What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

[drauch]

Replaying Diablo 1 LAN with a friend. I tried to get a group of four together, but everyone I know is too much of a pussy to play. I'm a level 18 Rogue with pretty shit gear, and I can typically hold my own, but he's a Warrior and taking quite a beating. Such an unforgiving game compared to D2. So fun, but I wish we had a full party.

[soprano1]

Decided to give the Ys games on PSP another chance, except for VI, since it's kinda ugly and the fps annoys me. All have amazing OST's.
I also started a new game in Pokemon Black 2, since it will be a while until i can afford a 3DS XL and X or Y.

[null1024]

Decided to give the Ys games on PSP another chance, except for VI, since it's kinda ugly and the fps annoys me. All have amazing OST's.

They're fun. I skipped VI for that reason too, blech.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Replaying Diablo 1 LAN with a friend. I tried to get a group of four together, but everyone I know is too much of a pussy to play. I'm a level 18 Rogue with pretty shit gear, and I can typically hold my own, but he's a Warrior and taking quite a beating. Such an unforgiving game compared to D2. So fun, but I wish we had a full party.

I still enjoy D1, too. Shame the final boss can be a bit easy if you lure him out with Holy Bolt. It's also extremely hard to find 'legit' (as in people who don't hack their gear/stats to fucking hell) players online unless you play with people you know.

[trap15]

And now I've just finished Pokemon X [3DS]

About 25.5 hours long, but I ended up just wanting to get the game over with after the Team Flare stuff ended, so I started dropping Max Repels and running around trainers. I imagine it'd be a good 27, 28 hours if you just went straight through without running from battles or avoiding things. Lots of extra stuff to still do, but main game's done.

Things worth mentioning:
* Game is really easy. I literally never lost a single battle throughout, did absolutely no grinding, and didn't use Lucario nor the legendary at all.
* You earn WAY too much money from battles. By the Elite 4, I had 300,000 saved up for no reason. I bought plenty of expensive items, you just earn so so so much from winning.
* Frame skipping in battles is really awful. It's not even in places where it seems like it should happen. Not a big thing, but enough to mention.
* Some extremely OP moves learned by very common monsters. (Bad balance in a Pokemon game? Who woulda thunk it)
* Great overhaul of the experience system and EV system, much much better than before.
* Aesthetics are super amazing, great music, great visual effects, just great great great.
* The only Pokemon game I've ever played from start to finish in under 2 days. Really compelling to keep playing.
* Not sure how much I'll get out of the post-game, but the character customization is dang cool.

[shmuppyLove]

PS3 - Tales of Xillia - Yup, still playing this one. Hilariously, I had no idea about Skills until about level 40. So I was basically playing handicapped the whole time. Now that I've hit level 50+, I'm regularly bumping the difficulty up to "Moderate" so I can at least get some decent XP and Gald, and some better loot. I've also polished off 3 of the 6 Devil's Beasts, which gives you some cool weapons. Can't wait for New Game+, I've hit a section where I'm incredibly curious what would have happened if I'd chosen Milla ...

PC - Half Life 2 - Getting back into Steam in general, and having fun playing this with a controller. Amazing how well this game still holds up, but fuck I really didn't want to go through Ravenholm again. That level SUUUUUCKS. Completely uninterested in trying for the "Zombie Chopper" acheivement.

DS - Lunar Knights - Just started playing, but having fun so far. Great music and fun hack'n'slash gameplay. Not sure what to expect, not familar with the series at all, but it was on a few lists of the top RPGs for DS so I felt I had to check it out. Kind of tempted to pick up one of the GBA Boktai games so I can use the sensor mechanic ...

[KAI]

Battle Gear 3 [PS2]
Trying to clear the battle gear mode and failing every time.

[Jonathan Ingram]

Never attempted a high-level playthrough, but this post is making me reconsider that.

Guess you haven`t tried the PS2 version then? Thanks to a few particular design choices the developers went for when porting the game to the PS2, any playthrough of it is a high-level playthrough.

[shmuppyLove]

Is NOLF available on a modern digital platform? Did a quick check on Steam and GOG with no luck ...

I used to own the game at one point, sad that I didn't hang onto it.

[Jonathan Ingram]

Available on torrents.

[Ed Oscuro]

Is the PS2 version interesting to play after having played the PC version?

