I always really liked the art style in Gears of War. The bleached out, almost monochrome, colours and the beautifully designed architecture really gave it it's own unique feel.
@crackeastwood Just strange times... Xbox releasing games on PS5. Sony and Nintendo working together on a Zelda movie. Who would have foreseen this a few years ago?
@DennisReynolds I'm sure I read somewhere recently that a surprising majority of OF subscribers are married (and presumably in loveless marriages). What a world we live in.
I think you're likely spot-on with your assessment of the model's interest.
Personally, I've not really got a problem with this. Women never seem to get called out for enjoying 50 Shades or having their Diet Coke moments or whatever, so I don't see the issue with men finding an outlet with their waifu of choice if it helps them get through the day. No double standards here.
@Ryall Thanks for taking the time to reply. Opinions seem to be mixed on the 3rd Trails in the Sky - some say it's skippable, others say it's important and one of their favourite entries.
I'm planning on taking a bit of a break from the Trails games after I've finished Second Chapter as I don't want to burn out on them. If there's nothing essential story-wise then I may leave the 3rd game until later and play the Crossbell games first.
Continuing with Trails in the Sky Second Chapter. I've been taking my time with it because of various other commitments, but having a blast. The characters and story are so fun and engaging, and unlike some other JRPGs I could mention, the story actually generally makes sense.
Now speaking of story, I wonder if any of my fellow Push Squarians can advise me, how essential is Trails in the Sky the Third? I've heard it's more of a side story, but then others have said it's an important part of the overall arc.
I ask as it's the only game in the Trails series I can't easily play; I know it will run on the PC equivalent of a toaster, but I don't even have that at the moment.
@DennisReynolds I just don't understand it at all. Some people need to touch grass and get some perspective. I can only assume they've lived very sheltered lives and have little experience of people in the real world, and/or have some sort of fairly severe mental health issue going on.
Either that, or they're just nasty, cowardly, little bigots. I guess those sorts of people will always be with us.
Well, not really, I'm pretty sure it was a small, vocal minority as it so often is. I'm not really sure what their problem is, it's not as if someone gender- and race-swapped Luke Skywalker or something. People who complain about the, er, reimagining of classic characters generally tell creators to come up with their own new characters to represent those underrepresented sections of society... and isn't that exactly what Naughty Dog have done here?
Personally, I think from the little we know so far, the game looks pretty epic, and I'm looking forward to seeing what reviews say and hopefully giving it a spin myself at some point down the line.
Pardon my conspiracy-theorising for a second, but stuff like this seems like a great way to enforce obsolescence at some point in the future. Keep people moving on to the next, shinier, product. Sounds like a very MS thing to do.
Those in the grip of FOMO may not mind, but I quite like having the choice to revisit old products whenever I want to (entropy permitting).
You know, if some enterprising entrepreneur came up with a new, boutique, disk-based console, with a guarantee that every game was exclusive, of high quality, and would come out 100% on the disk, thoroughly play-tested and complete, no patches, no DLCs, even if the console was relatively low spec and the games were the equivalent of high quality indies like, say, Hollow Knight, The Witness, etc... I would buy the ass out of that console.
Still working my way through Trails in the Sky Second Chapter. Very tired with work lately so progress has been slow, but that's no reflection on the game, which is great fun.
My advice, eat your greens, lots of protein, quality sleep... and master the advanced techniques like the critical hits, grenade rolling, slash cancelling etc... they really help. Good luck!
Yet more Trails in the Sky Second Chapter for me this weekend. I've been dog-tired this week with work and most nights got very little played before going zonk, so hoping to have a bit of a binge this long weekend (here in the UK) to catch up with myself a bit.
@graymamba Wait until you play it on Dante Must Die difficulty, it'll have you weeping tears of blood. Finishing the game on DMD difficulty with an S-rank on every level is one of my fondest gaming memories, but I freely admit I had to use a strategy guide to do it. And then tons of practice! And it's not even the hardest game in the series...
Trails in the Sky Second Chapter is taking up all my gaming time at the moment and will continue to do so this weekend. Even though so far most of the game has been retreading almost exactly the same locations, assets and music as the original (I believe Falcom decided to split their planned game in half?), I'm thoroughly enjoying being back in Liberl again. The story is engaging, the world-building is fantastic, and the characters are charming (Estelle and Olivier especially really crack me up). The only thing I'm disappointed about so far in this second part is that there's been so much less effort put into the empty chest messages 😁
I'll be continuing to play Trails in the Sky Second Chapter this weekend. Didn't get a lot of gaming time this last week, so got some catching up to do. I'm playing on hard, and was stuck on the prologue for ages - I'd not heard that the prologue is horrendously tough on higher difficulties, and the final boss of the prologue is basically like the equivalent of Emerald Weapon in FFVII or something! I ended up going to the internet for guidance as I just couldn't see how it could be beaten, and was all set to lower the difficulty, when I decided to have one last go on hard and somehow managed to beat it by the skin of my teeth.
