What are you playing?

[Bebpo]

Blur is so much better than Split/Second it's not even funny.  Beezy redeemed, demi

[Raban]

Blur is so much better than Split/Second it's not even funny.  Beezy redeemed, demi

Shit taste confirmed.

[demi]

Blur is so much better than Split/Second it's not even funny.  Beezy redeemed, demi

If it were so good, why did:

- It bomb
- The dev get shuttered like second rate gutter trash?



Coming from someone who thought DR2 was gonna be shit too... I am godzirra to you, japanophile

[Joe Molotov]

Finished Gray Matter.  It has its flaws, but overall it's the best adventure game I've played in a decade.  There's no furries, it's not a goofy comedy, it's not episodic, it's entirely click and point, it's a full 10 hour+ length; basically it's everything that adventure games are not anymore :X  I hope it finds enough niche success that they make a sequel.  Telltale games are ok, but they don't really do it for me.

If Hollywood played knew about niche games like this, Gray Matter would make a good movie I think.

Hey Bebpo, having you played The Lost Crown? It's a pretty awesome point-and-click adventure game, one the best I've played in a while.

[Bebpo]

I have it, and iirc when I tried playing it the gameplay was very very slow so I didn't get too far.  Will give it another shot someday.

[Bebpo]

Blur is so much better than Split/Second it's not even funny.  Beezy redeemed, demi

If it were so good, why did:

- It bomb
- The dev get shuttered like second rate gutter trash?

Because it looked stupid.  Multiplayer focused Mario Kart with real cars?  Who wants that.

Was just a hard sell even though the underlying game was really good.

[archie4208]

The last boss in Baldur's Gate sucks so much.  I just spammed monster summoning wands and plinked him with arrows for 5 minutes.  What a terrible finale to an otherwise great game. 

[Bocsius]

Just finished my replay of Mass Effect 2. I noticed I had been playing it for over a month, so I dug my heels in and wrapped it up over the weekend.

Next? Don't know, I bought FFXIII during the replay, so I could play that.

[Beezy]

Blur is so much better than Split/Second it's not even funny.  Beezy redeemed, demi

Blur's achievements were just too much for demi.

[tiesto]

DKC Returns, up to the Forest world now... the Cave world was a fuckin bitch and a half... I've always hated minecart stages in platformers, not to mention the annoying rocket barrel stages in this one. But so far, I'm really enjoying the game. It really picks up after the first world. The level design is LEAGUES better than the original games. The control scheme would have been vastly improved if it allowed for Classic Control/no waggle (instead, press X or Y to roll).

How do you get the 3rd medal in the stages?

[Darunia]

DKC Returns, up to the Forest world now... the Cave world was a fuckin bitch and a half... I've always hated minecart stages in platformers, not to mention the annoying rocket barrel stages in this one. But so far, I'm really enjoying the game. It really picks up after the first world. The level design is LEAGUES better than the original games. The control scheme would have been vastly improved if it allowed for Classic Control/no waggle (instead, press X or Y to roll).

How do you get the 3rd medal in the stages?

That's reserved for time attack.

I started the campaign of GoldenEye Wii yesterday. It's pretty good

[archie4208]

Recettear is a really great game.  The dialogue is really funny.  The art style isn't nearly as offensive as I thought it would be either.

[magus]

personaly i tought it was a little repetitive "stock,sells everything you have for 120%,stock,sells everything you have for 120%" the dungeon trip helps giving it more variety but you really don't gain much from them...

[archie4208]

Yeah.  I can only play it for about 30 minutes at a time before tedium sets in, but it is still fun. 

[Herr Mafflard]

is grey matter on steam
_

there's a demo out.

http://www.bigdownload.com/games/gray-matter/pc/gray-matter-demo/

http://www.fileshack.com/file.x/22996/Gray+Matter+Multilanguage+Demo

http://www.worthdownloading.com/download.php?gid=2903&id=22585

[Raban]

Playing Metal Storm and Bionic Commando on an NES emulator on my friend's PSP. Both are fantastic.

[Herr Mafflard]

finally finished the escort mission in VVVVVV. feel like I've reached a new level of gaming zen with my skills. I can move on with my life now.

