What Are You Playing Right Now, Part 2: Daggerfall

[Haruspex_Pariah]

Just picked up Grim Dawn from Steam. Had a hell of a time trying to figure out how to save, but I think I got it now. Have to play a bit more to get a proper sense of it, but it’s fun so far.

I kinda like how you only pick your class after you start playing. Let the player play around a bit before making the decision.

[factotum]

Just picked up Grim Dawn from Steam. Had a hell of a time trying to figure out how to save

You don't? The game saves your character progress when you quit, including which riftgates you've opened and what equipment you have, but you can't save it other than that. This is why it's usually best to quit playing a character immediately after finding a riftgate, because you can then return to the same gate next time you start up. Oh, and you get to choose *two* classes during the course of the game, one at level 2 and one at level 10. Add in devotion points and the sheer number of character building options is insane, which is just how I like it!

Oh, and if you haven't noticed him yet, the smuggler up at the top left corner of Devil's Crossing both gives you a place to store stuff you can't immediately use, and also transfer equipment between characters.

[Dienekes]

I currently do 341 with the saw cleaver. Have Vitality at 40 and Endurance at 30.

The problem is that I keep fighting against a giant foot for a minute and then suddenly I get hit by something from somewhere that gets me into stun/dodge-lock and then I'm dead. Half the time, I can't even see the enemy I am fighting. Amelia, Parl, and Amygdala are the worst of those bosses. Erebrietas' orbital laser strike also counts.

Ok. To me this sounds like you’re getting tunnel vision.

You know how in smaller human sized bosses you have to back away occasionally? You go in do your combo and then step back to be able to negate their next bit?

It’s the exact same with beasts. If you go in spamming attacks against their legs you will get punished. They’re designed to punish you for that. With the exception of Amelia really, if after you dodge her attack you go directly behind her butt there is no move she has that can hit you without first moving. But when she does move, don’t continue to run at her spamming attacks step back. Get a good look at her animations and respond accordingly.

Same’s true for Ebrietas’ death laser. To perform that move she stands completely tall for a second as the laser forms above her head. If you can’t see this, or tell when her body gets all still, you’ve stayed in range way longer than is safe. You will get punished for this.

I’m going to be honest, with the exception of Ludwig the monstrous bosses are not as well designed as the human. Or at least, they don’t have as obvious signals about when to attack and when to defend. But they are still there, and you have to control yourself. Learn when you have time for 1 attack or 1 combo, but then back off.

[Rodin]

When I went back to play Bloodborne after beating Sekiro, the big difference that I immediately noticed is the camera. Sekiro does a fantastic job of keeping the camera clean and steady and focused on where it needs to be, even against the giant monsters. Bloodborne...doesn't. The camera jerks around all over the place as you do your dodges and it's really easy to get camera-screwed when you're close in on the monsters. Parl still has some of the worst camera work I've seen in a Souls game, full stop.

Even though I've beaten Bloodborne numerous times, I quit shortly after Amelia. I was spoiled by Sekiro and the camera was actually making me sick.

[Haruspex_Pariah]

@ factotum

Yeah. What I should have said was: figured out what triggers autosave. As it turns out, a lot of things. It seems like you don’t load in exactly the same spot you were when you last exited? That may have been what confused me.

The constellation thing is interesting too.

[factotum]

Yeah. What I should have said was: figured out what triggers autosave. As it turns out, a lot of things. It seems like you don’t load in exactly the same spot you were when you last exited? That may have been what confused me.

The constellation thing is interesting too.

As far as I know, the game only saves when you exit it (either to desktop or to main menu), and *maybe* when you travel through a riftgate. When you reload you'll always be standing in the middle of the most recent "hub" that you visited--for you that'll be Devil's Crossing, but there are others later on--because the only thing it actually saves is your character state and the few parts of the world state which you can actually change (e.g. if you build a bridge or destroy a barrier). If you go back to an area you cleared in your previous session you'll find it fully repopulated with mobs, for instance, including any unique named ones. Unlike Diablo 2 there's not much point continually killing bosses for loot, though, because the best part of their loot is always in a one-shot chest nearby and so you can only get that once.

[Cespenar]

It was already on my "wait for a discount" list, but after this review (which confirms several suspicions I already had about the game... although I suppose I should be wary about confirmation bias), I may have to downgrade it to the "wait 'til it's 50% off or better" list, or maybe all the way down to "Epic gives it away" list.

