Video Game Thread v. Wii4One

[Sacul]

Minecraft: Story Mode

By Telltale Games. Yup.

[wizard of Thought]

Minecraft: Story Mode

By Telltale Games. Yup.

For real? To be honest, this looks really bad and I actually like Telltale since the early days (Sam & Max are my favourites up to today).

Finally bought Persona 3, just started it two days ago. I really dig the concept right now, great game 

[Genowyn]

P3 is one of my favourite games of all time. If you enjoy it you should definitely play Persona 4 afterwards, and if you have a Vita or PS TV definitely play Golden.

[wizard of Thought]

Nah, I don`t have a Vita, so I`ll buy the PS2 version of P4 afterwards. Just finished the exams after the first full moon event during which I realized I have to grind even harder than I already did, but the soundtrack is so catchy that I cannot stop playing

[Genowyn]

One bit of advice is don't believe the hype in-game about how dangerous the final boss is. Considering how hard the rest of the game was, I figured, if they're this scared this must be something really awful, and so I grinded my entire party up to level 99.

Needless to say the final boss was a total pushover. Be 75-85 for an ideal experience

[ariich]

I see a lot of love for the Persona games here, but have never played them and don't really know anything about them. What sort of games are they?

I've recently been making a lot more progress through video games, finally getting through them at a slightly faster rate than I'm purchasing them! Though I have been cheating by mostly playing shorter games, and my to-play list still has a handful of 40+ hour RPGs.

Anyway, games I recently finished:

Half-Life (plus Opposing Force and Blue Shift) - as I mentioned in my last post.

Deus Ex: The Fall - this was clearly meant to be a part one as it's quite short and doesn't really end properly. In a way, it's a shame as I was really starting to get into the story (and the story in Human Revolution was fantastic), but the gameplay sucked. The voice acting was kinda mixed as well. If there is no part 2, I'm hoping they at least address it in future games.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent - literally the scariest thing ever. As with Half-Life, I'd tried playing this before and not got that far, mainly because of frustration at some of the puzzles being pretty obscure and running round in the darkness trying to figure out what's going on. This time, I immersed myself in it as much as I could (though admittedly I didn't play in the dark with headphones, I'm not insane), but eventually enlisted the help of a walkthrough when I got stuck to make sure I didn't give up again. Still a good game, absolutely terrifying, but a bit too frustrating to keep my attention.

The Stanley Parable - absolutely bonkers and hilarious and kind of brilliant. I played it without really knowing anything about it or what the point of it was, which was perfect as on my first playthrough I did EVERYTHING against what the narrator was saying. I'm such a rebel.

[Genowyn]

To give a really brief description, Persona (3 and 4, not 1 or 2) is like a mix of a normal JRPG, Pokemon, and a dating sim.

In more detail: The game is sort of divided into two parts, the dungeon-exploring monster killing boss defeating part, and the going to school and making friends part.

In the RPG part you fight by summoning various Personas. All party members have Personas, but the main character has the unique ability to switch between Personas, each of which have different stats and abilities.

You get new Personas one of two ways: First, you can win very basic Personas after battles, but mostly these are just fodder for the second method, which is fusion. Each Persona is assigned a Tarot Arcana, and when you fuse them the resulting Persona is based on the Arcanas and base levels of the Persona that went into it.

Fusion brings us into the importance of the school life part of the game. At school (and also around town) there are a number of people you can be friends with, some of which can also become romantic relationships. All of these friendships, called Social Links (or S. Links) is also assigned a Tarot Arcana, and as you become closer with the person the S. Link ranks up, to max rank of 10. At rank 10 you will unlock the ultimate Persona of that Arcana.

In addition to that, when fusing a Persona, it will recieve an experience bonus based on the rank of the S. Link.

Like a dating sim, there is only a limited amount of time in which you can complete all the S. Links, many of which are only available on certain days, so it becomes a matter of time management to make sure you can finish all the Links while also improving your 'social stats' as I call them (I forget the exact names but it's something like Intelligence, Courage, Charisma) which are needed to make certain choices and start certain S. Links. Over the course of each S. Link you will need to make a number of choices, each choice having a different impact on how much your relationship improves (or can even damage it if you say something totally wrong). Each S. Link has its own story arc that is (usually) thematically connected with the meaning of their Arcana in Tarot and the main plot.

