Jump to content

Video Games: Keanu Re3ves Is Breathtaking


KiDisaster

Recommended Posts

3 hours ago, Fez said:

Writing for a near-future, US-based setting is a bit of a different skill set than writing for a medieval fantasy, Eastern European-style setting. There's still 10 months left until the game releases though, which I'd hope would be enough time to tighten things up.

The main issue I've seen, from the limited amount of content that's come out, is that they're doing that thing of putting in too much overly elaborate swearing that doesn't sound like how anyone would actually talk. It's the same trap a bunch of TV writers in the US had back in the early 2000s; suddenly they had the freedom to use swearing, and went over board.  Taking out/replacing lines like "We don't need all this cocksucking attention!" seems doable to me.

Of course, if there are bigger picture issues like problems with quest design or character arcs/motivations, that's a much bigger problem that wouldn't be so easily fixable. However, I don't think we've seen any evidence one way or the other on that.

I agree that the swearing is jarring. I'm not sure how much of this they can fix: voice actors are expensive, and I doubt they're going to be rewriting and rerecording much. But hopefully things will even out and they'll find their voice for what is (as you point out) a very different type of setting.

 

Now, the best fix would be to hire David Milch to rewrite the script. Now there's a writer who can create Shakespearian quality dialogue while using the word "cocksucker" every two lines!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, The Anti-Targ said:

My Lokir Felhart Dark Elf Vortex campaign got completely side-swiped by High Queen Kalida attacking my soft targets really early on. So I fell so far behind on the Vortex rituals that I ended up instead killing off all the Skaven, Lizardmen and High Elf factions rather than actually taking control of the Vortex. It was a long hard slog, and I also ended up being at War with Naggarond because they decided to ally with fricken Tretch Craventail what I attacked him instead of allying with me. What can you expect from a Druchii I suppose?

Haha that's tough. Teclis did declare war on me in the end, but i managed to get enough armies to reinforce the two fronts. He is now short of three armies (thank God for lightning strike otherwise i was goner since he gangs up using multi army). Queen Kalida was allied with Teclis but decided to not attack me, so that is a relief. She is too busy attacking my Dino allies, which works for me as I'm going after her next and if she takes the Dino territories, i can get em back easier without fighting my allies lol

Right now, going to wipe out loremasters.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, The Winged Shadow said:

Haha that's tough. Teclis did declare war on me in the end, but i managed to get enough armies to reinforce the two fronts. He is now short of three armies (thank God for lightning strike otherwise i was goner since he gangs up using multi army). Queen Kalida was allied with Teclis but decided to not attack me, so that is a relief. She is too busy attacking my Dino allies, which works for me as I'm going after her next and if she takes the Dino territories, i can get em back easier without fighting my allies lol

Right now, going to wipe out loremasters.

My Lizardman Vortex campaign was with Kroq Gar. I stomped with him and got control of the Vortex ages before anyone else. But Kroq Gar has the advantage of being surrounded by a lot of Tomb Kings + a Dwarf and an Orc who don't give a shit about the Vortex so your relations with those factions never suffer while you are performing rituals. I just had to kick Queek's arse, which was easy peasy lemon squeezy. I didn't even need to convince any Lustrian Lizardmen factions to confederate, I just went over there and rampaged through Felhart and Skrulk. Unmounted Kroq Gar is a fricken beast in combat. Arguably better than being mounted on his carnosaur, because on foot he's not vulnerable to anti-large attacks, and doesn't become a pin cushion for ranged focus fire.

With Queek, bloody Naggarond beat me to the punch, so I had to attack him for the final Vortex battle, instead of defend. I just couldn't construct an army strong enough to defeat him. The AI Lizardmen and High Elf allies in that fight were useless. I almost won the fight one time, but I gave up after 5 attempts. I guess the point of the game is that you're not supposed to fail to be the first to complete all the vortex rituals, so if you do the game kicks your arse for being such a hopeless git.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Toth said:

 

The ridiculous 100% completion aside, it's solid. I can't understand why people actually hated on it by release. Yes, it is recycling the map of Arkham City and the mook chatter used to be funnier, yes it is lacking Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill (though their replacements do a fairly good job, except when Batman forces himself to a Christian Bale hoarse croaking for no reason). But the story is fun, to have SWAT team going after you as well and the combat is great as usual. With many great boss fights to boot...

I had a similar feeling after completing it, but in my mind it still sits as mediocre for a few of reasons.

- The lack of innovation. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the only new gadget was the shock gloves, which don’t really change the gameplay, they just make it easier. It’s just the same gameplay as City. Oh and that CSI reconstruction thing, which was OK I guess, but didn’t add much. I can’t really remember anything else.

- The map has doubled in size, while the content has not. It feels a lot more open but also a lot more empty and less interesting to traverse. This is why they introduced fast travel, because they knew it was boring to cross the whole map. They could have improved the gliding and grappling, but no they went with a loading screen.

- The story. It’s ok, and I really don’t mind the different voice actors, but it’s a bit disappointing that it starts off with a new villain and then surprise surprise it’s the Joker again. I was hoping for something different. I really loved City’s story and it just felt like a bit of a step down. Also there’s no reason given for no normal people being outside, apart from it being dangerous. There’s been no evacuation like in Knight.

 

I’ll give you the boss fights, they are largely better than anything in the other games with the exception of Mr Freeze in City, but I found the overall experience to be a blander version of City. It’s entertaining if you liked City, sure, but feels a bit lazy. Its issues aren’t as bad as Knight’s issues, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, The Anti-Targ said:

My Lizardman Vortex campaign was with Kroq Gar. I stomped with him and got control of the Vortex ages before anyone else. But Kroq Gar has the advantage of being surrounded by a lot of Tomb Kings + a Dwarf and an Orc who don't give a shit about the Vortex so your relations with those factions never suffer while you are performing rituals. I just had to kick Queek's arse, which was easy peasy lemon squeezy. I didn't even need to convince any Lustrian Lizardmen factions to confederate, I just went over there and rampaged through Felhart and Skrulk. Unmounted Kroq Gar is a fricken beast in combat. Arguably better than being mounted on his carnosaur, because on foot he's not vulnerable to anti-large attacks, and doesn't become a pin cushion for ranged focus fire.

With Queek, bloody Naggarond beat me to the punch, so I had to attack him for the final Vortex battle, instead of defend. I just couldn't construct an army strong enough to defeat him. The AI Lizardmen and High Elf allies in that fight were useless. I almost won the fight one time, but I gave up after 5 attempts. I guess the point of the game is that you're not supposed to fail to be the first to complete all the vortex rituals, so if you do the game kicks your arse for being such a hopeless git.

 

Kroq Gar is maybe the only Lord I have never played with, he just doesn't seem to have enough roleplaying 'flavour' for me. 

I like Vortex campaigns because they are quite narrow in their focus, but there is something a bit stressful and non-fun about playing against a clock and being forced into certain moves. 

Thats why I think they have really improved the games with the DLC's. Tomb Kings and Undead Pirates both have lots to do in their campaigns and there is a sense that you are directed, but it doesn't feel like you have been railroaded into certain actions, or you have to do everything quickly. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

57 minutes ago, Stannis Eats No Peaches said:

I had a similar feeling after completing it, but in my mind it still sits as mediocre for a few of reasons.

- The lack of innovation. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the only new gadget was the shock gloves, which don’t really change the gameplay, they just make it easier. It’s just the same gameplay as City. Oh and that CSI reconstruction thing, which was OK I guess, but didn’t add much. I can’t really remember anything else.

- The map has doubled in size, while the content has not. It feels a lot more open but also a lot more empty and less interesting to traverse. This is why they introduced fast travel, because they knew it was boring to cross the whole map. They could have improved the gliding and grappling, but no they went with a loading screen.

