What are you playing?

[fistfulofmetal]

I remember people complaining about backtracking in Metroid Prime 1 and 2, so that might've influenced them for the third one.  Metroid Prime 2 was worse about backtracking with the light/dark world gimmick and a fetch quest towards the end.  But I thought Prime 3 was fine with its streamlining, unlike Fusion.

Do you only own Prime 3 or the Wii Trilogy? if you haven't played Prime 2, it's worth checking out even with its bum rep.  I liked it more when I played it a few months ago than I did in 2004.

I got the Prime Trilogy.

Decided to stop playing Prime 3 and go back to my Prime 2 save which is roughly an hour or so into the game. A save I last played like a year ago. So basically it took me at least 20 minutes to figure out what I was supposed to be doing since there's no way to check your objective.

Managed to finish the first *section* and move onto the swamp lands. The light/dark mechanics aren't too bad, specially now that I have the dark suit.

Prime 2 definite feels more like Prime 1 than Prime 3 already did. Less enemies, more emphasis on maneuvering through the game world.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, they could make one of these games that focused SOLELY on exploration, puzzle solving, and collecting upgrades and remove ALL of the major enemies (little creatures can stay) and I would be perfectly fine with it. Focus the entire thing on making the game world deep with tons of secrets and multiple routes. Would be amaze.

[tiesto]

Penny Arcade episode 4. It's good so far... just made it to chapter 4.

[Positive Touch]

Done with Castlevania: LoI. It was pretty OK. Doesn't hold a candle to any of the 2D Metroidvanias, but it's pretty short so whatever. I never played the N64 games, but I ca.........
I already moved on to Curse of Darkness. Good news: camera control. Bad news: y-axis inverted with no way to change it. They dare call it 'normal', even. Heathens. I don't expect to have to look towards the ceiling a lot and it's progress at least, so whatever. Gonna dig into it tomorrow.

i loved that game, for all its flaws & simplicity. i'd say the second quest is worth checking out - not with the other vampire dude, but with the harder difficulty. its WAY tf harder and has totally different enemy placement that is fucking brutal. even the little tutorial area at the start is pretty hard. feels really satisfying to go through.

the other ps2 game sucks anus. combat is stupidly simplified, levels are just as boring, bosses are easy, and the camera is even worse. i couldnt wait for that one to be over.

[Positive Touch]

metroid prime shit

mp2 has the most bonertastic graphics of any gamecube game. they made it more linear (theres a hub world with each of the levels branching off) but each separate world has lots to explore. and i dont think you'll be talking about getting rid of the boss fights in the series once youre done with this game. id say one of them belongs on any decent list of best game bosses ever.

[cool breeze]

I got the Prime Trilogy.

Decided to stop playing Prime 3 and go back to my Prime 2 save which is roughly an hour or so into the game. A save I last played like a year ago. So basically it took me at least 20 minutes to figure out what I was supposed to be doing since there's no way to check your objective.

Managed to finish the first *section* and move onto the swamp lands. The light/dark mechanics aren't too bad, specially now that I have the dark suit.

Prime 2 definite feels more like Prime 1 than Prime 3 already did. Less enemies, more emphasis on maneuvering through the game world.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, they could make one of these games that focused SOLELY on exploration, puzzle solving, and collecting upgrades and remove ALL of the major enemies (little creatures can stay) and I would be perfectly fine with it. Focus the entire thing on making the game world deep with tons of secrets and multiple routes. Would be amaze.

Funny thing is I had that exact same takeaway after Metroid Prime 2.  Combat in those games feels like a speed bump to the joy of exploring.  And it's not just that Prime combat is kinda lousy to me.

mp2 has the most bonertastic graphics of any gamecube game. they made it more linear (theres a hub world with each of the levels branching off) but each separate world has lots to explore. and i dont think you'll be talking about getting rid of the boss fights in the series once youre done with this game. id say one of them belongs on any decent list of best game bosses ever.

don't know about fistful, but for me it's: keep the bosses, get rid of other enemies.

[Rufus]

i loved that game, for all its flaws & simplicity. i'd say the second quest is worth checking out - not with the other vampire dude, but with the harder difficulty. its WAY tf harder and has totally different enemy placement that is fucking brutal. even the little tutorial area at the start is pretty hard. feels really satisfying to go through.

Eh, I don't think I could take it with the camera the way it is. Going down the corridors towards the screen was annoying enough on normal. I was ready for it to be over anyway.

the other ps2 game sucks anus. combat is stupidly simplified, levels are just as boring, bosses are easy, and the camera is even worse. i couldnt wait for that one to be over.

