What Are You Playing? (Spring, 2014)

This winter sucked throughout most of the country, so good riddance to it. Here are the too many games I am trying to play concurrently and thus not finishing any of them:

Batman: Arkham Origins (PC) - My daughter loves this series, so I tend to play it when she comes in and asks me to play a game. I'm not very far yet and haven't seen one of the investigations to which I am really looking forward. Otherwise, it's more of the same, which really isn't a bad thing.

Legend of Zelda (NES via 3DS VC via Ambassador Program) - I can't adequately explain why, but about a week ago I got in my head that I needed to actually finish this game. GohanX can attest to how monumental a task that is for me. I am through two dungeons so far and am only using an overworld map in terms of "cheating." I figure I would have had access to that in Nintendo Power back in 1987 anyway.

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS) - This is about as slowly as I've played a game that I like as much as this one. I think it's portable-designed, bite-sized levels are working against it, because I tend to put down games at obvious stopping point like that. If each mansion was one huge level, I'd probably have beaten it by now easily.

Shin Megami Tensei (iOS) - Don't make the mistake I did. Before starting the game, I went into the options and put the text speed to fast. About five minutes in, maybe less, I was asked a question I could not possibly answer, because the fast text literally skipped a screen. At that point, I hit the home button and checked my Twitter feed. I'll try again once I am stuck somewhere without access to all of these other games I shouldn't be playing at the same time.

South Park: The Stick of Truth (PC) - I don't like this one as much as I thought I would. I think the fact that it's a really basic JRPG is overtaking the fact that it's South Park fan service for me. So far I made it through the first day. It's very well done for what it is, so I'll probably finish it in the next week or so, but it's headed for 7/10 territory, which is a bit of a disappointment.

Maybe I should go outside tomorrow. It's going to be 68!

Yoshi's face when playing Zelda: So good.

I can't imagine how good II is going to seem after making myself finish the original. By "finish," I mean first quest; I have limits to my masochism.

Just think about all the people who like to beat Zelda games with the stock 3 hearts.

I laugh at them because they've never touched a boob.

Dark Souls 2 is the only game I need.

La Pucelle. Still working on this. The grind isn't so bad as the energy path randomization keeps things fresh, but my patience for it is beginning to wear thin. I keep it going as it's easy enough to slog through first thing in the morning while doing exercise.

Borderlands 2. Lent the GOTY add on disc to the other friends who are playing, so that saves them some money. Otherwise, there's no way in hell I'm playing this independently. There is far too much walking around empty space and too few enemy encounters to make it something which I would want to spend my own time on playing. I'm also still very much not a fan of the traditional FPS trappings of never knowing where your character will land from a jump and not being aware of when you're walking backwards into a hazard or obstacle. At least in playing a Mechromancer I have a character who is not completely worthless no matter how much I personally stumble uselessly around.

Diablo 3 PS3. Only doing this at times when I turn the PS3 on to enter BL2 shift codes or when my wife wants to have something to play with me, so not very frequently at all at this point. No real reason to do so by now, though I've had a few fortunate drops still come around. My Wiz and my wife's Barb are at 450K+ unbuffed sheet damage. Doing multiboxing with two dummy characters who have Puzzle Rings equipped keeps things interesting.

LUFTRAUSERS-

Stop what you're doing and BUY THIS FUCKING GAME.



This game is Time Pilot fucking Geometry Wars with Heavy Weapon's cock. Made by the Ridiculous Fishing guys for PC and PS3/Vita. It works with controllers on PC but still a quickie port. Worth the 10 bucks. Loads of fun.

Diablo 3 - i got a crossbow that raised my damage by 40%. I am level 43 and have better gear than the level 61 stuff dog$ handed to me way back. I have a good feeling about Reaper of Souls. I would like to get at least one character to 60 by release, but we will see.

BTW I tried Torchlight 2. It sucks.

TL2 gets better the more time you give it. Engineers are fun in that game.

Ain't nobody got time for that.

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Originally Posted by Yoshi

I am through two dungeons so far and am only using an overworld map in terms of "cheating." I figure I would have had access to that in Nintendo Power back in 1987 anyway.