The fact that I enjoy AoW3, but not so much I ever got to the end of a campaign was already giving me pause. But speaking of that, how's the storyline?

Grey Wolf

I personally think that the gameplay itself is basically AoW3 with some minor upgrades (aka good), but the campaign and dialogues seem to be pretty below par.

[Balmas]

I've been playing the crap out of Yoku's Island Express, an adorable combination of Metroidvania and Pinball.

Don't look at me like that, it actually really works. Instead of jumping puzzles and dodging demons, you--as Yoku, dung beetle and newly-anointed postmaster of a small island--must use pinball to navigate the island's many twisting passages.

I think it might be the first metroidvania that I'll 100%, because it makes traversing the island actually entertaining. I feel happy to swing down the beelines to find a new area, because it's fun and relaxing and utterly devoid of enemies to face.

[Yora]

Ok. To me this sounds like you’re getting tunnel vision.

You know how in smaller human sized bosses you have to back away occasionally? You go in do your combo and then step back to be able to negate their next bit?

That's exactly the problem. When I am close enough ti boss monsters to hit them, I can't see what they are doing. And in most situations, you are actually much safer from their attacks while you're standing at their feet. When you back up and they make one of the big swipes with their claws, you can easily get one hit killed. And again, when all you see is a foot, it's impossible to say when it is safe to back away, just as it is impossible to say when it's too dangerous to stay close.
You could try to stay far away and then quickly dart in for one or two hits. But the bosses have so much health that that would take forever. And then you also have to get past the one hit swipes a lot. If you don't already know what the bosses are doing and what their tells are, it's really hard to figure those things out. In Dark Souls and Sekiro you can always start a new boss by going on the defense and observe their attacks, and then try to get used to when you can get a hit in and when you would get hit yourself. In Bloodborne you can't defend, and any mistake can easily kill you before you know what happened.
Not having played Dark Souls 2, I think Bloodborne is the weakest game of them all. It's interesting to explore the first time, but after that the mechanics just don't hold up for me.

[DigoDragon]

I noticed that GalCiv III is on a sale over on Steam. I loved playing II back in the day and am wondering if the third game has anything new/better to offer or if it's mostly a visual upgrade?

[factotum]

I noticed that GalCiv III is on a sale over on Steam. I loved playing II back in the day and am wondering if the third game has anything new/better to offer or if it's mostly a visual upgrade?

With all the updates since launch it definitely plays somewhat differently to the second one, so I think it's probably worth a try, especially given how cheap the base game is at the moment.

[warty goblin]

With all the updates since launch it definitely plays somewhat differently to the second one, so I think it's probably worth a try, especially given how cheap the base game is at the moment.

For GalCiv III I'd highly recommend the first two expansions, they make some substantial improvements and alterations. Otherwise base GCIII is basically GCII, but with hexes and a slightly more complicated planet development system.

[Anonymouswizard]

I noticed that GalCiv III is on a sale over on Steam. I loved playing II back in the day and am wondering if the third game has anything new/better to offer or if it's mostly a visual upgrade?

Huh, it's free to play for another 15ish hours, I might as well try it to see if it's worth spending £4 on.

[Zombimode]

I'm currently on Anvil of Dawn. Probably the best Dungeon Crawler I've played


But I'm stuck deciding what to play next. I took the next two weeks off from work and I plan to spend at least some of that time with gaming.
As I have the time and leasure to really dig into a game, it should be grand.

I've narrowed it down to 3 options:

- Divinity Original Sin 2
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance
- Pathfinder: Kingmaker

I've no doubt that I will massively enjoy all of them, and I will play them eventually. So the question is: where to start?

[danzibr]

Hollow Knight's great. I've just gotten to the end of a replay myself.

Spoiler

Show

My first go through I didn't beat The Radiance, so that's on my list. Am up to the point where I have that, the last colosseum fight, Nightmare King Grimm, and the Pantheon to do.

:O

I'm at the same point! I mean, almost exactly. Still need to finish the bestiary, but other than that 100% of the base game and I'm on NKG. Holy crap he's hard.

