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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 4th, 2018, 1:17 pm
by Scrustle
KSubzero1000 wrote: May 3rd, 2018, 9:46 pm I've been playing some Devil May Cry 4 after picking it up in the recent PSN sale.
I did the same thing, along with picking up the HD Collection of the old games. It was a bit foolish of me since I already have 4 on XB1 (and 360), and have the HD Collection on 360 as well. But I felt like having all of them together on the console I'm playing most right now, which a much better controller for these games too.

DMC4 is as good as ever. Always really loved it. It was my first DMC game, and the first game in the genre I played outside of the original God of War. This version in particular is great with all the extra characters. Vergil is fantastic to play as.

I've also been playing DMC3 alongside it, and even though I've always kind of struggled with it, comparing it so closely to 4 makes it come off a bit worse than I was expecting. Maybe a weird thing to say, since 3 is supposed to be the golden goose of the series, but that's just the way it's coming across. 4 feels way more responsive and has a way better general feel to it. Much better feedback, and better special effects in general. It has a much faster pace (especially with the SE version's buff to the sprint ability), and combat in general flows way better. The ability to change styles whenever you want is a huge positive too. Camera angles are way better as well. I just wish 4 had some of the weapons from 3. Angi and Rudra in particular, but Cerberus would be cool too. A few more bosses would be good as well. Although this time through, I'm not really that keen on a lot of the bosses in 3. Several of them are a bit crap.

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 5th, 2018, 3:42 am
by Joshihatsumitsu
Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse - 3DS (about 6.5 hours in)

Loving: Demons and monsters. While it's my first play through a Shin Megami title, I've played through a lot of Persona, so it's great to catch up with some of my favourite monsters! And the negotiations with those demons make the experience fun.

Hating: well, hate is a bit strong, but I would have preferred a story set in Tokyo to have Japanese voice actors. It feels a bit wrong that everyone speaks English. If a game was set in Boston for example, and everyone spoke Japanese, that would feel wrong too, so it's not about the quality of the voice acting, just the appropriateness of language in the context of the setting.

Long, long ways to go. But always good to be back in these worlds.

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 5th, 2018, 4:19 am
by Todinho
Joshihatsumitsu wrote: May 5th, 2018, 3:42 am
Hating: well, hate is a bit strong, but I would have preferred a story set in Tokyo to have Japanese voice actors. It feels a bit wrong that everyone speaks English. If a game was set in Boston for example, and everyone spoke Japanese, that would feel wrong too, so it's not about the quality of the voice acting, just the appropriateness of language in the context of the setting.
That's weird I played the original SMT IV a while ago and Im pretty sure that had Japanese VO you could choose so why would they keep that from the sequel?

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 6th, 2018, 12:37 am
by Joshihatsumitsu
Todinho wrote: May 5th, 2018, 4:19 am That's weird I played the original SMT IV a while ago and Im pretty sure that had Japanese VO you could choose so why would they keep that from the sequel?
Yeah... I had a little search through the options, and DLC, but yeah, California duuuude! :|

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 6th, 2018, 9:47 pm
by Scrustle
I'm quite a ways through Yakuza 6 at the moment. I like some of the changes they've made to this one, but not so much a fan of others.

The most notable thing is the combat. It's quite interesting how they've managed to subtly rebuild it to make it feel very familiar yet totally different. It feels more fluid this time around, and attacks have more feeling of physical impact too, with how physics objects and ragdolls factor in to things now a lot more. It's quite a lot of fun to send enemies flying and flailing through the air in a way that you just wouldn't see in the previous games. Throwing enemies in to each other in a crowd is also a lot of fun. In general it feels a lot less rigid too. Another improvement is that they finally got over the issue of the combat systems taking way too long to open up. You start with a pretty wide range of actions to begin with, and it doesn't take forever to finally feel like you have a decent number of options. The new Ultimate Heat mode is pretty cool too. It feels very empowering to enter that mode where the camera zooms in as you hammer out an extended string of attacks which end in that really hard-hitting finishing blow.

