Whatcha Been Playing?

[Alex79]

Having played through Uncharted 4 last week, I too have questions about Neil Druckmann's writing ability.

--Dan

Ah man, I really loved that story too Everything about it! Getting pulled back in to the business, family stuff, the ending. I just really like those characters.

[Tleprie]

Second, The Last of Us Part 2 on PS5. Not sure what the spoiler policy here is on a game that's almost three years old now, so I'll have to spoiler mark most of my thoughts, because, frankly, I don't know how I can talk about my feelings thus far without getting into entire game spoilers. So I'm about 4 hours in and

Spoiler: show

after Joel's torture and murder, all I want is to kill Abby and the WLF. I don't want to play as Abby. I don't want to hear her side of the story. I don't care Abby's dad was going to create a cure. I don't even want to waste time talking to Dina, or Maria, or Jesse, or Tommy, or any other characters. I just want Abby dead, more than any other character in fiction, games or otherwise. I knew what was coming from having read spoilers, but I never expected to be as furious as I was while watching it all play out and the sad part is I know the ending results in Ellie just letting Abby go. So the point of the game is the cycle of revenge has to stop. I get that, but it took Ellie killing how many people to figure that out? By the end, I'm sure I'm going to have killed dozens of WLF, most of whom I'm sure will have had nothing to do with Joel's death. Why would Ellie stop with the one person who is actually directly responsible? At that point, in for a penny, in for a pound, I say. Kill Abby, because you've already killed all her comrades. There's no reason to leave her alive.

Neil Druckman wanted to make a game teaching us the oh, so important and oft-forgotten lesson that "revenge is bad, m'kay" and how Joel's decision at the end of TLOU Part 1 was wrong? Well, good for him, I guess. He made me want revenge, but he's never going to convince me Joel was wrong, because everything in TLOU Part 1 implied the Fireflies were absolutely incompetent and were just grasping at straws and anything saying otherwise in this game is completely fabricated retroactive continuity.

Anyways, whatever. I'll finish the game because I enjoy the moment to moment gameplay, but I consider this story Neil Druckman's personal fan fiction and I'm very worried at the amount of power he has over Naughty Dog.

Honestly, I felt the same at first.

Spoiler: show

But the more I played, the more I did not, and the more I sympathised with her cause. She's still the villain, I think, but I could understand why she did it, and I enjoyed her story arc.

Spoiler: show

By the end of the game I was much more on Abby's side. The game was very effective for me at changing her from a villain to a sympathetic character. While I think Ellie is justified in her revenge quest, so was Abby in hers, we just had a whole game getting to know Ellie and Joel to feel much more connected to them at the start of the second game. I don't remember details about the Fireflies being incompetent, maybe desperate, though it has been a long while since I've played the first game.

I think Ellie is well past broken by the end of 2, and I could have just as easily seen her kill Abby, much like Abby could have killed Ellie in the theatre, Abby just had her "revenge isn't helping anything" moment at that point and it took Ellie til the end of the game for hers.

Not to sidestep the narrative issues around TLOU2 but I daresay they would be a lot more palatable if they weren't bolted onto a game that's, at least, 10ish hours too long. The final product really could've done with an editor that had at least heard the expression "kill your darlings."

I'm of the opinion that almost all pieces of art/entertainment could do with being cut down by 20-40%, but oddly enough I found TLOU2's length beneficial to the overall feel of the game. There were definitely parts that dragged and especially the final chapters at first felt unnecessary, but then when credits rolled I felt that having to slog through the game helped me feel a bit of the desperation and weariness the characters would have been feeling by the end.

It certainly helps that the gameplay itself is engaging all the way through. I doubt I'd feel the same about a less smooth playing game of equal length.

[Alex79]

Just reached Act 3 of Pentiment and...

WARNING: ACTUAL HUGE STORY SPOILER. DON'T READ UNLESS YOU'VE ALREADY GOT TO ACT 3!!

