Pentiment! Pentiment! Pentiment!
-
Welcome to Talking Time's third iteration! If you would like to register for an account, or have already registered but have not yet been confirmed, please read the following:
- The CAPTCHA key's answer is "Percy"
- Once you've completed the registration process please email us from the email you used for registration at percyreghelper@gmail.com and include the username you used for registration
Once you have completed these steps, Moderation Staff will be able to get your account approved.
“I Just Think They're Neat.” Like What You are Playing
- Thread starter Becksworth
- Start date
Coming across videos about Alex Thach breaking every Tetris world record got me wanting to play some Tetris, and I tried Tetris Effect for the first time. It's a lot of fun because it's still Tetris, the classic video game we all know and love.
But, specifically, the online multiplayer co-op vs AI mode is transcendent. I'm kind of shocked I didn't hear more about this. I remember hearing good things about the game, but I didn't know there was a mode where you made up a team of 3 making lines to fill up meter while dealing with a bunch of weird temporary effects (really big pieces, you can only drop pieces in certain parts of the field, they turn your field upside down inevitably creating a really bad situation, you can't rotate blocks, etc), and then when you fill the meter the game combines all 3 players' boards into one and you communally make a bunch of huge lines that send garbage blocks to the the AI opponent. It's such an inspired idea.
I usually hate most additions to Tetris because they feel too busy, but this adds just the right amount to switch things up while always still feeling like you're just playing Tetris. And the interplay being playing alone being extra difficult because of the various gimmicks and then it getting easier than normal once you combine with the other two players on one big board has a great rhythm too it. When you get into a flow state with the other players, it's incredibly satisfying.
But, specifically, the online multiplayer co-op vs AI mode is transcendent. I'm kind of shocked I didn't hear more about this. I remember hearing good things about the game, but I didn't know there was a mode where you made up a team of 3 making lines to fill up meter while dealing with a bunch of weird temporary effects (really big pieces, you can only drop pieces in certain parts of the field, they turn your field upside down inevitably creating a really bad situation, you can't rotate blocks, etc), and then when you fill the meter the game combines all 3 players' boards into one and you communally make a bunch of huge lines that send garbage blocks to the the AI opponent. It's such an inspired idea.
I usually hate most additions to Tetris because they feel too busy, but this adds just the right amount to switch things up while always still feeling like you're just playing Tetris. And the interplay being playing alone being extra difficult because of the various gimmicks and then it getting easier than normal once you combine with the other two players on one big board has a great rhythm too it. When you get into a flow state with the other players, it's incredibly satisfying.
Found a couple of real good indie games that I don’t recall ever seeing anyone else mention before in recent days.
Lords of Exile has the kind of title that immediately slips out of your brain as soon as you’re not looking directly at it, but it’s a Castlevania-em-up that leans really heavily on the Curse of the Moon games. Not as good as those two, of course, but clearly not for a lack of effort. Maybe a bit of Shadow of the Ninja for flavour. You’re a Samurai Guy (or unlockable Magic Ninja Lady) and each level you clear gives a new expanded ability like double jumps or charge attacks. Not a whole lot in terms of revisiting old levels with new abilities to unlock bonuses that I’ve seen, just more that levels get more complicated as your abilities expand. Until a VotM 3 comes along, it’ll certainly scratch that same itch.
Wall World is pretty much Roguelite Steamworld Dig, where you’re a little Baraduke looking space guy who has to mine through a planet sized wall, converting the precious ore to upgrades for either your mining gear, or your giant trawling tank, which either improves your efficiency to hollow out caves for Stuff, or else improve your survivability against the swarms of extremely hostile alien life that lives on the planet, respectively. Between runs you can also use cold hard cash for more permanent upgrades because… Roguelite, y’know?
Lords of Exile has the kind of title that immediately slips out of your brain as soon as you’re not looking directly at it, but it’s a Castlevania-em-up that leans really heavily on the Curse of the Moon games. Not as good as those two, of course, but clearly not for a lack of effort. Maybe a bit of Shadow of the Ninja for flavour. You’re a Samurai Guy (or unlockable Magic Ninja Lady) and each level you clear gives a new expanded ability like double jumps or charge attacks. Not a whole lot in terms of revisiting old levels with new abilities to unlock bonuses that I’ve seen, just more that levels get more complicated as your abilities expand. Until a VotM 3 comes along, it’ll certainly scratch that same itch.
