Whatcha Been Playing?

[stvnorman]

That's a shame about the lack of colourblind accessibility. It's not that old a game but these days you see more games having colourblind modes. What do you mean by 'Invisible' deaths? Do you mean with enemies shooting from off screen? If it is what I would do is use the analogue stick to look ahead into the next room to see who is in there and if they have a gun. If they do then I will enter the room in either slo mo to dodge the bullet or go in rolling around to pass through any bullets.

Sorry, I meant deaths I couldn’t see because of the colours. Specifically the vertical lasers beams everywhere in the early game!

[Scrustle]

I've been playing Unsighted the past few days. I played a demo for this not long ago and was intrigued by it. Those first impressions were pretty good. It's an interesting mix of lots of different inspirations that are pretty appealing. Mixing Metroid, Zelda, Hyper Light Drifter, with a little bit of Nier sprinkled in there too. The basic combat and movement feel good. It's tight and responsive, with a lot of emphasis on parring attacks. While the art isn't exactly the best, it's still good enough to create a mood to it.

But in the longer term, this game is actually pretty stressful. It has a pretty major conceit to it that wasn't mentioned in the demo. Everyone in this world is an android, who rely on a certain substance to maintain their sentience. Once it runs out, they lose their mind and become "unsighted". Every single named NPC you run in to has this ticking clock of when their time will run out, and so do you. The resource needed to stave off becoming unsighted is pretty rare, and there is a limited quantity of it. Several of the NPCs you come across have only a very short time left too. You will lose many of them, it's basically unavoidable. That means several shop keepers will just die during your run, and you need to pick and choose which get to live. Obviously this is intended to create a level of stress and force you to make those choices, but I'm not sure I'm on board with it.

[Truk_Kurt]

That's a shame about the lack of colourblind accessibility. It's not that old a game but these days you see more games having colourblind modes. What do you mean by 'Invisible' deaths? Do you mean with enemies shooting from off screen? If it is what I would do is use the analogue stick to look ahead into the next room to see who is in there and if they have a gun. If they do then I will enter the room in either slo mo to dodge the bullet or go in rolling around to pass through any bullets.

Sorry, I meant deaths I couldn’t see because of the colours. Specifically the vertical lasers beams everywhere in the early game!

If you got to the vertical laser beams you got further than early. I think that's just over half way, it's not a very long game at all, but I didn't mind that, especially as I wanted to get it done before it left Game Pass.

[Cornelius_Smiff]

Absolutely over the moon that Microsoft have included a few classic Xbox 360 titles on their Cloud Gaming service now on Game Pass ultimate. Never thought I'd see the day that I could plate Skate 3 on my PC. Forgot how much I missed the Skate games.

[Kasuga-san]

I'd say it's my favourite Nintendo game since Three Houses and their only essential since 2017.

While I can agree with this sentiment, especially as someone who has put tons of hours into Three Houses, I don't think I agree that the game wouldn't have felt as tense if they opened up the timing windows a bit for the EMMI insta-death sequence. I find that it leads more often to the end of my play session than a tense atmosphere. The more I get instakilled by them, the less I want to play the game, period. It's similar to the Skyward Sword sections where you have to collect those items without getting spotted: Fine in small amounts, but when a good portion of the game has it and I just want to get to the next area but invulnerable A-hole won't move away from the one path forward and I can't reliably stun it, well, that's where it gets into bad game mechanics territory for me. It's telling that I keep coming back to it because the rest of the game is absolutely amazing and rewards exploration and gives alternate paths to getting upgrades that feel great. I can't say that the game is "essential" though, because with a lack of difficulty options, I would never ever suggest this game to casual gamer. It's a good game, but lacks a lot of stuff that would put it over the edge, which seems to be the case with almost everything Nintendo has released this gen outside of the obvious exceptions.

[Megadirt]

still on my never ending quest to play through the entire podcast (though i’ve been more liberal with abandoning games or skipping them for later)

i’m polishing off:

The World Ends With You which seems at once incredibly shallow and dumb and complex and satisfying. Im quite near the end but starting to get a bit fatigued, but it’s refreshing.

Ghost Trick : Phantom Detective which I’ve put down and returned to often, I get fatigued by it, but I also adore it when i’m in the mood for its mental story and cool puzzle mechanic, and that art is goddamn beautiful.

