Whatcha Been Playing?

[NoMoreSpearows]

At what point is Advance Wars meant to click for most people?

I will say I'm playing the Re-Boot Camp version, so I have the benefit of Casual mode and its willingness to give me an extra tank or what have you, but I still feel like most of my victories come less from an understanding of the map and my troops and more the CPU's insistence on not blowing me up when given the opportunity. It feels less like chess and more like shogi, in the sense that there are a lot more pieces, the game gets both easier and harder when you start with a larger board, and it'll take me several years before I understand the game in even the most basic sense.

There's also a great sense of guilt from seeing my troops get blown to smithereens, even if it's in a cartoony explosion. I guess this means I should probably avoid playing the Fire Emblem series, huh?

[Tolkientaters]

I haven't yet no, only about 4 hours in. Hoping to get it done before Zelda though.

I hope you're able to, it ended up being a real highlight that I didn't expect, right up there with the RE4 remake for my favorite game so far this year.

[Truk_Kurt]

I haven't yet no, only about 4 hours in. Hoping to get it done before Zelda though.

I hope you're able to, it ended up being a real highlight that I didn't expect, right up there with the RE4 remake for my favorite game so far this year.

Oh I will for sure as I have been enjoying it. Although I'm going to get distracted by Zelda for a while come Friday.

[Jobobonobo]

Seen some interesting titles in the May sale on the Playstation store with Nier Replicant ver. 1.22474487139… (not a fan of this convoluted naming convention. What is this, Kingdom Hearts?) being very reduced in price so snatched it up. Absolutely adored Automata and seeing as this is a remaster of the first Nier game this was always on my wish list. I am less than two hours in and while it was a bit of a slow burn, meeting up with Grimoire Weiss has definitely made things a bit more interesting. Your character does not move as fluidly as 2B did but overall he is fine to control. First proper boss was pretty great and the music is definitely up to the high standards of Automata. Interesting but still too early to really settle how I feel about this one.

[Scrustle]

I've been playing Disco Elysium lately. I've been wanting to try it out for ages, hearing people praise it so much and making it seem to interesting. But I wasn't completely sure I'd like it, being a type of game that usually isn't my kind of thing at all. But I've been loving it so far. It's so intensely gripping. The writing is so evocative and enthralling, and so richly full of character. It's incredibly thoughtful and has some amazing worldbuilding too. It gives you so much to chew on, I don't think I could do it justice. But it's also full of humour and silliness, melancholy and sorrow, yet fire and verve as well. It's also pretty incredible how this game has so much writing that is specific to the myriad of different attributes you can have, yet it still manages to make it feel all coherent and natural. I can definitely see why this game has been praised so highly.

Also been playing some Lost Planet 3. For a while I've been curious about this game. It has a pretty poor reputation, but you can also find some appreciation for the story out there. One of the main writers on this apparently went on to work on the God of War reboot as well. So far it seems okay. It's not totally grabbed me yet, but I am intrigued by some of the stuff it's putting down. The presentation is pretty great, it's a very attractive game. The character acting is good too, they all feel pretty natural, and the game has this whole blue collar space trucker vibe going which is kind of cool. So far the actual plot hasn't grabbed me yet though. Nothing notable has really happened after 3+ hours. To actually play it is very plodding and laborious. But I can see that being intentional, as the game is clearly trying hard to immerse you in the experience of controlling this massive piece of unwieldly machinery that is much more utilitarian than the mechs you see in the other games in the series. The level design is also drastically different to the old games, being very small and claustrophobic. They're also extremely linear and focused very heavily on very scripted feeling encounters. Not sure how I feel about that yet.

[Alex79]

I've been playing Dishonored 2 on Xbox. Enjoying it, think I'm coming towards the end now, on mission 7 of 9 (I think). Not sure if I like it more or less than the first game, but I'm not really a fan of the black markets within levels being the only place you can buy equipment. I preferred it in the first game where you had a guy on site at your base between levels where you could top up on ammo etc. I've done more than one stage in the sequel where I've been short of stuff I needed because I've not found the shop.

I'm also 85 hours in to Skyrim on Switch. I have no many other games I want to play but can't tear myself away. Hardly touched the main story but I've done all the mage college missions as well as the thieves guild and companions quest arcs. Think I'm going to delve in to the world of the dark brotherhood next.

[TheEmailer]

Onto new game plus in Horizon Forbidden West after finishing the DLC. I share some of Jay's issues with it, but overall I love the spectacle, so being very OP enjoying blitzing through the story and best side quests.

I should be playing my backlogue like TLOU 2, Fallen Order, Disco Elysium, Ghosts of Tsushima etc but I have little motivation to start something new

[Jobobonobo]

Just starting up chapter 7 of Mother 3. Remember this being the longest chapter but also lots of memorable stuff happens in this one in particular. Still a complete delight.

After a somewhat lackluster start Nier Replicant is starting to really grow on me now. Getting much more into the story and the bosses have been a real stand out so far similar to Automata. The synergy between the boss battle itself and the soundtrack really makes them a highlight. Glad to have gone over the initial bump and now want to see this through to the end. Heard a lot of good things about the original Nier story wise so interested to see where this all ends up and how it relates to Automata.

[See Mi Yah]

I've been playing Nintendo games. And lots of them. Tears of the Kingdom, obviously, but also Metroid Prime Remastered, Kirby and the Forgotten Lands and various bits and pieces via Nintendo Online.

I've spent the past few months playing a lot of dense, systems-heavy games on PC, and truth be told I'm not sure I enjoyed them all that much. Not in the way I enjoy a Mario game. And while these past few days should have been just an enjoyable change of pace, it's actually gotten me thinking quite hard about what I want from games. Nintendo at their best represent a pure expression of the medium and what I love about it. And I'm in the mood to chase that feeling.

I think I've become guilty of reading good books and then wanting to see equally good writing in games, or enjoying good films and wanting to see something equally cinematic when I'm at my computer. Not to mention the fact that I'm nearly 40 and I feel a need to see that reflected in the games that I play (I'm looking at you, Victoria 3).

But it's okay to have some fun and get lost in a nonsense world and collect shiny things. Nintendo, once again, is a sharp reminder of that simple truth.

[CormoranStrike]

I have been playing PSVR 2 all day. I nearly bought one from the cex in Wimbledon recently, but decided to get a new one. Got the bundle that comes with Horizon but then I read thats not great to start with if you want to avoid motion sickness, which I do. So I played

Tetris Effect - its Tetris effect with some really cool VR effects. I like it. Not sure I £35 like it, but like it.

Star Wars Galaxy's Edge - This is one I'm going to come back. I was playing it using the moving by teleporting method, which was pretty successful at avoiding motion sickness, but was very imprecise movement, so I tried turning to manual movement which immediately triggered motion sickness, so I quit out of there. I'll come back to this one.

Pistol Whip - This was the game. I hadn't ever heard of it before today, but it reviewed pretty well and looked fun. Holy flip. This was one of the craziest cool gaming experiences I've ever had. I can't remember the last time a piece of gaming tech impressed me like that before. The game is super fun. I felt like John Wick. If I hadn't felt hot and a little dizzy, I would kept playing, and I'll definitely be going to it.

[GKBracken]

Uninstalled 80's Overdrive from my Switch as it just got too frustrating for what it was, it expects a bit too much grinding for something that works best when you're dipping in and out. Guessing I'll try something like Horizon Chase Turbo to scratch the same itch. Well, that, or just go back to Outrun 2006 for the millionth time.

Now supplementing my TotK lifing with bursts of Siesta Fiesta, which is the cute 3DS spin on Breakout you never knew you needed. Does its job really well and you can't help giving it 1 more go.

[Alex79]

Guessing I'll try something like Horizon Chase Turbo to scratch the same itch.

Have you tried Hotshots Racing? It's pretty decent if you are after an arcade racer.

Currently an absurd £2.39 on Switch. I paid about a tenner a while back and had fun with it.

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Ninten ... 35129.html

[Alex79]

I'm really enjoying Zone Of The Enders HD on Xbox at the moment. Started it last night and it's pretty fun. The HD double pack was given away a while back on Games With Gold. Never played the games before but I love Kojima and you can see some of his fingerprints on it. Pretty mindless fun, and the mechs are neat to control.

