What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

[Rastan78]

The DLC characters are worth checking out if you ever want to do a other run on BMZ. Especially if you're into Shovel Knight or Shantae games at all. There is a small bit of that Richter in SotN syndrome where the game doesn't seem tailored or rebalanced to them completely, but they did put some good work in on all the animations and abilities you get.

[Lethe]

Been playing Monolith's Blood these past few days, having avoided it for years due to a lack of good source ports. After an initial playthrough on Well Done, I think this may be the best out-of-the-box FPS of its generation. It's immensely entertaining in no small part thanks to the utterly infectious sound design and charismatic theme, but also for its mechanical mix of idiosyncrasy and convention, with a powerful yet specialized and wonky arsenal, fast movement with an uncommonly high jump, and (often brutally) exaggerated enemy types. The result is something analogous to the arcade memorizer ethos: At its best, you'll at first stumble constantly over traps, but foreknowledge of the maps and a strong grip on the weapon mechanics and enemy behavior will let you blaze through like a god, trailing choreographed carnage in your wake while you style as hard as you dare try get away with. At its worst, the game turns into a series of blind-killer ambushes with rote solutions. Which of the two is more in style depends entirely on the map you're playing - the first third of the game or so makes great use of it, while the rest is more of a mixed bag.

It was pretty standard for shareware FPSs to put their best foot forward; Blood really blows it out of the park. Episode 1 is fantastic and I'd recommend anyone play it even if they're not interested in the rest of the game. The variety of scenarios keeps you invested throughout, and the sharp pivot from hilarity to oppressive horror is wonderfully executed. Episode 3 is probably the weakest, with E3M6 marking a low point, but the game doesn't ever completely run out of ideas even if it does suffer from some fatigue on how to implement them in ways that create novel gameplay.

[BIL]

Blood is one of those old favourites I like to check in on from time to time, not just to enjoy the game itself, but ensure I'm not remembering certain things as better than they really were... namely the staggering sense of destructive power in some of its weapons, like the shotgun and TNT bundles. It really is that gratifying.

Fond memory of going absolutely apeshit in the train stage, blasting, burning and exploding monks with sadistic (yet oldschool-tight!) abandon, to an audience of what I thought was a couple fellow DOOM-addled friends. Look up to see my dad there too, glowering down with one eyebrow cocked as in the background, the dude I'd hit with a flare finally took light and screamed his last, before pops muttered "Jesus" and went on his way. One of the bonafide MURDER SIMULATORS of its time, with considerable design chops to back it up. Would've been a fine pick for Searchike's 100 games/100 devs challenge, now I think about it.

[null1024]

Been putting a decent bit of time back into Virtua Racing, both the 32X release and in MAME.

Is it just me, or is the 32X version quite a bit harder? It could be the lack of analog control [especially since if you oversteer on a corner, you get dramatically less grip vs feathering your input, while in MAME, I can just tilt the stick less to regain grip], but I can easily get 1st on the beginner course in MAME, while I'm barely scraping 4th on the 32X version, and that's after I've cleaned my line up to be quite a bit better than I was doing in MAME.
I've also gotten worse on the intermediate course from lack of play, there's one corner that if I screw up, it just cascades really badly until the next lap.

Also, I'm swearing way too much while playing Libble Rabble, but holy shit getting my line cut sucks so much.
I've extremely comfortable with the controls now [and I managed to make the switch away from using the analog sticks over the digital inputs on the controller because I needed the precision], but man.
Collecting the wrong colored little dudes when getting a treasure chest is also really painful, since each of them corresponds to a specific letter in the word you need to activate the bonus stage, and I'll end up collecting exactly the same ones too often.
I need to get more consistent at tying all of them up, they keep getting away.
Looking at some Youtube footage has helped me a bunch with the game, but I'm still pretty bad.

[BIL]

I vaguely recall someone mentioning the 32X version's CPU difficulty was deliberately bumped up (IIRC, they were actually bitching about it on their store, where it was for sale - I always admire that ).