So why are people so into Persona? A few reasons: First, as described above, the fun and innovative (and VERY challenging) gameplay. Second, it has a great story, great writing with equal servings of hilarity and tragedy, great characters. Third it has some of the best music in any video game (imo). For a few good examples check out Mass Destruction, the battle theme of P3, Battle for Everyone's Souls, the final boss theme, also check out I'll Face Myself (Battle) the boss theme of P4.

If you have a PS3 I think both P3 and P4 are only $10-$20 (not sure how many pounds) on PSN, and unless what I've described above sounds absolutely dreadful, it's definitely worth trying out.

[Lynxo]

I finished The Witcher 3 today and looking back, my feelings are a bit mixed.

It's a fantastic game in many ways. It's an huge open world, full of stuff to do and quest to partake in. A lot of the sidequests were really awesome!
I also really dug the combat system, which made the game feel a lot more like an action RPG. Simple and easy to learn.

However, I wasn't very fond of the world they portrayed. I can't help but compare the game to Dragon Age: Inquisition and here's where I stand - that game (Dragon Age) went of its way to be including to ALL kinds of people. You could build your own character and have him or her take a stand in a lot of complex issues that exists in our very society. They even included a trans character and went to the trouble of running all of the dialogues and interactions through people in the genderqueer community. (You can read more about it here: https://kotaku.com/bioware-put-a-lot-of-work-into-dragon-ages-trans-charac-1666924495)

And then you have The Witcher - where you play as a big bearded bad ass dude with scars and just about every woman wants to sleep with him. Not only that, for some reason all the female characters walks around in ridiculous revealing outfits. It feels like big step back in terms of being including in your game - something that BioWare are so awesome at doing.

It really shouldn't bother me so much - unfortunately most games are like that. But when I can't help but compare it to the latest Dragon Age, it's an issue that I can't get out of my head and it really hinders my full enjoyment of the game.

(Also, Yennefer may have an awesome name but she's a bitch. Triss FTW!)

[Genowyn]

Well I think Witcher 3 and DA:I are very different games that take place in very different worlds. Thedas is an extremely idealistic view of a medieval world, there is relatively little suffering and most of it comes from without in the form of Darkspawn or other nasty things.

The Witcher 3 I think is a much more accurate representation of what medieval European (Polish) life was like, albeit with some monsters around. The fact is in that grimdark kind of setting equality just isn't in the cards. Considering the overwhelming influence of the Church in Novigrad, I think it unlikely that any sort of 'deviant' person would last long without getting burned at the stake. If your goal is an unflinching portrayal of what life in this world would actually be like, then putting in trans or gay characters basically for the purpose of making members of that community feel included, you're being extremely disingenuous in your reasons for including these characters and your portrayal of the world. And sure Geralt is a walking patriachy-bro but again, what medieval European man wasn't? And as far as I know the only women who want to jump Geralt's bones are sex workers doing it for money and women he has previously had relationships with.

Compare a more idealistic vision of a medieval world like Thedas or Middle Earth, and I think there's a lot more room for inclusiveness (not that there was much of it in LotR, and there is some pretty racist subtext going on there).

[Lynxo]

I beg to differ - Thedas is a terrible world, full of racism and people being treated like shit for no real reason. I'd even say that it was a big central theme, being that the mages conflict is what set in motion the entirety of DA:I. But it still mirrors our own world in that there exists a lot of different people with different ideals, religions, agendas and yes - even sexual orientation.

I really see no reason for the game not to be including other than restrictions from the source material from the books. Which is a fair point but it still doesn't change the fact that I'd still enjoy a more including world. But that's just me.

[Genowyn]

I guess what I meant is that in Thedas is doesn't really matter if you're a man or a woman, if you're black or white, if you're straight or gay or what have you. Perhaps the persecution of the mages is meant as a stand-in for one of these issues, in truth life is a lot better for people in Thedas for the most part than it actually was in those time periods.

[Lynxo]

I guess what I meant is that in Thedas is doesn't really matter if you're a man or a woman, if you're black or white, if you're straight or gay or what have you. Perhaps the persecution of the mages is meant as a stand-in for one of these issues, in truth life is a lot better for people in Thedas for the most part than it actually was in those time periods.

