Video Games...Discuss Them

[Ezee E]

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.

The settlements is what ultimately made me stop playing the game, strangely enough. I got too occupied with that and didn't like it anymore.

[Winston*]

The settlements is what ultimately made me stop playing the game, strangely enough. I got too occupied with that and didn't like it anymore.

Same thing happened to me with the fetch quests in Dragon Age: Inquisition. It's easy to get into the mode where you just mindlessly do these simple tasks.

The main plot in Fallout 4 has been pretty interesting so far though, as have some of the more in-depth side-quests. I like the bit where you go inside that guy's mind, and the part where you pretend to be a radio serial vigilante.

[Dukefrukem]

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.

Might be a wise choice when you get to the Nuka World DLC.

[Gittes]

Well, holy crap at the conclusion to Inside. It's been a really long time since a game literally made my jaw drop. That entire stretch near the end was out of this world. I certainly won't be forgetting any of that!

I can definitely understand the Bloodborne comparison, Idioteque. I'm fond of games that really lean into oblique and vague storytelling. That sort of thing is used toward fantastically eerie ends in both games.

Major spoilers below:

I'm still wondering about the boy's motivation for sneaking onto these grounds in the first place. In the case of Limbo, Playdead explained that the protagonist was searching for his sister or something? Was that also the case here? Was he trying to save someone? Is it possible that the two games are narratively linked somehow?

I keep thinking about that shot that is used as the title screen image: the boy is looking through an immense glass panel and you can see a silhouette standing way down below (https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jbs1mmAGT2aEIMazatNxwaFpoiE=/0x0:1920x1080/1600x900/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46476858/inside-screenshot_1920.0.0.jpg). When you reach that part of the game, the figure runs off and it seems like he or she is being chased by another figure that follows shortly thereafter? Then again, a lot of the personnel can be seen running toward the glass enclosure afterwards, so that could explain it. I'm tempted to think it's freighted with more significance, mostly because it's the logo/title screen image and the composition suggests a missed connection.

Anyway, if he was trying to save or reach someone, then perhaps he actually got the reunion he was seeking, but in the most horrific way — that is, unless Limbo continues from where this game ends.

[Winston*]

Might be a wise choice when you get to the Nuka World DLC.

Definitely not going to buy that.

[megladon8]

The day that I thought would never happen.

This November the Amnesia games are coming to PS4.

So happy I could cry.

[Winston*]

Awesome! Never had a computer powerful enough to play the first one properly.

[Dukefrukem]

Nintendo NX to be unveiled Oct. 20

[Morris Schæffer]

Nintendo NX to be unveiled Oct. 20

I'm probably going to be dissapointed, but intrigued all the same since it's a new console.

[Dukefrukem]

Whelp. Here it is. Hybrid mobile and home console with a tablet element and detachable controllers.

https://s.aolcdn.com/dims5/amp:7275f7089c4d8d7679572a7126 d0c6aa845741d1/q:100/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com %2Fhss%2Fstorage%2Fmidas%2F8e6 dde5c8865f951913719d4e950cbed% 2F204484701%2FScreen%2BShot%2B 2016-10-20%2Bat%2B11.02.06%2BPM.png

https://s.blogcdn.com/slideshows/images/slides/424/048/3/S4240483/slug/l/nintnintendo-switch-multiplayerms800-1.jpg
https://s.blogcdn.com/slideshows/images/slides/424/048/4/S4240484/slug/l/nintscreen-shot-2016-10-20-at-11-01-16-pm-2-ms800-1.jpg
https://s.blogcdn.com/slideshows/images/slides/424/048/7/S4240487/slug/l/nintscreen-shot-2016-10-20-at-7ms800-1.jpg

[Dukefrukem]

https://s.blogcdn.com/slideshows/images/slides/424/048/8/S4240488/slug/l/nintnintendoms800-1.jpg

[Dukefrukem]

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ncD2eMUZ--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_63 6/uoz662c3xl0ckxheaccm.gif

[Dukefrukem]

My god the news across movies and games this week!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db56lW_tPnU

[TGM]

So I'm really not into gaming anymore these days, but the Nintendo Switch is the first console since the Wii to really spark my interest. o.O

[Idioteque Stalker]

Well, holy crap at the conclusion to Inside.

I'm still wondering about the boy's motivation for sneaking onto these grounds in the first place.

In my mind, Playdead's crowning bit of sleight-of-hand is muddying our sense of character motivation and control. Here are some thoughts I wrote down as my friend played the other day:

The real mystery underlying everything is this: what are they (we) making? To what end? And, most importantly, at what cost?

First of all, the mermaid was conceived (by whom exactly?) in order to enable someone to survive upside down and underwater. For some reason, that very speceific environment was necessary to achieve their (our) goals.

Why are we (this boy) sneaking in? If the mind control devices, parasites, etc. affect our consciousnesses as well as our bodies, then how can we even begin to assign intent to any one boy or--maybe more accurately--any one specific piece of flesh?

Is this just a story detailing the lengths to which humanity would go to perceive beauty? If so, it is an overwhelmingly happy and tender conclusion.

[bac0n]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmA6MrX81z4

[number8]

The ambigram-style controller on the Switch is actually really clever.

[megladon8]

The Switch looks pretty cool, but continuing to advertise new systems with games from previous generations is concerning.

[Gittes]

In my mind, Playdead's crowning bit of sleight-of-hand is muddying our sense of character motivation and control. Here are some thoughts I wrote down as my friend played the other day:

The real mystery underlying everything is this: what are they (we) making? To what end? And, most importantly, at what cost?

First of all, the mermaid was conceived (by whom exactly?) in order to enable someone to survive upside down and underwater. For some reason, that very speceific environment was necessary to achieve their (our) goals.

Why are we (this boy) sneaking in? If the mind control devices, parasites, etc. affect our consciousnesses as well as our bodies, then how can we even begin to assign intent to any one boy or--maybe more accurately--any one specific piece of flesh?

Is this just a story detailing the lengths to which humanity would go to perceive beauty? If so, it is an overwhelmingly happy and tender conclusion.


Those are some really interesting thoughts that probe more deeply into the implications of this game. I'm considering completely different aspects now...

I was wondering if Playdead's project here is ultimately less about questioning volitional action — although, given your thoughts and certain aspects of the game, that's clearly an interesting part of the picture — than emphasizing a kind of errant individuality. I also wonder if beauty could actually be considered a motivating factor for the facility? That doesn't seem to link up with those blasts that we see at one point, which suggests that the kind of ventriloquism being developed at the facility is part of a larger military endgame, and is therefore meant to be weaponized. Also, the striking, aesthetic appeal of that long-haired creature seems more incidental than designed — the hair is a sign of extended dormancy, and its graceful movement indicates a long-existent acclimation to its underwater habitat. Individuality emerging and adapting.

We can therefore read the "mermaid" as one of the resilient departures from the regime of control and violence that these people are foolhardily trying to enforce (other departures: the tampering of the red-shirted protagonist, and the failed attempt at homogenization near the end). If the mermaid was the result of an experiment, then it's a failure: it roams freely and dangerously, and is not part of the kind of pliable, submissive ideas that we see elsewhere in the facility. Plus, it exists in the submerged, dilapidated remains of a bygone section of the facility — what went wrong there, exactly?

The failed attempt at flattening an atomized, individualistic conception of humanity into something homogenized and manageable — into a predictable tool — is given the boldest expression via that fleshy amalgam near the end. The limbs writhe, the mass moves, and destruction is left in its/their wake. The game seems to nod toward this idea that individual agency is fundamentally irrepressible, but not unassailable: attempts at large-scale control are likely doomed, but can still do irreparable damage to a human spirit that cannot help but push forward and, against all odds, seek its own liberation. Then again, it's hard to square this idea with the rather grim factor of all those lifeless individuals that you encounter and manipulate. But the sight of that one corpse in the room by the large window (during the puzzle where you have to gather a number of mind-controlled people and get them to go on the platform) is recalled via the last image of the game — it's an unsettling thought, but perhaps that person passed away while striving toward a kind of escape.

[Gittes]

Lost Soul Aside was being made by one person — Yang Bing (https://twitter.com/yagnbing) — until recently? Sony and other developers are assisting now. It'll be a timed exclusive for PS4. I'm intrigued.


https://media.giphy.com/media/3oEjHJcV24Xx8HxU2Y/giphy.gif
https://media.giphy.com/media/3oEjI7k56YNVg62Bqg/giphy.gif

[Idioteque Stalker]

Inside:

Obviously one of the games strengths is its mysterious nature, so it leaves room for many different interpretations. That said, I've seen other theories that the blasts are related to some kind of military application, but that never seemed the case to me.