I also just started Alan Wake - remastered, after ‘finishing’ Hades, and im dipping in and out of Sonic Colours Ultimate and Castlevania : Symphony of the Night (which is so unbelievable and I can’t believe I haven’t played it before, it feels like a metroidvania made in the style of a game from the 90s rather than an actual old game). i’m playing too many things at once i now realise

[Truk_Kurt]

I started Paper Mario Origami King which is also my first Paper Mario game. It's so charming and funny. I heard that the puzzle based turn based battles were a bit marmite, but fortunately I quite enjoy them. Everyone was right about the games writing too, I have laughed more than I thought I ever would from a Mario game. Lots of good paper based puns and I do like a pun. The only point I would highlight was that I heard the Paper Mario games were RPGs, but Origami King doesn't seem like an RPG at all to me, not a negative at all, I was just expecting more stats. Looking forward to playing more.

[Alex79]

The series originally started quite full on RPG (albeit with a simplified combat system) so Paper Mario on N64 and 1000 Year Door on Gamecube (and Super Mario RPG before these on SNES) were like that. Then Super Paper Mario on Wii had much less of the RPG mechanics and I think they've gradually toned it down since.

[Jon Cheetham]

Still on Mafia Definitive Edition. Stunning game that gangster movie fans owe it to themselves to play. Pelting through this gorgeous world in a stolen auto while high energy big band music plays on the radio... This is what video games are for. Shame about that race level, where suddenly you have to place first... can't believe this made it into a 2020 remake.

Vampyr on Switch is great, love having these huge, talky RPG adventures on a handheld system. The VA is really good, great atmosphere. Looking forward to helping the good doctor heal all these citizens of their ailments... So that their blood will be of better quality.

Started Resident Evil Revelations. I didn't like the opening episode of Rev 2, but I love this one so far. Weirdly it controls more like RE2R/ RE3R than 4, 5 or 6. Same pace and rhythm as RE2R especially, going to all these dark rooms gun unholstered, pushing forward cautiously. If you crave more classic, slow Resi action in this style and haven't played this, it seems worth checking off the list.

[RinseWashRepeat]

Breath of the Wild
Not sure why it took me so long to 'get into' this game, but it's finally clicked for me. I think it's because I'm playing it much more slowly this time. I'm happy to spend 30 mins finding a new temple, I don't mind when my equipment breaks and I'm doing much more cooking and prep this time.

Pokemon Unite
OK - I think I'm hitting my ceiling with this game. Without teaming up, I just can't seem to get any consistency with whether I do well or not. I think it's because I play as a Slowbro, who has a move that holds the opponent in place. It's a fantastic move as it allows your teammates to just take a whole load of free hits on an enemy that can't fight back.
Unless, of course, you're playing with my teammates who simply saunter past this opponent turn pinata. Frustrating...

[Marlew]

I can't say that the game is "essential" though, because with a lack of difficulty options, I would never ever suggest this game to casual gamer..

Apologies for the lack of clarity, I just mean essential for me. I don't give much thought about whether it might appeal to anyone else.

I can definitely see why you find the EMMI sections a turn-off. They also got on my wick towards the end. The most frustrating bits are in the late game where you often need to manipulate the environment and EMMI routing to get enough space to blow its face off after charging your cannon. There are lots of areas where you can almost do it but not quite. Really irritating time-wasting design, especially with the one-hit nature of stealth mechanics.

Some great bosses towards the end but also lots of repetition, in my opinion. I don't enjoy the genre particularly and even at eight hours, the end was welcome. I'd had my fill. Halfway through, it was a 9. By the end, a 7.

[duskvstweak]

I'm playing Resident Evil: Revelations right now. I'm using the Steam version but I have to say I'm pretty impressed at how good this 3DS game looks. Since I didn't have that system, I didn't realize how powerful that little device was.

[stvnorman]

Mostly been playing Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance on Switch, which I’ve just finished at 191%, and had the absolute best time over the course of nearly ten hours! It’s rich, gothic psychedelia made up for the slightly lightweight soundtrack (by GBA Castlevania standards), but its intuitive exploration was the star of the show. Aria of Sorrow next!

