Whatcha Been Playing?

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Truk_Kurt
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

Post by Truk_Kurt »

I nearly bought Like a Dragon Ishin yesterday in Game but had second thoughts when I remembered that Tears of the Kingdom will be out a month tomorrow and knowing how long Yakuza games can take, I didn't want to get it to only then stop playing it once ToTK comes out. So instead I thought I would be better playing some shorter games in the meantime. I was kindly given a code from my former employer for Dredge which has been getting great reviews and plan to start that soon and also only supposed to be around 10 hours, but whilst I was in Game, instead of Like a Dragon Ishin, I picked up the Wii remake 'Kirbys Return to Dreamland Deluxe'. I played just past the first boss yesterday and really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed Kirby and the Forgotten Land and whilst they are different in that one is 3D and the other 2D, that is the only real difference. It looks really nice on Switch and is just a really nice and breezy game to chill out with. It's pretty easy but that is what I was expecting, what I get out of it is enjoying finding all the hidden areas in order to get all the collectibles in each level.
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SludgeWizard
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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Alex79 wrote: April 11th, 2023, 9:01 am I'm enjoying being back in Skyrim, but I'm still very early game (not even been up to meet the monk people at the top of the mountain yet) and did a quest that's been added in the Anniversary Edition of the game. It rewarded me with a bow so overpowered it will ruin most of the first half of the game. Not sure why games do this, it's bizarre. At least hold off until I'm a much higher level. But now I'm going to load a save and not do that quest because I hate it when you are too overpowered, it takes any fun away.
interesting, I didn't realize they added new quests for the anniversary. Does the quest involve any new area or cave or anything, or does it use existing people/places/etc?
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Alex79
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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Yeah there's a bunch of new quests but I'm not sure they're new locations, but might be some new characters, it's been well over ten years since I played the original though so not 100% sure. It's got all the DPC and some Creation Club content added in.
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Jobobonobo
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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So finished up main game of Crash 4 but am now going through the N-Verted levels. Last level, Cortex Castle was an absolute ball breaker. Cannot remember the last time I swore so much at the screen! This definitely is the hardest Crash I have played and while I did get very annoyed at it I reckon I should finish up the N-Verted stages. I have to say it is satisfying flying through levels that gave me a lot of trouble in the beginning. Looks like I learnt more from the crushing difficulty than I anticipated.

Tried the demo of Live A Live on PS4. Always had my eye on this so am very happy this is finally coming to other platforms. Pretty intriguing title and definitely different from your typical JRPG in terms of narrative setting and the grid based system. It was strange but I liked what I played. The crazy diversity of stories and play styles also make this a pretty unique title story wise. Has got me pretty excited to try the main game.

Also tried out the demo for One Piece Odyssey. Know nothing about the original series but liked the art style and the turn based combat does enough to keep your interest. Not sure if I would dedicate myself to a full game but if I were to see it cheap somewhere maybe.

