What You've Been Playing This Week

[wakka]

I played them all in their original iterations so I couldn't say with any certainty but yep, I would reckon so.

The most up to date versions of 3, 4 and 5 are all basically just the original PS3 games with a bit of HD remaster zhuzhing, whereas 1 and 2 were fully re-made from scratch.

[Dogg Thang]

I played them all in their original iterations so I couldn't say with any certainty but yep, I would reckon so.

The most up to date versions of 3, 4 and 5 are all basically just the original PS3 games with a bit of HD remaster zhuzhing, whereas 1 and 2 were fully re-made from scratch.

Related, I have preordered two Yakuza figures due out in April. I guess I’m hooked.

[wakka]

Oh, very nice. Pics pls?

I have a Kiryu Figma that I bought years ago.

[Atticus]

^ nice ^

50% off this one at Segashop

https://www.segashop.co.uk/collections/end-of-year-sale/products/ryu-ga-gotoku-yakuza-statue

[Dogg Thang]

Oh, very nice. Pics pls?

I have a Kiryu Figma that I bought years ago.

Oh that's great!

The ones I preordered are these: https://www.amiami.com/eng/detail/?gcode=FIGURE-160860

https://www.amiami.com/eng/detail/?gcode=FIGURE-160859

[wakka]

Those look really nice, good work. And the price isn't bad at all.

I think I got that Kiryu Figma from AmiAmi too.

[MartyG]

Skull and Bones Closed Beta.

This game has no redeeming features and I uninstalled it after it crashed around 45 minutes in.

[wheelaa]

Finished off Chained Echoes before it leaves GP. Had been in the mood for an old school(ish) RPG for a while now, and this certainly hit the mark. Average story, interesting combat mechanics, fun exploration, gear not grinding. Great OST too.

PowerWash Simulator free Santa map. I might be coming to the end of my love affair with this game. Map's ok. Not that big, yet it still felt like a chore.

(Gears 5, Vampire Survivors, Toilet Kids.)

[QualityChimp]

I've barely played anything with all the movie-watching, but I've finally started The Last of Us.
I did the first level when I got my PS4 years back, but it didn't click and preferred Fallout 4 and never went back to it.
Having enjoyed the TV show and had a "what can I play next" moment, deciding to hit my backlog rather than the alluring sales, this finally made it off the shelf!

It's interesting how close the show followed the game's plot, with a few changes to make the plot more engaging.

The game is really good, but it's aged a little (it's from the PS3 days!), with some pretty basic puzzles, gunplay and stealth.
However, I'm still gripped and enjoying it loads.

[fishbowlhead]

but it didn't click and preferred Fallout 4 and never went back to it.

Ok lets wrap his account up people were done here.

[QualityChimp]

Ok lets wrap his account up people were done here.

Ha ha ha!

Each to their own, but I just felt like I was doing stealth kills that I'd done years before on Manhunt and MGS.
Any exploration was rarely rewarded, you'd just find a very small play area with a foot high hedge stopping you in the area.

Fallout 4 was more my jam, with a vast, unrestricted map to explore, which rewarded you with little side events unrelated to the story.

I've had to change the way I look at TLoU, because it's not really a classic action game, but more like a story with occasional moments of action.
This is fine, though. How lucky are we that as gamers, we have so much choice?

[nonny]

Just finished Alan Wake Remastered.

Just started Alan Wake II.

Just bought Hogwarts Legacy.

[Atticus]

Finally played Bomb Rush Cyberfunk yesterday. It's a simple enough pitch; if you love Jet Set Radio you'll have a great time. It feels a little expensive at £35 but once playing the cost of entry fades away ... the beats kick in, the visuals dazzle and the happy, simpler days of gaming take over.

[egparadigm]

Finally played Bomb Rush Cyberfunk yesterday. It's a simple enough pitch; if you love Jet Set Radio you'll have a great time. It feels a little expensive at £35 but once playing the cost of entry fades away ... the beats kick in, the visuals dazzle and the happy, simpler days of gaming take over.

Think I’ll have to check this out… eventually.

[fuse]

Void Stranger - I feel like I don't even know half of what's going on with this. On one hand, it's a grid-based puzzler where time only moves where you do, and you have to swap tiles and learn enemy patterns to advance each floor. On the other, something is distinctly off, and it does some sneakiness in order to introduce a story that runs parallel (maybe?) to what you're doing. An intriguing one, for sure.

Thirsty Suitors - only just started this but it's a real blend of genres (rhythm action, skateboarding, turn-based battling...) wrapped up in a colourful shell about dating that's got more than a hint of Scott Pilgrim to it. Barely even started this, but it's got my attention.

The Talos Principle - a first person game where you traipse about a series of empty environments solving puzzles and earning 'sigils' (read: tetris pieces) that unlock other things. The bigger mystery comes with the booming, God-like voice over that's telling you what to do and what not to do, that is... not quite as all-seeing as he seems at first. Don't think I am doing this much justice with the pitch, but at the same time I do think it's a game that's better than the sum of its parts - it's nice looking, has some good chilled music, the puzzles are (so far) pretty enjoyable, and the crash course to philosophy that is the story is (personally) hugely preferable to it trying to do humour a la Portal.​