July 2023 Random Game Thoughts Thread

[Zed Clampet]

Just posted a short list of city builders/colony sims currently on sale during Simfest. Post is here: https://forums.pcgamer.com/threads/city-builder-and-colony-sim-discussion-thread.140649/

Most of the games are relatively new and several are at their historical lows right now.

 

[mainer]

!?!? It's a turn-based tactical game, what are they wanting to pause?

That's what I thought as well, why do you need to pause in a turn-based game. If I remember correctly, a couple of reviewers mentioned this in terms of getting your mercs into position before combat initiated. But in the turn-based games I've played (Wasteland 2 & 3, Divinity OS 1 & 2, and Solasta), that was never something you could do anyway. You took your chances moving each character into position, sometimes you were spotted, sometimes not. It did feel like an odd complaint to me.

 

[Ryzengang]

Other than Diablo IV (which I'll be playing consistently for quite some time), I've reached the final chapter in Yakuza 0 and it's been an awesome ride. The storytelling is brilliant and has exceeded my expectations. Easily one of my favorite games of all time at this point. Highly recommend.

Another game I'm playing on the side is Golf Story, which is (bizarrely) a Switch exclusive. A pretty fun golf RPG that astonishes me by how much it gets in its own way. The core golfing mechanics are really fun, and I like that there are stats to level up for progression, but the game just insists on shoveling **** content in your face to gate actually playing golf and padding the game. It's quite maddening, because these diversions are annoying and largely garbage, but the core gameplay loop is really strong. The game just doesn't get out of its own way. I just want to play some golf, man. 😆

 

[Brian Boru]

RTS Red Chaos

Due later 2023, looks like a big C&C-inspired indie, which I'm going to take a close look at.

perafilozof video

 

[Zloth]

I've reached the final chapter in Yakuza 0 and it's been an awesome ride.

At last, somebody I can show off to!

Fear my Grabber power!!! 😉

 

[Pifanjr]

I finally got some time to continue Fallout 4 yesterday. Last time I felt somewhat underpowered, but after investing two skill points to boost rifle damage by 40% and switching my 10mm pistol for a hunting rifle it's going a lot better. Upgrading my sneaking skills didn't hurt either, now I can usually avoid being swarmed by large groups of enemies.

 

[Zed Clampet]

I am the greatest beaver mayor in history! Just ignore showergate. Watch one citizen take a shower, and you'd think I slapped babies.

I have no unemployed, no vacancies, no homeless, no injured or dull-toothed beavers. As for food and water, we could support 100 more buck-toothed brethren.

I finally got some time to continue Fallout 4 yesterday. Last time I felt somewhat underpowered, but after investing two skill points to boost rifle damage by 40% and switching my 10mm pistol for a hunting rifle it's going a lot better. Upgrading my sneaking skills didn't hurt either, now I can usually avoid being swarmed by large groups of enemies.

In Fallout 76 I ended up spending half my time collecting resources to craft ammo for my mini-gun and power for my power armor, but at least that kept me from feeling underpowered 🙂

*****

WELL SCHMIDT! Another external SSD bytes the dust. These things might as well have "disposable" stamped on the sides.

 

[Zloth]

Upgrading my sneaking skills didn't hurt either, now I can usually avoid being swarmed by large groups of enemies.

So, the Fallout equivalent of a stealth archer? Bethesda games (that Bethesda makes, not just publish) really seem to lend themselves to that approach.

Watch one citizen take a shower, and you'd think I slapped babies.

It occurs to me that you have not specifically denied slapping babies. 😉

 

[Johnway]

Still playing hollow knight and still enjoying exploring the world. i finally succumbed to death, first it was that fencer thing in the soul sancturary after you use the elegant key (that bloody blob monster thing distracted me) and then the mantis lords. Just wasn't prepared on the several attempts. its nothing difficult, its just attack pattern recognition and then finding ways to counter them.

But i've finally got my moth wings. Finally, Double jump! its been a long time coming.

 

[Zed Clampet]

Been playing the closed beta for The Crew: Motorfest. It's actually a very good arcade racer in the style of Forza Horizon (which is actually sim-cade). I abandoned The Crew 2 in short order, but I can see myself playing this one quite a bit.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Still playing hollow knight and still enjoying exploring the world. i finally succumbed to death, first it was that fencer thing in the soul sancturary after you use the elegant key (that bloody blob monster thing distracted me) and then the mantis lords. Just wasn't prepared on the several attempts. its nothing difficult, its just attack pattern recognition and then finding ways to counter them.

