Whatcha Been Playing?

This is where you can deliberate anything relating to videogames - past, present and future
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Stanshall
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Stanshall »

I hadn't played too much Sekiro aside from a couple of evenings but put a good couple of sessions in last night and today and it's really clicking for me. The sprawling areas and verticality and traversal are an absolute joy. It also gets easier as you go along in some ways. You just have more options and tools and therefore have the ability to experiment whereas early on, you'd better get the parry timing down or you are screwed. I genuinely feel hampered by years of Souls muscle memory and the unlearning is both irritating and really fun when it clicks. I'll badly miss the deflecting when I do go back to the Soulsborne games. The boss battles in this are as intimidating and overwhelming as almost anything in the previous FROM games until you realise that you can actually block almost everything without running out of Posture, where your Stamina would have long long gone in Souls. Then the fights become much more tactical and precise and attritional and the essence of the game reveals itself. A colossal achievement in terms of the combat and environments.
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Scrustle
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Scrustle »

Today I've been playing a whole lot of Forza Horizon 3. I still play this game somewhat regularly, despite still also playing a whole lot of FH4 too. I just don't tend to talk about them, because there usually isn't much to say. These games have always been kind of a background, evergreen thing for me, that I can put on and casually mess around in for hours on end. But today is actually significant, and also a chance to talk about something that's been on my mind comparing these games.

Today is officially the last day that the official custom soundtrack feature in FH3 will work. It was based on Microsoft's Groove music service, which was their failed competitor to the likes of Spotify. But I always had a soft spot for it for this service in particular, because of how it was integrated in to this game. It let you upload your own music to their cloud storage system and create playlists that you could stream through the game. No need to sign up for any subscription or anything, despite the game pushing that idea when you look in to the feature. Groove's Spotify-like streaming service closed down a while ago, but this service of sourcing your own music from OneDrive was not, until now. I always loved this feature so much as it integrated your music in to the game really well, as if it were one of the normal radio stations, adding all the cool little equaliser and diegetic tweaks to it as well. Such a shame the feature wasn't more promoted, and that they didn't somehow carry it over to 4. It was such a boon, especially with how average the normal soundtrack for the game was. So because of all that, I've been playing the game a bunch listening to all the music I like to put to it one more time, and recording a load of clips for posterity. So apologies to all my XBL friends who will have their activity feed filled up with me spamming clips as such.

The other thing that was on my mind is how this game compares to FH4 visually. With me hopping between all these games semi-regularly, it's something I actually think about quite a lot, but the comparison between these two games has been the one most on my mind lately. It's strange, because I think in a way, FH3 looks better than 4. 4 has more subtle details in a lot of ways, like how it renders dirt roads and misty autumn mornings and such. As well at the seasons giving the game a wider breadth of aesthetics. But I think there's something about the naturally temperate weather of the setting that means it can't really go that far with lighting, like 3 can. In summer in particular, FH4 looks a bit... unexceptional? It looks very nice, but it doesn't really blow me away like 3, or even sometimes 2, can. 3 has an absolutely stunning skybox that is frequently breathtaking, with the dramatic ways it can show colour and light that 4 doesn't quite do. At night time too, especially around the city area, it feels like it has a better use of light as well. The starry sky feels much more prominent, and the way buildings light up in the city is really appealing. The more exotic environments are really impressive, even if they aren't technically as detailed in some areas. That might also have something to do with being from the UK, but still. Autumn and winter in 4 look amazing in their own right though, particularly the former. That's something that none of the other games have done, so it stands out for that. But comparing the summer to other games which are set permanently at that time, I think it kind of falls short in terms of atmosphere.

And while I'm on the topic, I might as well mention something else I've noticed. Seeing as I spend a lot of my time drifting in these games, it's always interesting to compare how each game feels in that department. Tiny changes in the handling model get magnified massively under those circumstances. I've found that with each new Horizon game I pick up drifting really quickly and hardly ever have to spend time adjusting. But when I go back to previous games it always feels really different again and I have to spend a while getting reacquainted with how the the old game felt. I suppose that means they keep making it easier between each game, especially when it comes to 4 introducing the suspension upgrade meant specifically for drifting. I don't know if that's happening because they're improving the physics model or just just being more forgiving. Maybe both. Don't really have a point to make about that I guess, but I find it interesting.
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Jobobonobo
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Jobobonobo »

Thanks to recommendations from some in the "Dream Licensed Games" thread and because it is getting covered in this year's volume, I have decided to try out Furi. I have never tried the Dark Souls series due to being someone who does not have time to develop the skill set to get enough out of that type of game but this seems to follow a similar philosophy. The fact that you always need to read your opponent and react accordingly makes each boss a real puzzle to figure out which makes combat extra engaging. It is definitely tough but so far I am enjoying this and it feels great when you finally figure out the patterns of a boss and how to get through their barrage of attacks with little to no damage. Interested to see how this develops the further I get into the game.
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dezm0nd
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by dezm0nd »

Yoshi Crafted World is exactly as you'd expect. A jolly, light romp through a Tearaway-esque environment. Loving it.