But there a couple of things I don't like. The new fluidity and emphasis on physics does make it feel like a less precise system. It's kind of easy to end up attacking someone you weren't intending to, which can leave you open in a way you were trying to avoid. Getting knocked off your feet by objects flying at you from off-screen can feel a bit cheap as well. It also occasionally seems to eat inputs, with it not registering when I'm trying to do a combo-ender move. Similarly, the game seems to be pretty punishing with hitting an enemy while they're blocking. It tends to break your flow much more than in previous games, and is made worse by the aforementioned inaccuracy in targeting specific enemies. And even though it's fun to use, Ultimate Heat mode can sometimes be more of a hindrance than a help. The inaccuracy is a problem here too. It also seems somewhat inconsistent with what it judges does and does not stagger you in this state. On top of that, you automatically pick up and swing around objects that are near you in this mode, like with the Beast Mode in 0/Kiwami. That can be pretty annoying given that means you can be attacking much slower than you might want to. Not giving you the choice whether or not to pick stuff up can be a massive pain in a tight spot. Another thing, which I can't really be definitive about right now, is how much the combat system changes throughout the game. Although it starts much stronger than in previous games, it seems that may have come at the cost of the combat not feeling that much different as the game goes on. I'm most of the way through the upgrade paths, yet I can't say combat feels meaningfully different from, say, the third of fourth hour of the game. There's also the fact that you can't keep weapons in your inventory. You can pick them up off the floor, but their usage and variety is even more limited than in previous games, and you drop them at the end of the fight. Not a huge deal for me, since going to all the trouble to get decent weapons always seemed like it was more effort than it was worth in the old games anyway, but still a little bit of a downer.

There's also the XP/upgrade system. I always find these somewhat interesting in these games, since in every game they seem to go out of their way to find a different way to achieve basically the same goal. Again, there's some stuff I like here, and other stuff I don't. It's fleshed out in a way that it hasn't ever been before. Instead of just having one type of XP that you dump in to everything as you see fit, this time you have different categories of XP that are used for different types of abilities. You also have base stats to your character that you can upgrade gradually, and independently from the usual staggered improvements that you usually get with these games. Although they both draw from the same XP pool(s). It does mean that you have to put a bit of thought in to what you're doing in order to be able to unlock a specific thing down a certain skill tree, but I'm not really sure the rest of it is worth that. The incremental stat upgrades are a bit unsatisfying. Their gradual increase means that you don't really notice the improvements much when you make them. It also seems oddly stingy with certain types of XP. There are two types in particular that it just doesn't give out in normal combat, and I'm always finding myself short on them. It's kind of a pain.

The story so far is pretty good though. I'll try to avoid specifics, but some minor spoilers ahead. Nothing major about plot, but some small character discussion.
Spoiler: show
At the start you interact with the kids at Kiryu's orphanage a little (Which has strangely changed its name from Sunshine Orphanage to Morning Glory. Translation change I expect), so I enjoyed catching up wit those characters and seeing how things had been going with them, having not really seen them since Yakuza 3. They don't spend too long on that section either. Something which 6 has over that game. You stick around just long enough to catch up, and for the relevant character moments to happen, but it doesn't drag in to tedium. The new characters from Hiroshima I like. One of them in particular, Nagumo, is an amusing character. At first he seems like just another jerk making your life difficult, but he comes around in the end to become a good friend, who shows he actually has a friendly and caring side. Although, he's still a pretty big scumbag at the same time, and kind of a doofus. So I liked how they managed to turn around this character who at first seems to have little to no redeeming qualities, but without just changing him in to someone else either.

Unfortunately, Akiyama seems to get pretty shafted in this game, in a way that is pretty inexcusable too. He's lost pretty much all his personality. Maybe they were trying to write him in a way that made sense for the situation he's in, since he's having to keep a low profile, but I don't think that's really a good reason to totally sap him of his character that makes him such a popular favourite. You interact with him a whole lot too, so it's not like he just has some unimportant bit part that you can brush off as not being worth his emotional investment either. Although, now I say that, I can't think of any reason his character would be particularly invested in the events of the story so far. But still, if that was the case, why bother using him at all? Why is he around so much if he doesn't really seem bothered by anything?

