Thursday, 30 September 2021

Subnautica: Below Zero....


Another game I have access to via Xbox Ultimate for PC. I'd initially had a bit of hype for the game when it was announced. That was a time when I was still on a high from the first game(Subnautica is still a great game). Over time that hype faded and lead to me watching playthoughs of below Zero in it's various states. Since then I've became less interested in actually getting the game. Still; Hope of the proof in the pudding had it remain on my wishlist(for a deep sale). But not anymore. 


Playing it this week I was disappointed. Seems to be happening a lot in my gaming of late. The thing about Below Zero is that the story is weaker(imho) and there's a lack of a sense of personal character endangerment. I can really see that now in person. Also I can't help but compare it to the first game and when I do Below Zero feels like it's just all about going through the motions... 
Watching playthoughs of the original are what got me to get and play it; And it lived up to what I'd seen. Doing more in it's ambiance than I'm feeling for Below Zero now.


In the first game there was always something impending in a narrative way. Crash, survival, explosion, radiation, disease, exploration, discovery, escape. Not so in the same way at all in Below Zero. I don't care what happens to the main character or her need to 'know what happened' story; Which seems to fade away fast. There's noting like crashing on a planet to find out about your sister only to get distracted by an alien and doing his errands. Sarcasm aside the main characters enthusiasm(obliviousness?) for what she does is off-putting to me. I much prefer my non talking protagonist from the first game.

Waffle and nit-picking, blogger gonna blog.

While this game does have it's good moments Below Zero is a clone. It may have the looks but there's something 'deep' missing from it. A clone with a genetic corruption of weak story. 

Graphically it's still beautiful, especially at night when you can see the florescence. The new setting is 'cool', ice and water with great weather effects from storm to aurora. The music is great as well(some Youtubers do make a game more fun). Good sound and visuals are appealing but not enough to drive as motivation for me in this game.



The gameplay basics are the same as the first game. Some interesting additions/changes. All that and yet I feel as if the game is ... watered down. It's hard to put my finger on. Even the addition of a land leviathan doesn't feel like a real threat; A 'boss' to avoid and get around but not one that I felt would stop me in my tracks(unlike Reapers). Maybe that's just me after spending so long in the first game. 


If this is your first look at either Subnautica game I'd suggest you go play the first, first. 
Playing Below Zero makes me miss Subnautica. It all 'felt' better done there. That's not to say I don't appreciate the quality of life improvements on some of the game elements in Below Zero. Larger rooms or the way you can now see a visual UI element for items needed. The Sea Truck compromise between Seamoth and Cyclops is very Love/Hate.

Seeing a returning character form the first game is a great moment and that side of her story is really great. 


The beginning and middle of the story of Below Zero are 'meh' for me. The rest is so very 'meh'. The A.L.A.N. story at least for me never really felt compelling it's more a means to an end(an ending). Sometimes less is more and a mystery may have been better with regard to the Precursor. The start and end are like two separate narratives mushed together. 


Looking back in the run up to the games 'full' release I expected more. Maybe the troubles with it's story were at least in part due to the first game being a hard act to follow and that compounded their narrative choices when trying so hard to make it work. 

So I spoke about watching playthrough's......Two good playthrough's I've watched are from:


Wednesday, 29 September 2021

Games with Gold....


Games with Gold for October'21 like other months another 4 games I'll claim and try. As usual 'Meh' is the general feeling in this regard. If they click with me they click with me. 

Aaero. Available October 1 to 31. 
Looks interesting. After playing The Artful Escape I've more considered time to give to games with rhythm/Simon says mechanics. A game that reminds me of Race the Sun as well.

Hover. Available October 16 to November 15
The last time I played a game called Hover is was Hover! and came with the Windows 95 disk. However the version going free here is vastly different and a lot more like Jet set radio in an 'inspired by' way.  

Castlevania: Harmony of Despair. Available October 1 to 15
While I've not been 'into' a Castlevania game since the original NES(borrowed from a cousin) this could be more interesting me than the other games this month.... 

