What Are You Playing?

[Aazealh]

I know ME2 is regarded as the transcendent all-time game of the series

Really?! By whom?

Worst of all, the game had no plot continuity and was like a complete diversion or side story that just ends up back where ME1 ended to setup the actual conclusion of that story in ME3, minus crucial development that could have made that conclusion most effective. It's otherwise personality driven with the recruitable characters, which people obviously liked, but I was expecting a lot more than that, and most people were probably just staring at Miranda's ass.

Where they added insult to injury is that all those new characters become NPCs in Mass Effect 3. A few are given a little "last mission" to conclude their arc, but most only get a couple optional lines of dialogue. So basically all that recruiting that took up a whole game was useless, as the crew for the actual final mission in ME3 is either composed of original ME1 characters (Liara, Tali, Garrus, Kaidan/Ashley) or newly introduced ones.

Furthermore, the characters in ME2 were inserted to the detriment of Liara and Wrex, who were in my opinion the two best sidekicks from ME1 (who cares about Kaidan and Ashley). They chose to make Wrex barely an NPC due to the choice at the end of ME1 which I honestly can't forgive. Instead they brought on Grunt, the most vanilla Krogan possible, which was pathetic. I don't care about their excuses, they should have worked around their plot to have Wrex as an alternative to Grunt or something. It could be done, they just didn't care enough. As for Liara, they basically assassinated her character and no amount of shitty comic books and "I'm so sorry" DLCs really fixed it for me.

And like Griff said above, it's easy to just blame ME3 for it, but it was a given that they wouldn't have 15 sidekicks in ME3 if they had to compromise like they did in ME2. They planned badly because they had no idea where to take their story after ME1's perfect ending. ME2 should have done away with the "evil Shepard rebuilt by Cerberus" bullshit and instead have him struggle to rally non-allied races like the Batarians against the Reapers, uncover and undo a secret plot by Cerberus (maybe tie-in the Collectors if you really want to), find some secret Prothean tech that could help in the last game, and recruit two or three squadmates in addition to retaining the original ones. Then at the end, have the player make a choice where some sacrifice themselves in a real suicide mission that makes a difference and has an actual emotional impact versus "well, I better reload".

 

[Rhombaad]

I've been playing Majora's Mask the last couple of weeks. I didn't experience it back when it came out, so I was pretty intimidated by the whole you-only-have-three-days-to-do-stuff-before-the-world-ends-and-you-lose-almost-everything gameplay mechanic when I started. Of course, like almost all gameplay mechanics, it was totally manageable and you get used to it pretty quickly.

I enjoyed the dungeons (even though Stone Tower Temple was a little tedious at times) and almost all of the side quests. Clock Town was really cool. It felt almost alive at times, what with everyone going about their daily business. The transformational masks were neat, but the one-and-done masks were a bit disappointing sometimes.

In the end, it was a decent sequel to one of, if not the, greatest games of all time. Hard to believe it was made in about a year, regardless of the number of elements they brought over from the first game. I've heard some people prefer it to Ocarina of Time, but I'm not one of them. That being said, I'm glad I finally got around to playing it.

Next, I'm going to be replaying a game I haven't played since it first came out: Deus Ex. I'm really excited about this one, even though I've played it before.

 

[Lawliet]

Inquisitor hit on it above, but basically the original created a sense of an inhabitable, interactive world much larger than the sum of the game's parts, which were also fun if a bit clumsy by today's standards, with a story that hooked me to the point I practically played it straight through in an all-nighter. I know ME2 is regarded as the transcendent all-time game of the series, but while it improved the gunplay, it basically became like levels you teleported to with shooter missions and your ship was the central hub where you interacted with the eclectic characters you collected throughout. That's basically an action/adventure shooter with RPG elements. Worst of all, the game had no plot continuity and was like a complete diversion or side story that just ends up back where ME1 ended to setup the actual conclusion of that story in ME3, minus crucial development that could have made that conclusion most effective. It's otherwise personality driven with the recruitable characters, which people obviously liked, but I was expecting a lot more than that, and most people were probably just staring at Miranda's ass. So yeah, objectively, maybe it's the most polished or best playing game in the series, but it was a huge disappoint to me coming off Mass Effect.

