Games you are currently playing: ROUND SIX

[Gardner McKay]

Continue from here: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1864895

Still playing FF XII.

Click to read more...

 

[Lady Santa]

Book of Demons. A diablo-style game in a paper cut-out universe looked super neat.
But I don't know - it feels a little bland. No customization, no real strategy, being stuck on a roller coaster rail where you can only move forward or backwards.

 

[RobBrown4PM]

Playing Space Station 13 on the Colonial Marines server. One round I was a doctor, we just got our first batch of critically injured. One Marine came in with one arm blown off. I made a prosthetic arm and got to cutting off the stump and replacing it. Post surgery, the marine wole up and started screaming madly, I had without knowing, cut off his good arm and replaced it with a prosthetic. The bad arm was still hanging there.

10/10 would malpractice again

 

[SniperHF]

Divinity Original Sin 2, obviously.

 

[Osprey]

I'll get this new thread started with a bang. I've been playing the first three Mass Effects for the first time and I find them quite overrated. The storytelling is good, but there's too much of it and not enough gameplay, the gameplay is arcadish and on rails, gameplay is extremely linear and scripted, map design is awfully unrealistic, gameplay mechanics are wonky and unpredictable, minigames are easy and just a nuisance, gameplay is repetitive (watch cutscenes, walk to room set up for an ambush, get ambushed, repeat), everyone of each race looks the same and talks like a human and, finally, the RPG aspects are rather casual and underwhelming (especially from the people who made the Baldur's Gate games).

Basically, I think that Bioware spent most of their time and effort on story, cutscenes and dialog and neglected the most important part, which is the gameplay. Instead of the cutscenes bridging and moving the gameplay along, it feels like the gameplay exists to bridge and move the cutscenes along. Ironically, for a game that supposedly is all about choices, you feel very constricted and led along a path. I'm not sure why the game is praised for the choices that you get to make when it makes nine for you for every one choice that it grants you. The choices aren't even related to the gameplay. They're just performed with the dialog options or pressing a button and they can't be undone. In real RPGs, if I make a choice, I can go back on it (ex. by opening fire on the guy that I just made a deal with).

Anyways, I'm not trying to offend anyone who adores these games. They're just not to my taste at all. I prefer my shooters to be first person and my RPGs to be more hardcore. If you're wondering why I'm still playing through this series, though... I played through the first to see if the second was any better; then, since I was already halfway through the trilogy, I figured that I'd just finish it to learn why everyone seems to hate how it ends. It's funny how something being hated can be almost as compelling a reason to try something as if it were loved. Maybe I'll even give Andromeda a go eventually, just for laughs .

Divinity Original Sin 2, obviously.

I really need to spend more time on games that I'll like, especially hardcore RPGs like that. For some reason, I've recently been going through games that I'm pretty sure that I'm going to hate and saving all of the games that I'm sure that I'll love. I think that I'm doing this gaming thing backwards.

 

[SniperHF]

I basically don't play games I even marginally think I won't like anymore. It's much better that way.

Though it's also only possible in the last few years because games I want to play are actually being regularly released. In the mid 00's I'd be waiting an entire year for one release if I was lucky.

If only the shooter genre would get its act together.

 

[John Price]

GMG had GTA V for 25 dollars so I purchased it.

 

[Osprey]

I basically don't play games I even marginally think I won't like anymore. It's much better that way.

I often wonder if I should just do that, too. On the other hand, I've discovered that I like some games that I didn't think that I would, all because I kept an open mind and gave them a try. For example, with all of the hype that GTA gets, I thought that I'd find it overrated and was surprised to find that I liked GTA III enough that I played the next two.

Very recently, I thought that I might not like Dead Island and have been really surprised at just how much I'm enjoying it. It's much better than I thought that it'd be. It's like a Far Cry game in its open map, questing and vehicle usage, but with stronger looting, inventory management and skill customization. That's not to say that it's better than a Far Cry game. It's actually fairly on par with Far Cry 2, which many think is the worst of the series, but I've always liked that one in spite of its flaws, in the same way that I like Dead Island in spite of its flaws. It's funny that I'm playing the series at the same time as Mass Effect, because it's almost the opposite: the story and cutscenes aren't very good, but the gameplay is a lot of fun. It actually makes melee combat fun and skillful in first person, which developers have been trying to pull off for decades. Thankfully, it plays much more like a first person shooter than a first person brawler, the latter being my initial concern because I'm not a fan of third person brawlers.

 

[mongolman]

Just started playing Life is Strange last night. Loving every bit of it so far.

 

[Unaffiliated]

Started a new XCOM EW Long War campaign couple weeks ago. Somewhat forgot how amazing this game is.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

I just recently started re-playing Castlevania: SotN... One of my very favorite classic PS1 games.

