What Are You Currently Playing? 5.05: You Are (Not) A Gamer

[Eddy]

I actually loved 1999 Mode in BioShock Infinite. It's not that bad if you know the right tactics to handle the fights.

[talonmalon333]

Super Metroid is one of the best SNES games. Fact.

Wrong, it's THE best SNES game.

The Chrono Trigger fan in me wishes to disagree.

[Grave]

Super Metroid is one of the best SNES games. Fact.

Wrong, it's THE best SNES game.

The Chrono Trigger fan in me wishes to disagree.

Agreed, although I didn't play Chrono Trigger until I got my PS2 (2005). I was heavy into Super Street Fighter 2 back then so I hardly saw any SNES games to begin with.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I've been playing more of BioShock: Infinite. I finally ran into Elizabeth, and I have to say that I love how the developers put in that one line to assure you that you you don't need to protect her, and that she can taker care of herself. Its basically their way of confirming that gamers can let their biggest fears lay to rest. This game would be way too frustrating if you actually had to protect someone else, but luckily Elizabeth can only be indifferent to the gameplay at worst, and at best she will help you instead of hindering you.

I've been playing for a little over 3 hours now (I take a LONG time to complete levels because I make sure to explore every single inch of them for goodies), and I've only just ran into my first weapon upgrade station, which seems like it took forever to get to one. I could afford both upgrades present, but I'm going to save my money and not upgrade my pistol clip, since I don't have a problem just taking cover and reloading that weapon when I need to. As for the upgrades themselves, I have to say that while I don't mind the 2-weapon limit at all in this game, I do miss how in the first 2 BhioShock games you got unique visual modifications made to your weapons when you upgraded them, making them feel more personal. In this game, since your drop and pick up weapons as you go, you can really only improve their stats, and you can't do anything to change them visually, which kind of sucks, but that's only a minor gripe on my part. Its still cool that you can still upgrade them, all the same. I just hope that whenever you upgrade a weapon in this game, that it applies to the weapon even after you drop it and pick up another one later on. It'd be pretty useless and lame if your upgrades for weapons disappeared each time you switched them out for something else.

[Foggle]

Good news everyone! Blood is currently on sale for $3 at GOG!

http://www.gog.com/gamecard/one_unit_whole_blood

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

One thing that kind of ticks me off about BioShock: Infinite (at least the console version, anyways) is how the saving system works. They basically took away the ability to save anywhere like in the first 2 BioShock games. I'm actually OK with that part, as it makes the game more challenging and such. What I don't like is that you basically can't safe your progress in the middle of a level, though, and some of these levels take a long time based on how much I explore them. If they were going to go this route, than they should have at least allowed you to save during mid-level checkpoints (like in Halo games) where the game auto-saves, but when I tried that I just got sent back to the beginning of the level and lost all of my progress up to that point.

Other than that, though, the game is still as good as I expect a BioShock game to be. Surprisingly, though, I honestly haven't found much use for the Vigor abilities (basically the game's form of magic). I think in that regard the first 2 games were a little better as I did find more opportunities to use my Plasmids, but in Infinite my abilities seem kind of useless, so far, except for Possession which allows me to create distractions for my enemies by possessing one of them or their machines to fire back at them and in turn draw some fire away from me. Other than that, though, all of the trap Vigors are way too specific to certain situations which I rarely (if ever) find myself in; to the point where I just flat-out don't bother using them.

In this regard, I actually think that BioShock 2, which ironically had the weakest story of the bunch, has had the series' best, or at least most balanced, gameplay so far. It was pretty clever in how it actually came up with the harvest scenarios, in which you had to defend your little sister, but had as much time as you needed before that to scout the area you were in and set up traps in any narrow entrances that Splicers could come through. That's the one game where I actually used my Plasmids just as much as my practical weapons, and traps were actually very handy in that game because you could actually predict where enemies would come from.

Having said that, I still think that Inifinite has been pretty good so far. Right now I've made it up to Hall of Heroes. I don't know how far into the game that is, but I've spent at least 5 hours playing it collectively, so far. It would have gone by much quicker, but I've been taking a long time on levels as I explore every single inch of them.

[Foggle]

Other than that, though, the game is still as good as I expect a BioShock game to be. Surprisingly, though, I honestly haven't found much use for the Vigor abilities (basically the game's form of magic). I think in that regard the first 2 games were a little better as I did find more opportunities to use my Plasmids, but in Infinite my abilities seem kind of useless, so far, except for Possession which allows me to create distractions for my enemies by possessing one of them or their machines to fire back at them and in turn draw some fire away from me. Other than that, though, all of the trap Vigors are way too specific to certain situations which I rarely (if ever) find myself in; to the point where I just flat-out don't bother using them.

