The Video Game Thread: What are you Playing?

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The Doll from Bloodborne, right? The miniature got unlocked just before the Bloodborne Boardgame Kickstarter closed.

Yep. It says a lot about the characterization in previous Souls' games that an automaton character is the one I felt most connected it in any of the games. (I dig Solaire but he's more a meme than anything at this point).

As to Sekiro, I've killed Lady Butterfly but haven't found the time to finish General Genichiro, will try and do that this weekend.
 
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If it isn't too much I'd be interested to hear more about this.

Where to start...

- Several characters refer to Buddha in their dialogues

- Your homebase is a Buddhist temple (wherein you cannot draw your sword btw)

- One of the major NPCs is a monkish fellow who carves Buddha statues (although his 'wrath' prevents them from being as well carved as he would like)

- Your save/travel points are 'Demonic Buddha' idols (I believe cavred by the fellow back in the temple)

- Bells and the ringing of bells at Buddha idols are important items you use to travel through time (bells are traditionally used for Buddhist meditation)

- You acquire an item called a 'jizo' which is described as a 'small Buddha effigy bundled in cloth' but apparently a jizo is part of a cult worship for aborted or stillborn children in Japanese Buddhism

- A common offering to a jizo is a pinwheel which is another major item you acquire in the game

- You encounter a temple of corrupted Buddhist monks you have become undead/infected due to their attempts to gain immortality

- You meet a simple minded monkish acolyte who you can either help or mistreat depending on your choices

- Demons are mini-bosses and there are hints that future bosses will also be demons

I haven't watched any videos of what's ahead too much but I've already picked up themes around childhood (you're the protector of a divine/noble child who you are trying to retrieve), wrath/anger, headless spirits, monkeys (Buddha said that our minds were like monkeys yelling and distracting us) and most obviously death

And that's just so far and I'd say I'm only a 1/4 or 1/3rd of the way through the game.
 
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Very interesting. I was reading recently about how Shinto and Buddhism syncretically mixed in Japan. Must play it and see how they develop those themes.
 
Oh and this is a great mod to The Great Serpent in Sekiro.


You're giving me flash backs to Skyrim. A sudden "Peep-Peep" and over the mountain appears the fierce and dreaded flying fire breathing Tank Engine.
 
I think the story in Sekiro is more resonant than in any other Soulsborne game. I think the NPCs seem more vivid and real. The Buddhist themes hinted at in previous games are much more prominent here and carry more weight to me.
Cool. I'll take a closer look then.

Although this is still my fav NPC in any of the games.

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For me, it's ...

images


Eileen the crow. Fighting alongside her strengthened our bonds, I guess.

(Though I'm also a fan of Djura)
 
Cool. I'll take a closer look then.


For me, it's ...

images


Eileen the crow. Fighting alongside her strengthened our bonds, I guess.

(Though I'm also a fan of Djura)

I kinda fucked up Eileen’s storypath and ended up killing her early unfortunately.

Thinking on it more, one reason I find the NPCs more involving in Sekiro is they are mostly commoners who are refugees or scavengers of the war, they are more human and suffer. They have relationships as well, son and mother most memorably. They can even contract a disease called Dragon Rot if you die too often, which you can cure and man does it feel good when you cure them.
 
They're never bringing Bloodborne to PC, right? Cuz I don't see myself buying a console. Every time I got one, it ended up being a waste of money. I prefer gaming on the PC for so many reasons - perhaps most of all because I can switch back and forth, and easily play any of my music in the background.

BB looked to have some great atmosphere, but from what I've seen, it looks like the combat in Sekiro combines ideas from the Souls games as well as Bloodborne.
 
They're never bringing Bloodborne to PC, right? Cuz I don't see myself buying a console. Every time I got one, it ended up being a waste of money. I prefer gaming on the PC for so many reasons - perhaps most of all because I can switch back and forth, and easily play any of my music in the background.

BB looked to have some great atmosphere, but from what I've seen, it looks like the combat in Sekiro combines ideas from the Souls games as well as Bloodborne.

