True, that same "I wonder what I'm going to discover today?" feeling. Just had an insane run in BP with lots of new stuff an an absolute abondance of all resources. Sadly no antechamber, but I'm getting closer. Also starting to unravel the story, this too seems way more interesting than at first glance.
I totally agree and am currently in the same spot as you, less and less interested in the antechamber and more in the puzzle as a whole!
I too had this at the start. My hint is to indeed make sure you visit all rooms at least once, even if they are bad for your layout for that specific day. Make sure you read the notes you find and make us of the items too. Some items have a clear purpose for the basic runs (just helping out with money or steps) but some seen less useful. It is these items that actually often help you unlock new things though, just think logically where you would be able to make use of them.
Also, there is actually quite a bit of permanent progression / unlocks. This only started happening for me after that long initial phase of just mocking about, but once it starts happening you are better equiped for further discoveries.
My final tip is to actually not see it as a roguelite. You don't need to just have luck / better insight for a winning run, every run is a new moment to investigate new stuff and attempt new things, not to get better at doing the same stuff like other roguelikes. I hope I've explained this well.
I'm also starting to lose myself in Blue prince. I was a bit hesitant in the starting hours, feeling like progress was limited, the puzzle element rather basic and the whole game too RNG based.
But now that I'm further in, I'm really starting to unravel the hidden depth of a lot of its mechanics and secrets. I'm keeping notes on my netbook and it's starting to become more of a wiki. I'm currently unlocking and discovering new stuff at a very satisfying pace, and my opinion of the game is growing immensely.
If I remember correctly you were also a huge fan of Outer Wilds. While I do understand the comparisons, this does feel like a whole other thing to me. More mysterious and strange, but also a bit more sterile. Outer Wilds is just so filled with love and beauty on top of its mystery, that I cannot fathom any game ever pushing it from the top spot in my favorite games of all time.
Very good article, thanks for sharing!
Any portable console is amazing for this, as you can literally change the whole context on a whim. A steam deck is nice, but even a used older console like a PSP / Vita or 3DS is amazing for a reasonable amount of money. As most of these systems no longer have legal ways to buy new games, I see no harm in pirating the games. I am doing this with a 3DS right now and going through the systems hit games is just an amazing ride. Currently enjoying Super Mario 3D Land and Bravely Default.
Killing a bunch of innocent families in his home city will have zero effect on Putin and only make their citizens more likely to keep supporting his invasion.
I understand this reaction, but please let's not use the lives of innocents as chess pieces if it can be avoided.
Aged like the best of wines! 🤌
Let's discuss: Grand Theft Auto
I think 4 runs decently now though? I have it installed on Steam Deck and that seems to handle 60fps well. I have only played around an hour of it, as I didn't feel in the mood for that type of game then.
Let's discuss: Grand Theft Auto
I 100% see that it is satire and respect almost all of its narrative choices, even the torture scene. But that doesn't mean that it is fun to play. It just felt really draining to have to inhabit these characters for dozens of hours, rather than watching a film about them. Something about playing a game forces you to empathize more closely with "your" character, and it is so draining for me when that character is a dick.
I think it gets 10s because of the attention to detail and vast amount of stuff in it, but I agree that underneath all the polish and glamour it is just an average game with some very dated mechanics.
Weirdly enough, it is the story that makes it worthwhile, even though it was not relaxing to me it did have some amazing moments of both satire and just hilarious situations. I also really enjoyed Franklin as a character and the contrast with Michael (who you could argue is actually a worse person than Franklin).
Let's discuss: Grand Theft Auto
I am playing sleeping dogs right now and really enjoying it! Runs very well on Steam Deck too.
The driving left on the road is proving to be a tougher hurdle than expected though, I find myself crashing into opposing drivers more frequently than desired :).
Let's discuss: Grand Theft Auto
I came very late to this series. I only played GTA V last year and I have yet to start another one. While I felt it was an impressive experience and had some great moments, I was also quite baffled at some of the design choices: the game often felt quite clunky and seemed to ignore logical steps in game design that other developers have made (constantly tapping a button to sprint, some of the ways the menus behave).
This is going to sound a bit silly, but I also genuinely had issues constantly doing these reprehensible things in missions. The game is very cynical and constantly makes you do selfish acts for the protagonists. While it is at times extremely funny and is on par with some of the best crime comedies out there, doing this stuff for hours on end was really exhausting for me. I play games to relax and started to feel that this game wasn't giving me that. Compare this to Red Dead Redemption, a game I absolutely adored, where the protagonist is also morally questionable but at least tries to do the right thing within their frame of reference. I have no problem with morally gray protagonists, but something about the dial being turned up to 11 in GTA V really hit me the wrong way.
Right now I am playing Sleeping Dogs on my Steam Deck. It is clearly a GTA clone, but has an interesting twist in setting: Hong Kong is a really cool environment and the combat focusing more on melee and martial arts is also a fun change of pace. The story is quite simple and again you have to look past some ethical implications, but at least the game has some genuine characters and the events and relationships within the organized crime world are exciting to watch. In almost all respects it is clearly a lesser GTA, but I am having fun with it for the time being.
Let's discuss: Grand Theft Auto
The format of these posts is simple: let’s discuss a specific game or series!
Let's discuss the Grand Theft Auto series. What is your favorite game in the series? What do you like about it? What doesn't work for you? Are there similar games you like or even prefer to the original series? Feel free to share anything that comes up and react to other comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Pokémon, Like a Dragon / Yakuza, Assassin's Creed, UFO 50, Platformers, Uplifting Games, Final Fantasy, Visual Novels, [Hollow Knight](htt
Thank you for taking the time to reply.
I agree with most of what you're saying. Especially about top sports being a combination of both hard work and a unique constitution.
I just wouldn't call it segregation, as for me this term has quite a negative connotation (might be a language thing). I think it's empowering to have separate brackets to compete in so that every "group" of base constitution has a chance to compete. Though this does open the question of where to draw lines and such, to which I don't have an answer (as it probably goes to theoretical again as you were saying).
Thanks again for your input 🙏.
I by no means agree with the person you're responding to, and feel that especially in the scenario of kids they should just be allowed to do whatever they want and have fun.
I do wonder however, aren't there a lot of sports that become almost completely male dominated if you move away from the separation? For example the historical top 1000 men in 100m sprint are all faster than the fastest recorded woman in history.
I feel that taking away the separate competition would reduce these moments of empowerment for non-men.
I use "man" and "woman" with a grain of salt here, as it is what these people were assigned when they were performing the sport, I by no means want to reduce gender to a binary thing.
I also want to say that while it is a subject that I find interesting to discuss, I really dislike how bigots frame it as some sort of violent attack on their way of life. I see it more as an interesting conundrum that we can try and find a solution for together as a group.
As you've played it for so many hours, what is it that hooks you about this game? I've never played it, but I heard it's sort of a very deep / simulated survival game similar to dwarf fortress? Just love it when you can be so passionate about something that you can lose yourself in it for thousands of hours and keep coming back for more!
I have this with only 1 game (though I'm around the 1000h mark myself): Slay the Spire!
Is Outer Wilds indie? Because Outer Wilds is my favorite :).
I really like Donkey Kong Country as a kid. Great environments, fun platforming and a timeless soundtrack.
On GBA my most played game became an underated licensed gem: Lord of the Rings: The Third Age. The GBA version is completely separate from the ones on other platforms, but it's a great turn based strategy game in which you get to command the heroes and other units through all important battles of the original story. Really fun!
I recently did the opposite, I sold my Emerald and Blue for a decent price, which helped fund my second hand new 3DS. I don't really care for the cartridges as long as I can play the games, and I feel no guilt for playing roms for games that are no longer being produced :).
I do like seeing large collections of other people, but I don't have the same satisfaction from that compared to what it would cost. (I say quite hypocritically, as I have a larger than rational LEGO collection including tonnes of Bionicle sets that I will never let go for any price)
There is still a thick layer of dust on my Valbrace copy, nice to know that another gem is waiting for me!
I remember hearing about wizardry from another enthusiastic fan, but don't remember what it was about. Some sort of old school RPG?
Let's discuss: Pokémon
The format of these posts is simple: let’s discuss a specific game or series!
