turbografx16's recent activity
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
turbografx16 Link ParentI also played Banjo on Rare Replay and didn't get it at all. I recently played it on original hardware and a CRT, and I thought it was brilliant. I think this is a real issue with game...I also played Banjo on Rare Replay and didn't get it at all. I recently played it on original hardware and a CRT, and I thought it was brilliant.
I think this is a real issue with game preservation: ports, remasters, and the like often don't accurately reflect the original game in a variety of ways, and this leads to a divergence in the perception of the game. Maybe it doesn't hold up as well as you remember, or maybe the currently accessible versions make it seem worse than it actually is. Newer players without access to original hardware will form their perceptions based on whatever is available on modern platforms, and may never know otherwise.
The N64 is a good example, because its controller has an analog stick that feels completely different from modern sticks. It's much more responsive and comfortable when making small adjustments or only partially tilting it, which makes 3D platformers like Banjo really fun when you're using your whole range of motion. We're so used to maxing out the stick in whatever direction all the time these days, but that's not what the game was designed for, so it won't play well like that, but no one tells you this and modern ports may not take it into account.
Sorry to go off a bit, but I just find it such a shame when people bounce off great games because of things that aren't even the game's fault. I wish there were a better way of experiencing older games the way they work best, but I guess that's why game preservation needs to be taken seriously and explored from different angles.
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Comment on Electronic Arts to cut 400 jobs, shut down BioWare in ~games
turbografx16 LinkRegardless of EA's part in the studio's downfall, I think the writing was on the wall for BioWare long ago, and it was probably misguided to believe they were going to put out another great game....Regardless of EA's part in the studio's downfall, I think the writing was on the wall for BioWare long ago, and it was probably misguided to believe they were going to put out another great game.
Even just looking at the roller coaster of quality that is the Dragon Age series, it's clear that they haven't been playing to their strengths for a long time, the priority has been anywhere else. If they'd been able to work on some smaller-scale projects as a way to test new ideas, maybe each release wouldn't have felt so scattershot and unfocused, but at the budgets they were working with this was never going to end well.
It's a shame, because they have put out some excellent games that changed the direction of the industry multiple times. If they weren't capable of doing that again, they could have excelled in specific niches as a way to stay afloat rather than chasing mass appeal. When you shoot for the stars, you don't always realize how massive space is until you're already there.
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Comment on The strange resurrection of Lonesome Dove in ~books
turbografx16 LinkI discovered Lonesome Dove a couple years back, and haven't been able to stop thinking or talking about it since. The article is paywalled, so I'm not sure what the author is getting at, but it's...I discovered Lonesome Dove a couple years back, and haven't been able to stop thinking or talking about it since. The article is paywalled, so I'm not sure what the author is getting at, but it's a fantastic book that deserves to be read and discussed. Few other books I've read capture the physicality of their settings as effectively, and I can't think of many other characters that feel as alive and real as the entire roster in Lonesome Dove.
The book also doesn't shy away from the messier aspects of the time period without feeling like it's condoning or romanticizing them; if anything, it demystifies a time and place that had grown into the subject of fantasy. There are strong themes of the changing times, how some of us adapt and others are stuck in the old ways, and how we can hold onto hope for the future despite what surrounds us that I feel are deeply relevant to a lot of people right now. Sometimes a good book is just a good book, and it finds its audience no matter how much time has passed.
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Comment on Xbox making a big push into film and TV with XP in ~movies
turbografx16 LinkIf this is really a big part of their strategy going forward, I hope this is an opportunity for some creative filmmakers to tell original, interesting stories without having to worry about how to...If this is really a big part of their strategy going forward, I hope this is an opportunity for some creative filmmakers to tell original, interesting stories without having to worry about how to get people interested. The cynic in me says to expect little more than low-effort pandering to existing fanbases, but there's a real chance for some cool movies to be made that might not have otherwise.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
turbografx16 Link ParentThe original Gothic starts out pretty open-ended with the different factions and such, but it gets more and more linear as it goes along. The dev team had way more ambition than they could...The original Gothic starts out pretty open-ended with the different factions and such, but it gets more and more linear as it goes along. The dev team had way more ambition than they could realize, and a lot of stuff had to get cut or stripped back so it could actually release. The feeling of being on the back foot starts to turn around as you get more powerful, which is really satisfying at first, but combat becomes a bit mindless as it goes on. I still love the whole game, but it definitely is at its best in the first chapter when everything still kicks your ass. Still worth a play, even if just to appreciate the returning characters and continuity in the second game I think!
