Currently Playing in 2020...

Anything to do with games at all.
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OrangeRKN
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by OrangeRKN » Tue Jul 07, 2020 10:02 am

Play it on PC, the gameplay just suits the format better with mouse controls

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DarkRula
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by DarkRula » Tue Jul 07, 2020 10:35 am

No idea which of the two did it, but I left the audio ports empty and put my laptop into flight mode, and suddenly Test Drive Unlimited 2 worked perfect. No performance issues whatsoever. As such, I've just completed another championship with no trouble at all.

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deathofcows
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by deathofcows » Tue Jul 07, 2020 1:44 pm

OrangeRKN wrote:
deathofcows wrote:In case of interest to anyone, here is said article about FFIX!

But really it's about the pleasure of fixed-angle backdrops in old-school Final Fantasy :)

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020 ... al-fantasy

P.S. Orange Rakoon this is a sort of culmination of many of the ideas we were discussing in the BotW/Link's Awakening Camera/Continuity discussion way back! So thanks for that discussion too!


This was really interesting again! Which is impressive considering I haven't played FFIX so the specifics are lost on me :lol:

Just last week I was talking with a friend about Metal Gear Solid 3 and it's original, fixed-camera release vs subsistence with it's player controlled third person camera. I can't decide which version I prefer despite them feeling obviously different. It's not quite a fixed backdrop in the original because you can enter first person aiming, which is why I think the design still translates into a third person camera (these places were always created to be freely looked around in some manner), but the fixed camera angles do frame certain areas in important ways - guard patrol routes are more obvious in their patterns, items get framed through the scenery in a sort of hidden object game style, and the insides of buildings and caves get a more cramped and oppressive quality. Subsistence plays better and is easier, from a pure quality of life perspective, but you still lose something.

I assume you've played Crystal Chronicles as you mentioned it? My favourite element of that game is crossing the miasma streams. The combination of the camera, visual and sound effects and the character movement make crossing those streams feel so incredibly tactile even when playing on a GBA with no rumble whatsoever. It's pretty much magic how they pulled that off, and I really hope HD rumble in the Switch re-release adds to it rather than detracting.


Glad of interest!

I've only played the original MGS3 but can fully imagine how different it would be with a freely controllable camera. Maybe 'better' as a game proper but also with one less defining character trait in its feel, and a whole different (literal and qualitative when played) 'worldview'!

I have to say I think part of the pleasure of replaying FFIX was the focus of a single stick, and so a single axis of control. The satisfaction of movement isn't diluted by camera control ('viewment'?!) concerns, and the relationship between character and environment is firmed up (I know I used this phrase already in the article proper!) by losing the perspective/frame-altering camera changes. And by reducing the ability to multitask and look around at stuff, which I think is a visually anti-mindful way of playing - if you get me.

I'd love to be able to play (e.g.) MGS3 in both ways, readily interchangeably - like one of those HD remasters like Halo or Monkey Island. I wonder if that kind of mechanical difference is more profound to a game's textural quality than any visual upgrade, and would be fun to compare in the hands (which is basically the self-imposed restrictions I messed about with when playing BotW to try and work things out!)

Re: Crystal Chronicles - I love that game's aesthetic and audio-visual tones, and remember the miasma crossings!

I'm excited for a re-release, just to have its AV palette on my switch to immerse in every now and then. But I do think it looks a little clean in HD which not only sharpens the edges in a way that is less charming and in tune with the games rounded plumpness (I should have probably saved the 'emplumped' thing from the article for Crystal Chronicles!), but also takes away that thickened-air feel that comes with CRT blur - as if there's less particle matter in the air proper.

And I've got a bad feeling the fur fuz of the GC original is gone.

And the redrawn clavat boy's face has the wrong eyes.

And I realize I am just being very very pernickety, but it's about a game whose look I really really love! If only they added a CRT-filter a la the retro SNES releases and the like - it's as relevant to this as to them!

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Squinty
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by Squinty » Tue Jul 07, 2020 5:24 pm

Ryse Son of Rome. This is really strawberry floating samey.

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Photek
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by Photek » Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:33 am

Got back into They Are Billions (zombie survival RTS game - Think Age of Empires with Zombie Hordes) in the last couple of days. I playing campaign mode and It was going well a while back but kinda hit a brick wall, I have 3 different routes to take so took what I thought would be an easier one by the coast. It meant I could get all my food from the sea and it would be on less direction the Z's could attack.

