The Backlog Check-in Vol. 240: 8/6/22: Cult of the Lamb Edition

[crimson_tide]

Bought: Street Fighter V Champion Edition+Season 5

Is that the $30 bundle? Does it include all of the game’s content? These fighting games have so much additional content added to them over the years that it’s hard to keep up with it all. There are so many different bundles and editions that I get confused as to what content each one offers.

I’m upset by the fact that I just bought the standard edition of The King of Fighters XIV for $9, but right after that sale ended they put the ultimate edition on sale for $12. A mere $3 more for all of the game’s additional content. They did the same thing with Mortal Kombat 11, but thankfully I passed on the standard edition and decided to wait for the ultimate edition to go on sale which it did immediately after.

Is the Street Fighter V bundle that you bought the complete game, and is it worth $30? The standard edition of Street Fighter V is currently on sale for $5, so $25 more for its additional content seems extremely pricey to me. It would really have to add to the base game to make it worth it to me.

Yes, you want the $30 bundle, it's the whole shebang and they obviously aren't adding anymore because SF6. As for if it's worth it...well, everyone has a story mode at least? They're short and all. The cinematic story you have to download separately is...awful. **** the ******* **** out of ******** FANG. What an abomination of an SF character. But if you're looking for arcade mode stuff with endings and all, it's alright. I guess. I'm just not that enthusiastic about recommending it because some of the characters are cool and the gameplay is fun but it's not going to get you $30 of entertainment honestly Phase. I would still wait if I were you for it to be dirt cheap or just SF6 which will have an actual story and world tour mode .

[canedaddy]

So you've played everything but X?

Almost. I never finished III. I started it on iPhone but hated that experience, so I bought it for Switch ... but then gave my Switch away before playing it.

Yeah, you’re probably right although it does kind of seem like they’re making it for fans of the second and third games since that’s what it resembles the most based on what I’ve seen of it. Those are my two favorite games in the series, I enjoyed the fourth game as well but it seemed more like a goofy spinoff than a true sequel.

I’ve been wanting another proper Saints Row game since the third one, and it looks like we’re finally getting it. My only real concern with it is its new cast of characters as they don’t look that appealing to me, but the game world and gameplay look good which are the most important aspects of an open world action game like this IMO.

The characters are a real turnoff to me. Like a bunch of Fortnite rejects.

[Phaseknox]

Yes, you want the $30 bundle, it's the whole shebang and they obviously aren't adding anymore because SF6. As for if it's worth it...well, everyone has a story mode at least? They're short and all. The cinematic story you have to download separately is...awful. **** the ******* **** out of ******** FANG. What an abomination of an SF character. But if you're looking for arcade mode stuff with endings and all, it's alright. I guess. I'm just not that enthusiastic about recommending it because some of the characters are cool and the gameplay is fun but it's not going to get you $30 of entertainment honestly Phase. I would still wait if I were you for it to be dirt cheap or just SF6 which will have an actual story and world tour mode .

Thanks, $30 does seem a bit steep for a fighting game IMO. I usually play through them with a few characters that I like, and then drop off of them. That’s why I like to buy them cheap, because I don’t tend to stick with them for very long.

The characters are a real turnoff to me. Like a bunch of Fortnite rejects.

Yeah, they look kind of dumb. The only real saving grace when it comes to its characters is that you can create your own main character. Perhaps I’ll end up liking the story and characters, but based on what I’ve seen of it so far I’m not sure.

[canedaddy]

Yeah, they look kind of dumb. The only real saving grace when it comes to its characters is that you can create your own main character. Perhaps I’ll end up liking the story and characters, but based on what I’ve seen of it so far I’m not sure.

Well, after actually watching the video, I'm not as bothered by the characters. You seem to be able to do what you want there, which is cool. I like the Arthur Morgan someone created.

But if that footage is any indication, it is one ugly bit of software. It would be generous to say it looks like a PS3 game. I mean, GTA V was a PS3 game, and that video makes Saints Row look a lot worse than that did in 2013. That might fly for a budget title, but they're charging $60 for this thing.

[Phaseknox]

Well, after actually watching the video, I'm not as bothered by the characters. You seem to be able to do what you want there, which is cool.

Yeah, the supporting cast was never that great in the Saints Row games to begin with. They’re basically comedic caricatures, and I don’t expect them to be much different in this game. They should be serviceable enough to make the story at least a little entertaining and interesting, but the Saints Row games are definitely more about their open worlds and fun gameplay and less about compelling stories and characters.

I like the Arthur Morgan someone created.

Me too, the character creator seems like one of the best in a game yet. You can even select your character’s voice from eight options (four male, four female).

But if that footage is any indication, it is one ugly bit of software. It would be generous to say it looks like a PS3 game. I mean, GTA V was a PS3 game, and that video makes Saints Row look a lot worse than that did in 2013. That might fly for a budget title, but they're charging $60 for this thing.

You’re not wrong, except I feel that saying it would be generous to say it looks like a PS3 game is a bit of an exaggeration. The Saints Row games have always had a somewhat mid budget cartoonish look to them, and this one is no exception. I agree that it doesn’t look like a big budget AAA game that should retail for $60, but I still think that it looks like a good mid-tier last gen game which it essentially is. It looks like the type of game that I would normally wait and get when it’s $40 or less, but it’s been so long since I’ve played a Saints Row game and an urban open world action game in general that I’m going to go ahead and buy it on day one for full price.

[canedaddy]

You’re not wrong, except I feel that saying it would be generous to say it looks like a PS3 game is a bit of an exaggeration. The Saints Row games have always had a somewhat mid budget cartoonish look to them, and this one is no exception. I agree that it doesn’t look like a big budget AAA game that should retail for $60, but I still think that it looks like a good mid-tier last gen game which it essentially is. It looks like the type of game that I would normally wait and get when it’s $40 or less, but it’s been so long since I’ve played a Saints Row game and an urban open world action game in general that I’m going to go ahead and buy it on day one for full price.

That's fair. I'm tempted too. I mean, the last big urban open-world action game was what, Mafia 3? That was six freakin' years ago. Considering the popularity of the genre, that's nuts. (Oh wait, I guess Watchdogs would count, but meh.)

[argyle]

(Oh wait, I guess Watchdogs would count, but meh.)

I think that's the best one-line review for Watchdogs 3 I've read.

[Phaseknox]

I'm tempted too. I mean, the last big urban open-world action game was what, Mafia 3? That was six freakin' years ago. Considering the popularity of the genre, that's nuts. (Oh wait, I guess Watchdogs would count, but meh.)

I didn’t realize that you were interested in Saints Row, or at least not enough to where you were considering buying it on day one. That would be cool if you did, because we would both be playing it at the same time and could talk about it which is always fun to do with new games. And I agree that it’s nuts that there are hardly any urban open world action games anymore despite their popularity. The Watch Dogs games technically are, but they’re more espionage and stealth and less sandbox mayhem like Grand Theft Auto and Saints Row.

I think that's the best one-line review for Watchdogs 3 I've read.

I agree, I tried to get into it but espionage/spy stuff just isn’t really my thing. Also, the ability to play as any NPC in the game is a better concept on paper than it is in actual execution. I prefer creating my own character and playing as them in a game to playing as several different rather generic and random characters. The game just kind of lacks fun factor IMO.

[jfissel]

So you've played everything but X?

Almost. I never finished III. I started it on iPhone but hated that experience, so I bought it for Switch ... but then gave my Switch away before playing it.

I've completed them all. I haven't played III in a while, but it is a good one.

My personal rankings are: IV > VIII > XI >> VII > V > IX > III > VI >> I > II

III could be anywhere between 4th and its current 7th place. Maybe I'll fire that up on the ol' emulator soon to revisit. Perhaps VII is too high and V should be ahead of it...problem is, I don't have 150 hours to replay VII lol. II is good, especially with the addition of more playable characters to your party than just the solo effort of the original, however it gets ruined at the end where there is a long sequence of travel & battles and some enemies can just instant-death your party. Maybe this was changed in the mobile versions (and you can save state on an emulator to minimize the BS), but the original NES version on the console was brutal.

[isthatallyougot]

I've completed them all. I haven't played III in a while, but it is a good one.

My personal rankings are: IV > VIII > XI >> VII > V > IX > III > VI >> I > II

III could be anywhere between 4th and its current 7th place. Maybe I'll fire that up on the ol' emulator soon to revisit. Perhaps VII is too high and V should be ahead of it...problem is, I don't have 150 hours to replay VII lol. II is good, especially with the addition of more playable characters to your party than just the solo effort of the original, however it gets ruined at the end where there is a long sequence of travel & battles and some enemies can just instant-death your party. Maybe this was changed in the mobile versions (and you can save state on an emulator to minimize the BS), but the original NES version on the console was brutal.

Wow, you and cane are *really* familiar with the series. I can see why though, judging by my time with XI. I've got IV, V, VI and IX on the DS in my backlog as well as VIII on PS2 and Heroes on PS4. So IV and VIII are the cream from your perspective. I'll keep that in mind. I'd probably just emulate VII or the older ones if I ever want to dive deep into the franchise.

Last night I was in the Casino watching the slots spin around forever, ha. As much as I've loved everything so far as well as loving casinos in games/rpgs in general, I was a bit disappointed with the execution in this one. It seemed an inevitability that you would win if you just kept spinning long enough - quite at odds with the nature of casinos, lol. I get it, they don't want players getting frustrated losing all their money in-game, but I wish there were some consequences there. I kept getting free and silver spins and my tokens just kept going up and up. I'm happy to exchange them for some nice items, but it felt hollow. And the act itself felt like tedious busywork after a while due to the lack of risk. Granted, I didn't have to do it, but I wanted some of the loot that was unique to the casino.