WeekDAY gaming(9/6/10)- What are YOU still playing?

[Purple Santa]

The weekday begins…for some. However…

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c113/dtapster/grand_canyon_cover2.jpg

Well I’ll be be back sometime on Monday but since I’m typing this on Sunday I’m still vacationing. So we are still in repeats for the week threads. For those who are still off on Monday just ignore this thread until tomorrow. Those who are back to wherever you go during the week, welcome back.
This has been a perfect long weekend getaway. A much needed one just before I take on my new shift which I’m looking forward to. As for the weekend review it looked oh so familiar:

P3P- Yeah, more of this game.

Plants vs. Zombies- I remember when Spigot raved about this odd titled game when it originally was released. I see why it became so addictive.

Dragon Quest IX- no purchased copy…yet.

Exit stage left back to vacation. For all others, what did you play and what will you keep playing?

[menage]

I finsihed up God of War 2, glad that's over. Been playing BLUR with the GF.

I also rebooted Valkyria Chronicles because I really need something to play without spending my gamemoney on shit I don't really want. There's enough on the horizon. Guess what, I'm starting to feel it once you get on with the customizing.

I also went to a techno festival. Which was awesome. Beats, sun, boobs, beer. Loved it.

[Pale Ale]

Castle Crashers: Hella Fun

Metroid: Other M:Pretty good. Would be great if not for the excessive faceplaming the game makes you do.

[frederec]

I started Metroid: Other M on Saturday and beat it on Sunday, even beat the post-game boss (somewhat accidentally). This game could have been much better if they'd basically removed all the cutscenes or voice acting, but I still had fun with it. The one thing that drove me nuts was
The way they introduced the super bomb. During the last boss battle, while you're quickly losing health, you're supposed to use it even though you never get a notification you have the ability to use it?! Every other time you unlock an ability in the game they let you know, but not this once when it's time-sensitive. That was really annoying.
My wife also insists that if Samus is voiced, it should be by someone like Sigourney Weaver as in her Aliens role. She also joked once when I gamed over and the guy was talking over the comm by saying, "Snake? SNAAAAAAAKE!!!!" Cracked me up, and I thought it every time afterward, even if no one talked during a game-over screen.

We also watched Machete, which was excellent. It was everything the fake trailer from a few years ago promised, and that was exactly what we wanted. I've really come to love Robert Rodriguez's silly action movies, and I feel like each one he puts out makes me love them even more.

[LarsenNET]

I will finish Bioshock 2 (hopefully today). Probably start Alan Wake while I wait for Metroid (4th in line on Goozex).

[Kelegacy]

Bioshock 2. Great game so far. So pretty. Having fun just being in Rapture.

That's pretty much it probably.

[LarsenNET]

Bioshock 2 is finished. :)

[Purple Santa]

Bioshock 2 is finished. :)

How did you like the end?

[LarsenNET]

How did you like the end?

I liked the end battle. I don't like how in some games they throw a ridicules end boss that ends up being really frustrated. I appreciate that they didn't do that.

I assume the ending is different depending on if you save the sisters or the other characters. I saved everyone and I thought the ending was good. I wonder if Eleanor makes a return in the next one.

[Spigot]

I spent a good chunk of time playing Fable 2 last night. I think I'm just going to barrel through the story stuff and get it placed in the 'FINISHED' pile as soon as possible.

It bugs me that my female character looks more manly than I do. She reminds me of the infamous Rob Liefeld picture of Cap, esp. when she has a coat on. And by god, was there a surplus of bloom lighting in 2008? The game looks like everything is smeared with luminescent vaseline.

I'm not sure if my taste in games has changed or if there's just something fundamentally off about Fable 2, but the more I play it, the more I wonder how I enjoyed it as much as I did 2 years ago and also how it could have won GOTY from a few sites/shows. It's not that it's bad or anything, but it's so clunky and meandering...

[MagGnome]

I really regretted my purchase of Fable 2. I bought that and Dead Space for $60 each, making them two of the very few games that I bought for full price on the 360. I could never finish Fable 2 as something just felt off about the game, like you said. It had its moments, but overall it felt very mediocre. It was overly shiny and the gameplay was dull.

I'm still on "vacation" today. I'm going to a friend's house to get my hair buzzed off soon, after which I will probably hang out at home and read, play games, etc. I should probably do some laundry as well.

I called my bank yesterday to check the balance of my checking account. The amount seemed a little low, but I figured that my recent rent and security deposit checks had cleared. I checked online this morning and they haven't, which means that I'm spending money way too fast. :(

Edit - In happier news my student loans were FINALLY certified, so I should be getting a little more money soon.

[Kelegacy]

I watched Memories yesterday, an anime collection. Also, Kick-Ass. Both were okay.

I'm in an animation kick, so I might try to watch another classic anime today. I do not watch anime series, as I find them full of filler and boredom, and the animation isn't as good. Only exceptional movies in the genre.

I realized I have Perfect Blue and Grave of the Fireflies this past weekend and have never seen them.

[Spigot]

I realized I have Perfect Blue and Grave of the Fireflies this past weekend and have never seen them.
Just make sure you keep a bottle of booze and some razors nearby as you'll want to get drunk and slit your wrists after that depresso-fest!

And Mags, you're right about Fable. It's shiny and dull at the same time. The worst thing is that you can't really see most of the technically impressive things, like scarring and such, because of how little control the game really gives you over the camera.

[menage]

Ok, so Valkyria is pretty damn awesome. I went from Chapter 2 to 5 today. Beautiful game, I love the nature dude. I just hope I can keep up with it. Missions take fucking ages.

[maharahaj]

It looks like I am getting near the end of God of War 3, as I just unlocked a trophy for upgrading all my weapons. I have mixed feelings about the game; mainly the jumping/gliding controls REALLY bother me. I absolutely hate the critical timing that is necessary between hitting the X button to single jump and then doublejump/glide. My game stats say I died over 60 times. I know for a fact that less than 5 of those deaths are fighting related...the rest are all deaths by falling because the double jump wouldn't kick in.

Once I finish that, I think I am going to download Dead Rising: Case Zero and Alien Breed: Impact for the PS3, though I couldn't find it in the PSN store yesterday. I may also chip away at New Game+ in Demon's Souls.

[OldJadedGamer]

Took all day Saturday fixing up my motorcycle and giving her a clean wash. Sunday with the dog at the beach and today I work so not much gaming time but good to get away from the screens sometimes. I am 2 hours away from getting my 5 day award (120 hours) in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 then I'm going to switch over to the PS3 version and start playing that since I double dipped.

Pre-ordered a bunch of stuff. Move wand and Halo Reach along with the new Grinderman albums (Nick Cave's new project)

[Xydarc]

I finished all of Season 1 of Angel, played a ton of Castle Crashers with my friends on Sat., and played RB 2 ( it was a Slipknot night) at a buddy's BBQ yesterday. Also played some Gratuitous Space Battles thanks to jpub's new JPWPI.

Probably won't get much gaming in today, as the Job Hunting continues. Also heading back to my buddy's place for leftover BBQ and the Boise State game on ESPN.

[Camel]

I am surprised by how many people I have seen on this site recently talking about how much they disliked Fable 2. Maybe it's because I am the type of person who will chop wood for an hour, or because I loved buying up real estate, but I thought the game was pretty awesome. Really looking forward to 3.

This week I go back to work, boo hoo for me. I'll spend the time I have playing Valkyrie Profile, and maybe Bioshock 2. Also, I look forward to clearing out a bunch of old games through Goozex. My first three trades should hopefully be completed by Wednesday.

[LarsenNET]

Count me in the Fable 2 hate group. I thought it looked ok but was tedious and boring. I won't give Fable 3 a second look.

[MagGnome]

And Mags, you're right about Fable. It's shiny and dull at the same time. The worst thing is that you can't really see most of the technically impressive things, like scarring and such, because of how little control the game really gives you over the camera.

To me it felt like a poor knockoff of Zelda with a few extra RPG elements thrown in. The game also felt like it was on rails for some reason.

I guess I felt like I should play Zelda or Oblivion instead, and not some odd, somewhat boring mish-mash of the two.

[Generation ABXY]

I suppose I can understand the on-rails criticism. I never played Fable II (I rented it some weeks back, but I never got around to actually playing it for some reason... I've forgotten why, now), but I remember the first one feeling horribly linear, too.

I still quite enjoyed the experience, though.

EDIT: As for this week, I'm trying to finish the second Layton game before the third one hits. Oh, and I've also been fooling around with the original Saints Row recently; the game used to make me feel like my eyes were bleeding when it came out, so I never got around to all the pointless sandbox stuff I actually love.

[frederec]

All the negative things people are saying about Fable 2 were things that made me not care for the first game. Knowing that those issues are still alive and well in the sequel keeps me from ever wanting to touch the franchise again.

[Gorvi]

Ok, so Valkyria is pretty damn awesome. I went from Chapter 2 to 5 today. Beautiful game, I love the nature dude. I just hope I can keep up with it. Missions take fucking ages.
Mid battle saves will help with that, they really don't get any shorter. Enjoy the game, there's nothing else like it out there. Well, aside from VC2. :p
Once I finish that, I think I am going to download Dead Rising: Case Zero and Alien Breed: Impact for the PS3, though I couldn't find it in the PSN store yesterday. I may also chip away at New Game+ in Demon's Souls.
Alien Breed isn't out on the PS3 yet. The demo was supposed to come out a few weeks back, but didn't. I tried the demo from the UK store last week and enjoyed it quite a bit, so I hope it comes out soon.

