I immediately lost any possible interest with that game when they revealed they were removing the map editor feature. I know that I’m in the minority for caring. But at least the map editor set Farcry apart from other shooters.
What Are You Playing?
- Thread starter Walter
- Start date
I've been playing Metroid Dread over the week-end. I finished it this morning, and it really delivered. It's the rightful successor to Fusion and Super Metroid. I'm genuinely glad that storyline could end with such a great game (even though the story itself is the weakest point).
I've also been playing Dread since Friday, and having a blast. I'm only about 6h into the game (I think?) but it lives up to the reputation of being a main entry in the series. Anyone who was on the fence about it should go for it. Will have more to say after I'm finished with it!
That's great to read all that !
I've received a shipping notice few minutes ago, my special edition have finally been shipped.
I should be receiving it tomorrow, I can't wait to play it.
I've received a shipping notice few minutes ago, my special edition have finally been shipped.
I should be receiving it tomorrow, I can't wait to play it.
)
I picked it up after reading your profile post the other day (totally forgot it came out haha). Really enjoying it so far!
Griffith
With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Diablo II Resurrected - Grinding my way through Nightmare with my half-assed Frenzy barb, hoping to polish him into something that can solo Hell (though Act III Nightmare is already getting pretty uncomfortable, but then the Flayer Jungle always is, so we'll see). I think I'm ultimately going to go with an Immortal King WW Barb on respec, especially once the gear starts dropping. That was what I ended up with in my last playthrough a few years ago, which could handle 8 player Hell, and it just makes a lot of sense rather than trying to get a bunch of random best-in-slot rolls on already super rare drops. It's a simple, ready-made gear dependent build where you already know exactly what you want to drop or trade for, which can be half the battle. We'll see if I get more adventurous down the line, but I've felt undergeared pretty much the whole way, so I'm not too excited about my prospects for random elite shit coming to me in the endgame. Finding and/or trading for an IK set will be enough.
Speaking of the GBA, anyone here a fan of the Mega Man Zero games?
I enjoyed the ones I played back in the day. The first two or three, I think? Was a long time ago. I wouldn't mind replaying them someday. Honestly, I wish Nintendo would let us play GBA games on the Switch. It had so many great titles...
There were 4 of them in the GBA (of which i find them to be insurable underrated), never played the DS ones, but yeah it would be amazing to play some amazing GBA titles on the Switch.
That collection actually came out on Switch!?! Wow now i might actually buy one....
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - I finally got around to finishing this game today. It was simply spectacular. I loved it so much, enough to put it in my top 10 of all time. This game single-handedly solved most, if not all, of the problems that plagued (and still plaguing) open-world games. I've seen some reviewers, bizarrely, not approving of this game. Or at least, saying it's not a good Zelda game. I wouldn't know, I haven't played the others. But I think this game is a Goddamn masterpiece. Can't wait for the sequel!
Metroid: Dread - I'm addicted to this game, holy shit. Having a (sometimes literal) blast with it
I've played quite a number of "Metroidvanias" this year, so it was great to play what helped found the genre. The fast pace and action was refreshing, especially after me having recently come out of Hollow Knight and Blasphemous and so on. Boss designs are stellar, and the E.M.M.I's are memorable (not always in a fun way) all on their own. I appreciated that I could enjoy this one without having played any of the other ones. I spent a little more time getting lost than I'm willing to admit in public (the fact that Aaz finished it within a few days terrifies me ), but it was a lot of fun all the way. I'm currently facing Raven Beak, who I'm assuming is the final boss. If so, I'm already looking forward to future playthroughs!
Metroid: Dread - I'm addicted to this game, holy shit. Having a (sometimes literal) blast with it
I've played quite a number of "Metroidvanias" this year, so it was great to play what helped found the genre. The fast pace and action was refreshing, especially after me having recently come out of Hollow Knight and Blasphemous and so on. Boss designs are stellar, and the E.M.M.I's are memorable (not always in a fun way) all on their own. I appreciated that I could enjoy this one without having played any of the other ones. I spent a little more time getting lost than I'm willing to admit in public (the fact that Aaz finished it within a few days terrifies me ), but it was a lot of fun all the way. I'm currently facing Raven Beak, who I'm assuming is the final boss. If so, I'm already looking forward to future playthroughs!
