March 2025 General Game Discussion Thread

[Kaamos_Llama]

Ive been playing Black Mesa. owned it for a bit but only felt like playing it just now.

I finished HL2 and episodes around the time of their release, but Ive never beaten original HL. It was a long time ago and Ive played both the original version and the Source port from the Orange box but never made it all the way so I figured I'd give it another try.

It feels nice to play a game like this in 2025. I keep thinking the levels are kind of like a rat maze, there seem to be multiple ways to progress in places but its more like side paths, its enough to make it have an element of exploration. Also coming from something like Avowed its really nice to have the game be more subtle in its signalling. I know you can turn off item shimmer in options, but with a more limited world size it gives more of a feeling of having figured things out for yourself at times than entering a room and immediately seeing a shiny lever glistening. At times that leads to a bit of frustration when something isnt quite obvious for some reason, but I think a level of friction adds to the feeling of satisfaction in progress. Sometimes in a lot of newer AAA action games it feels a bit like you just follow the sign posts and theyre all lit up for you like runway lights. Here you actually have to pay a bit of attention. That probably works better when its not a fully open world game, but still I kind of like it.

Anyway I made it about half way so far, fun game

 

[ZedClampet]

Ive been playing Black Mesa. owned it for a bit but only felt like playing it just now.

I finished HL2 and episodes around the time of their release, but Ive never beaten original HL. It was a long time ago and Ive played both the original version and the Source port from the Orange box but never made it all the way so I figured I'd give it another try.

It feels nice to play a game like this in 2025. I keep thinking the levels are kind of like a rat maze, there seem to be multiple ways to progress in places but its more like side paths, its enough to make it have an element of exploration. Also coming from something like Avowed its really nice to have the game be more subtle in its signalling. I know you can turn off item shimmer in options, but with a more limited world size it gives more of a feeling of having figured things out for yourself at times than entering a room and immediately seeing a shiny lever glistening. At times that leads to a bit of frustration when something isnt quite obvious for some reason, but I think a level of friction adds to the feeling of satisfaction in progress. Sometimes in a lot of newer AAA action games it feels a bit like you just follow the sign posts and theyre all lit up for you like runway lights. Here you actually have to pay a bit of attention. That probably works better when its not a fully open world game, but still I kind of like it.

Anyway I made it about half way so far, fun game

Half Life was maybe the 3rd shooter I ever played (and the other two were Goldeneye and Duke Nukem 3D), and I struggled a lot with it. The "rat maze" definitely describes it. Not being experienced in this sort of game, I had a real problem navigating.

Fear is much the same way.

You know, I really like this kind of shooter, though. They should make more of them.

 

[Colif]

Guess I am crazy then. Had at least 10 hours played each day for some time when Path of Exile 2 EA released.

As someone who plays games all day for an entire month, I recognise crazy when I see it
I can remember when I would play all day, go to sleep and do it again. For months on end... when I played Wow/Age of Conan.
I remember hating the sun as it meant the night was over.

All these things happen with Arpg and me. I am inbetween disappearances.
Shame I never liked POE1 & the 2nd game isn't a sequel but its own beast.

 

[BeardyHat]

Ive been playing Black Mesa. owned it for a bit but only felt like playing it just now.

I finished HL2 and episodes around the time of their release, but Ive never beaten original HL. It was a long time ago and Ive played both the original version and the Source port from the Orange box but never made it all the way so I figured I'd give it another try.

It feels nice to play a game like this in 2025. I keep thinking the levels are kind of like a rat maze, there seem to be multiple ways to progress in places but its more like side paths, its enough to make it have an element of exploration. Also coming from something like Avowed its really nice to have the game be more subtle in its signalling. I know you can turn off item shimmer in options, but with a more limited world size it gives more of a feeling of having figured things out for yourself at times than entering a room and immediately seeing a shiny lever glistening. At times that leads to a bit of frustration when something isnt quite obvious for some reason, but I think a level of friction adds to the feeling of satisfaction in progress. Sometimes in a lot of newer AAA action games it feels a bit like you just follow the sign posts and theyre all lit up for you like runway lights. Here you actually have to pay a bit of attention. That probably works better when its not a fully open world game, but still I kind of like it.

