The Backlog Check-in Vol. 36: 9/8/18: Shadow of the Tomb Raider Edition

[jfissel]

Sorry to hear that, argyle.

[argyle]

Thanks guys, I appreciate it - she was definitely a part of the family, so it's been a blow to both myself & Tam.

I'm still enjoying Spidy, but it has an issue that I know Phase has mentioned many times with open world games - there's just way, way too many side missions/collectables/etc. Over half-way through the story it's still introducing new TYPES of sidequests, each with their own spattering of icons that appear across the map. I'm at the point now where I'm ready to wrap up the story (which is excellent btw). It's still a great game, but I advise anyone going into it to go easy on the side quests so you don't burn yourself out. It doesn't look that intimidating in the beginning, but when you see how much it keeps introducing as you play...it's overwhelming.

I'm ready to get back to DQXI anyway. Then the next thing on my radar is AC: Odyssey, which I've gotten really excited for. I was reading this past week that they've ditched trying to be so true to the historical events in favor of making a more interesting story. They even have the Greek mythological creatures in this one.

[Phaseknox]

I started playing Little Nightmares, and it's been decent so far. It has good graphics and atmosphere, and is designed somewhat like a Playdead (Limbo, Inside) game where it's a side scrolling platform puzzle game with an ambiguous story. It's not blowing my socks off or anything (not that I expected it to), but it's a solid little indie horror game.

I'm going to trade-in 20+ PS4 games that I have no interest in playing, and hopefully get enough store credit to buy Dragon Quest XI and Shadow of the Tomb Raider with. But since it's GameStop I probably won't even get enough to buy one of them.

This week has been really rough for me - we had to put Yuna, my 16 year old dog, to sleep on Monday.

Sorry.

I'm still enjoying Spidy, but it has an issue that I know Phase has mentioned many times with open world games - there's just way, way too many side missions/collectables/etc. Over half-way through the story it's still introducing new TYPES of sidequests, each with their own spattering of icons that appear across the map.

This is what has been kind of turning me off to a lot of games lately, the saturation of optional repetitive side stuff littered throughout them that doesn't really add anything to the core experience other than to artificially pad the length of them.

I like more focused experiences these days since doing a lot of optional side stuff that isn't really there for any other reason than to add more hours outside of the main storyline seems like filler and a waste of time to me. I still like meaningful side quests, but tons of redundant collectables, side activities, tasks and mini-games I just ignore anymore.

the next thing on my radar is AC: Odyssey, which I've gotten really excited for. I was reading this past week that they've ditched trying to be so true to the historical events in favor of making a more interesting story. They even have the Greek mythological creatures in this one.

Yeah, it looks good. You can even choose your gender which I hope is done a lot better than how it was done in Far Cry 5. I didn't know that they decided to not be completely historically accurate this time, and included mythical creatures. That's cool. Now they just need to get rid of the modern day sci-fi stuff.

[isthatallyougot]

I fired up Yakuza 0 yesterday and was immediately reminded of my only experience with the franchise. (Yakuza 1 on PS2) I'm really looking forward to sinking my teeth into this one.

Is jfis the only one of us who has played it so far?

[Phaseknox]

Is jfis the only one of us who has played it so far?

No, I have too. It made my top 10 list last year, but I can't remember where it placed. It has a great story and characters, but the gameplay is a little repetitive IMO. It has a lot of optional side stuff to do if that's your thing, but I only did some of it since the story is what I focused on.

[argyle]

Now they just need to get rid of the modern day sci-fi stuff.

I agree, but I've given up on that ever happening. If they at least keep it as minimal as it was in Origins, I'm ok with it.

I fired up Yakuza 0 yesterday and was immediately reminded of my only experience with the franchise. (Yakuza 1 on PS2) I'm really looking forward to sinking my teeth into this one.

Is jfis the only one of us who has played it so far?

One day I hope to be able to catch up on the Yakuza series - here's hoping.

I've been telling a good friend of mine that he would love them for years now but it's one of those series that he just never got around to. Well, until this summer - he played through 0 and was blown away. He told me he put around 160 hours into it, and went straight into Kiwami 1. He said he expected to feel some burnout going straight from one to the next, but he's loving it just as much as 0. He has also picked up the other 2 PS4 titles, new, because he wanted to support the series so that the other ports will be brought over.

[isthatallyougot]

Is jfis the only one of us who has played it so far?

No, I have too. It made my top 10 list last year, but I can't remember where it placed. It has a great story and characters, but the gameplay is a little repetitive IMO. It has a lot of optional side stuff to do if that's your thing, but I only did some of it since the story is what I focused on.

Oh, I had forgotten that you played it phase. Glad to hear you enjoyed it, despite being repetitive (like most all games ). Although in my memory of Yakuza 1, I didn't find it repetitive. I remember loads of content and activities to engage in. I had a great time with that one.

One day I hope to be able to catch up on the Yakuza series - here's hoping.

This seems like a formidable task. I've had the same wish, but unless you're just drowning in time, it seems like too much to ask. I'll satisfy myself with 0 and then see where it takes me. I can't imagine playing these back to back, but apparently, as you mentioned, some do.

[Phaseknox]

I've been telling a good friend of mine that he would love them for years now but it's one of those series that he just never got around to. Well, until this summer - he played through 0 and was blown away. He told me he put around 160 hours into it

I guess that it's one of those games that clicks with some people a lot more than it does with others since I found it to be a better movie than a game, and there wasn't really anything about it that blew me away. The story and characters were really good, but the core game itself wasn't really anything all that special IMO. And I can't imagine playing it for 160 hours, I think that I put about 50 hours into it and that was more than enough for me. Different strokes for different folks.

Oh, I had forgotten that you played it phase. Glad to hear you enjoyed it, despite being repetitive (like most all games ). Although in my memory of Yakuza 1, I didn't find it repetitive. I remember loads of content and activities to engage in. I had a great time with that one.

I don't find all games repetitive, some just have more repetitive design structures than others. The Yakuza series (at least the ones that I've played) take place in one or two somewhat small open areas for their entire duration, and you spend a lot of time going back and forth throughout them primarily engaging in fighting. Sure there are a lot of side activities to do, but very few of them really interest me so I primarily focus on the story content.

[canedaddy]

Very sorry to hear about Yuna, argyle. Beautiful dog. You were blessed to have her for 16 years.

One of the worst days of my life was when I took my last dog to be euthanized. His successor is now 14... old gray-faced Beagle.