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
turbografx16 LinkI just finished Gothic II, a game I've been meaning to finish for years now. Did a fresh playthrough and it had me under its spell pretty quickly. I think it's excellent; it's a real success in...I just finished Gothic II, a game I've been meaning to finish for years now. Did a fresh playthrough and it had me under its spell pretty quickly. I think it's excellent; it's a real success in terms of immersion and a genuine feeling of growing stronger, only made possible by its unrelenting difficulty. The original game has been stuck in my head ever since I first played it years ago, and I think the sequel improves in almost every measurable way. It still enchanted me all these years later, so I'd really recommend it if it interests you. Just know to expect a slow start. A real slow start.
I also finished Castlevania: Curse of Darkness with the first character, going to dive in with the unlockable character(s) next. This one is a hack-and-slash with creature raising elements and very dramatic cutscenes. Mostly entertaining, but enemy variety and encounter design in general are still lacking unfortunately. Best to play in short sessions so the repetitive level design doesn't get too grating, but when it works it's quite fun, and I could see it being a great game to have on a handheld. There's a number of different weapon types, simple combos that get you thinking strategically, a rudimentary crafting system, plus the ability to raise creatures based on the weapons you're using. It won't hold a candle to other notable PS2 action games, but there is enough here that I could see this being a lesser childhood favorite of mine if I had it at the time.
Next up is Gothic 3, and I'm also thinking of checking out the Witcher 3 remaster. Lot of threes I guess.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
turbografx16 Link ParentFFVII Remake is an interesting one for me, because I think a second playthrough both strengthened my opinion of the gameplay itself, while laying bare all of its issues at the same time. I'd...FFVII Remake is an interesting one for me, because I think a second playthrough both strengthened my opinion of the gameplay itself, while laying bare all of its issues at the same time.
I'd recommend trying out hard mode: items are disabled, so there's much more strategy with materia/party makeup, and it really encourages experimentation with elemental weaknesses as well as characters you might not usually use much. It almost felt like a normal mode playthrough was just the tutorial, and hard mode is the real game. Seriously so much fun when you start to really get the hang of it.
That being said, the constant slow walking sections and other unskippable sequences kind of put me at odds with the game. I want to enjoy the combat itself, but it's constantly being interrupted. When the gameplay is more focused than ever, it draws attention to the lack of focus in other aspects of the game unfortunately.
Side note: I also experienced difficulty spikes at some bosses in my first playthrough, subsequent runs trying different things showed me I was just approaching it wrong or didn't understand the fight. They're not always self-explanatory, so you do kind of have to try things and hope you brought the right materia. Part of me wishes it was a bit less opaque, but also such a major release not being afraid to let players figure things out is refreshing.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
turbografx16 Link ParentPaper Mario is a favorite of mine. One of the things I love about it is that it's really well paced as long as you don't avoid battles, and never requires grinding to get past a certain part. I'm...Paper Mario is a favorite of mine. One of the things I love about it is that it's really well paced as long as you don't avoid battles, and never requires grinding to get past a certain part. I'm interested in other RPGs like this, it makes the game feel more tightly designed and well crafted to me, which counts for a lot when the difficulty ramps up for example.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
turbografx16 LinkI am officially finished with Castlevania: Lament of Innocence after spending a good amount more time with it than I expected to. The reason for that is there's actually a good amount of content...I am officially finished with Castlevania: Lament of Innocence after spending a good amount more time with it than I expected to. The reason for that is there's actually a good amount of content in the form of two additional playable characters. One is sort of just a slightly different version of the main character, but the other has a completely different playstyle. It almost feels like playing Devil May Cry as a shooter, and it's far more well considered and fun than it has any right to be. I ended up playing the whole game three times, once with each character, which I never would have expected to be doing after I rolled credits the first time.
In short, it's a very small game with a lot of asset reuse, not very much to do, low enemy variety, but with a fun enough core combat system that I'd consider it passable, though it would struggle to hold anyone's attention without the license and the incredible soundtrack. The third playable character may just turn it into a Halloween staple for me, though, for a bit of mindless fun and some fitting sound and visuals. Seriously listen to this soundtrack if you aren't familiar, but maybe don't rush to play this one even (or especially) if you're a big Castlevania fan.
Already started the sequel, Curse of Darkness, and it's got some interesting differences, so I'm invested in seeing where it goes. Nothing amazing, but good enough for what it is so far, I'll be interested to see if that changes at all over its duration.
