What are you Playing Now? Volume XIX: The New Beginning of the End of the Middle

[BruceVC]

17 hours ago, melkathi said:

I find first person better for combat.

 

The most important mod for me (besides no random dragons) is the alternate start one. It still allows you to get a rumour about Helfen and be the first to get there after it's destruction, and link into the main quest, but the different starts really help make your character yours.

I  prefer first person combat because its easier for me , most of the LoreRim  videos I have seen around combat are third person but I  am generally comfortable with the whole game being in first person and its more immersive. I would have to consciously learn third person combat if I want to change to that because combat in Requiem is much harder and Im much more competent in first person

 

The alternative starts are amazing, you have all these options like shipwreck, beggar or werewolf\vampire but I selected Inn start because it gives you a safe  starting point where I also have crafting tables. But as I mentioned the greatest strength with LoreRim is the absolute and deep RP in this massive world

Because I havent initiated the main quest its like nothing I have ever experienced and I can do anything I want 

 

[MrBrown]

20 hours ago, Sarex said:

I already saw the whole (mostly) story via Twitch, which has not stopped me from playing a game before, but I don't know how much interest I will have in the gameplay. The Final Fantasy combat mechanics are not something I particularity enjoy.

It's not very final fantasy, it's mostly about dodging.

[melkathi]

I just realised I own Greedfall. And have it installed.

So I am trying that.

First impression:

yup, definitely a Spiders game.

[Wormerine]

On 11/11/2025 at 10:14 PM, Sarex said:

I already saw the whole (mostly) story via Twitch, which has not stopped me from playing a game before, but I don't know how much interest I will have in the gameplay. The Final Fantasy combat mechanics are not something I particularity enjoy.

For whatever it is worth, I tend to not care for jRPGs, but I enjoyed CO:E33 gameplay anyway. It's jRPG systems are actually rather overshadowed by dodge/parry mechanic which makes it closer to baby's first Sekiro. One optional boss in particular felt very FromSoftware. That however, I think is also a weakness as while the game does have variety of characters with their own gimmicks, and neat character building system, it does just dictates how much dodging/parrying one will have to do per-encounter. 

That said, story is the selling point.

[MrBrown]

I went in expecting a final fantasy style turn-based combat, and was turned off by the dodging.

[Hurlshort]

I'm about 30 hours in Outer Worlds 2. The character progression is a huge improvement over OW1. Flaws and perks really change the game and give you a lot of options for development. It is one of the best leveling systems I've played in awhile. I'm also really enjoying the companions. This cast compares favorably to the ones in KotOR 2. It is a diverse group and I'm interested in getting to know more about each one of them.

So yeah, another Obsidian win for me.

[Hawke64]

I have tried Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night and it plays surprisingly poorly. I am puzzled how this got such a positive reception - the bosses miss the health bars, everything has contact damage, enemies revive upon re-entering rooms, and there is no dedicated dodge key. And the MC screaming on every executed attack annoys me. 

I have also tried Real Web Legends: Carter's Quest. It is in Early Access and the custom controls reset upon closing the game. The developer stated that it will be resolved eventually, so I am happy to wait for v.1.0. Otherwise, it is an action-adventure with generally pleasant combat and interesting character design. The areas are a bit too large and too empty. The story of a silent and amnesiac protagonist following suggestions of a flying entity is not new, but works. 

[Malcador]

Finished Dispatch, it was an okay romp, sort of abrupt how it concludes, everything happens in the last 2 episodes pretty much.  The dispatch mini game is fun, wish there was more of it.  I suppose the game would be better served with 2 or 3 more episodes.

 

[Sarex]

Finished The Alters. Took a little longer because I had to backtrack half of Act 2 to change the last Alter I picked. Overall a very interesting game, I was engaged until the end. The dialogue was fine, it had it's moments and not every Alter was as interesting. The big complaints I have are the camera movement and the constant clipping of terrain.

Also no clue why they felt the need to sabotage the mod to have all the Alters in one playthrough. I don't think the game has enough to warrant another playthrough.

Either way a cool concept and good execution.

[Wormerine]

4 hours ago, Sarex said:

Overall a very interesting game, I was engaged until the end. The dialogue was fine, it had it's moments and not every Alter was as interesting. 

Yeah, I feel there could be more done with choice and consequence gameplay wise, and there is definitely some smoke and mirrors going on when it comes to story and Alters. Two mandatory alters get easily the most narrative stuff, and out of other optional one one opened some major story opportunities and others seemed rather modest in content.

Looking back at potential story choices and their outcomes there seem to be mostly better and worse options - which I think would be far less compelling on 2nd playthrough.  

[Tale]

It's been a busy week for me. All of it good.

Dispatch had it's finale. I don't know what to tell you but I loved it. It's not deep, what is nowadays, but it's hella fun and full of charm and loveable scamps. I want more.

I also finished the Passenger. Interactive Fiction from the Hosted Games label of Choice of Games. It's longer than most of their titles are and a really interesting take on cosmic horror. Though not exactly scary.

