What Video Games Are You Playing Right Now?

[mitchhamilton]

purchased nier automata yesterday and playing that. really fun game i must say. i feel like some stuff is a bit hard to grasp but im just starting out so ill get it eventually. had to switch to japanese audio for mikasa ackermans voice actress.

 

 

 

@Akshay started some dark souls 3 as well. had it at my library so decided to play it. played the hell out of dark souls one and beat bloodborne so really looking forward to this.

[Akshay]

Just now, mitchhamilton said:

purchased nier automata yesterday and playing that. really fun game i must say. i feel like some stuff is a bit hard to grasp but im just starting out so ill get it eventually. had to switch to japanese audio for mikasa ackermans voice actress.

 

 

 

@Akshay started some dark souls 3 as well. had it at my library so decided to play it. played the hell out of dark souls one and beat bloodborne so really looking forward to this.

Its wonderful. Its actually easier than dark souls 2 though. That one was the hardest imao. Or at least the one I spent the longest time clearing.

[mitchhamilton]

8 minutes ago, Akshay said:

Its wonderful. Its actually easier than dark souls 2 though. That one was the hardest imao. Or at least the one I spent the longest time clearing.

i actually havent finished ds2. played a bit of it but didnt hook me as much as one. 1 i quit several times but came back because of that opening.

[Akshay]

54 minutes ago, mitchhamilton said:

i actually havent finished ds2. played a bit of it but didnt hook me as much as one. 1 i quit several times but came back because of that opening.

dark souls two's story is real slow. But after the first 6-7 hours you get into it. The game play was better than 1 and 3 actually.

Edited December 3, 2017 by Akshay

[Dreamysyu]

4 hours ago, Kenshin_sama said:

There's a good reason I don't play horror games. To me, they're far more terrifying than movies since I have to dedicate my concentration on gameplay, which hurts my ability to put up a mental barrier and brace myself for the jump scares.

I'm making an exception for Ib, though. It's still scary as all hell, but the world is interesting to me. Even though I've put the game down a number of times in an attempt to give up, I keep getting sucked back in just out of sheer fascination. That being said, I'm gonna have to play this in short bursts to avoid getting a heart attack, lol.

For anyone that might be interested, this game is freeware, and I'd recommend downloading the English release here. The version I downloaded from Gameshed was kinda buggy, but the one from the translator's site works just fine as long as you run it in compatibility mode for Vista and install the necessary fonts (I'd run it as administrator too, just to avoid any kind of hassle). Yeah, it is a bit dated, but definitely worth picking up.

Yeah, Ib is definitely another PRG Maker Game I recommend. It's quite bizarre how simplistic it is in almost every respect, but how it manages to create such a compelling story and such a good atmosphere with what it has. Another thing I really like is how it mostly tells its story not only through direct conversation between conversation between characters, but through the little details that surround you as you play, which is something I always value in the videogames I play (though, honestly, I am not much of a gamer to begin with).

And horror is probably a pretty subjective thing, cause I didn't find this game particularly scary. On the other hand, I literally had to drop The Witch's House, another famous RPG Maker game, since it became too scary to play at some point (I watched the rest of the game on Youtube by the way).

Edit. By the way, it isn't particularly old, but it uses an old version of RPG Maker.

Edited December 3, 2017 by Dreamysyu

[Dreamysyu]

2 hours ago, MaggieROBOT said:

And Rawberry best girl!

I prefer Yosafire 'cause she's so cute, but Rawberry is great too!

I especially like her special effect during battles.

[MaggieROBOT]

27 minutes ago, Dreamysyu said:

I prefer Yosafire 'cause she's so cute, but Rawberry is great too!

I especially like her special effect during battles.

I like Rawberry's simpleness. She is hungry and let everyone know, she sleeps when she wants, I like that.

But Yosafire and Kcalb are also acceptable answers! 

Let's unite, Ib fans!!!! And you just got my attention to "Witch's House" now. I skipped it bc I found the visuals a bit too simple, but now I'm curious. Speaking of horror RPG Maker games, I also liked/recommend "The Crooked Man" and "Forest of the Drizzling Rain", but both ended up being more depressing/gloomy than scary tbh (what I like).

[Dreamysyu]

3 minutes ago, MaggieROBOT said:

Let's unite, Ib fans!!!! And you just got my attention to "Witch's House" now. I skipped it bc I found the visuals a bit too simple, but now I'm curious. Speaking of horror RPG Maker games, I also liked/recommend "The Crooked Man" and "Forest of the Drizzling Rain", but both ended up being more depressing/gloomy than scary tbh (what I like).

The Witch's House is much closer to how horror supposed to work, but I won't spoil it if you haven't played it yet.

Though storywise I prefer Ib and Mogeko, due to various reasons.

[Jun Inoue]

42 minutes ago, Dreamysyu said:

The Witch's House is much closer to how horror supposed to work, but I won't spoil it if you haven't played it yet.

Though storywise I prefer Ib and Mogeko, due to various reasons.

