Duffman5
Junior Member
big cook, little cook welcome to our cafe
Posts: 1,332
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Post by Duffman5 on Jan 20, 2022 5:39:13 GMT
I played Unity at launch on a base PS4 and honestly didn't have many of the issues that were all over the net at the time. Some framerate drops I think but nothing too bad. Played Syndicate once I heard it has problems on the PS5. Good fun, nice ideas (like the detective stuff) and both games look gorgeous even now. Ubisoft were incredibly talented at world creation. It helps deal with the open world icon spam when it was so pretty to just walk around. Haven't actually played the newer AC's, Origins, Odyssey and Valhalla but used to absolutely adore the series. Ubi do indeed make stunning worlds. I love Syndicate, in my top 5 AC (sometimes top 3) games, Unity is also a great game. As for the latest AC games, you really should play the two O's. As for Valhalla, even though I have a playtime around or over 100 hours I think it is easily the weakest of the new games, although again it goes without saying the world building is stunning albeit in a mainly shitty and wet UK (and other) way
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Post by erekose on Jan 20, 2022 9:15:27 GMT
4. Castlevania Portrait of Ruin - Nintendo DS - 3/5 Another good, solid Igavania. The dual character mechanic's fun but not quite built out enough; I would have liked more reasons to use Charlotte but once I got into the stride with Jonathan's whip I think I'd reached classic Castlevania anyway so I'm not too cut up about it. I liked the variety of areas (though it's not as varied as it first suggests) and they do take some advantage of that in order to present more distinct map styles in the different areas, while also just making everything bigger. As a result it's a surprisingly large game, though one which doesn't take as long as you might think to play through as it's relatively low friction exploring. You're unlocking things to move to new areas much more than pass barriers you've encountered in older ones. It's a high 3, and I don't think it would have taken much more convincing to move up to a 4, but in the end I'm happier saying it's very good rather than really great. Oh nice. I loved DOS but never got round to the other two DS games. Really hoping they re-release these somehow.
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Ulythium
Full Member
Lily-livered
Posts: 6,784
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Post by Ulythium on Jan 20, 2022 9:29:42 GMT
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection. While I still think that large chunks of all three games hold up incredibly well, the minute-to-minute gameplay seems... I dunno... jankier than I'd remembered? Maybe it's that I played umpteen third-person action games on PS4 after the Uncharted compilation came out in 2015, and my expectations changed over time; perhaps I'm subconsciously comparing them to current-gen titles like Returnal and Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut, which would be even more unfair. (They were originally PS3 games, after all!)
8/10, all told (7.5/8.5/8.0, respectively).
In any event, I'll start Uncharted 4 tonight - hopefully that'll be closer to how I remember the franchise.
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Post by imamazed on Jan 20, 2022 9:32:52 GMT
Yeh I've never been a huge fan of Uncharted. Always worth playing as the story is so confidently told, and there are some genuinely great set pieces along with some great art direction. In between all that? Yeh, mainly waist high walls to facilitate Nathan Drake's mass murdering. Which is fine, but not for 10 hours.
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Post by Aunt Alison on Jan 20, 2022 9:35:08 GMT
What would you say is the optimal length of time for mass murdering?
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Post by dfunked on Jan 20, 2022 9:35:13 GMT
UlythiumPS5 version is due out in 8 days if you can wait (and have a PS5 of course) £10 upgrade for both games (afaik) doesn't sound too bad. They're solid games, but yeah you did tend to get a bit fucking tired of walking into yet another arena full of waist height walls. Can't imagine playing them all back to back...
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Post by imamazed on Jan 20, 2022 9:36:29 GMT
What would you say is the optimal length of time for mass murdering? Good question. I would say 3-5 hours is best. A la a COD campaign.
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Ulythium
Full Member
Lily-livered
Posts: 6,784
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Post by Ulythium on Jan 20, 2022 9:38:14 GMT
Ulythium PS5 version is due out in 8 days if you can wait (and have a PS5 of course) £10 upgrade for both games (afaik) doesn't sound too bad.
