoiler] some death cultist with a grenade launcher goes and takes my head off!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: TordelBack on 04 March, 2012, 12:17:41 PM
Realm of the Mad God.  Other than Urban Dead, this is my first MMO experience - and as I always feared I can't stop playing it.  While it's free to play, it's taking all my will-power not to throw a few shekels at buying 'extras', particularly storage space for all my cool gear...

My only issue with what is a deeply compelling game is the (player community) use of the term 'rape train' for a combined XP-gathering exercise.  Other than that, it's pure simple brilliance.

http://www.realmofthemadgod.com/
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 March, 2012, 08:08:33 PM
Been playing Neverdead, but after getting a couple of hours in I'm not feeling it massively so am shelving it for now I reckon. It's got a lot going for it (I particularly like a lot of the comic booky UI and some of the enemy designs are very different, at least visually) but a lot of the time during fights is spent rolling around re-attaching things and it gets a bit fiddly and breaks the pace of the action a bit. I may go back to it at some point (I always want to support Rebellion's games and generally enjoy them) but I'm finding more and more that I struggle to find the time to play the games I'm loving as much as I want to, so when something isn't quite blowing me away I'm a bit quicker to move on nowadays.

Right now I'm maybe being overly choosy as I want a reasonably clean slate for Mass Effect 3 on Friday :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 04 March, 2012, 08:56:13 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 04 March, 2012, 08:08:33 PM

Right now I'm maybe being overly choosy as I want a reasonably clean slate for Mass Effect 3 on Friday :)

Yep. I finished Portal 2 last week and am tinkering with the end of Portal. But, really, I'm just waiting to kick some Reaper arse.

Miranda or Ashley?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 March, 2012, 11:26:31 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 04 March, 2012, 08:56:13 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 04 March, 2012, 08:08:33 PM

Right now I'm maybe being overly choosy as I want a reasonably clean slate for Mass Effect 3 on Friday :)

Yep. I finished Portal 2 last week and am tinkering with the end of Portal. But, really, I'm just waiting to kick some Reaper arse.

Miranda or Ashley?

Definitely Miranda, sadly Ashley is no longer a concern in the ME universe I've made for myself!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 04 March, 2012, 11:34:33 PM
Haven't had the X-Box on since before Christmas. I think I was just about on the last level of Bastion but I'd gotten sort of bored with it. Dug out the Gamecube last weekend and have been playing Pikmin 2. It's a fairly cutesy puzzle game in a Lemmingsy vein. Generally pretty easy but fun and later levels are sufficiently tricky to keep me occupied.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Roger Godpleton on 04 March, 2012, 11:53:30 PM
Liara is better than Infertile Miranda and Speciesist Ashley. This is my opinion so therefore it is the objective truth. You may now go about your business.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 05 March, 2012, 07:36:37 AM
I went with Tali because I wanted a peek under her gasmask, shame my spunk will probably kill her!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: brendan1 on 05 March, 2012, 09:42:23 AM
Quote from: Roger Godpleton on 26 February, 2012, 11:02:39 AM
Quote from: Professah Byah on 25 February, 2012, 05:47:42 PM
Jak and Daxter Trilogy

Cheers for the recommendation. I loved the first one but never played the sequels so I'll get on this.

I don't really go for those type of games, preferring RPGs and FPSs, but I remember having an unplanned week off work back in about 2001 or so, and playing Jak & Daxter - The Precursor Legacy every day, all day, with the help of a mound of gak, until I'd completed it, and also collected every single one of the....things you were supposed to collect.

It was beautiful and great fun
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 16 March, 2012, 02:41:54 PM
Been reading Hitchhiker's again lately so I've been playing The Hitchhiker's Adventure Game from 1984. I'd forgotten how devious and addictive this game is. I have the Infocom version that I can play through the Frotz emulator, but mostly I've been playing the updated flash version on the bbc website.

If you've never tried it before go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game.shtml (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game.shtml) and give it a try. Be sure to consult the guide on things and double click on the items you have on the right hand side for some info about those.

I've been searching the internet for a cheap 8086 pc with a mono screen so I can play this game in it's original, cursor blinking, textual glory.

JvB
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 21 March, 2012, 05:15:51 PM
Had a quick blast on Journey (PS3) the other day.

Bit of a 'meh', really.

Gorgeous visuals, but tbh it's more of an interactive screensaver than a game - little in the way of challenge or excitement.

If there was actually something to get your teeth into - perhaps some form of combat or puzzles - it'd be something special. As it is, it's just a bit dull.

(http://ps3media.ign.com/ps3/image/article/110/1100163/journey-20100617072956515.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Durendal on 21 March, 2012, 05:32:23 PM
My friend insists on talking to me about Final Fantasy XIII-2? Something about pokemon. Hasn't been a good FF since 7/8.
To celebrate his inability to pick up on body language and subtle hints such as 'SHUT UP OR I WILL HURT YOU' I am playing Resonance of Fate. Also known as 'oh god, there are more barrels on my gun than actual gun'. http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/8819/sgb226ca.jpg
ROF was released round about the same time as FFXIII so the corridor/hair simulator stole some of the attention.
ROF is JRPG by Tri-Ace and it is awesome and also very silly, like a Japanese John Woo simulator. The fights are OTT gun based shenanigans http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-uQ9uYoIsw and the script if hilarious http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVibNKrp8sQ
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 21 March, 2012, 05:43:18 PM
Played the demo for I Am Alive, which seems a bit rubbish.  What it reminds me of most is Terminator: Salvation, as there's a nice post-apocalyptic look and feel to things, but the tech issues and gameplay shortcomings cripple it.  Mind you, I got one playthrough out of T:S after I picked it up for buttons second hand, so IAA might be worth downloading as it's only a tenner.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Roger Godpleton on 22 March, 2012, 04:35:03 PM
Just started Kid Icarus: Uprising, which is pretty rad so far. The controls are a lot better than I'd been led to believe and the sliding scale difficulty is neat.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Noisybast on 22 March, 2012, 05:32:45 PM
I'm back on Lego Batman. Strangely, it's a lot more fun this time around. I seem to recall having much more difficulty with camera angles and odd bugs the first time I attempted this. I'm guessing there have been patches.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Roger Godpleton on 22 March, 2012, 07:19:38 PM
April 18: TRIALS EVOLUTION, BITCHES.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 29 March, 2012, 01:03:52 PM
Quote from: radiator on 21 March, 2012, 05:15:51 PM
Had a quick blast on Journey (PS3) the other day.

Bit of a 'meh', really.

Gorgeous visuals, but tbh it's more of an interactive screensaver than a game - little in the way of challenge or excitement.

If there was actually something to get your teeth into - perhaps some form of combat or puzzles - it'd be something special. As it is, it's just a bit dull.

Personally I loved Journey though I appreciate it was more of an emotional, umm, journey than a typical game. It's really dividing gamers between love and hate.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 29 March, 2012, 01:20:06 PM
I dunno, I didn't hate it, just thought it was a bit pointless. I feel the same way about Superbrothers: Sword & Sorcery - incredible visuals and music - but the 'game' element is so slow and tedious.

I've really liked previous arty-farty type games like Rez - but then at the core of Rez is a challenging score attack shooter mechanic - something to actually engage my brain (and trigger finger). Pretty visuals alone just aren't enough.

Imo Bastion really nailed the balance between art and game - lovely visuals and atmospherics, but married to a rewarding and satisfying game experience.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Durendal on 01 April, 2012, 11:40:49 AM
Hell:After The End aka hatemoo.
H:ATE is a MOO, which is a fancy name for a MUD which is a multiplayer text RPG.

In the beginning there was HellMOO, a post apocalyptic RPG, and grief and good times were had by a small majority at the expense of the masses and admin popularity. The admins became outraged that a game designed for deviants and griefers would attract the scum of the internet and so closed it down and handed a copy of the game core to some other dudes who didn't care that much I guess.
So all the scum went to hatemoo and hellmoo retained the kind of players who enjoy touching each other and themselves while admins stare at them and also touch themselves while doing so.

The features list for H:ATE is pretty impressive, it's like a text Grand Theft Fallout.

and crap loads more

The game is not child friendly or work friendly. It has some rather unorthodox features so if you are offended by a complete stranger pissing on you, spitting on you, farting on you, raping you, tricking you into eating harmful drugs and then dragging you off to their secret underground rape lair or being pushed down stairs by blind people then you might want to steer clear.

Much of the fun comes from interaction with other players and then murdering them.
Greenjester faces immediate justice http://pastebin.com/nbVVuYvh
Hulk Hogan holds a job interview http://pastebin.com/f231ca5be
Notorious DRS corp break into a guys apartment and are so sad that there is nothing to steal that they call in admin favours and redecorate his apartment http://pastebin.com/f290ef2a8
Charlatan challenges Lexi to an apple eating contest http://pastebin.com/f65325407

More info here http://aftertheend.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page
To connect you can either telnet://aftertheend.org:7777 but telnet is not so great. Use a mud client like MUSHclient and connect to aftertheend.org port 7777

I'm Zenith in game
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 06 April, 2012, 12:34:34 AM
The Secret of Monkey IslandTM

I got this game for my Iphone. Reminded me of the days when the Lucasarts label meant something fun.

Insult sword-fighting is one of the greatest game mechanics ever.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 23 April, 2012, 11:39:01 AM
I'm absolutely manic at the moment painting the new flat and packing etc, but in the last week I have downloaded Fez and Trials Evolution and have managed to grab an hour or two on each.

Seriously, if you own an Xbox 360 you really, really should buy both these games. Fez is an adorable 8-bitesque platform/puzzle game with a novel twist, and Trials Evolution is the sequel to the excellent physics-based 2.5D motorbike racer Trials HD*.

(http://gamereuphoriacom.ultranerds.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/FEZ_Screenshot_1-e1334492930119.jpg)

(http://i1.cdnds.net/12/09/618x347/redlynx-trials-evolution-13.jpg)

*Despite it's fearsome reputation as a hard as nails gaming experience, my girlfriend's young nieces and nephews - aged between 5 and 7 - adore Trials, and it keeps them glued to the screen when we have family visiting. There's something very intuitive about the controls that appeals to all ages.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 23 April, 2012, 05:45:12 PM
I just finished the excellent Trine 2 last night after picking it up in the Steam sale a couple of weeks ago.

For anyone unfamiliar with the series, its a very cool physics puzzle / platform game with some pretty lush graphics. It's pretty much more of the same from the first game but looking slightly prettier and having the inclusion of multiplayer this time around.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Roger Godpleton on 23 April, 2012, 06:42:55 PM
Finished Kid Icarus last night. Best visuals this year, and the storyline is ridiculously awesome.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mudcrab on 23 April, 2012, 07:28:25 PM
Quote from: radiator on 23 April, 2012, 11:39:01 AM
Trials Evolution is the sequel to the excellent physics-based 2.5D motorbike racer Trials HD*.

(http://i1.cdnds.net/12/09/618x347/redlynx-trials-evolution-13.jpg)

*Despite it's fearsome reputation as a hard as nails gaming experience, my girlfriend's young nieces and nephews - aged between 5 and 7 - adore Trials, and it keeps them glued to the screen when we have family visiting. There's something very intuitive about the controls that appeals to all ages.

Ooooh, I like the look of that. Just finished Mass Effect 2 (they killed Mordin, the bastards!) so will check that out before 3 arrives!

Was always disappointed there's never been another Dave Mirra BMX game, loved that. This looks like it'll have a similar feel, despite being a proper bike as opposed to a BMX obviously.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Roger Godpleton on 23 April, 2012, 07:57:15 PM
It's more of a physics-based platformer as opposed to a "bike game." One of the best games this year, I reckon.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 23 April, 2012, 07:57:33 PM
QuoteOoooh, I like the look of that.

It's ace, but be aware that Trials is more of a platform game that a 'racing' game. You must use carefully-judged acceleration and the weight of your rider (via the analogue stick) to propel yourself through increasingly difficult courses. And it gets teeth-gnashingly hard in the later stages - proper old-school, throwing the controller across the room in a fit of rage hard.

Evolution comes with a suite of multiplayer modes and also an improved level editor if you like that sort of thing - imagine Little Big Planet but actually good. I don't much go for creating my own levels but it's a breeze to download other people's creations - the best ones are spotlighted and rated, and the level editor is extremely versatile - people have even created crude shoot 'em ups and even FPS'es using it (don't ask me how!).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mudcrab on 23 April, 2012, 10:21:56 PM
Gave it a trial (boom boom) and it's arsom! In Dave Mirra there was a lot of tricky hopping about on things and very painful looking crashes (basically like any of the skateboard ones), which this has in abundance! Had loads of fun on the rollercoaster and of course, many a restart! Great physics too. Only 1 stage off the end of trial so looks like I'll be buying it. I can see it getting pretty insane later.

Speaking of insane tricks/jumps and crashes, there's a new SSX out soon (or 3 years time knowing game hype) which I'm looking forward to, always loved those.

Aaaaah, reminds me of Kick Start  :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 23 April, 2012, 10:52:33 PM
Quote from: Mudcrab on 23 April, 2012, 07:28:25 PM


Ooooh, I like the look of that. Just finished Mass Effect 2 (they killed Mordin, the bastards!) so will check that out before 3 arrives!


Ooh. You may want to try to save Mordin. Jus' sayin'. He makes a lot of missions in ME3 easier, although he doesn't join your squad.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Roger Godpleton on 23 April, 2012, 10:57:39 PM
Mordin generally seems to die randomly holding back the Collector forces while you're off fighting the Larvae. To be on the safe side, either take him with you or send him back to the Normandy with the crew.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 23 April, 2012, 10:59:09 PM
If Trials Evolution is anything like Trials HD, some of the later levels are going to take hundreds of restarts to reach the end of...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 24 April, 2012, 08:20:13 AM
Quote from: Roger Godpleton on 23 April, 2012, 10:57:39 PM
Mordin generally seems to die randomly holding back the Collector forces while you're off fighting the Larvae. To be on the safe side, either take him with you or send him back to the Normandy with the crew.

Yes, I sent him back with the crew from the Normandy.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: chaingunchimp on 24 April, 2012, 12:15:57 PM
currently playing Dead island
only really put in 20mins gameplay but loving it so far
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mudcrab on 24 April, 2012, 01:16:24 PM
Splendid, cheers for the Mordin advice, I did fancy going back to rectify that, if only to be an achievement whore, but that sounds like good advice. One day I'll go back and keep Ashley alive too!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Noisybast on 24 April, 2012, 01:51:19 PM
Back on Fable 2, mopping up the last few achievements.
Don't suppose anybody's got a Garth or Hammer Hero Doll knocking around their inventory that they can bung me on XBox Live...?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mogzilla on 24 April, 2012, 08:54:43 PM
in between flitting between amalur and the witcher 2 ,i've been reliving the genius that is worms!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mudcrab on 26 April, 2012, 10:39:04 PM
Well, finished ME2 again, twice (the end that is). Saved Mordin but also kept the collector base, which didn't seem right for my Shep, but at least I've got different saved to try out. Aside from Mordin being useful I'd have missed him singing Gilbert & Sullivan, well worth it  :lol:

See you in the ME3 thread...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 29 April, 2012, 04:25:16 PM
The Walking Dead ep1 on 360 - Based on Comic not TV show so you bump into comic version of some characters and not the annoying TV versions. Also the graphics are done to look like the comic, except in colour.

You get to make choices (who dies,who lives) which supposedly carry over to next eps so could get interesting for those of us who cant help but try every decision.

Really reminds me of Heavy Rain on PS3. I enjoyed it and look forward to the next ep as this ones only about 2 hours long.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mogzilla on 29 April, 2012, 07:59:46 PM
played the demo for that awesome! only quibble, can you invert the controls we wacking zombs? i'm used to inverted so died a lot on my first encounter!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: bluemeanie on 30 April, 2012, 08:40:13 AM
Yeah, I did that one last night too.
Not really a fan of the comic or tv show, got it for the wife as she loves both. I really liked the game though and am def up for episode 2

Like the Jurassic Park one before this it is a lot like an interactive movie a lot of the time, but unlike Jurassic Park I wasnt bored at all working through this one.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Noisybast on 02 May, 2012, 12:27:13 PM
Guess everyone's left Fable 2 way behind, huh?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 07 May, 2012, 08:31:22 PM
The Bank Holiday and bad weather has conspired to give me time to finally play some Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Bloody good fun it was, I love the Zelda formula.

This game brings a lot of fun new game mechanics. The navigating with flying and sky-diving is satisfying, the 1:1 motions of the sword/controller* are implemented beautifully.

So far I've hopped and skipped all over the place, slashed up everything, finished the first Temple, and kicked the shit out of some No Account Bangkok Ladyboy. It'll be at least 2 month's until I get the 'Big TV' time to properly enjoy this again, but I've loved everything about it so far.

*this is one thing about the Wii that vexes me. It's the first time I've used the Wii Motion PlusTM, and it's annoying that this technology wasn't used as the default
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 12 May, 2012, 03:33:40 PM
Quote from: mogzilla on 29 April, 2012, 07:59:46 PM
played the demo for that awesome! only quibble, can you invert the controls we wacking zombs? i'm used to inverted so died a lot on my first encounter!

Just checked and theres no invert option far as I can tell.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 12 May, 2012, 05:14:28 PM
STARFOX 3DS on my 3DS - picked up from Asda for £15.    Not sure about the gyro controls (tend to just use them for minute last second adjustments rather than for full steering) but it's a hugely fun and shiny update of the N64 game. But I still find it rock hard.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 12 May, 2012, 09:06:57 PM
Haven't played the 3DS version, but the N64 original is one of my favourite games of all time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: judge cooper on 19 May, 2012, 05:25:23 PM
has anyone got a ps3
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 19 May, 2012, 07:19:59 PM
Just play first Commandos: Behind The Lines, totally love it as did when it first out years ago!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 19 May, 2012, 07:55:23 PM
Ah, that takes me back. Commandos was a great game! Rock hard though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 19 May, 2012, 08:06:09 PM
Quote from: radiator on 19 May, 2012, 07:55:23 PM
Ah, that takes me back. Commandos was a great game! Rock hard though.

Yep, lot of stabbing by knife, got all 1 to 3 in package on steam.

Commando 2 was best of all, as many of sneak and ways to less the German soldiers.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: judge cooper on 19 May, 2012, 08:13:38 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 19 May, 2012, 08:06:09 PM
Quote from: radiator on 19 May, 2012, 07:55:23 PM
Ah, that takes me back. Commandos was a great game! Rock hard though.

Yep, lot of stabbing by knife, got all 1 to 3 in package on steam.

Commando 2 was best of all, as many of sneak and ways to less the German soldiers.
i could never stop using the bury technique to sneak past soldiers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 26 August, 2012, 04:27:27 PM
Just finished Dead Island, which has the Best Videogame Trailer Of All Time Ever. The game is massively meh though, like a zombie Borderlands (which sounds amazing right?) but the combat's really poor and the missions are all dull fetch quests (I stopped doing the side-mission entirely which is rare for me with an RPG-ish game).

It's also not very slick, obviously a fairly low budget game that got hyped to high heaven because of That Trailer (which was outsourced to another company).

Didn't enjoy it much, but battered through it anyway, mainly because it has some of the funniest voice acting out there.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 05 September, 2012, 10:05:53 PM
Just played through Syndicate (the Starbreeze reboot, not the great old school one).

I really enjoyed it, very cyberpunk which is an aesthetic that floats my boat. The shooting is pretty solid and the hacking powers make things a little different. It's rough around the edges so seems to have been rushed a bit, the art direction itself is gorgeous but there are some very unpolished moments and twice I thought I was stuck at a puzzle when actually a scripted event just wasn't triggering (and did once I rebooted).

A shame it wasn't shown more love, I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'll take any sci-fi/horror-ish FPS over a million gritty military efforts. If you like sci-fi and enjoyed the F.E.A.R. games this is probably for you.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 05 September, 2012, 11:08:24 PM
The Walking Dead (XBL/PSN).  Not sure what the point of it is: you walk about, interact with something, then spend long minutes in conversation with other characters, then a zombie does something, then you spend another half hour in conversations that lead nowhere and resolve nothing.  Is this really what people would expect of a game based on The Walking Dead?

Saints Row: the Gangsters In Space, Apocalypse Genki and Trouble With Clones DLC.  GIS and TWC are really fun, especially getting super-powers and doing fireballs and running around Steelport with super-speed, but Apocalypse genki is just more of the same Genki bowl arena combat stuff.  Good, mad fun.

Lego Batman 2: in-level save points are long overdue for the increasingly-huge playing areas in these Lego games, but like Lego Batman 1, a lot of the levels can still feel overlong and the puzzles a little abstract.  What some of it has to do with Batman or his world is also open to question (different suits=different powers is an odd mechanic, for instance).  Still good fun, but I get the impression - as with many of the more recent Lego titles - that younger players aren't the intended audience.

Skyrim: finished it, then it keeps going.  And going.  Despite this, your actions don't seem to impact much upon your reputation or on how you can play the game, making your actions feel increasingly irrelevant.  I don't like this mechanic - I like to play as a character, especially if it's one I've created myself, and what that character is and how it acts in a world should have an impact on that world for better or worse.  Fallout 3 managed this mechanic with it's one-reputation system all the way back in 2008, but New Vegas and now Skyrim move away from that little by little to the point it becomes irrelevant if you act morally or otherwise, so why does it matter what you do, or to who?  Despite this, you're still locked into one side or the other in a civil war storyline that spans the main questline of the game with no option to switch sides, again making your decisions seem irrelevant and ultimately pointless, though fair enough it's only a videogame and is ultimately pointless anyway...
Enjoyable, all told, but unlike other immersive RPGs, I can't see myself replaying this one as a different character.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: judge cooper on 06 September, 2012, 05:48:17 PM
judge dredd on psn
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 06 September, 2012, 06:53:03 PM
Dark Siders 2: a lot of fun despite all of its over familiar game mechanics (Prince of Persia style platforming, God of War style combat etc). Decent length too - took me around 20 hours and I didn't bother my arse with any of the side quests.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 06 September, 2012, 08:48:29 PM
I'm playing Halo Wars. It's bloody great.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 06 September, 2012, 11:36:25 PM
Just played episode 3 of Walking Dead. Dear lord, that was stressful (and mighty depressing). Absolutely fantastic though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 15 September, 2012, 01:24:34 PM
Finished FEAR 3 yesterday. Great fun but The Shortest Game Ever.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 26 September, 2012, 11:45:07 AM
Just played Demo for Resi Evil 6. Not overly amazed but at least there are proper Zombies in it again as opposed to the Ganados (they still appear within the game).

Loved the originals but the series seems to be on a decline. Too much emphasis on 'buddy' combat mechanics and not enough scares!

Cheers  :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 26 September, 2012, 11:58:30 AM
I just finished Dust: An Elysian Tail.

Marvellous little game - highly recommended. Like a blend of Metroid, Castlevania and Dog Tanian and the Muscahounds. IIRC the only game I've ever unlocked every single achievement for.

I'm now playing Fez again. A very charming, perplexing little game. Extremely clever, but perhaps a little too clever for it's own good as some of the 'puzzles' are batshit insane hard. I'm finding navigating the world very confusing and frustrating - basically ending up going through random doors until I find a new area I haven't visited yet. I can't tell if it's designed to be this disorienting or if I'm just stupid.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: grthink on 26 September, 2012, 12:57:15 PM
Started 'Sleeping Dogs' -- it's more of the same GTA "walk around the city, beating people up" but with a similar fighting style to the Arkham Asylum/City games. It's OK so far. It kept me up until 2pm so it must be doing something right.

Before that I finished Lego Batman 2, which was OK-ish. The only other Lego Game I played in earnest was The Complete Star Wars and I think that was much better executed. Lego Batman 2 dragged a little once the story was finished, and so many of the collectible figures were useless, it felt like an anti-climax to collect them. Oh, and every time you fly as Superman it plays the Superman theme, which I found really, really irritating.

And before that was Assassin's Creed Revelations, which is more of the same Assassin's Creed. Wasn't a fan of the new 'den defence' minigame, but otherwise it was OK. Still have a few missions to go that I've not gotten around to doing, but I'll be glad to move off from Ezio's story when AC3 rolls out.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 26 September, 2012, 02:10:28 PM
I've been really struggling to find any games to hold my interest lately. I've tried demos of, among others, Deadlight, Dust, Fez and Spelunky. Didn't like any of them, although I did find Mark of the Ninja reasonably fun so might buy that at some point.

A mate was over the other weekend and, after a couple of beers, he got me to download Tony Hawk HD which is great fun but essentially replaying games we loved fifteen years ago with a worse controller.

Who can help me?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 26 September, 2012, 02:12:59 PM
Have you played Trials HD or Trials: Evolution?

Limbo?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 26 September, 2012, 02:18:25 PM
I played Ghost Recon Future Soldier and really liked it. It's sort of 'Rainbow 6 lite' - a squad based third person shooter with a bit of light strategy thrown in - the co-op multiplayer is supposed to be fun but I haven't tried it yet.

If you like action shooters I'd recommend Vanquish. One of my favourite games this generation - very fast paced and just great fun. Single player only though.

Sleeping Dogs is also quite fun. I like the story and the Hong Kong vibe is great.

For a quick five minute blast I really like NHL 2011. I'm not normally a big fan of sports games but hockey doesn't seem to have many rules and it's very fast paced. NHL 2013 is supposed to be ace.

As for XBLA you can't go wrong with PacMan Championship Edition DX. It's a totally different game to traditional Pacman and is really addictive.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 26 September, 2012, 03:32:24 PM
Cosh - That adventure game on steam is called Resonance
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 27 September, 2012, 01:07:40 AM
Quote from: radiator on 26 September, 2012, 02:12:59 PM
Have you played Trials HD or Trials: Evolution? Limbo?
Didn't like the first Trials at all. Think I have Limbo on Steam, might give it a try again.

My favourite games are still shootemups while the things I've enjoyed most in recent memory are Child of Eden, Super Meat Boy and Arkham Asylum. Actually, I still haven't gotten round to getting Arkham City. That's worth a try.

Quote from: Satanist on 26 September, 2012, 03:32:24 PM
Cosh - That adventure game on steam is called Resonance
Nice one. Sounds pretty cool. Will give it a go once I sort out a computer with a proper screen and the internet again.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 27 September, 2012, 12:21:25 PM
Shadow Complex?

Bastion?

Rez HD?

I like the look of Mark of the Ninja - I usually despise stealth games, but this looks like stealth done right.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: grthink on 27 September, 2012, 12:45:34 PM
Cosh - Arkham City is definitely worth a go. Whether you pay extra for the Catwoman content is up to you though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 27 September, 2012, 02:07:52 PM
Quote from: radiator on 27 September, 2012, 12:21:25 PM
Shadow Complex?
Finished that. Liked it quite a bit as it reminded me of some of my favourite BBC Micro era arcade adventure type games. Had actually thought Deadlight was going to be in the same vein but it didn't seem to be.
Quote from: radiator on 27 September, 2012, 12:21:25 PMBastion?
Quite liked that, despite the grating narration. However, I did the thing I'm always doing of getting to the stage just before the last showdown then going back to try and get all the extras and side missions then losing interest and forgetting about it for a few weeks and now having no idea of the controls or abilities. See also: Okami, Psychonauts, etc...
Quote from: radiator on 27 September, 2012, 12:21:25 PMRez HD?
I've thought of that but I still have the PS2 version and have never managed to get the ultimate completion (100% in all zones in a single run) on that so it wouldn't feel right to start it on another platform.

I see Jet Set Radio's getting an XBLA release. Never played that so might give it a go.

Quote from: grthink on 27 September, 2012, 12:45:34 PM
Cosh - Arkham City is definitely worth a go. Whether you pay extra for the Catwoman content is up to you though.
See, I've actually been holding out for a definitive edition with all the DLC included but I might just give in and buy it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 27 September, 2012, 02:17:19 PM
Left 4 Dead 2. Been playing on and off since release day (yeah I know it's old). Absolutely amazing game if played online (team vs) and 3 download packs available. Probably the most intense FPS I've ever played (even surpassing the mighty 'Black Ops').

Cheers  :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 27 September, 2012, 02:21:01 PM
Some DL games in the Shadow Complex mode would be Shoot Many Robots and Outland, though I haven't played more than the first couple of levels of either, so can't say much beyond that.  Enjoyable so far, though.

Tokyo Jungle, where humans have buggered off the Earth and you play as one of the animals left behind in a Tokyo slowly being reclaimed by nature.
You wander around a sandbox playing area hunting smaller animals for food and marking territory until this makes you impressive enough that a lass of your species lets you take her back to yours so you can sire pups, whom you then control as a pack, ostensibly to wander beyond the territory held by your parents and take that from whatever species dominates, be it bears, alligators or lions or whatever, essentially working your way up the food chain over generations by siring stronger offspring to take control of so that eventually you can graduate from fights against rabbits and cats to taking on chimps, bulls, giraffes and supposedly even a dinosaur somewhere or other in the game area.

Despite the high concept, it's very old-school gaming which basically lets you engineer fights between a bull and a bear without getting locked up, and answers that age-old question of who would win in a fight between an alligator and a Pomeranian*.  Highly recommended if you like your gaming stripped-back to the bones and made to pick up and play rather than immerse yourself for hours (though that's possible too - it's just not essential), it's good to see a game that's tricky but not frustrating to the point I managed to get a Pomeranian to its 11th generation over 45 game years and then got utterly massacred when I thought I could take a bear, and I just laughed it off and had another go.
It's great fun, and an antidote to the awful Duke Nukem Forever - which as mentioned was awful, but the DLC was much better than the actual game, even if the end boss entailed you ramming a truck into a vagina and then shooting ovaries.  I do not mean that the orifice in question resembled the shape of a vagina, either, I mean it is an actual vagina and your aim is to inflict violence upon it, a paradigm for some of my problems with the rest of the game's content which sadly went too far in the wrong direction away from schoolboy smut to misogyny and homophobia.  Some of the level design was a bit vague, too.
Not great.

* The alligator - are you insane?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 27 September, 2012, 03:31:46 PM
If you liked Shadow Complex give Castlevania-Symphony of the Night a bash. Its old and tough but very rewarding. Id never played it before but loved it when it finally clicked.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 27 September, 2012, 05:35:11 PM
QuoteI see Jet Set Radio's getting an XBLA release. Never played that so might give it a go.

I remember Jet Set Radio being quite a really frustrating experience. Incredible graphics and design, but the way it's structured - with very strict, Crazy Taxi style time limits to complete a stage - made it a bitch to play. You just want to relax and explore this lovely pop-art Tokyo, but you're constantly being hassled by the time limit, or some really irritating bad guy, or both.

The Xbox sequel, Jet Set Radio Future, was fantastic and the game the original should have been. Think it'll run on 360 if you can find a copy.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 September, 2012, 05:44:10 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 27 September, 2012, 02:07:52 PM
Quote from: grthink on 27 September, 2012, 12:45:34 PM
Cosh - Arkham City is definitely worth a go. Whether you pay extra for the Catwoman content is up to you though.
See, I've actually been holding out for a definitive edition with all the DLC included but I might just give in and buy it.

What format you playing on? The game of the year edition has (I think) all the DLC. It certainly has the Catwoman episodes and the Harley Quinn's Revenge pack. It's a great game, if you enjoyed Asylum you'll love it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Batman-Arkham-City-Game-Edition/dp/B009698ZKS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1348764137&sr=8-2 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Batman-Arkham-City-Game-Edition/dp/B009698ZKS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1348764137&sr=8-2)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 28 September, 2012, 01:33:41 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 27 September, 2012, 05:44:10 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 27 September, 2012, 02:07:52 PM
Quote from: grthink on 27 September, 2012, 12:45:34 PM
Cosh - Arkham City is definitely worth a go. Whether you pay extra for the Catwoman content is up to you though.
See, I've actually been holding out for a definitive edition with all the DLC included but I might just give in and buy it.
What format you playing on? The game of the year edition has (I think) all the DLC. It certainly has the Catwoman episodes and the Harley Quinn's Revenge pack. It's a great game, if you enjoyed Asylum you'll love it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Batman-Arkham-City-Game-Edition/dp/B009698ZKS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1348764137&sr=8-2 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Batman-Arkham-City-Game-Edition/dp/B009698ZKS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1348764137&sr=8-2)
No idea how I've missed that. This is exactly what I've been on the lookout for but only ever seen the PS3 version listed. Cheers.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 30 September, 2012, 02:56:23 PM
Played an hour of Resi 6 (a week early, get in) and so far it seems a bit off! Wonky controls and invisible walls all over the place. More soon once Ive had some more time with it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: grthink on 01 October, 2012, 12:23:43 PM
I mentioned Sleeping Dogs earlier in this thread -- just want to update everyone that it has its hooks firmly in me. I still get frustrated at some of the fight controls, and I can't seem to hold on to a gun for more than 5mins, but other than that it's great. I doubt it'll win any awards, and certainly not for originality, but it's definitely a lot of fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 01 October, 2012, 01:31:15 PM
I got Mark of the Ninja the other day - and it's great.

I find playing most stealth games is like pulling teeth, but this one does it really well; encouraging experimentation and not punishing the player all the time. Modern, clean, clever design combined with pleasingly sticky controls and satisfying mechanics. Rewarding and rarely frustrating.

Good stuff. One of those games you're looking forward to playing through again while you're still playing it - if that makes sense.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 01 October, 2012, 02:29:33 PM
I've been getting stuck into Black Mesa over the last week or so.

It's a free fan remake of the original Half-Life using the newer source engine. They team behind it have done a bang up job of converting the original game by replacing most of the models and sounds etc and remaking the levels an a bigger scale with tons of detail.

The game follows the plot of the Original up until the Xen levels, (which were pretty poor in the original) but they are working on releasing the rest of the game further down the line.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 01 October, 2012, 02:33:02 PM
I hop Black Mesa ends up on XBLA or PSN at some point - I love the original Half Life.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: bluemeanie on 01 October, 2012, 04:56:28 PM
Darksiders2

Enjoying it a lot, but then I'm a pc monkey who has never played God of War which I'm getting the feeling this borrows from quite a bit. Very over the top like the game version of an 80s Simon Bisley comic, which works for me. Lots of skulls, carnage and stupidly oversize weapons (ooh matron!)

Dont have to think too hard, just kill everything with some pretty decent climbing mechanics thrown in. Havent played one like this in a while. Fun stuff, tho I can see myself possibly getting bored before I finish it

(http://www.bagofgames.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/art-Darksiders-2-angel-armour-2-620x349.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 01 October, 2012, 05:49:55 PM
A heads-up for Wii users: Poundland are selling We Dare for some reason.  It was never released here or in the US because it's a virtual "truth or dare" thing and they reckoned it might promote sexual promiscuity in kids, so presumably the Poundland games come from some warehouse sell-off on the continent somewhere.  Only a pound so I thought I'd mention it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Kano Magnus on 01 October, 2012, 11:08:57 PM
minecraft. should i be getting into this? i've got the impression it's like computer crack
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 02 October, 2012, 06:22:49 AM
Fourteenth level Dwarven Warrior and twentyfifth level Human Captain in Lord of the Rings Online.

It's for free.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 02 October, 2012, 03:30:04 PM
Quote from: Kano Magnus on 01 October, 2012, 11:08:57 PM
minecraft. should i be getting into this? i've got the impression it's like computer crack

Minecraft is dangerous stuff. The vanilla game is just the tip of the ice-berg, there's all kinds of mods and texture packs available. It can be a lot of fun and it can be very frustrating. I would recommend finding a server or playing over a LAN though, this game is really enhanced by multiplayer.

If you find yourself becoming addicted, play on Hardcore mode. If you die you lose everything and the gameworld deletes itself, along with all your progress. Proper GAME OVER, like in the old days.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 02 October, 2012, 03:35:42 PM
Ok, so I'm working through my purchases from the last Steam Sale.

What do I start:-

Oblivion
Crysis
Dawn of War 40K
Dawn of War II
STALKER Call of Pripyat
The Dues Exes (got them all)
Alan Wake

I've played none of these - well, apart form an hour of Alan Wake before my old Xbox dies

Also got Max Payne 3 and Gears of War 3 on the Xbox

What to play? What to play?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: bluemeanie on 03 October, 2012, 11:47:48 AM
Thought I should add an extra to Darksiders 2 in that it's now gone VERY Tomb Raider / new Prince of Persia.

Lots of climb here, pull this lever, swim down, break this seal, climb back up....

Still lots of hitting things and now even shooting things but its not quite as Golden Axe as it was at the start
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 03 October, 2012, 12:07:45 PM
Quote from: bluemeanie on 03 October, 2012, 11:47:48 AM
Thought I should add an extra to Darksiders 2 in that it's now gone VERY Tomb Raider / new Prince of Persia.

Lots of climb here, pull this lever, swim down, break this seal, climb back up....

Still lots of hitting things and now even shooting things but its not quite as Golden Axe as it was at the start

I've heard it's quite Zelda like. I'd be interested in paying it if that's true.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: vzzbux on 04 October, 2012, 10:10:22 PM
At the moment I am deep into RAGE on the PS3. I may be some time on it as I have already clocked up 16hrs of play time.





V
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 05 October, 2012, 01:42:45 AM
You are going to be so happy with the ending you get for all those hours you invest in that game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 09 October, 2012, 10:32:44 AM
Just finished the main campaign on Sleeping Dogs - took me a while!
A very satisfying end to a great game, I thought.

[spoiler]I laughed out loud when I chucked Big Smile Lee in the ice chipper - he was such a wanker![/spoiler]

I still have plenty of side missions to do which will pass the time until Assassin's Creed 3 comes out at the end of the month.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: grthink on 09 October, 2012, 10:53:40 AM
I've really got to learn not to scroll over the spoiler bars if I don't want to find out what happens.

[spoiler]Still, good to know Big Smile Lee gets what's coming to him.[/spoiler]

I've got two or three story missions to do, then other than collectibles I'm done. I seem to have missed out all of the races, somehow, though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 10 October, 2012, 09:02:27 PM
Mechwarrior Online. The NDA has been lifted from the closed beta so I can now say that I'm playing this game.

Not bad so far, there are some problems, but it IS beta after all.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 13 October, 2012, 06:40:36 PM
Did a big tidy up and clear out this week. Got rid of four wheelie bins worth of shite and about 7 black bin bags of stuff went to the local charity shop. We can see the floor of the cupboard under the stairs now. That's where we found the old SEGA MOTHER MEGA FUCKING DRIVE

Just played Micro Machines and I'll have some Mortal Kombat II later.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 13 October, 2012, 08:42:30 PM
Resident Evil 6: Bit of a mixed bag this one. It's got 4 campaigns but I found 2 of them a bit average and another (Chris) to by absolutely diabolical. Leons campaign was by comparison quite excellent (IMO) and the Mercenaries bonus game equally magnificent. Aside from some dodgy camera issues I thought it a good game overall.

Walking Dead: Just finished episode 4 and I have to say I'm enjoying this series immensely. It's got a real dark storyline that doesn't hold back on the horror, and has delivered genuine shocks time and again. Well worth a look.

Cheers  :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 13 October, 2012, 10:53:19 PM
Just started Dishonored......seems spot on up to now !
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 15 October, 2012, 07:37:08 PM
During my charity marathon I played through the new Walking Dead episode and it was absolutely brilliant, hand over mouth and gasp drama. Really excellent series.

I also played Rogue Trooper from start to finish and once I got into the swing of it it felt like it hadn't dated at all. It really is a brilliantly crafted gem of a game, and I want a sequel so bad that I'd let Rebellion touch me in the bad place just to get one. Love it, truly love it.

It's also the game that convinced me stealth wasn't rubbish, I'd hated it up to that point but sneaking around with the silenced sniper, using the holo-decoy to pinpoint snipers, it was ace. The Traitor General is still a massive difficulty spike but after dying a few times I just spent all my scrap on manufacturing a ton of Mortar ammo and did a proper one man army run on it and it felt amazing. Rogue Trooper 2 please.

Raised £380 in the end, which was way more than I expected, thanks to the guys who donated, much appreciated :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 16 October, 2012, 12:19:14 PM
Recently played the first few levels of Bioshock.
I think it's probably showing its age a bit - to be honest it bored me.
The world design is absolutely fantastic but gameplay wise it's a chore. Things like ammo and magic are rare enough that you feel you have to search every drawer, corpse, nook and cranny and to be honest that just isn't fun. The same thing annoyed me on the recent Deus Ex. Combat is about as 'by the numbers' as it gets although I think that when it was released some of the magic attacks were pretty original.
It's also one of those games where every so often you'll just get spammed with a load of low level baddies to give you something to do.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 16 October, 2012, 12:29:59 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 16 October, 2012, 12:19:14 PM
Recently played the first few levels of Bioshock.
I think it's probably showing its age a bit - to be honest it bored me.
The world design is absolutely fantastic but gameplay wise it's a chore. Things like ammo and magic are rare enough that you feel you have to search every drawer, corpse, nook and cranny and to be honest that just isn't fun. The same thing annoyed me on the recent Deus Ex. Combat is about as 'by the numbers' as it gets although I think that when it was released some of the magic attacks were pretty original.
It's also one of those games where every so often you'll just get spammed with a load of low level baddies to give you something to do.


I really enjoyed Bioshock, thought it was great. The End Boss is a bit shit, but I felt it had a real good story. Bioshock 2 is also quite good, and it's got multiplayer but some of the level design is a bit linear.

Cheers :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 16 October, 2012, 03:18:06 PM
Well the story and the world-building was the best thing about it but the searching for bullets and dealing with annoying security bots and splicers that just ran around like something out of Doom killed any enthusiasm.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 16 October, 2012, 04:54:06 PM
Bioshock bored me rigid. I found the lack of variation in the baddies to be shocking (payed about 60% of the game - I know because I read a walkthrough to see how far I got - and it seemed to be the same madman/ madwoman over and over).

In fact, its enduring impact on me was that I really like the flame effects at the very start. It went downhill fast after that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Spicy Biscuit on 16 October, 2012, 09:15:49 PM
College has me bogged down but I managed to catch an hour on Dead Nation. Despite me loathing zombie games I enjoy how unapologetic in it's execution of the theme. Plus I absolutely love the top down genre. Great fun.

I'm also itching to get back into Dwarf Fortress, that thing was like crack to me a few years ago.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: grthink on 17 October, 2012, 05:17:32 PM
Bioshock is one of my top, all-time games. Granted, there's not much variance in the splicers, but the atmosphere, pacing and story are incredible. Sound design, too -- just thinknig about it has me hearing security bots. I don't thik its strength ever lied in its qualities as a shooter (there are games that do that better -- Borderlands etc) but in terms of delivering a structure, ad a story, and doing it so stylishly... I bloody love that game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 17 October, 2012, 05:46:00 PM
Renegade Ops - top-down twin-stick shooter about brumming about in jeeps shooting things in warzones.  Supposedly old-school but looks very shiny and plays in an idiot-proof manner.  Good fun for all and worth a punt via XBL or PSN.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 17 October, 2012, 05:56:23 PM
Isn't that the one Rennie worked on?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 20 October, 2012, 07:02:45 PM
Dishonored: I've played a couple of hours of this and on the whole I think it's actually not bad. The game can be played stealthily (knives to the back of the neck, hiding bodies), or in a more robust fashion; killing everyone loud and excessively violent, leaving bodies everywhere leading to an increase in guards and rat infestations. There's even a perk system for the various abilities/powers that you can acquire.

Worth a look,

Cheers  :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 20 October, 2012, 09:17:51 PM
Quote from: radiator on 17 October, 2012, 05:56:23 PM
Isn't that the one Rennie worked on?

Yeah I think so.

Just got around to Assassin's Creed Revelations. Bloody loved it. Can't wait for AC3.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Judge Fish on 21 October, 2012, 06:58:56 AM
I'm currently on my second complete playthrough of Max Payne 3 (at hardest available difficulty level), in order to complete all the grinds. Most games once I have completed them once go back on the shelf to collect dust until the end of time, but this is one of those rare titles that has enough old school playability to keep me coming back.

Still got a few other games in my pile of shame to work through once that is done, however. Though I do want to pick up Sleeping Dogs, Dishonoured, and eventually, Assassins Creed 3.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 21 October, 2012, 10:38:33 AM
Quote from: Judge Fish on 21 October, 2012, 06:58:56 AM
I'm currently on my second complete playthrough of Max Payne 3 (at hardest available difficulty level), in order to complete all the grinds. Most games once I have completed them once go back on the shelf to collect dust until the end of time, but this is one of those rare titles that has enough old school playability to keep me coming back.

Still got a few other games in my pile of shame to work through once that is done, however. Though I do want to pick up Sleeping Dogs, Dishonoured, and eventually, Assassins Creed 3.

I'm shocked to read this. I gave up on Max Payne 3 at the bit in the second level where you shoot from a helicopter. I just could not face more interminable cut scenes.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 21 October, 2012, 11:15:53 AM
I've just started playing Max Payne 3 and actually just got past the helicopter bit.
So far I haven't seen anything very original and the whole thing feels very much on rails - you literally go from corridor to a room full of baddies to another corridor and so on.
The writing is good though and the main character is convincing and well acted.
I'm glad this is just a rental though and that I didn't buy it on the strength of the reviews.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Judge Fish on 21 October, 2012, 12:13:37 PM
Honestly it wasn't until about level four or so on my first playthrough where everything really kicked in for me, before that point I just couldn't quite get the feel of the controls down to a point where I felt truly happy with them, and it felt a bit like I was fighting against them, until suddenly it all just started to click and I got properly into the groove.

I actually felt disappointed with the game to start with too for the first few hours, as an old school Max Payne fan, but once it finally clicked for me from that point on I honestly loved every minute of it.

I do wish you could skip through the cutscenes after your first playthrough though, as even though I actually think the story is really quite good in the way that it unwinds and draws you in deeper and deeper, and that is important on your first playthrough, after that sometimes you just want to get to the business of gunning.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 21 October, 2012, 12:24:48 PM
Unskippable cut scenes are one of my gaming pet hates. It betrays a certain arrogance on the part of the developer.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 21 October, 2012, 02:25:39 PM
Generally unskippable cutscenes are masking loading times, so the cutscene is seen as the lesser of two evils where the alternative would be a loading screen. Where it bothers me is when games pop an unskippable cutscenes immediately after a checkpoint, really adds to the frustration on repeated attempts!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 24 October, 2012, 07:48:00 PM
Splitting my time between Dishonoured and Doom 3 BFG Edition (the joy of mutliple trade ins!)

I must say that Dishonoured is great (if easy). It's a real fun game - I said to the missus I can't remember the last time I have enjoyed playing a game as much. It's no Mass Effect on the story front, but it is exhuberant and a great wee world to potter around in. The simplicity makes it easy to think you really are a supernatural killing machine out to clear your name. (Note: It may be harder if you don't possess every damn thing in sight).

Doom 3 is fab, too. I played it when it first came out and my bug-bear was that Hard difficulty was unfair: enemies required more damage to put down compared to easier difficulties while ammo was harder to find. That's a double whammy and it was wearisome - without the torch - to get a headshot with every shot or die. The tweaks to the BFG edition are subtle. It plays faster, and there is much more ammo. Now, I'm ready if they try to Hurt Me Plenty.

Although the unfair teleporting in of bad guys (you can spin and see them appear behind you when you hit a trigger point, appearing from nowhere) is still present and annoying.

Doom and Doom 2 are also fun with a gamepad.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 24 October, 2012, 10:08:00 PM
Quoteso the cutscene is seen as the lesser of two evils where the alternative would be a loading screen

Not if you have to watch the fucking thing 10+ times it's not.

Another thing I literally do not understand is the prevalence of extremely repetitive looped/canned dialogue. Would it kill the developers to record a few subtle variations on phrases and sound effects?

Halo was amazing at this, over ten years ago, as the NPC chatter was almost always different and funny. GTAIV also did a great job of having multiple takes on the same conversations so you didn't have to listen to the same thing over and over again, but the vast majority of games still suffer greatly from these problems.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 25 October, 2012, 09:08:13 AM
I'm with you on that. Disc space is a big concern (chopping a few lines of non-essential dialogue can free up space for other things, which at the 11th hour can make a huge difference) but where it really rankles with me is when multiple voice actors record the exact same line (Skyrim's arrow in the knee stuff was a recent one that bothered me).

You've got different voice actors in, and multiple readings of the same line will take up as much space as getting each actor to say something differently, so I can't see any excuse for it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 25 October, 2012, 03:01:50 PM
I'm not sure disc space is an issue these days given that a single layer blu-ray disc holds 25gb, and even with Microsoft determined to hold out against admitting defeat - several years after losing the format wars - bigger games on XB just come on more than one disc.

I'm with Radiator - unskippable cut scenes are indicitive of either arrogance or bad design.  I rarely play a game for the story*, and I would be highly surprised if this was an atypical opinion.

*RPGs being the only possible exception, and even then stuff like Fallout lets you advance dialogue delivery at your own pace.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 25 October, 2012, 03:26:17 PM
I also despise semi-interactive cutscenes, like where you have to walk your character really slowly while they have long, boring conversations or 'dream' sequences that only exist to serve the 'story' that I usually care nothing about.

A good example is the bit in one of the Call of Duty games where there's a whole level where you crawl around dying from a nuclear blast. Boring. Pretentious. I'm playing a Call of Duty game because I want to shoot people, and those kind of things really drain the life out of the game, especially on replays.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 25 October, 2012, 04:13:53 PM
The thing I hate is when there's a long cutscene immediately followed by a Quick Time Event.
I don't mind QTEs in action games like Vanquish or Bayonetta where they are essentially a way to give a combat bonus to your character.
In games where a QTE follows a long cutscene, I always miss it. Usually because the controller is on my lap and I'm taking a swig of tea or something.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 25 October, 2012, 04:24:31 PM
QTEs full stop.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 25 October, 2012, 04:25:29 PM
LOOK AT ALL DAT JUICE!

Mustve heard that about 50 times on my insane run through of Gears! Drove me mental.

I'm playing X-Com at the mo, its super addictive and I refuse to give it up. Brilliant!

I'm on about mission 30 and havent lost a guy yet, but that looks like its gonna change soon as the aliens have really stepped it up a gear.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 25 October, 2012, 04:52:32 PM
Quote from: radiator on 25 October, 2012, 03:26:17 PM
I also despise semi-interactive cutscenes, like where you have to walk your character really slowly while they have long, boring conversations or 'dream' sequences that only exist to serve the 'story' that I usually care nothing about.

A good example is the bit in one of the Call of Duty games where there's a whole level where you crawl around dying from a nuclear blast. Boring. Pretentious. I'm playing a Call of Duty game because I want to shoot people, and those kind of things really drain the life out of the game, especially on replays.

There's a section in Black ops where you have to walk around the Whitehouse very slowly while some guy waffles on. How they had the nerve to class it as a 'level' is beyond me.
Quality multiplayer though, and Zombies.

(I can't stand the Modern Warfare games)!

Cheers  :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 25 October, 2012, 05:02:05 PM
What's a QTE?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 25 October, 2012, 05:12:44 PM
Quick Time Event, basically when it flashes buttons on screen that you need to match.

Quote from: Professah Byah on 25 October, 2012, 03:01:50 PM
I'm not sure disc space is an issue these days given that a single layer blu-ray disc holds 25gb, and even with Microsoft determined to hold out against admitting defeat - several years after losing the format wars - bigger games on XB just come on more than one disc.

Surprisingly it is still an issue due to the submission process. There's a substantial additional cost involved in spreading a 360 game across discs (and I don't mean manufacturing costs, for a 2 disc game you're essentially paying for 2 submissions to the platform holder which, if multiple submissions are required before a pass, can reeeeeeeeally add up) so it's understandable that some folks would rather trim out some dialogue (or other assets) that are considered non-essential instead of doing that.

QTE's are a weird one. Narrative and character is actually really important to me in most games, I find those (along with the gameplay obviously) are the hooks that pull me through the whole experience in a lot of cases. I reckon QTE's are a decent enough way of keeping people feeling involved, but only if they feel like they relate to the actions on-screen. In some games it just feels like the cutscene pauses and waits for you to hit the unpause button. Used like that they're just ruining the flow of your cutscenes instead of adding to them.

Heavy Rain is almost entirely made up of QTE's, and I enjoyed that immensely, but I tried Azura's Wrath which was similarly QTE-driven and just didn't see the point. So I'm on the fence with that I guess!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 25 October, 2012, 05:16:23 PM
Ah, the Quick Time Event - those interactive cutscenes in games that serve no purpose whatsoever, except to elicit on-cue positive feedback from people watching (not playing) the game at trade shows.  Nobody likes them except game developers, because the positive feedback in the needlessly self-congratulatory environment of the trade cons is a boost to their egos.  Again we are back to the arrogance of the developer...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 25 October, 2012, 05:49:42 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 25 October, 2012, 05:12:44 PM
Quick Time Event, basically when it flashes buttons on screen that you need to match.
Ah yes. Those suck.

To be honest, the only story I really need in a game is: "Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire."
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 26 October, 2012, 12:28:28 AM
Killzone is showing its age in some places, but mainly the graphics department and the thick-as-pigshit enemies who stand around in groups while you cook a grenade.  The pseudo-verite head-shaky-camera nonsense just makes it seem like your character is juddering when he walks and makes his movement feel slow, the controls largely mirror but pre-empt the now-standard COD layout just enough for the need to hold down the sprint button to annoy, and the enemies, for all their stupidity, seem to take a cartload of bullets to knock over, to the point I'm not sure now if I'm actually hitting them or the gun is spraying around them.
Having said all that, it's still great how it makes you work to progress rather than just being able to bull through enemies ala Halo or COD, and the story pits you as a guy performing strategically important missions but still just one schmuck on the battlefield and not that important to how things turn out, as pretty soon selectable characters come into the game dynamic and it becomes clear any tosser could do your job because if you play as one of the other three characters, they have different ways of getting around the field while still doing exactly what you do.  It's enjoyable and challenging, but cheap, too, and efinitely worth a punt if you like your FPS shooters old-school rather than tailored primarily for multiplayer.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 26 October, 2012, 08:07:59 AM
I enjoyed it at the time, always meant to get round to playing the 2nd one, I've heard it's visually pretty stunning.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 26 October, 2012, 09:19:55 AM
They're releasing a Killzone collection aren't they?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 26 October, 2012, 12:38:06 PM
They're releasing a trilogy collection of the main console games, but it doesn't include the PSP spin-offs.  The trilogy probably sounds like great value, but you can pick up K2 and K3 second hand for buttons as it is, meaning it might be cheaper in the long run to just buy Killzone as a download and look for the sequels in bargain bins or ex-rental sales in Blockbuster.

Quote from: Keef Monkey on 26 October, 2012, 08:07:59 AM
I enjoyed it at the time, always meant to get round to playing the 2nd one, I've heard it's visually pretty stunning.

It is, but was superseded by the visuals of Killzone 3.  Fair warning: make sure you download all the necessary patches before starting K2, as there's an odd control quirk added where it feels like there's a lag between when you pull in a direction and the camera responding.  It is utterly baffling why they added this element to the controls of a fast-paced shooter, but after months of complaints they eventually added the option to the in-game menu to disable it - for my money it was only at this point that K2 became playable.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Robert Frazer on 30 October, 2012, 03:08:50 PM
I found a copy of the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection going cheap in CeX recently. I haven't played a Metal Gear game since Substance on the X-Box, so I've been having a whale of a time diving into and catching up on the hijinx of Kojima's weird, wild and wacky world of international geopolitics and a man's love for his cardboard box.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 01 November, 2012, 07:34:34 PM
Quote from: Professah Byah on 26 October, 2012, 12:38:06 PM
It is, but was superseded by the visuals of Killzone 3.  Fair warning: make sure you download all the necessary patches before starting K2, as there's an odd control quirk added where it feels like there's a lag between when you pull in a direction and the camera responding.  It is utterly baffling why they added this element to the controls of a fast-paced shooter, but after months of complaints they eventually added the option to the in-game menu to disable it - for my money it was only at this point that K2 became playable.

That's interesting, I gave up on K2 years ago because of the horrible feel of the controls. To make matters worse it was the first console FPS that I ever played so I was also trying to get used to playing with a controller after years of using a mouse and keyboard. I might have to revisit the game and see if it's playable for me now.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 04 December, 2012, 03:32:24 PM
Uncharted: Golden Abyss, which I finally sat down and played.  It's a bit "mmmmmmmyeeeeeah."  The mechanics imported from the regular game are okay, if a bit fiddly with the Vita control layout, and the odd bit of Vita-only interactivity is well done (zooming using the rear touchpad), but 90 percent of the controls are gimmicky and get in the way of playing the game, especially the counter-attacking which is done by drawing on the touchscreen even though you initiate it by pressing the melee button, so you have to start the fight, then put the console down so you can take your hands off it and draw on the screen but have to do so in the space of about two seconds - whose bright idea was that?  It's a terrible game mechanic, especially when you realise that a lot of Vitas will be sold to kids and there's a high chance the machine will end up being dropped repeatedly because of that one gimmicky thing.  The bits where you have to rotate the machine to keep your balance also stick out because the Tomb Raider series dropped that exact same control quirk after one single game because it was universally hated, and that was before motion sensor controls came about, so that also sucks and I hate it to the point when it happens in the game I almost stop playing rather than have to go through with it.
On balance, it's merely okay.  Could have been a great game, but the gimmicky controls take up so much of how the game is played that it's inevitable you will find your attention drawn to the bits you hate.

Also OMGZ for XBL or PSN, a cheapo minigame where you shoot zombies with a limited amount of ammo in an effort to cause their bodily asplosions to take nearby zombies with them and cause a larger chain of asplosions.  Very basic, but oddly compelling.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Noisybast on 04 December, 2012, 10:15:15 PM
Finished off The Walking Dead over the weekend. Now *there's* a well-written game. Nicely paced point & click character piece with a smattering of actiony bits throughout to spice things up. I'm not convinced your actions change the overall course of the story *that* much, but the illusion's certainly there. Heartily recommended!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Radbacker on 05 December, 2012, 04:03:16 AM
hmm, Halo 4 grabed e for a few days but damn DICE and there BF3 expansions i now know im going back to the Battlefields with teh Aftershock expansion.  Looks damn nice for a console version (got it on Xbox last night) and the maps are actually exciting after the boring Armoured Kill maps from the last expansion (im sure they go well on PC with 64 players but 24 on console just dont work on those huge maps).
haven't unlocked the Xbow yet but been killed by it plenty of times, damn i hate opne hit kill weapons.

CU Radabcker
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 05 December, 2012, 07:49:41 AM
I just got Lego Lord of the Rings for the PSthree in the mail today.

It should be epic.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 05 December, 2012, 09:37:37 AM
Quote from: Noisybast on 04 December, 2012, 10:15:15 PM
Finished off The Walking Dead over the weekend. Now *there's* a well-written game. Nicely paced point & click character piece with a smattering of actiony bits throughout to spice things up. I'm not convinced your actions change the overall course of the story *that* much, but the illusion's certainly there. Heartily recommended!

Yeah, talking to others who've played it I think the story will always follow the path set out but the game lets you choose how you get there and craft your own journey in a way (it's the game design pyramid, starting with seemingly loads of possibilities but all narrowing down to a point towards the end).

Some events along the way varied a lot between me and my friends though, and I really felt like I'd gone on quite a personal journey by the end. I think creating that illusion is an incredible feat in itself. I absolutely adored the game, and think it's most likely my game of the year when it comes down to it!

Finished Fable 2 the other night, had it sitting unfinished for a really long time so decided to get it done finally. It was okay, although I still don't get why anyone gets particularly excited about Fable games. Feels a lot like RPG-lite, but there's a lot of charm there so it's hard to be too harsh to it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 07 December, 2012, 01:28:11 PM
Way off topic, but this made me laugh and I didn't know where else to post it:
(http://www.thedailyblink.com/comics/2012-12-05-390.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Chrrow on 09 December, 2012, 07:42:09 AM
Right now I'm playing Assassin's Creed 3.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 09 December, 2012, 11:37:16 AM
I've noticed that the Walking Dead game is available on iPad. Might check it out, but I suspect that it's not going to be my cup of tea.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Noisybast on 09 December, 2012, 11:54:14 AM
Fable 2, eh? I've still got a handful of achievements to mop up for that. Which hero dolls did you collect?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 09 December, 2012, 04:01:38 PM
Quote from: radiator on 09 December, 2012, 11:37:16 AM
I've noticed that the Walking Dead game is available on iPad. Might check it out, but I suspect that it's not going to be my cup of tea.

If you've played any point and click puzzle/adventure games optimised for the PS2 or Xbox, it's pretty much the same thing, right down to the unconvincing cel shading that makes all the characters look they've been rendered with a mix of ciggy butts and Sketchup.  My biggest issue with it was that no matter what actions you take in the game, and despite assurances otherwise from the developers, nothing you do feels like it has any real influence upon the outcome of events - although this has been my gripe with most rpgs and adventure games post-Fallout 3 (including Skyrim and New Vegas).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 09 December, 2012, 04:08:25 PM
QuoteIf you've played any point and click puzzle/adventure games optimised for the PS2 or Xbox, it's pretty much the same thing, right down to the unconvincing cel shading that makes all the characters look they've been rendered with a mix of ciggy butts and Sketchup.  My biggest issue with it was that no matter what actions you take in the game, and despite assurances otherwise from the developers, nothing you do feels like it has any real influence upon the outcome of events - although this has been my gripe with most rpgs and adventure games post-Fallout 3 (including Skyrim and New Vegas).

Hmm, yeah - I had heard it was a bit scripted which is what was putting me off.

I think excess linearity is one of my pet-hates with games nowadays, which is weird when you consider that the vast majority of games I loved growing up, going back to the 8/16 Bit era - were totally and completely linear. Perhaps old games just delivered more raw thrills per second, and linearity only becomes an issue when games lack a significant element of challenge?

There's another WD game out called Walking Dead: Assault or something like that - anyone tried it?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NorthVox on 11 December, 2012, 12:58:30 AM
Dredd vs Death App, Galaxy on Fire 2 App, and the Total Realism total conversion mod for Rome: Total War.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Chrrow on 11 December, 2012, 08:15:48 AM
A Dredd vs. Death App?
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 11 December, 2012, 07:04:06 PM
Quote from: Noisybast on 09 December, 2012, 11:54:14 AM
Fable 2, eh? I've still got a handful of achievements to mop up for that. Which hero dolls did you collect?

Hero dolls? To be honest I don't remember getting any! Maybe I was playing it wrong.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 30 December, 2012, 11:36:19 PM
Found myself at a loose end the other night so decided to download the Ico + Shadow of the Colossus HD collection on PS3.

First impressions of Shadow are sadly that its a fuck-awful mess of a game. Controls, camera... Just utterly dreadful and counterintuitive. Actual gameplay seems repetitive and deeply frustrating.

Not quite sure why so much praise gets heaped upon it...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 31 December, 2012, 10:27:38 AM
You get used to the controls.  Work your way through it, and just get sucked into the isolated beauty of the game.  I still think it is wonderful, despite the graphics looking a little dated these days.  Instead of scouring a dungeon for the baddie boss, the dungeon IS the baddie boss.  It's genius if you ask me.

I revisited Batman: Arkham City last night, just to try out the 3D on it.  The 3D is much better on the PC version, but that's partly 'cos you can muck around with convergence and depth, whereas that appears to be fixed on the 360 version.  I also found the gameplay to be frustrating and not as tight as in Arkham Asylum.  I'm working my way slowly through the campaign, but I guess I ain't playing clever, 'cos I'm being taken down left right and centre by basic henchmen.

FarCry3 continues to be genius.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 31 December, 2012, 12:08:17 PM
Jetpack Joyride - a side-scrolling minigame with only one button to press and I can't blimmin' stop - according to the stats I have played it 327 times already.

Frobisher Says, a glorified interactive product demo for the Vita voiced by The Actor Kevin Eldon.  Oddly entertaining.

Syndicate, a FPS update of the old PC strategy game.  Generic and bland, I have no real antipathy towards it and it does its job perfectly well, I just couldn't be bothered playing it again.

Medal Of Honor: Warfighter, sequel to the underrated MOH reboot that got savaged purely because it wasn't COD, Warfighter actually has some serious gameplay problems until you realise that it isn't COD and you actually have to work to progress rather than just run about going DUHDUHDUHDUHDUH like you are in a schoolyard playing soldiers.  Modern players don't like to learn things in their FPS', they want to be coddled and reminded how awesome they are for calling a complete stranger a faggot, but Warfighter is having none of that - you act like a tit and you will die quickly, there's even a level where you and your "invincible" mates have to walk through an Eastern European city dotted with concealed mines that will kill your ass dead in one hit.  Older players like me will likely get the most out of the demands it makes on your attention and patience, but gaming kiddies will most likely hate it.  Not sure about the driving levels, though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 31 December, 2012, 12:47:13 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 31 December, 2012, 10:27:38 AM
You get used to the controls.  Work your way through it, and just get sucked into the isolated beauty of the game.  I still think it is wonderful, despite the graphics looking a little dated these days.  Instead of scouring a dungeon for the baddie boss, the dungeon IS the baddie boss.  It's genius if you ask me.

All the 'isolated beauty' in the world doesn't really count for much if the controls are borderline broken like they are in this game. Seriously, what were they thinking? I still find the horse utterly baffling to control - moving the stick 'forwards' makes it turn around 180 degrees, its an absolute bitch to move or turn at a walking pace and it frequently gets stuck on walls and edges. I can already see that later on in the game I'm going to have to perform quite complex maneuvers and I think if I keep playing my controller is going to end up lodged in my living room wall.

Life's too short.

I hope Ico is better (I have quite fond memories of playing it at a mates house when it first came out), but I fear I've just wasted £20, and I can't even sell it on as its a download rather than a physical copy!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 31 December, 2012, 01:05:52 PM
I'm working through The Walking Dead on the PC. Just finished Episode 2. This is the first game where I would not want my kids to see what I was playing. And zombies give me nightmares.

(And yet Mrs X imported a region free copy of the Unrated Cut of the Dawn of the Dead remake from the US for my Christmas. Hmm.)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 31 December, 2012, 01:06:45 PM
Quote from: radiator on 31 December, 2012, 12:47:13 PM


All the 'isolated beauty' in the world doesn't really count for much if the controls are borderline broken like they are in this game. Seriously, what were they thinking?

Life's too short.

This is a pet peeve of mine. I gave up on Grim Fandango and many others because they were just too hard to control.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 31 December, 2012, 02:00:41 PM
I didn't have any problems with Grim Fandango because it shared familiar 'tank' controls to the Resident Evil series - it was still a baffling choice to go that route instead of good old fashioned point and click though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 31 December, 2012, 02:02:11 PM
I should say as well that I tried The Walking Dead on iPad....

It's just not for me. Not what I'd consider a 'game'. It's not interactive enough.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 31 December, 2012, 02:11:12 PM
Quote from: radiator on 31 December, 2012, 02:02:11 PM
I should say as well that I tried The Walking Dead on iPad....

It's just not for me. Not what I'd consider a 'game'. It's not interactive enough.

Fair point. I knew what I was getting into. It's more of an interactive movie, but that is what they were aspiring to achieve
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 31 December, 2012, 04:07:53 PM
Radiator, I found the horse controls in SotC quite intuitive. You just have to remember you're pulling reins to try and steer an animal, rather than a motorbike or other mechanical vehicle. That aspect if the controls was something I really enjoyed! 

I'm probably not going to change your mind at all, each to their own etc, but I'm finding these differing experiences interesting.  I still say persevere, as I'm quite sad it's putting you off such a wonderful game. It just can be in parts so touching and understated, yet in others thrilling and exciting.  It's so sad when you take down a Colussus, which were otherwise just plodding along minding their own business. It's not often a game evokes an emotional response in me, but SotC did.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 31 December, 2012, 05:10:22 PM
I don't remember any problems with the controls in Shadow of the Colossus. Have they rejigged it for this release? Never understood all that guff in the reviews at the time about feeling guilty for killing them either. It was a decent game but not a patch on Ico.

I finally got Arkham City a few weeks ago. It's good but seems to be a step back from Asylum: everything seems slightly harder or more complicated than the first one and the storyline isn't as tight. Only had about 65% completed when I finished the main story too. Down to the last dozen or so trophies now but don't know if I can be bothered with all the challenge levels this time round.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 31 December, 2012, 09:30:05 PM
I've played a bit more now and I can kind of start to see the quality within. It definitely has major flaws, but I'm seeing what people like about it. I still think the controls are pretty horrible, it doesn't really make a very good first impression, wandering round a big empty world soon gets boring.

Hope the colossi change a bit too, and its not all jump/climb rinse and repeat.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mr Walter the Wobot on 12 January, 2013, 07:17:12 PM
Last game played: Skyrim. A mind-blowing game which seems to be almost limitless. Also getting through Red Dead Redemption, which is so expansive it's almost scary  :o

On the subject of Skyrim, what race did other players (if there are any here) choose for their character? I picked Dark Elf, with a fetching red mohawk and a funky little beard  :P
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 12 January, 2013, 07:36:21 PM
QuoteJetpack Joyride - a side-scrolling minigame with only one button to press and I can't blimmin' stop - according to the stats I have played it 327 times already.

It's a thing of beauty that game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 13 January, 2013, 10:50:01 AM
Back to mass effect 3 a game so utterly full of annoying "expalin da plot" clips it's hard to fathom when your part of the game starts.They should have just made a movie. :(
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 13 January, 2013, 12:31:08 PM
I gave up on it.  I found the previous two massively entertaining, but this one seemed interminably dull.  Maybe I'll give it another go one day.

Back to Skyrim for me, a break from the Far Cry 3 madness.  Skyrim is such an incredible game, but I've levelled up so many talents to the max the big bad guys aren't much of a challenge anymore.  Still, taking down dragons is a blast.  Pew pew!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 13 January, 2013, 01:24:23 PM
Mass Effect 3's final fight was one of the most intense battles I've ever played through. Shame it was followed by the ending... where a signposted "this is what is happening now" would have been ever so handy. But it is still great.

Gave up on the Walking Dead at the end of episode 4 (of 5). It was too much like watching a film, except instead of shouting at dumb characters I was playing them
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 13 January, 2013, 09:57:12 PM
Very much enjoying Resident Evil Revelations  on the 3DS.

Particularly bad script though; "Hang on Chris. Me and my sweet ass are on their way."
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 14 January, 2013, 11:10:03 AM
Joe Danger Touch on iPad.

Oh god it's good - probably the single best iOS game I've ever played, and dare I say it actually better than the original Joe Danger game on PS3 (which suffered from being overly complex, especially in terms of controls).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 14 January, 2013, 02:07:31 PM
Pocket Planes. Not as good as Tiny Towers, but pretty bloody good.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 14 January, 2013, 02:33:04 PM
Deep Black - think Waterworld, but with the main character from Dead Space and with a similar style of gameplay and lots of swimming thrown in.  Gave up before the end of the tutorial as following instructions given just made me die repeatedly and respawn right at the very start of the tutorial again after a lengthy loading time (a neat trick for a downloadable game that is located entirely in the PS3 hard drive), or when I did actually manage to kill the enemy who'd been killing me all those times before, I did so in a way that was not exactly as specified in the tutorial instructions, so I couldn't progress and was stuck in one area until I restarted by going all the way back to the very start of the tutorial after a lengthy loading time.  Apparently you can skip the tutorial entirely and I can see why this was made an option, but I don't roll like that and haven't been back near it.
It looks gorgeous, and the setup is a great pulpy mash-up of cyberpunk tropes, but what I saw was borderline unplayable and when I walked in on a mate playing it (he skipped the tutorial), it just seemed to be him falling over dead all the time and having to restart.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 17 January, 2013, 07:16:13 PM
Been trying to catch up with some of the things I've bought in various Steam sales.

Braid is a pretty frustrating platform puzzler. I actually had to watch a youtube walkthrough of the first level just to give me some basics as the game itself gives you absolutely no idea of how you're even supposed to approach the puzzles never mind solve them. Anyway, once you get past that hurdle, it's a pretty ingenious headscratcher.

Also played the first couple of levels of Dredd vs Death. It probably doesn't help that I don't like FPS games in the first place or that I'm playing it with a compact travel mouse but I don't think I'll be going any further. Even if I do, I'll probably need to turn the sound of as I hate Dredd's voice in it already.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mardroid on 20 January, 2013, 03:59:29 PM
I bought a Ps3 recently (yes I know, great timing considering the new model is just relatively round the corner but I suspect it'll be a year at least and with a back catalogue of games it's not a bad idea) so I popped along to Game and found 2 pre owned games going for the 2 for a tenner deal. (Not sure if that's good or not but it seemed ok to me.)

Anyway, I picked up Assassin's Creed (the first) and Rebellions own Aliens Vs Predator. I had a go at Assassin's... first. The introduction stuff went on a bit (and that's from someone who usually likes that stuff) but once it started, yep, I'm impressed. I didn't go far as I just planned to test the games out and watch a DVD at that point. Famous last words when I dug out AvP and ended up staying up to the early hours of the morning on the marine campaign!

Yes, two good choices I think. Graphics-wise Assassin's... is gorgeous. AVP does the job too but to my inexpert eyes I've seen PS2 games as impressive. In terms of enjoyability and mood it's great. Spooky sound affects and visuals which capture the films well. Actually pretty scary. I'm not sure how long it'll keep me as it's rather difficult for me. I find aiming the gun at the xenos difficult (a lock on feature would be nice but that might make it too easy and the Aliens should be formidable. Even so, my virtual arms are way too stiff. Any advise from you guys appreciated). Still, I'm not really into FPSs as they tend to disorient me but this has drawn me in. I'm curious how the creature campaigns fare as I get the impression the game play dynamics are quite different.

Anyhow, I'm still early in the game. Have 3 to 4 exenos under my belt (although I probably died even more accomplishing that. Thankfully checkpoints are placed shortly before these sections) and just got my hands on the pulse rifle. I impressed myself at one point by bagging two of the blighters in one go without dying. That was after being killed by an encounter with one...

I haven't encountered the Predator directly yet although I've seen his leavings and I heard his weird laugh. I thought I spotted him in his camouflage but it turned out to be a naked holographic pole dancer. Despite what I said about the game's  graphics earlier they rendered her blue botty rather well.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 22 January, 2013, 07:03:08 AM
Quote from: Mardroid on 20 January, 2013, 03:59:29 PM
I bought a Ps3 recently (yes I know, great timing considering the new model is just relatively round the corner but I suspect it'll be a year at least and with a back catalogue of games it's not a bad idea) so I popped along to Game and found 2 pre owned games going for the 2 for a tenner deal. (Not sure if that's good or not but it seemed ok to me.)

Anyway, I picked up Assassin's Creed (the first) and Rebellions own Aliens Vs Predator. I had a go at Assassin's... first. The introduction stuff went on a bit (and that's from someone who usually likes that stuff) but once it started, yep, I'm impressed. I didn't go far as I just planned to test the games out and watch a DVD at that point. Famous last words when I dug out AvP and ended up staying up to the early hours of the morning on the marine campaign!

Yes, two good choices I think. Graphics-wise Assassin's... is gorgeous. AVP does the job too but to my inexpert eyes I've seen PS2 games as impressive. In terms of enjoyability and mood it's great. Spooky sound affects and visuals which capture the films well. Actually pretty scary. I'm not sure how long it'll keep me as it's rather difficult for me. I find aiming the gun at the xenos difficult (a lock on feature would be nice but that might make it too easy and the Aliens should be formidable. Even so, my virtual arms are way too stiff. Any advise from you guys appreciated). Still, I'm not really into FPSs as they tend to disorient me but this has drawn me in. I'm curious how the creature campaigns fare as I get the impression the game play dynamics are quite different.

Anyhow, I'm still early in the game. Have 3 to 4 exenos under my belt (although I probably died even more accomplishing that. Thankfully checkpoints are placed shortly before these sections) and just got my hands on the pulse rifle. I impressed myself at one point by bagging two of the blighters in one go without dying. That was after being killed by an encounter with one...

I haven't encountered the Predator directly yet although I've seen his leavings and I heard his weird laugh. I thought I spotted him in his camouflage but it turned out to be a naked holographic pole dancer. Despite what I said about the game's  graphics earlier they rendered her blue botty rather well.

I brought a PSThree earlier this year and got a Xbox 360 for Christmas. So I know how you feel. Yet I have brought alot of games for it (35)and I brought two games, (Halo Annivercary, Dishonored) for the Xbox 360 including the free download for Skyrim and the two games. I was given with it. Forza Motorsport Number Four and Batman : Arkham Asylum, Game of the year Edition.

One of the games I got for the PSThree is Aliens vs the Predators. I brought it a while ago now. I played the Marine campiagn for a bit and got stuck on the level where the holo dancer is and started the Predator campaign. I haven't played it since.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 22 January, 2013, 08:47:12 AM
Football Manager 2005.

Just when I thought I was out, it sucked me back in.

Last time I played this my game time was 55 days. 1,320 hours. I only stopped because my PC died and I lost my save file. Now, eight months later, I've given in and started over.

I dabbled in the interim with 2013 and 2008. But now we're back together.

As a wise man once said: "I don't play Football Manager for the same reason I don't smoke crack."
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 22 January, 2013, 10:45:52 AM
Oh god, Pocket Minions on iPhone has got me in it's bloody grip.  MUST BUILD MORE TOWERS!!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 22 January, 2013, 11:05:24 AM
They're making a new Flashback game!!!

It might be a remake of the first game, too early to tell (and tbh I'd rather they'd have gone with an evolution of the curious, unique flat-shaded visual style of the first game, but it still looks nice).

(http://i1.cdnds.net/13/04/618x320/gaming-flashback-hd-screenshot.jpg)

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/news/a452770/flashback-hd-remake-in-the-works-as-new-image-surfaces.html (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/news/a452770/flashback-hd-remake-in-the-works-as-new-image-surfaces.html)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 22 January, 2013, 11:14:04 AM
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - twenty minutes into the PSN download version of the game and I was hit by several technical problems such as the bike you have to mount - as your very first action in the game - disappearing on me, your character for some reason not climbing one particular fence as required by the game to progress, and sound disappearing during cut scenes.
I suspect this version may be a little bit broken, which is galling partly because it remains the best entry in the GTA series so far, but mainly because they're charging 12 quid for it.  Fantastic game, but not worth buying in this form.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 22 January, 2013, 11:24:58 AM
I recently discovered the 1UP.com Retronauts podcast, and have been feeling really nostalgic, so I've been playing Final Fantasy 4 on the iPad - which is like putting on a comfy pair of slippers, and I've dusted off the Wii and dipped my toe into the Virtual Console with Super Mario World.

If I'm honest, I've got access to every 8/16 Bit game I could ever need via roms and emulators, but there's just something special about playing it on the telly, with a proper joypad (the Wii Classic Controller Pro is a thing of beauty for retro gaming). Spent an hour or two playing through SMW with my girlfriend last night, which was lovely (she has no patience for games post-N64 era).

It has made me wonder though - why doesn't someone make a new console that is entirely dedicated to retro gaming? It could be relatively cheap, stylish, portable, wi-fi enabled and play pretty much anything from the ZX Spectrum right up to the PS/Saturn/N64 - all games would be available for a reasonable cost - ie, a bit cheaper than the VC - from an online store. The more popular games could have added online multiplayer modes and achievements. You could accessorise the console itself with replica joypads/peripherals from the console of your choice. It'd be a bit like one of those Mega Drive TV plug-in jobbies, but not shit.

There has to be a market for that (I'm guessing there are quite a lot of 20/30-somethings like me who are a bit disllusioned with modern gaming) - I reckon such an idea would get funded on Kickstarter in no time. The one major hurdle would be access to Nintendo's library, as let's face it - they made the vast majority of the games from that era that still stand up today. And maybe Rare, whose library seems to be stuck in legal limbo.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 22 January, 2013, 11:49:53 AM
Reckon I'd definitely buy one but I think consistent licensing - let's face it, whatever disclaimers are on the emulator sites nobody really has access to the original game when they play - would be ludicrously difficult to get and probably cost more than developing the hardware.

Plus, is it something which would only really appeal to old people like us?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 22 January, 2013, 12:10:10 PM
Quote from: radiator on 22 January, 2013, 11:24:58 AM
The one major hurdle would be access to Nintendo's library, as let's face it - they made the vast majority of the games from that era that still stand up today. And maybe Rare, whose library seems to be stuck in legal limbo.

As long it's via rom emulation, you can play those old games safely enough as no-one seems to care very much about what's done with them apart from Code Masters and whoever owns US Gold these days - though even then it's games for early home computers like the C64 and ZX Speccy that have been removed from online emulation catalogues and everyone from Nintendo to Sega seem largely unconcerned with emulation of console games as late as the GBA, even licenced titles.

If you still have a last generation console laying around somewhere, you can get them "fixed" to run old emulators as the hardware requirements are pretty basic.  I held onto my first-wave PSP to run emulators because on bigger screens old timey games look pretty damn rough, but an Xbox can be fiddled with to run most things.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 22 January, 2013, 12:25:22 PM
Quote from: Professor James T Bear on 22 January, 2013, 12:10:10 PM
As long it's via rom emulation, you can play those old games safely enough as no-one seems to care very much about what's done with them

As far as I understand it, the emulators themselves are perfectly legal. No government wants to ban the backwards engineering of software. But the ROMs are a clear cut case of IP infringement, although most companies (apart from the ones you mentioned) either don't give a damn because they reckon they've made all the money they can realistically expect to make from these decade+ old titles, or the companies themselves don't exist anymore
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 22 January, 2013, 12:34:42 PM
QuoteAs long it's via rom emulation, you can play those old games safely enough as no-one seems to care very much about what's done with them apart from Code Masters and whoever owns US Gold these days - though even then it's games for early home computers like the C64 and ZX Speccy that have been removed from online emulation catalogues and everyone from Nintendo to Sega seem largely unconcerned with emulation of console games as late as the GBA, even licenced titles.

If you still have a last generation console laying around somewhere, you can get them "fixed" to run old emulators as the hardware requirements are pretty basic.  I held onto my first-wave PSP to run emulators because on bigger screens old timey games look pretty damn rough, but an Xbox can be fiddled with to run most things.

Yeah I know all that - what I'm suggesting is a cheap and easy way play old games on your telly/on the go - no modding/jailbreaking/hacking required as not all of us have the time/inclination to do all that/buy old hardware etc. As I said, I have used emulators, but it isn't really the same experience - the USP of the device would be it's user-friendliness and the inclusiveness of the experience. As I said, I can play Super Mario World on my Mac any time I want, for free, but I'll also happily pay a couple of quid to play it on the TV/on the go, with cloud saves/leaderboards/friends etc. Something similar to what Nintendo are doing with the Wii U - where you can seamlessly switch to playing on a handheld would be great.

QuotePlus, is it something which would only really appeal to old people like us?

Well, yes, probably - but it depends on what you define as 'old'. Also, such a device would be niche, but would be relatively low-cost so wouldn't need to compete with Xbox etc.

Just a daydream really, but I'd snap one up if someone manufactured it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Radbacker on 22 January, 2013, 01:03:56 PM
Isn't there some cheap Android based console coming out ($99 or something), cant remember what its called but it'll definatly be hackable what with it being Android and all and there will probably be some app to let you run old roms available the day its released, well if it can download Android phone apps like its supposed to be able to itll definatly have something there day 1, looking at my mates phone they're some good quality 8 bit and 16 bit emulators. 

CU Radbacker
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NorthVox on 27 January, 2013, 05:58:33 AM
Quote from: Chrrow on 11 December, 2012, 08:15:48 AM
A Dredd vs. Death App?

Apologies for late reply (need to start logging in more!)

And D'oh! I meant Dredd vs Zombies!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 02 February, 2013, 10:27:06 AM
Finally dragged my fat backside to finish Mass Effect 3. I managed to killed,get all my friends killed and blow up earth -i did destroy the Reapers but nuked all the mass portals. Knocked off the not so illusive man but failed to save Admiral Anderson. Crap. I really hated the ending but it shows what great characters they made that I felt decidedly angry at seeing the corpses of [spoiler]Garrus [/spoiler]and [spoiler]Liara[/spoiler], lying before me.

Some weird tacked on Hollywood style bit at the end that made no sense and just embarassed more than the first ending of Blade Runner.

Awful.Oh and I was party to a genocide of the Quarians.Lovely. :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 02 February, 2013, 03:04:40 PM
Yeah, the tacked on ending was literally tacked on because people wanted 'more closure'. Or, as I saw it, people didn't have the imagination and sense to come to their own conclusions about things. Far inferior to the original ending in my opinion.

Also, given the rest of the post, I'm amazed you used spoiler tags at all there!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 02 February, 2013, 03:41:58 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 02 February, 2013, 03:04:40 PM
Yeah, the tacked on ending was literally tacked on because people wanted 'more closure'. Or, as I saw it, people didn't have the imagination and sense to come to their own conclusions about things. Far inferior to the original ending in my opinion.

Also, given the rest of the post, I'm amazed you used spoiler tags at all there!

I guess it's me that can't face that they're dead.  :'( Still comic books and games no one really dies. At least not if there's a financial interest in their "return". ;)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 02 February, 2013, 05:03:14 PM
I recently restarted playing Skyrim on the Xbox 360. I made up a [b[Khajiit Thief[/b] type of character. I'm having more trouble killing my first Dragon/b] than the first time I played.

Everytime I get close to it. It either firebreaths me to death or grabs hold of me with it's mouth and shakes me to death.

First time I played this game the Dragon was dead after hitting it twice with the Nord Frost Axe.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 02 February, 2013, 05:09:20 PM
Managed to get a couple of hours on Ni Ni Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (PS3) last night.

Ooooooh, it's lovely, so beautiful it makes me want to cry a little bit. Mr Drippy, the avuncular sidekick 'faerie' who gloriously speaks in a thick and gruff Welsh accent - is a particular delight. I'm really going to struggle to ever find the time to play it, but fingers crossed.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 02 February, 2013, 05:10:32 PM
Ni NO Kuni that is.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 02 February, 2013, 05:41:52 PM
ThryllSeekyr: if you're having trouble with a dragon it's probably using attacks your created character is weak against - Nords are weak against fire, for instance, but strong against frost - although it may also be one of the stronger breeds in the game like an Elder, Ancient or Revered dragon, in which case leg it unless you're armed to the teeth and are at least level 20-25.  The dragon you knackered with a frost axe was likely either a bog-standard no-frills beastie or a fire dragon (weak against frost/ice attacks), you can tell by their colour what kind of dragon they are from a distance and arm yourself accordingly before they land and start taking chunks out of you, but if you're having trouble killing them it's not worth the bother until you level up a good bit.

007 Legends - I have a time believing this is an actual game made by actual game-making-type people, it is that rough and unpolished.  The combat is so boring that at one point while I was being shot at and couldn't figure out where the baddie was, I thought "fuck it" and decided to just ignore him and his mates who came along later and just walk right to the end of the level, which I did despite it being a stealth level.  The loading times are pretty long and compounded by a shockingly bad checkpoint system that sends you way back to long before you got killed so you have to slog through exciting sections where you search an office and then have to sit through minutes of unskippable cut scene all over again, though in fairness to the makers, they probably didn't make the game for people who would actually ever die in it because it's that easy - I only died because I was starting to nod off during a cut scene when there was a sudden screen prompt, for instance.  There was one bit where Bond just started playing with his watch and I had to google it to find out this was actually a hacking/safe-picking minigame that the game didn't bother explaining to you because the tutorials aren't part of the game, they're in a separate sub-menu in the extras section.  Then there was some non-interactive cut scenes you can't skip, then I got bored and just walked to the end of the level again.  Then it was Fort Knox and some shooting and I killed everyone in the area but couldn't figure out what to do next so I turned the game off.
This would have been a lot better if it was just a bunch of minigames based on the big setpieces from the various films rather than a single narrative that's so po-faced and charmless it drains all joy from the outrageous ideas on display, and I don't care how you try to spin it with Danny Craig doing soundbites, an attack on Fort Knox by an all-female flight of combat pilots in broad daylight to set off an atom bomb that ends with a fight between two armies and a ruck between a superspy and a sumo with a razor-tipped bowler hat is screaming camp supervillainy that doesn't gel with the latter Bond films - I mean, fuck me, Moonraker is one of the movies revisited in the course of this storyline...
An awful, awful game that screws the pooch from the concept stage to the actual implementation of a shoddy patchwork of substandard first person shootery and gadget-juggling, I feel cheated by it even though I got the game gratis in a 3 for 2 deal.  Avoid.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 02 February, 2013, 06:28:56 PM
I downloaded Proteus from Steam last night. Only £6.  It's just a bizarre ambient stroll around a kind if 8-bit 3D island.  You see and, most importantly, hear loads of odd things. It's chilled and amusing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ancient Otter on 02 February, 2013, 10:43:14 PM
Quote from: Radbacker on 22 January, 2013, 01:03:56 PM
Isn't there some cheap Android based console coming out ($99 or something), cant remember what its called but it'll definatly be hackable what with it being Android and all and there will probably be some app to let you run old roms available the day its released, well if it can download Android phone apps like its supposed to be able to itll definatly have something there day 1, looking at my mates phone they're some good quality 8 bit and 16 bit emulators. 

CU Radbacker

Is OUYA (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ouya/ouya-a-new-kind-of-video-game-console) the console you are thinking of?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 03 February, 2013, 12:29:45 AM
Quote from: Thunders McQueen on 02 February, 2013, 05:41:52 PM
ThryllSeekyr: if you're having trouble with a dragon it's probably using attacks your created character is weak against - Nords are weak against fire, for instance, but strong against frost - although it may also be one of the stronger breeds in the game like an Elder, Ancient or Revered dragon, in which case leg it unless you're armed to the teeth and are at least level 20-25.  The dragon you knackered with a frost axe was likely either a bog-standard no-frills beastie or a fire dragon (weak against frost/ice attacks), you can tell by their colour what kind of dragon they are from a distance and arm yourself accordingly before they land and start taking chunks out of you, but if you're having trouble killing them it's not worth the bother until you level up a good bit.


I created a Nord first time playing this. The dragon I that my second character is attacking is the first one you meet at the western tower near Whiterun. I didn't think that the dragon I was atttacking in the current game I am playing would be any different from the one in the previous level. I read somewhere that that creatures you encounter in this game are generated according to your current level. I am level four at the moment.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 03 February, 2013, 12:35:54 AM
Oh, I meant to say that that the dragon my second character is attacking is the second one you encounter in the game when the Jarl sends you to the western tower to investigate it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 06 February, 2013, 07:42:28 PM
I'm currently playing Spec Ops: The Line which is absolutely brilliant. I reckon I'm about halfway through and the way the story is progressing is great. If I could sum it up in one word it would be 'compelling'.

This game got fairly mixed reviews on release and I don't understand why. There were complaints about things like the cover system and control layout which I haven't had any problem with at all.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 10 February, 2013, 10:30:23 AM
Finished Spec Ops.
Probably one of my favourite games ever. It's one of those games that will be lauded in 5 years time and appear on 'Greatest moments in gaming lists' but doesn't get the credit it deserves at the time.
If you like games that make you think and an engaging story do yourself a favour and play it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 13 February, 2013, 06:02:14 PM
Rebellion's Zombie HQ on the iphone.
Same engine as Dredd Vs Zombies but, IMO, a better game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 13 February, 2013, 06:05:06 PM
My missus is off to Asda to get me Dead Space 3, armed with a couple of trade ins and a price guarantee voucher. Can't wait!

(BTW: I'm giving the kids a bath and cleaning away the detritus of three days school break, so she has the better deal)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 14 February, 2013, 04:35:43 PM
Halo 4. The multiplayer's not too bad, but the campaign has been distinctly meh so far. I've only completed two chapters and am working up the desire to continue, but probably won't for a while.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 14 February, 2013, 04:48:03 PM
I'm a bit further into Ni No Kuni now, it really is a beautiful game. Minor criticisms would be that some of the side quests are a little simplistic/tedious, but I'd highly recommend it if you've ever even slightly been a fan of JRPGs.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 14 February, 2013, 05:53:56 PM
I've watched my mate playing that and it looks fucking gorgeous in action.

Red Faction, part of the THQ fire sale going on in online stores right now as the company's properties are thrown to the wolves and the carcasses are picked clean by bargain-hunting vultures.  Dated, certainly, but a lot easier to play than I remember.  Considering it's less than 2 quid for a pretty laid back FPS you'll likely breeze through without problems (as long as you remember to save every now and then), I'd say this was a no-brainer as long as you don't mind something that shows its age.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 14 February, 2013, 06:19:07 PM
Quote from: radiator on 14 February, 2013, 04:48:03 PM
I'm a bit further into Ni No Kuni now, it really is a beautiful game. Minor criticisms would be that some of the side quests are a little simplistic/tedious, but I'd highly recommend it if you've ever even slightly been a fan of JRPGs.

I really like the look of this game but I'm not over keen on JRPG's so I'm really split on getting it.

How much of a JRPG is it?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 14 February, 2013, 07:32:33 PM
QuoteI really like the look of this game but I'm not over keen on JRPG's so I'm really split on getting it.

How much of a JRPG is it?

I'm not a huge JRPG guy either - the only ones I've played are old school Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest games and it feels very much in this tradition, but quite streamlined and much more user-friendly for a modern audience. I find a lot of JRPGs incredibly obtuse and abstract (including the more recent Final Fantasies), but Ni No Kuni seems fairly intuitive and thoughtful to me. It shares a lot of recognisable tropes with those games - you control a small party of characters on an epic quest, traversing a vast world map (upon which you are liable to be attacked by roving monsters), occasionally stopping in towns where you can undertake quests, buy new equipment and supplies, and stay the night in a hotel to restore health and magic. There is a central, linear story thread, but many optional side-quests.

Defeating enemies in combat yields currency and exp, which levels up your characters abilities and stats. Combat is essentially turn-based, but a lot more dynamic and hands-on than the norm, and while there are JRPG-style 'random battles', they aren't as annoying as in other games as you have far more control over when and where you have to fight (and as you level up, eventually lower-level enemies will actually flee from you). There doesn't seem to be much grinding required, and I am playing on Normal difficulty (there is an Easy mode for people who just want to experience the story). The combat is mainly built around the fostering and deployment of creatures called familiars - they essentially fight under your command. I believe this shares a few ideas with the Pokemon series - though I wouldn't know as I never played those games.

Also worth saying that as with Level-5's other games, the localisation and voice-acting is superb - there's no poorly-translated dialogue, the story is completely coherent and the voice-cast - especially the gruff Rhod Gilbert soundalike who voices your little fairy sidekick, replete with his own hilarious slang ("Knickers!" "Cry Baby Bunting!" "Tidy!") is a real highlight.

I'm always a bit wary of the Japanese aesthetic - especially when it comes to RPGs, but the character design - by Studio Ghibli - is (unsurprisingly) astounding and gorgeous. The entire game is a visual feast. And while I usually couldn't give a solitary shit about game narratives, the one in this game is really quite competent - sweet-natured and quite moving in it's own way. If you're a fan of Ghibli you'll love it.

I say give it a go - if you're going to play one JRPG, make it this one. But give it at least an hour or two as it's a bit slow to start.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 14 February, 2013, 10:39:08 PM
Thanks for the reply Radiator, I think you've swung me towards getting it now.

It's mainly the random encounter element that causes me to avoid JRPG's, It's a mechanic that I don't particularly enjoy but if it's not too an annoyance in this game I am willing to give it a try.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 14 February, 2013, 10:48:06 PM
Here's how it works in Ni No Kuni:

As you traverse the world map, you can see monsters all over the place. Some you can avoid, some you can outrun, but some will get you and you'll have to fight them. So in that way, there are random encounters, but just being able to see who is attacking you and having a chance of avoiding them takes a lot of the surprise/frustration out of it.

You can turn the tables on them by sneaking up on them (which means you get the first turn in combat) and as I say once you level up, weaker monsters will actually start to run away from you. But if you try and outrun them and they catch you, they get the jump on you during combat.

Combat is way more hands-on than most turn-based RPGs though and somewhat reminds me of Knights of the Old Republic. You can (pretty much) freely move around in combat and avoid enemy attacks, but you still use a turn-base menu system to deal damage and cast spells and whatnot.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 15 February, 2013, 09:42:28 AM
Quote from: radiator on 14 February, 2013, 10:48:06 PM
Here's how it works in Ni No Kuni:

As you traverse the world map, you can see monsters all over the place. Some you can avoid, some you can outrun, but some will get you and you'll have to fight them. So in that way, there are random encounters, but just being able to see who is attacking you and having a chance of avoiding them takes a lot of the surprise/frustration out of it.

You can turn the tables on them by sneaking up on them (which means you get the first turn in combat) and as I say once you level up, weaker monsters will actually start to run away from you. But if you try and outrun them and they catch you, they get the jump on you during combat.

Combat is way more hands-on than most turn-based RPGs though and somewhat reminds me of Knights of the Old Republic. You can (pretty much) freely move around in combat and avoid enemy attacks, but you still use a turn-base menu system to deal damage and cast spells and whatnot.

The battle encounter system sounds very much like King's Bounty to me which I always thought worked very well.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 15 February, 2013, 11:10:57 AM
Sounds like the early Zeldas, too.

RPGs have been ruined for me of late by the notion of character creation - if you can't create your own character from the very start, I probably won't bother.  Even the lack of character customisation in GTA4 compared to San Andreas made playing it a grind from start to finish - thank goodness for Saints Row 3 or we wouldn't have had a fun GTA game in this generation of consoles.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 15 February, 2013, 11:47:10 AM
We'll have to disagree there. I utterly despise Saint's Row and think GTA 4 is the best in the series, because it strived for something a little more grounded in reality and had a great sense of place and atmosphere. Imo it showed a great deal of restraint to opt for a muted colour palette and strip back on the more outlandish elements of the previous games.

It sounds like all most people want to do in a GTA game is run around and blow stuff up and cause chaos but to me that's fun for half an hour then quickly gets boring. As soon as they bring in the jet packs and helicopter gunships I lose interest. Less is more - To me, the odd, fleeting moments of insanity that arise organically in gameplay are far more memorable and enjoyable than the enforced wall-to-wall insanity and wackiness of Saint's Row.

I couldn't give a monkeys about character customisation. Only seems relevant in multiplayer games.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 15 February, 2013, 12:24:01 PM
I'm not bothered about character creation as long as the character you do play is interesting.
I really enjoyed Sleeping Dogs because I found the character and story engaging. I think the emphasis on martial arts as opposed to progressively larger and more powerful guns kept the sense of place - it was always a believable Hong Kong story.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 15 February, 2013, 01:42:01 PM
Quote from: radiator on 15 February, 2013, 11:47:10 AM
We'll have to disagree there. I utterly despise Saint's Row and think GTA 4 is the best in the series

To each their own.
I hated Saints Row 1 and 2 with a passion, and the True Crime games (though I hear Sleeping Dogs is very good), and all the other po-faced GTA knock-offs - GTA4 becoming just another one of them while losing everything that distinguished it from its clones was where I checked out.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NorthVox on 16 February, 2013, 08:26:04 PM
Quote from: radiator on 15 February, 2013, 11:47:10 AM
We'll have to disagree there. I utterly despise Saint's Row and think GTA 4 is the best in the series, because it strived for something a little more grounded in reality and had a great sense of place and atmosphere. Imo it showed a great deal of restraint to opt for a muted colour palette and strip back on the more outlandish elements of the previous games.

It sounds like all most people want to do in a GTA game is run around and blow stuff up and cause chaos but to me that's fun for half an hour then quickly gets boring. As soon as they bring in the jet packs and helicopter gunships I lose interest. Less is more - To me, the odd, fleeting moments of insanity that arise organically in gameplay are far more memorable and enjoyable than the enforced wall-to-wall insanity and wackiness of Saint's Row.

I couldn't give a monkeys about character customisation. Only seems relevant in multiplayer games.

Nailed it one. Big GTA fan, but for me 4 was the clincher, and for the same reasons you mentioned. I felt in places they scaled things back a bit too much (missed some of the extras from previous GTA games, such as robbing stores at gun point, could have done with a few more extras like that I think), but overall definitely a great leap forward. As for Saints Row? I picked up SR2 last year, my friends said it was great. It was alright for a doss around, but ultimately it was just dull; no real storyline, no atmosphere, just violence for the sake of it (I mean at least Postal 2 was challenging), eventually just got bored with it and traded it in. Another thing I think gets overlooked with GTA4 too is the some of the brilliant multiplayer. Due to the realistic physics it made a lot of the PvP combat a lot more exciting, particularly on gang war mode, I remember spending hours upon hours just hopping fences, securing vantage points, sniping from far distances, real great game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Emp on 16 February, 2013, 08:50:12 PM
Sword of the Stars....which is a bit shit, but an impulse buy cus it was the cheapest of the 4 games i had in my hand at the time.

My main concern is that once it is installed it starts with a message saying that Gamespy can no longer aloow the game to be played online as they have been bought out by a third party who are demanding thousnds of dollars a month to open the servers. Bastards!....It also smacks of being, if not illegal, at least fucking wankerish.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 16 February, 2013, 10:11:20 PM
Quote from: NorthVox on 16 February, 2013, 08:26:04 PMBig GTA fan, but for me 4 was the clincher

Hey, don't get me wrong, I was a huge GTA fan to the point that Vice City was pretty much the only game I played until San Andreas came out.  By the time 4 landed I was super-psyched up until about the time I was buying the main character a hat and realised that - barring aerial vehicles - I had seen all the game mechanics had to offer.  My character wouldn't get stronger, he wouldn't get better at shooting, learn a different fighting style depending what dojo I train in or become a better driver the more I played and practiced by doing side missions and exploring the map... and I just thought: why bother?  I still have San Andreas and the motorbikes are at least playable in that.  And I still play SA to this very day.

Although I have a theory that I am secretly pissed that GTA4 did not feature skateboards.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NorthVox on 17 February, 2013, 01:34:41 AM
I agree. Losing the lunacy for a more serious tone seemed fitting, but I did miss a lot of the extras.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 18 February, 2013, 06:41:02 AM
Last night I nearly completeed the Slaine: Tomb of Terror adventure. Playing from the back of the graphic novel Slaine the King( latest version.). The last page with the solution to a riddle is missing so I can't complete the game.

I also just got the Angry Birds, Angry Birds Star Wars, and Bad Piggies games for the pc. So far I have just tried out the first one, good times.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 18 February, 2013, 10:30:28 AM
Been playing Aliens: Colonial Marines, a game that's proven a bit controversial!

I have to say I like it, quite a lot actually. Visually it's poor, and the fact that it falls well short of the target footage released during development seem to be the main reason it's being torn to shreds. I found that once I was dashing through the Sulaco with Xenos crawling along the walls after me I got over that in a big way, and found the atmosphere pretty gripping.

In that regard it reminded me a little of playing games as a kid, looking at '80s games it's hard to imagine they were ever immersive, but because your imagination filled in the gaps you still got totally absorbed in them. Despite it looking pretty lo-res I did get really excited at some of the locations (especially on Hadley's Hope) that you get to fight through. A lot of reviews claim it's completely broken, but I didn't hit any major issues (and looking at the day one patch notes they fixed a looooooot of stuff).

It's a shame it's getting such a hostile reaction, because while it's not an incredible game and has the air of something that still needs 6 months of polish, it's good enough that all the complaints and abuse to Gearbox devs is massively disproportionate and and also a bit sad. It's like the ME3 ending fiasco all over again, gamers seem to reach for the torches and pitchforks pretty quick when they don't like something these days and it shows gamers in a bad light.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 18 February, 2013, 02:32:02 PM
The ME3 ending came from a reasonable criticism that what ending there originally was was anti-climatic compared to the build-up.  Of course, a cynical person might point to how quickly they rustled up a new ending complete with performances from in-demand VO artists and then point to a past history of western RPGs having their original endings patched (Fallout 3 being a good example) as was planned from quite early in development and suggest the longer ME3 ending was in the can already and the "because the fans demanded it" angle is PR flim-flam.

Likewise Colonial Marines has received hostility because the original footage doesn't match what has been released to the market.  I cannot speak of the accusations flying around about impropriety upon the developers' part, but there's no denying it looks underwhelming.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Charlie boy on 22 February, 2013, 07:50:51 PM
Got my xbox back after playing a Wii for quite some time (didn't think it had many games I'd enjoy and the whole movement novelty soon wore off). Bought LA Noire but grew tired of it; it's the same thing over and over and as soon as I realised it was spread over 3 discs I stopped playing. It wouldn't even let me do what I occasionally enjoy doing on games like GTA/ Red Dead, e.g. going on a bit of a homicidal rampage to see how many law enforcers I can have chasing me to see how long I can survive.
Recently purchased Rocksmith, which is the most addictive thing I've played in a long time. Basically it's like Guitar Hero, only you plug a real guitar or bass into your console. I went to bed recently with false beliefs of being something of an accomplished bass player until I put the game on the next day and bloody notes had been added. I'm currently stuck on Nirvana's "In Bloom" which surprised me because I had immediately thought music from the whole 'grunge' scene would be pretty simple.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 22 February, 2013, 11:51:09 PM
Red Faction: Guerrilla - top game.  I'd like to see Martian Chronicles remade with this kind of prefab colony look to it, as the sparse aesthetics of the environment are fantastic and serve the limitations of the game world very well (compared to almost every other open world drivey-shooty outing, this is a very desolate and stripped-down gaming experience), and the way damage to buildings you cause by careless driving (or because you figured that the best way to kill someone was to drive a three-story tractor through their house) actually made me feel a bit guilty - "it's just us out here on our own with limited resources against an angry Mars" - so I played the game trying to limit my carnage to legitimate targets.  Likewise it is a hoot to be in a shootout with Martian stormtroopers and be on just the wrong side of outnumbered, and then the traffic on nearby roads screeches to a halt and drivers hop out and back you up and suddenly your death has been postponed and SHIT IS ON.
Story maybe isn't up to much, but the rest is great fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 23 February, 2013, 06:02:07 AM
I played Battlefield 1943 last night, first time for a while.  The land based maps, Iwo Jima etc, are still great fun.  However, I couldn't get a game on my fave map, Coral Sea, the strictly airborne one. It was a shame, as I love the simple dogfighting action.  I guess it's not popular enough for games to be set up regularly.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 23 February, 2013, 04:30:24 PM
WWE 12 is a terminally broken game that requires you to have some sort of degree to play it, or at least an encyclopedic knowledge of the previous games' mechanics, and then a healthy dollop of psychic ability to glean from other players how to use the new game mechanics implemented that are at odds with what was in the last few games.
Fighting has been changed from button mashing to a variation on QTE where instead of watching your opponents or your own character, you have to keep your eyes glued to just above your character's head waiting for a prompt to appear for roughly a third of a second, but you can only press the button if the prompt is highlighted, otherwise your character is grappled in a lengthy animation you can't counter or stop.  Your block button doesn't function as a block button as you can only block if prompted (see above), which doesn't happen for every attack so you take damage and get staggered and become unable to block anyway, while strikes are lengthy animations that require your character to wind up a bit before attacking, and in the meantime you opponent has stepped to one side so your character is punching the air as they go through the entire animation, probably more than once as you'll have likely have hit the attack button more than once because you not-unreasonably assume your character can hit someone who is right in front of their face.
There's no in-game tutorial, no in-game manual, and no means of seeing the control mapping while fighting which you will guaranteed want to do because you will not believe you are pushing the correct buttons.

Basically it is a fighting game where you don't do any fighting, and is so unplayable it is actually amazing.  I assume there is a really, really specific audience for this game that it can afford to pursue to the point of excluding all other possible players, though just as likely this is one of many reasons THQ went spectacularly tits-up.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: qtwerk on 24 February, 2013, 07:46:02 PM
Finished a second run through of the fantastic Halo 4 and decided to give The Witcher 2 my full and undivided attention. But got distracted by the cheap thrills of a blood-drenched FPS so fired up FEAR 3, which I got about half way through a few months ago. Nowhere near as good as the first two, but still fun.

I can't see much else exciting me in the last throes of this generation. Apart from Bioshock Infnite obviously.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 24 February, 2013, 08:45:51 PM
I picked up a used copy of Uncharted 3 for a tenner last week and I've been ploughing my way through it at a fair old rate over the last few days. There's nothing new to see really when it comes to the gameplay, it follows the same formula of the previous titles (including the slightly tedious combat sections) but it's a beautifully put together game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 24 February, 2013, 10:23:05 PM
Dark Forces, a Star Wars FPS from the days before the prequels, when Lucasarts made some damn fine games.

[rosetintedglasses]
It was a simpler time, back when Doom was all the rage. It ran on an engine wot wuz called ID. Lucasarts reverse engineered it (DI) and added some stuff of their own (JE), and created the JEDI engine (aren't programmers hilarious?). I played  the shit out of this on my first ever PC, it's one of my all time favourites, and now it's available on Steam. There's a bit where you get captured by Jabba the Hutt, and he takes all your weapons, so you have to punch a dinosaur to death in order to escape! And the soundtrack! You haven't heard John Williams' score until you've heard it in 16bit midi format!
[/rosetintedglasses]

I enjoyed playing it again.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 24 February, 2013, 10:53:05 PM
I played the PSX version quite recently and that soundtrack is something else.

No lightsabers, though - booooo!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 24 February, 2013, 10:54:46 PM
Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side kid
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 24 February, 2013, 11:01:15 PM
You don't believe in the Force, do you?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 24 February, 2013, 11:20:12 PM
Kid, I've flown from one side of this galaxy to the other. I've seen a lot of strange stuff, but I've never seen anything to make me believe there's one all-powerful force controlling everything. There's no mystical energy field that controls my destiny.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 25 February, 2013, 01:09:11 PM
I played DARK FORCES to death back in '95.  Loved it.

Having being brought up playing with Star Wars figures* and making do with 2 storm troopers who always had to come back to life after you "shot" them, it was a joy to walk into a room full of them and blast away.

DARK FORCES II just made me feel sea-sick though so I had to stop playing it half way through.



* Yes, I probably was too old for this.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 25 February, 2013, 09:50:27 PM
sniper 2 I had it beat and now I'm hooked again...and soon zombies.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 25 February, 2013, 11:07:37 PM
Got an iPod touch last week so it's been all iOS games since then. Feel free to recommend as many as you like which I've missed out on.

Infinity Blade is visually astounding and pretty fun if a bit samey.

Dredd vs Zombies is cracking: the first game I've played in this format where I can just about get the onscreen joystick to work properly.

Aces of the Luftwaffe is a great fun update of a 1942 style WWII shootemup.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 27 February, 2013, 03:12:18 AM
Damn you lot, I've now got a real hankering to play Dark Forces - a game I loved back in the day... Aahhhh, Virgin White Label...

Looks like its available on PSN, so that's the first thing ill be doing when I get back from the states.

I tend to find old school 'Doom Clone' FPSes hold up surprisingly well as they're so direct and easy to play. It's interesting to play them now as I always used to use cheat codes/God mode and its fun to try and beat them 'honestly' now as I have a lot more willpower as an adult!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 27 February, 2013, 05:39:51 AM
Cosh, I'd recommend the following iOS games:

Zombie HQ (Rebellion's new game, an enhanced version of Dredd Vs Zombies, really. Well worth a look when you're done with Dredd).

Another World: Anniversary Edition

Bookworm

Drop7

Fruit Ninja

He-Man: The Most Powerful Game in the Universe is surprisingly good once you get a few upgrades, with a nice postmodern vibe to the dialogue.

Jetpack Joyride

Slam Dunk King

Run Roo Run

Scribblenauts Remix

Ski Safari

Final Fantasy 4

The Walking Dead: Assault

Joe Danger: Touch!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 February, 2013, 08:44:59 AM
I have been struggling with both Oblivion and Deus Ex over the last week.

Deus Ex seems too clunky. I may abandon it in favour of the new one (I got them cheap in a package on Steam).

Oblivion just seems too user unfriendly. I am really struggling with it. Not only have I not levelled up after about four hours playing (eh?) but the structure seems arbitraty and unnecessarily scant with its information (example: I joined the Thieves Guild so I could sell stolen stuff. I'm told I can now use a fence. Great! Except I am NOT told where there is a fence, and it turns out the only one you can use as an entry level thief is in a whole separate town from the one where you join the poxy guild!)

Does Skyrim play the same way?

It seems a shame as both games get rave reviews and yet I just can't get into them. On the Oblivion front, I played and loved Fallout 3. Maybe that has spolied me?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 27 February, 2013, 09:49:54 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 February, 2013, 08:44:59 AM
I have been struggling with both Oblivion and Deus Ex over the last week.

Deus Ex seems too clunky. I may abandon it in favour of the new one (I got them cheap in a package on Steam).

Oblivion just seems too user unfriendly. I am really struggling with it. Not only have I not levelled up after about four hours playing (eh?) but the structure seems arbitraty and unnecessarily scant with its information (example: I joined the Thieves Guild so I could sell stolen stuff. I'm told I can now use a fence. Great! Except I am NOT told where there is a fence, and it turns out the only one you can use as an entry level thief is in a whole separate town from the one where you join the poxy guild!)

Does Skyrim play the same way?

It seems a shame as both games get rave reviews and yet I just can't get into them. On the Oblivion front, I played and loved Fallout 3. Maybe that has spolied me?

I struggled with Skyrim, mainly because I'm not very familiar with lots of RPG conventions which it seems to rely on.
I started off picking up every item in case I needed it and then having to drop loads of items because I was carrying too much - but I had no idea what was likely to be useful and what wasn't (and I couldn't be asked to 'inspect' every item to get info on it). It seems that loads of items are just junk that you can sell for a few pence - what's the fucking point? I get really bored of games where you have to check every trunk, box or pot in every room you go into because you're scared of missing something important or worth having (see also - Zelda games and Deus Ex). The same goes for searching corpses (looking at you Bioshock).

The other thing with Skyrim was that I decided to level up as a barbarian/warrior type without realising that the sword combat would be rubbish. Every time I attacked someone I was hacking at a space 30 degrees to the left of them.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: qtwerk on 27 February, 2013, 10:52:57 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 February, 2013, 08:44:59 AM
I have been struggling with both Oblivion and Deus Ex over the last week.

Deus Ex seems too clunky. I may abandon it in favour of the new one (I got them cheap in a package on Steam).

Oblivion just seems too user unfriendly. I am really struggling with it. Not only have I not levelled up after about four hours playing (eh?) but the structure seems arbitraty and unnecessarily scant with its information (example: I joined the Thieves Guild so I could sell stolen stuff. I'm told I can now use a fence. Great! Except I am NOT told where there is a fence, and it turns out the only one you can use as an entry level thief is in a whole separate town from the one where you join the poxy guild!)

Does Skyrim play the same way?

It seems a shame as both games get rave reviews and yet I just can't get into them. On the Oblivion front, I played and loved Fallout 3. Maybe that has spolied me?

Skyrim and Oblivion are two of the greatest RPGs of this or any other generation. Neither are perfect, but the (very large) world that Bethesda create for you to live (and die) in is quite amazingly beautiful. Even more so in Skyrim with the updated engine.

As with any RPG, it takes a bit of time to get into the ryhthm required to really enjoy it, but once you do expect to lose 100 hours of your life.

Not sure which Deus Ex you're talking about, but the latest iteration is a fabulous, dream-like, cyber-punk treat. Although the boss fights are occasionally tedious.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 27 February, 2013, 01:16:35 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 February, 2013, 08:44:59 AM
I have been struggling with both Oblivion and Deus Ex over the last week.

Deus Ex seems too clunky. I may abandon it in favour of the new one (I got them cheap in a package on Steam).

Oblivion just seems too user unfriendly. I am really struggling with it. Not only have I not levelled up after about four hours playing (eh?) but the structure seems arbitraty and unnecessarily scant with its information (example: I joined the Thieves Guild so I could sell stolen stuff. I'm told I can now use a fence. Great! Except I am NOT told where there is a fence, and it turns out the only one you can use as an entry level thief is in a whole separate town from the one where you join the poxy guild!)

Does Skyrim play the same way?

It seems a shame as both games get rave reviews and yet I just can't get into them. On the Oblivion front, I played and loved Fallout 3. Maybe that has spolied me?

If you're a fan of Fallout 3 / Fallout New Vegas, you'll instantly fall in love with Skyrim.
I've recently added the DLC and am topping 200 hours game play. One of the finest games ever made.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 27 February, 2013, 03:20:06 PM
Skyrim is a huge improvement over Oblivion in just about every way, and while I had the same combat gripes as Dr X, stick with it and you soon discover that being shit at everything right at the start is part of the game experience, and the more perks and levels you manage to add to your character, the more useful the associated weapons become.  Leveling up by improving individual skills rather than the other way around is a neat touch, too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 06 March, 2013, 11:43:32 AM
I just spent the last fortnight playing the three Slaine Diceman games.

I successfully completed Cauldron of Blood in two goes, Dragoncorpse in one go and Ring of Danu in four goes.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 06 March, 2013, 04:26:21 PM
Half-Life2

After having a bit of a silly rant over on another thread about plans to make this series into a movie, I thought I'd have another crack at this. It's still one of the best games ever made, mainly because Valve's source engine is such a well designed designed piece of kit. It's a sign of a good game when shooting down helicopter gunships with an rpg is one of the more tedious parts.

The pacing is perfect, the mood, tone and atmosphere switches seamlessly from a desperate attempt to escape from enemy forces, to survival horror in a village populated by zombies controlled by extra-dimensional-brain-spiders, to urban warfare as you take the fight to the bad-guys.

A few niggles here and there, like the previously mentioned helicopter fights (it seems to be fairly arbitrary whether or not your lazer guided missiles hit home, unless I'm missing a trick) and there are parts where you lead a squad of either giant bugs or fellow resistance members that are a bit buggy. They tend to get in your way, which can be annoying if you're desperately trying to get to cover and they just stand there, blocking the doorway to salvation, just staring at you.

I would suggest that anyone who enjoyed this try a mod of this game called The Stanley Parable. I won't say anything about it, it's best if you go into it completely cold.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dark Jimbo on 06 March, 2013, 05:25:06 PM
I played HL2 for the first time about six months ago (yes folks, that's how far behind the times I am). Stunning stuff, and nice to finally see what all the fuss was about - a game you could properly lose yourself in, with some cracking phsyics mechanics. Ravenholm was particularly terrifying, the more so as I played through using only the Gravity Gun for an achievement. The only bit that really ticked me off was trying to take down all the tripod thingies in the Square - had to attempt that so many times it stopped being fun.

At some point I intend to get around to playing Episodes 1 and 2. Can't wait.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 06 March, 2013, 06:06:36 PM
Half Life 2 is wonderful - a classic through and through.

What I really love about it is that it has a plot, but unlike the vast majority of games nowadays, puts gameplay in front of the developer's egotisitical delusions that they're telling a brilliant story, and in fact the fiction is actually - shock horror - quite interesting in its own right and subtlety done. In many respects its very mature.

A great example of how to do narrative well in games.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 06 March, 2013, 07:02:36 PM
Speaking of which, I caught a glimpse of the PS4 conference and they had a laughably pretentious developer twonk giving a speech about how Killzone 4 was 'a story about identity, and the lengths people will go to protect it' or some such bumwhiffery.

Give me strength. No, it's not mate. It's really not. It's a silly game about shooting Space-Nazis in the face. It's called 'Killzone' for Christ's sake. The story is bound to be Z-grade, derivative hokum, and stuffing it full of intrusive, ponderous cutscenes and atrocious dialogue (as is the case with every game nowadays) will only highlight that fact.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 06 March, 2013, 09:22:17 PM
Quote from: radiator on 06 March, 2013, 07:02:36 PM
Speaking of which, I caught a glimpse of the PS4 conference and they had a laughably pretentious developer twonk giving a speech about how Killzone 4 was 'a story about identity, and the lengths people will go to protect it' or some such bumwhiffery.

Give me strength. No, it's not mate. It's really not. It's a silly game about shooting Space-Nazis in the face. It's called 'Killzone' for Christ's sake. The story is bound to be Z-grade, derivative hokum, and stuffing it full of intrusive, ponderous cutscenes and atrocious dialogue (as is the case with every game nowadays) will only highlight that fact.

I take it you didn't choke back the tears when Dom bit the bullet in GOW 3 Radiator?
Ice cold man, ice cold.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 06 March, 2013, 09:39:42 PM
Quote from: radiator on 06 March, 2013, 07:02:36 PM
Speaking of which, I caught a glimpse of the PS4 conference and they had a laughably pretentious developer twonk giving a speech about how Killzone 4 was 'a story about identity, and the lengths people will go to protect it' or some such bumwhiffery.

He's a PR man and it's a PR event.  He can't really say "and then you shoot another zombie thing, and when you're done you get to shoot some more zombies, only somewhere else" for half an hour.  He has to sell it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: DrJomster on 06 March, 2013, 09:59:55 PM
I'm playing Aliens versus Humans on the iPad at the moment. A very nice X-Com clone. So much so in fact, I'm surprised a cease and desist order hasn't come through the post for the authors. Anyway, great retro fun for only two quid! TWO quid! That's just unbelievable. A coffee costs more than that. It's a universal app too, so if you've got an iPhone you get that for free.

This version follows the original of yesteryear. Great fun and also, very, very difficult. At some point you just know your squad of well armed soldiers is going to have a TPK. Luckily you can always hire some more!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 06 March, 2013, 11:46:55 PM
Quote from: Professor James T Bear on 06 March, 2013, 09:39:42 PM
Quote from: radiator on 06 March, 2013, 07:02:36 PM
Speaking of which, I caught a glimpse of the PS4 conference and they had a laughably pretentious developer twonk giving a speech about how Killzone 4 was 'a story about identity, and the lengths people will go to protect it' or some such bumwhiffery.

He's a PR man and it's a PR event.  He can't really say "and then you shoot another zombie thing, and when you're done you get to shoot some more zombies, only somewhere else" for half an hour.  He has to sell it.

No: they really, truly believe this crap. I've seen it/heard it a million times, and it's as hilarious as it is tragic.

In my mind it's every bit as ludicrous as someone describing Super Mario 3 in those same ridiculously pompous terms.

Games are (mostly) a terrible medium for storytelling, and one where ability is outstripped by ambition to an embarrassing degree. That's not saying there is no such thing as good writing in games (see my comments about Half Life 2) but I cringe every time I hear a game developer drone on about 'taking the player on an emotional journey' or 'telling an amazing story'.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 07 March, 2013, 12:10:26 AM
That's more the problem of the modular development of most games: writers go here, coders go here, artists go here, etc.  There's no central concepts that everything hinges around as there is with something like the Metal Gear or Final Fantasy games, it's just product - though the shite spouted by the average PR man is - in theory - what they want to believe is what will happen when people play their games because the alternative is to tell a room "you'll play through it in four hours, but it has more multiplayer maps than the last one so you can pay Microsoft a subscription for the privilege of strangers calling you a faggot."
I think they know their hyperbole is occasionally off the mark and/or flimsy, but I think they also want to believe you'll get invested in their games beyond just shooting things at increasing levels of difficulty.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 07 March, 2013, 12:32:34 AM
Metal Gear
Final Fantasy

Both series cited as having great stories. Both utter gibberish.

And I'm not talking about what PR people say - I'm talking about what the people working on the games say and mu personal experience of playing the actual games themselves.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 07 March, 2013, 01:23:17 AM
I gave up on both series long ago, but there's no denying the singular creative vision at work that links everything together from production style to story to themes.  If you dislike the games then fair enough, but they're focused in a way that most western games - outside RPGs - simply aren't.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 07 March, 2013, 08:32:57 AM
It's got to the point where developers think that every game needs a story to tie things together which is just not true.
Even 'Need For Speed' was given a story in 'The Run' but it didn't work out too well - it just made for lots of interruptions to the action. It's not the only racing game to do this though - the F1 games, Forza Horizon and the Test Drive games all have a sort of narrative structure. Just unnecessary in a racing game IMHO.

Some western games have fairly decent stories though - the Arkham games and 'Spec Ops:the Line' all had pretty strong stories, good character development and good acting.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 07 March, 2013, 09:40:38 AM
Damn you Rebellion. Zombies.Undead hordes of NAZI Zombies. Oh yes I had it beat now hooked again damn you...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 07 March, 2013, 04:22:46 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 07 March, 2013, 08:32:57 AM
It's got to the point where developers think that every game needs a story to tie things together which is just not true.

Sales figures would suggest otherwise.  Gaming used to be a hobby when it was one-screen affairs like Manic Miner and Pacman, but games like that with arbitrary goals (score, time taken, etc) didn't interest the mainstream public, and seemingly still don't as anything other than a distraction.  Gaming has moved on, and the narrative in games is there to make people invest in something other than gameplay mechanics for their own sake, though I agree with the sentiment that most games need to be one or the other - story or gameplay-focused - to hold together as a single coherent package, otherwise you end up with shite like the aforementioned The Run.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 07 March, 2013, 04:38:26 PM
But that's just it - a nominal story is usually needed to tie everything together - fine. But too many devs put the cart before the horse. Someone needs to sit them down and tell them they are not writing Shakespeare.

Personally, I couldn't give a monkeys about most stories in games and I skip most cutscenes as they're generally terrible and they seem so far removed from the actual gameplay. However that doesn't mean I can't get absorbed in the atmosphere of a game, which is something entirely different to the narrative, and is something games as a medium excel at. For example, the original Halo. The story is entirely derivative. You can literally pull apart it's constituent elements, it's purely functional. I never give a shit about the admiral the game dictates I have to save in the pre-scripted moments. However, I do care about keeping my squad of marines alive, precisely because it is optional and unscripted. I feel like games are missing a massive trick by pursuing the heavily scripted 'cinematic' linear route, as it does literally nothing for me.

There should be a gaming equivalent of 'Show, Don't Tell'. Maybe "Don't Show Me, Let Me Play!".
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 07 March, 2013, 04:49:48 PM
Again, this is why HL2 is superb. Story is told mostly through gameplay. Information is relayed cleverly to the player, the visual storytelling is great. Control is almost never taken away from the player. It's linear, but mostly leaves the pacing up to you. You can dig deeper into the story if you want, but its optional.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 07 March, 2013, 07:48:30 PM
The story in HL2 isn't even a very original one, but what it is, is an exceptionally well told story, a story that was best told in the medium of a video game.

I don't usually expect much from a games story (I never really got the plot to Tetris), and I don't think I can remember playing a game that was ruined by a bad story. Bad gameplay yes, but not a bad story. I had to laugh at the net's fanboy rage of Mass Effect 3. Were their expectations really that high? I've not played any ME but I believe it uses a moral choice system, and THAT is something I have a big problem with. My experience of moral choices in games such as KOTOR is that you can either be an impossibly good Disney-like protagonist, or a ridiculous, moustache twirling sadist. There's no subtlety, no grey areas. There's no focus either. I've heard HL criticized for being too linear, but that linearity is precisely what allowed them to tell such a tight, well-focused story.

Ultimately, game storylines (especially in FPS) are fairly limited and cliched. The world/universe is in dire peril and only a Macho-Messianic-Malefactor-Murdering-Machine can save the day with his big gun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 07 March, 2013, 08:04:50 PM
Quote from: El Pops on 07 March, 2013, 07:48:30 PM
The story in HL2 isn't even a very original one, but what it is, is an exceptionally well told story, a story that was best told in the medium of a video game.

I don't usually expect much from a games story (I never really got the plot to Tetris), and I don't think I can remember playing a game that was ruined by a bad story. Bad gameplay yes, but not a bad story. I had to laugh at the net's fanboy rage of Mass Effect 3. Were their expectations really that high? I've not played any ME but I believe it uses a moral choice system, and THAT is something I have a big problem with. My experience of moral choices in games such as KOTOR is that you can either be an impossibly good Disney-like protagonist, or a ridiculous, moustache twirling sadist. There's no subtlety, no grey areas. There's no focus either. I've heard HL criticized for being too linear, but that linearity is precisely what allowed them to tell such a tight, well-focused story.

Ultimately, game storylines (especially in FPS) are fairly limited and cliched. The world/universe is in dire peril and only a Macho-Messianic-Malefactor-Murdering-Machine can save the day with his big gun.

EDIT: Also the protagonist (or an important NPC) will have a ridiculously tragic back-story and at some point, YOU WILL BE BETRAYED!

Damn that edit button is illusive.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 08 March, 2013, 12:01:29 AM
MGS is the worst for story but fans will tell you its a masterpiece. I finished MGS4 at 2am and then fell asleep at the final cut scene. A cut scene which I think is about an hour long  :o No idea how it ended but then I'd lost the plot long before then anyway.

MGS1 is still the best.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 March, 2013, 12:05:53 AM
Quote from: El Pops on 07 March, 2013, 07:48:30 PM
The story in HL2 isn't even a very original one, but what it is, is an exceptionally well told story, a story that was best told in the medium of a video game.

I don't usually expect much from a games story (I never really got the plot to Tetris), and I don't think I can remember playing a game that was ruined by a bad story. Bad gameplay yes, but not a bad story. I had to laugh at the net's fanboy rage of Mass Effect 3. Were their expectations really that high? I've not played any ME but I believe it uses a moral choice system, and THAT is something I have a big problem with. My experience of moral choices in games such as KOTOR is that you can either be an impossibly good Disney-like protagonist, or a ridiculous, moustache twirling sadist. There's no subtlety, no grey areas. There's no focus either. I've heard HL criticized for being too linear, but that linearity is precisely what allowed them to tell such a tight, well-focused story.

Ultimately, game storylines (especially in FPS) are fairly limited and cliched. The world/universe is in dire peril and only a Macho-Messianic-Malefactor-Murdering-Machine can save the day with his big gun.

Mass Effect has some of the best story telling in any game. In fact, I reckon Bioware's stuff - to a greater or lesser extend, and including Black Isle etc - is some of the best storytelling in games. Not great, mind. Not at all: derivative sci-fi fluff (ME) or derivative high fantasy (Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights). Even so, at least on a par with most churned out sci fi books.

The rage associated with ME3's ending is 100% justified. Not because of the story but rather because it was so inconclusive. After playing for 100 hours or so, all I wanted was a clear cut resolution. Instead, it was plain unclear what was happening and why. Slight spoiler: [spoiler]you spend all three games fighting the bid bad, The Reapers, and at the very last minute engage in some nice chat with them for NO FRIGGING REASON[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 08 March, 2013, 10:34:02 AM
Quote from: Satanist on 08 March, 2013, 12:01:29 AM
MGS is the worst for story but fans will tell you its a masterpiece. I finished MGS4 at 2am and then fell asleep at the final cut scene. A cut scene which I think is about an hour long  :o No idea how it ended but then I'd lost the plot long before then anyway.

MGS1 is still the best.

Metal Gear Solid is a game I would cite as the wildly indulgent story element ruining the entire game. Gorgeous graphics, wonderful character design, intriguing gameplay mechanics, all undone because Kojima thinks he is an amazing writer. As I said before, the story - even in the first game - is complete and utter gibberish.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 08 March, 2013, 10:37:24 AM
Agree entirely about Mass Effect. The writing is strong (for games) but the fiction is entirely derivative of other genre pieces - it's basically Star Wars Trek, with a dash of Halo and Aliens, with an aesthetic taken from the Final Fantasy movie.

Another key thing Valve do with their games is take inspiration from outside of the usual places, and it shows.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Doctor Alt 8 on 11 March, 2013, 10:48:19 PM
Me, I'm stuck on Dragon Age. Origins and can't understand how to work the cheat codes I found. Where is  bin_ship when its at home...?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 12 March, 2013, 07:45:25 AM
Spent a couple of hours on Fight Night Champion last night. It's amazing how quickly I was getting aggressive towards the mofos I was boxing. The game itself is fun but seems to have made itself deliberately hard to learn in order to give it longevity. There is no tutorial, for example. You just get beat up (either sparring or in the ring) in order to learn.

Still, I played on easy and enjoyed bopping some other fellows on the nose.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: grthink on 12 March, 2013, 12:48:56 PM
I've been wringing my Playstation+ account for all it's worth over the past few weeks. Revisiting God Of War via the magic of HD was very rewarding, the gameplay really stands up. Just started playing Dead or Alive 5, having not played any fighting games at all for a decade or so, and the game itself is good, and the game mechanics of the story mode are good. The actual story mode itself is cringing to sit through, though, and good lord I didn't think I'd get bored of breasts but DoA5 is pushing it.

Mass Effect 3 is DL'ing at the moment, and because of its size I had to clear a lot of stuff off my HD, so I hope I'll enjoy it. I played the original on X360 and the second on PS3, and whilst my memories of both are being sat watching talking heads for hours on end, I also spent a LOT of time on each of them.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 12 March, 2013, 01:13:25 PM
For some reason Dark Forces is no longer available on PSN - at least in the UK, so I had to resort to eBay to get a PS original copy.

I'd kind of forgotten that it's a pre-Goldeneye, pre-Dual Shock game, so the controls are most likely going to render it almost unplayable to the modern gamer, but we'll see!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: grthink on 12 March, 2013, 01:45:54 PM
Quote from: radiator on 12 March, 2013, 01:13:25 PM
For some reason Dark Forces is no longer available on PSN - at least in the UK, so I had to resort to eBay to get a PS original copy.

I'd kind of forgotten that it's a pre-Goldeneye, pre-Dual Shock game, so the controls are most likely going to render it almost unplayable to the modern gamer, but we'll see!

I remember going back to Dark Forces after playing Dark Forces: Jedi Knight and finding it almost impossible to play, what with having to key in where you're looking rather than use a mouse to aim (that's on the PC, not played it on PS). Such a shame because for a while I was insanely good at it -- the only game I've finished on hardest difficulty, that I can remember.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 12 March, 2013, 02:08:46 PM
Since about 2000, trying to play any FPS with move and turn mapped to the same stick, keys or d pad is like trying to do something left-handed.

Hoping there's at least some way of customising controls...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: f4lke on 12 March, 2013, 06:04:47 PM
Last game played: Crysis 3. My Review is a 7/10.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 12 March, 2013, 07:15:33 PM
Quote from: radiator on 12 March, 2013, 01:13:25 PM
For some reason Dark Forces is no longer available on PSN - at least in the UK, so I had to resort to eBay to get a PS original copy.

If you know anyone who's downloaded Dark Forces from PSN you can temporarily add their profile to your PS3 dashboard and via Account Management/transaction management/download list you can download a game to your PS3 HDD even if it isn't available on the store anymore.

I tried playing Dark Forces recently but by god it is old.  I don't think it was particularly unplayable so much as the look and gameplay mechanics left me scratching my head wondering what I was supposed to be doing after a few levels.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 12 March, 2013, 08:11:55 PM
Quote from: Professor James T Bear on 12 March, 2013, 07:15:33 PM
I tried playing Dark Forces recently but by god it is old.  I don't think it was particularly unplayable so much as the look and gameplay mechanics left me scratching my head wondering what I was supposed to be doing after a few levels.

When I played through it recently, I found muscle memory did most of the work for me. Some levels are quite obtuse, you really need to read the mission briefings and then use your map.

I had a go at the free to play MMORPG, Star Trek Online. It can be fairly meaningless to review something you didn't have to pay for, but by Spock's ears it was fucking terrible. I created my character, a bald, Vulcan Science officer in a snazzy blue jumpsuit, and looked forward for doing some fictional science, but no. First up, I had to kill some borg. Not using some clever Trek ploy, no, because that would be interesting, just shot them with the phaser. You don't even have to aim. Controlling a starship is even duller.

This game is not Star Trek. It is some sort of dumb military sci-fi, with a Star Trek aesthetic. It's just so fucking generic.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Radbacker on 13 March, 2013, 08:16:25 AM
End Game map pack for Battlefield 3, lots of dirt bike fun to be had I'm sure its only a matter of time before race servers get set up, and the Capture the Flag mode they have added is rather choice fun.  Last map pack for BF3 all the developers work going into number 4 now. (unless they want to supprise us console fans with a new Bad Company).

CU radbacker
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Noisybast on 13 March, 2013, 09:19:51 AM
Ah, Metal Gear Solid. I picked up a few older games from the XBox Live sale last week, including Kane & Lynch 2, Max Payne 3, Tomb Raider Legend and a couple of MGS things (Peace Walker and 2&3 HD). So far I've tried Max Payne 3 (good shooty fun and looks nice) and MGS: Peace Walker (incomprehensible). The writing and acting are dire and there's more cut scene than game. Are MGS 2 and 3 this tedious? Should I just delete them unplayed?
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: grthink on 13 March, 2013, 09:34:01 AM
Quote from: Noisybast on 13 March, 2013, 09:19:51 AM
Are MGS 2 and 3 this tedious?

Can't speak for 3, but there's a LOT of cutscenes in MSG2. A few standout moments maybe make it worth playing through once, though.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 13 March, 2013, 09:50:31 AM
Quote from: Noisybast on 13 March, 2013, 09:19:51 AM
MGS: Peace Walker (incomprehensible). The writing and acting are dire and there's more cut scene than game. Are MGS 2 and 3 this tedious? Should I just delete them unplayed?

If you can get past some nonsensical cut-scenes & bad dialogue, I found them all to be very rewarding games in their own rights.
Embrace the 'Stealth' element for maximum enjoyment.
Plus, they have some of the most memorable 'Boss fights' of my gaming career.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: grthink on 13 March, 2013, 11:48:06 AM
Quote from: El Pops on 12 March, 2013, 08:11:55 PM
Quote from: Professor James T Bear on 12 March, 2013, 07:15:33 PM
I tried playing Dark Forces recently but by god it is old.  I don't think it was particularly unplayable so much as the look and gameplay mechanics left me scratching my head wondering what I was supposed to be doing after a few levels.

When I played through it recently, I found muscle memory did most of the work for me. Some levels are quite obtuse, you really need to read the mission briefings and then use your map.

Yeah, I remember doing a lot of running around with my map open. Also remember the first few playthroughs, just wandering around with no idea of what to do next. Still, one of my fondest gaming experiences.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 16 March, 2013, 01:43:03 PM
Still trying to master the last couple of challenge levels on Arkham Asylum but picked up a couple of cheapo deals in Game last week.

I'd always fancied The Saboteur and it's okay. Basically a GTA knock off with a beret set in WW2 Paris. The big stylistic trick is the way areas under occupation are black and white and gradually transition to colour as you do enough to disrupt the Nazis. This is very well realised, as are some of the characters but a lot of the rest of it is quite lacklustre with combat being particularly frustrating and luck based. Think I'll probably play through the story but not be too fussed about comleting everything.

Also got Rockstar's Table Tennis which I remember reading rave reviews of at the time. It's pretty difficult to get into but I can sort of see how it might become addictive. Nobody seems to be playing online anymore.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 17 March, 2013, 06:25:48 PM
I didn't like The Saboteur much either, and didn't play it very long. However, I was tickled by one of the achievements -'A pint and a shag'.   
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 17 March, 2013, 06:32:11 PM
Just finished Hitman: Absolution, and thoroughly enjoyed it. More than Hitmen previous actually, although I gather the purists feel it's been a bit diluted. Personally I found the stealth incredibly satisfying while never being frustrating, when previous games used to get me a bit miffed at times. Quite a lovely looking game too, with a ton of replay value to get slicker rankings on hits.

I did fall foul of a bug which was supposedly patched back in december (my arse) which crashed the game and corrupted my save file halfway through the game, losing me all my progress, scores, the lot. A pretty awful thing to have happen, so I backed up my save to the cloud regularly second time around and thankfully it went smoothly (knocks wood).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 17 March, 2013, 06:50:43 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 17 March, 2013, 06:25:48 PM
'A pint and a shag'.

The number one real life achievement too.  :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 17 March, 2013, 07:09:56 PM

Pick out old game that I hadn't play for while, Aliens Vs Predator, that latest one, playing Marine really scary me as always (I hate play against Aliens!)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 17 March, 2013, 10:42:37 PM
Just started sniper ghost warrior 2, only done one level but looks promising. ..
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 21 March, 2013, 05:32:04 PM
Half-Life 2: Episodes 1&2

These are basically HL2 bonus levels, and really challenging bonus levels at that. I won't say much about the plot, other than it seems to be an epilogue, a new mystery is presented, and creepy G-man up to his old shenanigans, all in all, setting up for a big finale.

The gameplay mechanics are pretty much the same, but as I've said before, the source engine is a really clever piece of kit. New enemy units are also introduced, amongst which are zombie-combine soldiers who try to suicide bomb you, and new acid spitting ant-lions. Toughest of all though, are the hunter droids that fire explosive flechettes at you, and if they catch you on open turf, they charge and gore you, sending you several feet into the air. On your first encounter with these absolute feckers, you're severely underarmed, and it took me a while to figure out how to deal with them. HINT: [spoiler]Use propane and propane accessories ;)[/spoiler] It's tense and satisfying though.

It has the HL series trademark physics puzzles, including everyone's favourite; the see-saw puzzle. Episode 2 has a particularly satisfying one involving [spoiler]a busted bridge that you half to angle in the right way to make an epic jump in your snazzy motorcar.
[/spoiler]
Slight grumble would be the final big battle in Episode two. If you didn't like fighting the tri-pods in the square in HL2, then this will melt your head. The thing about it this time is; once you figure out effective tactics, the whole thing becomes more of a repetitive chore than an epic battle.

Next up is Black Mesa, a free HL2 mod which recreates the original HL using the source engine.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 26 March, 2013, 12:33:13 AM
Spec Ops: The Line - Bruce Boxleitner, Jake Busey and Nolan North on the same voice cast?  SOLD.  Not the greatest looker, not the most innovative to play, not very hard, quite short, BUT it's a solid package of a game with a story that's actually really good.  The setting is a big part of the story, as though it's a contemporary take on Heart of Darkness, the vaguely sci-fi mcGuffin of an unexplained permanent sandstorm around Dubai helps create a disjoint between the constant assertions of characters - that help and safety and the world we know is just beyond the storm - and the post-apocalyptic landscape around you.  The makers cleverly instill a feeling of frustration at some decisions being taken out of your hands by NPCs, but time and the game story makes a fool of you eventually as it's all part of the journey the game takes you on, even managing some great touches like when you go "oops" at the white phosphorous bit, the disco shootout, or the clever branching endings, and unlike updates of the material like Apocalypse Now, there's a real sense that your character's grasp on reality is actually tenuous to the point that the outcome of events is unclear - the ending may even come as a spectacular anticlimax depending upon how you decide to act when you get there.

My recollection of the Spec Ops games is that they are shovelware, but this one tries something a little different from the usual third person shoot-em-up without colouring too far outside the lines of the genre's game mechanics, so if you can find it for a tenner or so it's well worth a gander.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 31 March, 2013, 09:08:53 PM
bioshock infinite

I'm sorry but radical themes of racism and the american master race do not hide a mediocre shooter
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 01 April, 2013, 09:50:09 AM
Hotline Miami. That game be crazy. Incredibly addictive and oddly disturbing.

On Bioshock: Infinite now and it just looks so gorgeous that I'm constantly being bowled over with lovely sights. Feels very much like the first Bioshock (in fact feels more like it than 2 which was essentially a retread) but the floating city is a masterstroke because where before there was eery claustrophobia now there's...just...man it looks beautiful.

It's the first major PC game I've played since getting my gaming rig set up, which adds to the eye sex.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 01 April, 2013, 01:30:47 PM
I'm playing Dragon's Dogma in 360. Got it for about £15 in the Shopto Easter Sale.

It's quite intriguing - it's like Monster Hunter, but instead of getting 3 online friends to help, you have 3 NPC's called pawns. You can select these from a portal, and mix and match them to suit your playing style, or the list you have to beat.

Also, you can choose a pawn your Xbox buddies have levelled up. I did that, but it turned out to be a bit of a mistake. They're all level 70ish characters, which means these early stage monsters are killed by them in one wallop. As a result I'm not seeing much of the tactical element yet.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 02 April, 2013, 02:09:10 PM
The other day I brought Rogue Trooper on Steam for my laptop PC.
I played previously on the PSTwo years ago and got stuck on the level where I had to defend a train.
Seeing if I fair better this time around.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 02 April, 2013, 02:16:45 PM
I started Skyrim yesterday. Didn't hold out much hope, as I gave up on Oblivion a month or so ago after four or five hours play. Skyrim, though, is a grabber and much, much better. It seems to have taken on board the lessons of Fallout 3 (which I loved). So far, I've played Skyrim for 8 hours and it just gets better and better.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 02 April, 2013, 02:41:16 PM
QuoteHotline Miami. That game be crazy. Incredibly addictive and oddly disturbing.

Well up for that, but I'm going to wait for it to hit XBLA or PSN.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 02 April, 2013, 02:42:27 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 02 April, 2013, 02:16:45 PM
I started Skyrim yesterday. Didn't hold out much hope, as I gave up on Oblivion a month or so ago after four or five hours play. Skyrim, though, is a grabber and much, much better. It seems to have taken on board the lessons of Fallout 3 (which I loved). So far, I've played Skyrim for 8 hours and it just gets better and better.

Oh Dr. X.....I dont know if I should envy or pity you.
Its a brillaint game, but will suck the life out of your, well, life!
I'm around 250 hours in, and still playing (since last April!)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 02 April, 2013, 07:25:57 PM
Quote from: radiator on 02 April, 2013, 02:41:16 PM
QuoteHotline Miami. That game be crazy. Incredibly addictive and oddly disturbing.

Well up for that, but I'm going to wait for it to hit XBLA or PSN.

Same here. Quite tempted by Retro City Rampage which has just hit XBLA though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 03 April, 2013, 09:53:53 AM

Slender

Played it on my iPhone last night, bloody scary!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Radbacker on 04 April, 2013, 08:49:59 AM
I dont play single player games however while i await Telstra to hit the button in their offices that makes my internet work in my new house (i dont bloody understand how it takes them two weeks to hook the net up when they dont even need to physically come round and hook anything up WTF!!!!) I decided to get BioShock Infinite, wow the 10's its been scoring are pretty deserved easily the best single player game i've played in the last 10 years.  I purchased it on Thursday and had finished by Sunday but damn i'm going to go through it again on Hard which i have never ever done for a modern game (used play through some of my Megadrive games multiple times but cant honestly think of any other game from PS era onwards that i've wanted to do that again).
wont go into spoilers but the end is mindblowingly arsom.

CU Radbacker
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 06 April, 2013, 11:17:19 AM
Finished Infinite last night too, it really is astonishing. Better than the original I reckon, although it has made me want to go back and play that again.

One (pretty major) niggle though, is that one of the big lessons Irrational said they'd learnt from the first game seems to have been forgotten because Infinite has one of the worst [spoiler]boss fights I've ever played. It's just a thoughtless spam-fest, and (on Hard at least) is just a sloggy chip-a-thon and incredibly frustrating. Doesn't seem to really fit the rest of the game stylistically either, and you have to repeat it four times. You fight the same terrible boss FOUR TIMES. The only thing that changes is the location. It's pretty unforgivable.[/spoiler]

So it's testament to how brilliant everything else in the game is that I DID forgive them and I'm sure I'll soon forget that stuff even happened. Until the next playthrough...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 06 April, 2013, 11:47:44 AM
The Walking Dead.

This was a really good game but I'm not sure it deserves all the 'game of the year' plaudits it's been getting.
The story was good but sometimes it was a little too talky. I found the combat elements quite frustrating too. My major bugbear was that it was just so dark. Even with the game set at full brightness and the brightness on my Tv turned up it was difficult to see things sometimes. If I hadn't had the help icons turned on I would never have even seen some of the important objects.
That being said though, it was a memorable experience and it was nice to play one of these point and click type adventures again.

There's lots of good stuff on XBLA at the moment and this is an area that Rebellion should really be looking at for exploiting their IPs in my opinion.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 13 April, 2013, 07:48:58 PM
I've just finished FTL. I actually finished it. Ok it was on easy, but I still finished it, IT STILL COUNTS!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Pete Wells on 17 April, 2013, 12:22:42 AM
Quote from: JamesC on 06 February, 2013, 07:42:28 PM
I'm currently playing Spec Ops: The Line which is absolutely brilliant. I reckon I'm about halfway through and the way the story is progressing is great. If I could sum it up in one word it would be 'compelling'.

This game got fairly mixed reviews on release and I don't understand why. There were complaints about things like the cover system and control layout which I haven't had any problem with at all.

Wow, I've just completed this tonight and thought it was excellent. Well worth picking up, as James said, the story is cracking!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 01 May, 2013, 04:08:10 PM
I just purchased Far Cry Three Blood Dragon on Steam and it didn't install. :(
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 01 May, 2013, 04:12:32 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 01 May, 2013, 04:08:10 PM
I just purchased Far Cry Three Blood Dragon on Steam and it didn't install. :(

Do you have the ordinary version of Far Cry 3 installed? Blood Dragon is just a DLC add-on I believe.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 01 May, 2013, 04:28:21 PM
I have Far Cry One and Two on Steam but no Far Cry Three.

look Far Cry Three Blood Dragon on Steam and it says right at the bottom that playing the game does not require a copy of Far Cry® 3.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 02 May, 2013, 12:33:54 AM
Picked up GTA: San Andreas for dirt cheap off Steam at the weekend. I loved the shit out of this when it first came out. I played it so much that the disc stopped working.

Getting used to playing this on a PC has been a tricky, but I think I've got the hang of it now. I had forgotten how much of a monster this game is. I'm starting to get a bit impatient with the early missions, I miss my old save where I had pretty much everything unlocked.

Still, it's fun for nostalgia. Today I hussled a lot of pool and souped up a sweet Low Rider.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 02 May, 2013, 08:14:55 PM
Currently playing Far Cry 3.

I like everything about it other than the 1st person perspective. I always find this with 1st person games though; it really winds me up that you have no peripheral vision and so have no awareness of what's right next to you. It's like going into battle wearing horse blinkers.
The platforming bits are a bit rubbish too. Climbing ladders and vines just becomes an exercise in watching downward scrolling textures as your characters gets higher. Compared to the lovely climbing animations in Assassin's Creed or Tomb Raider it just seems really clunky.
Also, cover systems never work.
It's easily solved with a hybrid of 3rd person for platforming, cover and navigation with 1st person being used for aiming and shooting.

I don't know why more games don't take the hybrid approach (actually I do - because 1st person shooters sell like hot cakes).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 03 May, 2013, 12:05:44 AM
Keyboard Drumset Fucking Werewolf: is it a music video or is it a videogame?  It's a hoot either way.

http://cactusquid.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/keyboard-drumset-fucking-werewolf.html

Also Star Trek, which I was looking forward to for ages, but, oh - let's see: clipping, horrendous collision detection, poorly designed levels, bad animation, spending at least ten minutes trying to wrangle a decent picture out of the brightness/contrast settings and eventually giving up, poor game mechanics (no melee in a close quarters combat game?  are you fucking JOKING?  And that's not even taking into account that 90 percent of Star Trek is about Kirk drop-kicking somebody), 2d bitmaps used as in-game graphics, low resolution textures, seemingly endless cutscenes which aren't skippable cinematics and are just you stuck in one location unable to advance and have to sit around listening to the characters banter before a door or a lift unlocks, random game overs when your partner comes a cropper offscreen somehow because you've become separated while he's stuck in a bit of scenery, terrible platforming gameplay, no tutorials for the minigames, no tutorials for the cover system right before you need to use the cover system for the first time in a situation where you instantly die if you aren't in cover or are otherwise out of place, controls flipping on you at random moments, the game camera resetting just before into/out of the screen running bits so it's pointed directly upwards so you can't see where you're supposed to be going, glitched trophies, the Gorn redesigned as velociraptors, the game not telling you what to do or where to go at key moments, you have to quit the game and reload because sometimes the game won't acknowledge a door or console you have to interact with, a pointless upgrade system with few decent perks, a checkpoint system that saves right before minigames, combat sequences or difficult and/or frustrating platform sections where you may die simply because of the shitty design so you have to repeat those sections all over again - I was shouting "FUCK'S SAKE!" at the screen so many times while playing this - and I never want to hear Chris Pine say "Mister Spawk" in that nasal way of his ever again to the point I might actually give the new film a miss.

Apart from that it was fine.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 03 May, 2013, 07:14:20 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 01 May, 2013, 04:08:10 PM
I just purchased Far Cry Three Blood Dragon on Steam and it didn't install. :(

I finally got the game to install, and ended up spending midnight and early morning playing it.

Welcome to the 80's vision of the future, the year is 2007, and you are Sargent Rex Colt, a Mark IV Cyber Commando. Your mission: get the girl, kill the baddies, and save the world.

Experience every cliché of a VHS era vision of a nuclear future, where cyborgs, blood dragons, mutants and Michael Biehn (Terminator, Aliens, Navy Seals) collide.


(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/67/FC3_Blood_Dragon_Cover.jpg)

The game has retro cut scenes but the action is good fun :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 03 May, 2013, 03:48:42 PM
Given up on Far Cry 3.

Just wasn't enjoying it - there's too much I don't like about the mechanics of the game, 1st person perspective aside.
For a start the menus and map system are just a mess.
I actually think that the hunting element is in pretty poor taste. I'm not a vegetarian or anything but the crafting element just seems like a chore and the type of animal you need to make items just seems arbitrary. You need to kill 2 pigs to make a small ammo pouch and then 3 dogs to make a medium sized one or something.
I wonder if the animal killing is just there for knob heads to get a laugh out of.
Having said all that I thought the hang gliding and driving bits were very well done and the island looked great.


I think this game is a really interesting contrast to the recent Tomb Raider which I loved. tomb Raider had hunting too, but it was something you could choose whether or not to do and it was made clear that Lara had compassion and respect for the animals.
Tomb Raider has a very similar premise to this most recent FarCry but it seems that every thing Far Cry has done wrong (well to my taste anyway), Tomb Raider did right. Not least having characters I actually cared about.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 04 May, 2013, 08:31:22 PM
Aliens: Colonial Marines- It's utter gash.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 06 May, 2013, 10:10:09 AM
hooked on Sniper zombie co-op I did get some Star Wars games ye olde Republic Commando (yay!) and the incresingly annoying KOTOR 2 (I'd forgotten how much bloody menus you have to go through to get anything done), I may persevere. :-\
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 06 May, 2013, 12:11:05 PM
I got hitman absolution for free off playstation plus this week, it's not blood money but so far it's not as terribad as I was led to believe.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 06 May, 2013, 09:19:27 PM
Return to Castle Wolfenstein has decided it's time to 'work' again. Gobsmacked.

It's on the lowest resolution. The advice on the only forum I visited is to LEAVE it on low res as RTCW goes wonky if you up the graphics too much. I got my arse truly kicked by Nazis, Zombies and worst of all armoured Zombies that look like they escaped from a Frank Frezetta painting.

Good to play it again, Nostalgia overload.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NorthVox on 07 May, 2013, 10:42:32 AM
Currently on a Fallout binge, halfway through Fallout 2, and nearing the end of what has probably been my longest play-through of New Vegas.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 15 May, 2013, 04:13:54 PM
I had a sudden urge to play Rage Racer the other day so snagged a copy off eBay for about £2!

(http://videogamecritic.com/images/ps1/rage_racer.jpg)

It looks - as pretty much all PS1 games do nowadays - pretty damn rough, but luckily still has that old magic. In fact I've hammered it so much over the last week that my thumbs are actually sore, not being at all used to button-mashing/d-pad punishment these days!

What I really adore about the game is the art direction, the eccentric Japanese flavour of it all, the beautiful track design and the simplicity and arcadiness of the gameplay. I love the fact there are a mere three variations on the one track. Less is more. I feel overwhelmed by the Gran Turismos and Forzas of this world.

So I'm interested to know as I'm really out of touch with racing games these days... In lieu of an HD Rage Racer remake, is there a modern equivalent of the Ridge Racer series that anyone would recommend? I used to be obsessed with the series back in the PS1 era, but kind of lost interest after Type 4 which I never got on with, but is widely considered to be the last hurrah of the series - are there any more recent entries worth playing?

And please don't say Need For Speed or one of those godawful Boy Racer simulator type games..!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 15 May, 2013, 07:09:44 PM
Can't say I've played many modern racing games but, if you've still got a PS2, it might be worth picking up a copy of Wipeout Pulse. It's a port of the two PSP Wipeout games and probably more of a true successor to 2097 (second best racing game ever, behind Daytona?) than Fusion.

I've been playing Castlevania: Symphony of the Night after recommendations from a couple of dubious characters. It's pretty good. Starts off quite difficult but around halfway through you get hold of a weapon which makes it insanely easy to spam your way past every subsequent enemy and I've not got the moral fibre to do it the hard way.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 15 May, 2013, 07:16:52 PM
I've always had an aversion to futuristic racers, Wipeout included. I think what most appeals to me about Rage Racer, weirdly, is the sense of location.

I've been a bit addicted to a game called Backflip Madness on the iPad. It's genius, but incredibly difficult.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 15 May, 2013, 08:27:14 PM
Quote from: radiator on 15 May, 2013, 04:13:54 PM
I had a sudden urge to play Rage Racer the other day so snagged a copy off eBay for about £2!

(http://videogamecritic.com/images/ps1/rage_racer.jpg)

It looks - as pretty much all PS1 games do nowadays - pretty damn rough, but luckily still has that old magic. In fact I've hammered it so much over the last week that my thumbs are actually sore, not being at all used to button-mashing/d-pad punishment these days!

What I really adore about the game is the art direction, the eccentric Japanese flavour of it all, the beautiful track design and the simplicity and arcadiness of the gameplay. I love the fact there are a mere three variations on the one track. Less is more. I feel overwhelmed by the Gran Turismos and Forzas of this world.

So I'm interested to know as I'm really out of touch with racing games these days... In lieu of an HD Rage Racer remake, is there a modern equivalent of the Ridge Racer series that anyone would recommend? I used to be obsessed with the series back in the PS1 era, but kind of lost interest after Type 4 which I never got on with, but is widely considered to be the last hurrah of the series - are there any more recent entries worth playing?

And please don't say Need For Speed or one of those godawful Boy Racer simulator type games..!

I'm a big fan of arcadey racers too and the best recommendation I can give is the 2010 version of NFS Hot Pursuit. It's made by Criterion who did the Burnout games and is very unlike the earlier NFS games.

But since you specifically asked people not to recommend Nfs games how about downloading Sega's Daytona USA off XBLA?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 15 May, 2013, 08:41:09 PM
I think it's an aesthetic thing - there's an innocent joy to the visuals and cheesy music of the Ridge Racer and Sega racing games, but I can't stand the boy racer-oriented feel of most modern racing games.

Anyone played the Outrun remake/sequel from 2004(?). I never got round to it, but always intended to pick it up at some point.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 15 May, 2013, 09:50:37 PM
 Played Outrun Coast 2 Coast and Outrun 2 (which come on 1 disc) on PSP and they're both ace!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 15 May, 2013, 09:55:19 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 15 May, 2013, 08:27:14 PM
But since you specifically asked people not to recommend Nfs games how about downloading Sega's Daytona USA off XBLA?
Have just downloaded this. The control system's actually quite neat but it's never going to be the same if you're not sitting wheel to wheel with three mates.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Doctor Alt 8 on 17 May, 2013, 01:57:10 PM
Currently playing Jedi Knights of the republic 2, the sith lords... ( title sounds longer than the game) Rinning around trying to find a crystal for my lightsaber and 3 Jedi masters in hiding...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 20 May, 2013, 07:16:08 PM
I've been trying Sith Lords kotor 2 but I find it a bit trying still stuck on some mine, hunting-what am I looking for again? Whatever it is it's not enthusing me for this game. :-\
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 23 May, 2013, 01:15:30 PM
Anybody else playing Star Trek Rivals in the iphone?
It's just dominos with pictures of Spock, but horribly addictive...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 25 May, 2013, 11:08:50 AM
Finished Mark Of The Ninja yesterday. Been playing it in half hour chunks on my lunch breaks, it's perfect for that sort of thing, but way more compelling and absorbing than most XBLA games I've played. Really addictive, beautiful art direction and a lot of replay value. Really good game this.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Doctor Alt 8 on 25 May, 2013, 01:14:52 PM
Aaaaaggghh I am just SO crap at swoop racing. ( And before any of you smart Alecks make a "woman drivers" comment) its the bloody controls... On the PC they are crap... And none instinctive... They make no sense... ( But I 've also noticed THAT in games... )
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 25 May, 2013, 02:03:32 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 25 May, 2013, 11:08:50 AM
Finished Mark Of The Ninja yesterday. Been playing it in half hour chunks on my lunch breaks, it's perfect for that sort of thing, but way more compelling and absorbing than most XBLA games I've played. Really addictive, beautiful art direction and a lot of replay value. Really good game this.


Yeah, it has been getting a lot of great reviews. I'm not usually a fan of stealth stuff (though I did like Tenchu) but I'm very tempted to pick this up.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 25 May, 2013, 07:11:13 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 25 May, 2013, 02:03:32 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 25 May, 2013, 11:08:50 AM
Finished Mark Of The Ninja yesterday. Been playing it in half hour chunks on my lunch breaks, it's perfect for that sort of thing, but way more compelling and absorbing than most XBLA games I've played. Really addictive, beautiful art direction and a lot of replay value. Really good game this.


Yeah, it has been getting a lot of great reviews. I'm not usually a fan of stealth stuff (though I did like Tenchu) but I'm very tempted to pick this up.

Not big on stealth myself, although there are some games I really like it in (the Arkham games felt very sneaky but also forgiving enough when you get spotted to not be frustrating).

There were a couple of moments in this I found a tiny bit frustrating, but because the skills you get make you really well equipped for it most situations are really satisfying to sneak and stab your way through. Also, if you get spotted you can just let yourself get killed and you're back at one of the frequent checkpoints almost straight away. I'd recommend maybe grabbing a demo of it and see what you think, might be the right kind of stealth for you too!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 25 May, 2013, 08:27:33 PM
Mark of the Ninja is the only really satisfying stealth game I've played - usually I can't stand the genre. Really solid mechanics, and never penalises the player unfairly. Top notch game, criminally underrated.

Buy it!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 25 May, 2013, 10:02:47 PM
Ok, I will get the demo and give it a whirl then.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 30 May, 2013, 08:06:45 PM
I downloaded LACKEYCCG for Windows.....

http://www.lackeyccg.com/

Since then I downloaded the Plugin for RAGE....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LackeyCCG

A collectable card game that was popular in the mid 90s & still is to this day.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rage_(collectible_card_game)

Here are the rules.....

http://www.werepenguin.com/rage/rules/

I spent a full day & night building a huge card deck to only find out it's illegally constructed and doesn't work. So I have opted for one of the smaller pre-constructed card decks and spent another day getting the basic rules straight and figuring out the control on LACKEYCCG and I'm still at it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 01 June, 2013, 12:57:23 PM
Castlevania: SotN (XBLA): a game which I remember wanting when it first came out but never got round to. I'm playing it now and, a few frustrating moments where the game shows its age aside, I'd say it deserves its classic status.

Warhammer Quest (iOS): snapped this up the other day. A highly polished top down dungeon crawler strategy type affair, with the WH license. Who could resist? Not me, obviously. Seems really good so far.

Also been replaying Bastion as I saw it was available on iOS. Works surprisingly well on the iPad.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: DrJomster on 01 June, 2013, 02:45:43 PM
Been eyeing up Warhammer Quest too... Only a matter of days till I crack I reckon! Looks great and the reviews have been very good indeed.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 01 June, 2013, 05:29:18 PM
Just started X-Com on the Xbox 360 this afternoon - I think this is going to be a good one!

I've also downloaded Knights of the Old Republic on the iPad which I'm looking forward to. Never played it before.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Doctor Alt 8 on 01 June, 2013, 05:38:59 PM
I can't defeat or run away from the 3 sith masters in the secret sith base/ mausoleum on the moon of Dxun in Knights of the Old Republic 2, The Sith Lords.  It is utterly impossible... 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ghost MacRoth on 01 June, 2013, 05:41:47 PM
Lately been playing sniper elite after picking it up for a fiver.  Enjoyable game, but wish it had the 'Hitman' element of disguise. :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 01 June, 2013, 07:19:29 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 01 June, 2013, 05:29:18 PM
Just started X-Com on the Xbox 360 this afternoon - I think this is going to be a good one!

I've also downloaded Knights of the Old Republic on the iPad which I'm looking forward to. Never played it before.

Xcom is out on iPad soon, looking forward to it.

Hotline Miami is supposed to be out on PSN very soon, been looking forward to that for ages!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 04 June, 2013, 01:52:55 PM
Beyond Good and Evil via XBLA. It's good. It's interesting how some games can have exactly the same type of collecting mechanic but the way it's presented makes it seem completely new. Taking pictures of the assorted flora and fauna in this is almost giving me the same sense of blissful satisfaction as feeding the little animals in Okami.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Emp on 07 June, 2013, 11:22:13 PM
Bioshock Infinite..having enjoyed the 2 previous outings i was expecting more of the same...but not to be. Now while quite enjoyable it suffers from the 2 things i hate most in any FPS...can only carry 2 weapons (which for me tends to end up being the wrong 2 for any given situation) and bloody checkpoint saves. There are no words strong enough to express how much i hate check point saves.
Now i may be wrong (it has been known) but i can't remember the 1st 2 games having this limited weapon and check point save malarky. Now, if I'm right , why change it now?

The other thing about Infinite is that it lacks the atmospheric and claustrophobic feeling that the first 2 games had.

So all in all it's a good little shooter (checkpoints aside)...but I don't see it as Bioshock.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 08 June, 2013, 12:33:02 AM
Crysis - though it's a download-only port of a 6 year-old PC game, I can't believe it never got a hard media release.
The closest gameplay experience would probably be the first Halo, though with a larger play area, stronger story, and you can't sleepwalk through the campaign due to low difficulty.  The stealth mechanics at first seemed a little clunky - the limited charge of your suit's cloak seeming the main barrier to using stealth as a long-term playing strategy - but once you fiddle with it and notice things like the cloak's power diminishing much slower if you stay still and crouch, you come up with strategies for navigating to cover so you can recharge the cloak in safety instead of just bulling through shooting the shit out of everyone and everything - though if you fancy doing that, you can bolt to cover and let your cloak recharge, then sneak to other cover quickly and ambush enemies still shooting at where you used to be.  Or you can use the charge to power a shield so you can be more gung-ho in your playthrough.  There are lots of different ways to get from A to B and while unforgiving, the mechanics are consistent, so it's down to how good you are with your chosen tactics.
Damn good game, and for something six years old it gives a lot of contemporary FPS' a run for their money in the visuals department.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Emp on 08 June, 2013, 12:37:08 AM
Original Crysis is brilliant and I have to agree with you say regarding the cloak and the suits protection. Never is a full on charge the way to go. I found a hit and run (away an' hide) approach to work best. Just as long as you didn't alert a lot of people.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 08 June, 2013, 12:55:58 AM
State of Decay -open world zombie survival. Rather good, despite some choppy frame rates and collision detection.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 08 June, 2013, 10:24:43 AM
Call of Juarez Gunslinger for PC. Good but not spectacular set in the wild West. An interesting set up in that it's told in a huge 'Nam style flashback style but good shootey fun. Some annoyances the controls are shoddy on some sections especially the one on one gun fights with bosses but if you persevere you'll eventually hit something. Lovely looking back drops and in bits you almost feel the heat.One thing of note is the excellent voice characterisations that really give it a "western" feel.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 08 June, 2013, 12:09:21 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 08 June, 2013, 12:55:58 AM
State of Decay -open world zombie survival. Rather good, despite some choppy frame rates and collision detection.

Yeah the graphics/collision detection are a bit ropey but as a zombie survival sim I'm really quite enjoying this so far.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 10 June, 2013, 10:12:11 PM

Got Tomb Raider and Bioshock Infinite for my birthday yesterday, play both a bit tonight, oh my gosh, they got beautiful openings!

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 10 June, 2013, 10:32:51 PM
Does Skyrim ever end? I kinda want it to, but I don't really...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 10 June, 2013, 10:36:03 PM
Went old school with Qix on the gameboy. Simple, addictive fun!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 11 June, 2013, 09:59:03 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 10 June, 2013, 10:32:51 PM
Does Skyrim ever end? I kinda want it to, but I don't really...

Never
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 12 June, 2013, 02:33:28 AM
I recently picked up Vampire the Masquerade - Bloodlines on Steam for $19.99.

Vampire®: The Masquerade-Bloodlines™ delivers a new type of RPG experience-one that blends all the core elements of a traditional RPG with the graphical richness, immediacy and brutal combat of a first-person action game. The game plunges players into the dark and gritty vampire underworld of modern-day L.A. as a creature of the night. Players will develop their character's powers, interact with other characters and embark on story-driven quests as they battle mortals and other vampires with an incredible array of vampire powers and weapons. Powered by Valve's Source Technology, the game is based on White Wolf's popular Vampire: The Masquerade pen-and-paper RPG series and its official clans.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire:_The_Masquerade_%E2%80%93_Bloodlines

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire:_The_Masquerade

The game starts with character creation questionnaire which will define your characters attributes and Vampire clan. You have the choice of this or just manually chooseing your characters stats and Vampire clan.

So far they made me a Brujah. Clan Brujah is largely composed of rebels, both with and without causes. I have played through the introduction and tutorial level up until they give me a place to stay. A Haven and the details of my first contact and mission.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 16 June, 2013, 03:22:26 AM
Just spent my evening (and going by the clock, a good chunk of my morning) playing and finishing The Last of Us, which delivered a respectable 15 hours and 47 minutes of perfection.
I didn't actually think very much of the demo that came out a few weeks ago, but the full game delivers in spades exactly what I want from a survival horror game - good controls, balanced combat, sympathetic characters - while simultaneously seeming to be a calculated insult to those who prefer their gaming without structure and/or in 12-hour Red-Bull-fuelled online multiplayer marathons full of playful racism and misogyny, as you simply cannot play it as you would an action game by wading into enemies with guns blazing, you have to sneak about and find or build supplies and weapons so you're ready for when you finally do have to resort to combat instead of stealth, although one of the game's best features is that despite emphasising stealth, the combat is some of the most rewarding I've ever played, and every time I killed someone I was utterly convinced the fucker had it coming­­­ - and I don't even mean the inevitable pedos/cannibals you encounter, either, I mean the cops who keep order in the cities and even the rebels who hate the cops, I just wanted to kill the fuck out of those guys so bad that resorting to stealth instead of caving their heads in with a brick left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
This is not a game for players who hate story-driven play, though it's also not what I would call "cinematic", as it's less like a film and more like a dvd box set of a one-season tv show that didn't get renewed but the writers had a heads-up the axe was falling and decided not to be assholes and wrote a proper ending.  Speaking of the ending, it's just perfect.  The more I think about it, the better it is, but basically it underlines how the whole game is about a single theme that unites everything from the metaphorical meaning of the game's title to the motivations of the human antagonists to the bond that forms between the main characters and even the setting of their final exchange.  It gives the player a hell of a lot of credit in a way pretty much no other game does, as it invests you completely in the protagonists but also doesn't spell things out for you, even going so far as to massively red-herring the shit out of where the final levels may be going, and almost as an afterthought it also salvages the zombie genre.
Game of the year by a country mile.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 16 June, 2013, 11:03:24 AM
I really want to play The Last Of Us but I don't have a PS3 and since I've already preordered a PS4 I'm not about to go and buy one.
Hopefully it'll get a PS4 release at some point.
Looking back I should have chosen the PS3 over the 360 last generation - I think the exclusives are more up my street. I'm not a big fan of Halo or Gears Of War but I know I'd love the Uncharted games and I always thought Little Big Planet looked fun too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 16 June, 2013, 02:18:09 PM
I suspect you may soon be able to pick up a PS3 - and hundreds of games for it - quite cheaply.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 16 June, 2013, 08:59:34 PM
I really like the look of The last of us too but I can't find the demo, did they take it down once the game came out?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 16 June, 2013, 11:59:35 PM
Prob get this next month as it sounds right up my street.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 17 June, 2013, 10:57:44 AM
I'm tempted by The Last of Us (Edge 10/10...) but suspect that its not going to be my cup of tea. I pretty much hate these kind of 'cinematic' games, and when a review of a videogame praises the 'story' and 'characters' I cringe a bit.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 17 June, 2013, 12:14:02 PM
While I agree that gaming peaked with Manic Miner, I am willing to accept that it is the year 2013.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 17 June, 2013, 12:37:12 PM
There's no reason at all that a game can't have a good story or good characters.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JOE SOAP on 17 June, 2013, 12:43:33 PM

Quote from: Professor James T Bear on 17 June, 2013, 12:14:02 PM
While I agree that gaming peaked with Manic Miner, I am willing to accept that it is the year 2013.


And in 2013 I'm still waiting for Jet Set Willy III.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 17 June, 2013, 02:42:24 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 17 June, 2013, 12:37:12 PM
There's no reason at all that a game can't have a good story or good characters.

All the truly great games have a strong story and good characters, though I suppose if you don't like that sort of thing there's always tabletop or mobile gaming.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 17 June, 2013, 02:57:38 PM
QuoteThere's no reason at all that a game can't have a good story or good characters.

Each to his own - I have an unshakable personal opinion that videogames are a wholly unsuitable artform for storytelling in the conventional sense due to several fundamental limitations of the medium, games that try to emulate cinematic or televisual storytelling tropes are destined to fall short of their ambitions, and also that the very best videogame stories - which the gaming press likes to parade around as works of genius - are usually transparently derivative and roughly equivalent in terms of quality and sophistication with an above-average straight to DVD movie or spin-off genre novel.

I play games to play, not to watch. Cut scenes and QTEs are the enemy of fun.

QuoteAll the truly great games have a strong story and good characters

Yeah, the plot of Super Mario Bros. was a work of storytelling genius. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time - "Will the Princess be in the next castle?" What an emotional rollercoaster!  :P
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: TordelBack on 17 June, 2013, 03:06:30 PM
Don't often visit this thread, because the most up-to-date gaming platform I have access to is the Wii, but I took a punt on a PSP at a sale of work (for a fiver!), and aside from the box being battered to buggery inside it turned out to be brand new and unopened 1003 model, with all the trimmings, still in sealed baggies.   

I'm half considering eBaying it in this condition, but lacking a smartphone or tablet, I do rather fancy a handheld of one's own. 

Anyone care to suggest some good games?  The internet has so far shown me little that took my fancy, and I think the last time I asked the Hive Mind it suggested Advance Wars for the DS for which I am eternally grateful. 

I suppose RPG, strategy and puzzle are my fave genres, lacking as I do any perceptible form of hand-eye co-ordination. Basically nothing that involves controlled braking or ledges. 

Also, wasn't there some suggestion of reading comics on a PSP, or did I dream it?

Cheers.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 17 June, 2013, 03:07:45 PM
Quote from: radiator on 17 June, 2013, 02:57:38 PM
I play games to play, not to watch. Cut scenes and QTEs are the enemy of fun.

I'd agree with this, but I wouldn't dismiss storytelling in games altogether. Although games, good games, don't live or die on their plots, a good story can make a good game more enjoyable. And games aren't wholly unsuitable for storytelling. They're unsuitable for cinematic style storytelling maybe, but games like Portal and Half-Life have shown that using the medium of games to tell a story is possible.

But if it's using QTEs, it's not a game, it's a poorly made CGI cartoon that requires the viewer to hammer a button every so often if they want to keep watching. Fuck that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: M.I.K. on 17 June, 2013, 03:11:33 PM
Quote from: radiator on 17 June, 2013, 02:57:38 PM
Each to his own - I have an unshakable personal opinion that videogames are a wholly unsuitable artform for storytelling in the conventional sense due to several fundamental limitations of the medium, games that try to emulate cinematic or televisual storytelling tropes are destined to fall short of their ambitions, and also that the very best videogame stories - which the gaming press likes to parade around as works of genius - are usually transparently derivative and roughly equivalent in terms of quality and sophistication with an above-average straight to DVD movie or spin-off genre novel.

You've never played Grim Fandango, have you?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 17 June, 2013, 03:24:20 PM
Quote from: radiator on 17 June, 2013, 02:57:38 PMYeah, the plot of Super Mario Bros. was a work of storytelling genius.

The Super Mario Bros that came out 30 years ago?

Again: it is 2013.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 17 June, 2013, 03:36:55 PM
QuoteThe Super Mario Bros that came out 30 years ago?

Yes, the super mario bros. that still plays every bit as well as it did thirty years ago!

QuoteAgain: it is 2013.

And thankfully loads of great games are still being made - ones that don't force a redundant story in your face! I dont mind games having a story, I just don't like it when they are overbearing and intrude on gameplay.

QuoteYou've never played Grim Fandango, have you?

You've got me there! I will admit that all of the 1990s Lucasarts adventure games do indeed have great characters and fun stories and would be my main exception. However, they're not really games in the traditional sense are they? They're more like interactive picture-books.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 17 June, 2013, 03:56:13 PM
I found Super Mario Bros boring even at the time so you aren't really making any headway with that example.

Quote from: radiator on 17 June, 2013, 03:36:55 PMI just don't like it when they are overbearing and intrude on gameplay.

This is bad game design rather than bad storytelling, and not all games suffer from it.

Quote from: TordelBack on 17 June, 2013, 03:06:30 PMAnyone care to suggest some good games?

Also, wasn't there some suggestion of reading comics on a PSP, or did I dream it?

Comics were largely abandoned on the PSP because you needed to filter them through reading software to get around the small screen, and that meant a high cost for a limited amount of product (support was not extensive).  If you're interested in buying something to use as a reader and your eyes are okay, anything starting with a 7 inch screen is fine.  I used an Android-based tablet that cost about 30 quid for reading comics and it was grand despite being useless for almost anything else (the battery life on cheaper tablets is usually gash and you'll only get about 2-4 hours out of them).  Look around Amazon and you'll find cheap-ass machines run up from spare parts in some Chinese bedroom - you won't get Castleville running on it, but if the screen works it's good to go for comics.

The PSP is not actually that advanced so games weren't particularly memorable - and those that were ended up getting a port over to the PS2 (which is where I preferred to play the "Stories" series of GTA games), or even the PS3 as part of "HD updated" collections - so I would consider downgrading your PSP's firmware so you can run emulators on it.  I have C64, ZX Spectrum, GBA, PC, SNES and Megadrive emulators running on mine and got more out of those than I did official games.  Nintendo couldn't give a monkeys about emulation so you can get pretty much any game ever released for their handheld machines off the web, even licenced stuff like Harry Potter, Batman Begins and Scooby Doo, though I pretty much just played Advance Wars 2 and Metroid 0 (though I already had those on GBA anyway).  If you do go this route, make sure to get a decent-sized memory card to store all your roms.

Otherwise, you can't go wrong with GTA (Liberty City and Vice City Stories) or Metal Gear Portable Ops, but the games are so dirt cheap for it now (anything over a fiver is scandalous) you can afford to take a gamble on pretty much anything.  I usually just type the name of a game into Youtube and see what it looks like running if I'm on the fence about something.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 17 June, 2013, 04:06:09 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 17 June, 2013, 03:06:30 PM
Don't often visit this thread, because the most up-to-date gaming platform I have access to is the Wii, but I took a punt on a PSP at a sale of work (for a fiver!), and aside from the box being battered to buggery inside it turned out to be brand new and unopened 1003 model, with all the trimmings, still in sealed baggies.   

I'm half considering eBaying it in this condition, but lacking a smartphone or tablet, I do rather fancy a handheld of one's own. 

Anyone care to suggest some good games?  The internet has so far shown me little that took my fancy, and I think the last time I asked the Hive Mind it suggested Advance Wars for the DS for which I am eternally grateful. 

I suppose RPG, strategy and puzzle are my fave genres, lacking as I do any perceptible form of hand-eye co-ordination. Basically nothing that involves controlled braking or ledges. 

Also, wasn't there some suggestion of reading comics on a PSP, or did I dream it?

Cheers.


Hey Tordel, while I don't use it much now, I loved the PSP once upon a time. My fave games for it;

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (an amazing 'proper' MGS...very addictive. Probably the best ever PSP game).
GTA: Liberty City Stores & GTA: Vice City Stories (exactly what you expect, with an amazing 80's soundtrack on VCS).
God of War: Chains of Olympus & God of War: Ghost of Sparta (great additions to the GoW canon, can hold their own against the PS2 games).
Silent Hill Origins (play in the dark wearing headphones!)


Regarding digital comics; the PSP did offer this service previously (with a nice guided view feature too), and I bought a ton of them (prior to switching to Comixology on iPad / Nexus).
Seems the rest of the world switched too though, as they went the way of the dodo last year. I still have all the ones I bought saved on a memory stick though.

Also worth noting that a lot of (standard PSP and external dev) games are available to download via PS Store, including the usual likes of Angry Birds etc.
And its got a basic but serviceable web browser function too.
Isn't a bad bit o' kit at all.



Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: optimusjamie on 17 June, 2013, 10:48:33 PM
Been playing Fallout: New Vegas recently. I've got the Ultimate Edition on Steam.
It's a lot of fun, especially playing a mostly-good character. I tried to play an evil dude, but it just wasn't for me.
May I make a suggestion for people who get it: Get some mods. Project: Nevada is a must. Optional addons for that can mix it up even further. Graphics mods can be pretty cool, but the PC I'm using right now probably couldn't handle them.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ghost MacRoth on 17 June, 2013, 10:58:50 PM
FONV is one of the best FPS' around, without a shadow of a doubt.  Cracking game, loved it all, bar the add on that was like taking on an indian tribe, too damn easy.  Otherwise, just epic all round!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: TordelBack on 17 June, 2013, 11:00:50 PM
Thanks Prof and Link, that's plenty to work with!  I wasn't aware you could get stuff off the PS store for it, that's cool.  Maybe someone in my family will finally play Angry Birds so!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 18 June, 2013, 01:28:10 AM
I'm not sure how the downloading from the PS Store works with the now-outdated PSP, but last time I used it, you had to download via your PS3, then hook your PSP up to that and transfer to the latter from the former.  Although if Angry Birds is your main goal, I think that's still bundled on almost every Android tablet out there, and free to download for the PS3.  As ever, I recommend newcomers to PSN to seek out acquaintances with an account they haven't added to another machine and convincing them to let you add their profile to your console - you immediately have access to everything they've ever downloaded even if it's been discontinued from the store, and if you've just bought one of the 500gb consoles, that's literally hundreds of free games, as Sony give away full-price games regularly to PSN subscribers.

Quote from: Ghost MacRoth on 17 June, 2013, 10:58:50 PM
FONV is one of the best FPS' around, without a shadow of a doubt.  Cracking game, loved it all, bar the add on that was like taking on an indian tribe, too damn easy.  Otherwise, just epic all round!

Honest Hearts was my favorite of the DLC - the game finally delivered on the cowboys/post-nuclear premise and added some rainy weather to boot.  You can sail through it in about 90 minutes, or you can go exploring around the canyons and find odd jobs to do for the inhabitants or just go looking for the clues to the life of the Father In The Cave as he watched over the Vault 22 kids while they grew up to be the Sorrows tribe.  Great stuff.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 18 June, 2013, 07:51:59 AM
Quote from: Ghost MacRoth on 17 June, 2013, 10:58:50 PM
FONV is one of the best FPS' around, without a shadow of a doubt.  Cracking game, loved it all, bar the add on that was like taking on an indian tribe, too damn easy.  Otherwise, just epic all round!

Mods can make a real difference. The version of Skyrim I am playing has been substantially altered, but with a lot of minor improvements.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 18 June, 2013, 01:14:08 PM
I looked into putting some emulators on my PSP but it looked really complicated so I didn't bother.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 18 June, 2013, 01:14:43 PM
Quote from: Professor James T Bear on 18 June, 2013, 01:28:10 AM
I'm not sure how the downloading from the PS Store works with the now-outdated PSP, but last time I used it, you had to download via your PS3, then hook your PSP up to that and transfer to the latter from the former. 

I have the same PSP version as you Tordel- you don't need to connect to a PS3 with it, you can download directly from the PS Store.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 18 June, 2013, 01:18:51 PM
Quote from: Professor James T Bear on 18 June, 2013, 01:28:10 AM

Honest Hearts was my favorite of the DLC - the game finally delivered on the cowboys/post-nuclear premise and added some rainy weather to boot.  You can sail through it in about 90 minutes, or you can go exploring around the canyons and find odd jobs to do for the inhabitants or just go looking for the clues to the life of the Father In The Cave as he watched over the Vault 22 kids while they grew up to be the Sorrows tribe.  Great stuff.

I loved 'Honest Hearts' too, but 'Old World Blues' was the highlight DLC for me- very, very funny & entertaining.

One of the few PS3 game I have 100% trophy completion, and that'll tell ya how much of a devout fan I was.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 18 June, 2013, 01:28:42 PM
Playing the Last Of Us on the ps3 at the minute,  absolutely love it !
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 18 June, 2013, 02:00:17 PM
Crysis 2 - I am sure I am probably imagining that this is very disappointing.  From little niggles like the Predator vision that drains your energy much faster than turning invisible does - thus robbing you of the fun of being the Predator - to things like the game loading new areas every 30 seconds because you can now just run from point A to point B, which you'll likely do as playing as the Predator isn't as much fun as it was in the first game.  The game also stops you constantly and you can't move or control your character or skip the cut scenes that are going on while your nanosuit gives you a lecture on the control system in what sounds like one of the kids off of Outnumbered doing a Batman voice, and worst of all the pacing and direction of the cutscenes is bloody terrible so they just feel like a total drag.
There's also some thing with the tips of your fingers being some kind of perks/suit mod that as far I can tell is utterly useless but the game makes you do it anyway even if you haven't a baldy what's going on.  I got to some bit where you have to shoot a helicopter a million times and even though the strategy is pretty straightforward and I can probably manage to kill it if I load it up again, I probably won't because, thinking back, the reason I died was because I got impatient waiting for the helicopter to die, and the more I think about it, the more convinced I am that rather than impatient, I was just bored.  This is a boring game and I probably won't play it again.

The Testament of Sherlock Holmes - I am not saying this is a boring game, but the reason I stopped playing was because I fell asleep.  It's got some really rough edges, particularly the appalling voice acting, but I do like the look of Holmes as a mix of Peter Cushing and Jeremy Brett, and the puzzles are generally fun and the game throws cheevos at you regularly so I'll probably give it another whirl when I'm trying to relax and/or nod off.  Basically an upmarket point and click game, though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 19 June, 2013, 05:38:28 PM
I'm at the end game stage of GTA: San Andreas. Los Santos has gone crazy with rioting, I've been taking back territory for the GSF, reached 95% control of all gang territory, and it looks like the game has glitched the fuck out. I have driven the Ballas back to a small corner on the north-east side and now there's no sign of them. No matter how long I spend in their territory, I can't find any punk-ass rival gang members to kill and spark a turf war. It's probably been a while since anyone else has played this, but do you remember this being a problem. I never got this far when I played originally, but that was my own fault. I remember looking up the cheats to see if their was any way of covering the whole map in gangland territory and found there was a glitch you could exploit (you hop in a jet-plane, fly out in one direction and leave it overnight. The further away from the map you go, the smaller the map gets, but the gang-areas stay the same size, thus covering the whole map), so taking over the requisite number of territory to trigger the final mission became virtually impossible.

Other than that, I have thoroughly enjoyed this replay, the game still stands up as my favourite in the series. At the time it was such a huge leap forward from Vice City.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 19 June, 2013, 06:24:16 PM
I found the dour GTA4 to be a step down from San Andreas to the point it rather turned me off.  An impressive game to be sure, but still a step down from the ambition and scale of what preceded it.

I had the same problem you do back in the day on PS2, but it was because of the tiny, tiny sliver of territory featuring that U-shaped motel just south of what used to be Los Santos Vatos territory, as I left it 'till last and it was too tiny for new gang members to spawn in it, so I had to wait way the hell back inside the middle area of the motel until some gang members finally walked past when the game cycled new pedestrians in and out - though unless there was at least three of them to kill, a gang war wouldn't start.  There's also a hard-to-spot Ballas area under the Vinewood sign where the colour might make it a bit hard to see it on the map depending on your telly's picture - otherwise, if there aren't any gang members to be found and none of your territories come under attack, it's because you've completely wiped out the enemy gangs.  The last percentage you're after may be story-related.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 19 June, 2013, 06:39:57 PM
Damn, I hadn't even spotted that wee tiny sliver in Vinewood. But yeah, that Motel has been the source of my woes. I'll finish the last story mission and see if I have any better luck.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 19 June, 2013, 10:33:34 PM
Quote from: El Pops on 19 June, 2013, 06:39:57 PM
Damn, I hadn't even spotted that wee tiny sliver in Vinewood. But yeah, that Motel has been the source of my woes. I'll finish the last story mission and see if I have any better luck.

That same bit stumped me for AGES.
Feels good -real good- getting that 100% territory control.
Pause and savour the moment with an expensive drop of whiskey like Walt White at the start of Breaking Bad season 5.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Noisybast on 20 June, 2013, 09:52:43 AM
Currently working through Lego Lord of the Rings on 360 and X-Com on PC.

Lego LOTR is what happens when you cross a Lego game with Skyrim. Fetch quests aplenty in addition to the usual puzzle/platform formula. Perhaps not as many unlockable characters as, say Lego Harry Potter, but the world feels bigger than the previous games by some margin. Good fun, but I can't help but feel the series lost some of its charm when the characters started talking. It did make for one well-deserved belly laugh when one NPC started cribbing lines from Skyrim.

X-Com is excellent, but dogged by persistent interface problems. Often a menu will either not appear or jam open, effectively stranding me on one screen. That aside, it's great fun. Perhaps not as deep as the originals, but that's modern gaming for you.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Radbacker on 20 June, 2013, 01:55:06 PM
Mortal Kombat 9 (I think its up to 9), I know its been out every where else for a couple of years but we only just came out of the dark ages and now have an R rating for games so it can finally be released.  Damn fine fighter, surprisingly in depth engine and ridiculous over the top violence, lots of fun and it was released extra cheap because it was so old, $30 arsom.  Shao Khan is a spamming c*&t though, why is the final boss in every fighter so cheap, don't get me started on SF4's cheating bastard.

CU Radbacker
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 21 June, 2013, 06:16:12 PM
Couldn't help myself and played The Last of Us again.  If anything, it's got better, as on this playthrough I noticed that the chain of events that you play through at the beginning[spoiler] are experienced in reverse at the end[/spoiler], which is a neat narrative device to establish the eventual emotional catharsis of the main character.  I suspect I am now officially spoiled where game stories are concerned.

Great Giana Sisters - now this is a game I certainly wouldn't ever have expected to see again.  Originally slapped off the map by Nintendo's legal department thanks to similarities to the original Super Mario Brothers, like its great-grandaddy the current iteration of the game is a simplistic side-scrolling platformer where you jump on the heads of baddies to kill them while making your way from left to right.  This being a next generation title, of course, it's been vastly updated from the simple game mechanics of the 1980s and now you have three buttons to push instead of one.  Very simple to play, unless you like Mario games I can't see it gripping you as my mind was wandering a bit during it, but the graphics and sound are great.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 26 June, 2013, 07:37:10 PM
He parked his shiney black van in the woods near the open Bawn area's entrance. The engine stopped, the door opened and he hopped out. It was a clear night. A full moon hanging high in the sky with the wind rustling through the leaves of the trees of the nearby forest.

He was in his homid form, pure white hair hanging over the edge of his eyebrows, tall and regal looking. Dressed in custom made dark leather boots, leather trousers, leather duster etched in mystical wavey lines. A customised semi-automatic Pistol on one hip and a Fang dagger on the other.

His boots, clothes, weapons suddenly meld with him as he sprouts hair all over his body, dropping to all fours. His back arches, with bones popping and shifting. A tail springs from his lower back and grows longer. As his hands and feet recede into paws, his ears grow more pointed, standing upright, his mouth enlongates into a snout, teeth sharpening into canines as it does.

