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Has anyone played any good video games lately?

Started by Music is life, July 20, 2013, 06:54:11 PM

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Mathim

I was sorely tempted to buy a Nintendo 64 at the flea market last weekend. Primarily for Donkey Kong 64 which hasn't and will never be put on the Virtual Console (fucking Microsoft buying out Rareware...) but they didn't have any Expansion Pak accessories which the game can't be played without. I was going to pick up old favorites that also aren't available on the Nintendo or Sony virtual networks like Banjo Kazooie/Banjo Tooie, and an old favorite that I couldn't find a Playstation version of, Nightmare Creatures. That one is fun, one of the first real 3D horror games that didn't have the stiff control/camera, limited option style of Resident Evil.
Considering a permanent retirement from Elliquiy, but you can find me on Blue Moon (under the same username).

Twisted Crow

Between DW8, NBA2k13, Dishonored & Diablo III...

The Good: I still love DW8 & Diablo III :D

The Bad: NBA2k13 is as bugged as pretty much any 2k sports game I can think of. But it still works.

The Ugly: I got Dishonored... On Demand. And I'm regretting every nano-second of it when I look at my games list. :(

Inkidu

If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Twisted Crow

Eh, I didn't think it was bad... I just felt like it was okay for what it was. I was kind of expecting an open-world, steampunk-ish fantasy London with a lot of replayability. But some quirks I had with it (besides not satisfying initial expectations) made me regret getting it on demand. So, I can't really take it back ever. For me, it was more of a "play, enjoy once, take back to Gamestop" kind of title. :/

MabFaerie

#429
I recently got Dark Souls 2 and I'm finding it's a bit of a 'Your Milage May Vary' scenario with myself and some of my friends.
I personally love it. I found Dark Souls 1 to be infuriatingly difficult to play and being stuck undead & hideous looking most of the time was doubly a turn-off. I've joked to my friends that "If you like being angry, I've got a game for you!" but seriously, Dark Souls 1 gave no fucks, every battle was a boss battle, ESPECIALLY the actual boss battles.

Dark Souls 2, on the other hand, is a bit more forgiving. Now, that's not to say they've scaled down the difficulty because the game is still mind-breakingly hard, but rather, they've made losing less of a punishment.

For those of you familiar with the first game the humanity aspect is still there; In this one though, you start with your humanity in tact and gradually lose more humanity (in terms of appearance) with each death. You use items called 'Human Effigy' to restore your humanity in one go, OR you have the option of assisting other people in the game by putting down a summon sign and joining someone else's game for a period of time, usually to help them fight a boss. Doing so allows you to regain your humanity, although not necessarily right away.

The actual mechanics of regaining humanity by helping other players is kind of vague. One time I showed up in someone else's game and walked right off a cliff (because I'm dumb) and somehow got my humanity back, despite having been entirely useless to that other player. Another time I spent a good hour helping someone, and didn't look any better for it. While I don't think it's random, I DO think it is somewhat based on how many times you've died and subsequently lost humanity before working to regain it back.

As far as combat goes, enemies are still difficult but by no means impossible to beat, same goes for Bosses. Really, it all just depends on what style you're going for. I personally tend to focus on either a pattern of 2 quick attacks in succession then dodging away while the enemy swings, OR just staying out of range and blasting with spells. However, I've seen other players who just run in, bash things and try to kill the Boss before the Boss can kill them. That's not to say either way is more or less effective than the other (A win is a win, after all) but it's all about personal preference.

I've spoken with a few people who feel like the battle difficulty was scaled down in order to cater to less experienced players, but I disagree. I feel like while the game is a bit kinder to people learning new mechanics, it is still as merciless as ever and making a games mechanics easier to learn doesn't have to mean you've made it easier to conquer, y'know?         

Anyway, I've rambled long enough.

TL;DR Dark Souls 2 is fun, play it if you get the chance.
The mind is it's own place; and can make a heaven of hell; and a hell of heaven.



Twisted Crow

lol Dark Souls just has to be a blast for those players that miss games that were 'Ultra Nintendo Hard'.

