The Backlog Check-in Vol. 174: 5/1/21: Resident Evil Village Edition

[Phaseknox]

Played: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Finished: Nothing

Playing: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Added: Nothing

I’ve played Assassin’s Creed Valhalla for close to 60 hours now, and at this point I feel that it’s somewhat better than Odyssey. From a pure gameplay standpoint I still feel that Odyssey is more fun overall, but Valhalla offers a more engaging, darker and serious story. Odyssey feels campy a lot of the time, and has a lot of silly humor. Valhalla is more like Game of Thrones in its storytelling, it’s brutal and violent.

Odyssey’s main storyline somewhat takes a backseat to playing as a mercenary for hire, and doing side quests for people. Valhalla is the opposite, there’s actually not very many side quests other than the settlement character quests. The main focus is on Eivor, her clan and the main storyline. The story quests take place in different regions of England, and are their own mini-stories that are connected to the game’s overall progression. They’re in-depth and lengthy, more so than the quests in Odyssey. So while Odyssey offers tons of quests all over its map, Valhalla offers less but they’re bigger and more involved/significant.

As much as I like Odyssey’s colorful and vibrant ancient Greece setting, it does feel a little cut and pasted throughout. Valhalla’s medieval England is a little more varied and detailed offering realistic lighting and weather effects, and has a more organic feel to it. The music is also really good. The overall presentation in general is topnotch, and is part of why I like playing it other than for the story and gameplay.

My only real complaints with the game are its extremely long load times, plethora of rather insignificant and somewhat out of place filler activities/collectables and overall lack of things happening in the world itself. It has some of the longest load times that I’ve ever experienced in a game before. The initial loading to start the game takes forever, and fast traveling in the game can often be just as long. The loading unfortunately hurts the experience a bit since being an open world game where you want to quickly map hop to different areas to do activities, contracts, raids, etc. has you sitting and waiting long periods of time just to go somewhere and do something that you’ll probably do fairly quickly. And a lot of the optional side activities/collectables in the game feel like filler since they’re rather insignificant for the most part, and just clutter up the map with distracting crap. Finally, you have a big beautiful world to traverse but there’s never really anything happening in it. For as much physical traveling that you do in the game it would be nice to come across things to do along the way, but unfortunately that is rarely ever the case.

Games releasing this week
Almighty: Kill Your Gods
Angels With Scaly Wings
Boris the Rocket
Chroma Quaternion
The Colonists
Crime Opera: The Butterfly Effect
Dull Grey
Flowing Lights
Ladders by Powgi
Mystic Fate
Nongunz: Doppelgänger Edition
Raiden IV x Mikado Remix
Resident Evil Village
Scavengers
Skate City
SpongeBob Squarepants: Krusty Cook-Off
Ultimate Custom Night
WarDogs: Red’s Return

[argyle]

Still alive....

Games added: Yes, I added some games.

Last...whatever?? Finished Control, dabbled with several other things hoping something would "stick" - Nier Remake, Unruly Heroes, Greedfall (VERY briefly, doesn't seem like my thing at all), other stuff

This week: Not much right now. I played the demo for the new RE this past weekend and loved it (it's very reminiscent of RE4) so I'm picking that up this weekend, when I get back from the trip I'm taking.

Been busy with life lately - getting back into the swing of going into the office full-time again after a year of working from home has been interesting. Also been focussing a little more on my eBay side hustle. I have been wanting to get into a new game but nothing's been grabbing me lately. Hoping RE does the trick, and I'm also looking forward to Biomutant later this month.

How's things with you guys?

EDIT: Oh wait, I just remembered something. I do have a bone to pick with all of you that keep playing Valhalla while completely ignoring the true FIRE that Ubisoft released last year that is Immortals: Fenyx Rising. That game is amazeballs, and I know for a FACT that Crim would love the snot out of it - J too. Phase, you would enjoy it as long as you go in knowing that it is all of the silly fantasy stuff you think doesn't belong in AC. But that was kinda how the game came to be from my understanding, while they were making Odyssey they realized some of their ideas were too much for that game, and they wanted to do a full-on Greek mythology game. Think God of War if you replaced the pissy-ness with pure joy. Everything is super colorful, the characters are all very funny, it is loaded with quests and puzzles that are all a blast. It's just a fantastic game, and it's a crime - a CRIME, I tell you! - that you guys are ignoring it. Fix that.

[Phaseknox]

Still alive....

I was starting to get a little concerned by your long absence, I’m glad that everything’s ok.

Finished Control

How was it IYO?