[iconoclast]

Got on A++ rank on the final chapter in Ikaruga. Just need to A-rank stages 3 and 4 now. Been working on 3 every once in a while and I'm making some progress, but it's still really fucking hard. I can chain the first area fairly consistently, but after that it's a crap shoot. Ah well.

I'm also still playing Ketsui. Been improving in that game as well, and I can usually make it to stage 5 on a good run. I really need to be more liberal with my bombs, because as it is I usually just horde them until stage 4, and that usually means I die once or twice to some distinguished mentally-challenged shit that I should have just bombed. Still, I think with enough practice I can 1-ALL this game some day. That's my goal anyway, since Ketsui is my favorite shooter of all time and I'd like to at least be able to clear one loop of it.

And I've been playing GTA4: The Lost and Damned. It's okay so far, but it feels like there's too much filler between the main story events. Also the controls are terrible, but that's GTA4 for you. Hoping I'll finish this tonight.

[Herr Mafflard]

is grey matter on steam
_

there's a demo out.

http://www.bigdownload.com/games/gray-matter/pc/gray-matter-demo/

http://www.fileshack.com/file.x/22996/Gray+Matter+Multilanguage+Demo

http://www.worthdownloading.com/download.php?gid=2903&id=22585

yeah, avoid this demo. it's basically a loooooooooooooooong tutorial section where you play as Dr David Styles going back and forth collecting things for your memory machine.

It's really tedious, ends abruptly, and worst of all, it doesn't leave you a save state to continue playing if you get the full game.

edit: apparently, the demo starts on the third chapter. why would they want to show off this section? it's really tedious and boring.

I started, did a whole sweep of Dread Hill estate. My final port of call was the basement. Now I learn that that I have to do another sweep of the manor, and this time 'collect' things - wtf, why couldn't u tell me at the start?. So basically, the demo sends you out on a tedious fetch quest, and then just abruptly ends out of nowhere. Was there a time limit on the demo? If so why the hell didn't it tell me?

So avoid, it's a bad demo, and makes what might be a good game look bad.

[Bebpo]

Got my Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu.  The box art is beyond terrible for $75 full price game.  I think it's all a ploy to get people to spring an extra $30 for the LE which has a good cover.

Now to turn on my internet-less X360-J and see if it still works.  Not having leaderboards or achievements that go into your account sucks, but I'm 100% sure if I plug it into the internet and do the system update it will kill the system for good and I'm not having any of that.

yeah, avoid this demo. it's basically a loooooooooooooooong tutorial section where you play as Dr David Styles going back and forth collecting things for your memory machine.

It's really tedious, ends abruptly, and worst of all, it doesn't leave you a save state to continue playing if you get the full game.

edit: apparently, the demo starts on the third chapter. why would they want to show off this section? it's really tedious and boring.

I started, did a whole sweep of Dread Hill estate. My final port of call was the basement. Now I learn that that I have to do another sweep of the manor, and this time 'collect' things - wtf, why couldn't u tell me at the start?. So basically, the demo sends you out on a tedious fetch quest, and then just abruptly ends out of nowhere. Was there a time limit on the demo? If so why the hell didn't it tell me?

So avoid, it's a bad demo, and makes what might be a good game look bad.

Yeaaaaaah, sounds like a bad place to put a demo.  Not to mention it spoils a big plot twist in the game :X

[demi]

Bebpo... does Grey Matter have any supernatural in it? Similar to how Gabriel Knight had wolves, jesus, and shit

[Bebpo]

The theme of the game is illusion/magic tricks vs. the supernatural.  Are the mysterious events happening tricks or something more.

So yeah, the atmosphere and story is really similar to GK.  Same goth mystery supernatural-ish feel.  Music is the same too since it's the same composer.  The game is basically GK4 with a different lead.

[Bebpo]

Shoot.  Just realized I can't use the Dodon 1.51 DLC card without hooking into the internet >_<

Maybe after a few weeks of getting my Dodonpachi 1.5 fill I'll try hooking it in and if it dies, well then it dies and there's nothing coming out until Feb so I have a few months to try to get it fixed.  If it lives, well then I can go back and replay Ketsui and Dodon 1.5 for achievements

[Bebpo]

Got my BF X360 slim.  Umm, wtf they don't come with component cables anymore? 