To be clear, I wasn't disputing the claim that the first Mass Effect is better than the second (hence my partial quotation). I only played ME2 and 3 to the end, because I had neither an X-Box nor a PC that could run ME1 consistently at the time. My experience with ME1 didn't go past the first couple hours.
So, from my perspective, ME2 is what introduced me to the world, and it did so with (at the time, at least) really engaging gameplay and so on. It also had an interesting premise (build a squad for a possibly suicidal mission). To a new player, this was all good stuff. I think that's what accounts for ME2's reputation. Aaz asked above who holds it in such high regard. My answer would be all of us who never played the first one and got introduced to the series through the PS3.
In other words, I can see what you mean as someone who already played the first game. Maybe as a sequel/middle-entry, ME2 isn't all that great. But in and of itself, had it been a different IP with its own self-contained story, I think there's a lot to love here (especially after the sour taste we're left off of after ME3).
All this Mass Effect talk's making me want to revisit this series. Maybe I'll wait until the legendary edition goes for sale.

 

[Salty Kenny]

Talking Mass Effect, as anyone here played the "Legendary" edition? I heard pretty much no uproar about it what so ever after it came out, so im expecting it to be at least.......fine.............minus Miranda's ass...

 

[Aazealh]

I think that's what accounts for ME2's reputation. Aaz asked above who holds it in such high regard. My answer would be all of us who never played the first one and got introduced to the series through the PS3.

Haha, well when you put it like that... Too bad for all of you though, because you missed out on the best part of the series. Like I said above, it's easy to just shit on ME3 (and it deserves it), but the original sin lays with ME2. And I say that as someone who owns their fair fare of old school N7 merchandise.

-----

Anyway, someone was asking about sidescrolling action-exploration games last week (AKA the depiscable M word), and I've actually played through Axiom Verge 2 this week-end. I had mixed feelings about the original, which I had played at release. I remember finding it fine but not transcendent, its biomechanical setting being its main attraction. The sequel is... a let down, even with moderate expectations. Here's a little spoilerless review.

The best way I'd describe Axiom Verge 2 is as a run-of-the-mill Metroid clone. I feel that it shows the limits of a single person doing everything. It's a competent game to be sure, and I had enough fun with it that I completed it in two days, but I can already tell that, much like its predecessor, it won't leave much of a mark in my mind. (I had to watch a recap of the first game, I had forgotten everything about it except for the biomechanical world). Even Hollow Knight was more memorable, and it's pretty sterile itself, but at least it's got an art direction.

That's one of the biggest problems with Axiom Verge 2. Its world is bigger and more intricate than its predecessor, and it's got a good variety of enemies. But it's all just dull and generic. Nothing sticks out. The trailer emphasizes the Mesopotamian vibe, but very little of it is present in the actual game. Same for enemies: their design feels uninspired, as does that of the main character. The sound effects are not great either. They border on irritating at times. There are a couple of nice music tracks, but the rest is forgettable.

As for the gameplay, it's serviceable but not great. It's also fairly easy. I only died a few times, all in the same segment, and only because I didn't care. Most enemies, including every boss, can be rushed and killed by mashing the attack button. No strategy needed. The character skills are fine, and I thought hacking was cool but it ends up being underused. Skills points are just an excuse to add some more item collection, which does lengthen the life of the game by two or three hours but otherwise adds little to it. Most of the upgrades aren't needed at all.

Last but not least is the story. The developer decided to make the second game – ostensibly a prequel – practically unrelated to the first. It's got some oblique references but nothing too clear. Not much light is shed. Worse, it ends without even really answering the questions it raises during the game, nor addressing the stuff it marketed itself as. It almost feels like false advertisement. And I got the best ending as far as I know (100% map 95% items). I don't know whether that ambiguity is deliberate (to keep fans guessing/speculating) or if the developer plans on doing some kind of epic franchise, but the result left me unconvinced. It was an impulse buy for me, but I don't really recommend it unless you've really got an itch for the genre and have already played all other noteworthy titles.

 

[IncantatioN]

What a fun series of comments to discuss the Mass Effect series. Thanks guys, and happy to report that the disc I ordered over the weekend should be here mid-week. I'll start playing the 1st game soon. The PSN store wouldn't let me buy the trilogy, I've never had that problem before.

I was checking the comments on my phone, and realized the very first post and very first game mentioned in this thread is Mass Effect!

 

[Griffith]

Time to stop talking about remakes of 2009 games... and (LAN) party like it's 1999!