Now that I'm onto the game proper, things have opened up a lot and I'm having a great time - it's so good to be back in the company of these characters again.
Completed my first playthrough of Deus Ex Human Revolution last night. It's a game that really hit the spot for me: visuals, music, story, and gameplay were all so good. If I had to make a complaint, it would probably be that the last part of the game, after everything goes a bit Stephen King (if you've played it, you'll know what I'm talking about), was a little bit too easy, which defused the tension a lot, but that's a minor gripe. Having the classic Deus Ex theme at the end of the credits was the icing on the cake.
So this weekend, I'm planning to continue playing Neva, as I'm still on the hunt for all the glowing flowers, and finding them seems to be where all the best puzzles/challenges of the game are hidden. What I'm really looking forward to, however, is starting Trails in the Sky Second Chapter. I loved the first one when I played it a few weeks ago and I'm really eager now to launch into the next part of the story. Vita is charged and ready to go.
I shall be continuing to play Deus Ex Human Revolution (or Detroit Become Less Human, as I've nicknamed it). Still loving it, and very impressed with how the developers have integrated first and third person gameplay and made it so smooth. Reached the second boss battle earlier this week, and it was like something straight from MGS - a tense game of cat and mouse. Great stuff.
I played and completed Neva this week as well, and hoping to launch into a second playthrough this weekend and appreciate the whole thing again (while hunting down all the glowing flowers this time). What a beautiful game it is. My daughter's playing it also and I think she was expecting a relatively relaxed Planet of Lana type experience and it's definitely a bit harder going than that. I think she is likely to need a little helping hand from dad with some sections.
Deus Ex Human Revolution for me again this week. I've reached the Pangu in China, playing on the hardest difficulty and the controls have well and truly clicked into place now. The scale of the game has really opened up, the atmosphere and music are fantastic, and I'm Metal Gear Solid-ing my way through levels like Snake on a really good day. In short I'm having an absolute blast.
It's funny how you come up with head canon reasons for your character's actions in RPG games like this. My version of Jensen is both coldly fair and compassionate, still has much of the cop about him, but is quite comfortable hacking into every sealed storage unit or apartment he sees and taking everything he can get his hands on. My head canon reason? Umm, the psychological effects of being augmented against his will, coupled with an increasing addiction to the powers the augmentations bring him...
As well as being fully immersed in Human Revolution, I see that Neva is currently on sale so planning on downloading that and playing it as I have a week off work, so hopefully more gaming time than normal to enjoy. Still playing Mercury Meltdown on PSP here and there as well.
@heavyartillery56 That's a bit of an extreme evolutionary viewpoint. The shark has been perfectly adapted to its environment for millions of years and has got on fine without stagnation and death (at least until humans came about).
I'm hoping that best-case scenario, the human race in conjunction with AI will reach some sort of equilibrium where material and energy needs will be met and we can forge forwards on our own terms when it comes to advancement.
But that's science fiction just now. In the meantime, I completely understand the concerns of the voice actors and other people worried about their livelihoods, and agree with those speaking about that indefinable spark that makes us human, the soul that is greater than any collection of parts, being lost.
And remember, this is not just about people losing their jobs. This is also about copyright and the human rights of individuals: the right to your own image, and your own voice. That's a real, personal thing that on an individual level goes way beyond big ideas like 'growth', 'stagnation', or 'evolution'.
@heavyartillery56 The constant push for 'growth' is one of the great myths of economics. Politicians talk about it constantly, 'we must have more growth', but we live on a finite planet with finite resources and a world population that is beginning to show significant decline in numbers. Growth is not sustainable, disproportionately benefits a very few oligarchs, and AI seems like it will turbo charge this situation. The ultimate disruptive innovation.
Deus Ex Human Revolution for me this weekend. After a bit of fumbling about getting used to the controls, I'm getting the hang of it now, as well as the ebb and flow of the main quest and the side quests. My in-story canon reason for my initial clumsiness playing the game is Adam Jensen was still getting used to his augmentations and recovering from his op(!)... The visuals are still rather good despite the fact they're a bit dated now, and the whole thing just feels very 'Deus Ex'. Heck, even the main character has a similar 'Joe Friday' voiceover as JC Denton in the original game.
