Well fuck me, I guess he's canon now. Not what I expected, but since it's gonna be a new character essentially, maybe they can do some actual good with him.

I've been rewatching some of my favorite game trailers from over the years, so I was wondering, what are your favorites?

What really got me going was the Dishonored trailer. I love the game's version of the 'Drunken Sailor' song, it's haunting but also goddamn catchy and fits the trailer really well. I'd probably have it as my favorite, actually.

Metal Gear Solid V's 'Elegia' trailer was also a standout, as much as it kinda hurts to watch now.

https://segmentnext.com/2018/05/26/david-cooks-celebrate-totalbiscuit-death/

Yeesh

Anyone playing? I just got to Undead Parish. I ended up killing Pinwheel early and got the Mask of the Child before even stepping foot in the Burg.

From Starwarsleaks. Bunch of people have confirmed.

Bit late, but I felt like writing something and I've been replaying it recently, sooo...




Metal Gear Rising Revengeance is an odd one, and it it begins right with the name. Revengeance. It’s a word that shouldn’t even exist, a Frankenstein’s abomination of words fused together by the geniuses at Platinum games and you know what? It’s perfectly appropriate. Metal Gear Rising is an almost-perfect blending of the whackiness and political intrigue of the more traditional Metal Gear Solid games,  with the fast paced finger-numbing action that only a high-octane hack and slash game can bring. I say it’s an almost perfect blending because Metal Gear Rising definitely has its fair share of issues holding it back, ranging from story elements to gameplay features that could have been polished but we’ll cross (or cut) that bridge when we come to it.

Originally conceived as Metal Gear Solid Rising back in 2009 and under development by Kojima Productions, the game went through many changes over the course of its rocky development. Beginning its life as an entry set between the events of Metal Gear Solid 2:Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Metal Gear Solid Rising: Lightning Bolt Action would have portrayed the story of how Raiden rescued the daughter of one of the main characters of Sons of Liberty and received his cyborg body, both featuring in Guns of the Patriots. Trailers were released, showcasing the Raiden’s new robo-look and some snippets of gameplay, featuring Raiden zipping about with his sword, cutting up enemies with the game’s very own precise-cutting mechanic, blade mode. Fans were intrigued, they hadn’t seen a Metal Gear game like this before.


Unfortunately, in addition to being intrigued they would also have to be patient and eventually even disappointed as the game’s troubled development eventually caught up with it and Kojima was forced to quietly cancel the project. Not all was lost, however. Some traces of life still remained, and it was in the warm, experienced embrace of Platinum games that the game was able to rise from its nanomachine-induced coma and be reborn as Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, and this is where we find ourselves today- er, 5 years later.

Metal Gear Rising is a hack ‘n’ slash through and through. You’ll find yourself surrounded by groups of enemies, dodging and parrying attacks before cutting through them with your sword like a bloody whirlwind. For the majority of the game’s somewhat short length you’ll be sprinting through the levels, engaging in combat with the various cyborg enemies that stand in your way, with the occasional quick time event or six. Those familiar with the tried and true Devil May Cry formula of a hack and slash move set will feel right at home here. You’ve got your Stinger for quickly closing the gap between you and the foe, combos performed by delaying certain button presses and various aerial and launch moves.

The combat itself feels smooth enough to be highly rewarding if you can master its somewhat obscure and unwieldy nuances such as the parry system and clunky weapon switching. Metal Gear Rising is all about hype and being as over the top as possible. Did you think fighting the Metal Gear RAY mechs in Sons of Liberty was hard? Well, Rising kicks it up about 60 notches by pitting you against one as the very first boss. While Sons of Liberty had Raiden fighting them methodically, gradually wearing them down with rockets and grenades, Rising has Raiden picking it up, flinging it into the air and slicing it in half with all the bombastic spectacle of a new Nintendo console on launch night.