Resident Evil Code: Veronica X. Available October 16 to 31
Another game franchise I've never been 'into'. A 'side' entry for the games, reading up it's supposedly not a bad game but not a great game either...


Claim and try and be pleasantly surprised ... It does happen..... Proof in the pudding etc.

Tuesday, 28 September 2021

Stardew Valley....

It's been a long time since I was last in the game in a meaningful way never mind blog about it. That's just a me thing, on all counts, play it and blog about it after I have.. Too many games and not enough time. My last post was about the release of the 1.5 patch. Even in that I'd said the same thing. This last year or so I think Stardew Valley has reached the maxed out level of casual gameplay it can give me.

I've dipped in and out to 'stay in touch' with the game; Doing some small progressions on content. Like the Auto-Grabber for my Coops. Technically a patch 1.4 addition but I'd only 'noticed' that it worked in coops when 1.5 hit!


New items like the fridge and phone had to be added to the farm as well.



While I may never use it, as it is new, the sewing machine had to also be placed.... Maybe of use in the future.


And the same can be said for the Jukebox.


And of course the farm computer also needed to be added in(winter farm analysis).


I also setup a section of farm to be used with the Mahogany Seeds so a new 'local' source of hard wood.


The game has a lot of surprises and hidden events/items. It was only due to a GoG tweet this week that I saw this. So I got to claim it for the kids room....




I got to find out about and see the Trash Bear!


Took part(properly) in the Ice fishing.... Even after all these in-game years.


The Special Orders notice board in town was interesting but not too long in it's quests. I've gotten most of the 'new' rewards I want from it. 

Helped Gus in the Bar....


As well as the ladies of the town.


There are still some items I'd like but if the quests don't show then I can't get them.... Two remain that I really want, the Geode Crusher and Solar Panel.

1.5 has so many new items..... Hats, Rings(Soul Sapper Ring restores a bit of energy after slaying a monster), clothing, weapons, furniture..... At this stage I'm not sure what I've missed previously and whats new new. Most of it's not of 'real' practical use to me. 

I got to get to Mr. Qi. I've been avoiding the 'go to level 200'; So I went to level 200 to see him via a ton of crafted stairs which are now, thankfully, stackable in inventory.


The mini Obelisk Wizard reward is interesting and nice for jumping about on my own farm.


The big ticket item, the new island, is both good and bad as motivation for me. Good in that there are new things to get/do; Bad as there is a grind element to a lot of it that takes time.


That's not to say that I've not enjoyed getting there and doing it's content. I have.



On the island I've met Leo and maybe 50% of the other NPC's. I've collected new quests. Some done and lots more still to do. A lot to unlock yet but I'd mainly aim for the island shop and farm(unlock resort). So much to do....The grind for the Walnut currency is really off-putting to me. 

The Volcano dungeon was interesting and 'different'. Quick access to the Dwarvish forge for weapon enchanting is really nice.


I've upgraded/enchanted the gear as much as I can(for now).



This maybe going back a bit but I found this video from a youtuber (WickedyChickady) on the Volcano dungeon/enchanting very helpful.

The 'only' further upgrade I'd be interested in is the Infinity Blade Upgrade which needs Galaxy Souls from Mr Qi's, which in turn needs to be bought with his currency from his shop. Long winded grind... But it's not like I can't kill anything I come across so really whats the point in doing it other than to do it.... 
Shrine of Challenge; Grinding Keygem's.... I'm not feeling it no matter the rewards(Pressure Nozzle / Enricher). But I've not been doing much crop 'farming' on the farm since I got the greenhouse up and running. I've mainly been dealing with the animals and processing their items.

However the grind and unlocking the rest of the island..... Not seeing it being done at all.

Yep my weariness for the various grinds is real. No wonder I just hop back to my farm and potter about for a day then leave. As I said Stardew Valley has reached the maxed out level of casual gameplay it can give me. Maybe in the future I'll 'really get back into it'; But I've covered so much if I don't I won't think I missed anything.

