What are you playing?

[VomKriege]

So have been putting 15 to 20 hours in Invisible, Inc and it's really really good. It's the first game from Klei I bought but I like how streamlined and designed the whole thing is. It's a real good illustration of the "easy to play, hard to master" maxim. The only thing that is a potential bother is how short the campaign is. On one hand it's a good thing because it keeps the tension at all times and it goes well with a no quicksave approach, on the other  you won't probably be as engaged in the characters as in a longer game (say, X-com). Overall though I think they made the right decision by forcing the player to adapt to what the RNG deals.

What's really nice is that it is a real "stealth game" through and through : Once a guy is alerted, he will never back down from hunting and given the compact nature of the levels and the ever increasing alarm, this pretty much cascade and translate to the whole complex being on alert soon enough. How stealth games copes with the problem once you are spotted have always been a major issue (notably MGS and Splinter Cell) and it either devolves into a poor TPS or expose in short order how artificial the guards's intelligence. It's counterintuitive that a turn based game game would solve that but there it is.

[mormapope]

Also the 360 port is pretty damn good. Its missing shit that's in the Saturn version but the Saturn version itself was apparently ass compared to the ps1 version.

[Himu]

The ultimate version of SOTN is the psp version.

[mormapope]

On the subject, Super Metroid is garbage compared to SOTN. Super Metroid has clunky as fuck combat, little to no enemy variety, good soundtrack, okay visuals/art design. Its a solid game as a whole, but SOTN is so much more complete.

[Cheddahz]

They're both excellent games

[Positive Touch]

On the subject, Super Metroid is garbage compared to SOTN. Super Metroid has clunky as fuck combat, little to no enemy variety, good soundtrack, okay visuals/art design. Its a solid game as a whole, but SOTN is so much more complete.

I wish I was your father so I could beat you with a belt

[Positive Touch]

Also the 360 port is pretty damn good. Its missing shit that's in the Saturn version but the Saturn version itself was apparently ass compared to the ps1 version.

Saturn version was trash; it's true. the new levels were shit. psp version has Maria just like Saturn, but she plays better in the psp one.

[The Sceneman]

I didn't like how they redid the VA on the PSP version. Aside from that it is the ultimate version

People mostly quote the infamous opening between Richter and Dracula but this part is my personal favourite VA cheese from SotN:

[Bebpo]

I picked up The Order 1886 for $20 and after a few chapters I'm surprisingly enjoying the ride.  It's a good walking sim with a decent cover shooter and my god, the most amazing visuals in a cool setting.  Good music too.  Totally killed any remaining interest in AC London, since I'm getting my Victorian London exploration in crazy good graphics fill with this.  Heard there's no ending and the sequel is canned, which sucks since the story's paced well enough to make the game work as a walking sim.  For now though I'm having fun.

[Trent Dole]

Sotn on  360. It's a bad port of a gud game. Shit looks so dated now but I still love it so.

How was it bad? Genuine curiosity. Seemed fine when I played it.

some graphical and sfx issues. Still one of the best games ever made even with the minor flaws.

[Cerveza mas fina]

I picked up The Order 1886 for $20 and after a few chapters I'm surprisingly enjoying the ride.  It's a good walking sim with a decent cover shooter and my god, the most amazing visuals in a cool setting.  Good music too.  Totally killed any remaining interest in AC London, since I'm getting my Victorian London exploration in crazy good graphics fill with this.  Heard there's no ending and the sequel is canned, which sucks since the story's paced well enough to make the game work as a walking sim.  For now though I'm having fun.

Not sure if the sequel is canned, this game is really good in some respects but in the end its a bit of a proof of concept kind of deal.

I loved almost everything about it except:

-Not long enough or not enough content, game really needed a horde mode or mp or a longer campaign
-Weak combat with what were supposed to be special enemies
-Not enough special or interesting shooting scenarios, the shooting itself is great, but not many encounters felt like they were planned out well

[demi]

Until Dawn > The Order

[Yulwei]

Super Mario Sunshine is still a beautiful game even after all this time. I specially love the water effects they have going on.

[Positive Touch]

you're in the minority bc like half of sunshine sucks ass

[Mods Help]

Sunshine is great because Peach is at her hottest in it.

