[The video game thread]

Brendocon 2.0 · Post by **Brendocon 2.0** » Fri Feb 17, 2017 10:14 am

Gen 2 Pokémon are now in the wild. Reports saying 80. Don't know how much of the set that constitutes, as my knowledge of the range is limited anyway.

Have already caught HootHoot, Ledyba (loads of these), Spinarak, Ariados, Wooper and Murkrow. Plus I've evolved an Umbreon. Also seen a Sentret.

Really wishing I hadn't burnt through candies powering up Poliwhirl, Scyther / farming Zubats for XP now.

Though my most exciting news is that I FINALLY got an Exeggcute last week. Evil looking ****ers, aren't they?

Wasn't able to take advantage of the Valentines week double candy walking thing at all, as the weather's been grotty as **** and the notion of going outside just to get that Clefable wasn't in any way enough of an incentive.

Heinrad · Post by **Heinrad** » Sun Feb 19, 2017 1:25 pm

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex for the PSP. I remember it controlling a lot better when I first had it, way back when.

ganon578 · Post by **ganon578** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 4:13 pm

Had a couple nights this week with an hour or two here and there to play some games. Tinkered around mostly, but had quite a bit of fun:

Played some Gaunlet: Slayer Edition, which is still pretty fun. Simple and yet challenging - it's a good time killer.

Started Disney Infinity 2.0 using Iron Man. It's been sitting around for a very long tie (since the summer) and I hadn't played it. Pretty fun, but definitely not a challenge (not suprising considering the target audience). But it's pretty cool to zip around shooting baddies with repulsor blasts.

Also started Ninja Senki DX, which is awesome. Great 8-bit throwback game and it's a good platforming challenge. The graphics and music rock, and I'm super happy to have gotten it for free (PS+ this month, get it while you can!)!

And finally after a long break, played through the Temple of Time on Twilight Princess HD - prepping myself for when Breath of the Wild comes out. I'm on a 'waiting' list at my local shop, so when they slowly get some Switch systems in, I'll be able to get one nearly for 'free' with all the trade credit I have. I'm tied for 3rd on the wait list, so I hope it won't be long before I have one in my hands.

HeavyArms · Post by **HeavyArms** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 6:04 pm

Finished the majority of haruka's story, but now switching between Haruka and Akiyama as their stories are now intertwined.

Post by **Clay** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 8:26 pm

I play lots of Diablo 3 on the pc. Does anyone else here?

ganon578 · Post by **ganon578** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 4:29 am

Clay wrote:I play lots of Diablo 3 on the pc. Does anyone else here?

Only on the PS4! So yeah, but not on PC. Fantastic game though!

Also, my preorder for Zelda: Breath of the Wild came in today!!!

...But for the Switch. Which I don't own yet. I'm on a waiting list at my favorite local shop - I'm third on the list - so hopefully in the next month I'll have the system in my hands. I put a ton of trades in and have the system nearly paid in full without any out-of-pocket money. Can't wait for that to come along. And the game cartridges are ridiculously tiny!

HeavyArms · Post by **HeavyArms** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 10:12 am

I've finished Haruka and Akiyama's chapter and now moved on to a new character, a disgraced baseball player named Shinada.

ganon578 · Post by **ganon578** » Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:33 pm

Last week I took advantage of a sale on the Nintendo eShop and finally picked up Shovel Knight on Wii U. What a fantastic retro styled game! The music reminds me a lot of the Mega Man series, and the graphics are 8-bit but really spruced up. Pretty simple game, but challenging. Debated on getting it for the Switch (when I have one) but I couldn't pass it up for $10.

I've also been playing quite a bit of Smash Bros. Wii U with the kids lately. They're coming around pretty well even though they're 6 & 4. It's a fun game to get into and they really enjoy all the characters. Nintendo really knows how to do family gaming and couch games.

