What games are you playing right now?

Beat Portal 2 last night. Yeah, that just happened.

Everyone else find it easier that the first one, overall?

Kind of, but not really. I had to look up the solutions to some of the puzzles.

Beat Limbo yesterday. 'Twas amazing.

Dead Space 2. Love it but haven;t got round to finishing it. Maybe do Portal 2 coop now my brother is home

Portal 2 was a mixed bag. Easier because some spots had so few surfaces painted to accept a portal the solutions were obvious, but at times harder when some of the new mechanics mixed. Overall I think I found the same number of test chambers in P1 and P2 that baffled me for a few.

Justin, I'm glad you played and enjoyed Limbo. Such a good game. I can't wait to see what the developers do next.

For me, Portal 1 had several chambers where you had to launch yourself and place a portal while in midair and hope you'd hit it. That's what I found trickiest about that game. There wasn't really any of that in P2.

Braid: Completed. Mind = Blown

Infamous: Free. Whole lotta fun.

My brother has been playing Infamous. I wish they had it for xbox. It looks like a better version of [prototype].

Back on Brink and playing a little RDR: Undead Nightmare too.

Have a lot of games I'm neglecting and need to go back and finish. Saints Row 2, Blur, L.A. Noire, Army of Two: 40th Day, etc.

Marvel vs Capcom 3 is 30 bucks on Amazon..

I'm considering...

Been playing through MGS4 and it's starting to test my patience.

i hardly made it through the 30 minute opening (unskipable?) cinematic. when i got to gameplay, it lasted all of about 10 minutes before another cinematic and i quit.

That's because you suck at life. JK.

No really, I'm a huge MGS fan. It bridges the gap of blockbuster movies and video games.

I've been skipping the cinematics. It's the gameplay that's testing me.

First two chapters were great and the second got off to a good start but then there was the motorcycle chase and now I'm at Shadow Moses dealing with all those annoying little fucking robots (Scarabs). It's just getting kind of boring now.

And that little PSone MGS "flashback" was a great reminder as to why I never bothered with any of the old MGS games.

Playing a Metal Gear Solid game without context (especially the last one in the series)?

I catch on to things pretty quickly.

Plus I'm playing mostly for the gameplay, not the story, which is horrendous.

i'd played the original MGS and something else down the line, but that was a long time ago. That could definitely account for part of what left me cold.

Thinking about getting Resident Evil 5.

Heard it's great when you have another to play with, but otherwise the co-op AI is horrible.

Napoleon Total War

Demon's Souls.

About to take the game out and put it in the blender.

So bad or just difficult?

I'm playing No More Heroes for PS3, and game is awesome even if conversion sucks ass totally. The humor and style of this game is just priceless.

Difficult. Can't beat the second boss, the Tower Knight.

Right now I'm trying to get Crysis 2. I went to get a new copy of it from Gamestop. Only it wasn't really new. The guy took the disc out of an envelope and put it in a flimsy black case, the same you can by in bulk at Walmart, slipped the cover art over it, put in the DLC codes, and handed the game to me. I didn't even get the manual and the case was already a little broken. And upon furhter inspection, the disc is smudged and scratched.

I didn't say anything at the time because I was tired and almost late for work and a little flabbergasted at this. Plus I'm just not the kind of guy who complains. But when I got home I did some research and found out about this:

"As now Ex-Gamestop Employee let me make this clear. Those games can be new or used. We are required to "gut" a copy to put on the shelf and put the new disc in an envelope locked up behind the counter. HOWEVER, employees are allowed to "Check out" or as you would say "rent" any gutted game. We have to sign a form with the game you checked out, your signature, employee ID number and date. You're allowed to "rent" said game for free for up to 7 days, and only one game at a time. This policy goes for any used and all new Gutted games with the exception of PC titles that use a Serial Key.Sometimes the employees take good care of the games, sometimes they don't. If it's a cartridge based console like DS, lots of times there will be employee save files still on the carts for example.The moral of this story:
If the game is lame, it's probably still new but just opened. If it's a very popular or just simply a good title, you probably only have a 50/50 chance *if that* that the gutted new copy is actually NEW.

Gamestop isn't going to stop the gutting, but someone needs to start a petition to end GameStop's policy of allowing employees from checking them out and taking them home. Next time GameStop tries to sell you a gutted game, be sure to ask the employee what guarantee do you have that the "New" game hasn't been checked out by an employee.? Just wait to see the tomato on their face then... "

Now I'm really pissed off because none of this "gutted copy" shit was explained to me. And my 'New' game might have been played before? Fuck. That. I'm returning it tomorrow.

I buy a new game, it's got to be sealed. The end.

Sounds exactly like one store in my country which has the similar policy, and I don't buy games there anymore.

