2023 VIDEO GAME CATCH ALL THREAD

[Raziel]

Where were all you fuckers in 2013 when I was getting dragged here for voicing that the game was overrated? 

[Casey]

23 minutes ago, Raziel said:

Where were all you fuckers in 2013 when I was getting dragged here for voicing that the game was overrated? 

Not here  but I was on the Xbox ship until 2019, so I couldn't have helped you either way. It's pretty overrated for sure, and in my opinion it's one of those games where it's sequel was way better than the original game in almost every category.

But I also realize Part 2 is pretty divisive, so... either way, in my limited time with the PS4 and now PS5, I think it's one of the best games of that generation.

Also, let me state again: fuck Joel

[Andrew POE!]

I seem to be another member of The Last of Us Defense Force (TM) after having Platinum'ed it 3 times. I will say this.....it's one of the few AAA games that has rather unforgiving gameplay and you kinda learn how to trick the enemies in the game to go where you want them to go. Survivor difficulty is pretty much broken with its damage though (trust me, I went through it on PS3 and PS4 so I should know). I still need to go through Grounded Mode/Ground Mode+ on PS3 & PS4 versions then Grounded/Permadeath on The Last of Us Part II for the 100% in trophies on all three.

PS5 version has an easier Platinum (you literally can play the game on Easy and still Platinum it) if you care about that sort of thing. Also, the whole game is goddamn gorgeous on PS5.

But if you aren't a fan of the game at the start, you won't be a fan of the game at the end. Nothing I can say will change your mind.

[Coletti]

I think both games are fucking great despite the limitations of the first. Nobody has to like everything...

 

 

 

...like that Vampire Survivors bullshit

[Death From Above]

Man, that post is the biggest self own I can imagine

[supremebve]

1 hour ago, Raziel said:

Where were all you fuckers in 2013 when I was getting dragged here for voicing that the game was overrated? 

I feel like I grew into my distaste for the game. I got pretty far, and at some point I just thought to myself,  "I don't want to do this any more."  With that said,  I love the show so far. If I'm going to have to visit an unpleasant world,  I'd rather do it an hour at a time.  

[Tabe]

Didn't feel like trying to find the thread for it so I'm tossing it here:

I finally decided to give the PC version of GTA 5 a try tonight.  I've got it on PS4 and didn't care for it but watched a video last night and thought, "why not?"  I have a pretty beefy system - Ryzen 7 3700x, Radeon 5700 XT 8 GB, and 32 gigs of RAM - and the game is completely unplayable.  I've tried any number of graphics settings at 1080p and 1440p and it stutters like crazy.  The very first mission, where you're driving with Lamar?  On 1080p normal settings, I counted *5* stutters just running from the apartment gate to the cars.  That takes literally like 3 seconds to do.  It's just unbearable.  I turned on MSI Afterburner and it said I was getting anywhere from 120-175 FPS while driving the car - and was still stuttering like crazy (VSync is off).  And, of course, darn near every graphics setting change requires restarting the game for ... reasons.  Hey, at least it only took me relaunching the game *5* times to get it to stop trying to play in 800x600 windowed mode.

AND no audio.  The game launches, I get the sound of breaking glass on the title screen and then nothing.  I've had audio - I got audio during the opening bank robbery - but no more.  

So, yeah, tons of stuttering and no audio?  Completely unplayable.  

[NikoBaltimore]

I don't recall having any of this issues and my PC specs weren't as beefy as yours (though still pretty damn good)  I initially had it on top-level graphics for testing purposes which while it was still capable made my fan go into hyperdrive to compensate.  I think I had it on high or medium after that which still looked really damn good to me.  It sounds cheap to suggest uninstalling and re-installing the game but it might also be worth verifying the files in Steam.

As for a game that does have issues Gotham Knights sure likes to close out on me at least once every time I play it.  It mainly happens when I do one of the bike challenges which is a common thing in the reviews.  Despite that it's still pretty damn fun to play even if it can get repetitive with the side stuff to do.  I almost wish I didn't have to play as all four for the sake of leveling up.  Just give me a full game for Red Hood and I'd be pretty happy.

[Coletti]

12 hours ago, Death From Above said:

Man, that post is the biggest self own I can imagine

Because people like different things? Please explain.

[Tabe]

3 hours ago, NikoBaltimore said:

I don't recall having any of this issues and my PC specs weren't as beefy as yours (though still pretty damn good)  I initially had it on top-level graphics for testing purposes which while it was still capable made my fan go into hyperdrive to compensate.  I think I had it on high or medium after that which still looked really damn good to me.  It sounds cheap to suggest uninstalling and re-installing the game but it might also be worth verifying the files in Steam.

