whatchu playing now

I (and, ostensibly, my girlfriend, who mostly only plays the pinball stuff I bought for her) just bought a PS3 a couple of months ago, which I'm completely new to aside from crashing helicopters into gas stations in GTA IV at my brother's. So I've been excitedly hoarding games, since this seems to be the sweet spot between when previous-gen system come way down in price and when they go out of print and skyrocket. But I'm trying to be restrictive in my playing so that I don't play eight million things at once and fail to fully appreciate the varied experiences.

Althought I was completely put-off by it at first (complicated tutorials maybe shouldn't take place in the middle of combat under cover of darkness), probably 75% of my game playing time of late has been devoted to Just Cause 2. So much addictive fun, and great for brief, post-work mayhem sessions. Strangely haven't read or heard a whole lot about it outside of ILG threads, so thanks for that, y'all. Prior to that, I was mostly sucked into Skyrim, which initially impressed and then subsequently overwhelmed me with its breadth. I mean, I'm level 25-ish and realized recently that I'd completed somewhere pretty far south of 10% of the core game, so it feels like a thing that could just go on forever. I'll return to it someday when I'm ready to really dig in.

Other stuff in my current rotation:
Fez (not hugely into platformers but I'm really digging it; music and design and use of color are aces)
Minecraft (kinda don't know exactly what to do with it yet, but it's cool to mess around with)
Arkham Asylum (not crazy about the combat, but maybe I'm just not used to it yet; the beginning of the Scarecrow encounter was amazing)
Where Is My Heart? (cute, cool concept, good for short bursts)
Portal (just started this...the rest of the Orange Box is backburnered for the time being)
Deadly Premonition (not terribly far into it; definitely bizarre as hell but I'm undecided just yet as to whether it's my kind of bizarre)
Prototype (love it to bits; I think I'm near the end so I've been sitting on it for a little while to prolong the love...although I do already have the sequel)
Resident Evil 3 (revisiting after 15 years; controls are for shit but I'm building up anticipation to RE4)
Walking Dead (only played the first episode thus far but it was great and I'm looking forward to more)

I also have a ton of stuff that I've played <15 minutes of (The Saboteur, Tomb Raider reboot, Marvel Ultimate Alliance) that I'm looking forward to jumping into more fully soon.

Kinda want to make a (sadly & ridiculously long) list of the stuff I've acquired and get recommendations of what to tackle next.

MPQ and GTA5, exclusively, for ages now. Very very reluctant to start a new game atm

rotation of dark souls 2 on ps3 and might & magic X and magic online on the laptop. nearly done with mmx and think i am going to finally play monaco. nearly done with ds2 but just going to keep playing it anyway.

diablo 3 on pc! oh nooo

I thought of something else I played recently: WSOP Full House Pro poker on xbla.

I am in a bad place. ;-)

GTA5 in the evenings, still searching for those hidden items
Or Lego City Undercover on occasions.

Any other time I struggle to find time or energy to play anything else right now, I'm trying to design and develop my own games and I find that a struggle in itself.

Games that I *should* be playing anyway...

Pinball FX, really really should fire this up more often
Rayman, not even installed this yet
Red Dead Redemption (still not bothered to attempt the final mission)
Fallout3, embarrassingly never finished this either
Fuel, after having to purchase new PS3 I'll have to start all over again.
Just Cause 2, dropped off the radar a bit, dip into every now and again to get that 100% status
Minecraft/FTB, my only reason for not playing this more often is its just too daunting. In terms of time wasting goes this is the mother of all. FTB packs have basically kicked this game into mind blowing status imo.

(With the exceptions of Pinball and Rayman you might notice a distinct pattern in the games I like)

picked up gta 5 again just to round off the epsilon missions. i was convinced there would be a big heist at the end of all of it, because ripping off the scientologists seemed to make sense and how else would i ever get the cash to buy the golf course etc. so the only one getting ripped off was me :( officially done with this game.

also just finished xcom enemy unknown which i loved to bits. besides it was just long enough to keep my interest through the whole thing.

not really sure what to go with next. ps+ gave me lots of options. i'll probably get going on tomb raider, as soon as i stop struggling to like pes2014.

dayZ and nothing but dayZ. the slow small little updates that come out every couple of weeks just make it that little bit more appealing every day. i try not to think that's there's no real goal or 'end' to it.

Dude, FRACT OSC is out. It's fun, but giving me a lot of flashbacks to Myst, due to heavy puzzles with occasional symbolic language hints. You're exploring this long abandoned machine world and you restoring operation to a giant synthesizer that you wander around in.

SMT4, the soundtrack for this game is so good, running around a post-apocalyptic Tokyo to synthy krautrock <3 http://youtu.be/SG_gB4kb2oA

Oh, FRACT sounds great, might have to grab that.

