Video Games: In the Grim Darkness of licensed Games.

[Caligula_K3]

I've been playing Assassin's Creed: Odyssey. I'm a huge ancient history nerd, so just getting to explore 5th century B.C. ancient Greece through the eyes of Ubisoft's talented world designers is a treat, as it was in Origins with Hellenistic Egypt. That said, this one feels much better overall in terms of quality than Origins: the voice actor who plays the main character (or at least the one I chose, Kassandra,) is excellent, and she's a much more dynamic character than Bayek. I'm still pretty early in, but having my own boat is also great: the only AC games I really love are the ones that are pirate simulators, so I'm glad that they've integrated it well into the main game.

Before this, I was playing Hollow Knight. Despite some frustration due to the developers (unnecessarily, imo) adopting design decisions from the Dark Souls series, this was one of the best 2D metroidvanias I've played. It has beautiful level and world design, fun combat, and a fantastic score. I don't have the patience or skills to go for the "true ending," but I'm very happy I picked this one up and played through to the main ending, despite almost giving up a couple times.

 

 

[Rhom]

My Anthem preview starts today... unfortunately, my 8 year old is having a friend spend the night tonight.  So I fully expect the downstairs TV to be monopolized with Fortnite.  Tomorrow I have continuing education, so its hard to know how much time I will get. 

[Jace, Extat]

18 minutes ago, Rhom said:

My Anthem preview starts today... unfortunately, my 8 year old is having a friend spend the night tonight.  So I fully expect the downstairs TV to be monopolized with Fortnite.  Tomorrow I have continuing education, so its hard to know how much time I will get. 

That's what the belt is for, homes.

[Rhom]

 

Disappointing... but not unexpected.  Can't even handle server loads for the VIP demo... that does not speak well of the upcoming launch.  Why is it every game winds up like this?

[Jace, Extat]

3 hours ago, Rhom said:

 

Disappointing... but not unexpected.  Can't even handle server loads for the VIP demo... that does not speak well of the upcoming launch.  Why is it every game winds up like this?

Because they release half a game for full price and finish it over the next year with subsequent $30 'dlc'

[Rhom]

45 minutes ago, Jace, Basilissa said:

Because they release half a game for full price and finish it over the next year with subsequent $30 'dlc'

FWIW... they say that a years worth of story DLC will be released for free. 

Will believe it when I see it.  

[briantw]

6 minutes ago, Rhom said:

FWIW... they say that a years worth of story DLC will be released for free. 

Will believe it when I see it.  

I signed up for EA's premier service, as a year of it was the same price as Madden and Battlefield, two games I planned to buy anyway.  Anthem is included in that as well, so I'll definitely give it a try when it comes out.  Probably gonna wait a couple of weeks after launch, though, because games like this always have hilariously bad server issues upon release.  

Edit: Although I do get access to the game early, so maybe it won't be such a shit show then.

[Mexal]

Alright, so Chapter 5 is fun.

[briantw]

Got the PS4.  

Totally forgot that even games on disk require a fucking hour-long install these days.  Ugh.

On the plus side, I apparently still have GTAV, Bloodborne, and Infamous: Second Son attached to my PS store account, so bonus games!?!?

[aceluby]

Finally at chapter 6 in RDR2, finishing up some of my side quests before finishing out the game.  Have one last duel to do, some hunting with the vet, make another stop at Charlottes place who should be crushing hard by now with all the help I've provided, and then finish up the game.  Just saw the O'Driscolls fate, so it should only be a few more missions before the end.

[Mexal]

7 minutes ago, aceluby said:

Finally at chapter 6 in RDR2, finishing up some of my side quests before finishing out the game.  Have one last duel to do, some hunting with the vet, make another stop at Charlottes place who should be crushing hard by now with all the help I've provided, and then finish up the game.  Just saw the O'Driscolls fate, so it should only be a few more missions before the end.

Chapter 6 is the last chapter? If so, I'm there now, just haven't started it yet. I really had fun with Chapter 5.

[aceluby]

Just now, Mexal said:

Chapter 6 is the last chapter? If so, I'm there now, just haven't started it yet. I really had fun with Chapter 5.

I didn't like the Guarma stuff, it felt out of place.  I somehow lost all of my .22 bullets and Improved arrows in the process; not to mention all the work I've put into the damn camp has basically been for nought at this point since I can't buy anything or contribute any more.  Weird decision to stop one of the main gameplay mechanics at the end of the game.  I did enjoy the part where you secure the cave though.  That was fun.

[Mexal]

1 minute ago, aceluby said:

I didn't like the Guarma stuff, it felt out of place.  I somehow lost all of my .22 bullets and Improved arrows in the process; not to mention all the work I've put into the damn camp has basically been for nought at this point since I can't buy anything or contribute any more.  Weird decision to stop one of the main gameplay mechanics at the end of the game.  I did enjoy the part where you secure the cave though.  That was fun.

