The Video Game Thread - anything and everything...

[Joek3rr]

I've thought about getting it but the save system keeps me from jumping on it. I really, really detest checkpoint or save point based save systems because I hate repeating long parts of a game that I've beaten previously just to get to the one point that I might be having trouble with. I stopped playing the original Assassin's Creed because of that. I had the hardest time getting past one spot, then when I finally did, I ended up dying shortly after, before the next save. Ironically, in games with regular saves (quick saves and manual saves at any time) I'll often redo parts because I didn't like how I handled it, ie I took more damage than I would have liked.

It's actually not that bad. I think there was only a few times I really had to redo lengthy sections. There's quite a few save points. And since it's open world, it doesn't take much to side track to hit a save point and go back to what you are doing.

 

[Aliaz]

It's actually not that bad. I think there was only a few times I really had to redo lengthy sections. There's quite a few save points. And since it's open world, it doesn't take much to side track to hit a save point and go back to what you are doing.

Definately Don’t let the save system stop you from getting it. Really good game.

 

[The Brahma Bull]

Liked parts of it. I really did not enjoy the fighting system. And everything you do feels pointless because of the endless respawns. It has great ideas but it became one more game with souls like fighting. Dark Souls is quite ok. But its fighting gameplay looks cheap and feels kinda outdated. That is my biggest issue with fallen Order.

 

[kristen jones]

Has anyone here played Detroit Become Human? I'm on my second play through and I was really quiet surprised that no one has really talked about it here. I suppose props-wise there isn't much but the costumes would be cool to see in real life. I really dig the art style of the game in general.

I'm on my second playthrough as well, and yeah I'm all about it. especially Kara...I identified with her right off the bat. I am thinking of recreating her post Zlatko outfit.. it's super cool!

 

[HeartBlade]

I'm on my second playthrough as well, and yeah I'm all about it. especially Kara...I identified with her right off the bat. I am thinking of recreating her post Zlatko outfit.. it's super cool!

Yeah I played Detroit become Human. Not my cup of tea to be honest. I did enjoy Kara’s story but the twist ruined it for me.

Currently going through Fallen Order and haven’t gotten used to the combat mechanics yet. First soulslike so it will be interesting.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Does anyone think the "magic" of games is kind of wearing off? I remember when I got my first modern PC (after using an old 80s handmedown PC from my Grandpa) in 94 and I remember going to computer stores. You'd go into NewEgg, CompUSA, Best Buy, etc. and you'd see all kinds of new games with new game mechanics. Now I very rarely see anything new that seems like it's any good. I know part of it is that now with the risk and money involved with games, companies are going with what they know sells. That's why we get a new Madden game with minor tweaks every year or a new COD that's not quite as good. It just seems like a lot of the innovation and newness has worn off compared to the mid 90s. As far as PC games anyway. Don't get me wrong I play games almost every night when I have time!

 

[JediMichael]

I saw they re-released Scott Pilgrim vs the Word game after not being able to buy it for the last few years. I missed it the first time around, so I bought it on PS4.
I'm more of a Streets of Rage fan, but this is a fun little beat em up game.

 

[HeartBlade]

Does anyone think the "magic" of games is kind of wearing off? I remember when I got my first modern PC (after using an old 80s handmedown PC from my Grandpa) in 94 and I remember going to computer stores. You'd go into NewEgg, CompUSA, Best Buy, etc. and you'd see all kinds of new games with new game mechanics. Now I very rarely see anything new that seems like it's any good. I know part of it is that now with the risk and money involved with games, companies are going with what they know sells. That's why we get a new Madden game with minor tweaks every year or a new COD that's not quite as good. It just seems like a lot of the innovation and newness has worn off compared to the mid 90s. As far as PC games anyway. Don't get me wrong I play games almost every night when I have time!

I agree. Games are becoming too expensive for their own good and its resulted in less “innovative” gameplay and greater focus on other aspects to draw players in.

Triple A games are focused on graphics and actors which cost money. Doesn’t help that every game seems to feature small group of VAs or famous actors that naturally increases the price without as much benefit imo.

