What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

Obiwanshinobi · Post by **Obiwanshinobi** » Fri Aug 07, 2015 4:54 am

Is there any real-time game where sailing or horse riding would be anything like the real thing? (In terms of enjoyment if not strict mechanics.) Mount & Blade wasn't one, was it? Crazy how even swordfighting was given something of justice in the original Bushido Blade, yet nobody seemed to dare try their luck with the former two activities.

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Fri Aug 07, 2015 7:11 am

Finally got the true ending. The Dark Demon really isn't as hard as Phalanx's final form. All you have to do is stock up on full health potions & keep swapping between armor & fang crest. I would pause before every hit & swap crests lol

Squire Grooktook · Post by **Squire Grooktook** » Fri Aug 07, 2015 7:15 am

Doesn't Heaven Crest do more damage and have more defense then fang anyway?

Also don't see how Phlanax final can be anywhere near Dark Demon. I can no damage all 3 forms of Phalanx but Dark Demon is a super tough fight for me.

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Fri Aug 07, 2015 7:20 am

I just gripped the left wall & kept pounding him with fang equipped when he was in angel form. I only used two ginseng before he went down, & I wasn't really trying.

Phalanx took me a frustrating hour to beat.

Edit - sry, when I said crest I meant talisman. I was using the Heaven Crest at the time.

the_last_shmupper · Post by **the_last_shmupper** » Fri Aug 07, 2015 11:51 am

Obiwanshinobi wrote:Is there any real-time game where sailing or horse riding would be anything like the real thing? (In terms of enjoyment if not strict mechanics.) Mount & Blade wasn't one, was it? Crazy how even swordfighting was given something of justice in the original Bushido Blade, yet nobody seemed to dare try their luck with the former two activities.

I can't account for "like the real thing," but I just wanted to chime in and say exploration in Two Worlds on horseback was really enjoyable. You can outrun any enemy even on foot. The scenery was beautiful at the time and still is the last time I played it. The landscapes and environments are really diverse and fitting.

The only problem is outside of horseback exploration across a vast world, the game is either tediously terrible at its worst or sub par at its best points.

Obiwanshinobi · Post by **Obiwanshinobi** » Fri Aug 07, 2015 2:04 pm

I admit the Two Worlds early screenshots in PC gaming press looked ace back when. Reminded me of Gothic II (that I thought looked pretty boss too).

Mischief Maker · Post by **Mischief Maker** » Fri Aug 07, 2015 5:07 pm

Obiwanshinobi wrote:Is there any real-time game where sailing or horse riding would be anything like the real thing? (In terms of enjoyment if not strict mechanics.) Mount & Blade wasn't one, was it? Crazy how even swordfighting was given something of justice in the original Bushido Blade, yet nobody seemed to dare try their luck with the former two activities.

I thought the enjoyable horse riding was one of the selling points for Shadow of the Colossus.

Mount and Blade communicates the destructive advantage of a mounted warrior over unmounted clearly with its mechanics, and that's fun.

Obiwanshinobi · Post by **Obiwanshinobi** » Fri Aug 07, 2015 5:35 pm

The horse of SotC was fun to ride, but I can't remember it being that different from running as the guy or horse riding in... Ocarina of Time? It's been a while since I played either. In any case, the sailing in Wind Waker isn't even fun and that's criminal of such prominent mechanics. Kind of like platform jumping in Metroid Prime: yes, it is Metroid in 3D and no, it is not fun.

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Fri Aug 07, 2015 11:18 pm

After spending last night with Demon's Crest I didn't want to stop so I finally decided to try out Gargoyle's Quest 2. It's pretty basic just like the original on GB, but that's not always a bad thing. I'm using SNES9xGX on a Wii, which allowed me to use a more washed out color palette as opposed to the gaudy original.

I'm enjoying it quite a lot so far but I get the feeling I'm already at the end. I just got the Ghoul Realm candle & entered castle that's pretty epic looking as compared to previous areas. I had to leave for work so I'll have to wait to finish it.

