I've played around 200h of Valheim in recent weeks. The good news is that it's a survival game truly done right, the bad news is that the creators appear to be resting on their laurels and new content has been significantly delayed. However, when I made a silly a rap song about my Valheim experience, their official account on Twitter gave it a like, so I can forgive them and be patient for the time being.

Spent 30h on KoTOR in 4 days, absolute blast of a game I loved it

For some reason I've been replaying the Jak and Daxter series. It's such a weird combination of different elements that were popular at the time, the second game especially (GTA style city + platformer + shooter + skateboards???!!!). Somehow it works though and I realised I kind of miss that era of video games.

Written by Mehrad on 24.06.2021 at 14:47

Written by Zap on 24.06.2021 at 14:42

I thought you had only played Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3?

that's true, but I see YouTube videos but I really don't know Sekiro's story and tons of other things about it. should play that one too.
it's just this boss, saying "MY NAAAAAAAME" is very epic, and extremely funny.

Ha right, okay. You should definitely play that. It plays very different to the other two games, you have fewer options in terms of playstyle, but I enjoyed it a ton and it might be one of my favourite games of all time. A lot of aspects of that game seem to be made specifically for me, somehow. The combat is almost like a rhythm game, press the right button at the right time. It works for me, some of those boss fights are among the most memorable of any game I've played (specifically one at the top of a castle, don't want to spoil it).

(moved this response to a more appropriate thread)

Baba Is You is going to release a level editor soon and I can't wait. I hope it gets a massive prolific level making community like Mario Maker did.

Written by Deadsoulman on 11.05.2021 at 11:04


I'm still a bit undecided on this one. I'm about 2/3 into the story and I'd like to complete it mainly to see how it ties into RDR1, plus the open world is beautiful and a real pleasure to just roam in, but on the other hand the story takes way too long to unfold and the gameplay is slow, clunky and generally a pain in the ass. So yeah, the environment is really nice, but it's not a pleasant game to play.

So somehow missed this. Will say this, the story took way too long to unfold until certain incidents that set it off. "A quiet walk" or whatever went from "ok, this is beautiful drudgery" to "zomg, what's next!?" Wife want to hold an interdiction at some point. The story became riveting.

Game is beautiful, no doubt, a lot of accolades, but can drag along. But will say Arthur Morgan is pantheon-level character to play. Up there with Geralt & Shepard.

Written by BitterCOld on 28.06.2021 at 07:23

Stuff about RDR2

I stopped right when I arrived in Saint Denis because, well, boring repetitive missions that led to pretty much nowhere. I don't mind slow in games, but up to that point, long-winded would be an apt description. I still plan on playing it through though. Surprisingly I've been able to not let anyone spoil the plot for me. Having played through RDR1's twist, I always assumed there'd be something similar in this one. Also, I'm a bit surprised by your "Arthur Morgan is pantheon-level character to play" comment. So far, he looks like a grumpy empty shell that couldn't hold a candle to John Marston. I guess that'd be one more reason to trudge on.

Written by BitterCOld on 28.06.2021 at 07:23

Shepard.

You know, I totally missed the boat on Mass Effect back then. But since everyone and their mothers kept bugging me about how the first trilogy was the finest thing created since sliced bread, I tried a couple of times to get into it and... I never got really far. I don't know about the rest, but I will say that the combat system of the first episode hasn't aged well at all. It's still on my to-play list though, I'm a sucker for good science-fiction.

Written by Deadsoulman on 28.06.2021 at 10:53

I don't know about the rest, but I will say that the combat system of the first episode hasn't aged well at all.

You're definitely right; the combat, especially in the first one, is outdated and clunky. It gets a little more fluid in 2 and 3.
I'm inclined to tell you to stick to it and that it will be worth it in the end, but it has been so long since I played those games that I'm not sure I'd still recommend them. I never feel like replaying them these days.
I did try to play Andromeda twice but never finished it. Combat is okay, exploration is alright, however the dialogue is... so awful that it turns me off of the rest of the game.

Written by BitterCOld on 23.05.2021 at 03:32

Just hearing Anderson again was like someone cutting onions in the apartamento.

The mere mention of that name...

