Ok, the best description I can come up with for Dark Souls: Prepare to Die (a whole lot) Edition is "oddly compelling".

The port from the consoles is shoddy, no two ways about it. Graphics and performance are not what they should be, and the fact that this was fixed by a modder a couple of hours after release proves that From Software didn't pay enough attention to the port. At any rate, anyone that wants to play this and has a fairly modern PC should use Durante's resolution fix

Also, you will save yourself a lot of frustration by just using a gamepad. Keyboard+mouse controls are just barely supported, and the added hassle of using them in a game that already has punishing difficulty is not worth it.

As for the game itself... I shouldn't like it. In fact, I don't think I do. The world is fairly barren, with few and far between NPCs found at the most ridiculous places having little to say. There are hints that there is a huge backstory/lore to the gameworld, but that's all there is: hints, with nothing fleshed out.

Its more or less directionless, figuring out where to go is part of the challenge. I have never been a huge fan of open world games, but I can appreciate a game that encourages and rewards exploration. The problem is, when instant death that negates most of your work (except for defeated bosses and created shortcuts) lurks at every corner, the joy of exploration is severely diminished.

So why is it that every time I give up in disgust after being killed and realizing I have to kill the same mobs I killed six times already to make it back to the spot that gives me trouble, where I'll likely die again, and vow to unistall the game, I can think of nothing else than ways to get past the damned things (it's mostly bosses that give me real trouble, though there is no such thing as "filler", non-dangerous mobs in Dark Souls), and I'm back for more within 10 minutes? Madness!

As I said, "oddly compelling". I'm pretty sure I'll stick to it until I finish it, but I doubt I'll try my hand at the NG+ or NG++ modes that unlock after you beat it.

Am finally starting to play Skyrim on the Xbox.  

At this point I've done a little fighting -- thieves, wolves, a bear with my iron sword. And I've sharpened my sword and axe.  I'm trying to join the companions and need to return Aela's shield to her.  I've been given a quest from the leader at Dragonsreach for his magic advisor. (This guy seems a little shady to me.  I don't trust him.)  And several other quests were accepted.

I'm not going to continue with this particular avatar because he's not what I would have chosen.  Somehow I bypassed chosing the appearance and lifestyle of my avatar and have a stock model male breton thief.  At this point I'm just getting my feet wet and looking around.  I've passed through some beautiful scenery and absolutely loved seeing the salmon leaping in the river.

However, I'm going to have to do some reading to learn the controlls and some of the mechanics of the game.  Then I'll start a new character more closely allied to the way I like to play  -- combination sword/magic.  Really do not like to steal.  Though I love to loot!

By the way, how do you use the spell checker on here?  I've clicked on it multiple times, but it doesn't appear to do anything.

Originally Posted By SharonB (29 AUG 2012 6:29am)

By the way, how do you use the spell checker on here?  I've clicked on it multiple times, but it doesn't appear to do anything.

 

 

It seem to work just fine for me. You need to have it on while you type out your message, or it won't warn you about your spelling mistakes. 

I started Ys: The Oath in Felghana yesterday, as I'm still in the mood for a fast paced ARPG, and it seem quite similar to Ys: Origin (not surprising, really).

Originally Posted By SharonB (29 AUG 2012 6:29am)

Am finally starting to play Skyrim on the Xbox.  

on't know how to operate either yet so I'm not comfortable with it.  Out of all the games I've played and loved, I would have to say that Morrowind tops them all.  Skyrim gives me a longing to go back to Morrowind.  But I'm sure that is just because I know so much about Morrowind and I'm comfortable there.  I don't think Skyrim has the relaxed atmosphere Morrowind did, but this is very early into the game and I'm going to try not to compare them too much.

 

At this point I've done a little fighting -- thieves, wolves, a bear with my iron sword. And I've sharpened my sword and axe.  I'm trying to join the companions and need to return Aela's shield to her.  I've been given a quest from the leader at Dragonsreach for his magic advisor. (This guy seems a little shady to me.  I don't trust him.)  And several other quests were accepted.