At most, I see it as a device used to "broadcast" mind control over a large area. My friend (who is a musician) pointed out to me that everything in the game kind of follows a similar rhythmic pattern. He first noticed during the part where everyone is marching together (we found a secret area with a recording of some music that's also maybe in sync?). Marching eight steps or so, pausing, jumping or spinning, walking eight steps, etc. Then in the mine, the amazingly ominous foreshadowing of the blast room. Obviously the blasts themselves. Probably more. My theory is that the blasts are enormous psionic energy emanating from the blob--occurring at a regular interval, as if they were breaths. My God, it makes my skin crawl.

At the very least, I think the blasts are simply just another experiment, or rather a process in the ultimate experiment. Maybe my favorite moment in the game is--after figuring out that rotating lever puzzle in the blast area--the music changes and you proceed into a dark room filled with test dummies (or maybe actual flesh "people," I don't remember). You pull a lever and the room opens up and exposes everything to the blasts. The bodies are strapped into chairs, but limbs are flying, etc. People are being conditioned to withstand the blasts. But why? Maybe the next step is being hooked up to the upside down, underwater mind control devices, which are in turn hooked up to the blob, where they are forever exposed to (and possibly help amplify?) the psionic power that it produces.

"Why is the boy sneaking in?" is a question that only becomes more complex and intriguing as the game proceeds, and even after it ends. At the beginning of course we are simply trying to get our bearings. At the end you wonder if "the boy" is acting of his own volition--or maybe when he is acting of his own volition. It's possible (but to me very unlikely) he has his own goals that originate from a consciousness "within his body." It is more likely he is carrying out the will of the blob (maybe in a way he is, in fact, the blob)--only once the boy reunites with its "host" can its goals of lying on the beach in the sun be realized. It is also possible that the boy is acting of his own will until he drowns and is "resurrected" with the help of the mermaid as a soul-less husk being controlled by the blob. This at least would explain why he can breathe underwater--because he's dead and doesn't actually need to breathe.

The implications are far more meta, however, almost to the point of being genuinely disturbing. If the blob controls the boy, and the design of the game dictates our actions as we control the boy (run left to right, basically), then it follows that the blob controls us as players of the game. It reduces us to husks as pliable as the soulless bodies lurching through the game world. EDIT: This also could explain why the game ends when it does. After the credits roll the image remains until you turn the game off, and the blob is clearly still alive and moving slightly. All that to say the game doesn't end because of a normal conceit like death. In my mind the game ends because our goal of wanting to play a game no longer aligns with the blob's goal of wanting to lie on the beach. We are no longer in control because we in fact never were.

None of these things explain the fact that--despite the construction and mayhem--the blob's escape is obviously planned. If you recall, at one point you fall onto a recreation of the mountainside where the game ends. Also, people are clearly assisting you in your escape, and furthermore you are at one point on display for a theater/lecture hall full of people. I think this is somehow related to the secret ending, but I won't go there as to not spoil anything if you were figuring things out for yourself. I just looked it up on youtube.

[Gittes]

Inside

Really enjoyed reading that and becoming newly fascinated by this game along the way.



My theory is that the blasts are enormous psionic energy emanating from the blob--occurring at a regular interval, as if they were breaths. My God, it makes my skin crawl.

This is very interesting, especially in terms of how it pairs up with the idea that the boy was from the very beginning being beckoned and controlled by the blob…or at least drawn toward the blob by unseen agents?


The bodies are strapped into chairs, but limbs are flying, etc. People are being conditioned to withstand the blasts. But why? Maybe the next step is being hooked up to the upside down, underwater mind control devices, which are in turn hooked up to the blob, where they are forever exposed to (and possibly help amplify?) the psionic power that it produces.

This idea is more intriguing and novel than my more formulaic inkling that it's all about creating manipulable, hyper-resilient soldiers/workers.



The implications are far more meta, however, almost to the point of being genuinely disturbing. If the blob controls the boy, and the design of the game dictates our actions as we control the boy (run left to right, basically), then it follows that the blob controls us as players of the game.

Yeah, that's a great reading of the linear, left to right trajectory of the game. It also casts a creepier pall over the entire experience if you think of the protagonist as someone who is involuntarily pursuing this mysteriously assigned telos of uniting with the blob. It adds a darker edge to the whole Legend of Zelda-esque trope (well, it exceeds Zelda obviously, but I'm just opting to use a notable video game example) of the ordinary boy called to fulfill his destiny.


In my mind the game ends because our goal of wanting to play a game no longer aligns with the blob's goal of wanting to lie on the beach. We are no longer in control because we in fact never were.

This is very interesting, too. The blob used the boy/us to free itself, and, in the process, doomed the boy.



None of these things explain the fact that--despite the construction and mayhem--the blob's escape is obviously planned. If you recall, at one point you fall onto a recreation of the mountainside where the game ends.

I somehow missed this connection when I played it, but I came across a screen shot of that. Yeah, it's like a model of the environment from the final shot of the game. No clue what to make of that right now…? Perhaps whatever we're seeing at the end is just a simulated environment, and there was no actual movement from inside to outside. In other words, the blob is still technically within the facility. In a story where people are turning humans into pliable automatons, the idea of making high-fidelity, manipulable facsimiles of nature seems like a logical extension (plus, we already saw this sort of thing with the suspended water). The militaristic angle covers this again in a convenient way, but there's probably a better angle from which to approach it.



Also, people are clearly assisting you in your escape, and furthermore you are at one point on display for a theater/lecture hall full of people.

I read the assistance as attempts at goading you into getting locked away again. It seemed like desperation to me. However, the calmer observers suggests that the blob's escape may have been a test-run of sorts that was always planned by the upper echelon of this facility. Perhaps they were willing to use their own unwitting employees as guinea pigs/fodder?

Maybe they were testing two advanced ideas/technologies/experiments here?

First, there's the idea of drawing in outsiders toward the facility in a sophisticated game of long-distance mind control. Second, there's the notion of the beckoned subject — the boy — being made to unite with the blob and then enact an escape, by which the blob's mobility and strength can be tested. The simulated outdoor scenario marks the end of the test; its liberation is artificial. It passed the test and is still within their control and under their observation.

Then again, like you suggested, the boy may have been exclusively controlled by the blob itself rather than any other person or group within the facility. The blob may have used the boy to secure its "freedom." It may have sent out a distress signal of sorts that amounted to psychically controlling a stranger and leading him into the facility. That's a really good reading of it that doesn't involve anyone from the facility actually controlling the boy. Although, while the computer under the cornfield could be understood as amplifying the blob's signal, the whole factor of that underground machine complicates things...

Or was it all just a sadistic lark? Some higher-up messing around with their own facility and employees by sending in a programmed "interloper" to create chaos — sort of like someone enacting a destructive romp via their copy of Grand Theft Auto or whatever?



I think this is somehow related to the secret ending, but I won't go there as to not spoil anything if you were figuring things out for yourself. I just looked it up on youtube.

I checked this out. Interesting. I've seen other comments where people argue that this means the computer was controlling the boy, and that would dovetail with some of what we've been talking about. If that underground machine is what sent out the signal that lured him to the facility, then he effectively liberates himself there? Either that or the boy effectively shut down the power to the facility and destroyed a lot of the work therein, including the blob?

If he's being controlled, I'm not sure why he would be led into unplugging the computer. The only explanations I can come up with are convoluted — like, say, the idea that he's being maneuvered by competing forces, including vestiges of his own volition, which, in that moment, compels him to free himself from the control of his unseen masters.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Holy shit. Awesome stuff. Get back to it soon.

I feel like Inside is in the end a horror game, and furthermore one of the scariest games I've ever played. Like in the same way Synecdoche, NY is a horror movie.

Or Upstream Color. Sorry for the spoiler-ish thing, btw. Not sure where I led you and if it panned out or somehow else spoiled part of the experience, but I get it either way. I'm also kind of curious as to what you originally thought I meant vs. how it turned out.

