What are you playing?

[Eric P]

Masters of Orion 2, Masters of Magic, FO2, Trackmania United

[Great Rumbler]

Masters of Magic

[Bebpo]

I'm really loving Heavy Rain.  Though I still only play about an hour at night like I'm watching a 50 min ep of a show.  That way it doesn't interfere with my studies and I have something nice to look forward to each night.  The game was definitely slow at first, but I'm guessing I'm about halfway now and 50-60 mins blows by in a second.  Every scene is really tense and exciting.  It just goes from one scene to another scene without the pacing ever letting up.  Thoroughly impressed.  It's actually getting me in the mood to go back and finish up Culpa Innata next which also had a REALLY SLOW START so I bailed, but apparently it's supposed to have a great story if I stick with it.  Or maybe Dreamfall.  I dunno, HR just tickles my adventure gaming soul and makes me want to catch up on some of the big advs I haven't had time to play after this is all done and I'm done with finals.

Depending on the replayability after I finish this up with the other endings and ways for scenes to play out I may need to actually pay money and buy this during a sale since I'm just on a borrowed copy atm.  Will at least do the DLC episode before I give it back.

[demi]

Another satisfied customer. As I said, Heavy Rain

[chronovore]

If you really like Heavy Rain, and if you have the money, you should buy Heavy Rain. No-one is taking chances on genre or IP, and they've done both.  Nobody is making traditional adventure games, and it took major huevos to make this game.

SOAPBOX: Like it or not, GameFly rentals and the instititutionalization of the used game market are changing the way games are made and sold. It's been stunning to watch the increase in budgets to keep up with competition over the last 15 years. Companies are always risk-averse proportionately to their budgets, and with this generation the budgets have become epic.

What's been weird though is watching how many franchises are launched and abandoned. Any project's first pass is going to be the least efficient in a series. So much experimentation is needed, establishing tools and pipelines, it should go without saying that making a sequel is going to be inherently more efficient, but many companies are not giving those new franchises a chance to even go on to a second title.

It's clear that Quantic Dream has been committed to the adventure genre, and charged ahead with making this title, but the overall sales of the game are going to determine their ability to continue, and the willingness of any other company to make similar games.

[Bebpo]

Yeah, I hear you.  I didn't gamefly or buy it used btw, I'm borrowing it from a friend; first game I've done this with this generation.  I normally buy games to support them, but in this case I felt ripped off by their last game (Farenheit/Indigo Prophecy) and was not willing to impulse buy on this.  I didn't trust QD. 

But I feel uncomfortable paying $50 for an adventure game.  Hell I said on gaf that I feel uncomfortable paying $27 for Whispered World.  It's not that I don't think adventure games are great games worth as much as other genre.  PC adventure games have been my favorite genre since I was a kid.  I bought like every Sierra/Lucasarts/Otherguys adventure game for $40-50 day 1.  And I've been pre-ordering all the Telltale seasons and pre-ordered Machinarium, bought 3 Cards to Midnight (by the tex murphy guy) day 1 (though it sucked), bought lots of indie adventure games day 1 (Time Gentleman Please!, Downfall, etc..) and have been re-buying all the old-school adventure games on GOG and Steam.

The thing is after Telltale eps being about $6-8 an ep, Machinarium being <$20, Indie adventure games being $10, $5 or freeware I feel like the price of the genre has gone down.  It's not even like the quality has either.  Some of these games are every bit as good as a full length $50 adventure game of the 90s at <$20.  So I feel like $27 for a 2d adventure game or $50 for a 3d high budget one is a lot of money.  I'd rather buy Whispered World when it's <$20, Heavy Rain when it's <$30.  I really do enjoy the ultra high budget that Heavy Rain has, but if you asked me if I'd rather have a future of more ultra high budget 3d adventure games at $50-60 or low/medium budget adventure games at $10-20 I think I'd go with the latter.  Since at the end of the day adventure games live or die by their story and puzzles and you don't need a 30 million dollar budget to make those.