[Magical_Isopod]

Haven't had much time to game at all lately. My dad passed away unexpectedly and suddenly 3 weeks ago, and I hosted my brother - in from Japan - for a few weeks. On top of a very physical job and doing tenant organizing work here in Northeast London (not that one), I've just been gassed.

Picross Genesis and Master System Edition
Picked this one up on Switch for a couple of bucks on a whim. It's fine. A bit too easy, honestly. The assist features enabled by default feel like cheating, and I got bored.

Pokemon Picross
Now this is more like it. Pokemon Picross is leaps and bounds the best in the series, and part of that comes from a great implementation of Pokemon mechanics through catching, Pokemon Powers, and optional goals for each puzzle (ie, use a Fire Pokemon, set a Legendary Pokemon, etc.). Really disappointing that this one never got a physical release, as it's downright fantastic... When you buy the full game, at least. This one had a really shitty micro transaction mechanic where you had to drop real money to unlock and attempt puzzles. You could buy infinite gems for $30 - and I did - so at least it wasn't predatory. But this one really ought to have either a re-release or an updated version. It's stupid good.

R-Type Final 2
I don't know how to qualify exactly how this game is so utterly fantastic, but its roguelike loop of, "Play well, earn resources, unlock new ships, get a little further with the boosted firepower, repeat" is just such a great time. I had been playing on XB1, and the slowdown became a genuine barrier to progress around Level 4. Now playing on Series X, the game is an absolute dream. Runs smooth as butter, and is incredibly fun. I can't recommend this game enough, it is absolutely an overlooked gem. If I had to knock it a bit, it's that the game almost requires a guide, as the game's mechanics are not clearly explained in tutorials... For instance, the levels branch out after Level 4, and it's very easy to wind up on an exceedingly hard DLC challenge level without knowing you selected that path. But once you have a clear idea of what you're going for, it's a shockingly cerebral and well-structured SHMUP.

Digimon Survive
This one dropped to $30CDN, and I love Digimon, so I gave 'er a whirl. I usually hate visual novels, but I like this one. While the dialogue does meander a bit, it' s not nearly as egregious as other VNs I've attempted. The presence of turn-based SRPG gameplay taking place of action scenes is a welcome addition too. The story, what I've played of it anyway, is extremely interesting, and the pacing is surprisingly snappy - compared to the glacially slow pace and rambling dialogue of the Digimon Story RPGs. I have been falling asleep early in the evening all week, likely due to burnout, so I haven't had a solid sesh with this one. But it's a long weekend, so I look forward to playing more.

[GKBracken]

Guessing I'll try something like Horizon Chase Turbo to scratch the same itch.

Have you tried Hotshots Racing? It's pretty decent if you are after an arcade racer.

Currently an absurd £2.39 on Switch. I paid about a tenner a while back and had fun with it.

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Ninten ... 35129.html

Nice one, will it give a shot.

[markfm007]

I've finished the main campaign of Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin. I've played through it fairly quickly, as I wanted to finish the story and leave it for a little bit before I come back to the DLC. Maybe some of the optional areas I missed too, if it lets me. I probably won't wait too long, as people seem to rate the DLC, and I'm curious to see it and tie the game off.

That gives me some time to play Tears of the Kingdom. I couldn't resist buying it, despite not making much progress in Breath of the Wild. I did like that game, just never really stuck with it. I've played through a bit of the tutorial of Tears and am already enjoying it. I'll probably dip in and out of it as the mood strikes me. If this game is anywhere near the size some are claiming then I won't be finishing it any time soon!

[ColinAlonso]

So all the cool kids are playing Zelda . I've not got it yet as I have a backlog and it will be an easy present for someone to get me down the line.

I'm playing Need For Speed Unbound and it's a lot of fun. I really like throwing my Civic Type R or my Skyline around the place and the races and cop chases are entertaining. The map is an icon filled nonsense but with things like speed traps and long jumps I just do them as I find them, so that's not actually a negative.

