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Post by Aunt Alison on Oct 3, 2022 22:10:57 GMT
Wonder what it is about Prey that makes people put off playing it for so long. It definitely seems to be a thing
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Post by MolarAm🔵 on Oct 3, 2022 22:33:04 GMT
It's not an especially long game either. Though the final quarter or so of it is weak, so maybe people stop there. And the ending is shit.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2022 22:55:43 GMT
The advert for the game at the time made it look really really crap. And it got played loads.
Remember seeing it came on in the trailers at the cinema. Made it look even shitter on the big screen.
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Post by ToomuchFluffy on Oct 4, 2022 5:36:18 GMT
I almost lost patience on the final run, as the Military Operators became pretty tedious: a fully-upgraded Stun Gun became my go-to solution. Yeah, that's part of why I started enjoying it again at that point (at least for a while). Once I had upgraded the Stun Gun fully, they turned from an annoyance into something that enriched the game. Even though the spawners are still just an odd idea. Overall it was just too long and towards the end there was way too much backtracking with lots of familiar enemies.
Edit: 1,49 m/s? Shouldn't there be an upgrade for the speed? Because I never found it. Or perhaps there was some kind of bug.
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askew
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Post by askew on Oct 4, 2022 7:20:59 GMT
No, it was me being a derp: left-stick click made me whizz around at 14 or so. The game had previously taught me this, but there was a long span between my first time in space/GUTS and the follow-up. I did wonder why I had a suit mod to prevent crash damage… I recall backtracking through the entire station at one point when I could have flown outside. FML. Made a manual save at the pivotal point so may take the opposite approach and blow up the station. I had the ‘best’ ending in this play, though I did try using Alex’s escape pod. Was a bit surprised it just said ‘nope’ and I had to reload.
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Duffman5
Junior Member
big cook, little cook welcome to our cafe
Posts: 1,332
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Post by Duffman5 on Oct 5, 2022 4:25:37 GMT
August 2018: I purchased Prey to go alongside my newly purchased Xbox One S September 2022: I finished Prey on my Xbox Series S. I think that does it a disservice: it's a fantastic game, though not without the odd difficulty spike - particularly if you have been stingy with the Neuromods thinking they are a finite resource… I recall getting stuck against the first couple of Phantoms, as I'd missed the shotgun. Then RDR2 came out and that took over. I had another session when I got the Series S last summer, and then another blip getting stuck trying to save the characters who had been Mindjacked in the Arboretum. I almost lost patience on the final run, as the Military Operators became pretty tedious: a fully-upgraded Stun Gun became my go-to solution. 40 hours on the clock as the credits ran, though nearer 45 with replaying sections after deaths. I do fancy a New Game+ in the future, _if_ I can turn on some of the survival options which were patched in. Otherwise, I'll finish my Deathloop replay and delve into Mooncrash. I think it's my favourite game of the last few years. Can fully get this: First played/first cheveo "Know thy self" unlocked Nov 2017, next cheveo (i.e played next) May 2021, that was the second "false start" I then returned and loved/completed from May 2022! I'm not sure why I did leave on the first couple of occasions, but so very glad I did return and playthrough to the end, I did start a second NG+mode, but that was a few months ago now. I know vortex was always in its corner and see he has replied to you
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Post by dfunked on Oct 5, 2022 7:12:45 GMT
Yeah, I've still got one cheevo in it from a few years ago. I just wasn't in the mood for it at the time, but will "come back to it soonâ„¢" Came close to firing it up again last night.
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Post by Chopper on Oct 5, 2022 9:10:44 GMT
Wonder what it is about Prey that makes people put off playing it for so long. It definitely seems to be a thing I played the demo and didn't pick it up till it went on sale, after which I loved it. A slow start plus you're trying to hit skittery little enemies with a wrench, that's what put me off. Felt guilty about buying it on sale and liking it so much, so I picked up Mooncrash to support the Devs. Then I didn't play it cos I thought it wouldn't be my thing, and it blew me away when I did. Better than the base game for me.
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askew
Full Member
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Post by askew on Oct 5, 2022 9:26:38 GMT
We might get enough of us to play that 5v1 multiplayer mode!
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Post by HairyArse on Oct 5, 2022 12:17:23 GMT
Resident Evil 2 re-make. Really enjoyed it for the most part, though the final showdown with Mr X was really badly designed and a disappointing conclusion. 11 hours 35 was a lot longer than I was expecting it to take, too. Tempted to do another run with Jill but I've so many games on my pile of shame I don't know that I can be arsed, plus I still have Resident Evil III re-make, too.
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Post by bichii on Oct 5, 2022 16:05:48 GMT
Prodeus
Played it through on hard with my son. So much fun and one of the best doom inspired games ever. Not much to knock on it but it takes most of it from doom games but all the levels feel fun and unique. Got to love game pass. Best thing ever in gaming.
