Dave
Staff member
Nope. Reviews and video looked okay, so I pulled the trigger. None of the reviews I saw said anything about the fucked up control port from XBox.
figmentPez
Staff member
Finished Brutal Legend and I never had any trouble completing the RTS segments. I didn't really love them, but they seemed to be a pretty appropriate difficulty on normal.
What I liked (or outright loved):
- The voice acting
- The humor
- The mythos and style
What I didn't like:
- This game needs a minimap badly, especially during the RTS segments
- Why on earth aren't the Motor Head locations also a fast travel option?
- The map design for the open world is mostly good, but there are some wonky areas that make navigation a pain.
- All the visual filters for the day/night cycle, weather, etc. Can make visibility a pain. Stop turning your colorful world almost monochromatic!
- Eddie's squishyness makes searching for collectibles a pain in some areas, mostly late game. There are a lot of roving enemies that can tear you to pieces if you move too slowly.
What disappointed me the most:
Overall, this is a mediocre game, coated in a completely awesome candy shell. It's hard not to like this game, since it's got fantastic style.
What I liked (or outright loved):
- The voice acting
- The humor
- The mythos and style
What I didn't like:
- This game needs a minimap badly, especially during the RTS segments
- Why on earth aren't the Motor Head locations also a fast travel option?
- The map design for the open world is mostly good, but there are some wonky areas that make navigation a pain.
- All the visual filters for the day/night cycle, weather, etc. Can make visibility a pain. Stop turning your colorful world almost monochromatic!
- Eddie's squishyness makes searching for collectibles a pain in some areas, mostly late game. There are a lot of roving enemies that can tear you to pieces if you move too slowly.
What disappointed me the most:
- I never got to fly in the open world. I was waiting and waiting for that ability to unlock outside of the RTS battles, and it never happened. Maybe Saints Row and the LEGO superhero games have spoiled me, but I love flying around in open world games.
Overall, this is a mediocre game, coated in a completely awesome candy shell. It's hard not to like this game, since it's got fantastic style.
It's not the control port, like at all. It may not be your cup of tea.
The controls do take a bit to get used to,but to be honest are perfect for Dark Souls. And once you get the hang of it,the game gets MUCH more enjoyable.
Basically this. I have the PC version of Dark Souls and I play it with the controller. I'm just as good on the PC as I am on 360 because things handle the same. I've played the PC version of DS2 at my brother's and it handles almost exactly the same as the first one.
Dark Souls is kind of an acquired taste. Not only do you need to practice at it to succeed because of it's memorization nature (git gud, as the community says), you also need to know what kind of character you want to play as and how other things interact with it. It's kind of like taking a college course in game design, except a passing grade is just survival. It is not for everyone, despite a lot of it' design elements starting to leak into other series now.
Dark Souls isn't the kind of game you can just jump into and get it. It's not a pick up and play type of game.
To be honest, @Dave, when I first started playing Demon's Souls, I felt the same way. To the point where I still have the disk and never got past the second or third boss. But when I actually pushed through with Dark Souls and "got it" it's just such a great game.
Frankly, you WILL NOT like the game to start out with. It unapologetically tells you right off the bat "I ain't making this easy for you, fuck your tutorial, fuck your forgiving controls and fuck you for asking for them, now go kill some undead, asshole."
Frankly, you WILL NOT like the game to start out with. It unapologetically tells you right off the bat "I ain't making this easy for you, fuck your tutorial, fuck your forgiving controls and fuck you for asking for them, now go kill some undead, asshole."
GasBandit
Staff member
My buddy whose wife never lets him play games any more is out of town on business this week. So far it's been 2 nights of TF2. I'm gonna see if we can get some SR4 going to change it up a bit, but I foresee a LOT of TF2 in my immediate future. @Terrik even got on board for some of it last night.
I think the reason people fall in love with Dark Souls is because the game is so unforgiving at first. You're dropped into this cruel world, and you get the shit kicked out of you over and over. But you start doing a little better, start surviving a little longer, and start learning. Better gear and stats can help, but ultimately skill is what results in you doing better, and that grows naturally over time, until you're slaying undead like it's nobody's business and feeling like a badass.
