On 4/1/2024 7:16 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>
> I /was/ going to do an April Fools post here; in lieu of my normal
> list, I'd put up a troll-post. I'd select some of the worst video
> games ever written, claim I've played them, and hype them to the
> stars. Games like "Alone in the Dark Illumination" or "Postal III" or
> "Diablo Immortals". Except, the Internet being what it is, I'm sure
> that there are fans of all those games, and thus the joke wouldn't hit
> the way it should have. Of course I loved "Rambo: The Video Game",
> people would say. "It was great". They wouldn't see the troll, they'd
> just see somebody agreeing with their egriously awful taste. And then
> I'd have to explain that, no, I didn't actually like those games. How
> could I? They were terrible...
>
> So no April Fools here. Just my usual blather. Speaking of which...
> let's get to it.
>
>
>
> Zip-zippity-zoom!
> ---------------------------------------
> * Detroit: Become Human
> * Half-Life: Alyx
> * Aviators
> * Eurotruck Simulator 2
> * Horizon: Zero Dawn
>
>
> Drone-drone-drone-drone-drone-drone
> ---------------------------------------
>
> * Detroit: Become Human
> I don't know why I play these games.
>
> Games developed by Quantic Dreams, I mean. I have, over the years,
> managed to acquire all of them, and I've not enjoyed the gameplay in
> /any/ of them. I absolutely know what to expect from them too:
> terrible quick-time focused gameplay, an unimaginative setting that
> lacks cohesive realism, uninteresting characters, terrible dialogue
> and visuals that - for their time - were impressive but haven't aged
> very well.
>
> "Detroit: Become Human" is, perhaps, the least awful of the series, if
> only because the storyline doesn't veer into absolute bat-shit madness
> as the narrative progresses. If anything, it's storyline is trite and
> cliche, lacking originality or surprise in all its twists and turns.
> But that's not surprising; David Cage - the game's director and
> resident auteur - has all the subtly of a brick through the window.
> But at least the story makes sense, even if it isn't particularly
> novel or well told.
>
> As for the gameplay, well, if you've ever played any of Quantic Dreams
> games you know exactly what to expect: tiny, well detailed levels with
> a handful of interactive objects that you manipulate through
> quick-time button prompts. Why washing dishes is made more exciting by
> repeatedly slamming the S key rather than just a single tap of a
> generic use button, I can't imagine, but that's just how it goes in
> Quantic Dream-land. At least the button prompts are much less
> time-limited, and better suited to mouse/keyboard; it doesn't make for
> more /interesting/ gameplay, but at least it's less /aggravating/. The
> other defining feature of their games is the branching storyline, but
> this is much more limited in "Detroit" than their previous games. I
> tried to play as an android bound by his programming (no dreams of
> humanity for me!) but the game wouldn't allow it.
>
> And the visuals? Well, they're fine. I'm sure that when the game
> initially released back in 2018 they were something of a wonder, but
> time and technology have quickly caught up and now the special effects
> are looking a bit dated. Were there more to the game this deficiency
> might be overlooked, but with so little else to the game, "Detroit's"
> aging tech stands out all the more.
>
> The end result is a game I just don't - and it seems I fundamentally
> cannot - enjoy. It's Uwe Boll filmmaking coupled with the worst
> aspects of modern video gaming (minus the micro-transactions. I'll
> give credit to Quantum Dreams for that much at least; none of that
> nonsense in this game). It's not fun. It's not interesting. It's a
> chore to play and every day its visuals become more dated. I don't
> know why I buy the games. I don't know why I play them. I sure as hell
> have no idea how the developer stays in business.
>
>
>
> * Half-Life: Alyx
> Some might be surprised to find me playing this game, what with my
> general disdain for VR. Or rather, it's not so much that I dislike VR
> as I think it is over-hyped and under-delivers; it's a gimmick that
> doesn't live up to its potential yet, and is overpriced to boot. But
> if I'm playing "Half-Life: Alyx", a VR-only game, does that mean I've
> changed my mind, that I've gone and invested in a VR headset of my
> own?
>
> Of course not. But that wouldn't stop me from playing another
> Half-Life game. Thanks to a third-party mod, "Alyx" is now fully
> playable without needing a VR headset.
> https://www.moddb.com/mods/half-life-alyx-novr
>
> Although perhaps 'fully playable' is a bit optimistic. Technically,
> yes, you can get through the game, beginning to end with this mod. But
> the experience is /very/ rough, and if you manage it without using
> NoClip (conveniently already mapped to the V key by the developers,
> thus showcasing even they were aware of the necessity) then you're a
> better person than I, Gunga Din.
>
> Movement is surprisingly tough in this game; for some reason, even the
> smallest obstacles - a wire on the ground, the kerb between street and
> sidewalk - can prevent easy progress. The protagonist does have the
> ability to jump, but each hop is extremely low. Leaping across gaps -
> which was sometimes required to progress - was all but impossible.
