What Video Games Have You Been Playing #11: I should go

[Phrossack]

In ME3 I've just been using AP ammo as my bonus power. I probably shouldn't, since I already have Cryo and the almost unused Incendiary, but I can't think of anything I'd prefer. Cryo is fantastic against most enemies, as is my fully upgraded Cerberus Harrier and my armor pieces dedicated to increasing damage, so it's very hard to switch weapons, armor, and skills when I can cut down any enemy so quickly.

Just finished both the Omega and Leviathan DLCs. Once more they present me with cool assault rifles that still can't quite match the Harrier and cool weapon components I'll probably never use. I don't accept any components that increase weapon weight so I can keep up a steady rate of Cryo Concussive Shots to freeze and shatter whole groups in seconds. I used to dream of getting bayonets in a Mass Effect game--but now that I have both them and the Omni-blade, I find I just shoot all my enemies anyway. I almost never use grenades since Concussive Shot can arc around cover.

On a side note,

Spoiler :

the Leviathan's explanation for the Reapers, while not as dumb as I'd heard, was unsatisfying, and I wish I actually could've become friends with Petrovsky. He seemed like a bad fit for Cerberus's values.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I use armor-piecing ammo until Tali joined up, but I found I didn't use it a whole lot as I had Incinerate (which burned up armour). I already have disruptor and cryo ammo.

 

[zazazuzu]

Right now I'm liking Subnautica.

 

[Phrossack]

I use armor-piecing ammo until Tali joined up, but I found I didn't use it a whole lot as I had Incinerate (which burned up armour). I already have disruptor and cryo ammo.

AP in full-auto from a fully upgraded Harrier with mostly damage-boosting armor can make short work of even Brutes. In theory I could combine it with penetra mods, but it's already lethal. In my playstyle, I figure the best defense is a good offense and so I don't worry about my shields too much, but I still get the nagging sense there's a better power I could use than AP when Incendiary Ammo is okay-ish against armor as well and I already have it.

I tried using the Raptor marksman rifle with a scope and concentration mod and headshot-focused armor for a change. Then I had my first run-in with Banshees and after a few failed tries of that, I realized that the firepower approach was still the best.

I'm sure there are other viable playstyles for Soldiers, but mine works so well it discourages me from experimenting, which isn't really a good thing.

Right now I'm liking Subnautica.

I may just have to try that, it does look interesting!

 

[Senethro]

I think Subnautica might have been my game of the year last year.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I'm sure there are other viable playstyles for Soldiers, but mine works so well it discourages me from experimenting, which isn't really a good thing.

Yeah, playing as a soldier is a lot different than playing as an infiltrator. Playing with EDI and Tali is fun. I can have EDI use Decoy, have Tali set up a combat drone, put them into position, cloak and then skirt around the enemy so I'm behind them and my squadmates are in front. The enemy AI often doesn't know what to do with that. I just play in Normal difficulty, though, so maybe this wouldn't work on harder ones.

 

[zazazuzu]

I think Subnautica might have been my game of the year last year.

I just discovered it. It's like an underwater Fallout 3.

 

[yung.carl.jung]

outward is a lot of fun. the camera is somewhat slow, movement feels a little off, there are some bugs and the combat/ai is awkward, but if you get over those minor inconveniences it's a gem. so much fun to play split screen!

There are many different approaches to the shinobi hunter you could take so feel free to experiment. There is a miniboss ahead on the Ashina path who might be made easier by the tools on the Hirata path so the exploration is time well spent.

Spirit emblems never become a truly rare resource but if you've got gold you know is going to get thrown away in deaths then just spend it on them at idols.

there are indeed many approaches, but none is as easy and efficient as learning to Mikiri counter perfectly. I genuinely just completely ran all over the Shinobi hunter, killed him with only 2 tries yesterday. I felt like a complete boss.

fast forward: my girlfriend played Sekiro for a change and instantly found the firecrackers that I missed like 5 times, she's just so good at finding hidden items.. so, after acquiring my fire crackers I gave the chained ogre a try. oh boy.

took my 5 tries to get the mechanics correct. another 5 to feel really comfortable. then I got extremely close to killing him three times, before finally, with perfect execution, killing the ogre both without dieing or using the gourd. so incredibly rewarding. about 15-20 tries total.

man I love this game. flawless execution so far.

 

[Senethro]

The Mikiri counter never goes out of fashion, so good job learning that one. Spear users are absolute bullies if given room and time to do their attacks.

Chained Ogre is a bit of a high hurdle to jump for new players and I'm not sure I like the guy. Hes about the only boss in the game in which I had trouble reading the Sweep/Thrust/Grab attacks due to that sweep that looks like a grab.

You also might be in for many forehead slapping moments if your girlfriend excels at secret finding!

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Spoiler Mass Effect 3 spoilers :

That kid in the dream is really weirding me out the more I think about it.