[Gittes]

As per usual, I kept turning things over in my head over after thinking I was done with my previous post, so there are a few bits here and there that have since been edited for clarity and the addition of other details. Not sure if you read the most recently edited version. Sorry for anything that wasn't clear. I couldn't resist brainstorming and throwing stuff out there in response to some of your points. Interesting stuff.

It's such a neat game, but its vagueness can make me feel self-consciousness about whether or not I'm being a careful interpreter or just taking advantage of its semantic looseness. Still, it's fun diving headlong into the possible implications. The mysteriousness of this game is great.

As for your question:




Or Upstream Color. Sorry for the spoiler-ish thing, btw. Not sure where I led you and if it panned out or somehow else spoiled part of the experience, but I get it either way. I'm also kind of curious as to what you originally thought I meant vs. how it turned out.

That was just me being a worrywort. It turned out to be nothing. Luckily, I went in more or less not knowing much. I tend to fret a bit too much about avoiding spoilers because of a few negative experiences in the past, but you didn't actually spoil anything. I was just being paranoid (BTW, I didn't mean to reprimand you for that comment and I hope that's not how it came across). No apology needed.

I think I assumed the Carruth reference meant time travel? I haven't seen Primer or Upstream Color, but I knew that time travel was involved in the case of the former film and I made the leap to wondering if that was, like, a secret gameplay mechanic or something…which evidently wasn't the case. Sorry for unnecessarily worrying about it and mentioning it at all.

[Gittes]

Sonic Mania ​looks great.

http://i.imgur.com/XibOKcP.gif

http://i.imgur.com/ru7VdDr.gif

[Idioteque Stalker]

As for your question:




That was just me being a worrywort. It turned out to be nothing. Luckily, I went in more or less not knowing much. I tend to fret a bit too much about avoiding spoilers because of a few negative experiences in the past, but you didn't actually spoil anything. I was just being paranoid (BTW, I didn't mean to reprimand you for that comment and I hope that's not how it came across). No apology needed.

I think I assumed the Carruth reference meant time travel? I haven't seen Primer or Upstream Color, but I knew that time travel was involved in the case of the former film and I made the leap to wondering if that was, like, a secret gameplay mechanic or something…which evidently wasn't the case. Sorry for unnecessarily worrying about it and mentioning it at all.

As I continue to put thoughts together to respond at length to your post, let me just say you should watch Upstream Color. It's on Netflix I think. I recommend it not only because I think it's a fantastic and strange movie, but also because there are weird parallels (what else would they be besides weird?) between it and Inside. Some quite obvious, some maybe not so much. I'm not really seeing anyone talk about the connection online (one reason I was so eager to spit it out before) so there's a part of me that's wondering if I'm crazy.

[Idioteque Stalker]

As someone who only recently started to engage with two-screen Nintendo hardware (and never owned a DS), this Kotaku piece was a pretty cool read. (http://kotaku.com/the-possible-end-of-nintendos-magnificent-two-screen-1788153658) I guess it's the end of an era.

Also, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture is a free PS Plus game next month. If you can stomach a walking simulator (sigh) then you must play. Easily one of my favorite PS4 exclusives.

[Ezee E]

Yeah, it was that walking that stopped me from finishing.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Yeah, it was that walking that stopped me from finishing.

It's kind of hilarious that I even have to point this out, but it was discovered there's a way you can walk faster.

[megladon8]

I think the folks running PS+ need a little math help.

In their Sale of the Dead, RE 4, 5 and 6 are $14.99 each.

Or you can "save even more with the bundle", which has all three games for...$47.69?

[Winston*]

What's the best single player FPS on PS4? Doom?

[megladon8]

What's the best single player FPS on PS4? Doom?


Yeah that'd be at least near the top for me. It's pretty great.

Also check out Wolfenstein: The New Order.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Far Cry 4 for me. Metro Redux is worth a look as well.

[Winston*]

Cheers. Might buy Doom. I think I'm only going to buy games from now on on the basis that they take less than 20 hours to complete.

I have Far Cry 4 on PS3. Didn't care for it, even though I liked Far Cry 3.

[Ezee E]

Is Battlefield 1 out yet

[Idioteque Stalker]

Yeah it looks cool and received good reviews. Looks fun and vaguely anti-war.

[megladon8]

Cheers. Might buy Doom. I think I'm only going to buy games from now on on the basis that they take less than 20 hours to complete.

I have Far Cry 4 on PS3. Didn't care for it, even though I liked Far Cry 3.

I felt the same way about Far Cry 4. Played about 4 hours and got bored, but I really liked 3 and LOVED Blood Dragon.

[Ezee E]

How's Primal rank?

[Winston*]

I felt the same way about Far Cry 4. Played about 4 hours and got bored, but I really liked 3 and LOVED Blood Dragon.

The mountain setting, while pretty looking, was really irritating to navigate and besides that it just felt like more of the same.

I think instead of buying a new game I might try and get through all the PSN games I've accumulated. Started playing the Abe's Odyssey remake. Far more effort seems to have been put into this than your standard HD update. Still fun 20 years down the track.

[Dukefrukem]

39 PS4 titles will be optimized to take advantage of 4K and HDR tech.


Battlefield 1
Bound
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 3
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Driveclub VR
EA Sports FIFA 17
Firewatch
Helldivers
Hitman
Hustle Kings
inFAMOUS First Light
inFAMOUS Second Son
Knack
Mafia III
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
NBA 2K17
Paragon
PlayStation VR Worlds
Ratchet & Clank
Rez Infinite
RIGS Mechanized Combat League
Rise Of The Tomb Raider
Robinson: The Journey
Smite
Super Stardust Ultra
The Elders Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited
The Elders Scrolls Online: Skyrim Special Edition
The Last Of Us Remastered
The Last Of Us: Left Behind
The Playroom VR
Titanfall 2
Tumble
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Until Dawn: Rush of Blood
Viking Squad
World Of Tanks
XCOM 2

[Dukefrukem]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyZw_oqk7Q8

[megladon8]

Thinking about going back to Bloodborne after I finish BioShock Infinite.

Want to play Infinite Warfare but don't have the moolah for it at the moment.

Going to start a new BB character and play the DLC (which I never played).

[Dukefrukem]

Now that I'm done with Fallout 4, I'm also trying to figure out what game I'm going to play next.

[bac0n]

That Mass Effect trailer looks brilliant. I've always wanted to get into the games, just never found the time. From the looks of the trailer, it doesn't appear you need to have played the previous games to enjoy it. That may just make it my next game purchase, after I finish the Fallout DLC (which at my rate should last me all winter).

[Skitch]

Thinking about going back to Bloodborne after I finish BioShock Infinite.



I'm not sure how far I am through Infinite, but theres so much back tracking and everything looks the same. I'm not enjoying this entry as much as the previous two.

[megladon8]

I'm not sure how far I am through Infinite, but theres so much back tracking and everything looks the same. I'm not enjoying this entry as much as the previous two.

Agreed. The story is super cool but the gameplay and world are a step backwards.

They should have just made an animated film.

[Winston*]

I don't even think the story is very good, and it doesn't mesh with the gameplay at all. Still enjoyed the game though.

Dishonored >

[Dukefrukem]

it doesn't appear you need to have played the previous games to enjoy it.

You absolutely should play them anyway. The lore itself stretches to Star Wars or Trek level of detail and every game adds more information to the Universe (such as, alien race history, alliances, timelines of human contact, etc).

[Dukefrukem]

Agreed. The story is super cool but the gameplay and world are a step backwards.

They should have just made an animated film.

I also agree. Thought you guys might like this:


https://youtu.be/muJYTeQlvC4?list=PLxp5egWLOKL--fiUfAReZv7LcjINdvZef

[TGM]

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

[Skitch]

Life goal: Hang out with Elijah Wood.

[Dukefrukem]

Holy shit. That monster takes 4 days to kill? What? I need to read more about this.

[Ezee E]

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

Ha. This may have lost the video game a lot of sales.

[Gittes]

So, the Titanfall 2 campaign is apparently fantastic and redolent of Half-Life 2? Anyone try it yet?

PS: Overwatch is free this weekend (http://www.gamespot.com/articles/play-overwatch-for-free-on-ps4-xbox-one-and-pc-thi/1100-6445307/).

[Dukefrukem]

Damn you... Anytime someone compares something to Half-Lfie 2... that forces me to play it.

[bac0n]

Hey Duke, huge snowstorm over here tomorrow, I'll need someone to shovel my sidewalk. Shoveling my sidewalk is kinda like playing Half Life 2.