Now a stark white wolf!

He strides forward, towards the wooded entrance and raises his snout letting out a haughty Howl of Introduction.....

This is Michael 'Blood on the Moon' Romanov, Born of Man, Ahroun, Cliath of the Silver Fangs and I seek who is in charge of the Sept of the Calm Waters.

With his snout still raised, he pauses briefly and lets out another another arrogant howl.....

I 'Blood on the Moon' seek entrance into your inner Bawn area and will wait here until somebody comes forward gives me invitation.

After that, he lowers his snout, standing straight and very still, staring intently towards the inner Bawn area. Yet, keeping his ears swiveling, paying attention to everything around him as he waits for a reply.


This is my character's introduction, my first posting in the World of Darkness Forum game called SENECA RISES. Based on White-Wolf's  Werewolf the Apocalypse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werewolf:_The_Apocalypse) table-top role playing game. All you need to have, to play. Is the Core Rule Book (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/637/Werewolf-The-Apocalypse-%28Revised-Edition%29?it=1) and the Players Guide (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/1531/Players-Guide-to-Garou?term=Players+guide+to+the+garou&it=1). It would be helpful to have the Thirteen Tribe Books. Though they are not nessesary.

The game itself is set around a Caern ( A sacred site!) and the nearby township at Finger Lakes, near Seneca, close to New York in America. In the game,  you are a Werewolf. A Garou as they call themselves. You belong to one of the thirteen tribes. You can be born either of Man, Wolf, or a Deformed Metis (A born Werewolf!) and under one of the five Auspices. The New-Moon, Ragabash, who are Tricksters. The Cresent-Moon, Theurge, who are Seers. The Half-Moon, The Philodox, who are Judges. The Gibbous-Moon, Galliard, who are Bards. The Full-Moon, Ahroun, who are Warriors. Sworn to protect their sacred sites, their Caerns from being corrupted. They fight demonic Banes, mutant Fomori, and insane Black Spiral Dancers. (A fallen Werewolf tribe!) in their misson to survive the enevitable Apocalypse.

I started playing almost two weeks ago. After creating a character using the rules books mentioned above and the additional house rules they have supplied. Found on their website, where the game is played by posting your characters actions on the forums they have there.

This is the site! You can read more about it here. SENECA RISES. (http://www.senecarises.com/index.php?sid=8456a04f33b62808ed18be62fc39d24e) You need a account on the website before you can access forums where the game is played. The people that run the game. The forum moderators, are very patient and helpful. I think they might be accepting more players. Though they were nearly capped last time I checked. So if you are interested. Hurry, before those lasts slots are filled.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 28 June, 2013, 11:17:43 AM
Last of Us: half way through and loving it. Not a fan usually of escort game (Ico being the exception, of course) but this is a good 'un and Ellie is a great character who actually made me laugh out loud a couple of time (the stolen gay porn mag and when she finally learns how to whistle).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 29 June, 2013, 04:11:25 PM
As Blood on the Moon's ears home in on the Wyrm's minion's approach. He sniffed for foreign and out of place scents. His eyes glowed ferally, staring off in their general direction.

Blood on the Moon, his left hand, drawing his Fang Dagger from his belt & holster. Raising the dagger into the air. He held it high, proudly howling a warning of wyrm's approach to the other Garou gathered around him in <GT>"It is I, Blood of the Moon, Born of man, Cliath Ahroun to the Silver Fangs graces this gathering with my mighty presence, vessel to the blood of the very first Garou kings and heros.  Sworn at this hour to guard Echoes from the Past - Rhya from the foul Wyrm's approach in my one of my most sacred of duties to  Gaia. Let them come! let them try and take this Caern. Let them try and disrupt our most sacred of rituals. I shall prevail. They shall not. I shall enrich my blade in deeds of violence, this day!"</GT>.

With those last words, Blood on the Moon lowered his Fang Dagger into a more defensive position. Warily eyeing his Garou companions, wondering who they are for the first time since arriving. Before returning his attention to the Wyrm horde's approach.

A low growl rumbled down in Blood on the Moon's throat...

As he waited, Blood on the Moon deftly rotated and spun his Fang dagger with his fingers in a superior display of weaponry......

2013-06-29 02:24:34 Blood on the Moon rolls 7 dice to Weapon Display Dexterity (4 Dice) + Melee (3 Dice) 6,5,8,3,10, 6,4 (4 successes)

OOC(Sending dice roll to the Storyteller and since the Wyrm Minions are approaching to confront us, do we all gain a point of tempory Rage.)


This is another excerpt from Seneca Rises. (http://www.senecarises.com/) Posting my character's last actions before the centre of Caern ( Our Sacred Site!) gets invaded by various entities of Wyrm. ( A corrupting force of destruction and decay!)

I hope he survives.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: bluemeanie on 30 June, 2013, 10:13:47 PM
On a bit of an online kick at the moment so got two Free to Play games off Steam

Star Trek Online. Took an hour or so to get into it but loving it now. Very cool space battles that make you feel like you're using a big ship not a fighter. Lots of nerdy bits for the fans and pretty good story missions in between the interactive bits. Away team missions fairly basic but not bad enough to spoil the thing overall. If you're a trekkie I'd recommend.

Team Fortress 2. Big, fun, frantic shooter. Only been playing the capture/defend missions so far but for a free game this rocks. One of the few I've played where I dont get annoyed at how crap I am as everyone seems to blow up a lot.

Of the two, only been tempted, and caved to spend money on the Trek one. Think I paid 3 or 4 quid. Got some in-game cash of which I used under half to unlock additional bridge crew slots on all my ships. Not bad when I've already got 30+ hours out of it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NorthVox on 07 July, 2013, 01:07:22 PM
You too have discovered the crack cocaine that is Star Trek Online? It's amazing isn't it? I still haven't caved in in regards to spending real money, mostly because I don't have any, but also I remember spending loads on City of Heroes only for the server to get shut down.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 08 July, 2013, 04:14:26 AM
I had to stop playing Star Trek Online - it was looking like it was going the same way as my World of Warcraft addiction.  It took me six years to wean myself off that, and I wasn't going to start again on another game, epic space battles or not.  ;)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 08 July, 2013, 10:41:09 AM
Ive just finished Crystalis on the NES. Its now my favourite NES action rpg, its better than the original zelda imo! really cool story and graphics, great fun to play. I think Nintendo looked at Crystalis when they made ALTTP on the snes, its like the missing link (sorry).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: bluemeanie on 08 July, 2013, 06:45:34 PM
Quote from: NorthVox on 07 July, 2013, 01:07:22 PM
You too have discovered the crack cocaine that is Star Trek Online? It's amazing isn't it?

Yeah, just brilliant for a freebie. Tagging up with mates online is trickier than you'd like but fun once you sort it out.

On the freebie kick I'm also playing quite a bit of the free Trackmania Nations Forever game on Steam. Free version makes you sit out every 6th game as a spectator. I can live with that

Keep an eye out for me in there if anyone plays

(http://2000ad.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/dredd-car-2.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 20 July, 2013, 01:28:37 AM
I've been having a blast with Hotline Miami on the PS3 the last couple of weeks.

Man, what an awesome game! I love the whole Drive-esque aesthetic and the punishing, fast paced gameplay really gets the blood pumping. Highly recommended.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 20 July, 2013, 05:09:41 PM
hotline miami is cracking isnt it!! although i ended up wearing the mask that means theres more guns in the level, finding a gun as early as possible, firing it to bring the enemies to me and gunning them down as they came through doors or rounded corners. it felt like i was cheating! very effective. made with game maker too, which means theres hope for all of us.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 20 July, 2013, 05:13:50 PM
I find the lethal doors or the dog mask the most handy. Relying on guns is too risky, especially early in a level when you can get swarmed and die very quickly.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 20 July, 2013, 05:28:01 PM
i definitely remember getting a shotgun and not having enough ammo to deal with the enemies and getting swarmed. but theres a randomness and youd get a machine gun every other attempt. then youre laughing.

what did the dog mask do?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 20 July, 2013, 05:35:40 PM
Stop dogs attacking you - very very useful on a few on the levels as they can be a nightmare and you can't seem to harm them while unarmed.

The wolf mask (start with a knife equipped) was extremely useful on one of the levels, but it's short-lived - you'll likely end up discarding the knife in short order.

There's also a mask which allows you to survive one gunshot which is handy.

The lethal doors are a very useful and dependable way of dispatching many enemies quickly and with little risk - you can just hole up in a confined space and kill all those who try and enter.

I love the open approach to combat and scenarios - wish more games took this tack rather than the usual prescribed/scripted blandness.

The weird forced stealth level, however, can bite me. An unfortunate, tiresome wrinkle in an otherwise wonderfully tight, joyful game experience. Luckily it's short.

The games an absolute bargain at something like £6.50 on PS3, and even cheaper than that on PC/Mac.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 20 July, 2013, 05:37:51 PM
Should also say that I was finding the game extremely difficult early on, until I discovered the 'lock-on' function (click down the stick on PS3)!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 20 July, 2013, 06:22:08 PM
yeah i bet, its so fast paced and twitchy. i think the pc version had some kind of lock on but i preferred using the mouse to aim, however on a controller i bet its essential.

also sounds like you used many more masks than me, when i found the guns (pig?) mask and my new strategy, i stuck with that. I tend to do that in games, i should perhaps experiment more!!

This game really inspired me when i played it, gameplay-wise. But also made me think how it could be improved (to my tastes). I was working on top-down dredd prototype, with a huge focus on stealth. Ill come back to it one day

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 20 July, 2013, 07:15:15 PM
I keep meaning to actually play Hotline Miami proper seeing as I have paid for the fucking thing, but I gave up and set it aside for later after roughly 90 seconds when I realised the control setup seemed more for pc snobs.  Three whole buttons for a top-down shootah?  Yer 'avin' a laugh, son - it ain't the 1980s anymore.

Uncharted 1 and 2.  Dunno why I went back to these, but in the end I was playing through on a trophy mop-up - that did not take very long at all - as I may as well get the platinums since they aren't the hardest of games even on "crushing" difficulty.  I never noticed the fine balance of the combat on these games before that punishes impatience but makes every situation survivable, and I was surprised to see that a lot of the stuff that people were seeing as innovative in the Last of Us has its root in even the oldest of Naughty Dog's third person actioners, such as characters making a run for you if they hear the click of an empty gun, or their trying to flank you as a team, which isn't apparent in lower difficulties because a stiff breeze/blind shooting knocks them over, but when they can take a few shots before going down they really start to be a pain in the arse.
Particularly in U2's later levels, there's also a use of three dimensional puzzles that couldn't work in 2d, especially the Tibetan drums inside the mountain or the dagger room in Nepal, which are fantastic pieces of environment and puzzle design.  Credit where it's due to the developers for listening to players, as the amount of QTE stuff from Uncharted 1 is drastically reduced in the sequel and what there is has been changed to more arcade-oriented single-button timing exercises where you aren't just scanning the edges of the screen looking to see what buttons you push next as was the case with U1 (that final boss showdown feeling a bit cheap as a result).  I especially like that a couple of QTEs are basically first person shooting sequences, and I like that they're spread out during story moments so that even the longest cutscene is only 4 minutes long, the average being 90 seconds.
Damn good games, if a bit easy.  Like many others, I used to carelessly attribute their gameplay to being derivative of Tomb Raider, but on reflection they're more in the arcade-y vein of Edward Randy or Pitfall, particularly U2's mountainside truck chases and rooftop helicopter battles.  The multiplayer experience of Uncharted 2 was a pleasant surprise, though - and not just seeing as the servers are still going - as it's essentially more levels of the game but with more gung-ho NPC companions (unless you get really thick or bad players on your team), though the goals and objectives seemed a bit basic.

Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time - older-school platforming action aimed at kids, one assumes, because of the bright colours and cartoon animals, but as with the previous Cooper games there's the odd tricky bit in among the usual explore and collect gameplay.  Otherwise it's a solid and pretty laid-back playing experience and a better PS3 outing for a PS2 platforming mainstay than the increasingly-tiresome and rough-edged Ratchet and Clank games.  It's solidly-made, rarely frustrating unless you're a button-masher who doesn't like learning patterns of boss attacks or suchlike, and my only gripe would be that it doesn't look like it's taxing the PS3 hardware too much for a game coming out this late in the machine's lifespan, even for a budget title - you can get Okami or Shadow of the Colossus for half this price, though unlike me you might actually play those after you fork over cash for them.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 20 July, 2013, 09:06:23 PM
Haven't played the PC version so not really sure what you mean, but surely most of the aiming and shooting is done with the mouse? Isn't wasd the standard move setup for every PC shooter?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 30 July, 2013, 09:17:15 AM
Yesterday I traded in my Xbox 360 for a PS3 so that I could play all of the exclusives I've missed out on.

I had a quick go on Uncharted last night, which I knew I'd love, and it hasn't disappointed so I'll be getting the sequels too. I'll also be picking up The Last Of Us as I've heard nothing but good things about it.

Does anyone have any other suggestions for 'must play' PS3 games?  (I'm mainly looking for exclusives as I played things like the Mass Effect trilogy and the Arkham games on my old 360).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 30 July, 2013, 09:38:05 AM

God of War 3?
Heavy Rain?
Infamous?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Bobblehead on 30 July, 2013, 10:35:24 AM
Quote from: Goaty on 30 July, 2013, 09:38:05 AM

God of War 3?
Heavy Rain?
Infamous?

What he said! I'd also like to add Killzone 2. Killzone 3 is more polished and looks better but i found it full of gimmicky things like the jetpack and the levels where you were on a gunship/vehicle were just boring and slowed the action down (imo anyway).
Resistance 3 is a great game too,also an fps tho.Just google the storys from the first two and youll be ok :P

Edit: forget to mention Tales of Graces F. Its a remake of an old wii game i think but its not on xbox so ill count it as PS3 exclusive :P  Amazing RPG with loads to do,great voice acting,some genuine laugh out loud moments and a fantastic story and combat system. What more do you want?! :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 30 July, 2013, 11:10:47 AM
There's some interesting stuff on the PS3 store, such as Flower, an HD version of Shadow of the Colossus, and so much more!  I wish I still had my PS3. I miss Agro.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 30 July, 2013, 11:12:28 AM
I'm really not a 'fanboy' either way - I'm a grown man so have no childish loyalty to or hatred for either console manufacturer and I own both a PS3 and 360 - but purely down to my personal taste, there's very, very little that appeals to me games-wise on the PS3.

I don't like narrative-heavy, blockbuster type games so have no interest in Uncharted or The Last of Us. Not saying they're bad games - they have plenty of fans after all, but they're just not my cup of tea.

Perhaps it's an unfair opinion, but Killzone, Ratchet and Clank, Resistance and Infamous have always struck me as a mediocre, also-ran franchises.

I bought the Ico/Shadow of the Colossus double pack, but just couldn't see what all the fuss is about. Shadow especially I found almost unplayable.

Heavy Rain is painfully pretentious garbage. You couldn't pay me to play it.

The God of War series is enjoyable enough but very linear and repetitive. I bought games 1-3 but quickly got burnt out on them, never finished 2 and only played 3 for an hour or so before selling them on.

I'm absolutely baffled by the popularity of Journey, which I found to be an utterly dull and vacuous experience - like an impressive graphics/atmospheric demo in search of an actual game - ie some kind of challenge or compelling gameplay mechanic. I was so underwhelmed by it that I never bothered with any other of thatgamecompany's output.

Gran Turismo is a dated series, and the latest one was just killed stone dead by its appalling UI and load times.

I find Metal Gear Solid insufferably pretentious and boring - haven't bothered with the series since the first one.

I couldn't stand Little Big Planet.

Don't get me wrong - I love my PS3, but 95% of it's usage is for watching movies and TV. I think the only games I've played for any length of time on it have been Ni No Kuni (gorgeous old-fashioned JRPG, good but hardly essential), Joe Danger (which is now out on Xbox) and Hotline Miami.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 30 July, 2013, 11:17:15 AM
Having said all that, Guacamelee! looks really good, and is on my list of games to play.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 30 July, 2013, 12:20:47 PM
Guacamelee definitely appeals - I'll be getting that I think!

Journey, Heavy Rain, Ico/Shadow of the Colossus are all intriguing but I think I need to find out a bit more about them to see if they're really my kind of thing. I do like a story but the game elements have to feel compelling too (I played Alan Wake but quickly got bored and The Walking Dead just about held my attention but I was getting frustrated by the mechanics).

I'm not into FPS games so Killzone and Resistance are probably not games I'd bother with.

I think I'll be giving Infamous a go. I really like super-hero/adventure-action games. I loved the Amazing Spider-Man movie tie in so I think Infamous will appeal even if it's a bit clunky.

I think I may try Ni No Kuni if i can pick it up cheap. I like RPGs but often don't finish them.

Thanks for your suggestions everybody!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 30 July, 2013, 12:48:00 PM
Journey is more of an interactive screensaver than a game. There's no real element of challenge, you can't die, there's no combat, no bosses, there's no traditional platforming or tricky obstacles to traverse. ISTR there are a few bonus collectibles to find, but that's your lot. Otherwise you just walk your little chap from A to B, occasionally bumping into other players. It's atmospheric and lovely to look at but just don't expect any actual gameplay to speak of. Obviously it appeals to some as a kind of passive experience to wind down with, but it left me completely cold.

I really struggled with Shadow of the Colossus, mainly due to the fiddly, annoying controls, which feel very dated. It is also a deeply, deeply frustrating game - it's basically built around the mechanic of climbing up giant moving beasts, and frequently falling to the ground - often through no fault of your own - to start the whole process again. As with Journey - it has lovely graphics and atmosphere, but the gameplay was unsatisfying to my tastes. I must confess I didn't get round to Ico yet (and might never do), but I do have positive memories of playing it on PS2 back in the day.

I got bored of the Walking Dead game in the first 10 minutes - that whole semi-interactive, narrative-based 'thing' just isn't what I play games for. I think Heavy Rain is exactly like TWD, but infinitely more pretentious and poorly scripted.

I found Ni No Kuni immensely charming and stunningly beautiful graphically - and the plot is pretty good if you don't mind whimsy, but some of the gameplay feels very antiquated and belonging to a previous generation. If you're a big fan of old school Japanese RPGs like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy you'll be right at home.

Hotline Miami is a must if, like me, you like difficult, addictive, violent, twitchy, arcadey games.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Bobblehead on 30 July, 2013, 01:04:50 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 30 July, 2013, 12:20:47 PM
I think I may try Ni No Kuni if i can pick it up cheap. I like RPGs but often don't finish them.

If i remember correctly it was quite cheap on the PSN a couple of months ago,if it still is or not im not sure,but if you dont mind downloading the game rather than owning a physical copy then check it out.

Ni No Kuni is a great game btw and like radiator says its very charming and beautiful to look at (characters were designed by Studio Ghibli,so lots of cheerful,weird looking folks are in it :D ). Took me a while to finish it and theres end game content so you get your monies worth.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 30 July, 2013, 01:28:59 PM
Shadow of the Colussus sounds a bit like the latest Castlevania which I got really fed up with!

I'll check out Hotline Miami. I like to have a couple of arcadey titles that I can just stick on for 10 minutes while I'm waiting to go out. Pacman Chapionship Edition DX and Crazy Taxi filled that role on the Xbox.

I may rent out Journey - I think it's in the library. I'd like to give it a go but don't want to gamble twenty quid on it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 30 July, 2013, 01:30:24 PM

I believe there is demo of Journey?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Bobblehead on 30 July, 2013, 03:54:53 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 30 July, 2013, 01:28:59 PM
I may rent out Journey - I think it's in the library. I'd like to give it a go but don't want to gamble twenty quid on it.

I think theres a 3 pack for £15 (might be £20) that contains Journey,Flower and Flow,that you can get,i know my local Game has it anyway.

Not played any of them but ive heard that theyre alright.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 30 July, 2013, 05:03:37 PM
Recently completed the new Tomb Raider. A bit too sweary and Lara is hilariously indestructible, but generally very good.

Now playing Lego Batman 2, which is astoundingly good. Have complete the main story and am only 21% complete.

On the phone, I downloaded Infinity Blade II a couple of weeks ago when it was free. Took a while to get into it, but it's very good.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 30 July, 2013, 05:45:57 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 30 July, 2013, 01:28:59 PM
Shadow of the Colussus sounds a bit like the latest Castlevania which I got really fed up with!

It's about as far removed from Castlevania as you can get.  It's a beautiful game, but you need to be patient with it.  Check out the reviews on Metacritic.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ghost MacRoth on 30 July, 2013, 07:05:04 PM
Sniper Elite V2.  Loving the x-ray kill cam, so unnecessary but utterly hilarious!! :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 30 July, 2013, 08:23:26 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 30 July, 2013, 05:45:57 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 30 July, 2013, 01:28:59 PM
Shadow of the Colussus sounds a bit like the latest Castlevania which I got really fed up with!

It's about as far removed from Castlevania as you can get.  It's a beautiful game, but you need to be patient with it.  Check out the reviews on Metacritic.

Shadow of the Colossus shares nothing with Castlevania beyond that they are both third person fantasy games from Japan.
Just this last hour I have done for the final two colossi and beat the game and I am wondering why I left it so long to do so, it's a magnificent game with a laser-like focus upon its central premise of being a platformer where the platforms are alive, moving, and determined to ruin your day.  Stripped-down to the most basic of design and gameplay elements, it probably passes most people by what an intricate piece of work this game really is that it sustains its desolate atmosphere from beginning to end without ever drawing attention to the world its created that isn't western fantasy or lore, or Eastern fantasy or lore, it's its own Fiddler's Green, self-contained to the point this in itself is probably some part of the story - when there is mention of the open world play area being a "sealed land", I got to wonder if it was meant to be another plane of reality, or even limbo because of the lack of any NPCs other than Agro, the beautiful horsey fucker who comes into their own at several times in the game when he/she/it pitches in with your fights, the flying desert battle being the most memorable.
Just brilliant.  I have heard some complain about the controls, but those can be redefined if triangle being jump (instead of X) is confusing.  I started playing this to get it finished so I could wipe it off my HD and make room, but I'll probably keep it for a while yet to get some trophies and take Agro for the odd dander.

As for other PS3 exclusives, I wouldn't bother much with Resistance 1 and 2, but 3 is pretty great - you won't miss much in terms of story or setting by skipping the first two, it's just "post-alien America" shooting time.  Killzone 2 is okay if you like your FPS' challenging, but again, 3 is the place to start.  The Jak and Daxter trilogy is probably a budget release about now, so if you fancy some of the finest 6th-gen platforming available - and Jak 2 - then it's a no-brainer, as to a lesser extent is the Sly Cooper Trilogy, which is solid all-ages gaming and well worth a look.  The Uncharted series I have reviewed up the thread, but the short version is: brilliant games - cut scenes in 2-minute chunks so you couldn't possibly complain about story getting in the way, varied gaming sections and challenges, likable characters, and best of all a real gamut of difficulty settings ranging from one you can sleepwalk through to one that demands your attention even when walking your character around a corner, but all completely doable.  I would recommend playing through those before hitting The Last of Us, as they share a game engine, but Last of Us is more challenging to the point it's almost unfair on you (ie: killing enemies with guns won't get you ammo or guns from their corpses) and you'll wnat to be familiar with the play mechanics.  Last of Us is fantastic - a game that treats the player as their own beast rather than that nerd who just wants to hammer buttons or that guy who wants to sit through a 40 minute cutscene, this is where games start treating you like someone who knows that game and story can be the same thing, essentially being a very clever action game masquerading as survival horror, whose central premise - the one element around which all else revolves from gameplay to backstory to the marmite ending that spits on The Walking Dead's high school dramatics - is that your character(s) are "the one who lived" and all else flows from that, and when that journey plays itself out, the game is over regardless of what else may need to be said.  "Saving the world"?  That's a McGuffin for children!
I've never really got into Little Big Planet despite the massive online community built around making and playing your own levels and sharing them with others, but the kids love it, especially in 2 player (on or offline), but luckily you should get a free months' worth of Playstation +Plus membership with coupons given away with a great many games so you can download it for free once you're a signed-up member and check it out yourself.
Journey is good fun, but once you join up with the giant whale angels and fly through the giant vagina at the end (it looks like), I'm not sure if you'll play it again, and it's a pretty slight experience on the one play-through.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 30 July, 2013, 09:14:03 PM
Shadow Of the Colossus is a gorgeous game.  I've only ever played it once, it was with a mate, and between us we finished the whole thing in one sitting, then went back and played the Colossi we'd each missed the first time, then went back again just to explore and generally dick about until we were both too drunk and tired to keep playing. It was 6am at that point. One of the best computer game experiences I've ever had.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 07 August, 2013, 11:55:29 AM
I've been working my way through the back catalogue of (excellent) games podcast Cane & Rinse - the downside being that I've ended up impulse-ordering games they're discussing - that I'll inevitably struggle to find time to ever actually play...

The other day I got copies of Vanquish and Bayonetta off eBay for around a fiver each(!). They're both highly-praised games that have long been on my radar, but I never bought due to not being impressed with their respective demos.

So I'm just getting started on Bayonetta, and tbh my initial thought on it is "Edge gave this a 10/10?!?!".

It's just so.... esoteric. Aggravatingly so. Horribly designed interface, poor player communication, and with an aesthetic that is so aggresively, deliberately eccentric it's kind of annoying. Seriously, if you can sit through the utter gibberish that are the cutscenes for more than ten seconds, then you're a more patient person than me. The combat seems OK, but is so fast and chaotic that I find it genuinely hard to keep up with, and frequently lose track of my character. There are also some pretty dull quiet sections which I wasn't expecting in a primarily combat-focused game. I'm hoping that I'll warm to it, but so far I really don't see what all the fuss is about.

I also ordered a copy of Rhythm Heaven for the DS to play on my 3DS (which I got for something like £3!). Used to play it a lot on my old DS Lite, and it remains a complete joy. Such an amazing game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 07 August, 2013, 12:32:31 PM
Just finished the first Uncharted. Really enjoyed it.
I thought the characters were good and it had a real sense of fun - it totally nailed the 'adventure movie' vibe it was going for. The twist at the end came as a surprise and genuinely effected the game-play, making it feel very frantic.
I thought the end boss battle was a bit lame and basically came down to learning a series of button presses but the little cut scene at the end made up for it.
It shows its age a bit compared to the latest Tomb Raider which is the most similar game I've played but overall I'm very impressed.


Radiator - Bayonetta is bonkers. I quite liked it myself but if you don't like it after about an hours play then you're probably not going to.

I strongly advise you to try Vanquish as soon as possible though. If you like action packed third person shooters it's as close to perfection as I've played in terms of mechanics. There is a story but it's a load of old bollocks and I think you can skip the cut-scenes.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 07 August, 2013, 01:09:28 PM
The older I get, the less time I have for game narratives and cutscenes. I barely get any time to play games, so I'm sure as shit not going to sit round watching them.

I will persevere with Bayonetta, but even if I do get into it, there's no way on Earth it's a 10/10 - it's far too arcane and borderline impenetrable to be anyone's idea of perfect.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 07 August, 2013, 05:27:08 PM
Just play vanquish. I loved it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Recrewt on 07 August, 2013, 05:35:01 PM
Quote from: Professor James T Bear on 30 July, 2013, 08:23:26 PM
As for other PS3 exclusives, I wouldn't bother much with Resistance 1 and 2, but 3 is pretty great - you won't miss much in terms of story or setting by skipping the first two, it's just "post-alien America" shooting time.

Totally agree.  The step up in quality from Resistance 1/2 and 3 is almost unbelievable.  Everything is better - story, graphics, gameplay.  I keep telling friends about it but they don't believe me - you can pick it up for virtually nothing second hand and it has to be one of the most enjoyable games I have played on the PS3.  I would definitely recommend this.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 07 August, 2013, 10:29:47 PM
Quote from: radiator on 07 August, 2013, 11:55:29 AM
So I'm just getting started on Bayonetta, and tbh my initial thought on it is "Edge gave this a 10/10?!?!"
Yeah, I got this cheap a while back and felt much the same. Don't really remember the cutscenes but after about four or five levels of indicriminate and inconclusive button mashing I gave up on it. It's no Viewtiful Joe, that's for sure.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 08 August, 2013, 12:10:38 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 07 August, 2013, 10:29:47 PM
Quote from: radiator on 07 August, 2013, 11:55:29 AM
So I'm just getting started on Bayonetta, and tbh my initial thought on it is "Edge gave this a 10/10?!?!"
Yeah, I got this cheap a while back and felt much the same. Don't really remember the cutscenes but after about four or five levels of indicriminate and inconclusive button mashing I gave up on it. It's no Viewtiful Joe, that's for sure.

Yep, same. I thought Bayonetta was the biggest pile of tosh ever, and a complete wate of money. Just my opinion though - we appear to be in the minority.

Ah, Viewtiful Joe! That takes me back to my GameCube days. Loved that little box! Still have it in fact. Rogue Squadron Ii was epic, purely cos it came with the first Rogue Squadron as a split screen co-op.  Many a happy battle over Endor my mates and I had!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 08 August, 2013, 09:29:09 AM
Everyone always talks about Bayonetta as if the fighting is really elegant and balletic, but its just not. It's loud, hectic and disorienting. The characters are so big and absurdly over-designed they all just blur into one. There just seems to be boss after boss with no kind of discernable structure to the levels. I can't help but feel like I'm missing something.

Played a bit of Vanquish which I'm finding equally underwhelming, and kind of annoying also (whittling down a boss' health painfully slowly to the point of having to constantly scavenge around for fresh ammo isn't much fun).

Both of these games are supposed to be amazing - proper gamers games. But both just seem very average so far.

Also: fuck QTEs.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 08 August, 2013, 10:37:21 AM
I enjoyed Vanquish, though it took me a while to realise how tactical it is, and how smoothly you could hop from one move to another.  Throwing the lit cigarette to distract enemies was a nice touch.  I made it to the end without knowing all this stuff, and still quite enjoyed it as a brash sci-fi shooter, with some nice set pieces, and lovely graphics. 

It's quite short though, and I think the whole point of it was to play through a couple of times using different styles and techniques.  I haven't the patience for that really - once the journey is over, it's over.  There are too many other games waiting to be played.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 08 August, 2013, 10:53:50 AM
QuoteIt's quite short though, and I think the whole point of it was to play through a couple of times using different styles and techniques.  I haven't the patience for that really - once the journey is over, it's over.  There are too many other games waiting to be played.

I'm the complete opposite - I'd much rather play one very good, short game over and over on escalating difficulties and really master it and wring every last drop out of it - go for some achievements (within reason), get 100% scores etc - than play five mediocre games for the 'journey' in the same amount of time. Not because I'm tight or can't afford more games, I just get very little satisfaction from breezing through games on an easy difficulty, then moving on to the next. It depends on the game, but I find I very rarely get a good handle on a game or really get to familiarise myself with its environments from a single play through.

QuoteI enjoyed Vanquish, though it took me a while to realise how tactical it is, and how smoothly you could hop from one move to another.  Throwing the lit cigarette to distract enemies was a nice touch.

That's the sort of thing that attracted me to Bayonetta and Vanquish - I wanted something with really tight combat that I could really get my teeth into, and tackle on the harder modes. And that's why I'll persevere with them.

It irks me somewhat when people plough through the campaign mode of a game like Halo or Gears of War on easy or normal difficulty, as fast as they can, and then slate them for being 'boring'. Those kind of games only really come alive on the harder settings.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 08 August, 2013, 12:23:23 PM
Persevere with Vanquish - those big boss robots can be taken down really quickly with the correct technique.

For the first one - target the eye above the large gun using the machine gun turrets on the high wall. Make sure you dodge the attacks and with practice you can get the boss to the 'transforming stage' after two attacks from the gun turret (if your aim's good). 
Once he transforms, run around underneath him targeting one weak joint at a time with either the heavy machine gun or a rocket launcher if you know you can hit it. You then target the chest piece each time the boss falls.

When I was playing this game quite often I could do the first big boss in a couple of minutes.

There is a fairly steep learning curve at this point but once you've mastered the tactics of picking the correct weapon and dodging into bullet time at the correct points it's incredibly satisfying.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 08 August, 2013, 12:29:51 PM
Thanks for the tips.

You're right about the learning curve. I also feel very hemmed in - I didn't realise you could go down to ground level.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 08 August, 2013, 12:51:13 PM
Quote from: radiator on 08 August, 2013, 12:29:51 PM
Thanks for the tips.

You're right about the learning curve. I also feel very hemmed in - I didn't realise you could go down to ground level.

Yep, you can run around underneath him. The best piece of advice I could give about this game is to keep moving -the game's all about your speed advantage over your opponents. If you try to stay behind a single cover position you'll die lots!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 09 August, 2013, 08:29:53 PM
Just rage uninstalled Football Manager 2005

70 + day of play (real time). Wolves had won 18 European cups in a row (and every domestic cup for 20 years). Top ranked manager in the world. £500m in the bank. A team of world class players.

And the board fired me for issuing a warning to a player after a red card.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 09 August, 2013, 11:52:20 PM
Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse - the central game engine and gameplay are sound and I had no complaints beyond that it's unexceptional even though it is a game where you fight a paraplegic street gang called the Crips (who use AK47s as crutches) and Adam West on a jetpack shooting cats at you with a crossbow.  It's a solid third person shooter from which you'll get 5-6 hours' worth of entertainment, and probably more from the multiplayer, which is pretty decent and doesn't do that stupid thing where it's tiny little displays for each player in opposite corners of the screen, as you get the screen cut in two down the middle so you can actually tell what you're doing.  The platforming bits are probably the weakest part of it, but otherwise it's a decent laid-back playing experience with the odd decent joke that fans of the show will likely appreciate.  The level where you go on a shooting spree in an Amish village is poor taste, though.

Spy Hunter - on the Vita.  Nothing spectacular, but solid racey shooty gaming.  I recall playing the PS2 version and it had third person sections where you got out of the car to run around doing the Rock Bottom on terrorist scum, but this is a vehicle-only affair where the graphics are sparse and there's not a great variety of levels even though your car switches quickly between car/boat and 4X4 truck as you travel through them and thus see lots of different ways of getting from A to B in the same three locations.  The levels are over pretty quickly and I think if you spend more than five minutes in one you automatically fail it, which would be a nice way to keep things brisk were it not for the lengthy loading times, lengthy starting sequences, unskippable cut scenes, and constant unwelcome chatter from your pit crew slowing things down on top of an annoyingly long autosave/reload time when you try to restart a level after the occasional baffling death, as there's an odd glitch where your car can spin around 180 degrees on a whim while you're trying to outrun something - or even get caught in scenery - and there's no "wrong way" indicator to tell you this has happened like would be handy if the 180 thing occurs during a cut scene.
Still enjoyed it, all the same.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 26 August, 2013, 05:41:17 PM
Saints Row 4.  "More of the same" syndrome is avoided - despite the fictional Steelport setting being identical to the last one - by way of making it a superhero game this time out.  There are thousands of collectables, hundreds of sub-missions involving driving, brawling, rampages, races and telekinetic fights, and you can ignore all that and just use the superpowers the game gives you by default to play the main quests.  The gimmick is that you don't have superpowers, you only have them in a simulation of the city created by aliens who keep you in a pod Matrix-style, yet there are surprisingly few Matrix references.
It's jarring to not be playing a GTA-style game anymore because once you can run faster than cars obviously you stop jacking cars altogether, and being knowing about QTE scenes to the point that you have to jam buttons to make your character pick up a newspaper or eat some pancakes doesn't change the fact that they're still QTEs and I hate them, but the player character seems remarkably accurate at judging my mood because as soon as I saw another 1980s videogame reference (a top-down tank shooter section), he said "Ach - fucking 80s."  All the same, the easily-playable nature of the game mechanics means that soon, like me, you will realise that you did not know that you needed a game to exist where you could be a fireball-throwing werewolf in an Evel Knieval costume running vertically up a building fistfighting aliens, but that is the world in which we now live, and we are better as people because of it.
It is fun on a stick and well worth your time unless you are one of those grumps who insists their GTA playing experiences be as slow, dull and "gritty" as possible.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 26 August, 2013, 11:42:50 PM
Monster Hunter Ultimate - Wii U. This game gets rid if all the 'choose your own adventure' type stuff of Draginsge and Skyrim, and gets right on down to killing dinos to carve their skins and other bodily items so you can build better armour and weapons, thus being able to wipe out bigger and nastier monsters.

It's a mix of gathering and grinding, with some light comuc interludes as you interact with characters at your base village. The monsters get bigger, meaner and more complex to take down. Tactics and strategy are essential; gauging not just the creature and its behaviour, but also the environment you find it in, is key to survival. 

It's great solo, but it's real strength lies in online multiplayer, where you can go hunting with three pals.  There's so many weapons and armour variations it's easy to get four very different skillsets in the squad. Taking advantage of these, and working as a team is the order of the day. It's incredibly satisfying when you and your pals work hard for up to an hour to bag one behemoth - it's final roar as it topples to the ground is often drowned out by your cheering chums over the Wii U game pad speakers.

Great fun, and one of my gaming obsessions at the mo.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 31 August, 2013, 12:31:00 PM

Aliens: Colonial Marines - it was £3.74 on Steam till 6pm tonight, as I loved Aliens, this is sequel to the film, and enjoy the opening aboard the Sulaco. There was nice reference to [spoiler]Alien3[/spoiler].
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JudgeE1M1RT on 08 September, 2013, 06:28:07 PM
I last played Alien Trilogy for the PS1. It's basically Duke Nukem in the Alien universe and is hard as nails.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: sheldipez on 08 September, 2013, 07:36:44 PM
I never forget the ultimate cheat password: Igotpinkacidbootson ! Great game back in the day. Can't imagine it's aged well.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 08 September, 2013, 10:08:23 PM
If you can find it, Alien Resurrection on PS1 holds up surprisingly well despite the dated visuals.

Finished Saints Row 4, the final level [spoiler]sees you put on the Iron Man armor to fight Megatron,[/spoiler] so it is very silly and you probably wouldn't like it.  Me, I thought it was fucking great.

Castle of Illusion, a HD update of the decades-old Megadrive game, and it is pretty good despite being a side-scrolling platformer and thus aimed at squares from the distant past.  Great visuals and the narrator is a nice touch, too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JudgeE1M1RT on 09 September, 2013, 12:46:09 AM
Quote from: Professor James T Bear on 08 September, 2013, 10:08:23 PM


Finished Saints Row 4, the final level [spoiler]sees you put on the Iron Man armor to fight Megatron,[/spoiler] so it is very silly and you probably wouldn't like it.  Me, I thought it was fucking great.


I've played Saints Row IV, but it wasn't the silliness that got me, it was the fact that its a repackaged Saints Row III that put me off it.

Anyway, just finished Another World (or Out of this World) a few moments ago. Its shorter than I remember it being. :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 09 September, 2013, 03:02:00 PM
Last game I finished was The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker - I thought it was an awesome game as you'd expect from the Zelda franchise, but different enough to really set itself apart.  The style of the game, with the cell graphics really gave me the impression of elegance.  I really liked the flooded Hyrule concept as well despite hearing many complaints when the game was initially released.  It's probably not my favourite Zelda game of the ones I've played (that would be Twilight Princess).

I am currently working my way through three other games intermittently as well. 

First there is Okami, the playstation 2 game that was ported to the Wii.  It's a fun game and the idea of using a paintbrush to perform certain actions really appeals to me as an artist.  The story and visuals are fun as well - given I enjoy aspects of Japanese culture, this becomes another draw for me.  I get the feeling it is not a game for everyone, though.

Second is Shadow of the Colossus.  Nothing but boss fights!  What a great idea.  The atmosphere is engrossing and the Colossus are well designed.  I played Ico before purchasing an old copy of this game - so far I'd say Ico is probably the better game, but it's a damn close call.

Last is Pikmin.  I don't know what to make of this game yet.  It reminds me a little of RTS' I used to play and I really wasn't expecting that from the game.  It's interesting but I'll have to finish it before I can give a judgement on this one.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: bluemeanie on 12 September, 2013, 01:11:40 PM
Sniper : Ghost Warrior
Grabbed it as part of a bundle so probably paid less than a quid for it. It had a pretty bad rep but I actually quite enjoyed it

Good - Looks gorgeous. Sniper shots feel good and solid. Decent difficulty balance.

Bad - you sat down?
Shoddy AI varying from preternatural senses to "Yeah, the two guys next to me just got their heads blown off but I think I'll just stand here".
Dodgy mission triggers. Tries to make you think it's very open world but if you get to your objective without passing some random marker they've built in the game wont progress. You learn to stay on track but I had a few annoying plays where invisible walls hemmed me in... in open water!
The end. There isnt one. Well not one of note anyway

Oh, and they throw in some non sniper levels with a standard machine gun. The aiming on these are HORRIBLE. Well, maybe it's realistic and I'm used to games blessing me with amazing skills. Only a few of these though and they do make you LOVE your sniper rifle when you get it back.

So definitely the poor mans Sniper Elite. £5.99 on steam at the moment, not sure I'd be happy if I paid that. Prob worth picking up in the next steam sale though if you like this type of game.

Now back to Sniper Zombie Nazi whotsit which I'm still on the fence about. Still not sure if the game wants me to kill all the seemingly endless swarms of zombies sometimes or if I'm just missing my true mission objective. Had a few times where I get to the point the map says and nothing.... just lots of zombies coming out of the floor in waves
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NorthVox on 13 September, 2013, 05:09:35 AM
FTL: Faster Than Light. It's incredible, as fun as it is difficult!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 27 December, 2013, 01:48:33 AM
I just completed Special Ops: The Line. I was expecting a generic shooter, but apart from some clunky controls it turned into much more than that. A very grim but compelling narrative makes this game well worth a look. You can probably pick it up cheap these days too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 27 December, 2013, 09:03:20 AM
Was amazed when talking to my friend's 15-year-old brother that the young 'uns round his way are still playing the phenomenal Liero (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liero)

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/OpenLieroX1.png)

and also "everyone at school plays Garry's Mod" - I'm like, "what from Half Life 2?!" It's fair heartening though - the kind of freedom GM and Liero allow obviously transcends them beyond redundancy.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mardroid on 03 January, 2014, 10:06:26 PM
Batman: Arkham Asylum

Yes, I know there have been a couple of sequels but I'm usually behind in gaming. Although a good game, is a good game so I'm not convinced that age should matter. And it's not THAT old.

And it is a good game. Finding it difficult to defeat Bane though. I think I can take him, but another bunch of guys keep getting in the way...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Batman's Superior Cousin on 03 January, 2014, 10:09:31 PM
Several game's at the minute, up to & including:
Killzone Shadow Fall for the PlayStation 4 - Before my console broke down, I was busy playing this little baby. Hopefully, I'll have have another console before the month is out, so I'll finally finish the game.
Telltale Games' The Wolf Among Us & The Walking Dead: Season Two for the PlayStation 3 - I'm a massive fan of both the Fables comic & The Walking Dead: Season One so it's pretty obvious really.
Broken Sword: The Serpent's Curse - Episode One for the PlayStation Vita - I've played the first three games, and when I heard that this was coming back to Sony, I instantly couldn't wait to play this.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 03 January, 2014, 10:22:44 PM
Lego Marvel Super Heroes for the PS4 - suffers from the usual Lego problems of increasingly-obtuse puzzle solutions, but as a two-player it's lots more fun than the frustrating single-player.
Killzone Mercenary for the Vita - some really good game design at work in this, probably with the smaller screen of the handheld machine in mind, but a lot of home console games - especially COD and Battlefield - could benefit with the clever use of colour and setting to always make it apparent who you are supposed to be shooting at and who your allies are.  As with most FPS games on Vita, the controls are adequate at best rather than instinctive, but the game is good, probably one of the best in the series.
Contrast on PS4 - neat gimmick of using shadows as platforms brings back 2d platforming to a 3d game area.  Not the hardest puzzler in the world and half-dressed lady types are kind of over now, but good fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 05 January, 2014, 04:12:55 AM
Quote from: NorthVox
FTL: Faster Than Light. It's incredible, as fun as it is difficult!

I play that from time to time. It's as hard as it's addictive and I've only just recently unlocked the Engi ship.

I been playing  The Bureau: X-Com Declassified (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bureau:_XCOM_Declassified) and I think I'm almost near the end of it.

It's a lot like the previous game (X-Com : Enemy Unknown) games. Except it's set during the early 60's during the height of the American/Russian cold war. So it's very retro, compared to the previous game and it's set in real time (Which can be slowed down to give your three-man squad orders and use their abilities.) and in second person perspective. You can also walk around in the underground head-quarters and talk to other people. Your squad can only have three people. The main character CIA Special Agent Carter and two squaddies. Who be either Recon, Commando, Engineer and I totally forget the other one.

Right now, I am in really difficult battle on the alien mother-ship. My squad and the main character keep getting killed off by multiple attack drones.

Unlike the previous game, I've never got anyone in my squad killed yet. Which may be the reason why I'm not getting anywhere in this game right now.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Devons Daddy on 05 January, 2014, 04:31:14 AM
Ghosts Xbox360

its fun,its good but not WOW!!!!
just more of the same, lacks that OMG :o :o elements and plot twists.
great graphics, cut scenes,and so forth.
yet it fails to hit the mark.

i was expecting more, to much customization for live is another slightly annoying element. its just to much of to much.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mogzilla on 05 January, 2014, 04:28:41 PM
playing through fallout 3 obsessively but still got to finish assassins creed 4 black flag which is difficult to do as I get wrapped up pirating the high seas!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 05 January, 2014, 06:15:41 PM
I recently purchased 5 Playstation 2 games for under £3 - Prince of Persia Warrior Within, Metal Gear Solid 2, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, Oni and XG3: Extreme-G Raching.  I have only played four so far.

I started with XG3 which is a racing game in the vein of Wipeout and F-Zero.  This was surprisingly good and one of the cheapest of the bunch.  I was already vaguely aware of the game and I think it will be a fun one to dip in and out of.

I next tried Oni which didn't impress me in the least.  I don't think particularly highly of games involving Rockstar and this just solidifies my opinion.  The controls are clunky and unintuitive, the level design (first level at least) is more becoming of an early 90s PC first person than a PS2 game.  Thankfully this was also one of the cheapest costing me 25p.  25p wasted, perhaps.

After that I tried Ghost Recon.  An improvement on Oni but not particularly great.  Clunky controls, again.  I've played early PS2 games of this genre that managed to get things right, I'm baffled how a Tom Clancy game managed to fail.  Not impressed.

Last I played Metal Gear Solid 2.  I am obviously well aware of the Metal Gear franchise but I've never played an instalment before.  The controls are good, but I don't really know what I'm doing and it's not especially helpful in game.  It is a little frustrating that I have to get to grips with how to play the game before I can actually play the game properly.  I suspect I would fair better if I had started with the first game.  The controller layout is pretty bizarre as well.  The game does look good and having decent controls makes the world of difference.  When I get used to it all I am sure I will get more out of it, but currently I feel like a frustrated newb.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 05 January, 2014, 06:58:34 PM
I had XG3 on the GameCube and loved it - it gets super fast later on and some of the tracks are crazy!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Pete Wells on 05 January, 2014, 07:13:40 PM
Well I'm LOVING my Xbox One! Over the holidays I've adored Ryse (despite cacky reviews elsewhere, it absolutely blew me away) and thought COD: Ghosts was a blast. The last few days (and nights) I've been completely addicted to Dead Rising 3 - the size of the Zombie hordes is absolutely staggering and some of the weapons are hilarious.

Before this I was playing Assassins Creed 4 which I also frigging loved. The swashbuckling pirate sea battles are stunning - you have to cripple the ships before swinging over to them and fighting the crew hand to hand. Brill!

I am a happy gamer!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 05 January, 2014, 07:27:27 PM
Yep, I'm absolutely loving Assassin's Creed 4 - best one in the series in my opinion.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrinningChimera on 07 January, 2014, 04:39:19 AM
Age Of Empires 2 HD

It has been years since I last played this. But since it popped up in the most recent steam sale I thought I would give it another go. I forgot just what a brilliant game it is. I started which the tutorial which forces you to play as the Scottish and aid William Wallace in fighting the English (which is a bit naff, I'd much rather be killing him!) It's funny that with all the latest games to play, this is one that I'm spending my time playing. Anyone else have any gaming nostalgia trips to tell of?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 07 January, 2014, 02:07:13 PM
Age of Empires was my first ever PC game back in the day and I still remember it fondly - as well as the Star Wars version of it... and I suppose the LOTR version of it which I really have been planning to revisit for some time.

Was tempted by AoE II HD but missed it in the sale hmmmm though that has got me thinking...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 07 January, 2014, 02:42:50 PM
I haven't played these, only just purchased them.  I went back to the second hand retailer to get some more cheap PS2 games.  This time I got Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, Dynasty Warrior 5 and Samurai Warriors.  The latter is the only one I am not familiar with.

I have been playing a little more of Metal Gear Solid 2.  Find I keep dying.  The game play is pretty foreign to me and I have to learn how to play the game before I can actually play the game.  The emphasis on stealth is unbelievably unforgiving, but I get the sense once I get to grips with it it will become very rewarding.  The voice acting is a bit laughable, though.  I think I'd have preferred it in the original Japanese - it's got bloody subtitles anyway.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 09 January, 2014, 09:12:19 PM
Quote from: pictsy on 07 January, 2014, 02:42:50 PM
I have been playing a little more of Metal Gear Solid 2.  Find I keep dying.  The game play is pretty foreign to me and I have to learn how to play the game before I can actually play the game.  The emphasis on stealth is unbelievably unforgiving, but I get the sense once I get to grips with it it will become very rewarding.  The voice acting is a bit laughable, though.  I think I'd have preferred it in the original Japanese - it's got bloody subtitles anyway.

I thoroughly enjoyed my play-through of MGS2 Pictsy, it is indeed very rewarding, with some inspired boss battles.
Regarding the voice acting- I could go to bed listening to David Hayter reading the phone book out load as a lullaby! Was so relieved when 'Plissken' showed up during the Raidan part of the game.

As an aside- I received this game as a Valentines Day gift in 2002, and my obsessive gameplay thereafter had an ironic role in dooming that relationship!  :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 09 January, 2014, 09:16:48 PM
I've played all the games I recently purchased.  Prince of Persia looks like it'll be fantastic fun and so will Splinter Cell once I get into the stealth frame of mind.  Samurai Warriors and Dynasty Warriors 5 are quite different but could prove to be entertaining in the long run.

I have played MGS2 in a few days but intend to once I figure out how to fit it into my routine.  I don't want to end up playing it too much as I have work to do - which I do from home so the temptation is always there.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 10 January, 2014, 07:33:08 AM
Skyrim. Still. Since June.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 10 January, 2014, 12:30:33 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 10 January, 2014, 07:33:08 AM
Skyrim. Still. Since June.

You were warned.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 10 January, 2014, 12:40:25 PM
I just finished Zelda: A Link Between Worlds - a superb game that has made me fall in love with my 3DSXL. I got every last bit of equipment, all the maiamais and every single heart piece - something I've never done in a Zelda game before.

But what to buy next....?

Bravely Default, Fire Emblem, Donkey Kong Returns, Luigi's Mansion 2 and Zelda: Ocarina of Time are all in the running, though I'm a bit worried I'll find Ocarina a bit fiddly and unwieldy to play now I've become accustomed to the gloriously streamlined LBW...

Also, has anyone played Liberation Maiden? It looks right up my street, but reviews are a bit mixed.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 10 January, 2014, 12:55:37 PM
Quote from: radiator on 10 January, 2014, 12:40:25 PM
IZelda: Ocarina of Time[/b] are all in the running, though I'm a bit worried I'll find Ocarina a bit fiddly and unwieldy to play now I've become accustomed to the gloriously streamlined LBW...

It actually plays superbly well on the 3DS, and if you're not gonna take my word for it, then forget about it!

Last game played (and currently being played) for me; Super Mario 3D World on the Wii U.
It's absolutely spectacular, taking the best elements from 64, Sunshine, Galaxy and Super Mario 3D Land on the 3DS.
IMHO an almost perfect game, although I am finding it a little easy in comparison to some of its aforementioned forerunners (or it could just be cause I'm shit hot  ;)).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 10 January, 2014, 01:13:46 PM
QuoteIt actually plays superbly well on the 3DS

I'm sure it does, but it is a very old game, and I'm worried I might find my patience running a bit thin with it.

I really, really wish Nintendo would get off their arse and make the SNES and Game Boy Advance back catalogues available on the 3DS eshop. It seems like we're inching slightly closer, what with Mario Bros. 3 and some Mega Drive titles becoming available. And yeah, I'm aware of emulators and PSP etc, but I'd really love to be able to play them on my 3DS. I've bought a couple of NES games, but - whisper it - I find NES games a bit rough to play nowadays, as most of them are spitefully hard, and quite ugly.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 10 January, 2014, 04:20:28 PM
Quote from: radiator on 10 January, 2014, 01:13:46 PM
I really, really wish Nintendo would get off their arse and make the SNES and Game Boy Advance back catalogues available on the 3DS eshop.

Just out of interest, can you buy stuff from the 3DS shop using actual money, or do you have to buy bullshit nintendo points first, like you had to on the wii?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 10 January, 2014, 04:38:56 PM
You have to buy credit, but thankfully it gives you the option to just top your balance with the exact credit needed to purchase what you want - you don't have to buy in blocks of £10 or some such horseshit.

What's annoying is that for some mystifying reason you're not allowed to use 'Nintendo Club Points' to pay for stuff from the 3DS eshop - you can use the points to buy Wii Points cards, but these only work on the Wii, so I wasted a lot of time the other week registering all my games for nothing. It's kind of needlessly confusing and irritating.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 10 January, 2014, 05:38:36 PM
Quote from: radiator on 10 January, 2014, 04:38:56 PM
It's kind of needlessly confusing and irritating.

Quite.

And did you try merging your Nintendo Club and Nintendo eShop accounts?
It takes a level of skill, patience & determination that I fear would turn even Tordelback into a frenzied futsie.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 10 January, 2014, 05:51:06 PM

Well there's some good games on iPad... just say  :-\
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 10 January, 2014, 06:23:54 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 10 January, 2014, 05:38:36 PM
Quote from: radiator on 10 January, 2014, 04:38:56 PM
It's kind of needlessly confusing and irritating.

Quite.

And did you try merging your Nintendo Club and Nintendo eShop accounts?
It takes a level of skill, patience & determination that I fear would turn even Tordelback into a frenzied futsie.

Ha ha, yeah. Innocently clicked on something the other day and got assaulted by pop-up menus.

I really think Nintendo should hire some new UI and infrastructure people...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 10 January, 2014, 06:26:54 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 10 January, 2014, 07:33:08 AM
Skyrim. Still. Since June.

Skyrim is great fun, but I stopped playing a few months back.  I have found that I can dip back in easy enough as it keeps a record of where I am at and what I am up to.  Will have to remember to copy my saved files when I finally get around to sorting out my computers new hard drive.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 10 January, 2014, 06:38:08 PM
Quote from: radiator on 10 January, 2014, 01:13:46 PM
QuoteIt actually plays superbly well on the 3DS

I'm sure it does, but it is a very old game, and I'm worried I might find my patience running a bit thin with it.

I really, really wish Nintendo would get off their arse and make the SNES and Game Boy Advance back catalogues available on the 3DS eshop. It seems like we're inching slightly closer, what with Mario Bros. 3 and some Mega Drive titles becoming available. And yeah, I'm aware of emulators and PSP etc, but I'd really love to be able to play them on my 3DS. I've bought a couple of NES games, but - whisper it - I find NES games a bit rough to play nowadays, as most of them are spitefully hard, and quite ugly.

I had Ocarina on the 3DS and, while it's a really good conversion, I got a bit fed up with it. It's probably (sacrilege) my least favourite Zelda - I just find it slow and fiddly. 3d cameras have come a long way since the N64 and I found the fight with the Octopus needlessly difficult because Link and the enemy are constantly being obscured by the scenery.
I believe Link's Awakening DX is available on the eShop and that's a great game - one of my faves.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 11 January, 2014, 02:10:02 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 10 January, 2014, 05:51:06 PM

Well there's some good games on iPad... just say  :-\

iOS touch devices are completely useless for action games*, that's why I bought a 3ds.

*that are fun for more than five minutes.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrinningChimera on 11 January, 2014, 05:07:27 PM
Sim City 4

I got home at 1pm yesterday and started playing this. Next thing I know it's 7:45pm. And the only reason I stopped is because my stomach was rumbling cus I was hungry. It really is a great same.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 11 January, 2014, 05:20:04 PM
Terraria

I bloody love it - especially the multiplayer which is damned fun.

(http://static4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131004020352/terraria/es/images/b/b6/Terraria-caratula.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 11 January, 2014, 07:37:40 PM
Spec Ops: The Line
it was all like "hey I'm just a generic run and gun shooter" and then it got all  :o  shit just got real :o
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ancient Otter on 12 January, 2014, 08:32:25 PM
Played Twilight Struggle board game* for the first time, played as the USA and lost the Cold War.....

*Perhaps we should start a boardgame thread?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Bobblehead on 13 January, 2014, 08:59:27 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 11 January, 2014, 07:37:40 PM
Spec Ops: The Line
it was all like "hey I'm just a generic run and gun shooter" and then it got all  :o  shit just got real :o

Haha yeah i know what you mean. Apart from the clunky and sometimes unresponsive controls i found it to be am enjoyable little game with some great action set pieces,but the story is what interested me the most. I dont want to ruin anything but there was a few 'wtf' moments in it,especially the ending. Played it through twice for the different choices you make and to see both endings. One of the few games ive 100% would recommend getting it,its quite cheap now too.

On topic im actually playing The Sabateur at the moment. Its a sandbox GTA style game set in France at the early days of WW2. Im enjoying it,theyve managed to nail the vintage feel of the era and im liking the art direction of the game. If youve not liberated an area from the nazis then its in black and white,makes it feel really grim and oppressed,with the red on the swatstika being the only colour. Do a few missions for people and the area bursts into colour. Nicely done. Im finding the game pretty difficult though,but enjoyably so :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 13 January, 2014, 09:11:31 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 11 January, 2014, 07:37:40 PM
Spec Ops: The Line
it was all like "hey I'm just a generic run and gun shooter" and then it got all  :o  shit just got real :o

One of my favourite games of the last few years.

I've been playing Assassin's Creed 4 for the last month or so. I'm at about 43% completion but I still feel as though I've only scratched the surface - its a huge and fantastic game. There's DLC once I've completed the main game too!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 13 January, 2014, 12:17:45 PM
Played through Ryse: Son Of Rome at the weekend and while the gameplay is pretty shallow (it's a linear melee fighter with it's own take on the Arkham combat which never quite clicks or flows to that degree), the presentation is some of the best I've seen in a game. The facial animations are easily the best I've ever seen, and the mocap and performances are just fantastic (saying that some transitions between in-game animations are a bit janky and for some unknown reasons breasts have a mind of their own and bounce and swing around independent of any understandable physics, a shame when everything else is so well done).

Also, and this really surprised me, the story is brilliant. A massive epic full of amazing set-pieces and great characters and all the backdrop and surrounding stuff has such a great sense of scale that even the fairly simple combat can feel quite thrilling at times because of all the spectacle that's going on.

That last game I played that was similarly skewed (not so keen on the gameplay but loved the presentation/writing/character work) was The Last Of Us, and I know I'll get shot down for this in many quarters but I think Ryse does all that stuff at least as well as that. In truth I enjoyed the story in Ryse more, and while the gameplay is pretty bland I didn't actively dislike it as much as the gameplay in TLoU.

Being the kind of game it is it's unlikely to get the same kind of recognition as TLoU (in the same way genre cinema isn't seen as being as worthy when awards season comes around), so feel a bit like I need to shout about it's good aspects to anyone who'll listen so it gets its due!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Devons Daddy on 15 January, 2014, 12:38:51 AM
Assisans creed 4
Damn fine!! 

Rock star we need a pirate game akin to red dead! Please
We will once again throw our groats at you  :)

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 15 January, 2014, 12:04:16 PM
Xcom: Enemy Within.

My team of supersoldiers is finally equipped on an almost level playing field with the alien menace. Backed by a world fleet of newly developed spacecraft interceptors, these half-human warriors keep the world safe and have suffered only the lightest of casualties where many of their unaugmented brethren have fallen. Alien attacks are turned back whenever they land and though many die in each terror attack, they are pushed off this green Earth and each death is paid for in green blood.

However the men and women of Alpha squad did not know what they were getting into when they breached the Overseer's crashed ship. Initial resistance was light but enemy reinforcements were waiting in ambush behind the smoking remains of the UFO. Two giant robots with a small swarm of sentinel drones swept in from the flanks and blew Maj. 'Shock' Hauffman to a bloody smear before she could pull back. A barrage of rockets blew the landscape to pieces around the robot menace but they strode through the smoke undaunted, wounding colonel 'Werewolf' Anderson. Finally a lucky shot from sniper 'Ghost' Ito took them down, the metal plates buckling under plasma fire and erupting in a mighty explosion as their engines went critical. Unfortunately this explosion tore down the last remaining wall of the UFO and revealed the bridge room - where the Alien overseer turned its dread gaze upon the remaining men and women, seizing hold of Captain 'Boomer' Thorson's fragile mind and turning his heavy cannon upon plucky medic 'Thunder' Bradley, blowing her to pieces.

'Ghost' and remaining soldier 'Striker' Jang opened fire on the frail figure of the Overseer but a hidden force turned away most of their shots. The creature drifted out of sight with a contemptuous shrug, certain that this inconvenience would soon be over. This left the men and women of X-Com to cower beneath the heavy firepower of their enslaved comrade once more - and to face the weapons of the three heavy shocktroops that burst out of the treeline behind them.

Code black. Team down.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 15 January, 2014, 01:33:03 PM
Slowly delving into the world of Rocksmith 2014.

I had some very basic classical guitar lessons when I was a young'un - but other than that, I haven't touched a guitar in about 30 years.  Bought a cheapish electric guitar and am working my way through the lessons/songs.

I'm having a blast and the game is doing exactly what it says on the packet - teaching me (slowly) how to play electric guitar.  50 songs come with the basic package, and I think there are about 150 or so songs that can be downloaded via Steam.  I downloaded 'Some Might Say' by Oasis tonight - $2.99.

Some songs are easy - 'Blitzkrieg Bop' by The Ramones only has four chords, so I've mastered that one already.  Other songs are extremely difficult.  'Every Breath You Take' by The Police requires the hands of an octopus!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 15 January, 2014, 02:46:43 PM
Picked that up too! I've been playing guitar in bands for years, but being self-taught has really limited me, have always just played by ear or feel more or less so I feel like there's a ton I want to do with a guitar but just can't. Figured this would be a good way of getting back to basics and properly learning how to play correctly.

Only had one session on it and it seems brilliant, the way you can loop a passage and 'level up' adding more notes to it as you get the hang of it is fantastic, and I love that it recognizes areas you struggled with and highlights lessons that'll help. A really good learning tool and a cool way to practice too.

I do have a bit of a problem just now in that my 'good' guitar is at the rehearsal room and the backup that I have at home has a few dodgy buzzy dead frets higher up the neck, which the software doesn't seem to be able to recognize (I have frets on there that literally make no sound, so can't really blame Rocksmith!), really looking forward to getting my decent guitar home to get stuck in properly.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrinningChimera on 15 January, 2014, 06:13:04 PM
If you want to learn an easy song that will make you appear like a rock god to your friend and family, download Breaking The Law - Judas Priest. Takes bugger all time to learn and sounds properly good.

I'm stuck on Free Bird. Can't seem to nail that solo section...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Chris Tresson on 15 January, 2014, 06:55:56 PM
Skate 3, haha.

I play this game almost every day because I like turning my brain off and just going cruising around. Hope EA make a 4th one at some point.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 15 January, 2014, 10:11:35 PM
If you have the pc version of rocksmith there's this
http://www.smithyanvil.com/
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 15 January, 2014, 10:29:00 PM
God help me... I've re-installed Football Manager 2006.

I know all the players to sign from memory. Now, Wolves' team of 17 year olds is tearing up the Championship and has qualified for Europe.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 16 January, 2014, 09:41:08 AM
Cave Story 3D on 3DS. Heard a lot about this game, but couldn't get on with it. After the twentieth insta-death and having to play the same five minutes over and over, and facing a seemingly impossible boss (with a strange and frustrating mechanic that levels you DOWN for not doing well) it's going on eBay.

Not that I mind hard games, but the gameplay wasn't engaging me enough to continue - too many annoying instances of 'hammer the a button while NPCs spew out the same boring dialogue again and again' didn't help matters.

To be fair, I've heard the 3D version isn't as good and I definitely would have preferred the (curiously absent from the eshop) sprite 2d version - and I imagine the murky graphics makes tricky jumps a lot harder.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: amines2058 on 16 January, 2014, 10:31:12 AM
After 12 months of using old laptop due to desktop being broke, I have now finally fixed it and got it to a reasonable spec. Am now able to take a look at the 30+ steam games I have purchased in the interim but not played yet. Kicked off last night with a look at Rage, played for hour or so but it did not really grab me, is it worthy continuing. Bear in mind I am not a massive games player so do not have a lot to compare it to except lots of old school stuff!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 16 January, 2014, 10:55:54 AM
General consensus on Rage was that it was OK/very flawed. With the overabundance of amazing games available nowadays I'd go for something with universal acclaim instead.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 16 January, 2014, 11:10:53 AM
Oh god, Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag has taken over my life!!  It is SOOOOO GOOOOOD!!!

I'm not usually a fan of Assassin's Creed - the 1st was a bit dull, the second more engaging, but remains uncompleted in my game pile of shame, and I have Brotherhood still in cellophane (I bought the extra special super duper collectors edition of Brotherhood for £6 from the Ubisoft site in a sale, just to get the faux marble box with the secret panel at the bottom).

But this one - oh my god!  It's like crack cocaine!  The story is ok so far - the usual follow, run away, chase over rooftops, stealth assassinations etc.  But what really makes this game is when you take to the High Seas for a bit of piracy.  It is so much fun!

You steer your ship, and the crew arm the cannons etc.  Once the opposing ship is below a certain health level you can board it and do hand to hand combat.  Once seized you can either scuttle it and use salvage to repair your ships. or add your ship to your fleet for a tactical mini-game that sees you opening trade routes around the world! 

Besides this, there's also whale and shark hunting, capturing sea fortresses, hunting for treasure, discovering major big bad boss shops, opening ports, brawls in taverns, earning gold to level up your ship,  and so on.  I have spent HOURS on this game, and have barely touched the story.

It is everything you could want from a game about pirates!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jackstarr on 16 January, 2014, 05:42:20 PM
QuoteAm now able to take a look at the 30+ steam games I have purchased in the interim but not played yet.
So what are the other games in your library to choose from, if you decide to give up on Rage?

QuoteIt is everything you could want from a game about pirates!
Does it have insult sword-fighting and a three headed monkey then? ;)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 16 January, 2014, 10:09:09 PM
Quote from: amines2058 on 16 January, 2014, 10:31:12 AM
After 12 months of using old laptop due to desktop being broke, I have now finally fixed it and got it to a reasonable spec. Am now able to take a look at the 30+ steam games I have purchased in the interim but not played yet. Kicked off last night with a look at Rage, played for hour or so but it did not really grab me, is it worthy continuing. Bear in mind I am not a massive games player so do not have a lot to compare it to except lots of old school stuff!

I liked Rage. But it is in essence a hard core, no frills, old school shooter like Quake. You pays your money, you takes your choice.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 17 January, 2014, 12:25:40 PM
Deus Ex HR was a good bash if not up to the same scratch as its esteemed precursor. Mainly due to an overall weak narrative. Assuming that's in your last 12 months of purchases.

Far Cry 3 is bloody good fun too took me a while to start it but it is so much fun racing around the island and doing random things. Particularly when a bloody great bear swipes the face off the guy you're trying to fight, then starts a terrifying charge at you.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Devons Daddy on 17 January, 2014, 12:34:53 PM
Black Flag

DAMN that's a fine game!!!!
Assassins creed greatest accomplishment to date.

Stunning, brilliant additive.
A must play!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 17 January, 2014, 01:57:03 PM
Quote from: jackstarr on 16 January, 2014, 05:42:20 PM

QuoteIt is everything you could want from a game about pirates!
Does it have insult sword-fighting and a three headed monkey then? ;)

Unfortunately not, although it does have ordinary monkeys and run of the mill swordfighting.  You may be pleased to hear there is a point and click element on occasion too!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 17 January, 2014, 02:53:58 PM
Does Assassin's Creed 4 still have the stupid, ridiculous 'sci-fi/genetic memory flashback' framing device?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 17 January, 2014, 04:09:44 PM
Quote from: radiator on 17 January, 2014, 02:53:58 PM
Does Assassin's Creed 4 still have the stupid, ridiculous 'sci-fi/genetic memory flashback' framing device?

It does, but I'm ignoring that for the moment, or at least saving those bits as quiet interludes between cannons, burning ships and sword fights.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 17 January, 2014, 10:17:06 PM
Quote from: radiator on 17 January, 2014, 02:53:58 PM
Does Assassin's Creed 4 still have the stupid, ridiculous 'sci-fi/genetic memory flashback' framing device?

Heaven help us if computer games aren't allowed silly Sci Fi elements!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 18 January, 2014, 10:50:00 AM
Tomb Raider

Would be amazing if they had replaced the horrible quick time events with actual tombs to raid.  :(
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 18 January, 2014, 10:58:46 AM
Quote from: JamesC on 17 January, 2014, 10:17:06 PM
Quote from: radiator on 17 January, 2014, 02:53:58 PM
Does Assassin's Creed 4 still have the stupid, ridiculous 'sci-fi/genetic memory flashback' framing device?

Heaven help us if computer games aren't allowed silly Sci Fi elements!

That's not what I'm saying at all. I'm saying that I might be tempted to play an Assassin's Creed game if didn't have all that junk (which is apparently only there because Ubisoft thought gamers wouldn't want to play a straight historical adventure game).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jackstarr on 18 January, 2014, 11:17:34 AM
QuoteTomb Raider

Would be amazing if they had replaced the horrible quick time events with actual tombs to raid.  :(
Gah, I was hoping they'd done away with those.  I bought the complete Tomb Raider collection on Steam, and am still making my way through them - Tomb Raider 1 and 2 are still my favourites (number 2 in particular, as it was my first TR game that I bought when it was new), and I still can't get to grips with the control system implemented by Crystal Dynamics when they took over...I try to get her to go one way, and she ends up going another.

I'm up to Anniversary now - as of Legend, I've given up on the boss fights, they're really not my thing, and are just frustrating - so am cheating to skip those once I've got a feel for how annoying they are.

Not a fan of QTEs either.  Make up your mind, either give me a cutscene to watch, or let me play the game properly.

Was really hoping that the reboot would be more to my taste - but from what you're saying, it seems like more of the same but without the tombs? :(
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 18 January, 2014, 11:52:17 AM
Quote from: radiator on 18 January, 2014, 10:58:46 AM
Quote from: JamesC on 17 January, 2014, 10:17:06 PM
Quote from: radiator on 17 January, 2014, 02:53:58 PM
Does Assassin's Creed 4 still have the stupid, ridiculous 'sci-fi/genetic memory flashback' framing device?

Heaven help us if computer games aren't allowed silly Sci Fi elements!

That's not what I'm saying at all. I'm saying that I might be tempted to play an Assassin's Creed game if didn't have all that junk (which is apparently only there because Ubisoft thought gamers wouldn't want to play a straight historical adventure game).

Sorry, I was being facetious.
To answer your question, yes it does have a sci-fi framing device although there's far less emphasis on it in this installment. It's basically just there to set up a quest for you to embark on and to offer some context for the rules which you have to play by (for example some parts of the map will be locked early on because your character, at that point in his life, has no memory of them).
Each of the modern day sections lasts just a few minutes and sometimes requires a simple puzzle to be solved. There aren't loads of cut-scenes to sit through or anything.
Basically, if you like the idea of all the piratey adventure stuff don't be put off by the sci-fi bits -they're a very small part of the game.
AC4 is tremendous fun. I'd say its far and away the best AC game they've made.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 18 January, 2014, 02:35:51 PM
Maybe I'll give it a try some day - I do love the idea of an open world pirate game, I was the one guy who actually enjoyed all the sailing/exploring in Wind Waker and the DS Zelda game.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 18 January, 2014, 03:11:37 PM
Quote from: radiator on 18 January, 2014, 02:35:51 PM
I was the one guy who actually enjoyed all the sailing/exploring in Wind Waker and the DS Zelda game.

Permission to come aboard Cap'n?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 18 January, 2014, 08:23:07 PM
I've just been playing Rayman Legends on the a Wii U. It's a wonderful game and absolutely choka block full of things to do.
People complain about games being too expensive but games like this make me think that they've never been such good value.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 19 January, 2014, 11:16:27 AM
Quote from: jackstarr on 18 January, 2014, 11:17:34 AM
QuoteTomb Raider

Would be amazing if they had replaced the horrible quick time events with actual tombs to raid.  :(
Gah, I was hoping they'd done away with those.  I bought the complete Tomb Raider collection on Steam, and am still making my way through them - Tomb Raider 1 and 2 are still my favourites (number 2 in particular, as it was my first TR game that I bought when it was new), and I still can't get to grips with the control system implemented by Crystal Dynamics when they took over...I try to get her to go one way, and she ends up going another.

I'm up to Anniversary now - as of Legend, I've given up on the boss fights, they're really not my thing, and are just frustrating - so am cheating to skip those once I've got a feel for how annoying they are.

Not a fan of QTEs either.  Make up your mind, either give me a cutscene to watch, or let me play the game properly.

Was really hoping that the reboot would be more to my taste - but from what you're saying, it seems like more of the same but without the tombs? :(

There are a few "tombs". They are hidden bonus areas with a puzzle and no real reward, you can skip them and not miss anything of value.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 20 January, 2014, 10:32:06 AM
I enjoyed the sailing! The shine wore off sometimes though, mainly when I just wanted to get somewhere before having to go to school
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 21 January, 2014, 05:16:51 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 18 January, 2014, 08:23:07 PM
I've just been playing Rayman Legends on the a Wii U. It's a wonderful game and absolutely choka block full of things to do.
People complain about games being too expensive but games like this make me think that they've never been such good value.

I've never played a Rayman game, mainly cause they've always seemed aimed at a (much) younger age group.
I can't believe the amount of positive reviews I've read about Legends though- I'm gonna have to pick it up on the cheap to check out.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 21 January, 2014, 05:30:40 PM
So I thought I'd give Assassin's Creed 4 a try based on the recommendations here (and an Edge 9/10) and a couple of hours in I'm really not impressed. Bear in mind I've never played an AC game before.

The gameplay so far feels, in a word, clunky. The movement is jerky and frustrating (keeps making me climb things when all I want to do is run), the signposting seems vague and player interface poor. Other than that, I just seem to spend all my time being randomly attacked by soldiers who seem almost impossible to shake, and slowly following NPCs around. The pretentious sci if story stuff can eat a dick - who's idea was it to have such a clutter of crap all over the HUD, and have things randomly glitching all the time? Totally takes me out of the game. The graphics make for pretty screenshots but move jerkily and the animation feels weirdly disjointed.

So yeah, not keen. Suspect this'll be going on ebay if it doesn't engage me very soon.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 21 January, 2014, 06:30:41 PM
Quote from: radiator on 21 January, 2014, 05:30:40 PM
So I thought I'd give Assassin's Creed 4 a try based on the recommendations here (and an Edge 9/10) and a couple of hours in I'm really not impressed. Bear in mind I've never played an AC game before.

The gameplay so far feels, in a word, clunky. The movement is jerky and frustrating (keeps making me climb things when all I want to do is run), the signposting seems vague and player interface poor. Other than that, I just seem to spend all my time being randomly attacked by soldiers who seem almost impossible to shake, and slowly following NPCs around. The pretentious sci if story stuff can eat a dick - who's idea was it to have such a clutter of crap all over the HUD, and have things randomly glitching all the time? Totally takes me out of the game. The graphics make for pretty screenshots but move jerkily and the animation feels weirdly disjointed.

So yeah, not keen. Suspect this'll be going on ebay if it doesn't engage me very soon.

Sounds like you really need to spend some time learning how to play the game. If you're convinced it's not for you and you don't want to practice then fair enough but from your post it seems as though you should give it a bit of time.

Soldiers won't randomly attack - it's all to do with your notoriety level and whether you're doing something you shouldn't be (like running over rooftops for example). Smoke bombs and hiding places should be used for escape (when soldiers are in pursuit - which should almost never happen if you're playing properly - a yellow pursuit marker means you've broken line of sight and can hide).

Another good tip is to make plenty of use of your blending ability (mixing in crowds, sitting on benches or walking with groups of courtesans who you've hired). You can also hire groups of pirates as you run past them. They'll attack your pursuers giving you time to escape.

The control system works brilliantly once you get used to it. The first I played was AC2 and it took me a while to get the feel of it but once it clicks you won't have a problem. As a pointer - don't hold the run button down and try to steer you character around obstacles. You should really use it as a contextual run/climb button and it rarely needs more than a tap at a time. If you're trying to get across the world quickly use a combination of short sprints and shortcuts over obstacles.

The HUD may have a lot of info but it's all useful - make sure you know how to read it.

It may be worth having a quick look at some of the Wikis available. I can see how some of the staple AC elements probably aren't introduced very well for new players but I would urge you to stick with the game a little longer. I barely think about enemy soldiers unless I'm on a mission and hardly ever fumble a jump which gives me plenty of time to enjoy all the good stuff. I wouldn't class myself as a particularly skilled gamer either.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 21 January, 2014, 06:47:08 PM
Bear with it Radiator! You need to get through about 15% of the story before the open world truly becomes available, and then you take to the high seas for all kinds of addictive pirate jiggery-pokery.
Title: Re: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 21 January, 2014, 07:59:07 PM
Thanks for the tips James, very helpful.

You're correct in that it doesn't really feel designed for new players, assumes quite a lot of prior knowledge and feels very counterintuitive in certain ways. For instance, the very first thing you have do in the game is run around climbing things, then suddenly you're penalised for doing so. When I got tasked with tailing two guys my first instinct was to spy on them from the rooftops, ninja-style, but kept getting shot. It seems a bit of a shame that you're not 'allowed' to explore the city at your leisure as the free running is quite fun.

It also keeps asking me to do things, and only afterwards gives the tutorial on how to actually do the thing i just had to do. I had to repeat the first few missions over and over because I felt like I didn't really understand what was going on or why I kept failing. This wouldn't happen in a better-designed game.

As for the controls, I may eventually get used to them, but in my mind game controls should click straight away - it's a broad generalisation, but controls and how a game 'feels' is something Japanese developers seem to still be far better at than Western devs. The poor frame rate doesn't help matters.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 21 January, 2014, 08:27:36 PM
Once the world opens up a bit there's plenty of opportunity to stalk across the rooftops, using a blowpipe, stealth assassinations or distractions to keep any guards out of the way.

It's quite interesting to hear about the troubles you've been having with accessibility - as a follower of the series it's something that hadn't really occurred to me. I know that AC3 was quite heavily criticised for having too lengthy a tutorial/introductory sequence so it's obviously a balance the developers are struggling with.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 21 January, 2014, 11:44:16 PM
Don't worry - stick with the story right up until the diving bell, and say 'fuck it' to all that climbing rooftop bollocks. The sea exploration/battles is where the fun is!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 22 January, 2014, 10:31:48 AM
I've played 3 AC games prior to IV, and I still find the controls to be sloppy, clunky and unpredictable. They've just never managed to refine them in any way, and they've had a few iterations to do it in.

I enjoyed ACIV a lot for the most part (once the overarching story becomes more prominent I found it a chore, because the overarching story in AC games is utter bobbins) but I also swore at it more than probably any game in 2013! The amount of times I knew exactly what I wanted to do but Kenway instead sprinted up a random wall or stopped climbing abruptly, or jumped on the wrong person, or hopped onto a piece of scenery mid-chase and just...stopped moving etc. It was incredibly frustrating in places and after skipping Brotherhood and Revelations I was a bit shocked none of that has improved or become any more intuitive in the intervening years.

It seems something that would solve a lot of problems would just be having separate Run and Free-Run buttons. That way you'd have the choice between running, or running and also clambering up and leaping off every surface you come across.

I did very, very much enjoy the pirating and sailing and going around the map finding everything and visiting every island was incredibly satisfying, so all other frustrations aside I largely liked/loved it. I'd be more than happy if they just took that stuff and splintered off into a separate piratey franchise and ditched all the AC trappings to be honest.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 22 January, 2014, 11:43:11 AM
QuoteI've played 3 AC games prior to IV, and I still find the controls to be sloppy, clunky and unpredictable. They've just never managed to refine them in any way, and they've had a few iterations to do it in.

Yeah, it always surprises me just how many high profile games just cannot get the fundamentals right. I know nothing about game dev, but you would think that tight controls and rewarding mechanics would be the very first thing to get locked down. A lot of people can 'learn to live with/get used to' a mediocre control scheme, but that really isn't the same thing as 'mastering' a set of perfectly calibrated controls. I find a lot of games really lack that elusive sense of inertia and weight that the very best games - Nintendo games basically but many others too - have in spades, where navigating the world is a joy in its own right.

So far, I'm not finding the AC controls disastrous, but I am finding them very fiddly and a bit unsatisfying, and the way climbing and free-running is done for you automatically does take away a lot of the challenge and fun of traversal (and did anyone else find it a bit weird that the player character, an ordinary pirate posing as an assassin remember, has bizarrely superhuman agility from the off?). More than anything, this game is reminding me why I hate stealth games - because the controls and visual feedback are almost always never tight enough to make the experience feel fun and balanced.

Another example of counter-intuitiveness; on the aforementioned tailing mission, on-screen prompts kept telling me to 'hire dancers'. Why on Earth would 'hiring dancers' help if you are trying to follow people surreptitiously? That's just bad game design.

QuoteI'd be more than happy if they just took that stuff and splintered off into a separate piratey franchise and ditched all the AC trappings to be honest.

Hmm, yes. This seems to be a common view. I'd love a 'proper' open-world pirate game - something like a cross between Red Dead Redemption and The Wind Waker. I used to have Galleon on the original Xbox, but it was really just a platformer with a piratey aesthetic. I suppose in the meantime this will have to do.

And that sci fi stuff? W.T.F.? Wondering around some office in first person, listening to twattish NPCs blather on? Does anyone seriously think this aspect makes for a better game? Is being forced to walk agonisingly slowly while listening to badly-written exposition ever fun in any game ever? All the nonsense about 'synchronising', the graphical glitches, the disclaimer at the beginning of the game saying how it has been made by a 'multicultural' team. Sweet Jesus. There are things about this game that epitomise my frustration with pretentious game developers.

I'll persevere until I get to the pirate stuff, but at the moment I feel like there's going to be too much I don't like to warrant investing much time in it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 22 January, 2014, 11:53:36 AM

Quote

Another example of counter-intuitiveness; on the aforementioned tailing mission, on-screen prompts kept telling me to 'hire dancers'. Why on Earth would 'hiring dancers' help if you are trying to follow people surreptitiously? That's just bad game design.



If you hire dancers they'll walk with you and you'll blend with them and so won't be noticed. If the people you're following go into a restricted area that's guarded then you can send the dancers to distract the guards while you find a suitable hiding place.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 22 January, 2014, 12:14:44 PM
But in that context, when you're on a strict time limit and under pressure, being told to 'hire dancers' seems a little incongruous - surely taking to the rooftops and tailing them unseen seems the wiser choice, especially since you've just spent the last twenty minutes running and climbing?

I had a lot of trouble with that mission - I kept getting spotted and didn't really understand why, and the people I had to tail kept running off ahead when I walked slowly behind them, so I would run to chase them, then get attacked by soldiers. I mean, I'm just some dude in a cloak - why would soldiers attack me just for running in the street? If I held back a bit I kept getting the 20 second countdown, saying I was too far from the people I was following. Hiring the dancers didn't really seem to help matters. I only eventually completed the mission through trial and error and by blagging it by the skin of my teeth.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 22 January, 2014, 12:40:19 PM
Not exactly sure where you are in the game but from your description it sounds like you're at this bit:

http://uk.ign.com/wikis/assassins-creed-4-black-flag/...And_My_Sugar

This walkthrough gives some good tips on what is basically 'best practice' for these types of missions. Using Eagle Vision to mark targets for example.
I'm still not sure why you're getting attacked by guards in the street. As long as you stay off rooftops and out of areas marked red on your mini map you should be fine. At this point you're trying to stay hidden from the people you're following, not guards in general (although once you enter the restricted area it's a different story).

Have you sychronised all of the viewpoints in your area yet? These are marked with a black eagle icon on your map. Sychronising these viewpoints will open large areas of the map and make the mini-map on your HUD much more useful (on the sailing sections, destroying forts serves a similar function).

If the walkthrough I've linked to is this part you've been playing then the reason you're getting prompted to hire the dancers is because it's one of the optional objectives (basically a mini-challenge) that you can complete to get 100% for this mission. If you don't complete both optional objectives you'll get a score of 80% but it doesn't affect your game progress.

There are always numerous ways to complete missions. You can do this one by traversing rooftops but you have to keep an eye out for guards (Eagle Vision is good for identifying and tagging targets) and assassinate them as quickly and quietly as possible. It's probably easier to stick to street level at this stage. As I said earlier, rooftop guards become much less of an issue later on when you get a blowpipe and some sleep darts.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 22 January, 2014, 12:50:51 PM
I have definitely been attacked by guards simply for committing the crime of walking past them (even when not in a restricted area), and as I say, getting too close to the guys I was following would result in almost instant mission fail. However, if I hung back, they would go running off ahead, forcing me to run after them, again resulting in a fail.

Don't get me wrong, I've done hundreds of missions like this in other games - this one just seemed especially frustrating, schizophrenic and unintuitive.

Overall so far I'm reminded me of something like the singleplayer Call of Duty, which I can never really enjoy because I feel like I'm perpetually being shot at by some d-bag so I can never get my bearings and take my time.

Another thing about the controls - I'm constantly lunging headfirst into the nearest bale of hay, whether I want to or not. Seems really weird to have the character do this without a button prompt.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 24 January, 2014, 12:35:33 PM
I'm been digging in to Black Flag a bit more now and am starting to see a little of what Shaolin enjoys so much. Certainly the seafaring/exploring is by far the strongest part of the game for me and brings back fond memories of Wind Waker, though imo it's a shame that the seas are so (laughably) crowded with other ships and islands - it can often feel like manoeuvring a shopping trolly around a particularly congested supermarket. I understand the need to pander to the modern ADD gaming audience who would decry any quiet, contemplative moments as 'boring' or 'filler', but personally I'd have liked more of a feeling of being on a voyage on the open seas.

Picking a uncharted destination on the map and setting sail as your crew start singing a shanty never gets old, the climbing and exploring is immense fun (when the controls are working), and there something very satisfying about reaching the birds nests to get the lay of the land.

As for the other stuff, I still maintain that the controls and mechanics are borderline broken, and are simply too shoddy to make for decent and balanced stealth gameplay. It beggars belief that there is no clear way of knowing if you'll be seen or heard, and being detected feels arbitrary and at times completely random. You never feel 100% sure whether walking past an enemy will result in detection or not, and there have been multiple times where the 'whistle' or stealth takedowns simply don't work consistently. As a result - and because they take so long, every single stealth and assassination mission so far has ended in a big scrum as I give up on sneaking and just charge in.

There was one particular section - in some ancient temple ruins where you have to sneak past a load of assassins - that was so unfair and frustrating that I almost gave up on the game then and there. Resorting to online walkthroughs I discovered that many, many others had been stuck at exactly the same point or given up there, and I was genuinely surprised as I thought this kind of thing had been streamlined out of modern games. I'm good at games, and I don't mind hard games at all, but if I fail I want to feel like it was my fault. Ubisoft really need to take a look at the Arkham games and especially Mark of the Ninja to see how a stealth game can be tight, fair and immensely satisfying.

Overall I can't quite shake the feeling that as a package it's just a bit too unpolished to warrant spending the time on it - the combat is a little sloppy, the graphics engine is pretty but feels like the 360 hardware is struggling under the weight of it, there are constant glitches like a sailor leaping 100ft into the air off the back of my ship or characters getting stuck in animation loops, the stealth and tailing missions can be a chore, and even the minigames like harpooning sharks feel a bit half-cooked and underwhelming. The underwater swimming controls are utter balls too. Genuinely shocked that Edge would give such an obviously flawed game a 9/10.

It's a minor point, but I find in inordinately aggravating that secondary objectives like assassination missions are permanently displayed on top left of the screen like a big old eyesore. I've tried playing around with the hud settings but can't seem to get rid of it short of doing the actual mission.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 24 January, 2014, 01:55:15 PM
I feel your pain re the stealth assassins bit of the story - it took me frikkin hours to do it, and that was with the help of a youtube guide.  It sucked!  I wanted to get past it as quickly as possible, unlock the diving bell and go swimming for treasure.

Have you encountered the elite ships yet?  I took my first down the other day, and my ship is only about 80% powered up.  I rule!!! (the seas)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 24 January, 2014, 02:18:07 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 24 January, 2014, 01:55:15 PM
I feel your pain re the stealth assassins bit of the story - it took me frikkin hours to do it, and that was with the help of a youtube guide.  It sucked!  I wanted to get past it as quickly as possible, unlock the diving bell and go swimming for treasure.

Have you encountered the elite ships yet?  I took my first down the other day, and my ship is only about 80% powered up.  I rule!!! (the seas)

It was that multi-level open area with the crocodile in the pool in the middle.

Those last two assassins on the upper level - a man and a woman - with a sniper across the gap. There was literally no way I could see of reliably taking both of them down quickly without alerting the sniper. Hiding behind the column or in the grass and whistling would alert them both. It took about an hour of playing the same 5 minutes over and over and each attempt got progressively more tense because you could randomly be spotted at any moment, and because failing sends you back unreasonably far. I only did it in the end by sheer fluke.

Even then, the sniper saw me and I failed the mission, and I was like 'right, that's it - I'm done with this game', but luckily it has check-pointed just after the difficult bit, and that's the only reason I'm still playing.

Just seems bananas to me that something like that slipped through QA. Hopefully, now I have the blowpipe some of the stealth frustrations should be eliminated, but if the game pulls any shit like that later on, it's going in the bin.

I haven't got the diving bell yet, I've just done the mission where you have to rescue the assassins, but for the most part I'm just sailing to desert islands and strip-mining them of collectibles.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 24 January, 2014, 03:10:16 PM
Yep, that's the one.  It fucked me up too.  But I knew there was so much goodness in other areas of the game it got me through.  I was crying with frustration though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 24 January, 2014, 03:49:29 PM
I struggled massively with that mission too. My last run at it was actually amazingly satisfying, because I was so frustrated that I just tried to speed through it without pondering too much, and I wound up scraping through by the skin of my teeth. I was well aware I'd passed it purely by a series of really lucky breaks though, which shouldn't really be the case in a well designed encounter.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 24 January, 2014, 03:54:41 PM
I spent 8 hours at it, but my son walked it first time...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 24 January, 2014, 04:12:39 PM
I think overall I'd prefer there to be far less enemies, but maybe have them more intelligent. Some levels have so many enemies that it's impossible to track all of them, or get a good idea where they are, meaning they have to rely on the 'eagle vision' thing to give you a chance.

But then I think that of most games in any genre - it's about time they figured out how to make smaller, more contained encounters thrilling, and lose the crutch of just spamming you with enemies to keep things exciting.

That was one of the things I loved about the early Gears of War games - they made fighting two or even one enemies thrilling, and each fight felt like a set-piece from an action movie.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 24 January, 2014, 04:49:51 PM
Who has done the elite ships then?  The one in the bottom right of the map is easy, if you stay behind it.  Just keep pummeling it with the chain cannons. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 January, 2014, 10:14:08 AM
I've tried a few, I've finished the campaign so my ship is pretty well upgraded but I've still to last more than one pass of one! They either ram me into oblivion if I get in front of them, or tear me a new one with their cannons if I'm caught round the side. Will try and stay behind one but they turn so fast!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 27 January, 2014, 01:39:25 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 24 January, 2014, 04:49:51 PM
Who has done the elite ships then?  The one in the bottom right of the map is easy, if you stay behind it.  Just keep pummeling it with the chain cannons.

Got him yesterday!
I ran alongside her and used my heavy cannons and mortars. The trick is timing your cover properly.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 27 January, 2014, 02:48:07 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 27 January, 2014, 01:39:25 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 24 January, 2014, 04:49:51 PM
Who has done the elite ships then?  The one in the bottom right of the map is easy, if you stay behind it.  Just keep pummeling it with the chain cannons.

Got him yesterday!
I ran alongside her and used my heavy cannons and mortars. The trick is timing your cover properly.

Cool!  I did my usual trick of hiding behind for the one bottom left too - it worked.  I failed abysmally for one of the ones at the top.  It was the two ships sailing in tandem - I kept getting trapped between them and totally wiped out.

It's such a shame you can't board and capture these for your fleet.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 05 February, 2014, 08:27:40 PM
OK, so a few weeks on I'm prepared to take back some of the nasty things I said about Assassin's Creed 4. I still think it's a problematic, often sloppy, game - my issues with the controls and mechanics still stand, and I think the story is preposterous, pretentious nonsense. In addition, I think the game is too sprawling to the point of getting repetitive. In hindsight I would have preferred a shorter, tighter game. There were so many 'infiltrate this base' type missions that by two thirds of the way through I almost entirely gave up on stealth and was just playing it as a straight brawler, which becomes a viable option once you have the necessary health and pistol upgrades. Restarting the mission every time you get spotted - which often happens through no fault of your own - is just way too much of a drag.

Having said all that, I enjoyed parts of it immensely. A Shaolin says, the pirating/exploring stuff gets really fun and compulsive. The ship combat is great, and the overall progression of your pirating career is satisfying. Using the mounted cannon to successfully 'board' an enemy ship having never set foot off your own, or swinging across from the main sail never fails to put a big grin on my face. In some ways it reminds me of Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts - another game that buried its genuine brilliance under 10 hours of frustrating tedium.

Overall the experience was far too uneven to say that I loved it and I doubt I'll ever play another AC game as it was the side stuff and the particular setting that most appealed. So, no, this isn't the open-world pirate masterpiece of my dreams, but there are definitely parts of it that come close.

As for those bastard Legendary ships, I've taken out the easy (bottom right) one and another - I think the bottom left, but am still struggling with the other two (the one with the mahoosive ram and the 'twin' Man O' Wars). I'm convinced I can take the rammy one once I have fully upgraded my Fire Barrels - neglected them so far as they're next to useless for the most part, but it seems retreating while laying barrels and firing mortar is the only way to beat him.

I've also been dabbling in Fire Emblem: Awakening (which I'm sure is great but so far I'm finding utterly  baffling) and Luigi's Mansion 2: Dark Moon, which is a slick little treat. I'm actually shocked at how good the graphics are - above and beyond what I considered possible on the 3DS.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 05 February, 2014, 09:05:26 PM
Quote from: radiator on 05 February, 2014, 08:27:40 PM
I've also been dabbling in Fire Emblem: Awakening (which I'm sure is great but so far I'm finding utterly  baffling) and Luigi's Mansion 2: Dark Moon, which is a slick little treat. I'm actually shocked at how good the graphics are - above and beyond what I considered possible on the 3DS.

Still not played Fire Emblem Awakening but I loved the downloadable demo. Tiny Tips says it's all about getting the characters luvdup.

Luigi's Mansion 2 is all sorts of great.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Bat King on 06 February, 2014, 02:12:12 AM
I played the Firefly Board game yesterday. I won!!!

Very playable, very customisable. I highly recommend.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 06 February, 2014, 01:52:18 PM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 05 February, 2014, 09:05:26 PM
Luigi's Mansion 2 is all sorts of great.

Still haven't picked this up yet...I really have to remedy that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 06 February, 2014, 02:10:58 PM
Radiator - glad to hear you got something out of AC4 in the end (even if it wasn't quite the experience you were hoping for).

Oh, and Luigi's Mansion 2 - another one for my 'To Play' list. I was a big fan of the original - very fun game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 06 February, 2014, 02:25:01 PM
So much pressure on Nintendo to move onto smartphones and tablets at the moment, but I for one hope they keep doing what they're doing - apps have their place, but I'm happy to keep paying £30 for really substantial, quality titles like Zelda and Luigi's Mansion - there's still nothing on the App Store that comes within light years of that level of quality and polish.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 07 February, 2014, 05:45:34 PM
Just started GTAV. Hello...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrinningChimera on 07 February, 2014, 09:12:17 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 07 February, 2014, 05:45:34 PM
Just started GTAV. Hello...

We might see you next week maybe then... :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 07 February, 2014, 10:07:05 PM
Already lots and lots of fun. Los Santos is more fun to drive around than Liberty City
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ancient Otter on 07 February, 2014, 10:25:14 PM
Quote from: Bat King on 06 February, 2014, 02:12:12 AM
I played the Firefly Board game yesterday. I won!!!

Very playable, very customisable. I highly recommend.

Interesting, is it like an adventure-style boardgame?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Bat King on 07 February, 2014, 10:53:57 PM
Yeah you travel the 'verse picking up crew & jobs and getting in trouble. it is for 1 to 4 players. Yes 1, there are solo rules.

If I owned the set I'd do a review with photos n such but it is a mate's.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ancient Otter on 07 February, 2014, 11:28:33 PM
Quote from: Bat King on 07 February, 2014, 10:53:57 PM
Yeah you travel the 'verse picking up crew & jobs and getting in trouble. it is for 1 to 4 players. Yes 1, there are solo rules.

If I owned the set I'd do a review with photos n such but it is a mate's.

Boardgamegeek (http://boardgamegeek.com/images/boardgame/138161/firefly-the-game/page/1) will help with the photos, thanks for the description.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Bat King on 08 February, 2014, 12:23:02 AM
True... true.

I highly recommend it. I've had fun playing with my mates and look forward to playing again.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mogzilla on 08 February, 2014, 05:55:44 PM
well I did start fable anniversary but its going back...freezes repeatedly even after a few minutes play the first time was the screen where you first spend xp points I'm surprised it lasted that long...tried all the tricks lionhead abd Microsoft suggested but no...frozed again!!!   grrrrr

I redownloaded the original instead and....

BLACK!!! forgot how good this was first person shooties with no refilling your health without a pack no "snap aiming" love to see some of the cod crowd cope with this.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 08 February, 2014, 09:52:36 PM
jazzpunk
jazzpunk
jazzpunk
jazzpunk
jazzpunk
jazzpunk
jazzpunk
jazzpunk
jazzpunk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T0UOy03_IE
So far I helped a frog steal wifi from starbucks because why not



Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 February, 2014, 09:56:50 PM
I've been working my through some old stuff that I never quite finished today. I've been feeling poorly, so just sat in front of the Xbox (and PC).

- Alien Breed (the remakes), ep 2.
- Binary Domain (but had to turn it off when the boys came in)

I also finished Killzone Mercenary on the Vita this morning. Good fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: James Stacey on 10 February, 2014, 03:42:31 PM
Just started playing ACIV:BF. After diminishing returns from the last 2 AC games, wow. Not far into it yet but it really reminds me of why I love these games. All the dull tutorial stuff and slog from 3 washed away and replaced with fun. Well played Ubisoft.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dark Jimbo on 10 February, 2014, 04:42:49 PM
I don't really play games by and large, but I recently found a cheap-as-chips download of Bullfrog's 1997 classic Dungeonkeeper for Windows 7 and XP. This (and a belated ten years later, the sequel) was the only PC game I have ever actually owned, and it thoroughly obsessed me for a few years during school. I can remember slaving over group shots of the various different monsters on sheets of A3 paper and reading the game manual under the table during lessons.

It's lost none of its charm, though the above may make it obvious that I have little to no objectivity. The pacing is absolutely spot on - there's always something to be doing so at no point do you find yourself bored or at a loose end; but at the same time you never feel overwhelmed by having so much to do that you can't keep track of it. It's still very funny, too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 10 February, 2014, 04:44:52 PM
 I'm starting black flag next , just on marvel lego at the moment...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 11 February, 2014, 07:44:21 AM
My gaming was consumed by a heady mix of GTA, Zelda & Mario for the past few months, so only catching up on a few of last year's releases now.
Just finished Dead Space 3, and am relieved it ain't near as bad as some of the negative reviews made out.

I had expected an 'always on' co-op (with AI in place of a 2nd player, ala Resident Evil Zero, if you were playing solo), but pleasantly this isn't the case- the solo campaign is entirely your path to walk, and for a game of this ilk I wouldn't have it any other way.
A meaty 20ish hour game too, with plenty of side missions and weapon creation options.
I finished it in 3-4 days, including a 'quiet' weekend and quite enjoyed it.
I had thought the story finished by the end ([spoiler]macro threat stopped, and Isaac killed off[/spoiler]), but have heard the DLC takes place directly after the ending, [spoiler]with Isaac having seemingly survived, unscathed. Groan[/spoiler].
Not sure if I dig that to be honest, and I certainly raised an eyebrow at its 10 quid price tag (despite being almost a year old).
If I see it going cheap, I'll pick it up.

So yeah- Dead Space 4 in 2016 on PS4?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 10:43:46 AM
Dead Space. Good game but trying to navigate the control system using mouse & keys on PC proved too much.

Actually, I'm looking for a good point & click or RPG style spaceship horror type thing. Haven't been gaming for ages so even older titles would be good. Anyone got any suggestions?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mimikeke on 11 February, 2014, 11:16:29 AM
I work at EA at the Dead Space location, we aren't working on a new DS4 right now.  But please don't quote me on that :p
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jackstarr on 11 February, 2014, 12:10:34 PM
Quote from: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 10:43:46 AM
Dead Space. Good game but trying to navigate the control system using mouse & keys on PC proved too much.

Actually, I'm looking for a good point & click or RPG style spaceship horror type thing. Haven't been gaming for ages so even older titles would be good. Anyone got any suggestions?
How long is "ages"?
The definitive 1st person RPG style spaceship horror is System Shock 2, if you've never played it - http://store.steampowered.com/app/238210/


QuoteI work at EA at the Dead Space location, we aren't working on a new DS4 right now.  But please don't quote me on that :p
Yeah, yeah - of course you're not ;)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 11 February, 2014, 12:48:24 PM
Quote from: CheechFU on 08 February, 2014, 09:52:36 PM
jazzpunk
jazzpunk
jazzpunk
jazzpunk
jazzpunk
jazzpunk
jazzpunk
jazzpunk
jazzpunk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T0UOy03_IE
So far I helped a frog steal wifi from starbucks because why not

Jazz Punk looks freaking amazing. Saw Felix's first play through but now I wanna fire up my long unused Steam account and give it a whirl!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 11 February, 2014, 01:59:15 PM
Quote from: mimikeke on 11 February, 2014, 11:16:29 AM
I work at EA at the Dead Space location, we aren't working on a new DS4 right now.  But please don't quote me on that :p

Were sales that bad on Dead Space 3, Mimikeke?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 03:58:28 PM
Quote from: jackstarr on 11 February, 2014, 12:10:34 PM
Quote from: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 10:43:46 AM
Dead Space. Good game but trying to navigate the control system using mouse & keys on PC proved too much.

Actually, I'm looking for a good point & click or RPG style spaceship horror type thing. Haven't been gaming for ages so even older titles would be good. Anyone got any suggestions?
How long is "ages"?
The definitive 1st person RPG style spaceship horror is System Shock 2, if you've never played it - http://store.steampowered.com/app/238210/

Actually, that looks great!

Anything else along those lines, only more modern? And more RPG, less FPS?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 11 February, 2014, 04:14:00 PM
Quote from: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 03:58:28 PM
Quote from: jackstarr on 11 February, 2014, 12:10:34 PM
Quote from: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 10:43:46 AM
Dead Space. Good game but trying to navigate the control system using mouse & keys on PC proved too much.

Actually, I'm looking for a good point & click or RPG style spaceship horror type thing. Haven't been gaming for ages so even older titles would be good. Anyone got any suggestions?
How long is "ages"?
The definitive 1st person RPG style spaceship horror is System Shock 2, if you've never played it - http://store.steampowered.com/app/238210/

Actually, that looks great!

Anything else along those lines, only more modern? And more RPG, less FPS?

Fallout 3 or Fallout: New Vegas?


Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

And if you haven't played it, go for Dishonored. Can't recommend it highly enough. A bit RPG-lite but it makes up for that with oodles of atmosphere.

And you can possess people.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jackstarr on 11 February, 2014, 04:26:39 PM
Fallout 3 is indeed an excellent game, but I don't know that it fills the brief of spaceship horror - and it's probably even less of an RPG than System Shock 2...

If you're not familiar with the Fallout series, the 1st two are effectively turn-based top-down RPGs, good but incredibly dated now, whereas the 3rd game (by a different developer) brings it smack up to date - check out the trailer at http://vimeo.com/54537099. 

There's a DLC for it set on a spaceship, but it's more Mars Attacks than Dead Space.

Fallout New Vegas is by the developers of the first two games, but using the engine of the third.  It's more of an RPG but at the same time a lot more linear and railroaded than Fallout 3.

I've not played Vampire the Masquerade, so I can't comment on that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mimikeke on 11 February, 2014, 05:48:03 PM
Well, I actually work on the Sims at EA, so I can't really comment on anything on Dead Space.

A good game I've been playing is Wolf Among Us on PS3.  I really enjoy the Walking Dead game by Telltale, Wolf Among Us uses the same engine.  Fun if you don't really want to think and like choose-your-own-adventure type games.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 06:33:34 PM
Is there anything RPG like that set on a spaceship? More point-and-click, story/ dialogue-based as opposed to FPS style. Even if not horror.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mimikeke on 11 February, 2014, 06:47:11 PM
Have you tried Mass Effect?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 06:51:27 PM
I gave it a little go whenever it came out. Is it more strategy than shooter? What's the controls like on the PC?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 11 February, 2014, 06:55:23 PM
You'd never use a typical controller instead of the keyboard & mouse Hoo-Haa?

If you would, the Dead Space trilogy is your obvious answer.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mimikeke on 11 February, 2014, 06:59:41 PM
Well, someone else is going to have to help me here, I haven't ever played it even though we publish it haha.

I believe it's an action RPG.  It has dialogue trees which let you make a lot of decisions I think.

I'm going to guess since there are 3 it's pretty decent on PC.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 07:07:28 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 11 February, 2014, 06:55:23 PM
You'd never use a typical controller instead of the keyboard & mouse Hoo-Haa?

If you would, the Dead Space trilogy is your obvious answer.

I don't think there was the option on the copy I have, Prime. Just keyboard/ mouse.

And then there's the jerky graphics...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 07:08:09 PM
Quote from: mimikeke on 11 February, 2014, 06:59:41 PM
Well, someone else is going to have to help me here, I haven't ever played it even though we publish it haha.

I believe it's an action RPG.  It has dialogue trees which let you make a lot of decisions I think.

I'm going to guess since there are 3 it's pretty decent on PC.

I might give it another whack, if I can grab it cheap.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 11 February, 2014, 07:45:11 PM
Quote from: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 07:07:28 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 11 February, 2014, 06:55:23 PM
You'd never use a typical controller instead of the keyboard & mouse Hoo-Haa?

If you would, the Dead Space trilogy is your obvious answer.

I don't think there was the option on the copy I have, Prime. Just keyboard/ mouse.

And then there's the jerky graphics...

I believe it works ok with an X-Box 360 wireless controller, but ain't 100% sure.
If you find the graphics too jerky that can't be helped though!

You could skip to the slicker graphics of DS2...the plots so convoluted you probably won't miss much!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 11 February, 2014, 07:45:57 PM
I played all three on PC with an Xbox controller (wired 360 controller - plugs straight into USB)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 08:04:14 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 11 February, 2014, 07:45:57 PM
I played all three on PC with an Xbox controller (wired 360 controller - plugs straight into USB)

Ah... that's good to know! Thanks, doc :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 08:04:41 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 11 February, 2014, 07:45:11 PM
Quote from: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 07:07:28 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 11 February, 2014, 06:55:23 PM
You'd never use a typical controller instead of the keyboard & mouse Hoo-Haa?

If you would, the Dead Space trilogy is your obvious answer.

I don't think there was the option on the copy I have, Prime. Just keyboard/ mouse.

And then there's the jerky graphics...

I believe it works ok with an X-Box 360 wireless controller, but ain't 100% sure.
If you find the graphics too jerky that can't be helped though!

You could skip to the slicker graphics of DS2...the plots so convoluted you probably won't miss much!

DS2 does indeed appeal.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 11 February, 2014, 08:22:07 PM
Sod that.

Play Mass Effect. Play it NOW.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 11 February, 2014, 08:42:27 PM
You want space opera? You want RPG?

Hell, just looking at these has me reaching for the discs. Again. The Mass Effect 2 and 3 trailers (2 especially) are among the best trailers I've ever seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OLDN2tJp2o (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OLDN2tJp2o)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2O-0-fQOOs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2O-0-fQOOs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsdVkRli0ic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsdVkRli0ic)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: HOO-HAA on 11 February, 2014, 10:57:15 PM
Is there any value in playing the first Mass Effect first? Or could you just jump to part 2.

Also, does it work on the PC with an X Box controller?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 11 February, 2014, 11:19:22 PM
You could get away with starting with the second. A bit like you could watch Empire without Star Wars.

And it's mouse and keyboard only, but not too difficult. Like Max Payne
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: HOO-HAA on 12 February, 2014, 06:41:50 AM
Thanks again, Doc.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 04 March, 2014, 04:12:33 PM
I lurve the Mass Effect series but still have to complete the 3rd one.

Ive been playing TxK on the Vita lately and its brilliant. This must be about the 5th time Jeff Minter has remade Tempest but when its this good who gives a toss! Oh and one of the random congratulations messages you get for beating a level is "ZARJAZ!". I dont mean its great I mean it actually says "ZARJAZ!" on the screen.

I'll try and get a photo next time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Batman's Superior Cousin on 05 March, 2014, 08:19:26 PM
Broken Sword The Serpent's Curse on the PSVita
The Wolf Among Us & The Walking Dead: Season Two on the PS3
Judge Dredd vs Zombies on my Mobile
Broken Sword 2.5 on my Laptop
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 05 March, 2014, 09:05:59 PM
Stick it to the Man which is basically Pyjamarama / Everyone's A Wally but 30 years later. With great (and I mean great) comedy writing.

EDIT: On the Vita. I mostly play games on the Vita. Mostly.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 07 March, 2014, 12:06:07 PM
South Park the Stick of Truth.

Review in a nut shell? Fucking, amazing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 07 March, 2014, 03:14:40 PM
Just picked up South Park myself, looking forward to sitting down to it over the weekend. Looks like a laugh riot (although Ubisoft censoring it themselves is a bit annoying and seems a weird move).

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 07 March, 2014, 05:47:08 PM
Thief.

It's taken 10 years for the fourth game in my favourite franchise to appear and it is a big disappointment.
Compared to the previous three games it's a step backwards in terms of game play, storytelling and pretty much everything else. It doesn't even try to bring anything new to the format, it's just a shadow of the earlier games.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 08 March, 2014, 09:54:22 AM
Something fitting about that last sentence.

Though I regret how bad the new one looks as The Metal Age was my favourite game after System Shock 2. Curse the mechanists and their metal churches
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 08 March, 2014, 12:30:40 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 08 March, 2014, 09:54:22 AM
Something fitting about that last sentence.

Though I regret how bad the new one looks as The Metal Age was my favourite game after System Shock 2. Curse the mechanists and their metal churches

Not that you'll find any mention of them in the new game, they have made no effort into putting any continuity in there at all, not even in the background. The plot of this latest game is very generic and seems to have been lazily culled from other games, you can safely ignore it and just follow the waypoints to the next thing you need to nick and be no worse off for it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 08 March, 2014, 03:53:55 PM
Played a bit of the HD remake of Wind Waker.
It's a decent game for sure but there are some glaring problems that should have been sorted out. The 3D camera is atrocious, constantly putting bits of scenery in the way and blocking your view.
There are also the various tedious Zelda-isms that were already old and tiresome when this game came out first time around, namely the interminable bullshit text you have to scroll through and the awful low health alarm.
I can't understand why these games get 10 out of 10 the whole time - there are a raft of improvements that could be made and we're basically playing the same formula as was set up in A Link to the Past in the 90s.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Devons Daddy on 09 March, 2014, 01:23:05 AM
Tomb raider! The latest edition very good.
If this is 360 standard where will the one and four be in five years mind boggling!!!

Had a play on plants v zombies
BRILLANT but for a 360 or PS3 version requires a 6gb download just to play won't offer campaign. But is bloody fun to play.
A real parody of a decent shooter.

Likely a fun buy for one or four( cheap as well)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 12 March, 2014, 08:43:01 PM
Portal 2.

Amazing game. One of the best puzzle games ever created!

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 12 March, 2014, 10:15:07 PM
My better half has got me playing Pokemon Red.  If we weren't doing this together I'm not sure I'd really care that much for the game.

Also, Portal 2 is simultaneously awesome and amazing - I love that game and will even put up with Stephen Merchant's irritating voice acting as it fits the character of a mentally damaged mechanical eyeball.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 23 March, 2014, 09:38:32 PM
This week I've been mostly playing... Starcraft

The first one; thought I'd replay it before hitting Starcraft 2.

It looks okay for its age, and it plays very well. It's a bit easier than I remember but then maybe AI has moved on in the last 17 years!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 29 March, 2014, 09:03:47 AM
Thief.

It hasn't had stellar reviews - even on this thread - but I love it.
I got it after trading in the tiresome InFamous: Second Son.
Most of the negative criticisms of Thief seem to revolve around story/acting/graphics - none of which I really care about. The mechanics just work brilliantly and I could sneak about nicking stuff all day. Brilliant fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 29 March, 2014, 10:42:40 AM
JamesC - did you ever play the original Thief games?  If you did, do you think the new Thief game compares well to the first two, as far as atmosphere, etc?

As far as my game playing is concerned, still playing Rocksmith 2014 and enjoying it - never thought I'd learn to play lead guitar on "I was made for loving you" by KISS.  :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 29 March, 2014, 12:21:16 PM
No I never played the originals so I can't say how it compares I'm afraid.
What I will say is that the adventure/stealth/puzzle mechanics work as well in this as in anything else I've played - and it always seems fair which is a big deal in this sort of game.
I suppose you could say it lacks a little polish. The guards say the same few lines of dialogue over and over and the graphics won't blow you away (although they're perfectly serviceable) but none of those things affects the gameplay.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 30 March, 2014, 12:54:27 AM
Great - thanks for that.  I might have to track down the PC version and give it go!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 31 March, 2014, 12:48:24 PM
Only a taffer would pretend the original Thief didn't have repeated dialogue for the guards. It was however hilarious, particularly the odd drunk/thick voiceset.

Just finished TWD:Season 2 ep 3 and Wolf Among us: Ep 2. The former was good but certain choices were so clearly not going to work out I didn't really think about them. But they were choices I wanted so much, I just knew they wouldn't work out.... No way Kenny will manage to hit the bad guy and actually rescue people. The Fables chapter was great but I do keep wishing I didn't know what was going to happen to most of these characters. Its funny though as Bigby is the only character I really keep turning to the "..." dialogue option (i.e. words are cheap) - just seems appropriate about 90% of the time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jackstarr on 31 March, 2014, 03:56:24 PM
QuoteNo I never played the originals so I can't say how it compares I'm afraid.

Nowhere near.

QuoteWhat I will say is that the adventure/stealth/puzzle mechanics work as well in this as in anything else I've played

Thief 1 and 2 were way ahead of their time - I haven't seen a stealth game since work as well with light and sound.

One of the biggest selling points of the original is the immersion - you feel as though you're there - the sound plays such a big part in the game, and the tension is really ramped up in tight situations.   The new game has none of this tension - attention to sound as a game mechanic is lackluster, and you need to rely on the HUD to make progress rather than your surroundings.  Turning off the HUD doesn't help, as the game has been designed with the HUD in mind, drawing attention to the lack of freedom in the level design. 

I can appreciate the mechanics for what they are, but for my money Thief and Thief 2 are still far superior - far more sophisticated, but at the same time much tighter.  The new Thief comes across as a remake of Thief 3 for the ADHD crowd.

QuoteIt was however hilarious, particularly the odd drunk/thick voiceset.
Yep, even with the repetition the voices were great.  The new game lacks character across the board.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 31 March, 2014, 08:49:51 PM
Bravely Default on 3DS.

It's nice and all, but it's just not rocking my world like I thought it would - to be honest I'm finding it a bit of a drag.

I had heard this was effectively an old-school Final Fantasy game in all but name, and I like repetitive JRPGs, but it just seems a bit limited. There are seemingly only four playable characters, and the skill progression is achingly slow and a bit bland - there's nowhere near as much customisation and tinkering as I was hoping for - something along the lines of FFVII's 'materia' system. There's a hell of a lot of backtracking and the gameworld feels very small and underpopulated as a result.

I also find the somewhat twee style a bit grating, and the script and characters are dismal. I mean, the stories in these games are almost always incoherent, convoluted gibberish but at least they usually have a certain charm to them.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 01 April, 2014, 10:04:30 AM
Playing Thief as well at the moment, and I'm going to put my hand up and admit to loving it too.

Never played the originals (I got this on the strength of the studio's Deus Ex game, which I adored) so not really comparing it to anything, and I'm finding it's really, really tense and very absorbing.

The repeating audio lines are a real niggle, because it's not a case of reusing assets, I'm getting an actual bug where the same conversation will just repeat infinitely end to end, which is grating if you're spending a while in an area. The map hub city is a real pain to get around too, a lot of it just feels really unintuitive, like I can never see how I'm supposed to get from A to B or whether the window I'm about to open will just be a small interior or will load in a new hub area. So that's a bit of a pain.

The missions themselves though are great, I played what I guess you'd call the 'horror' level last night and found it really scary, the way they sustain the tension without resorting to chases and fights (a pitfall a lot of horror games fall into in my opinion) is really impressive.

I'm not going to call it a stone cold classic or anything, but I picked it up half price on XB1 and feel like I've got a bit of a bargain.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 01 April, 2014, 10:32:59 AM
I really had a hankering for Dark Souls again last night, but seem to have mislaid my copy.  Shame, as I needed some laid back tactical swordplay.

Instead, (ignoring the unplayed copies of Assassins Cereed: Brotherhood, Saints Row IV and Colonial Marines, and about 10 other titles in my gaming pile of shame) I decided to have another bash at Fallout: New Vegas.  This was a title I picked up and got bored with very quickly originally, as I was expecting it to have the same vibe as Fallout 3, but was really put off by the cowboy music and feel. 

Anyway, needless to say, I get very involved in it, lost track of time, and am using paper clips to prop open my eyes in work this morning.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 01 April, 2014, 10:57:47 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 01 April, 2014, 10:04:30 AM
Playing Thief as well at the moment, and I'm going to put my hand up and admit to loving it too.

Never played the originals (I got this on the strength of the studio's Deus Ex game, which I adored) so not really comparing it to anything, and I'm finding it's really, really tense and very absorbing.

The repeating audio lines are a real niggle, because it's not a case of reusing assets, I'm getting an actual bug where the same conversation will just repeat infinitely end to end, which is grating if you're spending a while in an area. The map hub city is a real pain to get around too, a lot of it just feels really unintuitive, like I can never see how I'm supposed to get from A to B or whether the window I'm about to open will just be a small interior or will load in a new hub area. So that's a bit of a pain.

The missions themselves though are great, I played what I guess you'd call the 'horror' level last night and found it really scary, the way they sustain the tension without resorting to chases and fights (a pitfall a lot of horror games fall into in my opinion) is really impressive.

I'm not going to call it a stone cold classic or anything, but I picked it up half price on XB1 and feel like I've got a bit of a bargain.

That horror level was bloody terrifying!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mogzilla on 01 April, 2014, 11:25:40 AM
Playing the witcher 2:assasin of kings again as I rushed through the first time so trying to take my time and discover more stuff. the flotsam level area still bugged me for some reason so I ploughed through that and now am enjoying the atmosphere of a medieval encampment.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 01 April, 2014, 12:43:44 PM
Battleblock Theatre, I got key for the pc beta test. I already have it on xblive but whose pants can resist 1,000,000,000p resolution and mind blowingly realistic hair simulations.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 01 April, 2014, 01:21:09 PM
Finished the main story of South Park The Stick of Truth last night. Anyone who's a fan of the series but had resevations about this based on speculation alone should drop it right now and buy it. It perfectly captures the visuel and environmental feel of the series. Oh, and it's piss your pants funny.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 01 April, 2014, 01:55:37 PM
Not sure whether this belongs here or in "What's everyone reading?", but I recently finished playing the first installment of Steve Jackson's Sorcery! on the iPad. Great fun, apart from the annoying fighting system. The best bit being that you can now stick an infinite number of fingers in pages containing the choices you didn't make...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mogzilla on 01 April, 2014, 07:55:47 PM
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 01 April, 2014, 01:21:09 PM
Finished the main story of South Park The Stick of Truth last night. Anyone who's a fan of the series but had resevations about this based on speculation alone should drop it right now and buy it. It perfectly captures the visuel and environmental feel of the series. Oh, and it's piss your pants funny.


wanting this after I watched a walkthrough of the start can you bleep the effs and jeffs? or itll be another game I can only play when the nippers fast asleep without getting told off by the missus.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 01 April, 2014, 11:34:41 PM
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 01 April, 2014, 01:21:09 PM
Finished the main story of South Park The Stick of Truth last night. Anyone who's a fan of the series but had resevations about this based on speculation alone should drop it right now and buy it. It perfectly captures the visuel and environmental feel of the series. Oh, and it's piss your pants funny.

I'm still not paying 40 quid for it no matter how good it is, PC Gaming Master Race plays at a discount or not at all.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jackstarr on 03 April, 2014, 03:31:03 PM
I've just finished playing Shelter.

I'm an emotional wreck right now.

:'(

If you haven't played it yet (if played is the correct word to use, it's more of an experience) it's on sale for £1.74 on Steam - http://store.steampowered.com/app/244710/. 

It's a very short game, less than two hours long, and shorter if you don't get lost, or freak out when one of your babies dies.

When you make it to the end, make sure you watch for the post-credits sequence.  :'(
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Bobblehead on 03 April, 2014, 03:45:59 PM

I've also just played South Park: The Stick of Truth on the PS3 after I bought it off my mate for £20. I'll admit I havent watched the show itself in years so the majority of in-jokes went over my head but I still thought it was a very funny,well made game.
I thought it was clever how they made it into an RPG too with the kids playing Humans v Jew Elves that just gets out of hand.
Theres loads of little extra quests and hidden collectables to get but I should probably mention that even with all the extra stuff to do that it only took me 13hours to do everything, I imagine if you skip all the side quests then the games only got a very short life span, definatly not worth 40 quid anyway but if you can find it cheap please,please pick it up,its very very funny    :D

  I managed to trade it in for £26 store credit to and got Tales of Symphonia HD collection. Its supposed to be a rejigged version of the old Gamecube classic, but if im honest I cant tell the difference. Some of the character models look better in some cut scenes but the world map travelling looks awful (or amazing retro if your fond of the old game). They could have put some voices into the skits too,it all feels very lifeless. Im enjoying the game but after ive played Graces and Xillia this just feels very archaic (is that the word?), still it brings back some fond memories of the old game and I havent even played the second game you get with it yet so ive still got that to look forward too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 04 April, 2014, 06:35:11 PM
FTL -> Anyone have any thoughts?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 04 April, 2014, 07:56:17 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 04 April, 2014, 06:35:11 PM
FTL -> Anyone have any thoughts?

Pain. In a good way. Well worth buying
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 04 April, 2014, 08:23:59 PM
That's out on iPad now - I may have to give it a go!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 09 April, 2014, 10:45:10 AM
Bought it.

So many deaths.

So many attempts.

I will conquer this game. I think I may rename the next one Justice One.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 09 April, 2014, 11:05:57 AM
Got FTL a while back, booted it up when I was pretty groggy and halfway through the tutorial I decided I couldn't cope with it at that point! Haven't been back since, but keep meaning to. It just seems so stressful!

Speaking of stressful, just played through Hotline Miami on the Vita, loved it on PC and I liked this version even more. Great game, can't wait for the sequel.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 10 April, 2014, 11:47:04 AM
Its not so bad, its very very simple and 70% of the time your tactics will be largely static rather than reactive.

Until your missile misses and gives them an extra shot at you. Or an asteroid blows up your weapons room. Or a boarding party teleports straight into your shield room. Or you divert power from the oxygen reserves and forget to put it back on. Or you run out of fuel two jumps from the sector exit and the rebel fleet catches up with you.

Fun. I managed to get to the last boss and owned it twice before being blown away on its last round. Since then a series of misfortunes has crippled every attempt... had a fine crew and a fine ship with a cloaking device last night, suddenly lost two crew to a boarding drone + fire. Bastards. Maybe the surviving engineer can pilot the ship to the next station...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 14 April, 2014, 09:23:24 PM
After 100 deaths, I have conquered FTL with several ships. On Easy mode.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 14 April, 2014, 10:36:10 PM
Dark Souls II. I don't know why I do it to myself. It was only because my left hand involuntarily leapt out and caught it that stopped my right hand slinging the controller through the fucking telly.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Bobblehead on 15 April, 2014, 08:58:11 AM

Also playing Dark Souls 2.

I actually complained to my mate yesterday that im finding it too easy,compared to Demon Souls and Dark Souls anyway.I mean,its not an easy game compared to most,just easier than its predecessors. The bosses all seem to be the same sort of thing - humanoid style monster with melee attacks that i can just roll back from and pewpew to death. Hopefully these are just a warm up and the big end of level bosses are Uber tough. Still,the area with the poison mists is the very infuriating and it took me 3 hours to find out how to level my guy as I couldnt find the usual person to talk too  :-[
I imagine i'll be throwing my controller about before long though too shaolin_monkey  ;)

Great game though!
 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 15 April, 2014, 11:47:57 AM
The only boss I've been able to take down is the giant wood thing at the bottom of that lift. I've found three other bosses: a floating knight with a magic attack, a knight with a huge axe, and one in a cathedral. All of them wipe the floor with me in two hits. I've given up for the moment. I may have to look at some YouTube vids and see how others have fared.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Bobblehead on 16 April, 2014, 03:48:59 PM

Ah ok, I wasn't trying to brag about it by saying it was easy btw,maybe its because I spent so many hours on the previous two that im just so used to what to do! As a caster ive found that just rolling around and shooting soul arrows at them when theyre doing their combo melee attacks seems to work wonders. Also if your human you can summon npcs using the golden summon signs or helpful players,usually found outside boss areas. I imagine theres plenty of videos for it though, stick at it! :D
  Im finding that the game is massive, at least double the size of the last one, and its getting harder now, i was screaming at the tv last night haha.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 16 April, 2014, 04:25:39 PM
There's currently a Steam sale on the very fun Lego Games - some of them are absurdly cheap - including the new Marvel one :O
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 16 April, 2014, 04:59:26 PM
I bought the first Dark Souls a while ago but haven't had time to play it yet.

I'm wary of it, but also morbidly curious to see how hard it can really be...

If it's as hard as something like the PS2/Xbox Ninja Gaiden I'll probably end up passing on it, but I'm intrigued.

Though I do think that the success of Dark/Demon's Souls and games like Day Z does indicate that there's a large percentage of gamers out there who are a bit fed up with excessively easy and hand-holdy modern games - I feel like games have really lost that sense on exploration they used to have. FPS games used to be like a maze you had to navigate, now they're just linear corridors full of exploding barrels.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 16 April, 2014, 05:37:50 PM
I see there's a new Trials game out. I adore this series but the decision to sci-fi it up is baffling, and off-putting - to me. Though they have added tricks, which is something I've wanted them to do since the first game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 16 April, 2014, 08:59:04 PM
I've ordered Trials Fusion Deluxe Edition after playing a preview at a work event. I absolutely loved it - so fun. I'm not sure they've Sci-fyed it as much as realised that the skin of the game doesn't actually effect the gameplay one iota. Have fun with the design, I say.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 16 April, 2014, 11:34:48 PM
Checked FTL out based on chatter on previous pages - good game, but not much depth to it despite some fun micromanaging-based gameplay, and perhaps far too many random brick walls for the game to run into.  Yes, you'll think nothing of clicking "replay" and starting from scratch when your crew buys the farm two jumps away from finishing the last sector, but equally that means that failure is an inevitable component of long-term play.
Good fun while it lasts.

King Kong on PS2 - played on a whim while pulling Rogue Trooper off a shelf, and it sure does look its age, which is a shame as it's actually a solid, immersive gaming experience even now if you can get past resolution so low that I had to stop playing after an hour when my eyes were literally watering.  No on-screen HUD, no energy bars, no lives, no score, just a very playable first-person action adventure with heavy doses of retro-pulp fantasy.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrinningChimera on 17 April, 2014, 09:38:42 AM
Back on board for another play through of GTAV. This time doing the other option on all of the heist missions to see what happens differently. If you have already beat the game and not played in a while I recommend picking it up again and playing it this way. Still waiting for a patch with hydraulic suspension for vehicles though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Monarch on 19 April, 2014, 03:11:12 PM
south park the stick of truth a game so awesome theres a trophy you can get by beating up meth addicts dressed as the main character of breaking bad
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 19 April, 2014, 03:19:04 PM
Professor, I quite enjoyed King Kong back when it came out. Some levels were quite poor (and I didn't like the last chunk of it) but as far as movie tie-ins go it's one of the better ones I reckon.

Been playing Trials Fusion myself Radiator, and after a shakey first impression I'm loving it now. Wasn't keen on the look of it either, but it plays into the track design quite well (there are sort of cybery something or other levels where the track tiles move around or get swapped out while you drive which is quite cool). Gameplay-wise it's still the Trials we know and love thankfully. A little unpolished - my girlfriend managed to break the game on her first try by crossing the finish line upside down, the game couldn't figure out whether it was a pass or a crash so just sat there unresponsive.

Also the announcer dialogue is very, very grating so I keep meaning to have a look to see if it can be switched off (I'm sure that'll be an option). It's okay to hear the first time, but certain lines are scripted to play at certain points on tracks every single time. When it's a game geared around constantly replaying small chunks to nail jumps and get medals and stuff, having those lines repeat like that is just unforgivable, and if you have to repeat a tricky section a couple of dozen times and hear that smarmy git say the same unamusing nonsense every time it really adds a layer of frustration.

Other than that really liking it, the friends leaderboards are well integrated so beating your friends' times is a fun pursuit, and there's the track editor content sitting there so feasibly you'll never run out of tracks to play. A good purchase I reckon (and kudos to Microsoft - I accidentally bought it on 360 instead of XB1 but they were really nice about it and agreed to refund me this one time, they didn't stop the purchase going through though so I've now got it digitally on both platforms which I guess is a bonus. Shame I can't give the extra copy to someone).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 19 April, 2014, 04:24:31 PM
My biggest problem with FTL is the boss fight. Boss fights should be a test of everything you've learned up to that point in the game, but in FTL, the tactics you've been using the whole way through the game are depressingly ineffective against the boss. It's more like a seperate mini-game
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 19 April, 2014, 05:45:53 PM
Depends how you've been playing it to that point, as if you've stuck to the same basic ballistic/beam weapons strategy you start out with by necessity, you won't last long.  Ion weapons to disable drones/shields and deploying drones of your own is the most efficient offensive tactic that doesn't run afoul of chance, and remember to upgrade your doors if you don't like dealing with boarding parties.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 19 April, 2014, 08:59:59 PM
That's kind of my point. The first time you come up against the boss, the fairly straight forward approach doesn't work at all. It's not so much a difficulty curve as a wall, and it takes a while to figure out how to break it down
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 19 April, 2014, 10:16:25 PM
Well it really depends on how good your straightforward capabilities are. I had 2 burst lasers mk2, a breach bomb and a 4 second ion gun. Enough firepower to keep their systems down.

Straight up shooting is a fragile tactic though. Killing the crew and keeping one of the gunners alive is best way of dealing with the boss.

First upgrade I get is doors, saves so much trouble.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mogzilla on 19 April, 2014, 11:07:07 PM
just had to play dredd vs death again after the dredd vs zombies one  :D still fun how about a hd remake/polish for xbox live?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 21 April, 2014, 03:58:30 PM
Quote from: The monarch on 19 April, 2014, 03:11:12 PM
south park the stick of truth a game so awesome theres a trophy you can get by beating up meth addicts dressed as the main character of breaking bad

[spoiler] I've purchased the game and have been playing that game as well and didn't know that. I believe I had played through that part already. It's in the spare room accessed through Kenny's Garage. Yes, I won that scenario, but I not quite sure what my character...a Wizard was wearing or if class effects what clothing and parts that can be worn. It was during the part where he back at school to rescue a future party member from Detention and all the Hall Monitors were Gingers and my character had amassed a small collection of Ginger Haired wigs and assorted freckles that could be added..so I decided to dress him up as a Ginger as much as I could with what I had found and despite eventually completing that mission. I was awarded no special achievements for it. I think by the time I had got him to fight off the Meth Addicts (All three adults....) He was wearing the Wife-Beater tank-top. The Spikey or [/b]Slicked-Back-Black-Hair-Wigs[/b] and the Pointed-Goateed-Beard. I forget what else He was wearing but by the time he fought the Bard for the Stick-Of-Truth. He was dressed as either Elven-Archer (Minus the Pointed-Ears...they were never available as a option...) or Druid.

Anyway, while I have a lot to say about this game......I will say just this......I didn't like it at first, and it took a second play for it to grow on me......

When I had last stopped playing it . I was stuck on the Alien Space ship fighting three Aliens and they were guarding the control panel that releases the first or second victim from the Anal-Probing. (I'm playing the Australian version where all the really raunchy Alien probing is shown. Thing is the Australian or International Censorship Board probably won't be able to stop me from seeing all the censored content uploaded to You-Tube.) I think it's either Randy (The dark haired fellow with a mo...he's one of the dads...) or the Homeless-Dude that is released first.

Though I can't get my character past these three Aliens. Two of them are dressed as Security Guards and one of them is in charge. He or it has more apellations on it's costume. The third one is completely naked or may not be if that's a full body alien suit it's wearing. While the regular Security Alien stand in front of the other two and puts up a Phase-Shield in front of his own body (I'm unsure wether this protect s him and the other two behind him or just him.) He either physically hits my character or uses some sort of telepathic mind-blasting where he throws pinkish globes from his mind at my character. Then the Superior Alien with more flair (It is standing behind both of the other two, so it is right at the back...) would either do the same telepathic mind blast attack it's inferior just did or it does a special Rage based physical attack on my character where it runs past both other Aliens and hits my character several times. (By this stage my character would be dead already...so I know something is wrong with my game...) and then the Alien in the middle wearing nothing. (Apparently.) Will either try the same Telepathic Mind Based attack or if it's the second round of combat and my character is still alive, then he will heal himself and the other two if they've taken damage. As for my character, he would be wearing the Spacesuit and Helmet along with the Laser-Rifle and the Crutch-Of-Weakness taken from the Bard. These weapons appeared to not damage the Aliens so much and I always went for the tough one at the back first, but to no avail. Then I recall that I was given a hint by either Randy or the Homeless-Dude on the coms that I should get my character to use Lightening attacks. So, I equipped him with his first Wand of Lightening or Shock and then I tried the Flaming Wand or Sword with the Strap-On that gives it another 10 points of shock and another one that did bleeding damage. Then I equipped the Dodge-Ball that did 20 points flame damage and then I tried the Elven Bow. (This is all from memory.) Though none of these things made much difference.

I think it's because I had neglected to complete all the side quests before acquiring the Stick-Of-Truth. Maybe I should start again and do them first. I do recall not being able to hand Mr-Slave quest when I had decided to start and complete other quests before I had handed that one in and that was after I had performed Mr-Slave's quest without actually handing it in. So, I think it got broken, because of the way I was handling it and then there was quest where we had to finally confront the Bard
another quest that had to be started and finished where Mr-Slaves's house is (Yes, It's also a drinking establishment called The-Pickled-Donkey (Or Something like that!).) (Triple or Quadruple Parenthesis again....do I get a prize for that?). Yes, I think the game is broken or becomes broken when you do what I did and I couldn't get my character to enter Mr-Slaves house to hand that one in when I wanted to and then after the Bard was defeated.....the game sucks you right in to the part where your character is dragged aboard a alien space ship.

So, how do I get my character past those aliens?

Does completing all the side quests allow him to amass enough or the right equipment and experience to successfully get past the aliens?[/spoiler]

Why do the Alien's go Moo all the time?

Have they some connection with cows?

Were they once cows?

Do they only speak the language of cows, because they are a favourite test subject?

Is there a return of the Mr-Slave's Anal-Burrowing Rodent from that episode?

I am looking forward to finding Jesus and getting access to his special attack ability.

As I found him on a late night episode of South-Park being murdered by Karl while in a jail cell and then radiantly resurrect outside within a crowd of people to assassinate the Pope with a thrown many bladed dagger (A prop taken from the film Krull.) before slipping on a pair of shades after he strikes a deadly pose. This scene searching for on You-Tube if you can get the whole sequence.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 21 April, 2014, 11:14:07 PM
I haven't actually played it yet but I've just discovered a whole bunch of Cave stuff for the iPad, including Dodonpachi Resurrection. I know it's going to be impossible to control properly but I can't stop myself from buying it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 21 April, 2014, 11:27:23 PM
Sat down for a quick go on Dragonball Z Force Unleashed 2, and finished it a couple of hours later.  Not the longest game ever, but entertaining while it lasts and when it isn't glitching: I died about five times throughout the entire game, three of which were because the game restarted after a cut scene and my character was falling to his doom somewhere, and the other two were from the final boss, which glitched at the very last QTE sequence twice in a row prompting a restart, which wasn't the greatest solution because the bosses aren't difficult so much as they are boring - I know it's Vader and he's supposed to be the super-bad of the franchise, but it felt like I was just hammering the triangle button for a half hour.  Not sure about your character being from the planet Krypton, either.  Still, I suppose not every game storyline has to be The Last Of Us.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Monarch on 23 April, 2014, 09:53:05 PM
to answer

to get the breaking bad achievement you need to wear evil cartman beard and a bald cap while beating the meth heads

ginger: you need to beat the boss hall monitor wearing ginger freckles the ginger kids drop when beat

to beat the aliens you need to abuse the heck out of electric shock weapons

they moo due to thinking cows are earths dominant species

lemmiwinks is a friend you can make but hes easily missable
[spoiler]the whole mister slave episode is sorta kinda part of the plot near the end of the game and you can summon mr slave in his ass its a trophy[/spoiler]

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 03 May, 2014, 12:04:33 PM
Hearthstone on the iPad.
Has anyone played this? It's a virtual CCG and is really good fun and seems really well balanced. I'm not very good but I'm really enjoying it! It was a free download and I haven't even made any in-app purchases yet - haven't needed to.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Bobblehead on 06 May, 2014, 03:43:10 PM

I enjoyed Hearthstone. Its free to play but sorta encourages you to want to buy virtual boosters using real money to get those rare cards to make your decks better. That kinda thing annoys me but the choice of spending real cash is all yours I suppose. I chose not too and still had some fun games in the match-ups.      The arena is fun too,but it requires 150 coins to enter and so could only play a couple of times unless I either did some quests everyday (beat x number of opponents using a certain character) or bought some coins. Still,its a fun little game and wasted a few hours :-)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 06 May, 2014, 10:01:38 PM
Downloaded retro classic Super Mario World on the WiiU recently, and man I'd forgotten what a unforgiving bitch this game can be.
Frustrating in a wonderful, wonderful way.

Thank god I remembered where the 'Top Secret Area' was...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 06 May, 2014, 10:05:34 PM
Super Mario World is nothing compared to Super Mario Bros 1 and 3 in terms of how hard/frustrating it is. And let's not even discuss The Lost Levels...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 06 May, 2014, 10:11:11 PM
I dunno Radiator, the Secret Exit hunt can become obsessively soul destroying.

And I was able to complete Super Mario Bros in around 15 minutes before my left bollick dropped!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 06 May, 2014, 10:30:36 PM
The only bit of SMW I find challenging is the secret zone with all those levels called things like 'Gnarly' and 'Tubular'. Otherwise it's infinitely more forgiving than the 8-bit Marios.

I know it's fashionable to prefer SMB3 over World, but I could never really love that game, mainly because you couldn't save your progress.

The game we know as 'Super Mario Bros. 2' is and always has been gash.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 06 May, 2014, 10:38:03 PM
Quote from: radiator on 06 May, 2014, 10:30:36 PM
The game we know as 'Super Mario Bros. 2' is and always has been gash.

Somebody hurt you in 1989.
This much we know for sure.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 07 May, 2014, 07:32:03 AM
Quote from: radiator on 06 May, 2014, 10:30:36 PM
The only bit of SMW I find challenging is the secret zone with all those levels called things like 'Gnarly' and 'Tubular'. Otherwise it's infinitely more forgiving than the 8-bit Marios.

I know it's fashionable to prefer SMB3 over World, but I could never really love that game, mainly because you couldn't save your progress.

The game we know as 'Super Mario Bros. 2' is and always has been gash.

I really like SMB2. It was pretty inventive at the time and back then I liked the fact that the sequel was very different from the previous game. And, of course, nobody knew that it wasn't really SMB.
I'm interested to know why you don't like it. The character select was great and made a big difference to how the game played, there are loads of secrets and the core mechanic of lifting and throwing works well. What's not to like?

I've always thought they should incorporate more of the elements of SMB2 into what has become a pretty stale series.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 07 May, 2014, 10:34:00 AM
Super Mario World is king!

You have Yoshi. You have multicoloured Yoshis. You have the cape.

You have beautiful 16 bit graphics.

What is not to like.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 07 May, 2014, 11:02:57 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 07 May, 2014, 10:34:00 AM
Super Mario World is king!

You have Yoshi. You have multicoloured Yoshis. You have the cape.

You have beautiful 16 bit graphics.

What is not to like.

I never really got on with Super Mario World. I know it's a quality game but it just seemed like they'd over-complicated things. I wasn't a fan of Yoshi or the spin jump.

Mind you, I'm not the biggest Mario fan. I don't like Mario 64, Sunshine or 3D World either.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 07 May, 2014, 01:34:47 PM
I can see that these are great games but do you know what? I get bored after about 20 or 30 stars.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 07 May, 2014, 01:46:02 PM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 07 May, 2014, 01:34:47 PM
I can see that these are great games but do you know what? I get bored after about 20 or 30 stars.

I get bored of you after 2 or 3 pints! And WTF is up with not liking Mario 64??? That was in Gforce window for a year prior to the N64 getting released and I used to go every Saturday to just stare in amazement.

I had to sell Mario World as I had 3 secret levels left to find and my dad accidently deleted my save. 20 years later and I still cast it up now and again.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 07 May, 2014, 02:32:14 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 07 May, 2014, 01:46:02 PM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 07 May, 2014, 01:34:47 PM
I can see that these are great games but do you know what? I get bored after about 20 or 30 stars.

I get bored of you after 2 or 3 pints! And WTF is up with not liking Mario 64??? That was in Gforce window for a year prior to the N64 getting released and I used to go every Saturday to just stare in amazement.

I had to sell Mario World as I had 3 secret levels left to find and my dad accidently deleted my save. 20 years later and I still cast it up now and again.

The NES Mario games were instantly accessible arcade platform games. Mario 64 was a sort of single player adventure which wasn't what I wanted from Mario (and still don't) and the graphics are ugly as hell (just like the majority of N64 games).
If I do want to play a single player cartoon styled adventure game I'll take one of the Monster World games over Mario, Zelda or just about anything. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 07 May, 2014, 03:31:51 PM
Every 'key' Mario game is a different degree of genius.
It's a series I've followed consistently since I started gaming more than 25 years ago, and I've genuinely never been let down.

Regarding Mario 64- for me this was a milestone not only in the series, but in gaming itself.
It's the very blueprint for 3D platforming, and is hugely entertaining.
Definitely in my all time top 10.

I quite liked the N64 graphics at the time on many games- but that was 1998!
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 07 May, 2014, 03:56:24 PM
Ok, I was trolling a bit there, but I honestly never liked SMB2. I only played it via Mario All Stars and I think it not originally being a Mario game was already common knowledge by then, though even if it wasn't, it always seemed like the black sheep to me. Could never really get a handle on the structure or mechanics and it always felt quite tedious and lacking in tightness compared to the others.

I personally think World is the peak of 2D Mario - though I can understand the point of view of it being too complicated - for me it's Yoshi's Island (the SNES one) that over egged the formula (pun partially intended). I know a lot of people love that game but it didn't click with me at all.

Though all the 'core' games with the exception of perhaps Sunshine are varying degrees of great, Mario 64 was, for me, the last truly essential Mario game. Though it doesn't really capture the freewheeling gymnastics of the 2D originals, it's special in its own way.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 07 May, 2014, 04:04:32 PM
I found the recent 3D World to be really overblown. It had some silly cut scene at the beginning which got on my nerves (if any game doesn't need a cut scene surely it's Mario) and once the actual game started I thought there were too many upgrades. Seriously, you could be cat-Mario for 99% of the time I played. Also, the Goombas and Koopas didn't seem to pose any threat - they were just there to add to the Mario-ness.
In the old games the upgrades were precious. Even if you had plenty in stock in Mario 3 a tough level could wipe you out. The Goombas and Koopas (along with other enemies) were always a genuine threat in the old games because of their fiendish placement.

This sounds like an 'everything was better in the old days' post. Generally I don't feel like that about gaming but I think the immediacy of old games is something that's been lost. I'd add repetition to that too. I like the fact that in old Mario games you start from the beginning each time - you challenge yourself to get as far as possible without losing lives, or to get as high a score as possible or finish a level in record time.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 07 May, 2014, 04:10:13 PM
Quote from: radiator on 07 May, 2014, 03:56:24 PM
I only played it via Mario All Stars and I think it not originally being a Mario game was already common knowledge by then, though even if it wasn't, it always seemed like the black sheep to me.

I think this makes a huge difference. When I played it there were only 2 sheep to compare!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 07 May, 2014, 04:43:39 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 07 May, 2014, 04:04:32 PM
I found the recent 3D World to be really overblown. It had some silly cut scene at the beginning which got on my nerves (if any game doesn't need a cut scene surely it's Mario) and once the actual game started I thought there were too many upgrades. Seriously, you could be cat-Mario for 99% of the time I played. Also, the Goombas and Koopas didn't seem to pose any threat - they were just there to add to the Mario-ness.
In the old games the upgrades were precious. Even if you had plenty in stock in Mario 3 a tough level could wipe you out. The Goombas and Koopas (along with other enemies) were always a genuine threat in the old games because of their fiendish placement.

This sounds like an 'everything was better in the old days' post. Generally I don't feel like that about gaming but I think the immediacy of old games is something that's been lost. I'd add repetition to that too. I like the fact that in old Mario games you start from the beginning each time - you challenge yourself to get as far as possible without losing lives, or to get as high a score as possible or finish a level in record time.

Though I haven't played 3D World, I broadly agree, and I think you've hit upon that paradox that I often go on about - the fact that games are too easy nowadays. An element of challenge is essential for many players for a game to hold their attention, but at the same time, people's attention spans are much shorter nowadays, so developers are shit-scared of making their games too hard and risk the player giving up entirely. I know some folk like to just play through a game on the easiest setting just to 'enjoy the story' but I couldn't think of anything more boring. It's the same with FPS games - they used to be like complex mazes you had to negotiate, now they're little more than corridors full of pop-up targets to shoot. There's no easy answer how to get around it, unfortunately.

I agree with you wholeheartedly about Mario in particular - the old games always made you feel like you were sprinting across a tightrope - one slip and you'd be a goner. The balance between tantalisingly fragile power (the scarce fire flowers, feathers and precious precious mushrooms) and your vulnerability was absolutely key to the games. Now they throw loads of stuff at you constantly and are for the most part a cakewalk. It grinds my gears when you somehow manage to die on a certain section in one of the recent games and the game patronises you by giving you a free raccoon leaf of power star. And yeah, I know the extra/bonus levels in 3D Land are apparently quite hard, but that's no good to me if I'm already bored of the game before you get to them. Agree totally about cut-scenes too. 'The Princess is in another castle' is all the 'story' I need.

Said it before, but I'd love Nintendo to do a new 2D Mario that is every bit as unforgiving as the old games. They could market it on that very point, call it 'Mario Dark' or 'Evil Mario' or some shit.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 07 May, 2014, 04:49:22 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 07 May, 2014, 04:10:13 PM
Quote from: radiator on 07 May, 2014, 03:56:24 PM
I only played it via Mario All Stars and I think it not originally being a Mario game was already common knowledge by then, though even if it wasn't, it always seemed like the black sheep to me.

I think this makes a huge difference. When I played it there were only 2 sheep to compare!

All true, World was the first one I really played, then I got Mario All Stars after that. As a result I always found SMB3 slightly too punishing and obtuse, and couldn't make head nor tale of SMB2. I also can't remember if you could save your progress on any of them.

I downloaded SMB3 on the 3DS recently, and was a bit dismayed it was just the NES original - which I always thought a very ugly game (as all NES games are) and there are no saves, other than the easily-abused save state.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 07 May, 2014, 04:52:55 PM
Quotegames are too easy nowadays

Should also stress that I don't necessarily want games to be as hard as they used to be, either. 99% of old games were just spitefully hard, which is why so few games tend to age well. I played Mega Man 2 the other day, and it's borderline unplayable now.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 07 May, 2014, 05:41:42 PM
Oh I take back my glowing memories of Super Mario World.

SMB3 is probably the superior game with its Hammer Brothers, back up powers and more.

However I personally played most of Super Mario Bros 2 for the gameboy, which was great. Particularly the water levels and where you got really really small. Also had a huge fondness for Wario and his money grubbing ways.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 11 May, 2014, 02:23:50 PM
Trying to regain any interest in Assassin's Creed 5.

Follow that guy. Follow this guy. Listen to conversation. Stab someone. Listen. Follow. Follow. Stab. Listen. Listen. Follow. Stab. Stab. Listen. Follow. Listen. Stab... etc etc. Even the sea battles become repetitive quickly. Variation knows no home in AC 5.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 11 May, 2014, 11:05:19 PM
Football manager. It's constantly entertaining
(http://i.imgur.com/5m0YhxL.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 12 May, 2014, 04:23:01 AM
Many of my friends have a bad dose of Football Manager. A few claim to don a suit for cup finals. I remember hearing a story about a fella who played the same edition for several years. He sunk an ungodly amount of time into it, which I understand is de rigueur for this aficianados of this game. Won the English League and European Cup a few dozen times. He loved this game, he was really good at it too. Until he officially reprimanded his highest paid player* for getting too big for his boots, so the board of directors* fired him. He took the disc out and went down to his shed** to get his hammer**. He was screwed by conflated spreadsheets.

*Virtual

**Real
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: PsychoGoatee on 12 May, 2014, 05:52:14 AM
Tesla Effect, the new Tex Murphy game, so awesome. Hard boiled gumshoe in 2050, mutants, noir, live-action cutscenes, this game rocks my face.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 12 May, 2014, 07:45:58 AM
Finished The Last of Us last night.

I enjoyed it. Enjoyed it tremendously, in fact. But it wasn't a game - it was an interactive movie. So many games are these days.

And, for all its accolades, it was a Z-list movie at that.

In fact, the only games machines that I can think of are the Wii U, Vita and 3DS. By game, I mean something abstract and replayable where the emphasis is on learning rules to overcome a set of repeatable obstacles.

I am also mildly astonished to find that I have 38 PC titles (excluding Skyrim) on Steam and 15 PS3 games (including GTA V) to play through. As I take a couple of months, say 6 weeks, to play a game - that means I ain't getting a PS4 for a few years.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 12 May, 2014, 10:34:06 AM
Ha!  tell me about it!  I keep adding to my bloody Steam games - it was Bioshock Infinite last night, for £6.  I had to delete a shitload of barely played Steam-bought games from my hardrive just to fit it on.

Bioshock Infinite looks interesting (played about 30 mins yesterday) - the 3D on it is good, if anyone has an nVidia 3D vision setup.  It gave me mild motion sickness, although that may have been due to high convergence settings.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 12 May, 2014, 11:13:19 AM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 12 May, 2014, 04:23:01 AM
Many of my friends have a bad dose of Football Manager. A few claim to don a suit for cup finals. I remember hearing a story about a fella who played the same edition for several years. He sunk an ungodly amount of time into it, which I understand is de rigueur for this aficianados of this game. Won the English League and European Cup a few dozen times. He loved this game, he was really good at it too. Until he officially reprimanded his highest paid player* for getting too big for his boots, so the board of directors* fired him. He took the disc out and went down to his shed** to get his hammer**. He was screwed by conflated spreadsheets.

*Virtual

**Real

It's like Pokemon, The Sims, Command & Conquer and the most grindiest JRPG had a baby but it was badly deformed and a spreadsheet and smothered in meth and also made entirely of numbers and someone tacked fifa 96 match engine on to it
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 12 May, 2014, 11:33:06 AM
I'm on my 3rd playthrough of Thief on XB1 just now. I know the game got pretty slated, and it is incredibly rough around the edges. There was one bug where the timestamps on the game saves didn't allow for the clocks changing, so for about 4 days the game couldn't be played, which was probably the worst bug I've hit on something I've bought for a while. The weakest area technically is the audio side, so I'm really having to put my blinkers on and ignore all the issues (multiple instances of the same line of ambient dialogue triggering from more than one ped on a map at once, ambient conversations playing one-sided, lines looping, lines dropping out, sound effects missing, distant lines playing front-end, no drop-off on zones, occlusion more or less non-existent aaaaaaaaaaargh!) BUT despite all that I really, really, really like this game!

Played it on Normal, Master and now with all the custom difficulty modifiers on (don't get spotted, don't take damage, no abilities, that sort of thing) and I've found it more and more satisfying each time as my stealth skills are getting better.

Love the atmosphere, really think this is a pretty underrated game.

Also playing a ton of Titanfall because it hasn't gotten close to getting old yet. I had this happen at the weekend and the frantic scramble for a charge cable made for a very tight escape - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7rFNi-3bEo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7rFNi-3bEo)

So good.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 12 May, 2014, 01:29:15 PM
Turned on my 360 for the first time in nearly two years - I can't remember, is it normal for that white circle thing to sit spinning in the middle of the screen for minutes at a time when you turn it on? - to play State of Decay, which my brother had downloaded despite my vow to not give MS another red cent after they nicked money from my account and then refused to give it back.  It's alright, but playing it at the tail end of popular culture's love affair with zombies does it less favors than the shonky animation and lack of decent tutorial does.  I gather that it requires a few separate plays and a couple of offscreen permadeaths (that happen when your console is turned off) until you get a real feel for it, though.

Jetpac Refuelled
- sheer pick-up-and-play genius, all the better for the swell of nostalgia that accompanies it if you play the original ZX Spectrum version that comes bundled with the full game, colour clash and all.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 12 May, 2014, 07:50:31 PM
Quote from: CheechFU on 12 May, 2014, 11:13:19 AM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 12 May, 2014, 04:23:01 AM
Many of my friends have a bad dose of Football Manager. A few claim to don a suit for cup finals. I remember hearing a story about a fella who played the same edition for several years. He sunk an ungodly amount of time into it, which I understand is de rigueur for this aficianados of this game. Won the English League and European Cup a few dozen times. He loved this game, he was really good at it too. Until he officially reprimanded his highest paid player* for getting too big for his boots, so the board of directors* fired him. He took the disc out and went down to his shed** to get his hammer**. He was screwed by conflated spreadsheets.

*Virtual

**Real

It's like Pokemon, The Sims, Command & Conquer and the most grindiest JRPG had a baby but it was badly deformed and a spreadsheet and smothered in meth and also made entirely of numbers and someone tacked fifa 96 match engine on to it

And it is gooooooooood
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 17 May, 2014, 11:47:07 PM
Been playing FTL for the past week or so. It's infuriating/I'm shit at it*.

*Delete as applicable.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 18 May, 2014, 01:50:00 PM
Easy or normal?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 18 May, 2014, 03:12:08 PM
Normal.

I think the furthest I've made is Sector 5.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 19 May, 2014, 11:34:07 AM
I've only made it once on Normal.

Currently replaying on Easy to try and unlock the B layouts (and maybe the crystal ship. So close).

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 19 May, 2014, 03:04:06 PM
Zero Punctuation did a great review of FTL recently (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7DT1Z5523s). I will get it at some point - gamers were telling me of the Steam summer sale and I heard a muffled sobbing in my pocket. Twas my wallet that was weeping.

Wasn't weeping money though, dammit.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 20 May, 2014, 10:12:33 AM
I picked it up for about £5.

So far I have played 32 hours (though possibly 5 hours of this is time where it was just running in the background)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 20 May, 2014, 12:39:50 PM
Playing dEXTRIS on iPhone (free in the App Store).

Download at your peril - very addictive.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 23 May, 2014, 08:55:38 PM
Squeezed in some Wolfenstein:The New Order the last couple of nights and am really pleasantly surprised with just how good it is. Expected a big stupid old school run and gun, and it does tick those boxes if that's how you want to play it. I'm mainly surprised at the versatility with which you can approach levels, either guns blazing or snauking around taking stealth kills or sniping from afar, and the maps are nice and non-linear too.

It starts quite badly and the first hour feels like a very generic shooter but as soon as you flash forward to the near future and the timeline has branched it looks and feels like a great 2000AD strip (the story pretty much is a Past Imperfect). The characters are well acted and written and the tone veers from B-Movie schlock to disturbing and affecting at the drop of a hat (it doesn't shy away from the Nazi nastiness one bit). I've just looked into it and realized that the studio is made up of ex-Starbreeze guys (them of The Darkness/Butcher Bay fame) so the fact the narrative is so well presented makes a lot of sense now.

Highly recommend it, gutted that I'm just a couple of hours in and will need to go on holiday and leave it for a couple of weeks!

I did grab a video of the moment I got hopelessly distracted by how nice the coffee physics are, it totally blew my cover - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6adjAcZCEA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6adjAcZCEA)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 23 May, 2014, 11:51:05 PM
Playing this on the Ps4, really enjoying it !
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 24 May, 2014, 03:43:50 PM
That is some mighty fine next gen coffee!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 26 May, 2014, 10:57:54 AM
Playing a free iPhone game called 'Dextris' - strangely addictive!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 26 May, 2014, 11:07:00 AM
Damn.  So addicted to Dextris, didn't realise I've already posted about it above.  :-[
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 26 May, 2014, 08:32:05 PM
Replaying Arkham Asylum as my PC is currently doing the rounds as TV platform (so gamepads are in, keyboards are out). On hard this time (much tougher) and I'm really enjoying it. Unlocking gadgets is a bit of a chore (Batman only has one gadget in that belt?) particularly when you see secret areas that you know you'll never bother coming back for once you have the appropriate unlock. Otherwise, though the combat is comparatively basic to the sequels, it's an amazing game. A perfect Batman-simulator, at least once you have a couple more toys to help you take on gun toting goons.

Looking forward to Arkham Knight and wish that Dredd could get something half as decent (not that Dredd v Death wasn't fun but could do something amazing).

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 27 May, 2014, 12:43:51 AM
Had a cracking game of multiplayer Terraria tonight - nothing like drinking n' mining and building a castle with a bunch of friends.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 27 May, 2014, 03:36:00 AM
Aside from Elite Dangerous where I just made a startling discovery (It's a secret, you will all need to find out for yourselves if you have the game!)

I've been playing Hinterland, the very first game I ever purchased from STEAM. You what it is about, you pick typical fantasy character. They even have Orcs and you slowly build a town by building houses for the people that visit your town square outside your Manor or Keep. Using money made by those very same people and adventuring into the dangerous territories around your slowly burgeoning town. As it had been a while since I played. I forgot to upgrade my own building and couldn't get anybody other than Farmers, Herders, Trappers, Craft-People, Smithies and a Inn-Keeper to stay in my town. My letting so many of the same type of people into my town it was soon filled with just Farmers, Herders, Trappers and I had about three Smithies.  You can find better armour and weapons while clearing out other sections of the map. Your Craft-Person can also make better armour, your Smithy, better weapons as well. Which you can distribute around the other town people and have them defend their homes from enemy invaders who often come to pillage. You can help them as well, but they often get killed and will need replacing.  All your town-folk contribute something towards the prosperity of your town. The Farmers, Herders, Trappers all provide food, I'm not sure about the Inn, and your can also let in Guards who will fight for you. A Herbalist who can makes salves and potions of healing. A Merchant set up shop to seel goods made by the other occupants and you can also sell your own spoils to them. Their also a Mage, Bard, Cleric and Undertaker as well. They all contribute money to your treasury as well. I wasn't able to get of them, in and by the time I cottoned on to where I had gone wrong. I was too late, as I had already got my Elven-Archer named Legolas killed three times. When they die, they fade from view and resurrect in the town square, minus some money and fame. He was on negative fame when the King had requested that he restore it within a set time period or else I would lose the game. I didn't quite make it. I'm about to have another go when I'm done here. Hinterland. It's a strange name for this game. Not sure what they are referring to in this game exactly with such name. I know it means the inland, the land behind the beach front land. But how is that relevant in this game. You should all purchase this game and play it just to realise how irrelevant the name of the game is. I think mentioned this one here when I first brought it back in 2007 or 2008 and though that Mega-City-One version would be superb.

I've also been playing the new Thief game on the X-Box-360 and while I find it impressive on a lot of levels. It still fails like a lot of other current games of it's ilk. That fall totally flat in other areas. These games that try to accurately simulate what can be done in the real world only seem realistic on the surface. Basically they only do it where they think it matters the most. So, while thievery aspects of this game are revolutionary and reasonably solid. Social matters, enemy A.I. always surprisingly dumb (Even at hardest difficulty.) and some of controls are hard to use. It took me nearly a hour to get Garret (The name brings the identity of two known musicians to mind. Peter Garret once a lead singer of the Australian rock known as  Midnight Oil (http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=midnight+oil&docid=608024587378624865&mid=7236B767E5DA0026419E7236B767E5DA0026419E&view=detail&FORM=VIRE7#view=detail&mid=7236B767E5DA0026419E7236B767E5DA0026419E) and now was last seen in involved in local politics and  Leif Garret (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ceGWlHllIA) who I recall as earlier version of Justin Beiber who was really famous in the late seventies.) to crouch, so that he could move under some piping on a rooftop while following Erin right at the beginning of the game.  As I had to press the left thumb-stick inwards to do this. Eventually, I got it done, but this ability fails me when I need it to the most. The objects the can picked the stuff that can be used, are only specified objects and loot. I can't get over how dumb the enemy or victim A.I. is in this game. When I had Garret enter town house to steal a fable glass-jewel-golden-mask. I eventually had him kill all the house guards (Who look like Ninja's) after spending I had Garett spend ages stealthly hiding, stalking, stealing and sometimes running from them when they caught him. I think after some time, they should really call in the cops enmass to overpower the cheaky sod. But this never happens. I had him the basement flogging stuff from these two corner tables this poor fellow were working at. Anytime he moved from one table. I had the thief slip in to snatch the shiny objects that were available to steal before he returned his attention back towards the relevant table without him noticing anything was missing. As I had already had him snuff out the two candles on the other ide of the room without being detected. It wasn't until I had him exstinquish the candles on each desk that he got suspicious and started to panickly look around the basement for him and run upstairs for help from one of three guards. While Garret hid in the cabinent that was handy. (Which is also a save point.) Sometimes the guard will open the cabinent surprising the thief instantly killing him before he can react. There was another part in this game where I had him remove every guard and policemen around one of the city bon-fires close to the riverside. While I made a bit of a noise, he got this done without much mishap and this was at hardest difficulty. Now, I had fight him way into the local brothel. The guards here were of similar stupidity and lacking teamwork unless Garret was obviously seen by more than one of them at a time. He took out the last two with a arrow to the head before finding a hidden door and now he's stuck in a series of secret chambers that have peep holes looking into three rooms all occupied by the workers with clients. (Which reminds me, I done stuff like this in the past and recall that I was most typical of at least two of three of them myself, while the other fellow was sitting on a couch handcuffed and blindfolded allowing the mistress to do perform  who sadism on him. I would never pay for this myself to be done to me, but I know some of my friends might. In fact, I'm unsure, but under the impression this may be happening to me right now, in my own house, but over longer, a extended period of time by invisable Gypsy Ninja Fairies while I sleep. (I 've always had a hard time convincing my former head-shrink of this.) While the guy on the far right is telling his own his secret plans. This reminds me of time when I had visited this young masseuse. For a completely nude massage, I paid extra for her to completely remove her clothes, but there was no groping on my part allowed or a happy ending included in the deal. Despite a lot of rubbing. So, I went on to explain to her in intricate detail how we as the humans we are today are really a sub-animal race enslaved to a far higher intelligence, of aliens of unfathomable description and completely invisible as they have been breeding us for entertainment, food and slavery in their zoo. While the houses, the suburbs, farms and cities that we live in are really a elaborate illusion and the bars to our cages are invisible as well. I've seen her once again and never after that. (My idea was not only based on The Matrix trilogy but story called "We Eat Pigs, Don't We" in a old science fiction book filled with colourful illustrations. I no longer have it.)

Where was I......so I thought, is there a masturbation option given to Garret at this point. As I have him peek into the other room and see worker straddled across her client, fully nude, and moving up and down. No, there isn't that much freedom in this game and only the illusion of it. Wouldn't be interesting if he could enter each room and take part in the fun. Nor can he break stuff, knock down walls and break through every single window. Everything that can be done in this game is restricted to what specified thief could do and not a very modern one at that. After finding a podium that needs activation and a strange set of claw marks on the wall. But this is where I am still stuck ion the game. Any ideas for me here. Any suggestions?

I also have the official art book filled with a lot of detailed captures taken from what must be the latest console/PC version of this game. They detail of peoples faces look better here than in the game I'm playing ad  on the subject of in game characters, a lot of the street bums at home in the alley-ways and around small bon-fires. Most of them are just the same two or three guy repeated over and over again. The
same goes for the guards and police and even the regular towns-folk.

Combat gets a little bit more interesting when you need to use it the moves available to Garret.
He can either take anybody down instantly by sneaking upon them from behind and jumping them from above. He was once by guard sleeping in chair who suddenly awoke and get up when my thief pulls off this spectacular move on him also instantly ending his life and granting me the Sweet-Sixteen achievement while he's searching through a old foundry. I have only been able to get him to do this once and when I try again, he only does these special moves where you need to get him to aim for their mid-section. momentarily stunning them. This is called a Focus move. Something that he can only do while it's switched on and while the meter is not empty. (I think that's how I nailed two sentries threw the head with arrow shots. Yes, bow and arrow are back in this game and they have all the favourites here. Otherwise, you can use Focus have that switched on. Otherwise, you can use this ability to see things that can be used, to climb or access some other way. That and that Gloom have become the only supernatural aspects of this game.

Play this game and learn how to become a idiot thief who lives in a clock tower and don't expect any of the skills to translate to real life and our age of information. As you will surely be caught in the act.
Camera's...you know. Now, I was almost tempted to purchase Watchdogs tomorrow. That's a modern day thief. I think....or I could go back and continue with Dishonored

I have more games to talk about, but not right now...time to hang out the washing and then a rest.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 27 May, 2014, 09:49:57 AM
I played more of Hinterland earlier this afternoon and made a Orc shaman named Snaga. The village soon filled with Orc Farmers, Herders, Trappers, Craft-People, Smithies, and a Inn-Keeper. The problems with Orcs is that they consume twice as much and needed more Foodiers to keep everyone happy. But the more I invited inside , the more they ate and soon even more left because they were starving. Orcs kept arriving, coming in and setting up their wares and even more left. Snaga's shot up past 100, but failed a few request for food from the King and this depleted his fame by 80 because it happened twice and then he died, while adventuring three times and this brought his fame down to negative 100.

Then our town after being attacked by huge trolls, was now being attacked by Red-Dragons. Everybody got killed and it bad time, since Snaga was on negative fame. He had a hard time getting in replacements, and then the King ordered him to increase his fame back into the positives within about 5-8 days.

This can only be done by fulfilling other requests for food, other important commodities and adventuring. I managed to raise to negative 47 by completing a food request, but Snaga  died a few more times, taking himself even further into the negatives and the game was soon lost.

I also had a go at Rogue Trooper, also purchased through Steam for a good price sometime last year or maybe even the year before. I got Rogue right up to the point where he and some other Trooper was attacked by one of those Sub-Terrain-Screw-Topped-Nort-Carriers (I don't know what they're called...) after he was given the blue-prints for Scrambler-Grenades by Helm. He carrying both Gunnar and Bagman slotted into his equipment after they were both killed.

Damn the annoying tutorial pop-ups that would get between me and the action while freezing the game. But they were essential in helping me relearn everything.

I also missed a lot of cut scenes, including the introduction. The game wasn't running so well on my rig for some reason. A lot of the time the game kept freezing during the action and one cut scene was skipped and story went forward without filling me on some essential details and I just decided to stop playing when I couldn't handle it anymore.

Then, I started a game of Red-Nation. It's a top down scrolling zombie shooter. Not such bad game either. It has several different modes. I started playing the story mode where this woman with a gun just had to spin around with a gun in her hand shooting a never ending waves of zombies. Dead ones will sometimes drop a equipments, different weapon, flak-jackets, and other stuff. She can also earn special upgrades, after completing a few waves. I'm not sure if these upgrades, accumulate or replace each other.

I made it to third stage and she had to kill a zombie boss. I kept dying here, mainly because I'm not so good at moving her around with the W.A.S.D keys and I was more prone to just spinning her around firing weapons. Sometimes, I would move her over to pick up a piece of equipment.

Soon, this game started to freeze up as well.

Now I'm here.....what shall I play next?

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 28 May, 2014, 12:26:07 PM
Titanfall on PC for me - I don't get to play games much right now, so this kind of drop-in multiplayer suits me down to the ground for an hour here and there. 

Given it is supposed to be a 'next gen' game, my rig chugs along happily with it on medium settings, and only strains a little on full on settings. 

That said, I'm playing it in 2D at the moment, as they haven't fixed the 3D settings of reticule and player ID HUD info.  That all appears 2D, over the 3D landscapes, mechs etc, giving me a headache.  When/if they finally fix that no doubt I'll have to play it with the settings on med/low to compensate for the processor having to create two slightly different images of the action. Small price to pay for such a great game in 3D though!

Oh, and I am remarkbaly shit at it.  Still great fun!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 30 May, 2014, 05:44:21 PM
Next game played is going   to be Mario Kart 8 which I will be downloading as soon as I get home.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: mogzilla on 30 May, 2014, 06:12:56 PM
bound by flame's going in my xbox in a few hours courtesy of some early birthday money ,thanks mum and dad
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrinningChimera on 04 June, 2014, 07:19:38 AM
Just beat the main story to Fable 2 again. Still fun to play through but the illusion of choice wears thin when you notice that your choices don't have a huge impact on the story.

I think I might give L.A Noir another spin next
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 30 June, 2014, 04:32:04 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 19 May, 2014, 11:34:07 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 17 May, 2014, 11:47:07 PM
Been playing FTL for the past week or so. It's infuriating/I'm shit at it*.
I've only made it once on Normal.

Currently replaying on Easy to try and unlock the B layouts (and maybe the crystal ship. So close).
Finally managed to finish this a couple of weeks ago. Once I'd figured out the best way to play with the Zoltan cruiser, the final showdown was actually a piece of piss. However, it took me so long to get to that point that I'd already unlocked pretty much every basic ship, including the Crystal and Lanius cruisers. If only I had the patience to try playing through again using the different strategies but I don't.

Which makes it even more absurd that I just bought XCOM at the weekend. I really am shit at anything remotely tactical or strategic but this seems pretty good. At least, it would be if it didn't keep crashing my iPad at any given opportunity!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 01 July, 2014, 10:43:44 AM
Loved XCOM, but I'm similarly terrible at anything tactical! A couple of times I got several hours into a playthrough of that game just for the world to end which felt quite humiliating! I'm used to being able to beat any game with a bit of perseverance so for a game to just end midway through because I was too terrible at it was a humbling experience. Haven't had the nerve to try again.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 01 July, 2014, 10:47:40 AM
I really liked XCOM up until the bits with lots of those insect things which made zombies. I found them really frustrating.
It also annoyed me when a decent character would miss a shot against an enemy that he was right on top of.


The last game I've played is Sniper Elite 3. It's good fun so far but I'm playing on PS4 and it feels a million miles away from being 'next gen'.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 05 August, 2014, 10:09:54 PM
Just finished StarCraft (the original). It was a lot easier than I remember it. Not sure if I have got better or games have got more spohisticated (in which case I probably am better by osmosis) but it seemed to easy to force the AI to attack a peninsula of a base.

Now on to Brood War. It may be that this has harder levels - I certainly remember some of the levels giving me a hard time when I played the game through, with the expansions, 10 years ago.

This epic play through precedes me starting Starcraft II
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 06 August, 2014, 07:06:00 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 30 June, 2014, 04:32:04 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 19 May, 2014, 11:34:07 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 17 May, 2014, 11:47:07 PM
Been playing FTL for the past week or so. It's infuriating/I'm shit at it*.
I've only made it once on Normal.

Currently replaying on Easy to try and unlock the B layouts (and maybe the crystal ship. So close).
Finally managed to finish this a couple of weeks ago. Once I'd figured out the best way to play with the Zoltan cruiser, the final showdown was actually a piece of piss. However, it took me so long to get to that point that I'd already unlocked pretty much every basic ship, including the Crystal and Lanius cruisers. If only I had the patience to try playing through again using the different strategies but I don't.

Which makes it even more absurd that I just bought XCOM at the weekend. I really am shit at anything remotely tactical or strategic but this seems pretty good. At least, it would be if it didn't keep crashing my iPad at any given opportunity!

I still gotta finish first one (One of the new ones!) before I start on Enemy-Within. I've had already started and finished the Bureau game before I finished the other one. I'm stuck a really U.F.O. Mission with a lot of rookies and it's been real thought.

Not to mention, some fucker managed to get into my X-Box account and delete the last few saves...unless their got corrupt and disappeared all by themselves.

Looking forward to the latest one with more Psionics and Cybernetics.....

While trying to use Steam on this laptop for the time being while I'm getting my good computer fixed. Hopefully fixed for the last time in a long time.

I can't get Elite - Dangerous to work on this...it just doesn't have the graphics card requirements.

As for STEAM games, it will not run RUST is kind of like mmo with all the fetch quest that your character might do for other npc's. You only od your own thing in this one or you work with others. Your choice, and for all the dullness this should be...it's very addictive.

Why is game called RUST?

It won't run Abyss-Odyssey, I really stylish looking beat-em-up.

I haven't tried out The Forest yet... but I do have more videos of some of my previous play throughs of this game up on You-Tube if you can find the news ones under my name Vidstarr. (Don't ask me why I use that name, it just popped into my head at the time.) I can't be bothered with using links right now.

The Metro game barely works enough for me to bother with it right now. I brought two of them. It's based on some Russian novel about a holocaust and how they coped with it. It got all sort so mutants in it. I think the other survivors send you on missions and fetch quests. It's supposed to be very good this one, but it just doesn't work fast enough on this laptop.

I decided to have descent loom at the Wildlife Park collection. They have included expansion packs for extra wild and farm animals. As well Marine.....Crazy..... Dinosaurs and Fantacy creatures well.  I tried out  the Fantacy one, but didn't get any more animals anymore fantastic than a Unicorn. Without making more money through your animal park business. I tried the Dinosaur one and had a park with T-Rex walking around in it.

Can you imagine a small wildlife enclosure fill to the brim with such diverse life as some domestic dogs like German Shepards, and Artic-Fox's, and most of the well known wild cats, various tropical fish floundering around on the dry soil. Koalas and Penguins side by side. Some Moose and Kangaroos. A few Wilderbeast and bunnies and rabbits. Living close together and dying because of it.

Some tried to escape. Most died, because they lacked their specialised food source.

IN the dinosaur pen, I had koalas swimming in a couple of feet of water with octopus below them. After I added a water pump and lowered some of the ground level.

They should never let me near a zoo in real life. Let alone work in or own one.

The last game...which I entirely completed in a few hours is called Fist of Awesome. It's got the same type of graphics as Super Brothers : Sword & Sorcery, McPixel, another new gamed called Gods Must be Watching (Interesting game with some good ideas, but I couldn't even make the right choice to crack the first mission and I though that was going to be the entire game, but there is more.).

In this game you are the time-travelling Canadian Lumberjack, Tim Burr (I didn't realise the significance of that name until the end of it!) [spoiler]sent on a epic quest to punch the hell of highly evolved bears who threaten to burn down his log cabin and take over the world. He travels through time fighting various pockets of bearmanity who have travelled from the future to breed with bears of the past to further increase their own evolution.
[/spoiler]

It's just a beat-em-up bashing side-scrolling adventure. You hero level ups with experience from bashing these future-altered bears and even when he fails.. he goes up a level or two.

I just completed the whole game in hours (Like I said earlier...) and very pleased with myself about this. Despite this....I only got 19 of the 57 achievements, but there is arena mode where you fight every one of the characters and some characters I didn't even see in the game.

Now time to sleep on the couch.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 06 August, 2014, 09:41:15 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 06 August, 2014, 07:06:00 AM

I still gotta finish first one (One of the new ones!) before I start on Enemy-Within. I've had already started and finished the Bureau game before I finished the other one. I'm stuck a really U.F.O. Mission with a lot of rookies and it's been real thougt

I think Enemy Within is integrated into the first game. Ie it's the same story and levels as the first but with psionics and cybernetics sprinkled through like raisins in a cake
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 06 August, 2014, 10:51:01 AM
Yeah it is - basically you just play the same game but with new enemies, new game dynamics (regular covert missions, a conspiracy group of traitors descended from the Bureau days.... congrats on crowbarring that in 2K!), a 'plotline' set of special events involving psychic prodigies, a base invasion that puts you to the test, an aliens tribute that is brilliant, and new tools such as superpower gene splicing and horrific bionic-mecha suits.

It's a bit harder than vanilla X-Com, at least till you get the hang of balancing your war against the aliens with the disruptive efforts of EXALT, who are tricky bar stewards and no doubt. Still nothing better than kitting out all of your elite soldiers with regenerative powers, the ability to leap walls in a single bound, turn invisible or detect enemies through walls.

Best way to do an expansion to this kind of game. Want MORE.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Noisybast on 06 August, 2014, 12:53:27 PM
Um, Thryllseekyr?  Could you lay off the creepy shit?  I know the long rambling posts and digressions are kind of your thing, but there are some things it's OK not to share.  Ta.


Back on-topic: I've been playing Shadowrun Returns, which is a nice update of the old SNES isometric RPG, with a stylistic nod to the newer X-COM titles. I've finished the main storyline, which I enjoyed so much that I bought the Dragonfall DLC, which I'm currently wading through. The only downside so far is that I couldn't bring my character from the first mission over to the DLC. Lovely stuff, though. Heartily recommended for fans of old-fashioned RPGs.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 06 August, 2014, 01:39:43 PM
Quote from: Noisybast on 06 August, 2014, 12:53:27 PM
Um, Thryllseekyr?  Could you lay off the creepy shit?  I know the long rambling posts and digressions are kind of your thing, but there are some things it's OK not to share.  Ta.


Back on-topic: I've been playing Shadowrun Returns, which is a nice update of the old SNES isometric RPG, with a stylistic nod to the newer X-COM titles. I've finished the main storyline, which I enjoyed so much that I bought the Dragonfall DLC, which I'm currently wading through. The only downside so far is that I couldn't bring my character from the first mission over to the DLC. Lovely stuff, though. Heartily recommended for fans of old-fashioned RPGs.

Really.....I honestly don't know what your talking about and frankly. I'm getting awfully tired of the over sensitivity being directed at me while others are getting away with blue murder.

Am I that fucking unimportant. Do I need to go on a murderous rampage in real tom earn the right to speak my mind about games. I've played on the computer today.

Unless it's really something that really was creepy that said days ago. I think your a little late and somebody else has already let me know that what ever I said is not welcome round here.

Otherwise you can't handle stuff I said about punching a bear or the in appropriate handling animals in games about wildlife zoo's.

Come on now, I expected more from the readers of this magazine which in itself is not entirely appropiate either.

Yet, that is what makes it worth a read....nudge, nudge, wink, wink....say no more ;)

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 06 August, 2014, 01:41:29 PM
oh chill out.

Never been play Starcraft or FTL. but still playing Command and Conquer last night, yep old fashionable!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 06 August, 2014, 01:46:46 PM
Thryllseekyr, I'm assuming he meant your in-depth description of paying for naked massages, sado-masochism and wishing there was a wank button in Thief.

Just a hunch.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 06 August, 2014, 01:55:56 PM
Like I said it's old news and nobody bothered to set me right back then and if they did either way....it's been and gone...... They're just games with adult content in them. Yet, I'm a single man without any kids, so there should be no scruples about me playing them.

I know some of you have kids and need to choose the games carefully.

Did I really say Thief needs a wank button. I know I still stuck on the brothel level in that secret passage level where there is no obvious way out.

I have Googled for the solution and it's really simple and it's kind of funny if your mind Is constantly in the gutter like mine.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 06 August, 2014, 03:16:51 PM
I am really put off by the Thief game because it seems like you 'swoop' around, rather than furtively skulk. And you are called upon to knock out/kill people out of necessity, rather than because you are impatient/sloppy (as I was, knocking everyone out) or accidentally caught.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 06 August, 2014, 05:19:18 PM
just got a bundle of cheap games to try

remember me
dead island riptide...loved the first one
homefront
and aliens colonial marines (£1.99 brand new and sealed)

  been playing state of decay last night into the wee small hours which I haven't done for a while.just found a shotgun!!! :cool:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 06 August, 2014, 06:13:50 PM
Leave colonial marines in its seal if you don't want your memories of aliens tarnished forever.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 06 August, 2014, 06:19:03 PM
can't be that   bad surely? I played duke nukem recently now that was awful.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Noisybast on 06 August, 2014, 09:34:01 PM
Yep - put bluntly, nobody needs the mental image of your knocking shop escapades rattling around inside their head. I'm far from prudish, but you're giving me the horrors, man.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 06 August, 2014, 10:22:43 PM
Quote from: Noisybast on 06 August, 2014, 09:34:01 PM
Yep - put bluntly, nobody needs the mental image of your knocking shop escapades rattling around inside their head. I'm far from prudish, but you're giving me the horrors, man.

Now, I'm offended......and it wasn't exactly a Knocking-Shop, it was more private business run from a house in a suburbon street, but she's no longer there (Not since I last checked!) and there was no sex, not even hand relief. She just removed all of her clothing before she started on me. (I had to be naked anyway!) her nakedness is a extra service she provided for extra money from me.

There was no touching....down there. (Either way!) There wasn't even the fondling of her breasts and butt cheeks.

Despite the lack of sex or even a happy ending. I enjoyed the feeling of mutual intimancy.

Yet, she did tell me a creepy story which I won't repeat here and I felt compelled to only respond in kind with one of my own.

My apologies if all of you find that creepy, but I really don't think this personal experience of mine if creepy at all. It's very normal for personal in my position. One who is forced go the extra mile to get anything at all from a women.

Of course, I had been to other places where more is offered, but I will keep those to myself  ;)

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 06 August, 2014, 10:36:36 PM
I don't very often use emoticons but...

:-\ :o :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Frank on 06 August, 2014, 10:40:15 PM

Comedy gold, chaps. Comedy gold.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 06 August, 2014, 10:41:33 PM
(http://24.media.tumblr.com/59d89903250e13782a11b972c6dca9ef/tumblr_mw590mV4yB1rmin5no1_400.gif)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 07 August, 2014, 12:42:11 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 06 August, 2014, 10:22:43 PM
Quote from: Noisybast on 06 August, 2014, 09:34:01 PM
Yep - put bluntly, nobody needs the mental image of your knocking shop escapades rattling around inside their head. I'm far from prudish, but you're giving me the horrors, man.

Now, I'm offended......and it wasn't exactly a Knocking-Shop, it was more private business run from a house in a suburbon street, but she's no longer there (Not since I last checked!) and there was no sex, not even hand relief. She just removed all of her clothing before she started on me. (I had to be naked anyway!) her nakedness is a extra service she provided for extra money from me.

There was no touching....down there. (Either way!) There wasn't even the fondling of her breasts and butt cheeks.

Despite the lack of sex or even a happy ending. I enjoyed the feeling of mutual intimancy.

Yet, she did tell me a creepy story which I won't repeat here and I felt compelled to only respond in kind with one of my own.

My apologies if all of you find that creepy, but I really don't think this personal experience of mine if creepy at all. It's very normal for personal in my position. One who is forced go the extra mile to get anything at all from a women.

Of course, I had been to other places where more is offered, but I will keep those to myself  ;)

This sounds like a terrible game
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 07 August, 2014, 04:22:04 AM
WARNING THIS IS RUDE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrAekuRwdV8&ytsession=UrXpZdxy5QTIt38NeJG-y1iXHzNid3boXPS-wXic7Zd6SkYR3d7VtSJfB3ziNI2ncBXVJMosXIX5yobORB07PQNBpUl8dbwbC1fRh5Nj1HDvSDo7fc9whhCZkvBNbdJwHWe28jy4cKUmohT3kkYyB5DqdpW6W5AB4iPh-puEF8OMR_I_L9XH_nBbuWi_nVc0p7Ph3i3Ee-919bka3P2of0boNts6_j2vZpNPpyv9AH01OAqhyUncrVsbblNyR_AT8WNODAdzW0JOtQAWdBzr01gaFYUlaVJG_mWa-xxUYeVR3M9F0IJdCrJh-uj-ntIr)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 07 August, 2014, 09:10:26 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 07 August, 2014, 04:22:04 AM
WARNING THIS IS RUDE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrAekuRwdV8&ytsession=UrXpZdxy5QTIt38NeJG-y1iXHzNid3boXPS-wXic7Zd6SkYR3d7VtSJfB3ziNI2ncBXVJMosXIX5yobORB07PQNBpUl8dbwbC1fRh5Nj1HDvSDo7fc9whhCZkvBNbdJwHWe28jy4cKUmohT3kkYyB5DqdpW6W5AB4iPh-puEF8OMR_I_L9XH_nBbuWi_nVc0p7Ph3i3Ee-919bka3P2of0boNts6_j2vZpNPpyv9AH01OAqhyUncrVsbblNyR_AT8WNODAdzW0JOtQAWdBzr01gaFYUlaVJG_mWa-xxUYeVR3M9F0IJdCrJh-uj-ntIr)

Sigh, nobody is offended by or objecting to the adult content of the games you're talking about.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 07 August, 2014, 10:59:09 AM
Creepy posts aside... the Motocross game that's free on Xbox Live this month is great fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ming on 07 August, 2014, 11:18:42 AM
Late to the party, but I've been getting sucked into Clash of Clans lately, to the extent that when I'm in a supermarket with bad aisle layout I want to deploy my wallbreakers...

:)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 07 August, 2014, 11:35:36 AM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 07 August, 2014, 10:59:09 AM
the Motocross game that's free on Xbox Live this month is great fun.

Thanks for the reminder, I've missed out on a couple of these free games just through forgetting to log in and grab them!

Been playing the Deadpool game lately actually, the recent test footage tempted me to try it out. It's mechanically pretty fun and I've had a few genuine laughs from it, feels like the dialogue will start to grate if it runs too long mind you. So far it's a good chuckle though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 07 August, 2014, 01:11:53 PM
The swapper looks great definitely have a play of it later.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 07 August, 2014, 01:30:20 PM
Fez - This is a critically acclaimed Indie Game that's offered with Playstation Plus on the PS4 this month. I had a little go last night and it looks absolutely fantastic. I think it's going to be a mind bender though so I have doubts that I'll ever complete it.

NBA 2K14 - This is the Basketball game from 2K games. I used to quite like one of the old basketball games on the Megadrive but this is obviously far more advanced. On first impressions the menus and sheer amount of modes and variables on offer is a bit overwhelming. The gameplay is good but it's going to take a lot of practice to learn even a quarter of the available moves.



These should keep me busy for a while but I've had a real urge lately to play one of the old Monster World games (Wonderboy). I could go for a bit of Dragon's Trap but it would mean digging out one of the old consoles and the graphics will look crap on an HD TV.
I always think that the Monster World games have been a bit forgotten. Much better than Zelda in my opinion.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 07 August, 2014, 01:47:04 PM
Wonder boy is available for wii virtual console and I think is on psn for playstation 4.fez is fantastic.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 07 August, 2014, 02:00:08 PM
Only Playstation 3 unfortunately.  :(
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 07 August, 2014, 02:06:55 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 07 August, 2014, 01:30:20 PM
Fez - This is a critically acclaimed Indie Game that's offered with Playstation Plus on the PS4 this month. I had a little go last night and it looks absolutely fantastic. I think it's going to be a mind bender though so I have doubts that I'll ever complete it.

Really pleased to see this as a freebie, Vita is the only Sony platform I have but pretty sure the way their crossbuy deals work I can still grab it this month.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 07 August, 2014, 02:26:27 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 07 August, 2014, 02:06:55 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 07 August, 2014, 01:30:20 PM
Fez - This is a critically acclaimed Indie Game that's offered with Playstation Plus on the PS4 this month. I had a little go last night and it looks absolutely fantastic. I think it's going to be a mind bender though so I have doubts that I'll ever complete it.

Really pleased to see this as a freebie, Vita is the only Sony platform I have but pretty sure the way their crossbuy deals work I can still grab it this month.

Yeah, Fez is cracking! It really twists your brain, but with a sense of wonder and pleasure. Later on it gets insanely difficult though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 07 August, 2014, 03:12:54 PM
Nuclear Throne - hard twitchy violent fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 07 August, 2014, 06:33:48 PM
aliens :colonial marines ...shite...traded up and made a profit . remember me: assassins creed climbing with combo puching combat in a bizzare future france, traded that up and broke even .

thryllseeker , the post you made about a young  masseuse was highly innapropriate ,yes it was an old post but I did read it based on the comments and I was a bit sickened especially after you described the girl who plays arya stark as "alluring"  get cross with me by all means I just think you need to think a bit about some things you have posted it could give people the wrong impression ,I'm not accusing you of 'owt but it was creepy.
   just a wild guess but there must be somewhere on this t'interweb thingy that has a happy ending discussion forum

 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 07 August, 2014, 06:43:08 PM
How in the name of Joe Dredd did you trade up on colonial marines and make a profit.missed your post earlier but gearbox were involved in duke nukem as well.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 07 August, 2014, 06:57:59 PM
cos I paid 1.99 and got the guy on the market to give me a fiver! the fool :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 07 August, 2014, 09:00:16 PM
I dont know if i should be happy for you or sad for the poor guy who might buy it for a fiver.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 07 August, 2014, 09:12:47 PM
Quote from: Zenith 666 on 07 August, 2014, 09:00:16 PM
I dont know if i should be happy for you or sad for the poor guy who might buy it for a fiver.

Saw it fro £3 new in game. Sorely tempted.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 07 August, 2014, 09:28:26 PM
Save your £3 for next weeks prog
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 07 August, 2014, 09:44:19 PM
Quote from: Zenith 666 on 07 August, 2014, 09:28:26 PM
Save your £3 for next weeks prog

The prog is free.

