October update
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- Nice, atmospheric graphic
- Lack of narrative, so we have to figure out plot on out own
Cons:
- Puzzles are really easy or not designed properly (in few cases)
- True ending that is unlocked after collecting all achievements
- Lack of consistency in gameplay
Conclusion:
We start by being chased by dogs. So we run, run run. We don't know why we're chased or by who. Story is learned by observing background NPCs. But I didn't find it to be surprising, instead it's generic theme of mind control. Puzzles are not challenging but thanks to that game is not frustrating. IMO biggest game flaw is lack of gameplay consistency. For half of the game we have to watch out for water, as our hero will die of suffocation if we stay underwater for too long. And later we become immortal and can stay underwater as long as we want. Like what the hell. It totally broke game immersion for me. You don't create puzzles that are based on some theme, to throw it away to trash later. It's like turrets in Portal would stop attack you at some point, just stand there and move around their little guns.
- Good dynamic FPS
- Story is ok
- Relation between mech and it's pilot
- Parkour elements
- Singularity-like level
Cons:
- Dumb enemies
- Easy boss fights
Conclusion:
People complained that TitanFall 1 didn't have single player campaign, so devs created nice short experience to fill this void in sequel. It lasts 6 hours, isn't terribly hard, teaches game basics nicely and has nice graphic. Just don't expect amazing and deep story, as it wasn't point of single player mode. It's still mainly multiplayer game. But interactions between you and mech are entertaining, so it doesn't feel like lame bots shooting range.
Parkour sequences are really Mirror's Edge-like, so fluid and gameplaywise easy to learn. And singularity-like level where I could use gauntlet to move back and forth in time was really well made and funny.
- Nice graphic
- Open (albeit small) map
- Parkour is still fun
Cons:
- Game forces player into unavoidable fights
- Story is lame
- Filling and pointless side quests
- Path is not always clear
- Lack of mini-map
Conclusion:
Mirror's Edge Catalyst is not a sequel to Mirror's Edge, but series reboot. And I'm ambivalent about it. Sure, we have open word but it's empty and forcefully filled with pointless side quests (how many times you want to run from point A to point B to deliver package?). There is no mini-map so you can't really plan your movements and you often end cornered in blind alley. There is "runner sight" that marks possible path, but what's fun in having open map if you have to run on computer-generated path or you will get lost easily?
Story is predictable, characters aren't likable. And fact that police just swarms rooftops when you rise alarm is ridiculous. They start to pour from doors like they sat in buildings elevators waiting for signal. Thankfully it's easy to run away from them when we're not in mission, so some fights can be avoided.
- Ok graphic
- Combat system is better than in Mars: War Logs
- Clear and easy to use interface
Cons:
- If you say mimic is bad in ME: Andromeda don't think about playing in it xD
- Average plot
- Semi-open empty maps
- Crewmates with personality of a flatworm
- No respec option
Conclusion:
Technomancer is succesor to Mars: War Logs. But combat is not as stiff (some may find if enjoyable) and maps are little bigger. This game explains things from technomancers point of view, so if you liked game universe after beating Mars: WL you will enjoy learning new bits of info. But main story is as much generic as possible, we met with arch enemy in first minutes of gameplay, and need to kill him throuhg rest of the game. Side quest are typical fetch quests, squadmates are unlikable. I liked Mary in previous game, so I though they will have at least one good written character. Instead it's straight "make my quest and we'll bank, ok?" romance.