[Dukefrukem]

Oh that sounds fu- HEY waaait a minute!!!

Sucks you're getting snow already. It's going to be 60 here tomorrow.

[bac0n]

Actually, this will the first snow we've had all season. We've usually had a few snowfalls by now. I ain't got no complaints. Yet.

Anyway, the snow shovel is leaning against the garage in back. I can brew you up some hot cocoa when you're finished. Shovel the back parking bay and I'll throw in marshmallows.

[Scar]

Actually, this will the first snow we've had all season. We've usually had a few snowfalls by now. I ain't got no complaints. Yet.

Anyway, the snow shovel is leaning against the garage in back. I can brew you up some hot cocoa when you're finished. Shovel the back parking bay and I'll throw in marshmallows.

I wouldn't expect us to get much accumulation. North and west of the cities, on the other hand.....

[bac0n]

First snowfall never sticks anyway.

[Scar]

First snowfall never sticks anyway.

Now you've done it.....

Halloween 1991

[Gittes]

So cool. It exists in finalized disc form, at long last. There probably won't be anything comparable to the sheer weirdness of seeing this until Valve releases Half-Life 3.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CwxLaMkUoAAxniC.jpg

[Ezee E]

Hope it's not No Man's Sky'd

[Gittes]

Overwatch is free this weekend (http://www.gamespot.com/articles/play-overwatch-for-free-on-ps4-xbox-one-and-pc-thi/1100-6445307/).

This game is really pretty — preposterously colourful and clean — but I think Team Fortress 2 makes for a better and more coherent experience. Uncharted 4's MP is also more enjoyable, but I imagine that would sound silly to many of the folks who are claiming Overwatch is GOTY. I'm sure my opinion would change after a few more weeks with the game but, as it stands, there are just too many distinct characters (it's a bit overwhelming for a new player) and successful aiming feels more difficult than in UC4 or TF2.

Still, there are some choice thrills here, like suddenly whooshing into the air via a jetpack, hovering as long as your allotment of fuel allows, gazing down at the radiance of the map, and then alighting onto an elevated platform.

[Winston*]

Doom is awesome. Love how true it is to the original games. Nice to be back collecting blue keys and whatnot 20 years later.

[Dukefrukem]

My god


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE-WqXWMw4U

[Dukefrukem]

And


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7tY1F1kVYs

[megladon8]

Can't wait to check those out when I get home. Thanks so much for posting them, Duke!

[megladon8]

WHAT IS WITH ALL THE BABIES????

[Morris Schæffer]

Ha! So Uncharted isn't done after all since Sony just revealed Uncharted: The Lost Legacy starring...Chloe Frazier and Nadine.


https://youtu.be/sFmwui_UyLg

Chills at the end!!!!

[Gittes]

805111553502515200
I noticed the announcement of SP DLC a while ago, so it's not a total surprise for me, but it was a compelling reveal nonetheless. I like the addition of lock picking and the stealthier gameplay. Chloe is a more interesting pick than Sam, Sully, or Cutter (although, I do hope we see cameos from the latter two). I'm also very glad to see that Nadine will be back, as she was the best newcomer in UC4 and warrants more character development.

[Gittes]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cyxi_ASVIAANpgC.jpg

Well, this was a surprise (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2Wnvvj33Wo). I'm not going to seek out any more footage from this game.

[Dukefrukem]

Wow. What great news to read tonight!

[Dukefrukem]

Wow. Chills is right.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZjx5ao7alw

[Gittes]

It's nice that Naughty Dog is now reorganizing their hitherto male-led franchises. It took a while, though, given that they've spent their entire career fixated on those kind of games. Still, this new emphasis on female protagonists is promising and hugely important, especially given ND's cachet.

I was reminded of this today (source (http://www.vg247.com/2012/12/12/the-last-of-us-acting-out-the-end-of-the-world/)):


There have been some concerns over box-art recently – including Ken Levine’s admission that the BioShock Infinite cover has been engineered to target ‘frat boys’ – so I asked the group if they had any suggestions as to why we see so few females on game covers – aside from stereotypical imagery, of course.

Johnson suggested: “I feel like they don’t put women on the covers because they’re afraid that it won’t sell. It’s all gamers really know – and I don’t want to be sexist by any means – but I get the feeling, generally, that they think game’s won’t sell as well with a woman on the cover, compared to some badass dude on the front.”

“I agree with what Ashley said,” Druckmann added. “I believe there’s a misconception that if you put a girl or a woman on the cover, the game will sell less. I know I’ve been in discussions where we’ve been asked to push Ellie to the back and everyone at Naughty Dog just flat-out refused.”

So, yeah. The fact that Ellie, rather than Joel, has now been confirmed as the protagonist for the sequel is great. After acquiring the favour of an overwhelming majority of critics and gamers, it'd be a shame if ND didn't use their platform toward unconventional ends. I'm not saying these new games are the guaranteed panacea to this whole thorny issue, but in certain significant respects, the trailers are encouraging...

Speaking of the Part II trailer, the overwhelmingly green atmosphere of that opening shot is awesome. That dense, beautifully rendered forest casting shadows over this dreary little hideaway — so evocative and creepy. Another obvious highlight is the mo-capped intensity of Ellie near the end (https://abload.de/img/ellie9uszs.png) (that's a new thing; they're capturing the faces of the actors this time around). I wish ND had the ability to just stay quiet until the game debuts because, honestly, not a lot more is needed beyond the dramatic heft of Johnson's performance in the last few moments of the trailer.

[Sycophant]

Nier: Automata has a new release date at last. March 7, 2017. Persona 5 got pushed back to April. And the game that was half the reason I bought my PS3, The Last Guardian, is gonna be in my hands on Tuesday.

All long-awaited, all delayed longer than I expected, but so glad it looks like these three games--which might be the last major studio releases I ever care about--are finally rolling in.

[Dukefrukem]

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

[Dukefrukem]

This is also official in late 2017.

http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/417cb46461b665a16e5bd406e2a77b c2/204663786/30588035133_a4d1441de8_h.jpg

[Stay Puft]

These announcements are great and all but y'all better not be sleeping on

KNACK 2


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSz815Srub0

[Dukefrukem]

Okay... most anticipated excitement/games based on release date. Mass Effect almost looks like what No Man's Sky should have been.


I think I played 2 games in 2016- Fallout and Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.


1. Mass Effect: Andromeda
2. Resident Evil 7
2. Dead Stranding
3. Red Dead Redemption II
3. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
4. Last of Us Part II


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOIzH6UcoW4

[Skitch]

Damn that uncharted looks tiiiiiiiight. Replaying that series is on my to do list this winter.

[Morris Schæffer]

Wow. Chills is right.



Yeah, but we know. Imagine not knowing what's coming. The audience reactions is probably what give me chills the most.

[Gittes]

These are the games I'm looking forward to the most at the moment:

1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2. The Last of Us Part II
3. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
4. Detroit: Beyond Human
5. Amy Hennig's Star Wars game
6. thatgamecompany's next game
(https://twitter.com/thatnextgame?lang=en)7. Resident Evil 2 remake
8. The first episode of the Final Fantasy VII remake
9. Sonic Mania (the first Sonic title I've been interested in since Sonic & Knuckles)
10. Rain World (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3PVDKNupbI)
11. Resident Evil 7
12. Insomniac's Spider-Man game

Once From Software unveils any of the three games they're currently developing, that will certainly alter this list. A sequel to Bloodborne would be put at the top, tied with BOTW. An announcement from Retro Studios would likely result in a new addition, too.

[Dukefrukem]

I guess if you want to play The Last Guardian at a reasonably stable framerate, you'll need a PS4 Pro

[megladon8]

Apparently EA is toying with the idea of some HD remake bundles.

Here's hoping for Dead Space!

[Dukefrukem]

Apparently EA is toying with the idea of some HD remake bundles.

Here's hoping for Dead Space!

Yes please. I would buy that.

[megladon8]

Yes please. I would buy that.

Heck yes.

I also wonder if we will ever see another DS game.

I remember back after 3 came out and wasn't as successful as hoped/anticipated, some EA head honcho said they weren't done with the franchise.

[Dukefrukem]

Yeh I suspect there will be some kind of announcement in 2017. They were focusing on other franchises. The DLC for the last Dead Space game was pretty great hinting at a DS4.

[megladon8]

I hope they do a gritty, realistic reboot! Your protagonist is now a single father and the story is a parable for his struggle with gambling addiction.