[Anonymouswizard]

So I decided that GalCiv3 wasn't worth the £4 due to performance issues, so the current list of games is:

-Stellaris: one of my unwindy games. There's just something calming about a game where you can spend ten minutes doing nothing because no problems have come up. I've got Utopia and Apocalypse and am planning to start a new game just so the maruders ideally make the game less boring (also so the AI isn't hopelessly outmatched to the point where I have no competition after about four wars).
-Kerbal Space Program: unwindy game number two, because it's engaging and difficult enough that when I put it down whatever made me mad is somewhat less clear. I'm still trying to get a Mun landing, but considering I tend to only give it a couple of hours a month and can theoretically get a probe there it's not too bad.
-Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds: despite the annoying structure of renting items meaning when I fail a dungeon I might have to trek back to the shop and rent it again (especially as it's going to cost me 1.2k rupees to buy some of these items) it's incredibly fun. Classic 2D zelda that reminds me both of ALttP and the first Zelda game I played, Oracle of Seasons, and now I've got the Master Sword I'm ready to go and see Ganon appear. It's my 'serious' game at the moment, because I like classic 2D Zelda a lot and wished the style would return when I was muddling through Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks (although I do quite like 3D Zeldas* as well and want to give Wind Waker a shot).

* Apart from Breath of the Wild. My first experience of that game included me missing the first available weapon, having the only melee weapon I'd managed to get breaking after killing about three enemies, and being stuck having to run away from all the monsters because they'd dropped bows but no arrows. I was a bit turned off to say the least.

[random11]

AOW: Planetfall

Can't stop playing, someone stop me...

Anyway, I think it's a vast improvement compared to AOW3, also much better than most similar alternatives.

Unlike AOW3, the race and class that you choose complete each other and rarely compete in a way that you use only one path.
The rules might be a bit overwhelming at first, but I recommend trying the tutorial and then some random maps on easiest mode to learn the rules and the differences between the races and classes.

Combat is more interesting, and uses something like x-com tactical cover combat.
For the people who prefer strategy over tactics, there is always the fast resolve of battles, which is usually fair.

On the down side, Campaign is not too great since it is often based on events you have no control of, and I feel like I'm constantly being railroaded to a specific path.

[factotum]

So I decided that GalCiv3 wasn't worth the £4 due to performance issues, so the current list of games is:

-Stellaris:

You don't want to play GC3 because of performance issues, but *do* play Stellaris, a game which is legendary for how laggy it gets in the end game?

(Admittedly, I was astonished when I installed GC3 when it first came out at how long it sat on the loading screen before it got to the main menu!).

[Anonymouswizard]

You don't want to play GC3 because of performance issues, but *do* play Stellaris, a game which is legendary for how laggy it gets in the end game?

(Admittedly, I was astonished when I installed GC3 when it first came out at how long it sat on the loading screen before it got to the main menu!).

Stellaris didn't continually pause for two seconds from lag in the early game, on every other selection and dialogue box, on lowest settings. Stellaris chugs in the mid to late game on my machine, but at least it runs smoothly for the first fifth of the game, by which point I'm invested. Also Stellaris is relatively intuitive controls-wise bar one or two weird decisions (why is 'new sector' on the planet menu and not the sector menu?), which meant I wasn't struggling to learn the game alongside bad performance.

Yes it's an arbitary line to draw, but at least once I've got into the main menu Stellaris is fast to load and runs alright even into the midgame (where lag is mainly confined to following fleets as they move).

[Anteros]

AOW: Planetfall

Can't stop playing, someone stop me...

Anyway, I think it's a vast improvement compared to AOW3, also much better than most similar alternatives.

Unlike AOW3, the race and class that you choose complete each other and rarely compete in a way that you use only one path.
The rules might be a bit overwhelming at first, but I recommend trying the tutorial and then some random maps on easiest mode to learn the rules and the differences between the races and classes.

Combat is more interesting, and uses something like x-com tactical cover combat.
For the people who prefer strategy over tactics, there is always the fast resolve of battles, which is usually fair.

On the down side, Campaign is not too great since it is often based on events you have no control of, and I feel like I'm constantly being railroaded to a specific path.

Do you not find it mind-numbingly easy? Because the AI was just awful when I played. It was bad to the point where I wonder if it was actually a bug at launch. I did about 5 maps at the highest difficulty and didn't feel like the AI challenged me at all (or did much of anything really) so I quit and haven't gone back.

[random11]

Do you not find it mind-numbingly easy? Because the AI was just awful when I played. It was bad to the point where I wonder if it was actually a bug at launch. I did about 5 maps at the highest difficulty and didn't feel like the AI challenged me at all (or did much of anything really) so I quit and haven't gone back.

I usually don't notice stuff like this unless it's VERY obvious.
I start on lower levels and slowly up the challenge when I have enough free time, only to lower it again after a rough day at work when I'm only looking for a game to pass the time and have some fun.

