Currently Playing in 2019....

Can't you warp back in time to before the boat trip? It's been a while since I played it but I'm sure there was option to return to the open world.

Tafdolphin wrote:Hotline Miami 2.

Went from 1 to 2 and the difference really is stark; they're both great but whereas in 1 the levels feel incredibly tightly designed in 2 there's some flab. The fact that you're locked to certain abilities, or lack of, in certain missions is also restrictive compared to the first's open ended feel. It also relies far too much on guns and the pinpoint accuracy they require. Playing 2 on the consoles much be a bloody nightmare.

It's still brill though.

Yeah I was disappointed by the increased focus on guns, I liked how the original encouraged the use of melee weapons. Was still frustrating of course but those A+ ranks felt more reasonably attainable, whereas with 2 the level design doesn't feel well accommodated for that playstyle.

So I'm one month in to my Pile of Shame challenge (for more info check out these articles Part 1 - http://grview.grcade.co.uk/articles/tac ... -of-shame/ and Part 2 - http://grview.grcade.co.uk/articles/the ... -of-shame/ ). Essentially I'm trying to go through the year only playing 8 games (with the option to swap out a game once it has been platinumed).

July has been about playing just 2 games.

Horizon Zero Dawn - I'm around 35 hours into the game and I reckon I'm probably around 60% completed. I've not been rushing the main quest line but I'm now slightly concerned I'll hit level 50 (I'm currently 35) without maxing out my skills which I think triggers one of the trophies. Still have a lot of fun with the game, the combat is astounding (aside from those strawberry floating Glinthawks, it's like Morrowind's Cliff Racers all over again), it looks incredible and, after investing in a decent headset, I'm finding out that the audio is unbelievable. The only negatives are juggling the weapons a little and the fact that the weapon tutorial mission targets only ping if that is the active mission.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate - This choice was a slight gamble as I've always gravitated back to Monster Hunter Freedom Unite after playing later versions. The newer ones never really clicked with me in the same way as MHFU. But putting MH4U in the list (and as my only handheld title at this point) meant I had to persevere. I'm now around 20 hours into my current game and have just hit the first real difficulty hump. I've only solo'ed all the missions up till now but the Gore Magala is kicking my arse so I'm thinking I need to boost my online HR and maybe craft some better kit (current got Tetsu armour with the Flick Switch Axe). I think I need a fire weapon so probably need to do some Kut Ku runs to get flame sacs.

Going forward, my plan is to play HZD to completion and then maybe switch to either Resi 7 or Stardew Valley as a palate cleanser before going back into something open world (either Witcher 3 or BoW). Still got 2 open slots on my list (one is almost certainly reserved for Everybody's Golf) and I did buy Steep in the recent Amazon promo. Haven't decided whether to drop that in as the other open yet, might swap it in for HZD but that'll mean I can't play the DLC until July 2018 (once a game is swapped out then it's gone for the year).

N++ on the PC. This is really damn good. I can't imagine I will be able to stick with it for a long time, there's a ridiculous amount of levels, and the game will probably get too hard at some point but yeah, I'm really enjoying it. Really fantastic platforming physics and there's no stupid physic gimmicks so far, it's just been a very pure platforming experience.

I'm nearing halfway through the second set of levels, I'm looking forward to getting a session in tonight.

I used to have an issue like that and not just games it was books and movies too, stuff mountain I called it. I'd buy anything I thought was a bargain and would potentially play at some point. It ended up with me owning perhaps 40+ PS3 games some unplayed, many started but not finished and several of which still in shrink wrap.

I planned at one point to play through them all in alphabetical order in something I called Project A to Z but it kind of fizzled out with Eternal Sonata. In the end I sold off the lot and decided to stop buying so many and try to play only one game at a time until it was done.

The Secret World: Legends.

