Author Topic: Horizon Forbidden Waifu  (Read 9332 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

naff

  • someday you feed on a tree frog
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #120 on: February 22, 2022, 08:54:12 PM »
reference the section on water here, it's transparency, the way light reflects and plays on the water



compared to how flat and simple reflections and geometry of the water is here, hardly ripples as you move around, night and day to me



◕‿◕

naff

  • someday you feed on a tree frog
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #121 on: February 22, 2022, 09:11:20 PM »
not saying the original wasn't an incredibly pretty game, but the density, use of light, detail and interactivity of environments on display in FW is so much richer than in the original. then you get onto the new robots, the complexity of their animations and extensions to their moving parts, the lighting system is so much better and the robots textures and geometry pop so much more making them look and feel much more alive. the LoD and general artstyle when looking across wide expanses of the game is hugely more impressive. it all adds up to something that feels like a massive step up to me.
◕‿◕

naff

  • someday you feed on a tree frog
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #122 on: February 22, 2022, 09:22:26 PM »

◕‿◕

naff

  • someday you feed on a tree frog
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #123 on: February 22, 2022, 09:26:11 PM »
i never really found myself gawking at vistas in zero dawn, but i do it all the time in forbidden west  :aah
◕‿◕

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #124 on: February 22, 2022, 10:36:04 PM »
I took like 300 photos in Zero Dawn. Lots of gorgeous views.
And taking a lot in Forbidden West too. Same there.

FW so far (haven't seen beyond No Man's Land) has way more detail and way better textures and lighting. Overall graphically much more impressive. True 4k makes it crazy sharp.

ZD has better night, actual dark can't see shit night with light sources and the moon lighting up the environment. They obviously got flack for that and toned it down in FW so nighttime is bright grey instead of true black.

Both have mediocre water but FW water is better than ZD. ZD water was like a C in A+ visuals, FW water so far is like a B in A+ visuals. Sure the water looks nice when you're looking straight down from top view and see the stuff underneath, but looking at eye level it's bland and when you're underwater it's nothing but green. I'll capture some water vids to show what I'm talking about.

Now I'm guessing that when I get to the ocean the water will be way better and more impressive. I'm gonna assume they spent all their water tech for that and the lakes/rivers/waterfalls are just leftover tech from ZD with a few more effects.

In terms of weather effects so far ZD wins because of the snow effects in frozen wilds. So far all I've seen in weather effects in FW has been some dust storms and little pollen flying around.



That snow is the best weather effects I've seen in any game. Even beats RDR2/Death Stranding. I also love it affects gameplay because you can't see shit in the low visibility and it makes it tougher.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #125 on: February 22, 2022, 10:40:22 PM »
Also watching that video, I think the fog valleys which was a LoD hiding artistic workaround in ZD actually added to the look of vistas to make them look really cool. I prefer it to see in sharp detail everything for miles and miles out. But just a personal preference.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #126 on: February 22, 2022, 11:01:27 PM »












I think what bugs me about the water is it has like this AF thing going where the water near you has this sheen to it and then a bit further it just is plain & undetailed.

Also look at that video of a river. The running water looks pretty PS4 gen. I've seen way better flowing water in games. It just stands out because everything else in the visuals is so sharp and perfect.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #127 on: February 22, 2022, 11:06:37 PM »
This was the water in ZD which was pretty ugly imo, FW water is much better.





Maybe I just don't like how they do water artistically compared to other devs. That AC video above still looks great to me. I like how AC does water.

naff

  • someday you feed on a tree frog
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #128 on: February 23, 2022, 12:50:33 AM »
It was p average in zd for sure. I don't usually pick apart games graphically like this, forbidden West is so extremely past the point where I find them competent and not distracting, but I really appreciate how damn nice it is to play this game with the constant visual feast on display. of all the AAA graphics showpieces I've played in the past while, this is the only one where I've been kinda in awe of the water effects and how good it feels to swim around. maybe that's because I can actually swim around and do stuff. it feels like a real environment to interact with. Water was p nice in Uncharted 4 too. Sometimes the streams and rivers look so good! I've also taken a butt load of photos but I haven't ever bothered to figure out how to upload them elsewhere from PS5.

all the showpieces I've played on pc lately, cyberpunk, metro exodus, I haven't really considered it. they looked fine I think, but weren't especially interactive or meaningful so never considered it. I really didn't like the game, stranded deep looked fantastic.
◕‿◕

Let's Cyber

  • Banned (duration pending)
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #129 on: February 23, 2022, 01:30:58 AM »
I get all that and I'm focusing on max upgrading the blue stuff because I'm not gonna have access to the purple stuff for another 20-40 hours and I want the best min-max for all these sidequests and fights now.