Also, a minor thing. At the start of the game they make it out as if Majima and Saejima are going to be important to the plot as well. Daigo too. But all of them very quickly get removed and there hasn't been any mention of the former two since. Minor talk about Daigo, but he's in a similar situation to the other two, and isn't really relevant to the plot. Maybe that'll change later, but it's kind of odd that they dangle these well-loved mainstays in front of you at the start of the game, only to yank them away. Maybe that'll change later down the line. We'll see. Although I'm not super worried about that right now. The story doesn't really seem like it's supposed to be about them. Just a bit misleading at the start I guess.
Despite my problems though I am enjoying it. It feels fresh for a Yakuza game, and I'm interested in seeing how things turn out story-wise. Compared to the other games in the series so far, this is kind of in the middle. I'm enjoying it more than Kiwami for sure, but definitely not as much as 0.

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 7th, 2018, 11:03 am
by KSubzero1000
Great write-up on Yakuza, Scrustle. I've only played the beginning section of 6 until other concerns pulled me away from it, but I feel similarly about it. The combat system is definitely a bit hit and miss. I really like the game's look and the cutscenes are as entertaining as ever for now, but the overall feel is a bit off.

Very curious to find out how the story unfolds, though.

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 7th, 2018, 8:08 pm
by Michiel K
Been playing Skullgirls, following the code I got on here from magifjoef.

Never played it before and I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would. Feels like Darkstalkers, Guilty Gear and Marvel vs. Capcom all thrown in a blender, though slowed down to a pace similar to that of Rakuga Kids on the N64. Combined with the extensive tutorials it really feels like a good starting place for those interested in 2D fighters (one for the genre newbie thread) but with depth and complexity that's really up there, similar to Guilty Gear Xrd - Revelator - and, as I've been told, Dragon Ball FighterZ. Apart from its ludicrously detailed animation, it doesn't bring anything really new or revolutionary to the table, though it boasts an interesting "Infinite Combo Prevention System" that can skillfully be circumvented by combo resets, which I find a very interesting balancing act.

It's very obviously made by fans of the genre, so that's rewarding for other fans as well, to see many subtle and not so subtle nudges.

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 7th, 2018, 10:48 pm
by Alex79
I love that game. Wish they'd re-release it. I also played a lot of the Android version, although I finished it on PC when it first came out. I thought the Android port was very good though.

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 8th, 2018, 5:11 am
by Joshihatsumitsu
Finally got the chance to sit down and slot my brand new/second-hand AES cart into the Neo Geo and play a little Riding Hero from 1990. And boy oh boy, is it ever, uh, a game that I played. :shock:

The best way to describe it is: imagine Super Hang On on the Megadrive, minus the polish. It's not devoid of good ideas - the RPG elements of racing and upgrading your bike give you motivation to keep going. It's just let down by the actual racing elements themselves.

But it's only non-2D-one-on-one fighting AES carts that I own, and it was on the cheap end of the AES scale. It's not a lost classic - not by a long shot - but it's not without its charms, and I still like having this game in the collection. And if nothing else, it gives me a greater appreciation of the work Sega put into Super Hang On!

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 8th, 2018, 4:34 pm
by ADumican83
Anybody tried Football Manager on Switch? I'm in 2 minds whether to get that Touch version or the PC version.

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 8th, 2018, 4:49 pm
by ratsoalbion
I want it, but I do not have time to play it.

The few reviews have been decent, hovering around the 8/10 region for the most part.

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 8th, 2018, 4:59 pm
by ADumican83
It's soooo tempting!

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 8th, 2018, 5:07 pm
by Stanshall
I've got it. Pretty decent, slightly sluggish menus and despite the name you're better off using the controller rather than touch screen. Seems as fully featured as I'd want, slightly trimmed down from the PC version, I understand. I played a lot the first few days then dropped it but that's my MO.

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 8th, 2018, 5:10 pm
by ratsoalbion
I was hoping it wouldn’t be at all sluggish as I think that’s what ultimately saw me put down the PSP incarnations.