Sekiro whenever i can muster the energy to get my arse kicked and overcome it to get my arse kicked again. Loving it.

Banjo Kazooie Nuts and Bolts. Rediscovered my love for it by taking my time with the challenges by experimenting and seeing how i can get the trophies. Loving it.

Sea of Thieves. Just achievement hunting at the moment. Can't really find a reliable partner due to dad life so I'm dipping in and out on my own but I'm still loving it.

Games are good.
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stvnorman
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by stvnorman »

Baba is You on Switch is now taking up most of my gaming time, as well as starting to haunt most of the rest of my time! Don’t think any game has ever had me in such deep thought, working out what needs to be done then how to do it. It’s such a clever, unique concept! Also been having a good time with the first couple of hours of Final Fantasy VII on Switch. I did play Final Fantasy “Something” on PSP but this is my first time with any of the earlier ones, and I’m liking it a lot. Looks really nice in handheld mode, and I’ve not felt the need to try any of the quality of life improvements yet, but I’m getting increasingly tempted by the 3x speed button!

I’ve finished Modern Warfare Remastered single player on PS4, just in time for the next lot of PS+ games today. Still one of my favourite CoD campaigns and good to play through it again. With this, and finishing The Witness, I really had great value out of PS+ in March! Also still plodding through Resident Evil, which I think was another PS+ game some time ago. I’m way further in than I’ve ever been before now, so will see Jill’s campaign at least through to the end. And I’ve hit a few walls in Trials Rising, so obviously making progress there too!
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Alex79
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Alex79 »

I've played the first half hour of Full Throttle Remastered on Vita, and already got stuck! It's worse because I know I played this before and got further than this puzzle but that was almost 20 years ago and I really can't remember. It's where you have to get past the dog in the junkyard and it's clearly got something to do with moving the cars with the magnet crane thing.

Grrrr.

:lol:
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False Eight
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by False Eight »

Alex79uk wrote: April 3rd, 2019, 8:37 am I've played the first half hour of Full Throttle Remastered on Vita, and already got stuck! It's worse because I know I played this before and got further than this puzzle but that was almost 20 years ago and I really can't remember. It's where you have to get past the dog in the junkyard and it's clearly got something to do with moving the cars with the magnet crane thing.

Grrrr.

:lol:
I've completed the game several times over the years, and I'm quite sure I've never got past that bit without a walkthrough :oops: Somehow I always end up loosing my nerve before remembering how I cheated the stupid dog the previous time...
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Alex79
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Alex79 »

I went looking through my PS+ catalogue last night to find some local multiplayer games to play with Elliot. We played a bit of Bombing Busters, which is literally Bomberman. I mean it is the exact same game. Even the power-ups are identical to the game I had back on my Sega Megadrive. I'm amazed they've got away with it! It was fun in multiplayer though.

We also really enjoyed a game I tried years back in single player and didn't like - Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime. What fun! It really comes alive in multiplayer and I'd love to be able to try it with all four players going. Really fun though, and scratched the same itch Overcooked does.
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Magical_Isopod
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Magical_Isopod »

I beat RE2 again on Claire B. Really interesting to see just how closely they followed the original RE2 for certain scenes - even down to the "true ending". For all the things this game does new, the reverence for the original is pretty clear.

I think I'm just about burned out of Apex now, it's getting swarmed with little kids and jackasses and it's hurting for a second map and some rebalancing tweaks. Plus the level-up rewards have really fallen off, to the point where the incentive to "git gud" just isn't there anymore.

Started The Silver Case, which is a damned interesting case study in archaic game design. Easily one of the best soundtracks I've heard in a while, and I love the story so far, which is told in a really interesting way through pop-up windows... But man does this game ever play rough. It's an experimental PS1 game that has only received visual updates (and I'd argue the new character portraits are worse than the original ones). If I knock this one off, I'm thinking I'll need a guide to tolerate it.
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Chopper
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Chopper »

I've been 'crunching' for the last six weeks or so, so I'm feeling too mentally exhausted to start into Sekiro - I played it briefly the opening weekend and along with the comments I've read on here, I'm starting to doubt if I'll ever be ready to start it.