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Nope. The first issue was in 1988.

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Originally Posted by Changeling

LUFTRAUSERS-

Stop what you're doing and BUY THIS FUCKING GAME.


This game is Time Pilot fucking Geometry Wars with Heavy Weapon's cock. Made by the Ridiculous Fishing guys for PC and PS3/Vita. It works with controllers on PC but still a quickie port. Worth the 10 bucks. Loads of fun.

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I will give that a shot since you're the second person to recommend it, but the first was bvork so it's probably broken and it looks like the inertia makes it hard to play well in comparison to a traditional shmup.

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Originally Posted by NeoZeedeater

Nope. The first issue was in 1988.

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lol I didn't give that any thought at all, as I actually had and recently sold my early issues. Oh well. I'm still using that map, because there is no way I'd stick with that painful game any other way.

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Originally Posted by Yoshi

lol I didn't give that any thought at all, as I actually had and recently sold my early issues. Oh well. I'm still using that map, because there is no way I'd stick with that painful game any other way.

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The original game came with a fold out overworld map in box, so technically you're still good.

Awesome

It would be impossible or at least infuriating to find some of those dungeons without a guide or the playground repository of videogame knowledge. Hope you really like the candle item.

I didn't think it was that bad but I like exploring in games. I didn't use the included map or outside help back in the day. I found games like Metroid and Phantasy Star more confusing.

When I played zelda 1, I walked around every screen and methodically bombed every wall and burned every tree that could possibly have a secret. I remember coming to the conclusion that no room could have 2 exits, and placing bombs and fire to test 2 sections of wall/tree at a time.

I remember that map specifically because I wrote all over it marking up everything I found. I lent the map to my cousins eventually later, and they got mad because I even marked the door repair charge caves. I wish I knew where that map was now.

I was a little bit crazy about that game as a kid.

As a kid I definitely would have done stuff like that, if I liked the game. For example, I fully mapped Shining in the Darkness while visiting my cousin. He probably wanted to kill me.

I remember I used to make my own dungeon maps on graph paper as I went along. Different symbols for different types of doors, etc. We didn't have the Internet to coddle us back then. And we LIKED it.

I made all the maps for Phantasy Star on graph paper. It was glorious.

Here's where I mention for the 15th time that I made a cool Zillion map with all the items and door positions on a big ass piece of paper

I have a fantasy of one day breaking out the graph paper and playing Shining in the Darkness or Holy Ark on full internet blackout.

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Originally Posted by Diff-chan

Diablo 3 - i got a crossbow that raised my damage by 40%. I am level 43 and have better gear than the level 61 stuff dog$ handed to me way back. I have a good feeling about Reaper of Souls. I would like to get at least one character to 60 by release, but we will see.

BTW I tried Torchlight 2. It sucks.

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Is anybody else on TNL that has the game not in the Clan yet? Oh wait, you're on PS3, aren't you?

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Originally Posted by kingoffighters

I made all the maps for Phantasy Star on graph paper. It was glorious.

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This is what I did for SotD too. In fact, I think it was in one of those composition books, so it was bound and on graph paper. I wish I knew where I put it.

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Originally Posted by Chux

Is anybody else on TNL that has the game not in the Clan yet? Oh wait, you're on PS3, aren't you?

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No. I'm playing the PC version now. diffchan#1517 I think

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Originally Posted by Chux

Is anybody else on TNL that has the game not in the Clan yet? Oh wait, you're on PS3, aren't you?

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I got a 60 Witch Doctor and looking for trouble. conrooks#1770

I'll add both of you guys tonight. We've been running a lot recently.

I'm looking forward to Yoshi's reaction to the final dungeon. I still don't tackle it without a guide.

I actually kinda want to play SP D3 from the start when the XP comes out. Is that weird?

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Originally Posted by Joust Williams

I actually kinda want to play SP D3 from the start when the XP comes out. Is that weird?

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Yes. The story is so bad.

I beat it once (although I guess we did go at a nice slow pace). I just kinda want to take my time in a run before it's all time trial tear through the game 75x

I plan to level my characters in adventure mode.

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Originally Posted by Joust Williams

I actually kinda want to play SP D3 from the start when the XP comes out. Is that weird?

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No, except for waiting for normal XP. You'll end up playing through the story multiple times to hit 70 anyway so it's not like you need for it to be super slow, but super carries do tend to leave me confused about what my character can even do after so many levels have just been blown past.

50% bonus XP right now, no need to wait for the expansion to play through the OG shit, all the mechanics are in there for 1-60.

Make a character, set it to torment 6. Have a friend jump in that can handle T6 and you'll be 60 before the Shadow King.

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Originally Posted by Chux

Is anybody else on TNL that has the game not in the Clan yet? Oh wait, you're on PS3, aren't you?

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I don't think I am. I just grabbed III since it's on sale. Scudnick#1145

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Originally Posted by Chux

Make a character, set it to torment 6. Have a friend jump in that can handle T6 and you'll be 60 before the Shadow King.

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Skeleton King?

That.

Attachment 73750

Sengoku 3 (MVS) : Playing on full defaults as usual. Trying to eventually get 1CC on this. There are 4 enemies max on screen at a time but the AI makes up for it- sneaking up from behind as you open up on one or two other enemies, weaving (unlike Final Fight/Golden Axe where they tend to simply home in), etc. While long juggle strings rock for killing lower enemies in a berserk blitz, throws are sometimes good to fall back on. Enemies who try to swat away your okizeme will fall prey to a sidegrab easily. Launching bosses with the rushing B fails- but B,B,B,A,A,2xDown,B is good for eating up their life bars, at least with Kagetsura.
Toshikazu "Tarkun" Tanaka did some great BGM for this one. Right now my favorite track is the Japan stage theme.

Robo Aleste (Sega CD) - Finally getting back to this one. No exceptions to the rule of Compile's 16-bit STGs generally kicking ass. Default difficulty is a bit more challenging than SFC's Super Aleste. RA's feudal Japanese war theme is a good change from the usual space/futuristic ones.

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Originally Posted by Chux

Make a character, set it to torment 6. Have a friend jump in that can handle T6 and you'll be 60 before the Shadow King.

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Made a fresh wizard, was level 60 after 1h20m.

Caliber 50 (Genesis): Decent overhead Ikari type run-n-gun with some unusual boss enemies (Skull-throwing giant monkeys? No joke) and a little less linearity. Veering off the main path can yield a few extra boxes to break for items. There can be a good deal of enemy fire for a Genesis game, and it does have a little slowdown in some of the busier moments. Like several other arcade to 16-bit ports, the co-op mode is gone.

I tried the arcade version in MAME also, and the guns seem to have a tad more range than in the Genesis one. It's more intense overall but a few spots are easier (probably owing to the flamethrower being a tad more useful. BTW the combine boss on the Genesis one is damned fast, making it quite a bitch compared to the same one on the arcade.). The Genesis one is longer, with some added areas and other bosses (a giant turtle to name one). Compared to the Sega cart, the arcade's graphics have a more realistic, grittier style.

Adding DKCR (3DS) to the list, since Bravely Default has been banned from my 3DS for the foreseeable future.

I've been playing Peace Walker, just got to the false ending. This is by far my favorite PSP game, and the ps3's superior controls only make it better. It might just be my favorite ps3 game now as well.

Since the game is broken up into bite sized missions you don't realize just how long the game is. I'm not even finished and I probably could have run through MGS 1-3 in the same amount of time.

I've been playing GTA IV on my recently rebuilt PC for the living room. I knew the game was poorly optimized for the PC, but I'm still getting better performance than I did with the 360 version. I'm not about to attempt doing any kind of mods with this game.

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Originally Posted by GohanX

I've been playing Peace Walker, just got to the false ending. This is by far my favorite PSP game, and the ps3's superior controls only make it better. It might just be my favorite ps3 game now as well.

Since the game is broken up into bite sized missions you don't realize just how long the game is. I'm not even finished and I probably could have run through MGS 1-3 in the same amount of time.

