Rate the video games you're currently playing
Sep 7, 2020 at 11:31 AM Post #6,226 of 6,909
Been playing The Last of Us 2 (TLOU2). Much better graphics, but I quickly realized it's not about the differential of graphics between TLOU1 and 2 that makes one better than the other, but most importantly originality of one over the other. Obviously TLOU franchise production is excellent.

What made TLOU1 so great were the characters and the development. I can't say the same about the sequel though. I think Joel and young version of Ellie creates a great character dynamic that works very well, and the sequel fails to provide that. Personally, didn't like Dina as a character.

What I can't help but notice is that TLOU seems like what Resident Evil should have evolved to. The issue I had with RE when production was from Japan was the dull and cheezy dialog that are usually associated with Japanese production games. I think that is where TLOU series wins, in the dialog department, and I will go as far as to say it's even the best made in-game dialog I've ever experience even from a English speaking production. Dialog feels quite natural and realistic, and usually dialog are quite artificial.

When it comes down to it, RE doesn't have much soul, not like TLOU.

Something magical that work really well about the original TLOU, and I'd point at the excellent character creation and development, and the well crafted dialog was key to it.
 
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Sep 11, 2020 at 8:11 PM Post #6,227 of 6,909
RE is more about gameplay though where TLOU go all in on story sacrificing gameplay.

As for TLOU 2 you can´t blame them for being conservative about their beloved characters. Just wish they stopped the last section of the game that was so ridiculous and just trying to drive a very old point home they had made abundantly clear already!

Last game played No Mans Sky! Hard to rate it´s 100 % about grinding and I must say I got stuck in that loop. A bit like Skyrim in a sense but Skyrim does have kind of a soul and lasted 300h more. It don´t have much of a story beside that it´s all a loop and never ending unless you kill yourself so yeah gameplay goes hand in hand with the story and all procedural repeating missions ad nauseum. It´s not as epic as it should be but I sure had enough hours of fun with it anyway. Just don´t expect it to lead you anywhere or produce anything of worth... It´s the ultimate waste of time. 6/10
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 12:09 AM Post #6,228 of 6,909
RE is more about gameplay though where TLOU go all in on story sacrificing gameplay.

As for TLOU 2 you can´t blame them for being conservative about their beloved characters. Just wish they stopped the last section of the game that was so ridiculous and just trying to drive a very old point home they had made abundantly clear already!

Last game played No Mans Sky! Hard to rate it´s 100 % about grinding and I must say I got stuck in that loop. A bit like Skyrim in a sense but Skyrim does have kind of a soul and lasted 300h more. It don´t have much of a story beside that it´s all a loop and never ending unless you kill yourself so yeah gameplay goes hand in hand with the story and all procedural repeating missions ad nauseum. It´s not as epic as it should be but I sure had enough hours of fun with it anyway. Just don´t expect it to lead you anywhere or produce anything of worth... It´s the ultimate waste of time. 6/10
RE seems like about gameplay since the way the story is played out isn't well acted like TLOU series. TLOU has gameplay and the gameplay is definately better than RE's mechanical feel to it's gameplay. RE in general feels more mechanical in presentation compared to TLOU.

I finished up TLOU2 and I found it to be a good sequel in terms of gameplay. Graphics is much improvement over the original, it's quite beautiful. I would say it's probably top two next to GOW for PS4. GOW just seem more creative in terms of presentation due to being fantasy themed, but TLOU2 has the gritty realism since it's based on real world objects.

All in all, story/scenario felt drawn out however. You play as older version of Ellie, which I found to be a flat character compared to the young version from the original TLOU. Also, the presence of the character Dina didn't really do anything for me. Joel and young Ellie's dynamics was pretty original due to circumstances in the original story. The sequel just rode on the ending of the original story, and try to create an expansion. This didn't work out so well.

There was some part of the game you have to go fetch something seemed like a purposeful way to extend the game without providing any substantial addition to the story. But, I found the gameplay well crafted. Even if the story didn't jive with me, the gameplay kept me engaged.

Artistically, TLOU2 is very well crafted. The visuals are stunning, and it's very apparent that the art direction was done very well.

In the end, the sequel didn't have much to offer in terms of story, but the visual improvements in graphics were impressive, and the gameplay is well worth it to keep anybody entertained with the sequel. Definately one of the top games for PS4 and recommendable.
 
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Sep 13, 2020 at 6:26 PM Post #6,229 of 6,909
Persona 3 Portable:
p3p.jpg

This will be my second playthrough as I just finished the first one on the male route. The soundtrack is incredibly awesome. Honestly, the persona series, in general, has some fantastic music, and this didn't disappoint. There were certain elements I didn't exactly care for, such as the skill inheritance system, and it shows its age in the combat, but the story is worth it, in my opinion.

Overall, I'd rate it an 8.5/10, probably 9/10, if going on the story. Seriously though, that soundtrack is awesome.
 
