Video Games Randomness - Prioritize specific game threads!

[Madmarcus]

FO76 lasted for one month for me. I was enjoying it as a semi-single person PvE exploration game until I hit the cap on storage space on the same day that I was unable to build or repair a decent gun because I was out of screws. I don't mind running back to workbenches and camp to deal with inventory but the combination of limited stash space and crafting/repairing brought out the MMO roots and sucked all the joy out of it. Maybe I'll pick it up again later but now I need to go back to Cyberpunk and finish that off.

[Max Peck]

Yeah, playing F76 without the subscription benefit that provides unlimited crafting storage is a huge PITA. Ditto for Elder Scrolls Online.

[Madmarcus]

I'm not sure what it says about me that I have an aversion to paying a monthly fee for a game. I've done it before but not recently. Other games are simply too cheap or available in my backlog.

[Anonymous Bosch]

'modernized' Arkanoid coming out this month - i am interested in this:

https://www.gog.com/en/game/arkanoid_eternal_battle



(i remember buying the MS-DOS port of the original back in 1988... or was it 89? and was it from Target or Software Etc? and i got Arkanoid II in 1990... or was it 91...)

FWIW, if you enjoyed Arkanoid back in the day, you may want to wishlist Shatter Remastered Deluxe, too:



I've been replaying and immensely enjoying the classic version of Shatter on my Steam Deck. Also, to celebrate the imminent release of Shatter Remastered Deluxe, you can currently grab the classic version of Shatter for a mere $1.99:



If you've never played Shatter, do yourself a favour and check it out. IMHO, it's hands down the greatest Arkanoid/Breakout/brick-breaker game ever made. Better yet, it has a superb OST and gorgeous aestethics to match:

[Rumpy]

I'm not sure what it says about me that I have an aversion to paying a monthly fee for a game. I've done it before but not recently. Other games are simply too cheap or available in my backlog.

Yeah, me neither. And I never will either. I have too many things I'm paying for monthly already, which means anything I do try is Free-to-Play. And come to think of it, and it might simply be my association with it, but it seems to me that about the time FTP MMOs began to take off was about the time these companies really leaned hard into the end-game concept, with loot crate unlockables and all.

[gbasden]

If the endgame is the equivalent of forced MP loot drop grinding, I have no interest.

I loved end game in WoW as it was running raids with my guild. When my guild evaporated, my love of end game did too.

[Isgrimnur]

Maybe the true rare drops were the friends we lost along the way.

[Freyland]

Maybe the true rare drops were the friends we lost along the way.

/gush
That would be Cort and Green Goo.
/end gush

[Isgrimnur]

/pours out a 40MB.

[Daehawk]

I saw Far Cry 6 is like $22 on Fanatical tonight. My check comes tomorrow and I can afford the game and need a new one since I finished Days Gone so I decided to get it. But Fanatical didn't want my money . It said my cardholder wouldn't authorize it. So called the bank and they said it was flagged as fraud or something due to being an international purchase. Im guessing because its FC6 and Ubisoft so Canada. Ive bought from Fanatical many times before. They cleared all the flags and told to wait 10 min and then try again.

Waited , tried, still refused. Called back. They cant find any reason on my card as to why it wouldn't work. Theres no anything on it now, money in the bank...shrug. I opened a ticket with Fanatical support. Not heard anything. Not sure what else I can do. Tomorrow I can move money from that bank and card to my other bank and card and use that one maybe...but the flash sale will have ended by then so doesn't help me.

I tried one more time just now...still no joy. Guess they dont want my money. Too good for me.

[Blackhawk]

And PayPal?

[Daehawk]

I dont keep money in PayPal.

[Isgrimnur]

they said it was flagged as fraud or something due to being an international purchase. Im guessing because its FC6 and Ubisoft so Canada.

Fanatical is a UK company.

[Daehawk]

And PayPal?

Wait...are you suggesting that if my bank card is linked to Paypal it might still work if I choose PP as the preferred method of payment?

And if I use PP what do they get out of it? Is there some PP fee?

EDIT2: MEH..anyways that worked..thnx

[Blackhawk]

I don't know. My PayPal account is linked directly to my bank account. Anytime I have paid for something via PayPal, it has just taken it directly from the bank.