As for my gaming this week, more Darksiders, more Valkyria Chronicles 2, and that'll about do it. Good times.

[Kelegacy]

To me it felt like a poor knockoff of Zelda with a few extra RPG elements thrown in. The game also felt like it was on rails for some reason.

I guess I felt like I should play Zelda or Oblivion instead, and not some odd, somewhat boring mish-mash of the two.

It did feel like it was on rails. To me an RPG should have some open environments, or at least big ones, to explore. A big part of RPGs is the exploration to me. Fable 2 felt like you were being squeezed down a narrow tube and the environments were small and you pretty much followed a path to your next town or whatever. So little exploration...but hey, it has a lot of farting and belching as emotes.

It is to me what Blue Dragon is to Spigot. I own the game and have purchased and traded it away 4 times. I keep trying to play it but I can't stomach it.

I loved Fable 1 for whatever reason.

[Purple Santa]

I tried to like Fable but became disinterested. Doesn't make it a bad game, more like my gaming ADD kicking in. I never found the combat to be fun and/or very comfortable to do. I think I wanted to do the non-combat stuff which seemed more fun. Does it make sense I want to rent Fable III?

All the updates on Yakuza 4 has me in the mood to go back to Yakuza 3. Might try that tonight.

[jpublic]

My problems with Fable 2:

1) Everyone, especially my character, looks hideous. Biggest gripes: My female character who's butch enough to be on the East German gymnastics team; my 'saintly' chracter is covered in glowing white scars.
2) The story is lame, and doesn't absorb me.
3) The combat is boring. Probably the only saving grace is the time-stop spell.
4) The world, which is supposed to be funny and charming, is just stupid.

The only reason I hadn't sold it is I bought some DLC. But even that didn't last long.

[menage]

1) Everyone, especially my character, looks hideous. Biggest gripes: My female character who's butch enough to be on the East German gymnastics team; my 'saintly' chracter is covered in glowing white scars.

They're fixing that, now we can make hot babes Peter's way.

I loved the world btw, and thought is was how my old fairtyale books looked like. Nice change of pace from all that heavy fantasy stuff.

[Kelegacy]

Man, I am really liking Bioshock 2. Not only is it one of the best looking games I've ever played, it's still everything I liked about the original. Very happy with it.

How long is the game anyway? I took my time in Bioshock 1, so whatever the game length is it will be even longer for me. I relish these titles. We get games like this too seldom, no need to rush through it.

Once it's done, however, another game in the finished pile bringing me that much closer to being a Gamefly member again. I should just re-up in the next couple weeks anyway. Might try to do it under my wife's name, as she should be able to get a free month so I can test out the shipping speeds again. They won't let me have another free trial, as I already had an account linked to this address. Not that it was ever active for rentals, I only had it for buying games...so it's not considered a "new" account. Not cool.

[maharahaj]

Alien Breed isn't out on the PS3 yet. The demo was supposed to come out a few weeks back, but didn't. I tried the demo from the UK store last week and enjoyed it quite a bit, so I hope it comes out soon.

Wikipedia lied to me!

Makes sense as to why I couldn't find it in the store. I'll keep my eyes posted for an official release date then.

[LarsenNET]

How long is the game anyway? I took my time in Bioshock 1, so whatever the game length is it will be even longer for me.

I just finished it today and Steam says I've had it running for around 20 hours. So play time would be a little less. I did a full audio log run also.

[KamaItachi]

I spent a good chunk of time playing Fable 2 last night. I think I'm just going to barrel through the story stuff and get it placed in the 'FINISHED' pile as soon as possible.

It bugs me that my female character looks more manly than I do. She reminds me of the infamous Rob Liefeld picture of Cap, esp. when she has a coat on. And by god, was there a surplus of bloom lighting in 2008? The game looks like everything is smeared with luminescent vaseline.

I'm not sure if my taste in games has changed or if there's just something fundamentally off about Fable 2, but the more I play it, the more I wonder how I enjoyed it as much as I did 2 years ago and also how it could have won GOTY from a few sites/shows. It's not that it's bad or anything, but it's so clunky and meandering...

I've gotten back into the groove of Fable after my floundering last week, but I'm not too far off what you're talking about. I remember thinking of Fable 2 as a technical marvel when I first played it, but now it just seems so off and clunky. Terrible pauses while it saves and lots of pop-in when running about the fairly small areas.

I think I'll still finish it off as long as I don't get too distracted by Dead Rising 2 in a few weeks.

[frederec]

I just finished Metroid: Other M. I got 100% item completion, so I unlocked hard mode, but I don't see myself ever going back. In fact, for the first time I found myself curious what I would get from amazon for a trade in.

Well, it seems that amazon is willing to give me 28.50 for trade in, and since I essentially paid $30 for the game (with their $20 coupon), that means that my net expenditures on this game will be $1.50, which is possibly less than a rental. At that price, I think it was worth it.

[MagGnome]

That is really sad. The Metroid games were among my favorites for years, but I feel like Nintendo watered down the franchise with the abundant GBA titles, Metroid Prime 2, and now apparently Other M.

I find it odd that there hasn't been a 2D Metroid on the DS. Was there a Metroid title on the DS other than Hunters and Pinball?

[Troggles]

That is really sad. The Metroid games were among my favorites for years, but I feel like Nintendo watered down the franchise with the abundant GBA titles, Metroid Prime 2, and now apparently Other M.

I find it odd that there hasn't been a 2D Metroid on the DS. Was there a Metroid title on the DS other than Hunters and Pinball?

Zero Mission was about as good as it gets for a Metroid game. I'd say it's my 3rd favorite behind Super and Prime.

In fact, the only games I haven't liked in the main games are Metroid 2 and Metroid Prime 2.

[jpublic]

Am I the only one finding Other M really really hard? I die all the damn time.

[Troggles]

Am I the only one finding Other M really really hard? I die all the damn time.

Just abuse the dodge. Tap directions all the time while fighting something. Once you get the technique down, it's almost impossible to die except for a few insta-death moments.

[Abyssion]

I finished all of Season 1 of Angel

I finished rewatching the series a week ago. Good times, now I just have to read the comic series. I figured for my next TV series conquering I'm gonna watch The X-Files from the beginning (I caught onto it really late in its run).

Gamewise, I should be able to finish up Lunar SSH just in time to start Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. I will also be playing Valkyria Chronicles 2 and I'll turn on Dragon Quest 9 daily to check my DQVC.

[MagGnome]

I need to watch Buffy and X-Files soon. I haven't seen an episode of either show. Thankfully they are all on Netflix Instant Watch.

I finally fired up Borderlands tonight. What a fun game! I love the art style, and even though I've barely scratched the surface I'm already having fun running around and shooting bad guys. I think this will serve as a nice break from Persona 3.

Speaking of Persona 3, I haven't started it yet. I unpacked a couple of boxes yesterday, but the PS2 wasn't in either of them. I only have a few boxes left, so I should find it soon! I'm hoping to get more unpacking done this week. It should have been done ages ago, but I'm lazy. :o

[Dostoyevsky]

Persona 3 Portable - Finished! Wonderful port of a spectacular game. I now have a void where the PSP was filling in the quiet moments of my life. Kingdom Hearts is coming out for it this week, but I tend to hate action RPG's. I just want P4 Portable like now.

Mafia II - A strong narrative-driven campaign compels me to keep pushing forward. haters be damned, I really like this game.

[pomeroy]

Once it's done, however, another game in the finished pile bringing me that much closer to being a Gamefly member again.

Dude, you ever play Assassin's Creed 2? If not, that's what you should play after Bioshock.

[Crittias]

Mafia II - A strong narrative-driven campaign compels me to keep pushing forward. haters be damned, I really like this game.I'm with you on this. I completely understand why people don't like the game, but for me it completely clicked. I played through the storyline twice, and I'll be grabbing the DLC tomorrow. Great atmosphere, beautifully rendered city, and a good story.

[Purple Santa]

Dude, you ever play Assassin's Creed 2? If not, that's what you should play after Bioshock.

He must play a few of his $10 game purchases first which would include a generic FPS before he can touch a game of beauty such as AC2.

I found myself playing Plants vs Zombies which pretty much consumed my night. Apparently the Zombies are now attacking my backyard. I am hoping I can use a BBQ grill to roast a few of them.

[Spigot]

I hate to say this, but Favle 2 is growing on me. I've spent most of my free time today working on side quests and I think that's where the personality really starts to shine. The combat, in all of it's 3-button glory, is also really starting to grow on me.

Not that this obviates all of the complaints made by myself and others here, but I'm starting to see past the faults and can understand why people liked it so much.

I still like Fable 1 better though.

[maharahaj]

I figured for my next TV series conquering I'm gonna watch The X-Files from the beginning (I caught onto it really late in its run).


I'm in the process of re-watching the X-Files from start to finish...such a great series and one of my favorites of all time too. I just got done watching episodes 2 and 3 of Season 5 a moment ago.

[Xydarc]

I finished rewatching the series a week ago. Good times, now I just have to read the comic series. I figured for my next TV series conquering I'm gonna watch The X-Files from the beginning (I caught onto it really late in its run).

I'm also watching Buffy concurrently, I'm on disc 4 of Season 4. After that, it'll be Angel Season 2, Buffy Season 5, and so on. After that, the X-Files sound like a good choice.