But i've finally got my moth wings. Finally, Double jump! its been a long time coming.

Feels amazing to move around in Hollow Knight with the dash and nail pogo. Waiting with baited breath to see if you breeze through some of the later bosses I really struggled with. 😀 Apparently the DLC ones are the hardest, but I have no idea what is a DLC boss or main, I just stumbled around the place fighting stuff in the way.

I've been playing it a bit again too, the music and atmosphere is so good

 

[Pifanjr]

So, the Fallout equivalent of a stealth archer? Bethesda games (that Bethesda makes, not just publish) really seem to lend themselves to that approach.

Exactly. I'm really looking forward to the moment I can put a silencer on the rifle and take down an entire building full of raiders without being spotted.

 

[Zed Clampet]

My Steam account is screwed up. They are claiming I have $11 in credit and $16 in pending credit. I shouldn't have either of those. I should be at $0 all around. Now I have to figure out how to send a support ticket, which they don't make easy.

And, no, I'm not borrowing $27 from Valve. They'll figure it out soon enough and then they'll get p1ssy about it like I was running some sort of scheme on them.

 

[Johnway]

Feels amazing to move around in Hollow Knight with the dash and nail pogo. Waiting with baited breath to see if you breeze through some of the later bosses I really struggled with. 😀 Apparently the DLC ones are the hardest, but I have no idea what is a DLC boss or main, I just stumbled around the place fighting stuff in the way.

I've been playing it a bit again too, the music and atmosphere is so good

yeah still plodding along, nothing too difficult so far, might die a couple of times, but nothing ornstein and smough level of tough. yet. Defeated the knight watchers (a bit disappointed that my reward was just some coffin of someone sleeping). But not to worry I've finally found the dream nail so harder bosses are on the menu soon enough...

Also finally got that damn lamp so i can travel into deep nest territory and maybe finish off the mines etc and do some more backtracking explore and unlock as much as i can before going to parts unknown.

Unsurprisingly, my fav location is the city of tears, the urban environments are hauntingly beautiful and leads to other places which certainly makes the whole downfall all the more sad. The hunter's guide is what fleshes out the story as to who or what we're fighting, like the bugs who've turned into blob monsters in desperation for immortality/desperation to survive the infection.

In a world filled with sadness and tragedy i think killing Myla (the mining bug) at the start hit me hardest. She might have been saved or something even after the infection (i mean some of the other npcs snapped out of it). Alas, i wasn't thinking and added her to the body count. Shame.

Still a bit miffed how the various other vendors/characters survived through the downfall though. Seems like they just did. Oh and the palace itself was a real disappointment. you'd think it would be grandiose structure but its underground and dirt filled...

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

yeah still plodding along, nothing too difficult so far, might die a couple of times, but nothing ornstein and smough level of tough. yet. Defeated the knight watchers (a bit disappointed that my reward was just some coffin of someone sleeping). But not to worry I've finally found the dream nail so harder bosses are on the menu soon enough...

Also finally got that damn lamp so i can travel into deep nest territory and maybe finish off the mines etc and do some more backtracking explore and unlock as much as i can before going to parts unknown.

Unsurprisingly, my fav location is the city of tears, the urban environments are hauntingly beautiful and leads to other places which certainly makes the whole downfall all the more sad. The hunter's guide is what fleshes out the story as to who or what we're fighting, like the bugs who've turned into blob monsters in desperation for immortality/desperation to survive the infection.

In a world filled with sadness and tragedy i think killing Myla (the mining bug) at the start hit me hardest. She might have been saved or something even after the infection (i mean some of the other npcs snapped out of it). Alas, i wasn't thinking and added her to the body count. Shame.

Still a bit miffed how the various other vendors/characters survived through the downfall though. Seems like they just did. Oh and the palace itself was a real disappointment. you'd think it would be grandiose structure but its underground and dirt filled...

Havent beaten the Watcher Knights, the other day I decided to look up a guide for tips and apparently its much easier if you have a certain item I havent got yet, next time I play I'll be going after that.

I have done the Deep Nest though, but its been actually several years since so I dont remember much except it was pretty creepy down there. Might well be that I've been banging my head against a lot of late game stuff without having certain items and just made things really hard for myself without realizing it.

 

[dxchase]

I do not find diablo 4 nearly as bad as what reddit (full of "must get to max levels in 3 days her derpy derp"), game journalists or old diablo heads have to say about it. Does it have flaws? Of course it does. Every game, esp. live service games do, But the grind, the story and the armor are all good to me, the season isnt all that bad to me. I didnt expect much from blizzard and i think that kinda helped. I didnt mind paying out for this one game and i absolutely do not feel cheated by paying.

