I have been playing Diablo on Switch and it's amazing, I had it for the 360 and Xbox one and never really got into it, but I play it for about 40 minutes before bed at the moment and it's perfect for that sort of destress and turn your brain off gaming.
I've tried Diablo 3 several times and I always get fed up with it somewhere in the second Act. I can see why people like it but I just find it too repetitive and it's way too easy even on the hardest setting available to you (at least until you've finished the story). Also the story and acting is absolutely dreadful and although I know the story isn't remotely the point it's a shame it has to be quite this bad.
By all accounts the end-game rifts and adventure mode bits are much more engaging but I've never had the patience to slog through the story to get to them. Apparently they're open from the start on the Switch version at least.
Play
With Sekiro out tomorrow I decided that I would play Bloodborne instead as I don't tend to buy games day one (I think this gen it's only been Monster Hunter World and Overwatch) and I've had Alastor watching me stream. I'm actually really enjoying myself and having information drip fed to me has added to that as he's not spoilt anything, although when he mentions things like "parry bluffs" (I think that was it) I'm left really confused. Action games definetly aren't my forte!
'Parriy Dummies' lol, just a name for those two trolls near the bridge because when farming them for blood vials I used to them practice the parry (I think this game calls it a riposte but I'll stick to parry tbh) because you need to shoot enemies before the attack is about to hit you to make them stumble, then you attack from the front to do a powerful stabbing animation (called Visceral Attack???). They're so close to a save point too it didn't matter if you died. I don't wanna' confuse you, but honestly the guns seem kinda' useless without knowing that mechanic at least so I thought I should say something. It's also a very huge risk/reward so I don't generally use it. (hard not to feel like a complete fucking badass when you do it though)
I actually kinda' want Sekiro, it's a lot different than I expected it to be. No levels (so no grinding but also no builds personal to your needs), no gear (so you'll always feel like you have everything you need, but can't switch it up) and there's stealth and shit. It looks like Dark Souls mixed with Tenchu and a sprinkle of Ninja Gaiden 2 (rip) so I gotta' give em' props for managing to make something different, it still has that whole 'you are going to die a lot' but IMO didn't look nearly as oppressive as any prior game they have made.
I've seen a few people on stream playing Sekiro and I'm extremely intrigued, despite not getting along with the Souls games at all and appreciating but not enjoying Bloodborne. I suspect it looks easier than I would actually find it because the people playing are more competent at these kinds of games than I could ever hope to be.
Yeah, I'm sure it's still hard, but unless I'm missing something, the whole 'getting ganked by a mob' or even one guy surprising you and melting your health bar factor doesn't seem as strong, either because you can stealth kill now or your guy seems sturdier? I was watching a stream of a dude who survived 2-3 grabs that look like they would one shot a Dark Souls character. (I guess 'looks like' means nothing but hey).
And another thing I want this game for is the setting, I still prefer the Knights and Castles of Dark Souls, but after 3 games this is a nice change and it looks well made. I saw one guy who looked like he was mildy depressed, every other NPC seemed okay and this show show less gloom and doom the world setting for Sekiro is frm what I could tell.
'Parriy Dummies' lol, just a name for those two trolls near the bridge because when farming them for blood vials I used to them practice the parry (I think this game calls it a riposte but I'll stick to parry tbh) because you need to shoot enemies before the attack is about to hit you to make them stumble, then you attack from the front to do a powerful stabbing animation (called Visceral Attack???). They're so close to a save point too it didn't matter if you died. I don't wanna' confuse you, but honestly the guns seem kinda' useless without knowing that mechanic at least so I thought I should say something. It's also a very huge risk/reward so I don't generally use it. (hard not to feel like a complete fucking badass when you do it though)
Oh, I think that makes sense, I don't think the game ever teaches you these things though does it?
I haven’t played Dark Souls but I have played Bloodborne, Demon Souls and Hollow Knight, and they all have one thing in common: I love the world-building, the careful exploration and the way you map things out in your head as you go, the constant sense of risk. I hate the bosses and particularly the way you have to trudge back from a save point and/or farm for healing items every time you want another go. It always pushes me away from these games in the end.
Oh, I think that makes sense, I don't think the game ever teaches you these things though does it?
Unless there's a message left by the devs on the ground amidst the player made ones (a thing they did in every game) that says it, I don't remember.
This is what it looks like.
So…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……….
I got Sekiro.
So far, I knew it'd be different to Souls games but man, so far the only thing that makes me think it's a Souls game is the movement. It feels like way more Tenchu than Dark Souls so far, but with actual combat, which in itself feels different to Souls and Bloodborne, Souls was about caution, every swing you took had the weight of your life on it, Bloodborne encouraged aggression. Sekiro falls somewhere in both camps, a main mechanic is unbalancing an enemies guard through parries or repeated attacks on their guard to get an 'execute/finish'. So even if you don't deplete their health you can still kill them and despite being outnumbered I've never been stunlocked to death yet by a mob so it's not like combat is a consequence of failing stealth, nor should you just steam into a whole group.