Also: Eternal Darkness combat not redeemed so far. Game loves to get in cheap hits while you're executing finishing moves, and loves to lock enemies out of damage when they teleport in. Manageable and mostly predictable, at least. What's not predictable is whether enemies will have a Nasty (I'll just call it that for lack of the proper name) inside, which can shred half of your sanity meter.

Oh, the uselessness of casting the Recover spell with the magic alignment (with the three-point magic spell). Watch the magic meter go down, watch it go back up to the same place! Useless, useless.

Kind of fun though; I just gotta recover a save since I exited Karim's chapter before exploring a certain nook and didn't get an item I'll want later.

[Neathyr]

Never attempted a high-level playthrough, but this post is making me reconsider that.

Guess you haven`t tried the PS2 version then? Thanks to a few particular design choices the developers went for when porting the game to the PS2, any playthrough of it is a high-level playthrough.

Haha, no. Having to aim with a controller is a semi-nightmare. Unless it was developed by Rare/Free Radical Design (R.I.P.), I don't even bother playing an FPS on a console. I know about a few extra levels exclusive to the PS2 version when Cate used to be a burgler, but... eh.

Is NOLF available on a modern digital platform? Did a quick check on Steam and GOG with no luck ...

I used to own the game at one point, sad that I didn't hang onto it.

Both titles are unavailable on digital form, sadly. Still own the GOTY Edition (they were actually a thing back in 2001). They are still fairly affordable on eBay, no? I got my copy for a very good price in here a few years ago and it even came with the game guide included, all in mint condition...
But who knows? GOG managed to get their hands on System Shock 2, so I guess it's just a matter of time until we see the NOLF duology on their database.

[Jonathan Ingram]

Is the PS2 version interesting to play after having played the PC version?

It is, in a masochistic sort of way. If you want more NOLF and wouldn`t mind playing what is effectively one of the most excruciatingly difficult first-person shooters to ever grace consoles, the PS2 version will certainly do well for you.

At first glance, NOLF for PS2 looks like a fairly competent port. It retains the masterful level design of the PC original, the graphics are fairly decent(although texture resolution took a major hit; the PS2 can certainly do much better than this), the framerate doesn`t dip below 30fps too often and there`s even some new content to boot. But just you wait. The PS2 version does away with the quick-saving and fails to introduce checkpoints in its stead. Die during a mission and you have to start from the very beginning(and stare at that loading screen again). What that means is that you`ll have to watch your every step, memorize the AI movement patterns and learn the ins and outs of every location if you are to survive. That the AI reaction time hasn`t been altered(at least that`s the impression I got) to compensate for the slowness associated with the analogue stick aiming and that the auto-aim just plain doesn`t do a very good job half of the time only add more salt to the injury.

[Ed Oscuro]

Still own the GOTY Edition (they were actually a thing back in 2001).

GOTY Editions were a thing in '99 at least, with Half-Life. I think Half-Life more or less started that trend.

@ Jon: Doesn't sound especially much like my cup of tea. I wonder if that content's been pack-ported to the PC. The last version I saw had some kind of extra mission in it, which I am quite sure was original, not a fan episode or anything (I've seen those too). Hmm, something else to look into. Thanks for the summary.

Back to Edternal Darkness: Karim's mission went down a lot faster the second time. Man, I hate the chapter structure in this game - too little to see but very easy to get stuck for a while while looking for a clue. The magic puzzles haven't tripped me up at all; quite often it's dumb stuff like not realizing there's a hotspot for context-sensitive actions.

[Leandro]

I don't think I could complete the final Safe Cracker scene without saving. It's a long trek until the safe, and then you have to skillfully avoid the laserbeams, if you mess up it's over. That would be beyond frustrating.
It's good my post sparked interest in the game. I can't get Super Spy rank in the mission where you interview Baron Dumas, I'm either asking the wrong questions or missing some well hidden intel from the scenes before...

[null1024]

Pokemon Black 2 [DS].

oh hey, I forgot I didn't finish this game
Everyone I know at university had X/Y. I hate them all for it. Should arrive by tomorrow when I get home after work and class.

[ratikal]

Rune Factory 4

There is too much shit to do in this game. I spent like all day playing it yesterday and have not progressed the story at all. I've just been farming, fishing, crafting, all that good shit.