It'll be called De4d Sp4ce, hinting at it being both a reboot and a sequel.

You can't understand the story unless you buy all the on-disc DLC and read the ongoing comic series that's only available in certain comic shoppes.

[Winston*]

Update: Doom still rules. The speed of the gameplay is fantastic.

[megladon8]

Yeah you're making me want to play it again!

[Gittes]

I guess if you want to play The Last Guardian at a reasonably stable framerate, you'll need a PS4 Pro

Yeah, that's what I've been reading. :(

I probably won't be able to afford the game until the new year, so hopefully there will be a patch by then? If not, I'll just settle for the basic version. I'm not interested in getting another Sony console before the PS5 arrives.

[Gittes]

The grass in TLG. The 4K shot is puzzling.

https://abload.de/img/2016-12-0614_39_51-klsmi.png

Here's a better look at the disparity in texture quality:


http://i.imgur.com/Nuax5KM.jpg

[Idioteque Stalker]

I spent a lot of time playing Europa Universalis 4 this year so my 2016 list only feels good at five games rather than my normal ten.

1. Inside
2. Xcom 2
3. Dark Souls 3
4. Kingdom: New Lands
5. Uncharted 4

Lots of games left to play though. Still looking forward to sinking my teeth into Battlefield 1, Dishonored 2, Civ 6, Planet Coaster and Rimworld.

[Ezee E]

How come Nintendo didn't mass produce the NES Classics? I haven't even seen one on display. The person I talked to at GameStop said they hardly even got any inventory to justify saying it's a big selling item.

[Dukefrukem]

Yeh it's weird. But Nintendo is weird. Been trying to get one for weeks.

Apparently Gamestop my get a shipment in tomorrow. Call them when they open.

[megladon8]

Got some Amazon gift cards for Christmas so I ordered FFXV and Titanfall 2.

[Dukefrukem]

Nice. I'm very tempted to get FFXV so please post feedback when you can.

Steam sale was this week so I stocked up on $5 games.

Played Doom 3 BFG Edition finally. Lost Mission was not bad. Love not having to take out my flashlight.

[megladon8]

Will do!

Currently playing Bloodborne again as I ever played The Old Hunters DLC.

[megladon8]

Can someone please let me know when IGN stops running the Super Mario Run pop up ad, so I can go back to their site?

Kthx.

[Winston*]

Kind of wish it wasn't connected to Lord of the Rings because the narrative and dialogue are terrible but otherwise Shadow of Mordor is fantastic. The Nemesis system is such a neat invention and I like that the map isn't overwhelmingly big like most other open world games are these days.

[Ezee E]

Kind of wish it wasn't connected to Lord of the Rings because the narrative and dialogue are terrible but otherwise Shadow of Mordor is fantastic. The Nemesis system is such a neat invention and I like that the map isn't overwhelmingly big like most other open world games are these days.

Yeah, looking forward to games touching up the Nemesis system. Like a Superman game where he develops enough enemies that he can't possibly keep up with everything at a certain point.

[Scar]

Started playing Mad Max a day or two ago, and have been cracking out on it. Picked it up for $10 on PSN's black Friday sale. The combat is Arkham style, and overall its been enjoyable so far. By no means ground breaking or original, but fun none the less.

[Dukefrukem]

Started playing Mad Max a day or two ago, and have been cracking out on it. Picked it up for $10 on PSN's black Friday sale. The combat is Arkham style, and overall its been enjoyable so far. By no means ground breaking or original, but fun none the less.

A missed opportunity to make that game with drop in co-op. I do not understand this trend in games....

[Scar]

A missed opportunity to make that game with drop in co-op. I do not understand this trend in games....

Doesn't matter one bit to me. Multiplayer is not a feature I need.

[Dukefrukem]

Doesn't matter one bit to me. Multiplayer is not a feature I need.

It is for me. These games are just not all that interesting without someone to banter with.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Mad Max rocks. Super underrated game. The car combat is so fun.

Shadow of Mordor is even better. Those are probably my two favorite recent open world games.

[Scar]

It is for me. These games are just not all that interesting without someone to banter with.

Eh, I'm forced to banter with people all day at work. Certainly don't need it when playing video games.

[Ezee E]

Haven't heard a peep about Last Guardian. Was it any good?

[Idioteque Stalker]

I heard it hardly plays on the regular PS4 which is hilarious.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Kill Screen's list:
(https://killscreen.com/tag/high-scores/)
1. Inside
2. Overwatch
3. Kentucky Route Zero
4. Anatomy
5. Oxenfree

Cool. I've only played Inside, but still... Oxenfree and KRZ need to happen.

[Skitch]

Darksiders 2 is just so damn fun. I love these games. I hope they make two more.

[megladon8]

Titanfall 2 is freaking incredible.

It is so fluid and well controlled.

I honestly haven't felt like this much of a badass since first playing one of the Arkham games.

[Winston*]

Darksiders 2 is just so damn fun. I love these games. I hope they make two more.
I love how brazen they are with their theft. One of them has a Portal gun.

Darksiders>>God ofWar

[Dukefrukem]

I love how brazen they are with their theft. One of them has a Portal gun.

Darksiders>>God ofWar

No way. But Darksiders is good.

[Skitch]

Tough call. I'd put them on the same level I think.

[megladon8]

Titanfall 2's campaign was incredible.

Between this and DOOM, it was a great year for shooter campaigns.

[Lazlo]

My friend bought a PlayStation VR and it's pretty slick. The best thing I played was the Star Wars: Battlefront VR level and it is super fun to be able to look around the cockpit and spot incoming TIE fighters, etc. Highly recommended and really excited to see where the platform goes.

Only downside was not being able to get the screens quite close enough to my eyes due to my glasses. So the image wasn't in the sharpest focus. But that issue'll be solved soon: getting LASIK next week!

[Ezee E]

My friend bought a PlayStation VR and it's pretty slick. The best thing I played was the Star Wars: Battlefront VR level and it is super fun to be able to look around the cockpit and spot incoming TIE fighters, etc. Highly recommended and really excited to see where the platform goes.

Only downside was not being able to get the screens quite close enough to my eyes due to my glasses. So the image wasn't in the sharpest focus. But that issue'll be solved soon: getting LASIK next week!

I guess they're doing an Alien Covenant VR.

I should try out one of these. All the graphics still look pretty arcade-y to me.

[Lazlo]

I guess they're doing an Alien Covenant VR.

I should try out one of these. All the graphics still look pretty arcade-y to me.

Graphics are a little less than what the current consoles typically offer but the effect of the 3D and being able to control your view by moving your head makes for a very immersive experience.

The 3D effect of having the X-Wing cockpit laid out in front of you is very convincing.

[Ezee E]

Graphics are a little less than what the current consoles typically offer but the effect of the 3D and being able to control your view by moving your head makes for a very immersive experience.

The 3D effect of having the X-Wing cockpit laid out in front of you is very convincing.

Nice. I'd like to at least SEE that. I certainly don't think it's worth the added dollars just yet. But I like that this is the direction it's going in.

[Ezee E]

PS4 people, DEFINITELY download This War of Mine, the free game of the month. It's great.

Like Oregon Trail mixed with The Road.

[Dukefrukem]

I should probably turn on my PS4. It's been a while.

[Ezee E]

I should probably turn on my PS4. It's been a while.

Definitely give that game a shot. I've been thinking about it all day.

[Dukefrukem]

I think my next game is most likely Mass Effect in March.

[bac0n]

Same here. I still need to play the Fallout 4 DLC, and I think the last time I played a video game was before Christmas.

[Dukefrukem]

I can't believe how much time I dumped into Fallout 4. It quickly became my #2 most played game ever (behind Counterstrike) since technology started tracking gameplay hours.

[Ezee E]

As far as buying a game, Resident Evil 7 will be next.

[Dukefrukem]

I need VR for that.

[bac0n]

I need VR for that.

And probably an ample supply of Depends.

[Dukefrukem]

Yeh I played the demo, and if I just buy RE7 as is, it will just be another Outlast.

I'm already getting an Outlast 2 next year. I want RE7 to be a better experience than that.

[Ezee E]

Yeh I played the demo, and if I just buy RE7 as is, it will just be another Outlast.

I'm already getting an Outlast 2 next year. I want RE7 to be a better experience than that.