But hey, I'm sure Amazon will put it as deal of the day one of these days and I'll probably grab it at $40 then.  Should still count as a full fledged sale for the company.

[cool breeze]

this is why it is good to find deals from Amazon, Walmart, Gamestop ideally before the release.  It's nice that they want to compete too since I sit around and savings are passed on to me.  I ordered SSF4 for $40, turns out after all the coupons Amazon retroactively added, it only cost $16 lol

and Bebpo, both Amazon and Gamestop.com have Heavy Rain for $47 with $10 credit for your next order.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

Returned Lost Odyssey halfway into the third disc.  I may get around to it but there are other games I want to play.

Gamefly sent me Bioshock 2.  I don't understand why, in spite of their high availability, they refuse to send me either of the Raiden games or The Saboteur.

[Smooth Groove]

this is why it is good to find deals from Amazon, Walmart, Gamestop ideally before the release.  It's nice that they want to compete too since I sit around and savings are passed on to me.  I ordered SSF4 for $40, turns out after all the coupons Amazon retroactively added, it only cost $16 lol

and Bebpo, both Amazon and Gamestop.com have Heavy Rain for $47 with $10 credit for your next order.

Is it still possible to get SSF4 that cheap?

[cool breeze]

this is why it is good to find deals from Amazon, Walmart, Gamestop ideally before the release.  It's nice that they want to compete too since I sit around and savings are passed on to me.  I ordered SSF4 for $40, turns out after all the coupons Amazon retroactively added, it only cost $16 lol

and Bebpo, both Amazon and Gamestop.com have Heavy Rain for $47 with $10 credit for your next order.

Is it still possible to get SSF4 that cheap?

I preordered it at $40.  There was $10 credit for next purchase applied if you preordered.  Before the game shipped, Amazon dropped the price $4 and automatically applied that.  Then while the game was shipping, they added a different $10 credit for people who bought it when it was released.  For some reason they send both $10 credits to me.  Basically, $40 - $10 credit - $4 - $10 credit = $16, technically.

If you get it now from Amazon's website, it will only have that one $10 credit applied.  Assuming you buy another video game from Amazon in the future, it would bring it down to $26, technically.

[Beezy]

this is why it is good to find deals from Amazon, Walmart, Gamestop ideally before the release.  It's nice that they want to compete too since I sit around and savings are passed on to me.  I ordered SSF4 for $40, turns out after all the coupons Amazon retroactively added, it only cost $16 lol

and Bebpo, both Amazon and Gamestop.com have Heavy Rain for $47 with $10 credit for your next order.

Is it still possible to get SSF4 that cheap?

I preordered it at $40.  There was $10 credit for next purchase applied if you preordered.  Before the game shipped, Amazon dropped the price $4 and automatically applied that.  Then while the game was shipping, they added a different $10 credit for people who bought it when it was released.  For some reason they send both $10 credits to me.  Basically, $40 - $10 credit - $4 - $10 credit = $16, technically.

If you get it now from Amazon's website, it will only have that one $10 credit applied.  Assuming you buy another video game from Amazon in the future, it would bring it down to $26, technically.

Wtf? I only got one $10 credit and the $4 off. I think. How can I check?

[Bebpo]

Beezy that's normal.  I only got one $10 credit and the $4 off too.  I think the system just glitched and swaggaz got a lucky deal

[tiesto]

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers

It's not bad for what it is, a gimmicky minigame type escapade. The graphics are decent for Wii (if you can get over the shimmering), and music is pretty good. I just needed a break from a long-ass hardcore RPG after putting in 55 hours into ME2 and 90 into FF13.

