What Are You Currently Playing? 6.65: Neighbor of the Beast

[Nel_Annette]

So since November I've been replaying all of the Assassin's Creed games in release order, seeing how they've held up after my initial opinions. After I beat AC3 about two days back, I finally got a chance to play Liberation for the first time (the HD port was part of the "Americas Collection" pack I bought for PS3). I gotta say, Revelations isn't my least favorite game anymore. Liberation is a snoozefest. The plot is boring, its pacing is terrible, New Orleans is uninteresting, the bayou is a nightmare to navigate, the acting is horrendous, the rewards for doing the little side content there is is never worth it, and (thankfully) the game is so short that you can blow right through it in two days like I just did. I get that it was a Vita game, but sheesh. Thankfully, AC4:BF is next on my agenda, and I love that game. And after that I'll finally play Rogue. And maybe Unity once I get a PS4, since by now it's been patched to hell and back and Arno should have his entire face by now, rather than just eyes, hair and teeth. 

One thing I do appreciate that they did was allow you to replace Aveline's silly little hat with the traditional assassin hood if you wished. I did that and dyed everything white, because it's AC, damn it.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I made the mistake of being invested in MGS1's story when MGS2 first came out. That should be pretty self-explanatory.

Needless to say, it's not a bad game at all. But that was pretty much when I lost interest.

[talonmalon333]

It did seem to kind of change the perception of the series forever. People look at Metal Gear as the franchise with "a convoluted, nonsensical story" or "a cheesy, over the top style" or "cutscenes that take way too long". When did all three of those start? Metal Gear Solid 2.

(MGS1 did have long cutscenes as well, but 2 is where they nearly propelled into infinity in terms of length.)

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Too bad that was the first MGS game that I ever tried. To be fair, I'm not much of a fan of stealth, anyways, but perhaps I would have taken more of a liking to the series if I had started out with another game. As for MGS2, the gameplay itself wasn't bad, but I couldn't stand being constantly interrupted by long-winded dialogue-segments that quite frankly made no sense to me and did nothing to get me invested in the characters, and to be honest, it seemed to have too many "gimmick" sections for my liking (like having to listen for a metallic heartbeat or thst underwater section, to name just a couple). Normally I'm all for variety, but when a game throws too much at you and doesn't really give you enough time to get acclimated to one single recurring type of gameplay style, it tends to feel more frantic than fun, IMO. I just never really got that sense of learning all of the basic mechanics, and then combining them in advanced ways later on to get through tougher parts of the game. Granted that there was some of that, but not nearly enough, for my liking.

Believe it or not, though, there was a part of the game that I actually really liked and was even temporarily addicted to. The VR Missons. Much like Mission Mode from NGB, this mode smartly created pocket-sized sections of gameplay that just focused on core things like stealth or target practice, and in that simplistic yet challenging score-based approach, it was actually really fun, IMO. Ironically, my opinions. Are reverse when it comes to the other Raiden-centric MGS game. The main story mode in that is mostly excellent, at least in terms of gameplay, but the VR Missions are infuriating and poorly designed, IMO. Needless to say, though, I still largely prefer that game for the very reason that it's main gameplay focus is far more appealing to me.

One of these days I'll try MGS3 from the MGS HD Collection, although I'm not quite sure why that collection can't include the first MGS. I would assume that it must be some BS legal issue or something of that nature, but with what I'm not sure, because it certainly can't be with Sony if even the PS3 version lacks the first game.

[Spark Of Spirit]

It did seem to kind of change the perception of the series forever. People look at Metal Gear as the franchise with "a convoluted, nonsensical story" or "a cheesy, over the top style" or "cutscenes that take way too long". When did all three of those start? Metal Gear Solid 2.

(MGS1 did have long cutscenes as well, but 2 is where they nearly propelled into infinity in terms of length.)

I think you can just compare the Twin Snakes remake with MGS1 and you can see a lot of the difference between the early series (MG1, MG2, MGS1, and Ghost Babel which was a throwback to it) and where the series went with MGS2. I prefer the more grounded approach of the early series. Fans and Kojima disagree. Oh well.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Too bad that was the first MGS game that I ever tried. To be fair, I'm not much of a fan of stealth, anyways, but perhaps I would have taken more of a liking to the series if I had started out with another game. As for MGS2, the gameplay itself wasn't bad, but I couldn't stand being constantly interrupted by long-winded dialogue-segments that quite frankly made no sense to me and did nothing to get me invested in the characters, and to be honest, it seemed to have too many "gimmick" sections for my liking (like having to listen for a metallic heartbeat or thst underwater section, to name just a couple). Normally I'm all for variety, but when a game throws too much at you and doesn't really give you enough time to get acclimated to one single recurring type of gameplay style, it tends to feel more frantic than fun, IMO. I just never really got that sense of learning all of the basic mechanics, and then combining them in advanced ways later on to get through tougher parts of the game. Granted that there was some of that, but not nearly enough, for my liking.