Edit - actually the emulator is something like FCE Ultra GX

the_last_shmupper · Post by **the_last_shmupper** » Sat Aug 08, 2015 12:46 am

I grew up with Gargoyle's Quest on the GameBoy. Never played the other two, but I remember as a kid the game was ridiculously difficult, but I played it maybe 6 years ago as an adult and I just breezed through it. Of course as a GameBoy game is just not that long of a game and its not easy, but its not only fun, but one of the best GameBoy games out there.

Blinge · Post by **Blinge** » Sat Aug 08, 2015 8:25 am

Obiwanshinobi wrote:The horse of SotC was fun to ride, but I can't remember it being that different from running as the guy or horse riding in... Ocarina of Time? It's been a while since I played either. In any case, the sailing in Wind Waker isn't even fun and that's criminal of such prominent mechanics.

If you want realism in riding you're better off looking for weird niche/unknown PC games aimed directly at equestrians. I've no idea what's out there though.
Agro from SotC is unique in that your left stick basically controls the reins, and there's various tricks you can do that set it apart from Zelda. Stuff like standing on the saddle, hanging off the left or right side of the horse while still in control, jumping off with a good degree of control so you can grab onto a ledge.. or a colossus.
Agro also has a small degree of autonomy, if you point him through a narrow path with cliffs on either side for instance you don't have to steer him, he'll navigate himself. While I'm no expert I assume a horse wouldn't just ride off a cliff if it wasn't being directed the entire time. Agro is also a character, far more than epona or the four legged cars in Red Dead Redemption..

I agree about windwaker ^_^

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Sat Aug 08, 2015 8:40 am

Metal Slug XX. Enjoying it far more than the miserable MS3, which I've tried again with this week. Liking the dual weapons, though the myriad of melee attacks seem a little contrived and gimmicky. Really like how the levels are split into short self contained sections, it's just a shame there's no practice option. Feels like the best one since X so far.

Xyga · Post by **Xyga** » Sat Aug 08, 2015 9:22 am

Replayed Tomb Raider II after about 17 years, enjoyed it even though the illimited save feature technically makes it a joy ride.
Still, the late levels like Xi'an Temple and the Floating Islands are so vicious they would be almost unbearable without it.
Xi'an in particular is the perfect example of Tomb Raider level design done right, even the save feature doesn't get in the way as you watch every step in fear of being minced or bbq'ed (and you will if you don't!), many traps are clever and you better know your Lara-fu well to get through.
(The only problem is the shitty eerie ambiant 'music' and the absolutely ugly and buggy floating islands level)

I was thinking this is somehow the TR4 formula, you got unlimited save, but the game will still rape you over and over if you think you can be lazy because of that safety net. For a game of such lenght it's a valid formula, I think.

null1024 · Post by **null1024** » Sat Aug 08, 2015 11:24 pm

Ape Escape: On the Loose [PSP].

I like Ape Escape. It's a shame this updated remake has so many issues.

the good:
* graphics are significantly nicer all around, framerate is solid, etc
* it makes a solid attempt to adjust the controls to the PSP
* it's still Ape Escape
...that's it.

the bad:
* the voice acting somehow manages to be worse than the original PS1 version, and I really don't know how that happens
* the controls are terrible and sometimes I can't jump out of the water for no apparent reason
* the lack of the second stick REALLY hurts the game, but that's entirely the PSP design team's fault [still dunno what they were thinking, and IIRC, there's space enough for a second stick even in the 1000]
* there's completely useless auto-aim, making it impossible to lead shots [which makes using the slingshot infinitely harder than it needs to be], how the fuck did that get through QA
* the music is a bit worse overall, if not bad

the silly:
* it's now impossibly easy to use the hoop to speed into an ape and then immediately use the net, a move that requires a decent bit of practice on the PS1

I remember dropping this ages ago after playing the first level and being appalled at the controls. They're not quite as bad as I initially thought, but they're bad. There's so many other issues though, and they don't need to be there.

