What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Anything from run & guns to modern RPGs, what else do you play?
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by ryu »

You're welcome. :)

To be on topic, I recently beat REmake2 Claire A and am now playing through Leon B. I'm inclined to agree with Squire on the gameplay - it's fantastic.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Steamflogger Boss »

Always awesome to see people get the help they need here. Have fun outrunning, Xyga.

I've been nibbling away at Xenogears. This is as far as I've ever been in it. Not sure why I stopped before.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by guigui »

Anyone here having a shmup-er/FromSoft-er feedback on Blasphemous ?
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Rob »

I'm playing Blasphemous and loving what I've seen so far. Closest Metroidvania to rivaling Symphony of the Night visually/atmospherically, and more challenging.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by guigui »

Great, please give more opinion regarding how well it is in the long range.
Also, what similarities are there with the Souls series ?
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Obiwanshinobi »

Steamflogger Boss wrote:I've been nibbling away at Xenogears. This is as far as I've ever been in it. Not sure why I stopped before.
The gameplay can be really draining and you can keep its melodrama. Most choresome to complete a jRPG I recall having finished, rivalled only by Chrono Cross in this regard. As you can guess, it's the OST that had supported my persistence all the way through each one of them. Actually, the graphics were ace viewed on RGB CRT (two different flavours of PSX-good). Also, that MGS2-type of fasination when witnessing so much resource put in such comically flawed products. No hard work ever goes to waste indeed.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Steamflogger Boss »

Harsh! I am enjoying the absurd melodrama for what it is. The main character is a trainwreck that want to kill himself briefly into the game. :lol:

The combat while not blowing off my sick like Octopath seems fine and straightforward. Maybe it gets bad later?
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Xyga »

Some of the best things come with major flaws, while some that people say are by-the-book crafted masterpieces, can be tasteless and boring...

Xenogears has a well-presented good sci-fi story even if not written better than your average anime, it is indeed supported by its environment and ambiance that fit it like a glove.

Kinda alright that the game's unfinished and rushed by the end, since as you say the gameplay is tedious. Imagine if they had made the second disc as packed as the first one...ugh.

EDIT: don't get me wrong it's a good game, but overambitious even for Square of Yore.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Obiwanshinobi »

I had most problems with the camera, coupled with something like no minimap, therefore spending more time just wondering where the hell I was heading prior to the latest surprise battle than it would take in a mechanically identical game, only in 2D. Just the whole game engine was overall ill-suited for the kind of game it was. And when I got to 3D-platforming with D-pad, missing jumps due to mid-jump surprise battles, that was just enormous heap of annoyances overall. Yes, 8-directional 3D platforming CAN be made somewhat pleasing to perform in (isometric) 2D as well, as the GBA humble game Catwoman proved. Not that I wish Xenogears wasn't 3D, considering how good it looks, mind, but it so comes at a price.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Steamflogger Boss »

Xyga wrote:Some of the best things come with major flaws, while some that people say are by-the-book crafted masterpieces, can be tasteless and boring...

Xenogears has a well-presented good sci-fi story even if not written better than your average anime, it is indeed supported by its environment and ambiance that fit it like a glove.

Kinda alright that the game's unfinished and rushed by the end, since as you say the gameplay is tedious. Imagine if they had made the second disc as packed as the first one...ugh.

EDIT: don't get me wrong it's a good game, but overambitious even for Square of Yore.
I have heard the second disc falls apart a bit from some buddies that have finished it. Tedious does seem like a good word for the gameplay. It's not offering anything particularly interesting. Edit: The entire package is pretty long. If most of it is on the first disc that would be pretty weird. I'm definitely fine that it isn't some 120 hour monstrosity like Dragon Quest VII.

I don't know what this says about Square or myself but I think this is one of their better entries on the PS1. Up there with FFT, CC and PE1.
Obiwanshinobi wrote:I had most problems with the camera, coupled with something like no minimap, therefore spending more time just wondering where the hell I was heading prior to the latest surprise battle than it would take in a mechanically identical game, only in 2D. Just the whole game engine was overall ill-suited for the kind of game it was. And when I got to 3D-platforming with D-pad, missing jumps due to mid-jump surprise battles, that was just enormous heap of annoyances overall. Yes, 8-directional 3D platforming CAN be made somewhat pleasing to perform in (isometric) 2D as well, as the GBA humble game Catwoman proved. Not that I wish Xenogears wasn't 3D, considering how good it looks, mind, but it so comes at a price.
I can't argue with any of this. Some areas are *really dark* too which exacerbates the camera + no minimap issue. The forest near the start of the game was pretty disorienting at times.