Heinrad · Post by **Heinrad** » Sun Mar 12, 2017 4:40 am

Sometimes, synergy just works. I had my taxes done a couple of weeks ago(2 weeks to the day, to be exact), and after today's bout of mandatory overtime I hit the local used game shop. I've been toying with the idea of getting a Wii U, and they had the Legend of Zelda edition Wii U. I didn't get it, because I hadn't gotten my refund yet.

Which was waiting in the mailbox when I got home.

Wii U - Zelda Edition: not quite as epic as it sounds, because since it was used, the only Zelda stuff actually on it is the Hyrulian runes and scrollwork on the tablet controller. And it was cheaper than taking a crapshoot of which version of the system I'd get at GameStop.

And since I need a Wii U game.....

Shantae: Half Genie Hero Risky Beats Edition: At least, I guess that's what it's called. They didn't give me the outer box, just the game and soundtrack CD. I love this series. And the music is great.

Now I just have to figure out how to get the stuff off of my Wii......

EDIT: After doing a little poking around in the eShop, as well as on the controller pad for the Wii U, I think I'll just stick with the Wii being completely separate. Heck, I don't even need to have the Wii U hooked up to the TV, if I've got everything figured out right.

ganon578 · Post by **ganon578** » Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:47 pm

Heinrad wrote:Now I just have to figure out how to get the stuff off of my Wii......

EDIT: After doing a little poking around in the eShop, as well as on the controller pad for the Wii U, I think I'll just stick with the Wii being completely separate. Heck, I don't even need to have the Wii U hooked up to the TV, if I've got everything figured out right.

It's fairly straightforward to port everything over, if you decide to do so. I did it not too long ago and it doesn't take much time. For me, having all my VC and Wiiware titles bundled onto a single system was optimal.

The nice thing is, you can still play all the VC stuff off-screen if you've got the little stand for the GamePad. You can still sync a wii remote to the system and play it that way. It's pretty neat, if a little clunky. You can play Wii titles too, as the area around the camera doubles as an IR sensor.

And yep, you're right about not needing it hooked up to the TV. The other day I just plugged in the system to the power outlet and left everything else out, while playing Shovel Knight on the Gamepad on the couch!

Speaking of the Wii U, I double-bought Breath of the Wild on both the Switch and the Wii U (since I don't think I'm getting a Switch anytime soon from my local store). Started BotW last night... what a refreshing change of pace for Zelda! The game is beautiful, fun, and oddly very different than other titles in the franchise. I only played through 30-45 minutes of the beginning, but I am already hooked!

electro girl · Post by **electro girl** » Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:38 pm

I had to visit 8 different shops to get BotW but it was worth it!

ganon578 · Post by **ganon578** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 3:25 pm

electro girl wrote:I had to visit 8 different shops to get BotW but it was worth it!

Yes... yes it is. I have a copy on the Switch and Wii U (because I have no Switch to play it yet) and I don't regret having both.

I spent 45 minutes of my precious gaming time yesterday hunting a warthog, gathering items, and cooking. COOKING! Made a steak skewer with an apple and raw meat. Then it was time for real life bed.

HeavyArms · Post by **HeavyArms** » Sat Mar 18, 2017 6:52 am

Rise Of The Tomb Raider: Anniversary Edition & Horizon: Zero Dawn Special edition.

I've finished the fifth character Shinada who was a pro baseball player before being scapegoat for a baseball scandal and now I'm into the 2nd part of the Finale which involves the aforementioned Shinada as well as Akiyama.

Post by **Sades** » Mon Mar 20, 2017 12:16 am

BOTW: Just what we need, another game that looks grindy as ****

(I have not played. All I've seen are youtube videos and cooking memes)

You know what, I take that back. Given some of the games I've played, this looks like a cakewalk in terms of grind.

ganon578 · Post by **ganon578** » Mon Mar 20, 2017 3:02 pm

Sades wrote:BOTW: Just what we need, another game that looks grindy as ****

(I have not played. All I've seen are youtube videos and cooking memes)

You know what, I take that back. Given some of the games I've played, this looks like a cakewalk in terms of grind.

