Author Topic: What are you playing? (Read 700611 times)

NWR_insanolord · « **Reply #1075 on:** May 13, 2016, 01:44:40 AM »

I've been playing Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising lately. This is the only game in the series (of the ones released in the west) that I didn't get when it came out, so I'm playing it for the first time now on Virtual Console. Now that I'm playing it, I really wish I'd done so sooner. I think this may be my new favorite in the series.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #1076 on:** May 19, 2016, 04:40:30 PM »

I've been playing a lot of PS2 lately for some reason. I recently moved it from my living room TV to the basement TV so I'm thinking my new found freedom to enjoy it privately without disturbing family members is a big factor. Though unfortunately this involved switching from a CRT to an HDTV.

I recently snagged a copy of Burnout 3 for $5. A friend of mine had one of the first two Burnouts on the Cube and I remember liking it a lot and the reputation was that THIS is the one to get. It's a lot of fun though I tend to swear a blue streak whenever I crash, which is a lot. The game constantly gives you points which earn you new cars and such. It's kind of gives me an RPG feel and it's nice to always feel like some progress is being made even if I fail to medal in an event. I have only a couple of beefs with it. The music is what I would call brat rock. Just all this pop punk stuff that was popular at the time and I can't imagine anyone over the age of 20 admitting to liking. Not my style at all, though when I'm in the race I don't really notice it, it's more in the menus that I do. I also suspect that as I've gotten further in the AI is cheating. I had a time where I failed because a semi in the opposing lane swerved into me causing a head-on collision. There are some events that don't give a lot of flexibility for comebacks. There's a GP mode where you due three races in a row. I will routinely finish first in the first two and get last in the third with the CP opponents running me off of the road. There is also an elimination race where the last place in each lap is eliminated. Surely enough I'm in first for the first lap and ten seconds from the finish line I get bumped right into an oncoming vehicle, literally every other car passes me as I crash, and I get eliminated. This has happened three times in a row on a race I've been playing. I might as well be getting hit with blue shells.

So the place I bought Burnout 3 from was offering 2-for-1 so I looked in the bin for another $5 to game and found GTA: Vice City, greatest hits version with no manual. Now I have never played a GTA game before. So let's see what all the fuss is about... hmmm, this kind of sucks. I really wonder if this game is just really dated now and would have impressed me if I played it when it was current. The cutscenes and story are all very cool, even if they're hard on the eyes these days. Unfortunately the controls are just really terrible. It's hard to aim, when I try punching someone I'm just as likely to punch the air next to them. Ever try playing a 3D Zelda without using Z-targeting? That's basically how this plays. I figured the driving would be good but it really doesn't feel right, particularly since I was just playing a driving game. First time on a motorcycle and I just outright missed a turn and crashed into water and died. I've crashed into water a couple of times now and didn't even realize there was water in front of me. Much of the appeal is that there's this vibrant city to play in but I'm guessing this doesn't hold up. I find it hard to make out what's what and the city seems so empty. There also feels like a lack of things to do which goes completely against my expectations. I got tired of repeatedly failing a mission due to the inability to aim so I started just fucking around. I beat up a few people, ramped my car over jumps, but quickly got bored. So, GTA fans, are these shitty controls just a PS2 era thing or does GTA V control like this? I'm assuming the game seems empty because it's an old game and it felt content rich at the time. But, yeah, for a game that got so much praise at the time I'm really disappointed. I don't really have any desire to continue playing it.

Evan_B · « **Reply #1077 on:** May 19, 2016, 07:14:08 PM »

I've tried, once again, to get into the Mega Man franchise with Mega Man Battle Network 2. I was recommended this title over the first in the series because, like most Mega Man series, the second entry is where the gameplay supposedly gets much tighter and comes into its own.

That being said, this title seems to take the typical bullshit staples of the series- time-based rankings, weakness oriented boss and enemy encounters that are extremely strict, and the constant nagging reminder that you could do way better if you adhered to its mechanics, but with the additional tedium of grinding atop that! The dialogue and plot are atrocious, but the actual combat is quite nice- if only there wasn't an absurd amount of grinding necessary to get passable rankings for it. While I'm enjoying the twists on the RPG formula, too many are merely substitutions for long-standing concepts from the genre and aren't necessarily better. Battle ranking, for example, should push players to get better but not necessarily lock out enemy drops behind high ranks.