Diablo II Resurrected Beta - Completed Act II and I'm grinding to try to hit level 30 before it closes tomorrow. I'm level 25 and those last 5 big levels are not going to be worth it. Plus, even if I make it I'll just whirlwind into a mob, die, and that'll be that. But hey, it's only a beta and my wife already hates it! It's still addictive as fuck.

Really?! By whom?

Aaz asked above who holds it in such high regard. My answer would be all of us who never played the first one and got introduced to the series through the PS3.
In other words, I can see what you mean as someone who already played the first game. Maybe as a sequel/middle-entry, ME2 isn't all that great. But in and of itself, had it been a different IP with its own self-contained story, I think there's a lot to love here (especially after the sour taste we're left off of after ME3).

Haha, well when you put it like that... Too bad for all of you though, because you missed out on the best part of the series. Like I said above, it's easy to just shit on ME3 (and it deserves it), but the original sin lays with ME2. And I say that as someone who owns their fair fare of old school N7 merchandise.

I love it when all of my loose discussion threads sort themselves out without me. =)

And yeah, I'm pretty much on the same page as you guys on all points. ME2 was a more accessible game that introduced the series to a wider audience, which unfairly overshadowed the transcendent greatness of ME1. I'm, somewhat ironically, more forgiving of ME3 than either of you though despite it not living up to the original either, but at least it's not ducking the responsibility, which only made me resent ME2 further for somehow avoiding the criticism and even being praised as like the sweet spot of the series.

All this Mass Effect talk's making me want to revisit this series. Maybe I'll wait until the legendary edition goes for sale.

I think it might be, and I've considered it as well, though all my previous attempts at replaying the series were quickly aborted, so I'm wary. Speaking of ME1 vs ME2, one thing they could have done with this is retroactively align ME1's combat more with 2's and 3's. Not a total overhaul so it no longer has the unique abilities specific to ME1, but retrofit some of the quality of life improvements to the shooting. Judging by the fact they didn't even bother recreating the Pinnacle Station DLC that was corrupted or whatever, I'm guessing this was never in the cards. I guess other than getting (almost) all the DLC included, I'm not seeing the value in this upres for me since I already own most of it. I can totally imagine myself installing this and it looking exactly identical to the originals to me.

What a fun series of comments to discuss the Mass Effect series. Thanks guys

As Guts once said, "Don't thank me yet" until you survive the night of my ME3 apologist posts! I think I literally wrote a book on that one, and, without checking, I stand by what I said. =)

I was checking the comments on my phone, and realized the very first post and very first game mentioned in this thread is Mass Effect!

The circle is complete. Enjoy it, it's a great game. Play naturally and let whatever happens happen and you'll have a great experience. The reason I can never get back into it is I try to do everything "perfectly" or have the perfect character or playthrough and it's just no fun that way.

 

[Lawliet]

I'm currently playing HADES. It's my first roguelike, and I thought I'd like it a lot less than I do (the concept of roguelike doesn't appeal to me tbh). But this game's pretty good so far. Love the gorgeous art style and the sharp writing. The game's enjoyable every escape attempt, despite the repetition. I'm a huge Greek Myth nerd, so that's a huge bonus for the game; I love coming across and recognizing certain references to the classical stories. The cycle of dying and repeating also feels surprisingly natural. As in, it's used to tell branching storylines without feeling forced.

So far I've only managed to escape once. Hades himself is such a shit dad so far, so I totally get Zag's attempt to run away. Getting Owl (Sekiro) vibes here.

Anyway, someone was asking about sidescrolling action-exploration games last week (AKA the depiscable M word), and I've actually played through Axiom Verge 2 this week-end. I had mixed feelings about the original, which I had played at release. I remember finding it fine but not transcendent, its biomechanical setting being its main attraction. The sequel is... a let down, even with moderate expectations. Here's a little spoilerless review.

Yeah, I was asking about Metroidvanias as I just got into the genre thanks to Hollow Knight. The guys here kindly gave me many recommendations that I'm currently working through since. One of them was Axiom Verge, which I was hesitant to try right away. Looks like I can move it down the list then, so thanks for the informative review.
I am curious about your stance on Hollow Knight though. I thought it was pretty good! (Of course, I can only speak for the latest version. I don't know how the game was at release). What didn't you like about it?

