All Things Videogame Related: EXTREME VS!!

[kajnrig]

6 hours ago, Tking22 said:

Demon Souls is releasing on PC too.

Sony have clarified that it is not coming to PC and that the message at the end of the trailer suggesting so was an error.

[Tking22]

2 hours ago, kajnrig said:

Sony have clarified that it is not coming to PC and that the message at the end of the trailer suggesting so was an error.

That's a bummer if true, but seeing as Dark Souls has been on PC, I'd wager they screwed up and jumped the gun, it'll come to PC too eventually, they just wanna sell PS5s this holiday and have at least one real PS5 exclusive for launch.

That would be the only real interesting launch exclusive, and it's a remaster/remake of a PS3 game, it's still an incredibly dull launch for both consoles, nothing really worth a whole console purchase IMO.

[kajnrig]

9 minutes ago, Tking22 said:

That's a bummer if true, but seeing as Dark Souls has been on PC, I'd wager they screwed up and jumped the gun, it'll come to PC too eventually, they just wanna sell PS5s this holiday and have at least one real PS5 exclusive for launch.

Almost assuredly so. Or, well, decently probable that that's the case. That said, DeS and DS are owned by different companies, so DS coming to PC isn't necessarily an accurate barometer to measure the probability of DeS doing the same. Now, if I start hearing word of other Sony-affiliated IPs (like God of War, Spider-Man, Killzone???, Ghost of Tsushima, etc.) coming to PC, THAT'S when I'll start seriously entertaining the idea of DeS coming over. One can hope.

9 minutes ago, Tking22 said:

That would be the only real interesting launch exclusive, and it's a remaster/remake of a PS3 game, it's still an incredibly dull launch for both consoles, nothing really worth a whole console purchase IMO.

I dunno, I think Sony's definitely got the better lineup... which is to say, they actually have a lineup. (That it's a compelling lineup is just icing on the cake.) I'm fairly certain that all of Microsoft's announced games can also be found on PC, which negates the point entirely of their dedicated gaming console. I think only Halo Infinite is Xbox-exclusive, and Halo Infinite is hardly going to be a system seller, unless I'm horribly misreading the room on it.

[Jaustin89]

3 minutes ago, kajnrig said:

I'm fairly certain that all of Microsoft's announced games can also be found on PC, which negates the point entirely of their dedicated gaming console.

As I understand it that's been Microsoft's explicit stance for a while now; they'll do Microsoft exclusives but not Xbox exclusives. As long as you have a decent PC that runs on (or emulates) Windows an Xbox is entirely redundant.

[mikeszekely]

3 minutes ago, kajnrig said:

I think only Halo Infinite is Xbox-exclusive

It's already got a Steam page.

4 minutes ago, kajnrig said:

I dunno, I think Sony's definitely got the better lineup... which is to say, they actually have a lineup. (That it's a compelling lineup is just icing on the cake.) I'm fairly certain that all of Microsoft's announced games can also be found on PC, which negates the point entirely of their dedicated gaming console.

All of Microsoft's 1st-party stuff, yeah.  But here's the thing... I don't think Microsoft is playing the same game as Sony and Nintendo anymore.  They've figured out that they can make more from selling you services than they can from selling you games or consoles.  I mean, look at this way.  It's been months since I played on an Xbox console, and then pretty much only because my friends throw a Thanksgiving party for friends every year, and every year we get drunk and play Rock Band.  I've figured for a while that I'd like to get a PS5, because I expect that there will be Sony-exclusive games I want to play, and PlayStation's as good as anything for the multiplatform-but-not-PC games (like my annual NHL fix).  A few months, heck, a few weeks ago I had no intention of buying a new Xbox console, though.  But Microsoft did get me to sign up for Xbox Game Pass for PC, which will be an even better deal since Game Pass is going to include EA Play.  Except the console version does still have more games than the PC version (presumably including NHL now).  And the price for the PC version is going up, putting me into a position where I'm thinking I should just get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $5 more, which includes Game Pass for PC and console plus Xbox Live Gold.  And to get the most out of that I should probably get a new Xbox.  I know that, with first party games like Forza at least, cloud saves let you start a game on an Xbox and pick it up later on PC anyway.  Even if I cheap out and get the Series S Microsoft still managed to sell me a $15/month service and get me to buy a console that I'll never actually buy a game for.  And a few years from now, yes, Sony will likely have moved more consoles.  The PS5 version of a multiplatform game will likely outsell the Xbox version by a significant margin.  But Microsoft won't care as Game Pass becomes the Netflix of videogames.