 

I'm not going to continue with this particular avatar because he's not what I would have chosen.  Somehow I bypassed chosing the appearance and lifestyle of my avatar and have a stock model male breton thief.  At this point I'm just getting my feet wet and looking around.  I've passed through some beautiful scenery and absolutely loved seeing the salmon leaping in the river.

 

However, I'm going to have to do some reading to learn the controlls and some of the mechanics of the game.  Then I'll start a new character more closely allied to the way I like to play  -- combination sword/magic.  Really do not like to steal.  Though I love to loot!

 

By the way, how do you use the spell checker on here?  I've clicked on it multiple times, but it doesn't appear to do anything.

 

 

you choose your appearance during the opening intro when you get to the town to be executed, the guard asks yout o step forward an dyou do it then.

ugh, i've always got the same problem with Assassin's Creed games ... I usually stop half-way through, but when i pick it up again, i've completely forgotten the control scheme. Which makes the game way harder than it is

 So i'll play Endless Space instead, i'm not sure what to expect, but it sounds promising.

Space sims always sound promising, alas they're usually not my cup of tea..

Thanks Fnord!  Thought it did a spelling check after you typed it.

@marko:  I was too, er.. *cough* proud to admit this before, i guess, but one of the biggest things that bugs me about the Assasin's Creed games, are the intricate controls. Plus i hate always having to sneak.  I guess I'm more of a shoot fireballs, storm and bash gal.  

@ Sharon: Glad to hear you got your feet wet, Sharon!  I still play Morrowind on and off, btw. ..but these days i can only handle it in small doses, perhaps because I've already spent so much time there.

Just spend enough time in Skyrim, and the controls will become second nature.  It's a huge game, almost close to the scale of Morrowind, i'd say.

Can't one simply save wherever you want to with the 360 like you can on PC?  I've always found it useful to make a save and then experiment with stuff, knowing that if you make a mistake, you can always just reload from the point before you started your experiments.   (Like pushing all the buttons and seeing what they do)

@Traveller - Yes, you can save at any point as far as I can tell.  This is just my way of doing things

I've been a little squeamish about taking stuff.  Yes, I want to be rich but no, I don't want to be a thief.  In Morrowind I just consoled in money and didn't worry about it.  Now I'm afraid I'm going to have to worry about how to make a living.  I think potion creating and selling might be an interesting career along with questing and looting.

I'm liking Skyrim a lot more now that I'm getting a feel for it.  I may have to ditch that pointer thing.  It may make the game easier, but it's too much like it's telling me what to do.  I'd rather find places on my own without having things pointed out to me.  Though the first thing I'm going to buy in my new game is the clairvoyance skill.  Consistency is not in my nature.

Well, I just finished Saints Row: The Third. Played that one so much i could probly do it blindfolded

Tried attacking a giant yet? Have fun with that one lol

@ Sharon:  Well, if whatever you're taking is stealing, it will clearly have a little red caption saying "steal". Otherwise you can loot to your heart's content.  I find both smithing and making potions to be useful crafts, because not only do i sell the items i make, but i also made myself and my partner some epic and legendary dwarven armor - very good stuff!  I aspire to still make Ebony and deadric sorry, i mean dragon armor as well. One finds very good weapons in the game- probably better than what i can enchant for myself.

@ Nikolai.  Well, i really enjoyed the first 2 Worlds, so i must really make a plan to play 2W2 once i'm done with Skyrim.  Though i've already started and quite enjoyed what i played of Risen 2, so i guess Risen 2 will be first in line.

Haven't played the Risen series. What is it like, I can't find many good videos or screenshots of gameplay?

As for TW2 its pretty interesting, think the best feature they've added yet is the ability to hotkey equipment sets. So if you have the skill and stamina to carry all the stuff you can effectively swap between Warrior, Archer, and Mage equipment sets. Currently am playing an archer and i can flip through Bladed arrows, blunt arrows, and mage gear (for healing) with a press of the directional pad.

With skyrim I've adventured for months on a single character, I have yet to find every hidey hole, every quest, and every little side story with this guy. It's so massive I'm not ever sure I will find everything like i did with Morrowind and Oblivion

@ Sharon: An easier way i found to make some decent starting money was definitely working with the companions. All of those Silver Hand guys carry at least a Silver Longsword. A bit heavy but worth the gold. Later on i find selling spare dragon bone and scale is really excellent money as well as raiding Dwemer ruins

Originally Posted By Mr Innocent. (29 AUG 2012 4:17am)

Ok, the best description I can come up with for Dark Souls: Prepare to Die (a whole lot) Edition is "oddly compelling".

