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Author Topic: What Games Are You Playing: 2008  (Read 477797 times)

Pyro

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4350 on: November 07, 2008, 03:39:44 AM »
You don't HAVE to do the optional dungeons.

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4351 on: November 07, 2008, 03:58:21 AM »
You don't HAVE to do the optional dungeons.

It's like you missed the point of every Nippon-Ichi game ever...

But I suppose you could always be one of those weird people who play N1 games for some reason -other- than grinding and cameos...

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4352 on: November 07, 2008, 04:06:45 AM »
Grinding?  Nay, the point of N1 games is the adorable casts and unrepentantly irreverant humor.  Gameplay is just this thing you do in between.
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Pyro

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4353 on: November 07, 2008, 04:11:14 AM »
Grinding can wait until the aftergame. SMASH EVERYTHING IN SIGHT AFTER HOURS AND HOURS OF POINTLESS LEVELLING isn't as much fun for me as "... WHAT THE HELL SULPHUR"

And SN requires no grinding to smash into a fine paste.

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4354 on: November 07, 2008, 04:15:38 AM »
I enjoy doing the inspections, just ran into some bad luck there.
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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4355 on: November 07, 2008, 05:33:04 AM »
GTA4-Main storyline-wise, I'm doing missions for Faustin. Story is still mostly just there. I like most of the side characters, though, and Niko's a pretty good main. Not much to report.

Side missions...Done Vigilante, Most Wanted for the first island, almost done with drug running for Little Jacob, just got the first car for Brucie, 18/200 pidgeons, can't get to #19 without triggering six stars. Give me a Sniper Rifle already, dammit. I'm in everybody's good graces for now. Still need to do some various activites with Roman and Little Jacob to count for 100%.

Vigilante was really different. I like that they cut out the time limit shit once you get close, it let's you take your time and get crafty when taking out hoods. I mostly just took out criminals on foot instead of dealing with gangs or stolen cars since that's easier. One gang I did do nabbed me an AK and some Grenades, which was nice. Most Wanted was a lot of fun, had some really tense moments where I just barely managed to shotgun someone in the face seconds before they would have killed me.

Random characters refuse to ever show up. I've only met Brian once and haven't seen Badman at all.
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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4356 on: November 07, 2008, 05:58:17 AM »
The main storyline is great. The sidestuff is totally blah. I ended up selling off the game after realizing I hadn't touched it since I finished the main game.

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4357 on: November 07, 2008, 02:13:29 PM »
Grinding can wait until the aftergame. SMASH EVERYTHING IN SIGHT AFTER HOURS AND HOURS OF POINTLESS LEVELLING isn't as much fun for me as "... WHAT THE HELL SULPHUR"

And SN requires no grinding to smash into a fine paste.

Seconding both points. Winning simply due to being massively overlevelled is so unrewarding. And nothing in SN really requires it short of the lategame Evil path battles.

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4358 on: November 07, 2008, 05:10:00 PM »
Grinding can wait until the aftergame. SMASH EVERYTHING IN SIGHT AFTER HOURS AND HOURS OF POINTLESS LEVELLING isn't as much fun for me as "... WHAT THE HELL SULPHUR"

And SN requires no grinding to smash into a fine paste.

Seconding both points. Winning simply due to being massively overlevelled is so unrewarding. And nothing in SN really requires it short of the lategame Evil path battles.

Maybe to you it's unrewarding.  Also, the optional 2000 battle requires grinding.

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4359 on: November 07, 2008, 05:56:51 PM »
Grinding can wait until the aftergame. SMASH EVERYTHING IN SIGHT AFTER HOURS AND HOURS OF POINTLESS LEVELLING isn't as much fun for me as "... WHAT THE HELL SULPHUR"

And SN requires no grinding to smash into a fine paste.

Seconding both points. Winning simply due to being massively overlevelled is so unrewarding. And nothing in SN really requires it short of the lategame Evil path battles.

Maybe to you it's unrewarding.  Also, the optional 2000 battle requires grinding.

Grinding can wait until the aftergame.