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Finished Metroid: Dread yesterday. That game is fucking awesome, but really.
The whole boss fight against Raven Beak is epic... it's there that you use everything that you've learn during the game.
Obliterating Raven Beak X with the Hyper Beam was fucking satisfying.
Loved when you see the X-parasite right after getting blasted as well (It felt like the scene where Perfect Cell is being destroyed by the Kamehameha in DBZ lol).
The Metroid suit looked badass, kudos for the design. I wish they had included it as the ultimate reward you could get by finishing the game under certain conditions though.
Obliterating Raven Beak X with the Hyper Beam was fucking satisfying.
Loved when you see the X-parasite right after getting blasted as well (It felt like the scene where Perfect Cell is being destroyed by the Kamehameha in DBZ lol).
The Metroid suit looked badass, kudos for the design. I wish they had included it as the ultimate reward you could get by finishing the game under certain conditions though.
Griffith
With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Diablo II Resurrected - Well, Metroid Dread certainly sounds cooler than this old game, but I digress... One thing I'm experiencing, when I can log in via the queue, is the game is much harder than I remembered, and I played it again only a few years ago to make a lvl 94 IK Barb and also beat it on Hardcore normal as well. Whereas I've died approximately a billion times this run.
Maybe it's just me being less disciplined in my build (already respec'd twice!) and getting worse drops: I got an early Ravenfrost last time, whereas here I didn't even get a decent weapon until Nightmare Diablo dropped a club that easily carried me through Act V, but I'm feeling the pinch again in Hell.
I can't imagine doing hardcore right now, even with a 20 point conc Barb I'm dying all the fucking time. This could be recklessness, not grinding, and progressing as fast as possible so I'm under-leveled at times (even beating Baal on Normal was basically me exploiting my know-how to pay to win with a thousand potions). That could account for most of it besides the lousy offensive gear.
I'd hate to see how much gold I've spent in total reviving my merc. Fortunately, you can at least protect your gold here by putting it all in one of the "shared" stashes. That's a new wrinkle which might also account for the more cavalier approach. The merc is the only thing I lose on death because I almost always get my body and the exp back, and the only gold I lose is what I've picked up since my last trip to town. Also, I'm playing it between bouts of baby changing and taking care of my wife, so no time for caution!
Maybe it's just me being less disciplined in my build (already respec'd twice!) and getting worse drops: I got an early Ravenfrost last time, whereas here I didn't even get a decent weapon until Nightmare Diablo dropped a club that easily carried me through Act V, but I'm feeling the pinch again in Hell.
I can't imagine doing hardcore right now, even with a 20 point conc Barb I'm dying all the fucking time. This could be recklessness, not grinding, and progressing as fast as possible so I'm under-leveled at times (even beating Baal on Normal was basically me exploiting my know-how to pay to win with a thousand potions). That could account for most of it besides the lousy offensive gear.
I'd hate to see how much gold I've spent in total reviving my merc. Fortunately, you can at least protect your gold here by putting it all in one of the "shared" stashes. That's a new wrinkle which might also account for the more cavalier approach. The merc is the only thing I lose on death because I almost always get my body and the exp back, and the only gold I lose is what I've picked up since my last trip to town. Also, I'm playing it between bouts of baby changing and taking care of my wife, so no time for caution!
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Rhombaad
Video Game Time Traveler
Deus Ex: I picked this up at a GameStop when it first came out, based on the cover alone. The Matrix had come out the year before, so there was nothing cooler (in my mind) than a dude with shades and a trench-coat in a futuristic setting. Little did I know, I had picked up one of the greatest games of all time.
Twenty years later, the Unreal engine graphics haven't aged that well, but the game itself is still a blast to play. I remembered the first level and when Denton goes to Hong Kong, but I'd forgotten most of the rest (including how many damn conspiracy theories they put in), so I'm glad I decided to replay it. Needless to say, the references to a terrorist attack in New York felt a lot more haunting this time around.
Super Mario RPG: I'm not sure why, but I felt a strong urge all of a sudden to try this game again. I'm glad I did, because it was a lot of fun. The writing was pretty cheesy at times, but the gameplay was solid (well, maybe not those isometric jumps) and I enjoyed how they integrated the new characters into the overall narrative (even though I ended up sticking with Princess Toadstool and Bowser through most of the game). The graphics were a little hard on the eyes at times, but most of the game still looked okay.
Grandia: In the spirit of trying games again, I decided to give Grandia another go. So far, I feel similar to how I did the first time. I'm further along than I was before, but it has yet to really grab me. I did some reading around, and a lot of folks on the internet seem to think it's some sort of a masterpiece. I tend not to immediately trust the general public, but I haven't run into too many posts or reviews from people who feel the way I do about it. I'm still debating on whether or not to continue playing it.
Twenty years later, the Unreal engine graphics haven't aged that well, but the game itself is still a blast to play. I remembered the first level and when Denton goes to Hong Kong, but I'd forgotten most of the rest (including how many damn conspiracy theories they put in
), so I'm glad I decided to replay it. Needless to say, the references to a terrorist attack in New York felt a lot more haunting this time around.Super Mario RPG: I'm not sure why, but I felt a strong urge all of a sudden to try this game again. I'm glad I did, because it was a lot of fun. The writing was pretty cheesy at times, but the gameplay was solid (well, maybe not those isometric jumps) and I enjoyed how they integrated the new characters into the overall narrative (even though I ended up sticking with Princess Toadstool and Bowser through most of the game). The graphics were a little hard on the eyes at times, but most of the game still looked okay.
Grandia: In the spirit of trying games again, I decided to give Grandia another go. So far, I feel similar to how I did the first time. I'm further along than I was before, but it has yet to really grab me. I did some reading around, and a lot of folks on the internet seem to think it's some sort of a masterpiece. I tend not to immediately trust the general public, but I haven't run into too many posts or reviews from people who feel the way I do about it. I'm still debating on whether or not to continue playing it.
I had a blast with that game. Particularly assassinating Maggie Chow in various ways. Top 4? So glad you asked!Deus Ex: I picked this up at a GameStop when it first came out, based on the cover alone. The Matrix had come out the year before, so there was nothing cooler (in my mind) than a dude with shades and a trench-coat in a futuristic setting. Little did I know, I had picked up one of the greatest games of all time.
Twenty years later, the Unreal engine graphics haven't aged that well, but the game itself is still a blast to play. I remembered the first level and when Denton goes to Hong Kong, but I'd forgotten most of the rest (including how many damn conspiracy theories they put in
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa6UrC-nz0g
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lNDhKPEMtA
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D-_ct1jXxk
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mWmlA614T0
The pre-rendered look of mid 90s games definitely doesn’t hold up on modern monitors, but what I’ve seen from old CRT monitors is quite a bit better, since that is after all how they were meant to be displayed. Part of the cost of technology marching forward and leaving old ways behind.
The main kid’s hat and Sue’s voice sunk that whole game into the abyss for me. And I've historically loved that team's games (Lunar), so that was a real bummer for me.
I wish that I could join you. Unfortunately, cross play isn’t a thing. I’m assuming that you aren’t on Xbox or switch with D2R?
I’m currently finishing up nightmare with my squishy summon necro. I haven’t died yet. I usually play with my brother who is a hammerdin and does all the dying.
I’ve never actually completed anything beyond normal when I originally played D2 as a kid.
It is strange how a random fireball from a unique can almost one shot you even with full resistances.
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Rhombaad
Video Game Time Traveler
Those are great.
