Currently Playing - The Bear and Badger

b0r1s

Think you’re being generous with the equal parts bit there.

b0r1s

There’s no such thing as equal parts!

stonechalice

Yeah I could never master the timing on the parry. I don't think many people could tbh.

GurtTractor

Started playing Outer Wilds but I think I'll probably pack it in. It's weird because everything about it would appear to be exactly the sort of thing I like in games, but there's just something about the tone and the execution that isn't quite working out for me so far.

It just feels overly whimsical which makes it hard for me to take the premise, characters, and world seriously enough for it to be really compelling. And it's so friggin hyperactive that I have little time to relax and really take in the bonkers scenery, which is set at such extremes from each other and at such close proximity in terms of traversal that it gives me constant whiplash from the sensory overload. I think I tend to prefer my space games to be more on the serene and sublime side, I'm less into maximalist experiences like this.

I also find it sits in a weird no-man's land between being a kind of contemplative walking/exploration sim, and some kind of puzzle platformer. The problem is it doesn't do either that well and just ends up feeling tedious, it seems to mostly be about desperately running about everywhere trying to pick up all the clues to so you can work out what the fuck is going on in this mental place, but there's rarely anything mechanically interesting to do in these different places other than hoon about (which is decently fun).

Normally I would be fine with just wandering around a virtual place looking for story clues, but this game rushes you and forces you to keep doing the same thing over and over, and I'm not finding the story original or compelling enough to keep my motivation up. It probably gets more interesting later on.

Being able to do actual orbital manoeuvres like slingshotting yourself around a celestial body is very cool though. I just kind of wish the game was at least 50-100% bigger in scale, much slower in pace, and with a much different tone and overall design.

AndCallMeCharlie

Someone on here told me I was completely wrong about Mr X being a shit mechanic which spoilt the tempo of Resi 2 but I can't remember who and can't be arsed looking

Dark Soldier

Probably temps he loved it iirc

AndCallMeCharlie

Re Outer Wilds
Yeah I felt mixed about it (didn't finish it) some of the revelations are really cool but first person jumping is always a shit idea. Waiting for a certain thing to happen so you can get back to some place was also not a great experience.
It's also quite fustrating that one false move leads you to doing a whole series of actions over again

Moot_Geeza

b0r1s wrote:

Think you’re being generous with the equal parts bit there.

I thought my sloth-like reactions meant I was worse at it than most and assumed others had more success.

JonB

I'm in the Mr. X fan club. I think a game like Resi should be trying to throw you off your rhythm once you get too comfortable, and he does the job rather well.

stonechalice

Yeah I thought it was reasonably well done. His initial entrance was brilliant.

Re Outer Wilds. I was turned off it multiple times for many of the reasons you mention there Gurt. It's still well worth persevering in despite of them.

Tempy

Dark Soldier wrote:

Probably temps he loved it iirc

it’s not my fault i’m always right.

He is a good foil for the zombies, who are the real threat.

nick_md

But I thought the player was trying to foil the zombies?

Tempy

No they’re trying to foil you

regmcfly

JonB wrote:

I'm in the Mr. X fan club. I think a game like Resi should be trying to throw you off your rhythm once you get too comfortable, and he does the job rather well.

I'm also in the Mr X fan club.

nick_md

Alumines.

LivDiv

There is only one Mr.X in my heart.

Silke

GurtTractor wrote:

Started playing Outer Wilds but I think I'll probably pack it in. It's weird because everything about it would appear to be exactly the sort of thing I like in games, but there's just something about the tone and the execution that isn't quite working out for me so far. It just feels overly whimsical which makes it hard for me to take the premise, characters, and world seriously enough for it to be really compelling. And it's so friggin hyperactive that I have little time to relax and really take in the bonkers scenery, which is set at such extremes from each other and at such close proximity in terms of traversal that it gives me constant whiplash from the sensory overload. I think I tend to prefer my space games to be more on the serene and sublime side, I'm less into maximalist experiences like this. I also find it sits in a weird no-man's land between being a kind of contemplative walking/exploration sim, and some kind of puzzle platformer. The problem is it doesn't do either that well and just ends up feeling tedious, it seems to mostly be about desperately running about everywhere trying to pick up all the clues to so you can work out what the fuck is going on in this mental place, but there's rarely anything mechanically interesting to do in these different places other than hoon about (which is decently fun). Normally I would be fine with just wandering around a virtual place looking for story clues, but this game rushes you and forces you to keep doing the same thing over and over, and I'm not finding the story original or compelling enough to keep my motivation up. It probably gets more interesting later on. Being able to do actual orbital manoeuvres like slingshotting yourself around a celestial body is very cool though. I just kind of wish the game was at least 50-100% bigger in scale, much slower in pace, and with a much different tone and overall design.

This is how I felt the first time, when I dropped it half-way through back in 2019. When I played it last year, simultaneously dipping in and out of the DLC Echoes of the Eye - it all fell into place, and I loved it for what it was, and not for what I wanted it to be.

nick_md

I am Team Liv.

digi

LivDiv wrote:

There is only one Mr.X in my heart.

Trufax!

Moot_Geeza

Demon's Tilt head to head is on. I've agreed not to play it until my wife hits second (or first) on the local leaderboard. She's been at it for about three hours today already, cracked the 50m barrier just now.

