What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

[Ed Oscuro]

Just saw SDA's marathonner beat the Church in just over 10 minutes. I tuned in to watch him get escorted all over the place and then back out again to skip all the videos.

I guess it's a live feed; too bad - I wanted to see some of the stuff mentioned earlier (like the Ecco glitches).

[Zaarock]

I guess it's a live feed; too bad - I wanted to see some of the stuff mentioned earlier (like the Ecco glitches).

Twitch automatically records everything so that should be viewable in the videos tab (just watched the super meat boy 106% run off a recording)

[null1024]

Tales of Legendia [PS2].

why am I playing this, it's not even that good, and I have better games avaliable, aaaaaaaa
Seriously. I'd rather play Tales of Phantasia over this, because the battles don't feel stupid in that game. It doesn't help that ToL's system is pretty much ToP/ToD's. It's not even fast like in Tales of Eternia.

It is a rather nice looking game, lots of in-building stuff looks outstanding [yay for prebaked lighting!], and the color palette is rather rich.


I'm going to do a Tales series writeup one of these ages, I should at least play all of the pre-current gen ones [because I lack a current gen system, haha]

[shmuppyLove]

Tales of Legendia [PS2].

why am I playing this, it's not even that good, and I have better games avaliable, aaaaaaaa
Seriously. I'd rather play Tales of Phantasia over this, because the battles don't feel stupid in that game. It doesn't help that ToL's system is pretty much ToP/ToD's. It's not even fast like in Tales of Eternia.

It is a rather nice looking game, lots of in-building stuff looks outstanding [yay for prebaked lighting!], and the color palette is rather rich.


I'm going to do a Tales series writeup one of these ages, I should at least play all of the pre-current gen ones [because I lack a current gen system, haha]

Did this one ever get a remake on DS or PSP or something? They've remade these games so many times, and often they shoe-horn the engine from a newer one into an older game and stuff ... makes it difficult to decide which version you want to play!

Myself I'm having a blast playing through Far Cry 3. I'm hoping I'm more than 1/2 way through ... just gained access to the southern islands and have almost all the skills, so should be much of the story left.

[rapoon]

I'm back on Diablo 3 after a ~4 month hiatus. Very little has changed.

On another note: SMT: Soul Hackers is getting a 3DS release finally

[BareKnuckleRoo]

They've remade these games so many times, and often they shoe-horn the engine from a newer one into an older game and stuff ... makes it difficult to decide which version you want to play!

If there's only one to ever play, it's the PS2 remake of Tales of Destiny. It's one of the best battle systems ever. Fucking love that game.

[Hagane]

Myself I'm having a blast playing through Far Cry 3. I'm hoping I'm more than 1/2 way through ... just gained access to the southern islands and have almost all the skills, so should be much of the story left.

I finished it a week ago and overall I enjoyed it a lot, but there are a few negatives that detract from the experience, mainly that (Spoilers)

you kill the two main villains in a crappy QTE event. In both you are tied/surrounded by soldiers just beside you, but you magically appear in an one on one duel with a knife against the bosses. You never really fight them in-game. I hate QTEs in general but I just don't know what the hell they were thinking when they decided to use them in such an utterly terrible way. And the final chopper mission is easier than anything before it, but at least you listen Ride of the Valkyries instead of fucking Skrillex.

[null1024]

Tales of Legendia [PS2].

why am I playing this, it's not even that good, and I have better games avaliable, aaaaaaaa
Seriously. I'd rather play Tales of Phantasia over this, because the battles don't feel stupid in that game. It doesn't help that ToL's system is pretty much ToP/ToD's. It's not even fast like in Tales of Eternia.

It is a rather nice looking game, lots of in-building stuff looks outstanding [yay for prebaked lighting!], and the color palette is rather rich.


I'm going to do a Tales series writeup one of these ages, I should at least play all of the pre-current gen ones [because I lack a current gen system, haha]

Did this one ever get a remake on DS or PSP or something? They've remade these games so many times, and often they shoe-horn the engine from a newer one into an older game and stuff ... makes it difficult to decide which version you want to play!

