Especially when you can turn around and use a melee weapon with Magic (or INT/Faith/etc) scaling and not be stuck only at range.Games Beaten 2016
Re: Games Beaten 2016
It does seem like it wasn't designed solely around melee though, since things like the red and blue dragons basically don't have melee options. I mean, the games in general (except Bloodborne) really are best approached with some type of magic or archery at least as a secondary option. Actually balancing things well seems like it has been an issue though. Especially when you can turn around and use a melee weapon with Magic (or INT/Faith/etc) scaling and not be stuck only at range.
Especially when you can turn around and use a melee weapon with Magic (or INT/Faith/etc) scaling and not be stuck only at range.
Re: Games Beaten 2016
Yeah, especially if you jump into NG+'s, some magic becomes somewhat essential... and almost game breaking. Things like Cursed Weapon, Second Chance, etc are extremely powerful. Demon's was very forgiving in your stat distribution, so it lends itself well to varied and experiment builds. Unlike Dark Souls 1 unless you really know what you're doing, a few misplaced points can really screw you over haha. So it's cool in Demon's you pretty much can do a jack of all trades.
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ElkinFencer10
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Re: Games Beaten 2016
Games Beaten in 2016 So Far - 99
January (20 Games Beaten)
February (8 Games Beaten)
March (8 Games Beaten)
April (13 Games Beaten)
May (6 Games Beaten)
June (13 Games Beaten)
July (7 Games Beaten)
August (15 Games Beaten)
September (8 Games Beaten)
October (1 Game Beaten)
99. XCOM 2 - PS4 - October 3
I have been looking forward to XCOM 2 for several years, ever since I first played Enemy Unknown back in late 2013. I held off on it when it first came out, hoping to find a good sale on it within a year, but then I read about the ports to PS4 and Xbox One. Being a hardcore collector, I naturally opted for the physical console releases. When opting for a console port of a PC game, one naturally expects diminished quality and often fewer features. What one should not expect to sacrifice is basic functionality.
Before I tear into this painfully sloppy console port, let me explain the game itself for those who may not be familiar with the series and highlight its positives that will be common across all platforms. XCOM is a long running series of turn based strategy games revolving around the idea of an alien invasion. It began with UFO: Enemy Unknown for PC (and, later, Amiga, Amiga CD32, and PlayStation) back in early 1994 and was revived with a reboot in late 2012 called XCOM: Enemy Unknown for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. While I have about half of the games in the series, I'm ashamed to say that I've only played the reboot and XCOM 2 (I'll remedy that eventually, I swear). They are, however, outstanding, and part of what makes XCOM 2 so good is that they didn't change the formula. Like, at all. It plays almost EXACTLY like XCOM: Enemy Unknown but with prettier visuals (as one would expect moving up a console generation).
One of my FAVORITE parts of the game is the options for soldier customization. I had my usual offensively named soldiers (whose names I won't mention) along with soldiers named after me, a few of my friends, my three favorite students, and - of course - some of my favorite characters in My Little Pony.
In addition to naming them, the game allows for a decent variety of props and hairstyles as well as hair and armor colors. The visual customization options aren't AMAZING, but they're definitely "good." The game is also extremely approachable in terms of difficulty. There are (IIRC) five difficulty settings ranging, making it appealing to long-time series veterans and new players alike.
Now for the less-than-glowing part of this review. I will start this part by saying that you should ABSOLUTELY buy this game. I will add that you should ABSOLUTELY NOT buy this game on PlayStation 4. I haven't played the Xbox One version, but I can't imagine that it performs much better. This game needs to be played on PC. The game looks great on PlayStation, but the performance leaves a LOT to be desired. The most immediately glaring issue is the loading time. This game has a loading screen to load the loading screen for the mission's loading screen. I'm not kidding. There's a black loading screen that will usually take about two minutes. Then you have a loading screen disguised as a "briefing" that you can't skip. That lasts for a minute or so. Then there's another black loading screen that will take you another two minutes. And after all that loading, the game still stutters when the mission first loads.