I dunno, I loved using the Vigors in Infinite. They aren't as useful as they are in the first two games, but they're a lot more fun to use IMO.

Right now I've made it up to Hall of Heroes. I don't know how far into the game that is

Less than a third.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I dunno, I loved using the Vigors in Infinite. They aren't as useful as they are in the first two games, but they're a lot more fun to use IMO.

Eh, Maybe I'll find more reasons to use them later on. As for being more fun, I could maybe see that if there are some new unique ones around. So far I have 4 of them and they've all basically been slightly modified versions of Plasmids that were already available in the first 2 games. I'm kind of hoping for something a bit more unique that I haven't seen before. Most notably, I still don't have the ability to steal weapons straight from enemies' hands, to both give me ammo and disarm my enemies. I can't believe these games still haven't done anything like that with the creative possibilities that Plasmids/Vigors allow. I suppose I just really loved that Force ability in Jedi Knight II and Jedi Academy. I almost feel like it should be standard fair in games like these. But, maybe that's just me.

Less than a third.

Well, that's certainly good to know. I'd hate for the experience to be over too quickly.

[Foggle]

I hated having to switch back and forth between guns and plasmids in the original. I find them infinitely (lol) more fun and useful the way they work in the new game (and BS2, if I recall).

Anyway, no one agrees with me, but I found BSI's gameplay to be excellent, providing many opportunities for player creativity (though it doesn't really open up 'til the Hall of Heroes). I used the vigors every bit as much as the guns for much of the game.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I hated having to switch back and forth between guns and plasmids in the original. I find them infinitely (lol) more fun and useful the way they work in the new game (and BS2, if I recall).

Yes, BS2 is the one that introduced the ability to use both at once. Honestly, though, was it really that much of a pain in the ass to press a single button to switch between guns and plasmids on the fly? I mean, its definitely more convenient to have them both accessible at once, but having to switch between them when it only takes a split second to do so doesn't hinder me too much, either. I feel that's more like a nit-pick issue.

Anyway, no one agrees with me, but I found BSI's gameplay to be excellent, providing many opportunities for player creativity (though it doesn't really open up 'til the Hall of Heroes). I used the vigors every bit as much as the guns for much of the game.

Well, I still have more than half of the game left to go, so I may find more opportunities to use Vigors later down the line. Like I said, though, other than Possession which I use every now and then, I feel like the other abilities haven't been that essential to combat, yet. It might just be me, though. I've tried to set up traps in strategic locations in the past, but enemies never seem  to move where I expect them to, so those traps often go to waste. Maybe I just can't really get a grasp on how the enemy AI works in this game yet, though. Sometimes they seem to be clever enough to take cover, while other times they come charging straight at me unexpectedly (whether they have guns or melee weapons). Once I get a grasp on how these enemies operate, then I can more effectively predict their movements and set up traps for them accordingly.

[Foggle]

Yes, BS2 is the one that introduced the ability to use both at once. Honestly, though, was it really that much of a pain in the ass to press a single button to switch between guns and plasmids on the fly? I mean, its definitely more convenient to have them both accessible at once, but having to switch between them when it only takes a split second to do so doesn't hinder me too much, either. I feel that's more like a nit-pick issue.

Going back to that method after playing the sequels made it feel less intuitive to me. It's like how Spark dislikes not being able to strafe in R&C1, but I don't have a problem with it. It may be a nitpick, but it genuinely makes the game less fun for me.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I can see where you're coming from, but I guess having to switch between stuff doesn't really bother me that much. For me its really only the difference between pressing a single button and not pressing a single button. The latter is certainly more convenient and intuitive, but the former isn't exactly going to kill the experience for me, or even really hurt it that much. That said, its all a matter of personal preference, of course.

In other news, BSI isn't the only game that I've been playing. I've continued replaying Ninja Gaiden Black, and so far I've made it up to Chapter 12. You know how I said I'm always discovering new things about this game even to this day? Well, today I just realized that I couldn't make it back to the Military Supply Base to get that chest that I missed because the path was blocked off after completing that chapter. That really bummed me out, because now its impossible for me to 100% the game on this file. I still have replays on the higher difficulties in which I can do that, but its annoying when its only 1 or 2 things which I'm missing. I think I might have missed a Golden Scarab in that area, which is equally as shitty, because I'd only have 1 left to get in order to have all 50 scarabs by the end of the game. Oh well, other than that I've completed every 60 Fiend challenge which I have come across so far, and they've all been pretty easy whenever I use the proper strategy. I've also upgraded all of my weapons up to their max levels, and I think I only have 1 or 2 more weapons I could possibly unlock in the game at this point. I love how the Wooden Sword turns into the Unlabored Flawlessness once you get it up to level 7, which I'm willing to bet that most people don't discover because they probably ignore spending money upgrading a weapon that is as deceptively useless as the WS (which it IS a piece of crap in combat until it becomes the UF). Its a great weapon that can actually OHK bosses if you know how to use it properly and skillfully, but I suspect I really won't have much use for it on the Normal difficulty setting, which I've been having a really easy time with so far.

