Topic: What (Non-PS4) game are you playing??

@KratosMD It's delightful. Nah, I haven't got a Pro Controller although am not sure it's worth getting one at this point because of how few Wii U games I have left to play. I like aspects of the gamepad's utilisation such as the item switching, but it is otherwise so cumbersome and heavy.

Continuing my run through the Uncharted series with Golden Abyss on Vita.

Played through it once on release and was thoroughly impressed. Coming back to it hot on the heels of the remasters of Uncharteds 1-3 was somewhat jarring initially.

The compromised visuals and the tiny Vita sticks inspired a feeling of 'perhaps I should just skip this one'. Thankfully, the overall presentation - the rousing Uncharted theme and nostalgia for my original 2011 awe at the wonderful achievement of a studio other than Naughty Dog transposing the Uncharted formula to a handheld experience won out. And I'm glad it did.

The gunplay still feels compromised, but the game does compensate with a better feeling hand to hand experience and somewhat dimmer-witted AI.

And while the visuals are a significant downgrade from playing the PS4 remasters, once away from the drab prologue Golden Abyss really shines, aided in no small part by the mostly good animation and tight direction. The cast is a significant factor in selling this game too and thankfully get to work with a script that feels every bit as Uncharted as 1-3.

While most of the expected control scheme remains intact from the home console games, there are of course the Vita specific inputs. I'd forgotten how annoyingly unnecessary some of it is. But for all of the forced screen swiping to cut bamboo and the pace stunting tilt to balance mechanic, there's the still pretty charming charcoal rubbings and labour saving path drawing for Drake to climb. There is a 'hold the Vita up a light' bit, I've not hit that yet, but it is a nice use of the camera I think.

I had also forgotten totally about the (now disabled) Black Market/Near functionality. Near! Remember that? I really liked that!

Started Mario Odyssey last night. Enjoying it so far! Not gonna get all the moons as trying to clear the never ending backlog.

Next in line will be: Link's Awakening & Fire Emblem Three Houses.

@KratosMD I wasn't a huge fan of SMO until I got to the post-game content. The main campaign is a bit easy for my liking, but the huge amount of post-game content, and the exploration that went along with it, really made me appreciate its design more than I did previously.

Especially the hugely nostalgic Mushroom Kingdom.

Playing more of Disco Elysium. This game honestly blows my mind, it makes SCUMM look like kiddy play. Nothing has captured being a detective this well before, you really are in charge of your own destiny. I’m excited to see what you’ll all think when it comes to PS4.

@nessisonett What is SCUMM?

@JohnnyShoulder SCUMM is the engine LucasArts used in the 90s to create Monkey Island, Day of the Tentacle etc. It was a revolutionary way to create adventure games at the time and now Disco Elysium has evolved on those concepts to create a truly new type of adventure based RPG.

@nessisonett Oh yeah I remember now. It was referenced a lot in those games, like some kind of joke product placement.

Fancied a little break from Uncharted this afternoon so threw OutRun 2006 Coast 2 Coast in the PS2.
Absolutely sublime game!

2 lads on the train helping each other on BOTW. Pretty cool. I want to join in but they might think I'm weird.

Plus I don't have our switch on me.

@Kidfried Oh yeah, Obra Dinn was absolutely fantastic, there’s just a great satisfaction to be had acting your inner Sherlock!

@RogerRoger I reckon my red line would be seeing someone play Resogun or Rogue Legacy. Give me the switch Boys there's a pro coming through!

@KratosMD I totally get what you mean about PQ. Personally I love the Etrian Odyssey games and like a good challenge in my RPGs but it was plain to see that it was gonna be a frustrating game for a lot of people.

Well I have spent most of my gaming time this weekend on Metroid Fusion on GBA and I had my first rage quit moment of the year (which was nice). There is a spider boss that can easily grab you and take 1/3rd of your health and when it does, it instantly grabs you again. Made some progress but boy oh boy was I terrible at this boss. Dreading going back to it.

@KratosMD Phew - glad it wasn't just me! Feels out of keeping with most Metroid bosses which are normally all about weakness discovery. I can keep out of his way for a couple of rounds then always foul it up! Grrrrrr.

Tried Rise of the Tomb Raider’s Extreme Survivor mode that makes you only save at campfires. Unfortunately the beginning of the game features several insta-kill set pieces before any sort of checkpoint. Suffice to say after losing 30 minutes of progress after a rock landing on my head, I restarted the entire game on a lower difficulty.

@nessisonett Had you played before starting on the Extreme mode? 😲

@KratosMD Braid looks really nice! I'll remember to recommend it to my mate at work with Game Pass.

I've continued the Uncharted play through and finished a run through Golden Abyss tonight.

I'd forgotten a lot of the game having only been through it once on release.
It does hold up as a rilliant handheld Uncharted experience, the atmosphere, story, script and performances all hit the right marks. Gameplay does suffer a little for being on Vita; the generally imprecise nature of Uncharted games carries over to the handheld and there are several moments of frustration along the way - but it is thoroughly Uncharted.

On to Uncharted 4 next 😁

@KALofKRYPTON I’d just finished the first rebooted Tomb Raider and I like a challenge so the Extreme Survivor mode was tempting. It’s really badly implemented though, the campfires are quite unevenly spread out.

@KratosMD Lucky's Tale isn't difficult to play :')

Although, if you're playing the Xbox version, I heard that sucks compared to the Switch version in terms of controls and camera.

Great game I thought, love the music too.

Been playing some Eastern Mind: The Lost Souls of Tong-Nou. It's reeeeally weird since it's the same guy that did LSD, one of my favourite games and one that I probably should have submitted for that box-art poll. Anyway, here's some 2007 footage that sums up Eastern Mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyDwfeYaDIM