Whatcha Been Playing?

[Rhaegyr]

No worries - it's hard to remember as I played it a few years ago! That act is definitely the biggest act of the game - it's absolutely massive.

[Jobobonobo]

While I am still going through Nier Replicant (nearly finished Route B) I figured I would try something a little more relaxing so am currently playing Angry Birds Trilogy for the 3DS. I know that for some gamers this is looked down as casual guff but I find it perfect for zoning out while I listen to podcasts. When you don't have the usual downfalls of free to play such as monetisation and ads playing in between stages, I really enjoy these games. As fun little diversions, they get the job done.

[Alex79]

While I am still going through Nier Replicant (nearly finished Route B) I figured I would try something a little more relaxing so am currently playing Angry Birds Trilogy for the 3DS. I know that for some gamers this is looked down as casual guff but I find it perfect for zoning out while I listen to podcasts. When you don't have the usual downfalls of free to play such as monetisation and ads playing in between stages, I really enjoy these games. As fun little diversions, they get the job done.

Angry Birds is a fantastic game in its own right. They just milked it to death and the free to play model on mobile kind of spoiled subsequent releases, but I stand by it being a really fun actual game to play.

[Truk_Kurt]

Yeah, Angry Birds is great fun.

[Jobobonobo]

I think it was the sheer amount of milking that gave the series a bad name alright but glad to know it isn't just me that actually really digs the series for what it is. It is just a nice change of pace between meatier titles that I have been juggling.

[Alex79]

I'm level 13, not been to Bloodmoon yet. Last night I got some tablet Ryker was after, but then refused to give it him so he tried to fight me

I've got three source points now, so I don't think any other source masters in this act will give me any more (or so I read online). I do remember visiting the sawmill when I was last playing to rescue that elf, but got my ass kicked and haven't been back yet!

I'll see if I can mop up some of the side quests then head over to Bloodmoon Island. I still have a lot of the map to uncover.

Thanks for the tips!

Just finished Bloodmoon Island in Divinity Original Sin 2. I'm about 80 hours played now and I feel like I'm heading towards the final stretch, but I really don't want the game to end! It's just so great.

[Alex79]

I've played a couple of hours of Dragon View today. It's a SNES action RPG from around 1994 I think, and I'd never heard of it before picking up the Evercade Piko Interactive Collection 1 last week. As with most of the Evercade collections so far (at least in my experience) the cartridge is packed with games I've never heard of and, on first impressions, don't seem up to much. But when you delve a little deeper and put some effort in to giving the games a proper chance in every case you end up uncovering some real hidden gems.

Dragon View is a real mix of a game. It uses a primitive first person view overworld and switches to side on view in towns, dungeons and combat. Within the towns there are the usual characters to speak with, building and shops to explore and the occasional puzzle to solve. Combat is handled like a belt scrolling beat 'em up, along the lines of Golden Axe or Knights Of The Round. So far, a couple of hours in, it's a really fun game. Combat feels nice, I did a big boss fight that was challenging but fair and not too hard once you work out how to beat it and dodge their attacks. And the graphics look nice, too. Very 90s Squaresoft and other classic SNES era RPGs. All in all this has been a real surprise!

[Tolkientaters]

I've slowly been making my way through Dusk. It's an old school shooter that takes a lot of inspiration from Blood and Quake and it scares the shit out of me. It uses the low poly visuals incredibly well and maintains a very effective atmosphere. It's one of the scariest games I've played, the creepy vibe just really gets to me even though that's not really the focus of the game.

The gameplay is incredible, and I would've beaten it by now if it didn't constantly unsettle me in a way most games just don't.

[Truk_Kurt]

I have been playing F1 23 since it came out and it's proving to be one of my all time favourite racers. I started off in the new F1 World mode but I find it a bit confusing and so don't think I will stick with that mode, it will appeal to a certain type of person though.

I then moved onto the story mode, known as Braking Point 2, which is a story presented in the style of Drive to Survive. Think of 'The Journey' story mode in FIFA but with F1 and a better story. I wasn't expecting much but the story has been genuinely interesting. You play as one of 3 drivers and the plot is all about the fractures between the drivers on the team, internal team politics and family feuds. It has had me looking forward to evry cutscene to see what happens next.

The game really excels with how the cars feel to drive. Last years game was criticised for not being very fun to play. 23 on the other hand is an absolute blast. The game has introduced some new technology called precision drive (I think) which is all about making the game better to drive for pad players and it worlds really well. When using a pad I often find myself making quite jerky and sudden movements on the analogue stick but that no longer happens in 23, the whole driving experience looks and feels much smoother. Don't just take my word for it either, watching and reading some reviews, it's a new feature they have also highlighted as being a really great new feature and quite revolutionary.