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4360 on: November 07, 2008, 07:53:50 PM »
Growlanser 5- Finished. Yay! Well a few days ago but haven't posted about it until now. The replay starts tomorrow. I was going to just reload and continue the dungeon lady quest where I was at the point I had to find her little sister for her in order to open the secret dungeon but my rare perfectionist streak compels me to restart the game so that I don't miss out on any stages needed to get Fanille's ultimates or Krious's ultimate weapon. The fact that I somehow managed to complete the Futon Dog quest on my own only to find that was only *one* of the stages needed to get the ultimate weapon for Krious made a sad CT ;_; I also managed to screw up on being able to obtain any of Melvina's ultimate equips yay ;p Spoiler alert (final boss, etc) -
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S

Final fight was  ... ... ... the Queen Screaper! Surprise, surprise. Queen Screaper was ... EPIC!! ....
Possibly the easiest final boss fight ever? Final party ended up being Haschen/Krious/Rufus/Fanelle. I didn't really put any real effort into gameplay as the story was winding up or anything so I chose Rufus to replace Randall because a) Rufus!<333 b) Suprisingly he had both better HP *and* MP than Sherris. Base strength was higher too though Sherris's weapon ATK was higher (at least before Rufus equipped his ultimate weapon! >.>) c) Whip! With damage that doesn't suck! o_o and d) he had a reasonably nifty spell/skill set already including Atrophy at L5 which together with Attack Up were the only spells that I really felt a need for end game. Well those and healing but yeah.  The infilterating the Screaper's nest mission was a lot of fun with Rufus casting Atrophy on the enemies, Fanelle casting Attack Up on Rufus and the other fighters who then proceeded to slaughter Screaper after Screaper. I was sad that I had to run away from that fight for the mission to end >.> For the Queen Screaper same story, Atrophy, Attack Up, fighter SMASH. Then Elessa showed up, funky music started playing, etc. I played around with the Communication Options a bit having her fully heal the party, having her protect them from magic attacks the next time and finally getting back down to business by having her cast Vital Attack Up. Once Elessa showed up I pretty much just let Fanelle do what she wanted whilst the fighters continued to pummel away upfront and then the Queen Screaper suddenly went POOF in well ... no time at all really. The ending to the story wasn't much but yay clear game unlockables~

PS - Zeikwalt is also awesme.

PPS - I imagine Queen Sceaper is beyond EPIC! with the best store bought equipment from Warslee <.< Though Rufus had his ultimates Fanelle, Krious and Haschen only had the second best storeboughts that were obtainable in Zaramba. I ran out of money by the end of the game >.> Randall was the only other person to have both of his ultimates though I wasn't using him by the end.

PPPS - LOLIGOTH OF DOOOMMMM!!! INDEED *HEADESK* *HEADESK* *HEADESK*
« Last Edit: November 07, 2008, 08:32:39 PM by Clear Tranquil »
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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4361 on: November 07, 2008, 09:11:50 PM »
Clear Tranquil: [SPOILERS OBVIOUSLY]

You know that part where Elessa shows up?

Yeah, I killed the final boss right after that.  I mean RIGHT after that.  I didn't even have time to open the menu.  It just died.  So yes, it is quite the joke.

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4362 on: November 07, 2008, 09:21:46 PM »
Tales of Vesperia - Started. Shiny.

Soul Calibur 4 - Also shiny. Fun to play.

Ninja Gaiden Black - Chapter 4. DEAR GOD THE BOSSES IN THIS GAME ARE HELL. And so are enemy ninjas.


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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4363 on: November 08, 2008, 12:00:27 AM »
Grinding can wait until the aftergame. SMASH EVERYTHING IN SIGHT AFTER HOURS AND HOURS OF POINTLESS LEVELLING isn't as much fun for me as "... WHAT THE HELL SULPHUR"

And SN requires no grinding to smash into a fine paste.

Seconding both points. Winning simply due to being massively overlevelled is so unrewarding. And nothing in SN really requires it short of the lategame Evil path battles.

Maybe to you it's unrewarding.  Also, the optional 2000 battle requires grinding.

Grinding can wait until the aftergame.

Not to mention it really is just pointless grinding in the maingame. You can do the same in inspecting during 30 minutes of aftergame as hours upon hours of maingame. The latter hardly deserves the power title in powerleveling. >_>

(obligatory comment about the game being N1-produced not meaning it is all about levels, geez)
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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4364 on: November 08, 2008, 12:01:53 AM »
Clear Tranquil: [SPOILERS OBVIOUSLY]

You know that part where Elessa shows up?

Yeah, I killed the final boss right after that.  I mean RIGHT after that.  I didn't even have time to open the menu.  It just died.  So yes, it is quite the joke.

To be fair, it just ate the suicidal bombing from the Admonisher, how strong can it be right after that?

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4365 on: November 08, 2008, 01:05:09 AM »
Ninja Gaiden Black - Chapter 4. DEAR GOD THE BOSSES IN THIS GAME ARE HELL. And so are enemy ninjas.

