Video games and gaming

[WDFORTE]

I've started playing Diablo III, the free trial version, ends after you kill the Skeleton King.  Seems OK, Diablo IV out next month, might buy that.

[Problem Child]

There are actually 4 endings if you include the ending where you choose to follow the Iron Code when talking to Shinobi Owl. All are needed for platinum. You can get 3 endings in one playthrough by backing up your save just before you decide what to do with the Divine Tears so that is what I did. I like the game but I don't want to play the whole thing again just to see a different 5 minute cutscene. I did the same with Bloodborne. If you follow the Iron Code you have to fight Emma (the lady in Kuro's room who also upgrades your health) and a different version of Isshin. Emma is VERY quick and took me a few goes to beat but Isshin was easy enough.

So there is, been a while since I played it. I was thinking of the iron code ending and 2 (not3) when you do the whole game. I did the iron code on NG+3 so took a while..loved how wolf almost holds Emma tenderly as she dies. Thanks a lot dad ya fucking dick!!

I’ve prob played thru BB dozens of times. One of the things I love about BB  is that the *bad* ending is actually the best ending for your character. Accept your fate, do what your told and you can escape the nightmare. Ignorance is bliss..however, pry too much or get ideas above your station then the EVIL doll will trap you in the dream or turn you into a giant slug..
Also love how the ignorance is bliss theme runs thru the game with things like having more insight making the game significantly harder..

[Rick2468]

So there is, been a while since I played it. I was thinking of the iron code ending and 2 (not3) when you do the whole game. I did the iron code on NG+3 so took a while..loved how wolf almost holds Emma tenderly as she dies. Thanks a lot dad ya fucking dick!!

I’ve prob played thru BB dozens of times. One of the things I love about BB  is that the *bad* ending is actually the best ending for your character. Accept your fate, do what your told and you can escape the nightmare. Ignorance is bliss..however, pry too much or get ideas above your station then the EVIL doll will trap you in the dream or turn you into a giant slug..
Also love how the ignorance is bliss theme runs thru the game with things like having more insight making the game significantly harder..

Bloodborne was incredible and I think it is my favourite Souls game I've played so far. I've play Bloodborne, Dark Souls 2, Dark Souls 3 and Sekiro so far. I liked Dark Souls 2 a lot as well and that is probably my second favourite even though I get the impression that it is the least liked game of the series. I am thinking of playing through it again even though I only played it last summer.

I stuck some solid hours into Skyrim over the weekend and I am loving it. I played Oblivion to death when it came out and walking around the glorious towns is giving me some serious nostalgia. The combat is noticeably poor compared to games like Witcher 3 but I think combat is secondary in a game like this. I thought I would miss Sekiro after finishing it and I guess I do but Skyrim is completely taking my mind off it. I focused on the main quests and after checking a guide I saw I was nearly halfway through the story based on number of missions so I decided to sidetrack and do the Imperial Army missions.

I did play Skyrim a bit on PS3 about 10 years ago but I don't remember much about it. I remember the opening scene with the dragon and getting into a drinking contest in a side mission. Thing is I remember I was in a bit down in the dumps 10 years ago after a bad break up and was drinking 6 Stella a night whilst playing games like Skyrim and it probably impacted my memory more than I realised. I checked the trophies I got on the PS3 version and it looks like I was playing for over a month so more than I remember.

My Skyrim character is an Argonian called Oleed-Ei Xercles (I used an online character name generator and I liked this one). My Oblivion character from my 2006 was a blue elf with long hair which I thought looked really cool (this was pre Avatar release) and I wanted similar but I also wanted to do a stealth build and Argonians seemed most suitable for that. I got Oleed-Ei to say cheese so you can see what he looks like...

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[Spunky34]

I played Skyrim back on the PS3 - which was notorious for its dreadful performance compared with other platforms.  I did enjoy the game but have never wanted to go back to it - just seemed too vast and although it has been tarted up for 2 more console generations it didn’t appeal.  I’m not massively into the Elder Scrolls world either, as far as Bethesda open world games go, I prefer Fallout (although again, I don’t think I have played any of them more than once, which is quite unusual for me).  However, if you haven’t played Skyrim before then I’m sure you’ll have many happy hours with it before it’s all over.

[Matrix]

If you do pick up Skyrim, get it on pc. Mods galore and it'll run on a toaster.

[Rick2468]

I played Skyrim back on the PS3 - which was notorious for its dreadful performance compared with other platforms.  I did enjoy the game but have never wanted to go back to it - just seemed too vast and although it has been tarted up for 2 more console generations it didn’t appeal.  I’m not massively into the Elder Scrolls world either, as far as Bethesda open world games go, I prefer Fallout (although again, I don’t think I have played any of them more than once, which is quite unusual for me).  However, if you haven’t played Skyrim before then I’m sure you’ll have many happy hours with it before it’s all over.

I much prefer the Fallout universe over Elder Scrolls. The Fallout setting is great and even though you spend a lot of the game trekking over sparse empty spaces I am always on edge that I could be attacked by a mutant wolf, a sniper or just run into some heavy radiation. I really liked the V.A.T.S. system and I would always strategically try to get into spots where I could get a high % chance of a head shot. Fallout 4 had a lot more ambush situations where you had to fight multiple enemies in a small room which did not suit my play style so I didn't enjoy that so much. It's sad that it doesn't look like there will be a "proper" Fallout game (Fallout '76 is not "proper" to me). If they rerelease FO3 or New Vegas on a modern console I will definitely play through. I spent a few years where I didn't play any games then I got a PS3 with Fallout 3 and I was amazed how far technology had come in that time and how much exploring you could do. A great game!

My Skyrim game is going well. I completed the Civil War story thread and found the missions where you had to take over forts repetitive. The enemies came at you in swarms and they would appear in thin air out of nowhere which was not immersive. I got hugely overpowered as a result of these missions so when I went back to the main quest I was cruising through the enemies. I think I might complete the main quest this week. Then I intend to do the missions for the Warrior, Thieves and Mages Guild then the Daedric missions. I will google to see if there are any other side missions worth doing. The towns and landscapes are gorgeous and even though the graphics do not compare with modern games it still looks great and I do stop from time to time to look around at the view. I aim to get the platinum so I'm keeping half an eye on not locking myself out of certain missions and backing up save games just in case.

@Matrix. I am playing on PS4 which is where I do all my gaming. I have the special edition with has the Content Club mods but I'm just playing the game with no mods. I might play around with some mods once my main game is finished.

