Lizard
Junior Member
I love ploughmans
Posts: 4,384
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Post by Lizard on May 1, 2023 23:50:19 GMT
Because if so should probably make him a mod or something.
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Lizard
Junior Member
I love ploughmans
Posts: 4,384
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Post by Lizard on May 1, 2023 23:50:42 GMT
Bloody new page.
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Post by RadicalRex on May 2, 2023 0:29:11 GMT
Only really an issue if you're Jesus, though. Is user Ulythium actually Jesus? ...he asks, hiding his centurion helmet behind his back
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Ulythium
Full Member
Lily-livered
Posts: 6,809
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Post by Ulythium on May 2, 2023 7:58:21 GMT
I don't think I'm Jesus, but I'd better do some tests before I go making any definitive proclamations.
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wunty
Full Member
Pastry Forward
Posts: 6,443
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Post by wunty on May 2, 2023 8:13:15 GMT
Ah, the old hot needle in the blood test. That's the only way to check. If any small part of you is jesus, it will fight to survive independently.
I think I've got that right.
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Ulythium
Full Member
Lily-livered
Posts: 6,809
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Post by Ulythium on May 2, 2023 8:21:51 GMT
I was going to start out small, like walking on water or getting a small amount of food to satiate loads of people, but you're probably right - go big, or go home!
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dogbot
Full Member
Posts: 8,738
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Post by dogbot on May 2, 2023 9:12:01 GMT
Saints Row
What to say about this...
It's the same daft, ridiculously bombastic, silly, explosion causing, car smashing, bullet sponge protagonist having open world insanity it always was. It is basically exactly what I expected it to be.
It has a story, if you care. Nothing particularly groundbreaking, but there is a story. It has missions and side missions, challenges and perks. It has businesses to buy and an empire to build and then there's missions for those as well. And you can update your vehicles, guns and clothing to the nth degree.
The audio mix is really poor. Sometimes, the radio is so loud, you cannot hear your own car engines. You can hear the radios of cars passing you by, though. Then you get out of the car and get back in and the engine is so loud you can't hear the radio. Unless you're using headphones, when it seems right all the time.
It is stupidly good fun to play. There were several instances where I had to put the controller down in tears of laughter (when trying to low-fly a container through the city in a helicopter, with it swinging around like a lunativ in response to the slightest touch of the controls). They've managed to keep the sense of humour firmly where they intended it to be (stupid) without slipping into the more recent GTA territory and ending up po-faced. The jokes don't always land but they're usually not offensively bad.
I've slipped through the missions and side missions doing *everything* almost without noticing. If I really pushed hard, I could probably do 100% if I could just find one more discovery item.
On the whole, a solid 7/10. The best one since SR2.
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Post by baihu1983 on May 2, 2023 18:33:34 GMT
Bramble the Mountain King
Looks really nice and plays very well. If you liked games like Limbo/Inside you should like this. Story wise it has that sort of Brothers feel to it but better thanks to the odd bit of narration which does a good job letting you know the characters thoughts during certain bits plus when reading books based on the creatures. Probably took me around 4-5hrs due to deaths.
4/5
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wunty
Full Member
Pastry Forward
Posts: 6,443
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Post by wunty on May 3, 2023 11:20:35 GMT
Infliction: Extended Cut Ach, it was alright. The trouble was that the models and animation really let it down to the extent that it was more silly than scary. A couple of nice ideas but just lacking in the execution. I think a less is more approach would have worked better here. Ultimately it was fine enough, but there are better indie horror titles out there. it tried it's best to capture PT in terms of the ghost sounds and movement etc but sadly came nowhere close. Interestingly there's a NG+ option that increases the complexity of the puzzles (they were a non-event on normal NG) and increases the ghost frequency. I feel that will just end up being frustrating but might give it a go at some point.
As far as my recent horrors go then, in order of goodness (top being the goodestness):
Madison
Bloodwash
Amnesia Mothered
Home Sweet Home Infliction
Next up is Silver Chains. Stay tuned!
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Post by killerbee on May 3, 2023 11:56:38 GMT
Elden Ring
PS5
Well, that’s it! Completed, beaten, done! And a very satisfying Platinum trophy to boot.
I will confess to save scumming the three endings, but after over 120 hours of this wonderful game, I’m not sure I could bring myself to play it a further two times. And I did do all the steps required for each of them legit.
Overall, I thought this was by far the most welcoming Souls game I’ve played - not necessarily easy, but more “fair” in giving you the tools to beat the game and not punishing you too harshly in terms of time wasted if you mess up.