> More than anything, this spoiled the overall experience. And don't
> even get me started on how much more difficult this made the combat!
>
> But even had the movement been as smooth and carefree as in the best
> FPS, still "Alyx" would have been a sub-par experience to its VR
> counterpart, just because the game felt so much less visceral. Many of
> the objects in the game - which in VR you can pick up and use - have
> been rendered 'flat' and non-interactive. Functionally, modded "NoVR
> Alyx" is not any worse than most modern FPS games, but you lose /a
> lot/ of verisimilitude playing the game without the VR headsets and
> controllers.
>
> Still, I'm not really faulting either the core game nor the mod; I
> purposely chose to ignore the original's strengths by playing it this
> way, after all, and if the experience isn't as great that is on me and
> not the developers. In fact, I think that the modders got the game to
> work at all without VR is already something of a miracle. But playing
> it the way I did offers a much poorer experience.
>
> Still, I'm glad I did. Even in its pitiful, weakened form, it's easy
> to see Valve's dedication to fidelity in its game-worlds. There's a
> lot of fun stuff to see in do in "Alyx" (even if it is grim and
> dystopian), the action is intense, and the story is generally
> well-paced and exciting. It's definitely a game worth experiencing.
>
> But probably not using the no-VR mod, unless that's absolutely your
> only alternative. If you can get access to a VR headset (convince your
> friend to buy one and use theirs ;-), do that. Otherwise, just watch a
> no-commentary play-through on YouTube. It's worth it just to get to
> the ending. The NoVR mod is only interesting for how it overcame the
> VR requirement.
>
>
>
> * Aviators
> I acquired "Aviators" because it was free. I played it because the
> topic - refugee Polish airmen who fought for the Allies during World
> War II - looked somewhat interesting. But despite everything, it's not
> a game I can recommend.
>
> Then again, it may not be fair to judge "Aviators" as a game. It's
> intended more, I think, as a way to highlight the actions of Polish
> airmen than to create software entertainment intended to compete with
> modern games. And it's not completely without merits. If you've ever
> wanted to get up and close with a British Halifax bomber, this game
> may be as close as you'll get. The first part of the game has you
> scrambling in and around a beautifully modeled version of the plane,
> flipping switches and getting it ready to fly. You can practically
> smell the AVgas and sweat-stained leather seats. It almost makes me
> yearn to play it in VR.
>
> Unfortunately, too much of the software is wrapped up in rather
> amateur 'game' sections; an extremely simplistic (and forgiving)
> adventure section at the start, an incredibly boring gunner section in
> the middle, and a tedious and limited stealth section in the third
> (and fortunately final) act. These sections are extremely linear, and
> every action you need to take is telegraphed to you. There is
> absolutely no challenge and no fun to be had 'playing' these sections.
>
> Worse, the historical presentation is extremely simplistic, lacking
> any real detail, history or depth to what these Polish aviators really
> experienced. I got more of a sense of history playing "Call of Duty"
> games.
>
> Its unfortunate the developers felt obligated to 'gamify' this
> program. Had they simply made the whole thing a 3D-rendered museum,
> where players could explore the planes and locations at their own pace
> - and in a way that could present the user with a more thorough
> overview of the Polish airmen's deeds and travails - the whole
> experience would probably have been a lot more convincing and
> thoughtful. Arguably, this program was designed for children, thus
> excusing its shallowness. Still, given its violence, subject matter,
> and pathetic gameplay, I don't think it's something kids would
> actually enjoy.
>
> On the plus side, the game is extremely short. You can probably finish
> the whole thing in less than an hour.
>
> I really had high hopes for "Aviators". The subject matter deserves to
> be covered, and some of the production values in the game are quite
> impressive. But the overall experience was sub-par and far less
> informative than it could have been. Those airmen deserve better.
>
>
>
> * Eurotruck Simulator 2
> It wasn't my intent to play "Eurotruck Simulator 2" again this month.
> Then again, it never is. ETS2 is just the lowest-common-denominator
> game in my collection; my 'go-to' title that I play whenever I can't
> be bothered to play anything else. But even taking that into
> consideration, neither was it my intent to play the game so much that
> I'd have to include it in my monthly round-up. Had I only played one
> or two sessions, I could easily have left it off this list. But my
> recent hardware follies - my primary PC went belly-up for over a week
> - meant I was forced to rely on an older computer as my daily driver.
> And the only game that happened to be installed on that PC was
> "Eurotruck Simulator 2". What was a hapless gamer to do?
