Smevin's Regular, Every Day, Normal Ass Gamer Attempts at Trophy Hunting

[DrBloodmoney]

18 minutes ago, YaManSmevz said:

 

 

Gaming Hitlist

 

1. Norco

 

Because I played like five minutes and already need to know what happened, what's happening, and what's gonna happen. This bad boy is batting lead off for March, I got a good feeling about it!

 

2. Sea of Stars

 

Because I wanna play a new RPG, I wanna geek out for forty hours, and I wanna bathe in those Chrono Trigger vibes while technically playing some new shit. Also I'm not sure I'm ready for the ridiculous 1-2-3 punch of Final Fantasy IV-VI just yet!

 

3. Laika: Aged Through Blood

 

Because after My Friend Pedro, I want to shoot more stuff in slo-mo, and after Apotheon, I want to see more cool, unique art styles. It's funny how easily I bought this one... "Well, it's on sale! Guess I have no choice" and it's like a measly few bucks off of the normal retail price. Are they giving the good Doctor a cut yet for all the games he's selling? My man deserves it!

Goddaaamn, that’s some Doc-Approved gaming right there!

I know just what you mean about having a “screw-the-stats” month… I feel like I’m having one now!

 

Decided I wanted to play Balatro, despite being, conservatively, a 5,000 hour platinum… 

…and am mixing it up by playing a full playthrough of FFVIIR, which I can earn no trophies from 😂

 

Sometimes… you just gotta tell the brain to take a seat, and let the gut win!

[YaManSmevz]

3 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

I know just what you mean about having a “screw-the-stats” month… I feel like I’m having one now!

 

Decided I wanted to play Balatro, despite being, conservatively, a 5,000 hour platinum… 

…and am mixing it up by playing a full playthrough of FFVIIR, which I can earn no trophies from 😂

 

That's what's up! I remember when Freelancer came out, you did the same thing, like "welp, looks like trophies aren't gonna matter for a while!" That's the stuff that keeps the hobby fresh... speaking of which, I would LOVE to randomly start playing Hitman again😂

 

3 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Sometimes… you just gotta tell the brain to take a seat, and let the gut win!

 

Preach!

[Heather342]

I spent most of last year working on a 100% at 100 plats goal. In the end it came down to one game.... Persona 4 Arena, a game so incredibly difficult and that I'd spent the majority of the year trying to finish. Yeah I made huge strides in getting better at the game, but I earned no trophies for about 6 or 7 weeks and I was still nowhere near the plat. In the end, I parked that goal I was working on and then spent the next month playing Baldur's Gate 3. It was quite liberating, and I still ended up with an excellent platinum #100.

 

I still play Arena, and I know I'll get there one day, but I'm not putting pressure on myself for it anymore. January was great for me because I ended up playing a lot of smaller games that I'd wanted to play for a while, and ended my trophy drought by getting 6 plats in January 😅

[YaManSmevz]

9 hours ago, Heather342 said:

I still play Arena, and I know I'll get there one day, but I'm not putting pressure on myself for it anymore. January was great for me because I ended up playing a lot of smaller games that I'd wanted to play for a while, and ended my trophy drought by getting 6 plats in January 😅

 

Dude I find those Persona games so intimidating! Props for all the work you're putting in there, and also congrats on such a packed January, sounds like you kicked off the year with an explosion of productivity😎

[Heather342]

12 hours ago, YaManSmevz said:

 

Dude I find those Persona games so intimidating! Props for all the work you're putting in there, and also congrats on such a packed January, sounds like you kicked off the year with an explosion of productivity😎

I absolutely love Persona! Highly recommend if you're ever looking for a new JRPG series to get into. But probably not the Arena fighting game spin offs lol 😅

[YaManSmevz]

Monthly Update with Ya Man Smevz

March 2024

 

Yo!

 

Welcome to April, everybody! I'd love to make some silly April Fool's jokes, lament on how nice it is to be in my birthday month, or comment on how surprisingly difficult it is to find a size-appropriate image of April O'Neil reporting the news that isn't completely sexualized (welp, I'm all grown up now), but we've got a lot to talk about today, so let's get right into it!

 

94.02% Overall Completion (+0.86)

357 Unearned Trophies (-42)

3.44 Trophies Per Day (+0.04)

121 Platinums (+5)

Level 425 (+5)

 

That's what I'm talkin' about!!

 

Game of the Month

 

This is the part I was looking forward to the most... ya man ate very well this month!

 

I played in March with this being my biggest goal - to have a murderer's row of games to choose from, and I don't mind tellin ya that I've succeeded - literally all of these games are makin' appearances in the year-end post! Curiously, they all came out within the last few years, too… crap, am I becoming a more normal, modern gamer??? Quick, somebody get me a PS4 port of Pac-Man!!