Written by Deadsoulman on 28.06.2021 at 10:53

rdr2 and mass effect

If in Saint Denis as part of the story then you've been to the point where it started to pick up. I get the slow bits, it is a slow moving game both narratively and actual gameplay, but that was where I really got into the game. Don't want to spoil anything, but that was the point it switched from meandering the globe, knocking out some of the achievements for hunting or whatever into spending my time mission focused through the end of the game.



ME1 is wonky, but it is a great sci fi story with a very likable cast of characters. I still enjoy the hell out of it. Will be resuming the quest to Platinum 2 and 3 when I get back home.

Written by BitterCOld on 28.06.2021 at 16:57


If in Saint Denis as part of the story then you've been to the point where it started to pick up. I get the slow bits, it is a slow moving game both narratively and actual gameplay, but that was where I really got into the game. Don't want to spoil anything, but that was the point it switched from meandering the globe, knocking out some of the achievements for hunting or whatever into spending my time mission focused through the end of the game.

So you're basically telling me that just like I always switch lines and end up in the slow-moving one at the checkout counter, I stopped playing just when things started getting interesting. Typical I guess I'll give it another shot once I'm done with Far Cry 3 then.

Written by Deadsoulman on 28.06.2021 at 19:30


So you're basically telling me that just like I always switch lines and end up in the slow-moving one at the checkout counter, I stopped playing just when things started getting interesting. Typical I guess I'll give it another shot once I'm done with Far Cry 3 then.

You and me both in regards to check out lines. I always pick the wrong pony.

If you look at the last sequences of events before Saint D, it has already started to pick up in regards to intensity and consequence. Not going to mention anything but if you advanced the story to that point, you experienced the bang-bang-bang sequence of bigger events. It was that shift which hooked me after some missions I didn't give a fuck about.

I also dropped off at a certain point before that (partially due to clunky controls before I went on an alt-save murder bender in Rhodes to familiarize myself with it... you could have built a wall around the town with the bodies) but my brother pushed me to go through and I did enjoy it.

And Arthur might seem a cranky stick in the mud, but he's right most the time. Whenever his overzealous comprades go about something it always goes pear-shaped.

Recently got a new PC and used red dead redemption 2 to test the RTX 3080 that came with it. Visually it was amazing. However, I cannot say that I enjoyed the gameplay that much due to the issues in the game control. Also, unlike GTA's, I do not enjoy the side missions that much. Maybe that was because of the great storyline that tainted the rest of the game for me.
I'm now resisting my craving for Dota. As a former player, I'm well aware of its addictive nature. Also, I'm never going to be as good as my time back in 2008 so I guess there is no point playing it now.

Now, give me GTA 6 already Rockstar.

Written by mz on 04.07.2021 at 01:53

Recently got a new PC and used red dead redemption 2 to test the RTX 3080 that came with it. Visually it was amazing. However, I cannot say that I enjoyed the gameplay that much due to the issues in the game control.
Now, give me GTA 6 already Rockstar.

what isue

Well rumos are they are remaking (same as Mafia ) RDR1 whit new modern loy out and working on RDR3

I've been a member on MS for two years now and somehow I never noticed this topic here. I play a fuckton of video games. I currently have 199 Platinum trophies on Playstation. Saving something impressive for number 200, like the recent re-release of the Ninja Gaiden trilogy or one of the Devil May Cry games.

Since this is a metal forum, I wonder if somebody else here has played Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. It has one of the most metal soundtracks in video games. Here's the theme for the final boss:



This game did a fantastic job incorporating metal songs into the boss fights. For example, in the first phase of a boss fight you'd only hear the instrumental parts of the song, but when you reach the next phase, the lyrics would kick in. Then the song would finish as you finish off the boss.

Here's an example of this:

Notice how the lyrics kick in when the boss' health (bottom right corner) is down to 40%.Then at 10% the fight moves on to the finisher and you can hear that the song is coming to a close, too.