Wall World is pretty much Roguelite Steamworld Dig, where you’re a little Baraduke looking space guy who has to mine through a planet sized wall, converting the precious ore to upgrades for either your mining gear, or your giant trawling tank, which either improves your efficiency to hollow out caves for Stuff, or else improve your survivability against the swarms of extremely hostile alien life that lives on the planet, respectively. Between runs you can also use cold hard cash for more permanent upgrades because… Roguelite, y’know?
I've mentioned this to my wife a few times, since she only really likes falling-block puzzlers. But yeah, I played it with the dudes after Extra Life one year, and yeah, the co-op is sooooooooooo good. Everything about it is good, but yeah, co-op is probably the best part.
The demo for Metaphor Re:Fantazio was about 5.5 hours for me, pretty generous I felt and did get me into the experience. It wasn't a "drop everything, wow" demo like the Unicorn Overlord one was for me earlier this year, but it certainly sold me on the game where I'd been curious but unmotivated before.
A lot of fun in battles (I need to shake some P5 habits, because the small differences add up a lot), and I found the story/setting/characters to be pleasingly Radiant Historia-ish.
A lot of fun in battles (I need to shake some P5 habits, because the small differences add up a lot), and I found the story/setting/characters to be pleasingly Radiant Historia-ish.
Cult of the Lamb has entranced me. The gameplay loop of the cult management sucked me in and never let go, and the roguelike dungeon runs are light and breezy with juuuust enough tooth to be fun (playing on default medium difficulty). I've burned through the game in very short order, just a few days, though each of those days' play sessions were VERY long since I couldn't put it down. I seem to be at the end already, having unlocked pretty much everything and invited to the obvious endgame; I wonder if it has any postgame stuff.
Holy crap, holy crap
Wildermyth is so good
Holy crap
Wildermyth is so good
Holy crap
It’s literally an entirely new game with new levels (separate throwback levels), bosses, story, mechanics etc. it builds off of the strengths of frontiers and feels like it brings the boost formula to its best state yet. It also runs in Hedgehog Engine 2 like Forces & Frontiers and has a fantastic budget for cutscenes and a great sense of style.
It’s basically Sonic Generations 2. It’s an entirely new 6-7 hour bonus game tied to a remaster (it happens at the same time as Generations) and I’m not sure why but it rules. It has reimagined levels from the series, but entirely different ones from Sonic Adventure 2 and onwards.
It also includes Sonic Generations because why not.
God playing 6+ minute long boost levels that feel really involved mechanically and level design wise is so refreshing. This feels like what a sequel to Unleashed should have been.
Kind of! I dont know how long bowsers fury is. But this is only a little bit shorter than actual Sonic Generations which is impressive.
I initially expected, here’s a small mini game with a zone or two, not one with enough zones and content to rival the game that it was packaged with.
I initially expected, here’s a small mini game with a zone or two, not one with enough zones and content to rival the game that it was packaged with.
I also spent a few hours playing Deus Ex’s PS2 port on PCSX2 with a 60fps patch, 300% cpu overclock, fast disc loading and 128mb of memory like a devkit and I liked it! It’s not perfect but it really manages to capture the spirit of the original game, with all of its mechanics intact on PS2 despite having to cut down levels into chunks to have loading screens between parts. I do not recommend playing it on regular hardware though because it runs bad. Like 10fps tier bad.
Really the only reason why I’d recommend it is if you wanted to play the game and couldn’t play m+kb like me post carpal tunnel surgery. I also think it works very well on my crt monitor like that, but so did the PC version.
Really the only reason why I’d recommend it is if you wanted to play the game and couldn’t play m+kb like me post carpal tunnel surgery. I also think it works very well on my crt monitor like that, but so did the PC version.
Last edited:
Just finished a runthrough of Rogue Flight, with the Bad Ending since I'm quite certain this is one of those "You literally can't get a Good Ending until you've beaten the game several times" situations.
First off, holy crap, this rocks.
