General Game Discussion for February 2026

[Colif]

I am sure i had a thread around here about silly games but I couldn't find it...

This game doesn't seem to take itself seriously

High On Life 2 on Steam

An intergalactic conspiracy threatens the fate of humanity! Team up with a wide cast of talking alien guns as you shoot, stab, and skate your way through the exotic locales to take down the bad guys and save your favorite species (humans)!

store.steampowered.com

but its got a long intro so maybe game doesn't live up to the start.

 

[Zed Clampet]

A Windows update bricked my HP laptop. I knew that it was going to happen, but Windows wouldn't let me turn off the update. I tried many things to fix Windows last night, but it was so corrupted that you couldn't fix the file store or really run anything at all. I tried to do a "Restore", but it failed. Guess I'll be starting from scratch with a fresh installation from a flash drive. Everything was backed up, so it's annoying but okay.

The way all of this works, this won't be the last time it happens. It will happen, basically, with every update, so I'm probably going to switch to Linux.

 

[Johnway]

So i was on SteamDB and decided to look at my account and apparently I've only completed 39% of my purchases. Thats on Steam alone, i hate to think what it would be if i combined Epic and GOG's games. it will probably be like 20% or something.

 

[Zed Clampet]

So i was on SteamDB and decided to look at my account and apparently I've only completed 39% of my purchases. Thats on Steam alone, i hate to think what it would be if i combined Epic and GOG's games. it will probably be like 20% or something.

I'm guessing 39 percent is a wildly good number. Just look at your achievements and what percentage of people got them, particularly as you get closer to the end of your game.

 

[Pifanjr]

After giving up on Enderal I decided to finally start on Subnautica: Below Zero and it's really good to be back in a Subnautica game. It obviously doesn't quite have the same impact as the first time playing Subnautica, but just having a new world to explore is all I really needed.

I did progress a lot quicker than I did when I played Subnautica. I already got to the first two story beats, got my first base in a great location, got most of the available upgrades and I got my first vehicle.

My base has pretty much every resource near it that I would need, except one which I need for the most important upgrade: the HUD integration with the scanner room. Hopefully I'll find it next time when I explore the other story leads.

I'm going to try Mewgenics. It's like a deckbuilder with cats, which I guess makes it a creature collector. It sounds fairly nuts.

It's from the creator of Binding of Isaac, I'd be surprised if it wasn't nuts.

 

[Colif]

The way all of this works, this won't be the last time it happens. It will happen, basically, with every update

what happens? how does it break windows on an update?
Makes me think there is a hardware/driver reason.

laptop hardly bricked if you can install linux on it.

 

[Zed Clampet]

what happens? how does it break windows on an update?
Makes me think there is a hardware/driver reason.

laptop hardly bricked if you can install linux on it.

I don't use the word "bricked" in the old sense that the computer is literally done for. I just mean that it's done for without intervention.

The problem is amateur-written AI software causing Windows to become unstable. Every time I use the AI software, I have to then reboot the system before it can operate properly again. When it is in this unstable state, updates fail in the worst possible way. If it won't let me reboot without updating, then it's inevitable unless I just hard power it down, which is what I should have done.

Why the AI software is causing Windows to fail is something I'm looking at. I believe it might be as simple as it isn't completely closing all of its processes.

 

[Colif]

Perhaps one way to avoid it breaking updates is to only run updates on an session where you also didn't run the AI. Windows pretty regular with updates, 2nd Tuesday of each month (on win 11 anyway) so if you know its a potential problem, just be proactive with updates.

Beats breaking windows.

 

[Zed Clampet]

Perhaps one way to avoid it breaking updates is to only run updates on an session where you also didn't run the AI. Windows pretty regular with updates, 2nd Tuesday of each month (on win 11 anyway) so if you know its a potential problem, just be proactive with updates.

Beats breaking windows.

Absolutely this is what I need to do. The reason I haven't been doing it is because this is the PC that I do my ADHD fueled art and other projects on, and I can have a lot of projects open at the same time (when I say a lot, I mean 100 or more). I rarely know what has been saved and what hasn't been saved, and I absolutely never feel like going through and saving them all just in case.

