February Games Chat Thread: It's Not March Yet

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > February Games Chat Thread: It's Not March Yet

FirstAidKite: Nov 8, 2009

Anybody here heard about that metroid prequel romhack thing, metroid before dawn or whatever? How is it?

MinibarMatchman posted:

River City Ransom Underground is FINALLY arriving this month after almost 4 years and it is glorious

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us7MnovsPKs

Yessssssssssssssssssss fuckin finally!! I was so excited this time last year but they were like "yeah it'll be released q1 2016!" "q2!" "q3!" "q4!" so I'm glad it has a definitive release date. I'm excited as gently caress for it

# ? Feb 2, 2017 06:24

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# ? Apr 19, 2024 20:38

Olive!: Mar 16, 2015; It's not a ghost, but probably a 'living corpse'. The 'living dead' with a hell of a lot of bloodlust...

Gray Fox was Rob Paulsen? :psyduck:

# ? Feb 2, 2017 06:39

Bicyclops: Aug 27, 2004

Happy February, games chat thread. I will enjoy stopping by to talk about my latest incompetent blunders in Bloodborne, my Saturday visits from my brother for Final Fantasy XV, and my quest to get my friend to come over to play The Witcher 3, since he is the only one at our weekly game night who has not played it, and would very much enjoy it.

# ? Feb 2, 2017 06:40

CrashCat: Jan 10, 2003; another shit post

precision posted:

Comic book stores often have used games way cheaper than GameStop.

In my experience, used game stores all have eBay storefronts and price appropriately, maybe five bucks off Gamestop tops

Unless you catch Gamestop being lazy, but they always correct to the market eventually

# ? Feb 2, 2017 06:46

Ciaphas: Nov 20, 2005; > BEWARE, COWARD

Quest For Glory II posted:

Yeah I'm hip to it, I asked for a review copy but idk if I'm gonna get it. I am digging the return of the Spectrum-style room-by-room metroidvanias

I'd love to hear first impressions, i'm gonna be working late tomorrow so i can't impulse buy it immediately, rip

# ? Feb 2, 2017 07:04

Gwyrgyn Blood: Dec 17, 2002

Finished up Environmental Station Alpha. Pretty good game, bit frustrating at time (especially some map segments of the game), but maintained a nice level of challenge throughout. Well, until the Overcharge powerup anyway, but I'm guessing that's intended to be a 'secret' powerup much like the 3-way was.

Kinda annoying that there really isn't a 'good' ending or anything like that. There's just the normal Bad ending, a Worse ending, then a whole slew of bizarre ARG-like end things that involve doing a bunch of obscure nonsense. Oh well. Guess next up is Wuppo. :goleft:

Sounds like Shantae HGH is getting all of the modes they listed on the Kickstarter, even the ones they didn't hit the goal for. Risky, Sky, Bolo, Rotty, and the 3 different outfits (which I guess are stat/skill swaps). Should be fun to revisit again with the new modes.

Started playing X-Com 2 this month, never bothered to play the first new remake but it doesn't sound like I'm missing out too much anyway. Game is fun but boy is it stressful.

# ? Feb 2, 2017 07:22

Sakurazuka: Jan 24, 2004; NANI?

Seems legit

# ? Feb 2, 2017 09:03

Lakbay: Dec 14, 2006; My eye...MY EYE!!!

30 hours in and Berseria is starting to wear on me, mostly because the pacing stumbled a bit and the game decided to dump 2.5 hours of voiced exposition with little combat or comedy in between. I've started to skip talking to npcs that aren't voiced too. I've also heard that the final dungeon is really bad so my interest is waning

# ? Feb 2, 2017 13:02

Nate RFB: Jan 17, 2005; Clapping Larry

Even if you prefer it I feel that mastering the float jump in Plague Knight is almost mandatory, otherwise the platforming just becomes too much.

# ? Feb 2, 2017 13:51

In Training: Jun 28, 2008

I wanna try to doing a no upgrades run of Plague.