Even dying is different, you get a one time ressurect (I don't know the lore reason, I either missed it or it's not said it yet) or you can choose to just die (I never ressurect because I'm suspicious of the fact that you can choose) and you don't get a puddle to reclaim at the spot of your death, you just lose some EXP and Gold which might end up being more harsh later on…but it's still different.
Early days but it's not hard at all yet, and again, it doesn't really feel like Souls to me. I like it.
WANT
A job at Nintendo
Got it. That's me away then. 
WANT
A job at NintendoGot it. That's me away then.
Congratulations!
Congratulations Mart!
SHINE JOB GET!
If you don’t bound back into the office on your first day going “IT’S A-ME, MARTIO!” then I don’t know what the point even is.
Congratulations!
Congratulations Mart - pleased for you!
Codegratulations mart! I code you enjoy your new code. Job. What?
Mart can't get us codes at Nintendo, they are a hardware manufacturer.
Can I get a new 3DS?
Don't tell mart what he can and can't do. Typical Brian. I don't think he should get any codes or 3DSes.
Really enjoying Sekiro now, potentially the best Souls game? Then again, Dark Souls is so good. >_<
They've done such a good job making this feel different to Bloodborne/Dark Souls, and they did a good job of making those two feel different to each other, it makes you realise that making Dark Souls 2 and 3 are kinda…pointless games? It's why I don't care for a sequel to Bloodborne, I don't even care for a sequel to Sekiro…I want to see what new game they make after this, why pin them down to sequels when they've shown what they can make when they start afresh?
Dark Souls - Bloodborne - Sekiro = The Holy Trinity. 
Don't forget Demons Souls, the fanboys'll get ya ( Ive not played Demons)
Additional Play: Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition. I said I wouldn't triple-dip on this, but honestly it's one of my favourite games of all time, and I don't regret buying this at all. I've put loads of time into both the Wii U and 3DS versions and loved them both; this has all the content from both versions, plus all the DLC, plus some extra bits, plus some rebalancing here and there, and it's great. Maybe this time I'll see out the thousands of hours in the various Adventure Mode maps.
Technically it's a bit shonky though. It looks very last-gen, which is fair enough (that's exactly what it is) but the unlocked framerate is all over the place, I know the Switch is hardly a powerhouse but I can't help feeling it could have done better than this. Worse, the handheld mode is bordering on unplayable: for reasons entirely unknown, the game still runs at the exact same 1080p resolution in handheld (supersampling for the 720p screen) so the performance is really pretty bad and some of the tiny text is bordering on illegible. It's bizarre really because they did SUCH a good job with the 3DS port, but this is definitely a quick and dirty conversion for $$$.
So, one to play on the big screen then. I'm not complaining, well maybe I am just a little bit, but it's still Hyrule Warriors and that's good enough for me.
Mart can't get us codes at Nintendo, they are a hardware manufacturer.
Can I get a new 3DS?
There are no codes. There IS an employee shop where I get a discount though.
Congrats Mart. Can you say what the role is?
Additional play from me - Advance Wars 2, finally sorted my game room out and found my GBA SP. Forgot what a great device this was and how brilliant Advance wars were. I think I preferred this to the DS versions. Been having a look at the backlit GBAs although not sure if this is a fad that will pass, or if I'd use one of them. As they seem to all be £100 plus.
GBA Micros are crazy expensive, but GBA SPs are about £30. Or you can play your GBA carts in early models of the DS.
Advance Wars is fantastic. Days of Ruin is the best one IMO.
I never clicked with an Advance Wars game like I did with the first; hundreds of hours lost playing until my hands went numb from holding up the GBA.
GBA Micros are crazy expensive, but GBA SPs are about £30. Or you can play your GBA carts in early models of the DS.
Advance Wars is fantastic. Days of Ruin is the best one IMO.
Talking about these though: https://retrosix.co.uk/gameboy-advance/modern-gameboy-advance-superfamicom-edition
It's a version of the superior shaped GBA advance original, but with a new backlit screen, new buttons, shell and cleaned up and restored board. My mate has a Micro and whilst it's a lovely bit of kit they are far too small for my liking.
Talking about these though: https://retrosix.co.uk/gameboy-advance/modern-gameboy-advance-superfamicom-edition
OK, I want one.
Wasn't that company but saw something similar at the Doncaster games market last month, and it really does look special. The screen is so vibrant.
You live in Doncaster?
Sheffield. So Donny is only like 30 mins.
Congrats Mart. Can you say what the role is?
