What game are you wasting time on?

[PulsatingBrain]

I'm reading the Space Wolf Omnibus from the Black Library, so anything too story heavy goes on the backburner until Solasta 1.0 on the 27th. Been playing RAGE 2 and Shadows Awakening. RAGE 2 is a lot like the first game. There's really not a whole lot to say about it. The main improvement I wanted was that the driving would feel better, since there is a fairly large racing element in these games. From what I can tell it feels exactly the same. Mad Max added so much to car combat with the harpoon, and the individually detachable wheels etc, I thought id might have learnt something from them but apparently not. Still, the shooting is fun, the setting is pretty cool and the Firestorm Revolver is a super fun weapon (typical revolver action, but then you click your fingers to make the bullet explode)

Shadows Awakening is an ARPG that I won in a raffle from Straight elf (thanks again). As far as the action goes it's a fairly typical ARPG, except you take on the role of an interdimensional demon-thing, who assumes the roles of puppet characters in another dimension. This dimension-swapping mechanic is used to solve various puzzles and obstacles in the environment. Cool game.

 

[baud]

later on, you can run past basic mobs, if I remember right

You can pretty much do that right from the beginning.

It's been a few years since I played and I hadn't tried to do that from the start

Playing two RTS games, Majesty 2

I've heard that Majesty 1 is better, but since I've only played that one, I can't compare it to Majesty 2.

Finished Portal 1 another time; I was discussing about on twatter the other day and wanted to see how well I remembered it after a few year: finished in 1h15, I still remembered the mechanics very well and it was just a matter of finding my way.

Started Machinarium, a point & click that I had played before and not finished. Not too hard so far.

 

[Kabas]

Age of Fear 4 the iron killer
Already mentioned my experience in a thread with the same name.
Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich
Pretty much exactly like the first game but with a lot of small quality of life improvements. New heroes and their powers are interesting, like the Tombstone with his possession and a good variety of elemental attacks.
My favourite amongst the new ones is a Green Genie so far, a very mobile and fast controller type character. Bonus points for having a somewhat lulzy backstory because there is no way in hell they will do something like this in 2021.
Warhammer 40000: Dawn of war - Soulstorm
I remember that i only played the dark crusade campaign a long time ago while never touching the multiplayer, but the codex tournament that happened not so long ago reignited my interest the first dawn of war games.
And now i am finally here, screwing around in the campaign trying to understand how the different factions work.
I must say that having the game crash right after completing a hour long stronghold mission without having a backup save is a rather rage inducing experience.

 

[Kalin]

Still Roadwar 2000 DOS version, after hitting peak performance (200-350ish guys, fuel/food additives, trailer trucks, buses etc.) I was pwning mutants, road gangers, bureaucrats and other freaks with relative ease, well turns out it gets tougher once you progress through the story. I've returned three scientists and as you can see above (unlocked through a very nice little multi-choice story encounter) the invaders are sending DEATH SQUADS to take me out. I got hit three times in a row by DEATH SQUAD ROAD GANGS and lost a big bunch of vehicles and supplies, almost got wiped out, man losing my big-ass trailer was the worst, all that loot gone. Fresh out of fuel I had to scavenge for days before being able to make it to the nearest safe spot and rebuild. Lost 12 vehicles, my last trailer only had 2 structure left. Real intense. Feels good man.

 

[baud]

Started Machinarium, a point & click that I had played before and not finished. Not too hard so far.

okay, I got stumped on the same 'puzzle' as last time and I ended up using the in-game help. There's a few puzzles a bit like that, but I think that's the most annoying to deal with.
one issue I felt with Machinarium is the disconnect between some puzzles and what is the goal of the character (in Machinarium's case, reaching the top of the city and/or disarming the bomb). I'll move around and spot something which is a puzzle (like it's got moving parts, obviously missing something and so on), so I'll try to solve it, since puzzles have to be solved to progress in the game; but I don't know why the character is doing in regards to the end goal (okay, I'm helping the musicians resume playing, but why? Okay, I get a broken radio, but what for?).

I haven't played many adventure games, so I don't know how common the issue is, but here it's glaring.

 

[newtmonkey]

Having completed Curse of the Azure Bonds last week, I spent a few hours trying various games to decide what to play next.