It's built like a Star Fox but with some concessions to Afterburner and, surprisingly, Air Diver (a game I didn't think anyone besides me remembers); levels aren't of a fixed length, but just last until you've shot down enough enemies ; with formations and other obstacles changing up as you hit certain thresholds. When enough enemies have been downed, a boss fight breaks out and they're... typical of a Star Fox game; trying to figure out what you're supposed to target while also dealing with a fusillade of bullets flying at you so thick you can't see the background around them.
There's branching paths, though not many and apparently a New Game Plus (started the second loop and the first level was different), didn't play beyond that yet. And each time a run ends you earn points that can unlock upgrades. But you can only equip one bespoke ability per slot so it's not a linear thing. That seems to be tied to getting the Good Ending.
Game runs at a solid 60FPS on Switch, which I actually had to knock down a bit because the game was *way* too frantic at full speed. Little bit of pop-in, but not anything that affects gameplay. Kind of wish there was an Auto Fire, because there's no reason to not be holding down the Shoot Stuff button the entire time you're playing and that is a quick recipe for a hand cramp.
First off, holy crap, this rocks.
It's built like a Star Fox but with some concessions to Afterburner and, surprisingly, Air Diver (a game I didn't think anyone besides me remembers); levels aren't of a fixed length, but just last until you've shot down enough enemies ; with formations and other obstacles changing up as you hit certain thresholds. When enough enemies have been downed, a boss fight breaks out and they're... typical of a Star Fox game; trying to figure out what you're supposed to target while also dealing with a fusillade of bullets flying at you so thick you can't see the background around them.
There's branching paths, though not many and apparently a New Game Plus (started the second loop and the first level was different), didn't play beyond that yet. And each time a run ends you earn points that can unlock upgrades. But you can only equip one bespoke ability per slot so it's not a linear thing. That seems to be tied to getting the Good Ending.
Game runs at a solid 60FPS on Switch, which I actually had to knock down a bit because the game was *way* too frantic at full speed. Little bit of pop-in, but not anything that affects gameplay. Kind of wish there was an Auto Fire, because there's no reason to not be holding down the Shoot Stuff button the entire time you're playing and that is a quick recipe for a hand cramp.
In a hilarious turn of events I’m now playing Deus Ex’s PC version with a steam controller instead. I just got sick of all of the loading screens and enemies immediately waiting for you when you go through a loading screen.
I think I’m liking this more now though. Or at the very least I put like 3 hours into it tonight without meaning to, whoops!
I think I’m liking this more now though. Or at the very least I put like 3 hours into it tonight without meaning to, whoops!
R.R. Bigman
Coolest Guy
Mario & Luigi: Brothership has been a fun time so far. I’m three and a half hours in and the only thing I don’t like is the terrible, terrible performance. Oh, it’s bad. People are not lying.
That said, everything else is good enough that I power through it. The first boss fight was great and I finally have attained a Bros. Move!
That said, everything else is good enough that I power through it. The first boss fight was great and I finally have attained a Bros. Move!
Finished Deus Ex, and have been meaning to write something larger scope to sum up my feelings on the game? Will do that soon.
Started Atelier Sophie over the last two days and it's been amazing? There's something incredibly specific about the way that the game scratches an itch for me gameplay wise that rules. It's probably just that I find that its gameplay and crafting loop is forgiving enough to be kind to me hyperfocusing with ADHD on my meds, but open enough that it rewards for me getting incredibly distracted and just doing random things instead of main tasks. It's incredible.
Started Atelier Sophie over the last two days and it's been amazing? There's something incredibly specific about the way that the game scratches an itch for me gameplay wise that rules. It's probably just that I find that its gameplay and crafting loop is forgiving enough to be kind to me hyperfocusing with ADHD on my meds, but open enough that it rewards for me getting incredibly distracted and just doing random things instead of main tasks. It's incredible.
Issun
(He/Him)
Looking forward to it! Deus Ex is a game I've always meant to get around to and would appreciate some extra encouragement.
Deus Ex is pretty good...so long as you know not to take it too seriously and just treat it as a fun spy thriller esque FPS RPG with some occasionally profound musings. Graphically it hasn't aged very well, but that's par for the course, especially for shooters of the era.