This method, while clearly insane, worked fine before I started running AI.

This is what really needs to change: how I organize, work on and save my art.

 

[dxchase]

Pax East dropped their full schedule today which coincides with the ending of tickets on sale. The line up, which can be found here isnt all that terrible, but i was looking for more video-game reasons to go it from where im at. Pax West seems to be the more video-game version which i wouldnt be able to go to as its across the US from me. I was hoping for a more video-game experience but Pax East seems to be more focused on tabletop/card game tournaments with a small amount of "gaming" panels, which is still fine but not what i was looking for so i wont be attending that.

Was looking forward to doing somethin like this because these shows allow you to rent a space for your PC during the event. Was thinking of doin that for twitch too but the options of events going on dont strike me enough to make the trip. So now the option is open, looking for some good suggestions if anyone has any coming up in the next few months.

 

[Zed Clampet]

I'm under NDA, so I have to be vague, but someone explain to me how in a 4 v 4 game with no respawns that the match MVP is someone from the losing team, a team that killed exactly no one, in a match that lasted less than a minute? Guido got 3 kills and teammate rando got the other one.

And it was an awful experience overall, which is fine since it was a playtest, but we waited for over 30 minutes for the match to start, it was over almost before it began, and then they announced that due to technical problems, the test session was ending early.

General thoughts are that the no respawn thing is just going to make your wait time to play time ratio really annoying. That's the only thing I have because I didn't even get to shoot my gun. The small part of the level I saw was interesting, I guess, but for no reason. It started and then it was over. And I'm sure there are lots of players like Guido out there ready to make short work of this set-up. Maybe make it harder for the teams to find each other. But I don't know a good idea from a bad one because I don't play these games.

 

[Johnway]

Ghost recon, we're past the half way point now. i'm just mopping up the last 8 or so areas and we should be done. atm i'm trying to crack the smuggling and the security objectives as they are where the hardest content is located. level 4 difficulty isn't a problem but lvl 5 and its a tough propersition as the bases are heavily fortified complete with Sams and jammers. if you hoping to steal a resource helicopter, its a tough challenge. been shot out the sky several times already.

On the 3ds, i've been playing Bravely default. its ok i guess, its final fantasy under a different name. plays reasonable well and now that i have magic life is a lot simplier. before it was just brute forcing our way to victory. Now i can actually exploit elemental weaknesses of enemies and clean house.

i do want to go back to playing Shin Megami Tensei 4 but i really don't want to sink 70+ hours again.

 

[Pifanjr]

I built a second base in Subnautica: Below Zero. It took a while, but now I have access to a bunch of advanced resources , including the one I was missing for the Scanner HUD upgrade, which makes finding specific resources so much easier.

I also found a ton of blueprints for the next upgrades, but I'm missing a specific plant I haven't been able to find yet. I need it to upgrade my oxygen tank and the max depth for my vehicle, both of which would be really nice to have.

This game is really wrecking my sleep though, both times I've played I ended up staying up way too late.

 

[Colif]

Normally, people try to post Android games here

How about a PC game running on an Android phone?

Maybe if phones get powerful enough people will play PC games on them instead of actual PC.

 

[neogunhero]

Didn’t game a whole lot this weekend but I did manage to play something totally random. I downloaded Neocron Evolution, an updated version of the entirely forgettable 2002 FPS MMORPG. Neocron Evolution is still being updated to this day, and I decided to give it a go.

Neocron was hailed as being one of the first FPS MMORPG games, a genre that I desperately wish was more popular. It had some innovative features such as player housing from day 1, PVP zones and a futuristic cyberpunk setting which still is not common for MMOs.

The lore is pretty great. Very basically, modern humans created a massive scientific project to collect and store all of humanity’s information called Project Ceres. This includes tons of information on how to create civilization, weapons, agriculture and more. Eventually WWIII comes and the entire planet is nuked to bits in the span of 6 hours. Over the next 500 years, small tribes scattered throughout the world begin to grow, with one tribe eventually unlocking the secrets to Project Ceres. That kickstarts a massive evolution of humanities last remaining survivors, with them constructing massive cities and advanced laser weaponry very quickly. The game takes place after this time period with the cities already being built and dystopia already setting in.