Might be too easy, I will be able to say it for sure in a week or two, but I will still get more than enough satisfaction from it most of the days.

[Avilan the Grey]

According to Steam I am up to 1300 hours in Fallout 4... To be fair it counts when the game is on pause.. So probably in real time about 1100 hours...

[Cespenar]

Do you not find it mind-numbingly easy? Because the AI was just awful when I played. It was bad to the point where I wonder if it was actually a bug at launch. I did about 5 maps at the highest difficulty and didn't feel like the AI challenged me at all (or did much of anything really) so I quit and haven't gone back.

Yeah, they are a bit too passive. But it's still pretty enjoyable if you treat it as a RPG, so I'm content so far.

[Dienekes]

I'm currently on Anvil of Dawn. Probably the best Dungeon Crawler I've played


But I'm stuck deciding what to play next. I took the next two weeks off from work and I plan to spend at least some of that time with gaming.
As I have the time and leasure to really dig into a game, it should be grand.

I've narrowed it down to 3 options:

- Divinity Original Sin 2
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance
- Pathfinder: Kingmaker

I've no doubt that I will massively enjoy all of them, and I will play them eventually. So the question is: where to start?

Only played the first two. But I would ask which of these sound better?

Div2: High player customization. Highly developed tactical style combat. Very much a standard D&D style RPG done amazingly well. With some very complex solutions to open ended stories.

KCD: Limited customization. Skill based combat that one can quickly learn how to abuse the enemy AI. Single focused limited story where the point is playing a set character going through a story. Best at getting you in a medieval mentality in how one deals with the minutia of life.

[Silverraptor]

Playing Star wars:knights of the old republic 2 again. Decided to play 2 roles simultaneously. A dark side force focused Sith Lord that will gain the influence of everyone to go to the dark side with him, and a lightside ranged sentinel because I've realized I've always rushed for lightsabers in this game and want some variety.

[Balmas]

I've narrowed it down to 3 options:

- Divinity Original Sin 2
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance
- Pathfinder: Kingmaker

I've no doubt that I will massively enjoy all of them, and I will play them eventually. So the question is: where to start?

I've only played the first two, so I can't comment on the third.

Both games are excellent RPGs, but in different ways.

DOSII harkens back to the old days of isometric CRPGs like Baldur's gate, with a heavy focus on stats, strategy, party synergy, and using things in unexpected ways. (For instance, my party included a dwarf whose main strategy consisted of loading about three thousand pounds of barrels into a chest, and then telekinetically launching the chest at enemies.)

Kingdom Come: Deliverance, on the other hand, is a deep dive into medieval life. You have to step into the mindset of a peasant boy who, at the beginning, is unskilled, illiterate, and has to learn to deal with the world he lives in. Mechanically, it's more Skyirm than D&D, but it has some of the best darn storytelling that I've enjoyed this year.

Only played the first two. But I would ask which of these sound better?

Div2: High player customization. Highly developed tactical style combat. Very much a standard D&D style RPG done amazingly well. With some very complex solutions to open ended stories.

KCD: Limited customization. Skill based combat that one can quickly learn how to abuse the enemy AI. Single focused limited story where the point is playing a set character going through a story. Best at getting you in a medieval mentality in how one deals with the minutia of life.

I'm not gonna say you're wrong. You make at least one good criticism. However, I will say that you're selling Kingdom Come Delierance short. Sure, you can run away and then turn to poke the enemies as they charge, but there's also an entire system of parries, blocks, comboes, and so forth. What's more, if you're willing to step into that medieval role, you'll find that after an hour or two you're going to find yourself entirely forgetting about the outside world.

By contrast, when I was playing Divinity, I was only ever thinking in terms of mechanics. Toss earth spike to slow enemies, have the Red Prince toss a fireball to ignite, then have Fane uncloak and stab them in the back. I could never really immerse myself in the role because I was thinking of four characters at once.

[Anteros]

I will say that I agree. DoS2 is a fantastically deep tactical game with the writing level similar to an episode of Scooby-Doo. It's excellent, but I would never recommend it to anyone who wants to play a game for the setting, story, or characters. That doesn't mean it isn't good. It's one of my favorite games. It's just very niche.

[warty goblin]

AOW: Planetfall

Can't stop playing, someone stop me...

Anyway, I think it's a vast improvement compared to AOW3, also much better than most similar alternatives.

