What game are you wasting time on?

[Freddie]

Hell Yeah!

Hell Yeah is about undead rabbit with a vengeance. In practice it's 2d platformer / shooter where you carry on with destroying various enemies, solving real time physical puzzles and dexterity of your fingers.

It's hard to put in words, but it's cheap and it's fucking awesome. If you are in this sort of games, I recommend this.

Oh, I played this for far too long.

Be wary of certain quests in this game, they require that you "zoom out" your viewscreen in order to proceed (everything regarding seeing, for example). I found this to be cheese not worthy of this game, so I grumbled much about it while trying to see how far I could get.

Oh, there's been couple of those already. I think game does very good job introducing tricks to player. For me this has been so far good 'mindless' fun.

 

[Mark.L.Joy]

Enderal fell apart, loading times happen too often inside the city, 5s downtime start to add up, good game otherwise.
Not many jrpgs set in space, Star Oceans always become fantasy instead, missed opportunity, gonna slog trough Xenosaga 3

 

[Freddie]

Resident Evil 6

I usually play game through unless they are some sort of time sinks, mindless fun, etc. niche. This time however I feel I'm dealing with game I'm not going complete.

I liked RE 5 a lot and felt RE: Revelations was good for few €'s I spent for it. For some stupid reason I decided to skip RE: Revelations 2 before getting in RE 6.

Getting into RE 6 was quite a shock because it has lot of interactive sequences where player needs to complete certain key or mouse combinations to advance. There is long intro sequence that introduces player to how things work. From that moment I knew this may not be one of my greatest gaming experiences. When I started the campaign, I started on easy.

Visually, it looks good though FOV is quite narrow. Animations are good and I liked how much there are many sorts of enemies with different kind of attacks. Animations aren't just for show, but player also has many ways of eliminating enemies, melee can be actually pretty good. Guns work too, but in the first campaign (there are 4) ammo can be scarce. There is AI partner for player character and you can decide which character to play of the two.

Sound works very well, there is something I can't put my finger on, put that's on positive sense, I feel it works. Soundtrack is really good. Plot... well, it's Resident Evil game, I can't tell but about Campaign 1 and Campaign 2, but it's been both, grim and hilarious at the same time.

Game has 4 campaigns, each with different characters, plots also join in some points. While I don't like map recycling, there's been less than I expected for that sort of structure and it works out better than it sounds.

What comes to issues, it's those interactive cutscenes I mentioned earlier. Some are very easy (and on Easy difficulty play can skip some of them) and in the first campaign all are easily solved, I don't recall if there were any really bad speed bumps on second campaign that didn't happened because of user error, but it sort of slows the pace of game. Game stopper for me was ending of second campaign. I tried it probably 15 or so times, maybe more and decided that fuck it. It's not only the timing but that character doesn't always response to keyboard. I made sure I didn't put anything (that could be in buffer) in certain part of sequence, but still character sometimes wander in totally different direction than what he is facing. It's sequence where speed and timing is everything, and also camera is your enemy it starts to add to frustration pretty fast. I haven't tried with gamepad and I'm not sure if I will bother.
That said, there are players whom have beat it, from Steam achievements that's obvious, but I think I'm done with Campaign 2 and perhaps I try campaigns 3 and 4 instead.

So what I can say overall? Great effort is put in production of this game. It tries new things but those are mostly decline. I can understand people will to innovate, but in this case, there is this very basic thing that also ruins it. To put it short: Get your fucking film out of my game!

If there is something really interesting, it's part of GUI design, how inventory management works. At first I didn't like it, but it can actually be pretty fast (game doesn't pause when you open inventory) it's done for gamepads and with that it may perhaps even shine.

I got this during Steam Holidays sale as part of RE:bundle. I don't recall how much I paid for three games (RE: Revelations 1 & 2 and RE:6) with DLC's but I think it was less than € 10 per game. I wouldn't pay more than € 5 - 7 for RE:6. RE: Revelations is older game, but I liked it a lot more than RE6.

 

[Deflowerer]

The problem is that you're playing it on a keyboard.

Anyway, I really like RE6 for all its flaws. It has god-tier combat system that really shines on Mercenaries, but it is true that the campaign levels generally don't take advantage of it. Enemy variety is fucking awesome though. But the game doesn't really teach you all the moves. Know you can immediately turn around when sliding? Know you can auto-shoot(consumes stamina)? Know you can counter moves? Ammo is somewhat restricted in the beginning because the gameplay is not really designed for staying under cover and shooting. Instead, your main goal is to stun an enemy so you can melee him.

