Video Games...Discuss Them

[Dukefrukem]

RE7 isn't JUST for VR is it?

No.

Also keep in mind, Sony tricked fans. Remember the teaser they showed hinting at a new RE?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lGcPIdaW6Q

[Dukefrukem]

Good to know some high profile stuff is coming to VR. Can't wait!

Even some of the low profile stuff looks pretty good. None of this was at PAX.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c18R6Sb97nM

[megladon8]

So is Death Stranding Silent Hills with a new title?

Or did they completely redo the game?

[Dukefrukem]

Year after year I feel like Sony knows how to get people excited. They show people established IP/sequels and still take chances on their exclusive new IPs. We saw four new IPs at this show.

Spider-man (PS4 exclusive)
Death Stranding (Unclear)
Resident Evil fucking 7 (PS-VR exclusive w/ release date)
Days Gone (PS4 exclusive)
God of War (PS4 exclusive)
Detroit: Become Human. (PS4 exclusive)
Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4 exclusive)
Last Guardian (PS4 exclusive w/ release date)

That right there is ridiculous.

[Dukefrukem]

So is Death Stranding Silent Hills with a new title?

Or did they completely redo the game?

Great question! I feel like they are JJ Abrham-sing us. The less we know, the more excited we are.

Edit: Actually, no way it's Silent Hills. Konami owns the rights to that IP and this is just a new game with Hideo Kojima.

So it was Hideo Kojima's way of getting around that hurdle.

Edit 2: It makes sense now why they revealed so little when Kojima left Konami and canceled all the projects. ANd why Konami got pissed off and removed his name from MGS's book sleeve and everything. Sony must have thrown a ton of money at him. So this game very well may be an exclusive to Sony.

A bunch of sources are saying it is.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/death-stranding-release-date-gameplay-preorder-trailer-hideo-kojima

[megladon8]

Hmmm cool. I imagine many of the ideas and mechanics from Silent Hills will remain. Sort of a "this is as close as you're going to get" type situation.

I have officially preordered both God of War and RE7.

Spider-Man looks awesome, but I've been fooled by Spider-Man game trailers in the past. I'll wait til release for that one.

[number8]

I wonder if Death Stranding still has Guillermo del Toro and Junji Ito's involvement.

[megladon8]

I wonder if Death Stranding still has Guillermo del Toro and Junji Ito's involvement.

Yeah I wondered the same thing. The trailer has me very intrigued and feeling completely lost.

Ooooh and I love that Spidey costume, don't you? White spider actually works really well.

[number8]

I find it weird, but I'll probably get used to it and they will definitely have DLC costume changes. The folks behind Sunset Overdrive is making the game, which seems like a really good fit for Spidey from what little I've played that game.

Did they announce anything about a cheaper PS4 slim? I haven't seen anything about that.

[Morris Schæffer]

https://youtu.be/1rPxiXXxftE

Zelda: Breath of the Wild

[Milky Joe]

watching the gameplay demos, this looks great

[Dukefrukem]

I find it weird, but I'll probably get used to it and they will definitely have DLC costume changes. The folks behind Sunset Overdrive is making the game, which seems like a really good fit for Spidey from what little I've played that game.

Did they announce anything about a cheaper PS4 slim? I haven't seen anything about that.

Er hem.... the folks from Infamous! Are making the game. ;) (Sunset Overdrive is basically the same game as Infamous)

[bac0n]

Er hem.... the folks from Infamous! Are making the game. ;) (Sunset Overdrive is basically the same game as Infamous)

SOLD

[number8]

Is this a joke I'm not getting...?

[Skitch]

Ive been thinking about that Detroit synthetic human trailer all day. That kind of affected me emotionally. Wow.

[Dukefrukem]

Is this a joke I'm not getting...?

Heh not really. I said in here a while back when Sunset Overdrive came out that Insomaic Games ripped off Infamous. They're almost the exact same game. I was joking with my above post so sorry to bacon for misleading him.

[Dukefrukem]

Hideo Kojima on stage. "I'm back". About to show something new....

EDIT: OH SHITTTTTT. Norman Reedus.. Is this Silent Hill?!?!?

Edit 2: Called: Death Stranding

It's a MIND-FUCK-Trailer......... Just wow.


I feel like reposing the full trailer shown at E3 last night to see the full effect of the hype/intro.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2nuHEGhwiw

[number8]

Heh not really. I said in here a while back when Sunset Overdrive came out that Insomaic Games ripped off Infamous. They're almost the exact same game. I was joking with my above post so sorry to bacon for misleading him.

Ah. Well, the main reason I said it's a good fit was aesthetics rather than gameplay. There's a sense of humor and whimsy and colorfulness in SO that translates well to Spidey, that I don't remember was present in the more straightforward Infamous games.

[Dukefrukem]

Ah. Well, the main reason I said it's a good fit was aesthetics rather than gameplay. There's a sense of humor and whimsy and colorfulness in SO that translates well to Spidey, that I don't remember was present in the more straightforward Infamous games.

Yeh that's a good point. Humor + Gameplay will make for a great Spidey. I think all of those games are great super hero games. And I'm really excited for this Spider-man game to be answer to my: 'I want an Arkham styled game for every super hero' request.

[megladon8]

A retro shooter I wish someone would do something new with is Unreal.

No, not Unreal Tournament. Unreal.

That's still one of my factories, and it's rich with great sci-fi horror ideas.

It also has the best video game soundtrack of all time.

[number8]

Speculations will be rampant.

https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZFudzgzPIdhkabf4Al9Q4aBtuT0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/6650179/Marvel_TTG_650px.0.jpg

[Ezee E]

Telltale is doing Batman too, but since Game of Thrones, I've kind of gotten tired of that style of game already.

[megladon8]

Okay so after reading some words from Kojima, it sounds like Death Stranding has absolutely nothing to do with his previous project with Del Toro.

Call me thick, but I didn't realize that the new Kojima symbol (with the Spartan helmet) is from this game.

Apparently it's an action game through and through, and Kojima says it is something brand new and never seen before.

[Gittes]

Thoughts on E3:

- Horizon gameplay seems terrific: very fluid and dynamic. The script, dialogue animations, and acting do not seem good. The running animation seems a bit odd, too. But the combat and the robust visuals are just enormously appealing.

- Detroit: Become Human looks pretty amazing. I'm very interested in the investigative bits; I really hope it scratches the itch left by the promising but unfulfilling L.A. Noire. However, the "you can't kill me; I'm not alive" line was very stupid and that has me a tad worried. I am not familiar with David Cage's work, but I know that the reception to his games has been divisive. That one line of dialogue notwithstanding, this was the best new game I saw at E3. Well, I know it's not technically "new," as it was announced last year, but I missed that bit of news.

- Spider-Man looks good. We'll see. Should have been Spider-Gwen or Miles Morales, though. Peter's still interesting, but we've seen so much of him.

- I do wish that the The Last Guardian was just a little more visually impressive outside of the art style. It still seems to bear traces of its genesis as a PS3 game. At the end of the day, though, this is such a trifling complaint, as the game still looks quite nice and I imagine seeing it in motion firsthand and actually playing it will yield a greater appreciation of what's going on visually. Alongside Zelda, it's the only game that was shown that I know I will be buying.

- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Link has terrible morning breath confirmed)...I actually know very little about this one and that was deliberate. Nintendo streamed, like, five hours of this game? What? I made the choice before E3 that I would go into this new Zelda game with as little foreknowledge as possible and I'm sticking to it. Admittedly, I've "cheated" by seeing a couple of non-spoilery .gifs, like this amazing one (http://i.giphy.com/SSPyJ44rAkjio.gif), and one unrevealing screenshot. I'm cutting myself off there. Among the games shown at E3, this was apparently the most talked about one on social media, and I've seen a few basic impressions that indicate it looked quite good.

- ABZÛ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2G54w8H4oM) releasing on August 2nd is great news as it seems so well-suited to the summer months. Very excited about this one. More people should be talking about and anticipating this game. Some of the folks who worked on Journey worked on it, and it will likely appeal to those who enjoyed that game.

[Dukefrukem]

- I do wish that the The Last Guardian was just a little more visually impressive outside of the art style. It still seems to bear traces of its genesis as a PS3 game. At the end of the day, though, this is such a trifling complaint, as the game still looks quite nice and I imagine seeing it in motion firsthand and actually playing it will yield a greater appreciation of what's going on visually. Alongside Zelda, it's the only game that was shown that I know I will be buying.


Spot on. When this was announced (in 2008?) it looked masterful. But we've come a long way since then. Never understood why they didn't release this on PS3.

[Milky Joe]

There's more emotion in the trailer for TLG than there is in all the rest of the PS4 trailers put together. We really haven't come that far since 2008.

[Stay Puft]

- ABZÛ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2G54w8H4oM) releasing on August 2nd is great news as it seems so well-suited to the summer months. Very excited about this one. More people should be talking about and anticipating this game. Some of the folks who worked on Journey worked on it, and it will likely appeal to those who enjoyed that game.

Oh wow I didn't even know about this one. Looks freakin gorgeous.