# ? Feb 2, 2017 13:53

Captain Invictus: Apr 5, 2005; Try reading some manga!; Clever Betty

goon Succinctandpunchy speedran the first stage demo for Freedom Planet 2, game looks much prettier than the first one, and way smoother than any recent Sonic game, moreso than Freedom Planet 1 too which is good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJD_KEMHc4c&hd=1

edit: it's blurry due to them loving up the recording, but it's easy to see it's a lot smoother than the original behind the blurriness

Captain Invictus fucked around with this message at 14:04 on Feb 2, 2017

# ? Feb 2, 2017 14:00

Erata: May 11, 2009; Lipstick Apathy

Put up the pre-order page already, the makers of Freedom Planet 2.

# ? Feb 2, 2017 15:38

exquisite tea: Apr 21, 2007; Carly shook her glass, willing the ice to melt. "You still haven't told me what the mission is."

She leaned forward. "We are going to assassinate the bad men of Hollywood."

Not putting my money down until I can be assured that Freedom Planet 2 has an overlong and frankly bizarre main story that's totally at odds with the bright bubbly gameplay.

# ? Feb 2, 2017 15:42

Erata: May 11, 2009; Lipstick Apathy

Rest assured the world will be in peril again, and also the galaxy.

# ? Feb 2, 2017 15:44

Captain Invictus: Apr 5, 2005; Try reading some manga!; Clever Betty

But there's also plenty of shenanigans, and sushi, and slumber parties!!!!

# ? Feb 2, 2017 15:53

double nine: Aug 8, 2013

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-201_en.htm

neat

quote:

The Commission is investigating bilateral agreements concluded between Valve Corporation, owner of the Steam game distribution platform, and five PC video game publishers, Bandai Namco, Capcom, Focus Home, Koch Media and ZeniMax. The investigation concerns geo-blocking practices, where companies prevent consumers from purchasing digital content, in this case PC video games, because of the consumer's location or country of residence.
After the purchase of certain PC video games users need to confirm that their copy of the game is not pirated to be able to play it. This is done with an "activation key" on Valve's game distribution platform, Steam. This system is applied for a wide range of games, including sports, simulation and action games.
The investigation focuses on whether the agreements in question require or have required the use of activation keys for the purpose of geo-blocking. In particular, an "activation key" can grant access to a purchased game only to consumers in a particular EU Member State (for example the Czech Republic or Poland). This may amount to a breach of EU competition rules by reducing cross-border competition as a result of restricting so-called "parallel trade" within the Single Market and preventing consumers from buying cheaper games that may be available in other Member States.
The Commission is carrying out this in-depth investigation on its own initiative.

Article 101 TFEU prohibits agreements between undertakings and decisions of associations of undertakings that prevent, restrict or distort competition within the EU's Single Market.
The opening of formal proceedings does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation. It relieves the competition authorities of EU Member States of their competence to apply EU competition rules to the practices concerned.
There is no legal deadline for bringing an antitrust investigation to an end. The duration of an investigation depends on a number of factors, including the complexity of the case, the cooperation of the companies with the Commission and the exercise of the rights of defence.
The consumer electronics and video games investigations announced today are the first following up on some of the issues identified in the Commission's competition sector inquiry on e-commerce.
More information on the investigations will be available on the Commission's competition website, in the public case register: for the video games investigation under the case numbers AT.40413 (Focus Home), AT.40414 (Koch Media), AT.40420 (ZeniMax), AT.40422 (Bandai Namco), AT.40424 (Capcom); for the hotel pricing investigation under the case number AT.40308 and for the retail price agreements investigation under the case numbers AT.40465 (Asus), AT.40469 (Denon & Marantz), AT.40181 (Philips), AT.40182 (Pioneer).

# ? Feb 2, 2017 16:00

Lurdiak: Feb 26, 2006; I believe in a universe that doesn't care, and people that do.

Captain Invictus posted:

But there's also plenty of shenanigans, and sushi, and slumber parties!!!!

Sold! To the creepy man in the overcoat who lives in the alley behind my apartment!

# ? Feb 2, 2017 16:01

Sakurazuka: Jan 24, 2004; NANI?

That's cool

Shame we won't be in the EU much longer....

# ? Feb 2, 2017 16:12

MMF Freeway: Sep 15, 2010; Later!

Is that saying that you can't disallow people from buying a version of a game from a country where it is priced cheaply and activate it on your Steam account from outside that country?

# ? Feb 2, 2017 16:19

double nine: Aug 8, 2013

MMF Freeway posted:

Is that saying that you can't disallow people from buying a version of a game from a country where it is priced cheaply and activate it on your Steam account from outside that country?