In other words, this is a game that, in my youth, I likely would have accepted and adapted towards because of how much I like the actual combat- but being older, sort of wiser, and more aware of when this franchise goes out of its way to waste my time, I likely won't be getting much deeper into the series after beating the final boss, unless it shakes up the formula in a very interesting way.

Also, I hate Mega Man.

MagicCow64 · « **Reply #1078 on:** May 19, 2016, 08:19:57 PM »

@IanSane

I've posted somewhere on this thread before, but like you I basically find the "classic" 3D GTA games unplayable beyond fucking around for a bit. But even that is limited by parts of the cities being gated behind mission progress, and gets boring quick anyway. I don't think GTA IV is any better, either, and has an extremely frustrating lack of checkpointing to boot. GTA V is the only one that I found functional enough to finish. The driving is actually solid, your vehicles don't flip and blow up at the slightest bump, and while the on-foot stuff is still stiff and laggy, the aiming system essentially automates this part of the game, and missions are designed around that automation.

Phil · « **Reply #1079 on:** May 19, 2016, 09:41:33 PM »

I beat Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale (3DS) last night. I don't have the urge to do any post-game stuff since that's a lot of farming stuff which isn't the best part of the game despite the Story of Seasons relationship. I'm also playing Hyrule Warriors Legends (3DS), my physical copy of Pokemon Rumble World (3DS), and Disney Art Academy!

oohhboy · « **Reply #1080 on:** May 19, 2016, 09:59:25 PM »

Infinifactory.

Build junk for your alien overlords using blocks. Sometimes the solution is blatantly obvious, other times you're come close to bending the rules to get it built. Everything has multiple solutions which is sort of represented by how the game is scored which is mostly there for your personal satisfaction than anything else other than some achievements. Like the engineer axiom Fast, Cheap, Good, the scoring is based on Cycles "Fast", Footprint "Good", Blocks "Cheap", pick two and you get to maximise one.

Later puzzles take hours to complete as you assemble the machine, work out the bugs and straight up demolish sections that can't work like you thought.

You build up a collection of common ways to construct counters, splitters, combiners, dismantling, inserters, movers and logic circuits so you can solve things more efficiently.

A fair number of the objects look simple to build but when broken down into steps needed to assemble, it gets crazy fast. It would be a massively easier if parts had an upward facing element instead of just side and downwards. Some assemblies you just throw the intended solution out the window by demolishing most of your feed object which you are suppose to keep together and just reassemble the individual pieces you create out of whatever process you put the through.

Other times you find the game highly encourages you to be extremely wasteful to the extreme(as a joke) like processing ~5% of a whale to make the product or destroying entire trees to make juice and a base, not the container itself out of the tree. You throw away about 85% of it as the process you have to put it through just doesn't remotely go fast enough as you have to put it through a machine you have no say on.

After you're done, you go can back to earlier puzzles with new tools and see if you can come up with a better solutions or optimize existing ones.

Highly recommended if you like 3D puzzle games with multiple solutions and a bit of Portal-ish story telling.

ellanshow7 · « **Reply #1081 on:** May 20, 2016, 06:30:23 AM »

I'm back to playing Mario Maker.

MagicCow64 · « **Reply #1082 on:** May 21, 2016, 09:50:10 PM »

Stephen's Sausage Roll (PC):

After ultimately finding The Witness to be a letdown, I saw some talk online about this game, another long-gestating puzzler by an auteur figure.

It looks extremely basic in screen shots, and also while playing, but there's a strange unity at work here between content and presentation, augmented by a touch of uncanniness from the fairly unique "open world" presentation of the puzzle scape, where every individual level is part of a continuous landscape that falls away around the boundaries of each challenge.

In a sense this is something along the lines of Adventures of Lolo, in that you're primarily pushing around objects to achieve a goal, here being to cook both sides of every sausage by rolling each of two squares on each side over a grill tile (and there are multiple elevations at play). The first world gives something of a false impression, seemingly by design, implying that the game is one of those brain teaser type things where you move a larger piece through smaller pieces by shifting the smaller pieces around it. There's much more going on, however, that unfolds smoothly and at times astonishingly as the game progresses.

It's interesting that for all the put-on majesty and bluster of the Witness, it spends a huge amount of energy stringing out fairly basic and largely contextless brain-teaser style grid puzzles, that too often feel like you're doing an exercise book your grandma gave you as entertainment. Stephen's Sausage Roll is kind of the opposite, with a very humble veneer and seemingly simplistic gameplay that unfolds into a stunning array of creativity and solutions that feel exquisitely satisfying.