I think it might be, and I've considered it as well, though all my previous attempts at replaying the series were quickly aborted, so I'm wary. Speaking of ME1 vs ME2, one thing they could have done with this is retroactively align ME1's combat more with 2's and 3's. Not a total overhaul so it no longer has the unique abilities specific to ME1, but retrofit some of the quality of life improvements to the shooting. Judging by the fact they didn't even bother recreating the Pinnacle Station DLC that was corrupted or whatever, I'm guessing this was never in the cards. I guess other than getting (almost) all the DLC included, I'm not seeing the value in this upres for me since I already own most of it. I can totally imagine myself installing this and it looking exactly identical to the originals to me.

I go back and forth on it. I mean, it's the perfect chance to experience what I missed out on, but on the other hand ME1 (or the whole series for that matter) might not have aged too well. I also don't wanna dish out all that cash on a trilogy I've played two-thirds of already anyway, even if it runs at 60 fps with higher res.
Actually, since this industry is creatively bankrupt, relying hugely on remasters/reboots, I may as well wait for that inevitable ME1 remake. Maybe they'll follow Dead Space's example and go for it?

 

[Aazealh]

I'm currently playing HADES. It's my first roguelike, and I thought I'd like it a lot less than I do (the concept of roguelike doesn't appeal to me tbh). But this game's pretty good so far. Love the gorgeous art style and the sharp writing. The game's enjoyable every escape attempt, despite the repetition. I'm a huge Greek Myth nerd, so that's a huge bonus for the game; I love coming across and recognizing certain references to the classical stories. The cycle of dying and repeating also feels surprisingly natural. As in, it's used to tell branching storylines without feeling forced.

Yeah Hades is pretty neat. It does get old eventually, or at least did for me after a while. I think I was on a ~35 victory streak and while the story still had some stuff left, I felt that I had seen enough gameplay wise.

I am curious about your stance on Hollow Knight though. I thought it was pretty good! (Of course, I can only speak for the latest version. I don't know how the game was at release). What didn't you like about it?

Yeah it's pretty good. That's about all I have to say about it. I enjoyed it when it came out. Long game, cute little world if a bit drab. Combat was alright. Not in my top 5 for the genre.

Actually, since this industry is creatively bankrupt, relying hugely on remasters/reboots, I may as well wait for that inevitable ME1 remake. Maybe they'll follow Dead Space's example and go for it?

Well the Legendary Edition is already a "remaster" and they did do some tuning in ME1 specifically, so I don't think they're planning on a full remake anytime soon. Especially since they're busy making the next game in the series after the Anthem fiasco.

 

[Lawliet]

Yeah Hades is pretty neat. It does get old eventually, or at least did for me after a while. I think I was on a ~35 victory streak and while the story still had some stuff left, I felt that I had seen enough gameplay wise.

A 35 victory streak! Jesus, what are you made of? I only just (barely) managed my second escape victory.

I seem to have hit a wall as far as getting stronger is concerned (I maxed out all the attributes in the Nyx Mirror). Reaching Hades himself has become easy at this point, but good old dad himself still gives me a lot of trouble.

Yeah it's pretty good. That's about all I have to say about it. I enjoyed it when it came out. Long game, cute little world if a bit drab. Combat was alright. Not in my top 5 for the genre.

Fair enough. By the way, please do mention your top 5 so I can add them to my list (unless they've been mentioned already in the previous posts).

Well the Legendary Edition is already a "remaster" and they did do some tuning in ME1 specifically, so I don't think they're planning on a full remake anytime soon. Especially since they're busy making the next game in the series after the Anthem fiasco.

A man can dream

But yeah you're right, I'm not seriously expecting a remake any time soon. Might as well just go for the Legendary edition when it's on a good sale.

 

[Aazealh]

A 35 victory streak! Jesus, what are you made of? I only just (barely) managed my second escape victory.

Well you haven't been playing for long, but you'll see, it gets easier and easier as you go, until it's even hard to fail unless you rack up the penalties. I also bet you're mostly playing with one weapon right now, but soon it won't matter which one you choose or even which configuration it's in.

I seem to have hit a wall as far as getting stronger is concerned (I maxed out all the attributes in the Nyx Mirror). Reaching Hades himself has become easy at this point, but good old dad himself still gives me a lot of trouble.