I got it through Epic* so I doubt Steam will help me   I may try uninstalling and reinstalling anyway.  I hate doing that since it's 120 gigs to download but whatever.  Is there some kind of graphics auto-configuration tool that I'm not seeing?  

* - I got it for free from Epic.  That's the whole reason I even have it - I wouldn't have paid for it.

[NikoBaltimore]

I got mine through Steam but it looks like EPIC has their way of doing that as well.  https://www.epicgames.com/help/en-US/technical-support-c5719357686683/general-support-c5719341627163/how-do-i-verify-game-files-in-the-epic-games-launcher-a5720337301659

I just tried this for a game that had some hiccups recently but won't know if it actually worked for me until I play it a bit.  Hope it helps.

[Craig H]

Jesus, Last of Us is that old? I had no idea mainly because I hesitated to play it for so long.

And now I'm basically done with it. Fuck this game. It really is just How Hard Can We Kick You in the Nuts: The Game. I just got past...

Spoiler

Sam dying and Henry killing himself.

Like, I just don't need this shit in my life. Fuck this man. There is legitimately terrible, awful shit that happens in the world. I'm trying to play games to escape that, not to have the most extreme form of it thrown in my face.

Not to mention, THERE IS NOTHING REMARKABLE ABOUT THIS GAME. Ooooh, they got emotional voice actors. Wow. So the accomplishment is that a video game was able to deliver emotional impact through storytelling, voice acting, and the characters emoting? Great. So it's on the level of a tv show or movie. Wow.

You know what game didn't need super fancy graphics, any voice acting, or characters showing emotion on their faces? Celeste. For anyone with depression, self-image issues, anxiety, and issues with self-worth, Celeste hits home in incredible ways and it does so through a 16 bit styled game and some of the most challenging platforming you'll ever see. And throughout it and at the end of it, it didn't make me feel worse or ashamed. It made me feel a sense of, wow, the people who made this game really understand me and what people like me are going through.

The Last of Us just spits in your face over and over again. The controls are shoddy as fuck. It's an improvement over tank controls, but some of the movement and environments are seriously frustrating. When you encounter a bloater in the gym it's fine because the gym is almost like an arena. When you encounter a bloater in the apartment and there's tight corridors, shit strewn about, and other zombies running at you, it makes me want to throw my controller at the screen every fucking time that bloater would come from an angle I couldn't see and kill me. It took me 200 to 300 tries to beat Malenia in Elden Ring, but I fucking did it and I never wanted to launch my controller. 

It's also repetitive as fuck. Oh, we need to get to capitol building in Boston. Press L3 to look at the building in the distance. Go through a bunch of shit. Oh hey, there it is in the distance. Press L3 to see it.

Later on its oh, we need to get to where Bill lives. Press L3 to see where he lives in the distance. Go through a bunch of shit. Oh hey, there it is still in the distance, press L3 to see it.

Hey, we need to get to that bridge in Pittsburgh. Press L3 to look at the bridge in the distance.

Hey, we need to get to that communications tower once you get out of Pittsburgh. Press L3 to look at the bridge in the distance.

THAT ISN'T COMPELLING. It's just the same bullshit over and over again. Saying a game is "overrated" isn't a criticism of the game, but holy shit is this game overrated. It just isn't that good.

[Coletti]

To each their own, but you know I also really want to fucking play Celeste! It's on my to-do list after I finish up Ragnarok, although finally playing Nier: Automata is next.

Edit to say that yes, saying something is overrated is absolutely not an insult and I actually agree that TLOU is overrated.

Edited January 27, 2023 by christopher.annino

[Doc Townsend]

Personally. I think both parts of The Last of Us are genuine masterpieces and not overrated.  Or at least,  not overrated by much.  To each their own.

Too many games hitting in January.  It’s giving me some hope that this will be a monster year.  I bought the Persona remasters and Monster Hunter Rise last week, Dead Space & Forspoken so far this week.  And Goldeneye just dropped.  I’m curious to see how that holds up a few decades later.  Hi-Fi Rush looks great and I’m looking forward to it, but want to read some reviews first.

Oh, and Seasons is getting great early reviews, so I’ll probably pick that up next week along with the Xbox port of the Pathless.  Feb looks like it will be fairly busy.

I played very little last year.  Thinking my consoles will get more use this year.  Also thinking I should sell my Steam Deck.  it just confirmed I’m not a PC fan.  It’s well on its way to becoming a paperweight if I keep it.

[Craig H]

I admittedly have not paid a ton of attention to Dead Space, but I learned from podcasts this week that it's a remake of the first game. If that's the case then I'll wait to play it. I'm sure it will be amazing when I get to it because the original is one of the best games I've played, but I'm not going to rush to play it if it's a remake.