The only thing I'm playing at the moment is Letter Quest on my ipod. It's quite good but nothing mindblowing.

portal 2 (3rd time), ni no kuni, assassins creed 4, dork souls

FTL and could be on this for a while now that I feel like I finally understand how to play it

im obsessed

so many ships still to unlock and haven't even touched advanced mode...

I've been playing Kingdom Of Amalur, a game that apparently lost the taxpayers of Rhode Island $75m, recently. I kind of hate myself as it's another massive Skyrim-style time sink, but it's quite good fun.

what IS advanced mode

i havent even begun boarding as a tactic yet

sorry "advanced edition"

As a reminder, FTL: Advanced Edition is a free content expansion for FTL. All current (and future) customers will receive this update regardless of where they purchased it. Prior to release, we will post detailed instructions on how to get the update from whatever digital vendor you originally purchased FTL.

http://www.ftlgame.com/?page_id=106

New systems (clone bay??), new race, new ships, just lots more stuff, and it was released as a free sort of patch. It's a toggle option when you start a game, you can choose standard or advanced.

I've been playing Kingdom Of Amalur, a game that apparently lost the taxpayers of Rhode Island $75m
― Yuri Bashment (ShariVari), Thursday, April 24, 2014 3:45 PM

ah yes the curt schilling rpg

oh yeah i'm playing dragon's dogma. i've given up on it twice before so i'm determined to finish it this time. the controls are lacking but it has some of the best gfx i've seen in an rpg. makes dark souls 2 look like shit by comparison anyway.

http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/266639-curt-shilling.jpg

dragon's dogma was good fun, at its best early before everything becomes too easy, so i encourage you to not progress the story at all until you have been everywhere. one of the best and most unique things it has are the giant wandering monsters that really felt like epic fights, at least until my gang quickly got OP'd. helps if you resist the temptation of the broken pawns that are available early.

infinity wars + starbound

helps if you resist the temptation of the broken pawns that are available early.
― Roberto Spiralli, Thursday, April 24, 2014 4:29 PM

what are the broken pawns. i've just been using the free low level ones and trading them in every so often. groups of bandits on the roads are still kicking my butt

i got one real early with an ordinary woman's name, Karen i am fairly sure, and her owner had limited her level but she had maxed-out, late game rare gear and was a total powerhouse

whatever the fighter class is. i got another midway thru with a more forgettable fantasyish name, also a female fighter.

Dammit, Fract really _is_ like myst. I can't find the symbolic to detangle the tune I'm supposed to play to solve the final puzzle in one of the areas.

Final Fantasy - NES
Assassin's Creed IV - PC
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX - PC
Castlevania: Rond of Blood - T16
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - PSX
Metal Gear Solid - PSX
Metal Gear Rising Revengeance - PC
Metal Gear Solid 2 - PC

you livin' the life, Adam, respect

finished saints row 4
tried diablo 3 again - meh so spammy
maybe back to metro 2033

"Finished" Portal and Fez, loved both. Seems like there's still aftergame stuff for me to do, which is cool.

I'm a good way into the first God of War, and I can't be sure but I think I might kinda hate it. The brutal waves of super tough enemies are awesome, and some of the puzzles are pretty good, but creating Indiana Jones-esque deathtraps with a shitty camera and sketchy controls was the fucking worst idea ever. I've wasted so much of my playtime on failing to kill everything onscreen within a set time before falling to my death or being crushed or sliced up by shit that I can barely see in front of me that it's kinda become a chore for me to continue. I might just be hating the PS2-ness of it, though.

I've been surprisingly digging a lot of arcade-y stuff that I've gotten cheap from PSN recently. Super Stardust and Wipeout took me a little while to get used to but they're amazing once I'm in the zone. Just got Retro/Grade, which I haven't played much but which has an awesome conceit (basically a rhythm game disguised as a shooter that runs in reverse). The Space Invaders update also seems like good value.

This weekend, I hit 50% completion and the 100 hour mark near-simultaneously on Just Cause 2. Clearing a few areas in the game has become such a reliably perfect way to decompress at the end of the day.

kotor + bg2

getting myself psyched + ready for pillars of eternity i guess

xps I played GoW 1 for the first time... a year ago? Maybe two? Felt some of the same frustrations as you, but I'm still planning to truck on through to the others at some point. I can see how it all would've been far more impressive back in 2006, but some of those levels and dungeons are awfully designed.

What build you going for in KOTOR, Mordy?

i guess soldier guardian. tbh i'm kinda more interested in my bg2 half-elf cleric/ranger build (so OP apparently it's ppl's fave for soloing the game). (thought about playing a wild mage too.)