Can you imagine her being your girlfriend? I can.



Also, it has blue coins.

[Bebpo]

Until Dawn > The Order

Yeah I grabbed that too and played a few hours.  It's pretty hilarious.

[D3RANG3D]

This is actually a lot better than I thought it would be, with Ys style bump into enemy combat.

 

[Positive Touch]

this is true

[Himu]

It ain't.

Sunshine is underrated, though. Always said it. Blue coins are incredible and create for some of the best platforming in the series. Galaxy 1 remains the GOAT though. Every level rocks. Only Mario to have that level of consistency is Yoshi's Island. The rest of are quantity over quality.

Reality is that ALL Mario's? Half the game is shit.

Mario 1, half the game is a copy pasta.
Mario 3 has bloat bloat bloat.
Super Mario World is pretty consistent, and even that has some snore levels.
Yoshi's Island is perfect because it emphasizes quality over quantity, has less levels than other Mario games, and all of them are tied to a specific theme.
Mario 64, the game doesn't get interesting until like the third floor of the castle.
Mario Sunshine, lol. Warp levels and blue coins rock, but there's plenty of mediocre Worlds in this like the theme park.
Mario Galaxy has no issues from my recollection. Or if it does, it's the only one besides YI where I didn't really give a shit because I was having too much fun.
Mario Galaxy 2 is pretty boring. I beat Galaxy 1 in two-three days. It took two months to beat Galaxy 2. It isn't on the same level at all. Still good though, just as much filler as past games.
New Super Mario Bros. sucks.
Super Mario 3d Land is the epitome of horrific Mario "half the game is shit" design. First playthrough sucks and is boring as fuck. Second playthough is

Most inconsistent platforming series. Real talk. Most of them are bloat city. You just never noticed.

Honestly, if someone asked me what Mario games are worth playing? I'd say only World, YI, 64, and Galaxy were worth playing in 2015.Haven't played NSMBwii, wii u, or 3d World yet, so I definitely have Mario to catch up on, but I doubt they those games  prove my hypothesis on Mario incorrect.

Castlevania is the series Mario wish is was. Castlevania > Mario

[archie4208]

He does a good job summing up why Sunshine is flawed.  tl;dw: Mario's controls are the best in the series but the level design is shit and it feels unfinished.

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Playing Grow Home because it's free I'm too filthy poor to afford Mad Max and MGS at full price. There's so little to it, but it's oddly compelling and I'm kinda hooked.

[Positive Touch]

Galaxy had the 64-style levels that were kinda ass. still a thousand times better than the shit levels in sunshine.  fuck the hotel, fuck the theme park, fuck the village.  ALL TERRIBLE.

and what in the entire fuck @ that Castlevania comment. knocking mario for inconsistency while praising Castlevania is ? and i fucking LOVE Castlevania

[Himu]

Only Galaxy 2 had Mario 64 levels. 1 didn't have that at all. Like I said...

And when I talked about consistency, I was not talking about game quality. Mario is far more consistent than Vania in that department. I'm talking about of the good Vania, games, they're great beginning to end with little bloat. Mario has the opposite problem. Also, not all Vania games are platformers. Of the platformer Vania games, I'd put them over Mario any day besides YI and SMG1.

[Bebpo]

Himuro is right on Galaxy.  Galaxy is awesome.  Sunshine is pretty good, but has some less good.  Mario 64 is totally overrated.  Galaxy 2 is a good expansion pack.  3d World plays better than Sunshine but is a bit forgettable because it's less original or interesting than either Sunshine or Galaxy.

[VomKriege]

Yeah so I bought Frozen Cortex (that no one seems to have discussed here) but an error in my form means I still wait for the links to get the game. Frozen Cortex is the last games by the dudes who made Frozen Synapse, and it's a future sports pseudo american football with robots played with a system like Frozen Synapse (WEGO : each player inputs the moves of its units, then everything is resolved simultaneously) on procedural generation pitches. There's a major difference though with Frozen Synapse where each turn lasted 5 seconds, in Cortex a new planning phase will occur when and if the ball changes hands.

It seems the game didn't meet sales expectations, sadly, and Mode7 announced that therefore they wouldn't hassle adding multiplayer leagues which kinda sucks because the Frozen template is really great for asynchronous PBEM. There's a really robust single player game it seems...