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I just can't get into it for some reason.

It's not even the best PSP Metal Gear. I don't get it.

I started playing Dust today. It's really bad.

I know you mean Ac!d amirite

Someone has certainly been taking the Ac!d.

Because Ac!d 2 is better.

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Originally Posted by Mzo

I know you mean Ac!d amirite

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yes!

Jokes aside, I couldn't get into Ac!d. Maybe I should give it another shot.

Why are the menus sideways in PW?

I never noticed that, actually.

Pupa 2 just kicked my ass. I do alright fighting it, but my weapons simply don't do enough damage. I ran out of rockets for two weapons, used all my supply markers, and was just shooting it with my machine gun since I had nothing else left. Fuck.

I am playing FFX here and there during my commute. It's pretty fun. Looks great. The story, characters, etc are kind of lame and pretty dorky, but at least it's not boring shit like Persona 4.

Also why is blitzball something that exists?

Edit: I never played FFX on PS2 so it's all new to me.

You pretty much nailed my memory of it. Fun battle system and pretty scenery with a laughably bad story.

The Vita version is my only hope of ever beating it, I got close on the ps2 and said "Fuck it, I'm done."

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Originally Posted by GohanX

laughably bad story.

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I see what you did there.

I thought about picking this up, but then I read somewhere that you still have to jump through all the bullshit hoops to get the true ending in X-2. Pass.

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Originally Posted by Diff-chan

Also why is blitzball something that exists?

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I got to the part where you have to play that and never played the game again.

It really, really sucks. My girlfriend at the time played through all the blitzball levels, and dodged all the lightning. the FFX I played was pretty awesome.

I hooked up my n64 last night and started playing Blast Corps because, apparently, I hate myself. This game looks like the inside of an asshole, but it is just as awesome as I remember it being. It is brutally difficult too. I'm not this good at video games any more.

If it's the inside of Jennifer Lopez's asshole, Blast Corps must look glorious...N64 for life motherfucker

I played through Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes. Snake looks glorious, like the inside of Jennifer Lopez's asshole

I beat the PS3 version of Peace Walker last night, clocking in at just under 30 hours, which is half the time it took me when playing the original game. The last boss is kind of a pushover compared to the optional boss battles. I frustratingly died several times, but once I figured out how to play the boss battle it was pretty easy. I'm going to try to beat all the optional bosses (I never did on the PSP game) but I fear they may be impossible in single player.

I started playing Mercenary Kings on PS4 last night. A lot has changed for the better since I played the early access. HOWEVER, I also realized that you SHOULD NOT PLAY WITH RANDOMS because the life pool is shared. I was fighting a boss when we got a Mission Failed and was like WTF.

Oh well.

That was the problem with the bombs in Heavy Weapon (best game) spam it up, then they're gone when you need them.

Heavy Weapon was the best game

Was that the XBL game with the tank? Damn I think i have that. It is great. Why was there never a sequel?

because anything TNL likes doesn't sell.

I will play that game any time you guys want.

I'll give the game a shot with the demo.

I bet the demo probably sucks

The real game is amazing though

Eliminate Down (MD)
A lesser-known STG from one-hit wonder developer Aprinet that deserves the praise it has received. The weapon system has a front shot, back shot, and 2-way missile (4-way at Lv.2 or 3)- somewhat like Hellfire with the vertical shot nixed. Some later levels add a bit of R-Type into their layouts. Some nice VFX are used throughout.

The BGM is good, being sort of a mix between R-Type and Doom. The mid-boss theme does sound similar to Doom's E1M1 music.

I dusted off the old Gameboy Color, playing various random games. Mario Tennis, damn, this game gets pretty hardcore, and you don't have the super shots of the gba version to get you through matches.

hardcore tennis. One google search later and I am shocked at the amount of tennis porn out there.

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Originally Posted by GohanX

I dusted off the old Gameboy Color, playing various random games. Mario Tennis, damn, this game gets pretty hardcore, and you don't have the super shots of the gba version to get you through matches.

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If I remember correctly, the drop shot paralyses the CPU.