[Dukefrukem]

Developers from Limbo have a new game called Inside.

https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0VFN3Yuyxgx4LhOGBOLAIWremhs=/177x0:1919x980/640x360/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49839775/inside2.0.0.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0V2rPVQWfM

[Morris Schæffer]

Inside looks expectedly intriguing. Thanks for sharing.

[megladon8]

Really enjoying Wolfenstein: The Old Blood. It doesn't have the strong emotional core that The New Order had, but the incredibly tight gameplay remains, and it looks and feels as good as ever.

Also played the demo for RE7, and it's pretty great. Looks beautiful. Thoroughly creepy.

[Winston*]

Dragon Age is ridiculous. Just when it seems it's ramping up to end game, it expands into another bigger game. Think I'll take a break for a bit.

[Scar]

Dragon Age is ridiculous. Just when it seems it's ramping up to end game, it expands into another bigger game. Think I'll take a break for a bit.

I will have to revisit that game since I rage quit ages ago because of the, at the time, broken inventory system.

[Morris Schæffer]

Miyamoto says NX wasn't at E3 because the console has a pretty big secret to do with its hardware.


In terms of NX, there's an idea that we're working on," said "Super Mario" and "Donkey Kong" creator Shigeru Miyamoto through a Japanese translator. "That's why we can't share anything at this point, and I don't want to comment on the other companies. If it was just a matter of following advancements in technology, things would be coming out a lot quicker.

[megladon8]

I think the secret has been out of the bag for a couple months now.

Apparently it's back to cartridges.

[Morris Schæffer]

I think the secret has been out of the bag for a couple months now.

Apparently it's back to cartridges.

But thats regressive, its been done years ago. I hardly think sony and MS are waiting impatiently waiting to steal nintys briliant idea to use cartridges.

[number8]

It is not regressive at all. We've already hit the limit of what optical drives can do. Bluray discs cannot be read fast enough to keep up with modern CPUs anymore. That's why XBox One and PS4 games have to be installed on the console's hard drive first, rather than loading directly from the game disc.

A flash drive cartridge, however, would be way faster, almost like an external hard drive. It's probably gonna be the future of offline gaming, since it's unlikely in our cloud and streaming-based world for another optical standard to be invented. Bluray is the last format for discs.

[Morris Schæffer]

Interesting if you put it like that.

[Dukefrukem]

Yeh it's not going to be a cartridge from the 90s. It's going to be something FLASH memory based, like a thumb drive.

[Russ]

I don't really play video games. But if I did, I'm pretty sure it would be this one:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvBo_rKleNw

[Idioteque Stalker]

So it's a shooter? Very fleshy.

[Morris Schæffer]

The gun reminds me of Cronenberg's ExiStenz.

[Winston*]

I'm sick of open world games. Had to take a break from Dragon Age: Inquisition because, while the world design is incredibly beautiful, most of the missions involve trudging to one end of the map to pick up something and take it to the other end of the map.

Now I'm playing Arkham Knight and, while the combat parts are fun, you have to waste a bunch of time grappling or batmobile-ing across the map to get to them. Just take me to the fun part, video games.

[Dukefrukem]

Id rather play a tight open world game like Arkham City than have the sprawling landscapes that are in GTAV, Fallout and Red Dead. Those games just take so long to complete. 260 hours in Fallout 4 and counting.

[megladon8]

So it's H.R. Giger: The Game?

That made me very uncomfortable.

[Ezee E]

Id rather play a tight open world game like Arkham City than have the sprawling landscapes that are in GTAV, Fallout and Red Dead. Those games just take so long to complete. 260 hours in Fallout 4 and counting.

Agreed. Fallout 4 is just so big that I don't even know where to focus. There's never really anything in it that makes me really want to finish one more mission, or beat that villain. Arkham City will make me play an extra thirty minutes to find where Deadshot is or upgrade the Batmobile. Maybe I just don't have the time at home for it.

[Winston*]

Agreed. Fallout 4 is just so big that I don't even know where to focus. There's never really anything in it that makes me really want to finish one more mission, or beat that villain. Arkham City will make me play an extra thirty minutes to find where Deadshot is or upgrade the Batmobile. Maybe I just don't have the time at home for it.

This stuff's really irritating. When was it decided that games should have chores? I basically think that regardless of how long a video game takes to complete, it will have a maximum 20 hours of actual fun contained in it.

[Ezee E]

This stuff's really irritating. When was it decided that games should have chores? I basically think that regardless of how long a video game takes to complete, it will have a maximum 20 hours of actual fun contained in it.

Way better than having to run to the other side of the globe to hand off something though, right?

[megladon8]

I am also tired of open world games. 7-8 years ago every second game was a cover based third person shooter, now it's open world. Even the great ones don't appeal to me much anymore. I played through GTA V on 360, then tried to play it again on PS4 a couple months back. Played about 10 hours and moved on.

Right now I'm getting much more enjoyment from tightly written/scripted games. It's actually these types of games that seem to afford more freedom in the end.

For as huge and detailed as GTA V's world is, I find it very scripted and restrictive. Even the heists don't feel like I have much of any control over how they play it, which is exactly the opposite of what they were touted to be.

[Morris Schæffer]

For as huge and detailed as GTA V's world is, I find it very scripted and restrictive. Even the heists don't feel like I have much of any control over how they play it, which is exactly the opposite of what they were touted to be.

Bingo! Biggest paradox in gaming. I thought the heists were extremely dissapointing, the handholding agravating.

[Skitch]

I like open world if it feels like their not wasting my time going back and forth. Arkham City and Borderlands 2 are good examples of what I like. Red Dead was driving me (or galloping, rather) nuts. I don't know if I've finished more than three missions in any GTA.

[megladon8]

Stocking up on some cool indie titles with the PSN Mid Year Sale.

Anyone else spend $20 or more here?

[Dukefrukem]

No been spending my money on Steam with the Summer Sale.

[bac0n]

Myself, I tend to gravitate towards open world games like GTA, RDR, Skyrim and Fallout, mainly due to the exploration aspect of it. They get especially appealing to me once I've leveled the character up enough so I'm not constantly looking over my back, or getting blocked from going into some area due to some foes who way overpower me.

Games for me are an escape from the stress of the week, and I find few things more relaxing than filling up a pint glass with a nice sippin' beer, firing up an open world game, taking a look around, and just walking toward that mountain in the distance and seeing what happens along the way.

It's this sorta stuff that has me especially excited for No Man's Sky when it comes out next month. I wonder what sorta beer will go along with deep space exploration...

[Stay Puft]

I wonder what sorta beer will go along with deep space exploration...

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26774/78127/

[Morris Schæffer]

It's this sorta stuff that has me especially excited for No Man's Sky when it comes out next month. I wonder what sorta beer will go along with deep space exploration...

With infinite space comes infinite beers. Go easy on the ale.

[megladon8]

I've started applying to local breweries. If I get picked up, I'll recommend some space-exploration ales.

[bac0n]

I've started applying to local breweries. If I get picked up, I'll recommend some space-exploration ales.

You will, of course, need to send some down, for quality control, of course. Yeah. Quality control. Of course.

[Ezee E]

Anyone else get Pokemon Go yet?

[Lazlo]

Anyone else get Pokemon Go yet?

I've messed with it a bit since yesterday and maybe it's just not for me. Don't come across nearly enough Pokemon to make it fun. It also doesn't work half the time, servers overloaded.

[Dukefrukem]

It's so fun.

[number8]

Nintendo's worth went up $9 billion after Pokemon Go release (https://techcrunch.com/2016/07/11/pokemon-go-adds-9b-to-nintendos-value-global-rollout-continues-this-week/)

[Dukefrukem]

Hey, even I, Dukefrukem, hater of all things Nintendo, downloaded it.

[Skitch]

I found my third Pokemon today. I've never enter the world of the Poke-anything. Its amusing.

[Winston*]

How many deaths are we estimating Pokemon Go is going to cause by the end of 2016?

[Dukefrukem]

My town common was full of 3 dozen or so kids walking around playing this game. I've never seen my common that full unless it was a Christmas Tree lightening, memorial, farmers market or festival.

[Scar]

I grudgingly downloaded it yesterday, and went a wee bit crazy with it today....

First true Pokemon experience, and I'm cracking out on it.

[Ezee E]

I grudgingly downloaded it yesterday, and went a wee bit crazy with it today....

First true Pokemon experience, and I'm cracking out on it.

It's fun. Also, makes it easy to strike up random conversations at a bar when others are catching Pokemon. I like it.

[Skitch]

I was getting my tires rotated when some dummy started waving his phone around the waiting area trying to catch one. He looked so stupid. Yes, it was me.

[Dukefrukem]

Happy Prime day

https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=13887280011&_encoding=UTF8&gb_f_GB-SUPPLE=enforcedCategories%3A46 8642%2CdealStates%3AAVAILABLE% 2CWAITLIST%2CWAITLISTFULL%2CUP COMING%2Cpage%3A2%2CsortOrder% 3ABY_SCORE%2CdealsPerPage%3A32&linkCode=sl2&linkId=eb576129ebdacea4bc1fbef 8d11b31c8&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&tag=destructoid0f-20

[number8]

Meeting new people because of it is certainly one of the best things about it, and it's precisely because you look like a fucking idiot playing it in public. If you're two people roaming around a park fountain back and forth with a phone in front of your face trying to find a Pokemon, not saying something to each other would seem unnatural, you know?

