@kyleforrester87 That'll be why I wondered whether it was a stupid question... because you're right, the extra inventory spaces, lockpick, and Barry's help make all the difference!
As for the other reason? No comment.
@LtSarge Kudos for keeping your backlog tidy, no matter how brutal it might have felt. I keep my own list and got to the point where I just had to stop adding to it, and then I broke off a bunch of games into a "priority" list, to help me focus on what I actually want to play. It stopped me feeling guilty about not playing what I thought I should be (always a bad thought to have). Our hobbies should never be a chore!
"If I let not knowing anything stop me from doing something, I'd never do everything!"
@LtSarge@Werehog Ditto for my backlog management. I have a rough tiering of my games and I feel like it helps to have lists to organize them. It’s less daunting if you put them down onto a list, knowing that you won’t forget games that way. In the era of PS+ and gradual accumulation of titles spread across both digital and physical libraries, it helps to keep a list and then prioritize them. One can’t just look at the shelf to choose a game anymore, nor simply look at a digital library, nor at a PS+ catalog list. There’s games to play spread across all of them and it boggles the mind.
I do the same for upcoming games I’m considering purchasing. I keep a wishlist, both on the PSN and also on my backlog document, and then add to and take away from that. It’s basically an expanded form of the backloggery thread we have (which I should probably drop an update on)
Another thing I’ve tried recently, and it seems to work out, is to not only organize the games into higher and lesser tiers of priority, but I also have grouped the higher tier games into loose categories or genres. This way I can be sure I’m picking from a nice variety of games (and not always playing open world action rpgs, for example) as I rotate around genres, but also it helps when trying to select a next game to play. So if I had been planning to play something next and I just don’t quite feel in the mood for that one for some reason, I can pull from a shorter list of the category or genre that I’m feeling in the mood for. It also helps to keep my backlog balanced a little, because I can see if I’m stocking up on too many of one type of game and neglecting another. (some games fall into multiple categories, btw so can fit more than one certain mood. FF7 Rebirth, for example is on my JRPG list and my Large Open World list.)
My brain works in weird ways but part of my enjoyment of the hobby is organizing things and always having the feeling like a fresh and fun experience is around the corner.
@Th3solution You got me nostalgic for the days I could just study my shelf to decide what to play. And you're also dead right, it was grabbing the occasional PS Plus game that made me start keeping a list, as there's a certainty to a digital purchase that makes it stick in your memory a lot more than just a quick, "Add to Library" every other month. I know some folks will accuse me of leaving money on the table, but I rarely claim any PS Plus games any more, simply because they're adding to this very stress.
Very much approve of the sub-division of your priority list, that's a great idea! Might have to pinch that for myself, if you don't mind...? Royalty cheque's in the post, of course!
"If I let not knowing anything stop me from doing something, I'd never do everything!"
@Werehog Definitely feel free to use all or part of my sub-dividing system. The satisfaction of helping out a fellow gamer is thanks enough, royalties not required! 😄 Now if I see a new subscription model website with my ideas being monetized by any company entitled iDoss, Rog’s Backlog Management Services, or Hog Gaming, well then I might need to take you up on that. 😜
But yes, there’s wisdom in being deliberate with the PS+ game claiming process. Early in my PS+ days (and this has been quite a few years ago) I was selective with only adding games that I had interest in, and then I skipped one that I later regretted not claiming so I just starting taking all of them after that. Now years later I have an overabundance of games that I really in all practical sense will never play. But it’s so automatic now for me to claim them all “just in case” a game interests me later.
PS+ Extra adds another layer and I don’t know if you subscribe to it or have before, but if you claim a game from the Extra catalog, then it stays in your library evermore, even if the game leaves the service and even if you never end up playing the game. So I’ve made the mistake of adding a few games to my library that I ended up not playing before they left and which I have no real interest is actually buying, so they also are there junking up my collection (with a little lock icon by the game tile). It’s also why I think twice about downloading a demo or beta also. All these things stay there and have to be sifted through. At my current state, I’m probably in the 500-600 range for my digital library. 😅
@Th3solution The very thought that I would exploit your idea for monetary gain! [quickly slides a bunch of patent applications off his desk] I'm shocked, shocked and hungry! Well, mostly just hungry.
I don't subscribe to the higher PS Plus tiers for the very reason we're discussing. When they introduced the new tiers, I had already claimed a couple monthly games that then went un-played for years, cluttering up my library. I figured that, while the Extra catalogue would be great value for folks who like to bounce around and try lots of different things, it would just give my OCD a headache. From the sounds of your experience, I reckon I dodged a bullet (and saved myself some money in the process)! First world problems an' all that, but I feel your pain with regards demos and other random listings. It's like when games come with digital artbooks or soundtracks or whatever. They get listed as a separate game on your profile, but often under the same title and pack shot as the main game, creating an infuriating duplicate! Argh!!
"If I let not knowing anything stop me from doing something, I'd never do everything!"