[Tking22]

1 hour ago, kajnrig said:

I dunno, I think Sony's definitely got the better lineup... which is to say, they actually have a lineup. (That it's a compelling lineup is just icing on the cake.) I'm fairly certain that all of Microsoft's announced games can also be found on PC, which negates the point entirely of their dedicated gaming console. I think only Halo Infinite is Xbox-exclusive, and Halo Infinite is hardly going to be a system seller, unless I'm horribly misreading the room on it.

I mostly meant from the perspective of a PS4 Pro owner, there isn't a compelling lineup of launch exclusives enticing me to grab a PS5, Demons Souls is all I'd miss out on at launch. There's plenty more on the horizon for both companies, Microsoft has as much announced for the future as Sony, but agreed, Sony's announced stuff is more interesting.

As Mike already mentioned above, Microsoft clearly isn't trying to sell consoles, they are selling services, namely Gamepass and Gamepass Ultimate. At this point, Xbox is just another piece of hardware that can access those services, there hasn't been an "Xbox" exclusive in years now, Microsoft gave that up, they've been doing "Microsoft" exclusives for years now, they've embraced PC gaming and the PC gaming community.

I'm really interested in seeing how the Xbox Series S does, it's basically just a cheap way to access Gamepass Ultimate, which has a ton of value, and is constantly adding more, the EA thing was another big win, a Series S is a cheap way to access a lot of content and games, that's what Microsoft is after, Sony still pushes console exclusives and makes money selling consoles, it's two entirely different races at this point.

1 hour ago, Jaustin89 said:

As I understand it that's been Microsoft's explicit stance for a while now; they'll do Microsoft exclusives but not Xbox exclusives. As long as you have a decent PC that runs on (or emulates) Windows an Xbox is entirely redundant.

Yeah selling consoles really isn't their focus anymore, at this point they're just gateways to their games services. For those that don't have a gaming PC, Microsoft will now have two flavors of console to play games, one more traditional, the Series X, and the cheaper Series S which will be an all digital long-term game renting machine. The exclusives Microsoft puts out are much more accessible, they definitely want more software and game service sales.

58 minutes ago, mikeszekely said:

But Microsoft did get me to sign up for Xbox Game Pass for PC, which will be an even better deal since Game Pass is going to include EA Play.  Except the console version does still have more games than the PC version (presumably including NHL now).  And the price for the PC version is going up, putting me into a position where I'm thinking I should just get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $5 more, which includes Game Pass for PC and console plus Xbox Live Gold.  And to get the most out of that I should probably get a new Xbox.  I know that, with first party games like Forza at least, cloud saves let you start a game on an Xbox and pick it up later on PC anyway.  Even if I cheap out and get the Series S Microsoft still managed to sell me a $15/month service and get me to buy a console that I'll never actually buy a game for.  And a few years from now, yes, Sony will likely have moved more consoles.  The PS5 version of a multiplatform game will likely outsell the Xbox version by a significant margin.  But Microsoft won't care as Game Pass becomes the Netflix of videogames.

I've seen a lot of PC gamers repeat this, and it's clear this is what Microsoft was hoping for, and it clearly seems to be working. Gamepass is a great deal on PC, then better on console for a few bucks more, eventually, even though mostly redundant, why not grab a cheap Series S? Not the Series X, that's for folks like me that don't have a gaming PC, but it's something someone with a PC may one day consider, and it's very cheap and bargain friendly way to access a lot of gaming if you don't have another console or PC.

