Unexpected Update

My adventure with circa 2011 Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher 2 has drawn to a close.  I forgot how short that game feels when compared with the enormity of the third game (30 hour games just feel so short any more...go ahead and start thinking about all those debates about how long games should be).  All-in-all, I have always enjoyed the second game despite its clunky (obnoxiously so) combat.  Something I've found that I'm really good at in games that I've played through about a jillion times is somehow messing up outcomes--I got Miranda killed in a ME3 re-play and in TW2 I managed to miss an entire part of a questline in Vergen (which I realized...and then was annoyed, so went back and replayed like an hour plus of content).  So, now I'm done with TW2 and I was almost giddy when installing and starting up The Witcher 3 for the first time (*on my "new" computer--it's not so new now, but this is the first time I've played TW3 on it.  I have literally played through TW3 for an embarrassing amount of time that I won't state here).  It felt almost like stepping into Geralt's warm bath!  I had forgotten how beautiful everything is in TW3.

I had barely started Geralt's 8th (or 9th? or 10th?...yeah, I love TW3) adventure when I noticed multiple pending updates to games in my Steam library.  The one that got me the most excited was the release of the second episode for the silly, British video-editing indie game, Not For Broadcast (if you're not familiar with NFB, you can read my earlier review here).  The poor devs of NFB (like many other people in varying professions around the globe) have been trying to film and release the second part of the game in the midst of the ongoing pandemic.  They had issued a statement that said that the second installment of the early-access game would be out in January--a timeline that must've been pretty difficult considering the stricter lockdowns that seem to have been put into place in parts of Europe.  So, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the second episode was out.

Upon booting up NFB, I was greeted with a welcome message that stated that my old saves might not be good anymore.  It had been quite awhile since I had played, so I decided that starting up a new game would probably be a good way to shake off the rust.  The welcome message had also boasted of new additions to the game that would be worth re-playing to check out--there are many new options for advertisements (the adverts--as the Brits call them--are hilarious) and I got the feeling that some of them had been reworked.  Another notable change is to the interference controls--before, you would have to steer a small dot through a mini-obstacle course while simultaneously monitoring the newscast.  It could be a bit challenging, but it wasn't generally too difficult.  The new interference system is more challenging--you have to use the middle mouse button and move your mouse to control the height and depth of "waves" which also move.  It is definitely more difficult than the previous version.

Replaying NFB has also made certain parts of the game seem...more relatable.  At a certain point the story in the game veers toward the bizarre as Britain winds up in lockdown.  They're not locked down due to a pandemic, but it felt much more relatable than it did the first time I played the game.  Part of the dialogue has also been reworked in the lockdown portion of the story to feel very much akin to our current situation (stay safe Brits!  I know things have been much stricter there)--there are jokes about making your own PPE (although the PPE they're referencing has nothing to do with preventing a virus from spreading).

There are several other notable additions--at the end of each day you see a screen that shows your grade on each segment, but now they've also added more details, like how much money you've earned (I believe I moved from "selling a kidney" to "broke ass poor").  It seems like they've removed the option to purchase items for the news studio (no great loss there).  The screen also includes information on changing attitudes from different groups--the Advance, your family, the rebellious rich....to name a few (I think that screen could use some more detail and explanation).  They've also changed up the sequencing in the story--before, you were offered the option to play the retro, charity- fundraising segment like midway through the story--and now, I haven't had it pop-up as an option (although, it might now be positioned between the first and second episodes).

If you're looking for something quirky to play, Not For Broadcast offers a silly story filled with oddly enjoyable multi-tasking challenges.  I'm very much looking forward to seeing what the second episode has in store--did the Snugglehugs apocalypse happen?  Has the lockdown ended?  Are there more horrible high school musical performances to suffer through?  I can't wait to find out!   

Retrospective: The Witcher 2--Locations, Locations

The figurative Fallout 76 wall that I anticipated hitting at some point finally happened.  I completed the Brotherhood of Steel storyline (which seems to be only an introduction to the faction) and then realized that I didn't really have a lot of meaningful content to keep playing.  There are definitely things left to accomplish--thousands of gold bullion to grind out to unlock the best plans; the entire set of scouting challenges; trying to find more magazines....after playing for hundreds of hours, there are still things left to do!  But, I'm just not feeling it.  Is there a chance that I go back in the future?  Maybe.