I don't know if your account is that way or not.

[Daehawk]

It was.

[Skinypupy]

Was in the mood for a JRPG yesterday this week. The new Star Ocean: The Divine Force was getting decent reviews (around 75%) and I thought it might be kinda cool. Yeesh...I really should have known better.

It's a poor man's version of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 where instead of great characters in an interesting world, you get a cast made up entirely of creepy looking porcelain dolls. The world is large but completely lifeless. Feels like you're running through a model. It uses what I assume is an complex action RPG combat system. I can only assume because it's explained solely - and very poorly - through a series of massive text dumps. So far, I've just been button mashing and hoping for the best. Enemies have been completely generic and boring. They may have some unique attacks or abilities, but the combat moves so quickly that I really can't even tell what I'm doing. I'm simply running around attacking whatever the camera happens to lock onto. Every other system in the game (leveling, improving stats, etc) is also done via text dumps, often with multiple complex systems dumped on you back-to-back. And did I mention that the UI uses the smallest font imaginable? Seriously, SO tiny with no option to increase it (not just my bad eyes, this is a common complaint in nearly every review). The music sucks, the voice acting is merely ok, and the entire premise - which looked like it could be really cool (sci-fi/fantasy mash-up where a space traveler is marooned on a low-tech planet) - is just completely uninteresting.

I thought this might be a throwback to the PS2 JRPG days, but I hate pretty much everything about this game through 4 hours. Feels like I would have been better off just throwing $60 in the trash. Oh well.

[Blackhawk]

With Michelle gone half of the time now, the TV is actually semi-available. That means that I could, theoretically, sit on the couch and play a console game. My window for doing so over the past five or six years has been so small and at such inconvenient times (absolutely never in the afternoon or evening) that it was hard to get into any game with regularity.

I need a change of gaming pace. I haven't played JRPGs regularly since... the PS1era? Back in the NES/SNES/PS1 days they were a mainstay. Maybe it's time to give it a whirl again. I've played a few over the years that have qualified. I played Ni No Kuni and Final Fantasy XIII, but I bounced off of the combat in Final Fantasy XV (it was too fast paced with too little situational awareness.) I found myself feeling nostalgic toward Final Fantasy VI and VII, probably my most-played games on the SNES and PS1, respectively. Rather than digging into options to get those running (and then there's the issue of nostalgia vs reality), I thought I'd see if anyone here had any suggestions. I had a strong urge toward Octopath Traveler for the Switch, but it's still got a pretty high price tag, so I'll have to come back to that.

I've got a PS4 Pro and a Switch hooked up (and I've got a PS2, PS3, and Xbox 360 if I feel the need to dig them out.) Any ideas?

[Max Peck]

Why is there a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II as well as a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2?

That seems like too many twos for a single franchise.

[Blackhawk]

There's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, too.

[Carpet_pissr]

There's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, too.

I see what you did there.

[Anonymous Bosch]

With Michelle gone half of the time now, the TV is actually semi-available. That means that I could, theoretically, sit on the couch and play a console game. My window for doing so over the past five or six years has been so small and at such inconvenient times (absolutely never in the afternoon or evening) that it was hard to get into any game with regularity.

I need a change of gaming pace. I haven't played JRPGs regularly since... the PS1era? Back in the NES/SNES/PS1 days they were a mainstay. Maybe it's time to give it a whirl again. I've played a few over the years that have qualified. I played Ni No Kuni and Final Fantasy XIII, but I bounced off of the combat in Final Fantasy XV (it was too fast paced with too little situational awareness.) I found myself feeling nostalgic toward Final Fantasy VI and VII, probably my most-played games on the SNES and PS1, respectively. Rather than digging into options to get those running (and then there's the issue of nostalgia vs reality), I thought I'd see if anyone here had any suggestions. I had a strong urge toward Octopath Traveler for the Switch, but it's still got a pretty high price tag, so I'll have to come back to that.

I've got a PS4 Pro and a Switch hooked up (and I've got a PS2, PS3, and Xbox 360 if I feel the need to dig them out.) Any ideas?

