Crispy™ So, console games...

[Clockwork Knight]

What do the castlevania fags have against order of ecclesia gameplay? Is that farming is needed instead of avoiding everything? It really seemed a very tight gameplay experience (character development was crap thou).

They do? I thought it was well-liked. It's recommended on the DS list, but listed as "Action".

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Action

The third Castlevania for the DS, this ditches the dual character system from Portrait of Ruin for a new glyph system, which includes absorbing glyphs from enemies to gain new weapons and combining two for a new special attack. Starts out linear like Classic 'vanias, but as expected, there's lots to do and explore soon enough. Good story, smooth soundtrack, cool bonus content, and a great Gothic (as in the proper kind) art style makes this one of the best out of the three. You can check a trailer here

 

[Cowboy Moment]

Many thanks for your contributions bros. I have to say I'm surprised at the lack of "trololo consoles suck" posts. The Codex sure has changed in recent years. I wonder what Vault Dweller thinks about this.

Might be able to lend some assistance in certain genres. Any of the following interest you?

-(Casual) SHMUPS
-2d Platforming
-3d Platforming
-Action/Adventure Faggotry (less technical shit; e.g. Zelda)
-RPGs (mostly blobbers, but a few AKSHUN RPGS).

I don't really like shmups, but then again I thought I didn't really like platformers, so maybe it's time to reevaluate? I do however, not want to play rpgs with a controller, navigating through five submenus when I could just use a keyboard shortcut annoys me to no end. If you think something is worth the annoyance though, I'm all ears.

What I was getting at is that I can go on lol metacritic and the all time high scores have games like Super Mario Galaxy or Twilight Princess at 95+; however, there's also shit like Uncharted 2 up there, as well as fairly mediocre games like GTA4. I really did like Shadow of the Colossus though, so there is some merit to critical acclaim on consoles. What I was hoping for was for someone to separate the ICOs from the Uncharteds for me, so to speak.

 

[dnf]

Here my suggestions for classical platformers

- Jazz Jackrabbit
- Commander Keen
- Oddworld: Abe Odyssey
- Oddworld: Abe Exodus
- Duke Nukem 1
- Duke Nukem 2

Joke's on you, jazz jackrabbit was on a actual console

So was Oddworld games.

 

[SCO]

Oh, yeah. Do play Umihara Kawase for the snes
It will only take you a hour or so and is one of the more imaginative japonese only games - only the ending text which is basical 'end' though- ever (although it can be completed in 2 minutes with mad skills):

 

[iqzulk]

As far as "Ico"s go, play the very first "Ecco the Dolphin" game. It's an absolutely amazing and one-of-its-kind artfag game, that you'll remember for a long, long time. It's not really any kind of openworld (there is a very clear level-based and key-based progression), it's kind of an arcade game in more general sense (not a platformer, since it only tries platforming for a handful of times in the entire game) and it has kind of a crappy hit detection, but all the art things compensate for that tenfold - and there is still, up to this day, absolutely nothing quite like it.

Why should you play it and what's so special about the art thing? Let's put it this way: the game starts as a simplistic immersive (minimal hud, reliance on actual dolphin abilities - sonar pulses and echolocation, hunting for fish in order to restore the strength, battling currents, restoring extremely limited air supply - in the game mechanics, etc.) "dolphin simulation" with a couple of fantastical elements here and there - and evolves, one step at a time, into something progressively more and more warped and weird. There is an absolutely unique and coherent ingame setting with an absolutely unique atmosphere (the setting itself is somewhat thin, but everything is there for a reason); a coherent, interesting, really well structured and well told story/narrative (don't forget about "dolphin simulation" part) - and yes, I'm aware that I'm claiming that there is a well written story in a game about a bloody dolphin; an absolutely amazing soundtrack (CDA one) - and, what's more important, the game has the balls to direct all the aforementioned things towards One Single Moment (not really a "moment" - you'll see what I'm talking about when you get there, it's impossible to miss) which you WILL remember for a long, long time after completing the game (and which is incidentally one of the greatest trolling attempts I've peresonally ever seen in videogaming). Interested enough already?

There are three major versions: Sega Genesis/MegaDrive version (soundtrack completely different to the other two, I'm not a fan of it and I absolutely don't recommend playing this version first) which is also incidentally a Steam version, Sega MegaCD version (the same 240p graphics as Genesis version, full CDA soundtrack; the most "canonical" version of the game as far as I'm concerned) and Win95 CD version (480p graphics with many sprites completely redone using the assets from the second Ecco game; more responsive controls; considerably abridged version of MegaCD version soundtrack due to the CD constraints and all those "prerendered cinematic cutscenes" + a couple of little and questionable changes to the game's most memorable level; a handful of prerendered cutscenes lifted from the second game, which you should totally skip any time you happen to activate one, because they absolutely don't fit the game's style, spoil the things before they actually happen and frequently make the game hang or terminate itself).

Oh, and here is some of that aforementioned music.

It's a pity that the sequel (Tides of Time) was so much weaker (despite all the increased gameplay variety). Never played Defender of the Future, but it seems to have its share of negative impressions around the Web.

 

[Tehdagah]

-Ninja Gaiden Black: I still think this holds up as the best in the genre, rivaled only by God Hand and DMC4. The problem you might have is that it is an original FAGBOX title; I don't know if you will be able to emulate it. If you can emulate it, do so. NGB is an incredibly polished game with an overwhelming amount of content (each difficulty level changes significantly, with whole new enemies/bosses added on higher difficulties, improved AI, different item placements, and increasingly difficult Fiend Challenges). The combat mechanics are tight, intuitive, fast, and fluid. It's difficult, but fair. Cheapness is so scarce in the game that the scantthree (or so) encounters that have any elements of bullshit in them stand out.
(...)

