Torchlight III....

The Spring update interested me as the new class came with it. The Cured Captain.

While I've only played a few levels in game with the class, overall it's been fun. I'm biased and lack the finessed nuances of the games min/max 'serious' gamers. I'm all about overriding brute force firepower. Firepower and electric relic. The main weapon of the class is a ships cannon used as a shotgun. Whats not to like.

I really like the looks, the aesthetics of the class are great; The abilities even more so. They really fit with the class and make it fun to play. That's not to denigrate the capes.... The capes are cool.

While the notes say there are more pet slots... I already had the max of 50 and there were no new pet slots. The second I got my new character in game I was hit with the 50 limit and was asked to ditch a pet. Not a fun thing after you've just selected a new pet for your new character.

The resource of the class comes from chance drops from enemies; That chance is high. Maybe too high! (Jinxed it!!) As the main dev blog says "Doubloons have a chance to drop upon striking enemies with any attack or skill.  Unlike most resources, the Doubloons must be physically collected in the world, so positioning and awareness of a fight is critically important.". It's an easier system than it sounds. I had no problem with it at all. The only annoying thing is that once the meter becomes full and there's no more enemies to kill, the area still has Doubloons that you can't be pick up. That's a very OCD me thing.... Drops I can't pick up lead to me overusing abilities for no purpose other than to pick up items that I don't really need to pick up.... OCD for sure. I'm sure I could learn to visually block out their animation but yea ..... OCD.

The Cursed Captain has been good to see and I think it's a class I'd favor over all the others after the Forged. However it's not enough for me to really 'get back into' the game. The Forged is still my goto favorite class.

Games with Gold....

The King's Bird.... Looks to be a game of interest for me. It's art style reminds me of the Abzu and Journey games. As does the gameplay; all about the journey, the challenge of the journey and the views. A platformer with a difference that appeals to me. With a side of Super Meatboy wall use without the blood.... I'll be giving a try and see if it clicks!

Shadows: Awakening.... While it looks like a great game visually I'm hesitant of all (serious(?)) isometric RPG's these days; Mainly because I was into Divinity:OS and quickly fell out of it just as hard. The RPG isometric straw that broke me. Shadows isn't as unique as it says it is but I'll give it a go and see for myself. If it clicks with me I'll give it more time. Even at that it's a stretch for me to try.

NeoGeo Battle Coliseum.... Seems to be a love it or loath it fighter. Given my loss of love for all fighting games I have no need for another.... Even a free one.

Injustice Gods Among Us....... A DC fighting game. A parallel universe with Superman as a Tyrant. Meh. Not a good follow up given what I thoughts of Battle Coliseum. I've just no interest in it, it's looks or premise.

Talk about a month of games that point out my changing gameplay wants and needs over time. 

Total War ROME Remastered....

The original game is one I've bought a few times since it came out. Iterations over the years due to the needs of the day of different Windows operating systems; All of which have their own saved game versions. A long-term game that may as well be a 'lifelong' game for me. Total War Rome Remastered(Rome Total War Remastered(wording - shakes fist)) like so many other newly remastered games seem to be setting a trend of respectful reworking a game to be 'modern' while also .... doing it well. I hope that trend lasts.

No reinvention of the wheel here, 'just' enhancing it with reinforcements and spikes..... The Remaster is definitely a 10/10 on how a remaster should be done. As for my old saves, it can read and load all post patch 1.3 saves including all Barbarian Invasion and Alexander expansion saves. 

Old...

Remaster....

Seeing the remastered version in action has and continues to be great. I've already poured in a lot of time to it. It enhances the game to be 'modern' in all the best ways. In looks and game options. With the best option of all.... Turn off all the new options! Another game that caters to player needs. Options are a games and a gamers best friend.

Still I've found myself going back to old saves in the old game (Steam version) and staying there to play some more as well. I've not fully transitioned to remaster only yet! Maybe it's ongoing nostalgia. Maybe I 'just like' the older look of the original. The old game hasn't lost anything over the years. Even now with the remaster it's not really replaced the old game(for me, for now at least). Both have the playability for sure but the remaster makes it more palatable for 'newer' gamers to get into it; And old dogs like me get all the mod cons. Speaking of remasters and graphics; That's one thing that the Command and Conquer remaster did well. On the fly graphical switching between the old and new looks. The new graphics of Rome took a moment for me to get used to. Close to two decades of being used to seeing the old maps/empire's and game-play and my setup now in a modernized did take me a mo..... But well used to it now. Another version of the game to put hundreds of hours into...

Old...

Remaster....

Old...

Remaster....

Command & Conquer(Remastered)....

While I have no interest in the C&C Rivals mobile game it's release made me think there was little hope of reliving past RTS glory in newer iterations of the franchise. That view may still be true, but the remaster of C&C and RA have been way better than I expected. Remasters done right! Bringing hope for the future....  