Sounds like it's all set on a plantation without the action vibes of the last two, and more Outlast-ish type of stuff. Consider me pumped. The action was great in 4 (?) but got stupid by 6.

[Skitch]

Picked up Dead Space 3 today for crisp fiver. :) Saw a couple others I'll pick up next week.

[Idioteque Stalker]

In 90 minutes we will find out if Nintendo as a hardware manufacturer will die or live on. I'm not even much of a Nintendo guy, but I'm really rooting for them.

Link to live Switch event. (http://kotaku.com/watch-the-big-nintendo-switch-event-right-here-1791136887)

[Idioteque Stalker]

Looks cool! I was a little scared when they focused on the controllers for so long, but the HD rumble is intriguing and both 1-2-Switch and Arms look to be interesting appeals to the mainstream. Zelda at launch is huge.

[Morris Schæffer]

I saw the Nintendo conf until the ARMS demo. It looks cool enough I guess, gamepads look miniscule and like they might brake easily. I will check the rest of the conf tonight, but so far not impressed really. I guess I don't fully understand certain features. HD rumble is one such thing. I've no idea what sort of value it adds to make a big deal out of it.

[Dukefrukem]

Call of Duty Black Ops was $5 so I played it. It sucked because David Goyer wrote it.

[megladon8]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=rtUQNsu7RpU

This is the opening cut scene from a title released this year on PS4.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Ugh. Unless they start curating a little, the Playstation Store is going to look more and more like Steam.

[Dukefrukem]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=rtUQNsu7RpU

This is the opening cut scene from a title released this year on PS4.

It's an indie game.

[megladon8]

Yeah I figured that :rolleyes:

[Skitch]

Finished Darksiders 2. Now trying to decide what to play next...Dead Space 3, Prototype 2, Resistance 2, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, or replay the Uncharted series.

[megladon8]

I so enjoyed the first two Resistance games, but the third did not work in my PS3. Such a bummer I didn't get to see the end of the trilogy.

[Skitch]

I was enjoying the first one, but the save points were so bad I eventually just quit. Countless times I would get to the very end of a level and get picked off by a little pleeb and have to start the whole damn level over. I heard the second one fixed that.

[megladon8]

Yes it does. It also looks bloody great.

[Skitch]

Yes it does. It also looks bloody great.

I'm still taken aback by how good the PS3s graphics are, every damn time I put in a game.

[Dukefrukem]

I so enjoyed the first two Resistance games, but the third did not work in my PS3. Such a bummer I didn't get to see the end of the trilogy.

Spoiler Alert- there was no end. R3 isn't even the same character from 1 and 2. Such a let down.

[Winston*]

Sat and Sanctuary is such a blatant ripoff of the Souls games. Therefore it is good.

[bac0n]

I finished the Blood and Wine DLC for The Witcher 3 last night, and I got to say, it ranks right up there with RDR Undead Nightmare in terms of adding on value to the original game. An intriguing main quest, a good amount of decent side quests, a beautiful new area to explore, new armor upgrades, and even a new ability stack. Definitely worth your time if you liked The Witcher 3 and wanted to pick it up again.

[megladon8]

Completed Titanfall 2's campaign on the hardest difficulty. Yet another game I won't be able to platinum because of a few multiplayer trophies.

Man, that campaign though. Such great stuff.

[bac0n]

So, last night I downloaded the Fallout 4 Automatron DLC and fired it up, and did the first mission. After that, the first order of business was to set up my Evil Robot Death-Lab (ERDL). Now, that robot work-bench is a big honker, so I was forced to put it on the third floor of one of my high-rise casinos in Sanctuary Hills, and knock out a good portion of the fourth floor to make the damn thing fit. The rest of the fourth floor I converted into an observation balcony, replete with a sofa and area rug. This time next year when we're all rising from the ashes of a nuclear war, I think interior design is going to by my vocation.

Of course, from the outside, the building looks like a regular rectangular piece of shit, so no-one is going to suspect that as the location where I am building my robot army!


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

[Dukefrukem]

Build your Evil robot Lair in The Mechanist's lair. You can't do anything else there aside from build robots so it's a good place to start that construction.

[bac0n]

Is anybody getting that Horizon: Zero Dawn game when it comes out?

[Dukefrukem]

I'm torn. I'm pretty confident Mass Effect is my next game. I do want to play Horizon, but I have a feeling I wouldn't finish it in time before ME.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Horizon looks awesome. So does Mass Effect. It's gonna be a busy spring.

[bac0n]

I'm torn. I'm pretty confident Mass Effect is my next game. I do want to play Horizon, but I have a feeling I wouldn't finish it in time before ME.

I'm in the same boat. I'm pretty sure getting through the Fallout DLC will easily last me until Mass Effect comes out, especially at the rate I play.

[Morris Schæffer]

Resi evil 7 is apparently a huge return to form for capcom. And the vr xp is only for the very brave!

[Dukefrukem]

I also heard the frame rate is shitting on PSVR. Most likely going to avoid.

[Morris Schæffer]

I also heard the frame rate is shitting on PSVR. Most likely going to avoid.

May need the PS4 Pro then although bad frame rates is never acceptable for such a high profile game of course. If the graphics are fab on the PS4 Pro, that would be my first real temptation to get VR. I couldn't imagine a better game to be blown away. Although I would probably still wait. :D

[Idioteque Stalker]

Most anticipated for 2017:

1. Red Dead Redemption 2
2. Persona 5
3. Horizon Zero Dawn
4. Mass Effect: Andromeda
5. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
6. Nioh
7. Detroit: Become Human
8. Super Mario Odyssey
9. Tacoma
10. South Park: The Fractured But Whole

[Stay Puft]

Super Mario Odyssey and Yooka-Laylee are my most anticipated. Gotta get me some of that old school platforming action.

[Idioteque Stalker]

I never played Banjo Kazooie so I'm not exactly sure what people are so excited about with Yooka-Laylee, but I'm willing to give it a chance.

[Watashi]

Yooka-Laylee

How have I not heard of this game until now? David Wise!

[Scar]

Thoroughly enjoying RE7 right now on a standard PS4. Granted, it does give me the itch to try VR.

[bac0n]

Finished the Fallout Automatron DLC last night, then promptly went back to my third story man-cave for a nap, then, what the hell, decided to create my second robot, Mr. Cuddle Pants, which I made too big to get down the stairs. Fortunately, I fast-traveled to a new location and hey, there's my buddy, good ol' Mr. Cuddle Pants, chirping away and, oops, just fried some raider. That's my Mr. Cuddle Pants!

Next, I'm thinking that Far Harbor, DLC. Whattaya think, Duke?

PS - Mr. Cuddle Pants.

[Dukefrukem]

That's the route I would take.

Three more settlements to build there.

[Dukefrukem]

So Star Wars Battlefront 2 will have a proper single player story mode and span multiple eras. Nice.

[Dukefrukem]

New Batman Arkham game?

826443083600498689

[Ezee E]

So Star Wars Battlefront 2 will have a proper single player story mode and span multiple eras. Nice.

Prequels and Original Trilogy only, right?

[Dukefrukem]

Unclear. But it would be silly of them not to include Rey in there.

[Dukefrukem]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU8aZ-mqd1I

[Ezee E]

That game looks awful. But the bit was funny, as always.

[Skitch]

If its strictly a fighting game, I'd agree. I assumed that was just the vs mode of different full game.

[Idioteque Stalker]

There's a lot of hype for the game, but I agree it looks really dull.

[Grouchy]

The quality of those skits has decreased significantly with the celebrity guests, though. Conan now barely makes fun of the game anymore.

[Ezee E]

The quality of those skits has decreased significantly with the celebrity guests, though. Conan now barely makes fun of the game anymore.

You should see his recent one with Final Fantasy. He absolutely destroys that game with the programmers listening next door. He hated it.

[Idioteque Stalker]

About to pop in Nioh. So excited.

[Dukefrukem]

I was able to snag an NES Classic when Best Buy had some in stock!

[Scar]

I was able to snag an NES Classic when Best Buy had some in stock!

wooo?

[Ezee E]

I was able to snag an NES Classic when Best Buy had some in stock!

Sound like they are more and more available now. How do you like it?

[Dukefrukem]

Sound like they are more and more available now. How do you like it?

I should have clarified. It was online. So it shipped today, due next week.