 

[Brian Boru]

Shh, keep this quiet…

Only 2 of interest there for me—Sniper Elite 5 and Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2. How about you?

 

[Zloth]

Let's see... Stray? It's 0% off. Ooookay. I guess it's only showing because it's on my wish list. AC Valhalla is a little tempting.

There are plenty listed that I've already played and enjoyed, though:

• All the Batman Arkham games
• Assassin's Creed Oddyssey
• Watch Dogs: Legion and Watch Dogs 2
• Deus Ex games (the original is less than $1)

How are the Styx games not on sale!?

 

[Brian Boru]

0% off

You gotta click the 'Discounted' button to get those on sale.

 

[Pifanjr]

I realized I've only seen one shopkeeper so far in Fallout 4 and that was a random doctor I encountered, not an actual shop. I hadn't really noticed before because I'm still hoarding all of the crap I find, but instead of selling it I'm turning it into scrap to upgrade my gear with. It's honestly better than having shopkeepers with limited funds, so you have to fast travel between multiple shops to sell off all your loot.

 

[mainer]

There are a few established shops/stalls but they're mostly in the major settlements/cities, like Diamond City (though there are a couple of exceptions to that). The rest are traveling merchants that you'll periodically run into in your travels. Some of them will also visit certain settlements that you establish/build, like Sanctuary.

If you get into the settlement building/management part (which is almost a game by itself), you can also build your own shops and assign settlers to run them.

Another good use for all the extra weapons & armor pieces you pick up, is to equip your settlers so they can better defend the settlements. When they initially show up, the usually have no armor and have a crummy pipe pistol or pipe rifle. They'll get chewed to pieces in an attack if you don't upgrade their equipment.

 

[Johnway]

Havent beaten the Watcher Knights, the other day I decided to look up a guide for tips and apparently its much easier if you have a certain item I havent got yet, next time I play I'll be going after that.

I have done the Deep Nest though, but its been actually several years since so I dont remember much except it was pretty creepy down there. Might well be that I've been banging my head against a lot of late game stuff without having certain items and just made things really hard for myself without realizing it.

to be fair i did have a few advantages by this point some extra lives, upgraded my weapon a twice and got the more powerful projectile thing. Individually the watcher knights aren't a threat its when the second one revives and they attack from different directions does it get a bit hairy. i might have gotten lucky roping them into one side. There are Six of them so you got your work cut out. Especially when you can't heal and you have no choice but to use the soul to spam projectiles. Still took me 3 or 4 attempts. Might play around with the pins though.

Defeated dung defender (a cakewalk) and as a reward got the acid proof shell. Fantastic. makes travelling a lot less stressful. Visited the second nailmaster and got my skill. not sure if its better then whirlwind, but usefu all the same.

Speaking of locations, yeah i agree, place save points by boss fights backtracking chunks of a map to face off again is tedious. yes, its predictable but damn it, i think it makes things less annoying as i can have a second attempt quickly.

Boss wise i haven't fought the 3 sleepers yet, i'm still exploring. but i must say i did get cocky and tried to face off against one of the warrior dreams and got my ass handed to me. Again not too difficult, but if you choke or miss time a dodge you're in for a world of hurt.

i also encountered that task about delivering the flower to the queens gardens (to pay respects to fallen loved one) Made trickier when you can't quick travel or get hit once. yeah good luck with that one lady... I don't even know where you want me to place the flower even...

 

[Pifanjr]

There are a few established shops/stalls but they're mostly in the major settlements/cities, like Diamond City (though there are a couple of exceptions to that). The rest are traveling merchants that you'll periodically run into in your travels. Some of them will also visit certain settlements that you establish/build, like Sanctuary.

If you get into the settlement building/management part (which is almost a game by itself), you can also build your own shops and assign settlers to run them.

Another good use for all the extra weapons & armor pieces you pick up, is to equip your settlers so they can better defend the settlements. When they initially show up, the usually have no armor and have a crummy pipe pistol or pipe rifle. They'll get chewed to pieces in an attack if you don't upgrade their equipment.

I haven't really felt like I was lacking anything that I might want to buy. What would you use the shops for that you can built?

Also, is there a downside to just letting your settlers die?

 

[Zloth]

Also, is there a downside to just letting your settlers die?

DUDE!!!

 

[Pifanjr]

DUDE!!!

I'm not planning on being the guardian angel of every single settler in the wastelands. I don't mind killing some raiders, but I'm here to find my son.