What is the last video game you played?

[King Mark 3,631]

And the only game people are playing with the Gold Membership is Call of Duty right?

Or is there another massively popular game I don't know about people are playing online on the xbox360?

So xbox720 for people that want to play Call of Duty, use netflix and kids that play kinect games

and if Nintendo proved anything with the Wii, is that it's that the casual gamer is where all the money lies.

To an extent but I think Nintendo burned even their own audience with their sub par hardware. The WiiU appears to be a massive failiure.

I'm not sure Microsoft can afford to lose the core gamers to Sony. Once people gang up against something in a worldwide internet crusade it's hard to stop

I don't think , given the choice of the PS4 that plays offline and is just as powerful or more, that anyone would go back on their word and buy the xbox anyways if it's only online only for a few exclusives. Why the fuck pay for extra DRM and more hassle (losing game progress if something fucks up) and possibly going over your internet cap every month .Not to mention having the thing always connected with a Kinect camera that looks at you remotely or a system could be possibly hacked into at any time

[Quintus 5,399]

The top twenty Xbox Live activity in games is a huge number, just not as big as those watching fucking Lost on Netflix.

The consistently biggest games on the network are CoD, Minecraft, FIFA, Halo and Battlefield.

[Jay 37,374]

What's wrong with LOST?

[Quintus 5,399]

Lol, that's not the point.

[King Mark 3,631]

I just finished Ar Tonelico Qoga, Knell of Ar Ciel. A JRPG I had to buy online since I never saw it in a store.

Seemed simple and straightforward at first, until the characters started talking about stuff I didn't know the fuck about. It was the 3rd of a 3 part series (the others being on the PS2 or something). The setting and back story was very complex and I had a lot of Wiki to read to fully understand it. I actually like games with complex worlds and lore. These are the kind of games that are closer to the experience of reading a book

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Dark Souls II announced. What do you think, KM?

[King Mark 3,631]

Well, Dark Souls is my favorite game of this generation consoles so I'm hyped

But it was announced a while back no?

Right now I'm really looking forward to Dragon Dogma's Dark Arisen (expansion that contains the full original game with some improvements).I'm glad I held out for that one

I need to find something to play until then. I always set out to start Mass Effect 3 but start something else instead

[Koray Savas 2,251]

There's gameplay footage now; though I did manage to miss the game's initial announcement if it has been known that it was coming.

[King Mark 3,631]

This is getting worse. The next xbox looks like primarily some kind of fancy cable box/media contents provider

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-04-10-the-next-xbox-will-be-fully-integrated-into-your-tv-via-a-cable-box-connection-report

It seems like every day I want to buy it less and less. It's like it's not even designed for gaming now

MS should at least adress some of the rumors officially if they don't want the gamers to completely lose faith

Seriously, a Kinect camera that tracks your eye movement when your watching TV? Are they fucking kidding? Maybe the rumors that they want to count the people in the room watching a movie to charge you more is true too. And a a camera that's always on and connected to the internet in your living room...nothing can go wrong with that right?

Even on my current xbox 360, there's so much crap in the dashboard now it's hard to find the menu to start playing a game, let alone finding the game marketplace to get DLC's, or typing in a redeem code for a game. And every time I do connect it to get game patches I have to wait 1/2 half hour for systems update that apply to Facebook/Twitter/Netflix and whatever other shit I don't use on it

[Quintus 5,399]

My Xbox updates maybe three times a year, tops. Playstation on the other hand is a fucking joke.

That reminds me - I installed Gran Turismo the other day and it took three hours.

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

Forcing me to install an update just because it's available is ridiculous anyway. Especially when combined with the fact that I only learn about that when I want to start playing. Nothing more annoying than having friends over to play game X, and when you want to get started you first have to install updates for one hour.

Yes, there's an option to have it install updates automatically in the background when in standby mode. They charge extra for that. (!)

Seriously, a Kinect camera that tracks your eye movement when your watching TV? Are they fucking kidding? Maybe the rumors that they want to count the people in the room watching a movie to charge you more is true too.

