Video Games

[norminal]

I guess we'll have to see what happens but according to this teardown, joycon drift might still be a problem: https://www.ifixit.com/News/110926/switch-2-teardown

I'm surprised they didn't come up with a better design after all of the problems they had with it. Mine have always had it and it's pretty frustrating to deal with.

I replaced all of the analog sticks in my Switch controllers with Hall effect versions and haven’t had drift ever since.

If this is the case with the Switch 2 controllers, we’ll hopefully see replacements for those as well. I agree that this shouldn’t even be an issue in 2025, but we’ll have to see what happens as more and more units are out in the wild.

 

[Aleksi]

I got one yesterday as well. But for me Mario Kart Knockout Tour is a TON of fun, even online against random people

Online is the shit in Mario Kart! I've played 8 on Switch with my partner split-screen online a lot and yesterday we tried World. It feels very different and more chaotic. I guess there's no point making the same game again, but it'll take some getting used to.

 

[Mongillo19]

Online is the shit in Mario Kart! I've played 8 on Switch with my partner split-screen online a lot and yesterday we tried World. It feels very different and more chaotic. I guess there's no point making the same game again, but it'll take some getting used to.

For sure! Idk how I feel about the maps. Seems to be so many straight highways? Sometimes it feels like the actual circuit is just one lap?

 

[Aleksi]

For sure! Idk how I feel about the maps. Seems to be so many straight highways? Sometimes it feels like the actual circuit is just one lap?

We tried battle as well (her favorite in 8), and we only got coin runners for like 5 rounds. There's some logic there I'm not getting

 

[Sleezy E]

This looks amazing!

 

[Jynx]

It's back!

 

[Jarick]

I've been using either Hori Split Plad Pro or Split Pad Compact with my Switch because the original controls are way too small. They work pretty well although over time the stupid rails get loose and wobble.

I'm going to need to find a new game to play...replayed a couple older games again but need something different to get pulled into.

 

[laxu]

Finished Doom The Dark Ages.

The good:

• The parry and shield throw are fun!
• It gives a well paced drip of new weapons to play with. But realistically I played most of the game with the super shotgun, chain ball thrower thing and one of the shock weapons.
• While it recycles mostly classic Doom enemies, they're all fun to fight. There's nothing like the Marauder that just requires totally different tactics and becomes a complete pain in the ass.
• It has a lot of accessibility and difficulty tuning options, allowing everyone to get the experience they want.
• I played the last level on my superultrawide display and was happy to see that there is an option to limit the UI size. In many games on a display like this, the UI goes to the far edges of the screen, making it difficult to view when it's effectively in your peripheral vision. Limiting it to 16:9 or even 4:3 is a great feature in this game.
• Considering how good it looks, it performs well. The IdTech engine has always been one of the most optimized engines out there and the developers of these games know what they're doing.

The bad:

• The mech levels suck. There's nothing to them except punching some enemies and walls. They're a chore rather than exciting, fun twists on the gameplay.
• The flying levels are a bit better, but still kinda weak.
• Level design is pretty mediocre. A lot of narrow path -> open area design that has plagued the previous games. It's extremely predictable where you will have enemies spawn in so the game never manages to keep you on your toes outside combat.
• I always feel like I'd prefer if you had faster movement. Turning on the always sprint option helps but still feels like the game could've leaned more on speed of movement, giving you a double jump etc. Though to be fair that might make a lot of the parries unnecessary if you can just e.g jump to avoid them.
• Storywise you really don't give a shit about any of the characters, and there's not much to the plot. Some of the characters also look like they escaped from Gears of War, just kinda ugly design. I think the previous games having the Doom Slayer be like a force of nature that both demons and humans fear was a much better angle.
• The soundtrack is not bad, but it's pretty forgettable. Doom 2016 with Mick Gordon's soundtrack is still the best of the bunch.

 

[Devin]

Completed Nightreign on PC but going for all achievements; guess I need to do the same on PS5 lmao

Downloaded the demos for Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound and Aeterna Lucis but haven't booted either yet; lookin forward to those

 

[mbenigni]

I just posted this on Reddit. I barely understand what Reddit is or does, and I'm not certain I've ever posted on Reddit before, and Reddit attributed my words to some random identity it invented on the spot, and I'll probably never see that thread again LOL. So I'll repost here in case anyone is interested:

Alright, this might be my first ever reddit post, but I guess I'll weigh in. First, I'm so excited that Nioh 3 is happening at all! But I'm a little disappointed with the demo so far. Bearing in mind that we're looking at an alpha here, there are still some red flags that are likely to carry forward to the 2026 release:

The graphics are dated and it's getting to be a bit of an eyesore? I haven't played Nioh or Nioh 2 in a good while, but I swear Nioh 3 looks worse than those games did? Nioh's engine always had some "range" where it could look terrible or look great depending on the lighting. And maybe it is the lighting, but 3 has looked pretty much terrible throughout. In 2025, after playing the likes of Lies of P, etc, this is a bit glaring.

