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 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.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
turbografx16 LinkI've been revisiting Hollow Knight for the first time in some years, with a bit of a self-imposed challenge: I'm not using any of the things that make the map useful. I've still gotten the initial...I've been revisiting Hollow Knight for the first time in some years, with a bit of a self-imposed challenge: I'm not using any of the things that make the map useful. I've still gotten the initial rough maps for each area, but I haven't bought the compass, quill, or any of the markers to help fill it out. The fact that these are all technically optional purchases made me curious how viable it was to just not use them, so in a way I'm putting the world design to the ultimate test: is it consistently distinct enough to navigate using only itself?
I'm closing in on the ending pretty soon, so I feel like I can pretty comfortably say that it's a mixed bag. Areas themselves are easy to tell apart, but regularly I've had trouble remembering where specific characters or locations are when I'm looking for them. There is some good landmarking in most areas, but it's generally separated by a lot of similar looking rooms; it's easy to get mixed up and spend a good amount of time lost, retreading the same paths, trying to remember where something was. The world itself is large, so things are quite spread out, and it can be easy to miss things entirely, even if I know generally where to look.
This has encouraged me to be more thorough, and I surprisingly haven't missed nearly as much as I expected I would, though I'm probably not going to be going for 100% completion. I feel like the fact that this was pretty doable, in spite of a good amount of wandering, is a bit of a turning point for me. I've never been a fan of the kind of reliance maps can encourage in games, and this has got me wondering how many game worlds will actually be navigable without that crutch. Again, it feels like putting them to the ultimate test. Once I finish this, I think I'll try the same with Silksong and see how it stacks up. Let's hope that isn't misguided confidence.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
turbografx16 Link ParentMedal of Honor (1999) also had the twin stick control scheme as an alternate, maybe the earliest example I can think of. That game sold extremely well, so it isn't unusual to think it may have...Medal of Honor (1999) also had the twin stick control scheme as an alternate, maybe the earliest example I can think of. That game sold extremely well, so it isn't unusual to think it may have been many players' first experiences with twin stick aiming.
If Halo gets credit for popularizing it, it's probably because that was the default, intended control scheme, and players realized how well it works when they spent a bit of time with it.
A bit tangential, but that's kind of why I always try to play games with the default mappings if possible: if you are able to adapt, you might be surprised how functional and important seemingly unwieldy control schemes can be for some games' intended experiences.
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.