To me it doesn't seem all that bad on the grind, but I haven't played much of the grind-y games. The last one I played was Skyrim, and that was months/years ago. And I only made it to level 15-ish before switching to something else.

BotW has a lot of travel and to get boosts and whatnot you need to do some cooking. On the plus side, you can cook up some good meals and sell them off for bunches of Rupees (which, in contrast to every other Zelda game, are not ridiculously abundant). I've found quite a bit of fun discovering recipes with all the materials I've been hoarding...

Which is really sped along if you've got amiibo - you can scan every amiibo once a day to get things - and I have nearly all the Zelda ones (minus the Bokoblin and Guardian) which drop the most stuff. Hell, just scanning one of my Link amiibo gets a chest with a weapon plus 6-8 fish or raw meats. I scanned my Smash Bros. Link yesterday and Epona popped up!

The game is pretty darn hard for a Zelda game though. More deaths than I can really count so far (I'd been playing TP: HD before this and haven't died yet even though I'm two dungeons from Ganondorf), but those deaths are mostly that I didn't take care to be prepared or aware of my surroundings: two falling deaths from rocks, two bludgeoning deaths from a stone golem-type thing that threw a boulder at me, a few from not being able to outrun lasers, a couple drownings from my stamina draining as I swam across a river, one because I fell into icy water and died from immediate hypothermia, and a couple from not watching my hearts when foolishly running into enemies. All good learning experiences!

For whatever reason, Zelda games tend to put the biggest smile on my face out of all the stuff I've played.

Cyberstrike nTo · Post by **Cyberstrike nTo** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:48 pm

Been playing Mass Effect: Andromeda on my PS4 and having a lot of FUN.

ganon578 · Post by **ganon578** » Fri Mar 24, 2017 4:30 pm

In my quest to snag a 'free' Switch via raffle, I picked up Animal Crossing: New Leaf from my local shop via trade credit. I've only just started (got into the town and located my house tent) but the game is full of charm. Seems like it will be a nice little change of pace that I can sit back and enjoy.

Also played BotW last night for a couple hours. Made it up to a tower, avoided flying guardians (well, except for once), and began climbing a rock. Only for a rain storm to set in, causing me to wait until it passed. Finally got right up to the base of the tower, and... lightning storm. Waited that one out too. But overall I did a bunch of cooking and selling the meals for a hefty chunk of cash which allowed me to buy the three parts of the Sheikah 'armor'. Pretty nifty set!

HeavyArms · Post by **HeavyArms** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 11:34 am

Up to the fifth section of the Finale chapter of Yakuza 5, hoping to finish some side stuff before ending the story.

Cyberstrike nTo · Post by **Cyberstrike nTo** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 7:38 pm

Beat ME:A on PS4 now I'm beating it on Xbox One! Still a great game with a pair of Transformers references there is Scourge a dangerous form of dark energy that destroys ships and planets in the game and the other is Primus a kett who might run the kett in other parts of the galaxy. I think he dresses in red and dark blue (maybe black) too.

Post by **Sades** » Wed Mar 29, 2017 7:54 pm

ganon578 wrote:In my quest to snag a 'free' Switch via raffle, I picked up Animal Crossing: New Leaf from my local shop via trade credit. I've only just started (got into the town and located my house tent) but the game is full of charm. Seems like it will be a nice little change of pace that I can sit back and enjoy.!

I love this game when you first get started. It gets monotonous after awhile though. Plus my attempts to get rid of all the non-deer townspeople are not working quite as well as I'd hoped.

I typically play(ed, haven't in awhile) to fall asleep. Not sure if I can recommend a game that basically just serves as enough brain-distraction to allow me to fade into unconsciousness...

You're probably right on BOTW btw, it doesn't look as grindy as I initially thought. I'm finding it hard to not draw parallels to the Elder Scrolls series, though this obviously has elements of classic Zelda gameplay to it. I'm not as excited about it as Hound is, but we'll buy it eventually and maybe gameplay will change my mind