It gets worse, though. As I got farther in the game (I'd reckon past the 3/4 mark), the loading times got worse. It got to the point at the very end where it would take literally five minutes to get past a SINGLE loading screen (and remember, there are usually three in a row). I got curious and tried a little experiment. A game of NBA Jam on my Sega CD loaded faster than my mission in XCOM 2. In the time it took to load the final cutscene of the game, I loaded and finished a fight in Samurai Shodown 2 on my Neo Geo CD and got a second fight loaded and started. On a console with a 1x CD drive. It's insanity.
So it takes longer to load than it does for an old country couple to drive to town on Sunday morning. If only that's where the problems ended. As I mentioned briefly already, the cut scenes and initial parts of the mission stutter significantly (single digit FPS at times). Three or four times, I had game crash on me entirely. Sometimes the game would just give up after seven or eight minutes trying to load whatever came after a cutscene and just replay the cutscene and try again. Fortunately the gameplay itself had few performance issues (there still were some, but they were much less frequent and much less severe), but the fact that it's the non-interactive part that makes your console have a stroke is a bit absurd. I seriously question the legitimacy of 2K's quality assurance department (assuming one exists) at least insomuch as their console ports are concerned.
You definitely shouldn't forego XCOM 2, but let my mixed bag of an experience be a lesson to you all; play it on PC. If you want it on your shelf like me, wait for it go on sale or something because it's just not worth playing on PlayStation. Like I said, I haven't played it on Xbox One, so I can't say whether or not the performance issues are similar, better, or worse on that platform, but I would be surprised to learn that Xbox avoided the PlayStation host of issues.
January (20 Games Beaten)
February (8 Games Beaten)
March (8 Games Beaten)
April (13 Games Beaten)
May (6 Games Beaten)
June (13 Games Beaten)
July (7 Games Beaten)
August (15 Games Beaten)
September (8 Games Beaten)
October (1 Game Beaten)
99. XCOM 2 - PS4 - October 3
I have been looking forward to XCOM 2 for several years, ever since I first played Enemy Unknown back in late 2013. I held off on it when it first came out, hoping to find a good sale on it within a year, but then I read about the ports to PS4 and Xbox One. Being a hardcore collector, I naturally opted for the physical console releases. When opting for a console port of a PC game, one naturally expects diminished quality and often fewer features. What one should not expect to sacrifice is basic functionality.
Before I tear into this painfully sloppy console port, let me explain the game itself for those who may not be familiar with the series and highlight its positives that will be common across all platforms. XCOM is a long running series of turn based strategy games revolving around the idea of an alien invasion. It began with UFO: Enemy Unknown for PC (and, later, Amiga, Amiga CD32, and PlayStation) back in early 1994 and was revived with a reboot in late 2012 called XCOM: Enemy Unknown for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. While I have about half of the games in the series, I'm ashamed to say that I've only played the reboot and XCOM 2 (I'll remedy that eventually, I swear). They are, however, outstanding, and part of what makes XCOM 2 so good is that they didn't change the formula. Like, at all. It plays almost EXACTLY like XCOM: Enemy Unknown but with prettier visuals (as one would expect moving up a console generation).
One of my FAVORITE parts of the game is the options for soldier customization. I had my usual offensively named soldiers (whose names I won't mention) along with soldiers named after me, a few of my friends, my three favorite students, and - of course - some of my favorite characters in My Little Pony.
In addition to naming them, the game allows for a decent variety of props and hairstyles as well as hair and armor colors. The visual customization options aren't AMAZING, but they're definitely "good." The game is also extremely approachable in terms of difficulty. There are (IIRC) five difficulty settings ranging, making it appealing to long-time series veterans and new players alike.Now for the less-than-glowing part of this review. I will start this part by saying that you should ABSOLUTELY buy this game. I will add that you should ABSOLUTELY NOT buy this game on PlayStation 4. I haven't played the Xbox One version, but I can't imagine that it performs much better. This game needs to be played on PC. The game looks great on PlayStation, but the performance leaves a LOT to be desired. The most immediately glaring issue is the loading time. This game has a loading screen to load the loading screen for the mission's loading screen. I'm not kidding. There's a black loading screen that will usually take about two minutes. Then you have a loading screen disguised as a "briefing" that you can't skip. That lasts for a minute or so. Then there's another black loading screen that will take you another two minutes. And after all that loading, the game still stutters when the mission first loads.