Try it on Master Ninja sometime

GTA4-Just finished doing Manny's missions. Wow, game got really fucking depressing all of a sudden. All drug missions done, all of Brucie's Exports done, finally managed to nab Brian's second mission. I AM GENETICALLY SUPERIOR
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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4366 on: November 08, 2008, 01:08:11 AM »
SRW@3 - IT'S END OF EVANGELION RUN FOR THE HILLS
[01:08] <Soppy-ReturningToInaba> HEY
[01:08] <Soppy-ReturningToInaba> LAGGY
[01:08] <Soppy-ReturningToInaba> UVIET?!??!?!
[01:08] <Laggy> YA!!!!!!!!!1111111111
[01:08] <Soppy-ReturningToInaba> OMG!!!!
[01:08] <Chulianne> No wonder you're small.
[01:08] <TranceHime> cocks
[01:08] <Laggy> .....

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4367 on: November 08, 2008, 06:26:02 AM »
Quote
[(obligatory comment about the game being N1-produced not meaning it is all about levels, geez)
...and a bunch of other stuff about why people play N1 games.

To each their own, I suppose. I enjoy the grinding aspect of N1 games. I especially enjoy the aftergame bonuses (oftentimes more than the main game).

Now, for Soul Nomad, I enjoyed the story tremendously. I was especially satisfied with the Demon Path. I felt N1 did a better job of the "or you can choose to be EVIL!" splitpath option than just about any other RPG I've seen (Fable, Radiata Stories, games that let you 'choose' your main character's 'personality').

But saying that anyone should be playing JRPGs for their -story- ... it just doesn't sound right.

-Djinn

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4368 on: November 08, 2008, 06:56:39 AM »
Magna Carta: I GOT MORE STYLES AND BEAT UP SOME BLAST WORMS AND GOLEMS AND OH GOD WHY AM I DOING THIS TO MYSELF?
[21:39] <+Mega_Mettaur> so Snow...
[21:39] <+Mega_Mettaur> Sonic Chaos
[21:39] <+Hello-NewAgeHipsterDojimaDee> That's -brilliant-.

[17:02] <+Tengu_Man> Raven is a better comic relief PC than A

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4369 on: November 08, 2008, 09:56:29 AM »
But saying that anyone should be playing JRPGs for their -story- ... it just doesn't sound right.

Depends on what they're writing. I very much enjoy FF3 and Front Mission for their stories, and EarthBound for being all postmodern and shit. Since your average jRPG tends to boil down to "science is bad/humans are dicks/let's all live in trees/power of friendship" I would agree with you about... 90% of the time, though.

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4370 on: November 08, 2008, 02:11:55 PM »
Quote from: DjinnAndTonic
Now, for Soul Nomad, I enjoyed the story tremendously. I was especially satisfied with the Demon Path. I felt N1 did a better job of the "or you can choose to be EVIL!" splitpath option than just about any other RPG I've seen (Fable, Radiata Stories, games that let you 'choose' your main character's 'personality').

I still haven't played Fallout, Arcanum, Torment or any good games that use evil as an actually viable path.

There is so many games that handle that kind of path split better than Fable and even Radiata Stories.  Even Bioware games handle it better than that.
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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4371 on: November 08, 2008, 03:36:01 PM »
Let's just assume for all future arguments ever that I'm not including Torment in anything I say. For it is a blank spot on my radar.

I'm not sure I would consider Fallout's version of the evil path to be all that great, personally. I haven't even -heard- of Arcanum.

Perhaps Fable and Radiata Stories just handle splitpaths ineptly? You've listed far more games than I can think of that contained splitpaths.

What follows is a hypothetical paragraph...
I'm guessing you've already played Soul Nomad's splitpath and deemed it 'the usual N1 crap', as that would suit your Grefter-ness. From this assumption, I'm curious as to why you would feel that way since I felt Soul Nomad handled it rather well. I'm also going to predict that the answer is going contain the phrase 'tropes, tropes, and more tropes'. As a pre-emptive to get past all the usual debate, I'd like to ask how Fallout is any different. (Again, let's assume Torment is a non-issue since I can't really contribute to any discussion of Torment).

**Note: Not trying to be a presumptive ass, it's just we've had this discussion before so let's get right to the part where I learn something new and better understand the "Grefter perspective".

