The Video Game Thread

[Aoret]

Am I the only one that thinks Cards Against Humanity tries way too hard? I don't think the answer cards themselves need to be funny, they just need to exist. Let the combinations and the creativity of the players give it life. I don't need a long, excessively vulgar answer card, it just seems juvenile and makes me cringe.

I've gotten far more mileage out of Apples to Apples, but try to avoid Cards Against Humanity at every opportunity.

To me that game is just a flash in the pan. I might even be being unfair to KTANE when I compare the two. CAH relies almost purely on shock value and it doesn't take long to find the funnier combinations of cards. After that, it's kinda boring. I personally kinda think apples to apples sucks too, but maybe I'm just a dick. One thing we can agree on is that people who get way too excited about CAH are the official worst.

 

[Jason Waddell]

I don't think Apples to Apples is amazing by any means, but I have had fun experiences with that game (admittedly at a younger age), and no fun experiences whenever people have brought out Cards Against Humanity.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

I'ld rather play 1000 blank white cards than CAH from what I've seen of the latter.

 

[Aoret]

...now to go over to the board game thread and see if I can pull off a sick riptide forum combo

 

[Eric Chan]

I've gotten far more mileage out of Apples to Apples, but try to avoid Cards Against Humanity at every opportunity.

Same here! Apples to Apples looks like a kids' game, but because of the simplicity and versatility of its phrases, you can adapt it for pretty much any social group and age range.

My favourite off-colour card that I played in Apples to Apples was when the word in the middle was "addictive", so I played out my card, Choir Boys. It offended a good number of people, but because it wasn't selected, I didn't have to fess up. Victory!

 

[Diakonov]

My favourite off-colour card that I played in Apples to Apples was when the word in the middle was "addictive", so I played out my card, Choir Boys. It offended a good number of people, but because it wasn't selected, I didn't have to fess up. Victory!

I had a very similar thing happen last time I played. I remember someone saying, "That's just...creepy," with everyone agreeing, and I was like oh no! Fortunately, I went undetected.

Apples to Apples is a great reminder that most normal people aren't as fucked up as you are.

 

[Chris Taylor]

I had a very similar thing happen last time I played. I remember someone saying, "That's just...creepy," with everyone agreeing, and I was like oh no! Fortunately, I went undetected.

Apples to Apples is a great reminder that most normal people aren't as fucked up as you are.

Cards against humanity, on the other hand, is a great reminder you and your friends are fucked up

 

[Suicufnoc]

Cards against humanity, on the other hand, is a great reminder you and your friends are fucked up

This, except with apples to apples. That's not normal?

 

[Jason Waddell]

I was playing Rocket League and had a teammate named DragonZ. I asked if he named himself that because he didn't have any balls. He said he was German and didn't understand.

 

[Eric Chan]

I played Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes this weekend after my best friend's rehearsal dinner for his wedding. Super fun game, works well in a large group setting, works well when the group is scattered across the Sober-Drunk continuum. The tl;dr is it's asymmetric gameplay mechanics with one bomb defuser playing the video game and one (or more) experts with a very convoluted paper manual, neither can see what the other is looking at.

Watch a colour blind guy try to play this game!

 

[Jason Waddell]

I don't really get any joy out of Armada losing. Nothing against him, it just doesn't do anything for me.

 

[Jason Waddell]

I'm on the Xbox One train now. Send me a friend request on "MLG Trunkers" (note: MLG is because I made the tag when I worked for the company, not because I'm good at anything) for some Halo 5 or Forza Horizon 2 or whatever game you think is great (provided you can convince me to buy it).

 

[Aoret]

Here's my shitreview of Axiom Verge.