For the time being, I've decided to return to the comfort of an old favorite--The Witcher 2.  I've always felt that the second game in The Witcher series doesn't get the praise it deserves and wanted to give it a more thoughtful playthrough.  I've only barely started, but the thoughts are already pouring in!  Weird, right?  (Side note:  it's sort of a weird pandemic thing that I've felt drawn to the old familiar, comfortable options.  I've been rewatching some of my favorite old series on streaming and now I'm playing an old game...but it just feels so nice!)

One of my first thoughts about TW2 was a question--how old is it?  Well, if you're excited about feeling old, TW2 is ten years old this year.  The graphics definitely give off a vibe of being slightly older, but I have always found TW games to include a lot of details and to have some fabulous locations.

If you haven't booted up TW2 since it's early days or are new to the franchise, you'll get to experience one of my favorite (*violent) game introductions--a short cinematic that depicts the death of King Demavend at the hands of the mysterious assassin of kings.  I believe it was added as part of the "enhanced edition" upgrade because I don't recall seeing it when I first played it.  Even after ten years, it's still such a great intro!

Unfortunately, nostalgia can also cause you to forget some of the less awesome parts of your favorite games.  Even though I adore TW series, the combat in the first and second games is decidedly meh.  And, like an idiot, I always opt to do the tutorial in TW2.  The tutorial operates under a good premise--the game walks you through some combat basics and then has you face off against an arena battle against foes of increasing difficulty--the ultimate goal is for the game to base its difficulty off of how well you're able to do against the foes.  Here's what usually happens to me--I get stomped and then it tries to put the game on its lowest difficulty (I've actually finished it on the highest difficulty--Update:  I looked at my achievements and apparently, I have not!  I totally thought I had.  I guess it's something to shoot for in the future...but also, maybe not since the combat is so blech).  So yeah, maybe skip the tutorial.  The rest of combat is generally mashing buttons and utilizing your witcher spells at appropriate times.  You can block attacks, dodge them, but that's about it.  There's a riposte ability that I've never understood.  The combat is definitely a weak point.

Geralt roaming the forest around Flotsam.

After you complete the prologue, you reach the first, more open area where you have some freedom to do some exploring.  The forested, backwater port of Flotsam is one of the many great locations in TW2.  The city itself gives off some decidedly grubby vibes, but it's the forest that gives Flotsam its real flavor.  The city is surrounded by a forest filled with massive, ancient trees that somehow manage to give the area a pleasant, beautiful feeling, but also an ominous and dark one.  During the day, the forest doesn't seem that threatening--you might encounter some scattered monsters or bandits, but the chirping birds make it impossible to feel a truly creepy feeling.  On the other hand, nighttime in the forest is downright unsettling.  Chances are you'll encounter a number of Flotsam's forest-dwelling nasties--groups of burrowing nekkers; endregas dropping out of the trees; or drowners lurking in a beautiful pool near a waterfall.

Even after 10 years, I still find the forest surrounding Flotsam to be a great setting and an environment that manages to convey a tone that aligns with the story.  It's the first of many in the game and I'm looking forward to progressing and getting to experience the others again.     

Dogs. Why does it have to be Dogs?

Once again, I'm not really playing anything new and shockingly am still messing around in Fallout 76 (definitely getting my $13 worth).  I was trying to figure out what I should write about this week because I doubt my adventures in Fallout 76 bullion (a currency) grinding are worth reading about.  My adventures in the fictional wasteland world did give me a few moments of pause though.  There are many enemy types in Fallout 76 and I don't bat an eye at killing them--human, non-human, if they attack me, I have no choice but to defend myself.  There is one enemy type that I am not thrilled to be killing--dogs, or any dog-like variety.  In fact, I'm just generally tired of having dogs be a type of enemy in games or there being some sort of plot point the involves killing a dog.