Edit 2: I also dicked around in Grandia before this and then Panzer Dragoon Saga. I fully intend to finish both, but Xenogears is the focus for now. I will say it had been forever since I played any PDS. I totally get why it has a cult following now at the very least. It's doing a lot of cool things.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Xyga »

@Obi; Apples to oranges, it's a turn-based RPG, not an action game or platformer, the amount of that aspect we experience in the game isn't enough to base a criticism of Xenogears imho. I admit I got lost and missed a few times too but really that's not nearly enough to ruin the game.

As 'tedious' yeah I was thinking of the battles, they are rigid, lack depht and become very repetitive, and as cool as the gears look they're not enough to make up for the lackings, which is a way bigger problem in a RPG imho especially if it's a long one.

And of course the plot holes, with funny use of real-world cultural references in it, but that's not too bad considering it's only a video game.
(I never expect masterful writing here, it's never been the proper support for that, if the presentation is good-enough for suspension of disbelief, like it's the case here, then it's alright, even if honestly it worked best on 90's teenagers lol).

Yes Xenogears is good, definitely not by pure gaming standards, not even really by jRPG standards, but by itself.
EDIT: it's kind of the same for Xenosaga, even though three games weren't necessary, burying the even more abstruse plot under tons of fillers.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Steamflogger Boss »

Xyga wrote:As 'tedious' yeah I was thinking of the battles, they are rigid, lack depht and become very repetitive, and as cool as the gears look they're not enough to make up for the lackings, which is a way bigger problem in a RPG imho especially if it's a long one.
I'm definitely not that far in yet. The combat seems to only be attack in different orders to unlock death blows. Definitely lacks the depth of something like Octopath or Etrian Odyssey.
Xyga wrote:And of course the plot holes, with funny use of real-world cultural references in it, but that's not too bad considering it's only a video game.
(I never expect masterful writing here, it's never been the proper support for that, if the presentation is good-enough for suspension of disbelief, like it's the case here, then it's alright, even if honestly it worked best on 90's teenagers lol).
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Xyga wrote:Yes Xenogears is good, definitely not by pure gaming standards, not even really by jRPG standards, but by itself.
EDIT: it's kind of the same for Xenosaga, even though three games weren't necessary, burying the even more abstruse plot under tons of fillers.
When I was younger I probably would have scoffed at this but it's pretty much where I'm at with things now. As a whole entity, the game keeps me playing it somehow. So that makes it "good" essentially and worth playing. Games either grab me or they don't which might sound overly simplistic but if I'm just not having fun/enjoying a game I drop it like a rock. There are other parts of the equation and I can enjoy games for different reasons but it all goes back to am I enjoying myself playing the game.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Blinge »

Steamflogger Boss wrote: Games either grab me or they don't which might sound overly simplistic but if I'm just not having fun/enjoying a game I drop it like a rock.
I might drop them for a while.
But even if they haven't grabbed me I will eventually slave away, sometimes not enjoying myself, until completion.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Rob »

guigui wrote:Great, please give more opinion regarding how well it is in the long range.
Also, what similarities are there with the Souls series ?
At the end, up to 92% completion (baffled as to how to access a few just out of reach side areas).

I can't satisfy the Souls fan requirement, since I've barely played the first one, have had an unplayed Bloodborne sitting around and that's it. But in comparison to supposedly Souls-like Hollow Knight, I think Blasphemous is less demanding and technical. When you die in Blasphemous you can return to the location you died to retrieve "grief" (small MP gauge reduction if you do not). You can also clear this by spending a bit at certain statues or by defeating bosses. Quite lenient.

On difficulty compared to some other Metroidvanias like Symphony of the Night, there are instant death pits and spikes here and there. There are plenty of little accessories and a few minor combat upgrades, but no game breaking EXP-based leveling or god-tier items. Some bosses required multiple tries and others were pushovers. Do not expect an elaborate, satisfying challenge for each of them.

Growing up with Simon's Quest and then SOTN, the atmosphere was what I always enjoyed most about these games, and that's where this one is superior to everything post-SOTN. High quality arcade and 32-bit era pixel art throughout. The soundtrack, while not SOTN-tier, is also very appealing (a favorite). With this and Blazing Chrome, really impressed with the quality of 2D action coming out these days.

A few minor complaints: some areas that haven't been visited (adjacent to visited areas) will occasionally be filled in on the map, which can create some confusion. Could also ask for faster travel between locations. There are a few warp portals but no fast travel item or spell to use between them.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by BulletMagnet »

Traveled a bit outside my usual wheelhouse and finished Tomb Raider Legend (specifically the "remastered" version on PS3) the other day; the last game like this I can recall playing is Price of Persia Sands of Time heaven knows how many years ago.

In a nutshell I ended up giving this game more leeway than I likely should have - the camera and controls can be dodgy, the framerate is janky, combat is largely mindless - but stuck with it because of how earnestly it pulled off its Indiana Jones-cum-James Bond shtick, from the impossible architecture and even more impossible acrobatics to the guilt-free slaughter of faceless goons to the bottomless bucket of one-liners. Somewhat like the Lara Croft character herself, who pulls off both the "strong female lead" and "eye candy" roles without letting either one become overly obnoxious, the game goes all in on the "popcorn flick" mentality with no second-guessing whatsoever, and in a weird way I can appreciate that, enough to have finished a runthrough of the thing at least.

I also found myself unexpectedly fond of Croft Manor, which smartly plays a few different roles: 1) A "stealth" way to build Lara's character up, i..e. it's no wonder she became a nutso adventurer when she grew up in a place so chock full of impractical secret passages and whatnot, 2) Lets players experiment with "what-ifs" they come up with as they progress through the game without worrying too much about dying while doing so, and 3) Providing an ideal place to get reacquainted with the "feel" of the game when you pick it up after putting it aside for awhile. Again, I don't play many games like this, but I struggle to think of many titles with a "side area" that serves in a similar capacity.

I honestly don't plan on playing any of the Tomb Raider titles that aren't on the PS3 compilation - from what I know of them the older ones sound like their controls would put me off, while the later ones come across as too "gritty" for my taste - but at least the first of the bunch wasn't too bad as a "tourist trap" side trip.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by guigui »

Thanks Rob for the Blasphemous opinion. I guess I'll just wait for a discount and buy it.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by BurlyHeart »

Received some PSN credit as a gift, and decided to pick up a few games from the Arcade Archives/ACA Neo Geo. First up was Double Dragon (Arcade) - a game that started my love for the beat 'em up genre and my first foray into the arcades. It was my first time playing since I was a kid, and truth be told, it hasn't aged too well. The footsies game is still there, but the ledges and slowdown detract greatly from the experience. The back elbow is OP and it was an easy 1cc. I'm not sure if it was a good or bad thing I didn't know about the back elbow strat when I as young, as I spent a lot of time playing and enjoying the game without it. I might try to play again without the back elbow, but for now it's on to Double Dragon 2!
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by BIL »

Leviathan wrote:Received some PSN credit as a gift, and decided to pick up a few games from the Arcade Archives/ACA Neo Geo.
Much the same here. Away from home with only a PS4 Slim for company, and I only picked that up for Natsume's miraculously improbable The Ninja Warriors Once Again. Decided to give ACA a go and have been very impressed. Been tackling my longtime nemesis Saigo no Nindou the last week or so, will be picking up a bunch more of these! (though I'm not moving on until I've bagged that Saigo no-miss... so many goddamn one death clears over the weekend, stage 6 is the most convincingly unsympathetic "versus army" scene I'm aware of in gaming. there's no danmaku sleight-of-hand here - everything is trying its damnedest to kill you)

Perfect excuse to finally get to grips with the AC versions of Ninja Kun 2, Argus no Senshi and Ninja Ryukenden, plus a dozen or so others, and that's just the stuff I'm familiar with. WTF I love Hamster now!

Going cross-eyed for lack of sleep, but just popping up to recommend Double Dragon Advance (foot of that post) - superb remake of the AC game by ex-Technos staff, refines everything without losing the classic bone-crushing impact.
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Some thoughts on Deus Ex; I like the fact that this game was designed as an RPG first and a first-person shooter second. The RPG mechanics are a big component of the game and they never feel tacked on, which is a problem I find a lot of modern triple-a action games have. The level design is very balanced and allows for a wide range of ways to approach situations. Stealth is implemented very well. Worldbuilding is very consistent and focused. An amazing RPG so far. I strongly disagree with all of the many 0/10 reviews I've read for the game.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by drauch »

BulletMagnet wrote:I honestly don't plan on playing any of the Tomb Raider titles that aren't on the PS3 compilation - from what I know of them the older ones sound like their controls would put me off, while the later ones come across as too "gritty" for my taste - but at least the first of the bunch wasn't too bad as a "tourist trap" side trip.
Those are the last 'true' and good ones until they became that bizarre amalgamation they are now, where you hunt, level up, and don't actually look for treasure. Man those make me furious.