Fall of the Dungeon Guardians
I'm not a fan of real-time party dungeon games (not a single game I've played in this sub-genre has measured up to even what little I've played of Dungeon Master), but I actually was pleasantly surprised by this one. I've never played an MMO, but the tank/healer/damage dealer combat made sense to me right away. No square-dancing, not bad at all. Having said that, I just don't care for this kind of game. I got to dungeon level 2 and realized that I was half forcing myself to play it. If I'm ever in the mood for a DM clone with interesting combat, I'll revisit.

Realms of Antiquity
This is probably the game I'll be focusing on for some time, though perhaps as a secondary game. Really good stuff here, great exploration, fun turn-based combat, very user-friendly interface without being dumbed down at all. Highly recommended, but I wish the game had a bit more of a hook or identity. Pool of Radiance is all about reclaiming the frontier from monsters. Demon's Winter is a dark sword & sorcery world dominated by religion (never mind the twist later in the game). Wizardry V has its totally insane D.W. Bradley mythology of Duck of Sparks et al. And so on. 10 hours in, RoA is a fantastic game mechanically, but doesn't really have much of an identity. Definitely still worth playing.

Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls
Kinda lame. It's much slower and more cumbersome than Wiz 1-3+5 (DOS), but doesn't really make up for it elsewhere. It seems a step back from Wiz 5 honestly. The layout of the first level of the dungeon is pretty bad, nowhere near even Wiz 1 never mind the very memorable world of Wiz 5. Maybe it gets better later.

Planescape Torment
I never got into this back in the day, but I've been playing it on and off the last year or so. I typically don't go for text-heavy RPGs, but I like how this game handles it. The quality of the writing ranges from poor to great, but the nice thing about this game is that it's a kind of storytelling that is completely different from books or movies, even if information is transmitted the same way. The difference is that you are slowly figuring out how this weird world works mostly through following conversation threads, and unlike say a movie or book dumping exposition on you, it feels like you are actually uncovering the mystery yourself. It really does draw you into the world, yet you feel like you are in complete control. That's not to say the game is totally nonlinear and you can make your own story, but it gives you enough leeway to feel like that is exactly what you are doing.

I think if I knew anything about Planescape before I played this, I maybe wouldn't be as interested. The fun thing for me is figuring out this bizarre world without any prior knowledge. It's what makes the writing so impressive; you can figure out the slang and terminology almost immediately just through context.

The graphics are amazing to this day. I started playing the Enhanced Edition, but switched to the original and am using an integer scaler app to run it scaled cleanly to 1280x960 with black borders around the screen. It looks phenomenal, it's almost hard to believe this is the Baldur's Gate engine.

I also don't mind the combat.

 

[Chippy]

Can't stop playing X3. I've found a mod that allows Battlestar Galactica ships, and it's like being addicted to porn. Instead of the tits, ass, and feet thread; there should be a destroyer class, carrier class, and fighter class ship thread with screenshots.

I need help.

 

[Spacer's Nugget]

Covid 2021: so far it's a rehash of last year's.

Started too many games around the same time, ended up playing none of them, with the sole exception of XCOM: Enemy Within that I got to finish without touching much of the "new" stuff other than the EXALT-related missions.

 

[PulsatingBrain]

Played about 6 hours of pool in Yakuza Kiwami today. I'm rather fond of it.

 

[Serious_Business]

Mordheim baby! Paranoia Mod. Pretty niche stuff, check it out if you're into the game. Overhauls the skill system and corrects a bit of the AI behaviour (namely impressives can get into buildings now - fucking terrifying). Necromunda was a real shame, but Mordheim is still a gem in my opinion. Just lost my Cult leader ; the fucker now can't speak proprely, thinks he's God and his limbs twitch all the time. Had to let him go on a lonely spiritual journey indeed - to the fucking trash. Good times.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Still Roadwar 2000 DOS version, after hitting peak performance (200-350ish guys, fuel/food additives, trailer trucks, buses etc.) I was pwning mutants, road gangers, bureaucrats and other freaks with relative ease, well turns out it gets tougher once you progress through the story. I've returned three scientists and as you can see above (unlocked through a very nice little multi-choice story encounter) the invaders are sending DEATH SQUADS to take me out. I got hit three times in a row by DEATH SQUAD ROAD GANGS and lost a big bunch of vehicles and supplies, almost got wiped out, man losing my big-ass trailer was the worst, all that loot gone. Fresh out of fuel I had to scavenge for days before being able to make it to the nearest safe spot and rebuild. Lost 12 vehicles, my last trailer only had 2 structure left. Real intense. Feels good man.

