What Are You Playing?

[Epic Springs]

How similar is it to the original? Is it basically the same game with the same designs just with better graphics and voice acting?

 

[vivisectvi]

It's completely redone. The story is the same (with some needed tweaks) but otherwise it's a whole new engine/gameplay experience.

 

[Valeyard]

If I said it already, my apologies, but Spelunky is bullshit.

 

[KingPK]

I put 50 hours into AC: Odyssey and I couldn't tell you half of what the main story was. The map is massive and, like Origins, it's fun to just explore so I kinda just listened to podcasts while playing it.

 

[Kageho]

I'm so paying for this right now, but dammit, I wanted to play something.

So! I decided to play NBA2k19 and started up a brand new franchise in GM Mode. Picked Montreal Frosty Owls, the other expansion is Vancouver Ravens, for a Canadian invasion! Ahem, anyways. So started in the off-season and during the drafting phase, I managed to trade for Doncic which was awesome. Along the way I scored John Collins and so I had Doncic at SG and Collins at Center. Managed to make it to the best in the east, but sadly my playoff depth was lacking and I got knocked out of the playoffs easily.

Off-season came and so I was screaming for joy when the Ravens had a top 3 pick. I must've picked that up from somewhere. So I could have Doncic, Collins and Zion Williamson on the same team! That would be such a coup! Oh the gloriousiness of it and then I could add my created character, Deion Edwards (PF), the following year (I was simming the first two seasons of existance) that it would be great. Stocked up a bunch of firsts, so it was going to happen.

...as you can guess, I suddenly realized that my team is the Frosty Owls and got all sad. When I finally got my pick, I looked at who was available and thought "well, since Doncic is so great, how about I pick up this Luka Samanic guy". So I drafted him and had to wait for him to be on the team next season.

So free agency comes around and I'm looking through it thinking "man, I want a super great player". I had no idea who I would grab. I just wanted to be able to have a super great player join my team for bragging rights. Then I saw a thing that I shouldn't've seen. Like how could this possible be or at least I didn't think what would happen, happened.

Nikola Jokic was a UFA. SAY WHAT?! Well, if he was available, I had to go after him. Gave him a straight up 4 year contract, and I had the advantage for some reason, even though he's listed as a C, and I was worried that Collins might go "what the hell are you doing hiring a guy at my position". Especially since everyone and their mother tried trading me Cs last season. Finally, after the 3 days passed before the FA was really free, I landed Jokic!

So I had Doncic (SG), Jokic (PF) and Collins (C) for year 2. And it was amazing. Had an even better showing and top of the east, but sadly in the semi-finals all 3 guys got injured and I lost out. Though I simmed, I was crushed that we still lost out of a championship, but I was confident that after I traded up and nabbed Deion it would be gravy.

Unfortunately to draft Deion, I had to give up my starting point guard (Quinn), my starting small forward (Herzonja), and 3 of my first rounders (I had 4, but I managed to keep one). With power forward handed by Jokic, I slid the 6'10, 230-240 lbs speedy power forward (Deion Edwards) into SF and prayed that I could get away with whatever at point guard. Maybe just run the offense through Doncic and it could work.

Just started my 3rd season and actually playing games, I've managed to win 3 so far. The first two games were against the Magic who I beat 177-71 and then trashed the Suns 150-87. The third game looked more in line with normal with it being 110-101 against I wanna say Wolves? Let's just say them for now. Doncic, Deion, Jokic and Collins are averaging like 20 points a game, so add in a solid bench and 10 point scoring point guard and that would be why the first two went so lopsided.

The amazing thing is that I've got this guy at point guard, I wanna say Glenn Wake (I'm sure Wake is his last name), and he's been just tossing the ball around like a damn magician. He just hits all the targets with his swift passing that it is insane. Even better the guy is like 79 overall, meaning he could get even scarier once he starts putting up more than 10 points.

Forgot how fun sports games can be when everything goes your way in the them. Now back to abdominal pains.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

Started the Deadpool game on PC that i bought ages ago and I've only played the first level or chapter whatever you'd call it but it's fun so far.