Haha, he's a pushover, believe me. It's just a matter of learning his tricks.

Fair enough. By the way, please do mention your top 5 so I can add them to my list (unless they've been mentioned already in the previous posts).

Well the Metroid series is a good place to start given that it birthed the genre. Super Metroid, Fusion, Zero Mission are all great. The original Metroid is as well but today's weak-willed wimps™ might not have what it takes. If you're not familiar with the series, I'd recommend you to play those games, especially since Metroid Dread is coming out in October. Everything else is just modeled after them.

And then... Well, I guess I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Symphony of the Night, since it's the game that led to the stupid term "Metroidvania" (a word that's gone on to pretty much designate any sidescrolling game). I do think it's best enjoyed by people who are familiar with the earlier titles in the Castlevania series though. After that, well there's a bunch of GBA and NDS titles that are still great by today's standards but that I doubt you can get your hands on.

Recently, I had fun with Blasphemous and Carrion. I thought both were refreshing, although not without their respective flaws. Oh and I didn't play the most recent one, but I enjoyed the first "Ori and the" title as well. It felt sleek and polished.

 

[Lawliet]

Well you haven't been playing for long, but you'll see, it gets easier and easier as you go, until it's even hard to fail unless you rack up the penalties. I also bet you're mostly playing with one weapon right now, but soon it won't matter which one you choose or even which configuration it's in.

Yes, I've been sticking to the Malphon fists so far. I'm pairing them up with upgrades that increase attack speed, armor damage, and range. It's been convenient just holding down the attack button while dashing back and forth, which renews the attack sequence instantly (and helps my poor wrists keep up).

Basically, I'm fighting with full aggression and no sense of self-preservation or strategy here. It's been working on every boss except dad to some extent; he still manages to get the upper hand sometimes.

Also, I just managed my third escape and did notice it was slightly easier than the second. So yeah, right on.

Haha, he's a pushover, believe me. It's just a matter of learning his tricks.

Yeah, but I just need to stop and pay attention to those tricks instead of going ham on the guy.

Well the Metroid series is a good place to start given that it birthed the genre. Super Metroid, Fusion, Zero Mission are all great. The original Metroid is as well but today's weak-willed wimps™ might not have what it takes. If you're not familiar with the series, I'd recommend you to play those games, especially since Metroid Dread is coming out in October. Everything else is just modeled after them.

And then... Well, I guess I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Symphony of the Night, since it's the game that led to the stupid term "Metroidvania" (a word that's gone on to pretty much designate any sidescrolling game). I do think it's best enjoyed by people who are familiar with the earlier titles in the Castlevania series though. After that, well there's a bunch of GBA and NDS titles that are still great by today's standards but that I doubt you can get your hands on.

Recently, I had fun with Blasphemous and Carrion. I thought both were refreshing, although not without their respective flaws. Oh and I didn't play the most recent one, but I enjoyed the first "Ori and the" title as well. It felt sleek and polished.

Thank you, Aaz. That's a good amount to add to the list.

I'm particularly intrigued by Ori and Carrion. They look pretty cool, so I'll be trying those next. I also just bought a Switch, so Metroid Dread coming in October is good timing for me.

Speaking of the Switch, I'll soon begin Zelda BotW. Been waiting years to try that one. It will also be my first Zelda ever (not counting Phantom Hourglass). Can't wait!

 

[Aazealh]

Thank you, Aaz. That's a good amount to add to the list.

I'm particularly intrigued by Ori and Carrion. They look pretty cool, so I'll be trying those next. I also just bought a Switch, so Metroid Dread coming in October is good timing for me.

Just to be clear, if there's ONE single game you have to play, it's to be Super Metroid. It doesn't matter how, get a SNES Mini or whatever, but it literally defined the genre you like. It's the template on which every single game that came afterward is modeled, and over 25 years later, it's still as awesome as on the first day.

Speaking of the Switch, I'll soon begin Zelda BotW. Been waiting years to try that one. It will also be my first Zelda ever (not counting Phantom Hourglass). Can't wait!

Damn man, you're really pushing me here! The only Zelda game you've ever played was Phantom Hourglass?! I mean, wow. You really ought to play the classic games in that franchise. Same thing than above: they defined entire genres, if not the medium of video games itself.