[Beezy]

Beezy that's normal.  I only got one $10 credit and the $4 off too.  I think the system just glitched and swaggaz got a lucky deal

It should've glitched for me, dammit! :'(

[demi]

Havent really posted any progress... in the recent weeks:

- 1000'd Splinter Cell
- 1000'd Metro 2033
- Got 120 Stars in Mario Galaxy (lost its welcome way way earlier... this was a chore)
- 1000'd Deadly Premonition
- 1000'd Prison Break
- 1000'd Final Fantasy XIII

Right now I am slaving away at Resonance of Fate. This game wouldnt be bad, if they hadnt included that fucking 500 Arena fights. Still, the best achievement list for Tri-Ace, no question.

I really want something new to play though. Only a couple weeks until Skate 3...

[Smooth Groove]

Havent really posted any progress... in the recent weeks:

- 1000'd Splinter Cell
- 1000'd Metro 2033
- Got 120 Stars in Mario Galaxy (lost its welcome way way earlier... this was a chore)
- 1000'd Deadly Premonition
- 1000'd Prison Break
- 1000'd Final Fantasy XIII

Right now I am slaving away at Resonance of Fate. This game wouldnt be bad, if they hadnt included that fucking 500 Arena fights. Still, the best achievement list for Tri-Ace, no question.

I really want something new to play though. Only a couple weeks until Skate 3...

How was Metro?

[demi]

I liked it. It was pretty good. Some weak parts (mostly ones that involved combat) - but when it got all creepy russian bioshock it was a+. Then the ending came up and... flop. Shit endings. Both of them.

But it's worth a play, for sure.

[Don Flamenco]

I definitely wanna check out Metro when its cheap...or if I do a few months of gamefly this summer.

[Third]

Havent really posted any progress... in the recent weeks:

- 1000'd Splinter Cell
- 1000'd Metro 2033
- Got 120 Stars in Mario Galaxy (lost its welcome way way earlier... this was a chore)
- 1000'd Deadly Premonition
- 1000'd Prison Break
- 1000'd Final Fantasy XIII

Right now I am slaving away at Resonance of Fate. This game wouldnt be bad, if they hadnt included that fucking 500 Arena fights. Still, the best achievement list for Tri-Ace, no question.

I really want something new to play though. Only a couple weeks until Skate 3...

Play Nier. It's better than FFXIII.

[magus]

Havent really posted any progress... in the recent weeks:

- 1000'd Splinter Cell
- 1000'd Metro 2033
- Got 120 Stars in Mario Galaxy (lost its welcome way way earlier... this was a chore)
- 1000'd Deadly Premonition
- 1000'd Prison Break
- 1000'd Final Fantasy XIII

Right now I am slaving away at Resonance of Fate. This game wouldnt be bad, if they hadnt included that fucking 500 Arena fights. Still, the best achievement list for Tri-Ace, no question.

I really want something new to play though. Only a couple weeks until Skate 3...

galaxy 2

why you tought getting all 120 stars was a chore? 

[demi]

Because it was boring and not challenging at all.

[Beezy]

Because it was boring and not challenging at all.

demi

[Great Rumbler]

I turned all of my PS1 games into isos a few weeks ago and now I'm playing through some of them. Vagrant Story, Grandia, Star Ocean 2, Legend of Mana, Persona 2, Shadow Madness, Legend of Legaia, Xenogears, and maybe a few others. I pretty much bought every PS1 RPG that ever existed back during the late 90's.  

Vagrant Story is pretty cool, but it gets bogged down when enemies start to appear with insanely high defense.

Legend of Mana is a nice, laid back game with some amazing backgrounds. I wouldn't put it on any "Best Of..." lists, but it's a game that's got a special place in my heart for whatever reason.

Legend of Legaia I haven't played very much of just yet, mostly just part of the intro to make sure it worked. I really liked it back when it first came out though.

Star Ocean 2 is one of my favorite PS1 RPGs and one of the few that I actually beat. It's weird, but I really, really liked RPGs but I'd hardly ever finish them.