There is also a greater emphasis on story that seems to result in gameplay taking a backseat. The top “games of our generation” are games like RDR2, the last of us, and Witcher 3. Good games but in terms of gameplay, they kind of suck. Going through TLoU on its hardest difficulty, I can confidently say that Resident Evil 4 (a game made a gen prior) has a much deeper and superior “gameplay” system.

I also think some of the fault lies with us consumers as well. Games take much longer to complete than before and I think many players don’t want to bother learning a new combat system. I’m not surprised there are people who only play Madden or COD or whatever because they are already familiar with the game and don’t want to try a new one. Add too much “new” stuff and you might alienate your fanbase.

Not sure what most people’s video game libraries are like but I wouldn’t be surprised if they are quite siloed into one genre.

 

[Supe]

Does anyone think the "magic" of games is kind of wearing off?

I think microtransactions play a huge part. Want something cool? Buy some "credits" to get it. Want the additional content that should have been part of the original game? Buy the expansion pack.

But the stories definitely play a huge part. Adventure games of the 90's were all about the story line, the jokes, the individual characters. Nowadays, the preferred approach is to just hurl as much content as you as possible. VERY few games seem to pull off both and HeartBlade named three of them (I'd also add the latest God of War into the mix, as it had a great story and a bit of a different spin on the open world concept.) I never felt like I needed a mental reset on the older games, but when trying to play through something like an Assassin's Creed game for hours on end, the totally lifeless NPC's, coupled with having to endure countless menial tasks and terrible voice actors for the sake of leveling up, can make for truly agonizing gameplay. It's a shame that's the case for so many of them, as it does overshadow just how beautiful some of these games can be thanks to modern engines/hardware.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Just to correct my last post, I mean Egghead Software, not NewEgg.

I don't know if it's the fault of AAA games because there are some great ones still being made.

 

[Riceball]

As life long gamer, I can't say that I feel that games have lost their appeal. True, there a lot of clone/copycat games, but I think that a lot of has to do with that there are very few publishers/developers these days. When you look at the gamescape now a days, most of the games come from only a few studios since companies like EA have bought up a lot of the big innovators. Looking at RDR, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Cyberpunk 2077, they all seem pretty good games, maybe not 100% original in terms of gameplay but look like solid games. I've enjoyed watching playthroughs and, in the case, of Cyberpunk, enjoyed playing it. I really like the story elements in games these days, to me, it makes it more fun and like playing through a movie. I can't say that I miss the old days of level based games where there's no story, it's just about clearing progressively more difficult levels.

If you want innovation, like with movies, you really have to go with the indie studios. Subscribe to GOG, Epic Games, and Twitch and you'll get access to a lot games from small indie studios that might have the more innovative game play you're looking for. The best part is that they're free, so you can try it and not worry about wasting money. If you want something different that's still AAA, then there's Death Stranding, that's definitely something different from a AAA title.

 

[kristen jones]

I fell in absolute LOVE With Horizon Zero Dawn! And now I think i might love Aloy more even than Lara Croft... and I've been raiding tombs since 1996!

 

[Riceball]

I fell in absolute LOVE With Horizon Zero Dawn! And now I think i might love Aloy more even than Lara Croft... and I've been raiding tombs since 1996!

You should do an Aloy costume. Dye your hair red or get a wig and I bet you'd make a great Aloy.

 

[The Brahma Bull]

I often times miss good stories or lore. My favorite game of all time still is the original Deus Ex. And it set the bar very high.

Last time I got excited like a kid on Christmas Eve was when the Arkham games released.

 

[Aliaz]

Finished Cyberpunk 2077. Looking forward to more Patches and DLC before I start my next playthrough. Overall happy with the game, but a but more polish Will do it good. I have to say it was easy to get lost in Night City, the hours flew by.

Doing another run through Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy. I love the games, but how the hell did I have the patience for them (especially the first one) when I was 10?