If you want a Metroidlike, you should probably get it. It starts out awesome, great pacing, lots of little moments of delight, cute homages to old platformers, etc. Pacing gets shittier further in (assuming you're the sort of person who cares about that one unexplored tunnel from the first map). I think if you go into the game being told by a friend that you're not supposed to backtrack until you collect the red coat, the mid-late game gets significantly less shitty. To borrow a phrase from CML the game felt punitive when I tried to backtrack for powerups too early, mostly due to very large maps and lack of a fast travel option. Overall though shit was pretty great and I think with the tip about the red coat I've have avoided spoiling stuff for myself with maps and walkthroughs near the end.

 

[Ferritovore]

Doing some UNDERTALE.

Earthbound-lookin RPG where every combat can be resolved peaceably - dog soldiers can be petted instead of murdered, etc.

Doing a murder-everyone playthrough first to see what that's like, kinda feels Dark Soulsy.

Seems like tiders would like it:

the game "conveys a lot of soul and charm through its excellent writing", though he noted that the dialogue at times "borders on cringey random humor that larger demographics wouldn’t get, or not allow enough time between meta jokes."

 

[safra]

Undertale rules, I've basically been hyped since the demo came out!

Don't do the murder playthrough, the game asks you to engage with it a certain way and it's not subtle about telling you to stop playing it 'wrong'. Video games as art, kinda like Touhou in that respect (but not actually like Touhou).

I also recently liked The Long Dark and Life is Strange, neither of which you should look into very much before playing.

Undertale tip: pet all the dogs.

 

[Aston]

Undertale is the Best Game Ever according to GameFAQ's poll 2015

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Undertale is the Best Game Ever according to GameFAQ's poll 2015

I've also seen a review that says it's an overhyped piece of repetetive shit. Most reviews are fairly to very positive though.

I personally can't recommend Ori and the Blind Forest enough. I know I've talked about it already, but it is still on sale on Steam, so now is a perfect moment to go get it!

 

[Ferritovore]

It's so apparent that being nice is what I'm supposed to do... that's why it's interesting to see what the designer made for people who do the wrong thing!

 

[safra]

It's so apparent that being nice is what I'm supposed to do... that's why it's interesting to see what the designer made for people who do the wrong thing!

Still, don't. Not spoiling anything but Toby Fox thinks you play games the wrong way.

 

[Ferritovore]

Dammit! My emperor, I've faiiiiled yoooou!

 

[Ferritovore]

Still, don't. Not spoiling anything but Toby Fox thinks you play games the wrong way.

New question. I've gotten kinda bored with the game now that I know the alternative path isn't meant to be a real alternative, so I'm wondering if I should just finally take the plunge and try Baldur's Gate or Planescape Torment? Possibly Dragon Age 2 or one of the Divinity games is a good idea too? I have heard good things about all that stuff but also expect that they take a long time.

Having real options for different ways to play through the game is a plus, OR at least not putting up fake options that you're really not allowed to explore.

 

[Aoret]

PlaneScape: Torment definitely. Don't be afraid to give yourself a hint from a walkthrough of you get super stuck, but otherwise try to just play it. The best thing is you'll be ready for the new Numenera torment when it finally comes out!

 

[Aston]

I've also seen a review that says it's an overhyped piece of repetetive shit. Most reviews are fairly to very positive though.

I personally can't recommend Ori and the Blind Forest enough. I know I've talked about it already, but it is still on sale on Steam, so now is a perfect moment to go get it!

Ori is fantastic, and the visuals are amazing

 

[Jason Waddell]

Having put a dozen or so hours into the multiplayer now, I will say that Halo 5 is the best one since Halo 1. Sure the campaign is a turd, but I didn't like 2's campaign, or 3's, ODST's, etc.

This multiplayer has tight mechanics, great level design, and a little cosmetics "card opening / cosmetics only / microtransaction but you can earn the points in game" system that I actually like. My only qualm is the use of radar in most of the game types, but that's been the case in Halo matchmaking since forever.

Only one of the maps seems to suck, as far as I can see. Compare that to Halo 2 which was chock-full of turd maps.

 

[Aston]

Anybody watching AGDQ this year? I've caught a few bits, and Battle Boy was a personal highlight as I'd never even heard of the game before and it looked really cool.