Agreed. I tried playing it with the CRT filter on my SNES Classic, but it looked worse than the pixel-perfect version, IMO. My eyes got used to it after a while. Those chandeliers in Bowser's castle, though... Oof.
Yeah, Sue's voice actor sucked. It's funny you mention Justin's hat; I was thinking the other day, "What does Feena see in this kid? I mean, look at his hat!" I think I'm done with the game. I find myself with no desire to play it, aside from completing another game on my list. That usually means it's time to move on. I think I'm going to give Dragon Quest VII on the PS1 a try (I'll get to the copy of the remake you gave me in a couple of years
).
Griffith
With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Nope, PS5 and PC precisely because crossplay isn't a thing, but I'm not even playing on PS5 anymore. It's Diablo II for Christ's sake!
Yeah, I'm tired of dying, and more than randomly, so I'm finally grinding the Nightmare Council in Travincal for gems, gear and cash because I plan to outfit my Barb with a bunch of 30% resistance runes and my merc with flawless amethysts so he can wield a 350+ damage lance. Then we're going to mop up Hell.
I've been waiting to hear some more impressions about this game. It looks great.
I'm still just past the first area, but I'm enjoying it a lot. Like I said, it's well written and the characters are lovable, if a bit cartoonist sometimes.
Combat is a little basic, but that doesn't bother me; it's still fun to whack monsters with your frying pan (literally your starting weapon as well as cooking tool). There's obvious Zelda inspiration here, not just with the cooking but the hearts system (collect 4 orbs to add a heart, sometimes food gives you extra hearts, etc.)
It's also weird. You save your game in a fridge. You refrigerate your memories. Like. What the fuck?
All in all, pretty good so far.
Just finished Metroid Dread. It was phenomenal, and if you don't want to read any further, I'll just say that Metroid's been one of my favorite series for decades, but this still managed to exceed my expectations.
What surprised me the most was how Dread managed to stand out from the growing crowd of games that have been aping its design for decades in its long absence. Games like Hollow Knight, Axiom Verge, and so many others grew from what Metroid, and let’s be real here, what Super Metroid started. You'd think that the latest swing from the reigning champ would come across as a bit dull, dated, out of touch, but no it's fucking frenetic and it looks amazing (and on a 4-year-old console).
Dread makes some very brave design decisions. It's fast, it's tough, and it doesn't give a shit if you can't keep up with it. That means mastering the controls, which do ask a lot of you. But in a short time, holding L + R while grabbing onto a ledge to aim at the incoming zoomer and fire an ice missile into its face will come naturally and feel fucking great. This sounds like a very old style compliment, but Dread controls very well. Running, jumping, and shooting as Samus feels good, natural, and that's pretty incredible given that it is decoupled from the limitations of the previous games. Dread ramps up quickly, and never really slows down as it continues to unload new abilities, the vast majority of which will be familiar to fans. Of the weapon/ability varieties, this feels like a greatest hits edition.
I did not enjoy Metroid Fusion (the previous game in the series). I didn't like the simplistic trappings of the game—Adam telling you exactly what you needed to do in each zone felt like a betrayal of the unspoken, environmental storytelling of Super Metroid. And while I'm sad to say that this game does provide Adam-directed exposition, the discovery flow from zone to zone feels much more in the hands of the player. Even though it's clearly the result of smart environmental design, it FEELS much more natural to me that I'm not simply following the directional orders of an AI. And it places you in a location that has much more in common with Metroid/Super Metroid's environment than the sedate space station of Fusion.
The biggest new addition to the standard Metroid formula are the EMMI, robots that hunt you down in designated zones, and protect the biggest upgrades in the game. They are creepy and intimidating, and that never really stops being a factor in the game, though certain upgrades make you more capable than those terrifying first encounters. When you step into those zones, the lighting changes, the familiar, eerie music plays, and you feel precisely what the game's title spells out. But they serve a greater purpose than atmosphere. Learning to navigate around them and all the tricks you acquire in evading them helps you assemble the mastery of the controls you need in the later fights, which get much more intense.