Spoiler: show

I'm kinda bummed that Maler is dead! I really liked his character! I accused Brother Guy of doing the second murder. None of them had a clear cut reason, but he was a dick for the whole game, so I picked him anyway.

I thought it was a really neat twist that Martin is an imposter, though. But didn't feel like that was ground enough for murder, and the Inn lady seemed even less likely, so of the three, Guy was most logical for me.

[DeadpoolNegative]

Re: that Petiment spoiler, I actually dropped my controller and was speechless. I couldn't believe what was actually happening.

--Dan

[Magical_Isopod]

Started up Live-A-Live. Finished the Prehistory chapter and started the Distant Future chapter. Game's not really grabbing me so far, but I'll give it time to get to its point. Overall, it feels really well made, but also kinda slow.

[Jobobonobo]

Have been playing a few different titles on the go. First, I tried out the demo to Octopath Traveller 2. I never played the first one but I really did like what I saw. This was my first time trying out a HD-2D RPG and it really does look gorgeous, basically a SNES title if it had insane production values. Also enjoyed the battle system, figuring out what weapons enemies are weak to and when to use boost power to really hit hard. Playing eight characters with their own stories makes me intrigued to see how it will all play out. I chose Ochette the hunter who can definitely be a powerhouse and I especially liked the Pokemon-like mechanic of her capturing monsters to use as summons in battles. Definitely makes me want to try out the full version eventually, very nice demo. Made me remember that the HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest 3 should be later this year and I cannot wait to try out such a well regarded classic in this art style.

Started Kirby's Dreamland 2 two days ago. At final boss now. Looks really good for a Game Boy game and I really dig the addition of the animal buddies. The way they combine with Kirby's copy abilities makes using them such a blast. Also a teensy bit harder than the first game which is also appreciated.

Lastly, on mansion 3 of Luigi's Mansion 2. While it does have a lot of that Nintendo polish we all expect, it is also a tad frustrating at times with dying leaving you have to repeat entire levels from the beginning which can be quite frustrating to deal with. I like it overall but little issues like that definitely leaves it wanting compared to the Gamecube original.

[rob25X]

Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3) - Excellent game in every way. 10/10. Great C&R podcast for it too.

What else... Tomb Raider (PS3 & PS4) - Really enjoyed the gameplay, story and multiplayer not so much. (Another game with a great C&R podcast btw.).

Res 2 remake (PS4) - Enjoyed it a lot, but well, 7.5/10 say. Too dark! Especially in the sewers.

[ratsoalbion]

I find RE Engine games need a lot of tweaking to get the gamma and HDR settings spot on.

[ColinAlonso]

Started up Live-A-Live. Finished the Prehistory chapter and started the Distant Future chapter. Game's not really grabbing me so far, but I'll give it time to get to its point. Overall, it feels really well made, but also kinda slow.

It's a straight remake of a game from 1993, it will stay fairly slow and the stories won't be deep. I liked the Prehistory chapter. Maybe flick around the chapters a bit, see if one grabs you?

[Pconpi]

Started up Live-A-Live. Finished the Prehistory chapter and started the Distant Future chapter. Game's not really grabbing me so far, but I'll give it time to get to its point. Overall, it feels really well made, but also kinda slow.

It's a straight remake of a game from 1993, it will stay fairly slow and the stories won't be deep. I liked the Prehistory chapter. Maybe flick around the chapters a bit, see if one grabs you?

I think the Imperial China section would be a good starter. It has a focused story and I found it taught me how the battles work better than the other chapters. I started with the Japan section which has stealth mechanics and some tough battles (but I later enjoyed it for its beautiful setting) and then went to the prehistoric section which I found too long and while novel for telling the story without dialogue is maybe not the best to become endeared to the game.

[GKBracken]

Ended up getting sucked into Animal Crossing: New Leaf of all things despite having the, I'm told, superior New Horizons to hand. Incredibly absorbing game for something so ostensibly simply, it's not often you find a game where the hours kind of melt away like this.