Sep 14, 2020 at 6:32 AM Post #6,230 of 6,909
I wouldnt say resident evils gameplay is better because the story of TLOU is better. But I need to get back to re evil 6. Have a habit of getting distracted and then comeback. Currently I am back to red dead redemption 2. Only at chapter 2 I think still :p
 
Sep 17, 2020 at 11:17 PM Post #6,231 of 6,909
Making of The Last of Us. Serious work has been done for the game. Much focus went into the directing the actors. No wonder the expression of the dialog was superb. Neil Druckmann is a serious director.

It's a well crafted piece of work.

 
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Sep 18, 2020 at 12:34 PM Post #6,232 of 6,909
Started on Halflife Alyx on VR, but a bit mixed on the game. I was so impressed with The Last of Us series that Halflife is no longer as interesting (although it is the game that started the trend that The Last of Us is in), even if it's in VR. VR does provide interesting perspective to the experience, but the novelty wears off quickly. It doesn't feel realistic or anything (due to it's animation design), so it doesn't really enhance the fear factor. Interestingly, The Last of US 2 did without using VR.

The design of the visuals are impressive however, but the gameplay mechanics arn't anything revolutionary in the Halflife lineage. If anything, there is more awkwardness with controls and interaction with virtual objects. VR on to itself creates it's own problems due to it's options of control, and try to address that with solutions that seem awkward. VR also isn't all that well refined currently. VR quality can be better in terms of refresh rate, and resolution. VR in it's current state will cause motion sickness and fatigue for a lot of people, which would be the big problem with it's platform.
 
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Sep 22, 2020 at 10:36 PM Post #6,233 of 6,909
Wrapped up Halflife Alyx. Kinda felt short in duration compared to several PS4 titles I've played like The Last of Us, God of War, etc.. But, the duration of the game felt appropriate since the gameplay was pretty repitative. Still follows the classic Halflife formula, and not much has changed besides the improved graphics and the usage of the VR platform.

I don't find that VR platform was necessary and they could have had much better sales if they developed for other platforms. The trailers really grab you with the impressive visual design and all, but the gameplay hasn't really changed, and didn't bring anything new to the series. I found the shootouts quite boring, the puzzles getting old with the same over and over again.

Really hated the controls. Terrible controls with object interaction. Aiming of the shooting should be calibrated as well. Trying to manipulate visual objects without tactile response is not fun.

These days, there are games with better depth in the gameplay mechanics that Halflife felt aged and dull in comparison.
 
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Sep 23, 2020 at 1:55 AM Post #6,234 of 6,909
I've had Final Fantasy XV is my back catalog for ages now, and I finally got around to playing and beating it. I think I'd probably give it a 6/10. I generally enjoyed it alright, but playing it I can't help but see how troubled the development was. The thing that really stood out to me was the odd distribution of content: with the exception of the post-game stuff, all the side quests are unlocked by chapter 5 or 6, which is relatively early in the game. Then by chapter 8 or so (?) you're basically locked into the final stretch of the game. It almost feels like the game wasn't really meant to be open world, or it was supposed to be a somewhat limited open-world.

Then there's the combat: it's an absolute dumpster fire, and really not all that enjoyable. Bosses are completely devoid of challenge, and regular monsters can pretty easily juggle you. Not that any of that really matters, since it's all so unsatisfying, completely devoid of nuance or mastery. It's basically just "Press O to awesome" and dodge attacks (if you're not stuck in animation).

The story was generally pretty good, with the exception of the characters. For a game that's so focused on the four leads, it's really surprising how lifeless the characters are. A great cast of characters has generally been the strong point of most Final Fantasy games, so it's odd that they're all so one-dimensional. You've got the muscle head, the brainiac, the spazz, and the cool dude, and that's about as deep as the characters go. Still, despite the mediocre cast of characters the story moves along nicely, which is a testament to how good the story is, even if it is a little derivative. Also, the constant dialogue as you play is super cringey, and I desperately wished you could turn it off.

Without a doubt it was the weakest mainline Final Fantasy I've played through. I will say it's kinda fun just driving around and picking up quests and whatnot, so it's not completely devoid of merits, but I feel like it really could have been so much better.
 
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Sep 24, 2020 at 5:31 AM Post #6,235 of 6,909
Playing monster hunter world:Iceborne again.
It has also excellent sound quality, which is an important aspect around here.

Gameplay wise very addictive and grindy.
It has 14 unique weapons with completely different playstyles.
I can totally recommend it
 
Sep 24, 2020 at 5:00 PM Post #6,236 of 6,909
Making of The Last of Us. Serious work has been done for the game. Much focus went into the directing the actors. No wonder the expression of the dialog was superb. Neil Druckmann is a serious director.

It's a well crafted piece of work.


I disagree about the directing part. So many directing misstakes done in TLOU 2 while in part its good. But technically they are on the frontline for animations as always and even with the misstakes it´s worth playing and above average. Would be worse if you would be totally indifferent to it then disagree or agree with it but without TLOU it would be much worse on it´s own!

