Games you're playing: The 2009 edition.

[Sierra]

Good man, Super.

[Tonfa]

Do get early Adray, or you'll miss his awesome rejoin scene.

[Sierra]

Bioshock: Hit the Plot Twist (which I already knew about, so eh). Also just noticed that Andrew Ryan is voiced by Quark from DS9. This is so very appropriate.

Game's become substantially easier in the second half. Enough gene tonics available to make haxworthy combinations, you have lots of damage bonuses from research, specialty ammo can be invented...yeah, the enemies can't really keep up with all this. Even Big Daddies get completely shut down eventually (chemical thrower's electrical ammo keeps 'em held in place as long as you're firing).

[Pyro]

The Decoy is pretty hax too, Cid.

No comments on Ayn Rand/Atlas Shrugged? I'm kinda saddened.

[Idun]

Still playing Digital Devil Saga.

Highest Mantra achieved are the dynes [three total mastered]. Unable to move much further in any direction I want to on the Mantra pad. Just discovered from a DDS fan than certain stats transfer into DDS2 which gives me a bit more incentive to powerleveling and grind, but I'm still not exactly interested. It was meant to be a short game, and that's what I'm going to make it. I have too large of a backlog to become an OD gamer at the moment.

The storyline is sort of pissing me off. Well, perhaps it's not the storyline as I'm aware that it is just a preview. Still, as far as it holding its current game up, it's fairly weak. The characters are annoying as shit, besides Gale and Heat. Argilla reminds me of Serena from Sailor Moon with excessive emotions and needs to be bitchslapped a few times. Cielo is just there - he's like the role of a stupid animal character in an RPG, but this time is a human that can transform into a demon. Sera's lame.

The music is friggin' awesome. I'm in the Southern Tunnels now.

Serph
ST - 31
VI - 31
MA - 28
AG - 26
LU -22

Agi, Hama, Agilao, Maragion, Mazan, Matera, Ingest Mana, Devour

Gale

Agi, Zio, Zanma, Zionga, Teradyne, Dia, Void Death, Devour


Argilla just joined back up, and added her to my party. I reckon I'll start navigating more of the southern Mantra map with her. Otherwise, Heat and Cielo can stay in the background for a while.

The only special items I have are the Tag Ring, L and R Statue Key. I hope this water tunnel isn't too long.

Don't get me wrong, the design, the music, the voice acting is all above average. I'd B+ all those categories. However, the story is operating too much on mystery for me to take an active interest, and though the battles offer something dramatically new, it doesn't remove the redundancy that can easily be found in turn-based RPGs. Emphasizing the weaknesses is a very spiffy thing. Too many times in RPGs can I just get away by blindly tapping the X button.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

I honestly have no idea why are you pumping your Serph's STR at all, Idun, particularly given the fact you're focusing almost entirely on his magic. Mag is the god stat in both DDSes, doubling as MDef and the determining stat for the best offensive type. For Serph, privileging MAG and VIT should lead to the best results. I usually pumped 1 Magic , 1 Vit and one other stat for him every other level, alternating between 2 Mag/1 Vit and 1 Mag/2 Vit otherwise. 

[Idun]

For his last four levels, I've been giving points to his AG and LU. I'm not interested in having him unbalanced, as I don't typically use him for high level magic skills at the moment. That's saved for Gale and Argilla, though it wouldn't hurt. He's actually more imbalanced than he was when I first gave the chat his stats. I'm more interested in his STR and MAG than I am in hit VIT given that I have some items stored up to increase his VIT. Plus I've let his LU slack very quickly as criticals are unimportant to me unless an enemy is affected by an element and/or frozen, panic'd, electrocuted, etc. I haven't had any issues with the way he is now. I don't have any intentions of there being a huge gap between any of his stats at the end.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

Ah, so you're just balancing stats for the sake of balance. I guess. It's sort of a waste of his potential as a steel magic cannon, but so it goes. Also, yes, LUC is a bleh stat.

[Sierra]

The Decoy is pretty hax too, Cid.

No comments on Ayn Rand/Atlas Shrugged? I'm kinda saddened.

It speaks for itself, really. (This is why it amuses me that Ryan is voiced by DS9's Quark, the heartless entrepeneur with a practically religious reverence the market and free enterprise. I've never had any respect for objectivism, as its prime function seems to be making pretentious dickheads feel justified in acting like pretentious dickheads. Ryan exemplifies this to a tee, for all that the sheer force of personality on display is quite striking.) And, haven't even used Decoy yet. I really should experiment more, but I am often disinclined to do that when I already have a strategy that works (although, "strategy" admittedly just boils down to an upgraded shotgun/machinegun, here).

