Switch Pro controller for its asymmetrical layout + gyroscope (it’s so much better for aiming). I’d love to test a PS5 controller but symmetrical layout tend to hurt my hands (it was already the case for the PS3/PS4 controllers, so I have little hope for the PS5 controller).
I think the gyro and layout of the switch pro controller are good, but it just feels so cheap, and the buttons are way too mushy. Also doesn’t have analogue triggers. The d-pad is pretty terrible as well.
For fighting games, my own custom built stick. Put this together last year to replace the Hori RAP4 that had served me well for seven years until a button cap broke off. Super happy with how this turned out. It's much lighter, I like having a detachable cable. GP2040-CE supports Switch natively so I no longer need an adapter (and I can feel the difference in latency now), and Sanwa silents mean I can practice late at night without keeping anyone awake. And it just looks good, it's on brand for me.
For everything else that is not fighting games, 8BitDo Pro 2.
I also have a soft spot for the Wii Classic Controller Pro, I miss having gates on the analog sticks. I'd kill for a modern refresh of that with L3/R3, gyro, and USB instead of having to plug it into a Wiimote.
Oh man, after reading your comment I now have begun reading about the GP2040ce project. I got an empty wooden shell off AliExpress and have been wondering what to do with it for the longest time. They sell sanwa parts along with these generic Chinese encoders that I don’t care to bet on. This pico project looks like just the thing I wanna build
An Ubisoft exec described Skull & Bones as the first AAAA game. Given the generally unfavorable reception this game got, “AAAA game” has become an expression of mockery.
I think the comic is contextually true. What really irks me are games designed to be quick, fast paced and aggressive, stop you dead in your tracks. An example is the Battle Toads reboot (which is great, play it) has these enemies that have shields or you can’t hurt them until after they’ve done their thing, slows down an otherwise fast and fun beat em up. Another is DOOM Eternal, a game where you’re running at Crack addict speed, and then they put in this dude with a shield that reflects your whole way of doing damage. Really jarring to have that speed bump in your experience. It’s for sure a great game, but I think a poor design decision to make the enemy work this way.
I kinda disagree with your DOOM statement. I assume you’re talking about the Carcass or the shield zombies. They may stop your momentum when you first encounter them, but the game (for me) is all about recognizing each enemy in a flash and quickly dispatching them. It’s not like the shield is super hard to bust for the zombies, just a few plasma rifle shots and they blow up the nearby zombies too. For the carcass, a quick blood punch will one-shot them. Once you’re able to recognize the enemies and their weaknesses at a glance, they become part of your momentum, instead of stopping it.
I appreciate the advice, but I’m talking about the Marauder. I think tankier enemies in doom make it more interesting but the Marauder just has this “no, it’s my turn and you will wait for me to do my thing” energy. Just kind of stops you, when you should be continuing to have fun. I think you can balance powerful enemies while maintaining player agency.
Another is DOOM Eternal, a game where you’re running at Crack addict speed, and then they put in this dude with a shield that reflects your whole way of doing damage.
Marauders? I actually kind of like them, they provide a new kind of threat that you can’t just run over by unloading your weapons and quick swapping the gauss rifle. That said, fighting more than one at a time really does suck.
I think you’re hitting on a slightly broader problem. Any game where combat is the major mechanic shouldn’t have a situation where you can’t do any damage for any extended amount of time. The Yakuza series handles this well, enemies can block, but the moment they do you have attacks that can break the block immediately, and start damaging again. (Or you can skill up to that that attack.) As the game goes on, it gets more intricate, different enemies have different blocks that require different moves to break. The player character also has different fighting styles that have different block breaking moves that you have to keep track of, but if you know what you’re doing, you can break almost ANY block with one move.
Far far too many other games decide to arbitrarily create a mechanic where you can’t do any damage for a WHILE. It’s either the invincible enemy that you just have to spend 3 minutes dodging, which is boring and miserable in both action and even turn based RPG battles. Or they have a shield that you have to do some elaborate and rhythm breaking routine to remove the shield. It’s a miserable slog whenever they do that kind of thing. Back in the early 2000s The second game of the Xenosaga trilogy changed the entire combat design and added the thing I hate most, the RPG stagger. You can do no appreciable damage to any thing in the game until you figure out what combination of attacks cause a stagger. It could be a three move sequence involving two characters that has to be done in the right order, or woops! Start all over. If you didn’t give one of your characters a specific ability or attack during leveling, screw you, you’re basically fucked.
The players, rightfully, rejected that crap then and they got rid of it for the third game. Now, it’s everywhere. Every RPG I’ve played recently has that crap. I finally just put down FFVII Rebirth half way through and said, screw this, because it was so exhausting and miserable. Every battle becomes the equivalent of getting on a non-working escalator and your body still jerks because you think you’re going to start moving. I hate this trend and it’s everywhere as developers think, “this battle isn’t bossy enough.” “Add a stagger mechanic to make it last longer” “Brilliant old chap.”
I don’t know what disease is moving through the game development community that boss battles, especially, have to be a certain length. Is this a marketing thing? Is this being handed down from the publishing execs? FFXVI had 20-25 minute battles towards the end that were just repetitive dodging and a kaleidoscope of flashing lights. I could have just had a gummy and watched an old screensaver and it would be more memorable and less annoying.