I can take my Switch to work so there won't be a repeat of the Pinball Arcade Addams Family summer holiday shenanigans from a few years ago.

GurtTractor

Silke wrote:

This is how I felt the first time, when I dropped it half-way through back in 2019. When I played it last year, simultaneously dipping in and out of the DLC Echoes of the Eye - it all fell into place, and I loved it for what it was, and not for what I wanted it to be.

Yeah I'll probably come back to it at some point. The biggest issue for me is that the story and characters have mostly failed to get me invested in what happens to the world, so far anyway. Also the sci-fi story is composed of genre tropes that I've seen over and over, and I've not come across much that makes me think I'll be surprised by something by the end of it.

It actually reminds me a little bit of the Witness, where the world was essentially just meaningless set dressing around a bumper book of line puzzles. Obviously Outer Wilds' world is far more fleshed out, but I can't shake the feeling that it's a thin sheet of thematic plausability draped over the clockwork speedrun-esque puzzlebox.

I'll keep plugging away though, as it is quite a unique game.

stonechalice

Oh it goes places.

MattyJ

Mr X just wasn't what a wanted from the game, and in general I don't like that mechanic which is a shame as RE 2 is such a great experience. I wish they had included a mode with no Mr X so it was more like the original game, or keeping it so he only showed up in play 2 and at certain sections.

RamSteelwood

I bounced off Outer Wilds after initially enjoying, same complaints as above really. Got to a point it was a bit trial and error repeating things and hoping to be in the right place at the right time and not knowing if I was doing something badly or just wrong place/time.
Also (unless i'm muddling games in my memory) i found trying to navigate around the inside of the hollow planet frustrating when trying to quickly get back to a certain place

Moot_Geeza

Moot_Geeza wrote:

Demon's Tilt head to head is on. I've agreed not to play it until my wife hits second (or first) on the local leaderboard. She's been at it for about three hours today already, cracked the 50m barrier just now.

I can take my Switch to work so there won't be a repeat of the Pinball Arcade Addams Family summer holiday shenanigans from a few years ago.

I didn't take it to work and my score has been smashed. Grumble.

stonechalice

RamSteelwood wrote:

I bounced off Outer Wilds after initially enjoying, same complaints as above really. Got to a point it was a bit trial and error repeating things and hoping to be in the right place at the right time and not knowing if I was doing something badly or just wrong place/time.
Also (unless i'm muddling games in my memory) i found trying to navigate around the inside of the hollow planet frustrating when trying to quickly get back to a certain place

There's a shortcut.

n0face

Loved the Outer Wilds from begining to end. Not perfect, sometimes frustrating but a brilliant experience.

Rev

Rev wrote:

Syph79 wrote:

Rev wrote:

Syph79 wrote:

I went back to it again recently, started from scratch, and saw it through to the end. Has some of the greatest boss battles of any From game. It can be incredibly hard, but it’s also totally fair. You need to get solid at parrying and unlock the counters.

Yeah, see 'unlocking shit' is something I never expected to see in a From game. I watched videos about beating the ogre, and they're mentioning having the fire attachment for the arm unlocked, and I was wondering when ubisoft where involved in the dev meeting.

Like Tempy said, the arm stuff isn’t necessary, but it does help. Just think about it like finding another weapon, which you’d do in a From game regularly.

I was referring to the skill tree stuff. There’s a few counter moves that enable you to reverse thrust attacks, or strike after partying, and they do big posture damage.

In most circumstances you won’t defeat a boss by taking down health. It’s all about posture.

I've yet to even know what that is. I've not even been near a boss so far. I even had trouble with the pishy little general to be fair and then I ended up at the ogre and it seems to be a fucking chore. I'm guessing I'll just leave it and concede it's just not the game for me.

So after being stuck on the ogre, got through him and Oniwa horseback dude and I'm now up against some fire boy. And yes, I must admit, it's growing on me very slowly.

Diluted Dante

I've just started Crackdown 3. I know it's not meant to be good, but I didn't expect it would start with a cutscene that bores you to death.

Syph79

Rev wrote:

Rev wrote:

Syph79 wrote:

Rev wrote:

Syph79 wrote:

I went back to it again recently, started from scratch, and saw it through to the end. Has some of the greatest boss battles of any From game. It can be incredibly hard, but it’s also totally fair. You need to get solid at parrying and unlock the counters.

Yeah, see 'unlocking shit' is something I never expected to see in a From game. I watched videos about beating the ogre, and they're mentioning having the fire attachment for the arm unlocked, and I was wondering when ubisoft where involved in the dev meeting.

Like Tempy said, the arm stuff isn’t necessary, but it does help. Just think about it like finding another weapon, which you’d do in a From game regularly.

I was referring to the skill tree stuff. There’s a few counter moves that enable you to reverse thrust attacks, or strike after partying, and they do big posture damage.

In most circumstances you won’t defeat a boss by taking down health. It’s all about posture.

I've yet to even know what that is. I've not even been near a boss so far. I even had trouble with the pishy little general to be fair and then I ended up at the ogre and it seems to be a fucking chore. I'm guessing I'll just leave it and concede it's just not the game for me.

So after being stuck on the ogre, got through him and Oniwa horseback dude and I'm now up against some fire boy. And yes, I must admit, it's growing on me very slowly.

Yay!

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