I picked up Cobalt Core on a whim during this current Steam sale. I don’t really play deckbuilders, but this is a super fun game. It’s a roguelike with heavy FTL vibes. I have yet to get that far in it because…
I’ve been playing tons of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. I bought it during the summer sale on Steam, but only started playing it now. It’s a mystery game similar to the Phoenix Wright/Ace Attorney games (probably because it’s made by Shu Takumi, who also made PW/AA), but instead of investigations and court cases, the main gameplay revolves around limited time travel and then trying to make Rube Goldberg machine-style scenarios to prevent people from dying. And some of the challenges are, well, challenging to figure out how things work together and in what order to use or manipulate items. It’s fun.
I’m a pretty hardcore FF fan who bought FF16 Day 1. I enjoyed it enough. Enough that I finished it, when I’ve only finished two other entries: FF6 and FF10. Neither here nor there, but I usually get pretty close to finishing the games…but then take a break, for like years. Yeah, I have a problem.
Anyway, it’s not like 16 was my favorite FF ever. Nor the worst; just middle of the pack.
I don’t play a lot of active battle games; I like FFs and other JRPGs for the traditional turn-based combat, which 16 did not have. But I also get that that’s a niche market these days and consumer tastes change. I actually like that SE has been experimenting with different combat systems over the years in FFs.
Either way, the fighting system was easy enough for a bad like me to enjoy. But I will also say that the game still felt overly simplistic. A lot of big fights had “cutscene fights,” where you had QTEs; simple QTEs where you literally just have to mash X or something.
The accessories/equipment system was super simplified down to weapon and 3 accessories. Of course you should upgrade your weapon, so there’s no customization there. And most of the accessories were worthless, IMO. There were only a few that really stood out so I used those for most of my run.
Even learning the various summons and their powers was basic. Like it seemed like the system was in place to allow people to choose their own combat style, but that also largely meant that once you settled on a style, there was no reason change unless a stronger summon/power for that style came up. I never felt forced to learn and use a specific summon for a certain fights or anything.
In a way, because SE tried to cater to both the JRPG crowd and the non-JRPG crowd, they ended up with a somewhat mediocre game, that disappointed both groups. Again, FF16’s not a bad game, but it’s not great. Like you said, it’s just “meh.”
I picked up Starfield on Friday. I’m not very far into it after 12hrs. Been doing side quests and such around New Atlantis and exploring. So far, it’s fun enough. This is the first Bethesda game I’ve played since Fallout 3 (which I didn’t finish). So I’ve kinda come into this mostly blind, which I think is a good thing. It reminds me a bit of Deus Ex: HR/MD, probably because of all sidequest and explo that I’m doing.
Also restarted Triangle Strategy last week or so, after putting it down for a year or two. Had it for the Switch, but then picked it up for the Steam Deck. Been taking my time with that as well.
In FFXIV, I’m in the post-Shadowbringers DLC content. I’ve taken a bit of a break from the MSQ to get the Nier-themed alliance raids, along with the “Eden” full-party raids. I’ve so far only opened two of the three Nier alliance raids, and god are they difficult. But that difficulty means they’re tons of fun. I think I’ve got the first one down pretty well, though I’ve yet to complete it without dying at least twice due to not paying attention to boss telegraphs. The second one is gonna take me a bit more to get through without dying left and right. Prioritizing these over the “Eden” full-party raids at the moment. Did get my MCH to 90 during all the raiding, which means I now my second Lvl 90 class, the first being RDM. Think I might try a healer class next, just not sure which one.
So many of those old adventure games were hilarious. The Monkey Island series, Day of the Tentacle, Leisure Suit Larry, Space Quest. But I was also a kid back then (probably shouldn’t have been playing Leisure Suit Larry…). I wonder if they’d still hold up for me today.
I think I’ve tried a couple times solo, but never really put serious effort into it. So I’d play for like 30min then just quit. I think the bad experience with my friends made me just avoid it. Realistically, it just happened to be Factorio that we were playing that time; it could’ve been any game. And it has happened in other games. The one friend who was the worst offender, I rarely play games with anymore. It’s silly, I know.
However, one day, when I’m bored and looking at my Steam library, I will make the attempt again. I feel like I should, but I just don’t know when that might happen. The picking Factorio part; I’m frequently bored staring at my Steam library!
Gloria Victis. It’s an MMO with factional PVP warfare that uses directional combat (like Mordhau). I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of these games, but I gave it a try since a friend of mine was interested in it. And I do like MMOs for the story content and to see what players can do with and within the world.
It was horribly boring. The main draw of the game is its PVP, but they definitely tried to also cater to the PVE playerbase, but the quests and story were generic and forgettable. I never even got to try the PVP, which I think my friend said was just OK anyway. I stopped playing after like a week. Apparently, the game is shutting down end of October, after releasing back in February 2023.
Another is the first Watch Dogs. I had played and completed Watch Dogs 2 and really liked it a lot. So thought to try the first one. I knew it was a very different mood and style from WD2, but thought it’d be OK. I can deal with moody and edgy. But it just wasn’t at all fun or interesting. I think I played for a couple hours and then uninstalled.
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (or rereleased as Tactics Ogre Reborn), to me, is that modernized version of FFT. I like FFT, but I liked that Tactics Ogre game waaaaay better.
I’m one of the weird ones who likes Satisfactory over Factorio. I just can’t get into Factorio for some reason. Also didn’t help that my friends who I tried playing with it – who all had hundreds of hours in the game – are the kinds to be like, “No, you’re doing it wrong - the correct/efficient the way to do it is this way…” People, let me learn the damn game. I get being efficient, but let me learn on my own for a bit.
But didn’t matter, just couldn’t get into Factorio.
Really? I do enjoy turn-based games, so that’s good to know! It’s definitely the first-person perspective that I think I just don’t care for. The post-nuclear apocalypse setting I’m into. Looking at some pics, I’m kinda reminded of Shadowrun Returns, which I enjoyed. Is that an apt comparison?
Fallout 3 was one. I had just transferred to a new college and was dorming. Several of the guys were playing FO3, so I decided to get it, even though I knew almost nothing about FO games. But I knew it’d be something to talk about with people. And it worked, even though I didn’t get that far into the game. Made friends; some that 15yrs later I still talk to on occasion. As far as the game itself, I haven’t played another FO since; just generally not my kinda game.
My gaming buddies now, who I’ve known them for several years, have the attention span of goldfish, so I’ve largely stopped FOMO games purchases. I can’t keep spending money on games they’ll play for a week or two, or less. Though if it appears there’s some longevity, then maybe I’ll jump in. Barotrauma and Project Zomboid are a couple where the FOMO eventually won out, but it did pay off. We’ve sunk hundreds of hours into each game over the last 2-3yrs.
There was some kinda incident or protest at the beginning. Some guy or guys walked on stage and said something about GTA6 before they were escorted off.