Anyway I made it about half way so far, fun game

Black Mesa is super good, having played through both the original game and it in the last month or so.

The amount of detail and general thought Crowbar Collective has added to the areas is just fantastic; I feel like they've added a lot while preserving the spirit of the original game.

I'd be curious for you to go though the original and see how it compares after the fact, but I also want to hear your thoughts on Xen when you finally get there.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Half Life was maybe the 3rd shooter I ever played (and the other two were Goldeneye and Duke Nukem 3D), and I struggled a lot with it. The "rat maze" definitely describes it. Not being experienced in this sort of game, I had a real problem navigating.

Fear is much the same way.

You know, I really like this kind of shooter, though. They should make more of them.

I do too and maybe someone here can point out some lesser known newer ones? I liked Doom OK back in the 90s and its fun enough to blast around in but for me it gets boring after a few hours, so the boomer shooters dont really appeal to me. I'd rather play some modern takes on a Half Life style.

I'm not averse to looking up a walkthrough if I get frustrated, had to do it twice so far and its really easy to do now, in 1998 or whatever it was trawling through am ascii text thingy on GameFAQs. Would be cool if there was an emergency ping or clue option or something if it got annoying so you wouldnt have to get taken out of the game. Then again it might be too tempting to just ping it, maybe it could be time limited or something and adjustable in options.

I really liked FEAR as well, but I guess I was more used to that kind of thing by that point in 2005 or whatever. I have Trepang 2, will give it a shot one day.

Black Mesa is super good, having played through both the original game and it in the last month or so.

The amount of detail and general thought Crowbar Collective has added to the areas is just fantastic; I feel like they've added a lot while preserving the spirit of the original game.

I'd be curious for you to go though the original and see how it compares after the fact, but I also want to hear your thoughts on Xen when you finally get there.

I have an awful memory and it was over 20 years ago, but I think I made it to Zen in the original and quit, the Source port I didnt get all that far. Honestly I cant tell what differences there are to the levels so far, and I think I wont have the will to go through the original if I manage to get to the end of Black Mesa straight away. Im in the early stages of Surface Tension just passed the minefield.

I remember you said you were playing it a little while ago, I'll post up something about Zen when I get there but unfortunately I wont be able to compare to the old one, I know a lot of people didnt like the original.

Just had a thought: Are Blue Shift or Opposing Force worth checking out, never played those at all.

 

[neogunhero]

All I've been playing lately is Teardown. It's a great sandbox game if you're the kind of person who likes to make their own fun in games. Lately it's been giving me nostalgia for the days I was super heavy into Garry's Mod. The seemingly infinite possibilities of what you can do, combined with a very active Workshop community, it feels just like when I first played GMod, despite the fact that I have a GMod style menu mod to spawn objects and vehicles as well as a Physgun. I really enjoy just goofing around and experimenting with stuff. The main game is great too, with well-structured missions and clear objectives in each level, but I'm always drawn to the freedom of sandbox mode.

One of my favorite mods for the game is the Infinite Plank. The plank tool in the base game is so simple but tons of fun to use, you just select a surface, drag out a rectangle, and when you let go a plank appears. It has limited length, so the infinite plank mod does exactly that, makes it however long you want it to be. I have tried to build houses with it, built a floating bridge, made ramps with it, all sorts of things. I try to find out new ways to use it and experiment with what works. Other times I like to make a wall and smash cars into it. Fun!

Last night I played on a city map with a working train through the middle. I attempted to make a ramp for it, but really it just derailed the train and crashed into a nearby building. Watching the train go off the rails, jackknife and fold into itself, eventually falling off the high tracks onto the street below, parts exploding and debris flying everywhere, knowing I caused all of it, that sort of thing is lots of fun to me. I proceeded to do similar experiments with the train a few more times.

 

[Colif]

Wonders how he missed Tropico 6. Guess I hadn't really liked 5 as much as 4. Must have been busy in 2019

A new Grim Dawn expansion in the works - some items - https://forums.crateentertainment.com/t/grim-misadventure-189-fashion-and-function/143756

 

[ZedClampet]

I do too and maybe someone here can point out some lesser known newer ones?