It'll be interesting to see how Microsoft does this generation, trying to sell software and game services over the more traditional method, selling actual gaming consoles. Even though I get Sony's approach, it works and it's ages old, Microsoft definitely seems more bargain and user friendly, they also haven't announced first party stuff will be $70 this gen unlike Sony which announced their slight first party exclusive price hike. Zero doubt at all Sony will will PS5s like crazy, but how well will Microsoft do with their new approach? Sony exclusives sell well, but third party games always have and always will make up the majority of software sales on every platform. Sony doesn't survive and thrive on software sales, their first party stuff is undoubtedly popular and do move consoles, but Call of a Duty, Fortnite, GTA V, third party stuff always sells the most and stays at the top of the most played and best sales charts.

I'll be getting a Series X, eventually, like the PS5, but to my original point, neither launch is very exciting.

[anime52k8]

I'm still too cheap and lazy to mess with a gaming PC.  I kinda want to get a Series X at launch just because my XB1 is showing it's age and I want something a bit faster

[kajnrig]

All that about the subscription approach is true and all. I suppose I just don't see anything compelling to play within that subscription. A lot of the indie and "AA" games I already have on Steam. The only EA game I've played in the last... 5? 10? years is Titanfall 2, IIRC, rendering their addition to the Pass moot, and it won't be any more compelling if other big names like Square or Ubisoft also get on board, because what's true about EA is true about them, too. Even Capcom, the one big AAA dev/publisher that I've consistently bought from the past five or so years, I have basically their whole collection on Steam already, so...

That all said, my coworker has been really hype about the S, and Game Pass, and especially the streaming service component, which honestly seems like the most interesting part of the whole package.

[mikeszekely]

Maybe Microsoft will have better console exclusives (that is, still on PC but not on Playstation) this generation after all. Pending all the usual legal junk Microsoft just bought Zenimax, the parent company of Bethesda.

[Chronocidal]

I'm not sure what to think about MS acquiring Bethesda, especially after recent experiences with installing things from the MS Store...

But someone I know made a really amusing point.

Todd Howard just got Microsoft to buy Skyrim.  

Edited September 21, 2020 by Chronocidal

[kajnrig]

3 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

But someone I know made a really amusing point.

Todd Howard just got Microsoft to buy Skyrim.  

Wait, what's the joke here?

[mikeszekely]

I'm like a year late to the party on this one (I play on PC and refuse to install the Epic Store, so I had to wait for Steam), but I finally started playing Control.  Hot dang, this game is good.  It's basically what you'd get if some Warehouse 13 fans decided to make a 3rd-person shooter after spending way too much time on the SCP wiki.  Early in the game you get telekinesis after catching an old 8" floppy disk with Soviet launch codes on it that tried to kill you by flinging the containers that go in pneumatic tubes at you, and I love it.  It's the best blend of action and horror I've encountered since in a videogame since FEAR.

[Gerli]

Playing Genshin Impact... beautiful game even if is a copy on the last Zelda.. and it's free 

[kajnrig]

I dunno, got more Your Name vibes...

 

[Tking22]

Anyone else with Ghost of Tsushima try out the magnificent Legends update? I'm pretty blown away, it's absolutely brilliant for free DLC, I've spent hours, and hours, and hours getting my samurai to 110 ki level 33, it's a ton of fun. There's also New Game+ added to the main game, along with a slew of really nice, very much appreciated quality of life changes and additions. 

I'll fire up New Game+ eventually, for right now I've been having an absolute blast with the coop Legends modes though, the two player campaign missions in particular are a lot of fun. There's also a four player coop survival mode, which is what it sounds like, just surviving waves of enemies while holding checkpoints throughout the map, not as in depth or engaging as the two player story stuff, but still very fun. There's loot and gear, but it's not egregious, this isn't Marvel's Avengers or Destiny, all loot can be shared among the classes. Four classes to pick, ultimate abilities, unique gear and cosmetics for each class, this is a pretty substantial update for free.

I see some people are disappointed this wasn't a single player expansion, but honestly, if this was a "real" expansion with actual new characters, cut scenes, moves and attacks, enemies, etc., it obviously would've cost money. So for free, I think the Legends update is amazing, I'll be playing for weeks to come now, more so considering there are larger "raids" on the way. 