[Ezee E]

Meeting new people because of it is certainly one of the best things about it, and it's precisely because you look like a fucking idiot playing it in public. If you're two people roaming around a park fountain back and forth with a phone in front of your face trying to find a Pokemon, not saying something to each other would seem unnatural, you know?

Announcing out loud what pokemon you got is pretty amusing too.

"Oh hell yeah, a Magnetite!"
"Huh?"
"I'll have a Heavy Melon Ale please."

[Wryan]

Classic NES is coming back.

http://www.dailydot.com/debug/nintendo-nes-classic-relaunch-date/?fb=dd

Bet your fucking ass I'm gonna buy one. I never finished Ghosts and Goblins. Wonder if it will have expansion packs to add more games. Even if not, the ability to easily play these old games any time I want would be awesome. Imagine if they did the same thing for SNES some time down the road.

Cheap, too.

[Dukefrukem]

WTF??

[Skitch]

That thing is going to sell like crazy.

[Ezee E]

Ha, I wonder what year of Tecmo Bowl.

$60 is a solid deal. Best thing Nintendo has done... since Pokemon Go...

[megladon8]

Furi is freaking awesome.

Highly recommended.

[megladon8]

Seriously, is anyone else playing Furi?

This game is glorious. And I haven't even beaten the second level yet.

[Ezee E]

For you all playing and walking more often with Pokemon Go, you should download the apps Walk for a Dog and CharityMiles. They are apps that will donate money to the charity of your choice based on how much you walk. Cool right?

[megladon8]

How is Nintendo making money from Pokemon Go?

I don't understand how a free app with no micro transactions or in-game advertising is making a profit?

[Scar]

How is Nintendo making money from Pokemon Go?

I don't understand how a free app with no micro transactions or in-game advertising is making a profit?

There are in game purchases.

[megladon8]

Ah I didn't realize I thought it was all free.

[Ezee E]

Ah I didn't realize I thought it was all free.

I haven't really heard anyone actually buying whatever they sell though.

[Scar]

I haven't really heard anyone actually buying whatever they sell though.

:|

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-go-takes-up-nearly-half-of-all-mobile-gami/1100-6441926/

[Skitch]

DAMN!!

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2016/07/19/neverwinter-launches-for-free-today-on-ps4/

[bac0n]

Well, I guess I know what I'll be checking out after I'm done with No Man's Sky...

[Ezee E]

:|

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-go-takes-up-nearly-half-of-all-mobile-gami/1100-6441926/

Well damn. I'm perfectly content playing it for free, and don't see any reason why others would pay for that stuff.

[Morris Schæffer]

Uncharted 4 was a tremendous game with some of the most lifelike protagonists ever, but sometimes one needs a thrillingly non-stop, no fuss, straightforward blaster and Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, like its predecessor, is that game. Having a total blast!

[Dukefrukem]

Report: Nintendo NX is a tablet with detachable controllers


Maybe the cartridges report was the new NES spin?

[megladon8]

Since it seems unlikely we will get a new Dead Space game any time soon, I wish they would at least put together an HD collection of the three games for new consoles.

Those were so darn good.

[Dukefrukem]

Since it seems unlikely we will get a new Dead Space game any time soon, I wish they would at least put together an HD collection of the three games for new consoles.

Those were so darn good.

Yes! All these friggin HD re-releases and we dont have one for Dead Space yet? THat's crazy. I'd replay through them again.

[megladon8]

I would love, too, if they made the multiplayer section in DS3 playable in single player. I never got to play those sections.

[Dukefrukem]

I would love, too, if they made the multiplayer section in DS3 playable in single player. I never got to play those sections.

I can play those levels with you if you want.

[megladon8]

I can play those levels with you if you want.

That would be awesome, but the problem is my internet. Never able to properly connect in a game.

Thank you though :)

[Ezee E]

One more week til No Man's Sky.

[megladon8]

Waiting for reviews before I pick that one up. I still get the feeling it's too ambitious for its own good, and will end up an empty experience.

I'm replaying the first three Uncharted games before tackling 4. Man these are good.

Also still playing Furi which freaking rocks. Is anyone else here playing this? Difficult and punishing as all hell, but so satisfying. And a serious contender for most stylish game of the year.

[Dukefrukem]

That would be awesome, but the problem is my internet. Never able to properly connect in a game.

Thank you though :)

Yeh but we played Destiny fine didn't we?

[megladon8]

Yeh but we played Destiny fine didn't we?


Well, not "fine" but yeah we played :D

Destiny and Dark Souls are still the only games I've been able to get some kind of connection on. Both were laggy as all hell and I often only won due to sheer laggy glitchiness.

Back when DS3 first came out I tried many-a-time to connect but just never got it to work.

[Dukefrukem]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNHZ9WAertc

[Ezee E]

Looks freaky. I like.

[Skitch]

Almost looks like a Dead Space prequel, so hell yes.

[megladon8]

So just as I thought, preliminary reviews and reviews-in-progress are saying No Man's Sky is a bit of a slog.

[bac0n]

We shall see. It just arrived in the mail. I can't wait to fire it up tonight!

[Scar]

It is downloading right now. Hopefully play a little tonight.

[Scar]

So just as I thought, preliminary reviews and reviews-in-progress are saying No Man's Sky is a bit of a slog.

Kind of figured, but I'm a slogging kind of guy!

And i really need to give Dark Souls a rest. I invaded a guy's game as he was headed to the Abyss Watchers, and slaughtered both him and the friendly phantom he summoned.

I swear the only reason I invaded is because nobody summoned me for ten minutes to help them with the Abyss Watchers!

.....and maybe a twelve pack.

[megladon8]

I found myself kind of disappointed with DS3. Still better than 99% of the other games out there, but I didn't have be drive to play through it several times the way I did with previous entries.

[Sycophant]

Still in the middle of Dark Souls III. Dove into it right after Bloodborne (which might be my favorite Souls-ish game, actually), and maybe I should've waited longer. It's good. It's awesome. It's a really good game. But despite some nifty things, it mostly feels like I've played this before. I hope there's more Bloodbornes in From's future than DS3's.

[megladon8]

Yes you said it perfectly.

[Morris Schæffer]

I'm not sure why. Perhaps because I discovered the tremendous joy of Android emulation or perhaps because I never actually completed it, but I started playing The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past inbetween my bombastic and wholly predictable Black Ops III sessions. Great game. It plays perfectly, my Note 4 the ultimate handheld. :D

[Scar]

I found myself kind of disappointed with DS3. Still better than 99% of the other games out there, but I didn't have be drive to play through it several times the way I did with previous entries.

That's why I didn't get into the Souls games again until now. I played Demons Souls so much, that I needed to recharge and take a break from the series. Hell, I never finished Bloodborne.

[bac0n]

Fired up No Man's Sky last night. Immediately proceeded to download the huge update. Then the game started, the intro screen, then... crash. I tried starting the second time... crash. Third time was a charm. I found myself on a cold-ass planet with my ship stuck in a ravine and out of plutonium. Looks like I need to search for plutonium, but I can't venture too far from the ship for too long, cuz it's tool cold and I need to come back to the ship and warm up or i'll die and fuck it i just got off a 15 hour work day I'm going to bed.

So far, so good!

[Dukefrukem]

Ugh, You're gonna make me buy it before I leave for camping on Thurs....

[Scar]

Fired up No Man's Sky last night. Immediately proceeded to download the huge update. Then the game started, the intro screen, then... crash. I tried starting the second time... crash. Third time was a charm. I found myself on a cold-ass planet with my ship stuck in a ravine and out of plutonium. Looks like I need to search for plutonium, but I can't venture too far from the ship for too long, cuz it's tool cold and I need to come back to the ship and warm up or i'll die and fuck it i just got off a 15 hour work day I'm going to bed.

So far, so good!

You can recharge your life support and other things by harvesting the necessary plutonium or what not, and charge in the field. Go to the exo suit inventory screen, and highlight whichever support system is low, and you'll be able to recharge it if you have the necessary supplies/isotopes/minerals/what not.

[Scar]

Ugh, You're gonna make me buy it before I leave for camping on Thurs....

I'm on the road until Thursday afternoon for work, and then heading up north. I should be able to get back to it Saturday afternoon / evening.

[Dukefrukem]

NIce,

Quantum Break' reaches Steam on September 14th

[Skitch]

DOODS. (https://www.geshl2.com/about/)

[Idioteque Stalker]

With everyone talking about Pokemon Go, it got me wanting to play a proper game. Went out and bought a New 3DS, and it's pretty cool. Not PS Vita cool, but I still like it.

I got Pokemon Alpha Sapphire, Fire Emblem Fates, and Ocarina of Time 3D. Hardly even played Pokemon after all. Ocarina of Time hooked me real good, but I can't beat the damn evil horse trainer to get Epona. I can tell Fire Emblem is my type of game, but I already kinda regret choosing hard mode (apparently normal is hard enough, what with permadeath and all that).