Up til Sekiro Bloodborne is my favourite Souls game because the fighting is so speedy and the atmosphere and visual design is terrific. Although I also love Demon’s Souls. Having a PS3/4 is worthwhile to me because I get access to brilliant games like Demon’s Souls, Bloodborne, Last of Us, Journey, Ico and Shadow of the Colossus which are some of the peak experiences I’ve had in gaming.

I’d suggest picking up a PS3 used or borrow one from a friend to just play a few of those classics.
 
Although I also love Demon’s Souls.
I had a PS3 and I played this one - Demon's Souls, along with Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, were the highlights of owning one. But most of those eventually came to PC, and my PS3 mostly gathered dust, so I didn't bother to get a PS4. Since I'm not an avid video gamer, Bloodborne is probably the only game I feel I missed out on, so I can't justify the purchase. tl;dr I just wish it would come to PC (but I know it won't).
 
They're never bringing Bloodborne to PC, right? Cuz I don't see myself buying a console. Every time I got one, it ended up being a waste of money. I prefer gaming on the PC for so many reasons - perhaps most of all because I can switch back and forth, and easily play any of my music in the background.

BB looked to have some great atmosphere, but from what I've seen, it looks like the combat in Sekiro combines ideas from the Souls games as well as Bloodborne.
From what I've seen of gameplay and opinions, Sekiro is more a sidestep to the formula than an advancement per se. I'd say all the main Soulsborne entries bring something unique and are worth playing: Demons Souls, Dark Souls and Bloodborne (and of course Sekiro). Dark Souls 2 and 3 while good games on their own, feel too samey and are skippable imo.

Oh, and I have a friend who does play Bloodborne on PC. It's some Sony streaming service I think? I'll consult him and come back to you.
 
I had a PS3 and I played this one - Demon's Souls, along with Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, were the highlights of owning one. But most of those eventually came to PC, and my PS3 mostly gathered dust, so I didn't bother to get a PS4. Since I'm not an avid video gamer, Bloodborne is probably the only game I feel I missed out on, so I can't justify the purchase. tl;dr I just wish it would come to PC (but I know it won't).

If you still have that PS3 you gotta play some of those other games I mentioned, you won't regret it.

Forgot to mention Vanquish as well, although I just found out that came out on PC on Steam a few years ago. I'm going to replay that on PC for sure.

 
Dark Souls 2 and 3 while good games on their own, feel too samey and are skippable imo.

Where I'd disagree is that DS 2 and 3 are worthwhile as they have a way better PvP system. They fix the OP backstab, twinking, griefing and shitty summoning that plagued DS 1 and rendered the PvP unbearable. Whereas the summoning and group fights in DS 2 and 3 are terrific fun. I've clocked hundreds of enjoyable hours of PvP in DS 2 and 3 and I generally suck at and hate PvP.
 
Oh, and I have a friend who does play Bloodborne on PC. It's some Sony streaming service I think?
Whoa, didn't know they were doing that, yet. I suspect you need to own a PS4 to do that but that's just a guess.
 
I've been playing Secret World Legends. It's an urban fantasy PC MMOG, steeped in Cthulhu mythos. It's central mantra is: "Everything is true." Every secret conspiracy theory, every urban legend, everything is true. My character wields a katana and utilizes blood magic while wearing a trenchcoat to fight zombies, demons and other mythological horrors. It's what made me recently think of Highlander. :tongue: Anyway, every once in a while you get an investigation mission where you have to observe clues and piece them together to solve riddles and such. It's the thinking person's MMOG. Of course, you can just DuckDuckGo/Google the answers, but where's the fun in that? :tongue:
Great game, but I never got beyond the Univesity/Library area in New England. I'll have to return and persevere to see where it goes
 
Whoa, didn't know they were doing that, yet. I suspect you need to own a PS4 to do that but that's just a guess.
You don't need a PS4, just download the "PS Now" and use thr 7 day trial to finish Bloodborne. Its a streaming service so it will depend on your connection. My friend finished the game and said it ran fine in his PC, and by the way he praised Yharnam architecture and attention to detail, I believe him.

