The Gaming Thread

[Set2Stun]

The past few months I have been obsessed with Elden Ring, but I got stuck on a ridiculously difficult boss a couple months ago (Maliketh, the Black Blade) and just haven't felt an urge to go back to it. Which is a shame. It's a great game, but this fight in particular simply feels hopeless. I am properly leveled up but this dude can kill me in three hits, which he can do as part of a single combo that I seem to be unable to dodge. I've tried all these different weapon combos and strategies but the closest I've gotten was maybe to 25% of health left. And this dude is a damage sponge, let me tell you.

Oh well. I haven't been in the mood to game recently, but probably next week I will try out Mass Effect. So many people have recommended it to me, and somehow I've just never gotten around to it. I snapped up the remastered trilogy a few months ago for like $6, what a steal. Looking forward to seeing what all the hype is about.

 

[Lemie]

As a former hard-core Fallout gamer (3, New Vegas and 4, because I'm not old enough to bother with the really old ones) I've had to accept that I'm now a less hard-core gamer who mainly enjoy plotting about with House Flipper/House Flipper 2.

It feels less cool - but it's hella calming and I can sit and plot out books while building and decorating my stupid little houses!

When playing things like Fallout my brain is adding a lot of extra "head canon plot", because what's the point of adventuring if I can't choose my own adventure? Just because it's not happening on screen doesn't mean it's not part of the story

 

[Luxuria]

I am a lover of Souls games, Assassin's Creed and the Sims, it if STOPPED UPDATING AND RUINING MY MODS! But anyway, I have also been playing Elden Ring like @Set2Stun. (I am sorry you got stuck on that guy! I haven't gotten there yet, so have no tips.) I am in the process of trying to figure out what kind of Souls player I am. I tried a few challenge runs, SL1 and Bow Only and am not interested. Although, I DO want to keep working on SL1 in Dark Souls 1. But I think I am more of a 'how many NG+ cycles can I get through' player. I love the reset of the game and the increase of difficulty.

Ornstein and Smough kicked my ASS in NG+ and I had more fun in NG+ than NG. I made it to the Lord Souls and am a bit afraid of the 4 Kings. But I think I want to be the player who sees how far she can go, rather than handicapping herself.

I haven't been playing Elden Ring lately, but I have settled on an Nagakiba bleed build. The goal right now is get through the game at any cost. Which is how I usually approach a Souls game. No method is too OP in the first run. But I am exploring Caelid and need to figure out HOW to get into the capital. There is just so much to explore.

But I have played some Fallout and I wish 4 worked on my computer. I enjoyed 3 and struggled with New Vegas. But anyway, how do you two approach a game for the first time? Is it 'win at any cost' or 'let me see how difficult I can make this?'

 

[Luxuria]

I am kinda mad. I was 1-2 hits away from defeating Kalameet and got hit by fire, because I dodged forward, not to the side.

It is a pretty 'easy' fight, but still. I am annoyed. I'm using the same tactics I used with Artorias. Light armor, Zweihander, ninja-flip ring and Grass Crest turtle back. Ugh.

 

[Set2Stun]

But anyway, how do you two approach a game for the first time? Is it 'win at any cost' or 'let me see how difficult I can make this?'

I keep things pretty simple. If there's a difficulty setting, I'll start on hard mode. I try not to look up anything about the game and dive into it blind and see how it goes.

Oh and my favourite game of all time is Witcher III.

 

[Luxuria]

I keep things pretty simple. If there's a difficulty setting, I'll start on hard mode. I try not to look up anything about the game and dive into it blind and see how it goes.

Oh and my favourite game of all time is Witcher III.

Interesting! With difficulty settings, I tend to go with the default, because I assume it's what the devs intended. I also think that sometimes the highest difficulty isn't as fun as standard Dark Souls level. Even if it IS intended to be. The thing I don't like is when enemy damage is just raised and yours is weakened. (NG+ aside.) I just don't find difficulty balanced most of the time.