Everyone plays this stuff different. If I jetted through the main story in these games I'd never do all the side stuff at the end because it's just too much content and after the story is over I'm pretty much over it. Doing all the side stuff in open-world games as I go along keeps it manageable.
i'm more or less playing the same as you. I had the the entire top right Utaru part of the map cleared out before I headed west, other than the Metal Flowers.

Also you don't need to wait 40 hours. A lot of the purple weapons are available to you now if you're willing to ride out to the coast and buy them. Some will be gated off by certain machine parts, but I just needed a normal thunderjaw part for the sharpshot bow I wanted.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2022, 01:36:37 AM by Let's Cyber »

Let's Cyber

  • Banned (duration pending)
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #130 on: February 23, 2022, 01:35:30 AM »
I would also say, don't full judge the water until you reach the pacific.  :doge The wave tech and underwater portions in the ocean are top tier.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #131 on: February 23, 2022, 07:33:49 AM »
First real patch is out:

Patch notes:

Quote
Addressed a bug during interlude ‘The Eye of the Earth’ where Aloy could fall out of the world after skipping a cinematic.
Addressed a bug in main quest ‘Cradle of Echoes’ where Varl would wander off on a reload from save.
Addressed a bug in main quest ‘The Sea of Sands’ affecting several grapple points.
Side Quests and Errands
Addressed a bug in side quest ‘Blood Choke’ where Atekka would appear to fall out of the sky.

Fixed a progression issue in side quest ‘In The Fog’ related to fast travel during the quest.
Addressed a bug in errand quest ‘Night of Lights’ where a pullable box could get stuck and block the quest progression.
World activities
Addressed a bug where Relic Ruin: The Daunt could not be started in certain circumstances.

Addressed a bug in salvage contract The Greenswell: Plowhorn and the Plants where an optional objective could not be completed if the required item was sent to the player stash.
A rogue Tallneck near The Sand of the Sentinels that would sometimes change the direction of its route has been disciplined.
Gameplay fixes
The Second Chance skill should now work correctly.

Addressed a bug where the camera had an unintended position when using certain weapon techniques.
General fixes
Image oversharpening in HDR mode has been corrected.

Addressed a bug where some settlements would stream in, then stream out in certain circumstances.
Addressed a bug where the HUD would flicker when the player performs a loot action.
Addressed a bug where rapidly opening and closing the map could cause graphical anomalies.
Addressed a bug where Aloy’s animation would sometimes jitter rapidly when climbing after picking up a plant has been fixed.
Fixed a global issue where the direction of Aloy’s gaze, or that of certain NPCs, was incorrect.
Fixed several instances where Aloy, NPCs or enemies could get stuck in geometry.
Addressed a bug where roads and icons on the map would sometimes appear with a delay.
Fixed several streaming issues and unintended loading screens.
NPCs that seemed to suffer from insomnia and would gather in large groups at night in settlements should act more naturally now.
Petra will no longer teleport into her seat inside the Chainscrape brewery if followed immediately after the initial conversation with her.
Crash fixes
Fixed several crashes.
Other
Various performance improvements.
Various other minor fixes and cosmetic improvements.

I knew something was up with the image quality even in quality mode on PS5. Was extremely sharp but felt too much. So there's confirmation there was oversharpening going on and this patch dials that back.

Also wonder if the gaze description fixes the eyes issue in photo mode. If you photo mode a face the eyes would change direction in photo mode and look goofy.

Don't see anything about firegleam icons or the crafting menu taking a long time to load sometimes tho :|

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #132 on: February 23, 2022, 08:00:44 AM »
Firegleam icons not fixed. Photomode eyes seem fixed.

Graphics seem better, notice the oversharpening fix somewhat in quality mode for an overall better looking image, but in performance mode turning down the oversharpening has really helped with the aliasing. There's still a bit but it looks far more ok now.

Let's Cyber

  • Banned (duration pending)
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #133 on: February 23, 2022, 08:45:25 AM »
Yeah I really hope they eventually grey out firegleam icons after they're completed. It's triggering my mind goblins every time I open the map.