[Idioteque Stalker]

I can already tell the 3DS will get most of its value from providing me a way to play NES and SNES classics I was too young for in their heyday. So far I have Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Metroid. I'm sure most of you have beaten Mario 3 many times, but I'm finding it really hard. Currently stuck in the third world. As for Metroid--this is fucking awesome. Great atmosphere.

What other NES/SNES classics should I get? I'm eyeing Mega Man, Super Mario World, and A Link to the Past.

[Skitch]

I didnt know they had so many classics on 3ds. Hmmm maybe i should get one too. Super Mario World is all best Mario game. Lots of variety and depth.

[Idioteque Stalker]

This wasn't made clear to me upon purchasing (luckily I just splurged anyway), but you have to have the New 3DS to play SNES games for some reason. The regular ol' 3DS will only play NES classics.

[Skitch]

Cool, thanks for the heads up.

[megladon8]

No Man's Sky is pretty neat. Very relaxing, actually.

I just found a planet that is rainbow coloured, with giant eels flying all through the sky, and all sorts of living vegetation that's dancing and bouncing around on the ground.

I called it Wonderland.

[megladon8]

No Man's Sky is pretty neat. Very relaxing, actually.

I just found a planet that is rainbow coloured, with giant eels flying all through the sky, and all sorts of living vegetation that's dancing and bouncing around on the ground.

I called it Wonderland.

[Skitch]

I've been watching the livestreams of NMS intently, as I don't have the time to play such a game at this stage of life. I've just started Bioshock Infinite, and I'm blown away by the graphics on this game. And everything else, quite frankly.

[Milky Joe]

I can already tell the 3DS will get most of its value from providing me a way to play NES and SNES classics I was too young for in their heyday. So far I have Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Metroid. I'm sure most of you have beaten Mario 3 many times, but I'm finding it really hard. Currently stuck in the third world. As for Metroid--this is fucking awesome. Great atmosphere.

What other NES/SNES classics should I get? I'm eyeing Mega Man, Super Mario World, and A Link to the Past.

You should really go ahead and get the 3DS Zelda game A Link Between Worlds as well as Super Mario Land 3D. They are some of the best games Nintendo has released in either franchise and they both draw heavily on the classic games.

There is a lot of good new stuff for the 3DS so using it just to play NES games seems like a waste to me!

[Idioteque Stalker]

There is a lot of good new stuff for the 3DS so using it just to play NES games seems like a waste to me!

Oh, agreed. I'm playing current games on it too. Mainly Fire Emblem Fates. I actually borrowed my friend's 3DS years ago and played A Link Between Worlds. Great game. As far as 3DS exclusives go, I've been thinking about getting Mario Golf: World Tour next. Or Majora's Mask 3d, if that counts.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Playing through Ocarina of Time for the first time has me thinking about great video game soundtracks. For instance I found this awesome dungeon cut from the original Legend of Zelda. It's so easy to imagine this game getting under some 80s kid's skin.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMssCMqMHuk

I ended up finding FACT's top 100 list (http://www.factmag.com/2015/04/28/the-100-greatest-video-game-soundtracks-best-ost/). Some of this music made a huge impression on me, but I realized while clicking through that I usually let gameplay overshadow soundtracks so that the best music ends up making a lasting impression primarily in my subconscious. Regardless, while sampling music from FACT's list there were some cool moments when it all came back to me: "Oh yeah! Fuck yeah!" Most of my gaming has been done during the Sony era, so as a result most of my favorites from the list are more recent, less chip-tuney--I guess on the whole more ambient?

Machinarium
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee (so crucial to the perplexing humorous/haunting tone of that game)
Fez (didn't realize it's the same guy who did the It Follows soundtrack)
Kirby's Deam Land
FTL (this might be my all-time fave)
Chrono Cross (major nostalgia)
Superbrothers: Sword and Sorcery EP
Bioshock Infinite
Super Mario Bros. (duh)
Journey (duh)
Ocarina of Time (duh)
The Last of Us
Ico (I think the clip is from the save points where they sit together? So gorgeous--sounds like Aphex Twin)

Super Metroid is currently making a big impression, and I'm now even more eager to play Kentucky Route Zero.

[Gittes]

I'd have to think more about which soundtracks are best, but there are several specific tracks from various games that I think are very nice. This beautiful thing Koji Kondo prepared for the closing credits of Super Mario 64 is pretty special:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ruqn1Lnexs

Also, shout-out to Kelly Bailey's "CP Violation" from Half-Life 2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8l81NX9X6w), AKA the most propulsive bit of video game music ever?

Then, of course, there's "Gerudo Valley" from Ocarina of Time (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy0aEj85ifY). Another Kondo track. That one felt like a real eye (or ear) opener back in 1998, in terms of making me realize what video game music could be and the heights it could reach, etc.

[megladon8]

Best video game soundtrack of all time is Unreal.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Nice call on Half-Life 2. Never played Unreal.

It's funny going over the list again. Rez is one of my favorite games, and people who have played it know how integral the music is--but divorced from the gameplay it sounds pretty typical imo. Trance or whatever isn't really my favorite genre anyway.

Conversely, Jet Set Radio is a game I tried recently but couldn't get into--and the music is awesome.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mizSUxxuCiY


EDIT: Wow, Katamari Damacy is super cool as well. Never played it.

[Skitch]

I'm playing Bioshock Infinite now and it reminds me the original had one of the creepiest scores ever. I never tire of the Link to the Past music.

[Milky Joe]

Earthbound and Mother 3 both have two of the greatest game soundtracks (games too).

[Idioteque Stalker]

I'm interested to hear your thoughts on Bioshock Infinite as a whole. As far as the soundtrack goes, the way it ties in story and theme is enough for me to call it a favorite.

As for the the original Bioshock, I haven't played it in a while but I can't wait for the remasters.

[Stay Puft]

Mirror's Edge might be my favorite.

Ico and Shadow of the Colossus have gorgeous soundtracks, as well.

[megladon8]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VfBy2i1AHuY

[Dukefrukem]

We're talking about best soudtracks? I think you guys are confusing Unreal with Unreal Tournament


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_0G6WPuss4

[Dukefrukem]

Also the best video game soundtrack is Final Fantasy VIII


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6kAwpgW29M

[Morris Schæffer]

Great game soundtracks? Here are some of mine

- The Last Ninja (c64) basic of course but catchy.
- contra 3, axelay (super nes)
- alien 3 (super nes)
- metal gear solid (psone)
- turrican 2 (amiga 500)

[Morris Schæffer]

I'm interested to hear your thoughts on Bioshock Infinite as a whole. As far as the soundtrack goes, the way it ties in story and theme is enough for me to call it a favorite.

As for the the original Bioshock, I haven't played it in a while but I can't wait for the remasters.

Mine? Good game good story gorgeous visuals. Still, more of a visual and narrative masterpiece than a gameplay one. I found the shooting action somewhat pedestrian and repetitive. Take those powerlines. Metroid prime corruption did it earlier and better in the Skytown levels.

[megladon8]

So I've already come across a planet that was discovered by someone else.

I thought the chances of this happening were supposed to be almost nil? Let alone within the first week.

[Scar]

So I've already come across a planet that was discovered by someone else.

I thought the chances of this happening were supposed to be almost nil? Let alone within the first week.

Were you free exploring on the galaxy map or did you warp to an area already discovered?

[megladon8]

I just warped to a new star system and the first planet I went to had already been discovered.

[Dukefrukem]

So I've already come across a planet that was discovered by someone else.

I thought the chances of this happening were supposed to be almost nil? Let alone within the first week.

This is why I didn't buy the game.

Someone somewhere is lying.

http://www.techradar.com/us/news/gaming/players-have-already-met-in-no-man-s-sky-but-it-didn-t-go-as-you-d-expect-1326352

[Idioteque Stalker]

Mine? Good game good story gorgeous visuals. Still, more of a visual and narrative masterpiece than a gameplay one. I found the shooting action somewhat pedestrian and repetitive. Take those powerlines. Metroid prime corruption did it earlier and better in the Skytown levels.

Haven't played that Metroid game, but I agree with everything you said. Narratively/thematically the game blew my mind (exposing me as a sci-fi noob I'm sure), but I'm scared I wouldn't even be able to make it through again if I tried because of the monster closets, etc.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Kill Screen gave No Man's Sky a shockingly high score. (https://killscreen.com/articles/no-mans-sky-theater-processes/) Never would've pegged them as fans. Still probably not going to buy it, but I'm slightly more interested.


No Man’s Sky is not a “walking simulator,” but it is a game where wandering, exploring, and experiencing landscapes is its most powerful aspect. This relationship to landscape is not an abstract quality—it stems from the lived experience of Murray and others and from their need to share the fantasies that grow within those experiences. Many see games as the chance to fulfill our dreams as players, to achieve our impossible desires. No Man’s Sky, despite appearances, refuses to bow this, becoming instead the actualization of the dreams of its creators, their well-cultivated obsessions.

