Topic: Push Square Game Club Spooktacular: Resident Evil 4

... That weapon mastery was a bit of a pain to get @Th3solution.

As the challenge implies you have to hit the imps with the exploding round dead on (Hit them in the chest or whatever rather then be part of the blast radius) and even then I think it's a little devious on what counts towards it. Could just be I'm terrible at aiming of course but you'll get there sol! 😅

Glad to hear you're enjoying it too!

I know I'm a couple of days late but... You beat it already @Ralizah? Yooou... Really ripped and tore your way through the game huh?

Glad to hear you enjoyed yourself and DOOM 2016! Honestly I was a little worried I may have bigged it up a little to you when we've spoke about it a few times... I think you've come out of it appreciating it even more then I did lol 😄

@Th3solution Possessed Security demons are a right pain in the tush. A charged Gauss Cannon shot is the best way to deal with them, but, assuming you don't have that weapon yet, I think your current strategy will probably be on point. Direct an explosion near them to make them flinch/stumble, switch to the super shotgun, then flank them and shoot them at point blank range.

And yeah, like Foxy said, you want to get direct hits on the imps. If you're killing one and not getting credit, then it means you're killing them with splash damage.

Glad to hear you're starting to get on better with the game. DOOM games really do play nothing like other modern shooters, so, yeah, I imagine it requires some re-learning of habits forged by cover shooters at the like. Hesitation only leads to death, especially since you primarily regain health by killing demons.

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy You could say that.

I figured I'd probably enjoy it, but it really is a masterful action game that maintains almost every good aspect of previous DOOM games while fixing their problems. I would have appreciated some of DOOM 64's puzzle-y level design, I think, but the multi-layered levels filled with secrets and collectibles mostly make up for the lack of puzzles. As does the sheer, balletic grace of the platforming and action. I think the glory kill mechanic was a welcome addition; the battles get so hectic in this game that I appreciate having a second to figure out what I'm going to do as the animation briefly plays out.

I'll definitely be interested to hear what you have to say regarding DOOM Eternal then @Ralizah as I've seen and heard a few more divided opinions on that one regarding the gameplay changes and additions and the inclusion of even more platforming...

I assume you haven't touched the snapmaps or anything? I did try it but... It's a bit limiting and quite boring in all honesty

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy @Ralizah @Thrillho
Thanks for the advice. I’m just glad to know I’m not doing something wrong. I haven’t upgraded the rocket launcher for remote detonation yet. Perhaps I need to try that.

And I’m glad I’m not the only one who sometimes uses glory kills to take a split second breather during the pandemonium of a large fight. 😅

And I’ll try for more point blank shots on the imps and see if I can get that Master Level mod. I could’ve sworn I shot some straight in the chest, but maybe I was mistaken.

On a side note, I am surprised at the actual inclusion of a reasonably decent storyline. It’s not the deepest narrative in the world, but it has kept my attention and given me motivation to progress, which is all you really need to supplement the addictive gunplay.

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy I tried a few of the snapmaps when I played it before. It was a bit limited for me because I didn't have ps plus at the time but I do remember one that was like a room with instruments all around it and you could make songs...well at least noise...with them!

@Th3solution When it comes to the challenges, I don’t remember if 2016 lets you do this, but in Eternal I cheesed a few by finding spots with the necessary enemy type/numbers needed, killing them in the manner required, and then saving and quitting to the main menu.

The game would save the progress but reload from the nearest checkpoint so the enemies would be there again. It’s a bit of a pain but gets you the weapon bonuses quicker.

@Thrillho Challenge progress is definitely carried between deaths, so I assume the game remembers where you were in a challenge if you exit a level as well.

One thing I really, really like is that the game autosaves as soon as you pick up a collectible. No having to finish a level, like you would in many other games. Once you collect the thing, you're done. Although I've been finishing levels anyway, since this game is just so much fun.

I just finished the first trip to Hell. I think I prefer those levels and the outside Mars ones to the facility levels, the traversal feels a lot more open. I’m enjoying myself though, the combat’s great and I love hunting around for collectibles. I’m just annoyed I missed one of the runes!

I've just started Doom and finished the first level. It's weird playing it straight after doom 3, I keep going for my flashlight but not being able to light up the areas. Also when you first go out into Mars I was looking around for an oxygen meter only to realise the rest of the level was set outside with no oxygen limit.