That, or stockholm syndrome.[DOUBLEPOST=1409776024,1409775961][/DOUBLEPOST]
TIL @Shawnacy is @GasBandit's buddy.
Interesting. Fire me a message next time you guys are playing TF2.
Some general tips for Dark Souls 2:
- Dying is the game's way of telling you that you aren't taking things seriously or aren't paying attention. There is no such thing as a cheap death in Dark Souls. It's always YOUR fault, not the game's.
- Most weapons are ether slash, pierce, or strike. Slash weapons generally cover lots of area, pierce weapons have high criticals (for ripostes and backstabs), and strike ignores some armor.
- Most weapons have scaling, which gives you better damage the more of it's associated stat you have. This goes up while upgrading the weapon.
- Your starting class isn't that important, but the Cleric starts with a Mace that can carry you for a LONG time thanks to it's strike damage.
- Magic SUCKS right now. They nerfed it to hell in DS2 last patch.
- Some weapons are better than others but just about any weapon that you've upgraded enough will carry you to the end game. Armor is the same way.
- Upgrading armor isn't as important as upgrading your weapon.
- The weight of the equipment you have equipped effects your roll and movement speed. There are three levels: fast roll, mid-roll, and slow (or fat) roll. You ALWAYS want to be at least mid-rolling. Raising adaptability gives you more invincibility frames while you roll.
- Dying is the game's way of telling you that you aren't taking things seriously or aren't paying attention. There is no such thing as a cheap death in Dark Souls. It's always YOUR fault, not the game's.
- Most weapons are ether slash, pierce, or strike. Slash weapons generally cover lots of area, pierce weapons have high criticals (for ripostes and backstabs), and strike ignores some armor.
- Most weapons have scaling, which gives you better damage the more of it's associated stat you have. This goes up while upgrading the weapon.
- Your starting class isn't that important, but the Cleric starts with a Mace that can carry you for a LONG time thanks to it's strike damage.
- Magic SUCKS right now. They nerfed it to hell in DS2 last patch.
- Some weapons are better than others but just about any weapon that you've upgraded enough will carry you to the end game. Armor is the same way.
- Upgrading armor isn't as important as upgrading your weapon.
- The weight of the equipment you have equipped effects your roll and movement speed. There are three levels: fast roll, mid-roll, and slow (or fat) roll. You ALWAYS want to be at least mid-rolling. Raising adaptability gives you more invincibility frames while you roll.
GasBandit
Staff member
Ok, I can, but fair warning - the servers he likes to play on are pretty intense/brutal.
Basically, the only game playing he's been able to do for the last 5 years or so has been a stolen hour or so of TF2 here or there. He's played nothing but TF2, and nothing but scout. I mean, I consider myself to be a fairly competent player, but the places he plays make me feel like a panic-flailer with Parkinson's.
GasBandit
Staff member
Saints Row multiplayer is only 2 player, unfortunately. If I join his game, it's full.
But aside from this week, if anybody ever wants to play either SR3 or 4, I'm always down to jump into your game and be a homie.
I've never been so throughly owned by a scout before.
So I'm up to 94 cars now in Gran Turismo 4, though 7 of them are duplicates (5 of the 1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee 426 Hemi, 2 of the 1987 Lotus Espirit Turbo HC).
So here's a list of my coolest cars (in my opinion, in alphabetical order)
BMW M5 '05: there's a reason they call the M series "The Ultimate Driving Machine" - agile, tough, powerful, and fun.
Buick GNX '87: Sure, it's just a Buick Regal to look at, but the Garret T-3 Turbocharger and McLaren performance package made this a force to be reckoned with.
Cadillac CIEN '02: Very cool concept car that was probably the root of the current Cadillac CTS series, particularly in styling.
Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 '70: One of the THE classic muscle cars.
Chevrolet Corvette Convertible '54: Classic cool in Polo White with red interior
Cizeta V16T '94: A bunch of former Lambourghini engineers used an early concept of the Diablo in a quirky Twin V-8 (rather than true V-16).