JRPGs aren't really my cuppa but if you're after a change of gaming pace, the Switch version of Disco Elysium will scratch you where you itch, and makes for a uniquely outstanding CRPG:

[Skinypupy]

JRPGs aren't really my cuppa but if you're after a change of gaming pace, the Switch version of Disco Elysium will scratch you where you itch, and makes for a uniquely outstanding CRPG:

I'll be the dissenting voice here and say I really quite disliked this game. I get what it was going for in building a strong narrative and world but I found it to be generally uninteresting and not nearly as clever as it thought it was. I strongly disliked every single character in the game (which I do realize was the point) as well as the general gameplay structure. I even tried it twice - bought it for both PC and PS4 - and got about 8-10 hours in both times before giving up. It's a game I really wanted to like, but came away cold both times.

As far as PS4/Switch JRPG recommendations, I'd go with:

1. FF VII Remake (PS4). The rare remake that not only does justice to the original, but actually transforms it into something that's even more interesting.
2. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (Switch). The best JRPG on the Switch, imo. Really excellent characters, world, story, and writing with exploration and combat that is stellar. It's a really long game though, around 80+ hours. If you want something a little less of an investment, check out Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna-The Golden Country. It's a stand-alone "expansion" to XC2 that tells a really fantastic story in around 30 hours. Familiarity with the original helps, but isn't necessary.
3. FF XII The Zodiac Age (PS4). I still think FF XII has one of the most interesting combat systems of the modern (post-VII) FF era. It takes a bit to wrap your head around, but is really excellent once you do. Plus, Balthier and Fran are maybe the greatest duo in JRPG history.
4. Legend of Heroes - Trails of Cold Steel (PS4, Steam). One of the best JRPG stories and cast of characters around. There's a "Enhanced Edition" or something like that which adds a speed up feature that I would say is an absolute must. If you like this one, there's four more games of similar quality to dig into. Easily a couple hundred hours of excellent gameplay, story, and worldbuilding here.
5. Nier Replicant and Nier Automata (PS4). Very, very weird, but really fantastic action RPGs.
6. Y's VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana (PS4). Wonderful characters, fun world, interesting story, and fast-paced combat. I came into this one expecting nothing and came away really, really pleased.

A few that everyone else loves but I didn't care for very much:
- Persona 5
- Dragon Quest 11
- Yazuka: Like a Dragon
- Bravely Default 2
- Tales of Arise

[Rumpy]

I kind of felt the same way about Planescape Torment. Had heard so much about it and how it's a must play, that by the time I got to it, I kind of bounced off it hard. Felt none of the characters were interesting and the tone of the game felt so morose, and ended up forcing myself towards the end to see how it would turn out. In the end, I really didn't care much for it.

[Jaymann]

I kind of felt the same way about Planescape Torment. Had heard so much about it and how it's a must play, that by the time I got to it, I kind of bounced off it hard. Felt none of the characters were interesting and the tone of the game felt so morose, and ended up forcing myself towards the end to see how it would turn out. In the end, I really didn't care much for it.

My experience was similar only I bounced off in the first act.

[Rumpy]

I kind of felt the same way about Planescape Torment. Had heard so much about it and how it's a must play, that by the time I got to it, I kind of bounced off it hard. Felt none of the characters were interesting and the tone of the game felt so morose, and ended up forcing myself towards the end to see how it would turn out. In the end, I really didn't care much for it.

My experience was similar only I bounced off in the first act.

I kept going to see if it would get any better, mostly out of curiosity. It if it hadn't been for the concept of portals in the first place, I probably would have given up on it.

[Skinypupy]

I actually quite liked Planescape Torment, but part of that was probably due to it's novelty. It was the first true narrative-heavy CRPG I played. I tried the pseudo-sequel and didn't care for it all that much.

[Blackhawk]

It didn't catch with me, either. But then again, I went into with low expectations. It had an amazing reputation, but I really didn't like the setting when I originally encountered it on the tabletop. I felt the same way about Spelljammer, and was just so-so on Dark Sun (although I think I'd be more accepting of the latter these days.)

[Daehawk]

I enjoyed it and finished it back in the day. It was different. I cant take that much reading these days though.