Metal Gear Rising’s most notable feature is its much-tauted ‘Blade Mode’ mechanic, in which time is slowed down, putting you in a state similar to ‘bullet time’. For as long as his fuel gauge lasts, Raiden is able to line up his sword and cut enemies and objects with extreme precision. It can be difficult to master the accurate cutting lines at first, especially with limited gauges but after purchasing a couple of upgrades you’ll find yourself slicing with ease. A successful blade mode sequence usually ends with Raiden reaching into the innards of his foe and tearing out their robotic spinal cord with a technique called ‘Zandatsu’, appropriately translating to ‘cut and take’. Upon successfully performing a Zandatsu, Raiden’s health and fuel gauges will be completely restored, so it’s worth performing as many as you can. It’s things like this that really make Metal Gear Rising stand out as a hack ‘n’ slash action game. Its combos and evasive mechanics may not be as stylish (heh) and polished as something like Devil May Cry, but with blade mode’s freedom of sharp experimentation and performing Zandatsus never quite getting old, there’s enough to keep you entertained and engaged enough for a couple of replays.

The story is a bit of a rollercoaster, which is nothing new for the Metal Gear franchise. It’s quite all over the place with some truly bizarre shifts from dark plot threads involving children’s brains being harvested and used for war, to the final boss of the game literally punting Raiden like a football (with accompanying crowd cheering coming from nowhere). While the main plot is nothing to write home about, the boss fights with their accompanying soundtracks and cutscenes  make up for it with their over the top ham and cheese spectacle made possible by the unholy pairing of Kojima and Platinum. Scenes such as Raiden awakening his ‘Jack the Ripper’ mode are peppered with memorable quotes and deliciously gory and over the top visuals, despite the fact that it mainly just serves as a purpose of giving Raiden a new powered-up mode to play with.  It’s ultimately a series of scenes featuring characters that have to make their impact and boss fight work in the few (sometimes) only scenes they’re in. Characters like Monsoon and Mistral only appear (and are defeated) in one scene each, with fun, if brief appearances.

The game’s soundtrack is worth mentioning, as my favorite part of the game next to Blade Mode. Each boss has its own unique theme, with each track having a rock feel, but lyrics appropriate to the fight. The interesting part is that the lyrics actually change depending on what part of the fight you’re on, with new verses being added as it grows more intense and closer to the climax. During the final battle, there’s times when you lose your weapon and the lyrics disappear as your sword leaves your hand, only picking up again when you do the same to the blade. It’s another feature that can really make the boss fights even more memorable, especially if it’s timed well with certain parts of the song.

As I’ve already said, Metal Gear Rising is an odd one. It’s taken a Hollywood-inspired, story heavy political action-drama and turned it into a Japanese R-rated Saturday Morning cartoon that somehow still manages to work as part of the series. The fanbase was pretty divided on Rising, and it’s not hard to see why. Some vocal fans hated the hack and slash gameplay that ditched the tactical espionage sneaking missions of the older games in favour of a faster paced button mashing adventure, while others appreciated the fresh new take on the series and the experience it brought. With bland level design, clunky weapon switching mechanics, a messy story and obtuse combat tutorials, Rising certainly isn’t a perfect game and it could have benefitted from more polish. What it does right, though, it does oh so right. Blade Mode and the resulting Zandatsu is always fun to use, especially when you unlock the ability to perform it indefinitely later on. The boss fights are enjoyable on the higher difficulties especially, where you’re forced to play far more aggressively and fast to keep up a higher damage output while avoiding blows yourself, as all action games should be. A truly good action game to me is one that is enjoyable on the surface, but with plenty of wriggle room underneath to experiment with more of what the game has to offer. It keeps the experience fresh on replays, while you’re learning all sorts of new combos and tactics to play around with. The fact that people are still making DMC combo videos years after its release is a testament to that. While Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance doesn’t quite achieve the same level of depth and style as its more venerable Capcom compatriots, it’s still a solid action game that’s a lot of fun to play and should keep you coming back for at least two or three more runs. It’s rough around the edges, but this metal is most definitely solid.

So I picked up the HD collection this week and been giving it another whirl. I started the first one again, but goddamn it feels old now. Not that it's a bad thing, but you can definitely see it. I decided to go straight to 3 because of course that's the golden boy of the franchise and hooo boy, it's still as good as ever. The fact that the gameplay and over the top-ness is still fun as hell 13 years later is a testament to just how well designed and fluid the combat is. Being able to string together SSSTYLISH combos from loads of different attacks and timings is just so damn satisfying. When I beat it I actually want to go back and do it again on Hard just for that extra rush.