Unlike AOW3, the race and class that you choose complete each other and rarely compete in a way that you use only one path.
The rules might be a bit overwhelming at first, but I recommend trying the tutorial and then some random maps on easiest mode to learn the rules and the differences between the races and classes.

Combat is more interesting, and uses something like x-com tactical cover combat.
For the people who prefer strategy over tactics, there is always the fast resolve of battles, which is usually fair.

On the down side, Campaign is not too great since it is often based on events you have no control of, and I feel like I'm constantly being railroaded to a specific path.

Yes, this is good. So good. So far I've tried the Amazons, the Vanguard, and just started the Kir'ko. I like the Kir'ko, if nothing else because they somehow made the uses of bug vomit deeply compelling.

I find I actually prefer the combat to XCOM. For one thing they managed what Firaxis has, over two games and two major DLCs, proven incapable of; making an interface that clearly communicates which actions take how many points, and which ones end your turn. For another, AoWs 3AP system is considerably deeper and more flexible. Also being a proper strategy game helps, since it allows for things like tactical victory/strategic defeat and vice versa.

I was a bit concerned about the beefed up strategic side earlier on, but it works out really well. The Causus Belli system seemed like it could be annoying, but it won me over when I realized that the things that generated CB points were exactly the sorts of things that pissed me off and made me want to conquer somebody's face off in the first place. Now I get to do that, and all my people love me! It's win-win. Well, win-win-lose, because somebody's getting a bug claw where the sun don't shine.

[Zombimode]

Only played the first two. But I would ask which of these sound better?

Div2: High player customization. Highly developed tactical style combat. Very much a standard D&D style RPG done amazingly well. With some very complex solutions to open ended stories.

KCD: Limited customization. Skill based combat that one can quickly learn how to abuse the enemy AI. Single focused limited story where the point is playing a set character going through a story. Best at getting you in a medieval mentality in how one deals with the minutia of life.

I've only played the first two, so I can't comment on the third.

Both games are excellent RPGs, but in different ways.

DOSII harkens back to the old days of isometric CRPGs like Baldur's gate, with a heavy focus on stats, strategy, party synergy, and using things in unexpected ways. (For instance, my party included a dwarf whose main strategy consisted of loading about three thousand pounds of barrels into a chest, and then telekinetically launching the chest at enemies.)

Kingdom Come: Deliverance, on the other hand, is a deep dive into medieval life. You have to step into the mindset of a peasant boy who, at the beginning, is unskilled, illiterate, and has to learn to deal with the world he lives in. Mechanically, it's more Skyirm than D&D, but it has some of the best darn storytelling that I've enjoyed this year.



I'm not gonna say you're wrong. You make at least one good criticism. However, I will say that you're selling Kingdom Come Delierance short. Sure, you can run away and then turn to poke the enemies as they charge, but there's also an entire system of parries, blocks, comboes, and so forth. What's more, if you're willing to step into that medieval role, you'll find that after an hour or two you're going to find yourself entirely forgetting about the outside world.

By contrast, when I was playing Divinity, I was only ever thinking in terms of mechanics. Toss earth spike to slow enemies, have the Red Prince toss a fireball to ignite, then have Fane uncloak and stab them in the back. I could never really immerse myself in the role because I was thinking of four characters at once.

I will say that I agree. DoS2 is a fantastically deep tactical game with the writing level similar to an episode of Scooby-Doo. It's excellent, but I would never recommend it to anyone who wants to play a game for the setting, story, or characters. That doesn't mean it isn't good. It's one of my favorite games. It's just very niche.

Thank you for the replies

That has actually helped me. KCD seem to be the one with the highest immersion factor, and there is no better time to enjoy a immersive game when you have nothing else on your plate.
I'm actively and completely hyped for the game

[Balmas]

Thank you for the replies

That has actually helped me. KCD seem to be the one with the highest immersion factor, and there is no better time to enjoy a immersive game when you have nothing else on your plate.
I'm actively and completely hyped for the game

I will offer a warning, which is at the beginning of the game, you're going to be bad. Henry is a blacksmith's son, and has basically never swung a sword before in his life. At the beginning I complained to my friends that Henry swings a sword like he's got a battleship duct-taped to the end of it, and he aims a bow like he's got the palsy. Stick with it, though, and as Henry becomes more competent, he'll swing faster and aim better.

Really, it's a lovely little system. I certainly prefer it to Skyrim, where you can pick up a weapon you have no skill with, and swing it just as quickly or accurately as someone with 100 skill in that weapon type.