Anyways, I can safely say that, overall, this is still easily my personal favorite game of all time. The level design is the best I've seen in a hack n' slash game, yet (from a general level structure point of view), and the combat is still nothing to scoff at, as it offers up more depth than a majority of hack n' slash games, even if its not on the level of NG2, DMC3/4, or Bayonetta. To me, its so far the game that I've played with the best balance between good combat, great level structure, and excellently designed enemy AI, which is why its still my favorite game in the genre, and basically ever.

I've also still been playing The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons. I got past the 3rd dungeon and now I think I might be able to unlock another Season to use, but I'm not entirely sure where I have to go first. I suppose I should just explore any areas that I now have access to with the use of the Roc's Feather.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Alright, BSI just got infinitely better (no pun intended ) after Hall of Heroes. Elizabeth's powers, while still technically a scripted thing in how all of the tears are fixed and set in the game, makes the strategy and enjoyment of the game all the better, and just makes the game feel that much more interesting. I like how you can switch between tears on the fly, so you can open up some ammo crates if you need more, and then get some crates of health and vigor in the middle of a fight to replenish your stores, and finally you can do something like summon a machine to help you fight your enemies or a sky hook to get you to higher ground. It adds a lot of variety to combat without downright forcing you to use any of it if you don't really want to.

Also, now that I have Shock Jockey, I realized just how much of a crutch electricity is in the BS games. I abused the hell out of it in the first 2 games, and now I'm pretty much using it all the time in this game as well. Its so overpowered, yet so undeniably fun to use. That said, I also like using possession in this game, and even got the "Possession For Less" upgrade since I use it so much in tough fights.

If there's one thing I'm still not keen on, though, its the enemy AI in this game. Sometimes they make sense and will take cover and generally try and get you from a distance, while a couple will try to flank you. That makes sense and all, but what I hate is when sometimes they'll all charge me at once and them some come from behind and just surround me. At that point its not challenging in a fun way. Its just making the enemies ridiculously suicidal and overwhelming me with sheer numbers. I could set up traps and whatnot if I know that the enemies are going to do that, but that's the problem, since the AI in this game doesn't seem to follow any clear, rational pattern. They either try to charge me or stand their ground. I mean, with certain enemy types it makes sense. Snipers are going to stay at a distance, and enemies with short-range weapons will charge you. But then why do I have dudes with carbines and even rocket launchers come really close to me at times? Stuff like that is what doesn't make any sense to me. I think the gameplay is still good, and I love the game for the exploration it offers and the great story-telling and characterization (one of the few AAA games where the writers actually know what the fuck they're talking about), but just like the first 2 games, combat still isn't quite on par with everything else, IMO. Its still fun to play, though.

[Foggle]

Make sure to use the shotgun, it's the most satisfying weapon (and also one of the few that actually feel good to shoot). Personally, I liked the way the enemies charge you, as it means you have to think quickly on your feet and use everything in your surroundings to succeed. Take advantage of the skylines, tears, and vigors as much as possible; it makes the combat much more exciting and rewarding!

Though maybe the combat is better on the PC or something. It was incredibly fun for me to play, but most people say otherwise; however, most of the people who don't like it seem to be playing on Xbox/PS3. Personally, I loved almost everything about the entire game from start to finish, weapon limit and copy-paste boss fight aside.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Make sure to use the shotgun, it's the most satisfying weapon (and also one of the few that actually feel good to shoot). Personally, I liked the way the enemies charge you, as it means you have to think quickly on your feet and use everything in your surroundings to succeed. Take advantage of the skylines, tears, and vigors as much as possible; it makes the combat much more exciting and rewarding!

I do take advantage of all that stuff. Its just that you're health deteriorates ridiculously fast in this game (and you can't store any med-kits like in previous games), and sometimes the number of enemies can be overwhelming and they'll surround you whether you're on the move or not. I don't mind enemies charging me, but I like it to make sense when they do. Guys with rocket launchers should not willingly come next to me unless they mean to commit suicide and take me down with them.

Just to put things in perspective, I like the enemy AI design in games like F.E.A.R. and Halo. Both of those games are very challenging on their harder difficulty settings and require you to think on your feat just as much, but when you think about how the enemy AI acts, it makes perfect sense why whether they stand their ground or charge you or throw grenades at you or whatever.

That said, I don't mean to sound like I find the combat to be a chore. Most of the time I still have fun with the game, so its good. I'm just highlighting an issue that I have that comes up sometimes, but not often enough to ruin the whole gameplay experience. Its still a really good game, so far.