October 2023 Random Game Thoughts Thread

[ZedClampet]

I'm going to start updating the "always and completely free" games thread more often. I put a pretty neat one in there today if you want to have a look (and if you are someone who likes to set off explosions)

Free Games (Not Time Limited)

Thought maybe we needed a thread to post games that are always free (please don't post games with pay-to-win features). This first game has an article on PC Gamer today. It's one of the top rated games of all time on Steam and it's completely free...

forums.pcgamer.com

 

[Brian Boru]

It's done!

Microsoft completes $69bn takeover of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard

It comes after the UK approved the $69bn takeover of Activision Blizzard, which makes Call of Duty.

www.bbc.com

ETA:

Microsoft Activision: What does deal mean for gamers?

Call of Duty might be an Xbox exclusive one day, but not for at least 15 years.

www.bbc.com

 

[ZedClampet]

It's done!

Microsoft completes $69bn takeover of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard

It comes after the UK approved the $69bn takeover of Activision Blizzard, which makes Call of Duty.

www.bbc.com

My first run-in with Activision was when they started making third-party games for the original Atari. I never could have imagined they'd some day be worth $69 billion.

By the way, I still have more playtime on Activision's Atari games than I have on all the rest of the Activision games combined. I've probably played 2 hours of Activision/Blizzard games since 1985. Wish Microsoft had bought EA or Nintendo instead.

 

[Brian Boru]

I've probably played 2 hours of Activision/Blizzard games since 1985

I never played their 80s games, but they had one fine series for me in the 90s—Dark Reign 1 & 2, probably the most underrated RTS during the golden age.

I also played a bit of the Total War series ~20 years ago, surprised you didn't give that a shot.

Other than those 2, I'm in your boat

 

[ZedClampet]

I never played their 80s games, but they had one fine series for me in the 90s—Dark Reign 1 & 2, probably the most underrated RTS during the golden age.

I also played a bit of the Total War series ~20 years ago, surprised you didn't give that a shot.

Other than those 2, I'm in your boat

Poor troll attempt. Total War is not an Activision game. They just published two games in the series. They never owned the rights to the IP. You wouldn't consider Alan Wake a Microsoft game just because it was published by them. Everyone knows that's a Remedy game just like everyone knows Total War is a Creative Assembly game.

 

[Colif]

maybe Blizzard will release something new apart from Diablo games now.

Shame I own it already but I wonder if diablo 4 on game pass will bring any new players.

wonder what happens to the launchers. Battlenet

I couldn't tell you last activision game I played.

 

[Brian Boru]

Poor troll attempt

Oh heck, you caught me! And checking now, they didn't dev Dark Reign either

 

[Colif]

download a game off steam - can watch youtube videos all I like at 1440p
download a game off Epic - now hold on there, no videos above 720p

I could throttle it I guess but I don't intend to download too many from them if its like that at defaults.

 

[Zloth]

I tried out the newest, non-Steam version of Dwarf Fortress today, because my kid is off school and Disco Elysium seems unsuitable for when there's a 5-year old around.

What!? Come on, folks! Get your picket signs! We'll protest this 5 year old tyrant until he lets Pifanjr play what he wants to play!! (Note: there will likely need to be concessions, so I'll be bringing along various sweets and toys. They are NOT for protestors, so hands off!)

 

[ZedClampet]

@Pifanjr Wouldn't Disco Elysium only be unsuitable for a 5-year-old if she sat there and read it with you? I only played the beginning, though. Maybe there are bad scenes later.

*****

Played Forewarned with the kids, two missions, and it didn't go so well for me. In the first one, I barely had any health left, and right as we finished the mission, my daughter accidentally swung her torch and hit me, which finished me off. And in the second mission, we had also just finished it when I ran into some celebratory grenades Guido had thrown. So basically I completed both missions, but didn't make it to the exit in either one

Both of them were kind of my fault. I ran to help her with the last enemy and sort of got in the way at the end, and I wasn't even in the room when Guido threw the grenades, but backtracked to see what they were doing. As soon as I went through the door, BAM

 

[Brian Boru]

my daughter

Doesn't seem right she doesn't have a name like Guido, so please choose:
Marine One;
Elly May.

 

[ZedClampet]

Doesn't seem right she doesn't have a name like Guido, so please choose:
Marine One;
Elly May.