Still playing FTL: now advanced edition. The game that keeps on giving.

When I was a kid me and a friend charted all the LoZ dungeons in graph paper also. Awesome times.

Bleh where is delete post on tapa talk.

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Originally Posted by jyoung

If I remember correctly, the drop shot paralyses the CPU.

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Yep, with me learning how to do drop shots and lobs as well as leveling up my character the game has gotten a lot easier now.

I hit that point in Fire Emblem Awakening when, if your good characters haven't died, a Fire Emblem game goes from difficult to nicely-balanced to cakewalk. The second generation characters are pretty nuts, especially Chrom's babbies.

Batman: Arkham Origins - It's okay. It's more of the same without feeling like anything really got added aside from an extra level of this-sure-got-rushed-out-the-door. I've had a series of odd deaths that had nothing to do with what I was pressing on the controller, an apparently fairly common glitch where fast travel just stops working until you reload your game, sound that is for some reason literally half the volume of anything else and (rarely) cuts out entirely here and there, the game deciding to just load a black screen and sit there, and other fun things like being told I'm starting a timed mission and then just falling through the world before I even got the chance to move.

Granted, it's really a very solid game overall and there's a lot of good stuff going on here, but it's all tempered by feeling exactly the same as what I've already done in the last two games. The timeline seems to be kind of hazy as it seems like Batman is really new and still just a rumor, yet appears to be incredibly familiar with some of the cast already. There doesn't seem to be much rhyme and reason as to who he knows and why, but since that's really just an untold part of his life as far as I can tell I guess it's kind of handwaved away.

p.s. There's still too many damn Riddler items. I will continue my series tradition of not collecting all that shit.

I hooked up my Genesis to test my Sega CD memory cart thing before selling it. Ended up playing Contra Hard Corps and Castlevania Bloodlines. It doesn't even make sense how good these games are.

I kinda hated both back in the day, but I absolutely love them now. I still can't beat Hard Corp, but I'm working on it.

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Originally Posted by A Robot Bit Me

I hooked up my Genesis to test my Sega CD memory cart thing before selling it. Ended up playing Contra Hard Corps and Castlevania Bloodlines. It doesn't even make sense how good these games are.

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<3 <3 <3

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Originally Posted by MechDeus

p.s. There's still too many damn Riddler items. I will continue my series tradition of not collecting all that shit.

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You know what's good about that trash? YouTube. Anything you could *possibly* get from collecting them all can be seen in two seconds nowadays.

I like exploring the world and finding things but this one got especially ridiculous with: Unlock the seven or whatever towers to unlock 10 items in each area to unlock a few people in each area to unlock an additional 10 items in each area to then unlock whatever else holy shit stop using things I'm unlocking to just unlock more things to unlock unlock unlock unlock

It is better than the previous point blank We Shit 100 Items All Over The City but they could've stopped a couple steps in and it would've been fine.

"Achievement" based game mechanics are cute, but there's an upper limit.

They don't unlock, they just tell you where they are on the map (most of them anyway). Still, there's a ridiculous amount of stuff to collect in Origins.

One thing that is greatly improved are the detective aspects. I like the crime scene stuff and exploring to find the clues, even if it is still fairly basic. I thought they did a great job especially with the tracking people down leading up to the investigation of the Black Mask's girlfriend and then putting all that together a little bit later.

However, everything being an extended QTE is really starting to wear on me. I probably shouldn't be playing this on hard, because every boss fight gets dragged out with too many events of mashing A or X. I think the other games are just as guilty but it's been a while since I've played them. The new one will probably be the first time I'll try out normal, which will probably make everything feel too easy but at least I won't be hating life every time I have to restart a boss and mash X fifteen million times during five QTEs.

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Originally Posted by A Robot Bit Me

I hit that point in Fire Emblem Awakening when, if your good characters haven't died, a Fire Emblem game goes from difficult to nicely-balanced to cakewalk. The second generation characters are pretty nuts, especially Chrom's babbies.

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Got the same thing going on. Got bored of it as my guys got over-powered.

