What game are you playing?

[Oyster Sauce]

Nothing.

Keeping your schedule open for Two Worlds, I get it

[gerey]

Just finished My Friendly Neighborhood.

For those unaware, it's a survival "horror" game made by David Szymanski's (DUSK developer) brother, where you fight muppetesque puppets gone insane. I say "horror" because the game isn't particularly scary, not does it try to be - there is no gore to speak off, jumpscares are few and far between, and while the ravings of the puppets can be unsettling, it's all mostly played for laughs. I didn't much mind since I play survival horror games less for the spooky stuff, and more for the gameplay loop of exploration, unlocking the map, gathering resources and solving puzzles.

In a way, it's very similar to Nightmare of Decay (go play it, it's good) - survival horror game in first person borrowing heavily from Resident Evil. Nightmare of Decay is not ashamed of letting you know it's directly inspired by RE1, since it takes place in a dilapidated mansion full of zombies, while MFN takes place in an abandoned TV studio, where each of the various buildings are their own mansion.

Presentation is nothing to write home about. All the locales look okay, the art direction is purposely stylized, the voice acting is actually quite decent (the puppets talk exactly like how you'd expect them to) and the writing is competent, albeit it's not something that can solely motivate you to complete the game.

Combat isn't a particularly complicated affair - you just shoot at enemy until they die. You can't jump or vault, so mobility is fairly limited. Enemy variety is also very limited. There's various kinds of puppets, but I was unable to determine if there are any actual differences in their stats, since taking the same type of puppet can take anywhere between 2 to 10 bullets (they all go reliably down with one shotgun blast however). There were dog enemies later on, which were much easier to put down, but unlike the humanoid puppets they would revive while you were still in the room (there was a way to permanently get rid of them however). There were also two bosses, and in one building, a "chaser" enemy of sorts.

As usual when I play survival horror games, I ended up with far more resources than I knew what to do with. Ammo isn't the real bottleneck here, duct tapes is, since every time you exit a room the puppets will reset, so you have to use your limited supply of duct tape to disable those found in locations you are most likely to traverse often (similar mechanic to fire in RE1R, the swords in Silent Hill 4, or most of all, the use of thermite in Signalis).

To my eternal delight, this is another game that uses one of my favorite mechanics, the attaché case, but unlike more recent RE games (Village chief among them), inventory space is a constraint, there are no ways to increase inventory size (nor any other upgrade to speak of), so you will sometimes be faced with difficult decisions, or have to get creative with your inventory managment.

The weapon selection is fairly limited - you have your usual melee weapon (a wrench), followed by pistol and shotgun stand-ins (that fire letters at the enemy), and concluding with a minigun, which is locked behind a somewhat involved puzzle.

On the topic of puzzles, there's a nice variety. There's the usual keyhunts and passwords, but the game sometimes likes to mix it up (at one point you play a board game to get the key). There's also a lot of secrets. I was fairly thorough in my exploration, and still missed a bunch of cheat unlocks, and for the life of me couldn't figure out an optional puzzle. That said, the solutions to all of them are not nearly as cryptic as in some other survival horror games, they are all very logical, and you are given plenty of clues on how to work them out.

All in all, this is a solid survival horror title that does a good job of emulating the gameplay loop of classical Resident Evil games, though in a way the title has far more in common with the likes of Resident Evil Village (open "world" that you can explore, made up of multiple "mansions).

tl;dr a solid 7/10, I had fun playing game, and if you're a fan of the RE formula and have no other game to scratch that particular itch, I think you will like the game too. However, if the cartoony graphics and premise put you off, then it's likely going to be a 6/10.

[Vergil]

Two Worlds is so charming. I spent so much time playing the demo as a kid. I remember when I finally got the full game just how truly lost in it I could get. It was so janky and obtuse but had so many neat little things you would end up accidentally discovering.

I played alpha protocol.

[rockheart13]

7 Days To Die. One of my favorite genres, survival, to play with my friends.

[Nooneatall]

Life is strange
Forspoken

► Show Spoiler

April Fools

[maidenhaver]

Switching between Thief fms and Horn of the Abyss.

[Capybara]

Going through the entire Top JRPG list that Gastrick did, from bottom to top.

► Show Spoiler

First game is Valkyria Chronicles, which I've finishd before but I still want to go through every single game on the list, even if it means replaying games.

[Nammu Archag]

Going through the entire Top JRPG list that Gastrick did, from bottom to top.

► Show Spoiler

First game is Valkyria Chronicles, which I've finishd before but I still want to go through every single game on the list, even if it means replaying games.