Well fuck me, Bloodborne has ruined me.

went and bought Dark Souls and Dark Souls II during a sale, playing Dark Souls Remastered has prepped me better for the game than coming straight from Bloodborne. Been juggling DS3 when frustrated with DS.

yesterday was the day of muchhos accomplishments when after hitting a wall with Bloodborne's Orphan of Kos (dying 20 times or so to a STR build and 20 times to a Skill+Blood build and Gundam/Gundyr beating my non-Knight like a drum had me quit DS3) had been playing Dark Souls I finally dropped it, smashed Laurence first try, then proceeded to complete Anor Lando on Dark Souls.

Meanwhile in Dark Souls 3, after prior posts, in the past week have gone from frustrated to defeating Vordt of the Boreal Valley on my first new try through 2 of the Lords of Cinder and being legit one or two swings from beating Aldrich, Devourer of Gods on the first try before they dropped Unending Rain of Instakill. Stuck on that fuckstick as only can run from Instakill for so long before dying to the neverending torrent of death on Phase II... but I will eventually smash him and piss on his corpse before moving onward.

Weird intimidating games are now the norm.

Finally got the specs to run Witcher III and it's eating up so much of my time.

Written by RaduP on 31.08.2021 at 22:23

Finally got the specs to run Witcher III and it's eating up so much of my time.

Great game. And the DLC's are longer than most normal games as well... took me forever to finish. Didn't help I got like 60 hours and change in, just past one huge key scene and my PS4 bricked. Had to buy a new one and start all over. Lot of fun, but will never cease to be hilarious to me you are a bad ass Witcher taking on Tchorts and all sorts of stuff, going toe-to-toe... and then can die from a fall I could take in real life without injury.

Written by BitterCOld on 28.08.2021 at 03:41

Meanwhile in Dark Souls 3

I like how you said you had quit Dark Souls 3 at one point but now bought the other two games in the trilogy and are still going at it.

Written by Zap on 02.09.2021 at 12:32

Written by BitterCOld on 28.08.2021 at 03:41

Meanwhile in Dark Souls 3

I like how you said you had quit Dark Souls 3 at one point but now bought the other two games in the trilogy and are still going at it.

Yeah, well I was looking for a time sink game or two, was missing the exploratory aspect of From's worlds and they were cheap.

Finally I went into DS3 pretty blind. Got a Battle Axe early as a Knight, and went being agile hoonter zooming around to over-encumbered fat rolling tin can. Blocking has the massive drawback of your stamina draining and poise breaking often before they need a breather... add fat roll minimizing other options, just too slow and frustrating.

SO with Dark Souls, before getting really into it I watched some basic no-spoilers primers, so went into the game with a much better understanding of how things worked. Made it more enjoyable. Which then transferred when revisiting the 3rd.

Almost done with 3 now. Understanding it plus generous number of Bonfires or shortcuts makes me feel like I can still progress after a heartbreaking disaster. Meanwhile in the OG, not entirely sure where to go and my last proper session saw me wander from Quelaag's Domain, across the slow, poison swamp of Blight Town, down the Great Hollow to discover Ash Lake... and die seconds later after dipping my toe in the water. Back to Quelaag. Booo.

Noted. The protagonist will melt like the Wicked Witch of the West if exposed to ankle deep water.

Written by BitterCOld on 02.09.2021 at 22:25

Yeah, well I was looking for a time sink game or two, was missing the exploratory aspect of From's worlds and they were cheap.

Almost done with 3 now. Understanding it plus generous number of Bonfires or shortcuts makes me feel like I can still progress after a heartbreaking disaster.

For what it's worth, I think the first Dark Souls still has the other games beat in the exploration thing, but that is also why I think 3 is more accessible, it's a bit more forgiving in that way. It's more linear in how you progress through the world. DS1 has you figuring out where to go a lot more often than DS3, which is pretty much go to the next area after killing the boss in this area, and repeat.
DS1 has you come back to previous areas, often from different directions, especially in the first part of the game. To me, it enhances the exploration aspect you mentioned.

Quote:

Back to Quelaag. Booo.

I don't want to spoil your experience by giving too specific directions, and it's also hard to guess what you have and haven't done (since you can get to Quelaag right after the tutorial) but if you've beaten Quelaag and rung the bell, get out of that whole area and back to the world above, you won't need to return for a while.

Quote:
Both are great, DS3 is just a lot more forgiving for intrepid explorers.