[bac0n]

I've been playing the Far Harbor DLC for Fallout 4 for the past week or so, and after the first few days, I was wondering why I hadn't run into any death claws. And then, just last night, when a mission brought me to the far end of the island, the answer became abundantly clear: It's because the anglers had eaten them all.

[Dukefrukem]

Anglers are cool. There's also some new giant monsters on that Island too. Make sure your settlements are well fortified.

[bac0n]

Anglers are cool. There's also some new giant monsters on that Island too. Make sure your settlements are well fortified.

Yeah, I ran into a foglurker or something like that. It's like Godzilla had sex with a jumbo shrimp.

[Skitch]

Yeah, I ran into a foglurker or something like that. It's like Godzilla had sex with a jumbo shrimp.

Dammit, now I'm hungry.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Nioh is even better than I thought it would be. At first I was overwhelmed by all the systems and combat depth, but as I've gone on it's really starting to work. So much fun. Recommended for fans of Bloodborne, but really it just feels like a deeper, more challenging Onimusha.

[ledfloyd]

So I got a PS4 during a holiday sale. I got the Uncharted 4 bundle, so I played through that. Also got the Last of Us remaster. Lately I've been playing Overwatch a bit. But now that I've played through the Naughty Dog games I could use a new single-player game or two. Any recs? Fallout 4 is on my list, considering the Arkham game as well. How is the new Tomb Raider?

[Winston*]

So I got a PS4 during a holiday sale. I got the Uncharted 4 bundle, so I played through that. Also got the Last of Us remaster. Lately I've been playing Overwatch a bit. But now that I've played through the Naughty Dog games I could use a new single-player game or two. Any recs? Fallout 4 is on my list, considering the Arkham game as well. How is the new Tomb Raider?

Doom!

The new Tomb Raider and Batman are good too, though. Fallout 4 is okay.

[ledfloyd]

Most anticipated for 2017:

1. Red Dead Redemption 2
2. Persona 5
3. Horizon Zero Dawn
4. Mass Effect: Andromeda
5. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
6. Nioh
7. Detroit: Become Human
8. Super Mario Odyssey
9. Tacoma
10. South Park: The Fractured But Whole

RDR2 is part of the reason I decided to get a PS4.

RE7 is on my list, but I'll wait until the price comes down a bit.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Agreed that new Tomb Raider is good and Fallout 4 is meh. Some of my favorite single player games this gen are Shadow of Mordor, Inside, Mad Max, Bloodborne, and Until Dawn. Most of those are cheap now too.

[Scar]

I thoroughly enjoyed RE7. Probably should've waited for a price drop, but still thoroughly enjoyed it.

Definitely worth $20: Mad Max, Bloodborne, Until Dawn.
Worth more than $20: Dark Souls III, Diablo III

I might try Fallout 4 again. It was more of the same. Granted, I played 3 and New Vegas a ridiculous amount of times.

[ledfloyd]

I haven't played any of the Dark Souls games, but I've heard good things. Might grab Bloodborne just because it's so cheap, and I've also heard good things.

You guys have been successful in dampening my excitement for Fallout 4, haha.

Hadn't heard of Until Dawn. I'll have to look into it.

[Scar]

I haven't played any of the Dark Souls games, but I've heard good things. Might grab Bloodborne just because it's so cheap, and I've also heard good things.

You guys have been successful in dampening my excitement for Fallout 4, haha.

Hadn't heard of Until Dawn. I'll have to look into it.

Duke and bac0n have invested a lot of time in Fallout 4. It is a good game, but its more of the same.

Until Dawn is Quick Time Event city, but fun, especially if you've even liked slasher flicks.

[Dukefrukem]

Yeah check out this thread for more Fallout fun

http://matchcut.artboiled.com/showthread.php?6128-PIPin-Ain-t-Easy-The-Fallout-4-Thread/page8

[Morris Schæffer]

Doom is certainly thrilling during certain encounters when numerous kinds of enemies swarm the screen. It doesn't scare me at all like the old games were able to, the focus is less on atmosphere and more on brutal, visceral combat, but it's an immense blast. Look forward to playing some more in the coming days.

[Morris Schæffer]

Looks like horizon zero dawn is the real deal!

Edit: and it's Dutch!

[megladon8]

For whatever reason I just can't muster much interest on Horizon.

[Dukefrukem]

For whatever reason I just can't muster much interest on Horizon.

You should. Your boys gave it 5/5 stars.

I was pretty meh on it, and weren't going to play it until after I'm done with ME4, but reviews today pretty much saying it's universally awesome.

Metacritic 89/100
Giant Bomb 5/5 stars
Game Informer 8.75/10
GameSpot 9/10
GamesRadar 4.5/5
IGN 9.3/10
Polygon 9.5/10
VideoGamer.com 8/10

[bac0n]

Yeah, the game looks fun. I may check it out after Mass Effect: Andromeda. From the looks of it, the open world looks varied and interesting, which was my main concern.

[Ezee E]

I have a buy two, get one free deal. Buy Horizon Dawn/Mass Effect, get Battlefield 1 for free?

What's coming up this summer?

[megladon8]

My next game purchase will be Nioh.

[ledfloyd]

Arkham Knight is fun, but feels like it has a lot of unnecessary bells and whistles that the game would be stronger without. Some of the sidequests are super repetitive.

I think Bloodborne might be my next purchase, since it's so cheap and so highly regarded.

[Ezee E]

Arkham Knight is fun, but feels like it has a lot of unnecessary bells and whistles that the game would be stronger without. Some of the sidequests are super repetitive.

I think Bloodborne might be my next purchase, since it's so cheap and so highly regarded.

Batmobile and Riddler quest sucks.

[Watashi]

Arkham City is one of my favorite games of all time, and I could barely get a few hours into Arkham Knight.

[Scar]

I didn't go far in Arkham Knight. I had zero interest in the batmobile.

[Ezee E]

I didn't go far in Arkham Knight. I had zero interest in the batmobile.

Everything else is very fun though, so it's a worthy chore I guess.

[Morris Schæffer]

I didn't go far in Arkham Knight. I had zero interest in the batmobile.

Those side missions where you find a bomb and are assaulted by tanks and flying stuff (who try to safeguard the bomb) were incredibly thrilling, and not all that easy either.

So yeah, Batmobile worked for me. Playing as Batman was better though.

[Dukefrukem]

Eric is right. Arkham Knight was destroyed by the specific Bat Mobile missions. The Bat Mobile is fun by-itself to get around but they really missed the mark on those tank missions. Ugh.

Especially the Riddler shit.

All of that being said. You're still Batman. And a it's still an overall fun game. Wats is correct though. Arkham City is close to flawless.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Colin from Kinda Funny Games says, aside from The Last of Us, Horizon Zero Dawn is Sony's best first-party game ever.

[Dukefrukem]

I dont know who that is, otherwise I'd be excited.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Colin Moriarty used to work at IGN before cofounding kinda funny games. Very opinionated, intelligent journalist/critic who has been a big voice and tastemaker for Sony but also a harsh critic at times. He can go a little too far with his "I'm right, you're wrong" grandstanding, but regardless I listen when he praises a game as much as he has Horizon.

[Idioteque Stalker]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7izKT_XH_R8&t=357s

[Winston*]

Arkham Asylum is the best Batman game.

[Skitch]

Arkham Asylum is the best Batman game.

Agreed. I was super excited by City, but the uneven side missions made me feel like I was constantly running all over and barely in control of what I wanted to achieve. I love both, but Asylum was more streamlined. I've beat Asylum like seven times. The last time I felt that much like BATMAN was Game Gear Batman Returns :D

Edit: Batman Begins for PS2 was also an underrated game, but its been so long since I've played it, it may have just been overwhelming desire to play a Batman game.

[ledfloyd]

Those side missions where you find a bomb and are assaulted by tanks and flying stuff (who try to safeguard the bomb) were incredibly thrilling, and not all that easy either.

So yeah, Batmobile worked for me. Playing as Batman was better though.
I'm so tired of shooting tanks.

I agree with Winston. Arkham Asylum was perfection and subsequent games have unnecessarily complicated that formula.

[bac0n]

Eh, I liked the freedom and expansiveness of Arkham City over Arkham Asylum, and was looking for even more of that with Arkham Knight, but the lukewarm reception I'm seeing here has dropped it down in the to-do list of games to play.

[Dukefrukem]

Eh, I liked the freedom and expansiveness of Arkham City over Arkham Asylum, and was looking for even more of that with Arkham Knight, but the lukewarm reception I'm seeing here has dropped it down in the to-do list of games to play.