Also balancing Yakuza 6 which I'm enjoying after the absolute triathlon that was Yakuza 5, but can see why people felt it was a bit like a beta for Kiwami 2 given the obvious cuts on display. That said, really nice game to shave off a couple of hours (and that's just the cutscenes) and chill out with.

[markfm007]

I've been playing some more Demon's Souls after Gears. I'm still feeling some Souls fatigue, but I'm also enjoying it more than I expected. The level design is really good, dense and full of branching paths and shortcuts, and very challenging in terms of its checkpointing. I love that aspect of Souls games so I'm digging it. I've had some frustrating moments, especially with a couple of bosses where they were more annoying than challenging.

I also feel like this game lacks some of the beauty and wow factor of other From games. That's partly down to me revisiting it later down the road, but not entirely, as I did the same with Dark Souls and didn't feel that way. But it means I feel less motivated to push through the tougher moments. I'll chip away at it, probably put it down when Resi 4 comes out, but I'm enjoying it enough to see it through.

[Alex79]

I'm about nine hours in to Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. It was one of the games I was most looking to playing before GBA games came to the Switch and I'm definitely enjoying it. The old "who's the guy in green?" never seems to wear out it's welcome and the game is mildly amusing enough to raise the odd smile. I think one of the biggest issues with the Mario RPG series are that it's virtually impossible for them to ever have even a semi-decent story, they can never really stray too far from the core plot of most Mario games, and I do think that's a bigger negative than it might seem, because the games then rely solely on their gameplay. Fortunately, this game is really fun, the combat is simple but enjoyable, the bright colours really pop off the Switch screen (even on my OG Switch) and the music brings back many of the classic Mario themes. I think I'm about halfway through now, but there haven't been any duff moments so far.

[ColinAlonso]

I'm playing a few games at the moment

I'm in the late game stages of the Klonoa 2 remake. I played the originals and I'll write more about those 2 when I'm finished.

Still playing Splatoon 3 regularly, no long sessions though.

I'm playing Bomb Jack (Arcade) for Ben's monthly challenge. It's a single screen platformer where you have to collect bombs, but you get bonuses if they are in order, while under attack from enemies. It handles really well and trying to get those bonuses is a real challenge and the key to a high score.

Finally, I started Final Fantasy XIII a couple of months ago but only in small amounts. I finished all the other single player main FFs when the podcast was covering them (except for 7, 9 and 10 which I finished decades ago ). I skipped 13 due to its reputation (still finished FF2 though ) and feel like I have to settle a score.

Well I've started playing it more and while there are bits I like, the game really does not help itself. The infamous linearity I can handle, even if FF12 struck a good balance before. I find the battle system fun, directing the general flow of the party members rather than picking out single moves, yet the game keeps forcing 2 member parties and switching between them, when 3 could add complexity to the battles. Its getting really annoying, I want to use the buff, debuff and tank jobs more, but that works better in 3 person parties!

The plot is kinda washing over me to be honest, probably because I only like two of the characters and one of those, Fang, joined the party about 5 minutes ago. That's not even an exaggeration. I mean my third 'favourite' character so far is the much reviled (I think) Hope (he's about to do something stupid at the wrong time though, the game keeps hinting at it). Lightning is boring and too stoic to be interesting, Snow is dumb and Vanille made my ears hurt from the start, I actually properly hate her and she is only saved by hanging around Sazh.

Music's good and the game looks nice. It sounds odd, I think I might kinda like it, probably due to the battles, but there's lots of stuff to rant about too and to be honest, I've enjoyed ranting about it.

