What game are you currently playing?

Anything gaming related that is not red and gooey goes in here.

Moderator: General Discussion Moderators

User avatar
Tchernobog
Tchernobog's Love Child
Posts: 1402
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 07:30 am
Location: Rural Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by Tchernobog »

Never thought I would write this, but I am playing the original Halo. On an original Xbox.

Image Image Image Image Image

Spent $30.00 CND for game and console from a thrift store. Then I just plugged it into my Linux HTPC using a capture card and good old tvtime. I am still getting used to using a controller.
Last edited by Tchernobog on Mon Apr 16, 2018 06:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Tchernobog
Tchernobog's Love Child
Posts: 1402
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 07:30 am
Location: Rural Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by Tchernobog »

So I have won Halo. And I have a few complaints.

Image Image Image Image Image

I do have to admit that most of the deviations that Halo introduced to the genre do make it work far better on a controller, even if I do find most of them unwelcome when added to a PC shooter. That being said the rationale behind checkpoint saves is still one I will never accept, especially since it led to two of the the games most frustrating moments for me. On the "Two Betrayals" level I was forced to replay most of the level again as the game only saves progress at checkpoints permanently if you gracefully close the game rather than powering off the console. Upon reaching the part of the game I was at before I then found myself stuck. The game saved a checkpoint just after my health had been taken down to only three bars, and I had exhausted all of the accessible medkits. This left me vulnerable to the point that even with full shields one hit from a rocket would kill me. In the end I only got past this section by storming straight past it in a vehicle to the next checkpoint, bypassing the rocketeer. Once this was accomplished I wanted to go back and finish off the enemies I had left behind, but they had all now vanished.

Then there is the final level "The Maw".

Image Image Image Image Image

It starts out well enough, with the stages to blow up the fusion reactors being tedious but relatively straightforward, reminding me of the Leviathan ending of Shogo. Once that was done though the game took a huge turn for the worse. I am not enamoured with the way vehicles in Halo drive at all, so making it so I had to race one through the final stage of the game was almost enough to make me rage quit. The warthog especially handles like it is held together with elastic bands, and its tendency to flip and cumbersome seating arrangements make racing it an absolute pain. Once again though I was at the mercy of the checkpoint saves, which refused to mark my progress through any of the the stage, even though the game itself pauses midway through the race. I also had several huge frame drops here which for the premier launch title of the Xbox is simply unforgivable.

A horrible way to end an otherwise decent game. Halo does at least hold the distinction of being the only console game I have played in full though, at least for now.
Last edited by Tchernobog on Mon Apr 16, 2018 06:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
VGames
Acolyte
Posts: 456
Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2014 02:27 pm
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by VGames »

Halo was overrated. Never really saw anything amazing about it. Typical console shooter. XBOX people clung to it like it was gold. It was all they had.

The story was good though and Master Chief is a great icon.
User avatar
da_weezle
Acolyte
Posts: 498
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 11:36 pm
Location: Iceland

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by da_weezle »

I have been playing Yoshi's Island for the SNES (the best platforming game of all time) and Helldivers (the best co-op game of all time).

And as a free tip, Helldivers can be played for free on Steam for the next two days and there's loads of discount on the purchases:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/394510/HELLDIVERS/ (If you haven't tried it yet, try it out and if you're going to buy it, just get the deluxe edition, because the DLCs are awesome in this game and you will end up buying them anyway. :P

Though if you have a PS4, I'd recommend that version, since the community seems to be bigger, resulting in more games to join.

I don't have a PS4, but that's where I made my first experience and I even bought a PS4 controller for playing it on the PC, since it is a way better experience than the mouse+keyboard combination.

:guns:
User avatar
VGames
Acolyte
Posts: 456
Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2014 02:27 pm
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by VGames »

I love the castle theme from Yoshi's Island. Epic song.
User avatar
Tchernobog
Tchernobog's Love Child
Posts: 1402
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 07:30 am
Location: Rural Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by Tchernobog »

Now I am putting the Xbox to work playing through Max Payne.

Image Image Image Image Image

I have the sequel in box for the PC so it will be interesting comparing the two games on both platforms. Never played either before.
Last edited by Tchernobog on Mon Apr 16, 2018 06:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
VGames
Acolyte
Posts: 456
Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2014 02:27 pm
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by VGames »

2 of the best games I've ever played. After you play through both check out my mod for Max Payne 2. You'll love it.

http://www.moddb.com/mods/victoriously- ... ax-payne-2
User avatar
Tchernobog
Tchernobog's Love Child
Posts: 1402
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 07:30 am
Location: Rural Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by Tchernobog »

I don't know, I am only now getting a good handle on the gun play, but then that probably has more to do with me still wrangling with the controller. I am not going to blame the game for that.

Image Image Image Image Image

Still, I don't think they picked the strongest levels for the opening. The game only started to pick up for me once I got to the Ragnarok, while before then I was feeling a bit underwhelmed.

I am also finding the story presentation to be a bit of a mixed bag; the game is not as clever as it thinks it is. And these bits...

Image Image Image Image Image

...these bits can go straight to hell.
Last edited by Tchernobog on Mon Apr 16, 2018 06:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Tchernobog
Tchernobog's Love Child
Posts: 1402
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 07:30 am
Location: Rural Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by Tchernobog »

I have also been playing through Wanton Destruction again when I am not on the Xbox.

Image Image Image Image Image

Still not as good as Cryptic Passage, but better than all of Sunstorm's Duke Nukem 3D expansions.
Last edited by Tchernobog on Mon Apr 16, 2018 06:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Tchernobog
Tchernobog's Love Child
Posts: 1402
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 07:30 am
Location: Rural Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by Tchernobog »

And now I have won Max Payne. Two console games completed.

Image Image Image Image Image

The game does definitely get better as you go along, although the story just ending up as a bad X-Files serial I did not appreciate much. Getting to the top of Aesir Headquarters to take out Nicole Horne did make me think of CabalCo and Gideon from the third chapter of Blood II though. No matter what the platforming and the booby traps were tedious, and the game could have done without almost all of them. Bullet time and me still do not really get along either, because just like in F.E.A.R. or Chaser I only ever used it when I was stuck and needed a little extra help. Whenever a game gives me a selectable power up I always hold them in reserve to the point I almost never use them. Same thing with really powerful weapons. I blame the original Doom for allowing you to take out the Spider Mastermind with only a couple hits from the BFG if you saved up your cells.

Anyway, onto Max Payne 2 through WINE I guess. It is going to feel weird installing a game from CD-ROM again. Rockstar Games should really get on GOG.com already.
Last edited by Tchernobog on Mon Apr 16, 2018 06:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Tchernobog
Tchernobog's Love Child
Posts: 1402
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 07:30 am
Location: Rural Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by Tchernobog »

It's like something out of Psychonauts over here!

Image

I am already almost a third of the way through. I am definitely still more comfortable with a mouse and keyboard.
Last edited by Tchernobog on Mon Apr 16, 2018 06:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
VGames
Acolyte
Posts: 456
Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2014 02:27 pm
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by VGames »

You can't play the Max Payne series like any other shooter. You have to embrace the bullet time and use it 24/7. It makes you feel like Chow Yun Fat in some John Woo movie. That was the whole point. Use it all the time. And yes the platforming crap in MP1 is universally hated. It's not in MP2. I loved MP2 way more.
User avatar
Tchernobog
Tchernobog's Love Child
Posts: 1402
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 07:30 am
Location: Rural Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by Tchernobog »

Well, the platforming is not completely gone, but I take your point.

Image Image Image Image Image

That went a whole lot faster, and yes, I did use the bullet time a lot more in Max Payne 2. I will grant that a lot of my issues with it in the first game had more to do with the fact that I found it cumbersome to use on a controller. That being said, I was able to breeze through most of the first game without using it, while in Max Payne 2 if I had done so I would never have stood a chance. I also found myself using more of the rolls and dodges when playing as Mona rather than Max, because she is faster and has access to the Dragunov which makes quick kills easier. Mouse and keyboard still rules for me then.
Last edited by Tchernobog on Mon Apr 16, 2018 06:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
VGames
Acolyte
Posts: 456
Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2014 02:27 pm
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by VGames »

I agree completely. Max Payne is an FPS at heart. Mouse and keyboard all the way. Played and own all 3 MP games on PC. Would never want to use a controller for them. You need to play MP3. Its the best in the series even though modding was almost completely removed for it. Oh and by the way if you beat MP2 on the hardest difficulty you get a happier ending.
User avatar
Tchernobog
Tchernobog's Love Child
Posts: 1402
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 07:30 am
Location: Rural Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: What game are you currently playing?

Post by Tchernobog »

And that's Wanton Destruction now done.

Image Image Image Image Image

That coda is so Cryptic Passage, isn't it?
Last edited by Tchernobog on Mon Apr 16, 2018 06:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Post Reply