So I did a search based on Trepang2 for the last 10 years, and it was a little frustrating. Even games that didn't claim to be boomer shooters were, in fact, boomer shooters. I gave up without searching everything. This is the only one that might be the most similar to the old corridor shooters:

Check & Clean on Steam

Check&Clean is a tactical First Person Shooter blending music, speedrun elements and intense action. It immerses you in a rhythmic universe, alternating analysis sequences and gunfights. The innovative music coordination allows players to synchronize explosive moments with beats.

store.steampowered.com

This just came out 2 weeks ago and it only has two reviews. One of them was negative, but the developer seems to have answered the concerns expressed.

I think that we might need to try the "survival horror" genre. I believe I've seen some games there that remind me of corridor shooters. System Shock and Fear would both be considered survival horror these days.

I might go back and play Doom 3 again. It's different from the others (and another one that would be classified as survival horror now.

 

[ZedClampet]

Wonders how he missed Tropico 6. Guess I hadn't really liked 5 as much as 4. Must have been busy in 2019

A new Grim Dawn expansion in the works - some items - https://forums.crateentertainment.com/t/grim-misadventure-189-fashion-and-function/143756

I like Tropico 6, but I didn't play the earlier ones. It's on sale now if you didn't already know that.

 

[Pifanjr]

All I've been playing lately is Teardown. It's a great sandbox game if you're the kind of person who likes to make their own fun in games. Lately it's been giving me nostalgia for the days I was super heavy into Garry's Mod. The seemingly infinite possibilities of what you can do, combined with a very active Workshop community, it feels just like when I first played GMod, despite the fact that I have a GMod style menu mod to spawn objects and vehicles as well as a Physgun. I really enjoy just goofing around and experimenting with stuff. The main game is great too, with well-structured missions and clear objectives in each level, but I'm always drawn to the freedom of sandbox mode.

One of my favorite mods for the game is the Infinite Plank. The plank tool in the base game is so simple but tons of fun to use, you just select a surface, drag out a rectangle, and when you let go a plank appears. It has limited length, so the infinite plank mod does exactly that, makes it however long you want it to be. I have tried to build houses with it, built a floating bridge, made ramps with it, all sorts of things. I try to find out new ways to use it and experiment with what works. Other times I like to make a wall and smash cars into it. Fun!

Last night I played on a city map with a working train through the middle. I attempted to make a ramp for it, but really it just derailed the train and crashed into a nearby building. Watching the train go off the rails, jackknife and fold into itself, eventually falling off the high tracks onto the street below, parts exploding and debris flying everywhere, knowing I caused all of it, that sort of thing is lots of fun to me. I proceeded to do similar experiments with the train a few more times.

That sounds like the kind of stuff I used to do as a kid. Games with destructible environments or anything with explosives were great to just play around in. I'm still sad I never got Mercenaries 2 to work properly.

 

[Colif]

I like Tropico 6, but I didn't play the earlier ones. It's on sale now if you didn't already know that.

I didn't notice, I will have a look tomorrow. Might as well add it to collection.
Just bought it

they can be fun games. I used to like city builders but Skylines is perhaps too much. Did they ever fix the performance on 2?

 

[neogunhero]

That sounds like the kind of stuff I used to do as a kid. Games with destructible environments or anything with explosives were great to just play around in. I'm still sad I never got Mercenaries 2 to work properly.

I've never quite passed that part in my mental development lol. You give me a game with destructible environments, a realistic physics engine, and give me the tools to play around with these systems, I'm going to have a great time. I'm not big into GMod anymore, maybe because I associate that with me being a child, so in a way this is my new version of that game.