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Comment on Do you think you're special? in ~talk
turbografx16 Link ParentWhere does the line between self-worth and self-absorption get drawn for you? I have a tendency to undervalue myself because I'm not sure I always know where that line is, and I dread getting too...Where does the line between self-worth and self-absorption get drawn for you? I have a tendency to undervalue myself because I'm not sure I always know where that line is, and I dread getting too close to it.
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Comment on Do you think you're special? in ~talk
turbografx16 Link ParentI'm reminded of a sentiment I've heard from various musicians over the years that I generally agree with: you want to be the worst player in any band you're in. Being surrounded by people you can...I'm reminded of a sentiment I've heard from various musicians over the years that I generally agree with: you want to be the worst player in any band you're in. Being surrounded by people you can learn a lot from will push you to improve, even if only just to keep up, and that pursuit of self-improvement is one of the things that makes playing music so addictive. You'll never be the best there is, so it's an endless journey; hard to imagine it being so rewarding if you are already as good as you'll ever be.
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Comment on AI abundance requires a four-hour workweek in ~tech
turbografx16 Link ParentI guess the idea is that chasing infinite growth and productivity increases has to stop at some point, and mass adoption of AI is a potential turning point in that conversation. AI threatens to...I guess the idea is that chasing infinite growth and productivity increases has to stop at some point, and mass adoption of AI is a potential turning point in that conversation. AI threatens to magnify problems the author has with the way things work currently, but it could also alleviate some of those problems with proper implementation, so it's worth talking about what those problems are, and what solutions could become feasible. There's a lot of capital riding on the success and usefulness of AI, so you kinda have to account for it regardless of your agenda or ideals.
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Comment on I want an RPG with reverse leveling in ~games
turbografx16 Link ParentEven if I end up not being into it, I still value the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the game. I respect it for doing something out of left field when the safe bet was clearer than...Even if I end up not being into it, I still value the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the game. I respect it for doing something out of left field when the safe bet was clearer than ever.
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Comment on I want an RPG with reverse leveling in ~games
turbografx16 Link ParentEvery time I think a game system is straight up bad, I read a comment like this that makes me reassess my thoughts. It's been a while since I've played FFVIII, so I think I'm going to give it a go...Every time I think a game system is straight up bad, I read a comment like this that makes me reassess my thoughts. It's been a while since I've played FFVIII, so I think I'm going to give it a go again, keeping this stuff in mind.
I know there's an argument to be made that if the game can be played "wrong", then it's inherently flawed or bad, but I like when games are able to convey a real sense of discovery through mechanics, and not explain every minute detail, so I'm excited to try seeing it differently.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
turbografx16 LinkBeen on a Castlevania kick and I decided to revisit Lamet of Innocence for the PS2, after bouncing off of it multiple times.In short, I definitely see why that happened. The idea of Castlevania...Been on a Castlevania kick and I decided to revisit Lamet of Innocence for the PS2, after bouncing off of it multiple times.In short, I definitely see why that happened.
The idea of Castlevania doing a Devil May Cry has a ton of potential, and some of it is kinda delivered by the game. There are some fun combos to pull off, with a good amount of damage potential if you really maximize their use, it's cool to see classic Castlevania monsters interpreted in 3D, and the game has an incredible soundtrack. That being said, the drawbacks are pretty foundational, and it's left to be maybe a template at best, but hardly a finished game.
Structurally, the game has little in common with Symphony of the Night (or even Devil May Cry) or even classic Castlevania. There is a small central hub with portals to five worlds which can be completed in any order. The levels themselves are not connected, and are mostly made up of empty rooms with a few enemies to fight. The paths within don't really diverge much, and upgrades are sparse, mostly unhelpful, and hard to find due to the terrible camera. There's a boss fight at the end, and another level and boss after all five are completed.
It's possible to complete levels without finding important items, because most upgrades on the critical path are just health/mp increases. I've completed every level and have only found one relic (special ability) and maybe 6 accessories. Either they're unreasonably well hidden or there just aren't very many, but it seems really strange for equipment and powerups to be so few and far between in, since leveling up is not really a thing in this game. It's opaque in a way that doesn't feel considered, and it asks the player to retread identical rooms too frequently to feel well made. Mostly a lot of wandering around, avoiding enemy encounters unless forced otherwise, jumping everywhere so the camera will point high enough to see if there's anything in the empty room.
Lament of Innocence kind of feels like a quick and cheap knockoff unfortunately. It can be pretty fun at times, and it's carried pretty hard by its soundtrack (which doesn't get old in spite of some truly boring levels), but the missed potential makes it more frustrating than it would be otherwise. I'll finish it up and see if there are any last mintue twists before moving onto the sequel with this all in mind.
