What are you playing?

[Hailey Knight]

Finished my fifth playthrough of Bioshock today. I used to go through it every year with my wife watching, starting in 2009, but then Infinite hit and for some reason we just didn't touch it until now. It's always a great experience, like putting on a favorite movie, though I think Infinite ruined my skills. The original is very much a slow-paced, creeping game, whereas Infinite is barreling in with superpowers and guns blazing. Well, I had a hard time not going apeshit with my plasmids, and ended up feeling the need to turn down the difficulty back to Normal, even though last time I beat it on Hard and had been aiming to do an Expert run. I don't use the vita chambers, so the difficulty still feels like it has a purpose, aside from electro gel vs Big Daddy.

The big moment is powerful as ever. The build-up area before it, the dialogue, the tone, music ... everything about that scene is just so perfectly executed and still leaves me with chills by the time it's over. That the game keeps going for a 2-4 more hours depending on your playstyle feels wrong, especially with what a fucking hellish drag the penultimate task is. Even when it's easy, it still sucks, and the ending never matches the power of the 3/4 point of the game. Nonetheless, the overall game, narrative, and atmosphere hold strong. The best moments are never overshadowed by the weak ones. Definitely one of my favorite games of all time.

I'm going to try making sure I play it again next year.

 

[Jay]

You better.

"A man chooses, a slave obeys!"

"You you kindly?"

 

[Hailey Knight]

"You you kindly?"

I think you misquoted.

The line is "Yu Yu Hakusho, I'm a weaboo?"

 

[Jay]

I'm tipsy

 

[Hailey Knight]

Maybe someone can enlighten me as to otherwise, but is Dark Souls with a sorcerer supposed to be boring as hell? I wanted to try playing as something different, but the gameplay here seems to be just eradicate anything before it comes close, or get in a melee fight where it takes me forever just to beat a typical hollowed soldier.

 

[Frank]

Maybe someone can enlighten me as to otherwise, but is Dark Souls with a sorcerer supposed to be boring as hell? I wanted to try playing as something different, but the gameplay here seems to be just eradicate anything before it comes close, or get in a melee fight where it takes me forever just to beat a typical hollowed soldier.

Yeah, until you get a weapon ascended to a magic weapon, your melee will be ass.

I started as a sorcerer and eventually went pyromancer, it's sorcerery while also being able to wail on fools.

 

[Hailey Knight]

Yeah, until you get a weapon ascended to a magic weapon, your melee will be ass.

I started as a sorcerer and eventually went pyromancer, it's sorcerery while also being able to wail on fools.

That's going to be a little while. Then my other issue is that from what I've read, later it's possible to kill bosses in one to three hits if you put stats in the right places for strong magic. I'm just wondering if later spells get more interesting than magic missile-style stuff. I know that's the intent for magic in Dark Souls 3.

On the other hand, I suppose it does up the necessity to be good at dodging. Just not sure I want to play through it going "pew pew" at everything. I've also done the pyromancy route, so I can see how this goes, and if it doesn't work out, then maybe I need to make a new dex character. That, or just go ahead with new game + on my strength character.

 

[AshburnerX]

That's going to be a little while. Then my other issue is that from what I've read, later it's possible to kill bosses in one to three hits if you put stats in the right places for strong magic. I'm just wondering if later spells get more interesting than magic missile-style stuff. I know that's the intent for magic in Dark Souls 3.

On the other hand, I suppose it does up the necessity to be good at dodging. Just not sure I want to play through it going "pew pew" at everything. I've also done the pyromancy route, so I can see how this goes, and if it doesn't work out, then maybe I need to make a new dex character. That, or just go ahead with new game + on my strength character.

Magic starts losing a bit of it's luster when you get into NG+, but yes... it's the easy mode of Dark Souls with enough Int and a bit of dex. And no, your spells as a Sorcerer will never get more exciting. Stuff like the Soul Arrow and Soul Spear spells are simply too efficient to ignore and stuff like Crystal Dragon Breath are too hard to use effectively (and you need 50 int just to learn that one). Divine magic has this problem too: you'll grind away for the Lightning Spear line and use Project. If you haven't made a good Magic/Enchanted weapon yet or want to take advantage of a normal weapon, you COULD always use Magic Weapon/Great Magic Weapon/Crystal Magic Weapon and Sunlight Sword to buff some of the swords to do way more damage in melee.

If you want variety, focus on Pyromancery.

- Combustion/Great Combustion are effectively melee spells that are decent.
- Fireball/Great Fireball/Great Chaos Fireball are your bread and butter.
- Firestorm is quite strong for an AOE but has some build up.
- Inner Fire can make any melee build better if you are good at not getting hit.
- Flash Sweat makes fire attacks a joke.

It's just much more varied than shooting lasers all the time.

 

[ThatNickGuy]

Middles Earths: Shadows ofs Smordors (I think that's enough S's this time)

Well, I beat it. It's okay. The final battle was meaningless to me since I don't even remember encountering the orc that led the army against me. And then they go and repeat the whole thing, only with 5 complete no-name orcs that have no meaning or value. And the final boss is stupidly easy.

Really, my biggest beef is that the core element of the game (the orc army and all involved) doesn't really have any impact on the main storyline. It's mostly separate from your main quest of taking out the big bad. There is more personality in the orc captains than the main villain. Hell, more personality than the game's protagonist what's-his-name (so generic that I can't even be bothered to remember him).

Tried a bit of the DLC, like the one where you wield the One Ring. Meh. It's the exact same gameplay but with a slightly different coat of paint.

You know what really grinds my gears, though? And this is something that's common in almost every sandbox game in the last 10-15 years, pretty much since achievements became a regular thing: collectibles. Ever since every sandbox game started using an experience system, all collectibles give you now is experience and an achievement. But I think back to one of the original sandbox games, Grand Theft Auto III. Every 10 or so collectibles you found, you unlocked a new powerup or gun in your crib. The older Metal Gear games would give you a new toy to play with in New Game Plus mode, like the stealth suit or the bandana. These days, all you get is experience to buy a power-up and achievement for collecting them all. Worse, the stuff you used to unlock by playing the game are now DLC. So you no longer earn cool powers, features, or costumes. You buy them.

 

[AshburnerX]

You know what really grinds my gears, though? And this is something that's common in almost every sandbox game in the last 10-15 years, pretty much since achievements became a regular thing: collectibles. Ever since every sandbox game started using an experience system, all collectibles give you now is experience and an achievement. But I think back to one of the original sandbox games, Grand Theft Auto III. Every 10 or so collectibles you found, you unlocked a new powerup or gun in your crib. The older Metal Gear games would give you a new toy to play with in New Game Plus mode, like the stealth suit or the bandana. These days, all you get is experience to buy a power-up and achievement for collecting them all. Worse, the stuff you used to unlock by playing the game are now DLC. So you no longer earn cool powers, features, or costumes. You buy them.

You get your weapons reforged as you complete the Sword, Bow, and Dagger Legends (at 5 and 10 legends completed) which makes your weapons look different but it doesn't make them any BETTER. That's about the only cool bonus you get for doing side stuff.

 

[Hailey Knight]

I'm glad I played so many Assassin's Creed games, enough to recognize open area side stuff as a waste of time; it stopped me from wasting time in Shadow of Mordor and just let me focus on the orc stuff I enjoyed.

The orc stuff is the point of the game and it's the reason I enjoy the game. They could've just made a story out of the orc stuff and slotted in whatever orcs you were dealing with at the moment, and I would've been happy.

I'm about halfway through the main story with the playthrough I started yesterday, and that's still with me fucking around with orcs a ton. And the orcs feel like they give so many stories to tell. I checked on a war chief--the Nemesis screen said he had no bodyguards, so I figured this would be easy. I draw him out, only for him to be followed by one captain I fed to a caragor much earlier in the game and hadn't shown up since, and another guy I'd thrown off a cliff minutes ago, now sporting a metal plate on his head. I died, and then went on a captain killing spree, killing both of those bodyguards plus four other captains.

And wouldn't you fucking believe it, the guy I'd thrown off a cliff was back AGAIN, still minutes after I burned him in a fire. I stabbed him through the head from behind the last time, but I won't be shocked if I were to go back to the first area and find him roaming around still.

Really, the main reason to plain the main story is to unlock abilities like poisoning grog and riding graugs.

 

[ThatNickGuy]

You get your weapons reforged as you complete the Sword, Bow, and Dagger Legends (at 5 and 10 legends completed) which makes your weapons look different but it doesn't make them any BETTER. That's about the only cool bonus you get for doing side stuff.

Yeah, that's not really what I'm talking about at all.

 

[Ravenpoe]

Really, the main reason to play the main story is to unlock abilities like poisoning grog and riding graugs.

And to hear people say "Mooooordooooooor"

There's like fifty o's in that word.

 

[AshburnerX]

Yeah, that's not really what I'm talking about at all.

No, I get what you meant. Finding stuff used to give you something fun or something useful for the time and effort... I STILL remember getting packages in Vice City because it let you get some weapons WAY earlier than normal, rewarding you for the effort. My point was that the -only- thing you get, at all, in SoM as a reward FOR ANYTHING are the entirely cosmetic weapon upgrades, despite the general difficulty (as compared to the game) of actually doing it. You don't get anything cool for the Elven words or the artifacts beyond XP of one sort or another ether unless you are REALLY into LOTRO Lore.

The only special thing in the slightest isn't all that special at all, so there's no point in doing any of it unless you want the XP to level faster. It's ALL filler.

 

[Hailey Knight]

Since I'm nearly finished with the Mordor playthrough I began yesterday (I just did not have a lot to do this weekend), I made another dex character for Dark Souls, this one being a wanderer. The scimitar is quite a weird weapon for this game. My wife commented on the body mannerisms being more like Bloodborne.

Also, though I'm better now with riposting and can still do backstabs as needed, my "be fucking careful" skills are pretty damn rusty.

The intro prologue and the point of reaching the Fire Keeper Shrine at the beginning got me all excited though. "I can do whatever I want now!" Not true, of course, but it feels that way when coming back. Can't remember the last time I played through a game this lengthy three times within one year. In fact, it may be a first.

 

[Fun Size]

Saints Row IV finished. So, I have Fallout New Vegas, but I keep reading about how good Fallout 3: Point Lookout is, which I never got to. Opinions?

 

[AshburnerX]

Saints Row IV finished. So, I have Fallout New Vegas, but I keep reading about how good Fallout 3: Point Lookout is, which I never got to. Opinions?

Point Lookout is only a few hours of content, but it IS fun. I'd do it first, if only because New Vegas is full of shit to do and will take weeks.

 

[ThatNickGuy]

LEGO Marvel Heroes

Well that was a lot of fun. Still have a lot of work in unlocking everything. I'm...not sure if I have the patience for it, though. Plus, it is incredibly annoying that the opening cutscenes for each level you need to replay is unskippable. Or that you have to slog through the whole level again. I just want to unlock the extra stuff, guys. Don't make me have to go through it all again.

Still, it was a pleasure to see a superhero universe that was not only fun, lighthearted, and imaginative, but where the heroes actually got along like friends. Don't really see that much anymore.

 

[fade]

Re: As Shadows Grows ins Mordors

I guess I could get into the rivalry if the random captain generation wasn't so obvious. It kind of felt like it was listening to a recording where your name is crudely inserted.

"Hello BOB I am your enemy BOB and I will be KILLING you FOR KILLING ME with a BUTTPLUG"

(it was an elven buttplug, forged by Cererimjob, son of Fetishbolg the Naughty.) As for not going straight for the beheading, well okay, but executions are like the first skill you get and they do the most damage, so it's almost hard not to behead the bastards.

[Joke about fiery ring of Sauron and Cererimjob]

 

[Hailey Knight]

Re: As Shadows Grows ins Mordors

I guess I could get into the rivalry if the random captain generation wasn't so obvious. It kind of felt like it was listening to a recording where your name is crudely inserted.

"Hello BOB I am your enemy BOB and I will be KILLING you FOR KILLING ME with a BUTTPLUG"

(it was an elven buttplug, forged by Cererimjob, son of Fetishbolg the Naughty.) As for not going straight for the beheading, well okay, but executions are like the first skill you get and they do the most damage, so it's almost hard not to behead the bastards.

[Joke about fiery ring of Sauron and Cererimjob]

They almost never say their own names, so I'm not sure where you're getting that from. Are you playing the shitty downgraded PS3 version?

You can behead them if you want. It's certainly not a good design choice to put it right there at the beginning, but there's a bunch of poor design choices, like the pointless side quests. The game is a sandbox in the sense that it's there for you to have a good time or not; whether you enjoy the good stuff or subject yourself to the bad is entirely up to you.

 

[AshburnerX]

They almost never say their own names, so I'm not sure where you're getting that from. Are you playing the shitty downgraded PS3 version?

You can behead them if you want. It's certainly not a good design choice to put it right there at the beginning, but there's a bunch of poor design choices, like the pointless side quests. The game is a sandbox in the sense that it's there for you to have a good time or not; whether you enjoy the good stuff or subject yourself to the bad is entirely up to you.

I think the bigger issue is that it's too easy to behead them by accident when you're trying to kill a Shield or Berserker with a Melee Takedown. When I'm surrounded, I need to thin out these specials or I'll get poked to death... but sometimes the game decides to nail the captain instead. IT doesn't ALWAYS take off their head but it certainly does it often enough that it's hard to get attached to anyone.

 

[Bubble181]

Shields are assholes.

And I think currently the one who's killed me most often is a nobody ass with spears who's immune to ranged and stealth, always runs away and always has a posse. Jerkwad. Well, him or "Random Caragor #4", but I don't think they count

 

[fade]

They almost never say their own names, so I'm not sure where you're getting that from. Are you playing the shitty downgraded PS3 version?

You can behead them if you want. It's certainly not a good design choice to put it right there at the beginning, but there's a bunch of poor design choices, like the pointless side quests. The game is a sandbox in the sense that it's there for you to have a good time or not; whether you enjoy the good stuff or subject yourself to the bad is entirely up to you.

I didn't say they did. I was drawing a comparison with a recording. I also didn't actually see any elven butt plugs as far as I know.

 

[PatrThom]

I also didn't actually see any elven butt plugs as far as I know.

Maybe it was actually "eleven" buttplugs?

--Patrick

 

[Bubble181]

Maybe it was actually "eleven" buttplugs?

--Patrick

I can see how that could be lethal.

 

[Hailey Knight]

Here, fade, I got an orc for you. Ran into him today in Numen. A real worder.

 

[Frank]

Alright, my blood pressure can't handle the bullshit that is the two snipers in Anor Londo right now.

 

[Hailey Knight]

Alright, my blood pressure can't handle the bullshit that is the two snipers in Anor Londo right now.

This is the point where a lot of people give up, which is why I often sit there with my white soapstone active so people can summon me for help. It's really only easy if you're set up as an archery master of some kind and can pick off/poison them from afar. Otherwise, it's a lot of skill, luck, and planning.

Alternatively, if you have the humanity, it's a good time to try pulling someone else into the game to help you. At the very least they can take care of one archer so that you're not getting poked from both ends.

 

[ThatNickGuy]

Here, fade, I got an orc for you. Ran into him today in Numen. A real worder.

Close your eyes while watching this and prepare to imagine the weirdest fucking sex ever.

 

[AshburnerX]

This is the point where a lot of people give up, which is why I often sit there with my white soapstone active so people can summon me for help. It's really only easy if you're set up as an archery master of some kind and can pick off/poison them from afar. Otherwise, it's a lot of skill, luck, and planning.

Alternatively, if you have the humanity, it's a good time to try pulling someone else into the game to help you. At the very least they can take care of one archer so that you're not getting poked from both ends.

You don't even need to be an archer master. Just have a longbow and poison arrows. It takes some practice but it's not a terribly hard shot.

 

[Hailey Knight]

You don't even need to be an archer master. Just have a longbow and poison arrows. It takes some practice but it's not a terribly hard shot.

My problem has probably been only having stats to wield a bowgun.

 

[AshburnerX]

My problem has probably been only having stats to wield a bowgun.

Yeah, that would do it. One of the first things I do in any run is to get enough for the Longbow, just for that point.

 

[Yoshimickster]

Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows

I don't know HOW, but they found a way to make Shovel Knight even MORE fun and even MORE frustrating. Also I find the concept that the reason we had to buy all the relics was because Plague Knight found them first and traded them for power-ups IS hilarious.

 

[Frank]

This is the point where a lot of people give up, which is why I often sit there with my white soapstone active so people can summon me for help. It's really only easy if you're set up as an archery master of some kind and can pick off/poison them from afar. Otherwise, it's a lot of skill, luck, and planning.

Alternatively, if you have the humanity, it's a good time to try pulling someone else into the game to help you. At the very least they can take care of one archer so that you're not getting poked from both ends.

So I finally suckered my way through it. The rest of Anor Londo is easy in comparison.

 

[fade]

so that you're not getting poked from both ends.

#NicksPromNight