 

[Colif]

Deliver at all costs looks to be a destruction based game, but not with weapons, more vehicles.
It makes me think of

there probably were games between 1999 and now that did similar. I just missed them.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

So I did a search based on Trepang2 for the last 10 years, and it was a little frustrating. Even games that didn't claim to be boomer shooters were, in fact, boomer shooters. I gave up without searching everything. This is the only one that might be the most similar to the old corridor shooters:

Check & Clean on Steam

Check&Clean is a tactical First Person Shooter blending music, speedrun elements and intense action. It immerses you in a rhythmic universe, alternating analysis sequences and gunfights. The innovative music coordination allows players to synchronize explosive moments with beats.

store.steampowered.com

This just came out 2 weeks ago and it only has two reviews. One of them was negative, but the developer seems to have answered the concerns expressed.

I think that we might need to try the "survival horror" genre. I believe I've seen some games there that remind me of corridor shooters. System Shock and Fear would both be considered survival horror these days.

I might go back and play Doom 3 again. It's different from the others (and another one that would be classified as survival horror now.

Good call, you know what I never finished Doom 3 either, had the boxed version back then and I have it on Steam too already. I think in the latest version they let you have the lamp out at the same time as a gun without a mod, so that would help.

I do think Half Life is a little different to FEAR and other stuff like the Machine Games Wolfensteins. With the physics, platforming and environmental puzzles they have some light immersive sim elements, so something like System Shock might also have a similar feeling, I havent played those games at all.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

they can be fun games. I used to like city builders but Skylines is perhaps too much. Did they ever fix the performance on 2?

I think Skylines 2 might still have some issues, but I played 20 hours or so of the original a couple months ago and its still good and runs well. I only played the vanilla game, but theres a ton of DLCs and also mods if you want to really make something unique, it can be a lot if you get into it, but vanilla is pretty good as long as you think about traffic from the get go.

 

[ZedClampet]

Good call, you know what I never finished Doom 3 either, had the boxed version back then and I have it on Steam too already. I think in the latest version they let you have the lamp out at the same time as a gun without a mod, so that would help.

I do think Half Life is a little different to FEAR and other stuff like the Machine Games Wolfensteins. With the physics, platforming and environmental puzzles they have some light immersive sim elements, so something like System Shock might also have a similar feeling, I havent played those games at all.

Honestly, I haven't kept up with either horror or survival horror. Amnesia had a lot of physics and environmental puzzles, but, of course, you were missing the guns. I doubt we'll find a perfect match for everything Half Life has to offer, but maybe...

Did they ever fix the performance on 2?

I don't know. I played it the first week it was out and then gave up on it and decided to wait until they fixed some things, but I haven't kept up with what they've done. People still don't seem to be happy, but that could just be a hangover from launch. They've released a bunch of updates.

You ought to check out these two, which are also on sale:

Save 50% on Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic on Steam

Build a soviet republic from an impoverished country into a rich industrial superpower in a city builder with intricate production chains and a fully simulated global economy. Manage the lives of your citizens from education to work and party loyalty to criminal activity.

store.steampowered.com

Save 50% on Highrise City on Steam

Highrise City offers a new spin on City Simulations & Tycoon games expanding the economy and resource management aspect. Experience a modern take on the genre enriched with a complex resource based economy system.

store.steampowered.com

Workers/Resources is a great but extremely complex game. I haven't actually tried Highrise City. Just considering buying it.

 

[BeardyHat]

I do too and maybe someone here can point out some lesser known newer ones? I liked Doom OK back in the 90s and its fun enough to blast around in but for me it gets boring after a few hours, so the boomer shooters dont really appeal to me. I'd rather play some modern takes on a Half Life style.

I'm not averse to looking up a walkthrough if I get frustrated, had to do it twice so far and its really easy to do now, in 1998 or whatever it was trawling through am ascii text thingy on GameFAQs. Would be cool if there was an emergency ping or clue option or something if it got annoying so you wouldnt have to get taken out of the game. Then again it might be too tempting to just ping it, maybe it could be time limited or something and adjustable in options.

I really liked FEAR as well, but I guess I was more used to that kind of thing by that point in 2005 or whatever. I have Trepang 2, will give it a shot one day.


I have an awful memory and it was over 20 years ago, but I think I made it to Zen in the original and quit, the Source port I didnt get all that far. Honestly I cant tell what differences there are to the levels so far, and I think I wont have the will to go through the original if I manage to get to the end of Black Mesa straight away. Im in the early stages of Surface Tension just passed the minefield.