Finished the main plot of Arkham Origins. There were like four times when I thought they were going to drop off certain plot lines to just leave them open as unmentioned future threads but then got dragged back in for more padding. Enigma escaped, so to speak, as did Shiva which was fine but then Black Mask dragged himself back in for no reason with a lame fight, the whole Joker being part of the Blackgate Prison takeover was pretty pointless (even if I did enjoy him), etc. A couple of the bosses also got really shoehorned in there, like they wrote a story about 3-4 villains and then decided to just ram a couple extra people in there and had no idea what to do with them. Firefly and Deadshot were awkwardly inserted and went nowhere, even if they tried to make the former relevant by having it be the start of Gordon and Batman's relationship. Would've been a lot better just incorporating the bombs into something with Bane.

Still, I liked it overall and it would've been very impressive had this been my first Arkham game. As per usual the upgrades made the game baby easy by the end, and snipers are still annoying.

Tried out some Amazing Spider-Man and it's basically like playing an alpha/beta version of an Arkham game. The controls are really exactly the same right down to having the right bumper grapple with the only non-webslinging difference I noticed right off is using the Y button instead of A to interact. The combat is the same and the stealth is the same, but it's loose and sloppy where the Arkham games are solid and feels like there's weight to things. Almost like someone just made a Spider-Man fan mod for Arkham but cranked up the sensitivity on everything a bit too much.

The intro is also just a reskinned version of the Deus Ex:HR opening, so at least they have good ideas about who to copy even if it's not up to quality of their inspirations. Flipping around the city is pretty cool so far, I really like the way he runs up buildings.

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Originally Posted by MechDeus

Tried out some Amazing Spider-Man and it's basically like playing an alpha/beta version of an Arkham game. The controls are really exactly the same right down to having the right bumper grapple with the only non-webslinging difference I noticed right off is using the Y button instead of A to interact. The combat is the same and the stealth is the same, but it's loose and sloppy where the Arkham games are solid and feels like there's weight to things. Almost like someone just made a Spider-Man fan mod for Arkham but cranked up the sensitivity on everything a bit too much.

The intro is also just a reskinned version of the Deus Ex:HR opening, so at least they have good ideas about who to copy even if it's not up to quality of their inspirations. Flipping around the city is pretty cool so far, I really like the way he runs up buildings.

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I've been playing this too and it's pretty much exactly as you described.

I bought it during the Live sale and it's been enjoyable but the controls do feel looser than I would want them to be. I'm also a bit disappointed that I can't explore the city in a more Spider-Man 2 style casual manner due to all the events going on but I'm hoping there's a more care free free roam once I finish the game. The 360 version tears a bit unfortunately but otherwise it's a well rendered game, especially Spider-Man's character model. I hope Amazing Spider-Man 2 doesn't feel like more of a retread of this and tightens up the controls a lot more, you can only do the same open world NYC Spider-Man formula so many times before it becomes repetitive.

I've also been playing these games (all on 360):

Outland: Got this on sale and it's an enjoyable romp. It's fairly shallow platforming but it has a beautiful aesthetic and along with Strider fills that action platformer Metroidvania itch.

Dirt 3: Another game I picked up due to it having a great sale price. I wanted to check out a good off road rally game and this is quite good although the steering is incredibly touchy and can get frustrating from time to time. The only other issue I have with this is that certain courses are blocked off because they're part of DLC which annoys me, however you can definitely see the stylistic influences Forza Horizon got from these games in certain areas on top of the fact that Horizon had some ex-Codemasters developers.

Phantom Breaker Battlegrounds: Been trying to get some of the online achievements but the problem is that this game is a dead zone on online multi-player. When I do find someone they never have the extra Kurisu DLC pack that I need the achievement for. Anyone here willing to help a brutha out here?

PS: I think this game's combat is still way better than Scott Pilgrim's which feels a lot slower and clunkier in comparison.

Bioshock & Bioshock Infinite: I had left off on Arcadia in the original Bioshock quite some time ago so I kept that save open and just restarted a new one to refamiliarize myself with the game and the game still holds up REALLY well both in gameplay and graphics/atmosphere. The only thing that doesn't look transition well is the opening title screen since it's using lower quality FMV as a background but that's a very minor thing.