Streets of Rage 3
Bare Knuckle III

So BKIII is the Japanese version of SOR3 and it is WAY easier. This does not mean it is easy though, it only means it is possible to get through stage 1 without using a continue. American version of Streets of Rage 3 is one of the more difficult games I've ever played.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VWsJPJ19DA

That level with the bulldozer is all-time unfair.

all that and he's beat by a girder

i love the energy meter for 'wall'.

i guess i only played Streets of Rage 1 & 2.

man why doesn't axel just jump over the damn walls

sor3 is weird. it seems like it admits to tactics then it doesn't really.

I think after you get past the stage where you are fighting kangaroos and evil dominatrix clowns they just figured they could get away w that.

Played 2-player Hyperstone Heist for the Genesis last night. Got to Super Shredder and then we died and we were out of continues! The music in that game is incredible. Orchestrated speed metal.

i'm still playing bg2.

eu4 always with the eu4. genovese colonial empire.

wish i could get into eu. each time i load it up there are like 300 tutorials

if it helps you still won't know what the fuck is going on if you sit thru the tutorials

marathon

I can’t believe how hard they’ve made it

Can I ask for a tip for Lorelei's bug report 2? It's the room with the busts and the typewriter. I have what I think is the answer: zoLoRe but apparently that's not right. Where am I going wrong with it?

I am absolutely loving this game - I did hit a point where I was just staring at every puzzle I had left and completely failing to comprehend what it wanted me to do, but then I broke open one thing and had about ten new puzzles to work on, and my progress has been pretty consistently good since then. It's not easy, but that just makes it more satisfying when you crack it.

anyone playing Slay the Spire 2? just noticed that half a million are playing it right now, kinda wild numbers. I tend to avoid games in early access but the spire is calling ...

*immediately buys slay the spire 2 and plays it*

it’s too bad, i was just getting into the first citizen sleeper, but have to go early access slay the spire 2 right now

I am trying to resist STS2 for at least a bit, but I suspect I might end up getting it before it gets out of early access... I read that there's a Co-op mode? Don't usually like playing with other people but Ilx Slay the Spire Club could potentially be fun?

Board game co-op STS was fantastic. Been on 2 since release and it feels like a complete game in early access already. Well worth the price

marathon is such an odd AAA blockbuster title - it’s kinda unrelenting and oppressive. I wonder if it’ll find a bigger audience via word of mouth. the more I play, the more I enjoy it - seems to be a common thing

I was thinking of waiting a while on getting STS2 but if people want to do coop, I'd totally be down!

Been addicted to No Rest for the Wicked. Bought it for the new co-op, but my friend returned
it before we even got to play it because it was "too hard".

i sort of worry it will never come to PS5.

xxxp
yeh everything I've read about Marathon says how hard it is. makes me wonder what would happen if they put in a more social PvE mode ala Arc Raiders

Emily, re Lorelei, that room really stumped me too and annoyingly for all the time I spent on it I can't remember the answer. Sorry not helpful, just wanted to acknowledge the request at least

Thanks salsa, it's appreciated. I caved and looked it up and I feel a bit silly because I got the answer right but not the caps. Needed to look more closely at the plaques.

I'm interested in Lorelei cos of all of you ripping for it but out of interest, are the puzzles primarily spatial/topological whatever word I'm looking for? That's not really my bag.

Repping for it. Apparently spelling isn't my bag either

There are definitely spatial puzzles in there (figuring out the number of blocks in an only partially seen shape, traversing at least a couple of complex mazes). There are also a lot of puzzles that are straight-up maths brainteasers. But honestly, most of them are pretty straightforward and well-clued. You do find a map for the mazes, for example, although it still requires a lot of route plotting.

I am very bad at maths and I am enjoying it immensely, so my view is that if the vibes/storyline are your thing (Avant-garde art! Cinema! Computing! Mysticism! Weird Europeans! Death!), the puzzles shouldn't be off-putting.

Thanks, I'll leave it on my to-play pile then

I didn't realise it was now on PS5, think I read reviews when it came out and was keen but it was only on PC or similar back then.

marathon is insanely good - it def has its problems (UI is tricky, new player onboarding is rough, some OP kit needs tuning) but its highs are unmatched. hitting that last exfil when you’re fully kitted has to one of the tensest things I’ve done in any game

Ok, I bit on Resident Evil Requiem and it totally rules so far. Basically all the RE’s thrown into one.

― circa1916, Friday, 6 March 2026 00:45 (four days ago)

almost never say this but... too short? wrapped in about 13 hours or so, felt like it could've used another act. good shit though, might do another run at a higher difficulty a little down the line.

they usually do a pretty good job tossing in DLC, right?

almost never say this but... too short? wrapped in about 13 hours or so

this makes me want to play it! i can do this!

