Video Games - Watcha playin'?

[BrotherMan]

Oh. Forgot to tease for livius: The Homicide Desk cases (Missions 8 through 13) are tied to the Black Dahlia murder. Obviously, it's not true crime stuff but I figured you'd want to get a noir fix from it anyway.

[Stephen Maturin]

I gots nothin' as far as new game reviews, but I do have a tragi-lulzy story relating to a long-time favorite.

I was playing Mass Effect 3's online multiplayer on XBox Live yesterday. The game was released 2.5 years ago, and I'm STILL having great fun with the online multiplayer.

I got dropped into a game in progress with three other players -- a woman and two bros -- all of whom had mics. They were jabbering up a storm, but the banter was all game-related (favorite characters, weapons, maps, tactics, etc.) and p. funny as well, so I didn't mute anyone.

The first game was a good experience, so I stayed in the lobby for a second. It's amazing how quickly a little bit of familiarity can result in things turning rapidly to shit.

Early in the second game one of the bros -- a thick-accented Brit now living in Florida -- started talking about immigration. Seems he was a bit upset about how he was able to immigrate "the right way" whereas the Mexicans just walk right in illegally and steal jerbs from Americans.

The woman responded that the Mexican immigrants aren't really stealing anything because by and large they do shit work that most Americans can't or won't do. Brit-bro then opined that he knows what he's talking about because he sees it all the time. The woman responded that she lives in San Diego and can practically reach out and touch Mexico.

Brit-bro then said, "Yeah maybe, but -- not to sound racist or anything -- but . . ." Has anything ever gone non-racistly after utterance of such a prefatory comment? I kinda doubt it.

Anyhoo, that comment was the end of the woman's involvement in the conversation, which from that point forward involved the two bros agreeing with ever-increasing vigor about how the non-whites are just plain fucking everything up. The last straw for me was Ameri-bro's story about how he went to two different Wal-Marts, one of which was filthy and disgusting while the other was immaculate. The difference, as Ameri-bro's father pointed out to him, was that the manager of the immaculate Wal-Mart was white. Ameri-bro and Brit-bro laughed and laughed, then remarked about how that was SO TRUE. At that point my Geth engineer and I could take no more and got the fuck out.

So yeah, it's a good thing there's no more racism left in America. Imagine how ugly that conversation would have gotten if racism still existed!

On topic, the Bungie/Activision joint venture Destiny gets released early next week. I played the beta a couple of months back and had a pretty good time. I'll probably check it out and post a report here.

[Ari]

Originally Posted by Stephen Maturin

as Ameri-bro's father pointed out to him,

Racist douche spawn has a racist douche sperm donor, who would have guessed! Sadly this is how racism seems to propogate, kids learn at a young age that it's just 'common sense' that mexicans are dirty and lazy (and yet not lazy enough to steal jerbs away from white americans, which makes me wonder just how lazy that makes the whites, but that's clearly too much thinking.) Then other indoctrinated spawns nod their head and go, "yeah you're totally right, that's just what my totally not racist dad told me too!"

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Stephen Maturin

...my Geth engineer...

Whoa,whoa, whoa. I was with you until I found out you were playing a dirty shiftless Geth who stole a good engineering job from an honest hardworking Quarian.

[Kael]

Man, now I want to play again but can't get my xbox online atm. Thanks Obama Maturin!

[Stephen Maturin]

Originally Posted by Adam

Whoa,whoa, whoa. I was with you until I found out you were playing a dirty shiftless Geth who stole a good engineering job from an honest hardworking Quarian.

Hey, the Geth were the "beaners" of the Mass Effect universe until the Quarians fucked it all up. Fucking dumbass Quarians.

One of these days a migrant worker is going to walk up to his foreman and say, "Boss, does this unit have a soul?" On that day lily-white Americans will know that they are well and truly hosed.

[curses]

Question-is it just me or was there a disturbing lack of good games released this year? I'm not sure whether it's because I've focused on Neverwinter and mebbye just missed them but I've gone looking and it's just a sea of meh. I have 2 platforms, the 360 which I prefer for action type games (big screen, big sound, easier controls for my hateful, angry wrists) and my PC for strategy and the occasional MMO. I got Tropico 5 but the replay value is not as high as I'd hoped, but other than that...meh.

help me, you're my only hope!

[specious_reasons]

Steam recently had the latest incarnation of the Thief franchise on sale for something like $12. That's totally in my price range, even for a game that got middling reviews.

I'm enjoying it, but I think the main reason why I'm enjoying it is because it's a somewhat interesting story and I have so much invested in the main character from the previous 3 games.

Even thought I'm enjoying it, it's entirely up to the original standard.

I'm being lazy and playing it in easy mode, it's almost a bit too easy, so it's kinda like playing Skyrim with an all-out stealth character with Muffle and 100% chameleon. In the past, Garret was the worst jumper in the world - unable to climb onto things higher than his waist. Now he can climb all over everything, as long as it's something the game has designated he can climb on. Put one barrel on a crate, and he won't even consider it.

The thing I miss the most, which was a cost savings as much as a style choice, are the cut scenes. They were originally done in mostly static artists renderings usually with a voice-over setting the scene and the tone of the game. Very effective.

Thief The Dark Project Cutscenes Part 2 - YouTube

Now, they're the standard scripted character cinematics you see in all of FPS games. Not as interesting or effective.

Also, you can tell they repurposed a bunch of "cover based" shooter game moves into "stealth" moves, with varying degrees of success.

Overall, it's more like the original games than not, some bad choices and some better choices, and I'm having fun with it.

[Stormlight]

Originally Posted by curses

Question-is it just me or was there a disturbing lack of good games released this year?

Agreed. The only really good one, as far as I'm concerned was Divinity: Original Sin. Next week Wasteland 2 will be released, though.

[LadyShea]

Kiddo had preordered Destiny and has been concerned about the delayed release. Hubby is picking it up now to hand him when we pick him up from school. He had an anxious morning so this will be a nice surprise.

[Kael]

Steam is having a weekend sale on the Total War franchise. I foresee epic binging in my near future.

[Stormlight]

As a Kickstarter backer I have one extra copy of Wastelands 2. If you're not a lolbert you can PM me and I'll send you a free Steam key.

First come, first served!

Wasteland 2 review • Eurogamer.net

ETA: PC only.

[Stormlight]

The early bord got the game.

[Crumb]

Trying Portal for the first time. (Yes, I haven't played it until now. ) It is pretty cool. Starting to get tricky.

[chunksmediocrites]

Playing Ingress, Qingdai has been playing for a while now. Does get me out for walks a lot more and have my neighbors probably wondering why I'm walking around looking at my phone.

[Zehava]

Originally Posted by Stormlight

As a Kickstarter backer I have one extra copy of Wastelands 2. If you're not a lolbert you can PM me and I'll send you a free Steam key.

First come, first served!

Wasteland 2 review • Eurogamer.net

ETA: PC only.

I'm enjoying Wasteland 2 very much. It has the same feel, setting wise, as the original Wasteland with a nice interface/tactical combat that ties nice with Fallout 1 and 2. All in all an excellent game so far.

[Crumb]

I have been playing Waking Mars. I am flying around fictitious Martian caverns in a jet pack planting and feeding the alien life. A pretty interesting side scroller. The robot companion that appears to be installed in my space suit is a little annoying, but I think they knew that and he only rarely talks now.

[curses]

Just finished up Dragon Age Origins-Awakenings in preparation for the new DA. I thought that was a better storyline than the game itself. Loved the Architect. Wish it was a longer campaign with a bigger map.

[curses]

Oh god I need this.

Goat MMO Simulator - Official Trailer (Patch 1.2)...

OK, bought the non "MMO" version and it's the stupidest game I've ever played. I mean that in the best way. I've laughed for about 2 hours straight now.

[curses]

I got the above game. It was fun for a bit, good for a laugh occasionally.

BUT WHY HAS NOBODY POSTED THIS YET?!?! FALLOUT 4!

Fallout 4 - Official Trailer (PEGI) - YouTube

Now the debate is which console is slightly less evil.

[Megatron]

DAMMIT YOU BEAT ME TO IT

FALLOUT 4

*bows before its glory*

[BrotherMan]

It looks like the last two Fallouts.

[curses]

I expect nothing else but it are pretty. And I'm excited. So there.

[chunksmediocrites]

I was playing Hearthstone daily, but stopped about a month ago. Before that I played This War of Mine, which is a cool concept but super depressing- not that it shouldn't be- I just got bummed playing it. I also played some Darkest Dungeon for a while. I really like the art and narrative direction, but the repetitive grind also wore me out a bit.

More recently I've been hooked on Nuclear Throne- fast and fun. Still have only killed Little Hunter once or twice- I am lucky most games to get past Big Dog.

I play AI practice with Smite still from time to time.

[BrotherMan]

As interesting and intriguing as everything I've seen about This War of Mine makes it look, I know that's not a game for me.