What Are you Playing Now & General Game Discussions

[The D.O.Z.]

Lol. Microsoft bought Blizzard. WoW is TERRIBLE now, has been for years. And from what I understand Blizzard, as a company, is a mess right now. Fans can’t wait for another “remastered” Warcraft RTS they barely work on and charge full price for! Or another Overwatch and its toxic community! What it takes to play WoW Classic is highway robbery on the Borderlands 3 DLC level. A subscription on top of a subscription?! Thats some bullshit right there!

Meanwhile, Square Enix and the WoW-Killer “FFXIV” just keep plugging along. I don’t see Sony buying Square Enix any time soon. [emoji41]

[XenoMorph]

(01-22-2022, 12:40 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: Lol. Microsoft bought Blizzard. WoW is TERRIBLE now, has been for years. And from what I understand Blizzard, as a company, is a mess right now. Fans can’t wait for another “remastered” Warcraft RTS they barely work on and charge full price for! Or another Overwatch and its toxic community! What it takes to play WoW Classic is highway robbery on the Borderlands 3 DLC level. A subscription on top of a subscription?! Thats some bullshit right there!

Meanwhile, Square Enix and the WoW-Killer “FFXIV” just keep plugging along.  I don’t see Sony buying Square Enix any time soon. [emoji41]

yeah they are gonna clean sweep the upper levels of management...   Bring activision back instead of just being a COD machine lol.   


But yeah Activision Blizzard was a sinking ship and they were shopping themselves out./.  (EA was looking too at purchasing them too)   

Of all the overlords that could have bought them MS is probly the best place with phil spencer running the gaming division. Hopefully they can turn it around but it will be a few years before we really see anything i think heck it will probly be 18 months before the deal completes.

[Interceptor]

I went back to the classics: chess

[magikod]

(01-22-2022, 12:40 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: Lol. Microsoft bought Blizzard. WoW is TERRIBLE now, has been for years. And from what I understand Blizzard, as a company, is a mess right now. Fans can’t wait for another “remastered” Warcraft RTS they barely work on and charge full price for! Or another Overwatch and its toxic community! What it takes to play WoW Classic is highway robbery on the Borderlands 3 DLC level. A subscription on top of a subscription?! Thats some bullshit right there!

Meanwhile, Square Enix and the WoW-Killer “FFXIV” just keep plugging along.  I don’t see Sony buying Square Enix any time soon. [emoji41]

blizzard has gone down the tube past few years..

D3 was a total cash-grab bullshit game...

Starcraft 2 remastered, Diablo 2 remastered only good blizzard products past year or two...

WoW, cant say much havent played in years.

D3 and then making D4 lol....Blizzard needs to go back to roots like D2, Starcraft:Broodwar, Warcraft 3:TFT

not this bullshit new games that suck but us blizzard fans buy them cause were loyal.


D3 was the worst of all....

[The D.O.Z.]

(01-24-2022, 02:55 PM)magikod Wrote: blizzard has gone down the tube past few years..

D3 was a total cash-grab bullshit game...

Starcraft 2 remastered, Diablo 2 remastered only good blizzard products past year or two...

WoW, cant say much havent played in years.

D3 and then making D4 lol....Blizzard needs to go back to roots like D2, Starcraft:Broodwar, Warcraft 3:TFT

not this bullshit new games that suck but us blizzard fans buy them cause were loyal.


D3 was the worst of all....

I feel the opposite. D3 played well on console. I had a lot of fun leveling seasonal characters, finding different gearsets, rare gear sets, then leveling another class and doing it again. I felt its gameplay was far superior to D2. D2, to me, is a nostaligic cash grab. The only food thing I can say about it is it isnt $50+

Its the games like that supposed remaster of Warcraft that was the LAZIEST “remaster” ever and the double sub fee just to play WoW Classic that just really irks me about them though. Overwatch was okay, but had a super toxic community and games like Paladins were FTP and was a better product.

I can’t speak on the RTS Starcraft games or Hearthstone as I have never played them.

[XenoMorph]

(01-25-2022, 12:16 AM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: I feel the opposite. D3 played well on console. I had a lot of fun leveling seasonal characters, finding different gearsets, rare gear sets, then leveling another class and doing it again. I felt its gameplay was far superior to D2. D2, to me, is a nostaligic cash grab. The only food thing I can say about it is it isnt $50+

Its the games like that supposed remaster of Warcraft that was the LAZIEST “remaster” ever and the double sub fee just to play WoW Classic that just really irks me about them though. Overwatch was okay, but had a super toxic community and games like Paladins were FTP and was a better product.

Agree with you on Diablo 3 and 2.....    Diablo 3 had a much better End Game imo.  and could switch builds on the fly

Never tried overwatch but Starcraft/warcraft(rts)  are or were a lot of fun cannot speak on the remasters there... heard bad things though.

Those types of issues are hopefully in the past or will be with new ownership

[CKwi88]

What exactly is Microsoft looking to do with Activision Blizzard?

IMO, most of their titles are either beaten to death (WoW, CoD), have their best days behind them (Overwatch, Diablo, Spyro) or are dormant and any continuation would just be an obvious cash grab (RTS Warcraft/Starcraft, Crash Bandicoot, Guitar Hero).

Best of luck to them.

[XenoMorph]

(01-25-2022, 04:15 PM)CKwi88 Wrote: What exactly is Microsoft looking to do with Activision Blizzard?

IMO, most of their titles are either beaten to death (WoW, CoD), have their best days behind them (Overwatch, Diablo, Spyro) or are dormant and any continuation would just be an obvious cash grab (RTS Warcraft/Starcraft, Crash Bandicoot, Guitar Hero).

Best of luck to them.

judging by the Phil Spencer Quotes hes looking at Bringing back a lot of the Dead IPs they own....

Will say out front... Deal isnt done. So everything is just speculation at the moment.

But you are 100% correct A/B  over the last few years has been pretty singularly focused...    Make COD cash cow every year  (Still #1 selling game yearly all consoles it sells on)      and Milk WoW....         I havent played WoW since like 2008 ish so i dont know what it has left to give.    

But Future plans will likely be dropping COD from the yearly cycle..  Freeing all those Dev teams that have been regulated to COD support over the last 10 years.   And let them pick some IPs to work on.    (which Activision owned all of the old Seirra Games and more)     

Likely get new Crash,Spyro,Banjo(xbox property but use Toys by Bob dev)   
Phil Directly mentioned Guitar Hero, and Hexen and a few more.


Blizzard just announced a new IP in the works.


Biggest part of this deal is likely KING (candy crush)  for the mobile division  (as they can help optimize all the games for cloud/mobile
 and Blizzard (battlenet) for the PC side of things.    (as i hear Xbox PC store or launcher is less than to be desired)
as new games will be a while out the older titles can get put into game pass or receive remasters.   

There is Talk of Resurrecting the Starcraft IP as well.
Wow For Console is a rumor.. it did just get controller support on PC.

And hopefully they can fast track diablo out of dev hell

Only time will tell if this becomes a good move for MS or not.    But activitison as it was  was a sinking ship

[TecmoBengals]

Blizzard announcing a survival game doesn't excite me much. I'm jaded and think their best days of game design are in the distant past.

[XenoMorph]

(01-26-2022, 10:27 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: Blizzard announcing a survival game doesn't excite me much. I'm jaded and think their best days of game design are in the distant past.

its always best not to get over excited about a game till it at least has something to show... That being said...

Blizzard making a new IP is exciting as they dont do it much....  Its like Bethesda making a new IP.

[XenoMorph]

Gaming NEWS!!!!!

PlayStation has purchased Bungie for around 4 Billion... (bungie states they will remain somewhat independant.. but we will see lol)


*****

I beat Mass Effect Andromeda... Glad i waited its pretty good story does lack a bit and most choices dont seem to really affect the game. But now im ready to jump back into the Trilogy... but first gotta finish up Halo Infinite.

[CINwillWIN]

Anyone play Red Dead Online for XBOX?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[XenoMorph]

(02-02-2022, 08:45 PM)CINwillWIN Wrote: Anyone play Red Dead Online for XBOX?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

i havent in a while...  occasionally i can convince my buddies to race bounty wagons though

did you need help or advice?

[XenoMorph]

Working on Finishing up Halo Infinite till Elden rings drops..

Resisting the urge to Buy Dying Light 2.... (ill probly fail at this in a few days)

[Stewy]

(02-01-2022, 10:41 AM)XenoMorph Wrote: I beat Mass Effect Andromeda...   Glad i waited its pretty good story does lack a bit and most choices dont seem to really affect the game.  But now im ready to jump back into the Trilogy...   but first gotta finish up Halo Infinite.

Andromeda Thoughts:  I recently finished my second PT.  My first was during launch week before any fixes.  That means I played with the horrible walking and facial animations, plus bugs bugs bugs.  And frankly, I didn't remember 80% of the main quests or loyalty missions.  I usually have a fairly good memory for such things, but drew a complete blank on several missions.  