Will also be continuing playing Mercury Meltdown on my PSP this weekend. I'm steadily improving as my analogue nub thumb strength comes back...
Finished Trails in the Sky first chapter this last week. Some random thoughts on it for those who might be interested: -
I'm so glad I decided to just go for it and play the original rather than waiting for the remake. Depending on your tolerance for retro, the sprite work is so good and so full of charm.
Combat is maybe a mite simplistic, but it's also a ton of fun.
The soundtrack is godly. I could listen to the final dungeon music for days.
The story really sneaks up on you. It starts fairly simply, but the lore and world detail start to build until, before you know it, you're really invested in the journey of Estelle and Joshua and the wider happenings in Liberl.
The characters are all fantastic, and like any great RPG, you feel like you really know them by the end.
For those who have been wondering about starting the Trails games, my advice is... give it a go! Since finishing First Chapter, I am itching to start the next game, but I'm making myself take a break so I don't burn out (and to give me a chance to absorb the story of the first game).
So this weekend, I've gone for some gaming contrast with Deus Ex Human Revolution. I played and loved the iconic original years ago and so far I'm loving this prequel. Also decided to give my PSP some more love this year and currently playing Mercury Meltdown on it. Which is pretty darned addictive.
Enjoy your weekend, everyone, whatever you're up to.
Playing Trails in the Sky right now on my trusty PSP. Decided to go all-in and experience the series from the start. It's fantastic. Can't wait to see what's to come in further installments
@Kiefer-Sutherland Tomb Raider 3 is one of the hardest games in the series, with very unforgiving level design, particularly the London section. If you're feeling burnt out after the first two games (Unfinished Business alone is pretty punishing, and not Tomb Raider at it's best), then I recommend taking a decent break before playing TR3, or you'll likely bounce right off it.
Approaching the end of the first Trails in the Sky now. What a charming and fun game it has been, with a great cast of characters, and a brilliant translation. Estelle in particular is fantastic (and frequently makes me chuckle). I would be very sorry it's almost over, if I didn't know I had the second part to look forward to. I guess I'm well and truly signed up for the Trails journey now!
Once finished, I think I'll take a break with some other games for a bit to cleanse my palate before launching into part 2.
Looking forward to playing 4 and 5 again. I wonder if they still have loading screens while wandering back and forth between different areas in TR4, or did they manage to sew the levels back into a larger whole? As this was obviously the original intention of the designers that was scuppered by the hardware limitations of the time. I found those loading screens really detracted from my enjoyment when I played it on my PS1. It made the game feel disjointed and smaller than it actually was.
I remember I was quite disappointed by the first half of Chronicles, but it really picked up when it reached the haunted island with a younger, weaponless Lara. Looking forward to seeing how that has been remastered.
AoD I never played at the time, will be interested to give it a go now the issues have been at least somewhat corrected. Perhaps future updates will further improve it.
An all digital future and lack of disc drive just makes consoles less convenient and useable for customers. One of the big pluses of PS5 was the backwards compatibility with PS4 games, which required a disc drive if you own your games physically.
More than that though, consoles have been positioned as an all-in-one home entertainment solution for quite some time now. I want to be able to play my Blu-rays on my console so I don't need to purchase a separate dedicated player. Some people want to own their favourite programmes, and not rely on streaming services that can take them down because of some licensing issue, lack of interest, or whatever.
Going all digital gives a customer less options. To me, this is not a good thing.
Well, I'm currently in week 5 of playing Trails in the Sky first chapter... If I'm starting a big RPG, then I'm usually resigned to the fact it will take me something like 3 months to finish it. Because of that, I only tend to play 1 big RPG per year.
I seem to be a bit of a slow, methodical gamer. I usually take a lot more hours to finish any given game than the internet suggests it should take to beat. I guess I just like to stop and smell the virtual flowers!
Being a father and full-time employee in a stressful job cramps my gaming style a lot as well, but I guess I made my choices 😁
@DrVenture69 I played Below Zero last year, and it was so good, my personal game of the year in 2024. I probably spent about half of my playtime just tinkering about with my base.
I'll be spending more quality time with Estelle and Joshua in Trails in the Sky this weekend. Looking forward to reading more sarcastic in-game messages about empty treasure chests 😁
I've had no gaming time at all this week as I've been away from home down in misty Cardiff. Now that I'm back, planning to catch up and get as much time as possible on Trails in the Sky first chapter.
