[Maark Abbott]

Apt, on 16 December 2015 - 11:48 AM, said:

Nah. I already have it on Steam.

The only thing I disliked about it was that Taffer only shows up once in the entire game, and that Jebediah Chokes is a right prick.

[Aptorian]

I couldn't tell you a single thing about that games story besides there being a magical ghost lady. To me it was just a magical smash and grab simulator. It's a great game for a collectible fiend.

[Maark Abbott]

Apt, on 16 December 2015 - 02:24 PM, said:

I couldn't tell you a single thing about that games story besides there being a magical ghost lady. To me it was just a magical smash and grab simulator. It's a great game for a collectible fiend.

It's good and I get that it's a reboot and all, but it's also treated as a sequel to the first three games (intentionally, by the Devs). As such there are a few continuity issues - no usage of the word Taffer, no Hammerites and no Pagans. Beesie them devvers not thinkers so gooding.

[Gothos]

@Mentalist: I haven't played Bloodlines beyond the first like hour or so so I wouldn't know, but the Cradle makes the game. If not for that level I'd say Deadly Shadows is mediocre/lukewarm at best, but just for that level it's worth it to go through the game. Hope we're not overhyping, though. And I hope you didn't spoil it for yourself.

@Apt: I never finished Garret's Creed: Black and Grey Edition, and I don't think I will, ever. Huge disappointment overall. I would never recommend it for anyone at full price. -80% Steam Sale though? Go for it, I guess.

[Mentalist]

I don't think it's possible to overhype what's considered to be one of the most atmospheric levels of all time, lol.

And no, I haven't spoiled myself. I've gone this long avoiding being spoiled, what's another few months? ( I fully intend to get to Thief 3 in the next year. Just not sure when) EDIT: this is one of those rare times my Steam account is actually online and keeping track of my playtime. Since I whimsically launched AoK II HD, I've logged over 60 hours, (though lots of it was just replaying intros to various campaigns/scens), and so far I'm only about to finish the last campaign in the original game (Barbarossa, mission 6). Then I have 3 AoC campaigns, 6 (!!!) campaigns in TFE, 4 in the African Kingdoms, PLUS the Battles of the Conquerors/Battles of the Forgotten epic-almost-campaign length scenarios- and there's about 16 of those...

Addictive? Hell, yeah, AoK is still addictive. And I thought I was burned out on gaming after TW3...

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 16 December 2015 - 07:47 PM

[Mentalist]

Finished Barbarossa. That last mission was tricky, took a few tries to get it right.

By the time I was ready to attack I had over 25 elephants converted from the Persian enemy. I heart monks (wololo!)

Also went back and did the tutorial campaign, just for the achievement.

Next up, Age of Conquerors, and the Huns!

[Maark Abbott]

Anyways, I work better when I'm drunk. It makes me fearless! If I see a bad guy, I'll just point my sword at him aaand saaaaaay, "HEY! BAD GUY! YER NOT S'POSED TO BE HERE! ... GO HOME OR I'LL STICK YOU WITH MY SWORD- 'til you go, 'OUCH, I'M DEAD!'"

[Mentalist]

Nice, relaxing weekend, filled with doing nothing.

Huns and El Cid-done. Playing the Huns is pure poetry- no siege weapons needed (Tarkan FTW!), and many, many cavalry archers. Loot and pillage city after city.

El Cid was trickier, but fun.

Now playing Aztecs. Still coming to grips with the fact there's no cavalry.

[Aptorian]

I've been playing Batman: Arkham Knight with a friend. We'd been playing 2-3 hours every week or two. Finally finished the main story tonight.

That's one hell of a game.

The games controls are completely shit but overall I am torn between calling Arkham Knight or Witcher 3 my game of the year. The production value on Arkham Knight is ridiculous. The set pieces, the environment design, the various effects like the "cloud burst" is just amazing to experience.

I think the games story pulled its punches but it sure does take you for a ride. We didn't finish the post game content, which I assume wraps some stuff up but over all this was an awesome story.

[Morgoth]

Finally got around to trying out Her Story. A fantastic little game that I think everyone should try to play.

[Maark Abbott]

Oh god Return to the Cathedral on Expert.

[Mentalist]

Apt, on 21 December 2015 - 08:30 PM, said:

I've been playing Batman: Arkham Knight with a friend. We'd been playing 2-3 hours every week or two. Finally finished the main story tonight.

That's one hell of a game.

The games controls are completely shit but overall I am torn between calling Arkham Knight or Witcher 3 my game of the year. The production value on Arkham Knight is ridiculous. The set pieces, the environment design, the various effects like the "cloud burst" is just amazing to experience.

I think the games story pulled its punches but it sure does take you for a ride. We didn't finish the post game content, which I assume wraps some stuff up but over all this was an awesome story.

I was interested in this, since I enjoyed the Arkham games a great deal, but they botched the PC release, so now I'm waiting for a nice price drop to pick it up.