 

[Lawliet]

Just to be clear, if there's ONE single game you have to play, it's to be Super Metroid. It doesn't matter how, get a SNES Mini or whatever, but it literally defined the genre you like. It's the template on which every single game that came afterward is modeled, and over 25 years later, it's still as awesome as on the first day.

Noted. I'll figure out a way to get my hands on it. Actually, I think I saw old SNES games on the Switch store, but I'm not sure. Still figuring this thing out. But yes, I'll make sure to give Super Metroid a go.

Damn man, you're really pushing me here! The only Zelda game you've ever played was Phantom Hourglass?! I mean, wow. You really ought to play the classic games in that franchise. Same thing than above: they defined entire genres, if not the medium of video games itself.

Hahaha. I think you guys have noticed a pattern here by now: that I tend to miss out on good stuff. It'll truly make you shudder if you hear about all the other classic things (not just games) that I've yet to experience, so for both our sakes I'll be quiet for now.

Anyway, I do plan to work my way through the Zelda series now that I finally can. Probably gonna proceed backward; after BotW, it will be Skyward Sword and so on. Looking forward to seeing why this series is praised so much.

 

[Aazealh]

Noted. I'll figure out a way to get my hands on it. Actually, I think I saw old SNES games on the Switch store, but I'm not sure. Still figuring this thing out. But yes, I'll make sure to give Super Metroid a go.

Yeah if you subscribe to the Switch Online service (you can also just get the free trial), a bunch of SNES games are available for free, including Super Metroid. Easiest way to play it.

Anyway, I do plan to work my way through the Zelda series now that I finally can. Probably gonna proceed backward; after BotW, it will be Skyward Sword and so on. Looking forward to seeing why this series is praised so much.

I'd probably recommend doing the opposite, at least for the oldest titles in the series. Zelda 1, 2 and 3 are also available for free on the Switch Online service.

 

[Phonon89]

I’ve been wanting to revisit Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem. The only
issue is that it can only be played on the GameCube, Wii or an emulator which I’m not fond of. Made by the now defunct Silicone Knights in partnership with Nintendo. Everything about it is marvelous. From the superb voice acting to the open ended combat. I would compare the combat to something like Silent Hill but with spells involved. Not to mention the fun sanity meter. I believe that Nintendo owns all rights to the series now. Apparently the sanity meter mechanic is something Nintendo has a patent on. It would be nice to see them put it to use if ever. Make a horrifying Luigi’s mansion game with a sanity meter Nintendo

It’s also considered a psychological horror game due to how the sanity meter changes the visuals and gameplay. The graphics aren’t cutting edge by any means. But there is something about 1st and second generation 3D console graphics that I find to be more unnerving than the hyper realism of graphics today. At least for me personally. Maybe I’m also just connecting the whole experience to me being younger and more easily startled by everything at the time when I played the game. Because the textures and models look older they kind of fall into an uncanny valley territory. Maybe I’m not using that term correctly.

It also does a great job of capturing what a “love craft” style game should be IMO. Eat your heart out Bloodborne I use that term “love craft” well after playing it. 16 years ago I had no idea what that was.

Has anyone tried this title?

EDIT: The handy “search” tool has shown me that the game has occasionally come up in conversations over the years. Including when discussing the disappointing Shadow of the eternals project.

It’s a shame that Denis Dyack seems like a hack game project leader. It makes you question how much of the game being great was Silicone Knights or the extra polish that usually comes when Nintendo is the publisher.

 

[Aazealh]

Not to mention the fun sanity meter. I believe that Nintendo owns all rights to the series now. Apparently the sanity meter mechanic is something Nintendo has a patent on. It would be nice to see them put it to use if ever.

Best part of that game by far, several of the hallucinations really fooled me back then. "This can't be happening!" Amazing game, one that actually ought to get a remake or sequel or reboot or whatever.

It also does a great job of capturing what a “love craft” style game should be IMO. Eat your heart out Bloodborne I use that term “love craft” well after playing it. 16 years ago I had no idea what that was.

Haha, but you do realize it's the name of a writer (Howard Phillips Lovecraft) and should be spelled as one word, right?

It’s a shame that Denis Dyack seems like a hack game project leader. It makes you question how much of the game being great was Silicone Knights or the extra polish that usually comes when Nintendo is the publisher.

Well, Legacy of Kain was also a hell of a game, so there definitely was some real talent at Silicon Knights between 1995 and 2005. Too Human destroyed that company unfortunately.

