Now imagine playing it at launch, right after Dark Souls 1 and thinking: Is this really as bad as it seems...?
What Are You Playing?
- Thread starter Walter
- Start date
Speaking as someone who got every single trophy, yeah, it's still bad to this day. I really don't understand why people try to defend such a poor product. It's a game that went through development hell, and it shows, and now everybody knows it.
Also, Scholar of the First Sin is an even worst version.
Well the Majula music does a lot of work for the game.
I guess the "bearer-seek-seek-lest" from the Emerald Herald has its charm too.
Rhombaad
Video Game Time Traveler
Far Cry: One of the more unique FPSs I've played. I couldn't believe how well the graphics held up (it must've been a nightmare to run this game at high performance back in the day) and I thought the jungle island setting was really cool. It was an interesting mix of stealth and run-and-gun, and it managed to toe that line almost perfectly. Then things got weird when the trigens showed up. Still, it was a lot of fun to play. The only criticisms I have are some cringey cutscenes and the lack of a better-integrated quick-save system.
Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow: I love these games. The graphics are still amazing and the gameplay is really fun. I didn't mind what felt like a more linear approach in this sequel, because it was still so much fun to play. Apparently, people were upset at the time because Dennis Haysbert replaced Don Jordan as Irving Lambert (for just this game), but I could listen to that guy talk for hours. And Michael Ironside?! Even better.
Hitman: Contracts: I know folks were disappointed with this one when it came out, since it was a retread of the first game, Agent 47, but I didn't play that game, so it was new to me! I love the sandbox approach and trial-and-error system of advancing through the levels, but I would love an unlimited quick-save feature. I could understand limited saves being added to higher-difficulty levels, but on normal gameplay it seemed a little antiquated. That being said, the mission designs were a lot of fun, especially the one in the meat factory.
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures: I didn't know what to think going into this one. It was clearly designed for multiple players and normally the one-player version of those types of games isn't that great. However, I really had fun with this game. I thought the one-player version was well thought out and it ended up being quite addictive. I would've loved to be able to save like I could in older 2D Zelda titles (man, I'm really harping on save systems in this post), but the levels were just short enough not to make the save system too big of an issue. Despite some criticism I read online, I liked the combination of high-quality 2D graphics with effects from Wind Waker. All-in-all, a fun little romp through Hyrule.
Doom 3: People didn't like this when it came out? Too different from the previous two Dooms on PC and Doom 64? Well, I thought it was amazing. I didn't even mind the flashlight mechanic, even though I really thought I would. It was a long game, but not long enough for me. I could hardly tear myself away from it. Amazing graphics for the time, tight gameplay, legitimately tough encounters and lots of hidden extras. Can't wait to play the expansion.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: I loved the first Paper Mario and this sequel didn't disappoint. It took everything I enjoyed about the first game and added good stuff to it. I really liked the additions to the combat system, which was already pretty perfect, and the dialogue was terrific (those localizers deserve an award). My only criticism centers around the Princess Peach sections. I thought those sequences were more fun in the original Paper Mario, although the final one in Thousand-Year Door was surprisingly moving (even though it was undone during the game's ending; boooooo!). Also, that final boss fight. So cool!
Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow: I love these games. The graphics are still amazing and the gameplay is really fun. I didn't mind what felt like a more linear approach in this sequel, because it was still so much fun to play. Apparently, people were upset at the time because Dennis Haysbert replaced Don Jordan as Irving Lambert (for just this game), but I could listen to that guy talk for hours. And Michael Ironside?! Even better.
Hitman: Contracts: I know folks were disappointed with this one when it came out, since it was a retread of the first game, Agent 47, but I didn't play that game, so it was new to me! I love the sandbox approach and trial-and-error system of advancing through the levels, but I would love an unlimited quick-save feature. I could understand limited saves being added to higher-difficulty levels, but on normal gameplay it seemed a little antiquated. That being said, the mission designs were a lot of fun, especially the one in the meat factory.
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures: I didn't know what to think going into this one. It was clearly designed for multiple players and normally the one-player version of those types of games isn't that great. However, I really had fun with this game. I thought the one-player version was well thought out and it ended up being quite addictive. I would've loved to be able to save like I could in older 2D Zelda titles (man, I'm really harping on save systems in this post), but the levels were just short enough not to make the save system too big of an issue. Despite some criticism I read online, I liked the combination of high-quality 2D graphics with effects from Wind Waker. All-in-all, a fun little romp through Hyrule.
Doom 3: People didn't like this when it came out? Too different from the previous two Dooms on PC and Doom 64? Well, I thought it was amazing. I didn't even mind the flashlight mechanic, even though I really thought I would. It was a long game, but not long enough for me. I could hardly tear myself away from it. Amazing graphics for the time, tight gameplay, legitimately tough encounters and lots of hidden extras. Can't wait to play the expansion.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: I loved the first Paper Mario and this sequel didn't disappoint. It took everything I enjoyed about the first game and added good stuff to it. I really liked the additions to the combat system, which was already pretty perfect, and the dialogue was terrific (those localizers deserve an award). My only criticism centers around the Princess Peach sections. I thought those sequences were more fun in the original Paper Mario, although the final one in Thousand-Year Door was surprisingly moving (even though it was undone during the game's ending; boooooo!). Also, that final boss fight. So cool!
Johnstantine
Skibbidy Boo Bop
Just finished the Silent Hill 2 Remake this morning. I've never played the original (or any of the games for that matter), so I went in blind on this.
Afterwards, I felt the need to play with some puppies or kitties just to make myself feel less depressed. I don't think I've ever played a game that really delved into psychological horror on this level. Definitely a one-and-done for me.
Afterwards, I felt the need to play with some puppies or kitties just to make myself feel less depressed. I don't think I've ever played a game that really delved into psychological horror on this level. Definitely a one-and-done for me.
- Poor Angela--I just wish she could have forgiven herself for what she did (it was 100% justified), but she just didn't have anyone who could support her.
- Maria was annoying.
- Eddie was a piece of shit.
- James was, by far, the most unlikeable, character in gaming I've ever played as
- The puzzles became tedious after a while, but were still kind of cool (I was playing on max puzzle difficulty, which I think was a mistake)
- I kept getting headaches having to squint to see anything. I turned up the contrast and it was a little better, but too high and it was worse (could this by the AvP: Requiem of gaming?)
- I only went for one ending as I don't feel like playing it again, and I'm fine with that.
Vampire_Hunter_Bob
Cats are great
I'm surprised by how much I like the Silent Hill 2 remake and disappointed by the Resident Evil 4 remake. My expectations were flipped with these.
XionHorsey
Hi! Hi!
Still lots of the Nikkiverse. Started on FF7 Rebirth and hope to get back to that soon. Same with Shadow of the Erdtree.
Parkus
Keep pushing no matter what
Recently purchased the entire Metal Gear Solid collection(except guns of the patriots, wasn't compatible with my console unfortunately), I have little to no knowledge about any of these games except for when I played MGS Phantom Pain nearly a year back. I don't know what to expect but I know I'm in for one hell of an experience.
I am looking forward to playing the silent hill games once I'm done with this!
I am looking forward to playing the silent hill games once I'm done with this!
Do you play these games blind ?? Or do you read, what builds are good and what where to find the weapons??
I tried to play Elden Ring but i just couldnt get really into it.
I want to do some research and look some videos maybe ill get more into it.
I also bought the new Zelda game, man its a blast to play it. I really love the art, and the theme of the game. Cant wait everyday to get home to play a few hours.
Me and 2 others who had never played FromSoft games before all got into ER at the same time. We agreed to play like we did back in school: We shared tips among each other on where to find items or what worked against certain enemies, but no other help. It took some time and it was difficult at first, but we all beat the game eventually, and it was a lot of fun. It's defenitely a game that rewards trying things out (like trying every single thing in your inventory against everything, to see what happens).
Only after beating the game we used a guide to find the stuff we missed to get the platinum. The DLC we played the same old school way (it has no trophies).
There's a YouTube channel called "FightinCowboy". He has 100% walkthroughs for ER and it's quite good. It's what we used to find the stuff we were missing, and it's what another friend used to beat the entire game in a breeze. I would recommend to use it sparingly so that you don't spoil the game for yourself.
Ok ill try it again.
I wanted to find a good sword, and learn the moves but i couldnt. I didnt want to read a guide to see where to get one so i just kept playing. Sometime i simply lost interest and began other games.
I'll let you know how it turns out =)
I finished Visions of Mana today. Clocked out at 55 hours. It was a frustrating experience.
The game's long too, but my lack of interest in the story made it so I had to force myself to finish it, even though I like the gameplay. I was talking to Walter about it earlier, and he said it feels like the game lacked a cohesive vision, which I think is exactly right. They had teams doing an incredible job on their respective assignments, but somehow the leadership couldn't turn it into a game for the ages, which I truly believe it could have been. It was reported that the game's team was fired as soon as development was complete, which I think shows management just didn't care for the project.
Another factor may be that it was rushed out the door. While it's got a lot of content besides the main quest (I did a ton of side quests and still had 20 left, and finishing the game unlocks yet more bonus stuff), most of it feels like busywork, which it is. The main quest also has you going back and forth between places a bunch at times, which is clearly a way to length its duration. Appropriately dressed up, this would go down smoothly, but here you can feel your time being wasted.
All in all, I'd say the game is still a must play for fans of the series, but with the understanding that the story blows. Buy it at a discount, so that you have no regrets even if you don't finish it. It's not like your money would help support the developers anyway.
- The gameplay's great, it's a very faithful recreation of the series' classic gameplay for a modern 3D game.
- The character designs also feel like small miracles, because you can tell at a glance this is a Mana game. The classic enemies were all remade in 3D and they're exceptional.
- The environments are just gorgeous and very memorable, and they too have got that Mana vibe to them.
- The soundtrack is catchy and guess what? Feels very much like the music of a Mana game.
The game's long too, but my lack of interest in the story made it so I had to force myself to finish it, even though I like the gameplay. I was talking to Walter about it earlier, and he said it feels like the game lacked a cohesive vision, which I think is exactly right. They had teams doing an incredible job on their respective assignments, but somehow the leadership couldn't turn it into a game for the ages, which I truly believe it could have been. It was reported that the game's team was fired as soon as development was complete, which I think shows management just didn't care for the project.
Another factor may be that it was rushed out the door. While it's got a lot of content besides the main quest (I did a ton of side quests and still had 20 left, and finishing the game unlocks yet more bonus stuff), most of it feels like busywork, which it is. The main quest also has you going back and forth between places a bunch at times, which is clearly a way to length its duration. Appropriately dressed up, this would go down smoothly, but here you can feel your time being wasted.
All in all, I'd say the game is still a must play for fans of the series, but with the understanding that the story blows. Buy it at a discount, so that you have no regrets even if you don't finish it. It's not like your money would help support the developers anyway.
Vampire_Hunter_Bob
Cats are great
Finished Resident Evil 4. There were a few points where I enjoyed playing this one, but by the end I was just rushing to finish it so I can move on to something else.
Parkus
Keep pushing no matter what
Currently playing Sleeping Dogs, the definitive edition, here's my thoughts so far.
World/Story: You play as in undercover cop Wei Shan that returns back to Hong Kong to infiltrate a triad organization, it's pretty simple, as for the world itself, it is beautifully designed and I thought it was funny to hear so many vendors at once while going around. What I like about the NPCs is that some of them will have actual interesting conversations and even talk about some of the things you did on a the mission or question what you wear, I've yet to see any repeated dialogue. There's a lot of things you can interact with and do such as karaoke, martial arts club, ect.
Combat: The combat in the game is brutal and satisfying and I enjoy the environmental elements you can use to combine when you're fighting. Originally I thought that it would become repetitive and just become bland as I further progressed in the game but I was proved wrong since I've come to find out there's an upgrade system and you can learn various other moves. You can also incorporate many different fighting styles into your gameplay like Kung Fu or Drunken Boxing which spices things up and makes it all the more enjoyable and of course you can use melee weapons and even guns, although the game focuses mostly on the hand-to-hand combat.
My Problems: The game has a lot of unique things to share and I don't have any actual problems except one. Some of the characters that are introduced in the game are sometimes just there to be there, at first glance you may think that they'll become pretty important to the story but shortly after a mission or two they just sort of become unimportant but I've come to notice that there are obvious signs of rushed/cut content as there's dialogue of things that I haven't done so it just confuses me, I just wish they allowed some of the characters to develop throughout the course of the story.
This game honestly blew me away and exceeded my expectations and I'm not even done.
World/Story: You play as in undercover cop Wei Shan that returns back to Hong Kong to infiltrate a triad organization, it's pretty simple, as for the world itself, it is beautifully designed and I thought it was funny to hear so many vendors at once while going around. What I like about the NPCs is that some of them will have actual interesting conversations and even talk about some of the things you did on a the mission or question what you wear, I've yet to see any repeated dialogue. There's a lot of things you can interact with and do such as karaoke, martial arts club, ect.