I ordered a physical copy of Dark Souls: Remastered today, it's the first physical game I bought for over 2 years as I tend to just buy digital now. It was only £11.49 delivered which I thought was a bargain. I won't play it for a few months given I've just finished Sekiro and I like to vary the types of games I play but I will get to it one day. That means my backlog is now Skyrim + DLC, finishing Iconoclasts, and Dark Souls (once it arrives).

[Matrix]

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Also, for you fallout cats.

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[Matrix]

None of you have lived, until you've seen 50 macho-dragons attack Whiterun.

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[Spunky34]

Coming towards the end of my second play through of Elden Ring and last night I got to the rematch with Malenia, the boss who I spent hours failing to beat first time round before lucking out with finding a companion who beat her without my help.

Overall a bit of an anticlimax as I beat her on the third attempt (and the first of those I don’t really count as the fight starts straight after the introductory cutscene and places you really close to Malenia so she’s on top of you immediately - no time to use your own summon or flasks etc.  Normally you start the far side of the arena and there’s loads of time to do all that).  I won’t pretend it was particularly skilful - I am very over-levelled as I found a great rune farm that can get you about 30k runes per minute, my character build is much better suited to the fight this time (melee rather than ranged), and I had fully upgraded both my AI summon and a weapon specifically for this fight (with a weapon art I could just repeatedly spam to win).

Having beaten her it made me reflect on the difficulties I had first time round and also on some of the things I had seen before saying she’s the hardest boss that FromSoftware has ever made.  She is clearly a tough boss - hits like a truck, essentially has an unlimited healing ability, is so agile that she isn’t really viable to beat as a ranged character - but given this game’s ability for you to over-level and, if you want, to build a character specification designed to beat her, I don’t think she is as hard as Isshin, the Sword Saint from Sekiro, who isn’t really optional (unless you only want to see 1 of the 4 possible endings), and who you have to fight as the game intends - no weapon or character build trickery to help.

That said, I am still pleased to have beaten her under my own steam - it’s one reason I wanted to play the game again so soon after the first play through.  I think there’s only one other boss I need to find and then I will have all the boss battle trophies.

[Rick2468]

I am not enjoying Skyrim as much as I thought I would. It is enjoyable but given it is such an iconic game I think I set my expectations high. The story, setting, and variety of quests is great. I find the hand to hand combat very basic and boring compared with Witcher 3 and Skyrim. My theory is that because the game is effectively an RPG the fights are won or lost depending on your skills and equipment so you just mash a few buttons to play it out.

I am a stealthy melee character and my stealth skill is very high already so I can practically crouch in front of enemies and they don't see me and I have a stealth damage bonus so I take out most enemies with one hit. Bosses and ambushes are less straightforward but I have spells and potions I can use for those so I haven't struggled at any point. I can even take down dragons really easily using the Dragonrend shout. I got to similar levels of invincibility in Oblivion and the Fallout games but not until much later in the game so it was less boring. I do have the option of upping the difficulty but I think I'll stick with normal and just play through it.

I found with Skyrim that you don't specialise in certain skills and can get competent or better at all the skills if you want to. This is a good thing in one aspect as you can explore the different approaches the game offers you but it means there is always an easy way out. My speech skill is technically at the maximum with perks and equipment buffs so I can talk myself out of fights or tasks when there is an option. I have seen a few memes about Blackreach being a cool place to visit in Skyrim, I got there and I was very disappointed. I was expecting to spend 3 months on Skyrim but I wouldn't be surprised if I am done with it long before that given I've done the main quest already. My mini-review sounds more negative than what I actually feel about the game because I have focussed on what I don't like. I still find it fun to play and it is entertaining enough that I think I will finish it off.

So far I have finished the main quest, the civil war quest (sided with Imperial Army), the Warriors Guild quest (decided to keep my wearwolf ability even though I don't expect to use it) and the mages quest. I'm currently working through the Thieves Guild quests which are really fun. I think I am on course to get the platinum.

[Spunky34]

The combat in Skyrim is poor - it’s basically just mash attack until the enemy is dead, or if you get in trouble, back away in a straight line while healing, then repeat.  That’s not unique to Skyrim, it is often the case in first person RPGs where the combat isn’t intended to be the only option.  But I remember a lot of what you say from playing it years ago - I ended up as a stealthy archer (I remember a joke that eventually everyone becomes a stealth archer in Skyrim) and before too long you are killing everything in one hit as long as they have not detected you. 

I finished my second Elden Ring play through yesterday.  I now have all the trophies apart from that you need three completions minimum to get the 3 different endings, so whenever the next time I play it is, I should end up with the platinum.  The only ending I need is the default one so I won’t need to do loads of the optional areas to unlock the other endings if I don’t want to.  However, I think it will be a while until I play it again - perhaps when the DLC eventually comes out (for which there isn’t a release date yet).

Next on the list is to have a go at Paradise Killer, which I downloaded a few weeks ago but haven’t started.  I will delete Doom Eternal as I just can’t get into it.  Otherwise I think I’ll drop back into Crusader Kings which I’ve played a lot of since it came out on the console but I haven’t played since they released 2 DLC packs for it.  I really like grand strategy stuff and although the controls on console aren’t the friendliest, the developers have done a good job in adapting a game which is clearly best played with keyboard and mouse for a console. 

[Rick2468]

The combat in Skyrim is poor - it’s basically just mash attack until the enemy is dead, or if you get in trouble, back away in a straight line while healing, then repeat.  That’s not unique to Skyrim, it is often the case in first person RPGs where the combat isn’t intended to be the only option.  But I remember a lot of what you say from playing it years ago - I ended up as a stealthy archer (I remember a joke that eventually everyone becomes a stealth archer in Skyrim) and before too long you are killing everything in one hit as long as they have not detected you. 

When I played Oblivion I was an Elf and had a fireball spell. In combat I would face the enemy and walk backwards whilst casting the fireball spell and would often have to run and hide somewhere whilst my MP recharged. It was a very safe but extremely boring way of doing combat. It took about 5 times the length of time to kill an enemy as opposed to just going in with a sword.

In my Skyrim playthrough I have now done the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood quests and they were both excellent fun and my favourite quest lines so far. I especially liked The Dark Brotherhood storyline which had a strong hint of humour throughout (I attach a photo of my character Oleed with his chefs hat). I enjoyed finding a good spot to take down my targets. For one contract I saw my target under a tree so took up a spot across the river and took him out with a clean arrow. I went over to see if there was anything worth looting and realised I had taken out the wrong person....ooops but I found it funny.