I remember it feeling pretty significant getting all firsts with the Formula 1, last time I was playing. I think I baled out before getting the Stock's and Proto's. The desert track in particular was a bitch, I had to bust my ass to break through that awful "trailing in fourth" doldrums even a handful of errors will land you in. (I was on the JP version, which besides having onboard time/trophy saving, also changes at least that track - its last stretch is significantly more complex, versus the NTSCU)

[Blinge]

I'm playing dmc1. my first dmc

I like it, but it is also a bad game that i do not like.

[Sengoku Strider]

The DLC characters are worth checking out if you ever want to do a other run on BMZ. Especially if you're into Shovel Knight or Shantae games at all. There is a small bit of that Richter in SotN syndrome where the game doesn't seem tailored or rebalanced to them completely, but they did put some good work in on all the animations and abilities you get.

Funnily enough, Shovel Knight and Mega Man IX were the games I was thinking of most while playing it. I liked Shovel Knight but if I'm being honest, by the end of all that dlc I was pretty much done with it and kinda just wanted to get it over with. I've never played a Shantae game.

Been putting a decent bit of time back into Virtua Racing, both the 32X release and in MAME.

If you have the means, check out the Sega AGES version on Switch, it's easily the definitive one. It not only renders in 1080p but true widescreen as well.

[Mischief Maker]

I'm playing dmc1. my first dmc

I like it, but it is also a bad game that i do not like.

The series doesn't really hit its stride (some would argue its zenith) until 3.

2 is the worst of the series and isn't even by the same developers. It can be safely ignored.

4 is an unfinished mess, but the core gameplay for Dante is solid.

5 is the Raiden IV apology for DMC4's Raiden III.

[XoPachi]

I just finished Blaster Master Zero. When the Switch first came out, I had a Wii U for Zelda so I didn't really need one for a while. The one game at launch that had me longing was Blaster Master Zero, I've always loved the original.

Suffice to say it was the first game I downloaded off the eShop when I finally did get a Switch, but never really got in the mood to plow through the whole thing until now. I really enjoyed it, I thought they really nailed everything that made the original special, while updating & adding QOL changes in all the right places. It was relatively easy until the final area or two, but in a way that kept you progressing and made the game really engrossing. It was one of those games where you totally lose yourself in its world and completely lose track of time. Good times, I'll probably check out the sequels at some point.

I find the first one to be my favorite. 2 was fine but got a bit...shonen for me. 3 had great bosses and one of the characters is really fucking funny, but the overhead sections get really tedious and my GOD that story is *trash*. I can ignore story because generally I don't care, but anime romance is just so excruciatingly painful to sit through and that was the core premise of 3.

[Searchlike]

DMC1 is great, better in some ways than the Itsuno games that followed. They got so much right the first time around that it's hard to raise any meaningful complaint against the title, same as with Final Fight and 2D brawlers.

[Sumez]

I just finished Blaster Master Zero. When the Switch first came out, I had a Wii U for Zelda so I didn't really need one for a while. The one game at launch that had me longing was Blaster Master Zero, I've always loved the original.

Suffice to say it was the first game I downloaded off the eShop when I finally did get a Switch, but never really got in the mood to plow through the whole thing until now. I really enjoyed it, I thought they really nailed everything that made the original special, while updating & adding QOL changes in all the right places. It was relatively easy until the final area or two, but in a way that kept you progressing and made the game really engrossing. It was one of those games where you totally lose yourself in its world and completely lose track of time. Good times, I'll probably check out the sequels at some point.

I thought BMZ1 was a "fine" enjoyable reimagining of Blaster Master, but you really got to play BMZ2. It's improved in every possible way.

The exploration is more fun, with the useless metroidvania-esque trodding around replaced by a map screen where you fly around across planets. And more importantly the top-down segments are vastly improved with actually fun gameplay, bosses that last for more than three seconds, and some unique identity and gimmicks to every area that makes exploring and experiencing them feel a lot more meaningful.
The only thing that's worse is the much increased focus on story, characters and cutscenes, because they are all really cringeworthy, and the fanservice is embarassing. There's a character that literally has watermelons for tits.