The Spirit Ash summons were the main helping hand - just having something to take a boss’s attention away from you for a few moments made all the difference in so many battles. While summons have always been a Souls feature, having collectible assistants took away the pot luck of relying on other players for help, as well as being good fun to select and upgrade.
The open world was also great for giving you options for something else to do in the event of hitting a wall at any point.
I played a BattleMage build - ending up with 80+ Int by the end and doing big damage with my spells, but vulnerable to mobs and hard hitting enemies. I’ve always played a typical Knight before in Souls games, with heavy armour and a big shield to block, but here, my shield was hardly used and I finally learned how to dodge roll effectively and use lighter gear to keep my stamina up. It was a really fun way to play.
And there’s a huge amount I didn’t try - I barely used Ashes of War, bows, throwing pots and knives… there are whole builds I could go to for a very different experience, and obviously tons of weapons.
Maybe that should be my NG+ temptation- to go for a Faith or a Dex or a Strength build or whatever… maybe that DLC…?
Overall, though it is an absolutely stunning game - I loved it.
10/10
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Post by harrypalmer on May 5, 2023 13:57:58 GMT
Horizon Forbidden West - 7/10
Similar to Hogwarts in that it looks stunning but lacks spark. This is easily the best looking game I’ve ever played, it has some truly breathtaking locations, but it’s marred by really lacklustre and dull combat, a ridiculously silly story delivered in a very po-faced manner, and an insipid main character.
Completed in under 30hrs because after about 15 I ignored all the open world shite and stuck to main missions. Will probably play the dlc at some point though!
As someone said in the thread, a smart move for the sequel would be to make it linear and redesign the combat.
Mass Effect Andromeda next.
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Post by killerbee on May 5, 2023 14:54:49 GMT
Horizon Forbidden West - 7/10Similar to Hogwarts in that it looks stunning but lacks spark. This is easily the best looking game I’ve ever played, it has some truly breathtaking locations, but it’s marred by really lacklustre and dull combat, a ridiculously silly story delivered in a very po-faced manner, and an insipid main character. Completed in under 30hrs because after about 15 I ignored all the open world shite and stuck to main missions. Will probably play the dlc at some point though! As someone said in the thread, a smart move for the sequel would be to make it linear and redesign the combat. Mass Effect Andromeda next. Not trying to change your mind or say you’re wrong or anything, but genuinely the side quests in Horizon FW are where so much of the character development takes place. The bite size story telling away from the main quests is much, much better. Aloy and her friends are also much more likeable once you get to know them! But as much as I loved the game, playing Burning Shores at the moment does make me agree that there’s too much bloat in the systems of the game. Too many different elemental types; too many abilities you’ll unlock but never use, too many crafting materials to gather and too many complicated melee combos you’ll never use outside of the tutorials you learn them in. I loved the breadth of the world and enjoyed the game overall, but I do hope they streamline a few of these things for the next instalment.
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Post by harrypalmer on May 5, 2023 18:20:31 GMT
The side quests were good, no question. But I just couldn’t be arsed with the combat mainly. I’m quite tempted to mop them up gradually, now I’m done. I just find all the bloat in open world games tends to make me anxious these days!
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Post by Rubicon on May 6, 2023 8:35:35 GMT
15. Prey 2006 (PC)
I remember playing the demo for this back in the 360 days and (despite the mixed reviews at the time) has always been a game that's stuck with me to try. It's available as abandonware and uses the Unreal engine so still looks the part as well as running fine without any issues.
As I was playing I was reminded of Doom 3 and Quake 4 (which had come out in the two years previous) and it doesn't better either of those. There is a Signs vibe to it but the game never leans into being a horror and enemies are far too punishing and your character too sluggish to be considered an action game. As visually impressive as the portal mechanic was it would simply be bettered with Portal the following year.
Your character can enter a spirit realm which allows him to pass through forcefields to help solve puzzles, find hidden supplies and do a bit of recon if you like. When you die (which will happen a lot) you enter a chamber and shoot flying creatures with your bow to fill your health/spirit meter before returning to where you died. Altogether this part feels a bit undercooked.
Visually the environments still look good but some of the alien designs put me in mind of the Strogg from Quake 4 with others being a bit more generic. You get a health upgrade at the end which doesn't make the slightest difference and there are vehicle sections (of course there are) where you float about in a little spaceship.
I wanted to like this game and it be some forgotten gem but I was getting frustrated by the end which is even more disappointing when you see 3D Realms were involved. Technically it's competent but seems to have been made by people who don't understand what makes a good shooter let alone a fun one.
4/10
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Post by drhickman1983 on May 6, 2023 15:01:10 GMT
Final Fantasy 1 Pixel Remaster.
It's a bit of curio, but was interesting to see where the series started.