I hadn't realized how nice Roadwars looked on DOS. I was just so used to c64. Having played Phantasie, Shard of Spring, and Wizard's Crown + Might & Magic II; I must say that the near zero load times is a huge draw. Oh C64, how you repeatedly cast wither brain & sleep upon me with LOADING....PLEASE WAIT!!!

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Idle phone games... lordy they can be addictive for those who just can't get in the mood...

Then I see this on an idle space game.... in my roster..

Spoiler

-.-! Good grief!

 

[octavius]

Finished The Earth Lords, an obscure CRPG that you have probably not heard about.

Then I tried to replay OpenXcom, but I can't work up enough enthusiasm. Now that I'm in 2001 modus, and have played JA2, it's harder to go back the UI and audiovisuals of a 1994 game. The lack of feedback regarding hit chances and LOS is bothering me more now than when I played it some years ago.
Objectively I still think it has more going for it than the more limited JA2, though.

 

[baud]

Covid 2021: so far it's a rehash of last year's.

Started too many games around the same time, ended up playing none of them, with the sole exception of XCOM: Enemy Within that I got to finish without touching much of the "new" stuff other than the EXALT-related missions.

you missed out on the MECs, which are really fun to use

 

[Ghulgothas]

Wrapped up Shadow of Chernobyl, pretty damn good save for that last stretch. I kept thinking the words "Super S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 64" to myself as you hopped around the plant via teleporters bonking exosoldiers along the way. Some loony shit.

Anyways, moved on to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky. Again using a minimal mod setup of the Sky Reclamation Project and the Absolute Series mods along with a Reshader. I'm liking a lot of the new UI and upgrades, though I'm not wasting any rubles on them until I get some weapons and armor I know I'll be keeping. The Faction War system feels a bit too active, not leaving a lotta space for actual survival and scavenging and other bits of the quintessential STALKER experience.

 

[forumvisitor#451]

I have been playing Driv3r a lot lately. It's a love and hate relationship. Loving the driving mechanis, physics, cop chases, car missions are varied and interesting. And then you get out of the car and game is unplayable, you have to assign button for shooting etc. No bugs, glitches or hiccups in the car, on foot I got stuck in a damn pool and had to restart. Driving is awesome and great. Similar to Stuntman (same studio but released prior only for PS2). Last game I enjoyed driving physics this much was with GTA 4.

 

[502]

Clive Barker's Undying is textbook incline. Wish it were possible to see it realized as an immersive sim with complicated level design and systems.

Divinity: Original Sin has dreadful itemization, but you already know that. I'm wasting time in the literal sense.

DUSK is still my favorite of the "zero budget retro FPS" wave and is pure bliss to play.

 

[NJClaw]

I'm once again playing Cossacks 2: Battle for Europe (or Napoleonic Wars, as I knew it as a kid). I don't think I can explain how much I love this game and what it does to me. Everything about it enthralls me on a deep, irrational level. Its flaws are glaring, but it gets so many things right that I can't help but consider it one of my favorite games of all times.

The only reason I haven't spent thousands of hours on it is that playing this game was hard when it came out and is almost impossible now. When I first got it as a kid, it crashed randomly every few hours, and I still played it. When I got it on Steam a couple of years ago, on my PC it ran at around 5 FPS, and I still played it. Right now, after every single mission, there's a 50% chance that a crash to desktop might cancel all my progress and make me restart that same mission from the beginning, and I'm still playing it.

 

[Dayyālu]

Clive Barker's Undying is textbook incline. Wish it were possible to see it realized as an immersive sim with complicated level design and systems.

Like all Clive's games, it has problems in the fact that it's gutted. The neverending Howler levels and the fact that you can see where the budget ended massively doesn't diminish my love for the setting, the ambience and the frankly creative setup.

I liked Jericho for similar reasons, but be advised that it combusts even more disastrously in the endgame.

 

[J_C]

Clive Barker's Undying is textbook incline. Wish it were possible to see it realized as an immersive sim with complicated level design and systems.

Like all Clive's games, it has problems in the fact that it's gutted. The neverending Howler levels and the fact that you can see where the budget ended massively doesn't diminish my love for the setting, the ambience and the frankly creative setup.

I liked Jericho for similar reasons, but be advised that it combusts even more disastrously in the endgame.