I will say that the controls are a little odd and unintuitive at first, but it becomes clear as the game develops that this is absolutely the way it had to be. Less defensible are certain arbitrary nuances of advanced mechanics that feel overly limiting for the sake of solution complexity only being able to step off of sausages "hot-dog" wise, sausage balancing on fork tines, for instance, but eventually I stopped noticing this stuff as the rules and techniques became ingrained.

It's pricey at $30, but you can also spend hours on individual puzzles, and there are dozens.

NWR_insanolord · « **Reply #1083 on:** May 31, 2016, 02:05:46 AM »

I'm finally getting around to playing probably the biggest game on my pile of shame, Metroid Prime. I'm up to Phendrana Drifts, and I just got the thermal visor, and while I'm liking the game, I don't like it as much as the 2D games and I'd definitely still vote for Super Mario Galaxy for Game of the Decade.

ejamer · « **Reply #1084 on:** May 31, 2016, 07:43:08 AM »

So close to finishing off a bunch of games:
* Persona 3 Portable (PSP Go) - Not living up to the hype for me (people were selling it as one of the best RPGs ever) but still very good and has been fun to play.
* Shantae & The Pirate's Curse (Wii U) - Found all the bats and have cleared the path to the final island. My kids want to watch the final battle though, so even though I'm close it might be a few days before I can play further.
* Help Wanted! 50 Wacky Jobs (Wii) - As it always does with this genre, the luster has worn off this mini-game collection and I'm ready to finish off the story mode. Still a solid game though, and I'm glad it was brought up here in the forums because otherwise I never would've known about it.

Quote from: NWR_insanolord on May 31, 2016, 02:05:46 AM

I'm finally getting around to playing probably the biggest game on my pile of shame, Metroid Prime. I'm up to Phendrana Drifts, and I just got the thermal visor, and while I'm liking the game, I don't like it as much as the 2D games and I'd definitely still vote for Super Mario Galaxy for Game of the Decade.

I hear you.

I've played Metroid Prime multiple times, starting over ever couple of years and getting a bit deeper in each time. Still haven't come close to finishing it though. As much as I like Metroid Prime, I still prefer the 2D entries for the series.

Evan_B · « **Reply #1085 on:** May 31, 2016, 11:14:42 PM »

I'm trekking through a very specific, somewhat empty version of Hyrule for the third time in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD.

The textures are quite nice, but the lighting engine seems determined to screw them over during daytime/twilight sequences, where the image looks insanely over-exposed, and that's putting it gently. However, it's most intimate moments, including the darkness of dungeons and the night, really allow the game to shine, and some daylight sequences look quite nice. The game looks sharper, and there's little wrong with that- though some of the characters were specifically lumpy, there's not too much that is out of place here. I am enjoying the finer details of the story that I missed the first and second time, whether it's choreography of certain cutscenes, or really, the dungeon design in general. It's damn good. Having played quite a chunk of Zelda since the last time I popped Twilight Princess, I'm impressed with how organic and delightful much of the dungeon design is here, and I've only gone through the first two. I'm very excited to start (and finish) the water dungeon tonight, as it's always been a favorite of mine.

sudoshuff · « **Reply #1086 on:** June 01, 2016, 09:00:34 AM »

Quote from: Evan_B on May 31, 2016, 11:14:42 PM

I'm very excited to start (and finish) the water dungeon tonight, as it's always been a favorite of mine.

I agree. The water dungeon in TP is fantastic. It makes you think without being overly frustrating (unlike many water dungeons in the series).

Khushrenada · « **Reply #1087 on:** June 01, 2016, 12:45:30 PM »

Quote from: NWR_insanolord on May 31, 2016, 02:05:46 AM

I'm finally getting around to playing probably the biggest game on my pile of shame, Metroid Prime. I'm up to Phendrana Drifts, and I just got the thermal visor, and while I'm liking the game, I don't like it as much as the 2D games and I'd definitely still vote for Super Mario Galaxy for Game of the Decade.

This one surprises me. Haven't you played Metroid Prime 3 before? Or the Wii Metroid Prime Trilogy? Or have you never played any Metroid Prime game before? I just feel like you've talked about the series and games before.