Let's discuss the Pokémon series. What is your favorite game in the series? What do you like about it? What doesn't work for you? Are there similar games you like or even prefer to the original series? Feel free to share anything that comes up and react to other comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Like a Dragon / Yakuza, Assassin's Creed, UFO 50, Platformers, Uplifting Games, Final Fantasy, Visual Novels, Hollow Knight, [Nintendo DS](https://
Quick UFO 50 Cartridge Appreciation Post
I played around 10 hours of UFO 50 when I got it, and even though I liked a lot of the games it kind of slipped of my radar after this.
This week I've been giving it another go and I have some THOUGHTS to share:
- Avianos is something I immediately closed down because it felt like a bit of a headache, but now that I've been playing it I am astounded by how well it is designed. An absolute masterpiece in strategy, playing it is immensely exciting. It has so many intricacies and interacting mechanics while still being rather simple and limited in scope. Phenomenal game.
- Magic Garden I liked the first time around, but now that I'm going for high scores I realize just how meticulously designed it is. This feels like an all time classic arcade game from the likes of Pacman and Tetris. Perfectly crafted mechanics and gameplay loop, with interesting risk-reward mechanics and tough but fair difficulty.
- I'm finally starting to click with how the Campanella controls (because
Let's discuss: Like a Dragon / Yakuza
The format of these posts is simple: let’s discuss a specific game or series!
Let's discuss the Like a Dragon / Yakuza series. What is your favorite game in the series? What do you like about it? What doesn't work for you? Feel free to share anything that comes up and react to other comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Assassin's Creed, UFO 50, Platformers, Uplifting Games, Final Fantasy, Visual Novels, Hollow Knight, Nintendo DS, Monster Hunter, [Persona](https://beehaw.org/post/1581
Let's discuss: Assassin's Creed
The format of these posts is simple: let’s discuss a specific game or series!
Let's discuss the Assassin's Creed series. What is your favorite game in the series? What do you like about it? What doesn't work for you? Feel free to share anything that comes up and react to other comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: UFO 50, Platformers, Uplifting Games, Final Fantasy, Visual Novels, Hollow Knight, Nintendo DS, Monster Hunter, Persona, Monkey Island, [8
Let's discuss: UFO 50
The format of these posts is simple: let’s discuss a specific game or series!
The Steam Autumn Sale is upon us, and I got the biggest amount of games I've ever bought in a single sale: 50!
Let's discuss UFO 50. What is your favorite game in the collection? What game did you spend most of your time on? What do you like about it? What doesn't work for you? Feel free to share anything that comes up and react to other comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Platformers, Uplifting Games, Final Fantasy, Visual Novels, Hollow Knight, Nintendo DS, Monster Hunter, [
Let's discuss: Platformers
The format of these posts is simple: let’s discuss a specific game or series!
I've finally caved and paid 50 euros for a second hand copy of Astro Bot on PS5, and it is absolutely incredible. I know this game is only available to PS5 players, so I broadened the topic...
Let's discuss your favorite Platformers. What is your favorite game or series? What do you love about these games? Are there things you don't like about the genre? Feel free to share anything that comes up and react to other comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Uplifting Games, Final Fantasy, Visual Novels, Hollow Knight, Nintendo DS, [Monster Hunter](https:/
Let's discuss: Uplifting Games
The format of these posts is simple: let’s discuss a specific game or series!
I'm in quite a bad place mentally at the moment, so I wasn't really feeling like making a post. But then I thought, I could combine this in the form of a special discussion topic:
Let's discuss your favorite Uplifting Games. What helps you when your feeling down or stressed out. What game series has comforted you in harder times. Are there certain genres that work better for you in these times? Feel free to share anything that comes up and react to other comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Final Fantasy, Visual Novels, Hollow Knight, Nintendo DS, [Monster Hunter](https://beehaw.org/
Recommend me your favorite linear games!
As the title suggests: I've had it with open worlds with dozens of things to do and checklists to complete. What are your favorite, delightfully simple, linear games?
This question is sparked by the discussion in the Final Fantasy thread, were I disclosed that I actually kind of like XIII because of its linearity. Other linear favorites of mine include: Half-Life series, Portal series, Uncharted series, some COD campaigns, Undertale, Journey, Super Mario 3D World, Plague Tale, Spec Ops: The Line
A shout out to A Way Out in the co-op catergory!
Let's discuss: Final Fantasy
The format of these posts is simple: let’s discuss a specific game or series!
