Video Games

[mbenigni]

The best thing is to always wait rather than buy something straight at release.

Dragon's Dogma 2 seems particularly terrible though. Abysmal performance on both consoles and PC, single save file so you can't start a new game with a new character - in a RPG. That's just insane. I hope they can fix that nonsense.

I don’t know what got into me this morning, but despite all the bad reviews, and my own ambivalence toward the first game, I went ahead and bought DD2. (Downloading now.) I don’t care all that much about frame rate, and my attitude about microtransactions is, just don’t buy them. I’m mainly itching for an interesting world to explore, which the positive reviews consistently cite as a strength. I just hope I don’t hate the actual game play lol.

Took a pass on RotR. That really should be “my jam”, but it looks like Team Ninja emphasized everything I like least about the last generation of Soulslikes. Grunting burly men whose bare chests light up with a red dot when you’re supposed to parry. So far so Sekiro/ Wo Long. Pass.

Of course, it’s entirely possible RotR is an instant classic and DD2 is dogshit. My kingdom for a demo!

 

[Jynx]

Anyone looking for Dark Souls 3 for PC to play this new mod edition I just got it for 30 quid here. Make sure to select the Deluxe edition because you need the DLC for Archthrones.

Dark Souls III 3 PC

Buy Dark Souls III 3 PC ✔️ CD Key ✔️ Instant download ✔️ Fantastic price ✔️ Digital Download ✔️

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[Jynx]

I went ahead and bought DD2.

Gotta admit. I've been hovering over this one. But I decided to be responsible and, also, there's this game popped up on my radar out in April I want instead from the makers of Ori and the Blind Forest.

 

[mbenigni]

Gotta admit. I've been hovering over this one. But I decided to be responsible and, also, there's this game popped up on my radar out in April I want instead from the makers of Ori and the Blind Forest.

Woah, this looks gorgeous. I’ll have to do a little reading and get a sense of genre/ gameplay. (If it’s a Soulslike, I’m in LOL.)

 

[eggpl@nt]

I started Wildermyth yesterday and have put about 6 hours into it already. I'm not really sure how to describe it--it's a turn-based, strategy RPG (similar to Fire Emblem), but the story and events are procedurally-generated. My Baldur's Gate save was wiped, unfortunately, and this scratches a similar itch with a bit more whimsy.

 

[Jynx]

Woah, this looks gorgeous. I’ll have to do a little reading and get a sense of genre/ gameplay. (If it’s a Soulslike, I’m in LOL.)

Or you could watch this 25 min showcase.

 

[Jynx]

Guess I should've watched that vid myself. No Rest for the Wicked is early access in April. Not released.

Guess I can buy Dragon's Dogma 2 after all.

 

[mbenigni]

Or you could watch this 25 min showcase.

 

[laxu]

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth just keeps amazing me with how much they've packed into this game.

As I progress through its story, it suddenly threw me into a whole separate mode that is basically Animal Crossing - you do daily chores, build a resort on an island and more. It's a really clever way to reuse all the assets from the game series. Largely optional too if you just don't like it, but a good way to get more money.

I'm now hooked into putting my former enemies into slave labor on my island while I go around cleaning up trash, picking up bugs, cutting down trees and enemies to unlock new areas for building more buildings so I get more revenue from island visitors.

It's what you get if you rolled Final Fantasy's original battle system (rather than the action hybrid in the VII remake), Pokemon and Animal Crossing into one game, then sprinkled all the Yakuza craziness on top.

There's a substory where a character asks you to choose between seppuku and cutting off a finger after losing a darts game...

There's also a character called Marie...and her husband Kondo.

 

[eggpl@nt]

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth just keeps amazing me with how much they've packed into this game.

As I progress through its story, it suddenly threw me into a whole separate mode that is basically Animal Crossing - you do daily chores, build a resort on an island and more. It's a really clever way to reuse all the assets from the game series. Largely optional too if you just don't like it, but a good way to get more money.

I'm now hooked into putting my former enemies into slave labor on my island while I go around cleaning up trash, picking up bugs, cutting down trees and enemies to unlock new areas for building more buildings so I get more revenue from island visitors.

It's what you get if you rolled Final Fantasy's original battle system (rather than the action hybrid in the VII remake), Pokemon and Animal Crossing into one game, then sprinkled all the Yakuza craziness on top.

There's a substory where a character asks you to choose between seppuku and cutting off a finger after losing a darts game...

There's also a character called Marie...and her husband Kondo.

Dunkie’s Yakuza videos always make me laugh and make me want to play these games. I just don’t know that I have the attention span.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Asteroids

Uhm. To this day, there's still no proper computer emulation. Tried some of the original ROMs under Mame (has been incredibly difficult or sometimes impossible to set up the required keys properly), but man, what a lame game experience.
I should possibly add that I was one of *the* masters of Asteroids. I managed to get so many spare spaceships so I could go have a pee and a get coffee in the gambling hall and when I came back to the console there'd still be lotsa spares left.
In the end, it wasn't exactly a game anymore but more like a meditative experience. And the game itself led to it as it was so simple, yet elegant. The way how you steered the spaceship was just dope (to brake you had to turn around and thrust, pretty much as in the real world).
A friend of mine bought the console from the gambling hall when it was sorted out, but it didn't make it very long as spare parts were tough to get (I mean, that was way before the internet...). I'd buy one, too - but space is really limited.
Last year I was able to play it in some computer game museum in Berlin - and I instantly was pretty much as good as - uhm, what? - 30+ years ago.