I remember you said you were playing it a little while ago, I'll post up something about Zen when I get there but unfortunately I wont be able to compare to the old one, I know a lot of people didnt like the original.

Finally doing Xen for the first time this year, it wasn't that bad, especially in comparison to other stuff I've played and it goes pretty damn quick overall.

As for "Half-Life" likes, Titanfall 2 is pretty good--though I haven't played it since release.

Quake 2, while not quite as good, is a pretty solid story campaign; I was actually playing through it in maybe 2023 and need to go pick it back up, but it has that maze like level design, as well as back tracking (which is partially why I took that break).

Selaco is a newer one, though I haven't made it too far in that yet.

 

[BeardyHat]

Well that's obnoxious. Got my new computer around an hour ago and began setting it up and the hardware in the listing is not the hardware that I got. It's 90% accurate, but I was supposed to be receiving essentially a 3060, but instead got a 3050 ti.
Guess that's what I get for using eBay, though I usually don't have these issues with it.

So, I've contacted the seller and I'm assuming they'll create a shipping label for me so I can send it back. I'm guessing they don't actually have the laptop in their listing available and instead I'll get that refund and have to go hunting again, which is obnoxious.

 

[ZedClampet]

Finally doing Xen for the first time this year, it wasn't that bad, especially in comparison to other stuff I've played and it goes pretty damn quick overall.

As for "Half-Life" likes, Titanfall 2 is pretty good--though I haven't played it since release.

Quake 2, while not quite as good, is a pretty solid story campaign; I was actually playing through it in maybe 2023 and need to go pick it back up, but it has that maze like level design, as well as back tracking (which is partially why I took that break).

Selaco is a newer one, though I haven't made it too far in that yet.

Titanfall 2 is my overall favorite shooter

Well that's obnoxious. Got my new computer around an hour ago and began setting it up and the hardware in the listing is not the hardware that I got. It's 90% accurate, but I was supposed to be receiving essentially a 3060, but instead got a 3050 ti.
Guess that's what I get for using eBay, though I usually don't have these issues with it.

So, I've contacted the seller and I'm assuming they'll create a shipping label for me so I can send it back. I'm guessing they don't actually have the laptop in their listing available and instead I'll get that refund and have to go hunting again, which is obnoxious.

That really sucks. If he tries to say the 3050 ti is equivalent to the 3060, which is probably what he hopes you'll think, then this guy is a crook.

 

[BeardyHat]

Titanfall 2 is my overall favorite shooter


That really sucks. If he tries to say the 3050 ti is equivalent to the 3060, which is probably what he hopes you'll think, then this guy is a crook.

Oh, there's a reason I paid extra for a laptop with a 3060 over a 3050 ti, there ain't no fooling going on here.

But often, sellers would rather give you a partial refund than take an item back (I don't blame them, I've had to do that and it sucks and costs you a good amount of money), so if they try to offer that, I'm going to let them know they can either give me a full return and refund or give me at least half my money back.

I'd keep the laptop if it was a screaming deal at half what I paid, but no way in hell am I hanging onto it for the money I paid, especially when it was sold as something else.

I'm mostly annoyed that I'll have to wait again, one way or the other. I was excited to finally get back on my feet with a laptop today, so to have that go wrong just makes me very annoyed.

Maybe I should just go to Microcenter and get a gaming laptop, but I don't want just any machine.

 

[Zloth]

Tropico 6 seemed a good bit harder to me than 3, 4, or 5. It's been a while now, though, so I can't remember if I was playing on harder difficulty or if I wasn't understanding something basic about the game.

Speaking of remembering... F.E.A.R.? I remember liking it. I've got an screenshot that I sort of remember happening. That's it.

My Distant Worlds 2 game has come out balanced! I may get over halfway through the tech tree before winning or giving up! Though, now that I know what I'm doing, giving up really isn't needed. The game has an easy-to-access editor. If I'm really getting shafted by the random number generator, I can drop in a planet of any kind wherever I want. I could boost enemy empires that way, too... theoretically.