Let's discuss the Final Fantasy series of video games. What are your favorites? What aspects do you like about it? What doesn't work for you? Feel free to share any thoughts that come up, or react to other peoples comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Visual Novels, Hollow Knight, Nintendo DS, Monster Hunter, Persona, Monkey Island, 8 Bit Era, Animal Crossing, Age of Empires, [Super Mario](https://beehaw.org/
Let's discuss: Visual Novels
The format of these posts is simple: let’s discuss a specific game or series!
Let's discuss the Visual Novel genre of videogames. What are your favorites? What aspects do you like about it? What doesn't work for you? Feel free to share any thoughts that come up, or react to other peoples comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Hollow Knight, Nintendo DS, Monster Hunter, Persona, Monkey Island, 8 Bit Era, Animal Crossing, Age of Empires, Super Mario, [Deus Ex](https://beehaw.org/post/1474
The Midnight Walk - Reveal Trailer
Another trailer that was presented at the recent State of Play. The art style and atmosphere look absolutely incredible to me!
Hell is Us - Gameplay Reveal Trailer
This trailer was revealed during the recent State of Play. I really like the look and atmosphere. They clearly had a good look at Death Stranding, but I love that game so this seems right up my alley. What do you guys think?
Let's discuss: Hollow Knight
The format of these posts is simple: let’s discuss a specific game or series!
Let's discuss Hollow Knight. What aspects do you like about it? What doesn't work for you? Feel free to share any thoughts that come up, or react to other peoples comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Nintendo DS, Monster Hunter, Persona, Monkey Island, 8 Bit Era, Animal Crossing, Age of Empires, Super Mario, Deus Ex, Stardew Valley, [The Sims](https://beehaw.org/post/14093
Dancing In The Flames - The Weeknd
On first listen I thought it was OK.
Then I slept.
Now I can't stop listening. What a banger. I think he's got another big hit here.
Let's discuss: Nintendo DS
As I have recently bought a secondhand 2DS, I thought I would change things up a bit!
Let's discuss the Nintendo DS series of portable consoles. What is your favorite version? What games are most memorable to you? What aspects do you like about it? What doesn't work for you? Feel free to share any thoughts that come up, or react to other peoples comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Monster Hunter, Persona, Monkey Island, 8 Bit Era, Animal Crossing, Age of Empires, Super Mario, Deus Ex, [Stardew Valley](https://beehaw.or
Let's discuss: Monster Hunter
The format of these posts is simple: let's discuss a specific game or series!
Let's discuss the Monster Hunter series. What is your favorite game? What aspects do you like about it? What doesn't work for you? Are there games that gave you a similar experience? Feel free to share any thoughts that come up, or react to other peoples comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Persona, Monkey Island, 8 Bit Era, Animal Crossing, Age of Empires, Super Mario, Deus Ex, Stardew Valley, The Sims, [Ha
Let's Discuss: Persona
The format of these posts is simple: let's discuss a specific game or series!
Let's discuss the Persona series. What is your favorite game? What aspects do you like about it? What doesn't work for you? Are there games that gave you a similar experience? Feel free to share any thoughts that come up, or react to other peoples comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Monkey Island, 8 Bit Era, Animal Crossing, Age of Empires, Super Mario, Deus Ex, Stardew Valley, The Sims, Half-Life, [Earthbo
Let's discuss: Monkey Island
The format of these posts is simple: let's discuss a specific game or series!
Let's discuss the Monkey Island series. What is your favorite game? What aspects do you like about it? What doesn't work for you? Are there games that gave you a similar experience? Feel free to share any thoughts that come up, or react to other peoples comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: 8 Bit Era, Animal Crossing, Age of Empires, Super Mario, Deus Ex, Stardew Valley, The Sims, Half-Life, [Earthbound / Mother](https://beehaw.org/post/1363315
Let's discuss: 8-bit Era Games
The format of these posts is simple: let's discuss a specific game or series!
Based on a recommendation I received, we'll change things up by actually not discussing a game or series like in earlier posts...
Let's discuss the 8-bit era of gaming. What is your favorite game of this generation? What aspects do you like about it? What doesn't work for you? Feel free to share any thoughts that come up, or react to other peoples comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Animal Crossing, Age of Empires, Super Mario, Deus Ex, Stardew Valley, [The Sims](https://be