[odessasteps]

I played a couple minutes of Goldeneye this morning on Game Pass, since I heard the controls on Switch are not good unless you have the N64 controller (which are fine).

[Raziel]

Watching Dead Space remake playthroughs are upsetting me that I don't have a 9th Gen system yet and that my potato PC can't handle it cause it looks great.  But overall I'll just have to live off texture modding the original as it doesn't look to be different in gameplay or story.

 

[Craig H]

Kinda bums me out Dead Space is just a one for one remake of the original. I do like the lore of Dead Space quite a bit, well, except for Dead Space 3. Dead Space 2 still gave me the shock of my life and spooked me more than Alien Isolation did.

Hey, maybe if this sells well they'll do an original take on Dead Space 2 and then give it a halfway decent ending with Dead Space 3.

[Raziel]

I say that and there appears to be at least a bit of added lore in places, tying into 2 and 3, so more remakes, probably.

[SirSmUgly]

3 hours ago, Craig H said:

Jesus, Last of Us is that old? I had no idea mainly because I hesitated to play it for so long.

And now I'm basically done with it. Fuck this game. It really is just How Hard Can We Kick You in the Nuts: The Game. I just got past...

  Reveal hidden contents

Sam dying and Henry killing himself.

Like, I just don't need this shit in my life. Fuck this man. There is legitimately terrible, awful shit that happens in the world. I'm trying to play games to escape that, not to have the most extreme form of it thrown in my face.

Not to mention, THERE IS NOTHING REMARKABLE ABOUT THIS GAME. Ooooh, they got emotional voice actors. Wow. So the accomplishment is that a video game was able to deliver emotional impact through storytelling, voice acting, and the characters emoting? Great. So it's on the level of a tv show or movie. Wow.

You know what game didn't need super fancy graphics, any voice acting, or characters showing emotion on their faces? Celeste. For anyone with depression, self-image issues, anxiety, and issues with self-worth, Celeste hits home in incredible ways and it does so through a 16 bit styled game and some of the most challenging platforming you'll ever see. And throughout it and at the end of it, it didn't make me feel worse or ashamed. It made me feel a sense of, wow, the people who made this game really understand me and what people like me are going through.

The Last of Us just spits in your face over and over again. The controls are shoddy as fuck. It's an improvement over tank controls, but some of the movement and environments are seriously frustrating. When you encounter a bloater in the gym it's fine because the gym is almost like an arena. When you encounter a bloater in the apartment and there's tight corridors, shit strewn about, and other zombies running at you, it makes me want to throw my controller at the screen every fucking time that bloater would come from an angle I couldn't see and kill me. It took me 200 to 300 tries to beat Malenia in Elden Ring, but I fucking did it and I never wanted to launch my controller. 

It's also repetitive as fuck. Oh, we need to get to capitol building in Boston. Press L3 to look at the building in the distance. Go through a bunch of shit. Oh hey, there it is in the distance. Press L3 to see it.

Later on its oh, we need to get to where Bill lives. Press L3 to see where he lives in the distance. Go through a bunch of shit. Oh hey, there it is still in the distance, press L3 to see it.

Hey, we need to get to that bridge in Pittsburgh. Press L3 to look at the bridge in the distance.

Hey, we need to get to that communications tower once you get out of Pittsburgh. Press L3 to look at the bridge in the distance.

THAT ISN'T COMPELLING. It's just the same bullshit over and over again. Saying a game is "overrated" isn't a criticism of the game, but holy shit is this game overrated. It just isn't that good.

Well, you see, Neil Druckmann has Important Things To Say like, um, violence is cyclical and grief can make us do questionable things, all wrapped up in a bunch of walk-talk-grab pallets-place pallets gameplay.

Part of the issue with TLoU is the games media desperately wanting games to be respected art - Ebert's (admittedly ignorant) argument about games not being Real Art still comes up with these things. The second issue is Druckmann's self-importance. I don't have an issue with him covering the common themes I listed above, but you can tell that he thinks he was particularly profound about them. He wasn't.

The third issue is that the games are decent stealth combat wrapped around walk-and-talk solipsizing and braindead environmental puzzles. But they are technical masterpieces, for sure, and I respect how many accessibility options ND gives in those games. I saw where someone who is legally blind beat TLOU P1 because there were enough options to help him navigate the game by sound. That is a true achievement.

But ND's games don't hold a patch to Insomniac or Sucker Punch games as full packages, at least to me. I haven't seen the show, but it's got a skilled cast that can probably elevate the material.

