List some games you've played recently. PC, console, mobile, board... and give a */10

[JamesV]

Prison Architect - 8.5/10

Still in alpha with quite a few bugs, but after 80 hours it is currently my favorite game. Build a prison, from water and electricity lines to canteens and workshops, while managing prisoners that at any moment can go crazy and start riots.

Reus - 7/10

God (giant) game where you manipulate ground spots by building plant, animal, or mine resources, and try to manage these through multiple upgrades with multiple symbioses; the idea to give towns that spring up enough resources to complete projects. Trying to remember every item like which plant upgrades to what, depending on biome, and if you have upgrades locked, or giants upgraded to make better plants - not so great.

 

[xeledon20005]

7/10 - currently not done with it so will update when finished

Gameboy Advance Game: Sword of Mana- Never having played secret of mana not sure if im missing part of the back story. So far I do like the combat system just being able to run around and attack stuff with a variety of weapons. What I don't like is the fact I can't save anywhere I want, along with that not a big fan of not knowing where i need to be at certain points of the game so far. I don't know how far in i am. I just left some air ship after defeating a very easy boss and im at some desert city. I do find it enjoyable.

 

[MetalMat]

Prison Architect - 8.5/10

Still in alpha with quite a few bugs, but after 80 hours it is currently my favorite game. Build a prison, from water and electricity lines to canteens and workshops, while managing prisoners that at any moment can go crazy and start riots.

Reus - 7/10

God (giant) game where you manipulate ground spots by building plant, animal, or mine resources, and try to manage these through multiple upgrades with multiple symbioses; the idea to give towns that spring up enough resources to complete projects. Trying to remember every item like which plant upgrades to what, depending on biome, and if you have upgrades locked, or giants upgraded to make better plants - not so great.

I tried out Reus at my buddies place and did not really like it. I do feel that the developers put a good amount of effort and polish into the game but the constant micromanagement did not jive with me.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Mercenary Kings - 8/10 - Cool old school side scrolling shooter. A bit like Ikari warriors meets Contra, with upgrades and fun missions and upgradeable guns.

Hammerwatch - 7.5/10 - Think "Gauntlet on Steroids" meets diablo barrel breaking and you have a pretty good idea of the gameplay. I loved Gauntlet and so of course like Hammerwatch as well. It helps that it is hard as hell too.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

OMG that looks right up my alley for the late drunken group campfire nights

Yeah CAH is a lot of fun, especially when played with people that aren't used to saying some of the stuff on the cards. The first time I played it my mother in law (who is 65) read a clue that read, "When I can't get off, I think of [blank] [blank]." The two cards I played read, "two midgets shitting in a bucket" and "hiding a boner." Her reciting the full response is probably the funniest thing I've seen and heard in the last five years.

 

[zinfamous]

Nintendo DS Final Fantasy 4 (or FF2 in US SNES)- 10/10:

I played FF2 in SNES as a kid about 15 years ago. It was a solid game and I would give it 8/10. The story and gameplays are solid, but I thought the game felt unpolished even as a kid. Lots of status effect spells (Silence, Stop, Sleep, etc) were useless and waste of a turn when you can just outright nuke them to death or stab them. The game also had lots of weird spells which never seemed to work and therefore never bothered. So you would just cruise through the whole game using Fire/Ice/Blizzard 3 and Summons. There wasn't much strategic depth. It was still fun as a 14 year old kid.

Lots of better polished games came along afterwards such as FF6 (3 in US) and Chrono Trigger.

I grabbed this FF 4 remake on DS just for the nostalgia's sake. HOLY HELL, it's not a mere port (which were done many times on Gameboy, PSP & even Android). I learned that they did two major things:

1. It's a total remake with revamped interface, added mechanics, bonus spells, bonus bosses, and tons of bonus content. Not to mention the full 3D re-imagination of the entire character roster and the world.

2. I LEARNED THAT THE ORIGINAL GAME I PLAYED ON SNES was SEVERELY crippled for the casual US audience. The DS remake restored all this! The game is amazingly hard right from the first mini boss. You can't just cruise through using nukes. The status spells all became VERY useful and imperative to beat everyday mobs and bosses. Suddenly all the spells I thought were previously useless serve their purpose as originally intended. Also lots of mystery spells unexplained in SNES now work because the DS now has ample descriptions of all spells/mechanics.

