Whatcha Been Playing?

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Scrustle
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Scrustle »

Still playing Astral Chain and moved on to the post-game challenge missions. Done about 15 or so, out of a total of 71. I'm not sure I'll finish all of them, but I'm enjoying them right now. They are just straightforward combat scenarios, without any of the frills of the rest of the game, at least so far. The combat really shines in these missions, where you just get to focus on the best bit of the gameplay in a highly concentrated form. There are also a lot of enemies in this part that don't show up in the main game at all, and they start showing up really quickly too. It seems like a pretty large chunk of the content in the game is just in these challenges. Strange, but a nice surprise.

Although so far I've got an S+ on every mission, I have a suspicion that at some point the difficulty might escalate to a point where I can't keep up. That is, if this is anything like the similar post-game challenge in Bayonetta 2. That started off with a difficulty level in line with the lower modes, and gradually increases as the missions progress. Similar to the Bloody Palace in DMC I suppose as well. Then again, a couple of these missions have already been quite tough, so maybe it's not like that here. But once I hit a wall in this mode I might decide to go back to the main game and try the higher difficulty, or try to get a better rank on the mode I already beat. Although my consistent high ranks at this mode makes me kind of hesitant to go back. It makes it even clearer that pretty much all my lower scores were down to the non-combat stuff. The idea of having to go back and try to improve on the stuff I already don't enjoy doesn't seem that appealing. Meh, I'll see how I feel later. For now, it's a lot of fun.

Also finally had another shot at Prey (original flavour) and I'm enjoying it so far. It's been an extremely long time since I last played it, which I was quite shocked by. Seven years ago! It's been longer between now and then, than it was between release and when I last played. It doesn't feel like it though.

This game feels incredibly old though. No surprises there, being an early 360 game when things were still transitioning over. It's got a very Doom 3 feel to it, for obvious reasons. But it has a cool dark and moody feel to it that you don't really see in games much these days. I like it. It's also somewhat reminiscent of The Darkness. Another dark gritty FPS from that era, which I have a lot of fondness for. The gameplay here actually stands up fairly well though. Although it feels pretty basic and light on variety, there's a decent amount of movement and strafing involved. The mechanics of walking on walls and portals are pretty fun too. They are somewhat gimmicky, but they are a gimmick I like. And when you're fighting enemies who are running around on the ceiling, or vice versa, that is actually a pretty fun twist on shooter gameaplay, and still quite novel.

The intro is still fantastic too. It creates a somewhat foreboding atmosphere right from the start, even before the aliens show up and things start going crazy. The licensed music choice is really inspired too. Some great tunes that create a strong juxtaposition with the events happening, but still seem somehow fitting. Having it be diegetic is a great touch too, and then when they re-contextualise it later when you discover the bar as it has been partially engulfed in to this grotesque fleshy alien environment, it really sells the sense of how this invasion is consuming everything on Earth, taking things that had meaning to people, and just violating and engulfing it like there's no difference between any object or living thing at all.
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Chopper
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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clippa wrote: September 14th, 2019, 6:24 pm Do you like roguelikes, chopper? You might just need a little break from all those big brain games. Give golden krone hotel a go, that's fab!
I notice that's a turn-based roguelike, did you tailor that recommendation for me? :) To be honest, I've only really started playing turn-based games this year, it hasn't been a theme of my gaming till now. Sounds interesting though, I will definitely check it out.

Today's intriguing must-buy game on sale appears to be Nantucket, though :oops:

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Suits
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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I got well into FTL when it came out - loved that game.

I even modded it to a Star Wars theme which was cool.


I’m addicted to Tetris 99 - it’s brilliant.

The new version has added daily challenges and themes to unlock as you progress.

I also picked up the DLC which is £8.99 but inside a stack of Gold Coins I had saved up and it ended up costing me about £5 - which was nice.

The DLC adds co-op mode, as well as CPU battle and marathon mode - essentially making the game playable offline.

Excellent game that just keeps me going back to it each night for a few games.

Very good. Get on it, it’s free for Nintendo online subscribers.
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Suits
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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ThirdMan wrote: September 17th, 2019, 10:39 am
Suits wrote: September 17th, 2019, 10:34 am I even modded it to a Star Wars theme which was cool.

That sounds great. Was it just a re-skin or did the text refer to different races, etc?

I don't even consider myself a proper Star Wars fan and my hands are shaking at the mere thought of this.
To be honest, I can’t remember the text but it was most certainly the ship skins.

It was decent.
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duskvstweak
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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ThirdMan wrote: September 17th, 2019, 9:57 am I've been playing, or should I say trying to play, FTL: Faster Than Light on the iPad. I think I'm just going to have to admit that it's not for me and move on. I had similar trouble with it on Mac. It's not just the difficulty, it's that I'm not getting into the rhythm of the game. I'd relish the challenge if I could just get it to 'click' for me.
I love the game, made it to one of my favorites.
I still haven't beaten it.
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Suits
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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duskvstweak wrote: September 17th, 2019, 3:25 pm I love the game, made it to one of my favorites.
I still haven't beaten it.
I’ve beaten it once, early on in my time with it too so it kind of gave me a false idea of how punishing the game can be.