This particular map had 3 main hordes. one 20 days in, the next 36 and the big one to end all things at Day 52. I'd played it Monday night, put a god hour + into it and got over run on Day 52. The game is obviously better to be played on PC but the controls are ok once you get used to them. The one caveat is that it allows you to pause it and cue up several things at once. I really relied on this last night and took my time. Early on I had created a crack squad of army dudes who I marched around the map mopping up the straggling Z's that occasionally wander towards my compound but more than that I ended up with 3 deep wooden walls and a sh*t ton of rangers and army dudes. On day 52 when the mother of all hordes arrives I surrvived but still had to move some of my dudes around to cope.

Really looking forward to playing the rest of the campaign now and going to take my time as it pays off. It has a weird mix of RTS and Tower Defence that I enjoy plus the sheer amount of Z's onscreen can be amazing to watch.

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Ironhide
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by Ironhide » Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:02 pm

Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise

A fairly short but sweet (5 to 6 hours) room escape/point & click with a noirish spy setting.

picked it up for just over £3 in the Steam sale and thoroughly recommend it, sale ends tomorrow at 6pm so there's still time to snap it up.

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VlaSoul
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by VlaSoul » Wed Jul 08, 2020 11:20 pm

Been getting back into Monster Hunter World, finished high rank finally and moved onto the G rank expansion. The base game was kind of disappointing but G rank has felt more like the old games difficulty wise.

I have also been playing Europa Universalis 4. My experience with paradox grand strategy games only extended to (120 hours of) Stellaris until recently, but while the initial learning experience is even more harsh and heavy than the former, I'm nearly 80 hours in and I'm enjoying it quite greatly (Stellaris remains my favourite strategy game thus far though). Played a bit of Victoria II as well, though it feels...archaic and somehow even more complex in comparison (loving the satire though). Picked up Hearts of Iron 4 too. While I (eventually) like these games, their design isn't so great pertaining to tutorials and actually teaching players and as such it takes a lot of work to get into them. This is a rewarding experience for people like me (I like fighting games), but this wouldn't be true for a lot of people. These games should probably take lessons from Age of Empires 1 and do a tutorial mission based campaign consisting of limited scenarios to gradually introduce all of the mechanics.

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kazanova_Frankenstein
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by kazanova_Frankenstein » Thu Jul 09, 2020 8:20 am

Ironhide wrote:Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise

A fairly short but sweet (5 to 6 hours) room escape/point & click with a noirish spy setting.

picked it up for just over £3 in the Steam sale and thoroughly recommend it, sale ends tomorrow at 6pm so there's still time to snap it up.


I picked it up for a couple of quid about 3 years ago on iOS. Worked really well with the touch controls. Went back to it to play the extra mission they released a few months ago. Really fun little game.

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Zilnad
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by Zilnad » Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:14 am

Started Deus Ex Mankind Divided last night. I thought the training mission in Dubai was gooseberry fool in every regard but now I've been free to explore Prague for a few hours I'm really getting into it. I'm enjoying just exploring the city and soaking in the atmosphere while completing side quests. Things like the abandoned LIMB clinic, covered in graffiti, really set a tone and it feels like I'm uncovering a story just by walking down the streets and taking in the sights.

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Jenuall
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by Jenuall » Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:59 am

I loved Deus Ex Mankind Divided, it's got some issues the fact that it is half a story that doesn't look like it's going to get finished being one of them! :cry: and can't match the original (but then few games can!) but it was still a great game that showed huge promise for the future of the franchise

Some of the environmental and incidental storytelling is fantastic in that game as well, they really nail the lived in feel of the spaces you explore and you can learn a lot about the inhabitants by just exploring.

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Squinty
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by Squinty » Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:05 am

I loved Mankind Divided, recently bought the season pass with the intention of going through it again. Think it's better than the first one. Is a shame the series seems to be on hiatus.

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Photek
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by Photek » Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:25 am

They are Billions have some in between side missions where you have to clear a horde headed to a remote outpost, they are quite the spectacle.

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Hunt: Showdown is also a game I'm really getting into. It's premise is interesting. You spawn at map edge along with up to 11 other people and you have a bounty to kill a creature (usually giant spider/monster). You have a 'dark' ability that brings you to markers that will lead you to it's location (which is random), meanwhile the 11 others are doing the same, so you have these tense situations when killing the monster because all other are alerted to your location. If you survive you bring the bounty back to a safe point (several around edge of map) you get big rewards. The whole thing is set in the deep south mostly around the Bayou, there are 2 maps and they both have 3 different time's (dawn, dusk and night :dread: ) Oh yeah the world is populated with dozens of undead and horrendous creatures that look like they came from a Dark Souls game.

