Vidya Gaems General

glennmagusharvey · 2015-05-11 00:09:59

I suddenly realized that, like Valve with Steam, CD Projekt is going down the route of "makes a few games, sells a lot of them" with GOG.

Zennistrad · 2015-05-11 16:56:10

I finally decided to stop slacking off and finish Pokemon Alpha Sapphire. I found it very strange how the national pokedex is available before you even get to the Elite 4.

glennmagusharvey · 2015-05-12 13:05:27

Darnit, none of the FF games are ever on sale when there's a big Squenix sale (such as there is now on the Humble Store spring sale).

Also thinking of picking up VVVVVV. As is characteristic for me, I was convinced to put that game on my to-get list by listening to a certain music track from it:

glennmagusharvey · 2015-05-17 08:52:22

I've now played To The Moon.

It is indeed a thing. A very good thing.

glennmagusharvey · 2015-05-17 16:28:48

Finally beat Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin.

Had been "stuck" in the Nest of Evil grinding for item and weapon mastery completion for a long time. Lost interest.

Decided to come back and finally beat the penultimate boss and the final boss. (Both are spoilers in case you're wondering.)

That's pretty much exactly all I had left to beat the game. Not complete it. I don't think I have the patience for completion in this game. It was a little overdone.

Also screenshot the two-square map that the penultimate boss resides in. You can only see that map's name once, when you fight said boss and specifically go to the map display at that time.

Now I purposely didn't save after the penultimate boss. He got pretty easy with Charlotte and Stone Circle. Also I think my game runs a little slow, but whatever. Similar tactics took down the first phase of the final boss, and after that it was just pumping myself full of New York Steak and watching my HP -- every time I attacked I did like 250 damage anyway thanks to using two characters at once anyway.

The game did a finished-file save. I guess I'll just miss my New York Steaks. Oh well.

Stormtroper · 2015-05-17 19:36:35

Beat Cave Story, best ending.

I forgot to pick up the Nemesis (or that it existed). Besides that it was a pretty smooth run, oddly enough only the final cave gave me trouble (had to tread carefully on low health constantly, plus died a couple times to the thwomp tunnel at the end). I seem to remember the Sacred Grounds well enough, finished it on my third try in about 7:30 (my record is just under 3:30).

The puppy fetch quest was as annoying as I remembered.

glennmagusharvey · 2015-05-22 02:00:20

This launches tomorrow.

Steam link: http://store.steampowered.com/app/332610?

trailer:

lrdgck · 2015-05-22 12:29:29

Little Witch Academia: the Game?

----

So, as I said, I've completed Dragon Age and just began Dragon Age II. While I'm at it: female dwarf commoner, chose Bhelen, helped mages and elves, crowned both Anora and Alistair, and killed the big bad with a disposable party member. The last save I had was just before the final combat, but the second game should default to what I did anyway after importing it. Playing as male mage Hawke now. Looks fun, apart from the combat.

glennmagusharvey · 2015-05-24 20:51:31

http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/7/617336568079514731/

So I learned today that impersonation of other users is by itself technically legal and allowed on Steam.

glennmagusharvey · 2015-05-25 09:28:15

For some reason the fact that gameplay involves both shooting things down AND rescuing hostages makes me more interested in this game.

glennmagusharvey · 2015-05-28 14:51:37

Oh wow. Cosmo commentates his speedruns. I'm liking this guy already.

Stormtroper · 2015-05-28 21:43:01

Speaking of glitches:

glennmagusharvey · 2015-05-28 22:19:08

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=287164593

no comment necessary

glennmagusharvey · 2015-05-30 09:26:51

Stormtroper wrote: »

Speaking of glitches:

I'm on video 5 6 of this series and it's hilarious.

Achievement unlocked; kill yourself in the Top Secret Area.

Also, now I know how to stun Goal Tapes.

glennmagusharvey · 2015-05-30 13:12:08

"Eating a Wiggler while on Yoshi will cause Mario to get hurt if he's running at full speed. This is because sprites are still active even while they are on Yoshi's tongue."

(from http://www.mariowiki.com/List_of_Super_Mario_World_glitches#Hurt_while_on_Yoshi )

Holy shit, this explains this one persistent weirdness that I have wondered about for YEARS. About twenty years now. FINALLY.

glennmagusharvey · 2015-05-31 12:14:33

Just finished Mystik Belle.

Here's my review of it that I posted on Steam.

Very enjoyable hybrid of the "metroidvania" exploration platformer style with the inventory use creativity of point-and-click adventure games. Rather than simply gating features with specific items in a linear or otherwise hackneyed fashion, this game involves using the right items in the right places to further one's explorations, and occasionally combining multiple items.

Overall, the game is a pleasure to play. (There's one mechanic whose controls are a little annoying at times but it's still workable.) Bosses can be rather difficult, so it is important to know when to stay back and dodge and when (and how) to go all-in with one's attacks. The music, a chiptune soundtrack by Dan "Myoosic" Rogers, is enjoyable, too -- a little bit on the bright side at times, but it fits the sense of childish playfulness that this story exudes.

Most important and most impressive, however, are the script and the art. The art is gorgeously detailed, and Andrew Bado's skill with beautifully-detailed sprite art really shines. The script, including numerous unique responses of characters to various items that you can show them, is similarly detailed and filled with great and often humorous characterization.