[Scrustle]

I played the demo to a game called Strayed Lights. It's an indie action game with a very heavy emphasis on parries. So much that it actually teaches you how to use those mechanics before it even tells you that you can do a normal attack. It feels very influenced by Sekiro, carrying over the balance gauge that both you and the enemy have, and gives you a big finishing move if you fill it up. It also has an Ikaruga style colour switching mechanic, where you have to be in the same colour as enemies for parries to work. It's pretty fun. Parry timing is tight but it doesn't feel unreasonable, and enemy attacks are well telegraphed but also have some unusual patterns that keep you on your toes. The demo culminates in a boss fight against a big ape-like monster that moves in a way that conveys a sort of playful innocence to it. Like it doesn't realise its own strength and the chaos and destruction its leaving in its wake is just a game to them. So they managed to nail something that a lot of games inspired by From seem unable to replicate, in conveying character and emotion just through movements. It's also rather pretty. The visual style is kind of Ori-like, but with a more limited colour palette. The environment design is really impressive too, and it does a great job at drawing your eye towards some great scenes.

I've also been playing Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom. I've long had my eye on this one, but never made the effort to play it before now. It's pretty interesting. It's almost like a different studio's take on the Team Ico formula. You play as a young thief character being accompanied by a large monster with magical abilities. You fight monsters and solve puzzles together, growing your bond over time. Almost like The Last Guardian long before that game came out. It doesn't carry over the minimalist design philosophy however. There's a clear Zelda influence when it comes to puzzles, and world design to a lesser extent. It has a very whimsical fairy tale-esque tone to it, which is pretty similar to Folklore, which is by the same developer. But Majin feels like it's aimed at a much younger audience, lacking the darker, more mature tone of that game. It seems inconsistent in how it treats the player though. Usually it feels very hand-holdy and makes things extremely obvious, but then there are just basic actions that the game doesn't tell you about, or things that are interactable that don't obviously look like they are. I get the impression that isn't intentional. But despite the rough execution of certain things, I am enjoying it.

[Jobobonobo]

Just started up Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time. Does a nice job of capturing what made the originals so special and it does look exceptionally lovely. Also gotten my arse kicked by some of the levels already. Some of the platforming utilising dimension shifting can be really mind bending stuff that requires pretty spot on timing. Was less a fan of the fact that I had to sign an agreement document to even play the game. Even though it is thankfully a one time thing, seeing bloody legal documents as you boot up a game is like an insane parody of how corporate the games industry has become, blegh. That aside, I am enjoying it overall.

Also nearly finished Luigi's Mansion 2. Only one more mansion to go. Definitely being an interesting experience.

[Truk_Kurt]

I found Crash 4 so incredibly hard from the midpoint onwards that I eventually grew too frustrated and gave up with it. Hope you have more luck than me!

[Jobobonobo]

Not too long ago, I did manage to finish Stormy Ascent in the remake of the original in the N.Sane trilogy so I am optimistic I will stick with 4 all the way if I can overcome that! I have heard numerous horror stories about 100% completion of this game so I am not even going to try to keep my blood pressure low! Good thing I am not a big completionist type anyways.

However, I am at a point in Luigi's mansion 2 where I am at a very frustrating part of the game where I have died numerous times. Really starting to not like these sodding ghosts.

[Truk_Kurt]

This may seem a silly question but is Luigi's Mansion 1 and 2 different to 3 as 3 is the only one I've played and whilst I thought it was beautifully animated, I didn't find it to be that much fun and a tad repetitive. Not helped by the fact that I felt it had a couple more floors than what was needed. Not a bad game by any stretch but definitely my least favourite Switch exclusive alongside Links Awakening remake.

[Alex79]

This may seem a silly question but is Luigi's Mansion 1 and 2 different to 3 as 3 is the only one I've played and whilst I thought it was beautifully animated, I didn't find it to be that much fun and a tad repetitive. Not helped by the fact that I felt it had a couple more floors than what was needed. Not a bad game by any stretch but definitely my least favourite Switch exclusive alongside Links Awakening remake.

Not really. There's some evolution through the games, but you're essentially doing exactly the same thing in each one of them. If you didn't particularly love 3, you'll not feel any different about 1 and 2 in my view. Others might disagree, but that's how I see it. I just think they're terribly boring games to actually play though, so my opinion is somewhat tainted, I suppose.