The Video Game Thread v3

[OutOfTheCube]

Don't characters only go up to level 8? So half the (200 hours) game is a slog?

[Toast_Man]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Don't characters only go up to level 8? So half the (200 hours) game is a slog?

The level cap is 12 and you level up fairly quickly in Act 1. I think with that first map (Act 1) it's much easier to end up in areas under leveled.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Toast_Man

I second this. The early levels are a slog and I found myself skipping harder fights and circling back when I hit a higher level. Once you hit level 5 and your fighters get an extra attack, the fights become much more fun. Same goes for spells and casters, I didn't even use Gale until I hit level 4 or 5.

I'm not going to dispute that this is probably GOTY as in my short playtime I can see the high quality but this is a game that not everyone can play or enjoy as the learning curve is steep and there's nothing much in the way of tutorials. It's extremely difficult but I haven't got to the point where I feel it's a slog.

[btimbit]

Oh snap, yesterdays rumours are true

https://twitter.com/user/status/1722237703553798312

[devo22]

cool. I look forward to everybody suddenly forgetting what a grifting ####### company Rockstar has become over the last decade.

[calumniate]

Originally Posted by Toast_Man

I second this. The early levels are a slog and I found myself skipping harder fights and circling back when I hit a higher level. Once you hit level 5 and your fighters get an extra attack, the fights become much more fun. Same goes for spells and casters, I didn't even use Gale until I hit level 4 or 5.

One thing for the tougher fights is to get a proper setup before initiative. You can do a lot of damage and confuse the enemy prior to initiative being rolled. Some of that has to do with positioning and stealth.
Also simple things like spiritual weapon, minor illusion and conjured creatures confuse the enemy a lot too. Spiritual weapon is awesome because if it dies that means the enemy wasted a bunch of their turns attacking it. Having these types of things on the map (including elementals, undead) helps you avoid actually taking damage.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by devo22

cool. I look forward to everybody suddenly forgetting what a grifting ####### company Rockstar has become over the last decade.

As someone that only plays their games single player I haven't encountered any of this personally, other than being annoyed at how much time and effort they spend on other areas instead

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by btimbit

As someone that only plays their games single player I haven't encountered any of this personally, other than being annoyed at how much time and effort they spend on other areas instead

Yeah, I can still play GTA V's single player and always be delighted at the little quips and gags that I didn't notice in my last playthrough. But GTA Online is just a f-ckaround now. I wish Rockstar had developed single player DLCs like they did with GTA IV's "The Ballad of Gay Tony" and "The Lost and Damned". The way those games expanded the story and context of events in the original campaign while also bringing their own storyline elements was amazing.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by btimbit

As someone that only plays their games single player I haven't encountered any of this personally, other than being annoyed at how much time and effort they spend on other areas instead

the game that was first released in 2013 and they've released on three (!) different console generations, just to milk it extensively via GTA Online?

The game was fantastic, don't get me wrong. I'm sure GTA 6 will be too. I'm a "single player only" guy as well, but it's crazy how Rockstar has done business this past decade. The GTA Trilogy thing was poorly done and a maddening cash grab, they've just done a RDR1 port for 50 freaking bucks ... the list goes on.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Yeah, I can still play GTA V's single player and always be delighted at the little quips and gags that I didn't notice in my last playthrough. But GTA Online is just a f-ckaround now. I wish Rockstar had developed single player DLCs like they did with GTA IV's "The Ballad of Gay Tony" and "The Lost and Damned". The way those games expanded the story and context of events in the original campaign while also bringing their own storyline elements was amazing.

I bet DLCs were the plan originally, but the massive success of GTA Online changed everything. I'm sure they decided why sink so much time & money into new expansions when they could make similar money with simple add-ons in Online for a fraction of the effort.

I'm an old school style single player type gamer myself, for people like us, GTA Online ruined everything.

[chemgear]

Black Friday begins!

https://twitter.com/user/status/1722435109352042673

[dino7c]

actual black Friday is the 24th...these stores are getting ridiculous

[getbak]

Black Friday was completely fabricated by the stores anyway.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by getbak

Black Friday was completely fabricated by the stores anyway.

It's been a thing in the US for a long time but just recently to Canada.

Down there it kinda makes sense since its the day after a holiday similar to boxing day.

23rd is thanksgiving making the 24 black friday

[PepsiFree]

It’s still just made up capitalist nonsense

It’s not like preserving the sanctity of a shopping holiday matters to literally anyone

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Yeah, I can still play GTA V's single player and always be delighted at the little quips and gags that I didn't notice in my last playthrough. But GTA Online is just a f-ckaround now. I wish Rockstar had developed single player DLCs like they did with GTA IV's "The Ballad of Gay Tony" and "The Lost and Damned". The way those games expanded the story and context of events in the original campaign while also bringing their own storyline elements was amazing.

GTA online was really fun for the first little while, but having the heist missions only playable with other online users was frustrating beyond belief.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Ten or twelve years ago you could actually get good deals on Black Friday - it was worth the effort to look through the flyers and sales. Nowadays it's like they hype it up in an attempt to get you to a place where you've emotionally committed to buying SOMETHING, and as a result, you end up getting something that isn't really a particularly good deal. Meanwhile, you've wasted three hours looking through a pile of "20% off on last year's model" nonsense to try to find a single decent bargain on anything you might actually want or need.

[Erick Estrada]

I don't know. Last year I had a Christmas gift list and bought a few things during Black Friday and held off on some others thinking the pricing will be maybe as good or better closer to Christmas and I found the deals after were not as good as Black Friday. I kind of feel it's the best time of the year to get deals but I suppose it varies depending on what you are looking for seeing that others feel different.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

It’s a fun game but I found it really easy, to the point that I rarely bother trying to block attacks. If you don’t activate the relics you collect it’s more challenging.

Yes definitely don't use the relics. I didn't die once the whole game and I didn't use any relics. It's easy enough often to backtrack to camp sites if you need health without using your food. Great game but by default it should have been harder.

[OutOfTheCube]

I thought Sea of Stars difficulty was perfect. I don't think a game is necessarily 'too easy' if it's not kicking your ass.

There is something to be said for balance -- in Sea of Stars, you do still need to be battling strategically, planning ahead, and breaking enemy defenses or you'll get wiped. I don't think it was ever just mindless 'Press Attack over and over, use a healing potion, repeat" type gameplay. And it was balanced very effectively that I never felt overpowered, but also never had to stop to grind because of an unfair difficulty spike (an issue which the genre OFTEN faces).

I think From Software has just kind of ruined people's perspectives on difficulty where if you're not dying to a boss twenty times before you figure it out = too easy. And if you want that experience in Sea of Stars, there are relics that make the game harder, too.