“gaming,” “gaming channel,” “gaming videos,” “gaming commentary,” “gaming news." Gaming, Gaming, Gaming!

All the #hastags!

 

I'd be doing my nut in if I was actually into doing the Youtube/influencer monetization shpeel, trying to gain follower numbers etc etc. Then again if it was easy...... Best of luck to them but I'm just here to waffle on the internet. Still playing the games that interest me(one way or another). Make of that what you will.

 

 

 

 

 

Quake 2(remastered)....

I was surprised when I saw the Xbox trailer released for Quake 2's remake/remaster/rerelease(its info has called it a lot of things all in one). I'd no idea they were making it a remake as well as the first game!

 

Xbox

 

Even more surprised when I saw that it was released the same day as the trailer. Surprised again when I see on Steam that anyone who already owns the game will get the updated remaster free as an update!

 

Of course my nostalgia got the better of me. It's been years since I got the Quake games never mind again on disc and never mind again on Steam; But I was back there in the day, 10,000 years ago, Quake 2 nostalgia here!

The updates to the game are apparent, all in good ways. Mostly the A.I.(imho).

In replaying some of the game I was very much in a zone of turning up the music. I'm glad it's back in the game with this new remastered version. It makes for a large part of the game experience(for me)!

 

The intro alone brings me back. The remastered version does look the part, as does every part that's been updated. With care and attention. Another remaster of a game that will bring old and new players together.

A Casual Carebear Gamer

 

 

 

 

 

Mass Effect Andromeda....

 

With a recent glut of Xbox time I got to reenter the worlds of ME: Andromeda. More for my curiosity again than any need for game completion. It's been a few months since I was last in the game; Getting back into the game wasn't traumatic. Once you get a handle on the UI it's not hard to get back to, selecting mission from the journal and follow it's point, then go. 

 

Some controls like the vehicle are still a pain hassle.... Exit vehicle and exit planet altogether rather than just the vehicle happens. 

 

All in all I completed a few side missions, nothing really major.  Skipping dialogue all the way. So I guess that means I'm still familiar with the game and it's B.S. verbosity. Not even I can handle much of it's waffle.

 

 

 

 

 

Over all I think I'd be more happy with the game if it was a more detached standalone game that did a better job of owning it's own niche.  

 

No matter how long I play and all that I see mechanics/story etc etc. TLDR no surprise it's a game that could have been done better(on all fronts).

 

I'm not sure it's a game I'll get back to again. I'll probably get curious, see/play the game again, be reminded of what it is and then leave it again; But it has a hook, it's still Mass Effect and it still has some fun to it. It is what it is but it's got that itch that needs to be scratched(at least with me).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking of a glut of Xbox time... I picked up three older games for super cheap prices; A few euro each. All purchased out of game curiosity and the fun of making an actual physical purchase.

Genesis Alpha One (€3), Quantum Break (€4), The Division (€2).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Genesis Alpha One....

 

A game I got on PC and played for a good bit.

Team17

All in all the experience is the same. Playing the Xbox version is not as different an experience as I'd expected(some of my PC time here). It can be less accurate in aiming but that's not a real problem, it's a console/controller thing. Still I'd expected some port alterations but, no, it's the same game. Which is a good thing.

A good video I watched for info to refresh my memory on the game is also a console iteration from a youtuber called Sleepless Knights Studios - 11 Things The Tutorial Doesn't Tell You 

 

A game to play for playing rather than getting too 'end' specific. Progress is good but it can all go south very very quickly(that's just the game).

 

I messed about with the tutorial level and had fun. Given I got a second hand disk for a few euro I was surprised to see the game online (normal and deluxe) digital purchase costing about €30.

It's also an Xbox install that's on the smaller side which was nice to see. Not 60, 40 or even 20 Gigabytes..... It's install is 6 GB.

In messing about with the game I could see all the old issues I was having on PC crop up. It's a game of quick cascade failure if you don't manage an issue well. That said I still think it's hilarious when a member of your crew gets a cold; And as they head to their quarters to rest they leave a trail of genetic snot as they sneeze. Which then mutates into a smothering ship infestation. That genetic goo has ended more than one run of the game for me.

Nice to see the game on console. Not sure if I'll spend a lot of time on it but it's an option now.

 

 

 

 

Quantum Break....

 

A game I've never played before. I'd watched playthoughs, back in the day by Lomadiah - Quantum Break #1 - The Beginning; And jacksepticeye - RUNNING OUT OF TIME | Quantum Break #1

I'd heard at the games release about the TV tie-in. Which I'd never seen at any time. Given some snippets on youtube that's probably a good thing. 