There's one big story turn around the halfway point that influences the world, and had me quite giddy, I'll be honest. I don't want to give it away, but it's just as brave as other design decisions.
I've typed a lot here, but it's really quite simple. Dread is a fantastic Metroid game, and that's an incredibly difficult task after 19 years of expectation and fluctuations in the industry. So my hat is off to Mercury Steam, who I truly did not think were up to the task after their 3DS games. But I was proven absolutely wrong.
What surprised me the most was how Dread managed to stand out from the growing crowd of games that have been aping its design for decades in its long absence. Games like Hollow Knight, Axiom Verge, and so many others grew from what Metroid, and let’s be real here, what Super Metroid started. You'd think that the latest swing from the reigning champ would come across as a bit dull, dated, out of touch, but no it's fucking frenetic and it looks amazing (and on a 4-year-old console).
Dread makes some very brave design decisions. It's fast, it's tough, and it doesn't give a shit if you can't keep up with it. That means mastering the controls, which do ask a lot of you. But in a short time, holding L + R while grabbing onto a ledge to aim at the incoming zoomer and fire an ice missile into its face will come naturally and feel fucking great. This sounds like a very old style compliment, but Dread controls very well. Running, jumping, and shooting as Samus feels good, natural, and that's pretty incredible given that it is decoupled from the limitations of the previous games. Dread ramps up quickly, and never really slows down as it continues to unload new abilities, the vast majority of which will be familiar to fans. Of the weapon/ability varieties, this feels like a greatest hits edition.
I did not enjoy Metroid Fusion (the previous game in the series). I didn't like the simplistic trappings of the game—Adam telling you exactly what you needed to do in each zone felt like a betrayal of the unspoken, environmental storytelling of Super Metroid. And while I'm sad to say that this game does provide Adam-directed exposition, the discovery flow from zone to zone feels much more in the hands of the player. Even though it's clearly the result of smart environmental design, it FEELS much more natural to me that I'm not simply following the directional orders of an AI. And it places you in a location that has much more in common with Metroid/Super Metroid's environment than the sedate space station of Fusion.
The biggest new addition to the standard Metroid formula are the EMMI, robots that hunt you down in designated zones, and protect the biggest upgrades in the game. They are creepy and intimidating, and that never really stops being a factor in the game, though certain upgrades make you more capable than those terrifying first encounters. When you step into those zones, the lighting changes, the familiar, eerie music plays, and you feel precisely what the game's title spells out. But they serve a greater purpose than atmosphere. Learning to navigate around them and all the tricks you acquire in evading them helps you assemble the mastery of the controls you need in the later fights, which get much more intense.
There's one big story turn around the halfway point that influences the world, and had me quite giddy, I'll be honest. I don't want to give it away, but it's just as brave as other design decisions.
I've typed a lot here, but it's really quite simple. Dread is a fantastic Metroid game, and that's an incredibly difficult task after 19 years of expectation and fluctuations in the industry. So my hat is off to Mercury Steam, who I truly did not think were up to the task after their 3DS games. But I was proven absolutely wrong.
Griffith
With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
In fairness to Fusion, it was designed for the GBA with shorter, portable play sessions in mind, and the way they divided up the station in sections for which Adam provided you specific mission directives was all in service of that for better or worse. It wasn't like they decided, "Super Metroid's hands off approach is too brave and manly, we need to wimp it up for the dweebs!" Also, does this game literally have Adam in it giving you directions as well... but, uh, more subtly? =)
Sounds like an awfully familiar big new addition...
Metroid Fusion All SA-X Encounters
youtu.be
Is EMMI the Nemesis to SA-X's Mr. X?
Anyway, I gotta play this, I dig all the 2D Metroids, including Zero and Fusion, and would have finished Samus Returns if all the buttons on my 3DS' didn't crap out halfway through.