Xenogears is another that I really like. I think I've made it really close to the end of the first disc about two years ago when I decided to play it again and see if I could finish it on my own [I watched my brother play it all the way through back in the 90's].

Grandia was one that I nearly finished. Towards the end it got really hard though and I had to use the Gameshark to cheat my way through it, but I upgraded to the PS2 and the Gameshark disappeared before I could beat it. Gameplay's okay, but it's the soundtrack that really stands out. Noriyuki Iwadare is a master of music. Has he even done any soundtracks recently?

[Bebpo]

I tried playing SO2 for the first time a month or so before SO3 came out.  Hated it with a passion but finished it anyhow.  Combat just seemed so broken and the plot was lolz.  Barrel guy was the only good character.

Then a month later I played SO3 and hated it with a passion. 

They years later I played SO4 and hated it with a passion.


I don't think I should play SO1...ever

[Great Rumbler]

I tried playing SO2 for the first time a month or so before SO3 came out.  Hated it with a passion but finished it anyhow.  Combat just seemed so broken and the plot was lolz.  Barrel guy was the only good character.

Then a month later I played SO3 and hated it with a passion. 

They years later I played SO4 and hated it with a passion.


I don't think I should play SO1...ever

Star Ocean 2 is pretty good, so is Star Ocean 1 [although the dub they put on the PSP version kind of makes me want to hate it], but 3 and 4 are just baaaad.

And how can you hate the combat? It's so much fun, just make sure you don't roll with a magic user because then the battles take forever. 3 fighters and a healer, smooth like butter.

[Positive Touch]

Fun Fact: Vagrant Story is the greatest game ever made and anyone who disagrees reveals themselves as the pathetic no-taste-having son of whore that they really are.

[demi]

parasite eve > vagrant story

[Positive Touch]

what do you think your mom's street name was?

[demi]

parasite eve?

[Bebpo]

I didn't like parasite eve and never played PE2.  It was like Resident Evil the RPG and all the art/designs were gross and ugly.  
But that was back when I was a mainstream gamer and didn't play a lot of oddball console titles, so maybe I'd enjoy it more these days.

[Bebpo]

I tried playing SO2 for the first time a month or so before SO3 came out.  Hated it with a passion but finished it anyhow.  Combat just seemed so broken and the plot was lolz.  Barrel guy was the only good character.

Then a month later I played SO3 and hated it with a passion. 

They years later I played SO4 and hated it with a passion.


I don't think I should play SO1...ever

Star Ocean 2 is pretty good, so is Star Ocean 1 [although the dub they put on the PSP version kind of makes me want to hate it], but 3 and 4 are just baaaad.

And how can you hate the combat? It's so much fun, just make sure you don't roll with a magic user because then the battles take forever. 3 fighters and a healer, smooth like butter.

I thought the combat was fun but it was totally broken.  I got to some part at the end of the game where the boss was doing like 99999 damage and I was doing like 10 damage and I was like fuck this shit and then read some guide to breaking the game and went back and killed him in a few hits.

I think the 2d Tales games are Star Ocean 2 combat if it was responsive and not as broken.

[Great Rumbler]

I tried playing SO2 for the first time a month or so before SO3 came out.  Hated it with a passion but finished it anyhow.  Combat just seemed so broken and the plot was lolz.  Barrel guy was the only good character.

Then a month later I played SO3 and hated it with a passion. 

They years later I played SO4 and hated it with a passion.


I don't think I should play SO1...ever

Star Ocean 2 is pretty good, so is Star Ocean 1 [although the dub they put on the PSP version kind of makes me want to hate it], but 3 and 4 are just baaaad.

And how can you hate the combat? It's so much fun, just make sure you don't roll with a magic user because then the battles take forever. 3 fighters and a healer, smooth like butter.

I thought the combat was fun but it was totally broken.  I got to some part at the end of the game where the boss was doing like 99999 damage and I was doing like 10 damage and I was like fuck this shit and then read some guide to breaking the game and went back and killed him in a few hits.