Suddenly I realized the original game that was released 22 years ago (WTF) actually had amazing polish and tight knight gameplay all along. Add another layer of polish from DS' remake, the game is an outright perfection.

Even at level 15~ (you start at level 9~), I'm already casting silence to mute certain enemy casters, ID their weaknesses (worth the turn now), and strategically dispatch them. You can't just brute force your way. The game is ridiculously fun and incredibly hard. I can't believe the Japanese release was like this all along 22 years ago. It's a game truly ahead of its time.

I declare that FF4 is much better than FF6 (Terra, Locke). It is the best Final Fantasy game (I've played FF4 to FF8) in my opinion. Chrono Trigger takes best Square-Enix' game.

10/10

If I were to nitpick, I do miss the original 2D sprites.... they were sharp and characters looked more serious in their own right. The DS remake is terribly cartoony and the portraits are actually worse.

Hmm, I never knew it was gimped like that. I started FF with the first one on NES and FF2 is probably my favorite SNES game, and has always been my favorite FF game by far. I actually recall using various status spells like charm and sleep quite frequently, depending the fights and if I was stuck with someone useless in the party (that goddamn spoony bard). Charm worked especially well in certain fights.

I hope this is made available on PS Network or some such. I'd love to play an updated version again.

 

[Zeze]

I distinctly remember the SNES' Bard was utterly useless.

Not this remake. He is CRUCIAL to disable the average mobs that hit like a truck.

Very well made.

 

[ImpulsE69]

Hmm, I never knew it was gimped like that. I started FF with the first one on NES and FF2 is probably my favorite SNES game, and has always been my favorite FF game by far. I actually recall using various status spells like charm and sleep quite frequently, depending the fights and if I was stuck with someone useless in the party (that goddamn spoony bard). Charm worked especially well in certain fights.

I hope this is made available on PS Network or some such. I'd love to play an updated version again.

You can get the remade versions of 1-4 on Android if you don't want it on DS/3DS. It is a very good remake. As for the others, 1-2 are so so, 3 is a bit more like 4 in the remake department.

I wouldn't be surprised if it comes out on WiiU at some point...at least..they'd be smart to release it.

 

[clok1966]

Hammerwatch - 7.5/10 - Think "Gauntlet on Steroids" meets diablo barrel breaking and you have a pretty good idea of the gameplay. I loved Gauntlet and so of course like Hammerwatch as well. It helps that it is hard as hell too.

No only an 80's gem payed homage to with your name.. Gauntlet like game..I will take a look at Hammerwatch for sure.

you have the glow!

 

[Soundmanred]

Ducktales Remastered

I was gifted this on Steam and played for about an hour today. I'd read all the news since this became a reality, and read the reviews since I planned on purchasing it. Most reviewers liked it while finding some flaws like the overbearing storytelling aspect.
I'll be honest - I don't really like it. I just don't.
The voices being off is one of my biggest turnoffs. They simply don't sound remotely similar to the original characters, and it throws the nostalgia factor off and let's be honest - that's the big selling point for this game.
The game mechanics are still there, the art assets are pretty nice, and the controls are good (used a 360 wireless as usual).
Just not into it like I thought I would be.
I replay the original every few years and enjoy it every time. It's simple, easy and fun and feels perfect.
Score removed so the anal retards can sleep tonight.
Hoping the Mickey remake is better.

 

[ImpulsE69]

Ducktales Remastered

I was gifted this on Steam and played for about an hour today. I'd read all the news since this became a reality, and read the reviews since I planned on purchasing it. Most reviewers liked it while finding some flaws like the overbearing storytelling aspect.
I'll be honest - I don't really like it. I just don't.
The voices being off is one of my biggest turnoffs. They simply don't sound remotely similar to the original characters, and it throws the nostalgia factor off and let's be honest - that's the big selling point for this game.
The game mechanics are still there, the art assets are pretty nice, and the controls are good (used a 360 wireless as usual).
Just not into it like I thought I would be.
I replay the original every few years and enjoy it every time. It's simple, easy and fun and feels perfect.
I'd give the remake a 7/10.
Hoping the Mickey remake is better.