• As you say there is no MEANINGFUL choice in this game.  The game fools you into thinking your decisions matter in a critical way, but they never do in the end.  You end up with a decision screen where two sides are arguing their pointing dramatically, only to make a choice with both sides ignoring the decision was made at all when you go back and talk to them later. 
• Without all the glitches, bugs and animation problems, I enjoyed the game much more.  It also helped how low my expectations were NOW vs. launch week.
• The use of the graphics engine is really stellar.  I am a space geek and I loved, more than I should have, cruising through a solar system looking at the planet designs and scanning everything even if it didn't give me resources.
• When I originally reviewed the game back in March 2017, I gave it a 68.  When I re-reviewed it a couple months ago I gave it a 76.  For a shooter it isn't bad.  Great combat and gameplay, but it was a RPG severely lacking in RPG elements, a weak story and poor character development.  I don't really care if my RPG has good gameplay if the story doesn't immerse me.
  

MELE thoughts and perhaps some spoilers:
Since I assume you have gamepass and can now play MELE for free, you will get an extra special experience if you never had any or not most of the DLC before, because now you'll get them all.  Just some things to consider to help you since you like to go Insanity from the beginning.

1. Gameplay - is very different among the ME games:  ME1 run and gun (not a cover shooter), ME2 is only a cover shooter with your armor is being tissue paper.  You basically have one shot shields on Insanity, ME3 is still a cover shooter, but a better balance and you're not AS squishy - and for reference MEA is much more akin to ME1 being more of a run & Gun game with real armor/shields that can take a hit and cover as an option vs. required.
2. ME1 - Easiest of the three game on insanity especially if you Specter Specialize in Bastion which is available from the Adept or Sentinel classes.  You can solo the game on Insanity with the Bastion Spec.  Insanity is doable from the base game, but easier from NG+.  There are no difficult fights with the Bastion build, but be aware of charging Krogan and rockets, which are "crush" damage and ignore your shields.
3. ME2 is by far the most difficult of the trilogy on Insanity.  It is highly advised that you do your Insanity run from a base game and NOT NG+ because of the way you progress skills (upgrades, like Biotic damage, are unlocked as you progress) and because mob levels are based upon YOUR level.  So starting a NG+ with maxed out mobs when you're dealing with everyone of your skills at best 1/4 power is a recipe for head banging frustration.  Sentinel is by far the easiest class to do on insanity due to how tech Armor works.  Highly advisable you unlock the CAIN mini-nuclear heavy weapon before Horizon for use on the Praetorian.  This requires doing the Paragon portion of Zaeed's loyalty quest at the refinery.  Unlocking your 4th squadmate is what sends you to Horizon, so do everything, absolutely everything you can until then to get as many upgrades as you can.  The the final fight on Horizon on insanity is by far, the single most difficult fight in all four ME games.  The second toughest is the Collector Ship fight in ME2 as well.
4. ME3 - Inanity is significantly easier from NG+, but isn't required.  Biotic combos and tech explosions are now god (MEA gameplay came from ME3 Multiplayer).  All classes are equally viable for Insanity, especially if you use the Typhoon god build for Garrus (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPbB4qfsA14&ab_channel=Appluq), but also only slightly less effective for any other AR user (Ashley, Kaidan, James, Javik).  The only difficult fight is the one at the end of the The Citadel DLC, which ranks as the 3rd most difficult fight in the ME universe.
   

Best ME group on the internet - https://www.facebook.com/groups/thereapersarecoming/ - tightly but not overly mod'd - just ME Universe love.

[Stewy]

(02-01-2022, 10:41 AM)XenoMorph Wrote: Gaming NEWS!!!!!

PlayStation has purchased Bungie for around 4 Billion...  (bungie states they will remain somewhat independant.. but we will see lol)

*THUD* and the internet didn't give a shyt.  lol

[XenoMorph]

(02-07-2022, 06:56 PM)Stewy Wrote: *THUD* and the internet didn't give a shyt.  lol

Lol it definately didnt make the impact the blizzard activision deal did lol..

And i have played the first 3 mass effects when they first came out... But looking forward to running thru them again. probly play thru once on normal to get a base character then on insane if i feel the need lol

[basballguy]

I've been playing a weird rougelite called Dreamscaper. It's not amazing but not terrible either. Been playing mostly out of boredom since it's on the xbox game pass thing.

Not a thrilling recommendation, i know.

[CKwi88]

Holy shit Final Fantasy VI is a masterpiece. Finishing up last dungeon. Looking forward to going through it again (Pixel Remaster releases this month) with a guide.

Still trying tonunlock everything in Binding of Isaac: Repentance.

[XenoMorph]

Tell Tale Announced today

The Wolf Amoung Us 2 is coming

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkXwW5H28m0

And Atomic Hearts dropped a new video today..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SstWbERMv00