I now just need to collect the Daedric Quests and then mop up a few objectives to get the platinum. I have plans for the bank holiday weekend but hope to squeeze in some sessions and will hopefully finish up the main quest by Tuesday then I'll get on to the DLC.

The new PSN sale dropped today. No must haves for me but given my backlog is low I think I will pick up GRIS and possibly "Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth". ShadowRun is also catching my eye but I'm not sure I'll like it, I think I'll watch some video reviews to try and work it out. Chained Echoes is also on sale and looks incredible but it's only 20% off so I'll wait for it to go lower. I'm not strapped for cash I just enjoy hunting out the deals I think it's part of the fun.

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[Rick2468]

I finished the main game of Skyrim and got the platinum in the early hours of this morning. I'm paying a bit for it now as I had to get up at 6am this morning for an early morning run so wanted an early night. I got to 10pm last night and thought I just needed another hour to get the remaining trophies. I ended up going to bed at just before 1am! I was literally yawning massively whilst on the run. It was fun getting the remaining bits though. After finishing all the missions I just needed to clear a couple more dungeons and get about 20 more skill books which took a bit of time.

I was also stupid as I did not work out how the level up worked. I assumed all game  that you got XP whenever you killed something or completed a mission just like Oblivion and the Fallout games. Turns out you get XP whenever you upgrade a skill. I should have worked this out much earlier when it seemed to take forever to go up one level. This meant I completed the game at level 37. I found a quick level up guide on YouTube which meant I levelled up to 50 so I could get the last trophy I needed. Might seem like cheating to some but I'm okay with it as I had done most things you could do within the game.

I had some gripes about Skyrim which I pointed out in my earlier posts and I still stand by these but overall it was a very good game to play. The developers do such a great job of building a living and breathing world with so much going on that these games are so unique. The missions were varied which kept things interesting. My main gripe is that it was too easy. I played on normal and I don't think I died more than 5 times. I was able to race through dungeons for the most part and only needed to pay attention with the bosses. I had the option of turning up the difficulty but once I started on normal I thought I would just keep going. I really hope they make a new "proper" Fallout game in the future (not like the Fallout '76 game).

I plan to play through the DLCs. I started Dawnguard before I finished the main quest as I got sidetracked. It seems a really cool questline. The controls and gameplay feel very clunky when playing as a vampire (had the same with the werewolf questline) but the concept is cool so happy with it.

I thought I was going to buy GRIS in the current PSN sale but I watched a video review and got the feeling I wouldn't like it so will hold off. The Days of Play sale is next week and I'm hoping Persona 5 Royal will be on sale so I'll think I'll hold out buying anything this time around and just try to finish Skyrim DLC and Iconoclasts by next week.

[Billy no mates]

Currently playing through The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero. I don’t believe it was released outside of Japan originally, but got a worldwide remake last year. It’s fine.

Something I noticed about my gameplay, made me smile, I wondered if others do the same thing. When I talk to a NPC, I always talk to them twice in case they say something different, then if they do say something different I have to keep talking to them until I’ve exhausted the conversation and they start repeating the same thing. The strange thing is I have literally never managed to get some unusual game breaking item of conversation that made it worthwhile.

I suppose it’s just going to be a habit like always checking behind a waterfall for a secret cave that I also do in every game.

[bj_bob]

I’m playing too many games at the mo. I start them, play them for a few weeks and then move onto something else. Currently trying out Watchdogs Legion…….I do want to go back to and play/Complete Dead Space and Callisto Protocol though 

[WDFORTE]

Currently trying out Watchdogs Legion… 

Epic epic game, best I played in a long time, also get Bloodlines the expansion.  I think that is it for the series though, no more after this, shame.

[Rick2468]

I finished off the Skyrim DLCs last week. Dragonborn was excellent, Dawnguard was decent, Hearthfire was a load of balls. Skyrim is a great game but I would have enjoyed it if it was more of a challenge. I recently played Sekiro which was difficult and it felt like every checkpoint I got to was a big achievement. In Skyrim it got too easy early on so it felt like I was just travelling from checkpoint to checkpoint to carry out the objectives, which was still fun but no challenge. I only died about 5 times during my whole playthrough. I played on normal difficulty and if I played again I would ramp it up to hard but not legendary as I don't want to lose the ability to fast travel as the games missions do ping you about the map relentlessly.

With Skyrim done I was down to 2 games on the back log. Dark Souls: Remastered and Iconoclasts. I am looking forward to playing DS:R but since I recently finished Sekiro I am going to take a break and play DS:R later in the year. I part completed Iconoclasts but it wasn't great, I still want to give it another go but I wouldn't be surprised if I dropped it.

I decided to buy Hades in the sale and managed to get 10 runs in yesterday. I'm still learning the game but I think it will be great fun. I loved Enter the Gungeon and I think Hades will be similar. I find these games a bit stressful at first whilst I work out what I need to do and what upgrades are permanent but I think I've worked a lot out. I managed to beat the second floor boss in my last run last night. I'm not concerned about how far I get in each run at the moment as I am just concentrating on keys, darkness and nectar at the moment so I can buy permanent buffs from the base camp as they look like they are going to make the game much easier. The game looks very nicely polished, the animation is top notch. Alas I'm going out on a hike with my gf today as otherwise I'd love to get a bunch of more runs in on Hades but will have to wait for next week.

[Spunky34]

I decided to buy Hades in the sale and managed to get 10 runs in yesterday. I'm still learning the game but I think it will be great fun. I loved Enter the Gungeon and I think Hades will be similar. I find these games a bit stressful at first whilst I work out what I need to do and what upgrades are permanent but I think I've worked a lot out. I managed to beat the second floor boss in my last run last night. I'm not concerned about how far I get in each run at the moment as I am just concentrating on keys, darkness and nectar at the moment so I can buy permanent buffs from the base camp as they look like they are going to make the game much easier. The game looks very nicely polished, the animation is top notch. Alas I'm going out on a hike with my gf today as otherwise I'd love to get a bunch of more runs in on Hades but will have to wait for next week.

I think I said before that I think Hades is great - glad you’re enjoying it.  There’s also a sequel in development which I’m thoroughly looking forward to. 

I played through Paradise Killer in the last couple of weeks, which is a detective game (of sorts) with an open world setting.  It had very good reviews and I found the idea interesting but about 6 or 7 hours in I got the feeling it was going to have a hollow feeling ending (which it did).  It was also extremely dialogue-heavy but I didn’t think the writing was really particularly strong.  I’m not sure I would recommend it except as a bit of a curiosity - I certainly hadn’t played anything like it before.  I got it through my PS Plus subscription though, so didn’t have to pay extra for it, and on that basis I don’t mind trying things which I wouldn’t normally consider.