That last fight is brutal, you can have an excellent build and feel like everything is going very well - then pow, it takes everything from you in an instant.
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KSubzero1000
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by KSubzero1000 »

I felt like playing something fun, simple, simian and uh... "life-affirming" so I went with a bit of Super Monkey Ball and Donkey Kong Country Returns this evening.

SMB is as pure as it's ever been, one of gaming's most endearing displays of dedication towards a specific premise. All you need is the analogue stick (and what a stick it is!) and you have hours of challenging joy ahead of you. Amusement Vision was a brilliant studio.

DKCR is another winner with its charming level design and heroic duo. 2D platformers aren't exactly my favorite genre, but I'm having a lot of fun with this one even though I suspect it's probably on the simplistic side of things. I've never played the sequel on the WiiU which I hear is even better, so I look forward to trying that one out later on.

One thing that stood out to me in retrospect though, is that the motion controls aren't handled particularly well in this game. They are very basic to the point that they could all have been replaced with a single button press (and there are still unassigned buttons with the control scheme as it is), but their inherent margin of error also might not make them the ideal choice for something as precise as a platformer to begin with. It's not always clear when exactly the waggle will register which can cause a bit of frustration at times.
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Alex79
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Alex79 »

Yeah, the motion stuff was what stopped me getting very far in DKCR, it just irritated me. It felt like Nintendo at that point in their history were sacrificing quality of control schemes in favour of gimmicks. So many Wii games I wish I could have played with zero motion control.
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Alex79
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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clippa wrote: September 17th, 2019, 5:36 pm It doesn't bother me in the slightest. [partridge]I couldn't give a fuck[/partridge]
My favorite line in the book :lol:
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hazeredmist
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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KSubzero1000 wrote: September 17th, 2019, 9:44 pmSuper Monkey Ball
I miss the original Super Monkey Ball! It was fantastic on Gamecube.
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by hazeredmist »

Tried Brawl Brothers on Switch, anyone else played this? There isn't much reason to in this world where Streets of Rage exists - it feels light years behind that franchise in pretty much every way to me. I had a good go last night and got stuck in a loop on stage 2 (I think) endlessly going through doors and ending up at the start again. Bo-oring. I am forced to persevere as it's our retro game challenge game this week, and I'd get a hat trick if I win.
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Chopper
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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clippa wrote: September 17th, 2019, 5:36 pm ..Roguelikes..
Alright Poindexter.

If it's a proper roguelike I'll probably rule it out then. Roguelites forever!

In the meantime, persevering with Battle Brothers. I got bogged down in looking at advanced strategies and 'how my party should be built,' rather than just enjoying the game, which I'm doing now. Hopefully I don't get to the endgame and find out I am underpowered.
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Alex79
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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hazeredmist wrote: September 18th, 2019, 10:22 am Tried Brawl Brothers on Switch, anyone else played this? There isn't much reason to in this world where Streets of Rage exists - it feels light years behind that franchise in pretty much every way to me. I had a good go last night and got stuck in a loop on stage 2 (I think) endlessly going through doors and ending up at the start again. Bo-oring. I am forced to persevere as it's our retro game challenge game this week, and I'd get a hat trick if I win.
That stage is a maze, like the lost woods in Zelda :)
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stvnorman
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by stvnorman »

I’ve had a wonderful first time ever with Super Mario World on Switch. After obsessing over it for a week, I’m up to 70 exits, including the seriously hard Special levels, but even they were mostly a pleasure to plod through all the same (partly thanks to the huge amount of lives you can amass before they quickly take them away)! They’re also a great example of how far off the beaten track it’s actually quite easy to be taken with this game. And how the game is actually all about that!

The rest of the game was just a joy after that little test. I’ve gone back to my last pre-ending save and have been a bit more methodical with the search for exits than my previous strategy of using the fly ability when I had it to get as high as possible and see what’s up there! I’m not necessarily going for all 96 exits because this first time was a bit chaotic, but there’s quite a few trails I still want to follow. I’ve also started a new game on the SNES Classic because the Switch joypad never felt quite right with the three main buttons so close together. Which might be the place to explore properly...