Will give some impressions as soon as I put some hours in.

[Himu]

Himuro is right on Galaxy.  Galaxy is awesome.  Sunshine is pretty good, but has some less good.  Mario 64 is totally overrated.  Galaxy 2 is a good expansion pack.  3d World plays better than Sunshine but is a bit forgettable because it's less original or interesting than either Sunshine or Galaxy.

Galaxy 2 being described as "a good expansion pack" is pretty apt. Probably one of the most unnecessary sequels I've ever seen.

[chronovore]

Yeah so I bought Frozen Cortex (that no one seems to have discussed here) but an error in my form means I still wait for the links to get the game. Frozen Cortex is the last games by the dudes who made Frozen Synapse, and it's a future sports pseudo american football with robots played with a system like Frozen Synapse (WEGO : each player inputs the moves of its units, then everything is resolved simultaneously) on procedural generation pitches. There's a major difference though with Frozen Synapse where each turn lasted 5 seconds, in Cortex a new planning phase will occur when and if the ball changes hands.

It seems the game didn't meet sales expectations, sadly, and Mode7 announced that therefore they wouldn't hassle adding multiplayer leagues which kinda sucks because the Frozen template is really great for asynchronous PBEM. There's a really robust single player game it seems...

I bought Synapse but only played about five minutes, telling myself I'd get back to it, and then never did. I'm sad that Mode7 didn't find their audience with it; I assumed one was out there but didn't include me.

[VomKriege]

Synapse is a great multiplayer game, provided you're into tactical games (as often said it's Rainbow 6 planning : The Game). The single player is basically one giant tutorial. Frozen Cortex is supposed to be much more viable as a single player experience and a much more laid back affair (in Synapse it was easy and often required to fiddle down to the tenth of a second in your planning to survive). The game was victim of its own concept, it seems, as a lot of Synapse players just had a problem with the fact that it is a "sport" game (geeks gonna be geeks, I guess). They also changed the title from Frozen Endzone which was more to the point. The game lost steam by the end of its early access instead of gathering hype. Anyway, Mode 7 kinda dropped the ball by aborting the multiplayer league, I would have tought that would be the main appeal of the game and it should have been here day 1. Mode7 are a two man outfit, so it's unfortunately to be expected.

[Himu]

Yoshi's Island = Galaxy 1 > World > Sunshine > 64 > Galaxy 2 > 2 > 1 > 2j > 3

Castlevania 3 and Rondo of Blood > all 2d Mario's except YI

Mega Man 2/3, X4, Zero 2 > all 2d Mario's except YI

[Stoney Mason]

Super Mario 64 was my favorite game of all time for a very long time. And it was the first mario game that I ever liked and just the whole 3d thing for its time was just so revolutionary.

I was so hyped for Sunshine but it never clicked with me. I seem to remember thinking it was needlessly complex with the world design and I quit halfway through it. Some day when I have the time, I would like to go back and play it and give it an honest shot.

Have yet to play the Galaxy games but I will get around to those. I tend to only like Mario games when they are 3d versus the 2d stuff. I understand the 2d stuff is well appreciated obviously but they never were a draw for me.

[Stoney Mason]

Yeah so I bought Frozen Cortex (that no one seems to have discussed here) but an error in my form means I still wait for the links to get the game. Frozen Cortex is the last games by the dudes who made Frozen Synapse, and it's a future sports pseudo american football with robots played with a system like Frozen Synapse (WEGO : each player inputs the moves of its units, then everything is resolved simultaneously) on procedural generation pitches. There's a major difference though with Frozen Synapse where each turn lasted 5 seconds, in Cortex a new planning phase will occur when and if the ball changes hands.

It seems the game didn't meet sales expectations, sadly, and Mode7 announced that therefore they wouldn't hassle adding multiplayer leagues which kinda sucks because the Frozen template is really great for asynchronous PBEM. There's a really robust single player game it seems...



Will give some impressions as soon as I put some hours in.

I knew this would have a hard times sales wise as nerds and football even if its robotic don't mix. The premise is much more interesting to me as a sports fan than synapse was even though I thought synapse was well executed.