 

We started off strong with Norco, an absolutely brilliant adventure game with intensely dark overtones and an arresting knack for surrealism in its storytelling. It's so well-written, so creative, and its music adds so much emotion to the mix (great music will be a theme for the month, by the way), it's just so well put together.

 

Following this was what I can only describe as a heaping key bump of nostalgia in the fantastic Sea of Stars. Sabotage set out to write the ultimate love letter to SNES RPGs, and while it isn't perfect, they got pretty damn close. The soundtrack, the involving gameplay, Garl... playing this is hopping in a time machine, pure and simple... so good.

 

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is next, a delirious skating action platformer complete with a cel shaded, Dreamcast drenched look and a bangin soundtrack. The spastic, unofficial theme song Operator, the twacked out twee of I Wanna Kno, and of course the filthy bass dry-hump of Precious Thing (and that's just off the top of my head) are so fun, so catchy, so.. cool. It's not easy to encapsulate youthful rebellion so convincingly, but it's the whole package here, and it's a total blast.

 

As if we didn't have enough high quality shit to go around, here comes Laika: Aged Through Blood, a bleak metroidvania in a post-apocalyptic world with the Furry Furiosa herself, the titular Laika. She rides her bike all across the desolate landscape blasting enemies left and right, all to a collection of painfully gorgeous folk songs. While the mechanics can be tricky to get down, the gameplay is addicting as all hell, bringing that perfect level of difficulty that kicks your ass, yet you can't stop playing.

 

Finally, we wrap it up with the slab of puzzle genius that is Viewfinder. The simple idea of taking pictures and being able to explore them as 3D environments is so striking in its childlike imaginativeness, and it's so fully realized here.

 

Fuck, man.

 

This one is hard. Any one of these games would be valid as a winner, and come the year's end, I could have a different game winning out... but for now? The one that got the most of a reaction out of me? We gotta go Laika.

 

Rating the Month

 

One of our goals was to write three reviews, and we ended up getting… hold on, let me get a look at the paperwork here …ah yes, none. Perhaps this month what we'll aim for will be to NOT write anything, maybe that'll work!

 

Even still, literally all of my stats went up, and most importantly, I had the most fun I've had in a long time just being a gamer. I can't go the full five, but March had earned a superb 4.5 out of five Viscera Sacks!

 

April Goals

 

1. Before, we were trying to have trophy hunter months, and this past month we went for full-on gamer. Let's see if we can't regain that delicate balance!

 

2. Can we stay over 94%, or get under 350 remaining trophies? WE'LL FIND OUT THIS MONTH!!

 

3. Seriously, pretty please, with sugar on top... write a fuckin review.

 

Gaming Hitlist

 

1. Need for Speed Heat

 

I think I’m ready to wrap this up. Nice and refreshed, and genuinely wanting to go back and see what I can clean up.

2. Little Nightmares 1 & 2

 

We need a new beloved indie franchise to fawn over, and I think this is the one for me in April.

3. Outer Wilds

 

After Viewfinder, I'm suddenly ready to right the wrong of passing over this one a few months back, and get into some more puzzly goodness!

4. Hotline Miami 2

 

I've been too scared to try this one since I finished the first, but... after The Hong Kong Massacre, My Friend Pedro, and Laika... I need another shoot 'em up in my life, and who better to fill the bill than the grandaddy franchise?

 

5. Bloodborne

 

I had to start thinking about plat #125, and after Mr. Vice's stupendous write-up, it started becoming more and more clear to me that it needs to be Bloodborne. And so it shall be!

 

It's gonna be a challenging month, but I'm really looking forward to it! Wishing a happy April to everybody, as always thanks for reading my insane nonsense!

[Mr_Wright95]

Really really love your trophy checklist / write ups and really enjoyed this month’s summary. Been lurking for a while! Good-luck in advance for plat 125! I will be following along to get some inspiration! 

[YaManSmevz]

11 minutes ago, Mr_Wright95 said:

Really really love your trophy checklist / write ups and really enjoyed this month’s summary. Been lurking for a while! Good-luck in advance for plat 125! I will be following along to get some inspiration! 

 

Aayyyy thank you so much, I appreciate it😁🙏

[Platinum_Vice]

13 hours ago, YaManSmevz said:

3. Seriously, pretty please, with sugar on top... write a fuckin review.

 

A Smevz review of Laika, Norco, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk or Viewfinder is literally everything that I'd like right now.

 

Also, you know how much I want you to play Outer Wilds and Bloodborne. 

 

Damn, I've been wanting a "super-like" on PSNP for ages... what's the chances of getting a "double-subscribe" for this checklist, too?