I recommend keeping your excess items -- anything you don't yet know what to do with -- in a warp room. You can just leave stuff there and it'll stay there, don't worry. The mini-map even tells you where items are, indicated by dots in the rooms. People who can help you identify the uses of items will be near warp rooms. In general, just remember to be observant of the script, which contains lots of clues.

lrdgck · 2015-05-31 20:31:32

You finish those games pretty quickly.

----

So, like I said, I'm playing mage Hawke in DA2. As you might remember, I have stated before that after finishing Dwarf Commoner origin in the first game, I was more interested in playing as a casteless criminal just trying to get by than as a hero. Well, right now I have pretty much the same feeling. Would be more interesting if the story played up - or better yet, didn't ignore completely - the fact that as an unlicensed mage, you're technically on the run all the time.

So what do you guys think? A story where you have kick-ass powers, but can't use them because they're out to get you. Any time you do a quest, you gotta think: do it the hard way, or risk getting busted? Or perhaps you can avoid getting too blatant while pulling off a trick or two, but how sure you are nobody noticed? Magic in fantasy worlds is an obvious choice given the game that gave me the idea, but I can see it done even in a realistic setting. The "kick-ass powers" just couldn't be more far-fetched than, say, hacking.

Of course, there might already be a game of this kind, tell me if so.

glennmagusharvey · 2015-05-31 22:44:18

Several of these that I've finished lately are roughly about 8 to 15 hours long, including all the bumbling of me being a newbie and finding my way around them. Mystik Belle, Waking Mars, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, Ys 1, DuckTales Remastered, Aztaka, etc.. I think To The Moon was about 5 hours long, Akane the Kunoichi was about 5 hours long, and fault ~milestone one~ about 8 hours. Aquaria and Gurumin were longer, running about 20-25 hours and 25-30 hours respectively, I think. (I left them running overnight by accident so my playtime is inflated.)

They're not, like, epic 50-hour behemoth JRPGs.

In fact, I'm staring one in the eye right now (Trails in the Sky FC) and afraid of starting it and getting too attached to it...though maybe I should just do that and stop trying to procrastinate it while I procrastinate my other stuff by playing videogames in the first place...

glennmagusharvey · 2015-06-07 12:42:39

So apparently there's been a big extortion and review manipulation scheme on Steam that's been going on for months:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/38dega/curators_using_threats_of_bad_reviews_to_extort/
http://www.steamgifts.com/discussion/ZMFKN/are-you-part-of-the-original-traders-groupnetwork-you-should-see-this-if-you-havent-already

If you happen to be a member of any of these groups, or follow their curation lists:

Original Traders Group
Original Curators Group
Original Giveaway Group
German Giveaway Community
Original Society Club
Duck Society

...you might want to make leave/unfollow them.

lrdgck · 2015-06-08 17:55:53

^ sounds like it's inches from being about ethics in game journalism.

In other news, finished that Dragon Age II. Gotta say it's a better game than I expected, though I would really have been just as fine if all that fighting was less forgettable. Perhaps it's a matter of interface and all that lot, TPP versus isometric. Liked how they put in that stuff with earlier choices having an influence on later, and how you choose your character's personality. Oh, and that stuff with each companion having a location.

Kraken · 2015-06-10 08:44:30

[user deleted]

lrdgck · 2015-06-10 09:09:39

You mean controversial as in "the game would be better if it had X", or as in "the game has X and it offends me"?

glennmagusharvey · 2015-06-10 12:20:52

@Unknown_Entity

ninjaclown · 2015-06-10 21:22:40

Finally getting around to Remember Me. Combat pieces are solid, but the story and memory remixing could have been expanded upon. Surprised there's a sequel planned.

glennmagusharvey · 2015-06-11 20:53:18

Steam's Summer Sale just started. And they're running a clicker minigame. Of all things.

Meanwhile, GOG's summer sale has been going on for a while now, and will be going during the entire duration of the Steam sale. And it makes a lot more sense. By that I mean "I can figure out what's going on".

Nyktos · 2015-06-11 21:17:21

glennmagusharvey wrote: »

Steam's Summer Sale just started.

Oh nice, managed not to miss Valkyria Chronicles again.

glennmagusharvey · 2015-06-13 12:05:13

Well, this is the first time I've seen it on -75% sale on Steam.

(I saw it once before on -75% but on GamersGate.)

Also, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night's kickstarter smashed the $5.5M fundraising bonus goal. Well, here comes the hard part: actually making the game.

Nyktos · 2015-06-13 16:50:58

glennmagusharvey wrote: »

Well, this is the first time I've seen it on -75% sale on Steam.

It wasn't during the last big sale, but it did go to 75% off a few months ago. I got an email since it was on my wishlist, but of course I didn't actually see the email until it was no longer on sale.

Edit: Actually I checked and it was 66% that time. Still, I would've bought it at that price.

glennmagusharvey · 2015-06-13 22:58:05

I think I may have figured out the conditions for getting three cards from the Steam Summer Sale's little minigame every day.

1. play the game (as opposed to not playing at all).
2. surpass your record on the previous day.
3. move to a different game.

glennmagusharvey · 2015-06-14 04:15:53

Nope, #2 doesn't work. At least not immediately by itself.

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