Also: "You have unlocked an achievement: Irony." HEH. And blah, escort mission.

[Pyro]

Irony is the greatest achievement ever, and you are at the end if you are doing the Escort mission.

[Anthony Edward Stark]

Good game. Terrible, terrible balance. Good god it's bad.

Anyway: holy shit playing a new game through with Broken Steel is hard. I spent hours getting my ass kicked by Super Mutants in the Museum of Technology before saying "fuck it," taking out my WH40k heavy bolter and blowing holes in all of them.

[Taishyr]

Persona 4: Void Quest beaten. May have slight spoilers in here, but I don't think anything major.


Current thoughts: Aside from Souji, Yosuke's my MVP: wind being a pretty solid element most the time is useful, and Tentarafoo is still brutal to randoms at this point. Chie was really good up until the beginning of Void Quest, I think I entered her stall phase here. Teddie started slow, accelerated quickly; Matarukaja this early was really useful, helped lock down the Void Quest boss. Yukiko has better reserves and doesn't share a weakness with anyone's unupgraded form, though, so she's still quite solid. Kanji's pretty much just there since Elec's the one element I tend to not have on Souji.

Bosses... Lacy Unmentionables wasn't difficult for me, but I abused Chie Defending and just let Yosuke/MC pound away. Contrarian King was just a pain in the arse, I reset until an outblitz strategy worked. MR. FAAAAAAAABULOUS was about the same as Lacy. Copboy optional boss was a case of "Yosuke and Chie won't be hit by weakness and thus autokilled. Use MC to hit weakness and All-Out Attack, Yosuke and Chie heal first, buff second and hit him third, and your fourth defends so that the dude doesn't get extra turns and wastes time doing low damage to them."

Rank Stripperriffic. Porcelain Mascot after her was... cute. (Side note: Pretty sure that Teddie's shadow was controlled by Ameno-Sagiri, but that's just the way it read to me.) What -does- Nihil Hand do? It missed my MC the one time I wasn't blocking. Otherwise he was probably the best Shadow thus far, not counting Supreme Insight.

Rank DW1 Hero, too. At this point I'm not factoring in Souji so severely against bosses as he's beginning to get frue brokked (Black Frost, Agidyne, Fire Amp, Mind Charge. Yeeeeeeeeeah), though he's definitely a factor. DW1 Hero was actually the more threatening of his forms; his baby form was really damn unimpressive, just durable.

SLinks: Justice, Magician, Strength finished, think there's one other done but I don't know which. Priestess at 9, Hatbot told me to go for romance. Working on rushing through the remaining party SLinks at this point. Not fond of Chie's, Kanji's is amusing, Yukiko's had a good moment but has been kinda generic otherwise, Yosuke more like HoYaysuke, Rise's is... um. Hanged Man was better in P3 thus far, Devil is funny but I have a slight hunch that, since it's at the usual TURNING POINT FOR SLINKS, it's gonna get real dark soon. Death's the only link I've not started.

[Sierra]

Bioshock: Finished. Final boss was pansy (Bioshock's a great game, but it is more unbalanced than a kappa). Got the mega-happy ending since I'm too nice to do any harvesting. Man, talk about schmalzy. YouTubed bad ending, which is approximately as egregious. There are a lot of things Bioshock does right in regards to story and setting, but toying with player morality is not something it does effectively. When the choice literally comes down to "Will you eat babies y/n?" there isn't much to say.

Rapture is an awesome locale for a game, though. Set in 1960, excellent art design (art deco, is that the style they were emulating? I am not really up on architecture terms), good use of period music, diaries detailing the fall of the city were compelling and well-acted. It's very immersive.

Will probably replay on a harder difficulty setting at some point, see if maybe the second half of the game doesn't get crushed as badly then.

[Meeplelard]

FM4: Minotaur Arms are mine! MWAHAHAHAHAHAH!

DQ4: Taloon's Quest still.  I got a Cautlery Sword sold...and then some guy bought it IMMEDIATELY, argh!  Not that I was anywhere near the money needed for it but mrf.  Yeah, not continuing til I get that thing (though I seem to recall there was an easier way to get money?)

Crisis Core: On the way back from my sister's, decided to go at Minerva a few more times.  After losing twice, I said screw it to my magic stat, replaced Ultima with a Spirit+29 Curaga Materia, which pushed me to 255!  She was still doing 20k~ with Krystia and Thor's Hammer through MBarrier though, but at least one Curaga was enough to let me live through Judgment Arrow (which was still doing 60k...)

...this ended up being enough to win.  Basically, my strategy was "keep HP around 70k THE ENTIRE FIGHT."  She caught me once with about 59k~ HP, and I was ready to call it quits...but Random Variance kicks in, and I live with like 20 HP!  Phoenix Down, Elixir, let her kill me, Phoenix Down again, back in business!