I am working hard on Red Dead Redemption 2 at the moment. Like TLOU 2 the quality of the gameworld is absolutely top notch. Facial animation part of course is not on the same level but thanks to the horsepower of PCs overall better visually!

Gameplay I don´t know I played Kingdom Come Deliverance not so long ago and it was so epic. I never wanted it to end. I do in Red dead Redempton 2. The story is not as gripping. The gameworld is not as authentic. the gameplay loop not as engaging. Less bugs in RDR 2 and it certainly is super polished by now but still it just isn´t there. Amazing how an indie developer can take down some with the resources of Rockstar :D

As for hype sure I new less of KCD and what to expect. RDR 2 I was down hyped about as everybody tended to complain how booring it was so still kind of fair. I really liked RDR. In a sense both try to build immersion thanks to realism to ground you with the world but KCD just appear to do the trick better.

I still have half the mapped locked but surely at this point of time I still had plenty to do in KCD as well. But I cared so much more of the characters in KCD then in RDR 2 I had such a drive to continue developing my character and see where he would go.
 
Sep 24, 2020 at 6:08 PM Post #6,237 of 6,909
Not really impressed with the last DLC for Borderlands 3. It was pretty meh. Overall, I've spent a lot of time with the game, but now looking back Borderlands 2 was so much better.

Also, finally got around to finish Remnant from the Ashes. It was kinda entertaining. It's no Dark Souls but it's fun in co-op with friends and you can easily jump in strangers' games, so I'll give it a 7/10.

Hades on the other side is a gem. Never gave it much thought when it was in early access, but now that it was fully released I got it for my Switch and hype and it's pure addiction. I haven't finished it yet but based on my experience so far, I would give it 9/10
 
Sep 25, 2020 at 10:10 PM Post #6,238 of 6,909
I finished up Trials of Mana, which is a 3d rendered remake of the snes title called Seiken Densetus 3.

I found the game likeable due to the art direction. I like the art design of the set and characters. However, the story was cliche, and the game feels pretty repetitive like most classic Jrpgs. If the story was better told, I think this game would have been excellent. I found the gameplay pretty engaging, so definately worth trying out.
 
Sep 26, 2020 at 7:24 AM Post #6,239 of 6,909
I disagree about the directing part. So many directing misstakes done in TLOU 2 while in part its good. But technically they are on the frontline for animations as always and even with the misstakes it´s worth playing and above average. Would be worse if you would be totally indifferent to it then disagree or agree with it but without TLOU it would be much worse on it´s own!

I am working hard on Red Dead Redemption 2 at the moment. Like TLOU 2 the quality of the gameworld is absolutely top notch. Facial animation part of course is not on the same level but thanks to the horsepower of PCs overall better visually!

Gameplay I don´t know I played Kingdom Come Deliverance not so long ago and it was so epic. I never wanted it to end. I do in Red dead Redempton 2. The story is not as gripping. The gameworld is not as authentic. the gameplay loop not as engaging. Less bugs i drewn RDR 2 and it certainly is super polished by now but still it just isn´t there. Amazing how an indie developer can take down some with the resources of Rockstar :D

As for hype sure I new less of KCD and what to expect. RDR 2 I was down hyped about as everybody tended to complain how booring it was so still kind of fair. I really liked RDR. In a sense both try to build immersion thanks to realism to ground you with the world but KCD just appear to do the trick better.

I still have half the mapped locked but surely at this point of time I still had plenty to do in KCD as well. But I cared so much more of the characters in KCD then in RDR 2 I had such a drive to continue developing my character and see where he would go.
I never been into Grandtheft Auto series, and I was afraid Red dead series would be thw same. But, I was curious to try because Red Dead might be more story driven than Grand Theft. I doubt that it's gameplay would match TLOU series gamely, but would be interested in finding out. It'd on my list to try out.

Hades on the other side is a gem. Never gave it much thought when it was in early access, but now that it was fully released I got it for my Switch and hype and it's pure addiction. I haven't finished it yet but based on my experience so far, I would give it 9/10
I checked this out due to the universally high ratings, but after having to start from the begining every time I really didn't like. When I play games I expect to keep to save and keep progressing through stages, not start from the begining as I don't like to repeat stuff.

Other than that, artwork is fantastic, animations are fluid. Loving the visual style, but I was hoping for Diablo on steroids. That would be awsome.
 
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Sep 28, 2020 at 7:04 PM Post #6,240 of 6,909
Currently playing a little bit of Genshin Impact AKA Gacha Impact AKA Breath of the Waifu.

I'm enjoying it well enough, though from the gameplay it's fairly obvious it has roots in the mobile space. Still, it's not a complete waste of time, and there is a fair amount to do, with good production values. Probably going to end up putting a fair bit more time on it, but for now I'd say it's a 7/10 game.
 

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