I am not exactly certain what made me start feeling so bad about taking out the dog-like enemies in Fallout 76.  Heck, 90% of the dog-like enemies in the game are completely grotesque--feral packs of mutated, hairless hounds; the hulking, green monstrosities that are mutant hounds; packs of vicious wolves in the forest--they don't exactly encapsulate the cute, cuddly dog image.  The other 10% of the dogs you encounter are guard dogs used by the obnoxiously violent gang, the Blood Eagles.  Those dogs, even decked out in their dog armor, look more like your typical K-9.  I think the part that got me is the animation and sounds when a dog is wounded--they can't get up, they make yelping noises...and it just feels a bit too realistic for me.  I've started to try to avoid having to fight any of them.

A Fallout themed Dogmeat sticker from Redbubble.

It's not like Fallout 76 is the only game that uses dogs as an enemy--countless other games do too.  You could argue that humans use dogs as guards, so it's a sliver of realism.  As an animal lover, I just wish it was a trend that would go away.  I just want to pet dogs, not kill them.  More dog petting!

Maybe it's a lot of game-dog related trauma that has built up over time.  One of the worst dog-related game moments I can recall comes in Telltale's The Walking Dead series (spoilers, I suppose if you haven't played it...but it is several years old, sooo, just be warned).  Clementine encounters an abandoned camp and is scavenging for supplies when a dog appears.  It has a collar with nametag, so it's obvious that this dog probably belonged to the now notably absent humans from the camp.  As Clem is scavenging in the camp, the dog hangs around and there is a really nice moment where she finds a frisbee and gets a break from the bleak survival in the game to play fetch.  Not content to simply let us enjoy the moment (if you've played the series, you know how dark it is) things go south quickly as Clem tries to open a can of food that she found.  The dog is starving and lunges for Clem...it's a scary moment.  Clem manages to shove the dog off, but not before it has bitten her arm.  Then, it gets even worse--in the struggle, Clem has shoved the dog onto some broken tent stakes sticking out of the ground...the dog is impaled on the stakes and is still alive.  Now, she has a particularly brutal choice to make--do you leave the dog to suffer or do you put it out of its misery?  It's brutal.  Which is pretty much the tone of TWD, but this part in particular left a strong impression.

So, my personal appeal to game devs is no more dog enemies.  No more horrible dog death plot points (like the one I described above)  I'm scarred enough as it is.  Dog petting...YES!  Dog killing...NO!  

Appalachian Wasteland--Fallout 76 Review

The annual Steam holiday has come and gone without me making any new game purchases (will miracles never cease!.  As much as I am loathe to admit it, I've been spending ALL my gaming time navigating the newest locale in the Fallout series--the post-apocalyptic world of West Virginia.  So, how does this translate into game quality?

I've been a Fallout fan since the original isometric RPG came out in the 1990's and had played every game up until 76.  I, like many other fans of the series--who know it as a singleplayer experience--was very skeptical about the entire concept of taking the game and turning it into multiplayer.  Combine that reluctance with the disastrous launch in 2018 (it ranks up there with No Man's Sky) and it was enough to find me completely disregarding it.  However, with several large updates and much effort put into trying to repair the game, I finally started seeing some favorable reviews.  Being that the game was two years old and had been subject to the reputational ravages of the disastrous launch, the price (I bought it on sale for $13) was worth giving it a gamble--if it turned out to be a hot, garbage pile, I would only be out $13.  Here's where I tell you that my $13 was well spent.  Let's get to the reviewing!

Gameplay-wise, I have been playing for a long time (I don't want to say how many hours, but...let's just say that my character is around level 80).  I have completed the main questline (from the Wastelanders update) and have now navigated into the world of the "end game."  I plan on spending more time tooling around, but have started to question my dedication to the grind.

Pros:

+Big, beautiful, Fallout world.  The game is set in the Appalachian region of West Virginia.  Much of the world is characterized by rolling, forested hills (and, of course those hills are filled with a wide variety of mutated critters and baddies).  It wouldn't be a Fallout game without a jillion different ruined towns, unique buildings and settings, and various other landmarks to explore.  The simple act of exploring the entire map and finding locations will keep you busy for a very long time.

