Whatcha Been Playing?

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Suits
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Suits »

Flabyo wrote: February 7th, 2019, 6:15 pm If you’ve ever owned a Nintendo Game and Watch you wouldn’t say that. They burn through their button cells at a crazy rate.
LR44’s aren’t they ??

I’ve ordered myself a stack off Amazon, as my wife got me some lovely new (old) G&W’s for my birthday.
Joshihatsumitsu

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Joshihatsumitsu »

Over the last couple of weeks, besides Yakuza 4 (I swear I'm going to get make to the main storyline... just after some karaoke/darts/bowling/drinking/brawling/eating/batting), I have also been playing Muv Luv on the Vita.

Due to the nature of visual novels, reading game reviews can be a bit tricky, as you don't want spoilers but you do want some idea of what you're getting. Based on the amount of love this series was getting, I took the plunge and got both Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv Alternative.

I have not got to Alternative yet - still a ways to go in the first play-through of the first game. From vague reviews the series goes from light-hearted to darker (again, no spoilers), and so far I like the characters, and the writing, and I'm thoroughly invested. So, I'm all in at the moment.
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dezm0nd
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by dezm0nd »

Put a bit more time into Shadow of the Tomb Raider and I'm finding it perfectly okay to play but it really is quite unremarkable. The only thing to stand out is purely a nostalgia hit and i'm not sure I've got the pull to go back.

Also played some more Apex. Definitely the most time I've spent with a BR game and i'm enjoying it too. Still feels a little unpolished to me but compared to PUBG it's like a Nintendo game (quality of polish, i mean)
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Jobobonobo
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Jobobonobo »

Just got the 2016 remake of Ratchet and Clank for the PS4. It has been ages since I last played anything in this series and I forgot how solid these games are. Just quick bouts of running, jumping and shooting with that incredible Insomniac polish. Absolutely blazing through this at the moment and really makes me want to check the rest of the series out. Also the graphics are just phenomenal, honestly looks like a Pixar movie at times. Nice contrast to the moody, serious Samus returns I am simultaneously playing!
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dezm0nd
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by dezm0nd »

Serious Samus sounds like a mod we need to make
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Jobobonobo
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Jobobonobo »

Ha, did not even realise I made that pun! Ironically, Serious Samus would be way more light hearted than Metroid usually is, so I would love to see someone do something with this!
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Michiel K
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Michiel K »

Been playing the games Suits sent me.

I'm damn near addicted to Dragon's Fury. I actually think it improves over Devil's Crush for PC Engine / TG-16.

And I also played a single 'credit' of Streets of Rage II, with Blaze. It's been ages since the last time I played that game and I think I enjoyed it more than ever before. Planning to clear the game forreal with a second player, sometime soon.
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Alex79
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Alex79 »

My sister-in-law gave me a notebook laptop a couple of weeks back, after my neice doesn't use it any more since getting an iPad. It's bright purple, but only a couple of years old so I was well pleased. It hadn't got much grunt but since it has a HDMI out on it, I've set it up as an emulation machine for the TV. I spent all morning downloading MAME roms, got them all running nicely (with the exception of Aliens Vs Predator, dammit!) and excitedly plugged my MadCatz fight stick in to have a bash.

Disaster! The stick doesn't work with Windows 10 or a USB 3.0 port (only 2.0) Gutted! I was really looking forward to playing those arcade classics on the big screen with a great stick.

:(

Oh well, all is not lost, the PS4 pad works fine with them, so I've spent the last couple of hours playing WWF Wrestlefest, Turtles, Sunset Riders and a bunch of other games. Nostalgia overload.
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ReprobateGamer
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by ReprobateGamer »

Last couple of days I've been putting some hours into the private beta of The Division 2

Right off the bat it makes for an interesting contrast to the private 'demo' of Anthem not that long ago. Div 2 beta had two story missions plus an end game remix of one of those with access to end game characters; two area's to free roam but the whole map visible so you could see what size area you will be playing in after launch, one accessible Dark Zone (for the PvPvE players); the conflict game type for PvP (which I didn't try so have no idea about) and 5 side missions. All missions and free-roam had the ability to drop-in/out with random players (as an actual feature) plus co-op matchmaking plus some of the inevitable resource farming. Crafting was also available as were a mix of skills and weapon types (with other skills visible but locked out). There is even a proper photo mode (if only for the free publicity shots ...)

