What game are you playing?

[TheRedPriest]

Celeste and Catherine 3sum?

[Mikero]

I can't really get behind this notion that Game-A should be more like Game-B. God of War looks great but it's meant to be a completely different experience from BOTW. An attempt to homogenize either removes intrinsic qualities from both.

For an example, when Splatoon 2 (a great game) came out, there was a G Club podcast on it where basically all of them complained that it was "like Overwatch". Splatoon 2 is perfectly fine the way it is, and it's built from a game that came out before Overwatch. They were just high on Overwatch at the time which coloured their perception of all online competitive games at that point. Things like Splatoon's lack of voice chat are very specific decisions that were made to create an equally very specific experience. Cut to today and people don't talk about Overwatch nearly as often, yet people can't stand that <game> isn't Fortnite.


Anyway... I put 150 hours into BOTW,  haven't even finished the story, did all the shrines, but I still don't mind the weapon durability thing at all except for the legendary weapons (which made getting amiibo items a waste of my time). That aspect keeps you moving and looking in nooks and crannies. And specifically hunting for that one weapon. Maybe a controversial opinion but for me it felt like the proper theme-ing to continue the volition of the gameplay. Perhaps a better version of this would have been to deplete weapon damage like in Bloodborne, which I never saw anyone complain about.

Frankly item inventory was a bigger issue to me.

[TheRedPriest]

The point is that the weapon durability system makes it so your ##### breaks after using it for a few minutes, and you spend hours #####ing hunting for another good/cool weapon that you can use for another 3 minutes before it breaks.

Hyperbolie aside, I get what they were going for, but it was just ballanced HORRIDLY between how much you can use the weapon before it breaks, how easy it was to find a new weapon of the same kind (because who the ##### defends losing a huge lightning sword and being ok with replacing it with a #####ing bokoblin club), and the distribution of weapons across the map.

The only thing you "scrounge" for or "pick up" as you go are the same ##### basic weapons that monsters drop.  The best, strongest, coolest, most fun weapons are all extremely rare, hard to get to, time consuming to fetch, and all for being able to use them for all of a few minutes or battles before they shatter like glass.  You spend all your time either traveling to get good weapons and hording them to never use or you play the game using #####ing sticks and clubs because that's what 80% of all enemies have/drop.

Honestly, I hope to ##### they drop this system for the next Zelda and go back to normal weapons.  I really don't think I may play the next game if it's more breakable weapons again.

[Xero]

What if they went of a Secret of Mana type weapon system (8 basic weapons, ie. sword, spear, axe, bow & arrow, hookshot, boomerang, whip, hammer) the weapons never break, but you can get stronger versions from enemies & chests. 

You only have those 8 weapons, but they never break and you can get stronger versions with perks & benefits.  The only weapon that will be permanent (if you find it) is the Master Sword (and technically the light bow but that would be end of game final boss)

[TheRedPriest]

Same issue.  Your "normal" weapon would be basic as #####, and the stronger versions with perks would be your "fire sword" type weapons and break making the game exactly the same except you don't have to keep picking up ##### weapons because you have a permanent one.

No, they just need to do normal weapons.  If you don't want 8 or 9 different swords, just add a mechanic where you can add attributes to your (non master sword) sword and then change that when you want (or need) something different like fire, ice, lightning, etc.  Or just do a small set of weapons like a sword, spear, bow, and hammer and maybe have 2 or 3 of each type.

[Mikero]

After a certain point in the game I was so overloaded with Royal weapons that had stat buffs I really can't figure out why you'd be stuck replacing them with bokoblin clubs, but that is the case for the beginning of the game which I think makes you focus your attention on survival and exploration rather than straight battle. I'm not attempting to justify it, I don't have to, but I never saw the problem others did. Especially since Lynel's scale up and respawn, but aren't really challenging to defeat.

the weapons never break, but you can get stronger versions from enemies & chests. 

That is literally the way every other mainline Zelda works.

[Xero]

So yeah.  Exactly.

My weapons chahe is filled with Savage Lynel Swords.

[NovaMan XP]

Started playing Yakuza Kiwami, the remake of the first Yakuza game. It's a lot of fun, wasn't sure if I'd like it but I'm glad I tried it out.

[Xero]

I just finished Dad of Boy and now am playing Tropical Freeze for the Switch.  Probably will go back to playing DOOM again.

[Speed Racer]

I'm supposed to be playing Might & Magic: Elemental Guardians for my friend's podcast. It's pretty much a prettier version of Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes or whatever that DC game was where you just collect characters, give them various attributes, and battle them. It's okay, but these games are a huge timesuck at the start when you can't just sim everything. After my review, I'll probably drop it, but I don't know yet.