The older ones have tank controls and if you bump into walls it impedes your movement, but there's only a handful of times where that's actually an issue. PC is the way to go as you can save anytime, which you'll need when playing blind as there's a lot of trial and error. I love 'em, since they definitely channel the feel of an adventure, but I kinda get why people would have a hard time with some of the older ones. There's also a ton of fan stuff that uses the Legend/Anniversary era character/controls, so there's always that as well.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Steamflogger Boss »

Cool Cool Toon

FUCK this is going to take some getting used to. Still a very neat game that I had never played before.

Also banged out some Contra this morning.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by BurlyHeart »

BIL wrote:
Leviathan wrote:Received some PSN credit as a gift, and decided to pick up a few games from the Arcade Archives/ACA Neo Geo.
Going cross-eyed for lack of sleep, but just popping up to recommend Double Dragon Advance (foot of that post) - superb remake of the AC game by ex-Technos staff, refines everything without losing the classic bone-crushing impact.
I'll surely look that up if I get time. The video makes it look rather fun.

Had a quick blast of Double Dragon 2 last night. Feels much smoother but having a button for left sided attacks and another button for right sided attacks will take some getting used to. It makes total sense on paper and I can get why they implemented it. Just my years of conditioning make it oddly difficult to counter act my muscle memory. I'll stick with it though as the gameplay seems promising.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by DEL »

Currently shooting pantylines on GUN GUN PIXIES.
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Quality game. :wink:
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

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Steamflogger Boss wrote: I have heard the second disc falls apart a bit from some buddies that have finished it. Tedious does seem like a good word for the gameplay. It's not offering anything particularly interesting. Edit: The entire package is pretty long. If most of it is on the first disc that would be pretty weird. I'm definitely fine that it isn't some 120 hour monstrosity like Dragon Quest VII.
You still haven't reached the second disc yet? Hoo boy, I can't wait for you to experience one of the most bizarre turns in any video games ever. It's baffling to me that they even managed to release a game in this state, and at the end of the day I still prefer this solution over not having seen the game at all. I have a personal subjective love for Xenogears.

I only finished the 3DS version of DQ7, and Xenogears is still the longest JRPG I've ever played, clocking in at over 80 hours.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Marc »

Just caught up on the last few pages, what's the differences between OutRun 2 SP on PS2 and OR2 C2C on Xbox?
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Xyga »

Actually I meant differences between the JP and US/EU, all on PS2.
The JP version ('special tours' 2007) is slightly enhanced: better framerates, additional goal animations, and steering wheel support. If for whatever reasons you play that game on PS2 that's the particular release to get.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Steamflogger Boss »

Sumez wrote:
Steamflogger Boss wrote: I have heard the second disc falls apart a bit from some buddies that have finished it. Tedious does seem like a good word for the gameplay. It's not offering anything particularly interesting. Edit: The entire package is pretty long. If most of it is on the first disc that would be pretty weird. I'm definitely fine that it isn't some 120 hour monstrosity like Dragon Quest VII.
You still haven't reached the second disc yet? Hoo boy, I can't wait for you to experience one of the most bizarre turns in any video games ever. It's baffling to me that they even managed to release a game in this state, and at the end of the day I still prefer this solution over not having seen the game at all. I have a personal subjective love for Xenogears.

I only finished the 3DS version of DQ7, and Xenogears is still the longest JRPG I've ever played, clocking in at over 80 hours.
:shock: :shock: :shock:

But yeah it will be a bit. I'm playing au naturale and going slow as to soak in this amazing game world.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Xyga »

Sure is long, not in the 100+ hours club but that's quite enough.

Xenosaga (all three episodes consecutively) lasts easily over 100hrs if you don't skip any scenes.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Steamflogger Boss »

Xyga wrote:Sure is long, not in the 100+ hours club but that's quite enough.

Xenosaga (all three episodes consecutively) lasts easily over 100hrs if you don't skip any scenes.
Going through these again is on the to do list. Don't think I finished back in the day.
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Re: What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Post by Rob »

drauch wrote:Those are the last 'true' and good ones until they became that bizarre amalgamation they are now, where you hunt, level up, and don't actually look for treasure. Man those make me furious.
I'm resigned to the fact that I'm never going to see an atmospherically proper (hours of silent wandering) sequel to the PS1 era Tomb Raiders, so as a kind of hate follower of the franchise (almost always disappointed, with Legend as the nadir, a total abomination), managed to squeeze a fair amount of enjoyment out of the recent trilogy, with Rise of the Tomb Raider as the high point. It's Tomb Raider for shorter attention spans, but they've kept enough of the adventuring vibes, with miniaturized tomb raiding segments, while transitioning to an open world type of thing. Tomb Raider '13: 7/10, Rise: 8+, Shadow: 6.

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Something was slightly off with Shadow, but still very nice looking. Another thing to enjoy about the pair is the PS1-era Lara skin. Pretty funny.

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