Last Game You Finished And Your Four-ghts

You sum up Mario Golf rather well, Cappa.


MHS2 is a pawesome game and might be the best Monster Catching game on Switch? Sure, how you get new Monsters is different to Pokémon as you need to go get your eggs from dens intsead of catching the Monsters. Yet due to the scope of the MHS2 compared to Sword & Shield, it seems leaps and bounds in front of it, however MHS2 feels more Japanese like I know Cappa will play Pokémon and MHS2 is very similar, but I wouldn't recommend MHS2 to him like I wouldn't Ni No Kuni either (That is even going more the way of not for Cappa).

Things like the story is very predictable, it has purformance issues on the Switch, yet I had a fun time and enjoyed seeing the monsters in this art-style.

Will I continue on? As I could go hunting for better monsters for PvP and there's going to be updates of this monster is now available, yet I don't do any of that in Pokémon (We really should play some Pokémon PvP with BDSP) and unlike Monster Hunter Rise this to me is very much a one and done story thing, where Rise I will go back to with new hunts as that feels more like the point of that game more so than the story.

Wow Mas, you smashed that quickly!

I might not have as HLTB and seen reviews say 20ish hour's think I took 35hrs.

Oh, I guess I just assumed Monhan + JRPG = 70-odd hours.

Buskalilly wrote:

Wow Mas, you smashed that quickly!

This was pretty much my response elsewhere.

I get your thinking Buska but it's very much Pokemon in terms of length as well, very family friendly JRPG with big Dinosaurs.

I believe Balla is the fella always banging on about Yoku’s Island Express, and you know what? He has a point. This is a banger. I imagine many here know that it’s a pinball platformer crossbred with a Metroidvania, but it’s such a pleasant experience compared to the usual modern 2D fodder. It might be because it’s not particularly punishing, although that’s not to say it's devoid of challenge. I’m shite at pinball and there are some bits I thought I’d be stuck in for weeks - thankfully the level design is superb and there’s enough to keep you pushing forward to explore further. The visuals and particularly the audio, often felt like I was playing a CBeebies show (like Baby Jake) and the graphical style is certainly halfway between cute and creepy. Sure, the missions are pretty dry fetch-quests and it’s padded out with collectibles, but the fact that you’re a postman having to deliver items is quite a clever way of disguising it. It’s just a wonderful time and recommended, particularly as it’s always on sale.

9/10

I seen you playing this the other day and immediately wanted to go back to it because it's such a joyful game, I'll always recommend it given the chance.



FAR: Lone Sails

Has anyone played this? I feel like I've seen it in this thread before but can't remember who from. I can only assume what was said about it was positive anyway because I had a lovely time with this. I didn't know much about this going in and I'll try and keep it that way for anyone that wants to play it but it's a short 3-4 game where you're travelling along in bus/train/ship thing pictured above and you have to move your character between the various mechanicisms to keep it running along.

There's no fail state so you don't have to stress about not refueling efficiently but it's certainly a lot more enjoyable if you move at a great speed. What I enjoyed most about this is both how gorgeous it was to look at and just the vibe you get that you're moving along in this solitary journey, nothing but you and the open road, taking in the scenery and fidnign your way through the next big obstacle/gate.

Donut County was mentioned on the previous page which I found to be a perfect game to play through in one sitting, this is one of those games, it may have helped that during a weekend in which my partner and daughter were unwell in bed this was a great distraction to just lose myself in. If you have a day free this is a great way to spend it.

8/10

Buska and Me both liked it, and the sequel is looking good as well.

Far was a good nice game

That looks like a nice game, will add it to a Wishlist.



I finished this game yesterday, having played through the whole thing over Twitch with a friend.

It's good. If you're looking for a tactics game that doesn't have any overworld management, and is all about getting stuck into mission after mission, then there's only a few things wrong with this. One of those things is that the game goes on for a little too long. There's too much mission repetition. There's also a lack of permadeath. You have story essential characters that you're encouraged to use, so they can't die. But the story sucks so you never build an attachment to them and that lack of death, or at least consequences over the course of a campaign means this game never hits the heights of an X-Com for me. In X-Com you can lose battles but win the war, whereas here you have to win everything.