Microsoft holds a patent for exactly that, so I'd say the reasoning that they actually plan on using it is sound.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Companies file thousands of patents, doesn't mean anything will become of it.

One of PS4's major selling points as a next gen console, to me, was that they said they eradicated the loading screen, whether it's for updates, patches, DLC, demos, digital purchases, in-game loading, etc.

You're not forced to download updates and patches on the PS3, you can just hit O when it pops up and the game will continue to load.

You can also set it up to turn itself on within a 2 hour window you choose to download and install any updates and patches, mine is 4-6AM. Been doing that for years.

Gran Turismo took you so long, Lee, because it's an 11GB data install, and you probably have slow internet.

[Quintus 5,399]

Nah, I have 70mb fibre optic. The game had 21 updates to download, which if it had been over Steam would've taken minutes, but due to the miserly bandwidth Sony allocate to users of their free online service, it instead took 3 hours, for a few gigs of data. By contrast, I download PC games upwards of 10gb from Steam all the time in the time it takes to make a cup of tea and drink it. Anyway, the actual final instalation part of the game eventually took about fifteen minutes.

Sony do not permit full download capacity on their free service, sort of like when one waits 45 seconds for the free file link on Megaupload. That's why it's free, and not really any good. Functional at best.

I hope they charge a premium for all tiers of PSN next gen.

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

Companies file thousands of patents, doesn't mean anything will become of it.

True, but filing a patent specifically for tracking the number of viewers to charge viewing licenses for each person shows that they're at least considering it.

[Red 75]

I can't fathom why Microsoft is going with an online-only Xbox if that's what they're doing. They'll likely shoot themselves in the foot if they do.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Companies file thousands of patents, doesn't mean anything will become of it.

True, but filing a patent specifically for tracking the number of viewers to charge viewing licenses for each person shows that they're at least considering it.

Well yeah it gives them the option to act upon it if they feel it would be in their best interest. Sony filed a patent for a ridiculous DualShock-Move hybrid controller which was able to break apart. I also think they filed for something that would lock game discs to your PS3 so you couldn't resell it, or something to that nature, to combat used games.

[Quintus 5,399]

Okay so I've put about 6hrs into Ni No Kuni and have just gotten to the second hub town, the one in the desert. Lovely game, but damn it's slow to get going. The constant and almost unavoidable battles are beginning to get a bit tedious at this point, but the hope is this is simply the game still teaching me its many systems before kicking into gear and opening up the adventure. So is that the case?

Does the game get a lot more interesting from here onwards? Does it get better?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I'm a few hours further than you and it's still like that. I don't think it changes.

I properly sat down and played Tomb Raider yesterday. It's fun, but it's pretty much a diet version of Uncharted 2.

[Quintus 5,399]

Uncharted 2 is in another league. However I preferred Tomb Raider to Uncharted 3.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Tomb Raider doesn't come close to any of the Uncharted games, in my opinion.

[King Mark 3,631]

Okay so I've put about 6hrs into Ni No Kuni and have just gotten to the second hub town, the one in the desert. Lovely game, but damn it's slow to get going. The constant and almost unavoidable battles are beginning to get a bit tedious at this point, but the hope is this is simply the game still teaching me its many systems before kicking into gear and opening up the adventure. So is that the case?

Does the game get a lot more interesting from here onwards? Does it get better?

Well yeah the game opens up and you can go exploring elsewhere later, on a ship or flying. It's cool finding stuff on these little remote islands on the map.The game does a good job of keeping some stuff mysterious until you can get to it

Just later bosses are difficult if your too low level..that's why you should do all sidequests as the game progresses.

I've started The First Templar...a hack and slash type game.Seems not too long to tide me over until Dragon's Dogma next week

[Quintus 5,399]

Racked up 10hrs now, just got to the Trials Temple. My group has doubled and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by the doubling of battle options and the new layers of strategy introduced, it's pretty confusing. I hope I'm able to figure it all out and get used to it. Is a printed companion piece necessary for all the star signs and elemental power/weakness stuff? Because I've got no chance of applying their benefits on the fly. Are they really integral to the game moving forward, are they genuinely important, or can I just get along fine with out all that heavy detail?