Also I got my 250gb drive as well and neither the drive nor the X360 slim have instructions on how you switch hard drives.  wtf.  Will google it and play my new X360 in SD until I get new cables

[demi]

They've never come with component for a while. Blame Sony and Wii for that.

[Bebpo]

But aha! you can use your old FAT X360 video/audio cable!

Getting system setup now.  yay yay, back on the winning team


Now I can finally finish Case Zero and play Guwanage

[iconoclast]

Yeah the cover art for the standard edition of DFK is terrible. The LE looks nice, but Cave's LEs are never worth buying. Another $30 for a (most likely inferior) arranged soundtrack that I could just download online. woopee. I wish they would include a superplay DVD, or an art book instead or something.

NCSX just shipped mine today since I ordered late. Would be nice if I had it by wednesday. The arrange modes look awesome.

[Bebpo]

I only did a half run through arcade mode and it was pretty crazy.  I never played the iphone or arcade version so this is my first experience with the game and I have no idea what the gameplay systems are yet 

The graphics with smoothing off look great, I'm not a fan of smoothing but I'm sure some people enjoy it. 


Still, 3 ships, 3 types of power up modes, arcade, novice, arrange A, arrange B means the game is going to be full of content.  Pretty excited to dive in and learn about how all the modes work.  Arcade mode seemed pretty tough.  By stage 2 the bullets were everywheeeeere. 


One thing that stuck out is the soundtrack seemed great.  Felt like a girly Dodonpachi

[Bebpo]

Btw, now that I'm X360 again, are there any XBLA games besides Guwange that I missed in the last 3 months?  I played Limbo, got Lara Croft on PC, getting Super Meat Boy on PC tomorrow, have Case Zero. 

This license transfer thing was pretty painless.  Time to redownload all my favorite XBLA games!

[tiesto]

Playing Metal Storm and Bionic Commando on an NES emulator on my friend's PSP. Both are fantastic.

Awesome, awesome games. Metal Storm is one of the most underrated NES titles, amazing graphics too for NES. I remember back in the day playing both that and Power Blade.

[Rman]

I just

Btw, now that I'm X360 again, are there any XBLA games besides Guwange that I missed in the last 3 months?  I played Limbo, got Lara Croft on PC, getting Super Meat Boy on PC tomorrow, have Case Zero. 

This license transfer thing was pretty painless.  Time to redownload all my favorite XBLA games!

You should be good.  Super Meat Boy will keep you busy for a bit, especially if you go for 100 percent.

[cool breeze]

is grey matter on steam
_

there's a demo out.

http://www.bigdownload.com/games/gray-matter/pc/gray-matter-demo/

http://www.fileshack.com/file.x/22996/Gray+Matter+Multilanguage+Demo

http://www.worthdownloading.com/download.php?gid=2903&id=22585

yeah, avoid this demo. it's basically a loooooooooooooooong tutorial section where you play as Dr David Styles going back and forth collecting things for your memory machine.

It's really tedious, ends abruptly, and worst of all, it doesn't leave you a save state to continue playing if you get the full game.

edit: apparently, the demo starts on the third chapter. why would they want to show off this section? it's really tedious and boring.

I started, did a whole sweep of Dread Hill estate. My final port of call was the basement. Now I learn that that I have to do another sweep of the manor, and this time 'collect' things - wtf, why couldn't u tell me at the start?. So basically, the demo sends you out on a tedious fetch quest, and then just abruptly ends out of nowhere. Was there a time limit on the demo? If so why the hell didn't it tell me?

So avoid, it's a bad demo, and makes what might be a good game look bad.

thanks for the warning.  I saw the demo link earlier and was about to download it now that I'm home.

I will buy the game whenever it is released in America

[iconoclast]

Got the 250 pts out of the Lost and Damned. I liked it. It grew on me the more I played, but I thought the end was a little abrupt. Gonna start Gay Tony later this week since I just got Mafia 2 from Gamefly.

Btw, now that I'm X360 again, are there any XBLA games besides Guwange that I missed in the last 3 months?  I played Limbo, got Lara Croft on PC, getting Super Meat Boy on PC tomorrow, have Case Zero. 

This license transfer thing was pretty painless.  Time to redownload all my favorite XBLA games!