I overrode a fire clawstrider during a mission and he's now primary mount. His R1 attack looks awesome. :punch Kind of scared to overide any other ridable machine; I'd hate to lose him. I think Bristlebacks might actually be the most versatile mount in the game but I can't turn down riding around on my raptor.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #134 on: February 23, 2022, 10:09:14 AM »
The firegleam icons are supposed to disappear because the plant is no longer there. I had all the ones in the daunt disappear after I did them but the next day they reappeared. Doesn’t happen to everyone. Definitely not intended and a bug.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #135 on: February 23, 2022, 10:07:51 PM »
It's interesting seeing all the games that Horizon 2 takes inspiration from. Obviously since the first game it's got heavy MGS inspirations, but H2 feels like it takes some stuff from ...Xenoblade lol, even just the Utaru music feels like they played XB2 and wanted something similar in their game.

Plus

spoiler (click to show/hide)
The space people look a lot like XB2 character designs
[close]

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #136 on: February 24, 2022, 03:21:29 AM »
Finished the Utaru area, started on the next place. RACING. Did a test run and fuck that is a long course. Will try it tomorrow.

Some screens I took









« Last Edit: February 24, 2022, 03:36:56 AM by Bebpo »

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #137 on: February 24, 2022, 03:31:17 AM »
Also while I think this game is gorgeous and the best looking console game to date. I'm gonna keep nitpicking stuff I don't like about the gfx because when everything is like 98% gorgeous it's so weird when certain things look bad.

Like this game has terrible rain. The wind is awesome with how trees sway around during rain, but the actual rain is just like someone in paint is using the line tool and just drawing a bunch of straight sharp lines that fall vertically. It kinda reminds me of that GTA Trilogy remaster rain.



When it's hitting the water it looks kinda neat but also kind of weird alienish Geforce CG demo from the 90s because of the uniformity of it all.



That said, the wind effects are really nice

« Last Edit: February 24, 2022, 03:41:24 AM by Bebpo »

Let's Cyber

  • Banned (duration pending)
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #138 on: February 24, 2022, 12:16:47 PM »
It's interesting seeing all the games that Horizon 2 takes inspiration from. Obviously since the first game it's got heavy MGS inspirations, but H2 feels like it takes some stuff from ...Xenoblade lol, even just the Utaru music feels like they played XB2 and wanted something similar in their game.

Plus

spoiler (click to show/hide)
The space people look a lot like XB2 character designs
[close]
For sure. Plainsong feels like something out of Xeno or FF.

The way they've handled the soundtrack is way better this time around. In the first game, the "pre-battle" music that would play when you're sneaking within range of enemies got so played out. Plus it would constantly interrupt the really good exploration music.   :maf

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #139 on: February 25, 2022, 06:04:01 AM »
Started going to the cities in the Tenakth section. Damn this game is massive. Just so many places. I decided not to do any more Tallnecks after the first. I like not knowing what's out there and just exploring blind.

I really like that they kept all the dinos from the first game and spruced them up with better graphics and new moves and then added new enemies on top. Spent some time tonight learning how Thunderjaws work in H2. I was taking them down like nothing in ZD with some freeze arrows to brittle and then tear off disc shooter and shoot the heart, but here they made it freeze resistant, waaaaaay more aggressive in ramming your ass and headbutts ( although they greatly toned down the crazy tracking and range on the satellite funnels ) nerfed the disc shots and damage hard and gave them a ton more life.

So even tearing both discs, acid stating it and using them on it and tearing off the radar and cannons ( which also are super buffed and really hard to not take high damage from ) only gets around 60% HP off, so the rest you gotta do yourself while dodging his crazy tracking melee ramming, tailspins and headbutts.

Pretty tough now, but got the hang of it and took down a few. I feel like learning the best way to take down each dino is really satisfying & rewarding in these games.

Also I picked up a bolt blaster and holy hell these things are awesome and can take down medium sized enemies so fast hitting a weak element. The cannister ropecasters are pretty cool too. I like the idea of making weakpoints when there aren't any, I like all the weapon types in H2 except the disc throw gloves. Haven't seen a real use for them yet.

And skill mods are very cool. Lots of flexibility in builds. I'm running lvl.4 low profile and it's the run past everything stealth I'm used to from ZD.

Game is getting real good. Plus now I have a real tear bow like ZD and can stop using my hunter bow triple arrows for tearing and go back to ZD one shot tear sniping pre-battle.