Yeah, I think this is the best way to approach it, and how I'd really recommend it going in.
I think that its graphics were actually surprisingly impressive on my playthrough. I played it on my CRT monitor at 800x600 @ 110hz and I was impressed with how striking it looked at times (and how it seemed like they used a clever combinations of angles & shadows to make it far harder to notice the mouth movements being the way they are on a CRT lol. But I also recognize that I am a particular kind of person who's obsessed with old CRT tech lol.
I did write a huge Deus Ex writeup, but sadly I've deleted it. I just felt like it wasn't really to the quality that I'd like to have written, and was very messy. I'll write something better later when I'm able to do so with less pain from carpal tunnel surgery recovery. Sorry @Issun, I just think what I wrote wasn't the best post, and I kinda just jumped between 50 different topics back and forth.
On another note: Atelier Sophie is continuing! I loved this game! Now I'm almost twenty hours in and I'm not sure if I love it anymore, sadly. It's neat, it's a cool game and I'm having fun with it, but it also feels like it's just...stretching things out at this point. I feel like I'm at the mercy of RNG for events to advance the game, and that sucks.
On another note: Atelier Sophie is continuing! I loved this game! Now I'm almost twenty hours in and I'm not sure if I love it anymore, sadly. It's neat, it's a cool game and I'm having fun with it, but it also feels like it's just...stretching things out at this point. I feel like I'm at the mercy of RNG for events to advance the game, and that sucks.
Last edited:
If, like me, you bought a new gaming PC a couple months ago, you too can enjoy STALKER 2 on high settings without much trouble.
After @MCBanjoMike recommended it years ago, I noticed that Dicey Dungeons was dirt cheap in the current Steam sale, so I finally picked it up. After sinking almost 10 hours into the game over the course of the weekend, I think it's safe to say I'm enjoying it. I'm seriously impressed by how much variety there is between all the characters -- there's gotta be at least 2-3 games worth of ideas in here, but somehow it all feels cohesive. I've completed runs with every character so far, and done the next two episodes with the Warrior as well. I predict this one's going to take up a lot of my gaming time in December.
My only complaint is that the game keeps using the word "dice" to mean a singular die, and I'm over here like really, nobody fixed this in playtesting, or the five years the game's been released? That's just basic-ass grammar, dude.
My only complaint is that the game keeps using the word "dice" to mean a singular die, and I'm over here like really, nobody fixed this in playtesting, or the five years the game's been released? That's just basic-ass grammar, dude.
Violentvixen
(She/Her)
This drove me crazy when I played the game too. I only played a little through Steam library sharing and it didn't click for me for whatever reason but I also just never got over this.
Given that tracks on the soundtrack have names like "Prepare to Dice" and "No Time to Dice", I'm pretty sure this was done intentionally to mess with people!
But I'm glad you're enjoying it, I think it's a super cool game. The later episodes can occasionally get frustrating, but I have to admire just how much variety there is between all of the different modifiers. There are even some bonus holiday-themed episodes, some of which have completely new mechanics! It's a heck of a game.
But I'm glad you're enjoying it, I think it's a super cool game. The later episodes can occasionally get frustrating, but I have to admire just how much variety there is between all of the different modifiers. There are even some bonus holiday-themed episodes, some of which have completely new mechanics! It's a heck of a game.
Becksworth
Aging Hipster Dragon Dad
Been sleeping on Environmental Station Alpha, a Metroid ass Metroidvania by the Baba is You guy, for almost a decade now, and it seems pretty solid at first play.
Like I mentioned in my thread, I've been playing Illusion of Gaia, and have apparently reached its two-thirds mark. My thoughts on it are complicated, to say the least, but I will certainly say that it is a Good Game, with capital Gs. It takes a fairly long while to get going, its difficulty is all over the place, and its English translation is very rough, but, at its heart, it is a very sincere game with a very genuine and intriguing drive that propels it forward. It tries a lot of cool things, and is successful at enough of them that many of its missteps are easily overlooked. Certainly, it captures the spirit of adventure, of unravelling long lost secrets of multiple cultures, and of discovering the dark side of humanity. My opinion may yet change, but for now, I feel confident in saying that if you can look past the aforementioned issues, you'll certainly have a great time.