If I play the game I play the game. Specific purpose or not. Fun is fun and gameplay mood is gameplay mood.

Monday, 27 September 2021

Minecraft(Xbox)....


It's been a while since I last looked at Minecraft on Xbox. In retrospect my blog post last time was more dismissive then the game deserved. So I've recently restarted playing it and continued on from that old 'save'. What I said in that post is still true. After playing it again now it's still a lot like other cross platform titles; The same but that bit different. I say that a lot about games I see across PC and Xbox. Hard to explain but the 'little' differences make it a familiar new experience and not in a Déjà vu kind of way. Besides that, moods change as do perspectives. I appreciate it more now. 
My PC save and restarting there would feel more like work due to having done so much there already(years of building on a save since the games early day's when it was 'free'). Doing it on a new platform feels refreshing. So a new start on a new platform with no pre-existing baggage at all is appealing. A distraction that has sunk hours of time. Gaming, it's all personal perspective.


It's odd to me to see the monetization/market space and it's 'currency'. Maybe that's me and my Java edition superiority complex. I'd known things were like that on Xbox but seeing it myself ....... I didn't think it was so extensive. Given it's not a 'main' version of a game for me I'll not be doing anything with that side of it.


What has proved to be a strong motivator to gameplay is getting achievements. It's 'nice' to 'just' play and get the achi popup...... Sense of achievement for the achievement...... Aiming for some that are 'out of the way' also add to the mix. Others are too much work and not even aimed for.

The stats on achievements like in other games, have me pondering the playerbase.

Some are explainable. People love bunny rabbits so they aren't going to go out of their way find never mind kill, cook and eat one in game. There are plenty of other 'options' for that. 8.6% have had bunny, I get it.


Farming and breeding animals is a more 'specialist' activity, 17.2% have bred cows. I get it.

Visit 17 Biomes. 38%. Not everyone can visit everywhere... I get it. 

Stopping starvation with Rotten Flesh. Just like the bunnies but in reverse.7.9%. I get it(I only did it for the achievement).

I even get the 4.9% making charcoal and 6.1% crafting and using a flower pot. Not everyone is going to want those things.


What I don't get are some of these....

Make a crafting bench..55.9%. Who plays Minecraft and not make a workbench!

Make a cobble furnace... 46% ........................?

Made a wooden pickaxe... 54.5 % ........................? Really ?

Make a wooden sword... 52.5%  ........................?

Only 63% have punched a tree to get a wooden block....  that IS Minecraft.!!?!?!??!?

BUT 

Only 67% opened the inventory...............Sixty Seven Percent.................. What ?!?!?!?


Given the range of versions and modes I'm sure the stats are skewed. Playing Multiplayer only and/or creative mode. Still it's 'interesting' to see and mull/comprehend the stats.



My save on Xbox is a good lil'adventure. Yes I've been burned by lava, blown up by creepers, slapped about by Slenderman, speared by drowned, looted villages and gotten lost. Noting like the motivation of creating a new compass in the wilderness as motivation(and all the tools needed to do so). Survival mode at it's best. But getting back to home sweet home where things are plentiful and safe is always a good feeling......... Then gearing up for a new expedition.

Things have changed a bit since I captured these screenies but they give a good snapshot of my save..... 

A Netherbrick eternal flame.... That I use for waste disposal.....


Bit'o'farmin....


Decent all in one house....


House come animal shed at the back....


In retrospect, is it odd to have a potential bbq area next to the animals....



Horse and donkey stabled on the opposite side....





While I did craft a Golem he has since wandered off or been destroyed.....MIA


Fencing off a portal I created helps with 'interacting' with any Pigmen that wander through.


Behind that is an early build, observation platform. Nothing like a birds eye view to see whats about.



A ladder up and down is good but a trapdoor down to water is handier.


As for inside the house, all mod cons.... Nothing fancy but all practical. The only thing I need to try and get is a bit of an enchanting addition.




The blacksmiths table is hidden in the corner. A lot of things like that around.