Same. Plus the detective work is more refined. The secondary characters are better (like Calendar Man and Deadshot). And it the easter eggs are phenomenal (Killer Croc and the Rose (Pay Your Respects)).

[Ezee E]

Same. Plus the detective work is more refined. The secondary characters are better (like Calendar Man and Deadshot). And it the easter eggs are phenomenal (Killer Croc and the Rose (Pay Your Respects)).

Yep.

But I'll play those Batman games for as long as they make them.

Really hoping they change it to Superman or The Flash though... No rumor of this, just hope they chance DC characters.

[Morris Schæffer]

Colin Moriarty used to work at IGN before cofounding kinda funny games. Very opinionated, intelligent journalist/critic who has been a big voice and tastemaker for Sony but also a harsh critic at times. He can go a little too far with his "I'm right, you're wrong" grandstanding, but regardless I listen when he praises a game as much as he has Horizon.

maybe so, but it's not like there aren't any other glowing HZD reviews lying around for you to persuade you. :)

[Dukefrukem]

Yep.

But I'll play those Batman games for as long as they make them.

Really hoping they change it to Superman or The Flash though... No rumor of this, just hope they chance DC characters.

Actually I think there was a rumor they were working on a Superman game. Rocksteady that is....

[megladon8]

The only good Superman game to this day is The Death and Return of Superman on SNES.

[Skitch]

Lego games did good with Supes too.

[ledfloyd]

Eh, I liked the freedom and expansiveness of Arkham City over Arkham Asylum, and was looking for even more of that with Arkham Knight, but the lukewarm reception I'm seeing here has dropped it down in the to-do list of games to play.
I like it more than may come through in those posts. If I hadn't played the previous two games, I would probably love it. The main problem, as others have pointed out, is the Batmobile.

[Ezee E]

Finished Resident Evil 7. What a treat that first half was. Some of the most unnerving moments I've ever played, and one after another. Eventually, weapons become more important, and it loses that stress and dread, and is simply alright from thereon out.

But for a video game to muster that first half for as long as it did, I give it high regard.

I don't really intend to try any of the DLC, so I'll probably just turn this right in.

[Dukefrukem]

Sequel to Shadow of Mordor August 22
I know there were a lot of fans of that game here.

http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/be9892f3595c7cbd04f9aaedcf1d99 9/204990419/middle-earth-shadow-of-war.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_UgfB95Wu0

[megladon8]

Cool.

Ya I dug the first one a lot, shortcomings and all. Still one of only two games I've gotten platinum on.

[Idioteque Stalker]

I've never seen so many perfect 10s as I am for the new Zelda. Hope it plays well on Wii U cuz there's no chance I'm buying the Switch anytime soon.

[Morris Schæffer]

I've never seen so many perfect 10s as I am for the new Zelda. Hope it plays well on Wii U cuz there's no chance I'm buying the Switch anytime soon.

That's some glowing shit. Perhaps I should have given N more credit, but even then I'm genuinely astonished at how, well, perfect this game seems to be.

Still, I have never completed a Zelda game before. started playing Link to the Past again about 9 months ago, and I'm stuck. I've no idea how to proceed and refuse to use a guide.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Arkham Asylum is the best Batman game.

Still a big booster of the SNES Adventures of Batman and Robin from Konami back in the day.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YnWYLqlcVKA/hqdefault.jpg

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/l_3YJDe_z5Y/hqdefault.jpg

Arkham Asylum is better, but this good good boy should be in the running. They translated the show's art design to the 16-bit format and made the levels distinct "episodes" with their own goals - a car-chase with Two-Face, leaping across rooftops with Catwoman, puzzling through a Riddler maze.

[Morris Schæffer]

My first Batman game was a platformer. Batman the Movie on the Amiga 500

http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/1/11918/2323322-batman_the_movie_amiga__bat_an chor.png

http://retroshowcase.com/images/computers/Amiga/6/1.jpg

[Dead & Messed Up]

Nice!

The SNES Batman Returns was also an above-average side-scrolling brawler. The character sprites were big and juicy, good difficulty scale.

http://supernesroms.net/img/68/2.jpg

[Neclord]

I bought Stardew Valley and I understand now

[ledfloyd]

That's some glowing shit. Perhaps I should have given N more credit, but even then I'm genuinely astonished at how, well, perfect this game seems to be.

Still, I have never completed a Zelda game before. started playing Link to the Past again about 9 months ago, and I'm stuck. I've no idea how to proceed and refuse to use a guide.
Hmm... I've completed every single console Zelda game. The only time I remember using a guide is for the water temple in Ocarina.

[Neclord]

I don't think I used a guide for the Water Temple in Ocarina, though I do remember using one for the Water Temple in Twilight Princess. What's the deal with water?

[Morris Schæffer]

Hmm... I've completed every single console Zelda game. The only time I remember using a guide is for the water temple in Ocarina.

It was amazing on the N64, used a guide also, but surprised years later that the level didn't seem that hard on the 3DS. Have I gotten smarter? Still haven't completed ocarina on the 3DS either. I should really finish it, but I remembering being really lost with no idea of where to go.

[Morris Schæffer]

I'm probably gonna get a switch. Reviews of zelda i cannot ignore. And if oddyssey is just as magical...

Shit cant believe i'm gonna buy another Nintendo console. :)

[ledfloyd]

Nintendo... just when you think you're out, they pull you back in.

I'm going to wait a bit until there are some more games. As much as Zelda is my favorite game series, I just recently bought the PS4, and I am having trouble justifying spending $300 on what would essentially be a Zelda box.

[megladon8]

I'll probably wait 3-5 years until the Switch is available.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Pretty sure I just got the last copy of Breath of the Wild in Manhattan. Just in time for my day off.

[Idioteque Stalker]

I'm no graphics snob but damn is this game technically outdated. I hope I get used to it quickly because this is otherwise really fun.

[Morris Schæffer]

Nier: Automata anyone? Reviews are stunning and it's a Platinum Games game.

[Morris Schæffer]

I'm no graphics snob but damn is this game technically outdated. I hope I get used to it quickly because this is otherwise really fun.

Gotta say lots of reviews are praising the visuals but more the art style.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Gotta say lots of reviews are praising the visuals but more the art style.

Artistically it looks fantastic of course. But framerate dips, texture pop-in, and jaggies abound.

[Dukefrukem]

Not a good look for Nintendo - This isn't just performance issues, it's like.... everything. Screen, controller, dock... LEDs.... wow.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb-srOfRqNc

[megladon8]

Why can't Nintendo get their shit together and get to modern graphical/sound performance?

Anyone else think this will be Nintendo's last attempt at a console?

[Milky Joe]

Still a big booster of the SNES Adventures of Batman and Robin from Konami back in the day.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YnWYLqlcVKA/hqdefault.jpg

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/l_3YJDe_z5Y/hqdefault.jpg

Arkham Asylum is better, but this good good boy should be in the running. They translated the show's art design to the 16-bit format and made the levels distinct "episodes" with their own goals - a car-chase with Two-Face, leaping across rooftops with Catwoman, puzzling through a Riddler maze.

Is this a different game from the Genesis version? Because the Genesis game is a wild-ass ride... it's actually more a Batman sh'mup than a platformer. Hard as hell.

[Sycophant]

Why can't Nintendo get their shit together and get to modern graphical/sound performance?

Anyone else think this will be Nintendo's last attempt at a console?

People have been predicting this for over a decade now, so nope. Unless consoles are just gonna die. Which they probably aren't yet.

[Morris Schæffer]

Why can't Nintendo get their shit together and get to modern graphical/sound performance?

Anyone else think this will be Nintendo's last attempt at a console?

it sure as hell seems weird and shameful releasing such a landmark game and not affording it the power to really let it shine in the technical department. And i really mean the framedrops and the apparent fact that visually it isn't leaps and bounds better than the WiiU version. I hope to god they quit the hardware market. Imagine zelda botw on the xbox scorpio. Hell, might even make retro come out of whatever hole they're hiding in and do another proper Metroid.

[TGM]

Not a good look for Nintendo - This isn't just performance issues, it's like.... everything. Screen, controller, dock... LEDs.... wow.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb-srOfRqNc

Yikes. :\

[Idioteque Stalker]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl4bkIGgiyc

This just shot up to Red Dead 2 levels of excitement.