The 'story' goes on a bit too much, when I just need an excuse to race. Also, I've ruined the game's street cred as my character looks like he goes to an expensive, 'artisanal' coffee place every morning.

I last played a Need For Speed game back on PS Plus in the late PS3 days (a bit of Most Wanted perhaps?) and Unbound doesn't seem too different for my vague memories of that so it possibly doesn't add anything new. But that isn't stopping me from having fun.

[Angry_Kurt]

So all the cool kids are playing Zelda . I've not got it yet as I have a backlog and it will be an easy present for someone to get me down the line.

I'm playing Need For Speed Unbound and it's a lot of fun. I really like throwing my Civic Type R or my Skyline around the place and the races and cop chases are entertaining. The map is an icon filled nonsense but with things like speed traps and long jumps I just do them as I find them, so that's not actually a negative.

The 'story' goes on a bit too much, when I just need an excuse to race. Also, I've ruined the game's street cred as my character looks like he goes to an expensive, 'artisanal' coffee place every morning.

I last played a Need For Speed game back on PS Plus in the late PS3 days (a bit of Most Wanted perhaps?) and Unbound doesn't seem too different for my vague memories of that so it possibly doesn't add anything new. But that isn't stopping me from having fun.

I plan to pay this soon, I think the customisation options seem far more extensive than any of the games since the PS2 era which I really like. I also like the new art style, looking forward to it

[Magical_Isopod]

I've been playing Digimon Survive and uh... Man, I went from being cautiously interested in this one to diving in deep. This is an incredibly well-written (occasional typographical error aside) game, and one that uses the Digimon IP to tell a shockingly deep-cutting, poignant and psychological story. If this were a season of the Digimon anime, it would be one of the better ones.

So let's back up a bit - the media tagline for this one was, "This is a visual novel that's DARK and characters can DIE." That's really selling the game short. First off, Digimon was always dark, that's kind of its core conceit - it plays off fears of technology and the unknown while telling an engaging adventure story. It always has. It's also not really a visual novel, either. Dialogue is delivered in a visual novel format, absolutely, but the combat is SRPG stuff and the exploration is more akin to a point and click.

It's also a very readable visual novel, eschewing the brainless filler text and needlessly wordy visual descriptions that other VNs are known for. Thank the gods for that. It gets to the damned point, and allows emotional moments to hit and sting when they need to.

I am thankful that my brother is familiar with the VN genre though, because I almost dropped this one. Apparently it's the norm for VNs to hide the "true ending" behind NG+ or completing all endings, and that's no different here. There are 5 endings - one for each of the three alignments (Vaccine, Data, Virus) in Digimon lore, one true ending, and one failure ending. The four successful routes all diverge at Chapter 8 (of 12), so the differences are fairly substantial. I wound up restarting my game with this knowledge in mind. It is actually impossible to save two characters in your first play through, no matter what - you cannot achieve enough affinity points to save them until NG+, when affinity values double. When the first one died, I thought I fucked up and was really frustrated. But this game absolutely makes you suffer through some absolute heartbreak before seeing the "truthful route".

Playing with a guide, though - and I recommend this if you're not familiar with VN mechanical tropes - I am absolutely in love with this one. Love the combat, love the story, love the characters, love the themes... If you're a Digimon fan like I am, or if you just like psychological horror or isekai (fish out of water) stories, I cannot recommend this one enough. I got it physical for $30CDN on PS4, and I think that's the right price to roll the dice.

Also Kunemon is the best and I love him.

[ColinAlonso]

I plan to pay this soon, I think the customisation options seem far more extensive than any of the games since the PS2 era which I really like. I also like the new art style, looking forward to it

On customisation, wraps (decals, art etc) and paint are free. I find that the idea is to add many decals to create a look with placement, size, colour etc adjustments. I usually just do something simple and get on with it as I'm not an arty person. Parts (spoilers, bonnets, bumpers etc cost though and I am saving cash for performance upgrades.

It starts with a prologue that limits what you can do but once that is thankfully over it opens up. I have turned the music off and am streaming from spotify, the in game soundtrack isn't my style.