Pissy F Benny

  • Is down with the sickness
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #140 on: February 25, 2022, 04:44:06 PM »
Finally found time to play a bit more of this, why is nearly every character a piece of shit?

Everyone I've come across (I'm like 3 hrs in) is watchdogs 1 level uncharming :doge
(ice)

Svejk

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #141 on: February 25, 2022, 05:46:53 PM »
Sounds like my biggest gripe of ZD (interacting with people) is even worse in FW.  :-\

Rahxephon91

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #142 on: February 25, 2022, 06:05:39 PM »
Sounds like my biggest gripe of ZD (interacting with people) is even worse in FW.  :-\
Whil the writing is kind of mediocre. The presentation on npc interaction is pretty next level. They look and animate very well. And there's enough directorial flourshes to make them not feel too static.

It is that little kid desire of “i wish every npc was unique and said unique things” manifest. For good and bad.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #143 on: February 25, 2022, 07:02:45 PM »
Sounds like my biggest gripe of ZD (interacting with people) is even worse in FW.  :-\

It's a lot better here for sure.

chronovore

  • relapsed dev
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #144 on: February 25, 2022, 07:32:08 PM »
Finally found time to play a bit more of this, why is nearly every character a piece of shit?

Everyone I've come across (I'm like 3 hrs in) is watchdogs 1 level uncharming :doge

That shit drove me nuts in WD1.

PART of me wonders if Aiden is an unreliable narrator, and that’s his fucked up perception of the world. But UBI’s not that clever.

Let's Cyber

  • Banned (duration pending)
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #145 on: February 26, 2022, 11:56:51 AM »
The Carja priest and Oseram middle manager dude in Chainscrape are intentionally written as shitty people. I don't know why this is a bad thing. Aloy is stressed tf out and the pressure of trying to save the world solo is weighting on her.
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Learning to trust other people is part of her character arc.
[close]
This isn't some shitty nihilistic nothingburger like watch dogs; they're setting things up.

I find the writing to be good and lore/worldbuilding to be excellent in Forbidden West so far. 

Let's Cyber

  • Banned (duration pending)
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #146 on: February 26, 2022, 12:01:11 PM »
I hadn't checked the in-game completion percentage yet

I'm at 38% complete with 43 hours played.

 :crazy

I have been grinding out materials and rarely fast travel so that is part of it, but this game is huge.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #147 on: February 26, 2022, 12:51:11 PM »
Almost exact same stats on my side too.

*edit* although I fast travel a fuckton. But I've been doing more side stuff than main stuff and side stuff isn't weighted as high in completion % vs main story quests. I'm still on the lvl.17 Broken Sky main quest right now.
« Last Edit: February 26, 2022, 02:58:00 PM by Bebpo »

Kestastrophe

  • "Hero" isn't the right word, but its the first word that comes to mind
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #148 on: February 26, 2022, 09:47:50 PM »
I find the writing to be good and lore/worldbuilding to be excellent in Forbidden West so far.
Got my first decent time with the game today, and i agree. I typically skip wordy dialogue in games but i turned the subtitles off and chill out watching the amazing character models and animation with this game. Having an awesome time
jon

Pissy F Benny

  • Is down with the sickness
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #149 on: February 27, 2022, 12:23:57 PM »
Played like 3 hours today and starting to enjoy it a lot, the climbing kinda sux though :hmm
(ice)

Uncle

  • Have You Ever
  • Senior Member
Uncle

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #151 on: February 27, 2022, 11:35:16 PM »
lol, some artist getting fired at GG. The higher ups go out of their way to make Aloy as non-male-gaze sex object as possible, like no skimpy clothes and no lara croft tight pants, etc...and then someone does that. Yeah someone getting fired.

Anyhow, spent the day in the snow doing snow stuff. Looks pretty much like Frozen Wilds though I think the whiteout was better there. Snow areas are the best. Also some great sidequests in this. Did the Salt in the Wound quest which was good and the March of the Ten snow one which was solid. It's funny how the game is this close to being a Bioware/Bethesda rpg, but it doesn't quite go that far. They absolutely could give multiple dialogue choices for quests if they wanted and more ways to solve the questing.

Oh and the game crashed my PS5 today. Was scary. Been running fine for 40+ hours, no real issues but I brought the system UI up to close the game and for whatever reason something glitched and moving the d-pad through the system UI was also moving the character and controlling the game in the background. Then I tried to close program and the screen just went black and the blue light on the PS5 turned off. Turned it on manually holding the power button and it did a database rebuild and external HDD repair and everything seems fine.