I had been enjoying this game before in its previous incarnation, but it wasn't without its flaws. Huzzah then that visuals, interface, sound, character progression, pick ups etc have all been greatly improved for this re-launch. More importantly the frankly awful, and somewhat bizarre combat system of old has been completely replaced with a far more straight forward system more in tune with traditional MMOs. The overall result is that the game is not only more handsome, it plays a damn sight better.

The downside? The servers are very unstable at the moment. Whether that's due to the amount of folk playing the game since the update on Steam yesterday, or it's a much wider problem remains to be seen. As it stands the server died on me half a dozen times playing this evening, which is a real ball ache. Hopefully said servers will right themselves eventually, but other than that I'm thoroughly enjoy Legends.

Plus one of the benefits of having a previous account is that once you get to agartha you can unlock every weapon page

I loved The Secret World but hated the combat with a passion, so it's nice to be back.

Splatoon 2 - Absolutely addicted to turf mode and have had some decent sessions on Salmon Run. Love how balanced the games feel and the options available although some of the design decisions are baffling at times even by Nintendo's standards.

Invisible, Inc.

Finally got round to playing this and I'm really enjoying it, its a nice blend of XCOM and MGS style stealth - its bloody hard though.

Assassins Creed 2 - Started playing this back in 2013 (or so my save file tells me!), shortly after finally getting round to finishing the first game. I played the first section of the game and then when I reached the point where it really opens up and I was presented with a map with seemingly hundreds of icons on it I stopped playing. I just couldn't face it.

Finally thought it was about time I went back to it, so far I'm really enjoying it. Have found myself jumping to my death by accident on a few occasions with free running/climbing feeling a little wonky at times but it's good fun to play, hopefully I can stick with it and see it through this time around.

Dark Souls 3 - again
Fallout 4 - again
Doom - strawberry float yeah again
The last of us

A weekend of rain saw me play a few games.

MGS Ground Zeroes (PC - completely forgot I had it in the old Steam Library. It was only due to my picking up MGS 5 and the MGS HD collection I was reminded).

Metroid Prime - GC
TDU 2 - Xbox 360
Dying Light - PS4
Diablo 3 - PS4

Xenoblade Chronicles
I'm about 5 hours into this. I like it so far. Looks pretty good, sense of scale is impressive, and I like the battle system (for the most part). Characters and plot are okay, feels like it's only just getting started, and so I'm looking forward to a long journey ahead. Been a while since I've got properly stuck into a RPG like this.

Glass Masquerade
At the other end of the spectrum, this is a nice relaxing puzzle game where you put pieces of broken clock faces together again, along to a relaxing soundtrack. Very chilled out, not too challenging (yet) and a good change of pace. Nice to dip in and out of.

Xenoblade Chronicles is awesome. It still shocks me that game came out on the Wii. The areas are HUGE.

Xenoblade Chronicles is awesome. It still shocks me that game came out on the Wii. The areas are HUGE.

Skyrim. Decided that, as I never finished it, I'd give the Special Edition a go and try and get through the main story at least. It's surprisingly playable, even if the combat is a bit shite.

Brerlappin wrote:Pinging brer to the thread, brer to the thread.

Best/essential mods brer? I've a few already going but it doesn't seem to look that much better, and I've seen your screenshots in that there thread.

Xenoblade Chronicles

Had to walk away from modding Skyrim. It takes over. Everything.

That said I do now have a lovely looking, gameplay improved and stable Skyrim sat on my PC.

Tried the SE version, but it doesn't like some of the better mods and to my knowledge still no script extender?

Lego Batman on PS3. I played the hero campaign on 360 years ago but for whatever reason never got around to the villains campaign. I'm gonna get the whole thing beat this time. So far so Lego.

Brerlappin wrote:Last i heard script extender didnt work with SE, but ive no idea if thats still the case

True it doesn't, but there was talk from the SKSE bunch they were working on it. That has now all gone quiet.

As it stands original Skyrim is still the best place for modding Skyrim.