[TheRedPriest]

I started Thimbleweed Park Saturday.  Good GOD that game is amazing!  I haven't enjoyed a game this much in ages.  I wish we got more games like this these days.  I've got about 14 hours on it since it came in.

[Mikero]

Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion is pretty fun. Though some of the stages cross the line into the unfair zone of challenge (and I'm good at the game).

One stage, in which you have to beat the clock, is impossible to finish if you have a FRACTION less ink than required, because you have to do everything down to the millisecond in it, no time to refill. I beat that level, but have had others feel even harder. I don't mind difficulty, but since the ability to use the things you earn in the main game are locked until you finish the Octo Expansion (even if you've received the items) it's a little annoying. Overall I feel like it'll be worth it in the end, it's just a bit over the top.

[TheRedPriest]

Thimbleweed park ##### it's pants at the end.  I was extremely disappointed.  Still love the aesthetics, art direction, and voice work though, but damn did the end ruin the entire game for me.

[Speed Racer]

Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion is pretty fun. Though some of the stages cross the line into the unfair zone of challenge (and I'm good at the game).

One stage, in which you have to beat the clock, is impossible to finish if you have a FRACTION less ink than required, because you have to do everything down to the millisecond in it, no time to refill. I beat that level, but have had others feel even harder. I don't mind difficulty, but since the ability to use the things you earn in the main game are locked until you finish the Octo Expansion (even if you've received the items) it's a little annoying. Overall I feel like it'll be worth it in the end, it's just a bit over the top.

I read an article on Kotaku about the DLC's plot, and ##### that game is crazy.

[Mikero]

I just finished the expansion on the weekend and it is indeed crazy. It's the best single-player storyline the franchise has had to date. I beat all the levels, even those ones I was complaining about, it just took some doing.

The story involved in the DLC is rich in the lore that the first game established only in the sunken scrolls (a collectible hidden in each stage). It was surprisingly cinematic, and the lore of the game's universe is for my money a very under-sung aspect of Splatoon.

[TheRedPriest]

Splatoon could use a lot more single player stuff, so it's disappointing that Octo expansion is forever locked out as Digital only.

[Mikero]

Well, I mean... Splatoon is primarily an online game and the DLC has an effect online play. I'm not sure how you'd make that be a physical release, really. Unless it was like you had to slot in the regular game card, and then switch it for the expansion like with Brood War.

[NovaMan XP]

I remember way back when DLC was still new there were some games like Halo that would sell the maps or content on a disc and playing the disc would install the content on your console so you can use it with the main game.

Of course they don't do that now (usually) because they probably don't want people sharing their disc with other people.

Posted on: July 09, 2018, 06:06:05 PM

I forgot to mention, recently I played The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, and it was pretty fun. Easy as hell, but fun.

Now I'm playing through the 3DS remake of Majora's Mask, which I never really played on the N64. Its not too bad, definitely inferior to Ocarina of Time for me for a few reasons but overall I'm enjoying it.

[Xero]

What I liked about Majora's masked is how each character had their own unique story and personality and you even may feel for these characters and their lives.  That's why I like it slightly over Ocarina of Time.

[TheRedPriest]

Well, I mean... Splatoon is primarily an online game and the DLC has an effect online play. I'm not sure how you'd make that be a physical release, really. Unless it was like you had to slot in the regular game card, and then switch it for the expansion like with Brood War.

That's how they're doing the expansion for Xenoblade Chronicles 2, on it's own cartridge.  I wouldn't be opposed to more stuff like that, or even a disc/cart with all the final DLC on it.

[Mikero]

I'm not a big Majora's Mask fan at all, but I'm willing to turn around on it (I did the same with Zelda II, which I now think is deceptively awesome). Maybe I'll try the 3DS remake one day, but I'd easily rather it on Switch at this point.

Well, I mean... Splatoon is primarily an online game and the DLC has an effect online play. I'm not sure how you'd make that be a physical release, really. Unless it was like you had to slot in the regular game card, and then switch it for the expansion like with Brood War.

That's how they're doing the expansion for Xenoblade Chronicles 2, on it's own cartridge.  I wouldn't be opposed to more stuff like that, or even a disc/cart with all the final DLC on it.

Interesting. Is Xenoblade Chronicles 2 primarily an online PvP game like Splatoon? I ask because the Splatoon 2 DLC is essentially a beefed up skin pack you'd find in other MMO shooters.

[TheRedPriest]

The point was the DLC was on it's own cart.  If they did physical releases for it, DLC would be a lot more palatable.  Still bull#####, but at least easier to deal with.

[Speed Racer]

I had to play a retro-inspired racing game called "Wheelspin Frenzy" for my friend's podcast. Hated just about everything in the game, from the bull##### cheating AI, you can't unlock other tracks without doing various tasks, only local multiplayer, etc...I deleted it off my Xbox One as soon as the review was recorded.