[Gittes]

I was just thinking that there is nothing I'm interested in playing in the remainder of 2016, but then I remembered The Last Guardian is actually coming out in October, which is amazing.

http://gifyu.com/images/TLGjumpsplash.gif

[Dukefrukem]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=210&v=gZHO9KugwTQ

[Dukefrukem]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YasVqns7AVg

[Dukefrukem]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS05LB-3W4c

[Dukefrukem]

PS4 slim incoming ( i think it's the size of a Wii )

https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QyECVMyTjhIQn1uttgtiB6rAASM=/0x0:1920x1080/640x360/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50470157/ps4_slim.0.0.jpg

[Morris Schæffer]

Haven't played that Metroid game, but I agree with everything you said. Narratively/thematically the game blew my mind (exposing me as a sci-fi noob I'm sure), but I'm scared I wouldn't even be able to make it through again if I tried because of the monster closets, etc.

And I should add that the finale on that airship was baaaaaaaaad. An obnoxious onslaught of ennemies with nary a chance to seek cover and tasked to somehow to defend a generator from being destroyed while the slowdown makes it quite difficult to aim.

[Dukefrukem]

More PS news, PlayStation Plus Pricing Is Going Up On September 22 to $60/year.

[Dukefrukem]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=674&v=__i_LoRKhJ0

[Skitch]

Whoa, PS4 on PC.

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2016/08/23/playstation-now-coming-to-pc-dualshock-4-usb-wireless-adaptor-unveiled/

[Stay Puft]

Whoa, PS4 on PC.

PS3, actually.

I'd prefer native PC ports over a streaming service, but still, this is certainly cool and rather monumental.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Inside came out on PS4 today. As good as Limbo was, it was clearly just a warm-up for this. Everybody here should play it. I beat it in three hours.

[Gittes]

Inside came out on PS4 today. As good as Limbo was, it was clearly just a warm-up for this. Everybody here should play it. I beat it in three hours.

Yeah, I really want to play it. Nice to see that it's out on the PS4. I thought the wait was going to be longer. I know next to nothing about it except that it's from the folks who did Limbo, and that many people liked it. I'm going to try to go into it with as little information as possible.

[Idioteque Stalker]

That's what I did, and it's definitely a good way to approach the game. Without spoiling anything let me just say the presentation, puzzle design, and thematic concerns are fantastic, and although I can't prove it (Playdead is very reclusive, apparently) there's a huge Shane Carruth influence here.

[Gittes]

there's a huge Shane Carruth influence here.

Since reading this, I've been trying to convince myself that it isn't a spoiler, lol. It made me assume that something in particular is involved here, plot-wise, but then again, I don't know for sure.

[Skitch]

PS3, actually.

I'd prefer native PC ports over a streaming service, but still, this is certainly cool and rather monumental.

The dualshock 4 threw me off :D

[bac0n]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=210&v=gZHO9KugwTQ

Yikes. I would seriously lose my shit playing this game.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gittes]

Inside came out on PS4 today. As good as Limbo was, it was clearly just a warm-up for this. Everybody here should play it. I beat it in three hours.

Hey, I just have a quick question about Inside, if you don't mind answering (sans spoilers, please). Would you say there's much in the way of replay value here? Is it a dense game in terms of details, secrets, etc., that might be caught on subsequent tries? Basically, I'm desperately trying to convince myself that it's OK to pay the somewhat hefty fee (nearly $30) for a game that is only four hours. I'm for quality, not quantity, but if the game lends itself to replaying, that would be nice.

[Ezee E]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=674&v=__i_LoRKhJ0

I thought this was cancelled?

[Dukefrukem]

I thought this was cancelled?

It was. It's back.

[Ezee E]

It was. It's back.

GREAT news.

[Gittes]

New The Last Guardian screenshots. Very nice.

https://www.jp.playstation.com/blog/20160811-trico-06.jpg
https://www.jp.playstation.com/blog/20160811-trico-03.jpg

More here (https://www.jp.playstation.com/blog/detail/3493/20160811-trico.html).

[Morris Schæffer]

http://www.gamersyde.com/news_psm_ps4_pro_unveiled_comi ng_nov_10-18343_en.html

PS4 Pro, the 4K one, out Nov 10th. will cost 399 $

It does not have a Ultra HD blu-ray drive however. To be expected I suppose given the price, or unforgivable?!

[Lazlo]

http://www.gamersyde.com/news_psm_ps4_pro_unveiled_comi ng_nov_10-18343_en.html

PS4 Pro, the 4K one, out Nov 10th. will cost 399 $

It does not have a Ultra HD blu-ray drive however. To be expected I suppose given the price, or unforgivable?!

Seems like a mistake/oversight given that the XBOX One S plays them and Project Scorpio almost certainly will too. Maybe it's just Sony reading the tea leaves and guessing that those discs are never going to become a widely used thing. I can totally believe that they won't even though physical media is always preferable to me. I had a Netflix envelope on my desk the other week waiting to take to the post office and my co-workers couldn't believe I had it. One didn't even know that Neflix still rented discs. Another was unsure why I'd bother and was dumbfounded when I told her about the selection gap between discs and streaming. I think discs are dying quickly.

[Dukefrukem]

No one gives a shit about 4K right now. It's not NEARLY as important as Blu-ray was for Sony. It's something they can easily add in later if it takes off. But right now, 4K's adoption rate is slower than HD-DVD.

[Morris Schæffer]

No one gives a shit about 4K right now. It's not NEARLY as important as Blu-ray was for Sony. It's something they can easily add in later if it takes off. But right now, 4K's adoption rate is slower than HD-DVD.

UHD support can be added in via a software update? That's probably not what you mean. I just dunno man. This console's existence is surprising as it is, a stop-gap solution, an inbetweener of sorts. That's never really been done before and the first thing looking back at me in all reports is just 2 characters: 4K.

[Dukefrukem]

The only reason these new Xboxs and Playstations exist is because the performance of Hololens and PSVR sucks on the current hardware. That's it. Everything else being added is just fluff.

[Ezee E]

I've already forgotten about that space travel game, even the title.

FIFA 17 is out any day now.

[megladon8]

The Last Guardian delayed again, this time because it's so full of bugs.

This game is going to be a mess.

[Gittes]

This game is going to be a mess.

It's a bit curious, given how much time has already elapsed, but something similar happened with Uncharted 4 as it approached its intended December release date and that game turned out well (not perfect, but its issues have more to do with conceptual elements, rather than technical execution). Sure, UC4 wasn't in development for quite as long, but we're also talking about very different development teams…I wonder about the size of Ueda's team relative to the ambitions of this project. Anyway, delays can be good. As the Miyamoto quote goes, "A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad."

I don't even think I'm necessarily being biased here because I really want the game to be good. It's just that the idea of discovering a lot of bugs as you near a release date seems understandable to me. Caring enough to address the bugs rather than pushing it out early to meet a release date also sounds sensible. I guess some are surprised because it's been so long and there's this assumption that these issues should have been worked out earlier, but those kind of arguments puzzle me a bit when they're coming from folks who don't really know what the development process has been like, or what kind of hurdles or limitations they've been dealing with.

[Idioteque Stalker]

I'm looking forward to the game but it has clearly been mismanaged all to hell. I agree that delays never hurt a game in and of itself, but there is a stigma attached to The Last Guardian and I can understand why. When developers like Bioware and Naughty Dog have each released entire series of hugely ambitious AAA games (plus more) in the time it takes you to release one art house game then something is obviously wrong. I hope it's great, but it will literally have to be one of the best games of the generation by consensus if it is to meet gamers' expectations following a 10+ year development cycle.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Hey, I just have a quick question about Inside, if you don't mind answering (sans spoilers, please). Would you say there's much in the way of replay value here?

Eh, not really, at least for me. There's trophies to get, secrets to find, etc. I played through Limbo once, and it'll probably be the same with Inside. I do think it's a better game, however, so it's possible I'll return to it just to experience it again. At the very least I'll likely try to get one of my friends to play it and just watch them.

It would be the perfect redbox game, but oh well.

[Gittes]

I'm looking forward to the game but it has clearly been mismanaged all to hell. I agree that delays never hurt a game in and of itself, but there is a stigma attached to The Last Guardian and I can understand why. When developers like Bioware and Naughty Dog have each released entire series of hugely ambitious AAA games (plus more) in the time it takes you to release one art house game then something is obviously wrong. I hope it's great, but it will literally have to be one of the best games of the generation by consensus if it is to meet gamers' expectations following a 10+ year development cycle.

But this suggests that there is an equivalency between Bioware and Naughty Dog's respective teams and their respective projects — not to mention the unique contingencies of each development process — and the very specific instance of The Last Guardian. Uniting these disparate examples by one broad stroke, and suggesting that one team's success with one game is somehow representative of a kind of universal model of game development, from which Ueda and his team have now deviated, seems specious.