Ugh, really? I didn't even spend five minutes with it so far. Gonna have a look at it tomorrow. Wasn't impressed with the sword though.

[fistfulofmetal]

don't know about fistful, but for me it's: keep the bosses, get rid of other enemies.

yeah, I can fuck with this.

[Purple Filth]

Went in a bit deeper with saints row 3 and 

That eastern European female voice is great

[chronovore]

She's got a thing for Pierce, I recall?

It'd be funny to use the female voice with a male character, and have him hitting on Pierce the whole game.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[chronovore]

Started Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes. it is fun. It is also prettier than any other Lego game to-date. I'm stunned that they graded up their engine, as they've been phoning this series in for years.

My son has been adding new chapters to the "Superman is a dick" meme. Batman in this game is shown to dislike Supes in the cutscenes, and as I play Batman while my son flies around as Superman, I learn why.

The split screen camera for local co op is unable to deal with a character who can fly in tight, fast circles around the screen. When he dashes around, faster than a speeding bullet, I become immediately nauseous as I try to locate on which portion of the rotating, vertical, perspective shifting divide my character is on. When he's not flying, Supes is still a PITA: Batman is wandering across tightropes, across fall-to-death chasms, when Superman will fly in, show that he too can walk on tightropes... extra slowly... Preventing Bats from making any progress on the rope... when Superman can JUST FLY ALREADY!

Plus, he has a tendency to shoot everything with Heat Vision, assassinating minifig thugs wholesale.

Superman lost is power to fly, so I just now saw him steal a car from some Gotham City dweller, GTA style.

Superman is a dick.

[StealthFan]

Finishing up Ballad Of Gay Tony and it is tons of fun. Can't wait for GTA V now. Too bad Lost And The Damned isn't that good.

Gonnna finish Yakuza 3 after I am done. I quit playing it the second I got to the city. I know that's where it gets gud but I was sick of it by then.

[fistfulofmetal]

The light/dark world stuff in Prime 2 is finally start to get on my nerves. I'm in the Torvus Bog and need to find the final dark temple key and sitting here combing through both the light and dark world maps trying to find some place I haven't been to. I got the gravity booster for water and the grapple beam but absolutely no idea where I have to use it in any of the three areas.

Need a break to clear my head. Been playing all day and there's no way I'm gonna figure it out at this point.

[Trent Dole]

Yeah Prime 2's key hunting thing is kinda weird/stupid. The archive or whatever piece hunt at the end of Prime 1 was one of the worst and most annoying parts of the game SO THEY MADE IT ONE OF THE MAIN CRUXES OF THE SEQUEL. Proving the goodness of Prime One was probably just the result of Shiggy keeping a tight leash and upending dat tea table repeatedly.

..and of course it's worth noting that when they lost their hands on the series it somehow got even worse. Team ninja dog  :xbone

[Freyj]

Enjoying Dishonored, but wasn't particularly thrilled when the third level dropped me right back into the exact same environment from the second level.

[Himu]

Finishing up Ballad Of Gay Tony and it is tons of fun. Can't wait for GTA V now. Too bad Lost And The Damned isn't that good.

[Great Rumbler]

Enjoying Dishonored, but wasn't particularly thrilled when the third level dropped me right back into the exact same environment from the second level.

It doesn't do that too often, fortunately.

[StealthFan]

Finishing up Ballad Of Gay Tony and it is tons of fun. Can't wait for GTA V now. Too bad Lost And The Damned isn't that good.

I think the story is fucking whack. It tries way too hard. I'll give it another shot, but so far I think the characters are a bunch of crybabies.

[Positive Touch]

it also fell into the same trap as gta4: lots of driving n talking followed by an auto lock on gun battle. repeat over and over til the game ends

[StealthFan]

it also fell into the same trap as gta4: lots of driving n talking followed by an auto lock on gun battle. repeat over and over til the game ends

This. TBOGT cut to the chase.

[fistfulofmetal]

The boss battle for Torvus Bog was awesome. I loved how it implemented the various tools I'd collected up to that point and required me switching between them all quickly enough to successfully take the boss down. Lots of fun that was.

[Joe Molotov]

Finishing up Ballad Of Gay Tony and it is tons of fun. Can't wait for GTA V now. Too bad Lost And The Damned isn't that good.

I think the story is fucking whack. It tries way too hard. I'll give it another shot, but so far I think the characters are a bunch of crybabies.