[Obiwanshinobi]

007: Agent Under Fire (PS2) I've got as a freebie of late seemed like a decent piece of fanservice. Stuff Bond fans presumably fantasise about happens in the game and it is interactive. Good character models at that (not a standard at all in western-developed games of its time).*)
My favourite action-adventure of the sort remains XIII on the PC. Funnily enough, I'm neither into the comic books, nor into the graphics. That said, I can understand how in the year 2003 the choice of style (and by then antiquated original Unreal engine) were ballsy moves of Ubisoft.

*) Neither it is a standard in Visceral Games' products for that matter. Characters in - otherwise good looking - Dead Space: Extraction look worse than 007: Agent Under Fire characters to me.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Never mind.

[Marc]

007: Agent Under Fire (PS2) I've got as a freebie of late seemed like a decent piece of fanservice. Stuff Bond fans presumably fantasise about happens in the game and it is interactive. Good character models at that (not a standard at all in western-developed games of its time).*)
My favourite action-adventure of the sort remains XIII on the PC. Funnily enough, I'm neither into the comic books, nor into the graphics. That said, I can understand how in the year 2003 the choice of style (and by then antiquated original Unreal engine) were ballsy moves of Ubisoft.

*) Neither it is a standard in Visceral Games' products for that matter. Characters in - otherwise good looking - Dead Space: Extraction look worse than 007: Agent Under Fire characters to me.

I loved XIII upon release, but never got further than a mission on a submarine, and the three copies I bought all used to lock at the exact same point - sure it was supposed to kick into a cut scene but froze every time. Shame, as I'd had a blast and seemed to think I was quite far on.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Unfortunately XIII's endgame is rather uninspired (panistakingly generic FPS).
Come to think of it, of all first person shooters I finished legit, only the original Chronicles of Riddick (PC version) had really accomplished endgame*). Admittedly, I'm not into the genre and I finished very few without cutting corners.

*) I know not all game is a shooter, but neither was XIII. The point is, both end up as shooters and XIII disappoints whereas Riddick doesn't.

[broken harbour]

I'm still playing Ocarina of Time.

I have to say the game has redeemed itself since the Water Temple, which I found very irritating. There's still goofy controls, but I can work around it. Just finished the Spirit Temple (which was awesome), so there's just Ganondorf's castle to go... The battle with the twin sisters and mirror shield was really fun.

Should have it wrapped by the weekend.

[speedlolita]

* You earn WAY too much money from battles. By the Elite 4, I had 300,000 saved up for no reason. I bought plenty of expensive items, you just earn so so so much from winning.

A coat in Lumiose City sells for 300k.

Just to put things in perspective.

[Ruldra]

Yesterday I finished all routes in Katawa Shoujo. I'm glad I left Rin's route for last because it's definitely the best written one. I never expected Rin to be such a complex character, her route definitely requires another playthrough to catch all the details and truly understand what's going on. Some guy on 4chan made an analysis of her paintings and they are totally related to her relationship with Hisao. Very easy to miss if you're not paying attention.

Despite Skykid's write-up I still think it's a great visual novel and I enjoyed it very much. It's not perfect, the sex scenes really shouldn't be there but it's still worth reading it. I do think you need to finish at least one route before giving this game a fair judgement - although I won't ask you to keep playing if you find it unbearable like Skykid did.

[KAI]

Now go read Umineko

[BrianC]

* Frame skipping in battles is really awful. It's not even in places where it seems like it should happen. Not a big thing, but enough to mention.

Does it vary depending on whether the 3D is on or off? I'm guessing framerate takes a hit in battles since it's the only place where the 3D effect is used?

[Ruldra]

Now go read Umineko

Yeah, there were a few visual novels I wanted to finish first (mostly freeware stuff), but now that I'm done with them all I'm starting Umineko next

[speedlolita]

Even with 3D off you will get slowdown in places.

It isn't game breaking though.

[trap15]

A coat in Lumiose City sells for 300k.

Just to put things in perspective.

Well yes, the clothes are super expensive. But I saved all the shopping stuff for post-game. They could have lowered the prices of the clothes and lowered the cash flow, and it would have been much better. Or raise prices on "normal" items.

Does it vary depending on whether the 3D is on or off? I'm guessing framerate takes a hit in battles since it's the only place where the 3D effect is used?

It does, but even with 3D off it still frame skips fairly often in battles. 3D on makes it much worse.

[KAI]

Mimizu Panzer [PC]
Why the fuck this hasn't been released on arcades? This games screams "PUT ME ON A PCB FOR MAXIMUM PROFIT!"
I'm loving this snake/danmaku hybrid.
Also, pantsu: