What video game are you playing?

Whiskeyjack

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I know all the spoilers so I know I just haven't gotten to *that part* yet, but it's a little off-putting to me that you spend so little time in RDR2 in the actual West.

Yes. One of my few complaints with the game is that Arthur is supposed to be the Legend of the East (to be followed by John as the Legend of the West in RDR). But it's nearly impossible to actually get that achievement as Arthur and see him in the best outfit.
 

ulukinatme

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I hated it too. Pretty quickly got to the point where I had memorized exactly which components I needed to build 4 x Heavy Machinegun Turrets, and I wouldn't liberate a settlement until I could immediately build them and then never return.

Bethesda is easily one of the best gaming publishers out there today, but I kinda hope they delegate the actual development of their most valuable IPs to smaller and less corporate studios. It's a travesty that Obsidian is developing The Outer Worlds instead of the next Fallout installment.

I agree, wasn't a fan of the settlement building. I pretty much set each place up with a basic configuration, then left them to their own devices and avoided Preston Garvey like the plague. What made it infuriating is that half the Fallout 4 DLC was Settlement related bullshit, they needed more Far Harbor type stuff. I'm glad I didn't have to sink any real time into the settlements, but I can see where some people enjoyed it. My buddy had a ridiculous setup for some of this locations, like a fully walled off Sanctuary.

Bethesda really needs to rethink their strategy after this Fallout 76 fiasco. My buddies and I still play it on our Monday game nights, but it's mostly because one of our friends hasn't gotten RD2 yet. I would love it if they contracted Obsidian for another one, or even InXile Entertainment. The CEO of the later is Brian Fargo, who created the Fallout series. Coincidentally, I applied for an Associate Producer position with InXile a few weeks back and didn't get it. Would have been my dream job!

To each his own. RDR has a lot more shooting, so it feels more like playing through a Western movie than a realistic Old West simulator. I can see how that might appeal more to some. But it's hard to compare them on that basis alone. RDR2 is in a completely different category when it comes to the breadth, depth and quality of the narrative, the scope of the world, the level of immersion, etc. There's never been another game like it before.

I'm still about halfway through RDR2, but right now I'm leaning towards RDR being more enjoyable. It's a slim margin, and I can see where getting to the end I may change my mind like ACamp did. I enjoy an immersive world as much as the next guy, there's so much to do it's insane. I find myself just constantly picking up odd jobs and scraping for cash so I can help the family out and buy supplies. I'm just not sure yet if I like the characters as much. I'm not going to close the book on them until the story is finished though, so I'll keep an open mind.
 

Whiskeyjack

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I'm still about halfway through RDR2, but right now I'm leaning towards RDR being more enjoyable. It's a slim margin, and I can see where getting to the end I may change my mind like ACamp did. I enjoy an immersive world as much as the next guy, there's so much to do it's insane. I find myself just constantly picking up odd jobs and scraping for cash so I can help the family out and buy supplies. I'm just not sure yet if I like the characters as much. I'm not going to close the book on them until the story is finished though, so I'll keep an open mind.

Let us know your final verdict once you're done with the story. As I mentioned to Aaron, I think RDR2 is clearly the better game, and I say that as someone for whom the original is still my 3rd favorite game ever.
 

ACamp1900

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I think RDR2 has the advantage of being second but all in all RD1 May have been more fun. Story wise RDR 2 had lower lows (first act) and bigger highs ( final buildup) but I’ll also add the final payoff in rdr2s main story wasn’t as good as it could have been,... imo

On fallout, 4 was the only one I really liked and the settlements were basically why, y’all bitches are stupid,.. lol
 
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gkIrish

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Let us know your final verdict once you're done with the story. As I mentioned to Aaron, I think RDR2 is clearly the better game, and I say that as someone for whom the original is still my 3rd favorite game ever.

My list is the same as yours and I am only halfway through RDR2

RDR2
TW3
RDR
 

Whiskeyjack

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I think RDR2 has the advantage of being second but all in all RD1 May have been more fun. Story wise RDR 2 had lower lows (first act) and bigger highs ( final buildup) but I’ll also add the final payoff in rdr2s main story wasn’t as good as it could have been,... imo

Act I is basically a beautifully integrated tutorial. A game this big and deep has to teach you all the different systems at some point, and Act I does a great job of that. I think some people get turned off by it because it's so well integrated that you don't realize you're in a tutorial, and get frustrated with slow pace; which is a compliment of sorts.

You really thought the payoff in RDR was better? Spoilers: Charging the mountain with John (wearing Arthur's hat!), Sadie and Charles, finally recovering the Blackwater loot, seeing John settle down with Abigail, etc. was way more cathartic than tracking down Agent Ross with Jack.
 

ACamp1900

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Act I is basically a beautifully integrated tutorial. A game this big and deep has to teach you all the different systems at some point, and Act I does a great job of that. I think some people get turned off by it because it's so well integrated that you don't realize you're in a tutorial, and get frustrated with slow pace; which is a compliment of sorts.

You really thought the payoff in RDR was better? Spoilers: Charging the mountain with John (wearing Arthur's hat!), Sadie and Charles, finally recovering the Blackwater loot, seeing John settle down with Abigail, etc. was way more cathartic than tracking down Agent Ross with Jack.

I’m speaking to the main (Arthur’s) story,... haven’t finished the epilogue yet. The first third of the main story had me wanting to put the game down many times, it’s a grind and Arthur’s character was loathsome. I understand the why and all that, point stands. The final third of his story made up for all that but you still had to plug through... and yeah the last stage of his story was a letdown.
 
