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Videogames 2023: Dreams of the Sandbox Kings


IlyaP
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I kinda got the urge to play Destiny 2, which I haven't touched since 2018, and holy hell was I immediately completely lost. I debated making a new character rather than going back to my old one, but I'm not sure that would help much either. At least maybe it would remind me what's going on narratively, I think? Although I did have a few neat cosmetics on the old one.

Anyone have any advice for getting back into the game?

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Completed the MechWarrior 5 expansions. It remains a solid game (although a touch too fast-paced and arcadey, I recall MechWarrior 2 being slower and more tactical, even in realtime), but the DLC missions are all over the place in difficulty to the point where it doesn't feel very coherent, but a couple of the really big battles were satisfyingly epic. Also did a bunch of stand-alone missions added in the DLC and I'm quite impressed by the amount of bespoke audio they recorded with the actors for these tons of minor missions.

I also fired up Two Point Campus. I did love Two Point Hospital and this is both similar enough to be easy to get to grips with but different enough in the details that you can't just rinse-repeat the same strategies there. Managing dormitories, courses and finances is pretty straightforward, with a few interesting curveballs, and it nails that wonderful 1990s Bullfrog feeling superbly. It does make me wonder where they'll go next in the franchise, though.

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So playing Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.  Its like Sekiro mixed with Dynasty Warriors.  Pretty fun for the most part but a few of the bosses are bullshit.  Still maybe I'm just bad. 

It does have legitimately the hardest first boss I've ever seen in a game.  If I hadn't played the souls games and Sekiro I might have ragequit the game entirely.  Who thought the first boss (prior to the title screen ffs) having two phases was a good idea? Still it teaches you all you need to do in the game but just yikes.

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The Last Spell is a fun game. It reminds me a lot of Darkest Dungeon, only instead of the dungeon bits it's FFT/X-Com gameplay. So better. 

It's also got that rouglike thing where you earn currency to purchase upgrades that carry over to the next attempt. 

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It's not getting much coverage of late, but list123 (no one I've ever heard of) has reported that the latest patch for Bladerunner: Enhanced Edition has fixed a lot of problems. Being curious, I've loaded it up, and indeed, a lot has been fixed, the UI's improved, the ability to switch between old and new versions (a la Halo Masterchief Collection) has been implemented, some (if not all?) audio bugs have been resolved, and the quality of ingame cutscenes seems better. 

Despite these fixes, the game still doesn't look much better, and switching between the old and new versions, the "voxel plus" polygons (if I understand the tech used in the game correctly) look muddied, flat, and lacking in any sort of bump or texture mapping, making them look unrealistic and washed out and almost flat. 

Due to not having access to the source code, they couldn't just go and replace each model in-game, so while the approach they took is admirable, it ultimately doesn't really work. At this point, it'd almost be better to simply remake the game from scratch, which, sure, would be harder, but might ultimately reap better rewards, for some daring developing in the future. Meanwhile, who knows what the future holds for Nightdive Studios, as they're in the process of being bought out by Atari

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2 hours ago, Kalnestk Oblast said:

I did not know I needed a lego version mashup of GTA and Burnout Paradise, but apparently I do:

 

 

Okay yeah that looks like it fucking slaps.

 

If it's as fun as it should be, it coming out a week after Zelda will make for some busy gaming...

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2 hours ago, Kalnestk Oblast said:

I did not know I needed a lego version mashup of GTA and Burnout Paradise, but apparently I do:

 

 

29 minutes ago, polishgenius said:

 

 

Okay yeah that looks like it fucking slaps.

 

If it's as fun as it should be, it coming out a week after Zelda will make for some busy gaming...

At the very least, that's one of the best video game commercials I've ever seen.

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That looks really, really fun - especially if the vehicle creation portion really allows free-form building block usage and placement, or at least around a working 'frame'. I'd be absurdly delighted to drive/fly around my own creations - though I expect they'll lean into store-bought sets as opposed to allowing you a wealth of random bricks to assemble your own.

Just zooming around watching LEGO carnage looks delightful.

edit: Oh, after watching polishgenius' link to that gameplay video, I see they do indeed have a very robust creation mode. Eff yeah. Feel like I'd spend as much time clicking away trying to make a hot rod than actually trying to finish the plotline.

Edited by Argonath Diver
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On 3/21/2023 at 12:13 AM, Rhom said:

I spent about an hour with Diablo IV beta last night.

Three classes of the five were available.  (Necro and Druid unavailable)  I played as a Barbarian.  Didn't get far overall, but the game definitely feels like Diablo.  Looking forward to the next open beta weekend to try to dig in a bit more.

Queue time is...49 minutes. 

THIS IS A SINGLE-PLAYER GAME!

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1 hour ago, IlyaP said:

Not really a fan of those books/movies, so no real interest in playing it. Just not my jam.

Well, nobody's perfect.

48 minutes ago, Rhom said:

I have not yet, but did get it for my niece for her birthday and she loves it!

It's a real game! With a story and characters and everything! No payments-after-purchase required! 

The Slytherin common room is sooo much cooler than that lame tower whatshisface lived in

:D

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