 

Edited April 2 by Platinum_Vice

[CelestialRequiem]

Dude, I am really looking forward to your write up with Bloodborne.

 

Out of all of the Souls/souls-styled games by the progenitors, FromSoft, that's my favorite. I hope you dig it.

[DrBloodmoney]

Damn Smevz, you’re playing so much shit I’ve loved in one month, it’s nuts! Viewfinder, Laika, Norco and Sea of Stars is a hell of a gaming smorgasbord- can’t wait to read those write ups - and particularly looking forward to Laika…

…because “Furry Furiosa” is so perfect a phrase that I am super pissed I didn’t think of it first! 😂

[YaManSmevz]

19 hours ago, Platinum_Vice said:

 

A Smevz review of Laika, Norco, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk or Viewfinder is literally everything that I'd like right now.

 

Also, you know how much I want you to play Outer Wilds and Bloodborne. 

 

I will take that as a request! I'm working on something at the moment (obviously not very quickly, haha) but I'll pick one and get to work. Thank you sir, you've just held me accountable - I like it!

 

19 hours ago, Platinum_Vice said:

Damn, I've been wanting a "super-like" on PSNP for ages... what's the chances of getting a "double-subscribe" for this checklist, too?

 

You charmer, you! Thanks, homie👊

 

20 hours ago, CelestialRequiem said:

Dude, I am really looking forward to your write up with Bloodborne.

 

Out of all of the Souls/souls-styled games by the progenitors, FromSoft, that's my favorite. I hope you dig it.

 

Thanks, my dude! Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it. Been meaning to get into Bloodborne forever, and not only does it seem the most up my alley of all the From stuff, I've just had too many trusted opinions (yours included, of course) telling me that that's the one to kick things off with!

 

20 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Damn Smevz, you’re playing so much shit I’ve loved in one month, it’s nuts! Viewfinder, Laika, Norco and Sea of Stars is a hell of a gaming smorgasbord- can’t wait to read those write ups - and particularly looking forward to Laika…

…because “Furry Furiosa” is so perfect a phrase that I am super pissed I didn’t think of it first! 😂

 

Laika and Norco were all you, so I very much owe you my thanks for those!

 

Funny you say that, when I came up with Furry Furiosa my first thought was wondering if you'd already used that one in your review, I had to go back and read it again to make sure😂

 

Which reminds me - I've been meaning to tell you, but it's such a joy to read a review of yours on a game I don't know, and then after playing it going back and reading it again once I actually get it, does that make sense?

[StraightVege]

Whoa, that's quite the superb lineup you've got planned! Bloodborne, Hotline Miami 2, and Little Nightmares II must be among my favorite games of the PS4 generation, so I rather envy you getting to experience them for the first time. Yeah, I certainly understand your hesitance with HM2, because it's probably tougher than the original game, and definitely more troublesome than Hong Kong Massacre. However, considering you already finished those, you've undoubtedly got the skills to handle anything it can throw at you. Admittedly, several levels required a lot of practice for me to A+ (the angles which you can be sniped from are very surprising—goddamed windows!), but everything's surmountable regardless. Don't be intimidated! 😤

 

I'm also glad to hear that you enjoyed March's gaming escapades so much. You know, I recall learning about that intriguing Laika game on Podquisition some time ago, but I never did get around to checking it out, since the bike mechanics sounded far too irritating. A good thing you reminded me, though, because I should at least look at some gameplay before judging it. As for Sea of Stars, I suppose I just wanted Sabotage Studio to make The Messenger 2 so badly that I spitefully ignored it, but everything I hear from people makes me feel like I'm missing out. Moreover, I've actually never played its main inspiration Chrono Trigger, either, so the nostalgia factor simply isn't there to draw me in. Well, maybe someday.

 

Sorry that I haven't been keeping up with this thread, by the way. I haven't been especially interested in playing games lately, let alone discussing them online, but I'll try to pop in more often if I can. Best of luck in April, man!

[YaManSmevz]

Hundo #20: Resident Evil 4

 

Time, time for some, time for some action

I think it's safe to say that most of us have a game or two that seemingly everybody loves, but never spoke to you in quite the same way. You don't dislike it necessarily, maybe you even get the praise and agree that it's a high quality game, but for whatever reason, it's just not for you. I hope that makes sense, because that's been my relationship with Resident Evil 4 since it came out all the way back in 2005.

Just to be clear, I am not at all an RE4 hater, more of a not-lover. It's for two chief reasons, the first being my own pettiness - after that knockout PS1 trilogy, the franchise was trying out new consoles, and it left this PS loyalist out in the cold.

 

"Wanna play Code Veronica? Or the remake of the original? How about Resident Evil 0, the prequel??"