Diahatsu Midget II D-Type '98: a cute, buzzy little microtruck
Dodge Charge Super Bee 426 Hemi '71: Another classic piece of Detroit muscle
Dodge Viper GTSR Concept '00: essentially, a street-going race car
Ford GT '05: The civilian version of the American supercar, done as a tribute to the original
Ford GT LM Race Car '02: A LeMans race car version
Ford GT LM Race Car Spec II '04: A heavily upgraded version of the previous
Ford GT40 Race Car '69: The original American Supercar
Honda Civic Type R (EP) '98: A very nice hot hatchback
Honda NSX Type S Zero '99, NSX-R Concept: Basically, the Japanese Ferrari of the 1990's. (now it would be the Nissan GT-R)
Jaguar E-Type Coupe '61: iconic British sports car of the early 1960's.
Jaguar XJ-220 '92: Early 1990's hypercar, the fastest production car until the MacLaren F1, holder of the lap time record on the Nurburgring for production cars from 1992 to 2000
Jensen Interceptor Mk. III '74: Poorly made more often than not due to the problems in the British auto industry, but a very stylish car with a cool name.
Lotus Espirit Turbo HC '87: one of the ultimate of the 1980's "wedge" cars, sleek, lightweight, nimble, with some impressive acceleration
Mazda RX-7 Type R-S (FD,J) '95: one of Mazda's rotary rockets and a car that helped me rack a lot of early wins
Mercury Cougar XR-7 '67: Mercury's own Pony Car, this 670 hp muscle car in Iverness Green is nicknamed The Incredible Hulk
Nissan Fairlady Z 280 Z-L 2seater '78: My favorite of all the Z cars.
Plymouth Superbird '70: You can't go wrong with a car Richard Petty took the Winston Cup with
Shelby Cobra 427 '67: The epitome of the small, sport British sports car, infused with a big block V8
Shelby Mustang GT350R '65: It's a Shelby Mustang
Shelby Series I Super Charged '03: Shelby's own original performance car of the early 2000's
Subaru IMPREZA WRX Sedan STi Version IV GC '97: a budget wondercar - 4WD, a born rally car and no slouch on the track, either
Toyota MR2 1600 G-Limited SC '86: The Manny Pacquiao of cars, small but able to punch well above its weight
Toyota MR2 GT-S '97: The "poor man's Ferrari", but a very nice sports car in its own right
Toyota Supra 2.5 Twin Turbo '90: I greatly prefer the Mark III style Supra over the Mark IV and later.
VW Golf GTI '05: The best hot hatchback around, and when tuned, able to zip past BMW M3s, Z3s and Mercedes 230 SLK Kompressors with ease.
So here's a list of my coolest cars (in my opinion, in alphabetical order)
BMW M5 '05: there's a reason they call the M series "The Ultimate Driving Machine" - agile, tough, powerful, and fun.
Buick GNX '87: Sure, it's just a Buick Regal to look at, but the Garret T-3 Turbocharger and McLaren performance package made this a force to be reckoned with.
Cadillac CIEN '02: Very cool concept car that was probably the root of the current Cadillac CTS series, particularly in styling.
Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 '70: One of the THE classic muscle cars.
Chevrolet Corvette Convertible '54: Classic cool in Polo White with red interior
Cizeta V16T '94: A bunch of former Lambourghini engineers used an early concept of the Diablo in a quirky Twin V-8 (rather than true V-16).
Diahatsu Midget II D-Type '98: a cute, buzzy little microtruck
Dodge Charge Super Bee 426 Hemi '71: Another classic piece of Detroit muscle
Dodge Viper GTSR Concept '00: essentially, a street-going race car
Ford GT '05: The civilian version of the American supercar, done as a tribute to the original
Ford GT LM Race Car '02: A LeMans race car version
Ford GT LM Race Car Spec II '04: A heavily upgraded version of the previous
Ford GT40 Race Car '69: The original American Supercar
Honda Civic Type R (EP) '98: A very nice hot hatchback
Honda NSX Type S Zero '99, NSX-R Concept: Basically, the Japanese Ferrari of the 1990's. (now it would be the Nissan GT-R)
Jaguar E-Type Coupe '61: iconic British sports car of the early 1960's.
Jaguar XJ-220 '92: Early 1990's hypercar, the fastest production car until the MacLaren F1, holder of the lap time record on the Nurburgring for production cars from 1992 to 2000
Jensen Interceptor Mk. III '74: Poorly made more often than not due to the problems in the British auto industry, but a very stylish car with a cool name.
Lotus Espirit Turbo HC '87: one of the ultimate of the 1980's "wedge" cars, sleek, lightweight, nimble, with some impressive acceleration
Mazda RX-7 Type R-S (FD,J) '95: one of Mazda's rotary rockets and a car that helped me rack a lot of early wins
Mercury Cougar XR-7 '67: Mercury's own Pony Car, this 670 hp muscle car in Iverness Green is nicknamed The Incredible Hulk
Nissan Fairlady Z 280 Z-L 2seater '78: My favorite of all the Z cars.
Plymouth Superbird '70: You can't go wrong with a car Richard Petty took the Winston Cup with
Shelby Cobra 427 '67: The epitome of the small, sport British sports car, infused with a big block V8
Shelby Mustang GT350R '65: It's a Shelby Mustang
Shelby Series I Super Charged '03: Shelby's own original performance car of the early 2000's
Subaru IMPREZA WRX Sedan STi Version IV GC '97: a budget wondercar - 4WD, a born rally car and no slouch on the track, either
Toyota MR2 1600 G-Limited SC '86: The Manny Pacquiao of cars, small but able to punch well above its weight
Toyota MR2 GT-S '97: The "poor man's Ferrari", but a very nice sports car in its own right
Toyota Supra 2.5 Twin Turbo '90: I greatly prefer the Mark III style Supra over the Mark IV and later.
VW Golf GTI '05: The best hot hatchback around, and when tuned, able to zip past BMW M3s, Z3s and Mercedes 230 SLK Kompressors with ease.
Downloaded the demo for Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call. They changed the display of the mechanics a little bit, which takes some getting used to. There's now button support for those who don't want to carve open their touch screens, but I can't see myself using that.
After that, I looked up the track list so far. I'm not too keen on how much they've added for stuff like FFXIII-2 and 3, or the online games, but at the same time the stuff they added for the old games are tracks I love, so I can't really bitch.
After that, I looked up the track list so far. I'm not too keen on how much they've added for stuff like FFXIII-2 and 3, or the online games, but at the same time the stuff they added for the old games are tracks I love, so I can't really bitch.
I don't remember much in 13-2 and never played Lightning Dress-Up Waifu Simulator, but at least 13 itself had some pretty good music.
The soundtracks to Final Fantasy 11 and Final Fantasy 14 are fantastic. Ronfaure and Memoro de la Stono (where the Distant Worlds concert series gets it's name) are two of my favorite FF tracks period.
The first XIII had lovely music. Too bad they only added two tracks from that. XIII-2 has seven and XIII-3 has six. This probably still means that pre-DLC XIII outnumbers theirs, and they may even have good music, but it's disconcerting to see the number difference. I think more music for the older games is coming via DLC; there's already around 40 DLC songs. Some of it's good, some of it's stuff I can't imagine myself purchasing (I don't need yet another Aeris theme, so sorry Advent Children remix).
I'm not saying they have bad music; I even bought a couple of DLC tracks from FFXI for the first one. It's just weird to be throwing in around 20 tracks for the games where the story and thus emotional drive behind that music is less significant. I'm sure fans of those games feel differently and are glad to see them have representation. It's how I feel about Final Fantasy Tactics music being included--and again, some of my favorite tracks, so I really can't bitch.
Squenix said this'll be the last Final Fantasy incarnation of Theatrhythm, but that they could add stuff for new games as they come, which means hopefully it'll get some sweet Yoko Shimomura stuff for Final Fantasy XV when that's coming out. I really adored Somnus (still listed as under Versus XIII) in the original Theatrhythm, it was a good come-down song from the intense stuff, but it's the only one they didn't bring over from the first game. I'm guessing it's to release it closer to FFXV's release.