Completed Metroid Prime 2 during the week. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but have to say that at times the game is appallingly bad at communicating what it expects of you (a few of the bosses I had to look up what I was supposed to be doing to beat them, as the scan info was cryptic to misleading...).
Now I've finished MP2 for the time being, it's full steam ahead with Trails in the Sky the first. It's fair to say I'm already totally engrossed in the charming world and story. It's daunting but exciting knowing there are so many Trails games ahead of me.
Close to completing Metroid Prime 2 now - just hunting for the last few upgrades, then on to the Sky Temple for what I presume is the final boss. Also continuing the first Trails in the Sky, which I am still thoroughly enjoying. I don't know what magic dust Falcom sprinkle on their games but they always hit the mark for me, it's just a lot of fun, the characters and world are great and the translation is excellent. It's a fair bit, er, saucier than I was expecting though.. be interesting to see how some of the character interactions are handled in the upcoming remake!
@DrVenture69 Somehow missed the review for this game, but reading your comment, it's definitely on my radar now! It sounds right up my street. Love a good puzzler, and having to take notes is a big plus as far as I'm concerned...
Guys, I'm going in... as I've got a bit more free time than usual over the festive period, I've taken the unusual step (for me) of playing two games at once, and have finally decided to start Trails in the Sky first chapter. I know the remake is coming out next year, but I really wanted to experience the original. I've long been in love with the Ys series and have been meaning for ages to get around to Falcom's other flagship RPG series. And so far it's exactly what I was expecting - a charming, lovingly crafted game with great music and engaging characters. It's really hitting the spot, and I'm looking forward to diving more into the lore of the world as I continue. It's probably going to take me about 15 years to get up to date with the various Trails games, but bring it on! 😅
I'm also continuing my playthrough of Metroid Prime 2 on Wii. Finally got past an absolute bugger of a morph ball boss (spider guardian), though I had to resort to help from YouTube to do it, grr. At least the comments on there assured me that I wasn't the only one grinding their teeth in frustration at it. Once I realised that you could flick the Wiimote to do a morph ball jump (I feel I was denied critical, need-to-know, information!), I beat it without too much trouble. It must have been an absolute nightmare on Gamecube though...
I'm also considering downloading Neva and giving that a go, as I believe it's pretty short and sounds like a great game to play at this time of year.
Comments 287
Re: This Is How Gears of War Reloaded Looks and Plays on PS5 Pro
I always really liked the art style in Gears of War. The bleached out, almost monochrome, colours and the beautifully designed architecture really gave it it's own unique feel.
Re: Sony's Legend of Zelda Movie Releasing a Little Later to Make It 'As Good As It Can Be'
@crackeastwood Just strange times... Xbox releasing games on PS5. Sony and Nintendo working together on a Zelda movie. Who would have foreseen this a few years ago?
Sega will be announcing a new console next 🙃
Re: Sony's Legend of Zelda Movie Releasing a Little Later to Make It 'As Good As It Can Be'
"What Was Announced for PS5 at Xbox Games Showcase?", and "Sony's Legend of Zelda movie releasing a little later to make it 'as good as can be'"...
We're through the looking glass here, people.
Re: PC Modders Are Already Making Skimpy New Stellar Blade Outfits, And Eve's Body Double Wants to Model Them
@DennisReynolds I'm sure I read somewhere recently that a surprising majority of OF subscribers are married (and presumably in loveless marriages). What a world we live in.
I think you're likely spot-on with your assessment of the model's interest.
Personally, I've not really got a problem with this. Women never seem to get called out for enjoying 50 Shades or having their Diet Coke moments or whatever, so I don't see the issue with men finding an outlet with their waifu of choice if it helps them get through the day. No double standards here.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 582
@Ryall Thanks for taking the time to reply. Opinions seem to be mixed on the 3rd Trails in the Sky - some say it's skippable, others say it's important and one of their favourite entries.
I'm planning on taking a bit of a break from the Trails games after I've finished Second Chapter as I don't want to burn out on them. If there's nothing essential story-wise then I may leave the 3rd game until later and play the Crossbell games first.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 582
Continuing with Trails in the Sky Second Chapter. I've been taking my time with it because of various other commitments, but having a blast. The characters and story are so fun and engaging, and unlike some other JRPGs I could mention, the story actually generally makes sense.
Now speaking of story, I wonder if any of my fellow Push Squarians can advise me, how essential is Trails in the Sky the Third? I've heard it's more of a side story, but then others have said it's an important part of the overall arc.
I ask as it's the only game in the Trails series I can't easily play; I know it will run on the PC equivalent of a toaster, but I don't even have that at the moment.
Re: Intergalactic PS5 Star 'Bootcamp-ing' with Neil Druckmann to Ignore the Haters
@Kingy I found these puns to be very dis-tress-ing.
Re: Intergalactic PS5 Star 'Bootcamp-ing' with Neil Druckmann to Ignore the Haters
@DennisReynolds I just don't understand it at all. Some people need to touch grass and get some perspective. I can only assume they've lived very sheltered lives and have little experience of people in the real world, and/or have some sort of fairly severe mental health issue going on.
Either that, or they're just nasty, cowardly, little bigots. I guess those sorts of people will always be with us.
Re: Intergalactic PS5 Star 'Bootcamp-ing' with Neil Druckmann to Ignore the Haters
"with many online users making hateful remarks"
Well, not really, I'm pretty sure it was a small, vocal minority as it so often is. I'm not really sure what their problem is, it's not as if someone gender- and race-swapped Luke Skywalker or something. People who complain about the, er, reimagining of classic characters generally tell creators to come up with their own new characters to represent those underrepresented sections of society... and isn't that exactly what Naughty Dog have done here?
Personally, I think from the little we know so far, the game looks pretty epic, and I'm looking forward to seeing what reviews say and hopefully giving it a spin myself at some point down the line.
Re: Reaction: Game Key PS5 Discs Are a Disgrace, and Sony Should Put a Stop to Them
Well, I for one welcome our corporate overlords.
**Sarcasm, in case you missed it**
Pardon my conspiracy-theorising for a second, but stuff like this seems like a great way to enforce obsolescence at some point in the future. Keep people moving on to the next, shinier, product. Sounds like a very MS thing to do.
Those in the grip of FOMO may not mind, but I quite like having the choice to revisit old products whenever I want to (entropy permitting).
You know, if some enterprising entrepreneur came up with a new, boutique, disk-based console, with a guarantee that every game was exclusive, of high quality, and would come out 100% on the disk, thoroughly play-tested and complete, no patches, no DLCs, even if the console was relatively low spec and the games were the equivalent of high quality indies like, say, Hollow Knight, The Witness, etc... I would buy the ass out of that console.
But then, I'm old.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 580
Still working my way through Trails in the Sky Second Chapter. Very tired with work lately so progress has been slow, but that's no reflection on the game, which is great fun.
Re: Layoffs at Codemasters Confirmed as Developer Halts All Work on Rally Racing Games
Evil, Actually strike again...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 579
@graymamba Yep, I feel your pain mate 😁
My advice, eat your greens, lots of protein, quality sleep... and master the advanced techniques like the critical hits, grenade rolling, slash cancelling etc... they really help. Good luck!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 579
Yet more Trails in the Sky Second Chapter for me this weekend. I've been dog-tired this week with work and most nights got very little played before going zonk, so hoping to have a bit of a binge this long weekend (here in the UK) to catch up with myself a bit.
Have a great weekend folks.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 578
@graymamba Wait until you play it on Dante Must Die difficulty, it'll have you weeping tears of blood. Finishing the game on DMD difficulty with an S-rank on every level is one of my fondest gaming memories, but I freely admit I had to use a strategy guide to do it. And then tons of practice! And it's not even the hardest game in the series...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 578
Trails in the Sky Second Chapter is taking up all my gaming time at the moment and will continue to do so this weekend. Even though so far most of the game has been retreading almost exactly the same locations, assets and music as the original (I believe Falcom decided to split their planned game in half?), I'm thoroughly enjoying being back in Liberl again. The story is engaging, the world-building is fantastic, and the characters are charming (Estelle and Olivier especially really crack me up). The only thing I'm disappointed about so far in this second part is that there's been so much less effort put into the empty chest messages 😁
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 577
I'll be continuing to play Trails in the Sky Second Chapter this weekend. Didn't get a lot of gaming time this last week, so got some catching up to do. I'm playing on hard, and was stuck on the prologue for ages - I'd not heard that the prologue is horrendously tough on higher difficulties, and the final boss of the prologue is basically like the equivalent of Emerald Weapon in FFVII or something! I ended up going to the internet for guidance as I just couldn't see how it could be beaten, and was all set to lower the difficulty, when I decided to have one last go on hard and somehow managed to beat it by the skin of my teeth.
Now that I'm onto the game proper, things have opened up a lot and I'm having a great time - it's so good to be back in the company of these characters again.