 

"Oh my god, yes! I'd love to!"

 

"Well too fuckin bad, Sony boy. Here's three shitty FPS games instead."

 

Which brings me to the other reason. Those three shitty FPS games, along with a pair of admittedly interesting online games and two painfully dull movies, brought about a powerful sense of oversaturation. Resident Evil was everywhere all of a sudden, kind of like a genre of music that was cool til it started popping up in commercials for cars and yogurt.

 

It's unfortunate, because Resident Evil 4 ended up being quite a colossal achievement, even by Resident Evil standards, and I ended up stuck in the "No really, it's great, I'm just not in the mood" camp. And everybody knows those people suck!

 

Our story focuses on Leon Kennedy, who much like fellow RE2 alumnus Claire in Code Veronica, is all grown up after the horrors of Raccoon City. He's a big shot special agent now, complete with one liners and devastating good looks, on assignment to find the president's missing daughter Ashley in a rural Spanish village. After an unfortunate misunderstanding, he finds her at a raucous bingo game, where he wins a jet ski before thanking the Spaniards for their hospitality and taking Ashley back home safe and sound. The game lasts about a half hour.

 

The noticeably different gameplay shines immediately, with so many new elements that it's genuinely difficult to know where to start. The over the shoulder camera, which I'm sure existed before this game but was in the very least popularized here, is a win straight out the box. It feels so natural, even paired with the old fashioned tank controls. The dramatic opening door sequences are nearly removed entirely, making those intense, close quarters encounters feel that much more urgent.

 

QTEs, another concept that surely existed beforehand but was popularized here (well, here and God of War, of course) did a great job of keeping us on our toes without going overboard. We now have checkpoints, a staggerlingly overdue addition to the series, and a brilliant difficulty adjusting feature. Oh, and the interactivity has gotten a huge boost - you can even shoot items an enemy is throwing at you. The first time you blow up a Ganado's dynamite as they try to toss it your way to kill everyone in their vicinity is an extreeeemely satisfying moment!

 

Of course, it isn't perfect, and does suffer from the same affliction as its classic mid-aughts gaming brethren San Andreas with being ahead of its time while still more or less being trapped in it. For example:

Leon: “Backflip, roundhouse kick!! Suplex, YEAAHHH!!”

 

Also Leon: “Shut up, I need to concentrate, I can't walk and shoot at the same time.”

 

The shooting is another main thing that dimmed my enjoyment of this game. Not because it's bad, but simply because I never really got the hang of it. I made it through all those challenges, beat the game on Professional, and I'm still garbage at shooting in this thing!

 

The design is fantastic as well - I loved how the environments and enemies are constantly changing, you can tell that Capcom really challenged themselves in this department. There are so many iconic locations in this game, and so many inventive enemy types in a series already known for inventive enemy types.

 

The spiked regenerators towards the end were just as terrifying as the Chainsaw Charlies (not what they were actually called, my friend and I have just always called em that) in the beginning if not more so, and let's not forget the boss battles. El Gigante? Verdugo? The U-3 dude in that giant, suspended cage? Even the Ganados, the most basic enemy here, has a uniquely sinister air that mere zombies can't quite match... hearing the villagers snarling in Spanish about how they’re going to kill you is genuinely chilling!

 

There's been a lot said about the mood, how it's not scary enough, it's too action-packed or whatever, but I can't get on board with that. The faster pace of the game, as well as the switch from having barely enough ammo to get by to having more ammo than you know what to do with is certainly there, but I always say that peeps commenting on that must not have played RE3 beforehand, cuz that shit got wild.

 

I really enjoyed the amount of camp in the script, as it left just enough room for the game to take itself seriously but still managed to be so endlessly charming. Leon is given so much personality, and with far more sophisticated voice acting than before, even if it is in cervice of being a corny action hero. With his quips about bingo, or sassily calling Salazar "BRO," we're chuckling along with him, as opposed to at him like in RE2, with gems like “HOLD your FIRE! I’M a HUMAN!”

 

Oh and also.. I had this vague memory of Ashley being so annoying before I played the game again, only to realize that it wasn't my memory, Ashley was always perfectly fine - it's just the groundless criticism of her that we've all heard countless times, and ironically that dialogue is whinier than Ashley herself! She's a young girl thrust into a terrifying situation, how is she supposed to act? I couldn't help but laugh, like ease up on ol girl, y'know?

 

Oh, and the merchant is the GoaT.

 

Okay! Let's try and wrap this up so we can move onto the strays, cuz I am meandering like a mafucka here...

 

 

After re-playing Resident Evil 4 in 2023, I still don't love it. Whatever whiny nonsense led me astray from the franchise that I was able to shed with the remake of the original sadly remained strong here. But oh well, y'know? That's okay - not everybody gotta like everything!