- The story. It’s ok, and I really don’t mind the different voice actors, but it’s a bit disappointing that it starts off with a new villain and then surprise surprise it’s the Joker again. I was hoping for something different. I really loved City’s story and it just felt like a bit of a step down. Also there’s no reason given for no normal people being outside, apart from it being dangerous. There’s been no evacuation like in Knight.

Not going to disagree on the lack on innovation and the stale map. I missed playing as Catwoman, the crime scene investigations were nice and fitting, but a bit too simple to my liking and traversing the map is a goddamn chore (just how often was I gliding through the city and accidentally barreled into an armed mook on a rooftop?).

But I have to say, having slept over it again, the story of Origins is really, really good once you've accepted the usual Joker story-hijacking that plagues this game series and see that this story actually shows quite a lot of development for both Bruce and Gordon. It's their story, essentially. I still remember how frustrated I was about the first chapter in Blackgate because Batman kept being too late to prevent all the mayhem and murder as he was trying to take down every villain by himself (essentially the plot of Asylum, come to think of it...), but it very cleverly underlined just how ineffective Batman is when he has no allies to help him out. He starts the game as the abrasive loner who scoffs at the corrupt police and thinks he has to save Gotham alone, while Gordon is the by-the-book cop who also wants to save Gotham, but by upholding the law and not through the help of a dangerous vigilant. They are constantly at odds with each other, but end up saving each other several times regardlessly (even the GCPD gets to shine for once when Batman failed to reach Firefly's bomb beneath Pioneer Bridge and it's Gordon's bomb disposal unit that saves his ass). This all culminates in the (sadly too short) segment where Batman and Gordon team up at the penultimate riot at Blackgate, fighting their way through a bunch of mooks together to reach the Joker. In fact, it starts even before that. After Alfred gives Bruce his "no man is an island" speech, Batman arrives at Blackgate rallying the guards and shouting orders to keep the situation under control with their help, a vast difference to how he acted at the beginning of the night.

At the end of that Gordon still attempts to take Batman in since it's his job, but after Bats gets away and continues mopping up the city, Gordon calls him up with Barbara's help and for the first time, even if with audible reluctance, asks him for help. I know, I myself was annoyed that it ended up a stupid fetch quest placed unfortunately when you were just happy to wrap this up and go home, but it was still meant as a pivotal moment of Gordon reaching out to Batman while Batman accepted that he can work together and rely on Gordon. While the story itself sure is nothing special, I think when it comes to thematic significance and character development, Origins is actually superior to the previous two games.

I also liked very much how the first meeting of Batman and the Joker played out. The way the Joker was just left completely dumbfounded after Batman risked his life to save him was a joy to behold. I also noticed the significance of how the Joker immediately afterwards "saved" Batman from two mooks who held him at gunpoint by shooting both and then go on a rant about how they deserved to die just like he does. The way he gets intrigued and ultimately obsessed with Batman's one rule and how he must be insane just like him because of it was quite neatly executed in just very few poignant scenes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Heartofice said:

Kroq Gar is maybe the only Lord I have never played with, he just doesn't seem to have enough roleplaying 'flavour' for me. 

I like Vortex campaigns because they are quite narrow in their focus, but there is something a bit stressful and non-fun about playing against a clock and being forced into certain moves. 

Thats why I think they have really improved the games with the DLC's. Tomb Kings and Undead Pirates both have lots to do in their campaigns and there is a sense that you are directed, but it doesn't feel like you have been railroaded into certain actions, or you have to do everything quickly. 

This is why I haven't really bothered with the rituals. I don't like being rushed. I have all the ritual resource to do up to final ritual (thanks to owning lots of buildings with ritual resource), but I just can't be arsed. I was using the vortex campaign to learn the game mostly and didn't mind losing. But I am probably ahead of everyone now since Lothern rushed the rituals early game and got intervened and beaten up a fair bit. So now that its mid/late game, I can send a determined intervention and stop them from completing the 4th ritual most of the time. Plan is to get them to waste resources on rebuilding while I take over the western continent. Well, half of it anyways since the the northern part is inhabitable for Dinos. Which is extremely annoying because that area is so close to my capital and I don't like having exposed fronts.

My plan was to give money to my human ally and get him to take over settlement in that region that I raze. I gave him good 10-12k over the last dozen turns, but fucking dumb ass piece of shit is still sitting on his ass collecting interest or something. There is literally no one in two settlements to my north (next to this human garbage ally) since it gets taken by Skaven and Delfs and I sack/raze em when they hit level 3 settlement. Do humans have settlement penalties in certain climates as well? If so, i might need to ditch this loser and ally myself with the tomb king to the north. At least he is kicking ass up there against Skaven and Delfs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have found the most fun way to play the vortex campaigns is just to solely concentrate on the vortex and NOT play the game in the way I would play a normal TW game - as in I don't just try and paint the map. 

This is especially true of playing as someone like Lothern where its pretty easy to confederate all of Althuan within a few turns. 

I don't like having to micro manage a huge empire and there is something quite appealing about having such a narrow focus. It allows you to concentrate on characters and have a smaller number of meaningful battles instead of hundreds of auto resolves.

Usually I take the first location that gives Vortex points, then rush the second one. From that point its more about going across the map to ruin everyone else's progress.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have any of you Warhammer II players tried the Mortal Empires campaign? I tend to prefer it over the Vortex campaign, because of the inclusion of the all the factions, but the turn-taking is such a slog. I did have fun doing a Chaos campaign, as I ended up attacking Ulthuan, and other distant places, though if you lose a battle, your horde gets royally screwed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Corvinus said:

Have any of you Warhammer II players tried the Mortal Empires campaign? I tend to prefer it over the Vortex campaign, because of the inclusion of the all the factions, but the turn-taking is such a slog. I did have fun doing a Chaos campaign, as I ended up attacking Ulthuan, and other distant places, though if you lose a battle, your horde gets royally screwed.

Mortal Empires SHOULD be amazing, but you are right the turn times are simply too long to really enjoy properly. I measured mine at almost 2 minutes at one point which is crazy. I still got really far with an empire campaign where I basically reunified most of our territory and beat the Vampire Counts. It just took forever though and I tended to take a turn and then read a book while I waited for the next turn!!

So instead I went back to playing Rome 2, as I haven't really gone back to it since they made major changes to it. The turn times are so fast it feels refreshing, even if the game isn't great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/10/2019 at 8:55 AM, KiDisaster said:

Old thread is at locking age. 

Some important news to kick us off: https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-06-10-cd-projekt-gives-free-copy-of-cyberpunk-2077-to-guy-who-shouted-youre-breathtaking-at-keanu-reeves

I think the announcement I'm most excited for so far is Elden Ring. I'm 125% on board for anything From bring out, and I can't wait to see their take on a bigger open world game. 

Looks like Microsoft is hungry again after having their lunch eaten by Sony this generation. I wonder if they'll try to get their next console to market a year early again. Having Halo as a launch game will be huge. 

The Elden Ring is like just that strange coincidence when two things in your life that are so cool come together out of nowhere. I am so happy and hope it comes soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Heartofice said:

Mortal Empires SHOULD be amazing, but you are right the turn times are simply too long to really enjoy properly. I measured mine at almost 2 minutes at one point which is crazy. I still got really far with an empire campaign where I basically reunified most of our territory and beat the Vampire Counts. It just took forever though and I tended to take a turn and then read a book while I waited for the next turn!!

So instead I went back to playing Rome 2, as I haven't really gone back to it since they made major changes to it. The turn times are so fast it feels refreshing, even if the game isn't great.

yep, I do the same. :laugh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/10/2019 at 7:06 PM, Rhom said:

I think basically both sides of this discussion are right... but that ship has sailed.  