Oh I see, and in that case I agree! And if it is a stand-in for those issues, then I think it's an awesome way of handling it. I'd rather see someone be a dick to an elf than to a gay man. (But most elfs are dicks themselves anyway, so. )

[Genowyn]

Hey my Inquisitor was an Elf

[wizard of Thought]

To give a really brief description, Persona (3 and 4, not 1 or 2) is like a mix of a normal JRPG, Pokemon, and a dating sim.

In more detail: The game is sort of divided into two parts, the dungeon-exploring monster killing boss defeating part, and the going to school and making friends part.

In the RPG part you fight by summoning various Personas. All party members have Personas, but the main character has the unique ability to switch between Personas, each of which have different stats and abilities.

You get new Personas one of two ways: First, you can win very basic Personas after battles, but mostly these are just fodder for the second method, which is fusion. Each Persona is assigned a Tarot Arcana, and when you fuse them the resulting Persona is based on the Arcanas and base levels of the Persona that went into it.

Fusion brings us into the importance of the school life part of the game. At school (and also around town) there are a number of people you can be friends with, some of which can also become romantic relationships. All of these friendships, called Social Links (or S. Links) is also assigned a Tarot Arcana, and as you become closer with the person the S. Link ranks up, to max rank of 10. At rank 10 you will unlock the ultimate Persona of that Arcana.

In addition to that, when fusing a Persona, it will recieve an experience bonus based on the rank of the S. Link.

Like a dating sim, there is only a limited amount of time in which you can complete all the S. Links, many of which are only available on certain days, so it becomes a matter of time management to make sure you can finish all the Links while also improving your 'social stats' as I call them (I forget the exact names but it's something like Intelligence, Courage, Charisma) which are needed to make certain choices and start certain S. Links. Over the course of each S. Link you will need to make a number of choices, each choice having a different impact on how much your relationship improves (or can even damage it if you say something totally wrong). Each S. Link has its own story arc that is (usually) thematically connected with the meaning of their Arcana in Tarot and the main plot.

So why are people so into Persona? A few reasons: First, as described above, the fun and innovative (and VERY challenging) gameplay. Second, it has a great story, great writing with equal servings of hilarity and tragedy, great characters. Third it has some of the best music in any video game (imo). For a few good examples check out Mass Destruction, the battle theme of P3, Battle for Everyone's Souls, the final boss theme, also check out I'll Face Myself (Battle) the boss theme of P4.

If you have a PS3 I think both P3 and P4 are only $10-$20 (not sure how many pounds) on PSN, and unless what I've described above sounds absolutely dreadful, it's definitely worth trying out.

Just to add: The games are quite cheap in their original PS2 version as well (as long as you live in US or JP), but the European versions of the Persona games (especially P3 FES which is at about 70€ as a used version) are quite expensive. I`ve paid 30€ on Persona 3, because I don`t have a PS3 (yet, maybe I`ll buy one for Persona 5).

Also, you have to grind VERY much during the game (based on my experience with 10 hours on P3), so you might go grinding at least every second (virtual) day and hope that your friends do not get tired during grinding since they`ll be out for 1-3 days then.

[Genowyn]

That's true, I play 4 a lot more and the tired/sick mechanic is not in that. You don't need to grind so much in 4 either, you can usually get by if you just kill everything you come across in the course of exploring a floor.

Edit: on the subject of Witcher 3 vs DA:I we also have today's Penny Arcade: https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2015/07/06

[Sacul]

Can I play Persona 4 without having played the others? Is the story independent?

[Genowyn]

You can. There are some callbacks and stuff like that but it's mostly just fanservicey stuff (like you go on a field trip to the city P3 takes place in). Nothing essential to your understanding of the story and in almost every way the 4th game is better. Again, especially if you have the means to play Golden.