 

However, I did get a helluva lot more respect to add onto this game's name. I feel the more I play it, the more I realize why it's such a big deal, why it's so beloved. And that's really all I can ask!

 

Stray Observations

 

- Not the sort of thing I try to bemoan regularly, but when it comes to this game I really gotta say it: y no platinum, dawg?

 

- When Leon shoots planks of wood or dangling necklaces to do something he could've easily done with his hands, it just feels like Homer using a gun to open his beer or change the channel. Special agent my ass.

 

- I wonder what I would think if I'd been in another room overhearing the merchant's first appearance. "Got somethin that might interest ya, hehehe" followed by the very clear sound of a cloak being opened. Sus.

 

- If there were any justice in this world, Leon and Luis would've had a handsome buddy cop type spin off where they're constantly brushing their hair out their eyes and saying dopey one liners. I mean the Dead or Alive girls got all those volleyball games!

 

- “Don’t worry, she’s cool.” Awww is she blushing??

 

- "Your right hand comes off?" That reminds me of that movie Arthur, when the girl says "take my hand," to which he responds in drunken confusion "but that would leave you with one."

 

- You can hate on Ashley all you want, but that fist pump she does for every plaga you shoot on the gondola is inarguably adorable.

 

- When Salazar leaves the transmission and Leon is still there pondering, I really wanted Salazar to pop back up like "YES YOU IDIOT, THAT MEANS THERE'S AN INTRUDER BESIDES YOU. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST."

 

- "Oh, I remember how he looked at me in that red dress." - Ada Wong, circa 2045

 

- Shooting the hinges on the bridge before the Salazar battle makes this hysterical noise, it's like when a cartoon character gets an anvil dropped on their head or something.

 

- Saddler told on himself with that "bothersome fly" remark, he totally played Metal Gear Solid when he was a kid.

 

- After the bulldozer sequence, there's this either quick animation or bad edit of Ashley zooming right up to you that cracks me up.

 

- "Leon, you strangled Ada after the parasite took over your sensibilities!" "Huh? Uhh yeah, the parasite, that's what it was."

 

- As much as I dislike QTEs, I really did like them in that first encounter with Krauser, they absolutely nailed it, keeping the encounter nice and tense. Although he's a bit of an idiot, no? "Wait, did you just say Umbrella?" "Huh? No no, I didn't... YOU'RE the one saying Umbrella, Leon! I don't know what you're talking about!"

 

- "Wanna come over and put in some overtime?" "I've already heard you call out my name a few too many times, no thanks."

 

THAT Trophy: What Are They Worth?

 

As mentioned before, I could just never get the hang of the shooting in this thing. The mechanic reminds me of those water gun games at carnivals; no matter how carefully I aim, I am never shooting at the right place to start! Skill issue though, I mean what can you do?

 

Also.... they laugh pretty hard at your ass when you fail, that shit's cold.

[YaManSmevz]

On 4/20/2024 at 7:21 PM, StraightVege said:

Whoa, that's quite the superb lineup you've got planned! Bloodborne, Hotline Miami 2, and Little Nightmares II must be among my favorite games of the PS4 generation, so I rather envy you getting to experience them for the first time. Yeah, I certainly understand your hesitance with HM2, because it's probably tougher than the original game, and definitely more troublesome than Hong Kong Massacre. However, considering you already finished those, you've undoubtedly got the skills to handle anything it can throw at you. Admittedly, several levels required a lot of practice for me to A+ (the angles which you can be sniped from are very surprising—goddamed windows!), but everything's surmountable regardless. Don't be intimidated! 😤

 

Hey, what's up man!

 

Yeah, I'm getting more and more excited for Bloodborne! I think I agree with you on Hotline Miami 2, I might actually like better than the first... though that excludes the Hard difficulty, which I'm yet to even start, and the A+ stuff is definitely trying! Lotta bullshit deaths, like some levels you die in a split second over and over at the very beginning of the screen before you can even formulate a plan!

 

And thank you for the encouraging words! It's definitely harder than HKM, but it'll get wrapped up sooner than later!

 

On 4/20/2024 at 7:21 PM, StraightVege said:

I'm also glad to hear that you enjoyed March's gaming escapades so much. You know, I recall learning about that intriguing Laika game on Podquisition some time ago, but I never did get around to checking it out, since the bike mechanics sounded far too irritating. A good thing you reminded me, though, because I should at least look at some gameplay before judging it. As for Sea of Stars, I suppose I just wanted Sabotage Studio to make The Messenger 2 so badly that I spitefully ignored it, but everything I hear from people makes me feel like I'm missing out. Moreover, I've actually never played its main inspiration Chrono Trigger, either, so the nostalgia factor simply isn't there to draw me in. Well, maybe someday.

