Topic: Games you've recently beat

@Th3solution You do have a point there about not having to retread anything other than just trying the same thing over and over again. I refuse to play Souls games because I know I won't enjoy them and I play games for entertainment, so that probably didn't help why it came close to ruining the whole game for me.

That's fair, but for whatever reason Hugo didn't bother me as much. Maybe experiencing Atreus beforehand set the bar so low that I can stomach annoying child characters most of the time now. Also, I didn't mind Ashley at all, but I'm guessing they improved her in the remake since I had never played the original RE4. I never played The Last Guardian since I didn't like Shadow of the Colossus.

@Th3solution

@KilloWertz

😜

But seriously, although Shadow of the Colossus is one of my all-time favorites, if not the all-time fave, I realize it’s not for everyone. Depending what you disliked about it, The Last Guardian plays differently. If it’s the setting, art style, and subtle melancholy of the world then you won’t like TLG. But if your main issue was the battling large puzzle-like bosses with large spacious empty travel and no lesser enemies in between, then you might like TLG better.

Personally I liked SotC better, but I know some people who disliked SotC who really liked TLG. Especially if you’re an animal person.

@Th3solution Lol, I don't remember all the specifics, mainly because it was several years ago and I didn't play the game that long before dropping it. I'm guessing the main issue you mentioned was probably about right though, as I think I recall fighting the first boss you encounter and being totally lost, so I dropped it. It sucks having 1 trophy unlocked and the game just sitting there on my trophy list, but it is what it is. Maybe I'll watch some gameplay videos on YouTube and see if it would interest me more. I do have The Last Guardian in my library from it being a PS Plus game a long while back.

Just finished Gris on PS5. I think it took me around 3 hours and it was honestly the perfect length. Fun, artistic game that constantly does something that you won't expect. The artstyle was absolutely gorgeous, like a water painting come to life.

I also have to say that this is the first time I've ever considered buying gaming headphones just to listen to the soundtrack and the sound effects of this game. They actually felt a bit like ASMR and it probably would've sounded even better with headphones.

This game actually feels right at home on PS5. Having to press down on R2 as it's locked is still a cool feature of the DualSense. Hearing noises through the controller also makes the game more immersive.

Anyway, fantastic experience and the perfect palate cleanser for September considering all the new releases.

@LtSarge
Yep it's an indie gem alright. I was so pleased when I got to experience it again via the free PS5 upgrade having previously done it a few years back. Worth going back for all the collectables and secret ending if you didn't get it first time through.
Glad you enjoyed it though.

Recently FF16, Pikmin 4, and also replayed Dark Souls 3.

In honesty… I don’t think either the new final fantasy or pikmin are that impressive. Did I enjoy them? Absolutely. But they both suffered some serious flaws that I think held them back from masterpiece material. I’ll write more about it another time, on both games, but I find it curious why so many of my fellow gamers are so bonkers over them. They didn’t compel me the way I thought they might.

Onto the new Baldur’s Gate… will be a long time before I post completion on that!

@Bentleyma I don't think you play enough games at once.

Just finished the main quest of Dragons Dogma and thoroughly enjoyed it, a true 7th gen classic. Plenty of little things that people could niggle about but the overall experience is just a proper good old-fashioned open-world rpg.

Maps a little small but has some epic locations and secrets. Combat is a little floaty… but fighting the huge mythic beasts is awesome. Production values are ‘decent’ for the era it was made and generally the game is a great ‘action’ alternative to Oblivion and Skyrim… if nowhere near as big. As many people have previously told me, a hidden gem of a game.

Also, a nice surprise was how the game reminded me of Berserk’s Golden Age arc. If the Dark Souls series represents the gaming version of Berserk post the Golden Age, Dragons Dogma does a nice job of giving us the era preceding **** really hitting the fan.

@colonelkilgore Great to hear that you liked it! I’m really looking forward to what the sequel does with better technology and hopefully bigger budget.

@Th3solution yeah I have really high hopes for the sequel given Capcom recent output and their RE engine. Really hope it’ll reach a bigger audience this time too.

@colonelkilgore How’s the platinum? I didn’t even try for it back when I played. Obtainable?

@Th3solution definitely obtainable… but it’s a bit of a beast in all honesty. Will have to do a hard playthrough, as well as a 3 hour speed-run (which are obviously barriers in their own right) but the real issues come from obtaining 350 separate weapon and armour pieces and completing all non-notice board missions (so all main and side missions).

The weapon and armour pieces is a pain as you’re only able to open up a full vendor inventory of one vendor per playthrough, so you need to target specific vendors on each playthrough… and vendors ‘disappear’ at certain points in the narrative. Also many weapons and armour are very expensive when compared to my current funds.

The all non-notice board missions trophy is a pain as many missions can be automatically blocked by player actions and there’s no way (in game at least) to know what might block something down the line.

The final issue will be obtaining £50,000,000 and levelling up to 200… doable for sure but a massive grind.

I’ll be going for it but its platinum has pretty much all the factors that trophy hunters consider when attributing worth. The trophy guide suggests 6.5 out of 10 difficulty and 90-100 hours. I’d up the difficulty to 7.5 (not for the gameplay specifically but for everything else… time, blocked quests, grind, npc management etc.) and I reckon I’ll be up at the 150-200 hour mark.

@colonelkilgore Oof… that sounds rough. But I know you can do it!
You’re going to be hearing “Master, ‘Tis weak to fire!” in your dreams.

@Th3solution 🤣

@sorteddan Ah I didn't know there was a secret ending! I probably won't replay it anytime soon but that's good to know in case I ever want to replay it in the future.

@HallowMoonshadow I’m surprised at the tepid experience with Blasphemous since most people have been high on it. The sequel is apparently better, but I’m not sure it addresses any of your concerns about the uninteresting world and characters. Also I think it might be current gen only and I doubt with the way you felt about the first game that it’s sequel would be a system seller for you. 😅

What are you on to next?

Uncharted 3. First time playing it because I played the series way out of order. It’s a good one. More streamlined than 2 for better and worse. Less annoying combat bits and some great set pieces but it also sort of just ends. Sure, I really think Uncharted 2’s Shambala section is overlong but the lost city in this one is like 2 chapters long. It’s a very very good game and definitely better than 1 but it probably is below 2 and 4 for me.

Spellforce 3 Reforced. Campaign Is about 20 hours long. Was an OK game, 6 and a half out of 10. Not really much to say other than it was on the ps plus extra and if you like top down games with a story and some building settlements and battles then you'll find this game enjoyable. I used it as a filler game. Not sure what I'm going to play next either.