The Videogames Tab

So, I was playing Skyrim, while I still had my TV. Right now I'm working on Bastion. Has anyone played it? Beautiful visuals and a terrific soundtrack.

Whoa, that's awesome. Coming from just the XBOX version, I think the interior lighting is definitely unrealistic but functional at least for console players. There are a few nods to time of day, usually in a jarl's throne room where the light beaming down from the ceiling isn't as strong at night. But yeah, having followed mods for Oblivion, it seems a lot of people prefer that the game be as realistic as possible. Can't fault 'em for that.

Yeah, the problem these realistic lighting mods have is that a lot of the interiors were designed with the stock lighting in mind - RCRN and Realistic Lighting (the other big lighting mod) mainly treat interiors so that if there ain't a window, fire or lamp there ain't no light. Proudspire basement, for example, is practically pitch black with Realistic Lighting even after the interiors are tweaked. That was the main reason I dumped it and went with RCRN - it's Legacy version isn't quite so strict.

I like darker nights and proper shadows in interiors but not to the extent that I'm having to carry torches everywhere or use light spells.

@ Chris: Here's a video you might want to watch now. Same principal applies to the Oblivion, Fallout NV and Skyrim script extenders.

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@ Justin: Bought Bastion for Xbox a while back but didn't play it much because I'm not often on the 360 nowadays. Picked it up for a couple of quid in a Gamersgate sale for PC recently so must give it another go. I loved the art direction.

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"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan

Oh, now I want to get F3 for my PC!

Seriously though...Been playing quite a bit of The Secret World this week. I was running a Shotgun/blade dude for the first few weeks of beta, but I recently re-rolled when Funcom put a larger beta build up with the full character creator etc.

This week I am running a sort of elemental witch character, and she is FUN. It seems like they redid some of the animations and all the combat sounds, and everything has more punch to it now. The questing in this game is AWESOME. The developers have gone out of their way to bring a unique questing experience to the game, and they have mostly nailed it. Although you do still run into the occasional fetch quest, many of the quests are sotry driven and very unique in execution. For instance, at one point, you find a fortune teller in a basement shop in a New England Town. She talks about strange happenings in town and she mentions that she says some ravens circling nearby. You emerge from the shop and see a raven feeding nearby. As you approach, the raven flies off, and you give chase as he lands down the street a bit...but now there are two... they fly off and you run into the woods in a rush as the number of ravens slowly grows. All at once, they form into a mini boss, whom you fight for a bit until he breaks apart into ravens again. leading you on a chase across the spooky town, until you finaly find a still pool of water surrounded by dozens of ravens. Near the pool is an old book clutched in the hands of a person that is dead next to the water. Inside are some vague clues about summoning and containing the Raven boss. it's a puzzle you actually have to think about to solve. You solve the puzzle and fight the boss and finish up the quest. Very cool, moody stuff.

Another one had be searching town for a computer that was still working so I could log onto Google (the real google) from in game to research composers from the 17th century to find a password to another computer I needed to hack into to steal some medical files.

Another one had be shifting dimensions to follow glowing musical notes in the sky to find a secret lair.

This game is SO creative and atmospheric, and the modern day, real-world setting is really, really cool.

HOWEVER - These guys need to get their asses in gear, and fast. The game launches in early July, and I feel like they bit off a bit more than they can chew for a company their size. The ambition in this game is ridiculous. A tremendous level of detail in wide-open, intricately coded sandbox style areas just has to be an absolutely nightmare to balance and polish, and the beta has seen vast changes in quests, graphics, audio and game systems, which are still back-filling like crazy as the beta continues.

I am still running into quest bugs daily. The difficulty is all over the place, with my toon mowing through groups of zombie, only to step over a small fence to get completely destroyed by a single gold mob a mere 3 meters away. It's very difficult to solo in this game if you are a caster style player with attack totems loaded, as they have very little defense.

Lastly, I feel like these guys can't get a decent portal going for the game systems. I still feel like I am in some robust unix environment when I sift through the (many) menus. They stuff is all there, but it just isn't obvious or intuitive enough for an MMO, which are already hard enough to pick up for people new to the genre.

And there-in lies the rub. This could very well be the best, most robust and challenging MMO for people who have already played the genre, but I have a feeling 3 out of 5 new players would find the game far too complex and intimidating.

The tutorials ARE getting better though, and they patch in new systems about 5 times a DAY, and they improve with every patch. The engine is running great and the Kingsmouth Town area is so well done, and so immersive, it is fast becoming one of my favorite video game play spaces to wander around in. STILL finding new quests, oddities, lore and interesting tidbits in the town, and I have been playing in this area/zone for weeks.

This game has TREMENDOUS potential, but the time is growing short and these guys still have a ton of polishing to do.