We're probably getting Theatrhythm: Dragon Quest next.
GasBandit
Staff member
Pretty much.
But Kingdom Hearts ...
(You're probably right, I'm just not familiar with that music.
Most definitely.
Playing the ever-loving SHIT out of Civilization V, with the Gods and Kings expansion.... playing vanilla Japan right now, currently debating whether to have ANOTHER war with Germany, and risk more unhappiness, or see about beefing up my tech and THEORETICALLY competing with Babylon.
I'm also about the only thing keeping Spain alive right now... I might fight a war with Germany just on principle, and restore Barcelona and Madrid to them.
I'm also about the only thing keeping Spain alive right now... I might fight a war with Germany just on principle, and restore Barcelona and Madrid to them.
GasBandit
Staff member
Tried my hand at Banished tonight.
Man, if you think you're good at management sims, you should step up and try Banished. It will humble you. Unless you do everything right and provide for about 17 different needs for all your people at all times without fail or delay, people are going to die. A lot of people. The game's resource generation vs consumption is incredibly tilted against you. Unless you have fully educated villagers using the best tools and wearing the warmest clothing and in exactly just the right amount of houses (not too few, not too many), it's a long slow slide into starvation and desperation. My village has been going about 43 years, but because villagers apparently age at 4 times the normal rate (I started off with 10 villagers in their 20s, and within 5 years the oldest ones in the village were in their 40s easy) there have been generations of turnover, especially due to all the starvation. You can't farm enough. You can't forage enough. You can't mine enough, you can't quarry or herd or smith or log enough, fast enough. At my peak, my village boasted almost 100 residents. After about a 20 year recession that worsened into depression (not helped by the frequently completely useless merchants that came to call, no I don't want to buy your stupid pumpkin seeds, I already grow my own, why the hell didn't you bring iron), I'm back under 30 residents, mostly from starvation.
The game plays very similar to Tropico or Gnomoria in that instead of controlling individual villagers you simply order the places for them to live and work built, and manage as a taskmaster/city planner. It starts off kind of easy because a new map will have abundant resources just lying on the ground around you... but once you use that up, it's much slower and more expensive to mine it/cultivate it/quarry it. There are no goblin attacks, no rebels, no hurricanes or zombies... just your silent mental wail as you watch people under your charge wither and die because your skills at management were a single iota less than divinely perfect.
Man, if you think you're good at management sims, you should step up and try Banished. It will humble you. Unless you do everything right and provide for about 17 different needs for all your people at all times without fail or delay, people are going to die. A lot of people. The game's resource generation vs consumption is incredibly tilted against you. Unless you have fully educated villagers using the best tools and wearing the warmest clothing and in exactly just the right amount of houses (not too few, not too many), it's a long slow slide into starvation and desperation. My village has been going about 43 years, but because villagers apparently age at 4 times the normal rate (I started off with 10 villagers in their 20s, and within 5 years the oldest ones in the village were in their 40s easy) there have been generations of turnover, especially due to all the starvation. You can't farm enough. You can't forage enough. You can't mine enough, you can't quarry or herd or smith or log enough, fast enough. At my peak, my village boasted almost 100 residents. After about a 20 year recession that worsened into depression (not helped by the frequently completely useless merchants that came to call, no I don't want to buy your stupid pumpkin seeds, I already grow my own, why the hell didn't you bring iron), I'm back under 30 residents, mostly from starvation.
The game plays very similar to Tropico or Gnomoria in that instead of controlling individual villagers you simply order the places for them to live and work built, and manage as a taskmaster/city planner. It starts off kind of easy because a new map will have abundant resources just lying on the ground around you... but once you use that up, it's much slower and more expensive to mine it/cultivate it/quarry it. There are no goblin attacks, no rebels, no hurricanes or zombies... just your silent mental wail as you watch people under your charge wither and die because your skills at management were a single iota less than divinely perfect.
Hope your boyfriend don't mind it?
Cooommmeee...plaaaayyyy......
This is how I feel about WoW. I enjoy it, but there is NO WAY I'm paying 15 a month to do this.