It looks incredible though (im on 1X).

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:dread: :dread: :dread:

Last edited by Photek on Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:28 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Victor Mildew
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by Victor Mildew » Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:27 am

The shadow on the boat doesn't match the character's pose. 3/10 would not play

Hexx wrote:Ad7 is older and balder than I thought.
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Cumberdanes
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by Cumberdanes » Thu Jul 09, 2020 12:50 pm

I had a surprisingly productive stream of Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin last night. I killed the dragon guarding the drawbridge to Cathedral of Blue, I killed the boss that lies beyond the drawbridge, I killed a massive fire breathing salamander and even won my rematch with the Pursuer. I ended by switching on the large torch as No Man's Wharf to keep those long armed, monkey things in line... then my PS4 died :fp: at least it had the decency to let me finish my stream first :lol:

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Squinty
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by Squinty » Thu Jul 09, 2020 8:22 pm

A Plague Tale Innocence. The gameplay in this is dull as strawberry float. Not sure if I'll see it through to the end. I like a lot of things about the tone of it and the visuals. But gameplay is really important to me.

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Godzilla
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by Godzilla » Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:36 pm

Fire Emblem Warriors - Switch Lite - Over 90 hours in, still working through history mode. Probably the best Musou game ever. Better than Hyrule Warriors, as despite that game having better characters and more variety, it also added large bosses that massively slow down gameplay.

Mad Max - PS4 - A great game to return to, 50 hours into it and still missions to do and things to unlock. Something brilliant about the game, it's apocalyptic without being miserable. Combat is fun, driving is easy and the challenge is always there.

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Cumberdanes
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by Cumberdanes » Sun Jul 12, 2020 12:32 pm

I started Dungeon Siege on PC yesterday afternoon, I’m enjoying it so far but a few hours in I already feel I may need to start over and rethink my character build. The progression system is a little odd, like Final Fantasy II odd.

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Frank
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by Frank » Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:35 pm

kazanova_Frankenstein wrote:
Ironhide wrote:Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise

A fairly short but sweet (5 to 6 hours) room escape/point & click with a noirish spy setting.

picked it up for just over £3 in the Steam sale and thoroughly recommend it, sale ends tomorrow at 6pm so there's still time to snap it up.


I picked it up for a couple of quid about 3 years ago on iOS. Worked really well with the touch controls. Went back to it to play the extra mission they released a few months ago. Really fun little game.


There was an extra mission? :o I picked it up on the Switch and it seemed to end with a bit of a hint of another chapter but I didn't think they'd done anything. Wonder if it just wasn't out on Switch though...

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Zilnad
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by Zilnad » Sun Jul 12, 2020 5:24 pm

Squinty wrote:I loved Mankind Divided, recently bought the season pass with the intention of going through it again. Think it's better than the first one. Is a shame the series seems to be on hiatus.


I'm up to Prague in the night time and I'd probably say I prefer it to HR as well. It's just so good and the atmosphere is perfect. I'm really invested in the story and the characters and I'm wary of trusting anyone. I'm actually getting massive Vampire Bloodline vibes from the game which is an instant plus for me.

I can't believe I waited so long to play this as I bloody love it.

Only just unlocked one of the experimental buffs and went for the remote hacking. So fun to set off car alarms from across the street to distract guards from my position. Really satisfying.

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kazanova_Frankenstein
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PostRe: Currently Playing in 2020...
by kazanova_Frankenstein » Sun Jul 12, 2020 5:46 pm

Frank wrote:
kazanova_Frankenstein wrote:
Ironhide wrote:Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise

A fairly short but sweet (5 to 6 hours) room escape/point & click with a noirish spy setting.

picked it up for just over £3 in the Steam sale and thoroughly recommend it, sale ends tomorrow at 6pm so there's still time to snap it up.


I picked it up for a couple of quid about 3 years ago on iOS. Worked really well with the touch controls. Went back to it to play the extra mission they released a few months ago. Really fun little game.


There was an extra mission? :o I picked it up on the Switch and it seemed to end with a bit of a hint of another chapter but I didn't think they'd done anything. Wonder if it just wasn't out on Switch though...


Chapter 5 was the extra one on iOS. Looking at Wikipedia suggest it launched complete on the Switch.


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