I’m currently playing Crusader Kings 3 which I do enjoy although I just get lost in it for hours on end.  I also downloaded the remaster of GTA Vice City but haven’t started it yet (and that got bad reviews for poor technical stuff when it came out, and I don’t know if these have been patched yet).   

I also noticed Company of Heroes 3 had been released - I played the first one years ago so might give it a look at some stage, but again I have heard it is quite buggy at the moment. 

[Rick2468]

I think I said before that I think Hades is great - glad you’re enjoying it.  There’s also a sequel in development which I’m thoroughly looking forward to.   

I recall you saying it was really good and I think you liked Enter The Gungeon as well so I was excited to play Hades.i got some more runs in and got to the third floor boss a few tjmes which is the bull and an archer. I can kill the bull most times but not the archer but I'm getting closer.

A question for you if you don't mind. It seems to me that with the door choices in general you can either tend to choose doors that give you temporary upgrades that maximise your chance of a successful run
.or alternatively you can target the permanent currency (darkness, nectar, keys, gems) that mean you are less likely to complete the run but you can buy permanent upgrades to help you with future runs. I am solely doing the latter at the moment. Is that unwise in any way? I think I might go for a successful run once a session as I am good with the bow so might have a chance of winning if I target he temporary boosts.

[Spunky34]

I recall you saying it was really good and I think you liked Enter The Gungeon as well so I was excited to play Hades.i got some more runs in and got to the third floor boss a few tjmes which is the bull and an archer. I can kill the bull most times but not the archer but I'm getting closer.

A question for you if you don't mind. It seems to me that with the door choices in general you can either tend to choose doors that give you temporary upgrades that maximise your chance of a successful run
.or alternatively you can target the permanent currency (darkness, nectar, keys, gems) that mean you are less likely to complete the run but you can buy permanent upgrades to help you with future runs. I am solely doing the latter at the moment. Is that unwise in any way? I think I might go for a successful run once a session as I am good with the bow so might have a chance of winning if I target he temporary boosts.

If I remember correctly, I generally prioritised things for the current run - poms of power or weapon upgrades, even gold.  However, Keys and darkness in particular are very much worth collecting as soon as you see them.  Keys unlock new weapons so I would prioritise these, and darkness unlocks permanent character upgrades.  It’s been a while since I played but nectar seemed to unlock some bits of dialogue and occasionally a quest but as time went on I found I generally had plenty of nectar if a conversation opportunity arose.  Gemstones are mostly just for cosmetics, although there are 2 or 3 upgrades that give new game mechanics.  If you just find yourself using them for a new carpet or something then you should ignore them.

Weapon wise I found the bow really difficult.  My favourite was definitely the shield.  The throwing/ricochet could be devastating in crowded rooms. 

The bull and the archer is a really good fight.  I always dealt with the bull first before spending any time on the archer at all.  Once you get the timing of his shots down it’s not too bad as long as you keep moving around the arena.

[Rick2468]

If I remember correctly, I generally prioritised things for the current run - poms of power or weapon upgrades, even gold.  However, Keys and darkness in particular are very much worth collecting as soon as you see them.  Keys unlock new weapons so I would prioritise these, and darkness unlocks permanent character upgrades.  It’s been a while since I played but nectar seemed to unlock some bits of dialogue and occasionally a quest but as time went on I found I generally had plenty of nectar if a conversation opportunity arose.  Gemstones are mostly just for cosmetics, although there are 2 or 3 upgrades that give new game mechanics.  If you just find yourself using them for a new carpet or something then you should ignore them.

Weapon wise I found the bow really difficult.  My favourite was definitely the shield.  The throwing/ricochet could be devastating in crowded rooms. 

The bull and the archer is a really good fight.  I always dealt with the bull first before spending any time on the archer at all.  Once you get the timing of his shots down it’s not too bad as long as you keep moving around the arena.

That's awesome. Thanks so much, it's fun talking through these games with you and the tips are useful.

I unlocked the last of the weapons last night I think (now have 6 in total and got a trophy for unlocking them all). You can use nectar to get keepsakes so I have been collecting those. I think you can use the exchange to swap currencies can't you? I haven't used it yet but looks like it could be useful even if the rates are not favourable.

I looked online and read that the bow is not seem as an optimal weapon but I like that I can take monsters down without getting close. It seems most people like the shield or spear. One weapon has a +20% darkness buff each run so I always select the weapon with the buff so I will hopefully get adept at all of them in time.

[Spunky34]

I looked online and read that the bow is not seem as an optimal weapon but I like that I can take monsters down without getting close. It seems most people like the shield or spear. One weapon has a +20% darkness buff each run so I always select the weapon with the buff so I will hopefully get adept at all of them in time.

I liked the shield because it’s both ranged and melee.  The thing that’s like a gun (which I think is the last weapon to unlock) can be insanely strong if you are lucky with the blacksmith upgrades during the run.  For the platinum you have to beat a run with all the different weapons anyway but once that was done I found myself using the shield most often as I was getting through the rest of the trophies (although I also liked the gauntlets). 

In respect of the currency exchange, yes, generally the exchange rates are rubbish but there’s usually one item that has very favourable rates I think.  Later on its quite a good way to get ambrosia which is hard to come by otherwise.

[Rick2468]

I liked the shield because it’s both ranged and melee.  The thing that’s like a gun (which I think is the last weapon to unlock) can be insanely strong if you are lucky with the blacksmith upgrades during the run.  For the platinum you have to beat a run with all the different weapons anyway but once that was done I found myself using the shield most often as I was getting through the rest of the trophies (although I also liked the gauntlets). 

In respect of the currency exchange, yes, generally the exchange rates are rubbish but there’s usually one item that has very favourable rates I think.  Later on its quite a good way to get ambrosia which is hard to come by otherwise.

I got my first successful escape in Hades! I was doing a run with the bow and got to the final boss with almost full health (thanks to a generous healing fountain just before the boss) and one resurrect remaining. I thought I had beaten the boss but he had a second phase, I was absolutely gutted when he stood back up to fight again as I though I had beaten him. I then got fairly close to beating his second phase but he got me first. I immediately started a second run with the bow again and concentrated on collecting boons and I beat the whole thing. The last boss was not too bad at all, I felt the biggest challenge was his huge health bar as it means you have to avoid his attacks for longer. His attacks are easy to avoid I think but given the length of the fight there is more time to mess up. I think my Dark Souls experience helped keep me patient!