 

The port from the consoles is shoddy, no two ways about it. Graphics and performance are not what they should be, and the fact that this was fixed by a modder a couple of hours after release proves that From Software didn't pay enough attention to the port. At any rate, anyone that wants to play this and has a fairly modern PC should use Durante's resolution Fix.

 

Also, you will save yourself a lot of frustration by just using a gamepad. Keyboard+mouse controls are just barely supported, and the added hassle of using them in a game that already has punishing difficulty is not worth it.

 

As for the game itself... I shouldn't like it. In fact, I don't think I do. The world is fairly barren, with few and far between NPCs found at the most ridiculous places having little to say. There are hints that there is a huge backstory/lore to the gameworld, but that's all there is: hints, with nothing fleshed out.

 

Its more or less directionless, figuring out where to go is part of the challenge. I have never been a huge fan of open world games, but I can appreciate a game that encourages and rewards exploration. The problem is, when instant death that negates most of your work (except for defeated bosses and created shortcuts) lurks at every corner, the joy of exploration is severely diminished.

 

So why is it that every time I give up in disgust after being killed and realizing I have to kill the same mobs I killed six times already to make it back to the spot that gives me trouble, where I'll likely die again, and vow to unistall the game, I can think of nothing else than ways to get past the damned things (it's mostly bosses that give me real trouble, though there is no such thing as "filler", non-dangerous mobs in Dark Souls), and I'm back for more within 10 minutes? Madness!

 

As I said, "oddly compelling". I'm pretty sure I'll stick to it until I finish it, but I doubt I'll try my hand at the NG+ or NG++ modes that unlock after you beat it.

I tried it on a friend's PC and didn't find it compelling at all. In fact I'm pretty sure I disliked it, and would have hated it had I played longer than the half hour I played. All the control issues aside (it's almost impossible to play and the use of buttons and key is very confusing) it just came across to me as a very unbalanced game that's frustrating and unpleasant to play, with little to draw me in or make me want to progress.

Originally Posted By nikolai89 (31 AUG 2012 10:47am)

Haven't played the Risen series. What is it like, I can't find many good videos or screenshots of gameplay?

 

Did you ever play any of the Gothic games?  It's the same devs, so quite similar in gameplay to Gothic 3, but with way better graphics, and a much smaller gameworld.  Which is still not small- it's about as big as the gameworld in Gothic 1.

I really loved the game.  Of course quite challenging as are the Gothic games in general, though i'd say slightly less so than G1 and 2.  I especially love the faction politics.

Originally Posted By nikolai89 (31 AUG 2012 10:50am)

@ Sharon: An easier way i found to make some decent starting money was definitely working with the companions. All of those Silver Hand guys carry at least a Silver Longsword. A bit heavy but worth the gold. Later on i find selling spare dragon bone and scale is really excellent money as well as raiding Dwemer ruins

Yes, the nice thing about the companions, is that you get to choose which weapon they make you, and it's a very nice weapon for the start of the game indeed. I chose a one handed axe, and it was my strongest weapon for a long time.  I stopped doing the Companions though, at the point where you are required to change your nature.  A bit nervous of being unable to reverse it.  Trying to avoid spoilers here.

Changed from Ys: The Oath in Felghana to Geneforge 1.

For anyone who enjoys pet classes in CRPGs, I guess this is the game for you. You are able to summon plenty of different creatures, and have several with you at any time. The overall theme of the game is also quite interesting. You are playing as a character that belongs to a group that is able to create (and destroy) life at will. The game starts with you being stranded on an island, that apparently is "barred", meaning that no-one may enter it (though it is unclear why). The creatures that had been created on this island have survived and thrived, and some of them have even formed societies of their own. Thus far there are 3 different groups, one that sees the player's kind almost as gods, and see it as their place in life to serve them. Another group wants co-existence with their creators, but don't want to be treated as slaves, and a third group wants complete independence, and don't like what you are.

