Any gamers around here?

[Blackleaf]

I 100% completed Spider-Man, including all of the DLCs. Well, okay. I didn't get quite enough challenge coins to get all of the equipment, but I don't care about those. If I wanted to, I could do a New Game + to get more challenge coins, but it takes too long to get to the Taskmaster. ...They didn't hide any secret suits behind NG+, did they? I don't think they did, but there was a secret suit for getting taking all the secret photos.

My thoughts on the game, now that it's finished? The story is very satisfying, even if it leaves a few loose ends (for the sequels to follow up on, I'm sure). The character moments are very realistic and emotional. The ending is bitter sweet, as the endings of Spider-Man stories often are, but this one hit me more than most. Really liked how they integrated Miles Morales into the story as well. It felt organic.

The DLC's story is also pretty good, with tragedy, mystery, and...Black Cat. God, I love this game's version of Black Cat.

The game is buggy, though. There was a time during a cutscene, where a car spawned in a place where it obscured what was happening. I've seen pedestrians phase through cars and repeatedly fall over for no reason. Twice in my last play session, I had to exit the game and reopen it because a mission wasn't working properly and I got stuck. First time, the final wave of enemies just didn't spawn. I don't know if I'm just unlucky with these bugs, or if maybe the remaster didn't get as much polish as it should have and the PS4 version works fine. Either way, the bugs were annoying, but not enough to kill the fun at least.

Also, it's really uncanny experiencing this game's story in the year 2023. It almost feels like the game's events are inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the conflict in Ukraine, but the original game released in 2018. It's...weird.

Started Miles Morales last night. Heard it wasn't as good as Spider-Man, so went in with low expectations. So far... I'm impressed in a lot of ways. It looks noticeably better than the Spider-Man remaster. The gameplay is like a more refined version of the first game. The controls are tighter, and the new moves surrounding his "Venom" powers are a nice extension to the power set of the original game. The characters are interesting. I like how Peter likes to mess with Miles with his pre-recorded messages. It's poetic how the first villain you fight is the same one the powerless Miles had to hide and run from in the first game. Miles starts breathing heavily when swinging though the city, reflecting his lack of experience. He attempts to quip at times, but doesn't seem to be very good at it. I'm assuming he'll stop trying to be Peter at some point, and just start being his own man (Spider-Man) by the end of the game. Character development.

I like the progression system here, as well. The original has, I think, five tokens you collect from a variety of tasks, like crime tokens and science tokens. It feels like a free-to-play game with this silliness. Miles Morales seems to have fewer tokens for progression. There are activity tokens, which is like several of the first game's tokens combined into one. You get these from fighting crime or completing challenges, so it doesn't seem like resources will as limited this time around. There are also hidden caches of parts, which you can use to build and improve gadgets. It makes sense.

There are a few things I don't like, but so far, they're nitpicks. Not too important. The social media feed, a returning gimmick from the first game, feels a lot more random. In the first game, people pretty much just posted things related to Spider-Man or events happening in the game. In Miles Morales, people seem to post whatever random thoughts come to mind. There's a part in a side mission where a crane drops a concrete pipe on the train tracks and Miles responds by...punching it until it breaks? Wouldn't that leave rubble on the tracks that would still cause the train to crash? Whatever. Also, it seems like it's a lot harder to stealth in this game. Enemies bunch up together more, and even when separated, they still aren't safe to grab. That's probably my biggest gripe with the game so far.

I had no idea the Dual Shock controller's touchpad was so responsive. You swipe left to bring up an app in the game. I thought it was just basically another button to be pressed in. I had no idea it could feel me swipe it. Wonder how many games actually use that.

This game makes me wonder how Spider-Man 2 will handle having both Spider-Men together. You can't just have Peter as the one with fewer powers. Maybe they'll have different gadgets or something. Will the player be able to switch between the two at will? Will the other Spider-Man be controlled be an NPC who will help you fight? That could be cool or annoying.

[Shiranu]

Finally starting my first play through of Deus Ex... I don't think I could have chosen much more relevant of game for the times - maybe if there was more AI involved (if there isn't already).

Really immersive world so far, and Jensen's voice is perfect.

[Blackleaf]

Can't believe Nintendo just shadow dropped Metroid Prime on the Switch. It looks good, too, like a modern game. Hopefully, they re-release the rest of the trilogy before Prime 4 comes out.

This is starting to become a pattern now. Metroid Dread was announced only a few short months before release. Prime remaster is released the same day it is announced. When Prime 4 finally gets a trailer, and they going to be like, "Available tomorrow?"

[the_antithesis]

Can't believe Nintendo just shadow dropped Metroid Prime on the Switch. It looks good, too, like a modern game. Hopefully, they re-release the rest of the trilogy before Prime 4 comes out.

This is starting to become a pattern now. Metroid Dread was announced only a few short months before release. Prime remaster is released the same day it is announced. When Prime 4 finally gets a trailer, and they going to be like, "Available tomorrow?"

Personally, I find that smart. Hype is toxic.

[Hydra009]

This is starting to become a pattern now. Metroid Dread was announced only a few short months before release. Prime remaster is released the same day it is announced. When Prime 4 finally gets a trailer, and they going to be like, "Available tomorrow?"

*hmmms in Star Citizen*

[Blackleaf]

Finished Metroid Prime Remaster a couple days ago. First time finishing any of the Prime games. I think the Wii's motion controls were a turnoff, or else I just wasn't that big of a Metroid fan back then. It's kind of amazing how good it looks.

I do have some grievances with the game, but nothing that ruined the experience for me. I don't like the morph ball and normal form have different jump buttons. I don't like having to switch beams constantly when backtracking. Once opened once, it would be nice if they would open with any beam. Missile doors work that way, so I don't know why they didn't do that with the other doors. Wish it was easier to know which rooms had unclaimed items, so I could actually 100% it. And the Chozo Ghosts. God, screw those things...

Strangely, there's no Fusion suit unlockable in the game, despite both GameCube and Wii versions having it. Data miners found an updated model in the files. Given how Fusion releases on NSO soon, some have speculated that the suit will become available somehow later.

Also, unrelated, but I uploaded an amusing moment from early in my playthrough of Miles Morales.

[Mr.Obvious]

Playing both re2 remake  2nd run with claire, and spyro the dragon remastered trilogy.
Spyro and spyro year of the dragon were staples of my childhood. And they make for a good dose of levity in contrast to re2 remake.

I have lots of praise for the spyro remastered version. Do recommend. Good for mindless fun  true to the original and it's a great way to get the series' magic to a new generation.
Hoping for a spyro 4 in 2024, the next year of the dragon. Probably won't be for my ps4, however.

Re2 is pretty good. I like it a lot, but i am probably not going to play it again, for some time.

Re2 is one of those games that is a long and gruelling quest, without clear levels or missions and the likes.
And this is completely my fault, but it makes it difficult for me to put it down. Which makes it that i spend so much time in it, that i grow tired of it.
Spyro, a children's game, is very simpel and you can play one level or go for one collectible and then call it a day.

[Blackleaf]

I love the Spyro Remastered Trilogy. I only played Year of the Dragon so far, because I had that one growing up, but I'll probably play the other two later. I have fond memories of that collectathon game on the PlayStation. Collecting gems, doing casual animal abuse, it's fun. I like the visual style of the remake as well. It's faithful to the original, but with added detail. Very cartoony and exaggerated with the expressions. Wish the villain had an actual name, though. They just call her "the sorceress" the whole game.