 

[Senethro]

Its just occurred to me that I feel like I can say nothing about these games that I've liked because I enjoyed them so much as an unspoiled experience and wouldn't want to spoil others. With both Subnautica and Sekiro you don't know what will be around the next corner.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I...uh, just finished it.

Spoiler Mass Effect 3 spoilers :

I brought Tali and Garrus along for the final push because my Shepard considers them her most trusted friends. I...accidentally got them smooshed by a tank, though. Sorry, guys.

And then the Normandy suddenly shows up to evac them. For some reason Harbinger doesn't shoot the Normandy down. Maybe all of EDI's work on the Reaper IFF did something.

So keep running to the beam and then....something happened. And now all my armour's melted and I only have a pistol. So slowly limp towards the beam. And they keep sending enemies at me and I died like three times before getting to the beam.

Oh hey, Admiral Anderson got here too! Uh, that's...a lot of dead bodies. And....okay, where did the Illusive Man come from? And how can he shoot bullets out of his hand?

I convince the Illusive Man to shoot himself. Now I feel kind of sorry for him.

And now Anderson's dead. Oh.

"What do you need me to do?" That line is just...the voice acting is exceptional here. Shepard's just so tired. She wants to just lay there and die. And she just crawls along the floor, broken. I feel very sad now.

Uh....that....creepy kid is back. I'm seriously creeped out now. Did Shepard get indoctrinated?

I...accidentally shot the ghost kid. And...I guess everybody got reaped. Crap.

 

[Dachs]

Spoiler Mass Effect 3 spoilers :

Uh....that....creepy kid is back. I'm seriously creeped out now. Did Shepard get indoctrinated?

Nope.

Spoiler Mass Effect 3 spoilers :

I...accidentally shoot the ghost kid. And...I guess everybody got reaped. Crap.

Yup. Congrats, you lost.

"Accidentally", though?

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I knew about the endings, but I didn't know that

Spoiler Mass Effect 3 ending :

the creepy kid was involved. I guess I should try again and not accidentally shoot him this time.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

"Accidentally", though?

My hand was cramping a bit. I accidentally shot walls and things before from this. Usually it doesn't result in such awful results though.

 

[EgonSpengler]

I think Subnautica might have been my game of the year last year.

It was definitely my favorite game of last year, and is one of the best exploration games I've ever played. I never went crazy with the base-building like some folks did, and I didn't love the survival elements, and still it's one of my favorite games.

I'm keeping an eye on Subnautica: Below Zero, but I don't want to play it until it's finished. The first game was in early access for years before it was finally done, but I'm hoping the sequel won't take that long.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I....just played again.

Spoiler Mass Effect 3 spoiler endings :

I seriously don't trust the ghost kid...Catalyst...whatever. But then if I pick to destroy the Reapers it also kills the Geth and other synthetics. Which makes the whole Rannoch arc kind of moot. I don't like the idea of control either. The Illusive Man tried and he turned into that creepy disfigured thing. So I went with Synthesis. And jump into the beam and melt.

Wait, where's the Normandy going? I know that Shepard's dead, but they don't know that she melted! Why are they abandoning her?

And....stuff happens, I guess. I'm not really sure I follow what's going on.

I guess I should try the other two before I fully judge, but...I get the impression that they just didn't know what to do for the ending, so slapped on this whole synthetic-organic thing at the last minute. It just feels...pointless.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

The....other endings kind of stink too.

So I did some thinking, and! here's how I would have done it:

Spoiler My Ideal Mass Effect 3 ending :

I'd have stuff depend more on the War Assets you gain. Like in Mass Effect 2, if you don't upgrade your ship, some of your squadmates can die before you even get to the Collector Base. What I would do is after Anderson dies, Shepard crawls over to the control panel and manages to fire the Crucible. I'm not sure if it'd just be the Effective Military Strength or other things would come into play too.

Super-good EMS - The Crucible does its thing properly. Reapers gets kill, and only Reapers. Shepard survives (breath scene) and gets rescued by squadmates.

Good-but-not-super EMS: Crucible fires. Reapers get killed, but the mass relays get screwed up too and earth gets screwed up. Shepard doesn't survive.

Medium EMS: Crucible is damaged, but fires. Reapers get killed, but the mass relays screw up and the synthetics die too. Shepard dies, and some of your squadmates might not survive the crash.

Low EMS: Crucible blows up instead of firing. Everyone dies but the Reapers are gone.

Very very low EMS: Crucible gets destroyed entirely. Reapers wipe out everyone.

I don't know. Maybe if they did this it'd be just as bad as the actual ending.

EDIT: This mod (version B) does pretty much what I wanted from the ending!

 

[GoodSarmatian]

Nope.

He absolutely is, and if I ever find myself in possession of the IP I'll make it canon.

 

[Dachs]

He absolutely is, and if I ever find myself in possession of the IP I'll make it canon.

I'm sorry you hold such a silly opinion so strongly.