It took me weeks to get my first successful run on Enter the Gungeon but only a few days in Hades so I think it is a much easier game. Maybe my experience with Gungeon helped me with Hades but I doubt it.  So far I think I prefer Enter the Gungeon but there is still plenty of time to fall in love with Hades so will see how it goes. I look forward to unlocking more challenges etc.

The new PSN sale dropped today. Promised myself I wouldn't buy anything unless Persona 5 Royal was a good price. Persona was on sale nowhere near as cheap as it has been (was 85% off last year but only 35% off today) so I am going to wait it out and not going to buy anything else until I've beaten Hades.

[WDFORTE]

Diablo IV, X box series X, horrible feeling I've just wasted the price of a good punt on a meh game.  £57 at the Asda which was better than £70 at Argos, 5 minutes in and it's boring.  I can see me shoving it on eBay to be honest.

[Spunky34]

It took me weeks to get my first successful run on Enter the Gungeon but only a few days in Hades so I think it is a much easier game. Maybe my experience with Gungeon helped me with Hades but I doubt it.  So far I think I prefer Enter the Gungeon but there is still plenty of time to fall in love with Hades so will see how it goes. I look forward to unlocking more challenges etc.

Congrats on the success.

I’d agree Hades is easier - fewer weapons to choose from and there aren’t any clunkers, the bosses are the same each time (although they can add extra mechanics to the fight as you go on), no hidden/optional floors so each run is basically the same length.  However, I think overall I enjoyed the gameplay a bit more in Hades, and I found the whole package generally more fun (obviously the graphics are great, and I enjoyed the dialogue with the other characters in the hub).  Both loads of fun though. 

Just had a quick look at the PS Store as I remembered another great game that’s often on sale - if you haven’t played it and have a spare £3.59 (at present), have a look at Darkest Dungeon.  Closest thing I’ve played to it is Slay the Spire but it’s a pretty bad comparison.  Absolutely brilliant game, and genuinely challenging. 

[Rick2468]

Congrats on the success.

I’d agree Hades is easier - fewer weapons to choose from and there aren’t any clunkers, the bosses are the same each time (although they can add extra mechanics to the fight as you go on), no hidden/optional floors so each run is basically the same length.  However, I think overall I enjoyed the gameplay a bit more in Hades, and I found the whole package generally more fun (obviously the graphics are great, and I enjoyed the dialogue with the other characters in the hub).  Both loads of fun though. 

Just had a quick look at the PS Store as I remembered another great game that’s often on sale - if you haven’t played it and have a spare £3.59 (at present), have a look at Darkest Dungeon.  Closest thing I’ve played to it is Slay the Spire but it’s a pretty bad comparison.  Absolutely brilliant game, and genuinely challenging.

I got to Hades again this evening playing with the rail gun but messed up and died. I got power ups so I could fire the special attack 3 times and it was 70% more damage so I was wiping out the rooms quickly but my aim in the Hades fight was way off and he picked me off.

I find the bosses a bit of a let down in Hades, especially compared with Gungeon. But the normal chambers are lots of fun. Sometimes choosing which door to enter is a really hard choice and I've stopped for about a minute before deciding. I am going to start hunting down the trophies for it now that I have a grip on the game. I know it will take me several runs.

I have definitely heard of Darkest Dungeon but I can't remember where from. I rotate my game types so I'll play a Souls game, a metroidvania, a JRPG, a third person shooter, a roguelike etc etc. For future roguelike games I have my eye on Cult of the Lamb, Nobody Saves the World or Deaths Door but I'll add Darkest Dungeon to the list. I must say I have played Slay the Spire and had heard great things but I didn't enjoy it much, maybe I didn't put enough time into it.

Have you played Dead Cells? It was on PS Now a few years ago so I tried it and it was really fun but super hard. I never expected to finish it but I found it a good game to play after work as I didn't really have to think about it. This was during lockdown so I was playing 3 hours of video games a night. I must have played about 200 hours on it and by the end I was really good at it and beating the game most times. It was the hardest game I ever mastered and I think it has made me better at other games in general. The developers are continuously updating new enemies into it as well although I can't play it now as I don't have PS Now any more. Which is probably a good thing as I don't want to get stuck on one game for ages I would rather try different things.

[Billy no mates]

Diablo IV, X box series X, horrible feeling I've just wasted the price of a good punt on a meh game.  £57 at the Asda which was better than £70 at Argos, 5 minutes in and it's boring.  I can see me shoving it on eBay to be honest.

I found with previous Diablo games that it’s the end game that counts, I will probably/maybe get it, but not in any rush.

I’ve just completed The Last Oricu, its fine a very good game that is middle of the road, not triple A, just clunky. May renew game pass and have a look what’s there for a month or two, I wonder if they have any surprises up their sleeve on Saturday during the stream, Forza motorsport available now would be nice.

[Spunky34]

Have you played Dead Cells? It was on PS Now a few years ago so I tried it and it was really fun but super hard. I never expected to finish it but I found it a good game to play after work as I didn't really have to think about it. This was during lockdown so I was playing 3 hours of video games a night. I must have played about 200 hours on it and by the end I was really good at it and beating the game most times. It was the hardest game I ever mastered and I think it has made me better at other games in general. The developers are continuously updating new enemies into it as well although I can't play it now as I don't have PS Now any more. Which is probably a good thing as I don't want to get stuck on one game for ages I would rather try different things.

I haven’t played Dead Cells but I know it’s supposed to be really good.  I think I’ve actually got it in my PS library as a free game from the PS Plus Extra sub.  To be honest, when it came out it was before I had had any success with soulslikes at all (until 2022 I had tried original Demon’s Souls and Bloodborne and never stuck with them after not getting to grips with the initial difficulty and getting frustrated).  However, in the last 18 months I have played and completed 4 or 5 of the well-known ones so I should maybe give it a go. 

I have a slight aversion to pixel-art style graphics in games these days (no real reason for that), which is another reason I haven’t downloaded Dead Cells.  It’s really stupid but when I see pixel art graphics it often means that if there’s anything else about a game that I don’t like then I won’t give it much of a chance.  Case in point would be Moonlighter, which I was genuinely excited to play in spite of the graphics, but when I did try it, I found that the controls seemed to have pretty bad lag, so controlling the character was not crisp.  In a better-looking game I might have stuck around and tried to get used to it, because I liked the look of a procedurally-generated dungeon crawler with a well-developed game economy and crafting system, but in the end, I didn’t really give it a chance. 

