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I have discussed this very topic a good number of times throughout the several journals that I have had at this forum, but I still find it to be one of my favorite things to discuss. Especially with a lot of the more recent releases having some stellar soundtracks that really take you for a journey, often from start to finish. Keep things short and sweet, I'm just going to get right into it. The first one I'm going to talk about is from Dead Cells of course. I'm bringing this up here because I don't think I could talk about this game enough. And of course, I recently met a few of the people that were behind the creation of this game and the soundtrack itself. Spoiler for video:
The best track on the entire soundtrack as far as I'm concerned. The next one we have is from a game I haven't had a chance to play yet, though I have heard enough of the soundtrack to really say that it's very very excellently done. Mixes the two genres together to make one beautiful soundtrack for what seems to be a very well received game. I'm talking about Cadence of Hyrule. Yeah, they mixed together Crypt of the Necrodancer and The Legend of Zelda, and it birthed several beautiful things. For one, the game looks excellent. And of course on top of that, you have the soundtrack. I'll let you listen for yourself and you decide: Really a fantastic piece. I played Assassins Creed: Odyssey for a good while, so much that I started to hum the soundtrack. Most specifically the main theme but that's mostly because it's so god damn good. The game itself is great and it's such a humongous step forward for the Assassins Creed franchise, but god damn the soundtrack is really good. Everything fits with the environment and world in such a wonderful way that it really feels good to run through the huge world that lays before you. Here's the theme I'm talking about: Spoiler for video:
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https://i.imgur.com/iJKgYtV.png?1 Video Game Music (pt. 2) Continuing on, I want to make a special mention to this particular track from Marvel's: Spider-Man: The game, first off, is ****ing fantastic. But add a really well done soundtrack, and you've got yourself a pretty near perfect Spider-Man game. I 100% completed this game because I had so much fun with it. I highly recommend it if you still have not played it. Of course, what kind of video game music discussion would this be if I didn't talk about Turok 2: Seeds of Evil. Seems like I talk about this soundtrack every time but it's because, especially for it's time, it's so ****ing good. Seriously. Listen. Spoiler for video:
I'll keep that short though because I do mention that soundtrack a lot. |
**** Sony for legitimately making me want to drop several hundred dollars on a PS4 just to play one game. Seriously, **** Sony. I don't care if the games are exclusive to one console or the other, but at least give us a PC port.
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I try not to assume a game is going to go either way upon release. I like to have my own personal experience and judge the game based on my own expectations. Jedi Fallen Order is one of those games where I feel like the personal experience will be far more important when judging the game. I mean, I get it. Jedi Fallen Order isn't the most anticipated release of the year because of EA, but Respawn is a part of it, so it's one of those situations where it could go really really well and people love it, or EA screws it up so bad that it's impossible to help. It could be a Star Wars Battlefront II situation again. I'm cautiously optimistic about it. I'm hoping for a great game, mostly because I try to give Star Wars games at least one shot before judging it. Of course the exception is the previously mentioned Star Wars Battlefront II. I just didn't bother. It was plagued from the start. However, Jedi Fallen Order is going to be a single player adventure, and I'm super excited. I've got great memories with the single player Star Wars games, especially the KOTOR series and Force Unleashed of course. It's also fair to be optimistic given that EA and Respawn have both ensured the fans that it's going to be the game that people want. Hell, when they released the full demo gameplay, I got immediately excited. Especially considering the state that the game was in was literally the demo. Changes will obviously be made but I think it's only going to be for the better. A huge part of me is telling myself that I'm going to really like it. Maybe not love love it, but probably come very close. We'll see. But, I did decide to get the preorder for this one, because well...Respawn is great. And I want to support them. Things could change with EA in my view if they let this game be the game it should be. Which they have ensured time and time again that it will be the game that we want. It's really just a test to see if Respawn and EA can work well together to make a great game. All possibilities seem to go more towards the positive. But that's the reason for being cautiously optimistic. We just don't know until the game comes out. For the time being, I'll be playing a **** ton of Borderlands 3 and Diablo 3 until Jedi Fallen Order comes out. |