But on the other hand, this keeps the game away from any strategic management which might be a plus for some. And the battles are fluid. When you down an enemy you may get a chance to execute them, which gives all your other units an extra action for the turn. So you there's only so much planning you can do at the start of a turn because things will change on the battlefield as you move through your turn. This helps reduce that sense of analysis paralysis that can rear its head in turn based games.

Being a Gears game, everything is brown, but it's still a good looking game. Each unit has a skill tree, but it does feel a bit like there's a right way to build each character, which renders the tree a little pointless.

Even so, there's generally a really good tempo to the game. A fluidity that you don't often find in turn based games, and in the first act, a great sense of momentum that carries you through the first half of the game. The game liberally introduces new mission types, enemies, and varients of already encountered foes, that keeps the whole thing fresh until the latter stages of Act 2, where things become a bit too samey. But while the game runs out of steam a little before the end, it is nonetheless very competent at what it does. It's available on gamepass for the curious.

gjones wrote:

I believe Balla is the fella always banging on about Yoku’s Island Express, and you know what? He has a point. This is a banger.

If I remember rightly Balla is the one who bounced off it and took ages to give it a proper chance and see that it was actually pretty magic. I think your compliments should be going to treesmurf or Cappa!

Yep, I don't know why GJones has me as the banger-onner in this specific case! I did recommend it to him as a 'special' RPG a while back (post-Alwa's Legacy), so maybe that's it. Want banging on? GJones, why haven't you played What The Golf? yet!?

Muss wrote:

That looks like a nice game, will add it to a Wishlist.

I've done likewise!

Yeah I know you recommended it and that stuck in my head. What the Golf is probably right up my fairway too, as I love a good golf game, but I don't currently have a Switch. It's on my radar though

...what happened to your Switch? You did have one, right? (WTG? is also available on computers and iOS. I... wouldn't necessarily say loving a good golf game automatically makes it your sort of thing though!)

Also I don't know why I called Yoku an RPG. Tokyo Mirage Sessions getting to me, clearly.

Balladeer wrote:

...what happened to your Switch?  You did have one, right?  

I got one for my daughter last year, although six months before Christmas so worked my way through a few titles before I wrapped it up Was holding onto hope for a Switch Pro but may as well wait for the Switch 2 at this point.

Ah, that was my confusion. I reckon you'll have at least another couple of years before Switch 2, just saying...

Yoku's Island Express is back down to £3.99 on the eShop if there's anybody still to play it. I think it was andyman who recommended it to me in the first place. Also, I've added FAR: Lone Sails to my eShop wishlist, that sounds interesting.

~



I’ve played many games on-rail flight combat games like Panzer Dragoon: Remake before, even other ones that strap you to the back of a dragon and have you fly across fantastical settings. While it presents nothing new thematically, at least it lets you aim at ninety degree angles, and lock your targeting cursor onto anything coming at you from straight ahead, right behind you or to your left or right. That’s a bit different, at least. Yet essentially, if you’ve played any of SEGA’s other on-rail shooters (like After Burner II, Space Harrier or REZ) before then you’d get used to Panzer Dragoon: Remake pretty quickly.

It’s controls are pretty simple and intuitive in their most basic format, the settings are varied and imaginative, and the enemy attack patterns make for some exciting gameplay that demands skill and quick reflexes. The soundtrack deserves a special mention by itself, it’s brilliant and something I've listen to outside the game. Yet it never feels like the remake that the SEGA Saturn’s near-legendary Panzer Dragoon deserves. There’s an uncomfortable sluggishness about its motion, a strange characterlessness about the art style and a peculiar clumsiness about it on a technical level. Of particular note, those load times are honking – I’ve played PSP games that loaded up faster than this.