It gets worse, though. As I got farther in the game (I'd reckon past the 3/4 mark), the loading times got worse. It got to the point at the very end where it would take literally five minutes to get past a SINGLE loading screen (and remember, there are usually three in a row). I got curious and tried a little experiment. A game of NBA Jam on my Sega CD loaded faster than my mission in XCOM 2. In the time it took to load the final cutscene of the game, I loaded and finished a fight in Samurai Shodown 2 on my Neo Geo CD and got a second fight loaded and started. On a console with a 1x CD drive. It's insanity.
So it takes longer to load than it does for an old country couple to drive to town on Sunday morning. If only that's where the problems ended. As I mentioned briefly already, the cut scenes and initial parts of the mission stutter significantly (single digit FPS at times). Three or four times, I had game crash on me entirely. Sometimes the game would just give up after seven or eight minutes trying to load whatever came after a cutscene and just replay the cutscene and try again. Fortunately the gameplay itself had few performance issues (there still were some, but they were much less frequent and much less severe), but the fact that it's the non-interactive part that makes your console have a stroke is a bit absurd. I seriously question the legitimacy of 2K's quality assurance department (assuming one exists) at least insomuch as their console ports are concerned.
You definitely shouldn't forego XCOM 2, but let my mixed bag of an experience be a lesson to you all; play it on PC. If you want it on your shelf like me, wait for it go on sale or something because it's just not worth playing on PlayStation. Like I said, I haven't played it on Xbox One, so I can't say whether or not the performance issues are similar, better, or worse on that platform, but I would be surprised to learn that Xbox avoided the PlayStation host of issues.
Exhuminator wrote:Ecchi lords must unite for great justice.
Re: Games Beaten 2016
If those screenshots are yours, then that Psi Ops better have decided to try and MC the Gatekeeper.
Blizzard Entertainment Software Developer - All comments and views are my own and not representative of the company.
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ElkinFencer10
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Re: Games Beaten 2016
MrPopo wrote:If those screenshots are yours, then that Psi Ops better have decided to try and MC the Gatekeeper.
No, I forgot to take screenshots.... >_< I built the Psi Ops facility, but I never actually used it.
Exhuminator wrote:Ecchi lords must unite for great justice.
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noiseredux
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Re: Games Beaten 2016
it sucks that the console port was so hurtin'. I'm also glad that you're not letting that sour you on the game itself. XCOM 2 is probably still my front runner for GOTY 2016. You can read my fuller thoughts - should you care to - here: http://noisereduxinstalled.weebly.com/xcom-2.html
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ElkinFencer10
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Re: Games Beaten 2016
The game itself is brilliant. The only problems were functionality, and those are clearly just issues with optimization for the platform rather than issues with the game itself.
Exhuminator wrote:Ecchi lords must unite for great justice.
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prfsnl_gmr
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- Posts: 12198
- Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2009 10:26 pm
- Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Re: Games Beaten 2016
First 50
51. Armillo (WII U)
52. Human Resource Machine (iOS)
Human Resource Machine is a wonderful puzzle game by Tomorrow Corporation (a/k/a the creators of the similarly brilliant Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure, Little Inferno, and World of Goo). In it, you "program" an office worker to deliver parcels to an outbox using a set of pre-determined commands. The puzzles start out relatively simple and introduce you to some basic programming concepts, but puzzles later in the game - like creating a short Fibonacci sequence or sorting a zero-terminated string - are very challenging, requiring both dozens of commands and hundreds of steps. Moreover, once you complete a puzzle, you can revisit it to complete "optimization" challenges, which require you to modify your code so that it employs fewer commands or fewer steps.