Remember that time Himu stopped stanning for GTA? That was a great five minutes.

[Himu]

Finishing up Ballad Of Gay Tony and it is tons of fun. Can't wait for GTA V now. Too bad Lost And The Damned isn't that good.

I think the story is fucking whack. It tries way too hard. I'll give it another shot, but so far I think the characters are a bunch of crybabies.

I think the story is great, and I've gone on record multiple times as saying it is GTAIV done right, but tastes are subjective.

[StealthFan]

It is definitely above GTA IV in terms of gameplay.

[Rufus]

Castlevania: Curse of Darkness is actually pretty fun. Crafting and leveling summoned monsters that fight by my side is surprisingly motivating. The monsters evolve and even have skill trees that they advance through by collecting tokens that drop from enemies. What kind of token you get depends on the type of weapon you're using to kill enemies with. It's unfortunately very grindy, so I won't be seeing every variation of any summon, but it's neat nonetheless.
Shame the levels are still full of pointless and time wasting corridors connecting every room arena, but I want to explore every corner regardless. I guess I'm just damaged as far as Metroidvanias go. I will complete these damned maps. Thank god there are teleporters this time around.
Sadly the combat is even more chaotic than in Lament of Innocence, controllable camera notwithstanding. The optional lock-on function somehow makes it even worse, but it's very useful for bosses (even though they are indeed pretty easy). The lock-on system's thievery mechanic (the reticule turns pink when you can steal something) is pretty fun though, even though it can prolong the often tedious fighting even further.

[Himu]

It is definitely above GTA IV in terms of gameplay.

I really like the story too. It's cool to have a GTA story where you're pursuit money, fame, or power. They're just a gang that's falling apart. I especially like how TLAD connects with IV, and some characters you end up liking are offed by Niko (that asshole).

[ferrarimanf355]

Started Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes. it is fun. It is also prettier than any other Lego game to-date. I'm stunned that they graded up their engine, as they've been phoning this series in for years.

My son has been adding new chapters to the "Superman is a dick" meme. Batman in this game is shown to dislike Supes in the cutscenes, and as I play Batman while my son flies around as Superman, I learn why.

The split screen camera for local co op is unable to deal with a character who can fly in tight, fast circles around the screen. When he dashes around, faster than a speeding bullet, I become immediately nauseous as I try to locate on which portion of the rotating, vertical, perspective shifting divide my character is on. When he's not flying, Supes is still a PITA: Batman is wandering across tightropes, across fall-to-death chasms, when Superman will fly in, show that he too can walk on tightropes... extra slowly... Preventing Bats from making any progress on the rope... when Superman can JUST FLY ALREADY!

Plus, he has a tendency to shoot everything with Heat Vision, assassinating minifig thugs wholesale.

Superman lost is power to fly, so I just now saw him steal a car from some Gotham City dweller, GTA style.

Superman is a dick.

This post is made of win.

[Stoney Mason]

About Halfway through Shadows of the Damned.

What a fun silly great universe. Great characters.

The gameplay part of the package is average but the character of the game really carries it. I feel sad that its very difficult to make games like this that the general public will actually buy.

[Bebpo]

You haven't gotten to the terrible parts yet, I take it?


Game was ok.  Has some highs, but very forgettable.

[Rufus]

Yeah, have you tasted the big boner yet?

[Stoney Mason]

You haven't gotten to the terrible parts yet, I take it?


Game was ok.  Has some highs, but very forgettable.

The appeal here is definitely the universe rather than the gameplay which is okay but nothing amazing but then there are a lot bigger budget games that have the same flaws and much less of the charm.

[Himu]

The bosses are great and I'm not seeing why the universe was so appealing? I thought the gameplay was fine and it was a decent RE4 wannabe.

[Stoney Mason]

It was funny. It mixed in sex. It mixed in comedy. It mixed homages of other classic works of media. And its done it in a package that feels far more like a comic book than a typical videogame. That's an appealing universe to me. Far more than something like Metal Gear Solid which many video game nerds wank to. I've laughed more at it through the halfway point than I have for nearly any other videogame. I would like to see more with that character and that universe although that seems unlikely.  I liked the universe. Pretty simple.


Gameplay doesn't impress outside of the visual design of the world and the weapons and the bosses.