Played a few chapters of Back 4 Blood and it seems alright but it’s not been made for me. And I’m definitely not messing about with decks of cards in a shooter, although having to wait to be pulled out of an ankle deep bit of water was actually the final straw! Also on Game Pass, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator would be better named if you replaced one of those words with “Rubbish” - awful user interface, no guidance and it looks crap. And I don’t care if any of that is part of the gimmick!

Also played and actually finished old Megadrive shooter Gleylancer on Switch, which came out remastered on everything this week, but I’ve had for a couple of weeks for review. The tough, no-nonsense original is included, but the default modern take offers a new control system for your secondary weapons that effectively makes it a side-scrolling twin-stick shooter, and not outrageously difficult as a result. Worth the fiver asking price.

Still playing the more exotic Darius Gaiden too, but getting worse as I learn its secrets and systems - I was better off when I was just holding down fire and killing everything! I did manage to get to stage four of arcade Ghouls ‘n Ghosts for the first time ever though! Finally, Pac-Man 99 got a free Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Graffiti theme, so I’ve been back on there - anything that isn’t the original colourblind nightmare is fine, but having this NES classic on there is awesome!

[ReprobateGamer]

Last couple of weeks have been fairly busy work wise but managed to get a few sessions in here and there:

Last Words - a delightful platformer where the gimmick is that you are playing as a character in a hand written story in a journal. So there are these twin stories of the girls real life and her family, and the fantasy based 'story' that she is narrating. Not complicated at all but well crafted and worth a look.

Destiny 2 - ho boy. In one session, I think I played the worst and the best of this game. Haven't loaded it up in months and have barely touched it since the Beyond Light expansion dropped but felt like spending an evening playing. Was immediately dropped into a mission which would nicely spoil a whole bunch of story threads that I haven't completed, and forced to fight through waves of enemies of a higher light level than I was - meaning that I ultimately was just chipping away at them until was able to kill them.

Once I got past that level, and had made it onto the director, I saw that the cosmodrome was now available. Loading in there, I was forced into a remake of the very first level from Destiny 1. And it was great! There have obviously had to be some changes but the original was a marvellous entry point and the gun play in the Destiny-verse is superbly crafted, when you are playing at an appropriate light level! However, it remains a game that requires a constant level of attention which I just can't give it, and my old fireteam is rather fragmented now so there isn't even the co-op urge to attempt to get back into it.

Sea of Thieves Talking of co-op, this game does work well. Myself and some of my regular D&D group are working our way through the new underwater shrines - essentially a bit of a treasure hunt. None of these so far have been particularly long but they allow for a reasonable amount of treasure grabbing and progress on the season tracker. That you don't gain levels and can only buy cosmetic items means that even if you were to take a break, you would be able to come back in. I'd still prefer the option for a closed server but it's Rare's choice there and it's far from game-breaking to run the risk of a rival crew stealing your loot on the return to a outpost to cash it in.

[PallasRil]

Finished the main storyline in Ghost Recon: Breakpoint. To call it a trashfire would be kind. Still, I'm a glutton for punishment, so I've continued on with the Splinter Cell DLC. To its credit, it seems more put together than any of the previous narratives.

Also just started Judgement. Still early on, but it's weird to be walking around Kamurocho without a certain Yakuza with a heart of gold. I do like Yagami, though.

[Miririn]

Having so much fun with Bloodborne even though I doubt I'll be able to finish it and if I do it will probably take me to the end of the year (I am utterly, laughably crap at the game). Killed Darkbeast Paarl and Vacuous Rom the Single Spider Mom yesterday. I use guides a lot, and for a game about man's loneliness in the face of incomprehensible horrors, one of the most fun aspects of the game for me is the sense community I get playing it. Online friends on my twitter and real life friends on the gaming group chat urge me on and give me advice and answer my stupid questions, and it all feels super collaborative even though I don't use the co-op mode at all (I have patchy internet so don't want to risk crashing if I call in another player).

It's a beautifully designed game and the costumes, beasties and locations are gross and gorgeous. The relaxing repetitiveness of it, the hours of frustration capped by incredible highs when you finally break through, the satisfying combat etc make me realise why my Soulsborne friends are such devotees to the church of From Soft. I don't know if I'll try another From game - I'm less keen on Men In Armour and Angry Haircut Ninjas than I am crazy about Alexander McQueen-Styled Fabulous Lovecraft Lady Goths - and I'll probably not be able to complete Bloodborne but even so I think this game might be an all-timer for me because it pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me a new style of play. Love the addition of the gun, love to time brutal parries, love how aggressive play is rewarded and cowering is punished.