https://i.imgur.com/o9C10fS.png?1 First Impressions: Borderlands 3 This one has taken me a little while to get to because I couldn't decide if I wanted to do a full on post about this or a first impressions and I decided on a first impressions as I have not had as much time with the game as I've wanted. So I need more time to take it in and really gather my thoughts. But, the nice things is, currently I am enjoying the game a lot. It's definitely still Borderlands, but with so many improvements that you start to lose count of how many things you didn't realize you needed until they did it in this game. Specifically, the map on its own has been given many changes that make the game way more immersive to play. The minimap and the map itself come in a sort of 3D model so that you can see if things are above you or below you. That's especially helpful as that was not in any of the previous games and it was always a little annoying trying to figure out if something was above or below you. With as many different different levels that this game has, that's certainly a welcome change. The customization has also had a huge overhaul in the fact that it actually exists. You can change everything from the mask you wear all the wear to the individual armor pieces that you want to wear. And there is a ton to choose from. I've barely made my way into the game and I've already found a ton of new ways to equip my character to look unique. Did I mention I chose the Siren? Every other time I play Borderlands, I seem to go either with the all around character with big guns, or the sniper. Never really dove into the others. So I decided to give the Siren a shot. And I'm loving every minute of it. The things she has in her arsenal are amazing, and I've barely just scratched the surface. Especially considering you now have several skill trees to level up. And you can level them up simultaneously as you see fit. really makes for some unique and creative builds, even early on. So yeah, so far I'm really enjoying Borderlands 3. I think they absolutely nailed every bit of it they could possibly nail and the game is truly great. Really excited to put more time into it. |
https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/stea...g?t=1571221757 Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair At first, when I saw people talking about this, I thought it was just a DLC for the original Yooka Laylee. Little did I know that this was its own fully fleshed out game. And guess what? It's actually really good. It wears it's Donkey Kong Country inspiration on its sleeve. And if you aren't aware, the team behind this are some of the originals of Rare, which if you don't remember, made Donkey Kong Country. So for them to take that inspiration is not surprising. To have it be done in such a fantastic way? Well, I don't really know what I was expecting. But for them, I'm glad it's good. Back when Yooka Laylee came out, I gave it a shot. I didn't like it as much as I had hoped but it wasn't bad. A lot of people had a lot of negative things to say about it but I didn't find it to be deserving of such negative responses. The game was fine. Wasn't groundbreaking but it didn't try to be. When I found out that the same team behind that was going to come out with another game, well yeah I got excited. It's good that this team doesn't want to be known as the one hit wonder development team. They're here to stay and they want to continue to make great games. And I hope they continue to make games of this quality if not better. The reason I'm praising this game so much is because I am legitimately and genuinely enjoying the hell out of it. I'm dead serious when I say that the Donkey Kong Country inspiration is evident, because all the way from the gameplay to the music, it all feels like old school Rare in the best way possible. I mean, just listen to this and tell me it doesn't make you feel like you're playing an old time Rare game: This is certainly a surprising entry as again, I didn't know that this game was coming out so quickly. I had only heard certain things thrown around here and there. So I'm impressed honestly. Glad this came out and I'm going to keep playing it because there's so much to collect and so much to see. |
https://i.imgur.com/QSVtcVw.jpg?1 MediEvil: Childhood to Remaster Sometimes the most amazing things can happen within the gaming community. Great games come out that meet game of the year expectations, and at the same time, some of those games are remasters of games from years prior. The whole remaster thing has been done a lot but in most cases, it's done pretty well. Take Spyro and Crash Bandicoot for example. Both phenomenal franchises and on top of that, great remasters. I've only played a fair bit of the Crash Bandicoot remaster, but I've heard nothing but great things about Spyro. Will need to pick that up at some point. So now, what I'm here to talk about is MediEvil. It was originally released back in 1998 for the Playstation. At the time, my cousin was the only person that had a Playstation so we'd play his from time to time. MediEvil was one of the games we played a lot of. Unfortunately, we only had the demo so we could only play so much. But then we did eventually get the complete game. It's just your typical hack n slash adventure style game. But it has a lot of uniqueness and charm that really sets it apart. The game being remastered has not taken any of that charm or character away, instead it's added more and I'm enjoying this game more than I ever have. That could also be due to the fact that I'm older, but still. MediEvil is one of those games that I don't feel hit too many people's radars due to it being on the Playstation when it was originally released. Maybe that's just my own opinion since I didn't really hear a lot of people talk about it back then. But, I will say that if you've heard about this game and want an excuse to play it, get the remaster. It's worth it. I'm having a blast reliving a childhood game and that's honestly all I could ask for in this remaster. |
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This is a video game journal, you tampon.