Combat: The combat in the game is brutal and satisfying and I enjoy the environmental elements you can use to combine when you're fighting. Originally I thought that it would become repetitive and just become bland as I further progressed in the game but I was proved wrong since I've come to find out there's an upgrade system and you can learn various other moves. You can also incorporate many different fighting styles into your gameplay like Kung Fu or Drunken Boxing which spices things up and makes it all the more enjoyable and of course you can use melee weapons and even guns, although the game focuses mostly on the hand-to-hand combat.
My Problems: The game has a lot of unique things to share and I don't have any actual problems except one. Some of the characters that are introduced in the game are sometimes just there to be there, at first glance you may think that they'll become pretty important to the story but shortly after a mission or two they just sort of become unimportant but I've come to notice that there are obvious signs of rushed/cut content as there's dialogue of things that I haven't done so it just confuses me, I just wish they allowed some of the characters to develop throughout the course of the story.
This game honestly blew me away and exceeded my expectations and I'm not even done.
Hey this is random but I figured some people might appreciate it. The Zelda Game and Watch is back in stock after being out for a few years, and prices rose on aftermarkets to $150 or so. It's $50 now, and it's well worth it. Has Zelda 1, 2, and Link's Awakening in a small little handheld.
After a voluntary 6six month brake I continue to play FF7 Rebirth. I still don't understand why they decided to make the characters, who do a few somersaults while jumping off of driving trains as their introduction, sooooo sluggish.
Every. Single. Animation. Takes. At. Least. A. Minute. To. Play.
Also, the exploration on the PS1 original was so much more fun and there was so much more wonder in the world. Now everything is beautifully detailed but everything is pointed out to you and is literally "press button A two times to see the same animation play as always and fill a bar up a little. also go and make a coffee or sth while the animation for it plays, take your time". Feels like the Ubisoft meme turned up a notch. If the fighting system weren't so great and even improved upon the FF7 Remake's one I probably wouldn't torture myself through the rest. Also, I'm apparently only missing the last 4 chapters so let's hope they don't drag on too long and that I get the best girl during *the* date
It's not even wheelchair time yet in which case I'd understand.
Also, the exploration on the PS1 original was so much more fun and there was so much more wonder in the world. Now everything is beautifully detailed but everything is pointed out to you and is literally "press button A two times to see the same animation play as always and fill a bar up a little. also go and make a coffee or sth while the animation for it plays, take your time". Feels like the Ubisoft meme turned up a notch. If the fighting system weren't so great and even improved upon the FF7 Remake's one I probably wouldn't torture myself through the rest. Also, I'm apparently only missing the last 4 chapters so let's hope they don't drag on too long and that I get the best girl during *the* date
Assassin's Creed 1 after wisely not replaying it for years. Biggest missed opportunity in a series full of them. Ubisoft very nearly made a great game but snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and made an annoying chore instead. I'm surprised it ever spawned a franchise but I guess that's a testament to the premise itself being great and all the tools being there. Absolutely needs a remake and I'd never say that for anything else.
Last edited:
I finished Dredge over the past week. Fun little Lovecraftian fishing/boating game with an addictive loop and great music.
Picked up Caves of Qud on sale and I’ve been working my way through that. It’s definitely not a typical game for me, but the setting and writing completely sold me on it.
Picked up Caves of Qud on sale and I’ve been working my way through that. It’s definitely not a typical game for me, but the setting and writing completely sold me on it.
Rhombaad
Video Game Time Traveler
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: I played this off and on in college, but never quite committed to it, so I was looking forward to giving it a real try this time around. Of the three GTA games I've played, this was the most polished and the most fun. Everything from the missions to the graphics to the voice-acting was top-notch. I can't believe Rockstar made a game world that big on the PS2. No wonder it's still the best-selling PS2 game of all time.
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal: Not much to say about this one. It was more Ratchet & Clank, so it was a lot of fun. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Jak 3: I was really looking foward to this after finally beating Jak II after taking a significant break from it. While it wasn't nearly as difficult as its predecessor, it kept the same style of gameplay. I much preferred the style from the first game, so that was a bit disappointing. However, I did enjoy the Max Max tone of the game and some of the driving missions were really fun.
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes: After loving the first game, I couldn't wait to get to its sequel. I have to say, I was really impressed. I think they managed to top themselves with the edition of the A Link to the Past-esque dark world and really long, fun boss battles. Sometimes too much of a good thing isn't actually good, but I'm glad they went all-out with this one. Can't wait to play the third.