Been going through New Super Mario Bros on DS. First time ever playing this one and while certainly not groundbreaking I have been enjoying it. At least with this one Nintendo tried to do some new things such as new powerups like the giant mushroom and blue shell suit as well as a more diverse range of bosses. Much better than "Mario but with lots of coins!" :roll: Near the end and I just find this to be a nice relaxing thing to play on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
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Truk_Kurt
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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Jobobonobo wrote: April 12th, 2023, 6:46 pm Been going through New Super Mario Bros on DS. First time ever playing this one and while certainly not groundbreaking I have been enjoying it. At least with this one Nintendo tried to do some new things such as new powerups like the giant mushroom and blue shell suit as well as a more diverse range of bosses. Much better than "Mario but with lots of coins!" :roll: Near the end and I just find this to be a nice relaxing thing to play on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
My main memory of this game was one evening I was playing it on holiday, my parents had taken me to one of those evening shows they do in the hotel which was some kind of singing act like a Neil Diamond act which I had no interest in whatsoever so I took my DS to play through the duration. So there I was, happily playing New Super Mario Bros on my DS through the show until it came time to leave when the show finished. After leaving the show and getting back to the room my parents asked me if I knew the kid who was behind me. I had no idea what they were talking about, apparently there was a kid stood right behind me the whole time watching me play the game over my shoulder for 2 hours! I thought it was hilarious I hadn't noticed him. Credit to the game I guess that it was able to entrance me enough that I didn't notice them haha. Good game.
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markfm007
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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Jobobonobo wrote: April 12th, 2023, 6:46 pm So finished up main game of Crash 4 but am now going through the N-Verted levels. Last level, Cortex Castle was an absolute ball breaker. Cannot remember the last time I swore so much at thwe screen! This definitely is the hardest Crash I have played and while I did get very annoyed at it I reckon I should finish up the N-Verted stages. I have to say it is satisfying flying through levels that gave me a lot of trouble in the beginning. Looks like I learnt more from the crushing difficulty than I anticipated.
Don't say I didn't warn you :lol: That level is a nightmare, especially the last segment when you're having to mix up your mask powers. Glad you're enjoying it though. I didn't get through many of the N-Verted stages, just the extra character stages.
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Jobobonobo
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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Truk_Kurt wrote: April 13th, 2023, 8:50 am My main memory of this game was one evening I was playing it on holiday, my parents had taken me to one of those evening shows they do in the hotel which was some kind of singing act like a Neil Diamond act which I had no interest in whatsoever so I took my DS to play through the duration. So there I was, happily playing New Super Mario Bros on my DS through the show until it came time to leave when the show finished. After leaving the show and getting back to the room my parents asked me if I knew the kid who was behind me. I had no idea what they were talking about, apparently there was a kid stood right behind me the whole time watching me play the game over my shoulder for 2 hours! I thought it was hilarious I hadn't noticed him. Credit to the game I guess that it was able to entrance me enough that I didn't notice them haha. Good game.
Ha yeah I think NSMB is a nice way to pass the time when your parents drag you to something you have no interest in. The kid behind you most likely felt the same way. I can see why many would have fond memories growing up with this one, especially when at the time this was the first proper 2D platformer starring Mario that was made in well over a decade. Within that context, this game certainly feels like a nice return to tradition.
markfm007 wrote: April 13th, 2023, 5:35 pm Don't say I didn't warn you :lol: That level is a nightmare, especially the last segment when you're having to mix up your mask powers. Glad you're enjoying it though. I didn't get through many of the N-Verted stages, just the extra character stages.
It really was a nightmare, I think I will be more prepared for its tricks when I do the N-Verted version but it had me properly demoralised. Good thing the final boss is comparatively easy afterwards. I find overall this game is a lot more enjoyable if you are not going for 100% completion. Otherwise, I would have gone bald from pulling my hair trying to do everything. Glad I'm not a trophy hound I guess :lol:
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Jobobonobo
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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Rhaegyr wrote: March 28th, 2023, 10:18 am Adore Bangai-O Spirits - think it actually may be my favourite DS game.
It is pretty amazing alright even if it can be bonkers in its difficulty sometime. Makes me want to try out the Dreamcast original someday.
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Rhaegyr
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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Jobobonobo wrote: April 15th, 2023, 8:11 pm
Rhaegyr wrote: March 28th, 2023, 10:18 am Adore Bangai-O Spirits - think it actually may be my favourite DS game.
It is pretty amazing alright even if it can be bonkers in its difficulty sometime. Makes me want to try out the Dreamcast original someday.
It's one of the few games in existence where the slowdown is welcomed, if not desirable.
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Truk_Kurt
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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Been playing some Dredge and it's a pretty cool game. It's nice and chilled out to play but has a dark undertone that makes it interesting. The fishing mechanics are also pretty fun too. I guess you could argue it is 'fetch quest: the game' but so far that hasn't really bothered me as the stories behind each of the tasks you are given are so interesting.
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Jobobonobo
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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Nearly done all the N.verted levels in Crash Bandicoot 4. Have to admit these levels can be a bit of a slog at times depending on the gimmick. One world had the levels in that Ben Day dot style used in comic books and the dots were so big it was straining my eyes to look at it for too long and as a result I kept messing up, only prolonging my torture. Only one world left and that will be it for me with this game. Starting to overstay ts welcome if I am to be honest.