I remember my bro playing it and saying "Geez, this game literally gets off on killing the crap out of you."

MabFaerie

Quote from: twisted crow on March 20, 2014, 04:55:46 PM
lol Dark Souls just has to be a blast for those players that miss games that were 'Ultra Nintendo Hard'.

I remember my bro playing it and saying "Geez, this game literally gets off on killing the crap out of you."

Haha, yeah, it is. Dark Souls is only happy when you're dead.

That actually reminds me, the other day my friend was telling me about how he'd been putting lingering flame spells over enemy spawn points before resting at a bonfire. When he rested, the enemies would respawn and immediately set off the explosions and die. Then he'd go over, reset the spells and rest again. Rinse and repeat. We agreed that he was essentially "Dark Souling Dark Souls." because it was such a cheap tactic that we're surprised the game let him get away with it.
The mind is it's own place; and can make a heaven of hell; and a hell of heaven.



Shjade

Quote from: MabFaerie on March 20, 2014, 04:51:30 PM
The actual mechanics of regaining humanity by helping other players is kind of vague. One time I showed up in someone else's game and walked right off a cliff (because I'm dumb) and somehow got my humanity back, despite having been entirely useless to that other player. Another time I spent a good hour helping someone, and didn't look any better for it. While I don't think it's random, I DO think it is somewhat based on how many times you've died and subsequently lost humanity before working to regain it back.

Actually, it's a bug. You're not supposed to get humanity back from co-op activities.
Theme: Make Me Feel - Janelle Monáe
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Conversation is more useful than conversion.

MabFaerie

#433
Quote from: Shjade on March 20, 2014, 05:23:38 PM
Actually, it's a bug. You're not supposed to get humanity back from co-op activities.

Really? Well I hope they leave it in. I actually really liked it.

EDIT: I'd actually see this having a negative impact if they do end up patching. The bug actually promotes co-op play and encourages players to help one other (when normally there isn't much value in doing so aside from XP Gain) since effigy's are a finite resource. I personally hope they keep it in.
The mind is it's own place; and can make a heaven of hell; and a hell of heaven.



Inkidu

If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Hemingway

Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes.

It's short, but so very sweet. How am I supposed to wait a year for the rest of the game!?

Revelation

I've been playing a fair amount of dark souls 2. I love it, but I think it could be better. It feels like a lot of bosses so far have just been 'Big, armored dude with sword' and the best strategy is 'Circle strafe and dodge to the left when they do a big swing'. Some bosses avert it, but they're few in number.

Inkidu

Quote from: Changingsaint on March 20, 2014, 07:31:30 PM
I've been playing a fair amount of dark souls 2. I love it, but I think it could be better. It feels like a lot of bosses so far have just been 'Big, armored dude with sword' and the best strategy is 'Circle strafe and dodge to the left when they do a big swing'. Some bosses avert it, but they're few in number.
I found that a viable strategy for any boss/moster whose area allowed it in the original, so six of one half a dozen of the other. :|
If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Aiden

Quote from: Inkidu on March 20, 2014, 05:29:31 PM
I wish I had the money for new games. :|

I am not a fan of gamestop, I personally go other places if possible. But if you are short on cash for games, have you checked out

https://99gamers.com

Sell your games, you get "coins"

Use coins to buy games others are selling. If you need an extra coin or two, you can buy them for a dollar from the website.


Inkidu

Quote from: Aiden on March 20, 2014, 07:43:03 PM
I am not a fan of gamestop, I personally go other places if possible. But if you are short on cash for games, have you checked out

https://99gamers.com

Sell your games, you get "coins"

Use coins to buy games others are selling. If you need an extra coin or two, you can buy them for a dollar from the website.
I don't have any games to trade in. I'm pretty much down to the games I don't want to do without as it is.
If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Zekromnomnom

Quote from: Inkidu on March 20, 2014, 05:29:31 PM
I wish I had the money for new games. :|

I'm right there with you, man. I am hoping to hear back from this one job I applied for because there's a small back log of games I want to pick up when I can.

Also, found out I apparently broke the micro SD port on my computer. I don't want to get into why this affects my game playing ability, but it does...