Revelations is pretty shit. Rev2 is much better.

You should play RE1 and RE4 tho, they are the best.

 

[flyingjohn]

Completed What Remains of Edith Finch,a walking sim that is actually worth playing.
Basically it is a story about a "cursed" family latest member returning back to her abandoned home to uncover what exactly happened to her family members.
For anybody wondering there are no supernatural elements,which is a common theme for walking sims it seems.
But here it actually it is utilized well because the core story is interesting so there is no need to go supernatural unlike gone home and firewatch which are boring as fuck and would benefit from some mysterious/supernatural elements.
Basically you go exploring the house/soundings in a linear fashion and find diaries/letters of family members which triggers flashback segments.
These segments all feature different game play elements,in some you transform multiple animals,in some you are controlling a fantasy character and juggling cutting fish heads,some are photography sessions,etc.
None of these elements are actually deep or last for long but it is much more interesting then the generic walking sims formula.
The controls and camera leave a lot to be desired,basically your camera will snap to the text appearing on screen and it feels janky. Also during the animal transformation part the camera just loves to be stuck at the wrong thing for some reason.There is nor run button(which would help a lot in some locations).
Basically it is just a tragic story about a family told well with some interesting short game play elements.
But i would still not recommend you spend more then a dollar on this and here is why:
-Way too short,the game is about 2 hours long.
-Pathetic interaction with the world that was done better in almost any fps adventure game let alone a point and click adventure.
-Combine those two elements and if you like the game you will want more in terms of game play complexity yet there is nothing there.
Now all those flaws are flaws of walking sims,but personally walking sims just don't work as a genre.
They lack the interactivity of adventure games and they lack the writing and choices of visual novels,putting them in a weird spot.
Doesn't help that most of them can be watched on you tube.
Here is a great video by Joseph Anderson about the game:

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Playing Storm of Zehir again, only mucking about a lot more this time. Holy shit I skipped a lot of stuff the first time.

 

[Freddie]

The problem is that you're playing it on a keyboard.

Anyway, I really like RE6 for all its flaws. It has god-tier combat system that really shines on Mercenaries, but it is true that the campaign levels generally don't take advantage of it. Enemy variety is fucking awesome though. But the game doesn't really teach you all the moves. Know you can immediately turn around when sliding? Know you can auto-shoot(consumes stamina)? Know you can counter moves? Ammo is somewhat restricted in the beginning because the gameplay is not really designed for staying under cover and shooting. Instead, your main goal is to stun an enemy so you can melee him.

Revelations is pretty shit. Rev2 is much better.

You should play RE1 and RE4 tho, they are the best.

Yes, I thought playing it with kb and mouse might be an issue but frankly, I'm not that enthusiastic to learn this again with gamepad. Might try, might not.
But yeah, enemy design and variety is definitely on plus side. I don't think I knew about turning while sliding move and autoshot but I recall counter move. I wonder if learning all those moves is important on higher difficulty levels?

I also noticed how it was designed, you must be active, even though I didn't mentioned it in my mini-review. That's also on the plus side, but it doesn't overall change my opinion.

Multiplayer... I was curious but I haven't touched it yet and unfortunately I may leave it be. It's just that I have lot of games and only so much time, even when I can take time to go on some sort of gaming spree. That's also reason why I don't feel like going on some segment over and over again is really option for me. That said, gaming is about challenges. Beating the game even when it ridiculously gimps you (like it appears you did) is something I applaud.

Edit: I forgot, I posted my impression of RE: Revelations here earlier.

 

[sullynathan]

ooh, God hand is really fun.

 

[bussinrounds]

Did roll up a party and start up ToEE with Co8 and temple+, but got sidetracked by Fire Pro Returns setting up and playing tag team tournaments with 80s/early 90s rosters.

 

[Commissar Draco]

Playing Starpoint Gemini series; its cheap but surprisingly fun series of 3 and in the case of Warlords 4K games with great feedback from devs; reminding Commissar of old CK1 era Paradox.

 

[pippin]

I've been without wifi the last few days (using my phone's internet rn) so I've been playing wiz6. I've actually never gotten *this* far before... And I gotta say few games feel as rewarding as this does, in many ways.

 

[Jazz_]

7.62 Hard Life: pretty glorious so far, it feels like JA2 in 3d and with a rtwp combat system (a very good rtwp system), and the ''Give Everyone Guns'' mod really makes it ''Gun Porn: The Game''. Plus, it is indeed Hard so far. Typical russian incline drenched in clunkiness and irksome cameras/UIs but incline nonetheless.