I've tried going off the beaten path a bit but apart from a map and a weapon upgrade and a PDA, I haven't really found any collectibles but I guess it's just because it's the first level. I thought I was gonna go for all the collectibles this time around but I might just see how it goes and how the game flows.

I'm also playing it on Xbox this time because I lent my PS4 copy to a friend who moved to another country and I never got it back so I bought it on Xbox for a fiver a while ago. It's definitely weird for me to play a shooter on the Xbox controller without symmetrical sticks, it just feels a bit off

In other news I got the doom eternal deluxe edition that includes the season pass from Amazon in the post today because of the prime day deal so now I'm Doomed up to my eyeballs and will hopefully finish the series by the end of the year! (Except the second dlc obvs)

@ralphdibny I'd be interested to see how you think Eternal compares to 2016 if you play them close together. I want to put my thoughts together on Eternal at some point but there's a few places where it feels like it took a step backwards but it's been a few years since I played the previous game.

@Thrillho I'll be sure to tag you when I post my thoughts in whatever turns out to be the relevant thread at the time! I plan to play Doom vfr in between though if I can stomach using the VR for a while!

I’m now onto Titan’s Realm after beating the first boss. I kinda shredded the boss to pieces since I have the mastery upgrade for remote detonation! I really like the Hell levels, the setting is a lot more interesting than the facility and it leans more into the maze-like levels of the original games.

Making slow and steady progress - Finished up level 6 at Kadingir and now working back through the facility on level 7. It’s really fun. I found it challenging on the last level with fighting on floating platforms - I died just as often from falling off a platform while trying to strafe as I did from taking enemy damage. But overall I did like the Hell level more than the Mars ones. I liked the openness and the environments better, as well as the new enemies. I’m still not very skilled at the game, but the gameplay is addictive and satisfying.

I also spent some time trying the SnapMap mode. Just like in Dreams, my interest was just to play other users’ maps rather than to create my own. I quite liked one of the maps I played and there seems to be a lot of content there if one were to want more DOOM after the campaign is done.

My biggest complaint especially with SnapMap mode, but really with the game in general is the endless loading screens. There’s loading screens for the loading screens! Sit and wait for this screen to load so that you can press X and then wait through another loading screen. In the base game its particularly problematic at the Rune challenges where I tend to die or fail a lot and it’s fairly frustrating waiting for a 20 second reload screen, followed by a button prompt, followed by a 3 second countdown before I can start and sometimes I fail the challenge within the first 5 seconds; so 5 seconds of gameplay, then 20-30 seconds of waiting repeated over and over until I get the challenge down. As an isolated event I don’t mind waiting a few minutes for a game to boot up, but when it’s repeated several times again and again in a single play session, well it gets annoying. Opening up SnapMap mode was absolutely the worst. From the title screen it took several minutes to load. It was the longest loading screen I’ve had this generation, and I realize this is largely because it’s pulling the data off the online servers, but I have a really fast stable internet connection now so it’s not on my end. Besides, Dreams has an even more complex user generated library to pull from the servers and it’s nowhere near this cumbersome. I’m definitely going to think twice before trying SnapMap mode again because of it. I had that weird uncomfortable inner monologue of: “This progress bar hasn’t moved at all in a few minutes. I think it might be frozen. Do I dare do a hard shutdown of the game and hope that it doesn’t corrupt my save file or something?”

Sorry to rant, but perhaps it really sticks out having just finished Ghost of Tsushima with its really quick 2-5 second loads.

But honestly it’s not ruining the base game experience for me. The positives far outweigh that one negative. I’m having a really good time with it. I might just play DOOM Eternal one day. We’ll see how the latter half of the game goes.

Also, every time I start the game and the Zenimax and Bethesda splash screen comes on, I die a little bit inside.

I’ve beaten the Hell Guards now, I must be nearing the end. I’ve definitely got into the groove now, there’s something proper rhythmic in the way you blast demons apart. I do wish you could explore maps to your heart’s content before you finish the level, it’s a bit annoying when you miss a couple of collectibles and you can’t go back for them. Still, I’m definitely enjoying it! And just a heads up for people, if all of us finish DOOM early then we can make a start on Resident Evil 2 as soon as we’re all done.