I have a hard time really getting gripped by new releases these days. I don't have gamefly or anything like that, so I don't really want to spend $60 on a game that I probably won't like. There are enough old classics that I haven't played before that I can get cheap on Steam or the PS Store.

 

[Commander Clueless]

Tried out Citizens of Earth and found it....lacking. Interesting theme though.


Dusted off Star Wars Empire At War from my Steam collection. Surprised at how much fun I had. Pretty basic RTS really, but an entertaining one.

 

[KingBran]

I'll get this new thread started with a bang. I've been playing the first three Mass Effects for the first time and I find them quite overrated. The storytelling is good, but there's too much of it and not enough gameplay, the gameplay is arcadish and on rails, gameplay is extremely linear and scripted, map design is awfully unrealistic, gameplay mechanics are wonky and unpredictable, minigames are easy and just a nuisance, gameplay is repetitive (watch cutscenes, walk to room set up for an ambush, get ambushed, repeat), everyone of each race looks the same and talks like a human and, finally, the RPG aspects are rather casual and underwhelming (especially from the people who made the Baldur's Gate games).

Basically, I think that Bioware spent most of their time and effort on story, cutscenes and dialog and neglected the most important part, which is the gameplay. Instead of the cutscenes bridging and moving the gameplay along, it feels like the gameplay exists to bridge and move the cutscenes along. Ironically, for a game that supposedly is all about choices, you feel very constricted and led along a path. I'm not sure why the game is praised for the choices that you get to make when it makes nine for you for every one choice that it grants you. The choices aren't even related to the gameplay. They're just performed with the dialog options or pressing a button and they can't be undone. In real RPGs, if I make a choice, I can go back on it (ex. by opening fire on the guy that I just made a deal with).

Anyways, I'm not trying to offend anyone who adores these games. They're just not to my taste at all. I prefer my shooters to be first person and my RPGs to be more hardcore. If you're wondering why I'm still playing through this series, though... I played through the first to see if the second was any better; then, since I was already halfway through the trilogy, I figured that I'd just finish it to learn why everyone seems to hate how it ends. It's funny how something being hated can be almost as compelling a reason to try something as if it were loved. Maybe I'll even give Andromeda a go eventually, just for laughs .



I really need to spend more time on games that I'll like, especially hardcore RPGs like that. For some reason, I've recently been going through games that I'm pretty sure that I'm going to hate and saving all of the games that I'm sure that I'll love. I think that I'm doing this gaming thing backwards.

Leave now! And never come back!

I am absolutely 100% just kidding here.

To help explain ME I think you need to look at it's target audience. The first one was an Xbox/timed PC exclusive and didn't have a huge budget. It's target was not hardcore RPG'ers. It was people who mostly played shooters on a console that had a reputation of being for shooter fans and adding in some fancy Bioware RPG flare. The first one was revolutionary really. But yeah hindsight and going back to play it for the first time now? Can see where it comes across underwhelming.

 

[glasgow26]

I just picked up Destiny 2 a couple days ago so I've mostly been playing that with a little Rainbox Six Siege mixed in as well.

Really want to get Divinity Original Sin 2 so I'll pick that up after I finish the Destiny 2 campaign and start to get sick of the endgame grind.

 

[SeidoN]

Divinity Original Sin 2, obviously.

I really want the first one now. wanna do a coop playthrough with my buddy. hopefully its the same percentage off in the Fall sale as it was in the Summer Sale which I missed


anyway update time

R6: Siege (my main shooter. love it)
Heroes of the Storm (pretty much the game I play most)
PUBG
Dead Island Definitive (me and my buddy loved our Dying Light coop playthrough, decided to try this one too
Escapists 2 (slowly working through this in coop. really fun)

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

A toss up sadly. NHL 18, Warframe, PUBG, and Grim Dawn.

 

[Osprey]

To help explain ME I think you need to look at it's target audience. The first one was an Xbox/timed PC exclusive and didn't have a huge budget. It's target was not hardcore RPG'ers. It was people who mostly played shooters on a console that had a reputation of being for shooter fans and adding in some fancy Bioware RPG flare. The first one was revolutionary really. But yeah hindsight and going back to play it for the first time now? Can see where it comes across underwhelming.

I'm not judging them in hindsight. I play most games years (or even decades) after they were released and don't have any problem appreciating and enjoying older games. In this case, there was a good reason why I didn't play any of the three for so long and that's that I didn't like what I saw of them. I would've had the same appraisal if I'd played them when they were new. Even though I'm not the target audience, I think that many of my criticisms are valid because they're things that other games are commonly criticized for. Others are certainly personal taste.