I liked it because I thought it added a different story mechanism that I enjoyed, one of survival and that it was very story focused and action packed. 

[Fez]

First it was The Division 2 and now it's Metro: Exodus. Looks Epic is serious about trying to lockdown exclusives for its game store; though I suppose with that Fortnite money they can afford it no problem.

I generally don't like store-exclusives, but in this case I think it's a necessary evil to deal with the collective action problem of PC players not forcing Value to address Steam's shitty monopolistic practices because too many aren't going to shop elsewhere unless they are forced to.

[Werthead]

On 1/28/2019 at 5:41 PM, Fez said:

First it was The Division 2 and now it's Metro: Exodus. Looks Epic is serious about trying to lockdown exclusives for its game store; though I suppose with that Fortnite money they can afford it no problem.

I generally don't like store-exclusives, but in this case I think it's a necessary evil to deal with the collective action problem of PC players not forcing Value to address Steam's shitty monopolistic practices because too many aren't going to shop elsewhere unless they are forced to.

It is an interesting one, especially as Metro: Exodus is the first big game in some time I was looking forward to getting on release day. I'll probably still get it (I got an Epic account when I picked up Subnautica for free).

[Jace, Extat]

So I started playing Assassins Creed: Odyssey, because everyone kept telling me how it isn't an Assassins Creed game...

And hot damn! Literally 3 minutes in I kinda just 'Got' the combat controls and started zipping around the battlefield spearing fools. I fucked the tutorial mini-boss UP. Which isn't impressive in itself so much as how I just really figured out the controls and how creative they are. 

Great first impression. 

Then we get to the future storyline bullshit and I wanna put a drink coaster through my brain. Also I heard that Ubisoft degraded XP gain unless you buy a fucking booster to get it back to a reasonable level. Like an MMO! That's what fucking MMO's do to free-to-players!!!!!

So we'll see. I gots 5 days to return it.

[Heartofice]

Saw more info on the new Civ 6 add on. Looks pretty damn underwhelming to me.

The main selling point seems to be that some nasty natural disasters can destroy your buildings and so you can them spend a load of time repairing them! Yay! What fun!

I guess the climate change element is at least interesting even if it just looks like a party political broadcast more than a game

[briantw]

46 minutes ago, Jace, Basilissa said:

So I started playing Assassins Creed: Odyssey, because everyone kept telling me how it isn't an Assassins Creed game...

And hot damn! Literally 3 minutes in I kinda just 'Got' the combat controls and started zipping around the battlefield spearing fools. I fucked the tutorial mini-boss UP. Which isn't impressive in itself so much as how I just really figured out the controls and how creative they are. 

Great first impression. 

Then we get to the future storyline bullshit and I wanna put a drink coaster through my brain. Also I heard that Ubisoft degraded XP gain unless you buy a fucking booster to get it back to a reasonable level. Like an MMO! That's what fucking MMO's do to free-to-players!!!!!

So we'll see. I gots 5 days to return it.

I had zero issues with XP gain when I played it.  I was leveling up far faster than I even wanted to. Granted, I did pretty much every actual side quest (not the random repeating ones that pop up but all the story ones), but I was at around level 45 when they still had the 50 cap and nowhere close to the end of the main story.

Not sure if they've slowed it down since then, though, as that was a few months ago.

They obviously improved the combat, but I really loved how they made stealth actually viable. I always thought it sucked in previous AC games, which was ridiculous for a series about playing as assassins.  In Odyssey, I'd make my way through enemy camps like the fucking angel of death.  Pretty sure Kassandra killed roughly the entire current population of Greece during my time with the game.

 

[Rhom]

For those that are curious about Anthem, there is a Public Demo weekend this week.

[Tyrellius]

1 hour ago, Jace, Basilissa said:

So I started playing Assassins Creed: Odyssey, because everyone kept telling me how it isn't an Assassins Creed game...

And hot damn! Literally 3 minutes in I kinda just 'Got' the combat controls and started zipping around the battlefield spearing fools. I fucked the tutorial mini-boss UP. Which isn't impressive in itself so much as how I just really figured out the controls and how creative they are. 

Great first impression. 

Then we get to the future storyline bullshit and I wanna put a drink coaster through my brain. Also I heard that Ubisoft degraded XP gain unless you buy a fucking booster to get it back to a reasonable level. Like an MMO! That's what fucking MMO's do to free-to-players!!!!!

So we'll see. I gots 5 days to return it.

I was one of the wankers that enjoyed the game so much in the first couple of hours, I decided to buy the XP boost.  I didnt really need to.  I was level capped, (back when it was 50, its no longer capped anymore) waaaaay before finishing any of the main 3 quest lines.  The present day shit is kept to a minimum, most parts i just ignored it and plugged straight back into the Animus.

DLC wise, they've got a tonne of shit planned, 2 major dlc packs and a lot of smaller free ones.  I havent delved into them yet, I will probably wait till the last one is complete +- around June sometime before buying them all and playing it again.