[Rumpy]

It didn't catch with me, either. But then again, I went into with low expectations. It had an amazing reputation, but I really didn't like the setting when I originally encountered it on the tabletop. I felt the same way about Spelljammer, and was just so-so on Dark Sun (although I think I'd be more accepting of the latter these days.)

Yeah, I think it was partly the setting, which really took me aback. I get that people feel it's a special game, and I respect the history behind it and its narrative focus, but man, if anyone had told me it was a mortuary setting, I don't think I would have played it. The setting,, along with the colour palette made the game feel so blah.

[Anonymous Bosch]

It didn't catch with me, either. But then again, I went into with low expectations. It had an amazing reputation, but I really didn't like the setting when I originally encountered it on the tabletop. I felt the same way about Spelljammer, and was just so-so on Dark Sun (although I think I'd be more accepting of the latter these days.)

Fair enough, setting preferences tend to be largely subjective, after all. But one of the reasons I suspect you'd particularly enjoy Disco Elysium is just how remarkably well it implements pen & paper RPG dialogue mechanics into a video game. For the reasons elucidated in the video I posted above (which is essentially spoiler-free, BTW), Disco Elysium is one of the most narratively rich and rewarding stories you will ever experience in a CRPG video game. The key to getting the most out of it though, is simply embracing its oddities. Be weird. Make unusual choices. And perhaps most importantly, do not be afraid to fail. Because it's definitely not a game intended for power-levelling, min-maxing, or save-scumming. Simulated combat isn't even a central gameplay element. It's all about role-playing in the truest sense, which I believe you would almost certainly appreciate more than most.

[Daehawk]

Uh oh. I think I may have lost my boxed copy of Ultima 7 pt2 Serpent Isle. I dont see it offhand in the area it should be and my shelves are too cluttered for me to dig around for it. Im still weak legged from working on my pc the other day. This is worrying. Its special to me. I hope I can find it when I do dig.

[TheMix]

... I do dog.

...

Is that a euphemism?

[raydude]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1451 ... Commander/

This could end up being the spiritual successor to M1 Tank Platoon from Microprose. Command your Sherman Tank platoon while designating targets for your own tank crew. Too bad we have to wait till Oct 2023.

[Daehawk]

... I do dog.

...

Is that a euphemism?

1 key over

This could end up being the spiritual successor to M1 Tank Platoon from Microprose

Ive always loved tanks and tank games. I used to draw tanks in jr high when bored. I wanted M1 Tank Platoon SO much but didn't have a pc yet. By the time I did get it I was disappointed with it because id played Panzer Commander. Thats one of my favorite tank games from the 90s. I spent crazy amounts of time in World of Tanks.

That new one looks pretty spiffy.

[Daehawk]

Sniper Elite 4...ugh the controls. Theres so many plus so many I need to use the same key for but wont let me. Like theres an interact key..always my middle mouse.....but to loot ammo from a crate I have to use E. Theres a lot of that.Cant do I dont think. I tested it and deleted it for another time and put in The Outer Worlds.

[Blackhawk]

Trying to play Spellforce 3: Reforced. I played 1 and 2, but haven't touched 3. Geeze, though - I'd forgotten how fiddly this series was. They just love to take standards for controls and reinvent the wheel to make them awkward. I went through an early attack in which they gave you control of a fourth hero, gave you control of an army for the first time, introduced the hero abilities, and introduced the quick bar and taught you how to populate it with abilities. They did this with two pop-up windows of readable tutorials while simultaneously giving you your first battle to survive controlling three types of units, four individual heroes, and also simultaneously providing story voice-over, all with no ability to pause. You can actively follow six threads of thought simultaneously, right?

[Daehawk]

Far Cry 6 is fiddly with controls and picking up stuff. Trying to grab loot and junk is super hard...its as if the circle of touch in the size of a penny. This is the first game or FC game where Ive seen this in many years. It takes me a good 5 - 8 clicks at an item and moving the mouse around to grab anything. Usually its simply one click. And if Im under fire and trying to grab something as Im moving forget it. I have to stop and do it and get shot.

[Blackhawk]

I played, but I don't recall having any problem picking things up.

[Max Peck]

Thomas the Tank Engine, but evil spider...