I played some of Witcher III. It was the only video game to give me a headache. The Fishbowl effect was not something that sat well with me. What makes it your favorite? Do you like the world/lore or story?

 

[Set2Stun]

Normal difficulty, especially for these AAA games, is just too easy. It might be challenging in the beginning for a bit, but it's not long before your character is just dominating every fight. I don't tend to go any higher than the mode just above normal, unless I'm very familiar with the game and I'm doing a replay. New Vegas was fun like this; ammo has weight, you need to eat, drink, and sleep. Really serves to immerse one in the game. For Skyrim, the hardest mode is ridiculous in the beginning, but eventually you do become a mostly invincible tank mage anyway. I think the best one on nightmare mode is Witcher III.

It's my favourite game for a few reasons. It's got one of the best combat systems, which I am pretty sure inspired that of Ghost of Tsushima, which also has an awesome combat system. I love the world and the characters - after I played this game it didn't take me too long to buy and read all of the Witcher books. Some of the decisions you make have very significant consequences, whereas in a lot of games you just have the illusion of choice. And Geralt is just cool. Oh - and Gwent is such a fun in-game game to play as you go along.

What's your favourite ?

 

[Luxuria]

Normal difficulty, especially for these AAA games, is just too easy. It might be challenging in the beginning for a bit, but it's not long before your character is just dominating every fight. I don't tend to go any higher than the mode just above normal, unless I'm very familiar with the game and I'm doing a replay. New Vegas was fun like this; ammo has weight, you need to eat, drink, and sleep. Really serves to immerse one in the game. For Skyrim, the hardest mode is ridiculous in the beginning, but eventually you do become a mostly invincible tank mage anyway. I think the best one on nightmare mode is Witcher III.

It's my favourite game for a few reasons. It's got one of the best combat systems, which I am pretty sure inspired that of Ghost of Tsushima, which also has an awesome combat system. I love the world and the characters - after I played this game it didn't take me too long to buy and read all of the Witcher books. Some of the decisions you make have very significant consequences, whereas in a lot of games you just have the illusion of choice. And Geralt is just cool. Oh - and Gwent is such a fun in-game game to play as you go along.

What's your favourite ?

That makes sense. In a way, I kind of agree! I think some parts of Assassin's Creed are very easy, but others are a PAIN. I think I get annoyed when it's hard for the sake of being hard. Like chasing people has always been a PAIN. I understand the feeling of wanting the difficulty to remain the same, or grow with the player (which would be interesting.) And oh survival mode is VERY fun in Skyrim. I haven't tried it in New Vegas, but I am sure it is similar. Immersion is very fun and oh... wow. Witcher 3 in Nightmare Mode? What was that like? Did it have special content for that mode or was it just harder?

I haven't played Ghost of Tsushima, but I hear it's good. Yes, the characters in the Witcher are fun. I loved the lady who wanted Geralt to get her frying pan back. (Best quest in ages!) How are the Witcher books, because I have wondered if I should read them. What is the worst choice you've made and didn't realize it? Geralt is very cool- but my gaming heart belongs to Ezio.

You mentioned the Witcher 3 combat system and I am wondering if you like using potions and stuff. Because it was one of the aspects I was confused about/did not enjoy as much as some. Did you also enjoy the crafting system as they are tied together?

___

Long-emotional essay ahead:

As for me, I think my favorite game of ALL time is Dark Souls 1. Because even though I have played and enjoyed a lot of games, (I love AC 2) Dark Souls 1 (Ds1) helped me grow as a person. I have a lot of perfectionism and fear of failure. Now, I am okay with failure. Because in the game, when I fail, I am returned to the bonfire and get to try again. At first, this really hurt and the more I played, the more I became okay with failure. I know in all games you can 'fail' or 'die'. But the way Dark Souls is, it changed the way I even think about life.

