Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #40 on: December 07, 2013, 10:00:46 PM »
I'm up to Lorule now in ALBW, and it's been very enjoyable so far. It's much easier than ALttP was, but I guess that's to be expected. The puzzles are enjoyable, and the 2D mechanic is really good both as a puzzle tool and a combat tool.

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Offline Rushy

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #41 on: December 09, 2013, 03:09:27 AM »
I'm playing Okami HD on PS3 right now. It's a game I've always wanted to play but never really got around to it. The annoying gibberish noises that are made when text is being shown is the only complaint I can have so far.

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Offline ﮎingulaЯiτy

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #42 on: December 09, 2013, 07:50:42 AM »
Monaco.
It's basically a multiplayer thief version of Pacman.
</pretentious>

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Offline Ghost Spaghetti

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #43 on: December 09, 2013, 03:33:35 PM »
Just got the Gamecube fired up at my new flat and have been dying in Ikaruga again. One of the toughest games ever made. Seriously, 'hardcore' doesn't even begin to describe how insane it actually is.

Bear in mind when you watch this video that it is only level 2 of 5



Level 5 was, I think, designed by machines for machines. My jaw dropped at the skill of the player.

« Last Edit: December 09, 2013, 03:39:20 PM by Ghost Spaghetti »

Saddam Hussein

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #44 on: December 09, 2013, 04:50:01 PM »
I'm going on a DLC binge on my 360, now that I have a big-ass hard drive that I got for GTA V.  And speaking of GTA, I've completed the two DLCs from GTA IV, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony.

Currently, I am working on Fallout: New Vegas's DLC, like I mentioned back on .org.  I have a lot of mixed opinions on them so far.  Here, I shall refer you to the words of Sir Drainsalot:

http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?topic=59322.msg1521668#msg1521668

Quote
Don't get me started on bloody Dead Money. I played all the DLCs in release order (DM>HH>OWB>LR) so that was my first taste of New Vegas DLC. To start with I really enjoyed the change to melee and stealth combat. Then by the time the holograms showed up I was wanting to put a nail through the eye of whoever thought those speaker things were a good idea. In one or two places, to keep you on your toes? That'd be great. Every 10 sodding feet so you can't even explore what is admittedly an excellent location? Yeah thanks guys, that combined with jumping puzzles on your clunky obsolete game engine isn't a recipe for frustration at all. So many games have great combat but meh storylines, Dead Money proved the opposite is even worse.

Honest Hearts was....odd. My first playthrough I ended up shooting Follows Chalk by accident (again great game design there) and basically failed the entire thing instantly and was back in the Mojave within 30 minutes. Reloaded an earlier save and tried again and it wasn't much better doing it correctly. They created this lovely location, such a refreshing change, and couldn't seem to fill it with anything to keep me occupied. Fetch quests galore.

Old World Blues was from start to finish one of the most excellent add ons of all time I think. I'm still having nightmares about the goddamn Y17 harnesses. I won't spoil anymore for those that haven't played it.

I agree with pretty much all of this.  I mean, I didn't kill Follows-Chalk, and I'm not having any nightmares about the Y-17 harnesses (as creepy as they were), but his criticisms are spot-on.  Another issue I had with Honest Hearts was that not only were the quests exceptionally dull, but that the overall story didn't add up to anything more than yet another rehash of the tired "white savior" trope, in all its arrogant, patronizing glory.

Anyway, I haven't played Lonesome Road yet.  I guess that one's next.

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Offline Ghost Spaghetti

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #45 on: December 09, 2013, 05:01:28 PM »
Honest Hearts was better without the quests, just exploring the lovely, lovely location was fun for me. I remember being attacked by 3 or 4 giant yao guais and hiding in a ranger station with Follows Chalk, waiting for them to go away. When it was clear that they weren't giving up we made a run for it and jumped off a bridge into the river to escape them. I survived with a little bit of HP remaining, Follows Chalk was not so lucky. Terrifying.

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Offline rooster

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #46 on: December 09, 2013, 06:43:12 PM »
Hmm, I never played NV DLC. I didn't like that one as much as Fallout 3. Are you going to play FO3 DLC?

I'm asking for a PS2 for Christmas. I really miss that console.

Saddam Hussein

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #47 on: December 09, 2013, 08:55:13 PM »
Honest Hearts was better without the quests, just exploring the lovely, lovely location was fun for me. I remember being attacked by 3 or 4 giant yao guais and hiding in a ranger station with Follows Chalk, waiting for them to go away. When it was clear that they weren't giving up we made a run for it and jumped off a bridge into the river to escape them. I survived with a little bit of HP remaining, Follows Chalk was not so lucky. Terrifying.

That's odd.  Aren't your followers basically immortal?

Anyway, I agree that the location was the best part of the add-on, but that just makes it all the more frustrating to me that they didn't give you anything good to do there.  So much wasted potential.