Written by Zap on 06.09.2021 at 11:35


just the way I am. I had found the great hollow and even made it to Ashen Lake so wanted to go back and survive the tree/explore the other zone. Not entirely sure where to go next as still barriers up in Anor Londo (both the zone boss and the trip through the museum), not sure if I've missed something in the Dark Root region, still haven't beaten that hydra out there, or done anything in Valley of the Drakes (forgot how to even get there).

Not a complete blind play on my part, I will cop to watching FightinCowboy's walthroughs. Usually after clearing a zone, beating the boss and exploring to see if I missed anything, but some times with bosses that are a complete pain the ass. If I get wrekt 5 or more times or so without feeling like I'm made any progress or even chipping away at their health bar, I'll get some strategy ideas.

Written by BitterCOld on 07.09.2021 at 04:04

Not entirely sure where to go next as still barriers up in Anor Londo (both the zone boss and the trip through the museum), not sure if I've missed something in the Dark Root region, still haven't beaten that hydra out there, or done anything in Valley of the Drakes (forgot how to even get there).

You really fucked up that quote so I don't really know who I'm replying to But without spoiling much, if you still got those yellow barriers, then you missed something in Anor Londo.

Hahahaha I didn't want to be the one to say it, but yeah not sure what happened there.

Also, didn't realize he was already at Anor Londo, so good hint from Deadsoulman.

Well, had sorted it out and last night beat that boss (New Londo Ruins, not Anor... ), removed the barriers and survived the hell that was Crystal Caverns. but not before scurrying into the Tomb of the Giants, dealing with that hell all way to, well, another barrier that's down now. I know I'm closing in on finishing based upon the dwindling number of "hidden trophies" that have yet to pop that aren't weapon of faction based.

Also in an attempt to cheese a trophy while keeping my Titanite Slab I inadvertently saved myself from catastrophe. Went to max a weapon, then download a prior cloud save after the trophy popped so I kept the slab (and the weapon at +14, not max)... to find I had the max number of files on the cloud. Nuked a bunch of other games saves (looking at you Skryim and 75 saves spread over 8 toons) and managed to upload DS and DSIII progress so all would be not lost if a South American Power Outage bricked my console. Again.

thought I'd be stuck on DS a bit and would finish DS3. Nope, plowed through the bosses (the zones were harder than they were), died to Cinder once, got absolutely mauled. Hit him maybe 3 times.

Took that Black Knight armor I found along the way to his place, returned to the Crystal Caverns, went genocidal on the clams until I had enough twinkling titanite to raise each piece of the armor to +5, went back and kicked his ass. Was stunned how easy it was second time around. Better armor (I had been using the Aragorn Wanderer costume at +9) with good fire resist, better poise helped me do a better job of blocking most the damage. When in trouble, backpeddle until you could put a column/stalagmite between you both, guzzle that Sunny D, then, just like J. Mascis and Dinosaur Jr, "start choppin'."

And now done with 1, stumped on 3, gave 2 a shot. got to level 25 or so, some decent loot, Estus at 4, Flaming Sword, even a fucking Titanite Slab. and yet...

Fuck. That. Game.

Let me see if I have this right. In addition to the difficulty and punishment for fucking up - losing your progress, souls and (almost) all foes returning, we've tacked this horse shit in for you:

1. Dying reduces max hit points progressively down to HALF?! I haven't had it that bad, but I've watched the total go down by a couple here, couple there. Sure, I can burn an effigy, provided I have them. Or can "buy" them, but note next.

2. In addition to losing souls upon death (provided you couldn't retrieve them), we are also going to take away your ability to farm souls. That's right! One of the first areas I used to farm souls while familiarizing myself with the combat and (see next) movement is now barren. They're all dead. Nothing is there. I cannot replace lost souls with an "easy" source. Not that farming the lower level mobs is a viable way to grind levels once you've dinged a few times, but upon disaster, at least regain some souls for life gems, bombs et cetera. After killing the mobs in any area X number of times, they just cease to exist.

3. Movement. How in the living fuck did things devolve this bad? Dark Souls, Dark Souls 3, Bloodborne - 360 movement. Aim, move. Dark Souls 2? It's like an 8 point compass wheel. N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW. I've died to gravity several times just edging off platforms I would have easily made in any of the above. See points 1 and 2. I can't imagine some of the more difficult catwalk fights 300 feet over some church floor.