Have a great weekend, fellow gamers.
Re: Bring Home a Hyper-Realistic Replica of Stellar Blade's Eve Soon
@Jrs1 With the usual girlfriend levels of expense 😂
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 575
Trails in the Sky Second Chapter for me this weekend. About 8 hours in and loving every second.
I'm also toying with the idea of having a back-to-back run through of some of my all-time favourite games, the Max Payne trilogy.
Enjoy the weekend.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 574
Completed my first playthrough of Deus Ex Human Revolution last night. It's a game that really hit the spot for me: visuals, music, story, and gameplay were all so good. If I had to make a complaint, it would probably be that the last part of the game, after everything goes a bit Stephen King (if you've played it, you'll know what I'm talking about), was a little bit too easy, which defused the tension a lot, but that's a minor gripe. Having the classic Deus Ex theme at the end of the credits was the icing on the cake.
So this weekend, I'm planning to continue playing Neva, as I'm still on the hunt for all the glowing flowers, and finding them seems to be where all the best puzzles/challenges of the game are hidden. What I'm really looking forward to, however, is starting Trails in the Sky Second Chapter. I loved the first one when I played it a few weeks ago and I'm really eager now to launch into the next part of the story. Vita is charged and ready to go.
Have a good one, folks.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 573
I shall be continuing to play Deus Ex Human Revolution (or Detroit Become Less Human, as I've nicknamed it). Still loving it, and very impressed with how the developers have integrated first and third person gameplay and made it so smooth. Reached the second boss battle earlier this week, and it was like something straight from MGS - a tense game of cat and mouse. Great stuff.
I played and completed Neva this week as well, and hoping to launch into a second playthrough this weekend and appreciate the whole thing again (while hunting down all the glowing flowers this time). What a beautiful game it is. My daughter's playing it also and I think she was expecting a relatively relaxed Planet of Lana type experience and it's definitely a bit harder going than that. I think she is likely to need a little helping hand from dad with some sections.
Have a great weekend everyone.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 572
Deus Ex Human Revolution for me again this week. I've reached the Pangu in China, playing on the hardest difficulty and the controls have well and truly clicked into place now. The scale of the game has really opened up, the atmosphere and music are fantastic, and I'm Metal Gear Solid-ing my way through levels like Snake on a really good day. In short I'm having an absolute blast.
It's funny how you come up with head canon reasons for your character's actions in RPG games like this. My version of Jensen is both coldly fair and compassionate, still has much of the cop about him, but is quite comfortable hacking into every sealed storage unit or apartment he sees and taking everything he can get his hands on. My head canon reason? Umm, the psychological effects of being augmented against his will, coupled with an increasing addiction to the powers the augmentations bring him...
As well as being fully immersed in Human Revolution, I see that Neva is currently on sale so planning on downloading that and playing it as I have a week off work, so hopefully more gaming time than normal to enjoy. Still playing Mercury Meltdown on PSP here and there as well.
Enjoy the weekend everyone.
Re: Horizon Dev Promises It Isn't Trying to Replace Aloy Actress with AI
@heavyartillery56 That's a bit of an extreme evolutionary viewpoint. The shark has been perfectly adapted to its environment for millions of years and has got on fine without stagnation and death (at least until humans came about).
I'm hoping that best-case scenario, the human race in conjunction with AI will reach some sort of equilibrium where material and energy needs will be met and we can forge forwards on our own terms when it comes to advancement.
But that's science fiction just now. In the meantime, I completely understand the concerns of the voice actors and other people worried about their livelihoods, and agree with those speaking about that indefinable spark that makes us human, the soul that is greater than any collection of parts, being lost.
And remember, this is not just about people losing their jobs. This is also about copyright and the human rights of individuals: the right to your own image, and your own voice. That's a real, personal thing that on an individual level goes way beyond big ideas like 'growth', 'stagnation', or 'evolution'.
Re: Horizon Dev Promises It Isn't Trying to Replace Aloy Actress with AI
@heavyartillery56 The constant push for 'growth' is one of the great myths of economics. Politicians talk about it constantly, 'we must have more growth', but we live on a finite planet with finite resources and a world population that is beginning to show significant decline in numbers. Growth is not sustainable, disproportionately benefits a very few oligarchs, and AI seems like it will turbo charge this situation. The ultimate disruptive innovation.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 571
Deus Ex Human Revolution for me this weekend. After a bit of fumbling about getting used to the controls, I'm getting the hang of it now, as well as the ebb and flow of the main quest and the side quests. My in-story canon reason for my initial clumsiness playing the game is Adam Jensen was still getting used to his augmentations and recovering from his op(!)... The visuals are still rather good despite the fact they're a bit dated now, and the whole thing just feels very 'Deus Ex'. Heck, even the main character has a similar 'Joe Friday' voiceover as JC Denton in the original game.