By which I mean, like council tax or electricity it is a bill you have no choice but to pay and you don't measure the cost of consuming individual units. This, by the way, is why the anachronistic prog survives.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 07 August, 2014, 09:51:11 PM
Put it towards a case file or a t-shirt or those gorgeous new Zenith editions.colonial marines was the biggest disappointment I've ever had.was so hyped for it I bought without reading a review which I never do.gearbox will never get a penny from me again and I loved borderlands but CM is truly shocking.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dominic O'Rourke on 07 August, 2014, 10:28:09 PM
I'm playing Rogue Legacy on the Vita. It's cross buy/save and I am finding the text really fiddly to read on the Vita, but the game play is fun.

A cross between Ghosts 'n Goblins and Spelunky, you're a Knight battling through the family castle to find riches, spells and armour.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 08 August, 2014, 01:14:50 AM
Quote from: Grug on 07 August, 2014, 06:33:48 PM
aliens :colonial marines ...shite...traded up and made a profit . remember me: assassins creed climbing with combo puching combat in a bizzare future france, traded that up and broke even .

thryllseeker , the post you made about a young  masseuse was highly innapropriate ,yes it was an old post but I did read it based on the comments and I was a bit sickened especially after you described the girl who plays arya stark as "alluring"  get cross with me by all means I just think you need to think a bit about some things you have posted it could give people the wrong impression ,I'm not accusing you of 'owt but it was creepy.
   just a wild guess but there must be somewhere on this t'interweb thingy that has a happy ending discussion forum


I could argue about this and perhaps come up with even more clever reply about why a near sexual experience between two naked people is gross to all of you and why I think it's creepy that young girl can survive all she's been through while more experienced adult are being killed left , right and centre around her without at least showing she may or may not have some supernatural ninja protectors or relying on a uncanny amount of good fortune. It's more like she's the benefactor of reality television because she is merely popular and not really a part of Westeros.

Just think of her when watching this and try call the actors, writers, and other people behind this film a bunch of  creeps (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRXNNqNfQBs) as well.

Creepy or not, I'm intitled to my opinion. But I will keep it to myself in future.

Back on the subject of games......

I went for the gay option at the completion of the Fist of Awesome. [spoiler]Mainly, because I didn't understand what might happen when I got protagonist Tim to approach the fellow (Who was standing closer!)  instead of the female (Who required further prompts from the arrow-keys to get to her.) first. No, not really being gay (Despite my apparent interest in She-Males (Just look on my Facebook pages...Yeah, I like anything shaped like a descent looking female.),[/spoiler] but it's just simple gamer curiosity.

BTW, about the female masseuse. I never said she was young, but she must have been my age or slighty older. This was back in the late 90's. The massage itself was advertised as Hawian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lomilomi_massage) style.

Otherwise.....I don't really care anyway.

Back to more....Elite Dangerous where my sexual appetites and need for female intimacy is not held in question.

Apparently.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 08 August, 2014, 08:39:57 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 08 August, 2014, 01:14:50 AM
Quote from: Grug on 07 August, 2014, 06:33:48 PM
aliens :colonial marines ...shite...traded up and made a profit . remember me: assassins creed climbing with combo puching combat in a bizzare future france, traded that up and broke even .

thryllseeker , the post you made about a young  masseuse was highly innapropriate ,yes it was an old post but I did read it based on the comments and I was a bit sickened especially after you described the girl who plays arya stark as "alluring"  get cross with me by all means I just think you need to think a bit about some things you have posted it could give people the wrong impression ,I'm not accusing you of 'owt but it was creepy.
   just a wild guess but there must be somewhere on this t'interweb thingy that has a happy ending discussion forum




BTW, about the female masseuse. I never said she was young, but she must have been my age or slighty older. This was back in the late 90's. The massage itself was advertised as Hawian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lomilomi_massage) style.



Did it come with ham and pineapple?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 08 August, 2014, 10:10:18 AM
Nah, but she does this thing about half-way through it where she grabs my hand rubs over her body, while missing all the interesting areas.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 08 August, 2014, 10:12:54 AM
Oh for gosh sake! this is game thread!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Noisybast on 08 August, 2014, 10:32:11 AM
Quote from: JamesC on 08 August, 2014, 08:39:57 AM
Did it come with ham and pineapple?

Heh...  :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 08 August, 2014, 11:48:23 AM
Bioshock Infinite.

First and foremost, the Graphics are amazing. Even playing on XBOX through a shitty Component lead the game looks amazing.

Gameplay is what you'd expect (if you've played the first two). Hordes of gun-toting nutcases with Hitler style ideologies and no desire to "talk things through". Suits me, shoot at me and I'll burn your flying city into dust!

Anyway, a few small gripes. As good as it looks it doesn't have the atmosphere of the first game (the best in the series IMO), the design of the city is a bit mental and the Skyhook travel system isn't very "freeroam". Quite often you are restricted to sections (admittedly, massive sections that are a joy to look at). Also I managed to play the whole game with just two types of gun, Ammo being continually replenished by my sidekick - who is also a dab hand at staying alive while the world comes apart around you.

The storyline is stunning and [spoiler]ties in nicely with the first game![/spoiler]

A great game that does a lot but misses a tiny bit of magic that the first game had!

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 08 August, 2014, 11:58:07 AM
I made the mistake of playing that game on Hard on my first playthrough, and it felt really unbalanced. There were many points where there just wasn't enough ammo to deal with the situations it was throwing at me and was a pretty frustrating experience.

Looked amazing though like you say, and I thought the story was brilliantly told (I was reminded of [spoiler]The Dark Tower in a big way towards the end[/spoiler])
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 08 August, 2014, 02:12:22 PM
must give it a try ,does it have the amount of backtracking the original had?

I'm enjoying homefront despite the nmber of times I die
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 08 August, 2014, 02:14:08 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 08 August, 2014, 10:12:54 AM
Oh for gosh sake! this is game thread!

well she certainly is game! ::)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 08 August, 2014, 02:47:43 PM
I'm playing The Last of Us Re-Mastered.  It took me about an hour to get into it, and normally I hate stealth games, but by god this is sooooo goooood.  Fairly linear, but nice largish maps that allow a bit of tactical thinking (a bit Rogue Trooper style), but really it's the story and the charatcers that do it for me.  It's one of those 'I must find out what happens in the next bit, oops it's 3am' kind of games.  Really bloody good!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 21 August, 2014, 03:31:59 AM
I actually got killed in a nearly two-day marathon run of the game  Mountain (http://store.steampowered.com/app/313340/)  :lol:

(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRp4oGZtGYn_uyQPMBil_vPAQVzETDG9mGdoKjpyuayiwrI7TJyUw)

I also found this classic game that I have read about in a old gamer mag years ago now....

I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream (http://store.steampowered.com/app/245390/)

I sat through the introduction and chose the one of the few broken leading characters made available to the player. None of them were perfect and some superior A.I. has somehow harvested them from their various comfort zones to send them on missions that might give back to them what they had lost if they succeed in them.

Actually, I'm just giving you a vague recollection of what I remember of the game written description and what I played of it.

I wasn't prepared to do much with it at first and will get back to some time later when I can record my game play. It looks like very old game, but one that looks good and even by today's standard. It has retro appeal and I was interested in this one since I first read about it.

(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQU5dKOIiAXTNTiU79eKdkPQtHLIv3CMOoFYfiBQEjx-unx2Il2)

Oh my.....I think I want to be ugly again  :o (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_No_Mouth,_and_I_Must_Scream)

Guess which two characters I played first.....

One of them was the least broken of the lot of them....

While the title of the game itself reminds me of problems close to home (There was a time when I felt the need to something, but couldn't!) and that it may be altered for comedic effect.

(Replacing the Asterix!).....!

I HAVE NO * AND I MUST *

It's weird stuff.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 21 August, 2014, 10:18:22 AM
I can't believe someone made that story into a game.

Victory was killing your friends before the machine can stop you.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 22 August, 2014, 01:08:42 PM
knights of the old republic 2: the sith lords   loved these back in the day and even though my 360 forgets how to do lightsaber noises and pew pews in the middle of a battle requiring a restart its still top just need to actually find my own saber now I'm off telos.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 22 August, 2014, 11:10:22 PM
Invisible, Inc.
Fuck my life simulator  :'(
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 22 August, 2014, 11:25:26 PM
Quote from: CheechFU on 22 August, 2014, 11:10:22 PM
Invisible, Inc.
Fuck my life simulator  :'(

I brought that one and was very impressed when I played it for a few minutes. I didn't last long, but at the time I wasn't prepared to invest much thought or time into it just yet.

Maybe some other time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 25 August, 2014, 10:10:12 AM
Played through ACIV: Freedom Cry, quite a decent bit of DLC that. There aren't a whole load of missions and most of the ones there are the usual tail/eavesdrop snoozefests, but there are a couple of quite powerful moments and it doesn't shy away from the horrors of slavery. Mainly it was just nice to get in a boat again, that stuff was ace in Black Flag and it's still ace here.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 25 August, 2014, 01:11:09 PM
Just finished Wolfenstein: New Order.

I really enjoyed it, but think I need a break from shooters.

The final boss was the hardest I've played since Doom's Cyberdemon.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 25 August, 2014, 02:15:49 PM
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (iPhone). Once I got used to the anime stylings, I am thoroughly enjoying this - perfect mobile game as you can stop and start anywhere.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 27 August, 2014, 07:41:44 AM
Five Nights at Freddy's is an indi-horror game thats takes the old point and click routine and MAKES JT SO INTENSE YOU SHIT YOURSELF EVERY TIME THE BLOODY DOLL'S GET NEAR YOU!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 August, 2014, 09:38:00 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 25 August, 2014, 01:11:09 PM
Just finished Wolfenstein: New Order.

I really enjoyed it, but think I need a break from shooters.

The final boss was the hardest I've played since Doom's Cyberdemon.

He was nails for sure. Weirdly, on the regular difficulty it took me a ton of very frustrating attempts and left a bad taste in my mouth, but just beat the game last night on I Am Death Incarnate difficulty and found him strangely easier.

Might have just been the choice of weapon and the fact that, knowing what was coming, I made sure my health was supercharged before heading down.

I was so relieved to kill him I grabbed a video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXnmW3fzsp8&list=UUqToTCBMccEQuIBblDDzhow (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXnmW3fzsp8&list=UUqToTCBMccEQuIBblDDzhow)

Really good game, especially when it gives you options to get around levels and either stealth or go crazy.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 27 August, 2014, 02:02:18 PM
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 27 August, 2014, 07:41:44 AM
Five Nights at Freddy's is an indi-horror game thats takes the old point and click routine and MAKES JT SO INTENSE YOU SHIT YOURSELF EVERY TIME THE BLOODY DOLL'S GET NEAR YOU!

I got that one as well, and played it last night... Not sure what to but click on to each camera box to until you find where the missing mechanical creature went....

I don't really know what I can do beyond clicking on different camera boxes until my allocated recording time run out.

Not much I can do after that.......

Yeah, it snuck up on me and that was that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 27 August, 2014, 03:58:05 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 27 August, 2014, 09:38:00 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 25 August, 2014, 01:11:09 PM
Just finished Wolfenstein: New Order.

I really enjoyed it, but think I need a break from shooters.

The final boss was the hardest I've played since Doom's Cyberdemon.

He was nails for sure. Weirdly, on the regular difficulty it took me a ton of very frustrating attempts and left a bad taste in my mouth, but just beat the game last night on I Am Death Incarnate difficulty and found him strangely easier.

Might have just been the choice of weapon and the fact that, knowing what was coming, I made sure my health was supercharged before heading down.

I was so relieved to kill him I grabbed a video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXnmW3fzsp8&list=UUqToTCBMccEQuIBblDDzhow (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXnmW3fzsp8&list=UUqToTCBMccEQuIBblDDzhow)

Really good game, especially when it gives you options to get around levels and either stealth or go crazy.

I recently finished this too and it's probably the most fun I've had in a shooter for a  good while.

That final boss was pain, it probably took me 5-6 attempts on normal difficulty and the biggest annoyance was the save point just before the final confrontation, having to spend 5 minutes running around each time to collect all the ammo etc before dropping through the hole was a little bit tedious.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 27 August, 2014, 11:51:56 PM
star wars battlefront original ...awesome...just trying to get my mitts on the sequel.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 28 August, 2014, 10:24:48 AM
I was about to finish Far Cry 3 but then it wiped my saves :/ not starting again!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 28 August, 2014, 07:15:36 PM
Quote from: Grugz on 27 August, 2014, 11:51:56 PM
star wars battlefront original ...awesome...just trying to get my mitts on the sequel.

which I have now!!! :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 29 August, 2014, 09:36:35 PM
I realise I got shit load of old PC games and some PS3 games, so where better to take it to, GAME or CeX?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 29 August, 2014, 10:52:49 PM
Probably best to use those PC games as frisbees or fuel.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 29 August, 2014, 11:53:24 PM
Been without a proper console or such for the best part of a year now so I've fired up Resident Evil on the Gamecube. The passage of time's has strange effects. It got to a point, on the PS1, that I could stick this game on if there was nothing on telly and finish it in two and a half hours. I think it took me four goes to get to a point where I could save my game! Progressing a bit faster now but it's still taking a bit of readjustment to get used to running past guys and the effort it takes to put down just one zombie.

Had initially started RE4, which I've never played at all, but it wasn't happy with my square telly and there seemed to be no option to switch it away from a widescreen layout.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 30 August, 2014, 12:09:43 AM
Resident evil 4 on GameCube was designed for CRT tv's so its native display is 4:3 ratio.on a widescreen of hd tv it's going to stretch and zoom in on the image probably with horrible black borders.Fantastic game borrow an old tv and get stuck in.i envy you your first play through.wii version is the definitive version if you want to play on a hd tv.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 30 August, 2014, 09:44:01 PM
Crysis 2; enjoy playing as a superhuman, would be more fun if they'd really embraced it and given you more power and harder bad guys. Also like the fairly free form approaches through the linear landscape. Yet to really click though as currently I feel like the world's clumsiest supersoldier, able to soak up huge amounts of damage and turn invisible at the drop of a hat but constantly falling just short of the rooftop I want to jump over or hitting people with normal strength rather than flinging them off a building. Still early days yet.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 30 August, 2014, 11:32:27 PM
After clean out old PC games, I found very old PC game, Homeworld, I re-play it again and it work on my laptop, I so love this game! beautiful graphic space battles in 3D!!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 30 August, 2014, 11:40:42 PM
Love to play homeworld or eve but I think I'd lose my job and my family in the process.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 31 August, 2014, 01:28:53 AM
Quote from: Goaty on 30 August, 2014, 11:32:27 PM
After clean out old PC games, I found very old PC game, Homeworld, I re-play it again and it work on my laptop, I so love this game! beautiful graphic space battles in 3D!!!
Gearbox is releasing a remastered edition of homeworld 1 and 2 later this year and there is a kind of sequel in the works called ship breakers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 31 August, 2014, 03:19:25 AM
Quote from: Goaty on 30 August, 2014, 11:32:27 PM
After clean out old PC games, I found very old PC game, Homeworld, I re-play it again and it work on my laptop, I so love this game! beautiful graphic space battles in 3D!!!

I brought the whole series (Both Games) last year. Ordered via Ebay, and the second game is much better. It's worth getting.

Yet, I seen that the it's been  remastered (http://www.homeworldremastered.com/#1).

So, is  Sins of the Solar Empire (http://www.sinsofasolarempire.com/)

BTW I started on Star - Citizen last night after it finally finished downloading and right now I don't want to say too much about it except at first despite all the hype. I wasn't too impressed. Especially after playing the PVP (Not really, it never loaded properly!) and Practice versions on Arena - Commander.

I played a different PVP mission a hour or two later and was a little more impressed as I was able to shoot down two other players down and I think were the winners. Yet, it's not nearly as good as Elite Dangerous because it feels like it's on rails while your locked inside a very small contained universe where your transported from your own personal hangar to the battle via a very boring loading screen that takes longer than I think it should. Yeah, I know it's still not finished, but I've been thinking of spending about $5000 USD on of the more expensive game packages about this time last year.  Which I think is ridiculous now. After playing just over $300 USD for what I got earlier this week.

Aside being able to walk around inside the hangar (Yet, it really feels gimped!), and some impressive laser and smoke effects while flying through a asteroid field. (The Mouse-Control steering is over sensitive and very wobbley.)

This game needs to lose it's virginity before it can mature to become the game that it should.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 31 August, 2014, 08:17:20 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 31 August, 2014, 03:19:25 AM
So, is Sins of the Solar Empire

No, this isn't being remastered, but they keep making sequels.

I think you can buy most of them on Steam

Sins of the Solar Empire - Trinity (http://store.steampowered.com/app/201290/)

Sins  of the Solar Empire - Rebellion (http://store.steampowered.com/app/204880/)

I think that is the lot of them.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 31 August, 2014, 01:47:31 PM
Diablo 3 on PS4 for me.  I wasn't too impressed at first, particularly with getting PSN to connect with Battle.net, and the first few levels felt lacklustre. However, it is strangely hypnotic and more-ish once you get into the swing of it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 01 September, 2014, 11:06:49 AM
Picked up State of Decay whilst it was £3. Fun enough to begin with, wish it was a bit less Dead Risingy? Only played 30 minutes this morning before work though. Just the guns seemed a little pointless compared to the power of my 2X4.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 01 September, 2014, 12:09:38 PM
So I've finally gotten used to PS4 controllers on FPS.  I found I was swinging my sights around wildly due to the difference between the PS and Xbox controller.  The PS thumbsticks are on a longer stalk. 

Reducing the controller sensitivity by 5% on Battlefield 4 last night saw my scores shoot right up.  I was even top of the leaderboard at the end of one game.  Which was nice.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 01 September, 2014, 01:41:02 PM
I find I have a lot of problems with the placement of the sticks on the dual shock, my thumbs just really don't like sitting at that weird side-on angle. I find the Xbox controller has them sitting right where my thumbs want to rest and at an angle that I'm not slipping off them or having to get a new purchase on them every few seconds (might just be my problem, but ergonomically I don't find them very pleasant)!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 01 September, 2014, 02:46:32 PM
You are absolutely right - the 360 controller rocks, the PS3/4 controller sucks.  The 360 controller has a nice weight, the thumbsticks feel naturally placed, and the triggers have a nice solid spring action feel. 

On Bad Company 2 I was unstoppable on the 360.  On the PS3 I floundered around like a sack of grenades waiting to explode at the first sign of trouble.

The main reason I've gone with a PS4 this time around is 'cos all my Battlefield 4 chums have one.  I can't wait for a third party to bring out a controller that emulates the 360 one.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 01 September, 2014, 02:50:53 PM
Steam controller?

(http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/steam-controller-new.png?w=780&h=9999&crop=0)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 01 September, 2014, 03:21:14 PM
Personally I really like the Dual Shock 4. It's a good size for my hands and I find the sticks and trigger placement very comfortable.
Mind you, I didn't mind the DS3 either (though preferred the 360 controller). To be honest I think so much thought and design goes into creating first party controllers these days that there isn't really a bad one on the market (and before anyone says anything, I actually quite like the WiiU controller but wish they'd bring the cost down a bit).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 01 September, 2014, 04:26:58 PM
I hated the 360 controller so much that it eventually drove me off the console, which is odd, as I was just fine with the controller for the original Xbox and in theory they're the same thing except for the black/white buttons nobody remembered were there.
The imprecision of the more rounded digital pad (a bizarre design choice given that the whole point of a digital controller is its digital precision over analogue) combined with the over-busy console dashboard was a nightmare on its own, but the chunky feel of the whole article reinforces the feeling of using a child's toy.  Paradoxically, the PS2/3/4 controllers have been shamelessly lifted from the design of the SNES controller, which was a child's toy, yet the smaller size creates the impression of a process of ergonomic design in action over the various console generations - even though I know they've really just nicked the SNES controller, painted it black, and made the L2 and R2 buttons progressively naffer.  That touchpad can fuck right off, too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 01 September, 2014, 05:49:28 PM
Don't know how to add a link to page (for shame).the Cronusmax allows you to use any pad on any console or pc for roughly £40.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 01 September, 2014, 08:45:03 PM
Quote from: Zenith 666 on 01 September, 2014, 05:49:28 PM
Don't know how to add a link to page (for shame).the Cronusmax allows you to use any pad on any console or pc for roughly £40.

Hmm, it seems to do every variation except 360 controller on PS4. Reviews ain't great either.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 01 September, 2014, 08:55:34 PM
I found analogue sticks work better when you smear cheese around their bases. Cheddar at room temperature works best.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 01 September, 2014, 11:04:11 PM
Rule #17 of the pc gaming rulebook.
game pads should only be used for games that involve leaping from one platform to another in order to rescue a princess of your chosen anime.

playing fps games on a console is a lot like an inflatable sex doll. It may seem ok from a distance but up close it's so very very wrong.
And bad.

I got another one
Playing fps games on a console is a lot like Celtic FC. You're not as good as you think you are.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 01 September, 2014, 11:04:53 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 01 September, 2014, 02:50:53 PM
Steam controller?

(http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/steam-controller-new.png?w=780&h=9999&crop=0)

Wow...where can I get one of those......
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 02 September, 2014, 12:02:09 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 01 September, 2014, 11:04:11 PM

Playing fps games on a console is a lot like Celtic FC. You're not as good as you think you are.

You're not wrong. On Bad Company 2 on the 360 I would ace most matches. The same game on the pc, and I was rarely out of mid-scoreboard rankings, despite being more comfortable with keyboard play than controller play. Battlefield 3 on the PC was a far superior game than it's console counterparts, in part because it could support far more players per map, but I just didn't have the twitch reflex to match all the youngsters, plus I find it easier to gather a good squad on console versions.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 02 September, 2014, 01:46:58 AM
I can never quite shake the feeling that the Playstation controller is inferior because the analogue sticks were essentially bolted on to an existing design (which makes their placement a little odd) whereas the Xbox controller feels far more ergonomic and well thought out.

I also find the analogue sticks to be a bit loose.

It's one of the main reasons the 360 is my console of choice for multi format games.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 02 September, 2014, 05:22:57 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 01 September, 2014, 11:06:49 AM
Picked up State of Decay whilst it was £3. Fun enough to begin with, wish it was a bit less Dead Risingy? Only played 30 minutes this morning before work though. Just the guns seemed a little pointless compared to the power of my 2X4.

Same here, even though I have it on X-Box-Live!

At the moment, (After remembering that I read about this MOD in a gaming magazine!) and since I had purchased a bundle of the  Civilisation Complete Edition (http://store.steampowered.com/sub/36075/) (No I didn't really, I brought Civ 5 bundled with the two or three games that came before it in the same series.) I also brought  Beyond Earth (http://store.steampowered.com/app/65980/)

Anyway, I am interested in getting this  Faerun Mod (http://store.steampowered.com/app/65980/) (Don't know why it hasn't been translated to English!) to work on Civ 5. It's supposed to and it's based on fantasy Advanced Dungeons & Dragons world belonging to Forgotten Realms. If you played that popular table top role playing game (I just mentioned!) in the during a large chunk of the early 90's. Then you will know what I'm talking about.

Otherwise, check out these other games based on the world of  Faerun (http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_computer_and_video_games).

Neverwinter Nights - One and Two (http://www.gog.com/game/neverwinter_nights_diamond_edition) I once tried this game on a few occasions while using one of the internet gaming cafes down in Sydney N.S.W. and thought it need more work. Although I was very impressed with how they kept most the A.D.&D. mechanics in it and even displayed them as numbers and modifers on the screen. 

Baldurs Gate (http://store.steampowered.com/video/228280) I purchased this game in the days when I was always short of cash and living from pay check to pay check. I actually recall thinking to myself that I could spend my last $80.00 on a trip to the brothel or this game. I'm not sure of the exact outcome, but I do own this on the original cd's (As I still have them right now!) and remember spending money on a hooker either on that day or when I got payed two weeks later. The game itself wasn't all that. Yet, I assume you get more out of it when you invest more time in playing it than I actually did. I only purchased it again on Steam when it was upgraded to the Enhanced - Edition. I still haven't played it much since I played the original. Which had stopped doing after I got sick of controlling a entire party of different character who I had sent in different direction while exploring a dungeon. Like I wrote, it needs my full attention and commitment to play this.

Neverwinter Online (http://store.steampowered.com/app/109600/) Since I downloaded and installed the free version of this game. I was more impressed and made more of effort to get into it before the computer I was playing it one started playing up. As side from the few usual problems I noticed with a lot of these multiplayer online role playing games and the fact that it seemed like it played more like arcade game rather the computer adaption of the table top version. I could get really hooked into playing this game and may lay into once I get some spare time after it's been downloaded.

There are also a lot novels I used read that were based on this world.  Ice Wind Dale (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Icewind_Dale_Trilogy) trilogy was one of my favourites and their is even a expansion to game I just mentioned that is specific to that area on the map.

If you want to know more about this. Read this Mod of the Week: Faerun, for Civilization V (http://www.pcgamer.com/au/2013/11/24/mod-of-the-week-faerun-for-civilization-v/).

See if one of yous can figure out while I'm waiting for the game to prep on Steam.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 02 September, 2014, 11:32:48 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 01 September, 2014, 11:04:53 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 01 September, 2014, 02:50:53 PM
Steam controller?

(http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/steam-controller-new.png?w=780&h=9999&crop=0)

Wow...where can I get one of those......
you'll have to wait until it's released. plus as well as the two track pads I read that an analogue stick had been added instead of the buttons in the bottom left
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Banners on 02 September, 2014, 11:40:36 AM
Latest version (http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/23/updated-steam-controller-adds-an-analog-stick/)...

(http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/1759618d05bfc3ca0ea0461a783bb921/200471212/steam+controller.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 02 September, 2014, 12:00:33 PM
Ah the PC master race, still acting like that spotty kid in the playground that owned an Amstrad  :lol: PCs are for work, wanking and stealing stuff

The 360 controls are the best and thats the end of that. It was actually designed to erm control games.

As stated above the PS4 controls are a SNES pad minus the good D-pad with 2 sticks glued on and now a pointless touch pad right in the middle of it. Oh and it also lights up.

Anyhoo Ive just got into Battlefield 4 on PS4 after spending way to many years on COD. Its brilliant and so frustrating all at the same time. Roll on Destiny.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Banners on 02 September, 2014, 12:17:22 PM
Quote from: Satanist

The 360 controls are the best and thats the end of that. It was actually designed to erm control games.


You can use a 360 controller on a PC.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 02 September, 2014, 12:20:16 PM
Quote from: Banners on 02 September, 2014, 12:17:22 PM
Quote from: Satanist

The 360 controls are the best and thats the end of that. It was actually designed to erm control games.


You can use a 360 controller on a PC.

S'funny, I tried to do that to see if it improved my PC bad Company 2 scores, but I couldn't get the PC to recogniose the controller. 

Mind you, I was using a wireless, with the charging cable plugged into a USB port - maybe that was the problem?  Presumably it's only direct-wired 360 controllers that work on a PC?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 02 September, 2014, 12:25:25 PM
Quote from: Banners on 02 September, 2014, 12:17:22 PM
Quote from: Satanist

The 360 controls are the best and thats the end of that. It was actually designed to erm control games.


You can use a 360 controller on a PC.

Yeah I gave a mate one of my spares so he could do exactly that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 02 September, 2014, 12:48:50 PM
So, it's what? Fifteen years since the PS2 was released? I still can't use any thumbstick based controller properly. Particularly for variable control, such as walk/run based on how far you push, I just can't get to grips with it.

Trying to control anything with a mouse is equally impossible. Bring back the Quickshot II.

Quote from: Zenith 666 on 30 August, 2014, 12:09:43 AM
Resident evil 4 on GameCube was designed for CRT tv's so its native display is 4:3 ratio.on a widescreen of hd tv it's going to stretch and zoom in on the image probably with horrible black borders.Fantastic game borrow an old tv and get stuck in.i envy you your first play through.wii version is the definitive version if you want to play on a hd tv.
Thanks. I'm actually trying to play it on a 19" square panel TV and the image is truncated to the right with seemingly no way to resize it to display the full thing letterboxed.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 02 September, 2014, 12:53:48 PM
Ooh! I wonder what the Wii version will look like played through the Wii U. We've managed to get an HD TV for the games console now!).

And speaking of controls, I think the Wii Remote and Nunchuk set up is absolutely fab for FPS. Admittedly, I don't play them much (or competitively) but the "point at what you want to shoot" is surely about as natural an interface as you can get?

(And the overshoulder view moving to nearer FPS view to target in Resi 4 works well)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 02 September, 2014, 12:57:27 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 02 September, 2014, 12:00:33 PMAs stated above the PS4 controls are a SNES pad minus the good D-pad with 2 sticks glued on and now a pointless touch pad right in the middle of it. Oh and it also lights up.

It also has a speaker so that while playing some games you hear what sounds like games noises coming from earphones in a matchbox, and a microphone so you can tell a lady ghost in this one game to fuck off and she does.

To my Luddite mind they nailed console controllers early around the Megadrive/SNES era, in much the same way they nailed down the keyboard/mouse layout for pc gaming, although it's pretty awesome we can still argue about which is the best gamepad despite their being exactly the fucking same apart from Microsoft swapping the d-pad and left thumbstick around for no other reason than to avoid being sued - which is, of course, the only time ever they have done such a thing.

/uses Windows 7 to go into Internet Explorer and opens Outlook in a separate tab
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 02 September, 2014, 01:21:27 PM
I'll surprise everyone with a pro-Nintendo stance, but goddamn, I always thought the GameCube controller felt absolutely perfect.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 02 September, 2014, 01:28:53 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 02 September, 2014, 01:21:27 PM
I'll surprise everyone with a pro-Nintendo stance, but goddamn, I always thought the GameCube controller felt absolutely perfect.

Now you're fuckin talking! Despite looking like something a 2 year should be chewing on it is a lovely controller. Always wanted a Wavebird but was a tad to pricey at the time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 02 September, 2014, 01:58:33 PM
Gamecube controller is great apart from the placement and feel of the Z button.
What the Gamecube controller got right (and I'm surprised the idea was left behind) was that the A,B,X and Y buttons were all different shapes, giving them a different tactile feel and meaning that you would never press the wrong button by mistake.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 02 September, 2014, 02:17:03 PM
I think what helps affection for the GC pad is how many great proprietary games there were for the Gamecube that were designed to be played with the GC pad specifically.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 02 September, 2014, 02:17:47 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 02 September, 2014, 12:20:16 PM
Mind you, I was using a wireless, with the charging cable plugged into a USB port - maybe that was the problem?  Presumably it's only direct-wired 360 controllers that work on a PC?

Yup, only the very latest edition of the wireless pads can be used on the PC. But all the old wired ones can be
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 02 September, 2014, 02:35:22 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 02 September, 2014, 02:17:47 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 02 September, 2014, 12:20:16 PM
Mind you, I was using a wireless, with the charging cable plugged into a USB port - maybe that was the problem?  Presumably it's only direct-wired 360 controllers that work on a PC?

Yup, only the very latest edition of the wireless pads can be used on the PC. But all the old wired ones can be

Aha!  Therein lies the problem - cheers!  I may well invest in an old wired one for my PC then, and give Titanfall a go on the controller.

Quote from: Satanist on 02 September, 2014, 01:28:53 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 02 September, 2014, 01:21:27 PM
I'll surprise everyone with a pro-Nintendo stance, but goddamn, I always thought the GameCube controller felt absolutely perfect.

Now you're fuckin talking! Despite looking like something a 2 year should be chewing on it is a lovely controller. Always wanted a Wavebird but was a tad to pricey at the time.

I had a Wavebird (in fact, I may still do, in amongst one of my boxes of gaming clutter), and can attest to it's awesomeness.  I think that was the first wireless controller I ever owned. 

I too loved the Gamecube controller, including for the aforementioned different AB/XY buttons.  Rogue Squadron was a dream to play using it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 02 September, 2014, 04:13:40 PM
Goddamn you guys.Digging out GameCube tonight.ikaruga first I think.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 02 September, 2014, 04:21:52 PM
Sorry to divert into tech support - but just so you know Shaolin it doesn't tend to be plug n' play, you will have to get the drivers off Microsoft too http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en-gb/d/xbox-360-controller-for-windows

Love my 360 pad has served its time on both housemates consoles and my PC; was a must for Psychonauts and Batman...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Banners on 02 September, 2014, 04:26:43 PM
Quote from: Zenith
Goddamn you guys.Digging out GameCube tonight.ikaruga first I think.

Do you rotate your monitor for Ikaruga? I played it with my 2560×1440 screen rotated 90° which was quite a laugh, but highly impractical.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 02 September, 2014, 10:30:33 PM
No never rotated my tv be afraid my it would break.it must look blurry as hell at that resolution or are was it Xbox live version you played and more importantly how's the final chapter  :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 03 September, 2014, 11:43:11 AM
I dug out the gamecube about 6 months ago and was sooo happy to finally see stage 3 on Ikaruga. Never got there before or since.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 03 September, 2014, 12:53:22 PM
I could get to end of chapter 3 on one credit on hard difficulty on Ikaruga years ago.did a few hours of F-zero but had to stop as my eyes started to bleed.The speed dear lord the speed and I barely placed in any race.F-zero on GameCube is absolutely hard as nails.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 03 September, 2014, 07:06:12 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 02 September, 2014, 02:35:22 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 02 September, 2014, 02:17:47 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 02 September, 2014, 12:20:16 PM
Mind you, I was using a wireless, with the charging cable plugged into a USB port - maybe that was the problem?  Presumably it's only direct-wired 360 controllers that work on a PC?

Yup, only the very latest edition of the wireless pads can be used on the PC. But all the old wired ones can be

Aha!  Therein lies the problem - cheers!  I may well invest in an old wired one for my PC then, and give Titanfall a go on the controller.

You can buy a wireless Xbox pad and the PC receiver as a package for around £30, I bought one last year and it works flawlessly.

My only experience of playing an FPS with a controller was one of the Killzone games on the PS3, after years of mouse and keyboard gaming on the PC it was more like a stroke victim simulator than a game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 03 September, 2014, 08:07:11 PM
The Killzone 2 controls are infamously terrible.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 05 September, 2014, 02:51:22 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 02 September, 2014, 05:22:57 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 01 September, 2014, 11:06:49 AM
Picked up State of Decay whilst it was £3. Fun enough to begin with, wish it was a bit less Dead Risingy? Only played 30 minutes this morning before work though. Just the guns seemed a little pointless compared to the power of my 2X4.

Same here, even though I have it on X-Box-Live!

At the moment, (After remembering that I read about this MOD in a gaming magazine!) and since I had purchased a bundle of the  Civilisation Complete Edition (http://store.steampowered.com/sub/36075/) (No I didn't really, I brought Civ 5 bundled with the two or three games that came before it in the same series.) I also brought  Beyond Earth (http://store.steampowered.com/app/65980/)

Anyway, I am interested in getting this  Faerun Mod (http://store.steampowered.com/app/65980/) (Don't know why it hasn't been translated to English!) to work on Civ 5. It's supposed to and it's based on fantasy Advanced Dungeons & Dragons world belonging to Forgotten Realms. If you played that popular table top role playing game (I just mentioned!) in the during a large chunk of the early 90's. Then you will know what I'm talking about.

Otherwise, check out these other games based on the world of  Faerun (http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_computer_and_video_games).

Neverwinter Nights - One and Two (http://www.gog.com/game/neverwinter_nights_diamond_edition) I once tried this game on a few occasions while using one of the internet gaming cafes down in Sydney N.S.W. and thought it need more work. Although I was very impressed with how they kept most the A.D.&D. mechanics in it and even displayed them as numbers and modifers on the screen. 

Baldurs Gate (http://store.steampowered.com/video/228280) I purchased this game in the days when I was always short of cash and living from pay check to pay check. I actually recall thinking to myself that I could spend my last $80.00 on a trip to the brothel or this game. I'm not sure of the exact outcome, but I do own this on the original cd's (As I still have them right now!) and remember spending money on a hooker either on that day or when I got payed two weeks later. The game itself wasn't all that. Yet, I assume you get more out of it when you invest more time in playing it than I actually did. I only purchased it again on Steam when it was upgraded to the Enhanced - Edition. I still haven't played it much since I played the original. Which had stopped doing after I got sick of controlling a entire party of different character who I had sent in different direction while exploring a dungeon. Like I wrote, it needs my full attention and commitment to play this.

Neverwinter Online (http://store.steampowered.com/app/109600/) Since I downloaded and installed the free version of this game. I was more impressed and made more of effort to get into it before the computer I was playing it one started playing up. As side from the few usual problems I noticed with a lot of these multiplayer online role playing games and the fact that it seemed like it played more like arcade game rather the computer adaption of the table top version. I could get really hooked into playing this game and may lay into once I get some spare time after it's been downloaded.

There are also a lot novels I used read that were based on this world.  Ice Wind Dale (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Icewind_Dale_Trilogy) trilogy was one of my favourites and their is even a expansion to game I just mentioned that is specific to that area on the map.

If you want to know more about this. Read this Mod of the Week: Faerun, for Civilization V (http://www.pcgamer.com/au/2013/11/24/mod-of-the-week-faerun-for-civilization-v/).

See if one of yous can figure out while I'm waiting for the game to prep on Steam.

I managed to get the game working with that Faerun - Mod, but you really need the God And Kings expansion to get that version I used working. There was another version that required Brave New World, but I didn't want spend another $50.00 AUD this fortnight.

Once I sussed out how to get eh mod read on my computer using some free unzipping software. Which I'm still unsure about since it keep reminding mw to pay for it If I want to use it and this was after I had already brought the retail version a late last year with the new computer. It just long story , but I think I got it done with the free version or another free download that does the same thing.

The game even has it's own mod manager. So, that was all it took to get the game working and I was playing for a while with Shadow Play recording my game. Until I accidently pushed my chair up against the plug that connects the computer to electrical socket and shut it down.

That was last night.

The game mod seemed like it need more work to get any of the workers I asked for to do anything. It took me years before I was close enough to get them working on the land around where I had planted  Mithral Hall (http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Mithral_Hall) because I chose  Bruenor Battle-Hammer (http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Bruenor_Battlehammer) as a leader because the was the only character the game mod had given me that I knew of from the novels I read.

You can chose to place your starting town/city/settlement anywhere close to where your settlers appear on the map that I didn't even think was the proper world of Faerun. I did have a Faerun map (There is also a  Underdark (http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Underdark) map. NOw that I think about that, perhaps I should have chose that instead for correct map to start with Mithral Hall!)for me to choose, but I thin it was only that in name only. After I had preset the game I was playing in a Huge world. Despite picking a well known dwarven leader, the character still look like normally proportioned human. Even if they might seem a bit shorter. The thing about their city of Mithral Hall is that it's supposed to be in a large underground cavern and not on top like it was in the land and right on the coast.

Aside from that the game was very slow going. I only had my human looking dwarfish warriors encounter a barbarian encampment filled with large wolves and a random ogre after building second town/city/settlement.

Aside from including magic and having a selection of all their spheres. The game isn't that different from the norm Civ 5 game. 

Then I brushed the back of my computer chair up against the wall where the computer plug is plugged in to the wall to the right of me. Shutting down the computer...taking the unsaved game with it.  :'(

I will give this game mod another chance before I decide wether it's really worth having aside from being for free.

Here are a list of other  Civ 5 Mods (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr5IktMey5c) listed in this video.

I only found these web pages for these Mods that are on untranslated page and I'm not even sure of where I can download them....I think one has been abandoned.

Prehistoric - Era (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=187671255)

Warcraft (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=164781590).

There was a Celts - Mod as well, but having problems unzipping with the software I downloaded.

Uploading my gameplay video now.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 05 September, 2014, 10:26:45 AM
Mario Kart 8.

I've never really been particularly fond of any of the Mario Kart games (the ones I've played anyway) after the SNES original (even, strangely, the GBA remake) but I have to say, this is really, really good.
Somehow they've just got the feel right. That's not to say it feels the same as the original game but I knew within 30 seconds of picking up the controller that it was going to be a great game.
Recommended to any WiiU owners.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 05 September, 2014, 11:34:01 AM
Quote from: JamesC on 05 September, 2014, 10:26:45 AM
Mario Kart 8.


Haven't got it yet, but hearing nothing but greatness.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 05 September, 2014, 12:31:51 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 05 September, 2014, 11:34:01 AM
Quote from: JamesC on 05 September, 2014, 10:26:45 AM
Mario Kart 8.


Haven't got it yet, but hearing nothing but greatness.

I love Nintendo stuff but hated the Wii. A few goes on MK8 and thats me and the kids Xmas sorted. :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 05 September, 2014, 01:02:30 PM
Mario Kart 8 is currently at £34.75 in The Game Collection's flash deal. That's the best price I found and picked it up in another of their flash deals earlier in the week (maybe they have loads of stock or something).
10 hours left and counting.

http://www.thegamecollection.net/mario-kart-8-wii-u.html
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 05 September, 2014, 08:03:19 PM
The wii is unfairly ridiculed its got loads of absolutely top class games you just got to dig through a ton of casual tat to find them unfortunately.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 05 September, 2014, 08:41:02 PM
Quote from: Zenith 666 on 05 September, 2014, 08:03:19 PM
The wii is unfairly ridiculed its got loads of absolutely top class games you just got to dig through a ton of casual tat to find them unfortunately.


Hmmm, not sure I agree. I think the best game I ever owned on Wii was Resident Evil 4, which came from the console generation previous!

Wii Sports was fun, Wario Ware had its moments, Twilight Princess was just OK and Mario Galaxy was good but never really grabbed me like 64 did. I'm struggling to think of many other decent titles.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 06 September, 2014, 08:54:24 PM
Sniper 3 and SW KOTOR MMorpg, goodbye RL....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 07 September, 2014, 03:33:19 PM
Wii games no one Played:sin and punishment,Zak and wiki,Hotd overkill,xenoblade chronicles,de blob,ghost squad,dead space extraction I could go on and the virtual console had some absolute gems including a great port of cave story.i got plenty of bang for my buck with the wii.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 08 September, 2014, 05:17:54 AM
More about the Faerun - Mod....

They are still using B.C. and A.D. just like they had their own version of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps every Dungeons and Dragons has one.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 08 September, 2014, 10:38:39 AM
My wii was well worth the purchase purely for No More Heroes 1&2, and the fact I could get a gamecube copy of Killer 7 and run that on it. It was the console where my love affair with Grasshopper/Suda 51 games began so I remember it fondly.

The afore-mentioned Dead Space: Extraction was very good too, and Wario Ware was a laugh with some drunk mates, but that was about it really.

Rogue Trooper came out on it, but by then it was the 3rd console I'd owned that game on, and the wii controls meant it was the weakest version.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 08 September, 2014, 01:50:33 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 08 September, 2014, 10:38:39 AM

Rogue Trooper came out on it, but by then it was the 3rd console I'd owned that game on, and the wii controls meant it was the weakest version.

Yeah, same for me - I owned it on PC and Xbox by that point. 

I was really disappointed with the Wii version.  On the one hand they'd cleaned the visuals up a little.  For example, one port had some lovely scum sea vistas.  However, the controls were screwed.  First of all, it popped to cover when the program guessed you wanted to, instead of going to cover at a button push previously.  It would either not go to cover, or go to cover at totally inappropriate moments. It was so broken you had no choice but to run and gun, and this loss of tactical nuance destroyed one of the best things about the game.  Also, the wobbly wiimote aiming reticule made it very difficult to hit anything, even with Gunnar compensating for you.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: strangelysaucy on 10 September, 2014, 11:40:05 AM
thanks for that! I was about to buy this for Wii in a retromaniacal moment..I shan't bother now :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 10 September, 2014, 12:28:31 PM
Everyone buy sin and punishment you will not be dissapointed.id recommend xenoblade but it's two expensive.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 10 September, 2014, 04:59:25 PM
That's a shame about RT. I thought the Wii controls on resi 4 worked great but that cover thing sounds like a nightmare.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 12 September, 2014, 12:35:45 PM
I remember having the odd problem with RT on the WII but not so much that it ruined the game for me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 12 September, 2014, 09:02:59 PM
Yeah I should probably stress it was still a very enjoyable game, just slightly less so for the addition of the motion controls.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 03 October, 2014, 10:18:12 AM
Never Ending Nightmare

Obviouse joke concerning the title not withstanding, this game is genius. And it really is a deeply personal one to myself. You play as Thomas, a young man seemingly caught in a constant cycle of horror and misery over him seemingly murdering his own sister.

In actual fact it is ver different to what you might have expected. Heavy spoiler warning.

[spoiler]The entire game is a single nightmare from the mind of Thomas, who after battling with depression and personality disorders for years attemtped suicide before the games setting occured. The mental manifestations of giant defformed babies, piles of bodies, sensory deprived mental patients and a grinning, axe wielding specter of yourself as well as images of you ripping out your veins and splitting your fore arms with a crow bar are ll analogies for depression and self harm.

Game mechanics are simple, point and click and basick up and down keys are all you need. But it's the twisted, childrens ilustration type designs and the soundtrack (oh my god, the soundtrack.....) that set up the atmosphere. And it's terrifying nd bleak and isolating. Like depression.

As I said, this game is genius, and as someone who has struggled through depression and self harm before now, the game resonates with me, though it has that grimness to it that can appeal to people whom it does not.
[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 03 October, 2014, 04:54:33 PM
still obsessing with witcher 2 assasins of kings ...discovered a whole new story by siding with an elf
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 03 October, 2014, 05:30:58 PM
Playing Shovel Knight on Steam.

It's everything I wanted it to be - a retro-styled game that is challenging to play without getting too frustrating. Great chiptune music too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 04 October, 2014, 11:26:34 AM
Shadow of Mordor

This is probably the most derivative game I've ever played, being equal parts Arkham and Assassin's Creed with a bit of Tomb Raider thrown in for good measure. Having said that, the whole thing has been done so well that it doesn't really matter. I haven't got far enough into the game to really appreciate the Nemesis system yet but it already feels like the baddies have a bit more personality than the generic thugs you fight in many games.
I think I'm going to get plenty of fun out of this one.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 04 October, 2014, 01:10:38 PM
Yeah, I pretty much agree with what you say above.  The immediate gameplay mechanics have so obviously been ripped off from Arkham City!! In particular the combat.

I'm finding it quite engaging, but nothing is screaming 'next-gem' at me. On the plus side, there's shitloads of great orc characters, and if there's one thing I like in a game, it's shitloads of orcs!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 04 October, 2014, 04:37:23 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 04 October, 2014, 11:26:34 AM
Shadow of Mordor

This is probably the most derivative game I've ever played, being equal parts Arkham and Assassin's Creed with a bit of Tomb Raider thrown in for good measure. Having said that, the whole thing has been done so well that it doesn't really matter. I haven't got far enough into the game to really appreciate the Nemesis system yet but it already feels like the baddies have a bit more personality than the generic thugs you fight in many games.

I think I'm going to get plenty of fun out of this one.

I'm waiting for that to download right now after buying it weeks earlier.

I'm also waiting for Alien Isolation do the same and it may be hours....days.....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 07 October, 2014, 08:01:11 PM
giving dragons dogma dark arisen another go .
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 12 October, 2014, 02:40:07 PM
So, I finally finished Starcraft: Brood War this morning.

I re-stareted the original Starcraft in May and have been playing it fairly steadily since, maybe at the rate of a level every other day (there are 60), with a break for Wolfenstein.

The final level was rock hard. My time (remember when games timed you?) was 4h51m on the last level. To put that into perspective, my next longest time was 1h42m.

I'm now going to dust off the Xbox: I have Shadows of the Damned and Syndicate to mosey through, and I might give Red Dead Redemption another go, too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 12 October, 2014, 05:31:57 PM
Red dead redemption game of the year edition has a hardcore mode which makes a great game a classic.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 12 October, 2014, 08:57:31 PM
Injustice: Gods Among Us

I picked this up cheap for the Wii U and I'm having a blast with it! I've never been much good at fighting games and get frustrated with long convoluted combos and hard to do special moves. This game has a pretty gentle learning curve though and some of the cool looking moves are pretty simple to pull off and to remember.
I never thought I'd care about the story in a fighting game but this has a really fun, hokum filled 'What If?' style scenario. It feels very much like playing along with one of the DCU animated films.
Good stuff.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 13 October, 2014, 12:25:21 AM
The Injustice comic (a digital only release) is probably among the very best of DC's current output. Not saying much mind but its a fun yarn
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 13 October, 2014, 03:39:44 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 12 October, 2014, 08:57:31 PM
Injustice: Gods Among Us

I picked this up cheap for the Wii U and I'm having a blast with it! I've never been much good at fighting games and get frustrated with long convoluted combos and hard to do special moves. This game has a pretty gentle learning curve though and some of the cool looking moves are pretty simple to pull off and to remember.
I never thought I'd care about the story in a fighting game but this has a really fun, hokum filled 'What If?' style scenario. It feels very much like playing along with one of the DCU animated films.
Good stuff.

I know a girl with that name and giggle to myself every time somebody mentions that game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 13 October, 2014, 04:15:56 PM
You know a girl named Injustice?  :-\
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 13 October, 2014, 05:21:20 PM
I shouldn't say exactly what her name is......

Yet, the words IN and JUSTICE are amusing to read or hear when put  together that way.

I think you can work out which one it is  ::)


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 13 October, 2014, 06:14:01 PM
If her name's what I think it is and from that you get some kind of innuendo from the word 'injustice' I can only imagine how you react when you watch a James Bond film.  :-\
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 14 October, 2014, 12:56:09 AM
But you said it  :P
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 14 October, 2014, 10:26:51 AM
 :-*
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 14 October, 2014, 11:33:31 AM
I guess I shouldn't talk about other people you most probably don't like that.....sorry  :-[
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 14 October, 2014, 11:34:34 AM
No need to apologise, I was just a bit baffled! :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 14 October, 2014, 07:59:59 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 14 October, 2014, 11:33:31 AM
I guess I shouldn't talk about other people you most probably don't like that.....sorry  :-[

Gees, I'm pretty sure I didn't write that.....

What I really meant was People you don't Know......sorry  :|
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 17 October, 2014, 04:20:05 AM
I spent few hours earlier this morning playing the Assassins Creed Four - Black Flag (Which sound like the original punk band outfit that Henry Rollins was the lead singer of before he went solo and into spoken word!)

The game seems to be everything a Piratey fan might like. The beginning scenario even starts with the character lead behind the wheel of one and ends with he steering another pirate ship towards freedom.

Then the game falls into the usual stuff that the A.C. series is famous fall, but I now notice that the games mechanics have been improved since I played the very first  game in the series. My version had a eaves dropping mission that kept breaking on me. It was a broken game by the looks and only set me back twenty bucks after buying it from a sale in the local Big Double U. Since that first one, I never got back into until now.

Looking forward to some more piracy old world style.
Title: Re: Re: Last game played...
Post by: James Stacey on 17 October, 2014, 09:54:31 AM
Assassins Creed 4 is a fantastic game. Made up for AC3 being a bit meh.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 17 October, 2014, 10:20:31 AM
Yep, wonderful game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 17 October, 2014, 07:00:34 PM
There was a number of things that still bothered me about this game.

One being that other people walking round the city don't make such a fuss about this hooded character running around picking fights and bumping off the yellow guardsmen, climbing up wall and roof  and being able to jump safely into hay carts from insane heights in broad day light.

Yet, what takes the cake is his ability to blend in with a small group of dancing girls.

Sure, it looked cool when he marched in step with a bunch of monks wearing clothing that was is so similar that's it's believable that he's one of them.

In all fairness, what happens when some modern dude is using the Animus to experience the life of one of so called pirate ancestors. It's not real and could be written off as a metaphor for something more complex.

He could be some present day bloke running and hiding from the cops and then he runs into a brothel. Which is really symbolism for those dancing girls or vice-versa.

A lot of those outlandish stunts and the way people hardly react at all is just of this false reality that is a simulation within a game.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 18 October, 2014, 10:56:25 AM
little easter egg in witcher 2 , with an assassin dead in a broken hay cart.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 18 October, 2014, 11:51:22 AM
Ha that's great.I want to play witcher 2 but every time I start it I find its depth intimidating or some other game distracts me.Playing Wolfenstein at moment and loving it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 18 October, 2014, 05:40:31 PM
I was never impressed with what I have played of the Witcher - Two game and you may find my list of reason for my attitude towards some where in the Games section of this message board.

I may have it's own thread title or on this very thread, but much earlier.

The third game, however... looks very slick and will be available next Febuary.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 18 October, 2014, 07:22:45 PM
Looking forward to far cry 4.3 was fantastic and if not for the awful ending it would have been one of my favourite games ever.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 19 October, 2014, 10:56:52 AM
Just started Monster Hunter 3 on the Wii U.

I've never played any of them. This could fizzle into a trade in for Bayonetta on Friday or it could consume my evenings until Christmas.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 19 October, 2014, 11:38:12 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 19 October, 2014, 10:56:52 AM
Just started Monster Hunter 3 on the Wii U.

I've never played any of them. This could fizzle into a trade in for Bayonetta on Friday or it could consume my evenings until Christmas.

Stick with it - it's excellent! If you have any online buds with a Wii U get a squad together - it us immensely satisfying taking down a beast as a team.

I really wish they'd brought it out in the 360, and it was one if the few reasons I bought a Wii U.  Lack of other interesting titles made be trade it against a PS4 though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 24 October, 2014, 12:51:27 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 19 October, 2014, 10:56:52 AM
Just started Monster Hunter 3 on the Wii U.

I've never played any of them. This could fizzle into a trade in for Bayonetta on Friday or it could consume my evenings until Christmas.

Tiny Tips (though he's actually a teenage Tips now) loved this on the Wii.  Some of the monster takedowns seemed to take him forever though - I'm guessing it's faster in multi-player.  I never played it because I have this illogical aversion to games where characters weild weapons that are bigger than they are.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 24 October, 2014, 12:58:53 PM
QuoteI never played it because I have this illogical aversion to games where characters weild weapons that are bigger than they are.

What, no knob gag..??
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 24 October, 2014, 01:35:40 PM
Aside from those other games I've been reportedly playing.....

I have also been playing a lot of  Demi-God (http://store.steampowered.com/app/202710/) after sorting difficulties I had remembering the game I.D. code and the password I made for the game when I first set it up a few years back.

Kind of like that type of tower defence game that was  Defence of the Ancients (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_of_the_Ancients), except the graphics look way cooler. I've had my fill of the cartoonish Warcraft sprites since the first half of the double naughts had ended.

A addictive game that I was never able to beat at first and now that I set my opponents A.I. to Knight-Mare, it ridiculously hard and slow to knock down the health of the enemy Demi-God. Yet, this has only improved strategy's considerably and I keep returning back to this one for more.

(http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/0/6731/321974-massive_army_rook.jpg)

Can't decide who is my favourite Demi-God is, but the blonde haired fellow in shades with the wings upgrade who fires a long distance crossbow bolt has the best chance of un-hinded survival. Especially seeing as he doesn't need to stand close enough to enemies units/buildings to take damage. One of his earliest special abilities allows him to stand quite along way from the grand melee to deliver a significantly lethal crossbow bolt.

Only problem with this gam is that multiplayer online appears to be dead (A least mine is!) and needs more players to return to this one. So, if you have spare ten dollars or just over the same amounts in pounds. We could set up awesome match. I believe there is even one for more than two players.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Darren Stephens on 08 November, 2014, 11:58:29 PM
Been playing Lords of the Fallen for the last couple of weeks. Very enjoyable, slightly more accessible DarkSouls clone, really. But tonight, after putting over 22hrs into the game, my character has fallen down a pit, unable to escape. If I restart the game, i'm still down there. Looking online, it seems to be a known glitch. No more Lords of the Fallen for me, I think. Well pissed off.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 09 November, 2014, 12:04:03 AM
CoD Advanced Warfare. It is good.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 09 November, 2014, 01:05:15 PM
Harley's Revenge is going cheap on PSN, so I'm back to Arkham City this afternoon, coincidentally 2 years to the day since I last played it.
Annoyance: For some reason I've to re-download the Catwoman DLC too, it's gone missing from the save data.

Meaning I've had to put up with Tim Lovejoys poncing antics on Sunday Brunch while all this downloads in the background. Why hasn't anyone ever run on set and pulled his trousers down?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 13 November, 2014, 10:17:50 PM
Alright? Mostly just been doing jigsaws on the iPad lately. It's strangely compelling.

Anyway, I picked up a cheap PS3 today. Got a couple of games with it (Red Dead Redemption and Skyrim) which should keep me busy over the weekend but I'd appreciate some advice on what to play after that.

I've got Last of Us, Tokyo Jungle, Super Stardust and whatever Wipeouts are available marked down for immediate purchase but I'd be interested in any other PS3 exclusives I've missed out on over the last six years.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 13 November, 2014, 11:14:55 PM
From Codemasters comes...

(http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/287260/header.jpg?t=1415734427)

Rebooting the 'table-top' tiny racing car experience as in ... IT'S BASICALLY JUST

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1e/Micro_Machines_V3_cover.jpg)

but shhhiiit does that formula work still - after not playing it for 13 years or so the demo on Steam was an absolute blast and the modern capabilities of multiplayer make it even more rewarding and expansive.

(http://i.imgur.com/vtiYLxB.gif)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 14 November, 2014, 12:24:54 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 13 November, 2014, 10:17:50 PMI'd be interested in any other PS3 exclusives I've missed out on over the last six years.

A PSN membership is well worth the money for the sheer amount of games you get access to, but if you have a mate with membership and only one PS3, you can ask them to sign in on your PS3 (your account can only be active on two different machines) and then download anything they've ever bought from their download list, even if it isn't available in the PSN store anymore.

Savage Moon is a decent tower defence game that should be familiar if you're used to gaming on a tablet, and the single-player campaign of Starhawk was free at one point, but I don't know if that's still the case.  People seem to really love God Of War, but it's a bit linear.  Likewise for Little Big Planet, which has some impressive player-created online levels, but doesn't really grab me - kids go bananas for it, though.  Shadow of the Colossus is ace, if dated, and is a companion piece to IcoInfamous is supposedly great, but I've only played the vampire-themed spin-off Festival of Blood, which is good.  The Uncharted games are fun fun fun: 2 is the best, with a wide array of environments and puzzles compared to 1, which is still pretty good but feels like it takes a while to get to the interesting stuff.  3 is pretty shiny with some really great setpieces like an extended fight through a capsized ocean liner, but the script doesn't pull it all together quite as well as the prequels, even if the character stories are still good.  Jak and Daxter Trilogy is a great compilation package of the first three PS2 Jak and Daxter games, and though Jak 2 still has some murderously frustrating sections, it still holds its own against modern platformers.
Killzone 3 and Resistance 3 are good first-person shooters, but I wouldn't bother with previous installments.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 14 November, 2014, 12:41:02 AM
If you like JRPGs and Studio Ghibli films, then Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a must.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 14 November, 2014, 07:02:25 AM
My favourite games from last generation were Vanquish - an ace arcadey action game, the Tomb Raider reboot (far better than the Uncharted games IMHO) and Need For Speed Hot Pursuit (the best arcadey racer I've played for years and it hasn't been bettered since it came out about 5 years ago).
None of these are PS3 exclusives but they're all pretty cheap now so if you haven't played them you should give them a go.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 14 November, 2014, 10:42:08 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 13 November, 2014, 10:17:50 PM
Alright? Mostly just been doing jigsaws on the iPad lately. It's strangely compelling.

Anyway, I picked up a cheap PS3 today. Got a couple of games with it (Red Dead Redemption and Skyrim) which should keep me busy over the weekend but I'd appreciate some advice on what to play after that.

I've got Last of Us, Tokyo Jungle, Super Stardust and whatever Wipeouts are available marked down for immediate purchase but I'd be interested in any other PS3 exclusives I've missed out on over the last six years.

I did the same thing just to play exclusives. I've played:

Valyria Chronciles (great)
Last of Us (a MUST, but don't bother with the expensive GOTY edition as multiplayer isn't that good and the expansion for single player is a bit fluffy)
Beyond Two Souls (dross of the highest/ poorest order; less playable than the 7th Guest and more pretentious)
Resistance. Ugh. Sloppy controls and poor level design. So bad I traded all three in.

I'm currently really enjoying Infamous. I got that and its sequel for 99p each.

I also have the three Uncharteds but haven't played any.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 14 November, 2014, 11:07:45 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 14 November, 2014, 10:42:08 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 13 November, 2014, 10:17:50 PM
Alright? Mostly just been doing jigsaws on the iPad lately. It's strangely compelling.

Anyway, I picked up a cheap PS3 today. Got a couple of games with it (Red Dead Redemption and Skyrim) which should keep me busy over the weekend but I'd appreciate some advice on what to play after that.

I've got Last of Us, Tokyo Jungle, Super Stardust and whatever Wipeouts are available marked down for immediate purchase but I'd be interested in any other PS3 exclusives I've missed out on over the last six years.

I did the same thing just to play exclusives. I've played:

Valyria Chronciles (great)
Last of Us (a MUST, but don't bother with the expensive GOTY edition as multiplayer isn't that good and the expansion for single player is a bit fluffy)
Beyond Two Souls (dross of the highest/ poorest order; less playable than the 7th Guest and more pretentious)
Resistance. Ugh. Sloppy controls and poor level design. So bad I traded all three in.

I'm currently really enjoying Infamous. I got that and its sequel for 99p each.

I also have the three Uncharteds but haven't played any.
Valkyria Chronicles is no longer PS3 exclusive  :D Sega ported it to the delight of the glorious pc gaming master race and managed to not fuck it up like Square did with literally every final fantasy port.

I've been playing Massive Chalice which is like x-com lite + crusader kings lite. The combat isn't as good as xcom:eu, it's doesn't really have the tactical depth. You can recruit new heroes through research but the interesting part is you can marry off your heroes and create heroic lineages that pass on their traits to the next generation.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 14 November, 2014, 11:47:21 AM
Definitely check out the Infamous games on PS3, easily the most enjoyable games on the system for me. Infamous 2 in particular is an absolute hoot, it really did the superhero city traversal thing better than anything else I'd played (Sunset Overdrive has recently taken that crown though).

The Uncharted games are good for some Indy-style adventuring, but I always found the combat very poor and the pacing relies too much on throwing a load of bad gunfights into the latter chunks of each game. Like JamesC said, the Tomb Raider reboot does everything Uncharted does but better I reckon.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 14 November, 2014, 05:44:07 PM
Oooh. I'm gonna download that Infamous vampire do-dah tonight.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 14 November, 2014, 06:20:51 PM
Oh. My. Shitting. Bricks. Five Nights at Freddies 2 is out.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 14 November, 2014, 07:44:02 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 14 November, 2014, 11:47:21 AMThe Uncharted games are good for some Indy-style adventuring, but I always found the combat very poor and the pacing relies too much on throwing a load of bad gunfights into the latter chunks of each game.

I used to think this - specifically that some of the later gunfights were harder than others in order to slow your progress through the game story - until I played Last Of Us (made by the same team, using the same game engine) and then went back to Uncharted and went platinum on the first two games in a matter of days.  I have since revised my opinion to accept that I probably shouldn't have been playing the games like I was Master Chief and instead took the tutorials about cover and how the enemy will always try to flank you to heart.

(a good tip is to remember that the AI can be turned on your enemies: fire an empty gun and they'll come out in the open thinking you've no ammo, so you can switch to another gun or chuck a grenade at them)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 15 November, 2014, 01:04:35 AM
Dr X.playing any of the uncharted's will make the last of us seem like the masterpiece that I know it is.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 19 November, 2014, 02:27:30 PM
The Witcher 2

Well, sortof.  GOG had a promotion in which you could get a free copy.  I got massively excited when I saw it was Linux compatible and that I wouldn't have to run it off my XP partition or my laptop.  So after the lengthy wait for the download to finish and some issues with having to upgrade to Trusty Tahr the game doesn't play.  Installing the extra libraries and updating the nVidea drivers got the game to play but it run like crap with loads of bugs.

After doing a lot of research I found I could probably fix some of the bugs but there is no assurance that I would be able to run the game properly.  Turns out that it isn't Linux native and uses a wrapper called eON which has some hardware compatibility issues.  I'm not a fan of compatibility layers as they are not universally reliable and provide performance issues.  It's disappointing as I heard that CD Projekt (who also run GOG) a keen to support Linux.  I think they could have done better and if they couldn't they shouldn't have tried.  Really glad I didn't pay money for this game so I could play it on Linux.

I will probably end up slapping the game on XP partition.  The game is 32-bit anyway (which is another massive issue I have with it) so it should run well on my XP.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 21 November, 2014, 11:42:51 AM
Left 4 Dead 2

Again. This thing never leaves my hard drive for long. And now I'm delving into the workshop... just wish my friends still played it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 21 November, 2014, 02:38:15 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 21 November, 2014, 11:42:51 AM
Left 4 Dead 2

Again. This thing never leaves my hard drive for long. And now I'm delving into the workshop... just wish my friends still played it.

I play L4D2 more than any other game I own, but I'm on Xbox 360. (I do have it for steam as well, got in a sale a while back).

Amazing game! Probably the best Multiplayer I've ever played, number 3 is long overdue.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 21 November, 2014, 03:02:36 PM
My first multiplayer game in saw my three teammates get incapacitated before they could drop down to my level and hordes of zombies swarming them. I couldn't help though they'd just pulled me up 30 seconds beforehand after a hunter pounced me in the dash across the sewers, so I turned around and ran down the tunnel - encountering about 60 zombies swarming towards me from that bottleneck.

Katana out, swiping through on 2 hits and dead health... hacked my way to the end unable to see anything through the blood, knowing no one had my back and one zombie would take me out - got to the end and a spitter was waiting just behind the last two of the horde. One last stab, yanked out the shotgun and blew its head off, spraying acid across the ladder leading to the safe room.... heard another horde coming down the corridor behind me, my team mates screaming at me to run as they lay dying, I jumped up the ladder as the acid left and dashed into the safe room just as the first of the horde hit the doorway.

I remember why I loved this game :)

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hoagy on 21 November, 2014, 03:59:16 PM
The Evil Within- is a game that feels all game players really want from their games is to have life made even more difficult for them. This game does nothing to help you enjoy it. The visuals hud are uncomfortable as are the default controls. Nothing lets you get comfortable and being sickened and pissed off by what you see and have to go through does not a scare make. I hate this game. And in return I want to defeat it. In casual mode.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 21 November, 2014, 04:12:52 PM
Quote from: Hoagy on 21 November, 2014, 03:59:16 PM
The Evil Within- is a game that feels all game players really want from their games is to have life made even more difficult for them. This game does nothing to help you enjoy it. The visuals hud are uncomfortable as are the default controls. Nothing lets you get comfortable and being sickened and pissed off by what you see and have to go through does not a scare make. I hate this game. And in return I want to defeat it. In casual mode.

Sorry to hear that; I had high hopes for this, but received a similarly negative review from a mate of mine.

I might skip it and wait for Silent Hills.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hoagy on 21 November, 2014, 04:34:46 PM
Well it's not on new gen format it is on a previous gen I play it. It eats a massive dose of memory storing it, yet continues to heavy load, and be careful where you die should have been a game characteristic long dismantled. I've been playing the sprawling Prototype 2 just previous to this game and it's jump on and play aspects couldn't be further from T.E.W.s.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 21 November, 2014, 08:38:48 PM
Red Dead Redemption, not play that for years, so play it tonight, love it!! One of best zombies games!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 22 November, 2014, 11:48:41 AM
Goat MMO Simulator. The free dlc for goat simulator because Coffee Stain are simultaneously the best and worst developer on the planet. Also the best.
You can finally realise your dreams and role play a microwave or a "rouge" in Tony Hawk's Pro Skyrim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAm5yxQA_HY
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 24 November, 2014, 01:12:57 PM
Man I am totally shit at Zombie U.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 24 November, 2014, 01:49:55 PM
Red dead redemption is not a zombie game the undead nightmare dlc is and while it's good it's nothing compared to the real game which is a stone cold classic which I'm going to play (again) as soon as I get back from football tonight.The most beautiful game of the last generation and for me rockstars best game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 27 November, 2014, 11:29:09 PM
Cheers for the PS3 recommendations. I played some of those (Colossus, Jak & Daxter ) on PS2 but will check out some of the others.

Not anytime soon though. It's Desert Golf all the way for me. I'm currently on 1048 strokes after 400 holes...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 28 November, 2014, 10:07:30 AM
Battlefield 4 has released it's Final Stand maps, and they are bloody brilliant!

They're large, in some cases very large, and most contain a good mix of multi vehicle combat, with sections for running and gunning indoors.  The maps are nicely varied, with their own little secrets to be discovered - nice sniping spots, optimum distances to drop troops at capture points via chopper or APC etc, shortcuts to get from base to base on foot, open expanses to catch out the fools trying to run across exposed ground etc etc.

I've been having great fun on them, and have even moved up a couple of local divisions with knife kills and game wins.  My KD ratio is still totally miserable though!  :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Bobblehead on 01 December, 2014, 03:50:02 PM
 Just traded in The Evil Within on PS4. I'll echo what some people have already said and say that I was really disappointed with this game. It starts off alright,very creepy and some intense stealth bits where I was trying to avoid some lunatic with a chainsaw by hiding in a locker. But by Chapter 6 i'd grown weary of random locations that my character was thrown into,poor combat controls and bosses that seemed to appear from nowhere. Also the last boss was one of the most ridiculous and easy encounters i've played. Rubbish!
Still have no idea what was going on in that game  :lol:

Also playing Shadow of Mordor atm,feels a bit like Assassins Creed,looks suitably grim but every location in the game looks the same as the previous one,i know theres not much they could do considerig where the game is set,but it looks a bit too drab sometimes. Feels like a mish mash of other games especially the combat,which reminds me of the Arkham games. Enjoying it so far though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 01 December, 2014, 04:07:34 PM
Stick with Shadows of Mordor. Another area opens up which is stunning!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: James Stacey on 02 December, 2014, 02:49:30 PM
I'm playing Assassins Creed: Rogue and really enjoying it. They have clearly not bothered much with new gameplay gimmicks and spent the time and effort on the plot and environments (which are lovely). OK, so it's similar to AC: Black Flag but thats no bad thing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 03 December, 2014, 09:07:52 AM
I decided to finally have a proper crack at Crusader Kings II.
Murdered the pope, impregnated my sons wife, made all the jews mad and accidentally started a war against the Great Heathen Army and dragged France into it because King Louis the Stammerer is a solid bro even though I exploded his father in a tavern
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 03 December, 2014, 09:13:53 AM
Assassin's Creed Unity.

Really enjoying it and there's so much to do. Despite the bad press at launch I haven't had any issues with this game bar a bit of frame rate drop here and there (no biggy). The setting is really interesting and exciting and the character leveling and kit loadout options have had a bit of an upgrade from previous games. The online co-op missions are very fun too.
The controls are similar to previous games in the series. I know some people find the controls challenging but they just seem to click with me. 
Apparently the next one is confirmed as having Victotian London as a setting - should be good.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 03 December, 2014, 11:13:03 AM
Rogue Trooper!

Rebellions own clone! 0.89 p in the Steam sale. Very good fun so far. Surprised it had weapons upgrades though you do tend to run out of sniper bullets quickly.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 03 December, 2014, 11:25:33 AM
Just when I thought I was out....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Darren Stephens on 06 December, 2014, 09:09:30 AM
The Last of Us Remastered, was only £17:99 on the PSN store. Would've been rude not to!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hoagy on 06 December, 2014, 12:07:42 PM
The Last of Us is the one you want rather than The Evil Within.

Talking of bargain consolidating, I got me some Bioshock Infinity for the duration. Much better...ah.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 07 December, 2014, 12:31:37 AM
been playing the destiny "demo"  and liking a lot is this needing a gold account on xbox live to play the proper version? and shadows of mordor is still entertaining!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ardath Bey on 07 December, 2014, 02:45:29 AM
Dusted off Skyrim to take care of unfinished business.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 19 December, 2014, 05:06:00 AM
Aside from playing the now available to the general public...Elite Dangerous which is now vastly improved.

I'm playing it now!

Check it out!

Also check out  This War Is Mine (http://store.steampowered.com/app/282070/)

On Steam

I saw the review here on  Good-Game (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_t2aBTZ4lA)!

(http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/news2/This-War-of-Mine-Review-465376-4.jpg)

I think it was inspired from the very real Siege War of Sarajevo.....just imagine a bleaker, more charcoal - like version the Sims game without toilets or woohoo or both of those combined.  I even had the impression this was meant to be about zombies and then realised that the your survivor kind move that way if they get too tired, sick and hungry.....

(https://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/first-day.jpg)

Is that what a zombie truly is, just unwashed, disorganised, war victim not yet dead, and invading your property for needed supplies.

(http://www.techspot.com/images/products/pc-games/org/2014-11-18-product-6.jpg)

I eventually made it through the entire game successfully before my last war victim Emily (Lawyer was terminally ill survived the entire ordeal and was rescued by the Peace-Keeping forces.

(http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.608009374851207068&pid=1.7)
I also managed to save the girl at the Supermarket using either Roman Ex-Soldier) or Marko (Expert-Scavenger) to take out the thug who was abusing her.

(https://bennettnorth.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/screen-shot-2014-12-07-at-10-19-51-pm.png)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: sheridan on 19 December, 2014, 07:43:21 AM
I did play a game of Rogue Trooper the other day - the first time I'd played it in twenty / twenty-five years (the Games Workshop boardgame, not any of the computer games).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 19 December, 2014, 10:02:50 PM
after getting bored with shadow of mordor I traded in for dragon age inquisition which I'm enjoying more.  assassin creed rogue next,probably.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 19 December, 2014, 11:49:57 PM
  This (http://store.steampowered.com/app/268870/)   :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 20 December, 2014, 10:05:16 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 19 December, 2014, 11:49:57 PM
 This (http://store.steampowered.com/app/268870/)   :D

That sounds interesting. Is it anything like Syndicate?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 20 December, 2014, 10:58:46 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 20 December, 2014, 10:05:16 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 19 December, 2014, 11:49:57 PM
 This (http://store.steampowered.com/app/268870/)   :D

That sounds interesting. Is it anything like Syndicate?
It's more syndicate wars than syndicate, some of the devs worked on syndicate wars I think
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 21 December, 2014, 05:31:24 AM
Remember Dungeon-Keeper (One of the few games I made it all the way through!) & it's sequel....

This game is supposed to be the third in the series.....

War of the Underworld (http://store.steampowered.com/app/230190/)

I said supposed, because it's not really official. Bull-Dog who have been disbanded since Peter Molynuex took charge of Lion-Head-Studios and has nothing to with game as well.

Although, he did give it his blessing while it was being  Kick-Started (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/subterraneangames/war-for-the-overworld)

Apparently it was made by a development team of loyal fans who are good at there stuff called Subterranean-Games.

But, don't quote me on any of that!

After playing the tutorial and part of one of the new campaign missions. I see that it just more of the same when I was expecting as much of a improvement of the scope of the original that had been got from Elite Dangerous (No, I'm not that mixed up, but I'm just using the game I did give backing to for comparision.)

You know, if wasn't paying so much attention to the other game, I might have heard about this while still in Kick-Starter phase.

(http://futileposition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/War-for-the-Overlord.png)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 21 December, 2014, 05:40:35 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 21 December, 2014, 05:31:24 AM
Bull-Dog who have been disbanded since Peter Molynuex took charge of Lion-Head-Studios and has nothing to with game as well.

That's meant to be Bull-frog  :-\
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 22 December, 2014, 01:01:45 PM
I picked up Aliens: Colonial Marines for a paltry few Euro on Amazon, gave it a good few hours yesterday morning, maybe 25% complete.
Despite my throbbing hangover and very poor word of mouth, it wasn't too bad at all.
Much tougher than I had been led to believe too- my ass is getting handed to me quite regularly on 'normal'.

Also; Lance Henrikson as Bishop. *S-w-o-o-n*
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: DaveGYNWA on 24 December, 2014, 11:24:41 AM
We have an invisible elf that comes to stay in our house for the month of December, called Bobo. He uses our house as a base of operations for doing reconnaissance on the local kids during the day, and then sleeps overnight in the sitting room in a bed which the 2 girls provided for him and he leaves little goodies every few days for the kids. He also delivers the 'naughty or nice' certificate on Christmas Eve morning, along with a family present for us all to enjoy.

It's usually a DVD, but this year I'm helping the kids play Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes. Well, 'helping' means "I'll give them a go soon"
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 28 December, 2014, 11:54:50 AM
Call of Duty: Ghosts - the series delves into the 1980s post-apocalyptic genre.  The shooting action is more of the same, but the trappings and settings are interesting to me even if the story is almost hilariously hackneyed in some places.  Loved the sense of scale to some of the levels, like the opening run through a disintegrating LA suburb.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - probably the first COD game I've really enjoyed in a long while, full of great sci-fi setpieces and an initially interesting storyline - about Kevin Spacey's industrialist building the first global private army - that inevitably descends into unconvincing panto villainy, turning the game into what feels like some sort of tie-in to the GI Joe movies.  There's a good sense of the various rival factions in play in the game and their individual tactics and weaponry, but no branching storyline means it just feels like an extended advert for the multiplayer options rather than a videogame campaign from the year 2014.
Still, it has the speeder bike chase from Return of the Jedi played out against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic Detroit, and a running gunfight across the roofs of moving traffic in a fast lane, so I'll forgive it the minor quibbles like hard-to-see button prompts in some of the QTEs.  In its favor, the shooting action has been improved considerably by applying some of the design touches from the Killzone series so that you can actually see enemies and tell them apart from your allies, and while sometimes nonsensical, it is overall a hoot to play.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 29 December, 2014, 12:42:21 AM
I haven't played Elite Dangerous since the earlier morning of Boxing Day.

Which is bad seeing they will be giving 10,000 to the very first person who reaches Elite status, in all three categories.

I might start soon....

I spent all day yesterday playing Brutal Legend and loving it's dark larger than life cartoonish atmosphere. It's like watching fantasy animation from 70's (With it's look!) or 80's (With some of it's music!).

And there are similarities to Slaine (I guess it would have to be The Horned God!). Eddie Riggs looks like a completely different  of Slaine if he ever was a Roadie wielding guitar and a axe that could almost be Brain-Biter. A Hot-Rod that could almost be his chariot. The red-robed cultists who remind me of Druids/Drunes. The atmosphere might just be that of Tir-Nan-Og a thousand or so years B.C. or some cross between the rural country side of Britain (With assortment of Stone Circles including Blade-Henge or the Midwest of America. There is even something like Mount Rushmore, but totally different with now of the American Presidents carved on to them.

I love the idea about how magic/power is derived by the devotion of loyal Heavy Metal fans funnel up through the ground like geysers. The only people who matter in this place are the rock gods.

I also played the Multiplayer game.

I am about as far into the single player as....the part where they had sent the bad dude (I unfortunate fellow, wearing a wig of to too much hair, makeup and a pink denim jacket opened at the front to a revealed a hairy chest! Showing the true dark side of that very well known alternative lifestyle! The hero's are similar but with no make up and a more moderate covering or hair! They look like true rockers.) way after setting up a stage and having a couple of battles.

I also haven't beat the Scottish accented Half-Titan-Troll-Sea-Monster in his Hot-Rod challenge.

It doesn't help that I need to keep nearly all my fingers over the buttons for Ignition W, Reverse S, Nitro/Boost Left-Shift,  Moving forward Y, Turning, G & J, Handbrake Spacebar). I remapped the keys a few times, before settling on this configuration. The movement keys also also the same for Eddie running around.

I think that game was cheating me in that regard there, felt like it forcing me to peddle a bike, as it I had to keep my finger on the ignition and the direction key I was using at the time. Along with continuously boosting. I never won that race.

I love the intro with a real world Jack Black showing you this rare record album in a second hand music store somewhere in the states. The game is accessed and other parts of it are accessed on the record cover, the inside cover, and the record itself.

This game has a real 70's/80's heavy-metal fantasy vibe to it. It's abit like watching the film of the same  name (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_Metal_(film)).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 03 January, 2015, 02:40:33 PM
Dark Souls. I'm not very good at it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 03 January, 2015, 02:52:18 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 03 January, 2015, 02:40:33 PM
Dark Souls. I'm not very good at it.

You're not supposed to be!  That is one stupidly tough game. Watch every step, check every corner, think ahead - and still die over and over!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 03 January, 2015, 03:28:14 PM
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

A really charming and elegantly simple puzzle platformer. I'm really enjoying it and have feeling it may become a favourite of mine. It's likely to stay in the shadow of the big Wii U blockbusters like Bayonetta, MarioKart and Smash Bros but I'd definitely recommend picking it up if you have a Wii U.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 03 January, 2015, 03:42:31 PM
I was just coming here to say Dark Souls 2.

I picked this up in the Steam sale knowing full well that the game is brutally hard but I didnt half make it harder than it needed to be, I spent the first several hours of play stuck in RTFM mode, it got a lot easier when I realised that -

A. levelling isn't done automatically based on an XP system, you have to buy level ups with enemy souls.
B. You can block and parry enemy attacks.
C. There is an NPC right near the start who gives you a health replenishing flask.

Also failing to get my head around the weapon degradation system meant that I ruined my starter weapon and had to fight through a good chunk of the forest level wielding the equivalent of a butter knife until something better dropped.

I am absolutely loving the game though  :D.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 03 January, 2015, 05:52:56 PM
finished call of duty advanced warfare last night and enjoyed it a lot! nice to see they actually spent some time on the single player campaign for a change for us who don't do online gaming. kev spacey was brilliant but only gripes were the unclear qtes which got me killed a few time and the end level [spoiler]where I had to chase spacey down and not make a single mistake where he can get a little way ahead of me [/spoiler]

after  many many tries I finally did it!

also downloading assassins creed revelations and cursing my old 20gb box as I have to delete things before I can play something else

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ghost MacRoth on 03 January, 2015, 06:03:59 PM
Dishonoured

Had never heard of it, but my brother figured it was my kinda thing (sneaky murderous first person stuff) and got me it for my birthday.  Great game!  All steampunkish and weirdly future past imperfect!  One of the best things about it, was the maps making sense.  You know that way where you decide to take a non-direct route, and in some games get to a small ridge, that jou should easily jump....but can't, due to the invisible wall denot5ing the edge of the map?  This doesn't do that shit.  The edges are obviously unpassable....too high to climb, too wide to jump, etc.  A simple thing, but it makes a difference to me. 

The DLC's are included in the GOTY version, and show a nice counterpoint to the main tale.  If you like a bit of FPS action, with the option of killing everything, or stealth and subtlety (that's what Mr 'Arke says....), with a healthy dose of magic, mayhem, and murderous swarms of rats.....nip onto steam and buy this!  It's under a tenner, and well worth it. :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 03 January, 2015, 06:58:51 PM
Good call. nabbed that in the steam sale the other day. Gonna get on it tomorrow.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 03 January, 2015, 07:34:18 PM
Quote from: Ghost MacRoth on 03 January, 2015, 06:03:59 PM
Dishonoured

Had never heard of it, but my brother figured it was my kinda thing (sneaky murderous first person stuff) and got me it for my birthday.  Great game!  All steampunkish and weirdly future past imperfect!  One of the best things about it, was the maps making sense.  You know that way where you decide to take a non-direct route, and in some games get to a small ridge, that jou should easily jump....but can't, due to the invisible wall denot5ing the edge of the map?  This doesn't do that shit.  The edges are obviously unpassable....too high to climb, too wide to jump, etc.  A simple thing, but it makes a difference to me. 

The DLC's are included in the GOTY version, and show a nice counterpoint to the main tale.  If you like a bit of FPS action, with the option of killing everything, or stealth and subtlety (that's what Mr 'Arke says....), with a healthy dose of magic, mayhem, and murderous swarms of rats.....nip onto steam and buy this!  It's under a tenner, and well worth it. :D

Play the DLC. I did, and it was really worth it. There are two that continue the story: The Knife of Dunawall and the Brigmore Witches and both are really good. The first and last levels are stunning.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ghost MacRoth on 03 January, 2015, 07:44:51 PM
Yeah man, I did.  They were indeed fun.  Like I said, it was a nice counterpoint to the main tale, as it had a very different vibe (I thought).  Just wish it had been a bigger success so there would be more to it.....but I'll leave it a while, then go in and do it one more time!

Oh, and I really liked that you don't have to wait for the bad guys to stop their monologue before ramming a knife in the side of their heads!  Too many games put you in a duel with the end of level boss, when the sensible thing would be to destroy them at distance, and this allows for that. :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 03 January, 2015, 10:41:18 PM
I really enjoyed Dishonoured too. It is rumoured that the sequel is still over a year away so it's a shame there doesn't seem to be any further DLC planned, the two single player add ons were very good and it would be nice to have something more to bridge the gap until then.

Having said that, it's one of the very few recent games that I feel like giving another play-through.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ghost MacRoth on 03 January, 2015, 10:51:28 PM
A sequel you say??  Well you just made my day!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 03 January, 2015, 11:19:43 PM
It's not confirmed. I'd like it to be true. That, and Rage 2.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ghost MacRoth on 03 January, 2015, 11:41:17 PM
Hell, considering I had no idea about the game till I was gifted it, I'll take the rumour of a sequel and happily run with it!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 05 January, 2015, 10:22:07 AM
Dishonored (dishonoured) was great but having recently seen YouTube videos of others playing it I've realised I was playing it wrong by using stealth when what I should have been doing was slaughtering every person in game.Pacifist playthrough was incredible and you don't [spoiler]have to kill any of your main targets.branding the high overseer was a particular favourite.[/spoiler]also anyone playing Dark souls or Dark souls 2 the wikis are indispensable for a character build that suits your style of play managing your souls for leveling up and weapon management while they keep spoilers to a minimum.the joy of discovering the games secrets for yourself is unsurpassed in gaming(barring a last minute free kick in FIFA).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 05 January, 2015, 11:11:03 AM
I enjoyed killing people or not killing them as I saw fit. Some of them deserved to die.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 05 January, 2015, 02:43:03 PM
Orc Must Die was fun for a while.

I just got Flame Bracers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 05 January, 2015, 11:56:54 PM
I played a bit of the Telltale Game of Thrones game over Christmas.

I can sort of see why people like it, but I just don't think this particular sub-genre is for me. Probably sounds a bit luddite of me, but I was hoping for more of a game than a conversation simulator with occasional QTEs (basically what amounts to "press 'up' to not die'). Literally reminded me of Dragon's Lair or something.

I was expecting more of a puzzle-solving or exploratory element.

It's well written*, but if story is literally all there is to it then I'm not sure what the purpose of the exercise is as opposed to just reading the books or watching the show, which has infinitely superior and more atmospheric visuals? I never got the impression that decisions I made would really affect anything significant - how could they?

*It was all quite ingeniously put together, and mildly intriguing despite the cast and their roles basically amounting to them being the Fake Starks™
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 06 January, 2015, 08:33:35 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 05 January, 2015, 02:43:03 PM
Orc Must Die was fun for a while.

I just got Flame Bracers

I just can't beat Killing Fields level...(Which reminds me of one of the second works of Slaine I ever collected with the same name.)

ADVICE PLEASE......
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ghost MacRoth on 06 January, 2015, 01:03:55 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 05 January, 2015, 11:11:03 AM
I enjoyed killing people or not killing them as I saw fit. Some of them deserved to die.

Same here.  Plus, it did tell you that the more murderous your passage, the darker the outcome of the game would be.  As well as generating more swarms of rats due to all the bodies of course!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 06 January, 2015, 04:29:37 PM
A £3 mobile text adventure game called 80 Days.

You play as Passepartout aiding Mister Fogg's success in his wager to circumnavigate the globe in a time frame smaller than the title. Taking place in an alternate steam-punkified version of the 19th century, it's basically one of those old Choose Your Own Adventure games in a digital format. It's really well written and really engaging, it has had me hunched over my Iphone like a teenager for hours on end. The graphics are serviceable, all your stops are represented by a simple picture of a famous local landmark, plus there's a variety of steampunk vehicles and an Indiana Jones style map tracking your progress.

The game play mostly involves dealing with the locals and finding routes to help you in journey, all while keeping an eye on the finances and Mister Fogg's health. I've come a cropper to bandits, totalitarian governments, the elements, but mostly the Pacific ocean is my main stumbling block. I have also succeeded in the quest, while uniting forbidden lovers, freeing political prisoners and punching Jesse James right in his big stupid face. The world is well realized, there seems to be bigger things going on behind the scenes. Now that I've had a few successes under my belt, I feel like trying to find out what's really going on in this world, even if it means losing the bet. The whole thing is wonderfully dense, full of intrigue and adventure.

Ripping good fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 07 January, 2015, 08:34:24 AM
The Evil within!

I really enjoyed it despite it being Bastard Hard.

The Game (early on) does suffer heavy comparisons with Resi 4, and the later Silent Hill games, but I still found it had enough of its own going on to make it stand out as a worthy Horror Game.

Excellent, and well worth a purchase!

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 07 January, 2015, 04:12:52 PM
Playing The Evil Within just now myself (thanks Santa!) and loving it. It is indeed Bastard Hard and has kicked my ass consistently, but in a very satisfying way. Don't think I've made it through a single encounter comfortable, it's always been just by the skin of my teeth which is the way a horror game should be and a very tricky balance to pull off. Surprisingly scary too, the atmosphere is ace (it has a real In The Mouth Of Madness vibe in places).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 07 January, 2015, 04:35:13 PM
Quote from: King Pops on 06 January, 2015, 04:29:37 PM
A £3 mobile text adventure game called 80 Days.


Ripping good fun.

Yep! Completed it about 5 times now. Replay is only just getting annoying as I have to retread old ground near the beginning before I get to the points I 'missed' the first time around. That said if I choose certain routes - the teleporter, a certain submarine, a zulu king or an arctic expedition - I'm sure things may turn out differently even if I've been there before. Still can't work out how to get to half of the towns in the US though :/


Awesome game. Well worth my £3.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 16 January, 2015, 08:40:05 AM
I just completed Orcs Must Die earlier today and have been playing again for second time.

Right now, I just knocked off after failing the Library Mission for a third or forth time today.

Even though I now know what to do much quicker, I'm must be getting tired to keep going.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 19 January, 2015, 11:27:21 PM
I purchased The Bard's Tale via STEAM today.

After previously playing and completing this version on the PSTWO years earlier.

It's worth another play, and I did play this game again years later and still yet years before now. Only getting as far one of the missions where I had get the Bard to rescue a some body important from Trows in the forest.

This time it comes complete wit the first three games in the series, which involved creating party of characters the like of which could either Human/Elf/Dwarf/Half-Elf/Half-Orc/Hobbit/Gnome that would become either Warrior/Conjuror/Magician/Hunter/Bard/Rogue as you lead them through the town of Skara-Brae (Which is a real place some in the north of Scotland, you know! I not use how accurately it's been recreated for this game or if it's even on the same planet as ours, but it's bears the same name and that's all I know about it!).

I think it was the second game I had originally brought back in 1989 or 90 and it was packaged with the dungeon disk that belonged to the first game in the series. So, my party of adventures were confined to the town for the entire game. They could never enter the started dungeon, which is essential to getting on with and completing the game. Instead of taking the game back to the store where I brought from and complaining. I continued playing the game while occasionally growling about it to myself.

Friends would visit me and each create their own character while we would all just sit and watch as this motley crew wander around town for hours fighting and running from random monsters. Long after they left for home, I would continue to play on.  Characters standing in the front row would get killed over and over as they would be replaced by new ones as the ones in the back row  would so level up.

I soon had a very experienced Hobbit - Bard by the name of Orpheus (Named after similar character in Greek Mythology!) Don't know where those old C64 game disks are now.....

Then new game is very different, the original version had brought from the very same shopping centre Indoorpilly Shopping Town about eight years ago.

It's very different from it's parent game. The apple or acorn has fallen very far from the tree, on the then present generation of gaming console it could afford to be more cinematic with far superior graphics and they still look okay by todays standards.

Your game perspective alternates from the cinematics and top down when in full control of your character.
You choice of a party of characters is taken from you as you can only control the Bard after choosing his first combat skill and assigning a small number of points to his physical, mental and social characteristics.

The rest you must see for your selves.




Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 19 January, 2015, 11:34:55 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 07 January, 2015, 04:35:13 PM
Quote from: King Pops on 06 January, 2015, 04:29:37 PM
A £3 mobile text adventure game called 80 Days...Ripping good fun.
Yep! Completed it about 5 times now. Replay is only just getting annoying as I have to retread old ground near the beginning before I get to the points I 'missed' the first time around. That said if I choose certain routes - the teleporter, a certain submarine, a zulu king or an arctic expedition - I'm sure things may turn out differently even if I've been there before. Still can't work out how to get to half of the towns in the US though :/
Aye, cheers for the recommendation. Picked this up last week and it really is a lot of fun. I've been around the world a few times but I've only just, after half a dozen attempts, managed to survive the Arctic Icewalker.

Another good one is A Dark Room, which is a fairly simple text based resource management adventure type game. It doesn't take long to play through but it's pretty neat, has a nice atmosphere and only costs 79p.

Also about halfway through The Last of Us. Despite the hype, I'm very surprised about the extent to which I've been drawn into the characters. I'm not so surprised about how difficult and aggravating I find the hair-trigger switches between sneaking around and all out Doom style blasting. Good stuff.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 20 January, 2015, 01:55:31 PM
battlefield 4 ,just shot down a gunship at the beginning ...


  BUT downloading "resident evil hd" as we speak!!!!!! played this to death on my gamecube and nearly didn't sell it because of it  so looking forward to this!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 20 January, 2015, 02:11:23 PM
Tomb Raider, which for some reason really felt a lot more like an Uncharted rip-off on the second playthrough than it did first time round, not helped by some identical scenes and settings, particularly the ship graveyard stuff from the notoriously superfluous (but admittedly spectacular) pirate levels of Uncharted 3.  Still laughably easy, though, and most of the acting is atrocious, particularly the blank slate of a lead character who seems to have lost a few IQ points along with all her charisma, and spends much of the game story being slapped about or running scared to the point that when she tries to act tough later in the game I was laughing as much at the very notion as I was the actor's terrible and unconvincing delivery.  The backtracking gameplay is well done, if unnecessary, and while there aren't many Uncharted clones this brazen as competition - except maybe the abominable Star Trek - it's still a fun update to the series.

LEGO Lord of the Rings, which is good fun, but after LEGO Indiana Jones is probably the weakest of the LEGO games.  Like others in the series, some of the "puzzles" simply rely on you knowing which of the many LEGO characters have particular abilities and switching to that character, but abilities are also granted by specific objects discovered during exploration of the open world setting, and not every object ability/character ability is explained in the game - I had to look online to find out how to destroy metallic LEGO objects, for instance - so things get increasingly obtuse and it's just a matter of mucking about until you figure a way forward, which is actually not always as frustrating as you might expect, so long as you like mucking around in games wasting time and aren't goal-oriented.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 20 January, 2015, 03:30:36 PM
Resident Evil HD will be mine tonight and I will complete it this time. Finished Resi 1 on the DS last year as preperation for this. Cannae wait and Ive got Resi 2 & 3 lined up on the Vita for afters.

This should finally break my Destiny addiction (I know its shit but I just cant stop).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 20 January, 2015, 04:45:04 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 20 January, 2015, 03:30:36 PM
Resident Evil HD will be mine tonight and I will complete it this time. Finished Resi 1 on the DS last year as preperation for this. Cannae wait and Ive got Resi 2 & 3 lined up on the Vita for afters.

This should finally break my Destiny addiction (I know its shit but I just cant stop).

Woah, woah, woah. You can get them on the Vita?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Ghost MacRoth on 20 January, 2015, 04:51:25 PM
Payday 2

Got the first one on steam for a pound, quickly followed by getting this for a fiver.  Great fun game, especially on the multiplayer.  Reminds me of SWAT 4, except this time I'm on the other side.... ;)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 20 January, 2015, 05:32:29 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 20 January, 2015, 04:45:04 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 20 January, 2015, 03:30:36 PM
Resident Evil HD will be mine tonight and I will complete it this time. Finished Resi 1 on the DS last year as preperation for this. Cannae wait and Ive got Resi 2 & 3 lined up on the Vita for afters.

This should finally break my Destiny addiction (I know its shit but I just cant stop).

Woah, woah, woah. You can get them on the Vita?

Aye theyre under something like ps1 classics - resi 1,2 & 3 were on sale at xmas so I bought the lot.

And both the ps1 Abe games as well.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 20 January, 2015, 08:14:00 PM
played the first bit and from the start there are some nice surorises, besides the very easy mode you can choose to play jill and chris in there bsaa uniforms from the start.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 21 January, 2015, 03:01:01 AM
Quote from: Bear (PhD) on 20 January, 2015, 02:11:23 PM
LEGO Lord of the Rings, which is good fun, but after LEGO Indiana Jones is probably the weakest of the LEGO games.  Like others in the series, some of the "puzzles" simply rely on you knowing which of the many LEGO characters have particular abilities and switching to that character, but abilities are also granted by specific objects discovered during exploration of the open world setting, and not every object ability/character ability is explained in the game - I had to look online to find out how to destroy metallic LEGO objects, for instance - so things get increasingly obtuse and it's just a matter of mucking about until you figure a way forward, which is actually not always as frustrating as you might expect, so long as you like mucking around in games wasting time and aren't goal-oriented.

I brought this for PlayStation Three when it was first out a few years ago, and haven't got much further than the beginning. I just wasn't in the mood for it after I started playing and know this game sounds just epic from the advertising alone.

It's still much more expensive than the Lego - The Hobbit game on Steam.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 21 January, 2015, 11:29:32 AM
Quote from: Satanist on 20 January, 2015, 05:32:29 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 20 January, 2015, 04:45:04 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 20 January, 2015, 03:30:36 PM
Resident Evil HD will be mine tonight and I will complete it this time. Finished Resi 1 on the DS last year as preperation for this. Cannae wait and Ive got Resi 2 & 3 lined up on the Vita for afters.

This should finally break my Destiny addiction (I know its shit but I just cant stop).

Woah, woah, woah. You can get them on the Vita?

Aye theyre under something like ps1 classics - resi 1,2 & 3 were on sale at xmas so I bought the lot.

And both the ps1 Abe games as well.

Didn't realize the resi games were on there, will need to pick them up. Vita has turned out to be a great system for that sort of thing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 21 January, 2015, 02:06:09 PM
Well I played this last night and was surprised how much I'd forgotten since I last played on the Gamecube. Started as Chris but think that was a mistake so will prob restart as Jill for first play through.

New controls work well and you can still go old skool and use the tank controls if you prefer.As I played the orginal not long ago its nice to see what they added and mixed up abit when they redone it.

Hope the rumours of RE Zero HD come true as I never played that one.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 21 January, 2015, 08:40:14 PM
zero was pretty good... but we need a re:make of resi 2!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 21 January, 2015, 09:11:46 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 19 January, 2015, 11:34:55 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 07 January, 2015, 04:35:13 PM
Quote from: King Pops on 06 January, 2015, 04:29:37 PM
A £3 mobile text adventure game called 80 Days...Ripping good fun.
Yep! Completed it about 5 times now. Replay is only just getting annoying as I have to retread old ground near the beginning before I get to the points I 'missed' the first time around. That said if I choose certain routes - the teleporter, a certain submarine, a zulu king or an arctic expedition - I'm sure things may turn out differently even if I've been there before. Still can't work out how to get to half of the towns in the US though :/
Aye, cheers for the recommendation. Picked this up last week and it really is a lot of fun. I've been around the world a few times but I've only just, after half a dozen attempts, managed to survive the Arctic Icewalker.


Yeah, I reached the pole despite that walking heap. Did you know if you travek to Kristiana via Paris instead of taking the Gyrodyne from Cambridge, you'll run into a fella called Otto Lidenbrook. Just Sayin'.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 21 January, 2015, 11:33:35 PM
You can get married - I've yet to find the right woman (in game :) )
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 22 January, 2015, 09:40:30 AM
What was Battlefield 4 like? Good to get?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 22 January, 2015, 09:48:53 AM
Quote from: Goaty on 22 January, 2015, 09:40:30 AM
What was Battlefield 4 like? Good to get?

I haven't played much of the Multiplayer, but the Campaign is Very good. Stunning Graphics as well!

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 22 January, 2015, 11:08:29 AM
Quote from: Goaty on 22 January, 2015, 09:40:30 AM
What was Battlefield 4 like? Good to get?

Not played it in a few months but keep meaning to go back to it. Multiplayer is really good fun IMO , utter mayhem!

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 22 January, 2015, 12:17:30 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 22 January, 2015, 09:40:30 AM
What was Battlefield 4 like? Good to get?

I bloody love it, and I can't aim for shit!  Neither do I have the twitch reflexes needed to go head to head with these young pups.  I die constantly!  But it's so much fun. I'm training up my helicopter skills - just troop transports at the mo, with some brief forays into attack and scout helicopters.  It's like something out of Apocalypse Now!  :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 22 January, 2015, 03:52:17 PM
I miss BF2.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 22 January, 2015, 04:44:35 PM
Well just got it for 8 quid! :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 22 January, 2015, 04:59:37 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 22 January, 2015, 04:44:35 PM
Well just got it for 8 quid! :)

For which console?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 22 January, 2015, 05:08:04 PM
erm... PS3
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 25 January, 2015, 08:04:43 PM
Alien: Isolation.

Only about 15 minutes in but gosh, this is very well made. The cinematic presentation of everything is enough for me so far, even if right now I'm just exploring rather than really interacting with AI/systems. I want System Shock 3 made by these people so much. I feel like I'm on a creaking space station abandoned by all life (so far), falling to pieces and close to help - I can see an evac route floating outside the windwo - but no way I can get there.

I wish I could go back and just play this for 2 hours instead of watching Prometheus.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 25 January, 2015, 08:40:40 PM
I watched the Alan Turing movie and then I played XCOM Enemy Within on my tablet while sitting on the toilet.
I don't think he, or Hitler, ever imagined such a future could be possible.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 27 January, 2015, 04:46:11 AM
I've being playing both Saints Row games, most probably not the first and definitely not the latest one.

Not really bad games, that kind of cashed in on the success of the GTA games with the added appeal of being able to design whatever character your supposed to play. I think in each game your character is the very same or some different remember of the Saints Row gang.

I played a bit of the later/better version nearly a month ago when I first brought both games and made up a female Hispanic girl inspired by Slaine's - Nest-of-the-Speckled-Face. Completed with short bangs of red hair and freckles. For some strange reason, I messed around with her nose and it was kind of knobbly. She had the muscular body of wrestler while still looking very shapely. and kind of bottom heavy. 

I played the game again last night for the first time after I found plastic surgeon. I fixed her nose by resetting all the nose sliders back to their default setting and removed the ghastly make-up I gave her. The short red hair (Which didn't look like a natural red at all!) became more of brown/blonde colour, long flowing pig-tails. (Much better!)

She started out as the ficticous president of United-States-America and some aliens (Who look very similar to the ones from The Fifth Element!) attack and over power and throw her in a 1950's computer simulation of the world that she eventually breaks free of.

(Amazing stuff!!!)

And then she is put into a more contemporary city setting with a touch of the surreal alien tower/building/fixture on every few blocks of the grid. Some of the brick walls and wooden fencing flicker and almost de-rezz (A word taken from Tron) and the water ways appear as a moving orangey red grid pattern upon closer inspection. It's like they know they in a simulation of city within this game. 

It's intentional, I know!

She was shot once (Among many times...I should just stop playing when this happens!) while trying on clothing in one of the city's numerous places to buy apparel and forced to spend the rest of last month and most last night game running around au-natural (With her rude bits censored of course!). This was kind of fantastic for me (The view from behind!) as she would run, shoot, doge, crash tackle and perform any one of the devastating wrestling moves that would finish anybody (Giving her more money to buy stuff.....sometimes!) or the police/aliens (Which give her back some health!). Love the Alien hover cars and bike that can fly much higher. When she beams/teleports into the hover-cars so easily.

Too easily, but very cool.

Yet, I hate driving in this game and prefer to just run around. When the only directional controls are via the keyboard and not the mouse. I think I tried to fix this, but failed.

I eventually got her clothed in something called the Saints-Cyber-Suit dark purple from head to toe with a flickering grid on it. (Naturally inspired by The Matrix films!) after getting her killed/derezzed many times over and a totally free D.J. costume and that's where I stopped playing this for now!

She has the sexy voice of a Spanish lady with a deep voice while derezzing you!

While I made this insanely anorexic mutant of woman with a man's voice. (Please don't complain about my choice as it was given to me!) and then I went back tried to make her look insanely attractive and failed miserably. She had deeply tanned skin despite being Caucasian. Some very pointy elven ears (I was tempted to make her a female Ukko, but exercised some restraint! (Character height is always fixed, but the other options in both games give me a lot slack!) and long straight brown hair that flowed over her shoulders. Then I gave  her these large chops (Like large Side-burns With out the mo. Almost like my own, except that's what I have exactly!) as apposed to what is Mutton-Chops (In this game!) which are large side-burns attached to a handlebar like mo. She just had these large sideburns and a very silly facial expression. It was another option I now forget the name of as well. The most funny thing about this woman was her english accent. The very male voice of a British thug! Yeah, I chose man's voice and giggled every time she had something to say.

After breaking out the prison, (After numerous attempts!) and then took ages getting a feel the city near by making money beating up on random citizens and earning some rep taking down rival gang members some wielding swords and others wearing lots of green. Before I got her out of orange overalls (Her prison uniform!) and into some track-pants and a tight green stripy tank top. She now wore a green bandana with a camoflage design on it and white runners. She did look more like bloke with women's body now with the head gear that made her look more like a guy.

After breaking Gat out of the court-house and clearing out a abandoned mission that was mostly buried underground during a earth quake (Huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer reference there!) and use it as the gang's H.Q. I really felt bad about having her murdering all the homeless folk who were using it, but it's just a game.

She can also tag pre-selected brick wall around the city/neighbourhood with the Saints Row personal iconography/ coat of arms. Which really brings me back to the days of playing The Warriors game Based on the cult film!) while still bothered to use the PStwo.

And that's where I left it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 January, 2015, 09:14:16 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 25 January, 2015, 08:40:40 PM
I watched the Alan Turing movie and then I played XCOM Enemy Within on my tablet while sitting on the toilet.
I don't think he, or Hitler, ever imagined such a future could be possible.

I finished Enemy Within on Sunday night. Quite liked it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 January, 2015, 10:54:13 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 January, 2015, 09:14:16 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 25 January, 2015, 08:40:40 PM
I watched the Alan Turing movie and then I played XCOM Enemy Within on my tablet while sitting on the toilet.
I don't think he, or Hitler, ever imagined such a future could be possible.

I finished Enemy Within on Sunday night. Quite liked it.

I still haven't made it to the end of Enemy Unknown. Have had three playthroughs end on me a few hours in because either my doomsday clock ran out or I lost all my decent men in quick succession so just couldn't cope with the missions at that point. Really need to go back to it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 27 January, 2015, 11:29:47 AM
ALien: Isolation, PC. 15 hours in and now just trying to survive (what I assume is) the finale.

Remarkable game, especially if you're an insane, won't hear a word against it, best-film-ever, "Alien" fan. Probably the best-looking and sounding game I've ever played, as well. Amazing. Can't fathom some of the poor reviews it got.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 27 January, 2015, 11:54:03 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 27 January, 2015, 11:29:47 AM
ALien: Isolation, PC. 15 hours in and now just trying to survive (what I assume is) the finale.

Remarkable game, especially if you're an insane, won't hear a word against it, best-film-ever, "Alien" fan. Probably the best-looking and sounding game I've ever played, as well. Amazing. Can't fathom some of the poor reviews it got.

I've finally bought a PS4 (using a combination of birthday present cash & vouchers) and the first game I considered buying was Alien Isolation.
The 'Nostromo edition' is dirt cheap on Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alien-Isolation-Nostromo-Edition-PS4/dp/B00KL4PNWU/ref=sr_1_1_twi_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1422359487&sr=1-1&keywords=alien+isolation).
It's in the post, ETA Thursday morning...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 27 January, 2015, 11:55:06 AM
Thryllseekyr- Just. Fucking. Stop. It.
Last warning.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 27 January, 2015, 12:01:29 PM
I forgot to mention the second game I was commenting on about secondly.

Combat and movement is more clumsy or clunky than it is in the later version I played. (Naturally!)
There is a noticeable difference in the quality gameplay here.

Especially, where I would get my character to jump or climb over obstacles. The game would slow down as she did these things.

If she leapt down from a safe height, her body would still momentarily go limp before resuming. Sometimes with a bit of a roll.  I found this very strange drop in quality of game movement  combined with attention to realism when it came to jumping  down from a ledge or mountainside at a safe jumping distance!.

I put in another hour or two of game play  in the later game and found this Costume-Store called Let's Pretend where I got her some other get-up combined with a American-Eagle mask which I coloured golden and there was this costume called a toilet that was for free. So I naturally got that.

It's not so much costume than it really is just normal toilet that is the only thing seen floating on her then invisable body when ever it's worn. It got to be seen to be believed. I will need to install the game on this computer to get some footage of this via Shadowplay.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 27 January, 2015, 12:08:32 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 27 January, 2015, 11:55:06 AM
Thryllseekyr- Just. Fucking. Stop. It.
Last warning.

I say unless you find some truly offencive, maybe you should just let it go.

I really mean this as well dude!

Just stop being such dick about it, It's not like I'm talking about raping small animals or human children.

I'm just described a I game I played...thats it!

Now, just let it go...OKAY!!!!!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 January, 2015, 12:15:25 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 27 January, 2015, 10:54:13 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 January, 2015, 09:14:16 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 25 January, 2015, 08:40:40 PM
I watched the Alan Turing movie and then I played XCOM Enemy Within on my tablet while sitting on the toilet.
I don't think he, or Hitler, ever imagined such a future could be possible.

I finished Enemy Within on Sunday night. Quite liked it.



I did use the "Save scum" option that lets you reload and try a shot again. Without it, the results of each calculation are fixed - the game uses a random number to work out if you hit or miss, and the default is for the number to be locked. Save scum changes it each time you load, so you can get different results.

I still haven't made it to the end of Enemy Unknown. Have had three playthroughs end on me a few hours in because either my doomsday clock ran out or I lost all my decent men in quick succession so just couldn't cope with the missions at that point. Really need to go back to it.

HINT: If you get to the last enemy, DO NOT cluster your men within three tiles of each other.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 January, 2015, 12:16:32 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 27 January, 2015, 11:54:03 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 27 January, 2015, 11:29:47 AM
ALien: Isolation, PC. 15 hours in and now just trying to survive (what I assume is) the finale.

Remarkable game, especially if you're an insane, won't hear a word against it, best-film-ever, "Alien" fan. Probably the best-looking and sounding game I've ever played, as well. Amazing. Can't fathom some of the poor reviews it got.

I've finally bought a PS4 (using a combination of birthday present cash & vouchers) and the first game I considered buying was Alien Isolation.
The 'Nostromo edition' is dirt cheap on Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alien-Isolation-Nostromo-Edition-PS4/dp/B00KL4PNWU/ref=sr_1_1_twi_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1422359487&sr=1-1&keywords=alien+isolation).
It's in the post, ETA Thursday morning...

Oooh. Just about to install this, but may play Evil Within first.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 27 January, 2015, 12:33:43 PM
Hint hint for X-Com: EU (and EW)

Snipers with squad sight and a bloke with cloaking are your WMDs (and snipers with the cloaking bio-mod are required to stop those pesky tentacle freaks). Grenades and explosives do well as your opening shots so you can get through the cover.

Never spread out, always move as a unit. Support units are the most valuable class by far, despite their comparative lack of firepower - give em two nades and they can hold their own.

Managed to beat EW and EU on classic (but not with Iron man as can never come back from the inevitable squad wipe), found Exhalt the most bothersome aspect of EW.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 27 January, 2015, 12:55:47 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 27 January, 2015, 12:08:32 PM
I really mean this as well dude!

Just stop being such dick about it, It's not like I'm talking about raping small animals or human children.

You seem to be misunderstanding how moderation works. You were cautioned about your porn obsession; it could be argued that simply transferring your wank fantasies to the gaming thread wasn't really taking the previous moderation in the spirit it was intended...

Jim
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 January, 2015, 01:16:47 PM
Alien: Isolation and The Evil Within are both fantastic games I reckon, both really intense and scary in their own ways, but both love or hate affairs seemingly. The old-school difficulty rankled with a lot of reviewers I think, it can cause frustration but I found it a really refreshing challenge.

Just this minute finished Metal Gear Solid for the first time ever, so I'm listening to the end credit music and watching FMV of trees and bears for some reason. It's a bizarre game, really clunky by today's standards (and downright terrible and annoying in places) but the manic ambition of the whole thing is quite impressive. The aspects I always thought I'd hate - the endless pretentious dialogue and over the top melodrama - were actually really endearing, like watching a particularly mad anime. Will definitely continue on and play the others.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 27 January, 2015, 01:27:34 PM
I'm really curious about Alien: Isolation. Other than some of the professional reviews I've heard nothing but praise for it - my problem is that I find horror games really stressful to play on my own!
I cant help but feel that I just won't have the resilience to play Alien after being at work all day and I'll end up playing something fun and happy like Mario instead.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 27 January, 2015, 01:34:50 PM
Not got Alien: Isolation yet but love playing Dead Space and still scary game!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 27 January, 2015, 02:25:55 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 January, 2015, 09:14:16 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 25 January, 2015, 08:40:40 PM
I watched the Alan Turing movie and then I played XCOM Enemy Within on my tablet while sitting on the toilet.
I don't think he, or Hitler, ever imagined such a future could be possible.

I finished Enemy Within on Sunday night. Quite liked it.

I've still got Enemy-Unknown on X-Box-360...unfinished and I sure one of my latest games saves were deleted somehow kind of setting me back a bit. I have The Bureau: Declassified completed and Enemy Within not started yet.

I have Enemy Unknown, along with all the original X-com games, as well. Including Xenonauts which is very backward, but charming impersonation of those other games all via Steam.

I'd play those like a lot of other games I have except for memory restrictions on my computer. Too much space taken up by game videos waiting to be uploaded.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 January, 2015, 02:47:05 PM
Thanks for the XCOM tips guys, something to keep in mind when I go back to it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 27 January, 2015, 02:58:16 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 27 January, 2015, 12:55:47 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 27 January, 2015, 12:08:32 PM
I really mean this as well dude!

Just stop being such dick about it, It's not like I'm talking about raping small animals or human children.

You seem to be misunderstanding how moderation works. You were cautioned about your porn obsession; it could be argued that simply transferring your wank fantasies to the gaming thread wasn't really taking the previous moderation in the spirit it was intended...

Jim

Now, I'm offended.......

Now of which I wrote should be seen as a illusion my personal interest in porn which I sure do have  but, I am using restraint in that regard. Sure, I'm jnterested in seeing naked women  (Even if her rude bits are censored.) running around a make believe city in the U.S.A. killing everybody, she meets.  You might even say that I would like to see a naked man do the same thing (Slaine????) but, it's now no longer a instrumental of pornography, but something to be admired for performing like a finely tuned weapon or car while looking the part as well. (I know that sounds terrible to compare a attractive human to a machine!)  The nudity just enhances this by letting us see how well her body performs.

If you had problem with me making female character that was kind of ugly and had a very obvious man's voice. This really brings me back to those episodes of  Get Smart (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBrPjQrirug).....

Quote from: Get Smart on WikipediaCharlie Watkins/Agent 38 (Angelique Pettyjohn) is an undercover male agent and master of disguise. Agent 38 appears as a scantily clad glamorous woman in two season 2 episodes. He also appears once in season four as a different actress (Karen Authur). He can also switch to a feminine voice as part of the disguise.

It's just comedy .....that's how I see it. Otherwise, I think my urges regarding and how I interpret computer games that involve action, violence and sometime things more social is normal and shouldn't be seen as obscene. Even the extreme violence where computer games are channelling this more negative aspects further away from the real world.

I don't masturbate to these games, though it may seem that way. I hardly ever do that these days. I play the games, my left hand on the keyboard and my right on the mouse.

I swear, I think the mods are testing me for some reason.......(While gesturing by wriggling my eye brows up and down slowly knownly while winking ;)

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 27 January, 2015, 03:01:54 PM
Oh for gosh sake!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 27 January, 2015, 03:04:36 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 27 January, 2015, 01:27:34 PM
I'm really curious about Alien: Isolation. Other than some of the professional reviews I've heard nothing but praise for it - my problem is that I find horror games really stressful to play on my own!
I cant help but feel that I just won't have the resilience to play Alien after being at work all day and I'll end up playing something fun and happy like Mario instead.
I played the first four or five hours in the dark with full surround, and just had to stop playing it that way. I spent three-quarters of my game-time cowering in foot-lockers. Even with the lights on, you have to train yourself to take risks. It is a very scary game, and probably won't be the tonic you need after a hard day at work. :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 27 January, 2015, 03:06:05 PM
My eyes can not unread.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dark Jimbo on 27 January, 2015, 03:45:41 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 27 January, 2015, 01:27:34 PM
I'm really curious about Alien: Isolation. Other than some of the professional reviews I've heard nothing but praise for it - my problem is that I find horror games really stressful to play on my own!

It is just about the Gold Standard of scary games!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 January, 2015, 03:49:24 PM
Quote from: wedgeski on 27 January, 2015, 03:04:36 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 27 January, 2015, 01:27:34 PM
I'm really curious about Alien: Isolation. Other than some of the professional reviews I've heard nothing but praise for it - my problem is that I find horror games really stressful to play on my own!
I cant help but feel that I just won't have the resilience to play Alien after being at work all day and I'll end up playing something fun and happy like Mario instead.
I played the first four or five hours in the dark with full surround, and just had to stop playing it that way. I spent three-quarters of my game-time cowering in foot-lockers. Even with the lights on, you have to train yourself to take risks. It is a very scary game, and probably won't be the tonic you need after a hard day at work. :)

I've found it interesting how it's changed the way I play horror games. The XB1 version used the Kinect for a couple of things, including using the mic to detect sound in your living room. So basically if I round a corner and catch a glimpse of the alien, if I yelp it'll hear me and come and eat me.

It seems like a small thing, but creeping around terrified and not being able to audibly react to anything, having to stifle all my little jolts and panicked noises, added a whole extra layer of tension. It's something I've noticed I subconsciously do with other horror games now, I used to yelp and scream and swear but now I've found myself stifling everything.

It does mean I've died because I've forgotten to put my phone on silent/my girlfriend has come in the door and said hello/I've farted etc. but it's an extra level of immersion I found pretty great.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 27 January, 2015, 03:52:05 PM
I'm about 1 hour and a bit into it, the Alien is currently not the biggest threat to me. You always know a working joe! And they are ****s.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 January, 2015, 04:48:12 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 27 January, 2015, 12:33:43 PM
Hint hint for X-Com: EU (and EW)

Never spread out, always move as a unit.

Until the very last fight. When the big bad [spoiler]annoyingly throws out a grenade-like vortex that kills every one of you if you bunch together[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 January, 2015, 04:50:26 PM
Hint for the thread: Ignore list
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 27 January, 2015, 05:12:37 PM
Highly recommend surround sound for alien isolation.If your a man otherwise turn the sound off and play outside with lots of people around.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 27 January, 2015, 05:30:22 PM
QuoteJust this minute finished Metal Gear Solid for the first time ever, so I'm listening to the end credit music and watching FMV of trees and bears for some reason. It's a bizarre game, really clunky by today's standards (and downright terrible and annoying in places) but the manic ambition of the whole thing is quite impressive. The aspects I always thought I'd hate - the endless pretentious dialogue and over the top melodrama - were actually really endearing, like watching a particularly mad anime. Will definitely continue on and play the others.

I loved the art direction, style and concept of the original game, and it had some really neat gameplay ideas too, but man, if ever a game (and director) needed to pull its head out of its backside. Never bothered with any others in the series after the first.

A classic case of a game developer not having a clue how to write or structure a good story (or even maintain a tone) and letting the 'narrative' bury an otherwise decent game.

Horses for courses and all that - I'm sure some people enjoy the story on its own terms, but I just think it's the biggest load of self-serious, adolescent gibberish.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 27 January, 2015, 10:16:10 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 January, 2015, 04:48:12 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 27 January, 2015, 12:33:43 PM
Hint hint for X-Com: EU (and EW)

Never spread out, always move as a unit.

Until the very last fight. When the big bad [spoiler]annoyingly throws out a grenade-like vortex that kills every one of you if you bunch together[/spoiler]

Ahh yes. But I say again; snipers with squad sight + second shot and a scout with cloak to get the drop on them. Turns it into the easiest fight in the game, as long as you don't advance the rest of the squad too close...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 28 January, 2015, 12:44:38 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 27 January, 2015, 10:16:10 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 January, 2015, 04:48:12 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 27 January, 2015, 12:33:43 PM
Hint hint for X-Com: EU (and EW)

Never spread out, always move as a unit.

Until the very last fight. When the big bad [spoiler]annoyingly throws out a grenade-like vortex that kills every one of you if you bunch together[/spoiler]

Ahh yes. But I say again; snipers with squad sight + second shot and a scout with cloak to get the drop on them. Turns it into the easiest fight in the game, as long as you don't advance the rest of the squad too close...
plus archangel armour
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 28 January, 2015, 11:28:09 AM
played dying light on PC.
voice acting is terrible, story so far is retarded, all the characters you meet are annoying and incompetent (especially yourself) and foreign.
[spoiler]In the first 30 seconds your undercover operative gets caught by bandits, bitten by zombies and loses his gun and then runs errands for a 13 year old mexican[/spoiler]
The free running is awesome though, much better than assassin's creed. I spent half an hour ignoring the stupid storyline just running around kicking zombies off rooftops.
Mouse/keyboard is a bit janky so have to use xbox controller and for some retarded reason you can't remap the controls, RB is jump which is the opposite of every game in history. Don't see any controller config files either. And for some reason not all of the graphics/audio options are available in the ingame menus so you have to dick around with the config files.

even the zombies try a bit of parkour, I watched one slowly climb over a railing and fall 3 stories to it's death  :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 28 January, 2015, 11:37:51 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 28 January, 2015, 11:28:09 AM
played dying light on PC.
voice acting is terrible, story so far is retarded, all the characters you meet are annoying and incompetent (especially yourself) and foreign.
[spoiler]In the first 30 seconds your undercover operative gets caught by bandits, bitten by zombies and loses his gun and then runs errands for a 13 year old mexican[/spoiler]
The free running is awesome though, much better than assassin's creed. I spent half an hour ignoring the stupid storyline just running around kicking zombies off rooftops.
Mouse/keyboard is a bit janky so have to use xbox controller and for some retarded reason you can't remap the controls, RB is jump which is the opposite of every game in history. Don't see any controller config files either. And for some reason not all of the graphics/audio options are available in the ingame menus so you have to dick around with the config files.

even the zombies try a bit of parkour, I watched one slowly climb over a railing and fall 3 stories to it's death  :lol:

Still worth buying?

I was looking forward to this one as s successor to Dead Island with plenty of more options.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 28 January, 2015, 11:43:08 AM
Quote from: Zenith 666 on 27 January, 2015, 05:12:37 PM
Highly recommend surround sound for alien isolation.

I hope I'm man enough!

I've re-visited Aliens: Colonial Marines on PS3 for the past few evenings in the hope I can put it to bed before Isolation arrives in the post.

Jeebus, it's a slog. The initial thrill of running around wielding Hicks' shotgun with Lance Henriksen whispering delicious gravelly exposition into your ear wore off toot sweet.
It took me over an hour to take down the 'Raven' Alien last night with the power-loader suit.
Horrible to play at times and overly difficult. I don't know if I've the will to complete the remaining 40%.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 28 January, 2015, 12:03:01 PM
I'm not clear on how 'foreign' is a bad quality for voice acting when it's set in Turkey.


(Not being able to change button config = ARGH).

Oh and Link, give it up! Bad games are not worth your time if you do not enjoy them.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 28 January, 2015, 12:22:28 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 28 January, 2015, 12:03:01 PM
I'm not clear on how 'foreign' is a bad quality for voice acting when it's set in Turkey.


:lol:

I was thinking the same thing!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 28 January, 2015, 01:25:36 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 28 January, 2015, 12:03:01 PM
Oh and Link, give it up! Bad games are not worth your time if you do not enjoy them.

I've struggled through worse muck than this- I must never give in!  ;)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 28 January, 2015, 10:01:08 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 28 January, 2015, 12:03:01 PM
I'm not clear on how 'foreign' is a bad quality for voice acting when it's set in Turkey.


(Not being able to change button config = ARGH).

Oh and Link, give it up! Bad games are not worth your time if you do not enjoy them.

They all sound like Esteban Winsmore https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZERGog8oegg
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 29 January, 2015, 01:46:45 AM
I would get back into.....

Alien Isolation,

Middle-Earth - Shadow of Mordor

Civ - Beyond Earth,

Yet, even just one of those game would be too big to fit on any of my hard drives at the moment.

Really looking forward to SOM, I think I got stuck in a glitch somewhere in Alien Isolation.

May have to start that one all over again!

Definitely game that's better enjoyed walking around in then actual playing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 29 January, 2015, 12:03:00 PM
Quote from: radiator on 27 January, 2015, 05:30:22 PM
QuoteJust this minute finished Metal Gear Solid for the first time ever, so I'm listening to the end credit music and watching FMV of trees and bears for some reason. It's a bizarre game, really clunky by today's standards (and downright terrible and annoying in places) but the manic ambition of the whole thing is quite impressive. The aspects I always thought I'd hate - the endless pretentious dialogue and over the top melodrama - were actually really endearing, like watching a particularly mad anime. Will definitely continue on and play the others.

I loved the art direction, style and concept of the original game, and it had some really neat gameplay ideas too, but man, if ever a game (and director) needed to pull its head out of its backside. Never bothered with any others in the series after the first.

A classic case of a game developer not having a clue how to write or structure a good story (or even maintain a tone) and letting the 'narrative' bury an otherwise decent game.

Horses for courses and all that - I'm sure some people enjoy the story on its own terms, but I just think it's the biggest load of self-serious, adolescent gibberish.

Oh yeah don't get me wrong, that stuff is terrible. Truly awful. He clearly has no idea what he's doing or how to say what he wants to say, it's incoherent nonsense and the cutscenes are so overlong and the dialogue so stilted that it's quite painful at times.

For some reason though I found myself laughing at each new ridiculous line or weird digression, in the same way it's fun to have a laugh at a bad movie from time to time. There was something fun about a director over-reaching to that degree, ambition way beyond what he could actually achieve. Wound up quite enjoying it. One thing that did impress me was how cinematic the cutscene direction was at times, because back then games weren't really trying to be movies quite so much (in comparison to nowadays when seemingly every game wants to be a film). So I can see how it was a bit ahead of its time there.

The parts I found more problematic are where the gameplay suffers in the name of a cinematic set-piece - just because in a film it would be really cool for Snake to jump on a jeep mounted machine gun and mow down his pursuers doesn't mean it'll be fun if you haven't polished those mechanics properly (that's just one example but a lot of the game had that 'sounds epic on paper/super clunky in reality' approach to action).

Mainly I want to continue on to see if that side of things improves and gets slicker, I didn't love the game but I can see myself loving something like it with more polish and refinement.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 29 January, 2015, 02:22:39 PM
In Japanese, the dialogue delivery in MGS is in keeping with storytelling traditions and norms associated with Japan's native media, it's just the English language adaptation is outright terrible.

I found myself enjoying the MGS games despite their storytelling/game mechanic shortcomings, and I think after a few plays here and there, I sat down and played through the entirety of 2 and 3 in one long sitting.  I decided I wouldn't bother with 4, though, as I was told that the head of development was so up his own arsehole he wouldn't allow the X button to be remapped or trophies to be added.  The 90 minute final cutscene also doesn't sound very appealing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 29 January, 2015, 02:34:15 PM
Quote from: Bear (PhD) on 29 January, 2015, 02:22:39 PM
I decided I wouldn't bother with 4, though, as I was told that the head of development was so up his own arsehole he wouldn't allow the X button to be remapped or trophies to be added.  The 90 minute final cutscene also doesn't sound very appealing.

And yet its a very entertaining game- worth a look if you enjoyed the previous installments.

Didn't figure you as a trophy hooer Prof, but they did patch them a while back for MGS4; http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/08/03/metal-gear-solid-4-ps3-trophies-revealed/
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 29 January, 2015, 04:11:03 PM
Quote from: CheechFU on 28 January, 2015, 10:01:08 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 28 January, 2015, 12:03:01 PM
I'm not clear on how 'foreign' is a bad quality for voice acting when it's set in Turkey.


(Not being able to change button config = ARGH).

Oh and Link, give it up! Bad games are not worth your time if you do not enjoy them.

They all sound like Esteban Winsmore https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZERGog8oegg

Heh! Second Life is weird.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 29 January, 2015, 05:31:58 PM
Quote from: Bear (PhD) on 29 January, 2015, 02:22:39 PM...The 90 minute final cutscene also doesn't sound very appealing.

I completed the game at about 2am and promptly fell asleep during that scene so have no idea what the ending was and I have zero interest in checking it out on youtube.

I really enjoyed the PS4 prologue as it does away with most of the watching and just lets you fuck about as you please. I have no interest in the next in the series though.

Oh and Psycho Mantis is the best boss fight evah!!!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 31 January, 2015, 08:39:18 AM
C.O.D Advanced Warfare: Zombies

Any of you who've played Zombies on the Black-Ops games will be more than aware of the concept, but for those who don't know...

4 people against a never ending horde of Flesh-eaters; with various Weapons and Power-ups.

This is an Adaption on Treyarch's tried and tested formula, and it's a very good effort. I will use Spoilers now for anyone who's going to be getting this.

[spoiler]The level is set in a Research Facility run by Atlas Corporation.. One of the biggest differences in gameplay is the inclusion of the Exo-Suit, giving the player various abilities like Double-jump and upgrading the stab to a more powerfull Punch. Other abilities can be purchased, most of which are renamed/rehashes of Perks from Treyarch Zombies.

The double-jump does add whole new dimension to the gameplay (literally) which is just as well, "Herding" isn't much of an option any more as the Zombies now have Exo-Suits, and most of them run like mad bastards on Steroids and punch like Champion Boxers.

TheMystery Box has been given a modern makeover and is now a 3D Printer (that makes working metal weapons? The future certainly is bright), and the Pack-a-Punch machine is markedly different. Uprades now cost 2500 and a single weapon can be ugraded up to 20 times. A good addition is that if you die you can regain your upgraded weapon (as long as it was purchased from the Wall).[/spoiler]

I've only had a few goes but the new game mechanics work very well indeed, offering a fresh take on an old (but good) format!

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 31 January, 2015, 09:42:14 AM
Talking of zombies, is anyone playing Dying Light? I'm still getting to grips with the gameplay, but it's a beautiful game. The landscapes are stunning, and the playing area is vast!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 31 January, 2015, 09:46:18 AM
So, I'm playing Evil Within. You know what it reminds me of?

A late 1980s arcade shooter.

That might not be the vibe they were going for, but the gameplay is identical: start a level, make slow progression, memorise the bad-guys, then do a clear run and grab all the power ups without getting hurt.

Not necessarily a bad thing, but not horror.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 02 February, 2015, 07:19:36 AM
Now that I have cleared enough space on both drives...I have reinstalled.....

Alien Isolation!

Middle-Earth - Shadow of Mordor!

Civ (Whatever number it is now!) - Beyond Earth

Bio-Shock...the very first game in that series!

Dead-Island!

Rust!

DayZ!

Plus some other less important games, but it's those listed above that I had already started play and recording on video to be uploaded to You-Tube.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 02 February, 2015, 09:50:31 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 31 January, 2015, 09:42:14 AM
Talking of zombies, is anyone playing Dying Light? I'm still getting to grips with the gameplay, but it's a beautiful game. The landscapes are stunning, and the playing area is vast!

Getting quite tempted by this because it does look like I'd enjoy it, but then Dead Island pulled me in too and I wound up really, really not liking it. This looks a lot like more of that so not sure!

I just polished off the last achievements on Alien: Isolation last night, including the one for getting through a full playthrough with no deaths. Adding that objective really, really added to the tension, properly pulse-pounding, sweaty-palmed, nerve-shredding gameplay getting through that! Very chuffed to have done it. Reminded me of doing the Dead Space 2 hardcore run (the one that limits you to I think one save for the whole game), just intense.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 02 February, 2015, 10:32:32 AM
I don't understand meta-achievements. By which I mean, I understand not killing person X, stealing everything undetected, etc - roleplaying your character or achieving a different outcome to a situation. I even kind of understand the GTA open-world stuff where it's fly under x bridges, it drives you to do something cool. Older games seemed to reward you with unlocks, special weapons/costumes etc... nowadays it flashes up on your screen.

But not "Congratulations you opened 5 doors! Here is a badge".
Which is by far what most achievements seem to be. Arkham games are particularly bad for this. "Achievement unlocked: You moved out of the first area."

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 02 February, 2015, 11:36:42 AM
I think the awards list in the last Walking Dead game I played were spot-on, as you got achievements for managing to make it through the game without quitting forever and going off and playing something that wasn't completely boring.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 02 February, 2015, 12:06:01 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 02 February, 2015, 09:50:31 AM

Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 31 January, 2015, 09:42:14 AM

Talking of zombies, is anyone playing Dying Light? I'm still getting to grips with the gameplay, but it's a beautiful game. The landscapes are stunning, and the playing area is vast!

Getting quite tempted by this because it does look like I'd enjoy it, but then Dead Island pulled me in too and I wound up really, really not liking it. This looks a lot like more of that so not sure!

Dying Light did look a lot like Dead Island and that Dead Rising (Or is that Undead Rising?) , but more improved with extra bells n whistles!

Which is why interested in playing this one too!

Quote from: Keef Monkey on 02 February, 2015, 09:50:31 AM

I just polished off the last achievements on Alien: Isolation last night, including the one for getting through a full playthrough with no deaths. Adding that objective really, really added to the tension, properly pulse-pounding, sweaty-palmed, nerve-shredding gameplay getting through that! Very chuffed to have done it. Reminded me of doing the Dead Space 2 hardcore run (the one that limits you to I think one save for the whole game), just intense.

That's another game I haven't finished yet. Dead Space played late at nigh until early the next day on the PS3 and felt unsettled the entire time I played it.

Those things.....

I got as far as the morgue in the second or third level and could not progress beyond that point, because I think either selected the wrong upgrades or wasn't being frugal enough with the health packs along the way.

I got the engineer fellow the enter the room filled with corpses on tables and there is this other room inside with glass walls or windows. I hear some glass breaking as one of those flying things....Infectors does it's thing to one of the corpses and they both come through the glass and attack.

I attack the animated corpse never kill it in time before the iInfector gets him. Sometimes, it re-animates other corpses while I'm killing the first one, and sometimes I attack Infector first and the other corpse gets the jump on me while this happens.

I think I will just start the game again!

It's definitely creepy  :o
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 02 February, 2015, 12:41:31 PM
Yesterday I completed my play through of The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.

In general I really like the Zelda games but I have a few reservations: The boss battles aren't very fun, there are occasional lapses in logic making certain objectives painfully obscure, too much bollocks talk from secondary characters which needs to be scrolled through.

In light of all that I'd say ALBW is probably one of my favourites in the franchise. Most of the boss battles, while not being particularly fun, are quite short and easy. The puzzles are engaging but not too obscure and the secondary characters keep things fairly concise.
Another major plus point is that the dungeons can pretty much be completed in any order which reduces the 'what am I supposed to do now?' factor. Also, the map is fairly small so backtracking isn't too much of a pain.

All in all, I'd say this was a really fun adventure. It doesn't feel as epic as many of the other games in the series but, if you're anything like me, that could be seen as a positive.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 03 February, 2015, 10:19:12 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 02 February, 2015, 09:50:31 AM
I just polished off the last achievements on Alien: Isolation last night, including the one for getting through a full playthrough with no deaths. Adding that objective really, really added to the tension, properly pulse-pounding, sweaty-palmed, nerve-shredding gameplay getting through that! Very chuffed to have done it.

Impressive stuff Keef.
I saw this on the trophies list and thought "no way". I might more easily achieve the trophy for dying 100 times!  :lol:

BTW- I'm currently on chapter 13 after a 20 hour splurge at the weekend.
Absolutely brilliant- I haven't been this hooked on a game in years.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 03 February, 2015, 02:02:00 PM
It really is great, I've played through 4 times and have started dipping into the challenge levels that came out as DLC, can't get enough of it. Good to see more people enjoying it, really seems a bit of a marmite experience.

For the no deaths thing I have to admit that there were three or four times where things started to go South and I knew I was a goner so paused and reloaded my save which helped! There's a lot of scope for instant death in that game though so it was pretty intense, really got the blood going.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 03 February, 2015, 02:24:09 PM
Bah, I was doing well for that challenge until the wife started asking me questions about aromatherapy equipment (which I obviously don't know) and ended up just walking straight into the beast due to having to take my headphones off....

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 03 February, 2015, 02:34:24 PM
QuoteBah, I was doing well for that challenge until the wife started asking me questions about aromatherapy equipment (which I obviously don't know) and ended up just walking straight into the beast due to having to take my headphones off....


Yes, that used to happen to me regularly, and I was expected to stop the game and give a considered response, even if I was in the middle of a crucial cutscene.

If I were to try asking for comments on two different pages of Dredd art during Strictly I would likely have had my head bitten off!!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 03 February, 2015, 03:25:11 PM
Let them play isolation in the dark alone.Ten minutes and they'll never bother you again.they may well be quivering wrecks but your game time will be uninterrupted.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 05 February, 2015, 10:51:30 PM
Well now. when the the new consoles were announced I told my sister there's no way I would buy any next-gen console. Then when the remastered Halo was announced she asserted that I'd have no choice but to get an xbone my response was if I want to play Halo again, I don't need to drop £400 on a new console and game, when a tenner on ebay and ould get me a replacement for my worn out original xbox gamepad, which is all I needed to play Halo again. So guess what she got me for Christmas? She's a sweetheart.

Halo stands up. Seems a bit pixelly and polygony, but the central gameplay holds up. Yet I haven't only been playing Halo. I have a sizable library for that console.

KOTOR seems a bit clunky now, but nostalgia is carrying me through.

But the main event is Spiderman 2. The story missions aren't very good, the main problem being they mostly take place indoors. When you get into the open sandbox of manhatten though, jesus this game is addictive. Web slinging is one of the most satisfying gaming experiences ever in this iteration of spiderman games I've played other Spiderman games since (Web of Shadows and Shattered Dimensions) but none have matched the fluid free flowing webslinging mechanics of this game. It's more like one of those Tony Hawk games where you make your own fun zipping about pulling off death defying stunts. I have found swinging all around manhatten for half an hour to be a great tonic to a hard shift.

The story missions still suck though

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 05 February, 2015, 10:52:17 PM
Got Hitman Contacts on Steam for 99p (on sale) and still awesome game I play as long time ago!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 05 February, 2015, 11:00:32 PM
King I'm playing psychonauts again and I'm absolutely loving it.its showing its age visually but it plays as well as it did ten years ago.while I loved kotor I found some of it a hard slog.After psychonauts it's finally time to play persona 4.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 05 February, 2015, 11:05:25 PM
Pretty sure that generation of Spidermen used the same game engine as Tony Hawk.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 05 February, 2015, 11:09:32 PM
Really? I vaguely remember readin they used the old GTA engine. That makes sense though
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 05 February, 2015, 11:18:04 PM
Quote from: King Pops on 05 February, 2015, 11:09:32 PM
Really? I vaguely remember readin they used the old GTA engine. That makes sense though
Hmm. Now you say that, maybe it's the PS1 Spiderman I'm thinking of.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 05 February, 2015, 11:31:08 PM
Tis indeed.


Playing the demo of Dead State. It's all so slow.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 05 February, 2015, 11:31:44 PM
I fired up Middle Earth - Shadow of Mordor (I prescribe this one as great therapy for me!) and Alien Isolation. The latter was only for a few moments, it was still creepy despite my claim that my version the game could be broken and may need to be re-started again. (Ditching all my previous saves!) While I sampled the female ranger in the former, thinking she actually moves faster than Talion and then him again, but for a while longer. It was great to play this one again if only for twenty minutes.

I also had a quick look at one of the latest Batman games, not sure which one it was, but he had to find this dude with dark skull mask and they're base of operation inside a prison and it was snowing outside (I think!). Some of the controls were all mapped to only a few some of the keyboard buttons. W for walking forward, Spacebar for running, and Mouse-Movement for Direction, and discovered that the Mouse-Wheel would scroll through al his secondary weapons and devices. Despite the game it self claiming with visual prompts that these and other options were all solely mapped to the Mouse. I was totally lost when the computer relinguished control of the Dark-Knight to me completely so I could get him to make short work of some inmates and found that I could only get him to elbow-smack them and block. I couldn't get him to punch and when I checked the key bind layout. Everything appears to be contexturelly mapped (With just the left mouse button to control everything, but only in certain situation!) to the mouse and I didn't understand it at all. I was going try and fix it then and there, but I just decided to quit it.

It's going to be a fantastic game once I get worked out.  I've only played the first one and finished within a month or two after my father given it to me for my birthday back in 2010 (I think!) and have brought the second one in the series (Game of the year Edition with all the bells n whistles!) , but never started that one. I think purchased nearly every Batman on Steam (Again!) except for the very first and the latest. I might check out the ones I haven't got and see what price they're going when I'm financial again.



Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 05 February, 2015, 11:40:00 PM
I assume Pops is talking about the later tie-in game to the second Spidey flick, but the PS1 era Spider-Man games used the Tony Hawk engine, and if you unlocked everything in Tony Hawk 2, you got Spidey as a playable skater.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 06 February, 2015, 12:32:48 AM
Quote from: Bear (PhD) on 05 February, 2015, 11:40:00 PM
I assume Pops is talking about the later tie-in game to the second Spidey flick,

I am indeed. The one with Bruce Campbell Narration and voice acting from the movie stars. The one where Tobey Maguire sounds so fuckin' bored.

Back in the day I argued that this is could be one of the greatest sandbox games ever, because it's more fun to dick about with the webslinging mechanics than it is to actually play it properly. About a decade later, I still think that's is the case.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 06 February, 2015, 12:57:48 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 05 February, 2015, 11:31:44 PM
I also had a quick look at one of the latest Batman games, not sure which one it was, but he had to find this dude with dark skull mask and they're base of operation inside a prison and it was snowing outside (I think!). Some of the controls were all mapped to only a few some of the keyboard buttons. W for walking forward, Spacebar for running, and Mouse-Movement for Direction, and discovered that the Mouse-Wheel would scroll through al his secondary weapons and devices. Despite the game it self claiming with visual prompts that these and other options were all solely mapped to the Mouse. I was totally lost when the computer relinguished control of the Dark-Knight to me completely so I could get him to make short work of some inmates and found that I could only get him to elbow-smack them and block. I couldn't get him to punch and when I checked the key bind layout. Everything appears to be contexturelly mapped (With just the left mouse button to control everything, but only in certain situation!) to the mouse and I didn't understand it at all. I was going try and fix it then and there, but I just decided to quit it.
(http://i.imgur.com/qbjUn.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 06 February, 2015, 01:22:35 AM
Quotewhen the the new consoles were announced I told my sister there's no way I would buy any next-gen console. Then when the remastered Halo was announced she asserted that I'd have no choice but to get an xbone my response was if I want to play Halo again, I don't need to drop £400 on a new console and game, when a tenner on ebay and ould get me a replacement for my worn out original xbox gamepad, which is all I needed to play Halo again.

I was actually considering getting an Xbox One for Christmas, but when I really thought it through - that in reality I wouldn't have any time to actually play on it, and that the two games I wanted to get with it - Halo MC Collection and GTA V - I had already played to completion on previous consoles - I had a word with myself and decided not to bother.

QuoteHalo stands up. Seems a bit pixelly and polygony, but the central gameplay holds up.

It's hard to put my finger on exactly why, but for me the singleplayer of the original Halo remains my favourite of the whole series, cut and paste levels and all.

I think it's because it just feels so huge, and all being set on the Ringworld helps with the atmosphere. They have also never, despite all their attempts, created a campaign level that comes anywhere close to the sheer majesty of 'The Silent Cartographer' or 'Assault on Control Room'. I don't know why, but those levels just feel right.

It also helps that it was made before the developers started taking their 'lore' so seriously - the first game has a knowingly goofy b-movie Aliens-knockoff feel lacking from the (imo quite pretentious) sequels and spinoffs.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 06 February, 2015, 07:57:14 AM
I'm currently playing the DS Version of Chrono Trigger.
I have a bit of a love/hate thing with RPGs and I much prefer the ones that rattle along at a fair pace to ones that require exploration (to a tedious extent) and loads of grinding. So far I'm enjoying it (just arrived in the future) and it's regarded as one of the greats so I'm hoping it continues to be fun.
It's a little clunky in some respects but what can you expect from a remake of a 20 year old SNES game?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 06 February, 2015, 09:03:45 AM
Quote from: JamesC on 06 February, 2015, 07:57:14 AM
I'm currently playing the DS Version of Chrono Trigger.
I have a bit of a love/hate thing with RPGs and I much prefer the ones that rattle along at a fair pace to ones that require exploration (to a tedious extent) and loads of grinding. So far I'm enjoying it (just arrived in the future) and it's regarded as one of the greats so I'm hoping it continues to be fun.
It's a little clunky in some respects but what can you expect from a remake of a 20 year old SNES game?

Probably my favourite game ever - totally unique atmosphere, great story, and a really memorable and likeable cast (particularly a certain amphibian.) If you're enjoying it so far, I don't think you'll be disappointed with the rest. The only time it gets close to grindy is when you travel to [spoiler]the prehistoric era[/spoiler].
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 06 February, 2015, 03:34:32 PM
finally got GTA 5 bought a preowned 120gb hard drive from game for £24 and have all my games loaded and installed (even dark souls which I still love/hate with a passion but cant get very far)
   
  anyway gta 5 is enjoyable so far I'm liking the switchable characters though I only have two at the moment, just need to find an easily accesable helicopter I can pootle about in.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: strangelysaucy on 06 February, 2015, 05:01:41 PM
Quote from: Grugz on 06 February, 2015, 03:34:32 PM
finally got GTA 5 bought a preowned 120gb hard drive from game for £24 and have all my games loaded and installed (even dark souls which I still love/hate with a passion but cant get very far)
   
  anyway gta 5 is enjoyable so far I'm liking the switchable characters though I only have two at the moment, just need to find an easily accesable helicopter I can pootle about in.

Brilliant game! wait til you get Trevor - he's a pilot AND a total maniac! ha! my fave character of them all in that game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 06 February, 2015, 05:16:22 PM
GTA V gets a massive shot in the arm once Trevor arrives - up to that point, it's enjoyable enough, but he's such a wonderful, monstrous, over-the-top creation that he pretty much brings the game to life.

I still hate the flying missions though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 06 February, 2015, 11:24:58 PM
Quote from: Grugz on 06 February, 2015, 03:34:32 PM
120gb
You must reach for the stars and then reach beyond!
(http://i.imgur.com/GMJfY4P.jpg)

One of the things that drove me away from consoles was the comically small hard drives, I can't function with less than 3TB anymore  :(

I've been playing besiege, not as well as this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMUub60Nf5o
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 07 February, 2015, 05:55:55 PM
got trevor! he is insane ! more so now he has a massive beard and mullet to go with his stained t-shirt like a crack addict si Robertson!
    I also got attacked by a cougar (the big cat toothy kind) ,is there a lot of wildlife trying to eat you?
I hate the planes in the game mainly cos I am rubbish at landing .
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 07 February, 2015, 09:36:42 PM
The cougars were one of the only things that bothered me in GTA V. We have them here in Oregon and as far as I know they're extremely timid and only really a threat to pets and children, so it annoyed me how ludicrously overpowered they are in the game.

It kinda added unnecessary tension when you were just out 'hiking' or hunting in the wilderness knowing that one could turn up out of nowhere and insta-kill you - which is doubly ridiculous given that you can withstand multiple car crashes and gunshot wounds.

As far as I can remember they're thankfully the only dangerous land-based wildlife in the game.

I've all but given up on Trials Frontier now. I'm not entirely opposed to free-to-play games - developers have to make a living after all - but I also think that once you've payed around what the game should be 'worth'  - ie the equivalent of what you'd pay for it on Steam or Xbox Live (in this case around $10-20) I think that should pretty much bring down all the barriers to content, but the miserly pace that the game distributes upgrades means that I'd have to grind for literally weeks to advance much more.

Seems ftp in most games settles for the model that 99% of people will just play for free until they're bored and rely on the obsessive 1% who will keep ploughing money in to make a profit.

Been on a retro binge lately - quite into Yoshi's Island (SNES) at the mo. I'd always disregarded it in the past as I considered it quite garish and ugly-looking (how wrong I was) and thought that it added a bit too much complexity to the core Mario mechanics to be fun. Playing it now though I'm loving the personality, diversity and creativity of the game, and the sprawling levels and lack of a time limit give it a focus on exploration. Wonderful little game - a underrated gem in the Mario pantheon that deserves to be played more, and it's tough enough to present a real challenge to even seasoned Mario players.

Also dabbling in some of the Megaman X and Megaman Zero games. Have a love/hate thing with this series. I enjoy everything about the mechanics and visuals, and desperately want to love them, but while I appreciate a challenging game, do they have to be so spitefully hard? I seem to just go from one game in the series to the next, loving every minute until I just get hopelessly stuck on some insanely tough level and/or boss. Such a cruel mistress, wish they were just that little bit easier.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 08 February, 2015, 01:38:38 AM
Quote from: radiator on 07 February, 2015, 09:36:42 PM
The cougars were one of the only things that bothered me in GTA V...

I know exactly what you mean, sexy middle-aged women can't get enough of me either.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 08 February, 2015, 01:40:53 AM
Good one.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 08 February, 2015, 11:21:45 AM
the cougars in red dead were more dangerous as they disguised themselves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVVXyKP1FVk
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 09 February, 2015, 09:43:59 AM
Finished Far Cry 4 over the weekend, thought the story was surprisingly good and well written. The fact you get a load of opportunities to switch allegiances and choose sides but that I never felt 100% certain I was doing the right thing was smart, and I only realized for sure which way to go once I'd already set myself on the opposite path with no turning back and just had to continue on helpless, story did a great job of that. Surprising because the one thing that let 3 down massively was the story and writing, this was a big step up in those departments I thought. Only big let-down here was the radio, they've clearly had the notion at some point to put more effort into that side by having a radio personality and trigger mission/event-specific monologues and stuff, but they've underestimated just how much DJ content is required for a game that length, so repeats constantly. They also don't seem to be flagging what has and hasn't played as some segments will repeat back to back.

Shame, but not a deal-breaker by any means, just a bit irksome. The open world fun is pretty amazing here, and spent a good few hours with a friend in my game wingsuiting around and getting up to shenanigans. Lot of laughs were had, great game.

Just starting Dragon Age: Inquisition so I imagine that'll consume a few months at least.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 09 February, 2015, 11:30:39 AM
just traded my dragon age in , couldn't get in to it at all.

but back to a gta 5 vibe ,I love the way when you switch between characters you interrupt them in some aspect of their normal life....again trevor,awesome all his switches have been entertaining and ...varied from passed out in an alley to chasing someone down the storm drains to riding a scooter down the freeway with two fellas singing !
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 09 February, 2015, 01:53:23 PM
I've been working my way through Dying Light.  Now I've levelled up a bit, and gotten used to the first person parkour type stuff, I'm dyling less and enjoying it a whole lot more.

That you can run anywhere in this massive open area is just superb.  It's almost as if Dead Island was just a beta test, as this takes many ideas used in it, but massively improves upon them.  The talent tree is immensely satisfying, and there's a ton of stuff you can choose that suits your style of gameplay (mine is running away, fast).

The story is quite good, but I've had a hell of a lot of fun doing side-missions and just exploring.  there's all kinds of crazy stuff hidden in this world!

I can see this game lasting me for weeks and weeks.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Old Tankie on 10 February, 2015, 10:50:02 AM
Easily beaten by my five year old grandson whilst playing Forza Horizon 2!!  Still, it's not all bad news, I did manage to beat my three year old grand daughter (playing FH2, but only just!!)!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Recrewt on 10 February, 2015, 12:38:43 PM
Bit of an old one this but I have just finished Dead Space 2 on the PS3.  I do like my survival horror, especially when it is spaced based.  A couple of points that have struck with me-

1.  what the hell happenned at the end there?  I mean you are suddenly on some big rock shooting at your ex and then the game kind of ends.  Its up there with one of the most confusing/disappointing ends to a game I have ever played.

2. how annoying is that one creature that keeps getting back up? - unless I have done this wrong, you don't even get to finish him off in the end - aaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhh! I have only spent the entire game collecting weapons and tuning them up to have to resort to running away.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 10 February, 2015, 01:38:46 PM
Picked up Evolve, only had a chance to play a couple of tutorials on me lunch break but seems like it'll be very, very cool with some friends. Probably the sort of thing that would go down a treat on this board if we could organize something.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 10 February, 2015, 01:57:10 PM
I'd be in there like a shot if I could run it  :'(

Don't suppose you still have L4D2 installed?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 10 February, 2015, 02:14:04 PM
Pretty sure I've got it on 360 somewhere actually, not sure if I have it on PC (although it might have snuck on there on a sale or something, will have a look)! I do miss playing L4D2, classic.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 11 February, 2015, 12:09:05 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 10 February, 2015, 01:38:46 PM
Picked up Evolve

For what platform?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 11 February, 2015, 11:46:20 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 11 February, 2015, 12:09:05 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 10 February, 2015, 01:38:46 PM
Picked up Evolve

For what platform?

Oh yeah, that information might have helped I guess! XB1 for me.

Played a few rounds last night, takes a bit of getting to grips with. Me and my friend were on the hunting team each time and for the first few rounds were finding it really tough to even find and engage the monster let alone win a match. Then the last round before bedtime went really well, we changed classes around and things clicked a bit and we had quite a tense match where the monster managed to evolve to level 3 and we just took it down as it was trying to demolish the power generator to win the match.

Was really satisfying, maybe not L4D satisfying but still pretty great, and gave us the impression that with enough time spent learning the classes and practicing with the characters it could be something pretty special.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 11 February, 2015, 12:05:51 PM
Ah, shame - I'm on PS4. I'm still up for getting a crew together for Evolve if anyone else is on PS4.

Good to hear of your experience with it though. I had a fantastic time on WiiU with multiplayer Monster Hunter, and am hoping for a similar vibe with this.

Which expansion pack did yours come with?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 11 February, 2015, 12:15:06 PM
The 'Monster' expansion (which I think is standard for buying at launch) and some sort of hunter pack. It was the Game exclusive content but they messed up the order and still haven't given me it unfortunately!

They have a code to put through the till apparently to print off the code for the content, and the code they have doesn't work. Been onto customer services and they're apparently going to email me it at some point. Should have gone with Amazon, clearly!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 11 February, 2015, 10:51:45 PM
I might put away Red Dead Redemption,  and play some Dead Space, right form the start.

Any advice for upgrades in this game?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 12 February, 2015, 07:51:19 AM
I've been doing just as I said, and have made it as far as the junction where you need these two things, right after I passed through blocked corridor after being handed the Kinesis module from the some female survivor who was sitting next to corpse on the floor after I got Isaac off the fixed tram.

It's not so creepy now, I must be more jaded than I was when I played this earlier and it's hard to read the small printed instructions and mission briefs. The description right at the start needed to be seen three times after stopping the game and restarting it again.

It took me ages to get out of the room where you find the first corpse lying again the bunk. When I realised I had to short the power source for the one locked door I need to go through to get back to entrance room where all the I then got Isaac separated from the other head of security and Kendra.

Then I kept getting lost walking around in circles before I realised that the small windowed room cut off from the main foyer near the entrance had another doorway previously unseen.

I couldn't be bothered to read the map because it's hard to look at and manipulate without the thing closing on me and didn't know other thing that draws a animated blue line between Isaac and his intended destination I just couldn't be bothered with until I found the other door through trial and error and then I totally ignored the instruction for using the Stasis module. So, I was just pressing every button often wasting ammo. Until I reloaded from the last save before that part of the game again.

Aside from all that, I have only upgraded Isaac's RIG twice at the work-bench twice and brought the suit upgrade at the very first shop I found and only playing this at easy difficulty. I think, I wasted far too much ammo fighting the Necro-Creeps in the large two storey room (With a elevator!) where hew was to find the security-key to the room with the first one is found.

Will get back to it soon, since I have validation errors every time I try to play Elite Dangerous just for now after not playing the game for almost a month.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 12 February, 2015, 11:36:45 PM
I've been playing Shadow of Mordor and by playing I mean repeatedly stalked by Kuga the Mad who just shouts PICKLES at me and then body slams me into the next life.
If it wasn't so funny I would snap my controller in half
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 13 February, 2015, 12:23:14 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 12 February, 2015, 11:36:45 PM
I've been playing Shadow of Mordor and by playing I mean repeatedly stalked by Kuga the Mad who just shouts PICKLES at me and then body slams me into the next life.
If it wasn't so funny I would snap my controller in half

Damn, there are parts of the game I just can't beat, like the area where there is a Orc-Shanty town.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 13 February, 2015, 09:56:47 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 12 February, 2015, 11:36:45 PM
I've been playing Shadow of Mordor and by playing I mean repeatedly stalked by Kuga the Mad who just shouts PICKLES at me and then body slams me into the next life.
If it wasn't so funny I would snap my controller in half

The name [n]Kuga the Mad[/b] means nothing in your game, because in each different players game, the Uruk's names are randomly generated.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 13 February, 2015, 10:20:09 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 12 February, 2015, 11:36:45 PM
I've been playing Shadow of Mordor and by playing I mean repeatedly stalked by Kuga the Mad who just shouts PICKLES at me and then body slams me into the next life.
If it wasn't so funny I would snap my controller in half

I had a really rough couple of hours quite early in that game where I was constantly trying to take down the same war chief over and over again, getting destroyed consistently and absolutely hating it.

Eventually I gave up, went and did a ton of other stuff and came back so powerful I could wade through war chiefs like butter and loved the rest of the game. I recommend it!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 13 February, 2015, 12:26:31 PM
I've played a few games recently.  Tried World of Warcraft early this year after my partner insisted I give it a go.  It's a reasonably fun game and I can see why it's been so popular but it's not short of problems.

Papers Please was given to me as a Christmas present and this game is awesome.  Playing a game that is based around a repetitive bureaucratic task has never been more engaging and challenging.

Super Meat Boy is pretty well constructed but failed to blow my mind as the hype around it would suggest.

LIMBO did manage to impress me.  A simple, dark and macabre puzzle platform game, this is amazing fun at a nice pace.  Reminded me a little of Heart of Darkness and Abe's Odyssey.

English Country Music is pure puzzle game with a nice and simple presentation.  For what it is, it's good.

Best thing about playing these games is that aside from WoW I played them all on my Linux machine - which is better optimised for gaming than my laptop anyway.  Really glad to see more games being made available to Linux.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 13 February, 2015, 12:39:12 PM
Quote from: pictsy on 13 February, 2015, 12:26:31 PM
Papers Please was given to me as a Christmas present and this game is awesome.  Playing a game that is based around a repetitive bureaucratic task has never been more engaging and challenging.

Super Meat Boy is pretty well constructed but failed to blow my mind as the hype around it would suggest.

LIMBO did manage to impress me.  A simple, dark and macabre puzzle platform game, this is amazing fun at a nice pace.  Reminded me a little of Heart of Darkness and Abe's Odyssey.


Papers please is a great game. Makes you think about your actions and reminded me of an old C64 game called Killed until Dead which I loved.

Super Meat Boy was AWESOME! When I completed it I almost wept tears of pure joy and hugged my son who was watching. "Ive done it!, its over" I cried!  :'(

Limbo is good too but I feel the visual style covers up for the gameplay a tad. Still worth anyones time though.

Im playing Rogue Legacy at the mo which is a bit like Ghosts & Goblins crossed with an RPG lite. When you die that dudes gone forever and you restart as one of their children and enter the castle again, except the castle is random so not the same as before.Its ROCK.FUCKING.HARD!!!

I think I'm getting the hang of it now that Ive unlocked some equipment and powers though and really enjoy something I can stick on for 15 mins at a time (and die 20 times in the process).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 13 February, 2015, 01:21:05 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 13 February, 2015, 12:39:12 PM
I think I'm getting the hang of it now that Ive unlocked some equipment and powers though and really enjoy something I can stick on for 15 mins at a time (and die 20 times in the process).
Sounds good.

I've started playing Geometry Wars and it's really annoying in an utterly addictive way.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 13 February, 2015, 01:33:21 PM
Quote from: pictsy on 13 February, 2015, 12:26:31 PM
I've played a few games recently.  Tried World of Warcraft early this year after my partner insisted I give it a go.  It's a reasonably fun game and I can see why it's been so popular but it's not short of problems.

Papers Please was given to me as a Christmas present and this game is awesome.  Playing a game that is based around a repetitive bureaucratic task has never been more engaging and challenging.

Super Meat Boy is pretty well constructed but failed to blow my mind as the hype around it would suggest.

LIMBO did manage to impress me.  A simple, dark and macabre puzzle platform game, this is amazing fun at a nice pace.  Reminded me a little of Heart of Darkness and Abe's Odyssey.

English Country Music is pure puzzle game with a nice and simple presentation.  For what it is, it's good.

Best thing about playing these games is that aside from WoW I played them all on my Linux machine - which is better optimised for gaming than my laptop anyway. Really glad to see more games being made available to Linux.

I have all those games below WOW, (I have been playing Elder Scrolls Online when I can afford the subscription fee and the hard-drive space!)

Not sure about Limbo and Super-Meat-Boy, but I thought Papers Please was charming and retro for the short time I played it. I just looked, I don't appear to have any of those games except....

Papers Please....

At forty-one mega-bytes, not much HD space needed for that one.

BTW, I just found out my personal Drive Thru RPG libary has been cleaned out!.

Luckily I have managed with the help of my father to retain a lot of stuff the last couple of computers I used and still have the PDF's for all my Slaine RPG downloads.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 13 February, 2015, 04:45:32 PM
I made a mistake.  It is English Country Tune not English Country Music.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 14 February, 2015, 12:10:33 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 13 February, 2015, 09:56:47 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 12 February, 2015, 11:36:45 PM
I've been playing Shadow of Mordor and by playing I mean repeatedly stalked by Kuga the Mad who just shouts PICKLES at me and then body slams me into the next life.
If it wasn't so funny I would snap my controller in half

The name [n]Kuga the Mad[/b] means nothing in your game, because in each different players game, the Uruk's names are randomly generated.

I always wondered what randomly generated meant, thanks for clearing that up  ::)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 14 February, 2015, 01:59:21 AM
Quote from: pictsy on 13 February, 2015, 04:45:32 PM
I made a mistake.  It is English Country Tune not English Country Music.

That was the other game I had purchased earlier, but never got far into, because I think they needed you to create a account or something like that. It did look interesting...something like music making puzzle game.

I might try reinstalling it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 14 February, 2015, 02:02:34 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 14 February, 2015, 12:10:33 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 13 February, 2015, 09:56:47 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 12 February, 2015, 11:36:45 PM
I've been playing Shadow of Mordor and by playing I mean repeatedly stalked by Kuga the Mad who just shouts PICKLES at me and then body slams me into the next life.
If it wasn't so funny I would snap my controller in half

The name [n]Kuga the Mad[/b] means nothing in your game, because in each different players game, the Uruk's names are randomly generated.

I always wondered what randomly generated meant, thanks for clearing that up  ::)

For want of better way of saying it. I think they used the words Procedurally-Generated, but that didn't seem right to me when saying the names were randomally generated differently for each different game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 14 February, 2015, 02:09:24 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 14 February, 2015, 02:02:34 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 14 February, 2015, 12:10:33 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 13 February, 2015, 09:56:47 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 12 February, 2015, 11:36:45 PM
I've been playing Shadow of Mordor and by playing I mean repeatedly stalked by Kuga the Mad who just shouts PICKLES at me and then body slams me into the next life.
If it wasn't so funny I would snap my controller in half

The name [n]Kuga the Mad[/b] means nothing in your game, because in each different players game, the Uruk's names are randomly generated.

I always wondered what randomly generated meant, thanks for clearing that up  ::)

For want of better way of saying it. I think they used the words Procedurally-Generated, but that didn't seem right to me when saying the names were randomally generated differently for each different game.
Do they not have sarcasm in Austria?

Speaking of geography jokes a friend of mine wanted to ship a gift from the U.S to another friend in Austria and stupidly put the country down as AU so his stupid T-Shirt took a 10,000 mile detour.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 15 February, 2015, 05:22:37 PM
Finally finished Alien: Isolation, about 30 hours in as reported on Steam. A massive, massive game....slightly too big, in fact. Took a few years off my life I'm sure, but pretty stunning all told. Now, time to let my blood pressure settle for a few weeks before trying the DLC.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: James Stacey on 16 February, 2015, 10:30:36 AM
Playing Last of Us at the moment which is very enjoyable. Most of the games I tend to play at the moment are sandbox / openworld so the linear aspect is actually quite appealing. Not sure if they are but some of the comics you collect as you go about your business look very much like they were drawn by Mr Holden.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 16 February, 2015, 11:25:51 AM
Finished a revisit of Condemned at the weekend there. It was THE 360 launch title for me, the first game I got and the one that stuck with me and in my opinion one of the most successfully scary horror games ever made. Played it through a bunch of times back in the day (and got the full 970 gamerpoints, can only imagine a 30g achievement was buggy so they scrapped it at the last minute and Microsoft let them away with it) and with the recent buzz about the rights for a 3rd game kicking about I went back for another playthrough.

Holds up impressively well, the graphics obviously date it but the atmosphere doesn't suffer at all. Hearing thumps and yelps from other rooms as you're moving around with your torch on still filled me with dread and it still got some involuntary shrieks out of me when it took me by surprise. Also one of the only games to have satisfying first person melee combat, and the detective angle still feels very cool.

Brilliant game, still a stone-cold classic. Will be moving straight onto another Condemned 2 playthrough!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 16 February, 2015, 12:12:06 PM
This talk of new 3DS (they look lush - if only I hadn't made a New Year's Resolution to not buy any gadgets this year!) had me dusting off my copy of RESIDENT EVIL REVEALATIONS on which I got stuck at the first big boss (the comms officer - only about 3 hrs in).

I still couldn't beat the fekker so I've restarted the game hoping to have lots mor egrenades and shotguns by the time I meet him again.

It's still great fun; very atmospheric, lovely sounds and environment design but with truly terrible dialogue. "Me and my sweet ass are on the way!", indeed.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 16 February, 2015, 12:16:28 PM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 16 February, 2015, 12:12:06 PM
It's still great fun; very atmospheric, lovely sounds and environment design but with truly terrible dialogue. "Me and my sweet ass are on the way!", indeed.
You're our Amazon, Jill.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 16 February, 2015, 01:10:33 PM
Resi just isnt Resi without the shit-speak. Playing through the HD re-remake its nice that they update the utterly dire original chat to some just-a-bit shit chat.

Well I'm still hanging in with Rogue Legacy and can confirm that I now survive a whole 30 mins. Beat the 1st and 2nd boss at the weekend and am gearing up to take out the 3rd. It explains nowt at the start so now Ive worked out how armour and skills work it should be a breeze  ;)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 17 February, 2015, 10:16:41 AM
Evolve.

Damn this game - it's definitely a gamers game.  Not for the casual gamer or those of an impatient disposition.  Levelling up is hard, making work hard to do stuff you might not be naturally adept at.  For example, I play a support/healing class which unfortunately comes with a sniper rifle.  I'm a kind of 'say it by spraying it' kinda guy when it comes to weapons, as I can't hit a bloody barn door half the time.  Polishing my aim has meant delaying my character level by a considerable margin.

Anyway, to sum this game up, you're essentially fighting the same three bosses over and over on different maps, alongside three other player controlled hunters.  The boss is usually player controlled too.

The goliath is easy, being basically a lumbering rancor.  The Kraken is a bit trickier - faster on the feet, less armour, stronger attacks.  The wraith is just bloody deadly - it can whip players out of the battle and chuck them to another part of the map, do surprise strealth attacks, and is so fast it's hard to get any kind of bead on it.

Besides this, the environment you're chasing the giant beasts through is hostile.  Giant venus flytraps, trapdoor toads, and monkey lizard things are everywhere, and be careful if you cross a river - there's usually a big dino thing lurking in the shallows somewhere.

Team work is essential - if you go running off on your own you are S-C-R-E-W-E-D. 

An often frustrating game, but when you take down a beast it is immensely satisfying.  My kids came downstairs one night to complain I'd woken them up with my cheering, after me and my squad took down a wraith for the first time.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 17 February, 2015, 11:55:20 AM
I am loving the game, but the last few matches we've played have all been Wraiths (they seem to be becoming the popular choice, probably because they're so tough to bring down) and can't say I enjoy dealing with those at all. Just can't get the knack for them, every one of their powers seems cheap and it just doesn't feel balanced at all.

We could be doing it wrong, but we were really enjoying the Evacuation mode, but when every one of those 5 matches are Wraith-based it just becomes a pummeling and I can't find the fun in it.

Have a great time hunting Goliaths and Krakens though, the Kraken seems a nice balanced challenge - it can fly which adds an extra concern, but it doesn't do any of that cloaky hit and run insta-kill nonsense the Wraith gets up to.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 17 February, 2015, 04:12:11 PM
My lads got it on his pc and absolutely loves it, he keeps telling me to get it for my ps4 but i don't know if I fancy it ! Looks nice though...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 18 February, 2015, 05:32:48 PM
Crossy Road - a charming isometric low-poly homage to/rip-off of Frogger on iOS.

Great little free game. My high score so far is 98.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 18 February, 2015, 11:56:52 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 13 February, 2015, 01:33:21 PM

BTW, I just found out my personal Drive Thru RPG libary has been cleaned out!.

Luckily I have managed with the help of my father to retain a lot of stuff the last couple of computers I used and still have the PDF's for all my Slaine RPG downloads.

That never happened, it's just that I must have accidently created another account with them when I tried signing in through Facebook and found that my entire library of virtual roleplaying manuals was empty.

So I contacted them and let them know. Giving them a rough idea of every book I could recall being stored there and nearly a week later. I found that the message I sent had been closed. Discarded without being solved and still there was nothing in my account library.

I then sent them another message with some swearing added in out of frustration and found that it had been discarded the same way the first one was earlier and then sent them another message that wasn't quite so much filled with four letter words as it was still pretty rude.

I waited a few moments before coming to realisation that I might not even be logged into my original account because of signing in through Facebook.  So, as I had naturally forgotten my password and had to go through the process of resetting it or having them send me one that they have randomly generated.  This was harder than usual, because the Forgotten Password link didn't seem to be working and I'm not even sure right now how I got through this process, but I managed to log in to my original account and every thing I believe I had ordered up to now was in there.

Right now I'm trying download all the ones I want to look at straight away and that doesn't seem to be working.

Perhaps a message of apology for my misunderstanding.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 19 February, 2015, 12:35:22 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 18 February, 2015, 11:56:52 PM
Perhaps a message of apology for my misunderstanding.

Good idea - send them an apology. After all, you didn't hesitate to be rude to them.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 25 February, 2015, 02:23:44 AM
Been playing this for a small while yesterday and think it looks and plays very well for game that only costs twenty dollars.

[ Medieval Engineers (http://www.medievalengineers.com/announcement-video.html)

Still needs more work....

You can make your avatar fly if they get stuck in hole, but it's without the jet pack, not even then old age equivalent.

I started building something, but didn't know how to rotate some of the parts and decided to stop playing at that stage for now.

I will try to find out more later on another You-Tube video and I recorded that game and will upload a video of it soon.

I really want to try building my own version of Eternal Fortress of Dinas Emrys.

BTW this game is brought to by the people who made  Space Engineers (http://www.spaceengineersgame.com/)

If your going to buy this game after reading here. I will want you that it does need more work, it looks really pretty at first, but everything seems dead as well and I haven't really found a point to it beyond building stuff.

Buy this game with caution....

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 26 February, 2015, 01:08:41 AM
Homeworld Remastered.
If you've never played Homeworld before then I feel bad for you, it's probably the best RTS ever made and ate a huge chunk of my time.
A remastered version of HW1 & 2 came out today and it looks and sounds fantastic
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 26 February, 2015, 01:16:40 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 26 February, 2015, 01:08:41 AM
Homeworld Remastered.
If you've never played Homeworld before then I feel bad for you, it's probably the best RTS ever made and ate a huge chunk of my time.
A remastered version of HW1 & 2 came out today and it looks and sounds fantastic

The original sequel was always much better than the first. The graphics and some other features as well.

I've been looking at this on STEAM, but don't know if I will buy yet. How much better are the remasters.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 26 February, 2015, 02:39:53 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 26 February, 2015, 01:16:40 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 26 February, 2015, 01:08:41 AM
Homeworld Remastered.
If you've never played Homeworld before then I feel bad for you, it's probably the best RTS ever made and ate a huge chunk of my time.
A remastered version of HW1 & 2 came out today and it looks and sounds fantastic

The original sequel was always much better than the first. The graphics and some other features as well.

I've been looking at this on STEAM, but don't know if I will buy yet. How much better are the remasters.
You are literally the only person on the planet to say HW2 is better than 1.

The remaster is based on a heavily updated HW2 engine, which has broken a bunch of HW1 specific things, models, textures, sound have all been remastered so it looks and sounds really good, additional lighting, particle and shadow effects and upto 4k support added. It seems to have a better sense of scale, mother ship looks massive. You also get the two classic unaltered games thrown in.
Multi player is in beta because the balance between HW1 and 2 units is particularly janky and steam workshop is in so there will be mods.
A lot of people are having trouble with it but I've not come across any bugs yet and a lot of people with OCD are going mental about tiny insignificant things, I saw one guy asking for a refund because resource collectors were stationary instead of orbiting asteroids when collecting RU
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 28 February, 2015, 08:22:31 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 26 February, 2015, 02:39:53 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 26 February, 2015, 01:16:40 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 26 February, 2015, 01:08:41 AM
Homeworld Remastered.
If you've never played Homeworld before then I feel bad for you, it's probably the best RTS ever made and ate a huge chunk of my time.
A remastered version of HW1 & 2 came out today and it looks and sounds fantastic

The original sequel was always much better than the first. The graphics and some other features as well.

I've been looking at this on STEAM, but don't know if I will buy yet. How much better are the remasters.
You are literally the only person on the planet to say HW2 is better than 1.

The remaster is based on a heavily updated HW2 engine, which has broken a bunch of HW1 specific things, models, textures, sound have all been remastered so it looks and sounds really good, additional lighting, particle and shadow effects and upto 4k support added. It seems to have a better sense of scale, mother ship looks massive. You also get the two classic unaltered games thrown in.
Multi player is in beta because the balance between HW1 and 2 units is particularly janky and steam workshop is in so there will be mods.
A lot of people are having trouble with it but I've not come across any bugs yet and a lot of people with OCD are going mental about tiny insignificant things, I saw one guy asking for a refund because resource collectors were stationary instead of orbiting asteroids when collecting RU

Sins of the Solar Empire are worth checking out as well.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 28 February, 2015, 01:05:19 PM
Next, Next, Next generation screenshots (5k!)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7456/16485251706_569e1c5f01_o.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7391/15891086113_7ff618aa53_o.jpg
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/02/12/homeworld-remastered-4k/
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 02 March, 2015, 07:01:50 PM
Just pre ordered Zombie Army Trilogy for my Ps4 , thought we would have heard more of it on here seeing as it's made by Rebellion. ..
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 02 March, 2015, 07:05:56 PM
Ignore me...just seen the thread about it !
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 02 March, 2015, 09:08:33 PM
I'm currently playing Injustice: Gods Among Us on my Wii U.

I'm not a huge fan of super hero event stories or of fighting games but somehow this is just a huge amount of fun.
I'd go so far as to say it's the best (or at least my favourite) fighting game I've ever played. It isn't too complicated and feels really incredibly responsive. And when you pull off one of the hilariously over the top environmental shifts it's really exciting.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 03 March, 2015, 11:18:25 AM
Even in the in-universe explanation doesn't stop it feeling weird when Joker punches Superman through a wall though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 03 March, 2015, 11:39:06 AM
True, but it doesn't stop it being fun either!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 04 March, 2015, 03:58:05 AM
When I have been playing around with Face-Rig, and Blender (I can now make a sort of cup!).

I've still been playing a lot of This War of Mine....just imagine it's gothics Barbies play house.

While pretty sure this game would work better with a cannibalism. I have sneaking suspicion that it's already in the game, but used subtly. It's just buried under what ever pass's for pretending to be civilised in this game is. Aside form this it's addictive in it's charming art style and very depressing if played for too long.

The game developers might want to make a expansion for this game where colour is added to the palette when things start to improve, this can of course, be taken away again if things start to slide again. The music should also reflect the current mood of the game as well. They should pick up the place.

Now, I trying to remember another game where they had the a similar idea with colour being used to show where the player had succeeded or finished with a area. It was in second person perspective and the avatar had a Irish accent. That's All I know about this game. Can anybody remember it?

I also reinstalled Sunless Sea after hearing the  Good-Game (http://www.abc.net.au/tv/goodgame/stories/s4190385.htm) review for it.

Here' is the short description on the Steam store page....



Quote from: STEAMLOSE YOUR MIND. EAT YOUR CREW. DIE. Take the helm of your steamship and set sail for the unknown! Sunless Sea is a game of discovery, loneliness and frequent death, set in the award-winning Victorian Gothic universe of Fallen London.

Here is the longer one....

Quote from: STEAMAbout This Game
LOSE YOUR MIND. EAT YOUR CREW. DIE.

Take the helm of your steamship and set sail for the unknown! Sunless Sea is a game of discovery, loneliness and frequent death, set in the award-winning Victorian Gothic universe of Fallen London.

If the giant crabs, sentient icebergs and swarms of bats don't get you, madness and cannibalism certainly will. But that old black ocean beckons, and there's loot for the brave souls who dare to sail her.

Betray your crew, sell your soul to a Devil, marry your sweetheart. Survive long enough and you'll achieve your life's ambition.

You will die, but your legacy will live on...
Key features
A deep, compelling world packed with 200,000+ words of stories and secrets. Find your father's bones. Determine London's destiny. Defy the gods of the deep sea.
Beautiful, hand drawn art - castles of sparkling ice, prisons perched on lily pads, fog-shrouded lighthouses and the DAWN MACHINE.
Your captain will die. But you can pass on resources from one generation to the next. Acquire a family home and a hoard of heirlooms. Build up your own story across generations of zailors who braved the sea and lost - or won...
Real-time combat against ships and Zee-beasts, spider-crewed dreadnoughts and sentient icebergs.
Light and dark, terror and madness: stray too far from the gas-lamps of civilisation and your crew will grow fearful and eventually lose their sanity.
Upgrade your steamship with powerful engines, cannons and pneumatic torpedo guns. (Or buy a bigger, better ship.)
Hire unique officers like the Haunted Doctor and the Irrepressible Cannoneer. Each has a story to tell, if you can draw it out of them.
Choose a ship's mascot: the Comatose Ferret,(You start with him as the ships pet!)  the Wretched Mog,'(I swapped the ferret for this one because he reminded me of myself!)  the Elegiac Cockatoo, and more!
Trade or smuggle silk and souls, mushroom wine and hallucinogenic honey.

Since the game has been fully distributed on the second of Feb. The background story has changed in that Victorian London had sunk below ground (Because of something to do with lots of Bats??????) and there is this vast and dreary underground ocean. This and the essential cannibalism makes this game a potential winder and spent the last night losing three boats before retiring for the day.

Did I mention canabalism?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 March, 2015, 09:33:39 AM
Finished a revisit of Condemned 2 last night. I remember really enjoying this when it came out, after being a huge fan of the first one. Going back to them now though, while the first one still holds up brilliantly the sequel hasn't aged quite so well, not at all.

Switching straight from 1 to 2 the huge change in the character designs seems even more ridiculous, and losing the everyman appeal of Rosa and Ethan loses a bit of charm with it. The visuals look nice when static, but there's a horrible smearing applied to everything in motion which at times makes the thing borderline unplayable. No idea why it didn't bother me at the time, maybe being such a huge fan of the first game I had the hype blinkers on a bit for it. It's nasty though.

The soundtrack is cool, and the gore and melee combat is still bone crunchingly satisfying, although the more gamey elements (combo counters and slow mo moves) make it feel a bit less grimy so it's another case of two steps forward and one step back. One area it improves brilliantly is the approach to the detective elements, looking at evidence and deciding what's important and answering questions on what you've seen is a great progression of the first game's mechanics.

Overall it's not as scary but the standout moments still stir the terror of old (I remember the abandoned police station level putting the fear of god into me during a late night session, and it's still pretty creepy). Main problem (smeary visuals aside) is the story, how mad it goes towards the end (should never have gone full sci-fi) and how disjointed and scattershot the levels seem. The first half of the game is great but for the latter chunk you're just sort of jumping between places with little cohesion, there isn't that satisfying through-line of the first game where you always felt you were on the trail of a killer and getting closer with every level. Found myself confused about what to do a few times too which is never good (especially as I've played through the game a few times in the past).

Didn't mean to type so much about it but I guess it's a series I hold dear so my feelings are a bit complicated about this one! Condemned 3 is looking possible now so hopefully it'll get back to the roots of the first game when it does appear.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 05 March, 2015, 12:20:12 AM
Quote from: Satanist on 16 February, 2015, 01:10:33 PM
Well I'm still hanging in with Rogue Legacy and can confirm that I now survive a whole 30 mins. Beat the 1st and 2nd boss at the weekend and am gearing up to take out the 3rd. It explains nowt at the start so now Ive worked out how armour and skills work it should be a breeze  ;)
Not sure what is that's wrong in my brain that makes me think: "Oh, another game that Satanist says is really hard and annoying. I better buy that then, eh?"

Can manage 5 minutes or so at best. Haven't managed to beat any of the bosses yet. Can easily spend three hours playing about fifty times.

I also started playing Fallout 3 about a week or so ago and I'm really enjoying it. Quite slow paced at first but very atmospheric. For some reason, the vibe of exploring burnt out towns and abandoned power stations appeals a lot more than the fantasy equivalent and spending a whole Sunday travelling back and forth with burned books and rusty tin cans seems almost therapeutic.

I'm already realising that I could've built myself up a lot more easily at the start by properly clearing out the first town you find  and there are clearly more than enough choices for a few different playthroughs.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 05 March, 2015, 11:46:21 AM
Well I've beaten the final boss on Rogue Legacy so na-na-nana-na!

Started on New game plus which is the actual Hard mode  :o WTF is wrong with me?

Started Valiant Hearts last night which has very simple puzzles and gameplay but lovely comic book graphics and well told story. Much more relaxing, though its set during WW1 so I dont anticipate a happy ending for all the characters.

Really I'm just playing lots of wee indie titles this month while I bide my time for Bloodborne. Now theres a game I suspect will really fuck me up!

Oh and I meant to add that Fallout 3 is one of my top ten games of all time. Not the best graphics/story/gameplay but it all adds up to a superb experience and Ive got my fingers crossed for a Fallout 4 announcement at this years E3.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 06 March, 2015, 02:02:10 AM
Brought/played  Space Hulk Ascension (http://www.spacehulk-ascension.com/) from Steam.....

It's definitely a improvement over the  original (http://store.steampowered.com/app/242570/) back in early August 2013.

Just don't like those parts where they are forced to deploy together in the one corridor where there is one room from one at a time.

Definitely worth a look!


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 07 March, 2015, 04:39:17 PM
If you don't already have a nintendo 3ds (and why not, it's a fantastic console) then can I refer you to ARGOS who currently have an awesome deal on.

A NEW 3DS plus choose 3 games from six for £149.99

3d games in the six are a Professor Layton, Resident Evil Mercenaries, Street Fighter, and Dead or Alive. 2d games in the six are a Professor Layton and something called Rooms.

They are also flogging Monster Hunter 4 for a couple of quid less than most other places I have seen.

That's Tiny Tips birthday sorted (plus I have a cashback card which works at ARgos so that is effectively another tenner off)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 07 March, 2015, 11:39:00 PM
That's a great deal alright.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 09 March, 2015, 09:23:01 AM
Me and a friend spent two afternoons this weekend playing Zombie Army Trilogy and having a great time. Not sure how much fun it would be on your own (I remember playing the first game on PC on my lonesome when it came out and finding it a bit of a slog) but with a buddy it's brilliant. Really tense, lots of shouting and spotting and planning and laying traps and then freaking out when one of the special zombies appears and everything goes to hell.

Midway through the second campaign and loving it!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 12 March, 2015, 01:29:30 PM
Having a break from Rogue Legacy now that Ive realised there is no end to that game (still loving it though)...

Hotline Miami 2 - Not played much but due to larger levels it seems harder than the first.

Also got the DLC for The Evil Within (my fave game of last year) but aint tried that yet.

I do have the day off work on Friday though with no plans and the kids at school, hmm!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 13 March, 2015, 09:58:52 PM
OOh finally get Alien: Isolation, just £10.69 on Humble Bundle!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 13 March, 2015, 10:14:03 PM
Rage: Quite good but you have to do races etc to upgrade stuff. Bit annoying and very linear despite the RPG gag. Still looks lovely and plays pretty good but the key board layout of essential items is F1,F2,F3,F4 is not that handy in a gunfight/carfight.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 13 March, 2015, 10:58:57 PM
Isolation has been kicking my ass.three times now I've been killed in ways that have caused me to drop the pad in fear.im too afraid to move at times.Atmosphere is incredible and surround sound is a must.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 16 March, 2015, 09:20:01 AM
That's us finished Zombie Army 2 campaign and moved onto 3. Straight away it's nice to see some new systems and looks like they've thrown a whole load of quirky ideas at this one, lots of fun easter eggs just in the first chapter.

Started Hotline Miami 2 last night and man that thing is hard. So was HM1 though, so I know perseverance will be the key and it's pretty exhilarating to clear a floor. Soundtrack is phenomenal, apparently my vinyl collection is out for delivery today so very glad I ordered that given how cool the music sounds so far.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 16 March, 2015, 11:48:05 PM
I finally stopped those damn Yanks blowing up the moon in Counterspy. Fun game! Anyone remember Mission Impossible on C64? It's basically much better than that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 17 March, 2015, 01:48:04 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 16 March, 2015, 09:20:01 AM
Started Hotline Miami 2 last night and man that thing is hard. So was HM1 though, so I know perseverance will be the key and it's pretty exhilarating to clear a floor. Soundtrack is phenomenal, apparently my vinyl collection is out for delivery today so very glad I ordered that given how cool the music sounds so far.

Only played a couple of hours but it definitely seems a lot harder than the original, mainly in that levels are much longer - I've had many times where I've battled my way through a whole level only for the very last guy to get em. I guess if it were too easy then anyone who'd played the first game would just burn through it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 17 March, 2015, 09:13:34 AM
Yeah the size and length of the levels is making it tougher, partly because there are corridors and areas that are so long/wide that dragging the screen to scout ahead can't always cover them. Load of times I've stepped into a room and been shot by a guy on the other end of it, who I couldn't possibly have known was there.

That's a bit annoying, but somehow not quite as frustrating as that sort of flaw might be in other games. There's something hypnotic about the pulse of the whole thing that I've hit retry and am midway through another attempt before I've had a chance to get annoyed about it!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 17 March, 2015, 12:05:33 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 16 March, 2015, 11:48:05 PM
I finally stopped those damn Yanks blowing up the moon in Counterspy. Fun game! Anyone remember Mission Impossible on C64? It's basically much better than that.
[/quote

Another vistor, stay a while, stay FOREVER!

Im playing HM2 as well and agree with the above. Longer levels = hidden baddies = game over

My biggest moan would be the lack of choice regards the masks so you are forced to play most levels in only one way, I hope theres an unlock when you complete the game to use any mask on any level.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 17 March, 2015, 12:39:19 PM
I've been playing loads of games lately.

On the PS4 I've been setting wild animals on baddies and hang gliding off cliffs with Far Cry 4. It all looks beautiful, runs smoothly and is very impressive. It's just a big playground really.

On the Wii U I'm still playing Mario Kart 8 regularly (new tracks out soon!) and also NES remix 1 and 2 which are crazily addictive. I've also been playing the fantastic Shantae and the Pirate's Curse which is a retro styled adventure in the vain of the Monster World games. Great fun!
Last but not least I've been trying my hand at the very cool Olli Olli but I'm really crap at it!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 19 March, 2015, 06:21:28 AM
Playing this since Monday morning after I got payed.

REIGN OF KINGScenter]

It's a lot like Rust combined with Medieval Engineers with a touch of Chivalry or War of Roses if you upgrade to that far before the numerous bug in this game get to you and you rage quit. Like I have done so a few times already.

You start out with wooden club that you can hack at trees with to get wood and I guess that is at least a step up from using a blunted rock like you would in Rust, You are kind of like stone-age dude who was just washed ashore after being at sea for many days on raft. So, it's a mystery wether or not he came from a more advanced civilisation or not. Using manuscript to build dirt or wooden block to construct buildings like  Minecraft with better graphics. Yes, the graphics would be just on par with the latest version Rust and you can also customise your bloke (So far you can only be male in this game!)  while they are on the raft during character generation at the start of the game and again later on with a potion of Appearance. You have choice of African or European and I found I was able to make him almost appear like a Asian after working from the former's most basic appearance. I sure it may be possible from the latter as well. It's almost as flexible as the character creator from Sims Two (The best of the series!) and you go to town with the body shaping options. Giving them obscenely large or small torso and limbs. I was able to make a very porcine looking fellow just like a Orc

Worth looking into,  but be warned it's extremely laggy and servers nearly always full.  (http://store.steampowered.com/app/344760/)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 19 March, 2015, 11:31:02 AM
Super Mario Galaxy 2 in 1080p
PC is the best console  :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 19 March, 2015, 01:37:33 PM
Quote from: CheechFU on 19 March, 2015, 11:31:02 AM
Super Mario Galaxy 2 in 1080p
PC is the best console  :lol:

...For stealing
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 20 March, 2015, 03:38:54 PM
started 'the evil within'  okish so far im on chapter 3
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 20 March, 2015, 04:23:19 PM
Evil Within was my fave of last year, It does take a while to get going though. IMO chapter 3 onwards is where it gets great. And I will fully accept that the controls are not upto the task in some sections.

I completed the DLC 3 times (trophy whore) at the weekend and loved it.

While I await Bloodborne next week (if the reviews are good) I've returned to COD:BLOPS multiplayer on the PS3 to waste some time. I have to say I'm still as fuckin awesome as I was all those years ago and winding up idiots never, ever gets old. If I dont get at least one message a session calling me a "camping bastard" or worse then Ive not done my job  :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 21 March, 2015, 12:32:26 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 19 March, 2015, 01:37:33 PM
Quote from: CheechFU on 19 March, 2015, 11:31:02 AM
Super Mario Galaxy 2 in 1080p
PC is the best console  :lol:

...For stealing
For the Chaos Editions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B0vWFtCYys
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 22 March, 2015, 12:45:34 AM
So. At last, I am done with Skyrim.

All along, in the guise of being helpful, I have actually implemented my master plan for domination of Skyrim. The Thieves Guild. The Blades. The Dark Brotherhood. The Mages College. One by one, I elimated anyone who could resist - and the fools asked me to do it.

Then, along with my vampire bride, I siezed control of the vampires. I like to think of myself as a bloody despot, sweeping my reign of blood and terror across the north before my army of thralls carve me a scarlet empire.

Anyway, off to Mario 3D now.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 24 March, 2015, 12:57:59 PM
Not out until Friday but Bloodborne is getting rave reviews and will probably be the last game I play for a while if its as nails as previous FROM software games. Which it seems it is.

Cant wait to see "YOU DIED" over and over and over.

Anyone else getting this as I'm curious to see how the online dungeons work?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 24 March, 2015, 05:49:19 PM
Reign of kings is driving me nuts, some is incredibly addictive about this game, but the servers are so based it's hard to get far into it for the time being or until they decide to improve  this section of the game and also the security against hackers.

I have not been able to get back on to the second China server where I had made this cave-0rce dude with dark maroon coloured skin. I found large lake where There is air-pocket covering a large section of bottom of it. The lake bed, where I start to lay the foundations for three sizable bases.

Pity....

(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTG8g3MGlJ5kQS5WXyHJg_e-wynEZ46bLxWZfyEJO35zPz_piHh)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 25 March, 2015, 12:33:36 AM
Quote from: Satanist on 24 March, 2015, 12:57:59 PM
Not out until Friday but Bloodborne is getting rave reviews and will probably be the last game I play for a while if its as nails as previous FROM software games. Which it seems it is.

Cant wait to see "YOU DIED" over and over and over.

Anyone else getting this as I'm curious to see how the online dungeons work?

Yeah, this is an absolute must for me. Hoping to pick it up on Sat.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 29 March, 2015, 11:14:24 AM
I've been playing The Forest (No game video, I'm afraid!) for some time the day before yesterday and for a good part of the morning into the afternoon today. I've gotten better at this game, because the developers have made it more player friendly since  their last few updates (By the looks!).

I've been hunting....

Bambi's, (Found mainly more inland from the beaches and coves. I saw a few of them on the second beach or cove (After crossing the promentary to the right of where I exited the severe plane I crashed in on two occasions.) Especially, when the land gets higher and their are green files of lush grass. Anytime during the day/night cycle. Definitely, not the full grown version. Will often run up and buck you, yet they run if you approach them. Best hunted on run after feed and a rest! Will scream like baby when you fell one. They give you a couple of feeds! They will also give you skin that you can make patchwork armour (Not sure about this really!) or overclothing (It certainly looks a little better than the lizard skin armour does if you don't mind  white spots!) with only per kill!)

Thumpers (Not as numerous as they were when I first brought this game, but can be found almost any where at different time of the day/night cycle. Seriously fast, but killable if they stop right next to you while your axe is ready!)

Pre-radiated Godzilla's. (Not as numerous as they were at first, but can be found just about anywhere on the island at different time during the day/night cycle!) Slower enough to kill if you yourself not too slow or tired/hunger/thirsty as well! Gives you one meal and one skin that offer you some armour protected when equipped in the form of yellow units. They offer more of this than the [b[Bambi's[/b] when harvested!)

Raccoons (The small animal version and not just strange men or boys with dark paint around their eyes! Very quick! Not as numerous as they were the last time I played this months ago (I've only seen two since I started playing this again in the day before yesterday and not sure if they can be harvested for meat like the other animals. They never did give me any feeds when I killed a few after their first appearance in the game months ago! )

Babe's wilder cousin. (Found further inland (And never on any of the beaches!) and most numerously in the more forested areas. Anytime during the day/night cycle! The fastest despite it's bulk and body fat. Either not fully grown or most like a pigmy variety because of the presence of tusks. (For this reason alone, I expect some counter aggression!) Will often run up and buck you, yet they run if you approach them. Best hunted on run after a feed, refreshment and a rest!)

Non-Mutant--Ninja-Turtles (BTW I have one of their latest  games (http://store.steampowered.com/app/228560/) and it's really cool, and even
sourcing  music (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFsTr0kGAqU) from the first film. I played this game completely the first quest in just over a hour and think it's one of the better video game adaptions. Much better than the arcade version!) Can be found on the beaches and coves. Heading out of the water and quite possibly back in at sunrise. Occasionally, you will find one or two further inland moving slowly through the forest or grassy plains. Despite their natural sluggishness on land and sometimes in shallow waters of the seaside. You still need to be quick to hit them in the head or across the neck before they retract all fleshy parts back into their shell. Otherwise their shell is pretty much indestructible, and you won't be harvesting anything until they expose their vital limbs again and resume their slow journey. (At first, I though they were glitched as un-killable after a couple of unsuccessful attempts at knocking them off for their shells. Until I realised Why!) If you second hit strikes true, then you can harvest it's empty shell and in one instance, I got some meat that was classified as the same generic flesh I'd get from a Bambi or Babe's wilder cousin. So, far I know I won't be making any turtle soup. The shell can only be used for the constructing a Water-Catcher which stands on tripod of wooden sticks/fallen branches.

This is essential for keeping you fluids up with pure water from the sky. (I'm sure why this I so!) Don't go drinking water from the small fish ponds, even though you have the option to. You will just cough it up because fish and the other cannibal native poo in there!. I did find one place where you can drink water safely. It's a much bigger pond or small lake you can almost drown in. I have only found one or two of these places in my last two game sessions and it I drowned while hiding from the cannibal natives who were able to walk right into the large pond and stand there and look at me with the surface of the water right over their heads like they could breath underwater or atleast hold their breaths for a much longer time. Considering they never chase me into the sea. They may be like those fresh water reptiles we have in Australian Northern Territory or it's just glitch. I drowned when I could find where which way was towards the water surface when it was so dark.  (Fortunitely, I have been able to save my progress in the game numerous times not long before at one of my closest sleeping shelters!)

My dependency on Water-Catchers for keeping my fluid level high seems kind of silly when I have seen people drink from specially arranged leaves in rainforests in real life. (Unless you have found plenty of bottle of booze and soda left strewn near the waters edge of the sea and strewn cases of overnight luggage near the plane crash and on the beach as well. It does rain often and that's when the wandering food to become less active and hide more. Barely any prey can be found when this happens and may have to just make do with previous kills and any blue coloured berries and orange fungi you happen along. These are never as nourishing as cooked meat. 

The Jaws family should be avoided if swimming near any of the beach or coves. They can be found swimming in small schools mainly where the water is much darker and deeper. They will definitely attack and kill you before you can even touch them if you swim into their paths. Strangely you can swim close to them with out any drama as long as you don't end up next to them. Just look for the fins cutting through the surface of the water. Be careful when trying this in low light conditions or night. I've died a few times when I accidently started to swim amongst them. There can sometime be one or two of them found dead on the shore line of the beaches and coves. These are just eye candy only and unharvest able.

Smaller Fish can be found in any pond or in the shallower water near the beaches and coves and be fished if you do so with a sharp stick that can be found at some of the smaller ponds of water. 

So far as I have found, none of the meat has tainted after carrying it around for more than a twenty four hour period. (In game time!) 

I have begun to build one camp with both a small shelter (Up higher!) and a Hunting shelter, (Lower!) the beginnings of a water-catcher and fire-pit on land shelve below a cliff-side over looking the sea. I have also build about six wooden box cage traps (You know the kind that are propped up at a angle by a stick!) that I have managed to catch a Pre-Radiated-Godzilla and Thumper (The latter was still alive but stunned enough to let me kill after retrieving it from the cage!) I built numerous other traps of this type on the promontory near on the nearby beach, but most of them are still un finished. They require about thirty sticks when I can only carry ten at a time.

That's one the thing lie about this game compare to other games like Rust, (The classic survival game!)  Beasts of Prey, (Now more playable and containing dinosaurs!)  Reign of Kings (This game has such annoying lag and few of my characters have been hacked or reset by the servers. So annoying!)  that allow you to carry unfeasibly large amount of materials of any size without any apparent assistance from machinery or otherwise. In this game, you can only carry the wooden logs one at a time (Which makes it that more tedious, but all the more satisfying when I finished building my hunting shelter!)

Lastly, I have discovered the option for building treehouses , tree platforms, normal platforms, wooden stairs and those rickety wooden bridges (Just like the one from the Temple of Doom film with Indiana Jones in it!) This game has the potential for a tree city.

So far, I part of the way through building a regular (At the edge of the tree line near the promentory at the closest beach to the right of the...) and a Alpine tree house (Near the Plane wreck!) and wondering if I can network them using all the new tree structures in between.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 31 March, 2015, 12:11:18 PM
BLOODBORNE - OK where do I start. Inside the game box is a small pamphlet which tells you what the buttons do and thats it. Load the game and after a bit of character creation the game starts proper. No tutorial. You begin with weaponless and as soon as you enter the next room a big werewolf fucks you up good and proper.

YOU DIED!

Get used to that as you'll be seeing it a lot.

You then respawn, get tooled up and off you go for revenge on the werewolf and some exploring in a lovely rendered disease ridden town full of maniacs and monsters.

I'm loving this and its not as hard as I expected (no where near Darks Souls level). There appears to be an easy way to do everything and its just down to discovering how. The biggest hint I can give is read the item descriptions as I've found 2 so far that seriously impact the boss fights.

Loading times are awful though and the camera tends to start breakdancing during boss fights but apart from that its brilliant! I think I may be playing this for some time to come.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 31 March, 2015, 12:22:51 PM
Bloodborne already been beaten in a speed run of under 45 minutes by exploiting glitches so I expect a patch will be incoming soon.Hopefully that will improve the load times also.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 02 April, 2015, 02:01:55 PM
Just finished Hotline Miami 2!

This sucked me right in and consumed my time in the same way the first game did. The whole style of HM is just so hypnotic and compulsive and the soundtrack oh god the soundtrack (so glad I got the triple vinyl edition of this, I've been listening to the music a ton). That style is still here in spades and as great as ever. If I have a gripe with it it was in the presentation of the story, the first game was really obtuse and nightmarish and all the bits that didn't entirely make sense worked as a kind of dream logic. With this one it really feels like they might be trying to tell a more coherent story, but I can't say I could follow it at all really. Made me think that perhaps the first game's alluring obtuseness was a happy accident.

There were points where it was infuriatingly difficult (the game crashed twice on my Vita, both times on the final floor of a particularly tough level, did not help my blood pressure) but it feels so good to beat a floor that you forgive it immediately when you do. As such, it's a game I rate really highly but am almost relieved to have finished so I can get it out of my life. I'll be seeing it when I close my eyes for a while though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: PDitta on 02 April, 2015, 03:26:37 PM
Alien: Isolation

2/3 absolutely nerve shredding awesomeness

1/3 Padding.

All in all, the Alien game I've been waiting for since the C64 version.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 10 April, 2015, 01:46:39 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 02 April, 2015, 02:01:55 PM
Just finished Hotline Miami 2!

This sucked me right in and consumed my time in the same way the first game did. The whole style of HM is just so hypnotic and compulsive and the soundtrack oh god the soundtrack (so glad I got the triple vinyl edition of this, I've been listening to the music a ton). That style is still here in spades and as great as ever. If I have a gripe with it it was in the presentation of the story, the first game was really obtuse and nightmarish and all the bits that didn't entirely make sense worked as a kind of dream logic. With this one it really feels like they might be trying to tell a more coherent story, but I can't say I could follow it at all really. Made me think that perhaps the first game's alluring obtuseness was a happy accident.

There were points where it was infuriatingly difficult (the game crashed twice on my Vita, both times on the final floor of a particularly tough level, did not help my blood pressure) but it feels so good to beat a floor that you forgive it immediately when you do. As such, it's a game I rate really highly but am almost relieved to have finished so I can get it out of my life. I'll be seeing it when I close my eyes for a while though.

I have barely started playing the first one. The controls for running and hitting or shooting at the same time have me confused.

Still sampling the survivalist games.....


Finally got Dark Souls - Prepare to Die to work and have just flipped back to the desktop here to find out what key-binding corresponds to pressing A  loot the corpse just thrown into the dungeon cell with my brand new character.

A large deprived girl with facial countenance of a wise dragon witch with purple hair tied into pig tails called Sheila-Na-Gig (Class old Irish name for a girl!)

I know the key is meant for a X-box controller, but I think I can rebind it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 10 April, 2015, 12:24:41 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 10 April, 2015, 01:46:39 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 02 April, 2015, 02:01:55 PM
Just finished Hotline Miami 2!

This sucked me right in and consumed my time in the same way the first game did. The whole style of HM is just so hypnotic and compulsive and the soundtrack oh god the soundtrack (so glad I got the triple vinyl edition of this, I've been listening to the music a ton). That style is still here in spades and as great as ever. If I have a gripe with it it was in the presentation of the story, the first game was really obtuse and nightmarish and all the bits that didn't entirely make sense worked as a kind of dream logic. With this one it really feels like they might be trying to tell a more coherent story, but I can't say I could follow it at all really. Made me think that perhaps the first game's alluring obtuseness was a happy accident.

There were points where it was infuriatingly difficult (the game crashed twice on my Vita, both times on the final floor of a particularly tough level, did not help my blood pressure) but it feels so good to beat a floor that you forgive it immediately when you do. As such, it's a game I rate really highly but am almost relieved to have finished so I can get it out of my life. I'll be seeing it when I close my eyes for a while though.

I have barely started playing the first one. The controls for running and hitting or shooting at the same time have me confused.

Still sampling the survivalist games.....


Finally got Dark Souls - Prepare to Die to work and have just flipped back to the desktop here to find out what key-binding corresponds to pressing A  loot the corpse just thrown into the dungeon cell with my brand new character.

A large deprived girl with facial countenance of a wise dragon witch with purple hair tied into pig tails called Sheila-Na-Gig (Class old Irish name for a girl!)

I know the key is meant for a X-box controller, but I think I can rebind it.
You're playing Dark Souls with the keyboard?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 10 April, 2015, 08:43:51 PM
Just discovered FUT in Fifa.

For someone hooked on Football Manager, this is not good. I've been up until 2.00am in the last three nights, then out to work.

Got... to... buy... bargain.

EDIT: FIFA came with my Xbox one, so I've had it since November. This timebomb has waited patiently for me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 15 April, 2015, 01:45:50 AM
Given up on Dark Souls just for now, because there doesn't seem to be anyway out of the dungeon my character started in. They made it as far as the large room where the Asylum Guardian blocks your way. It's some huge beast of a thing I was only able to scratch it's belly with the broken sword I had been given a few times before it keeps finishing her off.

Then I was somehow sent back to a earlier room, through what may have ben a secret/hidden door (That I think she stumbled into by accident.....) in that room where I was led on detour that got me better weapon, a large wooden club and wooden shield. yet now, when ever I try to enter that room to battle the guardian. I get message that some contraption has locked me out and need to find the trigger. I think.

The way through that door doesn't seem so obvious, except that there is a way onto balcony (Via some stairs....) that overlooks the very same room, but since my character cannot jump, and there appears to be a invisable wall barring my way here as well. 

Not that I'm in any hurry to confront this huge creature that just flatten my avatar every time. Even if I now have huge club and shield.   

I really like the realistic textures of the dungeon and the wooden shield in this game. reminds me of the graphical realism used in The Forest survival game.

I may have to start again with a better character that can actually defeat the beastie in that room without having to use the detour that doesn't allow them back in.

So, in the mean time, I have spent the last two days playing Rogue trooper and videoing it. The first game took few hours as I got Rogue all the way to the docks at the orange coast or sea. (it now looks much browner...) and after three attempt at that stage of the game before Rogue made it as far as rescuing Helm's bio-chip before become the squad/team of one! 

Despite, some assurance from Steam this game may have been graphically improved. It's still does look a bit dated now. I can almost count the polygons without squinting.

It seems strange that Genetic-Infantry man cannot swim around in the Orange-Sea. He just died both times I had in accidently land in that drink. I was thinking of putting him in it, but just knew that it would go bad for him if I did.

Would love to see this game remastered, and perhaps given less linear freedom of more of sandbox game. Not sure if this would ruin the story line. As I was thinking I should have a look a those Rogue Trooper novels I ordered years ago. Remembering how impressively collected and put together they were after the few times I have only glanced at the pages.

Seeing as they were being sold very cheaply for almost two dollars a pop. I brought the entire trilogy of Blood-Rayne games. I did have the very first some where on cd, but could never complete a level in that game due to some bad glitch. Wondering if Steam's version have fixed any errors in these games.

Also remembering that god awful Uwe Boll adaption of this character thinking that she is one and the same as Durham-Red. Also recalling how somebody here tried to explain to me that they are not the same character and why. Much to my further confusion while still seeing that they seem to be very much alike. I even went so far as to think they were the same creature with two different names.

Now after a little research, I realise that Blood is Dhampyr half human - half vampire who hates the full bloods and Durham who has the mutation of vampire powers without the fall out of them.

Since then, I have been trying to find out who is the creator of the former character. I do know Durham Red better.

Lastly, I have brought this old game I still own on cd and have been playing very cheaply. 

Like it says - words to the effect - on the description here....

Disciples - Scared Lands (http://www.ask.com/wiki/Disciples:_Sacred_Lands?o=2802&qsrc=999&ad=doubleDown&an=apn&ap=ask.com)

It's more stylish version of Might n Magic and more worthy of owning a copy of on STEAM. Especially at barely at 2 Aussie dollars or a couple of more pounds for your own to play with. 

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 05 May, 2015, 03:58:03 PM
On my 3rd playthrough of Bloodborne and still loving it. I'm gonna Platinum this bastard this week as its in no way as difficult as reviews make out. I cannot recommend this game enough.

Next up I'm gonna relax with the telltale Back to the Future adventure game and then its onto Demons Souls on PS3.

As a side note my 10 year old son is playing Dark Souls on 360 and is waaaay further than I ever managed. I'll rectify that as soon as I clear the decks of my current backlog.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 05 May, 2015, 05:05:30 PM
On a couple of long flights recently I played through most of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, for what must be the first time in 20+ years.

While it's still undoubtedly a wonderful game, it certainly has problems when judged by modern standards (unavoidable for such an old game, granted). In short, I probably would have ran out of patience with it an hour or two in were it not for the ability to abuse save states. There are a lot of elements that just build frustration and serve little purpose but to artificially extend playtime, such as the baffling inability to travel between the light and dark world at will, the lack of a fast-travel ability until very late in the game (and even then only in the light world), and having to traipse through labyrinthine dungeons time and time again because you've run out of bombs or potions or whatever.

The dungeons also get extremely tough towards the end of the game - not a problem in and of itself, but the difficulty/frustration is magnified by the aforementioned issues, and the fact that every time you fail you then have to spend another 10-15 minutes traversing the world restocking your supplies. And that bloody constant beep when you are low on health - gah! Surely one of the most irritating elements of any game ever devised.

I'm tempted to say that the recent 3DS sequel/quasi-remake A Link Between Worlds is the superior game overall - every bit as entertaining as the original but streamlined with all the modern concessions to the player (without being too hand-holdy).

But still, great to be able to play it again - it's one of those all-time classics I've never completed. Hope I manage it this time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 05 May, 2015, 05:25:29 PM
I've gone on about my love/hate relationship with Zelda games before.
I completely agree with the above (and yes, get rid of the awful low health alarm). I really hope that Between Worlds marks a change in attitudes to Zelda development - being both a love letter to the past while also an admission that times, and game development, have moved on.
I recently started a play-through of Majora's Mask on 3DS and I just find it a bit of a chore. I've given up for the time being but I'll probably go back to it. I never did like the N64 Zeldas much (Ocarina of Time is impressive but I always get bored before the end)
I'm playing through the Wind Waker on WiiU at the moment and, though it has its problems (which really annoyed me at first - I almost gave up playing it months ago but have recently gone back to it) it has undeniable charm.

I really hope Zelda WiiU shakes things up and gives us the best Zelda yet.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 05 May, 2015, 05:56:22 PM
It's been a long time since I played it, but I absolutely adored Wind Waker - an astoundingly beautiful game - I even loved the seafaring element that most people thought was boring. However, for me (as for many other players) it came to a grinding halt with that tedious fetch quest bit where you have to find all the shards (apparently put in to extend that game as they ran out of time/money?).

I've long been tempted to pick up the 3DS remake of Ocarina, but am worried I'd just find it a bit annoying in that 'early 3d game' way. I never much cared for Majora's Mask even at the time (on N64). I get why people like it and it's certainly an interesting concept, but I just found the time loop element frustrating. Never finished it.

A Link Between Worlds is the pick of the bunch for me. The WiiU one looks intriguing, though I suspect it'll end up on a different console.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 06 May, 2015, 01:57:27 AM
I bought an N64 for ocarina of time and still my greatest purchase(spent Christmas Day playing goldeneye though).re:thryllseeker the boulder that crashes down the stairs before asylum demon breaks the wall so you can meet the knight I think he gives you the estus flask and there's a better sword to be found before the demon but you must not be reading the notes on the floor.when you go through the fog gate and are above the demon jump down on him and attack just as you meet him this is a strong attack you'll take 50% of his health after that just role and run from his attacks use the estus flasks to heal remember to not panic and you should vanquish him.i recommend the dark souls wiki as well.if your not online your in for an horrendous time.i envy you one of the greatest games I've ever played.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 06 May, 2015, 11:35:44 AM
Finished Zombie Army Trilogy at the weekend, me and a co-op buddy had been coming back to it now and then and working through a level or two. The third game is easily the best, level design is much more interesting and things look a lot cooler and more varied. Great fun game that.

Also battered through the free Fast & Furious thing that Forza Horizon put out as standalone DLC, never played the main game but that freebie has got my interest, really enjoyed it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 06 May, 2015, 02:33:47 PM
Here is  Dwelvers (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ8jsbwef9E) videos......

This game is given me some in sight on the War-Spasm

Just pm me if want to know more about that one  ;)

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 06 May, 2015, 11:51:22 PM
Quote from: Myself
This game is given me some in sight on the War-Spasm

Mean to be Warp-Spasm, you know Slaine.

Aside from making up a Orc called Perfect-Tooth in Skyrim and deciding to head up the snowy mountain instead of entering |Riverwood. I have entered some lair filled with Bandits and a female who was entangled in some spider webs. Yep, there are some large spiders and they have queen that takes some beating. It can't meleed, and I have been throwing firey destruction at it slowly or I was until I ran out of video.

I have to say the Elves are creepy in this game, but I guess they are meant to be. They kind of give the Argonians a run for their money with their near reptilian appearance. Even the Orc's look more human and sort of pissed that there are only one race of Orcs in this game.

Wait for my game-video sooner or later....

Aside from that, I've been playing Dungeons which was supposed to be the next Dungeon Keeper (It's just not really!) I was never impressed with the demo and after buying on it Steam for less than a fiver. I couldn't be bothered with it much after first dungeon the avatar (Anti-Hero!) seemed bugged enough to stop me from ever completing it.

Until a few days ago, and now I'm stuck on the First-Do-Your-Own-Dungeon mission, because I think that game really is easily broken. Yet, it does seem to be very much it's own game with regards to me ever thinking it should be another spin-off of D-K. The Pentagram-Monster idea isn't so bad now it's fun laying them down having hero's entering the dungeon and be slowed down by these carefully placed demonic paraphernalia and other furnishings. Actual rooms are not so important as the furniture which can be carefully placed anywhere.

Like I said the quests in this game seem easily broken and can ruin this game. I'm starting it again some other time, though.

Played a bit of Half-Life two a while back and thought it's enjoyable romp once he get's his own crow-bar weapon handed to him not long after he get's started. Really do get the impression his support team are just going him the run around, literally.

How do I get out of the room filled with water and all these empty drum containers. After fighting off wave after wave of those Mini-Copter-Bots. I shoved some of them through the one small hole in the metal grating (Positioned where the ladder is!) that separated the top of the room where I entered with the other half filled with water. The only way out is through pipe I can't reach on thje lower half.

The female interest, (Scientest-Daughter) is kind of hot, like Sasha from The Walking-Dead.

Yet, then again, maybe not!

Almost forgot, the new Warhammer 40k plays like it's own version of Chess. (Is it right that some pieces can't retreat after advancing?) Not so bad with some good graphics, but it's still in Early-Access and they still fire their weapons when you really want them to go melee.





Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 07 May, 2015, 01:12:36 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 06 May, 2015, 02:33:47 PM
Here is  Dwelvers (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ8jsbwef9E) videos......

This game is given me some in sight on the War-Spasm

Just pm me if want to know more about that one  ;)
haha 200 shortcuts on the desktop
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 07 May, 2015, 04:58:16 PM
Quote from: CheechFU on 07 May, 2015, 01:12:36 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 06 May, 2015, 02:33:47 PM
Here is  Dwelvers (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ8jsbwef9E) videos......

This game is given me some in sight on the War-Spasm

Just pm me if want to know more about that one  ;)
haha 200 shortcuts on the desktop

Doubt it!

I can count less than that without really counting their exact amount.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 08 May, 2015, 10:12:23 AM
The Long Dark is going to be  brilliant game when it's finally finished.

They have been adding small thing s to make it more real without really ever been a proper replacement for the real thing as far as survival games are.

Like  Savage Lands (https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Savage+lands&rls=com.microsoft:en-AU:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7NCHC_en-GBAU631&gfe_rd=cr&ei=F31MVdSiMMiN8Qexs4CwDA&gws_rd=ssl) (Where you can die from the effects of cold wether at night or after swimming in this cold enviroment, if you can't get fire started in time and there is a strong fantasy element here. You will find a Dragon!) you are effected by the cold wether in the snowy environment of the Canadian wilderness after crash landing there during geomagnetic storm.

Building fire has become a complicated process of finding enough fuel and accelerant, as well as matches and this is only possible when the elements allow it to be so. Some time in the future the developers may allow you to build fire anywhere outside providing there isn't too much snow or blizzard blowing. Walking through a blizzard in this game is so dis-orientating, but it's full filling once you find your way back to one of the (Provided wooden cabins or the office (My favourite!) or any other shelter.

Some time I would just put my sleeping-bag down in a cave to get rest there until the night or blizzard is through. Blizzards occur nearly everyday in this game.

At this point, in the games development,  I'm not sure of what other point there is to this game once you have found a few places to use as shelter and continuous source of food and warmth. Except that I think that there is certain amount of time that must be spent surviving in this place before your chosen avatar has found out how to be rescued or has stumbled back into civilization.

Almost forgot to say, this game looks so fantastic. With out wanting to compare the graphics of the snowy Canadian setting t World of Warcraft, it does seem a touch above that and more like those old Warner Brother cartoons that were more like nature documentaries than slapstick humour involving the daily antics of how near-human animals or vice-versa deal with one another or it could be described as what it would be almost be like to walk around in the work of Mike MacMahon.

I partically like the way you breath is seen to freeze in the air in front of you after you exhale and other thing like getting a sprained ankle if you run down a mountain slope too quickly. Among other things.

Remember the name...... The Long Dark (https://www.google.com.au/search?q=the+long+dark&rls=com.microsoft:en-AU:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7NCHC_en-GBAU631&gfe_rd=cr&ei=Cn1MVfnkJcWN8QfU4oBw&gws_rd=ssl)

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 08 May, 2015, 01:46:58 PM
Wasteland 2.

I may not be Dredd but my Rangers are bringing the Law to the cursed earth.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 09 May, 2015, 02:07:13 AM
Here are two Game-Play videos of that Warhammer 40k - Regicide I had been play testing....

They are out of order and the first one is hidden in a folder I have'nt ear-marked for uploading just yet.


Warhammer 40k (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpkEm5vUOLQ)

Regicide (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTeBLuuZ-OM)

More to come soon.....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 09 May, 2015, 06:06:33 PM
I just restarted Bioshock. Still got the best flames I've seen in any game.

I played about 2/3rds on the Xbox then my save went down the pan. As I want to play the new(ish) third one, I thought I'd rattle through the first two on a low difficulty to get up to speed on the story.

I know the twist, but not the ending.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 09 May, 2015, 09:43:32 PM
Aaannd... it's remarkably like Fallout 3
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 09 May, 2015, 11:50:31 PM
Incredible game.it loses something after the twist but still glorious game.Infinite is incredible and I'll highly recommend the burial at sea DLC.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 10 May, 2015, 07:14:04 PM
Just finished Dragon Age: Inquisition (after 75hrs of play apparently) and man, what a game. I was lukewarm on the first two so came in without much expectation (the first one started great and then became a slog so I switched to Easy just to get it finished, and the I did the same in the second one just to get to the story beats - hated the combat in those two games). Mass Effect is my favourite game series ever and this is the closest Bioware have come to the 'fantasy Mass Effect' that I want from the series.

For the first few hours I really thought I was going to have the same complaints about this one, I was getting into fights that I just couldn't win and really hating the 'click on things until they die' style of combat where your only real tactical input is managing your ability cooldowns (I'm having a similar frustration with the first Witcher at the moment). Went away, did a load of other areas to level up and then, a couple of minor difficulty spikes aside, it was plain sailing. Had been warned not to hang around the Hinterlands for too long at the start of the game but really glad I did because it meant the combat thereafter wasn't too tough. There's a staggering amount of content and it can be a bit overwhelming for someone who plays like me (trying to mop up every side quest before progressing the story) so that lead to me getting pretty burnt out about 50hrs in (eek) and longing to play something else. Once the story started moving again though I was right back on board. Loved it.

Also noteworthy, it's the first of Bioware's games where I've gone with the gay relationship option. I usually roleplay these things in a 'what would I do?' fashion which tends to mean picking my favourite female companion but somewhere along the way with this I realized Dorian was definitely the one for my guy, and a very touching and well written little romance we had. Great job all round Bioware.

Selfie!

(http://screenshotscontent-t4001.xboxlive.com/0009000000231685-41bc7ab1-df3a-41da-90ae-8d104d56d65f/Screenshot-Original.png?sv=2013-08-15&sr=c&sig=xNttAj6r%2Fe4qgJtHOp06AGEI0pOfT%2BmxLNhgA1a7Ey8%3D&st=2015-05-10T18%3A13%3A25Z&se=2015-05-10T19%3A18%3A25Z&sp=r&__gda__=1431285505_9f4a5116b03702b9fb159d2f74930ddb)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 10 May, 2015, 07:27:34 PM
Kill it! Kill it with fire!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 10 May, 2015, 08:35:35 PM
Been playing Skyrim and still haven't fixed the authentification problem with Secret world.

Once you get to see my Skyrim videos...you'll notice that I didn't follow the well trod path to Riverwood[ and kept off of it while heading higher into the mountain behind where we exited the cave connected to that Keep where every single starting character almost gets executed before the very first Dragon appears.

Why should I....,

I asked myself out loudly during one of the videos. Aside from clearing out two cave lairs, then helping a thief escape from some warrior he stole a enchanted mace from and I decided to help the other guy when he came by, thinking the first to be less worthy and incinerated him with continuous flames and then thought I would like to find the other guy and kill him as well for the magic weapon, but he was faster and left quickly while I had the Orc loot the corpse of the first guy. I also left another two bandit's naked, a trail of dead Snow-Foxes and Wolves,  and a flamed grilled Elk that died in some epic cinematic.

(I have this on video)

I then encountered a female Nord living in a log cabin by herself. Telling my avatar that she fled here after her entire family had been murdered by Imperials who she slayed in turn. The she offered to teach my Orc how to hunt with a bow by firing some practice arrows into three different targets she had built on one of the lower steps of the mountain side where he small house is situated. The three targets of slightly varying distance to make it that more interesting and it was about that time. I switched on the cross-hairs. Because I was only slaying a few giant-spiders in a cave by fluke before I had to switch to my flaming magic attack to whittle down the health of the queen spider in one of the cave-lairs, I had him clear out. Anyway, I did the target practice twice or almost twice as I failed to find the other cached of practice arrows she meant to drop at my Orc's[ feet ever before time had ran out. She only said Never Mind as I spent that allotted time picking up the other arrows I had already used on the intermediate ground between the targets and the wooden barrier he was supposed to stand behind.

Anyway, it was one of the few times she faceed my Orc to say something to him before I decided to leave her. I noticed how much she had striking resembalance to Lagertha from that Vikings series. 

Did they put her in on purpose? She certainly wasn't found pictured/listed as one of the Archery trainers in the official guide book. She is kind of hot though. I just don't like her acting and found her in game Doppelgänger more convincing. She let my Orc leave with the Hunting-Bow and I even had him drop his original regular bow after my frequent check of inventory further down the mountain side. She's found on one of the ridges right on top of the mountains after exiting this  cave that had these icy snow walls sculpted very smoothly by the wind blowing through the place.   

Then, my Orc suddenly found himself entering the town of Riverwood from the side that was up against the mountain slope after I had started him on a longer descent and he murdered one of his contacts...the female living in the longish looking houses right alongside with the river where there is a public Mill and Forge. This happened quite cinematically when I had my Orc absentmindedly raid her kitchen for some gold coins and some wine. Where she got up and started slashing at his back with a knife. I might have had him run out to preserve new found relationship at some later time, but he spun around while unclipping his enchanted Axe of Icy-Bone-Chill (Or something like that!) and buried it in her stomach, but starting from the top of her head.

I then decide to leave for the town/city of White-Run and finished the video after he cross the bridge to the other side and promptly retuned to murder every other inhabitant of the village including all the chickens, the large Mastiff and the old lady. I also had a go at the young girl as well, but she must be protected by the gods and will no doubt grow up to be my Orc's Nemesis.

Thinking about returning up the mountain to put a end to that Lagertha-Clone, but that's where I have finished up until now...hanging on that thought?

My chosen avatar is a Orc after all!!!!!

BTW, I have named him Perfect-Tooth

Apparently, it's the English translation of what ever Latinname had been made up for some sort of pig or boar ancestor in times long past. It's always been my assumption that there is some sort strong connection them and the beastial Orc race. Remembering now that I think the Orcs were made from the drops of blood from a evil god who fallen after duelling with their mortal enemy, some heavenly deity. 

He also found himself inside a ruined fort from some underground cavern after finding the entrance in a lake. That is below the ridge it was built on. I cleared it out all the bandits one by one and after dying twice or thrice. Reminds me of the Time-Lake from Slaine-Time-Killer and it's kind of dumb how these games lead you to believe how one character can survive and even conquer such uneven odds.

To finish this un-intentionally longer than I thought it would be game commentary.....

If you like Half-Life and own the sequel on Steam, then you might like to try playing Lambda Wars Beta (Which sound like one of the American University House names inspired by {b]Greek[/b] letters or words!) and involves a single-player-campaign or random skirmish battles between the human Rebels and the alien like Combine and played both sides a few times remarking how similar the lightening arcing between the Combine's dark-energy collecting towers are to the standing stones of Carnac from Slaine - Warriors Dawn. This looked brilliant to me and had me thinking if the Combine were not really Cythrons.  This comparison opens gateway in time between this setting and Pre-Dilluvian-Tir-Nan-Og......think of the possibilities there....Imagining the dead rising from the resultant Sour-Land to form their own deadly faction against the other two.

Too bad. this game effect did not occur on my second and more successful play through of the Combine and there are no Head-Crab-Zombies either.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 10 May, 2015, 11:12:47 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 10 May, 2015, 08:35:35 PM
Been playing Skyrim and still haven't fixed the authentification problem with Secret world.

Once you get to see my Skyrim videos...you'll notice that I didn't follow the well trod path to Riverwood[ and kept off of it while heading higher into the mountain behind where we exited the cave connected to that Keep where every single starting character almost gets executed before the very first Dragon appears.

Why should I....,

I asked myself out loudly during one of the videos. Aside from clearing out two cave lairs, then helping a thief escape from some warrior he stole a enchanted mace from and I decided to help the other guy when he came by, thinking the first to be less worthy and incinerated him with continuous flames and then thought I would like to find the other guy and kill him as well for the magic weapon, but he was faster and left quickly while I had the Orc loot the corpse of the first guy. I also left another two bandit's naked, a trail of dead Snow-Foxes and Wolves,  and a flamed grilled Elk that died in some epic cinematic.

(I have this on video)

I then encountered a female Nord living in a log cabin by herself. Telling my avatar that she fled here after her entire family had been murdered by Imperials who she slayed in turn. The she offered to teach my Orc how to hunt with a bow by firing some practice arrows into three different targets she had built on one of the lower steps of the mountain side where he small house is situated. The three targets of slightly varying distance to make it that more interesting and it was about that time. I switched on the cross-hairs. Because I was only slaying a few giant-spiders in a cave by fluke before I had to switch to my flaming magic attack to whittle down the health of the queen spider in one of the cave-lairs, I had him clear out. Anyway, I did the target practice twice or almost twice as I failed to find the other cached of practice arrows she meant to drop at my Orc's[ feet ever before time had ran out. She only said Never Mind as I spent that allotted time picking up the other arrows I had already used on the intermediate ground between the targets and the wooden barrier he was supposed to stand behind.

Anyway, it was one of the few times she faceed my Orc to say something to him before I decided to leave her. I noticed how much she had striking resembalance to Lagertha from that Vikings series. 

Did they put her in on purpose? She certainly wasn't found pictured/listed as one of the Archery trainers in the official guide book. She is kind of hot though. I just don't like her acting and found her in game Doppelgänger more convincing. She let my Orc leave with the Hunting-Bow and I even had him drop his original regular bow after my frequent check of inventory further down the mountain side. She's found on one of the ridges right on top of the mountains after exiting this  cave that had these icy snow walls sculpted very smoothly by the wind blowing through the place.   

Then, my Orc suddenly found himself entering the town of Riverwood from the side that was up against the mountain slope after I had started him on a longer descent and he murdered one of his contacts...the female living in the longish looking houses right alongside with the river where there is a public Mill and Forge. This happened quite cinematically when I had my Orc absentmindedly raid her kitchen for some gold coins and some wine. Where she got up and started slashing at his back with a knife. I might have had him run out to preserve new found relationship at some later time, but he spun around while unclipping his enchanted Axe of Icy-Bone-Chill (Or something like that!) and buried it in her stomach, but starting from the top of her head.

I then decide to leave for the town/city of White-Run and finished the video after he cross the bridge to the other side and promptly retuned to murder every other inhabitant of the village including all the chickens, the large Mastiff and the old lady. I also had a go at the young girl as well, but she must be protected by the gods and will no doubt grow up to be my Orc's Nemesis.

Thinking about returning up the mountain to put a end to that Lagertha-Clone, but that's where I have finished up until now...hanging on that thought?

My chosen avatar is a Orc after all!!!!!

BTW, I have named him Perfect-Tooth

Apparently, it's the English translation of what ever Latinname had been made up for some sort of pig or boar ancestor in times long past. It's always been my assumption that there is some sort strong connection them and the beastial Orc race. Remembering now that I think the Orcs were made from the drops of blood from a evil god who fallen after duelling with their mortal enemy, some heavenly deity. 

He also found himself inside a ruined fort from some underground cavern after finding the entrance in a lake. That is below the ridge it was built on. I cleared it out all the bandits one by one and after dying twice or thrice. Reminds me of the Time-Lake from Slaine-Time-Killer and it's kind of dumb how these games lead you to believe how one character can survive and even conquer such uneven odds.

To finish this un-intentionally longer than I thought it would be game commentary.....

If you like Half-Life and own the sequel on Steam, then you might like to try playing Lambda Wars Beta (Which sound like one of the American University House names inspired by {b]Greek[/b] letters or words!) and involves a single-player-campaign or random skirmish battles between the human Rebels and the alien like Combine and played both sides a few times remarking how similar the lightening arcing between the Combine's dark-energy collecting towers are to the standing stones of Carnac from Slaine - Warriors Dawn. This looked brilliant to me and had me thinking if the Combine were not really Cythrons.  This comparison opens gateway in time between this setting and Pre-Dilluvian-Tir-Nan-Og......think of the possibilities there....Imagining the dead rising from the resultant Sour-Land to form their own deadly faction against the other two.

Too bad. this game effect did not occur on my second and more successful play through of the Combine and there are no Head-Crab-Zombies either.
There's no point playing skyrim on PC if you haven't installed at least 57 mods, including tourettes mudcrab https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT0dSFt48Sg
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 11 May, 2015, 04:35:33 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 09 May, 2015, 02:07:13 AM
Here are two Game-Play videos of that Warhammer 40k - Regicide I had been play testing....

They are out of order and the first one is hidden in a folder I have'nt ear-marked for uploading just yet.


Warhammer 40k (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpkEm5vUOLQ)

Regicide (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTeBLuuZ-OM)

More to come soon.....

Found out the meaning to the word Regecide, and hope that doesn't reflect on me enjoying this game. Remember the Russians from Fortress Two ;)

Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 09 May, 2015, 02:07:13 AM

BTW, I have named him Perfect-Tooth

Apparently, it's the English translation of what ever Latinname had been made up for some sort of pig or boar ancestor in times long past. It's always been my assumption that there is some sort strong connection them and the beastial Orc race. Remembering now that I think the Orcs were made from the drops of blood from a evil god who fallen after duelling with their mortal enemy, some heavenly deity.

I would like to make amendment about my rather narrow and possibly racist remark about Orcs (Yet, only in the fantasy sense....) looking like they were descendant from pigs...They are more like primitive humans, or even proto-humans, but it's the tusks that lend them a certain porcine aspect.

In any other generic fantasy setting, their, large ears and wide flat noses, excessive body hair and fat may add legitimacy to my earlier claim about them, but not quite so in any Elder Scrolls.


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 11 May, 2015, 02:21:16 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr, I have named him Perfect-Tooth,

Apparently, it's the English translation of what ever Latin name had been made up for some sort of pig or boar ancestor in times long past. It's always been my assumption that there is some sort strong connection them and the beastial Orc race.

Some proof of my earlier claims about the name I used.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 11 May, 2015, 11:07:32 PM
Quote=ThryllSeekyr] ....and a flamed grilled Elk that died in some epic cinematic.[/quote]

Flambe would be better word for that. It's not like he put it on any barbeque.

Awesome cinematic!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 11 May, 2015, 11:37:09 PM
I've been playing the Game of Thrones mod for Crusader Kings 2.
So far I've been mostly sending assassins to murder Aegon Targaryens wife every time he gets married, he's run out of family members to marry now.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 12 May, 2015, 12:27:15 AM
Didn't he marry a few dragons?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 12 May, 2015, 12:27:21 PM
Finally finished Resident Evil Revelations on the 3DS. (I actually borrowed Tiny Tips' shiny New 3DS XL for the last couple of chapters. I was so impressed, I'm going to get one with some reward vouchers I just received at work).

What a great game; very clever use of the ship environment to move you from promenade decks, to claustrophobic corridors, to flooded bilges to majestic ballrooms without startling narrative jumps.  In fact, I liked the ship so much that I started to object to them taking me to other locations (as flash backs or flash sideways episodes).

The plot, "twists" and dialogue, of course, are terrible and draws multiple groans - especially the sudden appearance [spoiler]of a THIRD SHIP.  Why was this never mentioned in all the documents that talked about the Xenobia and her sister ship?[/spoiler]  And the very final boss, Norman, seemed to come out of thin air. Was down to my last five rifle bullets when I took him down!

But really enjoyable mix of puzzly shooty action - which is probably a disappointment for proper survival horror fans  - but just right for me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 12 May, 2015, 05:25:45 PM
Just nicely timed for the sequel Tips  :D

Bloodborne - Platinum trophy get! Big fire beasty in the 2nd last Chalice dungeon is by far an away the toughest enemy in the game. There's nothing I can say that hasn't been said so just buy this if you have a PS4.

The Unfinished Swan - I would barely consider this a game but as its only about 2 hours long, tells a nice wee fairytale and as a tech demo its quite incredible I would say give it a bash.

Back to the Future - A point and click adventure based on BttF should be exciting and full of many puzzles which are solved with time-travel related shenanigans just like Day of the Tentacle back in the day. This isn't and is quite the snoozefest so far. I am disappointed with this one.

So I reckon next is Demons Souls - Wish me luck  :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 12 May, 2015, 09:35:42 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 12 May, 2015, 05:25:45 PM

Back to the Future - A point and click adventure based on BttF should be exciting and full of many puzzles which are solved with time-travel related shenanigans just like Day of the Tentacle back in the day. This isn't and is quite the snoozefest so far. I am disappointed with this one.

This is one of the Tell-Tale - Point N Click collection. After purchasing this years ago, I then played it a few days afterward and would leave it be until I had completed the whole game. I think it was four or five episodes which I had paid for all at once. I think this game is a utterly brilliant addition to the original movie trilogy and I only had to watch a video walk through of the part [spoiler]where Marty McFly had a guitar play-of with his girl friends other significant other in one of those alternate time dimension in the future that never would have happened, but did since they had messed around in the past involving the Doc when he was just a teenager. Which reminds me, I had to look up how to attract the attention of his dad (I think it was his own dad, or his dad's father???) when he was working for the father of school bully from the first film who turned out to be a Gangster during the nineteen forties section of the game. (One of the best episodes!) One of my favourite parts was when they had to get Biff Senior's (When he was Gangster!) then girlfriend to sing her night club song (It was one of those private clubs, just for the criminal fraternity!) using lyrics provided by some prudish lady involved in politics (I forget what they are called now and she turns out to be a villain in another part of the game!.....) and the love interest of the Doc.  They was so many clever instances where you had to keep them from bump in into their own double to avoid some time paradox, that actually happened a few time I think. Most for the game was set in the same town square as well.
[/spoiler]

This game deserves a sequel or even another series if they can write one for it and a reason why Tell-Tale should make more games. I still haven't invested in the rest of their Walking Dead and now Game of Thrones.....

Bit of trivia..... did you know the fellow who did the voice work for Marty was some very good voice impersonator for Michael J. Fox  for obvious reasons, but I think [Michael may be ion the way to recovery from that mental impairment... it did seem he was slowly coming back during his last sitcom.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 14 May, 2015, 01:40:56 AM
This was game I brought up earlier.....

Lambda Wars - Half -Life MOD[/urll]

I apologise from that stuff I said about Michael J. Fox being too mentally impaired to do his own voice work. Yet, it's true there was some other bloke doing his voice and very accurately and since I had seen in in few episode of that sitcom he was in a just a few years back. I really think he is on the road to recovery. He's seemed to be less impaired than he was, but I think that show kind of bombed.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJSvhbmvSE0)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 17 May, 2015, 04:39:43 PM
Not a Hero
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl3w5baycdw

so fun
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 18 May, 2015, 07:36:26 AM
Finished Walking Dead season 2 last night.

It did a good job of emulating the programme, in that it was poo faced, over earnest and, ultimately, dull.

This was too much like an interactive movie. Towards the end, I surfed the net using Steam's built in browser while listening to the characters endlessly whine.

I did a lot of thinking while playing, and came to the view this is a Western equivalent of a Japanese interactive novel. Certainly, for all the good reviews, this was less interactive than The Seventh Guest.

I worry about gaming. It just seems to be a cynical revision of the Hollywood template, with little actual "game" and no choice. There are some exceptions, sure, like (paradoxically) GTA but for the main it's all corridor controlled stuff. Unless you are Nintendo. But no one buys Nintendo stuff.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 18 May, 2015, 07:38:31 PM
Finally, I have uploaded one of my recent Skyrim video....

Unfortunitely, it's not the first one I made, and my Orc Mage/Assasin is seen to be wandering around the plains west of White-Run after completely missing the path way to the Abandoned Barrow where he was meant to retrieve some trinket for a shope-keeper in Riverwood which he had just cleared out, mostly.....

I will starting another thread seperate to this one for all my Skyrim videos alone.

Once I have the first one uploaded.

it's not good one either....my Orc died going to the same vampire cave numerous times and the same random location a few times as well , and then some other times doing some other things also.

here is the one from last  Sunday (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmhSe9eb034)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 18 May, 2015, 09:19:45 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 18 May, 2015, 07:36:26 AM
Finished Walking Dead season 2 last night.

It did a good job of emulating the programme, in that it was poo faced, over earnest and, ultimately, dull.

This was too much like an interactive movie. Towards the end, I surfed the net using Steam's built in browser while listening to the characters endlessly whine.

I did a lot of thinking while playing, and came to the view this is a Western equivalent of a Japanese interactive novel. Certainly, for all the good reviews, this was less interactive than The Seventh Guest.

I worry about gaming. It just seems to be a cynical revision of the Hollywood template, with little actual "game" and no choice. There are some exceptions, sure, like (paradoxically) GTA but for the main it's all corridor controlled stuff. Unless you are Nintendo. But no one buys Nintendo stuff.

I really enjoyed it, but I didn't feel it was as strong as the first game. Largely because of the lack of ultimate agency in Kenny's decline and the ludicrous final decision. But by the end, when I said goodbye to [spoiler]Kenny[/spoiler], I was happy to have seen that journey no matter how sad I found it. But it was more of a novel with two readings and a few mid-chapter differences than a game - something I'm ok with.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 19 May, 2015, 12:03:15 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 18 May, 2015, 09:19:45 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 18 May, 2015, 07:36:26 AM
Finished Walking Dead season 2 last night.

It did a good job of emulating the programme, in that it was poo faced, over earnest and, ultimately, dull.

This was too much like an interactive movie. Towards the end, I surfed the net using Steam's built in browser while listening to the characters endlessly whine.

I did a lot of thinking while playing, and came to the view this is a Western equivalent of a Japanese interactive novel. Certainly, for all the good reviews, this was less interactive than The Seventh Guest.

I worry about gaming. It just seems to be a cynical revision of the Hollywood template, with little actual "game" and no choice. There are some exceptions, sure, like (paradoxically) GTA but for the main it's all corridor controlled stuff. Unless you are Nintendo. But no one buys Nintendo stuff.

I really enjoyed it, but I didn't feel it was as strong as the first game. Largely because of the lack of ultimate agency in Kenny's decline and the ludicrous final decision. But by the end, when I said goodbye to [spoiler]Kenny[/spoiler], I was happy to have seen that journey no matter how sad I found it. But it was more of a novel with two readings and a few mid-chapter differences than a game - something I'm ok with.

I'm fine with the Telltale set-up too, although I do miss their earlier puzzlier games (even the first couple of episodes of TWD had some light puzzling which was nice). Now they really have gone fully for the interactive telly show thing, but they do it well.

Saying that, Season 2 didn't really grip me the way Season 1 did. My investment seemed to drift a lot over the last episodes. But then, I really didn't want a second season anyway (I loved the ambiguous ending of the first season so much I was actually disappointed when they said they'd be continuing the story of those characters).

Maybe more just burnout with TWD, as I've been really enjoying their Borderlands and Game of Thrones episodes.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 19 May, 2015, 12:28:58 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 18 May, 2015, 07:36:26 AM
Finished Walking Dead season 2 last night.
But no one buys Nintendo stuff.

Except me. New 3DS XL purchased with two free games (Dead Or Alive: DDimensions and Prof Layton and Miracle Mask) and I also got Prof Layton and Spectre's Call and Mass Effect 3 for the Wii U.

I appreciate the 4GB micro SD card, the Super Stable 3D, bigger screen, faster processor etc. and it finally looks like the 3DS should have looked when it launched (not as glaring as the transition between DS and DS Lite though; the original DS looked like it was a working prototype that somebody rushed into production).

Some funny decisions though; not sure I like the new position of the Power button and should the micro SD card really be hidden behind a screw off plate?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 19 May, 2015, 12:39:56 PM
I have all the Wii U exclusives and love them all. I'm playing Bayonetta, Lego City and Smash Melee.

Plus too much Mario Kart.

It's the fact you can play these things with your children that helps. Well, not Bayonetta.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 19 May, 2015, 12:50:50 PM
Well I've promised the boys I'll set them up online with the Wii-U this weekend so hope to see you all on Mario-kart.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: J.Smith on 22 May, 2015, 04:15:44 PM
No mention of The Witcher 3? What madness is this!? Yeah, if you're a fan of action RPG's, story-driven games or huge open worlds, then you might want to pick this up, regardless of whether or not you've played the previous two. As a big fan of the last two, which are a couple of my favourite games period, I've been amazed by how this one has far surpassed them in every respect. Still only in the first major area of the game (which feels really vast but, compared to the three main areas the game takes place in, is actually tiny, which is ridiculous) but if the rest are as incredibly detailed as this with amazing quests of their own then I can safely say that this is easily one of the greatest games ever made without a doubt.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 22 May, 2015, 06:52:04 PM
Quote from: J.Smith on 22 May, 2015, 04:15:44 PM
No mention of The Witcher 3? What madness is this!? Yeah, if you're a fan of action RPG's, story-driven games or huge open worlds, then you might want to pick this up, regardless of whether or not you've played the previous two. As a big fan of the last two, which are a couple of my favourite games period, I've been amazed by how this one has far surpassed them in every respect. Still only in the first major area of the game (which feels really vast but, compared to the three main areas the game takes place in, is actually tiny, which is ridiculous) but if the rest are as incredibly detailed as this with amazing quests of their own then I can safely say that this is easily one of the greatest games ever made without a doubt.

I'm very tempted to waste money on that game next time I get paid.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 23 May, 2015, 10:33:43 AM
Quote from: J.Smith on 22 May, 2015, 04:15:44 PM
No mention of The Witcher 3? What madness is this!? Yeah, if you're a fan of action RPG's, story-driven games or huge open worlds, then you might want to pick this up, regardless of whether or not you've played the previous two. As a big fan of the last two, which are a couple of my favourite games period, I've been amazed by how this one has far surpassed them in every respect. Still only in the first major area of the game (which feels really vast but, compared to the three main areas the game takes place in, is actually tiny, which is ridiculous) but if the rest are as incredibly detailed as this with amazing quests of their own then I can safely say that this is easily one of the greatest games ever made without a doubt.

I am interested in this but held off due to having too much to play at the moment, I will probably pick it up later though.

I did play the first one and enjoyed it but never really liked the combat system, have they changed it in the subsequent games or is it still the same?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: J.Smith on 23 May, 2015, 02:49:00 PM
Quote from: Rog69 on 23 May, 2015, 10:33:43 AM
I did play the first one and enjoyed it but never really liked the combat system, have they changed it in the subsequent games or is it still the same?

Yeah, although I enjoyed the first game's combat a great deal myself, in the second they went for greater focus on action, so you have free control of your movements during fights in that. It mostly works very well but early on the combat is frankly a pain in the arse, because you have to put several of your ability points into a training skill tree before you can upgrade your character properly and "fix" what sometimes feel like glitches (e.g. your rolling range is so short early on that enemies can still hit and kill you mid-roll). Once you can do the latter it's very fun, though I save myself the frustration early on and use a mod to get more points per level.

The combat in the third game's the best by far. The camera takes some getting used to but it's much more responsive this time around and there's none of that frustration from the start. It's not anywhere near as quick and snappy as the Souls series' melee combat if you've played that (most people seem to be comparing it to Assassin's Creed but it's nowhere near as mundane and easy as that), but it's what it reminds me closest of in that it's very fair, no matter the level of enemy you take on, so long as you know how to manage your abilities and can dodge well. It's better in other ways too, mostly through minor improvements. For example, the combat in the second game didn't really feel impactful outside of special mini-cutscenes for your finishing moves. They tried to put in dismemberment but it never felt right and the ragdoll physics often meant that most enemies would crumple the same way over and over. Needless to say, the melee combat and your magical skills feel really good this time. The latter abilities have a number of great alternative modes this time and the former feels Game of Thrones-esque, which is to say intense and brutal.

So yeah, big improvements all around. Following my last post, I've made it to the first properly big area of the game and I'm happy to confirm that it actually is as insanely detailed and filled with quests, not to mention non-quests like small random encounters, as I hoped it'd be. This is a really damn impressive game, one of few where I make surprising discoveries that I can't believe the developers put in or learn of them from other players (e.g. a friend pointed out that an upgraded Quen, your shield ability, can protect you from the rain, which is nuts!). Considering the ridiculously huge size too, I'm also astonished by what the game doesn't tell you. In the first area you can piece together a whole small story about a hunter who helps you and the fate of an abandoned settlement, but you have to be paying attention to the characters to notice it. Other times you'll come across things that don't activate a quest - and if they do, aren't spelled out to you - but are part of the world, and you can often figure out what happened through paying the environment attention, which is always good to see.

It really didn't disappoint and if MGSV: The Phantom Pain can do so too later this year, then I'm set for ages with them and don't really feel the need to buy much else.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 24 May, 2015, 08:15:33 AM
Playing  Adventure Capitalist (http://store.steampowered.com/app/346900/) via Steam right.

It's just about buying Lemonade Stands and Oil-Well and a lot of thing in between.

Once you buy mangers for the business you purchase, they automatically make profits for the business that represent.

You can also buy upgrades or you can sell everything again to get some Angel Investors on board.

I've done so three times and I've just about repurchased all those business's again.

The games keeps playing even when it's been shut down, and once you start it again a day or week later, you will have plenty of money to repurchase the business's multlple times as well as more managers and upgrades.

Makes me wanna do this in real life, but I'm too broke for now.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 24 May, 2015, 03:59:26 PM
Installing The Witcher Three - The Wild Hunt right now....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 25 May, 2015, 12:54:46 AM
I've started p[lay the new Witcher, and without spoiling it for you (I ran out of hard-drive space which ended the game video I was making just after Geralt finished racing the girl (His daughter????) to the bottom. (He Won!)

So far so good,  there are still few things I'm not happy with, (You can't re-arrange the furniture, knock things over, break stuff, adjust his pony tail or comb his hair!)   Yet, I won't delve too far with those thought here. Everything else looks really slick about this game and there are some nice touches (Despite how little of this I have played!) 

The control feels overly sensitive and this makes it hard to run or even walk around with any type of precision (I had him constantly running into things during the dash to the bottom of the keep and the lighting with regards to sunlight or maybe bloom effects is extreme. Although, I believe some more tinkering with control and graphics options may fix this.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out he could jump over the balcony where he start the game and feel to his first death. OH well, but at least that is improvement over the last game.

Still looking forward to playing the rest of this.....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 25 May, 2015, 02:18:13 PM
Quote from: CheechFU on 07 May, 2015, 01:12:36 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 06 May, 2015, 02:33:47 PM
Here is  Dwelvers (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ8jsbwef9E) videos......

This game is given me some in sight on the War-Spasm

Just pm me if want to know more about that one  ;)
haha 200 shortcuts on the desktop

If you said icons, it might have been funny. Just look at my wallpaper......
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 26 May, 2015, 04:23:05 AM
This game may not be what it promises,  after the initial impression, and I was thinking it's may be just cheap rip off of Middle-Earth - Shadow of Mordor , Skyrim with it's autonomous combat (While the fighting may not be exactly the same here, it does have the similar cinematic quality!) and a magic system that almost freezes the game while you switch spells. While the action continues in slow motion. yet, you can still use your weapon as you do and the look and feel that is almost inspired from the former as well as Red Dead Redemption. Except, I do notice a drop in the graphics quality when compared to the other games. Although, it's hard to deny the game own beauty. Especially. when he uses his special sight. It's like Occulus Rift and might be really amazing using this actual device.

There is also the obvious way that most objects can't be moved, showed or pushed aside and are just not able to be interacted with.

The so called , open world, is more limited than I would have expected and right now I have two quests that required extensive poking around to finish. Despite having exhausted the most apparent options. Every time I reach the edge of the playable area, I am sent back to map screen with a message that beyond this pace is where the devils play.

Monsters and bandits are the only attackable things in the this game. This is where Red Dead Redemption trumps this game. Remember the good old days where you could just about target anybody.

I've onlyhad Geralt,  encounter,  numerous Ghouls, Drowners, Dogs/Wolves,  A Wraith and some Bandits. I have not seen any of the flying beast that have been featured in a lot of the pre-game screenshots. Only the [b[Griffin[/b] which was part one of many cinematics where it proved to be temporarily untouchable and have met three men (Assuming  they are unrelated!) who look almost exactly alike.

No I only just scratched the surface of this game and will not completely condemm it until I have played a good deal more of it. Unless my version has been restricted in some way.  I only hope the game developers don't believe that if they could do this game the way it seemed it might then they might also tell me they could very easily kill me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 26 May, 2015, 10:52:30 PM
Open world does not mean furniture moving emergent jerk simulator.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 27 May, 2015, 01:19:58 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 26 May, 2015, 10:52:30 PM
Open world does not mean furniture moving emergent jerk simulator.

That should be in one of his skill trees  :P
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 28 May, 2015, 12:13:48 AM
The Witcher Three - Wild Hunt is getting better, and I continue to play tis just to see amore it and but still find some of the gameplay very confoundedly lame in parts.

The loading screens break the immersion....wasn't this world meant o be seamless.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 28 May, 2015, 02:40:44 AM
Is anybody playing this game.... The Witcher Three - Wild Hunt

Getting into it, despite my complaints, and now I'm stuck fighting the Royal Griffin. Control are very awkward if you playing this with a mouse and keyboard. It's very difficult to press specific buttons while dodging this flying beast. 

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 28 May, 2015, 07:38:45 AM
I think some people refer to the game above.

Codename S.T.E.A.M demo on 3DS. Rather fun and I think I shall purchase. Reminds me a little of Rebelstar Command.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 28 May, 2015, 04:08:32 PM
I was trying to find the thread about a few boarder here who were had their hearts set on this game months ago and keep finding something else about the very first in the series.

BTW, I beat the griffin, it is toast.

I only have to video it because I took me several attempts before I got it right.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 29 May, 2015, 09:09:01 AM
Went back to Mordor to play some of the DLC (the Lord of The Hunt stuff), it was only a couple of hours end to end but it was great to go back to that game and remember how damn satisfying it all is. Been watching some of the recent Mad Max trailers and thinking that could turn out to be this year's Mordor but with cars. Can't wait!

Also been playing The Evil Within again but on Nightmare difficulty and it is hard as NAILS. So difficult, and quite frustrating but I'm still enjoying the atmosphere of the whole thing, really like that game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 29 May, 2015, 09:19:46 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 29 May, 2015, 09:09:01 AM

Also been playing The Evil Within again but on Nightmare difficulty and it is hard as NAILS. So difficult, and quite frustrating but I'm still enjoying the atmosphere of the whole thing, really like that game.

Stunning game, do you have any of the DLC? The one where you get to play as 'The Boxkeeper' looks promising.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 29 May, 2015, 10:25:16 AM
Don't have the DLC yet, looking forward to picking it up at some point though! Looks like there are some pretty decent chunks of story in those episodes, playing as different characters and things, interesting stuff.

Every time I think about buying it though I think there's a chance the season pass might go on sale at some point so keep holding off!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 29 May, 2015, 11:11:04 AM
Evil Within DLC is great (pass was on sale at xmas for about 7 quid). The first 2 are story related and have some good moments. The final one is well different though. It reuses old locations but is played in first person as boxhead. and you get to use a chainsaw. Its basically a series of boss fights but I played it in one sitting while off work on Tuesday with a stinkin hangover.

Each piece of DLC is approx. 3 hours long. I really hope we get a true next gen sequel announced at E3.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 29 May, 2015, 04:52:08 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 29 May, 2015, 09:09:01 AM
Went back to Mordor to play some of the DLC (the Lord of The Hunt stuff), it was only a couple of hours end to end but it was great to go back to that game and remember how damn satisfying it all is. Been watching some of the recent Mad Max trailers and thinking that could turn out to be this year's Mordor but with cars. Can't wait!

I reinstalled that game along with Alien Isolation, Middle-Earth - Shadow of Mordor is the one you referring to.  Just to compare it to the one I'm playing now and the combat side of the game  still out class's it. As well as the graphics, they're less toonish.

Perhaps the learning curve for fighting in the new Witcher game is meant to be steeper and the graphic's a deliberate step away from realism. 

MY last game session after playing it on and off  yesterday could have ben close to five hours. Simply because  the time it took to reload the game after getting Geralt killed  was close to twenty minutes and this occurred about four to five times at least. Just over a hour and half of waiting for the game to load.

I'm definitely going to have to trim that video down a bit.   

Despite my early insecurities about this game, the side quests are very interesting, and more so than the main story line.     
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 02 June, 2015, 02:36:17 PM
Just finished the first Witcher on PC. I hated a great deal of it but found enough to like that I'm going to continue onto 2 and see what they improved.

I like the world and the characters a lot, and I liked the way some of it is presented (the paintings that show story transitions are particularly nice). There's a ton of combat in the game though and that part of things was a massive, massive slog. The combat is simply terrible, the worst kind of un-engaging 'click on things until they die and hope that they die before you die' combat. Boring and frustrating, I found when it came to dialogue choices and story options I wasn't picking what I thought was right for me, I was picking what I thought would avoid a fight because I couldn't face another one! It's made worse by the controls being really unresponsive and the fact it allows enemies to stun lock you constantly, and all you can do is sit back and wait for the game over screen. Quite confident to say it was the least enjoyable combat I've ever slogged through to finish a game.

The game is very obtuse in a lot of ways too, it doesn't explain its systems well if at all, meaning I really didn't know how to craft a lot of things that might have been really useful. I kept finding materials for crafting bombs but never once figured out how to make one, found a bunch of weapon upgrades but had no idea how to use them, the list goes on. I found the way it tracks quests made it so confusing to figure out what objectives would progress what strands that I eventually just decided not to do any side quests whatsoever just so I could rattle through it.

Despite all that though, when it ended (on a very badass and enticing cutscene) I found myself installing The Witcher 2 without even questioning it. I've got hopes that it'll be the world and characters I enjoyed but with a decent combat system, because that would make for a very cool game indeed.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: J.Smith on 03 June, 2015, 12:06:43 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 02 June, 2015, 02:36:17 PM
Despite all that though, when it ended (on a very badass and enticing cutscene) I found myself installing The Witcher 2 without even questioning it. I've got hopes that it'll be the world and characters I enjoyed but with a decent combat system, because that would make for a very cool game indeed.

If I might suggest something: use a mod from the Nexus site for The Witcher 2 that allows you to get either 2 or 3 skill points per level instead of 1. The combat of the second game turns out to be really great once you've picked one or two of the main skill trees to focus on (if you were to use the mod that has 3 skill points though you can fill out all skill trees by the game's end) but it starts by making you put points into a training skill tree, which makes it incredibly frustrating for a while, especially since the roll Geralt has to dodge with starts off too short to really work properly and I think you can't immediately parry or use certain items in combat, such as daggers. It'd be fine if the combat were like the third game, which is more like the Souls series (you lock on to enemies in a better way than the second game and can both dodge and roll from the very start and there's just other, better functions added too), but you'll no doubt see for yourself that it's still a little weird, which is why I recommend using either of those mods. Sure, it's not how the developers intended you to play - but it is way more fun.

Even if you don't enjoy the combat, I'll be amazed if the world and characters don't surprise you this time around. Personally, I was rather blown away by the first game despite some of its flaws (mostly the setting, which is impressively detailed for the engine being used; and also, I love the entire swamp area in the second chapter), but the second game is truly way more ambitious. If you didn't know already, depending on a choice you make at the end of the first act / chapter, you play the remainder of the game from one of two entirely different perspectives, meeting different characters on one or the other and focusing on completely different goals by the end of the game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 03 June, 2015, 04:09:42 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 02 June, 2015, 02:36:17 PM
Just finished the first Witcher on PC. I hated a great deal of it but found enough to like that I'm going to continue onto 2 and see what they improved.

I like the world and the characters a lot, and I liked the way some of it is presented (the paintings that show story transitions are particularly nice). There's a ton of combat in the game though and that part of things was a massive, massive slog. The combat is simply terrible, the worst kind of un-engaging 'click on things until they die and hope that they die before you die' combat. Boring and frustrating, I found when it came to dialogue choices and story options I wasn't picking what I thought was right for me, I was picking what I thought would avoid a fight because I couldn't face another one! It's made worse by the controls being really unresponsive and the fact it allows enemies to stun lock you constantly, and all you can do is sit back and wait for the game over screen. Quite confident to say it was the least enjoyable combat I've ever slogged through to finish a game.

The game is very obtuse in a lot of ways too, it doesn't explain its systems well if at all, meaning I really didn't know how to craft a lot of things that might have been really useful. I kept finding materials for crafting bombs but never once figured out how to make one, found a bunch of weapon upgrades but had no idea how to use them, the list goes on. I found the way it tracks quests made it so confusing to figure out what objectives would progress what strands that I eventually just decided not to do any side quests whatsoever just so I could rattle through it.

Despite all that though, when it ended (on a very badass and enticing cutscene) I found myself installing The Witcher 2 without even questioning it. I've got hopes that it'll be the world and characters I enjoyed but with a decent combat system, because that would make for a very cool game indeed.

I brought the first Witcher game off of Steam for less than five dollars and still think it shouldn't have cost me that much.

I played when I first got and thought the graphics were so bad that I just stopped. 

I decide to have another go and play the story side of it. Aside from believing that Geralt started out looking more creepy than they have made in each consecutive game. It's like he started out as some mal-formed elf warrior and in this present instalment look like passably good looking human.

His older friend who's name I forget, looks way cooler in the first game, and a little like heavy a set Kevin Kostnar sporting his Robinhood - Prince of Thieves hair style with touch of the Marinor from Waterworld, Not such bad dude, except that he doesn't appear to be much use in a fight. Like he expects Geralt to do all the work. (Despite being the highest ranking Wicher. Which may be his intention, considering that's what the elite do.

I totally agree that the combat stinks considering it was meant o be quite revolutionary in it's time about ten years ago. It's the most clumsy thing I encountered in a game like this. I was never quite sure about and recalling that I download the demo for this game using older computer at about roughly that time. It wasn't nearly good enough to run the game and everything ran slowly and kept freezing. S0, I just trashed it and never bothered
with the full version of the game until I saw it in Steam sale. I may get back to it some other time as I was playing it on hardest difficulty and got him killed after driving him most of the way through the introduction sequence where he was running around on top of some castle ramparts fighting some banditry. The same three types of bad guy over and over again.

I wrote a negative review for the second game and even paid about sixty dollars for it. (The game, not the review!) Guffawling  about it right now.....

CONTIUED LATER....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 09 June, 2015, 09:08:14 AM
Got Resogun half price last night. Was initially disappointed that it's basically Defender 2099, but there does seem to be scope for endless, score-chasing replay. It's the PS3 version so I imagine it's graphically inferior to its big cousin but graphics are the least important thing about this sort of game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 11 June, 2015, 12:55:22 PM
Working through the mild diversion which is Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask on the new 3DS XL.  I love doing these daft little puzzles. Well, I would, if the intermniable cut scenes would fucking well end.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 11 June, 2015, 01:10:58 PM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 11 June, 2015, 12:55:22 PM
Working through the mild diversion which is Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask on the new 3DS XL.  I love doing these daft little puzzles. Well, I would, if the intermniable cut scenes would fucking well end.

The wee Oliver-lite side kick is a particular annoyance.

"Woi Professor Loiton, Oi've got it!"
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 11 June, 2015, 01:37:41 PM
Been playing a bit of Screamride as a lunchtime diversion, it's pretty basic but quite addictive. All rollercoaster based and the career mode is split into 3 types of challenges - riding rollercoasters (and controlling the acceleration to stop it derailing in a Scalextric style), building rollercoasters and a destruction mode where you fire balls filled with people at buildings and try to cause as much destruction as possible.

That last one is a bit mad but also the most fun, mainly because the destruction is very granular and the way the buildings lose integrity is quite impressive and satisfying.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 11 June, 2015, 03:17:49 PM
Oh christ....The Steam summer sale is nearly here.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 11 June, 2015, 05:46:40 PM
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 11 June, 2015, 03:17:49 PM
Oh christ....The Steam summer sale is nearly here.

I'm staying well away from that.  I still have 30+ games I bought from the sales over the last three years I haven't even installed yet.


I have been playing the Witcher III on the PS4 though, which is excellent.  Thoroughly enjoying exploring the landscape, and as usual the story is totally engaging.

I didn't complete Witcher II (got maybe 2/3 through), as it's on my PC.  While my gaming rig is very very good, I don't really have a comfortable enough set-up in my computer room to justify spending hours on it.  I really prefer the couch/PS4 combo...

PS The Witcher II had full NVidia 3D Vision support and was absolutely spectacular in 3D.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 11 June, 2015, 10:10:09 PM
I imagine The Witcher Three would look great on Oculus-Rift would be stunning, especially when using his vision power.

Yet, the graphics do  not look quite as well textured as what I've seen in Middle-Earth-Shadow-of-Mordor Which is just a example, there may be a few early gen games that do this.

I've ben making videos of game play since I got the game and its reason It may take me ages to complete the game. I went through a terabyte of memory very quickly and I last time I played I got stuck fighting some Arch-Griffon that's reputably resistance to fire and oddly resistance to Grape-shot bombs. Aside from the fact I've now found the enhanced version of that one and that Griffins are supposedly  vulnerable to the latter.

Not that he has to finish that one right not to make progress. Since I began playing this, it's my customary habit to to just randomly poke Geralt's nose in around the country side while not getting very fast through the main storyline on this game.

I already postponed the Missing Brother mission until I got more experienced and some thing like Enhanced-Insectoid-Oils  and a Silver-Viper sword and a fight with Night-Wraith in a field near one of the more rural parts of the countryside.  I spent the last few game sessions unsuccessfully getting Geralt back on track for the former mission.

I totally the lost the thread for the Hendrik mission which might move the story forward after questioning some lonely guy in a abandoned village due to my customary short span of attention. Otherwise there is plenty of other stuff to do in this game.

So, I haven't played this in nearly a week.

In the mean time, I have been playing this new survival game called Ark-Survival-Evolved.

Which is like a improved version of Reign of Kings with Dinosaurs.

I have two videos of how I faired in the game earlier.

Adam (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdnLkl6eOxM) and  Bob (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5NLVXgRviU)

I'm playing it much better now.


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 12 June, 2015, 11:23:58 AM
Contemplating Outlast on the sale. Alien Isolation left a horror itch that Amnesia couldn't reach due to ageing engine/overly gothicness.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 12 June, 2015, 11:35:05 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 12 June, 2015, 11:23:58 AM
Contemplating Outlast on the sale. Alien Isolation left a horror itch that Amnesia couldn't reach due to ageing engine/overly gothicness.
Do it. Outlast is a classic horror tale and one of the very best game's i've played in recent years. The DLC is also superb,mpossibly even better than the main story.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 12 June, 2015, 11:55:43 AM
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 11 June, 2015, 03:17:49 PM
Oh christ....The Steam summer sale is nearly here.
An alternate steam storefront
http://gabegaming.com
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 12 June, 2015, 12:17:47 PM
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 12 June, 2015, 11:35:05 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 12 June, 2015, 11:23:58 AM
Contemplating Outlast on the sale. Alien Isolation left a horror itch that Amnesia couldn't reach due to ageing engine/overly gothicness.
Do it. Outlast is a classic horror tale and one of the very best game's i've played in recent years. The DLC is also superb,mpossibly even better than the main story.

Agree with above. Outlasts great as is the DLC. Jump scares ahoy!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 12 June, 2015, 02:03:50 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 12 June, 2015, 11:23:58 AM
Contemplating Outlast on the sale. Alien Isolation left a horror itch that Amnesia couldn't reach due to ageing engine/overly gothicness.

Outlast is worth a play if it's cheap and you're looking for a horror fix. It's pretty slick, and builds tension really well initially in an Alien Isolation stylee, but runs out of steam a couple of hours in. Just one of those horror games where you've seen all the scares it has to offer after a while so get numb to it.

Luckily it's only about 4hrs long so doesn't necessarily outstay its welcome. Very reminiscent of Condemned and F.E.A.R. in places, the owner of the Condemned IP was recently asking studios for pitches and I was really hoping those guys would give it a go!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 12 June, 2015, 03:28:55 PM
Well it's about £4.49. Cheers fpr the recs guys will get it shortly. 2 hours to go before the sale runs out
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rog69 on 12 June, 2015, 05:25:45 PM
If you like scary games try Amnesia - the Dark Descent, It is on the flash sales currently and is up there with Outlast and Alien isolation for scaryness.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 12 June, 2015, 07:16:48 PM
I notice Wolfenstein: The New Order is on Steam sale for £9, is it good game? As I got Wolfenstein few years ago and didn't finish play it. Find it bit dull late into the game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 12 June, 2015, 10:37:23 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 12 June, 2015, 07:16:48 PM
I notice Wolfenstein: The New Order is on Steam sale for £9, is it good game? As I got Wolfenstein few years ago and didn't finish play it. Find it bit dull late into the game.
Not as good as Homeworld, Child of Light and Wasteland 2
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 13 June, 2015, 01:35:53 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 11 June, 2015, 10:10:09 PM
I have been playing this new survival game called Ark-Survival-Evolved.

Which is like a improved version of Reign of Kings with Dinosaurs.

I have two videos of how I faired in the game earlier.

Adam (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdnLkl6eOxM) and  Bob (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5NLVXgRviU)

I'm playing it much better now.

I have been playing this game most of late last evening and early this morning with my Joe avatar who look a lot like Dhalism from Street-Fighter. Even with the full clothes made suit he miraculously weaves from plant fibers.

After ding many time, I began to settle Joe towards taming tow of those large turtle like Dino's and a even bigger Triceratops , but always ended accidently killing them after I figured out the trick for prolonging their unconscious state  before the taming bar would completely fill to the maxmium. It was bothering me why I could never tame any of the Dino's I knocked out cold. By never fighting them, with a weapon except for the turtle like one that are that much tougher. Their shell protects them from death even if I beat them with a weapon.  They all need knocking out before they can be tamed. I won't let on about this, but if any of you know what Animal Husbandry is and what Slaine did while he was working on the Wyrm's-Head-Farm. They're is even talk of dragons that can be tamed in this game as well as the many of those large flying reptiles. You know, the ones that are supposedly the ancestors of the Dragons from Slaine.

Anyway, I could never tame them, because they would always wake up and go back to what they were doing before I targeted them. Very docile. The I noticed something when I hit one by accident while they were regaining consciousness and in this way it's too easy to finish them off.

So I lost tall three of them and then just repeated the process with another two dinosaurs. Both the same type and lost those as well. Then I caught one of those small birdlike like semi-upright walking Dino's. They have this frills that  they can fan-out around their necks while they spit and blind you. Just like the one from Jurassic Park. Because it was smaller and meat eater. I had to get busy murdering other Dino's to feed it while it was sedated and almost succeeded in taming it. It took less time to do this, but one of the other Dinos had seriously injured Joe and he was limping away from it, and as he approached the near-tamed Dilosaur (If memory serves correctly...) It's dossier page was presented to me and I had to name the thing while Joe got murdered by the angry large turtle behind him.

Then I closed it down and went back to bed.

I was sold twice, when some other player flew past me on the back of one those Pteranodons. (I thought of the Knucker when I saw that!) Which are much harder to catch, because they just keep flying out of melee range. You can use them to attack other players or the other wildlife or ride them. Only if they are big enough.

I haven't seen a tamed Bronto yet.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 13 June, 2015, 04:05:40 PM
Here's screenie of my first dinosaur pet.....

(http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/30744803602901624/F3F59FDF61DB078FC37231983072F53D30E73C2C/?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-format=jpeg&output-quality=95&fit=inside%7C1024:574&composite-to=*,*%7C1024:574&background-color=black)

It's a  Dilophosaurus (http://[https://www.google.co.uk/search?site=&source=hp&q=dilophosaurus+facts&oq=Dilophosaurus&gs_l=hp.1.1.0l10.70224784.70224784.0.70225304.7.7.0.0.0.0.685.2134.0j1j4j1j0j1.7.0....0...1c.2.64.hp..6.1.211.0.owMAo9YFJAs) and it took me the better part today figuring our how to most effectively tame it. I learnt I lot today.

Here's a list of the in game and rumoured to be in game wild-life.

Here (https://steamcommunity.com/app/346110/discussions/0/613957600548030130/)


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 13 June, 2015, 06:18:48 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 12 June, 2015, 07:16:48 PM
I notice Wolfenstein: The New Order is on Steam sale for £9, is it good game? As I got Wolfenstein few years ago and didn't finish play it. Find it bit dull late into the game.

I loved it. I loved them all.

"I'm on the mutha-funking moon".

Heh.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 15 June, 2015, 09:07:59 AM
Yeah Wolfenstein: The New Order is a really great shooter. Give it a couple of hours though - I wasn't keen on the prologue stuff during the war, just wasn't really feeling it, but then it flashes forward a few years and everything clicked and from there on I was loving it. Really satisfying to try and stealth as much of an area as you can before going guns blazing shooty bang bang, runs buttery smooth and the character and cutscene stuff is really well handled, especially for such a balls-out old school shooter. Didn't expect much and it totally took me by surprise.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 15 June, 2015, 09:53:43 AM
Quote from: Rog69 on 12 June, 2015, 05:25:45 PM
If you like scary games try Amnesia - the Dark Descent, It is on the flash sales currently and is up there with Outlast and Alien isolation for scaryness.

I got Amnesia on GOG sale for a song just before Alien. It's ok but something about the Romantic/Gothic setting robs alot of the horror for me. Perhaps I am just a philistine as I can put myself in the shoes of a woman engineer on a space station but not an 1800s nobleman in a castle. It could also be the titular amnesia, I hate that narrative device.

Outlast is fun though I am struggling to work out how well the baddies can see me in the pitch blackness vs my night vision.

Got Sunless Sea in the sale as well. Very enjoyable weirdness!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 18 June, 2015, 12:38:04 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 15 June, 2015, 09:53:43 AM
Got Sunless Sea in the sale as well. Very enjoyable weirdness!

Very atmospheric, but I always screw it up every time not very long into the game lose my boat. Interesting story that reminds me of the works of H.P. Lovecraft with a story that gets mosre interesting the deeper I get into the game.

For those that like Game of Thrones combined withX-Com. Then Massive Chalice is for you. Stylised graphics that seem like the regular quasi-medieval settings at first, then they get stranger when you realise that your vanguard of Hunters, Alchemists and Caber-Smashers defending your kingdom by entering the Massive-Chalice that is also treated as some male & female deity. Yet, sometimes I got the impression I was looking at some giant privy overflowing with what ever or some Time-Lake featured in a well known property of 2000AD.

I 'm on third game and this time playing at lowest difficulty at Medium. The first two attempts with disasterous results. Your kingdom sinks section by section as the mysterious Cadence. Rythm dancing monsters that has wondering what ever happened to the regular crew of rural banditry, wolves, bears, and goblins that I was used to. Yet the animations are very charming.

Worth playing is you like those two genres' mixed together.... 


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 18 June, 2015, 01:30:35 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 18 June, 2015, 12:38:04 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 15 June, 2015, 09:53:43 AM
Got Sunless Sea in the sale as well. Very enjoyable weirdness!

Very atmospheric, but I always screw it up every time not very long into the game lose my boat. Interesting story that reminds me of the works of H.P. Lovecraft with a story that gets mosre interesting the deeper I get into the game.

For those that like Game of Thrones combined withX-Com. Then Massive Chalice is for you. Stylised graphics that seem like the regular quasi-medieval settings at first, then they get stranger when you realise that your vanguard of Hunters, Alchemists and Caber-Smashers defending your kingdom by entering the Massive-Chalice that is also treated as some male & female deity. Yet, sometimes I got the impression I was looking at some giant privy overflowing with what ever or some Time-Lake featured in a well known property of 2000AD.

I 'm on third game and this time playing at lowest difficulty at Medium. The first two attempts with disasterous results. Your kingdom sinks section by section as the mysterious Cadence. Rythm dancing monsters that has wondering what ever happened to the regular crew of rural banditry, wolves, bears, and goblins that I was used to. Yet the animations are very charming.

Worth playing is you like those two genres' mixed together....
If you like xcom and game of thrones then play xcom and crusader kings II instead.
I've sunk like 80 hours into the CKII Game of Thrones mod, currently trolling westeros from the comfort of the iron islands
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 22 June, 2015, 09:09:29 AM
Finally got around to playing the original Bayonetta on 360! I maybe went in expecting way too much but it really didn't grab me.

I admired the scale of some of the boss fights, but the combat never clicked with me in a way that became satisfying, the story and characters just didn't engage me at all (I haven't the slightest idea what was happening in the plot and spent most of the cutscenes browsing the internet on my phone which never really happens with me), the cutscene to gameplay ratio felt way off and the cutscenes themselves were far too long. The one thing it's got going for it (the big massive spectacle during battles) actually serves to make the actual mechanics of the fights less readable and enjoyable.

I don't play a lot of this style of game, but there are ones I've played and enjoyed far more (DmC, Killer Is Dead). The presentation style kept bringing to mind Grasshopper games, but while Grasshopper somehow manage a brand of weird insanity that I find really absorbing (I end up really caring for the story and characters, and even if the story is completely mental there's always an odd sense of internal logic to them, like a particularly mad Lynch film), in this I just found it unintelligible and distancing.

Found it pretty average throughout but with some extra poor sections, really disappointed to be honest.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 22 June, 2015, 09:41:00 AM
I've been playing Subnautica in most of my free time this last month. It's a survival marine based game with a metric shit ton of underwater alien life forms, some passive, some shit your pants aggressive (the first time I encountered a Leviathan Reaper I let out an audible yelp of terror). Genuinlt fantastic game with a seemingly endless map and well over 100 life forms to interact with (my favourite are the giant, harmless Reefbacks, they don't do anything but they grow so big nothing can touch them and they sound AMAZING with headphones on). Still being developed but updates as you play, and a damn awesome game to boot. Highly recommended.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 22 June, 2015, 01:03:31 PM
Currently addicted to Fallout Shelter on the iphone.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 23 June, 2015, 01:51:34 AM
I still don't know what I'm playing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-kT5SDifCU
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 24 June, 2015, 05:28:44 AM
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 22 June, 2015, 09:41:00 AM
I've been playing Subnautica in most of my free time this last month. It's a survival marine based game with a metric shit ton of underwater alien life forms, some passive, some shit your pants aggressive (the first time I encountered a Leviathan Reaper I let out an audible yelp of terror). Genuinlt fantastic game with a seemingly endless map and well over 100 life forms to interact with (my favourite are the giant, harmless Reefbacks, they don't do anything but they grow so big nothing can touch them and they sound AMAZING with headphones on). Still being developed but updates as you play, and a damn awesome game to boot. Highly recommended.

Do you play this on Steam?

It very nearly didn't got dropped because of falling out between the developer (Just some teenager!) and the found of Steam. I think his name is Gabe Newell and I'm not sure of the exact incident, but banned programmer from releasing anymore games for Steam. Including that one.

I think he did some thing abrasive that really offended them, but don't remember the exact details myself.

All I thought was that this game s seems very interesting and immediately searched for it online, seeing as [b[Steam[/b] weren't going to support it. There is nothing like this small controvercy to boast sales of a game.

I don't why they changed their minds, because I somehow got a copy of the game through Steam and it's kind of interesting  in a retro way. I like the soundtrack, but the graphics are way to blocky for my liking. They bely the full 3d environment of the game.

It's kind of difficult, I just keep getting killed within moments of encountering the first hostile over and over again, even after putting some gunshot into it.

As for being scared of the creatures within this piece of work. I don't think so, not yet anyway. I'm just not fooled. Not that I hate retro block graphics, but it just don't think it would immerse me enough for me to immediately get up from my chair and run screaming to the other side of the house.

Quote from: Richmond ClementsCurrently addicted to Fallout Shelter on the iphone.

You weren't asking about this game on the [b}Steam[/b] forums earlier this week under another pseudonym?

I thought they were talking about some not so well known release from the other Fallout series and thought I had it already. I now se it's not the same game and it does look interesting. Seeing as it's doing better than C|andy Crush I want to know if they have cheap pc version. 

Quote from: Cheechfu
I still don't know what I'm playing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-kT5SDifCU

I see it's called Lisa had put this on my Wishlist earlier. It does look different from the norm.


Otherwise, I have purchasing way too many games myself and should stop spending money for the next fortnight. The kick-starter for new Bard's Tale game wraps up about that time and have promised to give them just over 900 dollars AUD. While not nearly as much as I have put into Elite Dangerous it's still a lot.

I've stoped playing the new Witcher game for the time being until I have made enough space on my hard-drive to record more videos of my game play.  The same goes for Elite Dangerous (I had been recording every game session of that since I had access to it. I was forced remove a lot of the video from it's earlier builds just out of brutal need to play more.  <MY last game had Geralt hunting for the Arch-Griffin which just laughs at fire and isn't even scratch by Grapeshot. even if that is supposed to work real well against it. I may have to skip tat quest for now.

So, I have trying play a lot of as yet unplayed games I have in my Steam Library. The is huge.

Right now, I am finding Massive Chalice very addictive and have evens stopped playing that for the time being as it does keep crashing to the desktop during the [v]X-Com[/b] deployment sections of the game. I think I have almost succeeded in winning this one on Normal difficulty.

I also got Farcry Three since it was just Ten bucks and highly recommend on this show.. I have been interested in this game for a while, but never thought it was worth full price. I never though much of th earlier games in the same series. Though, I do have those as well.

It's like a mash-up of Dead Island with regards to the tropical location and gameplay with the zombies and Skyrim for it's crafting and similarity in some menus. Minus the fantasy aspects. Although I would be so sure about that here. There was history of mutant creatures in the first game and there is something hinted in the review I linked above.

Now, I'm not perfectly aware of crafting stuff from flora and fauna in real life. Yet, I never thought it was so anal as to need specific animal skins to things as similar as loot-bag and wallet. The later requires a skin of pig while the former needs that of a goat. Then again, I guess it adds another level of detail to this part of the game. But medical syringes filled with health and performance boosting narcotics taken from plants. Without the need from the plastic vials or tubes that come with the needle attached and the skinning of you four legged kills leaves them look much that same. Even with slightly more impressive cinematic involving you deft knife skills when removing it from their carcass. It still doesn't top it's counter part in Red Dead Redemption where the left corpse actually looks like it's lost it's outer layer.  Of course, I guess I should not be so anal myself. It's just a game after all.

The gang leader is so ott, it's only so hard to take him seriously as the head-pirate let alone a character in game that I probably shouldn't be taking so seriously anyway. I'm pretty sure real pirate-king's today don't seem so abrasive or such a comical caricature and at this early point in my game believe he's really just actor or puppet figurehead just being  used by the real villain or villains. (Yes, of course, I would be still find the situation scary enough without this idiot added to the mix to give you hope in this dire situation ...) Possibly the good witch-doctor who finds you and fixes you up and then takes you on tour around their so called liberated village before giving you a small gun and telling you must earn your place in their almost typically backward islander/native society by climbing all the local radio towers and switching them back on to re-activate their own gun/narcotic operations. It's kind weird that they would trust stranger with such a job at first. Almost like he already know them they is just silly initiation game to them.
 
It's the stage that he had liberated his very first outpost from the neighbouring pirates that everybody here are really just all friends who don't might killing each other in this other variant of Hunger-Games. I even think your holiday buddies that have gone missing as well. Maybe they were in on it and those natives were only shotting us with rubber bullets and tranq-darts.

Steering while driving the first car I saw and then the motor-trike feels overly responsive and I was almost didn't make it over one of the small wooden bridges before running right into the side  one of flimsy looking shelters and on to of camp fire which was enough to enough to suspend the front wheels off the ground higher enough. So I had to leave it there and walk the rest of the way. I wouldn't normally have that much trouble steering if I had real steering wheel and not the keyboard. I think it's just a bit too overly responsive, but otherwise realistic in handling. I just couldn't finish one of the side missions on time, because I kept failing to drive the quad-bike along a narrow pathway to where some supplies were needed. There was time limit, so I guess running there was not a option.

Combat is fast and requires more manual handling of the mouse and keyboard than I was prepared for at first. After getting used to the auto-acquiring of targets in that Witcher game. Just few moments too much hesitation when I'm spotted and it's suddenly all over. I got that first mission done eventually, but felt bad about putting bullet into the skull of their only one attack dog. As it went from growling and barking to a low whine as it finished it off. This game (Like a lot of others!) requires ruthlessness in the face of desperation of being alone in this foreign environment surround by so much hostility.

While I have heard great remarks about graphics quality of this game and even noticed them for myself when first seeing this review back in late 2012. It now suffers in comparison to the alter games now. Yet, not so much from that of the latest Witcher. Aside from added effects, they almost seem identical in that impression given of that I feel more detached from surrounding because they just don't seem to be really there. Of course, I know it's just game , but I have experienced better immersion in other games that claim to have that amount of realism. I think you all know those.

I did like swimming underwater sequences. It does look believably murky enough in those parts, even while just diving fast flowing streams and when you do, you can feel the force of this flowing or the tide in ways that haven't been implemented in similar games. Well done on this.

I should go back and play the earlier games, but I know the very first one is so dated now. I had brought them all on Steam when they were on sale practically around about the same time this one was in it's first distribution. I had only briefly played each of them and then abandoned them for more desirable games. Remembering the one just before this game set in Africa. I lost the car I was using trying to use bridge and didn't get an farther than my first skirmish in a some duty dry shanty outpost locale.

I also got purchases Steam's version that Ghostbusters I also ordered for the PSthree years earlier. I even played the game right up until the same point, while hunting the fisherman spirit I the s very same well high-rise resturant/apartment complex before my real life reponsibilities demanded seeing to. I actually remember playing this late at night on the console after it arrived in the mail and ending it at roughly the same point when I realised I was too tired on concentrate on completing this part. Before I 'd reach the point where they would  return to their head-quarters. Of course I find out this doesn't happen until they move outside on to the street to face another familiar and very big face from their first film. Yes, first you are reintroduced to Slimer and then it's the big Marsh-Mellow man and then off to the library to see another well known. The Libarian-Spirit who I also get to learn more about. Not that I was really that interested. yet, it is good know. It's great to see all the same face, locations from the first film(I never really liked the sequel, even though they find a very patriotic solution turning everything around towards the ending!)  in a way that was never so realised in earlier games based on the dame film. I only played the C64 version as a gift from my now departed grand parents and being astounded by hearing digitalised word of my blocky looking sprites proclaim to me Ghostbusters after trapping the free floating-phantasms or vapours. Speaking of which, I'm still getting my head around their humourlessly elaborate system for classifying their ghostly quarry. I will be spending some time studying that Tobins-Spirit-Guide (Wondering if they really ever compiled a physical version of this!) along with the other information about their weird-retro-gagetry along with it.

Aside from that, they might have made the game more like a later 3D open world version the original I played rather than on rails with brief pockets of exploration and collecting information artifacts. Since playing games like the GTA - Liberty I have wished for variants of that game with template from film like this one and the Blue-Brothers (Imagine that as a giant road game!), Smoky and the Bandit and Convoy.

A lots more to share, but will finish it here  that I love to see game being so faithful to it's source in term of light humour mixed with dark atmosphere of New-York-City that I guess is more devoid of the harsher realities in favour of more mystical ones.  Which adds to the charm.

I loved to see that place for real some day....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 24 June, 2015, 06:43:49 AM
I'd like to say Batman: Arkham Knight but I put the disc in last night and it had to do an 8 hour update download.
I'm getting a bit fed up with this kind of thing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 24 June, 2015, 08:41:45 AM
(http://cdn2.cad-comic.com/comics/cad-20150624-b9baa.png)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 24 June, 2015, 12:59:11 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 24 June, 2015, 06:43:49 AM
I'd like to say Batman: Arkham Knight but I put the disc in last night and it had to do an 8 hour update download.
I'm getting a bit fed up with this kind of thing.

Mine is due from Amazon today, guess I'll just have to let it update overnight.
Dammit!  ::)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 24 June, 2015, 03:30:27 PM
Bad Framerate  :lol:

Not funny if your buying Arkham Knight on PC though it's shocking.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 25 June, 2015, 07:32:24 AM
[/b]I haven't played Arkham-City yet.....

While I haven't been playing the above games,  Majesty-Two (http://[https://www.google.com.au/search?q=majesty+two&rls=com.microsoft:en-AU:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7NCHC_en-GBAU631&gfe_rd=cr&ei=8KCLVeC8GaLu8weRgYYg&gws_rd=ssl) served as decent time-filler for  while I stayed up all nigh and until next morning to win the first scenario.

Maybe I am getting to old for this.....

Anyway, I noticed that when ever the female Elf unit gets killed, she exclaims the words No fair exactly the very voice and words of very young, but undead Cage when he needed to be put down by his dad towards the end of  Pet-Cemetary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G__cEmPmm_k).

(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqiBSdqAdvFWSp_PN2F5_clEZtJ5baxo-zBbxKJqy3vpCgaqTg)

Hmmm. The significance of this creeps me out, in game and the part he played in that film.

Yet, I guess it fits in with how each of the fallen morph into their own tombstone once they have expired.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 29 June, 2015, 08:37:03 PM
I'm really enjoying Arkham City - it's a cracking action adventure game and Batman combat never gets old.

Having said that, I wasn't in the mood for darkness and violence after a hard day at work so I cracked open Yoshi's Woolly World.
What a charming, fun game. Say what you like about Nintendo but they put out some lovely 'all ages' games. This is another with local co op multiplayer too (fast becoming a thing of the past).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 30 June, 2015, 07:58:00 AM
I'm on a mission to spend less on games this year, as I rarely play the ones I buy to completion, and anyway I'm skint.

I am very pleased, therefore, to have traded in a few titles to get The Witcher III on PS4.  I've put about 30 hours into the game now, and have only recently hit level 10.  Looking at the armour plans, there's kit there for up to level 40, so it's clear I have a lot to do yet!  This game is MASSIVE!!

That, and it's incredibly good fun. The story missions are absolutely superb, your choices having consequences.  Each vignette is engaging, as is the wider story, and I found the voice acting excellent - really engaging.  One of my more stupid decisions led to an entire village being burnt to the ground by a demon horse, which is still somewhere out there on a mad rampage!! 

Besides the main story arc, and the surprisingly deep and interesting sub-stories, there are also witcher contracts (taking out monsters that are bothering one of the many villages scattered around the landscape), places of interest, horse races, fist fights, power stones to find and aid in levelling up, chests to loot, nooks and crannies to explore, a whole host of recipes and plans for armour, potions, mutagens, weapons and so on.

As well as this, there's quite a fun little card game called Gwent.  One of the challenges of the game is find all the Gwent players (who could be anyone - traders, innkeeps, blacksmiths, and even some of the major characters in the game), and beat them.  You claim cards from them making your deck more powerful. 

So yeah, if you want a game with tons of fun content, with an engaging story, which is clearly going to last for a long time, I can't recommend Witcher III enough!  It is going to keep me gaming for quite a while, and should prevent me forking out for any new titles.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 30 June, 2015, 09:19:50 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 30 June, 2015, 07:58:00 AM
This game is MASSIVE!!

Yeah, I never anticipated this while thinking to myself that it would be over in fortnight, but perhaps should have considering what I had heard about it before hand.

Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 30 June, 2015, 07:58:00 AM

As well as this, there's quite a fun little card game called Gwent.  One of the challenges of the game is find all the Gwent players (who could be anyone - traders, innkeeps, blacksmiths, and even some of the major characters in the game), and beat them.  You claim cards from them making your deck more powerful. 

Only tried this in the first village, but still don't understand the game enough to really waste time on that. Have ben collecting cards for it though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 06 July, 2015, 09:49:16 AM
Played through The Terminator on the Sega Mega Drive at the weekend. Old games were hard.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 06 July, 2015, 11:50:14 AM
Replaying XCOM this time with the Long War mod.

War. War never changes. Apart from getting much harder and terrifying when you install a mod that sees you throwing bullets at mech-wearing psychic aliens way before you get a chance to steal their technology.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 06 July, 2015, 12:41:59 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 06 July, 2015, 09:49:16 AM
Played through The Terminator on the Sega Mega Drive at the weekend. Old games were hard.

You should try Robocop vs Terminator next. I can never get past the Robocop 2 section.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 06 July, 2015, 05:26:34 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 06 July, 2015, 12:41:59 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 06 July, 2015, 09:49:16 AM
Played through The Terminator on the Sega Mega Drive at the weekend. Old games were hard.

You should try Robocop vs Terminator next. I can never get past the Robocop 2 section.

Shame on you James!
I swear to God, that was the first ever game I completed on day of purchase.
I got a bus back into town to get a refund later that evening.  :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 06 July, 2015, 06:59:03 PM
I'm normally not too bad at these kinds of games but that bit always gets me! Robocop 2 can take too much punishment!

Back in the 8bit days I completed Captain Skyhawk (NES) on day of purchase and ended up buying Gremlins 2. Not the best decision I ever made.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 07 July, 2015, 06:42:37 AM
Have gotten back into The Witcher Three....

For a few hours early this morning until I was driven by some unwelcome audio coming from website I had left open while playing. It was starting to ruin my game video, so I just closed it down there. First thing here, was to abandon the quest to get rid of the Arch-Griffon. It's just a bit to hard for Geralt right now and resume the Lost Brother quest. I have repeatably been putting that one off each time I find something else and then...

He busy finishing off some bandits who were keeping someone hostage and they were well armoured much harder to take down in simple fight. So, head to do this one by one, until there were only three of them left and then got up to do my business and when I sat back down here gain. I think some wolves mixed up with Wargs had killed him again.

So I spent the next twenty minutes, fighting off those, while dieing three times and eventually clearing those away for the time being and then returned to finishing off the bandits. BY using the horse this time and hitting each time I pass them by, it slow and you might think that the horse might add momentum and the weight of it's own body to his attack, but ...no, that just doesn't happen in this game...oh well.

I stopped playing by that stage, but I think I had weakened them from horseback and it's safer to attack them that way at least.

Played  more Ark Survival Evolved on and off over the last month and for about a hour or so today before I realised that some glitch was stopping me from placing any structures of my own. So Stopped playin there, and anyway, they were going to shut the game down in another thre hours fro maintenance.

They are adding more prehistoric wildlife each day and not just large saurian, Trilobites, large ape-folk and giant birds of prey as well.

My video for this particular game has no audio...strange.

BTW I had got my father (So I owe him some money....) to buy me another external hard-drive to make room for my videos and games. (Since he does all the shopping anyway!) It's third one I got now for this purpose and has really helped out a lot when either Yu-tube or my internet connection is not fast enough to upload the videos I need doing right now.

Brought some more Steam. One of them is cheap parody of GTA series and another is Zombie shooter where if you get bitten, you merely need to chug lots of beer to keep from getting infected.

Also reinstalling Secret World to see if I can finally get it working.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 07 July, 2015, 10:48:31 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 06 July, 2015, 05:26:34 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 06 July, 2015, 12:41:59 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 06 July, 2015, 09:49:16 AM
Played through The Terminator on the Sega Mega Drive at the weekend. Old games were hard.

You should try Robocop vs Terminator next. I can never get past the Robocop 2 section.

Shame on you James!
I swear to God, that was the first ever game I completed on day of purchase.
I got a bus back into town to get a refund later that evening.  :lol:

I'm intrigued, will need to try it soon! I'm emulating on a Retropie, so have the luxury of being able to save my game which makes things a bit easier I guess. The Terminator probably has about 10mins of gameplay start to end but only gives you one life so trying to learn each stage (and the insta-death moments) and get a perfect run would have probably been quite frustrating back in the day.

Been playing the SNES version of Alien 3 as well which I've always had fond memories of. Surprising how much atmosphere that game still has! Also have Judge Dredd The Movie but got stuck on the first level, will need to go back and see if I can figure it out.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JPMaybe on 07 July, 2015, 11:28:31 AM
Picked up Civilization: Beyond Earth in a Steam sale.  It does have some of Civ's compulsive clickability, but that's because it's little more than a reskinned Civ V.  Very bland and unadventurous, especially when compared to Alpha Centauri.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 07 July, 2015, 12:12:02 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 07 July, 2015, 10:48:31 AM
I'm intrigued, will need to try it soon!

It was pretty good stuff as far as I recall.
A definite fond memory of Robocop taking down an ED209, then salvaging one of its gun arms as a weapon.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 07 July, 2015, 01:18:39 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 07 July, 2015, 10:48:31 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 06 July, 2015, 05:26:34 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 06 July, 2015, 12:41:59 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 06 July, 2015, 09:49:16 AM
Played through The Terminator on the Sega Mega Drive at the weekend. Old games were hard.

You should try Robocop vs Terminator next. I can never get past the Robocop 2 section.

Shame on you James!
I swear to God, that was the first ever game I completed on day of purchase.
I got a bus back into town to get a refund later that evening.  :lol:

I'm intrigued, will need to try it soon! I'm emulating on a Retropie, so have the luxury of being able to save my game which makes things a bit easier I guess. The Terminator probably has about 10mins of gameplay start to end but only gives you one life so trying to learn each stage (and the insta-death moments) and get a perfect run would have probably been quite frustrating back in the day.

Been playing the SNES version of Alien 3 as well which I've always had fond memories of. Surprising how much atmosphere that game still has! Also have Judge Dredd The Movie but got stuck on the first level, will need to go back and see if I can figure it out.

If you like 16 bit run n' gun games you should try Ranger X on the Megadrive if you haven't already. Its a cross between a run n' gun and a shmup and is one of the best games of the era in my opinion.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 07 July, 2015, 11:23:40 PM
So, Dark Souls 2 was going cheap on PSN recently. I'm about 8 hours or more in and I think I've made a terrible mistake. Nothing wrong with the game. I knew it was going to be hard and it's doing a great job of that. I didn't really have much of an idea what I was doing to start with so I've missed out on a whole lot of souls/levelling up in the very early parts of the game and used up all sorts of apparently good stuff without realising it. Not that I've got that far right enough: beating the first diddy-boss knight dude took me about twenty or thirty attempts.

Basically, should I abandon a week's worth of play and start again given that I'd be a lot more confident in what I'm doing and be a lot stronger/better equipped by the time I got to the same point?

The other question is who to play? I started out with the dual-wielding Swordsman character because he seems cool and I generally find the big hammer-throwing dudes in these games a bit of a bore. However, I'm struggling with the lack of defense on my guy whenever I'm up against more than one or two pricks.

Advice please.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 08 July, 2015, 12:32:42 AM
Use the wiki page for dark souls games there's no shame in it and it's punishing enough.If you only gone eight hours in a week I'm guessing your gaming time is short.my run through on Dsouls 2 was over a hundred hours offline with no help.i would recommend an online play through it's more challenging but rewards are greater and you'll receive messages from other players with helpful tips and winning an invasion against a more powerful player is the best feeling in gaming.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: J.Smith on 08 July, 2015, 02:47:37 PM
What character class you choose really isn't that important since you can respec your stats multiple times later on with great ease (albeit from the starting stats of whatever class you chose), completely changing your build should you wish to do so. But if it's melee you want to focus on then pick a Warrior or Knight for your first playthrough. The Warrior starts with the highest strength and a shield as I recall, but the Knight is a bit more balanced whilst still packing a punch and also starts with high Vigor (health). That's the one I'd pick, especially if you're finding defense an issue (with higher health you can tank more hits) early on. Since you won't immediately have a shield when starting with that class, just make sure you're using your sword with both hands and focus on getting behind enemies for backstabs or the higher damage.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 08 July, 2015, 04:36:14 PM
Rambo: The Video Game is so bad it deserves a medal - an actual medal that the people responsible are forced to wear before they go into business meetings in the same way that lepers used to be forced to go around ringing a bell.
If it was simply incompetence, that would at least give it the usual shovelware charm, but the game design consists of one bad decision heaped upon another until it becomes almost unplayable without using in-game "perks" just to disable what makes it unplayable in the first place (particularly the shakycam), which has to be a first for me: a game that rewards you for continuing to play by giving you the option to disable the elements that make it a bad game.
It's an on-rails shooter in much the same mold of something like Lethal Enforcers, Time Crisis, or Mad Dog McCready, but bafflingly, it doesn't support a light gun, as the onscreen crosshairs contain a gameplay-essential "reload wheel", as you don't just reload your gun, you have to play a minigame (every single time you reload) where you try to stop a needle zooming around the wheel in a tiny "perfect reload" zone in order to successfully reload your weapon, and if you miss you only have half the amount of ammo you normally would, and it takes two or three times as long to complete the reloading animation, which often leaves you standing in the middle of a crowd of enemies with no cover waiting for your gun to reload with about nine bullets which your guns shoots off three at a time.
Despite the game being built entirely around the crosshairs rather than a lightgun, the crosshairs are overly sensitive and imprecise, making aiming at mid-range enemies a random affair - you can usually fail to draw a bead on someone because the crosshairs jump too far past them, and even if you do get a bead on them, the weapon spread usually means you miss anyway.  It took me ages to realise that the reason some enemies weren't dying was because the bullets weren't passing by the bit of scenery near them, like it has an invisible forcefield that extends to about a meter around the object and stops your bullets dead - but not your enemies', naturally.
Oh, and the random QTE - oh what a joy they are!  And there's even an actual entire level of the game that's just QTEs from start to finish.  The game can often switch from one kind of gameplay to another without warning or informing you this has happened, like the bit where you control the guns in a helicopter which is then followed by a bit where you have to aim crosshairs at a shrinking circle or you immediately die and have to restart the entire section of the game, but it doesn't tell you this, and to make it challenging, the crosshairs start off outside the screen so you don't even realise what you're supposed to be doing and oh joy, the restart points!
Apparantly they had something like three years to churn this out, but I don't see how that's possible.  This game is so bad it is very possibly the strongest argument against capitalism since the Cuban health service.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 08 July, 2015, 05:00:04 PM
You should've bought this:

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/jimmyalpha2008/rambo_3.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 09 July, 2015, 08:40:46 AM
Quote from: Fitba McHurdygurdy on 08 July, 2015, 04:36:14 PM
Rambo: The Video Game is so bad it deserves a medal - an actual medal that the people responsible are forced to wear before they go into business meetings in the same way that lepers used to be forced to go around ringing a bell.
If it was simply incompetence, that would at least give it the usual shovelware charm, but the game design consists of one bad decision heaped upon another until it becomes almost unplayable without using in-game "perks" just to disable what makes it unplayable in the first place (particularly the shakycam), which has to be a first for me: a game that rewards you for continuing to play by giving you the option to disable the elements that make it a bad game.
It's an on-rails shooter in much the same mold of something like Lethal Enforcers, Time Crisis, or Mad Dog McCready, but bafflingly, it doesn't support a light gun, as the onscreen crosshairs contain a gameplay-essential "reload wheel", as you don't just reload your gun, you have to play a minigame (every single time you reload) where you try to stop a needle zooming around the wheel in a tiny "perfect reload" zone in order to successfully reload your weapon, and if you miss you only have half the amount of ammo you normally would, and it takes two or three times as long to complete the reloading animation, which often leaves you standing in the middle of a crowd of enemies with no cover waiting for your gun to reload with about nine bullets which your guns shoots off three at a time.
Despite the game being built entirely around the crosshairs rather than a lightgun, the crosshairs are overly sensitive and imprecise, making aiming at mid-range enemies a random affair - you can usually fail to draw a bead on someone because the crosshairs jump too far past them, and even if you do get a bead on them, the weapon spread usually means you miss anyway.  It took me ages to realise that the reason some enemies weren't dying was because the bullets weren't passing by the bit of scenery near them, like it has an invisible forcefield that extends to about a meter around the object and stops your bullets dead - but not your enemies', naturally.
Oh, and the random QTE - oh what a joy they are!  And there's even an actual entire level of the game that's just QTEs from start to finish.  The game can often switch from one kind of gameplay to another without warning or informing you this has happened, like the bit where you control the guns in a helicopter which is then followed by a bit where you have to aim crosshairs at a shrinking circle or you immediately die and have to restart the entire section of the game, but it doesn't tell you this, and to make it challenging, the crosshairs start off outside the screen so you don't even realise what you're supposed to be doing and oh joy, the restart points!
Apparantly they had something like three years to churn this out, but I don't see how that's possible.  This game is so bad it is very possibly the strongest argument against capitalism since the Cuban health service.

Was that the one that was made a few years back and is supposed to be completely on rails.

I avoided that one, but if you mean the one that was  made back when the film of the same name was in distribution on the silver screens all around the world. A top down shooter, that was one was okay, and just fine. Even though I never played it. I used to read heaps of computer-gaming magazines (When they were more accessable to me than this one!) in those days and found out enough about that game this way and saw that it was on the level with most of the other computer games of that time. I remember kids would rave about this game at school.

Mean while Back at home....

I was playing The Witcher Three again for a few hours yesterday after the electrician fixed our little problem. (Split milk.....)

Finally cleared out this bandit camp that only had three of them left, but they were well armoured and took some systematic and tactical beating. (It's true, ....I tell no lie, because it's on a video I will have uploaded some time!) That camp must have started out with between seven or ten guys. No female bandits !!! (So much for equality so far....)

It took me the entire time I had put aside to play this yesterday to do this. and then I just stopped.

I played a bit of Elite Dangerous for small while this morning and had terrible time of it. As I picked up from where I left off....being stranded close to a sun after running out enough fuel to jump anywhere else or get back into Super-Cruise to try to scop any more.

Fortunately, through some fluke of my version of this game that I own. I must have been given the smallest smidgen of fuel to get back into Super-Cruise. Which I did and then had problems with multiple mal-functioning modules (Try saying that twenty times and real fast!) when I attempted to scoop fuel I almost got dropped again and then lost power to thrusters and life support. I went to right hand holo-menu to fix this and tried shutting down some other less essential system to fix this, no it wouldn't work.

So, I just sat there patiently while my air ran out. I tried to use the auto-repair system. Which cannabalises other systems to fix what is really needed, (I guess?) and this failed each time I tried. Yet the effects were cool enough. 

So, I lost my ship again, but no big deal, as I restarted in the hangar bay of the last space-station I left in the previous game session. I picked every contract available to me and namely one that wanted me to shift four canisters of Narcotics to a place where they are illegal and find some ancient artifacts floating around in two separate systems each. As alight from my landing pad feeling like something was amiss as I didn't so much as rise towards the center of no gravity to be facing the letterbox exit way as pivot and lurch sideways  into open of the next sort fixtures. Then I compensated and rose away to accelerate outside into real space.

(This is turning into story, but it will end soon enough...)

Barely escaping the local guards who I nearly lost three layers of shield before I was far enough always to Frame-Shift-Jump to that system that need the Narcotics. Damn, I though even the standard outfitting giving to every Side-Winder were enough to give me more leeway before jumping.

Frist thing want to do was shoot down some pirates (Other than myself.....) in case they happen to earn me a sweet bounty  on top of  70 - 80 + credits (At rough guess!) I would be making after these three contracts were completed and handed in. Yet it is this much greed that will become my down fall. I managed to earn another 5000 before  ran into same problem I was having with modules I was having before after I got interdicted. (Lassoed in space!)

He did enough damage to my cargo hatch that it automatically jettisoned all four canisters of the narcotics I was previously given at the last station. I merely ignored the other pirate's taunts of collecting my wares and wanting more before I did. I got all those back minus one which became forever lost to me and also automatic mission fail. I lost my contract with that missing canister and was not even prepared to find another floating around or skip to another system to see if I could buy one to complete this.

The other problem I was having with my multiple-malfunctioning-modules was merely solved this time shutting down one of my Shield-Boosters. One of the outfitting I chose when purchasing this ship and not knowing wether it made a difference and there were two of them! They are suppose to stack, you know. Anyway, I also realised that I never had a Fuel-Scoop (Hence my earlier problems with trying to use them to collect fuel!) and thought this was a little weird since I always make sure I have one every time I purchased a new ship in the game. Sounds like foul-foolery to me. So, I made a mental note of getting one  next time I could.

Some where along the line I did land, but only to pay a fine and get repairs, so this might have been before I earned that 5000 credit bounty. I just not letting the sequence unfold in the correct order.

This story ends where I had in very short amount of time had found one of those massive-space-sorties and drop into it, while losing all three layers and taking nearly 50% damage to my hull Before choosing faction.  I choose what ever was apposed to the local boys and girls.

Bad idea....... and I had only just completely depleted the first of my target's shields when they finished me off. Even though my shield was back up. I was just too impatient after waiting s long.

I was in no mood to keep coming and just shut the game down afterwards.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Famous Mortimer on 09 July, 2015, 09:45:51 AM
CLICKER HEROES

CLICK
CLICK
CLICK
X1000000000000000000000000000000000
???
PROFIT

Fun for doing while you're listening to podcasts.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 09 July, 2015, 04:18:31 PM
Damn my many typos.....

I really meant I was in no mood to keep going and just shut the game down then and there.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 09 July, 2015, 04:42:27 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 08 July, 2015, 05:00:04 PM
You should've bought this:

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/jimmyalpha2008/rambo_3.jpg)

Having played both extensively, I can confirm you are absolutely correct.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 10 July, 2015, 01:34:22 PM
I realise the following is going to make me look like a real game newbie...but I need some advice.  :D

I've got STEAM installed on my PC - and use it to play games such as SKYRIM (which I bought on DVD) - but I've never actually downloaded a game via STEAM.  Yes, I'm old skool.  :D

I'd like to try my hand at ALIEN ISOLATION.  I can buy a disc-based version, but I also notice I can purchase a STEAM product key on eBay for a hell of a lot less.

Am I right in thinking - if I purchase the STEAM product key - it's simply a case of activating the product key from within STEAM - and then it will start downloading?

And on the same note - are the product keys for sale on eBay (as Delboy would say), cushdie?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 10 July, 2015, 01:53:07 PM
I've never bought one on ebay (but have bought from 3rd parties before) - you're totally right, there's an option in Steam to redeem a code, once you've popped it in there it'll add it to your game library. If it doesn't start installing automatically (think I've got mine set not to do that) then you can just right click it in your library and choose to download/install it from the drop down.

People tend to sell them a lot on ebay and things, if they get a copy they don't want in a bundle or packaged with a graphics card or something, so it doesn't immediately ring alarm bells as being suspect. It is ebay though so I guess anything can happen!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 10 July, 2015, 01:55:53 PM
Rightio.  Many thanks for the advice!  :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 11 July, 2015, 11:10:42 AM
Played some of the original Bard's Tale game last night on the eve the new Bard's Tale game was  funded. (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/inxile/the-bards-tale-iv)

It was included with the other  Bard's Tale (http://store.steampowered.com/app/41900/) game that was made available over ten year ago. That also offer the first three games in the series as a freebie. 

I actually forget what the very first game was called, but it's been the only one I never purchased in the first place. Except, I got the dungeon disk for this game for this game with Destiny Knight...which kind ruined that game as it was never compatible. So my party of adventures were confined to walking the streets of Skara-Brae for long as I played them. This is a old story of mine that I keep retelling and the old story continues where I played Thief of Fate which didn't have the problems of the previous game and I was able to reach very last boss of the game. I guess if this game was so simple then my adventures would have leveled up further enough to complete the game with out much more hassle. 

The very last game, was played in full and enjoyed.. as well. No problems there, but it was huge departure from the first three games it felt less personal because there was no character generation in it.

I clearly recall on the 21st year of my life my parents gave me the Bard's Tale Construction Set where I ended ruining the original disks with stuff I made up made up because I never made copies like they suggested. I have no idea where I left that game lying around, right now.

Anyway, playing the very first game again. Since I sampled it the first time I brought a few months ago now and was surprise to find a half-elf bard named Orpheus still on the character roster. I though it was theirs, and not mine....and thee was the Ateam a party of characters that came with the game.

You know.....

Brian the Fist,

El-Cid (Does anybody remember that tale....)

Merlin

I forget the rest.....

But I didn't use all of those, and accidently recruited a dead character called Nomad.

I think Merlin was the first guy and lost all the gold after pooling it to some character I forgot about after removing everybody from the party. This brings back memories of endlessly creating characters just for their gold and pooling to the one set of character's. I ended using. Not sure I did over and over again until I could out fit all the warriors with plate-mail and halberds. Yet, I made sure they were all able to equip themselves in some manner once they found the equipment shop.

Back in the days, I think had the location for all the places I needed to take them. The shop, the temple and the tavern......yet this was only in Destiny Knight and not in this game....

I had no idea about the location of these places and I will just recap on this....

Merlin,

Obviously a magic user of some sort was recruited first and then figured I could re-arrange the party of characters. Not sure about the rest of the characters, but I think the dead guy was third and the three last guys were warriors types. So, his back was well protected.

Yet, never wanted them in that order and couldn't find any other way around this and there were few other issues I had with this . That I couldn't deal with right then and wasn't long before I was returned to Adventurers-Guild with a party of dead characters. I should remind you here that this was party of nearly each race and class, but like I said in the wrong order.

So, I decided to make a Elf, Human and Dwarf, Monks, Half-Orc and Gnome, Hunters, and a Half-Elf, Rogue.

Not sure of the exact order but I knew I had the Elf, Human and Half-Orc in the front three slots and nearly the same order and the rest at the back.

I didn't make any mages or bards, because use of magic requires that I type in some code word I didn't quite remember from playing the game in the past. Repeated use of the Bard's signature talent required repeated treks to the tavern or he just couldn't sing.

Did you know that his second verse is called The Seeker's Ballad ::)

They didn't last much longer and only found Garth's shop the first time I played.

I also found the Samurai guardian statue, but declined to fight my way past it.

A brutal game for the ignorant.  (https://www.google.com.au/search?site=&source=hp&q=bard%27s+tale+construction+set&oq=bard%27s+tale+construction+set&gs_l=hp.3...87713.94090.0.95209.29.18.0.0.0.0.1341.1341.7-1.1.0....0...1c.1.64.hp..29.0.0.0.2fLf4Os1ReE)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 12 July, 2015, 06:21:30 AM
Progressed further with Witcher Three, and found a novel way of getting rid of the Mourn-Tart which was stealing children and using them in it's unholy-sacred-rites. Of course, who know, maybe quite a few people did what I did. It was kind of funny when I just had Geralt take a breather while somebody else performed his duty for him.

However..and afterwards when I had head back further north from that village to find the tracks left by some beast that took out a entire pack of wolves. Even though Geralt does this nearly every day him self...sometime twice a day or a little bit more.

[spoiler]The resulting fight with this beast known as a Chort or Howler (Looks like a giant mutant Ram) only reinforces what I think is wrong with a lot of these games that look real on only so many fronts, but some time fall flat where the developer just got lazy and spammed.

Sure, I love seeing him rip into packs of wolves, rabid dogs and Drowners or Nekkers, but this seems to be how he solves all of his problems with odd combination of his potions, mixtures and Signs.

It would seem he has to take down this beast or Relic inside it's lair, a confined space that makes it harder for both of them to move, attack and evade. This monster only has to swipe at him once or twice to bury Geralt while he only managed to knock it down to nearly a third of it's life with poisonous-gas bombs and it's nigh unavoidable first frontal attack after the Witcher leaps down from the ceiling entrance to wait for it to arrive from the only exit. The Witcher himself can only exit from this hole, while not in combat. I found he can't use parkour-skill to even get out of this place to lure the monster outside for more room for him to hit and run.

I know this deliberate to make this contract more interesting, but I think if he was smarter and being the alchemist he seems to be. Then he could lure the creature inside and have some sort of large explosive primed to go off after he escapes by a rope ladder. One of the many of which he loots from those barrel, packages and boxes. Yet, the game so far had never let him put any of the junk he collects to any other use but as something to trade for money.

The explosian would be the type of that would cause it's lair to fall on top of it. trapping if not actually being enough to kill the thing. Hell knows, I not sure after what I had Geralt throw at it, barely making a scratch. Yet the games insist I resort to the grind of hitting and leaping away to avoid being hit.

[/spoiler]

I wouldn't put up with that, if this wasn't still so much eye candy and a huge buzz to play. Yet, I also wonder if taking advantage of glitches and game hacking (Which I don't know how!) to get around grinding to succeed faster in play. 


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 12 July, 2015, 11:37:56 PM
rocket league. aka the best thing from top gear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdVmqssa5v4
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 22 July, 2015, 02:05:46 PM
Phaëton. If you end up reading Armada you'll want to look at this game. Available for iPhone and Android, and online with the Unity player.

http://phaetongame.com/game (http://phaetongame.com/game)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 23 July, 2015, 01:50:03 PM
Finished Arkham Knight (cant be arsed with all the Riddler guff) and so have decided to have a break from BIG games and play some smaller titles.

Rocket League - Playing football with cars is really good fun with mates and is free to PS plus users this month.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter - First person adventure/puzzle game with a mental Lovecraft vibe. It doesn't hold your hand and just plops you in the countryside and lets you discover whats going on. Lovely graphics.

Broken Age - Ye Olde fashioned point and click from Monkey Island guy. Just started this but seems to do exactly what I wanted it to. Smartly animated and acted and have no idea where the story is going. Game has 2 characters you can switch between. A boy who lives alone on a spaceship and a girl who is about to be sacrificed to a big monster by her village. Quite funny too.

Geometry Wars 3 - Twin stick shooter cos sometimes you just have to take 5 minutes and blow shit up.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 23 July, 2015, 03:43:41 PM
Child Of Light. If you've tried playing recent Final Fantasy games and just gone "fuck it" and never want to play an RPG ever again, this will likely change your mind.  Probably far too short and lacking in depth for a hardcore gaming experience, but it looks gorgeous and is rarely taxing.

Godzilla - playing as the titular lumbering atomic supercunt, this is less of a one-on-one fighter like previous Godzilla games and concentrates on the feel of controlling an unwieldy behemoth as he makes bitches of anything over 10  feet.  Didn't get good reviews, but I feel those who thought it cumbersome have missed the point, especially given the inclusion of alternate resolution and frame rates for the video output so you can make the game look like a monochrome film from 1954 or a colour film from 1964.  From the shitty fog-like atomic breath of the original creature through the strains of five decades of Ifukube Akira's themes to the terrible VA acting that typifies the kaiju genre to those of a certain age, this is one for the fans, even if there's no denying that it just isn't a great game in its own right.

Final Fantasy VI Advance - no idea why I'm playing this as we can all agree that steampunk is totally over, but it's a good old-school RPG grinder if you don't mind the very dated fight mechanics.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: J.Smith on 23 July, 2015, 06:00:34 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 23 July, 2015, 01:50:03 PM
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter - First person adventure/puzzle game with a mental Lovecraft vibe. It doesn't hold your hand and just plops you in the countryside and lets you discover whats going on. Lovely graphics.

Loved the method The Astronauts used to create the visuals of this game. As a long-time gamer and someone who studied games development, though entirely enjoyed design more than I ever did programming, I've always hated the idea of games someday being photo-realistic, a term thrown around mostly by the graphics-obsessed. But I have to admit that I was pretty blown away by the results here, which, on the one hand, is extremely realistic looking as far as the environment's concerned, but is intentionally toned down by the overall art style so that it doesn't distract the player or enter the uncanny valley (the way the lead developer explained it on his blog, it was a bit too weirdly real looking before). My understanding is that they'll be using the same method, called photogrammetry, which you can read more about here (http://www.theastronauts.com/2014/03/visual-revolution-vanishing-ethan-carter/), for future games, and if those are as constantly surprising as this was (it really is a game best to go into blind) then that should be rather fantastic.

As far as the game itself goes, I loved it for that surprising element. No kidding they've called themselves The Astronauts because the game sure did make me smile several times with childlike wonder. The final twist was obvious from the start - [spoiler]especially if you turned back to the tunnel at the beginning[/spoiler] - and from other hard-to-miss hints but that didn't make it any less fun to piece together the various scenes which - like the story - were equally surprising in that they played to different genres and thus different styles of play. Anyone who refers to it as another walking simulator like Dear Esther is lying, that's for sure.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 24 July, 2015, 05:22:38 PM
Instead of my usual fare, I decided to have quick look at Star Wars- Knights of the Old Republic Two -The Sith Lords and despite how dated it looks and feels, I couldn't stop playing because I wanted to help this Jedi, his Mentor, A Rogue-Pilot and a Droid of most useful trades band together and escape from a asteroid mining facility on a former smuggling ship called The Ebon Hawk.

I do recall playing as far as I could into the earlier game in this series closer to the beginning of this year and stopped ponce it seemed that I had reached dead end at every corner and exhausted all other option to progress any further.

Both games show signs of outdated graphics and combat physics, but still bear a certain charm by virtue of the rich science - fiction film franchise it's based on. They also use ideas, gimmicks long out of use in other games of similar ilk today.  It wasn't until I had party of more than two people...one controlled by myself and the other two controlled A.I. assisted by basic system of leaving them with crude attack commands if I'm fast enough to switch characters in the heat of combat which paused while I click on the action that need doing.

Back to what I was getting at....

It does look rather awkward as you witness the primitive path-finding mechanics that see them get in each others way more often than not.

I also quite enjoyed exploring the Ebon Hawk and controlling a droid nearly so similar to R2-D2 and then the Jedi as he found his way around the mining facility. Then I thought this could have been a warped Celtic barbarian and his newly found dwarfish companion both alternatively navigating them self out of in plans of escaping Skull-Sword training academy or was that the Broch where they both met earlier and had been returned to after being over whelmed again and are now fighting a snake demon who has taken on the appearance of one his former lovers/bandit companions who he used to commit crimes of high way robbery with before all this happened or was this after winning him over game of Fidchell with goblins inhabiting the Tower of Glass in one of the El-Worlds.

Sorry, but I always have that in min,d when playing computer games that rely on the role playing mechanics of Dungeons & Dragons.

This game must have layed the foundations for other games I felt less inclined to buy or play. Such as the earlier Dragon-Age and Mass-Effect and yet they seem less worthy. To myself, at least. I have purchased and played some of those earlier Dragon-Age games and thought the one where you have to convince this demonic bear to teach your companion how to assume the shape of anything much more impressive than the shape of a rat in dream like sequence at the beginning extremly gimped.

However, I only just remembered those other games just a few moments ago and was mostly thinking about those other combat related games that involved a little levelling and skill-trees.

Any one of the new Batman games, Middle-Earth - Shadow of Mordor and The Witcher Three with the improved sword wagging and stabbing and now Elite Dangerous for it's inspired space-flight and space combat simulation. Even if it's half real and half made up for the sake of keeping playing interested.

Just imagine if they make further games covering this part of Star-Wars universe.

Strange that that never showed interest in any of the actual later Star Wars games.  Although, I would love to see Jedi/Sith wielding a light sabre with the same skills as Talon or Geralt with their own weapons while using his force powers and what about new game about Slaine.

Yeah, I know it would cost a lot and be huge risk because he's less well known.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 24 July, 2015, 06:39:25 PM
I prefer the first one.

Have tou ever considered starting your own blog. Your long form posts would be better suited to a blog
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 24 July, 2015, 08:24:26 PM
Quote from: Doctor Pops on 24 July, 2015, 06:39:25 PM
I prefer the first one.

Have tou ever considered starting your own blog. Your long form posts would be better suited to a blog

Yes, I have and was wondering how do you do those. Remembering back to time when I completed a T.A.F.E. in web design and had to buy some really expensive Max-Media software that would allow me to do this. unsuccessfully and the cd went missing.

That's about $600.00 down the drain :(
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 25 July, 2015, 03:41:14 PM
Just completed a nine hour session of Ark - Survival - Evolved with a video and some pictures which I will share very soon as they are uploaded to my Steam account. 

Although, I do doubt You-Tube will allow me to do this, because, they refused to upload a eight hour play session of Eldar Scrolls Online.

Anyway, those flipping prehistoric midges are a right pain!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 28 July, 2015, 03:48:34 PM
Got an iPad.

Got BG2:Shadows of Amn.

Oh dear....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 28 July, 2015, 10:57:37 PM
Do that's a Goodbye to your social life and possibly your job as well blaze.
Excellent.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 31 July, 2015, 11:34:48 AM
As not got it before, I just buy Shadow of Mordor on Steam sale, it is Special Edition with all DLC, for £15! Bargin, and the game so smooth on my laptop! So enjoy it, very Gotham City style!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 05 August, 2015, 05:17:10 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 31 July, 2015, 11:34:48 AM
As not got it before, I just buy Shadow of Mordor on Steam sale

A really great game, I played the hell out of it on PS4 a few months ago (and was compelled to go for the platinum- a rarity these days).

I haven't bought the DLC yet, mainly because they still cost more on PSN than the game disc itself did on Amazon.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 05 August, 2015, 10:33:47 PM
Spent a while playing some Total War Atilla (As far I know the Huns were of no particular heritage....they were mixed!) 

Aside from being beautiful improvement over it's earlier Total War predecessors graphically. The little men. (No women...why are these barbarians not equal opportunists.) and the terrain textures have been superbly upgraded as well stull that has been introduced her in in previous editions of the Total War series. As well, the subtle things that take longer to notice.

I don't normally go in for this type of game, because I suck playing these games where you have to manage and control large armies of men and this feels unfeasible. There must be easier way for controlling them giving them orders and changing those orders on the fly to suit the situation as changes. There must be easier way, like just giving individual generals or officers order to pass on down line of command or reprogram the armies with set of instructions based on how battle unfolds and you just watch while tweaking them with instructions here and there.

The added realism to the soldier's animations is still covers up their pitiful combat-tracking and path-finding mechanics that has them ground of them standing there in a clump with only the front line doing any damage while those behind them stand there looking useless until get them to move out and have them charge into the same enemy again. This works best for me, even if it feels like I'm using hammer to fix a broken window. The formations all look very similar and are more unique depending on the numbers. There
are no circle or wedge or delta formations as far as I know. I would like hit-n-run function and something that works like that automatically instead smashing the enemy by charging into them on repeat like I have been.

While the combat animations are better, I wish they could be more like what I've seen individual combatants doing ins film like 300 and Braveheart. (Speaking of which, I brought this game two days earlier because I noticed they had a DLC for Celts and then ended up adding the ones for Germans, (As apposed to Vikings, yet I guess they more northern and strictly only from Scandinavia.) ,  Romans, and the actual Vikings along with one that grants graphically pleasing decaps and severed limbs.) About that last DLC it does give what it says it does, but you need to be quicker enough to zoom in on the fountain of blood and then there this Player-Made-Mod that grants them better combat animations, but sure it actually was considering what I just said above. The solders still just do a lot standing around only moving their weapon ad then just a lot are just standing there doing nothing if nobody is close. You need to lead them the entire time, which complicates things more because of how large the armies can be.

One interesting thing is that they will jeer and some will even yell insults if they standing close or moving past the opposing forces regardless of wether they are attacking them or not. They will even shake their arms and weapons at them abusively too. Yet this also highlight another flaw they will often run past or through a mob of the unallied without attacking in order to get at their intended targets. This looks
really bad when it happens.

Have I covered everything I wanted to say.....

I'm not sure I have, but here is a video of a naval battle.

Picts Vs Geats (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBBD_MF5ZUc)

Among a few other boats, I chose the famous Carraugh and some boats called Fhada. Not sure of the numbers, but the fighting, once they board enemy ships looks just as un-inspiring as it does on land. yet the boarding itself looks cool if  some what unrealistic as they perform a Mega-Salmon-Leap en-
mass to the neighbouring vessel or two by two. You will see this in the video along with the beach landings where they all jump onto beach after climbing over the fore-section of their boats. As far boarding goes, shouldn't they atleast use planks and rope ladders or just ropes and hooks???

I know, I lost the land battle, but won the sea battle.

Wish those boats could carry Weird-Stones and take Rise-Prayers. Just imagine getting reinforced by the Half-dead being dropped from above in breakable-wooden-cages and well known warped-uber-unit who always arrives by dragon.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 05 August, 2015, 10:49:56 PM
Quote from: MyselfAbout that last DLC it does give what it says it does, but you need to be quicker enough to zoom in on the fountain of blood and then there this Player-Made-Mod that grants them better combat animations, but sure it actually was considering what I just said above. The solders still just do a lot standing around only moving their weapon ad then just a lot are just standing there doing nothing if nobody is close. You need to lead them the entire time, which complicates things more because of how large the armies can be.

I almost forgot to add that the problems I just pointed out here maybe due to a fault with the Mod
and maybe worth removing before I play again.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mardroid on 07 August, 2015, 09:20:26 PM
Been playing a Back to Bed on my Kindle HDX tablet. A really fun little amusing puzzle game where you guide a sleep walking guy safely through a dream world by putting giant apples in his way.

Not the sort of game I usually play (although I don't usually play games, although I've nothing against it. In fact I've thoroughly enjoyed it in the past) but this is really good. Working out what you need to do lends a real sense of acheivement.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 09 August, 2015, 12:23:37 AM
Purchased  Cave of Qud (http://store.steampowered.com/app/333640/) and  Sheltered (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=266833920) before running out of money this fortnight earlier this week.

The former is very early looking game, graphically that uses sprites. The very basic of them that don't even animate and they are very tiny and hard to appreciate. Despite being a step up from the Net-Hack's famous ASCII graphics. Net-Hack is still much easier to look at. This game remind me of another early game called Temple of Apshai (https://www.google.com.au/search?q=tepl+of+asphai&rls=com.microsoft:en-AU:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7NCHC_en-GBAU631&gfe_rd=cr&ei=BHfGVdOWLafu8wftn4iICw&gws_rd=ssl) which was commercial success in it's own time itself.

The best part of this game is character creation which allows you to choose from a wide range of character class's all across the broad side of fantasy to science-fiction and a wide range of mental and physical mutant powers. If you so choose to have these. Any one of you fans of the Cursed Earth or Strontium-Dog might find this side of the game more interesting. You can make a wide of characters, either combining both types or concentrating on just one or the other and few choice of more than one ability here. Some of these are more obvious than the others. You can also be totally boring human that probably starts off with better equipment.....

Yet, that is as interesting as the game gets, because the graphics just don't carry it.....yet. It's still Early-Access being worked on.

The latter is about managing a family during the fall-out stage nuclear bomb and starts when the family you have created have found a out military shelter under ground. You start off with just a small supply of food and near endless supply of water, a generator for power to provide lighting. Which works to improve the efficiency and moods of this nuclear family. A radio, a Rad-Meter, and just two Haz-Mat suits. One size fits all regardless wether a adult or child is wearing them.  Those suits are important for going out side to fix/ upgrade the air/water filters and fix the campervan. Which hasn't yet seen use in any of my games. Use the suits and keep the air-lock doors closed or else the shelter or family members or both get contaminated those family members get sick and die. There is a supply of anti-rad-meds that serve as a quick fix for this. There is also simple workbench in a room further down that allows them to make sleeping bags, make shift showers, toilets, a mop and bucket and stove to cook the animal meat caught above ground using the make shift animal trap. All these require bit n bobs and other odds and ends to make. With barely enough room for all of them to be placed any where in the standard shelter you start out with. So, I had to choose between stove, toilet and shower and you kind of need all those to survive for a long time. A mop an bucket, because if you don't have toilet, your family members get sick and make mess everywhere from three of four type of body waste that cane be produced. These tools can be deconstructed for making what didn't get made the first time and it would seem you can do this over and over. Except some of the resources are one use only. Only one sleeping bag, between four people is kind of brutal.

Which is why they need to trade with outsiders who visit and these are the only type so far that come by. Sometimes, they want to come in and join and I let them in only to have them take up valuable space and rations.

People die and attract flies, and need to be buried above. Even the make-shift graves take toll on their supplies. Family members and other survivors can be sent on supply runs into the surrounding world to loot other houses, shops and farmsteads. The distance travelled is a factor here they can only go as far as they have enough water with them. The strangest thing here in another possible need for comic relief here is that these people you send can't use the anti-rad-suits and don't appear to ne them either. They can encounter scavengers, bandits and others that can be invited to come back with them if they have the room and supplies. This part of the game needs more development and is still another Early -Access title.

More rooms can be dug out underground to increase space, but I haven't yet been able to afford to make the cement to make this possible and I have had to choose over space for shower or toilet even after removing the pantry holding the food. I have let two families die slowly this way.   

It's like another version of This War is Mine (So aptly named!) in a lot of respects, while not feeling like it's capitalising on the success of the other game. The graphics, are brighter and of stylised, but obvious pixelation that might have been the standard fare nearly 20 year earlier and is quite welcome right now in computer game age where everybody want more true to life realism. Which is what attracted me in the first place.

There is also another game bit like this called  Sixty Seconds (http://store.steampowered.com/app/368360/) which is a played using mixture of 3D graphics and alternately 2D cartoons.

This game could have also been a expansion for the latest Sims game or all of these games could have been cannibalize to make the first one here a better game with more enticing graphics or maybe the Caves would have been better as pure text adventure.

Sorry, fellows, I know you do hate my long rambling game or what ever essays are not exactly welcome here and I've been meaning to try out on e of those Website-Appts I've ben reminded of here. So, I can blog to my hearts content there.

BTW by sure to check out.....

Maia (http://store.steampowered.com/app/252250/) (With a Dungeon-Keeper/Evil-Genius layout combined with X-Com minus the tactical combat and all about colonising another world!) and Clock-Work-Empires (http://store.steampowered.com/app/224740/) (Which is like a Victorian Steampunk with a definite streak of Cthulhu and it's about people from the old world trying to start out in the new work  and there is this word ....Antipodean which hints at how far south they have journeyed to get there.)

Both games, I have purchased on Early-Access roughly a year earlier promising things I have said and read about them. They seem less bugged and more playable right as of some time now and had reinstalled
them to check them out again.

Maia is still the most bugged game, but has definitely seen some work done on it, but still has some time to go. You can get further in making your colonists more comfortable, but they still die a lot. The little aptly named I.M.P.S (Some DK reference!) can be have their number increased up to five or six if you build 3D-Printer inside the Workshop and this is good.

Clock-Work-Empires seems more player friendly as well and closer to completion. It works better, but after playing it for over a hour or so, nothing much happens and it seems all the more tedious for it. Yet, I still have high hopes for these games .

All of these games, but thee last to need to be played slowly in order to get them to work right. I've been learning this the hard way.

 

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 09 August, 2015, 12:30:16 AM
BTW Maia isn't really enough of game to be enjoyed in that sense yet. So you've been warned.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 09 August, 2015, 12:56:25 AM
Slaine on the ZX Spectrum yes I know.  Dreadful.  Just dreadful.  I was expecting something like Tir Nan Og, but I don't know what this was.

Submerged on PS4.  No fighting, no running, no jumping, no swimming, it feels more like a tech demo for the developers to get a grip on how the character looks than it does an actual game in its own right, but there's something nice and mellow about playing as a mum scavenging a city reclaimed by the sea for medical supplies for her wounded son.  It's unquestionably underdeveloped, with nothing polished to completion, from the textures to the weather effects to animation, but it does just about hold together and I'll be damned if I harsh on a game where you can play as a female character who isn't part of a violent wank fantasy.
MORE OF THIS SORT OF THING!

This War Of Mine on PC - pretty decent resource management sim where you have to give some people in a house PTSD until they all run away or commit suicide.  I assume this is what you're supposed to do, becuase it's all I've managed so far.  Good mechanics and easy to play, but a little obtuse in places.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 10 August, 2015, 01:43:26 PM
Been playing through the Tales From The Borderlands episodes, from Telltale, them of The Walking Dead and Wolf Among Us fame.

I've just started on Episode 3 and I have to say I reckon it's the best thing they've done. It's laugh out loud funny very often, slick and stylish (having a love for the Borderlands style and universe obviously helps) and the characters and story are really engaging. I was a bit burned out and disappointed with TWD season 2, so it's nice to see that it's not the format itself I was burned out on, because I'm loving this.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: sheridan on 10 August, 2015, 07:13:02 PM
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 09 August, 2015, 12:56:25 AM
Slaine on the ZX Spectrum yes I know.  Dreadful.  Just dreadful.  I was expecting something like Tir Nan Og, but I don't know what this was.
I like the way that this post is preceded on the thread by two posts which each feature a sliding screen from said game...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 10 August, 2015, 10:42:49 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 10 August, 2015, 07:13:02 PM
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 09 August, 2015, 12:56:25 AM
Slaine on the ZX Spectrum yes I know.  Dreadful.  Just dreadful.  I was expecting something like Tir Nan Og, but I don't know what this was.
I like the way that this post is preceded on the thread by two posts which each feature a sliding screen from said game...

Was waiting for somebody....anybody to see the humour of a game with sliding text sliding across the screen. Wouldn't put down the old Reflex Slaine game. It must have been ambitious for it's time. It's just a shame that such difficult/awkward system permeates every decision/action in this game. It like drunk wrestling, and I'm sure if the difficult system was restricted to fighting and/or doing anything while drunk. Then the nature charm of this game might have carried it better. For instance, it also shows you what's via coma book panels haphazardly drawn over parts of the interface. yet, the game is otherwise unplayable. I own one, but never play it. It's collectors item. You all know how fond of Slaine I am.


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 11 August, 2015, 12:49:22 PM
this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT53AJ6I1C0
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: sheridan on 11 August, 2015, 01:27:52 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 10 August, 2015, 10:42:49 PM
You all know how fond of Slaine I am.

Oh?  I hadn't realised ;-)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 11 August, 2015, 04:29:14 PM
Quote from: CheechFU on 11 August, 2015, 12:49:22 PM
this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT53AJ6I1C0

This looks very much like the kind of madness I can get behind.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 12 August, 2015, 12:34:23 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 11 August, 2015, 04:29:14 PM
Quote from: CheechFU on 11 August, 2015, 12:49:22 PM
this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT53AJ6I1C0

This looks very much like the kind of madness I can get behind.
It is very good. Normally I get quite frustrated by constant death and no checkpoint saves but I played this for hours. I spent ages throwing my sword at a guy from a balcony above, leaping down and grabbing his machine gun in mid air and shooting his buddies just because it looked cool.
The story mode is really good too
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 12 August, 2015, 09:32:07 PM
I have been playing God of War the original for the first time.  It was part of a bundle of games I got for my recent birthday (to enlarge my PS2 and Wii collections).  Ultimately it is proving to be unable to live up to the hype that has surrounded it over the last decade.

It looks pretty good.  Not fantastic, but good.  The bloody violence is meaningless to me, neither adding or detracting.  Nevertheless, the game is presented well.  Having not completed it yet I can't comment on the story but so far it's not anything special.  Far from it.

Despite being visually polished, it's gameplay is not.  The worst aspect has to be the platforming, which is atrocious.  It is clumsily implemented, mainly due to the uncontrollable camera angle.  Without a consistent camera view or the ability to adjust view, judging distances and heights becomes tiresomely awkward.  Some of the puzzle solving and combat is hampered by this as well.

The combat is clunky and maintaining a nice flow of movement in a mob of enemies is an exercise in frustration rather than enjoyment.  The in and out animations are too slow for the fast pace this game is clearly trying to go for.  I am left with a slightly less satisfying experience of juggling, death by a thousand cuts or finding simple exploits.  With a more flowing animation set that allows for smooth transition between move sets (including dodging) and the ability to cancel out a move (which happens only when Kratos is hit - it seems) would have made the game more interesting and presented an interesting skill challenge.

The magic is poorly implemented as well.  The thunderbolt is largely useful on a conditional basis, either during platforming in range of zombie archers or against larger enemies that come in small numbers.  The madusa head is my least favourite.  Seemingly a piece of crowd control, it leaves Kratos too open to attack and the necessity to smash the stone enemies can lead you into a wall of swords.  Against one or two enemies it lacks purpose as it uses up too much magic which is essential for the Area of Effect spell.  The Area of Effect spell is good.  Excellent for crowd control in desperate situations, but greedy on the magic bar.  As the game progresses I am relying heavily on combat and I am fighting against an intuitive reaction on how to approach the combat.

The game is annoying me more and more the further I progress through, which is a terrible shame as it starts really well.  The beginning of the game is great fun.  Taking down the hydra and good portions of Athens compliment the strengths of the gameplay mechanics.  For me the turning point was the Oracle of Athens hanging from a rope, berating me constantly as I solve the puzzle and complete the awkward platforming.  Rather shamefully, I cheered out loud when I failed the platforming segment and she fell from the rope with a splat on the ground.  I couldn't believe how irritating that was.  From that moment on, the interesting encounters with enemies seemed to be replaced with lazy mob placements.

I'm still reserving judgement until I complete the game as things may improve in the latter part, to be in line with the strong start it had.  I hope it does.  I would like to come out of the experience and say:
"It's a good game with a strong start, faltering middle and strong ending.  Gameplay is unpolished, combat lacks balance but is still presented with engaging visuals."  That is what I hope to say as I think that is the best I possibly could say.

Thankfully, I have been informed that many of these issues were addressed in subsequent games and I would be perfectly willing to give them a chance if that's the case.  I am really looking forward to playing Devil May Cry afterwards, partly to compare the two games.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 15 August, 2015, 01:15:24 AM
I have one of the God of War games on PSthree (I think...or else it's for the PStwo, I will look some time later!) and stopped playing after I had to fight this impassable Medusa who is kind of part slug or worm. She was impossible to beat and just when thought I was getting somewhere. It would throw me another curve and make it harder.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 15 August, 2015, 07:57:38 AM
I'm on the last boss fight in Arkham Asylum, and am interspersing with Rage Replay.

Man, Asylum is a piece of piss compared to Underwurlde.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 20 August, 2015, 03:22:05 PM
Black Ops 3 - Played some of the beta last night and have to say COD may have won me back. Its now a very fast paced game and although its a guaranteed way to get yourself killed running along a wall and boosting off it just feels cool. Its hard to judge how it will be in FFA but I reckon I could adapt my previous camptastic tactics to this one quite well. I think this will go on my Santa list.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 20 August, 2015, 03:54:21 PM
Having got fed up with Arkham Knight I loaded up Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition last night.

This is more like it! I bloody loved this game first time around and am really looking forward to playing it through again. The writing is fantastic, as is the whole look and atmosphere of the game. The characters all feel like distinct, separate entities and are totally convincing. One of the best examples I can think of of a game handling a large ensemble cast.
All that and they still manage to keep the cut scenes short and sweet and the gameplay at the forefront.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 20 August, 2015, 04:19:43 PM
Still on Subnautica. Truely the game that keeps on giving with a massive update that provides with far greater custamisability for ones base. It's awesome to contrust a veritable city under water, surrounded by giant Reefbacks and showls of Peepers. Such an aisthetically pleasing game, can't wait for the updates with new creatures (but unless i'm mistaken, those obnoxious and hard to shake of Sand Sharks are new editions).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 21 August, 2015, 02:53:39 PM
Finished playing through an arcadey shootery thing called Velocity 2X on the Vita (think it's also on PS4 and coming to XB1 very soon).

It's sort of a speedrun-focussed spaceship shooter but with third person on-foot sections where they've done a really great job of keeping the same sort of mechanics and flow they use for the spaceship stages. Leads to some cool stuff - boss fights where you have to enter parts of them on foot to weaken them was a bit of a highlight.

As it got more complicated I started to resent the extra obstacles and things designed to slow your progress (never liked having my flow interrupted!) but overall I was really impressed with it.

Just picked up the Rare Replay collection on XB1 so looking forward to checking out a bunch of that stuff - I think I've only every played a couple of the games included before.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 21 August, 2015, 10:37:01 PM
Rocket League is the new La Liga
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1260&v=ZwGFZk9NLaU
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 21 August, 2015, 11:08:07 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 21 August, 2015, 02:53:39 PM
Finished playing through an arcadey shootery thing called Velocity 2X on the Vita (think it's also on PS4 and coming to XB1 very soon).

It's sort of a speedrun-focussed spaceship shooter but with third person on-foot sections where they've done a really great job of keeping the same sort of mechanics and flow they use for the spaceship stages. Leads to some cool stuff - boss fights where you have to enter parts of them on foot to weaken them was a bit of a highlight.

As it got more complicated I started to resent the extra obstacles and things designed to slow your progress (never liked having my flow interrupted!) but overall I was really impressed with it.

Sold!

To the guy with a game less vita
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 21 August, 2015, 11:31:48 PM
Colony Wars: Red Sun on PS1 - a hoary old space shooter, swinging all the way over to the other end of the difficulty scale from the previous two games to be more arcade-y.  Good fun, and I'm surprised there hasn't been an accessible and easy to play shooter of this kind on current or last gen consoles yet.

Cyclone on ZX Spectrum - likewise I'm surprised there hasn't been a game like this.  Fly a chopper into a storm and rescue civilians, pick up cargo, drop it off at base, repeat - all while avoiding the constantly-moving storm and gale force winds that will crash your chopper if you get too close.  Deceptively simple, but satisfying once you get into it.

Sheltered on pc - an enjoyable enough resource-management game that uses deliberately lo-fi looks to good effect, but its limitations are its undoing, as it gets old around the seventh time your kids shit themselves to death and you chop them up for "rations" and bum the survivors out until it kills them.  It needs more explicit "down time" moments for the player to juggle tasks and resources, but as it is, every playthrough is just a "keep playing until everyone dies" experience.

Fallout Shelter on Android - I may be slightly addicted to this by now.  It's like the aforementioned Sheltered, only with longer breaks between the moments that demand your full attention (attacks from outside the shelter or sudden fires), so it feels like you're in control of the game rather than just barely balancing the various elements.  Micromanaging your characters is kept to a minimum, which is something welcome to the growing genre of shelter management titles.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 22 August, 2015, 08:36:18 AM
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 21 August, 2015, 11:31:48 PM

Sheltered on pc - an enjoyable enough resource-management game that uses deliberately lo-fi looks to good effect, but its limitations are its undoing, as it gets old around the seventh time your kids shit themselves to death and you chop them up for "rations" and bum the survivors out until it kills them.  It needs more explicit "down time" moments for the player to juggle tasks and resources, but as it is, every playthrough is just a "keep playing until everyone dies" experience.


Have you worked out how to build another room to make more room for a toilet as well as a shower and extra sleeping bags or beds. excellent retro - pixelated graphics as well.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 24 August, 2015, 03:36:47 AM
Finally got one of my earlier Middle-Earth - Shadow of Mordor videos uploaded to You-Tube.

Hunting-Urukai (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkdPGaukinY)

Be warned this one starts out looking like I'm about to play a game of Elite-Dangerous, but I change my mind for some reason.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 24 August, 2015, 11:28:55 AM
Been playing Scribblenauts Unmasked.

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/80/ScribblenautsUnmasked.jpg)

I love the open-ended nature of Scribs series and though I'm no DC hound the fact that there are ... what like 2000 DC characters that you can summon up and have fight eachother to solve puzzles is pretty bloody amazing. It's clearly been made with a lot of love and there are a ton of references that, actually I don't really get, but it's nice to see them played out and I'm learning a lot about DC lore. Who knew blue Kryptonite was the thing to defeat Bizarro superheroes?! ...probably quite a lot of people... but after a pitched battle where I set the entire Birds of Prey AND superman on Bizarro Superman and literally nothing had an effect I looked it up, hurled a block of it at him and HE DIED IN AN INSTANT. Ahahahaha!

Seriously though https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5th_Cell <-- what have the company been doing for the near three years since?! If they got some more licenses under their belt this enjoyably creative franchise could beat the Lego games for family-friendly hilarity. I actually know some shit about Marvel... imagine if they got that involved...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 24 August, 2015, 11:33:03 AM
Played through Sine Mora on PC, a bit of a bullet hell style shooter which isn't my usual cup of tea but as it's by Grasshopper (who I love wholeheartedly) it's got a really gorgeous art style. It looks niiiiiiiiice.

Pretty short but as it's a simplistic arcadey thing you wouldn't really want it to outstay its welcome I guess. Story is interesting too, although told in quite a confusing way, definitely hits pretty hard when it wants to.

Oh, and also been playing Jetpac! Got the Rare Replay collection and it's surprising how well the old Speccy games play. The rewind function and being able to save your game helps, games were brutal back then.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 24 August, 2015, 01:48:04 PM
I've been playing this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=973&v=ZwGFZk9NLaU

But I've been playing it more like this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CAYco-XAdM
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 24 August, 2015, 11:00:41 PM
Quote from: CheechFU on 24 August, 2015, 01:48:04 PM
I've been playing this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=973&v=ZwGFZk9NLaU

But I've been playing it more like this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CAYco-XAdM

I used to kick those playing soccer as a five year older. Couldn't tell which end was which in all the confusion back then.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 25 August, 2015, 02:07:59 PM
Polished off Dying Light last night and overall I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if it didn't really grab me initially.

Getting around the world felt a chore and fighting zombies felt like an annoying inconvenience. Then I had a co-op session with a friend where it all just clicked. We decided to scale the main bridge to get as high as we can and jump off and it was brilliant, tense fun. From there on I had a great time, the traversal gets more fluid the more you level up, the combat gets more manageable the better your weapons get, and the story and missions get more and more engaging.

The thing it does very well (probably better than any game I've played) is the sense of height - so much of it revolves around scaling huge structures and the sense of vertigo is really, really thrilling. Inching along tiny railings hundreds of feet up while the wind buffets the camera, had some really sweaty palm moments with it. And then you get the exhilaration of ziplining down again through the lovely looking environment and lighting.

Got a couple of gripes (and like I say there were chunks early on I wasn't keen on) but a really surprisingly good game, particularly as I really didn't like Dead Island at all.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 26 August, 2015, 05:37:42 AM
I just started on that game, and played the same introduction sequence twice. I recorded both, but only kept the second for  uploading. Spent ages running around inside the tower getting my bearings and trying to complete the simplest of excercises before I was allowed to start on the parkour. There is no way I am ever jumping that distance onto a layer of garbage filled bags.

Really dumb unless it's my last resort. Which might have been the case in this game.

I stopped right after I complete all the parkouring around the tip of the tower I started in and was sent to the Quartermaster on the ground floor.

Did you notice the fellow who resembles Bill Gates and no chance to give him thumping for Windows 8.

If wasn't so concerned about videoing my games I would have been further into this and Alien Isolation,     Middle-Earth - Shadow of Mordor,  The Witcher Three - Wild Hunt,  Elite - Dangerous by now.

I don't even have space for all that on my hard drive.

I remember in my first play of this where I got as far contacting some other survivors holed up in a RV or Van what looked a basketball court and was sent to place car bombs on three vechiles parked in a street filled with zombies.  This was as hard as it sounded, and actually completed that part before I decided lower the population of undead in that small area alone by going hand to hand. Which involved a lot of running and dodging and doing leaping over their head while aiming downing with the weapon. Surprisely effective and very reminicient of Slaine's Salmon-Leap attack. Id very much welcome freestyle attacking in this game as opposed to the automatic-sleep fighting in Shadow of Mordor and Wild Hunt. Which still enjoy as well.

I stopped playing when I got to over confident doing this and was soundly clobbered and fighting the zombies in this game is not a requirement either. They can be avoided  if you don't need their pocket change and only in this part of the game so far.

 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: PsychoGoatee on 26 August, 2015, 07:08:39 AM
Been playing a lot of the ol' Duke Nukem 3D and DOOM lately, especially user made levels. Lots of good stuff out there.

Cannot wait for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain! Only a week away, gonna be incredible.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 26 August, 2015, 01:28:22 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 07 July, 2015, 11:23:40 PM
So, Dark Souls 2 ... I knew it was going to be hard
...
Basically, should I abandon a week's worth of play and start again given that I'd be a lot more confident in what I'm doing and be a lot stronger/better equipped by the time I got to the same point?
...
Advice please.
In the end, I did exactly this and got further in one evening than I had in the previous week. I've been playing it off and on since then. The problem with that being that you think you're getting somewhere then fire it up a week later and immediately get spanked by the most lumbering and hopeless of enemies. However, over the past few days I've been hitting it quite hard and it seems to really have its claws in me now more than any game I've started for a couple of years. If I'm not playing it, I'm lying in bed hungover, watching other people play it on YouTube.

It's brilliant in terms of how finely balanced the combat mechanics are, its complete refusal to come out and tell you anything at all and how beautifully bleak it all is. The central village where everyone ends up has the most mournful theme tune ever.

It's unbelievably frustrating. I think I've come to terms with the fact that I am, quite frankly, a bit shit at it and am never going to be swapping out equipment in the middle of combat like my online heroes. That finely balanced combat doesn't count for much when the most common way I lose a closely fought battle is  accidentally swapping out my shield when my fat thumb slips off the stick.

At level 50-odd now and struggling a bit with these Ruin Sentinel pricks but I reckon a few dozen more tries and I'll be there. At this rate it should all be over in time for Christmas.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 August, 2015, 11:43:46 AM
Played through episode 4 of Tales From The Borderlands and it really does have some of the best writing in a videogame, it can be surprisingly touching and is easily one of, if not the, funniest games I've played. Play it on my lunch break and am sitting with headphones on laughing my head off quite often. Brilliant.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 31 August, 2015, 01:49:54 PM
Finally getting round to playing Life Is Strange and binged through the first couple of episodes, pretty blown away. It's such a nice world to explore and navigate, and the story is really clicking with me (unsurprising given it's a dash of Donnie Darko with a splash of Twin Peaks). The photo opportunities are a really nice approach to collectibles, and it's already done some very interesting and fun things with the time mechanics. It's already branched off from my brother's playthrough in a very major way too, it really feels like decisions are having big, big consequences in a way that Telltale doesn't always feel (they tend to funnel you towards the same outcomes a lot) and if anything being able to rewind and redo these things just makes them more agonizing and difficult because you really don't know long-term what the implications will be. Brilliant game, will be rolling into Episode 3.

Also played through The Fall on PC, quite a neat sci-fi puzzler with a great concept and lovely presentation, but some ill-advised combat and the fact that it's very easy to get stuck and break the flow by missing an object or a clue meant it didn't quite click with me. Would play another episode though, the story really did grab me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: zombemybabynow on 31 August, 2015, 04:22:42 PM
Can't stop playing dying light
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 31 August, 2015, 04:37:41 PM
Quote from: zombemybabynow on 31 August, 2015, 04:22:42 PM
Can't stop playing dying light

That good, huh!

I wish I could reinstall it, but the problem with hard-drive space keeps popping up. Thought my discovery of Live-Streaming would smooth thing out, but not quite......

Just had long game session of Elite Dangerous and the entire thing was streamed, but not uploaded like the first one.

Don't know why either?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 31 August, 2015, 04:42:50 PM
Playing Until Dawn at the weekend and its right up my street. Basically a choose your own adventure in the slasher genre. If you've played Heavy Rain then its like that but better.

8 horny teenagers in a mountain resort being stalked by a psycho and you need to keep as many alive as you can. I'm about 70% through the story and have only killed 1 (possibly 2).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 31 August, 2015, 05:05:49 PM
I really fancy Until Dawn, looks exactly like something I'd be into and different enough from the pack to warrant a play. It's the first PS4 game that's given me a bit of platform envy actually, so hoping the exclusivity is a timed thing and it appears elsewhere further down the line. Looks great!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 31 August, 2015, 08:33:46 PM
Kingdom Rush: Origins on iPhone. I have lost hours to it already. Incredibly moreish, and te passes so fast when playing! It's Tower Defence basically, but with loads of best touches and some really funny stuff. Feeding Obelix boars as he carves menhirs was a laugh.

Helldivers on PS4 is quite good - top down squad based blaster. It's almost completely multiplayer but ensures failure if you don't work together well. Finding a good squad is fairly strait forward, and I like the way every victory adds towards on ongoing 'war effort', from which perks and prizes are awarded.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 01 September, 2015, 03:23:29 AM
I trust your playing the free version of this game.

Very addictive, in fact I might be able to find one that's not such a large download.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: PsychoGoatee on 02 September, 2015, 06:47:15 PM
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Hot damn, this game is incredible.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 03 September, 2015, 01:41:44 PM
Don't usually play mobile games but my brother had recommended this, Framed on iOS and Android.

Would probably be right up people's alleys on here - it's a puzzle game where each puzzle is laid out like an animated comic book. Your character is on the run and starts on the top left panel and works through the page, your job is to move the panels around to make sure they make it to the end. It's all about ensuring the right things happen in the right order and the panels and events are in the right places to dodge pursuers/block their shots and things. Found it very relaxing and enjoyable and really stylishly presented. Is a couple of hours long and only 60p on the Play store so money well spent, you can't even get Mars bar for that these days! Check it out :)

(http://www.maclife.com/files/u325188/2013/07/screen1.png)

(http://wp6109-flywheel.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/image13.jpg)

Other than that been mainly playing the re-release of Gears of War (still a glorious shooter) and think I'm right near the end of Battletoads on Rare Replay. I've cheated every step of the way by rewinding every time I mess up, but I don't see how any mortal human being could make it through any other way. It's INSANE.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 04 September, 2015, 04:09:37 PM
I'm going to buy MGS after work. I always buy MGS off the back of loving the first one and the great reviews and then don't enjoy them. My greatest bugbear is the sheer volume of cutscenes but this is meant to have much less so here I go again. I will feedback later to let you know if I've wasted my money. or not.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 04 September, 2015, 11:58:18 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 03 September, 2015, 01:41:44 PM
Don't usually play mobile games but my brother had recommended this, Framed on iOS and Android.

Would probably be right up people's alleys on here - it's a puzzle game where each puzzle is laid out like an animated comic book. Your character is on the run and starts on the top left panel and works through the page, your job is to move the panels around to make sure they make it to the end. It's all about ensuring the right things happen in the right order and the panels and events are in the right places to dodge pursuers/block their shots and things. Found it very relaxing and enjoyable and really stylishly presented. Is a couple of hours long and only 60p on the Play store so money well spent, you can't even get Mars bar for that these days! Check it out :)

(http://www.maclife.com/files/u325188/2013/07/screen1.png)

(http://wp6109-flywheel.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/image13.jpg)


Like a interactive version of Pulp Fiction!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 06 September, 2015, 10:35:17 AM
Finished Arkham City and am now playing Arkham Knight (at least, when my boys let me on the Xbox).

Playing Srarcraft 2, too, on PC. Never played it before but with the last instalment out before Christmas then I thought I would.

Arkham Knight is a marked step up in quality, in all areas, from City. And that was good. Knight, though, is one if the best games I've played in years. I think it's the story; it's proper moody batman. I jumped when [spoiler]Joker[/spoiler] appeared.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 08 September, 2015, 02:54:15 PM
Played another episode of Life Is Strange (episode 3) and oh man. This series is just so damn good, and this is easily the best episode I've played yet. That ending, with the Mogwai soundtrack (always a great choice of band if you need something swelling and beautiful), just amazing. Loving this.

Also 'finished' Battletoads. Full disclosure, of course I used game saves and rewound a whole bunch of times, but as those are features in the XB1 version it still counts ;) Not sure how any mortal being could do it otherwise to be honest, it's a brutally difficult game and very often very unfairly so. If I didn't have the rewinds it would have been a horrible experience, as it stands it's been really interesting to use that function to get through these games and get to see them and see how Rare developed. Enjoyed it a lot, loads of ideas and every stage having something new, a really fun game, just hampered by insane difficulty.

Played through RC Pro Am II as well, also from Rare Replay. Really enjoyed it! Had to walk away from the first game after the difficulty spiked suddenly and I just couldn't progress, but this was way more satisfying. Fun and responsive and took me back to playing similar games as a kid. Looks like it never 'ends' as such as long as you're winning, but after 25 tracks or so it just starts repeating so I'll call that complete.

And other than that been spending most of my gaming time on Gears of War: Ultimate Edition. Still holds up brilliantly, still my favourite online competitive shooter and was a real joy to go back and revisit the campaign all shinied up. Having a great time with it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 08 September, 2015, 03:15:40 PM
Until Dawn.

I'm playing this with my girlfriend - I'm pushing the buttons and she's making the decisions.
She usually complains about characters in horror films doing the wrong things so it's quite satisfying for her to be in the driving seat.
We're both really enjoying it. Even the QTEs, which people complain about, seem well suited. It seems like a reasonable way to emulate the need to act both quickly and accurately in a dangerous situation.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 08 September, 2015, 03:34:16 PM
I just completed my first run of Until Dawn where I managed to save just half of them. It was going so well until right near the end then it all turned to shit! Looking forward to a 2nd run and try to learn from my mistakes. Good cast as well.

Him from Mr Robot
Cheerleader from Heroes
Big good/bad guy guy from Agents of Shield
Head Nihalist from B.Lebowski/ Wood-chipper guy in Fargo

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Proudhuff on 08 September, 2015, 03:43:32 PM
These men are nihilists, there's nothing to be afraid of.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 08 September, 2015, 04:25:24 PM
I always think of him as Satan from Constantine. That movie gets a lot of flack but the way they present that character is up there with my favorite movie devil depictions, very cool.

Still really want to play Until Dawn, was watching Scream 3 the other night and wished I could have pressed some buttons (mainly to get Jenny Mcarthy killed).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 08 September, 2015, 05:38:18 PM
Funny cos I really want to play the new gears as that was my first experience of online gaming. I appeared on screen and asked what I was meant to do then my mate started pistol whipping me. Good times. :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 09 September, 2015, 10:07:31 AM
Well I've played MGS5 for about 5 hours now and just completed the first mission with a C ranking so Im trying it again now I've unlocked the cardboard box. The game seems huge with tons of equipment to unlock.

Graphics are fantastic and it really feels like an open world where everything you do has consequences.

Oh and there's a button that makes your horse shit!

Early days but I think I might enjoy this one. Story is still a load of muddled garbage though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 09 September, 2015, 02:28:27 PM
I really, really wanna get MGS 5, but am saving all of my disposable life for Fallout 4 next month.

I've been ticking over with The Evil Within (picked it up dirt cheap on Amazon for PS4), but have been stuck on the 'Box Head' boss fight for a while now. Tough game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 09 September, 2015, 03:31:24 PM
The Evil Within is definitely one of the toughest games I've played in the last few years, parts of it are pretty brutal and ammo is crazily scarce. On finishing it I did my usual and started a new run on the next difficulty up but that playthrough has stalled a few hours in because I've hit an insurmountable fight. Quite frustrating to leave it hanging like that but the frustration was starting to set in!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Darren Stephens on 13 September, 2015, 09:15:49 AM
Re-started GTA5 this weekend, after having had to sell my PS3 copy when I upgraded to PS4. Such a great game and an enjoyable online element, so far.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 13 September, 2015, 10:39:13 AM
Quote from: Darren Stephens on 13 September, 2015, 09:15:49 AM
Re-started GTA5 this weekend, after having had to sell my PS3 copy when I upgraded to PS4. Such a great game and an enjoyable online element, so far.

Stunning game! One of the best I've played.

I'm currently playing Metal Gear 5 and it really is an amazing piece of work. So many ways to tackle missions and you can actually "kill off" entire areas rather than having an endless stream of Goons.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 13 September, 2015, 04:45:23 PM
It's been Mad Max since I installed it. Putting in several few hours each day.....

Just check one of my Facebook pages for all 187 photos.

I intend to finish the sometime soon.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 14 September, 2015, 08:14:19 PM
Just bought Witcher 2 for £2.24 on Steam, is it good game?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 14 September, 2015, 08:52:52 PM
Super Mario Maker.
Absolutely wonderful.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Darren Stephens on 14 September, 2015, 09:01:14 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 14 September, 2015, 08:52:52 PM
Super Mario Maker.
Absolutely wonderful.

I've seen some excellent player-made levels for this. Kinda wish I had Wii U!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 14 September, 2015, 09:13:18 PM
Mario Maker does indeed look wonderful. Like Little Big Planet but actually build around a solid, fun platformer.

It's definitely got me intrigued, though I'll hold out for a possible future port on the NX as I do pretty much all my gaming on the go nowadays.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 15 September, 2015, 04:37:11 AM
Quote from: Goaty on 14 September, 2015, 08:14:19 PM
Just bought Witcher 2 for £2.24 on Steam, is it good game?

If that is Assassins & Kings or Assassins or Kings, then I would only get that if I was a huge fan of the original novels. Of which I have only heard of.

I brought the very same game over the counter for one of my consoles (Forget which one, But I don't have any of the latest gen ones....)for 60.000 dollars and wasn't that impressed.

For starters, those graphics are a little dated now. While walking through the village. I found he had little choice, but to stick to the main path as he could even walk over the small ledges, let alone jump and fi I wanted to have him jump off that cliff ledge that would be certain death for him other wise. Stands still while going through the cupboards, and wardrobes of empty buildings and foraging the flora and still does it does it that in the latest game. Yet, that game could be forgiven that one, as it's quite definitely more awesome.

I didn't think much of combat that fact that he can practically walk right through other people and also attack them without effecting them at all. Fighting only happens under special circumstances.

So, buyer beware when purchasing that one. Although, I'm sure $2.50 is more appropriate than $60.00.

BTW, I have some issues with the Mad Max game as awesome As I assumed it to be and as awesome as it actually turns out to be so far. I swear I have not hit any invisable  walls in this one yet. This game is huge, even though the game map gives it the illusion of limitation s that haven't yet been found and it in own way the place is picturesque and I have taken many in this game. Over 400, right now! A true rival and successor to the jaw-dropping back-drops and vistas of Red Dead Redemption.

Yet, I find it so annoying that he can't jump a significant height or even climb, but will sometimes ascend a higher ledge by almost rolling up on to it if I'm lucky.

There also these very small fields of land mines that need to be cleared in each area of the game world. About two to each and with only three mines to defuse. Using the dog who just detects them from the back of Chum's dune-buggy. This just seems more like a mini-game that doesn't have any logical connection to the rest of the game much. Yes, of course they say it safer to walk over those areas after the mines have been removed, but it's only three mines and avoiding the places where these are found is only too easy. 

These places aren't protecting any of the resources or stoping prisoners from escaping. Something the game writers didn't figure on as far as I'm concerned.

Would it not be better to have more dogs, unless animals like this are supposed to be near extinct and a crew of people doing land mine detection and removal in places where they might be better needed.

They have these crews, surveying, getting scrap from wreckages and other places, but you never see them.

They could be the wandering near-dead who keep asking for water when you stop by them. Except you can only give half your canteen to these people that look a bit like lepers and only to one of them. I'm not sure where the three other people behind him get their water. Yet, I find it silly that Max can't take them back to base for some medical attention and crew training or even point out to them where Max gets his water from.  Then  they would only become completion for those source of water. I swear their A.I. is so dumb that I saw a couple of them walking right past one of the water stills. Which are kind of like very primitive  Moisture-Evaporators from that desert world of from a very well known science-fiction franchise. Still it's a lovely game and I assume  quite a few avid Star Wars fans are jealous none of their games get this much love.

A few more things about this game.....

While, collecting scrap by smashing other cars to pieces of scorched metal is fun at first. After I while I just had to leave the vacated conveyances where they were out of boredom of previous my actions with them. Why not just allow Max to find the tools to remove parts from theses with reducing them to heated rubble and have him toe the remaining chassis back to base for more spare parts.

I just seemed so dumb to se perfectly good bull-bar lying there and not being bale to take it as Mad can pickup the smaller parts  from under the hood. I'm sure he could fit more stuff in the back of the Magnum Opus  instead pretending to be carrying all under the collar folds of his leather jacket. Like a lot of other games really and while you may chuckle to yourselves that this much attention to details is just too much bother. Well, you might as well be going back to playing Load-Runner, Pac-Man and Space-Invaders really.

A option to ask Chum to follow him while Max takes another transport left behind by the lackeys of the big Scrotum fellow for repairs use other missions late on. I found the spiked-one that drops bombs behind it so useful in one of the convoy challenges now have four of those hood-ordimants and call a crew or anybody to drive the Chum's dune-buggy if Max's hands are too  at that time and I'm sure the poor doggy would appreciate not being left in the back of the thing out in the middle of nowhere as well.  I know this happens anyway, as everything respawns back at base, but I 'd like to have visual confirmation of this and this is the type of mine game I like to have within the bigger one.

Crews of people taken from those water-deprived wanderers that have been taken or shown the way back to base and not because Max found the right salvage that allowed them to be in first place and how does a maggot-farm made by dumping rotting flesh in some make shift Tupperware for food. Are we suppose to eat those. That's only good having you gangrene eaten away and making flies.

Get some sort of medical professional or Organic-Mechanic and a Wastelands-Chef.

I'm sure that's it for now!


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 15 September, 2015, 06:04:47 PM
Quote from: Darren Stephens on 13 September, 2015, 09:15:49 AM
Re-started GTA5 this weekend, after having had to sell my PS3 copy when I upgraded to PS4. Such a great game and an enjoyable online element, so far.

I think the Los Santos of GTA might be the first game location that I feel a powerful nostalgic urge to revisit as if it's a real life place. I'm also extra curious to go back to the game, as I've actually spent some time in LA since I played it and want to see how it compares to my experiences.

It's an easy thing to overlook if you haven't ever been to America, but once you do you realise how perfectly the GTA games nail very specific things about it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 15 September, 2015, 09:38:50 PM
I played metal gear solid 5 which appears to be an interactive curriculum vitae for hideo kojima whose name is now seared into my brain because it appears every 5 minutes.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 16 September, 2015, 10:04:04 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 15 September, 2015, 09:38:50 PM
I played metal gear solid 5 which appears to be an interactive curriculum vitae for hideo kojima whose name is now seared into my brain because it appears every 5 minutes.
Took me a while to click that this was meant to be some sort of joke about the interactive movie concept being replaced by the interactive box set.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 16 September, 2015, 11:34:09 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 15 September, 2015, 09:38:50 PM
I played metal gear solid 5 which appears to be an interactive curriculum vitae for hideo kojima whose name is now seared into my brain because it appears every 5 minutes.

Post brought to you by Hideo Kojima
Featuring  Poison "CheechFu" Snake

A Hideo Kojima production.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 16 September, 2015, 11:49:12 AM
Quote from: Satanist on 16 September, 2015, 11:34:09 AM
Quote from: CheechFU on 15 September, 2015, 09:38:50 PM
I played metal gear solid 5 which appears to be an interactive curriculum vitae for hideo kojima whose name is now seared into my brain because it appears every 5 minutes.

Post brought to you by Hideo Kojima
Featuring  Poison "CheechFu" Snake

A Hideo Kojima production.

I thought that the excessive "Hideo Kojima" references were deliberately put into the game after he had fallen out with Konami.

Anyway, great game. I've finally managed to capture [spoiler]Quiet[/spoiler] who was a bit of a headache and now I'll be moving on to [spoiler]Africa[/spoiler].

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 16 September, 2015, 12:29:56 PM
Yeah I'm really enjoying MGS even though most of my missions go as follows...

Spy on camp
work out plan
sneak in
get spotted by guards who sound alarm
KILL EVERYTHING THAT MOVES!!!

though when it all works out I do feel like a complete BOSS.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 16 September, 2015, 01:35:46 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 16 September, 2015, 12:29:56 PM
Yeah I'm really enjoying MGS even though most of my missions go as follows...

Spy on camp
work out plan
sneak in
get spotted by guards who sound alarm
KILL EVERYTHING THAT MOVES!!!

though when it all works out I do feel like a complete BOSS.
Here's your plan B
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCzAVaqWaBs
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 16 September, 2015, 02:39:35 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 16 September, 2015, 12:29:56 PM
Yeah I'm really enjoying MGS even though most of my missions go as follows...

Spy on camp
work out plan
sneak in
get spotted by guards who sound alarm
KILL EVERYTHING THAT MOVES!!!

though when it all works out I do feel like a complete BOSS.

That sounds like most stealth games when I'm playing! I do like to try and nail a super sneaky run through, but on a first play through I find having plans going to pot and having to adapt is all part of the thrill. Always really appreciate when games give you that freedom. Insta-fail stealth just doesn't appeal as much.

I know guys who'll reload their checkpoint every time they get spotted, in pursuit of that perfect run first time, and that sounds hellish.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 18 September, 2015, 12:08:21 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 16 September, 2015, 02:39:35 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 16 September, 2015, 12:29:56 PM
Yeah I'm really enjoying MGS even though most of my missions go as follows...

Spy on camp
work out plan
sneak in
get spotted by guards who sound alarm
KILL EVERYTHING THAT MOVES!!!

though when it all works out I do feel like a complete BOSS.

That sounds like most stealth games when I'm playing! I do like to try and nail a super sneaky run through, but on a first play through I find having plans going to pot and having to adapt is all part of the thrill. Always really appreciate when games give you that freedom. Insta-fail stealth just doesn't appeal as much.

I know guys who'll reload their checkpoint every time they get spotted, in pursuit of that perfect run first time, and that sounds hellish.
It's quite a boring game with little variety or interesting things to do so far, certainly one of the less interesting open worlds
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 18 September, 2015, 03:43:50 PM
Never got into MGS. If I want to crouch behind a box for ten minutes, I can do that in real life, thanks!
I have recently discovered Neverwinter is free to play on Gold for the Xbox One. That's what I have been doing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 18 September, 2015, 03:53:56 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 18 September, 2015, 03:43:50 PM
Never got into MGS. If I want to crouch behind a box for ten minutes, I can do that in real life, thanks!
Bloody mods. Always boasting about their fully functioning knees.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 18 September, 2015, 04:32:54 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 18 September, 2015, 03:53:56 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 18 September, 2015, 03:43:50 PM
Never got into MGS. If I want to crouch behind a box for ten minutes, I can do that in real life, thanks!
Bloody mods. Always boasting about their fully functioning knees.

Well, it was supposed to be a squat, but it took me ten minutes to get up...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 18 September, 2015, 05:40:08 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 18 September, 2015, 04:32:54 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 18 September, 2015, 03:53:56 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 18 September, 2015, 03:43:50 PM
Never got into MGS. If I want to crouch behind a box for ten minutes, I can do that in real life, thanks!
Bloody mods. Always boasting about their fully functioning knees.

Well, it was supposed to be a squat, but it took me ten minutes to get up...

SNNNAAAAAAAKE!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 19 September, 2015, 05:05:18 PM
I just decide to retry Dead Space 2 after long time as realise I hadn't finish it. And oh boy, that was awesome game and excellent graphic!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 20 September, 2015, 05:25:48 PM
2-3-5 days before I can play Mad Max again and possibly any other Steam game of the same complexity. Except for Elite Dangerous where I'm getting my ass kicked in the new Multiplayer-Mini-Game feature where you on team vs others. Not sure what happens there.

Had to remove Mad Max while still in the midst of playing it because the game kept shutting down on me earlier last morning and I was told that I need to verify game files to perhaps fix that. I can no longer find this feature on any of my Steam games. So, I'm reinstalling it now and my internet is so slow.


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 20 September, 2015, 05:32:59 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 20 September, 2015, 05:25:48 PM
2-3-5 days before I can play Mad Max again and possibly any other Steam game of the same complexity. Except for Elite Dangerous where I'm getting my ass kicked in the new Multiplayer-Mini-Game feature where you on team vs others. Not sure what happens there.

Had to remove Mad Max while still in the midst of playing it because the game kept shutting down on me earlier last morning and I was told that I need to verify game files to perhaps fix that. I can no longer find this feature on any of my Steam games. So, I'm reinstalling it now and my internet is so slow.
(http://i.imgur.com/WhMBJC6.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 20 September, 2015, 06:17:36 PM
Oh, I see....it's a little different now. Used to be able to find the option when right clicking on the games title.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 22 September, 2015, 05:04:36 AM
Happened to me again this morning about six hours ago and then I verified the files following your instructions there. Yet it didn't seem like such big thing when I did this and I still wondered if it's not just developed a conflict with nVidia - Shadowplay. Which has just started doing this thing using my Life- Cam. I appear in my game videos if I point it at my head while playing. Never did this before, but it's what I wanted.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 22 September, 2015, 10:01:11 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 22 September, 2015, 05:04:36 AM
Happened to me again this morning about six hours ago and then I verified the files following your instructions there. Yet it didn't seem like such big thing when I did this and I still wondered if it's not just developed a conflict with nVidia - Shadowplay. Which has just started doing this thing using my Life- Cam. I appear in my game videos if I point it at my head while playing. Never did this before, but it's what I wanted.

Sorry if that last part was hard to understand. What I wanted was......to see my face or entire head in a little box in any one corner of the screen while playing any game and while using Shadowplay to record the game.

Unfortunitely, as it comes out.......I only see a darkened box during my videos replays.

Mad Max still shuts it's self down at random times and only did this before as I only got as far as the loading screen before the title.

It may be a conflict with Shadowplay like I said before, or something lese. Will try stating the game without just o see and yes, I have verified files this time. Makes no difference.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 22 September, 2015, 11:04:20 AM
Tried the game without Shadowplay and it did the same thing to me after only 10 minutes of game.

I was careful not to do anything significant in my game until I can record it again.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CheechFU on 22 September, 2015, 01:35:04 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 22 September, 2015, 10:01:11 AM
What I wanted was......to see my face or entire head in a little box in any one corner of the screen while playing any game
why would you want to look at your own face while playing video games
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 23 September, 2015, 01:35:33 PM
It kind of validates who's really playing while also making it obvious this could be doctored. If your techy enough.

Anyway, at the start of one of these videos, You can see a the monitor showing a exact duplicate of what's happening on the main screen. Before I realised what it was doing and turned it to face me....

In only the last video, you see my face in the others, it just blank squared that has been darkened.   
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 27 September, 2015, 05:50:14 PM
I have completed Tomb Raider (Free on Gold this month) to 100% in all areas, but it's still showing as 99% on thew save file... very annoying!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 27 September, 2015, 08:38:18 PM
As I recall, there's an old abandoned WW2 bunker on the cliffs that's not on the map, doesn't have stats to check from your camp/map, and doesn't have a camping site for fast travel so you can only get to it on foot by climbing up the cliffs from the beach.  Could be you missed something from there, like burning the flags or collecting the GPS.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 28 September, 2015, 10:17:21 AM
Thanks, Prof!
Now sitting at a smug 100%...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 29 September, 2015, 11:54:43 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 16 September, 2015, 02:39:35 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 16 September, 2015, 12:29:56 PM
Yeah I'm really enjoying MGS even though most of my missions go as follows...

Spy on camp
work out plan
sneak in
get spotted by guards who sound alarm
KILL EVERYTHING THAT MOVES!!!

though when it all works out I do feel like a complete BOSS.

That sounds like most stealth games when I'm playing! I do like to try and nail a super sneaky run through, but on a first play through I find having plans going to pot and having to adapt is all part of the thrill. Always really appreciate when games give you that freedom. Insta-fail stealth just doesn't appeal as much.

I know guys who'll reload their checkpoint every time they get spotted, in pursuit of that perfect run first time, and that sounds hellish.

  it does indeed, I'm with keef I try to sneak but I'm just not that good at it. and sneak em ups in first person is horrendous (dishonoured)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 08 October, 2015, 10:53:08 PM
Fans of Slaine might like to check out Blood Bowl Two just to watch the Wood-Elves who are very much like  northern tribes of the Danu. who were actually supposed to be Elves in the actual mythology. Now, they just might be cross-over who seem more graciously bare-able than the haughty High-Elves as they bow and scrape with little effort and deliver high altitude kicks so much borrowed from the Far-East. That I'm sure Bruce-Lee had taught them all.

Although, it does irk me a little that this is how the Salmon-Leap attacking unarmed is realised in a game based on Warhammer Fantasy.  I might have had them leaping on the shoulders of the opposing team members to back flip off of them while knocking them soundly on the noggin before they land on the other side. Just a pity they aren't allowed their swords and spears. Yet, still equating to awesome example of these Wood-Land-Fae..

I even made a team of these guys called the Red-Branch-Knights and named all of them after these.....

SUBMITTING NOW BECAUSE COMPUTER IS PLAYING UP AND I"M WORREDI I MIGHT LOSE MY WORK......         
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 09 October, 2015, 02:26:56 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 08 October, 2015, 10:53:08 PM
Fans of Slaine might like to check out Blood Bowl Two just to watch the Wood-Elves who are very much like  northern tribes of the Danu. who were actually supposed to be Elves in the actual mythology. Now, they just might be cross-over who seem more graciously bare-able than the haughty High-Elves as they bow and scrape with little effort and deliver high altitude kicks so much borrowed from the Far-East. That I'm sure Bruce-Lee had taught them all.

Although, it does irk me a little that this is how the Salmon-Leap attacking unarmed is realised in a game based on Warhammer Fantasy.  I might have had them leaping on the shoulders of the opposing team members to back flip off of them while knocking them soundly on the noggin before they land on the other side. Just a pity they aren't allowed their swords and spears. Yet, still equating to awesome example of these Wood-Land-Fae..

I even made a team of these guys called the Red-Branch-Knights and named all of them after these.....


I even made a team of these guys called the Red-Branch-Knights and named all of them after these.....

(http://glennfabry.co.uk/gallery/Fgallery1-18.jpg)

Finding a spot for all the male Red-Branch-Knights and wondering why Cyanide never had females in a lot more of the fantasy teams, aside from the Amazons (Not yet in this installment of the game!) and Dark-Elves where only two of them can be Witches.  Of course, I understand Grid-Ron was never a female sport, they are strictly just cheer-leaders and that was that!

Naturally, Slaine had to be the War-Dancer with that large hair,

Gundan and the other one he fought and  lost against when in contest for the king's portion are Catcher and Thrower. That kind of sounds intimate when reading it like that.

Mongan is the only one with a small beard. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 09 October, 2015, 05:38:15 PM
Battlefront Beta... hell yes.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 10 October, 2015, 09:56:10 AM
I am literally in fits of jealousy over this - ENJOY IT YOU BASTARD.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 10 October, 2015, 10:00:55 AM
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 10 October, 2015, 09:56:10 AM
I am literally in fits of jealousy over this - ENJOY IT YOU BASTARD.

I lost an entire day of work to it yesterday and I REGRET NOTHING!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 10 October, 2015, 11:36:28 AM
YOU SHOULDN'T!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 12 October, 2015, 01:24:20 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 09 October, 2015, 05:38:15 PM
Battlefront Beta... hell yes.

Played this quite a lot at the weekend.

Managed to BE VADER a few times - did the force choke hold, threw my lightsaber at some poor fleeing rebel then got really stuck in.

zooming about in a TIE fighter never gets old.

but the highlight was last night when in an AT-AT I mowed down rebel scum as they all tried to leave their base.

This has gone from a maybe to day 1 purchase off the back of this.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 12 October, 2015, 07:50:28 PM
Finally beat the Filarion Charioteers during the Blood-Bowl-Two campaign match.

Three-Touch-Downs (https://youtu.be/qiw0v8vXVto)

I didn't start filming until the second touch down, and you really have to admire cheeky audacity, the lazy of the team I was playing. As I'm often blinded to where I should moving pushing , shoving nudging the players to a victory.

The game did go for another few moments after I ran out of space on the my hard-drive (Yes, my video just stops right after the touch-down...Great-Timing!) until the timer really did run out in game and declared the Reikland-Reavers as the winners.



 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 13 October, 2015, 01:44:17 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 12 October, 2015, 01:24:20 PM
This has gone from a maybe to day 1 purchase off the back of this.

It was always going to be a day one purchase for me, especially as DICE are behind it, but now I definitely am looking forward to this game more than the film!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 13 October, 2015, 02:56:12 PM
Played some Banner Saga after removing Mad Max from my hard drive.......nothing personal about that except. I really can't continue with that game, unless I can record it on video. Hopefully, I will be playing that again soon when I get the Blood Bowl Two campaigne out of the way and enough videos taking up valuable space uploaded or another external hard drive.

So, I did buy a few cheap games, some are worth mentioning..... like Timberman which is charming in it's simplicity and Skyhill which is about some rich dude who gets trapped in his penthouse apartment in NYC during a epidemic of fallout from nuclear weapon which turns most of the populace into mutants. So, he can scavenge for stuff by using the stairwell to travel from floor to floor and raid other rooms on the lower floors of his high-rise haven. While fending against mutants who have managed to get inside. He can also sleep in the room with the couch, eat from the room with the fridge or construct weapons, better weapons  and other useful things in a room with a workbench. While this isn't the type of lack of luxury I'd expect here. I guess it will do for a early access game.  I keep getting him killed from lack of food, loss of blood from fighting the hefty looking aberrations of nature. He's better off finding some sort of hand weapon first or it's game over for him.

Just realise now, that this game could be based on the Omega Man, (You know Charleton Heston....) and he may have find a woman of dark persuasion, a mutant cult with albino's wearing robes and a cure for them before getting killed.

