All Things Videogame Related: EXTREME VS!!

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

No no, you're confusing "game of the year" with "Game of the Year Edition".

Man, I can't find an Xbox One, and you're returning yours. First world problems...

i'm just messing around. i know what you mean, trying to go on a tangent from the debate.

oh, i should've shipped you mine. lol. if i see any online i'll pm you.

[Archer]

Picked up Sly Cooper, Thieves in time for Vita, at 10 bucks off Amazon. Not a bad deal at all

Always was a HUGE fan of the big playstation "three" growing up (jak and daxter, which lead way to Ratchet and Clank and Sly Cooper), and I don't even remember why I didn't pick up sly cooper for Vita when it came out, but this is a great way to gauge my nostalgia

Also, finally got around to downloading windows on my mac. It's not a gaming PC, but it should tide me over (along with that PS4) until I can invest in a decent spec rig (or get a steam machine).

[Archer]

Sorry for the double post, but I thought this was really cool:

So gorgeous. Too bad it won't look that good on PSBone

[anime52k8]

one: that looks pretty,

two: pc gamers ruin everything.

[Duke Togo]

Toys'R'Us has PS4's in stock online right now. Free shipping.

[mikeszekely]

So I went to my local Wally World today, because I needed groceries and surprisingly enough Walmart is actually the most convenient place to get groceries for me. It was already 10:30, so I didn't expect to buy anything that wasn't edible. For the hell of it, though, I swung by electronics... and saw two Xbox Ones in the display case. I literally did a double take, verifying that it did say One and not 360, staring at the Kinect on the front of the box. I bought one and a copy of Forza... never did get any groceries.

So far, I've got mixed feelings about it. I like the simple, blocky design of the hardware. The controller isn't a huge improvement overt he 360, but to be fair the 360 had a really solid controller, and I do like the One's.

The system software is a mixed bag. I actually kinda like the Kinect voice commands, and the way it automatically signs you in when it sees you. I still don't care for Metro, though, and I wish you could set a background wallpaper or something. There are odd quirks, too. Like, at first it would only output stereo to my receiver. Eventually, I discovered that to fix it, I had to change the display settings from automatic (HDMI) to HDMI. Stupid, right?

Speaking of receivers, mine had no free slots (being taken by a PS3, Wii U, 360, and a Mac Mini). I just my Mac as an HTPC, so since lag wasn't an issue, I decided to run it through the One. That worked pretty good for me, so I was glad I didn't have to rearrange things too much (at least until I find a PS4).

As for games, the install times are indeed pretty ridiculous. Since Forza is still installing, I'll have to wait to talk about it. At this particular moment, it sounds like multiplatform games run better on PS4, but I'd play those on PC. When you take the PC games out, the One seems to have better exclusives... for now. I think that will change.

[Mommar]

Can't you start playing games on both systems while they're still installing?

[azrael]

As for games, the install times are indeed pretty ridiculous. Since Forza is still installing, I'll have to wait to talk about it. At this particular moment, it sounds like multiplatform games run better on PS4, but I'd play those on PC. When you take the PC games out, the One seems to have better exclusives... for now. I think that will change.

You can always start installing a game then run out and get groceries. Should be done by the time you get back.

[mikeszekely]

You can always start installing a game then run out and get groceries. Should be done by the time you get back.

I don't know... the Walmart's not that far away...

Can't you start playing games on both systems while they're still installing?

Sort of. You can play before the game has finished installing, and the One will pop up a notification letting you know that it's ready. But it seems like the games have to do some installing before it'll let you play, and at least in my case with Forza, that was probably close to 20 minutes of waiting.

As a PC gamer, I'm not going to complain too much. I'm used to having to download and install games before I can play them anyway. What I do think is probably the biggest bullshit in gaming, though, is that Microsoft requires an Xbox Live Gold account to use the Netflix app. I mean, seriously, Microsoft? Netflix isn't going to sell Gold subs, it's just going to push me to use my PS3/Wii U/Chromecast/HTPC/Roku/Nexus 7/iPad/smartphone/Vita/3DS instead. Seriously, pretty much every electronic device with a screen or that hooks up to a screen and has an internet connection these days can do Netflix. Microsoft's insistence that it be some kind of "premium" feature for Gold subscribers is just asinine.

[Archer]

On my PS4, when you put in a disc in for the first time, a small "loading" bar will appear. Takes about 5 - 10 minutes to fill, and you can hear the disc drive whir like crazy (worried me a lot the first time I heard it). After that, you can play immediately whenever you have the disc in. Also, while you play, the system will continue to download more data off the disc in the background, so you'll hear the disc drive start to "whir" periodically as you keep playing. I think once the full disc data has been downloaded, the only purpose of the disc is to act as a "product key" of sorts, and let you access the data.

Kinda strange, but I prefer it to the ridiculous install times on PS3.

[GU-11]

On my PS4, when you put in a disc in for the first time, a small "loading" bar will appear. Takes about 5 - 10 minutes to fill, and you can hear the disc drive whir like crazy (worried me a lot the first time I heard it). After that, you can play immediately whenever you have the disc in. Also, while you play, the system will continue to download more data off the disc in the background, so you'll hear the disc drive start to "whir" periodically as you keep playing. I think once the full disc data has been downloaded, the only purpose of the disc is to act as a "product key" of sorts, and let you access the data.