Hemingway

Quote from: Changingsaint on March 20, 2014, 07:31:30 PM
I've been playing a fair amount of dark souls 2. I love it, but I think it could be better. It feels like a lot of bosses so far have just been 'Big, armored dude with sword' and the best strategy is 'Circle strafe and dodge to the left when they do a big swing'. Some bosses avert it, but they're few in number.

Yep, my experience was the same. A lot less variety than Dark Souls. A lot less interesting bosses. I think the best boss I've fought was the Old Iron King, he's interesting. Or ... no, probably him.

Shjade

I've found most of the DS2 bosses interesting and varied so far compared to DS1, but I'm not sure if I'd compare them for difficulty. So far most of the DS2 bosses have seemed easier than DS1's were (possibly because I'm more experienced with the game mechanics this time around, but the AI just seems more passive in general).

However, it's entirely possible this will change in New Game+.

Why?

Well, unlike Dark Souls, Dark Souls 2's NG+ actually changes the game rather than just inflating all the numbers. Oh, enemies do hit harder and have more life, yes, but there are also more of them, phantom enemies, and bosses get new mechanics and attacks they didn't have in NG.

So it's possible all the bog-standard melee bosses of NG become monsters in NG+, or at least more exciting to fight. I won't know until I get there, and I'm taking my time on my first playthrough, but it's what I've heard from my friend who's already into NG+, watches DS2 streams, etc. etc.
Theme: Make Me Feel - Janelle Monáe
◕/◕'s
Conversation is more useful than conversion.

Hemingway

I did notice the phantoms when I used an ascetic. I hope you're right about the bosses. Because to me, the first ... five ( if you do Forest > Tower > No-man's ) bosses are pretty much the same in terms of tactics. Ruin Sentinels mix it up by being more than one guy, which is pretty cheap. The guy in Sinner's Rise is the same again. Just block or dodge a few attacks, and swing when he's recovering.

The Undead Lords are pretty interesting, but easy. The Executioner's Chariot is pretty cool, though I would say a bit broken. Its damage goes straight through shields, which is a bit cheap. Covetous Demon is ... well, at least he's different. The medusa queen is ... I don't know, just easy. And so on, and so on.

Compare that with Dark Souls, which has far more variety in bosses. There are no two bosses early on which have the same tactics.

Sel Nar

DS1 did a very good job of using the early bosses, and their arenas to force you to learn about different mechanics and combat styles; fighting the Taurus Demon on the long and wide rampart gives you the wiggle room to fall back and recover when you need to, or lure it out of position so you can set up for a plunging attack and rip off nearly 50% of its health in one go.

Compare to the Capra Demon, which is basically 20 feet of angry skull-headed goatman who bumrushes you in a cramped tiny alleyway with two dogs as assistants to try to stunlock you and flatten you into paste with his bigass swords, forcing you to learn, very quickly, about what Poise does, and why it's a good idea if you're unable to avoid taking hits.

The Bell Gargoyles teach you that in some battles, you cannot rely on fighting purely defensively, as if you don't take down one quickly, his buddy will show up to stomp a mudhole in you; definitely not as fun as it sounds, to be certain.

And the Moonlight Butterfly is a memo to players that they really should keep a ranged option at hand, unless they want to prolong a fight.

Mind, all of those mentioned fights can be beaten by finding a way to cheese it, either through summons (Solaire wrecks the Gargoyles, Beatrice can destroy the butterfly in under 30 seconds), through exploiting the geometry (you can throw dungpies bought from the female undead merchant in the lower burg over the wall into the capra demon's alleyway; get the angle right and you can inflict toxic on the Capra and kill it without ever having to go through the fog door), or simply by grinding and snagging the proper equipment to make things easy for you. (The Drake Sword you get from taking off the Hellkite's tail, for example, can take off the Gargoyle's tail in one hit, and will outright kill the bell gargoyle after 12 hits)

DS2's boss fights introduce you to similar mechanics, in a similar way; though, personally, I was tickled pink when I encountered some old buddies from DS1.
Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide
The Bell Gargoyles are Back, and this time you have to fight Four of them at once.