Greedfall (VERY briefly, doesn't seem like my thing at all)

Have you ever liked a Eurojank RPG? They just don’t seem to be your thing in general, which is fine since we all have our own personal preferences. My brother doesn’t really like them, either.

I played the demo for the new RE this past weekend and loved it (it's very reminiscent of RE4) so I'm picking that up this weekend

It looks great, but I haven’t played Resident Evil VII yet so I’m going to wait to get it when it’s cheaper.

I'm also looking forward to Biomutant later this month.

You and me both, I might buy it on day one if I’m in the mood for it when it comes out. If not, I’ll wait to get it when it’s cheaper since I have a feeling that it will drop in price fast.

How's things with you guys?

It’s been the usual for me, I feel ok some days and not so ok other days. When I feel ok I usually game a lot, when I don’t not so much.

I do have a bone to pick with all of you that keep playing Valhalla while completely ignoring the true FIRE that Ubisoft released last year that is Immortals: Fenyx Rising. That game is amazeballs, and I know for a FACT that Crim would love the snot out of it - J too. Phase, you would enjoy it as long as you go in knowing that it is all of the silly fantasy stuff you think doesn't belong in AC. But that was kinda how the game came to be from my understanding, while they were making Odyssey they realized some of their ideas were too much for that game, and they wanted to do a full-on Greek mythology game. Think God of War if you replaced the pissy-ness with pure joy. Everything is super colorful, the characters are all very funny, it is loaded with quests and puzzles that are all a blast. It's just a fantastic game, and it's a crime - a CRIME, I tell you! - that you guys are ignoring it.

I own it, so I’m not ignoring it. I’m just waiting to play it when I’m in the mood for a cartoonish, comical, humorous, open world, action/adventure/puzzle game based on Greek mythology. I also want to get The Lost Gods expansion for it before I play it, because it looks really good. But it might have to wait until after Biomutant, because I’ve been waiting for that game for a really long time.

[canedaddy]

I started Greedfall and didn't get very far. It seems like something that should appeal to me, but the first attempt was a big no. I'll try again down the road.

Also, I'll move Immortals on to my wish list. You make it sound like my kind of game.


Played recently: Days Gone, Ape Out

Finished: Ape Out

Added to backlog: nothing

Current backlog: 13 (9 PS4, 1 Vita, 3 Switch)


I loved Ape Out... not only is it a great-playing game where you're a gorilla on the loose (like argyle I love me some simians), but it also has a sweet jazzy soundtrack tied into your actions, and the art style is unlike anything I've ever seen. Very special game.

I'm also really enjoying Days Gone. Down in the southern area now, about two-thirds of the way through, it seems.

[argyle]

Finished Control

How was it IYO?

Forgot to comment on that. It started out really good, but by the end I was just ready for it to be over. A lot of promise but they fumbled the execution IMO. There's a LOT of fighting, enemies respawn in areas you've already cleared out constantly (and there's a TON of backtracking, so...) . It would have been better had it kept the focus more on exploration and less on combat - kinda survival horror-ish. Instead the combat becomes very repetitious and tedious. Plus it's a very difficult game, enemies hit way way too hard. They must have realized this because the version I played (the re-release w/ the DLC built in) had some built-in "assists" that were basically cheats, and I ended up turning on one hit kills & god mode a little over half-way through it because I was just sick of the combat & dying.

Also the story is told mainly through memos & other documents you find in the world. I'm sure I've said this to you guys before, but IMO making the player read the story in a video game is the absolute laziest thing a developer can do. You have the most interactive medium at your disposal and you choose text on a page? If I wanted to read, I'd read a REAL book. On top of that, the story made no sense anyway - they thought it was a good idea to have all these vague supernatural things happen and to never actually explain any of it.

So end of the day, it felt like a huge waste. Of a premise, of some cool game ideas, and sadly of my time. Meh / 10

Greedfall (VERY briefly, doesn't seem like my thing at all)

Have you ever liked a Eurojank RPG? They just don’t seem to be your thing in general, which is fine since we all have our own personal preferences. My brother doesn’t really like them, either.

Lol, no, but that actually wasn't my issue here (didn't realize it was European developed, actually). The setting is just really dry, and the game is front-loaded at least with a bunch of boring characters and boring dialog. Very political too. Just not my thing at all.

Also, I'll move Immortals on to my wish list. You make it sound like my kind of game.

I'd be surprised if everyone here didn't like it honestly, even Ubi-hating Izzy. While it has some very broad similarities w/ the standard Ubi open world game, it borrows much more heavily from Breath of the Wild (and improves upon it IMO) while throwing in a lot of its own flavor.