 

Dude I feel like you would LOVE Laika. It's that sweet spot of challenge, interesting mechanics, and bleak story. I still need to try The Messenger, but as a total Chrono Trigger Stan, I could not resist going for Sea of Stars first😂 I will not harp on your not having played a certain classic SNES RPG, though I will say that even without that, it's still worth a try. It's a game very much made for gamers our age😄

 

On 4/20/2024 at 7:21 PM, StraightVege said:

Sorry that I haven't been keeping up with this thread, by the way. I haven't been especially interested in playing games lately, let alone discussing them online, but I'll try to pop in more often if I can. Best of luck in April, man!

 

Nah man, don't even trip! We've all got lives. And I feel you on that... sometimes the urge to game just isn't there. It's best to just let that ride out, cuz once you start forcing it, you just ensure that you'll REEEAAALLY not wanna play games for an even longer while, and that ain't nice.

 

Thanks a lot for stoppin by homie, always a pleasure!

 

P.S. Look into My Friend Pedro if you haven't already. That and Laika I think you might get a big kick out of!

[StraightVege]

Oh, I'm more or less in the same boat when it comes to RE4, although probably for different reasons, and a bit more skewed towards the negative. When questions like "what's your least favorite RE game" come up, I always say that I'm among the few weirdos who wasn't particularly fond of it (original GameCube version). Didn't like the long escort mission; didn't like the series transition into a mediocre TPS; didn't like how unpredictable the DA system made enemy behavior and damage; didn't like the silly premise or the goofy one-liners. The last time I played it, I actually resorted to periodically shooting Ashley for a game over, and not primarily because babysitting her frustrated me, but to reduce my DA score. At least one aspect of the game tickled me, though: Krauser, who I find to be hysterically funny for some reason.

 

Like you, I'm American!

 

Strangely, I DID enjoy RE5 for the most part, despite it not being all that different. I think it's mainly because that game is just an absolute blast to play through with a co-op partner, and its Mercenaries mode whips ass—so darn fun! Perhaps I'd get along better with the RE4 remake, but I'm not exactly in a hurry to try it. Nevertheless, I got a real kick out of reading your thoughts on the classic version.

 

On 4/22/2024 at 4:43 PM, YaManSmevz said:

I think I agree with you on Hotline Miami 2, I might actually like better than the first... though that excludes the Hard difficulty, which I'm yet to even start, and the A+ stuff is definitely trying! Lotta bullshit deaths, like some levels you die in a split second over and over at the very beginning of the screen before you can even formulate a plan!

 

Yeah, regarding which is the better game, it's a toss-up for me, but I adore them both. I do recall Hard difficulty being worse than the A+ ranks overall, especially some of Manny's missions (the trial and error can be downright torturous, for sure), but I believe in ya! Just remember, to platinum this bastard of a game, you gotta have thick skin.

 

 

On 4/22/2024 at 4:43 PM, YaManSmevz said:

Dude I feel like you would LOVE Laika. It's that sweet spot of challenge, interesting mechanics, and bleak story.

 

The other night, I watched about 15 minutes of gameplay, and it's a gorgeous game at the very least. Visually, it kinda brings to mind Dust: An Elysian Tail, and that's definitely a good thing. Still, I don't know if I have the patience to traverse an entire Metroidvania experience on that dirt bike. Maybe if you could hop off the vehicle and engage in other types of gameplay to break things up a bit, but it didn't seem like that was a thing from what I saw. As enamored as I am with these types of games, I might just watch a playthrough of Laika, rather than pulling out what's left of my hair. 😅 Keep in mind, I also hated Excitebike as a kid, heh. I have to respect their commitment to trying something out of the box, though.

 

On 4/22/2024 at 4:43 PM, YaManSmevz said:

I still need to try The Messenger

 

Yes, you do! It's easily right up there with the all-time greats of the sub-genre. Once you grow accustomed to the mechanics, the movement is quite addictive and flows well. Basically, striking enemies or projectiles with your sword recharges your "Cloud Step," granting you another midair jump. Later, you unlock tools like the Rope Dart, making your movement even crazier. It features some extremely catchy tunes, too. I really hope they get around to creating a sequel someday.

 

On 4/22/2024 at 4:43 PM, YaManSmevz said:

I will say that even without that, it's still worth a try. It's a game very much made for gamers our age😄

 

That might be just what I needed to hear, haha. I do love strategic turn-based combat, after all, and there aren't enough RPGs that implement it anymore. Darkest Dungeon was fantastic, and Battle Chasers wasn't half bad, either, but not much else comes to mind among more contemporary titles. I'll certainly consider Sea of Stars, then!