I really like the idea of this game, but actually playing it sucks. First off, the UI is all over the place. You have tons of sub menus that open in new windows, so it’s possible to have your screen filled up with 10 different windows. The UI has a cyberpunk look to it which while visually pleasing, it’s not very easy to use. Combat is on par with Morrowind which makes sense, they came out right around the same time. While the current version of this game has fixed countless bugs and QOL features, combat still feels as satisfying as hitting a wet paper towel with a plastic straw.

The visuals are nice for its time. I love the intense usage of neon lights, the streets are all dirty and gritty, it’s pretty neat. I can imagine being fully immersed in this world if it were 2002 again.

After wandering around a bunch, I started to get very bored. I didn’t even attempt to try to complete a quest, mainly because I wasn’t sure how to start one or where in my vast menu systems to find a quest log. I really like the idea and concept of the game, it’s just not fun to play at all.

I wish there could be a new version of this sort of game. FPS MMORPG, almost like Cyberpunk 2077 but much larger, more to do, more immersive features like customizable housing, great loot mechanics, clans, PVP and PVE zones, that would be a game I’d play a bunch. I thought Destiny 2 would be like this but it’s not how I imagine this sort of game in my head. I’d play this type of game to death. The sad reality is that FPS and MMO just doesn’t go well together. Guns are meant to take down enemies near immediately, while MMO standards stay that enemies shouldn’t be killed in one or two hits. Any time there is a shooter game with bullet sponge enemies, players complain. It’s a dream game for sure but one that is probably not realistic.

 

[Zed Clampet]

Maybe if phones get powerful enough people will play PC games on them instead of actual PC.

I'd rather eat broken glass that my dog threw up on

 

[Colif]

You can stream pictures to full sized monitors and attach keyboard/mouse and essentially have a PC in your pocket

the gpu in them needs work but they not that far behind now.

 

[BeardyHat]

PC Games on Android do work surprisingly well, given the right hardware. Here's my Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 running GoG versions of Warcraft 2 and Fallout

And an Android handheld I have, Retroid Pocket Classic, running the GoG version of Spelunky

And it's only going to get better with Valve investing in the space with their new Android based headset. Both my devices are relatively low power, so have a pretty limited selection of games they can run, but there are already several much more powerful devices out there that'll run even modern AAA games.

That said, am I going to give up my Thinkpads for an Android tablet? Probably not. But I could see myself traveling with just an Android tablet to remain light and still having access to some of my PC library.

 

[Colif]

One downside to using phone to play games is the same as why I use a DAP for music instead of my phone - Phone calls.
too easy to be interrupted

One a laptop, it would make more sense. But then... why use android? Guess its a good use for old hardware

 

[Pifanjr]

I'm playing Subnautica: Below Zero wrong. I still haven't found the source for the next resource necessary for a bunch of upgrades, but I happened to find a single item in a chest. With that I was able to fully upgrade my vehicle's max depth.

Later, I was exploring a cave I found before when I stumbled upon a branch going even deeper. After managing to get by a bunch of large predators (good thing I made a repair tool), I found some late game structure that I definitely wasn't supposed to find yet. I know because the game keeps giving me vague hints about it. I even got one while I was trying to find my way back to the surface.

Similarly, I accidentally completed an entire section on foot that you're supposed to do on a snowbike. I just kept exploring and realised way too late I probably should've built the snowbike first. I don't think I even have it unlocked yet. Pretty sure that was what the warm clothing was for too, but I never made that either.

Anyway, it's past 1 AM again, so I really should go to sleep now.

 

[Zed Clampet]

I'm playing Subnautica: Below Zero wrong. I still haven't found the source for the next resource necessary for a bunch of upgrades, but I happened to find a single item in a chest. With that I was able to fully upgrade my vehicle's max depth.