For some reason BMZ3 dialed down on the top-down segments again, making them all extremely similar, and generally feeling pointless. In a majority of them you are best off just rushing through rooms not even fighting stuff. 2 is definitely the best game.

[Sengoku Strider]

Whelp, Blaster Master Zero 2 just happens to be on sale for like $5 right now, so I guess you've talked me into it.

[Blinge]

DMC1 is great, better in some ways than the Itsuno games that followed. They got so much right the first time around that it's hard to raise any meaningful complaint against the title, same as with Final Fight and 2D brawlers.

feels like an unintuitive PoS to me. controls are whack, getting hit from offscreen, not being able to see where I want to.
Depth perception issues, i can't tell where i am in relation to things
Beaten by a boss with unreactable attacks (just learn it bro git gud)
okay fine but, man having to repeat the entire stage before?
If I didn't hate myself i'd have stopped playing several chapters ago.

Ah yes, because you can't raise a meaningful complain about Final Fight

or the entire 2d brawler genre? bold claim.

[Searchlike]

feels like an unintuitive PoS to me.

Sorry to hear that, dude. Camera is pretty bad and you really need to have some sort of plan so it doesn't rear its ugly head at the worst possible moment. I suggest memorizing its blind spots prior to each mission and paying close attention to audio cues from enemy attacks, they're just as important as visual ones, I'd say even more.

Ah yes, because you can't raise a meaningful complain about Final Fight

or the entire 2d brawler genre? bold claim.

I worded that wrong, let me try again. I think you're being too harsh on a game that when it released had probably the most satisfiyng 3D melee combat ever made and managed to do that while also not screwing up on that many areas, considering the limitations of the hardware and lack of experience from the staff in what was basically a brand new genre. I think something similar could be said of Final Fight and still believe these two titles to be some of the best among their peers, even if their successors were better at ironing out most of their flaws with the added advantage of having came out later, of course.

[Lethe]

Which boss has unreactable attacks? Nightmare? Been a while since I've played so I might be forgetting something. If it is Nightmare's bone spike you mean, it does it when you're to its flank. You can parry/clash with it if you get the timing down (or is that the boomerang or is it both?). That whole boss is a bit memo.

DMC is a weird series in that every game has flaws but the highs make up for it, DMC3 being the best/worst offender.

[Mischief Maker]

I should've been the one to fill your dark soul with LIIIIIIIIGHT!

[Blinge]

Yeah, sadly i can't see it with 2001 eyes, and I'm trying.

I load it up, coom at the ps2 graphics, run around swinging sword vs zako and being like " i'm cool im cool eheheh "
then one blocks and burns me because i can't react in time/have too much endlag.
and I go 0-100 pissed off

I've found it's more manageable if I save at the beginning of every boss and then rush through/run past enemies in the chapter to fight it again when I inevitably die.

[BrianC]

.
The only thing that's worse is the much increased focus on story, characters and cutscenes, because they are all really cringeworthy, and the fanservice is embarassing. There's a character that literally has watermelons for tits.

At least there's a great deal of the other kind of fanservice with references to older Sunsoft games like Trip World and Ikki.

[Blinge]

why yes, i would love to do the stupid fireball reflect at dragon and rotate the mirror and awful platforming section for the 3rd fucking time because i died to 'Nelo Angelo'

Did I say part of me liked this earlier? not anymore.

wow he can dash forward and take your entire bar in one inescapable combo? cool, cool.

[Sengoku Strider]

Yeah, sadly i can't see it with 2001 eyes, and I'm trying.

Don't feel bad. I found it a grind to get through back then too, and I even had the strategy guide. Never bought another game in the series.

[Mischief Maker]

Yeah, sadly i can't see it with 2001 eyes, and I'm trying.