[mikeszekely]

32 minutes ago, Tking22 said:

Anyone else with Ghost of Tsushima try out the magnificent Legends update?

No because-

34 minutes ago, Tking22 said:

I see some people are disappointed this wasn't a single player expansion

I wouldn't say I'm disappointed, because like you said it's free. I totally got my money's worth out of the game already.

But the fact remains I really don't do multiplayer. I'd never play this kind of content with strangers, and I think I'm the only one who bought this game in my circle of friends. It's unlikely I'll ever play Legends.

[Tking22]

18 minutes ago, mikeszekely said:

But the fact remains I really don't do multiplayer. I'd never play this kind of content with strangers, and I think I'm the only one who bought this game in my circle of friends. It's unlikely I'll ever play Legends.

I absolutely love multiplayer, coop specifically, I love me some PvE, but not PvP, so I'm all in on this update, it's magnificent. Good news is that you can totally do everything in Legends solo, you just que up and turn off matchmaking. It's tough at times, the two player Legends story is clearly designed for two ghosts, but it can be done. I did the whole campaign myself on bronze then silver difficulty, bronze was a breeze but silver got pretty hectic at times. 

I'd also say that the survival mode is far, far more forgiving with three random players helping out, the objective is always the same, you just fight and defend a spot, little need for coordination for the most part. The campaign with random players is another story, I tried a few times but just got idiots and children. 

[ErikElvis]

So are any of these launch games going to be worth a damn for series x or 5?  I’m really just waiting for elder scrolls which is at least 2 years out. 

[JB0]

3 hours ago, ErikElvis said:

So are any of these launch games going to be worth a damn for series x or 5?  I’m really just waiting for elder scrolls which is at least 2 years out. 

Are launch games ever worth a damn?

[mikeszekely]

7 hours ago, ErikElvis said:

So are any of these launch games going to be worth a damn for series x or 5?  I’m really just waiting for elder scrolls which is at least 2 years out. 

Big generational leaps are over. Plus, Microsoft's business model has moved from selling hardware to selling Game Pass, so it's in their interests to push software that runs on every Xbox from the One S to the Series X. So, aside from faster load times, better 4K performance, and ray tracing the games are going to be the same.

4 hours ago, JB0 said:

Are launch games ever worth a damn?

Super Mario World.

[ErikElvis]

17 hours ago, mikeszekely said:

Big generational leaps are over. Plus, Microsoft's business model has moved from selling hardware to selling Game Pass, so it's in their interests to push software that runs on every Xbox from the One S to the Series X. So, aside from faster load times, better 4K performance, and ray tracing the games are going to be the same.

Super Mario World.

Yeah to be honest I haven’t been blown away by anything since 360 or so. Everything since I’m kinda meh about. 

[Scyla]

18 hours ago, mikeszekely said:

Big generational leaps are over. Plus, Microsoft's business model has moved from selling hardware to selling Game Pass, so it's in their interests to push software that runs on every Xbox from the One S to the Series X. So, aside from faster load times, better 4K performance, and ray tracing the games are going to be the same.

Super Mario World.

Tetris!

[Shadow]

On 10/21/2020 at 3:52 PM, Tking22 said:

Anyone else with Ghost of Tsushima try out the magnificent Legends update? I'm pretty blown away, it's absolutely brilliant for free DLC, I've spent hours, and hours, and hours getting my samurai to 110 ki level 33, it's a ton of fun. There's also New Game+ added to the main game, along with a slew of really nice, very much appreciated quality of life changes and additions. 

I'll fire up New Game+ eventually, for right now I've been having an absolute blast with the coop Legends modes though, the two player campaign missions in particular are a lot of fun.

Yes and I'm enjoying it so far. Do I wish there was a single player mode for the Legends story? Yes but it's not taking away my enjoyment. I've leveling up my Assassin. Then going to move to Ronin class. Played alittle New Game+ as well which deeply welcomed.

About to try Doom Eternal: Ancient Gods DLC. From what I'm hearing, it's  the modern version of Thy Flesh Consumed and even Plutonium in term of difficulty.

