Video Games: 'Does Not Open From This Side' Edition

[Werthead]

Looking at a guide, it says that you're supposed to get higher-tier weapons for most of your characters - including ones you haven't met yet! - in Lindblum. But once you've left Lindblum for the next section of the game, you can't return and pick up those weapons later on (you can get back into the gateway and there's a merchant there, but the weapons can only be found at certain vendors higher up in the city which are now inaccessible). It also says straight up you shouldn't even think of facing Gizamaluke (the boss guarding the way through the mountains to Bermeceia) at much less than Level 15 (after grinding in the outside area I'm now Level 12; I was 9 when I first tried to fight him). But yeah, the "you suddenly find you should have done something fairly obscure and un-flagged 3 hours ago otherwise the game becomes ludicrously tough" paradigm of game design is very much alive and well in FF9 and I don't really have the time for it any more.

Anyway, FF9 now goes on hold (joining The Witcher 2, Pillars of Eternity and Divinity: Original Sin) due to the arrival of The Banner Saga 2.

[Fez]

I don't remember FFIX too well (although as I'm playing through each area it all comes back to me each section at a time), so I don't really remember that fight. But I do remember that I never really grinded all game long, except maybe at some point in disc 3. I'm also fairly certain that I never did anything esoteric like buying weapons for characters I didn't have yet. 

[Corvinus85]

I thought about picking up The Banner Saga, but one recurring complaint I saw was poor battle gameplay, which can be a deal-breaker for me.

On another note, a sliver of hope for TW: Warhammer based on this video. Strong cavalry charges are back.

[Werthead]

Mafia III is out on 7 October. Huzzah! As I may be able to get it when it comes out by that point.

Quote

I thought about picking up The Banner Saga, but one recurring complaint I saw was poor battle gameplay, which can be a deal-breaker for me.

There was a problem with random difficulty spikes they removed in the first patch. The main complaint after that wasn't strategy as such, but more over-use of the same enemy types which certainly is an issue. However, the game is short (8-10 hours) so it's not a major problem.

Banner Saga 2 has radically improved the battles, introducing both larger numbers of enemies and friendly units and a more elaborate class/cross-class synergy system. The reviews seem to agree that battles in the sequel are far superior.

[Sullen]

15 minutes ago, Corvinus said:

On another note, a sliver of hope for TW: Warhammer based on this video. Strong cavalry charges are back.

Haven't really followed the development of TW:W, are there seriously only four playable factions?

If so, Jesus, talk about a wasted opportunity.

[Corvinus85]

3 minutes ago, Sullen said:

Haven't really followed the development of TW:W, are there seriously only four playable factions?

If so, Jesus, talk about a wasted opportunity.

DLCs  

You get Chaos if you pre-order, or buy the DLCs. Others will most likely follow.

I hate this business model.

[Sullen]

5 minutes ago, Corvinus said:

DLCs  

You get Chaos if you pre-order, or buy the DLCs. Others will most likely follow.

I hate this business model.

It's laziness, greed, or a mix of both... it's deplorable.

Anyways, might pick up the game if they eventually add the Skavens as a playable faction. I love me some Skavens.

[RumHam]

Well if anyone was planning on buying a PS4 you may wanna hold off. Apparently they're going the new-3DS route. Weird.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-more-powerful-ps4-console-upgrade-detailed-fur/1100-6438978/

Quote

According to Giant Bomb, the PS4.5 will feature an upgraded CPU, GPU, and RAM. Every PS4 game will reportedly be required to ship with two different modes--one where the game will run on the current PS4 and one that will run on the upgraded console. The Neo mode will utilize the superior hardware to increase and stabilize frame rates, while also offering higher resolutions. 4K output will be supported, but games won't be required to run at 4K resolution.

 

[KiDisaster]

Games won't be "required" to run at 4K, lol. 

Unless they're sticking a Titan X in this new console (and they aren't) it's not going to be running games at 4K. Even the 980 Ti struggles with most games at that resolution, and they aren't putting one of those in it either. I really hope Sony don't go full scumbag and market this thing as capable of gaming at 4K. More likely it will support 4K movie playback, and that's about it. 

[KiDisaster]

Also, if consoles are about to start going the smartphone route I think I'm just about done with them. 

[aceluby]

Seems about right that the 'slim' model would come out shortly, so I'm not surprised by the PS4.5 at all.  I just think this will be an excuse to charge more for it, even though it really won't warrant it for most people.

I've progressed through DS3 and have 3 Lord's of Cinder souls and am now making my way to the Prince.  So far I'm really liking the difficulty ramp up of each area.  I feel like they've all been moderately difficult despite being pretty good at managing the damage I do and keeping my level in range to keep getting summoned.  Continuing to move forward and get done w/ this before summer hits and I go back to zero free time and start working on my house again.

[briantw]

2 hours ago, Fez said:

I don't remember FFIX too well (although as I'm playing through each area it all comes back to me each section at a time), so I don't really remember that fight. But I do remember that I never really grinded all game long, except maybe at some point in disc 3. I'm also fairly certain that I never did anything esoteric like buying weapons for characters I didn't have yet. 

You can get by a lot of the early stuff without a whole lot of grinding, but it really catches up to you in the end game.  Some of those bosses are really fucking tough.