[Cheddahz]

i've never played a mario game before

[The Sceneman]

man The Evil Within is the REAL DEAL. Up to Chapter 9 and this is the true successor to RE4. Incredible action and atmosphere, one of the best horror games ever. Gonna buy the DLC too even. 9/10

My favourite parts so far:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

The gothic lab under the cemetery was creepy as hell then you go into the scary ass catacombs. Going around corners was terrifying as I had no idea what was waiting for me. Game is a masterpiece

[close]

[The Sceneman]

You guys wanna play with your Mario Games?

[Rufus]

i've never played a mario game before

I tried many times to get into them, but always bounced off. I think platformers that are only about platforming are just not my thing. There needs to be a whip to crack or a sword to swing at the very least.

[Himu]

i've never played a mario game before

I tried many times to get into them, but always bounced off. I think platformers that are only about platforming are just not my thing. There needs to be a whip to crack or a sword to swing at the very least.

Play Rocket Knight Adventures for Genesis/MD. Thank me later, never play a Mario ever again. Also, 3d Mario's are about more than platforming. They might be more your thing?

[Stoney Mason]

I never played any of the 2d zelda games. I was playing PC rpgs so I was a bit snobby about jrpg's and action rpgs like zelda back then.

I understand now that was the wrong sort opinion to hold but I have a feeling it would be the same situation as mario. The 2-d stuff would interest me a lot less than the 3-d stuff.

[Cheddahz]

i've never played a mario game before

I tried many times to get into them, but always bounced off. I think platformers that are only about platforming are just not my thing. There needs to be a whip to crack or a sword to swing at the very least.

We had a Super Nintendo growing up, but after playing Mega Man X and Super Metroid, my five year old self just thought Mario looked boring (I've played the kart games, but I don't really count those)

[tiesto]

Aside from 3D Land and World I was never much for 3D Mario. I don't like the "do the same level multiple times to get different stars" aspect or the more open ended nature of the game worlds. Also they seem riddled with gimmicks I can't get into - the waggle in the Galaxy games, the FLUDD cleanup in Sunshine... 3D Land/World feels more like the 2D games in spirit.

[Rufus]

i've never played a mario game before

I tried many times to get into them, but always bounced off. I think platformers that are only about platforming are just not my thing. There needs to be a whip to crack or a sword to swing at the very least.

Play Rocket Knight Adventures for Genesis/MD. Thank me later, never play a Mario ever again. Also, 3d Mario's are about more than platforming. They might be more your thing?

On my list, just gotta get around to it. Galaxy always looked intriguing to me, but I never bothered to get a Wii. Might try on Dolphin.

I know Rocket Knight on SNES is a different game. That worth playing too?

[Mods Help]

You mean Sparkster?

[Positive Touch]

sparkster is the sequel to rocket knight, and the Genesis and super nintendo versions are completely different games.  the snes one is supposed to be better but i never played it.  don't worry too much about the sequels tho bc the original is the true classic

[BobFromPikeCreek]

RKA rules, Sparkster is kinda junk as I recall.

Wait I only played Sparkster GEN. Had no idea SNES was different, and apparently really good. I'll have to check it out.

[qq more]

Rocket Knight Adventure is really an awesome game. One of the finest platformers on the Sega Genesis.

As for the Genesis sequel, I didn't play a lot of it, but it seemed pretty decent I guess. The SNES spinoff was alright, I didn't enjoy the factory stage much due to all of those instant kill traps I kept flying straight into. But I was probably just being too hasty, I'll give it another go someday.

I played the demo of the last gen Rocket Knight game and... yuck. How the hell do you manage to make the SHMUP segment so dull and boring? The art direction was terrible too (why is it so generic and where is the steampunk style?!), and the gameplay felt kind of mediocre overall. I'm glad I didn't buy the full game.


On the subject of Mario... while I loved Galaxy, I much far prefer 64 (it's my favorite Mario game in fact!). I didn't like the controls in Galaxy as much and I prefer 64's non-linear style. I have yet to play Galaxy 2 though, but I heard it was much better? As for Sunshine, I've never played that game a whole lot. I think I got upto the 2nd world? The game is pretty fun so far, although a bit iffy here and there in regards to the level design. I love the controls on the other hand, probably the best I've ever felt in the series.


