Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (October 12-13)

Silent Hill 2 Remake for me this weekend. I don't have much experience with the franchise, but I'm loving this game so far.

Yakuza 0 and FF IV for me this weekend.

Diving back into some Trackmania to get some better times.

Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred all day & most of the night. On the whole this dlc is a good refresh to the game & brings enough to the table that I am excited to play.

The story campaign for the dlc is ok but suffers from a main protagonist I find to be a whiny b ...um ...person so it did drag a bit for me at times.

The new class, the Spiritborn, is insanely strong right now and has some busted op skills which i guess was always going to happen. However while it is strong i don't enjoy the play style as its too fast & twitchy for me. It will be interesting to see how Blizzard balance the class going forward.

Everything else has been great the new skills for existing classes, paragon refresh, game modes & all the other QoL stuff has really breathed new life into Diablo 4. Its not a stretch to say this is the best D4 has been since launch.

I'll be finishing off The Talos Principle 2 this weekend, plus starting a co-op run of Dying Light 2. For once, this weekend will be unlikely to see me undertaking my usual Horde in Gears 5...

Desperados 2

This weekend I’m playing the iconic Silent Hill 2 (Remake). This is my first foray into this franchise, despite owning the original on PS2 back when I was a kid. And I have a lot to say.

The beginning two hours were incredibly dull to me. However, once I got to explore the apartment complex—and having just completed Brookhaven Hospital—it quickly became a tour-de-force in the survival horror genre once I tasted what this game had to offer.

The game has a unique setting, where the town of Silent Hill is a character just as much as you are. One thing that stuck out to me was how there is quest log or an objective marker. This allows a sense of freedom in a relatively linear experience, yet vast at the same time, so there’s a sense of feeling confined and trapped, but always rewarding.

All of this is enhanced by its brilliant art direction and visuals. The fog surrounding the town makes each step feel purposeful. When you enter buildings, each location feels different but believable. Brookhaven Hospital—more or less a psychiatric ward—is a perfect example of this. There is a sense of dread and abandonment, and you can feel the anguish of those who resided there. It felt old-timey and unsanitary, providing an extra level of immersion. A lot of games I feel suffer from making you feel as if you’re truly in this fictional world, but this remake manages to capture that essence.

Furthermore, I really appreciate the approach of no jump scares. The horror comes from the tension of discovering the truth about what’s occurring in the town, the characters that inhabit it, and why. But it’s also the idea that something could happen. It plays with you psychologically. It masterfully teeters the line of reality and paranoia, particularly since enemies are humanoid in nature.

As for the story, it immediately compels you because the main protagonist, James Sunderland, is self aware of his situation and how absurd it is. However, he is still grieving the loss of his wife and those types of processes can make people do inexplicable things they otherwise wouldn’t. Regardless of the dire situation he is in, his calm demeanor draws you in. He has determination, and is willing to see his journey through to the end no matter the cost, all the while not going off in the deep end mentally. It’s a really interesting balance. He is casually dressed which also lends to his personality.

The moment to moment gameplay is also fantastic. Combat has a real crunch to it—but it never feels janky or unintuitive. You can feel the weight behind bludgeoning enemies with melee weapons, and you can even hear the exhaustion in James’ voice when he finishes a while they are squirming on the ground. You’re also never overwhelmed with enemies, so each encounter feels unique. It’s simple, but effective.

So far, I’m only halfway through the game but I’m very impressed, top to bottom. I’m deeply invested in the characters and unfolding story. In a space where there are a ton of survival horror games, this one stands out amongst the rest. I can see why the game received high praise in 2001, and I will now sing its praises for the first time in 2024. It might go down in my top 10 of all time.

I'm gonna continue my playthrough of Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance this weekend.
Nothing else will be played until I beat it, I think.

I’m continuing my Dark Urge play through of BG3 on Series X. Just about to defend the grove against the goblin warband. I appreciate it’s a battle that needn’t be fought, depending on how you play, but it’s such an entertaining fight that I didn’t want to miss it!

Possibly unwise to get back into such a huge game with Life is Strange Double Exposure due on the 29th, DA Veilguard on the 31st, Rise of the Golden Idol on 12/11, Flight Sim 24 on 19/11, Stalker 2 on 20/11 and Indiana Jones on 6/12, all of which I intend to play, but we’ll see how I go!

Astro Bot - Its done, and I got the platinum. I feel like everything has already been said about this game, simply amazing! The last challenge level took me some a couple of runs (many) but it made it even more satisfying when I made it and the last trophies poped 🤩

Termintor Resistance enhanced - also finished and platinum. Very good AA game, great Terminator feeling and nice tie ins with the first two movies.

the Plucky Squire - very nice and cosy game, especially in the 3D bits, but it has some gameplay mechanics and a pace that takes away from the other really good stuff. Still, enjoying it 🙂

GTA v campaign kifflom!

Mass Effect Legendary Edition. Finished 1, so I'm with 2 now. My favorite.

Uncharted: Golden Abyss (Vita) - Time for the showdown with evil general.

Plants vs. Zombies (Android) - Still making my way through the first levels.

Free Slots Fun Factory (Windows Phone) - Still watching some videos on YT.

Very likely nothing for me, we are in Maine for one last weekend before they close the cottage. I brought my Steam Deck so if I can’t sleep I’ll jump into Skyrim. Otherwise, I’ll dream of Metaphor.

I just finished EoW the other day so on switch, I'm waiting for crow country to drop.

On xbox, I'm playing Evil Within 2

Finished Like a Dragon: Ishin! yesterday so I believe I'll be testing some games this weekend until one of them grab my attention.

Already finished 33 games this year. My goal is to beat at least 40 until the end of the year.

Metaphor
RE
Fantazio