I can see how some might believe I'm being too charitable, but it has been noted that he is working with a small team — perhaps 20 people or less — and with a small budget. These are not the blockbuster operations of a Naughty Dog or Bioware. I just think the better way to respond to this, rather than amplifying the stigma, is to consider the vagaries of production (especially cross-generational production), and the limitations of the development staff vis-a-vis the scope of the project. The only unequivocal misstep that I can really feel comfortable speaking to, without delving into assumptions and potentially hasty remarks, is that they should not have revealed this game until…really, this year. That was a PR blunder, and I imagine the reveal in 2007 was symptomatic of an earlier confidence in being able to pull this off much quicker.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Your points are well taken. What I should've focused on in regards to the Bioware/ND comparison is not that it has taken them this long to release the game, but rather that they announced the game so long ago. PR and the development team in the trenches are not in sync, and that's what I mean when I say the game has been mismanaged. I certainly wouldn't claim to know anything about game development, but I do know that had 2016 been the triumphant return of Team Ico after 10 years of silence and rumors then the public would've rejoiced. As it stands now--after announcement, delays on PS3, utter silence, rumors of being cancelled, a re-reveal on PS4, and now more delays--the game's reputation has been tarnished, possibly beyond repair. A few delays are one thing, but honestly this is pretty bogus.

That said, it's still a day one buy for me because reputation has nothing to do with quality, and the game looks cool. :)

[Gittes]

PR and the development team in the trenches are not in sync, and that's what I mean when I say the game has been mismanaged.

Yeah, that's fair. I agree. Like I said above, it would have been ideal for them to make the first announcement this year. It should never have been shown way back in 2007. I guess this is the kind of thing Valve has been trying to avoid by adopting radio silence with regards to Half-Life 3.



As it stands now--after announcement, delays on PS3, utter silence, rumors of being cancelled, a re-reveal on PS4, and now more delays--the game's reputation has been tarnished, possibly beyond repair.

I've only taken a really cursory glance at some of the reactions outside of this forum, but it seems like the enthusiasm is unabated for some. Long waits can occasionally stoke anticipation (i.e., Shenmue 3, Half-Life) rather than deflate it. It remains to be seen how the optics of this situation will affect Ueda and Sony going forward, though — it might be instructive for them, or the same thing will happen again (Nintendo has been doing this for a while and their hardcore fans have proven resilient; certain beloved games/properties seem to inure themselves against the possibility of alienating fans via delays).



That said, it's still a day one buy for me because reputation has nothing to do with quality, and the game looks cool. :)

Just to be clear, I'm not saying it's guaranteed to be perfect or really great. I could totally see it falling short of its aspirations; that's a distinct possibility. I just don't see a lot of inarguable reasons to be leaning in that direction at this point.

[Gittes]

Eh, not really, at least for me. There's trophies to get, secrets to find, etc. I played through Limbo once, and it'll probably be the same with Inside. I do think it's a better game, however, so it's possible I'll return to it just to experience it again. At the very least I'll likely try to get one of my friends to play it and just watch them.

It would be the perfect redbox game, but oh well.

Thanks for this, BTW. Still looking forward to playing Inside. After that, I need to figure out if there's anything else coming out before December that interests me. Maybe Gravity Rush 2.

[Morris Schæffer]

Oh crap Pinball Arcade feels like the best app ever right now. :cool:

I got it for my Galaxy Note 4 and paid about 7 $ for Terminator 2 Judgment Day since the tables aren't free. But it feels so awesome with all the digitized sounds you could wish for.

The app features exact recreations of the all-time greatest pinball tables from Williams®, Bally®, Stern®, and Gottlieb®.

http://www.pinballarcade.com/

[Gittes]

I took a break from Doom (2016) for about two months, I think. Just returned to it yesterday and beat the Cyberdemon — a very fun boss fight, and precisely the kind of change of pace I wanted. After that, though, I was reminded why I stopped playing for so long: it's just a tad repetitive.

I mean, what they've nailed down here is superb and fine-tuned. But they just keep delivering that particular experience again and again. There are some differences — neat changes in location, some platforming — but it's ultimately all about clearing one room after another. On the one hand, the gameplay is propulsive and exciting and it's unlikely that one would become especially bored during any of the combat. On the other hand, some degree of boredom remains a factor, as there's just not enough here to energize a lengthy gameplay session. At first, I found myself getting absorbed for long stretches of time. Lately, however, after spending a half hour clearing one chamber, and knowing there'll likely be something awfully similar waiting for me around the corner, the experience threatens to become quite dull. So, yeah, it helps to take breaks and wait for the interest to return. With Uncharted 4, I couldn't wait to get back to playing it as soon as possible, but this one isn't quite as involving.

Another related problem is that the roster of enemies expands somewhat slowly, and, despite the new additions that appear as you go along, you continue to encounter many familiar (albeit very well animated and impressively hideous) faces.

[Morris Schæffer]

Rez in VR next week! You lock on ennemies by moving your head towards them! How crazy is that? I'm dying to give this a shot and see reality evaporate around me. Wish Portal 2 would get a VR remaster too!

[bac0n]

Rez in VR next week! You lock on ennemies by moving your head towards them! How crazy is that? I'm dying to give this a shot and see reality evaporate around me. Wish Portal 2 would get a VR remaster too!

I picked the wrong month to give up acid!

[Dukefrukem]

Rez in VR next week! You lock on ennemies by moving your head towards them! How crazy is that? I'm dying to give this a shot and see reality evaporate around me. Wish Portal 2 would get a VR remaster too!

I played it. It's fun.

[bac0n]

FYI, I am still playing No Man's Sky. I have no idea why. Perhaps it's to mine minerals, sell them, and save enough money for a ship with more cargo space. So I can accumulate more stuff to sell to acquire for a ship with even more space. Which will allow me to store more stuff for a ship with larger space still. Which will...

[Dukefrukem]

Meanwhile I'm level 116 in Fallout 4

[Ezee E]

FYI, I am still playing No Man's Sky. I have no idea why. Perhaps it's to mine minerals, sell them, and save enough money for a ship with more cargo space. So I can accumulate more stuff to sell to acquire for a ship with even more space. Which will allow me to store more stuff for a ship with larger space still. Which will...

Ha. A friend of mine got to a planet where he landed his ship on a floating rock of some sort, fell off, and has no possible way of getting back on the ship. If he kills himself, nothing changes, back on the planet with the ship a distance away.

He's pretty deep in, so he doesn't want to restart either. Looks like he's finished.

[bac0n]

Ha. A friend of mine got to a planet where he landed his ship on a floating rock of some sort, fell off, and has no possible way of getting back on the ship. If he kills himself, nothing changes, back on the planet with the ship a distance away.

He's pretty deep in, so he doesn't want to restart either. Looks like he's finished.

If he can find an outpost nearby, there's some device that allows you to call your ship to it. Maybe that can unstick him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gittes]

This is a cool thing. I guess there's no turning back now. I hope.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CtZe306XgAAGXvk.jpg:large

[Scar]

I've wandered away from No Mans Sky. I invested a lot of time in it, but just wandered off. Maybe I'll come back when the temps plummet.

[megladon8]

I am one trophy away from getting Platinum in No Man's sky, but a glitch will not let me get it.

The trophy is the one for spending time in extreme environments.

I got to level 8 on that challenge, and it has stopped registering time I spend in extreme environments. The countdown won't move.

No better way for a game to make me say "fuck this" and never touch it again.

[Gittes]

Here are some illuminating comments about AAA video game development from Amy Hennig (formerly of Naughty Dog, now working with Visceral Games on a Star Wars title that is probably going to be amazing). They're taken from this article (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2016-10-06-were-definitely-at-the-point-where-somethings-gotta-give). The quotes are taken from a longer podcast interview (https://www.idlethumbs.net/designernotes/episodes/amy-hennig), which I'm sure is worth a listen.


While Hennig admitted that she wouldn't change anything that meant she hadn't made games like the Uncharted series, she admitted to having a clearer view of the issue when looking at the experiences of other people. When asked if making AAA games was worth the lifestyle that goes along with it, she replied, "I don't think so."

"There's people who never go home and see their families. They have children who are growing up without seeing them," she said. "I didn't have my own kids. I chose my career in lots of ways, and I could be single-minded like that. When I was making sacrifices, did it affect my family? Yes, but it was primarily affecting me and I could make that choice. But when I look at other people... I mean, my health really declined, and I had to take care of myself, because it was, like, bad. And there were people who, y'know, collapsed, or had to go and check themselves in somewhere when one of these games were done. Or they got divorced. That's not okay, any of that. None of this is worth that.


The question, then, is: "How can we still make games like this in a way that is sane and responsible and ethical? Because we're not doing it right now."

I also really like her point, near the end of the article, about wanting to move away from a demanding focus on making enormous games that try to scratch every itch. Her proposed alternative of making "the best fucking six hour game you've ever seen" has a ready appeal. I mean, imagine the talent of Naughty Dog being poured into a six hour game — there are so many reasons why everyone would win in that situation. I would be thrilled if Naughty Dog announced that the sequel to The Last of Us was going to be a solid six hours. I read about games like The Witcher 3 and I'm exhausted just thinking about them — it sounds awesome, but also unwieldy, sprawling, perhaps even sloppy. I don't want to throw all expansive games under the bus, as I think they can be done really well, and I'm a fan of them. But I love the idea of major studios leveraging their skills for the sake of something more low-key.

I haven't played Left Behind, so I can't speak to Naughty Dog's short-form efforts. I suspect that the upcoming single-player DLC for Uncharted 4 will bear these points out, though. We'll see a kind of concision there, and maybe even something that is sometimes absent from these games — the sense of having experienced something without gorging yourself on it. I'd like to feel…not so full (or gluttonous, even) at the end of a game. The idea should be to make gamers want a little more of a certain thing at the end, and to encourage them to treasure what has been provided.