Thanks! That's an idea.
Maybe I'll play the first couple of chapters this week and see how the vanilla version stacks up against the first three games - if it still leaves something to be desired, I can always put it on ice until the upgrade comes out.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2022 11:41:45 GMT
Uncharted 4
As the reviews above for the rest of the collection, astounding game, story, characters, but a little junky at times.
I did love it though, 3rd replay I think m over the years.
9/10
I would love to see Naughty Dog do another uncharted with ps5 power and Ray tracing. I love the last of us, but the bright jungles and blockbuster nature of Uncharted just does it for me.
For some reason this has me hankering for the older tomb raider games. I wonder if they are playable these days? The ps3 generation had a nice mix of platforming and action I would like to revisit.
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X201
Junior Member
Posts: 4,884
Member is Online
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Post by X201 on Jan 20, 2022 11:48:03 GMT
Can't imagine playing them all back to back... And then again in Mirror Mode
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mikeck
Junior Member
Posts: 1,840
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Post by mikeck on Jan 20, 2022 15:23:39 GMT
Guardians of the GalaxyI was grinning hard whilst playing this game on multiple occasions, I think I actually prefer this cast over the movie cast (I know you can't really compare them) but I thought the voice work was fantastic, and the writing and performances really carried through the emotional beats of the various storylines. I especially loved Drax's dialogue and Mantis was a real standout. Her interactions with 'little fuzzy', 'stir-fry' and 'Ada Witchcraft' were great . There were some great set-pieces, the huddle system was well implemented (blasting massive aliens with Wham playing in the background was more fun than you'd ever expect), I thought the combat gameplay allowed quite a bit of versatility, and it was nice to play a linear game again; some of the best games out there are more linear in nature and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm not sure I'll go back in and mop up all the collectables any time soon, but I could be tempted in the future.
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Post by bindipper3d on Jan 21, 2022 9:54:20 GMT
Half-Life: Alyx
There's no need to debate if this is the best VR game ever made, the bigger question in my mind is how does this compare with the other great experiences of my gaming life?
It's right up there.
I've always adored the design aesthetic of City 17. That blend of shabby Eastern European city crossed with alien technology and icky parasitic substances. Having the opportunity to interact in that world is a real pinch-me moment, and Valve have gone the extra mile to fully envelope you in all the little things you loved about HL-2.
It's such a shame that so few people will get to experience this game because it's so utterly absorbing. The level of detail is often staggering, the design of the levels is consistently excellent, and the controls implementation has just the right balance of being both challenging and intuitive. It frequently looks stunning, in particular the lighting.
I do hope it comes to PSVR2, but more so I hold out hope that Valve might also bless us with a VR version of HL2.
10
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Post by dominalien on Jan 21, 2022 10:02:45 GMT
Ah, yes. Alyx is amazing.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2022 10:05:52 GMT
Metro Exodus
I rarely finish games these days. Last year I finished RE8, Returnal and maybe one or two others, but that's it. This sits up there in the pantheon of games I liked so much I saw them through to the end. Fucking brilliant. My only complaint was it seemed to dip a bit in the last area and ended up reminding me of a similar part i didn't particularly like in Metro 2033, but it's not enough of a dip to change my opinion of this marvellous game. It looks great, has a great cast of characters and the world is so immersive. I liked to morality system that was subtle but still present enough to guide some decisions (I got the "good" ending). There was a great mix of open areas and linear sections, both on the surface and unederground and the whole thing just felt constantly fresh.
This is a shit review, my brain isn't working this morning. The game is much better than that.
9/10
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sport✅
Junior Member
notice me senpai
I want to claim my tits
Posts: 2,276
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Post by sport✅ on Jan 22, 2022 11:49:42 GMT
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Looks lovely, very cinematic, but you know what's missing from this Tomb Raider game...some FUCKIN' TOMB RAIDING!
It's basically now Uncharted with crafting. The best parts were the optional TOMBS which you could bloody RAID - enjoyed figuring them out but they're few and far between.