Beating Tower Knight psychically is a chore. I did that only using magic (I was playing as royalty class).

I tried staying up where the archers were and casting spells at his head but none of them seemed to connect so I went down to try and get at his ankles which I read were his weak spot and he stomped on me like an afterthought.

I hate this game with a passion, but I'll still be first in line to get Dark Souls

Beat MGS4.

I skipped more than half the custscenes.

I NEEDZ HELP

I've never played a single Final Fantasy game. I want to start, cuz I hear the stories are pretty deep, dark and awesome. I need you guys to tell me which is the best one to start off with (I hear they're stand alone games, most of 'em) and don't say the first one, cuz I was watching my roommate play it awhile back and UGH, I don't feel like playing with such horrible graphics when it comes to such an immersive series. I can't imagine the story's all that deep in the first one.

You heard wrong.

You've come to the right Cultie. I'm an expert on such matters.

First I have to know what you consider bad graphics. What version of the first one was it. Afterall, there is the NES (worst version graphically) and the PSP/iPhone/iPad version (best graphically)

You want the best storywise that the series has to offer? In that case you wouldn't want the first one anyway.

Or the 2nd or the 3rd (all originally NES games, but have had graphical updates for PSP and iPad, but have really basic stories).

If you don't mind a sleeker version of what was a SNES game, I recommend Final Fantasy 4: Complete Collection for the PSP.

It's a great starting point, as it has a great story, updated graphics, and is what all FF games from there on would be built upon. Just do yourself a favor and skip the Wiiware sequel that is included called "The After Years" or if you do play it, tak it with a grain of salt.

If you would rather have 3D models and voice actors, get the DS version of FF4. It is the same game only you can't name your characters, and like I said is in 3D and has voice actors. The models actually look better in the 2D version if you ask me, as in the DS version the characters look chibi.

FF4 is what I recommend, as it eases you into Final Fantasy type of gameplay and what to expect from the series.

BUT IF 3D AND graphics are REALLY IMPORTANT TO YOU:

Start with 7. I know there are a bunch of 7 fanboys out there and everything, but once again, it will ease you into the Final Fantasy style of gameplay as the games after it get a little more "out there."

No matter what you choose, stay away from 11-14. At least to begin with anyway.

FF1-2: NES: GBA, PSP, iPad (FF1 is really basic with a major plot twist at he end. FF2 has the same plot as Star Wars Ep 4)

3: NES, DS, iPad (Really basic and my least favorite)

4 (one of the best): SNES (first known as FF2 in America), GBA, DS (in 3D), PSP

5: SNES, GBA, PS1 (improves the job system from 3 but really basic story)

6 (one of the best): SNES (first known as FF3 in America), GBA, PS1 (if you wanna talk great story, a main character tries to off themself

7 (one of the best): PS1, PSN (With a plot twist that everyone knows by now)

8: PS1, PSN (controversial, some LOVE it, some LOATHE it)

9 (my favorite, an homage to the rest of the series): PS1, PSN

10 (eh, not the worst, but the first one to have voice acting): PS2.

11: MMORPG for PC, PS2, and XBox 360. Lame.

12: PS2 (back to being an RPG but takes fighting mechanics from 11)

13: PS3, XBox 360. (Heard nothing but bad things)

Subby/Shadov: Yeah, when I say I heard they were deep, dark and awesome, I meant Wikipedia says they've got a lot of themes and shit. It sounded very convincing. I'm curious.

mike: Thanks a bunch! I guess I'll go with 4 or 7. I have all the gameboys, a DS, a Wii, a PS2, and an Xbox360. It seems like that should be enough to appreciate the series. Now I just need an ebay account.

I beat Infamous as a good guy. I may go and beat it again as a bad guy some day, but I'm not really in the mood to play it all over again even if there are a few different missions and moves you get for being an asshole instead.

In all, I had fun playing it, and that's what matters. But near the end the missions were getting a little too similar.

8/10 Maybe even an 8.5/10.

You forgot 10-2. SkIRTS AND STUFF GEEZ.

Went back and got a new, proper copy of Crysis 2.

Then went to Kmart and got Singularity and Lost Planet 2. I just wanted Lost Planet 2 but I had a $20 off coupon and needed to get something else so I could use it.

So all in all, if you're not counting the old games I traded in to get Crysis 2, all three games cost me around $25.

i picked up singularity on amazon for ten bucks a few months back. solid game. dug it.

let me know how you like the single player campaign on crysis 2. i really don't do shooters online anymore.

Why would he start with a sequel? Besides, this X-2 you speak of doesn't exist. The ending to 10 was sad but perfect for the story. I know they wouldn't screw it up by making the person who sacrificed himself, not dead and they wouldn't turn a Holy Summoner into a...popstar. Anyone who says that X-2 exists is lying.