8/10
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Post by Aunt Alison on Oct 5, 2022 17:32:24 GMT
Prodeus Played it through on hard with my son. So much fun and one of the best doom inspired games ever. Not much to knock on it but it takes most of it from doom games but all the levels feel fun and unique. Got to love game pass. Best thing ever in gaming. 8/10 Just looked it up - didn't realise the full game was released/there was a console version. That's cool
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2022 17:37:33 GMT
It's on GamePass too, if you wanted to check it out.
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Post by Aunt Alison on Oct 5, 2022 17:46:04 GMT
I definitely will but I'm still too obsessed with Borderlands at the moment to play anything else. Just started a new Krieg playthrough of BL2 and really enjoying it (got 2 lengendaries really early on)
I was going to say something in the BL thread but I look a bit mad talking to myself now. It's a shame there's only about 4 members who don't actively hate Borderlands on here
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Post by ToomuchFluffy on Oct 6, 2022 6:42:46 GMT
I played the demo and didn't pick it up till it went on sale, after which I loved it. A slow start plus you're trying to hit skittery little enemies with a wrench, that's what put me off. Very true. While I quite liked the Mimics from the get-go, the start is really quite slow. Took me something like 5-10 hours to really start liking it.
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Post by Chopper on Oct 7, 2022 10:18:30 GMT
Very true. While I quite liked the Mimics from the get-go, the start is really quite slow. Took me something like 5-10 hours to really start liking it.
Yeah, thinking back on it, it was the story beats that captured my attention first, whenever the second operator turned up. I must really play it again.
One thing that is preventing me playing it again is that I completed Across the Obelisk, in which I finished my first run on the easiest level after 37 hours play. It's a huge, bursting-with-content, roguelite deckbuilder which I've heard described as, "Slay the Spire, but imagine having to learn all four characters - Ironclad, Silent, Defect, Watcher - at once". An individual run does take quite a long time, possibly 4-5 hours with my winning run taking a crazy 9 hours. I'm sure half of that was me watching videos and consulting my notes. Hopefully this isn't the new normal for deckbuilders - Gordian Quest was bloated and I hear the newly-released Vault of the Void takes a long time to complete too.
What a game though! Downsides are the length, and sometimes the battles can turn into battles of the buffs, with both sides buffing furiously and no progress being made. But it's definitely taken over all my gaming time, I'm constantly thinking about it, and I've only scratched the surface as regards content (there are a whole slew of characters, cards, and pets to unlock still, not to mention I only completed one difficulty level out of 16, and haven't touched the proper 'roguelike' or challenge modes). I don't know how long I'll stick with it now that I've mentally ticked the 'complete' box in my head, but lots and lots to come back to.
Would hugely recommend it to deckbuilder fans, if you can afford the time.
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Tomo
Junior Member
Posts: 3,261
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Post by Tomo on Oct 7, 2022 22:44:12 GMT
Ori & The Will of the Wisps - 8/10
Can a game be _too_ polished? This is improved over the original in basically every regard, yet I was left feeling a bit cold by the end of it. I had a massive hiatus midway through the game for prob a year or longer. Enjoyed coming back to it, but then felt I was going through the motions again after a short while.
There are some nice new mechanics and new move sets, etc, but the world feels almost a reboot version of the first. I found this one a lot easier than Ori 1 because it felt so familiar this time around.
It still feels glorious to move around the levels and by the end you can basically traverse without even touching the ground. I don't think any other platformers have the same sense of movement. Would love to see the devs tackle a Sonic game. But it's a safe sequel. If they ever make a third, I'd like to see them be a lot more ambitious.
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Post by dangerousdave on Oct 8, 2022 7:41:08 GMT
I think thats possibly why we haven't seen a third one. They are both very similar, but I do appreciate the refinements to the 2nd game. It feels nicer to play, somehow.
A third game would be a decent opportunity to add a more unique spin to the genre, but if it was only a small step forward again, I feel it wouldn't go down all that well with fans.
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Post by Rubicon on Oct 8, 2022 8:57:33 GMT
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (Game Pass)
I was aware this wasn't as positively received as The New Order (which I loved) but hoped enough magic would have rubbed off for some enjoyment.
If I were to sum the game up it would be in its opening: a walking sequence that eventually leads to a stealth section, which about 10 minutes in, already feels like it's gone on far too long and repeated far too quickly. It's slow and laboured and a mindset the game never leaves. Which isn't great for what is meant to be a fast-paced action shooter nor helped either by the fact the devs 'big idea' seems to be to add platforming. Hello Doom Eternal.
Shootouts when the do occur are either side of the extreme, cramped arenas so you're just walking into bullets or wide open and being shot from every angle, there is never any momentum or fluidity to fights and either way the game seems to be forcing itself into a cover shooter. There is an argument this could be down to map design but it feels like two separate games fighting each other.