>
> Still, the circumstances resulted in some interesting gameplay. I've
> been playing ETS2 for years upon years now, always using the same
> save-game to track my progress. But /that/ save-game was locked on the
> broken PC, so - playing on the back-up PC - I was forced to start the
> game anew. It was an interesting experience. In my older save, my
> virtual trucking business - with dozens of locations and hundreds of
> employees - made money hand-over-fist. Cash was never a problem. If I
> wanted a new truck, I'd buy one. If I pranged the old truck, the cost
> of repairing it - even were it totaled - was a rounding error on the
> bottom line. And traffic tickets? I didn't even notice them, they were
> so miniscule.
>
> But as a newly-created, up-and-coming truck driver, I no longer had
> this safety net. Every dollar counted. That $500 speeding ticket not
> only delayed a much needed upgrade, but - depending on my finances -
> could potentially push my virtual trucking company into the red. It
> actually became important to deliver the cargo on-time (and intact!)
> if I wanted to get paid. I started paying attention to the price of
> petrol again. No longer counted amongst the ultra-rich, I was one of
> the Little People and had to start following the rules again.
>
> It didn't last, of course. The game's economy is extremely generous,
> and just a few virtual weeks into the game, I'd already hired two
> employees who were bringing me €20K EU per week. It wasn't quite the
> immunity-from-consequence I was used to, but it was enough of a buffer
> that I dared drive ever-so-slightly above the speed limit. Still, most
> of the good habits I'd been forced to re-learn stuck with me. I barely
> ever run over SUVs anymore.
>
>
>
> * Horizon: Zero Dawn
> "Horizon: Zero Dawn" is everything I expect from a triple-A published
> game. Which is to say, it's a run-of-the-mill experience, lacking
> novelty or excitement, but with all the polish you'd expect from
> having a fifty-million dollar budget.
>
> It's an okay game; don't mistake me. Triple-A published games almost
> always are. It's mechanically sound, and its game-loop is, overall,
> fun. It's entertaining enough to keep me playing it until the end. But
> it lacks distinctiveness. It's a melange of elements from "Tomb
> Raider" and "Assassins Creed" and "Far Cry", mixed together without
> adding anything new. The only marginally notable feature is the game's
> green-apocalypse setting, and even that isn't original, having been
> done to death in books, movies, and even other video games. It lacks
> spark, creativity. It's pablum: filling, but not tasty.
>
> None of its mechanics are particularly satisfying. The combat is
> merely okay. Heavily reliant on ranged attacks, it feels very messy
> when the monsters inevitably rush up right into your face. The camera
> is workable but everything feels a bit too close. The stealth feels
> half-baked. The platforming lacks style. The characters are all
> forgettable, the cinematics unexciting, the story trite and
> predictable. None of it is terrible, but nothing stands out either.
> There's no sense of adventure or being part of an experience. It feels
> safe, humdrum. You know exactly what sort of game this will be five
> minutes in, and it neither exceeds nor disappoints in that expectation
> throughout its forty-hour length.
>
> I wasn't unhappy playing "Horizon: Zero Dawn". It kept me playing for
> hours-long sessions, exploring its overly-large open-world,
> discovering all the various doodads and artifacts that typically are
> scattered in its numerous nooks and crannies. I killed innumerable
> monsters and liberated many bandit camps. I bought weapons, harvested
> resources, and upgraded everything to its maximum potential. I climbed
> towers and unlocked maps. I maxed out my stats. I ran up to all the
> NPCs with a glowing green exclamation mark hanging over the heads and
> helped them out with all their many errands. I even solved the mystery
> hanging over the main quest. I didn't lack for things to do, and none
> of my many hours spent in the game felt completely wasted. But neither
> did I feel any real excitement. Everything felt very mechanical, very
> paint-by-numbers. The end result might have been a pretty picture, but
> it was a picture I'd seen dozens of times before.
>
> Which is to say, exactly the sort of experience I expect from a modern
> triple-A studio production.
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------
>
> So that's my month. What about you? How did you spend your time?
> Simply put:
>
> What Have You Been Playing... IN MARCH 2024?
>
>

I have been playing and finished Shadows of War.
This game actually was pretty good despite (or maybe because) it played
a bit fast and lose with the Tolkien legendarium.
The true star of the show was of course the Nemesis system, which
allowed the randomly generated orcs you meet to have some actual
personality and history with you. I think most of the game's huge size
(over 100gb which is kinda insane) might have been made up of assets to
create this huge variety of characters. Even after playing 90 hours on
this game I still was encountering variations that I hadn't met, or at
least not recognized before.

The ending was a bit weak, the DLC promised some more thorough ending,
but in the end it also was quite a letdown. It ended with a cliffhanger
that didn't really feel like it had the impact they wanted from it.
(Sauron is defeated and the Bright Lord escapes).

This was nominally the game Middle-Earth 2, even if you'd be hard
pressed to remember that main title. Unfortunately it doesn't look like
we are getting a part 3.
I did hear WB games is working on a Wonder Woman game implementing the
Nemesis system from this game, which... I dunno. it doesn't sound quite
right. Might be good if they put some work into it.