 

On 4/22/2024 at 4:43 PM, YaManSmevz said:

Look into My Friend Pedro if you haven't already.

 

You know, I feel like I've heard that name a million times, but somehow, I still haven't bothered finding out what the game actually is yet. I appreciate the suggestion; will do!

 

Hope you enjoy the rest of HM2 and Bloodborne, sir! Always good talking to you.

 

Edited Thursday at 12:26 AM by StraightVege

[CelestialRequiem]

Ah... yeah, even though I'm a part of the hype for RE4 -- I know what it's like to sort of walk away with feeling lukewarm from a very popular and beloved game. Even though I adore RE4, it actually isn't my favorite in the series. I prefer the original game, the original remake, and the OG RE2 farrrrr more than RE4. But, being a Shinji Mikami directed title, it's still incredible, in my opinion. You definitely gave it its fair shake, so no one can reasonably fault you for it not meeting your expectations.

 

On 4/22/2024 at 6:24 PM, YaManSmevz said:

Hundo #20: Resident Evil 4

 

Time, time for some, time for some action

I think it's safe to say that most of us have a game or two that seemingly everybody loves, but never spoke to you in quite the same way. You don't dislike it necessarily, maybe you even get the praise and agree that it's a high quality game, but for whatever reason, it's just not for you. I hope that makes sense, because that's been my relationship with Resident Evil 4 since it came out all the way back in 2005.

Just to be clear, I am not at all an RE4 hater, more of a not-lover. It's for two chief reasons, the first being my own pettiness - after that knockout PS1 trilogy, the franchise was trying out new consoles, and it left this PS loyalist out in the cold.

 

"Wanna play Code Veronica? Or the remake of the original? How about Resident Evil 0, the prequel??"

 

"Oh my god, yes! I'd love to!"

 

"Well too fuckin bad, Sony boy. Here's three shitty FPS games instead."

 

 

 

Let's get the heads rolling!

 

 

Now, while I don't think Shinji Mikami for allowing the game to come to PS2 should be decapitated, nor should you for not loving the game like the rest of the crowd, even I feel like I need to meet my maker for this statement:

 

Shinji Mikami's final game, The Evil Within, I find superior to any Resident Evil game. I hope you consider giving that game a shot someday, as it's really incredible, and I think overlooked, compared to the Resident Evil series.

 

 

 

On 4/22/2024 at 6:24 PM, YaManSmevz said:

Stray Observations

 

- Not the sort of thing I try to bemoan regularly, but when it comes to this game I really gotta say it: y no platinum, dawg?

 

They had TWO opportunities to give a platinum, and they didn't. I agree that it's not always worth complaining about -- but dude, twice? The only RE4 platinum out there is the remake, and I'm a little jealous. I'd have liked to represent the OG with a plat, but oh well.

[YaManSmevz]

On 4/24/2024 at 5:23 PM, StraightVege said:

The last time I played it, I actually resorted to periodically shooting Ashley for a game over, and not primarily because babysitting her frustrated me, but to reduce my DA score. At least one aspect of the game tickled me, though: Krauser, who I find to be hysterically funny for some reason.

 

Like you, I'm American!

 

I loved Leon's "...oohhh nnnoooooooo.." whenever Ashley would die. Like "She's dead... well, I'm fucked."

 

I liked Krauser too! He's strong enough to be a genuine threat, but my god is he dumb. A bag of rocks wearing a beret would likely offer a similar level of dialogue!

 

On 4/24/2024 at 5:23 PM, StraightVege said:

Strangely, I DID enjoy RE5 for the most part, despite it not being all that different. I think it's mainly because that game is just an absolute blast to play through with a co-op partner, and its Mercenaries mode whips ass—so darn fun! Perhaps I'd get along better with the RE4 remake, but I'm not exactly in a hurry to try it. Nevertheless, I got a real kick out of reading your thoughts on the classic version.

 

I totally get that - had I not played RE5 with a friend a few years back, I likely never would've bothered revisiting 4. The co-op 100% makes it! Like what a good idea, doing RE with a friend for the entire adventure! I'm not in a hurry for the RE4 remake either... I mean I'm sure it's great, don't get me wrong, but this was all the RE4 I really need, to be honest.

 

And thank you sir, I appreciate that!

 

On 4/24/2024 at 5:23 PM, StraightVege said:

Yeah, regarding which is the better game, it's a toss-up for me, but I adore them both. I do recall Hard difficulty being worse than the A+ ranks overall, especially some of Manny's missions (the trial and error can be downright torturous, for sure), but I believe in ya! Just remember, to platinum this bastard of a game, you gotta have thick skin.