On Slay the Spire I found myself in the same place as you I think.  Played it for a bit, finished a couple of runs but then found it boring quite quickly.  Decent game but not as much fun as I had expected based on the reviews.  Think I was hoping for something more like Darkest Dungeon but the deck-building mechanic (which isn’t part of Darkest Dungeon) turned out to be the main feature.

[Rick2468]

I've been playing Hades for over a week now. I do like it but I must say I do not completely get the massive hype over this game. I am having fun but I can't see myself sinking 100 odd hours into this game. I played Enter the Gungeon a lot earlier this year which is a similar game and I loved it so I am making a lot of comparisons and Hades is coming off worse in most aspects.

- Challenge - Enter the Gungeon took me weeks to get one successful run. I have been played Hades for just over a week and I get successful runs 50% of the time. I can progress far in the game no matter what door choices I take so I tend to just go for permanent upgrade materials each time.
- Variation - Enter the Gungeon had lots of different rooms, enemies and randomised bosses on each level. Hades has the same boss on each level (sure they have slightly different attacks but that's it). Also the enemies you fight are the same in most rooms. So you have one fight with skeletons and a few mine-drones then in the next room you fight the same. Also in Gungeon I felt there were lots of stories that you kept progressing as you played, such as getting the shopkeeper's arm back by tying a balloon to it on each run until it got to the top. In Hades the stories are just dialogue driven over actions.
- Graphics and sound - ok Hades wins on this the graphics in particular are superb.

I think there is still scope for me to fall in love with it but so far I'm not quite seeing it. I am enjoying it enough to keep playing it for a while. I usually only have one game on the go at each time but perhaps Hades is a game I should play whilst taking a break from another game so I might start on Dark Souls Remastered in a few weeks and dip into Hades for the odd run here and there.

[Rick2468]

I'm still chipping away at Hades. I am not finding it a challenge to complete runs and am currently on an 8-run streak but I am finding it fun to track down the trophies. I usually look up one or two trophies I am missing and set out to get what I need over a few runs. I used to find the Theseus and Asterius boss fight tough and it would make or break my run but I've work their moves out now so I tend to beat them without getting hit. I also find the last floor a lot less challenging by playing more aggressively and getting up in the faces of the enemies - I learnt this tactic by adding a timer from the Pact of Punishment. If you can pick up an upgrade that adds damage and deflect to your dash then the run is in the bag.

I'm considering picking up a subscription to PS+. I subscribed to the previous incarnation (PS Now) for 2 years and it was great and made me play games I wouldn't normally play but there were some games I really wanted to play which never came onto the service. So I did not renew my subscription early last year and picked up a load of games I wanted to play and have got through a load of those. I think it makes sense to alternative between having 1 year of PS+ then 1 year without but will see how it goes. I only have 3 games in my backlog (including Hades) so feels a good time to do it. I might wait another month to see if I can finish off Hades and Iconoclasts.

[Billy no mates]

Renewed my game pass.

Currently enjoying power wash simulator and have downloaded a few others to try.

[Spunky34]

I'm considering picking up a subscription to PS+. I subscribed to the previous incarnation (PS Now) for 2 years and it was great and made me play games I wouldn't normally play but there were some games I really wanted to play which never came onto the service. So I did not renew my subscription early last year and picked up a load of games I wanted to play and have got through a load of those. I think it makes sense to alternative between having 1 year of PS+ then 1 year without but will see how it goes. I only have 3 games in my backlog (including Hades) so feels a good time to do it. I might wait another month to see if I can finish off Hades and Iconoclasts.

I’ve had PS Plus for years (since before they changed it to give multiple tiers a while ago) - always liked getting the 3 or so free games per month but for me the sweet spot is now the second tier PS Plus Extra which gives access to a games catalogue, which gets a small update each month.  There are tons of games that I have put into my library that I would never have spent the extra money on but as they feel like they are free I am prepared to give them a go.  And generally the monthly update includes 1 “big” game, even if it might be a bit old.  This month that seems to be Far Cry 6, I can also see one of the Deus Ex games on there (which I bought a few years ago).  But I also dropped into the library a winemaking simulator (just looks a bit different, I certainly wouldn’t spend money on it), Inscryption  and The Talos Principle.  Who knows when I’ll feel like playing them but it’s good to have the option. 

I do think that if you’ve got the discipline to do it then your thought about having 1 year’s subscription then taking a break for a year may be the most cost-effective way to do it. 

[mr.bluesky]

Renewed my game pass.

Currently enjoying power wash simulator and have downloaded a few others to try.

I've seen this for sale for the PS5 console in my local Game store  it seems a strange game where you are just washing buildings or other things with a power jet  wash 

[Billy no mates]

I've seen this for sale for the PS5 console in my local Game store  it seems a strange game where you are just washing buildings or other things with a power jet  wash 

I can’t even begin to explain why it is enjoyable, but I’m certainly enjoying it.

[Spunky34]

So after picking it up as part of my PS Plus subscription a couple of days ago, I have now played through and finished Inscryption.  All the reviews were extremely positive but also quite cagey about exactly what it was as they were worried about spoilers and I can now see why.  At its core it is a card deck builder/card battler (and it’s a really good, fun card game), but with a wider story you explore between rounds. 

You can sometimes tell when the game is pushing you through the story (for example you sometimes come across a battle where it is clear from the cards you draw and the enemy draws that you are supposed to lose that time) but it keeps things moving at the right kind of pace, I think.  It needs to do that so you can see the twists and turns the game goes on to take - I understand why the reviews were so short on detail.  Having finished it I thought it had some really clever and surprising things going on. 

I’m not sure if it has much replayability - as I was playing I wondered if there might be alternate endings but I think it just does a very good job of keeping that illusion of choice going.  In any case, I found it very enjoyable (particularly as I didn’t have to pay extra for it) and would recommend it, even if you don’t especially like card battlers.  It’s genuinely a lot more than that, and one of the most unique games I have ever played.

[Billy no mates]

So after picking it up as part of my PS Plus subscription a couple of days ago, I have now played through and finished Inscryption.  All the reviews were extremely positive but also quite cagey about exactly what it was as they were worried about spoilers and I can now see why.  At its core it is a card deck builder/card battler (and it’s a really good, fun card game), but with a wider story you explore between rounds. 