I just got back from my buddy's place. Good BBQ, good football game, and I chatted up a member of the female gender for the first time in a couple years. It's been a good Monday.:)

[Doogie2K]

Finished StarCraft II. Replaying last mission on Hard for the achievement. It's a motherfucker. But I got some advice from Ye Olde SCII Thread, so I'll probably take another swing at it tomorrow.

Other than that, I'm back to Dawn of War II for a third tour of duty (on Primarch/Very Hard), getting back into Beat Hazard, and maybe seeing about knocking off some other stuff on my active list (Trine, Space Asshole, ME2, PoP 08, old favourites). Also, going out for Boneless Ribs tomorrow night. Mmm-mmm!

[Abyssion]

I'm in the process of re-watching the X-Files from start to finish...such a great series and one of my favorites of all time too. I just got done watching episodes 2 and 3 of Season 5 a moment ago.

Nice! I kinda wonder how far I'll be at the end of the week if I watch it how I watched Angel. I was averaging 2/3's of a season per day (yes I have no life <_< ) I might try to take this one slower since it's a much larger series (and I also have school). The only real experience I have had with th X-Files was the first movie that came out, I really liked that movie a lot and it'll be cool to see it tie in with the actual show when I make it to that point.

I might be a bit further along if Hulu would quit messing with me, they try to do a personalized recommendation at every final commercial break for an episode (usually theres just a 2 second stop from one part to the next), but if I have it on a pop-out it refuses to go anywhere and I have to refresh the player. Perhaps I should report it to them...

I'm also watching Buffy concurrently, I'm on disc 4 of Season 4. After that, it'll be Angel Season 2, Buffy Season 5, and so on. After that, the X-Files sound like a good choice.


I was strongly thinking about watching Buffy alongside, but in my opinion I find Angel to be a much better series (I don't know why though...). And I didn't want a Whedon overload. But maybe someday I'll come back around to watching Buffy again since I really do like the humor of the characters and I've never seen the entirety of 'Once More With Feeling'...

[OldJadedGamer]

I don't know if I should be happy or sad that I finally unlocked this. 5 days of playing online... or 120 hours.

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd140/oldjadedgamer/5days.jpg

[Purple Santa]

I'm also watching Buffy concurrently, I'm on disc 4 of Season 4. After that, it'll be Angel Season 2, Buffy Season 5, and so on. After that, the X-Files sound like a good choice.

I just got back from my buddy's place. Good BBQ, good football game, and I chatted up a member of the female gender for the first time in a couple years. It's been a good Monday.:)
With my new work shift I think I might try to watch Buffy in it's entirety. I never watched enough to try to catch up when it was out. Angel is another one that seemed to grab my interest when I would catch an episode.
I don't know if I should be happy or sad that I finally unlocked this. 5 days of playing online... or 120 hours.

*trophy/achievement pic*
Considering how much time I have put in with P3P, I will not throw any stones through my gaming glass windows. I only wish I could do something like that. Or even be a decent player in such a game. Congrats on being the master of unlocking :p

And I will say, usually at this time i'm hurrying around trying to get ready for my day for work. Now, i'm all relaxed thinking about goofing off until I go to the gym in a few hours. I have no idea why I had to think about doing a 4pm-12am shift.

[National Kato]

Man, I am really liking Bioshock 2. Not only is it one of the best looking games I've ever played, it's still everything I liked about the original. Very happy with it.

Glad you're loving it, Kel. Hope that continues as I thought it was a very capable sequel that added enough new gameplay and story elements as to keep Rapture fresh.

All this week is NHL 11 for me. I'm going to dive right in and start up my Be A Pro, my dynasty team for the new online GM mode, and see if the usual suspects are online for some EASHL. So excited.

Next week, while everyone is playing Halo: Reach I'll be seeing The Black Keys play in Asheville.

[jpublic]

Yeah, I didn't get the Bioshock 2 hate. I had a lot of fun with that one, as much as I did with the first.

[Purple Santa]

Yeah, I didn't get the Bioshock 2 hate. I had a lot of fun with that one, as much as I did with the first.

Seemed to be a bit of overreaction because it couldn't be the first game. I really enjoyed the sequel. I am looking forward to more Bioshock.

[Spigot]

As someone who had his own share of Bioshock 2 hate going on near time of release, I was in the 'the first was so good it didn't need a sequel/they're milking this thing' camp. Thankfully I did give it a fair chance later on and quite enjoy it (and need to get back to it in a bit) so we've made up and are good friends now :)

And Fable 2 has it's hooks in me something fierce. I'm pretty close to being maxed out and have some pretty sweet gear, so it's mostly a matter of just waltzing through the quests... And as someone with limited gaming time of late, I like being like unto a god. The more I've been playing, the more the world of Albion has washed over me and I'm really enjoying all of the weird and silly and creepy people and side missions I've gone on. The Lady Grey quest was really cool, as was the time I spent with my BFFWWTKM, Chesty.

I think I'm going to take the game and my HDD into work tonight and see about finishing the game up. I've basically wrapped up most of the non-grindy sidequests and need to go recruit the hero of Skill.

I hate recanting screeds about games, but if a game I wasn't enjoying ends up making me like it, I'm willing to eat a bit of crow.

[Karak]

Beat Outcast last night. FUCKYA! God that game was about 10 years ahead of its time. It was epic and the world in that game is equal to some of the best worlds in other classic games. Just amazing.
Also playing some Mass Effect 2:( But hey, this time I have about 15 mods which with the new Mod Manager are a breeze. Got some amazing options for what you look like now(Basically 1000's of options) and clothing options, using enemy weapons, and using enemy armor. That's been insane.

[MagGnome]

I found myself playing Plants vs Zombies which pretty much consumed my night. Apparently the Zombies are now attacking my backyard. I am hoping I can use a BBQ grill to roast a few of them.

It gets even better! My favorite part is the roof.


I hate to say this, but Favle 2 is growing on me.

For some reason this typo made me crack up. :D


I might be a bit further along if Hulu would quit messing with me, they try to do a personalized recommendation at every final commercial break for an episode (usually theres just a 2 second stop from one part to the next), but if I have it on a pop-out it refuses to go anywhere and I have to refresh the player. Perhaps I should report it to them...

Do you have Netflix? The entire run of X-Files and Buffy are on Instant Watch.


As soon as I came home today my roommate told me that the internet was down. After falling to the floor and screaming in horror, I tried resetting the router. Thankfully it worked. :p

[Karak]

I'm in the process of re-watching the X-Files from start to finish...such a great series and one of my favorites of all time too. I just got done watching episodes 2 and 3 of Season 5 a moment ago.

Awesome! I stated 2 weeks ago and am in Season 4. This is sadly the...9th time I have made it through the series but ya...amazing show.
Next up is West Wing (almost done) and then Babylon 5. I can't begin to fathom why I am STILL interested in Babylon 5.

[Purple Santa]

I <3 Fable 2!
You are making me want to play this now even if I didn't do much in Fable 1. The parts you are liking is why I really wanted to get into the Fable series.
It gets even better! My favorite part is the roof.


I am on a questionable PC at work but I might try to see if I can run PvsZ on it :D The roof sounds intriguing.


Do you have Netflix? The entire run of X-Files and Buffy are on Instant Watch.
You just made me a very happy Purple Santa.

As soon as I came home today my roommate told me that the internet was down. After falling to the floor and screaming in horror, I tried resetting the router. Thankfully it worked. :p

You poke fun at yourself but that is the same reaction I have when being told by ADD the internet is down. Not to long ago I couldn't get it back up so I just took a long nap until it decided to work again. It corrected itself after a few hours.

[rein]

I don't even want to talk about internet outage after my recent bouts with that. I hate life with no internet. Even for a few hours.

I'm surprised so many people have not watched the X-Files or Buffy. I feel like I am visiting some hip message board full of young people not old enough to have watched those series. Then I see Mr. Santa is included in the group of watched-nots. :D

[MagGnome]

You poke fun at yourself but that is the same reaction I have when being told by ADD the internet is down. Not to long ago I couldn't get it back up so I just took a long nap until it decided to work again. It corrected itself after a few hours.

I honestly felt like my whole evening was ruined. How pathetic is that? Truthfully I'm so much more productive when I don't have internet access.


I don't even want to talk about internet outage after my recent bouts with that. I hate life with no internet. Even for a few hours.

I'm surprised so many people have not watched the X-Files or Buffy. I feel like I am visiting some hip message board full of young people not old enough to have watched those series. Then I see Mr. Santa is included in the group of watched-nots. :D

I'm old enough to have watched X-Files and Buffy when they were on TV. I just wasn't cool enough. :p



You guys should check out this awesome looking game that is coming out on the PC tomorrow. It's called Amnesia: The Dark Descent. It's a first-person adventure/horror game from the makers of Penumbra. It looks absolutely terrifying! It combines the horror and physics of the Penumbra series with insanity effects, sort of like Eternal Darkness.

M627-obxNzg

You can't even fight back against the monsters. You have to run away. I want to get this, but I'm such a wimp. :eek:

It's on Steam for $15.99 (http://store.steampowered.com/app/57300/) as a pre-order deal. The game hits tomorrow.

There's a review (http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/09/07/wot-i-think-amnesia-the-dark-descent/#more-38156) on Rock, Paper, Shotgun that is VERY positive. He refers to it as "the scariest game ever made", and this particular quote should make Spigot quite excited:

It’s Thief III’s Cradle as a full game.