Just weird since I've put a lot of time into the PS5 since launch and this is one of the first system crashes I've gotten. Didn't even seem game related more like the UI and the game crossed wires.

chronovore

  • relapsed dev
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #152 on: February 28, 2022, 04:58:12 AM »
Yuurop has a different perspective on nipples than our conservative-christian-based American culture does. GG is probably laughing at America, at how titillated we allow ourselves to become.
spoiler (click to show/hide)
:teehee
spoiler (click to show/hide)
"titillated"
[close]
[close]

Let's Cyber

  • Banned (duration pending)
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #153 on: February 28, 2022, 08:29:29 AM »
Machine Master tree maxed out gets really good later in the game and it's saving me a lot on Very Hard.

Just 1 overridden Scrounger can wreck 3 other Scroungers and take 1/3 the life off a Snapmaw before going down.

Me hiding in the grass like  :whew

Svejk

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #154 on: February 28, 2022, 09:47:49 AM »

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #155 on: March 02, 2022, 01:33:01 AM »
Finally finished that lvl.17 questline after exploring the whole northern half of the Tenakth section of the map. Lotta good stuff. Snow areas are always fun.

50 hours, 43% progress now. I'd been saving up skill points to use in bursts which actually isn't bad because it gives me time to figure out what skills would actually be useful to have. Hit lvl.34 and have 53 skill points banked now. Gonna use them all and beef up skills before going into the next main story section.

Still enjoying the game a lot. There's enough variety that it doesn't feel repetitive.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #156 on: March 02, 2022, 02:11:42 AM »
Also that whole memorial grove/tenakth arc about post-apocalyptic people mistaking a

spoiler (click to show/hide)
basically a war of northern aggression confederate museum for a hall of heroes and imitating them as their gods was lollll
And their arena being the crater where they accidently blew themselves up lolll
[close]

Game has some dark humor underneath.


And I appreciate that the game actually calls back to Frozen Wilds and brings stuff up from it and doesn't just ignore it. When you come back from the lvl.17 questline and
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Erend is listening to concrete beach party from the Frozen Wilds sidequest at the dam,
[close]
it feels great continuity.


Let's Cyber

  • Banned (duration pending)
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #157 on: March 02, 2022, 05:21:46 AM »
Fireclaws are still one of the most intimidating things in the game, jesus christ. I wasn't ready to run into one in the jungle area.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #158 on: March 02, 2022, 03:43:05 PM »
Patch today. Tons more stuff fixed including

Quote
Aloy will not mention her stash quite as often as before.

But as for Firegleam icons still stuck on map:

Quote
We are currently looking into several issues reported by the community. Please note that these issues are not yet fixed in this patch, but our teams are investigating them with high priority.

Some players have reported that the Firegleam icons do not get removed from the map after interacting with them.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #159 on: March 03, 2022, 03:27:00 AM »
Did the lvl.22 poiseden main quest. That was really neat. This is a very cool game.

Now gonna explore the south area a bit before heading to the lvl.24 quest.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #160 on: March 03, 2022, 03:58:18 AM »
I need to get some endgame weapons to compare the combat to Zero Dawn. It feels like the ropecaster is incredibly nerfed because it bounces off armor and you can only get one or two shots of the armor penetrating skill with a full stamina bar.

This is a big deal because Horizon 2 follows the direction of Frozen Wilds with really aggressive gap closing enemies and without the ropecaster to tie some down and make them manageable, it can get pretty tough.

overrides are also nerfed too. In the previous game your override lasted like 5 mins. Now you get like a minute without coil mods which might not last the fight and then they turn on you.

Basically not sure what the strategy in this one is vs multiple aggressive mid-sized fast enemies like fighting multiple Ravegers or Scorchers or Behemoth's at once. Ropecaster, overrides and grenades were crowd control before, but all three seem very nerfed.

And big enemies tend to bum rush you knocking you down and then keep knocking you down as you try to get up which is pretty annoying. What's the point of disabling their attacks when their most dangerous attack is when they ram into you and that can't be disabled. Their weapon attacks are usually way easier to dodge.

Starting to have issues with some of the southern area, not to mention the arena which is the first thing in the game that sucks. Having to pay money to attempt it and you don't even get any loot drops and can't change weapons, ugh, not fun.