You can sometimes tell when the game is pushing you through the story (for example you sometimes come across a battle where it is clear from the cards you draw and the enemy draws that you are supposed to lose that time) but it keeps things moving at the right kind of pace, I think.  It needs to do that so you can see the twists and turns the game goes on to take - I understand why the reviews were so short on detail.  Having finished it I thought it had some really clever and surprising things going on. 

I’m not sure if it has much replayability - as I was playing I wondered if there might be alternate endings but I think it just does a very good job of keeping that illusion of choice going.  In any case, I found it very enjoyable (particularly as I didn’t have to pay extra for it) and would recommend it, even if you don’t especially like card battlers.  It’s genuinely a lot more than that, and one of the most unique games I have ever played.

Played it and loved it

I didn’t attempt a second play through, and did a Google search on alternate endings.

Im guessing the middle section (if you know what I mean) is different depending on the choice you make of who to side with.

Very good game.

[Spunky34]

Im guessing the middle section (if you know what I mean) is different depending on the choice you make of who to side with.

I do know the section you mean.  I get how that could potentially be made very different indeed, but I’m not sure whether those options are really there.  Once finished I looked at the trophy list and there didn’t seem to be anything suggesting it would be too different.  Also, given the choice I made there was a period of time where I didn’t see why the game was taking me in the direction (story-wise) that it did, and some of the surprise stuff just before the end only makes sense having been almost forced in that direction. 

However, like you said, it is still a very good game and given that it’s clearly from a small developer it’s probably too much to expect massive amounts of consequential choice.

[HighlyMotivated]

In huge need of a new open world game... having finished Assassins Creed games, Witcher, GTA V, RDR2 and Elden Ring. Apparently Elden Ring is getting a huge DLC so hopefully not too far off. Other than GTA 6 which would be a couple years still. Anyone other suggestions on PS5?

[mr.bluesky]

In huge need of a new open world game... having finished Assassins Creed games, Witcher, GTA V, RDR2 and Elden Ring. Apparently Elden Ring is getting a huge DLC so hopefully not too far off. Other than GTA 6 which would be a couple years still. Anyone other suggestions on PS5?

"The Last of us" is a pretty decent game that has won a lot of gaming awards. Played it on PS4 when it first came out. Now out on PS5 format.
Recently turned into a TV series on Sky

[Spunky34]

In huge need of a new open world game... having finished Assassins Creed games, Witcher, GTA V, RDR2 and Elden Ring. Apparently Elden Ring is getting a huge DLC so hopefully not too far off. Other than GTA 6 which would be a couple years still. Anyone other suggestions on PS5?

Ghost of Tsushima is one of my favourites.  Not played the PS5 version (I played the PS4 version on my PS5 and it was really pretty, can only imagine it’s better with the full upgrade).

It’s a bit marmite, but I grew to love Days Gone.  Seems really generic for the first few hours but then manages to establish its own story and identity well.

I wasn’t taken with Cyberpunk 2077 but I know some people who like it.  Big DLC and some wider changes affecting the base game coming soon so maybe worth checking out after that?

If you haven’t played any of the Far Cry games, those might be worth a look (although I think they have got a bit formulaic in the last 3 or 4 iterations).   

Spider-Man and Spider-Man Miles Morales are both good.  Sequel due out fairly soon.

Death Stranding is probably the ultimate open world but it is very much an acquired taste and is not really comparable to most open world games.  I finished it, spent a lot of time in it, but I can’t give it a wholehearted recommendation. 

One I did enjoy, although it isn’t the biggest open world, was Kena: Bridge of Spirits.  Graphically it’s brilliant, the first thing I played which really felt like the new console generation had arrived.  Good boss fights too, surprisingly challenging.

Might be worth a look at Horizon:Zero Dawn.  I haven’t played the sequel (Forbidden West). I found the first game a bit long with a lot of busy-work, but some of the combat was great and the creature design was outstanding.

Batman:  Arkham City and Batman:  Arkham Knight are open worlds (and very good games, which have stood the test of time well) - but if you go for those then it’s worth starting with the first game, Arkham Asylum as they form a trilogy.  I think there’s a bundle of the 3 you can buy.

[mr.bluesky]

Ghost of Tsushima is one of my favourites.  Not played the PS5 version (I played the PS4 version on my PS5 and it was really pretty, can only imagine it’s better with the full upgrade).

I agree Ghost of Tsushima is an excellent game, also played it on PS4 every bit as good if not better than the Assassins Creed games. 

[billybobsmith]

I can't say I've played anything for a while.

Tried Elden Ring, but just couldn't get into it.

Used to play Fallout 76 loads, but I just couldn't improve my character after a while (not a patch on others who were taking Earl out in 30secs - cheating? 2000 rounds with say a maxed out gauss rifle and I'd caused 1% damage for example), and it became boring doing the same thing again and again and again.
That plus the fact you could possibly kill something tough like a legendary scorchbeast or deathclaw in 2-3 shots, and then get killed by one random hit from some weak ghoul etc.

Diablo 3 I bought ages ago, but got locked out of my Blizzard account. Diablo 4, not jumping out at me, but may give it a go.
Starfield.  May look at that.

[Spunky34]

I agree Ghost of Tsushima is an excellent game, also played it on PS4 every bit as good if not better than the Assassins Creed games. 

If you liked Ghost of Tsushima, give Infamous a go - same developer but an earlier game, totally different setting etc but as time goes on you can see lots of similarities in how the games develop. 

Used to like the Assassins Creed games but the last one I played was Black Flag in the early PS4 days - think some of the more recent ones have basically been big open world action/melee games rather than stealth traversal/assassination games.  However they say the one coming out next (Mirage) is going to be more like the old games so I am keeping an eye on that. 

[Rick2468]

I got the platinum for Hades this evening which I'm pleased about and I think I'll quickly move on to something else. I liked the game but I am surprised about the insane amount of praise and awards that have gone towards this game. It made me expect more from the game so overall I was disappointed but it was still good fun (just not great fun). About a week ago I thought I wouldn't bother to get the platinum as it looked too grindy but things all seemed to fall together at the same time. There were just two stories that I had to grind out at the end which  was tedious but that is the life of a trophy hunter.

I'm not normally completely obsessed with getting the platinum and usually move on if I get bored but Hades just teased me too much by making me think the last couple of trophies were around the corner so I kept playing and probably ended up doing about 20 more runs than I ideally would have wanted. Thankfully I got very overpowered so each run took 17 minutes and I never died by the end of it. Think I had a 40+ run success streak by the end.

I'm going to uninstall Hades right away as I don't think I'll want to play it again. In contrast I still have Enter the Gungeon installed as I like to do a run or two about once a month. Even though Gungeon got worse reviews I personally think it's a better game.