I've played Undying for the first time a few months ago, and I can say that the first half is one of the greatest horror games ever created. I was terrified at some points, thanks to the atmosphere, sound effects and visual design. But in the second half you gain more and more weapons/spells, which make the game more of a shooter, killing the horror atmosphere.

Overall it is a good game, but it should have stuck to the survival-horror theme for the whole game.

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

Tried the demo of Dragon Quest 11 for an hour or so after hearing about it on Codex.

So far it can be described as 'naive'. The game isn't complex, but it's well-made and a nice distraction from harder/more complex RPGs.

I'll probably buy the full version, as my library doesn't have enough games to sit back and have some dumb fun.

 

[Abu Antar]

Tried the demo of Dragon Quest 11 for an hour or so after hearing about it on Codex.

So far it can be described as 'naive'. The game isn't complex, but it's well-made and a nice distraction from harder/more complex RPGs.

I'll probably buy the full version, as my library doesn't have enough games to sit back and have some dumb fun.

Be sure to use the "stronger enemies" draconian challenge.

PulsatingBrain Fucking Yakuza minigames. I spend too much time on them in every game.

What have I been playing? God of War and God Wars on PS5.

On PC, I did a few missions in Troubleshooter, and also gave it a positive review on Steam. As I said in that very brief review, if the game had been a western games, the gaming journos/media would have been all over it.
A few missions ago, I raised the difficulty, and the challenge is better. I've had Irene die because I was too cheeky, and sent her to fight a few goons on her own. The party now has four characters. The newest addition seems very useful. Great damage and able to heal. Missions are very long, with many enemies, but the satisfaction once you win is real.

I gave the full version of Solasta a go. Fighter/Cleric/Wizard/Rogue Party. So far, it's charming. I'm still at the intro, though. I'm only at the part where each party introduces themselves. Characters are charmingly/retardedly ugly, and the game has voice acting. Listen and judge for yourselves! I do like the soundtrack. What I do not like is the default camera controls. I played the demo (not EA), and I think it felt better.
When I have played a lot more, I will likely post impressions in the Solasta thread.

 

[newtmonkey]

Pathfinder: Kingmaker
Once I discovered you can actually generate a full party shortly after the tutorial (just stay at level 1 before you hire mercenaries), I restarted and am now having a blast playing this. What a great game! I made three tanks (fighter, paladin, cleric), a bard, and two mages (sorcerer and wizard). I know absolutely nothing about the Pathfinder system, though I know it's based on D&D3... I also don't know the first thing about about D&D3, but it's close enough to AD&D from the Gold Box games that it's not too difficult to understand.

Right now I'm exploring the world a bit during chapter 1. It's really quite surprising how slow you gain levels in this game. In the Gold Box games, you get most of your XP from finding hidden treasure, but here everything seems to just hand out a couple hundred of XP at the most. On the other hand, your party is FAR more competent at level 1 here than in the Gold Box games; outside of at the inn in the fort, I've only rested once so far in the wilderness but have completed a few quests. You also find magical equipment pretty quick, so even if you don't level up you still gain some appreciable power quickly.

I am really enjoying the overall structure of this game. It's a "hex crawl" where you are given a certain objective that must be completed within a certain number of in-game days, but have the freedom to wander over the map and encounter locations and encounters. It feels a lot like a mixture of Baldur's Gate with Fallout, with a bit of Pool of Radiance mixed in.

I'm playing in turn-based mode, and unlike with Pillars of Eternity II, it feels pretty natural (at this point anyway). D&D3 really seems to up the tactical element of combat, so I feel that turn-based combat really fits well. It honestly just feels like playing a Gold Box game a lot of the time, and that's high praise indeed.

I also like that you'll run into encounters that are clearly too difficult at low levels, and more often than not the game will actually provide you with a warning (or at least make the difficult encounters non-hostile by default). For example, all the difficult encounters in the Sycamore Cave area are either non-hostile (tough wolves and shambling mound) or have a bunch of fireball traps in front of them (bandit camp and Sycamore Tree).

Really enjoying this! The interface also looks great, with sort of a parchment/book theme going. Really great looking game.

 

[Melcar]

Man, I loathed the interface for PF: Kingmaker. The game and mechanics themselves are rather solid enough that I was able to slog through most of the game.

 

[newtmonkey]

Melcar
What didn't you like about the interface? Curious to hear your opinion.