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It's a journal, not a diary.
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Things is tho ive tried playin diablo 3 again a little while ago and i was so frickin lost on what to do. Somehow i wiped out of my head all the sht i went thru so i moved on to path of exile which i was told is a better game but for some reason it didnt hook me in like diablo 3 |
https://i.imgur.com/11EcFly.jpg?1 Jedi Fallen Order [First Impressions] I'll admit, back when this game was very first teased with only the title, I was sort of laughing at EA because there wasn't even a beacon of hope that they would pull something off as defining as a Star Wars single player experience. We've got games like Knights of the Old Republic and Force Unleashed that give that experience very well in many ways. So to even think there would be a potential repeat of that coming from EA, it just seemed unlikely. But then you also go through the realization of knowing that Respawn is the one developing the game. EA is only publishing. We as fans were sincerely hoping that this game would not have any kind of money grabbing schemes. And EA made sure to let fans know early on that there will be absolutely no microtransactions or money grabs of any kind. At this point I'm cautiously optimistic because it's still hard to say whether or not there was a chance that they knew what they were doing and if they were just letting Respawn do their thing. The hope was that Respawn was able to just do the development side and just take care of that. With titles like Titanfall and Apex Legends on their resume, you'd understand that people were expecting something great. Then you come to the release date, and simultaneously I got my deluxe edition copy because I had preordered it months prior. And let me just say this as clearly as I can. They did a ****ing unbelievably good job on Jedi Fallen Order. From the world building to the lightsaber combat, it all feels so fluid and nice that it really feels like you're playing as a Jedi. The combat is surprisingly tactical, but it's oh so satisfying once you get it figured out. Just takes practice. Graphics are pretty phenomenal. You'll see things in the background that will take your breath away. Like a Starfighter crashed in the ground behind you, etc etc. People have been making the comparison to Dark Souls / Bloodborne / Sekiro, and I wholeheartedly agree. The game is tough. Especially if you're playing on the harder difficulty. The way you move around and the platforming are very reminiscent of Middle Earth: Shadow of War and Assassin's Creed: Odyssey. It takes a lot of inspiration and it throws it together in a wonderfully told story in the Star Wars universe. I've so far put about 5 hours into the game, and I've had a blast the whole way through. The way the world builds upon itself. The way the story is told. The characters you meet. It's everything I was hoping the game would be. And the best thing about it. There's absolutely no microsactions or money grabs whatsoever. EA basically gave this one to Respawn and said "Hey, we'll publish this. Just make a great game." And god damn they did. It's always nice when a game turns out as good as you wanted it to, if not better. I'm still playing through the game so there may be another review. So far, it's great. |
https://i.imgur.com/5LUfEki.jpg?1 Minecraft Dungeons Minecraft Dungeons is one of those experiences that hits you in the right spots right off the bat that it's nearly impossible to not want to continue forward past the tutorial. As can be evident, I'm going to be talking about Minecraft Dungeons. At this point, I feel like I've put rough 13-15 hours into the game, and I've experienced a lot of what the game has to offer. It's strengths, it's weaknesses. Overall however, the game gets a solid recommendation from me for a few simple reasons: First and foremost, the game is fun. It's accessible, it's not terribly difficult (more on that later), and artistically, it's really nice to look at. For that reason alone, I'd already give it my full recommendation. This game pushes to fit in with games like Diablo and Path of Exile, and much like those games, it takes what makes a dungeon crawler fun and playable, and still makes it it's own thing. Yes, it's Minecraft. And yes, it's a dungeon crawler. But it's very much it's own thing in respect to its theme and overall style. Secondly, missions. I really like the setup of having a base camp and being able to select missions that you want to do. In whatever order you choose to do them. The added thing that's really nice, especially for people who are used to games like Diablo, is that you can choose up to 6 different difficulties. The difficulty scales with what your power level is at that time. You can choose to grind lower difficulties to be better at the tougher ones, or you can take it slow and attempt the higher difficulties, yielding really great loot early on. I've done both tactics and both come with their advantages and disadvantages respectively. But both are solid tactics. Just whatever fits your play style. Thirdly and potentially most importantly, the multiplayer. It works. And it works really well, for the most part. Minus a few latency issues, I've been playing with my brother on Xbox Live and I've seen little to no problems regarding connection and playing together. The game doesn't force you to be together all the time. You can split up and take on the missions as you want to, then meet up later. Or you can just do it together. Again, really up to what your play style is. When I first heard that there was going to be a dungeon crawler style game based on Minecraft, I was skeptical. But also excited. It's very nice that I can safely say that this game exceeded my expectations. They did a really really nice job with it, and there are more updates to come. A really nice surprise and something I will be putting most of my time into for a while. |