I don't mean to sound like a shill. I just think that this developer (Frictional games) is amazing. They only have five employees!

[Kelegacy]

Dude, you ever play Assassin's Creed 2? If not, that's what you should play after Bioshock.

Yeah, I probably will actually. I own it, got it from Goozex months ago. I promised myself I wouldn't play anymore open-style games because they are like crack. After RDR, JC2 and the shitty Crackdown 2, I spent probably 100 hours in a row playing them.

But I'll have beaten a few SP games by the time I finish Bioshock 2, so yeah I'm about ready to play AssCreed2. It was going to be that or Uncharted 2 anyway.

[OldJadedGamer]

I honestly felt like my whole evening was ruined. How pathetic is that? Truthfully I'm so much more productive when I don't have internet access.

I live downtown in a large urban city with at least two idiots who don't put a password on their nets. I've jumped on their slow ass connection a couple of times.

[Kelegacy]

He must play a few of his $10 game purchases first which would include a generic FPS before he can touch a game of beauty such as AC2.


Egads, someone shat out a liquid loaf in your milk, Purple! And it wasn't me!

For the record, I haven't purchased a "generic" or "bad but it's cheap" game in ages. I've done the reverse--selling, trading, beating my current crop of games so I can move on.

I just realized I don't have enough time to indulge in the so-called generic games. That's a shame, as I like to give games a fair shake. Games like Legendary and Alone in the Dark and Bionic Commando that got crapped on but I wound up liking. But with a toddler and other duties, I just don't have the time anymore. :(

What really did it was me falling behind and creating a backlog. Once that happened, I have tried to focus solely on the games worth a damn and getting rid of the ones I'll never play or never play again. I've done that for the past 6 months and am still quite behind.

You should be proud. I've bypassed a LOT of sales in the last few months. I've turned many games down because I didn't want to add to my backlog and waste my money any more. I may get a chance to try them out down the road with Gamefly instead.

Last "bad" game I played was Crackdown 2...before that, I have no idea. I rare considered the cheap diversion games I played "bad", they were just not soaked in gravy like some titles. But I enjoyed Beast Rider more than Crackdown 2.

[Purple Santa]

I don't even want to talk about internet outage after my recent bouts with that. I hate life with no internet. Even for a few hours.

I'm surprised so many people have not watched the X-Files or Buffy. I feel like I am visiting some hip message board full of young people not old enough to have watched those series. Then I see Mr. Santa is included in the group of watched-nots. :D
That was a long way to go to call me an old goat. I mean I know I am but...talk about "take the long way home" :p


I'm old enough to have watched X-Files and Buffy when they were on TV. I just wasn't cool enough. :p

Same here. I was to busy having a shitty life so escaping at the time was with comics and video games.

You guys should check out this awesome looking game that is coming out on the PC tomorrow. It's called Amnesia: The Dark Descent. It's a first-person adventure/horror game from the makers of Penumbra. It looks absolutely terrifying! It combines the horror and physics of the Penumbra series with insanity effects, sort of like Eternal Darkness.

I am getting paid on Thursday. Remind me then that I need to buy this game. I want that game.
Egads, someone shat out a liquid loaf in your milk, Purple! And it wasn't me!

For the record, I haven't purchased a "generic" or "bad but it's cheap" game in ages. I've done the reverse--selling, trading, beating my current crop of games so I can move on.

I just realized I don't have enough time to indulge in the so-called generic games. That's a shame, as I like to give games a fair shake. Games like Legendary and Alone in the Dark and Bionic Commando that got crapped on but I wound up liking. But with a toddler and other duties, I just don't have the time anymore. :(

What really did it was me falling behind and creating a backlog. Once that happened, I have tried to focus solely on the games worth a damn and getting rid of the ones I'll never play or never play again. I've done that for the past 6 months and am still quite behind.

You should be proud. I've bypassed a LOT of sales in the last few months. I've turned many games down because I didn't want to add to my backlog and waste my money any more. I may get a chance to try them out down the road with Gamefly instead.

Last "bad" game I played was Crackdown 2...before that, I have no idea. I rare considered the cheap diversion games I played "bad", they were just not soaked in gravy like some titles. But I enjoyed Beast Rider more than Crackdown 2.

Dude, I was kidding. I never knew you had feelings :eek: ;)

[MagGnome]

I am getting paid on Thursday. Remind me then that I need to buy this game. I want that game.

Will do! You definitely should pick it up. :)

[pomeroy]

Yeah, I probably will actually. I own it, got it from Goozex months ago. I promised myself I wouldn't play anymore open-style games because they are like crack. After RDR, JC2 and the shitty Crackdown 2, I spent probably 100 hours in a row playing them.

But I'll have beaten a few SP games by the time I finish Bioshock 2, so yeah I'm about ready to play AssCreed2. It was going to be that or Uncharted 2 anyway.

After only liking Assassins Creed 1 (and that was because I borrowed it from a friend and didn't spend money on it), Assassin's Creed 2 was a major surprise. So much better than the first in almost every way. You'll love it. I liked it almost as much as RDR.

[Spigot]

Oh man, Mags. That game looks wicked. You had me at Shalebridge.

[jpublic]

Okay, someone stop me. I'm looking at this Best Buy gift card and going 'yknow, I'd like to try Nier, or Resonance of Fate'.

Gah. Must resist. I've got 5 games on reserve with Steam! I've got tons in my backlog. I don't need another RPG!

[Spigot]

Having played a bit of both games, I'd probably recommend Neir over Resonance Of Fate. Neir just feels more polished and looks like it tries to do a lot of really interesting things.

RoF does feel a lot like a Shadow Hearts game but it also feels a lot like a PS2-era JRPG of the Shadow Hearts lineage with slightly prettier graphics. And unfortunately, RoF has a combat system that is complex and opaque and inexplicable to say the least. From the sounds of things, RoF's battle system is pretty neat once you figure it out but so far, I haven't stumbled across a battle tutorial and the one battle I did get into was absolutely incomprehensible. I did win... somehow... but that was not really due to any skill or aptitude on my part. I want to like the game but I'm just not in any position mentally to fight with the game to figure out how the fundamental mechanics work.

Given how many games hold you hand through the introductory parts when they're using game mechanics that are 20 years old, it's infuriating to have a game that has all of these really neat systems and what looks like a fun combat engine not show you how the system works. It does tell you in text boxes and the manual, but it's one of those things where the printed word does not translate well into the actual execution.

Well, I'm off to play some Fable 2 and hopefully stay awake until 7. Only 5 1/2 hours left of my shift.

[Purple Santa]

Well, I'm off to play some Fable 2 and hopefully stay awake until 7. Only 5 1/2 hours left of my shift.

My first night on the new shift I broke out the PSP. I know it helped me keep awake although my shift isn't as bad as yours. We often ask how do you explain a Persona game to someone. I didn't even try last night when my co-worker asked what I was playing to try to explain what P3 is.

[Gorvi]

Yeah, I probably will actually. I own it, got it from Goozex months ago. I promised myself I wouldn't play anymore open-style games because they are like crack. After RDR, JC2 and the shitty Crackdown 2, I spent probably 100 hours in a row playing them.

But I'll have beaten a few SP games by the time I finish Bioshock 2, so yeah I'm about ready to play AssCreed2. It was going to be that or Uncharted 2 anyway.
I'd say play Uncharted 2 before AC2, it's a better game (one of the best in years), but AC2 is still great.

While AC2 is technically an open world game it doesn't have the same pull to do random stuff as a game like JC2 or RDR (I'm assuming here as I haven't played those yet). It's open world in the sense that you have multiple things you can choose to do, but you'll have to hit the main story objectives to progress the story. While most open world games do that as well, most of the "extra" stuff in AC2 isn't very compelling, aside from the assassin's tombs and finding the glyphs (both are very easy). Most of it is really mundane stuff like collecting feathers, assassinating random people, or doing races, which really only gets you money that you're not going to need in any way if you've bothered to upgrade your villa.
Having played a bit of both games, I'd probably recommend Neir over Resonance Of Fate. Neir just feels more polished and looks like it tries to do a lot of really interesting things.

RoF does feel a lot like a Shadow Hearts game but it also feels a lot like a PS2-era JRPG of the Shadow Hearts lineage with slightly prettier graphics. And unfortunately, RoF has a combat system that is complex and opaque and inexplicable to say the least. From the sounds of things, RoF's battle system is pretty neat once you figure it out but so far, I haven't stumbled across a battle tutorial and the one battle I did get into was absolutely incomprehensible. I did win... somehow... but that was not really due to any skill or aptitude on my part. I want to like the game but I'm just not in any position mentally to fight with the game to figure out how the fundamental mechanics work.

Given how many games hold you hand through the introductory parts when they're using game mechanics that are 20 years old, it's infuriating to have a game that has all of these really neat systems and what looks like a fun combat engine not show you how the system works. It does tell you in text boxes and the manual, but it's one of those things where the printed word does not translate well into the actual execution.
Is it strange that what you're saying about RoF sounds really appealing to me? I need to get that damn game.

[rein]

Is it strange that what you're saying about RoF sounds really appealing to me? I need to get that damn game.I was thinking the same thing as I read Spigot's post. I want RoF now.