Those are good options. Her gamer tag is in Japanese characters, and I never asked her what it says, so that isn't helpful. Guess I'll go with Elly.

You know my first psychopath's, I mean girlfriend's, name was the same as the actress who played Elly. I'm afraid to type out her name. It might summon her.

 

[neogunhero]

Bought a Starfield branded Rockstar energy drink and got a month of Game Pass Ultimate for basically $1.59. Pretty good deal although you do have to make an account of the Rockstar rewards website then a new Microsoft account because it’s only eligible for new users. Went through all that trouble, waited 24 hours for the code, then couldn’t find anything really good on Game Pass. I downloaded Gotham Knights but for some reason turned it off shortly after getting into the gameplay. I also downloaded Lies of P but haven’t tried it yet. Like A Dragon Ishin released on GP today though, might try that out. Any one have recommendations for games on GP?

 

[Frindis]

I can recommend Forza Horizon 5 and Microsoft Flight Simulator if you are into driving/flying and Yakuza 0 is pretty cool if you like open-world and story-driven fighting games. Enter the Gungeon is a fun 2D shooter where you kill monsters on different levels while getting more and more powerful weapons and abilities.

 

[Pifanjr]

@Pifanjr Wouldn't Disco Elysium only be unsuitable for a 5-year-old if she sat there and read it with you? I only played the beginning, though. Maybe there are bad scenes later.

My main task right now involves dealing with a dead body. It isn't particularly graphic, but I don't think it's appropriate for children regardless and I don't know what else I can expect either.

Also, my daughter was playing game on my phone and I would've had to use it to sign in to my Steam account, so it was easier to pick something that didn't require Steam.

I played a bit more of my Dwarf Fortress game. It seems I have a vampire in my fortress. Someone died in my tavern and then one of my visitors was seen skulking about, so I killed him and assumed he was the vampire. But then someone else died and another visitor was seen skulking about, so either I got two vampire visitors or they're unrelated events.
I was hoping it was the former, as then I'd be done with it, but then one of my dwarves died inside of the fortress itself, so it seems it's most likely one of the Dwarven migrants is a vampire, but I have no idea how to determine who it is.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Bought a Starfield branded Rockstar energy drink and got a month of Game Pass Ultimate for basically $1.59. Pretty good deal although you do have to make an account of the Rockstar rewards website then a new Microsoft account because it’s only eligible for new users. Went through all that trouble, waited 24 hours for the code, then couldn’t find anything really good on Game Pass. I downloaded Gotham Knights but for some reason turned it off shortly after getting into the gameplay. I also downloaded Lies of P but haven’t tried it yet. Like A Dragon Ishin released on GP today though, might try that out. Any one have recommendations for games on GP?

If I wasnt deep into Baldurs Gate 3 I'd probably give Cocoon a try as I heard a lot of good things.

 

[ZedClampet]

The "Five new Steam games you probably missed" article always highlights the weirdest games that I'm always glad that I missed. So here's my list of fourteen games that launched TODAY that might be interesting to someone. And trust me, I left a bunch off this list.

Paraopticon on Steam

Paraopticon is an Observation Duty / Puzzle Game Style mix. Try to spot all anomalies and report them so you don´t die.Make it till 6 AM and you survive.

store.steampowered.com

This has a lot of different categories listed under it, but what it looks like to me is an observation, horror, puzzler. Graphics look nice to me. Has 1 positive user review.

Sliding Swords on Steam

A roguelite, dungeon crawler, where you move all objects at the same time, and the same types that touch - merge into one! Defeat enemies, level up, solve quests, unlock new things, upgrade your character, and cast powerful spells!

store.steampowered.com

Once again, the categories seem like a fail. This is a complex puzzle game that looks a little like a match 3 game but with numbers and other things. No user reviews.

ReThink | Lite on Steam

ReThink | Lite is a Puzzle Game in a peaceful futuristic setting, that is a spiritual successor to ReThink 2 and features a variety of Puzzles that utilize Lasers and the behavior of light and it's colors to create challenging problems to solve.

store.steampowered.com

A cool looking, first person, laser puzzle game. Apparently there have been other games in the series. Worth a look for puzzle game fans. No user reviews yet.

Save 33% on Night Loops on Steam

Journey through the psyche… Welcome to the Seaside Hotel, where the final hour of your night shift awaits. Tend to guests, explore their dreams, and lose your sense of Self – time and again. In this dark, labyrinthine adventure, unravel the path to the truth below.

store.steampowered.com

Another horror themed game for October. This one is a psychological horror visual novel. Looks nice and all 5 user reviews are positive.