[Dukefrukem]

I like both.

But the single player games I fall in love with tend to be the long games. Mass Effect, Uncharted, Dead Space, Fallout.... These games I have fond memories of.

Then there's the short games, Limbo, Games that hit the perfect note or tone, Resident Evil, or multiplayer games that I can't put down, and don't require a lot of people to work on massive different set pieces, Left 4 Dead.

PS- I hear Naught Dog is working on Uncharted 5.

[bac0n]

I decided to take a break from No Man's Sky - needed to do something other than mine/sell Emeril for a change - so I fired up Witcher 3 and played the latest DLC, Blood & Wine. Ahhhhh, after the loneliness that is NMS, it is SO refreshing to see worlds that look alive with things you can actually interact with in a meaningful way.

So far, the DLC is pretty solid. A huge new region about 2/3 the size of Velen, and much more interesting scenery-wise. Has a very camelot-y feel to it, the terrain invoking south east France. I think this is going to be a welcome change from the monotony of NMS. Oooh, and there's a new armor set to build!

[megladon8]

Nearing the end of BioShock. Still holds up 100%. Brilliant game.

[Morris Schæffer]

The fireworks in Just Cause 3 is just soooo deliciously awesome!!!!!!!!! I can't even begin to fathom the ridiculous exploderama that lies ahead!

[Ezee E]

Duke, 5 stars for Alien: Isolation?

I liked the game a ton when I was hiding away from the actual Xenomorph, and figuring out how to trap it or use it to attack the soldiers.

But then come the androids, and it got so repetitive and boring that I didn't even finish. It felt like you should've had to have had a different tactic against them in my opinion.

[Dukefrukem]

Duke, 5 stars for Alien: Isolation?

I liked the game a ton when I was hiding away from the actual Xenomorph, and figuring out how to trap it or use it to attack the soldiers.

But then come the androids, and it got so repetitive and boring that I didn't even finish. It felt like you should've had to have had a different tactic against them in my opinion.

Yeh I loved it.

I should disclose that I also loved Outlast too.

Just played the demo of Outlast 2, and it's going to be more of the same... which is awesome.

[Ezee E]

Yeh I loved it.

I should disclose that I also loved Outlast too.

Just played the demo of Outlast 2, and it's going to be more of the same... which is awesome.

Never played Outlast. Will 2 be out for PS4? Looks creepy.

By the way, best parts in the Alien game is hiding in the locker and trying to not breathe as the Xenomorph walks around.

[Gittes]

I have next to no interest in Final Fantasy XV, but the Chocobo aspects are really impressive. Fluid, well-animated, open-world traversal via Chocobo is not quite enough to warrant a purchase, but it's neat.

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--osu-ZXbR--/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_ 800/1437457138125475624.gif

https://media.giphy.com/media/3o72EVi8AX3vgm7EFa/giphy.gif

http://image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2016/32/1470823106-reff5.png

[Dukefrukem]

I stopped playing Final Fantasy after the awful XIII

[Dukefrukem]

Never played Outlast. Will 2 be out for PS4? Looks creepy.

By the way, best parts in the Alien game is hiding in the locker and trying to not breathe as the Xenomorph walks around.

Yes. Outlast is out on PS4 now. I recommend it. Play it with the lights off and headphones if possible.

The finale is some of the best horror gaming ever.

[Idioteque Stalker]

That's basically the last one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dukefrukem]

That's basically the last one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What do you mean?

[Idioteque Stalker]

What do you mean?

Nothing much really, it's just the implication of your post is that not playing after 13 is possibly some kind of statement--when it was the most recent traditional game. So I guess everyone in the world is right there with you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dukefrukem]

Nothing much really, it's just the implication of your post is that not playing after 13 is possibly some kind of statement--when it was the most recent traditional game. So I guess everyone in the world is right there with you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Except it wasn't.

Final Fantasy XIII - 2009
Final Fantasy XIII-2 - 2011
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII - 2013

[Idioteque Stalker]

Except it wasn't.

Final Fantasy XIII - 2009
Final Fantasy XIII-2 - 2011
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII - 2013

Haha I forgot about all that shit. Your point stands. I've been out of that franchise since X so I kinda forgot how ridiculous it had gotten. People do seem to like XII though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dukefrukem]

I almost got out at X too- but I stayed in for XII which I never finished (hated the open world aspect... probably why I never finished Metal Gear Solid V too) and played XIII half way through before I got so stick and tied of all the footsteps clanking down hallways. I hear it actually gets better towards the 2nd half but I couldn't stand it anymore.

[Winston*]

I almost got out at X too- but I stayed in for XII which I never finished (hated the open world aspect... probably why I never finished Metal Gear Solid V too) and played XIII half way through before I got so stick and tied of all the footsteps clanking down hallways. I hear it actually gets better towards the 2nd half but I couldn't stand it anymore.

It's a weirdly unbalanced game: the first half is overly linear, and then when they go to another planet in the second half it becomes overly open.

Can't remember a single thing about the plot. Had to Google it to even remember who the main character was.

[Winston*]

http://image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2016/32/1470823106-reff5.png

The more realistic the graphics get in these games, the more the dudes in them look like tossers.

[Skitch]

8, 9, and 10 were my jam. Loved 7 as well but didn't make it as far as I did in those three sequels. Quit 11 after about ten hours because hit a steep difficulty curve, and 13 has been sitting on my shelf waiting. I got it for like $2.50 so I though I'd at least give it a spin sometime.

[Gittes]

8, 9, and 10 were my jam. Loved 7 as well but didn't make it as far as I did in those three sequels.

I hear that FFIX is amazing. They released it on iOS somewhat recently, with higher resolution character models and a fast-forward feature (the pace of the battles was a problem for some, I think). It's long been on my list of games that I intend to play eventually.

I've actually only played VII, which is among my favourite games. I'm intrigued by the upcoming remake, but I'm wary of the battle system. I remember renting XIII and being so perplexed by the battles. I had no clue what was going on, really. I'm accustomed to traditional, turn-based systems.

[Gittes]

By the way, more details were disclosed (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo9UzMWV_Ro) about Resident Evil 7. The more I learn about this game, the more optimistic I become. The remastered Resident Evil remake selling well and P.T. becoming something of a phenomenon may have finally turned the tide away from hulking, musclebound heroes disintegrating boulders with a single punch, and all of the preposterousness that RE4 ushered into the series.

I can't believe it's coming out as soon as January 24th.

[Dukefrukem]

I've played:

FF II, IV, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII....

Out of all those I've beat VII, 3 times and put in about 500 hour into that game.
Beat Ruby and Emerald Weapon.
Literally farmed Golden Saucer to reach level 99.
Bread hours of chocobos to get Knights of the Round
And Got the Ultimate Weapon.

The only game I hold at a higher level is Half-Life 2.

[Ezee E]

By the way, more details were disclosed (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo9UzMWV_Ro) about Resident Evil 7. The more I learn about this game, the more optimistic I become. The remastered Resident Evil remake selling well and P.T. becoming something of a phenomenon may have finally turned the tide away from hulking, musclebound heroes disintegrating boulders with a single punch, and all of the preposterousness that RE4 ushered into the series.

I can't believe it's coming out as soon as January 24th.

Loved Resident Evil 4, but yes, this will be a nice change/return of pace.

[Skitch]

I've never finished a Final Fantasy game :(. I always stumble past that point of no return too early when exploring.

[Idioteque Stalker]

I don't know much about Eve Online, but found this pretty fascinating. (http://www.polygon.com/2016/10/13/13269612/eve-online-gambling-ban-iwantisk-mittani-world-war-bee) I guess in 2016 I shouldn't be so amazed, but when they started explaining how the gambling underground is influenced by faction wars, perceived strength of leaders, etc--it seems pretty wild to me.

[Winston*]

I've played:

FF II, IV, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII....


You haven't played VI? I played it for the first time a couple years ago on my phone and the nostalgia is earned.

[Dukefrukem]

You haven't played VI? I played it for the first time a couple years ago on my phone and the nostalgia is earned.

It's on my very long queue of games to play. :(

[Dukefrukem]

This is a really weird sequence in a FPS.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=157&v=uLW4k0a2G8A

[Gittes]

I don't know much about Eve Online, but found this pretty fascinating. (http://www.polygon.com/2016/10/13/13269612/eve-online-gambling-ban-iwantisk-mittani-world-war-bee) I guess in 2016 I shouldn't be so amazed, but when they started explaining how the gambling underground is influenced by faction wars, perceived strength of leaders, etc--it seems pretty wild to me.

I've never played an MMO, but what I've gleaned about how extreme and complicated the immersion can become is...interesting and, obviously, troubling.


This is a really weird sequence in a FPS.

I like it.

[Gittes]

Somehow, I only just learned about Machinarium (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diXcQSVKhFc) and Samorost 3 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-Hx3xIefV8). It seems like they've elicited a ton of positive reactions and the visuals are lovely. See the links for trailers. They're both available on iOS, Android, Windows and Mac. Machinarium is also available on PS3 and was recently released on PS4. There isn't a console version of Samorost 3 yet, unfortunately.