[magus]

decided to take my own suggestion and started playing dragon's crown again with a different character,i'm going with the amazon this time... she's a lot slower and frail than the warrior which makes the game somewhat harder but as she piles the hit,she goes into berserk and when she gets into full berserk mode her attack becomes crazy fast and her DPS goes through the roof... her skill tree is more interessing and features stuff like trading hp for the ability to go into berserk faster and higher attack when you get into critical HP

i should take a peek into the other character too,i know the dwarf get throw moves and some defense buff... and the elf gets elemental damage,the two spellcasting classes have the same attacks but they seems to differ when it comes to the skill list with the sorceress having more support spells

[The Sceneman]

It was funny. It mixed in sex. It mixed in comedy. It mixed homages of other classic works of media. And its done it in a package that feels far more like a comic book than a typical videogame. That's an appealing universe to me. Far more than something like Metal Gear Solid which many video game nerds wank to. I've laughed more at it through the halfway point than I have for nearly any other videogame. I would like to see more with that character and that universe although that seems unlikely.  I liked the universe. Pretty simple.


Gameplay doesn't impress outside of the visual design of the world and the weapons and the bosses.

Yeah Shadows of the Damned is pretty damn cool. Lots of laughs and just general cool shit all round.

I'm about 2/3rds through Bioshock Infinite, not sure if I can bring myself to finish it. The gunplay is average, the powers all do the same thing, and theres way too many bullet sponge enemies (I am playing on 1999 mode though). There have been a few nice moments, the Hall of Heroes was really interesting graphically. But really I'm not intrigued by the world at all, and there hasn't been one moment in about 8 hours of play that I was genuinely excited or having a good time. Gonna go back to Binary Domain I think (i.e. a REAL shooter without any art wank)

[tiesto]

It was funny. It mixed in sex. It mixed in comedy. It mixed homages of other classic works of media. And its done it in a package that feels far more like a comic book than a typical videogame. That's an appealing universe to me. Far more than something like Metal Gear Solid which many video game nerds wank to. I've laughed more at it through the halfway point than I have for nearly any other videogame. I would like to see more with that character and that universe although that seems unlikely.  I liked the universe. Pretty simple.


Gameplay doesn't impress outside of the visual design of the world and the weapons and the bosses.

Yeah Shadows of the Damned is pretty damn cool. Lots of laughs and just general cool shit all round.

I'm about 2/3rds through Bioshock Infinite, not sure if I can bring myself to finish it. The gunplay is average, the powers all do the same thing, and theres way too many bullet sponge enemies (I am playing on 1999 mode though). There have been a few nice moments, the Hall of Heroes was really interesting graphically. But really I'm not intrigued by the world at all, and there hasn't been one moment in about 8 hours of play that I was genuinely excited or having a good time. Gonna go back to Binary Domain I think (i.e. a REAL shooter without any art wank)

Best part of Binary Domain:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

[close]

[Himu]

and



One is pulling major signs of rpg of the generation.

The other is the first half of my favorite game of all time.

Pretty good.

[Himu]

This fucking game. Fucking DARTS. Fuck YES.

[Himu]

Masterful song. Always gets me every time I hear it.



I can never get tired of the lives of the denizens of Dobuita. Eri and Nozomi are studying for exams. Too bad Ryo dropped out of school. Naoyuki, why do you keep going on about your motorcycle? Ichiro, yes I know Ine-san is worried when I come home late, don't bug me about it. Komine-san's sales have been dropping, bread just isn't as popular as pizza these days, especially when his own daughter prefers Bob's Pizzeria to his bakery. Kurita, Tom, Ryoko the girl manning the antique shop for her grandpa, Yuriko, Miki. I love the small town feel of 1, the stark contrast of feeling like a foreigner in 2 is done so beautifully.

Shenmue I'm so blessed

[StealthFan]

The final mission of GTA IV is so bad that I am not going to complete it. The bike physics are so wonky on that sand that I can't make that stupid jump. I'm just going to replay Lost & The Damned until I get Yakuza 3 tomorrow.

[chronovore]

The final mission of GTA IV is so bad that I am not going to complete it. The bike physics are so wonky on that sand that I can't make that stupid jump. I'm just going to replay Lost & The Damned until I get Yakuza 3 tomorrow.

YOU CAN DO IT.

DO EEEEET.

II had the same problem. Shit, I had trouble getting to that jump, and nearly had it the first time, blew it entirely six more times after that. Just gun it, and the bike will take care of the rest. Trying to finesse it will blow it every time.

What an insane, annoying final mission. San Andreas was the best in the series, in that regard.

[Himu]

GTASA's final mission was almost as bad. III and Vice City's final missions are much better and don't require you to do some stupid scripted vehicle chase like SA and IV.