I dealt with the "punishment" in the other games because I largely felt it fair and could make up the lost souls and the environments and layouts intrigued me enough to want to keep exploring and moving forward. While some areas look cool, within the early part of the game, it largely seems Fan Faction Dark Souls, a pale comparison. Some of the tunnels/halls I've gone through early remind me of Castle Wolfenstein and Doom. The original ones.

Not only is the spark that had me press on with the other games just now dying embers (how's that for a Dark Souls metaphor?!), the very punitive system would just have me farm the same safe areas over and over again, dinging when I could, never risking anything and plowing through the area until everything was as dead as a Record Company Executive. Once I'd exterminated all life, maxed out all potential gains, only then would I move on to the next.

Better that than burn my candle at both ends - risk losing the souls I have on hand while knowing I can't get them back in a "safe" manner - than take a risk and check out what's behind that next door or corner.

Written by BitterCOld on 15.09.2021 at 02:24

Dark Souls 2

Damn, you nailed most of what is wrong with DS2 in just a day of playing and one forum post

For me, it will always be the least good Dark Souls game. It has some great moments, but overall it's messy with lots of negatives.

If you dislike 2 too much you can always try Demon's Souls if you have a PS3 (or PS5 but I can't comment on how good the remake is). Heads up though, it also has that lose-max-health-on-death aspect, and this time it just goes straight to 50% health except when you wear a certain ring that has it at 75% (you can find it in the first level).

Overall though, I'd say it's actually easier than DS1 and 2 (opinions seem to vary on that), even though my first time playing it was rough. But that I think was mainly because it was my introduction to the series (Dark Souls didn't exist yet). Replaying it afterwards it always felt a bit less punishing than those two games.

Some nice quotes:

Quote:
Dark Souls 2? It's like an 8 point compass wheel. N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW. I've died to gravity several times just edging off platforms I would have easily made in any of the above.

Ugh...

Quote:
While some areas look cool, within the early part of the game, it largely seems Fan Faction Dark Souls, a pale comparison. Some of the tunnels/halls I've gone through early remind me of Castle Wolfenstein and Doom. The original ones.

Haha, yeah, some awful looking areas in this game, some even feel unfinished (which can be said about the game in general).

Quote:
Not only is the spark that had me press on with the other games just now dying embers (how's that for a Dark Souls metaphor?!), the very punitive system would just have me farm the same safe areas over and over again, dinging when I could, never risking anything and plowing through the area until everything was as dead as a Record Company Executive.

Written by Zap on 15.09.2021 at 10:13


If you dislike 2 too much you can always try Demon's Souls if you have a PS3 (or PS5 but I can't comment on how good the remake is). Heads up though, it also has that lose-max-health-on-death aspect, and this time it just goes straight to 50% health except when you wear a certain ring that has it at 75% (you can find it in the first level).

I live in Brazil, have a crappy refurbished PS4 slim that took up 10% of my max luggage weight when we moved here, causing me to displace a good chunk (4.5kg or so) of clothing. Why? Brazil taxes the living fuck out of import, particularly technology. If I could find one, even with them "cutting" some of the taxes on the product, still looking at well over $1000.

A really good friend of mine even offered to ship me his from the US, but worried it would get locked up in Sao Paulo with the tax fees and cost to get there, stay and fly home exceeding the US cost.

No joke.

Written by BitterCOld on 15.09.2021 at 17:03

I live in Brazil, have a crappy refurbished PS4 slim that took up 10% of my max luggage weight when we moved here, causing me to displace a good chunk (4.5kg or so) of clothing. Why? Brazil taxes the living fuck out of import, particularly technology. If I could find one, even with them "cutting" some of the taxes on the product, still looking at well over $1000.

A really good friend of mine even offered to ship me his from the US, but worried it would get locked up in Sao Paulo with the tax fees and cost to get there, stay and fly home exceeding the US cost.

No joke.

Ouch, I totally get you not wanting to ship over the ol PS3...

Unrelated question, Bitter, how come you move so often? I think I remember you being in quite a few different South American countries the past years.