The video game thread.

Jason P

Time to work on my shortlist for game of the year:

God of War

Forza Horizon 4

Into the Breach

Divinity Original Sins 2

Assassins Creed Odyssey

Civ VI (Switch and IOS versions)

Red Dead Redemption 2 (not out yet ... but come on)

So far Forza Horizon 4 is the front runner.  I've never been a fan of the series but this one is just pure fun on top of superb graphics and controls and RPG elements and so on.   I'm pretty sure RDR 2 is going to blow everyone out of the ballpark.  I'm very curious to see how Civ VI plays on the Switch with a controller on a big screen while sitting on my couch ... could very well turn me into Christian Bale in the Mechanic

tempo_n_groove

Jason P said:

Civ VI on the newer iPhones works surprisingly well.  I thought the small screen would be an issue but it is somehow easier to control then on the iPad.  A must get if you are a Civ fan

I haven't played Civ since iii.  My cousin love iv but I thought it was too busy.  Maybe im wrong?

Tell me more about Civ VI!!!

MayDay10

Civ v and vi blow.  

Civ iv was the peak. It was a sandbox of civilization.   Civs 2 and 3 were better than 5  and 6.  At 5 they decided to dull the game down and focus on being pretty to appeal to more than the niche.  More war game than dynamic civilization builder

Jason P

Hmm.  I've found less war in Civ VI, mainly due to the warmonger penalty that is applied after you get out of the ancient era.  As long as you build a defensive army up and turtle until the medieval phase you should be fine.  I've found going after the religious victory to be easier.

Civ IV was and is one of my top 5 games across all systems.  My only complaint was managing workers in the end game.

Never played too much of Civ V.  But I think the big game changers in Civ VI are:

* City Districts:  You will have a nearby tile for your religious site, commercial hub, military training, etc. These can get bonuses from other tiles.  It also limits a city from becoming the jack of all trades.  Since it was a new concept it was strange, but it has helped me understand specializing cities to their full potential

* Civ Government Policy Cards:  Each government has a certain number of policy slots that you can get cards that give bonuses

* Builders:  Instead of workers, builders make three instant improvements and then "poof" away like a Mr Meeseeks

 NO MORE ROAD BUILDING TOO!!!!

Jason P

One other note is that when I play on the phone or Ipad, I usually play on the following options that make it much more suitable for a smaller portable screen:

No Barbarians

Small or Tiny world

Pangaea as to limit naval ... I find sea exploration to be a chore in all Civ games but I really don't enjoy it on a touch screen

Max of three other leaders and max of 3 city-states in the games

MayDay10

tomorrow is the big day, right?

bflynn1

You know it! Already got it downloaded!

Jason P

few more hours, i reckon 

Jason P

Install size for RRD2 on xbox x ... 105 GB!!  Thank god those fuckers at Microsolt gave me less than one whole terabyte for storage

MayDay10

Jason P said:

Install size for RRD2 on xbox x ... 105 GB!!  Thank god those fuckers at Microsolt gave me less than one whole terabyte for storage

PS4 Finally allows for you to add on an external HD.  Its pretty much plug and play which is nice.

Marble Madness didnt need storage space.  Thats for sure.


Plan on picking up my Red Dead at lunch and beginning the install when I stop at home.  Playing tonight after kids go to bed.  

bflynn1

Played for a couple hours last night. Loving it so far. I'm glad Microsoft/Rockstar did the early download period for digital copies.

And yeah I added an external hard drive to my Xbox One a couple years ago. Money well spent. 

HesCalledDyer

Castlevania Season 2 is on Netflix today.

Jason P

Well I played it for an hour this morning and can see where all those gigs were used.  The game is gorgeous especially in 4K.  The sound is great too. Gameplay is on par with past rockstar games. Again, only had time to play the opening mission.  

MayDay10

PS Classic Games
I did FFVII, Metal Gear Solid, and Syphon Filter.  Never played any of the others.

https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/29/here-are-the-20-games-shipping-with-the-playstation-classic/?yptr=yahoo

• Battle Arena Toshinden
• Cool Boarders 2
• Destruction Derby
• Final Fantasy VII
• Grand Theft Auto
• Intelligent Qube
• Jumping Flash
• Metal Gear Solid
• Mr Driller
• Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee
• Rayman
• Resident Evil Director’s Cut
• Revelations: Persona
• Ridge Racer Type 4
• Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
• Syphon Filter
• Tekken 3
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six
• Twisted Metal
• Wild Arms

Jason P

I would have included the following to the PS1 Classic:

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night 
Tony Hawk
Twisted Metal 2
Gran Turismo 1 and 2 (MUST have been licensing issue.  Otherwise people need fired.)
Final Fantasy Tactics
Wipeout
PaRappa the Rapper (what up, yo??)
Ace Combat 2
Driver
Return Fire

I think I will be skipping this system.  

HesCalledDyer

Definitely surprising not to see Gran Turismo and PaRappa on there.

MayDay10

would have liked Parappa the Rapper.  

I also could do without fighting games.  Never understood the enjoyment in that genre

Jason P

RDR2 opens with a $750M weekend.  Suck it, Avengers. 

Jason P

If I have one complaint about RDR2 is that the controls of Rockstar games seem the same as they were 15 years ago.  Considering how massive the world is and that a horse is your primary means of travel, tapping a button constantly to speed up the horse is a mind boggling game design decision.  I literally may end up tapping a button a million times by the time I finish the game just to make a horse move faster than a walking pace.   

The same clunky animations I experienced in GTA III - V seem present.  They have created an amazing immersive world and the only thing that really pulls me out of it is when I’m walking along the edge of a cliff or train car and my character turns slightly to the left and when I try to straighten him up he jumps to his death the other direction.  

I stopped playing Assasins Creed games after Black Flag because of frustrating clunky controls but took a chance on Oddessy and was very pleased with how much better it controls compared to the past.  It’s almost night and day difference.  If Rockstar had been able to to take Ubisoft’s control design it may have created the perfect game. 

But it is still an amazing game that makes me shake my head and smile constantly.  An all time immersive great game can overcome control issues as Bethesda has proved time and time again. 

MayDay10

I agree on the controls.  Actually, they have become a little worse in this release in an attempt for realism IMO

I also dislike the weapons and items inventory system so far.