There was some cat dude causing havok in the desert on the way to the Trials Temple and I could tell he was beyond my current level - I died a lot by him, but I persisted and used it as an opportunity to try to figure out how the newly expanded battle options work, until I finally beat the fucker.

It felt half luck and half understanding, but at least it wasn't boring.

[A24 4,346]

Too bad Bioshock Infinite is another shooter because I love to walk around on those city platforms in the sky.

[Quintus 5,399]

I played on PC, where its design is astounding. Saw my cousin on the console version and I was like, "meh". Plus it's frequently jerky. They should have saved it for the next gen, because the splendour is halved as is.

Anyway, probably tied with Portal 2 as the greatest games I've ever played. It's simply magnificent. It is a shooter though, and a good one at that. The game's ambition is in the clouds, and yet they still managed to remember to bring the fun.

This review sums it up best:

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Too bad Bioshock Infinite is another shooter because I love to walk around on those city platforms in the sky.

You can. It's also not just another shooter, it's BioShock.

[A24 4,346]

But it's shooting nonetheless. I wish it was more about exploring and finding your way to the next 'space'. A little bit of shooting can't hurt, when appropriate, but these days it's all what counts. A pity.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Yes but the narrative and spectacle is where the payoff is, and like I said, the combat is infinitely better (no pun intended) than typical FPSs. I don't think I picked up a gun for the first hour or so. A couple people on IGN that were discussing the ending commented on that it felt like what you were describing, that it was meant to walked through but that Ken Levin had to wrap it in a shooter for it to sell.

[Quintus 5,399]

I'd say the balance between exploration, discovery, just soaking up the world of Columbia and its actual combat sections is pretty finely balanced. Feels like 50/50 split to me. The beauty is in how seamless it all is, and almost always 'justified' as far as the narrative goes. But yes, there are still moments in there where you are aware that certain conventions are in play simply because they are deemed expected by nervous execs who are convinced that mainstream CoD playing audiences might not buy their game - thus failing to turn a profit with the staggeringly expensive production costs involved in making such an otherwise ambitious title.

Without shooting, the game simply would never have been made. Thankfully the mechanics of combat are pretty exceptional and ultimately, right for the game. But player incompetence with the fps style of gameplay will not necessarily translate into an enjoyable experience, it's true.

[King Mark 3,631]

Wow , a 2D 80's style Zelda game. Just looking at this screenshot makes me want to buy a 3DS and play it

some of you guys are playing games in pure nostalgia mode

quint how long does Bioshock take to complete? I have a hard time believing a 20 hour game is "deep"

[Quintus 5,399]

During its 12-14hrs of gameplay I'd argue that its narrative is probably deeper than pretty much any generic 50hr JRPG you have ever played.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

RPGs have the worst stories anyway.

[King Mark 3,631]

Not it's just at 15 hours you don't have time to sink into a world

I like to feel like I'm living in it after a while

[Quintus 5,399]

RPGs have the worst stories anyway.

Unless one is a purveyor of all things cheese and cliché.

[King Mark 3,631]

Still seems short to me. It's like 1 or 2 nights and it's done

[Quintus 5,399]

Not it's just at 15 hours you don't have time to sink into a world

In almost ANY game after 15hrs I have had more than enough of its world. I make the exception for RPGs, but once the grind sets in I'm usually looking for the departures platform.

[King Mark 3,631]

At least 50 hours for me

My favorite games have been 120-150 hours

[Quintus 5,399]

Still seems short to me. It's like 1 or 2 nights and it's done

Have you forgotten that Bioshock is an FPS? Do you expect 50hrs of headshots in this genre? Best to just stick to your RPGs methinks.

I get the impression you're a power user of games - you plough through them in marathon day and nightly sessions - in which case Bioshock is but a passing distraction. But to players like me who are in no hurry, the sumptuous adventure can be made to play-out over the course of between a few days to a couple of weeks.

