What are you playing? -Countdown to Xenoblade Edition- August 2011

Can't believe it's August already. So before everyone gets Xenoblade on the 19th, what's everyone playing until then?

I'm at disc 4 of my 100% file of Final Fantasy IX now. Every time I play, I realise how much I love it more and more. FFVII was where it started for me, but there's something else about IX that just really has such an effect on me.

I've got plenty of other games on the go but not sure which I'm going back to after this. It's all very much FFIX right now.

On a non-gaming related note, I'm playing tennis nearly every evening now, and getting really good. Me and a mate are gonna start taking some coaching lessons and push to get to a level where we might be able to compete in tournaments. Even if we don't get anywhere, it's so damn fun playing, and it's great just to be out of the house doing something I enjoy.

So you are on duty to make one of these topics every month now, Azuardo?

So, what am I playing? Well, look at my signature as I won't tell you...nah just kidding. One of the two games I'm currently playing is Resident Evil 4. It's quite noticeable for me that I'm new to the Horror genre and not used to the controls yet, so I can't really deal well with the fights in the game yet and that on Easy even. Hopefully I'll get used to that as I progress through the game. I can already say that Leon is awesome though.

My new rule is to play an old classic alongside each new game I play (with some exceptions like Xenoblade or Skyward Sword, of course ) to take care of my enormous backlog at least a little bit. My choice this time is Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. I heard great things about it and that got me curious. I'm loving it so far. Awesome graphics, music and gameplay, though the humour beats everything else with ease. xD I love it when games don't take themselves seriously. Quite a contrast when I look at Resident Evil 4.

Finally... a countdown thread! You beat me to it again Azuardo. I'm the resident Xenoblade fanatic

17 DAYS LEFT!

Oh.. I guess I'll make a start on Little Kings Story

I've completed SMG2 and its awesome. The first SMG was average imo.. no 2 just blew it away!

this says it all pretty much

SirLink said:
So you are on duty to make one of these topics every month now, Azuardo?

He certainly seems to be. Whenever I remember to do one he beats me to the punch!

Anyways, my current gaming habidasherry consists of Muramasa: The Demon Blade which is like crack-cocaine to a Japanese enthusiast as yours truly, and Game Dev Story on iOS, a game that I can never fully emphasise as to how incredibly addictive it is.

Psychonauts on 360, and Duke Nukem 3D: Nuclear Winter on PC.

Show Spoiler

Hollywood Holocaust with a Christmas twist. The first level is called "Déjà vu". and is a reworking of the Red Light District level of vanilla Duke 3D. The second level (pictured) is a Christmas reworking of Hollywood Holocaust, called "Where It All Began".

Fucking carol singers! They sing the most annoying song over and over and over until you..

Die!

DIE!!

Some cool new art.

Reindeer antlers on the enforcer! All the other goons are other completely new, or Christmas version of Duke 3D mainstays.

Me being killed by Rudolph. Best picture ever!

I won't be getting Xenoblade.... But I'll be getting Deus Ex instead >.<

Deus Ex = booo!! Prey 2 = CHEER!!

Minecraft with my brother, making episodes of it on Youtube.

Besides that, still haven't finished Spirit Tracks or Minish cap, and I'm playing Street Fighter 4 3D just to get through every character, I still can't get do better than Easy though.

Martin_ said:
Deus Ex = booo!! Prey 2 = CHEER!!

Am now adding Link's Awakening to my list after buying it off eShop. Just got past dungeon 3, the furthest point I've ever reached actually. :O

Oh yes, Bayonetta too. Bloody weird that one is.

I started the very first monthly WRUP thread. Now I can't beat anyone to it.

I'm playing random DS games right now on vacation. Mario Kart, Animal Crossing etc.

Stulaw said:
Minecraft with my brother, making episodes of it on Youtube.

Games I'm playing: Well... as always, a whole lot of different crap.
Preordered Xenoblade from Shopto. (My first ever purchase from there)

( Edited 08.08.2011 00:34 by Mush123 )

Finished Psychonauts at long last! One of the best games I've played, for sure. Now to finish my old nemesis, FFVII.

Been meaning to play Psychonauts. Got it in on PS2, just haven't got round to it. Good to hear it's as good as most people make out.