And Rue Valley. It's not Disco Elysium. It's not even actually an RPG though it pretends at it. Your stat choices end up being almost entirely for flavor. But it's a good story that I recommend.

[Theonlygarby]

Back to KCD2 for the DLC.

 

I am doing the blacksmith DLC.  Its fun even though it is pretty simple.  I am at the most tedious stage of "gain blacksmith prestige" so i forge a thing every day, deliver it.  Rinse repeat.

 

I am glad my first playthrough i skipped many side quests.  This time around i am going to be so overpowered by the time I do the main quests.

 

It is a good game.  The only thing I don't like is that there are only a few times where side questing feels somewhat natural.  It's a weird pacing because if you start doing main quests you very quickly get to the point where everything feels urgent.  With there being timed quests you never really know when you need to progress quickly.

 

I would love for warhorse to make something new.  A spy game, a post apocalyptic game, or something modern.  They like making detective style missions so I could see them making a detective game of some sort.

 

 

[Wormerine]

On 11/13/2025 at 5:29 PM, Hurlshort said:

I'm about 30 hours in Outer Worlds 2. The character progression is a huge improvement over OW1. Flaws and perks really change the game and give you a lot of options for development. It is one of the best leveling systems I've played in awhile. I'm also really enjoying the companions. This cast compares favorably to the ones in KotOR 2. It is a diverse group and I'm interested in getting to know more about each one of them.

So yeah, another Obsidian win for me.

15hours into it, finished first planet and I am really struggling with it.

I don't disagree with anything you have written, I think system wise it's a really smartly designed, streamlined RPG, I just really struggle to connect with anything story wise. I found main area's first quest to be a bit of a mess:

So as a hello you are strongly encouraged to choose support of one of the two representative of Auntie's Choice faction for their assist in infiltrating the objective - they don't tell you want they want, they just demand a pledge of loyalty first, and that will lock of the other option. Odd way of doing things, but ok. Decided to not make a choice until I get a better idea of what's going around.

Ended up wandering around, and found what seemed like a harmless splinter of the opposite faction and they offered me a in into the objective, if I help them in sustaining their little town. That seemed perfectly agreeable, so I did that solving another locations problem while at it.

Ended up coming back to starting town to side with one of the two AC reps (still not much context to the choice). On a whim picked the more bloodthirsty one, she asked me to sabotage a location, that I already help while helping the other town. Oh not to worry she will help me anyway. The other rep is upset with me for "siding" with the other one, even though I ensured her objective can't be achieved. Okey.

Skip forward, I pursue the objective, and as I do the person i am chasing ejects me and entire base into space. Oh no how will I escape. Apparently, you just walkout before the base takes off... I mean you get the choice to what to do with the base after you step out of it (drop it on one of the towns or have is safely explode in space), but what was the purpose of ejecting it in the first place?

I feel narratively the game really doesn't give me much to care for. Yes, systematically there is far more choice in how I approach the objective, but little reason to care for it. Everything feels so aloof. 

Or maybe it is just me. I haven't been exactly in gaming mood lately. Eitherway, cancelled my GamePass subscription and we will see how much further I will get into OW2 before it expires. 

[Hurlshort]

1 hour ago, Wormerine said:

15hours into it, finished first planet and I am really struggling with it.

I don't disagree with anything you have written, I think system wise it's a really smartly designed, streamlined RPG, I just really struggle to connect with anything story wise. I found main area's first quest to be a bit of a mess:

 

  Hide contents

So as a hello you are strongly encouraged to choose support of one of the two representative of Auntie's Choice faction for their assist in infiltrating the objective - they don't tell you want they want, they just demand a pledge of loyalty first, and that will lock of the other option. Odd way of doing things, but ok. Decided to not make a choice until I get a better idea of what's going around.

Ended up wandering around, and found what seemed like a harmless splinter of the opposite faction and they offered me a in into the objective, if I help them in sustaining their little town. That seemed perfectly agreeable, so I did that solving another locations problem while at it.

Ended up coming back to starting town to side with one of the two AC reps (still not much context to the choice). On a whim picked the more bloodthirsty one, she asked me to sabotage a location, that I already help while helping the other town. Oh not to worry she will help me anyway. The other rep is upset with me for "siding" with the other one, even though I ensured her objective can't be achieved. Okey.

Skip forward, I pursue the objective, and as I do the person i am chasing ejects me and entire base into space. Oh no how will I escape. Apparently, you just walkout before the base takes off... I mean you get the choice to what to do with the base after you step out of it (drop it on one of the towns or have is safely explode in space), but what was the purpose of ejecting it in the first place?

I feel narratively the game really doesn't give me much to care for. Yes, systematically there is far more choice in how I approach the objective, but little reason to care for it. Everything feels so aloof. 

Or maybe it is just me. I haven't been exactly in gaming mood lately. Eitherway, cancelled my GamePass subscription and we will see how much further I will get into OW2 before it expires. 

 

Man, you made some very different choices than I did. My first planet played out quite a bit differently. 

Spoiler

There was still the "where to drop the station" option, but it sounds like I had a very different experience with Auntie's Choice and Westport.