Well I've only played the first part of the single-player. I've been playing mostly online, trying to fill that CoD-shaped hole in my life.

What I can say is that the are pretty good, but not perfect. Yes some things look great but my main complaint with the game is that it seems Crytek spent their time trying to make everything look almost on par with the PC version rather than optimizing the engine for the console so it ran smoother. Character animations can be kind of jerky. This is most apparent in the killcams online where characters just kind of freeze up and fall over like they were made of cardboard or glitch out and fall through a fence. And there are a lot of pop-ins. I was playing SP and was in a tunnel and turned a corner to find a blue void with a few floating trees and enemies fighting each other. It took maybe 25 seconds for the rest of the world to pop-in. I haven't played much further then that so it could be an isolated incident. There are also some framerate issues when things get hectic but that's to be expected with any game.

PS: If for whatever reason you go online, beware people who use the Feline. Thing is overpowered as fuck.

And now I need to take a break from the game because I'm about to snap the game in half.

I really want to like the multiplayer but it's making it really hard for me to what with all the overpowered weapons, bad hit detection, and this annoying fucking glitch that's gotten my killed about fifty times. I empty my clip and the guy's still alive so I swap to my backup and for some reason it switches back and forth between the two a few times really fast before stopping on my primary which automatically starts to reload. A couple of nano-seconds later, I'm dead.

My last long post in this thread inspired me to try the last "good" Final Fantasy game that I haven't played.

Onto Final Fantasy 8! So far the juntion system is a little confusing, and I couldn't imagine this being my first FF. I'd get frustrated and quit.

About 3 or 4 years ago, I played the American version of FF4 (called FF2) on a SNES ROM that I have on my computer, on a whim. I stuck with the series ever since, because I loved that you could change the names of your party members.

There's something so involving about playing out events of a story with your friends in it.

That's why FF6 is my second favorite. Great story AND FOURTEEN nameable characters? Hells yeah!

i never really got into turn based fighting games. i think the only game that i finished in this 'genre' is super paper mario.

currently playing uncharted 2 still.

the world needs more turn-based tactical games.

x-com, final fantasy tactics, advance wars, tactics ogre, fallout tactics: brotherhood of steel (not the crumby xbox game of the same name)

more pls.

Didn't they turn XCOM into a first person shooter for the next one, which has all its fans upset?

Also: Shining Force, and Metal Marines...

Yes... and Grrr... though since it is 2K games doing it, I'll actually give it a try. Bioshock was good, so, this might not be awful.

I also remember being very huffy over Metroid's move to FPS, but I actually liked the new games... so it may work out.

Still... grrrrr....

Wipeout HD Fury

I have ambition to make platinum in this one, but it's a real bitch to master on elite difficulty. Despite that it's one of my favourite games on PS3, and love every bit of it (even if soundtrack is no that awesome as in previous installments).

Got Morrowind to run on my netbook but the framerate sucks so I went online and found a bunch of ways to improve the games performance by tweaking stuff in the .ini file and downloading a few simple patches and cracks...

Aaaaaand flashforward a couple hours later and I've downloaded about 12 different patches and hacks that have done fuck all. I've gone through this same bullshit with every PC game I've ever tried to play.

Seriously, fuck PC gaming. Nothing it can offer is worth the headache it'll give me to get there.

Finished Mass Effect 2 last night.

Wish I could jump right into Mass Effect 3 immediately, like I did going from ME1 to ME2.

Interested to see what consequences my decisions will have... could go so many ways.

I made 2 purchases lately. After buying a 20 dollar PSN card, I used it to buy:

Final Fantasy 8. Pretty good. Has a weird combat system, but then again, so did 2 and to a certain extent 7 and 10. Also the card minigame is addictive and fun.

And

Beyond Good and Evil. Oneof those games that everyone tells you is so good, but no one ever played so they didn't make a sequel. I have to say what I heard is true. It's a really well put together game with fun combat, puzzle, and collecting aspects.

Hopefully, they see that a sequel would profit them.

Also, another game in this category: I hope they release Psychonauts for the PSN. I've never played it, and have heard great things. But again, didn't sell well enough.

Not to rant, but this is what happens when people buy games used. Especially indie, experimental games. You see developers sticking to what is "safe," and you see no innovation in the industry.

They are developing a Beyond Good and Evil 2 at the moment. It looks amazing.

I've been rooting for a Psychonauts re-release too, PSN, XBL, don't much care. Just want.

I found a PS2 brand new, sealed, on clearance at target for $49. Extra $3 for a no questions asked exchange if it breaks in the next three years warranty. Been digging through the classics.

I thought they halted development on BGAE2 indefinitely.

This is your problem, Justin. It ain't gonna happen no matter how you tweak it. Not well enough to make playing non-annoying.