Kinda strange, but I prefer it to the ridiculous install times on PS3.

To be fair, though, many of the later PS3 games don't require an install--except game utility data, of course. IMO, MGS4 was the worst offender of them all. Sat there for 20 minutes watching Old Snake smoke his damn cigarette.

Edited December 10, 2013 by GU-11

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

So I went to my local Wally World today, because I needed groceries and surprisingly enough Walmart is actually the most convenient place to get groceries for me. It was already 10:30, so I didn't expect to buy anything that wasn't edible. For the hell of it, though, I swung by electronics... and saw two Xbox Ones in the display case. I literally did a double take, verifying that it did say One and not 360, staring at the Kinect on the front of the box. I bought one and a copy of Forza... never did get any groceries.

i guess you beat my pm to the punch! nice! even though you're a mainly a Pc gamer it's cool to have another cable box in the house.

i'm really digging the 3ds XL i love the battery life of it. i can finally play 3ds unplugged or not sit by the cradle. (the cradle of my original zelda 3ds is constantly hugging the cradle.)

i've been playing tales of the abyss which i totally missed during the FF craze. amazing story and game. i have tales of xillia waiting unwrapped as well.

these tales of.... games brings back the joy of jrpg gaming.

xenosaga indirect successor... where are you??

i have all these ps3 games to play and i have no interest....

just COD Ghosts with some friends online... and we're just looking to laugh. esp. when we find a dumb camping spot that nobody can get to us and just c4 up the entrances...

once we're ready we begin shooting an unsilenced weapon to give away our positions and lure them in... heehee so messed up... beyond that,

the ps3 is pretty uninteresting.

Edited December 10, 2013 by davidwhangchoi

[Benson13]

NSA spying on gamers.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/09/nsa-spies-online-games-world-warcraft-second-life

[bob joe mac]

i've been playing tales of the abyss which i totally missed during the FF craze. amazing story and game. i have tales of xillia waiting unwrapped as well.

these tales of.... games brings back the joy of jrpg gaming.

xenosaga indirect successor... where are you??

Not sure if you you played it or not we did get another Xeno game (I know in earlier development it wasn't one) called Xenoblade on the Wii which was easily one of the best games I have played in the past decade. Not so much for a overly deep and complex plot but for the world environment, characters and exploration.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenoblade

And yea I agree some how for the most part the tales games have maintained the enjoyment factor of olden years of RPG gaming. I'm also playing Abyss for the first time on the 3ds and beat Graces and Xillia over the summer and loving all three.

[Archer]

To be fair, though, many of the later PS3 games don't require an install--except game utility data, of course. IMO, MGS4 was the worst offender of them all. Sat there for 20 minutes watching Old Snake smoke his damn cigarette.

LOL I remember that

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

Not sure if you you played it or not we did get another Xeno game (I know in earlier development it wasn't one) called Xenoblade on the Wii which was easily one of the best games I have played in the past decade. Not so much for a overly deep and complex plot but for the world environment, characters and exploration.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenoblade

And yea I agree some how for the most part the tales games have maintained the enjoyment factor of olden years of RPG gaming. I'm also playing Abyss for the first time on the 3ds and beat Graces and Xillia over the summer and loving all three.

Yeah, xenoblade is an awesome game. was in the middle of COD intermission and posted without realizing that. i did mean blade.

i'm really surprised how strong the characters are in abyss, the story is paced so well. i think this is one of the best stories and fighting engine in a while. been playing right before i got to bed and stayed up till 4am playing...

very surprised this game was hidden for so long. i take this over FF12 anyday. i can't believe i missed this game during the ps2 era.

Edited December 11, 2013 by davidwhangchoi

[Ghost Train]

NSA spying on gamers.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/09/nsa-spies-online-games-world-warcraft-second-life

This would be like my dream job.

[Gaijin]

Can't you start playing games on both systems while they're still installing?

Having played both now:

XBone- ridiculous install times anywhere from 8-20 mins

PS4 - most less than a minute before you can press start and and...well, start.

Kotaku of all places did a comparison too. Google it and see. I expected long install times last gen..not this one. So PS4 wins on that front.

Friend has Xbone, I have PS4. He has buyers remorse.

Though I do like the XBone Kinect to scan in a code to redeem a card. That is cool. Not $100 more cool, but very cool.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Gaijin

[Gerli]

Playing GT6... it's... ok, but feels more like an "Expansion" than a new game. Some effects are nice, but only in replay mode. The micro-transactions are a joke too, but that's the times where we live now.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

Playing GT6... it's... ok, but feels more like an "Expansion" than a new game. Some effects are nice, but only in replay mode. The micro-transactions are a joke too, but that's the times where we live now.