Thank you for helping me know not to go by your ratings system. How is a game "you just don't like" a 7/10?

 

[Soundmanred]

I'll explain:
Some people might not be as bothered by the voice acting as I am, and I can judge something subjectively as well as objectively.
As I said the art style is good and the music is great, and the game mechanics are well done. For some, that's enough. For me, it wasn't.
A low C bordering on a D isn't a great grade in most schools.

 

[KeithTalent]

Is there a demo? Intrigued by this one, but the voice acting may bother me too.

KT

 

[ImpulsE69]

I'll explain:
Some people might not be as bothered by the voice acting as I am, and I can judge something subjectively as well as objectively.
As I said the art style is good and the music is great, and the game mechanics are well done. For some, that's enough. For me, it wasn't.
A low C bordering on a D isn't a great grade in most schools.

I completely understand the voice acting aspect, it would bother me too. When they switched voice actors for SHION in Xenosaga 2 I absolutely hated it and ruined my view of the game.

 

[zinfamous]

You can get the remade versions of 1-4 on Android if you don't want it on DS/3DS. It is a very good remake. As for the others, 1-2 are so so, 3 is a bit more like 4 in the remake department.

I wouldn't be surprised if it comes out on WiiU at some point...at least..they'd be smart to release it.

I checked that out last night....$15 for a mobile game?

and lol and some more

wtf Square? all of their mobile games are like this. I get that they spent more effort into programming this remake but ffs--the game is nearly 20 years old.

I hate mobile gaming anyway. If it were ~$3 I would consider it. Who knows...maybe some day on steam.

 

[KeithTalent]

I checked that out last night....$15 for a mobile game?

and lol and some more

wtf Square? all of their mobile games are like this. I get that they spent more effort into programming this remake but ffs--the game is nearly 20 years old.

I hate mobile gaming anyway. If it were ~$3 I would consider it. Who knows...maybe some day on steam.

Yeah I saw that before too. No freaking way I am paying $15 for a mobile game. Good grief.

KT

 

[ImpulsE69]

Um...so not that I'm all phone/tablet or anything, but DS/3DS is mobile and these games lend themselves to being touchpad only, unlike 90% of the other games that come out on them. ;p it's the same game and guessing you paid more for it on there. I agree it's pricey, but they have regular half off deals.

 

[KeithTalent]

Um...so not that I'm all phone/tablet or anything, but DS/3DS is mobile ;p it's the same game and guessing you paid more for it on there. I agree it's pricey, but they have regular half off deals.

But those have gamepads. I consider those portable gaming not mobile gaming, which is phones and tablets.

Either way, I think you know what I meant.

KT

 

[zinfamous]

Um...so not that I'm all phone/tablet or anything, but DS/3DS is mobile and these games lend themselves to being touchpad only, unlike 90% of the other games that come out on them. ;p it's the same game and guessing you paid more for it on there. I agree it's pricey, but they have regular half off deals.

I assume it has that hovering direction pad taking up 30% of the screen so I can move my characters around?

no thanks.

but yeah--I especially don't like mobile gaming. I don't like portable gaming, either--it seems to me there is just no reason to be playing games, or at least think one needs to opportunity to play them--no matter where you are or what you are doing. Seems odd to me. :\

I haven't had a portable system since the original game boy.

 

[ImpulsE69]

I assume it has that hovering direction pad taking up 30% of the screen so I can move my characters around?

no thanks.

but yeah--I especially don't like mobile gaming. I don't like portable gaming, either--it seems to me there is just no reason to be playing games, or at least think one needs to opportunity to play them--no matter where you are or what you are doing. Seems odd to me. :\

I haven't had a portable system since the original game boy.

Your take on controls is a bit dated and misleading because they have done a very good job of making them unintrusive, but I understand your point. If you don't even use a DS/PSP etc theres no reason anything like that would apply.

 

[enilsen16]

Payday 2- 9.5/10

Everything has improved since Payday: the Heist. Missions are fun and there is tons of different weapon combinations and masks. Probably best Co-OP multiplayer since Borderlands 2. Enemies do get repetitive though, with less than 10 enemy types...
Supposed to be 5 DLCs and with patches along the way.