Will also be continuing playing Mercury Meltdown on my PSP this weekend. I'm steadily improving as my analogue nub thumb strength comes back...
Have a good one folks.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 570
Finished Trails in the Sky first chapter this last week. Some random thoughts on it for those who might be interested: -
For those who have been wondering about starting the Trails games, my advice is... give it a go! Since finishing First Chapter, I am itching to start the next game, but I'm making myself take a break so I don't burn out (and to give me a chance to absorb the story of the first game).
So this weekend, I've gone for some gaming contrast with Deus Ex Human Revolution. I played and loved the iconic original years ago and so far I'm loving this prequel. Also decided to give my PSP some more love this year and currently playing Mercury Meltdown on it. Which is pretty darned addictive.
Enjoy your weekend, everyone, whatever you're up to.
Re: Talking Point: Has the Market for AA Games on PS5 Really Disappeared?
@Czar_Khastik I only play AAA games because the batteries are cheaper.
Re: Ridiculously Successful Marvel Rivals Loses USA Studio to Layoffs
I'm starting to think there's a special circle of hell reserved for greedy investors.
Re: Best Trails Games Ranked: Which Trails Games to Play and Where to Start
Playing Trails in the Sky right now on my trusty PSP. Decided to go all-in and experience the series from the start. It's fantastic. Can't wait to see what's to come in further installments
Re: Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered (PS5) - Definitive Package Closes Out the First Chapter of Lara Croft Adventures
@Kiefer-Sutherland Tomb Raider 3 is one of the hardest games in the series, with very unforgiving level design, particularly the London section. If you're feeling burnt out after the first two games (Unfinished Business alone is pretty punishing, and not Tomb Raider at it's best), then I recommend taking a decent break before playing TR3, or you'll likely bounce right off it.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 568
Approaching the end of the first Trails in the Sky now. What a charming and fun game it has been, with a great cast of characters, and a brilliant translation. Estelle in particular is fantastic (and frequently makes me chuckle). I would be very sorry it's almost over, if I didn't know I had the second part to look forward to. I guess I'm well and truly signed up for the Trails journey now!
Once finished, I think I'll take a break with some other games for a bit to cleanse my palate before launching into part 2.
Have a good one folks.
Re: Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered (PS5) - Definitive Package Closes Out the First Chapter of Lara Croft Adventures
Looking forward to playing 4 and 5 again. I wonder if they still have loading screens while wandering back and forth between different areas in TR4, or did they manage to sew the levels back into a larger whole? As this was obviously the original intention of the designers that was scuppered by the hardware limitations of the time. I found those loading screens really detracted from my enjoyment when I played it on my PS1. It made the game feel disjointed and smaller than it actually was.
I remember I was quite disappointed by the first half of Chronicles, but it really picked up when it reached the haunted island with a younger, weaponless Lara. Looking forward to seeing how that has been remastered.
AoD I never played at the time, will be interested to give it a go now the issues have been at least somewhat corrected. Perhaps future updates will further improve it.
Re: Trails through Daybreak 2 (PS5) - Adjust Your Expectations for This Slick But Strange Trails Sequel
My limited edition preorder arrived today.
Though since I'm only playing Trails in the Sky first chapter at the moment, it's going to be a little while before I get round to this... 😳
Re: PSN Downtime Raises Fresh Questions About PS5's Future Functionality
An all digital future and lack of disc drive just makes consoles less convenient and useable for customers. One of the big pluses of PS5 was the backwards compatibility with PS4 games, which required a disc drive if you own your games physically.
More than that though, consoles have been positioned as an all-in-one home entertainment solution for quite some time now. I want to be able to play my Blu-rays on my console so I don't need to purchase a separate dedicated player. Some people want to own their favourite programmes, and not rely on streaming services that can take them down because of some licensing issue, lack of interest, or whatever.
Going all digital gives a customer less options. To me, this is not a good thing.
Re: How Well Do You Know Ratchet & Clank?
10/15. Not bad. Made a stupid mistake on the first question (always read the question properly!).
Re: Poll: How Long Does It Take You to Beat a Big RPG?