Tales of the Abyss got a 3DS port [identical to the PS1 version but widescreen and less loading], and Tales of Eternia got a PSP port [never released in the US, was released in Europe, identical to the US PS2 release, which was enhanced compared to the original JP release]. Those are the only portable ports I know of. Tales of Innocence was developed for the DS [and has a translation patch], along with two others [which don't have patches].
[EDIT]: Oh, and there's Tales of Phantasia on the GBA, which is between the original SFC ToP and the system from Tales of Destiny in terms of battles, but it's a really ugly port with a worse translation than DeJap's SNES one. If you want to play ToP on the go, emulate DeJap's SNES version on your phone [Snes9x EX+ is your friend!] or run the translation of the PS1 version on the PSP. ToP on the PS1 is the definitive way to play it in English, especially since it has a better translation than DeJap's SNES one, and the much better combat system from Tales of Destiny. ToP on the SFC is a technical marvel for the system though, and I think Star Ocean is the only RPG that does more technically for it.

The GBA version has over-bright graphics [and no way to fix the palette, it was fine playing on an original GBA, looks horrid on an SP or DS, even worse on a DS Lite], and is just a massive downgrade from the SNES version in every way with visuals and sound [which is disappointing, because the GBA is more powerful, and you have more ROM space]. The battle framerate is depressingly low in the GBA version [I think it was similar in the SNES version, but it at least looked nice, bsnes runs it similarly to the GBA version, but Snes9x EX+ on my phone seems to be drawing more often], and should have been higher. Sound quality is godawful, which is a bit acceptable, because instead of the SNES's rather nice 8-channel SPC700 chip, the GBA has a pair of DACs and mixing is done in software [so most games sound like shit], but that doesn't explain why the samples sound like they're playing at 8kHz or something retarded low like that.



Also, Legendia is ass-backwards in a lot of ways [seriously, you have Symphonia's battle system having been made, and you do a 2D system that isn't even as advanced as Tales of Eternia's] because a totally different team made of other Namco studios made it. Doesn't excuse its faults, but it explains them. I'm almost certain it's because Tales of the Abyss was being made at the same time.

Legendia is much prettier than Abyss though, which is surprising. Except the character models kind of suck in Legendia, and are pretty nice in Abyss, so you win some, you lose some. Abyss is the better game by miles, go play that.

[Moniker]

Got Painkiller Black Label (PC) with the latest indie bundle.

Really liking it so far - a much better successor to Doom & Quake than Serious Sam, IMO. The weapons in particular are quite rad, especially the default razor-laser weapon. The awesome enemy death physics also go a long way to keeping the action fresh.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I've been following Painkiller since 2004 and I couldn't recommend it enough, but if you ask me, Serious Sam had better... enemy behaviour patterns (to avoid the abbreviation "A.I."), especially the charging at you kind. That is, in Painkiller, keeping them at bay is too easy for my liking. Only the Asylum and certain bossfights felt properly dangerous.

[rapoon]

lollipop chainsaw

[ShmupSamurai]

The DKC snes trilogy...DonkeyKong Country 2 is still the king of DK games. Pirate Kremings forever!

[KAI]

R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 for the T.A. challenge at Rolling Start!!
Be a man and join us if you can.

[Illyrian]

The DKC snes trilogy...DonkeyKong Country 2 is still the king of DK games. Pirate Kremings forever!

Oh hells yes!

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Black Ops II Zombies. I also just finished the campaign. I thought it was pretty lame really. Invisible barriers everywhere.

[Aguraki]

hi guys if anyone wants a dota2 key on steam pm I have 13 of them and keep getting them and don´t know anyone who wants one.

[EmperorIng]

Everyone and their mother has at least 8 DOTA passes. They're a dime a dozen, it's part of Valve's strategy to make DOTA2 their other TF2 cash cow.

[Aguraki]

Everyone and their mother has at least 8 DOTA passes. They're a dime a dozen, it's part of Valve's strategy to make DOTA2 their other TF2 cash cow.

sorry thought some people might want one.
what u mean their other TF cow?
all heroes are unlocked in dota2 and all items too its not a F2P model.

[Ruldra]

Cross-post from Rolling-Start.com:

Just came back from a cruise trip with my family. Over at the arcade section they had Sega Rally 3. Whenever I had some time to kill I went there and played a few credits. Throughout the trip I played it almost exclusively.

The game is deceptively unforgiving. You have plenty of time to finish the first level and just enough to finish the second, but then you barely have time to reach the seconf checkpoint on the third stage. It took me a while to realize that time carries over to the next stage so you need to really push it in every stage just to have enough time to finish the last one.

On the very last day of the cruise, I managed to beat the game:


I honestly have no idea how the top 2 times are possible. I was racing my heart out and crossed the finish line with only 1 second on the timer. Unless they're cheating or glitching, a 4-minute clear is just impossible.

Overall, great game.

[Leandro]

AAA guy is a beast

[mesh control]

http://i47.tinypic.com/2duax34.jpg

Stalker: Call of Pripyat [Misery Mod]

That was the first Psi-storm I encountered. It happened within 15 minutes of beginning the game.
I'm not sure if they modeled moonlight or not, but as of right now it's very difficult to get anywhere at night.


edit: I just stumbled into a bloodsucker lair.
holy fuck, this is awesome.

[drauch]

What does this Misery Mod entail? I'm a huge fan of the first game, and while I own Pripyat, I haven't even really touched it. Need to get in on dat.

[mesh control]

I'm only familiar with SoC, so I am drawing my comparisons from that.

- The game is much harder, with a stronger focus on survival and rationing.
- You need to eat fairly often and sleep.
- Ammo is scarce and it's difficult to buy a bunch of ammo.
- If you're shot a bunch, slashed or hit by a grenade you will drop your weapon.
- The Misery mod adds classes to game with their own perks: equipment burden, weapon maintenance, speed, etc.
- Random emission storms. The only way to survive these is run for shelter (cave or building)
- You can't try to run straight through anomalies. You will die.
- There are also a bunch of graphic updates and voice over work (all voices are in Russian now, with English subtitles)

It's reminds me of a first person Souls games, without the bosses. Very punishing. I recommend saving before sleeping; I slept without eating once and I couldn't get anywhere, due to starvation.

crank f5

http://i45.tinypic.com/icnsev.jpg

[cj iwakura]

Just picked up SRT OG2(3 technically) for the PS3.

I was nervous about the language barrier at first, but thanks to the Akurasu Wiki, I'm blowing up giant robos with ease.

[Marc]

Giga, Wing, on my new phone (Note 2). Seriously Giga Wing on my fucking phone. Wow. Wireless controller for work, and and Vita is fucked.

[ED-057]

Just picked up SRT OG2(3 technically) for the PS3.

Looks cool. I wonder how big the character/unit roster is compared to a normal SRW game with all the licensed anime content. (they should bring back L-Gaim characters!)

I have been playing Heroes of Might and Magic 3. It was for sale on GOG.com recently, and is definitely a fun, addictive time-waster.

[null1024]

Panzer Bandit [PS1].

Just got stuck because an enemy wouldn't come onto the playfield, so I couldn't move ahead.
aaaaaaaaaa

[Ed Oscuro]

Opened up The 3rd Birthday, fooled around with that.

Funny thing is that the same day I bought the PSP, the sketchy newspaper cartoon "Close To Home" ran this cartoon. It really only applies to the PSP in my view (and only your left thumb at that). I also touched the analog stick of a PSP Vita in a display the same day, and that is much nicer - like a miniature 360 or PS3 analog stick. I don't know how they went ahead with the nub design for the original PSP because it's horrible. I've gotten used to it though, although I have to be careful with the cramp-inducing, blood-flow-restricting design.

I have two stuck pixels, a somewhat noticable (on black screens only, though) red and a much fainter green subpixel, both at the top right. They're out of the way. It's a good thing 3rd Birthday has so much red and yellowish-brown in it. I could always go and buy a replacement screen at DealExtreme if I decided to gamble again, though! Overall I'm not too bothered by it.

About the game - aside from all the Parasite Eve "references" I was struck by how much the visual style reminds me of Vagrant Story, and the general imaginativeness of the game mechanics (although this doesn't translate into awesome gameplay, it is rather less annoying and more immersive than the semi-turn-based and chaining combat of Vagrant Story might be to some, and in any case it gives more challenge). I don't like the game as much as Vagrant Story, overall, but it has some nice ideas. Lots of grinding, but the game is kind enough to shake up the usual stage -> boss pace a good deal. The opening of the fourth episode seems pretty good for leveling up (so is the end of the third episode, but obviously it's harder to grind that repeatedly).

I do think I should have gone ahead and played through PE1 and PE2 before this, because of the apparent spoilers for the older games, but lol well ok

[Moniker]

Opened up The 3rd Birthday, fooled around with that.

I do think I should have gone ahead and played through PE1 and PE2 before this, because of the apparent spoilers for the older games, but lol well ok

PE1 is great - very good quasi-action jrpg, but I'd skip PE2. The latter is basically Square's answer to Resident Evil, and really isn't very fun. Still need to give 3rd Birthday a shot, myself.

[KAI]

Side by Side 2000 Special. Solid and unforgivable as fuck. Overlooked as every drifting game made by Taito, what a shame.