[edit]
playing Crazy Taxi [PC]
I got $14k in this run!
I know I can get to $20k now, I just made some really terrible mistakes and depleted certain areas of customers too soon.
also, I need to get more consistent with accelerating from stops, sometimes I just don't crazy dash first thing and it takes a few tries before I get going, blah

does Crazy Taxi have rank? it feels like traffic gets more annoying the longer I play, but it doesn't look like there's more traffic

Obiwanshinobi · Post by **Obiwanshinobi** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 1:52 am

Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg ('Cube version on the Wii). The camera's... very Sega. I saw people talking shit about the camera in Jak & Daxter (which I found to be one of the first games to make proper use of that second analogue stick and generally getting on with the fact the best camera in 3D is controlled by the player all the time), but Billy Hatcher can't seem to simply emulate what works best. I might eventually get used to inverted panning, but it's not a game where you can give up on controlling camera the way I did with the 2002 Shinobi.

mamboFoxtrot · Post by **mamboFoxtrot** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 4:29 am

Haven't been playing a lot lately, but I have been doing some Smash 4 online "tournaments" with some people on another forum. I felt kinda bad for the one person I curb-stomped when they switched to the "KILLME" tag. It's really weird how the new online tournament mode works, though: it's basically a public (with optional password protection) lobby with customized rulesets that anyone can join at any time. You're limited to a certain number of matches, and the winner is determined either by number of wins, or by a Mario Kart GP-styled points system. Thing is, you can rematch the same people infinitely, so if you do a bunch of 1v1 matches with someone much worse than you, you can be in the same standing as someone who's played 4p free-for-alls against everyone in the tournament.

PS: Smash's input-eating netcode drives me nuts sometimes.

null1024 · Post by **null1024** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 8:07 am

Obiwanshinobi wrote:Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg ('Cube version on the Wii). The camera's... very Sega.

Oh yeah. Neat game though [and I"m still amazed that it was so good considering that it came out at a time when Sonic Team was busy putting out shit like Heroes and shortly after Billy Hatcher, Shadow].
Honestly, to this day, Sonic Team doesn't know how to make a camera. Unleashed and onwards only works because the camera almost never gets boxed into a tight spot due to the far more elongated stage design and it being made to lock along the course. Any time you're in something approaching a Sonic Adventure style area, the camera still behaves badly like in SA2.

well, maybe not quite as badly as SA2, but still

Obiwanshinobi · Post by **Obiwanshinobi** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 11:02 am

Different studio I know, but I'm relieved to find Billy Hatcher's ostensibly kiddy storytelling bearable (if a tad wordier than really needed) after my latest attempt to get into Super Monkey Ball 2's Story Mode, where it was embarrassing at best (as if anyone'd been waiting for any Super Monkey Ball story, let alone

Spoiler

finding out Baby was AiAi's and MeeMee's offspring sent from the future

).

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 2:33 pm

Finished up the main story of Muramasa on Vita, and that's about all I can take of it, frankly....my issues from a few pages back (overwhelming enemy mobs and attacks from offscreen) never go away, and in some of the optional "Cave of Evil" bits in particular are absolutely infuriating. When the game isn't frustrating you it's rather fun, and of course looks quite nice (though the developers' insistence on the zoomed-in camera to show it off amplifies my aforementioned complaints) despite the loads of reused assets (I could stare at some of that restaurant food all day), but half the time it feels like I'm doing something wrong, despite making use of most everything in my arsenal...I'm almost tempted to go through the game again on the easier difficulty, but most of the impressions I've read on that criticize it as too watered-down, so I probably won't bother.

On a possibly brighter note, I picked up the "Genroku Legends" DLC on sale awhile back, and played the first bit of the Nekomata story - at least early on I'm actually having more fun with it than the "main" game, primarily because this character is much more focused on speed, which I always found myself wanting more of, especially when using the long swords. Now I can dance around the enemy much more effectively, and don't have to worry about being interrupted repeatedly as I try to get a shot off - granted, part of my enjoyment comes from the fact that I've been through the game once already and more or less know what I'm doing, and it remains to be seen if this mode gets as cheesy as the main one does in spots, but I'll stick with it and see what happens.

broken harbour · Post by **broken harbour** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 2:41 pm

Wrapped Wind Waker HD, final thoughts:

Good:
Amazing art style and direction, looks fantastic with the improved lighting and up-res.
Fixed a few tedious bits from the original.
More engaging than OoT, less frustrating, better pacing.
I liked the shorter length, game didn't overstay its welcome. (35 hours)

Bad:
Some goofy controls, enemy lock-on needs to work from farther away.
Have to re-defeat the bosses at the end, it's pointless, should have been cut from the HD remake
Still some tedious bits, especially if you don't get the Swift Sail (it's easy to miss)

Overall it's my favorite Zelda title so far, though I've not played all of them. While it has some flaws, it's not the frustrating mess I found OoT to be.