Ib is certainly stronger, but The Witch's House true ending is quite craaazy.

[Dreamysyu]

20 minutes ago, Jun Inoue said:

Ib is certainly stronger, but The Witch's House true ending is quite craaazy.

It's true. AND IT DEFINITELY SHOULDN'T BE SPOILED!

[Funyarinpa]

21 hours ago, mitchhamilton said:

i actually havent finished ds2. played a bit of it but didnt hook me as much as one. 1 i quit several times but came back because of that opening.

Been playing DSII (SotFS) since like July here. It's such a fucking drag, but I can't drop it when the DLC areas are noticeably better than the main game and I have invested 94 hours into it and am in the last DLC already.

Frozen Eleum Loyce and Brume Tower from the DLCs are especially great areas but still not near DS1.

 

[PapaRabbi]

5 minutes ago, Funyarinpa said:

Been playing DSII (SotFS) since like July here. It's such a fucking drag, but I can't drop it when the DLC areas are noticeably better than the main game and I have invested 94 hours into it and am in the last DLC already.

Frozen Eleum Loyce and Brume Tower from the DLCs are especially great areas but still not near DS1.

 

In my opinion, SotFS is noticeably worse than vanilla DS2. It fixed none of the problems DS2 had (and made it even more of a gankfest). Maybe that's part of the reason you're having trouble finishing it. I mean, Dark Souls 2 is still the worst souls game, but vanilla DS2 is still a good game in general.

[Funyarinpa]

1 minute ago, PapaRabbi said:

In my opinion, SotFS is noticeably worse than vanilla DS2. It fixed none of the problems DS2 had (and made it even more of a gankfest). Maybe that's part of the reason you're having trouble finishing it. I mean, Dark Souls 2 is still the worst souls game, but vanilla DS2 is still a good game in general.

SotFS probably IS worse in several areas, but I don't think vanilla DS2 could fix my real problems with it. 

I doubt SotFS ruined the lore.

I doubt SotFS ruined the art style.

I doubt SotFS made it so that only, like, two NPCs are worth giving two shits about.

I doubt SotFS ditched the overlapping world of DS1.

I am more disappointed in the lore, atmosphere and the general design & feel of the game as opposed to the gankfests (which are still maddening of course).

[PapaRabbi]

4 minutes ago, Funyarinpa said:

SotFS probably IS worse in several areas, but I don't think vanilla DS2 could fix my real problems with it. 

I doubt SotFS ruined the lore.

I doubt SotFS ruined the art style.

I doubt SotFS made it so that only, like, two NPCs are worth giving two shits about.

I doubt SotFS ditched the overlapping world of DS1.

I am more disappointed in the lore, atmosphere and the general design & feel of the game as opposed to the gankfests (which are still maddening of course).

Fair points, all of which I agree with. Like I said, Dark Souls 2 is certainly the worst souls game, but it's still a really enjoyable game (for me at least) if you don't compare it to Dark Souls 1. It's really hard to follow something like that anyway, the only game I felt came close to being as amazing as DS1 was Bloodborne.

Dark Souls 2 definitely has its problems, but if you try to view it as its own unique title, separate from the souls series, those problems end up feeling more like quirks (again, at least for me). I guess that's less of a fix and more just ignoring the issue, but if it works it works. 

[Funyarinpa]

3 minutes ago, PapaRabbi said:

Dark Souls 2 definitely has its problems, but if you try to view it as its own unique title, separate from the souls series, those problems end up feeling more like quirks (again, at least for me). I guess that's less of a fix and more just ignoring the issue, but if it works it works. 

DSII actually has a pretty damn good story to tell about futility, which is hidden in the lore which is actually more obscure than DS1's but actually amazing when you watch someone dig up all the info. The problem is that it falls into the common trap of making you understand futility and despair by (deliberately?) lead you to not give a shit about the world and characters whatsoever

Edited December 4, 2017 by Funyarinpa

[PapaRabbi]

11 minutes ago, Funyarinpa said:

DSII actually has a pretty damn good story to tell about futility, which is hidden in the lore which is actually more obscure than DS1's but actually amazing when you watch someone dig up all the info. The problem is that it falls into the common trap of making you understand futility and despair by (deliberately?) not giving a shit about the world and characters whatsoever

Yeah, that's one of the things they managed to blow after doing it so well in DS1. The biggest issue DS2 has for me is how everyone seems out to get you, like the sole purpose of the world and everyone in it is to ruin your day. In Dark Souls 1 however, the world is completely impartial like no one cares at all, which made every interaction with an NPC or enemy more interesting to me.

Dark souls 2 was my first game in the series, so I might give it more slack than someone who started with DS1 or Demon's Souls might. Part of me believes that the biggest factor in someone's dislike of DS2 is that everyone hates it. And if everyone hates it, you should too. Buuuuut, I admit it has plenty of flaws. Majula > Firelink though _fight me

Edited December 4, 2017 by PapaRabbi

[Funyarinpa]

1 minute ago, PapaRabbi said:

Majula > Firelink though _fight me

I'll fight u.

