Wormerine

I love SM:P remake, and dancing minigame is easily my favourite minigame in the whole game. Maybe because I don't have a dance partner.

I am excited for it to be 50% off.

Because it’s never that. I don’t mind developing a love interest with a companion. Or having a companion have a romance (like in Outer Worlds). But when every companion tries to get in bed with PC or with each other it becomes ridiculous. It turns from fun fantasy adventure to one of those reality shows. And easy example of companions downgraded with romance is PoE => PoE2. We just don’t get such a varied and interesting cast in the sequel as almost everyone needs to be boinkable. I will take Sagani, Grieving Widow or Durance anytime over ripped Takehu, horny Xoti, or cool sexy Maia. And yes, I can turn down their creepy advances, but then they publically start hitting on each other, and none of them support the story as well as they could, as part of their character is designed to act as romance interest option. Honestly, I prefer Skyrim’s Sterdew Valley romances then written Bioware-like schlock. EDIT: I must also say that I found "romancable" companions to be especially problematic in more "movie" like games aka. Mass Effect. While you can, let's say reject Miranda, it won't stop the game's camera from treating her like a hot baby that you should try to bang. I think if games were more restrained with romance, until player opts deeper into it, it would be less invasive. Especially ME3 was terrible in that regard... but then again, it was ME3.

That's Phoenix Point in a nutshell. In preperation for Hitman3 I cleared last remaining achievements in H2 - mostly all I had left was Sniper Mode, and couple "easter eggs" that for some reason had achievement tied to them. Not nearly done with actually good content in it (didn't even touch alternative targets for H2 levels) but that stuff I can finish in H3. Finished Halo: Infinite. My first Halo game. I tried Halo1 leading up to H:I, but it bored me within half an hour, and I have up on mission 3 I think. As someone who doesn't generally enjoy shooters, I must say that I think it is a very good shooter, mechanically. I didn't get bored, in spite of it being extremely repetitive and light on story and lacking anything beyond shooting, I enjoyed my time spent with it. I like Master Chief voice. Maybe the story meant something to someone with more investment in the story but all I got from it that a killing maching (but with heart?) had a crush on a program lady, and now he has a younger replacement and that there were angry aliens (now dead), and now there are new angry aliens (in the process of making them dead), and there will be new angry aliens (to be made dead) in the sequel. So shooty shoot shoot and hot digital lady. Oh, I really don't like the driving system.

I think Hitman community features and live service content is a good thing. There is, however, no reason to lock game progression behind the server. While it doesn't annoy me now when I have stable internet, it still puts the game in unfortunate position, that it might become unplayable if devs ever shut the servers without adding a proper offline mode. I didn't try it, but as far as I remember you can't do mission progression without connecting online. It's a single player game - there is no reason to require constant connection if one doesn't engage with online modes. Hopefully IO will patch in a solution once they shut the servers for online content. But as it is now, you can only play the game, for as long as IO will allow.

Did it get better with DLCs? I never got deep enough to actual try DLCs 2-4. The updates to based game are certainly for the better, but from what I have seen (which is not much) DLCs seem to disconnected to really contribute. A bit like minor XCOM2 DLCs where, without War of the Chosen that tied everything together.

I did very much like the "feel" and atmosphere of PoE1&2. Hopefully they will manage (and aim!) to tranfer this to 3d space.

One of the best games I played. Easily the best "open world" game I played, with exploration purely driven by curiosity and desire to discover. Many games promise map/world/universe to explore, and it rarely feels like there is anything interesting to see. Outer Wilds mini universe is a constant stream of awe, discovery and joy of figuring some thing out. Also, a first game in a long time which managed to terrify me. Perhaps becuase of the short loop time, it is not afraid to mercilessly murder or strand you. Somehow I never got desensitized to in game deaths.