What I've Been Playing
Whether it's a result of so many god damn good sales going on, or just having the accessibility to play a lot of games (i.e. PC and console), I've definitely been trying out more games than I have in quite some time. And I want to talk a little bit about each of them. Starting off... https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/stea...g?t=1579012330 Thief It shouldn't be too much of a surprise that I am enjoying this game given that I have a huge liking for stealth style games. And this one is very reminiscent of Dishonored, and I absolutely loved that game for everything it had to offer. The more I play Thief, the more I see that it is sort of the predecessor to Dishonored, as it does a lot of the same things. Feels really good to play, and the overall atmosphere is really well done as well. The game certainly shows its again with the dialogue and characters, etc. But the gameplay is really fun. Plus, I picked it up for $1.99 on PS4, so...can't really complain. Next up... https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PC1NyOIm03A/hqdefault.jpg Undertale After putting this game off for so long, I finally decided to pick it up and give it some of my time. And my god I'm glad I did. Right from the get go, I can understand why this game deserves as much hype as it does. Not only is the writing really well done, but the characters and the overall feel of the game really does itself justice. While it's known that the graphics aren't that great, it really doesn't deter me from playing more. In fact, I find that the graphics really add a lot to the world, and allows for the narrative to sort of take over. The dialogue between characters is fantastic. The combat system is not like any I've ever experienced before. I've gotten a couple hours into it already, and I'm having an absolute blast. I can't wait to finish it. https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/stea...f?t=1591676600 Hades This game has been in early access for a while, but it didn't make its way to Steam until recently. And naturally, I had to pick it up. I've known of the existence of this game for months prior to it being on Steam, but I don't want dive into the Epic Store to play it. I don't need another platform when Steam does plenty for me. Basically, think Dead Cells meets Diablo. The graphics are super stylish. The gameplay is really fun. The combat is super responsive and fun. The only gripe I have so far is that the character you play is speaks dialogue throughout the runs. And while it's not a deterrent, I generally prefer a silent protagonist in my rogue likes. Again, this doesn't keep me from playing, but it definitely adds something extra that I'd rather not have. Luckily you can turn the voice volume off and it basically fixes that issue. And while I've been enjoying the new stuff, I've also been putting some time into Fallout 4. https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...f5&oe=5F0E4A96 Already having a little over 100 hours in the game, I keep finding reasons to go back and play it. It's become that game where if I need something to take up some time, and I don't really feel like jumping into anything else, I'll typically go to Fallout 4. And if that doesn't work, Skyrim is usually the next option. I've been having an absolute blast playing Fallout lately though, because there are still so many places I haven't explored yet. I've already completed the game's main story, and finished Far Harbor. I'm in the middle of finishing the Nuka World DLC. And all the while, I'm going around the Commonwealth and exploring every building I can, and finding every set of power armor I can find. And on top of all that, the game has mods. And some of them are amazing. Like...new weapons, new kinds of companions, new areas to explore. Basically if you run out of stuff to do, you can add more. And of course if that isn't enough, I will generally pull out Old School Runescape on my surface or phone and have it playing in the background when I'm making music, or working on something work related. Just been doing a ton of fishing. Here are my current stats in case you're interested: https://i.imgur.com/hSeCZry.png?2 |
I heard that Thief reboot was a poor man's Dishonoures so I passed on it but I played the **** out of the Thief 2 demo back in high school. Wish I'd copped it when I still had a computer.
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Dishonored came out first, son.
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Oh well. That's pretty impressive for dishonored then tbh
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You should check the old school thief games though.