Another thing I figured out halfway into the fight was that letting Ultima deal its full 99999 to Zack was better than defending.  If he dies to Ultima, Phoenix down kicks in, reapply, back in business with full Health!  If it doesn't?  I have to cast like 3 Curaga spells to get back to "JUDGMENT ARROW WON'T KILL YOU!" and while I usually have enough time, there's room for error and her ninja'ing with that is not something I wanted to receive.

Oh yeah, and yes, I did just break down use one of the 99999 damage moves (Magical Fist, to be precise, which was...probably the worst on hindsight due to running off a stat I was using for other means, and a stat that runs out, but eh, largely iddn't matter), so <_<

She also hit me with Judgment Arrow twice after Hiealing Wave was activated, once right BEFORE my Limits kicked in, so the small window of invincibility saved me (...mind, the Limit used was Apocalypse, so it did like 2000 damage to her *shakes fist at her Spirit stat*)...actually, I had all Character Limits kick in except Tseng's.  Octaslash was expectedly useless here (high defense and doesn't benefit from SP Turbo *OR* Materia Level boosts like Dispel Blade), Rush Assault level 2 kicked in twice which did a shit load of damage (yay ITD!), Cissnei was good for making sure more limits kicked in, Meteor Shots and Apocalypse are even MORE useless, speaking of which, I had ODIN of all things kick in once, which is the KING of worthlessness in this fight!  ANd of course, Healing Wave was awesome everytime it kicked in.

Actually, I think the funniest thing was she used Absolute Ward...then I got Triples 1's on the DMW, so it was basically the two of us sitting there staring at each other (ok, so she was attacking and getting Constant "Guards" to appear but shh!) for some time waiting for the invincibility to wear off <_<

BUt yeah, she's finally beaten.  That was one hell of a fight.  It REALLY forces you to use the game's system, between knowing what equips to use, making use of Materia Fusion, and keeping an eye on your stats and items and shit.  You quite literally need to twink to highest hell just to have a chance, and it leaves little room for error.  Like I said, I came desperately close to losing, and only survived cause of random variance.  Kick ass super boss, in any event, she was a blast to face.

Final Set Up:
Genji Armor
Genji Shield
Genji Gloves
Ziedrich

Gill Toss
SP Turbo
Magical Punch
Curaga
Dispel Blade
Spirit Up++

Level was 97, my Attack, Vit and Spirit were maxed or close to it, Magic was like only 167, MP was roughly 600, AP was 400~, HP was 72k (Gil Toss had 990% HP)

[Luther Lansfeld]

MKDS- I'm trying to learn how to drift right now, and it's tough. I've beaten up to 150cc mirror mode lightning version, I hate the sky garden with a dirty passion though. grrrrrr

[OblivionKnight]

Meeple - post the Minerva stats.  We need her ranked.

[Meeplelard]

Meeple - post the Minerva stats.  We need her ranked.

Check the stat topic for a pleasant surprise then <_<

[Dark Holy Elf]

F-Zero GX - This game is a bitch, but I am getting a handle on it. 50% of the Master level cups have fallen... matching my accomplishment in X. Also doing Story Mode on Hard difficulty, which outside the Goroh race has been pretty WTF. I expect the Grand Prix will kick my ass.

MMPU - Elecman Hard mode cleared! Now working on Bombman. I tried Guts but he definitely felt like too much of an expert mode to me, as I struggled with both the first boss and the boss he hits weakness on. Never a good sign. His platforming is fun though... looking forward to getting around to him, just want to knock off some of the easier playthroughs first.

[AndrewRogue]

Pokemon Platinum: The Hatbot Challenge

Progress: Up to... where the hell am I up to? Oh! I just beat Mars at Lake Verity, which means I am heading up towards the ice lands, I do believe. In the absence of internet, Hatbot has been replaced by Ashleybot and d6bot, both who have served well in his absence. Thinks have actually been pretty smooth as of late. My levels are evening back out and, even if I'm a bit chronically low, I have enough muscle to force through.

Current Team
Kadabra L33
Meditite L33
Whiscash L35
Pelipper L34
Tentacool L29
Steelix L33

The Box of Shame: Turtwig, Ponyta, Machop, Shellos, Shinx, Burmy, Geodude, Zubat, Starly, Hoothoot, Nosepass, Parchisu, Buneaery, Silcoon, Cascoon, Shieldon, Togepi, Budew, Bibarel, Buzil, Roselia, Eevee, Ralts, Combee, Chingling, Kricketune, Goldeen, Staravia, Bronzor, Rotom, Golbat, Scyther, Duskull, Gligar, Lickitung, Chansey, Rhyhorn, Porygon, Graveller, Houndour, Girafirig, Remoraid, Quagsire, Drifblim, Croagunk, Wooper, Noctowl, Unown, Yanma, Haunter, Pichu, Gyarados, Machamp, Psyduck, Tentacruel, Azumarill, Onix, Gastrodon, Swablu, Riolu

[Anthony Edward Stark]

Art Deco is indeed the term you were looking for.