Otherwise, I've been playing Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Super Mega Baseball 2. Doing an elimination tournament in SMB2, which is taking longer than I figured it would, and because I'm not playing with a custom team, it seems as though I'm not hitting pitchers as frequently. Need to ask the developers if the two are tied in, but it seems like after crushing the opposing team in the first two games, their mojo won't recover for the rest of the series, which allows my team to take it easy.

[Mikero]

SMB2 = Super Mario Bros. 2, and I will accept no usurper.

The point was the DLC was on it's own cart.  If they did physical releases for it, DLC would be a lot more palatable.  Still bull#####, but at least easier to deal with.

OK... I don't know anything about Xenoblade, it was an honest question.

Regardless, I think expansions should only be physical if they actually stand alone. "DLC" by definition is digital, but I see your point either way. If it can't be played without the full game, then I would prefer something like the Octo Expansion be software that's just added-on to game, especially on a mobile console like this.

[Majikn]

I've been playing Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze, and I've been having David Wise music stuck in my head for days. The levels are amazing and for the most part constant fun, and I mostly like how the bosses work in this game. They don't feel as AI-ish as older DKC games, even though there are still patterns. The fight just evolves as both of you learn, and only seems to fall to repetition when you're bad at timing. It also goes a lot farther without the reliance on Wii remote shaking, which I never minded that much but it sure was hard to time perfectly.

Is anyone playing Octopath Traveler? I still haven't finished the first Bravely Default. I got to a certain point and then just haven't picked it back up. JRPGs are too dense for me these days I guess.

[Xero]

Tropical Freeze is in my opinion is the best Donkey Kong Country game and possible one of the best platformers of all time.  I'm glad Wise came back for Tropical Freeze.

On another note hearing Grant Kirkthorpe reprise DK Isles in Rabbids Kingdom Battle was beautiful. 

[TheRedPriest]

I picked up Octopath Traveler today and got 2064: Read Only Memories for PS4 yesterday so I don't know which one I'll start...

[Mikero]

I didn't finish Tropical Freeze on WiiU, I'm kind of wanting it on Switch now but I gotta wait for that price point to drop.

[TheRedPriest]

It won't unless they do a "Select" release in a few years.  Nintendo stuff never drops otherwise.

[Mikero]

It drops in stores here unless it's a Mario game. I can wait for that.

[Xero]

Doing some Sonic Mania now. 

It's funny how the best Sonic game in over 20 years wasn't actually developed by Sonic team.

Well that's not totally true since Adventure 2 Battle had the wonderful Chao garden.

Sega needs to make a stand alone Chao garden.  ##### was so much fun and relaxing.

[NovaMan XP]

I'd say Sonic Colors and Generations was pretty fun. Still not as good as Adventure 1 or 2, but pretty good fun.

I got Mania Plus for Switch because I'd been wanting it for Switch and I wanted a physical release too. The new stuff is fun and Mighty and Ray are neat.

After Sonic Forces I hope Sonic Team takes a look at what made Mania great and actually make a game that doesn't rely on Boost gameplay. As much as I enjoyed Colors and Generations, Boost Sonic gameplay is garbage and needs to go. Lost World was pretty meh but I preferred its gameplay and would like to see it improved upon instead of going back to "hold boost to skip the entire level".

[Xero]

I think Sonic suffers the same thing Mega Man suffers from.  It can't really transition well from 2D to 3D.  Sonic does even worse in 2.5D since the gameplay is a bit slowed.  Mega Man, while not looking that good, can at least be playable in 2.5D

[Mikero]

I wish I held out for Mania +, but now I can't see myself shelling out extra cash when there's so much choice Megaman to buy on Switch.

And I've been fretting over the price of Mario Tennis anyway.

[TheRedPriest]

But Mania + is the only physical release of the game.  Digital = dumb, never forget!

[Mikero]

Rez if you don't know about Super Rare Games it's perfect for you. They do limited official (carts are made by Nintendo) physical releases of games that are normally digital only.

[TheRedPriest]

I know there are a few places that do that, yeah.  I have quite a few Limited Run Games releases.  While it's nice, it's getting dangerously into the territory of an "ultra rare premium SMAOUG must horde scalper food" industry rather than getting good games out in retail so people can actually own them.  That's not any better than digital only.

Limited Run Games has been a bit better of late doing open preorders instead of 2000 copies and that's it ##### for their Switch releases.  We need more models like that.  It will help cut into scalpers if production can meet demand on the front end.

[Xero]

I'm going to give Octopath Traveler a go.  I've heard good things about it.

[TheRedPriest]

I'm playing it now.  It's damn good.

[Majikn]

I didn't get the best first impression from the demo, but mainly because I dislike the voice acting and the character I selected. But I had the same kind of issue with bravely default. Gameplay was solid though.