[Pale Ale]

I'd say play Uncharted 2 before AC2, it's a better game (one of the best in years), but AC2 is still great.


This might be the greats lie I've seen all week, but only because I haven't gotten around to reading the news yet. :eek:

[Gorvi]

This might be the greats lie I've seen all week, but only because I haven't gotten around to reading the news yet. :eek:
Craziness! AC2 is pretty damn good, but UC2 is just better. ;)

Also:

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l7w1rbRujk1qa9hx5o1_250.jpg

:cool:

[Xydarc]

Buffy Season 4 put to bed, time for Angel Season 2. Tried a couple of Elemental mods, but the slowdown issues still prevents me from getting past the mid-game turns. Also enjoyed Warehouse 13's time-travel episode last night. H.G. Wells was supposed to be the big bad this season, but she keeps helping Myka and Pete. What's up with that?

[rein]

Buffy Season 4 put to bed, time for Angel Season 2. Tried a couple of Elemental mods, but the slowdown issues still prevents me from getting past the mid-game turns. Also enjoyed Warehouse 13's time-travel episode last night. H.G. Wells was supposed to be the big bad this season, but she keeps helping Myka and Pete. What's up with that?I was getting a little bored with Warehouse 13 this season but last nights episode was great. I'm not too sure about HG either but I still wouldn't trust her. What did she mean when she told Pete "she couldn't change the past but maybe he can" just before sending him back? I missed the couple of minutes leading up to that.

..oh, games I've played this week. So far = zero! Unless you count logging into Home for a few minutes.

[jpublic]

I've been playing Disciples III. I don't get the hate.

[Pale Ale]

Craziness! AC2 is pretty damn good, but UC2 is just better. ;)

Also:

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l7w1rbRujk1qa9hx5o1_250.jpg

:cool:

Fine play your Blue Dragon meets Tomb Raider, I was just trying to save Kel!
/sniff

[Purple Santa]

Fine play your Blue Dragon meets Tomb Raider, I was just trying to save Kel!
/sniff

The increase of substance abuse in this thread is alarming.

[Gorvi]

The Blue Dragon reference just confuses me. :confused:

[Serapth]

Modern warfare 2.

And I have to say, its fucking tricky, one of the harder single player shooters I can think of.

[Karak]

Modern warfare 2.

And I have to say, its fucking tricky, one of the harder single player shooters I can think of.

Great damn fun. I love love love that game.

[Spigot]

Is it strange that what you're saying about RoF sounds really appealing to me? I need to get that damn game.

I was thinking the same thing as I read Spigot's post. I want RoF now.

I still think Neir's the more interesting of the two games. But with RoF, I just want an ingame, hands-on walkthrough/tutorial of HOW THE FRIGGIN' COMBAT SYSTEM WORKS. It makes sense on paper. Uzis and machine guns do 'scratch' damage that wears down an opponent but won't kill them. Handguns do real damage that will hurt an opponent and can convert scratch damage into real damage.

It's easy when i say it like that. In practice, it's a complete mess and I had NO idea what I was doing. I'll definately be going back to it in the future but right now I'm just not in the right headspace for it.

Speaking of headcases, I just finished Fable 2. I have to say that I quite enjoyed it after that first day of getting back into the game and if they can somehow polish off the really rough edges that were in #2 in #3, I'll be quite happy to play it. I really got into the world once I did a lot of the sidequests and I just ignored a lot of the superfluous silliness (like flirting with everyone, etc.). Most of my complaints now are of a technical nature, but even there I had gotten used to it by the end and just tolerated the oddities of how the game was designed because I was digging the combat and characters so much.

Like I said, I'm happy to eat crow if I turn out to be wrong and while I don't think Fable 2 was THE BEST GAME EVAR, it was definately not the mess that I was thinking it was after coming back to it 2 years after my last play session. It's also kind of sad that I essentially had 2-3 days of playtime left in the game and it took me 2 years to do it :)

[MagGnome]

Oh man, Mags. That game looks wicked. You had me at Shalebridge.

Great! I see in the other thread that you bought it. I can't wait to read your impressions.

As soon as I saw that line about Shalebridge Cradle I knew you would love this game.


I started up Borderlands again last night and for some reason I was back at the start of the game. It showed 20 minutes of playtime, but it wanted me to play the entire opening sequence over again. I quit in frustration and did some searching online. It turns out that the game randomly does this to some people because it splits up the save folders for whatever reason. I did a little tweaking to the launch file and now it seems to be working. I hate that the game uses "save points", but at least now it should actually save my progress.

I also found out how to enable some nice graphical effects (including VSYNC) and disable the multiple unskippable videos at the start of the game. Thank goodness for the tweakability of PC games!

[pomeroy]

Craziness! AC2 is pretty damn good, but UC2 is just better. ;)

I really need to track this down...

[Kelegacy]

Anyone have a code for a free month of Gamefly? A trial, I mean.

Also, current members can give referral links, right? If there's a free month involved (or pay half for two months, which I know is on-going now) let me know!

I asked Purple, but I don't think he understood. I was willing to give him my $20 referral bonus and still am but I thought I'd ask everyone as well.

[Superman's Dead]

PM sent. =)

[Purple Santa]

Kel, send my your email address. I think I figured it out. I was busy watching Buffy season 1 so I was slightly distracted.

Taking advantage of the slow time at work. This is rare so going to enjoy this. Some Buffy on stream and some P3P.

[Kelegacy]

MY FUCKING CAT!!!!!!!!!!

I just let her inside and when I shut the door I turned and saw a dead mouse on the floor, on it's back, right there in front of her. I cursed and went to get something to pick it up in, some paper towels. I come back and IT'S GONE. The cat is at the tv stand, looking underneath it. I look around and can't find the mouse, but then I see it...it's climbed the wires behind the tv and is halfway up the television. I wind up getting it on the ground, corner it, but it doubles back and I have to do it all again. This time it runs away into the kitchen and my cat just watches the entire scene. Doesn't even try to catch it as it runs by her.

It goes up into the baseboard heating vents and I can't get it. I can't see it. I'm not sure it's even in there, as it could have ran when I wasn't looking. I can't scare it out at all. So I have to leave it there, a damn rodent in the house. I'll probably never find it either. This is ridiculous and I cursed that cat out good. She did this 2 weeks ago, brought a mouse in and let it go. Fucking pissed my wife off and she'll be even more mad this time.

She's our hunter and is leaving lots of dead rodents in the yard, which is gross because my son walks around out there. We got home yesterday and a fat mole was on the front steps. Right in front of the door. Bitch.

Cats want to go out but I'm not going to let them. Fuck them both, they can catch that mouse. If I don't see a dead mouse in the morning, they aren't going outside tomorrow when we leave for work either. My older cat is a wuss so I doubt he'd even try to catch it. He's probably scared of them.

Gah, I'm so irritated. And I'm sweaty as hell trying to catch that thing.

[MagGnome]

I thought you said the mouse was dead? Was it a zombie mouse? :p

[MagGnome]

I'm absolutely finished with Borderlands. The game is still not saving my progress, which is extremely frustrating. I want to play the game, but there's no way I'm going to go through that whole beginning every time. I already hate that damn robot.

I'm pretty pissed about this right now. :mad:

[National Kato]

I really need to track this down...

Uncharted 2 is a delight in every meaning of the term. Just a great game. To this day, the only videogame I've ever played twice, back-to-back, and all the way through just to experience the entire ride again immediately.

[Pale Ale]

The Blue Dragon reference just confuses me. :confused:

Spigot and the Elf's fault!

[MagGnome]

After spending around thirty minutes (so much for gaming tonight) poking around online, I've learned that Borderlands only saves actual progress after certain milestones, hence why I have all the items I gathered before, yet I'm back at the start of the game as if I just started a fresh character.

That's just about the stupidest thing I've seen in quite some time. Kudos to Gearbox for such shitty game design!

[Kelegacy]

I thought you said the mouse was dead? Was it a zombie mouse? :p

I thought it was. Took my eyes off him and he was up and at 'em.

Maybe he was fatally injured. I don't know. I don't know where he is, but I"m sure he'll be on the move tonight.

[Pale Ale]

After spending around thirty minutes (so much for gaming tonight) poking around online, I've learned that Borderlands only saves actual progress after certain milestones, hence why I have all the items I gathered before, yet I'm back at the start of the game as if I just started a fresh character.

That's just about the stupidest thing I've seen in quite some time. Kudos to Gearbox for such shitty game design!

http://imagemacros.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/lol_wut1.jpg


I just had one! it hurt...

Let me see if I can remember all the time the game saves

Zoneing
Walking by a spawn point.
Logging Out
Turning in in a mission

[MagGnome]

No, you are wrong. The game sort of "saves" during those points, but progress is only saved when a mission is completed. If you don't complete a mission before quitting you will start over at the beginning, as if Borderlands is some 2D platformer from the 90s.

All of your equipment, etc. is saved, but you start over at the beginning of a mission if you don't complete it before quitting. That's ridiculous.

[rein]

No, you are wrong. The game sort of "saves" during those points, but progress is only saved when a mission is completed. If you don't complete a mission before quitting you will start over at the beginning, as if Borderlands is some 2D platformer from the 90s.

All of your equipment, etc. is saved, but you start over at the beginning of a mission if you don't complete it before quitting. That's ridiculous.
Early in the game, right outside of the Docs building, there is a New-U station. It should be saving you there instead of at the very beginning. You should always restart at the last New-U station you visited or passed close enough to for it to autosave.

