Video Game Thread v. Series Xbox One X Series Switch S 5

[ErHaO]

I just paid full price (17 euros) for yet another version of Final Fantasy VI. This time the pixel remaster on my phone. I love the game, but have only played the first 1/3 across many different versions. Perhaps having it on my phone finally will allow me to break this curse. First impression of this version is good. Purists will be purists, but I think it looks and controls great on mobile.

[cramx3]

I ended up not getting a Mario game for the switch because my friend gave me his Breathe of the Wild cartridge so I started that last night on my flight to Amsterdam. 

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Anyone ever get to the point where they just need a bit of a break from gaming? For the last few years, I've always had a game that I was playing through. I didn't necessary play every day but there was always a game that I was actively trying to finish, even if it took a long time. Over the weekend, I realized that there just aren't any games I feel like starting at the moment, so I decided to go completely cold turkey until September when TLOUP1 comes out. I'm actually looking forward to spending some time on other things until all the big new releases later in the year.

[ReaperKK]

I'm sort of in that mode right now. I keep starting games but never finishing them as nothing seems to grab me. If I even feel like playing I'll hop in for a few matches of halo or smite.

[Stadler]

I go in waves; I'm playing a lot now because I like what I'm playing (Star Wars Battlefront) but I can sometimes go months without playing at all.

[Herrick]

I go through gaming slumps but I always manage to find another game to break those short slumps.

[Revenge319]

Video games are my main hobby, so I don't really go through any phases where I don't feel like playing anything, but I do sometimes lack the motivation to play games I haven't started or finished yet, so I do go through that sort of slump every so often. But there's some games I'm pretty much always in the mood to play. Usually it's a puzzle game, like Tetris or Puyo Puyo, but sometimes it can be other genres; I never go too long without replaying a Xenoblade game for instance.

[Kwyjibo]

I don't really got hrough gaming slumps, there's always a game I'd like to play.

But it seems I can't finish any games. I start a new one and if I really like it, I get excited and play nothing else and I play it for hours, days, weeks, sometimes even months. And then all of a sudden I lose all interest. I'm halfway through or almost through and one day I realize I haven't touched that game for days. And more often than not it gets shelved and left unfinished.

[Chino]

I don't really got hrough gaming slumps, there's always a game I'd like to play.

But it seems I can't finish any games. I start a new one and if I really like it, I get excited and play nothing else and I play it for hours, days, weeks, sometimes even months. And then all of a sudden I lose all interest. I'm halfway through or almost through and one day I realize I haven't touched that game for days. And more often than not it gets shelved and left unfinished.

That's pretty much every game for me that wasn't Skyrim, GTA, or RDR over the last decade. I'm super guilty of that with the Far Cry series. The story isn't interesting enough for me, and the games themselves just become too repetitive.

[faizoff]

I finally finished the Lego Builder's Journey game on PC and it kinda felt cathartic that I actually finished a game, even though it was really short. I think I'm going to try and tackle Tomb Raider or GTA V and finish those before I start something again.

I too go through waves of interest, which is so bizarre now that I have a kickass PC that plays games at 4K.

[Dublagent66]

I go through gaming slumps but I always manage to find another game to break those short slumps.

I think my longest slump was only a couple days.  Just need a break sometimes, especially now that I'm an old grumpy man. 

[cramx3]

Video games are my main hobby, so I don't really go through any phases where I don't feel like playing anything, but I do sometimes lack the motivation to play games I haven't started or finished yet, so I do go through that sort of slump every so often. But there's some games I'm pretty much always in the mood to play. Usually it's a puzzle game, like Tetris or Puyo Puyo, but sometimes it can be other genres; I never go too long without replaying a Xenoblade game for instance.

This is how I am.  I usually don't go through gaming slumps, but struggle to start new games and if I don't finish a game when I start playing, I don't usually go back.  Over the past 5 years or so though, I usually have a fall back game I'll play if I'm not feeling something new or fresh.  Honestly, I've mostly been playing COD for the last couple years because I haven't had much interest in the new games.  Before that was Apex Legends or PUBG.  Before that was probably Rocket League. 

[Stadler]

Marc, do you give a shit about trophies or achievements? 

[ErHaO]

I like almost all genres, so there is always something I'd like to play and the experiences/your activities differ wildly. Cyberpunk is not going to burn me out on Gorogoa, for example. Especially with gamepass I check out all kinds of genres and I don't need to think about purchasing games.

[cramx3]

Marc, do you give a shit about trophies or achievements?

Not really unless it's part of unlocking something in game that I want.  I think GTA 4 and Mario 64 are the only two games I made a goal to do everything in the game, mostly because those are games I would rate very highly as my favorites of all time.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/grand-theft-auto-vi-will-have-female-main-character-for-first-time-in-series-history-1.1797619

There will be a female protagonist

The game will feature a playable female protagonist for the first time, according to people familiar with the matter. The woman is Latina and will be one of a pair of leading characters in a story influenced by the bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde. Developers are also being cautious not to “punch down” by making jokes about marginalized groups, the people said, in contrast with previous Grand Theft Auto games.

The new map is a fictionalized Miami but will update over time

The game’s new map is now focused on a fictional version of Miami and its surrounding areas. Rockstar’s plan is to continually update the game over time, adding new missions and cities on a regular basis, which leadership hopes will lead to less crunch during the game’s final months.

I hope they have multiple playable characters like in GTA V though, I thought that was fun especially when you could so smoothly switch between them.

Between the company’s new direction and the 2019 departure of Dan Houser, who led creative direction on many previous games, all indications suggest Grand Theft Auto VI will feel very different than its predecessor.

A bit worried about that though but we'll see.

[Dublagent66]

Marc, do you give a shit about trophies or achievements?