Bioshock Infinite I already had on disc but bought it again digital when it was on sale for $10 just for the convenience of being able to download it and play it without disc swapping. So far I've really enjoyed it although graphically while it's quite stunning and bright it also loses the sharpness/crispness that the original Bioshock has. The gun play is generally solid but similar to the original Bioshock isn't really the most accurate.

Midnight Club LA: Complete Edition: I was initially hesitant to buy this when it was on sale during the XBL Rockstar sale but man was I a fool.

This game is fucking great and is right alongside Burnout Paradise and Forza Horizon as one of the best open world racers. Graphics still look gorgeous, has a huge near seamless map, and has very impressive weather and day and night cycles. On the down side the game can get pretty frustrating as you move along the map to different races because at one moment you'll be well ahead of the AI and then at a later point they'll careen right past you or you'll ram into NPC cars that seem like they're aiming right at you to stop your progress. The power sliding/drifting also feels counter intuitive so I've never been able to really master it but I may need to practice on that a bit more.

Warface: I'm not usually into military shooters or free to play games if it feels more catered to grinding to win but this along with World of Tanks and Happy Wars are a nice trifecta that don't feel like work. Warface has a more futuristic/sci fi bent to it that makes it more to my taste aesthetically and I've been having quite a bit of fun with it on coop with a few team death matches along the way. The mechanics are typical FPS but it emphasizes team play pretty heavily which I like in a sort of Rainbow Six fashion. It uses Cryengine which is typically a very impressive engine but on this open beta it's an ugly game that has a ways to go, particularly the anti-aliasing since there's so many rough and jaggy areas.

It also needs a deeper level of character customization because once you pick a pre-determined character model you can't change it or even gender once you have your selected territory. Hopefully some of this stuff will get rectified by the feedback but I'd definitely recommend checking this out if you're into drop in and drop out coop shooters.

The Wolf Among Us: Got this when the Season pass was on sale AND the first ep was free so I'm getting the whole package for pretty much $10. Powered through the first two episodes and couldn't wait for the 3rd which was terrific. I've played some Walking Dead but I was never quite as into any of the Telltale's interactive story games as much as I am with this one, I guess it's because I prefer the fantasy noir aspect of this game.

Alan Wake: Similar to the Bioshock games I picked it up for $5 digital despite having the special collectors edition already. The sub HD graphics are quite grainy and has lots of tearing so it's not an easy game to ease into visually which is especially baffling when American Nightmare looks better but the gameplay and story is compelling and I liked the digital web series that preceded the game. My PC can't handle this game but I would love to play it as it was intended some day, hopefully the PC version will be ported to the Xbox One whenever Remedy gets around to doing a sequel.

Midnight Club LA is insanely good. It's one of the most underrated games of last gen. I personally think it blows away Forza Horizon.

I don't, but I agree it's very good. Don't let the theme put you off.

I've been playing a ton of Doom lately. I'm now two episodes through Doom the Way iD Did, which is a megawad with levels that feel similar to the originals. On the whole, I feel this is superior to the original game. Well see what happens in episode 3.

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Originally Posted by Will

I've been playing this too and it's pretty much exactly as you described.

I bought it during the Live sale and it's been enjoyable but the controls do feel looser than I would want them to be. I'm also a bit disappointed that I can't explore the city in a more Spider-Man 2 style casual manner due to all the events going on but I'm hoping there's a more care free free roam once I finish the game. The 360 version tears a bit unfortunately but otherwise it's a well rendered game, especially Spider-Man's character model. I hope Amazing Spider-Man 2 doesn't feel like more of a retread of this and tightens up the controls a lot more, you can only do the same open world NYC Spider-Man formula so many times before it becomes repetitive.

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The part I'm most interested in is that they've made so right trigger is web-slinging with the right arm and left trigger is with the left arm, so it supposedly gives a lot more control and a more "real" feeling to swinging around. If they also change the grapple to a strict lock-on for the predetermined points and make the combat tighter I would be really excited for it, but as another movie tie-in it'll probably end up feeling just as rushed. Shame, because they have a good skeleton to build on.