I have no need for multiplayer.  I like a good, single player experience.  If a company wants to tack on an extra MP experience that doesn’t appreciably effect the game like in Andromeda, I’m okay with that.  But I regret the advent of things like Day One DLC which feels to me like a ploy to release an incomplete game on purpose.  

I agree with @Jace, Basilissa that it is a goddamned travesty what kind of quality passes for release these days.  Oh how we yearn for the days before patches.  A game had to be complete at release.  Now, just release it and we’ll patch it later.

@Werthead accurately described the issues with how to make a quality game as well.  

I worry that gaming at large may not be for me anymore.

The FromSoft summoning/invasion mechanic makes the Soulsborne series so replayable, though. I'm so very very ruined by those games that it's hard to play anything else where you can't drop in to some other person's game uninvited and end their quest. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wait... what... :blink:

I just opened the eShop on my Switch and one of the top three games listed is “Leisure Suit Larry:  Wet Dreams Don’t Dry” sitting there right next to a cartoony Zelda: Cadence of Hyrule.

Where the hell is the Nintendo that made my Mortal Kombat sweat?!!? :stunned: 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So this trans image from CP 2077 has got people talking: https://www.polygon.com/e3/2019/6/12/18662443/cyberpunk-2077-trans-advertisement-cd-projekt-red-e3-2019

My understanding of trans people is limited, but I try to empathise. From what I've gathered trans-women generally  would really not want to have a big penis shaped bulge in their outfits.

Is this CDPR being terribly, and tactlessly lacking in awareness? Or is this them trying to convey the notion that perhaps in a very enlightened world, 50 years hence, there will be a great deal of fluidity in body image and gender identity and that the female penis will be so normal as to not cause feelings of self-loathing among trans women?

I don't like to pre-judge, but the average person is pretty uninformed about trans self-image issues, so I tend to think the image is probably lacking in awareness, rather than being hyper-futuristically woke. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's definitely playing into "a great deal of fluidity in body image and gender identity" that's a part of the setting. Though I'm not sure the world is "enlightened" (at least not without a lot of caveats and qualifications), the Cyberpunk universe is one where wild levels of body modification, gender fluidity, etc. are  pretty normal. The game rules even included rules and costs for sex changes (this in itself has caused some upset because the rules at the end reference a loss of Humanity -- a stat in the game -- in _some cases_, but that has to do with cheap, slap-dash procedures for kicks.)

That image is an example of normalization through the medium of corporate advertising using sex and sexuality to sell products. That advertiser's audience sees a hot, hypersexual model advertising something entirely banal, and that's about it (I saw one guy argue stridently that the image is intended as a "joke" in-universe, that the model is basically being treated as a gag, but they don't understand Cyberpunk at all, where this kind in-your-face sexuality is very much de rigueur). It may be more overtly sexual than what we're used to, but sex appeal has been selling soda pop for a long time.

The issue with CDPR, from what I've seen online, is a lack of trust because social managers of theirs on both the GOG and CDPR side (GOG and CDPR are owned by CDP) have stepped into it with a couple of tweets, as the Polygon article notes (I don't think it notes that the GOG employee was fired over his tweet; not sure about the CDPR employee). So people have looked at it with a jaundiced eye, understandably. But within the context of the game, and as explained by the artist responsible for the image, it fits perfectly into the setting and its image of the future.