I don't think they do. Last (first?) time they tried to do it was PoE2 and I though it wasnt good. And while I am free to mostly ignore romances, it still simply limits what kind of characters our companions can be. Thinking of an interesting range of characters we get when Obsidian doesn't have to think first of what player might want to have sex with, it would be shame to sacrifice a great cast for characters for, what is ultimately, an underdeveloped "romance" feature. You "could" not think about romance from get go, and just write those with specific NPC when it feels appropriate. But being an RPG with custom character - who is to decode what is appropriate. And looking at BG3 there isn't an NPC that some player wouldn't want to have a sex scene with, as long as it'a vaguely humanoid and sometimes even if it isn't. So I just prefer Devs to not do it. Nothing to gain, much to loose. I know though, that some people care for romances in RPG, and I simply don't. And I find games without them to work better.

I don't think VR could salvage anything from DA2, nor could it make it's romances any less awkward.

Hitman3 finally getting released for real on the 20th. New Elusive Target Arcade sounds better then ET as they are not time limited and they are retryable (although one attempt per day) - I felt that one attempt ET encouraged looking at walkthrough rather then experimenting yourself. Freelancer mode sounds potentially interesting. Depending on how good the roguelike structure will be. Most importantly, for anyone who didn't yet give this game a go the whole trilogy will be out on Game Pass. I will probably end up buying H3 on steam anyway - if not now (depending on price) then later. The only shadow hanging over the game is always online nonesense. It would be shame if the game would go offline sometime in the future. Oh, and I would actually like to try the VR. Too pricey piece of equipement for me, though.

Uf, that's a good question. I would also add Skull&Bones to that. I really don't get that one. You had ship combat in AssCreed. You have Sid Mayer Pirates. Marry the two and you have a game. Add grinding, and microtransactions and you have a Ubi game.

I do mind. They are constanly awful. Leave dating to dating sims. Let murderhobo simulators be just that.

I need to give the game another go, now when I have a better PC. I know I have first one, and I might have some base version of the sequel, not sure. I used to love Total War games - it was my entry to strategy games. Nowadays it feels more like all flash no substance. Tried to get into Shogun2 and couldn’t. Shame, I do adore the setting.

Yak-0. It could be because it was my first one, but from the ones I played so far (Yak0-3+LaD) it was the one with the most coherent storyline.

Finished Yakuza: Like a Dragon. I think it is my 2nd favourite in the series so far, even though I rather disliked the combat. Combat’s only saving grace is presentation and trademark Yakuza wackiness, though once I got to the bit where I had to grind I lost any patience I had for it. I also found the fan service near the end of the game to be much too heavy handed. I like Ichi as protagonist. He fits both melodramatic and silly parts of Yakuza. Having a party of characters is a nice change.

I think there is a difference of enjoying someone company, and enjoyment coming from interacting with other players only. I also disagree with the latter half. I would say most of my fav games would be worse with a company. Backseat or otherwise.

I finished Forgotten City. Very very junky, and "true" ending is incredibly corny but I enjoyed my time with it. Played it through gamepass, and that's the way I would suggest trying it out, as I think it is greatly overpriced. It took me less then 6 hours to thoroughly explore, and the experience is rather janky. Entertaining nonetheless.

I have been watching top-tens and there really is no GOTY contender - at least on PC. Returnal looks interesting but didn't play it.

Good luck. There is a lot of it to soldier through.

No more NieR. Maybe. Probably not.

From the ones I actually know stuff about: Elden Ring and Hitman3 Stuff I am looking forward to learning more about: Obsidian Trinity (Avowed, Outer Worlds2, Pentiment) Tactical Breach Wizards Sings of Conquest Metal Slug Tactics

I really liked how DMC5 looked - it’s a nice mix of “realism” and over the top absurd. I remember having doubts about this character from trailers, but honestly, it works in context. DMC5, just like Bayonetta - you play it for gameplay. Everything else is absurd, loud, and occasionally entertaining in its own right. Best actions games out there, though. EDIT. SD looks very good. Being able to swap out the sticks is a great info - that’s a main thing I would worry about In handheld like that. More consoles and peripherals should allow swapping of components like that. It might be a bit too price for me to ever get one, though. I don’t travel that much nor feel a need to have a gaming device while on the go these days.

I did. And I hated it. Dark Souls style boss just didn't fit that game.