The Backlog Check-in Vol. 65: 3/30/19: April Fools Edition

User avatar
jfissel
Posts: 719
Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2018 3:18 pm
Location: Ohio

The Backlog Check-in Vol. 65: 3/30/19: April Fools Edition

Post by jfissel »

Tomorrow is April Fools Day!

Finished: Nothing

Now Playing: South Park: The Fractured But Whole

Added to Backlog: Nothing

Current Backlog: 32 games

Currently about 13-14 hours into South Park and loving it. The battle system is better than the first game and I'm completing a lot of side stuff to get my characters more experience.
Image
User avatar
isthatallyougot
Posts: 1304
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2018 9:52 am

Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 65: 3/30/19: April Fools Edition

Post by isthatallyougot »

I really enjoyed the first South Park j. I'll have to play this sooner or later.

I'm still doing the same. Dark Souls 3, OOTP, and Dead End Road.
Image

Dragon kick your a$$ into the Milky Way!
User avatar
argyle
Posts: 827
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2018 4:28 pm

Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 65: 3/30/19: April Fools Edition

Post by argyle »

Games added: A few, but of note would be Yoshi's Woolly World

Last (couple of) weeks: Finished Dead Cells, played Division 2, Yoshi's Woolly World and Sekiro. Finished WITH Sekiro, it can die in a fire.

This week: D2 & Yoshi

Watched a YouTube review of the latest Yoshi game and they kept comparing it (favorably) to the last one on the Wii U, saying it was a great game but it was very similar to that one. I realized I had never played that one, and since it's a heck of a lot cheaper I picked that up. Fun game so far, very cute & relaxing.

Dead Cells is amazing, definitely going to show up in my top 10 this year. I was absolutely addicted to it, and I still plan on playing it some more - waiting for the free update tho, which is supposed to hit next month.

I'm enjoying Division 2 a lot more than I expected. They really expanded on the first game, making it feel much more substantial. I guess I should just admit at this point that I'm a huge fan of UbiSoft.

Sekiro isn't just hard, it's cruel. You don't just die a lot - you die a lot in Dead Cells, and I can't say enough good about that game. But you die, and they punish you for dying, and then they literally tell you the world is getting worse BECAUSE you're dying. I hate that From Software has decided that their calling card has to be ridiculously hard games, because they used to be a lot more than that. On the bright side, because I had bought the CE of the game which had sold out before release, I was able to sell it & make a $50 profit. ;)
"When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed
if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I
became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the
desire to be very grown up.” ― C.S. Lewis

Image
User avatar
isthatallyougot
Posts: 1304
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2018 9:52 am

Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 65: 3/30/19: April Fools Edition

Post by isthatallyougot »

argyle wrote: Tue Apr 02, 2019 6:00 pm Finished WITH Sekiro, it can die in a fire.
But you die, and they punish you for dying, and then they literally tell you the world is getting worse BECAUSE you're dying. I hate that From Software has decided that their calling card has to be ridiculously hard games, because they used to be a lot more than that.
You must have forgotten Demon's Souls (or maybe didn't play it). The world tendency system there punished you for dying.

That aside, I would respectfully disagree that From's calling card is ridiculously hard games. Yes they can be challenging, but their calling card is incredible worlds with brilliant gameplay, systems, depth and atmosphere. Of course, different strokes.

On a related note, I never got the complaint that FROM should offer easy mode or other concessions to make their games more accessible. (I'm not saying that is your complaint necessarily, fwiw. Many do make such complaints, though.) That would be like me saying I wish Animal Crossing offered more blood, guts and carnage. Nonsense. (I love Animal Crossing, btw.) Games are art. They are creations that are unique to the visions of the creator(s). No game will be for everyone. Creators are under no obligation to try to please everyone. It's an impossible and absurd request. FROM have their audience, and I for one, am ecstatic that they exist and do what they do. They are my Ubi argyle. :P
Image

Dragon kick your a$$ into the Milky Way!
User avatar
argyle
Posts: 827
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2018 4:28 pm

Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 65: 3/30/19: April Fools Edition

Post by argyle »

isthatallyougot wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 8:57 am
argyle wrote: Tue Apr 02, 2019 6:00 pm Finished WITH Sekiro, it can die in a fire.
But you die, and they punish you for dying, and then they literally tell you the world is getting worse BECAUSE you're dying. I hate that From Software has decided that their calling card has to be ridiculously hard games, because they used to be a lot more than that.
You must have forgotten Demon's Souls (or maybe didn't play it). The world tendency system there punished you for dying.
No, I do remember. It's just that they made a huge point ever since Sekiro was announced to keep saying that it ISN'T a SoulsBourne game...and it clearly is. It has a different style of play - more fast action focused, more stealth - but in structure it's clearly of the same lineage. Which is fine, but why go out of your way to say it's NOT that when it is?