Not playing much myself. At the end of FF9, and started to try and finish up Vagrant Story, but just not feeling it with games at the mo. Really bad case of not wanting to play much at all. Or I want to play, but there's no urge. Kills me inside.

I'm off on holiday so playing Professor Layton.

Whilst I'm at it, anyone want a copy of star ocean 4 for the xbox? Drop me a PM and I'll handle it when I get back

Now Playing : MH3 and MHFU (of course), Zelda OoT 3DS, BlazBlue CS, And a bit of Battlefield BC2, and the old stand-by Counter-Strike.

Started Playing The World Ends With You, and now wondering why I didn't pick it up before, it's great, nice concept in the story and how everything goes on in Shibuya is great. Neku is sort of like Sasuke(pre time-skip) from Naruto, which is fine as a main character for me.

Azuardo said:
Been meaning to play Psychonauts. Got it in on PS2, just haven't got round to it. Good to hear it's as good as most people make out.

A lot has been said about the game, I'll just say the high level of praise it got (and continues to get) is thoroughly-deserved. Likeable characters, intriguing story, funny as fuck, often genius level-design (and when not genius, still very very good). This games also proves that good visual-design is key. 6 years on, Psychonauts is still a good looking game.

People like to call it a platformer, but I liken it to Zelda. Differences are many, but key gameplay ones are that;

1) There's a jump button.
2) It's original.
3) There's a palpable storyline.
4) The writing is intelligent.
5) It's a great game.

I suppose one could argue it's closest relative is Banjo-Kazooie? I don't know. I just know that it fucking rocked! Boyd's mind is literally something out of an Escher painting.

Azuardo said:
Not playing much myself. At the end of FF9, and started to try and finish up Vagrant Story, but just not feeling it with games at the mo. Really bad case of not wanting to play much at all. Or I want to play, but there's no urge. Kills me inside.

Just an idea; perhaps you play the same old shit too often? Regardless, not playing video games can only be good for you. Keep it up!

Thanks for the info on Psychonauts. Does look pretty humorous/fun.

Maybe I do play the same shit, but I've left so many games unfinished, it's unreal. Even games you'd consider quality - Bioshock, Earthbound. Others include Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Yakuza 3, Final Fantasy 4 DS, Mario & Luigi 3, Zelda Spirit Tracks, the previously mentioned Vagrant Story. All at least good games that I just can't be arsed finishing. I do think time is an issue. When I'm not working, I'm playing tennis. When I'm not playing tennis, I think that I can't be bothered spending my time playing games. I somewhat like that I'm not hooked on them right now; it is a good thing. But it's frustrating too because I want to play. That said, I've got some PSN games this gen and loved them - Pac-Man DX, Lara & the Guardian, Braid. I loved GTA4 and I've just ordered Episodes from Liberty City, so I'm hoping I'll find a lot of fun in that.

Otherwise, I just don't know where to begin. Got a massive backlog, with a lot of quality games to choose from - Metal Gear Solid 3, Beyond Good & Evil, Devil May Cry 3, Mario RPG, Chrono Trigger, all Silent Hills, all Jaks, Valkyria Chronicles, Just Cause 2, Infamous, Golden Sun 3, FF Tactics A2...

Lots of good games yet I cba playing any. It seems I can put up with just waiting for my fave big ones to come out instead of playing anything now - Uncharted 3, Zelda Skyward Sword, FFXIII-2. That said, I have a problem of replaying older games. Very frustrating.

Would you kindly finish BioShock before doing anything else? It's needed.

Yeah I'll second the Bioshock thing. Get that game finished -- or atleast take it the "OMG" part. The final act is a bit meh, but you've got to power through to that point.

I'll make an effort to move on with Bioshock then, when time permits.

I'm currently playing Battlefield: Bad Company 2 off and on, but also trying to get through Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturn.

Azuardo, Back in 2008 I played Chrono Trigger for the DS when it was released and then didn't play another game for two years.
It took buying a ps3 and MGS4 to get me back into gaming.

Some would say this is sad... But I think it just means Chrono Trigger was such a good game that it satified me that long. Like a really good cigarette!

Glad I'm not the only one with this problem then. I know come November 4th when Uncharted comes out here I'll be back to playing. Dunno if having so many games to play has overwhelmed me or what really. Could just be a phase I'm having, or maybe it happens to everyone at some point in their life once they find other priorities in life.