The Banner Saga which I put nearly two hours into this morning. Even though it says I played this for just over seven hours on my profile page. Not sure how it got that statistic.....??? Because I barely play the game when I hade purchased it nearly a year ago now. I got as far the first battle and stopped after making my first move out of pure disinterest in wanting to play anything that requires strategy. I knew I brought the game after being notified that it was being sold under priced and liked it enough through a review on television. (You know that show I keep banging on about....) I'm glad I finally got around to bother with it today from it's retro-tastic cartoon like design. It's one thing to see the subtly animated figured during the some time overly-long winded character conversations that only enflame my enthusiasm for the battles where you see the Norse-Warriors animate like some creation from a Rankin Bass cartoon. This really impress's me. Lots...... Does needs more work with camera control on the battle screen, but it's set in stone. We need more games like this.   

Another-World...which I believe is a old phone game. With early looking minimal graphics that please my eyes. Character control sometimes triggers a incidental cinematic sequence and I didn't play this one for long because it does require brutally extreme accuracy or you start from you last saved point in the game again.  I know the out come of this game and still want to complete it. It kind of like you the author of Slaine (A Younger Pat Millsperhaps and only because he's looks like the tallish red haired individual who finds himself in one of his own stories.) finding himself in strange world (Another World and not that I would wish it !) filled with mono-toothed-slugs, some Fomorian-Cyth natives that stand in his way and I remember him [spoiler] escaping on the back of large wing beast on game completion.[/spoiler] 

Yeah, that last one very familiar.

I also reinstalled all the Fist games like.....

Fist of Awesome, (Once completed on the same day of purchase!) Fist of Jesus, Fist of Guns, Fist Puncher. :D

Papers Please,

Monaco and The Swindle.

I just got Jotun which is about female Norse warrioress who must fight to regain the respect of the gods and the graphics looks like they were hand drawn by the same artist who did Banner-Sage. This looks great and I can't wait to play this. I can't install the gam e jus just. 

Thinking of uninstalling Nova-Inceptio, but would like to figure out how to start a camp fire before  doing that!
   
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 13 October, 2015, 05:09:35 PM
Quote from: Grugz on 29 September, 2015, 11:54:43 PM
  it does indeed, I'm with keef I try to sneak but I'm just not that good at it. and sneak em ups in first person is horrendous (dishonoured)

Woah. The greatest sneak-em-up of all time is 100% first person.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 13 October, 2015, 07:43:57 PM
Mechwarrior Online. It's been a while so I'm rusty, but all it's really done is make me realise I need a new computer.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 17 October, 2015, 08:20:13 PM
Within the last few days, Elite Dangerous has been that much harder. It's now almost impossible to avoid interdiction with a Federal Security ship and I lost all planetary date I had ben carrying (Over twenty planets worth gathered from three systems when I took on another ship that was merely using chaff against me and nothing else by the looks.

Might also have that I that I had mount for very expensive beam lasers with auto-tracking and was flying my latest purchase. A Viper.

Is there any issue with these blowing up through over use of high powered weaponry.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 21 October, 2015, 11:35:08 PM
I downloaded Donkey Kong 64 on a nostalgic whim on my Wi U.
I played it through once when it was released back in the day on the N64, but never went back to it.

Despite the slightly wonky controls and camera, it's great fun.
One of those games I remember enjoying previously, yet I seem to have completely forgotten huge portions of it.
And jeebus, that song ('Jungle Japes'?)... Get the f*ck outta my head!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Batman's Superior Cousin on 02 November, 2015, 08:32:18 PM
Previously Played - Life Is Strange: Episode 5 - Polarized, MineCraft: Story Mode: Episode One - The Order of the Stone, & Tales from the Borderlands: Episode 5 - The Vault of the Traveler

Currently Playing -  MineCraft: Story Mode: Episode Two - Assembly Required, & a few combat/predator missions on Batman: Arkham Knight (particularly Deconstruction, Uncontainable & Stage Fright).

Next up - MineCraft: Story Mode: Episode Three - The Last Place You Look, Game of Thrones: Episode Six - The Ice Dragon, and some more Arkham Knight DLC (especially A Flip of the Coin, Catwoman's Revenge, & Crime Fighter Challenge Pack #4)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 03 November, 2015, 12:50:43 PM
Playing Wasteland 2 at the moment - Turn-based post apocalyptic RPG and though its tough I'm loving it.

Looking forward to the awesome gaming month of November in which I will be playing...

Fallout 4
Game of Thrones episode 6
Star Wars Battlefront
Bloodborne DLC

I feel like a kid on Xmas eve!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 29 November, 2015, 04:44:59 PM
Played a lot of DOTA Two within the last month. 79 hours on my Steam - Account record and sweet game that entirely for free and I do get the impression it's been influenced by stuff here. Yet, with strong fantasy theme.

With long eared dwarfish characters called Meepo and one dude carrying a axe, another a meat cleaver, another flying back of a large bat. Of course, that last one just like outlaw biker using the rare beast for his chopper. Most likely, this one was based on the Rastafarian sounding bat-riding Trolls from War-Craft Three where I use to fantasise about this being Modded with real 2000AD identities. UIs this As close as we get to having our own multi-character Tooth-Themed game where they all fight or co-op for land and resources. I was almost totally convinced after I chose Bane who strangely resembles a transgended Warlock or a more feral looking Dark Judge. The one who uses pestilence  or one H.R. Gigers Alien Xenomorph designs from the famous film of the same name.

You Decide for Yourself (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e31IuZvooGA)

Also, tried out Dragon-Age -Inquisition's - Free-Trial for awhile. Not sure how much time I have left on this, but find it strangely much better than it's earlier version's. It's finally worth playing and so far, turns out to be a excellent gameplay model for Dungeons & Dragons on any PC. Knew it was better ever since it was reviewed on  Good Game (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AytlJP2Fn2Q) almost this time last year.

Wish was playing the game on my own pc instead of my dad's as it odes run very slowly with all the graphic options pushed to maximum. I just haven't the room for this right now and had to access Origin to play this as Steam only has the other Bio-Ware games, but not this....weird????
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 29 November, 2015, 04:52:41 PM
Been playing a lot of Undertale recently, a really great (if somewhat twisted) retro RPG.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Davek on 29 November, 2015, 06:55:08 PM
Splatoon (its all I every play!)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: SpongeJosh on 29 November, 2015, 09:43:04 PM
Judge Dredd Vs Judge Death thanks to Steam sale  :lol:

Wow, i should of played this sooner (ok maybe 12yrs ago sooner).

Great game.

:)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 25 December, 2015, 11:08:00 AM
Being playing the Bard's Tale on and off for the last fortnight, The latest version, that was very different from the earlier games.

I'm pretty sure the Boab fellow was based on Mick Lynch, even though the character sounds more Scottish and I think I have got about as far as I could have for the time being.

I also have been playing the very first Bard's Tale.....Tales of the Unknown *Included with the other game if you access it from the title menu!) and it's harder than I remember. Not that I ever officially played it before, I only purchased the second (Destiny-Knight) and third (Thief of Fate) in the series. Yet, by some strange quirk of fate, my copy of Destiny-Knight only hade the core-game disk for Tales of the Unknown inside, along with the Destiny-Knight dungeon disk that never worked with the game once it was started. (In the days before internet and before we owned the computers we have now. I only ever played this game on the Commodore 64 and games were loaded on the disk-drive  or cassette-tape-player and never truly installed!) So, my party of adventures were confined to the streets of Skara-Brae and I stilled the game back then and more avidly than I play it these days. Eventually getting one character up to higher enough level, a Hobbit-Bard called Orpheus, because he was always kept away from the danger of the front line. It was eventually him who become higher enough in level that he was able to carry other lower level characters into victory. Yet, they never made it out of Skara-Brae. Not use how many times I have rei treated this story in different ways on the InExile Bard's Tale IV forums and otherwise, I don't say much else there at all. Because, I really have no footing other there. I don't have any ideas that I can pitch to them about the next Bard's Tale that won't be finished in another two years time at least from what I heard.

Playing the game again today and as it was intended and like I said. It's requires more attention and work than I am used to giving the games of games of today.

I have had to reinstall the game three times now, because you really only have a chance with the party of characters that they have made up for you. Known as the A-Team and consisting of....

Brian (Fargo) the Fist obviously a Warrior or Monk of one of the more masculine racial stock.

Samson who is about the same.

Markus & Merlin who are either either another warrior type or a Magician or Conjuror and the latter is definitely one of the Magic-User class's.

The last one is El-Cid the Bard and because these premade characters are also pre-outfitted. They have about that much more chance of survival. If your astute enough in this game or bothering to read me this far. That one has in there possession a Fire-Horn and if you bother to have him use it each time the party is accosted by street ruffians. He will normally be able to take out the whole lot of them before they can land any hits on the rest of his companions. yet, his Dexterity is not quite high that he can always do this and some times that's all it takes to lose half you party.

So, I still managed to screw up......

Continued later, having another go now.....

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: richerthanyou on 04 January, 2016, 05:55:25 PM
The Sims 3 - Got it cheap in the steam sale. To be honest I don't see what all the fuss is about. Maybe I just lack creativity. I suppose my house was nothing more than a square room with a bog, a bed and a cooker. I don't see myself going to back to play it any time soon, although the idea of building a virtual Eddie Hitler and Richard Richard and locking them in a virtual flat could be entertaining...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: arf1982 on 05 January, 2016, 01:52:00 AM
Got Rage recently on PS3 for 99p, i'm enjoying it so far, but I tend to have periods when I don't play games at all so it will probably take me till this time next year to complete
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 05 January, 2016, 04:52:34 AM
Quote from: richerthanyou on 04 January, 2016, 05:55:25 PM
The Sims 3 - Got it cheap in the steam sale. To be honest I don't see what all the fuss is about. Maybe I just lack creativity. I suppose my house was nothing more than a square room with a bog, a bed and a cooker. I don't see myself going to back to play it any time soon, although the idea of building a virtual Eddie Hitler and Richard Richard and locking them in a virtual flat could be entertaining...

Your first house always starts out simple cause you got to make your sims work to build up their finances. Unless you know the money or free-buildings cheat code.

Sim3 was the worst of them all and I got special edition and it was stolen. Came in a nice green box with the manual and other reading material and official artwork, but it was all tiny.

I didn't like the lack of flexibility when doing the facial sculpting.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 05 January, 2016, 01:58:54 PM
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 29 November, 2015, 04:52:41 PM
Been playing a lot of Undertale recently, a really great (if somewhat twisted) retro RPG.

Seen this was one of the games of 2015 on Jimquisition, would you say its suitable for a 10 year old?

Got Blops 3 at xmas along with Bloodborne DLC. Still playing Battlefront and Fallout 4 so should be sorted for a good while yet.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 05 January, 2016, 04:12:47 PM
Replaying Human Revolution after Shadowrun gave me a hunger for cyberpunk. Splashed out £4 for the Director's Cut

Appreciating it so much more than I remembered. Great game, great themes. Would love to see the first one just plain remade in this engine.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 05 January, 2016, 07:30:15 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 05 January, 2016, 04:12:47 PM
Replaying Human Revolution after Shadowrun gave me a hunger for cyberpunk. Splashed out £4 for the Director's Cut

Appreciating it so much more than I remembered. Great game, great themes. Would love to see the first one just plain remade in this engine.

Read the novels and almost played the table -top role playing game. I have two the games adapted for computers and was hooked on one of them for while.

The other one seemed very promising and even had celebrity support, but really turned to be kind of Naf. Not sure if it's still early access. Because the trolls looked very child-like......kind of like babies. Very unconvincing to me.

I might check the game out again to see if it's been improved.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: sheridan on 05 January, 2016, 10:37:47 PM
After a long drought of playing any games, I've managed:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 06 January, 2016, 05:07:39 AM
After choosing the A-TEAM from the Guild-Roster in the very first Bard's-Tale game. I managed to get them all up to second level. Which good, as I was able to buy the second level spells for one of my Mages who was then able to cast healing spells. Rather than forcing me to find one of Skara-Brae's few temples to purchase it on one off basis there.

While on a subsequent play session. I still managed to get just about all of them killed again before I could figure out what to do with them to move the game forward. That will take a couple of thousand gold to do and while using a smaller party of character's created in the Guild-Hall. While carrying the corpses around one by one until enough gold is made to heal them. 

I have also checked out Sword-Coast-Legends which is based on Dungeons & Dragon's set on the Forgotten-Realms world of Faerun. (Most likely the latest edition!) Not quite as bad as some reviewers have complained about and a improvement over Baulder's Gate. (Which I recall purchasing in box from games shop in the city nearly 20 years ago!) It seems to have all the right bells' n whistles minus the crucial element of customisation that can only be achieved from the table top version of this game with a group of real friends.  I do like the character animations most of all, partically when they are in combat or just running around. The Dwarven-Rogue has this option to Disengage (Actual name of ability!) from melee if he is to do what is intended of his character class and throw some impressive back-flips away from the fight before going into stealth mode to swing around the commotion and back-stab the opposition. Still think that just going translucent is a very poor way to use Stealth. I would actually not have it as ability but some that that class' is better at while suddenly auto-finding ways to move unobserved (Not hard to do in big fight!) by quick stepping behind every conveniently big enough object before he's closer enough to strike. I also love seeing well known spells, now visually realised in spectacular fashion. Also impressive, if some what hard to pick out music score and while watching the credits roll. This would make a excellent television series or movie if done correctly.

I also had very short look game of ShadowRun Chronicles. It's a lot like ShadowRun Returns (Considering they're both based on the same novels and table top role playing game!) I swear I was carrying the first trilogy of these books while I had ben reading them to show to some people who I played AD&D with and another of them had started pulling out ShadowRun books from role-playing game I was reading about. (He must have ben stalking me!) We spent the entire weekend creating our own characters. I chose to have the biggest and strongest Troll I could tally up and improved upon their stats using cyber-ware and I think he was going to be one of those Street-Samurai. (The futurised version of City-Bounty-Hunter!)  Somebody else chose to be a Human-Decker (Who can jack into computer terminals via a co-axial port installed into their head. Through which they can automatically hack into the connected machine via thought alone. It's supposed to be a more efficient way of hacking into the computer networks around the city and those that belong to the Mega-Corps that now control the world in a future where magic and fantasy races have been re-awakened. It took days, weeks, months before people began mutating into Dwarves, Orcs, Halfings and any other manner of demi-human that is known in Europeon, Celtic, Aztec, American, Australian Native folklore. There are Elves as well, but I think they might be a separate race of elder beings who have always existed apart and in secrecy and now they co-exist after revealing themselves. (I could be wrong about that, if you recall the comparison I made between Shadowrun and the world of Shannara under the same topic on the Television and Film thread!)  This person then created the avatar that he controls while hacking (It's like he's playing a computer inside his head!) that is what ever pass's for the peak of physical condition for a paragraph of code. Often the direct opposite of the Decker themselves, if they are the stereotype of most computer hackers. He also carries a Deck (Hence the name, Decker and that's a portable computer and it doesn't need a monitor, because it all goes on inside their head.) Their is also a Physical-Adept who is martial artist who uses cyber-ware (Maybe they don't use Cyber-ware, because all those implants also take away their humanity. The more they have of them, the less they are human and more machine!) and the martial artist is really a lot like Ken and Ryo from Street-Fighter. There are also, Mages, (Who drawn their power from their persistence and nothing to do with intelligence much at all!) Shaman's, Mech-Engineers, and Med-Techs (Cyber-Doctors). The world become like that of Blade-Runner minus the flying cars. (I only recall reading about Japanese motor-bikes.)   
   
I will continue this later.....

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: TordelBack on 06 January, 2016, 09:34:01 AM
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance on the original X-Box. Been playing a co-op run on this on and off since RetroSanta popped it in the Boy's stocking. Great fun, with some nice shocks and frequent use of the traditional battlecry 'Run away! Run away!'.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 06 January, 2016, 11:18:29 AM
An improvement on Baldur's Gate?!?

GO FOR THE EYES BOO, GO FOR THE EYES!!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 06 January, 2016, 12:03:17 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 05 January, 2016, 04:12:47 PM
Replaying Human Revolution after Shadowrun gave me a hunger for cyberpunk.

About cyberpunk games. Remember Me is fun game with some beautiful locations and it's real shame how limited is world in this game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 06 January, 2016, 01:50:41 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 06 January, 2016, 11:18:29 AM
An improvement on Baldur's Gate?!?

GO FOR THE EYES BOO, GO FOR THE EYES!!!

It's just a opinion. and your just praising the humour written into storyline. Which I can't fault, because I never got very far into that game. It just drove me bonkers how little well this game system or engine was made to allow me to take care of a party of more than four characters. I just threw it when they had to explore some cave after being sent on a quest to rid a farmstead of some Kobolds.....

I still have the multiple game disks for this and now have the remastered version via STEAM. So, I will be having another go at that one sometime after I'm finished with playing this S.C. Legends module. I just not that keen on the amount of micro-management  that s now been efficiently slimmed down in the game I'm presently playing.

I thought the stuff about Boo and it's owner  Minsc (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minsc) very entertaining and funny. I just been reading through all this (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Baldur%27s_Gate_characters#Dynaheir) which is as intriguing as it is disturbing. I don't think I will sleep easily tonight.

Anyw2a, I forget what ever I was going to finish my comments with after reading all that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 06 January, 2016, 02:11:06 PM
Space bar is your friend in Baldur's Gate. Space bar and fireball/Lightning.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 06 January, 2016, 08:10:58 PM
I think it's the F or whatever pauses the game while in combat.

There is also a tactical switch, because everybody just runs towards their target regardless of wether their armed with bow/arrows or a mage.

So my mage Gundorf Metal-Mane used to forget spellcasting and wade into battle with his staff weapon. It was hard to get my team to stay where they have been put until I discovered that auto-tactics option. They don't retreat when low on health and will always run back towards the target after being moved back.

As for Fireballs and Lightening-Bolts the former needs enough room and that your entire intended target are all standing together. You don't want any from your side mixed up in that melee when the f-ball hits.

Not sure if the latter works like you think it might if everybody is standing in water, including the caster.

I prefer the direct hitting spells, like Ray of Frost or Magic Missile.





Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 06 January, 2016, 10:08:39 PM
Lara Croft Go is a fun iOS puzzle game which doesn't really have much to do with Tomb Raider other than informing the type of tiles you have to move around. A solid couple of evenings worth of play for a couple of quid.

Picked up a couple of frustrating things reasonably cheap on PSN recently too. I'd always fancied playing God of War but I'm a bit disappointed that the boss fights seem to be more Guitar Hero style rhythm action than fighting prowess. The less said about the shagging minigame the better.

I'd never played Jak & Daxter either, despite being a fan of contemporaries like Spyro and Ratchet & Clank. There's the core of a half decent game in there but the two big failings are how slow it is (and I know this isn't necessary as there's an occasional power-up which speeds things up to a perfectly acceptable level) and what is probably the worst camera in any game I've ever played. Still going for 100%.

Still plugging away at Dark Souls 2 as well. Finished the main game a few weeks ago. Luckily the various DLCs are properly hard as nails just to put you back in your place. Started another character too just to see how it plays as a magical dude.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 06 January, 2016, 11:01:57 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 05 January, 2016, 01:58:54 PM
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 29 November, 2015, 04:52:41 PM
Been playing a lot of Undertale recently, a really great (if somewhat twisted) retro RPG.

Seen this was one of the games of 2015 on Jimquisition, would you say its suitable for a 10 year old?
Suitable in terms on content? Yes, most deffinetly. Theirs a great deal a spongey mind can learn from this delightful tale. Endlessly fun with some brilliantly vibrante and unique characters, gripping visuals as well considering it's a minimalistic RPG affair. It's also got crazy story variability, as at slightest desision can completely change the story outcome.

Suitable in terms of game play? Deppends. The difficult spike is insane and hit's hard, and often it delliberatly breaks it's own internal logic in order to support one of the stories lessons and arcs. It's all rather clever, until you have to time a jump within a fraction of a second in order to not take damage. Not an easy game to control, but a rewarding one, and becomes easier with practice.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: richerthanyou on 08 January, 2016, 04:27:19 PM
Rocksmith 2014. A cracking game. I only did a year of guitar lessons at school so the most I could ever play was the riff to Smoke On The Water and Smells Like Teen Spirit. Thanks to the game I'm now miles better at guitar (although it is all from memory, it doesn't teach you important stuff like scales or any of that technical stuff)

Still, makes me feel like a rock god when I'm jumping about the place smashing out some Iron Maiden!

The fun was cut short however when my bottom E string broke thanks to me trying to play a song with some obscure tuning....wound the thing just a little too tight :(
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 14 January, 2016, 01:30:58 PM
Finished Halo 5 last night and really, really enjoyed it. I've been really late to seeing the fuss about Halo games, but I think I was just playing them wrong because the way I usually play shooters (pretty slow and cautious) doesn't really work in Halo because it's more about the chaos and being overwhelmed and always keeping on the move. Once it clicked with me it's actually pretty exhilarating and the new movement stuff they've added in this makes it really badass because you can zip around and clamber and dash and groundstomp. Great fun!

It's got really epic set pieces too, like this ace one where you're on a huge floating robot thing and running down it towards the ground that's miles away, while it's moving and trying to shake you off. Looks beautiful, really took my breath away - https://account.xbox.com/en-gb/gameclip/184cf3b6-61bf-45b3-b01b-46d8f883fefa?gamerTag=Superbeasto&scid=03a80100-9ff3-46ea-be76-e00e7fe465df (https://account.xbox.com/en-gb/gameclip/184cf3b6-61bf-45b3-b01b-46d8f883fefa?gamerTag=Superbeasto&scid=03a80100-9ff3-46ea-be76-e00e7fe465df)

Not a clue what was going on in the story though. Looked like big epic things were happening, but the Halo storyline has been unintelligible for a really long time and this is no different.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 19 January, 2016, 01:42:53 PM
Me and my brother always try and keep a co-op PC game on the go because it means we can play online when we get a chance (he's in Vancouver and I'm in Scotland so the time zone difference makes it tough!), so just finished playing through Dead Space 3 together.

Played it on 360 when it came out and found it terribly frustrating, partly because the combat really wasn't balanced for a single player and partly because the first two games were absolutely stunning so the fact this one is just sort of a bit good was pretty disappointing. Suffice to say, it was way more fun when combined with catch up chats with my brother and made for some fun japes and a lot of intensely panicked shouting.

Still a huge drop-off from the first two in every regard, but a decent co-op horror shooter by any other standards.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 19 January, 2016, 02:44:49 PM
Ultra Street Fighter IV. Gotta say, V has a tough legacy to live up to.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 19 January, 2016, 08:39:59 PM
Haven't really since I uninstalled Fallout Four and reinstalled Skyrim (Wow, what if there was aSkyrim Mod for FF?) and subscribed to a lot of mods.

There's one that is supposed to add sarcastic text to all those description you get while loading the game.

As well, new racial types based on Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and DC/Marvel.

The Superman one looks hilarious and even a short  film (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_RDx4skTp4)

Would be much better if flying looked as god as it odes in the films, but this is a very descent Superman game even if the setting is wrong.

Unfortunately, the game doesn't work on my machine now. Maybe it's all the new mods, maybe they conflict with one another and stop the game from starting in the process :(

No, that last man of Krypton will have to wait and there's a Witcher mod.

So, much shame for these great games I still haven't been able to finish
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 25 January, 2016, 03:57:23 AM
Since before I logged off about 3:30 this morning, I have spent the last 24 hour playing the latest Final Fantasy mmo. (Which I had took to being new release, but it's been around since the August of 2013, I very auspicious time if you recall I went to my 25th school reunion in that very same month!)

Yeah, 24 hours almost non stop, as one of the cat-people and a warrior type who always carries a axe. I swear I wasn't thinking about -you know who- when I was buying gear. Actually, I pretty much just used what was given to my avatar from the start and only changed clothing after finding the right vendor and there are some very poor choices in design and colour before you can afford the dyes. I think it sometime dumb that yo need to wait for your avatar to level before they can wear a item of clothing! . He's just a particular warrior type that specialises in axe. Pretty soon, I had my cat-man or boy looking more like a pirate than a foppish brat with long blue hair, cat ears, and long blue tail. With most of his face tattoed red.

I swear, I was going to stop playing when completed all the local quest, but he kept finishing more quest givers, and was soon running around out side the strange castle tower-city built on the sea. Yeah, the place seemed like more seaside alternative to the fortress of Dinas-Emrys (I hope a certain somebody doesn't read this, I know that one doesn't like it when I speak of Slaine so much. I might just be ruining it for him.) and very easy to get lost if you don't attention like I do some times.  I just kept him running around in circles in this city, trying to find important locales and then repeating the same thing out in the wilderness.

Sometimes, I could find arrow on the mini map that would point the way, but not if I was in the wrong zone. I surprised, I was still playing the same character in the same game 9:30pm last night. The game is plagued with different areas divided by strings of little blue globes or balls of glowing light strung up across the pathway when I get him to those places. So, I getting this same old boring loading screen while waiting for the next area to load. I fancied a animation of my avatar running off into the background, but that's too hard, I guess.

Graphically it's looks as good as any of the later MMO's, but I still find it lacking a certain something that games like World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, Elder Scrolls Online, Guild Wars Two. While I found strong elements of these other games mixed into this one, and yet it's still got the Anima imprinted on it. Sometime barely, when I see some of the critters look every bit as awesome as as those I seen in any of the other MMO's I listed above. Yet, you know it's still Final Fantasy.

Although, it lacks the stereotyped combat encounters I recall from playing most of 7th, a little of 8, and all of 9. There are Chocobos, but they can only be rented for a short time and you lose them completely if you hope off and aside from their minimal jumping. They don't appear to be running much faster than my avatar. They just play fancy music while using it. Their other mounts, like unicorns, horses, weird looking giant cats as well as useless pets, like those Mogs, pups, kittens, and other things I can't identify.

I was only playing the demo, So, I don't I was encouraged or offered any of those things and I found I couldn't use chat either.

Things I don't aside from the trademark art style and boring loading screens are....

Invisable walls, most of which naturally stop my avatar from jumping dangerous heights, but all the same I hate it when they do that. They also stop my avatar from going absolutely everywhere and ladders don't work either. They are there for looking at.

Character movement and fighting doesn't feel as fluid as it does in those other games which Is till prefer. It doesn't seem to matter how tall, big, how much reach your character has...it makes no apparent difference.
Whacking anything way smaller than my avatar didn't have the expect effect. Like these largish wasps, that still looked smaller enough to be ground or knocked further away.
 
Characters will move through each other without any collision and I understand this reduces the chances of that congested choking of narrow passage ways, but I think that also adds to the realism. It's quite common now, in a lot o f MMO's, I don't think it was ever like that in Everquest and Wow.

All, this is one for the fans, the only reason I complete the purchase. It's in  Steam (http://www.finalfantasyxiv.com/) sale for about 10 dollars and I now have invested interest in both my characters. it was about 23 or 24 hours into my gaming marathon that I logged out and made my second character. What ever pass's for the Final Fantasy's Elven race, and wizard type at that. With spikey white hair, dark skin, purple eyes and lips he's about seven feet tall. The tallest of his kind,  and with long horizontal slanted ears that remind me of Ukko's. I played him up to 5th level. Only so, he could wear the long brimmed conical hat that was given to him as a quest reward.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: richerthanyou on 26 January, 2016, 09:10:01 AM
Counter Strike Source. Last time I played CS was back in 2001/2

It's aged really well (obviously the last time I played it wasn't using the source engine) and still just as fun to play as I remember, although I'm nowhere near as good as I once was. A great throwback.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 27 January, 2016, 01:13:28 AM
Has anybody played the MMO called  Aion (http://store.steampowered.com/app/373680/)?

After playing some of it myself, I wouldn't expect many round here to like it much, except that it still has a very visually impressive and detailed character/avatar creation system with the promise being given wings to soar on after reaching a significant plateau.

I tried to make up make up character who looked a lot like me, except he's looks more like a vampire or human with strange purplish/marble texture to his skin and noticeably bulging muscles. A walking minor-demi-god...While the similarity is only superficial, I did try to do my own, brow, nose, cheek bones, and jawline on him. As well as facial hair and with hair style I thought I had two or three years earlier. He does look more like pint sized Lemmy (Motorhead) in retrospect. Because I didn't bother making him/me too tall combined with his facial hair and long locks on top.

I tried to name him Raphael when given a hint that was the name of demon or angel (Or famous Italian renaissance artist or Mutant Ninja Turtle!) who defeated Asmodeus after internet search for cool demonic sounding name. I wasn't foolish enough to use my own, and in the end I came up with Mika-Pika-Tika while thinking of Pokémon and that found more acceptable. 

Considering, I chose him to be Asmodian (And once you chose a side in this game, all your subsequent avatar are restricted to that side, unfortunitly!) other  I figured I might have started in a place that would fit what I thought that Hell would be, but it turns out to be a more diabetic nightmare belonging Alice in wonderland and it's rendered disproportionately backward fashion in way that would make one think this is hell and populated by rejects from that Pokémon cartoon and almost expect Tele-Tubbies to surround my charge.

He was put there, probably after losing massive fight with the other ones that are supposedly more angelic and seems like a familiar theme. If you get my meaning....

To fight possible those damned humans souls trapped in the bodies of athromorphic critters that you might expect to find in Wind in the Willows. Is this hell.

Now, I originally thought that hell was placed deep underground, and filled with fires on top molten lava, hoofed, horned, red skinned, carrying pitch forks and tormenting those that have sinned enough to qualify for spending a eternity down there and then read in book that heaven and hell were just ideas that could be imagined anywhere. Ever had one of those days.

Then I made up my own explanation that they were both the same place...expect with hell. You were powerless to join in the festivities, while everybody else seemed to be enjoying themselves. I still like that one the best.

Yet, I think my man here is more of enforcer in this pace or being test and trained return somewhere. Those critters, the giant insects, the deformed bunnies, the squirrels, chipmunks or gophers who work on the farms might have once been human and now forced to revolved all over again, but this like one of those kids' cartoons. 

There are other hostiles who resemble my own, who pose as bandits and pirates in one could be part of test for what else yet to in this.

I only continue to play this to get him his wings and see where they take him. Teleportation which is expensive at slightly over 2000 of what pass's for their legal tender and this I how I'd like to see it done in a lot of these MMO's that tend to skip impressive if repetitive cinematics, cut scenes, or just a animation not chortled by the player showing largish spirit bird carry him to his intended destination instead a boring loading screen or nothing at all.

I think that Final Fantasy MMO could have taken some advice from this one and some earlier ones and vice-versa. They could all do with more each other in their onw games.

These games with fetch quests a now being replaced by the survival ones, that encourage the player to go their onw way or team up with or merely co-operate with the more success players  until the server gets wiped and they all start all over again. The MMO's that still play like the earliest one may end up like Atlantis. While the newer ones don't require you to follow a not restricted path at the risk of more character death at lower levels.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 01 February, 2016, 09:25:05 AM
Finished Shovel Knight yesterday. A couple of frustrating platforming sequences notwithstanding, it's pretty easy but a well made and engaging homage to classics of the SNES/Megadrive era.

I didn't think I'd have much inclination to replay but the inclusion of an in-depth breakdown of your performance by level tantalises the twitchy fingers.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 01 February, 2016, 02:26:12 PM
Shovel knights sitting in it cellophane since Christmas and is my next game once I finish Witcher 3(around June I'd say).the plague knight add on is supposed to be great.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 12 February, 2016, 01:45:11 AM
Been playing a lot of  Sub-Nautica (http://unknownworlds.com/subnautica/) since I moved house and before I had my internet activated. Since then, I had some difficulties and regretfully uninstalled it when I had progressed so far. I just hope my game saves are still there.

It's a survival in tradition of Rust, but much softer and more cartoony and aquatic. After large space ship you were travelling on crashing into the this ocean on some alien world and landing a safe distance from the wreck in a escape pod fully equipped with a 3D-printer and creature cooker. The ship-wreck floating nearby is now leaking dark-matter radiation that will eat away at your health if not at safe distance. 

Any time, I evacuate and I'm deposited straight into the water and it's kind of beautiful in a bright colourful cartoon way and ocean sounds are very soothing. There are only larger critters that pose any real threat if you are close to them.  Minerals/metals, can be collected from limestone and other similar outcroppings. There is coral plates that can be cut away with knife either randomly supplied at the beginning or constructed from the titanium, quartz deposits found nearby.

There are also average to gigantic coral, rock, sandstone caves.  Underwater plants and organisms that produce breathable air which can be used to make exploring and harvesting easier. Nearly everything that is brightly coloured has a use.

From these materials, you can build flashlights, scanners (Great fun!), rebreathers, air bladders, still-suits (More annoying than useful as they reclaim moisture from you body and add it to you inventory which can never be used or accessed until your back in the safety pod you started in. One of things that make the game more challenging, but less realistic and then there is apparent lack   Benz (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decompression_sickness) every time I need to head towards the surface to get more air. Yet, it may just be that I more like Superman in this game and can handle that sort of thing without any complications.)

If you, build the machine that floats to the surface and from there two types of submarine can be fashioned from even more of the same resources using advanced 3D printers that hover around the builder and squirt them into existence. Which seems as unfeasible as everything else that can be made in these constructers and even more so, because of they're size and multiple functions and then I realise I just playing game. I have only build small sub-marine that makes travel easier and safer, but it needs constant repairs and energy replacement. There

There is also habitat builder, which is just this thing as small as pocket-knife and you just point it at the ground and it's squirted into existence from the end of this tiny device. YOU can multi-purpose rooms, a observation room, connected by these tubular hall ways, either se-thru or not and then windows and doors can be added. Furniture and more 3D printers can add to the interior of these rooms. Yet, it takes ages to collect the resources for these and I haven't yet worked out how to enter them even after placing a entrance. This might be due to the fact, the game is still in early access. These habitats can only be built underwater.

I've built a few of these, and had to leave them after they stoped working. They can be repaired and refuelled (How ever they can be!) with some device I can't make, because it requires something I think that might be found inside the radioactive parts of the ship wreakage. There is a suit that is supposed to be resistant to this radiation and it needs something else, I can't recall right now.

They're big critters that look kind of like Sharks or Barracudas that are very territorial and then there the more peaceful sea-cow types that carry pungent lichen inside a sack like appendage that glows and releasing poisoness gaseous substance that. These critters can't be eaten, or maybe they can, but need special tools for that. The smaller ones, one of them like plastic bag or balloon filled with air can produce breathable air and give you drinkable water if placed in the replicator or they can be cooked for food either way. All the other critters can be use for food only when caught. You don't have to fish for them, you just grab them when ever they are swimming past. Sometimes you have to chase them.

They are all very odd variations of real world fish and this is because we're not on Earth. There are some creatures that inhabit the mouths of under water caves that cannot be used this way and they filter sea waste using theirs bodies. They look like tiny  Eldar-Things (https://www.bing.com/search?q=eladr+things&form=EDGEAR&qs=PF&cvid=f315f73b62b14c499ea77da6022503d7&pq=eladr%20things&elv=AM44BDvLZShroCifc3HfPbiAF2y20UFZcGUCyxCnTZ7K)

(http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/175/7/d/7de80303de214c5828dc5475d0dc0168-d3jtg3e.jpg)

Now, I looking for the  Shoggoth (https://www.bing.com/search?q=shoggoth&filters=ufn%3a%22Shoggoth%22+sid%3a%222bb28c3e-9645-ffc4-e91f-b844e04c7624%22&form=EDGEAR&qs=MB&cvid=7ddc71b45c0443e1b73cbd6a8b97c87d&pq=shoggoth&elv=AM44BDvLZShroCifc3HfPbiH64io4km55tAUkoEH6wSB)

(http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--nV1I4IId--/18lrvp0hsv5zwjpg.jpg)

I'll Finish this later... (I just lost the end of this when the page refreshed (http://forums.2000adonline.com/Smileys/default/sad.gif)!)



Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 17 February, 2016, 02:16:28 PM
Just started the Bloodborne DLC yesterday after a few hours of getting back into the swing of the controls. Its called The Old Hunters and the first location is The Hunters Nightmare which is not only the locations name but its description as its ROCK FUCKING HARD!

In the main game there's a creature who can drive you insane and make your head explode, taking on 2 or 3 of these at a time is a tough gig. Well the DLC has a section with very similar critters except there's about 20. I died pretty sharpish.

I've pretty much got the hang of the first section though so plan to tackle this over the next week, tonight these bastards are going down.

God I love Bloodborne but once I've dealt with it I'll be back to Fallout then roll on The Division and Dark Souls 3.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 21 February, 2016, 09:15:05 AM
Been playing more X-Com Two lately as you may know and I've become increasingly aware of  Judge Dredd references that may not be all together welcome. The ones that call themselves the Advent which are basically us human being drip fed alien DNA that has subtly changed their appearance without any adverse effects. They have become more psi-sensitive and I guess that's another more subtle reminder.

Wearing their helmets that hides their alien deformity. They're enlarged skulls, eyes with orange blood. They're are vaguely like a Judge's and the Sergeants look more like Gestepo and they're guns are genetically synced to they're owners DNA. So, they shock or blow up if found in the hands of anybody else.

A strong one there.....I wonder if there may be 2000AD MOD for this one?

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 21 February, 2016, 10:22:50 AM
Does Dragon Age Inquisition ever end?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 21 February, 2016, 12:19:52 PM
I  quite like last instalment of that game. It's well down, and I might buy it through Origin when the price goes down. Where I've sampled a good portion of the demo. it's very artful, I like the artwork shown on those cards when ever you choosing a profession and to be human, elf or dwarf. Those choices remind me of how much the rules for PathFinder also reminds me of first edition Dungeons & Dragons and the games play and how you control your party of characters. The way you can flip between second and third person view is great.

Never liked the earlier version of this game.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 21 February, 2016, 09:48:12 PM
Mass Effect 3

Quite good fun but the cut scenes are fucking interminable.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 21 February, 2016, 10:01:43 PM
Replaying Ico on the PS3. Was worried it was going to be a bit shit and spoil my fond memories of the original but I needn't have worried. Just running out of a door onto a ledge and hearing the wind whipping round you is still absolutely bewitching.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 22 February, 2016, 12:09:28 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 21 February, 2016, 09:48:12 PM
Mass Effect 3

Quite good fun but the cut scenes are fucking interminable.

I thought those cut scenes were the best thing about it!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 26 February, 2016, 12:51:01 PM
I'm about four hours in with about thirty minutes of what I would consider proper gameplay.  That can't be right. If I want to watch a movie, I watch a movie.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 26 February, 2016, 02:20:38 PM
TBH mate I found the 3rd one to be the weakest.

ME1 - Strong RPG elements but super clunky control scheme for shooting.
ME2 - Its the dirty dozen in space, good story but dumbed down the RPG element while tightening the shooting controls.
ME3 - Its now a shooter with a couple of choose your own adventure sections. still good though.

ME1 was my favourite out the 3 and I'm still looking forward to the new one.

KOTOR is still better than all 3 though. If you have access to PC for games I cant recommend it enough (unless you've already played it). Star wars RPG done right by the same guys. Avoid 2 though.

I'm currently still dying (a lot) in Bloodborne but am near the end. After completing it 3 times I had never invaded another players game. Such a shitty and brilliant thing to put in a game. Basically you're going about you're business trying to survive when some asshat (me) materialises in your world and does his best to ruin your day. What a laugh.

My sons also playing it and received his first rude message for such dickery. Never been more proud  :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 26 February, 2016, 04:46:38 PM
I adore Mass Effect, my favorite sci-fi universe hands down. 2 was definitely my favourite (and also my favourite game of all time if I'm honest).

3 I still loved because the combat never got old for me and by that point I was so absorbed in the characters and the world that I was mainly in it for the story, but it definitely wasn't as great as 2.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: COMMANDO FORCES on 26 February, 2016, 04:50:02 PM
I just played that William Hill Dredd game, which is also available free on the web. A couple of nice graphics but it's just a slot machine, so nothing too exciting.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 03 March, 2016, 12:24:54 PM
On a whim, I picked up LOTR: Return of the King for the Gameboy advance at the weekend.

I've dusted off my DS Lite* and have been playing about with it.  Playing as Aragorn seems to be simply a case of hitting B as often as possible - I've not noticed the RPG elements making too much of difference yet. 

Playing as Frodo is a fucker - Sam seems to soak up all of the damage for you and you just have to sneak around (which is just as well as I can't figure out how to use the handy "Heal" on A that Aragorn has. With Frodo, it makes me put on the One Ring and the Nazgul turn up and kill me.  No instructions and the online walkthroughs are a bit vague on how to pre-set an ability to the A button).

Anyway, if I start seeing a difference in performance based on my RPG bits, I will probably continue.

I don't like my RPGs too complicated e.g. I hate those ones that are: "Ooh, you can level up on your fighting skills and level up the strength on your left or right arm and you can level up the damage on the tip of the sword, the right edge or the left edge".   A simple "Shooting Skill +1" works for me (Rebel Star Command or Tom Clancy 3DS game that I can't remember the name of are about the level I like).

But if it just looks like an exercise in bashing the B, I may not carry on and Middle Earth will be doomed.


* it's got a Frank Quietly Batman on it, for those that don't know. Possibly a deaf and blind child in one of those lost amazonian tribes hasn't heard me say that. This week.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 03 March, 2016, 01:03:05 PM
Tips - Don't know if I said before but have you got Fire Emblem for 3DS?

Same guys who did advance wars but instead of tank/planes/etc you have knights/wizards/etc.

The difference is that each character has his own personality and traits but once they get killed they are gone for good. Later on in the game you can marry characters and then their offspring have a combination of both parents traits.

Its magnificent and frustrating in equal measures but I think you'd like it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 03 March, 2016, 03:08:44 PM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 03 March, 2016, 12:24:54 PM
On a whim, I picked up LOTR: Return of the King for the Gameboy advance at the weekend.

I've dusted off my DS Lite* and have been playing about with it.  Playing as Aragorn seems to be simply a case of hitting B as often as possible - I've not noticed the RPG elements making too much of difference yet. 

Playing as Frodo is a fucker - Sam seems to soak up all of the damage for you and you just have to sneak around (which is just as well as I can't figure out how to use the handy "Heal" on A that Aragorn has. With Frodo, it makes me put on the One Ring and the Nazgul turn up and kill me.  No instructions and the online walkthroughs are a bit vague on how to pre-set an ability to the A button).

Anyway, if I start seeing a difference in performance based on my RPG bits, I will probably continue.

I don't like my RPGs too complicated e.g. I hate those ones that are: "Ooh, you can level up on your fighting skills and level up the strength on your left or right arm and you can level up the damage on the tip of the sword, the right edge or the left edge".   A simple "Shooting Skill +1" works for me (Rebel Star Command or Tom Clancy 3DS game that I can't remember the name of are about the level I like).

But if it just looks like an exercise in bashing the B, I may not carry on and Middle Earth will be doomed.


* it's got a Frank Quietly Batman on it, for those that don't know. Possibly a deaf and blind child in one of those lost amazonian tribes hasn't heard me say that. This week.

If that's the same one I have for the PC. I could never beat the Goblin in the sewer.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: dweezil2 on 03 March, 2016, 05:26:47 PM
I've been playing the recently released Judge Dredd pinball game on iOS and it is infuriatingly addictive!

Anyone want to attempt to beat my highscore?

I dare you, I double dare you!!!!   :D


(http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i128/mubhceeb/image_1.png) (http://s71.photobucket.com/user/mubhceeb/media/image_1.png.html)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 04 March, 2016, 12:42:42 PM
Tiny Tips has Fire Emblem: Awakening installed on his 3DS so I shall see if I can borrow that from him.


It's the L button to switch active skills.  Mine was a bit sticky so I've cleaned it up and it's working fine now.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 04 March, 2016, 05:42:59 PM
Fire Emblem: Awakening is excellent. You can turn off the perma-death on that one so it's a little more accessible to a semi-casual gamer like me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 07 March, 2016, 11:54:05 AM
Bloodborne DLC is now done and I have 100% complete again. Phew.

Now back to Fallout 4 and have just over 1 month to finish that before Dark Souls 3 arrives.



Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 14 March, 2016, 10:49:51 AM
After re-watching Predator and Predator 2 at the weekend I did the only sane thing and replayed the Predator campaign in Rebellion's Aliens vs Predator on 360. Had a blast, it's definitely the kind of thing that can feel quite clunky if you play it sloppily, but when you know what you're doing and are using all the tools and jumping around the higher ground stalking your prey it's brilliantly satisfying. Love it!

Realized I played it through on Hard before but never beat it on Nightmare (which is Hard with no checkpoints), so have started working on that. Not sure I'll make it through, the boss fights will probably get frustrating.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 14 March, 2016, 04:09:04 PM
Weep for my life as I approach 100 hours on Dragon Age: Inquisition on the PS4. I've still got games from Christmas shrink wrapped but I am not giving up on it.

Meanwhile, on the PC (ie what I do when my kids are on the console)... I've just finished Bioshock 2 and am rattling through Wolfenstein: The Old Blood. Because the only good Nazi is a dead Nazi*


* provided it doesn't come back as a zombie Nazi, in which case the only good Nazi is a decapitated dead one
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 15 March, 2016, 09:28:30 AM
Have got The Old Blood sitting on the pile awaiting its turn! Really looking forward to it, loved The New Order and just recently put a fair whack of time into getting every achievement in it. Those hard difficulties are rooooough!

Loved Inquisition too and probably wasn't far off 100hrs myself, plan to go back and do the DLC at some point. Fantastic game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 15 March, 2016, 06:38:56 PM
14 days 13 hours into fallout 4 and the first dlc aint out yet!!! my lass worked out the real hours ive been on this and it was a shock...until I found a whole new building I hadn't plundered. ;)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 16 March, 2016, 09:42:36 AM
Fired up Fallout 4 for the first time in a few weeks last night, like slipping into some very comfortable and familiar slippers! Turns out I'm only about a day and a half into it so still have a ways to go.

Lately been revisiting Rebellion's most recent Aliens vs Predator game, I'd watched the Predator movies again so was in the mood for the Predator campaign. Still holds up for me, I really, really like that game. Realized I hadn't ever finished any of the campaigns on Nightmare difficulty (Hard, but with no checkpoints) so challenging myself to do that. On the third level of Predator currently and it's going okay, might be doable! Love cloaking and using the trees and the stealth kills...it's all win.

Also finally finished Alien Breed 3: Descent, which I'd been spinning my wheels on for a while (my last save was from about a year ago). I was pretty into these back with the first episode (partly for the nostalgia...they did a new Alien Breed!), but the recycling of ideas and the CONSTANT running to one objective just to be told it's locked and needs some back tracking to find a macguffin to unlock it (I don't think there's a single objective that doesn't happen with), plus the combat getting very stale, the story lacking interest and some of the new enemies being just plain no fun (there's one creature who stun-locks you, meaning you just stand about taking damage and grinding your teeth for a few seconds)...all adds up to a very disappointing trilogy and by part 3 I'd had enough.

I beat the last boss and then the game crashed before the final cutscene loaded and I don't think I'm bothered.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 16 March, 2016, 10:48:50 AM
Quote from: Grugz on 15 March, 2016, 06:38:56 PM
14 days 13 hours into fallout 4 and the first dlc aint out yet!!! my lass worked out the real hours ive been on this and it was a shock...until I found a whole new building I hadn't plundered. ;)

F'kinell! I'm about 60 hours in and thought I was about half way through and have icons all over the map I'm still to investigate. Still loving it mind.

First DLC hits 22/03/15 apparently.

Got a loan of The Order 1886 off a mate so am gonna try and blast through that. Its not meant to be that good but the graphics look incredible. Impression soon.

Kids got Transformers and Shovel Knight so will have a sneaky go of those at some point as well.

Also pre-ordered Day of the Tentacle remaster which hits on 22/03/16 as well. Probably my second favourite point n click after Monkey Island 2
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 16 March, 2016, 01:28:53 PM
i really have to get round to playing the witcher 3 again...got as far as the first camp were I'm hired to kill a griffon...then I got fallout loaded ::)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 16 March, 2016, 02:45:21 PM
Quote from: Grugz on 16 March, 2016, 01:28:53 PM
i really have to get round to playing the witcher 3 again...got as far as the first camp were I'm hired to kill a griffon...then I got fallout loaded ::)

I was stuck on the mission as well. Yet, I found out later that I was too low of level to tackle that one. I did have ago at it though. It wasn't even phased by any of my magic/attacks.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 17 March, 2016, 11:57:41 AM
Finished another playthrough of Metro 2033 last night, still love that game! Such a unique atmosphere. Survivor mode on XB1 this time, still got the downbeat ending though so will need to play through again and try for the more positive one at some point.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 18 March, 2016, 01:40:24 AM
I haven't played either of the Metro games - but always intended to.  From a story/plot point-of-view, is the first game connected to the second one?

Thought I might track down the Metro: Redux release for the PS4.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 18 March, 2016, 09:10:17 AM
Metro:last light follows on from Metro 2033 and you play as Artyom in both games.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 26 April, 2016, 01:00:29 AM
Portal

An oldie but a goldie.

Got a new laptop, installed Steam and had a look through my catalogue. Hadn't played Portal in years, but my last (Frankenstein's Monster of a) rig suffered a bit of lag and FPS drop the last time I played this, so I had another go at it without having to compensate for these issues. A stone cold classic, possibly a perfect game.

This was mere foreplay though. I've installed Skyrim to see what this machine can really do, stretch her legs properly...

So far I haven't seen a loading screen. Mere blinks while transitioning between areas. Previously, I couls make some coffee, have a smoke and read a few chapters of a book while waiting for areas to load. Now I'm thoroughly enjoying The Continuing Adventures of Mister Pops the Gentleman Orc, Finest Blacksmith and Swordsman in All of Tamriel.

I'll admit this is mostly gloating over my new computer. Glorius PC Master Race and all that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rately on 26 April, 2016, 09:23:31 AM
Tiki Taka Soccer on the iPhone. Insanely addictive, and reminds me of SWOS on the Amiga, thought not quite in that games league, if you'll pardon the pun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 26 April, 2016, 10:03:12 AM
Meanwhile I am back to playing Baldur's Gate 1 as I can't afford to get my old rig up to XCOM2 standards  :'( :'(

Enjoyable mind.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 26 April, 2016, 12:01:16 PM
After 80 hours with The Division.

I'm not a fan of co-op shooters TBH but I must admit I had fun. City is beautiful, DZ is my longtime dream of game in vain of Escape From New York and cuz I'm PS4 player I had no problems with cheaters in DZ.

Ofcourse game is full of smaller and bigger bugs but it was nice way to spend few rainy days.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 26 April, 2016, 02:00:51 PM
Finally helped my mate finish off the secret boss in Bloodborne DLC last night. Its taken us about a month.

Nearing the end of my first run in Dark Souls 3. Been helping other players defeat Lothric the last few nights and must have done him in about 20 times now. Feels good to help out the lesser players  ;)

Gonna download the 3rd part of Michonne Telltale game tonight and get that finished off.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 26 April, 2016, 05:21:49 PM
Has Michonne been any good Satanist? I usually play pretty much everything Telltale put out but this one sort of snuck by me. Think I was feeling a bit burnt out after just finishing the (very excellent) Borderlands series they did, and didn't want to move straight onto another TT thing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 26 April, 2016, 06:10:21 PM
Its been good but very short. 3 episodes with each coming in at about an hour. Prob best to pick it up in a sale tbh though I'll let you know how I feel when I complete it tonight.

Aint played Borderlands one yet as the main games didnt really grab me, but then one of my fave TT games is Wolf Among Us and I havent read any Fables.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 26 April, 2016, 07:44:08 PM
Really enjoying Wolfenstein: The Old Blood. I'm glad I stuck with it past the first hour or so which were slow and stealthy.

It's the first game in a long time to make me laugh out loud.

"There are too many soldiers here, Blaskowitch. Don't engage unless you have to!"

"What was that Kessler? You're breaking up."

"I said-"

"Pssh. Pssh. Sorry, I can't hear you. Pssh. Breaking up. Pssh. I think you said to kill as many fucking Nazis as I can?"
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 26 April, 2016, 07:46:16 PM
Wolfenstein is worth the time then? Keep getting recommended it and it looks hilarious.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 26 April, 2016, 07:55:11 PM
Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 26 April, 2016, 07:46:16 PM
Wolfenstein is worth the time then? Keep getting recommended it and it looks hilarious.

Yeah. The New Order (the 2014 game) is one of the best, most imaginative, FPSs I've played. It really goes to town on its alternative Nazi-controlled 1960s.

Old Blood is a stand alone expansion/ DLC set in 1946, before the Nazis win.

Strong recommendation from me
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 27 April, 2016, 11:00:24 AM
Wolfenstein has one of my favourite game quotes...

"Dont fuck this up you magnificent cunt" spoken in a scottish accent  :D

Finished ep3 of Michonne last night and really enjoyed it. All in all its worth a punt and has quite a good story. And the music is really good.

Also reached the hidden area in Dark Souls 3 so looking forward to exploring that later on. I have to say I really appreciate the hidden areas FROM software put in their games. The one in Bloodborne is my favourite area of that game and they really remind me of older games secrets instead of the modern idea that extras should be paid for DLC.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 27 April, 2016, 01:13:59 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 26 April, 2016, 02:00:51 PM
Finally helped my mate finish off the secret boss in Bloodborne DLC last night. Its taken us about a month.
Man I'm finding this well hard. 20 hours in and I've only beaten 3 bosses!

The other night I discovered a new area at the bottom of the secret tower attached to the Chapel and promptly got my brains sucked out by some squid-faced cunt.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 27 April, 2016, 03:28:33 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 27 April, 2016, 01:13:59 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 26 April, 2016, 02:00:51 PM
Finally helped my mate finish off the secret boss in Bloodborne DLC last night. Its taken us about a month.
Man I'm finding this well hard. 20 hours in and I've only beaten 3 bosses!

The other night I discovered a new area at the bottom of the secret tower attached to the Chapel and promptly got my brains sucked out by some squid-faced cunt.

First run is certainly the toughest, I think I was approx 60 hours first playthrough, after that you can run through the game. When levelling up I would advise ignoring Arcane (the spells are pish) and to a lesser degree Bloodtinge. The others stats generally max out at about level 40 or 50. Also dont worry about your gun and try and concentrate on dodge & attack. This fits my style though as I'm playing Dark Souls without a shield.

On the lift to that tower do you know you can get off half way to find a hidden item? Theres a good few lifts you can do this with.

If ye ever need hauners give me a shout!

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 09 May, 2016, 01:08:56 PM
Picked up Uncharted 4 at the weekend and one of the boys bought Ratchet and Clank, both for PS4.

They both look incredible but Ive only played UC4 so far. Played it for about 2.5 hours and its quite slow to get into. Lots of cut-scenes but reviews say it picks up soon enough.

I'm at the final boss in Darks Souls 3 so will give that a break soon before my 2nd playthrough.

I also picked up Mat Mania in the PSN sale and can confirm that even 25 years since I last played it the character Coca Savage is still racist  :( and still a cheating wanker  >:( !
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 09 May, 2016, 01:37:14 PM
I'll be interested to see how you get on with Uncharted 4.
I read a worrying bit in a review which said there was lots of (knocking crates of ledges so your partner can climb up) which is mechanic Naughty Dog have been using to pad out their games since Uncharted 1 back in 2007.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 09 May, 2016, 01:43:16 PM
Yeah the Naughty Dog "puzzles" are usually of the push/pull variety I got bored of with Tomb Raider on PS1 and is easily the worst part of Last of Us. I'll let you know how it pans out as its supposed to open up a bit around chapter 8. I'm just at the start of chapter 5.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 09 May, 2016, 03:28:22 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 09 May, 2016, 01:37:14 PM
I'll be interested to see how you get on with Uncharted 4.
I read a worrying bit in a review which said there was lots of "knocking crates off ledges so your partner can climb up" which is a mechanic Naughty Dog have been using to pad out their games since Uncharted 1 back in 2007.

Fixed for terrible typos!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 10 May, 2016, 08:06:06 AM
I think Battle-Fleet-Gothic a excellent argument for a similar b]Sky-Chariots[/b] game & the Space Marine faction sound almost as adorable mentally impaired as the Space-Orks when taunt any of the other three factions with....

We're the Imperial Navy

Each time I use that ability!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 18 May, 2016, 12:22:13 PM
At the half way mark in Uncharted 4 and can confirm I've encountered about 5 block "puzzles". I've also had 2 actual real puzzles which werent exactlly head scratchers but at least made me stop and think for a couple of minutes.

It looks great although I think best console graphics ever is pushing it, I'm sure SW Battlefront still holds that accolade. I've also encountered a couple of graphical glitches and my mate had it bug out so he couldnt pick up objects.

I'm enjoying the rest of the platform/shooty gameplay but then I've only played the first one years back so not sure if its just more of the same.

Multiplayer is all a bit meh though I didnt really like that in The Last of Us either.

I realise this all sounds a bit negative but I am enjoying it so far.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 19 May, 2016, 08:50:33 AM
DOOM! I've been playing on the highest available difficulty (Ultra-Violence) and it's a blast. Stunning graphics and relentless enemies. Highly recommended!

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ThryllSeekyr on 20 May, 2016, 07:23:57 PM
In between recorded games of Farcry Primal & while rating for my internet to reset back to it's highest latency again....I've also been playing  The forest (http://store.steampowered.com/app/242760/) via Steam.

I know I talked about this one before & was quite obnoxious about the bashing of male and female mutant cannibals right after crawling out of the wreakage of a airliner whilst it's engines a failed as it flew over some undiscovered island inhabitated by these quasi- humans.

This time and as always I head for the beach to further out from where I egressed the broken fuselage (Minus the cockpit!) and build small camp right on the tip of peninsula to the right of the nearest bay which is itself to the right of the cliffs further out from the plane wreak.

Just a small fire to cook some of that what appears to be Goanna (So it's either alternative part of Australia or one of the island to the north of it!). At this stage of the game the funny looking inhabitants either vaguely male or female and some of them even more vaguely either sex, but minus their sex organs. These ones are completely naked, because they have nothing to hide and at one stage of the game I had come to the conclusion they were wearing skin tight suits for some reason. Yet, no, they're really been sexually deprived. While more the human looking ones where wear lion cloths, and other accessories. The high ranking ones, adorn them selves with severed limbs and other body parts. I have theory they're the Berzerkers, because they think they're carrying geriatrics of the tribes, quite possibly they're own parents or tribal elders. I'd be berzerk too if I had to carry my dead relatives all day.

They also fight better now, and will give you plenty of reason to just run or make for the nearest cave, hole in the ground, tree-platform or treehouse, or water. They won't follow you into caves, because of that glitch that doesn't allow them to spawn in the cave with you when you leave the outside zone behind you. I'm sure they going to try and fix that, and make it that much harder. I can imagine fighting off several of those primitives while poised at the bottle neck exit of a cave. It would also be interesting trying to stop a knife wielding savage from cutting the rope as you rapelling down from one of those hole in the ceiling caves. It doesn't look like they can swim and they don't follow you into any water that goes higher than my knee's. I'm okay with that. It would be all too much if they could swim after me and drag me under.

They have since been given some Boxing (Footwork, dancing from toe to toe!) and Ninja skills (Tiger rolls, flips, skittering around all fours.). They dodge sideways real quick and leap into your blind zone for a surprise blow to your unprotected back.

Still I managed to take down seven of them on my first day on that peninsula and then headed further inland for some exploration. The game now tends to remake each game with a standard map and fixed location for the plane crash. Yet, it's still surprisingly roughly the same map I started with when I began playing this game so long ago. They have extended the playing field further now. Beyond that river, that wide body of water in the low land further to the right of that bay if you keep heading in that direction. Where the game once gave warning that I have reached the farest point of that side. It just let me through and further up into the snowy regions that were getting more mountainous.  I tired to build there and while stuff is easier to locate on the snowy terrain. The cold weather drains you stamina until you build a fire and I died up while being chased by some monstrosity, like three bodies melded into one. It makes some horrifying bird like twittering noise. Only that it sounded really unnatural, even for a bird. 

I was able to craft Molotov-cocktails......

Continued later....   



Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 21 May, 2016, 01:00:38 PM
Playing a free-to-play tower defense troll game called One Troll Army and for a free to play it's astonishgly well put together but the rub came when I noticed there was an option to buy your troll outfits. Not a bad price for a big set of them and a pleasant way to support an indie and... oh...

(https://steamcommunity.com/linkfilter/?url=http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/453620/ss_909837553902b42d76dba4968ac4e2b31fba8cb0.1920x1080.jpg?t=1463730818)

DAMN YOU STALLONE.

:lol:

--> The game btw! http://store.steampowered.com/app/438680/
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 25 May, 2016, 04:25:36 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 18 May, 2016, 12:22:13 PM
Multiplayer is all a bit meh though I didnt really like that in The Last of Us either.


...and after digging into the progression system and a bit of practice I'm now loving this and have totally ignored the main game for a week  :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 25 May, 2016, 05:17:26 PM
xbox live are doing the "oddworld" bundle for £8.99 so I snapped it up...forgpt how much I loved the littefella abe and the sligs!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 26 May, 2016, 07:25:10 AM
Currently enjoying Max Payne Quantum Break.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 26 May, 2016, 01:33:56 PM
Really enjoyed Quantum Break, I'd taken a couple of days off work for its release because I love Remedy games so much, and for me it didn't disappoint. Might even have been more fun on the second playthrough once I really knew how to dominate a room with the various powers.

Right now I'm playing some Fallout 4 DLC (the Far Harbour stuff, really liking it), and playing through Doom 2. Can't remember if I ever finished it back in the day so feel like I should, and with all the hype about the new game it seemed a good time! I do keep getting lost, the mazey level design now seems really tough to find your way around. Could be years of handholding that's dulled my skills for that though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 11 June, 2016, 04:16:54 AM
DOOM(2016)

This is my kinda shooter. No regenerating health and no reloading weapons. No cover, no mercy, no plot*. Just senseless slaughter of the denizens of hell. You want health? Murder some demons. You want ammo? Murder more demons! Having trouble with an enemy? Protip: Shoot it until it dies!

This game escews realism for fun gameplay. Take the chainsaw as an example. One shot-one kill weapon, with limted uses. Killing enemies with it sprays ammo out of their guts like Tarantinoesque eviscera. You're tempted to save it for when you need it, but it gives you a sarisfying kill while topping up your ammo. Play the game, you'll see how clever little things like this are.

*There's a bit early on where a pre-recorded message attmpts to explain what's going on. You punch that screen and just keep killing.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 11 June, 2016, 12:14:45 PM
Earth Defense Force 2025 - low maintenance arcade shooter where you play a nameless soldier on the frontline of an invasion of Earth by giant insects, Martian tripods, giant robots, Godzilla-sized spiders and wasps, aircarft-carrier-sized Transformers, and bizarre Lovecraftian constructs.  Basically this is what you'd get if mid-80s heavy metal album covers were interactive.
Not big or clever, but fun if you like your shooters uncomplicated enough to play after you've got in from the pub.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 16 June, 2016, 10:03:38 AM
So I finally buy Just Cause 3 for PC. and it is really brilliant, first time with wingsuit, wooow!!!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 16 June, 2016, 05:39:10 PM
QuoteThis is my kinda shooter. No regenerating health and no reloading weapons.

I honestly don't understand the animosity certain gamers have for regenerating health. To my mind it streamlines the FPS experience and promotes a more fun, dynamic type of gameplay whilst also handily removing the potential of getting hopelessly stuck in an unwinnable situation. It doesn't make a game inherently easier - it simultaneously empowers the player and makes them feel more vulnerable, and makes the player avatar vs the enemy NPCs feel more like a fair fight, whereas I would always feel like an invincible Terminator playing old school FPS shooters.

The old system of health packs always seemed to come down to a war of attrition kind of dynamic, and seems so antiquated to me now. It's one of the only things that makes an otherwise timeless classic like Half Life 2 feel so dated.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 16 June, 2016, 08:18:58 PM
Dead Space - a lot of rough edges, the close-in third person view is kind of annoying, and the story is one of those "I bet that character isn't really there" kinds of predictable and linear to the point I was wondering why bother with "proper"actors to deliver these perfunctory lines to the protagonist, but all in all a decent enough riff on the 3D Metroid template.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 16 June, 2016, 09:39:38 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 16 June, 2016, 08:18:58 PM
Dead Space - a lot of rough edges, the close-in third person view is kind of annoying, and the story is one of those "I bet that character isn't really there" kinds of predictable and linear to the point I was wondering why bother with "proper"actors to deliver these perfunctory lines to the protagonist, but all in all a decent enough riff on the 3D Metroid template.

I gave up on the first. The second and the third were excellent though.

The third has an excellent co-op section, where one player is going insane and sees stuff that the other doesn't. The insane guy sees all kind of batshit crazy stuff and has monsters attacking from all angles. The sane guy sees his co-op buddy seemingly flip and start shooting the empty air.

Played on headphones, where the insane guy starts freaking and asking for help, this has been one of my all time greatest moments of gaming genius
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 17 June, 2016, 01:34:41 AM
Quote from: radiator on 16 June, 2016, 05:39:10 PM
QuoteThis is my kinda shooter. No regenerating health and no reloading weapons.

I honestly don't understand the animosity certain gamers have for regenerating health. To my mind it streamlines the FPS experience and promotes a more fun, dynamic type of gameplay whilst also handily removing the potential of getting hopelessly stuck in an unwinnable situation. It doesn't make a game inherently easier - it simultaneously empowers the player and makes them feel more vulnerable, and makes the player avatar vs the enemy NPCs feel more like a fair fight, whereas I would always feel like an invincible Terminator playing old school FPS shooters.

The old system of health packs always seemed to come down to a war of attrition kind of dynamic, and seems so antiquated to me now. It's one of the only things that makes an otherwise timeless classic like Half Life 2 feel so dated.

I don't think regenerating health is a bad mechanic in and of itself. One of my favourite shooters is Halo, if that game didn't invent it, it definitely popularized it. Although... I think it has become a bit of a crutch. With regenerating health there's a bit of a temptation to hide in a corner until your health recovers. Doom, on the other hand, encourages you to murder demons to regain health. Yes, there are prerendered executions, but they are brief and don't break the flow.

I don't think health packs are better than regenerating health, or vice versa. I just think Doom makes a nice change from the duck and cover rut into which FPSes seem to have fallen. It's about fast paced run'n'gunning. Regenerating health behind chest high walls would break the game's flow. Basically any game mechanic depends on how it's implemented. Regenrating health doesn't work for Doom, health packs don't work for Halo. Games are good when they're not following a formula.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 17 June, 2016, 11:08:34 AM
I really liked Half Life's medstations and HEV chargers.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 17 June, 2016, 06:10:06 PM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 17 June, 2016, 01:34:41 AM
Quote from: radiator on 16 June, 2016, 05:39:10 PM
QuoteThis is my kinda shooter. No regenerating health and no reloading weapons.

I honestly don't understand the animosity certain gamers have for regenerating health. To my mind it streamlines the FPS experience and promotes a more fun, dynamic type of gameplay whilst also handily removing the potential of getting hopelessly stuck in an unwinnable situation. It doesn't make a game inherently easier - it simultaneously empowers the player and makes them feel more vulnerable, and makes the player avatar vs the enemy NPCs feel more like a fair fight, whereas I would always feel like an invincible Terminator playing old school FPS shooters.

The old system of health packs always seemed to come down to a war of attrition kind of dynamic, and seems so antiquated to me now. It's one of the only things that makes an otherwise timeless classic like Half Life 2 feel so dated.

I don't think regenerating health is a bad mechanic in and of itself. One of my favourite shooters is Halo, if that game didn't invent it, it definitely popularized it. Although... I think it has become a bit of a crutch. With regenerating health there's a bit of a temptation to hide in a corner until your health recovers. Doom, on the other hand, encourages you to murder demons to regain health. Yes, there are prerendered executions, but they are brief and don't break the flow.

I don't think health packs are better than regenerating health, or vice versa. I just think Doom makes a nice change from the duck and cover rut into which FPSes seem to have fallen. It's about fast paced run'n'gunning. Regenerating health behind chest high walls would break the game's flow. Basically any game mechanic depends on how it's implemented. Regenrating health doesn't work for Doom, health packs don't work for Halo. Games are good when they're not following a formula.

Fair enough - good points all. I was just curious seeing as bashing regenerating health can often be a kind of knee-jerk response from a certain type of gamer. You're very right in that both can be implemented badly, and not every game can pull it off as well as Halo.

I suppose one of my main complaints with the old system is that it often led to having to backtrack and scour levels for health packs, which kills the pacing and was almost never fun in an action game. It sounds like the new Doom has found a way around this (ISTR the underrated WH40K: Space Marine had a similar mechanic).

QuoteI really liked Half Life's medstations and HEV chargers.

Whereas I thought they represented two overly fussy, old-fashioned gameplay mechanics for the price of one.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 22 June, 2016, 05:44:18 PM
Unravel.

I love weird and 'arty' platformers (Ico, Limbo, Tearaway etc) so this was a joy to play through and happy to recommend for fans of such things.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 23 June, 2016, 02:48:24 PM
Quote from: radiator on 17 June, 2016, 06:10:06 PM
QuoteI really liked Half Life's medstations and HEV chargers.

Whereas I thought they represented two overly fussy, old-fashioned gameplay mechanics for the price of one.

I just enjoyed remembering rationing out the resource as I popped around the labs and getting jumped a couple of times whilst charging up in an area I hadn't cleared out.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 01 July, 2016, 09:11:10 PM
Anyone playing Dying Light? I wonder as there special offer on it, but I get bored after Dead Island, is it same?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 02 July, 2016, 05:46:16 AM
Quote from: Goaty on 01 July, 2016, 09:11:10 PM
Anyone playing Dying Light? I wonder as there special offer but I get bored after Dead Island, is it same?

It is very much the same in most regards. Small differences being: the climbing mechanics are much better and the game is quite a bit harder.

Cheers

Edit: "quite a bit harder" I seem to have surpassed myself with this description. Fucking hell!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 July, 2016, 12:29:40 PM
Probably still worth a shot if you didn't like Dead Island - I really didn't like that game and took a while to get into Dying Light but once I did I wound up loving it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 06 July, 2016, 03:55:46 PM
If anyone liked Limbo and has an XB1 or PC, then hugely recommend Inside. It's a similar length to Limbo (about 3-4hrs depending how fast you solve the puzzles) so the £15 price tag might seem a bit much, but it's polished to perfection and, like Limbo, never seems to repeat an idea and finishes before it runs out of them. It's brilliant, intuitive puzzling with a ton of atmosphere and predictably fantastic art and sound design. It's short, but I'm already midway through a second run I enjoyed it so much.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 12 July, 2016, 10:37:07 AM
Have gone quite mad for Witcher 3 over the last few weeks. Slightly surprised not to have seen more chat about it here.

Normally with this kind of game I play it for a few days then lose interest, forget what I'm meant to be looking for and never play it again. Here I'm amazed to find myself sucked into the storylines and, while most of the missions follow a a few standard templates, they've done a great job of keeping them interesting through the writing. High praise from me considering I think "Take off and blast the evil Bydo empire..." is as much narrative as a game needs.

The only thing I don't like is the stupid Gwent card game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 12 July, 2016, 10:54:30 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 12 July, 2016, 10:37:07 AM

The only thing I don't like is the stupid Gwent card game.

I didn't like it to start with either, but once I got into, it became bloody addictive.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 12 July, 2016, 11:19:04 AM
Witcher 3 is next on my list, I was gonna start it last week but couldnt concentrate due to having a bad cold, poor me.

Try Furi as its free this month on PSN and I think you'll like it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 12 July, 2016, 12:30:42 PM
Gwent has apparently proved so popular that it's getting it's own standalone game - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kmz8-jJ7HM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kmz8-jJ7HM)

Have Witcher 2&3 sitting ready to play, have heard great things about both but found the first game a real slog so am giving it some time before I jump back in!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 12 July, 2016, 12:41:38 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 12 July, 2016, 11:19:04 AM
Try Furi as its free this month on PSN and I think you'll like it.
Actually had a go of this last night. It's alright. I got battered by the second boss's last form.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 12 July, 2016, 03:28:33 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 12 July, 2016, 12:30:42 PM
Gwent has apparently proved so popular that it's getting it's own standalone game - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kmz8-jJ7HM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kmz8-jJ7HM)

Have Witcher 2&3 sitting ready to play, have heard great things about both but found the first game a real slog so am giving it some time before I jump back in!

Yeah I have Witcher 1 & 2 but have kind of given up on 1 after fighting some bloody stupid dogs and discovering some complex crafting thing I can't be arsed with.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 13 July, 2016, 10:02:19 AM
I've yet to get Witcher 3, so may as well wait for the game of the year edition.

I've been slavishly Metal Gear Solid V for the past few months, and have had a hell of a ride.
I loved everything about this beautiful game- even the much derided twist ending ([spoiler]you're not actually Snake / Big Boss[/spoiler]).

For an 80's music aficionado, its up there with GTA Vice City- a great selection of mid 80's classics for your Sony Walkman.
And I've been introduced to Midge Ure's superior version of 'The Man Who Sold The World' too.

I was two trophies away from the platinum, but threw the towel in last night- just can't get that S rank on every mission.

Now its a choice of back to Fallout 4, or starting Uncharted 4- or maybe take up reading again for a few nights!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 13 July, 2016, 10:03:23 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 12 July, 2016, 03:28:33 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 12 July, 2016, 12:30:42 PM
Gwent has apparently proved so popular that it's getting it's own standalone game - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kmz8-jJ7HM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kmz8-jJ7HM)

Have Witcher 2&3 sitting ready to play, have heard great things about both but found the first game a real slog so am giving it some time before I jump back in!

Yeah I have Witcher 1 & 2 but have kind of given up on 1 after fighting some bloody stupid dogs and discovering some complex crafting thing I can't be arsed with.

That's probably one of my biggest problems with the first game, there are a lot of really fiddly systems (like the crafting) and none of them are adequately explained. The other problem is I found the combat absolutely appalling. I really enjoyed the world and the story and got really into that aspect of it, but anytime a fight broke out (which is often) I was grinding my teeth in preparation for the slog of it.

It made it a real struggle to see through to the end, but I wanted to because I've heard they fix a lot of those problems in later games and I don't like to skip an entry!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 13 July, 2016, 10:04:30 AM
I've also finally finished MGSV: Phantom Pain and... this is probably the best unfinished game I've ever played (and I was never big fan of MGS). If Kojima had a chance to finish the game properly this could be my second favorite AAA game after Mass Effect trilogy.

I loved the twist with Venom Snake even though many people seem to hate it. I liked Quiet as a character as soon as I learned how to ignore her ridiculous design.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 13 July, 2016, 10:34:02 AM
Quote from: jacob g on 13 July, 2016, 10:04:30 AM
I liked Quiet as a character as soon as I learned how to ignore her ridiculous design.

She was great.
The ending to 'A Quiet Exit' was a huge gut-punch for me.
I can't be the only one who had a lump in their throat [spoiler]as she guided Pequod to our location[/spoiler].

I also totally regret not taking the opportunity to talk to Stefanie Joosten in Holland earlier this year.  ::)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 13 July, 2016, 12:45:15 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 13 July, 2016, 10:03:23 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 12 July, 2016, 03:28:33 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 12 July, 2016, 12:30:42 PM
Gwent has apparently proved so popular that it's getting it's own standalone game - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kmz8-jJ7HM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kmz8-jJ7HM)
Have Witcher 2&3 sitting ready to play, have heard great things about both but found the first game a real slog so am giving it some time before I jump back in!
Yeah I have Witcher 1 & 2 but have kind of given up on 1 after fighting some bloody stupid dogs and discovering some complex crafting thing I can't be arsed with.
That's probably one of my biggest problems with the first game, there are a lot of really fiddly systems (like the crafting) and none of them are adequately explained. The other problem is I found the combat absolutely appalling. I really enjoyed the world and the story and got really into that aspect of it, but anytime a fight broke out (which is often) I was grinding my teeth in preparation for the slog of it.
Everything I've read suggests the first game is considered to be a bit of a dog. I hadn't heard of the series until this one came out and I'm not remotely bothered about jumping on at this point.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 16 July, 2016, 04:45:12 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 13 July, 2016, 12:45:15 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 13 July, 2016, 10:03:23 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 12 July, 2016, 03:28:33 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 12 July, 2016, 12:30:42 PM
Gwent has apparently proved so popular that it's getting it's own standalone game - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kmz8-jJ7HM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kmz8-jJ7HM)
Have Witcher 2&3 sitting ready to play, have heard great things about both but found the first game a real slog so am giving it some time before I jump back in!
Yeah I have Witcher 1 & 2 but have kind of given up on 1 after fighting some bloody stupid dogs and discovering some complex crafting thing I can't be arsed with.
That's probably one of my biggest problems with the first game, there are a lot of really fiddly systems (like the crafting) and none of them are adequately explained. The other problem is I found the combat absolutely appalling. I really enjoyed the world and the story and got really into that aspect of it, but anytime a fight broke out (which is often) I was grinding my teeth in preparation for the slog of it.
Everything I've read suggests the first game is considered to be a bit of a dog. I hadn't heard of the series until this one came out and I'm not remotely bothered about jumping on at this point.

I thought I'd play them in order and the first one was so bad that I have no intention of trying the third.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 16 July, 2016, 04:46:23 PM
On a separate note, I've just finished Dragon Age: Inquisition - with two of its DLCs.

What an ending! Not sure it was worth 110 hours of my life, right enough, especially as the last 20 hours was a bit of a grind through the story.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 19 July, 2016, 03:20:27 PM
Oooh that reminds me I still have the DLC sitting unplayed for that. I really did enjoy the main game, certainly much more than the first two. It finally feels like the 'Fantasy Mass Effect' series I always wanted it to be.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 20 July, 2016, 10:32:24 AM
got round to having a break from fallout 4 and chucked assassins creed syndicate in...nice just liberated whitechapel but miss the ships from black flag...ordered unity cheap off ebay as well.

and witcher 3 ...started it but kept going back to boston...will revisit soon.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 20 July, 2016, 08:19:22 PM
Fire Emblem: Awakening is getting a good seeing to on my 3DS.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 23 July, 2016, 05:17:36 PM
Getting in some Rocket League practice before they (hopefully) enable cross-platform play.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 July, 2016, 11:51:56 AM
Finished Borderlands The Pre-Sequel last night. Lots of fun, and the Borderlands experience is still a very satisfying and enjoyable game loop as long as you have a buddy kicking along for it. The sections I played on my own I didn't enjoy nearly as much, and a couple of spikey boss fights were pretty frustrating to try solo, but overall a fun game.

Had a try of We Happy Few as well, loved the intro and the setting and then once I got into the world itself it felt a little too free-form for the mood I was in. Will need to go back when I've got the time to really explore it!

The most fun I've had gaming this week has actually been having a go on Job Simulator on the Vive. I picked restaurant chef and standing in a VR kitchen taking orders and finding ingredients and making people's meals and ringing the wee bell when it's done...it was an absolute delight. Have tried more actiony, gritty VR games before but the sheer playful joy of flinging crumpets around and knocking stuff over in my dash to fill the kettle and trying to figure out how the oven works has sold me on VR more than anything previously.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 18 August, 2016, 01:34:09 PM
finally got round to getting fallout shelter...liking despite the waiting...and we've had our first birth.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 18 August, 2016, 02:25:57 PM
Currently working my way up to Overseer status with the Fallout 4 Vault-Tec DLC.
Great fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: PsychoGoatee on 18 August, 2016, 05:24:37 PM
From the previous page, agreed on the MGSV and Dragon Age Inquisition love, great games!

Lately I've been enjoying a lot of Overwatch, DOOM, vintage Duke Nukem 3D, and this cool free game/mod called GoldenEye Source 5.0 for steam.

Also looking forward to Deus Ex: Mankind Divided next week, lotta gamery.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 18 August, 2016, 07:47:22 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 18 August, 2016, 02:25:57 PM
Currently working my way up to Overseer status with the Fallout 4 Vault-Tec DLC.
Great fun.

and nuka world 30th aug!  quite bigger than far harbour it seems.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 19 August, 2016, 03:07:19 PM
I got a mobile game called Out there after a couple of years of it sitting on my slush pile.

It is really rather good. Very weird SF with beautiful artwork and a haunting atmosphere and storyline. Plus some laughs and good gameplay loops. There's a real sense of urgency when you're nearly out of oxygen and fuel, and the last two star jumps have left you with nothing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 19 August, 2016, 03:38:22 PM
Quote from: Grugz on 18 August, 2016, 07:47:22 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 18 August, 2016, 02:25:57 PM
Currently working my way up to Overseer status with the Fallout 4 Vault-Tec DLC.
Great fun.

and nuka world 30th aug!  quite bigger than far harbour it seems.

I think that's the final DLC so I will continue my playthrough when that's out. I'm currently saved at the quest where you're gathering parts for the transporter. Looking forward to it as I decided to wait for all DLC before I continued.

Played the first episode of Telltales Batman and its much like all their other games except Batman! Its set early in his career so lots of scope going forwards. I really like Telltale as I find the choose your own adventure style quite relaxing, the QTE's not so much.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 19 August, 2016, 06:03:02 PM
it is indeed the last one which i'll play with mods and then properly with my vanilla dude.

  What I have been enjoying and surprised myself that I am is "life is strange" which I got free or super cheap recently, a quiet college photography student in an academy discovers she can rewind time,so its like the telltale ones were decisions can have a big effect on the story but without the annoying qte's of the latter( I lost count how many times I died in walking dead cos I didn't know what I was supposed to be pressing...gave up on got for the same reason...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 19 August, 2016, 11:25:21 PM
Just had a blast on the Titanfall 2 multiplayer trial....very impressed,though I really enjoyed the first one as well.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 29 August, 2016, 12:33:22 PM
Bought INSIDE on Friday and completed it yesterday so quite a short game, probably about 4 hours long. Made by the same guys who did LIMBO and is very similar so if you've played that you know what to expect. The puzzles are pretty simple and I was only ever stuck for about 5 or 10 mins until I figured them out. The last 30 mins of the game are brilliant and I think I had a grin the whole time , I wont spoil but trust me its great!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 29 August, 2016, 01:54:25 PM
Inside really is great, short but what's there is polished to perfection.

Been playing Deus Ex: Mankind Divided at home, Deus Ex Go on my tablet on the train and the Deus Ex: MD Breach mode on my lunch breaks at the moment. So, a lot of Deus Ex. Still can't get enough though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 30 August, 2016, 11:03:05 AM
Ahead of my long, long awaited upgrade to the PC's innards, I decided to install The Witcher 2 and see how the old beast handled it. Really well it turns out! Only just got through the prologue (it's a long old thing) but I see why people like this Witcher thing now - first game proved impenetrable with cack fighting and droning exposition, this one is beautiful. Small details like the assassin spitting out snot and water after swimming onboard the ship had me feeling good from the opening cutscene, by the time the dragon attacked I was in.

So. Might have to put off this upgrade a wee bit longer... but think how cheap Deus Ex and Xcom2 will be when I finally get around to it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 12 September, 2016, 07:23:08 PM
well,i got myself battlefield 4 for under £2 and "star trek online" for free!!! ship combats a bit fiddly and hard to control but you cant really complain at that price!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tony Angelino on 12 September, 2016, 07:49:13 PM
World of Tanks. I go through periods where I play it constantly and then don't play it for months.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 16 September, 2016, 12:26:43 PM
Just started Mad Max on the Xbox one,bought it before Christmas but only just got around to it ! My pile of games I haven't started yet gets bigger by the week, including the new Deus x,the latest halo,fallout,remastered gears and borderlands and dying light  ! All them to get in before battlefield one,titan fall 2,call duty infinite and remastered modern warfare...Anyway only  had a couple of hours on Mad Max but I'm really enjoying it  !
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 22 September, 2016, 06:24:04 PM
I've been looking forward to playing the critically acclaimed Dear Esther for a good while so bought it right away now its available on PS4.

Its shite. I could have completed it by holding forward for 1.5 hours nudging left or right occasionally, and the story aint that great either. I don't have anything against walking sims as I quite enjoyed Gone Home recently.

But I am glad I played it as now I can say how shit I think it is. Which is very shit!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 27 September, 2016, 06:27:51 PM
Gonna download Darkest Dungeon on my Vita this evening as I've been looking forward to that for ages! Let the insanity commence.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 05 October, 2016, 03:18:48 AM
More DOOM

Haven't had much time to play games in the past couple of months, but when I found some free time I loaded this old thing up. It really is fantastic. I thought I was done with the whole FPS thing, but DOOM really is spectacular. The best description I have read is that it is a De-boot. It is the the FPS genre boiled down to its basic elements. Murder, kill, destroy. To paraphase Zero "Yahtzee" Punctuation; it's like hanging out with an elderly relative who gives so few shits they were fired from the fertlizer shop.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 06 October, 2016, 03:51:34 PM
MDK?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 10 October, 2016, 02:22:13 PM
Had a long weekend and nothing planned so blasted through Gears of War 4 and oh man did I enjoy it. I loved all the previous games so I knew it was going to feel good to jump back in but was actually taken aback by just how great it feels and how happy I was with the way returning characters were handled. It's a very smart sequel/refresh which structures itself in a way that mixes the old with the new in clever ways.

The structure too means the enemies are really varied and things keep switching up at points (the prologue is a good example, it's a playable history lesson where you get to play battles from previous wars, before you're plonked in present day post-locust). The running vault is a great move too, and so useful that it's hard to imagine it wasn't always there.

Loved it, and already started again on Insane mode (I always play Hardcore first time on Gears games, they're about the only games I don't do a Normal run on first). Multiplayer is super tight and the campaign tickles all the same spots as something like Fast & Furious or Pacific Rim (the latter gets some very heavy nods during the mech/monster battles) so right up my alley. If you've ever enjoyed Gears then it should hit the mark with you in a big way.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: auxlen on 10 October, 2016, 04:39:24 PM
Currently enjoying Dead by daylight....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 13 October, 2016, 09:06:28 PM
Hyper Light Drifter on Steam - picked it up for about a fiver(!!!)

You know that thing when it feels like a game was made just for you? That's what I got with this.

I'd heard it compared to Zelda, but I actually think it's more like Bastion meets Fez. Stunning pixel art graphics and wonderful sound design, with a moody electronic score. Purely visual storytelling and tutorialising (ZERO story waffle or exposition to get in the way of the game) and an open world to freely explore. The combat is tight, tactical and punishingly, satisfyingly tough, offset by generous checkpointing and an addictive, 'I'll get 'em this time" mechanic (putting me in mind of Hotline Miami). Love it!

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tony Angelino on 13 October, 2016, 09:17:38 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 10 October, 2016, 02:22:13 PM
Had a long weekend and nothing planned so blasted through Gears of War 4 and oh man did I enjoy it. I loved all the previous games so I knew it was going to feel good to jump back in but was actually taken aback by just how great it feels and how happy I was with the way returning characters were handled. It's a very smart sequel/refresh which structures itself in a way that mixes the old with the new in clever ways.

The structure too means the enemies are really varied and things keep switching up at points (the prologue is a good example, it's a playable history lesson where you get to play battles from previous wars, before you're plonked in present day post-locust). The running vault is a great move too, and so useful that it's hard to imagine it wasn't always there.

Loved it, and already started again on Insane mode (I always play Hardcore first time on Gears games, they're about the only games I don't do a Normal run on first). Multiplayer is super tight and the campaign tickles all the same spots as something like Fast & Furious or Pacific Rim (the latter gets some very heavy nods during the mech/monster battles) so right up my alley. If you've ever enjoyed Gears then it should hit the mark with you in a big way.

Having played all the previous ones (Gears 2 in particular) I caved in as well and bought this. Only played first few levels but really enjoying it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 17 October, 2016, 11:45:30 AM
I've played it before and I'll play it again.

"Played what? I hear you cry. Resident Evil, that's what!

Finished the game on Hard in a manly 2:24 with no saves! If I wasn't hammering the lager (forcing me to take toilet breaks) I reckon I could finish the game in less than 2 hours!

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Radbacker on 18 October, 2016, 03:08:09 PM
hmmm, i'v ejust realised i've put more that 200hrs nito Mechwarrior Olnine, bril;liant if you like big stmompy Mechs (and the Battletech universe which i adore) but very addictive, its a Free to lay but the Miicrotransaction model is brilliant and with smart play aside from the hero mechs (mechs with unique Hardpoints and a boost to C-bills earning) you really dont have t o spend a dollar on it at all (though it can be hard getting extra Mech Bays without putting the dollars in but you get forur to start with(, i now have over 35 Mechs n my gararge and plenty more to collect but its very balanced no matter what mech you get (thoughthe clan Mechs do have an advantage just one the sheere amount of hardpoints they have, there is only a couple of duffers and even they can be made decent with a bit of modification.
anyone else play?  i'm Radbacker there if anyone else is playing \? Ineed some more recruits for my mercenary outfit we only got 5 members at the moment.

REgards Radbacker 100T Atals coming at ya!!!

Cu Radbacker
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 18 October, 2016, 04:20:06 PM
Rattled through the single player campagin of Halo 5 last week.

What a con. 14 "levels", two or three of which were talking to people and you played Master Chief in only three of them.

Read a review that said it was notable that the protaganists did precisely nothing in terms of advancing the plot, which is true.

And it was piss-easy, which on balance was a good thing as it meant it took under six hours to get through.

Of to start Uncharted on the PS4 now.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 18 October, 2016, 05:38:16 PM
Oh dear. Halo really has lost its way. I never got around to 5, but I thought the rot set in with the very forgettable 4 (or arguably even Reach, which was when they started to conciously mimic CoD rather than forging their own path).

As for Gears, maybe its just me, but while I thought GOW2's campaign was perfection, 3's was ruined by too many concessions to making it 4 player co op friendly. It totally sucked as a single player experience imo. Too much emphasis on spectacle. Gears always worked best with tight little skirmishes vs huge set pieces.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 18 October, 2016, 05:54:51 PM
Never really cared for GoW. Not that it's without merit, but my LEEERRRRROY JEENNNNNNNNNNKINNNNS approach to FPSes just didn't work.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 19 October, 2016, 09:25:02 AM
Quote from: radiator on 18 October, 2016, 05:38:16 PM
As for Gears, maybe its just me, but while I thought GOW2's campaign was perfection, 3's was ruined by too many concessions to making it 4 player co op friendly. It totally sucked as a single player experience imo. Too much emphasis on spectacle. Gears always worked best with tight little skirmishes vs huge set pieces.

Seems like the new team are aware of that - they've cut it back down to 2 players in campaign and it's a much tighter, focussed fight (the whole thing takes place over one night, so there's a real sense of drive and purpose and none of the big set-piece bloat that 3 was sometimes guilty of). If at any point you were a Gears fan then this'll probably hit the spot, I can't put it down.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 19 October, 2016, 10:27:11 AM
Not getting a huge amount of time to sit down for any serious gaming at the moment but still trying to polish off the Bloodborne DLC and the last couple of trophies from the main game. Obviously it's only the easy ones left. Gave up on the game from frustration at one point but glad I went back to it. There are few things more satisfying than finally nailing a particularly troublesome boss. Might get back to Witcher 3 at some point before Christmas.

Elsewhere, I've been absolutely loving Bullet Hell Monday on the iPad. Not sure how it would work scaled down phone size but this is, by some distance, the best attempt at a touchscreen shootemup (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl4SHrD6TGk) I've played. Free too! You can buy different ship types in the game but there's nothing essential missing from the base version. I'm now obsessively replaying a few levels to try and pick up the handful of ludicrously difficult objectives which I've missed whilst reveling in my position as 86th best in the world on one of the challenge levels. Pretty sure I can break the top 50 with a few hundred more attempts.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 21 October, 2016, 06:58:16 PM
I'm playing Crashlands on iPhone, which is a superb 2D top down kinda minecraft terraria clone, with a snappy little story, quirky characters, amusing creatures, and a whole ton of 'just another 10 mins' crystal meth style addictive gameplay. Probably the best game I've downloaded all year!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 31 October, 2016, 11:54:50 PM
Titanfall 2 - in terms of casulal multiplayer fun this game is 10/10. And what is also great the singleplayer campain they added works really nice. It's short, full of cliches but... you know, this works just really good and natural within the genre.

I'm not a big fan of multiplayer fps but Titanfall can be exception.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 01 November, 2016, 08:52:28 AM
Only played the multiplayer so far but loving it !! Spoilt for choice with Titanfall and Battlefield..
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 01 November, 2016, 11:31:44 AM
Quote from: Dr Feeley Good on 01 November, 2016, 08:52:28 AM
Only played the multiplayer so far but loving it !! Spoilt for choice with Titanfall and Battlefield..

The multiplayer on Battlefield is stunning! Destructible environments, and up to 64 players in a game. Combine that with fluid gameplay and a range of WW1 vehicles - Carnage!

The new COD game can crack the Fuck on!

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tony Angelino on 01 November, 2016, 04:53:29 PM
Titanfall 2 and Battlefield are the FPS games to get this year.

my only complaint about Battlefield is that I'm finding it incredibly hard to level up but that is largely down to my advancing years I suppose.

Would love to get the re-mastered Modern Warfare as I loved that game but I don't want to buy Infinite Warfare with it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Radbacker on 02 November, 2016, 11:19:44 AM
god i either need to get myself a new Xbone or PS4  I really need Battlefield 1!!!!!
My house mate that used to share with me we went halvsies in an Xbone but i gave my half to him when he moved out  :'(
Is it worth getting one of these new fangled semi-upgraded consoles or should I just fork out for a second hand original?

CU Radbacker
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 02 November, 2016, 11:26:02 AM
Quote from: Radbacker on 02 November, 2016, 11:19:44 AM
god i either need to get myself a new Xbone or PS4  I really need Battlefield 1!!!!!
My house mate that used to share with me we went halvsies in an Xbone but i gave my half to him when he moved out  :'(
Is it worth getting one of these new fangled semi-upgraded consoles or should I just fork out for a second hand original?

CU Radbacker

Stick with the original version of either console. As I understand it, the new console's are primarily for 4K televisions/vr headsets, so not really worth forking out for.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 02 November, 2016, 02:54:40 PM
Also a lot of shops were selling off the old stock cheap so you might be able to get a brand new original model of either on the cheap.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Proudhuff on 02 November, 2016, 03:00:19 PM
Also a lot of old stock claim shops were selling off cheap old original mod stock so you might be able to model brand new original mod stock on the cheap.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 02 November, 2016, 03:46:27 PM
Quote from: Proudhuff on 02 November, 2016, 03:00:19 PM
Also a lot of old stock claim shops were selling off cheap old original mod stock so you might be able to model brand new original mod stock on the cheap.

We have an eldster down I repeat elster in need of assistance at John Leslie home for the auld & lanky!

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 03 November, 2016, 09:14:13 AM
Finished the Titanfall 2 campaign last night and have to say that was one of the most consistently exciting and inventively fun shooter campaigns I've ever played. It's brilliant, jumping straight back in for a second playthrough. It's short (at about 5-6hrs) but is all killer and no filler which is a rarity these days. Multiplayer is great fun too, hugely recommend the game!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 03 November, 2016, 11:55:42 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 03 November, 2016, 09:14:13 AM
It's short (at about 5-6hrs) but is all killer and no filler which is a rarity these days.

Yup, you can finish campaing in 5 hours, it's why I jumped from single to multiplayer from time to time because wanted to not finish it in one day, spend 30 minutes in campaign, stop at checkpoint, go straight to attrition or mixtape in multi for few rounds and back to campaign.

I know Battlefield is also great but I just prefer sci-fi setting for my shooters and TBH I know that if go to B1 next year there'll be still many players, with T2 I'm not so sure.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 03 November, 2016, 01:52:27 PM
Mrs is away this weekend so looking forward to chilling out with Everybodys Gone to the Rapture

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 03 November, 2016, 01:58:47 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 03 November, 2016, 01:52:27 PM
Mrs is away this weekend so looking forward to chilling out with Everybodys Gone to the Rapture
Want to play this as well but there seems to be some issues downloading it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 03 November, 2016, 02:57:45 PM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 03 November, 2016, 01:58:47 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 03 November, 2016, 01:52:27 PM
Mrs is away this weekend so looking forward to chilling out with Everybodys Gone to the Rapture
Want to play this as well but there seems to be some issues downloading it.

Instead of going through PSPLUS go to the shop, call up the game and add it to your wishlist, then go into wishlist and it will let you download it from there. Its a rough workaround but it worked for me last night.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 07 November, 2016, 10:49:30 AM
Played a bit of the free Vermintide over the weekend. Good fun, bit buggy, not quite up to L4D and found the levels a bit pedestrian (and irritated so much held behind DLC since L4D easily had 6 times as much content on release). Still probably the best Warhammer in 3D made so far. Just wish everyone else didn't know the Witch Hunter was the best character.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: By-Jove on 07 November, 2016, 11:07:02 AM
Love Vermintide and must get back into it. It's very atmospheric of medieval times in a alternate universe or a distorted version of our own world. It just seems so right for that type of game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: By-Jove on 07 November, 2016, 11:35:03 AM
Whoops, that definitely later than medieval times or towards end of it at least.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: By-Jove on 08 November, 2016, 06:57:23 AM
I like the Cavalier.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: PsychoGoatee on 08 November, 2016, 07:58:51 PM
Really enjoyed Duke Nukem 3D: World Tour, they got the same level designers and music composer from back in 1996 for a new episode. And the voice actor of course. Classic FPS level design, lots of fun.

Also still diggin on Overwatch, won over 200 quick play matches. (which means I've probably played 400  :D)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 14 November, 2016, 06:30:05 PM
Osiris: New Dawn - in theory this sounds great: an immersive first-person adventure in which you play a castaway stranded on a remote planet with only the contents of your escape pod to cobble together into something that can replenish your air, help you fashion rudimentary tools, and aid you in growing basic crops, but in practice you bang at one rock to get a shovel, bang at another rock to get some steel, dig up some sand and you have glass, and about twenty minutes later you've build the habitat and vehicle from The Martian just by banging rocks together and have started shooting the local wildlife to relieve the tedium.

I have now ruined vanilla Skyrim forever by giving mods a go.  As far as I can tell, game modding is driven by the twin demands of PC gamers who want sexier female NPCs, and the option to rape horses, but sexual deviancy simulations aside, there are actually loads of really great mods that can completely transform how you play Skyrim on the most basic level to the point that going back to the console version just isn't an option.  My favorites are Moonlight Tales (an expansion of the basic in-game werewolves and their lore), Predator Vision (which is exactly what it sounds like), Falskarr (a huge new area about a third the size of the regular game map), Tytanus (which lets you use a bear, tiger or mammoth as you would a horse), Huskies (adds huskies to the game), Penguins (adds penguins), Climates of Tamriel (an overhaul of the in-game weather and lighting effects), and the ingenious Defeat: Your Money or your Life, which takes one of the most boring parts of playing Skyrim - getting killed unexpectedly and having to retrace your footsteps from your last save - and revamps it as a new game dynamic where you can suffer fates other than death when you fall in combat, depending on the settings you choose and what other mods you have installed: you can be robbed (your fancier armor and weapon items get nicked and you're left for dead in another part of the map), rescued by friendly NPCs (you wake up in a random tavern), sold into slavery (you begin a new quest to escape from a prison), or the enemies have their dogs bum you (you have installed entirely the wrong mod).
There are also mods that allow Dragons to bum you, so clearly someone thought this was a glaring omission from the modern gameplaying lexicon - fucking PC master race - but if you can avoid surprise megareptile buttsecks dropping from the sky for long enough to do the other stuff that's fun and won't be seared onto the back of your eyes until the day you die, modded Skyrim is a real hoot - or at the very least a great time sink.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 15 November, 2016, 11:01:24 AM
WIth the new CPU and the new Motherboard and the new RAM come all those lovely games I never could play... even if the GFX card is a bit limiting, it's surprisingly powerful at the raw stuff (just struggles with the textures, bells and whistles).

Dying Light is proving the most appealing out of the selection so far. Possibly because it's the kind of game my previous rig would have at best, run at a stuttering snails pace and now goes completely smoothly. BUt also because it's quick and easy to pick up and play for short stretches without a long-term goal. Dicking around never feels like a break in the narrative either, though some of that is down to how pants the narrative is so far. The parkour is very fun and my only wish is the fast zombies weren't night time only, so I could have a few around whilst being able to actually see the world around me. Oh and that the bloody weapons weren't so fragile, I find all the modding and building as tiresome as I love jumping from building to building.

For now Mankind Divided (which I thoroughly enjoyed so far but have left on the burner in Prague, overwhelmed slightly by the number of side missions available to me) is on the back burner whilst I get back into faster games. And... maybe there's a little bit of pain when my newly upgraded computer struggles with the shininess of Mankind Divided...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: 500 on 21 November, 2016, 10:24:43 AM
Thread cleaned etc
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 21 November, 2016, 11:10:40 AM
Quote from: Satanist on 03 November, 2016, 02:57:45 PM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 03 November, 2016, 01:58:47 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 03 November, 2016, 01:52:27 PM
Mrs is away this weekend so looking forward to chilling out with Everybodys Gone to the Rapture
Want to play this as well but there seems to be some issues downloading it.
Instead of going through PSPLUS go to the shop, call up the game and add it to your wishlist, then go into wishlist and it will let you download it from there. Its a rough workaround but it worked for me last night.
Bit disappointed that this turned out to be complete shite. On the other hand, I'm glad I didn't pay money for it as I'd thought of doing a couple of months ago.

I've mainly been playing the similarly priced Letter Quest which is basically a throwaway mobile game ported to PS4 and quite addictive. Best word so far is "potentiation."
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 29 November, 2016, 01:32:25 PM
Aye played Rapture for about 2 hours at the snails pace you walk (no way you can call that a fucking run button)  only to have it glitch out with a vanishing waypoint. Now I don't know where to go and cant be arsed starting again.

Bought the new COD just so I can play MW online (part of the problem), won 2nd game of FFA and called a camping cunt on my 3rd. STILL GOT IT!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 29 November, 2016, 05:57:11 PM
Pang.

Played for three hours last night. Good but some parts seem unduly luck based. It was under £4 on PSN flash sale.

Also got Strider at £2.50 and Steamworld Heist at £6.50, which is meant to be great and Vita compatible
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 30 November, 2016, 09:53:54 AM
There will be free multiplayer trial for Titanfall 2 (all platforms, 2nd to 4th XII). So... I urge you to give T2 a try.

https://www.titanfall.com/en_us/news/free-multiplayer-trial/
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 12 December, 2016, 03:05:09 AM
Finally finished GTAV. S'good. The last mission is  bit of a slog, which is slightly disappointing given the immense fun of the earlier missions. Trevor Phillips is probably my all time favourite videogame character. Going to dick about with the online mode now. Mister_Pops is my GTA user name if anyone wants to vicariously shoot me in my big stupid avatar's face.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Arkwright99 on 12 December, 2016, 01:39:51 PM
I've no idea if I've just made a terrible mistake* or not, but I've decided to dive into The Destiny Collection (on PS4).  :o

*'Terrible' because I'm either going to suck badly playing a FPS MMO-type game solo or I'm going to suck really badly if I team up with other players in a fireteam because I'm so inept** at FPS games. How I made it through the 'prologue' on my own, which is designed to be played solo, only dying twice I've no idea. (As far as I can tell if you die and respawn then anything you've already killed stays dead, which helps no end.)

**Not so inept that I didn't finish original Doom or Quake or Hexen II back in the day but I'm used to being able to pause and MMOs seem rather unforgiving in the 'pause and take stock' arena.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 12 December, 2016, 04:03:40 PM
I played Destiny when it first came out for roughly 6 months solid. Its great fun but a huge,massive and gigantic time sink hence why I stepped away before starting another expansion. I*think* there's been a few patches since that make it easier to initially level up yourself/weapons so good luck! Try and get involved with a fireteam and take part on a raid (vault of glass is the one we completed) as these are easily the most fun and rewarding part of the game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Proudhuff on 12 December, 2016, 04:15:23 PM
I played Destiny's Child when they first came out for roughly 6 months solid. They are great fun but a huge, massive and gigantic time sink hence why I stepped away before starting another girl group I*think* there's been a few Little Minx since that make it easier to initially level up yourself so good luck! Try and get involved with a boyband and take part in a gig (moshpit is the one we completed) as these are easily the most fun and rewarding part of the gig
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 12 December, 2016, 05:42:39 PM
 ;)


Playing lots of XCOM 2. Vive la Resistance! I was doing really well (admittedly on 'normal' or whatever rather than 'classic', as found the Strategy game baffling at first and kept dying too many times due to things I didn't understand) and hadn't lost a single troop all the way until researching Plasma guns and power armour.

Then the aliens brought out the big guns too and well, so long my squad of veterans.

Very enjoyable but something not quite the same as XCOM 1. Think I just prefer the idea of defending the Earth over the guerrilla warfare strikes of the sequel.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 12 December, 2016, 06:42:20 PM
Anyone playing The Last Guardian?

Damn fine game. I'm totally invested in the welfare of Trico.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 12 December, 2016, 08:38:22 PM
Just started Titanfall 2 single player,hasn't grabbed me yet..a bit to much platforming ! Multiplayer is great though...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 13 December, 2016, 07:49:18 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 12 December, 2016, 06:42:20 PM
Anyone playing The Last Guardian?

Damn fine game. I'm totally invested in the welfare of Trico.

Completed it today. While some gameplay elements angered me a bit more than I would'v liked, overall I really liked it :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 13 December, 2016, 09:53:56 PM
anyone else tried the resident evil 7 demo yet?  wasn't sure about the fps view but it does work well.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 14 December, 2016, 11:25:21 AM
Quote from: Grugz on 13 December, 2016, 09:53:56 PM
anyone else tried the resident evil 7 demo yet?  wasn't sure about the fps view but it does work well.

Yeah, I'm really impressed with it. Graphics are stunning and the gameplay is more in line with the original games - jumps/scares and mystery rather than the gun-toting mess of games 5 & 6.

Will be getting the game on release day

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 14 December, 2016, 11:45:50 AM
Quote from: Grugz on 13 December, 2016, 09:53:56 PM
anyone else tried the resident evil 7 demo yet?  wasn't sure about the fps view but it does work well.
No, but I started playing the remaster of the original because it was free on PS Plus. Thought maybe I could trust Wesker this time around.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 14 December, 2016, 12:52:56 PM
Quote from: Apestrife on 13 December, 2016, 07:49:18 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 12 December, 2016, 06:42:20 PM
Anyone playing The Last Guardian?

Damn fine game. I'm totally invested in the welfare of Trico.

Completed it today. While some gameplay elements angered me a bit more than I would'v liked, overall I really liked it :)

I'm hearing a lot about this, but so far most people have cited the way the camera/viewpoint works.  I'm quite happy with that aspect of it - unsure what the issue is.

What bits did you have problems with?

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 14 December, 2016, 12:57:33 PM
RE7 demo and the free Xwing VR mission make me want a VR headset more than is sensible.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 14 December, 2016, 01:12:04 PM
Haven't tried the Resi 7 demo yet but got it downloaded. I've heard nothing but great things about it (big return to form, genuinely scary etc.). Feeling quite hyped but it's made me realize I never played RE6. I really disliked 5 and 6 got worse reviews so decided to dodge it.

Now though it feels wrong to skip it and go to 7 so I might pick up the remaster and try to soldier through it for completion's sake! Have built up a bit of an RE collection over the last couple of months thanks to Xbox sales, so have Zero and both the Revelations games to play too. Too many games, too little time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 14 December, 2016, 01:17:48 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 14 December, 2016, 01:12:04 PM
Haven't tried the Resi 7 demo yet but got it downloaded. I've heard nothing but great things about it (big return to form, genuinely scary etc.). Feeling quite hyped but it's made me realize I never played RE6. I really disliked 5 and 6 got worse reviews so decided to dodge it.


RE 6 wasn't nearly as bad as I'd feared, nevertheless I never felt compelled to revisit it for the other two character play-through options (after completing it with just the one).

I really enjoyed RE Revelations 2 - definitely worth a look, not just for completion sake.





Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 14 December, 2016, 01:46:27 PM
I thought 6 was complete dogshit and I quite enjoyed 5. Finished Chris story and couldn't be arsed with the others. Leons is meant to be the most Resident Evil-like.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 15 December, 2016, 06:16:02 PM
it was in that it had zombies in it, but after the first escape the university levels it degenerated into a bit of a mad dash with no real exploration just a mass off zombies and creatures.

  and the worse boss ever the tyrant horsey!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tony Angelino on 15 December, 2016, 08:11:07 PM
Played the R7 demo and thought it was very good. It is scary at times. Hadn't played any of the series in quite a while but seem to remember they were all third person while this was first person.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 16 December, 2016, 10:03:14 AM
Ha, the general consensus on RE6 does not sound good then. I have a 360 copy kicking about and was toying with getting the XB1 remaster, but if it's that ropey I'll just batter through the 360 version to have it done. Seems silly when it sounds like it's not enjoyable, but I just can't skip a numbered entry, no matter how disconnected 7 might be to it!

Speaking of zombies I've been having a bit of a Dead Rising binge lately, with 4 coming out (and being a great deal of fun) I dipped back into the remaster of the first game and wound up hooked and wanting to finish it. It's clunky nowadays but got a ton of nostalgia for it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 16 December, 2016, 11:33:13 AM
Love the first Dead Rising, hate the stupid survivors.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 30 December, 2016, 11:45:43 AM
I dusted off Dragonshard again.Its okay.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 30 December, 2016, 02:07:36 PM
Finished off XCOM 2! Lots of brilliant changes, somehow less appealing than the first one however Not sure I can put my finger on it but think it has something to do with the difference between reacting + defending, and the guerrilla warfare insurgency of the sequel. Something which on reflection it doesn't manage so well, as you typically have to kill all enemies before getting out rather than lightning strike and RUN. Think I will try some of the mods out now though - and a higher difficulty. Already, lost two squads...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 31 December, 2016, 02:27:55 AM
any one playing star wars commander?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 04 January, 2017, 10:41:19 AM
Just got Assassin's Creed Syndicate from a friend and...

I never played AC, there was always many other big and small games that seems to be better fit for me. So this one is my first and I can by mistaken but while it's not that bad I just find ubisoft sandbox formula boring? The Division, Watch Dogs, AC, they're basically the same games with cosmetic changes.

Ofcourse that's the larger problem with almost every sandbox game and industry push for more open world games...

I'll stick with the game for a while but I'm not impressed.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 04 January, 2017, 04:26:12 PM
Playing Battlefield one at the moment,multiplayer is great as expected,single player is a bit to Call of Duty for my liking,just done the Italian level where I have singlehandedly shot down a squadron of bombers then fought endlessly respawning  infantry...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 07 January, 2017, 07:15:10 PM
Once again,Overlord.Trying to be TRULY evil this time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Pegasus P Artichoke on 07 January, 2017, 08:13:02 PM
Finished Star Wars Force Unleashed on the PS3

An enjoyable game, was good fun using force powers and smacking people with a light saber but force lightening was my favourite.

Started Wolfenstien on the 360, almost finished it now and planning on playing Splatterhouse after it or maybe Doom 3, not sure yet
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Grugz on 11 January, 2017, 03:20:19 PM
currently plowing through cod infinite warfare..liking it even though jon snow isn't really a convincing baddy.

  love the space battles as well even if the loading screen of you getting in your fighter drags on a bit before evry mission.

also been replaying star wars battlefront with the scarif dlc  why wasn't the shoretrooper double barrelled blaster included?  or is it an unlock somewhere?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 11 January, 2017, 07:32:20 PM
Struggling with Dishonored 2. Dunno why. I loved the first. This just seems awfully, arbitrarily, difficult.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 12 January, 2017, 09:36:06 AM
You're not the first person I've heard say that Dr X, people I know who loved the first one are complaining that the stealth is way too unforgiving (too tough to predict what the AI will or won't spot and that they're way too observant). It sounds a bit frustrating and has put me off a little, despite really liking the first game. Will still give it a go at some point though.

On a vaguely similar assassinish note I picked up the episodic Hitman game from last year and tried the first mission. Loved it, and wound up playing through that mission half a dozen times trying different things and going for all the challenges and variations. The episodic release didn't really appeal to me at the time, but if all the missions have that level of replayability then it makes a ton of sense. Getting an episode and really milking it over the course of a month instead of just moving onto the next story chapter is a really cool way of playing, and perfect for Hitman.

It's all released now but I might limit myself to an episode a month just to get that experience!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 12 January, 2017, 07:16:51 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 12 January, 2017, 09:36:06 AM

You're not the first person I've heard say that Dr X, people I know who loved the first one are complaining that the stealth is way too unforgiving (too tough to predict what the AI will or won't spot and that they're way too observant). It sounds a bit frustrating and has put me off a little, despite really liking the first game. Will still give it a go at some point though.


I've played another few hours (I'm just about done the third level, out of ten, on hard). I think the issue is that the detection is horizontal. The game wants you to sneak up and over. Me, I think I'll just kill 'em all.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 20 January, 2017, 02:41:41 PM
I'm away on business at the moment (hence all the posts) so have started Chrono Trigger on the DS for the umpteenth time. I adore this game but have never completed it, even on the SNES but am determined this is the time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 20 January, 2017, 03:31:45 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 20 January, 2017, 02:41:41 PM
I'm away on business at the moment (hence all the posts) so have started Chrono Trigger on the DS for the umpteenth time. I adore this game but have never completed it, even on the SNES but am determined this is the time.

Probably my favourite game ever. Great characters (especially Frog), great fighting / encounter system, superb visuals for its day - and incredibly atmospheric (with a top-notch soundtrack.) Virtually perfect.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 25 January, 2017, 08:06:39 AM
Aargh! ChronoTrigger was too impenetrable for me. I got lost very quickly and ended up going round in circles not having a clue what I was supposed to be doing. That kills a game very quickly for me.

I've been sucked back into Skyrim recently, playing thrips ales PS4 version with all the add-ons. Damn, it's good. I can lose five hours at a time to that game!!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 25 January, 2017, 08:47:30 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 25 January, 2017, 08:06:39 AM
Aargh! ChronoTrigger was too impenetrable for me. I got lost very quickly and ended up going round in circles not having a clue what I was supposed to be doing. That kills a game very quickly for me.

Yeah this is why this is my umpteenth attempt at it but I have to say its been very well signposted so far and I *think* I'm now as far as I've ever been (just about to travel through time and see what's behind those magic doors/in those magic boxes.

The visuals hold up incredibly well on the small DS screen and the story is funny, interesting and very creative for and old JRPG. Have to say if it continues this way I suspect it going to find itself in my top 10.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 25 January, 2017, 09:03:50 AM
It's only taken me around nine months to get platinum on Bloodborne. Finally I have some spare time to play... Bloodborne! On hard.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 25 January, 2017, 10:15:31 AM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 25 January, 2017, 09:03:50 AM
It's only taken me around nine months to get platinum on Bloodborne. Finally I have some spare time to play... Bloodborne! On hard.

Got Gud!!! Is this your 4th playthrough, Shadows of Yarnham  >:(

Get invading and ruin someones day  :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: sheldipez on 25 January, 2017, 03:50:39 PM
Recently finished the latest Call of Duty which I enjoyed more than other people (I do prefer sci-fi over the normal military theme so that helps) and I liked how they did a Rogue One with a sarcastic robot and [spoiler]everyone dies heriocally at the end[/spoiler].

And now moved onto something completely different with Final Fantasy IX. Never played it before so thought I'd change that. Four hours in and it seems alright. Four hours in a FF game though is like 15 minutes in a normal game (I am still getting tutorials thrown at me).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 25 January, 2017, 06:32:24 PM
Quote from: Greg M. on 20 January, 2017, 03:31:45 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 20 January, 2017, 02:41:41 PM
I'm away on business at the moment (hence all the posts) so have started Chrono Trigger on the DS for the umpteenth time. I adore this game but have never completed it, even on the SNES but am determined this is the time.

Probably my favourite game ever. Great characters (especially Frog), great fighting / encounter system, superb visuals for its day - and incredibly atmospheric (with a top-notch soundtrack.) Virtually perfect.

Never played Chrono Trigger in my life- will have to get in on VC.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: dweezil2 on 25 January, 2017, 09:57:21 PM
Picked up Watch Dogs on the Wii U on the cheap and currently having considerable fun with it.

Not sure what the other versions are like but although it's rather glitchy and the driving sections are sluggish as hell, it's still worth just over a tenner of anyone's money and it's the only GTA like game the Wii U will ever see.

https://www.gameseek.co.uk/pd/VideoGamesp1e8rmfa26/Watch-Dogs
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: sheldipez on 26 January, 2017, 09:34:41 AM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 25 January, 2017, 09:57:21 PM
Picked up Watch Dogs on the Wii U on the cheap and currently having considerable fun with it.

Not sure what the other versions are like but although it's rather glitchy and the driving sections are sluggish as hell, it's still worth just over a tenner of anyone's money and it's the only GTA like game the Wii U will ever see.

https://www.gameseek.co.uk/pd/VideoGamesp1e8rmfa26/Watch-Dogs

I played it not so long ago on PS4 (so had the very latest patches installed) and was very glitchy too, few missions I had to restart mid way through as a glitch had broke the game (for example there's one bit on the game where you go to a secret base via climbing into a shipping container and hitting a button, the container is meant to move to it's destination then you press the door open button when stopped, no matter how many times I pressed the button either nothing would happen or your guy would phase through the wall then back into the container. Much hilarity). So it's not isolated to the WiiU version!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Pegasus P Artichoke on 27 January, 2017, 06:48:43 AM
Finished Splatterhouse

It didn't reinvent the wheel or anything but still an enjoyable game, perfect for those half hour bursts when I can fit gaming time in. You know what type of game it is when a collectable are pictures of your girlfriend that she obviously sent in the strictest of confidence.

The game also unlocks the original three splatterhouse arcade games which brings back the memories and I think this is the first time the first one has been available out with the arcade...I think.

Now playing Bioshock and its blooming good indeed, plasmid to the face then buckshot. Get in
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 29 January, 2017, 12:22:22 PM
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.

Outstanding game! The graphics are pretty much excellent throughout and the story is very good. My only complaint would be that, for seasoned gamers, it isn't exactly rock-hard, unless your playing madhouse mode (Hard).

It's a return to form for the series, easily surpassing the last two. And there's some free content coming in March.

Heartily recommended!

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Pete Wells on 29 January, 2017, 01:07:51 PM
Just reading through this page and wanted to add my tuppence worth on a couple of games. Firstly, Watchdogs, which is one of my favourite games ever.  Please stick with it, even if it's just for the 'lone hero has to make his way to the top of a gang-filled high rise building to confront a drug lord' mission.  This was as close to a 2012 Dredd game it think we'll ever get and it was awesome!

Secondly:
Quote from: sheldipez on 25 January, 2017, 03:50:39 PM
Recently finished the latest Call of Duty which I enjoyed more than other people (I do prefer sci-fi over the normal military theme so that helps) and I liked how they did a Rogue One with a sarcastic robot and [spoiler]everyone dies heriocally at the end[/spoiler].

I agree! I picked this up for £13 at ASDA and I really did enjoy it. It's very Star Wars in its scope and feel with great aerial dogfights and absolutely epic ground based missions. The missions are seamlessly multi-part too, for example, in one I had to blow up a fuel tower on the Saturn moon of Titan (sadly no bad judges were there.) This consisted of a cool stealthy bit where I had to bypass or snipe bad guys until I got to a rendezvous point, followed by a big 'go loud' section with frantic combat against humans, mecs and power robot thingies, a desperate dash across the surface of the base with a leaking spacesuit, before jumping into my fighter to blow up a load of ships and defences, landing on a platform, scuppering the failsafes then jumping back into my ship and blowing the base to kingdom come! To top it off, when I re-entered space to dock with my warship, the bad guys' destroyer materialised from hyperspace forcing a desperate flight back before they destroyed my carrier and the crew. Phew!

As you can imagine, the production values are spot on. I can see why this didn't appeal to the COD crowd as it's so far removed from previous games, but for us sci-fi nerds, it's ace! Recommended if you can get it cheap.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Colin YNWA on 29 January, 2017, 04:55:40 PM
I know its not the sort of game that's discussed here (when I say I know I of course mean I guess cos I rarely come to these parts being a non-gamer) but I've become hopelessly addicted to 'Star Wars - Galaxy of Heroes' over the last couple of months. Endlessly entertaining for a very generic battling type game thingie.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 31 January, 2017, 10:44:44 AM
I thought I was heading for the finale of Chrono Trigger when it basically opens up the whole world and gives me roughly 7 quests to collect WMD's to beat the big bad. Not a complaint as the worlds great fun to explore and I don't really want it to end yet.

Also I now have a new member of the party I had no idea could join us and they are a brilliant addition.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 31 January, 2017, 10:58:46 AM
Quote from: Satanist on 31 January, 2017, 10:44:44 AM
Also I now have a new member of the party I had no idea could join us and they are a brilliant addition.
Last time around, I bumped him off permanently as payback for Cyrus.

But yes, the game is at its best once you can travel anywhere, anywhen.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 01 February, 2017, 09:26:09 AM
Banned Footage: Vol 1.

Barely a week after the games release the first downloadable content for Resi 7 is out.

Three new modes to play, the first being Bedroom which involves [spoiler] waking up tied to a bed and having to escape[/spoiler].

Second, Ethan must die is a sort of like The Mercenary's from the early games.

Third, Nightmare mode which is exactly what it says. My longest time on that mode is about 5 mins.

Good content but I'm of the opinion that Bedroom was cut from the main game.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 01 February, 2017, 01:29:48 PM
I've resisted the urge to get RE7 for the moment, trying to speed through The Witcher III before the new Switch / Zelda game arrives on my doorstep.

Really glad to hear RE7 has been well received- I look forward to scooping it up for peanuts on Amazon before Christmas!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tony Angelino on 01 February, 2017, 06:19:40 PM
I really enjoyed Resident Evil 7 to begin with.

There is a point where you have to make a decision (which I don't think is a spoiler as I frequently make decisions in relation to all manner of things that happen to me, not just in games) and I've just got really bored with it.

I heard the game was meant to be short. I wish it had been. It just seems to be going on forever. If I ever manage to finish it I will post again.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: sheridan on 04 February, 2017, 03:37:51 PM
On any given day the last game I've played is most likely to be Dungeons and Dragons (depending on the day and week, either 3.5 or fifth edition)...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 05 February, 2017, 12:27:14 AM
Bloodborne

I'm astonished that anyone can consider this anything other than a turd.

It's needless, almost indulgently, obtuse to the point that I feel like screaming. I've been playing games for at least 35 years. How can I not work this one out? Is it me (I doubt it)?

I'm not talking about the "difficulty". I'm talking about the opaque menus and inventory system. I can handle a challenge, but I'm not sure that it should be a challenge to equip a weapon.

After 30 minutes of trying to equip a gun and sword, I gave up. I do not have the time to fight such poor design. If it is this unintuitive in the opening moments then, frankly, I will struggle to actually play the game when the time comes.

Life is too short for a UI that punishes a player. Learning a game can be a challenge, but playing a game should be intuitive.

This is just broken. It's so difficult I can't even reach an opponent.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 05 February, 2017, 09:31:03 AM
Just gone back on Battlefront to get some of the dlc achievements then starting Deus Ex mankind divided...bought it full price when it came out and I'm only just getting around to it ! Saw it for £14 in tesco the other day ! Got to stop buying everything when it is first released....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 05 February, 2017, 10:43:18 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 05 February, 2017, 12:27:14 AM
Bloodborne

After 30 minutes of trying to equip a gun and sword, I gave up. I do not have the time to fight such poor design. If it is this unintuitive in the opening moments then, frankly, I will struggle to actually play the game when the time comes.
The deliberate obfuscation is a fair criticism but can I just (potentially patronisingly) clarify one thing. You do know you don't start with any weapons?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 05 February, 2017, 11:37:07 PM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 05 February, 2017, 10:43:18 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 05 February, 2017, 12:27:14 AM
Bloodborne

After 30 minutes of trying to equip a gun and sword, I gave up. I do not have the time to fight such poor design. If it is this unintuitive in the opening moments then, frankly, I will struggle to actually play the game when the time comes.
The deliberate obfuscation is a fair criticism but can I just (potentially patronisingly) clarify one thing. You do know you don't start with any weapons?

Yep. I died and got a gun and a sword. Then I spent over 30 minutes trying to equip them. Then thought, "I heard it was hard, but this isn't hard it's just obtuse for the sake of it."

It may be great. I don't have the inclination to suffer through poor design. The implementation should be seamless and flawless. It should present the game to me and let me play it. This is an obstable the designers didn't have in mind, or at least shouldn't.

I haven't been so pissed off since I tried to read Trainspotting or A Clockwork Orange all those years ago. Everyone raved about them too. But both were deliberately inpenetrable and, frankly, anything that a player/ reader just cannot access is not art. It's pretentious toss-pottery.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 06 February, 2017, 10:38:54 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 05 February, 2017, 12:27:14 AM
Bloodborne

I'm astonished that anyone can consider this anything other than a turd.

Gotten to!  :lol:

Yeah equipping your weapons the first time is tricky, I think everyone has this issue but trust me its one of the most rewarding games ever once you actually get into it. At least try and get to the first boss before deciding you're not upto the task.  ;)

There's a good video on Youtube Beginners guide to Bloodborne or somesuch (about 10 mins) which answers a lot of the frustrations around weapons, level up, etc.

turd, tsk. It's easily in my top 10 games ever. Me and you are gonna have words on way to London!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 06 February, 2017, 12:45:35 PM
Drokking grud on a greenie, you must be going futsie my fellow squaxx! Trainspotting and Clockwork Orange are hardly impenetrable :P
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 17 February, 2017, 05:43:11 AM
Banned Footage: Vol 2.

Capcom are still churning out the extra content for the new Resi game, but this one lacks the punch of the first set of DLC.

Three new modes...

21 is a card game based on...21. Nice twist though as you basically gamble your own fingers instead of money. Throw in some electrocution and a homemade saw-blade and you have all you need for a fun game of cards. It's actually pretty good.

Jack's 55th Birthday. Jack's hungry, feed him! A lot more fun than it sounds! Run around various locations collecting food for the old man while fighting off enemies. Also brings back the ranking system.

Daughters. Really disappointed with this. You play the part of Jack's daughter in what is basically a short prologue to the main game. There's hardly anything to do and can be completed in a couple of minutes. Wasted opportunity I'm afraid.

Two good modes but overall a bit of a letdown considering how strong the first set of DLC is.

Cheers

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Pete Wells on 18 February, 2017, 08:44:23 PM
Just completed The Last Guardian with my little girl sitting open mouthed beside me. It was a frustrating game, but, because you're trying to train and control a git big beastie most of the time, it made me slightly more forgiving. It looks great and I was totally invested in the relationship between the boy and his beast.  I was genuinely fearful for Trico on more than one occasion so the makers got something right.

I wouldn't pay full price for this and certainly won't be returning to it, but I'd recommend it if you can get it cheap.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 20 February, 2017, 12:40:01 PM
Nioh - If you like Dark Souls/Bloodborne then you'll like this! Very similar mechanics in that you die and have one chance to get your loot back, Bonfires respawn enemies, Equipment has to be balanced against weight, levels loop back on themselves, etc.

What it does do for itself is that there are 3 different stances which are basically strong, normal, weak attacks and the levels are self contained but have various missions for each.

Only on the second level after beating the first boss but so far I'm very much enjoying this.

Dr X need not apply.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 21 February, 2017, 09:46:01 PM
Finished up playing the following:

Metal Gear
Metal Gear 2 Solid Snake
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the patriots
Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain

Each game took one week, besides MGSV which took a bit over 2.

Skipped out on Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker, while fun I think it's story works better summed up in the prequel chapter to The Phantom Pain.

Must say, I quite enjoyed all of them. MG1 has a NES-sy charm to it. MG2SS is straight up a good game. Solid is like it's title says. Sons of Liberty is straight up brilliant both gameplay as well as narrative. Snake Eater is as a bisarr Bond tribute/parody should be done. Guns of the patriots fascinating with it's near pornographic overabundance of fan service. Phantom Pain is a story as well as an experience that really means alot to me.

Besides reliving some of the favorite games of my childhood I also thought it through what each game could'v meant for Kojima (the creator of the series), knowing he more or less tried to hand over the series with each entry. I also gave the narrative some thought, especially with how additions and retcons where handled. Especially MGS2 and V:s way of toying with as well as tying the story to the player.

Can't wait to see what Kojima has in store with Death stranding.

Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_8Qi-I4o9E
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 24 February, 2017, 05:54:18 PM
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens - which kind of sucks.  New features like the multi-build system where you don't know which of multiple builds to make first means that what used to be a fun dynamic is now an arbitrary and repetitive trial-and-error experience, while the blaster shoot-outs suffer from underdeveloped combat mechanics.  It also continues the patience-stretching trend in the Lego games of levels taking an increasingly longer time to play through, to the point I actually fell asleep during the last level I played.  Add cut scenes filled with slapstick comedy that used to be adorable but is now near-insufferable and which cannot be skipped and you have a genuine chore to play.  Maybe kids and/or people new to the series will feel different, but Lego Clone Wars was probably the last time I really enjoyed one of these.

Mad Max - good fun while it lasts, to the point I wrung every last trophy out of this sucker.  Short on setpieces, combat is uncomplicated and fun, with the convoy takedowns a particular hoot to play, though the more successful you are at the game and more gear you acquire, the less it looks and acts like Mad Max.  Gorgeous to look at, with each region being a different kind of post-poxyclips landscape, my favorite probably being Pink Eyes' desolate stretch of Nevada highway that is haunted at night by the gimp monster from Beastmaster - though the Gastown trash heap/junkyard is good, too.

Sheltered - take refuge from nuclear war with your family in a two-room hole in the ground and build and maintain new rooms, more beds, more efficient water and air filters, and then one of your kids dies from radiation or food poisoning and your wife goes insane because you can't let the meat go to waste - and then the survivalists find you and things get a bit grim.  Surprisingly laid-back and fun to play even when everything goes completely to shit and/or you have more things to fix than you have characters available.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Woolly on 24 February, 2017, 06:18:54 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 24 February, 2017, 05:54:18 PM
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens - which kind of sucks.  New features like the multi-build system where you don't know which of multiple builds to make first means that what used to be a fun dynamic is now an arbitrary and repetitive trial-and-error experience, while the blaster shoot-outs suffer from underdeveloped combat mechanics.  It also continues the patience-stretching trend in the Lego games of levels taking an increasingly longer time to play through, to the point I actually fell asleep during the last level I played.  Add cut scenes filled with slapstick comedy that used to be adorable but is now near-insufferable and which cannot be skipped and you have a genuine chore to play.  Maybe kids and/or people new to the series will feel different, but Lego Clone Wars was probably the last time I really enjoyed one of these.

Fully agree with your thoughts on Lego Force Awakens, but still want to recommend Lego Marvel Super-Heroes. Its an original story, and features pretty much all the characters you can think of. And is great!
But don't get Lego Avengers. That ones pretty dull, as it has to stick to MCU characters.

QuoteMad Max - good fun while it lasts, to the point I wrung every last trophy out of this sucker.  Short on setpieces, combat is uncomplicated and fun, with the convoy takedowns a particular hoot to play, though the more successful you are at the game and more gear you acquire, the less it looks and acts like Mad Max.  Gorgeous to look at, with each region being a different kind of post-poxyclips landscape, my favorite probably being Pink Eyes' desolate stretch of Nevada highway that is haunted at night by the gimp monster from Beastmaster - though the Gastown trash heap/junkyard is good, too.

Yeah, Mad Max certainly is fun while it lasts, but falls foul of the old 'as soon as you're fully beefed up, there's no more game' problem. Bit more variety in the enemies wouldn't have hurt either.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: sheldipez on 27 February, 2017, 08:46:30 AM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 24 February, 2017, 05:54:18 PM
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens - which kind of sucks.  New features like the multi-build system where you don't know which of multiple builds to make first means that what used to be a fun dynamic is now an arbitrary and repetitive trial-and-error experience, while the blaster shoot-outs suffer from underdeveloped combat mechanics.  It also continues the patience-stretching trend in the Lego games of levels taking an increasingly longer time to play through, to the point I actually fell asleep during the last level I played.  Add cut scenes filled with slapstick comedy that used to be adorable but is now near-insufferable and which cannot be skipped and you have a genuine chore to play.  Maybe kids and/or people new to the series will feel different, but Lego Clone Wars was probably the last time I really enjoyed one of these.

I have a 7 year old who literally has been playing all of these lego games for his lifetime and we got him this for xmas and he lost interest in it really quick. I think he's done only a few levels and its become n expensive coaster, where he has completely drained all of the gameplay out of the likes of Lego Marvel Super-Heroes including all of the secrets, gold bricks etc.

I've never liked the Lego games though, every time I have had to help him on a level on one of the games over the years (I recall the solution for some of the Pirates levels to what to do next was a bit obtuse) I came away irritated with my experience if anything. I'm not the target audience though!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Arkwright99 on 04 March, 2017, 04:41:36 PM
I'm about maybe 15 hours(?) into Horizon Zero Dawn, hit level 12 earlier today and I really love the game. It's got a great heroine in Aloy and the open world environments look amazing. As someone who doesn't really dig fighting in RPGs (it's a chore you have to get through in order to progress the story) the combat in HZD is working really well for me. Lots of stealth options when tracking machines but even if you have to get into melee with them you can still punch quite hard with your spear, which also doubles as a hacking tool to override certain machines.

Guerilla Games have implemented a really nice acrobatics/climbing/jumping mechanic for the game so as long as you're generally heading in the right direction Aloy isn't going to fall off a tightrope or miss a ledge (vastly superior to BioWare's Inquisition where even walking along a beam was tricky and a misstep can result in you falling off and having to start again (assuming you survive the fall)).

One thing I've noticed, where HZD differs from Dragon Age or Elder Scrolls, is there's no interior access; that is, you enter a village with a bunch of cabins but none of them are accessible. Not really a problem, there's often a sense of unreality in how RPG heroes freely wander into people's homes and help themselves to their belongs. Likewise, lots of homes in HZD have crafting equipment outside but unlike Skyrim none of it actually works, although you can kick over the odd basket or knock a joint of meat off its peg. but it perhaps suggests that GG decided to put their resources into other areas of the game.

The Save mechanism is odd as well as apart from in-game auto saves the only times/places you can save are at campfires dotted across the land, which act as fast travel points as well. Since HZD is a single player game with no multiplayer components the lack of option to save when you want to is perhaps surprising.

I didn't buy my first ever PlayStation last year because I wanted to play Horizon Zero Dawn but I'm jolly glad I did because it's fab. I definitely recommend it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Pegasus P Artichoke on 04 March, 2017, 07:00:04 PM
Just completed Bioshock and its went straight in as one of my favourite games I have played

The setting, the atmosphere, the story, sound effects, characters and weapons were all top class

It's such a well crafted game that even at its more challenging points it never felt too hard or was getting unfair

The setting is so good that I actually found myself wanting to see Rapture in its prime.

First class gaming experience

Next up is God of War 3
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 04 March, 2017, 07:26:36 PM
I've been playing Far Cry Primal for the last couple of weeks and I'm really enjoying it.
I think it was quite a brave move to take what was known as an FPS adventure series (though it was always a bit more than that) and remove all the guns.
It follows Ubisoft's usual open world formula which works well if, like me, you like to pick the game up in short bursts to do one or two quick side quests.
The 'beast master' element is fantastic and I'm really enjoying using the owl to scout out enemy bases in the way I would have used binoculars in previous Far Cry games (then I send my stealthy black jaguar in to thin out the numbers).
Great fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tony Angelino on 04 March, 2017, 10:39:45 PM
I didn't like Far Cry Primal at first but it really grew on me. I've probably had the experience with all the Far Crys that I've played. Not sure about it at first but by the end you really feel like you've gone on this massive journey. Its probably my favourite 'franchise' game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 06 March, 2017, 10:25:00 AM
As part of my catching up with games of the last half-decade, I am playing Wolfenstein: New Order. Too many stealthy bits for a game where you start dual-wielding assault rifles, but it is always fun to kill some comic book nazi robot bad guys with a machine gun in each hand. The sad eyes of BJ Blazcowitz stand at odds with some of my antics (and he's in great shape for a 14-year catatonic, unlucky for the Hun) but it generally manages to be pulpy-serious rather than take itself too earnestly. An old school shooter that is about 1000X more appealing than another Call of Duty FOLLOW THE MAN shooter
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 06 March, 2017, 10:39:13 AM
Still playing Deus Ex Mankind Divided, it really hasn't grabbed me like the earlier ones did...and a bit of For Honour inbetween, which I'm not very good at !
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 06 March, 2017, 10:44:01 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 06 March, 2017, 10:25:00 AMI am playing Wolfenstein: New Order.

This has one of my favourite quotes from a game, Fergus says something similar to..."Blazkowicz you magnificent Twunt!".
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 06 March, 2017, 12:38:37 PM
Yeah he's the best character easily. Was the decision of about 1 second when the choice was between saving the grizzled scottish hardcase or the bland American youth.

QuoteStill playing Deus Ex Mankind Divided, it really hasn't grabbed me like the earlier ones did

Yeah I have let this cool for a while now. Think it really undermines itself by dropping you in Prague without any real urgency to go do your mission and act like a real person. So basically I spent hours and hours dicking around being a weird vigilante/fixer for the people of Prague before I even reported in to my superiors.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 07 March, 2017, 09:36:07 AM
Incidentally I just finished the second Deus Ex: Mankind Divided DLC, Criminal Past. Have to say I really didn't enjoy it very much, and given I can't remember anything about the last DLC whatsoever it's safe to say that pricey season pass wasn't great value! This one just felt a bit messy and unfocussed. I never felt particularly confident that I knew where I was going or what the story hooks were, it was all a bit meh.

My feelings on the main game are similar to what I've seen mentioned here, I liked it but it just didn't stick in my mind or really grip me the way Human Revolution did. I loved that game so much, and apart from looking the part this one just didn't quite click with me in the same satisfying way. I am looking forward to playing through it again at some point on Hard, and maybe on a second visit it'll engage me a bit more.

Really hard to pinpoint why I was a bit cool on it though, it seems to be doing everything right. One point of annoyance is that (and I hope this isn't a spoiler) it doesn't really wrap up, it just sets up for a sequel (which is now apparently cancelled). When it ended it didn't feel like I'd finished a game, it felt like I'd finished a level but couldn't start the next one. Annoying.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 08 March, 2017, 12:57:09 PM
Horizon Zero Dawn answers the question we've all asked: "what if Princess Mononoke was a ginger Native American who fought Zoids?"
A really fun game, though from the off it doesn't quite come together as much as it should, from the slightly unreal quality of the clunky dialogue, heavy reliance on rote plot beats, jarring graphics glitches and an unclear trading mechanic, but eventually you put all that behind you and get on with the enjoyable pastime of finding the biggest robot dinosaur you can and ruining that fucker's day.  I got a bit distracted knacking dinobots to the point that when I went back to the story, the big effers I was by then hunting for fun - Thunderjaws, Stormbirds - were story bosses that I waltzed past without any trouble, and then the story was done and I had a platinum trophy - hard it is not, but it's a laugh while it lasts.

One thing that did bug me, though: at some point it twigged that this was supposed to be an RPG, but it isn't.  It's an action/exploration game with a level system, and an RPG only in the way the Zelda games were - though fair warning my knowledge of those stops with the GBA titles.  There's a branching dialogue system that has surface similarities with those featured in Fallout 4 and the latter Mass Effect games, but your choice of dialogue is pointless as there's only one ending to the game and you don't develop any skills or new game elements based on your choices.  This annoyed me because you're supposed to be playing as an emotionally-stunted savage, but her story and the choices available to her preclude that ever having any bearing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Arkwright99 on 08 March, 2017, 01:12:27 PM
I reached Meridian in my playthrough of Horizon Zero Dawn last night and, wow! it really put Bioware's 'big cities' such as Denerim and Val Royeaux in Dragon Age to shame. Guerilla's Meridian isn't just a random 'quarter' that gives you access to a few shops and plazas with citizens standing around spouting random dialogue. It feels like a really bustling environment with NPCs moving around creating a semblance of activity and big enough that you can get lost wandering down a random alley. My previous comment about not being able to enter habitats still stands though since then there have been a couple of plot-related dwellings that you do get to go into and have a snoop around. The game also gives you reasons (if you want them) to return to Meridian so while I feel I've only had a cursory glance at what's going on in the city I don't feel I have to explore it all now, I can take my time and wander around a bit further next time I visit. Very impressive.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 March, 2017, 06:07:22 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 06 March, 2017, 10:44:01 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 06 March, 2017, 10:25:00 AMI am playing Wolfenstein: New Order.

This has one of my favourite quotes from a game, Fergus says something similar to..."Blazkowicz you magnificent Twunt!".

"I'm on the melon-farming moon" is a goodie too.

I loved this and its prequel, The Old Blood (or maybe The New Blood, can't remember)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 08 March, 2017, 07:22:11 PM

QuoteThis annoyed me because you're supposed to be playing as an emotionally-stunted savage, but her story and the choices available to her preclude that ever having any bearing.

Still though, hunting giant robot dinosaurs eh? That's probably as much story as I need!  :D

Massively enjoying this game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 09 March, 2017, 02:22:59 PM
I was miffed at it pretending there was some kind of complex storytelling going on when everyone is playing it for the dinobot-twatting.  I know I certainly was.
Also forgot to mention the game world, which is gorgeous - though the Arabian-inspired sections take it firmly away from post-apocalyptia and into fantasy territory even if the existence of car wrecks and streetsigns didn't already do that.

Totes forgot I took a weekend to play Uncharted 4 - and when I say I "took the weekend", I really mean it, as this is one slow-ass game.  The flashback vignette levels go on far too long, as do the cutscenes, and while it's nice to get closure on the characters of Nathan and Elena (I'm a huge fan of the series and have the triple platinum PSN trophies to prove it - yep, even got the online trophies and I never play games online), the story feels overly-indulgent in order to get to that closure.
The game itself is great - beautiful to look at, some clever and involving puzzles, and as usual the combat is fantastic, with the multiple options meaning you'll find a setting that suits your playing level, whether you want to enjoy the spectacle without ever dying, or - for whatever reasons - run a crucible of frighteningly competent gunmen who sniff you out when you hide and rush you if they hear the click of an empty magazine because they know you're reloading (which means you can also trick them into leaving cover and blast them by changing weapons, or push them into cover with blind fire and then toss a grenade behind them).  As always, the game is as challenging as you want it to be, and as always it has annoying and arbitrary button-mashing cutscenes where it feels like nothing you do has any effect on the outcome of events, especially the slightly-tweaked brawling system which makes encounters with one character in particular an annoyance.  The end boss is one of these encounters, harking back to the first game's much-loathed final battle, in which what should be a spectacular setpiece[spoiler] swordfight to the death in a burning pirate ship [/spoiler]is instead just you finally giving up and deciding to hammer one of two button choices over and over again until the 50/50 odds come up with a winning streak in your favor.  Then you don't even get to do an exciting escape[spoiler] from the ship[/spoiler], you just get an hour of cutscenes and playing a combat-free Epilogue [spoiler]where a tween girl walks around an empty beach rather than have to play a level of Crash Bandicoot.[/spoiler]
I sound a bit down on it, and to be honest, this was my least favorite of the Uncharted games - even less so than the gimmicky Golden Abyss - but it was really good fun, as well as occasionally spectacular to look at.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 10 March, 2017, 12:49:57 PM
Quote from: Arkwright99 on 08 March, 2017, 01:12:27 PM
I reached Meridian in my playthrough of Horizon Zero Dawn last night and, wow! it really put Bioware's 'big cities' such as Denerim and Val Royeaux in Dragon Age to shame. Guerilla's Meridian isn't just a random 'quarter' that gives you access to a few shops and plazas with citizens standing around spouting random dialogue. It feels like a really bustling environment with NPCs moving around creating a semblance of activity and big enough that you can get lost wandering down a random alley. My previous comment about not being able to enter habitats still stands though since then there have been a couple of plot-related dwellings that you do get to go into and have a snoop around. The game also gives you reasons (if you want them) to return to Meridian so while I feel I've only had a cursory glance at what's going on in the city I don't feel I have to explore it all now, I can take my time and wander around a bit further next time I visit. Very impressive.

What I love about Horizon is that finaly after years from Red Dead Redemption there's is sandbox game where I actually want to spend hours after hours just for fun of exploryng, wandering from quest to quest.

HZD is perfect patchwork of what works in every action and sandbox games without failures of modern pointless Ubisoft style open world games. It's not rpg (and I don't know why Sony advertise game as one) but 100% action game. I hope I continue to enjoy the game as I go further in story.

How can I not love the game where I am feisty female robohunter and world around me looks like that:

(https://68.media.tumblr.com/82333e2af7477a2e63489be420844d7a/tumblr_omlnmulCa11tyl8qlo1_1280.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 10 March, 2017, 05:38:51 PM
My favorite part was when you had to conceal your identity when entering a certain area of the game by donning a domino eyemask, which is all you need to conceal that you are a seven foot tall redhead - the only Caucasian person on the face of the Earth, no less - walking around an Arabian city carrying a giant spear covered in glowing CGI glyphs.  Yes I am pointing this out about a game where you hunt giant robot dinosaurs in Planet of the Apes times, shut up.

Another couple of things: you can tame a Stormbird and Glinthawk, but you can't mount them and then fly around on their backs like you're on a mid-80s heavy metal album cover - that is bullshit, game developers - and Alex Garland didn't copyright his story for Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, did he?  Not asking for any particular reason, just curious.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 16 March, 2017, 12:26:04 AM
Well, I just finished The Witcher 3, after (according to Steam) 168 hours, playing roughly 2-3 hours a day since October. This game has depth.

Me and this game didn't see eye to eye to begin with. The protagonist seemed ridiculously gruff, like he smoked 86 a day and gargled gravel. The opening dream sequence (yeah) had bits that seemed to be taking its cues from a post 11pm Channel 5 show circa 1998 with its crass titilating nudity. The controls and combat system weren't all that intuitive. To be fair I'd come off a Skyrim binge, it took me a while to realize I couldn't just mash the attack button and spam potions when my health got low.

BUT

By the end of the tutorial zone, I was astounded. Yes it had the typical RPG stuff. Go there, kill that, collect 23 of these, yet there was more to it than that. There were about half a dozen unrelated quests, where if you took the time to explore every branch of the conversation tree, revealed a hidden backstory. It made you feel like you were in a real place with real people. That was just the tutorial zone. Later in the game you meet these insignificant NPCs, and their stories had developed even further.

And none of this stuff had any baring on the main story.

The combat system I originally hated, became beautiful once I realised you had to be a bit more tactical and defensive. The whole thing is set up to oppose any kind of minimaxing. You have to learn the weaknesses of the HUGE variety of monsters. Beautifully grotesquely designed monsters. Of which there are many to kill. The thing is you're not a heroic monster slayer, you're just plying a trade, to little acclaim, and sometimes outright prejudice and hostility. There was a side quest where I thought I was hunting a werewolf, but it turned out I had to resolve a love triangle.

And none of this stuff had any baring on the main story.

The main story is great by the way. Geralt (the protagonist) grows on you too, once you realize he's a sarcastic bastard, fond of Dad Jokes. And the Trolls in this game are fucking adorable. I still can't figure out why everyone in this game wants to play Yu-Gi-Oh/Magic the Gathering.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 16 March, 2017, 01:29:18 PM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 16 March, 2017, 12:26:04 AM
Well, I just finished The Witcher 3, after (according to Steam) 168 hours, playing roughly 2-3 hours a day since October. This game has depth.

I've had this since before Xmas and this is exactly why I haven't started it. I'm scared. Same goes for Skyrim.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 16 March, 2017, 10:46:33 PM
Play modded Skyrim for a bit - you're practically guaranteed never to play the regular game again.

Alien: Isolation - I know a lot of people liked this, but by Cripes, this is one clunky game, choked by dated play mechanics.  Some of the puzzles hinge on your character not just stepping over knee-high obstacles and having to take a circuitous detour instead, and the character models and voice acting are gash and take you right out of the story.  The environments and aesthetics - recreating the industrial late-70s sci-fi look, down to anachronistic cassette tapes and cathode ray screens - are great, though it didn't take long to see why I abandoned this the first time I played it.
Mirror's Edge: Catalyst - fuck, what a mess.  There's a bit where I stepped onto a roof and saw the city for the first time and it was just a bunch of shapes and garish colors with no sense of depth or scale to separate them.  The thematically-appropriate antiseptic high contrast visual style of the first game has given way to something that looks like a Deviantart jam session by bored high school art students who just discovered that their copy of Photoshop does lens flares, and the lack of cohesion extends to the terrible control layout that shifts the combat controls from the shoulder triggers to the front buttons and doesn't let you remap, so you can't attack and turn at the same time, and all to include an utterly useless "focus shift" dynamic that's about as much use as a fart in a chocolate kettle.  Even the story is a bloody mess, discarding the simple and effective sibling drama of the first game in favor of some generic dystopian crime dross which retcons the main character from an adult to a teenager for some reason.  Highly disappointing.
This War Of Mine: The Little Ones - fab-but-drab mobile game This War Of Mine makes the jump to console and to add a little variety to watching your characters refuse to do what you tell them because you traumatised them when you broke into someone's house and knifed them to death over a tin of dogfood, kids are now added to the mix, so you can traumatise them and/or watch them die of starvation/dysentery after weeks of being depressed.  There's a whole gameplay dynamic which involves nothing more than you talking to a character that's crying in order to convince them not to top themselves.  More fun than it sounds.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 16 March, 2017, 11:30:01 PM
Very Useful Dragons coupled with the one that replaces dragon roars with Macho Man Randy Savage trash talk are the best Skyrim mods.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 17 March, 2017, 10:53:28 AM
That is provably untrue. (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/51657/?)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 20 March, 2017, 01:26:07 PM
I loved Alien Isolation. Play on a controller for force feedback with headphones on. Never had the niggles you did other than one or two CANT I JUST JUMP OVER THIS moments.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 20 March, 2017, 03:40:41 PM
RESIDENT EVIL 4 on the WII (via the WII U).  I'd forgotten how much fun it is. Love the overshoulder gun mechanic - works a treat with the Wiimotes.

Tiny Tips also decided to play it. He thinks it's great too (but was expecting it to be a bit "meh!" because it is "such an old game").
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 23 March, 2017, 11:23:06 AM
Played 10hrs of Mass Effect Andromeda over the weekend on the EA Early Access trial, and been absolutely itching for its proper release today so I can jump back into it. It seems to be getting a bit of a kicking (and yeah, some of the animations lack polish) but all the anger on the internet seems totally out of proportion and makes me feel like everyone is playing a different game to me. As a huge fan of the series I couldn't be happier so far. That goosebumpy thrill of playing Mass Effect again is great enough that I can (so far) look beyond the rough edges. Haven't seen anything broken or that would hamper my thrill power at all.

Multiplayer is great too, and I'm really enjoying the new prequel novel and can't wait for the new comic series to start up. They've always done a brilliant job with the extended universe (I rewatched the anime movie at the weekend and it's cracking) and as it's hands down my favourite series out there I'm always keen to devour anything ME-related so I'm buzzing that there's a bunch of stuff happening. Not sure there's another series that makes me feel this engaged and excited, I love it so much!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: SIP on 23 March, 2017, 12:08:09 PM
Yeah, was big fan of the first 3 and was looking forward to this but the reviews have been largely negative on many of the aspects of the game. Glad to hear you are enjoying it. Think I'm going to pick it up second hand as choke at the thought of paying £40+ for a game. Will pick it up for 30 in a couple of weeks.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 23 March, 2017, 12:53:04 PM
Quote from: SIP on 23 March, 2017, 12:08:09 PM
Yeah, was big fan of the first 3 and was looking forward to this but the reviews have been largely negative on many of the aspects of the game. Glad to hear you are enjoying it. Think I'm going to pick it up second hand as choke at the thought of paying £40+ for a game. Will pick it up for 30 in a couple of weeks.

I've only ever played 3  part waty through - thought it was fun but way too cut-sceney.

I'm struggling with the concept of £60 for a Switch game.  Managed to pick up a pre-owned Zelda because after two weeks, the person returning it thought it was "too big"
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 23 March, 2017, 01:24:26 PM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 23 March, 2017, 12:53:04 PM

I'm struggling with the concept of £60 for a Switch game.  Managed to pick up a pre-owned Zelda because after two weeks, the person returning it thought it was "too big"

Only £48 (new) on Amazon, Tips; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Legend-Zelda-Breath-Nintendo-Switch/dp/B01N1083WZ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490275331&sr=8-1&keywords=ZELDA+BREATH+OF+THE+WILD

Well worth £60 (€70) anyway!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Sandman1 on 23 March, 2017, 11:01:28 PM
Quote from: jacob g on 10 March, 2017, 12:49:57 PMWhat I love about Horizon is that finaly after years from Red Dead Redemption there's is sandbox game where I actually want to spend hours after hours just for fun of exploryng, wandering from quest to quest.

I would include Witcher 3 in that comment.

Quote from: jacob g on 10 March, 2017, 12:49:57 PMHZD is perfect patchwork of what works in every action and sandbox games without failures of modern pointless Ubisoft style open world games. It's not rpg (and I don't know why Sony advertise game as one) but 100% action game. I hope I continue to enjoy the game as I go further in story.

Horizon has definitely some role-playing elements, like the pretty basic upgrading system.

Quote from: Keef Monkey on 23 March, 2017, 11:23:06 AM
Played 10hrs of Mass Effect Andromeda over the weekend on the EA Early Access trial, and been absolutely itching for its proper release today so I can jump back into it. It seems to be getting a bit of a kicking (and yeah, some of the animations lack polish) but all the anger on the internet seems totally out of proportion and makes me feel like everyone is playing a different game to me. As a huge fan of the series I couldn't be happier so far. That goosebumpy thrill of playing Mass Effect again is great enough that I can (so far) look beyond the rough edges. Haven't seen anything broken or that would hamper my thrill power at all.

I'm probably just buying the game because it takes place in space. I'm grossly biased when it comes to anything that has to do with space. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 23 March, 2017, 11:51:10 PM
Quote from: Sandman1 on 23 March, 2017, 11:01:28 PM
Quote from: jacob g on 10 March, 2017, 12:49:57 PMWhat I love about Horizon is that finaly after years from Red Dead Redemption there's is sandbox game where I actually want to spend hours after hours just for fun of exploryng, wandering from quest to quest.

I would include Witcher 3 in that comment.


Seconded. I found myself only playing W3 main quests just to unlock new areas and side quests.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 24 March, 2017, 09:29:33 AM
I'm not a fan of Witcher (as a series) so there's is a reason why I excluded W3 from my post ;) Maybe cuz I played Witcher from first entry where I hated many small things about him, and maybe because Witcher 3 was so buggy after release I was to disappointed to gave him full atention after first two or three patches.

I get why people like W3, but I can't (and I tried few times).

On the other hand HZD gave me simple and well crafted fun I needed after so many disappointing new open word games.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 24 March, 2017, 01:54:38 PM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 20 March, 2017, 03:40:41 PM
RESIDENT EVIL 4 on the WII (via the WII U).  I'd forgotten how much fun it is. Love the overshoulder gun mechanic - works a treat with the Wiimotes.

After the original Doom I think RE4 is the game I have bought the most versions of. I consider it to be an absolute fucking masterpiece. It manages to include both QTE's and escorting NPC's without being completely dreadful. The village siege near the start just never, ever gets old.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Sandman1 on 26 March, 2017, 03:43:36 PM
Quote from: jacob g on 24 March, 2017, 09:29:33 AMOn the other hand HZD gave me simple and well crafted fun I needed after so many disappointing new open word games.

The world in Horizon has definitely a naturalistic beauty and allure, but its human population is dull and they use awful clothes. The lore, characters and mysticism in The Witcher series is much more appetizing.   
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 26 March, 2017, 05:00:19 PM
Quote from: Sandman1 on 26 March, 2017, 03:43:36 PM
The lore, characters and mysticism in The Witcher series is much more appetizing.   

Agree to disagree, I hate character writing in Witcher series (lockeroom humor of NPCs is the worst) and maybe because I read the books I can't get behind lore aspect that much, it's nothing new for me and it's much weaker than original.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Sandman1 on 26 March, 2017, 10:44:34 PM
Quote from: jacob g on 26 March, 2017, 05:00:19 PMAgree to disagree, I hate character writing in Witcher series (lockeroom humor of NPCs is the worst).

Do you have any examples of this?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 26 March, 2017, 11:48:57 PM
Quote from: Sandman1 on 26 March, 2017, 10:44:34 PM
Quote from: jacob g on 26 March, 2017, 05:00:19 PMAgree to disagree, I hate character writing in Witcher series (lockeroom humor of NPCs is the worst).

Do you have any examples of this?

"My favourite type of magic" scene for example.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: TordelBack on 27 March, 2017, 12:01:39 AM
Throbbing unfulfilled desire for a Nintendo Switch and Breath of the Wild has sent me into full-on Zelda nostalgia, so I've been playing a *lot* of Legend of Zelda (1986) on the 3DS Virtual Console.  It really is a fantastic game, but I'm trying to win at least the first quest with just a PDF of the original English-language manual and no other walkthroughs or hints.  It's given me a real appreciation for the sheer scale of systematic grinding that must have gone into ferreting out all its secrets pre-internet: I can see no logical way of working out where the hell the various secret chambers are in Overworld, other than planting bombs/setting fires at every possible rockface and bush sprite.  Which I won't be doing. Ever.     
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Sandman1 on 27 March, 2017, 04:09:52 PM
Quote from: jacob g on 26 March, 2017, 11:48:57 PM"My favourite type of magic" scene for example.

A few exceptions in a series with an overall high standard.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 27 March, 2017, 05:15:38 PM
Quote from: Sandman1 on 27 March, 2017, 04:09:52 PM
Quote from: jacob g on 26 March, 2017, 11:48:57 PM"My favourite type of magic" scene for example.

A few exceptions in a series with an overall high standard.

I really don't get it why you asked for examples when you clearly had your answer before I even wrote mine.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Sandman1 on 27 March, 2017, 10:16:48 PM
Quote from: jacob g on 27 March, 2017, 05:15:38 PMI really don't get it why you asked for examples when you clearly had your answer before I even wrote mine.

I thought maybe you had a whole Christmas list full of examples.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 28 March, 2017, 11:47:22 AM
Oh, don't be like that. You asked for examples, and he gave one.

I think the Witcher is great and though some of the writing veers on the Carry On style of humor (or for a loftier example, Shakespeare and the cheap seats), it's a refreshing change from the serious po-faced nature of much of fantasy and fits in with the pretty crass nature of existence as a faux medieval peasant. It stands as an interesting contrast to the depth of world-building and intricacy of lore, character and political tension that the series is more well known for, and I don't think it really suffers for it though.

To each their own though. I mean how anyone could think Alien Isolation was rubbish completely baffles me...I've never been so tense in my own living room.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Sandman1 on 28 March, 2017, 02:56:37 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 28 March, 2017, 11:47:22 AM
Oh, don't be like that. You asked for examples, and he gave one.

Don't be like what? You have misjudged me if you think I had malicious intent.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 28 March, 2017, 03:47:41 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 28 March, 2017, 11:47:22 AM
I think the Witcher is great and though some of the writing veers on the Carry On style of humor (or for a loftier example, Shakespeare and the cheap seats)

I suspect it also has its roots in the series' Xbox-exclusivity around the time that Microsoft - for whatever reason - decided to actively pursue the jock douche gaming demographic despite growing awareness of console gaming's increasingly-diverse audience.

QuoteTo each their own though. I mean how anyone could think Alien Isolation was rubbish completely baffles me...I've never been so tense in my own living room.

Dated gaming mechanics pretty much killed my enthusiasm - although ten years ago it would have been great.
It actually made me think of Alien Resurrection way back on the PS1, a great game from which Isolation borrows pretty heavily, and which also had the misfortune to come out a couple of years too late.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 28 March, 2017, 04:01:57 PM
Yeah you were who I was referring to :P To me Alien Isolation was an FPS version of an adventure game, with the added bonus of a terrifying monster stalking you throughout the station. It's a running and hiding game and to me the clunkiness made me feel more vulnerable. I can only really think of one knee-high obstacle I couldn't jump over...

I loved Alien Resurrection. 1g0tp1nk8cidb00ts0n! Such a good shooter.

(Don't think you can blame XBox exclusivity/BroGamers as it's always been a PC series - think it lies at CD Projekt's feet and the legendary sexual prowess of Gerald in the original works. Though the latter is a second-hand impression).

I'm playing Pillars of Eternity at the moment and after bouncing off it at first, I have slammed the difficulty down and enjoying the plot much more than the combat. I just don't have the time for it anymore and the RPG mechanics are a bit too crunchy for me to work with, so I'll just steamroll through the hordes and only get involved with the boss fights. Interesting world and beautifully drawn.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 02 April, 2017, 06:50:01 PM
I just stoped playing Andromeda for a moment to checked Nier: Automata and... I don't think I'll be back to Andromeda anytime soon.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Judge-Wolf on 04 April, 2017, 10:00:52 PM
Ive been playing transport fever. With the new update urban games gave to it, the game is amazing to play now.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Pegasus P Artichoke on 06 April, 2017, 09:02:16 AM
Just completed Vanquish and it's a great wee third person shooter with lots of energy and it's pretty action packed throughout. Graphics are still good looking and the banging techno soundtrack just adds to the whole experience.

A very enjoyable game and it's sad that the sequel hasn't really came to anything

Started to play Dead Space now and it's very good so far
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 06 April, 2017, 09:16:50 AM
Vanquish is one of my favourites - love that game. I find it hard to believe that there isn't more of a market for that brand of fast paced, arcadey action.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Arkwright99 on 06 April, 2017, 03:17:48 PM
Finished Horizon: Zero Dawn (after almost 143 hours) last night. Very happy with it. Loved learning the story behind Project Zero Dawn and Elisabet Soubeck/GAIA/HADES and think Aloy is a great protagonist and very much enjoyed playing as her. I hit Level 50, got all the Skill Trees and have (so far) unlocked 81% of the Achievements and the only ones left that look unachievable (for me) are the Hunting Lodge Time Trials (particularly the Blazing Sun-level rewards).

As I've noted before, from an RPG perspective HZD maybe isn't as fully-formed as existing franchises like The Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age or Mass Effect but for a first try RPG from an existing FPS developer it's an incredible debut.

I can see a lot of room for development/improvement in any sequel. The only thing I'd be worried about would be adding more standard RPG elements - more sophisticated dialogue paths, more meaningful in-game decisions and more complex relationships (romances?) with NPCs - at the expense of the existing RPG elements that make HZD so enjoyable.

To be fair, I'm a little doubtful about the re-playability aspect of the game (compared to say BioWare's offerings) but as a one-off experience, as Planescape: Torment, Baldur's Gate, Grim Fandango or even The Witcher 1 were for me back in the day, I had a lot of fun discovering the world of Horizon.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Woolly on 06 April, 2017, 09:19:53 PM
Quote from: jacob g on 02 April, 2017, 06:50:01 PM
I just stoped playing Andromeda for a moment to checked Nier: Automata and... I don't think I'll be back to Andromeda anytime soon.

Bought NieR:Autonama on a drunken whim after reading this post.
Thank you! It's fantastic!

Hack n' slash meets RPG, with some Ashley Wood-esq robots thrown in for good measure. Brilliant!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 13 April, 2017, 01:57:03 AM
Just finished Horizons: Zero Dawn. I got all the trophies. I got the Platinum for it. That is the first time EVER I have gotten all the trophies in a game.  I played it, and played it, and played it, which also is the first time ever that has happened. The best I've previously managed in a game is about 40%, before I got bored and looked for the next fix.

Damn, this game is good! Perfection. It has the best protagonist, fantastic supporting cast, superb worldbuilding, a totally engaging narrative with some great twists, astounding graphics and sound, exhilarating combat, and a whole bunch of ferkin huge robot dinosaurs to take down.

I'm sure there are things that could be included - decisions that impact gameplay, love interests, and maybe some more stuff pinched from Mass Effect or The Witcher. However, I was happy just roaming a massive landscape finding all kinds of nooks and crannies, and taking down dinobots of all shapes and sizes.

My favourite game on the PS4, by a long chalk.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 13 April, 2017, 12:37:21 PM
I was always going to pick it up at some stage, but there's a lorra love on here for Horizon Zero Dawn- it'll be sooner than later.
Just a bit of mopping up on Breath of the Wild, then completion of The Witcher III (Blood & Wine) to take care of first.

Time is the only true enemy.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 13 April, 2017, 01:19:13 PM
Finished off Mankind Divided as wanted my precious SSD space back. Welp, by the end things picked up and got a little more interesting. Yet even as I started to get more interested - and finally got to grips with some people who I could kill without thinking "They're just doing a job you horrific knife-armed murderer" - it all ended. My stockpile of 'Going HOT' weaponry barely got used even when faced with an army of mercenary killers, as I had to stay quiet or risk disaster until the last moment.

Mind you that last section was easily the best part of the game. Sadly it felt like everything had just taken too long to get there and when it wrapped up, I knew full well I'd simply killed a pawn and achieved little. Obviously things have to get to the point of Deus Ex, where the UN *is* a military police force and the shadowy illuminati has been subverted by the rapacious MJ12, where millions are dying because of an artificial plague and the United States is actually at the point of civil war... but ultimately this was very abrupt and disappointing. More missions like the opening bit in Dubai would have gone a long way to mitigating the frustrations of chasing leads around Prague.

Next up: Shadows of Mordor (£7 in Steam Sale)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 13 April, 2017, 01:45:28 PM
Yeah Mankind Divided was a weird one, because I loved Human Revolution so much and just sort of...enjoyed MD. I didn't think it was bad, but after starting really strongly (I was so buzzed about it those first few sessions) it sort of peters out and then ends in a really damp way.

Any hope that the DLC would tie up some things and progress the story were dashed too, I bought the season pass and felt a bit cheated by the two short mini-campaigns they released. Neither was particularly interesting, and for the cost of that season pass it's probably the first time I've regretted blindly buying one.

I guess they were pinning a lot on a sequel, but that's not happening now. Sad times. I'll go back and replay it sometime and see how it holds up without as much expectation attached.

I've been playing nothing but Mass Effect: Andromeda since it came out, and I know a lot of people are disappointed with it but I love it so very, very much that I can't get enough.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 13 April, 2017, 01:55:28 PM
This should go in next game played but I've just ordered Nier Automata and cannae wait. But wait I will as I wont be able to start it for another week and half due to work pish.

Currently I went back to Cod:Blops on PS3. I'm still a complete BEAST online  :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 18 April, 2017, 02:06:38 AM
Fired up Witcher III on the PS4 for the first time.

The jury is still out whether I'll persevere.  I haven't played W1 or W2, so it's a bit confusing being plonked straight into the world of W3 without some sort of adequate back story.  There is a cartoon montage/cut scene at the start - but it doesn't go far enough to explain why two factions are currently at war - and why Geralt is trying to track down his ex-lover, etc.  Yes, I know there are reasons - but for a person picking up the game for the first time - it's a tad confusing and difficult to emotionally invest in what's going on.

Graphically, it's exceptional and the exploring aspect is great.

However, I'm not sold on the combat system either.  My first quest was to kill the Griffin.  First attempt, I got mauled and died very quickly.  Second attempt, the system seemed to take into account that I didn't do so well the first time - and made it very easy for me to kill the beast.  How did I beat the Griffin?  Approached it and button-mashed until it went down.  Not all that satisfying.

But I'll give it a bit longer and see if it improves.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 18 April, 2017, 07:59:34 AM
Currently finishing Dishonored 2.

I played the first four (of nine or ten) levels and didn't like it, so went off and played Gears of War 4 and a bit of GTA V.

Back to it now, and it's clicked. I don't know if it is because I have more powers or if I am just in the mood for it, but world and level building in Dishonored 2 is stunning. It deserved more success.

Got Nier on order too. That's next.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 18 April, 2017, 12:31:01 PM
Quote from: Krakajac on 18 April, 2017, 02:06:38 AM
Fired up Witcher III on the PS4 for the first time.

The jury is still out whether I'll persevere.  I haven't played W1 or W2, so it's a bit confusing being plonked straight into the world of W3 without some sort of adequate back story.  There is a cartoon montage/cut scene at the start - but it doesn't go far enough to explain why two factions are currently at war - and why Geralt is trying to track down his ex-lover, etc.  Yes, I know there are reasons - but for a person picking up the game for the first time - it's a tad confusing and difficult to emotionally invest in what's going on.

Graphically, it's exceptional and the exploring aspect is great.

However, I'm not sold on the combat system either.  My first quest was to kill the Griffin.  First attempt, I got mauled and died very quickly.  Second attempt, the system seemed to take into account that I didn't do so well the first time - and made it very easy for me to kill the beast.  How did I beat the Griffin?  Approached it and button-mashed until it went down.  Not all that satisfying.

But I'll give it a bit longer and see if it improves.

I've played both Witcher 2 and Witcher 3 and was enjoying both until i found myself trapped in unwinnable battles. The save structure meant I couldn't go back to an earlier point to build my character before trying again.
I'm planning on starting Witcher 3 again sometime, with the intention of doing loads of side-quests before tackling too much of the main campaign.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 21 April, 2017, 12:59:10 PM
I might have to take back what I said about the Witcher 3.  Slowly getting pulled in. :)

I pushed my way through to the city of Novigrad, just to have a gander.  Walked down to a harbour area and thought, 'lets go for a boat ride'.  Steamed out through the harbour entrance and looked up at the city heights on my right.

Takes a lot to surprise me graphically - but that did it.  Even more amazing when you take a walk up to the Novigrad Temple and then look out over the sea/city.

Only level 6 at present - plenty to see and do in Velen!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Sandman1 on 21 April, 2017, 04:37:25 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 18 April, 2017, 07:59:34 AM
Currently finishing Dishonored 2. Back to it now, and it's clicked. I don't know if it is because I have more powers or if I am just in the mood for it, but world and level building in Dishonored 2 is stunning. It deserved more success.

The game didn't perform well in terms of sales, so there may not be any more games in the series. As you said, the world is really interesting and I would surely like to explore it more.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Supreme Pizza Of The DPRK on 22 April, 2017, 08:05:15 AM
Not counting mobile games (because they aren't proper games) the last game I played was the newest Pokemon game last year. I'm holding out for the new fancy Xbox with 4k and all that bollocks. There is really nothing that has motivated me to go out and buy a console. I think the last game I got fully into was GTA5 and that was what, 2 years ago now? (Pokemon was ok, but I only really played it for that kick of nostalgia, and to justify owning a 3DS still)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 22 April, 2017, 06:26:00 PM
Discovered there's a fan reboot of Alien Swarm out on Steam... shooty co-op fun!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mardroid on 23 April, 2017, 04:06:20 PM
Red Dwarf XI The Game on Android.

It's just a cheap mobile game (or more accurately a series of games) corresponding to epeisodes of the last series, but it's quite fun. It's a tad buggy (I found myself trapped in certain areas and a couple of times parts of the environment I explicably vanished and poor old Rimmer ended up falling off the edge of the space-station and plummeted into open outer-space (literally. It happened a lot in an early level, but redownloading the game sorted that out. It happened in a later level also, but only once) but I largely like it. A tad tricky in places, but  perserverence pays pays off... although I'm a bit stuck in the last level flying Starbug through a ships corridors*.

I'm just three episodes in so far (that's several levels as there are a few levels per episode)and there's plenty more episodes to be added via updates. Should keep me going for a while, assuming I don't give up.

*Why they'd do that, I'm not sure. You'd usually get out once you've boarded a ship, I'd think. Guess the lads are lazy.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 26 April, 2017, 04:20:16 PM
I've been playing the newish Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop , which takes the great 4-player co-op shooter and adds a bunch of community levels of varying refinement and some new features including 32 player support. Which is frankly unwieldy and ridiculous for a co-op top down shooter but I am enjoying revisiting a classic, those the parasites are still bastards.

I've also finally got around to ditching the Witcher 2 after discovering my save games were overwritten when I reinstalled it, and started straight in on Witcher 3. So very glad I did. Even this first starting area is beautiful and I thoroughly enjoy just wandering around the countryside on my horse. Just killed a griffin, so looks like I'll be leaving soon, but can't wait for more... Best Horse in any game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 26 April, 2017, 04:26:51 PM
Etherlords 2.Seriously,we need more card games for PC.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 26 April, 2017, 04:47:27 PM
Got a stinking cold, so gave Star Trek Online a go.  Free-to-play on PSN (and one presumes also on XBL), you pick a faction/race, then walk into the screen being pelted with text too small to read while the TNG computer voice gives you a tutorial on how to use the many controls by speaking too low to be heard over the music and background noises.  Why not just change the sound options?  Can't find them, or options to make the text big enough to read.  I also got lost multiple times trying to figure out what the actual heck I was supposed to be doing, as the map showing your destination is microscopic in size, and the glowing circle showing your destination - when not blending into the background so you can't see it - doesn't tell you which floor your goal is on, so you backtrack a bit, get lost, give up, maybe quit the game and come back to it an hour or so later and then find that the game was actually bugged the first time, and this time it hasn't loaded up textures like computer screens, so you can't tell a lot of background details apart.
I'm not saying I'm thankful for my cold making me stop to retch at random intervals, but that at least gave me some excitement while trying to find something to do in this dull, dull game.  Also inexplicably set in the JockTrek Kelvin timeline despite clearly being paced and visually modeled on the TNG era of boiler-suited psychiatrists spreading their communist message of subservience to the greater good to races that seem to be getting along just fine with their capitalist and/or war economies.  If you're going to go The Full Kelvin, I'd have expected some skydiving minigames, cover mechanics for shootouts, or outrageous setpieces like the terrible Star Trek movie tie-in game that came out a few years ago and which despite its failings at least made an effort towards being a thematically appropriate co-op shooter.  This isn't even shovelware-quality, but I got what I paid for, I suppose.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 27 April, 2017, 01:30:24 AM
Star Trek Online is absolute dung. No doubt made by the type of person who skips the amazing, philosophical, bottle episodes of Trek because shit ain't 'sploding and nobody dies horribly.

My recent relapse in FTL addiction is mostly because it's the closest any game has come to being a Star Trek Captain Simulator.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 27 April, 2017, 08:01:18 AM
I've invested in a couple of extra controllers for the PS4 so me and the kids can do some 4 player multiplayer. 

The standout LAN games for us so far are Overcooked, which requires serious teamwork, and is often hilarious, and Diablo III, where everyone goes after the purples, and you soon find out which of your kids are total mercenaries/loot ninjas.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 28 April, 2017, 12:19:17 PM
FTL on the iPad got me sucked back in again for a little while...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tony Angelino on 29 April, 2017, 10:54:18 AM
Finished the single player of Sniper Elite 4. Its a good game and worth a few hours of your time but I don't feel it offered a big enough improvement on or development from Sniper Elites 2 or 3. As the game went on it just became very repetitive.

I just know there is a certain forum member waiting to tell me that the name Sniper Elite 4 should have given me a clue that it would be similar to Sniper Elite 2 and Sniper Elite 3.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 01 May, 2017, 11:10:35 AM
Played a good bit of Nier Automata yesterday and its finally clicked. I'm still not convinced about it being a 2D shooter/3D fighter/RPG/platform game hybrid but I am sure that it IS bonkers. Lovely world to run about in and the musics beautiful.

Basically the worlds been invaded by aliens and humanity has fled to the moon. Earth has been ravaged by a war between human made androids and the alien machines and its your job as android 2b to figure out why the machines have suddenly started acting odd.

so far so good.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 16 May, 2017, 05:15:41 AM
Whenever I post here,I end up feeling really out of touch.But anyway...Sacred.Its still good.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Arkwright99 on 16 May, 2017, 01:24:39 PM
I used a refund from Amazon to pick up Torment: Tales of Numenera last week. Loaded it up on the PS4 and started a new game. Within three 'clicks' I'd managed to get 'Game Over' and had to restart from scratch. At least I managed to pick up the 'Terminal Velocity' achievement in the process. (Probably the fastest achievement I've ever got on PC or console! :lol:)

Having got past the 'prologue' I'm not really too sure about the game itself. I rate Planescape: Torment as one of the great (narrative) RPGs of all time but so far Numenera feels a little too much like 'read a heap of text, make a choice, progress to next heap of text and make another choice or die and start again, making a different choice'. I don't yet 'feel' like my character is much more than a puppet at the moment. Not sure if that's because the retro isometric game play is not as immersive as modern 3D, 360° open world RPGs, or just the story hasn't hooked me yet.  :-\
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 16 May, 2017, 02:24:56 PM
I mean there was a alot of reading (and dying) in Planescape Torment, so maybe it's on the money?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Supreme Pizza Of The DPRK on 28 May, 2017, 11:14:08 AM
Got Dawn Of War for $1 from the charity shop. Have got my moneys worth and then some. I forgot how much fun this game was. A proper feeling RTS unlike the 2nd one..haven't played 3 yet, but really there is no need at the moment :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 30 May, 2017, 02:34:31 PM
I really, really enjoyed 2 over 1. It wasn't a proper RTS I admit but it was something of its own, a great co-op game/skirmisher. So many hours spent with my friends and then took a new life with the survival mode.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mardroid on 30 May, 2017, 10:25:36 PM
Skyrim for PS3.

Having read good things and seeing it going for £3.00 at CEX, I decided to give it a go.

So far, pretty good. I haven't gotten very far yet, and I need to get used to the controls, inexplicably finding myself hitting the 'square' button when I should be pressing R1 when fighting...

I wish there was a lock-on facility when fighting.

I really want to get to grips with the archery too. I usually find the bad guys get up close by the time I want to launch, so I need to switch to melee. (So why not just stick with melee? I like archers I guess.)

The shere amount of stuff going on I actually find a bit off-putting, (not really a complaint, it's just a little overwhelming. Craft this, mine that, skills and perks and whatnot. Oh, and you can cook and stuff too.) although I'm aware I don't have to get into all that straight away. This sort of game is what you make it. I like action rpg games, and the open-world is great, but I do find myself feeling a bit lost...

Anyway, first game I have played in a couple of years, apart from a recent Arkham Asylum where I kept getting shot because I couldn't rely on the gargoyles any more. (They explode! Hee hee. )
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Doctor Alt 8 on 03 June, 2017, 03:38:15 PM
Started playing Skyrim special edition (NO still can't get the Mods to work HELP)

Also playing Tamriel Online...even though I "lost" last years character at level 35! (Nope. couldn't get her back because in order to join the forum to make a complain... you have to be invited to join the forum by a current account holder. HAD to start ALL OVER AGAIN lost all my equipment despite the fact that I pay the £9. premium membership.

Would be playing Gardiens of the Galaxy....but I am bloody stuck at the first puzzle!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 03 June, 2017, 04:15:00 PM
Final Fantasy 7 works on Windows 7.Yey. :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Supreme Pizza Of The DPRK on 03 June, 2017, 05:41:10 PM
Quote from: Smith on 03 June, 2017, 04:15:00 PM
Final Fantasy 7 works on Windows 7.Yey. :)

Is the music in tact? Because I got FF8 from Steam and they f'd the soundtrack right up!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 03 June, 2017, 06:06:11 PM
Quote from: Supreme Pizza Of The DPRK on 03 June, 2017, 05:41:10 PM
Quote from: Smith on 03 June, 2017, 04:15:00 PM
Final Fantasy 7 works on Windows 7.Yey. :)

Is the music in tact? Because I got FF8 from Steam and they f'd the soundtrack right up!
I have the old PC port,so yes?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 04 June, 2017, 08:50:52 AM
Tekken 7. In the arcades of Tokyo. Took a number of extreme pastings  and one memorable victory before I realised that I didn't actually have to play a global vs match but standard single player mode was buried somewhere in the menu. It's hardly revolutionary but it looks good and I'm just happy we're getting a Tekken game on the current console generation.

The most popular games were this, Taiko Drumming Hero and various incomprehensible rhythm action games including one which is basically Virtua Jean-Michel Jarre!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 04 June, 2017, 10:42:10 AM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 04 June, 2017, 08:50:52 AM
Tekken 7. In the arcades of Tokyo. Took a number of extreme pastings  and one memorable victory before I realised that I didn't actually have to play a global vs match but standard single player mode was buried somewhere in the menu. It's hardly revolutionary but it looks good and I'm just happy we're getting a Tekken game on the current console generation.



I love Tekken but was unsure of the new game after watching a couple of videos. It certainly looks good but I'm wondering if I should bother - even more so now that it looks like Baek* has been removed.

Cheers

*the best player, IMO
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tony Angelino on 04 June, 2017, 11:48:09 PM
Tales from the Borderlands by Telltale Games. Its on sale at present in the Xbox marketplace (£3 or £4). Really good. Helps if you are a fan of the Borderlands games but if you weren't this would probably make you go out and play those games.

Episode 2 has  a great opening/title credit scene.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 05 June, 2017, 08:27:04 AM
Picked up Just Cause 3 for a tenner. I've eschewed the missions and am just batgliding around blowing shit up. Massive explosions everywhere. So cathartic.

It's very pretty. I'd do more missions, but the loading times are a bit of a drag.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 07 June, 2017, 03:30:03 PM
Fallout 4

I should be saving my son but I keep wandering into random buildings and killing everything instead.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 08 June, 2017, 01:26:41 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 07 June, 2017, 03:30:03 PM
Fallout 4

I should be saving my son but I keep wandering into random buildings and killing everything instead.

I just went back to this after a 6 month break and rather than search for my child I went on holiday to Nuka-World. Its actually quite a meaty sized DLC with lots to do and see. Some very tough enemies mind and a wee cameo from a FA3 character.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 08 June, 2017, 01:40:25 PM
Loved Nuka-World, but I don't think I'll ever be able to get that theme song out of my head.

Some really annoying trophies too if I recall, collecting the Nuka-Cade tickets and Nuka-Cola exotic recipes in particular.
Something I had to 100% though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 13 June, 2017, 01:26:14 PM
Picked up a secondhand copy of the new Doom a few weeks ago and it's cracking fun. I'm not much of an authority on shooters but this is a frenetic, gore-packed adrenaline rush.

I'm into the last few levels now and sufficiently tooled up that nothing is causing me  major problem but I think I'll definitely give it another go on Ultra-Violence, which is unusual for me to bother about.

I like to take time out to pore over the achevements I have and haven't unlocked in a game. There's one here for killing a certain number of enemies with the chainsaw which fewer people have unlocked than have finished the game. I had it by the end of the fourth level.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 14 June, 2017, 08:41:27 AM
I'm currently replaying Doom on Ultra-Violence.

Stunning game! Gameplay is intense, a worthy successor to the mighty Left 4 Dead 2 (very different games but both have 'edge of the seat' relentless action).

I tried playing on Ultra-nightmare mode (one Death and you restart the entire game) and after two weeks managed to do only the first stage! Hard as Fuck!

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 12 July, 2017, 05:05:15 PM
So enjoying Sniper 4. Love that Italian/med looking campaign island. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 13 July, 2017, 09:30:06 AM
Yeah Sniper Elite 4 is great, so satisfying to take ages over a level being as stealthy and methodical as possible (but also still fun when that plan goes to pot).

I'm playing Machinarium at the moment, and getting really bummed out by my inability to solve any of the puzzles without using the wee in-game hint guide. It's genuinely making me feel really stupid and putting me on a bit of a downer. My wife loves the game and recommended it, but then she's much, much, much smarter than me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 14 July, 2017, 09:21:32 AM
Finished Machinarium, overall I find it really hard to dislike it because it looks so beautiful and has so much dang charm. On the occasion that I did solve a room of puzzles on my own it felt great too, but in general the thing was just too obtuse and too many puzzles spanned multiple areas (you can spend forever trying to figure out what to do without realizing you're missing an item from elsewhere, leading to another pixel-hunting trawl through every area).

I was playing on tablet and I hear it's much more pleasant on PC, where you have a cursor and can sweep it around to see what highlights as an interactive object, where on tablet your only way of telling is to tap on something. The touch controls aren't the most responsive either so I'd often tap something, see that nothing happens then move on, only to find that it just hadn't registered the tap.

A frustrating experience, but a gorgeous one.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Pete Wells on 14 July, 2017, 10:41:24 AM
I'm playing the shit out of Horizon Zero Dawn and it's brilliant! Despite me being really far into it and levelling up significantly, the battles with the (amazingly cool) robotic beasties are still very frantic and challenging.

It has to be one of the most beautiful games I've played too, very next gen Red Dead Redemtion. It's one of those where sometimes I just stop and gawp at the scenery.

It's very long too, which is nice!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 14 July, 2017, 12:06:50 PM
Dead Rising 2/3, Resident Evil original, 0 and 6 is part of Humble bundle for $12!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Arkwright99 on 14 July, 2017, 12:31:14 PM
Quote from: Pete Wells on 14 July, 2017, 10:41:24 AM
I'm playing the shit out of Horizon Zero Dawn and it's brilliant!
The latest HZD patch (1.30 (http://community.eu.playstation.com/t5/Horizon-Zero-Dawn/Horizon-Zero-Dawn-1-30-Patch-Notes/m-p/25201084)) has introduced a New Game+ mode :D and a Ultra Hard difficulty. :-\

Elsewhere, BioWare have blinked and released a 10-Hour free trial of Mass Effect: Andromeda for all platforms: https://www.masseffect.com/trial (https://www.masseffect.com/trial)
QuoteTRIAL DETAILS
Explore a new galaxy in the Mass Effect: Andromeda trial through November 1, 2017. If you've already taken part in the Origin 10-hour Play First trial, you can still join this free trial and play the time you have remaining.

FULL GAME
Play Up To 10 Hours - This is the perfect time to join the fight for humanity's new home. Play unlimited Multiplayer and play through to the first planet in Single Player.

SEAMLESS TRANSITION
Carry Over Save Progression - If you enjoy the trial and decide to purchase the full game, your saved progress carries over so you can pick right up where you left off.

TRY ALL MODES
Single and Multiplayer - All game modes are available in the trial so you can get a true sense of the game.
I've installed the 50GB(!) download on to my PS4 but I'm still not expecting to drop any actual money on MEA until the price drops to the sub-£20 mark, mind you. (Unless the trial absolutely blows me away, which I guess is what BioWare is hoping but word of mouth suggests it probably won't. We'll see.)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 14 July, 2017, 03:28:11 PM
Inspired by the newest most interesting tabletop RPG I have set my eyes on, the wonderful Red Markets (http://www.redmarketsrpg.com), I have reinstalled Left4Dead2.

Yes as good as I remember it, even if the models aren't quite as sharp as I recalled. Like Red Markets it turns out I am not exhausted of Zombies as long as you do something interesting and fun with it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 14 July, 2017, 06:16:22 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 14 July, 2017, 12:06:50 PM
Dead Rising 2/3, Resident Evil original, 0 and 6 is part of Humble bundle for $12!

Saw that. Are they good? I know it's cheap but I'm time poor
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 14 July, 2017, 06:17:14 PM
Also: I'm playing the poo out of Shadow of Mordor on ps4
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 15 July, 2017, 11:19:47 AM
Just started playing Warhammer Vermintide , it was only £8.00 in the Xbox sale... blatant rip off,of Left4dead but I'm enjoying it up to now...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 15 July, 2017, 11:36:38 AM
Zelda breath of the wild was worth buying a switch for alone.it's just amazing.started persona 5 now and I'm wishing it was on switch so I could take it with me to work.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 16 July, 2017, 07:57:19 PM
Quote from: Dr Feeley Good on 15 July, 2017, 11:19:47 AM
Just started playing Warhammer Vermintide , it was only £8.00 in the Xbox sale... blatant rip off,of Left4dead but I'm enjoying it up to now...

It made me want to play L4D again rather than carrying on playing Vermintide.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Arkwright99 on 17 July, 2017, 06:12:03 PM
Quote from: Arkwright99 on 14 July, 2017, 12:31:14 PM
I've installed the 50GB(!) download on to my PS4 but I'm still not expecting to drop any actual money on MEA until the price drops to the sub-£20 mark, mind you. (Unless the trial absolutely blows me away, which I guess is what BioWare is hoping but word of mouth suggests it probably won't. We'll see.)
I've played about 6 hours of the 10-hour MEA trial, with a restart/new character after the first 2-3 hours when I decided to change her name, and it's... all right. I played the ME Trilogy on PC so this is my first time playing the franchise on a console; the controls are somewhat fiddly and the interface isn't as intuitive as Horizon's or even Inquisition's. Always puzzles me why BioWare make two franchises with utterly different controls meaning you (I!) have to unlearn one before getting to grips with another. Good job I'm playing on Narrative mode because my shooting sucks; the combat mechanism is very 'slippery' and I end up shooting dirt/air as much as Kett and Wraiths. I got quite adept at melee combat in ME 3 (on PC) but here, on PS4, I'm kind of struggling. Which is a pain since I'm playing a Scrapper/Vanguard rather than a Soldier/sniper type as usual and the build requires more a close combat play style. Still, I'll probably get the hand of it in time.

Speaking of which, aware of the trial's ticking clock, I'm probably rushing things somewhat rather than taking my time to explore the game or understand how it works, which arguably doesn't help. For instance, I've got no idea how to go about modifying/customising my weapons despite picking up a bunch of mods in the Prologue. (Guess I have to wait to get the Tempest.) Overall, I've found the Prologue's Tutorials pretty poor compared to HZD's imo. Feels like BioWare have decided that everyone's going to know how everything works out of the gate - and if it had copied ME3's combat/mechanics they'd probably be right - but it's pretty opaque to me atm.

I like my 'Izzy Ryder' well enough to be up for continuing her adventure when the trial ends but I'm trying hard to resist the current price point. Maybe in six months or so I'll feel better inclined to lay out money for MEA but for the moment it hasn't got its hooks in me - yet.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 17 July, 2017, 08:21:45 PM
You getting very familiar like other guy?  :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 20 July, 2017, 07:11:28 PM
Free game of latest Shadow Warrior for two days (it was £39.99!!)

https://www.humblebundle.com/store/shadow-warrior-special-edition?linkID=&mcID=102:596fdc0ff4ab4eca30224e3f:ot:56e84ac5733462ca89991b4d:1&utm_source=Humble+Bundle+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2017_07_20_FreeGameShadowWarrior_store_20170720&utm_content=Banner (https://www.humblebundle.com/store/shadow-warrior-special-edition?linkID=&mcID=102:596fdc0ff4ab4eca30224e3f:ot:56e84ac5733462ca89991b4d:1&utm_source=Humble+Bundle+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2017_07_20_FreeGameShadowWarrior_store_20170720&utm_content=Banner)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 28 July, 2017, 03:56:09 AM
Portal

Replayed on a whim, now it's 4am and I don't regret anything. Except that I can't just start Portal 2 because of stupid grown up obligations.

It's a perfect game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 31 July, 2017, 10:45:17 AM
Quote from: Pete Wells on 14 July, 2017, 10:41:24 AM
I'm playing the shit out of Horizon Zero Dawn and it's brilliant! Despite me being really far into it and levelling up significantly, the battles with the (amazingly cool) robotic beasties are still very frantic and challenging.

It has to be one of the most beautiful games I've played too, very next gen Red Dead Redemtion. It's one of those where sometimes I just stop and gawp at the scenery.

It's very long too, which is nice!


Yeah, I played that game to death! Great story, great gameplay, stunning visuals. It's the only game I have ever got Platinum for.  I'm very much looking forward to the expansion in December.

In the meantime, Elite Dangerous on PS4 is taking all of my attention. It's a hell of a lot of fun, but such a steep learning curve. It really throws you in at the deep end, but benefits from being multiplayer. If you have a few buds playing alongside you it's great to share hints and tips.