8/10 for TOMBS 4/10 for Uncharted/Gears of Lara simulator
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EMarkM
Junior Member
Well, quite...
Posts: 2,149
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Post by EMarkM on Jan 22, 2022 13:02:41 GMT
I think this cropped up a few days ago, but can’t remember.
Is there a way, or what’s the best way, to play actual tomby Tomb Raider on the XSX?
The “modern” ones that I did play left me with the same feelings as sport.
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Post by dfunked on Jan 22, 2022 13:13:10 GMT
Play TR anniversary via BC? Legend and Underworld should be available too.
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EMarkM
Junior Member
Well, quite...
Posts: 2,149
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Post by EMarkM on Jan 22, 2022 13:31:57 GMT
Brilliant; I’ll take a look
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Lukus
Junior Member
Posts: 2,669
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Post by Lukus on Jan 22, 2022 13:53:17 GMT
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Overall I enjoyed this quite a lot.
The music is excellent, they've done a great job of imitating the John Williams style. My only criticism is that it isn't very dynamic in terms of reacting to what's actually happening on screen - it just kicks in at certain points in the level, regardless of whether you've already killed all the enemies or not.
It looks really lovely in places, I particularly enjoyed the atmosphere of the first level in the factory. The lighting looks great at times. I also really enjoyed going to the Wookie home world and traversing up among the trees.
It does suffer from some inconsistencies though as other places can look pretty dull comparatively. The animation is frequently ropy, too, with the main character running like he's shit himself. It suffers from other jank or badly thought through stuff as well, like an animation for the loot boxes being omitted under water, but the dialogue suggesting they are happening, for example. Certain puzzles were affected as well, where you know what you should be doing, but stuff isn't properly triggered when you take the appropriate action.
Speaking of, I liked the puzzle element and the game felt a lot like Tomb Raider Jedi edition, which isn't a bad thing.
The lightsaber game play was satisfyingly well done I thought and there were some fun surprises along the way in terms of encounters and the story.
My biggest criticism is that whoever provided the voice for the main character was dull as dishwater. He managed to successfully drain the life out of all the dialogue. Having said that, I found it frequently amusing to walk away from NPCs mid conversation and him to abruptly tell them to hold that thought, or words to that effect.
A solid 7.5 out of 10.
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Post by dfunked on Jan 22, 2022 14:11:56 GMT
EMarkM they're all a couple of quid each in the sale too, so good timing!
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EMarkM
Junior Member
Well, quite...
Posts: 2,149
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Post by EMarkM on Jan 22, 2022 14:18:16 GMT
EMarkM they're all a couple of quid each in the sale too, so good timing! Yay \o/
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Post by timmywimmywoo on Jan 22, 2022 15:34:19 GMT
I just completed Psychonauts 2 on the XSX. I've never played the original, but I'm not sure it really matters. Nothing really made sense in this, but it was an enjoyably chaotic and oddball adventure with some fun combat, hugely creative levels and a good sense of humour. I'm still not really sure what happened, but it was one of the best things I've played in a while.
9/10
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Post by pierrepressure on Jan 22, 2022 21:45:36 GMT
Shadowman remastered - 7.5/10
Not a looker, but a very enjoyable remaster of an underrated title.
If you're familiar with the original and liked it, this trip down memory lane will be an enjoyable one. It's unforgiving and doesn't hold your hand like most games around the 5th generation. I actually think a complete remake might be a better option, the character and back story are interesting and in the right hands we could end up with something special. Fingers crossed for the future.
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LTK
New Member
Posts: 276
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Post by LTK on Jan 23, 2022 2:11:06 GMT
A friend gave me God of War. I'm too much of a hipster to want to buy it myself, but I had a good time with it. Story is great, wonderful characterization and lots of nerding out over Norse mythology. Combat is broadly enjoyable and has a solid foundation, but it's bloated with too many moves, skills, and cooldowns. Having to micromanage Atreus's arrows is a pain in the ass. The balance is pretty wack and higher difficulties just make every enemy a tank that takes a hundred hits to kill. Exploration is too checklisty for my taste, there's a ton of "you don't have the ability to access this treasure, come back later" for no good reason other than padding, although I must admit that the gradually descending water level is a very smart bit of design.