I think the 2d Tales games are Star Ocean 2 combat if it was responsive and not as broken.

It's possible to accidentally make the final boss almost impossibly hard. That might have been your problem. 

[Bebpo]

might have been.  While I hated the game for the terrible story and characters.  I didn't really hate the battle system until the final boss and then it pissed me off to no degree and in the end I just walked away feeling like I had played a sucky game.

[Great Rumbler]

While I hated the game for the terrible story and characters.

I know nostalgia's a bit part of it, but I'd rather have the SO2 story and characters than the story and characters in either of the next two games in the series.

Ashton

[Bebpo]

Sure. 
I mean they didn't make an anime out of SO3/SO4 characters

I actually enjoyed SO2 the anime.  I saw it before I played SO2 and I liked the characters.  Then I played SO2 and thought they were boring outside of Ashton.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

Playing Bioshock 2 right now, almost wrapping up Pauper's Drop (maybe about 4-5 hours in?)

I like the game.  I never played the original so I don't know how it compares but the game is pretty fun.  I prefer to gunbutt so I don't waste ammo, preferring to expend it onto Big Daddies and Big Sisters.  Not a huge fan of the graphics and the fact that I'm wiping out zombies (I fucking hate zombies) but the gameplay is solid enough.

Although I do intend on sending it back to Gamefly tomorrow.  My queue has games I want to play more than Bioshock 2.  I can always return to it at a later date.

[Positive Touch]

I didn't like parasite eve and never played PE2.  It was like Resident Evil the RPG and all the art/designs were gross and ugly.  
But that was back when I was a mainstream gamer and didn't play a lot of oddball console titles, so maybe I'd enjoy it more these days.

it was never a very good game - shallow, simple combat and way to many cutscenes for that LOL of a story.  i played it a few years ago and time had not treated it well at all.  but hey, the game's like 5 hours long so it's not like it requires much commitment.  i think i beat it in a day back when it came out.

[archie4208]

Max Payne 2 is pretty awesome. 

[magus]

parasite eve > vagrant story

[Third]

no

[Positive Touch]

parasite eve > vagrant story

stop dickriding

Max Payne 2 is pretty awesome. 

very easy and short but totally awesome

[demi]

I didn't like parasite eve and never played PE2.  It was like Resident Evil the RPG and all the art/designs were gross and ugly.  
But that was back when I was a mainstream gamer and didn't play a lot of oddball console titles, so maybe I'd enjoy it more these days.

it was never a very good game - shallow, simple combat and way to many cutscenes for that LOL of a story.

vagrant story

[magus]

parasite eve > vagrant story

stop dickriding

Max Payne 2 is pretty awesome. 

very easy and short but totally awesome

what? demi is right

spoiler (click to show/hide)

for once

[close]

[Positive Touch]

VAGRANT STORY DOES NOT HAVE SHALLOW COMBAT YOU SILLY FUCK

IT IS AN AMAZING GAME

GOD DAMMIT WHERE IS ANDREW VESTAL TO BACK ME UP

[demi]

I cant hear you over you nickle and diming me. You better imbue your sword with sharpness

[Kestastrophe]

I've powered through the epic and shitty GTA IV on PC. I am on the final fight and it is one of the most poorly designed chase sequences ever. There is no way that anyone from Rockstar played this game, as it is peppered with terrible design choices.

[brawndolicious]

they really needed more checkpoints on that fight.
 
the driving was a little less arcadey in GTA4 but everything else was a lot smoother than the older 3D gta's.

[Raban]

I've powered through the epic and shitty GTA IV on PC. I am on the final fight and it is one of the most poorly designed chase sequences ever. There is no way that anyone from Rockstar played this game, as it is peppered with terrible design choices.