 

[cboath]

I think microtransactions play a huge part. Want something cool? Buy some "credits" to get it. Want the additional content that should have been part of the original game? Buy the expansion pack.

But the stories definitely play a huge part. Adventure games of the 90's were all about the story line, the jokes, the individual characters. Nowadays, the preferred approach is to just hurl as much content as you as possible. VERY few games seem to pull off both and HeartBlade named three of them (I'd also add the latest God of War into the mix, as it had a great story and a bit of a different spin on the open world concept.) I never felt like I needed a mental reset on the older games, but when trying to play through something like an Assassin's Creed game for hours on end, the totally lifeless NPC's, coupled with having to endure countless menial tasks and terrible voice actors for the sake of leveling up, can make for truly agonizing gameplay. It's a shame that's the case for so many of them, as it does overshadow just how beautiful some of these games can be thanks to modern engines/hardware.

This. They seem to be focused more on 'what can we do to get people to spend more' and then build a game around that. A recipe for failure frankly.

The best games have story - but the story needs to take place IN the gameplay, NOT the cutscenes. I'm not sure why anyone would want to hire A list actors for games when you rarely see them. Worse, you see trailers and commercials featuring feature film level graphics which aren't remotely in the game. Those are a waist frankly, adds to the overall cost but doesn't add anything else.

I also agree with the fact they have budgets that are way too big. You're talking top level movie budgets. Dark Forces, Jedi Knight, etc, weren't remotely approaching budget levels of their concurrent A list movies. Nowhere close. I still play those every so often because they're better than what they put out today.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

As life long gamer, I can't say that I feel that games have lost their appeal. True, there a lot of clone/copycat games, but I think that a lot of has to do with that there are very few publishers/developers these days. When you look at the gamescape now a days, most of the games come from only a few studios since companies like EA have bought up a lot of the big innovators. Looking at RDR, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Cyberpunk 2077, they all seem pretty good games, maybe not 100% original in terms of gameplay but look like solid games. I've enjoyed watching playthroughs and, in the case, of Cyberpunk, enjoyed playing it. I really like the story elements in games these days, to me, it makes it more fun and like playing through a movie. I can't say that I miss the old days of level based games where there's no story, it's just about clearing progressively more difficult levels.

If you want innovation, like with movies, you really have to go with the indie studios. Subscribe to GOG, Epic Games, and Twitch and you'll get access to a lot games from small indie studios that might have the more innovative game play you're looking for. The best part is that they're free, so you can try it and not worry about wasting money. If you want something different that's still AAA, then there's Death Stranding, that's definitely something different from a AAA title.

I don't mean they've lost their appeal, it's just that when you went to the store to buy a game in the mid 90s it was exciting like you never knew what you would find. They were coming out with all kinds of new types of games. Now it just seems like you have a set amount of types of games to choose from. I'd say Minecraft was probably the last game that was really out of the box. I know a lot of indie games are like that, but a lot of them look more like no-budget games.

 

[Aliaz]

So Mass Effect Legendary Edition is set for a May release date.

Played through those games (the first one especially) way to many times. Will be nice to see them updated, the first one needs it the most regarding the combat even though I prefered the inventory and gear from that one. The third one will always be my least favorite one due to the ending.

Still havent tried Andromeda, maybe I'll give it a try while waiting.

 

[Solo4114]

I've thought about getting it but the save system keeps me from jumping on it. I really, really detest checkpoint or save point based save systems because I hate repeating long parts of a game that I've beaten previously just to get to the one point that I might be having trouble with. I stopped playing the original Assassin's Creed because of that. I had the hardest time getting past one spot, then when I finally did, I ended up dying shortly after, before the next save. Ironically, in games with regular saves (quick saves and manual saves at any time) I'll often redo parts because I didn't like how I handled it, ie I took more damage than I would have liked.

Jedi: Fallen Order is a terrific game. There are some aspects I didn't love, but honestly you can tune it to your preferred level of difficulty. There's Story Mode in which the fights are pretty easy, all the way up to Jedi Master, in which they're actually difficult. I prefer doing level exploration in Story Mode because I hate jumping puzzles and the game does have a decent amount of those, but with Story Mode if you miss a jump it doesn't matter. I like doing the fights at regular difficulty, though.