Not sure what to try next, I started Metal Gear Solid on the PS1, but couldn't really get into it. Been thinking of a strategy game like XCOM Enemy Unknown or Valkyria Chronicles.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 2:17 am

I have been playing splatoon. While the main attraction is online, single player is also a joy to play. A bit short, but very fun with some elements like rotating platforms and zip lines that would be nice to see in the MP levels. The last boss was extremely cool, as well.

ACSeraph · Post by **ACSeraph** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 4:15 am

A friend in the US sent me a copy of The Evil Within to replace my censored Japanese copy. The difference is really huge, and the game is a lot more violent than I expected. Enjoying it a lot so far.

Also got a copy of Injustice on PS4. For the most part I like it, but it lacks the personality of Mortal Kombat. The wagers also seem like an annoying gimmick and I think the game would be a lot stronger without them. Characters feel fun to play, but the required buffering for combos makes things feel a bit clunky even coming straight from USF4. Still though, my gripes aren't ruining it for me. I'll look forward to the cheesy story mode.

Lord Satori · Post by **Lord Satori** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 8:13 am

I didn't think I'd ever see the words "censored Japanese copy" anywhere. Is there like a tradeoff thing where everything they send to the US get's censored and everything the US sends over there gets censored? I don't get it. Isn't that what game rating systems are for?

Anyway, I finished playing Bayonetta 1 and 2 again a few days ago, and I gotta say: It would've benefitted a lot more and reached a wider audience if they had toned it down on Bayonetta's "sexual" personality type. Despite that, I really enjoy the combat system, the story, the weapons, and all that. Personally, I think 2 did better on many accounts than 1.

I've also been playing Dungeon Souls. Oddly enough, my best class is the thief. He's the only class I've gotten remotely close to looping twice (if the game DOES loop twice). Heck, I don't think I've even looped ONCE on any other character. I don't like the Redeemer mechanic that forces you to move on once you've cleared an area. Simply disabling random enemy spawning (coupled with a visual tell of course) would've been effective.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 8:36 am

Japanese games have been heavily censored for violence for something like 10 years now, if not a bit longer.

Obiwanshinobi · Post by **Obiwanshinobi** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 8:55 am

Bushido Blade was not as much censored in Japan as the US version coloured "blood" red.

Squire Grooktook · Post by **Squire Grooktook** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 10:22 am

Lord Satori wrote: It would've benefitted a lot more and reached a wider audience if they had toned it down on Bayonetta's "sexual" personality type..

It's what makes the game unique and quirky. There's no way of excising that without making the game blander.

Lord Satori · Post by **Lord Satori** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 12:15 pm

I didn't mean lose it completely. Though now that I think about it you might be right.

Mischief Maker · Post by **Mischief Maker** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 12:21 pm

Lord Satori wrote:I finished playing Bayonetta 1 and 2 again a few days ago, and I gotta say: It would've benefitted a lot more and reached a wider audience if they had toned it down on Bayonetta's "sexual" personality type.

Slicing up enemies into bloody chunks and subjecting them to medieval torture devices: No problem.

Hinting that a female character might enjoy sex: Eww yucky! Get rid of this horrific filth before it warps our youth!

Squire Grooktook · Post by **Squire Grooktook** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 12:30 pm

It's like people learned nothing from Drakengard.

broken harbour · Post by **broken harbour** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 2:12 pm

Felt like I needed some strategy game in my life, so I fired up XCOM: Enemy Unknown. I played the original XCOM upon release in (I think) 1994, I don't remember the intricacies of it, seeing as how it was over 20 years ago, but I remember loving it back then when I had my first 486 DOS pc.

Seems like a worthy followup/reboot/reimagineering of the original. Only played a few missions so far, but it's highly strategic and pretty difficult on the default settings, they aliens don't pull any punches, if they can take you out, they will. Not sure how long the main campaign is, but I think I need to put many hours into this.

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