What are you playing this weekend?

Yeah, Supraland isn't exactly little, but it depends on how much of a completionist you are. There's a lot of optional things to do and discover. I loved that game though - so wildly inventive. This is a great interview with the developer. I particularly liked how he said "Unlike in a regular Metroidvania, where an ability can be used for one or maybe two things, I dismissed any ability that didn't at least have six completely different use cases". The more you play, the more you'll see what he means. Such a well thought out game, with a brilliant sense of humour.

More Ghostwire: Tokyo. I said a week or two ago that it was getting a bit stale and there were no surprises, but then the game went and gave me surprises, so that's nice. Still is a bit mindless, but it's a fun kind of mindless.

Finally getting back into Xenoblade Chronicles 2 too. I'm starting to understand the systems better and am really enjoying it, it's just a shame that life is really not suited to massive RPG's right now.

I'll likely be finishing up Psychonauts 2, and play some Fantasy Life and Inscryption, to boot.

Leveling Ninja in Final Fantasy XIV and seeing how many floors I can clear in Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories

The plan for this (long) weekend is to beat The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, a game I'm very ambivalent about. If I still have time after that, I plan to get back to Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster for the JRPG club.

Finishing up the Control AWE DLC (Alan Wake tie-in) and then who knows.

Chipping away at Days Gone. It is interesting, its like the developers were trying to help the player with open-world fatigue. There are never a million icons on the mini-map to overwhelm you. But you end up having to wait for a transmission to give you a mission (even a side mission). So missions are doled out a little bit more incrementally, making the game take a bit longer than it probably would otherwise. I am enjoying it, but what a long game.

I’m going to help some randoms with boss fights in Elden Ring. I did it a lot in the Dark Souls games and it was a lovely (and lucrative) thing to be a part of. I’m a little disappointed that there is no equivalent to the ‘Warriors of Sunlight’ covenant in this game but everything else is so vastly improved, including co-op (although that’s likely down to the friends I co-op with more than the actual game,) that I can’t hold it against them.

(From recent reports it sounds like covenants may have been planned but didn’t make it into the final game.)

Garth wrote:

Chipping away at Days Gone. It is interesting, its like the developers were trying to help the player with open-world fatigue. There are never a million icons on the mini-map to overwhelm you. But you end up having to wait for a transmission to give you a mission (even a side mission). So missions are doled out a little bit more incrementally, making the game take a bit longer than it probably would otherwise. I am enjoying it, but what a long game.

Agreed. I enjoyed it, but I thought it was too long.

As for this weekend, I'll try to find time to continue with the Final Fantasy VII Remake. I made it to Chapter 11 a couple of days ago, and I am still having a great time.

All board games this week After sitting on the shelf for a few years it’s time to break out gloomhaven and I can’t wait.

Mario_Alba wrote:
Garth wrote:

Chipping away at Days Gone. It is interesting, its like the developers were trying to help the player with open-world fatigue. There are never a million icons on the mini-map to overwhelm you. But you end up having to wait for a transmission to give you a mission (even a side mission). So missions are doled out a little bit more incrementally, making the game take a bit longer than it probably would otherwise. I am enjoying it, but what a long game.

Agreed. I enjoyed it, but I thought it was too long.

Saying I am impressed with the voice acting/writing is probably going a bit too far, but I am liking Deacon and his dialogue more than I anticipated. He kind of stammers his way through conversations at times, which seems somewhat realistic. And the way he talks to himself to guide you on if there is a hive or camp nearby are some nice flourishes that they really didn't need to do, yet add a lot to the game.

Elden Ring again. Going to grind some weapons up for no reason.

Finishing the last map of Tiny Tina's Wonderlands and see what happens after...would definitely play all over again with my kid or others for co-op...

Maybe some Old World. Want to try out the new faction. Other than that, continuing to make progress through Horizon: Zero Dawn and Gears of War Tactics.

Keeping on with Triangle Strategy as my main game. May also mess around with Supraland a bit more. And now that Old World is on steam, I'm giving it a pretty hard look.

Finished up my second playthrough of Headlander. Still love that game. Will probably replay it again in another 4-5 years.

Picked up Final Fantasy 7 Remake on the Epic sale. So that's next up with maybe some Psychonauts 2 in there to liven things up when the FF7 characters get too broody.