Not really unless it's part of unlocking something in game that I want.  I think GTA 4 and Mario 64 are the only two games I made a goal to do everything in the game, mostly because those are games I would rate very highly as my favorites of all time.

I like searching for collectables and getting most trophies whenever possible, but not a hardcore completionist.  Like you said, it really depends on the game.

[XJDenton]

Just completed Dark Souls 3, which makes it my first FromSoft game to be beaten. That was an experience.

[ReaperKK]

Good bad or a bit of both?

[XJDenton]

Once you get into the groove its great fun but goddamn do FromSoft games take a while to get into the groove.

[ErHaO]

Once you get into the groove its great fun but goddamn do FromSoft games take a while to get into the groove.

They do, but for most of them thankfully that groove tends to carry over. Sekiro (and Elden Ring) differ in key aspects, but the skills obtained in the Souls titles and Bloodborne make the other ones way easier and quicker to get into.

[XJDenton]

I have to say, I think I would have found DS3 way more tedious if Bloodbourne and Sekiro hadn't taught me how to dodge roll and parry respectively. In some ways I prefer the latter two's narrower focus as entries into soulslike games.

[Dublagent66]

I gave up on DS3 ages ago.  Just not the kind of tedious I'm into.  Always dying.  Always having to start over.  It felt like 1 step forward, 2 steps back.  Don't have the patience.

[XJDenton]

Understand that. It takes a certain type of person to persevere enough in that game to get good enough to have a decent grasp of its systems.

[Dublagent66]

Yeah, I guess it takes all kinds of games for all kinds I suppose.

I get free game downloads with my PSN subscription.  Playing a game now that I never would've thought I would like.  Ratchet & Clank released in April of 2016 for the PS4 is a really fun game!  It kind of reminds me of the Lego games in a way.

[Skeever]

I gave up on DS3 ages ago.  Just not the kind of tedious I'm into.  Always dying.  Always having to start over.  It felt like 1 step forward, 2 steps back.  Don't have the patience.

DS3 was the breaking point for me. Really enjoyed DS1 and Bloodborne, but they took the bosses to a new level in DS3, which has flowed through to Elden Ring and Sekiro as far as I can tell.

[XJDenton]

I played bloodbourne first, and have yet to complete it, but I don't think any of the bosses in 3 are harder than in Bloodbourne. Sekiro is its own beast, and plays quite differently to the soulsborne games. I've yet to play Elden Ring. I'm trying to clear out some of my Steam Library before i buy it.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

I got about a third of the way through Elden Ring before deciding to take a break from it. It's a brilliant game but it's also massive and requires a lot from the player. Many of the bosses are designed in such a way that in order to defeat them, you're going to have to retreat back to the open world and explore a ton or rune farm like crazy. To veteran Souls players, that's just a way of life, but to a casual like me, I'm not super motivated to do that for another 40 hours.

[Dublagent66]

I got about a third of the way through Elden Ring before deciding to take a break from it. It's a brilliant game but it's also massive and requires a lot from the player. Many of the bosses are designed in such a way that in order to defeat them, you're going to have to retreat back to the open world and explore a ton or rune farm like crazy. To veteran Souls players, that's just a way of life, but to a casual like me, I'm not super motivated to do that for another 40 hours.

Yeah, I totally get that.  I was exploring for quite a while in Elden Ring when I decided to take a break.  Next thing I know, I'm playing 5 other games and ER got left in the dust.
Oh well, it'll still be there if I decide to jump back into it.

[ErHaO]

Elden Ring is absolutely designed with summons and spells in mind. I did a respec and had a much better experience. The bosses feel like Sekiro bosses but you are stuck with Souls movesets. Very little opening windows for many of them if you don't do summons. Not saying you cannot do it with just melee, but as someone who did the whole bigass sword and no shield style in other Souls games, I wasn't having a good time with that in Elden Ring. Unfortunately I did make it myself a bit too easy, rendering most Elden Ring bosses not very memorable. Got most of the second half on my first try. I have yet to finish the game but am close to the end.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I also haven't finished Elden Ring, I stopped playing before the final boss. Not for any particular reason but I played so rigorously for two months that I kinda burned out but man what an experience that game was for me.  Can't remember the last time I got so hooked on a game.

[Skeever]

Anyone else dipping into Xenoblade Chronicles 3?
Gotta say, I've liked them all, but this feels like 'the one'; I'm only 10 hours in, but it feels like it's making good on a promise that even Xenogears did not make quite good on.

[Revenge319]

Anyone else dipping into Xenoblade Chronicles 3?
Gotta say, I've liked them all, but this feels like 'the one'; I'm only 10 hours in, but it feels like it's making good on a promise that even Xenogears did not make quite good on.

I've logged over 30 hours in just these four days alone. It took me a little longer to get hooked on the story compared to 1 and 2, but I'm really enjoying it, and I've got a feeling that this will end up being my favorite game of 2022. Xenoblade 1 and 2 are two of my favorite video games of all time, so I think it's a great sign that I'm enjoying this on a similar level as the other games.

[XJDenton]

I never got around to the first 2 xenoblades. Tempted to pick them up at some point but too many other games on the backburner. Still have persona 5 to play at some point...

[ErHaO]

I haven't followed 3, did they tone down the whiney anime children / women collectable "robots" stuff?

The worlds in these games look truly amazing and I do like anime(esque) stuff. Even loved Fire Emblem Three Houses, so I can deal with anime (best Switch game in my opinion).

I also haven't finished Elden Ring, I stopped playing before the final boss. Not for any particular reason but I played so rigorously for two months that I kinda burned out but man what an experience that game was for me.  Can't remember the last time I got so hooked on a game.

I agree. The world, atmosphere and sense of discovery is truly amazing. I don't mind that I don't find the bossfights as memorable, the journey itself absolutely is.