 

[Colif]

Big Win

EU not as useless as they seem. They made a move on virtual currencies in gaming. and shops in general.

1. They ruled all games have to show the actual Dollar amount next to any purchase made in them, as well as any virtual currency
2. They ruled games can only have ONE virtual currency, not many. No need to convert one to another to buy things now. Any game with many has to merge them together.
3. They ruled that you should be able to buy the exact amount of currency you need and not have to buy the bundles. No need to buy a bundle of currency just to have enough. Bundles have to match the prices of items, no selling 2000 when all items are 3500 or something
4. One principle is games can't be designed to make people buy things and exploit/tempt people into purchasing currencies/items ...

well, there goes most AAA games. That has been the entire drive for the last 10 years, turn us into walking wallets and tempting us to buy something.

Its one reason every game is online now as showing people what they can buy in game is really good advertising. Matching people with others in multi player who have better gear is free advertising. COD has patents related to it that show they even boost your performance after buying items for a short time, before it returns to normal or worse, depending how often you spend.

Wonder if its post dated. Retro active? Last few years have been the worst.

Pro consumer. Child protection as well.

EA needs to think of another way to make money now... the obvious (make good games) is not even on their radar.
Fork knife will be effected.
Blizzard... looks at Diablo Immoral and 4 wasn't much better.

they all playing the game and hopefully all need to stop.
Fines need to be larger than profit or they will just pay the fines and ignore it. Banning the games that don't change would be a move, but its only EU. Not everywhere... only stops games being released there, unless other countries follow.

If this hits mobile, there won't be any games left. One way to clean it up.

 

[ZedClampet]

Big Win

EU not as useless as they seem. They made a move on virtual currencies in gaming. and shops in general.

1. They ruled all games have to show the actual Dollar amount next to any purchase made in them, as well as any virtual currency
2. They ruled games can only have ONE virtual currency, not many. No need to convert one to another to buy things now. Any game with many has to merge them together.
3. They ruled that you should be able to buy the exact amount of currency you need and not have to buy the bundles. No need to buy a bundle of currency just to have enough. Bundles have to match the prices of items, no selling 2000 when all items are 3500 or something
4. One principle is games can't be designed to make people buy things and exploit/tempt people into purchasing currencies/items ...

well, there goes most AAA games. That has been the entire drive for the last 10 years, turn us into walking wallets and tempting us to buy something.

Its one reason every game is online now as showing people what they can buy in game is really good advertising. Matching people with others in multi player who have better gear is free advertising. COD has patents related to it that show they even boost your performance after buying items for a short time, before it returns to normal or worse, depending how often you spend.

Wonder if its post dated. Retro active? Last few years have been the worst.

Pro consumer. Child protection as well.

EA needs to think of another way to make money now... the obvious (make good games) is not even on their radar.
Fork knife will be effected.
Blizzard... looks at Diablo Immoral and 4 wasn't much better.

they all playing the game and hopefully all need to stop.
Fines need to be larger than profit or they will just pay the fines and ignore it. Banning the games that don't change would be a move, but its only EU. Not everywhere... only stops games being released there, unless other countries follow.

If this hits mobile, there won't be any games left. One way to clean it up.

We US gamers need other countries to step up. I'm not a legal expert, but in the US, in most cases the government can't just say, "From now on 'X' is illegal". We are obsessive about limiting the power of government, and the courts would just overrule it. What we might be able to do is set up age limits, and not allow games that do these things to be marketed to children.

 

[Colif]

Yeah, every country is different, but there aren't multiple versions of games. So unless they make a client for different countries, games will have to play by the rules to be released everywhere.
That is why EU rulings tend to effect everyone.

 

[ZedClampet]

Yeah, every country is different, but there aren't multiple versions of games. So unless they make a client for different countries, games will have to play by the rules to be released everywhere.
That is why EU rulings tend to effect everyone.

There are multiple versions of games now in the form of localizations, and if the money is good enough, they'll go beyond that and do different monetization per localization. Just depends on how much money they might lose/gain. The EU is roughly 20 percent of the market. Are they going to throw away all that money from the other 80 percent? Not sure.