The Backlog Check-in Vol. 125: 5/23/20: Next Gen Can Wait Edition

[Phaseknox]

Played: The Outer Worlds, Rage 2

Finished: Nothing

Playing: Rage 2

Added: Control, GreedFall, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered, Outward, A Plague Tale: Innocence, Shenmue III, The Surge 2, Yakuza Remastered Collection

I was enjoying The Outer Worlds, it's basically Fallout in outer space but with a slightly more linear design structure. However, it's packed with quests and a lot of NPC interaction and I'm just not in the mood for such a time consuming RPG right now so I went back to playing Rage 2.

I just bought eight PS4 games, and there's still a lot more that are out and coming out that I want so I'm in no rush for next gen. I can definitely wait. I'm still impressed with how current gen games look, and upcoming games like Cyberpunk 2077, Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us Part II look even better than what we've seen so far. This holiday season is a little too soon for next gen IMO, I think that holiday season 2021 would have been better especially with everything that has been going on this year.

[isthatallyougot]

Almost through with Bulletstorm. It's been great fun. Plenty of over-the-top pew pew.

I don't know what I'll play next. Maybe pong.

[Phaseknox]

I don't know what I'll play next. Maybe pong.

[Phaseknox]

I started playing Bloodborne because I wanted to take a break from first person games, and play a third person one. While I like first person games, I ultimately prefer third person ones where I see my character.

Based on what I've played of Bloodborne so far it's basically Dark Souls in a different setting/time period. Of course there are other differences as well, but it's essentially a re-skinned Dark Souls. However, it's clicking with me more than Dark Souls because I like its Victorian gothic city setting more than the dark fantasy medieval ones of the Dark Souls games, the gameplay is less heavy and methodical and more fast paced with an emphasis on quick dodging, you can use both a melee weapon and a firearm and the difficulty seems a little less punishing so far.

The environments ooze with dark and disturbing atmosphere, and attention to detail. The game is genuinely scary with horrific creatures/monsters, and an overall unsettling vibe. The game in general reminds me of the PS1 Nightmare Creatures games, but with modern visuals and gameplay. I would definitely classify it as a horror game, and not a campy one like a zombie game.

I really like what I've played of it so far, but I'm not sure that it's what I'm in the mood for right now so I'll have to play it some more to see if I want to stick with it or not.

[isthatallyougot]

Countdown til you bail on Bloodborne phase:

[crimson_tide]

Played:...Nier Automata and Gargoyles Quest? That's it?...huh

Beat: Nothing

Bought...kinda: FF14

This week: Mad Max

I just could not get into anything this week. Watch Dogs 2 is...what the hell is that game? Capcom Beat em up Bundle didn't grab me. That Jojo game was a bust. I downloaded and deleted Valkyria (I am so sorry, it just grates me. I keep trying and failing to love that game) . No Final Fantasy game was doing it. I made incremental progress in Nier and Gargoyles Quest and that was it! I just couldn't get into anything.

So I threw up my hands and downloaded Mad Max last night. WHY DOES NOBODY TALK ABOUT MAD MAX?!?! I played the first hour this morning but the opening cutscene was utter madness! What the hell game? So it's got its dirty post apocalyptic claws in me at the moment. I like it so far...

I am going to try FF14 at some point soon, I really want to get into that especially since it's apparently really playable solo. I don't play with people even in games that are specifically designed around playing with other people

[jfissel]

Finished: Yakuza Kiwami 2

Now Playing: The Witness

Added to Backlog: Nothing

Current Backlog: 33 games

Yakuza Kiwami 2 is in the books, did pretty much everything save for a few side things which are either above my skill limits or not the most fun grinds. And then I started The Witness, which is neat although a few of these puzzles are kicking my ass. I'm trying to see how much I can do myself before heading for a guide and right now I'd say it's 90/10 me.

[Phaseknox]

Countdown til you bail on Bloodborne phase:

I think that I might be close. I played it for several hours yesterday, and was having a great time fighting its enemies and exploring its world. The regular enemies are a little less punishing than the ones in the Souls games, I can actually traverse through the environments at a steady pace taking down the enemies instead of inching my way through every step of the way like I have to do in the Souls games since each and every regular enemy encounter is a struggle. This makes exploring more enjoyable, and makes the game more fun to play in general IMO. However, the bosses are the problem. It's not so much that they're fast, furious, relentless and can kill you in just a few hits (which they can), it's that they're hit sponges. Their life bars literally stretch across the entire bottom of the screen, and hits against them do little damage. All that this primarily does is prolong the fights against them which becomes exhausting, and tedious. I'm fine with the bosses being challenging foes that I have to be at my best to beat, but I'm not fine with them having ridiculously long life bars and taking very little damage when attacked. That's cheap IMO. It's also unbalanced considering that they're absurdly more powerful than the regular enemies that you fight before reaching them. Of course I expect bosses to be more challenging and powerful than the regular enemies, but the difference between the two here is too big IMO. I like everything about the game except for the bosses having ridiculously long life bars, and taking very little damage when hit. Unfortunately, that's enough to make me stop playing because it makes the boss encounters suck the fun out of the game and ruin its overall flow.

So I threw up my hands and downloaded Mad Max last night. WHY DOES NOBODY TALK ABOUT MAD MAX?!?!

We have talked about it, where have you been?

[isthatallyougot]

I think that I might be close. I played it for several hours yesterday, and was having a great time fighting its enemies and exploring its world. The regular enemies are a little less punishing than the ones in the Souls games, I can actually traverse through the environments at a steady pace taking down the enemies instead of inching my way through every step of the way like I have to do in the Souls games since each and every regular enemy encounter is a struggle. This makes exploring more enjoyable, and makes the game more fun to play in general IMO. However, the bosses are the problem. It's not so much that they're fast, furious, relentless and can kill you in just a few hits (which they can), it's that they're hit sponges. Their life bars literally stretch across the entire bottom of the screen, and hits against them do little damage. All that this primarily does is prolong the fights against them which becomes exhausting, and tedious. I'm fine with the bosses being challenging foes that I have to be at my best to beat, but I'm not fine with them having ridiculously long life bars and taking very little damage when attacked. That's cheap IMO. It's also unbalanced considering that they're absurdly more powerful than the regular enemies that you fight before reaching them. Of course I expect bosses to be more challenging and powerful than the regular enemies, but the difference between the two here is too big IMO. I like everything about the game except for the bosses having ridiculously long life bars, and taking very little damage when hit. Unfortunately, that's enough to make me stop playing because it makes the boss encounters suck the fun out of the game and ruin its overall flow.

Well, you're not the only one to feel similarly. For the people who the series resonates with, there's nothing better, but it doesn't mean everyone has to love it.

You should really play Bulletstorm phase. I think you'd really enjoy it! I'm running through it again right after beating it and I rarely do that. Such a good time.

[crimson_tide]

So I threw up my hands and downloaded Mad Max last night. WHY DOES NOBODY TALK ABOUT MAD MAX?!?!

We have talked about it, where have you been?

Oh I didn't mean you puckish rogues, I meant generally . And now I know...it's all glitchy as all get out . My autosave got busted and now Max slowly ascends to the heavens or descends to hell as he dies either way. The car barely moves so I am forced to get out and then it starts. Dang ol shame too, I was really enjoying it! I was about 4 hours in and how no drive to restart. Oh well, I will move on to something else...