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Comment on What are the genuinely worst films of all time? in ~movies
turbografx16 LinkIf you want to see truly awful movies, independent/low budget horror will be the way to go. I love a ton of indie horror films, but it's also probably the genre with the highest concentration of...If you want to see truly awful movies, independent/low budget horror will be the way to go. I love a ton of indie horror films, but it's also probably the genre with the highest concentration of unwatchable trash.
My personal pick would be a movie called Hellinger, which no one should ever watch, but other examples are Things, Feeders, The Galaxy Invader, Meat Cleaver Massacre (there is no meat cleaver in the film), etc.
I love a terrible movie if it's funny, but these movies are mostly just boring and confusing. The type of film that makes you sort of resent the thought that anyone would want to watch it.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
turbografx16 LinkRecently finished Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate for 3DS, a game I've had for years but barely played. In essence, it's a God of War knockoff (like the original game), but in a 2.5D...Recently finished Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate for 3DS, a game I've had for years but barely played. In essence, it's a God of War knockoff (like the original game), but in a 2.5D perspective, and as a portable game it's pretty good for some dumb fun.
I had bounced off this one as an avid Symphony of the Night fan back in the day, but it fares better when approached simply as a game about the satisfaction of hitting things. When it works, it works, and back-to-back fights can be a good time, but enemy variety is unfortunately limited, and it's rare to fight more than one type at a time. Levels are nice to look at, but all sort of blur together, and the game's attempts to incentivize backtracking didn't land enough for me to go for 100%.
It never reaches the heights of even the PSP God of War games, and it has some pretty glaring issues, but MercurySteam knows how to make a decent game, and it's at least worth it for the air combos. I couldn't shake the feeling that this would have been a great 3DS game to have back in the day, something you could easily pop in and smack some monsters around, and it kind of still works for that. No idea how the HD version differs, but I'd say play this one on the 3DS if you are interested.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
turbografx16 Link ParentI ended up finishing the game with 95% completion, though there was a lot of wandering around trying to remember where I saw certain things. It's been about a week since I've played and I feel...I ended up finishing the game with 95% completion, though there was a lot of wandering around trying to remember where I saw certain things. It's been about a week since I've played and I feel like I could still navigate the game world pretty smoothly.
If anyone has the patience for it, I think it's actually worth doing. There are frustrations for sure, like forgetting where merchants are or missing rooms you swear you've already been to, but it felt like I was training a skill most games try to automate. If I had been more diligent and took notes, I would have had to run around far less, so I will have to keep that in mind for Silksong. The fact that I'm pretty certain I want to do this for my first playthrough of that game says it all, I suppose.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
turbografx16 Link ParentI really came around on the original Metroid after seeing [this video] (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hbiIPnxY0ak&pp=0gcJCXACo7VqN5tD). Part of the appeal of a game like this is playing it through...I really came around on the original Metroid after seeing [this video] (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hbiIPnxY0ak&pp=0gcJCXACo7VqN5tD). Part of the appeal of a game like this is playing it through multiple times and doing a bit better each time, so it's got less in common with most modern Metroidvanias and more with time attack games. The slowdown is unfortunate, but a reality of NES gaming, and I don't think it changes the fact that this is an excellent game.
Like a lot of older games, what makes it great isn't what's literally onscreen (the layout, for example), but the sum of all its systems working together to get you thinking a certain way. It's difficult because it's supposed to feel like survival, and to encourage a considered approach before you know what you're doing. It doesn't have a map because it doesn't need one; it's a hostile alien world that doesn't care whether you make it through. The controls may seem unwieldy, but they're surprisingly precise when you get a feel for them and, more importantly, the world is designed around navigating with those controls, so it shouldn't be an issue.
The pursuit of finishing the game is more about player growth than character growth, and the contrast between earlier and later playthroughs. You have to earn the right to feel like Samus Aran, professional bounty hunter, and I think once you beat it for the first time, it's hard not to want to go right back in and do better.
Donkey Kong '94 is one of the best Game Boy games to me! Bite sized challenges (that can actually be pretty difficult to optimize) along with an awesome soundtrack and some of the best visuals on the platform. Super fun to pop in whenever, I'd recommend the Super Game Boy version as well for its excellent colours and borders.
Also I admit that I've never tried the STALKER games proper, but this anecdote makes them sound like my kind of thing. Might have to give it a go.