Coelacanth

Coelacanth, 19 hours ago

the biggest problem plaguing the STALKER remasters is a strange bug that seems to cause the games to render at a resolution lower than what you set it as and then upscale it improperly, resulting in blurry, muddy visuals that persist even if you turn settings like AMD FSR Super Resolution and depth of field off.

Okay that’s… that’s not great, but should be fixable in a patch surely?

Another highly contentious change that’s drawn the ire of fans is the complete removal of everything Russian or related to the Soviet Union, including all Russian voice acting and localization, the use of Soviet rubles as in-game currency, and even every Soviet sign, statue, and landmark present in the real-world Chernobyl Exclusion Zone that were included in the original titles.

The versimilitude and basis in real world locations was a massive part of what made the originals so great, you can’t just scrub that off. I empathize with them, and I am personally firmly on the side of Ukraine but this sits really poorly with me.

The Zone’s supernatural mysteries are layered over recognizable pieces of Soviet iconography and rusting Soviet technology is a huge part of what gives STALKER its atmospheric vibe, and the absence of beloved voice lines like “Cheeki breeki iv damke!” just feels…wrong

Yeah I’m not touching these abominations. They even removed Cheeki Breeki? The single most recognisable thing in their games, the most prevalent and beloved meme?

Coelacanth, 2 days ago

It’s not finished yet but OpenXray Gunslinger is probably going to be a better STALKER: Call of Pripyat remaster than the official one that just got announced.

Coelacanth, 2 days ago

I’m just at the beginning of Act 3 of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I’ve dragged my feet doing a lot of side content and playing slowly because I sort of don’t want this game to end. For once I wish this was a standard 100-hour JRPG fare and not as relatively short as it is at probably half that.

The game is very good. What else can be said at this point. There are minor niggles and nitpicks and occasionally some AA-ness rears its head but it’s overall one of the best games I’ve ever played so far. The story is amazing, the presentation is beautiful and the turn-based combat with QTEs and parries is super fun. The boss fights are cinematic and challenging in an almost Souls-like fashion. All the characters have distinct play styles and fun synergies.

It’s also an unabashedly French game and I’m really enjoying immersing myself in that to the max by using the French VAs.

Coelacanth, 1 day ago

Blue Prince is such a masterpiece.

Coelacanth, 1 day ago

Both are absolutely excellent, I ended up preferring some voices in French and some in English. For me French feels more immersive, but I grew up in a country that always used subtitles over dubs so I’m used to reading.

I’ve also just always loved french and speak and read a bit of it still so I was always going to go for that in a french game.

Coelacanth, 7 days ago

Well needed to be honest. I love the original trilogy but they could do with a fresh coat of paint. I wish they’d touched up the animations too, the gunplay of the originals can feel quite… early 00’s.

Coelacanth, 7 days ago

Man, reading that old 2005 PC Gamer article really brings me back to older, better and happier times of gaming journalism too. It even mentions the bundled DVD with demos, mods and goodies you’d get each month. Those really were the days.

Coelacanth, 7 days ago

Not sure this is the ideal long term solution but anything that combats Discord’s status of being an absolute information black hole is good.

Coelacanth, 9 days ago

Still on an extended break from Blue Prince, hoping my sister and her fiancé catch up to me eventually so we can take a crack at the final(?) puzzle together but they’ve been busy lately and not had much time to play. If you enjoy puzzles and haven’t played it yet you are truly missing out. I still think it will be in GOTY contention even with all the other heavy hitters this year.

In the meantime I’ve been utterly enjoying Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I’m probably over the halfway point now in the story, though I’ve been dragging my feet doing side content and optional bosses to extend my playtime. For once when it comes to a JRPG I wish it was actually longer. I could easily lose myself in this world, story and among these characters for 100+ hours.

Really recommend the game, though with the effusive praise it’s been collecting that’s hardly a surprise. Brilliant music, engaging combat, interesting story and well written dialogue that is superbly acted whether you go for the English or French. And all that for a €50 game?!

Coelacanth, 9 days ago

I get that on Blue Prince. Even with the RNG control you’re afforded late game you’re still heavily affected by the luck of the draw. I still think it’s one of the best games I’ve ever played.

If you’re looking to see the rest of the game through someone else’s eyes to get a glimpse of the remaining puzzles I thoroughly recommend Luckless Lovelocks playthrough on YouTube. It’s still ongoing but I’ve really enjoyed his note taking and puzzle solving.