-Djinn

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4372 on: November 08, 2008, 03:52:29 PM »
Disgaea at least sounds like a game where the plot serves as a vehicle for the very entertaining cast of characters to interact and get up to wacky hijinks.  Moreover, jRPGs almost uniformly fail at making plots that go beyond "generic fantasy trollop", but they do produce entertaining and/or stylish characters reasonably often.

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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4373 on: November 08, 2008, 04:05:38 PM »
Edit - Disclaimer added after posting: I was actually just making a joke, but well since you did ask.

The "Hasn't played *Insert game here* yet" thing is more just a joke than anything.  I haven't actually played Soul Nomad yet, so I can't comment on the quality of it in particular, but Fable is really amazingly poor example of it more than anything else.

Ultimately Fallout doesn't really have a path split and THAT is what makes the evil path good, it is just a chain of various events that you can explot to your own benefit in various ways and well it is kind of evil if you do them all.  Arcanum is similar, but there is an actual path split and it does effect how you ultimately get to the end, but by the time you hit the end of the game the path split isn't the key deciding factor in the plot, it is again, just a way of characterising your journey.  Both of these stand out as exceptional with doing this because they aren't meaningless choices (Like say Deus Ex: Invisible War "path split").

There is far more elegance to morality when it isn't the defining component to your story while still actually having an effect on the way the story is told and doesn't just end up being a trite oh you picked one of two possible endings like you see in most games these days that bandy out "good" and "bad" routes.

Radiata Story's flaws comes from the fact that it is just a singular choice that you have no input to earlier or later and it actually feels like a pretty arbitrary choice at the time.  I.e. you get a situation like this where you decided not to follow some chick who was generally speaking just a bitch previously while you are in a situation where you have no reason to be interacting with her directly at the oment and to actually get some sleep before you are summoned to the castle tommorow.  This leads to, Okay lets kill all the fairies, you have no interest in sueing for peace or abandoning this lot even though you have been primarilly befriending the fairy races.  Wait what?  Following a girl into the forest or not does not have a logical cause and effect progression there.  It is a bit deeper than that in game of course, I am stripping it to bare bones of the situation, but it is far from the best executed path split around (There are worse of course, see Deus Ex 2 where there is only an illusion of a path split throughout the entire game and when you reach the end of the game there is 3 endings and you can get them all regardless of what you had done previously, but this means little).

So yeah that is why Fallout did it well, Arcanum did it very well.  Torment handles it a bit more like Fallout than Torment just for reference (Torment is about Mortality not Morality though).

It wasn't actually a dig at Soul Nomad, it was just well yeah I don't consider the two things you are comparing it to as very good gauges for how good you mean it is >_>  I am going to go out on a limb and assume it is infinitely better than Disgaeas stupid "Did you ever kill one of your units? No, good ending, yes bad ending.  Did you kill a stupid number of them?  Yes, even worse ending." which has like zero warning in game and has fairly big diversion in how huge a dick the final boss in the game is.

Edit 2 also - I cannot stress how bad the good/evil business in Fable is.  It is just like... the bottom of the barrel.  It is nothing but a cosmetic choice.

Edit 3 - Oh yeah also worth noting the near meaningless path with binary ending choices is fairly commonly becoming the way this stuff is working in games that have it these days with varying degrees of suckiness.  It is certainly a trap otherwise good games can easilly fall into.  It is pretty far from making or breaking a game, it just harms the credability of the plot is all.


Edit 2 - Lets break this response off from the main babble a bit.


Disgaea sounds like it does a better job at it than it really does hinode.  It is just trading some RPG tropes for more Anime tropes.  Milage varies in it, but hey, Originality isn't really rating high up there.  It has some interesting concepts it could play with ones that SMT brings up more frequently and cock teases with dealing with a lot more (Humanising demons and whatnot), but it doesn't really follow through.  Mostly for the opposite reasons as SMT though.  Disgaea demons are functionally just (shallow) humans, they are incredibly lacking in any truely disturbing demonic aspects to go with their human aspects (Where SMT just you know stops having plot at that point).
« Last Edit: November 08, 2008, 04:19:14 PM by Grefter »
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Re: What Games Are You Playing: 2008
« Reply #4374 on: November 08, 2008, 05:20:57 PM »
Loco Roco: 100%'d.  Or...100% of the stuff you can see from the stage selection screen (there's some berry counts I didn't max out, but they don't display those).  Remarkably little reward; a text notice for "you got all the Mui-Muis", but nothing for completing all the time trials or 20ing all the population counts.  This makes the changed stage select screen for Warioland: Shake It look lavish by comparison.