Half-Life 2: I don't know why I didn't play this when it first came out. I was a huge fan of the first game and just about every person in my dorm played HL2 all day every day for months. Looking back, I'm not sure my computer could've handled it at the time. I was really worried that all the hype surrounding HL2 would result in a let-down, however minor, but nothing could've been further from the truth. To date, this is the best FPS I've played. I love me some Doom and the original Half-Life is one of the best, but this was something else. I was so bummed when I finsihed it a few days ago, but I'm looking forward to playing Episodes One and Two, as well as Alyx (in a few years
). Maybe by then Valve will have released Half-Life 3? A guy can dream.
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap: I've loved every hand-held Zelda game I've played since experiencing Link's Awakening as a kid and this game was no exception. Great gameplay (the shrinking mechanic was a surprisingly fun addition), beautiful graphics and animation, and interesting dungeons filled with puzzles. I wasn't a huge fan of the Kinstone system, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world. The game itself was a little short, but it was a lot of fun.
REmake: Resident Evil 4 was next on my list, but then I remembered I hadn't ever finished REmake. I remember feeling really anxious while playing it several years ago, but I didn't feel that way at all this time around. It might be because I'm actually getting good sleep these days (finally got my CPAP machine after years of suffering from terrible sleep apnea), but who knows? Regardless, I had a fantastic time playing it again (although I had to start over at one point because I'd saved way too often and was way too low on ammo) and I'm glad I finally finished it. One of the best remakes out there.
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal: Not much to say about this one. It was more Ratchet & Clank, so it was a lot of fun. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Jak 3: I was really looking foward to this after finally beating Jak II after taking a significant break from it. While it wasn't nearly as difficult as its predecessor, it kept the same style of gameplay. I much preferred the style from the first game, so that was a bit disappointing. However, I did enjoy the Max Max tone of the game and some of the driving missions were really fun.
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes: After loving the first game, I couldn't wait to get to its sequel. I have to say, I was really impressed. I think they managed to top themselves with the edition of the A Link to the Past-esque dark world and really long, fun boss battles. Sometimes too much of a good thing isn't actually good, but I'm glad they went all-out with this one. Can't wait to play the third.
Half-Life 2: I don't know why I didn't play this when it first came out. I was a huge fan of the first game and just about every person in my dorm played HL2 all day every day for months. Looking back, I'm not sure my computer could've handled it at the time. I was really worried that all the hype surrounding HL2 would result in a let-down, however minor, but nothing could've been further from the truth. To date, this is the best FPS I've played. I love me some Doom and the original Half-Life is one of the best, but this was something else. I was so bummed when I finsihed it a few days ago, but I'm looking forward to playing Episodes One and Two, as well as Alyx (in a few years
). Maybe by then Valve will have released Half-Life 3? A guy can dream.The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap: I've loved every hand-held Zelda game I've played since experiencing Link's Awakening as a kid and this game was no exception. Great gameplay (the shrinking mechanic was a surprisingly fun addition), beautiful graphics and animation, and interesting dungeons filled with puzzles. I wasn't a huge fan of the Kinstone system, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world. The game itself was a little short, but it was a lot of fun.
REmake: Resident Evil 4 was next on my list, but then I remembered I hadn't ever finished REmake. I remember feeling really anxious while playing it several years ago, but I didn't feel that way at all this time around. It might be because I'm actually getting good sleep these days (finally got my CPAP machine after years of suffering from terrible sleep apnea), but who knows? Regardless, I had a fantastic time playing it again (although I had to start over at one point because I'd saved way too often and was way too low on ammo) and I'm glad I finally finished it. One of the best remakes out there.
Picked up Street Fighter 6 on sale this past week. It’s my first traditional fighting game. The only fighting game experience I’ve had before this has been Smash, and only the most recent entry at that.
I’ve been meaning to get into street fighter for about 4 years now. I’m so glad I finally took the plunge. I’m pretty bad right now but it’s so fun and rewarding, and I can feel myself improving each time I pick up the game.
I’ve been meaning to get into street fighter for about 4 years now. I’m so glad I finally took the plunge. I’m pretty bad right now but it’s so fun and rewarding, and I can feel myself improving each time I pick up the game.
You actually posted in the day, i was born in..
started playing marvel rivals and counter strike 2, i do want to play final fantasy games official ones and metaphor tho
and skyrim again for 1022nd time
and skyrim again for 1022nd time