Coelacanth, 9 days ago

All the detail, the world building and the little pieces of narrative, the puzzles within puzzles and the constant feeling of the game just opening up under you and always throwing things at you making you go “wait, how big is this game?” was just so cool.

I might be high on recency bias in my praise but I was thoroughly enamoured with it.

Coelacanth, 12 days ago (edited 10 days ago)

I’m thinking we’re sticking with games older than this year, as the dust hasn’t settled yet so to speak? Because honestly otherwise some recent entries would qualify for me. I’m thinking of you, Blue Prince and Clair Obscur.

I have a lower opinion of BG3 than most (it’s fine), but I absolutely agree that the Raphael boss fight and music was an absolute gaming highlight, and worth the price of admission alone.

Alan Wake 2 in its entirety would qualify for me, but if one moment has to be singled out then the We Sing chapter was something else. Honorable mention for

spoilerSaga’s corrupted mind place

near the end, that was incredibly memorable.

Finally, and the real standout for me was the Final Dream in Disco Elysium. The most emotional, most impactful and heartbreaking and memorable moment I’ve had in gaming. And the most impressive seeing as Kurvitz (who wrote the scene) managed to distill the pathos and denouement of the entire game into three words to close the dream:

spoilerSee you tomorrow.

Coelacanth, 10 days ago

Yeah the payphone is also up there, and honestly, opening the secret compartment in the ledger too. Which when you think about it, all those best moments are so missable. Completely psychotic by the devs.

Coelacanth, 10 days ago

That’s fair I’ll edit.

Coelacanth, 14 days ago

Will the Larry games still be up on GOG I wonder? I’ve played the (remake of the) first one and have been curious about Love For Sail as well as it’s apparently the best one (?). For better or worse they are iconic games that are part of the cultural landscape of gaming.

Coelacanth, 15 days ago

We had Balatro last year. Blue Prince released a month ago and is a bona fide GOTY contender from a tiny studio and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is possibly the best AA game of all time but sure, the games industry is dead. I’m convinced, back it up boys.

Coelacanth, 15 days ago

I don’t really think it’s a matter of perspective. These sites all omit the title of whatever thing it is they’re talking about so you have to click through to find out. They do it because research has shown it works to increase clicks. That is well within the definition of clickbait.

Coelacanth, 19 days ago

This is the way to go for sure. Actually sounds like a really interesting setup for a game.

Coelacanth, 20 days ago

I feel like Lost Records: Bloom & Rage that came out recently might be a candidate? I haven’t played it myself because I don’t think I’m the target audience but it seems like sort of what you’re looking for?

Coelacanth, 19 days ago

I’m not even a huge platformer guy, but Rayman Legends is absolute peak and a fantastic, chill co-op game. The music levels in particular - where the already great soundtrack is synced in time to your jumps and hits - are incredibly satisfying and so well made.

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t suggest Blue Prince. It’s not co-op per se as it’d only be one person at a time “driving”, but the game is about puzzle solving so who holds the controller doesn’t really matter. It’s a fantastic game if you enjoy puzzles and escape rooms. My sister isn’t even a gamer at all but I recommended it to her fiancé and they’ve been playing together and even she’s been enjoying it a lot. From my own experience playing it on my own I also think it would be much more fun if playing alongside someone else. I’ve often missed having someone to bounce ideas off when stuck.

Coelacanth, 21 days ago

FF7 was the slam dunk choice because it is not only so iconic, but as the first 3D entry the original is also absolutely god-fucking butt ugly. I can see why FF8 would be logical in a sense, but I’m not sure it has the popularity to capitalise on. It has its charm but it’s hardly most people’s favourite Final Fantasy. It would be a cool choice though.

I don’t necessarily think any of the other entries need remakes as badly. I think FF6 is absolute peak as it is but it would probably be most likely in my opinion. It is also vastly popular and iconic so there is a lot of money to be made there. And I can’t deny that even I would be curious to see what it would be like if given the full remake treatment.

Coelacanth, 23 days ago

I mean I am all for criticising creatively bankrupt mush like Ubisoft et al pushes out and Call of Duty 420: Black Ops 69 or FIFA or whatever but we can’t pretend there are literally no good games being released nowadays either. Just now we had a month with both Blue Prince and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 being released within weeks of each other. BG3 and Alan Wake 2 releasing in the same year was just two years ago.