I'm sticking with my PC instead of buying a PS5 or Series X. Would like to upgrade my current PCs CPU and eventually considering upgrading the GPU to either a 3070Ti or Radeon 6800 (depending on what I hear about them).

Edited November 1, 2020 by Shadow

[Tking22]

Ghost of Tsushima Legends raid came out, very well made, very tough too. Three chapters, the second in particular took about two hours, definitely requires communication, teamwork and a very solid group of four.

This Legends update has been fantastic, it's definitely cemented my opinion that Ghost is absolutely game of the year material.

[Gerli]

Had my first D&D Rol session yesterday on Tabletop Simulation... it was an AMAZING experience (We played for like 5 hours)

 

[mikeszekely]

1 hour ago, Gerli said:

Had my first D&D Rol session yesterday on Tabletop Simulation... it was an AMAZING experience (We played for like 5 hours)

 

What mod/table did you use? Did it have a battle mat and minis? I'm dying to play again, but I was thinking about just paying the small fortune for Fantasy Grounds.

[Gerli]

1 hour ago, mikeszekely said:

What mod/table did you use? Did it have a battle mat and minis? I'm dying to play again, but I was thinking about just paying the small fortune for Fantasy Grounds.

The GameMaster set up the table with these MODs

There was a bag of miniatures tu choose from, some where animated but I didn't explore to much... I just grab one for my archer.

 

 

Edited November 2, 2020 by Gerli

[renegadeleader1]

Started playing Banner Of The Maid today. How can I best describe this? Picture a Final Fantasy Tactics style of turn based strategy game set during the French Revolution/Napoleonic Wars, populated by a bunch of busty anime styled waifus, and yet somehow still relatively accurate to history.

 

I wasn't sure of this game at first, but I gave it a shot because l like the time period it's set in and it was cheap($16.99 on xbox). Surprisingly this game isn't just better than it has any right to be, it's just a damn good game!

You basically play as Napoleon's little sister who in this world is also military officer trying to make a name for herself on the battlefield. The thing is between missions it plays out like a visual novel where you have to curry favor or take on extra missions between different politcal factions of the revolution in order to get better equipment and supplies for the front which is a neat little twist. 

The battles play like a typical turn based grid game except each character represents a regiment under their command that faces another enemy regiment in a line battle instead of character on character. So you have skirmishers, line infantry, light cavalry, heavy cavalry, and artillery each with distinctive strengths and weaknesses. You can even promote regiments to become elites like going from an regular line battalion to part of Boneparte's Old Guard.

 

You guys should really check this game out!

 

Edit: Behold Bridget Sharpe!

Edited November 3, 2020 by renegadeleader1

[mikeszekely]

So, on a recent Steam sale I picked up a game called Terminator: Resistance.  Despite the license, it seems the game got very little press when it was released last year, and what reviews I could find were pretty negative.  And yet, the Steam user reviews are "Very Positive."

The truth is somewhere in the middle, I think.  The professional reviews aren't wrong when they point out that the graphics are pretty bad for a game that's only a year old, but aside from when you're talking to another human they weren't bad to the point of distraction.  The enemy AI isn't always the brightest, but since you're fighting machines enemies that stick to defined patrol routes, charge you without taking cover, and have trouble finding you when you're hiding behind another object is almost immersive.  And the voice acting is bad... just bad.  I got nothing to turn that around.

But what's good about it?  The story seems decent enough, if you're a fan of the franchise (or at least the two good movies).  It's sort of a prequel to the original (and it ignores all the sequels).  It's a decent first-person shooter with RPG-lite elements.  It's not an open-world game, but the outdoor levels give you room to explore.  And there's a stealth level where you have to sneak around a bunch of T-800s that's genuinely tense (sadly, after completing it, you get your first plasma weapon and the T-800s become more fodder).

Basically, Terminator: Resistance is NOT a polished $60 triple-A title.  But it's not licensed dreck, either.  If you're a fan of the franchise and you can get it on sale for $20 or less you'll have a good time with it as long as you don't expect a lot from it.