[Mikero]

I hated the demo but others I know who felt the same are liking the full game. But I found the demo poorly constructed, in that it repeated the same exposition 3 times before I got to play anything and then the gameplay was boring.

Bravely Default I really liked, except a certain plot point that becomes a huge grind. I’m playing Bravely Second now and it’s too much of the same. Same locations, everything. There’s even STILL a battle being fought at the same location on the map? Same thing where characters talk waaay too often and for too long, but then once you’re in battle that’s boring too? The gameplay being the same as BD makes sense but man... it’s. just. so.  boring. I just brave everything and annihilate, no challenge at all. I want to get through it quickly, but that’s what made me switch to hard mode in BD.

I fear that I’m just bored of jrpgs lately, and Octopath will be the same balance of repetitive gameplay and repetitive cutscenes.

[TheRedPriest]

Plus BS didn't have REVO doing the ost.  That was the single best thing about BD.

Octopath Traveler is a lot like Bravely Default in that the game expects you to figure out all the broken stuff in it to really do well in the game.  I don't really like that.  And if anything, the cut scenes in OT could do with having more party interaction (as there is literally zero outside of some party chat at designated points in each chapter). 

Combat is a lot more balanced than in BD though, you can't just "BRAVE BRAVE BRAVE DEAD" every fight.  The boost mechanic is done differently and enemies have a shield system to work around.  I generally like it though.

The music is also damn good.  Not quite BD level, but definitely at the top of the RPG ladder.  I like most of the characters pretty well too.  Cyrus is my favorite and Tressa a cute.  But god damn, Primrose story is dark as ##### compared to the others.  It really felt out of place.  I'm about 25 hours in and still only beat 1 Chapter 2 story.  Most of it has been grinding xp, money, and save scumming to steal stuff.

[Xero]

I started with Primrose and already got Tressa on my team.  It's cool that you can exploit the game with save scumming to get good crap without consequences.  I guess after I get Obleric I'll get the Thief next.

[Majikn]

Starting with Primrose in the demo may have put clouds over my view of the game. It was indeed dark, but not in any way that I found interesting.

[TheRedPriest]

I started with Olberic because I figured having the damage dealer/tank as your main would make the rest of the game easier.  And it has.  I basically went counter clockwise from there, getting Teressa (for money/item help), Cyrus (for magic/mage stuff) and then Olphelia (healing).  

After that I did some grinding and exploring before moving on to Therion.  I ended up swapping out Olphelia for Therion to use his steal ability in towns.  I've spent most of my time leveling and unlocking skills since then.  I've gotten 6 of the secondary job classes.  I finally went through and got Alfyn, Primrose, H'aanit.  

I have NO idea how Alfyn's Concoct ability works, and there's no manual or tutorial on it so I'll have to look that up.  H'aanit is too pokemon trainerish for me, I'm not fond of her play style.  Primrose is all support buffs, which in this game don't last long enough to let you do anything.

I'll likely just slot in each of them into my main party of 3 others to do their quests.  I need to find the other shrines and get job ponts to buy innate skills.  

[Mikero]

It's cool that you can exploit the game with save scumming to get good crap without consequences.

Is it?

Starting with Primrose in the demo may have put clouds over my view of the game. It was indeed dark, but not in any way that I found interesting.

I started with the other guy in the demo, seems like you and I still had a similar experience.

[Xero]

I don't mind the grinding, but Jesus the enemies are damage sponges.  Every single one of them.  I get that you have to use the Boost to do more strikes per attack but it still drags on too much.

[TheRedPriest]

It's not even more strikes per turn, it's just that you do like 2x or 3x damage once you break their shields.  But they do suck up a lot of HP, that's for sure.

[Fatso]

I've been playing Octopath a little bit too. The pace of the game is perfectly suited to my work commute, which is nice. I started with H'aanit and have been working my way around the world clockwise to pick up all the party members before doing any serious exploring; one minor disappointment is that as I'm about to pick up the last party member I still haven't encountered anything that really resembles difficulty, just a couple gotchas in boss fights that were easily snuffed out after reloading the save from literally right next to the boss.

 I do appreciate the ubiquity of save points as a strictly casual/commuter player, since they let me save precious battery power by always having an option to turn the console off. I also really enjoy the flow of battles, especially when encountering a mix of foes where you need to read the turn orders and plan a turn or two of attacks at once to optimally deny the opponent's turns. I just hope the game will eventually bare its teeth a little more.

[TheRedPriest]

It will later.  If you wonder into an area that's higher level than you, you will be slaughtered (just like Dragon Warrior).  Improved equipment only help so much.  Later in the game I'm pretty sure you're expected to exploit the (intended) broken combos/skills in the game to be able to beat later bosses/areas/chapters.