Some interesting and different mechanics make the game maintain some interest if not being a fully unique experience. It's story ideas are not exactly original, even when it was released as the new franchise of note. Microsoft really did go all in on it at the time.

 

 

Overall, the game and all about it was well received; But with what I now know I'm glad it hadn't had it's luck pushed. It was what it was and it was left as it was. In playing the game now I can appreciate that. As well as appreciate that there were no follow ups of any kind. The game is what it is. Worth seeing in the flesh but not as groundbreaking as it was supposed to be.

 

 

 

 

 

Playing the game is 'o.k.'. There are cool moments in the action of the game(dash bashing enemies etc). As well as larger world pauses as you disarm all the guards. The gunplay and platforming mixed in does have interesting combined elements overall. That said I'm less pleased by them because I'm a generalist and not a min/max player. I'm not going to chain a string of actions to 'be epic'.

 

In looking back at the screenshots I took I see an issue that also was an annoyance at times. The camera angle. I may want to look at what the character is doing but all I get is a set view of his head. Not so much in 3rd person action but in interaction scenes the back of the main characters head is always more central than what I want to look at. I'm not sure what it is about this game that's making me notice that more but it has. It may just be the lack of player control/angles of view with such scenes.

The rag-doll mechanics of fallen foes is also a fun one to mess about with(even unintentionally).

Another game I'm sure I'm not in the right mindset/mood to fully get into. I guess I'm bringing to much pre-baggage to the party. Glad to see it all in person rather than a playthough, so maybe I'll get into it in the future when I see the game that it is for itself.

 

The Division....

 

The only reason this was included was that I literally picked it up for €2. It was cheap. 

As good as the multiplayer/PvP side may still be I do have an interest in the Single player side that was worth checking it out again. I may as well do so with it cheap on Xbox.

 

I do like physical media....  

 

A game I've played in trials on PC. The main reason against the game in my hindsight is that the enemies are spongy bullet magnets.That said the fact that there's body injury damage on enemies is a really good thing. On the down side there's those kamikaze baseball bat enemies that are a real danger in an OP kind of way.

I think I've done the trial on PC twice using the same account and character.... Now with the disc on Xbox there must be a link as on entering the Xbox game I'm on the same character.

 

My old PC trial clip:

A Casual Carebear Gamer

With whatever link is linked between PC and Xbox all the free/unlocked kit was constantly popping up on Xbox as well; Which was nice to see. I've played a lot of their games over the years.

Maybe I'll get to finish the start of the game, claim my free stuff and play the game proper?!

 

 

 

 

 

Darkest Dungeon....

 

Like a lot of games I play, enjoyment in their doing. Just by doing. So to with Darkest Dungeon.

A lot more of the same. Small, slight adjustments and victories.

 

 

Progress in this current run, easiest of the modes as it may be is proving to be both surprising and fun at times. Morso than the other harder modes. I've waffled on this blog about all that before, for years.

 

 

Adding to the story of this run's time I was tempted to do the first of the actual Darkest Dungeon runs.

I was halted by my own need to try and finish off the last of the main (normal) dungeon bosses. The last of the drowned crew shouldn't be as hard as I'm finding it. As I was finding it! 

Dogged persistence and much cursing/profanity was had and payed off. Realistically determination and luck. Getting a blight crew of heroes doing it(just their turn next) was good but luck got two positive sanity checks. That helped more(anchor did not hold them). A fight that took long enough but got there in the end. About time!

 

 

Now to tidy things up, rests heroes etc and move onto the next challenge; A run in the actual Darkest Dungeon. With luck there will be no pushback!

 

 

 

 

 

Euro Truck Sim 2 & American Truck Sim....

 

Both games were enjoyment is enough in gameplay. Doing for the doing of it. So I've 'just' been doing that. Messing about with trucks, trailers and garages..... Mainly in ETS 2.

 

American Truck Sim seems to be getting a lot more updates as not only the latest DLC is out with it's event but the next DLC was also shown off. Nebraska.

 

Euro Truck Sim 2 had patch 1.48 implemented in all it's glory. Patches like this put other games to shame.  Patch 1.48 Release

 

 

 

 

 

 

PowerWash Simulator....

 

While the news of more free DLC is nice to see I'm a bit PowerWashed out. Update 1.4 – The next Muckingham Files update.

 

The end map for the main campaign is noting really difficult and by comparison to later (free)DLC it's not even the worst amount of cleaning to do.... It's just gonna take time; A whole lot of precious time...... By the time I'm done with it I'll need time away from the game.

 

For now progress is progress. I'll be happy when it's done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Planet Crafter....