If I'd rate it in "cheap AA RPG" category it would get 4 stars. As it's way better than Mars: WL and I saw worse RPGs. But there is no such category, so it will have to be happy with 3 stars
- It's Saint's Row 4 v2
Cons:
- It's Saint's Row 4 v2
Conclusion:
Why pros and cons are the same? Because if you liked SR:4 and want more you will like it. If you're fed up with SR:4 don't even start this game
Average story with super repetitive gameplay (exactly the same as in SR:3 and SR:4, but in Gat out of Hell you can fly with wings). Devs give us the same activities from SR:3 and SR:4, plus change how powers look like from SR:4 (tho they're still the same powers)
I liked fly mechanism, so I went and grabbed few extra achievements. But nothing will force me to start this game again >_> So I know why I got this game for free from a friend - they wanted make me suffer for all this time I annoyed them >:D
- Solid and not predictable story
- Our stats influence dialogue options we can choose
- Less decking plus it is totally redesigned - more stealthy than with turn-based combat
- Quest rewards are tied to our choices
Cons:
- Starts really slowly
- There were times when I had to turn it off, as it felt like Visual Novel, not RPG
- I liked companions from DragonFall more
Conclusion:
Hong Kong feels like nicely refined DragonFall. We still get good story, ability to beat level like Rambo or in stealth way, statistics that influence our dialogues with NPCs. DragonFall has way too much decking, it felt like only viable way to play it was mix of decker and fight class. In pretty much every single level I had to hack something and then fight in cyberspace. Looks like it was also devs impression, so decking in Hong Kong is completely redesigned - 1st of all it's not as abundant, 2nd of all it's more like sneak minigame than constant fight. Apart from swords and fists we can use cyber weapons - claws etc.
But not everything is perfect and Hong Kong suffers from the same thing two previous games - walls of text. After beating 3 Shadowrun games already it feels like it's series motive, just like stats that influence dialogues. But it makes game really slow paced at the beginning, and hard to really sunk into the story. Plus it felt like kinetic visual novel at times, so I had to alt+tab it and do something else like write stuff on discord or talk with someone on steam >_>. Also 1 or 2 achievements didn't unlock peoperly.
Next month gaming:
- Mass Effect: Andromeda - Started to play when they added it to Origin Access on PC. I'm like 35 hours in-game and well - it could have been so much more if it wouldn't be made by people who focused previously on DLC and multiplayer mode of ME3 ; _ ; . But I like it. Esp combat and fact that it takes place in my favorite universe, so learning more about it is always fun. Also references to ME trilogy are cool. Sadly they won't release any DLC and fate of Quarian ark will be explained in novel >_>. Just like other plot holes will be filled with books. Otherwise I'd buy GOTY for 15€ to learn full story. And I'm not into reading books about games.
- Secret World Legends - I was never into MMO games. Had proposition to beat this with 2 other people like year ago when it still had Buy2Play model and was part of Humble bundle. I was reluctant, but I thought "If story is as good as they say I may beat it with them". Then 1 person drop out, so I was like "meh". But recently I started to play it in co-op and it's fun. Even though I don't know what's happening sometimes xD And I use mic, so I'm starting to beat my problems with talking in english. Which is nice even though my attention divisibility is small, so when I have to walk around and say something I'd name half of in-game objects "this thingy".
I also started going to driving school, but so far I had only theory on lectures. So I couldn't try to drive someone over so far D:
Just played Inside and couldn’t agree more. I didn’t understand why after getting attack by that humanoid creature and “dying” underwater the main character became the new aquaman. It made no sense at all. Other than that, the I kinda liked the puzzles. Maybe because I prefer them easy. xD
Anyway, you seem to have had a great month! A bunch of good games beaten. Congrats! :)
Death animations are quite long in Inside, so in this “transition” moment I thought that game bugged. Because I was dragged down deeper and deeper, and I wasn’t dying. Then I thought I will need to restart game, as I was really deep so game had to derp quite badly. But nah - surprise, you’re immortal and immune to enemy attacks from now on! Ugh.
Thanks! :D
MASS EFFECT!!!!!!!!
Sry, but that had to happen!
Still gotta go on with my… second go! And yes, I would love to have DLCs for it. Meow :(
Luckily I don’t mind reading that much. It more of a question if I can put down gaming to read a bit. Buuuuut ME should have a higher chance of that happening I guess :D
Good luck with driving! On my first try behind the wheel I run an imaginary old lady over - actually I was too far off to the side and… well the bushes made a bit contact with the car. And my Teacher was like: “That could have been an old woman, yk?” Yeah, pretty reassuring I tell ya :D
Have a great time!
Happy backlog killing :)
Also: I love the rainbow happening on top ^^
Ass Effect! Too bad that Ryder looks kinda childish and innocent…
I play on hard, so it’s easy to get killed. But I plan to play in NG+ on medium, to wreak havoc with more meele-oriented build. Like deep freeze + meele shatter or smth :3 And then maybe on Insanity for achievement.