 

[Walter]

Too Human destroyed that company unfortunately.

I’ll never forget that around Too Human’s launch, a game journalist from 1UP asked Dyack what his favorite class was, and he said it was one from the second game.

That’s a life lesson, folks.

 

[Phonon89]

Haha, but you do realize it's the name of a writer (Howard Phillips Lovecraft) and should be spelled as one word, right?

I am incredibly lazy when it comes to typing on my phone. Still not excusable.

Well, Legacy of Kain was also a hell of a game, so there definitely was some real talent at Silicon Knights between 1995 and 2005. Too Human destroyed that company unfortunately.

I do not want to speak out of term. But I feel they destroyed themselves from the get go. They seemed obsessed with lawsuits and mismanagement. They even had a lawsuit during the legacy of Kain era. All of which seemed baseless. I’m convinced that eternal darkness would’ve only been half as good if it weren’t for Nintendo.

 

[Aazealh]

I do not want to speak out of term. But I feel they destroyed themselves from the get go. They seemed obsessed with lawsuits and mismanagement. They even had a lawsuit during the legacy of Kain era. All of which seemed baseless.

I'm not especially enamored with Silicon Knights but actually their lawsuit against Crystal Dynamics had merit. They created the concept for Legacy of Kain and developed the game, with Crystal Dynamics acting as publisher. The two companies parted ways in 1997 and Silicon Knights' lawsuit was to retain rights to the IP they had created. It was settled out of court and Crystal Dynamics kept the rights. Then they retrofitted the IP onto an already half-developed game which became Soul Reaver. That's why the first Kain game shares very little similarities to its successors.

Their lawsuit against Epic Games was meritless but that's a completely different story.

I’m convinced that eternal darkness would’ve only been half as good if it weren’t for Nintendo.

Could be, I don't know the details behind the development of the game.

 

[Griffith]

Guilty Gear Strive - After trying the witch with a guitar at my daughter's urging and then and the black cyborg vampire samurai, both of which were cool for various reasons, I think I've found my dude: Ky Kiske, who is basically the Ken of this series and even plays like a shoto (he has Akuma's air fireballs!), but with a sword and super attack named after a Metallica song. Works for me! After going through arcade mode a couple times with him I tried online, placed in the 6th level tower and immediately got upgraded to 7th (I should have tanked my placement match to pad my record on the way up =), but then the game froze up while updating my placement and I quit. This game is fun and GORGEOUS, the netcode in-match seems good, but otherwise the server connection times starting up and going online are fucking horrible. Like literally you're waiting 5 minutes, which is even more insane on a system that's emphasis is on no load times. Hope they fix that or this is just going to be a be a time killer/palette cleanser for me rather than something I really get into.

I'm currently playing HADES. It's my first roguelike, and I thought I'd like it a lot less than I do (the concept of roguelike doesn't appeal to me tbh). But this game's pretty good so far. Love the gorgeous art style and the sharp writing. The game's enjoyable every escape attempt, despite the repetition. I'm a huge Greek Myth nerd, so that's a huge bonus for the game; I love coming across and recognizing certain references to the classical stories. The cycle of dying and repeating also feels surprisingly natural. As in, it's used to tell branching storylines without feeling forced.

Agreed, this might be my favorite Rogue-like, which isn't saying much because I generally don't like them and only beat the first phase of Hades himself once (but I don't even have half the power ups, so it must have been PURE SKILL =). I should get back into this one because it was fun and felt less repetitive than most of these (more than I can say for Returnal, which is cool but hard and kind of unfulfilling, so maybe coming to an eBay listing near you...). One problem is I'm super forward progress/goal oriented in my gaming, obsessively so, so it's hard for me to keep up my interest when progress is more of a process or cycle than a journey, if that makes sense. Like, I tried putting Demon's Souls back on for NG+3 to go for the Penetrator set and I might as well have been trying to play Super Mario Bros 1 for the umpteenth time. Just no drive to continue, and a couple days ago it was all I could think about. Ironically, I'm chomping at the bit to get back into Diablo II.

Yeah, I was asking about Metroidvanias as I just got into the genre thanks to Hollow Knight.

Following up on Aaz' recommendations, my #1 is still Castlevania: Symphony of the Night because of the RPG elements and... maybe the best game "secret" ever. It and Super Metroid are basically the two games the term is derived from.

