What are you playing today?

[-MaSQuE-]

I'm very slowly making my way through HOMMV, but mostly I've been playing Uno on XBL.

Don't laugh, it rocks.

Well Uno sure rocks.

[Nappi]

A while ago I finally beat Noiz2sa, so I will probably be playing some other ABA game today. I'm not sure why, but in my opinion the game was insanely beautiful and extremely fun.

I'm also interested in trying Perfect Cherry Blossom (mainly because of this screenshot in Wikipedia's Shoot'em up article), but I am yet to find a version that works (I suspect that my zip program doesn't work correctly with .lzh files).

[painaxl]

So far this weekend I've played a little Pikmin 2 (multiplayer) and failed to get enough sleep.

Is the multiplayer sweet on that one? How's it implemented? I always wanted to try it after the first one.

As for me, the girlfriend and I have started on Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2 and it's providing us with great joy.

[manny_c44]

A borrowed an Xbox and have started playing one of the two games on the system that looked interesting: Jet Set Radio Future. So far (5 hours in) its pretty meh, I think I'll throw the towel in on this one.

The other game I thought looked good was Panzer Dragoon Orta, has anyone played it?

Now I'm off to play DOTT on ScummVM!

[Kolzig]

The other game I thought looked good was Panzer Dragoon Orta, has anyone played it?

I played a demo of it at a supermarket back in 2002, it looked interesting.

[miffy495]

Yeah, Panzer Dragoon was the first game I got when I got my Xbox (as this was only 6 months ago, the guy at the counter was pretty confused, but there you have it.) Great fun. Absolutely beautiful while you play it. Doesn't last long, but as you're only borrowing the Xbox, that shouldn't be a problem. JSRF was pretty good, I thought, but I also lost interest quite quickly. Somewhere around the bit with the mummies. I'd also reccommend the Oddworld games (Munch, then Stranger. Stranger is good, but still mostly just a shooter.) if you're looking for something pretty out there.

Oh yeah, one more thing. If you get the chance, don't pass up Crimson Skies too quickly. It may not be regarded as highly as the PC predecessor, but it's a good, mindless blowing shit up game set in a universe I love. If you were into the original, at least give this one a shot.

[Nappi]

A while ago I finally beat Noiz2sa, so I will probably be playing some other ABA game today.

OK. rRootage's IKA(ruga) mode seriously kicks ass. Basically you just fight these large boss ships which shoot you with red and white bullets. While your ship is white you can shoot white bullets back at the boss, but the red ones can kill you. Vice versa when you're red.

I love the parts where the red and white bullets make patterns you have follow.

Haven't tried the other modes yet, but they seem interesting too.

[Wrestlevania]

I'm also interested in trying Perfect Cherry Blossom (mainly because of this screenshot in Wikipedia's Shoot'em up article), but I am yet to find a version that works (I suspect that my zip program doesn't work correctly with .lzh files).

PCB is OK--found it pretty easy to beat to be honest, so it might not be the manic bullet-fest you're after. It's certainly no Ikaruga, put it that way. DAN! DA! DAN! [direct download] is somewhat similar in setup to Noiz2sa but it's about blasting your way through a puzzle maze (think Columns crossed with Space Invaders) rather than boss fights--good fun and the best combo, highest score and fastest 'run' angles make it addictive. There's also Warning Forever of course - which is pure class - but I suspect you've maybe played that one already.

Grid Wars is still about the best freeware shooter I've played over the last few months, the only drawback being that you really need a twin analogue controller to fully appreciate its subtleties.

[manny_c44]

JSRF was pretty good, I thought, but I also lost interest quite quickly. Somewhere around the bit with the mummies.

! Wow, that's exactly when I lost interest too. The level design in that stage was awful-- so much so that even after I beat it, I had to stop playing the game because I was pissed off.

I will probably go out and buy Panzer Dragoon. Its strange buying games for a system you don't own, but it's cheap.

[miffy495]

As long as we're asking advice in this thread, I won't bother creating a new one for this:

So, I recently felt like playing a balls-out action game and saw a copy of Devil May Cry for about $10. I picked it up and am really enjoying it. Question is, is the sequel really as bad as everyone says? Assuming I can find it cheap, is it worth a playthrough or should I just go right on to 3?

[Nappi]

Wrestlevania: Huge thanks for the suggestions! I haven't really played that many shoot'em ups (basically just Space Tripper and ABA games) so they were all new to me. It's hard to know which ones are good cause there are so many of them on the internet.

I'm not completely sure why I started playing these games, but I love it when I reach the point where my brain no longer knows what my fingers are doing.

I still suck though.

[loonyboi]

So, I recently felt like playing a balls-out action game and saw a copy of Devil May Cry for about $10. I picked it up and am really enjoying it.

I did the same thing and had the opposite reaction.