There are plenty of not just good but great recent games.

Coelacanth, 23 days ago

I just spot interesting projects and creations others create and then just write my own thoughts on them

Soo… journalism?

In any case, do whatever makes you happy, whether remaining solely on here or creating your own thing from this like a website or blog. Your content is among the best on the platform and I hope you know how much we all appreciate you.

Coelacanth, 25 days ago

Story wise though, i’m a bit mixed on. I’m really liking the story, just not as a Max Payne story. The Brazil setting isn’t really doing it for me and it feels a bit more GTA Coded than Noir, at least until i detach it from the first two games.

This is pretty much the general consensus of the game overall I think. Good game, just not a good Max Payne game.

Coelacanth, 25 days ago

There are some high performance VA panels that are good for gaming. Samsung Odyssey Neo G7/G8 for example.

Are there really no mini-LED monitors in your country? I’m a really big advocate of them. As close to OLED HDR performance as you can get without burn-in and with better peak brightness. I’m currently using a Cooler Master GP27Q that I got for cheap as an opened box, which has been a really solid monitor for the cheap cheap price I got it for (couple hundred euros).

I think a 27 inch 1440p monitor with 2000+ dimming zones will be the sweet spot between performance and affordability, though none like that are on the market yet.

Coelacanth, 25 days ago

Look Ubisoft: this is what your devs could be making if you’d let them make what they want to be making. Instead of churning out another cookie cutter “Ubisoft game”.

Coelacanth, 27 days ago

Mumble is where it’s at.

Coelacanth, 27 days ago

Ubisoft made a fun game, but it’s way to big for it’s own good.

Well, everyone expected this game to copy Ghost of Tsushima, so maybe it’s not surprising that it ends up copying its biggest flaw as well.

Coelacanth, 26 days ago

Yeah GoT quickly turned from a fun game I enjoyed to a game I almost loathed and resented as I had to force myself to finish it.

It really doesn’t have enough variety to support being that long, in my opinion. The mission design is way too bland and samey and the tone of the writing just starts wearing you down. Literally everything is the same serious tone delivered in a dour monotone. A handful of moments with Kenji is not enough to break the tedium. It would be fine if the game was 20 hours long, not 60.

I still think it’s a fine sort of 7.5-8/10 at the end of the day but I consider it one of the most overrated games of all time. It’s just a polished Ubisoft collect-a-thon open world with solid combat at the end of the day. It’s not game of the decade or whatever.

Coelacanth, 27 days ago

I suppose I will use the same “supporting indie devs is a good deed” justification as when I purchased Blue Prince on launch day for this game.

La Belle Epoque inspired game that is reviewing at 92/100 on OpenCritic with several mentions of it being a GOTY contender? And the themes are about wrestling with hope and optimism in the face of nihilism and hopelessness? (Disco Elysium my beloved)

I never stood a chance.

Coelacanth, 27 days ago

I think even in back 2012 an argument could be made quite easily, but it’s a shame Roger Ebert didn’t live long enough to see some of the games released over the past decade that quite convincingly demonstrate how video games can indeed be art.

I agreed with him very often but that was one instance of him having an inexplicably bad take.

Coelacanth, 28 days ago

I’m a slut for La Belle Epoque so even though I’m not necessarily in the market for a JRPG at the moment I might just cave anyway with scores like this.

I’m almost done with Blue Prince too, so it’s fortuitous timing.

Coelacanth, 1 month ago

I haven’t had time to play as much the past couple of days, but when I do I am similarly entralled by Blue Prince. It’s going to be very hard for another game to pip it for game of the year for me I think.

It’s so full of mysteries, so full of intricacies, so full of interactions and puzzles within puzzles. The narrative and lore is great too. I really do love every single element of it. Even the basic gameplay of the roguelite portion is so well done that you are always just fiending for one more run, the dopamine rewards of drafting a satisfying house really just tickles your brain just right.

Seriously, if you haven’t already then go play it.

Coelacanth, 1 month ago

It is the best written video game ever and it’s not particularly close either. It’s one of the best written pieces of media I’ve ever had the pleasure of consuming.

Coelacanth, 1 month ago

God damn it my backlog is already long enough why’d they have to go ahead and do this.