 

[KingPK]

I only paid like $4 for it so I can't be that mad, but Shadow of War feels like such a massive downgrade from Shadow of Mordor in the 5 or so hours I've played. Having other captains and a whole shitload of orcs suddenly appear out of nowhere while you're trying to do something is more annoying than anything and I kinda hate that the game stops dead so they can spout their one-liners. It just feels like they just took what worked with the first game and thought just dumping a whole bunch more of it in the sequel was the way to go, but it really isn't.

Oh, and making draining orcs the only way to regain health and letting that animation be interrupted? Fuck off.

 

[Laz]

Started the Deadpool game on PC that i bought ages ago and I've only played the first level or chapter whatever you'd call it but it's fun so far.

If it's the hack n' slash that came out a few years back, you're going to have a lot of fun with it. It's not a great game, per se, but it's one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had in the last decade for the humor alone.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

Yeah it was that game and I loved it. They got the DP sense of humor perfectly down and had a ton of great easter eggs in there for hardcore fans of the comics. Not a great game as a pure game but it was a great way to spend a day or two.

 

[Youth N Asia]

Playing God of War. Not loving it as much as I think I’m supposed to. Enjoying it. But compared to RDR2 I don’t see how it passes it in game of the year polls.

 

[Master Thrasher]

The Target near my house has a selection of games that aren't behind a glass display. These are usually games on sale. I saw Super Smash Bros for the 3DS and thought it was in the wrong place. I scanned it and it rang up $20.

Nintendo did a good job of making a handheld version of the game. I love unlocking trophies.

 

[KingPK]

I've been playing The Surge, which is a PS+ freebie this month. It's a pretty neat little Dark Souls ripoff but with robots instead of monsters. It's a lot better than other Souls ripoffs like Lords of the Fallen, at least.

I've also gotten sucked back into Cities Skylines which is my "Holy shit how have I been playing for four hours?" game right now.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

Got AC Origins because all the versions were 70% and I've only played around with it a little but it seems like the best game they've done in ages. Syndicate was a decent game but I just couldn't really get that into it. I missed the older settings so this is something I really love.

 

[BruiserBrody]

I collect old NFL preview mags and love reading books on the NFL past. As such, I spend hours and hours recreating old rosters for each team from whatever era I choose, then watch the "good" games play out on CPU vs CPU on.... Madden 10 for the PS3.... This is my background action for when I am writing and editing stuff for CXF.

If the team did not exist in the era, I plug them full of old guys and watch things implode as the lousy draft feature doesn't let too much new talent into the NFL each year.

 

[KingPK]

Got AC Origins because all the versions were 70% and I've only played around with it a little but it seems like the best game they've done in ages. Syndicate was a decent game but I just couldn't really get that into it. I missed the older settings so this is something I really love.

Coincidentally I went back to wrap up AC: Odyssey. The story isn't much, but it and Origins just have great worlds to explore. It's a perfect podcast game for me.

 

[Master Thrasher]

I'm playing Final Fantasy VII on the PC. I've beaten it in the past except for beating the Ruby and Diamond Weapons. In this playthrough I'm not buying any weapons or armor. Anything I equip is from stuff I found or stole.

I tried to fight the Midgar Zolom but didn't have enough HP to defeat him. I made a run for it across the swamp without a Chocobo and it worked! First time that's ever happened.

 

[KingPK]

Since it was PS+ I played through Borderlands 2 again this month, including the free DLC that connects it to 3. The gameplay is still fun, but man does the tone and humor not age all that well. Also, since there's no enemy scaling, I'm now over leveled for at least two of the other DLC packs and there's no point in playing them because the loot won't be any good.

 

[Master Thrasher]

I'm playing Fallout New Vegas as The Joker but I keep screwing up and I have too much good karma. I think because I wiped out Caesar's camp, it put him on the good side.

