OT: Video Games/Computers/Gadgets/Gizmos

jschligs · Post #941 » by **jschligs** » Sun Mar 23, 2025 2:41 pm

Been trying to treat myself for my bonus hitting and making it through 2 months solo parenting and moving to a new city. I'm terrible at buying new things. Always liked the idea of the Backbone thing to play games on your phone via Xbox/Steam or just mobile games. Bought it yesterday. Thing is actually sweet. Played NCAAF 25 in bed last night with almost no technical issues and the responsiveness was great. Can't believe tech has come this far.

Post #942 » by **ReasonablySober** » Sun Mar 23, 2025 5:04 pm

Both The First Berserker and AI Limit out this week. The Show comes out too. I also picked up a Ubisoft subscription to play AC Shadows. I started Avowed last week but didn't get far. Still have to get back to KCD2.

Just swamped.

MikeIsGood · Post #943 » by **MikeIsGood** » Sun Mar 23, 2025 7:13 pm

I haven't been playing much. My windows laptop is in for repairs/replacement over a fan issue, and I haven't played PS5 much because there's been so much basketball on I want to watch instead. Been playing some things on my steam deck looking for what feels good on a handheld. It's one thing to play something for a weekend on a handheld, like if you're traveling, but over the course of weeks of playtime there are some things (KCD2) I'd rather just wait to get my laptop back. I've got my desktop but I don't want to sit in my office at the end of the day.

Just enormous first world problems lol.

Post #944 » by **ReasonablySober** » Sun Mar 23, 2025 7:52 pm

MikeIsGood wrote:I haven't been playing much. My windows laptop is in for repairs/replacement over a fan issue, and I haven't played PS5 much because there's been so much basketball on I want to watch instead. Been playing some things on my steam deck looking for what feels good on a handheld. It's one thing to play something for a weekend on a handheld, like if you're traveling, but over the course of weeks of playtime there are some things (KCD2) I'd rather just wait to get my laptop back. I've got my desktop but I don't want to sit in my office at the end of the day.

Just enormous first world problems lol.

I haven't been playing at all either over the last week or so. Been watching movies and ball.

That said, I started playing The Last Berserker demo this afternoon and holy ****. This game has the juice. Reminds of a simpler but still very deep Nioh.

MikeIsGood · Post #945 » by **MikeIsGood** » Mon Mar 24, 2025 1:36 am

Not sure if the game has actually gotten better or not, but Diablo 4 is fantastic on SD. POE, POE2, Last Epoch (should get better soon), and Grim Dawn all suck on SD because of the inventory management. D4's all-same-size inventory really works well here. Playing for the first time since release and TBD I like it any better, but giving it credit for being buttery smooth and good controller functionality.

jschligs · Post #946 » by **jschligs** » Mon Mar 24, 2025 2:20 am

MikeIsGood wrote:Not sure if the game has actually gotten better or not, but Diablo 4 is fantastic on SD. POE, POE2, Last Epoch (should get better soon), and Grim Dawn all suck on SD because of the inventory management. D4's all-same-size inventory really works well here. Playing for the first time since release and TBD I like it any better, but giving it credit for being buttery smooth and good controller functionality.

I should really give Diablo 4 a try. I've never been a Diablo guy ever. But I have a SD and I have that Backbone now and D4 is free on Game Pass. Can't hurt to try.

MikeIsGood · Post #947 » by **MikeIsGood** » Mon Mar 24, 2025 2:25 am

jschligs wrote:
MikeIsGood wrote:Not sure if the game has actually gotten better or not, but Diablo 4 is fantastic on SD. POE, POE2, Last Epoch (should get better soon), and Grim Dawn all suck on SD because of the inventory management. D4's all-same-size inventory really works well here. Playing for the first time since release and TBD I like it any better, but giving it credit for being buttery smooth and good controller functionality.

I should really give Diablo 4 a try. I've never been a Diablo guy ever. But I have a SD and I have that Backbone now and D4 is free on Game Pass. Can't hurt to try.

If you've never played before, it's at least good for a 30 hour campaign run. Solid campaign progression, cleaned-up story, S-tier cutscenes. The endgame is what was awful at launch, and these things combined are why it got good reviews then ultimately panned by fans 2-3 weeks later.

Just make sure you play through the story when prompted on making a character - which should be clear. There's also a campaign skip which makes leveling fast so you can get to endgame quick. That's what I did, so TBD how improved it is the past 1.5 years or whatever.

Installing BNet on SD was surprisingly easy. I think it's the same process for Game Pass. Maybe you already did it...come to think of it, I should do that one too.

Post #948 » by **ReasonablySober** » Mon Mar 24, 2025 3:08 am

Welp, I'm dangerously close to spending the extra money to get Berserker three days early. It's insane with everything out there, but I think it's the only thing I want to play. We'll see when reviews go live tomorrow, but I've had a blast with the demo this afternoon.

Post #949 » by **ReasonablySober** » Mon Mar 24, 2025 3:46 pm

Watch on YouTube

I haven't finished KKD2 yet but this is gonna be a challenger for GotY.

Combination of Nioh and Sekiro with deep combat and parry mechanics.

Serious QOL improvements over the rest of the genre, like warp anywhere at any time, including (crucially) right to the bosses. No more replaying entire missions to farm bosses, you can just go straight to them. The game makes it easy to farm sets. You can quickly and easily re-roll stats on gear without a bunch of rare currency. It just costs you your [souls equivalent currency]. Easy breaking down of unwanted gear for additional mats. Complete transmog. Item tracking for stuff you missed in missions. You can summon help, but you need to level up your phantom helpers by fighting mini-bosses which is a whole separate mechanic. A training area with huge customization options.