I don't want to give the impression that the map is all trees and towns; the environments in the game are varied and broken into several different zones with their own unique feeling.  You start off in the forests around Vault 76, but will eventually find yourself in the Ash Heap--the mining oriented, perpetually grubby feeling--part of the map.  Huge, ruined mining machines litter the landscape and give off the perfect vibe.  There are several other "regions" that make up the map and each is characterized by unique enemy types and its own storylines.

+ Your normal Bethesda style loot-hoarding magic.  The world and its locations are filled with a myriad of objects with varying value as actual loot.  Figuring out what you should actually be grabbing can take awhile, but the system allows for you to loot objects, break them down into their "junk" form (which makes them lighter, meaning you can carry a lot of components) and then carry them back to your CAMP.  There are workbenches located near most places on the map so breaking down objects is very accessible.  Managing your inventory, on the other hand, can be a bit of a pain.

+ Building and personalizing your CAMP is fun.  If you played Fallout 4 and experienced the settlement system, Fallout 76 takes the base building part and improves upon it.  Now, every player can create their own home base.  Sprinkled throughout the game are "plans" which unlock weapon and armor crafting, but also are used to craft objects to personalize your CAMP.  You can build multiple crafting benches--armor, weapons, chems, and the tinker's workbench (used to craft ammo and other components).  Your CAMP is also where your personal stash lives--you can store all your loot (and, it's only accessible to you).  You can find plans for "building sets" which unlock themed appearances for your walls (everyone starts off with a basic, wooden shack style set)--I've found or purchased sets that have allowed me to build brick walls; to build metal walls; to build barn style walls; and there are probably others that I haven't found yet.  You can deck out the interior of your CAMP with whatever objects you want (also by finding plans)--I decided to fill my CAMP with mounted creatures--there's nothing quite as unsettling as a bunch of dead critters staring at you while you repair your power armor.

A fun part of the CAMP system is that you can also build vending machines to sell stuff that you don't need and can visit the CAMP's of other players.  It's fun to see all the unique (and sometimes, very weird) CAMPS that people have built.  Other players are also one of the best sources for purchasing plans.

+ Lots of different questlines to pursue.  As you progress you encounter different factions and characters with their own stories.  Most of these questlines are fairly long and will keep you busy for quite awhile.  I still haven't fully explored the initial questline that concerns Vault 76.  There are also a wide variety of other tasks to pursue--daily quests (some are tied to faction reputation) and events.  Events are special encounters that are only available for a short amount of time and which offer special rewards for completion.  Events vary by level and some are quite difficult and are generally much easier with a group of people completing them.

There are also special companions that you can unlock by completing their questlines.  Companions don't function like they did in previous games (they don't follow you), but they do hang out in your CAMP and can provide certain services.

+ Singleplayer or multiplayer options.  I was very hesitant about 76 because it was billed as being multiplayer.  What I've actually found is that the game can completely be played singleplayer (although, there are some parts that are much more difficult).  Other players can attack you, but if you don't fight back, they will earn a bounty and be marked on the map for others to target (you don't have to attack other people, and I have not been attacked by other players at all--in fact, most people have been really nice--sharing Lunchboxes for buffs or helping to kill things).  Quest areas are instanced, so you don't have to worry about anything crazy happening.  There are constantly people looking to team up, so if you are looking for others to play with, it's very easy to find someone.

+ PERK system allows you to swap out abilities very easily.  You only get a certain number of total SPECIAL points (and, I'm still not completely sure about how you go about switching up your points) and can choose how you allocate points through a system of PERK cards.  Up until you reach max level (50), you receive a SPECIAL point which you can choose to allocate into the category of your choice; you also get rewarded with a pack of PERK cards which have abilities for each SPECIAL category (for example, I am trying to use sneak so I have max points in agility.  As I've gotten PERK cards which improve my sneaking ability, I've leveled up that specific card--you can level up most cards to 3 points--although there are some crafting related cards which go up to 5 points).  Depending on how many points you put into each SPECIAL category and how many points you decide to put into particular PERKS you can equip multiple abilities in each category.  Some PERKS are geared toward crafting or in-CAMP activities--it's nice that you can swap those out while you're working in your CAMP.  There's a lot of flexibility in what you can choose.

+ Lots of options for armor and weapons.  Melee, traditional ballistic weapons (of many varieties--pistols, rifles, submachine guns, missile launchers), energy weapons, and the goofier varieties (the Fat Man).  There are also many different types of armor providing varying levels of protection from specific types of damage.  Armor and weapons can be crafted (you can craft basic plans, but more advanced options require having points in armor or weapons crafting PERKS), can be looted from legendary enemies that you encounter, or purchased from a special vendor who offers loot crates for legendary currency.

+ "Seasons" offer a goal to work toward and daily challenges to earn rewards.  You can earn special points for completing certain tasks and advance on the boardgame-like seasonal path to unlock rewards.  The seasonal rewards are largely cosmetic items and fun stuff for your CAMP, but are fun to work toward.

+ Multiple game modes.  If you're more interested in the survival oriented part of the game, you can opt for the "nuclear winter" mode which is battle royale style--basically players get plopped on the map and have to see how long they can survive.  Personally, that's not my jam, but there are rewards for participating in it (it's currently in beta).

Photo frames let you fancy up your Fallout 76 photos.

+ Photomode.  I love a good photomode and certain locations in 76 will unlock special frames for your snapshots.  I have enjoyed playing Fallout tourist and snapping pics of the random ruins in the wasteland.  A fun part of this feature is that your photos will appear as the loading screen.

+ Old, familiar enemies and many new ones.  Getting thumped on by a deathclaw feels familiar, but fighting off a pack of angry Mole Miners is a new experience.

+Collectibles to find.  Bobbleheads and magazines are scattered around the map and offer the opportunity to show off your collection in your CAMP.

Cons:

- Microtransactions and not-so-micro transactions.  Players can spend real money to buy atoms.  From what I've seen of the Atomic Shop, most of the items that can be purchased are cosmetic in nature and don't have a real "pay-to-win" feeling.  There are weapon skins, outfits, and items for your CAMP.  You can also purchase scrap and repair kits (which allow you to return scrapped items to your stash from anywhere or which can be used to repair weapons in the field without a workbench) which are probably the closest the game gets to any sort of gameplay advantage.  Overall, I don't find the microtransactions to be too heinous (but, I do know that there were struggles with certain items being exclusive to 1st members--which I will get to).

The not-so-micro transaction part of the game is the 1st system which offers monthly subscription services.  These services allow players access to their own, personal 8 player private servers and also offer certain, exclusive gear rewards (like the survival tent--which offers a mini-CAMP with stash that you can place anywhere) and other varying monthly rewards (like a certain number of Atoms or special skins/outfits).  I also don't find this system too offensive--if you want to pay a monthly sub, that's your prerogative and it doesn't impact the experience that non-paying players have.  It's not pay-to-win, but does offer some handy features.

-Inventory management that is much tighter than in previous games.  Your personal stash can only hold so many pounds of stuff--this is something new to the series and requires spending much more time thinking about what to keep and what to get rid of.  One particularly irritating part of this system is the fact that you cannot sell ammo to vendors (you can sell it to other players and eventually you can unlock a special machine--during the end game grind--that converts ammo into other ammo).  In the past I've always hoarded stimpacks and other needed survival gear...that's no longer as possible as it was in the past.  Hitting the 800 pound stash limit doesn't take long (it's probably worth mentioning that one of the other perks of a 1st membership is an unlimited stash).

-End game seems like one enormous grind.  After you finally complete the main questline you unlock a new currency type that can be used to purchase the best plans in the game.  Obtaining all the plans you want requires doing dailies to earn enough special currency to unlock them.  I'm fine with having to work for your loot, but I'm just not sure I'm going to have the desire to see it through.

-Occasional server related issues.  This hasn't happened recently, but I did have a period where I would frequently get the "server is not responding" message that would mean gameplay was paused.  I'd be trying to loot something and repeatedly get the message while I waited...kind of irritating.  Just know that it does happen (although, like I said, it seems like it has been better lately).

-VATS doesn't pause combat and just isn't as much fun as in the previous games.  I don't really find myself using it (although I probably should be because it's one of the few ways you can perform critical attacks) and don't see it as being as useful.