Comparing this to Anthems one story mission, one stronghold, a limited map, an unspecified number of side missions, no PvP or matchmaking, different weapons and abilities; cosmetic customisation but no crafting and it was clear to see the polish that Massive/Ubisoft have put into this.

Of course, they aren't trying to launch a new IP and have a successful game still running to build upon (no queues for restock boxes anymore!) but the 'show, don't tell' approach of The Division 2 beta was a marked improvement on what Anthem was trying to bring.

Certainly not perfect, I possibly had more disconnect issues than with Anthem though i was playing Div 2 for more hours (though to be fair here, I was able to log into the game when I tried within the first hour of it going live, rather than the day I had to wait for Anthem to instigate a client side fix).
There was the re-occuring bug (also in The Division 1) where the gun fire audio just doesn't happen on occasion; I had an instance of my character sinking into the floor, which I could replicate; and some incorrect lighting changes whilst on a side mission (the effect of going into bright sun but it was during a move from a lift shaft to a internal floor with no open windows) so a little cause for concern with the main game due in a few weeks.

I want to like Anthem - the flying mechanic alone should provide a new spin on the game-type, the world has the potential for a huge amount of lore and the game definitely has potential. But presuming that I'm cash-strapped and only looking to add one online shooter to my collection (pile of shame ...) this spring on the strength of the private demos, I'd be more likely to be protecting the White House than Fort Tarsis
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Suits
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Suits »

I’m playing Wargroove and damn this is brutal in terms of being frivolous with your time.

I’m at a stage where missions are large and long, a few wrong moves and you’re finished - couple of hours gone.

The thing that keeps it going for me, are the lessons you learn along the way.

As soon as you die, you generally know why and I’m always wanting to jump straight back in to try again - if you have the time and battery !!!

Good tactics game, old school unforgiving 🥴.
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Magical_Isopod
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Magical_Isopod »

I continue to flip-flop on KH3... I had three days of work in a row (meaning I had no time to put any time in), and now that I've had a break... I kinda just don't care anymore. I kinda realized that for all the cutscene guff, I'm 2/3rds through the game and the plot is still exactly where it left off in Dream Drop Distance. Apparently the ending is good, but for now, I'm burnt out and I don't care.

I am, however, gonna start Ace Combat 4 after hearing Jesse Cox rave about 4, 5 and 7 in a recent podcast. Picked 4 and 5 up for $10 each (plus Gradius 3 and 4 on PS2 for $5, which is a stupidly good deal), so I'm gonna see if this series is more "my thing" .
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by duskvstweak »

I'm a few nights into Castlevania: Symphony of the night. Great game, nothing I can say that will add to the 20 year old conversation. I'm lost, in that I don't know where else to go and might need a brief walkthrough, but it's been enjoyable the whole time.
Also, I've been told it's silly that I've learned five spells by accident. One of my Twitch viewers thought I was cheating when I discovered Soul Steal. In honesty, I was just trying cast Tetra Spirit again and I got angry with the d-pad.
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DomsBeard
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by DomsBeard »

Red Dead Redemption 2 has its hooks in even though it tries its best to annoy you :lol:

I am playing Arthur as a bit of a miserable git which seems to be working so far. I have shot a few witnesses as I cannot be bothered chasing and then talking to them. Tapping A all the time makes me feel like I am playing Daley Thompson's Decathlon again.

Good

Story.

Traversal. I am enjoying going from a to b as it is quite relaxing, especially cinematic mode.

Poker. The AI for the poker is actually very, very good. There hasn't been any occasions where the CPU players have made stupid moves, there has been some great conversations.

Hunting. Took down the bear

Bad

Missions. Had far too many get to point a then guy gets on a horse to run away then you chase to catch them with the lasso.

Time limits. I helped a woman who was in a jail cart by killing the guards then went to shoot the lock off (as instructed). She then got out of the cart and as my gun was still out she ran away screaming ''don't kill me''

Also helped a woman trapped on her horse and offered to give her a lift back to Valentine. I had a big bear pelt at the time on the back so I went to take it off then she went ''fine I will walk'' and then hobbled off.