Each iteration is it's own thing, I get it. A C&C game today will be and have different elements/mechanics to suit it's intended audience and/or release platform. If not for the remasters I'd be complaining about franchises not moving forward with their own already built in fan/player base; But that's a cross platform, cross media thing in this day and age.

For me the remaster was a surprise. As details were released the hope and wish that they 'don't fúck it up' was turned into excitement; Learning of the additional 'behind the scenes' content brought hype. The Nostalgia is strong for me....

While I had 'talked myself down' from getting the remastered edition; The proof of the pudding was in the eating... And now it's on sale on Steam....And I got it.

Seeing and 'knowing' it in person was a massive hit to the nostalgia system. The fact that the vast majority of my old saves still worked was a big factor in that! (Correction re wrong version - I'm confused a.f.on that score). All of it on my main game library/platform(Steam) at half price (€9.99); how could I say no. So I got it. I'm still an 'own it' PC gamer. While I'm just about over not owning a physical copy of software I'm nowhere near games as a service outside of MMO's. 

Anyway, Command and Conquer Remastered(C&C and RA with lots of goodies); More to see, more to do, lots of fun still to be had!

Hades....

 

Hades, while I may be late to the party I've been getting into the game over the last couple of weeks. While I've plinked away at it since I bought it(last February along with Bomber Crew and Torchlight III), it has very much sat on the back-burner of my gaming. No fault of it's own. Too many games and not enough time. I really do like so much of it's elements. It well deserves all it's accolades. In short it does it all so well! Graphics, audio, the characters and humour, it's got style and I love it for it all! 

Gameplay for me has ranged from pure button mashing to thought out considered choices. Regardless of what you choose, sometimes random is random and you have to roll with it. Not that I've done any real farming in the game. As random as the game can be there is a lot of repetition.

It does seem to need a lot if you want to get/have/collect/upgrade and 'do' it all. The games style does a lot to easy it. For me and my current gameplay needs I've long since lost the farm/grinding in a game. I guess I'm more choosy than a completionist for the sake of it. Hades is no different on that score(for me).

Hades does it all well. I've been enjoying it but I've felt frustrations creeping in. After persisting I knew I was at a stage where the game would have faded away unplayed and then later uninstalled. But the game has a 'God Mode', Ill named but apt theme as it increases your survivability the more you get killed. A true gift from the gods. 

Once turned on your first death allows 20% damage resistance on your next run, then every subsequent death/run allows an additional 2% till you reach 80%. While a player may never reach (depending on player and farming/activities) anywhere near 80%(maybe, maybe not!?); It all allows an edge to bring enjoyment back to the adventure. Allowing grinding without as much punishment for the efforts. Hope of percentages in your favour. 

A game that allows players to facilitate gameplay has to be well commended. Each to their own. There's so much of the game to be seen and enjoyed. More now that I've turned on that mode and there is renewed 'hope' of enjoyment. 

Star Trek Online....

So much has and yet hasn't happened in STO since I last posted. Looking back on the old posts (March & April); My STO time proves the more things change the more they stay the same(for the most part). Be it on PC with a million alts or on Xbox with a handful.

Events have come and gone, dailies have been done and tweak's to ships and fits both space and ground have all been part of the process, all taken time but not really a thing to blog about in detail. So I'll waffle.

As much as the constant in game events are now an ongoing occurrence to be taken for granted; As much as they've gotten me to get back and play more and more of the game, I'm feeling a longterm burnout that I can't get out of. If I do 'miss' something I'll 'feel' that loss, so I persist. The game is as relentless as the Borg. The last while has been the first time I've felt like that with this game.

This is a time in Trek Online that reminds me of a time in WoW when PuG LFR's were done for 'welfare epics'. If everyone can have it then everyone is special and in turn making it all no longer special for anyone. If you do it you stay afloat, current,  if not you fall behind. Raise the bar that high and you hit a ceiling soon enough. STO has enough length, width and depth to make this kind of thing last a while for the general population. But like WoW, STO needs to cater to the elites as well, so I guess that explains the new ships and constant event/content to run them through. Still there are limits(?).

Anyway.

Events have come and gone, their dailies done and rewards claimed. I enjoyed the First Contact Day. The rocket building event is one I really like because it's 'just fun'.

The return of the Phoenix prize packs was good for claiming more upgrade tokens and with all the prize pack claiming I also got to get two Epic tokens. Every day is a good day with Grym. Those two tokens were spent on a Nandi Warship for my Ferengi alt.

And my main picked up the Kobali Samsar. Which I used with a best in inventory fit to run random TFO joyrides's til it's mastery was finished. Not a ship I'd use as it's turn rate feels like a beached whale but the console it comes with is  'nice'. Overall a good ship that I can't use well. It'll live in dry dock if/when if might get the TLC it deserves sometime in the future(maybe). 