Of the early-game boss fights, they are made to try to ease you, relatively gently, into the mechanics once more; Assuming you went into the forest first, the Pursuer teaches you that retreating is a good idea when he comes by to twist your tail, because, as a 'tier 2' boss, he will ruin your shit when you first encounter him; He also pops up more often as you use Ascetics, living up to his name.

As for the first actual boss, the Last Giant essentially holds the same position that the Asylum Demon or Vanguard held in DS and DeS; the 'Final exam' for 'Have you learned the basics yet?' Having been too busy to play very much since then, I've missed out on a great many things, and have been sorely tempted to start anew due to that.

One thing I did find out via diligent experimentation is that yes, you can depopulate an area, both to discourage grinding and to ease the boss runs when you do eventually get your crap shoved in. It takes roughly 12 respawn cycles to wipe out an entire enemy zone, mind, though I'd need to do more testing if that remains accurate for later zones with chuftier foes.

Speaking of games I HAVE been playing for more than a dozen hours, however, Thief, despite the flaws generally formented by its rather troubled creation (relatively weak story, occasionally wonky soundwork, et al) has been an enjoyable romp thus far, as there's nothing more fun than stealing ~everything~ not nailed down, and some things that are.

alextaylor

Quote from: Inkidu on March 20, 2014, 05:29:31 PM
I wish I had the money for new games. :|

Tons of good free games. And Humble Bundle regularly gives out games as low as a cent.
O/O

Inkidu

I found the Capra Demon an exercise in luck more than poise, and honestly my gripe aside, the mechanics of DS1 were so obtuse the player could be forgiven for not knowing it was a poise "tutorial".
If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Hemingway

Excellent summary of the early DS bosses, Sel Nar.

If you're not very far in, I'd be curious to know what you think about the later bosses. Because my experience is that while the early bosses are fine ( I can imagine the Pursuer being an utter pain if you're new to Dark Souls ), they really don't get that much more interesting as you go along - not until much later, and even then it's not very regular. The Tower of Flame can be forgiven, as you could start there as well, and so it can't really be that difficult, either.

However, the first really challenging boss, the Ruin Sentinels, is such a major spike that I often end up going Undead Lords or further before returning to him. And even then, I prefer to have a phantom with me - it's the only way I know of to reliably kill them, by splitting them up.

It's almost like the game begins when you reach Drangleic. In sort of the same way Dark Souls begins when you reach Anor Londo. But it takes a lot longer to get to Drangleic than to Anor Londo.

Quote from: Inkidu on March 21, 2014, 11:07:24 AM
I found the Capra Demon an exercise in luck more than poise, and honestly my gripe aside, the mechanics of DS1 were so obtuse the player could be forgiven for not knowing it was a poise "tutorial".

It'll probably sour your view of Dark Souls even more to learn that the exact values for various bonuses are not actually known.

Sel Nar

The primary issue with Dark Souls 1, which was recognised by the developers is that the Obtuse aspects of the game, such as what the various upgrade paths did for weapons (Eg. 'Raw' forging was a trap, and less than useless, while Blessed permakilled skeletons in the catacombs so you didn't have constant enemy respawns until you murdered all the necromancers), or what poise did (reduces the chance of you being staggered when you take a hit, blahdi blahdi blah), or how the Covenants worked.

Dark Souls 2 takes a page from Demon's Souls in regards to boss fights; You're not expected to charge down the full length of a 'path' on your first go; and with all the bonfires linked for easy fast travel, the game does give you the opportunity, and ability to explore as you see fit, though some paths are harder than others. The general consensus among my friends is that the Forest of Giants is a great starting area because it's fairly open and gives you a variety of situations to deal with, and other areas early on, such as Heide's tower of Flame is a great second route, because there's enough challenge from the Old Sentinels to be a considerable threat, but they're still beatable with a bit of practice, and they give you a commensurately sizeable reward for each one compared to the hollows in the Forest.

Hemingway

I'd say the Mundane infusion has Raw beat for 'most confusing upgrade', but, yeah. Raw. Hey, at least you can sell your raw stones for souls.