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 8th, 2018, 5:12 pm
by Chopper
Reviews seem to be consistent that the controls are appalling:

From God is a Geek:
Spoiler: show
This is called FM Touch, but it’s not solely about poking the screen, (actually I’d advise against playing this using touch at all), there are extra menus to the left and right of the screen accessed by clicking the left or right bumpers. The left brings up the huge menu that’s a staple of the series, allowing you to check your team, the reserves, sort out your scouting, club finances and yes, the transfer market; to think, I only found this out due to a loading screen with a diagram of the joy-con control method. The lesser used right bumper allows you to go on holiday or retire, so we’ll just ignore that one.



Touch controls are nice if they’re implemented effectively, and here they are not. The Switch screen isn’t the biggest on a mobile device and as a result all the icons are a bit too small for anyone without hands the size of a four year old’s. Also, considering how intensive the game is from a processing standpoint the game can lag when using them, on several occasions I found my inputs took upwards of three attempts to finally register, it’s worse in match as well meaning you can struggle to implement tactics in timely fashion. When I found out that the Y button can quick jump to the tactics screen I found it to be a much more pleasant experience.

Yes, you’d think with a game called FM Touch that it’d be all about the touch controls, but to be frank the game operates so much better using the left stick as a cursor and using the face buttons for a ‘hot’ selection. It’s quicker, more intuitive and feels more like the PC experience as a result. I mean, it’s nice to have the touch controls as an option, and there will be times you will tap rather than press a button, but after several unregistered inputs and missed opportunities for tactical changes you’ll find that placing the Switch on a table, removing the joy-cons and sitting back to be far more enjoyable, especially on a commute.
That would be the critical thing for me (edit: when deciding to go away from PC).

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 8th, 2018, 5:24 pm
by Stanshall
I suppose that's a problem with the naming more than anything else, plus the Switch screen being smaller than an iPad, and less responsive. I don't think the size of it with Joycons attached lends it to touch controls at all. Certainly, I play Voez and Deemo with the controllers removed, purely like a little tablet.

Once you get to grips with the shoulder buttons and stuff, you can navigate very easily. In terms of sluggishness, I would say probably once per screen I'll have to press an input twice to do whatever it is that I want. It wasn't particularly an issue for me because my last memories were of Champ Manager 93-94 so it's a step up in terms of performance and loading times, but it's certainly not snappy.

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 8th, 2018, 5:49 pm
by Chopper
Yeah, I should say that I'd add 'in comparison to a PC' on the end of everything. I've played Out of the Park Baseball (another 'text sim' in similar style) on iOS and the place it falls down is the nested menus and the navigation. I vaguely remember playing a football management sim on the 360 that was horrendous to navigate with the controller. I was just interested to see if the Switch FM overcame that issue.

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 9th, 2018, 9:23 am
by Alex79
I thought I'd have a raid of my PS+back catalogue and downloaded Deus Ex Mankind Divided. I played the first level, but deleted it after that. Just wasn't for me really. I felt like I wanted to sneak everywhere but then at the end of the first section you're forced in to an open firefight with these invisible Augs and are just not equipped to handle it! Also, it was incredibly irritating having that little cut scene animation play EVERY SINGLE TIME you silently took someone out. No, I couldn't see myself finishing it so cut my losses and bailed out.

Then I decided to try Ratchet & Clank. First impressions were great. Only played two stages so far but it seems a lot of fun. Disappointed it's no co-op, as my eldest and I had a lot of fun with one of the PS3 games in two player, but I'll probably stick this out till the end I think. I'm in a bit of a lull to be honest at the moment. Keep starting things and abandoning them. I've got Fallout 4 with 25 hours played but am not feeling anything pulling me back to it, then I look at everything else in my library and they're all 40/50 hour games and I just want something easy going to play for a while.

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 9th, 2018, 12:57 pm
by Chopper
That's a shame. I had to look up that first mission to see what it was and, yeah, it throws you in at the deep end a little bit and could be a little offputting. I think I had to grit my teeth and get through it, though I believe you can run straight to the thingymajig at the end and avoid fighting the dudes.

Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Posted: May 9th, 2018, 1:33 pm
by Alex79
I may go back to it at some point but there was Ratchet and Clank sat waiting and I just knew it was going to be fun haha.