I'm also really enjoying Days Gone. Down in the southern area now, about two-thirds of the way through, it seems.

Yeah, you're in the thick of it now. I'll be interested to see what you think of it once you wrap it up.

[isthatallyougot]

I'd be surprised if everyone here didn't like it honestly, even Ubi-hating Izzy.

Impossible! (No, what I've seen of it *does* look good. I just haven't been doing vibeo gaem lately. I realized my life is a simulation and I'm playing that one. )

[Phaseknox]

the story is told mainly through memos & other documents you find in the world. I'm sure I've said this to you guys before, but IMO making the player read the story in a video game is the absolute laziest thing a developer can do. You have the most interactive medium at your disposal and you choose text on a page? If I wanted to read, I'd read a REAL book.

I hate that type of storytelling in games, reading puts me to sleep. I own Control and I was looking forward to playing it, but now not so much.

I just haven't been doing vibeo gaem lately. I realized my life is a simulation and I'm playing that one.

My life is a mediocre simulation, especially now being stuck in the house so much due to the pandemic and my overall health being poor. Video games are primarily what I got going on these days, they’re a good escape from my somewhat crappy reality.

[jfissel]

Finished: Nothing

Now Playing: Immortals: Fenyx Rising PS5, Ratchet & Clank 2016 PS4

Added to Backlog: Nothing

Current Backlog: 40 games

I'm pretty far into Ratchet & Clank, I think I only have a few planets to go. But there's still more to do after the story that I'll be playing for a while longer. And argyle, I've put ~4 hours into Immortals and it's great! Funny dialogue and I like the gameplay...though I struggle with combat slightly right now since it's early and I don't like the stamina meter being used for everything. Just let me swim across a larger body of water without drowning! Guess I need to work on some stamina upgrades.

[isthatallyougot]

My life is a mediocre simulation, especially now being stuck in the house so much due to the pandemic and my overall health being poor. Video games are primarily what I got going on these days, they’re a good escape from my somewhat crappy reality.

Then play the simulation that's more fun...like you're doing.

[crimson_tide]

Played: House Hunter, House Hunter 2: Reckoning, House Hunter 3: Requiem, House Hunter 4: The Final Chapter, House Hunter 5: The New Beginning, House Hunter 6: No Seriously, This **** Got Tired After Part 2, HOW THE **** IS THIS STILL ******* GOING?!?!?!?,...House Hunter 7: Like A Dragon (because it's turn based now...haha ), and Yakuza 3 .

Bought: Trials of Mana, Odin Sphere Leifthreiser? (I don't know how to spell it), God Eater 2...I'm a weak, weak man...I just keep buying these Monster Hunter clones but who has time to play them?

This Week: House Hunter 8: Shin House Hunter Tensei. The Nocturne version comes out next week I guess...

Bruh. The ****? House hunting is NOTHING like the show House Hunters ! This is consuming my life and I hate it and I want it to be done and it makes me sad. Sorry, I had to vent.

Also, Yakuza 3 is officially my least favorite in the series. I hate Rikiya and kinda wish I could go Sleeping Dogs on him and run him face first into an industrial fan every time he shouts ANIKI!!!! like a whiny, petulant child. And the bosses, ugh. They are just a gosh dang SLOG!!! I liked the game better back in Okinawa honestly. Which is saying something because I LOVE Kamarucho, it's like a character in these games. Part of the problem is they updated the frame rate and all but you need to have ridiculous timing to do what is honestly simple in other games because the enemies need to be in exact positions to pull off heat moves and tiger drops and whatnot. The controls are extremely finicky the whole game. Finally there is always something annoying keeping you from completing things. The tournament has this obnoxious bump, set, serve dude who wins because every hit connects and dizzies you, stun locking you. You have no recourse for big dudes blocking doorways but heat moves. The enemies block way too much and effectively. The hitman missions have their own unique nonsense. The chase mechanic is just bad. It's just not as fun a game as 4 and 5 but I still don't hate it enough to stop playing. The story is pretty fun...you know, when Rikiya is gone. Ew. It took me months to beat it years ago and now I know why. I should wrap it up at the 30 or so hour mark at this rate...and I haven't even gotten to exposition dump politician yet...ugh...

And argyle, chill bruh! As soon as Ubisoft puts out the complete edition in June for like $3, I will totally buy it. I was sold on fantasy focused Odyssey but quickly unsold by like Breath of the Wild. So it became a wait for a sale. I do definitely plan to pick it up within the year though (because Ubisoft puts everything on sale all the time).