(images here show it with the Romulan Vanity Shield)

The Red Alert events (two have come and gone) were taken advantage of. Maybe the first more than the second for reputation mark grinding. So much so that I stopped doing it on alts that really had no need of the marks let alone the reputation as they are parked as dilithium farmers 99.99% of the time.

Even on my Xbox main I've claimed the War Targ(which won't replace the Elachi Walker). Next event on that platform is 'soon'(as is the Phoenix prize and Red Alerts (Speak of the devil)). Which reminds me I'll 'have to' create 3 Delta characters on the Xbox and get them through the tutorial...... Just to have. By doing both the PC and Xbox versions of the game I've compounding my own longterm STO burnout fever. 

My new Delta recruits have been leveled/progressed a bit as has my KDF recruit. 

My Romulan Delta is partnered with my wife's version of Rom Delta; Which has proved yet again that I'm not as casual as I think I am with the game. Still I'm having fun and making progress. It's not like I don't have other characters/alts to be doing things on when joint gaming sessions can't be done.

Progress is progress, fun is fun. I've had and am having both on my Rom Delta.

Finally got that Delta charterer into the latest reward ship which I think'll be 'her ship' from here on in.

As for my KDF recruit, he's still ploughing through content.

His Receiver rewards are at a stage where it's taking a bit more time and effort to complete more parts.

Looking at whats left indicates I'll need to really use melee weapons on ground missions to get the 500, 1000 and 2500 npc 'kills'. Effort.

Getting the remaining 4 rewards from the 'Unforgettable' portion will take a lot of time and effort as it's taken so much already to get the first two claimed. At least each one works/counts towards the next.

More time than effort is needed for the episode arc completions for the 'Deeds worthy of song' section. Motivation is also a factor, as the arcs are so often repeated across alts for the same reasons. Delta's need them as much as KDF recruits for transponders/receivers rewards. Some of those arcs are long; But should also help with the melee combat side as well.

'Fight for glory' is the most 'doable' of the bunch. Space TFO's be it random or specific are a lot more casually repeatable as content goes.

Lots done, lots to do.

Still there's enjoyment in his over-sized nature, I get a laugh at his presence in cut-scenes. The more serious the scene the more funny it looks.

Some missions are more hilarious than others with him..... 

Like a certain rappelling mission, with each bound I can't help but say.....

I'm Batman!

I'm Batman!

I'm Batman!

I'm Batman!

The more things change the more they stay the same.

More broadly and with the 'Research is so easy' perspective of my wife, I've actually 'gotten into' doing some R&D. Aimed mainly at Quality upgrades. Sorely needed on my main never mind alts. All of which is proving 'interesting'. Makes me glad I've hoarded materials on mains and alts. R&D isn't all that bad once you 'get into it'. 3 slivers = 1 Shard, 3 Shards = 1 Fragment, 3 Fragments + dilithium = A Quality Tech upgrade. It's doable.

Mix in the Tech mark upgrades from the Phoenix store and it's a combination worth doing. Not that I've done a lot of it but in understanding it at least I now know. Which means I have the option to grind it out if it's 'worth it' case by case, item by item.

The journey does go on.....

ETS 2....

The Iberian DLC has captured my attention more than others in the recent past and I think it's because it 'feels' more real.

That's not an accurate scientifically reasoned proof but it's me, my gaming and so is subjective(I run on a lot off of  'Gut' feeling, it's served me well). But I guess updated graphics and game-play updates can do that to a game. Simulation being more simulationey!

The loading/delivery docks are made more awkward by already having trucks and trailers in place which you need to work around. Navigating industrial estates is not simple even with GPS. The roundabouts are as much hassle in game as in real life and I like it it for it! I've found myself avoiding using the auto-GPS routes in favor of (slightly) longer manual navigation points to avoid smaller roads when hauling bigger trailers. The world 'seems' more real. Again, No surprise in a simulation game about driving large trucks but it does it so well! Subtlety.

While I've not trucked outside of the DLC area since it's launch I'm sure the A.I. traffic is also....... 'area appropriate'. In game, I've seen van drivers undertake and cut back in at a roundabout.....That may be a very generalized dig at a nation of drivers and their A.I. counterparts but if true in game I'd like to get back to Italy and see if it's as true there as well..... That would be 'interesting'(says the guy from Ireland!).

Each to their own but this game clicks with a lot of gamers for a lot of different reasons; Gotta love a game that does that. Community. 

I've put in a good few hours with the DLC and visited all of it's new cities/towns.

A lot of contracts completed a lot of nice sights seen.

There are still a few achievements as motivation beyond managing my logistical trucking empire.

Aye, lots done, more to do.