 

[Villagkouras]

I played and finished in one sitting Black: The Fall. Being a huge fan of Inside, I couldn't leave this game without checking it out.

Everything screams Inside, which is not a bad thing after all. Atmosphere, easy puzzles, graphics, duration, sound, everything. But, it lacks two things: 1. The top notch animation of Inside and 2. The "wow" moments in some of the puzzles/set pieces.

And ultimately these two make the difference. I can remember more things from Inside, a game that I played a year ago than BTF that I finished some minutes ago.

Also, Commies will be triggered.

If you like these kinds of games, I'd recommend it for you, although it is short, easy and not even close as awe inspiring as Inside. Probably, you should wait for a sale.

 

[flyingjohn]

So my friend finished wheel of time and loved it and wants to play similar games.
So does anybody have any recommendation for fps games with a heavy focus on magic?
I heard hexen/heretic would be similar,or are there any other examples?

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

SPWAW: Generals Edition and WinSPMBT have practically turned rest of my games collection obsolete.
I might get tired of Steel Panthers some day during this decade, but not yet.

 

[No Great Name]

Just started playing the first Resident Evil on the Playstation. Decided to play through Chris' scenario first.

Man. It's less forgiving than I thought it would be. The inventory limit of 6 items is tough and ammo is scarce. I ended up running past as many enemies as I can, since the combat knife is complete ass and I want to preserve ammo.

 

[Ashery]

Warlords Battlecry 1+3

I picked up 3 on sale a couple years back, but quickly gave up for one reason or another. Might've been relating to a losing my hero as a result of an unlucky crit, but I can't recall for sure. So, it sat around gathering dust until I picked it up again a couple weeks back. And this time around I was enjoying the hell out of it, so long as I played on a lower speed and paused liberally (I've long since stopped being a decent APM based player).

After playing the campaign for a few days and getting up to level fifteen or so, however, I realized that the character progression just felt so bland and nothing like what I remember from when I played the original Battlecry 15+ years back. In 3, when you level up you're able to put a point in a stat (Str, dex, int, cha), and a point in a skill. Each stat exclusively modifies various substats (Int increases mana pool, mana regeneration, spell success chance, and starting experience for recruited troops; Cha increases command radius, morale, and provides a discount to everything you spend resources on). The skills you have access to depend on race and class, but some will be locked behind level requirements and they advance in a very bland/undynamic manner. Spellcasting schools are the most dynamic of the bunch, but even then each point just gives you the next spell in the list until you have all ten spells, at which point the cycle starts over again with spells getting upgraded to a more powerful version while becoming more difficult to cast.

So I decided to buy the original and see if I was just being nostalgic. And, man, is the progression in the original better on every level.

To start, you don't even choose your class at initial creation in the original (At least in the campaign). Instead you choose between warrior, rogue, wizard, and priest at the time of your first level up. Each selection gives +1 to the dominant stat of that class (Same stats as 3). At your next level up, you choose your profession and stats get further modified. But even at this point things are a bit more interesting, as some classes get a simple +1 to another stat, while others get +2 to one and -1 to another. As an example, a human (Starts with 5's across the board) necromancer ends up with the starting stats of 5/7/6/4. +1 int from wizard and +2 dex/-1 cha from necromancer. It may not seem like much, but it's a dynamic I really miss.

It really opens up after that, though. The big difference that's readily seen between the original and 3 also becomes apparent here: A character's skills have a much more nuanced relationship with their stats, as each stat combines with the four (Yes, all four) stats to determine the base level of a skill. With int, for instance, int+str = training, int+dex = resistance, int+int = magery, and int+cha = command. Instead of having a generic stat and skill each level up, you'll get ability points that can be spent however you wish, though costs grow as you invest more heavily in a specific area. AP can be spent on stats, skills, abilities, and spells. Skills are probably the simplest: Every skill costs 1 AP to raise initially, with the cost going up one every time. Abilities are less statistically driven, with your options depending on race (3) and class (4). Note that all races have access to at least one spellcasting school ability, so even fighters can get access to some spells. Spell selection allows for a lot more agency on the player's part, as you're free to choose between any of the four level one spells, but to unlock a second level spell you need its two level one prerequisites. The net result is akin to a pyramid, with the final, lone level four spell resting at the top, requiring you to have unlocked every other spell in the school. You can also increase your casting skill in a particular school here. Stats end up being the least predictable of the group, as the cost for increasing each stat depends on your specialty. My necromancer, for instance, required 5AP for the first point of additional int, with a simple +1AP to the cost for each additional point. With str and cha, however, he required 6AP for the first, and 9AP for the second.

