setsneedtofeed

setsneedtofeed, rok temu

I’ve been playing The Outer Worlds for the first time since it released ages ago.

It is a great little roleplaying adventure game. I should do a stand alone post on it, in large part because it is almost always compared to Fallout New Vegas, which does it a disservice by setting up the wrong kinds of expectations.

I do enjoy playing a first person RPG that actually feels like a story rather than the increasingly bloated and unfocused Bethesda games which it is also often compared to.

setsneedtofeed, rok temu

I find XCOM difficult to go back to after playing XCOM 2, especially with the huge amount of easily installed XCOM 2 mods on the steam page.

setsneedtofeed, rok temu

I’m not sure how I feel about the revamped buy system in CS2, but I guess it does make it easier to add more alternate guns.

setsneedtofeed, rok temu

In Stardew Valley you can use the mouse wheel to select different items in your inventory. You don’t need to hit the number keys.

I learned that one after an embarrassingly long time playing.

setsneedtofeed, rok temu

https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/8199e4ee-ae8c-42cc-9616-e8754f34125b.jpeg

setsneedtofeed, rok temu

I realized that after my long strategy gaming atrophy, I wasn’t ready to just jump into XCOM2 with War Of The Chosen content.

I decided to take it slow by playing the first Firaxis XCOM, with no DLC. Just plain vanilla.

It’s been a good priming for more complex strategy. Vanilla XCOM is friendly (perhaps too friendly) to stacking overwatch, with missions rarely being time sensitive, and the time sensitive one’s being very generous.

I still lost a few rookies early on, but I’m very close to beating the game. I already have a suitable psionic soldier, I just had to turn off the game on Sunday before I could build the special psionic armor.

I’ve got a squad of colonels with the stronger perks, best weapons and gear, and I’m ready to assault the alien HQ.

I’ll probably replay with Enemy Within DLC, and then move to XCOM 2.

setsneedtofeed, rok temu

I haven’t played CS2 yet, but since it’s an update/expansion/molting of CSGO, you’re going to have a rough time with the community until you’re out of “silver hell”. Once you rank up enough that you’ve gotten away from the spamming kiddies and smurfs, it’s a better time. At least until you reach ultra high rank where people start taking the game too seriously, but floating between Gold Nova and Master Guardian 1 ranks is the most fun place to be.

setsneedtofeed, rok temu

Don’t forget about Frog Fractions! It’s a great experience.

setsneedtofeed, rok temu

Yeah, nah. I’m not giving up my Ripley because of a weird mission start.

https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/879424e6-1704-4a1d-bb8e-501b40351351.jpeghttps://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/d440853c-7310-4b9c-b499-281eab6e6890.jpeg

setsneedtofeed, rok temu (edited rok temu)

OG X-Com is dense and dated. If you want that level of detailed experience, the Xenonauts games are more modern reboots.

I like the Firaxis XCOM games. They are stripped down to remove many of the tedious strategic elements, and the tactical combat is much snappier and focused on the small 4 to 6 person team.

setsneedtofeed, rok temu

I haven’t had a ton of time for gaming lately, but I did get in a quick session of Lords Of The Realm II.

This is my comfort food of games.

setsneedtofeed, rok temu

A good remake or remaster can be a great thing for games where the age of the original has become a barrier to play.

On PC, games that either don’t work on modern hardware, or require an excessive amount of fiddling and workarounds fall into this category. Similarly, elements from the game’s age like screen ratio, or resolution are noncontroversial things to update.

From there, you go into graphics and game design which does become more a matter of taste. This can become contentious. If for example the original Half-Life was unplayable on modern hardware, and Black Mesa was offered as the only possible “remaster”, I wouldn’t be thrilled.

On the other hand I love XCOM, the remake, even though it’s the only official remake of the original X-COM available, and the original arguably deserves a “proper” more closely faithful remake. (But Xenonauts exists, so I suppose everybody ended up happy). So maybe I just am biased to wanting closer remakes to games where I actually had a connection with the original.

For the question of game devs spending time doing remakes/remasters vs new projects, I don’t see a problem so long as the games being chosen are smartly selected, and if the remaster is done with care. [GTA San Andreas remaster screenshot goes here]. I’m not a fan of newer games getting remasters constantly, that feels like a cash grab, but generally a good game is a good game.