[Gorvi]

Spigot and the Elf's fault!
There was an Elf?!! Sneaky bastard!

[jpublic]

Excuse me for finding it amusing that MagGnome just went off on a rant that echoes my main complaint with Diablo/TQ/Borderlands and all games of that nature.

[Spigot]

If you like horror games, and I'm talking about real horror, the kind that gets under your skin and behind your eyes and makes you jump when a breeze caresses your ankles, not the kind that's an action game with a bit of blood splattered here and there... if you like real creepy kind of horror, by God, go get Amnesia NOW.

I haven't even made it to the actual scary part of the game yet and I'm already creeped out. Thanks for the heads-up, Gnome. I know what I'll be playing for the next few days.

Oh, and Chime is wonderful. Great Lumines-style puzzle game.

[Pale Ale]

No, you are wrong. The game sort of "saves" during those points, but progress is only saved when a mission is completed. If you don't complete a mission before quitting you will start over at the beginning, as if Borderlands is some 2D platformer from the 90s.

All of your equipment, etc. is saved, but you start over at the beginning of a mission if you don't complete it before quitting. That's ridiculous.

Bad news, your having an atypical experience. It's not a feature.

[Spigot]

Bad news, your having an atypical experience. It's not a feature.Yeah, that hasn't been my experience with Borderlands on the PC or 360. Very odd...

And back to Amnesia, everyone needs to go get this game NOW. It's awesome.

[Gorvi]

I tried the Quantum Theory demo last night..... that's not a good game. It looks ok enough, and it's not like it has frame rate issues or anything, but the shooting and controls just feel bad. Sadly that's the only gaming I got in last night.

On a really cool note, though, my oldest son has his first little video gaming addiction. :) I got him this Fisher Price bike that you hook up to the TV and he absolutely loves it. It's just peddling the bike to make the car on the screen move and picking up letters and numbers by steering into them, but he can't get enough of it. :D

[frederec]

Yeah, that hasn't been my experience with Borderlands on the PC or 360. Very odd...

And back to Amnesia, everyone needs to go get this game NOW. It's awesome.

I hesitate to buy any PC game that doesn't come on a disc, preferably with no DRM, or at least easily breakable DRM. The price is tempting, but I'm in no hurry.

[Spigot]

Well, it's on Steam. Not sure what, if any DRM is in effect.

You're missing out, frederec. It's a game I can really see you lapping up.

[frederec]

Well, it's on Steam. Not sure what, if any DRM is in effect.

You're missing out, frederec. It's a game I can really see you lapping up.

Feel free to call me a paranoid old curmudgeon, but I don't trust Steam. I have issues almost any time I try to buy a game online that requires some kind of online activation when I move from one computer to another. Give me a disc, and a healthy collection of nocd hacks, and I'm happy.

[Spigot]

Feel free to call me a paranoid old curmudgeon, but I don't trust Steam. I have issues almost any time I try to buy a game online that requires some kind of online activation when I move from one computer to another. Give me a disc, and a healthy collection of nocd hacks, and I'm happy.But... but it doesn't require online activation. Maybe a redownload but it's not like you have to copy a CD key and register it or anything.

And have you used Steam since 2004? It's not the giant mess that it was.

While it's very unlikely that you'll see a boxed copy of the game (there's a reason they can sell it for $15), you can order directly from the manufacturer (http://www.amnesiagame.com/#buy). Tell you what, you buy the game and I'll send you my boxed copy of Penumbra :)

I'm only being so persistent because I know you'll love it if you could only let yourself give in to the dark power of digital distribution :)

Or just play the demo (http://www.amnesiagame.com/#demo) and then that'll probably tip you over the edge.

And this is a game made by a team of about 5 guys that deserves every penny it gets.

[frederec]

While it's very unlikely that you'll see a boxed copy of the game (there's a reason they can sell it for $15), you can order directly from the manufacturer (http://www.amnesiagame.com/#buy). Tell you what, you buy the game and I'll send you my boxed copy of Penumbra :)

I'm only being so persistent because I know you'll love it if you could only let yourself give in to the dark power of digital distribution :)


Okay, fine, I'll download the demo and see how it goes. I may buy straight from the company if I like it. And maybe I'll get my own copy of Penumbra one of these days. I don't know if I want your smelly Canadian cooties all over it.

As for my own gaming, I've been playing more Dragon Quest IX. I've got a whole mess of downloaded quests that say I can't access them yet. Not sure why. It's got me trying to go back and do some of the regular quests, to see if those will open up these downloaded ones. I've been making some progress along those lines, getting some things that I've missed over the course of the game.

[Spigot]

Okay, fine, I'll download the demo and see how it goes. I may buy straight from the company if I like it. And maybe I'll get my own copy of Penumbra one of these days. I don't know if I want your smelly Canadian cooties all over it.

As for my own gaming, I've been playing more Dragon Quest IX. I've got a whole mess of downloaded quests that say I can't access them yet. Not sure why. It's got me trying to go back and do some of the regular quests, to see if those will open up these downloaded ones. I've been making some progress along those lines, getting some things that I've missed over the course of the game.Hooray for scary stuff!

I'm still farting around in DQIX myself. I'm trying to get the level 40 priest quest wrapped up before I tackle the final boss again. Assuming that he is the final boss... Of course, what I really should be doing is writing some protocols but that's so booooring.

[frederec]

Hooray for scary stuff!

I'm still farting around in DQIX myself. I'm trying to get the level 40 priest quest wrapped up before I tackle the final boss again. Assuming that he is the final boss... Of course, what I really should be doing is writing some protocols but that's so booooring.

Yeah, I should be grading homework, but I keep putzing around the internet. I hate statistics.

If you're in the dungeon up in the sky, then you're in the final dungeon. It's fairly obvious when you're at the last boss up there, it's in the place you'd expect.

One of the problems with beating DQIX is that it's only after you do this (and do one little quest in Port Llaffan), THEN you get access to the train that lets you fly around at will. I don't think I've ever played an RPG that held off general transportation that long.

[Spigot]

Crap. I thought the final guy in Gittingham Palace would be the final boss. Sigh.

I wish this game had more resurrection spells/items. Zing is so unreliable and there are few Yggdrasil leaves around. It doesn't help that the baddies seem to go for my priest first :(

[frederec]

Crap. I thought the final guy in Gittingham Palace would be the final boss. Sigh.

I wish this game had more resurrection spells/items. Zing is so unreliable and there are few Yggdrasil leaves around. It doesn't help that the baddies seem to go for my priest first :(

I never used it, but it is possible to put people in the back row, reducing damage dealt and received (unless they're using a bow or something). Sages learn Kazing, a resurrection spell with no chance of failure, but you can't complete the quest to unlock the sage job until you access the final dungeon (that's the first place you run into the needed monsters).

The final boss didn't mess with me much, but I recognize that I did a ridiculous amount of grinding on liquid metal slimes. The grinding got even worse when I unlocked the sage class, and the corresponding ability to change jobs anywhere, anytime.

Oh, and Gittingham Palace is basically two dungeons (one above ground, one below). It's possible you're only in the first half of it. If you want to get annoyed even more.

[Spigot]

I never used it, but it is possible to put people in the back row, reducing damage dealt and received (unless they're using a bow or something). Sages learn Kazing, a resurrection spell with no chance of failure, but you can't complete the quest to unlock the sage job until you access the final dungeon (that's the first place you run into the needed monsters).

The final boss didn't mess with me much, but I recognize that I did a ridiculous amount of grinding on liquid metal slimes. The grinding got even worse when I unlocked the sage class, and the corresponding ability to change jobs anywhere, anytime.

Oh, and Gittingham Palace is basically two dungeons (one above ground, one below). It's possible you're only in the first half of it. If you want to get annoyed even more.I've unlocked the quest to learn the Sage job but haven't seen any Great Trolls yet :(

And yeah, you're making me sad. I'm still in the above-ground portion of the palace. So much for finishing the game right away. I've already got Fairy Sue giving me the gears for taking so long. "Maybe if you spent less time levelling and more time DOING YOUR JOB, the world would be safe now."

Shut up, Fairy Sue.

[frederec]

I've unlocked the quest to learn the Sage job but haven't seen any Great Trolls yet :(

It's extra annoying because there are trolls in Gittingham, but they're not the right trolls. You'll see them in the final dungeon. And if it makes you feel any better, I don't think the second half of Gittingham is that long.


Shut up, Fairy Sue.

I think we all agree with this sentiment.

[Karak]

If you like horror games, and I'm talking about real horror, the kind that gets under your skin and behind your eyes and makes you jump when a breeze caresses your ankles, not the kind that's an action game with a bit of blood splattered here and there... if you like real creepy kind of horror, by God, go get Amnesia NOW.

I haven't even made it to the actual scary part of the game yet and I'm already creeped out. Thanks for the heads-up, Gnome. I know what I'll be playing for the next few days.

Oh, and Chime is wonderful. Great Lumines-style puzzle game.

So I checked out Amnesia. It looks to be a very boring, very dark, very low budget kind of game. Can you spoiler any good part you have seen so far. Right now from what I am reading and seeing it looks universally terrible. Whats the catch? What grabs you about it? I am interested in your opinion before I chalk it up as not my thing. Thanks.

EDIT: Scratch that Spig. I found the IGN review. I think I will pass.
Thief Dark Shadows...SOMEHOW got installed on my PC last night. So I will be spending a couple days beating that.