Return to Northbury Grove on Steam

Return to Northbury Grove is a thrilling VR experience and love letter to the slasher horror genre. Centered around immersive escape room gameplay, players are tasked with evading the terrifying Slasher of Specter Forest. Can you survive a horror movie?

store.steampowered.com

Did I mention it's Halloween month? This is a completely free VR horror game. No user reviews.

Paraido on Steam

Paraido is a relaxing yet challenging puzzle game. Complete levels by moving and rotating the puzzle pieces into their correct positions.

store.steampowered.com

70 levels in this "relaxing but challenging" puzzle game. No user reviews.

10:16 on Steam

To get to heaven, you must climb the Nine Circles of Hell. But you might never make it to the depths.

store.steampowered.com

Interesting art style in this "choose your own adventure" visual novel that is completely free (hmm, didn't I make a thread for this?). No user reviews.

Alchemist: The Potion Monger on Steam

First-person Alchemist Simulator with RPG elements. Explore the world, gather ingredients, and sell or use potions you craft to help others and fend off enemies. Adopt pets to help you with your alchemy knowledge (and to pet them). Decorate your home however you like and brew your destiny!

store.steampowered.com

Looks cute and it has a demo (hmm, didn't I make a thread for this? Oh, wait. That was @Brian Boru ). No user reviews.

Save 50% on Growth on Steam

Growth is a cozy, hexagonal-grid based soft-strategy game. Explore and populate a procedurally generated world by utilizing unique abilities of animals. Growth blends the beauty of cozy exploration with challenging navigation around obstacles.

store.steampowered.com

I like how this strategy, exploration game looks and sounds. Plus, it's under $10, has a demo, and the few reviews that it has are 100 percent positive.

Nine Realms: Revolt on Steam

A story driven deckbuilding adventure set in a nordic world with an epic soundtrack. Roll your dice, then alter your dice and reinvent the fate of the realms! Build to suit your playstyle and discover an intricate plot from the eyes of a fledgling elven warrior.

store.steampowered.com

Deck building card battler with a free demo. No user reviews.

Halloween: Trick or Treat 2 on Steam

The most Awesome Halloween ever! Springfield is hosting a Costume Parade, Spooky Museum, Dracula’s Castle in the Mall, a Haunted Hotel and new Trunk or Treat at the Church.

store.steampowered.com

A not so spooky Halloween themed hidden object game. No user reviews.

Nuclear Option on Steam

Fly near-future aircraft with immersive physics on intense battlefields, facing land, air and sea threats. Wage war against AI or other players with an array of potent weapons. Wield tactical and strategic nuclear weapons, capable of annihilating anything in their path.

store.steampowered.com

Nice looking combat flight sim. It's in early access. Has 36 user reviews 100 percent positive. Has single-player, co-op and PvP.

ReThink | Evolved 5 on Steam

ReThink | Evolved 5 is a Puzzle Game in a peaceful futuristic setting, that features a variety of Puzzles that utilize Lasers and the behavior of light and it's colors to create challenging problems to solve.

store.steampowered.com

I have no idea why they released two different ReThink games in the same day, but this one looks good, too. Unfortunately, their wacky marketing plan doesn't seem to have worked because there are no user reviews for this one either.

Draft Day Sports: Pro Football 2024 on Steam

Draft Day Sports: Pro Football 2024 puts you in the role of general manager of your favorite football team. Every decision can be made by you from drafting, trading, signing free agents right down to creating and calling your own plays to lead your team to championship glory and becoming a dynasty.

store.steampowered.com

These games are usually not great, but it looks like the developer put extra work into this year's version, as it looks completely different from previous entries. Unfortunately, there are no user reviews, and I'm not going to be the first person to pay $40 for it.

 

[ZedClampet]

Sometimes I feel like I've turned this site into my retirement "job".

 

[Brian Boru]

I'm afraid to type out her name. It might summon her.

Ohh no, you Donna Wanna Dat!

my list of fourteen games that launched TODAY

You made me look

completely free (hmm, didn't I make a thread for this?)

Yep, you did.

has a demo (hmm, didn't I make a thread for this?)

Nope, but I did.

Sometimes I feel like I've turned this site into my retirement "job".

What, are you asking me to job share now?