I go back and forth on it. I mean, it's the perfect chance to experience what I missed out on, but on the other hand ME1 (or the whole series for that matter) might not have aged too well. I also don't wanna dish out all that cash on a trilogy I've played two-thirds of already anyway, even if it runs at 60 fps with higher res.

I may be tempted, but these up-res'd, 60fps remasters are basically worthless to me. They look and play almost identically to their original counterparts when not side-by-side, except they actually look relatively much worse now because they're years old, no matter how much you spit shine them. I would check out ME3 if I were you though, I'm curious how you'd receive the plot removed from both the urgency and expectations of the time it was released. Was it actually better than it was received, or was it only relevant at all because we wanted to see how it ended? I still defend it, especially from ME2 fans that bashed it, because although the plot wasn't great like ME1 at least it was a course correction.

It also does a great job of capturing what a “love craft” style game should be IMO. Eat your heart out Bloodborne I use that term “love craft” well after playing it. 16 years ago I had no idea what that was.

Has anyone tried this title?

Never got a chance to play it when I had a GC/Wii, but I remember Aaz praising it before. And hey, maybe Bloodborne was hampered in what they could do with Insight level by Nintendo's Sanity Meter patent. =)

I don't know though, those Amygdala's appearing on all the buildings and the baby crying is still pretty effective, at least for a game that's not explicitly about psychological horror (because it's ALL REAL IF YOU HAVE EYES ON THE INSIDE OF YOUR HEAD!!).

I’ll never forget that around Too Human’s launch, a game journalist from 1UP asked Dyack what his favorite class was, and he said it was one from the second game.

That’s a life lesson, folks.

Oof. Yeah, and nobody likes it when you're clearly trying to do some pop-up "franchise IP" with innumerable disposable entries. Just focus on making the greatest game you can, don't save your best ideas for the sequels, otherwise there won't be any.

 

[Dar_Klink]

Been really enjoying Returnal after getting it as a bday gift and having a kinda "oh yeah heard this was okay..." reaction.

I've gotten to points where I'm just really frustrated/angry from the difficulty mixed with the roguelite mechanics, which I'm not usually a huge fan of, but I think running through the levels with reckless abandon ended up helping me get through it more than trying to think about what I was doing and ended up beating 3 bosses yesterday after sort of hitting a wall after finishing the first boss/area. The 3rd boss was really cool gameplay-wise but the 4th one's presentation was top tier, I hope the rest of the game can hit that high again somehow. Think I'm nearing the end of it too.

I have a ton of other stuff I am in the middle of too and stuff I want to play since No More Heroes 3 is almost here and I haven't beat Travis Strikes Again and want to play The Silver Case beforehand. Also am somewhat in the middle of RDR2 after finally getting it on PC. My gaming attention span has been horrible the past year I started and didn't beat MGSV, Super Metroid, RDR2, Tactics Ogre, and a few others I can't think of off the top of my head.

 

[Beast of Darkness]

I'm gonna pick this one during the week-end:

Quake - Official Trailer (2021)

Experience the authentic, updated, and visually enhanced version of the original dark fantasy first-person shooter that inspires today’s retro-style FPS game...

youtu.be

I don't remember how many times I did the original version of Quake but this is really cool, good news.
Plus it contains the expansions AND most importantly, the original soundtrack made by Trent Reznor/Nine Inch Nails.

 

[Walter]

I'm gonna pick this one during the week-end:

Quake - Official Trailer (2021)

Experience the authentic, updated, and visually enhanced version of the original dark fantasy first-person shooter that inspires today’s retro-style FPS game...

youtu.be

I don't remember how many times I did the original version of Quake but this is really cool, good news.
Plus it contains the expansions AND most importantly, the original soundtrack made by Trent Reznor/Nine Inch Nails.

If you own it on Steam already, it’s a free upgrade. Nice!

Edit: I just booted it up, and laughed when all the Bethesda "NEW LICENSE AGREEMENT" pop ups showed up in 640x480 res.

 

[Beast of Darkness]

If you own it on Steam already, it’s a free upgrade. Nice!

Edit: I just booted it up, and laughed when all the Bethesda "NEW LICENSE AGREEMENT" pop ups showed up in 640x480 res.

I do think I have it on Steam, but that's great in any case !

Really ?
I have to check that out.