I think of games in the same way I do movies: I want them to be well paced and not overly long.

[King Mark 3,631]

Well, Mass Effect series , Fallout 3/New Vegas and Borderlands can take a very long tome to complete if you do everything

[Quintus 5,399]

Yeah, with Mass Effect I try my best to ignore everything unnecessary, the filler. RPGs are fundamentally rich in filler.

Anyway KM, will you kindly answer my Ni No Kuni concerns please!

[King Mark 3,631]

Ni no Kuni .Didn't I answer the last page?

You get a ship and can fly later in Ni No Kuni to go to remote areas on the map . There's a bunch of stuff to do besides the main quest which you can do at your own pace

Still seems short to me. It's like 1 or 2 nights and it's done

I get the impression you're a power user of games - you plough through them in marathon day and nightly sessions - in which case Bioshock is but a passing distraction.

yes, that is correct. But once I complete a game I never go back to it again

[Quintus 5,399]

Yeah I saw that cheers, but I asked more questions, but never mind.

[King Mark 3,631]

Racked up 10hrs now, just got to the Trials Temple. My group has doubled and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by the doubling of battle options and the new layers of strategy introduced, it's pretty confusing. I hope I'm able to figure it all out and get used to it. Is a printed companion piece necessary for all the star signs and elemental power/weakness stuff? Because I've got no chance of applying their benefits on the fly. Are they really integral to the game moving forward, are they genuinely important, or can I just get along fine with out all that heavy detail?

There was some cat dude causing havok in the desert on the way to the Trials Temple and I could tell he was beyond my current level - I died a lot by him, but I persisted and used it as an opportunity to try to figure out how the newly expanded battle options work, until I finally beat the fucker.

It felt half luck and half understanding, but at least it wasn't boring.

ok, I'll get to your concerns

1) that is WHY there is grinding in JRPG's .They all have complex battle systems with a ton of options . Before you get really good at it it takes a long time but you get to the point where you can use all the options fluidly and that's when it's fun .BTW the combat in NINo Kuni is on the EASY side compared to other JRPG's (Tales of.., Star Ocean, The Last Remnant). In some cases I had to read the manual 3-4 times to figure out everything... and one of the reasons it takes over 100 hours to finish these games

2) YES. in all JRPG's it's better to find an online guide for crafting/monster stats/weapons and armor. I think it is EXPECTED of you because there's almost no way to figure some of this stuff by yourself. You have to study these guides to get the best familiars because just leveling up one of them takes very long

[Quintus 5,399]

Hmm okay, that's actually rather off-putting if I'm honest. I don't want to have to keep cross referencing my Familiars with stat info on printed literature while trying to move the quest forward, playing the actual game. I'll rapidly lose interest if it begins to feel like an ancillary barrier between me and my immersion in the world.

I think I'll just attempt to ignore all that stuff (star signs, individual elemental strenghts/weaknesses) and just see how I do without it. If it becomes a problem, I'll quit.

[King Mark 3,631]

. I don't want to have to keep cross referencing my Familiars with stat info on printed literature while trying to move the quest forward, playing the actual game

Well they all can work well enough to complete the game, but I like to find the optimal setup .

For this game I'd go for physical attackers rather than magic caster (you can tell by their base stats)

When I play these games I often take breaks to go read message boards and stat sheets found online

I read articles like this

http://www.destructoid.com/ni-no-kuni-guide-20-essential-tips-to-get-you-started-244040.phtml

[Quintus 5,399]

Great, that looks helpful. Thanks!

[King Mark 3,631]

I hope you noticed the score is beautiful

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Anyway KM, will you kindly answer my Ni No Kuni concerns please!

[Brónach 1,302]

I feel like playing to Skyrim or something of the sort.

[King Mark 3,631]

Then play Kingdoms of Amalur

[Quintus 5,399]

I hope you noticed the score is beautiful

It is splendid. On par with Zelda's best soundtracks.

I beat the Three Trials boss on my first attempt btw. So I must be doing something right.