I played Dragon Quest Treasures foremost of the weekend with a few minutes of Sackboy: A Big Adventure. I've only played the first two levels of that game, but so far I'm not real impressed. It got good reviews though so maybe it gets better.
I played A Short Hike up to the credits. I'm sure it's been compared to this a lot, but it's got this Animal Crossing vibe, but with a clear end point. I'm pretty sure you can dally along the way for as long as you want. Fun little game, will play through it again at a more leissurely pace to explore the island.
Also started Death's Door. Not sure what to make of it so far.
I played A Short Hike up to the credits. I'm sure it's been compared to this a lot, but it's got this Animal Crossing vibe, but with a clear end point. I'm pretty sure you can dally along the way for as long as you want. Fun little game, will play through it again at a more leissurely pace to explore the island.
Also started Death's Door. Not sure what to make of it so far.
Relistened the podcast part on a Short Hike. I played through it in one sitting, I think I got to the summit in about an hour while ignoring most of the optional content. Which I'm pretty sure is not how this is supposed to be played. The epilogue is handled very well, where you travel back and glimpse a lot of the island and things you might have missed. Having the main character recall everything he did that day is a neat touch as well. I think it helps etch the small things you experienced in your mind and by doing so layers on a veil of nostalgia, even if you only did those things 10 minutes ago. Very clever.
I don't think the game itself is very memorable of poignant, but I do feel that the art style and general vibe give it more lasting power. The whole thing just seems like a hazy memory of a long forgotten summer, which always works well as a theme.
I'm *this* close to making a Baldurs Gate 3 mega-topic... If only I had more time! It's no exaggeration to say this *IS* the GOTY for 2023 (sorry Tears of the Kingdom!) and easily one of the BEST GAMES OF ALL TIME!
It's hard to put into words EVERYTHING that makes the game great... mainly because there's sooo much!
From the character interactions, to the characters themselves... The fact that even the slightest detours can lead to the grandest adventures...
You can enter the simplest shack to find it leads to an underground cavern, that in turn leads to hours of exploring...
There's so much to do, so much to see, so much to miss, it's almost guaranteed your game experience will be vastly different than someone elses!
The developers took into account the smallest details and gave players creative options to make everyone feel like their soultions are all unique...
While full D&D rulesets are in effect, even down to the rolling of dice when deciding certain outcomes, it never feels tedious or out of place. Good rolls can lead to bad outcomes and bad rolls can lead to outcomes you might not have considered! It all feels like a living, breathing adventure that evolves as you play it.
It WILL take you over 100 hours to play! As you play, your mind will be dreaming of the other possibilities your choices could have produced. You'll make mistakes that are irreversible, but you'll tell yourself you'll correct them in the next go round!
There's good paths, evil paths, paths where you create your own character and drop them into the world to explore it through unknowing eyes... Then there's origin characters that have their own backstories and histories that make you feel like a part of the world from the start! There are characters that will have unique questlines that are entirely unlike all the others... So much care and thought were put into this game, you can't help but want to live in it, explore every last crevice and return to it again and again!
You don't have to play the previous games but there will be references and returning characters you will not know, but your characters will react in ways that let you know "Hey! This is someone of historical importance!"
From choosing your character classes, to choosing your sub-classes... Is your character cut or un-cut? (No lie!)... You make this game your own experience... I can't stress enuogh what a remarkable piece of gaming history it is!
I can go on and on... That's why a mega-topic may still be in the future... but I'd have to organize a hundred hours worth of experiences before I even do!
Suffice it to say... IF YOU HAVE THE MEANS, YOU **MUST** PLAY THIS GAME!!
Do it! I started it but took a quick break cause Alan Wake 2 went on sale and that's a much shorter game, but as soon as I'm done with AW2 I'm in.
Alan Wake 2 is extremely impressive from a presentation standpoint. There are moments that are so memorable, a soundtrack to die for, things with FMV mixing with the game world that's incredible. Remedy has gone into Naughty Dog level of storytelling with Control and AW2. Speaking of Control, we are in the remedy gaming universe with all characters crossing over, including Max Payne which can't be named but it's his voice actor and face model (the director Sam Lake).
So AW2 has gone full survival horror with save rooms, "limited" inventory, and envrionments with locked areas, some puzzles and items to find. But the combat is still very bland, so far poor enemy variety, the whole management part is not that needed as I have a ton of health and ammo, I'm on hard and it's a walk in the park. Now it's a lovely park with a world and story I love but man I wish the gameplay part was up to the same level.
I also beat Sonic Superstars, it's good, it's no Genesis game, no Mania, but it isn't some Sonic 4 disaster. The game gets in a great flow toward the middle with really fun levels that really try to recreate famous Sonic levels and have their own ideas. But then something horrible happens, the final level and final boss. Holy shit what the fuck, how did this pass testing. The final boss took me an hour, it's like a 6 minute battle, lose to any of the many instant deaths and you start all over. It's a horrible pattern boss with many cheap attacks. Hated it, shame cause I was very much into it until then. I still have other characters to play as and some secrets to find.
Russia has deemed the LGBTQ+ movement as 'extremist', meaning anyone sporting its symbols or who is an active member of one such association risks up to 10 years in prison. Below you see Russian armymen arresting someone trying to partake in a gay pride parace in Moscow.
But not all is as dire. Close observers will have noted the subtle ornament on the armyman's getup which can only imply he is a closet homo himself, or at least is partial to the cause.
