Games We Complete In 2023

[Skummy]

I'm on PS4, so can't play the DLC, 90% sure it's PS5 exclusive. 

I loved rebel camps, they were great fun. Was less enthused about some of the fiddlier vantage points, because the reward for each one wasn't really worth the effort, and by the time you get an overall reward for doing all of them, you're in the end-game and don't really need whatever it gives you. That was the problem with a lot of the collectables; unless you're really trying to obtain and upgrade every bit of equipment, there's not enough reward for it, just more chunks of greenstone and chests full of sellable items. 

The main annoyance was how many quests boiled down to "find my friend, they've climbed up an awful mountain", then finding they've been attacked by machines, and having to fight them off, then go tell their friend that they're dead. Gameplay-wise there's not a lot else they could have done with the format, but after the twentieth time it might at least give pause to wonder whether they've just put too many quests in.

 

World design-wise, I think this game went a lot more into ruins being identifiable places - Vegas, San Francisco, I think the DLC has the Hollywood sign - which I appreciate over it being a more generic "the ruins of the old world". I also think they did a good job with Aloy's character, taking her from the naive outcast who knew nothing of the world's history from the previous game to being a more experienced adventurer who knew more than almost anyone else in the world - that's a hard balance to keep, because the game needs to be accessible to people who didn't play the original, and a lot of games fall down on how they have the player learn to do things or gain abilities that the character should in "kayfabe" already know. 

I think the balance in the next game is the challenge - Aloy needs to be challenged and interesting, without feeling like it's betraying the growth she has already been on. In terms of world design, now that they've introduced sea travel to the game world, I hope the next game takes place outside of the United States - there's a lot of scope for new ideas and new landscapes outside of the space they've already explored; whether that's new tribes in the current world, or new revelations about the old world. I can envision something like the plot of Jurassic Park: The Lost World (book, not film), where the existence of the second island is kind of a dirty little secret, as it showed that Hammond's spiel about the dinosaurs all being perfect genetic creations was never strictly true, they had a breeding operation they were keeping under wraps. There's a lot of scope for the world outside what we know to show evidence of failed precursors to Zero Dawn, or other experiments and projects we haven't heard about before. 

[gunnar hendershow]

1 hour ago, Skummy said:

I'm on PS4, so can't play the DLC, 90% sure it's PS5 exclusive. 

I loved rebel camps, they were great fun. Was less enthused about some of the fiddlier vantage points, because the reward for each one wasn't really worth the effort, and by the time you get an overall reward for doing all of them, you're in the end-game and don't really need whatever it gives you. That was the problem with a lot of the collectables; unless you're really trying to obtain and upgrade every bit of equipment, there's not enough reward for it, just more chunks of greenstone and chests full of sellable items. 

The main annoyance was how many quests boiled down to "find my friend, they've climbed up an awful mountain", then finding they've been attacked by machines, and having to fight them off, then go tell their friend that they're dead. Gameplay-wise there's not a lot else they could have done with the format, but after the twentieth time it might at least give pause to wonder whether they've just put too many quests in.

 

World design-wise, I think this game went a lot more into ruins being identifiable places - Vegas, San Francisco, I think the DLC has the Hollywood sign - which I appreciate over it being a more generic "the ruins of the old world". I also think they did a good job with Aloy's character, taking her from the naive outcast who knew nothing of the world's history from the previous game to being a more experienced adventurer who knew more than almost anyone else in the world - that's a hard balance to keep, because the game needs to be accessible to people who didn't play the original, and a lot of games fall down on how they have the player learn to do things or gain abilities that the character should in "kayfabe" already know. 

I think the balance in the next game is the challenge - Aloy needs to be challenged and interesting, without feeling like it's betraying the growth she has already been on. In terms of world design, now that they've introduced sea travel to the game world, I hope the next game takes place outside of the United States - there's a lot of scope for new ideas and new landscapes outside of the space they've already explored; whether that's new tribes in the current world, or new revelations about the old world. I can envision something like the plot of Jurassic Park: The Lost World (book, not film), where the existence of the second island is kind of a dirty little secret, as it showed that Hammond's spiel about the dinosaurs all being perfect genetic creations was never strictly true, they had a breeding operation they were keeping under wraps. There's a lot of scope for the world outside what we know to show evidence of failed precursors to Zero Dawn, or other experiments and projects we haven't heard about before. 

I think you can do a lot with both failed Zero Dawns and failed Far Zeniths. Perhaps even have a much more successful society off in Asia or Europe or Oceania that maybe went into hiding under a separate program and thrived underground for centuries. They have plenty of ways to go, plus there's

Spoiler

The potential we go into space in the 3rd one as well.

 

[Skummy]

1 hour ago, damhausen said:

I think you can do a lot with both failed Zero Dawns and failed Far Zeniths. Perhaps even have a much more successful society off in Asia or Europe or Oceania that maybe went into hiding under a separate program and thrived underground for centuries. They have plenty of ways to go, plus there's

  Reveal hidden contents

The potential we go into space in the 3rd one as well.

 

On spoiler chat:

 

Spoiler

I'm hoping it doesn't end up actually going to space, as that's pretty much the "jumping the shark" moment for any franchise, and plays against the theme of working to save the world we have rather than taking shortcut, drastic actions to save your own skin. On that note, it definitely feels like there was a jump from the first game, where the technologists and scientists among the Old Ones were treated as flawed but well-intentioned geniuses to this one where a lot of the world-building basically turns them into techbros who consistently overpromise and under-deliver, while ignoring advice and safety guidelines. I don't think it's a stretch to say that Forbidden West's Ted Faro has a lot more of Elon Musk in him than Zero Dawn's did.

Speaking of Ted Faro, the reveal that he was still somewhat alive sets out another option - that there are other surviving, mutated Old Ones out there. But the fact that they never show you Faro actually fills me with some kind of hope when it comes to stuff like space travel or revealing new aspects of the world - there was a very obvious opportunity for some body horror stuff, or a big reveal, and they went with a far more subtle approach and let your imagination do the work. The fact of what had become of Ted Faro was enough, you didn't need to see it. That's a rarity in gaming, and it shows that they're able to resist the urge to just throw everything into the mix. 

 

[ROFF]

finally finished God Of War Ragnarok, what a travel it was
now starting Spiderman, yes i know i'm late to the party with this games but just got a PS4 a couple of months ago

[Captain Kirk]

Finished Yakuza Like a Dragon, most fun I've had with a Yakuza game since 0.

[Ruki]

Oh good, I was worried I was going to go through all of July without beating a game. Just finished Final Fantasy IV! Not my favorite of the bunch, and it was the second FF in a row with a final boss that did a boring attack over and over. Also the final boss countered Rydia, reducing her to the role of only being able to use items. But in saying that! It's still a classic FF game, which means it's still a GOOD game, just not one I prefer. 

(Also, Kain sucks)

[ROFF]

I Just finished Spiderman what a great story next in list Spiderman Miles Morales
at the same time going trough Star Wars Jedi Survivor great game
and on the Nintendo Switch starting zelda tears of the kingdom to much open world for my like but still a good game

 

[Colly]

Finished Shadow of the Colossus Remaster. That's two for the year which is good for me...

Might finally start Last of Us now.

[Ruki]

Final Fantasy XVI. Managed to beat it before I get absorbed into Baulders Gate 3.

[Bobfoc]

14 minutes ago, Ruki said:

Final Fantasy XVI. Managed to beat it before I get absorbed into Baulders Gate 3.

With no pre-load available and a 122GB file size, you'll probably be starting Baldur's Gate 3 around Christmas time.

[Ruki]

7 hours ago, Bobfoc said:

With no pre-load available and a 122GB file size, you'll probably be starting Baldur's Gate 3 around Christmas time.

Thankfully I have pretty decent internet. Gonna be about a 30 minute download.

[RazorsEdge]

10 hours ago, Ruki said:

Thankfully I have pretty decent internet. Gonna be about a 30 minute download.

Lucky you! I have what is considered pretty decent internet where I live.

[Your Mom]

20 hours ago, Ruki said:

Final Fantasy XVI. Managed to beat it before I get absorbed into Baulders Gate 3.

I also finished FFXVI! My first time completing one since X-2! Was pretty proud of myself and had a fun time playing it  

[stokeriño]

I'm been sat on about 80% complete in FFXVI for days and days now. I'll get round to it eventually. 😅

[BuddyAwesome]

On 02/08/2023 at 13:40, Colly said:

Finished Shadow of the Colossus Remaster. That's two for the year which is good for me...

Might finally start Last of Us now.

I want to finally part that this year as well, but just started God Of War Ragnarok after completing Maneater... which was fantastic! 

[Ruki]

And that's the last pixel game, FF6 is done. Hands down, the best of the original games. The accessories and magicites add so much customization to the characters. If I had to rank them....

 

6 > 5 > 3 > 4 > 1 > 2. Although 2 is way better than I remembered it being.

[Ruki]

Just finished Baulder's Gate 3. Holy shit, what a game. There is so much to it. And I got an ending I am happy with. This is hands down my game of the year. Just about 80 hours, not including deaths and reloads. I'm excited to go back in as a Dark Urge playthrough... and thankfully managed to beat it before Starfield launches tomorrow!

[Ruki]

My son is getting good at games. He's 6, and has already beat Minecraft Legends and a Paw Patrol game all by himself. The first one is impressive because he can't read yet. 

[Ruki]

Finished up Like A Dragon Ishin. I think I'm now caught up on every Yakuza/Like A Dragon/Judgement game released in English.

[Ruki]

And just rolled credits on Starfield. A good game, not a great game. For space RPGs I preferred Outer Worlds much more to this. But apparently this game does something cool with New Game Plus, so I might check that out since I have a few weeks before Spiderman 2 and Super Mario Wonder.

 

Edit: Read what happens in NG+, it's interesting, but not enough to make me play through the full game again. Gonna probably do the two faction questlines I didn't end up doing.