The Video Game Thread - anything and everything...

[Solo4114]

When I first heard of Google's upcoming online only gaming platform (or whatever you call it) Stadia, I already had a bad feeling about it and wasn't really interested. My roommate at the time was all for it.
I'm actually surprised it lasted this long, but Covid might have actually kept it going this long, with so many people having to stay home at first.

Google is shutting down Stadia

Google’s cloud gaming service launched three years ago.

www.theverge.com

Yeah, that one never made a ton of sense to me. As widespread as broadband is, it's still not 100% reliable everywhere, people have their own in-home problems (e.g., you have interior brick walls blocking/reducing wifi signals), and the types of games people want to play vs. what you can feasibly stream seems....mismatched.

In other news, I downloaded the "Enhanced Edition" of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, only to find that it's....really not very enhanced at all. It's pretty pathetic, actually. The big issue with the game, as I saw it, was that its ending always felt rushed, and several of the different paths you can take around the ending likewise felt rushed. Not much story content, not a lot to do, and mechanically underwhelming. Well...almost none of that has changed with the Enhanced Edition, in spite of the developer stating that they'd beef that stuff up. Turns out "budget limitations" are a factor.

I'm not best pleased with the bait and switch aspect, but hopefully they'll get around to doing this. This also, however, ties into my ever-more-firmly-held belief that we are in an age now where DLC needs to shift back to the "expansion pack" model of the 1990s insofar as being paid expansions. "Season Passes" are ok, in that you pay up front, but "live service" model games that supposedly will offer free DLC/seasons, well...you get what you pay for. With Wrath of the Righteous, they had paid DLC up to this point, but the expectation was that they'd put a bunch of new content into the game for free, which in hindsight seems pretty naïve. And at this point, fine, tell me "That's for a paid DLC expansion," but just be straight up with me about it and don't jerk me around.

 

[Nth]

Final preview for Evil West

New teaser for Gungrave, makes me want to re-watch the anime every time I see it in action.

 

[Nth]

New Dead Space Remake trailer

New dismemberment system incorporated, over an hour of new dialogue recorded and some secondary characters who we only heard but never seen in the original will be making an appearance.
Story reworked to better incorporate with Dead Space 2 and new missions and sidequests being added. Sounds like a worthwhile remake. Especially if you already loved the original.

 

[Nth]

Some new Darktide news including the reveal of subclasses for characters and a new teaser for the zealot.

 

[Gimpdiggity]

I finished Horizon: Forbidden West late last night.

I loved it. It addressed a couple of things that weren’t spectacular about the first game, while maintaining the great atmosphere, story, and gameplay.

If I had one complaint it’s that the reveal of a new, more powerful threat in what is basically the final mission of the game makes this entry very much seem like a game that NEEDS a sequel. Where Zero Dawn had a few strings dangling, it was a story that didn’t feel like a sequel was necessary in order to feel complete. This one, however, clearly needs a third game to finish what they’ve established as their plot.

I look forward to playing the next entry when it comes out for sure though.

 

[Nth]

Konami announcing several new Silent Hill games and movie. Silent Hill 2 Remake trailer shown.

Silent Hill f

Silent Hill Ascension

Silent Hill Townfall

 

[Paul Andrew]

Been bouncing between several games, not really getting super into any of them for a few weeks.

Then I went on vacation and booted up No Man's Sky and started like my 7th new game, fully expecting to give it 4-5 hours and bounce off like every other time.

I'm 45 hours deep now.

I don't know why I'm still playing.

 

[CB2001]

I miss Defiance (both the show and the game).

 

[Gimpdiggity]

I picked up Stray today, I’ll be starting that soon.

I’m also really interested in The Last Hero of
Nostalgia. Looks pretty amusing.

 

[Nth]

Been bouncing between several games, not really getting super into any of them for a few weeks.

Then I went on vacation and booted up No Man's Sky and started like my 7th new game, fully expecting to give it 4-5 hours and bounce off like every other time.

I'm 45 hours deep now.

I don't know why I'm still playing.

I find there is a weird catharsis to No Man's Sky. Even if you're just flying around exploring. Kinda like how come people just go driving for the sake of driving. It reminds me when I used to play Pilot Wings 64 and just spend hours flying the gyrocopter around the snowing night time level and listening to the music. Then when my fuel runs out and I try and maneuver down to the gas station to fill up and do it again.

 

[Nth]

New Resident Evil 4 Remake trailer

 

[HeartBlade]

Been bouncing between several games, not really getting super into any of them for a few weeks.

Then I went on vacation and booted up No Man's Sky and started like my 7th new game, fully expecting to give it 4-5 hours and bounce off like every other time.

I'm 45 hours deep now.

I don't know why I'm still playing.

Some games just do it. A game just clicks and you enjoy the hell out of it but recommend it to another person and they may find it trash. I love Kingdom Hearts and Death Stranding was a very fun and unique experience but know these games dont appeal to even a majority.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Been bouncing between several games, not really getting super into any of them for a few weeks.

Then I went on vacation and booted up No Man's Sky and started like my 7th new game, fully expecting to give it 4-5 hours and bounce off like every other time.

I'm 45 hours deep now.

I don't know why I'm still playing.

My nephew has been trying to get me to play it. He just came in laughing the other day and said his friend just called him frantically to get him to join his game because he was farming something that my nephew said was like "space pot". The authorities in the game were attacking him and he needed help.

 

[Paul Andrew]

It's bizarre to me, because no man's sky is a completionist's nightmare. There's no way to do it all. It is not physically possible. It's very much a play it and enjoy what you get out of it then move on kind of game.

 

[Nth]

PS5 Pro and Xbox Pro's look like they're all but confirmed for late Holiday 2023 early 2024 releases with the news of the recent Pro devkit leaks to developers being revealed.

 

[Iskelderon]

PS5 Pro and Xbox Pro's look like they're all but confirmed for late Holiday 2023 early 2024 releases with the news of the recent Pro devkit leaks to developers being revealed.

So, another version they won't be able to ship enough of?

 

[Nth]

So, another version they won't be able to ship enough of?

I'm assuming the chip shortage issues may have been sorted by that point in time, or else alternative chips are getting used.

 

[Gimpdiggity]

Stray is everything I had hoped it would be. It’s a really atmospheric experience. I’m about halfway through it and I’ve really enjoyed it so far.

Last Hero if Nostalgaia is still probably next on my list, but I’ve also been looking into Monster Hunter Rise. I’ve always been interested in that franchise, but was put off by how difficult it came across.

 

[HeartBlade]

I'm assuming the chip shortage issues may have been sorted by that point in time, or else alternative chips are getting used.

Im guessing chip shortage will be reduced by the reduced interest in bitcoin mining (which helped reduce GPI prices) and Somy now having a decent supply chain after adapting to covid now.

There also probably wont be many people looking to get a pro if they already have a 5.

 

[Ron]

With a pro coming out, you might also start seeing some more used PS5s go for sale.