I found the game incredibly addictive, and I love how it breaks from puzzle game conventions to provide a unique challenge. While it is by no means the hardest game of all time, it certainly is not for everyone, and people without some basic programming knowledge may find it frustrating. If you are seeking a challenge, however, I cannot recommend it highly enough.
.....
I am almost 18 hours into DQVII right now, and I am just wrapping up another one of the games "mini-RPG" segments. (I defeated the automaton army, and saved Faraday Castle.) I am going to take a short break to play some more "seasonal" games, such as Alone in the Dark (iOS), Hysteria Project (PS3), Hysteria Project 2 (PS3), and Costume Quest 2 (PS3). Should be fun!
51. Armillo (WII U)
52. Human Resource Machine (iOS)
Human Resource Machine is a wonderful puzzle game by Tomorrow Corporation (a/k/a the creators of the similarly brilliant Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure, Little Inferno, and World of Goo). In it, you "program" an office worker to deliver parcels to an outbox using a set of pre-determined commands. The puzzles start out relatively simple and introduce you to some basic programming concepts, but puzzles later in the game - like creating a short Fibonacci sequence or sorting a zero-terminated string - are very challenging, requiring both dozens of commands and hundreds of steps. Moreover, once you complete a puzzle, you can revisit it to complete "optimization" challenges, which require you to modify your code so that it employs fewer commands or fewer steps.
I found the game incredibly addictive, and I love how it breaks from puzzle game conventions to provide a unique challenge. While it is by no means the hardest game of all time, it certainly is not for everyone, and people without some basic programming knowledge may find it frustrating. If you are seeking a challenge, however, I cannot recommend it highly enough.
.....
I am almost 18 hours into DQVII right now, and I am just wrapping up another one of the games "mini-RPG" segments. (I defeated the automaton army, and saved Faraday Castle.) I am going to take a short break to play some more "seasonal" games, such as Alone in the Dark (iOS), Hysteria Project (PS3), Hysteria Project 2 (PS3), and Costume Quest 2 (PS3). Should be fun!
Re: Games Beaten 2016
January:
February:
March:
April:
May:
June:
July:
August:
September:
October:
134) JAWS (NES)
135) Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus
Finally got this one done. This was originally known as Finding Teddy II, and got renamed when Aksys picked up publishing rights. Some might call it a Metroidvania, but it's actually more akin to Zelda II. In fact, the girl has a poster of Zelda II in her room.
So, the good: The game is very pretty. Very pixellated, but excellent use of colors, some of which are super-saturated to good effect. It's a bit trippy at times, to be honest. It also mostly plays well. There are some quirks, which will come later.
The game is broken up into segments. You've got your hub, which is a library, which you will explore to find books that unlock the next major area. These themselves contain a palace, much like Zelda II. You'll work your way through these, solving various puzzles, almost all of which revolve around the "Musicom". Think a more complicated Ocarina, and you've got it.
You fill out the vocabulary in your lexicom, and play the musical notes to achieve certain goals. This might be telling a door to open, or communicating with a guardian, or removing protection from a boss. And it's an interesting thought, especially given how cryptic most of the game is (seriously, it pretty much doesn't tell you anything), but I kinda wish they'd done more with it.
Combat is solid enough, with the Zelda II complement of short stabs, downward/upward variants, and the addition of being able to run and slash. It feels alright, but the attack range is even shorter than Zelda II, it seems! It's never a deal-breaker, but I really wish that devs would learn not to shorten weapon lengths so much. If you're not Ys, you need range.
As mentioned, the game explains very little. The map system is also quite confusing, reminding me a bit of Fez, although simpler. It's not horrible, it's just less than optimal. My understanding is that the original PC release didn't even have a map, so yay? Also, when I saved after the last boss, it cleared my map. Not cool, guys, not cool.
Overall, though, it's a fun game, although I'd recommend the Zelda II-inspired Elliot Quest before this one. I'll give it... 7.5/10.
February:
March:
April:
May:
June:
July:
August:
September:
October:
134) JAWS (NES)
135) Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus
Finally got this one done. This was originally known as Finding Teddy II, and got renamed when Aksys picked up publishing rights. Some might call it a Metroidvania, but it's actually more akin to Zelda II. In fact, the girl has a poster of Zelda II in her room.