Also started Link’s Awakening DX on 3DS, which I picked up for £3 a few months ago, but this week seemed like a good time to play it! I was completely hooked within minutes, and even after only two dungeons I’m thinking I’ve found another all time favourite. I know it’s not the new Switch version, but even on Game Boy Colour it’s still a wonderful, stunning world that feels great to be a part of, with its highly optimised controls and just enough signposting to make progress constant. Timeless regardless of the version, but anyone getting the Switch version is in for a treat!
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Alex79
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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stvnorman wrote: September 18th, 2019, 8:13 pm I’ve gone back to my last pre-ending save and have been a bit more methodical with the search for exits than my previous strategy of using the fly ability when I had it to get as high as possible and see what’s up there!
Well there's one hidden exit in particular where flying high is the exact opposite of what you want to be doing....

;)
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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Alex79uk wrote: September 18th, 2019, 8:25 pm Well there's one hidden exit in particular where flying high is the exact opposite of what you want to be doing....
I just spent ages trying to get beyond a regular exit because I could see an arrow sign the other side of it. Couldn’t fly over it, couldn’t get under it and back up with the cape. Gave up, got on Yoshi in another level, then it clicked - use him to fly under the platform the exit is on and jump off him once you’re past it... My methods of exploration are gradually getting more sophisticated!
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Stanshall
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Stanshall »

Radirgy Swag (Switch)

I've gone back to this quirky shmup for something different. It's almost like an endless runner, very strange, with no distinct stages or bosses, just an evolving landscape and a very particular rhythm. I'm absolutely awful at it but assuming you pick up several speed up icons and you start roaring ahead and OVER! starts flashing, and the bullets start filling up the screen and you're constantly bombing to buy yourself a tiny bit of time and space, well, it's actually really good fun. It's a curio nevertheless. It's not something I feel motivated to get better at but it'll always scratch an itch for half an hour once in a while.

Blade Strangers (Switch)

Ignoring recent news about Nicalis for a moment, this is a fun and accessible fighting game which includes various characters from their games, including Isaac, Solange, Shovel Knight and various big tit Japanese girls, to be frank. It's leagues ahead of the execrable SNK Heroines, which attempts something similar. There are pretty tight fighting mechanics here, and accessible combos in the Arc System Works vein. The animation is also neat and impactful. They've recently updated it with three new characters, or rather, two new characters and a tittier 'Summer' version of an existing character. I wish there were any sort of online presence in any region but unfortunately there isn't.

Captain Toad's Treasure Tracker (Switch)

I like this game. It's a compact concept and almost all of the levels push some particularly satisfying little buttons somewhere in my brain. I just don't find that I really want to play more than two at a time. At first, I slowed down because I didn't want to burn through it but over time, I've not found it especially engaging for more than ten minutes or so. I do enjoy it, though, when I play and I'm currently working my way through at a pace of roughly four levels per month. I'd recommend it because it does its thing very well, I just don't buzz off that thing.
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Alex79
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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stvnorman wrote: September 18th, 2019, 9:29 pm
Alex79uk wrote: September 18th, 2019, 8:25 pm Well there's one hidden exit in particular where flying high is the exact opposite of what you want to be doing....
I just spent ages trying to get beyond a regular exit because I could see an arrow sign the other side of it. Couldn’t fly over it, couldn’t get under it and back up with the cape. Gave up, got on Yoshi in another level, then it clicked - use him to fly under the platform the exit is on and jump off him once you’re past it... My methods of exploration are gradually getting more sophisticated!
Ah ha you know, I never even thought to try it with Yoshi back in the day! Spent hours before finally managing to do it with the cape. Doh!
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Alex79 »

Alex79uk wrote: September 15th, 2019, 12:44 pm I've got about three hours in to Super Metroid, made a decent amount of progress, and I'm not sure whether I'm enjoying it or not.

...

EDIT: You know, I think I'm going to start again. I'm sure I've gone wrong somewhere, gone down some secret route and got stuck instead of following the obvious path. Yeah, I'm going to reset, reboot, and relearn.
OK, so I'm now six hours in to a second attempt at Super Metroid, and.... I'm loving it! It's fantastic. Totally clicked now, and really enjoying exploring this world and finding all the hidden areas. I've had to consult a guide once, last night. I dropped in to a pit with no way out. Some aliens were jumping up the walls. I'd heard about wall jump, but assumed it was a skill you had to pick up, but no, you can do it right from the start! After a little practice I made it out the pit and got right back to the exploring.

Brilliant game. Really.
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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KSubzero1000 wrote: September 15th, 2019, 5:27 pm Oh man, I got stuck on that one for quite a while!

Definitely not a glitch though, I promise. :lol:
I swear, I have systematically been through every possible combination of moves and still stuck on level 6! Been trying it on and off for a week now! I had a look for the sequel, Primer, but doesn't seem to be currently available on the Google Play store. I can't check a guide though, not for level 6! Look up one solution and you might as well look them all up, because you're not learning anything. It was the same with the Witness, and although there isn't really a direct comparison, there are similarities in the way it makes me feel. The Witness is one of those games I wish I could erase from memory and play again fresh. I try not to think about it too much in the hope it drifts from memory quicker so I can go through it again :lol:
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