Don't feel bad. I found it a grind to get through back then too, and I even had the strategy guide. Never bought another game in the series.

To draw an analogy:

DMC 1 is Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim; the clunky prototype laying the groundwork for something great.

DMC 3 is Ys: The Oath in Felghana; fantastic game in every regard, though still one with issues if you dig for them.

DMC 5 is Ys: Origin; all the best of the 3's gameplay polished to a gleam, but the overall plot and setting leans a little too heavily on fanservice callbacks and leaves less of an impression.

I would strongly suggest giving 3 or 5 a look before giving up on the series completely. There's a reason it spawned an entire subgenre of action gaming.

[Blinge]

is napishtim dogshit though?

I did lose momentum on it myself and really didn't enjoy the beginning because i listend to [a very opinionated banned member of the forum] telling me to play it on hard for some fucking reason.
but I beat the mountain descent boss and thought the game was pretty decent.

I mean i'm not gonna give up on the series, i'm not here to have a good time apparently. Just honouring my buddy's several years long attempt to get any one of his friends to try the series
Ego is the only thing that's kept me going.
i know 3 is the best, everyone's been telling me that. I've gone in expecting to play the whole series. (even 2)

[Mischief Maker]

You really don't have to finish 1 if you're not having fun, and 2 will put you off the series entirely, it's that bad. Just skip straight to Devil May Cry 3.

The controls and gameplay of 3 are so different, you won't be any worse off without the experience of 1 and 2.

[Stevens]

Spirits Abyss. Spelunky/Noita type rogue/pixels/great ost.

[Blinge]

You really don't have to finish 1 if you're not having fun

Yeah I do, like I said, Ego thing. compulsion

in 3 if i die to a boss can I retry it or do i have to do the whole sodding mission again like in 1
Edit: seems like i can retry

[null1024]

I vaguely recall someone mentioning the 32X version's CPU difficulty was deliberately bumped up (IIRC, they were actually bitching about it on their store, where it was for sale - I always admire that ).

I remember it feeling pretty significant getting all firsts with the Formula 1, last time I was playing. I think I baled out before getting the Stock's and Proto's. The desert track in particular was a bitch, I had to bust my ass to break through that awful "trailing in fourth" doldrums even a handful of errors will land you in. (I was on the JP version, which besides having onboard time/trophy saving, also changes at least that track - its last stretch is significantly more complex, versus the NTSCU)

Aye.
Started racing with the Stock car, and it's absurdly forgiving. Extremely easy turns, with the only real risk being that turning too hard spins you out. Got 1st on the beginner course on my second attempt. Still plinking away at the Formula car, but it's bloody tricky.
I tried the Proto car and like, good lord, it's crazy. Stupid fast, finnicky transmission, dunno how long I'd need to play before I got this down. Certainly feels like some kind of wild prototype racing machine.
I also switched to the JP version now that you've said that, it's very nice having save data.

[m.sniffles.esq]

I too couldn't hang with DMC back in the day. If I remember correctly, the levels themselves were okay/kind of fun, but then the bosses really, really weren't.

[Mischief Maker]

In case you missed that other thread, my Top 20 games of 2021 list just went up at caltrops.com:

https://www.caltrops.com/2022/01/15/mis ... s-of-2021/

While a shit year IRL, 2021 was a banger year for indie games, so I couldn't settle on just 10. Since there are so many, I opted for short 3-line descriptions instead of full mini-reviews.

[Sumez]

Okay you convinced my to bump up Huntdown on my Switch backlog.

Are all of these games really better than Steel Assault and Ghosts n Goblins Resurrection?
No other new games I've played this year came close to touching those.

[Mischief Maker]

I have not played either of those games.

I'm one of those stringent DRM-free weirdos who only buys from Steam if the game runs without the steam client. I got burned by DRM years ago and swore never to drop money on a game that could just up and stop working if the parent cloud suddenly goes out of business (eg. Desura) ever again.

If it can't be burned to disk, I won't touch it.