I also beat Sonic Superstars, it's good, it's no Genesis game, no Mania, but it isn't some Sonic 4 disaster. The game gets in a great flow toward the middle with really fun levels that really try to recreate famous Sonic levels and have their own ideas. But then something horrible happens, the final level and final boss. Holy shit what the fuck, how did this pass testing. The final boss took me an hour, it's like a 6 minute battle, lose to any of the many instant deaths and you start all over. It's a horrible pattern boss with many cheap attacks. Hated it, shame cause I was very much into it until then. I still have other characters to play as and some secrets to find.
Yup. Most of boss battles suck in that game. The levels are good fun, though.
I was wondering why my pants felt tighter when I was fighting Ganondorf in Tears of the Kingdom.
The interviews funny. They went in depth in how ganon would want to be a good dresser. And even the Rings on the fingers were important etc.
travo said:
I really want an Origins port anyway.
Forgot I owned that.
Arkham Asylum and Arkham City run fine at 1080p according to Switch up but digital Foundry may find dynamic resolution or something. Luckily the games are available separately, digitally. So I may pick them up sequentially for cheap.
"You are worth your weight in gold". It's not much of a compliment really. I just calculated my weight in gold and it is $178K USD.
I reckon I could shop my organs on the blackmarket for more than that. Maybe not the liver.
I played A Short Hike up to the credits. I'm sure it's been compared to this a lot, but it's got this Animal Crossing vibe, but with a clear end point. I'm pretty sure you can dally along the way for as long as you want. Fun little game, will play through it again at a more leissurely pace to explore the island.
Also started Death's Door. Not sure what to make of it so far.
https://gameunder.net/http/gameunderlibsyncom/rss/2022/4/4/game-under-podcast-141?rq=hike
minute 33 both hosts talk about it.
Surprisingly memorable game. Much better than Animal Crossing.
Relistened the podcast part on a Short Hike. I played through it in one sitting, I think I got to the summit in about an hour while ignoring most of the optional content. Which I'm pretty sure is not how this is supposed to be played. The epilogue is handled very well, where you travel back and glimpse a lot of the island and things you might have missed. Having the main character recall everything he did that day is a neat touch as well. I think it helps etch the small things you experienced in your mind and by doing so layers on a veil of nostalgia, even if you only did those things 10 minutes ago. Very clever.
I don't think the game itself is very memorable of poignant, but I do feel that the art style and general vibe give it more lasting power. The whole thing just seems like a hazy memory of a long forgotten summer, which always works well as a theme.
Do it! I started it but took a quick break cause Alan Wake 2 went on sale and that's a much shorter game, but as soon as I'm done with AW2 I'm in.
Alan Wake 2 is extremely impressive from a presentation standpoint. There are moments that are so memorable, a soundtrack to die for, things with FMV mixing with the game world that's incredible. Remedy has gone into Naughty Dog level of storytelling with Control and AW2. Speaking of Control, we are in the remedy gaming universe with all characters crossing over, including Max Payne which can't be named but it's his voice actor and face model (the director Sam Lake).
So AW2 has gone full survival horror with save rooms, "limited" inventory, and envrionments with locked areas, some puzzles and items to find. But the combat is still very bland, so far poor enemy variety, the whole management part is not that needed as I have a ton of health and ammo, I'm on hard and it's a walk in the park. Now it's a lovely park with a world and story I love but man I wish the gameplay part was up to the same level.
I also beat Sonic Superstars, it's good, it's no Genesis game, no Mania, but it isn't some Sonic 4 disaster. The game gets in a great flow toward the middle with really fun levels that really try to recreate famous Sonic levels and have their own ideas. But then something horrible happens, the final level and final boss. Holy shit what the fuck, how did this pass testing. The final boss took me an hour, it's like a 6 minute battle, lose to any of the many instant deaths and you start all over. It's a horrible pattern boss with many cheap attacks. Hated it, shame cause I was very much into it until then. I still have other characters to play as and some secrets to find.
I'm really amazed how well AW2 has reviewed. I thought it was on Game Pass and was mistaken. Maybe I can pick it up before the end of the year.
Russia has deemed the LGBTQ+ movement as 'extremist', meaning anyone sporting its symbols or who is an active member of one such association risks up to 10 years in prison. Below you see Russian armymen arresting someone trying to partake in a gay pride parace in Moscow.
But not all is as dire. Close observers will have noted the subtle ornament on the armyman's getup which can only imply he is a closet homo himself, or at least is partial to the cause.
If only.
Yup. Most of boss battles suck in that game. The levels are good fun, though.
Played through Alan Wake II and absolutely loved the game. The “We Sing” Chapter was a particularly cool moment.
Ebay is doing 15% off today.
Nabbed Mario Wonder and Pikmin 4.
Arkham Knight switch has been analysed. The driving parts are 20 fps lol
https://mynintendonews.com/2023/11/25/nintendo-talks-about-ganondorfs-depiction-in-zelda-tears-of-kingdom/
Lol Nintendo deliberately designed Tears of the Kingdom Ganon to be sexy from head to toe, to both men and women.
He was a sexy (dragon) beast.
I really want an Origins port anyway.
Happy 35th Anniversary to Zelda II and Castlevania II. I’m old.
I was wondering why my pants felt tighter when I was fighting Ganondorf in Tears of the Kingdom.
The interviews funny. They went in depth in how ganon would want to be a good dresser. And even the Rings on the fingers were important etc.
Forgot I owned that.
Arkham Asylum and Arkham City run fine at 1080p according to Switch up but digital Foundry may find dynamic resolution or something. Luckily the games are available separately, digitally. So I may pick them up sequentially for cheap.