I don't think the game has aged very well.

[miffy495]

Well the camera is a pain in the ass, but the game is still fun.

[andreadst]

Devil May Cray never appealed to me either, don't really know why though. Maybe it really didn't age well after God of War...

Just finished F.E.A.R.... pretty boring really. so cliché

I also found my old copy of Little Big Adventure (with the LBAWIN patch to play on XP) and I sadly noticed that it didn't age well too.

Also wanted to give Xenogears a re-go after so much time. it's one of my favourites games and I hope I'll get the same feeling this time around.

Oh yeah, and I just finished the Indy fountain of youth demo. last puzzle was weird but the ending is incredibly funny (and must have distracted the team from actual game creation for quite some time ).

[Wrestlevania]

Wrestlevania: Huge thanks for the suggestions! I haven't really played that many shoot'em ups (basically just Space Tripper and ABA games) so they were all new to me. It's hard to know which ones are good cause there are so many of them on the internet.

You are most welcome--hope you enjoy them. DAN! DA! DAN! is suffering a mini-revival on my machine since I posted that message; nifty little shooter that one. Another to add to the list: Invisible Vision, which is a unique sub shooter that's been getting a some press recently.

I'm not completely sure why I started playing these games, but I love it when I reach the point where my brain no longer knows what my fingers are doing.

I still suck though.

Likewise. Still fun though, isn't it?

Seeing as I finished Condemned at the weekend, I'm now settling down to continue Prey where the demo left off. Apparently - according to a friend who bought, and completed, the X360 version at the weekend - you can start the game from where you last (auto) saved during the demo. Which is nice (assuming the PC version supports this too), but might only serve to make an already-short game even shorter; the same friend also reckoned the demo accounts for about 15-20% of the finished game(!!!).

[Nappi]

Likewise. Still fun though, isn't it?

Extremely.

Dan! Da! Dan! (probably the best game name ever) and Grid Wars were great. Warning Forever was nice too, but I didn't enjoy it as much.

What am I supposed to do with the third "boss" in Dan! Da! Dan!, btw? The white square with a red circle in the center. Do I just have to shoot it for five minutes, or is there an easier way to kill it?

[Wrestlevania]

Apparently you can start [Prey] from where you last (auto) saved during the demo. Which is nice (assuming the PC version supports this too).

...which I can now confirm it does.

[ysbreker]

prey is great fun. I just finished it over the weekend. but the demo is about 5% of the total game I think. The cooler level design tricks are at the end of the game if you ask me

[Wrestlevania]

the demo is about 5% of the total game I think

Well, that's a relief. The idea that Human Head had given away so much of the game seemed, well...

I've only played a little bit further, and so far, so-so. Hoping the gameplay ramps up from what was in the demo before too long, otherwise I shan't be impressed.

[eleK_triK]

Also wanted to give Xenogears a re-go after so much time. it's one of my favourites games and I hope I'll get the same feeling this time around.

I love that game, I still have it. I tried playing through Xenosaga but I couldn't tolerate it after a while, and I haven't even bothered with the 2nd episode. Anyway, the only peeve I had about Xenogears was that if you didn't level up enough initially as you were playing the game, you could get desperately stuck in some location when certain story elements take over the game.

I randomly decided to play FFVIII today, actually. I'm quite enjoying my current task of defeating 22 Tonberries in order to piss off the King of Tonberries ¬¬¬¬ Also I just defeated Odin in two minutes, he didn't even get a chance to hit me once... loser...

That's pretty impressive, considering how difficult it is to increase your stats in that game... or maybe I just never learned to use the Junction system right (never really liked it much). Either than that, I liked the game.

As for myself, I was playing Suikoden V, but does anybody have any suggestions for a decent RPG that's been released in recently?

[wes_borland]

i'm playing sanitarium and monkey island 4

sanitarium rocks

mi4 is just not as good as mi1, none of them are

[MrHoatzin]

i'm playing sanitarium and monkey island 4

sanitarium rocks

mi4 is just not as good as mi1, none of them are

mi2 beats mi1 by 1. Hence the 2.

[miffy495]

Dunno, I think I still prefer 1. Not by much, and 2 would have won out had there been some form of insult competition, but there you have it.

[Twilo]

Dunno, I think I still prefer 1. Not by much, and 2 would have won out had there been some form of insult competition, but there you have it.

MI2 more than makes up for the insult nonsense with the scene in Elaine's bedroom where you try and convince her to give you the map piece.

"Please baby please baby please baby please baby please."

"My soul is sick, Elaine, and love is the only cure."

"So you and the gardener, eh?"

"Those other women meant nothing to me."

"You're the Governor of my heart, baby."

[toblix]

Ooh, Sanitarium!

That game is really excellent. I think it's one of the most immersive, or whatever, games I've ever played.