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https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/stea...g?t=1586462324 Star Wars Episode 1 Racer This is one of those games that I don't mind talking to death about, because it's so damn good. Star Wars Episode 1 Racer was just re-released onto the newer consoles. My experience is solely from the PS4 version. I know nothing about the Switch port or the PC port for that matter. It's not a remaster either. And I honestly don't mind that. I find that the game truly shows it's beauty with the older style graphics of the N64. Sure they don't look super fantastic, but they also don't look half bad. The game runs at a smooth 60fps with literally no lag. Which is important given this game is fast, and it's podracing. It has to run smooth. And it most certainly does. I guess one shouldn't be too surprised by that given that it is a 17 year old game. So of course it should run well on newer consoles. I'm just saying it's nice to see, and it's nice that it fills the entirety of my TV. What I'm finding myself enjoying more than anything though is just the overall nostalgia I'm feeling as I'm going from track to track. It's also pretty bizarre that in some cases, I've been able to remember the tracks so as to not crash or do anything stupid. Again, I probably haven't played this game in quite a long time, so to be able to relive it again, and to remember stuff, is pretty cool. All the tracks feel super unique as well. This wasn't something I particularly focused much on when I was a kid, but the tracks do vary quite a bit. It's also really cool that certain tracks change how they look based on which part of the tournament you're doing. For example, there are two different version of the Tatooine track. Of course, what makes the tracks really shine is the music. It's just your standard Star Wars music, but it works extraordinarily well in a racing game. I'm certainly thrilled that not only do those of us that played this game back then get to relive it again in all it's glory, but people get to pick up one of the best racing games ever made. It just helps that it's Star Wars, and podracing. |
I played the crap out of that on N64. Maybe I will give it another spin on PC.
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Old School Runescape
Yeah, we're talking about this game again. Why? Because it's the only goddamn game I play. I literally have tons of great games on both Steam and PS4 combined. But NOPE, Old School Runescape it is. Literally the same game I've been playing for the past 15 years. I just...the grind. Like, I am literally spinning flax into bowstrings while I write this. Why? I can't really explain. See, here's the thing. I know Runescape and Old School Runescape respectively aren't exactly the GREATEST games. But, Old School Runescape specifically brings back the game that I grew up playing. And honestly, getting hit with nostalgia every time I play is pretty nice. Makes the game even more enjoyable. And yeah, like I said. I like a good grind. And this game is nothing but just one long grind. And it is really fulfilling in its own nerdy way. I've also been setting personal goals for myself. The likes of getting full dragon armor. The armor that all the rich kids had back in the day. I finally achieved it. And I absolutely am in love with it. Here it is right here: Spoiler for picture:
On top of all of this, I've been working hard on all my skills. This is something that I did way later on my main Runescape account. That one is the high level account with all the high level armor. I don't play it much anymore because Runescape 3 sucks. It's the current live version of the game. Anyway, here they are right now. I'm currently working on crafting: Spoiler for picture:
And with that, back to the grind I go. Hope you're all having fun playing whatever it is you're playing. |
Same thing for me, but WoW Classic.
The progression, friends, and gameplay keep me coming back. I have tried to play runescape a few times but I could never stick with it more than a few minutes, the gameplay seems a little jank. |
https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/zq...2.original.jpg Ghost of Tsushima This is one of those instances where I knew close to nothing about this game until its release. I didn't really follow the marketing or anything. And I wasn't really all that excited about it. Despite all that however, Ghost of Tsushima may very well be one of my favorite games of the year. Has a good chance of being my Game of the Year as well, but we've still got the rest of the year. Ghost of Tsushima mixes together everything I love about games, and puts it all into one beautiful package. You've got For Honor style combat, Shadow of War style world progression, in regards to having things on the map to go to. A lot of games have done thing but I always credit Shadow of War as that's one of the few games I've fully completed. Not to mention the game not only runs beautifully (with literally close to 0 load times), but it looks absolutely beautiful as well. And I'm not even playing on a 4K TV (which Microsoft believes you need to have a 4K TV to enjoy the next gen games, which I fully disagree with.) And the story and overall feel of the game are done very well. Everything feels fluid and you never really feel like the character isn't responding well to your button inputs. Very few times I've had instances where I made a bad move, but it's usually my own fault for fumbling around with the controller sometimes. I lose grip of it at certain times. On a side note, can we all just agree at this point that the PS4 has been one of the best consoles ever made for gaming? Not even talking about the exclusives that have already come out, but then you add this to the mix and it just makes the PS4 look even more enticing. I am also heavily looking forward to the PS5 and what that is going to offer. Microsoft really has to up their game from now to release if they want people to be sold on their console. Which the general consensus seems to be that not a lot of people are really excited about it. Well...Halo Infinite specifically. Anyway, that's another story for another time. If you haven't picked up Ghost of Tsushima. Do it. You won't regret it. It's one of the most interesting and fun games I've played in a while, in this particular style. |