[frederec]

So I checked out Amnesia. It looks to be a very boring, very dark, very low budget kind of game. Can you spoiler any good part you have seen so far. Right now from what I am reading and seeing it looks universally terrible. Whats the catch? What grabs you about it? Thanks.

I figure Spigot's a masochist.

[Karak]

I figure Spigot's a masochist.

Well he is:) But I have found, for the most part he likes many of the games that I do, like Purple Santa and Zombiehawk. But...well maybe this is the opposite of a good trailer bad game. Maybe this is BAD trailer good game. I read the IGN review and...the descriptions they use sound great but its not a review. That makes me nervous. Sometimes a game has aspects you like that you can not explain easily. Those games usually have a particular aspect about them that the reviewer or player enjoyes that may not translate as well as "Good gameplay", or "good graphics" or whatever. So its difficult to latch on to what he likes.

[National Kato]

Loving NHL 11. That is all.

[Serapth]

Loving NHL 11. That is all.

Oh, its out?

[jpublic]

I installed HOMM3. I don't know why.

[Xydarc]

I installed HOMM3. I don't know why.
You like fun?

[Spigot]

So I checked out Amnesia. It looks to be a very boring, very dark, very low budget kind of game. Can you spoiler any good part you have seen so far. Right now from what I am reading and seeing it looks universally terrible. Whats the catch? What grabs you about it? I am interested in your opinion before I chalk it up as not my thing. Thanks.

EDIT: Scratch that Spig. I found the IGN review. I think I will pass.
Thief Dark Shadows...SOMEHOW got installed on my PC last night. So I will be spending a couple days beating that.Well, play through Deadly Shadows. Once you've done the Cradle, then you will understand why I'm so stoked about Amnesia and why it's rubbing all the right spots on the scare-o-meter for me.

The RPS review (http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/09/07/wot-i-think-amnesia-the-dark-descent/) explains a lot of what appeals to me about the game. But hearing that it's essentially Shalebridge Cradle expanded out into an entire game and made by the Penumbra guys made it an insta-sale.

Well he is:) But I have found, for the most part he likes many of the games that I do, like Purple Santa and Zombiehawk. But...well maybe this is the opposite of a good trailer bad game. Maybe this is BAD trailer good game.The game is something that you have to play in the dark with headphones on. I honestly couldn't recommend playing it in any other kind of set-up. There are some really neat sanity effects that fire off whenever you go into the dark and it and the amazing sound design have so far given me a great spooky spot to hang my hat for a few days.

I'm a fan of games that eschew combat and make you feel helpless and force you to think differently about solving a conundrum than just blasting it out of existence. There are some neat physics things at work in the game too and the way they have you interact with the environment really draws you in... or at least, it drew me in. Inching the doors open bit by bit and peeking around them to see if there was anything nasty is awesome and immersive as hell.

I'm more curious about what's not appealing to you about the game. Granted, I do understand that it's not for everyone and that most people want to just blow crap up and run for the hills, but so far, Amnesia has been about as close as I ever really want to come to being in a horror movie :)

[Purple Santa]

Yeah, that hasn't been my experience with Borderlands on the PC or 360. Very odd...

And back to Amnesia, everyone needs to go get this game NOW. It's awesome.
I just installed Steam on another PC in the house, this will be the first purchase as soon as I can.
Feel free to call me a paranoid old curmudgeon, but I don't trust Steam. I have issues almost any time I try to buy a game online that requires some kind of online activation when I move from one computer to another. Give me a disc, and a healthy collection of nocd hacks, and I'm happy.
I have downloaded Steam on some pretty shitty PCs in the last few months. I haven't had any issues with playing the games I have in my library. If they don't run it's because the PCs suck not Steam.
Well he is:) But I have found, for the most part he likes many of the games that I do, like Purple Santa and Zombiehawk. But...well maybe this is the opposite of a good trailer bad game. Maybe this is BAD trailer good game. I read the IGN review and...the descriptions they use sound great but its not a review. That makes me nervous. Sometimes a game has aspects you like that you can not explain easily. Those games usually have a particular aspect about them that the reviewer or player enjoyes that may not translate as well as "Good gameplay", or "good graphics" or whatever. So its difficult to latch on to what he likes.
You make a good point about someone liking a game that translates well to the gamer but not anyone else. I swear there are games that I like because it has something I really love (.Hack is one i'm thinking of) and could play forever while others are like...um, ok you do that while they walk away shaking their head. I haven't tried Amnesia yet but i'll let you know how I like it. Probably be the weekend when I try.

The game is something that you have to play in the dark with headphones on. I honestly couldn't recommend playing it in any other kind of set-up. There are some really neat sanity effects that fire off whenever you go into the dark and it and the amazing sound design have so far given me a great spooky spot to hang my hat for a few days.


I have a different place to play PC games now which have cheap headphones. My lucky day. I'll be borrowing someone's not so great PC but very nice monitor which will do me fine considering the games I play.

I gave up gaming on my computer monitor. The idea was great in the beginning, using my PS3 with the monitor and great headphones. They were so good though I couldn't play a game and watch tv with ADDGirl. So often my poor PS3 goes unused. Besides, I like my console games on my tv. This monitor was being wasted. I know that now because I hooked up the monitor to my future mom in laws PC. Holy crow...what a difference. So much so, because of seeing what I have seen via this monitor, I know now I need to build a PC and stop toying around with my useless laptop to play games. The PC is kinda crappy but it's good enough to play PvsZ and my other games like Civ IV. I'm sure a game like Amnesia is not meant to tax a PC's system.

[Serapth]

Fantasy Wars is on sale on Steam, has anyone played it?

It kinda has a Eastern European HOMM knockoff vibe going on...

[Karak]

You make a good point about someone liking a game that translates well to the gamer but not anyone else. I swear there are games that I like because it has something I really love (.Hack is one i'm thinking of) and could play forever while others are like...um, ok you do that while they walk away shaking their head. I haven't tried Amnesia yet but i'll let you know how I like it. Probably be the weekend when I try.


Yes. I feel that reviews sometimes appear to lack detail, especially when someone likes them because the defining point is...difficult to explain. Sometimes it just...is. I can't describe why I love Jade Empire, Two Worlds, Sabatour, Dark Shadows(which I have beat 3 times already), Alpha Protocol and various others.

It just is. And when I read reviews like IGN's I can understand his review. He just blathers...and that is easy to understand. Because it hits him in the right place.

I will maybe go back and try Amnesia and see what I can see. I love those kinds of games. I might not be in the right mood to have played it.

[Karak]

Fantasy Wars is on sale on Steam, has anyone played it?

It kinda has a Eastern European HOMM knockoff vibe going on...

I have and beat it. It is ok, a bit shallow and has a couple issues. Its a shallow HMM clone really. Like very shallow.

[Purple Santa]

I just reinstalled some games I had on Steam. While none are graphical powerhouses, again I say...holy shit they look good. Well they look better on this monitor. Unfortunately it's time to get ready for work and no PC gaming there. I was watching Buffy on Netflix last night on the work PC...I think I might go blind attempting to see on what passes as a monitor at work.

[jpublic]

Serapth - I did the sequel, Elven Legacy for a JPWPI entry, and gave it a 3/5, with a 2.5/5 Irritation Rating because I suck at strategy. You can look it up here:

http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/blog.php?b=1189


I would rpesume Fantasy Wars would be a more primitive version of Elven Legacy.

[Serapth]

Serapth - I did the sequel, Elven Legacy for a JPWPI entry, and gave it a 3/5, with a 2.5/5 Irritation Rating because I suck at strategy. You can look it up here:

http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/blog.php?b=1189


I would rpesume Fantasy Wars would be a more primitive version of Elven Legacy.

Interesting read. By the way, you really should include headers in your reviews.. thats one damned taunting wall of text.


Game sounds like a pass to me.

And I ask you, when will those silly elves learn to stop sharing their magic, hmmm?

[jpublic]

Interesting read. By the way, you really should include headers in your reviews.. thats one damned taunting wall of text.


They get better. I was still experimenting at that stage. Look at my latest for GSB, and you'll see it's more 'put together'.

[Spigot]

It just is. And when I read reviews like IGN's I can understand his review. He just blathers...and that is easy to understand. Because it hits him in the right place.

I will maybe go back and try Amnesia and see what I can see. I love those kinds of games. I might not be in the right mood to have played it.Like I say, play it at night with the lights off and with headphones on. I can't imagine playing it any other way.

And sometimes you just aren't in the mood for a particular type of game. Just look at how annoyed I was at Fable 2 a few days ago when I was getting back to it after a 2 year hiatus. I came back the next day and fell madly in like with it. Had I just put it on the shelf again, I'd have never saved Albion and realized that yes, it IS a good game... if you give it time to grow on you... like a fungus.

[Karak]

Like I say, play it at night with the lights off and with headphones on. I can't imagine playing it any other way.

And sometimes you just aren't in the mood for a particular type of game. Just look at how annoyed I was at Fable 2 a few days ago when I was getting back to it after a 2 year hiatus. I came back the next day and fell madly in like with it. Had I just put it on the shelf again, I'd have never saved Albion and realized that yes, it IS a good game... if you give it time to grow on you... like a fungus.

Yep agreed. I actually, because of seeing your post, have Fable 2 next to my 360. It will be played after Dark Shadows then I will revisit this game.

