gdf

Recently completed video games

Recommended Posts

On 2016-10-26 at 9:11 PM, Trip Hazard said:

In short, I'm impressed, and I often wonder why there wasn't so much care applied to the main game. A metric shitload of areas, but not many that make you feel really involved. I'd highly recommend that everyone who has finished DS2 but hasn't tackled the DLC should do so. They're essentially the game I wanted all along.

It's my understanding that the game had a slightly troubled development, and changed director half way through. He had to salvage the content they'd already made and the DLC was his chance to develop something wholly his own.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just beat BOXBOY! and I really have to give it some praise will it's still on sale.

This might be one of my favorite puzzle games, up there with Talos Principle, each world has a different element to add to the puzzle system and it's very well balanced in the sense that it changes the puzzles before you get tired. The only time when it even uses more than one type of obstacle is in the final world, where each world is a set of different puzzle pieces.

 

The way the puzzles works is that Box Boy can create block pieces in front, back or on top up to the limit specified by the level which you can then throw or use advanced shapes to "hook" onto an edge or shield yourself.

 

Here's hoping the sequel is just as good, since it's also on sale?

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Portal

 

So I've never finished this game! I saw Portal 2 on the Steam sale for 2.99 so picked that up. So I went back to finish Portal first. Loading up my save last time I played was 2010 and made it to test chamber 8.

 

Not sure what to say really - it was great. I especially liked the levels after everything goes wrong. Started up Portal 2 so hopefully i'll play through that soon.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
18 minutes ago, thenexus6 said:

Portal

 

So I've never finished this game! I saw Portal 2 on the Steam sale for 2.99 so picked that up. So I went back to finish Portal first. Loading up my save last time I played was 2010 and made it to test chamber 8.

 

Not sure what to say really - it was great. I especially liked the levels after everything goes wrong. Started up Portal 2 so hopefully i'll play through that soon.

 

After you finish Portal 2, let me know if you want to do the excellent co-op campaign with someone! I never got to finish it!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The co-op campaign is really fun!

 

So I advise you do it!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Dishonored 2 :tup:

It's more of dishonored 1, except it's way more aggressive. You are pretty much in constant agro mode. I recall way more downtime in the first one. Here you only spend a short time at the base of operations, pretty much only to get your new objective. I also found the world design way more limiting. Most segments are quite narrow funnels. There's still plenty alternative routes to take, but it's still quite a linear route you traverse. There are a few cases where you have a nice large complex open area.

the Duke's palace.

That was a really nice part of the game.

I attempted to do a complete stealth non-lethal play through. I didn't kill anybody, the void engine however did kill 4 people in my name. I'm pretty sure unconscious people died due to the physics engine after loading a savegame. It happened quite a few times that there was a huge explosion or some other weird physics thing going on after loading (e.g. things being launched in the air). I think the same thing happened to some bodies which I didn't put in the most physics stable locations. As for the stealth part, in the last mission somebody detected me somewhere, but I have no recall of that. Given the fact that you cannot restart a mission this pretty much screwed up my play through. :/

Another thing which annoyed me is the fact that choke option did not always trigger correctly. It also happened quite a few times where instead of putting down a body the game decided to throw the body through a glass door. So that required a bunch of reloads.

I did like the large amount of optional content. Stuff you would completely miss if you did not fully explore the world. Things which also have effect later on in the game. There are also a bunch of timed content. Once started you have to act quick or you'll miss out on doing something. Another nice thing was that mission 6 is completely optional, you can skip it simply by solving a (difficult) riddle and continue to mission 7. (The answer to the riddle can also be found when you do continue with mission 6). This riddle was difficult enough to require pen and paper.

Anyway, It was a fun game, but I think Dishonored 1 was better. I'm not going to return to play the same game as a different character in a different mode as I've seen pretty much everything there was to see (hence my almost 40 hours to complete it).

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I finished Technobabylon. It's a Wadjet Eye adventure game so mechanically, no big surprises (I've played one other of theirs, Gemini Rue, also good). The puzzles are mostly fine...I only got stuck once or twice and it was usually just missing an available interaction somewhere. The lack of a button to highlight interactable objects was annoying, but like I said, only an issue a few times. It's cyberpunk as fuuuuuck. Mindjacking, entering "the Trance", omnipotent city-managing AI's, etc. The writing is good and cast of characters is pretty diverse and interesting. I got lost once or twice as far as what was going on, but got it sorted out quick enough. Anyway, worth checking out if you're an adventure game type of person.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Limbo

Been in my pile of shame for years. I got it for free somehow on Steam ages ago. It's one of my friends favourite games and he always goes on about it to me.