Pokemon Sword / Shield (Currently playing through Sword) I recently got a Nintendo Switch, and one of the first games I wanted to play was the most recent Pokemon games, Sword and Shield. I haven't played a Pokemon game since Pokemon X so I know I have missed quite a bit in terms of the series progression. I have not beaten Pokemon Sword yet, but I want to point out a few pros and cons that I have come to find during my playthrough. I'm currently right before the next Gym battle, and I recently beat the Rock type Gym. Let's get the cons out of the way, because despite there not being many faults, there's still a few that have made a bit of a difference in terms of playing the games: Cons:
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While there may be more to each of those lists, that's just what I could think of right off the bat. There may be a part 2 to this post as I make my way through the game, but those are my thoughts on the matter currently. |
https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/stea...g?t=1596581924 The Outer Worlds [First Impressions] As soon as I heard Obsidian Entertainment was behind this, I knew I had to put some serious time into this game. Though despite that, I hadn't picked it up until very recently. Sony was having a great sale and The Outer Worlds ended up being 50% off. Not that I wouldn't pay full price for it. It just felt like the right time to play it, and coincidentally it was on sale. So it worked out. Now, given that this is a first impression, there won't be a whole lot of in depth talk, given that I both don't want to spoil it for anybody, and I haven't done nearly enough to have anything super important to say. However, with the time that I've spent on it so far, I can certainly say that this is well worth your time. Think of the first time you played a game like Fallout: New Vegas. It was a whole new world to you and the way it's laid out is done so flawlessly that everything feels fluid. Obsidian is not known to skimp out on things that make their games great. Rather, they'll continuously adapt to current gaming climates, and put everything into the project their working on. Which then provides a rich and fun experience in their games. Fallout: New Vegas did this very well, and The Outer Worlds does this well, also. The game starts you off on a planet you know nothing about, and its your job to go around and figure things out. It's open world, and it plays exactly like you want it to play. It definitely feels like you're playing an all new revamped version of Fallout: New Vegas. I keep using that as an example, but it's the only one I can think of that makes sense. And it's not a bad thing at all. Rather, it's nice that the game wears its inspiration on its sleeve, very heavily. To be expected given that it is Obsidian. But y'know. Just my observation. The leveling system and the perks you can get are also great. I obviously won't spoil any of that for you, but it's a fun system and it works very well. Excited to see how much more it opens up as I level up. Combat so far is really fun and satisfying. Nothing is necessarily too easy, but nothing is necessarily too difficult either. There's a nice balance. I haven't felt like I couldn't take an enemy down. You just have to be smart about it. The gunplay definitely feels like Fallout, in a good way. Nothing feels too powerful, and thinks lose durability all the time. But fortunately, you get enough loot to allow yourself to have a pretty great loadout, despite the durability loss. I haven't noticed much issue or stress with the durability. I tend to be able to use the weapons as much as I can, until I can repair them. And that's also nice that you can not only repair your items, but you can upgrade them too. Adds a whole other level to the weapon system. The social interactions you have with characters around you is also done very nicely. And very Obsidian-esque. I've already had moments in dialogue where my persuasion mattered. And made a difference. As well, the dialog in general is very well written, and fun to go through. Games like KOTOR, and of course Fallout do this very well. And I can safely say that The Outer Worlds does is very well. I've had moments of literal laughter because of some of the things you find in the dialogue. And, the characters all seem interesting and fun to talk to. Especially when you can get those dialogue choices that are based on certain levels of your character. That's what I always appreciate. The depth of conversation. Obsidian always does this well. Bethesda sort of still does it well. But not nearly well enough. Graphically, definitely top tier. I'm playing on PS4, and everything is super high quality and I rarely, if ever have any frame rate issues. I've actually not noticed any lag or what have you. Maybe a tiny bit here and there, but evidently not enough to notice. And, honestly it's just a fun game to run through because of how gorgeous it is. Everything feels unique and different depending on what planet you're on. And that's not an easy thing to do. Overall, with the few hours I have in this game, I definitely recommend it for those that love games like this, and just want to see what Obsidian is doing with their time right now. I'm certainly going to love playing this more and more. |