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Originally Posted by Diff-chan

Midnight Club LA is insanely good. It's one of the most underrated games of last gen. I personally think it blows away Forza Horizon.

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Originally Posted by Joust Williams

I don't, but I agree it's very good. Don't let the theme put you off.

I've been playing a ton of Doom lately. I'm now two episodes through Doom the Way iD Did, which is a megawad with levels that feel similar to the originals. On the whole, I feel this is superior to the original game. Well see what happens in episode 3.

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It's really hard for me to pick between the two.

Technically Midnight Club does more impressive things in the areas of customization, seamless mapping, and weather effects but I prefer the bright and colorful atmosphere of Horizon's version of Colorado, the more solid car handling, and sports car selection. Music selection is tied since they both have great soundtracks however you can definitely tell that Horizon took it's inspirations from Midnight Club and Dirt.

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Originally Posted by MechDeus

The part I'm most interested in is that they've made so right trigger is web-slinging with the right arm and left trigger is with the left arm, so it supposedly gives a lot more control and a more "real" feeling to swinging around. If they also change the grapple to a strict lock-on for the predetermined points and make the combat tighter I would be really excited for it, but as another movie tie-in it'll probably end up feeling just as rushed. Shame, because they have a good skeleton to build on.

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Yeah I'm looking forward to it's refinement of the mechanics seen in the first with the web swinging and I like that they have so many cool alternate costumes including the first movie costume which I liked a lot. Like you I don't have high hopes for it though since it usually one of those crunch time movie tie ins, I guess all I can hope for is something as equivalently good as the Spider-Man 2 game that was on PS2, GC, and OG Xbox.

I've been working on an Unreal Engine 4 project lately that has been sucking up a lot of my time, and I've been playing more multiplayer first-person shooters this year than I think I ever had in the past. Lots of Battlefield 4 and more recently Titanfall. Outside of that I'm between the usual singleplayer games. Before PAX I went through Panzer Dragoon and Panzer Dragoon Zwei, so I'm considering booting up Orta and then moving on to Crimson Dragon. Or maybe I'll start digging into Ginga Force. Or Rockman Zero. Or Gunhound EX. Or Hard Corps. I don't know, we'll see.

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Originally Posted by A Robot Bit Me

I have a fantasy of one day breaking out the graph paper and playing Shining in the Darkness or Holy Ark on full internet blackout.

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I remember Shining the Holy Ark having in-game maps, but it's been 15-ish years (oh god).

it does, but those later dungeons get awful confusing even with a map.

I replayed Dishonored. I still think it's one of last gen's best games but it could have been even better if Corvo wasn't so overpowered. It's too easy to abuse teleport/stealth kill moves.

I'm enjoying Metal Gear Rising, too.

Bloody Wolf (TG-16)
Better than the arcade version, though I do miss the first mid-boss' quote "You! Invaders! Get you the hot bullets of shotgun to die!".

Eliminate Down (MD)
Playing on full defaults. Reached stage 7's boss on 1 credit with a score around 4M.

Ys: Memories of Celceta
Back to the villages for any more quests that might be posted. Girguzalm, the Bronze Colussus, kicked my ass bad. Time to invest in reinforcing armor.

NZE, I have to agree about Dishonored. Perching in the rafters and then diving at an enemy's back with Blink for a chokeout is almost too easy.

I got bored of Thief (or "Teef" as its developers call it).

I "demo"-ed Assassin's Creed IV to see how it would run on my PC. It's a slideshow so I will be going the console route instead.

And I have been enjoying the stat holiday at home playing some Sega CD. Batman Returns and The Adventures of Batman & Robin have held up nicely. I love those old pixelly hardware scalers. The frame rate in Adventures isn't the greatest but it does have a ton of sprites on screen. Amazing soundtracks, too. I also replayed Robo Aleste. I will never beat it without continuing because it drags on a bit long.

I picked up Fishing Resort the other day. I will give that a shot next. I'm not expecting much but Prope's other Wii games were decent enough.