Topic: What PS4 Games Are You Currently Playing?

Worryingly, I genuinely decided just yesterday that I want to do a second playthrough of Shenmue 2. Does this mean I am doomed to descend into a spiral of madness and self-destruction? Cos I was hoping to just chill out racing some ducks...

Also, hello to all - my first post on here having been a regular lurker for many years

@purplemouse hello 👋... first of many I hope 😉

Cheers guys - I have played and completed Shenmue 3 - I really enjoyed it, although I can understand why many didn't. It's true fan service throughout, and feels like an older Shenmue game with updated graphics. I'm a huge fan of the series - so it was a no-brainer for me. I supported the Kickstarter on day one, so was so happy to finally play it - even though Suzuki has left us hanging. Again...

@purplemouse glad you enjoyed it, even though I've never played a Shenmue game myself I can appreciate what a big thing that was that fans were finally able to enjoy the conclusion to a much loved series.

What other games are you in to?

I have started Trails of Cold Steel IV and I'm really not feeling it. That's crazy because I just bought it specifically because I really felt like a Trails game. But the start of this game is so tedious, and honestly, I can't remember who half the people are or anything. And you play as a different character at the start of the game who you also play as for like one hour in Trails 2 and I don't really know who this person is. Also I can't remember what happened in the third one so I had to Wikipedia it. Also I can't remember if I play with the English or Japanese voices usually, but I'm playing English this time and I hate them all.

Anyway, I'm guessing it's just a boring opening and I'll get right into it soon, because I really liked all of the others ones.

I am still playing through Control ,I just trapped an extra-dimensional entity in an alcove in ordert to gain access to another area and am on my way to see Marshall the game is quite generous with save points and my progress certainly hasn't been impeded, thankfully, thanks to this so far.

@TheBrandedSwordsman Yes, I think I remember the place you are now. Was it the big indestructible ball that makes noise and slowly follows you around? Those are really disturbing and although relatively easy to avoid, they can be a thorn in your side from time to time.
The generous check points are a godsend when you get blindsided by a tough enemy encounter. Also the fast travel system makes for easily going to and fro.
The oldest house is a great setting and the the way it shifts and has a personality all its own is a real highlight, but I didn’t realize how lousy the in-game map is until playing Returnal, which has a much easier map to follow. The map in Control kind of helps get basic bearings, but it’s still easy to get lost.

@purplemouse Welcome aboard! And I mean no disrespect to Shenmue and it’s fans. My previous post was all in jest, since I’ve not ever played the series. I think it’s just easy to poke fun at Shenmue but honestly, I’d probably enjoy it if I ever took the time to try it. I do like walking sims, visual novels, and other games that many people find similarly mundane.

@johncalmc The English voices for Trails are absolutely awful. My pet hate is that grating ‘peppy’ anime voice Americans do and there’s like 4 million characters in those games so far far too many grating voices.

@nessisonett The more I think about it, I'm pretty sure I started all four of these games with the English voice acting and then changed it to Japanese because it was so bad. I'm going to do that when I go back to it.

The thing that stuck with me most from Control, which I played a few months ago, was those weird fallout kids videos (I think that's what they were called) - like some terrifying kids tv puppet show. I may have to go watch them all again on YouTube. Great game though.

As for Shenmue, I have worked in coldstore where much of my time was spent stacking, moving and restacking piles of boxes. I have no desire to replicate the task virtually!

Personally I have begun Hollow Knight - enjoying the sombre atmosphere and trying not to frustrated by repeated deaths but seem to have made some progress, Hellblade - enjoying the exploration, story and mythology. Combat is so-so. Just completed the bit where I had to defeat fire head (set?). And Dead Cells - oh yeah, this is very much my type of thing, as long as you complete first area and bank some cells - then it counts as progress.

@Th3solution Yes, with the map in Control I have got lost several times, I just completed the Old Boys' Club mission, where you have to solve the puzzle with the punchcards, and it was slightly after the bit with the big indestructible ball of energy, that still causes you damage if you encounter it, I'll do my best to avoid them throughout the game, though I assume I may have to imprison some more? How is Returnal going? I saw you beat the first boss, congratulations! @colonelkilgore @Jimmer-jammer just thought I'd tag you guys as well to give you an update! Trophies are popping regularly in the game ,too, which is always satisfying.

It took me thirty hours to Platinum Control and I swear to baby Jesus that fifteen of those hours were spent trying to understand where I was supposed to be going thanks to that map.

@johncalmc Metroid Prime has a better map than Control and that’s saying something.

@nessisonett Control's map would be better if Control didn't have a map.

@johncalmc I think the only map possibly worse is the Star Wars Jedi one.

@colonelkilgore Mostly racers with a decent sim/arcade balance, FPS's, puzzlers (e.g. Tested On Humans) and action/adventure (e.g. Horizon ZD). I will pretty much try anything these days as I like to try out new genres from time to time. Currently playing Subnautica on my Switch, Far Cry 5 on PS4 and regularly racing on Xbox 360 on older Grid and F1 games.

Favourite games from the past: Fallout 3, Mafia 2, Shenmue series, Metropolis Street Racer, Colin McRae Rally (PS1), Rage (1), Grid Autosport, Uncharted 4, Astrobot, Killzone (PS2), Red Dead Redemption, Infamous Second Son and Shadow Of The Colossus...

@nessisonett I can't even remember that one... maybe I blocked it out.

@TheBrandedSwordsman
Returnal has been great. It’s a similar feeling I’m having to when I played Bloodborne. Of course, as we’ve established, the game has no real similarities to the Soulsborne games as far as gameplay, but there is a similar uphill climb to “git gud” and really get into a flow of being proficient with combat. Then when it finally clicks, it’s so much more satisfying. The advantage over the Soulsborne games is the fluidity of movement is very “arcadey” and smooth, with the 60 fps in PS5, and the dash abilities like in Control, combat just flows much differently than the calculated slower way that Souls-like games go. But there is the similar feeling of having to watch each enemy’s attack patterns, especially bosses, and once you recognize their moves and know how to anticipate and dodge, then the encounters are more manageable. It’s still difficult though and as opposed to Control with its generous save points, there are no save points and so it’s back to the beginning with each death.
As far as Control’s map, I had been warned about how poor it was, so I wasn’t expecting much, but I only now realize how bad it was because Returnal’s is much more user friendly. Control’s map and Jedi: Fallen Order’s map do have a close race to the bottom.
@johncalmc @nessisonett

@nessisonett @johncalmc yup the Star Wars map was horrendous… can’t remember having any issues with the Control one though, maybe I’ve blocked that one out instead 😀