Harvester on 4/12/2024 at 08:59
That last Episode 2 battle with the striders I got through by savescumming. Remember you can hit the smaller attacking robots with your car, which disables them instantly. On consoles without quicksaving, this would be a very difficult fight indeed, I might have ragequit in that case.
Pyrian on 4/12/2024 at 09:55
I loved that battle. It was very difficult, though. Episode 2 was my favorite, much more of a series of challenging set-piece battles than the previous games had been.
Malf on 4/12/2024 at 11:21
Quote Posted by nicked
I've also been sinking many hours into Streets of Rogue, which is best described as an arcade immersive sim. Everything is systems-driven, and the simple pixel art style and fast, responsive actions provide a framework to very easily allow for an insane variety of playstyles and emergent chaos.
ONE OF US.
I honestly don't understand why this game didn't get more traction around these parts. It's one of my all-time favourites now, and I've gone beyond 100%ing the achievements to also complete the game and almost every character's "Big Quest" with no modifiers.
i'm looking forward to the second game, but the recent demo has somewhat tempered my expectations. I think it was a little too light on implemented systems in order to truly demonstrate the game's potential, but at the same time, I worry that the open world, endless play might not be the right fit for the game.
There was also no punishment for death in the demo, other than you respawning back at base, which could be far from where you died.
I also worry that it currently feels a bit aimless, and I think they need to give each character more definite goals to achieve, helping maintain that class identitiy which was so important to the first game.
BTW, if you haven't already, do buy the extra character pack for the first game. The Alien, Demolitionist and Mech Pilot are all stupid amounts of fun.
nicked on 4/12/2024 at 12:33
Yeah I actually beat the game for the first time with the demolitionist. Couldn't get to grips with the alien (yet), seems like a more difficult shape shifter. Also had a lot of fun with the courier, just racing away from combat constantly
Renault on 4/12/2024 at 21:33
I saw Aliens Dark Decent just got added to Gamepass. Anyone know if this thing is any good or not?
henke on 5/12/2024 at 06:49
Heeeell yeah it's good. Played through last summer, had a great time.
This is what I said then:
Quote Posted by henke
Speaking of Darkest Dungeon, I've heard some comparisons between it and the game I'm currently playing. (mainly due to the stress effects I think)
I've been playing a lot of
Aliens: Dark Descent for the last couple weeks. Very compelling real-time squad-tactics stealth/action game. I'm not big on real-time tactics games, but the gameplay here is quite accessible. You move your squad as a single unit, and when you ask them to pick something up or hack a door, one of them is automatically assigned to the task. This system works remarkably smoothly, and there's only been a few times when I've wished I'd had more direct control of my soldiers. The game uses a XCOM-like structure where between missions you're back in your stranded spaceship, the Otago, leveling up your units, researching new tech and making weapons. While the controls and gameplay is smooth, the whole experience isn't. There's bugs here, and I ain't just talking bout the xenomorphs. Playing on PS5 I've had units get stuck in elevators, save-points not working, and low framerate bugs.
Difficulty ramps up at a good pace and feels appropriate for most of the game, except mission 6 which is a big difficulty spike. The hosts of (
https://www.idlethumbs.net/3ma/episodes/aliens-dark-descent) Three Moves Ahead had a hard time with this one as well. Often when the game gets really difficult it's because of scripted events locking you into situations that don't feel entirely organic. Often you'll need to replay these segments, and knowing what to expect the second time through makes them considerably easier.
The main thing that alleviates frustrations with the bugs and scripted events is that the game is quite generous with saves. The game will save before major events, and whenever you seal your units into a room to rest. Resting also relieves stress. Yeah, stress, that's a big factor in this game. As your soldiers become hunted their stress will go up, making them less accurate and more panicky. Over time they will develop traumas, and need to go see the Otago shrink, taking them out of action for a few days.
Overall, this is my kinda tactics game. It's quite low on random dice rolls determining things. Instead it's line of sight and positioning, things that are actually under your control, that determine how things will play out. The mood is great, it captures the atmosphere of the early Aliens scenes as well as Isolation captured the mood of Alien.
I'm about halfway through the campaign now. Not so long ago a timer started counting down towards an end-game event. I would have 25 days to complete a set of objectives. I've completed some of them. I have 9 days left. If things don't work out I guess that's it for my run. Game over, man. Game over.
It's on PS+ too.
Thirith on 5/12/2024 at 09:07
Yeah, that one is definitely on my list. I have to make sure to remember it's on Gamepass...
Meanwhile, I think I'm close to finishing Silent Hill 2 (not the remake). I like this one, but it possibly suffers somewhat from everyone talking about the game in hushed tones for more than two decades, added to which I'd definitely heard about the game's big reveal before. (I think I would've guessed before the reveal, but having been spoiled I obviously can't know.)
Anyway, I'm thinking that I'll next play Sovereign Syndicate, another game that Sulphur pointed me in the direction of. I'll try not to let the many reviews comparing it to Disco Elysium influence me too much, because it'd definitely not be healthy for me to expect something of that calibre.
Sulphur on 5/12/2024 at 09:26
Knowing the reveal beforehand definitely takes the wind out of its sails a bit, but I think the overall design of the game taking advantage of the player's assumptions of James' blank slate-ness to deliver a sock to the head is still something that can be appreciated. That combined with the vibes, the soundtrack, the mist, and the Lynchian surrea-lness of it make up for its age and stodgy combat, I'd say. You might resent the game for the ending it gives you though, but I'll shut up about that for now.
I'm very curious about Sovereign Syndicate, so whenever you get around to it, that'd be splendid. Definitely a good idea to go in not expecting something DE-level.
Starker on 5/12/2024 at 10:45
Silent Hill 2 has a lot of symbolism and actions you go through that I'd say only really make sense in the context of knowing the whole story.
henke on 5/12/2024 at 17:57
same thing with Stilt Fella.