The remaster is nice, graphics updated, though still very retro. The music I'd given a nice orchestral arrangement (though you can choose the chip tune original if you prefer), but as far as I know it's largely the same as the original version, just a few quality of life tweaks.
But it's very much a game of it's time. The story is, compared to more recent RPGs, bare bones to say the least, though it does hint at some more interesting background.
The combat system is also very simple. And random encounters have a very high frequency. Fortunately you can turn random encounters off, and increase XP and Gold gains so you can manage that.
It's not all that good by today's standards but it's interesting to see, even now, things that become series staples, or see things that later games refer back to.
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uiruki
New Member
Posts: 799
Member is Online
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Post by uiruki on May 6, 2023 16:16:10 GMT
I really thought that game was interesting to play to see what they kept from Ultima with the key words and just how direct it is. You’ll see that keep coming up in the remasters if you keep going - the games aren’t afraid to just skip over things like travel or stuff that would be a lengthy side quest nowadays.
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Post by Samildanach on May 6, 2023 17:20:49 GMT
I played the original FF for the first time in the early 00s. Already pretty ancient by then. It was very much a retro experience then, but I forced myself through it. I do recall, however the sense of delight when I worked out where the final dungeon was, on the basis of the hint that it was equidistant between the location of the four fiends. Follow that by the surprise reveal of who was behind it all (since spoiled by every damn game that has referenced the first game) and I ended up being quite impressed. FF2 also impressed me with the sense of being at war with the enemy Empire. In fact it has only been FF3 of all mainline Final Fantasys' that turned into a tedious chore.
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Post by ToomuchFluffy on May 6, 2023 17:22:22 GMT
Well, it's pretty subjective. If you asked me what the criteria for a "good" FPS are, I couldn't tell you.
Personally I liked it, though I didn't finish it when I played it the first time. I think I was annoyed by the vehicle sections.
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wunty
Full Member
Pastry Forward
Posts: 6,443
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Post by wunty on May 6, 2023 20:36:46 GMT
The Last of Us Part I & Left Behind
Bloody phenomenal. Absolutely fantastic. That’s top tier stuff right there Jim.
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Post by harrypalmer on May 6, 2023 21:22:05 GMT
Did they remaster Left Behind too?
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wunty
Full Member
Pastry Forward
Posts: 6,443
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Post by wunty on May 6, 2023 21:55:27 GMT
Yeah. I’ve never actually played that before either.
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Post by harrypalmer on May 6, 2023 21:59:32 GMT
Nice. Been waiting to play the remaster for so long expecting a sale or ps+ but it’s not been forthcoming.
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wunty
Full Member
Pastry Forward
Posts: 6,443
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Post by wunty on May 7, 2023 8:57:21 GMT
Yeah I ended up trading some shit for it on a whim. I actually started to replay Part 2 and had the urge to do this instead, but I didn't technically spend any money on it.
The said, they've taken an amazing game and managed to make it even better. I actually think I liked it even more this time, and it looks and feels phenomenal to play. It's definitely reasserted itself as one of the best single player gaming experiences out there imo.
I've gone straight on to Part 2.
The thing that this has made me realise though is that I much prefer the young optimistic Ellie we have in this one, over the nihilistic revenge machine we have in Part 2. I feel like they threw out some of the nuances in her character in favour of reducing her to being more one dimensional. But I suppose that was Joel's role in Part 1 and it kind of makes sense. I actually prefer Abby in Part 2. I did anyway. I'll see what changes in my replay.
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Post by ToomuchFluffy on May 7, 2023 15:41:02 GMT
ADACA: As said, I had finished the campaign, but wasn't sure if I wanted to bother with Zone Patrol too much. But as it turns out it's actually really good and I enjoyed it quite a bit more than the campaign. The atmosphere is quite good and there are many weird anomalies, apparitions and secrets to be found. When it shows up the soundtrack is also fitting and supports the mysterious and sometimes rather creepy feel of the environments.
It's not a full open world, but rather interconnected smaller maps like in Stalker. It's also clearly inspired by that game and probably moreso by Shadow of Chernobyl than the others I think. The spawning of various groups is frequent and they often fight each other. Thankfully the player also gets a companion, a few of which can be unlocked through side quests and such.