[AndrewRogue]

Within a Deep Forest: Finally got around to finishing. Fun game. Ball control is a bitch at times, but it works.

[Grefter]

Art Deco is like sex for your eyes, with aerodynamic fins.

El Cid, I highly recommend checking out some of the prehype for Bioshock 2, it looks like they are taking in it in a direction with some really high potential (Not sure where is best to find it, read it in a print magazine released down here in Australia that my brother's buy PC Powerplay if that helps, but I imagine the same shit has been spewed elsewhere).

Bully - GTA clone.  Is alright I guess.  Introducing new classes in chapter 2 after you have spent all the time in chapter 1 completing them all makes the game massively boring having to waste so much time cycling days to unlock more stuff from classes.  Would be better if you could just pick and choose which classes to do whenever (or even just morning/afternoon classes).  I mean I get the whole wanting to setup a routine thing and having days and the part where you don't have to attend class if you have already passed it, but the pay off isn't worth it since dodging Truancy is just such a minimal task compared to all the other shit dodge authority figures for (it is a step above not wearing the right uniform, that is to say, it is a minor inconvenience that you can simply ignore).  Add in the no weekend thing and the routine is just bullshit anyway.  Should just have opened up the sandbox more (or I guess if they could tell you which day you are on and which classes you have that day so you can make an informed decision more easily).  I dunno, I guess it is better than GTA3 but floating somewhere between Vice City and San Andreas for quality going back to the parent series?  It is less clunky than VC but loses out to everygoddamnedthing else to VC (Because VC has the best style, best plot and best setting of the entire sandbox crime whatever genre which the pain in the arse gameplay almost makes up for), but it is no where near as playable or huge like SA is.  I should probably poke GTA 4 sometime, but I still don't think they have patched it into playability yet.

[AndrewRogue]

6 Days a Sacrifice: Completed the Chzo Chronicles. Probably felt this was the weakest installment? Nothing overly wrong with the game, a few slight headscratchers aside on the puzzle front. Ending was hugely dissatisfying though, and it really didn't feel like a satisfactory wrap up of the series.

Bunny Must Die: Hard and, even if it doesn't matter, not being able to read text buggers me >_> Up to the kitty boss.

[Cotigo]

Assassin's Creed

Beaten.  Game starts out great but gets repetitive quickly.  Battle system needed to be more than "Hit this button in rhythm", and the game needed more ways of investigating the assassination beforehand, since it got damn repetitive by the second area of each city.  That said, it was still fun, as little as that accounts for, and given how much effort was put into the graphics, I can't say I mind entirely that climbing consisted entirely of holding a couple of buttons and watching pretty visuals. 

Oh, and it was pretty damn clear that they were rushing the end.  Last visit to Jerusalem only had 6 citizen areas and 6 viewpoints?  The entirety of Assuf was just battling up to Richard?  There was no crazy climbing puzzle at the end?  No utilization of anything other than the shallow combat system for a finale?  Yeah.  I can understand why; the cities are absolutely massive and each little area of them had to be beta tested.  Probably took a ton of time.  But still, come on, no last climbing puzzle?  Slackers.

Plot wise the Third Crusade plot was predictably dramatic and lol hey look altair learns morals.  The 2012 plot is excessively meta (I like that), consists of nothing but wandering around and listening to guys blather (I don't like that), is forced in between each city (meh), vaguely ties the Third Crusade plot to it (ok...), and the end leaves you with nothing but a bunch of cryptic scribblings and no resolution (Fuck that).  Actually, now that I think about it, the 2012 plot can go fuck itself. 

All in all, I had fun.  Killed 3 days of my life.  6/10?

[Grefter]

Assassin's Creed
 the end leaves you with nothing but a bunch of cryptic scribblings and no resolution (Fuck that). 

Being able to more clearly make out the scribblings would help a bit.  There is some coolish stuff in there, but you have to look it up to understand it unless you are specifically researching it, so it pans out like the ending of Braid but even more dull feeling.

Edit - Oh yeah but glad you got that this is just parkour simulator and not a game, that makes it way more fun.  The whole thing in three days is not a level of fun I could uphold from it though.  A few hours here and there just when you feel like running along rooftops and jumping off stuff improves it a little.