 

Crafting is crafting. Running the export business into the ground where no matter how much I supply in manual 'tweaking'; The systems seem broken. Specifically the Drones. I've no idea what way things work with them from a Game Dev point of view but as a user stuck on a planet I've no faith in them. They do too much random strangeness to be fully relied on. Maybe I just need to get another 50 drones. I'm at that stage. I see there are idle drones yet materials need to be moved! It's kind of frustrating at time.

 

With a lot of excess tokens I've purchased a lot of store frog spawn and been replacing and adding to the ecosystem. The more tokens earned the more I'll splurge that way to make the terraforming index go as high as I can till the next update. This is the way.

 

So letting the main exporting, do it's thing..... However it's doing it. I've gotten to another stage there where I need to halt it all, pause the rockets. Let the drones fill up whats lacking (like 10 Zeolite miners filled with ore not being moved by drones)....... And waiting.

But I'm not really waiting as I've also setup more mini export setups around the planet. Am I overloading the system? No idea, all I know is that two thirds of my drones are usually chilling doing nothing at the drone base....

 

Uranium mined and processed on site into Rods and the only drone movement needed is to move the rods from the autocrafter to the launcher 50 feet away. They can't don't seem to have fecked that up yet.

 

The process is processing 'mostly', 'mostly'.

 

 

 

 

 

Eve Online....

While I can't say I've played the game, I can say I've used it. 

 

With the start of the Alliance Tournament(which I don't even watch); There was 25 free Plex given away. Which I claimed on all my Accounts.

Then there was then another tournament related giveaway, 10 days of Omega Time for 10 Plex. Which I did on all my accounts. Nice of them 'eh'. 

 

 

So technically I did play the game as both my main accounts are now Omega and have access to P.I. again. Which saw me re-starting those process chains again. I doubt I'll be doing anything with them but at least they will be gathering and processing. 

Plus I logged in as each account's main character and started up skills/10 days of training skills(alts).

 

Still with some of the free Plex not used I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop; The next giveaway will be for Plex but for 20 instead of the remaining 15 so 'luckily' there will be a 'sale' of cheap low volume Plex.... Too cynical? Then again maybe I'll have to pick myself up off the floor in shock that the other shoe is something good for 15 Plex..... CCP made me this cynical about themselves; Because business is business to CCP. Players are consumers in more than one way.

 

On another note I only read during the week a post by Youtuber delonewolf on his community tab. He's stepping away from the Youtubez for a while and ending his economics weekly report. Sad to see but that's all selfishness on my part; I'll miss the reports but good luck to him getting his gaming and enjoyment as a hobby back! He's still playing Eve so with luck I may actually cross path's at some stage! 

 

 

 

 

 

Star Trek Online....

I've been consolidating characters, assets and ships. I kind of started that last week but it's continues on. Both PC and Xbox versions. Even on my main on PC I've dry-docked ships and used some of the stored up buffs/bonuses. He is my main after all. About time I've used him as such again.

 

I saw a few characters dress/made as Pee-wee Herman but this guy really looked the part.

 

Maybe it's the time of year but both PC and Xbox have seen plenty of characters around. I've not had to queue for any content for more than a few seconds!

 

 

On the Endevours I'm still not using perk points..... Not that I need to but maybe with luck there'll be an iteration to the system and I'll be looking to use them.

 

 

The free Alienware STO promo(for PC) is still active and only a few players seem to have used it. Missed opportunity for free stuffs!

https://eu.alienwarearena.com/ucf/show/2168281/boards/contest-and-giveaways-global/Giveaway/star-trek-online-tholian-incursion-pack-giveaway

 

 

Due to the Trek Birthday there's was(is still?) an experimental upgrade free on the store. Yoink!

 

 

The current event in practice isn't as altered as I thought it would be. It's still quick fun but nothing 'that' different. It's still not got a fail state. I wish it did as it was fun to heal up/protect the main NPC to win.

The reward set for the event is another event reward that's aimed more for newer players rather than those 'well settled' or stuck in their ways (stuck, like me). 

 

 

 

Doing a few days of the event also made the main campaign reward pop and I claimed it. I've not decided on claiming from the rewards yet. There is no time limit after all so I'll wait and see.

CasualSAB had a video on the Campaign 5 Prize Breakdown & Recommendations, worth a look for yout consideration.

 

 

 

 

DAVE THE DIVER....

Dave, Dave, Dave the Diver; The game really is Dave the Diver: Life Simulator. The amount of popup's, stories, story progression and side tangents is insane. None of which takes away from the game, only adds to it. None of it feels like it gets in the way, only enhances(pun?). The amount of text I'd need to explain....... Well it's better if I just show you some of it: