Computerchairgeneral
@Computerchairgeneral@kbin.social
- Comment on The Weekly 'What are you playing?' Discussion 8 months ago:
Thirty hours into Yakuza: Like A Dragon. Main story has started to ramp up, but I keep getting distracted by the business management mini-game and the kart-racing minigame that I just discovered while wandering around the map. It never ceases to amaze me just how dense these games are and just how many side activities they managed to pack into one game.
- Comment on New Crazy Taxi Game Will Be Live Service with a '100-Person Survival Mode' 8 months ago:
This is what happens when you wish for the resurrection of a beloved IP. Another finger on the monkey's paw curls. The idea of a Crazy Taxi live service game is weird enough, but it's just bizarre that they are using Fortnight as a major inspiration for the Jet Set Radio reboot. I guess at the very least we are getting proper remakes of these games alongside the live service reboots. It will be interesting to see how the games do head to head, especially with the difficulties live service games have been having lately.
- Comment on Disco Elysium standalone expansion reportedly cancelled and quarter of staff facing redundancy at ZA/UM 8 months ago:
It's a shame that people are being laid off, especially when it seems like it's retaliation for complaining about working conditions. Still, I don't think I'd ever be able to buy anything from ZA/UM after they kicked most of the creators out of the company and took control of the IP.
- Comment on Diablo 4's new mount costs more than the actual game 9 months ago:
It's crazy how far micro-transactions and monetizing games have come since Bethesda charged $2.50 for cosmetic armor to put on your horse. If you'd told someone back then that one day an in-game mount would cost more than the game itself they would have laughed you out of the room.
- Comment on F-Zero courses from a dead Nintendo satellite service restored using VHS and AI 9 months ago:
Always impressed by the lengths people will go to preserve game history and more than a little concerned about them getting cease-and-desisted by Nintendo. At least it looks like it's already on the Internet Archive, so that's good.
- Comment on The Weekly 'What are you playing?' Discussion 9 months ago:
Back to Yakuza: Like A Dragon after a week of playing steam demos from the Next Fest. I was surprised at just how many I ended up enjoying. Crypt Custodian is a neat little metroidvania about a cat sentenced to be the underworld's janitor. Nice art style, sense of humor, and good puzzles. Cryptmaster is a typing-based dungeon crawler where every enemy you defeat gives you letters that you use to spell out the names of the skills you use in combat. It's certainly an inventive take and I'm looking forward to the release. Surprisingly, my favorite demo ended up being for a platformer called Happy! the Hippo. It's based on janky PS2-era platformers like Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly. The game is purpose built for you to pull off those kind of tricks where you skip chunks of the level or even break outside the bounds of the game entirely. It's really fun to play, but what I'm really enjoying about the game is the weird, almost horror game stuff that shows up the longer you play. It feels like an ARG game in a way, like Crow 64 if anyone remembers that. Or something like Shipwreck 64, a game that is a platformer on the surface but is actually a horror game once you get in far enough. Except Happy! the Hippo never turns into a horror game. At least not in the demo. There's plenty of strange stuff the more you explore, but it never descends into an outright horror game. It feels like all the talk about how old 3D platformers could be unsettling and odd was a major inspiration for the game. Hoping the finished the game keeps that tone when it releases.
- Comment on We're listening and we hear you. We've been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned. 9 months ago:
Yes, because console wars. A lot of people that bought into the Xbox brand are angry Microsoft is "giving up" and "disgracing" developers by putting their games on PlayStation. It doesn't help that without a clear statement from Microsoft people are free to speculate that Microsoft is going to be the next Sega and Phil Spencer is going to personally come to their house and destroy their Xbox.
More seriously, there is some genuine concern about what will happen to the digital libraries of people who bought into the Xbox eco-system if Xbox stops being a thing. Or what will happen if the AAA game market comes down to Sony and Nintendo. But there are a lot of people angry their favorite mega-corporation "lost" even though we have no idea what Microsoft's actual plans are.
- Comment on We're listening and we hear you. We've been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned. 9 months ago:
Basically. The main rumor is that Starfield, the new Indiana Jones game, and all of their other first-party exclusives are going to be coming to PS5 and Microsoft is giving up on the idea of console exclusivity. Not sure what that means for Xbox in the long-term, but it is going to be an interesting week.
- Comment on We're listening and we hear you. We've been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned. 9 months ago:
Well, that's certainly not going to reassure Xbox fans. Just seems like they're waiting for things to die down before confirming the rumors. It will be interesting to see how that goes. If they start treating PlayStation the way Sony treats PC in terms of releases then I could maybe see the Xbox consoles staying afloat as a Gamepass box. I've seen speculation that they'll pull out of the console market entirely, but I just can't see Gamepass coming to the PS5 or Switch especially since Sony has been trying to build up their own answer to Gamepass with their PS plus tiers. Then again stranger things have happened. If they do decide to become the next Sega it's going to be surreal watching Halo and Gears of War show up on PlayStation.
- Comment on EXCLUSIVE | Microsoft plans Starfield launch for PlayStation 5 - XboxEra 9 months ago:
Honestly, I'm curious to see if this rumor turns out to be true. If it does then I'm not really sure what that means for Xbox in the long-term. Putting just Starfield out on PS5 is one thing, but it sounds like they are thinking of putting most if not all of their first-party games on other platforms. If you're releasing your first-party games on other consoles then what exactly is the point of the Xbox? Is it just going to become a Game Pass box or are they planning on pulling out of the hardware business entirely like Sega?
- Comment on The revenge of the video game manual 9 months ago:
I miss gaming manuals. Yeah a lot of them were just sets of instructions and pretty forgettable, but every so often there was one that stuck out because someone had put the extra effort into it. Like the original Jak and Daxter game manual that had a map that detailed the entire route you took through the game. Or the Zelda Gameboy manuals that had these great illustrations every other page. Now the only reading materials games come with is the TOS and the Privacy Policy. Still, it's nice to see some games using them again, even if they are very niche. I really like the idea of a game that requires a physical manual in order to play it, almost as part of the gameplay. Like the article says it would be a very niche thing, but it would be a great experience.
- Comment on Dead Game News: The Crew is being shut down permanently in April. 9 months ago:
Honestly, it's refreshing to see someone actually brainstorm solutions to these problems rather than just telling people to get mad. It's a long shot but a legal win in any major market could see business practices start to change. Like when the EU revamped its privacy laws and suddenly every website gives you the option to reject some of their tracking cookies. Or whatever the impact of China's new regulations on spending in games actually ends up being. It's worth the effort at the very least.
- Comment on Obsidian's Avowed releases this autumn | Eurogamer 9 months ago:
Cautiously optimistic that this will be good. I appreciate they are at least trying to make combat seem more in-depth than just hacking away at enemy's with a sword. Hopefully the game lives up to that promise. It's a shame we're not getting a proper third Pillars game, but at least we're getting something else set in the that world.
- Comment on Elex 3 May Have Been Canceled, Developer Piranha Bytes Possibly Closed Down 10 months ago:
Saw the headline, wondered what had happened, and then saw that they were owned by Embracer. It's a shame to see them go. Gothic has been on my list of series to try for a while now and the Elex games looked interesting.
- Comment on Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date May Have Just Accidentally Been Revealed by...Gameshark 10 months ago:
Honestly, the fact that Gameshark is coming back feels like a bigger surprise than the fact that we might be getting a Switch successor this year.
- Comment on Games with graphics resembling PS1 or PS2? 10 months ago:
I've already seen them suggested, but I want to throw out another recommendation for Signalis and Lunacid . Signalis is a sci-fi horror game that takes heavy inspiration from the old Resident Evil and Silent Hill games. Like Resident Evil you have limited ammo, inventory, and points where you can save. Like Silent Hill you have a story that starts out fairly straightforward and then gets weirder as things start to unravel around you. I'm not really a survival horror fan and it still managed to keep me hooked to the end.
Lunacid is a first-first person dungeon crawler that is heavily inspired by pre-Dark Souls Fromsoft series like King's Field and Shadow Tower. That's really all the game sets out to be and it absolutely nails it. The combat can be a bit repetitive, unless you invest in magic which I found to be incredibly fun and versatile, but I feel like the atmosphere more than makes up for it. It also has a ton of secrets and plenty of those ah-ha moments where you open up a shortcut or figure out how one area connects to the others.
- Comment on Indie publisher Versus Evil closed and all staff laid off 10 months ago:
Shame. I remembered the name from Banner Saga, but I was surprised to find out that they also published Pillars of Eternity 2. They had an interesting catalog of games. Still, telling everyone they're being let go right before they leave for Christmas is just twisting the knife isn't it? Then again I guess there isn't really a good time to tell someone they're fired.
- Comment on Heres an idea, Fromsoft should make the Soul Reaver sequel 11 months ago:
Honestly, I could see a new Soul Reaver game being a Souls-like if anyone was actually serious about resurrecting the franchise. I mean, between the ruined world and characters who can come back from death you could definitely market it as "Dark Souls, but vampires" towards newcomers. Shame the rights are with Embracer, meaning we aren't likely to ever get a new entry unless someone buys it off them.
- Comment on Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick departs in just a few days 11 months ago:
Good riddance. Shame he's probably walking away with a massive payout for all his incompetence and negligence.
- Comment on [deleted] 11 months ago:
Glad to see this get preserved somewhere. It's always a shame when someone pours a lot of time and passion into a project like this only for it to get wiped from the internet once they get the cease-and-desist.
- Comment on This fan-made HD PC port of Zelda: Link's Awakening is so cool I can't believe Nintendo hasn't taken it down yet 11 months ago:
Game looks cool, but I always have mixed feelings about articles like this. On the one hand it helps raise awareness about the game to the people who want to play it, but it also helps raise awareness about the game to the people who are going to send the cease-and-desist letter.
- Comment on E3 has officially ended. 11 months ago:
Not surprised, it feels like E3 has been on life-support for a while now. Still disappointed to know that it's over. Back in the day E3 was a highlight of the summer. Maybe it's just nostalgia talking but classic E3 was just so exciting. All these major announcements dropping at once combined with all the booths showing off new games. It was just great. I guess we have the Game Awards and Summer Games Fest as the big gaming events, but none of them feel quite like E3 use to.
- Comment on SEGA Reveal Teasers (Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe, Crazy Taxi & More) 11 months ago:
Oh man, these all look great. I knew there were images floating around from a new Jet Set Radio game, but the rest were a complete surprise. Obviously too early to tell how the games will turn out, but it's good to see Sega doing something new with their old IPs instead of just doing re-releases.
- Comment on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf - Official 'Thedas Calls' Teaser Trailer 11 months ago:
Well, that was vague and didn't tell me anything. At least we know the game is eventually coming out, I guess?
- Comment on Nearly Half of CD Projekt Now Working on The Witcher 4 11 months ago:
On the one hand I'm always excited for more Witcher. On the other hand Cyberpunk 2077. More seriously, I hope they make a great game and it that lives up to the expectations people are going to have for a new Witcher game, but I'm keeping my expectations in check until I see the finished product.
- Comment on ReedPop Network seeks buyer for Eurogamer, GI, VG247, Rock Paper Shotgun and more 11 months ago:
Well. This isn't going to end well. I mean there's a tiny chance they'll be bought by someone who knows well enough to be hands off, but more likely they'll be run into the ground and then have their staff slashed as a cost-cutting measure. Hopefully things turn out all right for the people working at these sites.
- Comment on Kotaku Asks: How Soon Is Too Soon For A Video Game Remaster Or Remake? 11 months ago:
I mean, is it too soon if people are still going to buy it? More seriously, I think one whole console generation is a good standard for remasters. Just so long as you can point to something that looks or plays better than the original did. For a remake, I think you need more time and the game your making needs to feel like it couldn't have been made on the original hardware. Either way three years feels way too soon, especially for what is essentially a next-gen port or a definitive edition.
- Comment on YouTuber Jirard (a.k.a. The Completionist) has been accused of keeping and hoarding charity donations 1 year ago:
Well, this is incredibly disappointing. I wasn't aware the Completionist had a charity dedicated to dementia, but I've respected his commitment to preserving gaming media and history. Still none of this looks good and I'm struggling to find a good reason as to why you would just sit on donations for nearly a decade without dispersing them.
- Comment on Welcome To Aftermath - Worker-owned video game journalism 1 year ago:
Always happy to see an independent gaming journalism outlet start up. Looking forward to seeing what they put out.
- Comment on Night In The Woods Devs Cancel Highly Anticipated Follow-Up 1 year ago:
Awful news all around. Hopefully, he can focus on his health and recovery.