Let's Cyber

  • Banned (duration pending)
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #161 on: March 03, 2022, 12:39:13 PM »
overrides are also nerfed too. In the previous game your override lasted like 5 mins. Now you get like a minute without coil mods which might not last the fight and then they turn on you.

Basically not sure what the strategy in this one is vs multiple aggressive mid-sized fast enemies like fighting multiple Ravegers or Scorchers or Behemoth's at once. Ropecaster, overrides and grenades were crowd control before, but all three seem very nerfed.
I don't necessarily agree with the decision, but the way they've designed the new outfit system forces the player into a specific playstyle. Aloy was kind of good at everything in the first game, now players have to boost one of those old aspects and to really amplify it.

A Machine Master playstyle, with the right outfit and mods, is much, much stronger than override was in the first game. I'm using the Tenakth Dragoon armor right now and it makes my overridden machines incredibly powerful. I also have better offense and defense while mounted. The problem is it limits how one overcome any particular combat encounter. I still use traps but not nearly as much as the first game. I'm not going to make a specific trapper build just to use more than 3 traps, I'd rather just throw explosive javelins or something. I can't really foresee using a Survivalist or Warrior kit either as I just don't see the point.

I could smoke a Daemonic Thunderjaw in 40-60 seconds in the Frozen Wilds on Ultra Hard with the right setup. The same type of damage output is possible now, but you'll need to have the right synergy with your outfit and Valor surge equipped to crank up the DPS like before.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #162 on: March 03, 2022, 12:53:50 PM »
Mounted combat does not sound fun to me. I guess I should try it.

Also the problem with an override build is if the enemies start already on aggro, you need to ropecast or knock them down to override and getting a big enemy roped down is hard with my maxed blue weapon ropecaster.

Knockdown arrows probably easier than ropecaster to disable enemies, but knockdown doesn't last enough to take them out of the fight like ropecaster.

Let's Cyber

  • Banned (duration pending)
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #163 on: March 03, 2022, 01:09:06 PM »
If shit is already popping off, I usually go with the invisibility valor surge, de-aggro everything and then come back in with stealth to override machines. 

Let's Cyber

  • Banned (duration pending)
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #164 on: March 03, 2022, 09:23:36 PM »
Seems a bit backwards you need to beat some of the tougher Apex machines just to buy the infiltrator and machine master legendary outfits. They weren't terribly difficult (advanced explosive javelins ftw) but given the price, I feel the barrier for entry should be lower.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #165 on: March 03, 2022, 11:48:19 PM »
After messing around tonight, I'm using some purple outfit I got somehow that has low health ranged +2 combined with powershots valor surge combined with brace shot with impact arrows from purple bow at lvl.3 at around 210 impact damage per arrow. Go into fights with under 50% HP, start valor surge and use brace shots for massive damage and then finish off with power shots.

I hadn't messed with the power shots valor surge but I like it because it's the only damn valor surge that isn't a ticking clock and the meter doesn't go down until you fire shots.

*edit* also threw in Overdrive potion for another 25% damage. Forgot about potions. Stamina potion spam should let me brace shot over and over.
« Last Edit: March 04, 2022, 05:35:20 AM by Bebpo »

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #166 on: March 04, 2022, 05:33:19 AM »
So many times playing Horizon 1 and 2 I'm like "I love this game", there's just so many great moments. Really is the best franchise Sony has since Uncharted/TLoU.

Really hope we get an expansion like Frozen Wilds before another 4 year wait for GG's next game.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
The vegas area is so cool.
[close]

Let's Cyber

  • Banned (duration pending)
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #167 on: March 04, 2022, 10:31:00 AM »
The beginning of the game is super vanilla and Aloy is Samus'd really hard will all of her gear gone.

But holy hell does it pick up momentum as it goes as all of the coolest moments and fights are toward the middle and end. San Francisco is unbelievable beautiful and the western half of the map has some of the best looking vistas in any video game I've ever played.

Late game machine spoilers
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Fighting a Slaughterspine in close quarters was one of the best and most intense fights in the entire series. It was like a cross between Berserk Fury from Zoids and Darkeater Midir.   :whoo
[close]

I think my next main mission is the last because it feels very final but we'll see. I need to clean up a lot of stuff in the jungle area.

naff

  • someday you feed on a tree frog
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #168 on: March 06, 2022, 02:53:13 PM »
I look forward to coming back to the second half of the game. Have managed to avoid all spoilers so far.