[Kelegacy]

So Gamefly is sending me Mafia II and Kane and Lynch 2. I'll beat the former the same day probably and send it back.

I should have waited to sign up until this weekend so I could have put Halo Reach on my queue. I don't like Halo, but hey...it's a new game. I'd give it a shot at least. After ODST, which was awful, it HAS to be better than that, right? Now when I send back a game it won't be back to GF in time...as I probably won't get my games until Monday. This is a test phase to see how the shipping times are. I doubt they are improved. The biggest problem with them is getting them to show my games as "arrived", at least that's the experience I had in the past. I'd report it lost eventually and they'd magically find it the same day.

[Spigot]

I beat the King in Gittingham Castle! Woo! Let's see what happens next.

And Karak, I'm interested to hear what you think of Fable 2. Have you played it yet or is this a fresh start?

[MagGnome]

Early in the game, right outside of the Docs building, there is a New-U station. It should be saving you there instead of at the very beginning. You should always restart at the last New-U station you visited or passed close enough to for it to autosave.

Yes, and I did that, but the game doesn't save your actual quest progress until you talk to the doctor and get the next quest. I had no idea that I needed to talk to the doctor, so I quit to go to bed. In the morning I was back at the beginning. Hence the frustration.

Other than that the game is a ton of fun so far, although I've barely scratched the surface. I'm entitled to a little bitchfest every now and then. :p


Excuse me for finding it amusing that MagGnome just went off on a rant that echoes my main complaint with Diablo/TQ/Borderlands and all games of that nature.

Yeah, TQ and Diablo are definitely guilty of this, and I find it annoying as well. That didn't stop me from playing through Diablo 1 and 2 multiple times, however. I still need to play through TQ.


If you like horror games, and I'm talking about real horror, the kind that gets under your skin and behind your eyes and makes you jump when a breeze caresses your ankles, not the kind that's an action game with a bit of blood splattered here and there... if you like real creepy kind of horror, by God, go get Amnesia NOW.

I haven't even made it to the actual scary part of the game yet and I'm already creeped out. Thanks for the heads-up, Gnome. I know what I'll be playing for the next few days.

Oh, and Chime is wonderful. Great Lumines-style puzzle game.

Hooray! I knew you would love the game. I can't buy it yet, but I'm going to check out the demo....maybe. I'm a little scared. :o


I hesitate to buy any PC game that doesn't come on a disc, preferably with no DRM, or at least easily breakable DRM. The price is tempting, but I'm in no hurry.

Spigot beat me to it, but you can buy the game straight from Frictional (the developer) or from Gamersgate if you don't want to use Steam for whatever reason.

I'm all for supporting small indie developers, so I hope this game sells very well. I just hope they don't get bought out if it does.

[Spigot]

Is it sad that I found an overturned wardrobe in Amnesia and crawled in and checked to see if I could close the lid on me? I already know that I'm going to need all of the hiding spaces I can find!

[MagGnome]

The demo downloaded at 3 MB/s and took less than two minutes.

I love my new internet connection. :D

[Purple Santa]

Yep agreed. I actually, because of seeing your post, have Fable 2 next to my 360. It will be played after Dark Shadows then I will revisit this game.
I am so tempted to try out Fable 2. ADD was the huge Fable fan but never go into Fable 2. I don't want to play it in front of her so I have to wait until she is employed so I can play when she isn't there.


Is it sad that I found an overturned wardrobe in Amnesia and crawled in and checked to see if I could close the lid on me? I already know that I'm going to need all of the hiding spaces I can find!

I should, if I were brave, buy this when I come home from work (after 1am) then start playing. Of course i'd never get to sleep because I do scare easy. But that little description was enough to want to play this even if I will be up all night afraid of the dark.

[pomeroy]

So Gamefly is sending me Mafia II and Kane and Lynch 2. I'll beat the former the same day probably and send it back.

I should have waited to sign up until this weekend so I could have put Halo Reach on my queue. I don't like Halo, but hey...it's a new game. I'd give it a shot at least. After ODST, which was awful, it HAS to be better than that, right? Now when I send back a game it won't be back to GF in time...as I probably won't get my games until Monday. This is a test phase to see how the shipping times are. I doubt they are improved. The biggest problem with them is getting them to show my games as "arrived", at least that's the experience I had in the past. I'd report it lost eventually and they'd magically find it the same day.

Go play Assassin's Creed 2, you fool!

[Gorvi]

Go play Assassin's Creed 2, you fool!
Exactly!

Kel, I think you've gone crazy. You've got Assassin's Creed 2 and Uncharted 2 sitting there waiting to be played, yet you're talking about playing Mafia II and Kane & Lynch 2. That's like having Jessica Alba waiting for you at home ready and willing yet you go out to meet Courtney Love, crawling with gonorrhea, in a hotel room. Madness, I say.

[Kelegacy]

I WILL play those games I own. Those are for the 28 other days of the month that Gamefly is busy shipping games to me or I back to them. While I'm waiting, so to speak. Plus, sometimes it's nice to just play through a game without needing a big commitment. Neither seem to need either.

I'm still not even halfway through Bioshock 2, which I've got on pause right now.

I started Gamefly so I could try to time it up with Dead Rising 2, which is still a bit off, and then follow it up with some early October games. I'm paid up until November 8th, thanks to a nice CoGer here. So $23 for two months ain't bad. I'm testing the service out again. Probably will up until Dead Space 2 comes out (if I'm satisfied with the service)...which, by the way, I still need to finish the first one.

Yeah, I didn't need Gamefly right now. I have way too many games. But I wanted to play this fall's stuff as soon as possible so I won't buy it later. And given my frustration with Gamefly last time, I'll NEED those games to fill in the waiting periods.

[Spigot]

The nice thing is that Kane & Lynch 2 only takes, what, 4 hours to finish up? You could get that thing done and back in the mail tomorrow!

[Purple Santa]

The nice thing is that Kane & Lynch 2 only takes, what, 4 hours to finish up? You could get that thing done and back in the mail tomorrow!

I think that is what the goal is. Of course the question is why someone wants to play K&L 2 that badly is more evidence to think about Kel just being mad.

[Karak]

I beat the King in Gittingham Castle! Woo! Let's see what happens next.

And Karak, I'm interested to hear what you think of Fable 2. Have you played it yet or is this a fresh start?

Played maybe 4 hours. First of all, I thought it offered some excellent stuff. I find that their idea of fantasy is just skewed enough to be interesting and their world and the additions to gameplay were awesome. I stopped playing because...uhmmm...ya. I have no clue. I did the same thing with Assassins Creed 2. Hell I am sorta like Kel, I also have Uncharted sitting here(though the fucking shitass PS3 is broken again). But I have a friends if I want to borrow it. But it didn't interest me.

I sometimes just sort of get out of a game.
But after hearing all the talk and such...I really feel like this is the time for me to play.

[Serapth]

Lately, thanks to some Android development work, I've been playing around with Eclipse and NetBeans. Eclipse has this bad habit of spinning off into space for seconds at a time while typing code, which is mighty annoying. NetBeans is actually quicker and cleaner, but native Android support is subpar, even with plugins.

Not really a game I suppose, but its what im 'playing' right now.

[rein]

I tried to get back to Valkyria Chronicles today. I'm not sure why it's not grabbing me like I think it should.

[Spigot]

I think my biggest beef with Fable 2 wasn't with the world or the content or the story (though the core storyline is paper thin, the sidequests are awesome). They're mostly from either a gameplay (the inventory system makes ME1's look downright streamlined) or technical perspective (the load times are horrid and there is WAY too much bloom). But I was able to look past those issues once the game got its hooks in me which, really, is the sign of a good game. If a game can overcome the limitations of its engine and such and still be an enjoyable, fun ride, well, bully for it!

And I'm taking a break from Amnesia for the night. I don't usually get overwhelmed in scary games to the point where I can't play, but that thing was getting downright oppressive and I haven't even been chased yet. I've see a monster now but I just hid in a corner until the bad thing went away. I love how Daniel's breathing will get really ragged and he'll make nervous little noises if he sees the monster. And what a catch 22. To stay safe, you have to hide in the dark. If you hide in the dark, you'll get scared and make more noise, which can attract the monsters. Yeep.

[MagGnome]

I'm getting a little tired of certain console fangirls on this site. Other than that everything is peachy keen. :D

I started up the demo for Amnesia. I nearly jumped out of my chair the first time a gust of wind blew open a door, and I promptly quit. :o

[Purple Santa]

And I'm taking a break from Amnesia for the night. I don't usually get overwhelmed in scary games to the point where I can't play, but that thing was getting downright oppressive and I haven't even been chased yet. I've see a monster now but I just hid in a corner until the bad thing went away. I love how Daniel's breathing will get really ragged and he'll make nervous little noises if he sees the monster. And what a catch 22. To stay safe, you have to hide in the dark. If you hide in the dark, you'll get scared and make more noise, which can attract the monsters. Yeep.

I'm getting a little tired of certain console fangirls on this site. Other than that everything is peachy keen. :D

I started up the demo for Amnesia. I nearly jumped out of my chair the first time a gust of wind blew open a door, and I promptly quit. :o

You two are not making it easy not to spend my money. Ok, ok, i'm going to buy it now. I was to tired last night when I got home from work.

Mags, I promise to stop being such a bitch whiny fangirl. But you are just wrong. PC gaming is not dead! ;)