 

[Zeze]

Faster Than Light / FTL [8/10]: I love little indie games like these that end up having incredible depth and replayability. It reminds of me of Bindings of Isaac although they're two different genres. I love how you can have different approaches to defeating enemy ships. You can blow them up or specialize in teleporting crewmembers & bots to their ship and just wreck havoc- this is very satisfying. The latter approach really feels like a band of pirates.

Rogue Legacy [6.5/10]: Empowered by the amazing time I had with Faster Than Light, I grabbed this PC Gamer's runner-up indie game. It plays very similar to Castlevania & Megaman, complete with dashes and double jumps. You gather various powerups and try different classes. The approach is bit lackluster. The magic classes aren't good enough and the customization isn't different enough. The items and runes could've been so much more rather than repeating same stats (And you optimize per item/rune slot). Not as interesting or suck you in like FTL, but it keeps you going here and there. Once I beat it, I was greeted with the '+' mode which is just harder mobs without more interesting stuff.

Sim City 5 [7/10]: With the failed launch out of the way, I was able to play this smoothly. The gameplay itself felt tiring fast for me. It's still the same thing, but it does make it refreshing somewhat with tons of mini objectives, city specializations, and region trading. The game is very polished and UI is squeaky clean. Too bad the actual gameplay was... okay. Each city plot is much smaller now. You end up filling up the whole land in 30-45 mins. The screenshot above actually shows 3 different cities you built up.

It's very pretty and well organized, but the super hand-holding of this latest sequel takes out that certain mystery fun of Sim City. Most of the time, I felt like I was just blindly following what the game told me to do, rather than figuring stuff out.

Painkiller: Hell & Damnation [5/10]: Due to your big raves, I was excited to try this out. I was sorely disappointed. Doom II is still fun today, it's no nostalgia- it's the perfect balance of weapons, enemies, and actual map progression. Despite dated 2D graphics, the map environment was very interesting and kept the game going. Well, Painkiller is straight-up lazy arena fighting. You're given some boring weapons and fight in the same small field 5x times. What the hell??? It grew tiring REAL fast. This actually made me appreciate the brilliance that Doom II has- ammo management, tight-knit weapon progression (it's designed to start with nothing every level), great map design, and AWESOME monsters with certain weaknesses.

Faster Than Light is the best of the bunch here. If you have time for one game, try this game for sure, you won't regret it.

 

[werepossum]

Fallout New Vegas - 10/10. I have well over five hundred hours of play, including two play-throughs, all the DLC, and free mods, Beyond Boulder Dome being the latest. Just doesn't get better than that. Still need to find mods to make it even more of a lethal shooter, but value like that is very seldom found.

Metro last Light - 8/10. Perhaps not quite as good as Metro 2033, but a darned solid game and well worth $50.

 

[Zeze]

Fallout New Vegas - 10/10. I have well over five hundred hours of play, including two play-throughs, all the DLC, and free mods, Beyond Boulder Dome being the latest. Just doesn't get better than that. Still need to find mods to make it even more of a lethal shooter, but value like that is very seldom found.

Metro last Light - 8/10. Perhaps not quite as good as Metro 2033, but a darned solid game and well worth $50.

I just couldn't get into FNV.... I don't know, I just couldn't. The fighting mechanic that is an awkward hybrid of real-time or turn-based threw me off. And I didn't have patience once I got outside and visited the first boring town. I quit then. Maybe I should try again.

As for Metro 2033, you liked it a lot? The game didn't exactly have super hot reviews to begin with.

 

[marcplante]

I'm an antiquated freak. BZFLag on my PC is still a game I keep going back to (hundreds of hours)...multi platform (PC, Mac, Unix) basic tank battle game (Battlezone by another name) 8/10 based on the fact that the playing population is dwindling and there aren't as many different arenas to go into. It's a very easy game to learn the controls for, but the existing players are soo experienced that noobs get killed too often and blamed for taking excessive Genocide hits for their teams. You can play for 2 minutes or 2 hours as the arenas are fairly condensed with lots of action. Free of charge...