 

 

Just wrapped that one up, actually! I agree - even though only a handful of levels on Hard were truly, truly awful, and the A+ experience was overall more difficult, I found myself getting more annoyed during the Hard playthrough. Like they really pulled out all the bullshit stops!

 

Speaking of Manny, I actually googled that name out of curiosity, and turns out Manuel Pardo was a real dude, with an equally solid story! I found that shit fascinating.

 

On 4/24/2024 at 5:23 PM, StraightVege said:

The other night, I watched about 15 minutes of gameplay, and it's a gorgeous game at the very least. Visually, it kinda brings to mind Dust: An Elysian Tail, and that's definitely a good thing. Still, I don't know if I have the patience to traverse an entire Metroidvania experience on that dirt bike. Maybe if you could hop off the vehicle and engage in other types of gameplay to break things up a bit, but it didn't seem like that was a thing from what I saw. As enamored as I am with these types of games, I might just watch a playthrough of Laika, rather than pulling out what's left of my hair. 😅 Keep in mind, I also hated Excitebike as a kid, heh. I have to respect their commitment to trying something out of the box, though.

 

Ah... okay, well if you hated Excitebike (that made me strangely sad to read, I loved Excitebike!), then maybe you wouldn't enjoy it so much. Cuz no, you almost never get off the bike😂

 

Elysian Tail made me think of how Laika could be like Feivel Goes West, but with guns, and that visual was definitely worth a chuckle or two, so thanks for that😄👊

 

On 4/24/2024 at 5:23 PM, StraightVege said:

Yes, you do! It's easily right up there with the all-time greats of the sub-genre. Once you grow accustomed to the mechanics, the movement is quite addictive and flows well. Basically, striking enemies or projectiles with your sword recharges your "Cloud Step," granting you another midair jump. Later, you unlock tools like the Rope Dart, making your movement even crazier. It features some extremely catchy tunes, too. I really hope they get around to creating a sequel someday.

 

Well, shit. Looks like it just got a big bump up in the backlog! Just bought it in the Spring sale, so I may be playing it sooner than later. Thanks for the nudge!

 

On 4/24/2024 at 5:23 PM, StraightVege said:

That might be just what I needed to hear, haha. I do love strategic turn-based combat, after all, and there aren't enough RPGs that implement it anymore. Darkest Dungeon was fantastic, and Battle Chasers wasn't half bad, either, but not much else comes to mind among more contemporary titles. I'll certainly consider Sea of Stars, then!

 

Nice! Yeah I won't lie to you, it isn't perfect, but it captures that feel impeccably. I'd recommend it for that alone, really!

 

On 4/24/2024 at 5:23 PM, StraightVege said:

Hope you enjoy the rest of HM2 and Bloodborne, sir! Always good talking to you.

 

Likewise, homie! And will do - I think Bloodborne is gonna be up first next month, I'm excited😎

 

On 4/24/2024 at 10:34 PM, CelestialRequiem said:

Ah... yeah, even though I'm a part of the hype for RE4 -- I know what it's like to sort of walk away with feeling lukewarm from a very popular and beloved game. Even though I adore RE4, it actually isn't my favorite in the series. I prefer the original game, the original remake, and the OG RE2 farrrrr more than RE4. But, being a Shinji Mikami directed title, it's still incredible, in my opinion. You definitely gave it its fair shake, so no one can reasonably fault you for it not meeting your expectations.

 

Dude, the original remake and original RE2 were fuckin IT. I'm in 100% agreement there!

 

On 4/24/2024 at 10:34 PM, CelestialRequiem said:

 

Now, while I don't think Shinji Mikami for allowing the game to come to PS2 should be decapitated, nor should you for not loving the game like the rest of the crowd, even I feel like I need to meet my maker for this statement:

 

Shinji Mikami's final game, The Evil Within, I find superior to any Resident Evil game. I hope you consider giving that game a shot someday, as it's really incredible, and I think overlooked, compared to the Resident Evil series.

 

Dude, that image takes me baaaack. Oh, the days of getting my video game news from magazines🤣

 

Shit... I may have to try out Evil Within, then... I've been curious about it for some time, and if you're showering it with high praise... well, I suppose I ought to take another look!

 

On 4/24/2024 at 10:34 PM, CelestialRequiem said:

They had TWO opportunities to give a platinum, and they didn't. I agree that it's not always worth complaining about -- but dude, twice? The only RE4 platinum out there is the remake, and I'm a little jealous. I'd have liked to represent the OG with a plat, but oh well.

 

Yeah, I mean it's obviously not the end of the world or anything, but c'mon!

 

Thanks for stoppin by homie, always nice to see ya👊😎