For example, I had no idea how to get the most out of the galaxy map, planning routes, trading etc, until a PS4 Pal showed me. In return, I was able to explain how the power coupling vastly increased power to shields and weapons. Also, flying in wings with your online friends has a real 'Star Wars' squadron feel to it.

Be warned though - this game is a hell of a time sink! You can log on with the intention of just nailing a few pirates, and the next thing you know 5 hours has passed, and you're a hundred light years from your starting point!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 04 August, 2017, 10:56:07 AM
Prey, the 2017 one.

Didn't have as much fun as with the "original" (games are nothing alike outside the title). Didn't think it was as fun as the titles it's been inspired by either. System Shock, Thief, Deux Ex, Bioshock and what not. They all did, and still do, things better than Prey tried gameplay wise. Same goes with writing.

A bit dissapointed. I liked the demo.  Had much going for it. Cool historical backdrop. Good design. Aliens that initially gave me an unease. But I don't think it was polished enough. Lots of good ideas, but it didn't live up to it. But it did have a cool twist in the ending. I'll give it that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 August, 2017, 12:22:40 PM
Yeah that was more or less my experience. I might have mentioned in this thread already, but because of the designs and the atmosphere and intriguing set-up I don't think I've ever found myself wanting to enjoy a game so much more than actually enjoying it. Found it really dull and frustrating as it wore on (the combat never, ever clicked with me as anything other than a chore to get through for the next bit of story). Pretty disappointed, but would definitely give a sequel a go if I heard enough good things about it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 04 August, 2017, 01:56:19 PM
Have you played the others I mentioned? System Shock 1-2 (1 is getting a remake, and a third is in the making) or Bioshock 1-3?

I liked the glue gun, but it became to easy (and more "fun") just using the shotgun. Nothing like in a game like Deus Ex (the two originals) where I'd switch it up for every playthrough. Everything from bazookas to stun prods.

Still. As you say. Hope they get to make a sequel of sorts.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 August, 2017, 05:29:10 PM
Have never played a System Shock, although I really enjoyed the Bioshock games. Loved them actually, keep meaning to go back and play again now they're remastered on console! Pretty sure I have a PC copy of System Shock 2 on Steam, so I'll probably get round to that at some point, sounds cool.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 04 August, 2017, 11:13:03 PM
Just started Borderlands 2 on the Xbox One, my lad has been on about me playing it for years.....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 05 August, 2017, 08:39:07 AM
Football Manager 2006

Wolves have just won a treble and the European Cup in 2027.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 07 August, 2017, 09:22:48 AM
Battlefield 1 - I really don't get on with Battlefield but have been enjoying playing as a sniper.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: SIP on 07 August, 2017, 02:35:47 PM
Lots of good stuff in PS4 sale at the moment. Picked up Doom and the Uncharted trilogy.  I somehow managed to avoid uncharted up to this point, I love it! But then I also loved the latest Tomb Raider games that are very similar.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 07 August, 2017, 03:47:36 PM
Quote from: SIP on 07 August, 2017, 02:35:47 PM
Lots of good stuff in PS4 sale at the moment.

Yes, I've been hoovering up those PSN deals.

I keep finding myself going back to The Witcher 3 despite the fact the only remaining motivations for exploration are a few random deep sea caches in Skellige, so picked up Dragon Age Inquisition GOTY edition for €10 to help wean myself off it.

Also picked up a few other bargains for around a fiver;

Outlast - Never played it before. Decent horror game, doesn't quite live up to the hype.
What Remains of Edith Finch - The only game my other half had been interested in playing with me since Until Dawn. We both really enjoyed it, very atmospheric, and the best use of John Carpenter's Halloween theme since 1978.
Oxenfree - Spent a few hours on this yesterday afternoon, and am itching to get back to it tonight. So far it's The Goonies meets Channel Zero: Candle Cove with great dialogue and charming art direction. Highly recommended, especially at that price.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 07 August, 2017, 04:14:26 PM
Quote from: SIP on 07 August, 2017, 02:35:47 PMI somehow managed to avoid uncharted up to this point, I love it!

I envy you getting to play Uncharted 2 for the first time.  Fantastic game, if only because it was the last time Naughty Dog listened to fans and didn't do a dodgy QTE end boss.

Infinite Warfare again, for a trophy clean-up so I can delete the data off my PS4, only I might not now, as I fell back into playing some levels for fun again, as it's a great mash-up of Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica trappings against a basic runny-shooty game mechanic interspersed with some zero-gravity shootouts and simplistic but fun dogfights.  I could platinum this sucker if only I could bear playing COD online with its most awful fans, so I'll probably not bother, but the campaign remains a hoot and it's a shame there isn't more of it.

Another trophy clean-up was Horizon Zero Dawn, which had two extra trophies appear after I'd already platinumed it - "New Game+" and "Finish New Game+ On Ultra Hard", so obviously I had get those.  While playing on my finished save, though (in preparation for the upcoming DLC), I noticed extra quests had popped up, at least one of which had extensive machine-hunting goals, so if you'd already done everything before the last couple of updates appeared, there might be a bit more mileage left in this for you.

Prison Break - sneak-em-up shovelware tie-in to the tv show.  Not hard and certainly not rocket science, but throws cheevos at you if that's your bag.

Jak Daxter Adventure - Android port of the PSP Jak tie-in set between Jak & Daxter and Jak 2.  A bit more sluggish than I remember the PSP version being, though it's still a solid game and it's baffling why it's free-to-play and not been thrown into a compilation bundle along with Jak X Racing and Lost Frontier, as despite the limitations of these seemingly-forgotten entries in the Jak series, they remain fun games.  Worth a look.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 17 August, 2017, 09:29:51 AM
Downloaded Sonic Mania for the Switch last night.

It's a glass of ice-cold awesome.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zarjazzer on 19 August, 2017, 09:29:43 AM
Sniper 4 on hardcore-ouch!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 20 August, 2017, 11:59:05 AM
I was trying to finally finish Andromeda... and ended up replaying The Last Of Us.

This is horrible. I've never thought that Andromeda is as bad as people are saying. I like that it forces you to be more politically active than just marching through everything because you're destined supreme war leader. You can't play Andromeda the way you played M1-3. But at the same time many things that I liked about Andromeda have become pain in the ass in its later stages. I hated every second on Voeld (except the "whale" mission). I hated half of my companions because I didn't care about them. I hoped that Andromeda would be someting like Fallout 4 for me. A guilty pleasure where I know the game is pretty bad, is nothing like the original, but I just sink in and then wonder where did all my time disappear.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 25 August, 2017, 07:18:18 PM
I've found myself in the gaming doldrums recently. Nothing really seems to be doing it for me. I fancy something open-worldy but without too much RPG stuff or frustrating bolted-on extra gameplay mechanics or endless cutscenes (tried Watch Dogs 2 which was painfully un-fun and Just Cause 3 which feels empty and directionless). I'm almost tempted to just play Far Cry 4 again.
I think I'm suffering from withdrawal from my retro set-up - I moved house about a year ago and all my retro stuff is waiting to be set up in a new dedicated area. It'll be great but it means I haven't been able to play Megadrive Shadow Dancer or have a couple of days on Dizzy for ages. I think I need that from time to time as a palette cleanser.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 25 August, 2017, 08:04:32 PM
Give Uncharted: The Lost Legacy a go.  It's pretty obviously just expanded DLC, but once the tutorial stages finish it turns into a lightweight open world thing where you drive around an admittedly not very large jungle area looking for old ruins to rifle through and gunning down a seemingly endless army of mercenaries - then it turns back into a linear action adventure for five levels of platforming, punch-ups, shootouts, and hanging off exploding vehicles.  I thought Uncharted 4 dragged on a bit by the end, but this is just about right, and you'll be through the whole thing in about 3-7 hours depending on how much exploring you want to do.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 25 August, 2017, 08:47:05 PM
That sounds promising and it's fairly cheap too. Thanks.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 28 August, 2017, 09:54:38 AM
Beyond Good & Evil - Never played this when it came out but with a new one in the works figured I'd give it a go. Really, really enjoyed it. There are some janky old-school camera issues that caused some frustration at times (especially during stealth sections) but the world, characters and story still hold up brilliantly. Bags of charm, and what must have felt like quite a mature story at the time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 28 August, 2017, 10:15:43 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 28 August, 2017, 09:54:38 AM
Beyond Good & Evil - Never played this when it came out but with a new one in the works figured I'd give it a go. Really, really enjoyed it. There are some janky old-school camera issues that caused some frustration at times (especially during stealth sections) but the world, characters and story still hold up brilliantly. Bags of charm, and what must have felt like quite a mature story at the time.

Enjoyed this a lot at the time, though haven't played it for years - I'm not generally a big fan of stealth-related antics, and I recall some of those bits being slightly irritating, but the characters and the aesthetic behind the game scored highly with me. Particularly liked the photographing of the alien fauna. What news on the sequel?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 28 August, 2017, 12:12:06 PM
Quote from: Greg M. on 28 August, 2017, 10:15:43 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 28 August, 2017, 09:54:38 AM
Beyond Good & Evil - Never played this when it came out but with a new one in the works figured I'd give it a go. Really, really enjoyed it. There are some janky old-school camera issues that caused some frustration at times (especially during stealth sections) but the world, characters and story still hold up brilliantly. Bags of charm, and what must have felt like quite a mature story at the time.

Enjoyed this a lot at the time, though haven't played it for years - I'm not generally a big fan of stealth-related antics, and I recall some of those bits being slightly irritating, but the characters and the aesthetic behind the game scored highly with me. Particularly liked the photographing of the alien fauna. What news on the sequel?

Think the latest is that it's going to be a prequel, which seems an odd choice because the original had a cliffhanger so after all this time you'd think they'd want to give the story an ending! There's a CG trailer that looks pretty great, although it's a great deal swearier than the original game which seems another odd choice - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9VPnI34dPw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9VPnI34dPw)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 29 August, 2017, 06:41:17 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 17 August, 2017, 09:29:51 AM
Downloaded Sonic Mania for the Switch last night.

It's a glass of ice-cold awesome.

Brilliant. Love how creative each act two is.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 29 August, 2017, 11:02:24 PM
Quote from: Apestrife on 29 August, 2017, 06:41:17 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 17 August, 2017, 09:29:51 AM
Downloaded Sonic Mania for the Switch last night.

It's a glass of ice-cold awesome.

Brilliant. Love how creative each act two is.

I really fancy this but have never played a Sonic. Is it like Mario? I just thought you ran from left to right and there was nothing to it?

BTW: There is nothing meant as a joke in the last paragraph. I really don't know.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 30 August, 2017, 04:22:53 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 29 August, 2017, 11:02:24 PM
Quote from: Apestrife on 29 August, 2017, 06:41:17 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 17 August, 2017, 09:29:51 AM
Downloaded Sonic Mania for the Switch last night.

It's a glass of ice-cold awesome.

Brilliant. Love how creative each act two is.

I really fancy this but have never played a Sonic. Is it like Mario? I just thought you ran from left to right and there was nothing to it?

BTW: There is nothing meant as a joke in the last paragraph. I really don't know.

Some running yeah, but also lots of timing jumps and figuring out how to proceed. Alot of different paths. Can be played quite methodically.

To me Green hill zone sums it up really well, the appeal of Sonic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEfKC4sxTG8
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dan2000 on 31 August, 2017, 09:27:59 AM
I have start play every single part of Call of Duty from the first part to the last one and also play Fallout 4. Awesome.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Angry Vince on 31 August, 2017, 07:32:39 PM
Grim Dawn

A great example of a Diablo RPG with a little steampunk thrown in. Well worth the very modest price.

(https://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/3045639-0001.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 03 September, 2017, 08:43:51 AM
Layers of Fear. which was free awhile back on XBOX One. It's a horror exploration game involving searching your ever changing house for the means to complete a painting. I enjoyed it!

Gone Home which was free awhile back on PS4. Apparently it won a game of the year award which is surprising considering it is a boring piece of crap that can be finished in less than a minute. Yes. less than a minute!!! Similar mechanics to Layers but not as much exploring, puzzling or fun! On the plus side it was free so no harm done.

In between those two I've finished DMC Definitive Edition on Dante Must Die which was great fun. Left 4 Dead 2 verses, it draws me back like a junkie to a Crack-pipe. And a bit of Black Ops 2 Zombies.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 03 September, 2017, 09:32:35 AM
I'm suffering from game ennui.

Gave up on Horizon: Zero Dawn. Pretty but dull; it suffered because I recently played Shadow of Mordor. Zero Dawn really needed some verticality. Actually, pretty doesn't go far enough. It's stunning to look at. But there's a lack of substance underneath the polish.

Struggling through Uncharted 2. This came free with the PS4 and I've heard nothing but good stuff about it. But, goodness, it isn't half dated in its design.

Gave up on GTA V. Was given this by my brother, played it for about 10 hours. The driving is awful. The shooting is awful. The whole game seems nothing more than busy-work to bring your character up to a modicum of controllability, combined with cliched cut scenes. As ever, the radio adverts were the best thing in in it.

Quite fancy getting Prey. Looking forward to Wolfenstein and the next Dishonored.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 September, 2017, 01:43:05 PM
For completions sake I played through all of Resident Evil 6, which was a real grind to get through at times. There were occasional sections that I quite enjoyed so it wasn't a total washout, but there's no getting around the fact that it's quite a startling low point for such a big series. I hadn't enjoyed 5, but this took it further in the wrong direction and feels a bit of a mess both in concept and execution. Doesn't help that there are 4 campaigns of about 5-6 hours each so it's really drawn out and with a lot of repeated stages and assets across the campaigns.

Not great then! Makes it even more impressive that 7 managed to pull things back from the brink so brilliantly.

Also played the new Life Is Strange episode and absolutely loved it. It's a prequel about Chloe in her rebellious time before Max showed up again, and as such doesn't have the time manipulation powers as a central gimmick, but what it does have is fantastic writing and character work that absolutely nails teenage heartbreak and confusion. It's really grabbed by the heart, if you've got an aversion to teen angst and drama then it won't be your cup of tea, but as someone who self-identifies as an angst-ridden teenager at the age of 36 (Dawson's Creek is still real to me dammit!), it's really pulled me in.

Oh damn, and I just remembered I also finally got 5 stars in every scene in the super underrated Stuntman: Ignition, which felt prrrrretty great and incredibly satisfying. It's great that playing it on XB1 now you can grab videos of the replays it edits your attempts into, a real advantage to the backwards compatibility.

Apparently I get a lot of gaming done when my wife goes away for a week!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 04 September, 2017, 07:01:09 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 04 September, 2017, 01:43:05 PM
Also played the new Life Is Strange episode...

if you've got an aversion to teen angst and drama

I don't, but I do have an aversion to games made using scab labor.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 11 September, 2017, 01:41:35 PM
Finished another playthrough of Metro Last Light. Still great, and still got the bad/non-canon ending! This time around it was likely because I blitzed through it a bit, I gather the good ending is triggered partially by listening to every conversation you can find. I am destined to never see it apparently (maybe I'll just YouTube it...)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 11 September, 2017, 06:52:39 PM
Still playing Breath of the Wild in bursts. It's beautiful but kind of boring, but I've still managed to play 50+ hours and only just unlocked half of the map.

Also been playing a lot of Sunless Sea on the iPad. Entertainingly aimless exploration game set in a Cthulhuish underworld.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 11 September, 2017, 07:00:03 PM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 11 September, 2017, 06:52:39 PM
Still playing Breath of the Wild in bursts. It's beautiful but kind of boring, but I've still managed to play 50+ hours and only just unlocked half of the map.

Still not finished it - but nearly there. I am a rank amateur though.  I'm not sure boring is quiet the right word.  I've found some aspects of the game more samey than others - but I find those relaxing. If I've had a hard day at work and don't want anything too taxing I can go searching for fruit and veg and cook myself up some hearty meals or go Guardian weapon farming.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 12 September, 2017, 11:48:38 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 11 September, 2017, 07:00:03 PM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 11 September, 2017, 06:52:39 PM
Still playing Breath of the Wild in bursts. It's beautiful but kind of boring, but I've still managed to play 50+ hours and only just unlocked half of the map.
Still not finished it - but nearly there. I am a rank amateur though.  I'm not sure boring is quite the right word.  I've found some aspects of the game more samey than others - but I find those relaxing. If I've had a hard day at work and don't want anything too taxing I can go searching for fruit and veg and cook myself up some hearty meals or go Guardian weapon farming.
Yeah, "boring" is probably unfair. I think I just find the lack of any real narrative driving me forward a bit unsettling. I'm nowhere near finishing it either as I've only done two Divine Beasts in all that time.

Find the gathering and cooking really frustrating though. To the point that I usually just batter down half a dozen raw apples when I need to.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 20 September, 2017, 09:17:40 AM
Fallout 4: Nuka World - This was the last DLC I had to get through to more or less wrap up Fallout 4. It's a great setting but became a bit of a grind, especially the combat (I ended up switching down to Normal when I'd played the rest of the game on Hard) and one area in particular was a buggy mess (the Safari region, enemies and buddy peds were warping all over the place, akin to playing an online game with incredible lag, and that quest-line ended up sort of breaking because it thought I'd done something I hadn't decided to do yet but then had to do it just to fix the scripting even though it was a choice I never would have made).

Did most of the quests to get the raiders on my side, then realized the meat of the content was going to be taking my raider gangs out into the Commonwealth to start pillaging settlements. I really didn't think my character would be okay with that, so decided to load up with as many drugs and bullets as I could and killed...every...single...raider...in...Nuka...World. It was a massacre, but felt right given the threat they posed to all my nice settlements. Needed done, but it was a harrowing experience.

(http://www.okmoviequotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/104-Waynes-World-2-quotes.png)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 26 September, 2017, 01:44:00 PM
Played through the DLC's from the first Dishonored game, Knife of Dunwall and The Brigmore Witches. Really got me back into it so reckon I'll roll straight into Dishonored 2 which I've heard great things about. I do find myself swearing at it more than most games but that's more down to me just botching the stealth and reloading than anything else, when I try and just roll with the punches by stealthing as much as possible but still fighting my way out of situations if they arise, I enjoy it a whole load more. Didn't feel like the combat held up initially so was really averse to it, but once you start really using your powers and gizmos you can really clear a room if need be!

It got me in the mood to re-read Gordon Rennie's Dishonored graphic novel too and really enjoyed revisiting that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 26 September, 2017, 02:53:23 PM
Septerra Core.Great JRPG.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 02 October, 2017, 09:34:34 AM
Splatoon  2 is great. I'm rubbish at it and Tiny Tips is hogging the online but it just looks so much more fun and inclusive than what I've played of other online stuff (not much right enough, a bit of Halo, one of the CODs and some Star Wars Battlefront)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 02 October, 2017, 10:46:16 AM
Lots of mini Snes over the weekend...

Mariokart - Just need to win the special cup on 150cc and I'm done

Super Punchout - Thanks to the save anytime function I'm now further than I ever achieved previously. Still rock solid though and cant see myself completing it.

Super Marioworld - I'm at level 32 and determined to 100% this. Was really close back in the day then my dad accidentally wiped my save and I sold it the next day.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 02 October, 2017, 08:03:25 PM
I'm loving X-Com 2. Not interested in the new DLC tho'; I am a save-scummer and don't care what you think, and it seems to be designed to stop that behaviour. I don't have time to take a straight path. I take short cuts into self-loathing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 02 October, 2017, 08:14:36 PM
Starcraft remastered. Almost 20 years since I last played the original. Still brilliant. Not far in, but really like the story thus far. Remember doing that as well when I was 10-11.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 03 October, 2017, 10:55:43 AM
Oh my god - Elite Dangerous. PS4 version.

Such a steep learning curve, but this is the most amazing game ever, and is sucking up hours of my life daily.

Exploring, trading, bounty hunting, public transport, piracy, civil wars, factions...

Now with added Thargoids! (Though I haven't seen any yet)

I've been raking the cash in with my new purchase - the Vulture, specifically designed for ship to ship combat. I've got an 'allied' status in one system purely by accepting the station's pirate hunting requests, wiping out SHITLOADS of pirates, claiming their bounties, plus the additional reward from the station for helping keep systems clear of the pests! I'm minted!! LOADSA CREDITS!!!

My partner aptly named my new ship for me - the PEWPEWPEW!  :D


I am getting sooo much mileage out of this game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 05 October, 2017, 09:53:04 AM
Just finished a playthrough of Dishonored 2 and loved it. I enjoyed the first one a fair bit but didn't love it, so was pleasantly surprised at how fantastic this one was (especially as the last thing I played from the same studio, Prey, really rubbed me up the wrong way).

Gorgeous art direction, really beautifully arranged levels to stealth through, really interesting and useful powers and tools and alternate paths and approaches, plus decent enough combat mechanics that if you do get into a bad situation you can adapt and deal with it (always my preferred way of playing stealthy games the first time through). It pulls a bit of a Deus Ex:HR at the last minute by throwing in something that felt a bit too much like a traditional boss fight for my liking, but was a small gripe after about 12hrs of thorough enjoyment.

Would definitely go back and play through it again, I went non-lethal with all targets except one and finished on Low Chaos, so might be fun to play through as a bit more of a ruthless killer.

Fantastic game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 05 October, 2017, 01:04:18 PM
Will have to get on it,got it sat on my shelf still in the cellophane...really liked the first one..
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Sandman1 on 06 October, 2017, 02:33:56 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 05 October, 2017, 09:53:04 AM
Just finished a playthrough of Dishonored 2 and loved it. I enjoyed the first one a fair bit but didn't love it, so was pleasantly surprised at how fantastic this one was.

Gorgeous art direction, really beautifully arranged levels to stealth through, really interesting and useful powers and tools and alternate paths and approaches, plus decent enough combat mechanics that if you do get into a bad situation you can adapt and deal with it (always my preferred way of playing stealthy games the first time through).

A good synopsis of the game, especially about the phenomenal design and the flexible gameplay. If you like the Dishonored series, you should try the stand-alone expansion Death of the Outsider. The only really negative aspect with this expansion is its reuse of certain levels; and maybe the limited use of the fellow comrade-in-arms Daud. I really like the stealth-action genre and the overall lore in Dishonored, so I'm hoping for a third game in the series—preferably in Tyvia.   
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 09 October, 2017, 01:39:14 PM
I picked up Death of The Outsider but haven't got round to giving it a go yet, good to hear it's enjoyable. I do love the world they've set up and would definitely like to see more games. The graphic novel was very good too, and captured the atmosphere of the games really well I thought.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 17 October, 2017, 10:51:28 AM
Finished a load of games during the recent SKSP marathon, so got a few to leave my thoughts on!

Flashback - There was a remake of this a few years back and there's an option to play through the original and I'm not sure if I ever finished it back in the day (I loved it but it was so damn hard). It's not ideal - the licensing for the music has expired so there's no music at all (which is really sad) and it's played in a little faux arcade cabinet instead of full-screen, but it was the best way I could get it played. I remember most of the early stuff vividly but I either never got to the later stages before or chose to forget how tough they are, because damn, I got stuck a couple of times. There's a particular enemy type late on who I never really mastered fighting so whenever they popped up it was a real slog, and there are a couple of situations that need quite obtuse solutions that I just didn't think of. Ashamed to say I had to look up a guide a couple of times to check the game hadn't broken on me or something. Always disappointing when you need to turn to YouTube for help but old games can really throw a brick wall in front of you sometimes. Overall, aside from some sections that really had me swearing, I loved it and still appreciated what a classic it is.

Portal - Had played this before, but not in years, so good to see it still holds up brilliantly. A fantastic game, only downside is that Portal 2 seemed to really nail the movement a bit better so it can feel a bit odd going back. Still pretty much a perfect game.

Prince of Persia Classic - As far as I could tell, this is the original old-school PoP but with the graphics and sound re-skinned to match the Sands of Time series. The platforming is still wonderful fun, really fluid and satisfying, but the combat was a total mystery to me. It took me about 4hrs to beat it (a far cry from the 1hr time limit that gets you the good ending) and in all that time I never once got a feel for how to reliably hit enemies or not be hit by them. Made every fight a total slog, and had me very, very annoyed.

Little Nightmares - This comes off a lot like Inside or Limbo (and is a similar 4hrs-ish length) and I absolutely loved it. LOVED it. Really satisfying puzzles, a really great distinctive art style that's got a bit of a stop-motion feel to it, and just as I was flagging during the marathon I started this and it revived me a bit. Those 4hrs flew by! There are a couple of fussy/fiddly platform sections where I died through (what I felt was) no fault of my own, but apart from that small quibble this is a real instant classic for me.

Condemned - An old favourite that I wheeled out for another playthrough to pass another few hours. It looks a bit rough in places but other than that it still holds up, still really visceral and intense, even if the story is absolutely barmy.

Virginia - Kind of an interactive movie, and cut like one (there are really cinematic scene transitions that I really liked). The story essentially plays out as you push through it by walking or interacting with objects (it's a bit like that really short PC game Fifty Flights of Loving, at least that's my closest reference point - it's not a million miles away from something like Dear Esther either), there's no dialogue so the story is totally expressed through the animations and the music. I loved it and was really engrossed in it, but have to admit (possibly due to lack of sleep at this point) the story lost me a bit. As it's fairly short and structured like a film though (it took about 90mins for a full playthrough) I can see it being one I put on again at some point.

Don't Knock Twice - A videogame adaptation of a wee horror film I watched quite recently and found surprisingly creepy. The game on the other hand is a bit of a turkey. It's clearly been thrown together on the cheap and is going for that PT/Layers of Fear kind of dread, but just doesn't land it. I did have some creeping apprehension early on, and one jump scare got me good, but a lot of the scripted scares were poorly staged (I was looking in the wrong direction for most of them so just heard some music and missed what had happened) and it's technically very messy - 4 or 5 times I got stuck and had to check a walkthrough, and every time it turned out I'd done the right thing, but that the game just hadn't progressed. Had to back out to the main menu and reload my save to get things moving again. Disappointing, I quite liked that film.

Dying Light: The Following - Played through this in co-op and was fantastic. Main game took a while to click with me, and teaming up with a friend was what eventually got me into it, and this is the same brilliant co-op fun. Had such a good laugh playing through it, and the addition of driveable cars made for much shenanigans. Dying Light is great, more please!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Sandman1 on 18 October, 2017, 11:24:09 AM
I just want to mention that J. Dredd is referenced in Watch Dogs 2 during the mission Hacker War. The discussion refers to the tussle between Dredd and the Xenomorphs. It's pretty amusing. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: DrRocka on 26 October, 2017, 01:28:50 AM
The Stranger Things game on my iphone! I don't care what you think of mobile gaming, download this immediately on whatever phone or tablet you have and enjoy. It's ACE - pretty much a SNES Zelda with a Stranger Things skin on it. Barely put it down all day.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 06 November, 2017, 07:58:00 PM
Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines.Grud bless GoG.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 10 November, 2017, 10:24:31 AM
DLC for Horizon Zero Dawn is tons of fun but only if you enjoyed basic game.

Most of the Frozen Wilds are just more HZD with small updates in skills, face animations, weapons, nothing big. But on the other hand first encounters with new few machines feels like full blown boss fights and I appreciate that.

If you liked HZD buy Frozen Wilds, but if HZD is not your cup of tea don't bother.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 10 November, 2017, 11:10:30 AM
I Am Alive - It was one of the very early Games With Gold freebies so figured I'd give it a go. Really enjoyed it. It's very janky and extremely rough around the edges, but it does some interesting things with the enemy encounters and climbing mechanics - climbing or dangling from things is tied to your stamina meter so it's genuinely tense trying to get to each rest spot before you fall. Meeting any hostiles turns into a sort of puzzle game too. You can aim your gun at people to get them to back off even if you've no bullets in it, but if you're outnumbered they may get wise to it and try their luck, plus you can put your hands up and let them approach you (which lets you get a cheeky surprise knife kill in once they're close enough) so it becomes a little puzzle of trying to eliminate the biggest threats first (often I'd get rid of 2 out of 3 enemies, have no ammo left but pointing it at the 3rd was enough to get him to surrender at that point).

Made for some pretty interesting scenarios, and very different. It reminds me a lot of later games like The Last of Us, but where I really disliked the gameplay in that game, I found this a lot more interesting.

Not a classic, but at about 4hrs long it was interesting enough to be worth my time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 13 November, 2017, 09:12:15 AM
Played through The Banner Saga 2 this week and loved it. Really enjoyed the first game, with my one gripe being that I scraped through every fight until I reached the last battle and the difficulty spiked so hard I had to eventually switch it down to Easy just to stand a chance (something which I rarely do and which always sours the end of a game for me). There were a couple of tough battles in this but nothing as spikey as that, so I enjoyed it throughout.

Also, the art style is absolutely gorgeous. I played the first game on my phone and the second on my telly, and it's a style that looks beautiful on both.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 23 November, 2017, 11:42:57 AM
Just finished Outlast 2, and have to say I found it a massive, irritating slog. Enjoyed the first one enough, even found it really creepy and scary in places. It was flawed, but I was pretty forgiving of the wrinkles because it felt like a spiritual successor to things like Condemned which I loved.

This though...urgh. It actually does some quite interesting things storywise, and there's a bit of decent intrigue that made me want to soldier on and see how things panned out, but the gameplay and the design of the layouts and encounters is just no good. You very rarely have any clear indication of where you can go or should be going, which in a game where the bulk of the gameplay is running blind away from things chasing you makes for a really irritating experience. With a couple of pretty decent exceptions, every chase just turned into me running into a corner or a dead end and just having to stand and let things kill me so I could try it again. That kind of trial and error makes for a game that's far too frustrating to be scary.

There are a couple of cornfield sections where you're expected to crouch and sneak through a cornfield being patrolled by bad eggs, but without any indication of where you're actually aiming to wind up I just went in circles for ages until I got spotted and blindly ran around, hoping that on an eventual attempt I wound up facing the right way. The stealth is really poorly concieved too - I lost track of the amount of times I'd hide in a barrell or under a bed without being spotted, then the enemy would just walk up to my hiding place and stand there staring at it. I'd wait 10mins for an opening to leave and never get one, so just had to step out and let them kill me to try again. Urgh.

Was playing on XB1X though, so it was 4K and 60fps and ran really nicely, I just wish the gameplay had been more enjoyable.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 November, 2017, 03:10:11 PM
Me again! Trying to burn through a lot of my pile of shame at the moment, so blitzing through a few games. Played through Flashback (the remake for the 360) and it was a lot more enjoyable than the reception it got lead me to believe. It's definitely super unpolished and very, very janky and in a couple of places feels quite broken (there was one glitchy elevator that caused me a lot of problems), but I think my fondness for the original and the novelty of seeing the same level layouts with a different graphical skin carried me through. Not a great game by any means, but glad I played it and enjoyed it for the most part.

Other than that been getting back into the Gears 4 multiplayer, just because it looks and sounds so damn good on the X with Atmos.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 01 December, 2017, 09:12:30 AM
They ever do Fade To Black, AKA 100+ FMVs of murder?


Playing FTL on my commute. Addictive!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 01 December, 2017, 11:02:50 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 01 December, 2017, 09:12:30 AM
They ever do Fade To Black, AKA 100+ FMVs of murder?

Just checked and apparently the studio went under shortly after putting out the Flashback remake. A shame, it was clunky but wasn't that bad, and I enjoyed my time with it!

Would have liked to have played Fade To Black, I missed out on it back in the day for some reason, maybe wasn't on a platform I owned at the time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 01 December, 2017, 11:16:31 AM
Playing Evil Within 2 at the moment which got a very mixed bag of reviews but have to say I'm loving it so far. I'm only at chapter 3 which lets you loose in an open world US small town full of zombie types. It really appeals to my "explore everywhere before moving on" attitude and I get a very "Silent Hill" vibe from it. Hopefully the gameplay continues to impress.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 01 December, 2017, 11:25:43 AM
I loved The Evil Within 2! The open town thing was really satisfying, planning how you're going to get from A to B makes for some interesting survival horror, sneaking through gardens and houses to avoid monstery streets and stuff. Thoroughly enjoyed it throughout!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Arkwright99 on 01 December, 2017, 11:34:27 AM
Mass Effect for the PS3. I didn't have a PS3 so bought a refurbished 250GB Slim console from CEX for £80 last week and downloaded the PS3 Trilogy for £7 from the PlayStation Store. Only ever played the ME Trilogy on PC before and only ever played FemShep before, so I'm trying out BroShep for the first time. (Toyed with recreating my PC Renegon FemShep but then thought better of it. She was great but let's not spoil the memories, huh?) Just rescued Liara from Therum so I've got Noveria and Feros to complete.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 December, 2017, 09:43:32 AM
Finished The Witcher 2, had a pretty identical experience as with the first game. Which is to say I loved the character, the world-building and the story, but found the gameplay such a slog that I'd really gone off the whole affair by the end. The combat just wasn't enjoyable, and even on Easy (which is what the game recommended I play on after my poor attempts at getting to grips with the mechanics in the tutorial) there were a couple of insane difficulty spikes near the end which were maddening. Add to that a final boss that was a turgid chip-fest that took FOREVER and it had lost all the goodwill the presentation and story had gained it from me.

Will probably still give 3 a go at some point given how much people rave about it, but I really hope it's not got the same complaints.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 04 December, 2017, 12:26:09 PM
I gave up on 2 due to the same complaints but 3 does live up to the hype. Gameplay is so much better and *gasp* actually fun. I wish I had the time to play more but having been in the same boat, I offer another recommendation of number 3.


I've been spending the weekend playing Darkest Dungeons - wanted to play for a long time but knew I'd never sit on my desktop long enough to play such a thing anymore. Thankfully they finally release it for the iPad, and it's grand! Grand, frustrating and hard.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 04 December, 2017, 01:59:43 PM
I never managed to get through The Witcher 2 either, it wasn't only the awkward gameplay, I also just didn't like Geralt so I really was buggered. He was just a charisma vacuum. Its a shame because a lot of people really enjoy these games, especially Witcher 3 :(
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 04 December, 2017, 05:58:04 PM
Last game I played through was Castlevania: Curse of Darkness on PS2, fantastic game, much better than Lament of Innocence which preceded it. Platforming takes a backseat in both and they focus more on combat. LoI's combat was quite shallow and with very flat, board-game maps whereas CoD adds more interesting terrain and lots of cool systems for things like xp, loot, crafting items and raising familiars to fight with you. Its a lot more substantial and looks a bit better too.

I remember there was some outcry from fans about Mercury Steam 'turning Castlevania into God of War' when they made Lords of Shadow on 360 and PS3, but it's not like Konami hadn't already gone in the 'Character Action' direction themselves, and successfully. LoS rocked too anyway!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 05 December, 2017, 12:22:06 PM
Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed on 04 December, 2017, 01:59:43 PM
I never managed to get through The Witcher 2 either, it wasn't only the awkward gameplay, I also just didn't like Geralt so I really was buggered. He was just a charisma vacuum. Its a shame because a lot of people really enjoy these games, especially Witcher 3 :(

I never played Witcher 1 or 2, just jumped straight in with 3.
Got about a years worth of enjoyment out of it- fantastic game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 05 December, 2017, 02:53:45 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 05 December, 2017, 12:22:06 PM
I never played Witcher 1 or 2, just jumped straight in with 3.
Got about a years worth of enjoyment out of it- fantastic game.

Damn, making me want to have a go. I will take a run at it sometime, everyone who's played it thinks it's the bee's knees and I usually like the genre. If the gameplay's much improved that'll go a long way to helping me get over Geralt aka 'The Void'. I wonder if the books are worth a bash.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 05 December, 2017, 10:20:22 PM
Witcher 3 is nothing like it's prequels it completely open world.An open world that's collosal and it has too superb dlc add-on that expands its world even further.a absolutely amazing game and it's utterly gorgeous as well.highly recommended but its a seriously huge game and not to be taken likely.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 05 December, 2017, 10:28:16 PM
Well I do love open world games (an open world Dredd game set in Mega City One is probably my dream game). It's getting a sexy patch for the Xbox One X as well right? I'm hopefully going to get an X some time in the coming months, maybe that'd be a good time for it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 06 December, 2017, 10:38:11 AM
I think Geralt in 3 is portrayed a little more effectively as well - a guy who has been through quite a lot, and is pretty weary.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: James Stacey on 06 December, 2017, 11:08:32 AM
Ive not played 1 or 2 but absolutely loved Witcher 3.
I've recently been replaying Last of Us on the PS4Pro .. man that looks lovely and such an awesome game. Genuinely harrowing in places and full of feels in others.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 06 December, 2017, 01:01:57 PM
Last game I played to completion was Resident Evil 5.  I only got a PS3 this year as an unexpected gift from a friend and he wanted to play some co-op with me.  It was actually the second time we played through the game because I enjoyed it so much.

I'm not a big fan of the RE franchise just by virtue of never really having played any of the games.  I was aware that at the time of release RE5 had a degree of negative response, so I didn't expect anything special from the game.  After getting used to the controls I found the game to be a well crafted co-op experience.  It always felt like we were working together to accomplish our goals in the game.  This worked really well when we'd have to split up.

The story is rediculous, but I assume that is the case with every game.  I enjoyed it well enough for its extravagance and it didn't bother me I didn't really know what had happened in previous games.

We also have started playing RE6 and that is turning out to be considerably less fun.

In addition to those games I've been dipping in and out of Cities:Skylines and that game is amazing.  I love it.  It is really satisfying having built a pretty little city right before I make a mess of it and turn into a bloated nightmare.  Good times :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 06 December, 2017, 01:47:41 PM
I think RE5 gets stick as a RE game because with the co-op it becomes less scary than even RE4, and understandably leans even more into the action, taking it further away from what RE was. It's still a fantastic game though, particularly if you've got a chum.

The stories in the older games were a bit more grounded, although still cheesy and campy in spots (particularly the original). It gets crazier than ever in 5.

Maybe try Dead Space 3 if you're looking for a similar kind of game? The first two single player Dead Space games are better than fan-favourite RE4 to me, doing a better job being horror games whilst still being fun, gorgeous games and having great stories. Dead Space 3 added Co-Op (taking similar hits to scariness and adding focus to combat like RE5 did) and although it's perhaps no RE5, it's much better than RE6.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 06 December, 2017, 05:32:53 PM
Skyrim Special Edition for PS4 - relatively primitive gameplay (walk from A to B, bash attack button, repeat) by current gen standards, but looks fantastic.  What I find funny, however, is the sheer number of visual "tweaks" that have actually just been lifted straight from the modding community, particularly the roadside lanterns and graphics filters that up the onscreen particle counts for weather effects - and yet I suspect that despite this brush with free modding, Bethesda still don't quite understand why their product has been so popular for the last six years despite its objective gameplay life of only a few weeks at most, as the number and range of mods available for the game is laughably small.  No Moonlight Tales, Frostfall, Requiem, Apocalypse, Falskaar, Enderal - Jesus H Christmas, why don't they just pull the plug on the nude and bestiality mods while they're at it?
/record scratch
WHAAAAT?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 06 December, 2017, 06:03:11 PM
The best Co-Op game ever is Left4Dead (2, because it incorporates 1 as well). Fact.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 06 December, 2017, 11:46:52 PM
Left4Dead is fantastic! Call me a shill but I loved ZAT even more :D!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 07 December, 2017, 09:53:27 AM
Yes! Left 4 Dead 2 is pretty much the ultimate co-op fun time. Love it so much, even though actually surviving a game is really rare for me and my friends. One of those rare games where when everything is going wrong and you're making mistakes and people are dying all over the place and plans are falling apart...it doesn't matter because that's the fun of it. And when you DO manage to get on that escape vehicle, trying to cover your friend who's still dashing through the hordes, it's a rush like few others in gaming! ZAT is really cool too, played through that whole thing with a friend and we loved it.

Dead Space 3 is a really good shout as well. The first two are a couple of the best games ever made and the third one is...less good. When I replayed 3 in co-op with my brother though it was a totally different experience and a great deal of fun. Still not up there with 1&2 but as a co-op survival horror game it was a really good time.

I didn't particularly enjoy RE5 or 6, but then I was playing them solo, and would imagine co-op would have helped a lot.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 07 December, 2017, 11:11:35 AM
Dead Space 3 is sitting on my PS3 waiting to be played after RE6.  We're powering through, hoping that the Leon campaign will at least be enjoyable.  We've started on the Jake campaign and I passionately hate it and the Sherry character.  She is next to useless, with decent portions of the games requiring me to do nothing whilst my friend runs through QTEs or whatever.  The most agency I feel I've had with her is crawling through a vent for about 10 seconds.  Useless.

We actually tried out a little of each campaigns to decide which to start with (except the additional bonus campaign).  The Chris campaign wasn't hugely better with levels designed liked cover-shooters but lacking the controls to support that style.  What we played of the Leon campaign was fun and was the best fit for the controls and mechanics.

I also have the first Dead Space on disc but haven't got around to giving it a proper try.  I made the mistake of not paying attention to the dialogue.  I decided to play The Last of Us instead, which I found to be considerably enjoyable (for the most part).  I have never played a game where I'm so excited to pick up arrows.  I loved the characters as well.

I haven't played RE5 single player, but I can imagine it would be a chore.  So much of the design seemed geared towards playing with someone and that's certainly where I got most of my enjoyment from.  For instance, we ended up allocating roles for each of us so we were never having to split ammo between us and that led to my love of the Dragunov SVD rifle.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 08 December, 2017, 09:38:36 AM
Finished Grabbed By The Ghoulies last night (been dipping into the Rare Replay collection from time to time) and overall found it fun and quite charming. Quite a nice 'horror for kids' vibe about it and the bold cartoony art style means a lot of it still actually looks quite nice.

Gets overly frustrating in places, but some of that was me leaving too long between sessions and totally forgetting the mechanics. Was definitely tricky in spots though, and am ashamed to admit I looked at a couple of video guides for tips when things got a bit brutal late on.

Not a classic or anything, but glad I played through it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 08 December, 2017, 10:44:03 AM
Played some more RE6 yesterday and we finished the Jake campaign.  It was a total chore getting through that garbage.  We picked up the Chris campaign and immediately the game was playing better in comparison.  The generic grunt I'm playing as seems to have more agency and usefulness than Jake's companion Sherry.  It can still be annoying, but not close to the same extent.

I think there might be some pretty good elements to the game, and fun to be had.  Nevertheless, that doesn't in anyway make up for the glaring faults.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 08 December, 2017, 11:56:17 AM
Yeah that was pretty much my experience of 6 as well. Think they really bit off more than they could chew in trying to make so many campaigns, when they probably could have used the time to really polish up one of them.

I played them in the order they appeared on the menu, and think each one was worse than the last. Leon's was the best, then Chris, then Jake, then Ada.

Kind of soldiered through because I didn't like there being a main RE game I hadn't finished, but it was definitely a slog.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 08 December, 2017, 04:32:42 PM
We didn't give the Ada one a go for some reason and will probably be playing it last.  It will be really disappointing if it's the worse.  I'm not sure how much worse than playing as Sherry in Jake's campaign things could be.  My friend agreed that the Jake campaign was awful, but he definitely had more to do than me.  I felt Sherry's uselessness rubbing off on me the more I played her.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 08 December, 2017, 05:13:23 PM
I played Grabbed by the Ghoulies via Rare Replay too Keef, I didn't know what to expect and ended up really enjoying it. Also, I cant believe the Jet Force Gemini achievements are so rare on Rare Replay, its a great game why's nobody playing it?!

RE6 definitely had tons of issues. Theres a really cool-looking bit in the Ada campaign though, I always remember that when I think about RE6!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 13 December, 2017, 01:38:02 PM
Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed on 08 December, 2017, 05:13:23 PM
Also, I cant believe the Jet Force Gemini achievements are so rare on Rare Replay, its a great game why's nobody playing it?!

I tried it! I had a plan to play through all the Rare Replay stuff, but there have been a couple of games I just spent a couple of hours with and then moved on. I think the controls felt a bit clunky or I maybe just got stuck and didn't know what to do so stopped!

Finished Valiant Hearts last night and would recommend it to one and all. Fantastic game, beautiful art style, really satisfying puzzles (that never become frustrating) and for how 'cartoony' the whole thing looks (for want of a better word) it properly depicts the horror of WW1 in a much, much more affecting way than any number of Medal of Battle Duties could. You can even hit a button when prompted to bring up historical info, and I have to say I found it very educational. Wonderful story and characters, just loved it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Satanist on 13 December, 2017, 02:49:03 PM
Completed Evil Within 2 and jumped straight back in to New Game plus. Loved this game from start to end.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 13 December, 2017, 03:54:41 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 13 December, 2017, 01:38:02 PM

I tried it! I had a plan to play through all the Rare Replay stuff, but there have been a couple of games I just spent a couple of hours with and then moved on. I think the controls felt a bit clunky or I maybe just got stuck and didn't know what to do so stopped!


Yeah like a lot of n64-era games the controls are a bit clunky. Shortly after release they patched in an option to use updated controls, absolutely turn that on (it's off by default) as that modernises it some. I did have nostalgia on my side  :), but I really enjoyed playing through it again.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 18 December, 2017, 01:50:39 PM
Quote from: Satanist on 13 December, 2017, 02:49:03 PM
Completed Evil Within 2 and jumped straight back in to New Game plus. Loved this game from start to end.

Hope New Game Plus is a good time, I enjoyed the game so much that I fully plan to go back to it at some point soon for another playthrough. It's definitely on the shortlist for game of the year for me.

Played through an odd game called The Sexy Brutale last week and liked it a lot. It plays a lot like Gregory Horror Show, you're in a mansion where a dinner party is going on and several murders take place over the course of the day. You can repeat the day as many times as you want groundhog day style, so you spend the game sneaking around (you're not supposed to be there) and trying arrange things to prevent the murders. The puzzles are never overly tough but they are satisfying, and it feels great to spend a couple of 'days' following the victim around to see what their schedule is and how you can stop it happening. You can spend an hour with it where 55mins are wandering around gathering a picture of events but not feeling like you're getting anywhere, and then everything will fall into place and you'll solve it and feel great!

It can occasionally be slightly obtuse about where you should be going so there is a bit of blind wandering here and there until you stumble on a thread to follow, but other than that I couldn't really fault it. Oh, apart from the audio design which is really bad, lots of overly compressed and distorted sounds, a weird surround panning approach to your own character's footsteps and some really jarring musical transitions (or lack there-of).

But yeah, apart from that, great game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 18 December, 2017, 03:13:34 PM
Dishonoured 2 - it's good, love the world building, can never get over how easy it is to just moider everyone. The powers allow a lot of fun but honestly don't need them if I'm on a good murder spree. Tend to play stealthy/non-murderous just to add a bit of challenge. Not really using any power other than Far Reach to swing around like spiderman.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 05 January, 2018, 11:11:18 AM
(posted this in the Switch thread accidentally so will move it here!)

Played through Watchdogs 2 over the holidays and had a great time. The systems give you lots of scope to figure out your own solutions to missions and make it really satisfying, there were loads of times I didn't physically enter a mission area, but crept around the periphery remote-controlling my drone and RC car thingy to stealth through areas and hack what needed hacked. It makes for a really unique approach to stealth, and gives it a ton of player agency.

People seemed really down on the first game in general so would be a shame if that put people off because this is a real step up, it's got some swagger and confidence that was missing before, the tone is way more fun and the characters and lead are great. Didn't expect to like it as much as I did, but it was brilliant.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 05 January, 2018, 03:35:49 PM
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Hard as nails. But really good fun. And nice to see Hitler as a self-pissing semi-senile maniac, yet still keeping his insance murderous pyscopathy.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 11 January, 2018, 08:04:33 PM
Finally finished Resident Evil 6 with my friend (we didn't get to play much over the hols).  Gah, the game is bad.  The Leon campaign turned out to have it's own frustrations and I think is marginally better than the Chris campaign.  Both are considerably better than the Jake campaign.  I really didn't enjoy it that much and any of the cool or interesting bits were over-shadowed by its failures - of which there were many.

I also purchased Lollipop Chainsaw before Christmas and finished it pretty quickly.  It was a fun game that I thoroughly enjoyed.  I liked its goofiness and the music themed bosses.  I think it also has replay value as I'd like to unlock more of the stuff.  I like it's art style, also.  Bright colours and comic book aesthetic... nice :)

There are a bunch of games that are candidates for my next playthroughs.  Finished Dead Space 3 might be a priority, but it looks like Metal Gear Peacewalker is now an option.  I also have both Baldur's Gates (I never played the second one, but loved the first one when it came out) and Odin Sphere Leifthrasir.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 11 January, 2018, 08:18:18 PM
Got aome stuff at GOG.Stronghold Crusader,Jazz Jackrabbit,Army Men RTS...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 12 January, 2018, 09:47:52 AM
Congratulations on making it through Resi 6! It's a slog and no mistake, although as a fan of the series I'm glad I trudged through it for curiosity's sake. Lollipop Chainsaw is great fun, I'll buy anything Grasshopper put out because they're always unique and entertaining, the No More Heroes games are fantastic. There's such a madcap creative energy to their games that you never quite know what madness is going to happen next. Their next game is Switch exclusive, so that'll probably be the thing that finally sways me to get one. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 22 January, 2018, 11:41:53 AM
Call of Duty: WW2

Some good, some bad!

The good - The multiplayer reminds me of the original Black-Ops in terms of gameplay, which is a good thing as I think that B-Ops is still the best CoD to date. I'm glad the Developers have gotten rid of the awful wall-running/Double-Jumping which i'm not a fan of at all! The level design is good but not great, sadly. None of the Maps leap out as anything truly exceptional but at the same time none of them are completely shit. The Graphics are superb with rich detailed battlegrounds, no garish oranges, yellows and teals here!

Zombies is quite good and offers a little bit more to the formula with activities to do around the Map rather than just herding the fuckers into a group and wiping them out. And the Easter eggs are actually achievable by standard/average players.


The bad - only 9 multiplayer maps (10 with season pass) which is a bit of a piss take. It's been suggested by some that this might be due to having to change the game halfway through the development cycle which may be the case but I can't play Team Deathmatch on excuses. There's a mode called 'War' which has been Stolen borrowed from the likes of Battlefield 1 and Destiny. It's a dull game mode and made all the worse because we will now get less multiplayer maps in the Season pass (3 instead of 4) because 'War' maps are separate.


I like the game and consider it one of the best CoD's in years but the lack of maps is starting to grate a bit.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 23 January, 2018, 11:26:12 AM
I have started dipping back into Yakuza 5.  I love this game.  It can be weird and hilarious, but also mundane.  I finally moved to the second act after my stellar career as a taxi driver and have just gone through a ridiculous sequence of events.  The game can be just so engaging.  I love the combat, which is not over-complicated but satisfying in what depth it has (and there is some depth).  I love the mini-games and have unfortunately only been able to play pool once.  There is such variety in what you can do.  The main story is compelling enough that I feel I am totally lost having not played any of the previous games.  It's taking me a while to get through it as it is a long game, but even after long breaks I can pick it up and carry on playing like I had only stopped yesterday.  Thoroughly entertaining.

Also completed the Resident Evil 5 extra content 'Lost in Nightmares'.  This was pretty good content and showed the Res5 engine could do something more leaning towards survival horror.  The only downside to it was it's length.  It was really short.

Lastly, after completing Lost in Nightmares we went on to play and complete Metal Slug 3.  It's an OK game that looks good, but it was a shallow experience.  It felt like we were playing with cheats, because no matter how much we died we just kept coming back.  I'm guessing that it may have been an arcade coin eater and the only peril was how much money you had left to spend on it.  It didn't take long to complete so I guess it didn't get boring, but it wasn't exactly satisfying either.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 23 January, 2018, 02:23:12 PM
Played through Hand of Fate and really, really enjoyed it. It's a weird mash-up of deck-building and table-top RPG mechanics with videogame dungeon crawling and combat. Sounds mad but works really well. Every dungeon has a boss at the end, and while most of them aren't too tough the last couple took me a few tries so I almost uninstalled it when I realized that the final battle is all of the bosses in one fight. It felt like a massive difficulty spike, and the sort of thing I really hate in games. Thankfully I managed to get through it in a few attempts, otherwise I had fears it would turn into one of those infuriating game obsessions where I'd still be banging my head against that one level in a few months' time!

So yeah, aside from the difficulty spike it's a great game, and definitely an interesting and unique idea. I see there's a sequel now so might look into that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 03 February, 2018, 07:48:57 AM
Night in the Woods.

Beautiful, charming and completely and utterly boring.

Bitterly disappointed - I was expecting a modern spin on a point and click adventure/puzzle game with elements of platforming, but it isnt that at all. I've been 'playing' for over an hour and as far as I can tell, the entire game consists of wandering around the same 4-5 screens talking to npcs. Thats literally it.  Occaisionally you get to - wow - choose which line of dialogue to say (which changes nothing). Each to his own, but to me a game where 90% of player input is clicking through dialogue is not a game - its a cartoon where you have to press a button every three seconds to keep it going - ie not my idea of fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 03 February, 2018, 09:20:09 AM
Skyforce Reloaded on the Switch.

It's great and well worth the £9.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 03 February, 2018, 02:12:10 PM
Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds - a game that is already utterly beautiful and they somehow found a way to make it look even better.
Batter your way through a post-apocalyptic Yellowstone Park, an ancient hydroelectric dam, and even an active volcano, fighting giant robot bears and pumas and a rogue AI. The different environments and weather effects are gorgeous to look at and run through - the heavy snow on both the ground and in the air is brilliantly atmospheric, as is the in-game rendering of borealis effects.  Aloy hasn't exactly been sexualised much compared to many game protagonists, but here it kind of stands out that so much of her wardrobe is flattering to the female form rather than practical for extreme cold conditions, with one of the local outfits (for arctic conditions) sporting a bare midriff.  I would have liked to see some sort of naturally-occurring debuffs because of the cold environment, as you just run around meter-deep snowdrifts and swim through partially-frozen lakes with no consequence, and while there's plenty of side-quests, errands, and a decent main questline, possibly this is not 16 quid's worth of content - though I certainly wasn't disappointed I spent it.

Terminator 3: The Redemption - PS2 tie-in to the unloved sequel, this is actually pretty good when you don't have to do the present-day driving sequence that are just a matter of memorising hidden turns and shortcuts rather than actually racing or shooting.  The third-person combat bits are pretty good, but it really never returns to the enjoyable heights of the post-holocaust LA opening chapters.

Urban Chaos: Riot Response - hilariously OTT right-wing first person shooter for the PS2, full of gore and swearing as you play a heroic LAPD riot officer sent in to gun down rebellious rabble in a dystopian near-future America and no, at no point does the stroyline require you to question the brave men and women of the emergency services or your superiors: your enemy are the poor from start to finish.  Looks and sounds like a game you'd see in a mid-90s cyberpunk movie, to the extent that it might be a genuine possibility that Robocop will crash into your living room while you're playing it.  Looks its age, but still very fun to play.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 03 February, 2018, 05:55:27 PM
Finished Brutal Legend, was a bit of a love/hate experience. Loved the writing and the world and the artwork and the whole heavymetal vibe was really well done and made it feel pretty unique. The RTS-style stage battles were a bit of a hurdle for me though, I really hated them for a lot of the game. Enjoyed the last couple though so may have been a case of the learning curve just being a tad too steep for them and causing frustration. Glad I pushed through, really cool game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 03 February, 2018, 06:00:45 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 03 February, 2018, 05:55:27 PM
The RTS-style stage battles were a bit of a hurdle for me though, I really hated them for a lot of the game.

They kinda ruined the game for me, and were the main reason I never completed it. All the other bits were great - I love Tim Schafer's style, I love heavy metal (and there were some really great track choices - Brocas Helm? Hell yeah!) I even gained a new and genuine appreciation for Jack Black. But it wasn't enough.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 03 February, 2018, 06:12:46 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 03 February, 2018, 05:55:27 PM
Finished Brutal Legend, was a bit of a love/hate experience. Loved the writing and the world and the artwork and the whole heavymetal vibe was really well done and made it feel pretty unique. The RTS-style stage battles were a bit of a hurdle for me though, I really hated them for a lot of the game. Enjoyed the last couple though so may have been a case of the learning curve just being a tad too steep for them and causing frustration. Glad I pushed through, really cool game.

Sounds a bit like Double Fine's other game Psychonauts - everything about it is great except, you know, the actual gameplay part.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 February, 2018, 10:02:20 AM
Yup, that was my experience with Psychonauts too. Bags of charm in spades, but clunky in the gameplay department. They're one of those studios I like a lot because their games always have a ton of character, but haven't played one yet that I didn't have quibbles with.

I've moved straight onto Grim Fandango Remastered actually, because I never played that back in the day. So far it's got the charm and character down, will see how the gameplay goes!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 05 February, 2018, 02:06:22 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 03 February, 2018, 02:12:10 PM
Urban Chaos: Riot Response

Such a good game!! Rocksteady have been teasing their next game for ages now and i have my fingers crossed its a sequel to this gem. A boy can dream!

I've been playing lots of Wii and Gamecube (via Wii) games, some highlights include:

Starfox Adventures - my first time playing this, I'm a huge fan of Rare and this was a glaring omission. It still looks and sounds great, and is a blast to play. It's basically the Zelda formula with a Rare twist and style, and on-rails shooting sections. It's also shorter and less obtuse than your average 3d Zelda too, which makes for perhaps a tighter more focused experience (but you could argue on the flipside, less open and non-linear). Speaking of the shooting sections, the seams do show a bit, in places you can definitely tell that the Starfox IP was injected into the game late in development. Something at the end is very jarring indeed!

It makes me think you could make an awesome RPG out of Starfox though, it's not a series I've thought much about in recent years but it's a really cool world. I'd love to see them tell the story of Andross's rise to infamy on Corneria and Starwolf's fall from grace, have you fly to air battles on the overworld map in your Arwing and explore on foot the cities we've seen collapsed so many times.

Resident Evil 3 - For me, as awesome as Resident Evil 2 is, it's RE3 that delivers on that promise of surviving an infected city. RE3 is kinda Resident Evil's Dawn of the Dead to RE1's Night. No hiding inside police stations like in RE2, you must face the rampaging hordes head-on as you explore the streets and overrun buildings, with the unstoppable Nemesis snapping at your heels the entire time. As you would, you see more zombies than ever on the streets (I think I saw 8 on-screen at once?) and there's constant ambient zombie wailing to keep the hair on the back of your neck bristling, it might even be baked into the music. Buckets of atmosphere. The music in general is scarier and more sinister than ever for my money, the save room music for example which often in Resi games has *some* feeling of respite or a change of mood is just so bleak and oppressive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBYSQxrk7QI&t=172s

Needless to say it's the scariest of the old-style Resis imo, you never feel safe and they deliver on the premise. I should also mention it looks great too, looks like a lot of the backgrounds are higher resolution than RE2 and tons of detail has been put into the cluttered city.

I also played through Burnout 2 again, which is still fantastic and perhaps my favourite in the series!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 05 February, 2018, 04:49:38 PM
God the amount of time spent on the Mercenaries mini-game in RE3. And when you realise you can save people if you get there fast enough! What a game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 06 February, 2018, 12:24:54 PM
I just replayed my Nier: Automata copy to get all the chapters and endings. Maybe I played Horizon Zero Dawn more but Automata IS my game of 2017.

But also I played Zelda and I must say I loved every minute of it. This is one of the greatest big games of last year, yet still Nier wins all.

Now I'm in the Monster Hunter World badwagon and... all the praise is justified.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 06 February, 2018, 05:41:06 PM
Old games a go-go in Casa Bear, as a long-overdue clearout has forced me to finally finish all the old games I bought when they were going for buttons at the end of/after the shelf life of previous generations of consoles, if only to make sure they still work before hitting eBay.

Robocop on PS2 is pretty dire, but Robocop (the movie) has inevitably dated in the decades since its release, so now the PS2 game feels like an artifact from the franchise itself, with its dated mechanics and crusty graphics engine.  Hard to believe that Robocop knock-off Judge Dredd was a mere two years away from this one, as it covered the same kind of territory much better.  I can't quite explain why I liked playing this beyond some kind of fondness for its anachronistic gameplay.
Red Star is a scrolling beat-em-up that has gunfighting mechanics built in.  You're never swarmed with enemies as you are in shooters or regular fighting games, instead you get faced with a small number of enemies who each have certain weaknesses that have to be exploited: some are weak against gunfire, others are immune and have to be fought hand to hand, that sort of thing.  Every so often you encounter a boss who attacks with a bulletstorm of some sort.  An enjoyable oddity.
Super Mario 3 - incredibly tiresome runny-jumpy thing.  I know some people love these games but it's 2018 now, and - as you can see above - I can just about justify playing games from the mid-2000s.  Not my cup of tea at all, I much preferred Wario and the Yoshi games, though I gather there's not that much clear water between them and this.
Mario Smash Football - combines my two least favorite things: Super Mario (he looks like a nonce), and Sportsball.  Well, it works, anyway - onto the eBay with you, wretched thing!
Dragon Sisters - pretty bad, but after a level or two it spams you a sort of Street Fighter 2 minigame between levels where instead of smashing up a car you smash up a glowing alien orb to get in-game credits to beef up your character's stats, and once you move at more than a geriatric snail's pace and don't have to punch enemies 50 times to do any damage, this is actually a pretty enjoyable post-apocalyptic beat-em-up.  It feels grind-y to start with, but a few plays later and you're flying.
Forbidden Siren - super-tense stuff where you sneak around a village full of murdery rednecks avoiding them by jacking into their eyes so you can can tell if they can see you or not when you sneak past.  I wasn't sure about this mechanic as it seemed a bit too far into the supernatural for what is mostly a spin on the Resident Evil game archetype, but always knowing what the gibbering pitchfork-wielding fuckers can see just makes things insanely tense.  The voice acting is epicly gash, but this just makes it sound like an old VHS dub of a Hong Kong movie from the mid-80s, the photo-mapped gormless expressions on the characters further selling it.
Forbidden Siren 2 - more of the same, but with larger environments and more outrageous enemies to get paranoid about.  The puzzles and stealth elements aren't actually that hard, but combined with the sight jacking thing, the game works to paralyse you with indecision and fear of what calamity your next move might bring down upon you.  A really fun pair of survival horror games.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Goaty on 07 February, 2018, 04:00:57 PM
Is it worth to get Dark Souls 3 as never play DS1 or DS2.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 07 February, 2018, 04:43:54 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 07 February, 2018, 04:00:57 PM
Is it worth to get Dark Souls 3 as never play DS1 or DS2.

A resounding 'yes'! I'd never played either of the previous installments (though I had played 'Bloodborne') and I loved DS3.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 12 February, 2018, 10:05:32 AM
Couldn't get along with Grim Fandango at all sadly. I enjoyed the style and the writing enough that I wanted to see it through, but couldn't tune into the logic of the puzzles so wound up using a guide just to get it done and dusted. There were a bunch of puzzles where I feel like I would have found the solution if the interface was better - lost count of the amount of times I didn't know something was interactive because it was sitting too close to something else and with the default control scheme it was incredibly fiddly to recognize and distinguish between interactive objects. I ended up switching to the traditional point and click controls, and then got hopelessly stuck in places because there were things you just straight-up couldn't do with that control scheme.

I knew if I persevered I would just end up hating it, so just blasted through with a guide in the end. A bit gutted, some of those LucasArts adventures are in my all time favourites list (Monkey Island, Full Throttle, Day of The Tentacle, Fate of Atlantis) and with the reputation Grim has I thought it would be a match for those. Not a fan.

Then I played through Her Story in a couple of hours and really enjoyed it. The credits have rolled but I feel like there are important parts of the story I might have missed, looking online though it appears the credits will only roll once you've seen all the pertinent information.

A really unique game mechanic, and a very unusual way to tell a story, and the voyeuristic rabbit-hole you go down as you search for videos and unravel what's happened is massively absorbing. Really liked it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 18 February, 2018, 10:32:13 AM
Penumbra Overture. A click puzzle type game with a scary Lovecraftian premise set in Greenland. The controls are awful and trying to swing a hammer has so far proven to be problematic, but it is very atmospheric if somewhat dated Graphic wise. Bought in the Steam Lunar sale, they're having at the moment. The sale ends tomorrow 19/2/2018 so hurry if you want something cheapo.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 19 February, 2018, 11:14:37 AM
Thomas Was Alone, brilliant. A really pleasant relaxing puzzle platformer with a perfectly tuned learning curve, a fabulously engaging narration and a lovely post-rock style soundtrack. Exactly what I needed after Grim Fandango convincing me I was now too dumb for puzzle games, this made me feel a bit cleverer again!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 19 February, 2018, 02:43:24 PM
A couple of excellent Megadrive pick-ups.

Atomic Runner - an absolute blast of a game. These days it would be called an 'endless runner' but it's really a shmup in which you control a running man instead of an aircraft or spaceship.
It's hard to quantify exactly what makes a great shmup but what ever 'it' is, Atomic runner has it in spades.
It doesn't look anything special in screenshots or videos but if you get the chance to play it then do so - it's fucking ace.

Shining Force 2 - I'm not the biggest fan of RPGs but I wanted to give this a go because I'd played a bit of Fire Emblem (because I'd heard it was a bit like Advance Wars) and really enjoyed it. So far I've only completed 5 or 6 battles but it's great fun. The presentation is top-notch too (lovely music in particular).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Pyroxian on 19 February, 2018, 03:04:07 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 19 February, 2018, 02:43:24 PM
Atomic Runner - an absolute blast of a game. These days it would be called an 'endless runner' but it's really a shmup in which you control a running man instead of an aircraft or spaceship.
It's hard to quantify exactly what makes a great shmup but what ever 'it' is, Atomic runner has it in spades.
It doesn't look anything special in screenshots or videos but if you get the chance to play it then do so - it's fucking ace.

I remember playing the Arcade version of that a lot during a holiday in the South of France in the late 80's :) It's good, but pretty hardcore.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 19 February, 2018, 07:32:31 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 19 February, 2018, 11:14:37 AM
Thomas Was Alone, brilliant. A really pleasant relaxing puzzle platformer with a perfectly tuned learning curve, a fabulously engaging narration and a lovely post-rock style soundtrack. Exactly what I needed after Grim Fandango convincing me I was now too dumb for puzzle games, this made me feel a bit cleverer again!

Loved this. Never realised quite how attached you could get to a little square block.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 19 February, 2018, 08:32:29 PM
Quote from: Pyroxian on 19 February, 2018, 03:04:07 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 19 February, 2018, 02:43:24 PM
Atomic Runner - an absolute blast of a game. These days it would be called an 'endless runner' but it's really a shmup in which you control a running man instead of an aircraft or spaceship.
It's hard to quantify exactly what makes a great shmup but what ever 'it' is, Atomic runner has it in spades.
It doesn't look anything special in screenshots or videos but if you get the chance to play it then do so - it's fucking ace.

I remember playing the Arcade version of that a lot during a holiday in the South of France in the late 80's :) It's good, but pretty hardcore.

I never played the coin-op which is weird - growing up in Great Yarmouth I played most things in one arcade or other but don't remember ever seeing this. I'd still like to play it but am happy with the M.D. version really, which I think is a bit of an upgrade by all accounts.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tjm86 on 20 February, 2018, 08:14:51 AM
Quote from: JamesC on 19 February, 2018, 08:32:29 PM
- growing up in Great Yarmouth  ....

Oh man!  You have my sympathies.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 20 February, 2018, 10:40:03 AM
Quote from: Tjm86 on 20 February, 2018, 08:14:51 AM
Quote from: JamesC on 19 February, 2018, 08:32:29 PM
- growing up in Great Yarmouth  ....

Oh man!  You have my sympathies.

Ha ha - it had its good points. The arcades during the 'golden age' being one of them.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 21 February, 2018, 03:04:39 PM
Battered through the Battlefield 1 campaign pretty quickly and enjoyed it a fair bit. Not usually that into real war shooters like that but this told some really good stories with some characters I really engaged with and cared about. The way it's split up into mini-stories too was quite a refreshing way of doing it, meant every hour or so you were getting a new setting and focus. Favourite was probably the pilot one, had some pretty epic aerial thrills and also some great on-foot levels. Plus, while it isn't enhanced for XB1X it does have HDR and some of that stuff looked flipping gorgeous.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 21 February, 2018, 03:23:51 PM
Hopelessly addicted to Stardew Valley on the Switch. I can't be trusted to work from home anymore as I'll think "Oh, I'll have a quick blast on this while I make a cup of tea." and look up four hours later.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 22 February, 2018, 01:12:44 PM
Switch has become my Achilles heel for work.Bloody can't put it down at the moment.highly recommend Owlboy and Celeste for anyone who's looking for something new to play.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 22 February, 2018, 08:18:33 PM
Quote from: Zenith 666 on 22 February, 2018, 01:12:44 PM
Switch has become my Achilles heel for work.Bloody can't put it down at the moment.highly recommend Owlboy and Celeste for anyone who's looking for something new to play.

Don't buy Skyforce Reloaded. Just... don't. Minutes to hours in seconds.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 25 February, 2018, 12:34:37 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 22 February, 2018, 08:18:33 PM
Quote from: Zenith 666 on 22 February, 2018, 01:12:44 PM
Switch has become my Achilles heel for work.Bloody can't put it down at the moment.highly recommend Owlboy and Celeste for anyone who's looking for something new to play.

Don't buy Skyforce Reloaded. Just... don't. Minutes to hours in seconds.
Is this just an update of the one that was free on PS+ a couple of months ago or a completely new game?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 25 February, 2018, 06:30:32 PM
It's a sequel
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 25 February, 2018, 08:09:08 PM
Just installed Path of Exile but it's so user-unfriendly as to be unplayable.

My character was blocked by an invisible wall until I did... something. I pressed every button and did everything I could think of, but nothing happened. I'm sure there was something, somewhere, in the myraid of menus but, as the game couldn't be arsed to tell me how to start then I can't be couldn't be arsed finding out.

Deliverately opaque games do my head in.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 26 February, 2018, 11:01:32 AM
Tiny Tips was playing Celeste and Furi (?). Both looked rock hard, Celeste bonus levels especially so.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 26 February, 2018, 12:38:11 PM
Fire Shark - a vertical scrolling shmup from Toaplan.

This genre really seems to have fallen out of favour these days which is a shame. The fashion among the few niche games which do get made seems to be 'bullet hell' which requires super precise movement and pattern memorisation.
Fire Shark is from a simpler time though - if you keep your wits about you it's entirely possible to finish the game on a single life (not that I'm anywhere near good enough) and the whole thing feels absolutely fair.  It's slow enough that you can see what's happening (and react to it) but there's always plenty happening, some nice variety in enemies/patterns and it controls wonderfully. Far, far better that the vastly overrated 194x series. highly recommended if you like these sorts of games.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 26 February, 2018, 10:14:18 PM
A friend lent he his copy of Zelda: Breath if the Wild, and it happily coincided with me getting the mother of all colds, so I've been digging in a lot over the weekend.

It's unsurprisingly great - I love the sense of freedom, of pure exploration, and I also appreciate the quietness, the fact that you only sparingly encounter enemies. I understand how some might perceive this as 'boring', but I like the more sedate pacing (most other exploration-based games try to throw enemies and set-pieces at you constantly for fear you'll get bored). I also like the fact that it's a challenging game, but only if you play recklessly, if that makes sense? They're not afraid to throw very deadly enemies at you, and for you to suddenly feel out of your depth, but because it's so easy to bypass and/or run away from encounters it never feels overwhelming or jarring. At times, it kinda feels like a big budget indie game, which is just great, and it's so, so refreshing to play a Zelda game where the world isn't so heavily gated and that you can pretty much go anywhere and do anything at any time.

I'm less convinced about the crafting side of things - the swapping/breaking of weapons and the cooking mechanic (which seems surprisingly simplistic and limited). I've got to admit - I don't really see what their inclusion adds to the game over just having standard weapon and health pickups.... Time will tell, I guess.

I also don't really like arriving at a village and having to talk to 25 NPCs and scrolling through reams of text. In general there's quite a lot more cutscenes and story stuff than I'd like - and the story itself seems pretty overly complicated for what it needs to be, and it's so at odds with the more free-wheeling, dynamic feel of the majority of the gameplay.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 February, 2018, 09:32:38 AM
I just finished Space Hulk on the Vita this morning! It was hard, but also great and very satisfying but also ran like total dogshit and the AI on one of the missions was so buggy that that one was a slog to get through due to quitting out and reloading just to get the genestealers to actually take their turn. Super clunky, super sluggish and unresponsive, but the thrill of playing one of my favourite board games in bed and on the train and with no need for a friend outweighed it all and I loved it. I've never even gotten to play all the way through the board game campaign because every time I start it with anyone we do about a mission a year, so I feel like a bucket list item has now been ticked.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 27 February, 2018, 09:54:54 AM
Quote from: radiator on 26 February, 2018, 10:14:18 PM
A friend lent he his copy of Zelda: Breath if the Wild, and it happily coincided with me getting the mother of all colds, so I've been digging in a lot over the weekend.

It's unsurprisingly great - I love the sense of freedom, of pure exploration, and I also appreciate the quietness, the fact that you only sparingly encounter enemies. I understand how some might perceive this as 'boring', but I like the more sedate pacing (most other exploration-based games try to throw enemies and set-pieces at you constantly for fear you'll get bored). I also like the fact that it's a challenging game, but only if you play recklessly, if that makes sense? They're not afraid to throw very deadly enemies at you, and for you to suddenly feel out of your depth, but because it's so easy to bypass and/or run away from encounters it never feels overwhelming or jarring. At times, it kinda feels like a big budget indie game, which is just great, and it's so, so refreshing to play a Zelda game where the world isn't so heavily gated and that you can pretty much go anywhere and do anything at any time.

I'm less convinced about the crafting side of things - the swapping/breaking of weapons and the cooking mechanic (which seems surprisingly simplistic and limited). I've got to admit - I don't really see what their inclusion adds to the game over just having standard weapon and health pickups.... Time will tell, I guess.

I also don't really like arriving at a village and having to talk to 25 NPCs and scrolling through reams of text. In general there's quite a lot more cutscenes and story stuff than I'd like - and the story itself seems pretty overly complicated for what it needs to be, and it's so at odds with the more free-wheeling, dynamic feel of the majority of the gameplay.

I liked BOTW overall but felt like the designers sometimes forgot that games are supposed to be fun.
I didn't mind the cooking (not that it really added much to the gameplay) but found the weapons system really annoying. I remain convinced that this was supposed to be implemented with touchscreen functionality back when the game was designed to be a WiiU exclusive - it probably would have made the system more streamlined and less irritating.
The NPCs are always annoying in Zelda games so I expected that!
The other thing that really got on my nerves was when rain effectively shut off areas you were trying to explore. It wouldn't have been so bad if rain had meant that certain cliffs or walls took more stamina to climb but instead they just became impossible, meaning you had to go and build a fire somewhere and return when the rain had stopped (which isn't fun).
Overall it's a great game but I think if it had remained a WiiU exclusive it would have been better. Some of the systems would clearly have worked better on the touch screen and even using the gamepad to display maps would have been useful (although those motion controlled rolling ball puzzles can get fucked).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 27 February, 2018, 04:30:15 PM
Strongly agree on the rain. I wouldn't mind but it often seems like it's raining half the bloody time, and it's just aggravating when you just want to get from A to B, or you're unable to climb out of a river and end up drowning. The day/night cycle can also be a little irritating, especially if you have no means to make a fire and have to sit around twiddling your thumbs. I think it's a little more annoying than usual as the cycle seems a lot longer than other Zelda games.

I don't think there's any doubt that it was intended to be a Wii U exclusive - the Sheika slate is basically a Wii U gamepad! You're right that the crafting mechanics make a lot more sense if they are touch/stylus based.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 27 February, 2018, 06:14:04 PM
Actually I like the rain obstacle. Zelda nailed the part where you not only prepare for combat but for exploration. What about your horse? What about your stamina? What about weather? Should I cook more stamina enhancers? etc

Maybe I'm still not on board with weapons but other than that I love exploring part.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 27 February, 2018, 06:38:50 PM
Quote from: jacob g on 27 February, 2018, 06:14:04 PM
Actually I like the rain obstacle. Zelda nailed the part where you not only prepare for combat but for exploration. What about your horse? What about your stamina? What about weather? Should I cook more stamina enhancers? etc

Maybe I'm still not on board with weapons but other than that I love exploring part.

Hmm - except there's no mitigating rain so no way to prepare for it. My preferred solution would have been to make rain-climbing more stamina wearing. Meaning you could either mitigate it by investing more in your stamina stat or stockpile stamina boosting potions.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 27 February, 2018, 06:55:28 PM
QuoteActually I like the rain obstacle. Zelda nailed the part where you not only prepare for combat but for exploration. What about your horse? What about your stamina? What about weather? Should I cook more stamina enhancers? etc

Is that fun though? At what point are these things just arbitrary obstacles that get in the way of enjoyment?

Eg the weapons - I kind of understand the intent, but having to constantly swap weapons just feels a bit like admin to me. Ditto cooking. At the moment I'm pretty much bypassing it entirely and getting by just fine eating apples. Path of least resistance etc.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 February, 2018, 09:15:38 PM
Quote from: radiator on 27 February, 2018, 06:55:28 PM
QuoteActually I like the rain obstacle. Zelda nailed the part where you not only prepare for combat but for exploration. What about your horse? What about your stamina? What about weather? Should I cook more stamina enhancers? etc

Is that fun though? At what point are these things just arbitrary obstacles that get in the way of enjoyment?

Eg the weapons - I kind of understand the intent, but having to constantly swap weapons just feels a bit like admin to me. Ditto cooking. At the moment I'm pretty much bypassing it entirely and getting by just fine eating apples. Path of least resistance etc.

It was no fun at all. This was a tedious life sim with some puzzles a trudge too far apart.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 28 February, 2018, 09:51:17 AM
I'll bet you hated THE LAST JEDI too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 28 February, 2018, 03:39:17 PM
Quote from: radiator on 27 February, 2018, 06:55:28 PM
QuoteActually I like the rain obstacle. Zelda nailed the part where you not only prepare for combat but for exploration. What about your horse? What about your stamina? What about weather? Should I cook more stamina enhancers? etc

Is that fun though? At what point are these things just arbitrary obstacles that get in the way of enjoyment?

Yes, fun. I had tones of fun planing how to reach some places and seeking alternative roads. I even had fun with creating my own recipes for different situations in game.

And it's funny since I'm not "hardcore gamer" who love "difficult games". I hated crafting in Witcher 3, I still ignore cooking right potions and meals for harder fights in Monster Hunter World, but sometimes this things works and I enjoyed them, like... in Zelda.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 28 February, 2018, 04:44:15 PM
Quotealthough those motion controlled rolling ball puzzles can get fucked

Sad to say, but I pretty much hate the puzzle design in general in this game so far. There's something really unintuitive and flimsy about the puzzles compared to the tight, ingenious puzzles in previous Zelda games, and I don't find them at all fun to play.

I resorted to a walkthrough after about ten minutes in the first dungeon/elephant thing because I couldn't figure out what to do and it felt like a tedious exam that I just had to get out of the way rather than a fun test of skills. As the game goes on, I'm finding the same is true of most of the shrines, sadly - ie they're all uninspiring looking aeroplane hangars with some fiddly and frustrating physics puzzle at the center.

Even when I figure out (or Google) a solution, I never have that 'aha!' moment, it's more of a 'really? that was it?' reaction. There's other irritations, like for instance you'll need to use arrows to solve part of a puzzle, but they don't give you any, instead forcing you to spend 10+ minutes backtracking to the nearest village to go and buy some. Again, this feels more like work than fun and feels like a backwards step in game design.

I understand that the old formula (find a boomerang/hookshot etc, use it to complete dungeon/defeat boss) needed shaking up, but the runes aren't really much of a replacement and simply aren't very fun to use.

It's a real weakness in the game imo.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 28 February, 2018, 09:34:30 PM
Blimey. I pretty much felt the opposite. I did need a walkthrough to help open up some areas of one of the Divine Beasts and to find the last few shrines but other than that I found the puzzles engaging and had plenty of "Aha!" moments.

The feeling of defeating my first guardian was elation. And I just about jizzed my keks when defeating my first Lynel having trained and prepped for it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 28 February, 2018, 11:51:44 PM
I think the problem is partly that the controls are noticeably looser/twitchier than compared to earlier Zelda games - I find that it's really easy to accidentally fall off ledges which can make dungeon traversal quite stressful. This also extends to the runes - I find manipulating stuff with the magnet really fiddly for example.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: jacob g on 01 March, 2018, 10:32:38 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 28 February, 2018, 09:34:30 PMThe feeling of defeating my first guardian was elation. And I just about jizzed my keks when defeating my first Lynel having trained and prepped for it.

This.

And moments when I was thinking "I wish this was possible" and after few minutes I had "aha" moment because it was possible, like attacking monsters with stones from big distance (using combination of runes), meltig ice, creating wind streams during battles with fire, etc. This game gave me freedom like no other game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 01 March, 2018, 12:47:38 PM
If it's raining too much I just waited right there and made a cup of tea or something until it stopped. You don't lose stamina or slip if you're not moving. It's a bit annoying sometimes but I felt the way the weather and environmental effects are actually used in some of the puzzles and design offset this quite well.

Agree about the cooking stuff though. Can't really be arsed with that sort of thing at the best of times and the fact that you had to sit through the same animation every bloody time (with no option to produce multiples of the same dish) had me tearing my hair out.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dandontdare on 01 March, 2018, 04:55:57 PM
thought i'd pop this here: a learning A.I. has beaten Q*bert on the Atari by discovering previously unknown bugs and cheats: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-43241936 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-43241936) - "Another novel strategy involved endlessly tempting Q*bert to commit suicide. Each time this happened the program received enough points for another life so it could repeat the cycle."
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 01 March, 2018, 06:00:18 PM
Quote from: jacob g on 01 March, 2018, 10:32:38 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 28 February, 2018, 09:34:30 PMThe feeling of defeating my first guardian was elation. And I just about jizzed my keks when defeating my first Lynel having trained and prepped for it.

This.

And moments when I was thinking "I wish this was possible" and after few minutes I had "aha" moment because it was possible, like attacking monsters with stones from big distance (using combination of runes), meltig ice, creating wind streams during battles with fire, etc. This game gave me freedom like no other game.

There's a lot of great stuff, and the sense of freedom and experimentation is wonderful, but I feel as an overall package it's very much a mixed bag - not the universal triumph it was heralded as imo. In terms of design it harkens back to older games in a lot of ways - it gives the player much more agency and freedom, and it doesn't hold the player's hand.... but it also brings back some bad things about old games too, like excessive and tedious inventory management.

Most of my Switch-owning friends seemed to prefer BotW, but to me Mario Odyssey is by far the superior game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 03 March, 2018, 12:27:38 PM
Steam has a Square Enix sale this weekend. Might try bonkers looking and poorly reviewed Front Mission Evolved for Mecha thrills.

http://store.steampowered.com/sale/squareenix-publisher-weekend/
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 03 March, 2018, 03:03:34 PM
I've been on a bit of a shmup mission lately.
Today I've had a go on both Fire Shark and Atomic Runner (both mentioned up thread and both still fantastic) and also had a go on Thunder Force IV.
TF IV is a game I really rate but it's just a bit too fast and frantic for my reaction speed. It's also difficult to see what's going on at first - it took about 15mins for me to get my eye in this time. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who likes their games fast paced and arcadey and who doesn't mind a steep difficulty curve.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 05 March, 2018, 10:19:13 AM
Thanks to Snowmageddon I had a lot of free time for gaming recently.
Definitely one way (the other being copious amounts of hooch) to combat the cabin fever mentality.

Batman Arkham Knight DLC; I purchased the season pass on a sale a while back, and loaded this back up on the PS4 for a return to Gotham. It took a while to get back into the groove of things, but this was a blast while it lasted. I completed all of the additional 'story' missions and Season of Infamy, but stopped short of completing all race tracks and simulations- I nearly cracked up getting the platinum trophy for this a few years ago, didn't feel that the "100%" was worth it.

Everybody's Gone to The Rapture; Well, that was different. Not really like anything I've played before, but I found it both compelling and relaxing to play. Story was great to piece together, but I think I was expecting more of a sinister ending.
I played through a second time with the help of a guide to get the Platinum trophy- pretty easy one.

Stardew Valley: Just started this yesterday on the Switch....as Cosh says-

Quote from: I, Cosh on 21 February, 2018, 03:23:51 PM
Hopelessly addicted to Stardew Valley on the Switch. I can't be trusted to work from home anymore as I'll think "Oh, I'll have a quick blast on this while I make a cup of tea." and look up four hours later.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Modern Panther on 05 March, 2018, 11:49:42 AM
Just because I will promote this man's reviews at every opportunity...

I got into Stardew Valley after reading Paul Dean's review which compares the game's farming and building relationships with real world work, trying to become a writer, and how desperately sad life can be when the only entertainment in town is a pub.

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/02/13/stardew-valley-marriage-work/ (https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/02/13/stardew-valley-marriage-work/)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 06 March, 2018, 01:57:02 PM
As someone who has never been good at (or particularly interested in) RTS games I did really enjoy the original Halo Wars as it was accessible and manageable enough for me to handle, plus the Halo aesthetic went a long way to getting me invested in it.

Finally got round to playing Halo Wars 2 over the weekend and really, really enjoyed it. The checkpointing could be a problem in places (occasionally a checkpoint would save just as my base was about to be overrun, meaning I had the choice of starting the whole mission again or dropping straight into an unwinnable sitation), but other than that it was great fun.

I have to admit to not digging too deep into the tactics of what units are best against what enemy units, but found it immensely satisfying to just amass a well rounded army and roll over the enemy forces. It would probably feel a bit quaint and easy to any hardcore RTS players, but if it wasn't I probably never would have gotten to grips with it. Great cutscenes too, those Blur cutscenes on Halo games always look incredible.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 15 March, 2018, 05:35:34 PM
I'm not a big racing game guy (things like Forza are a bit too dry for my liking) but I do enjoy a bit of Need For Speed, and finally got round to playing the one from a couple of years ago (just called Need For Speed).

I really enjoyed it up to a point, basically the point that I'd rinsed all the Easy and Medium missions and only had Hard ones left and then some frustration kicked in. There's nothing more thrilling and palm-sweaty than holding onto first place while blasting along at 200+ mph, but there's also nothing more annoying than then being slammed off the road by another player who's coming up the wrong side of the road, and watching yourself slip back to an un-salvagable last place. Yup, it's always online with smatterings of other human players all going about their own challenges and races, and more often than not when something went wrong for me it was another player T-boning me at a junction and whatnot. Pretty vexing.

I don't recall getting frustrated with the previous game, NFS Rivals, but thinking back it was set on quite open roads and deserty/foresty spaces, trying to navigate tight city streets while 7 other racers pile straight through you at corners turned out to a bit more annoying.

The cop chases are very poor too, especially after Rivals being so focused on it and so fun in that regard. The mechanic wasn't very fun and the cops themselves were useless - there were mission objectives to keep cop chases going for X amount of time/points, and those were always a case of inching really slowly around so the cops could still keep up, before losing them in 5 seconds flat once the challenge was beaten. Disappointing.

Still, that thrill of winning was exhilirating whenever it happened, and the FMV cutscenes are so gloriously cheesy that I got really engaged with them. It was nice to feel like I was drinking Monster and fist-bumping my homies at cool parties, instead of just drinking monster in my loungpants on a beanbag in a darkened room alone. They drink a lot of Monster in the game, which I could relate to.

(https://i.redditmedia.com/SFveFhqnwy6xR18ILNY7RSY7zID-CTm22ZNws_wglVo.jpg?w=320&s=659a2907c5add70ea26e54ae551748ed)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 16 March, 2018, 09:25:33 AM
As someone who drinks a lot of energy drinks, let me assure you there are no long term effects to your stomach you need to be concerned about.  None at all.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 19 March, 2018, 09:51:30 AM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 16 March, 2018, 09:25:33 AM
As someone who drinks a lot of energy drinks, let me assure you there are no long term effects to your stomach you need to be concerned about.  None at all.

Ah, so that's why my insides have started eating themselves!

Played through Unravel on EA Access. It's a charming side-scrolling platform puzzler which occasionally frustrates (the controls can be fussy enough that you might figure out the solution to something, have it not work, get stumped for a while before eventually finding the thing you tried the first time was actually correct but the wee fella just hadn't jumped at the right angle or something - urgh), but overall is really nice and has a lovely atmosphere and looks very pretty. Liked it a lot (even if there were moments I called it all sorts of sweary things).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 19 March, 2018, 02:50:43 PM
Castlevania: The New Generation (Megadrive)

Super Castlevania IV (Super Nintendo)

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (DS)

I've played quite a few Castlevania titles over the years, since playing the first on NES sometime in about 1989. It's a series I've always had some affection for and I like the way the series has adopted various different play styles. I thought I'd revisit a few to see how they held up.

Castlevania: The New Generation is the one I'm enjoying most so far. It's a fast paced arcade action title and immediately grabs you with fun, tight gameplay and intuitive controls. It also offers a choice of player character from the very start.
Of the three games I've been playing it's this that has the 'just one more go' factor and is therefore the title I've spent most time on. It's certainly not the most original game in the series but is the most 'arcadey' of the ones I've played. It feels like they could have banged this straight in a cabinet and charged 20p a go.

Super Castlevania IV is the first Castlevania game I bought and it was always a bit too slow to hold my attention for very long. Despite its reputation as one of the top Castlevania games I still find it a bit of a slog. It plays about 3 times slower than 'New Generation' and while it's graphically and audibly superior (although some of the tunes are a bit annoying), probably more original on later levels, and a longer and deeper game, it just doesn't grab me. It's far more of a platform game than many others in the series. In New Generation you'll die fighting monsters, in CVIV you'll die 'Mario deaths' (falling off the bottom of the screen). I'll stick with it though.

Portrait of Ruin is quite nice despite the anime stylings, which are slightly too cute for my liking. As with many newer games there are far too many unskippable conversations between characters but the general gameplay seems pretty slick. I'm not sure the character-switching adds much but it's all done with a single button press so it doesn't really get in the way. The RPG elements are fine too but don't really add much to the sense of exploration or the thrill of fighting vampires. The worst thing about the game is that the combat feels a bit weedy. There's not much satisfaction to be had from hitting baddies as there's little sense of impact. It's a bit of a shame really - as you spend most of the time hitting things it would feel better if the hits looked like they were actually connecting and were accompanied by a satisfying percussive sound. 

Once I've spent a bit more time on these I'll give Symphony of the Night (which I have on Xbox Live), Dracula X (PSP) and Mirror of Fate (3DS) a go.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 22 March, 2018, 04:10:27 PM
Sea Of Thieves - this is getting a lot of flack, but I'm loving it. It's definitely a co-operative multiplayer game through and through, you really have to work together just to sail effectively with everyone having jobs onboard, stuff like angling the sails, steering, and surveillance up in the crows nest. There's a smaller ship for 1-2 players but if you're playing solo there's still a lot of multitasking to do that would benefit from a second player, I could see how people playing alone would have a tough time and playing solo seems to be missing the point a little.

The quests and bounties are quite straight forward but you run into lots of cool random events on the way, not least of all other players out to get you! You carry your spoils back to the ship and sail back to designated ports to sell them, and as items that anyone can interact with, other players can take them from you. So there's a real tension around strangers, just seeing another ship in the distance gets the blood pumping. I cant think of many games that elicit the excitement of running back to the ship mid-island adventure as we see a galleon on the horizon heading for us and our sitting-duck of a moored ship (it was that filmic moment of one person noticing the incoming danger and being like "er.. guys?" as the others were fighting, oblivious), or successfully fighting off a boarding party as we are targeted trying to get our loot back to town. I look forward to hopefully forming an uneasy truce with another group some time, although its pretty cutthroat out there! Pun intended.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 22 March, 2018, 05:52:25 PM
Got this too, but by the time I got round to booting it up the servers weren't taking on any new players while they did some bug fixing. Too many players joining at once overloaded things I think. I don't get mad about that stuff (although grud knows a lot of people do!) because it's just your usual launch day problems that need ironed out of these kinds of big multiplayer releases.

I'm hoping it's all running a bit smoother for the weekend when I can get stuck in. The friends I know who made it in had a great time, and even found themselves crewing up with friendly strangers and having a great time, which is rare these days (normally online gaming is just people yelling at each other). It all sounded very pleasant!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 22 March, 2018, 10:34:39 PM
For PS4 owners - at least in my neck of the woods (Australia) - Bloodborne is free to download via PS Plus (one of the March titles).  Never played this when it was released - so it's downloading as we speak.  The free titles don't normally interest me, but hey...it's a AAA title...worth a go!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 23 March, 2018, 08:24:46 AM
Quote from: Krakajac on 22 March, 2018, 10:34:39 PM
For PS4 owners - at least in my neck of the woods (Australia) - Bloodborne is free to download via PS Plus (one of the March titles).  Never played this when it was released - so it's downloading as we speak.  The free titles don't normally interest me, but hey...it's a AAA title...worth a go!
Yeah, anyone who hasn't played this should grab it. It's an astonishingly good game. If I could stop playing Stardew Valley for more than ten minutes I'd maybe start another run myself.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 23 March, 2018, 01:30:04 PM
Isnt that latest Ratchet and Clank game free on PS+ at the moment too? Meant to be pretty good, had a tie-in film too. Mighty No. 9 also, if you're in the market for an off-brand megaman game. Great month for PS4 owners.

Quote from: Keef Monkey on 22 March, 2018, 05:52:25 PM
I'm hoping it's all running a bit smoother for the weekend when I can get stuck in. The friends I know who made it in had a great time, and even found themselves crewing up with friendly strangers and having a great time, which is rare these days (normally online gaming is just people yelling at each other). It all sounded very pleasant!

Yeah good point you can matchmake to get into a crew with strangers if you need to, I bet it wouldn't take long to find a good group. We lived the dream of finding friendly members of other crews last night, it was pretty cool! It felt rewarding just to be nice and cordial when the crews can kill each other at any moment. We even all jumped on one ship and sailed it around for a while, but unfortunately you cant go on quests together or share loot between crews (you could give them loot, but only the crew that turns the loot in will get the gold) so unless one crew doesn't mind just helping there's not much to do in that situation. Although there are these 'raid' events to use the Destiny parlance, marked by an imposing storm cloud skull on the horizon, where different crews attending can work together to beat the CPU enemies so I guess we could've done that. I think there's enough pieces of loot at the end of the raids that you could split it all, but strangers with a tenuous truce will probably just turn on each other, or more likely never make a truce and shoot on sight :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 05 April, 2018, 09:51:45 AM
Played through Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock and loved it.

I'm not very experienced in RTS style games (this is a bit of a hybrid, where it pauses to allow you to give orders to all your units and then watch them play out simultaneously, bit like the X Wing tabletop game in that regard), but I love BSG so much and have wanted a decent game based on it for so long that I decided to learn the RTS ropes for it.

Decided to play through on Easy first while I got to grips with it, and while I found parts of it a bit confusing (and had to google how a couple of the systems worked - it's only occurred to me now that an online manual probably exists, forget about those with digital games!) once I got into the swing of it and got a decent fleet together and figured out some formations that would work I was absolutely loving it.

Last missions were particularly excellent, with raptors having to get to and dock with Cylon bases and then escape while basestars were jumping in and heavy raiders sneaking through and boarding my own base and needing fended off – proper season finale battlestar stuff, excellent.

Best part is when you pass a mission you can watch a replay, and control the camera angles to get a look at what happened (the amount of times I thought I lost a ship to cylon fire but had actually accidentally nosedived it into my own base was embarrassing), but the autocam mode makes for great replays. They've totally nailed the look and feel of the show and when the torpedoes are flying and you've got a ton of vipers scrambled it's lovely to behold.

I did hit a bug with it (I'm playing on Xbox) where when I saved mid-mission the save would generally be useless (the game would hang on loading when I tried to load into it), and one other point where hitting replay at the end of a mission caused a hang so I had to start that one again. Pretty annoying, but not the end of the world, never had a problem with the autosaves between missions. Hopefully they patch it up at some point.

All in though, great game if you love Battlestar.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 09 April, 2018, 07:28:46 PM
Found Curse of monkey island on GOG.com this weekend. Not played it in almost 20 years, but I still managed to remember how to solve most of the puzzles outside one or two now and then. Held up really well both in regards of story and graphics. Only problems really I had were one or two instances missing out I could click on something due to mistaking it for random pixel, and the last chapter felt a bit rushed up to the ending.

Planning on playing the two original games on Steam soon. Perhaps also giving Thimbleweed Park a go.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 10 April, 2018, 09:59:37 AM
Played through a couple of puzzlers last week, Slayaway Camp and Kalimba, both on the XB1.

Slayaway Camp is a sliding puzzle game where you slide a horror movie killer around a grid trying to kill every victim and reach the exit, along with lots of unlockable copyright-free movie killers (Candyman is 'Sweets Man' for example). Really fun and satisfying to solve, although I personally found myself using the hint system on a handful of levels towards the end because I really couldn't think that many moves ahead. Means I finished it feeling a bit deflated.

Kalimba is a really charming and colourful puzzle platformer where you control two characters on-screen simultaneously and try to get them to the end of levels without dying. It's very tricky in places, and it's amazing how much extra dexterity is required just with trying to keep both characters' movements in mind as you do things, plus one of the central hooks is that a blue character can move through blue areas but will be killed by green areas etc. which requires some crafty manouvering. Really good game, even if at the end of almost every level it told me one of my mates had done it better. Argh. The studio also made Max: The Curse of Brotherhood (also great) before folding I believe, which is a real shame.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Pete Wells on 10 April, 2018, 06:01:29 PM
Blimey! I thoroughly enjoyed renting Ghost Recon Wildlands on XboxOne and saw it cheap for the PS4 and grabbed a copy. I was playing through it all again and then WOW! The game turned into [spoiler]Predator! Actual fucking Predator![/spoiler]

I k ew nothing about thus and so it was a total surprise, this may have been one of my favourite gaming moments ever! What a brilliant move! I haven't managed to beat the bugger yet!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 11 April, 2018, 08:33:50 AM
The free game for April on PlayStation Plus - Mad Max.  Probably not an A+ title - but hey, it's free!  See you on the road!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Pete Wells on 11 April, 2018, 09:49:32 AM
It's a great game, especially for free! Very much like an open world version of the Batman Arkham series or the Shadows of Mordor games. It looks beautiful at times too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 11 April, 2018, 09:58:12 AM
Yeah that Mad Max game was great fun, very cool. I got pretty burnt out on it towards the end, I may have been trying to do way too much in terms of side objectives and stuff which meant the game eventually outstayed its welcome, but that's probably more a problem with my own gaming habits than the game itself! Definitely a bargain at £free.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 11 April, 2018, 07:33:36 PM
Going into the storms on Mad Max was so cool!! Good game but those storms in particular are one of my favourite gaming moments of last year (I finally got round to it on Game Pass).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 13 April, 2018, 09:29:14 AM
Played through a PC puzzler called Gunpoint this week. A neat set of mechanics (you have to infiltrate buildings to steal data or items, with your main ability being to rewire the building's systems - hooking a motion sensor to a different door or hacking a lightswitch to call a lift etc. - and then tricking the security guards into opening up the paths you need). It's really intuitive and the levels that are all pretty easy to solve if you just want to get the data and get out again, but because there are bonus stipulations on the missions (no witnesses, hack bonus laptops etc.) it can be as tricky as you want it to be really. The writing is really amusing and cleverly the dialogue options are varied in a way that lets you dictate the tone of the game, it can be gritty or it can be a laugh, and the story works both ways quite happily.

Short too, at maybe three hours, which made it the ideal lunch break game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 16 April, 2018, 11:07:25 AM
Not sure about the UK, but Rogue Trooper Redux for the PS4 is currently on special in the Playstation Store for about $12.00 Australian Dollars (about 7 pounds?) - not a bad price!

Also - I downloaded the PS4 vanilla version of Elite Dangerous for the same price (about $12.00AUD).  Question - I haven't played this kind of game before - is it reasonably easy to get into (possibly with a baby-steps tutorial of some kind?) - or does it throw you into the deep end straight away?

Bearing in mind, I didn't play the original back in the good ol' days! :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 16 April, 2018, 11:19:08 AM
You should buy any game you can get in Australia, as I understand it might be banned at any moment in case it upsets the sensibilities of people who have never and will never play a videogame.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: James Stacey on 16 April, 2018, 12:58:54 PM
I'm enjoying Mad Max.Scratches the open world itch with some nice car battles thrown in. Not massively original but well executed
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 16 April, 2018, 02:44:37 PM
Quote from: Krakajac on 16 April, 2018, 11:07:25 AM
Not sure about the UK, but Rogue Trooper Redux for the PS4 is currently on special in the Playstation Store for about $12.00 Australian Dollars (about 7 pounds?) - not a bad price!

Its on sale, but it's £13.99. Not on Xbox though. Is it just me or do more games go on sale more frequently on the PlayStation Store? Sometimes it seems like MS's sales are perhaps overly curated or something.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 20 April, 2018, 08:55:43 AM
Last game played (for the past 5 weeks or so) is Stardew Valley.
It has utterly, utterly charmed me, but I think I'm reaching the point where it's time to say adieu.

I know that Stardew Valley was inspired by the Harvest Moon games, but I have never played them, despite the proliferation of the series.

I'm looking for some recommendations regarding Harvest Moon- whats the best version out there, closest in style to Stardew Valley?
Ideally on the Wii U or 3DS Virtual Console.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 23 April, 2018, 01:50:42 PM
Because it won ALL of the BAFTAs this year and because it's just fresh out on XB1 I figured I should play through Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice to see what all the fuss was about. Turns out it's very deserving of the praise, it's a really unique and intense experience. It looks great (especially in high resolution mode), the central performance is incredible (was shocked to hear she isn't a full-time actor - apparantly is an animator at the studio who was initially just getting to grips with the mocap setup and wound up playing the lead role) and the audio design is a real standout. It's unusual these days with everyone mixing their games for home cinema systems and trying to make everything sound as wide and expansive as possible that Hellblade is mixed for headphones and designed to envelope you very closely, it makes for a really claustrophobic and sometimes overwhelmingly oppressive atmosphere.

Only small gripe is that it unfortunately falls into the trap of throwing waves and waves of enemies at you late in the game, and while the combat is decent it's not one of the game's strengths and with checkpoints being pretty far apart the frustration can creep in. Those fight scenes can feel a lot like padding, which wouldn't be a problem in a lot of games but here everything else is so interesting and original that it jars a bit in the later stages.

Still, a small complaint about what is otherwise a real masterpiece. It's not 'fun', rather it's very disturbing and harrowing, but it's definitely an experience in the real 'lights down, headphones cranked up' sense. Loved it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 30 April, 2018, 10:51:39 AM
Played through Assassin's Creed: Origins, which I enjoyed a lot initially and then became a real trudge.

It started out really promisingly, with a very cool setting and a couple of lead characters I immediately cared about. By the end though I'd really soured on it, thanks to very messy mission design and the controls for movement, free-running and traversal being astonishingly bad for a franchise this far along, let alone one where free-running and traversal is such a focus. So many other games have come along and done that well while AC has never really been afforded the development time to properly nail it.

Bug-wise it was solid though, so all those launch woes must have been patched out. It's just such a shame it takes such a nose-dive, especially coming after Black Flag which was a real high point of the series, and the only AC game so far I'd call a classic.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 12 May, 2018, 01:46:29 PM
Bioshock Infinite. Accidently rushed through this one last time playing it. Thought of it mostly like a good fast paced shooter where you follow a pointer through a very complicated story...

Took my time this time around. Got so much more out of it. There's so much detail to everything. Alot of "texture" so to say, a lived quality. And while the world (a floating city in the sky) is quite awful on many accounts, there's a sadness to it when things begin to burn. Has some big aha moments, and I think the ending (which is a big one) begs the for another go.

Only thing which I wasn't too fond of is the level of violence. While the game doesn't try to criticize (which alot of violent games has a tendency to) I think the game is a bit too much at times. Violence really suits the game, but I think it could'v done with a bit less in order to make some of it's moments it to stand out more.

Here's a trailer if someone's interested. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIY3tOjHhxY
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 19 May, 2018, 11:23:16 AM
Long train journey and decided to leave the Switch at home so its Mario Kart 7 and Metroid: Samus Returns on the 3DS xl. Glorious.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 19 May, 2018, 12:53:55 PM
Far Cry: Primal, which I finally got around to sitting down and playing in full.  Not bad.
Some rough edges in the mechanics - it feels a lot like an expansion pack that got bumped to full game status, the central plot not having a lot of meat on it and the bulk of the game being unconnected activities on an open world map not doing much to dispel the notion - but on the plus side you get to be the protagonist of a mid-80s Dio track by riding around on the back of a tiger braining cavemen with a burning axe, and it's such good fun you barely even notice that your ultimate goal is the genocide of a rival tribe.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 21 May, 2018, 10:28:55 AM
Catching up on some DLC expansions for games I enjoyed, so played through the Frank Rising and Super Ultra Dead Rising 4 Mini-Golf expansions for Dead Rising 4 (good scrappy fun and the mini-golf is surprisingly addictive) and the Operation Spearbreaker and Awakening The Nightmare packs for Halo Wars 2, which were excellent. Awakening The Nightmare in particular has probably my favourite Halo Wars missions actually, some really intense moments and the mission variety was great, each one had a different wrinkle to think about.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 21 May, 2018, 08:11:00 PM
Ooh. Just got Halo Wars 1 & 2 to play. Looking forward to it
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 22 May, 2018, 03:50:40 PM
They're great! And I say that as someone who has never really clicked with the RTS genre, I've always been far too terrible at them but these were really accessible. That probably means that hardcore RTS folk might find them a bit shallow I guess, but they were pitched perfectly for me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 25 May, 2018, 07:25:00 PM
Raiden V on PS4.
It's very good - I like shmups as long as they aren't totally based on pattern recognition and memorisation and this is a fun arcadey shooter.
My criticisms would be that it's quite hard to see what's going on and enemies & bullets don't always stand out well enough. It's interesting because, though I like the game, it isn't really any improvement over  (actually it isn't really as good as) the 25 year old titles I play on my Megadrive.
HDMI and the convenience of playing on the big telly from my sofa add value though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 25 May, 2018, 09:59:52 PM
The bendy purple laser from Raiden 2 is one of my all time favourites. Will need to give this a try.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 22 June, 2018, 10:27:27 AM
Finished a replay of Dead Rising 2 last night, which I remember not really liking at all when it came out.

I thoroughly enjoyed it this time round and spent most of the game wondering why I'd been so hard on it...then hit the last couple of bosses and it all came flooding back. Those guys are DICKS. I guess that being the last thing that happens in it had just left a bad taste so that was how I recalled the game!

Other than that though it was really fun, I really enjoy the structure and timing constraints of those early DR games, and also the replayability hook where if things get too tough you can new game plus it at any point. I remember when the first game came out I would play it up to a certain point over and over until Frank was super overpowered, and then have a last playthrough where I could blitz through it and complete all the objectives. Satisfying!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 25 June, 2018, 08:15:51 PM
Just completed The Evil Within 2. A huge improvement on the previous game - the 'open world' take on survival horror (for the first two-thirds of the game, anyway) is extremely refreshing. Eventually it lapses into the linear style of its predecessor, but the story is much more satisfying, so it gets away with it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 26 June, 2018, 12:51:42 PM
Quote from: Greg M. on 25 June, 2018, 08:15:51 PM
Just completed The Evil Within 2. A huge improvement on the previous game - the 'open world' take on survival horror (for the first two-thirds of the game, anyway) is extremely refreshing. Eventually it lapses into the linear style of its predecessor, but the story is much more satisfying, so it gets away with it.

Really want to get round to this, but I keep telling myself I should play the first one first. Will I be completely lost or will it be fine just jumping in to EW2 do you think?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 26 June, 2018, 05:26:59 PM
Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed
Really want to get round to this, but I keep telling myself I should play the first one first. Will I be completely lost or will it be fine just jumping in to EW2 do you think?

I don't think you'll be lost - it's less the second half of a story, and more a retread of the same central conceit - but it does reference the previous game with some regularity, particularly towards the end. I was glad I'd played EW1 first, mostly because EW2 is significantly better, so it feels like a real step-up in comparison. EW1 is a lot harder and much more old-school in its approach.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 28 June, 2018, 12:26:53 PM
Thanks for the info, I've decided to install EW1 and take a run at it soon - Currently got RE7 and Nier Automata to finish though!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 28 June, 2018, 03:34:39 PM
Playing Nier Automata just now myself, it's lovely!

The story in TWE is pretty surreal anyway, so anywhere you jump in it's going to be a bit bewildering by design I think. Greg's right about the difficulty too, the first one is way less forgiving on the default. I'm sure I read the devs felt like they balanced those difficulty levels one notch too high, so for the second game Hard is closer to the first game's Medium etc.

Love those games, and the first one is great, but the second one was a real step up. Definitely worth playing both, especially if you like your old school survival horror.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 28 June, 2018, 05:13:51 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 28 June, 2018, 03:34:39 PM
Greg's right about the difficulty too, the first one is way less forgiving on the default. I'm sure I read the devs felt like they balanced those difficulty levels one notch too high, so for the second game Hard is closer to the first game's Medium etc.

That bit towards the end of the first game, in the fleshy, spiky, eyebally arena - that took a few goes! At one point I ran out of every type of ammo, but succeeded in punching the chainsaw dude to death. And as for that bloody [spoiler]squid[/spoiler]...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 04 July, 2018, 07:07:44 PM
Rebellion's 'Zombie Army Trilogy' was going for £9 on PS4 store the other night. I noticed it had 3D comparability! It turns out it's one of only a handful of PS4 games that do. It was an instabuy for me. The 3D is great, and the game is a lot of fun!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 04 July, 2018, 10:12:26 PM
ZAT is fantastic isn't it, 9 quid is a steal. Better than Left 4 Dead for my money. It's one of the games included on Game Pass now too if anyone's a subscriber to that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 06 July, 2018, 09:35:56 AM
Yeah I do like a bit of ZAT. I originally played through the first game on PC on my own and found it a bit of a slog, but teamed up with a friend to play through the whole trilogy on XB1 and we had a brilliant time. Like GrudgeJohnDeed says, it scratches the same stressy co-op itch that Left 4 Dead does for me and can often outshine it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 06 July, 2018, 09:34:41 PM
Star Wars Battlefront 2, which I knew going in had a bad reputation, which made me assume it was because of one of two things:
1 - some bullshit multiplayer fuckery like guns that shoot too fast or reload too slow after an update or something equally lame and fucking stupid that no sensible person gives a shit about, or
2 - there's a woman/ethnic in the one-player mode and you either have to play as them, or you have to play with them.
Amazingly, my blathering reductionism was actually completely and utterly correct on both counts.  Who would have thought that combining the two worst fandoms in the world - Star Wars and online multiplayer shooting games - would turn out badly?

Oh yeah what I actually thought of the game - it was a complete hoot.  Those fanbois can go fuck.
Not what you'd call deep (essentially you play using one or two buttons) and the checkpoints seem to be pretty far apart, forcing you to go back quite a ways to replay some sections.  It's also seemingly a series of arena battles, the card system seems a bit arbitrary (one starts a killstreak or something with a shotgun and I still have no idea what the point of it was), and your actual objectives/destinations are not always clear, but as a side-story to events during the decades between Return Of The Jedi and Last Jedi, it's a fun ride while it lasts - and there is actually a good chunk of single-player game in there.
The story suffers from dodgy dialogue, at least one character not being particularly bothered at losing two parents in one day, and seeing your character fold like a bitch to a puny handgun in the cinematic scenes after being directly shot by AT-ATs several times during the gameplay segments feels kinda cheap, but all round it's a good story effort, and it's nice to see Star Wars doing meat and potatoes stuff again and none of that Cartoon Network self-awareness jazz that made Last Jedi such a drag.  You also get to play as Lando Calrissian in a fucking awesome cape, and when you pull up the control hints menu while playing as him, it always states his name in full, ie: "L1 - Lando Calrissian deploys a smoke grenade, obscuring all but Lando Calrissian's thermal scope" which is a nice touch.  He is voiced by Billy Dee Williams, so all is well.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 07 July, 2018, 11:13:31 AM
Warcraft 3 and Frozen Throne,still probably my favorite RTS of all times.All the memories.... :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 14 July, 2018, 06:46:01 AM
God of War! Which I got as part of a bundle when my old PS4 stopped working. It's a very good game. Stunning graphics and a story that puts a lot of modern films to shame. Outstanding, and well worth a play.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Crom on 14 July, 2018, 11:07:14 PM
Injustice & Injustice 2.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 15 July, 2018, 10:38:34 PM
Mass Effect Andromeda - quite different to ME and ME2, but I'm enjoying it! I really like the whole 'space, the final frontier' vibe. I don't get why the reviews are so bad?

Picked it up for a fiver from PS4 Store - bargain, if you ask me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 16 July, 2018, 02:34:57 PM
I really enjoyed Andromeda too! It's not perfect, but it was one of those cases where the online backlash to it was so loud and disproportionate that it was kind of insane. I played through it three times and got every achievement, and loved every minute of it (I'm a huge Mass Effect fan though, so that probably helped).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 18 July, 2018, 05:56:21 PM
Hollow Knight.

Had heard so much praise of this game, and the genre is right up my alley, but I ended up giving up on it after a few hours.

I like a challenging game as much as the next guy, but this just seems needlessly frustrating, and - because of the deliberate scarcity of save points and fast travel points - like it actively tries to waste the player's time.

I would also argue that there is a good reason why combat, outside of boss encounters - in Metroidvania games is usually fairly undemanding, and that's because the genre involves a lot of exploration and backtracking. The enemies in Hollow Knight however are almost all tough and require specific tactics to fight, and meaningful health and weapon upgrades are few and far between - I played 5+ hours of the game and didn't find any at all. So because the combat is tricky and remains so, exploration quickly becomes a real slog.

The lack of save points really starts to grind you down after a while - bosses appear suddenly and without warning and can kill you almost instantly, but the nearest save point is all the way on the other side of the map, meaning 10 minutes of grinding just to get back to where you died. I don't mind the bosses themselves, but the constant forced backtracking and repetition just gets tedious.

The game is also needlessly obtuse and aggravating in the way that it deals with the map system, and coupled with the visually and structurally generic game world, I just had a perpetual feeling of being lost and confused, with never a clear idea of where to go next, just joylessly trudging from one dead end to the next. No matter how many times I was forced to replay the same area (and I was, a lot) I never had that gradual sense of familiarity and still had to refer to the map constantly to make sure I was heading in the right direction.

Above all, I'd describe the sensation of playing the game as like trying to wade through treacle, or like having a mild migraine.

So yeah, didn't click with me at all.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: moogie101 on 18 July, 2018, 05:57:57 PM
Mass Effect Andromeda has had a number of patches since it was launched, on day one there was a lot of issues although mainly graphically which has never bothered me.

Its a decent game but continued to streamline the RPG elements & there was still a huge backlash of anger amongst fans after the simplified ending of ME3 after the developers had promised numerous & varied endings but instead it came down to a selection of three options which mainly changed the colour of the final cutscenes!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 19 July, 2018, 11:31:37 AM
The new DOOM.

Ok not so newish but be fair I had to finish Witcher 3 before I could play it finally. And though this isn't a patch on Geralt and his incredibly detailed and vibrant world, DOOM scratches an itch I didn't know I had. The itch of a trigger finger on a super shotgun, as hordes of demons erupt around you, as you run through showers of viscera and hellfire to rip things apart with your hands and leap between explosions to snatch one more moment of bloodshed from the teeth of your enemies, until finally it's silent....

In other words I forgot how fun and cathartic it is to shoot monsters.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Trooper McFad on 21 July, 2018, 01:12:00 PM
Rogue Trooper - Redux
With all the talk of the new film I dusted off the PS4 after the World Cup holiday and put in Rogue to indulge in some Norty slaying. A bit rusty since I completed it but for what it is still enjoyable once I got used to the controls again running about Nu earth. 👍🏻
Hopefully not too long for a new 2000AD tile for me to lose myself in.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mardroid on 21 July, 2018, 02:33:02 PM
I bought that shortly after getting my Nintendo Switch, having enjoyed the original on the PS2.**

For some reason I didn't get into it as much this time, although I suspect that was largely due to dying to often due to being very rusty myself. Hand controls seem to take me a while. The amount of times I hit the wrong button is just silly. I plan on giving it another good go though.

*Something I'm kind of regretting. It's a truly lovely gadget, but I think I should have opted for a PS4 pro. The games just seem more my cup of tea. And the games that do appeal on the switch (xenoblade, I'm thinking of you) have a cutesy mangaish l art style I'm not all that into. I won't get rid of the switch just yet though.

**I never did get beyond the train level, mind you, and gave up after multiple reattempts. I enjoyed the ride before that, though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 24 July, 2018, 05:00:41 PM
Lara Croft and The Temple of Osiris, the sequel to Guardian of Light which I really enjoyed. This isn't quite as good, thanks to what feel like fussier/fiddlier controls and some perspective issues making the platforming occasionally frustrating. It also has some of the worst physics puzzles I've ever seen, where getting objects into the spots they need to be in can be more a case of blind luck rather than any satisfactory ingenuity. Still, for all those frustrations it still offers some decent enough old school fun and at 5 hours(ish) doesn't overstay its welcome.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 26 July, 2018, 10:45:50 AM
Finally managed to drag myself away from Celeste on the Switch but got a hell of a lot of gameplay out of it. Managed the main game, all B-Sides and the first two C-sides and now enjoying watching speedrunners do the whole lot in under two hours.

Now enjoying the Dark Souls remaster on the PS4. I played this a bit on the 360 years ago but never got very far. Since then I played and loved DS2 and Bloodborne so I'm a lot more in tune with how the game works this time. Spent last night wandering around the ghost-infested New Londo Ruins. Which turns out to be a dead end for now. Marvellous stuff.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 29 July, 2018, 11:27:48 PM
Got Arkham Knight and PUBG over the last week on the cheap. Not played PUBG yet but eager to get back into multiplayer gaming - sadly no one seemed to be playing DOOM when I gave it a go. Arkham Knight is fun enough but definitely the weakest of the Arkham games so far. Love the way the Joker is in it but the other villains seem given short shrift in comparison to the last two games. The batmobile is more fun as a car than a tank, and the stealth/melee combat sections seem less developed; it seems like in this game, there's just too many gadgets on offer.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 30 July, 2018, 04:22:59 PM
Played through Costume Quest last week, nice charming Double Fine RPG-lite with a really simple turn-based combat system and a relatively short and breezy playtime for an RPG at about 5hrs-ish. I enjoyed it, was good non-challenging fun with a good sense of humor and while the combat was simplistic enough to get repetitive it didn't outstay its welcome at all, glad I played through it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 30 July, 2018, 07:43:52 PM
Just finished Fallout 4.

Now playing some lighter games: Rocket Birds 2 and Alien Breed 2
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 03 August, 2018, 05:25:25 PM
Okami HD on PS4.

Loved how it started out. Basically what to me felt like travelling the land with a wolf, who's the japanese sun god, helping people and animals without them knowing what helped them. But towards the end there's new threat after new threat, in a fashion I wasn't to happy about. Especially since I didn't like the fighting system that much. Mostly turned into a game of painting bombs (big part of the game is painting stuff, which then turns up)  for me.

Regardless of the end game. The game looks like a water colour painting which has come alive, and has some fantastic feel good gameplay mechanics. Do yourselves a favour and look it up.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 12 August, 2018, 07:20:41 PM
Dragon Age 2 was pretty good.Thou I dont really feel an urge to replay it.Maybe after I finish Origins.
Pretty deep into X-com enemy unknows.Also,Fallout 3.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: PsychoGoatee on 31 August, 2018, 05:15:32 AM
I also dug Dragon Age 2, had my favorite characters and banter in the series.

Check out this awesome Judge Dredd pinball machine from 93 that I played yesterday! In Massachussetts, at this cool place the Bit Bar my friend helps out at.

(https://i.imgur.com/Gcb6yGr.jpg?2)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 31 August, 2018, 06:47:23 AM
Hand of Fate kinda flew under everyones radar,but its a great game.Sort of a TCG/boardgame/roguelike thing thats easy to learn,but hard to master.
Out of curiosity,anyone got Monster Hunter World?Thoughts?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: PsychoGoatee on 31 August, 2018, 06:53:24 AM
Well, I think Judge Dredd should be in that game. Lock those monsters up in the cubes.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 31 August, 2018, 09:08:08 PM
I've never been a big pinball machine guy, but I LOVE the hardware and the sounds. That's gorgeous, PsychoGoatee!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 03 September, 2018, 04:54:39 PM
Playing through the original Super Mario Bros games. SMB 2 is harder than I remember it being while 3's easier.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 03 September, 2018, 06:30:39 PM
Just completed Dark Souls Remastered. Had never played it in its original incarnation (but had played Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3, the latter of which makes a bit more sense now.) Enjoyed it enormously - people talk about it being hard, but it's never unfair, and you always have the sense you can triumph.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 September, 2018, 11:30:37 AM
Finished We Happy Few (well, I finished the first character/campaign), and while there was a lot I loved about it the whole thing really doesn't hang together very well sadly. The world, the writing, atmosphere, characters...all that stuff it has in spades and executes on brilliantly but there are so many half-formed or just plain annoying game mechanics grafted around it that it feels like a bit of a mess. Technically it's very underbaked too, with a real lack of polish and bugs aplenty - it's the kind of lack of polish I'll often forgive in low priced games, but they're charging full whack for it so it is pretty jarring.

I've heard stories that the original pitch was a short but replayable survival sim with very little story outside the intro, but that when they showed the intro at E3 it gave the impression it was a very narrative/story-led affair and people wound up expecting the next Bioshock so they retooled things to try and match that expectation. The end result is very muddled, and had me wishing they'd scrapped the survival elements and just made a linear adventure game because they clearly could have made an amazing one.

In that regard I totally get why Microsoft bought the studio, because what WHF needed was some firm direction from on high, and MS obviously see the potential of what they could do if handled properly.

So, very disappointing but I'm now really curious to see what they do next and will be up for trying it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 04 September, 2018, 12:51:00 PM
Quote from: Greg M. on 03 September, 2018, 06:30:39 PM
Just completed Dark Souls Remastered. Had never played it in its original incarnation (but had played Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3, the latter of which makes a bit more sense now.) Enjoyed it enormously - people talk about it being hard, but it's never unfair, and you always have the sense you can triumph.
I'm getting towards the end of this too. Really struggled with it on the 360 years ago but I think finishing DS2 and Bloodborne has reallly helped as I've not found it too difficult this time. Obviously, I say this before I've had a crack at the DLC.

Already looking forward to having another run through as well, which is something I almost never do.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 12 September, 2018, 02:09:34 PM
The new Spidey game is great but wish they hadn't included done to death open world mechanics like having to climb to the top of towers to reveal map sections.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: James Stacey on 12 September, 2018, 04:24:17 PM
I've been playing Hollow Knight on the switch and its a total delight. Its an incredibly charming and atmospheric metroidvania game. Occasionally you come against a challenge that seems massively too hard but its just the games way of telling you to go explore elsewhere as the map is _big_ and you can come back to challenging areas at a later point and find them much much easier due to your equipment upgrades. Lot of fun
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 13 September, 2018, 04:00:48 PM
Played through a PC game (although I think it's on mobile devices too) called Waking Mars and quite enjoyed it. You're a botanist with a jet pack on Mars exploring caverns and trying to kickstart the planets dormant eco-system by planting various seeds and raising the biomass a chamber at a time.

A welcome change of pace (nobody shoots at you and you don't have to murder anyone!) and really satisfying when you manage to set up a wee ecosystem in a chamber where everything is feeding everything else and it just grows and blossoms as you watch.

Not a classic or anything, but a bit different so well worth a look.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: broodblik on 13 September, 2018, 07:37:22 PM
I am playing the new Spiderman game on PS4 and must say it is good. Their is even a cameo from mister Lee himself
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 16 September, 2018, 02:24:12 PM
Finished Dragon Age Origins + Awakening.Good stuff.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 19 September, 2018, 01:28:40 PM
Finished the new Spidey game. Swinging and combat mechanics are great. Really good story too. Just a shame the creators felt the need to fill the map with weak challenges that you have to do to get some of the best gadgets and costumes.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 19 September, 2018, 10:47:25 PM
Well, it's going to be a while before I pick Toad in Mario Kart.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 20 September, 2018, 08:21:48 AM
Another World which is currently free on PS4. I'd forgotten how much of a hardcore deathfest this game is. The controls are a bit clunky but It's fun to play.

Doom. Again. I got the urge to kill demons again after seeing the trailer for Doom Eternal, which looks absolutely mental. Going for a 100% play through. I will attain a second Platinum trophy for my collection*

Cheers

*Resident evil 7 is the only platinum trophy I've managed to get. Pffft, call myself a gamer?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 20 September, 2018, 09:21:35 AM
Currently addicted to Sky Force Reloaded on the Switch. Shmups might be the only genre I ever play on that device, but god it's perfect for them.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 20 September, 2018, 02:30:36 PM
GTA 4.For a while I thought I was bad at this,but I see everyone had a problem with PC controls.And PC version in general.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 25 September, 2018, 03:04:03 PM
Blasted through Split/Second and found it really fun. I don't often get hooked on racing games (I say that every time I get hooked on a racing game!) but this is exactly the kind of racing game that grabs me. A good arcadey Burnouty smashy explodey takedown-fest, with a great sense of speed and some impressively massive destructive explosions.

A shame it didn't do well enough to get a sequel because it's possibly the only racing game I've ever played that ends on an actual cliffhanger, so that TO BE CONTINUED! is a bit annoying playing it now!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mardroid on 25 September, 2018, 03:15:08 PM
God of War.

Good game, so far. Graphics are amazing*, and controls are pretty intuitive and not overly complex.

Already a bit stuck early on, though. I was proud to defeat that huge troll, earlier (took ages) and then an icey bloke with my bare hands** but now there's a cheeky feisty guy (simple called 'the stranger'. I suspect he's one of the Aesir. ), zipping around at super speed and generally handing me my bottom.

No doubt the big clue how to defeat him is to block, block and block again, but he's really difficult! I'm really not used to gaming, so I'm decidedly rubbish, but I think I'll stick with it.

*I only bought my PS4 pro around 4 weeks ago, but I haven't played on it that much. I did play Rogue Trooper redux (still an excellent game) and Shadows of Mordor. I was a bit disappointed with the graphics of each. They're not bad, but I couldn't really tell much difference to my PS3. (Granted if I played on both consoles side by side and compared I'd probably tell the difference.)

God of War though. Oh my. I figured after the introductory bit the graphics would deteriorate as amimation graphics tend to be far better than game graphics on most systems, then realised the graphics looked exactly the same and I was instructed to swing my axe!

*to be fair the little rascal with the bow helped.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 25 September, 2018, 04:12:28 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 25 September, 2018, 03:04:03 PM
Blasted through Split/Second and found it really fun. I don't often get hooked on racing games (I say that every time I get hooked on a racing game!) but this is exactly the kind of racing game that grabs me. A good arcadey Burnouty smashy explodey takedown-fest, with a great sense of speed and some impressively massive destructive explosions.

A shame it didn't do well enough to get a sequel because it's possibly the only racing game I've ever played that ends on an actual cliffhanger, so that TO BE CONTINUED! is a bit annoying playing it now!

Such a good game. That and Blur came out the same week and were awesome, but they flopped. Maybe if they hadn't released the same week, the apparently small audience for these type of games wouldn't have had to choose, and they would've sold better. Not only did neither get a sequel, but both developers Black Rock and Bizarre were shut down on the back of these two great games :(
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 26 September, 2018, 09:57:33 AM
Ah damn, that's sad to hear. Didn't realize it had flopped hard enough to kill the studio. Genuinely one of the most thrilling racing games I've played, and the reality show thing was a cool hook that they could have done loads more with if they'd kept it going.

Seems like a similar downturn in racing games is happening now actually, with Onrush tanking I've seen a few articles suggesting that unless you're one of the big name franchises (NFS/Forza...I can't actually think of any more!) then you just won't get enough of a cut of the audience to be a success. A real shame.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 26 September, 2018, 11:12:28 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 20 September, 2018, 09:21:35 AM
Currently addicted to Sky Force Reloaded on the Switch. Shmups might be the only genre I ever play on that device, but god it's perfect for them.

Do you use a control pad? Only way to play some games I think. GTAIV particularly.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 26 September, 2018, 11:44:08 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 26 September, 2018, 09:57:33 AM
Seems like a similar downturn in racing games is happening now actually, with Onrush tanking I've seen a few articles suggesting that unless you're one of the big name franchises (NFS/Forza...I can't actually think of any more!) then you just won't get enough of a cut of the audience to be a success. A real shame.

Yeah I definitely think there's some truth to that and has been for a while. I don't think people buy that many racing games in a year and when they do, like you say it's probably going to be Forza, Forza Horizon, Gran Turismo, NFS, The Crew or the excellent kart racers by Sega and Nintendo. So it's saturated, and by big players.

Onrush is a weird one though, it wasn't quite a racing game at its core (perhaps even more niche!), and I don't think it holds a candle to Split/Second or Blur. It got quite a lot of bad word of mouth from it's pre-release beta too I think.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 26 September, 2018, 11:52:59 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 26 September, 2018, 11:12:28 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 20 September, 2018, 09:21:35 AM
Currently addicted to Sky Force Reloaded on the Switch. Shmups might be the only genre I ever play on that device, but god it's perfect for them.

Do you use a control pad? Only way to play some games I think. GTAIV particularly.
The Switch is basically a giant gamepad, so yeah. :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 26 September, 2018, 07:43:58 PM
Quote from: wedgeski on 20 September, 2018, 09:21:35 AM
Currently addicted to Sky Force Reloaded on the Switch. Shmups might be the only genre I ever play on that device, but god it's perfect for them.

Loved this until it became stupidly hard. Then my 10 year old brain kicked in and I learned those patterns.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 September, 2018, 09:28:56 AM
Just finished Shadow of The Tomb Raider, which was great in places but overall didn't really hang together as well as Rise.

The tombs are probably my favourites of the reboot series, and they've really cut back on combat to focus more on stealth and puzzling which is a move I really liked. It didn't really execute on its story as well as it could have though, and the side quests/collectibles didn't feel as satisfying. I got really burnt out on those part way through after really struggling to find the path to a couple of them, so then just blasted through the story and had a much better time. It does end with a really, really bad boss fight though, which is shame because my last impression of it putting the controller down was of annoyance, when I'd enjoyed everything else up to that point! Nice use of Atmos sound for the jungle ambience, which barely any games are mixing for at the moment so that was a nice touch.

Finished on about 87% completion so it's tempting to go back and grab what I missed, although a guide might be necessary for the couple that broke me! A New Game + playthrough on Hard is probably on the cards at some point too.

So really good I guess, but just frustratingly short of the greatness of the last couple of Tomb Raiders.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 28 September, 2018, 01:03:32 PM
Quote from: Smith on 20 September, 2018, 02:30:36 PM
GTA 4.For a while I thought I was bad at this,but I see everyone had a problem with PC controls.And PC version in general.


Do you use a control pad? Only way to play some games I think. GTAIV particularly.

NOW WITH THE RIGHT QUOTE OK SORRY :P
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 01 October, 2018, 11:27:12 AM
Realized I'd never got round to the Resident Evil 7 DLC and I loved that game, so battered through the couple of story expansions. Not A Hero was okay, a little less horror-based and more shooty than the main game but it still got a couple of good yelps out of me.

End of Zoe though I thought was absolutely dreadful. It has a couple of welcome story beats that wrap up things from the main campaign quite nicely, but the whole thing revolves around first person melee brawling (!) which would be fine if it had decent first person melee mechanics but it really, really doesn't. It's not that I have a beef with that kind of gameplay, one of my all-time favourite games is Condemned so horror melee FPS is absolutely my cup of tea when done right, but they've made a bit of a botch of it here. Swore a great deal during a couple of the tougher fights and it left me pretty grumpy.

It sort of does the worst thing DLC can do, in that it made me worry that Capcom aren't sure what was actually great about RE7.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 01 October, 2018, 04:09:45 PM
I've not played the RE7 DLC yet either. It sounds pretty uneven then like a lot of DLC :(, but I am still looking forward to the extra story stuff.

Speaking of Condemned, I played that for the first time recently on XB1 and it is indeed great! Unsuprisingly I guess (with it being developed by Monolith), it felt a lot like a melee cousin to F.E.A.R. which is one my favourite games. They both have tons of atmosphere, I just love that Monolith brand of  meshing paranormality, technology and realism. 


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 02 October, 2018, 03:27:11 PM
Yeah I've always loved Monolith's style, and they've got a knack for mashing together elements that are very relevant to my interests! FEAR was basically J-Horror + John Woo bullet time + mech suit battles, and that ticked a lot of my boxes in one go. Condemned is still super tense and scary even now. Sitting in the dark playing that farmhouse level, following all the clue trails with the UV light, still one of the creepiest gaming experiences out there. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 05 October, 2018, 10:11:40 AM
Finished Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc on the Vita last night. It was really fun at times, especially during the class trials, but the amount of tapping through endless dialogue got a bit tiresome. It would be fine if all the dialogue was engaging or was revealing new info but it would literally just repeat the same info endlessly, with about 7 characters hammering home the same thing over and over again. It struck me as something that's a trait of some anime - I love it but do find quite often you've got the gist of something and then have to listen to another load of discussion and internal monologue that's just battering you over the head with the original point.

That got old towards the end unfortunately. Not sure I'd want to embark on the second one because of that, but I didn't hate it or anything, and the story was really cool in places. Bit torn, loved parts of it, other parts not so much, but really glad I finally played through it. It made for a decent enough diversion on the daily commute and the art style was really nice. So I guess I did have a good time with it really, but definitely feel like I've had my fill of that style for now.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 07 October, 2018, 08:13:59 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 28 September, 2018, 01:03:32 PM
Quote from: Smith on 20 September, 2018, 02:30:36 PM
GTA 4.For a while I thought I was bad at this,but I see everyone had a problem with PC controls.And PC version in general.
Yeah,figured Im going to need one.

Do you use a control pad? Only way to play some games I think. GTAIV particularly.

NOW WITH THE RIGHT QUOTE OK SORRY :P
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 13 October, 2018, 06:45:14 PM
Currently playing Valkyria Chronicles 4 on PS4, which is almost identical to Valkyria Chronicles on PS3. (2 and 3 were on the PSP.) Plays the same - tactical RPG set in a kind of parallel universe variation on WWII. Looks the same - stylish, colourful anime troopers, big tanks, and incongruously beautiful battlefields. Thankfully, more of the same is, in this case, a good thing - the original was a much-overlooked game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Woolly on 16 October, 2018, 06:54:49 PM
So i finally gave in and tried an Assassin's Creed game - Odyssey.

About 8 hours in and it's blimming great. Plays very much like The Witcher 3, and the world map is huge.

Can see myself sinking alot of time into this one.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: SIP on 17 October, 2018, 11:15:27 AM
Quote from: Woolly on 16 October, 2018, 06:54:49 PM
So i finally gave in and tried an Assassin's Creed game - Odyssey.

About 8 hours in and it's blimming great. Plays very much like The Witcher 3, and the world map is huge.

Can see myself sinking alot of time into this one.

Save yourself Woolly while you still can. This is the first game in a long while that I've become totally addicted to......sleep deprivation is really kicking in now.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Woolly on 17 October, 2018, 05:48:44 PM
Quote from: SIP on 17 October, 2018, 11:15:27 AM
Quote from: Woolly on 16 October, 2018, 06:54:49 PM
So i finally gave in and tried an Assassin's Creed game - Odyssey.

About 8 hours in and it's blimming great. Plays very much like The Witcher 3, and the world map is huge.

Can see myself sinking alot of time into this one.

Save yourself Woolly while you still can. This is the first game in a long while that I've become totally addicted to......sleep deprivation is really kicking in now.

Nope, it's already too late.
I'm utterly gripped - are any of the other AC games this good? Might give them a try also off the back of this one...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: SIP on 17 October, 2018, 06:42:38 PM
Quote from: Woolly on 17 October, 2018, 05:48:44 PM
Quote from: SIP on 17 October, 2018, 11:15:27 AM
Quote from: Woolly on 16 October, 2018, 06:54:49 PM
So i finally gave in and tried an Assassin's Creed game - Odyssey.

About 8 hours in and it's blimming great. Plays very much like The Witcher 3, and the world map is huge.

Can see myself sinking alot of time into this one.

Save yourself Woolly while you still can. This is the first game in a long while that I've become totally addicted to......sleep deprivation is really kicking in now.

Nope, it's already too late.
I'm utterly gripped - are any of the other AC games this good? Might give them a try also off the back of this one...

I only ever played the original which I wasn't a fan of......then this one, which has blown me away. I've heard a lot of positives about the previous game, "Origins", too.

Last night I received the "legendary" helmet of Ares (no innuendo intended)......it's worrying how much joy that brought to a middle aged man.

My eyes hurt now.....but I'm still carrying on. I had finally started drawing again, but that's been put on the back burner again, this is more fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: broodblik on 18 October, 2018, 03:50:35 AM
Quote from: SIP on 17 October, 2018, 06:42:38 PM
Quote from: Woolly on 17 October, 2018, 05:48:44 PM
Quote from: SIP on 17 October, 2018, 11:15:27 AM
Quote from: Woolly on 16 October, 2018, 06:54:49 PM
So i finally gave in and tried an Assassin's Creed game - Odyssey.

About 8 hours in and it's blimming great. Plays very much like The Witcher 3, and the world map is huge.

Can see myself sinking alot of time into this one.

Also playing it. I really enjoy it but I don't have the time to really play it for long periods :'(

Save yourself Woolly while you still can. This is the first game in a long while that I've become totally addicted to......sleep deprivation is really kicking in now.

Nope, it's already too late.
I'm utterly gripped - are any of the other AC games this good? Might give them a try also off the back of this one...

I only ever played the original which I wasn't a fan of......then this one, which has blown me away. I've heard a lot of positives about the previous game, "Origins", too.

Last night I received the "legendary" helmet of Ares (no innuendo intended)......it's worrying how much joy that brought to a middle aged man.

My eyes hurt now.....but I'm still carrying on. I had finally started drawing again, but that's been put on the back burner again, this is more fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 18 October, 2018, 09:57:25 AM
I've got a bit of a love/hate relationship with Assassin's Creed games (I tend to like a lot of aspects of them and really dislike others), but the one that I genuinely loved was Black Flag. I haven't played the last couple so don't know how they compare, but if you want more AC Woolly then I can heartily recommend it!

It's a great pirate simulator, with some ace naval combat (which they never used in any of the sequels, although I believe Odyssey has some?), give it a go!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: SIP on 18 October, 2018, 10:17:23 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 18 October, 2018, 09:57:25 AM
I've got a bit of a love/hate relationship with Assassin's Creed games (I tend to like a lot of aspects of them and really dislike others), but the one that I genuinely loved was Black Flag. I haven't played the last couple so don't know how they compare, but if you want more AC Woolly then I can heartily recommend it!

It's a great pirate simulator, with some ace naval combat (which they never used in any of the sequels, although I believe Odyssey has some?), give it a go!

Yeah, the naval combat is fully incorporated into Odyssey as well. And for the first time they've introduced RPG elements with conversation choices and you can choose male/female character.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 18 October, 2018, 10:22:44 AM
Really enjoyed Assassin's Creed 2 but somehow never played any of the others.

Got Dead Cells on the Switch recently. It's fun but the difficulty really ramps up once you get past the first boss and I'm not sure I have the patience to play it enough to complete.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 18 October, 2018, 12:02:55 PM
I've not actually finished one since Assassin's Creed 3, but I think if you're enjoying the latest AC and are thinking of trying another, the previous one Origins is probably your best bet at being the most similar. That was its triumphant return with some new ideas - a lot of people felt it was getting stale and formulaic before then, myself included!

Although those older ones are still good games in their own right, if removed from the context of being one in a long line of very similar games. They often go for very cheap too if you have an Xbox, they're all backwards compatible. Avoid AC1 like the plague though, it's prototype trash!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 18 October, 2018, 01:37:35 PM
Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed on 18 October, 2018, 12:02:55 PM
Avoid AC1 like the plague though, it's prototype trash!

I remember buying into the hype for Assassins Creed I, purchasing the steel box special edition, and being bitterly disappointed by the game play and jerky graphics.
I've only barely dipped my toe in the AC universe since; bought II on XBox 360 but never even played it, then bought III on PS3 but gave up after about an hour due to the shoddy controls.

Mixed reviews for the deluge of subsequent games has kept me away.

Have to say though, the comments on Odyssey below are piquing my interest.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: SIP on 18 October, 2018, 01:41:41 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 18 October, 2018, 01:37:35 PM
Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed on 18 October, 2018, 12:02:55 PM
Avoid AC1 like the plague though, it's prototype trash!

I remember buying into the hype for Assassins Creed I, purchasing the steel box special edition, and being bitterly disappointed by the game play and jerky graphics.
I've only barely dipped my toe in the AC universe since; bought II on XBox 360 but never even played it, then bought III on PS3 but gave up after about an hour due to the shoddy controls.

Mixed reviews for the deluge of subsequent games has kept me away.

Have to say though, the comments on Odyssey below are piquing my interest.

I really disliked the first Assassin's Creed, probably why I've avoided the series ever since.....but this really is a million miles away from that first game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 18 October, 2018, 01:45:05 PM
Yiz had me at the Witcher III comparison.
It's on the ol Amazon watch list - awaiting a price drop.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 November, 2018, 02:10:38 PM
Just finished Call of Juarez: Gunslinger for the first time and really enjoyed it. Not played a CoJ game since the first (the second passed me by and that Cartel sequel was apparently awful), but glad I finally got round to this because it's ace.

Meaty gunfights, a really stylish art direction and a neat unreliable narrative device, and not too long so didn't overstay its welcome. My one complaint is that the art style looks nice but can make it hard to pick out enemies during some shootouts as they blend in a lot - you've got a focus ability that highlights them but that can only be used sparingly so there were some fights I got a bit miffed with not knowing where the bullets were coming from on a first try.

Other than that though, really fun stuff and having the collectibles be 'nuggets of truth' which tell you the actual events the tall tales are spun around was a nice touch and made them genuinely interesting to find.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 27 November, 2018, 05:04:26 PM
Quote from: SIP on 18 October, 2018, 01:41:41 PMI really disliked the first Assassin's Creed, probably why I've avoided the series ever since.....but this really is a million miles away from that first game.

I tried most of the AC games (a couple of the fam are big fans) but just found them... not fun.  Great environments, but the climbing mechanics were shit and the combat annoying up until Origins, which was a huge improvement and felt like a different game series.  Loved it - even ended up going platinum on the trophy list.  I tried backtracking from there to Black Flag and Syndicate, but while Syndicate showed promise, by and large the series only really got playable with Origins, IMO.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 28 November, 2018, 09:26:15 AM
Currently re-enjoying Diablo 3 with my wife on the Switch. Truly excellent, although the radial gear menu certainly takes some getting used to.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 28 November, 2018, 09:46:48 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 28 November, 2018, 09:26:15 AM
Currently re-enjoying Diablo 3 with my wife on the Switch. Truly excellent, although the radial gear menu certainly takes some getting used to.

Never played a Diablo game in my life, but the Switch version does look very cool.

Even if I don't end up getting it for a while, I couldn't help but order the forthcoming Amiibo tie-in and instant objet de désir: https://www.gamestop.ie/Other%20Products/Games/71029/amiibo-diablo-loot-goblin

WTF even is a 'Loot Goblin'? I'll find out someday soon.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 28 November, 2018, 11:19:00 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 28 November, 2018, 09:46:48 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 28 November, 2018, 09:26:15 AM
Currently re-enjoying Diablo 3 with my wife on the Switch. Truly excellent, although the radial gear menu certainly takes some getting used to.

Never played a Diablo game in my life, but the Switch version does look very cool.

Even if I don't end up getting it for a while, I couldn't help but order the forthcoming Amiibo tie-in and instant objet de désir: https://www.gamestop.ie/Other%20Products/Games/71029/amiibo-diablo-loot-goblin

WTF even is a 'Loot Goblin'? I'll find out someday soon.
You'll learn to crave them. Then hate them. Then just crave them.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 28 November, 2018, 02:13:57 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 18 October, 2018, 01:37:35 PM
Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed on 18 October, 2018, 12:02:55 PM
Avoid AC1 like the plague though, it's prototype trash!

I remember buying into the hype for Assassins Creed I, purchasing the steel box special edition, and being bitterly disappointed by the game play and jerky graphics.
I've only barely dipped my toe in the AC universe since; bought II on XBox 360 but never even played it, then bought III on PS3 but gave up after about an hour due to the shoddy controls.

Mixed reviews for the deluge of subsequent games has kept me away.

Have to say though, the comments on Odyssey below are piquing my interest.

If you like pirates, I thoroughly recommend AC IV:  Black Flag.  I had no end of fun with sea piracy, boarding vessels, taking them over, giving them crew, setting up trade routes etc etc.  The only dull bits of that game are where you have to mess around on dry land.

The others I wouldn't bother with - all very dull.

I may pick up Origins when it drops in price by about £40 or so.   :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 28 November, 2018, 11:18:25 PM
Can't stop playing Fifa. I never knew I was a masochist.

Man, I am rubbish at it. I keep getting my arse handed to me by 15 year olds.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 29 November, 2018, 09:27:40 AM
I beat the last boss on Runner 3 on the Switch last night, loved the game. It gets pretty brutally hard as it goes on (for a clumsy fool like me at least) and the checkpoints were sometimes annoyingly far apart but I was totally hooked throughout. Any game that has a boss called Sausage Santa who is a robot and fires sausages at you and says 'sausage' every time is a game of the year contender in my book.

Never played one of these before, want to hunt out the first two now! Still got all the bonus levels and alternate routes to play though but reckon those'll be tougher and might break me!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 30 November, 2018, 10:59:19 AM
I got a shiny AMD RX 580 in the Black Friday sale.

All the settings! All of them! HIGHER. MAXIMUM SPEED.

I'm still mostly playing the same old games bought on the cheap mind, but it's nice to be able to put them up to ULTRA settings for the first time in my life. PUBG looks splendid.

Shame the latest game I got was Stories Untold, a parser/click adventure game riffing on 80s horror. Pretty good so far, completely 'on rails' so more like an interactive cutscene but does wonders with its atmosphere. But that 580 isn't doing much there.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 03 December, 2018, 11:47:48 AM
Finished Uncharted 4 last night and there was lots I loved about it and a lot I really didn't. The pros and cons list for me would be almost identical to the one I'd give The Last of Us or the previous Uncharted games to be honest.

Stuff I love - The story, the performances and the way they're captured. Their writing and performances for the small character moments are incredible, Naughty Dog really are one of the best in the business in that regard. Was fully invested in the characters and Nathan and Elena's marriage and story arc was so well observed that I was right there with them. Also loved the times where the platforming and the jumping and swinging and running etc. really worked and when they worked those elements into the big action set-pieces the whole thing clicked and felt fantastic.

Stuff I didn't - The combat, as with other Naughty Dog games, just doesn't work for me mechanically. There were a bunch of times where it was physically impossible to line up my crosshair on an enemy because of the blocky jerky way the reticle moves, having to find a new position to line up a shot when I should have them dead to rights was annoying. The enemy AI makes the gunfights more annoying than exciting too, either using cover in ways that make things fiddly or just rushing you like idiots. And the grenade spam. Bloody hell the grenade spam. Enemy grenades in cover shooters are a fantastic way of forcing you to change things up and think on your feet, but you have to key in some sort of control on the frequency of that sort of thing. A grenade flying towards you when you've been getting a little too comfortable is great, but enemies throwing grenades roughly every 5 seconds (as happened in a bunch of my encounters) so that you can never get a shot lined up before rolling away again is just a massive pain, especially with the lack of fine control on aiming.

The stealth had a lot of the same problems I had with TLoU as well, in that ND's signposting leaves a great deal to be desired. Some sections you can sneak through without killing anyone, others you can spend 20mins doing that only to find the exit isn't available until you've killed everyone, Naughty Dog never tip you off to which of these approaches are valid from stage to stage. And that's if you can find the level exit - most of my stealthing (and a lot of my navigation in general) in Naughty Dog games is me wandering around aimlessly with no idea of if I'm heading in the right direction or not, eventually getting spotted and killed and going back to the start.

It could be I'm along in having these problems with the enemy encounters, because they throw so many shootouts in that you have to imagine it's held in some regard as a shooter. Thankfully the final stages weren't quite the drag the first 3 games turned into (all of those were about 2hrs longer than necessary with those 2hrs being repetitive fights packed into the end) but it was still bothersome enough that it dragged my enjoyment down.

That may have been a bit ranty and I'm definitely being overly harsh because overall it was a solid 3/5 for me, but basically I think the things Uncharted is good at it is very, very exceptionally good at, and the things it's bad at it has continually been bad at for 4 games while the Tomb Raider reboot series came along and nailed all those messy elements and in my opinion overtook it on the puzzles, platforming and exploration side of things too.

TR has never made me care about its story and characters in the way UC4 did though, so it wins hands down in that area.

Looking forward to playing the standalone expansion as I'm told it focusses more on the elements I enjoy and I've heard from a bunch of people that it's actually stronger than the main game, so should be good. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 03 December, 2018, 11:55:51 AM
Oh, and (more briefly) I also finished a co-op playthrough of Halo 5 that me and my brother have been chipping away at for a while. Had played it before but looks way nicer now it's enhanced on the X, and while some of it drags a bit and the story washes right over me it does have some of my favourite levels in the series and feels really, really epic in places.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 03 December, 2018, 02:19:15 PM
I'm with you on the Uncharted gameplay! I actually haven't bought one since the first one, I didn't like the way it played and didn't get into the story enough for it to become one of those games where I put up with the gameplay for the story or characters. Didn't like the supernatural turn it took either - felt like they were shoehorning zombie hordes into the game as an easy crescendo and we were right in the middle of a zombie fad as I remember. It was much more interesting prior!

I do like zombies though! I love the Romero films and I don't think many games do those zombies justice, I'd love more good ones.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 03 December, 2018, 03:21:03 PM
There are no supernatural elements in any of the Uncharted games.  The zombies from the first game are the descendants of Spanish colonists who were driven out of their settlements by a plague outbreak and over time developed an immunity to the plague while reverting to savagery, and it's implied this is caused by their carrying some form of the disease - a complicated explanation most likely put in to divert from any potentially troubling subtext about the white main character fighting a tribe of cannibals.
The closest the Uncharted games get to the supernatural is the level of damage inflicted on the main character without his being killed, crippled, or brain-damaged.  There's a bit in one of the cut-scenes in Uncharted 2 where we're supposed to care that he's been stabbed and I was just like "Pft - walk it off."
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 03 December, 2018, 04:02:59 PM
I definitely took that turn in UC1 to be a turn to the supernatural but it's possible I didn't get the context properly. I do remember some really overt supernatural elements somewhere, maybe 2 or 3? Something about a magic tree and a mystical city and a boss fight with someone who was invincible because they were possessed or had ingested some sort of magical potion or other, and then a mad run through the city as it self destructed for magical reasons.

I could be totally misremembering, but I'm sure that happened! It wasn't necessarily any more supernatural than something like Indiana Jones so I'm sure that's what they were aiming for with their last acts. Did think they worked better without it though, and it was refreshing that UC4 was way more grounded in history instead of mythical mcguffins.

I may be remembering a different game!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 03 December, 2018, 06:20:59 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 03 December, 2018, 03:21:03 PM
There are no supernatural elements in any of the Uncharted games. The zombies from the first game are the descendants of Spanish colonists who were driven out of their settlements by a plague outbreak and over time developed an immunity to the plague while reverting to savagery, and it's implied this is caused by their carrying some form of the disease - a complicated explanation most likely put in to divert from any potentially troubling subtext about the white main character fighting a tribe of cannibals.

Ah fair enough, it's been a while! I'm not sure what the phrase would be for that then, science fiction I guess? Either way, I wasn't a fan :(

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 03 December, 2018, 07:28:11 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 03 December, 2018, 04:02:59 PMI could be totally misremembering, but I'm sure that happened!

It wasn't magic, it was an unstable (exploding once you shoot it) tree resin* with restorative properties (hence the final boss' seeming invincibility) and a side-effect of making the user act like they're on PCP.  More like TREE-CP, amiright?  No?  Okay, fuck all y'all.

The outlandish elements are always hand-waved away in highly inventive fashion, IE:
Uncharted 1 - the plague made Spaniards living in an isolated city strong and angry and they turned on each other and then the city they lived in fell into myth
Uncharted 2 - tree resin made Tibetans living in an isolated city strong and angry and they turned on each other and then the city they lived in fell into myth
Uncharted 3 - polluted water made Arabs living in an isolated city strong and angry and they turned on each other and then the city they lived in fell into myth
Uncharted 4 - they were pirates, of course they turned on each other.


* The tree itself was the single most outlandish thing to ever appear in the Uncharted series - a gigantic, prehistoric vegetable that had a temple built around it whose "blood" theoretically grants eternal life, if you don't mind turning into a mindless junkie who dresses like a gorilla for some reason.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CalHab on 04 December, 2018, 03:27:02 PM
The real question is why is Nathan Drake a charming, wisecracking joker despite spending the last few years killing/murdering thousands of people.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 December, 2018, 04:04:33 PM
Quote from: CalHab on 04 December, 2018, 03:27:02 PM
The real question is why is Nathan Drake a charming, wisecracking joker despite spending the last few years killing/murdering thousands of people.

Yeah that sits a bit funny with his character. The Drake you see in cutscenes is almost a different person - he'll find himself in some sort of tense chat at gunpoint with an enemy and during those everyone seems really reluctant to take the step of killing someone. It's a bit silly to have him hesitate to kill, or for someone to hesitate to kill him, when he's just shot his way through about 60 of their friends and colleagues.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 04 December, 2018, 04:32:08 PM
I don't know how you guys are playing these games, but I always shoot to wound.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 December, 2018, 06:05:12 PM
Me too, I'm just a terrible shot.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 04 December, 2018, 08:31:57 PM
Half Life 2. Been a while. Held up really well. It's enviroments are fantastic. All of gives a genuine sense of that something has gone terrible wrong. Not sure what, why or what can be done about it. Especially the empty houses along the coast. Going through those, only to find a med kit or some bullets among an old corpse or two. Really sets the scene.

If someone hasn't played this, I really recommend that person doing so.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 05 December, 2018, 08:06:11 AM
Quote from: Apestrife on 04 December, 2018, 08:31:57 PM
Half Life 2. Been a while. Held up really well. It's enviroments are fantastic. All of gives a genuine sense of that something has gone terrible wrong. Not sure what, why or what can be done about it. Especially the empty houses along the coast. Going through those, only to find a med kit or some bullets among an old corpse or two. Really sets the scene.

If someone hasn't played this, I really recommend that person doing so.

Black Mesa is a great game. It's like a new game rather than a scene for scene remake. The intro cable car ride is muuuuch longer though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 05 December, 2018, 09:30:41 AM
Quote from: Apestrife on 04 December, 2018, 08:31:57 PM
Half Life 2. Been a while. Held up really well. It's enviroments are fantastic. All of gives a genuine sense of that something has gone terrible wrong. Not sure what, why or what can be done about it. Especially the empty houses along the coast. Going through those, only to find a med kit or some bullets among an old corpse or two. Really sets the scene.

If someone hasn't played this, I really recommend that person doing so.
Agree! I'm due for a replay of this, I think.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 05 December, 2018, 12:50:55 PM
Half-Life 1 holds up pretty darn well too in my opinion!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rately on 05 December, 2018, 01:54:12 PM
The Half Life games are excellent. Even the mini-games like Blue Shift are well worth a play.

I haven't a console at moment, but I've all the games on my Steam account, and I have my partner's lovely new Mac.....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 10 December, 2018, 09:53:58 AM
I remember dropping Half Life before the end and never getting round to finishing it, it turns out I really didn't have much longer to go either! Have been keeping an eye on the Black Mesa thing, once it's all done and released I'll probably jump on it.

Played through Shadow of The Colossus for the first time this week and had really intensely mixed feelings about it! The atmosphere is incredible and the design of the creatures and the sense of scale is really amazing, and when it was all going well and feeling good it was really thrilling and satisfying and filled with that strong melancholy about the whole endeavor of killing these big beautiful beasts. In all those regards it was brilliant and quite unlike anything else I've played.

On the other hand though, I found the moment to moment gameplay to be fairly horrendous for a great deal of the running time, and climbing the bosses required a lot of patience and persevering with clunky controls and a rotten camera and unfair attack patterns and when I'd spent ages getting to a point just to be flung off (or more often to leap off due to the camera and control issues) and have to wait for another opening to do it again I really, really didn't find it to be enjoyable at all.

I think about half the bosses were great but peppered through them were really fiddly annoying ones, so I reckon if it had been half the length and was all killer no filler I would have loved it, but as it is I was really glad to see the back of it, despite how gloriously impressive it is in many regards. When it was good it was amazing, but I guess I swore at it way too much to say I liked it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 18 December, 2018, 06:33:38 AM
Half Life 2, Portal, Portal 2.

HL2 was brilliant always, with some nit picks here and there. The squad based stuff towards the end isn't my favorite, especially not when resistance people constantly stand in the way. Other than that I love it. The setting especially. Few games like it. Also reallly like the physics. Still holds up today. To me every explosive thing (gas tank, red explosive barell and so on) gives me a feeling wonder, that the explosion will send things into the air.

Played Portal before, and it was brilliant. First time with the second game and it was even more brilliant. Managed to make everything I liked about the first one, puzzles, settings and so on, even better. Also has a really fun and gripping story. Felt like a Nintendo game in a grim Pixar-movie setting.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 18 December, 2018, 02:57:18 PM
Man, Portal 2 is so perfect. Like, a properly flawless game, reading this has made me want to do another playthrough but I know all the neat surprises won't be the same. Definitely one I'd like to erase my memory of and experience for the first time again.

Not so impressed with God of War though, which I finished last night. The presentation is fantastic, and the whole thing looks and sounds absolutely epic (that Bear McReary score is excellent), but the combat never clicked with me so it was a real slog for me. I know people who love it unreservedly so I'm willing to accept I might have been doing something wrong, but I just couldn't find a fun way to negotiate the fights, I never got into the rhythm of blocking and countering and when to do what attacks, and I found I was being stun-locked constantly from all directions.

The story as well hooked me from the simple premise (get to the top of the mountain) but took so many detours and backtracks and macguffin-hunts that it felt about 10 hours too long and I had no idea who I was fighting and why for the majority of it, and none of the plot twists landed for me because I didn't know what any of them meant. The father/son character moments were excellently written and captured, but the beat to beat of the story outside of those cutscenes didn'y really do mucn for me.

Maybe I need more knowledge of the mythology or more investment in the series (I've only played the original way back in the day) but just didn't see what all the fuss was about with this one. As I say though, most people are raving about it so it can't be objectively poor, clearly I just didn't connect with it the way I wanted to.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dandontdare on 18 December, 2018, 03:56:25 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 18 December, 2018, 02:57:18 PM
Man, Portal 2 is so perfect. Like, a properly flawless game, reading this has made me want to do another playthrough

Portal 2 is a prime example of why I hate the way video games demand success - I got stuck several levels in and just could not fathom how to proceed. This means I cannot access a huge chunk of a product I've paid for. Every game should have a cheat mode or a 'skip level' function.

Dara O'Briain put it brilliantly once - you don't get to the end of chapter 1 of a book to be told "I don't think you really understood that chapter - go back and try again before you can read the rest of the book" or be unable to listen to track 2 of a  CD because your dance moves were inadequate on track 1.

I bought it, I should be able to see it all. People who play for the challenge, as opposed to just recreation or entertainment can always set the levels in that way if they wish, but as a crap gamer I very rarely get to see more than half of any game I buy.

(although what I did see was indeed brilliant)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 18 December, 2018, 06:21:22 PM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 18 December, 2018, 03:56:25 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 18 December, 2018, 02:57:18 PM
Man, Portal 2 is so perfect. Like, a properly flawless game, reading this has made me want to do another playthrough

Portal 2 is a prime example of why I hate the way video games demand success - I got stuck several levels in and just could not fathom how to proceed. This means I cannot access a huge chunk of a product I've paid for. Every game should have a cheat mode or a 'skip level' function.

Dara O'Briain put it brilliantly once - you don't get to the end of chapter 1 of a book to be told "I don't think you really understood that chapter - go back and try again before you can read the rest of the book" or be unable to listen to track 2 of a  CD because your dance moves were inadequate on track 1.

I bought it, I should be able to see it all. People who play for the challenge, as opposed to just recreation or entertainment can always set the levels in that way if they wish, but as a crap gamer I very rarely get to see more than half of any game I buy.

(although what I did see was indeed brilliant)

Hmmm...the trouble with this is that if you don't have the skills required to, say, beat a level 1 boss, then how do you expect to proceed through subsequent levels?
Most games have a limited move-set and in order to complete a game you'll need to hone your skills to become more competent, gradually dealing with greater skill-based challenges.
Why play a game at all if it stops challenging or encouraging you to increase your skill?
Mind you, I generally play more retro games than current stuff so maybe this stuff is more pronounced. Modern games tend to be more narrative based.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 18 December, 2018, 07:22:53 PM
I kind of agree with James here. Obviously it depends greatly on genre, but in my opinion games needs to have an element of challenge to qualify as games. Without that, you've basically got a glorified animation sequence. To me games are a puzzle, a test of reflexes. Locking away content gives the vital incentive to keep plugging away, and taking that reward away would massively deplete the enjoyment and satisfaction of the players who like a challenge and the traditional structure of the medium that goes along with it.

Cheat codes aren't as common as they used to be, but they used to ruin certain games for me, as I didn't have the discipline not to use them if I got stuck. I don't think I ever played an FPS 'properly' without God Mode until I was in my twenties. Giving the player the ability to just skip difficult sections likewise takes something important away from the experience. How much fun would a Rubiks Cube be if it had a button on the side that solved it for you immediately? Should a novel come with a Wikipedia summary of the plot printed at the back? I mean, that would save you all the work of putting the hours in to actually read it, right?

A large part of why Super Mario games aren't as fun to play these days is that they're too easy - they've lost sight of that exhilarating sensation of walking a tightrope that used to make them so fiendishly addictive. And the fact that they throw powerups at you if you die a couple of times on a given section seems a little condescending.

I feel like games as a whole got too easy and streamlined especially during the 360/PS3 era - it seemed like developers were terrified the player would ever get stuck, and games became quite bland as a result. Things seem to have balanced out a little now, with the re-embracing of hard games, and developers less afraid to present a proper challenge to the player.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dandontdare on 18 December, 2018, 08:03:14 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 18 December, 2018, 06:21:22 PMHmmm...the trouble with this is that if you don't have the skills required to, say, beat a level 1 boss, then how do you expect to proceed through subsequent levels?

That's the problem as I see it, the obsession with "levels" as opposed to story. I don't want to hone my skills, I'm not playing competitively, I just want diverting fun - why do levels have to be increasingly hard as opposed to simply different?

Take something like the Tomb Raider series, which I enjoyed but never finished any of them. Once I've been killed a couple of dozen times trying to execute a ridiculously hard leap/crouch/shoot combination, I am no longer enjoying myself, it's just repetitive and frustrating. In TR3 I seem to recall it was swimming with piranhas that I could never get past.

There are infinite ways to keep the story interesting without ramping up the difficulty levels. As I said, you should always have that option if you want it, but I'd prefer to find a level that's challenging but achievable, and then be able to play through the story at that level. As it is, games usually start out fun, become challenging, progress to frustrating and then get abandoned.

I want fun not frustration!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 18 December, 2018, 09:42:40 PM
Monster Hunter Tales on the iPad is a lot of fun. It's basically a 3D Pokemon-style story-based exploration game set in the Monster Hunter World. Hatch stolen eggs to build your monster team etc.

Large brushstroke cartoon characters pushing the story on, lavish landscapes, and initially straightforward 'rock scissor paper' style turn-based fighting dynamics that really open up into complex and interesting variations when you both fight the bigger beasts, and introduce gene-splicing to your monsters!

It's a blast, and while you might consider it a bit pricey on iPad at £20, I've enjoyed it very much so far.

I rarely get on the PS4 these days, as my partner has discovered a whole bunch of old TV shows on Netflix that she's chaining. That means iPad gaming is the way forward at the moment. 

That said, we've just started playing The Council together - I steer, she makes the decisions.  It's a political mystery story kind of akin to the Telltale games, set in a strange mansion on an island where iconic figures from the 18th century are gathered for some bizarre reason.  All very intriguing, but we're not done with the first episode yet, which is scene and character setting at the moment.  Definitely engaging so far, and it's nice to be playing something together.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 19 December, 2018, 08:19:49 AM
Graveyard Keeper.Its really freaking addictive.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 19 December, 2018, 11:12:28 AM
About the difficulty thing, I'm on the side of enjoying a bit of a challenge. Getting stuck in a game can be really frustrating, but in something like Portal figuring out the puzzles is crucial to having the tools you need to solve subsequent ones. That's how the game teaches you what you need to know for later stages so to be able to skip through just means you're going to get stuck again shortly afterwards.

Nowadays too you've got YouTube, a quick search on there will usually show you the solution to something, which I try not to look at (I'm always disappointed I didn't figure it out myself, especially if it's a facepalm moment where I realize it was something obvious I was missing) but do sometimes have to if a game has me really stumped. Heck, sometimes I've assumed I've been doing something wrong and then a Google has shown that it's a bug and a script trigger has been missed or something.

Action games/shooters are trickier I guess because you can't easily look up a 'solution' to a shootout, but they tend to have pretty flexible difficulty levels. I am pretty firmly in the camp of honing skills to unlock content or progress is important in games, because that progression is what makes it a game and sets it apart from movies/books (for me at least!)

I did see Dara's bit on it live though and while I didn't agree I did find it very, very funny! He also did a really great bit about Metal Gear Solid, always nice to see a comedian talk about gaming in a way that's funny to everyone without being condescending or sneery about the people who play them, you could tell he genuinely likes that stuff.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: moogie101 on 19 December, 2018, 01:48:43 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 19 December, 2018, 11:12:28 AM
I did see Dara's bit on it live though and while I didn't agree I did find it very, very funny! He also did a really great bit about Metal Gear Solid, always nice to see a comedian talk about gaming in a way that's funny to everyone without being condescending or sneery about the people who play them, you could tell he genuinely likes that stuff.

Its a great bit, he also talks about how all the driving in GTA4 was like commuting to work.

Personally nowadays I can't be arsed with a game being too hard, but normally you can drop the difficulty if struggling or look online for the solution. But usually its just a case of preserving. For example everyone claims the Dark Souls games are too hard, but once you've mastered the roll & attack from behind strategy its pretty straight forward.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: broodblik on 19 December, 2018, 01:54:29 PM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 18 December, 2018, 08:03:14 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 18 December, 2018, 06:21:22 PMHmmm...the trouble with this is that if you don't have the skills required to, say, beat a level 1 boss, then how do you expect to proceed through subsequent levels?

That's the problem as I see it, the obsession with "levels" as opposed to story. I don't want to hone my skills, I'm not playing competitively, I just want diverting fun - why do levels have to be increasingly hard as opposed to simply different?


I also play the game for the story and many cases I stopped playing because my hand-eye coordination is not what it used to be. I always select easy mode on any game and if I wanted a challenge I will try to do my budget
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 19 December, 2018, 02:46:18 PM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 18 December, 2018, 08:03:14 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 18 December, 2018, 06:21:22 PMHmmm...the trouble with this is that if you don't have the skills required to, say, beat a level 1 boss, then how do you expect to proceed through subsequent levels?

That's the problem as I see it, the obsession with "levels" as opposed to story. I don't want to hone my skills, I'm not playing competitively, I just want diverting fun - why do levels have to be increasingly hard as opposed to simply different?


If you want a fun story with no challenge then watch a movie or a box set. Read a book.

I like games being difficult, for me the story comes second. Hard levels don't frustrate me as much as having to sit through exposition and cut scenes that prevent me from actually playing the game. Unskippable cut scenes annoy me more than any Cyberdemon.

Video games are the only medium that provide a test of skill. Despite what ehhhhhh Dara ehhhh O'Brien says, that's a good thing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dandontdare on 19 December, 2018, 03:36:34 PM
You misunderstand - I don't want them to be pointlessly easy, I do want a challenge, I just don't want an increasingly difficult challenge - what other game or pastime does that? If I play darts, I don't have to stand further away with every throw, if I read a book, the syntax and vocabulary doesn't get progressively harder as the book goes on. I want a narrative game for which I can set my preferred difficulty level - challenging, requiring several attempts to proceed, but not impossible - and then play through the whole story at that level. As it goes, I love the first dozen levels of games, but that's all.

I know I'm in a minority here, and don't think I know better than a multi-billion pound industry with millions of fans, it's just a personal gripe - I think I've moaned about this before, so expect to see me dragging this old chestnut out again in about 30 pages!

(agree on unskippable cut scenes though - the first time may be fun and informative, but after that you just want to kick the screen in)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 19 December, 2018, 03:49:31 PM
If I follow the logic about "gaming skill" correctly, then Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball is a better game series than Metal Gear.  Anyway, good luck with that.

Having played games since the 8 bit era you can stuff your difficulty up your arse as far I'm concerned.  I've suffered enough repetitive side-scrolling shitshows like Super Mario 3 and its 12 thousand identical levels to do me a lifetime.  It's 2018 and when Batman beats the shit out of 12 thugs at once, I only have to push one button to make it happen - two if I'm feeling flashy - and that suits me just fine.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 19 December, 2018, 04:50:05 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 19 December, 2018, 03:49:31 PM
If I follow the logic about "gaming skill" correctly, then Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball is a better game series than Metal Gear.  Anyway, good luck with that.


Playing with just one hand is quite difficult to be fair.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 19 December, 2018, 05:12:57 PM
That you can actually play DOAXBV with just one hand is one of its biggest selling points.

Strange but true: in Japan, an exclusive version of the game is available for the Playstation Vita handheld system, and one of the pre-order bonuses was a packet of screenwipes.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 20 December, 2018, 02:39:38 AM
On the subject of hard games, I've relapsed into my FTL addiction once more.

221 games and only 9 wins.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 20 December, 2018, 04:10:53 AM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 20 December, 2018, 02:39:38 AM
On the subject of hard games, I've relapsed into my FTL addiction once more.

221 games and only 9 wins.

9 wins?!?  You are a god amongst men!

I barely last three systems. Every. Bloody. Time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 20 December, 2018, 06:27:38 PM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 18 December, 2018, 03:56:25 PM
Portal 2 is a prime example of why I hate the way video games demand success - I got stuck several levels in and just could not fathom how to proceed. This means I cannot access a huge chunk of a product I've paid for. Every game should have a cheat mode or a 'skip level' function.

I was tired and stuck a couple of times and used youtube. Some really good and on point playthroughs on there. Just skipped the video till I found the place I was stuck in and took note which walls the player "portaled" and then figured it out from there. Game lends it well to that. Especially since it's very linear.

Give it a try :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 23 December, 2018, 11:16:56 PM
Me and the two boys are fighting over the Switch in replays of Breath Of The Wild. Strikes me that there's no need for skipping levels and cheat codes when you structure the game in a clever way.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 06 January, 2019, 07:11:33 PM
Fire Emblem Awakening.Its gets a bit repetative after a while.The Grind...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 07 January, 2019, 09:50:04 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 23 December, 2018, 11:16:56 PM
Me and the two boys are fighting over the Switch in replays of Breath Of The Wild. Strikes me that there's no need for skipping levels and cheat codes when you structure the game in a clever way.
I'm just trying to get into this for the third time. I bought a Switch on the promise of this being game of the century, but not being the exploratory type, I found it difficult to love.

Thankfully the Switch has delivered many other gems to make up for it. :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 08 January, 2019, 10:11:07 AM
Over the break I was mostly playing Far Cry 5, which I was initially disappointed with, then really enjoyed once I got into the swing of it, and then didn't enjoy the last couple of hours and was glad to see it finish. It's not bad, but mechanically not as absorbing as 3 or 4 were (there's something about the layout of the outposts and the enemy awareness and the constant patrols and planes that makes the stealth way less satisfying - and trying to speak to an NPC to start or end a mission but being unable to because everyone is perpetually in a conflict state because there are always enemy planes passing over every part of the map after a certain point was a constant nuisance) and after enough time with it the cracks really started to show during the weak latter missions. Overall pretty disappointing after loving the last couple so much.

Grabbed Into The Breach on Switch to give me something to play in the corner while visiting the in-laws over new year, and couldn't put it down until I'd beaten the final mission. Absolutely tremendous, and I say that as someone who has never enjoyed 'tactics' games or found them very accessible. Simple to learn, difficult to master and hugely tense and satisfying, it's like Pacific Rim The Game and I love it dearly.

Tried Minit on that same trip but ended up giving up on it after half an hour. The basic premise is great and sucked me in right away, but after a few minute long runs where no progress was happening and I didn't seem to be sufficiently guided as to where I should be looking to find things of interest to do in it I deleted it and played Into The Breach again instead.

Oh and I'm a few hours into Spider-Man and it's magnificent and I love it. Still a way away from finishing it, but it's been great so far, and is one of those rare open world games where just getting from one point of the map to another is a joy.

Oh and also Mario Kart on Switch, which I got for my birthday yesterday and played all afternoon in my pyjamas. Thank you Mario Kart for making me feel less old.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 08 January, 2019, 04:22:06 PM
Quote from: wedgeski on 07 January, 2019, 09:50:04 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 23 December, 2018, 11:16:56 PM
Me and the two boys are fighting over the Switch in replays of Breath Of The Wild. Strikes me that there's no need for skipping levels and cheat codes when you structure the game in a clever way.
I'm just trying to get into this for the third time. I bought a Switch on the promise of this being game of the century, but not being the exploratory type, I found it difficult to love.

Thankfully the Switch has delivered many other gems to make up for it. :)

Ah, if you don't like exploring, maybe not the game for you.

This replay has made me realise how easy it actually is, once you know a few of the tricks. No fannying about with elaborate meals, just cook lots of hearty durians etc.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 13 January, 2019, 07:57:43 PM
Oddworld: Munch's oddysee
Went in with quite low expectations, but still disapointed. I will forever love Abe's exodus, and had a fantastic time playing Abe's oddysee (as well as New n tasty) and Stranger's wrath. But Munch didn't do it for me. Not even story wise, or atmosphere. Real shame. Clunky gameplay, puzzles are overruled by blasting enemies from some funny angle, and towards the end there are a bunch of moving crates with a crane (which can take up to 20min)... Such a shame.

Regardless. I very much looking forward to Oddworld: Soulstorm (remake of Abe's Exodus, similar to New n tasty, but much grimmer).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 17 January, 2019, 03:09:09 PM
Quote from: Apestrife on 13 January, 2019, 07:57:43 PM
Regardless. I very much looking forward to Oddworld: Soulstorm (remake of Abe's Exodus, similar to New n tasty, but much grimmer).

Looking forward to this too, always loved the first game but somehow never played any of the sequels. New n' Tasty was brilliant but didn't realize they were continuing with the remakes, should be good!

I just finished Gris on the Switch and absolutely loved it. It's a gorgeously illustrated and animated platform puzzler, gameplay-wise not entirely dissimilar to but with a much gentler atmosphere than games like Inside and Limbo (which I do love too). It feels great, looks incredible, sounds incredible (the music is fantastic), it's a bit of a masterpiece really. Short at about 3-4hrs, which means it didn't outstay its welcome and kept me fully absorbed throughout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtWnBHG6dis (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtWnBHG6dis)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 18 January, 2019, 11:34:09 AM
There's a playable Demo for the Resident Evil 2 remake available for download. It's time locked and can only be played for a maximum of thirty minutes. The graphics are stunning and you get a sizeable area to explore. I've had the game on pre-order since it was announced being a massive fan of the series.

Red Dead Redemption 2 which is nice to look at and fun to play but it can be a bit of a grind at times. The online has it's moments but a lot needs to change if they want people to be playing this for years to come. There has also been suggestions of harsh working conditions and unrealistic schedules forced on Rockstar employees just to get the game out by a certain date. Games companies have been taking the piss for a long time which leads me nicely into...

...Black ops 4 which is one part good, one part bland and one part Dogshit. Zombies is still fun and it's been shaken up a bit with new mechanics and sizeable stages that look quite nice. Blackout is a bit dull and the graphics aren't that great. Multiplayer is absolutely awful with piss-poor hit detection, bad level design and awful primary colours which sting the eyes with their brightness. It's a far cry from COD WW2 which actually plays like a Call of Duty game and has some beautifully detailed levels. I still play Team Deathmatch on WW2* if anyone wants their arse handed to them  ;)

Cheers

*on PS4, Napalm_Kev
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 21 January, 2019, 02:19:06 PM
Yeah looking forward to RE2 alot after that demo. Same old flavour with a fresh new twist.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Funt Solo on 21 January, 2019, 06:17:51 PM
I've got my three most recent:

Zombotron 2: Time Machine (https://www.miniclip.com/games/zombotron-2-time-machine/en/) - actually the third version of Zombotron - perhaps not as clean as the first two, and suffering a bit from rail-shooter moments.  But it's FREE!

Hearthstone - in case you didn't know this is WoW meets MTG, and it's entirely FTP.  Although, you may feel some desire to part with cash to get on the freemium bandwagon, there's no need for that unless you're playing super-competitively. 

Planetside 2 - the only MMO FPS in existence.  And it's FREE!  Watch out, though: this has an extremely sharp learning cliff.  Your first experience will be getting pwned by far more experienced players.  The only good news is that the weapon system is insanely well balanced and that really the only thing veteran players have over you is their experience (not their kit).  Flying things relies on you spending as much time as it takes to learn how to fly things IRL, so not for amateurs.

TTFN
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 21 January, 2019, 07:24:49 PM
The Long Dark - first person post-apocalyptic survival game that fills the hole left by the now sadly deceased and gone forever Fallout.  Some mechanics I recognise as being lifted straight out of free Skyrim mods like Wet And Cold and Campfire, and though the combat mechanics are dogshit, they help sell the atmosphere of being alone in the wilderness where anything can take a left turn at any time if you aren't careful.  The storyline mode got stupid a bit too readily for my liking, what with the "find the magic spear to kill the immortal bear" storyline (apparently added in the last update in place of the original mechanic of finding the bear at random and shooting it), but the open-ended Survival mode is great, somehow both relaxing and tension-filled at once.
Can't say I'm a fan of cel-shaded graphics, but they work here because of the desolate setting and the use of white and light pastels to render snow - though I'd still have preferred to have played something with more realistic graphics, as this is going to date badly once some of this year's major post-apocalyptic open-world games hit the market.

Assassins Creed: Odyssey - latest version of the never-ending franchise that always finds a way to fuck up something that works.  In this case, the mercenary rebalancing of the combat/exploration/XP systems since the previous game to herd you towards microtransactions if you want to continue the storyline: enemies are never more than 1 level below you, which means you can't grind or farm in the usual way to level up, but you have to be certain levels to undertake certain quests, and this means doing literally dozens of side missions before you can continue the main story, but you soon run out of side missions because the ones in neighboring territories are usually ten or twenty levels above the level you can achieve in your current area - or alternatively you can - naturally - buy an XP multiplier from the in-game store with real money, so it's a full price game you can't actually enjoy until you've forked over more cash.  Oh, and when new DLC is released?  Every time you try to go to the map screen that is essential to the game, you don't get the map screen, you get a fullscreen advertisement for the paid DLC.  Every single time you try to access the map screen.
And we haven't even got to the DLC yet, in which all non-hetero choices are rendered non-canon for your character.  Been playing 80+ hours as a gay man or woman?*  Tough shit, you're a parent now.  It's a good thing people choose to be gay or someone might be a little annoyed at this.
It's still a good game, and the world is fantastic - the first time I saw a whale break the surface of the ocean I just about shit - but unless you're willing to pay extra, best settle in for a few months of grinding if you want to get the most out of it.


* And only got to level 7.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: SIP on 21 January, 2019, 09:30:25 PM
I didnt feel any of that pain while playing Odyssey, easily one of my favourite gaming experiences of the last 20 years. I'm gutted that after about 150 hours I've finally run out of things to do. I'm no mourning it's end.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: SIP on 21 January, 2019, 10:15:51 PM
Ignore the "no", I am mourning it's end.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 22 January, 2019, 09:59:29 AM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 21 January, 2019, 07:24:49 PM
The Long Dark - I'd still have preferred to have played something with more realistic graphics, as this is going to date badly once some of this year's major post-apocalyptic open-world games hit the market.

Found this view interesting, as I've usually found the opposite! Generally games that aim for photo-realism have always been the ones that I find show their age as the ability to do that advances, while a more stylized art direction will still hold up years later for me. Just my opinion, and I haven't played The Long Dark yet, just found it an interesting take because mine is so different! Think I'll check this out, it sounds like it could suck me in for a while.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 22 January, 2019, 11:41:20 AM
I will cede that cel shading looks as good 4 years later as it did on day 1.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 23 January, 2019, 07:31:15 PM
Not a game played but found an interesting youtube channel called GAME MAKERS TOOL KIT which, for me anyway, is teaching me lots about games and their mechanics are constructed. Which let's me understand a bit better why some of the things that I play are fun, and some aren't.

Apart from some programming on a ZX Spectrum, I haven't any knowledge of the form of games (so 3D, proper colour and anything bigger than a screen of action is alien to me). So this is good thought provoking stuff.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 27 January, 2019, 08:50:35 AM
TRAVIS STRIKES AGAIN: NO MORE HEROES
Started out feeling like a No more heroes CO-OP spin off with a bit of cash grab warning, but turned into the "avengers" of SUDA51 games. The game has it's footing in No more heroes, but it's head is almost as "high" up as Killer7. As the story grows, the gameplay does as well. From a few attacks to 28 additional ones. Same with the enemy variety. Perhaps not for everyone, but when each level has "press a button" screens complete with intros which auto starts like this one https://youtu.be/yqrkukJcIkw as well as being Playstation horror/adventure homages like this (aptly called "coffee and doughnuts) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5AA85h12b0 then I can't help but to love it  :D

Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG24TTOhg_A
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 28 January, 2019, 08:32:34 PM
Enjoying the RE2 Remake. Bloody zombies get my pulse racing never mind that bugger in the suit who just wont die. Think I'm most of the way through Leon A though as got to the NEST (which I don't think it was called that originally so must be from the movie).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 29 January, 2019, 02:28:04 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 28 January, 2019, 08:32:34 PM
Enjoying the RE2 Remake. Bloody zombies get my pulse racing never mind that bugger in the suit who just wont die. Think I'm most of the way through Leon A though as got to the NEST (which I don't think it was called that originally so must be from the movie).

Absolutely. It might be the scariest game I've ever played! That relentless Dolph Lundgren lookalike you mention is terrifying, most places are so goddamn dark almost to Doom 3 levels sometimes, the aiming is tricky leading to accidents losing ammo and health which are already in limited supply, and Leon seems pretty fragile. You feel very vulnerable playing it, and it's awesome. The scariness factor gets multiplied by how real it looks too, graphics really are getting there aren't they (and all running at 60 fps most of the time on the X)?

Just finished Leon's first scenario, I'm going to jump into Claire's now!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JimmyNailz on 29 January, 2019, 03:03:06 PM
Bought a game for a fiver (it was 50% discount) on Steam yesterday called "3030 DEATHWAR: A SPACE ODYSSEY".  Imagine, if you will, a space-trading game along the lines of "Elite" (but as a topdown space shooter) mixed with Lucasart adventure games such as "The Secret Of Monkey Island".  Are you imagining it? Are you? Are you?  If you answered YES, then you're probably imagining "3030 DEATHWAR: A SPACE ODYSSEY".   For those of a certain age, it's the greatest Amiga 500 game you never got to play in the 90s.  Only been playing a couple of hours, but already hooked.

BUY IT! :-)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 29 January, 2019, 03:43:25 PM
Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed on 29 January, 2019, 02:28:04 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 28 January, 2019, 08:32:34 PM
Enjoying the RE2 Remake. Bloody zombies get my pulse racing never mind that bugger in the suit who just wont die. Think I'm most of the way through Leon A though as got to the NEST (which I don't think it was called that originally so must be from the movie).

Absolutely. It might be the scariest game I've ever played! That relentless Dolph Lundgren lookalike you mention is terrifying, most places are so goddamn dark almost to Doom 3 levels sometimes, the aiming is tricky leading to accidents losing ammo and health which are already in limited supply, and Leon seems pretty fragile. You feel very vulnerable playing it, and it's awesome. The scariness factor gets multiplied by how real it looks too, graphics really are getting there aren't they (and all running at 60 fps most of the time on the X)?

Just finished Leon's first scenario, I'm going to jump into Claire's now!

It's amazing, fills me with nostalgia but feels absolutely bang up to date too. An amazing remake (so far, I'm about 5hrs into Leon's campaign)!

I'm playing on the X and pretty sure it is hitting 60fps, but the in-game HDR calibration is a bit wonky so if you follow the instructions you wind up with a really brightened washed out image, so you totally lose that great atmospheric darkness in the flashlight sections. Looked online and found this video which seems to have sorted me out - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhSyxjnwLOA&t=1039s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhSyxjnwLOA&t=1039s)

It's a long video, but the short version is if you're playing on a Pro or an X then you should follow the instructions on the first screen (the adjust the slider until the square is barely visible one) and then on the next screen (adjust slider until red and blue bars are the same size) you supposedly have to ignore the bars entirely and just set the slider to the 3rd or 4th notch from the left to get the correct level.

I've done that now and it's looking way better, I couldn't figure out why every video I looked at was drenched in atmospheric darkness and I was running around well-lit rooms all the time! A shame the setup is a bit wonky, but it's not the first game to do a confusing job of that (or to just fake the HDR entirely).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 30 January, 2019, 12:37:17 PM
Finished off Leon A at 6 hours, started Claire B. Good god, those first few minutes are intense for poor Claire. It doesn't seem quite as fleshed out a second campaign as the original and I hit a bit of fatigue once a certain someone showed up, so gone back to PUBG for a bit. But I'll return.

Here's hoping they make a mercenaries subgame. I played so much of that on RE3 and RE4.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 30 January, 2019, 03:35:26 PM
I'm hoping they add a fixed camera mode complete with tank controls like the original, that'd be ace :D

It's pretty much a perfect remaster so far for me, any gripes I have are total nitpicks. I keep marvelling at the technical achievement - it is best-in-class in its own right in many ways but because it is a remaster and I have the original to compare it to, it really hits home how far we've come in a way that most games can't. It's crazy to me that we can run around improved versions of those pre-rendered backgrounds from the original RE2 at 60 fps with great real-time lighting, populated with just as impressive characters and monsters.

cheers for the tip keef, I don't have a HDR tv but sometimes it does look a little washed out so I might try recalibrating.

Quote from: JimmyNailz on 29 January, 2019, 03:03:06 PM
Bought a game for a fiver (it was 50% discount) on Steam yesterday called "3030 DEATHWAR: A SPACE ODYSSEY".  Imagine, if you will, a space-trading game along the lines of "Elite" (but as a topdown space shooter) mixed with Lucasart adventure games such as "The Secret Of Monkey Island".  Are you imagining it? Are you? Are you?  If you answered YES, then you're probably imagining "3030 DEATHWAR: A SPACE ODYSSEY".   For those of a certain age, it's the greatest Amiga 500 game you never got to play in the 90s.  Only been playing a couple of hours, but already hooked.

BUY IT! :-)

I've wanted to make a game almost exactly like that for a while! Sounds awesome, thanks for the recommendation.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 30 January, 2019, 03:41:21 PM
Yeah it's a really stark contrast to compare the original RE2 and the remake. The very first shot of a cheeseburger is about the pinnacle of technology as far as I'm concerned. Beautiful!

Quote from: Theblazeuk on 30 January, 2019, 12:37:17 PM
Here's hoping they make a mercenaries subgame. I played so much of that on RE3 and RE4.

Capcom have apparently said that if this does well and people want it, they'll remake RE3 next. That would make me really happy as now that 2 is out 3 is the only mainline numbered Resi game that isn't available on current consoles. It feels really good to have them all sitting in my Xbox library so now itching to fill that RE3 shaped gap! Plus I remember it very fondly and I'm not sure I even tried the mercs mode.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 30 January, 2019, 04:00:38 PM
I know exactly what you mean about filling the RE3 hole, and I bet it'll happen mate! I definitely think it'll have sold well as it did great critically and the marketing is everywhere, not to mention RE2 is most people's favourite one. But with 2 and 3 sharing a location amongst other things, they've already created a lot of assets they could reuse, I bet they're biased towards doing it! So exciting, RE3 could be even scarier than this remake..
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 31 January, 2019, 10:08:43 AM
Finished my first Leon playthrough last night, which meant sitting up later than I should have on a weeknight but I couldn't put it down! Will be hitting the energy drinks today for sure. It was fantastic, though finishes a bit abruptly so a Claire playthrough and possibly a go on the '2nd run' modes that unlock are obviously needed to glue the whole story together. I always remembered RE2 being my favourite, but because it's never had the remake treatment in the way RE1 has (several times) my memories of the specifics were a lot hazier, which means this does spark a lot of nostalgia but still feels really fresh and surprising.

Very excited to start again as Claire, I really don't want to stop playing this thing! It's made me want to replay the others too, particularly RE7 which I've been meaning to go back through on the harder difficulties for a while. I've got Revelations 1&2 on the pile too, never played them before. After not really enjoying 5&6 it feels so good to be a RE fan right now, good to see such a great series back on top.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 01 February, 2019, 01:17:38 AM
Talking of Resident Evil games, I invested in the PS4 VR mega bundle the other day, and picked up RE7. Oh my good lord, I will never be playing that on my own at night ever again! I'm used to the horror genre, and usually find those films and games more amusing than scary etc, but RE7 in VR shit me up good and proper!!!

Here's a quick breakdown of the VR experience so far:

Battlezone - a great entry from Rebellion, but when the action got frenetic it made me really motion sick! I'll be playing that in small bursts.

Skyrim VR - technical limitations means its in lower resolution than I'd normally like, but it has to be said, wandering the mountains and exploring dungeons in VR makes it well worth yet another play through.

EVE: Warzone - ok I guess, but not the space flight combat fix I really needed, and again with the motion sickness.  :sick:

Star Wars Battlefront free VR level - this IS the space flight combat fix I was looking for! Just beautiful, especially when giving the rebel capital ships a fly-by. We need a whole game like this! I really got the feel of sitting in an XWing cockpit and looking around at the empty vacuum of space, and then having to suddenly deal with a frikkin Star Destroyer and a million TIEs out of nowhere!

Batman VR: A real showcase of 3D gaming, but just a bit short, and probably would have been better if I'd had the Move controllers at the time.

Creed - great fun, and you get a hell of a workout playing it. I had picked up some Move controllers by this point, and they worked brilliantly as your boxing gloves. However, while the boxing mechanic is fun, the game is missing out on a solid story mode. It just seems to be fight after fight.

Now for the REALLY good stuff.

Moss - Simply beautiful! Guide a wee sword fighting mouse around more and more complex areas. Totally charming, with fantastic presentation, and a sweet story. Great use of the VR to peer around corners and look up or down at things, and figure out what's in nooks and crannies, or how to crack the puzzles. Recommended!

Beat Saber - Holy heck! This is the closest you're currently going to get to dual wielding lightsabers. It's a frenetic rhythm game where your Move controllers turn into sabers, and you chop at blocks in time to the music.  Starts off simple, gets complex quickly, and like Creed you get a hell of a workout. My partner is a natural at it, as she has grace and rhythm. That said, her exuberance did send a mug of tea flying.

The absolute best game though, goes to:

ASTRO BOT: RESCUE MISSION!

This is like Mario on steroids and in 3D! Incredibly clever, innovative use of the full 360 degree arena, as you guide a robot around incredible 3D structures looking for your Robo buddies. Not just clever, but totally charming, with some wonderful laugh out loud moments, and epic boss fights.  It's crammed with all kinds of other things to play with too.


Overall, I'm really impressed with PS4 VR.  It's an awesome bit of kit. I wasn't going to get it initially due to the cost, but won some vouchers in a work competition, and then found a sweet deal in Argos. £500 quids worth of games and gear for £230.

I have always loved 3D stuff, and this kit just completely scratches that itch! My first impressions are up there with my first ever plays on that Tomytronic Tron rip off, and the Nintendo 3DS.

Highly recommended.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 01 February, 2019, 11:39:41 AM
I've just finished the second scenario for the Resident Evil 2 remake. Amazing game! A more than worthy update of one of the best horror games of all-time. The graphics are stunning and the game has some of the best lighting effects I've seen on a console title.

Horror-wise, it ranges from 'I'm very concerned' to 'Fuck me, sideways! What am I going to do?' Seriously, this game is steeped in tension. Even when you think you're safe you can sometimes get a nasty surprise, such as [spoiler]a crowd of zombies crashing into the room. There are no magic doors in this game. Except for the Save-Rooms[/spoiler]

I could ramble on but I've unlocked [spoiler]The 4th Survivor[/spoiler] so I'm going to have a go on that.

Cheers

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 01 February, 2019, 04:52:17 PM
Literally just did that. I did find the second scenario a wee bit of a retread with not quite enough difference to sustain, though I was glad when I saw the back of bloody Mr X.

Just had my first go with Hunk now and got as far as the East Office before running out of bullets and health and died. Next time - more dodging, clever use of health. Didn't realise I wouldnt be picking up anything at all at any point (and got a bit complacent with my knowledge of the map)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 03 February, 2019, 07:02:26 AM
Pathfinder Kingmaker.
To this day Im not sure how armor class works.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 03 February, 2019, 07:42:32 PM
Pathfinder uses straightforward bigger numbers is better, right?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 03 February, 2019, 08:44:50 PM
Its more or less D&D 3rd edition with some tweaks,so thats a yes?
TBH,with D&D as a whole...I liked the setting(s) and stories but I HATE the mechanics.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 February, 2019, 10:57:04 AM
Finished a second playthrough of RE2, this time with Claire. I'd forgotten how the scenarios worked back in the day so I played both characters' 'A' scenarios when it makes more sense to do Leon A Claire B and vice-versa, as then it actually plays as a 'this is what they were up to during your last playthrough' sort of deal. Playing both the A scenarios back to back a lot of it is identical (just with the characters swapped) but it also diverges in a few really cool ways so you do get chunks that are different.

The code locks and puzzles were interesting second time, I'd taken pictures on my phone of combinations during my first playthrough (before I realized they were saved in your journal) and it was fun to be able to pull up my phone and unlock things before I really should have had access to the solutions.

Still loving it, and have started the Leon 2nd Run now.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 04 February, 2019, 04:54:33 PM
Well, so in Pathfinder then it's like in 5E. Which I think is a great, accessible version of the rules though alot of people seem to miss the heavy crunch. But anyway, I used to be like you. ('Till I took an arrow to the knee, etc)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: PsychoGoatee on 04 February, 2019, 05:50:13 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 04 February, 2019, 10:57:04 AM
Still loving it, and have started the Leon 2nd Run now.

I'm digging this game a lot too, still have the original (Dreamcast version), and this remake keeps a lot of that classic spirit alive. Tough to top for a good Romero style zombie game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 04 February, 2019, 09:08:54 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 04 February, 2019, 10:57:04 AM
Finished a second playthrough of RE2, this time with Claire. I'd forgotten how the scenarios worked back in the day so I played both characters' 'A' scenarios when it makes more sense to do Leon A Claire B and vice-versa, as then it actually plays as a 'this is what they were up to during your last playthrough' sort of deal. Playing both the A scenarios back to back a lot of it is identical (just with the characters swapped) but it also diverges in a few really cool ways so you do get chunks that are different.

I did this too, whoops! Didn't impact my enjoyment though, it was always a joy. A pant-shitting joy.

I've played all the scenarios now and the returning '4th Survivor' mode which was perhaps even more adrenaline inducing than the campaigns in places. You're Hunk on a timer trying to hot-foot it from the sewers to the streets (although the route goes round the houses a bit in places to make it longer). You have to make do with what's in your inventory at the start and the game really throws everything at you, the last section is intense, particularly if you've squandered your grenades earlier. I paced around my house a bit after beating it XD
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 05 February, 2019, 10:18:09 AM
Damn, that sounds insane! Something to look forward to. Seems like there's a lot of replayability in the way different runs vary, which is nice because that was such a feature of the original too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: titchard on 05 February, 2019, 11:22:44 AM
Currently I am playing through the first Red Dead Redemption as it went past me the first time round and my friends haven't let me live it down that I haven't played it!

Loving it so far, I can see why everyone was so hype about it at the time, and how the new one has improved in the original!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 05 February, 2019, 05:53:40 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 04 February, 2019, 04:54:33 PM
Well, so in Pathfinder then it's like in 5E. Which I think is a great, accessible version of the rules though alot of people seem to miss the heavy crunch. But anyway, I used to be like you. ('Till I took an arrow to the knee, etc)
Okay,Im not a complete newbie,its more like I forgot how this works...and Im just coming off from Pillars of Eternity which uses a different system...
Yeah,Thac0 was stupid,Im saying it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 05 February, 2019, 07:27:57 PM
Five-a-side (actually six) up at the Powerleague in Townhead, Glasgow. It was great and we won.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 06 February, 2019, 12:20:52 PM
Played through a PC game called The Eternal Castle Remastered, which is an homage to Another World/Flashback style Amiga games (it's pitched as a remake of a forgotten classic but I gather nobody has found any evidence that such a thing ever existed, still some neat marketing!).

They really go HARD on the minimal art style (to the point where it can occasionally be difficult to parse what a screen is supposed to represent) and the controls are authentically clunky and poorly explained (I discovered I could switch weapons just before the game finished), plus the difficulty is just as brutal as those old games. None of that will sound appealing to most people, but having grown up with Amiga games I loved it, so it might appeal to people with that aquired taste and the same nostalgia for that sort of thing. Only about 2-3hrs long, and with a banging old-school soundtrack (I cranked the final boss fight up to ear worrying volumes because it was so damn good).

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OkWdaz6Ut2s/maxresdefault.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 06 February, 2019, 01:39:57 PM
Quote from: Smith on 05 February, 2019, 05:53:40 PM
Okay,Im not a complete newbie,its more like I forgot how this works...and Im just coming off from Pillars of Eternity which uses a different system...
Yeah,Thac0 was stupid,Im saying it.

A chorus of Baldur's Gate Graduates agree. Goodbye 2E.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 06 February, 2019, 04:50:04 PM
Funny,but people forget how tongue in cheek Baldurs gate was.It was more of a tabletop simulator then an rpg.As in you could imagine a few neckbeards rolling dices and cracking wise somewhere behind the game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 07 February, 2019, 09:41:13 PM
Is anyone playing Slay the Spire?

It manages to be both difficult and addictive. I can't decide which one it excels at more.

Lets just say its addifficultive.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 09 February, 2019, 05:21:25 PM
Speaking of Baldur's Gate, that's coming to consoles soon I hear! I assume its a port of that enhanced edition on PC. A bunch of others too, including Planescape: Torment. Always wanted to give that a go, I got it for my ex-girlfriend many years ago and she loved it.

I'm halfway through Quake II on N64, really enjoying it! I played Quake back in the day but I never got round to the second one. I love all the modern trappings of current games, but sometimes I just want to pick up keys and vent guns without much thought. I don't even have to think about reloading weapons! I wish there were more modern games using the old id FPS formula, maybe there are some indie efforts I'm missing. John Romero's Sigil will provide more Doom when that comes out but it'd be nice to see some new IP in the genre.

The control setup I've got is interesting, I'm using my right hand on the middle prong to control the stick to aim and trigger to shoot, and my left hand on the left prong to use the dpad to move forward, back and strafe and my left index finger on the left shoulder button to jump. Quake-guy pushes switches etc just by coming into contact so the only odd thing I have to do is changing weapons (pressing the A and B buttons, by swinging over my right thumb), but my bisected queen facehugger hands make that pretty easy.

So ultimately it feels almost modern, moving with the left and aiming and shooting with the right. I've never, ever held an N64 pad like this and now I'm wondering whether more FPS games support it!

Also shout-out to San Francisco Rush on the N64, a deeply flawed, utterly broken game that I have to force friends to play with me because I inexplicably love it.



 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 12 February, 2019, 07:22:21 PM
Apex Legends - fun, even if I haven't managed to kill anyone in the 2 games I played today. Probably a good job there's no voice yet (not really needed thanks to their 'ping' bit which reminds me of a souped up BF2 spotter system) as people I play with would just be screaming at me, I'm sure. May it be silent forever, always discord or teamspeak if you actually want to talk to people
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 12 February, 2019, 11:49:25 PM
Rick and Morty VR - meh. Thought I was getting a steal for £12 on PSN Store, but it's probably the weakest VR experience so far.  The story or comedy or whatever is really slowed down by the menial tasks set by Rick, and the VR space isn't well thought out. Despite clearing a wide area to play in the game still sent me bumping into shelves and couches etc. Not one for fans of VR, or Rick and Morty.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 14 February, 2019, 01:12:34 PM
No one wins Roy monkey, but you *burp* lost if anyone ever did.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 15 February, 2019, 09:51:24 AM
There is free DLC available for the mighty Resident Evil 2. Three new story missions featuring NPC's from the game.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 18 February, 2019, 12:54:32 PM
Did them all on Training Mode yesterday, turns out I was just dying a few steps away from the end with each of them. But without all those bullets and health no way I could get through that last bit...

Still not done Hunk's mission, Mr X gets me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 19 February, 2019, 09:27:22 AM
Yeah I've not tried a load of times, but haven't managed to beat the Hunk level either. I gather the best approach is basically to sprint it and hope you can avoid as much as possible (with the occasional pause to stun a zombie with a legshot or something). I haven't found a way to avoid being hit by Mr X at least once when he appears though, and I've not been lucky enough to scrape through to the exit yet. I've gotten annoyingly close though!

Is the new Survivors DLC a similar set-up? Just a mad challenge-mode style dash to the finish?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 19 February, 2019, 10:51:04 AM
Yes, but with new enemies, item pickups and other little twists. The white zombies are something that would have been properly terrifying in the main game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 19 February, 2019, 06:23:17 PM
Yeah definitely don't try to fight everything, it's encouraging you to duck and weave past the enemies as much as possible. Which is something I love about Resi, how when you first play you're hording ammo like a nutter and trying your best to exterminate every last thing to alleviate the tension. Then as you learn the maps and gameplay and start trying to get the unlocks, you grow in confidence and end up YOLOing past everything you can. It's the endgame I'd say, in a game designed to be played multiple times, and the ramp to it is great. Then a mode like the 4th survivor is like a gauntlet for those skills.

I actually got hit twice by Mr. X on the successful run, both times were when he first appears, one after the other making me use a precious health item. I got stuck on something trying to run round him, I bet you can though. I'd definitely save a flashbang for the second time he appears in front of you (on the stairs) because between him and all the zombies there it's pretty tasty and you can stun them all in one go.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 21 February, 2019, 02:08:58 PM
There is a great sweaty-palmed thrill to every attempt and no mistake! He doesn't always appear on the stairs for me, only on some attempts. I've wondered if perhaps it depends how far ahead of him you get by that point - if he's lagging behind too much then it maybe warps him onto the stairs. That stairway is a real squeaky moment so the flashbang idea is a good one, will be trying that.

The part that's screwed me the most times is when you head out onto the roof because that little balcony is pretty busy and if the big blob beast thingy (I'm bad with names) is in the way of the ladder and Mr X is behind me then I tend to get destroyed.

I did manage to get outside the station with the final gate in sight yesterday but had no melee items left and that last stretch is MOBBED with enemies! Got munched, then quit out to avoid frustration. One day I'll get it!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 21 February, 2019, 02:30:05 PM
I reckon you need a 'nade to get through that last bit, flash or otherwise.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 21 February, 2019, 02:44:22 PM
Right, that makes sense. I did wonder what would happen if you led his first incarnation over to the stairs, would there be two of them?? :D There is a glitch where that happens in the campaign, posted on youtube. Terrifying, imagine hearing 2 sets of stomping footsteps coming at you from different sides.

Ah yeah the blob on the balcony (sounds like an alien love story). Think they're called G adults in the lore. They're basically teratomas aren't they, disgusting. I must've got lucky on my runs though as he was never blocking the ladder completely, I always managed to get down it. I think you can go both ways round him too, so maybe one is more reliable?

The end is so intense! That first corner mainly, it's like piccadilly circus. Grenade's a must there, although I'd run out when I did it and got lucky that only zombies grabbed me (not the one hit kill plants, or the blob, or Mr X who's probably catching up by now) as I barged through the melee. Phew. Then it's strategic shotgun headshots to the exit!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 21 February, 2019, 07:07:42 PM
Also, Code Veronica X just went backwards compatible so it really is just a RE3 shaped hole now! Although I will say it'd be nice to have a way to play the original versions 1 - 3 on Xbox rather than just the remakes, I'd buy 'em.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 22 February, 2019, 10:34:11 AM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 14 February, 2019, 01:12:34 PM
No one wins Roy monkey, but you *burp* lost if anyone ever did.

:lol:

Now THAT was funnier than anything in the game! 

:lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 25 February, 2019, 11:25:52 AM
Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed on 21 February, 2019, 07:07:42 PM
Also, Code Veronica X just went backwards compatible so it really is just a RE3 shaped hole now! Although I will say it'd be nice to have a way to play the original versions 1 - 3 on Xbox rather than just the remakes, I'd buy 'em.

Yeah I'm really happy with Code Veronica going BC, I got a chunk through that back when it came out but never finished it for some reason so feel like I can now sort out some unfinished business!

I finally beat The 4th Survivor too, it was some really satisfying and sweaty palmed gaming right there. Limited myself to a couple of attempts per sitting to avoid frustration and eventually figuring out the right weapons for each part and the best route paid off. Haven't tried the other survivor levels but if it's a similar set-up I might bow out, things could get tough!

Played through one of the Far Cry 5 DLC's at the weekend, Hours of Darkness. It's a couple of hours long and set in Vietnam, nothing amazing but I did enjoy it. FC5 didn't leave me with a great hunger for more so was surprised how much the refreshed setting and objectives did to grab my interest again. Will need to play through the others!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 25 February, 2019, 12:13:52 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 25 February, 2019, 11:25:52 AM
Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed on 21 February, 2019, 07:07:42 PM
Also, Code Veronica X just went backwards compatible so it really is just a RE3 shaped hole now! Although I will say it'd be nice to have a way to play the original versions 1 - 3 on Xbox rather than just the remakes, I'd buy 'em.

Yeah I'm really happy with Code Veronica going BC, I got a chunk through that back when it came out but never finished it for some reason so feel like I can now sort out some unfinished business!


You certainly do Keef- the true sequel to RE2.

I only played through Code Veronica once on the Dreamcast back in the day, and I remember being absolutely blown away by the advancement of the graphics.

RE2 Remake is on my hit list, and I'm enjoying reading the comments about it on this thread.
I'll go bargain hunting for it sometime in the summer.
Must actually upgrade all of my RE games to the newest / HD versions (on PS4).
It really is a brilliant series.

I've been flat out playing some top tier titles since just before Christmas- Horizon Zero Dawn (10/10, Platinum trophy), Rise of the Tomb Raider (8/10), Spider-Man (9/10, Platinum trophy) and Super Smash Brother Ultimate (9/10).

Kicking back with a new-ish Harvest Moon on the Switch at the moment.
Not as good as Stardew Valley, but it's scratching that itch.


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 25 February, 2019, 09:21:01 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 25 February, 2019, 12:13:52 PM

You certainly do Keef- the true sequel to RE2.

I only played through Code Veronica once on the Dreamcast back in the day, and I remember being absolutely blown away by the advancement of the graphics.


I hear that, a lot of DC games stunned me back then! That generation (with DC as the vanguard) was the tipping point where consoles had practically caught up with arcades, fantastic ports like Soul Calibur and House of the Dead 2 made me go cross-eyed. To the detriment of arcades, unfortunately!

CV is also just a really good Resi game, a tricky one too especially if you go for the highest rank - I think you get one save (the one where the disc change was, that save remains in this version) and all sorts of other limitations..

Well done on beating the 4th survivor Keef! I'm the same I left it at that, the game has already given me mild PTSD :D . I'm not much of a high score guy either, so without the carrot of an achievement or unlock I've not got much interest in whittling down my time.

Currently on the last level of Body Harvest on N64, a childhood favourite. I don't know if it's because I'm playing the NTSC version but it's been a lot harder than last time I played through (a couple of years ago on PAL). Still very impressive, super ambitious for 1998 and really original.

It had a rather troubled development though, DMA (now Rockstar North) were at loggerheads with Nintendo over the direction of the game, with Nintendo eventually cancelling the contract and DMA finding other partners, and then upon release it didn't set reviews on fire or sell great. A lot of aspects that Nintendo pushed stayed in though, things like RPG elements and a more serious tone, and they really make it in my opinion. It would've been a silly tongue in cheek arcade shooter otherwise and I think what we got is more interesting. The soundtrack for example is fantastic, it's pretty much a horror soundtrack which does most of the heavy lifting in setting the tone befitting such a grim premise, overpowering the colourful early 3d graphics' attempts to make you feel comfortable.

I'd love a sequel in this day of copious, formulaic open-world games, all the trouble behind the scenes might explain why it's not been revisited by Rockstar though. I have a friend who worked there and the first thing I asked him when he started his job was 'Where are the Body Harvest posters? Do you walk past a statue of Adam Drake in the lobby??' - absolutely not, he laughed (he liked to rib me about my fandom before he even got the job, although he has since played it himself and has more respect for it :D ).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 26 February, 2019, 10:28:05 AM
I really liked Body Harvest. Still got my N64 but think I sold the cartridge.

Blast Corps (though I think that was fledgling Rare rather than fledgling DMA) was also a left-field cracker.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 26 February, 2019, 06:30:23 PM
Yes! Blast Corps is a classic, still well worth a playthrough today and it's on Rare Replay if anyone has an XBONE. Man, Rare rocked the N64 didn't they.

Interestingly I heard that in their attempts to get DMA to make what Nintendo wanted, Nintendo showed them Rare's Blast Corps as a kind of benchmark of what's possible on N64. So it strikes me as entirely possible that Blast Corps may be responsible for some of the vehicle system and destruction DNA in Body Harvest, considering the similarities.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 07 March, 2019, 01:34:48 PM
Just finished the Lost On Mars DLC for Far Cry 5, and quite enjoyed it. It's nothing too exciting and is a fairly repetitive checklist of things to collect, but I do like a DLC that takes you to a different setting to the main game and uses some different assets. As far as that sort of thing goes you can't get much further away than Mars really, so it's admirable how much of an overhaul they've given things! I've enjoyed this and the Vietnam DLC more than I enjoyed the actual main campaign at this point to be honest.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 07 March, 2019, 02:35:02 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 21 January, 2019, 07:24:49 PM

Assassins Creed: Odyssey - latest version of the never-ending franchise that always finds a way to fuck up something that works.  In this case, the mercenary rebalancing of the combat/exploration/XP systems since the previous game to herd you towards microtransactions if you want to continue the storyline: enemies are never more than 1 level below you, which means you can't grind or farm in the usual way to level up, but you have to be certain levels to undertake certain quests, and this means doing literally dozens of side missions before you can continue the main story, but you soon run out of side missions because the ones in neighboring territories are usually ten or twenty levels above the level you can achieve in your current area - or alternatively you can - naturally - buy an XP multiplier from the in-game store with real money, so it's a full price game you can't actually enjoy until you've forked over more cash.  Oh, and when new DLC is released?  Every time you try to go to the map screen that is essential to the game, you don't get the map screen, you get a fullscreen advertisement for the paid DLC.  Every single time you try to access the map screen.
And we haven't even got to the DLC yet, in which all non-hetero choices are rendered non-canon for your character.  Been playing 80+ hours as a gay man or woman?*  Tough shit, you're a parent now.  It's a good thing people choose to be gay or someone might be a little annoyed at this.
It's still a good game, and the world is fantastic - the first time I saw a whale break the surface of the ocean I just about shit - but unless you're willing to pay extra, best settle in for a few months of grinding if you want to get the most out of it.


* And only got to level 7.

I've been playing AC: Odyssey casually since Xmas (by casually - 3-4 hours per week at the most) and have suffered similar frustrations to those listed above.
I've played all the AC games and this is the first time I've decided to stop playing one due to frustration. I feel like this game is not accessible to me as a casual player. There's a huge emphasis on leveling up your character. I just don't enjoy this mechanic (never been much of an RPG fan) and it annoys me when I can't assassinate someone because I'm Level 17 and they're level 20. Despite the fact I've just stuck a spear in their ear form behind, while they were completely unguarded, they manage to turn around and eradicate me in a couple of hits. I then have to run around doing tedious side quests to level up (where you can't just go to an objective, you have to hunt things out. 'Destroy 2 bandit ships'. Okay fine - oh hang on, all the bandit ships I can find are 5 levels above me so I can't do that one).
I'm sure it's all very immersive and impressive if you've got days at a time to spend on it but it's no good for me.

I have the PS4 Spider-Man game waiting to be installed so I'm going to forget AC for a bit and concentrate on something which (I hope) will be more fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 07 March, 2019, 04:23:01 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 07 March, 2019, 02:35:02 PM
I have the PS4 Spider-Man game waiting to be installed so I'm going to forget AC for a bit and concentrate on something which (I hope) will be more fun.


I'm playing Spider-Man at the moment and don't think you'll have the same frustrations! There is a leveling system and skills and gadgets to unlock and upgrade, but I've not felt like they're a barrier to story progression. There are some arcadey challenges that unlock at one point and I had a lot of trouble with until I'd gone away and gotten better at some things but those were totally optional. It's great!

I didn't play Odyssey but I've heard a lot of complaints about it perhaps being so hard on the leveling and grinding to encourage people to buy into the micro-transactions to skip a lot of the grind. I don't hate micro-transactions depending on how they're used but making your game less fun unless you pay extra is a pretty seedy way to implement them.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 15 March, 2019, 10:30:26 AM
Accidentally posted this in the Switch thread so will stick it here instead! Apologies to anyone who may have gotten excited about Spider-Man on Switch.

I've been playing a really interesting puzzle game on the Vita called The Bridge, where the levels look like Escher pieces and you rotate the screen to change gravity and perspective. It's brilliant, and after finishing the main levels I was almost at the end of the harder 'mirrored' versions, but with two levels to go I've hit a bug that's stopped progression sadly. There are keys on chains around some of the levels, and they have physics and swing around as gravity shifts, something has happened to my save file where now the physics of all keys on all levels is busted - they're just placed locked in position instead of moving on the chains.

Took me a while of being massively stuck on a level before I gave in and checked a walkthrough and realized mine were busted! It's pretty annoying, I was really close to properly finishing the thing, and I can't find any workarounds or fixes online (I've tried all my ex-QA tactics to try and reset things to no avail). It was made by a single developer I think so I've messaged him to see if he knows a workaround, if anyone will it'll be him!

A game I did manage to finish finally though is Spider-Man, which was bloody brilliant. Essentially does for Spider-Man what the Arkham games did for Batman, and a lot of its structure and systems are lifted directly from that franchise, and it feels fantastic to swing around and fight baddies as Spidey. Plus the story is surprisingly great, the writing is excellent and the performances are great, I was fully invested! Some aspects become a bit of a chore before the end, a late-game event makes the city a lot less fun to get around, and the controls are so fluid and well designed that when they occasionally go a bit wrong (after tens of hours with the game I still don't know how to quickly and gracefully get off a wall I've accidentally attached to) it's a bit jarring, but all minor quibbles in a fantastic package.

Also hit the odd bug with this one, mainly with enemies ragdolling through collision holes and getting stuck in walls or props. A couple of times during fight challenges/outpost battles I thought I wasn't going to be able to beat the last enemy because they were stuck inside a crate somewhere, but turned out the suit powers with splash damage could kill them through walls so that was lucky (the guitar ability did the trick usually).

Also you can unlock an animated comic-book style outfit which looks absolutely incredible swinging around the photo-realistic city, there's a real Roger Rabbit disconnect with it but it looked so wild that I stuck with it throughout.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 16 March, 2019, 06:26:01 AM
I'm currently re-playing Bro Force on the PS4. Hard mode doesn't actually seem very hard at all.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 18 March, 2019, 09:37:16 AM
I take back my previous comments about my playthrough of The Bridge being scuppered by a bug, I messaged the developer to see about a workaround (I was polite about it, not Gamer On The Internet Sending Death Threats about it) and the response was that the Vita version has reduced physics on some levels due to lower processing power, so the walkthroughs I'd been looking at with the keys swinging on chains will be from the PC version. On Vita the keys on some levels are locked in place, but it's still apparently possible to pass the puzzles.

I haven't gone back and tried again yet, but wanted to backpedal my 'it's broken!' post, I just need to get better apparently!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 19 March, 2019, 03:49:24 PM
Haven't gone back and cracked The Bridge yet but just finished another indie puzzle game, Human Fall Flat. It was okay, but the endearingly wonky controls and physics became less endearing as it went on. It's not great at letting you know where in a level the actual objective it, some of them are quite sprawling and it's easy to come up with a tactic that circumvents a lot of the level without realizing it, so then you wind up heading in the wrong direction.

Plus there's a really poor level on the end that I just straight up checked a guide for because I wanted it to be over, from what I gather it's a bonus level that was added later, so while I'm not proud of cheating I'm not too upset about it either.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 25 March, 2019, 05:55:00 PM
I finished another game! Anthem this time. I hadn't planned to finish it yet but I was bouncing off Sekiro so hard at the weekend that I wanted to play something less stressful and this fit the bill.

It's getting a load of bad press but I've been enjoying it. Story wasn't as fleshed out as I'd normally expect from a Bioware game and some of the quests were very fetchy-grindy but the combat and flight mechanics felt brilliant and didn't really get old for me. Was playing it occasionally with friends but mostly with randos but even then it always felt pretty good to team up for the fights. Will probably dip back into it if more story content releases.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 March, 2019, 10:06:32 AM
If anyone drifted away from The Walking Dead games, the 4 episode Final Season just wrapped up and it's easily been the best it's ever been. Really, really good, and a shame that so much awful industry news surrounded it because it really redeems the series after what I found a pretty dull few seasons. This stands alongside the first season as a really cool thing and does it all justice in some very touching ways. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 27 March, 2019, 10:42:57 PM
Yeah I only played the first series of TWD, I liked the story but I kind of lost interest in telltale games in general shortly after, hearing along the way that the rest of the TWD was a step down didn't help.  Nice to hear it ends on a high though!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 29 March, 2019, 03:59:52 PM
Yeah, I'd definitely recommend jumping back in, even if it's just for the last season. There's obviously returning characters and things that carry forward, but not as much as you might imagine so should be easy to get back into!

Just finished Mirror's Edge Catalyst (the sequel) and have the same sort of feelings about it as I did the first game. The fundamentals are so solid and fantastic that it's baffling that they haven't managed to spin that into a decent game yet. The flow of running is the joy of it, but the design seems to constantly want to undermine that by adding truly terrible forced combat arena sections and using the environment to disrupt that flow and stop the good times in their tracks.

It's frustrating, because I really want to love them, but every time I start to it's like they sabotage themselves to stop that happening. Most of the negative feedback about the first game was down to there being combat, and instead of learning from that they've doubled down on it and thrown in a ton of it. It's mad.

If it was just plain bad I probably would have packed it in and moved onto something else, but I really wanted them to make good on that solid gold core they have! Maybe one day they'll make one that does it justice.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: MacabreMagpie on 30 March, 2019, 11:00:04 AM
Clementine is easily my favourite character across TWD universe. I hope she never turns up on the show.

Looking forward to diving into the last season, I've been waiting for it all to be done so I can binge.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 11 April, 2019, 11:13:06 PM
There's a Rebellion sale on Steam at the minute. I just got Dredd V Death for less than £2 and Rogue Trooper for a fiver
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 12 April, 2019, 09:58:20 AM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 11 April, 2019, 11:13:06 PM
There's a Rebellion sale on Steam at the minute. I just got Dredd V Death for less than £2 and Rogue Trooper for a fiver

Eyeing up the first Sniper Elite, it's under £2 and the only one I haven't played!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 12 April, 2019, 10:18:31 AM
I'm playing Resident Evil 7, with my shiny new graphics card. In the dark, with my headphones up.

The guinea pigs rustling around in the corner of my office are probably the most frightening part of the game. Or when the dog comes in to see where I am...

Anyway. Lovely game, closest thing to Alien Isolation I've ever played.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 12 April, 2019, 12:02:49 PM
On a retro rampage checking out old games to make sure they work okay before flogging them and the ones that jump out - for reasons good or bad - are
Medal Of Honor: Rising Sun - a lot of effort went into a game that plays like an absolute pig.  Some really exciting setpieces like the Pearl Harbour sequence are wasted on a PS1-level shooter with disastrous control lagging.
SEGA and Sonic All Star Racing - it adds a drift mechanic, but it's otherwise just Mario Kart with characters that don't suck ass.  Really fun and enjoyable and then the Super Monkey Ball levels happen and ruin everything.
Wet - third person jumpy-shooter featuring a "dil-ibb-urr-at-lee" oversexualised main character based on actor Eliza Douchebag.  Was thinking "okay this might at least pass the time for an hour or two" but then walked off a ledge accidentally and died and the restart was way the hell back near the start of the level and I literally could not face playing through it again, and this was like level 2 or something.  Basically if Lollipop Chainsaw or Bayonetta were dreadful, they would be this game.
Aliens: Colonial Marines - holy fuck this is terrible.  I thought maybe people had just overreacted to it back in the day because the game mechanics weren't up there with online multiplayer shooters in terms of ease of play, but this is actually aggressively bad, buggy, and frustrating to the point that some of it is genuinely baffling why it was designed the way it was.
Aliens Vs Predator - I had an old save on the PS3 HDD so just picked up where I left off with no issues.  Despite the prominence of the melee mechanic in the control layout and the ability to turn a flashlight on or off instead of being able to crouch, this was easy to play and get into even without a tutorial walkthrough, which is just amazing considering that it's three years older than Colonial Marines and came out during the early days of this generation of consoles.  It's so easy to play that it actually works against it a little, as I breezed through the marine campaign in less than an hour, but it has this weird thing I don't recall in an Aliens game and which I can't quite put my finger on... I think it's... yes, I think I've heard of this, it's called "enjoyment".
Rayman: Origins - God I hate 2d platformers, but as 2d platformers go, this is actually alright.  Well-designed levels reward second playthroughs, and the graphics are really nice.
Rumble Roses - Western wrestling games like the Smackdown/Raw branded WWE series featured "bra and panty" matches where the aim was to forcefully strip your opponent and clearly someone in Japan thought they could get a slice of that female exploitation action, and yet this game - built explicitly around buxom Amazon bikers mud-wrestling with cheerleaders - is still nowhere near as troubling or sleazy as the family-friendly WWE games, featuring as it does plenty of eye-candy female characters, but nothing that is as genuinely misogynistic as the WWE games' spanking matches - yes they actually had a game where you had to spank women.  It has a simplistic fight mechanic where you can work your way through the ludicrous soap operatics of the main storylines by pounding only two buttons, which sounds like it isn't very involving or complicated - it isn't - but it is fun and lacking in the frustrations typical of the increasingly-convoluted control schemes of American wrestling games.  Younger relatives lapped this one up, and it's a shame it never got a re-release on a contemporary console.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 15 April, 2019, 03:30:17 PM
Played through the original Sonic The Hedgehog over the weekend and bloody hell I've lost the skills for that! Think I have less trouble with Sekiro.

Thankfully the Xbox version has save states so managed to persevere, not sure how we ever got through that stuff back in the day getting papped back to the start of the game when that last life is lost! Always hits me when I go back to Sonic how few of the levels are actually geared towards speed, there are so many slow finicky platforming bits.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 22 April, 2019, 04:55:49 PM
Baba is You

Game is Good

Brain is Melt
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 23 April, 2019, 11:06:41 AM
Really want to try that, looks like a proper brain buster though.

Been working through some stuff on the half-finished pile, so over the Easter break finished off these -

Battlefield V - I'm not a big Battlefield guy (this was a freebie or I wouldn't have bothered) but this definitely felt like the weakest campaign I've played in one, and pretty buggy to boot. Highlight was the snowy skiing chapter.

Metro Exodus - I love the Metro games, but they're pretty rough diamonds and this is definitely that too. Swung back and forth between loving it and really strongly disliking it at times (like when it saves you with no health, no medpacks and no ammo and then expects you to do something very fiddly and annoying - looking at you Weird Sewer Snake Things). For all the open world elements I think I liked it most when it went back to linear basics and sent you down some atmospheric tunnels. It really won me over by the end though, the last chunk is fantastic. Reckon I'll enjoy it more on a replay, as has been the case with 2033 and Last Light.

Also played the latest couple of DLC's for Shadow of The Tomb Raider which had some fun well-designed tombs, and the Spider-Man DLC episodes which I found to be a bit too much of that game for me. Loved the campaign, but by the end of these I'd really gone off fighting guys and just found it pretty tiresome sadly.

My favourite bit of gaming over the Easter weekend though was finally beating Lady Butterfly in Sekiro, without her even managing to summon her ghostie friends - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDyz07XUNwk&t=2s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDyz07XUNwk&t=2s)

Was incredibly thrilling to finally nail it, and I put the pad down at 4am shaking and feeling a little unwell because I'd been so tense. Was so relieved because I'd hit that point where I really don't think I would have quit and gone to bed until it was done! It's an amazing game, but very intensely tough like that, and I'm now fighting a flaming bull which feels a lot less fair than everything up to that point - for the first time I feel like it's the camera and controls that are killing me rather than my reflexes, so will see if this is the boss that finally breaks me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 23 April, 2019, 12:46:44 PM
Axiom Verge.
I'm loving this. It plays something like a more casual version of Super Metroid. I'm only about 20% into the game though, so it may get more challenging as it goes along.

Burnout Paradise Remastered.
Is good fun. It does the open-world-racer thing more successfuly than any other game I've played but, having said that, I far prefer a racer with a distinct, well designed track or route (I want to race, not navigate).
I'd love another arcade racer like 2012's Hot Pursuit but no one seems to want to make one.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 23 April, 2019, 11:04:45 PM
I played through Darksiders 3 and Crackdown 3 recently, two fantastic and confoundingly underrated games.

Darksiders 3 adopts some concepts popularised with the Souls games, bonfires and levelling and general toughness, whilst very much keeping its own identity to become my favourite in the series. The level design is great, the puzzles to solve and powers needed to explore are fun and well integrated into the character, combat is methodical and satisfying, and it all looks and sounds fantastic. I still think about the 20-second melancholy leitmotif  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCBHZ8SbGfU&t=2322s)that could make Fury picking her nose seem epic. Its problems are a basic story (it was already a daft soap opera) and the very occasional rough edge technically, both down to budget I bet, but it's water off a duck's back when the game is so good. They put the money where it was needed.

Crackdown 3 is Crackdown 1 turned up to 11, but CD1 for my money was a very good game. More powers, more scale, more guns, more destruction, more intensity, as a fan I couldn't really ask for more. Hunting orbs is still fun and as addictive as crack, and the progression as you leap higher, hit harder, dash further and ultimately own the city is extremely satisfying. The crazy physics are back as well as you drive up the sides of buildings and punch enemies 300 feet out to sea, and they had me and my co-op partner laughing like drains all the way through. I also think it looks jaw-dropping!! It has that chunky, stylised look that I guess some people don't like, but it in no way looks rough up close and it helps them achieve the crazy scale and draw distance you see, all dripping in dazzling lights and building-sized holograms. Even the atmospheric effects like the fog hanging around coastal areas have a neon glow to them. Maybe Rebellion could partner with Sumo to help them make MC1 (https://imgur.com/a/qFrkMaO) if they ever do! For me this was all down-sampled to non-HDR 1080p too. I can only imagine what it looks like on a top of the range 4k HDR OLED.

I played through a couple of SNES games too, R-Type III and Operation Logic Bomb: The Ultimate Search & Destroy (as my friend said, a hell of a name :D).

R-Type III was great! I'm not much of a shmup guy but I resolved to make myself play through some of the big guns, and I'm glad I started. Tough as old boots like! It's only 6 levels but it kicked my arse for a couple of hours a night for at least week before I finally fired my force orb thing rearwards into the Bydo mastermind's gob, sending him back through his portal whence he came. There's more depth than I realised to the combat, with you being able to detach the force orb and have it move freely but still shoot on your behalf, along with different weapon types and ship types and more. I never really mastered it, I won't be attempting the advanced mode you unlock when you beat it, but it was unadulterated oldschool fun and I was suprised how much I got into the soundtrack. I found it quite strange - theres some chilled, funky licks as you race to save the last of humanity from space-faring genetic horrors, but I love that when the music pulls in its own direction and add a new dimension (no pun intended).

Operation Logic Bomb is good, its a top-down shooter a la Chaos Engine with some really cool gadgets and weapons to use and other neat touches. Theres a ricochet weapon that lets you shoot enemies round corners (it'd be a must in a Dredd top-down shooter, was it in DvsZ?), directional claymore mines and a hologram of yourself that attracts attention. It's also not that hard at all, I like a challenge of course but I also like a game that has been balanced to make sure you're often progressing without being toooo easy and its always a pleasant surprise to find in games of this vintage! Outside of the awesome intro and underwhelming Castlevania-style outro, the story is told in CCTV footage you find, which is also a cool touch for an old game! We're still doing this today in games like Dead Space, it works great. Theres no dialogue here really, the vids are like little plays as we see the inter-dimensional enemies invade the base and interfere with the technology and kill and harvest the humans and androids. In one scene you see some androids fight the boss you will soon fight yourself and you see its weakspot and which weapons he is weak to, clever. All in all well worth a punt but you will fire through it fast!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 24 April, 2019, 10:05:32 AM
Absolutely agree on Crackdown 3, had a great time with that game! I do think they over-promised early on with the cloud destruction tech demos, and it meant when it came out people maybe just couldn't get past that it wasn't the revolutionary thing it was once touted as. Instead it's just a very good Crackdown game and that was good enough for me.

Also your mention of Chaos Engine has me wanting to dig out my Armiga emulator and give that a run now!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 24 April, 2019, 08:44:37 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 24 April, 2019, 10:05:32 AM
Absolutely agree on Crackdown 3, had a great time with that game! I do think they over-promised early on with the cloud destruction tech demos, and it meant when it came out people maybe just couldn't get past that it wasn't the revolutionary thing it was once touted as. Instead it's just a very good Crackdown game and that was good enough for me.

Also your mention of Chaos Engine has me wanting to dig out my Armiga emulator and give that a run now!

It's top isn't it. Yeah you could be right there, such a shame as they're cheating themselves out of enjoying a great game nonetheless. I do remember when the cloud destruction feature was first shown off and feeling that it'd be absolutely awesome if it was in the campaign, I love destruction like in Bad Company etc and there's not enough of it in games. But ever since they said it was multiplayer-only (must be years ago now) that aspect of the game has been off my radar really and I was just looking forward to a next-gen Crackdown game. They also pretty much separated the two modes into individual games, campaign and multiplayer having their own downloads and achievement lists, I bet they were trying to get the campaign clear of the multiplayer stink-bomb.


I second that, dig out the Amiga emulator! Speaking of Bitmap Brothers I fired up Gods on SNES for a little bit the other day, yikes that game is hard. Stuff just flies at you at 100 mph, it's often not clear how to avoid it :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 30 April, 2019, 11:06:20 AM
Days Gone is like if Assassin's Creed: Origins and The Last Of Us had a baby but without the good controls and if all the text was too tiny to read and important tutorial instructions on how to deal with impassable in-game barriers only appeared onscreen for about three seconds before disappearing forever, not even being stored in one of the menus somewhere, which are accessed in a stupid "swipe up/down/left/right one the touch pad for maps/inventory/story/skills" thing that I hate and quickly realised was also unnecessary.
This is what happens when games eat themselves - everything is swiped from somewhere else, but not as good as where it's been nicked from, which isn't so bad when you're talking about something like the shitty photo mode, but the controls - geez, did I miss a memo about all games abandoning the idea of just hitting a button once to do something so now instead you have to hold down the button and then wait and see if your character does the interaction animation?  It was a minor irritation in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, but here it's really fucking annoying, and contributes to a sense of unresponsive controls.  Another niggle is when you're near two different things which both use the same button to interact with: most commonly this will be a recently-killed enemy you can search for ammo or scrap and who was carrying a weapon that is almost certainly inferior to the one you're carrying, so instead of searching him for items you end up swapping one of your useful primary weapons for an inferior one - and this happens all the time in the game, would it have killed them to let you pick up weapons and items with different buttons?  You use the X button for absolutely nothing as it is during combat.  The "survival wheel" is also juuuust annoyingly imprecise enough to make selecting some things really annoying, and while you swap to some items permanently, other items you only swap to them for one use, particularly the rock you use to attract/distract enemies.  Setting objects on the ground also seems to be impossible, so you have to throw things to stop carrying them, which is great in a game with stealth mechanics.
Also: the stealth mechanics are not very good.
I frustration-quit this after a few days, as all it did was remind me that I never finished the much-better Assassin's Creed: Odyssey.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 30 April, 2019, 12:21:03 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 30 April, 2019, 11:06:20 AM
Days Gone is like if Assassin's Creed: Origins and The Last Of Us had a baby but without the good controls and if all the text was too tiny to read and important tutorial instructions on how to deal with impassable in-game barriers only appeared onscreen for about three seconds before disappearing forever, not even being stored in one of the menus somewhere, which are accessed in a stupid "swipe up/down/left/right one the touch pad for maps/inventory/story/skills" thing that I hate and quickly realised was also unnecessary.
This is what happens when games eat themselves - everything is swiped from somewhere else, but not as good as where it's been nicked from, which isn't so bad when you're talking about something like the shitty photo mode, but the controls - geez, did I miss a memo about all games abandoning the idea of just hitting a button once to do something so now instead you have to hold down the button and then wait and see if your character does the interaction animation?  It was a minor irritation in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, but here it's really fucking annoying, and contributes to a sense of unresponsive controls.  Another niggle is when you're near two different things which both use the same button to interact with: most commonly this will be a recently-killed enemy you can search for ammo or scrap and who was carrying a weapon that is almost certainly inferior to the one you're carrying, so instead of searching him for items you end up swapping one of your useful primary weapons for an inferior one - and this happens all the time in the game, would it have killed them to let you pick up weapons and items with different buttons?  You use the X button for absolutely nothing as it is during combat.  The "survival wheel" is also juuuust annoyingly imprecise enough to make selecting some things really annoying, and while you swap to some items permanently, other items you only swap to them for one use, particularly the rock you use to attract/distract enemies.  Setting objects on the ground also seems to be impossible, so you have to throw things to stop carrying them, which is great in a game with stealth mechanics.
Also: the stealth mechanics are not very good.
I frustration-quit this after a few days, as all it did was remind me that I never finished the much-better Assassin's Creed: Odyssey.

I was intrigued by this game after seeing a couple of high-production-value TV ads but this sounds awful.
I like my games to be FUN and quickly get annoyed by silly mechanics that get in the way. I never even liked the 'search' mechanic in the first place to be honest. What's the point? Just have the items pop up and run into them to pick them up - as long as the weapon doesn't auto-swap it works fine.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 30 April, 2019, 05:27:20 PM
Started playing Strange Brigade seeing as it was on Xbox game pass, was enjoying it until it started cheating me out of achievements, about 8 haven't popped now! Don't know what it is about Rebellion games, had the same trouble with one of the Sniper Elite games and Zombie Army Trilogy was terrible for it...  :(
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 30 April, 2019, 06:27:00 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 30 April, 2019, 12:21:03 PM
I like my games to be FUN and quickly get annoyed by silly mechanics that get in the way. I never even liked the 'search' mechanic in the first place to be honest. What's the point? Just have the items pop up and run into them to pick them up - as long as the weapon doesn't auto-swap it works fine.

I couldn't shake the notion that everything had been tailored to replicate online multiplayer game mechanics - the most noticeable being that you can't use the pause menus or inventories to craft things, you have to do it "in-game" via a fiddly wheel - but I also forgot to mention the incredibly long loading times not just when the game initialises, but when a cut-scene starts, and then there are long loading times within the cut scene itself as it loads up different areas of the game map in which the cut-scene/flashbacks take place, and while you can skip some of the cut-scenes, you can't skip others, and there are often sections where you have to follow other characters around while they talk to you, or sections on rails where you can only move the camera around while characters talk to you.  After one such scene, I was in the middle of a large settlement area with only one way out that I couldn't actually find on the game map, so I just had to drive around this fiddly area for ages running out of petrol for my bike.
I get the feeling this might be very playable if they overhaul it based on player feedback, but as it is, I can't go near it again until some of its most egregious faults are addressed in a patch (it is also occasionally very buggy).  It currently just feels like a game made entirely of rough edges.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 06 May, 2019, 05:01:05 PM
After loving Far Cry 3&4 and not really enjoying 5 anywhere near as much I assumed I just didn't have any hunger for more Far Cry, but realized I only ever got about an hour into Far Cry 2 so fired it up just to see how that feels now. Wound up totally hooked and played through the whole thing over the last couple of weeks. It's brilliant! It's showing its age for sure but it's still dripping with atmosphere, feels really oppressive and hostile in a way that now seems quite ahead of its time now that some of the more survival-ish elements are more common-place. Also, I know fire propagation is still very much a thing in Far Cry games but it feels way more exciting and dangerous in this, all that dry grass going up during a gunfight really adds to the drama.

Glad I finally went back to it, cracking game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 06 May, 2019, 08:35:17 PM
Hellblade: Senua's sacrifice Amazing game. Never played anything like it. Playing as a celt warrior woman with a psychosis fighting through viking hell in order to save her loved one. Constantly bombarded with voices, looking for symbols in the enviroment (which may come off as a bit tedious, but very fitting for her character), making sense of a fractured reality and fighting monsters. Wasn't as scary as I thought nor as epic as I hoped, but at the same time it didn't have to. It was an amazing and interesting experience. One hard to shake off.

Can be mentioned that I played it on my Switch, and it really shines. Only downsides being it taking up 18gb of space (definitely going to buy a micro SD card soon) and being quite noticeably downgraded graphicly in some areas, with the resolution making it look a bit hazy.

A trailer if anyone's interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7Ir5icRsZ0
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 07 May, 2019, 10:19:39 AM
Quote from: Apestrife on 06 May, 2019, 08:35:17 PM
Hellblade: Senua's sacrifice Amazing game. Never played anything like it.

Yup, loved this too. The performance is fantastic and it was a really unique game that really stuck with me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 07 May, 2019, 02:26:51 PM
I found the voices in Senua's head incredibly unsettling, almost difficult to play at times! Glad I got through it though, very unique game.

Far Cry 2 is best Far Cry.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: HdE on 08 May, 2019, 09:13:24 AM
Quote from: Apestrife on 06 May, 2019, 08:35:17 PM
Hellblade: Senua's sacrifice Amazing game. Never played anything like it.

No word of a lie - that game made proper emotional mincemeat out of me. I think it may have one of the all time great video game endings. Absolutely loved it!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 08 May, 2019, 09:19:06 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 07 May, 2019, 10:19:39 AM
Quote from: Apestrife on 06 May, 2019, 08:35:17 PM
Hellblade: Senua's sacrifice Amazing game. Never played anything like it.

Yup, loved this too. The performance is fantastic and it was a really unique game that really stuck with me.
I have it, but have not yet felt in the right frame of mind to play it!

I followed the production (the behind the scenes vlogs are outstanding), then read a couple of reviews that made me think I should probably be at peak self before playing it. :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 13 May, 2019, 01:45:58 PM
Tried playing through Recore, and it proved a bit too annoying to navigate the world. The gameplay itself feels fine (other than some extremely fiddly platforming) and if I could just have barreled through the story I'd probably have seen it through, but progress was being gated behind 'backtrack and collect more orbs' style barriers, and actually getting around and reaching the places you're trying to backtrack to proved pretty unenjoyable so I decided to shelf it and move on.

It's rare I don't see a game through once I'm a couple of hours in, and some of the design has a lot of charm (the robots are adorable) so it pains me to do it, but I just wasn't enjoying my time with it enough to keep going.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 20 May, 2019, 10:52:21 PM
Finally finished Strange Brigade, did enjoy it, managed to get all the achievements it cheated me out of by doing the levels again in co-op. Bought Metro Exodus today and am going to start that next..
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 25 May, 2019, 09:27:56 PM
Quote from: wedgeski on 08 May, 2019, 09:19:06 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 07 May, 2019, 10:19:39 AM
Quote from: Apestrife on 06 May, 2019, 08:35:17 PM
Hellblade: Senua's sacrifice Amazing game. Never played anything like it.

Yup, loved this too. The performance is fantastic and it was a really unique game that really stuck with me.
I have it, but have not yet felt in the right frame of mind to play it!

I followed the production (the behind the scenes vlogs are outstanding), then read a couple of reviews that made me think I should probably be at peak self before playing it. :)

Been a while since I played it, so I can safely say it's a game which has stayed with me. The pain the main character Senua is in is probably the most affecting one's I've felt in art since Laura Palmer's.

Been playing Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II. Found it for cheap on gog.com. Fond memories of playing the demo as a child. The fuel station level. Quite good. A very speedy 90s fps with some levels which are quite tricky to find your way out of. Also there's lightsabers and force powers. Biggest downer I think is the quite samey levels. Really enjoyed it's ambition with full motion cinemas between levels and constant use of Star wars tunes. Quite okay, but I remember the sequel being a bit better. Especially with the lightsaber action.

Blood. Played alot of Duke 3D and Shadow Warrior when I was young, but never Blood. Wish I did. I really really enjoy it. The weapons you get to use are really different, flare guns, sticks of dynamite, voodoo dolls and so on, and the level design is really good. Finding the last key usually gives you a short cut to the next door, instead of a bunch of back tracking. The main character is really weird and freaky to boot. He starts laughing like a maniac when things are exploding only to say something really creepy the next second, kicking zombie heads when you pass over them. Feels like a FPS directed by John Carpenter. Hard not to recommend! 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 June, 2019, 02:39:38 PM
Recently finished Mars: War Logs, it's a wee sci-fi RPG which wears it's low budget on its sleeve (the voice acting in particular is really poor) but I got sucked in and had a pretty good time with it. Think it was less than a quid when I bought it so the fact I enjoyed it a fair bit means I more than got my money's worth!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 04 June, 2019, 02:57:12 PM
Nearly finished Metro Exodus, really enjoyed it, it's more like a cut down Fallout this time instead of being very linear. My only faults are the amount of bugs and crashes, you've really got to remember to make quick saves every so often. The last couple of levels have been spoilt a little bit because my character has lost his hands! No matter what gun you have it just floats in the air! It's quite a common glitch apparently and the only way around it is ditching your save and starting the game again...  :'(
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 June, 2019, 03:24:50 PM
Quote from: Dr Feeley Good on 04 June, 2019, 02:57:12 PM
Nearly finished Metro Exodus, really enjoyed it, it's more like a cut down Fallout this time instead of being very linear. My only faults are the amount of bugs and crashes, you've really got to remember to make quick saves every so often. The last couple of levels have been spoilt a little bit because my character has lost his hands! No matter what gun you have it just floats in the air! It's quite a common glitch apparently and the only way around it is ditching your save and starting the game again...  :'(

I didn't get hit with that bug but I did have a few crashes, I was playing on Xbox One X and the fan was going absolutely mental at times so it seemed to be working the console way too hard in places. Enjoyed the game a lot though, especially the last couple of hours.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 04 June, 2019, 04:53:53 PM
I've just got to the frozen city to look for the medicine so don't imagine I've got long to go...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 04 June, 2019, 11:16:50 PM
Days Gone was - despite its many, many problems - an enjoyable open-world grinder in the end.  Doesn't utilise vehicles very well apart from a couple of driving/jumping puzzles, and the shooting combat is not as good as it could be, but I surprised myself by sticking with it and going platinum.  Nice to get an open world game like this with a finite amount of content and a set end point rather than a seemingly endless circuit of radiant quests - looking at you, Assassin's Creed: Odyssey.

Doom annoyed the h*ck out of me, with its tiny, tiny subtitles/tutorials and repetitive gameplay, though to be fair I only got to about level four or so before the constant stop/start arena fights with a gang of the same three or four enemies got really old.  I recall people raving about this at the time but I just don't get the appeal.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 05 June, 2019, 04:54:05 PM
The gameplay in Doom was great I thought, the weapons were fun to use and executions to get back much needed resources added more strategy (especially in the tougher moments). It was just exciting to be leaping around gorily dispatching behemoth demons with fists and comedic amounts of firepower though. A bit of a power fantasy I guess! Incredible looking engine too with a great frame-rate, and I love the new soundtrack by Mick Gordon. He's apparently organising a choir of several dozen heavy metal screamers for Doom: Eternal, such a cool idea I cant wait to hear it!! I think also it was a lot of fun for me as a huge fan of the original Doom to see this new take on the universe, lots of self-awareness, humour and fan service in there. These things can oft go very wrong!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 06 June, 2019, 07:46:54 AM
Quote from: Apestrife on 25 May, 2019, 09:27:56 PM
Blood. Played alot of Duke 3D and Shadow Warrior when I was young, but never Blood. Wish I did. I really really enjoy it. The weapons you get to use are really different, flare guns, sticks of dynamite, voodoo dolls and so on, and the level design is really good. Finding the last key usually gives you a short cut to the next door, instead of a bunch of back tracking. The main character is really weird and freaky to boot. He starts laughing like a maniac when things are exploding only to say something really creepy the next second, kicking zombie heads when you pass over them. Feels like a FPS directed by John Carpenter. Hard not to recommend!

Loved the first couple of episodes. A bunch of weapons I never dreamed about using in a FPS game. Pitch forks, dynamite, spray cans --you name it. Imaginative levels with really really good design. Never got lost or stuck on one of those typical key card hunts, but then half way through the game that changed... And then it became a game of hunting down key cards and MYST-esque button pressing through out the levels. The imagination which went into the first episodes (moving trains, carnivals and so on) also took a bit by what started to feel like a repeat of temples.

Still some really mind bending level design here and there, but it wasn't the same. But still a classic. It's up there with DUKE3D and Shadow Warrior, and at times even higher up.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 06 June, 2019, 08:14:27 AM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 04 June, 2019, 11:16:50 PM
Doom annoyed the h*ck out of me, with its tiny, tiny subtitles/tutorials and repetitive meplay, though to be fair I only got to about level four or so before the constant stop/start arena fights with a gang of the same three or four enemies got really old.  I recall people raving about this at the time but I just don't get the appeal.

The arena style bugged me quite a bit at first as well, but then I learnt to really like it. Made me think of Quake 3 Arena. I also think it'd be very hard to make DOOM's very agressive gameplay to work properly with fights more spread out on a map. It'd very hard to make the momentum work in combination with exploration.

I only wish they'd put out a couple more enemies outside the arena, as well making the ending a bit more fancy and fun.

Personally, I can't wait for ETERNAL :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 06 June, 2019, 09:28:51 AM
Played a few crackers at UKGE.

Verdana Gardens is a superb, small-box, tile... assembly game? Not sure what you'd call it. We played a demo and bought it immediately.

Men at Work is exactly as great as it looked on YouTube, and is now on the to-buy list.

Similarly, Koi. This beautiful little number really spoke to me but I thought could use a bit more drama. Nevertheless it played surprisingly quickly and has been added to The List.

There were many more but those three really stood out from a great, packed weekend. Anyone who has an opportunity to go to UKGE should do so, it's amazing fun. We've done the weekend run for a couple of years but next time, we're going to max out a long weekend and stay at the local hotel so as to get multiple nights' gaming in as well.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 06 June, 2019, 09:57:14 AM
I did really enjoy DOOM, although I had to play it in quite short bursts or I got a bit numb to its thrills! I found it surprisingly difficult as well for a game these days, and playing it on the higher difficulty is really quite the sweaty-palmed experience. I think it did a fantastic job of updating the series and making it work in these modern times, in a similar way to how Wolfenstein: The New Order updated that series really smartly!

Playing through Observation at the moment and it's excellent, it's a horrory thing set on a space station after something has gone wrong, has a real Gravity vibe so far and the neat thing is you play as the station AI. So the gameplay is all switching to different cameras to locate faults, doing little mini-games to hack things etc. It doesn't always do a great job of explaining how things work and what you should do, but figuring that stuff out has been pretty satisfying.

It did make me a little motion sick last night though while I was piloting a drone outside the station and lost my bearings a bit. Hardly ever get that from games and it passed quickly thankfully!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mattofthespurs on 10 June, 2019, 11:59:28 AM
Everybody's Golf PS4 VR.

I like to play real goal a few times a year so I got this to see how the experience was and it's pretty realistic using the PS4 Move controller.

Which means I'm still shit at golf and finish on about 10 over par per round.  :lol:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 10 June, 2019, 12:12:23 PM
Just redownloaded the last Deus Ex game because the season pass is only £2.50 in the Xbox sale and the add on missions you get are supposed to be decent..
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 10 June, 2019, 12:34:29 PM
I've been playing loads of retro stuff (as usual). I really like quick pick-up-and-play arcadeyness so I've been rotating between:

Neo Geo Mini- Metal Slug and Shock Troopers.
I really like Metal Slug and definitely think the first one is the best (though they're all good). Once they brought in zombies and mummies it slowed things down too much and it got a bit difficult.
Shock Troopers is just fantastic. I'd never played it before but have always liked Commando, Ikari Warriors, Mercs and the like so this is right up my street. It looks bloody lovely with amazing pixel art and animation. Unfortunately they went 3d for the sequel which looks like a turd.

Megadrive- Elemental Master.
A fantastic shoot em up from Technosoft. I'm crap at it but really enjoy it's simple blast-away gameplay.

Sega Saturn- Sega Rally, Darius Gaiden, Layer Section.
Sega Rally looks a bit clunky these days but still plays brilliantly. I think it was unfavourably compared to 'deeper' rally games like V Rally and Colin McCrae at the time; but if you want a quick arcade rally game with simple fast gameplay and excellent handling this is just great.
Darius Gaden kick my arse but it's fucking brilliant. The more I play it, the more I like it. It has branching paths, great level design, amazing boss battles. Just love it.
Layer Section is another shoot em up, this time a top down vertical style. It has a foreground/background mechanic (like Xevious) so you have to concentrate on flying enemies on the same plane as you, along with ground targets which you are flying above. There's lots to think about and lots happening on screen all at once. I'm finding it a bit difficult at the moment but these things usually click with me after a while. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 10 June, 2019, 08:07:18 PM
QuoteI really like Metal Slug and definitely think the first one is the best

Metal Slug 3 for me. The original is the purest, but 3 is batshit insane and has tonnes of variety.

Tried to get into Undertale over the weekend - couldn't stand it. I have a theory that the general quality of writing in videogames is so poor that anything with a bit of originality or character gets vastly overpraised, and Undertale fits right into this. If you like genre subversion and think the idea of completeing a game without killing any enemies is cool/interesting, maybe it's for you, but I thought it was incredibly pretentious and dull.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 11 June, 2019, 09:59:55 AM
Moving house soon so I might achieve my retro corner at last. As such, dusted off the C64 to make sure it's still in working order. Embarrassed myself on Uridium, Armalyte, Zynaps, Salamader, Nemesis, and many other shooters that I used to absolutely nail. Got halfway through Wizball though. Mood: joyful.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 11 June, 2019, 10:03:19 AM
Quote from: JamesC on 10 June, 2019, 12:34:29 PM
Sega Saturn- Sega Rally, Darius Gaiden, Layer Section.
Sega Rally looks a bit clunky these days but still plays brilliantly. I think it was unfavourably compared to 'deeper' rally games like V Rally and Colin McCrae at the time; but if you want a quick arcade rally game with simple fast gameplay and excellent handling this is just great.
There were a few retro arcade machines at Comic Con Collect-a-thon a couple of weekends ago, and Sega Rally was one of them. Holds up *really* well IMO.

Somehow, I channelled my 10-year-old Track'n'Field skills and topped the score-board on that ancient classic as well. I think it must be all the drumming. :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 11 June, 2019, 10:23:44 AM
Finished Observation and I think it was one of those games that I wanted to like more than I actually did, if that makes sense. Everything about the setup and the atmosphere and the music and the tone...all of that is fantastic and really clicked for me. The gameplay though was really satisfying and enjoyable when I knew what the game wanted me to do, and frustratingly dull when I didn't. It can be a little too obscure for its own good which resulted in me floating around that space station for quite long stretches without really knowing how to progress. I've never had the best sense of direction in games that don't guide me pretty clearly so that's definitely a factor, but I lost my bearings constantly. Didn't help that the lack of gravity and the way the drone moved made me a bit nauseous.

It's a really interesting game and is doing something very different so well worth a look, but I can't wholeheartedly say I loved it or anything.

Been hearing good things about Layers of Fear 2 and realized I hadn't played the DLC for the first game yet, so battered through Layers of Fear: Inheritance. It's an hour long haunted house ride really, and I didn't find it anywhere near as engaging or frightening as the main game (which scared me so much one night I had to turn it off).

Also was hankering for some cyberpunk so downloaded Ruiner on Game Pass and gave it a try. Wound up playing it all Sunday afternoon and finishing it. Loved it, twin stick shooter thing with a very cool art style that kept bringing to mind Akira for me. It's brutally hard in places but never too bad if you pump your upgrade points into the right things (I maxed out dash and health regen and was spamming those for most fights)! Music was really pulsingly cool and hypnotic too, which is something most Devolver published games tend to have in common. Great stuff.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dandontdare on 11 June, 2019, 12:09:33 PM
Quote from: wedgeski on 11 June, 2019, 09:59:55 AM
Got halfway through Wizball though. Mood: joyful.


oooh, is that the one with the little paint-drops? I'd forgotten that, but I used to love that game!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 11 June, 2019, 12:58:35 PM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 11 June, 2019, 12:09:33 PM
Quote from: wedgeski on 11 June, 2019, 09:59:55 AM
Got halfway through Wizball though. Mood: joyful.


oooh, is that the one with the little paint-drops? I'd forgotten that, but I used to love that game!

Had Wizball on the C64 and absolutely loved it. Sound effects are carbon etched into my memory.
Never did finish it though - had a black & white TV in my room in 1988, so couldn't determine the droplet colours.

Quote from: Keef Monkey on 11 June, 2019, 10:23:44 AM
I didn't find it anywhere near as engaging or frightening as the main game (which scared me so much one night I had to turn it off).

I nearly bought the original Layers of Fear on the Switch, but fearing a suck-fest like Don't Knock Twice, I didn't bother.
Will get it today based on that comment alone.

Played a bit of the Dark Souls Remastered on the Switch last weekend...didn't have much fun.
Anyone played it through? Juts want to know if it is worth sticking with, and also what style the game has after the initial stages- is it more 'open world'?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 11 June, 2019, 02:06:05 PM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 11 June, 2019, 12:09:33 PM
Quote from: wedgeski on 11 June, 2019, 09:59:55 AM
Got halfway through Wizball though. Mood: joyful.


oooh, is that the one with the little paint-drops? I'd forgotten that, but I used to love that game!
Yeah! I also had a B&W telly so it was hard to know what I was doing. Later, when I got a colour portable just as I was moving from C64 to Amiga, a lot of those old games were suddenly a revelation.

Astonishing gameplay, and just about the best piece of title music ever written for the platform: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFYzjU-C3mA
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: broodblik on 11 June, 2019, 02:34:04 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 11 June, 2019, 12:58:35 PM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 11 June, 2019, 12:09:33 PM
Quote from: wedgeski on 11 June, 2019, 09:59:55 AM
Got halfway through Wizball though. Mood: joyful.


oooh, is that the one with the little paint-drops? I'd forgotten that, but I used to love that game!

Had Wizball on the C64 and absolutely loved it. Sound effects are carbon etched into my memory.
Never did finish it though - had a black & white TV in my room in 1988, so couldn't determine the droplet colours.


Yes, Wizball was plain awesome. It was one of my favorites on the C64
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 11 June, 2019, 03:37:47 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 11 June, 2019, 12:58:35 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 11 June, 2019, 10:23:44 AM
I didn't find it anywhere near as engaging or frightening as the main game (which scared me so much one night I had to turn it off).

I nearly bought the original Layers of Fear on the Switch, but fearing a suck-fest like Don't Knock Twice, I didn't bother.
Will get it today based on that comment alone.

It's definitely a similar style of thing and still feels quite low budget in places, but I found it light years better than Don't Knock Twice! That game was a right shocker (and not in a good way).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Mattofthespurs on 13 June, 2019, 01:14:37 PM
Quote from: broodblik on 11 June, 2019, 02:34:04 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 11 June, 2019, 12:58:35 PM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 11 June, 2019, 12:09:33 PM
Quote from: wedgeski on 11 June, 2019, 09:59:55 AM
Got halfway through Wizball though. Mood: joyful.


oooh, is that the one with the little paint-drops? I'd forgotten that, but I used to love that game!

Had Wizball on the C64 and absolutely loved it. Sound effects are carbon etched into my memory.
Never did finish it though - had a black & white TV in my room in 1988, so couldn't determine the droplet colours.


Yes, Wizball was plain awesome. It was one of my favorites on the C64

Wizball was awesome. Played it and finished it on an Amiga 500.

Also just discovered Beat Sabre on the PS4 VR. It's pretty neat.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dandontdare on 15 June, 2019, 08:04:31 AM
This looks intriguing:

https://www.theguardian.com/games/2019/jun/14/12-minutes-time-loop-thrilller-adventure-games-e3 (https://www.theguardian.com/games/2019/jun/14/12-minutes-time-loop-thrilller-adventure-games-e3)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 17 June, 2019, 10:31:55 AM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 15 June, 2019, 08:04:31 AM
This looks intriguing:

https://www.theguardian.com/games/2019/jun/14/12-minutes-time-loop-thrilller-adventure-games-e3 (https://www.theguardian.com/games/2019/jun/14/12-minutes-time-loop-thrilller-adventure-games-e3)

It does, really curious to see how it plays. As far as intriguing trailers go it's a doozy.

Blasted through Super Mario Odyssey over the last week and it's a bit of a masterpiece. Was pretty hungover yesterday and being able to just curl up somewhere comfortable with the Switch and platform all my cares away really saved the day.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Colin YNWA on 17 June, 2019, 09:24:07 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 17 June, 2019, 10:31:55 AM

Blasted through Super Mario Odyssey over the last week and it's a bit of a masterpiece. Was pretty hungover yesterday and being able to just curl up somewhere comfortable with the Switch and platform all my cares away really saved the day.

The boy child loves it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 24 June, 2019, 01:46:21 PM
Finished The Cave at the weekend, it's a few years old now I think and a bit of a throwback to old puzzley adventure games (it's directed by Ron Gilbert of Monkey Island fame and published by Double Fine so has good classic adventure lineage!) without getting too obtuse or frustrating. At least, it didn't on my playthrough, results could vary because you choose 3 characters from a roster of people at the start and certain chunks of the game are focused on particular characters. Really enjoyed it and curious to play through with a different group of characters, even if there will definitely be a fair bit of repetition in doing that.

I started Absolver as well but while it looked quite nice I decided pretty quickly it wasn't for me, ran about a bit without much direction and got into some fights with other players and really wasn't my bag.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 01 July, 2019, 10:36:15 AM
Was having a play through Splosion Man for the first time and quite enjoying it, but some of the more random elements of the levels further in (I think I did about 20 levels) coupled with some control inconsistencies meant it got pretty frustrating. Hit a point where I realized I wasn't enjoying it so I've packed it in!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 02 July, 2019, 01:37:10 PM
Stick It To The Man, a fun quirky puzzley platformer that's got a real air of old LucasArts adventures in its presentation and in the way the puzzles work (although it's never as obtuse as some of those old point and clickers). If you're a fan of that sort of thing (or Double Fine games like Psychonauts) then it's well worth a punt, and only about 4hrs long so doesn't overstay its welcome.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 18 July, 2019, 06:13:54 PM
 Blazing Chrome on Switch

An unashamed tribute to Contra III/Super Probotector, so right in my wheelhouse (Contra III being one of my all time favourites).

It's a lot of fun, but there's something slightly off about it that I can't quite put my finger on. There's something in the overall presentation, or pacing, or balancing that doesn't quite live up to the game its trying so hard to emulate.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 18 July, 2019, 10:39:22 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 01 July, 2019, 10:36:15 AM
Was having a play through Splosion Man for the first time and quite enjoying it, but some of the more random elements of the levels further in (I think I did about 20 levels) coupled with some control inconsistencies meant it got pretty frustrating. Hit a point where I realized I wasn't enjoying it so I've packed it in!

That's how I felt about it. Had a great time playing it one Saturday night (I remember it clearly, as my missus was out), but by the Sunday afternoon it was too hit and miss.

Just re-played Thomas Was Alone. Great little game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 19 July, 2019, 09:09:24 AM
Loved Thomas Was Alone, so many smart puzzles and the narration gives it a really nice atmosphere.

Played through My Friend Pedro on Switch over the last couple of days (it's probably only about 4hrs long) and had a blast. The controls are maybe a little too fiddly for what it is, meaning one moment you feel like a super invincible gun-kata badass and the next moment you're fumbling about trying to remember how to kick things (or at least that was the experience for me). When it all clicks and you've mastered them a bit and got into the flow of it it's a real treat, feels like a weird mashup of Max Payne and Tony Hawk and seems like it'll be really replayable (gotta get those S Ranks!) so despite being short feels worth the cash.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 19 July, 2019, 09:56:11 AM
Quote from: radiator on 18 July, 2019, 06:13:54 PM
Blazing Chrome on Switch

An unashamed tribute to Contra III/Super Probotector, so right in my wheelhouse (Contra III being one of my all time favourites).

It's a lot of fun, but there's something slightly off about it that I can't quite put my finger on. There's something in the overall presentation, or pacing, or balancing that doesn't quite live up to the game its trying so hard to emulate.

It certainly looks the part but I often find the same thing with trying to play retro (or retro inspired) on modern consoles. I think it's to do with the controller (at least it may be as even straight ports/remakes feel off to me). I'm not a switch owner but if I ever invest (which I may have to once Bayonetta 3 is released) I think I'll get one of those 8BitDo retro controllers.

Incidentally, if you have any interest in the Megadrive Mini which is coming out in November it includes Contra Hard Corps which is excellent.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 21 July, 2019, 03:26:11 AM
I really, really enjoyed Blazing Chrome!! For me it is up there with the 16-bit Probotectors/Contras, perhaps even rising above in some regards by being a little more approachable in terms of difficulty (at least on normal) and having a nice zippy flow. It felt like they knew what was fun about those old games, and then tried to concentrate it some. It's not perfect though, some of the larger art looks a bit iffy (that jock-off thumb in the bottom left on the map screen!), but that was true of Contra 3 if I'm honest, and however imperfect the art in places, Blazing Chrome has a lot more bold, screen-filling story content which is very welcome.

If the shooting perhaps isn't for you, when you beat the game on normal, you unlock two melee characters, who when used turn the gameplay all Strider-y/Ninja Gaiden-y! They're a lot of fun, they're slightly faster and more agile, and spamming melee kicks out a TON of damage but you have to get in close!! I used them to beat the Boss Rush as they just melt the ones you can get close to for a good moment.

I don't think I have the chops to beat Hardcore though, which I feel these games kind of daring you to do. 3 continues, each start with 3 lives, more enemies (with more HP in some cases, and I think faster attacks). I practiced stages 1 - 3 a lot and got ok at them but 4 - 6 are hell!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Trooper McFad on 02 August, 2019, 11:05:06 AM
After being upgraded to a smart phone (Daughters old one) she also introduced me to miniclip's 8 Ball pool now I'm hooked 😳 much to my wife's displeasure. Simple game play pick up and put down. (although the hard push for in game purchases is starting to get on my wick). If anyone fancies a game look up RogueT.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 04 August, 2019, 12:45:28 PM
Fallout New Vegas. The Steam version I have often crashed, so I went to GOG games. The Game works fine now, only one crash so far but otherwise much more stable. Graphics are very dated, but the buzz of nostalgia I get from walking the Mojave wastes makes up for that. RPG, not to everyone's taste but for me its one of those games you can play again with much enjoyment. Keep dying of course by wandering off to meet angry Legionnaires, bugs and scorpions. It was priced £4.79 in the GOG sale so won't break the bank either.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: somebody-nobody on 04 August, 2019, 08:28:10 PM
there is a really nice Mod for Fallout new Vegas and Fallout 3 called a tale of two wastelands it gives the two games a link by subway train I've always played them as one big game anyway.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 05 August, 2019, 07:46:08 PM
Recently played through the Doom 3 (BFG Edition) 2019 rerelease on Xbox One, it's showing its age a bit in some superficial areas, but holds up incredibly well for a game from 2004! I got sucked right back in and it's as good as any current game for my money.

I forgot how much of a star the base itself is, super oppressive, claustrophobic, dark (they lit this thing like a seedy nightclub from day one), dangerous, and with an over-designed look to all the metal panels and exposed machinery, it's almost baroque. All before a Hell portal was even a twinkle in Betruger's eye!

I hadn't played the BFG Edition before, and the only change I noticed was the flashlight. You can now have the flashlight turned on whilst simultaneously holding a gun, which wasn't the case before. My friend said that it almost feels like cheating :) . It does make it a bit easier and less scary in parts, but it's fine overall. There's one bit where a guy chaperones you with a light through a pitch black area, which made sense in 2004 but now his dialogue about doing you a massive favour doesn't quite ring true!

I always thought it was a worthy successor to the Doom crown, but it had plenty of its detractors back then. I wonder if it'll change any minds this time round, now that perhaps expectations are different?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 05 August, 2019, 09:34:30 PM
Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed on 05 August, 2019, 07:46:08 PM
Recently played through the Doom 3 (BFG Edition) 2019 rerelease on Xbox One, it's showing its age a bit in some superficial areas, but holds up incredibly well for a game from 2004! I got sucked right back in and it's as good as any current game for my money.

I forgot how much of a star the base itself is, super oppressive, claustrophobic, dark (they lit this thing like a seedy nightclub from day one), dangerous, and with an over-designed look to all the metal panels and exposed machinery, it's almost baroque. All before a Hell portal was even a twinkle in Betruger's eye!

I hadn't played the BFG Edition before, and the only change I noticed was the flashlight. You can now have the flashlight turned on whilst simultaneously holding a gun, which wasn't the case before. My friend said that it almost feels like cheating :) . It does make it a bit easier and less scary in parts, but it's fine overall. There's one bit where a guy chaperones you with a light through a pitch black area, which made sense in 2004 but now his dialogue about doing you a massive favour doesn't quite ring true!

I always thought it was a worthy successor to the Doom crown, but it had plenty of its detractors back then. I wonder if it'll change any minds this time round, now that perhaps expectations are different?

I like it alot more this time around, thanks to DOOM2016 being the DOOM game I wanted DOOM3 to be. Has it's fair share of cheap scares, but it's dark areas and one on one encounters it feels quite unique I think.

But I hope they'll add the option to play the game with a flash light. The gameplay calls for it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 06 August, 2019, 04:18:51 PM
The early parts of Doom were definitely a horror game to me as a kid, sheepishly peeking round the corners of a purged human habitat, white knuckles around my nearly depleted shotgun, lights flickering, listening to the groans and grunts of god-knows-what in the next room and knowing I have to go through there..

Then by later levels, you've seen all the horrors the game has to offer, you're in the more colourful and less relatable hell, you have godly weapons, you're extremely familiar with the controls, the levels open up more often to accommodate the huge crowds you have to fight, the mood and the action changes a lot. You're circle strafing around spider demons at 90 mph firing tactical nukes whilst cackling like a maniac.

I feel like Doom 3 captures one of those sides of Doom, and Doom 2016 the other, whilst dialling them up to 11. I'm pretty chuffed we got both. I can also highly recommend the Brutal Doom mod for original Doom, it makes the violence ridiculous, adding lots of new weapons, gore and mechanics (including the melee kill animations that Doom 2016 later had).

Roll on that Doom 64 rerelease/remastering that is rumoured to be on the horizon, another great game!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 08 August, 2019, 11:00:31 AM
Observation can go f*** itself.

That is all.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 08 August, 2019, 11:29:14 AM
Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed on 06 August, 2019, 04:18:51 PM
The early parts of Doom were definitely a horror game to me as a kid, sheepishly peeking round the corners of a purged human habitat, white knuckles around my nearly depleted shotgun, lights flickering, listening to the groans and grunts of god-knows-what in the next room and knowing I have to go through there..

It does have an amazing atmosphere that still holds up. Interestingly (to me) when Dolby gave us a demo of their Atmos technology one of the things they used was a version of Doom 3 that they'd upmixed to Atmos. I thought it was really cool how of all the modern games they could have chosen (some of which are already in Atmos) they felt the best way to showcase what it can add was with a game that old. It's a real testament to how dripping with atmosphere that game still is. Hearing a level of that game with all those environmental and creepy sounds coming from above and all around was bloody terrifying!

I still need to pick up this new edition, but I might get it for my charity game marathon this year and do a full playthrough in the dark for maximum spookiness.

Quote from: GordyM on 08 August, 2019, 11:00:31 AM
Observation can go f*** itself.

That is all.

I thought this many times during Observation but overall liked it a lot! It's just way too obtuse and disorientating for its own good at times, but there are things it does well that swung the needle into the positive for me personally. Not sure I'd play it again though, the thought of getting lost and confused again doesn't appeal much.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 08 August, 2019, 06:12:51 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 08 August, 2019, 11:29:14 AM
It does have an amazing atmosphere that still holds up. Interestingly (to me) when Dolby gave us a demo of their Atmos technology one of the things they used was a version of Doom 3 that they'd upmixed to Atmos. I thought it was really cool how of all the modern games they could have chosen (some of which are already in Atmos) they felt the best way to showcase what it can add was with a game that old. It's a real testament to how dripping with atmosphere that game still is. Hearing a level of that game with all those environmental and creepy sounds coming from above and all around was bloody terrifying!

I still need to pick up this new edition, but I might get it for my charity game marathon this year and do a full playthrough in the dark for maximum spookiness.

That's a cool story thanks! The sound is indeed incredibly well designed and effective, a few times during my playthrough I span round to shoot whatever it was that was supposedly breathing over my shoulder or sniggering devilishly in a doorway behind me, and there was nothing there. The game had succeeded in turning me in to Private Hudson. Dead Space deservedly won awards for its amazing horror sound design but it was standing on the shoulders of giants in a lot of ways I now realise!

I'll definitely try and tune in for the marathon again this year, and I reeeally want to catch Doom 3! Great price at £8.99 too!

Metal Wolf Chaos XD is next on my list but havent got the cash right now..
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 09 August, 2019, 01:35:04 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 08 August, 2019, 11:29:14 AM

Quote from: GordyM on 08 August, 2019, 11:00:31 AM
Observation can go f*** itself.

That is all.

I thought this many times during Observation but overall liked it a lot! It's just way too obtuse and disorientating for its own good at times, but there are things it does well that swung the needle into the positive for me personally. Not sure I'd play it again though, the thought of getting lost and confused again doesn't appeal much.

I really, really wanted to like it. I love the concept and all of the story-related stuff but the game itself just seems to be going out of its way to make everything as frustrating as possible. Being put in the positiion over and over of very slowly scanning (sometimes very large) areas until you find the bit you can interact with, no exterior maps, no way of highlighting what you can use, sometimes very vague instructions etc etc etc.

After 20 minutes of very slowly scanning the station's exterior bit by bit in search of damage I gave up.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 09 August, 2019, 02:11:34 PM
Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed on 08 August, 2019, 06:12:51 PM

The sound is indeed incredibly well designed and effective, a few times during my playthrough I span round to shoot whatever it was that was supposedly breathing over my shoulder or sniggering devilishly in a doorway behind me, and there was nothing there. The game had succeeded in turning me in to Private Hudson. Dead Space deservedly won awards for its amazing horror sound design but it was standing on the shoulders of giants in a lot of ways I now realise!

I'll definitely try and tune in for the marathon again this year, and I reeeally want to catch Doom 3! Great price at £8.99 too!

Metal Wolf Chaos XD is next on my list but havent got the cash right now..

The Hudson thing is such a good description of how I end up behaving in those games, jumping at my own shadow and wasting ammo firing into the darkness at the slightest sound! It definitely set the horror sound design bar really high. I want to get Metal Wolf Chaos too, I find myself enjoying everything Devolver put out generally, and I love how well suited to the Switch so many of their games are. They seem really committed to putting cool stuff on that console!

Quote from: GordyM on 09 August, 2019, 01:35:04 PM
After 20 minutes of very slowly scanning the station's exterior bit by bit in search of damage I gave up.

Damn, I hated those outside sections so much that I think I wiped them from my memory. You've brought it flooding back now! I remember that exact part, looking for the damage and having no indication of what I was looking for based on the super vague instructions and the lack of anything to direct me. Incredibly frustrating. I must have really liked the other aspects for me to forgive it that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Bolt-01 on 09 August, 2019, 02:42:14 PM
Auralux, on my phone.

What a game
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 12 August, 2019, 09:03:26 AM
Finished Wolfenstein: Youngblood and on the whole I'm pretty bummed out about it. I love Wolfenstein 1&2 so really threw myself into this wanting to enjoy it but it's just such a weird direction for the series and a lot of what gives the series its character is the character and cutscene stuff and while that is in there (and is still great) it's pretty sparse.

On your own it feels quite empty, a bit like Borderlands with no pals, and the most I enjoyed it was when I opened up to public matchmaking and let randos join for co-op. Had a couple of really good sessions with a stranger, no voice-chat but just added a lot to know a human being was slogging through it beside me.

The whole thing maybe took 5 hours to batter through and I'd probably have said I generally enjoyed it BUT the last boss fight absolutely undid any goodwill I had for it. It's awful to the point of very probably being broken (there's no way it's working as designed), anyone who joined to play it with me would quit out eventually after a while of no progress, and I eventually had to switch it down to the lowest possible difficulty just to get it done. Even then it took forever. Seriously, that fight is dreadful.

So I walked away hating it, and that's pretty sad given how fantastic the mainline games are. Hopefully a weird sidestep that they'll move on from and forget about when Wolfenstein 3 rolls around.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 12 August, 2019, 11:23:39 AM
Playing the original Elite on a BBC Micro or a ZX Spectrum emulator is a baffling experience for contemporary gamers more used to being walked through tutorials on how to play a game, so kudos to the makers of Elite Dangerous for replicating this experience perfectly on a game coming out on the current generation of consoles.  ED is impenetrable for a variety of reasons ranging from the tiny, tiny onscreen text to the poor gamepad controls (I don't think I've seen compulsory use of yaw/pitch/rotation controls in a flight game for over a decade), but on balance I would have to say its biggest problem is its lack of a decent tutorial, as it took me three hours to get through the second mission for the tutorial this had, and a good chunk of that was spent on Reddit forums reading how people with exactly the same questions and problems I had got around them - again: I had to go online to find out how to finish the game's tutorial.  After overshooting my destination for the umpteenth time (slowing down makes you speed up sometimes, for reasons not explained in-game), things started flashing and when I got out of my seat to put my head less than a foot from the screen so I could actually make out the microscopic update messages, it seemed I was being attacked somehow, but that was it for me and I quit the game, uninstalled the data, and sold the game on Ebay for a fiver, an act that feels less like a monetary transaction and more like passing on a cursed parchment that brings only misery.
A frustrating, joyless slog of a game.

Far Cry: New Dawn, on the other hand, is a hoot.  Instantly accessible and easy to play, you shoot your way through the jerk redneck inhabitants of a valley which by some fluke has managed to survive the bummer ending of Far Cry 5 in what is arguably this century's most accurate adaptation of Z For Zachariah.  It feels most like a stripped-down Fallout game, only with the RPG element disguised as a perk tree.  Good fun, looks fantastic, costs buttons to buy, doesn't outstay its welcome.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 12 August, 2019, 11:09:47 PM
Such a shame you didn't get on with Elite Dangerous. I loved it! The only reason I stopped playing it was my partner got absolutely sick of watching me endlessly zipping about the galaxy trying to scan Earth-type planets (lots of cash in stellar cartography, if you know where to look).

She likes watching me play games with some semblance of a story or narrative, and gets quite involved. Elite Dangerous is truly a 'make your own story', with little or no embedded narrative, just like the original. I love shit like that, but it's not a spectator sport.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 12 August, 2019, 11:44:12 PM
QuotePlayed through My Friend Pedro on Switch over the last couple of days (it's probably only about 4hrs long) and had a blast. The controls are maybe a little too fiddly for what it is, meaning one moment you feel like a super invincible gun-kata badass and the next moment you're fumbling about trying to remember how to kick things (or at least that was the experience for me).

I had really been looking forward to My Friend Pedro, but found it quite a let down. It just doesn't quite succeed at what it's trying to do (I totally agree about the controls being a bit fiddly and all over the place) and the game as a whole feels a bit cheap and slightly rough around the edges. It has potential, but sorely lacks polish.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 13 August, 2019, 09:19:35 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 12 August, 2019, 11:09:47 PM
Such a shame you didn't get on with Elite Dangerous. I loved it! The only reason I stopped playing it was my partner got absolutely sick of watching me endlessly zipping about the galaxy trying to scan Earth-type planets (lots of cash in stellar cartography, if you know where to look).

She likes watching me play games with some semblance of a story or narrative, and gets quite involved. Elite Dangerous is truly a 'make your own story', with little or no embedded narrative, just like the original. I love shit like that, but it's not a spectator sport.
I have a similar situation, therefore I could only play E:D when my wife was otherwise engaged. For a few weeks I was hooked, but when I started to get bored of hyperspace, it was all over. I'm the kind of gamer that likes to give his whole attention to the game; if I was the sort of player who was happy with YouTube or Netflix running on the second monitor, I imagine I'd still be playing E:D right now.  I still think it rates as one of the great games of the decade though.

Star Citizen, a game I've been part of since it was first announced, has similar ambitions and if it ever gets finished, it might be the thing that finally breaks me from WoW as my casual time killer. I just hope it doesn't have a similar proportion of dead time, or at the very least, gives us something to do in-game while the ship takes me from A to B.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 13 August, 2019, 12:23:53 PM
You're right - E:D is a hell of an achievement, but I totally feel you re jetting about from system to system.  There's a lot of downtime in the game.  And I'm just not good enough with the old pew-pew to make it as a bounty hunter.

That was probably the last game I dedicated a significant amount of time to.  Prior to that it was Horizons: New Dawn, which I absolutely adored - played it to completion, a rare feat for me.

Even RDR hasn't grabbed me like it has others.

Anyway, No Man's Sky has had a lot of tasty updates, and playing an hour here and there is fun - plus it is getting a MASSIVE update tomorrow - INCLUDING PSVR SUPPORT!!!  Oh yeah baby!!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 22 August, 2019, 01:47:18 PM
Don't generally play mobile games but just had a fun dabble with Gears Pop, good simple hooky gameplay.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 22 August, 2019, 02:02:58 PM
I'd forgotten about that, should give it a go! I'm looking forward to the Gears Tactics game too, if it's Gears Xcom that sounds great.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 23 August, 2019, 08:45:00 AM
Yeah the cover shooting seems so well suited to the XCOM style that if they do Tactics right I reckon it could be excellent.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 02 September, 2019, 02:37:11 PM
Had an empty flat at the weekend so decided to batter through Man of Medan in a oner and really enjoyed it. The style and mechanics are very much like Until Dawn so if you like that you'll probably like this basically.

Almost got everyone out alive but got a character killed right near the end so was gutted! I think one of the things that grips me about these games is how any character can die at various points and the story will account for it and branch off, it means if I'm at all attached to a character there's a real sweaty palmed tension to it for me.

Took me around 5hrs-ish but I think playtimes will vary depending on how fast you mess things up! There's scope for replay which is nice, with the branching story and also a co-op mode that sounds quite elaborate and mental and doing it local or online seems to offer two really different multiplayer experiences which is interesting.

Part of a new horror anthology series and there's a trailer for the next installment included which looks like it's going a bit Wicker Man/Midsommar/Thistlebone which should be fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 09 September, 2019, 03:47:31 PM
Control. Overall I really enjoyed it but a lot of that is due to the story, atmosphere, style, world building etc. The gameplay mechanics on their own are a bit wonky at times but its worth it to immerse yourself in the game's world. You go from being a wee bit annoyed at the cover system to stopping to turn on a TV and being Creeped The F*** Out as two child puppets weep about their dead parents and then turn to look at you.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 11 September, 2019, 09:29:34 AM
ADVANCE WARS 2 on my Batman DS Lite has me addicted all over again.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 12 September, 2019, 10:11:57 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 11 September, 2019, 09:29:34 AM
ADVANCE WARS 2 on my Batman DS Lite has me addicted all over again.

I just sold a copy of that on eBay!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 16 September, 2019, 09:43:57 AM
Beat Gears 5 at the weekend and loved it. I've always been a bit of a Gears nerd anyway so results may vary, but I found it to be probably the best campaign they've done and the refinements and larger changes to the flow and structure worked brilliantly. Also in 4K on the 1X it's very probably the best looking game I've ever seen, it's gorgeous.

My one complaint is some of the fights were pretty long and there weren't any mid-battle checkpoints, so dying late into a particularly tough fight could be a bit frustrating when you realized you were back to the start of it again. That said I've always relished the challenge of Gears on the higher difficulties and it's one of the few series I always go with Hard on a first play so I guess I got what I asked for! There is one boss fight that's truly rotten though, very long and tedious and with some cheap late-fight attacks that one-shot you. I swore at that a great deal, and my little brother just texted me to say he's having the same experience with it. It's a nasty hump to get over.

The multiplayer is also fantastically tight, we're having an absolute blast with the versus modes, and I very rarely get into that stuff in games. Gears has always been a bit of an exception for some reason (slightly slower pace than some twitchier shooters and a focus on co-operation make it way more engrossing for me than most multiplayer stuff).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 17 September, 2019, 05:02:43 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 02 September, 2019, 02:37:11 PM
Had an empty flat at the weekend so decided to batter through Man of Medan in a oner and really enjoyed it. The style and mechanics are very much like Until Dawn so if you like that you'll probably like this basically.


Sounds right up my street, Until Dawn was great to play as a couple, been looking for something similar.
It's pretty cheap on Amazon already, I guess due to the short playtime.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 18 September, 2019, 10:00:47 AM
Yeah I haven't tried the couch co-op yet but have been playing it online with a friend (his first playthrough) and even that has been really interesting because things really aren't going the same way they did when I was playing solo! We're playing with no voice chat (for the online mode it seems like that would just get in the way because you're often separated and having different conversations and scenes etc.) so it's fun to catch up afterwards on what we each saw. The couch mode sounds great too and perfect couple gaming, looking forward to trying that.

Finished the Blair Witch game last night and while overall I enjoyed it and was pretty gripped, it didn't blow me away the way I'd hoped. Blair Witch stuff always scares the hell out of me so I expected it to really get under my skin, it did in places but I thought there was possibly too much narrative in there getting in the way of the chills. It felt like it was written very much like Bloober's other Layers of Fear series, and while I like it in those games it sort of made this feel a bit like a LoF game dressed up in some Blair Witch trappings at times.

Still spooked me good sometimes though, the scary Rustin Parr house from the movies obviously features and wandering round it reminded me of the last level of Condemned (one of my favourite horror levels of all time!), I liked that the mechanics and lore seemed to take on board what was added in the most recent sequel (which I liked a fair bit) and there's also one recurring mechanic that reminded me of one of my favourite parts of the fantastic [REC]2 (a movie I think any fan of found footage scares should watch because the first is a masterpiece and the second is a rare horror sequel that actually ups the ante with the scares intact).

Overall a decent horror game, but maybe not the classic I'd been hoping for.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 18 September, 2019, 04:46:39 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 12 August, 2019, 11:23:39 AM
again: I had to go online to find out how to finish the game's tutorial.

that was it for me and I quit the game, uninstalled the data, and sold the game on Ebay for a fiver, an act that feels less like a monetary transaction and more like passing on a cursed parchment that brings only misery.
A frustrating, joyless slog of a game.


My very experience of Endless Legend yesterday. Bought cheap on a sale, uninstalled when the tutorial asked me to put a marker on a "Dye Site" without explaining what that actually was. Life is too short, and I have lived more than half of it already.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 20 September, 2019, 11:12:06 AM
I've been playing the original Castlevania on the NES Mini over the last couple of days and I'm really enjoying it. I've managed to get past the mummies but now I'm on a level with loads of bats and flea men that knock you off ledges (flapping things and erratic jumping things - most annoying enemies in games) - they're fucking my shit up.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 24 September, 2019, 10:34:05 AM
After enjoying the original Castlevania on the NES mini I was curious to have another go on the pseudo-remake Super Castlevania IV. I've never really been able to get into this one despite having it on my original SNES back in the 90s. After an hour, I have to say I still don't get it. I died and then turned it off because I was bored. It seems strangely slow paced to me, and the dreary music gets on my tits. The constant action and fast pace of the first game seem to have been replaced by rather tedious platforming. In the original game it's a real buzz when you pick up a much needed roast ham or a decent, powerful weapon. In this one neither seem particularly needed (you're far more likely to insta-die by falling from the screen than running out of energy, and most enemies are of the inconvenient obstacle type and die from one or two hits from your multi-directional whip). One day I'll get further into this game and see the famed clock tower level that everyone jizzes over. Not today though. As 16bit sequels go I'll take New Generation/Bloodlines (which plays far more like the original game) or Rondo (which I've only played properly on PSP but I thought was excellent) any day.

I've also managed to spend a couple of hours on Super Metroid over the last few days.

Is this the best game on the SNES? Probably.

I was blown away by this game when I first played it in about 1995 but I'm almost more impressed with it now. It's amazing how good the game still looks. The graphics, sound and presentation are about as good as 16bit gets - but also blow any retro-themed modern game away. The gameplay feels really good too - and it's a novelty to play a game so well designed for a specific controller
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 24 September, 2019, 12:06:11 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 24 September, 2019, 10:34:05 AM

I've also managed to spend a couple of hours on Super Metroid over the last few days.

Is this the best game on the SNES? Probably.


Yeah. 16bit perfection.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Theblazeuk on 24 September, 2019, 01:04:43 PM
Hmm.

Super Star Wars, The Adventures of Batman & Robin, Legend Of Zelda and Secret of Mana would take my 16 bit crowns
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Woolly on 25 September, 2019, 08:16:54 PM
Zelda: Link to the Past, Super Mario World, and Revenge of Shinobi for me  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ming on 26 September, 2019, 08:39:42 AM
Latest Switch pick-up: Untitled Goose Game.  Waddling around in stealth mode and honking
at things has never been so much fun.

https://goose.game/ (https://goose.game/)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 03 October, 2019, 08:44:27 AM
Really up for anything Star Wars just now so dug through the library for a game I hadn't played and found Republic Commando (it's an old first gen Xbox game but is backwards compatible and was given away on GWG at some point).

Like any game that's a few years old it's pretty creaky (although it's had a patch to run at higher resolution on XB1X - it's weird seeing such old polygonal graphics in 4K!) but I had a great time with it. There were a couple of bullet spongey fights but I got really into commanding my squad and blasting droids and it escalates nicely (the last missions on Kashyyyk are ace, especially when you have wookies running alongside you just straight up kicking the heads off enemies).

It has a Halo 2 style 'finish the fight' cliffhanger ending which made me sad that it never got a sequel.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 03 October, 2019, 05:25:23 PM
I loved Republic Commando back in the day! I fired it up for a little while on X1X myself when it was free, and it does hold up really well doesn't it. When you talk about bullet sponges do you mean those 8-feet tall humanoid robots with the laser arm? I remember hosing those mothers down for ages, and I think later in the game there were a lot of them!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 October, 2019, 09:55:19 AM
Yup those are the guys! The grenade launcher attachment makes pretty short work of them (and it's so satisfying to blow them up that way) but that's if you manage to keep ammo for it. If you just have the regular blaster you feel like you're really pouring fire into them for an insanely long time. There were some long sections where my whole team were down and I was down to pistol ammo and was just popping out and firing a couple of shots then running for the bacta dispensers constantly, I was having a great time though!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 09 October, 2019, 09:21:01 AM
It'll shock no-one to discover I really enjoyed the new Links Awakening remake.

Graphics were charmingly updated, game-play / progression as strong as I remembered, and at least one dungeon was pleasingly difficult to complete.

I'll knock one point off the perfect 10 for, bizarrely, an additional feature; the 'Dungeon creation' option was a bit of a chore, and I gave up before finishing all of them for the prerequisite 100% completion.

As per usual, I picked up the special edition; the mock Gameboy steel-book case made me weak at the Nintendo fan-boy knees.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 09 October, 2019, 10:00:08 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 09 October, 2019, 09:21:01 AM
Gameboy

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 09 October, 2019, 03:59:13 PM
The best thing about Conan: Exiles - apart from the Basil Poledouris theme being present and correct - is that once you delete it off your hard drive, you now have room for many other, better games.
Belonging to that recent genre of open world survival games involving grinding, collecting, crafting and base building, it joins Elite: Dangerous in the ranks of games that should be right up my street, but in practice are just 80% me putting the name into Google followed by the words "how do I..." and whatever it is I'm trying to do in the game that should be laughably straightforward in the same way it is in all the other games I've played that feature the same mechanics.
No doubt it has its fans who insist that the 48 hours you spend just to understand gaming mechanics that any half-developed game explains to you in less than 15 minutes are actually an indicator of what a great game this is if only you'll give it a chance, but life is too short.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rately on 10 October, 2019, 11:00:06 AM
Looking for some advice, folks.

I'm sorely tempted to turn my new attic room into a wee movie hub, and have been toying with the ideas of purchasing a console, and finally getting back into gaming after at least a decade away from doing any gaming, other than mobile games, and the very occasional frenzied week long binge sessions on ancient versions of Football Manager and Half-Life on my MacBook Pro through Steam.

Toying with purchasing a reduced Playstation 4 or Xbox at Christmas, but I've been reading about the subscription based streaming services like Google Stadia, and am slightly more enamoured with the idea of not having a clunky console taking up more valuable space among the movies, books, comics!

Anyone any advice? Pros and cons they've found? Experience of streaming games through subscription services?

Many thanks in advance!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 11 October, 2019, 08:37:25 PM
I see the pros of streaming as incredible convenience, you can play in more places, and have less clutter like you said. I think we'll probably all be streaming one day, really!

The services are all a bit different and we don't know all the details yet on some of them, but the main cons are that input lag and dips in the quality of the stream are possible, depending on your internet speed, location and the service itself. I could also see situations where the game someone would like to play isn't on their preferred platform, lots of money exchanging hands for service-exclusivity on games that would usually be multi-platform.

Google seems like they're aiming for the most devices out of the gate, Chromecast, PC, some Smart TVs, mobile. Xcloud will stream to Console, PC and Mobile they say, and if you have an Xbox you'll be able to turn it into your very own Xcloud server. PlayStation Now is just PS4 and PC for now I think, but you have to imagine everyone will want to be on every device sooner rather than later.

Personally, I'm drawn towards Xcloud the most, because I have an Xbox and also there were some leaked patents for an Xbox controller that attaches to tablets and phones. Big fan of the controller, and I have a 10" tablet I'd love to play Xbox on in bed! I assume latency will be very low around the house if I'm using my own Xbox as the server too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 14 October, 2019, 11:23:51 AM
WARGROOVE on Switch. Just started it but it looks like it will scratch my Advance Wars itch.

Also Prof. Layton and Spectre's Call on my DSLite. Utterly charming and gentle puzzle solving in a slowly unravellj g mystery. The very opposite of twitch gaming and none the worse for it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 14 October, 2019, 11:37:53 AM
Picked up a few Switch games during last week's sale:

Cuphead: Insanely hard but I'm in for the amazing aasthetic.

Overcooked 2: Brilliant and hilarious. Throwing raw fish at my wife's head caused her to almost die with laughter (and in-game too).

Crypt of the Necrodancer: I'm a little tired of pixel art but this one is great fun in short doses.

Bastion: I didn't really like this on the PC but that was a couple of years ago and it was so cheap I had to give it another go. I now have £2 of regret. The combat just leaves me cold.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rately on 15 October, 2019, 10:51:14 AM
Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed on 11 October, 2019, 08:37:25 PM
I see the pros of streaming as incredible convenience, you can play in more places, and have less clutter like you said. I think we'll probably all be streaming one day, really!

The services are all a bit different and we don't know all the details yet on some of them, but the main cons are that input lag and dips in the quality of the stream are possible, depending on your internet speed, location and the service itself. I could also see situations where the game someone would like to play isn't on their preferred platform, lots of money exchanging hands for service-exclusivity on games that would usually be multi-platform.

Google seems like they're aiming for the most devices out of the gate, Chromecast, PC, some Smart TVs, mobile. Xcloud will stream to Console, PC and Mobile they say, and if you have an Xbox you'll be able to turn it into your very own Xcloud server. PlayStation Now is just PS4 and PC for now I think, but you have to imagine everyone will want to be on every device sooner rather than later.

Personally, I'm drawn towards Xcloud the most, because I have an Xbox and also there were some leaked patents for an Xbox controller that attaches to tablets and phones. Big fan of the controller, and I have a 10" tablet I'd love to play Xbox on in bed! I assume latency will be very low around the house if I'm using my own Xbox as the server too.

Cheers for the advice.

I think I'll wait until the New Year when we get a better idea of what services are available, the pricing and  gubbins are all announced.

I'd lean towards the Xbox service myself, as I was a massive Xbox and Xbox 360 fan.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 15 October, 2019, 11:39:42 AM
If only for the lower price of setting it up, I'd go retro for a gaming station, as there are wider issues with streaming - particularly videogame companies' inclusion of gambling mechanics and their disturbing social engineering tactics in pushing towards live services specifically to encourage addictive behavior and social pressure in players because that directly leads them to impulse-spend.
And that's not even taking into account the annoying exclusivity wars between Epic/Steam and Sony/Microsoft.
If you've been away from gaming for a while, you'll already have a massive backlog of good games to get through from the previous generations of consoles, anyway.  I'd also invest in something like the SNES or PS1 Classic that come with loads of games pre-installed, as apart from being dirt cheap, it doesn't take much to add new games to their memory through your PC, and there's an absolute ton of Gameboy Advance titles that work really well on a big tv, particularly the Zelda, Advance Wars and Metroid games.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dandontdare on 15 October, 2019, 11:56:52 AM
I like what I've been reading about "untitled goose game" - looks a lot of fun, so I looked it up on Steam - "available late 2020" - WTF?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rately on 15 October, 2019, 01:21:34 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 15 October, 2019, 11:39:42 AM
If only for the lower price of setting it up, I'd go retro for a gaming station, as there are wider issues with streaming - particularly videogame companies' inclusion of gambling mechanics and their disturbing social engineering tactics in pushing towards live services specifically to encourage addictive behavior and social pressure in players because that directly leads them to impulse-spend.
And that's not even taking into account the annoying exclusivity wars between Epic/Steam and Sony/Microsoft.
If you've been away from gaming for a while, you'll already have a massive backlog of good games to get through from the previous generations of consoles, anyway.  I'd also invest in something like the SNES or PS1 Classic that come with loads of games pre-installed, as apart from being dirt cheap, it doesn't take much to add new games to their memory through your PC, and there's an absolute ton of Gameboy Advance titles that work really well on a big tv, particularly the Zelda, Advance Wars and Metroid games.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Would really love to set up a retro gaming system, but need to do some research to get most value out of it, and hoping it isn't too complicated a process.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 18 October, 2019, 01:52:50 PM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 15 October, 2019, 11:56:52 AM
I like what I've been reading about "untitled goose game" - looks a lot of fun, so I looked it up on Steam - "available late 2020" - WTF?

Welcome to the miserable world of the console gamer, DDD.
Hang on there a minute while I download a digital mini violin.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 18 October, 2019, 02:13:49 PM
Guacamelee 2. Being able to turn into a chicken that looks like it's having a panic attack when it runs around means this is officially the greatest game of all time in this or any other universe.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dandontdare on 18 October, 2019, 09:41:26 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 18 October, 2019, 01:52:50 PM
Hang on there a minute while I download a digital mini violin.

:lol:

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 20 October, 2019, 09:58:14 AM
Starcraft & Brood war Remastered I just finished the last of brood war. Tough campaign. I can confess I only played half of the main game, and then switched to cheats. It's a really good strategy game, but a bit too hard and time consuming for me. Fantastic mix of micro management, chess and rock paper scissors. Only draw back is the sometimes lacking path finding of units. Protos dragons getting stuck in stairs or SCVs getting stuck between supply depots haha. As said, just a bit too hard for me.

I actually mostly play it for it's story line. I really like it how gritty it is. It's Star wars without the force and cute stuff. The main campagin especially, with it's cutscenes of human moments of regular marines getting butchered by Protos and Zergs. A couple of marines using a nuclear bomb case to store beer or someone in his last moment shouting out to his friend "Sarge I love you". Brood war dialed down on it, but I still think it had a hardened feel to it. Especially in gameplay.

Shame star craft 2 didn't do it for me in the story department. Too "heroic" or something.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 28 October, 2019, 12:43:17 PM
The Legend of Zelda - A Link to the Past

I've just completed a play through of this. Did I enjoy it? Sort of. It's obviously a really well made game but it's the presentation that impresses most. The gameplay experience was very up and down. I actually feel similar to the way I felt about Breath of the Wild - there's a ton of great stuff there, and when it all works its really fun and satisfying - but there's way too much irritating stuff to spoil the overall experience.
The combat is, frankly, rubbish which makes boss battles more of a chore than something to look forward to.
I find the music irritating (I played most of it with the TV muted) and the general tweeness is a bit hard to bear.
The dungeons are the games strong point and some of them are really enjoyable. I really liked the first few and I actually quite liked the Ice Palace. The Swamp and Woodland ones were a pain in the arse though. I almost gave up on it around that time because I just wasn't enjoying the game. I'm glad I stuck with it but I have to say, I doubt I'll ever play through it again.
I struggle to see why so many regard it as 'best game ever' material, or even the best Zelda game. It's excellent in terms of scope and presentation and there are a ton of good ideas but as a complete package it isn't quite as impressive as, for example, Super Metroid.
I'm getting my money's worth out of the SNES mini though - I might try one of the RPGs at some point
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 28 October, 2019, 01:53:06 PM
Generation Zero is not the greatest game ever - I picked it up second hand for a fiver having never heard of it - but the wide open world that replicates the feeling of real countryside where human contact and structures are few and far between combined with the lack of outrageous elements make for a more sedate and immersive take on the FPS, which I liked.
There's a pretty hefty day one update that fixes a huge number of problems with the base game, but these huge flaws actually made for a more immersive story experience, as they steered you away from combat and hoarding combat supplies (that you can't use because of borked controls) and instead made you sneak about avoiding contact with the clumsy-looking but deadly dog-sized robots while piecing together from notes and clues what happened to the now-missing population of the small Swedish island where the game is set.  After the update installs, it becomes a much more accessible and easily-played FPS game in which you get on-screen pointers to nearby enemies when they start to track you, rather than just having to listen out for telltale signs of nearby danger, as well as a completely redesigned menu and inventory, an onscreen stamina bar - but even though it becomes a more playable game after the update, I would argue it also becomes less interesting and unique.
Until you update to the current version of the game through the patch, you can't connect to the multiplayer game, so it's just you wandering around this huge play area, but after the update it's an online multiplayer experience, so effectively there are two games here: a below-average online shooter, and an unexceptional but immersive, slow-paced and atmospheric first-person stealth game - which game you get depends on whether or not you install the patch.
Flawed, but interesting.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 29 October, 2019, 01:28:15 PM
Layers of Fear 2: You play an actor invited to shoot a mysterious film onboard a ship, directed by an unseen director who encourages you to go to a dark place and do terrible things. The ship becomes ever more warped and hellish in a Silent Hill type way as you discover the truth behind who you are and why you're here.
I'd say this is well worth the time for any survival horror fans.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: dweezil2 on 29 October, 2019, 11:27:49 PM
Still waiting for this to turn up, but looking forward to firing up my old Megadrive again to give the new home brew game Xeno-crisis a blast!

It looks and sounds bloody awesome!!!

https://youtu.be/pjrhPtxogw8
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 30 October, 2019, 02:28:50 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 29 October, 2019, 11:27:49 PM
Still waiting for this to turn up, but looking forward to firing up my old Megadrive again to give the new home brew game Xeno-crisis a blast!

It looks and sounds bloody awesome!!!

https://youtu.be/pjrhPtxogw8

You lucky git :) I'm a bit skint or I'd be getting the GOG version right now!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 07 November, 2019, 09:35:00 AM
I tried Alien:Blackout (the mobile spin-off of Isolation) a while ago and bounced off it, finding it too fiddly, hard, random and frustrating. I stumbled on a gameplay video of it recently though and seeing someone else play it really helped me realize how it should be played, how cautious to be and how to distract the alien and that sort of thing.

So I dived back in and started chipping away at it on the train and while I still find it fiddly, hard, random and frustrating, it's also incredibly tense and very thrilling. Particularly towards the end of a level when you're very nearly at the end point but can't see the alien on the cameras and your motion tracking corridors aren't pinging and you know it could drop from a hatch or find your hiding place. There are still a load of deaths you'll never really be able to predict or avoid, but in a way that added to the tension of it all. Proper sweaty-palmed terror, and that it could do that to me on a well lit busy train on my morning commute is an impressive achievement. I got better as it went on at seeing the signs of where it might appear (I was near the end before I even twigged that the direction indicators around the survivors was to show you where they were hearing it in the vents, and that made it so much easier to track the xeno's movements) and had a really good scary time with it.

I gather it's a lot like Five Nights At Freddy's, which I've never played beyond a quick dabble, so maybe if someone was more well versed in those games they'd have less trouble cracking this one. Glad I persevered though. Also pretty short - I abandoned my first playthrough because I got to the final mission without enough survivors to really make it doable, but going through the whole thing again cautiously (and restarting missions if I lost someone) probably only took a couple of hours.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 07 November, 2019, 09:53:58 AM
Oooh! Isolation is one of my all-time favourites and I hadn't heard of this.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 07 November, 2019, 10:08:38 AM
The Last Of Us - Remastered. A brilliant but very dark story wrapped in luscious graphics. It's tense and frustrating in equal measure and you will learn to fear the sound of [spoiler]The Clickers. Especially when you creep around a corner and come face to face with five of them.[/spoiler]

The actual mechanics of the game revolve mainly around stealth. Sneaking about isn't my favourite thing to do in games, but there's the odd occasion when things go mental and the game becomes a lot more fun, IMO.

Worth a buy but I got it for free from PS last month.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 07 November, 2019, 03:11:31 PM
Quote from: wedgeski on 07 November, 2019, 09:53:58 AM
Oooh! Isolation is one of my all-time favourites and I hadn't heard of this.

Me too, definitely worth a try if you're an Isolation fan! There's barely any story but it is presented as a 'what Amanda Ripley did next' sort of deal.

I would recommend watching a walkthrough of a level to see if it's your cup of tea before buying maybe, and don't expect to pass levels on the first try. There are usually a few objectives needing done and once you know what objectives are coming up next you can start having survivors hidden in lockers at those locations ready to do them ASAP, or have them hanging around the end point if not needed. The time limit is tight enough that otherwise it's pretty impossible! Tense stuff.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 15 November, 2019, 09:03:38 PM
I feel personally targeted.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 15 November, 2019, 11:24:00 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 15 November, 2019, 09:03:38 PM
I feel personally targeted.

I have also play Zelda !! Let's go to <redacted> and download and Together.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 17 November, 2019, 06:59:26 PM
I was enjoying Outer Worlds until itsuddenly stopped halfway through, ran the end credits and  hoped no one would notice.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 18 November, 2019, 09:02:57 AM
Quote from: GordyM on 17 November, 2019, 06:59:26 PM
I was enjoying Outer Worlds until itsuddenly stopped halfway through, ran the end credits and  hoped no one would notice.

I actually really liked the length of the game! Thought it was really refreshing to play a Fallout-style RPG that didn't overstay its welcome or go for the quantity over quality approach a lot of bit sprawling games these days feel they need to adhere to. Writing was consistently good, characters were great, loved it!

Also finished a Switch game called Pode that I've been playing on and off co-op with my other half, it's a really good charming puzzle game and I'd say only one or two puzzles annoyed us which is pretty good going. Did have endless problems with the joycons losing sync or the sync-process just not working properly. We were playing on the couch with it docked and the amount of times they lost sync/stopped responding/drifted like crazy was really pretty insane, to the point that I can't imagine it's normal because more people would be talking about it.

Never had a problem playing handheld or with the pro controller, but on this experience playing with the cons detached seems more hassle than it's really worth. Not sure if it's a console issue or if buying new joycons might help.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Colin YNWA on 18 November, 2019, 02:03:11 PM
Kids loved Pode... though of course there is NO WAY they'd have done it in Co-OP mode. Will find time to have a go myself at some point as it looks stunning.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 19 November, 2019, 12:35:32 AM
That new Star Wars game is pretty good.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 19 November, 2019, 03:15:45 PM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 18 November, 2019, 02:03:11 PM
Kids loved Pode... though of course there is NO WAY they'd have done it in Co-OP mode. Will find time to have a go myself at some point as it looks stunning.

Yeah we definitely got a little irritable with each other during some puzzles, although that was probably more down to the slightly fiddly platforming and controller problems we were having than anything else!

Played through a game in a oner last night called What Remains of Edith Finch? which has been sitting on my shame pile for a while. Really only booted it up before bed to check it was installed properly and 2hrs-ish later it was done and I'd loved every minute of it. A very narrative-focused game where you're exploring your childhood home and discovering the family history through diary entries that you play through (Gone Home is probably the closest comparison I can think of), and I found it very absorbing and emotionally engaging, to the point I didn't really want to stop until it was done.

It's a couple of years old so this is probably old news to most, but it's brilliant.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GordyM on 19 November, 2019, 04:05:01 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 18 November, 2019, 09:02:57 AM
Quote from: GordyM on 17 November, 2019, 06:59:26 PM
I was enjoying Outer Worlds until itsuddenly stopped halfway through, ran the end credits and  hoped no one would notice.

I actually really liked the length of the game! Thought it was really refreshing to play a Fallout-style RPG that didn't overstay its welcome or go for the quantity over quality approach a lot of bit sprawling games these days feel they need to adhere to. Writing was consistently good, characters were great, loved it!

I did really enjoy the game (and it nicely filled the OG Fallout void made by that franchise going online) but personally it just felt like a sudden ending in what I thought was going to be the turning point in the storyline that would lead to the game's third act. Still, if they bring out a sequel I will pick it up.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 21 November, 2019, 06:13:57 PM
Finished Death stranding the other night. Took 41h. Amazingly weird as well as amazingly engaging game about delivering stuff across between bunker citys in a post apocalyptic america filled with wondrous philip k dick-esque inventions. Rain which speeds up time of things it hits, the main character carrying a baby in a bottle which can detect ghosts, ghosts which tries to drown the player in black tar, and so on.

The true beauty of the game comes from the indirect coop which is taking place. If I place a ladder, a bridge, leave a motorcycle and so on in my game, it can show up in someone else's game, as well as can their stuff show up in my game. And alot of times it can be a real life saver finding a vehicle when some heavy rain is coming in, potentially ruining my cargo. And to acknowledge things people find people give each other likes. Makes for a really wonderful time playing. Especially since carrying cargo has a real sense of weight to it.

Only thing I wish was a bit better would be the vehicle physics as well as the menus. The menus especially. Tiny text and often unclear button prompts, wether I'm to hold down a button or just press once (finding out I needed to hold down a button to reach a menu was especially tricky...)

Here's a trailer if anyone's interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu8X7vM3Avw
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 22 November, 2019, 08:36:41 AM
Quote from: Apestrife on 21 November, 2019, 06:13:57 PM
Finished Death stranding the other night. Took 41h.

Stunning game! I'm only on Episode 5 as I've been hammering away at the side missions.

Quote from: Apestrife on 21 November, 2019, 06:13:57 PM

The true beauty of the game comes from the indirect coop which is taking place. If I place a ladder, a bridge, leave a motorcycle and so on in my game, it can show up in someone else's game, as well as can their stuff show up in my game.


It's always a joy to find something left behind by another player and I like to leave equipment for others wherever possible. [spoiler]I came across a massive cliff face which took 3 climbing ropes to descend, this earned me plenty of 'likes' and they're still being used as the rain hasn't destroyed them yet.[/spoiler]

If you're fan of a deep, compelling story and traversing an apocalyptic wasteland (of sorts) this really is the game for you!

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 22 November, 2019, 02:28:30 PM
Gamestop have a pretty good sale on right now - I picked up physical / new PS4 copies of Yooka Laylee, Agony and Rime for €20 the other day.

Rime has been on my watch-list for ages (really wanted to get it on the Switch, but the price never seemed to drop).
It's a relaxing and gorgeous looking game in the same vein as Breath of the Wild, but pretty much without any combat.
Seems to be a bit short unfortunately - I dug deep into it last night, and not sure if I've much longer to go.
But damn, great game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 22 November, 2019, 02:31:06 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 19 November, 2019, 03:15:45 PM

Played through a game in a oner last night called What Remains of Edith Finch? which has been sitting on my shame pile for a while.

It's a couple of years old so this is probably old news to most, but it's brilliant.

Brilliant game, and the 2nd best ever use of John Carpenter's Halloween theme.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 25 November, 2019, 10:17:47 AM
Played through another short but great game called Stories Untold (I played on PC but probably available on other stuff, although the format is definitely perfect for mouse and keyboard play).

It's made up for 4 chapters with each one being slightly mechanically different but all very absorbing - as a couple of examples the first plays like an old '80s text adventure, and there's one where you're a lonely radio operator in a Thing style antarctic base, having to use an in-world manual to decode transmissions you're picking up - I haven't taken so many notes for a game in ages!).

Really satisfying gentle puzzle-solving and some absolutely fantastic writing and presentation, it's massively absorbing and pretty crazy how much atmosphere they wring out of some very simple set-ups. Playing in the dark with headphones on was quite the experience.

Also played through the Stasis Interrupted DLC for Aliens: Colonial Marines, because I heard that it has a canon explanation for how Hicks apparently survived Alien 3. It was a load of nonsense. I did actually quite enjoy the shooting up to a point but the fact they tried to dress up such a fan-fictiony load of gibberish as the official canon is absolutely mental.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 25 November, 2019, 03:30:33 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 25 November, 2019, 10:17:47 AM
Also played through the Stasis Interrupted DLC for Aliens: Colonial Marines, because I heard that it has a canon explanation for how Hicks apparently survived Alien 3. It was a load of nonsense. I did actually quite enjoy the shooting up to a point but the fact they tried to dress up such a fan-fictiony load of gibberish as the official canon is absolutely mental.

Easily one of the worst retcons ever.
Can't believe I tired to platinum that game once upon a time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 06 January, 2020, 05:10:30 PM
The Witcher III: Wild Hunt on Switch.


This could be the greatest narrative with the most memorable cast of characters, and offer deepest, most richly detailed and layered open world ever conceived in a videogame.

I wouldn't know, because I am fucked if I am putting up with the absolutely atrocious, sub-early PS2 era controls and traversal and the eyesore of a cluttered UI to play it for long enough to find out.

I remember years ago hearing that the Japanese have a derogatory slang term for Western-made videogames, which they often regard as imprecise, unpolished and sloppy from a control/handling perspective. If there's any truth to this phrase, The Witcher III is the absolute epitome of it.

I am genuinely astonished that this game gets a fraction of the praise it does. From a 'game feel' perspective it's an absolute mess. A chore to play.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 06 January, 2020, 08:37:46 PM
Quote from: radiator on 06 January, 2020, 05:10:30 PM
The Witcher III: Wild Hunt on Switch.


This could be the greatest narrative with the most memorable cast of characters, and offer deepest, most richly detailed and layered open world ever conceived in a videogame.

I wouldn't know, because I am fucked if I am putting up with the absolutely atrocious, sub-early PS2 era controls and traversal and the eyesore of a cluttered UI to play it for long enough to find out.

I remember years ago hearing that the Japanese have a derogatory slang term for Western-made videogames, which they often regard as imprecise, unpolished and sloppy from a control/handling perspective. If there's any truth to this phrase, The Witcher III is the absolute epitome of it.

I am genuinely astonished that this game gets a fraction of the praise it does. From a 'game feel' perspective it's an absolute mess. A chore to play.

What I found, too. Although I promised my brother on Saturday that I would give it another go.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 07 January, 2020, 11:00:36 AM
I really like The Witcher III.
I get that there are lots of menus etc. but I can't say I had too much trouble learning how to play.
General moving around, combat, interacting with character/environment all seem fine to me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 07 January, 2020, 08:51:30 PM
Doing a bit of googling, it seems that it's a fairly common opinion that the Witcher series has always had pretty clunky controls and weak combat, but most people are willing to put up with it because the story is apparently good, whereas for me it's a dealbreaker. A game has to have slick and responsive controls, especially an open world/exploration game.

To me it just feels really floaty and unrefined. Doing even simple things like walking through doorways or picking up objects feels needlessly fiddly, aiming or moving the camera feels twitchy and loose, and I feel like I'm constantly bouncing off/running into NPCs and getting stuck on a bit of scenery. It just feels really janky and unpolished, like the controls are an afterthought rather than tight, satisfying mechanics that the  gameplay has been built around, if that makes sense.

With the UI, it's not so much that there are loads of menus, it's more that it's all so cluttered and ugly looking. Very utilitarian, like it's been thrown together without a designer's eye.

Just not my cup of tea at all - gutted I wasted $40 on it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 07 January, 2020, 10:31:20 PM
I've just started playing it on the xbox one x, only five years late to the party, enjoying it though....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 07 January, 2020, 10:32:37 PM
It's the game of the year edition with all the dlc, was only 11 quid on the store....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Zenith 666 on 08 January, 2020, 10:14:25 AM
Quote from: radiator on 07 January, 2020, 08:51:30 PM
Doing a bit of googling, it seems that it's a fairly common opinion that the Witcher series has always had pretty clunky controls and weak combat, but most people are willing to put up with it because the story is apparently good, whereas for me it's a dealbreaker. A game has to have slick and responsive controls, especially an open world/exploration game.

To me it just feels really floaty and unrefined. Doing even simple things like walking through doorways or picking up objects feels needlessly fiddly, aiming or moving the camera feels twitchy and loose, and I feel like I'm constantly bouncing off/running into NPCs and getting stuck on a bit of scenery. It just feels really janky and unpolished, like the controls are an afterthought rather than tight, satisfying mechanics that the  gameplay has been built around, if that makes sense.

With the UI, it's not so much that there are loads of menus, it's more that it's all so cluttered and ugly looking. Very utilitarian, like it's been thrown together without a designer's eye.

Just not my cup of tea at all - gutted I wasted $40 on it.

You'll surely get at least $30 in vouchers for the witcher switch in cex against another game.When first released its menus were a bit of mess but constant updates made them much more streamlined and manageable.An amazing game which is much more suited to the more powerful ps or xbox and a bigger screen is an essential for it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 08 January, 2020, 04:00:30 PM
Got quite a long break over the holidays and used it to get through a bunch of stuff from the shame pile while my other half was at work! Prioritized shorter games just to make a dent, and had a good time.

Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order - Loved this, glad I'd spent some time on Sekiro or the more brutal fights might have been frustrating. Still died a lot but found it really satisfying and a great Star Wars game.

Life Is Strange 2 - I liked this but couldn't get into it nearly as much as LiS1 and Before The Storm, I just didn't find the central characters or performances as engaging I think. Still had some fantastic moments though and I was pretty emotionally attached at times.

Sayonara Wild Hearts - A really stylish and great feeling sort-of-but-not-quite rhythm action game, where it's more about the nice music and visuals than anything else. Super short and a bit of a one-and-done but I enjoyed the experience.

Untitled Goose Game - Really charming and didn't overstay its welcome. Pretty hilarious to just honk about noising people up.

The Red Strings Club - Fairly short cyberpunk visual-novel-style game where you mostly make choices and dialogue options, with some mini-games for mixing drinks and things like that. I liked the story a lot and it was presented in a very stylish, very Devolver way. Only took 3hrs tops which felt perfect for what it is.

Nier: Automata - I'd 'finished' this already but hadn't pushed through to the secondary playthroughs, which vary wildly and are essential to get the whole story. Love this game, so stylish and one of the best scores (and score implementations) ever.

Strange Brigade - Been chipping away at this now and then with the same pal I play through the Sniper Elite and Zombie Army game with, and we had a blast. It's a really fun multiplayer shooter, nice one Rebellion.

The Final Station - Pixel-art post-apocalyptic train driver game, that manages to wring a whole lot of atmosphere and tension from its simple presentation. Story didn't really land for me, but I enjoyed the journey.

Stacking - Charming puzzle game, where progress isn't too taxing but you're encouraged to play through areas in multiple different ways and find different solutions. I haven't done that yet but for a once through I found it satisfying and quite gentle on the brain so I felt smart.

Full Throttle Remastered - For the most part this holds up way better than a lot of other Lucasarts point and click games of that era, none of the puzzles feel too obtuse, until I got stuck a couple of times because the updated controls don't communicate some things too well, and because I forgot how pixel-hunty these things can be at times. Also hit a bug that completely stopped progress until I found a debug key press online that skipped that section, which was annoying.

Star Wars: Battlefront 2 - Had played through this before but went through on Hard just to get some more Star Wars in my veins. I still really like this campaign and had a lot of great feeling epic Star Wars moments with it.

Mass Effect 3 - Finished yet another playthrough of the trilogy and still blown away by just how much I love these games, and how much I like the way the 3rd part panned out. Best series ever for me!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dandontdare on 08 January, 2020, 04:54:20 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 08 January, 2020, 04:00:30 PM
Untitled Goose Game - Really charming and didn't overstay its welcome. Pretty hilarious to just honk about noising people up.

I really like the look of this and can't wait till it becomes available on Steam (months away) so I'm going to do what I never do and shell out full-price for a (fairly) new game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 08 January, 2020, 08:34:46 PM
I dusted off Hitman Blood Money.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 11 January, 2020, 09:51:25 AM
Goat Simulator which is currently free for PS4. It's mildly amusing for about 5 minutes.

I'm also replaying Resident Evil 2 Remake. Trying to get Platinum before the remastered Nemesis arrives in April.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 16 January, 2020, 07:22:53 PM
Doom (1993) on Switch. It is genuinely incredible how well this game, made by a handful of guys in their early 20s 27(!) years ago still holds up so well.

If the game has dated in any way, it's that the later levels tend to get a bit sprawling and finding keys becomes a bit obtuse, and it can get a bit cheap with the teleporting-in waves of enemies and unavoidable traps that make save scumming all but mandatory. But other than that, the core gameplay remains as visceral and gripping as ever, and the graphics, that once looked so dated, now have a unique kind of timeless retro charm to them.

They just added a load of bonus features, extra level packs, 16:9 mode, 60fps etc, with the promise of more to come. An absolute steal for $4.99.

QuoteYou'll surely get at least $30 in vouchers for the witcher switch in cex against another game.

It's a download, unfortunately. eShop doesn't offer refunds like the Steam store as far as I'm aware.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 20 January, 2020, 10:22:02 AM
It is mad how well Doom holds up, in the dark with some headphones it's still genuinely scary at times which is impressive given the graphics it's working with.

Been desperate for as much Star Wars as possible so played through the old OG Xbox game Jedi Starfighter. It feels pretty rudimentary and dated now but I had a really good time with it and it did a decent job of giving me some space battles to blast through. I did find a couple of missions really tough and failing towards the end of one was frustrating (no checkpoints!), plus I had to check a walkthrough a couple of times just to find out what my objective meant because the game had been a bit vague with its signposting, but for all that I had a good time and glad I played through it!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 24 January, 2020, 11:46:34 AM
I put aside Star Wars: Jedi - Fallen Order for a bit as I wasn't getting on with it. I picked it up again a couple of days ago and something has just clicked - I love it!

It's probably the best lightsaber combat in a game ever, with huge worlds to explore, secrets to find, and aliens to chop in half. The story is quite gripping too!

I give it 4.5 nerfherders out of 5 dianogas.

It loses 0.5 mynocks for excruciatingly long respawn times.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 January, 2020, 09:11:53 AM
Oh yeah those respawn times (and the distance you sometimes have to travel from the checkpoint to where you want to be) could be annoying, loved the game though!

Finished A Plague Tale: Innocence and it was fantastic. Really thought I might find escorting a kid annoying but it was so well written and performed that before long I was full invested in that wee chap's safety. It's got some great ideas mechanically and keeps adding enough new twists to the idea to keep it interesting as it goes on, my only small gripe is that they obviously felt that they needed to end on some sort of boss fight, when it really hasn't been that sort of game up to that point. Said bossfight is a bit fiddly and was the weakest part of the game for me, but I still walked away thinking very very highly of it.

True to form, a week after I bought it full price it appeared on Game Pass, so everyone should give it a go!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 27 January, 2020, 10:54:55 AM
Castle Crashers is back - I spotted this remastered version come up in PS4, and it was an instabuy!

Brilliant fun for all the family - daft side-scrolling action for four players at home or online, playing knights on a quest to rescue the kidnapped princesses. Barmy set pieces, intuitive gameplay, and giant river shark cats make this game a must have.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 30 January, 2020, 07:36:34 PM
Currently reviewing a game called It Came From Space and Ate Our Brains!  It's a twin-stick shooter.  Early days but it seems okay.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Colin YNWA on 30 January, 2020, 08:57:55 PM
Jumping Joe and Friends - so simple and just toooo addictive. MAKE IT STOP... after like just this last game... yeah defo the last one this time...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 04 February, 2020, 01:55:03 PM
It got a lot of praise so I went in expecting big things, but I've had to give up on The Outer Wilds. I did spend a few hours with it, and I absolutely see the appeal and the hook of investigating and discovering the threads you need to solve what's going on (and with pretty much zero hand-holding which is refreshing) but some of the planets just weren't fun to navigate and could be massively frustrating given the limited time loop rhythm of the game. Plus many times I'd find myself stuck in a hole or spat out a black hole on the other end of the universe from where I wanted to be, and the only way to get back to the start of the loop without losing any progress I'd made seemed to be waiting to die. Fine if you can fly into a sun nearby or smash yourself to death on some rocks but not so much if you're just floating in space or underwater and have no suicidal means at your disposal.

When I quit I checked a walkthrough and it turns out I'm about 20mins from the end of the game so I did go back in and try those 20mins but the last part was another irritating spot to navigate and after a couple of fails and loop restarts I decided I just don't care enough. It feels like for people who get into it properly it'll give the same thrill and feel that I got from Obra Dinn, but for me it was nowhere near a patch on that game.

One game I did finish at the weekend was The Hong Kong Massacre, which is essentially Hotline Miami with a John Woo skin, which sounds dismissive but that is exactly what it is and I loved every minute of it, because I love Hotline Miami and I love John Woo. It's fairly short (4hrs?) and very brutal but if you've played Hotline Miaimi you'll be familiar with that curious blend of masochism and weird sweaty palmed nauseous euphoria when you beat a level. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't like Hotline, but if you do like that and think it'd be cool if it looked more like Hard Boiled then it's worth checking out.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 04 February, 2020, 06:55:56 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 04 February, 2020, 01:55:03 PM
One game I did finish at the weekend was The Hong Kong Massacre,

well done!  That game was particularly challenging.  The boss battles were no joke either.  I think I gave up when the levels suddenly seemed to be twice as big.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 05 February, 2020, 09:19:41 AM
Quote from: repoman on 04 February, 2020, 06:55:56 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 04 February, 2020, 01:55:03 PM
One game I did finish at the weekend was The Hong Kong Massacre,

well done!  That game was particularly challenging.  The boss battles were no joke either.  I think I gave up when the levels suddenly seemed to be twice as big.

Yeah the bigger levels were a struggle because you could get pretty far into one and then get one-shotted by someone in a direction I'd totally forgotten about (or through a bloody window, that happened a lot). Moving into new rooms into the unknown was always really tense. Whenever a shorter level popped up late-on it felt like a godsend. I didn't aim for fast times or anything, lots of caution and excessive use of slo-mo and dodge!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 05 February, 2020, 10:49:21 AM
I completed Jedi: Fallen Order (the story anyway - I'm not really a trophy hunter), which was an incredibly satisfying Star Wars gaming experience.  Contender for GOTY for me! 

Anyway, now onto the Outer Worlds, which so far is coming across as very Fallout 3-lite.  Nice concept though, about indentured slavery, and how corporations basically own every aspect of your very being, with a 1920s art-deco-in-space style. I guess it's an in-your-face version of right now.

Enjoyable enough hokum, but I doubt we're going to be getting any in-your-face moments like [spoiler] the nuke going off in Megaton[/spoiler] in Fallout 3.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Darren Stephens on 05 February, 2020, 04:59:20 PM
Just gone back to 'Monster Hunter World', on the PS4. Amazing game!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 07 February, 2020, 12:53:59 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 05 February, 2020, 10:49:21 AM
I completed Jedi: Fallen Order (the story anyway - I'm not really a trophy hunter), which was an incredibly satisfying Star Wars gaming experience.  Contender for GOTY for me! 

I played some of this at a friend's this last weekend, absolutely cracking! What I played was like a gorgeous sci fi Zelda/Dark Souls baby. Definitely on the to-do list now.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 10 February, 2020, 09:23:45 AM
Played through The Missing: JJ MacField & The Island of Lost Memories, which turned out to be a very interesting wee game. It's a puzzle platformer of the charmingly quirky variety, which then ends up telling a really dark story that I found pretty unique for a video game. It's a shame that some of the actual platforming and puzzling (and some poorly placed checkpoints) were a bit fiddly and annoying to actually play, because the story was excellent and it deals with some themes not seen much in this sort of thing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 13 February, 2020, 09:22:18 AM
The last episode of Kentucky Route Zero is finally out so played through that and really enjoyed it. It's a beautiful game, and I think having the episodes release as sporadically as they did really worked for it. It's got a real Twin Peaksy brand of peculiarness and it's been good to play an hour or two every couple of years (jings) and then reflect a bit and have the next one feel like a nice surprise when it comes along. How it'll play in a oner I don't know, I think it really suits rationing.

Last episode was one of the shortest, but it felt right and I loved it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 19 February, 2020, 02:59:42 PM
Me again! Finished Void Bastards, which is a game that should definitely appeal to 2000AD readers because the influence is absolutely screaming from it. The logos, iconography and art style is all a mash-up of classic thrills and the writing is genuinely amusing most of the time.

It's a rogue-like, but as someone who has always bounced off those games (and has never bothered to finish any) I found this way more accessible and easier to make progress in that would carry into my next run. I definitely got a bit lazy towards the end where I wasn't being as diligent about making stops to stock up on the journey and instead tried to brute force a couple of objectives, and the actual objectives themselves never change from 'collect these 3 items to see the next cutscene', but the random elements and the randomly rolled characters you get after every death made every run fun and unique.

Had a very good time with it, and it's free on Game Pass so if you have that it's worth a look.

https://voidbastards.com/ (https://voidbastards.com/)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 20 February, 2020, 08:05:14 AM
I did like Fallen Order but hated the confusing holomap thing and the puzzles.  That one with the spheres was miserable.

Speaking of miserable, I started The Division 2.  Standard Ubisoft open world shooter.  Has no creativity.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 20 February, 2020, 10:11:07 AM
Quote from: repoman on 20 February, 2020, 08:05:14 AM
I did like Fallen Order but hated the confusing holomap thing and the puzzles.  That one with the spheres was miserable.


I know what you mean.  I have no patience for puzzles like that, so I just watched a YouTube vid of how to do it, and then got on with the pew pew slashy choppy force push type stuff.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 20 February, 2020, 10:28:23 AM
Me too.  In fact I didn't even realise it was a puzzle for ages and then yeah, went on YouTube to make sense of it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 21 February, 2020, 09:27:59 AM
Speaking of puzzles (I liked the ones in Fallen Order, think action games need it to break things up a little), played through a very short one yesterday called Pneuma: Breath of Life. It was a decent enough stab at a first person indie puzzler, it was no Portal but still had some satisfying moments and at a couple of hours long didn't overstay its welcome. I did get stuck on a puzzle and then when I looked it up found comments about the puzzle being broken in that the correct solution doesn't always work, so I'm not going to beat myself up too much about getting stuck on that one.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 22 February, 2020, 05:45:05 PM
Just played through Darksiders Genesis, really enjoyed it! They did an awesome job translating the Darksiders combat and puzzles into a top down dungeon loot game. The loot system revolves around enemies having a % chance to drop their soul, which you can then equip in a skill tree to give you benefits particular to that soul. Where you put it in the skill tree can also affect whether you get an extra bonus or not, and the more of the same soul you acquire, the more it levels up. Some IGA castlevanias have something similar (although a bit simpler), I've always liked it!

The story was fine, it's a prequel filling in some gaps in the plot but I'm anxious to get back to the current timeline with the next game and 'finish the fight' as they say. It's nice to see lots of interaction between two horsemen though, which is something we haven't seen yet, and there's lots of characterisation in their dialogue.

I'm going to play through it on Apocalpyptic difficulty next, just waiting for a friend to get round to it as it's co-op!

Yakuza 0 is out on game pass on the 26th I think, that's the next big one for me before Doom Eternal next month!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 24 February, 2020, 01:11:01 PM
Terminator: Resistance is either
1 - a sub-par tie-in game that lacks the polish expected of such a high-profile licence and property, or
2 - a decent short-lived shooter with RPG elements that isn't rocket surgery and whose low budget often feels like it's channeling the original Terminator film, right down to the almost-foggy aesthetic of low-resolution/low-budget 1980s post-apocalyptic action movies, which is really helped by the dated technology and synth soundtrack complete with sleazy guitar version of the Terminator theme playing over the sex scenes.
Shovelware gets a bad rap because of all the mediocre titles that get released that could have benefited from more development time or more involved gameplay mechanics, but how much time do you really want to spend on a game about shooting robots in an abandoned factory?  This has a good balance between shooty/level-up gameplay and never feels like you're grinding just to get the next level/skill unlock.
I really enjoyed the art and sound direction (especially the zapping of the plasma rifles), and I liked that the default gamma setting emulates the high-contrast of the mid-80s STV action genre - could have done with a slider setting for the colour saturation and/or a scanlines filter, IMO, but the 30FPS option to make it judder like a PS2/PS3 game is also a neat touch for retro fanatics.
If you don't mind a few rough edges, this is pretty good for a budget title.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 24 February, 2020, 05:05:16 PM
I kind of fancy it despite everything in the Terminator universe now being horrible.

I actually got sent a code for it on PS4 but gave it to someone else to review.  I kind of regret that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 24 February, 2020, 05:07:51 PM
I've had my eye on that Terminator game for an inevitable price plummet at some point, because generally a license I like is enough to get me through a game like that (and I'm still very much a Terminator fan, so if I can be the guy who really likes Dark Fate then I can probably be the guy who really likes Resistance).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 24 February, 2020, 05:30:26 PM
Finished Spider-Man.  I'm not much of a fan of Spider-Man or Marvel things in general but I'm calling it, this is the best PS4 game.  The combat is great, there's loads to do and it looks absolutely stunning.

Less good though, I'm currently reviewing a Double Dragon compilation that is all the NES games.  It's a struggle.

Still playing Division 2.  It's often terrible but in co-op there's fun to be had.

Just finished reviewing a game called Knightin'+ which is a very basic dungeon hack and slasher.  Think Zelda meets Atic Atac.

And a shoot 'em up called Project Starship that would be good if it wasn't so easy.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 29 February, 2020, 08:45:45 AM
DOOM3 BFG edition. Got through it a bit too easily on Veteran (second highest difficulty setting) playing handheld on my Switch. The BFG edition has softer shadows than the original, as well as making it possible to use the flashlight at same time holding a weapon. I also think this version's ammo pick ups are far more generous. Packed full ammo on the plasma, rockets, minigun rounds and BFG all the way. But outside being a bit too easy I still enjoyed it. Still plays like the love child of Doom and Resident evil raised on a hell infested Mars.

The graphics still holds up really well thanks to good design, as does the sound. Some really good sound design. I really like going through a computer room and hearing distinct buzzing from each apparatus. Weapons and explosions still sounds weak, but there's a certain charm to them since they sound unique. Not many games which has a machinegun who sounds like a typewriter, or a shotgun which sounds like a bag with hard heavy things hitting a wooden table.

The only big grip I have with the game are the controls. The run button being clicking the analogue stick and being on/off, and changes to "press to run" when in hell. Really wish I could map it to some other button instead. Made the last boss (in hell) "harder" than it needed to be. That as well as being able to change to Vanilla Doom 3.

So my enjoyment of the game probably stems from nostalgia. I still remember when it first came out. A horror focused DOOM game with insanely good graphics. And now I can play with those graphics on a hand held. I'm truly in the future. But for those new to DOOM the original 2 are probably easier to fall in love with, but I still think the 3rd also deserves some love. It's still a quite unique game. That said, the next DOOM I play will be Eternal  :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 02 March, 2020, 06:52:52 AM
Hand of Fate 2 and Thea the Awakening. Both very addictive.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 02 March, 2020, 10:09:08 AM
I've been on a bit of a NES kick recently. It's a great platform for action games - they're often quite quirky and are still fun as hell to play today.

Metal Storm - this has been re released by Retro Bit (it never had a PAL release originally). It's an incredible action platform game which requires some problem solving/logocal thinking. It's made by Irem (of R-Type fame) and is an absolute gem.

Blue Shadow - Great, fast paced, ninja fun.

Shadow Warrior - More great fast paced ninja fun!

Isolated Warrior - Great shooty isometric fun.

Power Blade - Platformy boomerang fun with a vest wearing Arnie lookalike. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 22 March, 2020, 11:44:26 AM
DOOM2. While waiting for Eternal to release on Switch I gave the old 2 a go. Holds up really well. Lots of fun. The super shotgun is still the most awesome gun ever.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Colin YNWA on 22 March, 2020, 01:12:33 PM
Been getting back into Evoland 2 (via a heavily discounted Evoland Legendary edition) and its such fun. It builds the tour of the history of gaming into the story really effectively and so while playing in nostaglia - even to none heavy games like myself - oit also is just a plain fun game in itself. Highly recommended to Switch owners out there - sure its available on other platforms too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 23 March, 2020, 08:57:02 AM
I'm tempted by that Terminator game, but will wait until it's under £30 before I buy it.

In the meantime, I've been trying out Sea of Thieves.  I understand it came under a lot of flack previously for being incredibly repetitive, and relied on lots of folk working together to run a pirate ship, and coming across other players and taking them on was the fun bit.  |However, since then there's has been some narrative additions etc.  such as the Tall Tales, to make it more enjoyable.

I tried to solo this and found it very hit and miss.  I love the sea, I love the way you get the boat going, I love the basic missions (the repetitive ones), I loved the skeleton captain hunting, but I found the narrative tales incredibly annoying and buggy.  Connection problems abound, and if you're flung out mid-Tall Tale it'll dump you at an island miles away when you log back in, meaning a tedious voyage back to the starting block.  Also, any key items you had picked up in the previous 'chapter' are often missing, meaning you just have to start again.

I've not explored the multiplayer, which is where it sounds like the action is, as I just can't make a solid crewmate commitment of a couple of hours a time to get into stuff.  This is where the game falls down for me - it doesn't suit my busy lifestyle - I can't just dip in and out of it.


On the other hand, I'm on my second playthrough of Horizon Zero Dawn (which I always thought was an odd title until the last few hours of the game).  I'm not doing it on hard mode or anything, I just found that I missed the gameworld, and Aloy the rather awesome huntress. I think in this modern era of gaming this is my favourite game so far.  It just ticks so many boxes for me - massive open world with so many nooks and crannies to explore, fantastic story, interesting characters, incredible graphics and sound.

But the absolute killer for me is the gameplay.  to begin with, I have never had a game respond so well to my clumsy fumblings on a controller.  I run, I duck, I slide, I sneak, I swing that staff, I ping arrows off on the run, I leap from crevasse to crevasse like a mountain goat. They NAILED the sense of movement from Aloy throughout all this too.

Then there's the freaking ROBOT DINOSAURS!!  I mean, ROBOT DINOSAURS folks!  Done really well!! You have your basic, easy to take down Watchers, some Striders you can take over and ride around,  and then you have your really tough panther like ones that will mess you up if you get too close, and of course you have your absolutely massive juggernauts bristling with an array of weapons.  When any of those see you, and their eyes turn red, you know you have a major fight on your hands!

And the tactics!  Each one has strengths and weakness.  Do you want to set a tripwire that sets them on fire?  Or do you want to ping them with soundwave arrows that knocks off vital components, weapons, and armour first?  When up against a pack do you want to hunker down surrounded by traps, or do you want to pick out the weakest in the herd, take them out, and then work on the big fellas?  How can the terrain help you?  Is there enough grass for sneaking and silent takedowns?  Are there rocks to hide behind in case you need a quick health potion?  Can you make a quick getaway of you have to?  So many things to consider, and it means you have to think like a hunter!  No scene is the same, no robot takedown is the same, no tactic is the same. 

Unlike the aforementioned Sea of Thieves, you can dip in for 30 mins, or you can play for five hours straight.  Either way, there's no end of amusement here for me. Aloy and her world get absolute top marks from me - even on a second playthrough.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 23 March, 2020, 05:47:02 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 23 March, 2020, 08:57:02 AM
I've not explored the multiplayer, which is where it sounds like the action is, as I just can't make a solid crewmate commitment of a couple of hours a time to get into stuff.  This is where the game falls down for me - it doesn't suit my busy lifestyle - I can't just dip in and out of it.

Exactly my feelings about it, when it first came out me and my brother (who lives in another country) swapped out our weekly Skype calls for Sea of Thieves sessions and we had a really good time. Not necessarily because there was loads for us to do in it (it was pretty sparse when it launched) but just the opposite probably, it was just a nice chill place for us to hang out and catch up, and we loved driving the boat about together. As more content came in and it started to take on more structure it became something we'd probably have to put more time into than that hour a week (or every 2-3 weeks depending how busy we both are) so we moved onto other things.

It's a shame, because I think there's a great game in there and I always get a bit of a pang of sadness when I think about games that I'll just never be able to give the time for them to fulfill their potential!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 23 March, 2020, 07:02:28 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 23 March, 2020, 08:57:02 AM
On the other hand, I'm on my second playthrough of Horizon Zero Dawn (which I always thought was an odd title until the last few hours of the game).  I'm not doing it on hard mode or anything, I just found that I missed the gameworld, and Aloy the rather awesome huntress.

When I popped the platinum trophy for this, I was so bummed out because I had nothing else to do in the game world, and while I don't normally buy DLC on principle - even for games I really like - I had no complaints about The Frozen North.
The closest I've come to this kind of game world was Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, which is deliberately kneecapped by the developers in order to trick you into buying XP multipliers and this has a knock-on effect on almost the entire game, but if you're determined to keep at it, the game's version of the Golden Age of Greece is an amazing virtual creation and I've spent hours just wandering about, occasionally taking on radiantly-generated quests just to pretend that I'm not using the game as a time sink.  The combat/danger-free Discovery Tour option that lets you take guided tours around points of interest is practically a public service.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 23 March, 2020, 11:36:53 PM
Are there any ROBOT DINOSAURS?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 24 March, 2020, 12:20:04 AM
You get to ride around on a unicorn and visit the island of Lesbos, both figuratively and literally.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 24 March, 2020, 08:41:50 AM
The RPG style level system completely ruined AC Odyssey for me.
You could hit a baddie in the face with a spear and it wouldn't even hurt them if they were a few levels higher than you. Absolute bollocks.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 24 March, 2020, 10:10:13 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 23 March, 2020, 08:57:02 AM
On the other hand, I'm on my second playthrough of Horizon Zero Dawn (which I always thought was an odd title until the last few hours of the game).  I'm not doing it on hard mode or anything, I just found that I missed the gameworld, and Aloy the rather awesome huntress. I think in this modern era of gaming this is my favourite game so far.  It just ticks so many boxes for me - massive open world with so many nooks and crannies to explore, fantastic story, interesting characters, incredible graphics and sound.
One of a multitude of games that I got about 2/3 of the way through, got sidetracked by something else and never went back to because I was too far in. Really enjoyed the whole vibe of it though and will need to give it another try when I have some time on my hands...

Surprised how much I enjoyed the Tomb Raiding parts of Jedi: Fallen Order. The combat was pretty easy but swinging a big double-ender around never really gets boring. A few tweaks and the inevitable sequel could be a classic.

I'm usually far too tight to buy brand new games when I know I can get them for a tenner in a year's time but I got sucked in by the Doom Eternal hype (plus we might all be dead.) Loved the last one but struggling slightly to get into this one, although I've only done the first mission so far. Maybe I shouldn't have gone straight for Ultra-Violence this time?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 24 March, 2020, 01:53:52 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 24 March, 2020, 08:41:50 AM
The RPG style level system completely ruined AC Odyssey for me.
You could hit a baddie in the face with a spear and it wouldn't even hurt them if they were a few levels higher than you. Absolute bollocks.

As mentioned above, the publishers insisted on putting this in the game in order to get you to buy XP multipliers from the in-game store using real money so that you can unlock "head damage x10" or whatever from the perks tree.  A lot of high-profile games now have such bugs built into them in order to change the gaming model from a one-off purchase to something you have to continually throw money at.

There's a video somewhere of a gaming executive explaining to investors how they engineer social pressure in their multiplayer games by including "cosmetics" - or different skins, costumes or guns for characters - so that kids will feel pressured into buying something that makes them stand apart from all the other online players, and he seemed quite proud of the fact that they'd turned the term "default" into an online gaming insult aimed at anyone who didn't buy cosmetic items from a publisher and only played using default customisation options.
TLDR: Videogame companies are deliberately engineering bullying and dysmorphia in children.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 24 March, 2020, 05:27:44 PM
Ugh. How depressing.
Still it makes me feel better about spending money on old Megadrive and NES games.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 27 March, 2020, 11:24:47 AM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 24 March, 2020, 10:10:13 AM
Doom Eternal. Loved the last one but struggling slightly to get into this one, although I've only done the first mission so far. Maybe I shouldn't have gone straight for Ultra-Violence this time?

Stunning game and Ultra-Violence is the lowest setting I'll play on. Currently stuck on Chapter 9 where things have gone mental and even with the full arsenal of weaponry and a host of upgrades I've acquired I'm left as a puddle on the floor. It's a hard game and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Pros: Beautiful graphics, fast and fluid gameplay, It's Doom.

Cons: None that I can think of.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 01 April, 2020, 05:35:32 PM
Just finished Doom Eternal and I know others have said they like it but despite loving the first game and going into this pretty excited I thought it was absolutely dreadful. Really bummed me out how much I wasn't feeling it, given how great and focused the last game was. Doom 2016 was such a pure simple thrill of a game, I really didn't think you could go wrong iterating on that.

This has none of that focus though and just feels really bloated and messy, they've expanded it out in ways it didn't need, added in layers and layers of complexity that weren't needed, thrown in some truly awful platforming, and the level design in the latter half and the later new enemy additions are so detrimental to the flow of the combat that it feels almost like self-sabotage.

I can't imagine anyone seeing an Arch Vile or a Marauder spawn in during a fight and thinking 'oh great, this is what will make this fight more fun!'. A fellow dev once nailed what was great about 2016 when he called each room a combat puzzle needing solved, and the areas and spawns really felt like puzzle challenges that you had to figure out strategies for, and felt smart and satisfied when you cracked them. Here the crafting of encounters doesn't appear to have extended beyond just putting you in an overly cramped space that's fiddly to get around, and throwing every enemy you've met up to that point into the mix to see what happens. I never felt like I'd solved a puzzle or beaten a tough fight, I always just felt like I'd persevered until the fight stopped. It's endurance more than anything.

It also felt truly eternal, like a never-ending slog that overstayed its welcome by several hours.

I know I'm mad for soldiering through it when I wasn't having a good time, but there were moments (almost entirely in the first half) where it clicked like the first game and felt great so I kept thinking it might turn a corner, plus I kept thinking I was near the end so if I just pushed on for another hour then I could draw a line under it (this went on for another hour, and another, and another etc.)

Obviously just my opinion, I'm glad others are enjoying it, I just wish I had!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 02 April, 2020, 03:58:42 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 01 April, 2020, 05:35:32 PM
A fellow dev once nailed what was great about 2016 when he called each room a combat puzzle needing solved, and the areas and spawns really felt like puzzle challenges that you had to figure out strategies for, and felt smart and satisfied when you cracked them.

Id themselves talk about the gameplay in this way too, it's spot on isn't it. Sorry to hear it was so disappointing, that sucks :( .

I finished my playthrough a couple of days ago, it's not perfect but I am firmly in the 'loved it' camp. I agree with some of the criticisms like there's a little bloat that could be trimmed down for sure, and the marauder is annoying at least half the time he shows up, nothing that spoilt the game for me but certainly imperfections. I should be able to change weapons whilst glory killing, to set up the next move!

I found they upped the puzzle/strategy element to the combat rather than reduced it though. I really had to think on my feet to get through fights, using the weapons and abilities against the enemies that were weak to them, in whatever order they were available to me during a hectic fight.

It's harder for a lot of people as a result I think, certainly for me. If you don't engage with that puzzle completely some of the harder fights will give you plenty of trouble, you could muddle through a lot more in Doom 2016. It's exhilarating because of that though, and if need be there are lots of ways to make the game easier from the difficulty setting to cheats you can activate. I didn't play on ultra violence, and that's usually my go-to with Doom from playing so much of the series through my life. Not that it means much coming to a totally different game but still, symbolically I stepped down in difficulty :D

The graphics and music are some of the best I've ever seen, the game is nuts in that regard and also a total love letter to doom fans, with tons of easter eggs and unlockables. I just generally noticed more nods to the originals too, From more faithful looking weapons, to returning monsters and music from the originals quite often baked into the soundtrack somewhere (there was plenty of that in Doom 2016 too, I just seemed to notice it more here). I also moved the gun to the middle of the screen in the settings, anything to make it feel more Doom-y!

There's been more lore written than I perhaps need, but it's vastly optional, you can just romp through the game ignoring most of the whys and hows, just like all the other Dooms. I did enjoy what story was shown though, and there were some intriguing lines later on which should make for an interesting sequel!

I also played through Yakuza 0, that was a really fun game, prequel to Yak 1. It's like taking a little holiday to Japan, except you have to stay in Roppongi the entire time and you see a few millennia-worth of Japanese street violence in one visit. Oh and it's the 80s. So it's pretty sleazy, with you being in the criminal underworld in the red light district of a hyper-violent boom-time Japan. Especially if you do the side missions, you'll really see some slimy shit.

The combat's great, the main story was mostly great soapy fun, much recommended if weird Japanese stuff is your cup of tea!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 02 April, 2020, 09:51:17 AM
I'm glad some people are enjoying it and that it's doing well, I would like to see another DOOM even if this one hasn't really clicked for me.

I spotted those Yakuza games have appeared on Game Pass, never played one so going to get round to one soon hopefully!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 05 April, 2020, 05:42:18 PM
Been playing and reviewing a bunch of stuff.


Terminator: Resistance - decent FPS with some nice upgrade elements.  Not enough fan service though.  I wanted the game dripping in T1/T2 references but there weren't many.

Jedi Academy - bareboned port of the 2003 PC game.  Still holds up though and has great combat.  More streamlined than Fallen Order but lacks the sophistication and lovely visuals of that game.

Freedom Finger - don't let the terrible cover art fool you.  This is amazing.  It's a horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up with cartoony graphics and a brilliant soundtrack.  Plays like R-Type but without all the tedious memorisation.  Really likeable.

Hyper Parasite - decent twin-stick shooter with rogue elements.  Good concept.  You play as basically The Thing and have to infect people up and up the ladder until you get to the President.  Sort of.  It's just a bit too difficult and random for me to love it.

Robots, Toilets and Unicorns - fairly average shoot 'em up with lots of modern meme-culture references.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 09 April, 2020, 10:05:29 AM
I buckled and bought that Terminator game, not booted it up yet! Good to hear that it's reasonably enjoyable.

Finished a couple of games yesterday, first being the Resident Evil 3 remake. People don't seem to hold this in as high regard as some of the series, I know RE1 and RE2 are pretty iconic for most (and me too) but RE3 has always had a real strong place in my heart probably because of when and where I played it and the memories it brings back! Lots of student flat nostalgia of playing through with my flatmate while she yelled STAAAAARS whenever the Nemesis appeared. Great times. This is another brilliant remake job, looks gorgeous, feels great to play and while it's shorter and more linear than most RE games I was totally fine with that as banging your head against obtuse puzzles and getting horribly lost and backtracking constantly are the elements of Resident Evil that I tend to gloss over when I think of my fondness for it. Loved this.

Also finished Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic and given Star Wars is one of my most beloved things and Mass Effect is my favourite game franchise ever it's a bit mad I've only just got round to it. It's great, and feels very much like a proto-Mass Effect in the Star Wars universe so hard not to love it wholeheartedly. What does bring it down several notches for me though is the combat - I have never and will never see the appeal of that particular PC RPG style of combat and I hated it here too.

I just don't find it thrilling or tactically satisfying, it's just a case of having the correct level and gear and enough items to get through something and clicking on a target and hoping they die before you do. It's something I had to persevere with through the Dragon Age games too because I loved everything else about them, and like the DA games I managed to grin and bear it until about the last half hour where I decided to knock it down to Easy so I could just mash through the fights to get them done. I know that combat has its fans but for me it's at best (when you're high level enough) incredibly dull and at worst (when you're not) a frustrating crapshoot, and in either case it's more of a hurdle in the way of progression and story than something I actually want to do.

A shame, because the story and characters were ace so I loved everything else about it and on the very rare occasions where I have to bump down the difficulty on a game mid-playthrough I always walk away resenting them a bit! Still a great Star Wars game in every other way, and I'd love to play something like this where the combat was more Mass Effect than Dragon Age, because with ME they figured out how to make RPG combat actually visceral and exciting. Maybe KOTR2 addressed some of that, I'll need to play it soon and find out.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: radiator on 09 April, 2020, 06:50:22 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 01 April, 2020, 05:35:32 PM
Just finished Doom Eternal and I know others have said they like it but despite loving the first game and going into this pretty excited I thought it was absolutely dreadful. Really bummed me out how much I wasn't feeling it, given how great and focused the last game was. Doom 2016 was such a pure simple thrill of a game, I really didn't think you could go wrong iterating on that.

This has none of that focus though and just feels really bloated and messy, they've expanded it out in ways it didn't need, added in layers and layers of complexity that weren't needed, thrown in some truly awful platforming, and the level design in the latter half and the later new enemy additions are so detrimental to the flow of the combat that it feels almost like self-sabotage.

I can't imagine anyone seeing an Arch Vile or a Marauder spawn in during a fight and thinking 'oh great, this is what will make this fight more fun!'. A fellow dev once nailed what was great about 2016 when he called each room a combat puzzle needing solved, and the areas and spawns really felt like puzzle challenges that you had to figure out strategies for, and felt smart and satisfied when you cracked them. Here the crafting of encounters doesn't appear to have extended beyond just putting you in an overly cramped space that's fiddly to get around, and throwing every enemy you've met up to that point into the mix to see what happens. I never felt like I'd solved a puzzle or beaten a tough fight, I always just felt like I'd persevered until the fight stopped. It's endurance more than anything.

It also felt truly eternal, like a never-ending slog that overstayed its welcome by several hours.

I know I'm mad for soldiering through it when I wasn't having a good time, but there were moments (almost entirely in the first half) where it clicked like the first game and felt great so I kept thinking it might turn a corner, plus I kept thinking I was near the end so if I just pushed on for another hour then I could draw a line under it (this went on for another hour, and another, and another etc.)

Obviously just my opinion, I'm glad others are enjoying it, I just wish I had!

Haven't played it yet - waiting for the eventual Switch port - but tbh this is what I've been fearing from everything I've seen and heard about Eternal since it came out. It looks very bloated with all the added mechanics and lore/story stuff that seems so at odds with the first game - where the story never distracted from the gameplay and the game as a whole had this nice meta-commentary on how the player character didn't care about the story and just wanted to break stuff (which I thought was delightful as someone who thinks videogames are a terrible medium for traditional linear storytelling and generally couldn't care less about videogame narrative).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 10 April, 2020, 07:22:16 AM
Quote from: radiator on 09 April, 2020, 06:50:22 PM
Haven't played it yet - waiting for the eventual Switch port - but tbh this is what I've been fearing from everything I've seen and heard about Eternal since it came out. It looks very bloated with all the added mechanics and lore/story stuff that seems so at odds with the first game - where the story never distracted from the gameplay and the game as a whole had this nice meta-commentary on how the player character didn't care about the story and just wanted to break stuff (which I thought was delightful as someone who thinks videogames are a terrible medium for traditional linear storytelling and generally couldn't care less about videogame narrative).

I'm holding out for the Switch version as well. Got close to buying it on PS4, but if I'm to play it on console I want gyro (which the Switch ver will have).

While waiting I'm playing DOOM64. Really like it this far. Halfway through. Has a bit of a horror flare to it. Not like DOOM3, but more like QUAKE, but "scarier". Alot of it is thanks to the music which is really moody. For those who haven't, you should give it a go :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 11 April, 2020, 04:34:54 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 09 April, 2020, 10:05:29 AM
Finished a couple of games yesterday, first being the Resident Evil 3 remake. People don't seem to hold this in as high regard as some of the series, I know RE1 and RE2 are pretty iconic for most (and me too) but RE3 has always had a real strong place in my heart probably because of when and where I played it and the memories it brings back! Lots of student flat nostalgia of playing through with my flatmate while she yelled STAAAAARS whenever the Nemesis appeared. Great times. This is another brilliant remake job, looks gorgeous, feels great to play and while it's shorter and more linear than most RE games I was totally fine with that as banging your head against obtuse puzzles and getting horribly lost and backtracking constantly are the elements of Resident Evil that I tend to gloss over when I think of my fondness for it. Loved this.

Good to hear it went down so well! I loved the original RE3 too (I think I may have given my thoughts in this very thread!), it seems like that's one of the bigger indicators of how much you'll like this version. I've had to hold off for now, because money!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 16 April, 2020, 07:22:23 PM
If you have a Playstation 3 or 4, Sony/PSN have made Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection (for PS4) and Journey (for PS3 and PS4) available to download for free as part of the Play At Home campaign taking place during lockdown.  The games are available until May 5th, but remain redeemed to your PSN account/profile after that, so they're worth getting now even if you don't plan on playing them anytime in the near future.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: GrudgeJohnDeed on 17 April, 2020, 05:02:14 PM
Ooh thanks Prof! Nabbed them both.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 21 April, 2020, 10:01:38 AM
Risk of Rain 2 - I loved the original but couldn't get on with the sequel on the Switch.  Mainly because of those awful joycon controls.  Anyway, just given it a go on PS4 and if you play with someone who knows what they are doing this gets really good.  Great music too.

And reviewing more shoot 'em ups.  There's a real glut of them at the moment on PSN.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 21 April, 2020, 03:15:57 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 16 April, 2020, 07:22:23 PM
If you have a Playstation 3 or 4, Sony/PSN have made Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection (for PS4) and Journey (for PS3 and PS4) available to download for free as part of the Play At Home campaign taking place during lockdown.  The games are available until May 5th, but remain redeemed to your PSN account/profile after that, so they're worth getting now even if you don't plan on playing them anytime in the near future.

Nice! Have still somehow never played Journey so have grabbed that, thanks!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 22 April, 2020, 12:18:46 PM
I have in the last few days come to the conclusion that I am done with Fifa 19.

My Ultimate Team is as good as it will ever get (it's got Pele and Matthaus in it, plus tonnes of top rated players).

I have no excuse now for how crap I am at it!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 22 April, 2020, 04:01:41 PM
PS4 owners, the not very good Pac-Man Championship Edition Deluxe 2 is now free.  Which is a good price for it.

I just didn't like it anywhere near as much as the first two modern editions.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 22 April, 2020, 04:48:32 PM
That's cancelled now.  Must have been a PSN error.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 23 April, 2020, 10:31:09 AM
Loved Ori And The Blind Forest, but really struggled to enjoy a lot of Ori And The Will of The Wisps, it was just too damn hard! Way more combat focused this time round which didn't sit well with me, my main gripe about the first game was that it would have been perfect without all the pesky enemies. Always saw the combat in that game as a nuisance in the way of the enjoyable stuff (the platforming) so having this double-down on those aspects was disappointing personally.

It look absolutely astonishingly gorgeous though, and when the platforming is good it's really, really fantastic, so it's hard for me to decide how I feel about it! Thank goodness I'm not a game reviewer, I'd really struggle to slap a review score on something I swung between loving and hating so frequently!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 23 April, 2020, 12:04:56 PM
Accidentally started playing Bloodborne again the other night. Done the first three bosses and now things are opening up for me to get my arsed repeatedly poisoned to death by those snake-headed pricks. Such an astonishingly atmospheric and rewarding game.

Also about halfway through The Last Guardian which is a real game of two halves. The look of the world and your daft big cat/dog/chicken mate are amazing and the relaxing pace and slightly obtuse puzzles could be fun. Problem is that the controls and the AI of your daft big cat/dog/chicken mate often work against you solving them. On balance I still like it but it's a near miss when it's almost briliant.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 23 April, 2020, 06:57:15 PM
Finished DOOM64 this morning. Probably my favorite DOOM together with the 2nd game. More horror than arcady run n gun, but ramps it up towards the end with the enemy count. I pkayed the recent port and cant recommend it enough.

Gameplay (notice how creepy the music is) https://youtu.be/Vx1ZNRtIx8Y
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 24 April, 2020, 04:04:48 PM
Quote from: repoman on 22 April, 2020, 04:48:32 PM
That's cancelled now.  Must have been a PSN error.

Christ.  It's free again now.  Have at it, chaps.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 24 April, 2020, 04:13:49 PM
Just bought Xcom: Chimera. £8.50 on Steam
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 28 April, 2020, 10:15:18 AM
Played through Terminator: Resistance, which feels a lot like a licensed movie game of yesteryear, clunky and janky and clearly a low budget and a small team BUT I've always found that sort of thing quite endearing and if I like a license enough I've always been able to find some enjoyment in them. This was no different, I had a good time!

I mean it's clearly not going to win any game of the year awards but if it had come out in the early days of the 360 I would have played through and quite enjoyed it and similarly if I'd stumbled on an old Terminator game I hadn't played I'd also play through it and forgive the clunkiness, so on those grounds I'll give it a pass, and it even felt quite nostalgic to the days when this stuff was more common!

Results may vary based on your tolerance for licensed trash mind you.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: moly on 04 May, 2020, 03:34:16 PM
Final fantasy 7 remake, really enjoying this so far and up to chapter 17 so should finish it this week,  and have got FFX  and Nier automata next, one upside to being furloughed
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 05 May, 2020, 04:02:26 PM
I dipped back into PSVR for a review.  I feel like VR has had its day a bit now.  It's all just turret shooters, space stuff and horror.  Meh.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: MacabreMagpie on 05 May, 2020, 06:23:20 PM
I finished Red Dead Redemption 2 in February after sinking about 60-70 hours into the single player. Then I replayed the original Red Dead Redemption and now I've immediately gone back to play RDR2 again from the start.

Simply put, RDR2 is the best game I've ever played. It's hard to recommend on that basis because I honestly didn't feel that way until about 35 hours in but it's the investment and the character building that makes it hit so hard and profoundly at the end.

So yeah, wonderful game and experience that I wish it was possible to somehow share with people who don't play video games!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 05 May, 2020, 07:10:33 PM
Just Cause 3, because my boys have nagged me to play it. Easy, simple, exposive fun.

Fifa 19, which I can give up any time I want.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 09 May, 2020, 03:06:30 AM
Just this minute beaten Gears Tactics, I don't often play the genre because I'm terrible at it but I've dabbled in (but never managed to beat) XCOM and this was easily the most fast paced and approachable game of its type I've played. The fact I enjoy the main series helped because it's amazing how much it just feels like Gears. The interface is different but all the same hooks are there, and it turns out a shooter based around cover and flanking is perfectly suited for this kind of board game tactical play*.

I say it was accessible but do need to add that the 3 boss fights that close each of the 'acts' were massive, massive difficulty spikes for me, where the methods I'd been using to get through the rest of the game fell apart and I beat each of those after many attempts and by the skin of my teeth.

The last fight in particular definitely sent me to the obsessive gaming bad place, I lost a whole day and much of a night trying to get through it and as hellish as it felt to realize I'd messed up another attempt, when I finally did it it was through a sequence of hail marys and with a massive adrenaline rush as I realized I had the perfect weapon and was in the perfect position to make the perfect shot and take off that last sliver of the boss bar. I forgave it everything in that moment I think!

So overall great game, would recommend to anyone who likes Gears but isn't too well versed in turn based strategy (like me) because this might be the one that gets you in.

*which reminds me I do own the Gears of War board game and have left it half-painted and unplayed for about a year, perfect time to rectify that!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 12 May, 2020, 03:51:06 PM
Played through a short (2hrs?) game called Old Man's Journey, which is on Game Pass for PC/Xbox. It's one of those nice indie games with pleasant music, an simple heart-tugging story and some very gentle puzzling. It's a good chill-out game, very like the Bob Ross of videogames. I liked it a lot but it has a lot of technical issues that were pretty annoying, it's freezes for a few seconds at a time during some animations, the music stream regularly hitches up which sounds particularly jarring, and I had to move from PC to Xbox at one point because one object on PC was misbehaving (thankfully it's an Xbox Play Anywhere game so I didn't need to start fresh on console!).

Overall a nice game and I'd say worth playing, just a shame it's tarnished by so many issues because otherwise it'd be way more of the chillout relaxing one sitting gem that it's aiming to be.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Trooper McFad on 12 May, 2020, 05:12:35 PM
Quote from: MacabreMagpie on 05 May, 2020, 06:23:20 PM
I finished Red Dead Redemption 2 in February after sinking about 60-70 hours into the single player. Then I replayed the original Red Dead Redemption and now I've immediately gone back to play RDR2 again from the start.

Simply put, RDR2 is the best game I've ever played. It's hard to recommend on that basis because I honestly didn't feel that way until about 35 hours in but it's the investment and the character building that makes it hit so hard and profoundly at the end.

So yeah, wonderful game and experience that I wish it was possible to somehow share with people who don't play video games!
I'm a usually a once a week gamer and I really enjoyed playing snip elite 4 which I thought was really good then at Xmas my boy got me RDR2 and WOW I was blown away ( I know you regular gamers will have many "better" games)
As you said Magpie the character build is superb I'm only 50% through and I am getting carried away with all the side missions/challenges even just away on a hunt or fishing just for the heck of it.
Roaming around this huge world is superb.
For me the pace is ideal as you can decide how fast you want to go through the story good or bad!
I too will redo the story once I've completed and got a bit quicker on the draw.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 14 May, 2020, 09:20:37 AM
Finished Thy Sword.  It's a 2D hack and slasher with pixel art graphics (like basically 99% of indie games these days).  It's by Ratalaika Games who specialise in games that give you a platinum trophy within an hour but this was different.  This one takes a few hours and is kind of tricky, especially the boss battles.

It's really good for such a cheap game and because each level is a single screen affair, it reminded me of classic coin-ops like Bubble Bobble, Bomb Jack and Rodland a bit.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 14 May, 2020, 08:35:35 PM
Playing Ion Fury atm. Similar to DUKE3D, Shadow Warrior and Blood. Uses the BUILD engine, got raunchy humour, gore and inventive weapons. I'm one episode in and having a blast. Stand outs for me are the fluid controls and cool soundtrack.

Gameplay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bX_EllHZTU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bX_EllHZTU)

OST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMc1VkGKZPU&list=OLAK5uy_nuFWbO6lOmm7IGu47JqOi1tbiIDlvib_U (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMc1VkGKZPU&list=OLAK5uy_nuFWbO6lOmm7IGu47JqOi1tbiIDlvib_U)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 16 May, 2020, 01:10:12 AM
An odd little pixel art horror game called Distraint. A good single sitting game at only a couple of hours, and manages to conjure up a pretty good atmosphere despite the lo-fi aesthetic. Nothing mind-blowing, but kept my attention throughout.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 16 May, 2020, 11:12:54 AM
Haven't been too active in the world of video games for some time.  Aiming to change that...:)

I thought I'd track down all the major open-world Assassin's Creed titles - and play them from beginning to end.  The only AC game I've actually played in the past is AC2 (which from memory, I rather enjoyed).

Yes, I'm only too aware that the AC games have something of a 'marmite' connotation attached to them. :)

I was able to purchase all nine (!) major AC games second-hand for the princely amount of 69 pounds ($131 Australian dollars).  Interestingly, the only title that I can't play on my PS4 is the original AC game - which I've had to resort to playing on my PC.  Looking forward to getting AC1 out of the way so I can then migrate to the comfort of the lounge to use my PS4 for the remainder.

Where possible, I'll also try to play some of the downloadable missions (some of which I might be able to get for free using activation codes, etc.).

I'm sure there will be some frustration ahead - but the journey should get more enjoyable as I progress.  Many of the titles should have had their wrinkles ironed out by now (I'm looking at you, Unity!).

The PC version of AC1 is apparently a 'Director's Cut', with some extra missions, etc.  That cost me 2 pounds 64 pence.

Watch this space!  No spoilers please. :)

The irony is that I'm still working full-time, with no isolation at home - and I have a seven-month old daughter who's suddenly learnt that she can crawl...so God only knows when I'm going to find the time to play these games!

(https://i.imgur.com/tQGZCQxl.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/I9flFI2l.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 21 May, 2020, 12:17:17 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 16 May, 2020, 01:10:12 AM
An odd little pixel art horror game called Distraint. A good single sitting game at only a couple of hours, and manages to conjure up a pretty good atmosphere despite the lo-fi aesthetic. Nothing mind-blowing, but kept my attention throughout.

I quite liked that one.  Totally not my sort of thing but ended up giving it a pretty favourable review.

Currently reviewing Maneater which is an RPG where you play as a shark.  Struggling with the controls a bit on this one though.

Also, I made the mistake of starting a new character and world on Terraria and now time is an illusion.

Oh, and I tried Resident Evil 2 remake.  Hmmm.  I really want to like it but the fact that you have to shoot zombies three times in the head to kill them and then they come back and need three more shots, well that's just really annoying me.

Also, I kind of hate all the puzzles.  I like the look and the way you move in it but it's no Resi 4.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 25 May, 2020, 02:39:48 AM
Dusted off the PSVR - I've been playing a lot of Beat Saber with wrist weights in an attempt to stay limber in a fun way. Putting on weight at a rate of knots now that I'm missing my 1.5 hour round trip cycle to work each day.

Anyway, I also picked up Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners which is excellent! This is the kind of game PSVR was made for. The interactions with the move controllers are the best I've seen yet, moving around the areas does not make me feel even slightly queasy, and there is something hugely satisfying about ramming a screwdriver into a zombie skull, or giving them a rap with a certain barbed-wire bat.

It's early days for gameplay, but I'm loving the find/craft/survive mechanic. Interactions with other characters are fun, and creeping around houses scavenging while quietly taking out the undead is a great balance between risk and reward. You can even climb up drainpipes, duck under broken fences and so on - loads of environmental actions. Even your inventory is easy to access, and grabbing motions over your shoulder or at your hip will get your favoured weapon to hand quickly. All very slick!



Also, I needed a mindless fun game, so opted for Maneater. Anyone who loves shark films, or at least Jaws and Hookjaw, will find this vacuous fun, but hugely enjoyable. Turn your brain off, and go eat everything in the immediate environment, one that is superb eye candy. Maybe a little pricey at £35, but I felt I needed to switch off from the world for a bit, and this really did the trick. Also, I don't usually like jokes in games as I find they fall a bit flat, but we were both chuckling at the announcer's witticisms throughout. Recommended!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 29 May, 2020, 01:50:37 PM
Finished Killer is dead. I'm a big fan of Suda 51, but I didn't think this game was very good. Lacked the charm and personality of his other ones. Had high hopes since it looked like a mix of No more heroes sword play, Killer 7 aesthetics and gunplay of Shadows of the Damned. But it didn't deliver at all for me.

Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lz0TE55QfEg
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 04 June, 2020, 04:01:42 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 25 May, 2020, 02:39:48 AM
Anyway, I also picked up Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners which is excellent! This is the kind of game PSVR was made for. 

Interesting!  I quite liked Arizona Sunshine and this sounds like a more developed version of it.  Will check it out.

Aside from reviewing more random indie tat I also made a terrible mistake and reinstalled Terraria which is a total timesink.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 08 June, 2020, 05:16:20 PM
Played through Assassin's Creed: Rogue which was alright. I'm not huge on AC games and only enjoy the occasional one but the one I got genuinely super into was IV: Black Flag which this is essentially a budget rerun of so I enjoyed getting to sail about and have ship battles again.

Also played Journey which was a very pleasant single sitting experience, I liked the atmosphere and particularly liked the way it would drop other players into my game anonymously and with no means of communication beyond jumping up and down really. It was surprising how much of a bond you can make with someone over the course of a level when that's all you have! It gives you a list at the end of the players you played with and turned out what I'd assumed was one person was actually half a dozen. Interesting game.

Have finally bitten the bullet and started The Witcher 3 which I've been putting off since release because it seems like a massive time sink, so I expect that'll be all I'll be maining for the next few months!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 09 June, 2020, 02:33:14 AM
I'm about 60% through Assassin's Creed 1 on the PC (see details of my AC marathon on the previous page of this thread).  It's a strange beast - the visuals are incredible for something 13 years old - and yet - it feels so empty.

I'll give it some leeway for it's age - but the various missions are all rather boring and predictable (and they vary little from city to city).  The controls are also somewhat difficult on a PC.

In any event, I'll persevere so that I can make the switch to AC2 on the PS4 - it's the 'Ezio Collection' that includes all the DLC and add-ons (Brotherhood, Revelations, etc.) - and has been 'enhanced' for the PS4.

Enjoy The Witcher 3 - I've played a bit of it on the PS4, and barely scratched the surface!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 12 June, 2020, 05:54:53 AM
Finished Outer Worlds yesterday. "Fallout in space" with some additional twists. Colour and the flaw system being the most notable for me. Shame the main quest story felt as boring as I think Fallout 3-4s' did, but luckily some the side stories were very good. Only thing I can fault it for, outside there not being any grenades or mines.

Trailer https://youtu.be/EPbrKXda6RI
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 12 June, 2020, 08:18:05 AM
Quote from: Apestrife on 12 June, 2020, 05:54:53 AM
Finished Outer Worlds yesterday. "Fallout in space" with some additional twists.

Had managed to miss this completely, but you sold it to me in three words.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 12 June, 2020, 09:58:28 AM
Quote from: Greg M. on 12 June, 2020, 08:18:05 AM
Quote from: Apestrife on 12 June, 2020, 05:54:53 AM
Finished Outer Worlds yesterday. "Fallout in space" with some additional twists.

Had managed to miss this completely, but you sold it to me in three words.

Yeah Outer Worlds is real good! I agree that the main storyline isn't particularly engrossing, the characters and side-quests were the strong point for me. It's a bit like Fallout meets Firefly and that's a very good thing. Not to be confused with The Outer Wilds, which came out around the same time and is an entirely different kettle of fish.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Greg M. on 12 June, 2020, 02:07:16 PM
I read a review earlier that said the game maximises your ability to talk your way out of trouble - like Fallout New Vegas, as opposed to Fallout 4. That sounds like exactly what I'm after. Bought!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 18 June, 2020, 10:14:31 AM
I bailed on Resi 2.

Been playing Super Soccer Blast (arcadey football game that feels quite retro and fun), Gradius Cozmic Collection (all the old Gradius games in two handy packs, no Gradius 5 though which is a shame but not unexpected), Demon's Tier+ (a decent twin-stick rogue-like with decent risk vs. reward mechanics), Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath (more MK with a 3hr story added on that's actually pretty good).

Mainly though I'm playing Terraria which is an evil timesink and arguably one of the best games ever made.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 19 June, 2020, 10:13:19 AM
Quote from: repoman on 18 June, 2020, 10:14:31 AM
I bailed on Resi 2.

Been playing Super Soccer Blast (arcadey football game that feels quite retro and fun), Gradius Cozmic Collection (all the old Gradius games in two handy packs, no G-Darius though), Demon's Tier+ (a decent twin-stick rogue-like with decent risk vs. reward mechanics), Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath (more MK with a 3hr story added on that's actually pretty good).

Mainly though I'm playing Terraria which is an evil timesink and arguably one of the best games ever made.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 20 June, 2020, 09:25:16 PM
Skyrim*

Because I wanted to play a game where you can run about in wide open space for some reason. I found it was a good way to test my eyesight. There's not much to say that hasn't been said, no doubt some of you will play this game again on the next iteration of consoles (with inferior graphics**). RPing as Lemmy. So no stealth, just a big loud electric wizard who goes smashy smash.

*modded tae fuck
**GLORIOUS PC MASTER RACE
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 27 June, 2020, 01:58:02 PM
I see Terminator Resistance has been mentioned before, and it's currently about £18 on PSN.

I've been playing through it, and I've been very much enjoying it! It has a mid to low budget feel, but it has definitely captured the flavour of the post-nuclear Terminator world!

I think if you are a big fan of the films you might want to try this game out.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 29 June, 2020, 04:39:12 PM
My PSVR has had a lot of use lately now it turns out I've never really liked to go outside, and staying in is proving to be nice but fattening. Beat Saber with wrist weights on hard settings makes me piss sweat and burn a lot of calories.

Anyway, I've been exploring some of the sub-£20 games, plus Tetris VR was on offer the other day.

Tetris Blimey, who would have thought you could revamp this for a 3D market? A trippy exoerirncevif visual and auditory delights. Remarkably immersive. And it's Tetris!

Next up are two absolute gems, just perfect for 3D:

Sacrilith: A short but absolutely superb game where you are a bowman teleporting from spot to spot trying to protect two sword wielding comrades from wave after wave of knaves, knights, guardsmen and other medieval baddies. As you progress you get power-ups, such as firing a barrage of arrows in one ho, slowing the waves down with tar and so on. It's like a tower assault game, where you are the tower. It's the bowman ship required that sells it though! It does feel like you're reaching back, grabbing an arrow, notching, and letting fly. You have to time the arrows to land where you think the baddies will step too, so a bit of tactical thinking is required. It's great, and my shoulders get a hell of a workout from holding up the Move controllers like a bow and arrow.

Stardust Odyssey: This is an odd but compelling game, and I was immediately enamoured by its original fantasy setting. It's a cross between Journey to the West and The Wind Whales of Ishmael. You play a smuggler who drifts in between a convoy of huge flying barges on a trade route, nabbing treasures left out on  deck with a magical grappling hook, while keeping an eye out for flying sentry robots and flying versions of those aliens from 'Attack the Block'. In between 'routes' (of which there are several stages each) you settle down in a magic Far Eastern-style tent on a desert planet for trading. It's hugely enjoyable, and makes incredible use of the Move controllers. There's lots to see, and the earlier levels are mellow and chilled with great sound and visuals, while later levels are hugely challenging unless you manage to steal and then implement the correct spells. Huge fun!

All the games above were fab and really made the PSVR feel like essential gaming.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 02 July, 2020, 09:40:41 PM
Bioshock, Bioshock: Infinite, Bioshock: Burial at sea Bioshock is one of those games which I manage to buy on every system I own which it's available on. PC DVD, Xbox360, PS3, PS4, GOG.com and the other day STEAM (the collection went on a sale, which made it cheaper than than buying the B:I dlc separately). Wouldn't surprise me if I'll end up buying it on Switch either. It's not a perfect game (at least not gameplay wise) but it's setting is fenomenal. Get's me everytime when I'm called out as a looter by the big baddie Andrew Ryan (a mix of Captain Nemo, Ayn Rand and Charles Foster Kane) when I'm doing just that. Picking up everything I can from the crazies I've just mowed down with a shotgun and electric shocks. It doesn't feel like Ryan is my enemy, rather I'm his by coming uninvited to his city.

As for Bioshock infinite, I really really like it's gunplay and roller coaster shenanigans. The story and setting isn't as gripping as Bioshocks, but it has a similar quality of ambiguity. Especially regarding what's keeping the heaven-esque city in the clouds (which I'm shooting to hell) afloat. It does that without being too on the nose. Rather it's smaller details which carries the point across. And as with the looting in the first game, I feel the violence in Inifnite has a similar thing going for it. The way it manages to play into the narrative.

While I've played Bioshock and Bioshock: Infinite countless times it's only the second time I've cleared the Burial at sea DLC of Infinite. First time playing it I really didn't have the patience for it, and mostly ran through it for the story. This time I had more patience and enjoying it for what the the two episode DLC does differently. Especially episode 2:s focus on stealth. Episode 1 feels more like the first game's gun play. One thing I wish they'd done is to include a map in the menu, instead of using the green arrow from infinite. The more open game world makes it easy to miss out on some quite large chunks of enviroments to explore (something I certainly did first time playing it years ago). I also enjoyed the story much more as well. Taking my time and letting it sink in. I remember it feeling a bit like mostly spectacle the first time around, but this time it really clicked. Especially the ending.

Bioshock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfZ30sfjdLY
Bioshock Infinite https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsJ55BzIvkE
Bioshock Infinite Burial at sea https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IALc80SvwXw

As some may have noticed, I've skipped Bioshock 2. For some reason I've only played it once 10 years ago, but I plan on revisiting it soon. Especially for the DLC Minverva's end. Heard alot good about it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 03 July, 2020, 10:49:19 AM
I have only played Bioshock 1 and Bioshock Infinite and only completed the latter.  The settings are nice, especially Infinite which looks fantastic (I love that style of architecture), but I found the gameplay to be utterly tedious.  It was really disappointing because I liked so much about it, but it didn't make up for the feeling that I was just slogging my way through.  I think I stuck with Infinite because of it's rollercoaster mechanics.

I have been playing Shadow of the Colossus on the PS2.  It's still a very pretty game with a fantastic atmosphere and I still enjoy the gameplay for the most part.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 03 July, 2020, 11:11:07 AM
XCOM 2. Way more then I should.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 03 July, 2020, 11:48:04 AM
Quote from: Smith on 03 July, 2020, 11:11:07 AM
XCOM 2. Way more then I should.
Man, I need to get back to that. I abandoned my game years ago cos I thought they'd ramped the difficulty into unfun levels, but I feel like giving it another go.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 03 July, 2020, 12:27:30 PM
Quote from: Smith on 03 July, 2020, 11:11:07 AM
XCOM 2. Way more then I should.

Have you got the War of the Chosen expansion? Ramps us the difficulty, but also the satisfaction when you win. Plus there's a big chunk of the Enterprise D's bridge crew doing voices.

Quote from: wedgeski on 03 July, 2020, 11:48:04 AM
Man, I need to get back to that. I abandoned my game years ago cos I thought they'd ramped the difficulty into unfun levels, but I feel like giving it another go.

Yeah, I've always found that XCom games don't really have a difficulty curve. It's more like a wall you have to dash your soldiers against until you break through.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 03 July, 2020, 12:48:22 PM
Quote from: pictsy on 03 July, 2020, 10:49:19 AM
I have only played Bioshock 1 and Bioshock Infinite and only completed the latter.  The settings are nice, especially Infinite which looks fantastic (I love that style of architecture), but I found the gameplay to be utterly tedious.  It was really disappointing because I liked so much about it, but it didn't make up for the feeling that I was just slogging my way through.  I think I stuck with Infinite because of it's rollercoaster mechanics.

Which difficulty level did you play on? I found it to become much more fun when playing on hard. Basically forcing me to toy around with the vigors and weapons (rather than just using my favorites, the rifle and machinegun). Especially on the lady comstock ghost level. Made me come up with a brilliant combination.

Gave Bioshock 2 a try this morning. Tried at least. Constantly crashing on my PC, and I'm not a fan of the art direction they went with. Everything is more grey, and the enemy characters look more realistically proportioned compared to BS1 and Infinite. Also feels a bit samey to BS1. I didn't think playing as a big daddy felt that different from Jack outside new toys, heavier footsteps and being able to traverse the ocean now and then. Especially not with everyone making conversation to me as if I'm a person and not a big daddy: a scary and heavy diver suit clad frankenstein/minotaur who sounds like a drunk hellish cow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBHDPwJeO6g
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 03 July, 2020, 03:51:26 PM
Quote from: Apestrife on 03 July, 2020, 12:48:22 PM
Which difficulty level did you play on? I found it to become much more fun when playing on hard. Basically forcing me to toy around with the vigors and weapons (rather than just using my favorites, the rifle and machinegun). Especially on the lady comstock ghost level. Made me come up with a brilliant combination.

I probably played on Normal because that's usually my default, but I honestly can't say for sure.  It was a long time ago.  What I remember with Infinite is there being a succession of set pieces over and over and over again.  I don't think a harder difficulty would have relieved the tedium for me.  It's not my particular cup of tea.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 04 July, 2020, 08:55:27 AM
Quote from: pictsy on 03 July, 2020, 03:51:26 PM
Quote from: Apestrife on 03 July, 2020, 12:48:22 PM
Which difficulty level did you play on? I found it to become much more fun when playing on hard. Basically forcing me to toy around with the vigors and weapons (rather than just using my favorites, the rifle and machinegun). Especially on the lady comstock ghost level. Made me come up with a brilliant combination.

I probably played on Normal because that's usually my default, but I honestly can't say for sure.  It was a long time ago.  What I remember with Infinite is there being a succession of set pieces over and over and over again.  I don't think a harder difficulty would have relieved the tedium for me.  It's not my particular cup of tea.

I actually had some similar ideas about the combat in the game, but playing on a harder difficulty opened it up for me.

But as you say, might not be your cup of tea.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 04 July, 2020, 10:49:54 AM
I will say that I did really like Infinite's visuals.  The neo-classical art nouveau architecture and design is most definitely my cup of tea and I really appreciated it.  I also liked the class and race commentary, which probably has more resonance now than on it's release.  It is similar with the original Bioshock's.  I like art deco and I like a savaging commentary on the vile Randian psuedo-philosophy.  In some ways I'm a little jealous of people who enjoy the actual playing of the games, but I'm happy appreciating them for their design aspects.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 04 July, 2020, 12:54:44 PM
Control

Specifically, its first DLC - Foundation

For me, Control is THE game of the last generation. A heady mix of decent powers, gunplay, metrovania exploration (but not too much!) and hard core sci-fi story. With great visuals, great sound, and great little touches. Man, even collectibles have great little stories in them.