Hmm, sorry, but no.

Ninja Gaiden has a terrible camera system and some enemies don't telegraph their attacks properly. Also, the bow is painful to use because you can't move while using it (Sigma fixed this issue, fortunately), which is a big problem considering how fast paced Ninja Gaiden is.

The game is good, but pretty problematic.

 

[DalekFlay]

I was a NES and SNES kid before switching to PC gaming, but my console gaming since then has been pretty limited. I did buy a PS1 and PS2 for some console exclusives but very games leap out at me to recommend. I really only like FPS, RPG, point and click adventure and stealth though, so... not a lot of console exclusives in those areas.

I remember really liking Final Fantasy XII, despite generally turning away from JRPGs post-SNES. It's very open world feeling, has lovely art design and some good lore, and the combat feels like an MMO mixed with Dragon Age. I want to try it on a PC emulator, so it doesn't look like ass.

The Zelda games are okay, Wind Waker was the one I remember liking a lot. Just don't expect them to be real RPGs or written for adults.

 

[Harg Harfardarssen]

Bionic Commando was one of my favorite NES games - replacing jumping with swinging was a pretty fun twist on the platformer at the time. Not as open ended as a full Metroidvania, but there is a certain amount of non-linearity in how the stages and areas work. The remake a few years ago (Reloaded, not the AAA "reimagining") was pretty decent too, but I prefer the original.

I'm going to go ahead and second Cave Story really hard - its pretty amazing. La Mulana is another indie-ish platformer along those lines that people seem to like, but I've never played it.

Also heard good things about the Shantae games, but never played them myself.

What do the castlevania fags have against order of ecclesia gameplay? Is that farming is needed instead of avoiding everything? It really seemed a very tight gameplay experience (character development was crap thou).

They do? I thought it was well-liked. It's recommended on the DS list, but listed as "Action".

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Action

The third Castlevania for the DS, this ditches the dual character system from Portrait of Ruin for a new glyph system, which includes absorbing glyphs from enemies to gain new weapons and combining two for a new special attack. Starts out linear like Classic 'vanias, but as expected, there's lots to do and explore soon enough. Good story, smooth soundtrack, cool bonus content, and a great Gothic (as in the proper kind) art style makes this one of the best out of the three. You can check a trailer here

I do remember some disappointment from people expecting it to be more of an exploration focused successor to SotN. The game definitely leaned more towards the action side and toned down the exploration a bit compared to SotN with quite a few relatively linear stages. But I don't remember any of this disappointment reaching the level of dislike. Castlevaniatards love us some Castlevania.

Along those lines, if you're looking for SotN style the Aria of Sorrow/Dawn of Sorrow Castlevania games are probably the most similar.

 

[Edward_R_Murrow]

Ninja Gaiden has a terrible camera system

How so? It uses a typical right-analog camera control scheme with a trigger to re-center the camera while also modifying (most) AI behavior for enemies that are off-screen. Plus, the game is not heavily reliant on directional inputs, a la DMC/Bayo/MGR, so the burden shouldered by the camera is rather light.

and some enemies don't telegraph their attacks properly.

Relative to what? What is "proper" telegraphing? Keep in mind, Ninja Gaiden doesn't have a scoring system where one stray hit, of any damage amount, tarnishes a scoring run (no SB/SS/PurePlatinum ranks) and it doesn't put a heavy emphasis on the scoring system (DMC3/4 and Bayonetta are trivialized, even on the highest difficulties, if you have unrestricted item use).

That means the devs are afforded a lot more leeway in designing enemies. Foes can do jabs or throws like a character in a fighting game would, fast and with little provocation, because the game doesn't need to be balanced around never being hit. It shifts defensive gameplay to schemes involving more prediction rather than reaction. Experienced players *know* that Basts enjoy using their leap attack or pounce grab at a moment's notice, so they either stay mobile at all times or use Lunar Staff combos to attack while "shielding" themselves from a bounce. Such players know not to turtle against enemies that can grab and know the specific counters that enemies can employ. It isn't, pardon the extreme reductionism, do whatever you want to the enemy then cancel into a dodge when it displays an audio/visual cue; it's a different style of action.

Also, the bow is painful to use because you can't move while using it (Sigma fixed this issue, fortunately), which is a big problem considering how fast paced Ninja Gaiden is.

The Bow/Strongbow is Ryu's "heavy" ranged-weapon; being a little unwieldy in melee combat is a balancing feature. Too much mobility and you not only obviate the need for any other ranged tools, but you make Explosive Arrows a little too good. Plus, the bow is barely required in NGB, and almost never in situations where you have to worry about other enemies/mobility. The lone situation in which it is required in a frenetic combat scenario, the Samurai Horsemen in Chapter 2, is one of the few "bullshit" encounters I mentioned...which is why I usually resort to Lunar UT cheese.

 

[tuluse]

No Pikmin or SSBM?

Super Smash Bros is a great party game, but I can't imagine it being worth any time single player.

Super Metroid is absolutely incredible. Some of the best environmental story telling this side of Half-Life, with fun mechanics and interesting upgrades.

The first 3 Crash Bandicoot games are great. The 2nd one is the height of the series.

If you're interested in something a little different, I love Parasite Eve. I takes the Final Fantasy battle system and makes it actually interesting. You can move when you're waiting for your cooldown bar to fill up, so boss battles have a shump like quality as you're dodging attacks while you wait to do your own. Beware the story is complete derp town, but in a charming way.

 

[Ninjerk]

No Pikmin or SSBM?

Super Smash Bros is a great party game, but I can't imagine it being worth any time single player.

You'd be surprised how much fun fighting 1v3 AI opponents is (I think 3 7/9s was the best I beat before I lost/loaned out the game disc).

 

[Metro]

consoles suck