In terms of difficulty, I've only ever almost cried with relief beating a level/boss twice: Avery's Mansion on Crushing Mode in Uncharted 4, and now the Shadows of Yharnam, who aren't even that hard (!) but for some reason I got stuck on them for almost a week. Beating them felt incredible!!

And a shout out to whoever designed the costumes, because for all that From Software has a reputation for aggro gatekeeper bro gamer fans (not my friends, luckily!) and gamer masculinity, this game is very ~ Girly Fashion ~ vibes and has an array of fabulously stylish costumes that Lady Gaga would be proud of. I love my crow coat and grey wolf hat and I can't wait to unlock the fabulous blood red gown.

[Marlew]

Real talk, if you can beat Cleric Beast, BSB, Amelia, Rom (which I was stuck on for days) and Shadows, you can take the whole game. Great work and cool to see you enjoying a FROM game right in at the deep end. I absolutely love them but bounced off Demon's having given it my best and it took til DS2 for me to finally make any progress. You've got it in the bag.

I've gone back to Returnal after Metroid Dread, my save got wiped (my fault) after finishing it so I'm right back to the blank slate which felt like a blow, but I've been loving ploughing through it. Or rather, getting my arse handed to me by the second area. Utterly immense game, though. I'd say comfortably the best game on PS5.

[Kasuga-san]

Some great bosses towards the end but also lots of repetition, in my opinion. I don't enjoy the genre particularly and even at eight hours, the end was welcome. I'd had my fill. Halfway through, it was a 9. By the end, a 7.

Yeah, I'm closing in on the end slowly but surely. I agree that some of the boss designs are great, but I've been finding that they all go on a bit longer than I feel is necessary. Pretty much the process for me has been: get to a boss, try it a couple times to learn patterns and either beat it or bounce off for a while, if I didn't beat it I come back and beat it and play up to the next boss, rinse and repeat. I've been bouncing between Dread, Diablo 2 Resurrected, and Genshin Impact. Was kind of hoping I'd have Dread beaten by now so I can turn my attention to some Game Pass games I've been meaning to get to and mess around a bit more with the Kunio-Kun collection I picked up recently.

[stvnorman]

I played through Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow over a couple of evenings, and while I enjoyed every second (apart from a couple of unexpectedly nasty bosses), I was left wanting a bit more, both in terms of length (at around five hours) and what it was bringing to the party - bit by numbers. Still looks great though, with some of the most sumptuous graphics you’ll see on the system, and the soundtrack is all killer! And what a collection to keep on my Switch!

Wasn’t sure what next, but saw Five Nights at Freddy’s is leaving Game Pass and managed two nights before I was bored. Nowhere near as bored as I was with Visage, a new Game Pass first-person horror - I spent an hour in a house collecting a few keys, opening some doors and changing a lightbulb, which was horror enough for me! Into the Pit is also new on there, but while the psychedelic rogue-lite FPS hellscape is really cool, there’s way too much not knowing what’s going on then messing around once you do. I recently picked up Dead to Rights on PlayStation 2 and settled on that instead - a pretty mindless third-person action-noir thriller with a bit of rhythm-action so you can pick locks, diffuse bombs and be a stripper too! Far more PS2 than it is PC, just like me!

I got a 3-month free Apple Arcade with my new phone this month, although I wasn’t expecting to be playing Monument Valley 2 again first, but the new Lost Forest Expansion just appeared as part of Playing for the Planet’s Green Game Jam. It’s a quick reminder of just how beautiful this game is, and for a good cause! Tiny Wings+ on there was a nice excuse to play it again, although the original hasn’t left my phone since it came out in 2011! It’s simple, with a single finger keeping your un-flying bird in the air with a bit of help from using hills as speed ramps, and it’s pastel patchwork art style is perfectly suited. I can’t tell what the + offers, but it’s still so much fun to play!

[Alex79]

Tiny Wings+ on there was a nice excuse to play it again...

Reminded me how much I used to love that game on my old iPod touch - just went to download it again for my phone and it's never been available on Android! Booooo!