Sigh

Now where’s my credit card?

Coelacanth, 1 month ago

I think this criticism is fair to be honest and is one of the things that’s sort of swept under the rug a bit in discourse about Witcher 3. I definitely think the pacing is off just as you mentioned. I’ve heard other people regret their choice of Triss because they had basically locked in her romance already by the time you start doing stuff in Skellige with Yen and start seeing what she’s like.

Personally I think the Yen/Geralt dynamic is a lot better than with Triss, although it’s got its own troubles (nobody is perfect). I like the banter between them and they feel more like a proper couple.

The game as a whole also flows better with Yen as your romance choice in my opinion and to me it feels more like the Triss romance is an afterthought yes. A bone thrown at those who desperately can’t stand Yen.

Geralt (in the books) is deeply in love with Yen and is also bound to her by literal Djinn magic, so it makes sense that he’s always hot for her in the game and I think the attention paid to the Yen side of things is a desire by CDPR to anchor their game in the preexisting lore.

If you’re not dead set on Triss or wildly opposed to Yen I’d say go with it and do the Yen romance. It’s very suitable for a first time playthrough imo.

Coelacanth, 1 month ago

I’m sure the remake will release with the same level of QA and polish that the original Oblivion shipped with. That renowned Bethesda standard of quality.

Coelacanth, 1 month ago

The whole aimed shots thing makes combat magnitudes more fun in the classic Fallouts. Maybe this is telling of when I first played the games (hint: I was a teen), but there is something about taking cheap shots at people’s groin that doesn’t get old. Becoming a Prizefighter by exclusively and indiscriminately punching your opposition in the dick is always going to be funny.

The critical hits and misses are also very entertaining, though definitely add to the notorious RNG. The animations and effects, like disintegrations and splatter, also make combat a lot more satisfying.

Coelacanth, 1 month ago

spoilerDrained the fountain, now I need the basement key again. Still don’t know how to get the chests at the bottom of the reservoir as I don’t know how to drain the final bit. Maybe pump room needs to be next to boiler room to get the last tank in play? I’m starting to see I’m going to need to get through insane amounts of RNG to finish. I already basically concluded I probably need the boiler room adjacent to the lab to get the lever machine working.

I also am tearing my hair out about the

spoilerdrawing room safe code. The other safes had the clue in the same room but for the life of me I can’t figure out the paintings with the steps.

Coelacanth, 1 month ago

spoilerWait didn’t you roll credits? That’s very interesting that you did that without opening any safe…

Anyway thank you so much for your responses, they’ve been perfect hints without being too spoily, which is a hard thing to pull off! I might bug you again at some point, we’ll see what I accomplish today.

Actually, maybe we need a Blue Prince community…

Coelacanth, 1 month ago

Just rolled credits. Really strange actually haha. There are so many unsolved mysteries! I feel like I’m close to piecing together the narrative but I’m still missing crucial pieces.

Coelacanth, 1 month ago (edited 1 month ago)

Good lord there is so much still to do haha! Every time I think I’ve seen most of the puzzles a new secret bottom opens up to an entirely new layer. I’m loving putting together the narrative but my god some of the puzzles didn’t work for me (I had to look up a couple of hints - would never have organically gotten them). How have you been progressing with the safes?

Coelacanth, 1 month ago

One of the safe solutions really pissed me off. Which ones do you have? I have six, no clue where the last one is supposed to be.

Are you looking to fully drain the reservoir? That’s the only thing you need boiler power connected for I think, provided you have the Tomb open.

The sanctum thing is so frustrating too, still haven’t solved my first sigil though I know what to look for now I guess. Still haven’t made it back to room 46 a second time either, RNG has been hitting badly. Maybe that will help.

Coelacanth, 1 month ago

I’ve only gotten 3 classrooms I think, taking notes on the subjects though! I also think the first classroom helps with the sigil puzzle. Have you lit all the braziers?

Btw I just had to call it a day with 2 sanctum keys in my inventory. Had to take Weight Room twice.

Coelacanth, 1 month ago

It was even 2 RNG heavy ones but I was forced to take Weight Room twice (thanks Hall of Mirrors!) so I couldn’t make it downstairs. Worst feeling I’ve had in a game in a long time actually. I honestly think sanctum keys could be permanent without the game being too easy.