Well, I'm currently in week 5 of playing Trails in the Sky first chapter... If I'm starting a big RPG, then I'm usually resigned to the fact it will take me something like 3 months to finish it. Because of that, I only tend to play 1 big RPG per year.
I seem to be a bit of a slow, methodical gamer. I usually take a lot more hours to finish any given game than the internet suggests it should take to beat. I guess I just like to stop and smell the virtual flowers!
Being a father and full-time employee in a stressful job cramps my gaming style a lot as well, but I guess I made my choices 😁
Re: Ex-Sony Boss Says Xbox Can Find Multiplatform Software Success, Just Like SEGA
@CutchuSlow I've heard there's an obscure Japanese company called Nintendo doing good things.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 566
@DrVenture69 I played Below Zero last year, and it was so good, my personal game of the year in 2024. I probably spent about half of my playtime just tinkering about with my base.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 566
I'll be spending more quality time with Estelle and Joshua in Trails in the Sky this weekend. Looking forward to reading more sarcastic in-game messages about empty treasure chests 😁
Happy gaming, folks.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 564
I've had no gaming time at all this week as I've been away from home down in misty Cardiff. Now that I'm back, planning to catch up and get as much time as possible on Trails in the Sky first chapter.
Have a good weekend all.
Re: Square Enix Vows to Deny Toxic Fans Its Wonderful Games, Services
Removed
Re: Square Enix Vows to Deny Toxic Fans Its Wonderful Games, Services
Removed
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 563
Completed Metroid Prime 2 during the week. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but have to say that at times the game is appallingly bad at communicating what it expects of you (a few of the bosses I had to look up what I was supposed to be doing to beat them, as the scan info was cryptic to misleading...).
Now I've finished MP2 for the time being, it's full steam ahead with Trails in the Sky the first. It's fair to say I'm already totally engrossed in the charming world and story. It's daunting but exciting knowing there are so many Trails games ahead of me.
Happy gaming all.
Re: Sony's Immersive Tech Concept Puts You in a Room Made of Screens Where You Can Smell Your Enemies
@nessisonett Hulst's more of a slicker than a clicker.
Re: Sony's Immersive Tech Concept Puts You in a Room Made of Screens Where You Can Smell Your Enemies
Imagine the Valley of Defilement in smell-o-vision 😳
@Czar_Khastik It better come with a disc drive this time!
Re: How Well Do You Know Uncharted?
14/15, and apparently currently 11 on the leaderboard! I'll take that. The Italian estate question tripped me up.
Re: Naughty Dog Sold to Sony to Avoid Being 'Crushed' By Cost of Game Dev
@GymratAmarillo The last video game industry crash was in 1983.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 562
Close to completing Metroid Prime 2 now - just hunting for the last few upgrades, then on to the Sky Temple for what I presume is the final boss. Also continuing the first Trails in the Sky, which I am still thoroughly enjoying. I don't know what magic dust Falcom sprinkle on their games but they always hit the mark for me, it's just a lot of fun, the characters and world are great and the translation is excellent. It's a fair bit, er, saucier than I was expecting though.. be interesting to see how some of the character interactions are handled in the upcoming remake!
Have a great weekend folks.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 561
@DrVenture69 Somehow missed the review for this game, but reading your comment, it's definitely on my radar now! It sounds right up my street. Love a good puzzler, and having to take notes is a big plus as far as I'm concerned...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 561
Guys, I'm going in... as I've got a bit more free time than usual over the festive period, I've taken the unusual step (for me) of playing two games at once, and have finally decided to start Trails in the Sky first chapter. I know the remake is coming out next year, but I really wanted to experience the original. I've long been in love with the Ys series and have been meaning for ages to get around to Falcom's other flagship RPG series. And so far it's exactly what I was expecting - a charming, lovingly crafted game with great music and engaging characters. It's really hitting the spot, and I'm looking forward to diving more into the lore of the world as I continue. It's probably going to take me about 15 years to get up to date with the various Trails games, but bring it on! 😅
I'm also continuing my playthrough of Metroid Prime 2 on Wii. Finally got past an absolute bugger of a morph ball boss (spider guardian), though I had to resort to help from YouTube to do it, grr. At least the comments on there assured me that I wasn't the only one grinding their teeth in frustration at it. Once I realised that you could flick the Wiimote to do a morph ball jump (I feel I was denied critical, need-to-know, information!), I beat it without too much trouble. It must have been an absolute nightmare on Gamecube though...
I'm also considering downloading Neva and giving that a go, as I believe it's pretty short and sounds like a great game to play at this time of year.
Have a great weekend fellow gamers.