-Legendary vendor uses a loot crate system.  You can spend a varying amount of legendary scrip on specific types of crates--melee weapons, ranged weapons, and armor.  The crates come in one star to three star options with the three star options costing the most scrip.  It's a roll of the dice to see what you get in the crates and I've found that I receive stuff I am not interested in the majority of the time.  You can re-sell the loot you don't want to a scrip machine, but for only about 40% of the cost.

Should you play it or not?

If you're a fan of the Fallout series and are looking for something to scratch that itch, I would recommend it.  I've been playing for many hours and have been having a mostly good time.  Now that I've reached the "end game," I'm wondering if I won't get bored with it pretty soon--I'm just not sure I have the patience or desire to grind out thousands and thousands of gold bullion for plans.  Even though I was skeptical about the multiplayer aspect of the game, it's still very playable as a singleplayer game.  I spent $13 and it was definitely well worth it.

It's that Time Again--My GOTY 2020 Pick

Since the new year has officially rolled around, it's time for everyone on the interwebs to start declaring their GOTY picks.  Not to be one who isn't completely on trend (hahaha--I generally am not super up to date on my gaming selections), I decided I should join in on this pointless weighing of opinions.  I played a few "new" titles and there is one definite standout.

I've mentioned many times before my personal dislike of roguelikes, roguelites, and basically anything that uses the word "rogue" to indicate that most of the gameplay revolves around repeatedly bashing your head up against a metaphorical game wall.  I've tried the celebrated titles and generally get bored or frustrated with them within a very short timespan.  With this full knowledge of how much I don't do well with roguelikes, I decided to pick up Hades because I had read lots of very positive praise for it.  Hades managed to break my streak of absolutely hating roguelikes, which, I think says something about the quality of the game.  Hades is my pick for GOTY 2020.

Zagreus and his underworld foes.

What is it about Hades that has managed to break the streak of roguelike hatred?  One of my major difficulties with roguelikes is the repetitive nature with the only real goal being to simply get farther each time.  Simply getting farther is just not motivating enough for my peanut brain.  Instead, I need a reason to WANT to get farther.  Hades does this by using several different methods--the first one is by using a story.  Zagreus, the son of Hades, wants to escape from his virtual imprisonment in the underworld.  Each attempt to escape introduces Zag to a cast of Greek gods and other mythological characters who give you just a little sliver of information about the world or Zag's complicated family situation (no spoilers, but it gets messy and complicated).  You want to keep playing for the sake of unraveling the story and finding out what is truly going on in in this fictional world of Greek gods.

The characters themselves also give you a reason to keep playing.  As you speak to them (and the gameplay mechanics make it so you might not encounter the same character every run) you learn more about them and your relationship with them is strengthened.  You can also find nectars, which you can gift to them, which will also help build up the relationship meter.  As the meter gets stronger, these characters reveal more about their own stories and also about Zag's.  It's fun to hear the heartbreaking story of Achilles and Patroclus or to get to know the silly, shy gorgon Dusa.

One of the more gameplay related features of Hades that I enjoy is the shadow mirror/talent system.  As you progress and gather a special resource, you can use it to unlock strengthened abilities.  In a way this does make progressing easier than in a traditional roguelike--you get stronger the more you play, which means you have a better chance of clearing.  I'm sure the hardcore folks out there would scoff at this feature, but for someone who has traditionally felt stymied and bored with roguelikes, this feature helped make me want to keep playing because I know that I can make it farther.  It's also nice that you can swap out your talents at the beginning of each run.

There are also lots of other motivating reasons to keep Zag rocking and rolling through the underworld.  There are gemstones to gather so that you can make the underworld a slightly less depressing place to live by unlocking cosmetic features.  The boss at the end of each level drops a specific type of special resource that can be used to upgrade Zag's weapons or unlock special features (like using diamonds to unlock new songs for Orpheus to play while you take care of business between runs).  And simply trying to befriend the entire pantheon of Greek gods and goddesses is enough to keep you playing for a very long time.

So, for me, Hades is the rare roguelike that has managed to build in plenty of ways to motivate me to want to keep playing (even though, at its core, you really are doing the repetition).  I think figuring out how to crack that formula deserves some special praise.  If you haven't already grabbed Hades, do it!