Anyone else a fan? Is it just edgy over the top bullshit? I'd recommend it to anyone who's a fan of hack and slash or action games, they're all worth a go, I think. 4 was a good...half of a game. Maybe with this recent re-release and Monster Hunter crossover they're getting us back into the DMC mood to prepare us for a new one. Who knows.

After a horrendous episode last week I've been taking it easy for a bit. Went to visit the doctor and he recommended a stress and anxiety group to join, so that's cool. I've been talking to friends a lot more and being positive, so that weird gap in my head's starting to fill up with nice thoughts for a change. Feeling more into stuff and enjoying things again. That was like the longest week ever though, Jesus fucking Christ. Anyway, doing better now and since I like talking to friends I'm here for a bit. What's up fellas?

And you respond to it by saying 'this is bait'

Then did you inadvertently take the bait yourself?

Wouldn't it be best to just swim past it?

Hope you like them because they're doing so well in GTA Online, of course! Excpect to see them clogging up RDR2 too I guess.

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-5-players-are-spending-lots-on-microtransactio/1100-6456644/

GTA 5 Players Are Spending Lots On Microtransactions, As Game Passes 90 Million Units Shipped

GTA Online and NBA 2K18 set records during the quarter for what Take-Two calls "recurrent consumer spending."

Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games and 2K Games, reported earnings for its fiscal third quarter ended December 31, 2017. It's good times for the company, as it posted gains for revenue, while GTA V's online mode continued to make a lot of money.

During the holiday season, GTA Online and NBA 2K18 set records for "recurrent consumer spending." This is Take-Two's terminology to describe revenue from microtransactions, subscriptions, DLC, and other forms of digital content.

Take-Two CFO Lainie Goldstein said during an earnings call that the company is committed to recurrent consumer spending. The goal for the company, as it has stated for years now, is to have all of its games feature microtransactions in some form. This would also include Red Dead Redemption 2, though no specific details on how microtransactions may be featured in that game have been announced.

Regarding microtransactions in general, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said, "We're focused on players, not payers." Giving people great content for free is part of what is making GTA Online so successful, he added. Zelnick went on to say that when you create compelling content, "the monetisation will take care of itself."

Additionally, GTA V the base game continues to see "robust ongoing sales," which is remarkable given that the title originally launched back in 2013. GTA V has shipped more than 90 million copies, Take-Two announced today, making it one of the most commercially successful games ever in the United States.

In December 2017, GTA Online set a new player record. More people played GTA Online during the month than ever before in the game's history, Take-Two said. The game is enduringly successful, Take-Two said, due in part to Rockstar's commitment to regularly releasing new and engaging content such as the Doomsday Heist and content themed around Halloween and Christmas.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick at one time referred to GTA Online as "the gift that keeps on giving" as it relates to the money it makes from the game's microtransactions.

Given the massive success of GTA Online, it stands to reason that Rockstar's next big game, this October's Red Dead Redemption 2, may offer something similar. All that we know for sure, however, is that the western will have a "brand-new online multiplayer experience."

Take-Two's net revenue for the quarter was $480.8 million, up from $476.5 million during the same period last year. Revenue from recurrent consumer spending jumped by 64 percent year-over-year and made up 32 percent of Take-Two's total net revenue. Unsurprisingly, GTA Online was called out as one of the main contributors.

Take-Two's profit for the quarter was $25.1 million, which is down from $29.8 million during the same period last year. Similar to many other companies, Take-Two incurred an tax expense related to Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was enacted on December 22. Take-Two's expense for this was $11.9 million, so the company would have made a profit instead of a loss under normal circumstances.

During an earnings call, Take-Two shared some further details on the company's performance during the quarter. Here are some takeaways:

NBA 2K18 has sold 8 million copies and is expected to become 2K's best-selling sports game ever.
Management said the WWE brand remains popular so there is an opportunity in the future to release more games. However, Take-Two did not share a sales number for WWE 2K8.
Take-Two reaffirmed that a "highly anticipated new title from one of 2K's biggest franchises" is still on the way. This is likely a reference to Borderlands 3.
Take-Two has been impressed with the success of the Switch so far. The company will consider bringing more titles to it where it makes sense.