Later, I was exploring a cave I found before when I stumbled upon a branch going even deeper. After managing to get by a bunch of large predators (good thing I made a repair tool), I found some late game structure that I definitely wasn't supposed to find yet. I know because the game keeps giving me vague hints about it. I even got one while I was trying to find my way back to the surface.

Similarly, I accidentally completed an entire section on foot that you're supposed to do on a snowbike. I just kept exploring and realised way too late I probably should've built the snowbike first. I don't think I even have it unlocked yet. Pretty sure that was what the warm clothing was for too, but I never made that either.

Anyway, it's past 1 AM again, so I really should go to sleep now.

What are you powering your base with? I always used geothermal.

 

[Zloth]

I'm over on Jedi : Survivor. It started off pretty similar to Jedi: Fallen Order on Coriscant (sp?). The main path is pretty linear, but the path twists back on itself, allowing them to put in shortcuts. For instance, you might have a save point at the bottom of a room. Later in the game, the path will twist around to a ledge overlooking the same room. You can then drop a rope down to the floor level and go save at the same save point, only now you can climb back up that rope and continue going from where you left off. There are also doors and other blockers that you can't get through, but will open up as you get the power to bypass them.

The next planet started the same way but, after a few hours, suddenly opened up. I'm supposed to go to a village, but I can also go right, or left, or right then left, or... it's an open world!!

It also seems to want to be Dark Souls. Kinda. A little bit. Well, honestly all it takes is the death system. If you die, you leave all the xp toward gaining your next skill point behind. You can get it back again by going to the spot where you died or hitting (not killing, hitting just once) the enemy that killed you. And it limits you to just one save.

Unlike Elden Ring, you can't quit anywhere. When you quit, you jump back to the last place you saved. I got stuck playing an extra half hour last night because there's no way to save and quit. That means save points really are old school, console-style save points. Why???

I'm under NDA, so I have to be vague, but someone explain to me how in a 4 v 4 game with no respawns that the match MVP is someone from the losing team, a team that killed exactly no one, in a match that lasted less than a minute? Guido got 3 kills and teammate rando got the other one.

Kills are a good way to get points, but when someone gets 12 aces in a row, they're going to be the more valued volleyball player every time.

 

[BeardyHat]

I gave the Underkeep demo a try. I only played about 15 minutes, but that's because it's exactly my jam.

Underkeep Demo on Steam

Explore a dangerous fantasy world in this role-playing dungeon crawler with tactical, turn-based combat. Assemble a party of adventurers, upgrade your gear and descend into the depths of the Underkeep to uncover what lies hidden below.

store.steampowered.com

Unfortunate that it doesn't have a release date yet, because it seems very fun.

Playing on my old laptop and I must say, my two complaints (which were why I originally side-graded from it) are the screen, which is terrible from a brightness perspective and the speakers are utterly mediocre.

But at least I can use it, I guess.

 

[Frindis]

For anyone who owns Dying Light 1, there are two events you can participate in. I just finished the first one and got a golden weapon, some type of elemental bow. The first event is pretty cool, you basically have free use of a grappling hook and you use it to traverse around the map to your liking (normally you only have a few uses before you have to reload) and the goal for the first event is to kill 100 zombies using the grappling hook and it is a lot of fun watching the zombies getting dragged over your head and smashing into the ground

"Dying Light turns 11, and we want to celebrate it with you by bringing back two classic time-limited events. They will be available from February 12 to February 26.

The first week marks the return of Super Crane. During the event, your grappling hook has no cooldown, its range is increased, and pulling enemies becomes much easier. This opens up new ways to move through Harran, control crowds, and turn verticality into your greatest weapon. To complete the challenge, kill 100 zombies using fall damage and earn a gold-tier weapon as your reward. In the second week, Low Gravity takes over Harran. Jumps feel lighter, landings are softer, and enemies can be sent flying through the air. Your goal is simple: slay 100 zombies and claim another gold-tier weapon." (tried to link, link broken)

 

[Zed Clampet]

Kills are a good way to get points, but when someone gets 12 aces in a row, they're going to be the more valued volleyball player every time.

Of this I never had any doubt. Unfortunately there's no way to apply it to the match in question.