My old job, only more; before, we just wrote all the online English content for the website/email newsletters before the localisation team translated it into all the other EU languages. But now we also do all the social media, scripts for Directs and some marketing content as well. Bigger team too, there was only five of us before and now I'm number nine. Busy busy.
I love my GB Micro. Keep meaning to splash out on an Everdrive so I can put all the games I want to play in one place. I've got a Famicom SP and a Spice GBA that I had modded with a backlight too… might have to dig those out, I fancy playing on a bigger screen. You're right, the Micro is lovely but just way too small (and can't be used with the GC link cable!).
triple-dip
Please dont bring that sort of language here
Additional Play
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
I'm not far in yet, having only just beaten what I think is the first "proper" boss, but it's already safe to say that this is a very, very good game. It's very much a Soulsborne by way of Tenchu, with all the usual trappings that entails; it's punishing but fair, and wonderfully designed and realised, while still maintaining that slight hint of shonk that I find adds charm to the From Software experience.
I have mild reservations, in that I didn't feel entirely responsible for some of my struggles early on/with that first boss, and the setting hasn't totally grabbed me yet, but it's very early days, and the good vastly outweighs the bad. I mean, I've only found/had my arse handed to me by one optional boss I'm clearly not ready for yet, so I can have only scratched the surface…
Congrats Mart. Can you say what the role is?
My old job, only more; before, we just wrote all the online English content for the website/email newsletters before the localisation team translated it into all the other EU languages. But now we also do all the social media, scripts for Directs and some marketing content as well. Bigger team too, there was only five of us before and now I'm number nine. Busy busy.
I love my GB Micro. Keep meaning to splash out on an Everdrive so I can put all the games I want to play in one place. I've got a Famicom SP and a Spice GBA that I had modded with a backlight too… might have to dig those out, I fancy playing on a bigger screen. You're right, the Micro is lovely but just way too small (and can't be used with the GC link cable!).
Nice Mart. Would you ever be allowed to share any of the scripts or social media plans after they've been used or delivered? That would be useful for the A-level unit I teach on advertising and social media. Which is difficult to teach to kids who aren't allowed on social media ( and have never played video games) as I can find very little about that sort of online marketing plans.
Unlikely, sorry.
No worries. I suspected as much but always pushing that educational agenda.
Started Leon's scenario in the Resident Evil 2 Remake, so far pretty similar, except this time I got a massive handgun clip and a Shotgun that is surprisingly not great, even without the comparison to Claire's Grenade Launcher. All that isn't important though, what is, is that I bought the classic Resi sound effect/music dlc and unlocked Leon's classic RCPD suit from the PS1 version of Resident Evil 2 through in-game acheivments. Whacked them both on and..just like that, in the intro with you making your way to the Police Station I'm hit with a wave of potent nostalgia, as if I couldn't love this masterpiece any more.
The funny thing is, I could take this a step beyond and use the (free) PS1 Polygonal model costumes that makes Leon/Claire look like their old PS1 model (obviously it's not 1:1). The game just has a crazy amount of replay value, can't overstate enough how amazing this game is.
Additional PLAY:
Spider-Man - Started this since so many others here are also playing it, plus I'm playing alongside my girlfriend (she's also playing it on her PS4, we're talking online as we play). It's… okay? Very pretty. Quite messy in terms of gameplay. As has already been said, it does throw a fairly bewildering amount of things at you from the off and I've died a couple of times in silly places (during the tutorial fight with Fisk, during a randomly generated thug mission because one guy just kept punching me to pieces). It's not Batman, but then maybe that's my problem in that I'm trying to play it like Batman. The fact you can whizz around like mad and still retain your combo - I think, doesn't it only stop if you get hit? - is what's catching me out, because it's very much about dodging whenever the Spider Sense thing pops up and then fighting back, not just wading in to cause damage. I'll get the hang of it.
I can see it being the exact map icon-fest that has already been mentioned, which is fine I guess. Considering that I'm already on the verge of turning the difficulty down though, I very much doubt I'll get all the trophies since the New Game+ ones asking for completion on Ultimate can get stuffed. Platinum's easy enough though, so that'll do.
(My girlfriend's already on the verge of quitting it though, since she's not enjoying it at all… if she does, this goes on hold since I said we'd move on together)
EDIT: OH SHIT I just realised it's time for the Mortal Kombat 11 beta. Starts at 3pm, ends Monday. Add that to my PLAY list until the real thing comes out near the end of April.
WANT
A job at NintendoGot it. That's me away then.
Congratulations!
Play: Not The Order 1886. Strangely, although I was kind of impressed by the look of the game I've kind of bounced off it and onto Hollow Knight. Something about the mediocrity of the Order moved me to fire up Hollow Knight and I've dropped about 10 hours into it over the last 3-4 days. I'm going to play more of the Order, I'm about a third of the way in, but knowing it's short and fairly easy I've put it in reserve for those times when I can't really be arsed.