[wizard of Thought]

Well, I can only say it for 3, but its story is independent from the others, except for some insiders I think, e.g. the Velvet Room (appears in every Persona game) or the MMORPG you get during Persona 3 (called "Innocent Sin Online" - a reference to Persona 2 + the Social Link you get there does some jokes based on Persona 2)

Edit: Genowyn ninja`d me 

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I just finished the campaign in Dying Light. Have to say I really enjoyed it. Surprisingly though, the thing that made me on the edge in this game was heights. I'm a bit afraid of heights in real life and this game on certain spots had me on the edge. I don't think i've ever felt like that in any game ever. I think it was a combination of great sounds like wind, visuals and the climbing mechanics that makes you really feel the height when you climb. Really cool and something I didn't expect from the game.

[ariich]

That was a really comprehensive summary, cheers Genowyn! I may well check out Persona 4 in future then, when I've made more progress made the games I already have...

[adace]

Finished Arkham Knight. Absolutely brilliant game. Superb graphics, superb story, superb voice acting. Everything is just top notch about it. The only thing I wish they could have done is let you fly the Batwing. Otherwise, this and Witcher 3 are my two favorite games of the year so far.

[Chino]

What do people hope to see in the next Read Dead title? My wishlist;

- Let me drive a steam car
- Let me hijack a train and run it off the rails (We could do this in GTA San Andreas).
- Multiple playable characters
- An online environment equal to that of GTA Online
- Customizable horses, carrages, and clothing

[Bolsters]

- PC release

[Chino]

I'd be shocked if they didn't have a PC release this time around. I'm not sure why RDR wasn't released on PC though. The rumor mill is saying RDR will be remastered for next gen (just like GTA-V) and will also be released on PC at that time.

[Chino]

Apparently Sony and Nintendo mae a console together.

https://www.joe.ie/tech/video-nintendo-and-sony-made-a-hybrid-console-20-years-ago-and-this-is-what-it-looked-like/502940

[Genowyn]

Yes, the Playstation was initially intended to be a CD-based addon to the SNES. However I've heard that this supposed prototype that has turned up might not be legit.

[Dark Castle]

Apparently Sony and Nintendo mae a console together.

https://www.joe.ie/tech/video-nintendo-and-sony-made-a-hybrid-console-20-years-ago-and-this-is-what-it-looked-like/502940

Ayuh, this is generally common knowledge

[BlobVanDam]

Apparently Sony and Nintendo mae a console together.

https://www.joe.ie/tech/video-nintendo-and-sony-made-a-hybrid-console-20-years-ago-and-this-is-what-it-looked-like/502940

Ayuh, this is generally common knowledge

Yup, common knowledge to gamers for the past 20 years. The surprise here is that this one exists in the wild. If it's real, it's an amazing find.

[Bolsters]

I didn't think that they ever manufactured any.

[BlobVanDam]

It was never close to a finished product, but they would have had prototypes. How useful and functional those prototypes were, I don't know. The thing is visibly 80% SNES.

[Chino]

Apparently Sony and Nintendo mae a console together.

https://www.joe.ie/tech/video-nintendo-and-sony-made-a-hybrid-console-20-years-ago-and-this-is-what-it-looked-like/502940

Ayuh, this is generally common knowledge

Yup, common knowledge to gamers for the past 20 years. The surprise here is that this one exists in the wild. If it's real, it's an amazing find.

Dunno where I've been for the last twenty years.

[cramx3]

Apparently Sony and Nintendo mae a console together.

https://www.joe.ie/tech/video-nintendo-and-sony-made-a-hybrid-console-20-years-ago-and-this-is-what-it-looked-like/502940

Ayuh, this is generally common knowledge

Yup, common knowledge to gamers for the past 20 years. The surprise here is that this one exists in the wild. If it's real, it's an amazing find.

Dunno where I've been for the last twenty years.

Yea me neither

[Sacul]

Oh boy, Humble Bundle is offering right now an amazing Game Development bundle! I grabbed it - so much amazing stuff for a ridiculous price.

[BlobVanDam]

Oh boy, Humble Bundle is offering right now an amazing Game Development bundle! I grabbed it - so much amazing stuff for a ridiculous price.

The only part I'm familiar with is Sprite Lamp, but that's a great idea to get people interested and started in game development.

[Sacul]

Definitely. I want to be a game developer (because I suck at basically everything else ), and grabbed this one in a heartbeat. Specially for the RPG Maker VX Ace deluxe edition license, and all the assets.