Just King of Fighters 2002 UM. Crazy Taxi XBLA seems good if you like Crazy Taxi.

[Bebpo]

The slim is pretty nice.  A lot more quiet than my launch models.  Both it and the PS3 are practically silent if you install X360 discs.

Also the new UI isn't bad.  It's a little sluggish here and there like the old interface, but I like how it looks more like a computer interface now.

[Beezy]

Btw, now that I'm X360 again, are there any XBLA games besides Guwange that I missed in the last 3 months?

PacMan CE DX

[etiolate]

A lot of cheap games recently acquired:

SSX Blur - Not sure if its me or the controls, but I don't feel like I have total control over my tricks and some of it is just random.
Mad World - comically disgusting, hope I open up more variety in the action as I go
Excitebots - I think having the motion+ might help with this one on certain parts. Need to put more time in.
World of Goo - ace

[iconoclast]

Played up to chapter 8 in Mafia 2, which I guess puts me at half way through the story. Really really liking this game so far. I've got pretty much no complaints about it except the framerate kinda sucks. Love the setting/theme, the driving model is fun, great voice acting, fun characters, decent gangster story. The combat is a little awkward, but it works. Game's awesome so far. Might even pick up the DLC after I get the 1000 on this.

[demi]

The DLC is abysmal I would reconsider.

[Herr Mafflard]

The DLC is abysmal I would reconsider.

which one - Jimmy's Vendetta or Joey's Adventure?

I thought Joey's would be good 'cause it's more like the main game.

[Raban]

I just got $100 for helping someone unload their storage into a moving truck. I'm thinking about getting the Zombrex edition of Dead Rising 2. Would you play with me, demi?

[demi]

Depends... what would you do for me?

[Raban]

you'll get to hear my sexy voice on the mic

Come on homie, co-op was fun with you I wanna do it again I need more demi in my life

[Herr Mafflard]

played some more of the amazing VVVVVV 

the high-point of today's session was definitely the 60 sec survival task in the Gravitron area.

it saves ur progress every 5 sec increment - by the 15 sec mark I turned the volume way up and just didn't give a damn how many times I died - so good.

[Eel O'Brian]

The DLC is abysmal I would reconsider.

which one - Jimmy's Vendetta or Joey's Adventure?

I thought Joey's would be good 'cause it's more like the main game.

The Joe's Adventures DLC has gotten DLC reviews, no one seemed to like the Jimmy stuff

[Herr Mafflard]

yeah, I've only read two reviews for Joe's Adventures but they both say completely opposite things.

One of the reviews says that it's like Jimmy's Vendetta, ie - crap. The other says it's like the main game, which is good.

I might bite the bullet and get it anyways - and let you guys know.

[Eel O'Brian]

Kotaku, right?  They didn't like the main game, Jimmy DLC, or the Joe DLC.  You can safely disregard their reviews.

[Herr Mafflard]

yeah, the reviews are all over the place with this -

okay, here's the official description

Joe’s Adventures offers an engaging narrative and allows players to explore new locations, including a train station, the cathouse, a boat yard, a seasonally changing lakefront and some never-before-seen buildings in Empire Bay. This exciting new chapter in the Mafia II saga includes new clothing, collectibles and even more classic 40’s and 50’s music. In addition to the story-based missions, Joe’s Adventures opens up a slew of optional city-based quests packed with arcade action gameplay and a points-based system that allows players to move up the ranks on the online leaderboard through combos and multiplier bonuses. Deadly executions by head shot or charged explosives rack up points, and precision-timed vehicular power slides, lofty jumps and feats of supercharged speed maintain the adrenaline-charged fun for extensive replayability.

So, there's story missions as well as the arcadey bullshit of Jimmy's Vendetta? I wonder what the ratio is to story/arcade missions.

I think I'll just get this anyways, I've kinda got a hankering to revisit Empire City.

[demi]

From what I've read the DLC just arent substantial additions to be worth a purchase. I dont care about "Jimmy" and while I would love to see Joe naked, I dont care about his adventures either.

And the achievements (this is my territory, disregard otherwise) are absolute shit.