Unfortunately Elden Ring has had me deep in its clutches 60+ hrs alrdy.
◕‿◕

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #169 on: March 06, 2022, 03:16:25 PM »
Yeah, these games are too massive. I'm not touching Elden Ring until I 100% this.


Between Horizon 2 being great and 100+ hours, Elden Ring being great and probably like 100+ hours, GT7 being great and like 50-100+ hours....jc there is no time for all this. Plus Triangle Strategy supposed to be a good 30+ hours srpg, Destiny 2 Witch Queen's good, KoF15's good, Stranger in Paradise could be a good 60-100 hour+ game. I sure hope there's no good games coming out for a while from April-August so can get through these massive games.

naff

  • someday you feed on a tree frog
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #170 on: March 06, 2022, 03:26:42 PM »
I am tempted to play GT7. I liked the driving in Forza but didn't like the game's structure. GT7 could be more my jam  :foxx
◕‿◕

Kestastrophe

  • "Hero" isn't the right word, but its the first word that comes to mind
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #171 on: March 06, 2022, 04:46:57 PM »
The game even looks gorgeous in remote play :eggplant
jon

Pissy F Benny

  • Is down with the sickness
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #172 on: March 06, 2022, 04:50:07 PM »
The "platforming" in this is so fucking bad, whoever designed and oversaw this bullshit needs firing out of a cannon.
(ice)

Rahxephon91

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #173 on: March 06, 2022, 06:26:50 PM »
The "platforming" in this is so fucking bad, whoever designed and oversaw this bullshit needs firing out of a cannon.
Cant say I disagree.  Things are so poorly communicated. Seems like you need to have the easy hud on or you’ll never know what is and isn’t climbable.

Maybe impossible at this graphic level, but BoTW climbing would have been amazing.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #174 on: March 06, 2022, 06:33:36 PM »
I still feel like the combat in this game's a step down from the original. There's more options but everything just feels more tedious and less fun. Game reminds me of how the Killzone games were pretty annoying/frustrating at parts. I felt like the original and Frozen Wilds were pretty much perfect gameplay balance.

Game is great, questing is much better, story is much better, but platforming is wonky and combat is more annoying.

Pissy F Benny

  • Is down with the sickness
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #175 on: March 06, 2022, 07:45:35 PM »
The "platforming" in this is so fucking bad, whoever designed and oversaw this bullshit needs firing out of a cannon.
Cant say I disagree.  Things are so poorly communicated. Seems like you need to have the easy hud on or you’ll never know what is and isn’t climbable.

Maybe impossible at this graphic level, but BoTW climbing would have been amazing.

I'd setle for Assassin's Creed style tbh. The Sony mandated style over substance 'cinematic' climbing that's in all their games sux at the best of times, but it's never as fiddly and janky as it is in this.
(ice)

Pissy F Benny

  • Is down with the sickness
  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #176 on: March 06, 2022, 07:54:44 PM »
It's a shame because it spoils what is a very enjoyable game the rest of the time.
(ice)

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #177 on: March 06, 2022, 09:01:34 PM »
Thankfully you don't have to platform much in the game.

Also if you turn on climbing annotations always on it makes it much better though it looks weird.

Bebpo

  • Senior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #178 on: March 07, 2022, 01:43:23 AM »
Like 65 hours in and around 55% completion, finally heading west to the coast.

...and I think I need to take a break and play other stuff and come back to this months later to finish it off. I'm starting to go from loving the game with mild annoyances to hating the game and being constantly pissed off. I'm just tired off these super aggressive enemy packs always jumping on my face and I don't have time to ever aim and everything does like 50-70% damage per hit on me with purple gear. That upgrading these purple/orange weapons/gear are a huge grind. That the autosave isn't great and I keep dying and losing progress.

I'm not even sure what the point of concentration mode is anymore since the big enemies move so fucking fast that even in slo-mo mode trying to aim and hit some little piece target while the enemy keeps moving is damn near impossible. Spent like 10 mins trying to hit a purgewater canister on the back of a grounded Stormbird and missed every goddamn shot in concentration mode because I couldn't aim quick enough.

The game just seems hard and frustrating and not fun right now.


And that the game keeps crashing more and more. I'm getting worried it's gonna break my PS5. I feel like I get at least one hard crash per day or two now. Today I got a bug after leaving the arena where all the sound effects disappeared in the game until I closed it and restarted. Had the game freeze twice on the map screen hitting the map button to return to gameplay and it just gets stuck on the map screen and I have to hard close it and start over. This is easily the most buggy game I've played in years and the most buggy Sony 1st party game ever released imo.