This is the time of year where I'm really wanting to get my teeth into something new but everything I'm interested in isn't out until stupid summertime when I don't want to play games. Led to me buying KCD2 and Atomfall last year, both of which failed to light my world on fire.

I've backed myself into a backlog corner with all of these huge games that demand 80-100 hours of time, so I'm afraid to start any of them. In that regard I'm happy for games that don't take months to complete.

I hear you on that. I appreciate a good long game if course, but they seem to be getting longer.

Re: my own comments on Lorelei - There are definitely spatial puzzles in there... most of them are pretty straightforward and well-clued.

I might be about to take this back, have hit a couple of NASTY "rotate this, flip that" puzzles. Am at about 90% of the way through so I guess they're allowed to be hard, they're the boss fights of puzzles.

I agree re: games overstaying their welcome these days btw. New Resident Evil was the first one in memory where I wanted a little more. Minor gripe with post-game options and DLC surely in the pipeline.

Outside of that probably the most fun I’ve had with a RE since 4.

RE games have gotten shorter after 6. Everyone agreed that that game was too long.

20-25 hours seems the sweetsoot for a single player non-RPG campaigns to me (with NG+ options or alt campaigns if you want to push for the 40-60 hour mark)

what do I know tho I just no life live service FPS games, squeezing hundreds (/ thousands) of hours out of them

If i haven't put 300+ hrs into an RPG including some NG+ action then it's probably not my kind of RPG

I love a good 10 - 13 hour game, but not for $70. I'm very excited about the new RE but I think I'm going to wait for Josh to tell me when it's on sale.

speaking of lengthy RPGs, SMT Vengeance has got its hooks in me presently. About 8 hours in and having a blast so far. We'll see how long I last. I burned out on Persona 4 (both times I tried it) after about 30 hours. OTOH, I played through all of Metaphor and for the most part loved that. I do like the SMT focus on the meat and potatoes gameplay loop. Fight, recruit, fuse, fight some more. It's sort of hypnotic.

10-15 hours used to be a pretty standard expectation for non-RPG action game campaigns. like all the big PS2 and PS3 games i can think of are that long. the open world boom really messed with peoples expectations i think, yes those games are 40-50 hours long but it is mostly systems-based content like an RPG and not tightly authored setpieces

it's like, if you think movies aren't long enough then you can watch a 20 episode tv show. it probably wont cost you more money to watch either, so why wouldnt you do that instead? because it's not as tightly constructed or controlled an experience and thus not the same experience

I think From games are as tightly authored as RE games, and those can be 30 - 50 hours (plus a few hundred for multiplayer). But yeah, I never had a problem with RE4's length, and I've played it at least 3-4x.

For sure. I would much rather play (and maybe replay) a tightly focused, memorable experience than a 100+ hour open world bloatfest. Even the exemplars of that genre (BotW, Elden Ring) eventually get tedious and start to feel like busywork.

This is why roguelikes and games with dynamic sim elements are so popular of course. With a good one, you can play practically forever, and they're easier for small teams with limited budgets to make.

those are RPGs though, they're not as closely constructed in the way i'm talking about, they're not full of scripted encounters and cinematic setpieces.

i am saying all this as someone who prefers RPGs and systems-based games fwiw. my tv metaphor was more about open world as filler for action games, and not about RPGs which more inherently support longer games by leaning on systems and enemy design rather than setpiece design

err thats xp to jordan

anyway i think its fine to wish a 10 hour RE game was 15 hours. wishing it was 25 hours though is wishing for either a game that is padded out with generic combat rooms or a game that bankrupts capcom to make

It all depends on the game. I think a solid 70 hours sounds good to me, but obvs I have played things like Elden Ring and Death Stranding for much much longer and am happy with that. I could happily play Elden Ring expansions for the rest of my life if they made them

I think From games are as tightly authored as RE games, and those can be 30 - 50 hours (plus a few hundred for multiplayer). But yeah, I never had a problem with RE4's length, and I've played it at least 3-4x.

― Jordan s/t (Jordan), Wednesday, 11 March 2026 15:01 (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

Couldn't conceive of completing a From game in 30-50 hours. Not on first pass at least. Even Demon's Souls which is the shortest one must have taken me 100 hours or something

Yeah I would love to go back into more Elden Ring for another few months.

I want to Eyernal Sunshine my brain so I can replay it for the first time. I even got a yearning to play the DLC again the other day, so-so as it was

*Eternal.

I think marathon just activates that latent part of my amygdala that craves gambling (which my sensible self doesn’t let come out to play due to concerns about financial ruin). go in $1 kit, win $10k. go back in with $10k, lose the lot. rinse, repeat, surf the high

Finished "Little Nightmares." It was fine.

slay the spire 2 is simply wonderful