FROM used to put out a wide variety of games. Just last gen, 3D Dot Game Heroes was one of my favorites, they had the Armored Core series and there were other one-offs. This gen, outside of some VR game everything they've put out has been SoulsBourne.

As for difficulty, honestly I don't see the harm in putting an easy mode option - I don't see how it takes away any from the more difficult mode, and it allows those of us that enjoy different styles of play to enjoy the games. At the same time, if they don't want to do that that's fine too, there's plenty of other stuff to play (and I imagine the upcoming Sucker Punch samurai game will scratch my itch for a game in that setting). I will say that there's some weird double-standard in gaming where it seems like it's OK to criticize a game if you think it's too easy, but if you criticize one for being too hard then you just suck & should "git gud". I'm not implying that's what you're saying, just that that seems to be the pervading attitude on the 'net when it comes to games.
"When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed
if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I
became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the
desire to be very grown up.” ― C.S. Lewis

Image
User avatar
isthatallyougot
Posts: 1304
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2018 9:52 am

Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 65: 3/30/19: April Fools Edition

Post by isthatallyougot »

argyle wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 2:39 pm
isthatallyougot wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 8:57 am
argyle wrote: Tue Apr 02, 2019 6:00 pm Finished WITH Sekiro, it can die in a fire.
But you die, and they punish you for dying, and then they literally tell you the world is getting worse BECAUSE you're dying. I hate that From Software has decided that their calling card has to be ridiculously hard games, because they used to be a lot more than that.
You must have forgotten Demon's Souls (or maybe didn't play it). The world tendency system there punished you for dying.
No, I do remember. It's just that they made a huge point ever since Sekiro was announced to keep saying that it ISN'T a SoulsBourne game...and it clearly is. It has a different style of play - more fast action focused, more stealth - but in structure it's clearly of the same lineage. Which is fine, but why go out of your way to say it's NOT that when it is?

FROM used to put out a wide variety of games. Just last gen, 3D Dot Game Heroes was one of my favorites, they had the Armored Core series and there were other one-offs. This gen, outside of some VR game everything they've put out has been SoulsBourne.

As for difficulty, honestly I don't see the harm in putting an easy mode option - I don't see how it takes away any from the more difficult mode, and it allows those of us that enjoy different styles of play to enjoy the games. At the same time, if they don't want to do that that's fine too, there's plenty of other stuff to play (and I imagine the upcoming Sucker Punch samurai game will scratch my itch for a game in that setting). I will say that there's some weird double-standard in gaming where it seems like it's OK to criticize a game if you think it's too easy, but if you criticize one for being too hard then you just suck & should "git gud". I'm not implying that's what you're saying, just that that seems to be the pervading attitude on the 'net when it comes to games.
Yeah I hear you. I certainly don't have an elitist "git gud" attitude about FROM's or any other challenging game, I just love them. I do enjoy the challenge because it does give me a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, but I don't just enjoy it because of the difficulty. Their games are so much more than that for me. And I also enjoy less challenging games, of course. I just like to play things that are, for me, a good time, however that's packaged. I also think creators should create what they want to create. I know I touched on it, but like the old saying, when you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one.

As far as FROM getting more narrow in their development focus/formula, it's hard to blame them with the success they've had with "Souls". I mean, they are still in business to make money, but I would also love to see them get more experimental. They obviously have a lot of development talent, and I'd like to see them broaden their horizons a bit more, but until the hunger for the formula they are delivering runs dry, I think they'll continue offering what their fan base craves - great for the fans of what's current, but not so much for those who want to see what else FROM is capable of again.
Image

Dragon kick your a$$ into the Milky Way!
User avatar
canedaddy
Posts: 1005
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 1:36 pm

Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 65: 3/30/19: April Fools Edition

Post by canedaddy »

