RMWeb Gamer's Lounge.

[Classsix T]

Arrowhead patched Helldivers 2 earlier in the week, it's still a flakey mess! Then again it's hard to get too het-up about it given the low price point and charm of the game. When you get matched with a competent squad it really is a thing of joy to play.

 

Looking forward, the latest blips on the keen to play radar are the highly anticipated SW Outlaws and more recently the gushing praise I'm hearing for the upcoming Astro Bot game. That does sound like a good fun action platformer.

 

C6T.

[Classsix T]

I only noticed because it came up on the PS5 homepage as part of news on my followed games over the weekend (the wishlist didn't ping me afaik) but The First Descendant was released on July 2nd.

 

For those with short memories, I raved about it when I played the open beta a while back and have been looking forward to seeing it again. Especially as Helldivers 2 has been getting a little samey of late.

Anyway I put in a few hours, desperately trying to remember what I did well in the beta, and yeah...I still like it. I should point out that it is indeed a free to play title and I did have concerns how they'd go about monetisation but it seems there's one in-game currency available for irl cash, but it appears to be a grind bypass only, not a necessity.

 

Not everyone is as enthusiastic about it as myself of course:

https://kotaku.com/first-descendant-looter-shooter-review-is-it-good-nexon-1851581126

 

But as a f2p game you've got literally nothing to lose by just checking it out.

 

C6T.

[Classsix T]

PlayStation5 continues it's disappointment as the costliest hardware system from Sony I've ever owned.

 

Now on my second console following the failure of the initial one, the DualSense controller that came with the first PS5 had been showing obvious signs of stickdrift for some time. Manageable in most games and taken out completely where the developer has included a deadzone in options settings (thanks Arrowhead). It just became increasingly frustrating and my guy always walking sideways in The First Descendant was enough.

 

Replacement official controllers are a penny shy of 60 notes, or there's a super-duper official one for just short of 210, which I might have been keen to buy had I not been stung £240 to get the first console mended.

 

Anyway, an Amazon search brought up a £7 repair kit for the DualSense and that arrived last Thursday.

Fail!

A Dual sense controller is a faff to take apart and even if I could get it back together, the repair would've required some delicate soldering to remove and then replace the thumbstick components. I'm awful at soldering thus I detest it and won't even bother.

 

So Saturday arrives (I've NO controller) and there's a race on in GT7. I hot foot it to Argos, another sixty quid gone and a box of bits on the shelf!

 

Should've used Martin's controller repair guy...C6T.

[Classsix T]

Purchased and downloaded Star Wars Outlaws yesterday and whilst I'm admittedly a half-centenarian SW fanboi and have equal years invested in video games of varying quality, having played the opening chunk of the game I am of the opinion the Eurogamer review is decidedly overly harsh in its criticism.

 

Over on Kotaku otoh, its review probably panders too much to what I wanted to read, namely an open world SW sandbox I can lose myself in. What's not to like?

 

Somewhere between the two is probably fair. If you're looking for an enjoyable third person action romp then keep an eye on it for sales. But if SW tickles your fancy you'll want it before it's on deep discount.

 

C6T.

[Reorte]

On 31/08/2024 at 15:25, Classsix T said:

Purchased and downloaded Star Wars Outlaws yesterday and whilst I'm admittedly a half-centenarian SW fanboi and have equal years invested in video games of varying quality, having played the opening chunk of the game I am of the opinion the Eurogamer review is decidedly overly harsh in its criticism.

 

Over on Kotaku otoh, its review probably panders too much to what I wanted to read, namely an open world SW sandbox I can lose myself in. What's not to like?

 

Somewhere between the two is probably fair. If you're looking for an enjoyable third person action romp then keep an eye on it for sales. But if SW tickles your fancy you'll want it before it's on deep discount.

I'm quite keen on Star Wars but for some reason Outlaws isn't triggering any enthusiasm in me. I'll wait for it to be on sale.

[The Fatadder]

I don’t think I’ve played a star wars game that I’ve truly enjoyed since BioWare’s knights of the old republic and its sequel….

 

Given Ubisoft games generally eventually end up on gamepass after a year or two I will hold fire for that I think.

 

 

for now I’m happy on my third play through of BG3 

[Classsix T]

SW Outlaws proving to be a very good escape from irl. Dunno if it's quite worth the £70 asking price (some jank, audio dropping out etc but nothing game breaking) but it's absolutely the game I needed right now.
Not dissimilar to HZD or Uncharted 4 in terms of platforming/stealth gameplay it's is equally rewarding if you wanna pew-pew your way out if your sneaking goes south.

 

There's also a very interesting strategic element too in that there's four criminal syndicates to deal with that will help or hinder progress depending on which ones you decide to benefit.

 

Just as I think the side quests are getting samey, it'll give me a main story operation that makes my jaw drop.

The fact it's in the SW universe is a factor of course, but who doesn't like blowing Stormtroopers away!?

[Classsix T]

Some SW Outlaws pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

C6T.

[Classsix T]

98 hours from starting I watched the credits roll on SW Outlaws this afternoon, what a ride. Definitely a solid 8/10 from me and I certainly don't begrudge paying day one full RRP for it.

 

If I was to criticise, the reviews mentioned specifically the bonding Kay Vess forms with Nix and ND-5. I don't disagree but as a story arc that only really happens in the main quest mission structure. Because there's a lot of other stuff to do I came away without the kind of empathy I might have had if I'd concentrated on the main quests alone. Although I did actually feel moderate desperation to free little Nix asap!

I've not played enough of Ubi's Assassin's Creed titles to know if this is a common theme in their games, busywork interrupting the flow of an interesting story arc, but then again I always wished there was more to do in the EA/Respawn Cal Kestis Jedi games beyond the rather linear maps. Horses for courses perhaps.

 

I also thought it a little lazy, having reached an 'excellent' relationship with the four criminal factions in the game that only one rocks-up in the finalé. Very un Mass effect that the player's efforts to form relationships doesn't actually appear to affect the outcome?

 

Oh, and spoiler alert, there's not one single Wookie in the whole sodding thing. What gives?!

 

I'm now free to go back into the game, to mop up the unfinished side quests etc. which is kinda cool, a bit like the RDR games. Might have injected a little more peril though if I had a constant wanted rating by the Empire given what I just did.

 

But in the main a very good video game. And they can stick that quote on the box.

 

Pictures next, C6T.

Edited Thursday at 17:53 by Classsix T

[Classsix T]

 

 

This dude is like Anthony Daniels in SW video games now... guess it ties down the franchise?

 

I really love the work Massive did on the Imperial spaces, takes me straight back to memories of EpIV Death Star.

 

 

ND-5 a pretty cool character but sadly underused in the game imo.

 

Rebel Alliance spaces were good too.

 

"Dun dun dun dun-da-daaa dun-da-daaa!"

 

C6T.