ETA: Apparently they're working on allowing the character creator of the game to allow one to make more trans or nonbinary appearance. I think this is going to be quite a tall order to really do successfully given the high level of detail in the character models already seen, and the fact that they only have two voice actors (I assume) for V's lines... but maybe they can throw in a bit of voice distortion effects to modify the pitch of each to help? Not sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

AJfjsdnsdjdgr. I'm now so absurdly in a conflict with myself and my wallet. I am really in the mood of some building sim, potentially with survival aspects and have been eyeing "Surviving Mars" for quite some time. And now I see that its "First Colony edition" including the Space Race and Green Planet expansions is on sale on Humble (and GOG) for 22 bucks... that's... a really good price, but have you any idea how long ago it was that I have paid so much for a game? Grnjkfdvnvensvneev... Aaargh, I don't know whether I should or whether I should not...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/13/2019 at 10:06 AM, Toth said:

Not going to disagree on the lack on innovation and the stale map. I missed playing as Catwoman, the crime scene investigations were nice and fitting, but a bit too simple to my liking and traversing the map is a goddamn chore (just how often was I gliding through the city and accidentally barreled into an armed mook on a rooftop?).

But I have to say, having slept over it again, the story of Origins is really, really good once you've accepted the usual Joker story-hijacking that plagues this game series and see that this story actually shows quite a lot of development for both Bruce and Gordon. It's their story, essentially. I still remember how frustrated I was about the first chapter in Blackgate because Batman kept being too late to prevent all the mayhem and murder as he was trying to take down every villain by himself (essentially the plot of Asylum, come to think of it...), but it very cleverly underlined just how ineffective Batman is when he has no allies to help him out. He starts the game as the abrasive loner who scoffs at the corrupt police and thinks he has to save Gotham alone, while Gordon is the by-the-book cop who also wants to save Gotham, but by upholding the law and not through the help of a dangerous vigilant. They are constantly at odds with each other, but end up saving each other several times regardlessly (even the GCPD gets to shine for once when Batman failed to reach Firefly's bomb beneath Pioneer Bridge and it's Gordon's bomb disposal unit that saves his ass). This all culminates in the (sadly too short) segment where Batman and Gordon team up at the penultimate riot at Blackgate, fighting their way through a bunch of mooks together to reach the Joker. In fact, it starts even before that. After Alfred gives Bruce his "no man is an island" speech, Batman arrives at Blackgate rallying the guards and shouting orders to keep the situation under control with their help, a vast difference to how he acted at the beginning of the night.

At the end of that Gordon still attempts to take Batman in since it's his job, but after Bats gets away and continues mopping up the city, Gordon calls him up with Barbara's help and for the first time, even if with audible reluctance, asks him for help. I know, I myself was annoyed that it ended up a stupid fetch quest placed unfortunately when you were just happy to wrap this up and go home, but it was still meant as a pivotal moment of Gordon reaching out to Batman while Batman accepted that he can work together and rely on Gordon. While the story itself sure is nothing special, I think when it comes to thematic significance and character development, Origins is actually superior to the previous two games.

I also liked very much how the first meeting of Batman and the Joker played out. The way the Joker was just left completely dumbfounded after Batman risked his life to save him was a joy to behold. I also noticed the significance of how the Joker immediately afterwards "saved" Batman from two mooks who held him at gunpoint by shooting both and then go on a rant about how they deserved to die just like he does. The way he gets intrigued and ultimately obsessed with Batman's one rule and how he must be insane just like him because of it was quite neatly executed in just very few poignant scenes.

Fair points for sure, it’s obviously a lot fresher for you so I won’t argue on the finer points of the story as it’s been years since I played. I just think the main reason why the community at large considered it a mediocre instalment was the lack of innovation in its gameplay. It’s something I read about a fair bit when I played it because my reaction was also that it definitely wasn’t as bad as I’d been led to believe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Stannis Eats No Peaches said:

Fair points for sure, it’s obviously a lot fresher for you so I won’t argue on the finer points of the story as it’s been years since I played. I just think the main reason why the community at large considered it a mediocre instalment was the lack of innovation in its gameplay. It’s something I read about a fair bit when I played it because my reaction was also that it definitely wasn’t as bad as I’d been led to believe.

That’s what I don’t get... I loved Arkham City’s gameplay.  So Origins was great to me.  It was when they switched it up too much with Arkham Knight that I felt the series suffered.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...