Okay, I’m done complaining, but the long battle for no reason other than to make it feel like a boss, is, I think, an extension of the collect-a-thon, open world, sandbox mentality that just adds superfluous crap so they can say “This game is 44% larger than the last game we made, and will take you 215 hours to complete!” Who cares if it sucks?
Well said, although I haven’t played Yakuza, I think having enemy depth through their mechanics, while giving the player space to solve the challenge, is good gameplay. This is different from “well they’re invincible for now and you just need to deal with it.” Some games this is appropriate, maybe like Fear and Hunger, but definitely not when the positive experience centers around dealing damage.
Totally resonate with the FF rebirth experience. Although I think the game altogether as one piece is good and I finished it, I have a laundry list of complaints. I generally like the combat system but the challenge fights towards the end are just nonsense. You spent time investing in your teams abilities, but it boils down to enemies that don’t take damage, or get staggered (even from your ATB abilities) and then one shot your team mates just because you weren’t in control of them. Don’t even get me started on the Odin fight. It also feels really bad to slash at something as Cloud, and his sword just bounces off and he’s useless for 3 seconds.
As an aside, XVI seems to be well reviewed and liked by people but I just didn’t find it all that satisfying, I have yet to finish it even though I’m at the last act.
It’s interesting that we had reverse experiences regarding the recent FF titles. I think for me, it was because I played them very close to each other, and I probably would have been fed up by halfway through whichever one I played second. My gaming buddy mostly really liked Rebirth.
But they both had a slightly different version of this same issue, and my tolerance was pretty low by the time I got to Rebirth.
Because they spam low effort posts trying to get attention. They rarely interact in their own posts, or show gratitude when people help them. They don’t actually want answers, only attention
You refuse to take constructive criticism, you lashed out at me, and you have no etiquette. I don’t know what else I can tell you. If everyone is the ass hole, maybe you should do some self reflecting
I would just go for a PS5 controller. You get type c charging, great haptics and good compatibility (either via Steam or ds4windows). Only issue is the stick drift
I didn’t care too much about controllers until I used one of those. Fucking amazing controllers. I was playing Cyberpunk 2077 the other day on it and when driving you felt it shift gears on the R2. Fantastic use of the haptics.
Trigger haptics can work on PC but it is game by game/implementation by implementation. Returnal works when connected via USB but not wirelessly (unless you enable Steam Input for DualSense, but that completely removes haptic trigger capabilities, turns the touchpad into buttons, and switches to Xbox button glyphs), but Ratchet & Clank works wired or wirelessly (without Steam Input enabled for DualSense). The DualSense support on PC is kind of hit or miss, I wish they’d just standardize a library that offers the base features wirelessly – the controller is really nice.
Yeah I use a DS5E and it’s a really well engineered controller, and I’ve always preferred the DS ergonomics. Just gotta use DS4Windows tool for some games remapping. But basically really whatever design ergonomic you prefer and buy that, they all support Windows now even Switch Pro.
I recommend going to a pawn shop. They likely have a variety of late model controllers. You can then hold them and see which speaks to you. I bought a ps5 controller from a pawn shop for like $50 over a year ago and I’ve loved it. I use it over Bluetooth with steam and I get rumble and all that.
There is a tech difference with a DualSense controller that other controllers don’t have, and that’s the adaptive triggers. As far as I am aware, they’re the only ones with that. It’s a cool effect. Makes shooting in games feel more like handling a gun than vibration effects do.
Other than something like that, button layout is a choice. Parallel sticks or off-set sticks. Off center buttons. The way the D-pad functions (rolling style like Xbox or just 4 buttons like PlayStation). Etc.
With the release of the Dark Souls 2 Lighting Engine mod, I’ve been motivated to pick that game back up again. I played DS2 for the first time about a year ago, got maybe a third through, and then kind of fell off. It’s fun to be back in Drangleic! Last time I was rolling a Paladin-type character with Faith and melee weapons, this time I’m interested in making a huge-sword type build and pivoting to hexes in the later game. The lighting mod also let’s you mod in HDR if your monitor is capable, and boy howdy does it look incredible with the improved lighting and HDR 🤩
Edit: here’s some screenshots i took capturing how bright Majula is, and capturing the added shadows.
As others have said, it does set you free eventually. Takes too long IMO. The world is really nice and beautiful. I never got totally on board with the control scheme and UI.
It’s fun to fire up every now and then and check out what’s new. I mostly play indie games, deckbuilders, etc., so I don’t care about graphics so much.
I will say they did monetization right - free to play with absolutely no pay to win elements.
I am not a fan of the genre. But a friend I met playing EverQuest back in 99 started to play it because his 6 year old son wanted to play, so I started playing. I enjoyed playing with them, then my own son started to play with us too.
Were this not the case, I would never have played. My friend died in ‘22 and I mostly stopped playing. His son still calls me to play. But other than that I play other games.
If you like the genre, it is a good game. You can play 100% for free unless you needs skins (there are a number you get for free)
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