Samorost 3 (which, despite being a sequel, was still designed as a standalone experience):
http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/332511359e5252fbeeda5ea8473dca b8-650-80.jpg

Machinarium:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/db/Machinarium-ss.png

[Winston*]

Gone deep into Fallout 4. It's so easy to just sink hours into these games. The Sim City component of this one sucks and I don't know why I'm spending any effort on it but I am.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Gittes, those games to me are perfect for watching but not necessarily playing. I'm not a big puzzle/adventure guy so unfortunately the gameplay oftentimes becomes more frustrating than enjoyable, but the art direction and music makes them stand out in a major way. Haven't played Samorost, but Machinarium is pretty scrumptious and Botanicula is actually the only game I've finished from that developer.

Botanicula:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/cc/7c/b6/cc7cb6fa839a6988a60c690468831e 1a.jpg

If the movie Fantastic Planet were a game, I bet it would feel and look a lot like these others:
http://weirdfictionreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/FantasticPlanet7.jpg

[Dukefrukem]

Gone deep into Fallout 4. It's so easy to just sink hours into these games. The Sim City component of this one sucks and I don't know why I'm spending any effort on it but I am.

Did you see my Red Rocket Truck Stop video?

[Gittes]

Gittes, those games to me are perfect for watching but not necessarily playing. I'm not a big puzzle/adventure guy so unfortunately the gameplay oftentimes becomes more frustrating than enjoyable, but the art direction and music makes them stand out in a major way. Haven't played Samorost, but Machinarium is pretty scrumptious and Botanicula is actually the only game I've finished from that developer.

I'm really unaccustomed to point-and-click games, so I'm a bit worried that the actual experience won't appeal to me, but I'm willing to give it a try.

What was distinct about Botanicula? What encouraged you to complete it?

[Idioteque Stalker]

What was distinct about Botanicula? What encouraged you to complete it?

It was pretty much the first game like that I'd ever played and it just wowed me with style. I don't expect it's any better or worse than the others, but it was fresh to me at the time.

My favorite point and click game is definitely Superbrothers: sword and sorcery EP. The tone is incredible. I kinda want to play it again right now.

[Dukefrukem]

787639249864630273

[Gittes]

My favorite point and click game is definitely Superbrothers: sword and sorcery EP. The tone is incredible. I kinda want to play it again right now.

Interesting. I had never heard of this game before now. It seems like it's well-liked. I'll have to look into it.

Speaking of point-and-click adventure games, I sought out this post of mine (see below) from a while back. The Blade Runner game from 1997 was once a source of enormous fascination to me. Unfortunately, I never got to play it outside of a brief but riveted attempt at a computer store. It still hasn't been re-released, despite being beloved by many who had the chance to play it. According to its Wikipedia page, any re-release or remaster is actually impossible because the assets and the source code are now non-existent. I thought one would be able to get a re-release or a remaster going just by working with the information on the existent discs (after all, isn't that essentially how those fans worked on that unofficial remastered version of Half-Life?). Then again, I'm certainly no expert on what that process would actually entail.


Does anyone else recall the 1997 Blade Runner point-and-click game for the PC? This was actually my first experience with Blade Runner. I didn't own the game, but I remember being really taken aback by the visuals and the atmosphere when I saw it running in retail stores. From what I've read, it seems to be held in high esteem by many and is considered to be one of the shining examples of the point-and-click genre (alongside The Secret of Monkey Island games, which I know very little about).

http://media1.gameinformer.com/imagefeed/featured/features/detectivegames/bladerunner.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/2vt5bn4.jpg

[Winston*]

Did you see my Red Rocket Truck Stop video?

Nope. What's that?

Spent a bunch of time doing Brotherhood missions before googling how many of them and finding out they are procedurally generated.

[Dukefrukem]

Nope. What's that?

Spent a bunch of time doing Brotherhood missions before googling how many of them and finding out they are procedurally generated.

http://matchcut.artboiled.com/showthread.php?6128-PIPin-Ain-t-Easy-The-Fallout-4-Thread/page8&p=560563&viewfull=1#post560563

[Dukefrukem]

Oh fuck yeh.

788001608827281408

[bac0n]

ERMAGERD. Instantly my most anticipated game.

[Dukefrukem]

Still not clear if it's a new game or a port- I'm thinking it will be both by how long they are dragging it out.

[Gittes]

I have yet to play any of those games. The last Rockstar game I played was GTA IV, which was diverting but kind of bland after a while. I couldn't even bring myself to finish it. The only Rockstar game that has settled nicely in my memory is Table Tennis. Well, that, and some aspects of Vice City.

Having said that, it seems I may have missed out on their greatest work by skipping over Red Dead Redemption, so I'm going to keep an eye on this new one, as well as any remastered versions that might get announced.

[Dukefrukem]

I want to play RDR on PS4. So I'm hoping for an HD port as well as a new game.

[Morris Schæffer]

What's this? A battlefield game with a great sp campaign? BF1's is apparently great. Thrilling, moving, powerful.

[Scar]

I think we need to sign a petition to get skitch playing RDR again.

[Ezee E]

If you haven't played PS4 Inside, it's a must. I think it's less than $20, made by the makers of Limbo.

It starts off a lot like Limbo, but it only gets creepier, more nightmare-ish as it continues on. Very creative level-making, great sound effects.

A must.

[Idioteque Stalker]

If you haven't played PS4 Inside, it's a must.

Agreed.

After playing through it a while back and being blown away, I watched my friend play all the way through a week ago and enjoyed it even more. Gameplay-wise it's not something I would usually play multiple times (although it is fantastic in that regard), but the narrative/world-building is so compelling and mysterious that I fell deep into the rabbit hole watching my friend play. I noticed all sorts of details I missed the time before, and even he was pointing out things I hadn't noticed during either playthrough.

For me, it is the most easily recommendable game in years. Everyone should play it--gamers and non-gamers alike. It's not "hard" and it shows so much of what video games can do.

[Gittes]

Actually, I started it up a few days ago. I was planning on making a post about it.

I've been limiting myself to relatively short bursts so as to extend the experience as long as I can. I like thinking about it when I'm away from it, and I don't want it to be over too quickly. It's the kind of game that my mind will wander to when I'm lying in bed and trying to fall asleep, which is another way of saying it's pretty fascinating. In fact, as with Bloodborne, it's not only among the very best that the console has to offer, but also easily one of the best games I've ever played.

I also find myself using the screen shot feature quite a bit here, as there's such a consistent array of striking visuals.

There are some more detailed impressions below, but it's probably best not to read them if you haven't played it yet. It's been a lot of fun not knowing how the experience is going to twist itself forward.

Today, I completed the section with the huge blasts that viciously catapult you past the foreground. The violence in this game is so startling: failure generates disturbing results. That's made abundantly clear at the very beginning, which is just such a first-rate introduction.

I then went on to pass what is probably my favourite section so far. It's the bit where you reencounter another of those sinuous, long-haired creatures (shout-out to that dreadful moment where you see it behind the glass before being forced to dive down below!). It's the first time you have to go near one without that cool Bathysphere thing. I absolutely loved how they designed the encounters so that any successful evasion usually means being a hair's breadth away from getting ensnared. Those were probably the tensest video game moments I've gone through since that terrifying basement from The Last of Us.

From there, I made it to the game's strangest and most exquisite moment so far: the intense grappling with one of the creatures, and the slow descent that follows. I stopped shortly after completing the puzzle with the shifting water and the floating box, which you need to carefully arrange so as to leap up into the water and cross over to the other side. I really hope there's a lot left (either way, please don't tell me).

[Idioteque Stalker]

Funny you bring up Bloodborne--I almost mentioned it earlier as an illustration of similarly eerie, cryptic storytelling that suits gaming so well. Eager to hear your thoughts on the rest of the game.

[bac0n]

http://matchcut.artboiled.com/showthread.php?6128-PIPin-Ain-t-Easy-The-Fallout-4-Thread/page8&p=560563&viewfull=1#post560563

Finally watched this. All I can say is DAMN. None of my settlements come even close to what you have going on in Red Rocket.

[Idioteque Stalker]

RDR is my favorite GTA game. I'm so pumped.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ezee E]

Any predictions on what RDR does in the sequel?

[bac0n]

Any predictions on what RDR does in the sequel?

From the looks of the poster, I've a sneaking suspicion that it's going to be a prequel, dealing with Marston's days in his gang, and his attempts to escape it with his wife.

[Skitch]

I think we need to sign a petition to get skitch playing RDR again.

I will when the snow starts falling and work slows down. I just got NFS: Most Wanted so me and kiddo are into that for the time being.

[Dukefrukem]

Finally watched this. All I can say is DAMN. None of my settlements come even close to what you have going on in Red Rocket.

All of my settlements look like that.

[Morris Schæffer]

Not sure if this means anything, but Rockstar has supposedly created the domain Red Dead Online.

Edit: Never mind. Apparently Red Dead Redemption 2 is coming Fall 2017 and the trailer this thursday!

[Winston*]

All of my settlements look like that.

That's insane. I think I'm just going to give up on the settlement aspect completely a this point and power through the main quests.