From a tooth point of view, I think there is an nice John Smith vibe to the insanity. Some of the set pieces - an inter-dimensional invasion of clocks for example - are straight from the comic, as is the Board (300 foot high maggots with a single rotating mecanical eye and spindly insect legs).

Really looking forward to the next DLC, which is an Alan Wake quasi-sequel.

If you have not played this game, you are missing a treat.

How much did I like this game? It is the only game for which I have made the effort to get all the achievements.

CAVEAT: Some of the optional boss battles are super hard but, gee, the satisfaction on taking those guys down,
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 04 July, 2020, 08:41:54 PM
Spec Ops: The line Heard a bunch of this one. Good things. Has an interesting setting (Dubai drowned in a sand storm) and scene or two which I haven't seen in other games, but I can't say it grabbed nearly as much as I hoped it would. Neither it's gears of war cover shooting or apocalypse now with a twist story. But I can appreciate what they set out to do with the game.

Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIoJnMT3yUI
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Smith on 05 July, 2020, 09:04:06 PM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 03 July, 2020, 12:27:30 PM
Quote from: Smith on 03 July, 2020, 11:11:07 AM
XCOM 2. Way more then I should.

Have you got the War of the Chosen expansion? Ramps us the difficulty, but also the satisfaction when you win. Plus there's a big chunk of the Enterprise D's bridge crew doing voices.

Quote from: wedgeski on 03 July, 2020, 11:48:04 AM
Man, I need to get back to that. I abandoned my game years ago cos I thought they'd ramped the difficulty into unfun levels, but I feel like giving it another go.

Yeah, I've always found that XCom games don't really have a difficulty curve. It's more like a wall you have to dash your soldiers against until you break through.

WotC and a bunch of mods.
With XCOM,you are always one step behind the enemy.Which makes sense.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 12 July, 2020, 07:37:37 AM
Erica which is currently free on PS4.

Not a game in the true sense, Erica is an interactive Horror film and it's pretty good, IMO.

The running time is only about 90 mins (2 hours if you factor in the odd cup of tea) so it doesn't outstay its welcome and gives some incentive for at least one more play through due to the limited run time and multiple endings. You can't skip anything though so if you're going to play more than once you'll have to watch a lot of the same scenes again.

Recommended highly and it's free.

Also free (on PS4) this month is Rise of the Tomb Raider which I haven't yet played and NBA 2K20 which can crack right on as I have little interest in Sportsgames and even less interest in Basketball!

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 12 July, 2020, 03:52:35 PM
Nice one! I'm going to try and persuade my partner to work through Erica with me.

One thing she was keen to try out was BOXVR on PSVR. She's a kickboxer anyway, so loved stuff like that, plus we've both been on a drive to get rid of the lockdown weight recently. She found that the game forcing her into a rhythm that ran contrary to her own style took a bit of getting used to, but she enjoyed it, and I eventually had to pry the move controllers out of her hands.

As for me, I adapted to it quickly. In terms of musical rhythm games this sure ain't my first rodeo! However, what I wasn't expecting was how bloody knackering it is! My legs are like jelly, and I'm struggling to hold up this phone. I only did an hour!

So a series of moves comes towards you in time to music, of which there was surprising musical variety and a good mix of genres. So hooks, jabs and uppercuts are combined with 'walls' you have to dodge to the left of right of, it duck under.

The graphics are reasonable - they do the job. There are only three gyms, one of which is a Tron-style area.

As a game designed to keep you fit I'd say it's pretty damn good. Daily targets, different classes, featured workouts, a calorie counter, and more. An hour of this daily will keep you ticking over nicely.

On a PSVR-related note, Super Stardust Ultra VR is currently less than a fiver in the PS Store, which is an absolute steal if you ask me.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 12 July, 2020, 04:27:05 PM
Shadow of the Colossus

Just finished this.  It has some issues which I clearly let slide in previous play throughs due to having more patience for video games in the past than I do now.  The camera can be your enemy at times and the puzzle element isn't always as intuitive as I would have liked (mostly due to my lack of patience).  It still looks good on the ol' PS2 even though the blurring gets a bit much at times.  I'd have to play Ico again to determine if I still think that is the superior game, but I feel it probably is.

The soundtrack is great, the atmosphere fantastic and aside from a few niggles here and there it still holds up as a great game.  It doesn't go on too long, either.  I've largely been put off more modern games (and a few older ones) because of the time investment involved.  6 hours for a game is definitely more up my alley.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 12 July, 2020, 06:21:42 PM
Rush Rover, Thunder Paw, and Super Destronaut Land Wars, which I lump together because they're all games from the same publisher that cost buttons to buy on PSN, and I got all the trophies after an hour or so of playing.
Ratalaika Games are infamous for cheap titles that will award you easy platinum trophies after a pretty short period of time, and while I can see that as a clever hook for gamers whose social media profiles are intertwined with their hobby, I feel it probably sells a lot of cheap and enjoyable games short, because these basic, pointless games are actually perfectly fine, mechanically speaking, and I thought Rush Rover especially felt like it was plumbing a retro vibe, replicating the feeling of old ZX Spectrum games where you just wandered around the map shooting radiantly-generated enemies and looking for pickups.  Super Destronaut Land Wars is great if you just want to wander a neon wireframe maze shooting bitmap enemies with your brain turned off - no goals to speak of, no leveling up, just walk and shoot forever because sometimes that's all you want from a game.

Quote from: NapalmKev on 12 July, 2020, 07:37:37 AMNBA 2K20 which can crack right on as I have little interest in Sportsgames and even less interest in Basketball!

I actually played this as "re search" - which is a thing you do when you want your hobby to stop being enjoyable - and it was utterly fucking baffling.  Not quite as impenetrable as that baseball videogame PSN gave away a while back, but I think I have a theory why the people buying yearly update editions of sports franchise videogames are a small and insular community.
I can't say I like sports games, but I did get along just fine with FIFA 2017 thanks to a combo of costing 2 pounds to buy and a very light RPG story mode.  The game actually gives you a trophy if your player is a massive prick in interviews, which is the kind of meta commentary that the constraints of the official license has sadly denied from the game's highly-sanitised storyline.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 12 July, 2020, 06:32:37 PM
I bought one of those 2K NBA games a few years back and could barely understand it. It had unskippable cut scenes IIRC. When I eventually got somewhere it wasn't very fun.

I went back to NBA Jam on the Megadrive.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 12 July, 2020, 07:33:19 PM
It was using game slang to describe what it wanted me to do, but also using slang to describe how it was done, so it just sounded like "apply some doffle to the gaffick to fargle the narf" and then rather than walk you through this process it immediately moved on to another playing tip like "wingdog from the outer joff zone to increase wobwob" and I just went "fuck this" and deleted the game data.
It was actually a tutorial that you could play while the game data was installing, so I ended up deleting the game before it had even installed.  These things cost millions of dollars to develop and make, you'd think at some point they'd show it to someone normal.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 13 July, 2020, 11:27:04 AM
Played through the recent DLC for Control, called The Foundation. An enjoyable chunk of content that opens up a new area in the house, a couple of new abilities and probably 3-5hrs of encounters to play through with them (depending how much of a completionist you are). I enjoyed it, the game has a wonderful aesthestic which I enjoyed revisiting, even if I don't love the navigation or checkpointing enough to really dig too deep beyond the critical path in that game. It pains me to say that because I'm a huge Remedy fan and have played all their previous games to 100% and aimed for all achievements etc. but the way this one is laid out just made that all too fiddly for that to seem fun.

Still, for something to blast through it's brilliant and the DLC was a good excuse to go back for some more.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 13 July, 2020, 03:36:16 PM
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2, Defiance

Soul reaver is a classic in my book. Finished it numerous times. Still a very unique experience with it's gameworld morphing between the live world and spiritual realm. Outside the block puzzles, it hard to believe it was a psx game. Well written with a fantastic voice performances. Especially the fallen vampire/zombie (and main character) Raziel.

Soul reaver 2 was a first for me. Propably a last as well. The story and voice performances are ace, but I didn't like the gameplay. Too big and empty enviroments, with too few save points all too far between (came close to drive me crazy trying to finish before bed time). The fighting feels cheap, easy and weightless. Was really hoping to like this game. I took comfort in really liking the story. The end twist especially. Pure brilliance. I might give it another chance in a couple if years.

Defiance was another first, and luckily had all and all okay  gameplay. The fighting is a bit repetive and easy , but has weight. Biggest hurdle is the camera. The worst I've battled (and I've played a fair share of ps1-2 era 3d platform games hehe). Luckily I got used to it, because as with Soul Reaver 2 the story and performances makes the frustration worth it, and luckily it wasn't as painful as the former game. The ending is also as good at it's. Especially for the big bad anti hero vampire tyrant Kain. .

Soul Reaver intro https://youtu.be/4DOKzTHaPfM
Soul Reaver 2 trailer https://youtu.be/D0crSCNXXss
Defiance trailer https://youtu.be/387hULWKC9E

I'm likely to give Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain a try sometime soon. Not having played that one  :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 13 July, 2020, 03:45:08 PM
Quote from: Apestrife on 13 July, 2020, 03:36:16 PM
Might give Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain a try someday. Perhaos Blood Omen 2 as well.

I have a lot of fond memories for that series, and I would definitely recommend playing Blood Omen 2 to expand upon the story, from Kain's POV.
If I recall, it was released quite close to Soul Reaver 2 and they complimented each other very well (both featuring the voice talents of the late, great René Auberjonois).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 13 July, 2020, 04:33:00 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 13 July, 2020, 03:45:08 PM
Quote from: Apestrife on 13 July, 2020, 03:36:16 PM
Might give Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain a try someday. Perhaos Blood Omen 2 as well.

I have a lot of fond memories for that series, and I would definitely recommend playing Blood Omen 2 to expand upon the story, from Kain's POV.
If I recall, it was released quite close to Soul Reaver 2 and they complimented each other very well (both featuring the voice talents of the late, great René Auberjonois).

I'll look for both during a steam or gog.com sale :)

Would be interesting to see Kain's beginnings. He became more and more interesting and many sided as the story went on.

Ive heard that BO2s gameplay is quite similar to SR1, especially when it comes to puzzle heavy boss fights.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 16 July, 2020, 05:12:22 PM
Had been playing the remastered version of Sleeping Dogs on and off and finished it this morning, I really liked it when it originally came out last gen and while some of it definitely feels a bit clunky and aged now it's still one of the better attempts at a GTA-style thing. The combat in particular feels pretty great when you're in full flow vaulting cover and getting those slo-mo headshots, plus the melee system is a decent enough stab at the Arkham style (albeit nowhere near as fluid as something like Mordor or Spider-Man then took it).

Seems like it's pretty overlooked (and the studio unfortunately doesn't exist anymore), but worth a play if you like that sort of thing, especially as it'll be dirt cheap no doubt.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 21 July, 2020, 03:13:13 PM
Quote from: Apestrife on 13 July, 2020, 03:36:16 PM
I'm likely to give Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain a try sometime soon. Not having played that one  :)

It's excellent.  My fave game of the series.  Being a top-down game that relied a bit on having good cutscenes that will now look very dated, it might be a bit tough to get into but it's such a good game.

Quote from: Keef Monkey on 16 July, 2020, 05:12:22 PM
Had been playing the remastered version of Sleeping Dogs on and off and finished it this morning, I really liked it when it originally came out last gen and while some of it definitely feels a bit clunky and aged now it's still one of the better attempts at a GTA-style thing. The combat in particular feels pretty great when you're in full flow vaulting cover and getting those slo-mo headshots, plus the melee system is a decent enough stab at the Arkham style (albeit nowhere near as fluid as something like Mordor or Spider-Man then took it).

Seems like it's pretty overlooked (and the studio unfortunately doesn't exist anymore), but worth a play if you like that sort of thing, especially as it'll be dirt cheap no doubt.

The story missions in the game are excellent.  I really liked the wedding bit.

Currently playing through some Darius arcade game compilations, a twin-stick shooter called #funtime (a cheap and cheerful Geometry Wars clone that's pretty good) and god help me I rediscovered 2048, the most addictive puzzle game (is it a puzzle game?) of all time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dandontdare on 21 July, 2020, 03:29:30 PM
Quote from: repoman on 21 July, 2020, 03:13:13 PMgod help me I rediscovered 2048, the most addictive puzzle game (is it a puzzle game?) of all time.

I like a good addictive puzzler, so I'm currently downloading this on my phone to give it a try. Hopefully, I won't sink as many hours into it as I did with Ballz or Rise of Empires!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dandontdare on 21 July, 2020, 05:54:29 PM
oh you bastard

very little has gotten done since my last post, except me shouting things at my phone like "I need another 16" and "no, not that way you fool!"
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 24 July, 2020, 05:07:24 PM
Treated myself to an Oculus Quest (this lockdown has meant no pubs, no holiday, no conventions, no festivals, no concerts, no weekends away etc etc so I was able to stomach the price) and played the first chapter of Vader Immortal.

Fuck me, it's good.

Sooo goood.

There is nothing more threatening then having the dark lord of the Sith march right up to you, and lean over you and have James Earl Jones (or a bloody good impersonator) give you a good, hard, intimidation. At one point I had the [spoiler]tip of Vader's lightsaber in my face, and I flinched backwards because I thought it would take off my [/spoiler] nose.

Jesus H Christ, it was impressive. The game as a whole was more of a kind of interactive experience rather than anything with deep gameplay - Walk here, pull that, use this tool etc etc - but the lightsaber combat was so much fun, very satisfying, and just felt pure STAR WARS, know what I mean?

Definitely inhabiting that universe - very well done indeed.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 24 July, 2020, 05:39:33 PM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 21 July, 2020, 05:54:29 PM
oh you bastard

very little has gotten done since my last post, except me shouting things at my phone like "I need another 16" and "no, not that way you fool!"

it is ruinous!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 25 July, 2020, 02:22:29 PM
Carrion on Switch. I saw a review of this and quickly reached for my wallet. A brilliant metroidvania explorathon where you take the role of a disgusting flesh beast, squeezing its way around a military complex eating everyone you find. Great looking, great feeling, but the lack of map is annoying. Stil highly recommended.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 27 July, 2020, 10:34:30 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 25 July, 2020, 02:22:29 PM
Carrion on Switch. I saw a review of this and quickly reached for my wallet. A brilliant metroidvania explorathon where you take the role of a disgusting flesh beast, squeezing its way around a military complex eating everyone you find. Great looking, great feeling, but the lack of map is annoying. Stil highly recommended.

I really like the look of this, spotted it on Game Pass and was looking forward to giving it a go so good to hear it's decent.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 27 July, 2020, 12:19:38 PM
I have found myself playing Tekken Tag Tournament 2 over the weekend.  I'm mainly playing it so I can unlock and buy the customisation items so I can dress up the characters.  Although I think iirc there is better customisation in Tekken 6.  I'll have to look.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 08 August, 2020, 12:23:03 AM
Carrion on Game Pass, loved it! My brother described as 'what if someone had made a game for the Amiga where you play as The Thing' and that turned out to be pretty accurate. You control an amorphous meaty blob of tendrils that can increase and shed mass and there's a lot of puzzling focussed on switching size to use different abilities to deal with different situations. You evolve and unlock different powers as it goes on and can eventually control humans and all sorts and The Thing comparisons get even more apt.

The puzzling is decent and even when there isn't a puzzle to solve it just feels great to tear through rooms absorbing the lab staff and freaking them out. I can't really think of another 'reverse horror' game where you play as the monster like this, and controlling it could have been incredibly unwieldy but they've really nailed the game feel of moving that big meat lump around.

I did get lost a couple of times because it allows backtracking to old levels Metroidvania-style but isn't always clear enough about where the path forwards is (I had to check a YouTube video once just to find where to go after the last main level because I couldn't figure out how to then finish the game) but that's a small gripe in a game that I largely loved for its 5hrs or so.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 08 August, 2020, 03:59:20 PM
I'm loving Carrion but the lack of a map is frankly p***ing me off.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 18 August, 2020, 03:56:47 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 08 August, 2020, 12:23:03 AM
Carrion on Game Pass, loved it! My brother described as 'what if someone had made a game for the Amiga where you play as The Thing' and that turned out to be pretty accurate. You control an amorphous meaty blob of tendrils that can increase and shed mass and there's a lot of puzzling focussed on switching size to use different abilities to deal with different situations. You evolve and unlock different powers as it goes on and can eventually control humans and all sorts and The Thing comparisons get even more apt.

Sold.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Radbacker on 19 August, 2020, 07:15:17 AM
Total War Troy

Well at least it was free, I really liked 3 Kingdoms and have an absolute obsession with the Total War Warhammer games(over 1000 hours on WH2) but this one just seems pretty meh.  I've only put a few hours into it so far so I might find myself enjoying it more iirc I found 3 Kingdoms pretty average to begin with but ended up enjoying it quite a bit but I really do like the whole War of 3 Kingdoms era and have never really been into the Iliad era stuff.  I'm also a bit disappointed you don't have the option to run a mythological campaign where your legendary units (centours, Giants and Minotaurs) are actual monsters rather than just guys dressed up, it shouldn't have been that hard for them to offer two ways of playing the campaign like they did with 3 Kindoms (historical where your generals are just generals and you troops tire realistically and then Romance mode where you generals are absolute beasts who can take on whole units by themselves and your troops can run more without getting fatigued as easily).
Like all Total War games it is gorgeous to look at and sounds spectacular.
Roll on Warhammer 3 please

CU Radbacker 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 19 August, 2020, 01:15:46 PM
I've been trying out Legends of Runeterra, Riot Games Digital Card Game (or whatever they call them).  I'm still in the grind to unlock the basics stage.  I've got a feeling that this game might be even more predatory towards getting me to dump stupid amounts of money to even get close to the stage of having fun.  I'll give it a chance until it pisses me off.  There's no way I'm dumping money on a Free to Play game anyway.

I don't think it is quite as intuitive as Hearthstone, but I prefer some of the mechanics.  It occupies more of the ground in between Hearthstone and MTG.  I do prefer MTG.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 19 August, 2020, 01:51:02 PM
I've got TLOU2 ready to go but I've got a mental block around actually starting it.  Like I know it'll rob three whole days of my life because it is so long.

Recently played;

UFC4 - more of the same really but good.
Zero Strain - enjoyable but messy top down shooter that should be twin-stick but isn't.
West of Dead - twin-stick shooter with the pace of a strategy game.  Too bugged.
Lost Wing - reasonably good into-the-screen endless runner thing (with no running, not endless either).  A dodge 'em up basically.
#Funtime - a fun twin-sticker but not up there with Geometry Wars 3.  Good though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 19 August, 2020, 01:51:53 PM
Oh... and I reinstalled Red Alert 2 on my PC.  Fired up a skirmish against three medium enemies and it was a grand old time.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 23 August, 2020, 08:56:56 AM
I have continued playing Legends of Runeterra and I have found the grind.  There doesn't appear to be any skill matching in the game so, when I play against other people, I come across a brick wall of superior cards - either because they have been playing longer or have dumped money on them.  It doesn't leave many gameplay options open to me and it is starting to piss me off now.

It is a shame.  Like Hearthstone, it has solid gameplay and I do like playing CCG.  Actually, I like making decks and trying them out.  But if I am going to pay money for a CCG then I want physical cards.  Dropping that kind of money on something ethereal and unsubstantive leaves a sour taste in my mouth. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Woolly on 23 August, 2020, 10:58:58 AM
If you haven't already done so, I'd give Gwent a go. It's free to play, and alot of fun.
Almost the same as it is in the Witcher 3, but with more card types  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 23 August, 2020, 12:09:06 PM
Thanks for the recommend, I'll have a look at it :)

I have never played any of the Witcher games, so I don't know what to expect ;)

Quote from: Woolly on 23 August, 2020, 10:58:58 AM
If you haven't already done so, I'd give Gwent a go. It's free to play, and alot of fun.
Almost the same as it is in the Witcher 3, but with more card types  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Doctor Alt 8 on 25 August, 2020, 06:23:13 PM
Quote from: Smith on 16 September, 2018, 02:24:12 PM
Finished Dragon Age Origins + Awakening.Good stuff.

That was the first computer game I ever completed. I have  huge soft spot for the series. Its a great game.... And there is going to be a Dragon Age 4...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 26 August, 2020, 09:58:38 AM
Finished Astral Chain on Switch last night. Really like it's "demon on a chain" gameplay mechanic. Impressed by how well it controls. Alot of times it really felt like "anime: the game". Only flaw I can think of would be the end boss not being very epic. Otherwise probably my favorite game by Platinum games actually! :)

Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrSxuUrUhrQ
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Colin YNWA on 02 September, 2020, 07:56:06 PM
Very much enjoying Warlock of Firetop Mountain on the ol' Switch its such fun. Nice simple combat system and very well designed so that the repeated play through this type of thing demands are never a chore. I see that other games from the series have been released, but not for the Switch - but damn do I want them.

Its also got me hackering after Talisman - based on the old Games Workshop board game. As soon as that has a decent mark down I'm so there. Will someone make Blood Bowl next please.

Oh and we finally relented got an online account and Fortnite for the boy child ... oh ... its not fun ... and I will not be playing it ... no sir I have a back log of games to get through... so will... not ... be .... playing .... that....
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 03 September, 2020, 09:21:58 AM
Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning - a PS4 remaster of the best RPG ever made.  It's basically Skyrim but with infinitely better combat and some colourful, varied locations.  Suffers a bit from being an RPG in that there's LOTS of side quests and it all gets a bit samey but that's the genre.  Still plays fantastically though.

Remnant from the Ashes - it's basically Destiny but in a much more drab world.  Occasionally looks like Fallout or Resi 5.  Quite enjoyable in co-op but would be pretty tedious played solo.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 06 September, 2020, 09:40:30 AM
Finished off Rogue Trooper Redux in the early hours after getting sucked back in this week. I've lost track of how many systems I've bought RT for and how many times I've played through it, but I always enjoy another trip to Nu Earth. The remaster isn't particularly extensive so it'd probably feel dated to someone coming to it for the first time, but as a 2000AD fan it still holds up for me. They did such a good job of capturing the comics and it's easily for me the best toothy game we've ever had. Find myself humming the theme tune often.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Trooper McFad on 06 September, 2020, 11:53:20 AM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 06 September, 2020, 09:40:30 AM
Finished off Rogue Trooper Redux in the early hours after getting sucked back in this week. I've lost track of how many systems I've bought RT for and how many times I've played through it, but I always enjoy another trip to Nu Earth. The remaster isn't particularly extensive so it'd probably feel dated to someone coming to it for the first time, but as a 2000AD fan it still holds up for me. They did such a good job of capturing the comics and it's easily for me the best toothy game we've ever had. Find myself humming the theme tune often.

Not a played this in a good while- might be my next game to play once I'm finished Sniper Elite 4.
I agree how good this is for a toothy fan - an ABC game of similar feeling would be good for the fanboys
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 06 September, 2020, 03:27:24 PM
Days Gone

Started it this morning. Any good?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 06 September, 2020, 08:14:58 PM
It gets brilliant but it takes 20-30 hours to get there.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 06 September, 2020, 10:34:02 PM
Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4.  Great-looking open-world actioner which could have leaned a bit harder into the RPG trappings IMO, but it was as pleasant a surprise to see a version of Spidey/Parker that isn't a bit of a prick as it was to see a version of MJ that isn't a massive-tittied appendage to Parker/Spidey's story.  The undemanding stealth-em-up sections were a nice break from the rest of the game's button-mashing, and while the story crams a bit too much lore in, its general direction seems to be the direct counterpart of fellow Sony-exclusive The Last Of Us and it all comes together well in the end.
If I have one complaint, it's that - as with all the other Spidey games since the PS1 era - precise web-slinging is almost impossible, thus rendering some of the challenge minigames little more than a crapshoot rather than a test of skill.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 07 September, 2020, 02:18:50 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 06 September, 2020, 10:34:02 PM
Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4. 

Dipping back into this with a recent purchase of the complete DLC pack, and it's amazing how easy it was to get back into the swing of things (ahem).
I think the Screwball Challenges are going to be an absolute head wrecker to complete for a full trophy list though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 07 September, 2020, 02:52:25 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 07 September, 2020, 02:18:50 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 06 September, 2020, 10:34:02 PM
Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4. 

Dipping back into this with a recent purchase of the complete DLC pack, and it's amazing how easy it was to get back into the swing of things (ahem).
I think the Screwball Challenges are going to be an absolute head wrecker to complete for a full trophy list though.

I really enjoyed this. My one beef is that you can't as frequently use webs in combat (eg swinging off the roof to kick) as I would have liked.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 07 September, 2020, 04:27:59 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 07 September, 2020, 02:18:50 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 06 September, 2020, 10:34:02 PM
Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4. 

Dipping back into this with a recent purchase of the complete DLC pack, and it's amazing how easy it was to get back into the swing of things (ahem).
I think the Screwball Challenges are going to be an absolute head wrecker to complete for a full trophy list though.


I had to use the DLC challenges to get the Platinum. The combat ones are fairly easy but some of the others are a pain in the arse. Great game, though.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 07 September, 2020, 06:10:52 PM
I have finally uninstalled Runeterra after it became clear I was not having a rewarding experience in the least.

I downloaded Gwent onto my tablet and it took five minutes before I realised I would have no joy with it.  It looks way too involved for my purposes, the tutorial was vague and it just looked really ugly.

Apparently there is a capcom card game I could try out.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 08 September, 2020, 10:07:49 AM
I enjoyed Spider-Man (in fact I've enjoyed most Spider-Man games I've played -  they character translates well to games) but the thing I didn't like was the combat against faceless goons.
Spidey should be able to one-punch these goons. I find it frustrating to be foiled by a normal bloke with a riot shield when Spidey should be able to punch the guy halfway across Manhattan. I'd have liked to have seen more focus on minor super villains for combat or possibly time limits or style points for taking out average bank robbers and gangsters.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 08 September, 2020, 11:03:04 AM
I tried Teppen, the Capcom CCG.  It has an interesting mechanic, but I ended up not being impressed.  Like with Gwent, it comes across as requiring me to put more effort into learning the nuances than I'm willing to invest.  I don't think I'm going to find a FTP game for a tablet that I'm going to enjoy just because the scummy business model part of it will always impede any enjoyment I may have.  Teppen also had very upfront monetisation that turned my stomach a little.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Woolly on 08 September, 2020, 05:27:39 PM
Currently installing the Avengers game, because I just can't be trusted with a credit card.
Pray for me...  ;)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Woolly on 08 September, 2020, 05:30:39 PM
Also just started the Resident Evil remake on PC, and it's just glorious. I'd love an over-the-shoulder full-on-3D version, but still - what a game! Think I'll do Resi 7 again after this  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 08 September, 2020, 06:12:13 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 07 September, 2020, 02:52:25 PMI really enjoyed this. My one beef is that you can't as frequently use webs in combat (eg swinging off the roof to kick) as I would have liked.

I think the problem there was that a lot of the web attacks weren't mapped to the actual web attack button, IE: you did the swing kick by holding down the melee button in mid-air, most web attacks were accessed through the gadgets, and the web zip has to be upgraded via the skill tree to be of any noticeable use in combat.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Keef Monkey on 09 September, 2020, 11:16:49 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 07 September, 2020, 02:18:50 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 06 September, 2020, 10:34:02 PM
Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4. 

Dipping back into this with a recent purchase of the complete DLC pack, and it's amazing how easy it was to get back into the swing of things (ahem).
I think the Screwball Challenges are going to be an absolute head wrecker to complete for a full trophy list though.

I really took my time with that game and was on a mission to do absolutely everything available before progressing story missions, the Screwball Challenges were the point where I gave up on that though! I just wasn't having fun retrying them so had to move on for the sake of the game. Sometimes think about going back though, feel like I need closure.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 09 September, 2020, 04:16:37 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 09 September, 2020, 11:16:49 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 07 September, 2020, 02:18:50 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 06 September, 2020, 10:34:02 PM
Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4. 

Dipping back into this with a recent purchase of the complete DLC pack, and it's amazing how easy it was to get back into the swing of things (ahem).
I think the Screwball Challenges are going to be an absolute head wrecker to complete for a full trophy list though.

I really took my time with that game and was on a mission to do absolutely everything available before progressing story missions, the Screwball Challenges were the point where I gave up on that though! I just wasn't having fun retrying them so had to move on for the sake of the game.

Exactly the same for me.
I just couldn't bring myself to load up Turf Wars without finishing the first set of Screwball Challenges.
But you're right - for the sake of the game (and it is truly an excellent game) I need to drop it and continue.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 21 September, 2020, 12:10:54 PM
Tony Hawk 1&2 Remaster.

Everyone is losing their minds over it but I'm a little disappointed and I say that as someone who considers the original three games to all be ten out of tens.

It does the basic things well.  The games are pretty much in tact and the visuals look good.  But beyond that I'm disappointed.  The main issues are that when you beat the game with one skater, it's beaten for all of them.  So there's no reason to replay the whole campaign.

Instead they've added hundreds of challenges which add a load of not as fun stuff such as specific gaps and some really high scores. 

I beat the game in a day and then started on those challenges but after completing all the gaps in level 1, I really didn't fancy it for the other stages.  And the 'platinum scores' are ridiculous.  Getting 750k on Mall was no fun but 1.6m on the first competition park is joyless.  I could do it if my life depended on it but in terms of fun there's no reason at all.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Barrington Boots on 25 September, 2020, 10:34:56 AM
Pathfinder: Kingmaker on the Xbox One.

I know this has been out for ages on the PC bit I spend all day on a PC and so tend to avoid it like the plague in my free time. The Xbox port is really nice, although the save / load times are a bit long. Thankfully the game isn't as nasty as Baldurs Gate where you literally need to save every 2 minutes or so.
I'm a veteran of 1st edition PF on the tabletop and it's captured the game mechanics well, and it looks and sounds brilliant to boot. Looks like Syrinscape were involved in the audio which is pleasing as I've a lot of time for their stuff for tabletop RPG-ing too.

I'm only about 7 hours into the plot atm so ask me again when I've done 300 hours plus, but loving it so far.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 25 September, 2020, 10:57:08 AM
I picked up an anticipated copy of Super Mario 3D All-Stars for the Switch this week.

Of course it's great - Super Mario 64 is in my all time top 10 (the only surviving memory of Dec '97 / Jan '98) and Super Mario Galaxy is a 10/10 experience too.

I recall really enjoying Super Mario Sunshine, but between me, you and Super Nintendo Chalmers I will admit that I never completed in 100%. Naturally it's my first port of call after 18 years.

+ The cartridge includes soundtracks for all 3 games.
- Wouldn't have killed them to include Super Mario Galaxy 2




Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: JamesC on 25 September, 2020, 12:04:35 PM
I've just started playing Metroid Fusion for the first time. I'm playing it through the GameBoy Player on my lovely old Philips CRT TV. When I turned it on it absolutely blew me away. The presentation is beautiful and it looks and sounds incredible on the big telly.
Surprisingly, I'd never even seen this game running before. I'm a fan of Super Metroid and enjoyed the first Metroid Prime but other than that the series has remained on the periphery for me for some reason.
I really love the way they've designed this one for the handheld - making it playable in short chunks and relying less on (sometimes quite time-consuming)exploration. I'm not too far into it but I'm enjoying it so much that I've ordered a copy of Zero Mission as a follow up.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 28 September, 2020, 11:02:10 AM
Quote from: JamesC on 25 September, 2020, 12:04:35 PM
I've just started playing Metroid Fusion for the first time. I'm playing it through the GameBoy Player on my lovely old Philips CRT TV. When I turned it on it absolutely blew me away. The presentation is beautiful and it looks and sounds incredible on the big telly.


Haven't played it since the GBA days, but agree that Metroid Fusion was an underrated masterpiece.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 28 September, 2020, 01:52:12 PM
Metroid Fusion was my first experience of 2D Metroid. I loved every second of it!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 30 September, 2020, 05:59:02 PM
HALO: The Master Chief Collection on PC

I got this with Steam vouchers at Christmas, when only Reach was available. Since then they have been regularly releasing all the games in chronological order, and we're at ODST now. Those two games I mentioned, I hadn't played before, so I thought they'd make good bookends to my thoughts on the series as a whole.

Reach has its ups and downs, but overall I enjoyed it. The bits I didn't enjoy was the gaming leaning into spectacle over fun. There's a bit with a space fighter battle, my enthusiasm for which waned after just a minute or two. I play Halo to get up in the faces of freaky alien weirdos with my death cannon, not spray lazers in the vague direction of  distant HUD highlighted dots. The rest is mostly fun old fashioned running and gunning. The elites were tougher then they had been in Halo 3&4, but the brutes must've been to anger management or something.

Halo: Combat Evolved
Not much to say that wouldn't be redundant after almost two decades. Shooty fun, a bit too much back-tracking and a welcome left turn into survival horror in the middle.

Halo 2 is hard as balls. There are bits that require some good luck and this game is usually quite unfair.

It's my favourite.

Halo 3 is my least favourite. In fact I'd played it only once previously. When it came out, neither I nor my good friend (lets call him Steve, with whom I had finished co-op campaigns of the previous games on legendary) had an Xbox 360. We had been drinking since lunchtime the day after the midnight release. A third friend called at about 8pm and asked if we would like to come around to his gaff and help him finish the fight. Stumbling into his flat around 9pm, our noses were assaulted by the smell of the 5 gamers who had been banging their heads against this game on and off since the previous midnight. Stevie and I Roflstomped the whole game by 1am.

TLDR: Halo 3 was disappointingly easy.

It was clear the campaign had suffered for the newfangled online multiplayer. Given they had roughly a million users online constantly for a good long time, it was probably worth it for Microsoft and Bungie.

This is why Halo 3: ODST surprised me. It's a short game, just a DLC/expansion pack?. I think dense might be a better description. It starts off slowly, with levels that look more like something out of Quake:Arena than the actual futuristic city its supposed to be. It quickly ramps up though, and it's slightly more challenging than 3. This may be down to your character not being cybernetic super soldier Halo guy. I can see myself dipping into this one a lot, with its compact levels, to sate my hatred for freaky alien weirdos.

Just Halo 4 to be released to complete the collection now. This game kind of just slid off my brain. I have no lasting memories of this, probably because at the time I was living with 3 other lads in a haze of alcohol and drug smoke.

Thank you for listening to my TED talk.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: RocketMother on 04 October, 2020, 05:57:59 PM
Panel de Pon for the SNES emulator thingy on the Switch.

I never had a SNES growing up so I completely missed out on this puzzle gaming gem. For me it's more addictive than Tetris. Not something you want to pick up if you've got 5 mins to kill...my average play time is 30 mins a round. I play a few boards and there goes my entire afternoon... wicked fun though.

If you haven't tried it and you have a switch I suggest giving it a play (well if you like puzzle games anyway)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 05 October, 2020, 03:49:29 PM
I'll check that out.  I love Tetris-y games (but not Tetris, weirdly enough).

I'm still battering this Kingdoms of Amalur remake.  It's so good.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 05 October, 2020, 04:29:28 PM
Do we have a thread for PSVR games? Couldn't see one.

Anyway, Star Wars Squadrons - fun story mode, decent multiplayer, though it could use another couple of game modes and maps.

But my god, the VR is just AMAZING! I was really concerned it would make me motion sick, but no, it works brilliantly. It is so great to be sat in the cockpit of an XWing or TIE Fighter, and to be able to look around at controls you know so well from the films, and to be able to see 360 out of the cockpit windows - even lean over left and right to get a better view of the space combat!

The story mode has a such a great series of scenarios and settings, such as asteroid fields, Kessel Run style dangers, abandoned shipyards, all with a wide variety of ships and space stations. These look great on a decent TV but are utterly spectacular in 3D, once you've forgiven the usual PSVR shortcomings, such as the definition.

Fleet Battle is the key MP mode, which are sited in three areas, each providing different challenges re navigating about them. Facing a Star Destroyer is as epic as it sounds! It would really benefit from five people who know each other working as a squadron, each with a different class of ship, and each ship set up with particular custom equipment depending on play style. I personally favour a support ship that plants homing mines and autoturrets, 'cos I'm an old man whose twitch reflex is long gone. I can't shoot for shit.

So there's lots to see and do, it is spectacular in VR, and it is also just a hell of a lot of fun!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Krakajac on 06 October, 2020, 01:10:56 PM
In relation to playing Star Wars Squadrons in VR...are you playing on a plain ol' PS4 or a Pro?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 07 October, 2020, 12:11:55 AM
Quote from: Krakajac on 06 October, 2020, 01:10:56 PM
In relation to playing Star Wars Squadrons in VR...are you playing on a plain ol' PS4 or a Pro?

On a Pro. I'm not sure what the difference would be on PSVR on the old system - lower rez possibly?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Apestrife on 16 October, 2020, 07:49:05 PM
Managed to beat Donkey Kong Country 2 yesterday. Loved that game as a kid, at least the graphics and the soundtrack. I only played it now and then at friends houses, and never got far. Alot of times I just wanted to listen to the tunes, like for example this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQx91RR3Y8o

So finishing it. Felt like "Iron Crotch Kung Fu" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2c_-9kIjyU

It's a really hard game, and things doesn't become easier when you're constantly needed to make pixel perfect jumps over enemies which have far from pixel perfect hit boxes. Almost drove over the edge at times. Especially on levels you need to be speedy riding a parrot with the two monkies hanging from it's feet.

So while the gameplay wasn't my favorite (I much prefer DKC1 and the 2.5D games by Retro) I came to like how varied the game is. Almost every level comes up with something new (and often infuriating) gimmick or gameplay element.

If this sounds like an interesting game then it's out on the virtual console you get via the nintendo switch online. While I'd rather recommend DKC1 or Tropical Freeze I still think people should give it a try, if not just to experience the nice 2d graphics and lovely music.

Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXknTTEjLwQ

And here's one for tropical freeze (also a REALLY HARD game) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSxDAyit9ak
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 03 November, 2020, 10:01:06 AM
I ended up selling my PSVR a couple of weeks ago.  I just wasn't using it and I find it a little bit glitchy in terms of how it picks up movement, usually when the controller goes in front of your face.  The camera can't cope.  I enjoyed it at first and definitely got good usage out of it, but the games just aren't advancing enough for me.  I did play Squadrons but to me it played the same as End Space and that wasn't brilliant.

Anyway, I used the money for a Sonos Beam soundbar and honestly that's changed my gaming experience loads.  I've always been more of an indie gamer ever since Xbox Live Arcade but with a view to getting the soundbar tested out I ended up playing through Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered which was really enjoyable surprisingly.

Keeping the AAA thing going, I'm now playing through Battlefield: Hardline.  I'm not a Battlefield guy at all but this one's story is basically a corrupt cop story and is again quite enjoyable.  The stealth and the levels remind me of an old PC game called Project IGI.  The sound is incredible through this soundbar. 

On top of that I've played;

Galacide - a strange mix of 2D horizontally-scrolling shoot 'em up and match three puzzler.  It works very well though.  Quite short though.

Zombie Driver - a top down car game where you shoot your way through masses of zombies.  I was very pleased with this, especially as I got it free because of a glitch on PSN.  Is a bit samey but I was entertained all the way to the platinum trophy.

Neighbours: Back From Hell - a stealth/puzzle game where you have to inflict misery on your neighbour using traps.  A lot like Spy vs. Spy I guess but with just the one player.  Feels like an Amiga game.  Was good though, I was putting it off for ages but ended up finishing it.

Terra Bomber - a fairly hopeless Scramble clone with awful level design.

CrossKrush - cheapy puzzle game where you play as an old person trying to stop a motorway from ruining their house.  Cheap and decent but a bit too short and lacks replayability.  Doesn't incentivise going for the best scores.

Torchlight 3 - like all the Torchlight games, it plays like a less good Diablo.  Was okay in co-op but once I finished it I had no desire to try different classes or go for the trophies.

Street Racer Underground - a terrible car dodging game.  There was an Xbox Live Indie game called MotorHEAT which was amazing.  This is that but with all the good stuff taken out.  Very poorly done.  I think the dev hates me now too.

The Perfect Sniper - my last PSVR game.  A dirt cheap (in the PSN sale) sniping game which is quite nice and relaxed.  Sniping works well on PSVR, as evidenced by Arizona Sunshine.  This is like a less intense Silent Scope.  Trying to get my Aim controller to behave was a struggle though.










Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Rately on 03 November, 2020, 10:34:09 AM
Got a Beelink GT King box for streaming, and Plex, and by looks of it, it might be a decent Emulator. Looking forward to playing about and reliving my teen years.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 03 November, 2020, 11:01:45 PM
Just finished Doom Eternal on the Xbox, it's a long time since I've got so angry with a game! Turned the air blue the last few days... Terrible platforming bits in a first person shooter! Needless to say I won't be buying the dlc...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 04 November, 2020, 12:21:05 AM
I've been playing a shitload of stuff on the Oculus Quest 2 lately. It's a bit of a pain that my two favourite games need at least 2 square metres, so you can swing your arms about without fear of hitting anything. I've taken to playing in the garden at dusk (the Quest breaks in strong sunlight) as that's the only place I can wander about with the headset on and without tripping over sofas, coffee tables, partners etc.

Anyway, one is Holopoint, and the other is Until You Fall.

Holopoint - you're in a dojo with a bow. Holographic projections of squares and samurais pop up which you have to shoot quickly and then avoid the debris. It gets hard quickly, and has me ducking and lunging all over the place to both shoot and avoid projectiles. Great exercise, great fun!

Until You Fall - a hack and slash sword fighting game, extremely light in story, extremely deep in terms of dual weapon weilding, types of weapons, and mods you pick up as you play through. It has a decent variety of enemies, and great combat that has you swishing your arms about as as you block, slice, dice, and use magical sword power-ups. Very entertaining, and also burns calories!

The 3D in both of the above is used to superb effect, with no motion sickness whatsoever.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 04 November, 2020, 10:27:57 AM
I started playing Rogue Trooper on PS2 again, when I have an hour to spare.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 07 November, 2020, 02:30:58 AM
Quote from: pictsy on 04 November, 2020, 10:27:57 AM
I started playing Rogue Trooper on PS2 again, when I have an hour to spare.

Classic! I've played that so many times - on PS2, Xbox, PC, the remastered Wii version, and of course the remastered PS4 version. It never gets old!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 07 November, 2020, 11:51:47 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 07 November, 2020, 02:30:58 AM
Quote from: pictsy on 04 November, 2020, 10:27:57 AM
I started playing Rogue Trooper on PS2 again, when I have an hour to spare.

Classic! I've played that so many times - on PS2, Xbox, PC, the remastered Wii version, and of course the remastered PS4 version. It never gets old!

Yeah, I'm having fun.  It is a really good game.  The sniping mechanic is a lot of fun.  I can see why they went on to make Sniper Elite (which I've never played any of).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 07 November, 2020, 12:36:28 PM
I played Rogue Trooper in 3D on the PC, and it worked remarkably well, except for the sniping sections. I can't quite explain why, but I had to keep one eye closed when I was in sniping mode. Mind you, it added to the immersion I suppose!

The rest of the game was glorious in 3D, and I remember particularly enjoying the 3D when sneaking through the Nort naval base - lots of angles, enclosed spaces, long corridors, that kind of thing.

I don't think the game was designed to be used with NVidia 3D Vision, but was a relatively low-tech game, without many of the graphical whizz-bangs employed at the time which didn't automatically work with that 3D dual-image rendering software.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 15 November, 2020, 12:48:41 AM
Streets of Rage 4 is tremenjus fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 17 November, 2020, 03:02:24 PM
I'm about halfway through a play-through of The Sinking City, got it cheap on the Switch.

Difficult to recommend - it's repetitive, clunky and decidedly last gen, but there is something keeping me going. A kernel of a decent game with a better than average story-line.

If a weird mash-up of Silent Hill, Fallout 3, L.A. Noire and the works of HP Lovecraft sounds like it's your cuppa then you could do worse for a tenner.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Woolly on 17 November, 2020, 03:55:14 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 17 November, 2020, 03:02:24 PM
I'm about halfway through a play-through of The Sinking City, got it cheap on the Switch.

Difficult to recommend - it's repetitive, clunky and decidedly last gen, but there is something keeping me going. A kernel of a decent game with a better than average story-line.

If a weird mash-up of Silent Hill, Fallout 3, L.A. Noire and the works of HP Lovecraft sounds like it's your cuppa then you could do worse for a tenner.

Yeah, got this on PC.
I really want to love it, but it's just so clunky that I end up just playing something else.
I get the impression that the development was rushed in the end, so the team could get onto that new Holmes game they're working on.

That said, it's definately worth a tenner or less.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CalHab on 17 November, 2020, 04:16:08 PM
Quote from: pictsy on 07 November, 2020, 11:51:47 AM
Yeah, I'm having fun.  It is a really good game.  The sniping mechanic is a lot of fun.  I can see why they went on to make Sniper Elite (which I've never played any of).

The Sniper Elite games are good fun. Worth picking up, especially now they seem to be perpetually on sale.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 17 November, 2020, 04:30:23 PM
I finished Rogue Trooper.  The end kinda snuck up on me.   I found the end very anti-climatic with as well as being one of the worst levels in the game (alongside the rail shooter segments).  Otherwise I found it very solid.  It could have been followed up with sequel that could have eliminated some of the issues, but that's just a bunch of wouldacouldashoulda.

I am currently playing no games because nothing is taking my interest.  I'm reading more comics instead.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 18 November, 2020, 09:31:37 AM
It's been so long that I nearly forgot I backed it, but I finally got my PS4 download code for Visage from Kickstarter last night, and dipped into it for a few hours.

It's very, very good.
Plays like a more polished version of PT and Infliction with a sprinkling of Silent Hill 4 (all great in their own right) that will make even the most hardcore horror gamer squee a little bit.

The game is difficult enough (even warns you about that before it begins), but I managed to get through Dolores' chapter without a hitch. Though lemme tell ya - the Fitbit readings were far from normal.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 18 November, 2020, 02:15:21 PM
PT was an odd one.  I was absolutely cacking it and that one really big scare was very effective.  But after that nothing happened at all.  I was completely on edge but there were no more scares.

I'll take a look at Visage I think.

Currently reviewing a game called Unturned.  It's a zombie survival game with Minecraft style graphics.  It's sort of terrible and very pointless but has a massive following on PC.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 27 November, 2020, 06:45:32 PM
I am well-aware I was playing Star Wars Squadrons wrong by not using a PS4VR unit, but I've got along well enough with aerial combat games to date without one and I didn't foresee any problems here.  It's playable, but I think the static view and limited interaction beyond the shooty-shooty bits betray that it was designed for a different interface than the one I was using, though even then, it's hard to see what the thinking was behind some of the talky bits.
Combat is fine, but very old-school.  I don't see how a VR interface would improve it much beyond immersion, as a lot of issues for me concerned knowing what to shoot at, and when.  The use of the speed throttle isn't great, but this has long been an issue with flight combat games that try to go for arcade thrills.
It's still easy to play, though, and the reloading times are perfectly good, meaning it isn't such a drag to have to restart when you wipe out, so it doesn't feel like you have to avoid taking risks.  A perfectly entertaining game for 20 quid - available as part of TESCO's Black Friday deals, which include other games like Marvel's Avengers and Star Wars: Fallen Order.

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla - more of the same, but to be honest I have played the crap out of Origins, Odyssey, and a lot of Syndicate, and that's all, really.  Valhalla seems very similar to those, and that is fine with me.  It retains the scaled enemy level system, because Ubisoft has XP boosters to sell you, but joke's on them because it means I get more play time out of the game.
I don't really like the main character that much, but I liked that you get to play a prologue and the activities you engage in decide whether you have prominently male or female characteristics if you "let the Animus decide" your gender - likely problematic for various reasons, but come on: it's a game, it can handle binaries, but the rest is still entirely up to yourself.  Also, I think you can change genders during the game anyway.  I could happily never have to play another second as Layla Hassan, though.  I find the future/present bits in these games really dull.
Like I say, it's more of the same and I am perfectly happy with that.  Fair warning that there seem to be a lot of technical glitches that haven't been patched out yet.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 29 November, 2020, 02:38:14 PM
I have started playing Open Imperium Galactica.  It's like Imperium Galactica but better.  The people working on this have cracked the game wide open to allow for customisable fun.  I really love IG and it's nice to be able to get it for free and for Linux.  It's turning out to be a great companion game for Babylon 5 which I am in the midst of rewatching.

It really does make me long for the 4x game that is like this but a whole lot more.  Still, I can play a version of the game that can get me somewhat there, so I'm happy.  A little too happy.  I have had to start putting a timer on so I don't get too involved.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 29 November, 2020, 05:14:52 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 27 November, 2020, 06:45:32 PM
I am well-aware I was playing Star Wars Squadrons wrong by not using a PS4VR unit, but I've got along well enough with aerial combat games to date without one and I didn't foresee any problems here.  It's playable, but I think the static view and limited interaction beyond the shooty-shooty bits betray that it was designed for a different interface than the one I was using, though even then, it's hard to see what the thinking was behind some of the talky bits.
Combat is fine, but very old-school.  I don't see how a VR interface would improve it much beyond immersion, as a lot of issues for me concerned knowing what to shoot at, and when.  The use of the speed throttle isn't great, but this has long been an issue with flight combat games that try to go for arcade thrills.
It's still easy to play, though, and the reloading times are perfectly good, meaning it isn't such a drag to have to restart when you wipe out, so it doesn't feel like you have to avoid taking risks.  A perfectly entertaining game for 20 quid - available as part of TESCO's Black Friday deals, which include other games like Marvel's Avengers and Star Wars: Fallen Order.

Glad you got some enjoyment out of it at least! There's a trade-off between 2D and VR, and neither is truly the winner. In 2D the graphics are better, as the processor only has to worry about rendering one bunch of things, instead of two bunches of things at slightly different angles. However, despite the visuals looking so damn good, you can only see straight in front of you. That's not too bad in a TIE, that has a limited field of vision anyway, but in an XWing it is a royal pain.

So in VR, the graphical fidelity takes a hit. However, when you are sat in that XWing cockpit and you're trying to figure out where the Raider or TIE or Star Destroyer is, you can just look out the window, forward, left, right, above etc! In VR I only use the radar to get a rough sense of direction, because otherwise I can just turn my head and see where I want to steer the ship. Plus, you do get a feel for actually being sat in an XWing cockpit!! It's a blast!!

I'm hugely biased as I love OT Star Wars, plus I've been a lifelong advocate of anything 3D and/or VR. So this game really floats my boat, even though some of the game mechanics might be a bit crude.  I can see why the 2D version doesn't appeal, and I am glad this game wasn't full priced from the outset, as once the story is done you can either dogfight or do fleet battles, and for the moment that is it.

If you get the opportunity to play it in VR let me know what you think.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Funt Solo on 04 December, 2020, 06:53:01 PM
Elite: Dangerous

First few minutes: I'm out of control - spinning - always spinning - I feel sick - oh my god, how do you fly a spaceship!

First few hours: tutorials in-game, tutorials ex-game - can now fly level - understand combat speed

First few days: each five minutes of play requires about an hour of ex-game study - three levels of speed (actually four or five if you go in-atmos) - I flew into a sun and now I'm burning! - don't scan the way-point, scan the object!

Week 02: scanning systems, doing missions, playing the game. There's a whole galaxy to explore! (And, still, ex-game resources are vital.)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 05 December, 2020, 09:45:12 AM
I stopped playing OpenIG.  The settings I chose were not optimal for a fun game (wasn't expecting to get it right first time).  Apparently trying to murder ball oneself to victory is a tedious and mind numbing task.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 05 December, 2020, 11:37:21 AM
Quote from: Funt Solo on 04 December, 2020, 06:53:01 PM
Elite: Dangerous

First few minutes: I'm out of control - spinning - always spinning - I feel sick - oh my god, how do you fly a spaceship!

First few hours: tutorials in-game, tutorials ex-game - can now fly level - understand combat speed

First few days: each five minutes of play requires about an hour of ex-game study - three levels of speed (actually four or five if you go in-atmos) - I flew into a sun and now I'm burning! - don't scan the way-point, scan the object!

Week 02: scanning systems, doing missions, playing the game. There's a whole galaxy to explore! (And, still, ex-game resources are vital.)

It's great, eh? 😄

I had to stop playing it in the end, because it's a massive time sink, and my partner (usually quite happy to watch me play games while she plays with her phone) was incredibly bored.

I was all like "OMG, a pulsar!" and she was *YAWN*.  I was all like "OMG I've just scanned three Earth-like planets in as many hours - I'm going to clean up at the next space station!" and she was like *SOOO BOORED*.

The lack of any kind of narrative and just bumming around space blasting pirates, mining asteroids, going into uncharted areas, and rolling around on rocks looking for moon bases apparently is not much fun for the passive observer. 😆
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 05 December, 2020, 01:56:35 PM
Currently playing that Miles Morales Spidey game on PS5.  It's the best looking game I've ever played and I love the gameplay, especially the combat and stealth.  It's shorter than the previous game too which is a good thing.  I'm of the mind that games should never be longer than four hours long unless every hour is completely unique.

Also playing Tesla Force which is just a fantastic shoot 'em up with great upgrading mechanics.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 28 December, 2020, 08:29:24 PM
Face Noir

A point-n-click mystery game from an Italian indie studio. True to the noir roots, you're a burnt-out, alcoholic, deeply cynical detective who is determined to solve the mystery of a dead man, whom he had a close relationship in the past (close, but not quite bright). The story is well told, interesting to follow, and includes typical themes associated with the genre; corruption that reaches high levels, mistrust, shady characters, numerous plot twists, secret societies, stereotypical characters (funny Chinaman, greedy Russian), etc. Near the end of the game, the story delves into the supernatural, but it still feels cool. I like the idea of solving the case based on a dream you had (something which amused me in Batman Broken City). The atmospherics are pretty good, but unfortunately, the graphics are lackluster (and are lagging behind at least five years from when the game was released (2013). However, this is the least flaw you'll encounter in the game.  Several puzzles are frustrating to solve, requiring you to think like a real detective, with than average IQ. The nature of the puzzles is sometimes pretty unfair (for example, one requires to observe a string of symbols carved onto a totem pole; however, due to the camera being on some considerable distance, in addition to mediocre graphics, you need to stretch your eyes wide as you possibly can). Also, the interaction system is basically broken as it often requires you to click on every object in the background or using every item in your inventory on a designated object, which happens more often than not and is the solution that works when you ponder what next (as the game doesn't really give you hints what to do or where to go). Also, the game is pretty linear and straightforward and often forces you to visit locations you visited before and talk with characters you already talked with. The game ends on a cliffhanger note, promising a sequel, but due to the developer going bust, so...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 28 December, 2020, 08:54:41 PM
Quote from: repoman on 05 December, 2020, 01:56:35 PM
Currently playing that Miles Morales Spidey game on PS5.  It's the best looking game I've ever played and I love the gameplay, especially the combat and stealth.  It's shorter than the previous game too which is a good thing.  I'm of the mind that games should never be longer than four hours long unless every hour is completely unique.

Also playing Tesla Force which is just a fantastic shoot 'em up with great upgrading mechanics.

Liar. There's no such thing as a PS5.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 29 December, 2020, 04:27:08 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 28 December, 2020, 08:54:41 PM


Liar. There's no such thing as a PS5.

There is. Has been released worldwide (except China and India) previous month. I didn't know either, until I found out recently.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 06 February, 2021, 06:53:57 PM
Mortal Kombat 11

Stupid controversy aside over lack of sex appeal, this is another MK gem. Okay, micromanagement system is a bit messed up, but gameplay is good ol MK, and you get to play as Spawn, Terminator, Robocop or Joker. What more can you ask? I never have been much of MK fan, but now I think I'll like it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 06 February, 2021, 07:16:01 PM
In one sentence you say it lacks sex appeal, but in the next you say it has Robocop in it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 06 February, 2021, 09:22:57 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 06 February, 2021, 07:16:01 PM
In one sentence you say it lacks sex appeal, but in the next you say it has Robocop in it.

I don't fetishize over Robocop.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 06 February, 2021, 11:28:07 PM
Me neither, but I don't make the rules.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 06 February, 2021, 11:48:46 PM
Quote from: milstar on 29 December, 2020, 04:27:08 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 28 December, 2020, 08:54:41 PM


Liar. There's no such thing as a PS5.

There is. Has been released worldwide (except China and India) previous month. I didn't know either, until I found out recently.

If you say there's such a thing... go buy one.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 07 February, 2021, 12:21:19 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 06 February, 2021, 11:48:46 PM
Quote from: milstar on 29 December, 2020, 04:27:08 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 28 December, 2020, 08:54:41 PM


Liar. There's no such thing as a PS5.

There is. Has been released worldwide (except China and India) previous month. I didn't know either, until I found out recently.

If you say there's such a thing... go buy one.

Hm... No, my PC is just fine.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Darren Stephens on 07 February, 2021, 06:25:42 PM
Fenyx Rising, on Nintendo Switch. Great game, seems to have gone under the radar for most folks.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 February, 2021, 08:49:27 AM
Horace

On the Switch. Bought it for the princely sum of £1.09 in a sale. I've done the first two chapters and so far it's like an interactive novel rather than a game. If it would just let me play!

However, from reviews, I gather it changes after that first hour [spoiler]when your robot character is re-activated after a war[/spoiler], so I will stick with it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Colin YNWA on 08 February, 2021, 09:30:36 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 February, 2021, 08:49:27 AM
Horace

On the Switch. Bought it for the princely sum of £1.09 in a sale. I've done the first two chapters and so far it's like an interactive novel rather than a game. If it would just let me play!

However, from reviews, I gather it changes after that first hour [spoiler]when your robot character is re-activated after a war[/spoiler], so I will stick with it.

I imagine its changes again when he gets hungry, then again when he goes sking and finally when those pesky spiders show up...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 08 February, 2021, 04:34:09 PM
The guy who actually owns the copyright to Horace (the ZX Spectrum games/character) is a massive cnoot, so I am quite happy he got his brand name sniped.

Drunken Fist - beat-em-up where you play a homeless veteran wandering the streets trying to find booze and food, and you lose if you sober up or piss your pants, so the game is about finding a zen-like balance between drinking the contents of half-empty beer bottles you find laying around and pissing in the street while finding other drunks to fight with.  Most brawls are just both of you moving in slow motion trying hit each other without missing, and the game utilises tank controls and momentum so if you walk forwards a few steps your character starts tumbling forwards until he falls over, unless you pull backwards - at which point he starts tumbling backwards until he falls over.
Irresponsible?  Yes.  Fun?  Also yes.
Takes about an hour to clean up the entire trophy list, though, so if you're a Platinum addict, this might be your next stop after you've finished with the latest 99p Ratalaika offering.

Crossout - free-to-play post-apocalyptic vehicle combat game.  Used to be based entirely around arena multiplayer battles, but at some point added an "adventure" mode where you can free-roam a pretty large area looking for stuff to do (the only noticeable region-specific task I've seen so far is tracking down and destroying hidden cameras), and you can encounter other players who will hopefully help you with the radiant fetch quests, boss fights or really tough convoy ambushes that pop up every few minutes.
It's incredibly stingy with XP and resources, because obviously they don't give you a free game out of the kindness of their hearts - not yet anyway, comrades - and want you to buy stuff off the marketplace, but if, like me, you actually like just driving around in Mad Max times while listening to the radio or podcasts, the grind is actually a big part of the charm - if you've less patience, though, there always online multiplayer fights and the game's own virtual market where you can sell resources and salvaged parts for in-game currency.
It's obviously a pretty stripped-down affair, but it reminds me of the Mad Max game from a few years back.

AdVenture Capitalist - pointless click-click game ported from Android and IOS for some reason.  Dreadful - it's just a matter of clicking buttons and watching numbers go up - but I mention it because it fails at capitalism by being free to play.  Has a trophy list if you fancy some easy cheevos.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 09 February, 2021, 08:02:12 PM
In the pause of MK11 sessions, I started to play two games, all different by genre, gameplay, and setting.

Spintires

I played Mudrunner previously, so I went for the original game now. I would rather perhaps try Snowrunner, but that'd be after I purchase a new graphic card (in MR, I had to put the GPU slider on the half in order to get a playable frame rate). Anyway, some say Spintires is better than Mudrunner. Hm... Well, it's certainly more difficult. And the gameplay is more polished in MR. I already got frustrated in the first stage. First, the camera is a real mess. Real weird angles you've been given to work with, despite you can adjust your view with your mouse, it doesn't help entirely. Controls are exactly the same (by default) like in MR, or better to say, vice-versa. In Spintires, however, you don't get to see a control map when you're loading logs with the crane, which in addition to camera issues can be a little off-putting. But, from MR, I already knew controls by heart. But the most frustrating part is that the risk of turning over is bigger than in MR. Maybe that's realistic, I don't know. But my trucks rolled, even on the slightly steep surface, which never happened to me in MR. But, for a Spintires game, it delivers the goods. As I said, Mudrunner's gameplay is exactly the same as in Spintires, and while it doesn't offer that ad many options like in Snowrunner, Spintires manages to be an entertaining game, for all its fault. And I find the mud effects to be better than in Mudrunner. There's nothing better to see than observing deep mud trails left by your truck.

Shellshock 2: Bloodtrails

This I already finished up. I remember Shellshock 2 from some review I read, which talked in not really flattering terms about the game. That's why I hope that gentlemen from Rebellion won't take issues with my comment (if they read this), as I do it in a constructive manner. And who knows, maybe we'll get one day an improved version of Shellshock. Anyway, Shellshock 2 is fps, set during the Vietnam conflict. You're a soldier whose brother is injected with a substance that turns people into murderous zombies and you're to find your bro. On the surface, Shellshock 2 looks like a decent, average shooter, made for die-hard fps fans. I'll admit that shooting mechanics are solid, weapon reloading, etc... But everything else... It seems like developers strived to make a mediocre game, but only to fail in almost every category. Voice acting and sound effects are average, at best. But that didn't bug me. Graphically, the game looks average, even for the time it's been released (circa 2008/2009). But, graphics suffer from awful contrast. More often than not, when I am in the open, I get shot by an enemy I just can't see. It may be legitimate in real life, enemies hiding behind the bushes, but here is annoying because the game doesn't differentiate if the level takes place at night, from natural darkness and enemy who is several feet far from you. Next, maybe it's like irl, but this is not a simulation shooter. Weapon accuracy and hit detection are horrible. You have the enemy in iron sights, fire, but he seems he is bulletproof. This is frustrating when it comes to dispatching zombies. I had a shotgun, and maybe for a fifth of an inch I aimed next to the zombie's head, shoot, but the fucker just keeps going at me. What also frustrates is that you can't outrun zombies, so you can imagine what is like when several of them are at you and you want to run away to give yourself some room to turn around and blast them, especially in tight corridors. There's no option to jump, except when you're interacting with some ledge. Levels are designed in such a way that are mostly bereft of cover and finding any. Finally, I played the game on beginner difficulty because I couldn't get the first QTE, even though I pressed all buttons prompted on the screen (which I did on medium level), I always die. But that doesn't mean the game is easy. Oh, and boss fights are stupid. But at least is brief, some 4-5 hours took me to finish it. After that, a pleasant feeling when I went straight to add/remove programs.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Colin YNWA on 10 February, 2021, 01:41:13 PM
Currently playing Asterix and Obelix XXL III - which was on sale at a very good price on the Switch Online shop. Now I'd suggest its not a particularly good game - in fact even early in it has problems and I'd suggest even as a none gamer its pretty rubbish BUT the ability to play Asterix and Obelix and smack some Roman's around more than compensates and its immense fun.

One for fans only - but if you are a fan...well wait for it to be on sale and then...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 13 February, 2021, 07:33:58 PM
Quote from: milstar on 09 February, 2021, 08:02:12 PM
Spintires

I hated Mudrunner so much.   Churning through mud for ages, practically blowing out my right index finger trying to squeeze out a tiny bit more speed.  Getting to the target area but not having the right stuff with me.  Having to do it all again.  Falling into a stream.  Doing it all again.  Ran out of daylight.

I've never been so miserable.

UNTIL!

Here We Are Together.   This is a sequel to a game that just came out for free on PSN (Here We Are).  It's a co-op only puzzle game where you and your partner are in different places with linked puzzles.  It's a good idea.  You have to describe what you see, they explain what they see and eventually you figure out a solution.

But some of the puzzles are very obscure in the sequel or just rubbishly designed.  Played through most of it yesterday and it became an entirely frustrating and horrible experience.

Ginga Force/Natsuki Chronicles.  Two shoot 'em ups (one horizontal, one vertical) with good upgrading mechanics.  A little too difficult maybe but very good.

Heroes of Hammerwatch.  Something of a hidden gem.  A dungeon crawling looty, hacky, slashy sort of thing.  Is let down badly by a complete lack of instructions.  Has so many game mechanics in there and you'll be constantly looking at guides but when it clicks it is incredibly enjoyable.  Very grindy though (unless you can get carried by an online buddy who has gotten further) but I'm playing it with a mate and we're both liking it.

I also finished Ghost of Tsushima which was good until it completely overstayed its welcome.  The platinum trophy is very doable but I'm not crazy enough to play through it twice.  Liked it but, as with most Sony exclusives, it is 20 hours too long.

Crimsonland/Tesla Force/Tesla vs Lovecraft.  PS5 versions of games I've already beaten.  Fresh trophies though so worth replaying.  I really love this publisher though (10Tons) and was glad to replay the games.  They also redid JYDGE which I've mentioned before.  That is a fantastic game and the best (unofficial) Judge Dredd game ever.

Also replayed Maneater.  Is good but a bit repetitive.  Too easy also.

Loot Hero DX.  Literally the easiest game of all time.  Gets very good reviews because it looks nice but it is a joke of a game.  I rather damaged the Metacritic score on this one.

Redout: Space Assault.  Odd one this.  A sequel (of sorts) to a Wipeout-esque racer.  But this is an into-the-screen shooter (like Star Fox).  Takes a while to get good but by the end I really liked it.



Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 17 February, 2021, 12:14:13 PM
A huge update (version 1.5) was just released for Stardew Valley, and I've been sucked right back in.

I have simultaneous files (with different approaches) going on the Switch and PS4 (aiming for a Platinum Trophy there) and the bloody thing is consuming my free time like a temporal dilation vortex.

If the key criteria for best game of all time was pure addictiveness this would conquer them all - placed atop the ruins of Hyrule Castle itself.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 24 February, 2021, 03:37:33 PM
Resident Evil 5

I loved this game since it was released on PC. And I remember it very dearly then. The feeling that hasn't been lost when I decided recently to give RE5 another go. I haven't played Resident Evil in general. I did RE4, which was fun too. But I find more engrossing experience with RE5. Cool level designs, cool boss battles, graphics and the buddy-cop feel it gives you, combined with decent lenght, give hours of fun. Plus, chasing higher scores in challenges or replaying the game on the toughest difficulty with all guns upgrades. If I have to pick something I find a bit jarring, is micromanagement system, that feels like babysitting, when you are forced to exchange ammo and meds with AI. Although AI in this case does a fairly good job, I imagine the experience being even better when you are playing co-op. Unless your partner is total dud.

When I finish RE5 in full, I'll try RE6. Capcom has a thing for zombies.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 24 February, 2021, 03:50:36 PM
Sorry for an off-topic intrusion, but could you check your messages, please, milstar? Thanks!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Barrington Boots on 24 February, 2021, 05:09:22 PM
Quote from: milstar on 24 February, 2021, 03:37:33 PM
When I finish RE5 in full, I'll try RE6. Capcom has a thing for zombies.

Don't do this! RE5 is fun but RE6 is BOGUS.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 24 February, 2021, 06:41:43 PM
Quote from: Barrington Boots on 24 February, 2021, 05:09:22 PM
Quote from: milstar on 24 February, 2021, 03:37:33 PM
When I finish RE5 in full, I'll try RE6. Capcom has a thing for zombies.

Don't do this! RE5 is fun but RE6 is BOGUS.

I second this.  RE6 is terrible. 

RE5 needs a friend to play with, imo.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 25 February, 2021, 10:05:55 AM
Quote from: Barrington Boots on 24 February, 2021, 05:09:22 PM
Quote from: milstar on 24 February, 2021, 03:37:33 PM
When I finish RE5 in full, I'll try RE6. Capcom has a thing for zombies.

Don't do this! RE5 is fun but RE6 is BOGUS.

Quote from: pictsy on 24 February, 2021, 06:41:43 PM
Quote from: Barrington Boots on 24 February, 2021, 05:09:22 PM
Quote from: milstar on 24 February, 2021, 03:37:33 PM
When I finish RE5 in full, I'll try RE6. Capcom has a thing for zombies.

Don't do this! RE5 is fun but RE6 is BOGUS.

I second this.  RE6 is terrible. 

RE5 needs a friend to play with, imo.

Wow, can it be that bad? It can't be worse than Soldier of Fortune Payback, Road to Hell Retribution, Driv3r, MoH War fighter or Postal 3
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 25 February, 2021, 11:13:15 AM
Quote from: milstar on 25 February, 2021, 10:05:55 AM
Wow, can it be that bad? It can't be worse than Soldier of Fortune Payback, Road to Hell Retribution, Driv3r, MoH War fighter or Postal 3

I haven't played any of those games, so I couldn't comment.  I did post my thoughts on RE5 and RE6 here after I finished them.  Figured I'd share the perspective I had when the games were more fresh in my mind.

Quote from: pictsy on 06 December, 2017, 01:01:57 PM
Last game I played to completion was Resident Evil 5.  I only got a PS3 this year as an unexpected gift from a friend and he wanted to play some co-op with me.  It was actually the second time we played through the game because I enjoyed it so much.

I'm not a big fan of the RE franchise just by virtue of never really having played any of the games.  I was aware that at the time of release RE5 had a degree of negative response, so I didn't expect anything special from the game.  After getting used to the controls I found the game to be a well crafted co-op experience.  It always felt like we were working together to accomplish our goals in the game.  This worked really well when we'd have to split up.

The story is ridiculous, but I assume that is the case with every game.  I enjoyed it well enough for its extravagance and it didn't bother me I didn't really know what had happened in previous games.

We also have started playing RE6 and that is turning out to be considerably less fun.

Quote from: pictsy on 07 December, 2017, 11:11:35 AM
Dead Space 3 is sitting on my PS3 waiting to be played after RE6.  We're powering through, hoping that the Leon campaign will at least be enjoyable.  We've started on the Jake campaign and I passionately hate it and the Sherry character.  She is next to useless, with decent portions of the games requiring me to do nothing whilst my friend runs through QTEs or whatever.  The most agency I feel I've had with her is crawling through a vent for about 10 seconds.  Useless.

We actually tried out a little of each campaigns to decide which to start with (except the additional bonus campaign).  The Chris campaign wasn't hugely better with levels designed liked cover-shooters but lacking the controls to support that style.  What we played of the Leon campaign was fun and was the best fit for the controls and mechanics.

I haven't played RE5 single player, but I can imagine it would be a chore.  So much of the design seemed geared towards playing with someone and that's certainly where I got most of my enjoyment from.  For instance, we ended up allocating roles for each of us so we were never having to split ammo between us and that led to my love of the Dragunov SVD rifle.

Quote from: pictsy on 08 December, 2017, 10:44:03 AM
Played some more RE6 yesterday and we finished the Jake campaign.  It was a total chore getting through that garbage.  We picked up the Chris campaign and immediately the game was playing better in comparison.  The generic grunt I'm playing as seems to have more agency and usefulness than Jake's companion Sherry.  It can still be annoying, but not close to the same extent.

I think there might be some pretty good elements to the game, and fun to be had.  Nevertheless, that doesn't in anyway make up for the glaring faults.

OK, so Chris' campaign ended up being an exercise in frustration.  It had one of the worst segments of the game.  The finale was probably the best of all the campaigns, but getting there wasn't worth it.

Quote from: pictsy on 08 December, 2017, 04:32:42 PM
We didn't give the Ada one a go for some reason and will probably be playing it last.  It will be really disappointing if it's the worse.  I'm not sure how much worse than playing as Sherry in Jake's campaign things could be.  My friend agreed that the Jake campaign was awful, but he definitely had more to do than me.  I felt Sherry's uselessness rubbing off on me the more I played her.

We never played Ada.  By that point we said the game was done.

Quote from: pictsy on 11 January, 2018, 08:04:33 PM
Finally finished Resident Evil 6 with my friend (we didn't get to play much over the hols).  Gah, the game is bad.  The Leon campaign turned out to have it's own frustrations and I think is marginally better than the Chris campaign.  Both are considerably better than the Jake campaign.  I really didn't enjoy it that much and any of the cool or interesting bits were over-shadowed by its failures - of which there were many.

I can only imagine how bad RE6 is playing single player because it's still a co-op game like RE5.  The big difference is RE5 was made to be a co-op game, whereas RE6 used the same mechanics to try and make as many different games as possible all mashed together into an unholy abomination.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Colin YNWA on 25 February, 2021, 11:33:09 AM
Just started playing Civilisation VI on Switch... well that's my life over. Its bloomin' brilliant! I'm a bit rubbish at it at the moment as there's so much to learn and work how best to use but damn it the 'just one more turn' factor is massive!

I keep thinking I'll put it down but always want to just get those Builders building, or that fight fought, or that learning done. Its a fantastic game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 25 February, 2021, 11:54:31 AM
Dear Esther - first of the walking simulators, but not the first I've played.  I expected it to be technically unimpressive, but it's fine, and doesn't outstay its welcome.  I liked the island and the atmosphere, but found the story a bit forced, and often wished that guy would shut up so I could enjoy the view in peace.

Suicide Guy - fun but problematic 3d puzzler where your aim is to escape a themed level (spaceship, farm, dragon's lair, laboratory, etc) by dying.  Some of the puzzle solutions are amusing, like flying the spaceship into a sun, but others - like flying your aircraft into a building - are definitely in "I have notes" territory.
Really enjoyable, though, even if the levels/puzzles are neither long nor difficult.

Streets of Rage 4 - OW MY FINGERS exactly what you would expect from a fourth installment in terms of gameplay, but arguably to a fault with some of the limitations on characters' movement and abilities.  I haven't really played a beat-em-up this straightforward in quite a while, so I may have been more inclined to stick with this than others will, but I thought what there is of it was well-made old-school fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Woolly on 25 February, 2021, 02:07:24 PM
Super Mario 3D World / Bowser's Fury on the Switch.

Absolute bliss on both counts, and all brand new to me. I won't bother explaining it - it's Mario at his best, and an essential purchase!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 28 February, 2021, 11:46:09 AM
Batman Arkham Origins Blackgate

I remember wanting to play this game back when it was released, being hardcore Arkham games fan. But as it turned out, I had to upgrade my PC (which actually quite took some time) to start the game. Anyway, now it was the time to tie up loose ends.
Unfortunately, BAO Blackgate turned to be a pretty mediocre 2.5D platformer. I am aware that it was unlikely that such a game would be of close quality than its big three brothers, given the scope of those but the impression is that things could have been done a little better, less rushed and, more polished.
The story is pretty generic for a Batman. An explosion occurs in Blackgate prison, forcing Batman to investigate and inevitably cross paths with his rogue gallery - Black Mask, Joker, Penguin, each taken portion of the prison for themselves.
The core gameplay mechanic is pretty familiar to those who already played previous Arkham games. Running, gliding, grappling, even free-flow combat. Combat is the first issue I had with the game. While controls and mechanics are more or less the same, somehow the combat feels less responsive and more difficult than before, even though if I was against a handful of opponents, I could barely finish the battle unscathed, as opposed to 30+ thugs I dealt with no problem. But these situations aren't often as finding guys ready to go toe-to-toe with you is pretty sparse here. Navigating the prison itself is not an easy task. While the size of Blackgate is commendably gigantic; often, the areas look uninspired, claustrophobic, and generic. Map in the game is mostly useless as the perspective you've been given fails to clearly define your, sometimes making it appear that you are in a room you need to be, when in fact you are either multiple levels above or below it. But, chances are that you won't use map often, as there are usually two ways where you can proceed further (and one of them is the way you came previously. Oh, and the game backtracks a lot. Detective and the scanning mode are also present, but they are so overused. Basically, every object that requires interaction, requires to do a scan first, which takes a few seconds. Also, if you want to collect clues that help you with the backstory, you'll probably have to constantly scan every single detail in the enormous penitentiary. Fun? No.
Boss fights add a bit more colors in often flaccid gameplay, and they require a bit of planning, or trial and error routine to figure what strategy works for each boss.
To summarize, Arkham Origins Blackgate I would recommend only to die-hard Arkham fans, who have nothing better to do during one boring, rainy afternoon.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 04 March, 2021, 12:57:52 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 17 February, 2021, 12:14:13 PM
Stardew Valley PS4 (aiming for a Platinum Trophy there)

Yeah...that's not gonna happen.
There's a sneaky trophy for beating an in-game arcade machine, more frustrating then the beach volleyball in Mario Odyssey.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 16 March, 2021, 11:23:25 PM
I've begun Halo 5 and downloaded Alien: Isolation.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 16 March, 2021, 11:46:11 PM
Duke Nukem 3D

I managed to get this working on Linux and have completed the original game.  Actually surprised at how fun it was and the type of challenge it provided.  I played the game a lot as a teenager and even made some maps in Build, but I never finished it properly.

I tried getting the original Quake to work and despite it getting some Linux support with the source code being released I haven't found a method to get it working that isn't garbage.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 17 March, 2021, 12:14:20 AM
Quote from: pictsy on 16 March, 2021, 11:46:11 PM
I tried getting the original Quake to work and despite it getting some Linux support with the source code being released I haven't found a method to get it working that isn't garbage.

Yeah that sounds like the time I tried to get Tetris working IRL by getting my wife to buck bricks off the roof while I tried to make them rotate by blasting them with an air rifle.

The attempt was more successful than trying to get X-Wing vs Tie fighter working on Jaunty Jackalope.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 17 March, 2021, 12:16:52 AM
Quote from: pictsy on 16 March, 2021, 11:46:11 PM
Duke Nukem 3D

Whenever I hear Duke Nukem, I remember awful sexism in Forever. Then again, maybe that was the point of all DN games, it's just that Forever did it more openly.
What's interesting about DN 3D, is that its engine was used for a clone of Duke Nukem, a gem from my pre-teen years - Blood by Monolith Games. There was nothing better than killing zombies, gargoyles, hands, fire spewing dogs and gunning down innocent. In heavily grotesque humor.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 17 March, 2021, 09:31:03 AM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 17 March, 2021, 12:14:20 AM
Yeah that sounds like the time I tried to get Tetris working IRL by getting my wife to buck bricks off the roof while I tried to make them rotate by blasting them with an air rifle.

The attempt was more successful than trying to get X-Wing vs Tie fighter working on Jaunty Jackalope.

I never expected to get DN3D working, I just looked it up on a slim off chance.  It's fan made stuff and I had to install something called flatpack for it to work, but it turned out it was a reasonably easy process.

I might be able to get Quake working (because it should have better support for linux), but quakespasm is jank.  It couldn't do fullscreen properly and messed up my system resolution.  As far as I'm concerned, that's bad coding.  I'm certainly not going to play in Window mode.  I might look to see if there is another program that runs the game, but I've got some of the DN3D Atomic levels left to play.

Quote from: milstar on 17 March, 2021, 12:16:52 AM
Whenever I hear Duke Nukem, I remember awful sexism in Forever. Then again, maybe that was the point of all DN games, it's just that Forever did it more openly.
What's interesting about DN 3D, is that its engine was used for a clone of Duke Nukem, a gem from my pre-teen years - Blood by Monolith Games. There was nothing better than killing zombies, gargoyles, hands, fire spewing dogs and gunning down innocent. In heavily grotesque humor.

I don't remember any sexism in the first two games.  It's also ridiculous in 3D.  Duke Nukem 3D is a pastiche and parody of 80's action heroes.  It's very chauvinistic.  I think what the developers got wrong with Forever is that the 90's ended and that shit doesn't work.  They should have taken a page from My Name is Bruce.  Atomic Edition stuff starts very gross and could be read as racist as well.

I never played Forever because I didn't want to see them make the same jokes but worse.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 17 March, 2021, 10:18:15 AM
Quote from: pictsy on 17 March, 2021, 09:31:03 AM

I don't remember any sexism in the first two games.  It's also ridiculous in 3D.  Duke Nukem 3D is a pastiche and parody of 80's action heroes.  It's very chauvinistic.  I think what the developers got wrong with Forever is that the 90's ended and that shit doesn't work.  They should have taken a page from My Name is Bruce.  Atomic Edition stuff starts very gross and could be read as racist as well.

I never played Forever because I didn't want to see them make the same jokes but worse.

I don't recall either, but I was young (and stupid) then. But that alien hive level with slappable wall boobs omg
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: zombemybabynow on 17 March, 2021, 12:40:42 PM
was able to get hold of an xbox series s

fable 2 [becoming a property mogul]

portal 2 [have to take very slowly due to my old brain but every stephen merchant voice-over is fantastic]

just waiting for the moebius-like game [ so i can actually play something beautiful & new !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LKwSsqgmiY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LKwSsqgmiY)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 17 March, 2021, 02:52:43 PM
Currently playing Collapsed which is a run and gun rogue-lite.  Is a bit like Dead Cells.  Not as good but still pretty decent.  Is a bit grindy.

Blizzard Arcade Collection.  An improved version of Rock n' Roll Racing (the best SNES game ever) but with The Lost Vikings and Blackthorne added. 

Can't Drive This.  A weird co-op game where one person builds the track as the other drives it.  A really good idea but let down by a lack of content and one of the worst cameras I've seen in the last two generations.

Monster Truck Championship.  Because sometimes you have to review games that you don't want to play.

Various Jackbox Party Pack games.  Just for the social aspect.  Good fun though.  The ultimate party games really.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 17 March, 2021, 07:36:41 PM
Ratchet & Clank currently free to download on PSN as part of Sony's commendable Play At Home initiative, with Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition and Subnautica (among others) just announced as still to come.  Even if you don't plan on playing these games, it's worth downloading them at least once while they're available for free so that they'll always be available to download in future from your PSN account.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 17 March, 2021, 11:45:41 PM
Quote from: pictsy on 16 March, 2021, 11:46:11 PM
Duke Nukem 3D

I managed to get this working on Linux and have completed the original game.  Actually surprised at how fun it was and the type of challenge it provided.  I played the game a lot as a teenager and even made some maps in Build, but I never finished it properly.

I tried getting the original Quake to work and despite it getting some Linux support with the source code being released I haven't found a method to get it working that isn't garbage.
Quake should work well using Wine.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 18 March, 2021, 12:18:15 AM
I don't use Wine.  I duel boot for any Windows stuff I can't get working natively on Linux.  Quake, as I've mentioned, had it's source code released and it has been Linux compatible for a long time now.  There might be something other than Quakespasm that runs it, I just haven't bothered looking yet.  It's not that important.

I've also ditched the added content in the Atomic Edition of Duke Nukem 3D.  Bored of playing it.  The levels are crap and cheap.  The core game had a kind of story telling going on from level to level, but AE is just doing stupid shit.  The Beavis and Butthead reference was... something, but the rest can take a running jump.  Really wish I hadn't given it the time of day now.  At least I know I enjoyed the core game.

I am curious whether I could find Hexen.  It's apparently been ported to Linux.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 18 March, 2021, 11:58:35 AM
Hey, what do you know, Hexen does work pretty well in Linux.  It has horrible controls, though.  Going to have to see if there is a config file somewhere that can allow me to remap some of this.  I'm surprised the game has strafing and jumping.  I also have the ability to play Doom 1 and 2, Heretic and Hexen 2.  Nice little port called Chocolate Doom.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 19 March, 2021, 08:42:02 PM
Hexen is not turning out to be the fun romp I was hoping for.

It's very murky, messy level design and somewhat obtuse.  I'm finding myself desperately wanting to look up and down with the mouse.  There is a look up and down feature to the game but the settings don't allow me to map it to mouse control.  I managed to get the rest mapped fine and I'd probably not worry too much about it if the level design was better.  I don't really want to be too harsh to it because I know I've been spoilt by what has now become standardised.  Even the Duke3D version I played was an updated version, because I remember playing that entirely with keyboard (cursor keys instead of WASD).  I read it was Quake that popularised WASD, but I don't know if that's true.  I do remember a friend at school who loved Quake talking about using his mouse and I was astonished at the notion.

Anyway, I was hoping Hexen would be some retro fun and I don't think I'm going to get anything from it.  It's a shame, but it's not the end of the world.  I might have another look at getting Quake to run, or I might look at building my own Duke maps for fun (I have an idea for a Deathmatch map).  Alternatively, I might stop playing games for a while.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: zombemybabynow on 21 March, 2021, 09:24:35 PM
Just started : telltales, fables the wolf amongst us

Pretty good. Beautiful cell shading
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: zombemybabynow on 21 March, 2021, 09:27:39 PM
....which inspired me to get the new (ish) collected fables compendium 1 🐺
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 21 March, 2021, 10:03:12 PM
I got Quake working... somehow, by accident.

It's looks pretty clean.  I was expecting it to be very murky, but it's not.  Looks pretty good in fact.

I played through the penultimate stages first and breezed through reasonably well.  It's enjoyable.  Another fun trip down memory lane.

I'll have to look into finding Quake 2 as well and the expansions.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 21 March, 2021, 11:21:10 PM
Quote from: zombemybabynow on 21 March, 2021, 09:24:35 PM
Just started : telltales, fables the wolf amongst us

Pretty good. Beautiful cell shading

I remember playing TWaU on my cellphone to Death, over and over again, trying to pick every line, every choice... I tried even to do real me, fantasy me and scumbag Bigby, which sometimes were one and the same.

Amazing game. Can't wait for season 2.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 22 March, 2021, 11:05:09 PM
Quote from: pictsy on 21 March, 2021, 10:03:12 PM
I got Quake working... somehow, by accident.

It's looks pretty clean.  I was expecting it to be very murky, but it's not.  Looks pretty good in fact.

I played through the penultimate stages first and breezed through reasonably well.  It's enjoyable.  Another fun trip down memory lane.

I'll have to look into finding Quake 2 as well and the expansions.
Quake 2 is much easier to get running on Linux as I recall.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 23 March, 2021, 09:16:51 AM
Quote from: von Boom on 22 March, 2021, 11:05:09 PM
Quake 2 is much easier to get running on Linux as I recall.

I haven't looked into it much yet, but I think I read there was an official port.  I would hope that would simplify matters, but one never knows with Linux.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: zombemybabynow on 23 March, 2021, 06:43:40 PM
Can anyone suggest a chilled out relaxing, able to play whilst eating crisps game (for Xbox)

Thanks
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 25 March, 2021, 10:55:59 PM
Quote from: zombemybabynow on 23 March, 2021, 06:43:40 PM
Can anyone suggest a chilled out relaxing, able to play whilst eating crisps game (for Xbox)

Thanks
A sim game of some sort I would imagine. That or a 4x game of some sort.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 26 March, 2021, 08:13:38 AM
Quote from: zombemybabynow on 23 March, 2021, 06:43:40 PM
Can anyone suggest a chilled out relaxing, able to play whilst eating crisps game (for Xbox)

Thanks

STARDEW VALLEY
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: zombemybabynow on 26 March, 2021, 12:13:55 PM
thank you both

j

[apologies, should have started a thread !]
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 26 March, 2021, 10:22:20 PM
I just finished Quake.  I had to play two episodes twice because I must have gone crazy from all the Lovecraftian horror and started a new game for some unknown reason.

It had its challenging moments.  Mostly ammo conservation.  I also saved often because the game just likes to have enemies drop in out of nowhere, hidden in shadows, around every corner.  My strategy became go forward then go backwards whilst firing until the path is clear to go forward again.  The two bosses were stupid easy, as well, which is fine.  I think I was ready for it to be done when I got to the end and didn't want to draw it out needlessly.  Not bad considering I played more than I needed to.

I had fun and played the game pretty casually.  It holds up really nicely and certainly hooked me with its vibe.  The only thing I wish there was more of were the military bas levels.  I liked the aesthetics.

I don't know whether to bother even trying to get the expansions to work.  I'm kinda done with the game having finished it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 March, 2021, 01:13:37 PM
I really enjoyed Quake 4, which is the only Quake I've played. It's more Doom than Quake, if that makes sense. Like, if you replaced the demonic-body-possession-horror with ramped up Borg-scifi-alien-body-possession horror.

That's a recommendation, BTW.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 27 March, 2021, 01:30:12 PM
I'm having trouble getting Quake 2 to run in Linux.  Apparently finding out how to do it is going to be a task in itself and I don't think I can get it working by accident.

Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 27 March, 2021, 01:13:37 PM
Borg-scifi-alien-body-possession horror.

That's a recommendation, BTW.

Most Quake's that I know of are like this.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 28 March, 2021, 09:18:42 PM
The Witness, for free as part of Sony's Play At Home thingy, so I didn't know anything about it and figured I'd pick it up as I went.  I still haven't a clue what the story is, but the game is a first person puzzler where you wander around a deserted island looking for join-the-dots puzzles to do.  Tremendously chill, and it's really fun figuring out the various puzzles from clues in the environment.
Classic action platformer Ratchet & Clank, which was also free from Sony, and while I have played this in various forms over the years, I didn't realise this was such a major overhaul of the original game rather than just a HD upgrade.  I never liked the gadget-switching or backtracking to older levels as a game mechanic in this or other games, but this is a serious chunk of entertainment for a freebie, neither too easy nor too hard and will likely keep you occupied for weeks.  The framing story and narrative device - based on the recent movie which was in turn based on the original game - is also impressive.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Sean SD on 29 March, 2021, 08:53:58 AM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 28 March, 2021, 09:18:42 PM
Classic action platformer Ratchet & Clank, which was also free from Sony, and while I have played this in various forms over the years, I didn't realise this was such a major overhaul of the original game rather than just a HD upgrade.  I never liked the gadget-switching or backtracking to older levels as a game mechanic in this or other games, but this is a serious chunk of entertainment for a freebie, neither too easy nor too hard and will likely keep you occupied for weeks.  The framing story and narrative device - based on the recent movie which was in turn based on the original game - is also impressive.
Ratchet and Clank is fun and for me as a sometimes gamer 'neither too hard nor too easy' is my level
Still can't get the top two trophies on the hoverboard track lol
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 05 April, 2021, 01:11:38 PM
Resident Evil 6

I know some people here hated this game. But I decided to give it a shot. And I have a rather personal reason for it (which I won't reveal here). I must instantly note three things:
First, RE6 is defo not the worst game I ever played or one of. I played games that have more right to claim that title. Second, I like where Capcom took this installment, which is all over the world. I like the idea that bioterrorism became a global issue, so that mission can take place anywhere. For instance, RE4 took place in Spain, RE5 in Africa, this one in the US, China, and fictional Eastern European state (the bosses here have Slavic names lol). And third, I had no problem that this game scarcely relied on horror; in fact, I found the action-adventure style as if someone watched a lot of Michael Bay movies, engaging. And tbh, I don't find zombies any more horror-worthy, unless someone crafts a game in the vein of Outlast. Although I find enemies like Rasklapanje, Iluzija and Haos kinda scary. My impressions on RE6 are...

It's another Colonial Marines that set its eyes on something bigger more than it could eat. While on the surface it looks like a decent game, "under the hood" I found many plain annoying things, to say at least. If not frustrating. Perhaps Capcom could have made a game that would be one of the greatest in the past decade. Instead, I got the game that was released too early, just three years after RE5, half-baked and half-polished. Graphics are outstanding, even by today's standards. And I like the idea of four interwoven campaigns (although Jake's campaign has a few segments that I already did in Chris' campaign, which leaves a weird deja-vu effect). The story is forgettable, but this isn't a plot-driven game. Nor I cared for the characters. As for the gameplay, it feels more like a chore. While it has entertaining moments, my overall experience is marred by several frustrations in poor level design, poorly scripted moments, heavy use of QTE, loading times can be sometimes irritatingly long and just general lack of polish. Boss fights are marred by the situations where you have to fight a boss, although the game doesn't explicitly says to you what works and what not and more often than not, I found myself fighting one boss for a good portion of the game. For example, mutated Simmons. I also died a lot. Or in Jake's campaign during snowmobile run; while speeding from the oncoming avalanche, Or trying to escape the submarine with Ada, but this is not quite easy due to awkward camera angles. Oh and yes, the game would occasionally flip the camera's view, akin to earliest Tomb Raider games, which made me annoyed. Or fighting Haos with Chris. The fight itself isn't a big deal as I knew what strings to pull, but the game gave me a so scarce amount of ammo for it that I had to rely on my partner to do all the work, basically. Fun? No. Oh and I am middle way through Ada's campaign, but I still haven't figured counterattack system. If I wanted to spare ammo, I could go toe-to-toe with an enemy, but this quickly becomes a bore. The game starts in-media-res which I generally dislike in video games. This part is replayed afterward with few alterations making the whole segment unnecessary. When I started the game, a (negative) surprise awaited me. Interface went complete redesign, and while I appreciate the lengths Capcom went to customize your experience, adjusting your gameplay style, in addition to setting up video and audio goes on in real-time, which left the player vulnerable to enemy attacks. Also, I found the weapon switching and herb mixing unnecessarily complicated than in previous games. But chances are, the latter I rarely used, since the game replenishes your health when you die, so it made the use of herbs redundant. One of the brighter points of the game is your partner. I didn't have to babysit him, like in the previous game; instead, he does all the work for himself, which left me focused on my own bottom. At least I am glad I didn't have to micromanage our equipment, which often was required in RE5, hence, ruined its pace. Four campaigns give a somewhat diverse feel, but my money goes to Chris, despite the CoD feel, I found myself mostly drawn to his arc, emotionally, despite its shortcomings. Leon's campaign is so-so, Jake campaign feels like a cross of Leon and Chris, while Ada's arc feels more like a DLC, than a full-blooded game, with annoying puzzle-solving.

I think I'll now reply RE4. I don't think I'll replay this. Ever.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 05 April, 2021, 01:59:17 PM
I played RE6 in Co-op and was the secondary character.  Those secondary characters fucking suck and the co-op is utter shit, especially Jake's campaign.  What's-her-face in his campaign had all her agency removed.  It made me increasingly more angry the more I had to wait for my friend to do everything so I can move forward.  The end of the campaign summed it up when she finally looks like she's going to do something and - wait, no, no forget that, Jake has to do it for her.  The little lady can't be trust to pull the trigger of a gun.  That's my biggest complaint with the game, but it's one in a horde.

Anyway, I got Quake 2 working on Linux yesterday.  Apparently it was on Flatpak all along and I used that to get Duke3D working.  Flatpak also has an open source Morrowind game and it's very tempting.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 05 April, 2021, 05:17:51 PM
Quote from: pictsy on 05 April, 2021, 01:59:17 PM
I played RE6 in Co-op and was the secondary character.  Those secondary characters fucking suck and the co-op is utter shit, especially Jake's campaign.  What's-her-face in his campaign had all her agency removed.  It made me increasingly more angry the more I had to wait for my friend to do everything so I can move forward.  The end of the campaign summed it up when she finally looks like she's going to do something and - wait, no, no forget that, Jake has to do it for her.  The little lady can't be trust to pull the trigger of a gun.  That's my biggest complaint with the game, but it's one in a horde.

I played with AI, so i can't speak for co-op, but I find co-op xperience more rewarding if your partners knows his/her shit. But that is another complaint I have against the game. Whole partner xperience is uneven. You might battle a b.o.w, while your partner who is in the another room, awaits for you to open door. I find Jake true gentlemen, doing all the hard work lol. But i like when he says to Sherry at the end "you saved me". But i was glad when Sherry was left briefly alone to fight Rasklapanje. I hate those self-reassembling nasty buggers.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 05 April, 2021, 05:46:51 PM
My friend enjoyed playing Jake.  Because he got to play the game.  We played this game off the back of our first run through of RE5 which is the polar opposite.  The co-op in that game is fantastic and I am so happy playing the secondary character that we haven't switched roles in the two times since that we've played it.  I really like playing as Sheva.  We take turns doing things and we're developing roles to suit our play styles.  My friend likes to run head long into everything with a shotgun and I like to snipe.  So he assaults and I back him up.  RE6 was just an exercise in frustration that got so much wrong that anything good about it gets lost in sea of shit. 

RE6 made a wound that will never heal.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 05 April, 2021, 07:06:59 PM
Yeah, RE6 does give very scarce possibilities for sniping.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 05 April, 2021, 10:07:44 PM
Quake 2 is turning out to be interesting.  There's some cool stuff, like the effort put into enemy animations, the flies, the level structure, sliding down slopes and the machine gun giving kick-back that affects aiming.  I forgot about most of this stuff.  There are objectives!  Not that they seem to make much difference, but they are there.  I'm going to need to learn some keyboard shortcuts for the items.

It looks pretty decent once I turned the brightness up so I could actually see things.  I had the same issue with Quake. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: zombemybabynow on 06 April, 2021, 04:11:01 PM
dying light - which after it's release in 2015

is still doing neat updates, like the recent zombie easter egg hunt

for someone that doesn't really like fps, this is the exception to the rule for me

apocalyptic parkour genuis
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 06 April, 2021, 06:37:17 PM
Quote from: zombemybabynow on 06 April, 2021, 04:11:01 PM
dying light - which after it's release in 2015

is still doing neat updates, like the recent zombie easter egg hunt

for someone that doesn't really like fps, this is the exception to the rule for me

apocalyptic parkour genuis

I messed up with that game.  I played it enough to get all the way to the old town area and I really liked it.  But then I stopped playing and when I got back to it a year or two later I didn't know what I was doing and was stuck in a corridor with a big zombie and that was me done.

Great game while I stuck with it though!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 06 April, 2021, 10:33:32 PM
I just started Dying Light today, for the first time. I find its area of attack hard to measure compared to other melee games, especially Skyrim, but I am enjoying it.

Regarding co-op, Dead Space 3 was my best experience. There is one section where a character goes mad. One player sees a series of demons attacking - which you have to shoot. The other player sees their co-op partner wasting a SHIT TON OF AMMO before a boss fight.

I was the mad one, and the experience of hearing my brother asking what the feck I was doing, then me saying "what are you on about? Shoot them! Shoot them!" was a true highlight of 40+ years of gaming.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 06 April, 2021, 11:51:34 PM
I'm not yet finished the first level of Doom: Eternal, but playing on Nightmare setting is the most fun I've had with a game for some time. Halo 5, in comparison, feels like a repetitive slog.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 07 April, 2021, 10:40:29 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 06 April, 2021, 10:33:32 PM
I was the mad one, and the experience of hearing my brother asking what the feck I was doing, then me saying "what are you on about? Shoot them! Shoot them!" was a true highlight of 40+ years of gaming.

Hang on a sec - you don't even have a brother.

I was a bit let down with Dead Space 3 at the time, and never went back to revisit it after completing the basic game, even after some lengthy DLC was released.
Could be I missed out without the co-op experience.

It's definitely a franchise I would like to see make a comeback - lots of potential.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 07 April, 2021, 02:04:44 PM
Quote from: von Boom on 06 April, 2021, 11:51:34 PM
I'm not yet finished the first level of Doom: Eternal, but playing on Nightmare setting is the most fun I've had with a game for some time.

One of the best games I've ever played. I recently finished the second DLC and all it's done is left me wanting more.

Quote from: von Boom on 06 April, 2021, 11:51:34 PM
Halo 5, in comparison, feels like a repetitive slog.

The only FPS that matches Dooms intensity would be Left 4 Dead 2, imo. And I've long since given up on the likes of COD and such.


In other gaming news - I'm currently replaying the first Doom game to get the Platinum Trophy. As good a game as this is it pails against the sequel.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 10 April, 2021, 02:19:50 PM
I don't know if any of you are familiar with a little film from the 70s about a spaceship that accidentally picks up a hostile monster, but they made a game based on it.

Started Alien: Isolation and bloody hell it's good. It feels like you're on the Nostromo hiding from the xeno.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 10 April, 2021, 04:14:11 PM
Quote from: von Boom on 10 April, 2021, 02:19:50 PM
I don't know if any of you are familiar with a little film from the 70s about a spaceship that accidentally picks up a hostile monster, but they made a game based on it.

Started Alien: Isolation and bloody hell it's good. It feels like you're on the Nostromo hiding from the xeno.
I've said it before: possibly the best game I've ever played. Definitely in the top 5. Turn the lights down, turn the sound up. Enjoy. :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 10 April, 2021, 04:32:07 PM
Quote from: wedgeski on 10 April, 2021, 04:14:11 PM
Quote from: von Boom on 10 April, 2021, 02:19:50 PM
I don't know if any of you are familiar with a little film from the 70s about a spaceship that accidentally picks up a hostile monster, but they made a game based on it.

Started Alien: Isolation and bloody hell it's good. It feels like you're on the Nostromo hiding from the xeno.
I've said it before: possibly the best game I've ever played. Definitely in the top 5. Turn the lights down, turn the sound up. Enjoy. :)
I don't think I could manage this game in complete dark.  :o :)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 11 April, 2021, 05:40:04 PM
Resident Evil 4

I got back at this older classic gem. While imo inferior to RE5, it's still miles away from dreadful RE6. One shortcoming though, I had to play original release for PC, instead of HD one (as I have issues with slow-mo and yes, I tried everything to fix that, to no avail) so I am stuck to 2007 version. I remember that I had the first time problems with control system, but I now plug in my gamepad and it works like a charm. I just passed the castle section, after defeating Salazar, arguably the longest (unnecessary)section in the game that takes 3 chapters; imo, it was a bit tedious and loosing momentum after splendid the village chapter. Horror-wise, I can see some chilling stuff here (Verdugo is a nasty fella and I haven't reached Regeneradors), but ultimately, this is just an action adventure game. A brief segment had me playing as Ashley, which diversified a gameplay s bit.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 12 April, 2021, 12:25:57 PM
I went back and played Just Cause 3. I know what you're thinking, you're thinking "Why did you do that, you handsome Genius?" and my answer would be "Just 'cos".

It is a fantastically fun game with a simple yet satisfying core gameplay loop:

1.Wreak Havoc
2.Unlock challenges like races and whathaveyou
3.Beat Challenges to upgrade your havoc-wreaking tools
4.Go to step 1

All of this on the absolutely gorgeous fictional Mediterranean islands of Medici. It avoids the stumbling block of appearing like a condensed theme park version of real place and actually feels like it could be a real place in the Med. Well it would if you ignore the lack of "lads on tour" that usually ruin these places.

My only gripe would be with the actual story missions, which, apart from a few cool set pieces, are mostly just escort missions. Even the novelty "Escort the Wine Barrels" mission gets old about 30 seconds into it.

However, this is one of the few sandbox games that managed to keep me engaged after the main story had been completed. By that stage you can get any vehicle/weapon airdropped in and then use your toolbox of tethers and rocket boosters etc to make all sorts of contabulous fabtraptions.

Then I played Just Cause 4, just 'cos I got it in a steam sale, and it appears that someone decided the previous game was too much fun and decided to piss all over it. Dull washed out colours, condensed theme park map and a core gameplay loop of:

1. Stay in this small area and shoot everything until a progress bar fills up.

I think someone must have realised they done fucked up, because one of the DLCs tries to bring back the fun from the previous game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 12 April, 2021, 12:37:26 PM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 12 April, 2021, 12:25:57 PM
I went back and played Just Cause 3. I know what you're thinking, you're thinking "Why did you do that, you handsome Genius?" and my answer would be "Just 'cos".

It is a fantastically fun game with a simple yet satisfying core gameplay loop:

1.Wreak Havoc
2.Unlock challenges like races and whathaveyou
3.Beat Challenges to upgrade your havoc-wreaking tools
4.Go to step 1

All of this on the absolutely gorgeous fictional Mediterranean islands of Medici. It avoids the stumbling block of appearing like a condensed theme park version of real place and actually feels like it could be a real place in the Med. Well it would if you ignore the lack of "lads on tour" that usually ruin these places.


Played this through last year. A lot, lot, lot of fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 12 April, 2021, 03:33:43 PM
Much like Just Cause 2, JC3 felt like a tech demo but the best tech demo ever.  The movement of the main character and the selection of weapons and toys were a joy but the lazy copy and paste missions really ruined it.

Instead of setting those games in 50,000 square miles of bugger all, they should try to put together a cohesive set of story missions with a bit more of a focus.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: zombemybabynow on 12 April, 2021, 05:09:37 PM
No man's sky on xbox series S - IF IT DIDN@T 'BUG-OUT' A LOT OF THE BL@@DY TIME !!!!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 12 April, 2021, 06:12:22 PM
Am I the only one who stopped playing JC2 after hour or two? I was frustrated with the mission where you must clean the outside of the casino or something. But I got always put down, which left me frustrated. I never got used to gameplay of JC2.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 15 April, 2021, 02:20:10 PM
Binary Domain

I played this out of sheer curiosity. If nothing else for than how I missed this tps when it was released. You are in the futuristic Japan, and you kill robots. Lots of them. Somehow given the subject matter, I don't think there is a better place for setting than Japan. I must say, this is not another run of the mill shooter. I was surprised how fresh it feels. Graphics are amazing (for the game released in 2012 I think), level and enemies design diverse, boss fights entertaining and your teammates aren't bunch of quacks. When I think about it, the game feels very much like RE6, with numerous Michael Bay set-pieces, but I suppose it only engages you more into the experience. And the plot had some interesting philosophical points to make. Although, when it comes to game's shortcomings, I hated that at the end, the game turns into "love conquers all" cliche. That part annoyed the hell out of me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 24 April, 2021, 12:52:42 PM
Resident Evil Revelations

Despite its shortcomings, (such as the aforementioned crappy 3D map in another thread), this B game turned out to be less frustrating than RE6 and more fun altogether. Okay, being port from Nintendo meant that graphics are lackluster, even for the year it is released. And inconsistent controls, aiming uneven and evade system broken aside, I welcome the simplified, bare-bones gameplay and its lack of ambition that buried RE6. Storywise, well, I was never invested in the lore of RE. And plots are more or less the same in every their game. A conspiracy, a mystery, a betrayal - all is found here as well. I also find here moments of unintentional humor as Jessica seems keener on jumping Chris' bones than focusing on the mission. Chris however, the character he is, retains his cool.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 25 April, 2021, 04:03:22 PM
Alien: Isolation. Fuck, just fuck. I started sweating and had several jump moments before even sighting the xeno. I think this game is trying to kill me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 25 April, 2021, 06:01:07 PM
Quote from: von Boom on 25 April, 2021, 04:03:22 PM
Alien: Isolation. Fuck, just fuck. I started sweating and had several jump moments before even sighting the xeno. I think this game is trying to kill me.
It totally is.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 27 April, 2021, 09:48:09 AM
Just a couple of hours into Remothered: Tormented Fathers on the Switch, and enjoying it so far.

Maybe not the same aesthetic, but I find myself reminded of horror games of yore like Manhunt and the original Silent Hill.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 27 April, 2021, 02:25:03 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 27 April, 2021, 09:48:09 AM
Just a couple of hours into Remothered: Tormented Fathers on the Switch, and enjoying it so far.

Maybe not the same aesthetic, but I find myself reminded of horror games of yore like Manhunt and the original Silent Hill.
Have you played I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream game based on the story by Harlan Ellison? Maybe not a horror game per se, but I had many sleepless nights because of it. It's available again on Steam.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 27 April, 2021, 04:43:37 PM
Quote from: von Boom on 27 April, 2021, 02:25:03 PM

Have you played I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream game based on the story by Harlan Ellison? Maybe not a horror game per se, but I had many sleepless nights because of it. It's available again on Steam.

Holy... I gotta play this. I love the Ellison's story. Never thought they made a game out of it, tho.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 28 April, 2021, 09:26:29 AM
Quote from: von Boom on 27 April, 2021, 02:25:03 PM
Have you played I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream game based on the story by Harlan Ellison? Maybe not a horror game per se, but I had many sleepless nights because of it. It's available again on Steam.

Never read nor played it, but will keep an eye out for both formats.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 28 April, 2021, 07:03:37 PM
I've bailed on The Last of Us 2.

It is dripping with quality and clearly very good but there are a few things that I just can't be bothered with.

I don't much care about Ellie.  I think I related more to playing as Joel in the first game.

I don't much care about the bad guys.  Some random group that Joel pissed off some time in the past?  It reminds me of s5 of Breaking Bad in that he'd fought the local drug kingpins and then the cartel but s5 was about some random group of meth heads. 

There's way too much story/talking.  It's at Metal Gear Solid levels.  It's not like any of it is interesting.

Ellie is going to confront a whole gang by herself?  And then a girl tags along because they had an awkward kiss?  She's going to travel to Seattle in the snow wearing jeans?

I found the controls a bit sluggish and weirdly I couldn't figure out if I wanted to invert Y because everything felt a bit 'off'.

Main one though is that I'm a bit done with games that have me scutting around abandoned supermarkets looking for bandages or some shit.  Fallout 3 turned me off to that sort of thing and I've never enjoyed it since.

Honestly, take the best four or five hours and make an amazing game.  35 hours of this stuff?  Life's too long to fill it with stuff like this.



Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 29 April, 2021, 09:06:29 PM
Started Returnal.  It's good.  Not £70 good though.  Although it is getting better the more I play it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 30 April, 2021, 01:39:04 PM
Quote from: repoman on 29 April, 2021, 09:06:29 PM
Started Returnal.  It's good.  Not £70 good though.  Although it is getting better the more I play it.

TBH I doubt there will be anything this gen that I find £70 good enough.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CalHab on 30 April, 2021, 01:44:56 PM
Quote from: von Boom on 27 April, 2021, 02:25:03 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 27 April, 2021, 09:48:09 AM
Just a couple of hours into Remothered: Tormented Fathers on the Switch, and enjoying it so far.

Maybe not the same aesthetic, but I find myself reminded of horror games of yore like Manhunt and the original Silent Hill.
Have you played I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream game based on the story by Harlan Ellison? Maybe not a horror game per se, but I had many sleepless nights because of it. It's available again on Steam.

I remember an old text adventure. Is that it?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: von Boom on 01 May, 2021, 09:32:48 PM
Quote from: CalHab on 30 April, 2021, 01:44:56 PM
Quote from: von Boom on 27 April, 2021, 02:25:03 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 27 April, 2021, 09:48:09 AM
Just a couple of hours into Remothered: Tormented Fathers on the Switch, and enjoying it so far.

Maybe not the same aesthetic, but I find myself reminded of horror games of yore like Manhunt and the original Silent Hill.
Have you played I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream game based on the story by Harlan Ellison? Maybe not a horror game per se, but I had many sleepless nights because of it. It's available again on Steam.

I remember an old text adventure. Is that it?
Point and click, but mostly text, yes.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Professor Bear on 03 May, 2021, 05:18:49 PM
Quote from: repoman on 28 April, 2021, 07:03:37 PM
I've bailed on The Last of Us 2.

It is dripping with quality and clearly very good but there are a few things that I just can't be bothered with.

I don't much care about Ellie.  I think I related more to playing as Joel in the first game.

I don't much care about the bad guys.  Some random group that Joel pissed off some time in the past?  It reminds me of s5 of Breaking Bad in that he'd fought the local drug kingpins and then the cartel but s5 was about some random group of meth heads. 

There's way too much story/talking.  It's at Metal Gear Solid levels.  It's not like any of it is interesting.

Ellie is going to confront a whole gang by herself?  And then a girl tags along because they had an awkward kiss?  She's going to travel to Seattle in the snow wearing jeans?

I found the controls a bit sluggish and weirdly I couldn't figure out if I wanted to invert Y because everything felt a bit 'off'.

Main one though is that I'm a bit done with games that have me scutting around abandoned supermarkets looking for bandages or some shit.  Fallout 3 turned me off to that sort of thing and I've never enjoyed it since.

Honestly, take the best four or five hours and make an amazing game.  35 hours of this stuff?  Life's too long to fill it with stuff like this.


Haven't played it in a while, but all the shortcomings you raise are actually addressed in the game story (even the "scutting about" - just as it was in Fallout 3 - is part of the thematic narrative), and while some of the answers you find elusive are admittedly obtuse by design, others are starkly obvious, like Ellie and Dina's relationship: you spend the opening chapter of the game with the characters as they travel from one point to another occasionally flirting and/or checking out romantic vistas while the usually tight-lipped and guarded Ellie opens up about her feelings, before the pair finally get high and lez up.  I mean, if you're still wondering if they're close at that stage, I don't know what else to tell you.  Likewise the "random group Joel pissed off" is a continent-wide paramilitary organisation that scapegoats Joel for their decline, and even at their rock bottom is holding Seattle with a massive military force that fetishises strength.  It's all in there, someplace or other.
As for the gameplay, I highly recommend checking out the "accessibility" options, as far from simply making the game playable for people with visual, aural or motor impairment, the various tweaks can be used to sidestep elements of the gameplay you find frustrating or problematic - I know of at least one player in his 70s who found the colour blind and easy sneaking modes invaluable, and because of them, this remains the only videogame he can recall ever finishing.

Subnautica - worth what I paid for it (it's freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee), as I went platinum a couple weeks ago and yet I'm still pissing about.  The large sandbox hoodwinks you into thinking you aren't playing a linear narrative, but this is cunning game design that happily sidesteps the usual boredom-inducing pitfalls I associate with backtracking to previously-visited areas.
Fun while it lasted, and I suspect they may have successfully suckered me into shelling out for the (not free) sequel.
Pointless observation: the amount of times the "seek fluid intake" warning went off, it's clear to me that that the main character is pissing in that wetsuit.  The dirty freak.

Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap - fun and largely-overlooked addition to the franchise that plays great on a PSP loaded with homebrew emulators.  I do actually have it on GBA cart, but my old man eyes are sadly no longer up to using that console anymore, meaning I had to upgrade to the larger handheld and unashamed piracy to get my fix of androgynous elf puzzle-solving and wanton genocide of all shrubbery in the hope of finding loose change.  The weapon/tool-switching feels a bit clunky these days, but this is still solid game design, and a contemporary release wouldn't see it out of place alongside the output of retro-gaming publishers like Ratalaika.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Sean SD on 07 May, 2021, 07:41:24 AM
Lego Batman 2 on PS3.

Last time played was in 2014!!

Now I'm on a mission to get those damn trophies lol
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 18 May, 2021, 01:04:07 PM
ToCA Race Driver 3

I managed to finish RD3 after a months-long pause and being occupied with other games in meantime. I've been a ToCA fan since WTCC came to Playstation exclusively.
RD3 is in IMO the best ToCA game and sadly the last really good one before Codemasters decided to suck their own bollocks with arcade-styled Grid. If there is anything that I disliked about RD3 (of which there are very few and the game still feels fresh) that would be gruesome, gruesome difficulty. Which is perfectly reflected in the last tier of the world mode. I would dare to say, even impossibly hard. I mean, every ToCA game has been tough. But this one, I think my chances are better with Richard Burns Rally (which btw, I never played). Having to drive William's formula from the 90s is pure torture with the lousy steering, sliding at every curve, and technical inferiority compared to the (newer) Williams bolide. Thankfully, there was someone who obviously shared my frustrations. Hacking the championship and bypassing the need to use the designated formula with the aforementioned Williams BMW formula improved the odds on my side vastly. So much I've won every race, but compared to blood and sweat I had to endure previously, which was nothing short of a cheat, I say so what?

Barrow Hill

Or Barrow Hill Curse of the Ancient Circle as is the full title. Your car broke down in the middle of nowhere. An archeological team has gone missing. A nearby gas station is occupied by a supervisor, who is no help to you; instead, all you get from him is random mumbling about "they have been awoken". Eerie growling coming from the only phone in the area and surrounding. And all around are documents on the local ancient legends that people used to frighten during bedtime. Which btw, may not be just legends stories at all.
This, in short, is the brief plot of this low-budget, indie horror point n click adventure. It grabbed my attention as I read somewhere labeling this as "true British adventure" and I can see some wisdom in that statement. And being an indie title, while flawed, came to be surprisingly good. Okay, the introductory black n white sequence is horrible. The gameplay is pretty much dated, even for the time of the release (all you need is a simple mouse cursor that works). Voice acting is atrocious; actually, I would say it's so bad it's good. And there are no options for graphical setup, so I am forced to look at the square in the middle on my widescreen monitor. However, all these are basically meaningless points. My only disappointment is that game gives you almost total non-linearity. While you can basically go anywhere and collect clues at your own pace; I feel the difficulty is greatly enhanced by not having clear objectives on what to do, apart to solve this mystery. Furthermore, there are a lot of documents in the game that, while not all, but few are vital for your progression, so unless you have a really good memory, backtracking and picking up these files again is necessary (it'd be nice if you could pick documents that matters which would leave you solving puzzles on ease). Apart from this, as I said, the game is surprisingly good. Graphics are definitely top grade but are photo-realistic enough. And there is a prevalent sense of authenticism and realism in details around you that truly immerse you in the game. Sound effects and music are nothing short of creepy and there is nothing more shuddering than walking through dense forest at night, with only the flashlight in your hand.

Saying all this,  I swore to visit this part of Cornwall one day. Hopefully, during broad daylight.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Recrewt on 19 May, 2021, 06:32:26 PM
Like another poster, I ditched Last of Us 2 after a few hours play.  It wasn't so much the shock death of a beloved character as the painfully slow start to the game which seemed to involve lots of lengthy cut scenes, guitar playing, running in snow and then trying to get into Seattle and initially finding nothing much!  I'll go back to it at some time but it just stopped being fun and started to feel like a chore.

Inspired by some youtube walkthroughs I have been playing Dark Souls on the PS3.  This is a game that I'd rage-quitted some years ago and finally decided to go back too.  After getting some pointers from youtube, its a lot more fun and I'm able to appreciate what a fantastic game it is.  Its supposed to be notoriously difficult but a large part of that relates to the non-existent help that the game gives you.  Hardly anything is explained but once you get used to it, most enemies are dispatched with a block and a side-step.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 24 May, 2021, 12:37:57 PM
Barrow Hill The Dark Path

The sequel to Barrow Hill, released 10 years prior. And the game takes 10 years after the first game. No surprises here. Another horror point n click adventure, continuing the tradition of the previous game in terms of gameplay and style. Another (divine) being from Celtic legends has been awoken seeking revenge and again you are on all wits trying to find every object you can and solve various sundry puzzles in order to appease the entity. As said, gameplay is practically unchanged, mouse cursor click returns and you have near total freedom to explore  (which, like in the previous game, made the game unnecessarily difficult). Creepy sound effects and music. To pick a better game between two is incredibly difficult task akin to picking up better artist between Colin MacNeil and Simon Bisley.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: zombemybabynow on 24 May, 2021, 01:25:04 PM
Resident evil village

and it's too scary for me to continue !!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 24 May, 2021, 05:19:35 PM
Quote from: zombemybabynow on 24 May, 2021, 01:25:04 PM

Resident evil village


I'm currently on my third play through and I love it!

For those who haven't played - This game builds on the story that started in Resi 7 but also packs in a lot more enemies than the previous game.  There's a varied selection of puzzles as well, some of which are actually fun. 

All of that aside the crowning achievement in this game are the moments of genuine horror. I even let slip a loud Fucking Hell in one particular section.

Stunning game, I highly recommend!

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 24 May, 2021, 06:06:56 PM
I dipped into Risk of Rain on the weekend for funsies.  And funsies it was.  Although probably a better time is had playing with other people.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 24 May, 2021, 07:04:17 PM
Currently playing Miles Morales on the PS5.

The game is... Amazing.

The graphics are... Spectacular.

Especially the ray tracing which is... Astonishing.

Compared to the PS4 version it's vastly... Superior.

But it's not as good as Arkham Night, which as far as superhero video games go is the... Ultimate.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 24 May, 2021, 07:55:26 PM
I think my post might be controversial, but when you mentioned RE Village, to me, that game is an example of how fandom can get ahead of themselves. Some people rushed to worship Lady Dimitrescu, whose design is nothing that stands out, apart from being heghty, when her presence in the game is some 20-30 minutes.

Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 24 May, 2021, 07:04:17 PM

But it's not as good as Arkham Night, which as far as superhero video games go is the... Ultimate.

I appreciate your sentiment, Doc, over Donnie Darko, but here i must thoroughly disagree.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 24 May, 2021, 10:07:16 PM
Quote from: milstar on 24 May, 2021, 07:55:26 PM

I appreciate your sentiment, Doc, over Donnie Darko, but here i must thoroughly disagree.

So what's your shout for the best superhero game?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 24 May, 2021, 10:30:58 PM
I'd have to go with Batman Arkham, but Asylum. I find it the least pretentious in the series. Tbh, there are not many superhero games out there, so that may work a bit in the Knight's favor.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 25 May, 2021, 09:47:41 AM
Quote from: milstar on 24 May, 2021, 10:30:58 PM
I'd have to go with Batman Arkham, but Asylum. I find it the least pretentious in the series. Tbh, there are not many superhero games out there, so that may work a bit in the Knight's favor.

The core Arkham games are still the gold standard.
The first set the tone, the second arguably the best and the third a satisfying conclusion (including a personal top ten gaming moment - driving the defeated and indignant Riddler to the GCPD lock-up).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 25 May, 2021, 10:12:08 AM
I didn't play the sequels much but Arkham Asylum is a top 10 game for me, with the Scarecrow nightmare sequence(s) an absolute standout.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 25 May, 2021, 10:15:04 AM
I loved Knight. It was like the other two, but with the Batmobile.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 25 May, 2021, 11:24:34 AM
I didn't care much for Knight. It was like the other two, but with too much big stupid tank and too little stealth.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 25 May, 2021, 12:12:54 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 25 May, 2021, 09:47:41 AM
Quote from: milstar on 24 May, 2021, 10:30:58 PMI'd have to go with Batman Arkham, but Asylum. I find it the least pretentious in the series. Tbh, there are not many superhero games out there, so that may work a bit in the Knight's favor.
The core Arkham games are still the gold standard. The first set the tone, the second arguably the best, and the third a satisfying conclusion (including a personal top ten gaming moment - driving the defeated and indignant Riddler to the GCPD lock-up).

I have an issue with Arkham games, all made after Asylum. Asylum had a comic book feel than the rest and it was non-pretentious. Every single game crumbles under the authors' ambition. City, for e.x, had Hugo Strange discovering Batman's identity, and you would think it would intensify the gameplay, but it didn't. It went nowhere. Same with the toxic poisoning, notwithstanding that Joker lived for weeks, while you were supposed to die in several hours. And in both cases, the game misses to motivate you to engage in it. And I didn't like that City throws you in the lap of one supervillain after another. But basically, the plot is lame. And for some reason, I find the graphics inferior to Arkham Asylum.

Arkham Origins is quite a solid prequel to Arkham City, but it feels too much like the City, so I observe it as full-blooded DLC than the full-blooded game.

Knight... The story quickly goes nowhere. Joker is again the main antagonist, after Scarecrow. And quite unnecessarily. Hallucination scenes bring nothing to the game, apart from more Batman-Joker dynamic, which is done to death in the previous games. Side missions are mostly uninspired. I'd single out Professor Pyg and capturing Killer Croc as scenery-chewing in that regard, but everything else is a disappointment, in one way or another. The game loses momentum in the second half. Scarecrow is not Bane. Batmobile, while driving mechanics are great, is vastly overused. And for further blasphemy, he's required for solving Riddler puzzles. I mean, couldn't developers make something that is casual puzzle solving, like in Arkham City, instead of casually beating the lap time that we got?
And yes, the PC version is horribly hackneyed. From a technical standpoint.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 25 May, 2021, 01:17:50 PM
Quote from: milstar on 25 May, 2021, 12:12:54 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 25 May, 2021, 09:47:41 AM
Quote from: milstar on 24 May, 2021, 10:30:58 PMI'd have to go with Batman Arkham, but Asylum. I find it the least pretentious in the series. Tbh, there are not many superhero games out there, so that may work a bit in the Knight's favor.
The core Arkham games are still the gold standard. The first set the tone, the second arguably the best, and the third a satisfying conclusion (including a personal top ten gaming moment - driving the defeated and indignant Riddler to the GCPD lock-up).

I have an issue with Arkham games, all made after Asylum. Asylum had a comic book feel than the rest and it was non-pretentious. Every single game crumbles under the authors' ambition. City, for e.x, had Hugo Strange discovering Batman's identity, and you would think it would intensify the gameplay, but it didn't. It went nowhere. Same with the toxic poisoning, notwithstanding that Joker lived for weeks, while you were supposed to die in several hours. And in both cases, the game misses to motivate you to engage in it. And I didn't like that City throws you in the lap of one supervillain after another. But basically, the plot is lame. And for some reason, I find the graphics inferior to Arkham Asylum.

Arkham Origins is quite a solid prequel to Arkham City, but it feels too much like the City, so I observe it as full-blooded DLC than the full-blooded game.

Knight... The story quickly goes nowhere. Joker is again the main antagonist, after Scarecrow. And quite unnecessarily. Hallucination scenes bring nothing to the game, apart from more Batman-Joker dynamic, which is done to death in the previous games. Side missions are mostly uninspired. I'd single out Professor Pyg and capturing Killer Croc as scenery-chewing in that regard, but everything else is a disappointment, in one way or another. The game loses momentum in the second half. Scarecrow is not Bane. Batmobile, while driving mechanics are great, is vastly overused. And for further blasphemy, he's required for solving Riddler puzzles. I mean, couldn't developers make something that is casual puzzle solving, like in Arkham City, instead of casually beating the lap time that we got?
And yes, the PC version is horribly hackneyed. From a technical standpoint.

All fair comment. But it let me fly about Gotham City, then land in the Batmobile. So... that wins.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: zombemybabynow on 25 May, 2021, 03:23:26 PM
Biomutant - when i get home from work today !!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: zombemybabynow on 26 May, 2021, 10:45:47 AM
biomutant [on xbox] filled with bugs that wont let me advance the game !!! [warning !]
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 27 May, 2021, 11:56:52 AM
after being let down by Returnal (not much fun) and R-Type Final 2 (not very good), I've given Zombie Army 4 a go (in co-op).  Good fun actually.  Just what I needed.

Resi Evil Village just turned up.  Looking forward to playing it.

Currently reviewing the Capcom Arcade Stadium retro collection.  Is what you'd expect (games from the '80s that are good but also far too hard).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 27 May, 2021, 09:10:33 PM
Quote from: milstar on 24 May, 2021, 07:55:26 PM
I think my post might be controversial, but when you mentioned RE Village, to me, that game is an example of how fandom can get ahead of themselves. Some people rushed to worship Lady Dimitrescu, whose design is nothing that stands out, apart from being heghty, when her presence in the game is some 20-30 minutes.

Ah, so I think the appeal of Lady D may be lost on you. Personally, I find myself rather less than immune.

As you say, RE8 is not actually The Adventures of the Cool Giant Vampire Woman. Suspect the next one will be, though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 27 May, 2021, 10:32:25 PM
Quote from: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 27 May, 2021, 09:10:33 PM
Quote from: milstar on 24 May, 2021, 07:55:26 PM
I think my post might be controversial, but when you mentioned RE Village, to me, that game is an example of how fandom can get ahead of themselves. Some people rushed to worship Lady Dimitrescu, whose design is nothing that stands out, apart from being heghty, when her presence in the game is some 20-30 minutes.

Ah, so I think the appeal of Lady D may be lost on you. Personally, I find myself rather less than immune.

As you say, RE8 is not actually The Adventures of the Cool Giant Vampire Woman. Suspect the next one will be, though.

I think a lot of lately RE heroes and villains may be lost on me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: zombemybabynow on 28 May, 2021, 10:02:31 AM
i must be more susceptible to games than most re RE Village

[spoiler]the main character having his hand bitten off - so for the remainder of the game you have half a hand[/spoiler]

and then [spoiler]having your body hung up with hooks and you have to tear your hands out[/spoiler]

is beyond my comprehension of entertainment - just found it really sick

though i know lots of people love films like 'saw' etc
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 28 May, 2021, 10:08:23 AM
Quote from: zombemybabynow on 28 May, 2021, 10:02:31 AM
is beyond my comprehension of entertainment - just found it really sick

though i know lots of people love films like 'saw' etc
I have to agree. I've no appetite for Saw-like torture porn movies. I bought RE:7 (Biohazard) on the strength of its reviews, but put it down after an hour of unbelievably bloody and gratuitous abuse at the hands of the game's protagonists. Not my cup of tea.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 03 June, 2021, 08:45:56 PM
Jonathan Boakes' The Lost Crown: Ghost Hunting Adventure

Jonathan Boakes is a video game designer and writer and in spare time, ghost hunter and investigator of paranormal phenomena. I suppose it was natural to him to make a horror point n click adventure that deals with these subject. And here's The Lost Crown, which he did with the help of the makers of Barrow Hill. The maain character, Nigel Danvers (Boakes alter-ego; Boakes provides the voice for his protagonist as well) arrives in a small, harbor (fictional) town of Saxton in the search for the crown, thought to be lost, that is told in ancient legends. And like always, the town is not really what it seems and apparently, some characters that Nigel interacts with, seem to be - deceased. The Lost Crown is a solid adventure; entertaining adventure for sure, and creepy as hell for it. It employs stark black n white imagery, while few objects are in vivid colors. Not to mention surrounding fog, that for my money, and considering significant ambiguity presented in the game, makes it as if you play it in Nigel dreams. If there is something that I had issue with, is the very slow pacing, which like in the case of Barrow Hill, involves a painfully lot of backtracking and interacting with every possible object you can find (even though the solution is right in front of you), which sometimes results in me loosing my nerves and going to online walkthrough. The game does require steely concentration.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: zombemybabynow on 04 June, 2021, 09:37:57 AM
keep popping back into no man's sky:

1. for relaxation

2. so i can pretend i'm a character in an lain M Banks culture novel [my ship is called: those aren't raisins]
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 08 June, 2021, 04:29:25 PM
Quote from: zombemybabynow on 04 June, 2021, 09:37:57 AM
keep popping back into no man's sky:

1. for relaxation

2. so i can pretend i'm a character in an lain M Banks culture novel [my ship is called: those aren't raisins]

I played NMS back when it was the vanilla version.  I actually enjoyed it in a relaxing kind of way.  I keep feeling I need to go back, especially with the PS5 upgrade, but I'm worried it'll be too complex now with all that base building stuff to worry about.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 09 June, 2021, 11:31:41 AM
I'm playing a thing called Astalon: Tears of the Earth.  Because it's a modern indie game it is mandatory for it to be a roguelite platformer with 8-bit visuals and that'd normally put me off but the level design is really good and it's keeping me playing when I should really be reviewing other things.  I like it a lot.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 11 June, 2021, 08:44:55 PM
Mortal kombat Arcade Kollection

Got to say, I was in diapers when the first three MK were released, so i won't say anything that would spoil for number of gamers who grew up with these.
This collection definitely seems like nice trip to memory lane; if wasn't for just nerve-racking difficulty. I don't think I ever beaten max three opponents in the row without being arse kicked. And that's on very easy difficulty. But my sense of pride keeps me off going to uninstall, yet. We'll see.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 29 June, 2021, 12:38:08 PM
Bioshock Infinite

Bloody hell... Has Grant Morrison secretly wrote this game, or he possessed Ken Levine to do so? Thanks to deep philosophical bs and heavy symbolism present. I don't think I ever played a game so mind-tripping and story-wise incomprehensible. But story aside, this actually is a blast. Mesmerizing graphics that are state of the art, I give it that. Unfortunately. I said, unfortunately, because my rig isn't one of the brightest or fastest, so I can't tweak graphics in their pure glory (so I had to settle from low to normal settings). But, the game at least is perfectly optimized for my PC, and sometimes that is more than I'd ask. If there is anything really that I have against Infinite is heavy linearity, like the first Bioshock, where the only motivating factor that keeps me forward is waiting for the next weirdness that lies ahead. And vigors never bore.
As for the subject matter, the game pushes some hot buttons there, definitely not meant to make you cozy. And like I said, art, and I'd add video games here - shouldn't give you moral lessons. I lay my case rest here.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 29 June, 2021, 01:03:05 PM
Quote from: milstar on 29 June, 2021, 12:38:08 PM
Bioshock Infinite

Fantastic fun.

Featuring a modern classic gaming moment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpfDjHL1x9s
(The game is set in 1912)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 05 July, 2021, 11:22:42 AM
Finished Bioshock Burial at Sea, both eps. The trip down to memory lane (re-visiting Rapture) was welcome, but more plot confusions and contrivances follow. The first ep is bit short and the gameplay feels washed up. The second felt like playing Batman in the Arkham series. And bloody hell, are these two episodes trying to shed my tears. Especially the ending of the Episode 2. Very depressing, very sad. But harrowing it was, I was surprised how the plot ties conveniently to the original Bioshock (Ken Levine is mad genius).
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 28 July, 2021, 11:16:15 AM
Ah... Two Rebellion games were on my menu in the last few days. One was so-so, the other...

Sniper Elite III

After SE v2 and Zombie Army Trilogy, I said it was time to visit Africa. Overall, this was slightly engaging. The gameplay largely remained unchanged, but now instead of war torn Germany, you are amid the desert. And have to admit, I prefer the war ravaged cities in Germany than drab, uninspired look of our southern neighbor. On a brighter side, at least graphics are worthwhile. Shading and sun effect effects never looked so gorgeous. Unfortunately, facial characteristics look rather dowdy and crude. But X-Ray shots are always fun to watch, which I must say are the primary reason I play Sniper Elite. I also did the four DLC missions, the first one was perhaps the most interesting where you get to assassinate the Hitler (or choose not to) in a myriad of ways. But damn, I only once pulled one-nut shot! (I like how the devs paid attention to such a small detail). I only lost my nerves in the last DLC which as I write this, never managed to finish it, not even after two hours of working it out. Enemies popping out of anywhere, some equipped with bazooka, and a tank.

Rogue Warrior

This I only tried to. I already heard nothing positive about this game, but nevertheless, I masochistically went into it. Although if I knew that the game would largely feel like Shellshock 2 (which was at the Rebellion development around the same time), I'd probably avoid it. Unfortunately, everything in Rogue Warrior felt painfully similar to Shellshock 2. Lackluster graphics, clanky, awkward control system, weapon accuracy, ridiculously stupid enemy AI, but whose shots really hurt, the length... Well, I haven't got the time to test the length. I perhaps could sway aside all shortcomings in the game, if I didn't have a constant exiting to desktop for a very brief, but annoying period of time, and after several times of such, I got the error runtime... application terminated, blah blah... In this cases, add/remove programs is the only option to do.
Not even Mickey Rourke in his badass, extremely profane tirades could save this. For what it's worth, Duke Nukem Forever is a much better choice.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 20 August, 2021, 08:53:41 PM
Quote from: milstar on 11 June, 2021, 08:44:55 PM
Mortal kombat Arcade Kollection

Got to say, I was in diapers when the first three MK were released, so i won't say anything that would spoil for number of gamers who grew up with these.
This collection definitely seems like nice trip to memory lane; if wasn't for just nerve-racking difficulty. I don't think I ever beaten max three opponents in the row without being arse kicked. And that's on very easy difficulty. But my sense of pride keeps me off going to uninstall, yet. We'll see.

I was always a fan of MK1 and 2.  And Trilogy.  They've not aged all that well and if you think the difficulty is a problem now, wait until you get to Goro or Shao Khan.  Absolutely miserable fights.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 21 August, 2021, 01:59:08 PM
Quote from: repoman on 20 August, 2021, 08:53:41 PM
I was always a fan of MK1 and 2.  And Trilogy.  They've not aged all that well and if you think the difficulty is a problem now, wait until you get to Goro or Shao Khan.  Absolutely miserable fights.

I actually managed to download all three parts in the original version, in addition to MKAK. I realized the fights are slightly easy, but they suffer for having the limited number of replays you can try. Goro tell me about it. I spent at least one hour solely in MKAK on him, until I had him in the dirt. Surprisingly, Shang Tsung I offed in one fight. Never reached Shao Kahn, though. Kintaro always stops me.

Bioshock 2

The first time I played this. Given the brief stints in the Infinite Burial at Sea DLC, here it was great to return to Rapture in full. Objectivist philosophy replaced the marxist/commie one, but I liked how the game throws you in the between of the two factions in these games, leaving you making tough moral choices that pay up later. As for the game itself, Bioshock is not run of the mill, it doesn't offer a trick or two in the sleeve, but at least it pretty well emulates the first game, which is commendable. The only thing that bothers me is the control system on selecting weapons and plasmids, which often caused me to use plasmids and weapons I didn't really want. Infinite did it better when the selection was designed in circular view where the game pauses until you choose the right tool.

And why do the bloody hell the Bioshock games have to end in the death of the protagonist? As if the developers want to see the players cry?
Speaking of the ending, I found the neutral ending perhaps to be the fairest one, the one that fits the narrative. I figured the choices don't mean much if you angle for the good or bad one.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 22 August, 2021, 07:31:43 PM
Aliens Fireteam Elite - I've never really enjoyed Aliens-related games but this one does a good job.  It's a three-player co-op thing and from an action/level-design point of view it's reasonably generic but the aliens themselves move like aliens and feel suitably dangerous.

I'm enjoying it a lot.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 23 August, 2021, 09:03:48 AM
Quote from: repoman on 22 August, 2021, 07:31:43 PM
Aliens Fireteam Elite - I've never really enjoyed Aliens-related games but this one does a good job.  It's a three-player co-op thing and from an action/level-design point of view it's reasonably generic but the aliens themselves move like aliens and feel suitably dangerous.

I'm enjoying it a lot.
How are you playing this when it's not out until tomorrow (24th)..?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 23 August, 2021, 08:56:14 PM
Preordered from ShopTo and it arrived on Saturday.

Spoke to some players online and oddly they'd ordered from other places (Simply Games, Games Collection) and had it delivered the same day as me.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 24 August, 2021, 08:55:21 AM
Quote from: repoman on 23 August, 2021, 08:56:14 PM
Preordered from ShopTo and it arrived on Saturday.

Spoke to some players online and oddly they'd ordered from other places (Simply Games, Games Collection) and had it delivered the same day as me.
Ugh, I knew I should've preordered physical. :) Very happy to hear from you and other reviewers that the game is solid! Hoping to get some quality time in later tonight.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 24 August, 2021, 09:16:19 AM
I should be on it when I get in tonight too... :D
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 27 August, 2021, 01:46:22 PM
Initial vibes seem fun! Hopefully more to come.

Anyone here playing on PC and want to add to friends list?

NB
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 28 August, 2021, 03:33:25 PM
Spiderman: Miles Morales on my fancy pants PS5. The graphics and gameplay are topnotch but both are surpassed by the story.  It's a wonderfully crafted tale with great voice acting and visual set-pieces.  Highly recommended!

I also got free PS5 upgrades to both Doom Eternal and Resident Evil: Village so I've been replaying those with their fancy pants ray tracing and 60 fps which is nice.

You can never have too much Doom, to be quite honest.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 29 August, 2021, 03:52:26 PM
My one complaint about Doom: Eternal is [spoiler]when you shoot a hole in Mars, it doesn't let you pull the trigger[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 30 August, 2021, 12:54:33 PM
I'm playing a game called Islanders (on PS4).

It's so good.  It's basically a puzzle game/city builder crossover.  Very intuitive though.  You get given 'packs' of buildings and have to place them on an island.  Certain buildings score points when placed near compatible other ones, conflicting buildings however will cost you points.  It's all about maximising your score so that you can keep the progress going.

It's very chilled out but really enjoyable.  A total gem.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 02 September, 2021, 10:43:34 AM
I'm about 50% through Resident Evil Village on PS5.

It's a strange one - at times seemingly quite difficult, but when the solution to whatever puzzle presents itself (e.g. how to weaken the vampire daughter enemies) it ultimately ends up a breeze.

Otherwise its the usual great graphics and oft-nonsense horror tale that has been entertaining us for decades. Fans of Resident Evil 4 and / or large bosomed giant vampire femme fatales will be in their element.

VIII / 10.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: ming on 03 September, 2021, 07:29:00 AM
Just noticed a mention of Dredd appearing in Call of Duty...

https://www.polygon.com/22654368/cod-black-ops-cold-war-warzone-season-5-roadmap-call-of-duty

(https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rB8YaFDoOUGvn4iePID8cTmDwZc=/0x0:1920x1076/1820x1213/filters:focal(584x144:890x450):format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69809591/BOCW_S5R_Announcement_018.0.jpg)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 29 September, 2021, 12:04:54 PM
Playing/reviewing loads of tat at the moment.

Most recent is GTA Online which is something I'd never play again (I dabbled for a bit on the 360).  In a private game with friends it was quite good fun.  Starting to show its age.  And that was the PS4 version.  Just running missions at the moment and trying to make sense of the fucking awful menu system.

Inked.  Stylish isometric puzzler that makes up for its slow gameplay with some lovely visuals.  Refreshingly short too.  If it was any longer it'd be dull.  Worth it for the eye candy and the mopey story.

Uncharted.  The first one.  I'd never bothered before.  Quite enjoyed it.  I was led to believe the gunplay in it was dreadful but it was okay.  It felt so much like a game that it kind of gave me Resident Evil 4 flashbacks.  Liked it.  Started the 2nd one too.  Enjoying the stealth.

Also;

Embr - fun firefighting game with mad physics. Bit of a party game. Reminded me of Overcooked but first-person and entirely different.

G-Darius HD and Crisis Wing - a couple of difficult shoot 'em ups that play okay but ultimately frustrate.

Skeletal Avenger - the new game by 10Tons, who made Jydge, Neonchrome and the Tesla vs. Lovecraft games.  Not up to their usual excellent standards but decent hack and slash rogue-like fun all the same.

I think I'm done with Aliens: Fireteam.  It was enjoyable and I've been through it a few times but it is a bit samey and lacking in content so I think I'm done.  The DLC roadmap only mentions new classes and gear.  Which I couldn't care less about.

I also played King's Bounty 2, the true sequel to my favourite ever game.  Didn't like it AT ALL.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Barrington Boots on 29 September, 2021, 12:07:30 PM
Quote from: repoman on 29 September, 2021, 12:04:54 PM
I also played King's Bounty 2, the true sequel to my favourite ever game.  Didn't like it AT ALL.

Oh no! I love Kings Bounty and was thinking about getting this. It's no good then?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 29 September, 2021, 03:01:59 PM
I have invested in FIFA 22. I will be playing this until 2023.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 29 September, 2021, 04:38:51 PM
Quote from: Barrington Boots on 29 September, 2021, 12:07:30 PM
Quote from: repoman on 29 September, 2021, 12:04:54 PM
I also played King's Bounty 2, the true sequel to my favourite ever game.  Didn't like it AT ALL.

Oh no! I love Kings Bounty and was thinking about getting this. It's no good then?

Not very good, no.  The thing I love about the original is that all the info you need is right there.  You know what unit is selected, how they move, what their offensive capabilities are.  You know if they'll survive the battle.

In KB2 it's just a big mess.  Obviously it's all in a 3D engine now so it's not got the clear look of the original.  But also every unit just has a lot of stats, so it's hard to really judge what your capabilities are.

The graphics are shocking.  Like an average PS3 game.  The last thing I played that was this ugly on a technical level was maybe Two Worlds.  It has that feel.  It's a shame because the environments are actually very nice but the character models are awful.

The voice acting hurts.  Your character has two speeds:  slow or very slow (yes, there's a button to make you walk slower for some sick reason).  Navigating the world is horrible and actually the battles are usually pretty devastating, meaning that even if you win, the cost to you and your army is high.

I've completed the original KB more times than I can remember but I didn't get more than halfway through KB2 before realising that life is too precious to play this shit.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Barrington Boots on 30 September, 2021, 11:33:08 AM
That's a damning review, sounds a lot more Murray the Miser than Magus Deathspell. As someone who obviously loves the original your words carry serious weight so I'll definitely be avoiding the new one. Thanks - and sorry it sucked!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 30 September, 2021, 03:41:02 PM
Yep, off to Castle Wankelfort with this one!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 30 September, 2021, 08:33:46 PM
I've been playing Oddworld - Abe's Odyssey.  I'm enjoying it so far.  It looks really good.  Never played it when it came out, haven't played the remaster or remake or whatever it is.  Played a number of years ago, but didn't get very far.  I might complete, I might not, but I'm sure I'll enjoy it for as long as I do play it.

I played some Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2.  I'm not very good at that game, but it's still fun until I find my lack of skills halt my progress.  I'm sure if I was to learn how the combo system actually worked I'd do better, but I don't want to put that kind of effort in right now.

I also had a quick go of Time Bokan Series: Bokan to Ippatsu! Doronbo.  I have a lot of weird Roms I haven't looked at in over half a decade.  This is a shmup based on the Yatterman series.  It is great fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 01 October, 2021, 09:53:41 AM
Quote from: pictsy on 30 September, 2021, 08:33:46 PMI'm sure if I was to learn how the combo system actually worked I'd do better, but I don't want to put that kind of effort in right now.

There's not much to it really.  The main thing is if all four wheels are on the ground, your combo is over.

So from leaving the ground you just need to cram in as many tricks as possible (usually flip tricks with the square button as they are quickest) or hold grabs (circle button) for as long as possible. 

At some point you need to land though so you either have to revert (can't remember the button) and then manual (wheelie) away or land on a grindy rail.

I think that's pretty much it.  You need good stats for speed, ollie and air to really do this well.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 01 October, 2021, 10:17:03 AM
Nothing to it :P

Yes, learning how to do all that was what I referring to.  Maybe one day I'll put the time in, but it's not any day soon.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 01 October, 2021, 10:21:50 AM
Quote from: pictsy on 30 September, 2021, 08:33:46 PM
I've been playing Oddworld - Abe's Odyssey.  I'm enjoying it so far.  It looks really good.  Never played it when it came out, haven't played the remaster or remake or whatever it is.  Played a number of years ago, but didn't get very far.  I might complete, I might not, but I'm sure I'll enjoy it for as long as I do play it.


I played a bit of the remaster on my PS5 recently as it was just sitting there in my library (had previously purchased the game on PSN, but had no recollection of doing so).
I found it a bit frustrating after about an hour or so - don't know if I have the patience to continue with it.

I also purchased the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm re-mastered trilogy on the switch for peanuts.
Enjoying part 1 so far, but I am crap at the fight sequences.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: I, Cosh on 01 October, 2021, 10:26:49 AM
Quote from: pictsy on 30 September, 2021, 08:33:46 PM
I played some Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2.
Reckon I've played THPS2 more than any other game ever made. With the possible exception of WipeOut 2097. I've never been able to get the ridiculous combo scores into the millions but the general trick is to find a line that you can repeat indefinitely with at least one part where you can pick up speed again. If in doubt, cramming in as many extra grind and flatland tricks at the end to bump up the multiplier always helps.

Went back to Super Mario Odyssey recently after getting frustrated with it the first time round. Still think there's something a little bit off about it (mostly I just hate the little bit of inertia that stops Mario running at full speed from the off) that prevents it being a classic but there are so many fantastic, imaginitive little sub-levels in it that I can forgive some of the more repetitive tasks. Took a bit of bloody mindedness but I managed to get all the moons this time.

Currently back into Horizon Zero Dawn. Played about half of it before and really enjoyed it but just stopped for some reason I don't recall. Think I'm almost back at the same point now and I realise that the robot dinosaurs get a lot tougher once you get to the desert. Unusually, I'm quite engaged with the story (big fan of post-technological or mixed science/magic settings) and it's a beautiful world to run around in. I'm generally 100% against 100% realism in 100% of games so their fantasy version of dawn sunlight in the mountains does something special.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 01 October, 2021, 11:28:31 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 01 October, 2021, 10:21:50 AM
I found it a bit frustrating after about an hour or so - don't know if I have the patience to continue with it.

I'm using a walkthrough to help me out.  Mostly to find all the hidden stuff.  I like solving the puzzles myself, but if I get really stuck I'll find the solution because I know it's going to be something that is frustratingly obtuse.  This has only happened once so far.

The game doesn't let you know everything you can do right off the bat.  I think it's so you can go back and play the game again and get a different experience.  I think that's fine in a game, but I think it did end up shitting on my parade on my original play through.  Still, I really enjoy the mechanics and look of the game in all it's PS1 glory.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 01 October, 2021, 11:36:55 AM
Quote from: repoman on 29 September, 2021, 12:04:54 PM
I think I'm done with Aliens: Fireteam.  It was enjoyable and I've been through it a few times but it is a bit samey and lacking in content so I think I'm done.  The DLC roadmap only mentions new classes and gear.  Which I couldn't care less about.
I'm just about to complete the main campaign after ~12 hours. It's a fun, action-packed game, surprisingly well-written, and I think I'm going to carry on and experiment with the other classes.

My primary complaint is the match-making, with its stupid 60-second timer and auto-filled AI slots when the timer runs low. Please, stop. Keep looking for people until I have an all-human squad. I'll wait. It's fine.

Overall I've had more than enough fun for my money and would recommend it.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 14 October, 2021, 10:14:30 AM
While waiting on Metroid Dread to arrive in the post I downloaded Doom (2016) on my PS5 partially on a curious whim / partially because it was only a coupla quid.

I WAS BLOWN AWAY. A truly unexpected 10/10 experience.
Guess I should have paid attention to those reviews after all.

I will admit that I never really took to the early Doom games, I think Doom 64 was the only one I really gave the old college try, probably because the N64 cartridge cost about €100 in today's money and as a teenager I was too broke at the time to squander the purchase.

This re-imagining by Bethesda / id Software is just about everything I look for in a First-person shooter, and takes some of the best elements from games such as Halo and Metroid Prime.
I had a frantic and fun few hours every night after work this past week, and completed the main campaign last night. The game length was perfectly judged by the way, each of the 13 levels taking about an hour each.
It's definitely one to go back to for mopping up weapon mods / collectibles etc. I may even go for the Platinum, as it doesn't seem too hard a task.

A quick perusal of Amazon this morning has the 2020 sequel Doom Eternal going dirt cheap too - so that's lined up for November, right after the aforementioned Metroid Dread.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 14 October, 2021, 12:03:45 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 14 October, 2021, 10:14:30 AM
While waiting on Metroid Dread to arrive in the post I downloaded Doom (2016) on my PS5 partially on a curious whim / partially because it was only a coupla quid.
Metroid Dread is bloody brilliant. I'm sneaking every spare minute I can find.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 14 October, 2021, 03:14:49 PM
(thinking of returning to the forum gently)

Rise of the Tomb Raider. Mostly great, but man she does a lot of killing rather than tomb raiding. Currently caught in an annoying bottle neck were she has to swim below ice and pick off bad guys. I mean, she's a teenage girl processing her father's death. Is ice-picking anonymous men to death really the way to go?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 15 October, 2021, 07:34:07 AM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 14 October, 2021, 03:14:49 PM
(thinking of returning to the forum gently)

Rise of the Tomb Raider. Mostly great, but man she does a lot of killing rather than tomb raiding. Currently caught in an annoying bottle neck were she has to swim below ice and pick off bad guys. I mean, she's a teenage girl processing her father's death. Is ice-picking anonymous men to death really the way to go?

That's the issue i have with that so-called "modern" reboot. Technically speaking, these are good games, but they are not the Tomb Raider I remember. And where the puzzles that made me feverishly sweating for the whole day. Plus, Laura is not a psycho, a female Rambo (which sounds actually more as an oxymoron) to have the borderline sadistic treatment for herself and the others. I mean, in the first one, she gets impaled on a pole or something. Gtfo.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 15 October, 2021, 09:34:24 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 14 October, 2021, 12:03:45 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 14 October, 2021, 10:14:30 AM
While waiting on Metroid Dread to arrive in the post I downloaded Doom (2016) on my PS5 partially on a curious whim / partially because it was only a coupla quid.
Metroid Dread is bloody brilliant. I'm sneaking every spare minute I can find.

Good to hear.
I really liked what Mercury Steam produced with Samus Returns a few years back, so would expect no less from them.

Quote from: Richmond Clements on 14 October, 2021, 03:14:49 PM
(thinking of returning to the forum gently)

Rise of the Tomb Raider. Mostly great, but man she does a lot of killing rather than tomb raiding. Currently caught in an annoying bottle neck were she has to swim below ice and pick off bad guys.

Welcome back Richmond.

I quite enjoyed the reboot Tomb Raider Trilogy, and Rise is probably the best of the bunch.
If you don't have it already, I would recommend the Baba Yaga DLC - a bonkers little side quest that can be optioned during the main story-line.

Best not to think about the amount of people Lara (or affable Nathan Drake for that matter) have killed throughout their careers - suffice to say Dark Judge membership could feasibly be on offer.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 15 October, 2021, 09:37:46 AM
Quote from: milstar on 15 October, 2021, 07:34:07 AM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 14 October, 2021, 03:14:49 PM
(thinking of returning to the forum gently)

Rise of the Tomb Raider. Mostly great, but man she does a lot of killing rather than tomb raiding. Currently caught in an annoying bottle neck were she has to swim below ice and pick off bad guys. I mean, she's a teenage girl processing her father's death. Is ice-picking anonymous men to death really the way to go?

That's the issue i have with that so-called "modern" reboot. Technically speaking, these are good games, but they are not the Tomb Raider I remember. And where the puzzles that made me feverishly sweating for the whole day. Plus, Laura is not a psycho, a female Rambo (which sounds actually more as an oxymoron) to have the borderline sadistic treatment for herself and the others. I mean, in the first one, she gets impaled on a pole or something. Gtfo.
I disagree on most counts. Lara was a killing machine in all of the original games, it was simply sanitised by video game tropes and capabilities of the time. At least the first of the Tomb Raider reboots *tried* to address this aspect of her character. As for the puzzles, apart from the exploration aspect which is present and correct, I'd personally rather have the brilliant physics-based, self-enclosed tombs of the reboots than the endless "hope you don't drown" or "push this cube" nonsense of the originals.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 15 October, 2021, 11:01:21 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 15 October, 2021, 09:37:46 AM
I disagree on most counts. Lara was a killing machine in all of the original games, it was simply sanitised by video game tropes and capabilities of the time. At least the first of the Tomb Raider reboots *tried* to address this aspect of her character. As for the puzzles, apart from the exploration aspect which is present and correct, I'd personally rather have the brilliant physics-based, self-enclosed tombs of the reboots than the endless "hope you don't drown" or "push this cube" nonsense of the originals.

Lara killed people definitely before, but she is first and foremost explorer. I like how they pushed exploration of action in Anniversary. And all of the puzzles in the 2nd reboot are easier to digest than pieces of cake.
I nearly forgot: modern Lara has no sex appeal.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 15 October, 2021, 11:59:59 AM
I would recommend the Baba Yaga DLC - a bonkers little side quest that can be optioned during the main story-line.

Yeah, I'm on Xbox Game Pass so it has all the stuff and I've played through that one. It was great bonkers fun,
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 21 October, 2021, 11:44:39 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 15 October, 2021, 09:34:24 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 14 October, 2021, 12:03:45 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 14 October, 2021, 10:14:30 AM
While waiting on Metroid Dread to arrive in the post I downloaded Doom (2016) on my PS5 partially on a curious whim / partially because it was only a coupla quid.
Metroid Dread is bloody brilliant. I'm sneaking every spare minute I can find.

Good to hear.
I really liked what Mercury Steam produced with Samus Returns a few years back, so would expect no less from them.


Metroid Dread

So far it is everything I hoped it would be.
I've had three intense play sessions this week, > 6 hours each, and have made it as far as the second sweep of Ferenia / Ice Missile upgrade (so I assume about 50% through the game).
A flawless experience so far - intense boss battles, satisfying exploration and progression, and perfect / responsive controls (I am playing docked & using the Pro Controller, maybe it wouldn't be as comfortable otherwise).

Top tip if you have any Metroid related Amiibo lying around - they can be used in game once per 24 hours to replenish energy / missiles (to varying degrees depending on the Amiibo).
This actually saved my bacon during the first Chozo warrior battle when my Missile complement was relatively low.

Probably not much of a spoiler for anyone who's played it, but I assume that Raven Beak [spoiler]is Samus' adoptive father?[/spoiler]
Guess I will find out by the weekend.


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: CalHab on 21 October, 2021, 11:59:49 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 15 October, 2021, 09:37:46 AM
I disagree on most counts. Lara was a killing machine in all of the original games, it was simply sanitised by video game tropes and capabilities of the time. At least the first of the Tomb Raider reboots *tried* to address this aspect of her character. As for the puzzles, apart from the exploration aspect which is present and correct, I'd personally rather have the brilliant physics-based, self-enclosed tombs of the reboots than the endless "hope you don't drown" or "push this cube" nonsense of the originals.

I agree. The self-enclosed tombs are fun and the open-world stuff is well done in all three games. I'm a big fan of the reboots. Firing the bow, climbing up rock walls. All great fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 28 October, 2021, 12:06:09 PM
Currently enjoying Far Cry 6.  It's very Ubisoft, as you'd expect, but they are very good at putting you in a world and then giving you ALL THE TOYS to destroy things with.  If I've got any criticism, it's that it's too easy.  So much so that I actually started equipping a weaker load out.

But there's still a ton of fun to be had trying to stealth your way through a base, getting caught and then fending off helicopters with an EMP grenade launcher.  Fun stuff.

Currently reviewing Carrion where you basically play as the thing from The Thing.  It's a metroidvania kind of affair.  I'm not sure I'm liking it.  The controls are a bit fiddly.  Will stick with it though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 01 November, 2021, 09:51:02 PM
Tomb Raider Legend

The nostalgia trip down to memory lane wasn't that thrilling as it was 15 years ago - but I do fondly remember Legend as the first game I got on my then newly PC. And countless hours I spent on solving its (again, then) nerve-racking puzzles. Now as I have a photographic memory, most of the puzzles were not mind demanding (save very few), so the walkthrough was childsplay. But this is the definite Lara to me. Graphically, the game looks dated, although it looked mindblowing in 2006. What definitely wasn't good then and wasn't good now are shooting mechanics, although I loved motorcycle sections (which unfortunately occur twice in the game). This one is that the reboots games clearly have improved. But like I said, Legend will remain a legend. Plus, Keeley Hawes is unsurpassed voice actor for Lara. Soothing and classy.

Tom Clancy's EndWar

Not so much an RTS fan, unless it's something closely related to military conflicts. This one was more of a chore, as I have already beaten the game before, first as European, then as Russian. Now I am about to close it as American. I think this had a lot of potentials, but the execution is a mixed bag. If just the gameplay had been a bit polished, this would be legendary. If it wasn't for the battlefield's close reliance on "rock, paper, shotgun" mechanics. Such chess style of gameplay is someone's cup of tea, but not mine. Once you surmount those, there is no surprise there. When you know which unit to send to the incoming enemy's unit. And there is no difference between Russian, American, and European troops. Either way, the game has some nice touches here and there but ultimately feels let down. Although my impression would slightly improve if they have added the British campaign...
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 02 November, 2021, 11:02:11 AM
Quote from: milstar on 01 November, 2021, 09:51:02 PM

Plus, Keeley Hawes is unsurpassed voice actor for Lara.


I'd somehow either never known that or completely forgotten it, but what a great choice for a voice actor.

Legend was far more enjoyable than the sequel Underworld as far as I recall, but the game-play of both pales in comparison to the modern reboot trilogy.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 02 November, 2021, 01:26:42 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 02 November, 2021, 11:02:11 AM
Quote from: milstar on 01 November, 2021, 09:51:02 PM

Plus, Keeley Hawes is unsurpassed voice actor for Lara.


I'd somehow either never known that or completely forgotten it, but what a great choice for a voice actor.

Legend was far more enjoyable than the sequel Underworld as far as I recall, but the game-play of both pales in comparison to the modern reboot trilogy.

I didn't like much Underworld. I hate what they did to the story, offing Lara's mother just like that, which was incredible disappointment. When I look back, it's as if the developers had little faith in the trilogy (although Legend could be seen as continuation of the previous games, and doesn't spoil anything), ending it abruptly, before focusing on the reboot. Funny thing about Legend, there is an easter egg in the game, hinting at the Anniversary, which I wasn't aware before.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 16 November, 2021, 04:34:15 PM
Bioshock

The epitome of 2000s gaming. A bit dated now, and at places unpolished (like a rather rushed final boss fight), but still entertaining. Doesn't carry the huge emotional baggage of its predecessors, but I am amused how it brilliantly ties up with Burial at Sea ep2.

But one thing grinds my gears. Why the bloody heck I harvested only three Little Sisters, and still got the worst ending. What trickery is this?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 17 November, 2021, 12:11:40 PM
A gripe I had with Bioshock was the bit near the start where your character finds a syringe of unknown origin and just jams it in his arm without a second thought.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: repoman on 17 November, 2021, 02:30:28 PM
I always found Bioshock to be a bit of a slog.  Too many fetch quests.  Was the best of the three though.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 17 November, 2021, 04:52:11 PM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 17 November, 2021, 12:11:40 PM
A gripe I had with Bioshock was the bit near the start where your character finds a syringe of unknown origin and just jams it in his arm without a second thought.

Ah, but have you forgotten about "would you kindly?"

Quote from: repoman on 17 November, 2021, 02:30:28 PM
I always found Bioshock to be a bit of a slog.  Too many fetch quests.  Was the best of the three though.

Infinite for me. Just blew me away.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: milstar on 08 December, 2021, 02:17:03 PM
Tomb Raider 3

...The Adventures of Lara Croft, as is the full title. It must be tying up loose ends. Tomb Raider was the last game I rabidly played on my PS1 before it went bust. And I was at the very ending. I remember how the image of man (the final boss) transformed into a giant spider creeped me out to the bone. Either way, I've done it now, shamelessly have to admit with the help of the online walkthrough. But the game really had occupied me for weeks. Even with blowing a fuse countless times, partly thanks to unforgiving gameplay, where one step is a step for reloading the save, coupled with muddy graphics the nature of the gameplay, TR3 is a bloody strenuous experience. Strictly narrowed to keyboard wasn't a big deal, except the way these controls work (did I mention that 2013 reboot finally got the controls right for Tomb Raider?). Exotic locales are what primarily drew me to Tomb Raider, India, South Pacific, Nevada desert and, Antarctica are all ripe stuff, but paradoxically, London imho has the most engaging scenery.
Now, off to The Last Revelations.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 08 December, 2021, 04:05:25 PM
Assassin's Creed Origins. Almost 30 hours in and barely have half the map uncovered. This is just bloody brilliant. Such a step up from the final few last gen games (although I did enjoy the one in London). Loving every minute of this.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 09 December, 2021, 11:08:03 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 14 October, 2021, 12:03:45 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 14 October, 2021, 10:14:30 AM
While waiting on Metroid Dread to arrive in the post I downloaded Doom (2016) on my PS5 partially on a curious whim / partially because it was only a coupla quid.
Metroid Dread is bloody brilliant. I'm sneaking every spare minute I can find.
Finally on the last boss. Kind of don't want it to end. Performed the amazing trick of both frustrating me and keeping me hooked. Amazing game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 16 December, 2021, 03:00:23 PM
Quote from: wedgeski on 09 December, 2021, 11:08:03 AM
Quote from: wedgeski on 14 October, 2021, 12:03:45 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 14 October, 2021, 10:14:30 AM
While waiting on Metroid Dread to arrive in the post I downloaded Doom (2016) on my PS5 partially on a curious whim / partially because it was only a coupla quid.
Metroid Dread is bloody brilliant. I'm sneaking every spare minute I can find.
Finally on the last boss. Kind of don't want it to end. Performed the amazing trick of both frustrating me and keeping me hooked. Amazing game.
Complete, and quite proud of my tired old fingers for getting to the end of this one. Just the one Google. And to reiterate: amazing game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 17 December, 2021, 12:25:41 PM
Quote from: wedgeski on 16 December, 2021, 03:00:23 PM
Just the one Google.

Lemme guess - the Burenia Shine-spark puzzle?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 17 December, 2021, 01:25:39 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 17 December, 2021, 12:25:41 PM
Quote from: wedgeski on 16 December, 2021, 03:00:23 PM
Just the one Google.

Lemme guess - the Burenia Shine-spark puzzle?
Yup.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 27 January, 2022, 09:49:05 AM
Gaming overload since December - I'm at various stages of the following:

Golf Story (Nintendo Switch) - I overlooked this retro Golfing RPG when it was released a few years ago, and have rectified the mistake. Highly addictive game, but getting quite difficult in the final chapter.
House of Ashes (PS5) - The 3rd of the 'Dark Pictures Anthology' and historically the 4th game that my other half has agreed to play / participate with me (she was a huge fan of all the previous Supermassive narrative driven games, including 'Until Dawn'). We are early days on this one, but loving it so far - a nice blend of Aliens and The Decent.
Doom Eternal (PS4) - Purchased on the back of a shockingly entertaining play-through of Doom 2016 last year. It's great, but feels ever so slightly off compared to it's predecessor. I'm getting either crap or lazy, and have lowered the difficulty a few levels in.
Mario Golf (Nintendo Switch) - With my love of the virtual sport recently rejuvenated, it was a no-brainer purchase. A solid game, as you would expect from Nintendo, but surprisingly the lower spec Golf Story has better game mechanics. Go figure.
Just Cause 3 (PS4) - Purchased on the back of a Mr. Pops recommendation earlier in this thread, I got it for about 3 quid in a PSN sale. I am very far along in this, having completed the main story. I'm now just flying around in a golden helicopter blowing shit up for a few more Trophies. A hard game to actually recommend - entertaining for what it is, but I did find it a bit boring and repetitive. Probably should have dipped in and out more.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Doctor Alt 8 on 25 February, 2022, 11:00:45 AM
You'll all call me a filthy casual but I love playing Elder Scrolls Online... When it isn't available I am also playing Destroy All Humans. I love the humour and the 1050 aesthetic
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 03 March, 2022, 10:42:51 AM
Some recent unwelcome news for Nintendo fans - they are closing the Virtual Console access on 3DS and Wii U in less than a year, and time is ticking if you want to purchase copies of classic games (some of which will be available via the Switch online subscription, some of which will not).

I gave this probably more consideration than say, buying a new car, and ended up sinking €80 into several purchases on both devices that met certain criteria;

- I don't have the game and want to play it.
- I have the game, it's great, but will I ever boot up the old hardware / system again?

I've been playing the following thus far:

Super Mario Advance 4 (GBA on Wii U)- A souped up version of all time classic Super Mario Bros 3. There's a reason this gem is at the top of the charts. A 30+ year old game which can still delight and frustrate. 2D perfection.

Harvest Moon (GBC on 3DS) - I had a massive hangover last Sunday and sunk the majority of the day into this, only to maddeningly have to delete the file due to a game breaking foul-up (loss of the sickle).

Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA on Wii U) - I can't believe I overlooked this game when it was originally released, mistakenly thinking it was a cash grab remake of the original. It is entirely it's own beast, and is as addictive as Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, Samus Returns or the recent 10/10 game Metroid Dread. It plays and looks a dream on the Wii U controller display screen. Just perfect.

I have loads more to get through - the usual titles, but if any of ye have more left-field Virtual Console recommendations I'd love to hear them.



Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Angry Vince on 26 March, 2022, 06:41:28 PM
Wartales
If you love RPG's, medieval stories, sandbox and turn based combat? Absolutely brilliant game, picked it up cheap on a Steam sale, have been playing all weekend.
Can't recommend this enough.
Nothing like watching your brute crush three enemy with one swipe of his giant hammer!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 07 April, 2022, 09:00:36 PM
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars on my John Higgins's Dredd 3DS XL.

Pretty damn good for an XCOM lite. Not really a challenge unless you play it on hard. You always know you will win, it's just a question of exactly how. The Recon Banshee is overpower we d though and if you play her just right you can rack up massive kill streaks.

But what the actual foot? Russia invading Ukraine as a premise? Naw, that would never happen.

(Ok, it turns out Russia is being manipulated by extremist Imperial factions but still...)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 April, 2022, 11:29:44 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 07 April, 2022, 09:00:36 PM

(Ok, it turns out Russia is being manipulated by extremist Imperial factions but still...)

Um, in real life or the game?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Richmond Clements on 08 April, 2022, 01:06:33 PM
Guardians of the Galaxy. Oh man, this is great fun.  It turned up on Game Pass a few weeks ago. It is genuinely funny with some amazing dialogue. There are a few places where I have been frustrated, places that require a precise QTE button push, but other than that, it is a helluva load of fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 11 April, 2022, 10:35:56 AM
Which one of you fools were giving out hell about the GTA Trilogy re-masters?
Wait - that was a different forum - apologies.

I took a break from the ever frustrating Elden Ring at the weekend, and loaded up the Vice City "Definitive Edition" remaster (PS4 disc on PS5) as a palate cleanser.

Wow - they did a great job.
Vice City itself looks amazing compared to the PS2 era - in particular the background detail, weather effects and neon lights.
I got sucked right back in, and had every main mission completed by 6.00pm yesterday.
Now I have to decide if I will go through the slog of attempting the Platinum Trophy (100% completion required - I'm still not over the last time I did it, two decades ago).

PS - The radio stations are still the best thing about this game. Razor sharp, and absolutely hilarious.
Shame that they removed the Michael Jackson tracks, I can still appreciate his music personally, but understand if it's unappealing for others.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: RookieNerd on 02 June, 2022, 09:20:40 PM
The last game I felt I really played was Death Stranding. It's been really hard to get into a game ever since. I am in gaming limbo at the moment.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 02 June, 2022, 11:21:49 PM
FIFA.

Please. Make. Me. Stop.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 03 June, 2022, 04:14:53 AM
I've been kicking all kinds of ass in martial arts fun-fest, Sifu.

What I actually mean is I struggled like hell in the beginning and spent an age trying complete level 2. It can be a difficult game in parts but once the combat mechanics click you actually feel as if your wandering through your very own martial arts film dishing out raw fisty justice.

It's really good!

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: RookieNerd on 07 August, 2022, 06:57:52 PM
Sinking City and I picked the worst ending cuz I wanted to see you know. Who wouldn't want to see like that?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Angry Vince on 30 August, 2022, 08:25:46 PM
Just finished Dysmantle - a great post-apocalyptic RPG where you also smash up the landscape, buildings, furniture... anything to make new equipment. Has a very fun, cartoony art style and lots of puzzles. The background story is quite interesting and sets up a good end for the movie.
Most fun part - final getting the Power Fist* and using it to smash a semi** truck to pieces.


* the mere name is probably giving people flashbacks to the Top Secret movie. You'll be disappointed to know it's not that kind of Power Fist.
** you guys have got sick minds and your mums would be very sad.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Barrington Boots on 03 October, 2022, 04:09:08 PM
Yesterday I finished Return to Monkey Island. It's superb - funny, puzzling, the control system is very easy to use, the voice acting, music and graphics are glorious and there's a lot of callbacks to the first two games without disregarding the rest of the series. I didn't find it too difficult apart from a single puzzle at the end that really stumped me, but it's still a reasonably long game too.
If you loved Monkey Island (or at least the first three, ie. the good ones) you will love this [spoiler]although a lot will also rest on how you feel about the ending to MI2.[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 03 October, 2022, 10:23:08 PM
Finished the Halo Infinite campaign. Fun.

Bounced, and bounced hard, off Deathloop, despite really enjoying the Dishonoured games.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: RookieNerd on 04 October, 2022, 02:48:01 AM
Thought I lost my passion for gaming, but it's all about finding the right thing reignite the passion. Funny thing it is a mod Call of Chernobyl. Limited main story element, but lots of side missions. Plus it has all the maps of the three games to wander about it and some interesting gear changes.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 01 November, 2022, 11:43:41 AM
I picked up the Resident Evil 2 Remake for a tenner there a few days ago.
I loved the original all those years ago, and this didn't disappoint.

Hard to beat that oh shit feeling of being backed into a corner in a side room and hearing the approaching footsteps on Mr. X.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: RookieNerd on 26 December, 2022, 10:57:42 AM
Outer Worlds from the company who made Fallout New Vegas. It made me want to play New Vegas again. Looked pretty though I give it that.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Tiplodocus on 05 January, 2023, 07:18:42 PM
Is Witcher 3 any good? (That's the one available on Switch I think)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 05 January, 2023, 07:26:19 PM
Vampire Survivors

Cheap, on Game Pass, fun.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: wedgeski on 06 January, 2023, 09:04:16 AM
Got back on with Carrion on Switch over the holiday. What a beautiful game. Originally the lack of a map put me right off, but on a second playthrough I realised that there's no major backtracking required and the game does a pretty good job of leading you through its various levels. I would strongly recommend it to any Metroidvania types on the forum.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 06 January, 2023, 11:43:37 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 05 January, 2023, 07:18:42 PM
Is Witcher 3 any good? (That's the one available on Switch I think)

Tremendous game - a 10/10 for me.
I picked up the PS4 GOTY edition a few years back - took me a year of solid - solid - gaming to complete to my satisfaction.

Tempted to download the (free) next gen update for my PS5, but I think I've already filled my Kaer Morhen boots.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Barrington Boots on 06 January, 2023, 11:44:54 AM
Second that, Witcher 3 is fantastic.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 06 January, 2023, 10:18:50 PM
Yeah, The Witcher 3 is a fantastic game, definitely one of my favourites. I have clocked roughly 1,000 hours through three playthroughs*.

Not without issues though. It starts in media res, and you really have to pay attention at the start to build up enough context clues to understand the big picture. The combat also seems a bit janky to begin with, and it takes a while to figure out where to invest your skill points in the the skill tree. But once you figure it all out, it's very satisfying. If you have ever played any Dark Souls games, the combat is more manageable and rewarding, even on the hardest setting.

The narrative is it's strongest suit. Some of the side quests have better plots and story telling than the main quest in other games.

My big tips:

Upgrades: Swordsmanship~>Alchemy>>>Signs

Side step dodge>>>>>combat roll dodge

Once you can unlock the witcher schools' armour sets, normal armour is redundant.

If you kill any of the trolls other than the rabid ones, you are the real monster.

Gwent is good fun.

*Played the base game, then got the DLCs and started from the start again. The DLCs are amazing. Blood & Wine is basically the Witcher 4. Then I played New Game+ at the start of lockdown. As I type, I'm reinstalling to play from the start with the new content.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 09 January, 2023, 11:57:04 AM
I started digging through my Black Friday glut yesterday, and decided to give The Quarry a go on PS5.

Another triumph for Supermassive Games.
I am halfway through the reported 10 hour playtime and having a ball.
Cast / concept / script / graphics / (Slightly easier) QTE all hitting the right notes so far.

The Rod Serling-esqe tutorials are the icing on the cake.
It's a strong recommend, horror fans.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 09 January, 2023, 12:55:15 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 09 January, 2023, 11:57:04 AM
I started digging through my Black Friday glut yesterday, and decided to give The Quarry a go on PS5.

Another triumph for Supermassive Games.
I am halfway through the reported 10 hour playtime and having a ball.
Cast / concept / script / graphics / (Slightly easier) QTE all hitting the right notes so far.

The Rod Serling-esqe tutorials are the icing on the cake.
It's a strong recommend, horror fans.

I second this recommendation. Played it through in December and had a blast.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 03 February, 2023, 10:56:28 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 09 January, 2023, 11:57:04 AM(Slightly easier) QTE

I take it back!

Final tally:
- 3 Dead.
- 3 Werewolves.
- 1 Survivor.
- 0 White Wolf sightings.


Anyway - tonight we're gonna party like it's 1998 as I'll be aiming to 100% complete the X-Box version of Banjo-Kazooie, before trying Bangjo-Tooie for the very first time.

A note for 'Rare Replay' owners - GoldenEye just popped up on my dashboard as a freebie. Unexpected but very welcome.




Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Barrington Boots on 03 February, 2023, 05:26:41 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 03 February, 2023, 10:56:28 AMA note for 'Rare Replay' owners - GoldenEye just popped up on my dashboard as a freebie. Unexpected but very welcome.

The ultimate late 90s university post-pub game! How's it hold up nowdays?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 07 February, 2023, 11:16:55 AM
Quote from: Barrington Boots on 03 February, 2023, 05:26:41 PMThe ultimate late 90s university post-pub game! How's it hold up nowdays?

Only gave it an hour, but I was surprised it played so smoothly despite looking very much of its time.

Yeah, those local multiplayer GoldenEye sessions on the N64 were just the best.
We always played 'Licence to Kill' mode, and I had some of the re-spawning sequences memorized.
For legal reasons I cannot repeat some of the names I was called.

If I am going to hell after I die, I'll probably re-spawn in the snow, unarmed, outside 'Facility'.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Barrington Boots on 07 February, 2023, 11:46:40 AM
Ha, awesome.

We used to stay up all night and play this, and Worms, endlessly back when I was a student. I'm not sure the experience would be the same as a middle-aged single player but I love that it's still smooth and holding up.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 21 February, 2023, 08:13:20 PM
I have been playing Final Fantasy VIII for the last few weeks.  I never finished it, but I always liked it's style.  Obviously I broke the game straight away with card-mod.  I've put in about an hour before bed each night and have been enjoying it.  Even played too much Triple Triad for no real reason.  I am already thinking that when I am done I might replay Ocarina of Time and then maybe return to Final Fantasy IX (one of my top 5 favourite games, easily).

I also missed the forum update.  Looks all new and shiny.  Nice to see avatar pics make a return.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Barrington Boots on 22 February, 2023, 02:44:08 PM
I've recently replayed FFIX (possibly remastered?) and enjoyed it a lot, much more than I did when I initially played it, I think.
I haven't played FF VIII since it came out. I remember being really into it initially - the graphics being a ton better than VII helped (there's a great battle scene near the start, if I remember rightly) but the story taking a turn for the worse when a link is discovered between the characters and the antagonist and then not much after that but I was disappointed. I'd be interested to hear if it's any good, as it's the only one from VII to X that I haven't gone back to and would like to know if its worthwhile.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 22 February, 2023, 11:19:09 PM
The story can't be more disappointing for me than XII's was.  That game just ends mid-stride.  I decided to retry VIII because I remembered it could be easily broken and you are better off not grinding for levels.  I've been grinding for GF upgrades instead. 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Barrington Boots on 22 February, 2023, 11:36:09 PM
Gotta agree, XII is absolute tosh!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 24 February, 2023, 09:55:44 AM
I do like XII.  It has a lot going for it.  I don't remember story being especially bad either.  It just doesn't have a satisfying ending, and that's the real gut punch.  After all that, it just fizzles out?  It makes it feel like a waste a time.  I'm not usually fussed about game stories, but the end came so abruptly I was actually confused.  I felt like there was half a game missing.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 24 March, 2023, 11:55:25 AM
Metroid Prime Remastered is a definitive 10/10 masterpiece.

I had (still have) the original Gamecube version from two decades ago, but had forgotten just how smooth the gameplay of this introductory 3D chapter actually was.
Graphical update is flawless.
If you have a Switch it's an essential purchase - going for about 30 squid at the moment too.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Colin YNWA on 24 March, 2023, 12:14:01 PM
Insanely late to the party... in fact so late all the booze has gone and everyone putting their coats on and getting ready to move on the next party, up the road in what I assume is a bigger posher house...

... what I'm saying is I've recently been playing Zelda - Breathe of the Wild on the Switch and its magnificent. Absolutely bloody magnificent. I'm rubbish at games, but I've found I can play it and the learning curve is such that I'm becoming a better game player by getting on. The Boy child is really good at games, but it has enough challenge for him. Quite how they squared that circle amazes me!

He (the boy child) has completed the main quest - well he did that ages ago - but is finding plenty to do beyond that, though having and DLC goes seem to help with that. I've only done two of the four big beastie thingies but am spending ages exploring and filling my boots with other things. We've both played for roughly the same time.

Its just a wonderful, best example of open world game play I've ever done. All the more enjoyable cos I can now kill guardians with a degree of confidence - just need to get brave enough to take on a Lynel thingy*

*Please proper gaming types don't laugh at me, as I say I'm rubbish at games!
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Funt Solo on 24 March, 2023, 05:46:00 PM
Minesweeper. Again. Meditative.

The last real game I played was Dysmantle. Great beginning ramp-up with a poorly managed late game.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 25 March, 2023, 12:12:08 AM
HITMAN: WORLD OF ASSASSINATION, originally HITMAN reboot trilogy which needed inelegant brackets and year of release.

The base game was excellent. Like a big intricate puzzle box where the central problem to be solved is "that guy is alive".

The new freelancer mode is feckin' class. It's one of those game expansions where you play it and start thinking "What the hell is happening? I thought I was good at this game!".
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 06 April, 2023, 10:11:53 AM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 24 March, 2023, 12:14:01 PMI've recently been playing Zelda - Breathe of the Wild on the Switch and its magnificent. Absolutely bloody magnificent.

Good man Colin, you'll soon be getting that Golden Triangle tattooed to your hand.

Been an age since I fired this up on the Switch, but I might do so to reacclimatise before direct sequel Tears of the Kingdom is released on May 12th.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Colin YNWA on 06 April, 2023, 10:59:01 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 06 April, 2023, 10:11:53 AM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 24 March, 2023, 12:14:01 PMI've recently been playing Zelda - Breathe of the Wild on the Switch and its magnificent. Absolutely bloody magnificent.

Good man Colin, you'll soon be getting that Golden Triangle tattooed to your hand.

Been an age since I fired this up on the Switch, but I might do so to reacclimatise before direct sequel Tears of the Kingdom is released on May 12th.


Lynel's HA! Can take them now as well... well a Savage Lynel does take quite a bit of prep and resource to do but offed my second just this morning. So much fun.

The new game is an almost certain insta buy, well given the boy will no doubt go halfies on it anyway.

Understand your name now 'Link Prime'
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 06 April, 2023, 01:03:20 PM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 06 April, 2023, 10:59:01 AMUnderstand your name now 'Link Prime'

That's one of the reasons...
< Twinrova wink >
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 21 April, 2023, 01:21:33 PM
Been playing the delightful Alwa's Awakening this week.
I've owned it on Evercade cart since Christmas, but never get round to it - been playing this version on PlayStation after getting it for a fiver in their spring sale.

Wonderful NES style adventure, with game-play elements from that era's Metroid and The Legend of Zelda.
Frustratingly difficult, but only in all the really good ways.
Bargain.


Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Dark Jimbo on 27 April, 2023, 04:28:04 PM
Quote from: pictsy on 21 February, 2023, 08:13:20 PMI have been playing Final Fantasy VIII for the last few weeks.  I never finished it, but I always liked it's style.  Obviously I broke the game straight away with card-mod.  I've put in about an hour before bed each night and have been enjoying it.  Even played too much Triple Triad for no real reason.  I am already thinking that when I am done I might replay Ocarina of Time and then maybe return to Final Fantasy IX (one of my top 5 favourite games, easily).

Funnily enough I'm nearly at the end of an FF8 replay. Likewise, I never finished it originally (think I let it drift somewhere around disc 3) and I always wondered how it ended.

This is also off the back of recently playing FF7 for the first time (thought I finally ought to see what all the fuss was about). FF8 gets a lot of stick for the junction system, but once it all clicks I actually think it's preferable to FF7's Materia. Love that you can easily switch your set-ups between characters - I got so sick of labouriosly putting all the Materia back onto an FF7 character every time the story had them leave the party for a while.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 15 May, 2023, 08:55:36 AM
The Tears are real.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 02 October, 2023, 02:03:55 AM
Dredge

A game about fishing and exploration with engaging fishing mini-games, interesting places to explore, and cool H.P Lovecraft undertones. Lovely art too.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 03 October, 2023, 09:03:24 AM
Quote from: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 02 October, 2023, 02:03:55 AMDredge

A game about fishing and exploration with engaging fishing mini-games, interesting places to explore, and cool H.P Lovecraft undertones. Lovely art too.

Alright Pops, you got yourself an 'add to wishlist' for a cheapo copy of Dredge.

I spent around 4 months scouring every surface of Hyrule's sky and depths, and finished Tears of the Kingdom to my satisfaction (* forget about the bleedin Korok seeds) a few weeks ago.

Foolishly, I booted up Horizon Forbidden West about 2 days later and am now in the thick of it.
Not enjoying it nearly as much as the first game in the series, and finding aspects of it, traversal included, a bit of a chore.
That said, great plot-line with the 'Far Zenith' twist.




Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 06 October, 2023, 12:18:48 AM
Revisited Titanfall 2's campaign.

The best FPS campaign ever.

Fight me.

In a big stompy robot.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 13 November, 2023, 12:43:12 PM
I passed a couple of enjoyable hours starting can completing indie horror gem Mothered on Friday night last.

Fantastic aesthetic, story and execution.
The game has lingered on my palate for the last three days. Well worth a play.

Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Barrington Boots on 14 November, 2023, 11:40:56 AM
Late to get into it but I'm almost at the end of FF7: Remake and its been a weird experience. It's a bit like FF7 was made into a Netflix series: as a FF7 fan it's very exciting to see it realised so beautifully, it looks and sounds incredible, but everything in it is dragged out to the nth degree. Pointless subplots and diversions, needless focus on background characters and other stuff to make the experience a strange mix of joy and tedium as the Midgar element of the plot is stretched out to about 20 hours of play. Like, it's nice to have a bit more time with Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie but they are inconsequential characters in the overall plot and they don't need masses of backstory and then 10 minute death scenes.

I've managed to avoid spoilers on the ending but I've got an inkling something happens to derail the plot and stop this being a straight remake going forward, likely tied to the spectre things, and I'm really not sure I'm happy about that.

That aside 90% of my spare time is taken up playing Baldurs Gate 3 which is FANTASTIC.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Funt Solo on 10 December, 2023, 12:53:33 AM
Does anyone remember the game Carmageddon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI)?
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: NapalmKev on 10 December, 2023, 06:04:28 AM

Quote from: Funt Solo [R] on 10 December, 2023, 12:53:33 AMDoes anyone remember the game Carmageddon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI)?


I had that for the PS1. There was a lot of 'tutting' at the time about running people over in computer games so they were changed to zombies.

Cheers
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Le Fink on 10 December, 2023, 08:38:58 AM
Quote from: Funt Solo [R] on 10 December, 2023, 12:53:33 AMDoes anyone remember the game Carmageddon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI)?
I had the PC version. A patch came out straight away to revert the zombies back to people, with red blood. Once you got past the novelty of mowing people down the interest faded. There was a stunt aspect to it with crazy jumps around I seem to remember.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Barrington Boots on 27 February, 2024, 01:45:46 PM
Quote from: Barrington Boots on 14 November, 2023, 11:40:56 AMLate to get into it but I'm almost at the end of FF7: Remake and its been a weird experience. It's a bit like FF7 was made into a Netflix series: as a FF7 fan it's very exciting to see it realised so beautifully, it looks and sounds incredible, but everything in it is dragged out to the nth degree. Pointless subplots and diversions, needless focus on background characters and other stuff to make the experience a strange mix of joy and tedium as the Midgar element of the plot is stretched out to about 20 hours of play. Like, it's nice to have a bit more time with Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie but they are inconsequential characters in the overall plot and they don't need masses of backstory and then 10 minute death scenes.

I've managed to avoid spoilers on the ending but I've got an inkling something happens to derail the plot and stop this being a straight remake going forward, likely tied to the spectre things, and I'm really not sure I'm happy about that.

That aside 90% of my spare time is taken up playing Baldurs Gate 3 which is FANTASTIC.

Finished both of these Baldurs Gate 3 was amazing and well worth all the hype its had - so good, in fact, that I'm tempted to play it through again.
FF7 Remake very disappointing at the end. I'll wait for reviews, but I'm of the opinion that the next one can get in the bin.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Funt Solo on 27 February, 2024, 03:21:11 PM
Quote from: Barrington Boots on 27 February, 2024, 01:45:46 PMBaldurs Gate 3 was amazing and well worth all the hype its had - so good, in fact, that I'm tempted to play it through again.

I played 1 and 2, so have been sorely tempted by this. My daydream is a new gaming PC, a copy of BG3 and then ... immersion! (Getting in the way of that - family, career etc.)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Barrington Boots on 27 February, 2024, 03:53:33 PM
Obviously it is streets ahead of 1 and 2. It doesn't rely on having played them, but there's plenty of nods to the older games (with Jaheria and Minsc as playable characters, although not from the start)

I get where you're coming from, but if you get the chance, totally do it. It's so good.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 07 March, 2024, 07:42:30 PM
Been playing Stardew Valley on and off for more than 6 years - on the Switch, laptop and phone, but primarily on Playstation.
Finally achieved the Platinum Trophy the other night ("Iridium Seal").
The elation lasted a record breaking 15 seconds before the usual life reevaluation pangs set in swiftly afterwards.

Also continuing dipping in and out of The Devil in Me by Supermassive - without a doubt the most disturbing one of the lot.

 
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 08 March, 2024, 11:28:06 AM
I played the Portal games again.  They are very cute games, among my favourites.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: broodblik on 08 March, 2024, 11:43:49 AM
Portal 2 rules
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 March, 2024, 11:20:10 PM
Quote from: Funt Amenable to Change on 27 February, 2024, 03:21:11 PM
Quote from: Barrington Boots on 27 February, 2024, 01:45:46 PMBaldurs Gate 3 was amazing and well worth all the hype its had - so good, in fact, that I'm tempted to play it through again.

I played 1 and 2, so have been sorely tempted by this. My daydream is a new gaming PC, a copy of BG3 and then ... immersion! (Getting in the way of that - family, career etc.)


Kinda me. I bought a new PC in December that would run this. But I have since been working through my Steam(ing) pile of shame. Most recently finished Bioshock Infinite. I was shocked that I installed it and was offered the chance to start my last autosave which was in the cloud...

...not a joke there, but a shock that the save was August 2016.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Angry Vince on 09 March, 2024, 01:05:12 AM
Currently playing Tunguska: The Visitation.
Small studio game, kind of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. if it was an isometric RPG. Difficult(ish), dangerous and fun.

(https://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/1601970/capsule_616x353.jpg?t=1708929388)
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 11 March, 2024, 11:20:39 PM
Just finished Bioshock: Infinite.

It was okay. It dabbled with racism which was interesting, but ultimately said nothing about it.

It also seemed to fizzle out as a sequel. I can almost see the pitch: "Right, the first two were set in a city under the sea. So this one... in the sky?" And then they thought, we've come up with the location let's all go to the pub.

The "twist", which was a bit sci-fi 101, appeared out the blue in the epilogue and seemed to be meeting the burden of the first game's astonishing "Would you kindly..." reveal.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Doomlord66 on 12 March, 2024, 12:12:41 AM
Currently playing The Callisto Protocol

Pretty much identical to Dead Space.... nuff said..
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: pictsy on 12 March, 2024, 09:06:36 AM
The big take away I got from Bioshock Infinite was that it went on too long.  I was getting bored and aggravated well before the conclusion.  I also really liked the environment design, particularly right at the beginning.

iirc the game was initially intended to be a lot more ambitious with the rails playing a more prominent part in gameplay - but it had to be scaled back.

Interestingly it's the only one of the Bioshock games I completed.  I got bored of the others incredibly quickly.
Title: Re: Last game played...
Post by: Link Prime on 12 March, 2024, 03:38:45 PM
Quote from: Doomlord66 on 12 March, 2024, 12:12:41 AMCurrently playing The Callisto Protocol

Pretty much identical to Dead Space.... nuff said..

I'm a Dead Space veteran but I only got about 2 hours into it before giving up - ruthlessly difficult!


Quote from: pictsy on 12 March, 2024, 09:06:36 AMInterestingly it's the only one of the Bioshock games I completed.  I got bored of the others incredibly quickly.

The first one impressed me the most design wise, but I enjoyed all three.
Hard to top that Cyndi Lauper Easter egg in Infinite though.