The story is spread out between the maps and there are many hidden places, doors that need codes that can be found in various ways and big secondary locations to explore. I don't think that I have found everything and done everything, but the storyline is finished. I'm not sure if I would have been able to do that without some help from a guide. While it's overall reasonable how codes and hints and such are placed, it's very easy to miss places and when you find them you will often not have the code for some door or you will run into some other problem. It's massively confusing, not least since some of these places are large and sometimes relatively maze-like. Some have direction signs, maps and so on, but others don't. The map in the menu is very abstract and only of limited help. Even with some help, it still took me about 25 hours on top of the 5-6 hours for the campaign. One thing that kept me motivated was that artifacts and occasionally traders with unique weapons and other things to sell, can be found. Artifacts are used to buy these which then become available in the (minimal) hub where everything can be equipped before descending to the planet.
As already hinted at, this one is surprisingly substantial considering how the developer is apparently just one person. Goes to show what you can do with a focussed approach and efficient implementation of what you want to do.
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Tuffty
Junior Member
Posts: 3,431
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Post by Tuffty on May 8, 2023 8:28:34 GMT
Mia and the Dragon Princess - 3/10
A new FMV adventure game, in which my fiance and I completed twice in under 2 hrs. I know the games of its genre are generally quite short games anyway, but we were left feeling particularly short changed by the fact that the story is so poorly told with both endings hinting of a future sequel or another episode, which is not known or advertised on steam page. Still, there's one moment in the game, a characters death, played completely straight and serious which had me rolling on the floor laughing at it so I'll give it an extra point for that.
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wunty
Full Member
Pastry Forward
Posts: 6,443
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Post by wunty on May 8, 2023 9:40:29 GMT
Silver Chains
Actually started this months ago. It's only a couple of hours long but just kept dipping in to it. Essentially another low budget indie horror game but actually not too bad. A couple of cool spooky sequences and a relatively sinister antagonist (well, until you see how badly it's animated), in your traditional spooky dilapidated mansion setting. The puzzles were a bit obtuse at times and typically for this type of fare, the voice acting was a bit poo. However, a few moments stand out and despite me thinking it was going to be one long chase fest, bits like that were few and far between, the game instead focusing on the spooky ambience and the puzzles.
Over all, not too bad. Not great, but not awful.
My updated list in order is:
Madison Bloodwash Amnesia Mothered Home Sweet Home Silver Chains Infliction
Not sure what's next. Too many to choose from.
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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 May 8, 2023 10:04:40 GMT
Ghost Wire Tokyo Really enjoyed 8/10
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Post by ToomuchFluffy on May 8, 2023 17:03:58 GMT
When the Darkness comes:
This one is pretty short and free on the steamstore. Some kind of walking simulator with light horror that seems inspired by The Stanley Parable and The Beginner's Guide. Not as good as those of course, but still decently well done. I don't think that the voice acting of the narrator is actually done by a professional voice actor and so it's actually not bad at all. It sometimes drifts into cheesy territory and his villanous laughter at a few spots was the worst of it. Other than that though it's a pretty solid effort. I didn't find it particularly touching or good at anything it does, but I didn't run into any trouble and the idea seemed executed well enough.
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Post by kilters on May 8, 2023 17:53:44 GMT
HFW Burning shores DLC 7/10
Good slice of content. Got about 20 hours out of it. Needless to say this looks amazing.
They'll need to change a fair bit for the 3rd game though as its mechanics are starting to wear thin. I ignored most of the weapons and upgrades as per the main game as it's too much busy work.
I quite like the combat but again they need to mix it up.
Aloy was actually likable in this outing. Plot is fairly standard but I think Guerilla do a consistent job of relating stories coherently.
Recommended for those who enjoyed the main game.
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Post by rhaegyr on May 9, 2023 9:33:33 GMT
RE4 Remake
It's pretty great but I think I still prefer the original.
Combat is fantastic. Many sequences are changed for the better (discovering the Garrador was a highlight). Ashley is much more bearable (although I do miss "Leon! Help!"). Graphically it's a stunner. Flashlight sequences add more of a 'horror' feel at times. Optional stealth sections with knife kills are quite satisfying and add to the tension. Weapon shortcuts on the D-Pad, hurrah! They trimmed some parts from the Island that definitely needed to be trimmed.
On the other hand, a lot of the campy tone has vanished and it ends up feeling a bit po-faced. They also removed a few sequences I really liked (U3 and the truck escape coming to mind). Ashley's AI is somehow worse than the original. Boss fights vary wildly in quality - some are better (Krasuer and Mendez) but the Ramon fight was torture. Sidequests aren't optional if you want some fairly important items (treasure maps, weapon stocks etc) and they really don't help the pacing. Merchant isn't a patch on the original and the Regenerators didn't seem as terrifying this time around.
It's about as good a remake as you could have asked for but had the unenviable task of being a remake of masterpiece that (I think) still holds up well even now. I could be blinded by nostalgia though as the GC original is definitely on my 'epic shelf'. Maybe it should be 9.
8/10
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