Video Games

[laxu]

DS2 base game was a large tutorial for NG+ but everyone gripes about the base game. And it kept changing and surprising until at least NG7 (my stopping point) and I'm told NG10. You couldn't get a platinum without going to NG2. All 3 DLC points were very obvious.

But with Bonfire Ascetics you could make a particular area NG7 in a base game, or whatever you wanted to do. PvP folk still say DS2 was the best.

I always thought they should have called it Hex Souls or something - anything! - other than Dark Souls 2. Folk who trying it now after ER don't seem to have the same hate.

DS2 had some great ideas like Bonfire Ascetics and power stancing (using two weapons at once, giving you a different moveset). I wish they had kept those. The Adaptability stat was really dumb shit though because you needed to raise that to have decent iframes.

To me the game's problem is that it's very long, and has few memorable bosses. All too many of them are the large knight variety too. By the time I was done with the main game and DLC, I had zero interest in venturing into NG+. Elden Ring has the same problem for me.

A lot of the criticism of DS2 is warranted but that doesn't make it a bad game by any means. Just a disappointing sequel.

I thought at least one of the DS3 DLC's was easy to access, but I gave it the least time of any From game, as it was largely a cut & paste (e.g. entire levels re-purposed from Bloodborne) job to raise cash for Elden Rind - so I forgive it somewhat. Losing dual-wielding, NG+ variations and the silly Arts of War (Ashes are great!) were a step backwards imho. Great PvP arenas compared to ER tho.

DS3 is meant to be a bit of a nostalgia trip for fans of the series, and it's not like From hasn't recycled a lot of assets and animations dating back to Demon's Souls. I find that recycling much more grating in Elden Ring because it recycles even within its own content. It's just too large for its own good.

I actually played DS3 before playing DS1 and 2, so those two felt extra janky after the faster DS3 gameplay, but I can also totally see why people love DS1's level design and vibe. It has an air of mystery and dread that DS3 lacks.

I love DS3 because it's relatively quick to play through if you know what you are doing. It could be much less linear, and the DLC enemies could be less tanky. Elden Ring's switchable weapon skill system is better too. Many complained that DS3 feels too much like Bloodborne but I didn't mind that because I was coming from BB gameplay anyway so I didn't mind that in a fantasy setting.

I just wish Elden Ring did more with its gameplay, since it's a new game rather than a sequel. It feels too much like DS3.5 to me, and the open world seems unnecessary because you can't do anything but run around and collect materials in it until you hit a set piece level or dungeon. Those play just like DS3 but with jumping, and are still the best parts. Then there's the Roundtable hold that exists in another dimension apparently. Why is that not a castle smack in the middle of the map instead to give it actual importance in the world?

 

[Jynx]

I don't know if you guys saw the patch notes.

"Added new feature to summon spectral steed during the Elden Beast the boss battle."

 

[mbenigni]

Confirmed last night: I still have a (ridiculously OP*) level ~150 character ready and waiting for Shadow of the Erdtree.

*Magma Guillotine = WTF

 

[laxu]

Pro tip for Elden Ring PC players who use a controller with enough buttons: Map the keyboard key for dodge to a separate button.

Regularly dodge is "dodge when button released", because run is mapped to the hold of that same action. But the keyboard action is "dodge when button pressed". It makes a difference to reacting to attacks on instinct.

Steam Input really should be the standard for controller mapping.

I play with the Steam Controller. I've already broken one playing Sekiro, parried too much! Since it's discontinued, I don't know what I'll do when this one dies.

 

[Jynx]

Confirmed last night: I still have a (ridiculously OP*) level ~150 character ready and waiting for Shadow of the Erdtree.



*Magma Guillotine = WTF

Waiting to see how my character I speed ran the other day fares. Level 119 with just the chainmail armour I bought from the first merchant and then Yuri's katana, which is only at +6, which I only got because I did a detour to do his mission so I could get the Purifying Crystal Tear for the Mohg fight.

 

[Jarick]

Got Rune Factory 4 a few weeks back and been playing through that. It's a fun little action RPG. I will say it's not as addictive/engaging as Stardew Valley but has some of those elements.

I never did finish Zelda BOTW. I got kind of bored at some point.

 

[laxu]

Gotten a bit further in Like A Dragon Gaiden, enough to unlock side stories and more abilities. It's good old classic Yakuza fun in every way, but there's definitely a lot of "fetch this guy this item" stuff as short side tasks that get you points and money. I mean these games have always had a lot of grindy stuff that you can always just ignore if you want.

Also in other news, bought the Elden Ring DLC. I think I might have to play it right at release because otherwise it's very likely I will get spoiled at some point. I kinda wanted to get LAD Gaiden out of the way but will probably alternate between the two.

 

[mbenigni]

I think I might have to play it right at release because otherwise it's very likely I will get spoiled at some point.

Yeah, I just skimmed through part of a review, and the entire time I was like, "SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!"

 

[Jynx]

I realised I might need all the bell bearings for the DLC to buy smithing stones up to level 8 so I just rushed up to the Godskin Duo beating it and every boss inbetween to achieve that.

My character is level 121 now with a +25 katana.

Feeling kinda ready.

 

[mbenigni]

I realised I might need all the bell bearings for the DLC to buy smithing stones up to level 8 so I just rushed up to the Godskin Duo beating it and every boss inbetween to achieve that.

My character is level 121 now with a +25 katana.

Feeling kinda ready.

 

[BahamaDada]

After 7 times of this:

This happened:

Fuck Mohg. Where's the DLC?

 

[Aelred]

I just wish Elden Ring did more with its gameplay, since it's a new game rather than a sequel.