Played last week: Red Dead Redemption II, Mercenaries Saga 2

Finished: nothing

Added to backlog: nothing

Current backlog: 36 (14 PS4, 8 Vita, 7 3DS/2DS, 5 PS2)

Yes, I'm still playing RDR2... but there has been some progress. I'm now in Chapter 6. Stuff has happened. :(

I also re-entered the world of handheld gaming with a poor man's FFT called Mercenaries Saga 2 on 3DS. It's nothing special but it's scratching that itch.
Image
User avatar
isthatallyougot
Posts: 1304
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2018 9:52 am

Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 65: 3/30/19: April Fools Edition

Post by isthatallyougot »

canedaddy wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 9:55 pm Yes, I'm still playing RDR2... but there has been some progress. I'm now in Chapter 6. Stuff has happened. :(
So at this point do you still feel it's your personal goat?
Image

Dragon kick your a$$ into the Milky Way!
User avatar
canedaddy
Posts: 1005
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 1:36 pm

Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 65: 3/30/19: April Fools Edition

Post by canedaddy »

Yeah, izzy, it's still there for me... at least until GTA VI: Vice City '86 comes out. :P
Image
User avatar
Phaseknox
Posts: 1760
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 7:20 pm

Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 65: 3/30/19: April Fools Edition

Post by Phaseknox »

isthatallyougot wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 8:57 amI would respectfully disagree that From's calling card is ridiculously hard games. Yes they can be challenging, but their calling card is incredible worlds with brilliant gameplay, systems, depth and atmosphere.
With Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice it does seem that in addition to incredible worlds with brilliant gameplay, systems, depth and atmosphere that From Software's calling card also includes making games ridiculously hard. I heard that Bloodborne was more reasonable than the Souls games in terms of difficulty, so I was under the impression that it was only the Souls games that they made ridiculously hard - but apparently Sekiro (an entirely new IP) is just as hard as the Souls games proving that From Software now wants to be known as a developer that makes ridiculously hard games. I guess that from this point forward we shouldn't expect anything from From Software that's not ridiculously hard, because they only want to make games for Souls fans now and no one else. That's a shame because (like you said) they make games with incredible worlds with brilliant gameplay, systems, depth and atmosphere, but unfortunately they can only be enjoyed by those who want punishing difficulties from their games.
isthatallyougot wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 8:57 amI never got the complaint that FROM should offer easy mode or other concessions to make their games more accessible. That would be like me saying I wish Animal Crossing offered more blood, guts and carnage. Nonsense. (I love Animal Crossing, btw.) Games are art. They are creations that are unique to the visions of the creator(s). No game will be for everyone. Creators are under no obligation to try to please everyone. It's an impossible and absurd request. FROM have their audience, and I for one, am ecstatic that they exist and do what they do.
I disagree that someone wanting an easier setting in a From Software game would be like you saying that you wish Animal Crossing offered more blood, guts and carnage. There are so many ways that things could be made more reasonable in terms of challenge in From Software games that didn't change the content that they offer at all. Why couldn't everything remain exactly as it is in their games just with enemies and bosses taking less damage to defeat? How would that change anything other than making the challenge more reasonable for those less patient or skilled when it comes to games? I do agree that creators aren't under an obligation to try and please everyone as that would be an impossible and absurd request like you said, but they should want to please everyone who wants to play their games. That's what most developers do by offering different difficulty settings in their games. They make it so that everyone who wants to play their games can, I don't see what's wrong with that.
argyle wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 2:39 pmI will say that there's some weird double-standard in gaming where it seems like it's OK to criticize a game if you think it's too easy, but if you criticize one for being too hard then you just suck & should "git gud".
Yeah, and I want to punch every mother****er in the face who says that... HARD!!!!
isthatallyougot wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 5:32 pmAs far as FROM getting more narrow in their development focus/formula, it's hard to blame them with the success they've had with "Souls". I mean, they are still in business to make money, but I would also love to see them get more experimental. They obviously have a lot of development talent, and I'd like to see them broaden their horizons a bit more, but until the hunger for the formula they are delivering runs dry, I think they'll continue offering what their fan base craves - great for the fans of what's current, but not so much for those who want to see what else FROM is capable of again.
I'll be glad when the whole Souls/Souls-like trend ends, because then I'll be able to play dark fantasy action/adventure/RPG games once again without having to worry about wanting to put my fist through my TV screen when I do.
Post Reply