The only thing is I wish there was more of the game, and that's where the Souls and Nioh series have me spoiled. More weapon categories, more unique bosses, more varied environments. As complete as the game is, this feels in some ways like the first step in what I hope will be a huge franchise.

But it sounds like NG+ is awesome and the first play through will clock in around 50 hours for completionists, which isn't bad at all.

MikeIsGood · Post #950 » by **MikeIsGood** » Mon Mar 24, 2025 5:46 pm

Cowboy wrote:There's an easy mode you can select after the first boss

MikeIsGood · Post #951 » by **MikeIsGood** » Mon Mar 24, 2025 11:55 pm

Curious to see SD reviews the next few days for the poor souls (har har) who got the deluxe edition. If it's good (it is verified...), I think I'll pick it up. If not now, it's on my list for a future sale. I thought the demo was solid (still boss-frustrating to me) and the long-play looks sick.

Post #952 » by **Prez** » Mon Mar 24, 2025 11:59 pm

Great to hear on Khazan, I had a great time with the demo and Soulslikes are by a million miles my favorite game genre so I was definitely considering getting the full game barring any alarming reviews from the reviewers I trust.

Post #953 » by **ReasonablySober** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 12:24 am

Prez wrote:Great to hear on Khazan, I had a great time with the demo and Soulslikes are by a million miles my favorite game genre so I was definitely considering getting the full game barring any alarming reviews from the reviewers I trust.

It's much deeper than I initially thought. I think you could justify three full play throughs, one for each weapon. That's my initial thought after 8 or so hours, so we'll see what I think after 40 or 50.

MiG, I can't speak for the easy mode, but normal is definitely typical souls tough. Not Nioh by any stretch, but similar to Lies of Pi.

GoldenAntlers · Post #954 » by **GoldenAntlers** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 2:00 am

Okay, yeah, Khazan looks cool.

MikeIsGood · Post #955 » by **MikeIsGood** » Wed Mar 26, 2025 11:39 pm

Khazan demo is pretty awesome. It's also the most optimized SD game I've played yet. I'm through the first boss (appropriately difficult for my skill level), the greatsword trial and big bear dude. I think I still have spear trial and another boss?

As not-a-Souls-lover, I appreciated that you earn EXP while you fight a boss, and your death EXP is dropped outside the arena - at least for the first boss. Continuing on with normal difficulty for now. The loot is awesome. Dual swords feel amazing and I'm looking forward to trying the spear. Skill progression system is cool and free respecing is absolutely dope for someone like me, at least.

At least so far, I think this is the best Soulslike I personally have played since Elden Ring. Might pick it up tomorrow - though also may wait with a new POE2 patch next week. How have things progressed DB?

Post #956 » by **ReasonablySober** » Thu Mar 27, 2025 1:40 am

MikeIsGood wrote:Khazan demo is pretty awesome. It's also the most optimized SD game I've played yet. I'm through the first boss (appropriately difficult for my skill level), the greatsword trial and big bear dude. I think I still have spear trial and another boss?

As not-a-Souls-lover, I appreciated that you earn EXP while you fight a boss, and your death EXP is dropped outside the arena - at least for the first boss. Continuing on with normal difficulty for now. The loot is awesome. Dual swords feel amazing and I'm looking forward to trying the spear. Skill progression system is cool and free respecing is absolutely dope for someone like me, at least.

At least so far, I think this is the best Soulslike I personally have played since Elden Ring. Might pick it up tomorrow - though also may wait with a new POE2 patch next week. How have things progressed DB?

I'm actually not that much further than you. Haven't played it this week but that's more because I've been doing some cooking and canning and catching up on TV shows I'm behind on.

But I echo everything you mentioned. It's awesome and I really can't find anything to quibble about. The difficulty feels just right, the additions made to the Souls formula feel substantial, and I'm anxious to get back to it.

jschligs · Post #957 » by **jschligs** » Thu Mar 27, 2025 3:52 pm

Nintendo Direct was pretty meh for me, but I'm not a huge Nintendo guy. Metriod Prime 4: Beyond, Dragon Quest 1+2 Remake, and mayyyybe Pokemon Legends Z-A are really the only ones I'd even consider buying (and not at launch). I'm def not buying the Switch II right away either.

MikeIsGood · Post #958 » by **MikeIsGood** » Thu Mar 27, 2025 4:10 pm

Their solution to the "problem" of digital game management is hilariously awful. "Making using digital games...even easier!" lol

I love Hot Shots Golf though. Thankfully it's not locked to Switch. Hopefully it's a big, full-fledged entry and not a random mini-entry.

crkone · Post #959 » by **crkone** » Thu Mar 27, 2025 7:26 pm

jschligs wrote:Nintendo Direct was pretty meh for me, but I'm not a huge Nintendo guy. Metriod Prime 4: Beyond, Dragon Quest 1+2 Remake, and mayyyybe Pokemon Legends Z-A are really the only ones I'd even consider buying (and not at launch). I'm def not buying the Switch II right away either.

I also liked the Marvel beat em up and The Eternal Life of Goldman.

Post #960 » by **ReasonablySober** » Sat Mar 29, 2025 2:49 am

Still incredibly early in Berserker, only gotten back into it tonight, but I'm starting to get annoyed that virtually every piece of gear I pick up and bosses that I've farmed are dropping heavy equipment and great swords. Bitch, I will never play a strength build.