Once I have finished Braking Point I will move onto Career mode. One minor complaint is that on normal difficulty, Braking Point can be very easy so I wish I had started on Hard, but at least it makes it more accessible for more casual players.

There is a trial on game pass ultimate which I would recommend to more casual players if you want a feel for Braking Point.

[Alex79]

Story sounds a bit similar to that Grid game that came out a while back - do you need to play part one first? I'm tempted by the story mode if it's decent.

EDIT: Just checked, oddly enough part one was in F1 2021 rather than last years game, and it's still on Gamepass which is a bonus.

[Truk_Kurt]

Story sounds a bit similar to that Grid game that came out a while back - do you need to play part one first? I'm tempted by the story mode if it's decent.

EDIT: Just checked, oddly enough part one was in F1 2021 rather than last years game, and it's still on Gamepass which is a bonus.

Even though I owned 2021, I didn't play the story mode in it and I haven't found the fact I didn't play it being a problem. There is a recap at the beginning of 23 but I think I will go back to play the first one anyway given how much I have enjoyed this one. I have found it much better than the story mode of Grid Legends.

[Alex79]

I started the story mode in F1 2021 last night. I've not properly played an F1 game since back on the PS1 and it seems pretty good. There are so many assists on at the moment though that the car almost drives itself! Going to have to gradually see what I can turn off and still keep on the track.

[ratsoalbion]

There are so many assists on at the moment though that the car almost drives itself!

Pretty authentic then...

[Tolkientaters]

I played a lot of FF16 (30 hours) and while I'm enjoying it mostly for the combat and spectacle the story and characters just get blander as they go on. Initially I liked where it was going especially your main goal, (mid game spoilers ahead)

Spoiler: show

but then everything becones about Ultima which is just bland. Instead of having these interesting and powerful villians with their own outlooks, they're just boring puppets for an evil god.

Destroying the crystals as an allegory for destroying a currupt inequal society is interesting enough on it's own and the antagonists could be interesting if it wasn't for Ultima, but as is they're stripped of interesting motivations. Also having Jill get captured in a cutscene immediately after a boss fight just so you could save her and be motivated to fight Hugo sucked.

The combat's fun if a bit too easy and the game delivers on spectacle but the story is disappointing for how interesting it could be if they didn't get bogged down in boring tropes.

[Truk_Kurt]

First game if the year for me I’ve chipped. Aliens Dark Descent. Unfortunately don’t think it’s for me. I’ve no doubt it will be great if you’re into that genre or old games like Commando but every time I’ve played it so far it just hasn’t scratched the itch I was expecting. But at least it only cost me a fiver what with the MS points I used to help pay for the rest of it.

[Alex79]

Chipped? Not heard that before. Does it mean you stopped playing?

[Truk_Kurt]

Chipped? Not heard that before. Does it mean you stopped playing?

Yeah, tbh I copy and pasted this from a gaming facebook group I'm in where we use the term chipped to describe when we've stopped playing a game.

[Alex79]

Started the 10 hour trial of F1 2023 last night. Was a bit annoyed to see as soon as I booted it up there was a message saying "you have less than five hours remaining" - not sure what that was about. The game plays great through. Looks nicer than the 2021 game I recently played and the cars seem to handle slightly differently, the back end slides out a little more when you floor it out of a corner - but that might just be the assist settings being slightly different (aside: tried a lap with zero assists and span out on every corner ).

Story seems ok so far - do not like that I'm on the same team as that jerk Butler, and I'm hoping they don't become great mates by the end because he is a dick. But I'll play till the trial runs out then finish it when it comes to Gamepass.

[Truk_Kurt]

Started the 10 hour trial of F1 2023 last night. Was a bit annoyed to see as soon as I booted it up there was a message saying "you have less than five hours remaining" - not sure what that was about. The game plays great through. Looks nicer than the 2021 game I recently played and the cars seem to handle slightly differently, the back end slides out a little more when you floor it out of a corner - but that might just be the assist settings being slightly different (aside: tried a lap with zero assists and span out on every corner ).

Story seems ok so far - do not like that I'm on the same team as that jerk Butler, and I'm hoping they don't become great mates by the end because he is a dick. But I'll play till the trial runs out then finish it when it comes to Gamepass.

They changed policy for some EA games that they get a 5 hour trial instead of 10 now. Your assessment on the handling is correct. Since 2021 the real sport has brought in new regulations for the cars which results in them handling differently in real life and the game.

I also thought the production values were a step up from 23 in the story, takes a lot of inspiration and direction from Drive to Survive.

[Alex79]

Is that Drive To Survive good? I really have zero interest in car racing as a sport (love racing games though) but I was feeling inclined to give the documentary a try after playing the last F1 game.