Thanks to Dark Souls, I am less afraid of failing, because when I do, I have to remember I can try again. Which is... life changing for me. The game has also helped me feel strong and powerful, which is important. Even if I am turned down for a job or something, I know I am capable. Because that's what Ornstein and Smough taught me. Even if I lack confidence, I shouldn't. Because I beat them solo my first real playthrough (not a blind one, mind you). But I did it all on my own and no one can take that away from me. And I think what really sticks with me about Dark Souls is that every fight you win is because YOU did it. Every button press, every roll, all you.

And that's why Dark Souls is my favorite game. Because it taught me to face my fear of failure and told me 'you can do this', even when I thought I couldn't.

I know there are 10000s of essays/videos saying the same thing, and honestly, they are what drew me to the Souls Series. Specifically this one:

 

[Rath Darkblade]

I played some of Witcher III. It was the only video game to give me a headache. The Fishbowl effect was not something that sat well with me. What makes it your favorite? Do you like the world/lore or story?

Never played Witcher 3, only Witcher 2. I thought it was ... interesting, but didn't keep my interest long enough to replay.

The size of Witcher 3 is insane. I did the calculations, and it would take me a whole day, day and night (I'm not kidding) to download it.

 

[Luxuria]

Never played Witcher 3, only Witcher 2. I thought it was ... interesting, but didn't keep my interest long enough to replay.

The size of Witcher 3 is insane. I did the calculations, and it would take me a whole day, day and night (I'm not kidding) to download it.

That's fair. I didn't make it far myself, because it was lagging on my computer and giving me a headache. But I love the investigations part.

EEK. That's a huge game!

 

[Set2Stun]

Witcher 3 in Nightmare Mode? What was that like?

You mentioned the Witcher 3 combat system and I am wondering if you like using potions and stuff.

This is one of the reasons why nightmare mode rocks - you actually need to use all the tools available to you. In normal mode, or even hard mode, you can cruise through just swinging your sword and casting the occasional sign. So, it feels like you're missing out on a lot of the strategy and intricacies of combat. I'd only recommend this for a second playthrough, though. Hard mode is challenging enough for the first time.

What is the worst choice you've made and didn't realize it?

In one section I kept making the wrong dialogue choices and was forced to kill one of the fun side characters. But I just save scrubbed until I got it right cause I felt bad about it
I also learned the hard way that in the game, as in real life, if you romance everyone, there are definitely going to be consequences.

My experience with Souls games is a bit similar, though I suppose not quite so deep. My introduction was Bloodborne. Never played anything like it before. I was so accustomed to games holding your hand and pointing you in the right direction, and this was just chaos!

I remember the very moment my brain began creating new neural pathways. I saw my first enemy, this terrifying werewolf that was feasting upon a corpse. What do you do in games when you see a bad guy? You go attack it, of course. So I punched a werewolf. I didn't do any damage, and he killed me in like 0.3 seconds. I laughed out loud as I realized how I'd been using game brain instead of logic brain.

I'll say, there's nothing quite like beating a difficult boss in a Soulsborne game. It's enough for one to bellow a war cry or jump out of one's seat in triumph.

 

[X Equestris]

Oh well. I haven't been in the mood to game recently, but probably next week I will try out Mass Effect. So many people have recommended it to me, and somehow I've just never gotten around to it. I snapped up the remastered trilogy a few months ago for like $6, what a steal. Looking forward to seeing what all the hype is about.

Wow, $6 for the trilogy is an absolute steal. You’re in for a real treat. What I wouldn’t give to experience Mass Effect for the first time all over again!

Literally the only complain I have about the Legendary Edition is that they didn’t port over Mass Effect 3’s cooperative multiplayer mode. But, in fairness, the original’s is still alive some thirteen years later.

Speaking of PvE multiplayer games, I picked up Helldivers II yesterday, but haven’t tried it out yet on account of some nasty storms sweeping through. I’ve heard a lot of good things, and what I’ve seen reminds me of ME3 and MEA multiplayer, so I’m excited to get hands on.