 

I am kinda torn on this game... its very good - visuals, ambience, cool puzzles. However it got so tedious as the game went on for me. I don't mind you having to keep trying puzzles, or through death you work out the solution but doing it so many times got annoying.

 

Luckily most of the time the checkpoint would be seconds away from where you died, other times you have to complete a good 20 second thing to attempt the puzzle again. So me dying a good 5 or 10 times due to poor timing or whatever all added up.

 

Also the thing of failing alot kinda ruins alot of moments in the game, like a cool chase moment is nowhere near as dramatic or cool if I died 5 times trying to finish it.

 

I bought Inside during the PSN sale yesterday which i've been eager to play. I hope I like it more.. i've not heard or seen much but but the looks of it you're being chased alot.. which sounds like it could be real tedious too!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

One nice thing about Inside is that there are a lot more quiet parts to the game, so I think it is a bit more forgiving than what I recall about Limbo.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 11/27/2016 at 5:55 PM, Rilen said:

After you finish Portal 2, let me know if you want to do the excellent co-op campaign with someone! I never got to finish it!

 

I might be game for that sometime in the near future. I have always wanted to try the co-op part of Portal 2 but haven't found anyone to do it with 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, sucks2Bme said:

 

I might be game for that sometime in the near future. I have always wanted to try the co-op part of Portal 2 but haven't found anyone to do it with 

 

Well after WJ4 I would absolutely love to.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Finished Ben There, Dan That! :tup:

 

First time I tried to play this I got stuck at the very beginning because I didn't understand the wire of the light switch was it's own thing, but this time I was able to get through most of it with little trouble. Wasn't until the very end that I got stuck again and, surprise, it was because I didn't see a long vertical wire-type thing that was a collectible object.

 

Very fun and well-structured. I really appreciate always knowing what my goal is and how far into the game I was via the door system.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Inside

Finished Limbo last night and Inside today. I did it to two sittings. I much preferred it over Limbo. The dystopian setting and general ambience I liked alot more. Game sure got weird though!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I beat Oxenfree, which I thought was related to "Olly Olly Oxenfree", but I guess not?

When I started playing it I assumed it was another "tough decisions simulator", but I was surprised to get an actual GOOD ending, I got an almost perfect ending on my first try when I expect most of them die, like in most "tough decision simulators".

 

I really did love the game until the house scene, where I expected the game to end and for a while just didn't care about happened to anybody until it won me back short after.

:tup:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
28 minutes ago, Tanukitsune said:

I beat Oxenfree, which I thought was related to "Olly Olly Oxenfree", but I guess not?

 

I've commented before that I want Roll7 (the makers of OlliOlli) and Night School Studio (the makers of Oxenfree) to collaborate and make a game specifically for that joke.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 12/1/2016 at 2:56 PM, Tanukitsune said:

I beat Oxenfree, which I thought was related to "Olly Olly Oxenfree", but I guess not?

When I started playing it I assumed it was another "tough decisions simulator", but I was surprised to get an actual GOOD ending, I got an almost perfect ending on my first try when I expect most of them die, like in most "tough decision simulators".

 

I really did love the game until the house scene, where I expected the game to end and for a while just didn't care about happened to anybody until it won me back short after.

:tup:

 

One of the sleeper hits of the year. I got it in the summer on sale. Played through it twice, will probably another couple of times in the future to finish achievements off. The soundtrack is incredible too, bought from both from Bandcamp immediately. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have just been pleasantly surprised by Gears of War 2. Played the original at launch and didn't think much of it so ignored the rest of the series until I picked up an Xbone the other week and GoW4 came with it, which in turn came with download codes for the four preceding games. Not wanting to miss out on any sweet Gears lore by going straight into the new one I thought I might as well try the second out and my sweet lord it's an undemanding, dumb and just straight up enjoyable several hours of predictable shooting fun. Not my type of game generally and certainly not a setting or premise I'd have otherwise spent money on but yeah, that was a good time.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Rolled credits on Watch Dogs 2 last night. Austin Walker's criticism (spoilers btw) is absolutely on point, but my overall impression is still pretty strongly positive. That's probably down to me leaving enough space in between open world games (the last one I finished is probably far cry 4).

 

For anyone considering playing, the advice floating around that doing it without shooting is more fun is true, but also don't beat yourself up if you find it easier to get through a couple of earlier missions by shooting (crucially, before you get the abilities that make shooting superfluous).