[StealthFan]

If it had TBOGT's logical checkpoint system then it would restart at the point where you get the bike and I wouldn't get so assfrustrated.

Also I am feeling TLAD a lot more this time around. I was admittedly in a very bad mood the first time I played through it.

[Bebpo]

(Image removed from quote.)

and

(Image removed from quote.)

One is pulling major signs of rpg of the generation.

The other is the first half of my favorite game of all time.

Pretty good.

[Himu]

Haha yeah yup.

[tiesto]

Rockstar should've combined Lost and the Damned and Gay Tony into one single game about GAY BIKERS

[Joe Molotov]

The Lost and the Gay: The Ballad of Leather Daddy Tony

[Akala]

I saw pics of the new smash bros and thought it looked cool. I have never bought one before.   

[fistfulofmetal]

Man this 3rd world I have to collect these dark keys from in Prime 2 is pretty fuckin poopy. Boring corridors and robot enemies. So dull and tedious.

So uh... no thanks. I don't feel like trudging through that.

[Positive Touch]

NO DO IT

DO IT TIL YOU GET TO THE BOSS

[fistfulofmetal]

you mean the final boss i assume? the mid-boss was pretty cool.

i just really hate these pirate that can warp around. so fucking annoying.

[Positive Touch]

i mean the final boss in that computer tower level

[hampster]

I started Eschalon Book II tonight. I was a little worried since I know nothing about book 1 but the intro is basically "you returned the sacred key to its rightful place, but it didn't matter and everything went to shit anyway. You moved to a new country, bought a house and spent the last two years fishing."

Guess you don't need to play book 1 Anyway it seems enjoyable so far. Right now I'm just talking to people in the first town and killing a few rats

[Crash Dummy]

I'm about 2/3rds through Bioshock Infinite, not sure if I can bring myself to finish it. The gunplay is average, the powers all do the same thing, and theres way too many bullet sponge enemies (I am playing on 1999 mode though). There have been a few nice moments, the Hall of Heroes was really interesting graphically. But really I'm not intrigued by the world at all, and there hasn't been one moment in about 8 hours of play that I was genuinely excited or having a good time. Gonna go back to Binary Domain I think (i.e. a REAL shooter without any art wank)

Best part of Binary Domain:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

[close]

[/quote]

recently finished bioshock infinite after picking it up during the steam sale and liked it enough while playing it but the more i've thought about it since completing the more i'm feeling a little disappointed in it overall; from the story being resolved in a long cutscene ending when i'd have liked it to have better spread and paced over the course of the game to the combat being just ok but nothing memorable. on the whole though i do like the world/setting a lot, more than rapture in fact, and there were some cool moments with elizabeth

[Rufus]

Finished Castlevania: Curse of Darkness. The level design was indeed atrocious. In much too many areas, you were just going from one square room to another. Enter room, fight (if you get locked in or needed to grind something), superfluous corridor, square room, corridor, room, etc. Complete snoozefest. Dracula's Castle is basically just that. Designing an entire level/zone from nothing but rectangles works in 2D and on a much smaller scale, but in a 3D game with a not too complex fighting system (and spaz out camera) that's just bad. Thankfully one of your minion types has an inexpensive and very strong AoE attack. Clears the rooms rather quickly.
I didn't hate it overall, but it's a shame that it's not a significant improvement over Lament of Innocence. I especially liked the minions and item crafting. I even ended up grinding out all the possible minion evolutions once I found a place where the necessary evolution shards could be farmed very effectively. I didn't go after all the weapons because some of the materials you have to steal are just very tedious to get because the windows for success are tiny. I just wanted to be done at that point. Oh well.

[StealthFan]

I've found that the Yakuza games have a moment where it finally clicks for me.

In 1 it was the funeral.
In 4 it was Taiga's portion.
I am playing 3 right now and that moment is

spoiler (click to show/hide)

when the chinese gang invades the streets and you have to save your lackey

[close]

Too bad I quit playing 2 before I got to that moment.

[Rahxephon91]

Man 2 is the best. You gotta go back. How far did you get?

[StealthFan]

I don't even remember. I remember a bomb, or fireworks or something. It's been years. Someone got me a two month Gamefly certificate and they have it available so I'm gonna give it a rent.

[Himu]

[StealthFan]

I remember Shenmue owning when I played it back in 2001. I tried replaying it recently  Some things are better left as memories.

[Himu]

What were your problems with it?