Also been trying out Meteos for the DS. Lovely addictive puzzler that utilises the DS touchscreen very nicely and encourages intense screen rubbing with the stylus when things get too hectic. It also being a collaboration between Tetsuya Mizuguchi and Masahiro Sakurai was a neat unexpected fact about this but it definitely has a certain style to it that suggests some big names were involved. Perfect game to play to while listening to a podcast.

Lastly, I decided to try out a JRPG again as it was quite a while after the last time I got really into one. I first played this back when it was fan translated way back in 2008 so I reckon it was worth a revisit. That game being Mother 3. I generally have a rule with JRPGs where if I am not invested after an hour or so then I drop them. These games can be long and if I am going to invest time then it should be worth it, especially when time is limited these days. Mother 3 basically charmed me straight away with the meta but unpretentious tutorial ("try to imagine an object called a B button..") and the game blocking you from certain paths because some ants are passing by and you would not want to step on them, surely?! It tends to get into the main plot very quickly and that moment when
Spoiler: show
Flint finds out about Hinawa's death
is still as much of a punch in the gut as it was when I first played it. Enjoying this immensely and it looks so crisp and beautiful on my 3DS. Playing it handheld makes it a different but more enjoyable experience than my first time on PC. Can't wait to go through all that whirlwind of emotions again.
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Alex79
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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Played the first four hours of Ghostwire Tokyo. It's ok. Combat is a bit rubbish, and there's not much dragging me back to play it this evening but I'll give it another hour or so. It's absolutely bang average though, not really a single interesting idea or mechanic.
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Cornelius_Smiff
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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Weirdly been playing alot of PUBG again. Not played for years at all and not played regularly since the 'Summer of PUBG' in 2017. Despite being a terrible shot, I am enjoying it alot.
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Alex79
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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What an absolute treat getting Stars Wars Episode 1 Racer free with Games With Gold this week! Just fired it up and it's all upscaled with blisteringly fast and smooth 60fps! It's so much fun!

Prior to this I'd been trying to play the Dreamcast version (I think) via emulator but this is much better. It's such a cool racing game.
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Alex79
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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After getting bored with Ghostwire Tokyo I decided to give Dishonored 2 a try. I played the original game when it first came out on PS3 and didn't really like it, but I tried it again last year and ended up really enjoying it. I've read nothing but good things about the sequel and am so far (on mission 3) having a good time.

But, here's the thing, I find stealth games so difficult to play. I get so sucked in to the world, sneaking about and hiding that it affects me as much as it would if I was really in that situation. Honestly, the anxiety and dread I feel of getting caught does weird things to me, it makes my chest tighten, it makes my stomach go strange, I hold my breath, peek round corners and the adrenaline is real. I'm not sure it's good for me...
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Truk_Kurt
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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I get similar feelings when playing stealth games and hence why I largely avoid them unless they form part of a game like in Batman Arkham Asylum. I think it's because there is the threat of basically failing the mission if you get caught, putting all your hard work to waste.
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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For me it's genuinely the fear of being caught or surprised by a computer game character :lol:
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Tolkientaters
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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Truk_Kurt wrote: April 18th, 2023, 8:54 am Been playing some Dredge and it's a pretty cool game. It's nice and chilled out to play but has a dark undertone that makes it interesting. The fishing mechanics are also pretty fun too. I guess you could argue it is 'fetch quest: the game' but so far that hasn't really bothered me as the stories behind each of the tasks you are given are so interesting.
Were you able to finish it? If so how'd you like the ending?
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Truk_Kurt
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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I haven't yet no, only about 4 hours in. Hoping to get it done before Zelda though.
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markfm007
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Re: Whatcha Been Playing?

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Making decent progress in Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin. It's the only From Soulsborne type game that I haven't played. I held off on it due to some of the arguments around it, figured I'd prioritise others. Overall I'm enjoying it. It's janky and thrown together at times, but still plays and feels like a Soulsborne game. I'm loving the atmosphere, and there have been some good levels to explore.

I've made decent progress in different directions but have only beaten one of the main bosses so far. I'm not going for completionism here, have already sacked off one irritating boss after checking it was optional. I would like to get into the DLC though further down the line though.
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