Why is Rance #1

[rusty_shackleford]

Going through the entire Top JRPG list that Gastrick did, from bottom to top.

fake list, @Gastrick refused to put ANACHRONOX on it

[Envergence]

No Dark Cloud 2? No original .Hack series? Only Xenosaga III?

Bad list.

[aweigh]

i'm waiting until Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes releases in a few weeks so until then i'm just killing time playing slop. Current slop is High On Life.

also sort-of-kind-of doing a 2nd playthrough of KOTOR 2, but it's been a struggle getting through it. it is a really boring game to be perfectly honest. Thinking of dropping it and instead doing a replay of NWN 2 (that both are Obsidian is just a coincidence, originally wanted to replay KOTOR 1).

[Capybara]

Going through the entire Top JRPG list that Gastrick did, from bottom to top.

► Show Spoiler

First game is Valkyria Chronicles, which I've finishd before but I still want to go through every single game on the list, even if it means replaying games.

Why is Rance #1

Because it deserves it.

[rusty_shackleford]

i'm waiting until Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes releases in a few weeks so until then i'm just killing time playing slop. Current slop is High On Life.

also sort-of-kind-of doing a 2nd playthrough of KOTOR 2, but it's been a struggle getting through it. it is a really boring game to be perfectly honest. Thinking of dropping it and instead doing a replay of NWN 2 (that both are Obsidian is just a coincidence, originally wanted to replay KOTOR 1).

I like kotor 1 more than 2

[Xenich]

Toying with RE2 Remake First Person Mod.

Kind of cool actually, the first person perspective really pulls you into the game.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Going through the entire Top JRPG list that Gastrick did, from bottom to top.

► Show Spoiler

First game is Valkyria Chronicles, which I've finishd before but I still want to go through every single game on the list, even if it means replaying games.

VC4 is also great. The first few hours are rough story wise with a lot of juvenile antics but then once it begins snowing I got very invested. Also, the mission design improved from VC1. There are more places you have to defend, and enemy camps are more often defended by heavy troopers, so you can't just scout rush enemy bases to win most of the missions.

[Nammu Archag]

Going through the entire Top JRPG list that Gastrick did, from bottom to top.

► Show Spoiler

First game is Valkyria Chronicles, which I've finishd before but I still want to go through every single game on the list, even if it means replaying games.

Do you have to play a female in these games

[Capybara]

Going through the entire Top JRPG list that Gastrick did, from bottom to top.

► Show Spoiler

First game is Valkyria Chronicles, which I've finishd before but I still want to go through every single game on the list, even if it means replaying games.

VC4 is also great. The first few hours are rough story wise with a lot of juvenile antics but then once it begins snowing I got very invested. Also, the mission design improved from VC1. There are more places you have to defend, and enemy camps are more often defended by heavy troopers, so you can't just scout rush enemy bases to win most of the missions.

I know, I played all the games in the series, including 2 and 3.

Going through the entire Top JRPG list that Gastrick did, from bottom to top.

► Show Spoiler

First game is Valkyria Chronicles, which I've finishd before but I still want to go through every single game on the list, even if it means replaying games.

Do you have to play a female in these games

You play as the commander but he's kinda faggy.

[BobT]

Going through the entire Top JRPG list that Gastrick did, from bottom to top.

► Show Spoiler

First game is Valkyria Chronicles, which I've finishd before but I still want to go through every single game on the list, even if it means replaying games.

Nice to see Shining Force 3 so high.

[Gastrick]

First game is Valkyria Chronicles, which I've finishd before but I still want to go through every single game on the list, even if it means replaying games.

That clarifies what you meant by the codex post, which order and whether you'd replay them. I'm playing through Parasite Eve again now, which should connect with your playlist after a couple games, since it's 53rd. First playthrough was cut off after disc 1 after the PS1 emulator on PS3 wouldn't swap discs; and Parasite Eve is one of those where you can't load the second disc off of a save file.

Got a high-quality DAC recently, and the soundtrack for the game sounds even better through it.

[Breathe]

Anyone know a good place to pirate Guild Wars 1? Looked around but no luck so far. I'd pay for the complete edition but not paying $30-40.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Anyone know a good place to pirate Guild Wars 1

You can't. It has to connect to the internet because you have to login at the title screen, and the town hubs are online and that's where you meet people or recruit NPCs to form parties before going out into instanced zones. There is a GW1 sale about once every year.

You might be able to buy a cheaper key from a site like G2A.

[rusty_shackleford]

you can buy the complete edition of gw1 for like a couple dollars on key sites last I checked

[Breathe]

Anyone know a good place to pirate Guild Wars 1

You can't. It has to connect to the internet because you have to login at the title screen, and the town hubs are online and that's where you meet people or recruit NPCs to form parties before going out into instanced zones. There is a GW1 sale about once every year.

You might be able to buy a cheaper key from a site like G2A.

Ah okay I thought that may be the case. Thanks for the info.

[Kowe]

Oh shit, I have 38 of the 55 games listed by Gastrick. Have to find time at some point to complete more of them.

Anyway, played a bit of this game in the last days:



Throwback to Warcraft 3, and what some reviewers wrote, also Age of Mythology. Made by a developer team of two guys from the Baltics. Latvia or Lithuania.
In the very short play-time, it didn't seem pozzed. It is Pagans vs Christians, however. Currently 4 Factions in the game, under gods/angels. One can play Archangel Michael.

[gastovski]

im doing a good guy gale playthrough as magus maybe i will go back to wotr then play as aeon magus later because i love that class

[boot]

Playing Warband and NWN2 atm. Warband mod is 1257 AD as Prince of Navarre!

[maidenhaver]

Oh shit It is Pagans vs Christians, however.

Do christians and pagans play differently?

[Vergil]

Oh shit, I have 38 of the 55 games listed by Gastrick. Have to find time at some point to complete more of them.

Anyway, played a bit of this game in the last days:



Throwback to Warcraft 3, and what some reviewers wrote, also Age of Mythology. Made by a developer team of two guys from the Baltics. Latvia or Lithuania.
In the very short play-time, it didn't seem pozzed. It is Pagans vs Christians, however. Currently 4 Factions in the game, under gods/angels. One can play Archangel Michael.

How are the Christians and angels portrayed?

[Kowe]

Oh shit It is Pagans vs Christians, however.

Do christians and pagans play differently?

Gonna extend a bit on the question with my answer.
Haven't come around to playing Michael yet. Mind you, it is Early Access so the game-play is a bit barren, but actually in a good playable state. Currently on the 4th of 5 campaign missions and have only spent a minute in a custom game skirmish. Which are like the usual matches in WC3. Haven't tried the two Challenges either, they may be more akin to something like Tower Defense and all these other
Having stumbled upon a response by the Dev on a Community Hub question, they plan to have 8 heroes by their full release, which will be 1.0.
From the limited playtime, all heroes play differently, but it differs from WC3 in that they have two different ability for each tier. So you can choose one of the two abilities at level 1, 3, 5, 7, 9. In the end, you pick them all, with how they have designed it. So it is just the order which differs.
So far there are 3 Pagan (Meness, Saule and Ausrine) and 1 Christian (Michael) heroes. One more of each group should be added in June or July.
The game is also more methodical and rushing is rather disincentivized. AI is also kind of over-tuned as the time of this writing.

Oh shit, I have 38 of the 55 games listed by Gastrick. Have to find time at some point to complete more of them.

Anyway, played a bit of this game in the last days:



Throwback to Warcraft 3, and what some reviewers wrote, also Age of Mythology. Made by a developer team of two guys from the Baltics. Latvia or Lithuania.
In the very short play-time, it didn't seem pozzed. It is Pagans vs Christians, however. Currently 4 Factions in the game, under gods/angels. One can play Archangel Michael.

How are the Christians and angels portrayed?

Not as bad as it seems, to be frank. It takes place during the Northern Crusades in the Baltic region. The campaign story so far goes like this. Christians move to the Baltic region, Pagan worshipers summon their gods, Meness and Ausrine, with an animal sacrifice. The two then kill a Bishop called Meinhard who wants to bring the people on the righteous path and has converted some already. Saule, a sun goddess and Ausrine's superior, tries to make peace with Meinhard some time after, but is faced with battles with Christian forces as consequence of the murder of the Bishop and the destruction of their settlements. It devolves in a war. So, honestly, it is more grey or nuanced. As I stated above, haven't played Michael yet so cannot comment on it. Also recommend watching the campaign on YT for a clearer picture on the story and setting.

[Roguey]

Finished Paper Mario. Unlike Mario RPG for the SNES I didn't like the timed actions here because they put too much unnecessary wear on the gamepad. Otherwise it's pretty okay. I did like the Search Action elements with new companions allowing you to explore new areas. A couple of the bosses near the end were too difficult for my preferences, but the last boss itself wasn't hard, just a really long endurance test. Interesting choice to use small damage/hp numbers in a role-playing game. Tim Cain was right, it doesn't feel as good as double-and-beyond digit numbers.