 

edit: I have some tips, but I would say it is generally not a hard game:

 

 

 


The only important money purchase is the remote drone. It's around $60k-$70k iirc.

 

The most important abilities imo are:

1) environmental RC which lets you control lifts & cranes

2) the improved jump for your ground drone.

3) distraction, and later mass communication disruption. (if you distract an enemy you or your drone are basically invisible to them until it wears off)

 

Your melee attack is a one hit kill (ko? if you're pretending to not kill anyone, although they don't get up again unlike tasered enemies) against single enemies.

Distraction will allow you get close enough undetected so your only worry is being spotted by additional enemies.

 

If you don't mind killing people, the ability to drop bombs from your drones and the gang attack->gang war chain of abilities are really effective.

If you want to avoid killing, you'll still want to be able to drop stun bombs from your drone and there are missions where you're tasked with destroying machinery where planting bombs with the drone can save headache.
 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The Perils of Man: an adventure game about a girl from a family of inventors who discovers some glasses that can see "perils" and teleport through time in the pages of a book "Perils of Man" where she must try her best to prevent disaster and maybe find her father. 

Spy Chameleon: A cute and simple stealth puzzle game with a chameleon that changes colors to watch the surrounding, the escalation of the puzzle elements is very well balanced and doesn't get tiring before adding something new, like buckets of paint you can kick to hide in the paint puddle. 

LUMO: Remember those old isometric games like Knight Lore, Alien8 and other Speccy classics? This is what LUMO tries and succeeds at trying to emulate up to it's BRUTAL difficulty. The game even has a classic mode where you can't save and have finite lives, but... this game seems a little too large for such a thing. It's also full of secrets of which I could only find a mere handful.

Fran Bow: A creepy adventure game about a girl who just lost her family and is possibly losing her mind as she starts taking a new medication that makes her see a new and horrific world. Fran Bow is such a nice girl I kinda feel terrible for exposing her to such horrors, while she just tries to be friends to everything, even inanimate objects, which she likes to name.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Recently completed Awkward Dimensions Redux, which is a short free to play Steam game about the dreams of a stressed game developer.  

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Finished Gears of War 4 :tmeh: this weekend.

 

I thought the environmental set pieces were incredible, and the straightforward cover based shooting was massively repetitive. I was so-so on the game through 3 acts, really enjoyed Act 4, and then Act 5 at least changed stuff up but I wasn't that much of a fan. Weirdly, in a game that I thought repeated the same encounter too many times, it felt like it ended 20 minutes too soon. Switching from controller on the couch to mouse and keyboard allowed me to go through the game much faster, which at least saved me the frustration of the controller not being able to both aim at the skittering small enemies and also zero in accurately and quickly at long distances.

 

I'm doubly disappointed by the non-variability of the Horde Mode. You can't choose how many waves you do or how far in you start. It's start at level 1 and go to level 50 or until you quit, every single time. It could take hours and hours even with a premade group of people getting together to play. I don't have the hours or the friends list to dedicate to horde mode, which was frankly a draw for the game when I bought it.

 

In a year with amazing first person shooters and even great 3rd person shooters (The Division feels excellent and has much more diversity of play), a competent remake of Gears from a new studio didn't cut it for me. It looks incredible, runs great, has crazy physics-tech environmental set pieces, and the shooting and the rest of the gameplay is literally and precisely what Gears has been for a decade. That's way less exciting after a decade of iterating and improving. If it was $30 I'd be really happy but at full price it's big shrug.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@Tanukitsune Wait, Oxenfree is not a reference to Olly Olly Oxenfree? That's crazy! What is it a reference to? (I am talking about the rhyme that ends with something like "come out and play..." and can be creepy to hear as a kid in the woods at night).

@Ethtrip How was it? It's been on my list, but that list is huge. Worth it?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Curse of the Azure Bonds: The more I play the SSI´s golden box game, the more I am surprised how the pace is of each game is amazing, they are what I can call "long-short" game, meaning that there is a "long" story, but each step is just short enough to never take too much time, even the number of combats is right on the spot (most time you can just skip most of them).

 

Drakensang: I had this one in the backlog for a rather long time, but I decided, after checking how much chapter still left, to end it. It is a good game, but it rule system, an adaptation of tabletop rule system, have this strange issue, where while you can level and improve skills, for some reason, it never appears to make much difference, meaning that every combat feel the same and require the same amount of attention due the high risk of dying. This along quest that have way too much steps, make the game feel much long that needed.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now