[Contentious C]

I dunno, are we comparing Spider-Man as your baseline there for Insomniac versus Naughty Dog? Because...well, I guess it's a better game as a whole (controls, gameplay, depth), but JESUS does it gate a lot of content in an irritating way, and ALL of the Arkham games (even Knight) did the same formula only way, way, way better.   I kind of regret buying it and I'm very glad I didn't spend 40-something on the PC for it.  Hopefully Miles Morales feels *actually* open, rather than "we've told you about X, now go do that for 3 hours until you level up" like the first one.  Annoying as fuck.  But maybe you meant, I dunno, R&C?

Also, Vampire Survivors does look like dumb trash and I'm glad I have no desire to play it.

Edited January 27, 2023 by Contentious C

[Craig H]

2 hours ago, SirSmellingtonofCascadia said:

Well, you see, Neil Druckmann has Important Things To Say like, um, violence is cyclical and grief can make us do questionable things, all wrapped up in a bunch of walk-talk-grab pallets-place pallets gameplay.

Part of the issue with TLoU is the games media desperately wanting games to be respected art - Ebert's (admittedly ignorant) argument about games not being Real Art still comes up with these things. The second issue is Druckmann's self-importance. I don't have an issue with him covering the common themes I listed above, but you can tell that he thinks he was particularly profound about them. He wasn't.

The third issue is that the games are decent stealth combat wrapped around walk-and-talk solipsizing and braindead environmental puzzles. But they are technical masterpieces, for sure, and I respect how many accessibility options ND gives in those games. I saw where someone who is legally blind beat TLOU P1 because there were enough options to help him navigate the game by sound. That is a true achievement.

But ND's games don't hold a patch to Insomniac or Sucker Punch games as full packages, at least to me. I haven't seen the show, but it's got a skilled cast that can probably elevate the material.

I forgot to mention that the environmental puzzles are some of the most weak sauce puzzles I've ever seen. I can't swim! Here's a pallet I found that someone didn't break down to make furniture out of. Here's another body of water! Here's another pallet! 

How will we ever cross this gap? Eh, let's use this conveniently placed giant wooden plank that's right next to us. How do we get out of here? Too high up? Use this ladder right next to you. Not that high up? Give someone a boost.

Oh, a safe. Man, how do I open this? (Proceeds to walk maybe a minute away and finds the combination for the safe) Wow, weird that people would store spare junk in this safe, but that's good for upgrading my guns.

I'm not asking for Water Temple from Ocarina of Time levels of annoyance and difficulty in environmental puzzles, but damn, at least make me try.

I did wind up telling my daughter, who is going to be 13 in a couple months, that I don't want her to continue playing it. After seeing what happens with Sam and Henry, I just don't want that traumatizing her. I'm glad I played it ahead of where she's at to find that out before she came across it.

It is motivating me to get her to play other stuff though, like Guardians of the Galaxy or the Tomb Raider games. She also expressed interest in playing Mass Effect, but I have a feeling she's going to play 30 minutes of Mass Effect 1 and nope right out of that.

[Craig H]

I'm afraid to play Vampire Survivors because of how addictive I heard it is.

[SirSmUgly]

4 minutes ago, Contentious C said:

I dunno, are we comparing Spider-Man as your baseline there for Insomniac versus Naughty Dog? Because...well, I guess it's a better game as a whole (controls, gameplay, depth), but JESUS does it gate a lot of content in an irritating way, and ALL of the Arkham games (even Knight) did the same formula only way, way, way better.   I kind of regret buying it and I'm very glad I didn't spend 40-something on the PC for it.  Hopefully Miles Morales feels *actually* open, rather than "we've told you about X, now go do that for 3 hours until you level up" like the first one.  Annoying as fuck.  But maybe you meant, I dunno, R&C?

Also, Vampire Survivors does look like dumb trash and I'm glad I have no desire to play it.

I don't think Spider-Man really gates content much at all and don't remember much about "leveling up" that was mandatory for doing stuff around the map, so I'm not with you on that assessment. It's not Breath of the Wild and has gates related to the main story, but unless you really just want every game to be Breath of the Wild (ugh, that sounds like a Bad Future), I'm not sure really that I see your complaint in that regard.

But in terms of actually being mechanically enjoyable games, yes, R+C, Spider, and Sunset Overdrive are my preference. I would rather play R+C or Sly before Jak, inFamous or Spidey before Uncharted, and I think Tsushima is Sony's true first-party masterpiece of 2020.

Vampire Survivors is easily one of the five best games of 2022, I think, but maybe people are just sick of retro-styled games with vicious gameplay loops and lots of secret characters and items to unlock. 

[Coletti]

I'm very happy for the people enjoying the hell out of Vampire Survivors, good for them. It is however quite funny that somebody can be like, "my negative opinion of (popular well-received game) is legit and your negative opinion of (different positively viewed game) is trash." 

As for punishing throwback games, I just recently put MANY hours into Hollow Knight and yeah, that shit ruled.