[iconoclast]

Got my copy of Daifukkatsu today. Been playing for a couple hours. It's weird, the game is really easy up until stage 5, then there's spinning lasers of rape fucking everywhere. Just got game over'd three feet from the final boss.

The boss fight with Perfect amuses me. "matteeeee"

[Herr Mafflard]

here's two reviews that say Joe's Adventures is quite good, if we disregard kotaku.

http://worthplaying.com/article/2010/11/23/reviews/78408/
http://www.nowgamer.com/reviews/xbox-360/9584/mafia-ii-joes-adventures

Unfortunately, most of that backstory is given via text since most of missions don't feature voiced cut scenes. They are simply introduced by a single text screen before dumping you into the action...

The solo missions are arcade-focused, with countdown timers, score multipliers and online leaderboard support. You are encouraged to replay these missions to get a better score and place higher on the leaderboards.

yeah, this worries me - Mafia 2 featured some great cutscenes and voice work that pulled you into the story. So this is kind of a bummer. Sounds like the so called "story" missions also include a arcade style scoring system.

still, eight hours of content sounds pretty substantial to me, I think I'll jump in regardless.

[iconoclast]

The Mafia 2 DLC achievements don't look too bad. Though a few of them are pretty grindy. But yeah if the DLC kinda sucks I'll pass on it, especially since I'm just renting the game. I'll settle for the 1000.

Daifukkatsu is awesome once you know what you're doing. You're in hyper mode pretty much the entire time just soaking up gold. And hell I barely even know what I'm doing, I've only got a 3.8 billion score. Game's awesome. Soundtrack kinda sucks though.

[Brehvolution]

Just borrowed MW2 from a friend so I'll be on MP til Black Ops arrives around xmas.

[Rman]

Btw, now that I'm X360 again, are there any XBLA games besides Guwange that I missed in the last 3 months?

PacMan CE DX

I think he got the PS3 version.

[Bebpo]

Yeah, got it on PS3 but haven't had a chance to really play it much.  Just been doing the CE II board stuff at the beginning.  Lot of fun.

[Joe Molotov]

And the achievements (this is my territory, disregard otherwise) are absolute shit.

I saw that one of the achievements in Jimmy's Vendetta was "Drive 1000 Miles". Why not just give me an achievement for punching myself in the face?

[Cormacaroni]

Played a bit of Blur on PC (picked it up in the Steam sale). Seems about what I expected - a sub-par Mario Kart dressed up as Burnout. I'm sure it would be fun in 4 player split-screen or something but I don't think the SP is going to hold my attention. Looks pretty crazy in 3D, although the menus are a mess.

[Bebpo]

Played a bit of Blur on PC (picked it up in the Steam sale). Seems about what I expected - a sub-par Mario Kart dressed up as Burnout. I'm sure it would be fun in 4 player split-screen or something but I don't think the SP is going to hold my attention. Looks pretty crazy in 3D, although the menus are a mess.

It gets better as you get further in.  The first rival is pretty vanilla stuff and too slow/easy.  If you want a taste of how it is with fast cars and intense battling, hop on the online mode for a few races

[demi]

Played a bit of Blur on PC (picked it up in the Steam sale). Seems about what I expected - a sub-par Mario Kart dressed up as Burnout. I'm sure it would be fun in 4 player split-screen or something but I don't think the SP is going to hold my attention. Looks pretty crazy in 3D, although the menus are a mess.

Split Second

[iconoclast]

Arrange B in DFK is... wut. I have no clue what's going on. Looks pretty interesting though. I'll wait until someone figures this crap out and posts a guide.

Arrange A is a lot of fun. It's basically Dai Ou Jou mode for DFK.

Been playing mostly 1.5 though. Almost had a 1-ALL, but I got clipped during the last 15% of the final boss' health. Stage 5 is really fucking hard. The difficulty leap is absolutely huge compared to the rest of the game. Probably gonna hit up training mode for that one.

Can't wait to really dig into this game and learn it. I've got adverse on my friends list... he's a fucking monster on this game. Doubt I'll ever get anywhere near his scores.

[naff]

Been playing through Dragon Age on PC. Bioware This game is omg so good.  Going to play Deadly Premonition next and I just bought Demon's Souls in a sale today. I've been wanting to play DS for ages but I always got something else instead due to my fear of it's ball busting nature.