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ACamp1900

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To be clear, I love the game, RDR is def my fav series of the modern generations,... just sharing all my thoughts, not just the sunshine.
 

wizards8507

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Act I is basically a beautifully integrated tutorial. A game this big and deep has to teach you all the different systems at some point, and Act I does a great job of that. I think some people get turned off by it because it's so well integrated that you don't realize you're in a tutorial, and get frustrated with slow pace; which is a compliment of sorts.
Yeah, I haven't done it myself but I'd bet replaying Act I after you've played the game for a few dozen hours would be super fast.
 

calvegas04

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Really interested in God Of War now if it was able to win game of the year over RD2
 

wizards8507

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Continuing my catch-up on the PS exclusive I've missed over the years, I'm on to Uncharted. I'm going to play the whole series and I'm about 1/3 through Drake's Fortune.

For a 12 year old game, it holds up pretty well. The story and dialogue amazing, and I'm fully on board with this cast of characters for the next three and a half games. The platforming and exploring is fun, but holy cow the combat is trash. Reddit tells me the combat improves in subsequent games, so I'm sticking through it, but yeesh.

The bad guys are zombies. Zombies are boring AF. It's the main reason I could never get into Fallout. Ghouls and mutants are just zombies and zombies are stupid.
!
 

Whiskeyjack

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Really interested in God Of War now if it was able to win game of the year over RD2

Highly recommended.


Surprise!

h50BA8826


Finished the RDR2 epilogue, good, bitter sweet.

Thoughts on payoff v. RDR now?
 

gkIrish

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Just bought AC: Odyssey for 20 bucks new from Amazon (ps4). Not planning on playing it anytime soon but the price won't drop more so I pulled the trigger.
 

wizards8507

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Zombies aside, Chapter 16 of Drake's Fortune was the major payoff to me. That big ass puzzle room was right up my alley.
 

IrishLion

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Just bought AC: Odyssey for 20 bucks new from Amazon (ps4). Not planning on playing it anytime soon but the price won't drop more so I pulled the trigger.

You will be pleased.

giphy.gif
 

ACamp1900

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Payoff was good Whisk,... no complaints other than the credits sequence that covers a lot wasfar too long,... kind of a chore to sit through. Would love Charles and Saide dlc showing more of their stories...
 

ACamp1900

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Looking forward to the Show again... liking the additions to RttS... I also assume they fixed it were Ohtani can be used as a DH when not pitching....
 

ACamp1900

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So,... Dead Cells, someone (Huckleberry maybe) mentioned this game as a good Castlevania styled game... anyone have any thoughts? I'm considering buying it.
 

Whiskeyjack

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So,... Dead Cells, someone (Huckleberry maybe) mentioned this game as a good Castlevania styled game... anyone have any thoughts? I'm considering buying it.

I think that was me. Only got to play it for a couple hours at my brother-in-law's, but I really liked it:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RvGaSPTcTxc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Roguelite? Metroidvania? Roguevania!

You grew up with the roguelikes, witnessed the rise of the roguelites and even the birth of the roguelite-lites? We'd now like to present for your consideration our RogueVania, the illegitimate child of a modern Roguelite (Rogue Legacy, Binding of Isaac, Enter the Gungeon, Spelunky, etc.) and an old-school MetroidVania (Castlevania: SotN and its ilk).

Features:
  • RogueVania: The progressive exploration of an interconnected world, with the replayability of a rogue-lite and the adrenaline pumping threat of permadeath.
  • 2D Souls-lite Action: Tough but fair combat, more than fifty weapons and spells with unique gameplay, and of course, the emergency panic roll to get you out of trouble.
  • Nonlinear progression: Sewers, Ossuary or Remparts? Once unlocked, special permanent abilities allow you to access new paths to reach your objective. Opt for the path that suits your current build, your play style or just your mood.
  • Exploration: Secret rooms, hidden passages, charming landscapes. Take a moment to stroll the towers and breath in that fresh sea mist infused air...

Interconnected levels and progressive unlocking of access to the island provides you with a real incentive to explore your surroundings. Add in a degree of evolution for your character and permanent weapon upgrades and you can see where Dead Cells borrows from the long line of MetroidVanias that precede it.

At the end of the day though, it’s YOUR skills as a player that matter most! Roguelites are about constantly getting better, until what was an insurmountable obstacle becomes a walk in the park. Unforgiving combat wed to the absence of any kind of safety net makes for an adrenalin pumping ride each and every run and unrivaled replayability.

Celeste and Shovel Knight are also Metroidvania style, and they're rated even higher (though I haven't played either of them yet).
 

wizards8507

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Celeste and Shovel Knight are also Metroidvania style, and they're rated even higher (though I haven't played either of them yet).
Celeste is more of a pure platformer than Metroidvania, as there's not really any combat to speak of. It also has a gag-inducing SJW-Millennial-lib plot that I found repulsive.

That said, the controls are really tight and the gameplay is quite enjoyable. I think they got the difficulty level exactly right. Highly recommend on Switch.
 

greyhammer90

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So,... Dead Cells, someone (Huckleberry maybe) mentioned this game as a good Castlevania styled game... anyone have any thoughts? I'm considering buying it.

I would highly highly highly recommend Hollow Knight for a metroidvania.

It was the best game I played last year. (Yeah I said it.)
 

Whiskeyjack

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I would highly highly highly recommend Hollow Knight for a metroidvania.

It was the best game I played last year. (Yeah I said it.)

Oy. Just realized that Shovel Knight and Hollow Knight aren't the same game. All these titles exist on a list of platformers I'd like to have time for some day, but haven't played yet, so they get jumbled.

FWIW, I meant to recommend Hollow Knight, Aaron. Though it looks like Shovel Knight would also be right up your alley if you're looking for a more retro Castlevania-like experience.
 

ACamp1900

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Interesting,... thanks everyone. Each look good, not sure where I'll go but I am really feeling the Castlevania type game inch I get every so often.
 
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