2 hours ago, Werthead said:

Looking at a guide, it says that you're supposed to get higher-tier weapons for most of your characters - including ones you haven't met yet! - in Lindblum. But once you've left Lindblum for the next section of the game, you can't return and pick up those weapons later on (you can get back into the gateway and there's a merchant there, but the weapons can only be found at certain vendors higher up in the city which are now inaccessible). It also says straight up you shouldn't even think of facing Gizamaluke (the boss guarding the way through the mountains to Bermeceia) at much less than Level 15 (after grinding in the outside area I'm now Level 12; I was 9 when I first tried to fight him). But yeah, the "you suddenly find you should have done something fairly obscure and un-flagged 3 hours ago otherwise the game becomes ludicrously tough" paradigm of game design is very much alive and well in FF9 and I don't really have the time for it any more.

Well, any time you see a random new weapon type in a shop, that's pretty much a dead giveaway that someone who uses it is about to join your party, so you should buy it.  That sort of video game logic may not have been understood when I was a kid when this game first came out, but I certainly get it now.

[briantw]

By the way, if you want some amusement in FFIX (and a free achievement, although they are mostly worthless on Steam), keep calling the save moogle on the world map but then canceling rather than saving.  You have to do it like ten times to get the achievement, but it's worth it just to see two of his lines.

[Jasta11]

I really liked The Banner Saga, so I'm hoping the sequel is just as good. Not going to buy it just yet, but it's definitely on my radar.

[KiDisaster]

Reveal trailer for 'Pyre' by Supergiant Games (Bastion & Transistor) was just released. Targeting a 2017 release. 

Insta-hype. Bastion & Transistor were phenomenal games. 

[Werthead]

3 hours ago, Jasta11 said:

I really liked The Banner Saga, so I'm hoping the sequel is just as good. Not going to buy it just yet, but it's definitely on my radar.

The reviews are all saying it's a big improvement on the original and the original was pretty fecking good. I'm replaying it now and enjoying it much more. I think the patches they released later on have really improved things like combat balance and the difficulty spikes.

Some of the dialogue choices and decisions though, these are really harsh. You can tell Stoic is made up of ex-BioWare staff revelling in being able to throw away their EA-branded training wheels.

[Caligula_K3]

Beat Ornstein and Smaugh! Thank god, and thanks for the tips, people. I really hope everyone is right and this is the hardest boss in the game, because I don't know if I can handle more like that. It took so many practice runs just to figure out each of theirs' moves, and then I needed Solaire to distract/help kill one because otherwise they could corner and kill me. Thankfully once Ornstein (the fast one) dies, Smaugh isn't too too awful by himself, aside from his super lightning hammer attack. Anyway, glad they're dead and that I'll never have to fight them again. As a bonus (I can warp now!) I went back to a boss that was giving me a lot of trouble before, the wolf with a giant sword boss (wtf?) and managed to take him out in two tries. So at least I feel slightly badass, though I'm sure that'll last all of an hour before I reach the next impassable boss or section.

[Slurktan]

2 hours ago, Caligula_K3 said:

Beat Ornstein and Smaugh! Thank god, and thanks for the tips, people. I really hope everyone is right and this is the hardest boss in the game, because I don't know if I can handle more like that. It took so many practice runs just to figure out each of theirs' moves, and then I needed Solaire to distract/help kill one because otherwise they could corner and kill me. Thankfully once Ornstein (the fast one) dies, Smaugh isn't too too awful by himself, aside from his super lightning hammer attack. Anyway, glad they're dead and that I'll never have to fight them again. As a bonus (I can warp now!) I went back to a boss that was giving me a lot of trouble before, the wolf with a giant sword boss (wtf?) and managed to take him out in two tries. So at least I feel slightly badass, though I'm sure that'll last all of an hour before I reach the next impassable boss or section.

They are the hardest boss in the main game so grats on beating them!  There are two that can be harder in the Oolacile side area you are nearing   I'm curious to see how you do with them

[KiDisaster]

9 hours ago, Caligula_K3 said:

Beat Ornstein and Smaugh! Thank god, and thanks for the tips, people. I really hope everyone is right and this is the hardest boss in the game, because I don't know if I can handle more like that. It took so many practice runs just to figure out each of theirs' moves, and then I needed Solaire to distract/help kill one because otherwise they could corner and kill me. Thankfully once Ornstein (the fast one) dies, Smaugh isn't too too awful by himself, aside from his super lightning hammer attack. Anyway, glad they're dead and that I'll never have to fight them again. As a bonus (I can warp now!) I went back to a boss that was giving me a lot of trouble before, the wolf with a giant sword boss (wtf?) and managed to take him out in two tries. So at least I feel slightly badass, though I'm sure that'll last all of an hour before I reach the next impassable boss or section.

Congrats  

There are a couple of upcoming bosses in the main game that I personally struggled with a lot more than Pikachu & Snorlax but I think I was always in the minority on that. The DLC bosses though are a whole different story

[Rhom]

For the first time last night, my PS4 told me it needed more memory to download an update.  So I looked at my library and deleted all of the free games from PlayStation Plus that I don't generally fool with.  I also deleted DC Online which I haven't played outside of the initial curiosity.

Most of the other games seemed to have install sizes in the range of 20-30 GB.  Then I saw Arkham Knight... it was over 70 gigabites!!!!!!    I did have the season pass, so there were several DLC's included, but that one blew my mind.  I deleted it and didn't look back.