NWR_insanolord · « **Reply #1088 on:** June 01, 2016, 12:54:59 PM »

Quote from: Khushrenada on June 01, 2016, 12:45:30 PM

Quote from: NWR_insanolord on May 31, 2016, 02:05:46 AM
I'm finally getting around to playing probably the biggest game on my pile of shame, Metroid Prime. I'm up to Phendrana Drifts, and I just got the thermal visor, and while I'm liking the game, I don't like it as much as the 2D games and I'd definitely still vote for Super Mario Galaxy for Game of the Decade.

This one surprises me. Haven't you played Metroid Prime 3 before? Or the Wii Metroid Prime Trilogy? Or have you never played any Metroid Prime game before? I just feel like you've talked about the series and games before.

I bought Metroid Prime 3 when it came out and played part of the way through it. This also isn't the first time I've started the original. Like I said in the post, it's just never really grabbed me enough to make me want to finish it.

Wah · « **Reply #1089 on:** June 01, 2016, 07:59:19 PM »

Playing FE:fates:conquest, and Fallout 4: Far harbour.
Fates is great but no gay marriage

, Far harbour literally doubles the already huge Fallout 4.

Soren · « **Reply #1090 on:** June 02, 2016, 12:03:38 AM »

Quote from: Lucario on June 01, 2016, 07:59:19 PM

Playing FE:fates:conquest, and Fallout 4: Far harbour.
Fates is great but no gay marriage , Far harbour literally doubles the already huge Fallout 4.

Yes there is. If your avatar is male he can marry Niles.

Stratos · « **Reply #1091 on:** June 02, 2016, 12:14:13 AM »

Why is everyone so obsessed with the gay marriage? Don't forget FemCorrin can marry NotTharja too. Even though Soleil makes more sense story wise to swing both ways.

ejamer · « **Reply #1092 on:** June 02, 2016, 08:33:43 AM »

Quote from: Stratos on June 02, 2016, 12:14:13 AM

Why is everyone so obsessed with the gay marriage? Don't forget FemCorrin can marry NotTharja too. Even though Soleil makes more sense story wise to swing both ways.

Does it matter why?
It's not a selling point to me either way, but wouldn't begrudge anyone who feels it matters.

Stratos · « **Reply #1093 on:** June 04, 2016, 10:54:20 AM »

It isn't a selling point for me either, I just find it interesting that more people appear to be concerned about the gay pairing than the lesbian one.

Phil · « **Reply #1094 on:** June 04, 2016, 03:27:26 PM »

I have LEGO Avengers for the Wii U checked out from the library that I have yet to even start, yet I've renewed it four times now. I think it would be best this weekend to start that!

Stratos · « **Reply #1095 on:** June 04, 2016, 04:27:37 PM »

I still need to get that one. Most recent LEGO game I got was LEGO City Undercover, which is a fun GTA style sandbox game which includes LEGO building mechanics.

I have played Avengers at my folks house and it is a fun co-op adventure.

Phil · « **Reply #1096 on:** June 04, 2016, 05:11:03 PM »

LEGO City Undercover is my favorite LEGO game by far. Didn't get anywhere near as tedious as other games, and I loved how dense the city was.

Stratos · « **Reply #1097 on:** June 04, 2016, 08:39:47 PM »

Its been a blast so far. Really, the only thing I think it lacks is a co-op mode. It would have been easy to implement and added a lot of fun and replay value. I've had so much fun in the overworld of LEGO Lord of the Rings/Hobbit that it is just a shame it couldn't be done in this game.

oohhboy · « **Reply #1098 on:** June 07, 2016, 06:35:03 AM »

Wasted

It's a first person Rouge like. The penalty for death is pretty rough as you lose all items being held outside of unique and all perks acquired. the first 6 levels are pretty easy but later levels start getting a little rocket taggie and they start having faster reflexes.

A lot of fun though. Getting it from humble bundle monthly is pretty good. But I am not getting next month. I really don't want Hurtworld. Hurtworld look like all the suck.

oohhboy · « **Reply #1099 on:** June 07, 2016, 05:35:56 PM »

FFFFUUUCCCKKKK.

I had this demi-god character killed when half a dozen robots bum rushed me with lasers. I took a couple of them out but by the time I noticed there were more behind them I was stun locked and out of heals. Time to grind those powers back. At least in the second bunker the good stuff has been moved up a level.

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Author Topic: What are you playing? (Read 700611 times)