I've started eating it recently. I really like it but a lot of people I know think it's fucking gross.

Do you like it?

I've noticed that different types of videogames handle difficulty in certain ways.

Part of the fun of playing action games like Devil May Cry on a higher difficulty is enemies changing tactics, doing more damage and taking a lot more skill to beat, there's a real sense of satisfaction from mastering it. Rather than just making enemies do more damage and having more health they actually change it up to keep things fresh.

In games like Fallout everything's just a fucking bullet sponge.Shooting is so clunky it just becomes about how fast you can sluggishly shuffle from side to side and pump as many healing items as you can and I don't really get anything out of it. Maybe some people get a kick out of it but I sure don't. Really not sure what else they could do in increasing the difficulty though, apart from hardcore mode.

What is your preferred system of difficulty increases in games?

List your least favorite games and reasons for doing necessarily have to be bad games, just ones you have reasons for not liking so much.

Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi- I really hate how on-rails everything feels. It all looks wonderful, but goddamn it sucks to play.

Far Cry 2- I don't want to play a game that has malaria as a gameplay mechanic

-Solo is just 'okay', not the total flop everyone is expecting, but it's just a serviceable film.

-Infinity War was enjoyable but had too many characters doing things at once so some got thrown on the wayside. Soundtrack was forgettable and the movie is going to set up about 3 other MCU films.Highest grossing movie, though.

-Disney releases another live action adaptation of a beloved aniamted classic, one that hasn't already been announced.Gets a 40-70% score on RT

-Sony announces another reboot of something

-Justice League extended cut is released and fans swarm the internet telling people it's amazing and people are wrong

-A new Pixar film about talking (objects)

Goddamn I love this song. It's been stuck in my head for days and I don't even like Mario! Is Odyssey as fun as this song?

Here we go, off the rails
Don't you know it's time to raise our sails
It's freedom like you never knew

Don't need bags, or a pass
Say the word I'll be there in a flash
You could say my hat is off to you

Oh we can zoom
All the way to the moon
From this great wide wacky world
Jump with me, grab coins with me
Oh yeah!

It's time to jump up in the air (Jump up in the air)
Jump up, don't be scared (Jump up, don't be scared)
Jump up and your cares will soar away
And if the dark clouds start to swirl (Dark clouds start to swirl)
Don't fear, don't shed a tear, 'cause
I'll be your 1UP girl

So let's all jump up super high (Jump up super high)
High up in the sky (High up in the sky)
There's no power-up like dancing
You know that you're my superstar (You're my superstar)
No one else can take me this far
I'm flipping the switch
Get ready for this
Oh, let's do the odyssey

Odyssey, ya see! (x7)
Odyssey, odyssey!

Spin the wheel, take a chance
Every journey starts a new romance
A new world's calling out to you

Take a turn, off the path
Find a new addition to the cast
You know that any captain needs a crew

Take it in stride
As you move side to side
They're just different points of view
Jump with me, grab coins with me
Oh yeah!

Come on and jump up in the air (Jump up in the air)
Jump without a care (Jump without a care)
Jump up 'cause you know that I'll be there
And if you find you're short on joy (Find you're short on joy)
Don't fret, just don't forget that
You're still our 1UP boy

So go on straighten up your cap (Straighten up your cap)
Let your toes begin to tap (Toes begin to tap)
This rhythm is a power 'shroom
Don't forget you're the superstar (You're the superstar)
No one else can make it this far
Put a comb through that 'stache
Now you've got panache
Oh, let's do the odyssey!

It's time to jump up in the air (Jump up in the air)
Jump up, don't be scared (Jump up, don't be scared)
Jump up and your cares will soar away
And if the dark clouds start to swirl (Dark clouds start to swirl)
Don't fear, don't shed a tear, 'cause
I'll be your 1UP girl

Now listen all you boys and girls (All you boys and girls)
All around the world (All around the world)
Don't be afraid to get up and move
You know that we're all superstars (We're all superstars)
We're the ones who've made it this far
Put a smile on that face
There's no time to waste
Oh, let's do the odyssey!