Meanwhile, I can't wait to get home and play some more!



Stop meddling with my haunted amusement park, Scooby gang!!!

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Currently playing:

PS3 - RAGE, Driver: SF, Warriors Legends of Troy
PS2 - Ace Combat Squadron Leader (aka Unsung War), Mercenaries
PS1 - Fear Effect 2 Retro Helix, Metal Gear Solid
Mega Drive (aka Genesis) - RoboCop vs Terminator, Blades of Vengeance

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Reverend Arthur Belling was to change our whole way of life, and every Sunday we'd hurry along to St Loony up the Cream Bun and Jam.

I'd have gotten away with it if it wasn't for those pesky MOBS! Or something.

The game's certainly on my radar but will it finally be the MMORPG for me? Only one way to find out, I guess, and as it's probably a bit late to sign up for the BETA I might have to part with some cash.

IT might be, because I feel like it has a really strong exploration and questing system. I'm not sure it has everything in place to be a strong MMO, though, which means you may love it! It has style and atmosphere to spare, though, and it isn't on rails at all, from what I can tell (No levels or classes, but some areas need better talismans etc or you get owned).

I also like that you can choose your look regardless of gear, which isn't seen in this game at all as they are sort of power chakras.

I just started playing Morrowind, damn this game is too addictive.
I am usually not the gaming type, but this can get you hooked for hours..

Now if only I get a new system to try Skyrim out..

There aren't any new releases on the horizon I've got my eye on especially apart from Secret World and as we're entering the Summer lull the chances of me buying it are definitely 'strong probability'.

Another interesting release for me is the PC version of Dark Souls. The Xbox game (didn't try the PS3 one) had the same wonderfully gloomy atmosphere as its predecessor but awful framerate issues. Unforgivable on a console.

I'll definitely be reading a few reviews to see if they've cured this on the PC port before parting with any cash.

Do you think your PC would be able to cope with this? Morrowind Overhaul

Don't think I could play Morrowind without it these days.

Is it an expansion?
I have already installed Bloodmoon & Tribunal, But am still playing the original game.
I don't even know how to run the installed expansions or whether I have to complete the game to play them.

It's a complete graphics overhaul, basically all the best graphics mods in one installer with quite a few options for various system specs.

The guy who put it together was promising a second download with gameplay and quest mods but it seems to have ground to a halt.

Ohh sounds interesting, will try it soon. hope it works though.
I tried installing Oblivion & it didn't work on my laptop, I really need an upgrade.
Once I upgrade, Skyrim & Witcher are the first things I am grabbing.

What games pre-2004 would you guys recommend?

RPG-wise, the ones from my favourite developers, Troika - Arcanum, Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines and Temple of Elemental Evil. They're flawed (but there are loads of community patches around) but brilliant.

Otherwise there's the Bioware stuff like the first Neverwinter Nights game which still holds up, the two Star Wars Knights of The Old Republic titles and Jade Empire, which is underrated I think.

You've also got the first two Fallout games, Baldurs Gate 1 and 2, Icewind Dale 1 and 2, Planescape Torment and Diablo 2.

If you're after a bit of stealth you've got the Thief games.

You'll get most of those on GOG and a couple more on Steam. I think you can only get Diablo 2 (legally anyway ) is from Blizzard.

EDIT - Oh yeah, The Witcher is also available on GOG (CD Projekt own GOG) at a decent price. Might be a bit much for your system though because I remember it being a bit of a pig to run when it was released on all but powerful (for the time) PCs.

EDIT 2 - How could I forget Deus Ex?

I have played Diablo 2 & Deus Ex.
I avoided the first 2 Fallout games because they are Turn-based, not a big fan of that gameplay.

I am replaying Baldur's Gate 2 right now with the widescreen mod, and it is fun but not for the feint-of-heart. Still, I recommend both Balgur's Gate 2 and Planescape: Torment for sheer creative genius. I like both titles more than Neverwinter Nights.

I saw RAGE for $20, is it worth it? I've heard very mixed things.

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"A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have."

Suspect's Reviews

Diablo III is very disappointing.

By the way, did anyone pick up the Humble Indie Bundle? Pay whatever you want. It's worth it, plus it's for a good cause:

http://www.humblebundle.com/

I think I've got every Humble Bundle so far. Haven't played that many of the games to be honest but it's for a good cause.

Got Dragon's Dogma for the 360 a few days ago. It seems to be a cross between a JRPG and Demon's Souls.

In other words, it's a bit strange.

I've bought like three. I think I did the first just to try it; don't think I loved any of the games, or if I did, the one I liked was one I already had, or somesuch.

The other two I bought because they specifically had a game or two I wanted to try. "Braid" and "Bastion," I think. Still haven't played either but I'll give 'em both a go soon.