I think so - if both countries are within the EU single market, anyways.

# ? Feb 2, 2017 16:37

mfcrocker: Jan 31, 2004; Hot Rope Guy

MMF Freeway posted:

Is that saying that you can't disallow people from buying a version of a game from a country where it is priced cheaply and activate it on your Steam account from outside that country?

Yes, basically. EU citizens have a right to be able to buy from the whole EU market.

# ? Feb 2, 2017 16:48

Monkey Fracas: Sep 11, 2010; ...but then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you!; Grimey Drawer

Dragon Quest 8 posted:

Yangus's Humanity level increased!

He becomes a sentimental old sausage!

# ? Feb 2, 2017 16:59

FirstAidKite: Nov 8, 2009

Monkey Fracas posted:

Wanna play dat game

# ? Feb 2, 2017 17:37

Lobok: Jul 13, 2006; Say Watt?

Started Shovel Knight last night and I'm really feeling it after only one level (well, plus the village). It's so authentic throughout, like I really am playing a game from the era. Well, except for the screen size. Having the game make use of modern huge and widescreen TVs is one welcome change. I look forward to getting a calloused thumb from using the d-pad so much!

# ? Feb 2, 2017 18:09

In Training: Jun 28, 2008

Playing shovel knight on an 8bitdo controller is heavenly.

# ? Feb 2, 2017 18:36

Monkey Fracas: Sep 11, 2010; ...but then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you!; Grimey Drawer

Shovel Knight somehow strikes this uncanny balance between feeling like an old game while having none of the annoying issues that actual old games have.

It's really a true gem and I can't wait to see what Yacht Club does next once they're finished delivering on alllllllll of the stretch goals.

# ? Feb 2, 2017 18:48

Looper: Mar 1, 2012

bloodychill posted:

We have a handful here in Austin. In small towns, I'd guess to be very rare or impossible to find an independent game store though.

Wait what why did we never hang out

# ? Feb 2, 2017 19:03

Lobok: Jul 13, 2006; Say Watt?

Monkey Fracas posted:

Shovel Knight somehow strikes this uncanny balance between feeling like an old game while having none of the annoying issues that actual old games have.

There are obvious things that are unmistakably modern or not of the era, like everything that has to do with saving. Or the feats. Or tying what would have been a SFX/BGM menu screen into a collectibles hunt. But I'm not looking to play an actual NES game. I want it to be a modern game but one that can replicate what made the best games of that era so fun. Well, fun and also beautifully pixelicious and cartoony in the vein of Mega Man or Duck Tales rather than the less-detailed pixel sprites of Contra or Bro Force.

# ? Feb 2, 2017 19:05

Dr Cheeto: Mar 2, 2013; Wretched Harp

The devblog where they discuss the four or five colors they used that weren't in the NES pallette was fascinating

# ? Feb 2, 2017 19:10

oddium: Feb 21, 2006; end of the 4.5 tatami age

there's a dev diary about how plague knight originally collected like 10 different materials from different levels to craft stuff but it was awful so they made plague knight fun instead

# ? Feb 2, 2017 19:13

Lobok: Jul 13, 2006; Say Watt?

Dr Cheeto posted:

The devblog where they discuss the four or five colors they used that weren't in the NES pallette was fascinating

The part on HUDs as a background layer was cool and how on the NES, because the HUD was technically background, you could be in front of it so to speak.

You don't get much more authentic or iconic an NES experience than mimicking this:

Article here:
http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/DavidDAngelo/20140625/219383/Breaking_the_NES_for_Shovel_Knight.php

# ? Feb 2, 2017 19:29

Ekster: Jul 18, 2013

exquisite tea posted:

Not putting my money down until I can be assured that Freedom Planet 2 has an overlong and frankly bizarre main story that's totally at odds with the bright bubbly gameplay.

I knew what I was in for when cute fuzzy Panda Prince saw his dad get decapitated by a Power Rangers villain.

# ? Feb 2, 2017 19:34

Monkey Fracas: Sep 11, 2010; ...but then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you!; Grimey Drawer

oddium posted:

there's a dev diary about how plague knight originally collected like 10 different materials from different levels to craft stuff but it was awful so they made plague knight fun instead

I really appreciate this

"Waaaiiiit a minute... crafting sucks! Dammit!"

# ? Feb 2, 2017 20:08