I really loved 3D World, despite feeling very lukewarm towards 3D Land. I'm not sure what it is, but 3D Land just felt so... unforgettable, kinda bland and just not that interesting? Something about that game never clicked to me. I ended up forcing myself finishing the last world just so I can say I've beaten the game. 3D World felt like the opposite of that, everything about that game felt pure joy and fun.

[Mods Help]

I'll be honest and say that the older I get the less I enjoy 2d Mario games and enjoy the 3d ones more.

Mario 64, I used to not give enough credit to. While not too big on the game I sometimes go to it because it reminds me of a lot of the good emotions I have tied to it. I ultimately prefer Sunshine despite its flaws, though.

Galaxy 2 is considered better but really is just an expansion pack like Bebpo and Queen say. It's far easier, has far more gimmicks, coasts on nostalgia, and is another "doesn't get interesting until you beat the game and get into the post-game" Mario title like 3D Land. While good compared to other games, it lacks the magic of the original Galaxy. Lightning does not strike twice and the original Galaxy is a lightning in a bottle sort of game. Liken it to Yoshi's Island 2 on ds. Sure, you could argue it's better than the original (and it isn't) but the original is so iconic that you might as well just play that. The original is the one people will remember. Galaxy 2 is similar.

3d World's cat Peach is my waifu.

[Positive Touch]

the newer 2d Marios i played sucked. they were competent but every level i saw used rehashed ideas from the old games. creatively lazy.

[qq more]

I enjoyed the NSMB series but it is seriously hard for me to call them great. They're generally competent and very well designed, and heck even pretty fun, but they... just feel like expansion packs to the DS game. And they seriously rehashy as hell.


I'm really glad the NSMB series seems to be over. I just hope they do something interesting with the next 2D Mario... but IDK at this point. As much as I loved 3D World, it seems even the 3D games aren't going to try to distant themselves from the traditional stuff anymore.

[Syph]

flyin out tomorrow but when i land it'll be nothing but MGS5 for the foreseeable future
damn im pumped

[VomKriege]

Frozen Cortex is pretty good. The rules of this future sport are not complex : in offense you must run or you must pass, never going backwards. If you run, you must make it in one go to the endzone. Passes are more lenient but you only have 3 by possession. You must be stationary to block or intercept. So it's all about the positioning and the passing lanes in the randomly generated maze that serves as a pitch. The matches are very compact, with a standard length of 12 turns (roughly on average three offensive drives) so a match never overstays its welcome and you're always making core, essential decisions. As I said previously, each player input his command for next turn and the opposing moves are resolved simultaneously. A planning phase occurs each time the ball changes hands or a touchdown is scored.

This is a whole match in replay :


The single player game is surprisingly robust, there's a ton of variants (some to unlock), a real manager mode where you can play several seasons with some sort of storyline (the commentator and coach text is pretty funny... There's a team with a spergy fedora geek named Moderator GoatPost as a coach  ), have access to a free agent market and with an integrated college championship for drafts. On top of that you also can create custom leagues or games. It's a much, much improved effort from Frozen Synapse as a solo game although Cortex may fall in a somewhat middling point that will appeal neither to the real sports fan be it a FIFA / NBA2K / Football Manager nor to the Blood Bowl fanbase. May have been different if the multiplayer got off the ground but alas, it was not to be, despite the rather intelligent policy continued from Synapse to offer two keys to each buyer.

As for Synapse, Mode7 like to have everything in the game menus, including an IRC chat for support (which I never saw used in either game  ), it's a weird sense of ergonomy although the UI is far from being the worse. It's all a little bit rough on the edge (the exe is still caled Frozen Endzone, the discarded title) and a step down from something like Invisible, Inc.

The music by nervous-testpilot is still really ace, just like for Synapse.







 

[suppadoopa]

Deus Ex The Fall

it's awful 

[qq more]

MGSV aside, I've been playing Ace Attorney Trilogy. Many years later and I still love these games. Pretty hyped for Ace Attorney 6, hoping it's a lot better than 5. (Not that 5 was bad or anything, it was good too but it could've been better)

[D3RANG3D]

Eternal Senia Man is the translation hokey, it's a little on the easy side but I am enjoying it.