As such, Witcher 3 is my AAA GOTY simply b/c I haven't played any others, Oh, and because it's awesome, and I spent probably well over 200 hours on it, ofc.

@ Maark: the only hard part of the cathedral is looking for stuff in zombie-infested cloisters. Haunts were pretty easy to avoid, iirc. It was that building to the left with the collapsed ceiling making the ramp to the 2nd floor that was brutal.

[Maark Abbott]

St Yora's, yeah. Through there now. Currently aiming for the Library. Can also kill the haunts with a good backstab if I need to.

Incidentally this is the first time I've had to smush up Apparitions; was surprisingly easy.

[Mentalist]

Tbh, I felt the highlight of the game (and Thief Gold, specifically), were the 4 levels involving the 4 keys. The sheer variety, combined with a common theme made the game for me.
I was still having second thoughts after the BoneHoard, which did not impress me, but that sequence sealed my admiration for the game. Everything after was nice, but not as good.

[Maark Abbott]

You taffer. The Sword is clearly the highlight of the entire game, especially when everything goes weird.

[Mentalist]

welp, finished the Aztec campaign

Started new content, with Alaric campaign. lot of fixed force scens, interesting, but nothing super-exciting so far. Maps generally have a bit too much eye candy for my tastes, makes things a tad confusing.
Still, playing as Goths is decently fun. Huscarls are almost as insane as the Hunnish Tarkans.

EDIT: Alaric campaign is ok, nothing mind-blowing. The taking of Rome was neat.

Bari Mission 1 was really fun (but looong--every time I play "fixed Force" I set game speed to slow), 2 is good so far as well

Dracula 1 had an absolutely epic battle in the end.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 26 December 2015 - 04:02 AM

[Mentalist]

More goodness from The Forgotten expansion:

Bari: althouth it's only 3 scens long, this campaign is awesome, and loong. Scen 3 drops the ball a little bit--there's a lot of triggers preventing you from doing anything other than what the devs tell you, so it feels artificial. Also, the story and motivations aren't all that clear. Nevertheless, Scens 1 and 2 are well worth it.

Dracula: played scen 2. lots of fun, I can see this being insanely hard on "Hard", because it's basically a 5-way tug of war (you, your ally, your enemy and 2 neutrals. When you reach Imperial age and tribute them 1000 food, one of the neutrals becomes ally, the other one starts playing super-aggressive towards you) with a whole bunch of "neutral" settlements that you hold by having your forces there, as forward bases. Really neat concept.

trying to be chronological, started the Indian Prithviraj campaign. Scen 1 if another fixed-force, and it offers 3 ways to complete it with mutually exclusive goals. for me, it was a bit broken with not all triggers working properly, and a bit weak, tbh. Also, the post-scen narrative kind of implies there's a "right" way to play it, and then the rest don't feel "canon".
Scen 2 I only started, looks hard, as you're pitted against the other ruling clans of northen India as you're trying to subjugate them, and economy's trade-dependent. should be good.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 30 December 2015 - 05:45 PM

[Maark Abbott]

On Thief 2: The Metal Age now. Up to mission 6 (First City Bank and Trust). I remember this mission being fun but also a pain in the dick. And of course I'm playing on Expert.

[Mentalist]

Had a couple more tries @ Prithviraj 2. Tough mission. I kind of figured out the algorithm for turning 4/6 enemies neutral until I help them out and they ally. But when I rushed to help one (easiest task-build them a castle), I got rushed by the most powerful enemy, who brought Elephant archers and a bunch of other tough enemies my way.

Also, I don't have Knights. WTF is this?

Gonna give this another shot soon, as I haven't had the time to play this thoroughly yet. I suspect I'll have to try gaming it a bit, same as Dracula mission 2.

Still, VERy neat scen. idea, like this much more than a vanilla "build and destroy" stuff. All I gotta do is figure out how to overcome the economic handicaps.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 29 December 2015 - 02:36 PM

[QuickTidal]

Got LEGO Dimensions for Xmas starter pack, and two expansions (Doctor Who, and Back To The Future) and the wife and I have been playing through. It's even MORE expansive and complex than Lego Marvel Super Heroes was and just as fun (if not more because you can mix and match characters from different fandoms) and I actually love the toy-based portion of it (you buy a new expansion of minifigs and you get a new level, new characters and vehicles). It seems like a decent way to pay for the umpteen licenses they needed to make the game a reality.

Sidenote: Once you finish the initial Doctor Who adventure level, Every time you use the Twelfth Doctor afterwards and he dies...when he re-spawns he regenerates into the 1st Doctor, and then the regens go forward all through the other Doctors until back to 12 including the War Doctor. It's pretty sweet feature, I'm not going to lie.

Anyways, if you like Travelers Tales recent Lego efforts, you'll find much to love here. It's a little weird to have to incorporate the portal stand and colours into the puzzles (it took us ages to look down at it and figure out it was included in the puzzles.