The complexity, OMG the complexity. Nioh 1 was a perfectly balanced game IMO, and Nioh 2 began to push the envelope in terms of adding systems and overloading controls... but it was still mostly fun so I tolerated it. With Nioh 3 it feels like TN is doubling down on the "kitchen sink" approach, and it's starting to feel ridiculous. Skills x weapons x samurai/ninja x stance x ninjutsu x items x... ugh. There are only so many buttons on the controller. And here's at least one opportunity to streamline without losing anything: Guard Break and normal blocking are really identical mechanics apart from some glowing red crap on the screen. Why are they on two different buttons on opposite corners of the controller? And why is Guard Break assigned to a button that already has a crucial purpose, i.e. leaving me in the wrong combat mode if I time it wrong?

My take overall is that TN needs to take a step back and maybe clean house *just a little*. Not "less is more", necessarily, but a "more and more and more and more is not more" approach.

 

[mbenigni]

After 200 hrs, I finally finished Kingdom Come Deliverance II and thought it was fantastic. The forests and landscapes are incredibly realistic. I was surprised at how much hilarious stuff is in the game, especially some of the excuses you can give when getting caught for a crime. It's the only really long game that I didn't get burnt out on and immediately wanted to start a second playthrough. It's also extremely well optimized on PC.

I upgraded my PS+ subscription so I could play the 4 hour demo of this one. But I could immediately tell that 4 hours were going to be insufficient. So far it's been a mix of cutscenes and chaos. (Staging the tutorial in the middle of a castle siege was... an interesting choice.)

I'm hoping to get hooked but the clock is ticking.

 

[ccc118]

I upgraded my PS+ subscription so I could play the 4 hour demo of this one. But I could immediately tell that 4 hours were going to be insufficient. So far it's been a mix of cutscenes and chaos. (Staging the tutorial in the middle of a castle siege was... an interesting choice.)

I'm hoping to get hooked but the clock is ticking.

The beginning is very cut scene heavy to set up the story. The rest of the game outside of main story content isn't like that. I remember the beginning being pretty long. I think you'll probably make it through the tutorial section and get to free roam, but I can't remember how long it took. Even if you don't, it should be enough to decide if it's going to be for you or not. The opening siege is a time jump that occurs later and you also start off that playing as a returning character form the first game during that scene, which is kind of a bold choice for starting it off I suppose. Some people find the combat brutally hard when you first start, but later on becomes significantly easier once you get some better gear and stats. Hit me up over PM if you need any tips on that or anything else.

 

[Devin]

Anyone check out the Lies of P DLC yet?

 

[mbenigni]

Anyone check out the Lies of P DLC yet?

There's Lies of P DLC?!? Move over Nioh 3 LOL.

 

[mbenigni]

Some people find the combat brutally hard when you first start, but later on becomes significantly easier once you get some better gear and stats. Hit me up over PM if you need any tips on that or anything else.

Thanks, man. The combat left me scratching my head - not so much because it was hard or easy; more that I just had no idea what was going on. Which is probably about how I'd fare in a real castle siege LOL. There are so many people running around that I had no idea who was friend or foe. (I think I managed one hit with the crossbow and I'm pretty sure I shot a friendly in the back.) I'm not sure whether this section is meant to be actual "combat", or if it's just set dressing until you get to something more manageable later. I guess I'll just have to put more time into it.

 

[laxu]

Tried Nioh 3 demo. It's massive!

This goes on my to buy list, because it's Nioh 2 in all the best and worst ways.

Still all the garbage loot, not visually that great but the open levels seem fun to explore and the aerial attacks add a bit of interest.

I need this for PC though because the PS5 performance is very janky at times even with the "favor fps" mode.

 

[ccc118]

Thanks, man. The combat left me scratching my head - not so much because it was hard or easy; more that I just had no idea what was going on. Which is probably about how I'd fare in a real castle siege LOL. There are so many people running around that I had no idea who was friend or foe. (I think I managed one hit with the crossbow and I'm pretty sure I shot a friendly in the back.) I'm not sure whether this section is meant to be actual "combat", or if it's just set dressing until you get to something more manageable later. I guess I'll just have to put more time into it.

Yeah that opening siege is pretty hectic, partially because you're just starting and have no idea what you're doing yet. I thought it was a bit too short though. I was mainly referring to encounters with bandits on the roads once you're out in the open world later on.

 

[mbenigni]

I was mainly referring to encounters with bandits on the roads once you're out in the open world later on.

I haven't even gotten that far yet LOL.

 

[Devin]

There's Lies of P DLC?!?

Just bought it; shame I'll be stuck at the office for another few hours

 

[mbenigni]

Just bought it; shame I'll be stuck at the office for another few hours

Having the core game on Game Pass for so long, and then yanking it, has left me in a weird position. I played through the game twice for "free" (for the cost of the subscription) and now if I want to play the $30 DLC (I do) I have to buy a $90 bundle.

I know, I know. It's a fantastic game, the devs deserve my money, all that jazz. But it's kind of a mindf*** paying retail for a game I'm not likely to play again for DLC whose quality and duration are a complete mystery to me. My inner cheapskate says, "Quit while you're ahead."