In the latter stages there is a choice (which I didn't realise was a choice) to save a character but they've had so little impact it feels arbitrary and does nothing for the rest of the game. It's like they've tried to recreate the best bits without knowing what made them so great. The zombie stuff comes too late in my opinion and had they focused on exploring that then the game might at least have been fun.
I loved The New Order for a lot of reasons but they were built around the core of a fun shooter and The Old Blood struggles to be even that.
5/10
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Post by ToomuchFluffy on Oct 8, 2022 11:52:25 GMT
Interesting... From the vague recollection I have about the reaction to it, I was under the impression that it's basically more of the same, but more condensed with focus on the actual FPS-part.
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Post by Rubicon on Oct 9, 2022 21:38:52 GMT
I wouldn't disagree with that. I've replayed a couple of chapters at the pace the game seems to want and in retrospect it's more akin to Return to Castle Wolfenstein rather than The New Order. In which case I would say it's decent from what I've played.
I wonder if that change of pace/style has thrown people that have come from TNO expecting more of the same.
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Post by simple on Oct 9, 2022 21:54:49 GMT
RTCW was so good. I’d play the shit out of it now if they gave it a polish and stuck it on the playstation store
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Post by Rubicon on Oct 9, 2022 22:23:42 GMT
Most of my time with RTCW was spent playing the D-Day map in multiplayer that I never actually got around to the SP.
But The Old Blood is a good shout and about as close as your going to get to a modern RTCW if you've not already tried it.
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Post by rhaegyr on Oct 10, 2022 9:54:38 GMT
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Epilogue went on far too long - Upgrades/economy was fairly pointless - Shooting mechanics need a fresh lick of paint - Having fun and doing open world stuff is shackled by the morality meter and how they present Arthur in the story - Mission structure is standard Rockstar fare which has felt old hat for a while now
None of that really matters though as Arthur's story and character is one of the best in the 30+ years I've been playing video games. I won't go into the details in case anyone's as late to the party as I was but some of the scenes and moments he has with other characters (who are written just as well) are incredible and heartbreaking in equal measure. The quality of the writing in this game is far above anything Rockstar have tried in the past and has a maturity in it I didn't think they posessed.
Story - 10/10
Game - 8/10
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Post by ToomuchFluffy on Oct 10, 2022 13:20:05 GMT
I have just started up Half Life - Blue Shift. I think it's the only one I never replayed back then and similar to Opposing Force I don't remember a lot of the more generic bits. Sewers and maintenance shafts and such. Just like with Opposing Force I also didn't remember how convoluted the platforming, puzzling and so on could be. Though that's partially just since the physics, jumping and so on are a bit wonky. But so far it feels much better on Hard.
And I'm also about 15 hours into Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition. I used to have the CDs, but some relative or acquaintance lost them and so I never had another opportunity to give them a second try. My first attempt was after playing the second game, so my expectations weren't right for it and I simply didn't understand the appeal of this kind of basic High Fantasy advenure romp. I think I might have finished the Nashkel mines, or I at least visited them and then went to the Gnoll Castle where I stopped, so I can't have played it for more than 5-10 hours. I don't even remember what character I played with.
This time I'm playing with a Half Orc Wizard Slayer with focus on Halberds. Jaheira and Khalid are still around, while Xzar and Montaron got thrown out early. Garrick joined for a little bit and then Kagain, before Xan replaced Garrick after I had cleaned out the mines.
Edit: Sorry, wrong thread.
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Post by kilters on Oct 10, 2022 18:21:00 GMT
AC Odyssey 8/10
Solid game with a reasonably good if bonkers story. Played as Kassandra and enjoyed the world building. Frequently looks stunning and all the mechanics are really well done and consistent considering the massive game world.
Took me 75 hours to finish. I've not spent that amount of time on a game in ages.