Regardless, it's a really fun, if fairly straightforward game. I recommend it, especially at the roughly $20-40 price range.

Star Wars Squadrons is another game that is relatively inexpensive, but is a ton of fun, provided you find the right group of folks to play with. It has its flaws, no question, but there's a lot that's good in it. If you do get on, let me know and I can get you hooked up with a squadron of guys who play together pretty regularly (at least on Eastern time in the evenings). I'll be happy to work with you and help you get the hang of the game, too.

Does anyone think the "magic" of games is kind of wearing off? I remember when I got my first modern PC (after using an old 80s handmedown PC from my Grandpa) in 94 and I remember going to computer stores. You'd go into NewEgg, CompUSA, Best Buy, etc. and you'd see all kinds of new games with new game mechanics. Now I very rarely see anything new that seems like it's any good. I know part of it is that now with the risk and money involved with games, companies are going with what they know sells. That's why we get a new Madden game with minor tweaks every year or a new COD that's not quite as good. It just seems like a lot of the innovation and newness has worn off compared to the mid 90s. As far as PC games anyway. Don't get me wrong I play games almost every night when I have time!

I think it depends on what you're playing, and what kind of experience you're looking for. There are a TON of fantastic games out there, but a lot of them aren't AAA titles. It also depends on which platform you're talking about. I haven't played an Xbox game in ages because, for me at least, a lot of those games started to feel kinda stale. I play on PC now, and I really enjoy a lot of the games I play.

If you play on PC, here are some games I recommend:

- Darkest Dungeon. It's kind of a rogue-lite RPG game, with a decidedly Cthulhu influence to it. The gameplay gets repetitive after a bit, but you can still have fun with it if you enjoy the core gameplay. It's turn-based, too.

- Banner Saga 1-3. Another turn-based strategy game, but one where your decisions have lasting repercussions (e.g., characters can die in the game and be permanently gone from the whole saga, or they can survive and be in the entire thing, through all 3 games). It has a really cool art style, too, and an interesting world.

- Pathfinder: Kingmaker. Admittedly, this caters to D&D fans, but the real benefit of it is that you can play it in either turn-based mode, or in real-time mode (e.g., the Baldur's Gate series), if you find the fights too boring in turn-based.

- Panzer Corps 1. As you might've guessed, I love turn-based strategy games. This one is terrific, especially if you get the Gold version with all the DLC. I especially enjoyed shepherding the American forces from North Africa to Berlin.

- Brutal Legend. I don't know if you ever played this one, but if you're a heavy metal fan, do yourself a favor and pick this up. It's dirt cheap on pretty much any platform where it's available, and it's just friggin' fun. Fair warning: if Jack Black annoys you, he voices the main character. He's not doing his usual "Jack Black" schtick with the character, but it's still his voice and some of that schtick comes through a bit. Still a terrific game. Plus, you get the voices of Lemmy, Rob Halford, Ozzy, and Lita Ford! You interact most with Ozzy, though.

- Void Bastards. It's a Roguelite FPS. It's got a very distinct style, and it's pretty damn funny. Also really weird. I recommend it. Got it as part of a Humble Choice pack.

There's good games out there, especially if you're up for indie games or replaying older games.

 

[Solo4114]

So Mass Effect Legendary Edition is set for a May release date.

Played through those games (the first one especially) way to many times. Will be nice to see them updated, the first one needs it the most regarding the combat even though I prefered the inventory and gear from that one. The third one will always be my least favorite one due to the ending.

Still havent tried Andromeda, maybe I'll give it a try while waiting.

I played the first one and enjoyed it, but only once, and never played beyond that. I held off on playing 2 until 3 came out, and after the whole "LOL your decisions don't matter, we are nihilists" debacle with the end of 3, and them never returning to Shepherd, I decided not to bother investing the time. Plenty of other good games for me to enjoy.