Princess Remedy In a World of Hurt weird game where you play as a healer going around kill off people infections, it's made by the guy who made Iji, Hero Core etc., it's such a simple concept yet oddly compelling.

[eleuin]

Catherine

Damn I suck at this

[tiesto]

Gonna play lots of MGS5 this Labor Day weekend, since I decided not to go to Electric Zoo this year.

Friends are coming over tonight to smoke weed and play games. I'm gonna show them Somer Assault for Turbo Grafx, which I just bought. An Atlus-developed game where you play as a slinky!

[Positive Touch]

that game looks pretty awesome

[VomKriege]

Still Frozen Cortex, still good.
It's pretty impressive how the game works despite the fact that a player can only enter three different types or orders : waypoints, a timer to set how long a robot will stay stationary at a waypoint, and passes (if on offense). Blocks, interceptions and tackles will occur if the player is at the right position. It's very streamlined compared to Synapse where you could at any point set waypoints, choose facing, crouche or stand, ignore or reacquire specific target...

Played some multi. It's pretty barren, like 10 people were online today ? But had a few matches nonetheless.

[Positive Touch]

me yesterday: man Peace Walker isn't that bad really. the campaign is really easy and short, but it has decent variety. also the ranking system and extra ops basically act as vr missions, so playing thru them all should be pretty fun.

me today: FUCKING BULLSHIT SPECIAL BOSSES THESE FUCKERS TAKE A HALF HOUR TO KILL THIS ISN'T FUN AT ALL FUCK

[tiesto]

Being pure shit at MGS5. Mission 12, every time I get to the area I need to be, the door is locked since by the time I get there I usually have the enemies alerted to my presence. Should I be doing these missions at night? Does that make things easier?

[BrokenVerses]

Dark Souls

Well I killed Ornstein & Smough finally The way I wanted - solo, no magic, melee only and Smough first.

(Image removed from quote.)

Took me only ~1.5 hours of trying them plus 2-3 hours grinding for Souls for material upgrades for Great Club and STR upgrade for Greatshield of Artorias.

My stats if anyone is curious:

(Image removed from quote.)

Equipment, <50% equipment load thanks to Mask of the Father and that Ring I got for killing that bastard Launtrec:

(Image removed from quote.)

As for the fight itself some stats:

- died 11 times to O&S
- died 5 times to Super Ornstein
- in the first phase used the shield ONLY to block "charging bull" Smough attack. I could never for the life of me roll out of his way.
- in the second phase I turtled 100%, just like Sir Alonne. TURTLE POWER!!! Super Ornstein's AoE slam took like 5% of my health.

That's not bad considering Fume Knight killed me 63 times before I got him. When I finally upgraded my Great Club to +10, only for this one particular boss fight, I was very happy with the results as it was dealing 230 damage to Super Ornstein vs 70 damage of my Lightning Spear +3. HOWEVER Smough took only 230 damage from the GC+10 vs 280-320 damage from Lightning Spear +3! That's why I used 2 weapons in this fight - LS+3 for Smough and GC+10 for Super Ornstein.

So when I first battled Super Ornstein with my GC+10 it was smooth sailing until he got like 50% of health left. Then he impaled me. Uh, ok, I do not remember this move must be a new one. Then he impaled me AGAIN, immediately. I had 10% of health left. That's bad. Then he does the impaling attack AGAIN (!!!) for the 3rd time IN A ROW. I try to roll (hey it's like Pursuer's) but the MOTHERFUCKER IMPALES ME FOR THE 3RD TIME AND KILLS ME.

.............................................................

I was furious. I was so angry that I lost 6 next fights with O&S in the first phase. Then I finally got to Super Ornstein again. And guess what happened. HE IMPALED ME AT THE BEGINNING!!! So that's kind of good cause I learned this is his normal move and not something he "unlocks" after losing 50% health. It made me calmer and the next time he tried this I avoided. And then I learned to avoid it always

And then that bitch DIED.

Is this battle harder than Fume Knight? Hmm... not really. I think it depends on who you want to kill first.

Nice, that's how I did it too.

You have some real fun waiting for you in the DLC boss fights.

[suppadoopa]

Burnout Paradise with Ridge Racer and Initial D OST playing in the background