[TangledThorns]

5 hours ago, mikeszekely said:

So, on a recent Steam sale I picked up a game called Terminator: Resistance.  Despite the license, it seems the game got very little press when it was released last year, and what reviews I could find were pretty negative.  And yet, the Steam user reviews are "Very Positive."

The truth is somewhere in the middle, I think.  The professional reviews aren't wrong when they point out that the graphics are pretty bad for a game that's only a year old, but aside from when you're talking to another human they weren't bad to the point of distraction.  The enemy AI isn't always the brightest, but since you're fighting machines enemies that stick to defined patrol routes, charge you without taking cover, and have trouble finding you when you're hiding behind another object is almost immersive.  And the voice acting is bad... just bad.  I got nothing to turn that around.

But what's good about it?  The story seems decent enough, if you're a fan of the franchise (or at least the two good movies).  It's sort of a prequel to the original (and it ignores all the sequels).  It's a decent first-person shooter with RPG-lite elements.  It's not an open-world game, but the outdoor levels give you room to explore.  And there's a stealth level where you have to sneak around a bunch of T-800s that's genuinely tense (sadly, after completing it, you get your first plasma weapon and the T-800s become more fodder).

Basically, Terminator: Resistance is NOT a polished $60 triple-A title.  But it's not licensed dreck, either.  If you're a fan of the franchise and you can get it on sale for $20 or less you'll have a good time with it as long as you don't expect a lot from it.

I saw they just came out with an expansion where you play as a T-800. Did you play that too?

[mikeszekely]

2 hours ago, TangledThorns said:

I saw they just came out with an expansion where you play as a T-800. Did you play that too?

Not yet, I'm still doing the main campaign. But that does bring up another point. This isn't a case of a publisher shoving out some movie tie-in and forgetting about it. The developers clearly care about the game, and they're still supporting it a year later.

[renegadeleader1]

2 hours ago, mikeszekely said:

Not yet, I'm still doing the main campaign. But that does bring up another point. This isn't a case of a publisher shoving out some movie tie-in and forgetting about it. The developers clearly care about the game, and they're still supporting it a year later.

One major reason this game wasn't well recieved had to do with the previous movie tie in game the studio developed... Rambo.

 

 

[mikeszekely]

7 hours ago, renegadeleader1 said:

One major reason this game wasn't well recieved had to do with the previous movie tie in game the studio developed... Rambo.

I mean... I think it's fair to assume what the quality of a game might be like based on their previous works.  But I feel like the handful of people that got paid to review it wrote it off as much worse than it actually is.

[mikeszekely]

On 11/7/2020 at 7:43 AM, TangledThorns said:

I saw they just came out with an expansion where you play as a T-800. Did you play that too?

Ok, I finished the game and tried the new DLC.  And... I can't complain, as it's new free content a year after the game came out.  But it's certainly nothing to write home about.  Infiltrator mode is a single level where you're tasked to find and kill a resistance leader.  Unlike the main game there's no markers telling you where to go, though.  Instead, as you explore the level, you might find other resistance members, scavengers, notes left in abandoned shelters, or maybe even a laptop.  Doing so gives you intel that will put markers on your map.  Checking out those markers will give you more intel still, until you eventually have enough intel to know where the target is.

Also unlike the main game there's no progression.  You'll be able to pick up weapons supplies off of enemies you kill, but you won't get skill points, crafting materials, or trade goods to use in a shop.  And there are no checkpoints, which can be a little frustrating.  A half an hour in my first time I tried to toss a bomb into a resistance lab to take out a guy on a minigun.  The bomb hit the top of the door and landed at my feet, killing me and forcing me to start over from the beginning.

It's a shame they didn't do more with it, because playing as an infiltrator is actually fun.  If you can get close to an enemy you can use the melee key to grab him.  If you toss him into any friends he has with them you'll knock them all down, stunning and injuring them.  But what I like to do, if he's the last one, is to throw him high into the air and let him splat, which is fatal.

Also, having completed the main campaign, I stand by what I said before.  It's not a polished, triple-A game by any stretch, but for $20 or so it's a good time.

[Tking22]

Found one at Walmart, not a planned purchase, I was going to definitely grab one eventually, but it was there so I nabbed it.