Downloaded Mini Motorways on Switch and so far enjoying it more than Mini Metro, its predecessor. Seems like there is more going on and perhaps not as punishing. Time will tell though.

Busy weekend ahead. I'm having fun with Ghostwire: Tokyo. The collect-o-thon nature is soothing to my brain. I also want to try out Old World.

Finally I have some family coming over and we are playing Ark Nova for the first time.

Old World with the new Heroes of the Aegean DLC

Outward Definitive Edition - Playing some co-op

Superhot - How did I put off playing this game for so long? I've been enjoying playing this slo-mo-shooter over the last few days.

Garth wrote:
Mario_Alba wrote:
Garth wrote:

Chipping away at Days Gone. It is interesting, its like the developers were trying to help the player with open-world fatigue. There are never a million icons on the mini-map to overwhelm you. But you end up having to wait for a transmission to give you a mission (even a side mission). So missions are doled out a little bit more incrementally, making the game take a bit longer than it probably would otherwise. I am enjoying it, but what a long game.

Agreed. I enjoyed it, but I thought it was too long.

Saying I am impressed with the voice acting/writing is probably going a bit too far, but I am liking Deacon and his dialogue more than I anticipated. He kind of stammers his way through conversations at times, which seems somewhat realistic. And the way he talks to himself to guide you on if there is a hive or camp nearby are some nice flourishes that they really didn't need to do, yet add a lot to the game.

Agreed. I thought he was a very well realized character and the best part of the game for me, which was surprising after reading so many takes on how bland, boring, uninteresting and generic he was. But I'm usually in the minority when it comes to pretty much everything.

Cyberpunk finally has it's hooks in me, so working through that.

In a VR mood today, so trying some things. Gave Project Wingman a shot. Might take another look at Iron Rebellion which has lots of updates since I last tried it.

Then it's back to pancake gaming with Nobody Saves the World and Elden Ring.

Neutrino wrote:

Superhot - How did I put off playing this game for so long? I've been enjoying playing this slo-mo-shooter over the last few days.

When I first saw the game I thought it was silly looking and the visual style was just a cheap way of representing scenes and characters without actually having to go to the trouble of making them look people. It’s since become one of my all time favourites (the DLC is very good as well) and I think the art style is incredible effective and stylish.

Higgledy wrote:
Neutrino wrote:

Superhot - How did I put off playing this game for so long? I've been enjoying playing this slo-mo-shooter over the last few days.

When I first saw the game I thought it was silly looking and the visual style was just a cheap way of representing scenes and characters without actually having to go to the trouble of making them look people. It’s since become one of my all time favourites (the DLC is very good as well) and I think the art style is incredible effective and stylish.

I completely agree I had read some reviews but it wasn't until I started playing it that I realized how great it was. Each level plays like a puzzle with almost infinite ways to solve them. I'm playing it in small doses because I don't want to get to the end! I'll definitely check out the DLC/follow up

Most of this last week has been consumed by the horribly-named Steam early access game V Rising. It’s basically 3/4 view goth Valheim. You play as a vampire on a huge survival map filled with monsters and medieval human settlements. You punch trees so you can build a base to protect from the sun so you can hunt humans and grow stronger so you can build a bigger base and etc.

Exploring my inner Maverick in Microsoft Flight Simulator and eating humans in my Total War: Warhammer 3 Ogre campaign.

Some Apico, Old World, Peglin (lots of new content added this past week, much more to come), Firekeep, Super Hot (yeah, really late to the game I know), and as always a few refreshing levels in Path of Exile. I love having an almost four day weekend.

Elden Ring is on hold so I can help others beat Malenia. In the meantime I’m playing Carrion which is a brilliant reverse ‘monster loose in an underground facility’ game, Slay the Spire (I don't think the Spire is overly concerned about it’s impending slaying. Infact anyone past the second boss is probably feeling quite upbeat about their chances of survival) and Far Cry 6 which is probably going to end up being my favourite Far Cry of the series thanks to the sense of place, characterisation, acting and superb music and sound design.

Leveling Ninja in Final Fantasy XIV and progressing through Castle Oblivion in Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories.

Started Mass Effect 3 and Hardspace Shipbreaker this week and suddenly they're all I'm playing. Old finger jewelry can wait; it doesn't have spaceships.