Hmm, I never played NV DLC. I didn't like that one as much as Fallout 3. Are you going to play FO3 DLC?

Casualfag!  Scrub!  Noob!  Philistine!

Yes, I am.  Just as soon as I'm finished with NV.

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Offline Ghost Spaghetti

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #48 on: December 09, 2013, 09:41:51 PM »
All I know is that he followed me out of the ranger station and I didn't hear from him again.

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Offline Snupes

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #49 on: December 09, 2013, 11:18:16 PM »
Just got the Gamecube fired up at my new flat and have been dying in Ikaruga again. One of the toughest games ever made. Seriously, 'hardcore' doesn't even begin to describe how insane it actually is.

Bear in mind when you watch this video that it is only level 2 of 5



Level 5 was, I think, designed by machines for machines. My jaw dropped at the skill of the player.



Yikes...that looks like my kind of game! I love bullet hell games to death, I must find a copy O:
There are cigarettes in joints. You don't smoke it by itself.

Saddam Hussein

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #50 on: December 10, 2013, 01:21:18 AM »

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Offline Ghost Spaghetti

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #51 on: December 10, 2013, 09:00:57 AM »
Quote
Yikes...that looks like my kind of game! I love bullet hell games to death, I must find a copy O:

Apparently it's on Steam and the XBox market (whatever you call it)

I've had the game about 10 years and I still haven't beaten the level 4 boss. If you take too long to kill the boss they just leave and give you a terrible level ranking.

Saddam Hussein

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #52 on: December 16, 2013, 04:25:46 AM »
And now I've beaten Lonesome Road.  To once more quote Sir Drainsalot:

Quote
Lonesome road reminded me a lot of DM - started off well then slowly died. At least the combat wasn't quite to head-bashingly frustrating. But the latter half has all the hallmarks of a ran-out-of-time-and-money job. A sandbox game reduced to a single linear path? Check. Entire plot threads dangled and then forgotten about? Check. Disappointing final boss showdown? Oh yes, without the effort to even animate the guys face, so we'll just stick a mask on there. It says something that the best character in there was an eyebot.

And here's something from Chris:

Quote
I didn't like Lonesome Road, I thought it prescribed too much of your character's back-story. By the time my courier got there he wouldn't have done half the things Ullyses accused him of. I also didn't like the really linear path and the lack of humour.

There was some cool new equipment in this one, like that rocket launcher.  The combat was fairly challenging.  And I really liked the harsh, bleak environment, which seemed like the ideal setting to finally close out the game's story.  That's about all the good things I can say for this one.  I actually feel a little bad for criticizing Honest Hearts after playing this.  I mean, for fuck's sake, this add-on doesn't just feel rushed, it feels unfinished!  Where are the sidequests?  Where are the other characters?  Where are the opportunities for exploration?  Where's the roleplaying?  Where's the opening introduction so we know what the fuck is going on?  Where's the setup for why the Courier is even bothering to do all this shit in the first place?  I'm doing it because I want to play through the DLC, of course, but surely there has to be some kind of in-universe motivation for the character, right?

Speaking of characters and their motivations, Ulysses sucked.  I think Obsidian really wanted to portray him as a super-deep and complex character whose quest to destroy the player is totally understandable, but it didn't work.  At best, he came across as a deranged nut.  And his feud with the Courier had no personal resonance with me at all, because of the simple fact that I had nothing to do with what happened to the Divide.  It was in the past!  Now, if they could have played around with the timeline a bit and tied the destruction of the Divide to something that happened during the main story, something that the Courier did while being controlled by the player, then maybe it could have worked.  But to simply make up an event that predates the main story and expect the player to feel any kind of guilt or responsibility for it?  No.  That's just stupid.

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Offline beardo

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #53 on: December 16, 2013, 06:47:54 AM »
100 in speech and I got him to help me instead of trying to kill me.
The Mastery.

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Offline Crudblud

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #54 on: December 16, 2013, 07:35:54 AM »
And now I've beaten Lonesome Road.  To once more quote Sir Drainsalot:

Quote
Lonesome road reminded me a lot of DM - started off well then slowly died. At least the combat wasn't quite to head-bashingly frustrating. But the latter half has all the hallmarks of a ran-out-of-time-and-money job. A sandbox game reduced to a single linear path? Check. Entire plot threads dangled and then forgotten about? Check. Disappointing final boss showdown? Oh yes, without the effort to even animate the guys face, so we'll just stick a mask on there. It says something that the best character in there was an eyebot.

And here's something from Chris:

Quote
I didn't like Lonesome Road, I thought it prescribed too much of your character's back-story. By the time my courier got there he wouldn't have done half the things Ullyses accused him of. I also didn't like the really linear path and the lack of humour.