Read more here...

 
Playing Darkwood on PS4. Unsettling little game. I'm on day 5 and each night is becoming more dangerous than the previous one.

Last night some.. thing entered the room next to me. I locked behind the door and prayed it didn't come to my direction. I could hear it's movements. Luckily, the sun was almost rising.

Other night nothing happened except someone knocking at the door around 03h00 o'clock. I of course ignored and kept barricaded inside, scared as hell. Should have I opened? I've read some special events that happen like that.
 
My wife is currently playing Zanki Zero: Last Beginning, an RPG from the creators of Danganronpa of which she is a big fan.
 
Just 'beat' General Genichiro in Sekiro and then found out he has a third stage with lightning attacks! This is gonna take a while...
 
Recently finished "This is the Police". Basically a management sim where you are the chief of police in a small city.

It has a nice enough story and a cool art style. However in the last section the management aspect becomes almost impossible to keep pace with. You will have essentially "solved" the game system by then, but it literally becomes about your reaction times and I found it a bit tedious.
 
I “finished” Ritual of the Moon yesterday. It’s not really a game, more a... meditative experience; every day, you check in with the Witch who lives on the Moon, help her with her meditative exercise, and then decide whether she protects the earth from a comet, or... not. The entire thing takes a few minutes a day, for a month.

I think if you’re into the walking simulator genre, or other things that use the medium of video games to try doing something new, then you might like it... but if any of the above sounds like utter tedium, then it is really not going to be for you.
 
I finished one playthru of Super Robot Wars T a couple of weeks ago. Now I'm on the second playthru and shooting for all the Special Requirement points. My current opinion still stands at the game being better than X (the previous installment) but nowhere near as good as V (the first mainline SRW game I played).

The game just got an update so you can upgrade your mecha and pilots to ludicrous levels, as well as an absolutely ridiculous difficulty mode. I doubt I'll be engaging with these enhancements. I wish V had been given this update. I would definitely have tried them out on that game.

I picked up the Castlevania Collection. After all these years I am FINALLY past Frankenstein on the original Castlevania. It was amazing playing a new level after so many years of being hung up on Frank. I'm also making slow progress on Castlevania: Rondo of Blood on the other Castlevania Collection. I love me some Castlevania, but I suck at the games so bad.

I also messed around with Fate/Extella Umbral Star, since I like Dynasty Warriors style games. The game gave me a headache after about an hour of play. I guess next time I need to turn the volume down a bit more.
 
Besides continuing Zanki Zero, my wife is now also heavily obsessed with Slay the Spire, a deck-building roguelike dungeon crawler with card-based combat.
 
Slay the Spire is neat. I've finished it with both the Ironclad and the Silent. Only that warforged one is left.

The Silent is easy mode once you open up a few stronger cards. The Ironclad is harder though, because it needs tighter combos to work.
 
Realized there is a shortcut in Sekiro if you defeat the mini-boss in the Abandoned Dungeon and jump down the bottomless pit. Now made it to some later bosses I’m underpowered to fight. Need to commit an hour of so to beat the General in Ashina Castle, have come close but lose interest after one or two tries.
 
Slay the Spire is neat. I've finished it with both the Ironclad and the Silent. Only that warforged one is left.

The Silent is easy mode once you open up a few stronger cards. The Ironclad is harder though, because it needs tighter combos to work.
She says that for her the Ironclad was the easier one of the two. She's currently playing with the Defect.
 
Picked up Thronebreaker today to go with my Gwent addiction....

Rob
 
My wife is currently playing Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair from Danganronpa 1-2 Reload.
 
I have started to play Dark Souls remastered and Holy Gwyn this game is hard, far harder than Dark Souls 3 (which I have finished, DLCs included) ! I am now enjoying the new DLC of Destiny 2, which is a game far more easier than Dark Souls ...
 
Final Fantasy 1 and Divinity Original Sin 2.

I guess I’m going with the most basic vs one of the most complicated. Neat so far. Divinity 1 bored me to death at the start and I heard this one has a better flow. We’ll see!
 
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