It’s wholesale lack of content is the worst aspect overall. Donut County gets mentioned in this thread a lot, and Panzer Dragoon: Remake is much shorter than that. There’s just seven levels and nothing in the way of unlockable extras. Without reason to go back, I think that Panzer Dragoon: Remake is a one-and-done game, at least for for a couple of years. As a result, it’s in no way, shape or form worth it’s £22.49 asking price on the eShop. I think it’s on sale fairly often though, and I’m sure I downloaded it earlier this year for £5-odd. Still, at whatever price I think it’s just a bit inessential.

I understand that SEGA had virtually nothing to do with the development of this. That’s disappointing as Panzer Dragoon: Remake feels sadly underbudgeted, and it feels like it was developed by a team who were frightened about changing up the Panzer Dragoon formula. It’s got retro charm going for it, but as far as a twenty-five-years-later remake goes it doesn’t feel fresh or forward-thinking enough for my liking. 5/10.

See I don't think you're wrong, really it's the Saturn game with new paint, not sure what else can be done to it unless full on Resident Evil 2 Remake. I've said similar when Starfox Zero was announced that couldn't be like Starfox 64 as wouldn't cut it in this day and age that sort of game.

Double Post as I've finished a game


We've seen Last Stop at a few events and I always tad keen as Annapurna (Not been a great year for them at the moment, but they've got a showcase this week) and Variable State who did Virginia  which I liked.

Then late last week this was announced for Game Pass which is a good thing as I may have paid the £20 for Last Stop and I don't think it's worth that as there's better in this genre, especially if Nintendo only like got all the Life is Strange games coming.

What I did find odd from reviews I have seen your choices don't really have consequences for the end but neither does Life is Strange, to me, it's all about MY story getting to the end.

Just the British Sci Fi story of Last Stop is just fine compared to a LiS. If you like these games, then wait for a sale or if you can play via Game Pass.

masofdas wrote:

What I did find odd from reviews I have seen your choices don't really have consequences for the end but neither does Life is Strange, to me, it's all about MY story getting to the end.

This always gets brought up and like you I don't see it as a big issues. The choices along the way inform my understanding of the characters, which usually influences how I decide to handle the ending. I don't the game needs to diverge into thirty entirely different games.

Yup, that's pretty much exactly how I feel about that too.



I finished this yesterday. I'm sure there have been comments about this elsewhere, or possibly about Inside? Anyway, my thoughts are that it's better than ok.

The early part of the game has a good tempo, with a nice mixture of puzzles and escape sequences. None of the puzzles are too difficult and the platforming is fine. However as the game progresses you get fewer action bits and just progressively more difficult puzzles. This put a damper on the tempo for me.

A lot has been written in the past as this being a 'gAmE aS ArT,' but other than the colour palette and lack of button prompts I'm not really sure I see this as any more artistic than any other puzzle-platformer. Don't get me wrong, it's entirely competent, well put together, and the themes Limbo come across strongly, but like... eh?

If you want a really powerful puzzle-platformer, then Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, is a game I could recommend to anyone whereas Limbo, good as it is, just doesn't particularly wow me.

I've been meaning to replay that, but I'm not surprised that it doesn't "particularly wow" nowadays. It was it's mood, aesthetic and especially it's atmosphere that carried it along for me on 360, and ten years later it's been often duplicated and probably bettered.

I thought everybody basically talked about Limbo as proto-Inside these days.

Buskalilly wrote:

masofdas wrote:

What I did find odd from reviews I have seen your choices don't really have consequences for the end but neither does Life is Strange, to me, it's all about MY story getting to the end.

This always gets brought up and like you I don't see it as a big issues. The choices along the way inform my understanding of the characters, which usually influences how I decide to handle the ending. I don't the game needs to diverge into thirty entirely different games.

It's games diverging into thirty entirely different games that I'm absolutely not a fan of. Something like Jenny LeClue, where the choices inform your character but you still plot the same route, I'm much more willing to have a shot at.

Balladeer wrote:

It's games diverging into thirty entirely different games that I'm absolutely not a fan of.  Something like Jenny LeClue, where the choices inform your character but you still plot the same route, I'm much more willing to have a shot at.

This is really rare. Despite how they may advertise themselves, most games are the latter rather than the former. Some indie and procedural stuff can go in multiple directions, but hand-crafted games usually want you to see all their content.