Most of the skills themselves also have a much less linear feel to them in game. At 12 magery you get a +1 casting bonus (Casting being the skill that determines a spell's chance of success; magery determines mana pool size and regeneration), but it takes three more points for +2. Then two more points for +3. Then one more for +4. And those points feel absolutely huge because the difference in those three points is the difference between a 50% chance to successfully cast a spell and a 65% one. That impact levels off once your success chance hits 90%, though, as each additional point only adds 1% until you hit 100% and 30 casting.

The net result is a really enjoyable sense of progression. I'm consistently going right into the next mission instead of taking a break in order to see how my character's improved in game.

And I gotta add, the spell Vampirism just feels so completely and utterly wrong. There's a reason life leech only gives back a tiny fraction of the damage done in an ARPG, but even the basic spell gives you back one health for every three points of damage. And by the time you get spell grandmastery (23AP total), it becomes an absurd 1:1 ratio. The only thing that can kill my wolf riders that are buffed with that is a concentrated alpha strike via multiple rings of ice, lightning storms, or what have you.

(...This became a lot longer than expected...)

 

[Vorark]

Chugging along Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. About to fight edgy dragon at the end of low rank. I'm liking the game a bit more, the outbreak thing would've been better if it happened randomly instead of the game alerting you about it during quest selection. Otoh, could see how it might annoy some peole so whatever.

Charge Blade is fun to use, love the combos, the versatility and the noise when you charge the phials. Think I'm going to main it.

 

[Walden]

I made up for such a shameful lack(one of many) and finished Broken Sword Shadow of the Templars.
Great game, genuine and nice puzzles. The various locations and the cast always keep up the interest and lovely artworks are the glue that holds everything toghether just fine.
Had a lot of fun with its humour, never invasive, that finds in George(the co-protagonist) the best performer.

 

[Musaab]

I've begun a playthrough of Avadon: The Black Fortress. I'm gonna try and play the whole thing.

 

[mbv123]

Been playing Witcher 1 for the last couple of days.

It's pretty good. I don't know why people like to shit on it. Outskirts were interesting with you slowly uncovering the village's dark secrets. The investigation in the city and the twist was great because I completely fucked it up and accused the wrong person (just like a specific person wanted me to). Swamps were cool with crazy cultists, druids. It was pure hell getting those obelisks because I could swear I killed like 500 drowners in there.

I love those little cutscenes with Geralt narrating the consequences for the choices I made earlier. (Sold weapons to guerillas? Now an npc that gave you a quest earlier just died because he pissed off guerillas about selling drugs to kids. Needless to say, i lost a lead in my investigation and failed a quest due to my previous choice)

Also is it just me, or does Geralt want to fuck every women he sees in the game?

Now I'm on Chapter 3 and find myself fully immersed in the world and the lore and I heard it gets even better!

Also that fucking soundtrack

 

[Hoaxmetal]

does Geralt want to fuck every women he sees

You don't?

 

[mbv123]

does Geralt want to fuck every women he sees

You don't?

Seeing as how every female has big tits with huge cleavages, it's hard to blame him

 

[Average Manatee]

Just started playing the first Resident Evil on the Playstation. Decided to play through Chris' scenario first.

Man. It's less forgiving than I thought it would be. The inventory limit of 6 items is tough and ammo is scarce. I ended up running past as many enemies as I can, since the combat knife is complete ass and I want to preserve ammo.

Chris is the unofficial hard mode. Jill is much more forgiving.

So my friend finished wheel of time and loved it and wants to play similar games.
So does anybody have any recommendation for fps games with a heavy focus on magic?
I heard hexen/heretic would be similar,or are there any other examples?

Dark Messiah of Might and Magic.

 

[Ezekiel]

Stranglehold

I'm almost done with the museum level. It's not good. The story and characters are trash, the camera is too close to the character and there's no way to switch shoulders, you can't zoom in for slower sensitivity, things like the stand-offs and running on railings are ridiculous and comical even for a John Woo-inspired game, the bullets are too fat, there are some annoying objectives like having to find and destroy drug caches before progressing and having to avoid explosive laser beams, everything in the environment breaks like it's stuck together with kids glue, the bosses have bloated health, the music is mediocre, the auto-slide over objects is kind of annoying, the slow mo leap isn't far/long enough to be of use... It's mediocre as a third-person shooter and bad as a Hard Boiled sequel.