This was my only real problem with GTAIV. Scripted chase sequences. Doing the same shit over again and dealing with the wonky-ass driving physics while the dude you're chasing is sliding through gridlock traffic on a rail is some rage-inducing bullshit.

[naff]

I remember the final sequence being me storming a boat to nail this dude. Then I chased him onto Liberty Island and owned his ass. No problemo.

[Great Rumbler]

I didn't like parasite eve and never played PE2.  It was like Resident Evil the RPG and all the art/designs were gross and ugly.  
But that was back when I was a mainstream gamer and didn't play a lot of oddball console titles, so maybe I'd enjoy it more these days.

it was never a very good game - shallow, simple combat and way to many cutscenes for that LOL of a story.  i played it a few years ago and time had not treated it well at all.  but hey, the game's like 5 hours long so it's not like it requires much commitment.  i think i beat it in a day back when it came out.

Sorry, demi's right. Parasite Eve is an awesome game.

[demi]

Parasite Eve is the original Resonance of Fate - and better too

[Rman]

I'm obsessed with SSFIV right now. 

[Raban]

I'm obsessed with SSFIV right now. 

Are you on XBL?

[Great Rumbler]

Parasite Eve is the original Resonance of Fate - and better too

So how awesome is Resonance of Fate, demi? Is it better than Nier?

[demi]

Dunno, havent played Nier. But RoF is ok. Not the underdog everyone was hoping for. FF13 is better.

[Great Rumbler]

Dunno, havent played Nier. But RoF is ok. Not the underdog everyone was hoping for. FF13 is better.

I'll probably just play FFXIII then since I can just borrow my brother's copy.

[Rman]

I'm obsessed with SSFIV right now. 

Are you on XBL?

Yes.  But I don't have my 360 at the moment. 

[Raban]

I'm obsessed with SSFIV right now. 

Are you on XBL?

Yes.  But I don't have my 360 at the moment. 

Sheeit. Get on that shit, man.

[chronovore]

I remember the final sequence being me storming a boat to nail this dude. Then I chased him onto Liberty Island and owned his ass. No problemo.

There was a Revenge ending and a Deal ending,

spoiler (click to show/hide)

the boat was for executing the Russian mafia guy who betrays you early on in the story. The chase scene was to take out the paranoid Italian mafia boss. The latter involves a ridiculously long sequence where you have to storm an entrenched parking lot, then two floors of a seaside building, its roof, descend to a shoreline motorcycle checkpoint race to keep up with an escaping boat, jump the motorcycle into the helicopter so you can pilot it and partially destroy the boat, leading to a climax on Libertine Island. Death during any part of this leads to starting back at the parking lot. Then you get 30 minutes of staff roll/credits, long enough for your wireless controller to power off and make you worry your 'cheevs won't pop.

[close]

I've powered through the epic and shitty GTA IV on PC. I am on the final fight and it is one of the most poorly designed chase sequences ever. There is no way that anyone from Rockstar played this game, as it is peppered with terrible design choices.

This was my only real problem with GTAIV. Scripted chase sequences. Doing the same shit over again and dealing with the wonky-ass driving physics while the dude you're chasing is sliding through gridlock traffic on a rail is some rage-inducing bullshit.

Yeah, those chase sequences were frequent, and a total boner killer. The first couple times, the target goes off somewhere hard to follow, and with the loose driving physics, they'd lose me. The second attempt, I knew where they'd go, so I'd get right up on them, but they're IMMUNE TO BULLETS because Rockstar wanted the mission to take longer.

As for that final mission, I think it's more likely that Rockstar's testers played it too much, and had an unrealistic impression about its difficulty.

[tiesto]

Wrapping stuff up with the Crystal Bearers... game was a fun (but shallow) diversion, and had some pretty awesome art direction (if you can get over all the jaggies) and cool choons. Also been playing some of Bowser's Inside Story, which I enjoy but it could seriously do with some monster variety. I spent an hour today making it through the forest dungeon fighting the same tree stump enemies over and over.