As an aside, I am presuming that the invisible areas of the map are no go areas?. There are a couple of main quests that would mean heading into uncharted territory and it states ''Wanted Dead or Alive''
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Magical_Isopod
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Magical_Isopod »

So I'm two missions in Ace Combat 4 and like... Why is this series not as popular as it should be? The production values here are tremendous, and it's easily the most accessible flight game I've ever played.
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dezm0nd
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by dezm0nd »

I think it might be a case of they're quietly popular, hence them making 7 of them! (Or more)

Just a niche genre so people tend not to bang the drum.
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by ratsoalbion »

“As of 2018, the Ace Combat franchise has sold over 14 million copies, making it Bandai Namco's sixth best-selling franchise, behind Tekken, Pac-Man, Gundam, Tales, and Super Robot Wars.”

It is really quite popular indeed, it’s just the slightly niche genre and subject matter stops it being a ‘household name’ I guess.
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Suits
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Suits »

Hugely unfair perhaps but the Ace Combat series has literally no curb appeal to me what so ever, other than the technical aspect of how smooth it plays and good it looks.

I have a friend who's religiously into it and would insist on us all watching him just go around in circles, lining up circles and shooting other planes.

This was back on the PS2 when I'd skip 6th form and flop up his house.

I do like how how much others get into it though and how they speak about.

Stuff I don't appreciate or understand is sometimes the most interesting.
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Joshihatsumitsu »

I think I have an Ace Combat game on my shelf, for the PS2... I think it's the 5th game... it's been a while since I've played it... can't remember the story...

From memory it's a perfectly fine game, clearly not one that stirs a fiery passion in me. I used to collect magazines about planes when I was very, very young, and the game does a pretty good scratching that itch.
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Magical_Isopod
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Magical_Isopod »

ratsoalbion wrote: February 12th, 2019, 6:39 pm “As of 2018, the Ace Combat franchise has sold over 14 million copies, making it Bandai Namco's sixth best-selling franchise, behind Tekken, Pac-Man, Gundam, Tales, and Super Robot Wars.”

It is really quite popular indeed, it’s just the slightly niche genre and subject matter stops it being a ‘household name’ I guess.
Fair enough, I mean, I know 4 and 5 are Greatest Hits titles here in North America, so they must have a devout following at very least. But it's one of those franchises I *never* hear about in the zeitgeist that is apparently stupidly popular... I have this coworker in his 60s that plays some ludicrous flight Sim where you can real-time pilot a civilian aircraft across the Atlantic, and he's telling me about how all his former RAF buds play it religiously, some with these ridiculous control set-ups, spending thousands of dollars on digital realistic planes... It's apparently crazy big business, but I never even knew they existed!
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Magical_Isopod
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Magical_Isopod »

Suits wrote: February 12th, 2019, 7:18 pm Hugely unfair perhaps but the Ace Combat series has literally no curb appeal to me what so ever, other than the technical aspect of how smooth it plays and good it looks.

I have a friend who's religiously into it and would insist on us all watching him just go around in circles, lining up circles and shooting other planes.

This was back on the PS2 when I'd skip 6th form and flop up his house.

I do like how how much others get into it though and how they speak about.

Stuff I don't appreciate or understand is sometimes the most interesting.
That's fair - no taste is universal, after all. For me, Ace Combat 4 hits of a lot of the notes that seem to strike me much more than others:
- Amazing soundtrack.
- Lots of radio chatter and ambient sound that makes it feel like an Arcade game.
- A surprisingly human war story that doesn't preach any particular ideal, but merely puts a human face to the machinations of war (it's one of my biggest emotional triggers, the "on the ground" perspective).
- The whole aesthetic of Fighter jets and cool military tech that I first developers with the Raiden series. (I actually have a major hate-on for the direction SHMUPs have taken in recent years, turning everything into loli anime crap instead of cool war machines).

I dunno. Something about it just makes me feel like a badass, even though I'm not good at it. I like how your fellow troops congratulate you for pulling off good bombing runs and shooting down agile enemies. Positive reinforcement is something games do a very poor job of - you have to strike the right balance of encouragement, and encouraging for acts that are actually worth praise. Nintendo is really bad, for instance, for patting you on the back for accomplishing stupidly simplistic tasks.

Heck, now I'm all super stoked for Left Alive and Front Mission: Gun Hazard. I'm so in the mood for "30 seconds into the future" war motifs right now.
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