@nessisonett I’ve got through Mission 7 and probably halfway through 8, have met with Samuel Hayden and supposed to be making my way to the Lazarus Lab and some kind of weapon depot
I’m not sure what kind of week I’m going to have but I’m usually able to finish a level per gameplay session, so it’s pretty reasonable that I’ll be able to complete the game by week’s end. Of course the wheels may come off at any moment, the way my life has been going. So I wouldn’t want to hold back the group if it comes to it, so feel free to move on but I think I’ll be pretty close.

As far as recent impressions - the more I play this game, the more I am impressed with what it does as far as just keeping things fun, lively, and smooth. I’ve appreciated the lower difficulty setting for me as a novice, because I rarely feel frustrated, except trying to figure out where to go next and getting disoriented at times. The Rune trials are the most frustrating part, and I have finally had to give up on one of them, but all the others I’ve eventually completed so far (although I may have missed one or two hidden ones along the way).

I’ve mastered four weapon mods so far (Plasma Gun heat-release shot thingy, the aforementioned Shotgun explosive rounds as well as the Shotgun Burst shot, and the Rifle’s micro missiles). I’m working on the Rocket launcher lock-on mastery. I usually don’t stress about getting all the challenges in a level, but I’ve gotten all of them two or three times so far, mostly by chance and sheer luck.

My favorite gun so far is the Plasma gun for its quick rate of fire, it’s generous hit radius coupled with good mid and far range effectiveness. I just wish it packed a little more punch and had bigger ammo capacity because I have to constantly ration my ammo with it because it will burn through ammo supplies pretty fast. But it reminds me of some of the Borderlands weapons I liked in that game and feels kind of like it would fit in on a Ratchet & Clank game.

@Th3solution well done on sticking it out! I hope you're ok though with whatevers been going on with you. Glad your enjoying the game!

I've only done 2 levels so far. Between my insistence on finishing doom 3 first and having an ear infection I haven't managed play much. Thankfully I'm over the worse of the pain so I think I'll be booting up the game today. Also being woken up in the night has reset my body clock so I now have a full 8 hours of day to play! I was waking up at like 1 in the afternoon for the last few weeks so its been hard to find time.

@ralphdibny Oh yeah, things are fine. I’ve just had normal life stuff - a busy work schedule intermixed with random distractions and whatnot. It’s just been unpredictable.
I’m glad you are over the ear infection, because those can be no fun. If you have a good stretch of time now, then you’ll probably make some nice progress in the game, so long as it strikes your fancy to stay with it. I usually only play for an hour or two after work everyday, but I can see how one could binge the whole game in a couple days.

It’s my first ever DOOM game, so I’m also a lot slower than most people for that reason too. It took me until the end of the third or fourth level to really feel comfortable with the gameplay, movement, and general concept. The maps were confusing at first because it doesn’t always show a direct route, just general placement, so learning to look for the hidden passages took some time, but has become satisfying to explore. It’s not always the case, but following blood trails will sometimes yield a secret, and often marks a hidden ledge to jump to. I appreciate the fact that once you clear an area of enemies, they don’t respawn, so exploration can be done without fear of being ambushed. Once I realized that, I enjoyed the game a lot more since I wasn’t constantly living in fear. Also the sound cues (like a growl or an uptick in the music) helped me know when to get my guns ready.

It will be interesting to go from this to Resident Evil 2, where I know we’re going to have to change our approach. I’ll have to get my mind readjusted back to third person, slow pace, puzzle solving, jump scares, headshots, and never knowing what is around the corner. 😄

@Th3solution I think I may have spoke too soon, immediately after I posted that, I fell back to sleep and woke up at midday with ear ache 😂. Thankfully the (less strong than I was taking over the weekend) pain killers have fixed it up though so I still definitely think I'm over the hump of it!

Having played the second level, I think I'm only going to backtrack for the game enhancing collectables once I've found the map. I don't think I am going to go for all those doom guy dolls, just the stuff like weapon mods etc.

Last time I played this game (which wasnt too long after release) I think I just blasted through it fairly quickly but having played the first 4 games recently and reading the experiences in this thread, I think I'm definitely playing it a bit slower and more tactically this time. Well at least when I'm not dancing around and blasting heathenous imps and other baddies!

@nessisonett Without banging on about Eternal too much, the introduction of limited fast travel is a good addition. It only unlocks right at the end of a level so you can jump back for any missed goodies.

If you replay the level then you’ll have to go all the way through again before you can use it.

@Thrillho That sounds like exactly what I’m looking for! It was just annoying being locked out the rest of Titan’s Realm because I triggered a combat situation that locked all the doors.