There was some cool new equipment in this one, like that rocket launcher.  The combat was fairly challenging.  And I really liked the harsh, bleak environment, which seemed like the ideal setting to finally close out the game's story.  That's about all the good things I can say for this one.  I actually feel a little bad for criticizing Honest Hearts after playing this.  I mean, for fuck's sake, this add-on doesn't just feel rushed, it feels unfinished!  Where are the sidequests?  Where are the other characters?  Where are the opportunities for exploration?  Where's the roleplaying?  Where's the opening introduction so we know what the fuck is going on?  Where's the setup for why the Courier is even bothering to do all this shit in the first place?  I'm doing it because I want to play through the DLC, of course, but surely there has to be some kind of in-universe motivation for the character, right?

Speaking of characters and their motivations, Ulysses sucked.  I think Obsidian really wanted to portray him as a super-deep and complex character whose quest to destroy the player is totally understandable, but it didn't work.  At best, he came across as a deranged nut.  And his feud with the Courier had no personal resonance with me at all, because of the simple fact that I had nothing to do with what happened to the Divide.  It was in the past!  Now, if they could have played around with the timeline a bit and tied the destruction of the Divide to something that happened during the main story, something that the Courier did while being controlled by the player, then maybe it could have worked.  But to simply make up an event that predates the main story and expect the player to feel any kind of guilt or responsibility for it?  No.  That's just stupid.

NV, more than any other game in the series so far, is about the past, nostalgia, resisting change; its namesake a relic of the Old World kept in working order by Mr House, a man who can't let go; the central event the battle at Hoover Dam, people across the Mojave fearing the inevitable change that will come no matter who is victorious. In keeping with this theme, all the DLC is in some way about people like Mr House: Thinktank, Elijah, Dog, Dean Domino, Joshua Graham and so on, they all want to cling to what is lost forever. Ulysses is the most extreme example, his tenuous grip on the Old World is his raison d'être, he is adorned with its symbols and resides in a place that likely resembles the world in 2077 (the closest he can physically come to the pre-war world), taking refuge from the chaos of the Divide inside a nuclear missile silo, the physical cause of the Old World's destruction. The final conflict of Lonesome Road is symbolic of the final death of the Old World, Ulysses being something like a steadfast cell, if you will, resisting the death and rot that has consumed the rest of the body. There are countless other examples of this throughout the game: a man who thinks himself a god (recalling Caligula) trying to unite the tribes in a simulacrum of Ancient Rome; the BoS resisting necessary change in the face of sure death; Enclave remnants trying but ultimately failing to leave behind their militaristic past; a ghoul who remains forever attached to a lost love and a former life; former soldiers of The Master's army seeking his likeness and dominion in Tabitha, Marcus and even Father Elijah in Dog's case—there are many more besides.

In LR we learn that a package The Courier delivered to the Divide a long time ago was in fact a bomb of some sort, sent by whom and for what reason we do not know. Ulysses doesn't know either, so who else has he, in his nostalgic madness, to blame but the one who made the delivery? When he sees that The Courier would be next in line after him for the Platinum Chip delivery, he quits the job so that they will take it, knowing that he is effectively signing their death warrant. When this plan fails, his obsession and desire for revenge grows even stronger, and he decides to do the job himself, calling The Courier out to one of the most inhospitable places in the west, knowing that, if they don't die on their way there, he will do everything in his power to destroy them with his own hands. Ultimately he cannot do this and, one way or another, lets go of the past. This fits with the idea that The Courier is the agent of change and bringer of closure to the inhabitants of the Mojave, with LR as the ultimate act of closure and Hoover Dam as the ultimate act of change.

Saddam Hussein

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #55 on: December 16, 2013, 07:47:18 PM »
Nah, it was just a shitty add-on.

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Offline Lemon

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #56 on: December 16, 2013, 10:08:02 PM »
Dead Money... motherf-ing Dead Money. Ugh... *curls up into ball*
NOTHING TO SEE HERE. IGNORE RAMA SET.

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #57 on: December 17, 2013, 12:17:05 AM »
Playing Super Mario U and Rayman Legends on the Wii U and both are pretty fun. Trying to get a copy of the Metroid Prime trilogy but it's so damn hard to find anywhere. Also, DayZ standalone alpha was just released, so my holidays are probably going to be consumed by that as well.

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Offline Crudblud

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #58 on: December 17, 2013, 04:22:12 AM »
omg i am so defeated
I'm glad we could come to an amiable agreement on the matter.

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Offline Snupes

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #59 on: December 17, 2013, 04:37:21 AM »
Played about an hour of A Link Between Worlds, and I'm liking it on the 2DS. The joystick is much better than the dpad was for controls in A Link to the Past and I'm liking the early story more. Besides that it's pretty similar so far.

buuuuut you're missing out on the best 3D ever ;o;
There are cigarettes in joints. You don't smoke it by itself.