I ended up finishing Catherine: Full Body today. I started it on a total whim really, just looking for something unlike I've played recently that was on the shorter side. I'm happy to say that I was not disappointed at all. What a fun time! It's such an odd hybrid to combine visual novel elements with some puzzle-platforming, but I think it all came together surprisingly well in the end. You can argue here and there about metaphors and how one element aids the other on a thematic level, but more importantly, they simply balanced each other out incredibly well. Any time I'd get close to being tired of the visual novel antics, it'd switch, and vice versa.
I will say that I'm generally not appreciative of puzzle elements in my games. I'm more the type to Google the answer to any puzzle-like obstacle I face if it takes me more than a few minutes to figure out myself. It's why I has hesitant initially, despite having liked the look of this game for quite a while. I'd wondered prior to starting whether I should go with the Full Body remaster or the classic version, and keeping what I just said in mind, I am glad I decided to go with the updated game. I found out only now that it's the remaster that introduced all these incredibly helpful quality-of-life features like the automatic undos in case of death, the Retry Assist whenever I'd get stuck and retry the level, the highlighted edges to see where I could hang my way to... all of that was very helpful and let me enjoy the gameplay a lot more than I imagine I would've without any of it present.
This remaster does also include a new character, which seems to be the main point of contention for why people would tell you to consider the classic first. I felt she was rather well integrated into the main plot, even if she wasn't narratively relevant so much to a lot of the visual novel goings-on. It didn't feel like she was simply tacked-on character for the sake of extra content. I didn't go down her route, so her storyline did end somewhat abruptly... I guess that's where I have to get into the transphobic allegations of it all. It was definitely poorly handled, but at least had some feeling of resolution with the aftermath. I did not expect to find out a second character I had met was also transgender, which was definitely handled even more poorly. There was no resolution there, but a simple unfunny gag about how someone wishes they hadn't engaged with them intimately. Yikes. Odd that they didn't rethink either that line or the newly included character's "reveal" with the opportunity of this remaster.
As for your regular Catherine/Katherine dilemma, I frankly don't see why anyone would go with the former. I get what the game is trying to say on a moral level, but, um... should I go with the succubus who practically forced herself onto me, or should I go for the relationship actually rooted in real-life with a real person that I formed a real relationship with? Gee, I wonder. I found the former incredibly off-putting if nothing else, and this third route with the new character they introduce was never even an option in my mind. Less so because of how the relationship comes to be, but more so because, well... she acts like a literal child. And has amnesia. Going that way would feel like nothing more than taking advantage of a vulnerable, child-like woman. That's going to be a big no from me.
All in all though, it's a good story that is well-presented. It helps a lot that it covers a topic that isn't really ever explored thoroughly in gaming, if not somewhat encouraged in these big, sprawling RPGs. It definitely gives it a unique viewpoint, even if I don't always agree with the developers' moral stance entirely. And even though it ends with your typical JRPG escalation, which seemed entirely unnecessary, but why not? Compared to Metaphor: ReFantazio, which is the only Atlus game I've previously played, it does show they benefit hugely from a truncated runtime when it comes to their writing. I suppose all games do generally, but for a studio that's more known for their never-ending games, it's nice to see that there's certain benefits to them getting to do a smaller, authored experience as well. Fun stuff!
Good Morning, everyone. New member here. Thought I would add to this discussion by saying the games I am currently playing are: FIFA 98 (PS1), NCAA Football 2007 (PS2), and SVR 2009 (PS2).
@GirlVersusGame. Thank You, very much, GVG. Been playing video games for some 40+ years, but finally decided to join some chat forums to discuss my love of games from: NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, PS1, & PS2. I am mainly into fighting games and sports games. I look foward to making lots of friends on these sites, due to our love of video games.
You will definitely find that others have been gaming just as long, most likely have had similar experiences, played similar games and so on. I know for me it's about having a very late start, I view Retro as a way to gain a firsthand understanding of the games that have come before, to learn from them and really build the appreciation while doing so. You're Martian actually has some funny timing, I just mentioned in another thread a couple of hours ago that I was playing Taz Escapes From Mars on The Sega Mega-Drive. I never counted my years but I think I have perhaps ten or so, or less, I started with PS4 and rotate between consoles/platforms and games. The difference is very noticeable, older games had something more solid about them, and I don't mean a big cartridge, the content itself just feels more tuned to what the player wanted. I find it hard not to respect that.
@GirlVersusGame Thanks for the suggestion of the thread, I will check it out. "Taz Escapes From Mars", I remember that game from when I was in college. Never played it, though. I play all my games on emulators, these days, as it's more convenient and easier, than a console, at least for me. I am glad you are discovering older games. You are right, they were more solid, as they had to be, because there was no downloading updates or fixes, the disc or cartridge was the final product, until the PS3. Glad you like the Marvin the Martin avatar. Always liked him, I also have him saying "Where's the kaboom? There was supposed to be an earth-shattering kaboom", whenever I receive a message on my phone. Anyway, enough rambling, nice to meet you and thanks again for the thread suggestion.
I bought the mgs collection volume 2 on steam yesterday and plan to play it.
If you’re up for playing Granblue Versus Rising, please ping me. I can also play Guilty Gear, Blazblue, Melty or Under Night. No SF6 or Tekken cuz I lack hardware space.
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