 

[Frankie Spankie]

I started playing 20XX with a friend of mine in co-op mode. It works beautifully in co-op and is a ton of fun. For anyone who doesn't know what it is, it's a rogue-like Mega Man spiritual successor. Each level is randomly generated but they don't really feel like it. I already completed two runs with my friend. It's not that hard but there are challenges that we haven't done yet. It's definitely a really nice co-op platformer if anyone is looking for one.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Gears of war 4, siege/destiny 2. Gonna play through stick of truth then the fractured and that's it till 2018

 

[Maplebeasts]

Hollow Knight on PC from stream. This game is a masterpiece. Best Metroidvania I can remember.

 

[DrFeelgood]

Factorio

I mean, i've been playing it for a long time, but i'm still playing it as well. Really fun game if you're into problem solving and automation. I also enjoy how I can play it in short spurts (an hour or so) to kill some time or for long play sessions. The latter happens often, it's one of those games where time flies while you're playing it and it's suddenly 3am and you forgot to eat dinner.

 

[Osprey]

Factorio

I mean, i've been playing it for a long time, but i'm still playing it as well. Really fun game if you're into problem solving and automation. I also enjoy how I can play it in short spurts (an hour or so) to kill some time or for long play sessions. The latter happens often, it's one of those games where time flies while you're playing it and it's suddenly 3am and you forgot to eat dinner.

I still need to play that. I love games like that. Infinifactory is one of my favorite games of the last few years. If you haven't checked that out, you should if you like problem solving and automation. It's quite refreshing to solve puzzles in a full 3D world in which you can fly around and look at the contraption from all angles.

The Great Permutator is another, though that's more of a simple, casual game, except in the fact that it gets super hard.

 

[KapG]

Still just vainglory lol


Kinda want to get back into world of tanks tho

 

[Jasper]

Divinity Original Sin 2, obviously.

I tentatively picked DOS2 up a day or two after the full release based on the great reviews. Never could get into the original at all but Steam's excellent about returns within two hours so why not. Must've put a dozen hours into it already

 

[KingBran]

I'm not judging them in hindsight. I play most games years (or even decades) after they were released and don't have any problem appreciating and enjoying older games. In this case, there was a good reason why I didn't play any of the three for so long and that's that I didn't like what I saw of them. I would've had the same appraisal if I'd played them when they were new. Even though I'm not the target audience, I think that many of my criticisms are valid because they're things that other games are commonly criticized for. Others are certainly personal taste.

Well, it's all opinion anyways. I have seen many of what you say are 'valid criticisms' be called some of the games biggest strengths (like the big focus on storytelling).

To each their own but it's by definition hindsight. You are playing a game that's 10 years old and criticizing 10 year old gameplay that has been expanded on immensely in the past decade. It was one of the first ever RPG shooters that hit the masses with such critical acclaim.

Other games released in 2007 like Team Fortress 2, Bioshock, The Witcher, Crysis, Assassins Creed... etc. Have all had huge improvements in gameplay over the past 10 years for their genre. I could take any Assassins Creed fan and watch them play the original and hate it to death. However, at the time, the game was huge and lots of people played and loved it. The thing is, they play similar games that have been released afterwards and think the game that started it all would be some amazing experience for them only to be let down. So even if they didn't play any other AC game but played games like Horizon or Zelda: BOTW they would play the first AC and think its one of the most awful games ever made and wonder why it was so popular and look at what people said about it and wonder why those things they said were big deals or something so great for a game.

Not sure where you got the idea that people (still) claim the game is praised for the choices you make. All that went down the tubes when ME3 was released. But your choices causing teammates to die or live for the rest of the game impacts the story pretty heavily... Until you get to ME3. But when just 1 and 2 were out and people were told and watched these choices make huge impacts on how the story played out they were indeed big deals. Again, something hindsight will ruin for anyone going back to play them.

You also bring up how underwhelming the RPG aspects are and keep comparing it to "real" RPG's. Like I said before, this game was never for hardcore RPG fans. It just never was. I think you were expecting something completely different than what you got that that's weighing heavily on your criticisms. Again, this is due to hindsight. It was a game released exclusively on a console that sold millions because of games like Halo. People will always see it as an RPG shooter even if it's pretty thin in that regard by todays standards.

They tried to get the more casual gamer into some RPG gameplay to get more players interested in the genre. It worked very, very well. We now have shooter / RPG's like Destiny which also sell millions. Games that casual gamers will play because there isn't some super deep complex RPG elements.

Mass Effect is a story first, shooter second, RPG third game. Always has been. I think you thought you were getting an RPG first, shooter second, story third game. Or that's at least what you wanted but hindsight proved that wrong.