I like how this strategy, exploration game looks

Yep, first glance at Growth gave me an immediate Dorfromantik vibe—will try demo.

ReThink looks good, and all previous versions from dev average over 90% Steam rating—but I'll pass, gone off puzzles recently.

 

[Zloth]

I learned something new and big in No Man's Sky. I did one of the quests differently this time and POOF! I'm in another galaxy. The last time I played, I had to travel all the way to the center to do that.

 

[ZedClampet]

Nope, but I did.

What is this? Facebook fake news? You left out the part of my quote where I gave you credit (even though it was my idea)

 

[neogunhero]

My problem with Game Pass is that I want to try so many games, I can’t just stick to one. So here are some quick thoughts after an hour of both Lies of P and Cocoon.

Lies of P: I was not expecting this game to look and feel so identical to Dark Souls, but that makes the barrier for entry a lot lower since so many people have played DS before, it’s familiar. It has enough new content and features to be its own thing and so far the story is pretty interesting. I love the graphics and art direction a LOT. This dark, gritty, semi-Steampunk setting is really cool to me. Combat just feels ever so slightly off, but mostly feels like DS. I think it has to be the animation not being 100% fluid and smooth, it’s a little jagged at some times, especially when turning your character really fast, it’s this minuscule microsecond of chop between each frame that makes it not as smooth as it could be. Eventually you look past it and I’m sure it will become unnoticeable as you play.

Cocoon: what an amazing little gem. The art and colors pop so vividly, and the audio design is on point. Gameplay is very simplistic as expected if you’ve played Limbo or Inside, and it works well for what it is trying to achieve. Each new corridor you walk down features a brand new mechanic you haven’t done before, with unique animations and sound that really sells the weirdness of this world. I hear it only takes about 4-5 hours to beat which is the same as the other two games by this creator, so I’m gonna try to finish it by the end of the week.

 

[ZedClampet]

My problem with Game Pass is that I want to try so many games, I can’t just stick to one. So here are some quick thoughts after an hour of both Lies of P and Cocoon.

Lies of P: I was not expecting this game to look and feel so identical to Dark Souls, but that makes the barrier for entry a lot lower since so many people have played DS before, it’s familiar. It has enough new content and features to be its own thing and so far the story is pretty interesting. I love the graphics and art direction a LOT. This dark, gritty, semi-Steampunk setting is really cool to me. Combat just feels ever so slightly off, but mostly feels like DS. I think it has to be the animation not being 100% fluid and smooth, it’s a little jagged at some times, especially when turning your character really fast, it’s this minuscule microsecond of chop between each frame that makes it not as smooth as it could be. Eventually you look past it and I’m sure it will become unnoticeable as you play.

Cocoon: what an amazing little gem. The art and colors pop so vividly, and the audio design is on point. Gameplay is very simplistic as expected if you’ve played Limbo or Inside, and it works well for what it is trying to achieve. Each new corridor you walk down features a brand new mechanic you haven’t done before, with unique animations and sound that really sells the weirdness of this world. I hear it only takes about 4-5 hours to beat which is the same as the other two games by this creator, so I’m gonna try to finish it by the end of the week.

I've only played about an hour of Lies of P, but I really enjoyed it. The atmosphere is amazing. Dogde rolling seems a little off compared to Dark Souls (with keyboard and mouse), but other than that I thought the combat was pretty good. Don't know if I'll finish it because, like you, I just have too much to play, but I do plan to play it more.

 

[ZedClampet]

I learned something new and big in No Man's Sky. I did one of the quests differently this time and POOF! I'm in another galaxy. The last time I played, I had to travel all the way to the center to do that.

Wait, can you still get back to your bases in the old galaxy? If so, how to you get back to the new galaxy (if you want to given there's no real difference between galaxies).

 

[ZedClampet]

Wow, tough audience. Forza Motorsport has a 41 percent positive user rating on Steam. The physics are the best they've ever been, as are the AI drivers. Some people seem to be experiencing bugs and performance problems (I'm not), and some people think it has a lack of launch day content. Personally, I'm really enjoying it. Forty-one percent is just brutal.

Total War Pharaoh sits at 59 percent, and I can't think of a single thing wrong with it and am enjoying it immensely. It's instantly become one of my favorite Total War games.

I think we have arrived at a time when players are just over AAA companies and their shenanigans. Some line has been crossed and players are reacting. Will be interesting to see this play out.