So, the good: The game is very pretty. Very pixellated, but excellent use of colors, some of which are super-saturated to good effect. It's a bit trippy at times, to be honest. It also mostly plays well. There are some quirks, which will come later.
The game is broken up into segments. You've got your hub, which is a library, which you will explore to find books that unlock the next major area. These themselves contain a palace, much like Zelda II. You'll work your way through these, solving various puzzles, almost all of which revolve around the "Musicom". Think a more complicated Ocarina, and you've got it.
You fill out the vocabulary in your lexicom, and play the musical notes to achieve certain goals. This might be telling a door to open, or communicating with a guardian, or removing protection from a boss. And it's an interesting thought, especially given how cryptic most of the game is (seriously, it pretty much doesn't tell you anything), but I kinda wish they'd done more with it.
Combat is solid enough, with the Zelda II complement of short stabs, downward/upward variants, and the addition of being able to run and slash. It feels alright, but the attack range is even shorter than Zelda II, it seems! It's never a deal-breaker, but I really wish that devs would learn not to shorten weapon lengths so much. If you're not Ys, you need range.
As mentioned, the game explains very little. The map system is also quite confusing, reminding me a bit of Fez, although simpler. It's not horrible, it's just less than optimal. My understanding is that the original PC release didn't even have a map, so yay? Also, when I saved after the last boss, it cleared my map. Not cool, guys, not cool.
Overall, though, it's a fun game, although I'd recommend the Zelda II-inspired Elliot Quest before this one. I'll give it... 7.5/10.
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prfsnl_gmr
- Next-Gen
- Posts: 12198
- Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2009 10:26 pm
- Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Re: Games Beaten 2016
Sarge wrote:January:
February:
March:
April:
May:
June:
July:
August:
September:
October:
134) JAWS (NES)
135) Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus
Finally got this one done. This was originally known as Finding Teddy II, and got renamed when Aksys picked up publishing rights. Some might call it a Metroidvania, but it's actually more akin to Zelda II. In fact, the girl has a poster of Zelda II in her room.
So, the good: The game is very pretty. Very pixellated, but excellent use of colors, some of which are super-saturated to good effect. It's a bit trippy at times, to be honest. It also mostly plays well. There are some quirks, which will come later.
The game is broken up into segments. You've got your hub, which is a library, which you will explore to find books that unlock the next major area. These themselves contain a palace, much like Zelda II. You'll work your way through these, solving various puzzles, almost all of which revolve around the "Musicom". Think a more complicated Ocarina, and you've got it.
You fill out the vocabulary in your lexicom, and play the musical notes to achieve certain goals. This might be telling a door to open, or communicating with a guardian, or removing protection from a boss. And it's an interesting thought, especially given how cryptic most of the game is (seriously, it pretty much doesn't tell you anything), but I kinda wish they'd done more with it.
Combat is solid enough, with the Zelda II complement of short stabs, downward/upward variants, and the addition of being able to run and slash. It feels alright, but the attack range is even shorter than Zelda II, it seems! It's never a deal-breaker, but I really wish that devs would learn not to shorten weapon lengths so much. If you're not Ys, you need range.
As mentioned, the game explains very little. The map system is also quite confusing, reminding me a bit of Fez, although simpler. It's not horrible, it's just less than optimal. My understanding is that the original PC release didn't even have a map, so yay? Also, when I saved after the last boss, it cleared my map. Not cool, guys, not cool.
Overall, though, it's a fun game, although I'd recommend the Zelda II-inspired Elliot Quest before this one. I'll give it... 7.5/10.
Very good review, Sarge. I generally enjoy that genre, and having beaten Finding Teddy earlier this year, I am itching to play it.
Finding Teddy is a pretty spectacular point-and-click adventure game, BTW. I liked it much, much more that Broken Sword, and it compares favorably to Loom. If you have not done so already, you should give it a shot. (It is only $0.99 in the App Store.)