Instead, I've started playing Mutant Year Zero - the turn-based combat game with the duck and the pig. It's hard! Upon startup, there are three difficulty settings - Normal, Hard and Very Hard - of which Hard is selected by default. After a few hours I turned it down to Normal (the new Easy).

It's quite entertaining and fun to play, but there just aren't enough resources on the map to let you play expansively. Loot, in the form of Scrap, is finite, and there isn't enough of it to buy other than basic resources in the shop - grenades and medkits - so you have the situation where you can see a tantalising weapon or upgrade in the shop but can't buy it.....power gaming this is not. I'm usually a fan of limited resources and having to make hard choices, but at least you have hard choices in that situation, here you have none.

It's also become apparent, a long way into the game, that there is an upgrade path that should be followed that the player can't expect to know ahead of time, meaning precious resources have been wasted upgrading the wrong stuff. That's my biggest criticism, and it is possible I have missed something and am Playing it Wrong (TM).

Outside of that, it is fun. The main hook is that you can wander around the map in real time picking off enemies with silenced weapons, before engaging the main mob in an Xcom-style turn-based battle. This is also the only real strategy you can employ, as the enemies have loads of hit points and going in all guns blazing is doomed to fail.

The maps are great, lovely to look at with great detail, and the enemies have constantly been revealing new abilities to keep me on my toes.

So I like it, I'd recommend it, but it is rather rigid in its routines as far as I can tell.
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KSubzero1000
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by KSubzero1000 »

Chopper wrote: April 7th, 2019, 10:36 am I've been 'crunching' for the last six weeks or so, so I'm feeling too mentally exhausted to start into Sekiro
I'm really sorry to hear that, mate. :(

Staring at screens all day isn't healthy, so please take care of yourself. Sekiro can wait.
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Chopper
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Chopper »

Thanks! It's all good, and looking at my calendar, it's only been four-ish weeks really, it just felt like six :lol:
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KSubzero1000
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by KSubzero1000 »

I'm playing an open world game with interesting and engaging gameplay.

This is... curious.
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Scrustle
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Scrustle »

Always happy to see people enjoying Vampyr. Really great game.
KSubzero1000 wrote: April 7th, 2019, 10:57 pm I'm playing an open world game with interesting and engaging gameplay.

This is... curious.
What form of sandbox is this?
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Flabyo
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Flabyo »

Vampyr is Dontnod isn’t it? I really enjoyed Remember Me, had some great ideas (and actually understood what a futuristic European city would actually look like, rather than just assuming all the old buildings would be demolished, which is the default US position)

It’s on gamepass, so I’ll probably get to it soon enough.
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KSubzero1000
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by KSubzero1000 »

Scrustle wrote: April 8th, 2019, 9:56 am What form of sandbox is this?
One in which you can find stuff like this:

Image

Foolishness, really. Foolishness... :lol:

Flabyo wrote: April 8th, 2019, 11:38 am Remember Me, had some great ideas (and actually understood what a futuristic European city would actually look like, rather than just assuming all the old buildings would be demolished, which is the default US position)
That's an excellent point and something that probably would fly under a lot of people's radar, myself included.
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Suits
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Suits »

I do wonder what people’s opinions will be of BotW now that it’s had time to ferment with the general gaming consensus and whether or not it’s been too over hyped and people expect too much of it.

I have a friend that isn’t generally a fan of things Nintendo but has just got hold of Wii U and is going to give BotW a go.

I’m trepidatious over what he’s going to think about it - as people are sometimes over things they like.
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Chopper
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Chopper »

Well, no better man than Ksub to excoriate something that needs excoriatin' :)
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KSubzero1000
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by KSubzero1000 »

excoriate
/ɪkˈskɔːrɪeɪt,ɛkˈskɔːrɪeɪt/
verb
1.
MEDICINE
damage or remove part of the surface of (the skin).
"the discharge is acrid and excoriates the skin of the nose"
Always nice being accused of committing random sinister misdeeds on a sunny spring afternoon. :lol:
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Suits
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Suits »

KSubzero1000 wrote: April 8th, 2019, 12:56 pm Always nice being accused of committing random sinister misdeeds on a sunny spring afternoon. :lol:
It’s raining HARD here man 😐.
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