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Post by Samildanach on Oct 10, 2022 19:00:46 GMT
Trapped in my time warp of 1991, I delve into more shmups released in the first quarter of that year: Turrican 2 via the Turrican Collection Vol 1 - A much better experience compared to the previous game which was blighted by endless dead ends. Generally this one will have a fairly obvious main route with lots of interesting offshoots to explore. The gameplay is decent though your character runs slightly too close to the edge of the screen to give enough time to avoid fast approaching enemies. I did enjoy the three shmup stages especially, not bad at all for a euro-shmup. The music, especially the newly arranged version by original composer Chris Huelsbeck himself, is fantastic. Yeah, I had fun with this, but felt that I was happy to move on once I saw the credits. 3/5 Black Heart (Arcade Archives) NMK will start producing some absolute corker shmups soon, but in 1991 they were still releasing slightly janky games. None have been outright poor, and the same applies to this very odd fantasy jaunt. You are a chap flying on a dragon in an extremely cartoon-like world. Well, I say world but after the weird looking forest in stage 1 you spend the rest of the game in a rather samey looking castle. The few music tracks range from pretty good in a couple of cases to absolutely atrocious (I'm looking at you stages 5 & 6). It's saving grace is it's gameplay is pretty fun and the bosses in the first half of the game are pretty inventive. Unfortunately so much is repeated, music, bosses, enemies, backgrounds, traps etc, that I could argue the game should have been a much shorter and tighter experience and been much better off...pretty much like all NMKs previous shmups too. 2/5 Oh btw, play the US version, as the dragon you ride shields the man (i.e. your hitbox) from bullets from below which is not the case in the original Japanese version. It's still bloody hard from stage 3 onwards mind. Xenon 2 (X68000) Oh dear God this game is bad...and I used to enjoy it in the early 90s on my old Fountain PC. Well, I enjoyed it when I used to plug in the invincibility and full-weapons code and blasted my way mercilessly through the 5 stages. Try and play it legitimately and you are given a perfect example of bad game design: your ship is slow moving, large and fires a pea-shooter. The enemies move in weird unpredictable set routes and your bullets will often pass through them due to wonky hit detection. You can only upgrade your ship at the shop if you collect enough money bubbles which are released only when you kill all enemies in a row, which you generally won't do since you have a peashooter that misses them. You are able to scroll the screen backwards very slowly if you pull down on the bottom of the screen and this tactic is required to get through several parts of the game. Unfortunately the enemies can shoot through walls and will hit you easily since you are stuck slowly scrolling the screen down. They mitigate this by giving you a lifebar, but it makes for very uncompelling gameplay. There is a single music track throughout the whole game which grates by halfway through stage 1. If you remember this game fondly then I strongly recommend leaving this game in your memories where it belongs. 1/5 Over Horizon (NES) The NES is usually one generation back too far for my liking. I know, I know, a good game should be a good game regardless of the technology; but the bleeps and basic colours of the third console generation and earlier are a massive turn off for me. Having said that, Over Horizon is the peak of shmupping on the NES as everything it does, it does very well. Effectively a Gradius II-like game, it does enough to differentiate itself and do its own thing. Shmupjunkie showcases it in his excellent video of lesser known action gems if anyone was interested: m.youtube.com/watch?v=e8flFrIc5b0Anyway, it gets a 3/5 from me (and would've been 4+/5 had I not been such a 16bit-or-better snob)
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2022 11:25:44 GMT
Shadowrun trilogy.
Shadowrun 8/10 Dragonfall 10/10 Hong Kong 9/10
An absolute blast to play through, only played because it it is on gamepass and I loved every second. Amazing world, characters, writing and nice bite size missions and it doesn't outstay its welcome. It is budget and junky but that doesn't matter.
Inspired me to try Cyberpunk again... and I dropped that again. Somehow Shadowrun feels better looking and fleshed out and detailed. Weird how low poly text that your mind expands on seems more than a £100 million pound engine with 200 voice actors and 500 programers.
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Post by simple on Oct 12, 2022 23:26:46 GMT
Rollerdrome
Excellent visual style, brilliant music, fantastic concept. Being a fan of 70s sci-fi, 2000ad and fantasy sports video games this was a pretty spot on pick for me.
The gameplay is mostly a lot of fun too but I will admit I did use the assist system to make it a bit easier in the later stages. When you’re dodging mines, homing missiles, two kinds of sniper and trying to remember to do a full suite of Tony Hawks tricks while hitting dodge constantly it can becoming a bit much and it can really break up any flow you’d built up. Especially when all of that combat starts to create a real white noise of visual clutter.
There is kind of a story too but it barely exists and is only really a handful of short walking sim sections. I kind of wish there was more since its hinting at an interesting wider world that you’re very isolated from.
I don’t usually New Game+ many games but this does have a second campaign which basically is one and I think I will do that. Can see myself returning to try and pick up more of the in-game objectives too. Plus its just fun when it clicks, although I do think without the assist menu it’d probably have been a bit too frenetic for me.
8/10
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Post by ToomuchFluffy on Oct 13, 2022 6:34:26 GMT
Ok, this time actually "completed": Half Life - Blue Shift. Took only a little more than three hours, which is about half of Opposing Force or a third of Half Life. At least for me.
I'd say I liked the introduction quite a bit as it was a nice opportunity to revisit untrashed Black Mesa and I felt that the game was pretty good at portraying how guards and scientists were actually trying to get out of there (and mostly getting killed). Other than that the last section with Xen and the teleporter was quite fun as well. It's just not that often in the series that you actually feel what you are doing is genuinely useful. Usually it's just progressing through levels and doing combat and platforming and maybe killing bosses.
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