Thanks for the mini review. I was on the fence but i'll wait till it drops to 20 bucks to grab it. I have the g27 steering wheel for it. For some reason that has been my impression for every release is the game looks good in replays but not as great during gameplay

[Archer]

Got A Link Between Worlds. Haven't had this much fun with any game in quite a while

[mikeszekely]

Got A Link Between Worlds. Haven't had this much fun with any game in quite a while

After 20 years, I didn't think anything would top a Link to the Past, but I think LbW actually does.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

After 20 years, I didn't think anything would top a Link to the Past, but I think LbW actually does.

Portable game of this generation. at least a candidate. (pokemon has to be up there)

Edited December 15, 2013 by davidwhangchoi

[mikeszekely]

Portable game of this generation. at least a candidate. (pokemon has to be up there)

Ooh, that's a toughie. As much as I enjoyed Pokemon X/Y (and Project X Zone, and Shin Megami Tensei IV... 3DS has had a really solid year), I feel pretty comfortable saying that A Link Between Worlds was the best portable game this year.

But the whole generation? It's got some serious competition from Persona 4 Golden, aka the only reason I still have a Vita.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

Ooh, that's a toughie. As much as I enjoyed Pokemon X/Y (and Project X Zone, and Shin Megami Tensei IV... 3DS has had a really solid year), I feel pretty comfortable saying that A Link Between Worlds was the best portable game this year.

But the whole generation? It's got some serious competition from Persona 4 Golden, aka the only reason I still have a Vita.

i see persona 4 as i see tales of abyss, an updated conversion of a console (PS2) game though golden is much more than a direct port as tales of ab was.

pokemon x y and zelda albw think is a pure portable game. perhaps monster hunter for psp/vita for jpn?

it's too early to see sales for zelda but i think it's what you said at least one candidate for portable game of the year.

generation... hmmm i wonder which game would be able to claim that title for portables?

Edited December 16, 2013 by davidwhangchoi

[mikeszekely]

generation... hmmm i wonder which game would be able to claim that title for portables?

If I consider this generation to be 3DS/Vita (so no DS/PSP games or older), and I take out Persona 4 Golden for the reason you specified (which was why I didn't consider it for Game of the Year, despite it being literally the best game I'd played that year), then I'd say that A Link Between Worlds is definitely a front runner. In fact, the only game I'd say is close is Super Mario 3D Land, which I felt was the perfect blend of 2D and 3D-style Mario gameplay (and, incidentally, was way better than 3D World due to its superior level design).

[areaseven]

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

i can't express how great tales of abyss is. what a great great story. i can't believe this series is not as big in the U.S. is it is in Japan. this hands down beats FF 13, 13-2 and i can't believe how this game aged so well. if you haven't played it yet, anyone who owns a 3ds need to get it.

this may be stupid but the only reason i held off for so long in playing it was the cover art work. i had this sitting in a pile next to fire emblem, sticker star and kid ikarus for 3ds and i didn't bother opening it. boy i'm soooo glad i did.

this takes me back to the joy of xenoblade, y's I +II, vagrant story, FFIX, xenogears, etc. what a great game....

[mikeszekely]

I had some last-minute holiday shopping to do, and I figured I'd look for PS4s while I'm at it. None to be found (although Walmart.com insists my local Walmart has them, the staff there insist they don't).

Target had at least eight Xbones, though. I don't know if Microsoft is manufacturing them faster, people really prefer the PS4 that much, or some combination of the two is to blame, but the Xbone has been way easier to find in my area.

[David Hingtgen]

I haven't finished ALBW, but close to it. I say LTTP was better, mainly due to the dungeon design and bosses.

[Knight26]

ANyone here played Space Engineers? It looks interesting and might even have full newtonian physics. I was thinking of building some of my designs in it to see how they handle, but understand it has problems with really big ships. Anyone here play with it and can verify?

[Benson13]

If you're on XBL and haven't played The Walking Dead Season 1, episode 1 is free and the other 4 episodes are 66% off.

I was skeptical at first about it but its amazing.

[mikeszekely]

I haven't finished ALBW, but close to it. I say LTTP was better, mainly due to the dungeon design and bosses.

Initially, I thought so too. Then I replayed it LTTP.

[Chronocidal]

And I thought the only way Lucas could violate my childhood was with movies..

http://www.starwarsattacksquadrons.com/

To be fair, there's some rather decent free-to-play games out there now.. but in the process of going to that market, it completely cuts modding communities out of the loop, and you lose... well, arguably, better content than actual paid developers will ever produce.

I wish people would get over the multiplayer/pvp fad though. If I could play this with a few friends in co-op mode through a campaign, I'd be thrilled.

Or, you know, Star Citizen could just come out, and make this entire game die a quick and meaningless death with its open content creation.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

I haven't finished ALBW, but close to it. I say LTTP was better, mainly due to the dungeon design and bosses.

i guess then it can't be considered a portable game of this generation candidate since it may not be better than lttp. i haven't gotten to it yet, but it's cool to read that it's close to link to the past, which i felt was the pinnacle of the zelda series as much as super metroid was for it's series.

i hope they would come out with a metroid sequel for the 3ds that's on par w/ the quality of albw.

Edited December 19, 2013 by davidwhangchoi