 

[KingPK]

I finished Detroit: Become Human. It's probably the best David Cage game I've played, though that is a low bar since I can barely get through a few hours of any of them due to the storytelling and/or horrible acting (I still can't believe how much Indigo Prophecy shits itself stupid halfway through and I spent the back half incredulous at what I was playing). This one actually has some decent actors and there must have been another writer or editor to reign Cage's ass in a bit because they actually develop some decent characters and I actually do want to go back to see how different decisions effect what happens. There's still plenty of Cage tropes like beating the premise over your head, plot holes everywhere and only able to create conflict through characters whose one dimension is "raging asshole". I'm perfectly happy at this being a PS+ freebie.

 

[Sabre]

I finished Detroit: Become Human. It's probably the best David Cage game I've played, though that is a low bar since I can barely get through a few hours of any of them due to the storytelling and/or horrible acting (I still can't believe how much Indigo Prophecy shits itself stupid halfway through and I spent the back half incredulous at what I was playing). This one actually has some decent actors and there must have been another writer or editor to reign Cage's ass in a bit because they actually develop some decent characters and I actually do want to go back to see how different decisions effect what happens. There's still plenty of Cage tropes like beating the premise over your head, plot holes everywhere and only able to create conflict through characters whose one dimension is "raging asshole". I'm perfectly happy at this being a PS+ freebie.

I loved it as well tho I purposely didn’t pick it up originally till a price drop. Sod’s law is that I picked it up a month before it became a freebie. I wasn’t amused.

 

[Valeyard]

So Steam had that big sale and I loaded down on various stuff. Got recommended Dark Souls, but the first one cost as much as 2 and 3 together. Figured what the hell. Started playing 2 a few days ago.

I think I have seen three screens and died seven times, at least, on each one. I have never been so angry at a game but can't stop playing it because I want revenge on it. I have yet to rage quit as much as I have just had to step away for a while because of how mentally exhausting it is. I don't care about the story or anything at this point, I just want to kill everything for my own personal satisfaction because it wronged me. Game's awesome.

 

[909]

At the start, when learning how to play, you will die. Mad times. The best advice I can give is to learn when to block and roll. Make your shots count.

I tried to play with my keyboard but I think you also need a controller.

 

[Valeyard]

I need to use a controller for most things. My brain has trouble with using a keyboard and frankly it's easier to just chill with a controller.

I haven't been this fucking mad at a game before. The problem with the controller more than anything is you literally have to use every button because every button does something (none of them fucking pause though), and stopping to assign something makes you vulnerable to everything. Right now I'm just at the very beginning, taking out gangs of guys who keep respawning. I guess the shorthand version is I need to stop having Skyrim brain.

 

[Laz]

I can't wait for the Hawken relaunch/reboot/sequel later this year. Still the most immensely fun mech combat I've ever had.

 

[KingPK]

It took a little bit to click, but I'm really into Dead Cells right now. Once you find a good build and get a few upgrades exploring and hacking shit to bits (or using Force lightning like the Emperor like I've been doing lately) is great fun.

 

[Kageho]

I bought the newest Madden. Swore off it many years ago, but I was craving a football game, so here I am.

And I have to say that while there's so many things that this game still should be able to do, gameplay wise at least it feels like they are going in steps of the right direction (I'm tired and I played since I woke up as I had nothing better to do).

There are certain things that need they need to fix, but it at least doesn't feel like the game will hose me while I play.

 

[Master Thrasher]

I've been on a Donkey Kong Country craze that I decided to buy DKC 2, DKC 3, and Donkey Kong Land on my 3DS. I never played DKL and am impressed with the graphics for a Game Boy game. Donkey Kong has different jumping physics than the console games. Also, the platforming way different. Most of the stages you need to go vertically instead of horizontally. Also, you need to collect KONG letters in a stage to save.

 

[Valeyard]

I've been stuck on the same fucking boss in Dark Souls 2 for weeks, and it's only the second boss. Game cheats.

 

[KingPK]

I've relapsed and I'm back on that Civ V. I came home from work the other day, started a game with a playlist of podcasts, and 5 hours had passed before I knew it.

 

[JHawk]

Been replaying through L.A. Noire. Using a walkthrough for the first time just so I can see what I missed by answering wrong through the first run