Believe it or not, though, there was a part of the game that I actually really liked and was even temporarily addicted to. The VR Missons. Much like Mission Mode from NGB, this mode smartly created pocket-sized sections of gameplay that just focused on core things like stealth or target practice, and in that simplistic yet challenging score-based approach, it was actually really fun, IMO. Ironically, my opinions. Are reverse when it comes to the other Raiden-centric MGS game. The main story mode in that is mostly excellent, at least in terms of gameplay, but the VR Missions are infuriating and poorly designed, IMO. Needless to say, though, I still largely prefer that game for the very reason that it's main gameplay focus is far more appealing to me.

One of these days I'll try MGS3 from the MGS HD Collection, although I'm not quite sure why that collection can't include the first MGS. I would assume that it must be some BS legal issue or something of that nature, but with what I'm not sure, because it certainly can't be with Sony if even the PS3 version lacks the first game.

There was a full PS1 game based on the VR missions called, oddly enough, Metal Gear Solid: The VR Missions. I'm not sure if PSN has that or the original MGS, but if you ever get your hands on a Sony system with PSN or a way of playing the discs, I highly recommend playing them.

[talonmalon333]

Too bad that was the first MGS game that I ever tried. To be fair, I'm not much of a fan of stealth, anyways, but perhaps I would have taken more of a liking to the series if I had started out with another game. As for MGS2, the gameplay itself wasn't bad, but I couldn't stand being constantly interrupted by long-winded dialogue-segments that quite frankly made no sense to me and did nothing to get me invested in the characters, and to be honest, it seemed to have too many "gimmick" sections for my liking (like having to listen for a metallic heartbeat or thst underwater section, to name just a couple). Normally I'm all for variety, but when a game throws too much at you and doesn't really give you enough time to get acclimated to one single recurring type of gameplay style, it tends to feel more frantic than fun, IMO. I just never really got that sense of learning all of the basic mechanics, and then combining them in advanced ways later on to get through tougher parts of the game. Granted that there was some of that, but not nearly enough, for my liking.

I was a fan of the gameplay overall. However, I agree with hating the water level that you mentioned. I couldn't stand that part of the game.

I think you can just compare the Twin Snakes remake with MGS1 and you can see a lot of the difference between the early series (MG1, MG2, MGS1, and Ghost Babel which was a throwback to it) and where the series went with MGS2. I prefer the more grounded approach of the early series. Fans and Kojima disagree. Oh well.

MGS3 is my favorite in the series for many reasons, but I do kind of prefer the tone of MGS1. It had its elements that required suspension of disbelief (Psycho Mantis, etc.), but for the most part it was pretty grounded and based around technology. Watching the Pain in MGS3 crawling around trees and shooting out webs was maybe a bit too ridiculous, though admittedly by that point I was kind of used to that.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Speaking of MGS3, isn't it technically a prequel? Admittedly I know next to nothing about MGS's story-line, but isn't the game set during the 60's or 70's in MGS's fictional timeline?

What's with numbered sequels actually being prequels to previous games, anyways?

DMC does the same thing. Devil May Cry 3 should actually be Devil May Cry 0, and DMC4 takes place in between the 1st and 2nd games.

In the old school Ninja Gaiden series, NG3 takes place in between the 1st and 2nd game as well.

WTF, Japan?

[gunswordfist]

i was thinking the same about mgs and dmc. mgs 5 is a prequel as well.

[talonmalon333]

Speaking of MGS3, isn't it technically a prequel? Admittedly I know next to nothing about MGS's story-line, but isn't the game set during the 60's or 70's in MGS's fictional timeline?

What's with numbered sequels actually being prequels to previous games, anyways?

DMC does the same thing. Devil May Cry 3 should actually be Devil May Cry 0, and DMC4 takes place in between the 1st and 2nd games.

In the old school Ninja Gaiden series, NG3 takes place in between the 1st and 2nd game as well.

WTF, Japan?

Yeah, MGS3 is a prequel. There's also 5, which is a prequel to 4... but also a sequel to 3... and the non-numbered Peace Walker which is also a sequel to 3.

That's why I like Resident Evil 0's name. There's no confusion in the fact. It's 0, the prequel to 1... though Resident Evil did already mess up its numbers by having RE3 be half prequel, half sequel to RE2.

But anyway, MGS3 being a prequel is a very nice thing, and it allowed the game to take place before all the convoluted plot in previous games. Might be one of the reasons it has the best story in the series alongside MGS1.

[Foggle]

Was able to stop my PC from burning the house down after five minutes of playing modern games, so now I can use my favorite platform again for the first time in over a year! Hooray!

Now I'm playing The Evil Within for a second time, and WOW the graphics and performance are so much better than in the PS3 version. I also think I'm actually loving it even more on my second playthrough.

After much deliberation, I think I really would pick TEW as my GOTY. Will have to try Akumu once I get to my third run!

[gunswordfist]

i failed to beat on the 4th route (sor1) with adamon normal on sorr yesterday. i am no good without a human or ai partner. i'll try again as sor1 blaze.

[talonmalon333]

Been observing my brother replay MGS1. While the script is still very strong as a whole, I do think there are parts that don't hold up especially well. Some lines just feel a bit forced.

[gunswordfist]

i have been enjoying hard mode on duke nukem 3d. now to check online to see where the first secret level portal is.

[gunswordfist]

launch facility was underwhelming. i forgot how big the abyss was.