Good writing, but horrible graphics and lackluster sound. Still, thus far I'm really enjoying this game. 

after peeking at the first Assasins Creed i put them away for over a year. now i am playing the first three, alternativng so i dont get too frustarted with some of the things that are frustraring about this franchise...having to climb huge heights which i hate and the platforming jumping around that is required..i avoid all the timed sequences by using save games i refuse to bow to the crap that is in some games about times sequences, that is no fun at all and just a huge pain....

but the locations are superb, Rome in ACIII is wonderful, as is Florence and i hear Venice in II havent gotten there yet, Damascus in I was wonderful..and the sneaking is bearable but gets a lot better later on, but the sequences where you cant be detected are a pain i agree.

the controls well i just ignore their intricate plans and learn the basics and it works fine. I was put off by that at first but in theory it is silly, and in practice y ou can get by with the usual appraoch to a WSAD game. ....and i went for all the Borgia towers right away in III and got a small army of trained helpers which is great.

I've also started playing AC: Brotherhood, after completing most of ACII.

One of the final assassinations is nearly impossible, if you're seen by a guard the mission fails. Since the target is surrounded by dozens of guards, they've made it too difficult for me. Not sure if i'll ever beat that one 

I love the gameplay part where you get to invest in the economy and rebuild an already gorgeous cities like Montereggioni or Rome.

The system has improved even further in AC:B

I'm just about ready to give up on Dark Souls. My patience has its limits. I'm thinking about using an expoit I read about to farm souls and get a few easy level ups for my character, but it is unlikely it will make much of a difference: The odds are always overwhelming, and I'm currently stuck at a boss encounter where the confined space of the battle is the more dangerous element of the fight.

I played a bit of Deathspank's sequel, Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue. The gameplay is so and so, but Ron Gilbert's wit shines through.

Originally Posted By Mr Innocent. (3 SEP 2012 5:18pm)

I'm just about ready to give up on Dark Souls. My patience has its limits. I'm thinking about using an expoit I read about to farm souls and get a few easy level ups for my character, but it is unlikely it will make much of a difference: The odds are always overwhelming, and I'm currently stuck at a boss encounter where the confined space of the battle is the more dangerous element of the fight.

 

I played a bit of Deathspank's sequel, Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue. The gameplay is so and so, but Ron Gilbert's wit shines through.

What weapons/armor are you using? Weight has a major factor on how your character moves and combat. A character wearing all heavy armor/using a big weapon/heavy shield will be much much slower then a character in cloth armor and using a spear or something like that.

I found the combat to be a LOT easier if you went on the light route. Using good light armor, a light shield  and a good spear you can dodge very quickly and also with the spear you can block and attack WHILE blocking, which is a major plus.

What boss exactly are you stuck on, maybe I can help.

After a loooooong delay i've bought and started playing Half-Life 2, the original Half Life was one of my favourie games back in the day.

Although graphics and physics have vastly improved, i'm missing the tension and horror that made HL so special.

Maybe that'll return in later levels... 

Originally Posted By markornikov (7 SEP 2012 3:03am)

Although graphics and physics have vastly improved, i'm missing the tension and horror that made HL so special.

Maybe that'll return in later levels... 

Yes.

(I think that says enough

Anyway, plodding my way through Inquisitor, a game that was recently released on GOG. It does feel a bit slow-paced and at points unfair, and it did not start well, but the further into it I get (and the less underpowered my main character is compared to the common monsters), the more I enjoy it. 

HL2 is for the most part more spacially wide open so perhaps this termpers the tension horror a bit. It's a great ride though - literally so since vehicles play a role. But there is one sequence that is sure to restore the dark side; just hang in there. I like HL1 and H2 both equally.

Can't say the same about the follow-up Epsiodes. Ep1 I can't even remember at all, and Ep2 I found a frustrating bore as the stupid "grav-gun" takes the fore and I really hate all it's gaminess - everything about it really, though many people disagree with me on this. The designers developed Ep2 around it's use so unless youre a fan youre out of luck..

Good hunting..

Ok forget what i wrote before , now i know why we don't go to Ravenholm anymore...