Yeah, it is Dark Souls Open World v1.0 (well, 1.5 now). You can see where they hit the cut-off mark and just stopped development on some ideas. Colosseums most obviously, but also coventants in the making (2 Invasion fingers? Madness healing item?) and some of the schools of magic. 2 useless Briar spells but gear to enhance Briar magic? The placement of the Spirit Summons Bell Bearings is weird and way into the late game yet you pick up spirits all over the place in the early game.

Damn them - they just Nerfed my beloved Blasphemous Blade!

But the next one they make I expect even better from the lessons learned.

 

[Jynx]

It begins.

 

[Jynx]

Shadow of the Erdtree is everything I wanted it to be.

 

[laxu]

Started the Elden Ring DLC. Immediately got wrecked by some beast claw dude out of nowhere. After a few tries revenge was mine though.

Then I went to challenge the optional knight boss nearby...that mofo took me a lot of tries to defeat until I figured out when to punish him. He has so much health and does so much damage even to my level 200 character. Whittling him down took seemingly forever.

Also, From Software probably puts some junior devs in charge of menu development, it's a total amateur hour. The new upgrade menu is the same nonsense where the menu items don't get disabled if you cannot actually use them, but instead it just says "you don't have enough of upgrade material" after asking if you want to upgrade.

Similarly the recent items menu is amateur hour nonsense when things like your flask refills can end up as recent items...

 

[mbenigni]

I spent part of my lunch break just trying to get a foothold on Shadow, and so far, if I'm being honest, what a PITA. I posted here looking for help finding the entry point, but finally got as far as the Consecrated Snowfield, and thought, "Oh maybe it will be fun to try and find my own way from here." LOL.

My main takeaway is that the people who decided on this point of entry had no respect for the fact that a lot of people would be coming back to the game after having shelved it for a year or more. It's like "Game of Thrones-itis" where you're expected to remember dozens of fantasy-foreign names as if they'd been on your mind in the year+ since the last season. In the case of Elden/Shadow it's, "Let's have the player spontaneously go to this super obscure place he's forgotten ever existed. When he gets there, let's make it a place where he can barely see because there's an impenetrable snow/fog filter. Yeah! A place with lots of godlike bosses wandering around the open world. That'll be the perfect backdrop while he tries to remember how to organize his inventory!"

Speaking of inventory, I'd forgotten how ridiculously outsized everything about this game is. It kind of creeps up on you, but even by the end of the main game it was all kind of eyeroll-worthy. The map(s, all of them), the inventory screen(s, all of them), the spells, the buffs, the item buffs, and so on. After some time away, just looking at all of it can make you cross-eyed.

I'm sure I'll love the game (intermittently, at least) in a week's time. But man, From isn't making it easy.

 

[DrewJD82]

I've been playing Assassin's Creed Odyssey still, that game is ridiculously huge.

My PS4 is starting to sound like an airport with the fan noise and I hear the harddrive making more noise than before, so instead of waiting until it died I went and grabbed a PS5 finally. Just setting it up so far is a better experience than the PS4, only having the apps I want and not having to wade through a ton I'll never use is definitely nice.

Downloading GTAV now because I've got some old gaming buddies I haven't played with in years on there I'm anxious to play with. I've got Death Stranding Director's Cut queued up as well, I REALLY can't wait for that one. Now I think I can finally give Cyberpunk a legit chance and by the time I'm done all that it should be about time to play through the last two God of War games again.

 

[laxu]

The DLC is pretty huge and From is extremely vague this time about where you're supposed to go. You get a dinky ass map from an NPC that you are supposed to figure out. I have so far ended up in nothing but optional dungeons!

Also encountered an optional boss that was ridiculously fast with stupid long combos leaving you very little room to breathe. I don't know how they intend to do that fight with anything but the very fastest weapons and a helper. I had to use a rot rapier on him because there's just no time to do anything but dodge or block most of the time.

I feel like From's DLC bosses have always veered on the side of "hey, let's throw a huge healthbar, multibosses or some other feature that makes it kinda unfair" over having excellent mechanics that keep the player on their toes. Bloodborne DLC is an exception. I wish we had more Ludwig, Lady Maria and Orphan of Kos level bosses - tough but with clearly telegraphed moves. So far I've encountered just one boss that was really cool to fight, and the rest are the kind where you have time for one hit before having to dodge or block again.

 

[mbenigni]

The DLC is pretty huge and From is extremely vague this time about where you're supposed to go. You get a dinky ass map from an NPC that you are supposed to figure out. I have so far ended up in nothing but optional dungeons!

Also encountered an optional boss that was ridiculously fast with stupid long combos leaving you very little room to breathe. I don't know how they intend to do that fight with anything but the very fastest weapons and a helper. I had to use a rot rapier on him because there's just no time to do anything but dodge or block most of the time.

I feel like From's DLC bosses have always veered on the side of "hey, let's throw a huge healthbar, multibosses or some other feature that makes it kinda unfair" over having excellent mechanics that keep the player on their toes. Bloodborne DLC is an exception. I wish we had more Ludwig, Lady Maria and Orphan of Kos level bosses - tough but with clearly telegraphed moves. So far I've encountered just one boss that was really cool to fight, and the rest are the kind where you have time for one hit before having to dodge or block again.

At this point, I’ll settle for finding the damned DLC, let alone figuring out where to go or what to do once I get there.

 

[Jynx]

I spent my time on Elden Ring today just exploring as much of the map as possible without committing to any boss fights.

There are some really awesome places to visit in there. There's still plenty of map to uncover.