Tycoon Padre

  • Junior Member
Re: Horizon Forbidden Waifu
« Reply #179 on: March 07, 2022, 11:20:03 AM »
Like 65 hours in and around 55% completion, finally heading west to the coast.

...and I think I need to take a break and play other stuff and come back to this months later to finish it off. I'm starting to go from loving the game with mild annoyances to hating the game and being constantly pissed off. I'm just tired off these super aggressive enemy packs always jumping on my face and I don't have time to ever aim and everything does like 50-70% damage per hit on me with purple gear. That upgrading these purple/orange weapons/gear are a huge grind. That the autosave isn't great and I keep dying and losing progress.

I'm not even sure what the point of concentration mode is anymore since the big enemies move so fucking fast that even in slo-mo mode trying to aim and hit some little piece target while the enemy keeps moving is damn near impossible. Spent like 10 mins trying to hit a purgewater canister on the back of a grounded Stormbird and missed every goddamn shot in concentration mode because I couldn't aim quick enough.

The game just seems hard and frustrating and not fun right now.


And that the game keeps crashing more and more. I'm getting worried it's gonna break my PS5. I feel like I get at least one hard crash per day or two now. Today I got a bug after leaving the arena where all the sound effects disappeared in the game until I closed it and restarted. Had the game freeze twice on the map screen hitting the map button to return to gameplay and it just gets stuck on the map screen and I have to hard close it and start over. This is easily the most buggy game I've played in years and the most buggy Sony 1st party game ever released imo.

You nailed it on all fronts. The more I play of this the less I like it. Pretty much every change Guerrilla made to the formula from the first game has been for the worse. Like, what is the point of slowmo when the new machines now spaz around uncontrollably 100% of the time? The burrowers and the monkeys are just the fucking worst. If they wanted to up the difficulty, just ditch slowmo and have us rely on our actual aiming ability, but have the machines move in a way that is at least semi-trackable. With the slowmo + spazout setup they have now, you just sit there for 15 seconds desperately trying to line up your shot, only to see some dickhead or his projectile slowly fly in out of the corner of the screen to stick you in a stunlock loop for the next 30 seconds.

All the extra damage types? Totally pointless if we have extra slots in the wheel, all it means is that I need to spend way more time micromanaging my inventory so that I have them all covered. The fucking tools and puzzling, where to begin, I thought game devs figured out 20 years ago that crate pushing puzzles are a fucking waste of time and you should probably just cut them if that's the best you can come up with. There are so many of them, and they're made all the more shit by the fact that the pulling thing is fucking miserable to use - first you just hunt around every corner for the visually indistiguishable PULL THIS hook in the room. Then you're either too close and get a big STAND BACK TO USE THE PULLCASTER message, or you're not, but because the thing has no reach whatsoever you have to do it three or four more times to pull whatever you want wherever you want it. Copy paste x 100, there's the entirety of your puzzle design (and a ton of main story mission design) in this game.

Some of the underwater stuff is just shocking. The main quest section of it was boring but playable, but I had an underwater side mission last night (collecting parts for the supply contracts) that was literally the most nonfunctional thing I've seen in a AAA game in the past decade or so. You have to go find 4 crates in some underwater ruins - okay, fine, I'm swimming around spamming the ping button looking for them while 4 crocs I can't fight try to eat me, great fun. The thing is that the crates are in the actual buildings, which you can only swim into from a couple of cracks. Once you do, you get the amazing 25 degree FOV the game uses when you walk around in vents, the camera goes absolutely nuts, and you and stop being able to see anything at all. You then try to make your way out, no longer able to tell which way is up and which way is down, while fighting with the PS2 era swimming controls, as you clip through the geometry. You try this for 2 or 3 cracks per building, each time nearly needing to restart the game because of how thoroughly stuck in the geometry you get from clipping so much. The solution? Well actually, dumbass, there was one little crack, not highlighted by your focus and visually indistinct from all the other cracks, where, if you line it up juuuuust right, you would have gotten a triangle prompt to swim in and get one of the four things you need. Duh! It's nuts. Like they 100% knew that this was not finished or functional, but they said fuck it and left that quest in anyway. So many things in this game (the fucking climbing) feel like that. 

:reeeee :reeeee :reeeee