But then, maybe it's a good idea for this to remain a fond memory.

 

[laxu]

Dunkie’s Yakuza videos always make me laugh and make me want to play these games. I just don’t know that I have the attention span.

I recommend picking up Yakuza Zero on sale (or if you play on Playstation it might be on PS Plus) and giving it a try. It's probably one of the best games in the whole series and if that doesn't draw you in, then this series is not for you.

The standard pattern of these games is:

• A dead serious Yakuza movie like main plot, with epic boss fights every now and then.
• Side stories that range from mundane to heartfelt to totally bonkers.
• A whopping ton of dialog. Most you can skip as soon as you read it so you can go through it quickly if you , with some playing out in cutscenes.
• Fighting game system where you unlock new moves, weapons and skills as you progress. The context-specific special moves play out in quick cutscenes with some quick time events for extra damage.
• Tons of mini-games which you can either play for fun or largely ignore. I don't think I've won a single match of shogi but have played plenty of mahjong!
• One larger minigame that has a multiple stage storyline tied to it. The one in Yakuza Zero is really fun to play.
• Majority of the games happens in a condensed version of Tokyo's Kabukicho area (called Kamurocho in the games), or Osaka's Dotonbori (Sotenbori in the game). Some of the games have large sections set in other Japanese cities. Infinite Wealth is the first game that goes outside Japan.

They are definitely long games. Looking at my Steam stats, I've averaged about 50-70 hours in some of them.

 

[Jynx]

I played the first Like a Dragon. I gave up halfway through it. I felt like it was still in the tutorial phase after many hours.

 

[Aelred]

None of the pre-release reviews I saw for Dragon's Dogma II mentioned microtransactions. You purchase fast travel and re-spec items at least.

I haven't played much, but performance on PS5 seems OK (30fps I think).

 

[Monkey Man]

Uhm. To this day, there's still no proper computer emulation. Tried some of the original ROMs under Mame (has been incredibly difficult or sometimes impossible to set up the required keys properly), but man, what a lame game experience.
I should possibly add that I was one of *the* masters of Asteroids. I managed to get so many spare spaceships so I could go have a pee and a get coffee in the gambling hall and when I came back to the console there'd still be lotsa spares left.
In the end, it wasn't exactly a game anymore but more like a meditative experience. And the game itself led to it as it was so simple, yet elegant. The way how you steered the spaceship was just dope (to brake you had to turn around and thrust, pretty much as in the real world).
A friend of mine bought the console from the gambling hall when it was sorted out, but it didn't make it very long as spare parts were tough to get (I mean, that was way before the internet...). I'd buy one, too - but space is really limited.
Last year I was able to play it in some computer game museum in Berlin - and I instantly was pretty much as good as - uhm, what? - 30+ years ago.

But then, maybe it's a good idea for this to remain a fond memory.

Awesome story Sascha.

Your name definitely rings a bell; I'm sure I must've known you 15 or 20 years ago?

Anywho, I was good at Asteroids too. A truly-original game.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Your name definitely rings a bell; I'm sure I must've known you 15 or 20 years ago?

KVR maybe?

 

[Monkey Man]

KVR maybe?

It's got me stuffed mate.

Just had a look at all my forum-member folders and you're not in any of them, but I know your name "well".

Go figure. Maybe it'll come back to one of us one day.

 

[Devin]

I've already got 52 fucking hours in DD2 lmao; took off work Thursday and Friday and just binged the fuck out of it all weekend.

My framerate does indeed drop to 30fps in the capital cities but outside of them everything is a solid 60fps. Never had a single crash yet either.

I don't get the people crying about microtransactions; the original game had this too (as do most modern Capcom games) and it literally doesn't effect the game in anyway.

It's only there for people who are too lazy or too bad at the game and want to give themselves a leg-up. Everything can be acquired in-game by playing it normally

For me personally it's a 9 out of 10 only because of the city framerate issue. The game is so fucking fun and exactly what I wanted in a sequel

 

[Jynx]

Caved and bought Dragon's Dogma 2. Just completed making my knight. Ser Fuxalot.

 

[Aelred]

I don't get the people crying about microtransactions; the original game had this too (as do most modern Capcom games) and it literally doesn't effect the game in anyway.

I did not like the fact that none of the pre-release reviews and information mentioned this all too common blight on gaming.

I know I can skip them, it just leaves a sour taste. Capcom havce already issued an apology and if we collectively object to it, so much the better for all in future, IMHO.

Honest feedback = crying? Sure, I'm bawling my eyes out, the controller trembling in my hands through my sobbing grief as I make my way through the pixels...