I could consider reading books… but it’d be a little off. In game I can decide if I want to respond snarky, clever or assholish way. Books have one line of narration, so they are stiff and not-changeable. That’s my main concern about them.
And it’s super lame that Orign doesn’t support screenshots. Some views are so nice… like bits of planet that was supposed to be Turian homeland and their ark floating in the distance *_*
I thought that Germany is country of following the law. And those bushes obviously ran in front of your car. Don’t mind them, they are assholes.
I have rainbow avatar, so it was time to add rainbow accent to my posts! \o/
Well Ryder is childish and innocent, right? He/She doesn’t have the experience Shep does. But yeah, I know where you are coming from with that ;)
I played ME3 on every difficulty level but I don’t think I wanna do that again. ME3 challenged me to do it, I so far don’t have that with Andromeda. Guess I have to spent a bit more time there until that happens. Yeah, I should definitely find soon some time to get back to it nod
Yeah, no choices. You are right about that. At least I don’t think they will make it as a choice book, because there are things like that and that would be pretty fitting and funny for ME, but… nah, I don’t think that’ll happen :/
Huh, I’ve put it into Steam and then took Screens over Steam Overlay! :] <3
Yeah, but bushes are like spiders: They don’t read rules nor laws! (I set up Spider rules. Like don’t crawl right over my bed or something. They just don’t listen and later complain I kick them out for it… or let the cats eat them O.O)
Hurray to rainbow!
Any tip how you forced Steam Overlay to work here? I try to add ME:A shortcut to Steam, but it doesnt’ work ; _ ;
Oh right. I had to quit Origins before I started it. Otherwise you still mainly start it with Origins. But that way Steam opens everything and then it should work. At least that’s how I did it :)
Tell me if it helps you :)
Nope, don’t work. Steam opens Origin and there is no overlay in game. I can force Steam to open Origin and I can use overlay there. But it’s kinda pointless to open overlay in my origin library >_>
Nope, don’t work. Steam opens Origin and there is no overlay in game. I can force Steam to open Origin and I can use overlay there. But it’s kinda pointless to open overlay in my origin library >_>
Tried D:
Adding Origin to overlay, changing shortcut properties. Nothing works ; _ ;
No, not Origin, but ME:A to steam. And then start ME:A via steam. While having Origin closed at the start. That way it should first open Origin and then ME:A.
But meow :(
Yeah, I know. But it doesn’t work. I can see FPS counter in main Origin window, but not in-game :P So starting ME:A via steam, origin starts, I can see that Steam shows FPS in origin windows, but when game starts there is no overlay there.
Aw, that sucks. I’m sorry :(
Some said they had to start it as admin or what ever, but… I dunno about that. Really, ask google, I can’t help out anymore at this point. I had hoped it would be as easy as it was for me :(
I was kinda excited for Mirrors Edge Catalyst when I talked to one of the Dice people, and they kinda confirmed it being worked on, but not really confirming it. It was not going to be an open world game back then. I don’t dislike open world games, it’s just that the current crop of open world games… the Ubiworld games… it’s been so overdone. So while Mirrors Edge might have the first person parkour, the structure of the modern open world games is just not something I like…
Gat out of Hell.. I would have rated that even lower. It was just the least interesting parts from SR 3 & 4 made into a short game…
As for MMOs, they’re really dependent on the people you play them with. Playing them solo is rarely fun, but there are plenty that are nice to play with friends! And TSW is nice as it does not require you to really grind.
Oh, and only a few more months until you can drive over a priest!
Nice list of games you have beaten :)
I agree, Gat out of Hell feels like a DLC for SR4. I was pretty disappointed in it, was hoping for at least some new gameplay additions. For me it is the weakest part of the SR games. The (few) cutscenes were enjoyable though.
God luck with driving school and your english talking skills…I find talking much harder than typing too ;)
Thanks! :D
And yeah. If Agents of Mayhem is as similar to Saint’s Row series, as Gat out of Hell is, then I’m not surprised why it has mixed reviews.