Hollow Knight has taken a bit of time for me to warm to, I've been dipping in and out since last November, but I've really dug into it since last weekend. I'm really enjoying it, I know there were some grumbles about difficulty and back tracking but I've not found it to be too bad. I got a trophy for opening half of the stag transports last night and have found getting around the map pretty straight forward. Do have a nagging feeling that I should be buying & using map pins but so far so good. I'm at the Mantis boss and can't wait to play more.
Saying that when I got to the boss fight with Hornet I was stuck for a long time so this might be a preemptive bout of enthusiasm followed by a swift drop off in playing.
To keep Mart in employment I went out and bought Breath Of the Wild.
I did have Ocarina of Time on the 3DS - but didn’t get on with it. So this is the first time I’ve really played with Link. I only managed an hour tonight, but it is beautiful - and feels like something I will get my teeth into.
To keep Mart in employment I went out and bought Breath Of the Wild.
This is forum policy now.
Additional PLAY
Mortal Kombat 11 - The beta's out! It's very pretty. The slow-motion stuff seems to have been made excessive and I can't quite work out how it triggers… it seems to be linked to powerful attacks performed as counters, but I can't be sure. The new mechanics will take a little time to adjust to. I like the customisation options that now allow you to effectively build your own move set, rather than use pre-configured ones. Every bastard is playing as Jade, which is bloody annoying and I haven't won a match yet. It's Mortal Kombat. Yeah.
Pixel Puzzle Collection - Konami have released a Picross game on mobile. Knowing them, it'll be jammed with ads and IAPs for unlocking new puzzles, but hey… it's Picross! So that's nice.
Xenon Racer - Got a free code for this, since I did some consultancy on it before RSG decided not to sign it. It's basically a Poundland version of Ridge Racer… and since I was the one who said 'Look, Ridge Racer isn't a thing any more, just steal all their ideas', they pretty much ran with it. It's not great. But it's okay. I suspect I'll play it to get the trophies, though the emphasis on online racing rewards seems to suggest it'll be impossible to earn if no fucker buys it. We'll see.
Additional BIN:
Spider-Man - For now. Not feeling it at all, and not going to waste time trying to.
Anyone else here played Outward? My FLGS sold it to me as a cross between Skyrim and Dark Souls. It has split screen! Youtube lol makes it look interesting.
Anyone else here played Outward? My FLGS sold it to me as a cross between Skyrim and Dark Souls. It has split screen! Youtube lol makes it look interesting.
Never heard of it. Video link?
Pixel Puzzle Collection - Konami have released a Picross game on mobile. Knowing them, it'll be jammed with ads and IAPs for unlocking new puzzles, but hey… it's Picross! So that's nice.
I haven't seen any ads yet, which is odd for a Konami mobile title, and I'm not seeing any IAPs. Playing unlocks images in the gallery, which then unlock new modes as you increase the percentage completed… I'm up to 4%, which unlocked the Boss puzzle mode, which is basically Macross (big puzzles made up of smaller ones). That has a cooldown timer though, so you can only complete one puzzle every three hours - given it's a mobile game, I'm okay with that! Means you can't burn through it. There's one more mode to unlock at the 8% mark, so I'll crack on with that. Given it warns of ads in the Play Store though and it's a free game, I'm not sure where they are. It does keep pestering me for feedback/a review every so often though, but I can live with that.
Anyone else here played Outward? My FLGS sold it to me as a cross between Skyrim and Dark Souls. It has split screen! Youtube lol makes it look interesting.
Never heard of it. Video link?
Pfft. Looks crap, like they just stole the design from Google. I'll pass.
Dear reader. I bought it.
It sort of looks shit - but splitscreen Skyrim? I mean, I guess it could be good right? And the owner of the store (who admittedly was trying to sell me shit) says it's brilliant.
Good luck!
Xenon Racer - Got a free code for this, since I did some consultancy on it before RSG decided not to sign it. It's basically a Poundland version of Ridge Racer… and since I was the one who said 'Look, Ridge Racer isn't a thing any more, just steal all their ideas', they pretty much ran with it. It's not great. But it's okay. I suspect I'll play it to get the trophies, though the emphasis on online racing rewards seems to suggest it'll be impossible to earn if no fucker buys it. We'll see.
Browsing through the Switch eShop this afternoon and it's FORTY-FIVE FUCKING QUID. That's a pretty bold statement for a "not great but it's okay" Ridge Racer clone.
Ouch on Xenon Racer, doesn't look like £45 worth of racing game. Especially when Dangerous Driving is out on the 9th and is £25 (on PS4) and is basically Burnout (and made by Alex Ward of Burnout)