Otherwise, I just entered Act III in my second playthrough of Baldur’s Gate III, a tiefling cleric (light domain) dedicated to Selûne. It’s been a blast so far (sometimes literally!) and I can’t wait to see how the class intersects with the ends of certain companion quest lines and a few late-game moments.

 

[Luxuria]

I defeated Kalameet yesterday. Wasn't as hard as I thought he would be, but I could see where if you're a tank, it would be a pain. I think I just had the right idea/armor for it. But I enjoyed it.

I tried Manus and even with Sif's summon, I got my ass kicked. Lasted longer than I thought. But this guy is SO FAST. I need more time with him. Because he's really, really fast. Ugh. It's like fighting an Elden Ring boss with Ds1 movement. He's worse than Artorias.

 

[Luxuria]

This is one of the reasons why nightmare mode rocks - you actually need to use all the tools available to you. In normal mode, or even hard mode, you can cruise through just swinging your sword and casting the occasional sign. So, it feels like you're missing out on a lot of the strategy and intricacies of combat. I'd only recommend this for a second playthrough, though. Hard mode is challenging enough for the first time.


In one section I kept making the wrong dialogue choices and was forced to kill one of the fun side characters. But I just save scrubbed until I got it right cause I felt bad about it
I also learned the hard way that in the game, as in real life, if you romance everyone, there are definitely going to be consequences.

My experience with Souls games is a bit similar, though I suppose not quite so deep. My introduction was Bloodborne. Never played anything like it before. I was so accustomed to games holding your hand and pointing you in the right direction, and this was just chaos!

I remember the very moment my brain began creating new neural pathways. I saw my first enemy, this terrifying werewolf that was feasting upon a corpse. What do you do in games when you see a bad guy? You go attack it, of course. So I punched a werewolf. I didn't do any damage, and he killed me in like 0.3 seconds. I laughed out loud as I realized how I'd been using game brain instead of logic brain.

I'll say, there's nothing quite like beating a difficult boss in a Soulsborne game. It's enough for one to bellow a war cry or jump out of one's seat in triumph.

Oh, that's really neat. I like being forced to use tools to win. And okay, if I try this game again, I will try it on hard. I struggled before on regular. I think because I had less gaming experience and computer lag was painful.

I am sorry you had to kill that one character. Glad you could save him, though.

HAHAHAH! Wow. Good to know. Don't be a whore is key, apparently.

___
Wow, I can imagine Bloodborne being chaos for the first-time player. And oh, that's funny. Good thing you learned to use your real brain. I think that's where Fromsoft is great. Because it DOES force you to use your real brain. I don't know how to explain it, but it might be because it forces you to be present?

And agreed! There is NO other feeling like it in gaming. Nay, even life sometimes. Like, O + S and The Nameless King, etc. Those are bosses that give you feelings you didn't know you had. (Or I'm just depressed and don't know it?)

 

[Set2Stun]

Yeah, Fromsoft is great at subverting gaming expectations. And you can't get lazy - gotta keep your senses on high alert.
I think the boss that made me jump up and hoot n holler the most was that freakin Blood-Starved Beast. Just impossibly difficult, and I was stubborn back then and refused to google how to beat him, even after dying 50+ times. When I finally killed the Beast, I felt like a god.


I'm about ten hours into Mass Effect now. I love it. Only the graphics of the human characters feel a bit dated (faces and ears in particular), but it's not very distracting. Everything else looks great.

It started a little too slow for me. We get an early mission where there's plenty of action and you get accustomed to the combat system. But following that is literal hours of walking around a space station with seemingly endless conversations with NPCs who cannot stop dumping info on you. It's not the best way to introduce a new universe to a new player.

BUT - after that it kicks ass. Hopping to different solar systems, surveying planets, landing on those that are safe enough to do so and exploring. Plenty of plot mixed in with plenty of action. This game is cool. Looking forward to a few long sessions this weekend.