I installed Rocket League over the weekend and had a few games for old times sake. Was a lot of fun but I'm not planning to play regularly as I don't learn much from it so it's really just a time sink.

I'm a bit unsure what to do next on the gaming front. I have Dark Souls Remastered and Iconoclasts in my backlog so that is low. I am seriously considering subscribing to PS+ (Extra or Premium) for a year. I just want to decide whether to finish my backlog completely first or get PS+ next. I'll decide over the weekend.

[sparkus]

I got the platinum for Hades this evening which I'm pleased about and I think I'll quickly move on to something else. I liked the game but I am surprised about the insane amount of praise and awards that have gone towards this game. It made me expect more from the game so overall I was disappointed but it was still good fun (just not great fun). About a week ago I thought I wouldn't bother to get the platinum as it looked too grindy but things all seemed to fall together at the same time. There were just two stories that I had to grind out at the end which  was tedious but that is the life of a trophy hunter.

I'm not normally completely obsessed with getting the platinum and usually move on if I get bored but Hades just teased me too much by making me think the last couple of trophies were around the corner so I kept playing and probably ended up doing about 20 more runs than I ideally would have wanted. Thankfully I got very overpowered so each run took 17 minutes and I never died by the end of it. Think I had a 40+ run success streak by the end.

I'm going to uninstall Hades right away as I don't think I'll want to play it again. In contrast I still have Enter the Gungeon installed as I like to do a run or two about once a month. Even though Gungeon got worse reviews I personally think it's a better game.

I installed Rocket League over the weekend and had a few games for old times sake. Was a lot of fun but I'm not planning to play regularly as I don't learn much from it so it's really just a time sink.

I'm a bit unsure what to do next on the gaming front. I have Dark Souls Remastered and Iconoclasts in my backlog so that is low. I am seriously considering subscribing to PS+ (Extra or Premium) for a year. I just want to decide whether to finish my backlog completely first or get PS+ next. I'll decide over the weekend.

A personal question but do you actually punt anymore? No reviews or intel from you in years.

I ask only as I'd always enjoyed your localish to me antics!

[Rick2468]

A personal question but do you actually punt anymore? No reviews or intel from you in years.

I ask only as I'd always enjoyed your localish to me antics!

I hope things have been good with you. I stopped following the dating thread so how have you been getting on?

No I don't at all. I've been in a relationship since March 2021 with the lady I previously mentioned that just walked up to whilst I was getting boozed up with my mates next to the river. It was fairly casual at first but it has grown into a really strong and steady relationship and I really enjoy spending time with her. It's been a really fun couple of years. I don't have the desire to punt anymore and even if I did I wouldn't want to cheat on her like that even if I felt I could get away with it. Also, I am completely teetotal now and I am less of a raging horndog anyway...I think almost all my punts took place whilst I was slightly hungover. I still post on UKP a lot as I like having somewhere I can post anonymously, but if it ever feels right to leave or I am no longer welcome I will say fair enough.

I never did hear anything more from Miss Latex in the end (the lady who ramped up the flirtyness as soon as I mentioned I had started seeing someone) and I deleted the saucy photo she sent me. Miss Curvy randomly appeared on my "People you may know" feed on Facebook even though she didn't know my surname so that was a bit odd. Also I no longer pine over Miss Canada (the lady I dated for just 2 weeks all the way back in 2014 and kept thinking about) which I think shows that my current relationship is a good one.

I do miss the excitement of dating and sharing stories but also glad I'm out of it at the same time. Sounds like you and the other guys were getting loads of action from the dating sites I was really impressed!

[sparkus]

I hope things have been good with you. I stopped following the dating thread so how have you been getting on?

No I don't at all. I've been in a relationship since March 2021 with the lady I previously mentioned that just walked up to whilst I was getting boozed up with my mates next to the river. It was fairly casual at first but it has grown into a really strong and steady relationship and I really enjoy spending time with her. It's been a really fun couple of years. I don't have the desire to punt anymore and even if I did I wouldn't want to cheat on her like that even if I felt I could get away with it. Also, I am completely teetotal now and I am less of a raging horndog anyway...I think almost all my punts took place whilst I was slightly hungover. I still post on UKP a lot as I like having somewhere I can post anonymously, but if it ever feels right to leave or I am no longer welcome I will say fair enough.

I never did hear anything more from Miss Latex in the end (the lady who ramped up the flirtyness as soon as I mentioned I had started seeing someone) and I deleted the saucy photo she sent me. Miss Curvy randomly appeared on my "People you may know" feed on Facebook even though she didn't know my surname so that was a bit odd. Also I no longer pine over Miss Canada (the lady I dated for just 2 weeks all the way back in 2014 and kept thinking about) which I think shows that my current relationship is a good one.

I do miss the excitement of dating and sharing stories but also glad I'm out of it at the same time. Sounds like you and the other guys were getting loads of action from the dating sites I was really impressed!

I'm actually touched this has happened for you, it was quite the saga with her!

Long story short with the dating: had some fun with various MILFs, it got too heavy. Had to put a stop to it all when I got rumbled by being careless, had to deploy that Shaggy song to get away with it (which bizarrely worked, or so I think...)

[WDFORTE]

Bored shitless of the new Jedi Survivor game, it's basically Star Wars Tomb Raider, too much jumping and running and inane puzzles.  I can't even trade the game in as I bought it as a download from Xbox store.

[Rick2468]

I've been playing Dark Souls Remastered for a while. Never played the original but have played DS2, DS3, Bloodborne and Sekiro. I'm enjoying it so far. Like a lot of the other games it feels like I am living out a fantasy book. It looks a bit rough around the edges but I like that and the graphics remind me of Dark Souls 2 (which is probably my joint favourite from the series alongside Bloodborne which I think is a hot take).

I am finding the combat much easier. I played Sekiro a few months ago which forces you to parry which is definitely not my style. So being able to dodge roll again is a huge bonus. I was making swift progress but got up to Sen Temple a couple of days ago and dying a lot. Even after clearing the place out I still get caught out by the bloody traps.

Aiming to platinum it then I will have finished off my backlog (assuming I never finish Iconoclasts as I wasn't enjoying it that much) so I'll get a subscription to PS Plus.

[Ghost89]

I’ve preordered the new Robocop game which out in October. Looks good. But the makers of the god awful Rambo game that came out on the Xbox 360. Hopefully lessons learned and this won’t be a huge bag of shit in the end.