Overall verdict: it's a great game by virtue of its scale, spectacle, and polish, but it could have been a lot better if more restraint was exercised in its design. All its faults are the typical excesses of triple-A game development.
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MolarAm🔵
Full Member
Bad at games
Posts: 6,663
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Post by MolarAm🔵 on Jan 23, 2022 5:46:14 GMT
I finished The Forgotten City with the "canon" ending
It's great! Neat premise, good characters, good writing, and it doesn't go on forever and ever. And it's free on Game Pass, so you're not really losing anything by giving it a go.
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Post by Danno on Jan 23, 2022 5:53:09 GMT
Rise of the Tomb Raider Looks lovely, very cinematic, but you know what's missing from this Tomb Raider game...some FUCKIN' TOMB RAIDING! It's basically now Uncharted with crafting. The best parts were the optional TOMBS which you could bloody RAID - enjoyed figuring them out but they're few and far between. 8/10 for TOMBS 4/10 for Uncharted/Gears of Lara simulator I do enjoy it when you get mad, Sport. It's like Jay Rayner being served a crappy lunch
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malek86
Junior Member
Pomegranate Deseeder
Posts: 3,170
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Post by malek86 on Jan 23, 2022 10:10:56 GMT
Cloning Clyde (Series S)
A typical puzzle platformer, but one that simply doesn't get going. The mechanics are okay, but you keep thinking "when does the game get hard?". Answer: it never does. Even the extra levels, which are supposed to be more challenging, are always exactly the same.
Add in some control issues (some of the jump power ups are very annoying) and the awful rescue objective (where you must guide each clone manually to an often far away exit point), and you have a game that is more a waste of time than anything else. The only reason I completed it is because it's pretty short. By the time I realized that it would never get engaging, I was already more than halfway through.
4/10
Well, I guess the early XBLA days had a lot of crap. The arcade ports were nice, but it took a while before good indie games started coming out.
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Post by dfunked on Jan 23, 2022 10:13:31 GMT
Neo: The World Ends with You - 8/10
Overall pretty great, but it was really let down by a few annoyances with a mostly solid combat system. Targeting individual enemies and maneuvering behind certain ones to do damage just doesn't work well. The bosses are pretty much universally awful, and the last one was just absolutely tedious. Even with a fully maxed out attack stat on each character the enemy HP pools just get plain ridiculous towards the end and fights take way too long, so I ended up dropping it down to easy to avoid the risk of frustrating repeats of battles. Aside from that it was fantastic though. Fun story with some great little side stories going on. Nice mechanics, with new stuff getting drip fed even towards the end. Ridiculously catchy music that'll stick in your head for days. The graphics are serviceable I guess. Story boards are lovely, but combat/traversal looks OK at best.
Just shy of 60 hours and there are a couple of bits still to do. No fucking way am I going for the plat, though... I'd probably need to at least double my playtime for that.
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Post by uiruki on Jan 23, 2022 11:28:25 GMT
5. The Hex - PC - 4/5
A little uneven when it comes to the actual game but as always with Daniel Mullins, this is much more than the sum of its parts. I don't want to go into too much detail but the use varied game mechanics in its storytelling makes for a dense, interesting game, well worth playing through.
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Post by RadicalRex on Jan 24, 2022 2:11:09 GMT
Supraland: Six Inches Under - 8/10 (updated score)
The credits rolled after some 7:30 hours, but actually there were many more things to solve left, even entire sub-areas I hadn't found so far. On the playthrough I had less than 50% chests found, but I didn't anticipate how many more secrets and puzzles there were. With two chests left that I can't find, I now played 16 hours with 97% completion.
So there was considerably more content left than I thought, but it still felt less relevant because it's just for 100%ing the game instead of advancing the main plot. Score increased by 0.5.
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