1. Non-obvious branching paths (I didn't find New Londo and the Catacombs until I saw others go down those paths)

2. Interesting shortcuts connecting back to the shrine (especially the Parish elevator, UNF.)

3. Undead Asylum \o/

4. Frampt

[PapaRabbi]

11 minutes ago, Funyarinpa said:

I'll fight u.

1. Non-obvious branching paths (I didn't find New Londo and the Catacombs until I saw others go down those paths)

2. Interesting shortcuts connecting back to the shrine (especially the Parish elevator, UNF.)

3. Undead Asylum \o/

4. Frampt

I'll give you 1-3 (Frampt's fleshy mustache is not a plus )
 

Majula actually felt calm and safe like a hub should, Firelink Shrine was just another place. It also had everything you needed: merchants, a blacksmith, and the Herald, your only method of leveling. Firelink on the other hand didn't have that (except merchants later I guess). You could level at any bonfire, the closest blacksmith was either best girl Andre or that guy in New Londo, and you could upgrade your Estus flask at any firekeeper, not just the one in Firelink. The only reason to go to Firelink was because you needed to pass through it to get someplace else. Majula kept you coming back, which is very important for a hub.

[Funyarinpa]

Just now, PapaRabbi said:

Majula actually felt calm and safe like a hub should, Firelink Shrine was just another place. It also had everything you needed: merchants, a blacksmith, and the Herald, your only method of leveling. Firelink on the other hand didn't have that (except merchants later I guess). You could level at any bonfire, the closest blacksmith was either best girl Andre or that guy in New Londo, and you could upgrade your Estus flask at any firekeeper, not just the one in Firelink. The only reason to go to Firelink was because you needed to pass through it to get someplace else. Majula kept you coming back, which is very important for a hub.

Counterpoint: Its very desolation is the reason why Firelink is more evocative as a hub. It's empty, it's lonely, it's in literal ruins, and yet it is still the only place close to a home.

[PapaRabbi]

3 minutes ago, Funyarinpa said:

Counterpoint: Its very desolation is the reason why Firelink is more evocative as a hub. It's empty, it's lonely, it's in literal ruins, and yet it is still the only place close to a home.

Sure its atmosphere is great, but as far as gameplay and functionality goes it loses out to Majula. If we're going to discuss atmosphere, Demon's Souls beats them all.

[Funyarinpa]

Just now, PapaRabbi said:

Sure its atmosphere is great, but as far as gameplay and functionality goes it loses out to Majula. If we're going to discuss atmosphere, Demon's Souls beats them all.

No PS3 here, so I can't talk to you about the Nexus lol

[PapaRabbi]

5 minutes ago, Funyarinpa said:

No PS3 here, so I can't talk to you about the Nexus lol

I am disappoint.

Getting a ps3 just for Demon's Souls is worth

[Jun Inoue]

17 hours ago, PapaRabbi said:

Majula actually felt calm and safe like a hub should, Firelink Shrine was just another place. It also had everything you needed: merchants, a blacksmith, and the Herald, your only method of leveling. Firelink on the other hand didn't have that (except merchants later I guess). You could level at any bonfire, the closest blacksmith was either best girl Andre or that guy in New Londo, and you could upgrade your Estus flask at any firekeeper, not just the one in Firelink. The only reason to go to Firelink was because you needed to pass through it to get someplace else. Majula kept you coming back, which is very important for a hub.

That's precisely why Majula could be potentially considered worse. Taking into account the core idea/theme and ambient of the Souls games, Firelink adds more by being less of a hub. It's a "temporary camp" in a dead/dying land, where there really aren't safe places left. Majula is sort of a refugees camp, oddly calm and at peace.

[PapaRabbi]

7 hours ago, Jun Inoue said:

That's precisely why Majula could be potentially considered worse. Taking into account the core idea/theme and ambient of the Souls games, Firelink adds more by being less of a hub. It's a "temporary camp" in a dead/dying land, where there really aren't safe places left. Majula is sort of a refugees camp, oddly calm and at peace.

That's a good point, but I feel that the calmness of Majula was important. DS2 as a whole is just a bad time for the player character, with countless enemies and way too many bosses, so Majula feeling like the eye of the storm fit well within the world. Being the single safe location in the world made the rest of it seem that much more dangerous and foreboding. 

[Jun Inoue]

17 hours ago, PapaRabbi said:

That's a good point, but I feel that the calmness of Majula was important. DS2 as a whole is just a bad time for the player character, with countless enemies and way too many bosses, so Majula feeling like the eye of the storm fit well within the world. Being the single safe location in the world made the rest of it seem that much more dangerous and foreboding. 

Might be just so. I had kinda attributed it to dubious logic, mostly since the main problem I had with DS2 was that it didn't really evoke the same feelings and emotions as DS1 (some parts feel like they weren't even finished). When I found out that Miyazaki hadn't been part of the team, I guessed that explained most of it. So I had guessed the odd "safe haven" had been just another decision by the team.

Edited December 6, 2017 by Jun Inoue