https://i.imgur.com/bLnG4z7.jpg?1 First Impressions: Monster Train I saw a lot of buzz about this game online when it came out, but I hesitated due to being occupied with other games. I just picked this up last night and I've probably put in about 6 hours already. It's a deck building strategy roguelike very similar to Slay The Spire, though they are two completely different games in their own right. Monster Train does enough things different to the formula where I don't think it's necessarily fair to compare it to Slay The Spire. Both are solid games, obviously. Monster Train takes the formula and sort of twists it a little bit. You get your standard deck builds and you figure out how to use them with one another. The biggest takeaway for me so far is the combat. Not only is it engaging, but it's done it such a way that's both unique, and allows for creativity in how you want to play the field. You, at times, may be fighting 3 lines of enemies simultaneously, and you have to strategize with each set to take them down efficiently without losing many of your monsters on the field. You will lose them a lot. Because while the combat is really satisfying and creative, it can be very punishing. But, if you get the right combinations, it'll more often than not work in your favor. The other great thing about this game, and it's something i'm typically a stickler about when it comes to this genre, is how each run feels. Does it feel like the same thing over and over again? Certainly not. There's so many different ways to play and different factions to choose from, whom all have different categories of cards that you use together with other cards. You'll typically never have the same run twice. Sure, some strategies carry over from run to run, but that's the beauty of the genre as a whole. Easy to pick up, tough to master. With as many hours as I have put into this game already, and simultaneously how many i've put into other deck building style roguelikes, this is probably the best one I've ever played. And again, that's not to throw any shade at Slay The Spire or any other games in the genre. This one just does everything so well and it's already so refined that it's nearly impossible to stop doing runs. Monster Train gets my highest recommendation. |
https://i.imgur.com/POVDdVd.jpg?1 Monster Train [pt. 2] It really does not take a whole lot to win me over with games. Mechanically it has to be strong, and the game just has to be enjoyable enough in its respective genre for me to want to play it for long periods of time. Well, I've basically spent the first half of my weekend playing nothing but Monster Train. I'll tell you why - it's fun. Regardless of the difficulty or the learning curve pertaining to figuring out the combinations of cards that work the best, the game never stops being fun. It constantly makes me want to do another run, even after losing a tough run before. You know simultaneously that it's going to be fun, and it's going to be different enough to where you feel like you still stand a chance. So far, I think I've done close to 20 runs, and no run has felt the same. Again, I reiterate that yes, a lot of the strategies feel the same, but the way you combine those strategies holds new challenges that don't show up in games too often. I've gotten to the final boss several times, but it's definitely one that's going to take practice. I've been consistently losing in the later half of the game though, which is good. A lot of the things I learned in Slay The Spire seem to work well here as well. But, there's so many unique strategies with Monster Train that there's still a pretty hefty learning curve. Basically, I feel like I do just a little bit better with each run. And the strategies get stronger and more intense as you learn more. I'll make a quick note and tell you that the soundtrack to this game is great. Each track sets the tone for the level quite nicely, and honestly done perfectly, especially when dealing with the boss levels. Which brings me to my next point - the bosses. They work very uniquely but also very easy to figure out the more you fight them. I've gone in with just simply brutal strength, and it tends to work out. Filling up the field with strong monsters also helps out a lot, especially if you just unload perks into them before having to put them to work. That's usually done progressively from the beginning of the round though. Unless you get some nasty pulls. Like I said, lots of strategies to consider. The bosses can certainly be tough, but that's mostly due to their ridiculous HP at the start. Once you get some strong monsters though, they typically don't take too much to wipe them out. I think I've definitely cemented it in my head that this is by far the best roguelike deck builder I've ever played. It's just got so many good things going for it, and it's gotten me addicted to doing run after run after run. Which, evidently is a good thing. |
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Hades I played this game when it came out on Steam originally, and played a good amount of it. But then I discovered that it was coming to console, so I hesitated to play it until I could play it on console, and my god this game is a beautiful ****ing masterpiece. You take everything that I love and probably what others love about roguelike dungeon crawlers, and you'll find all of that in Hades. Each run is different, filled with different upgrades and combat mechanics that you have to learn and get better at. While I would say the difficulty is not as unforgiving as some roguelikes, you still need to focus and learn what you did wrong in a previous run in order to prevail in the next one. So far, I have seen all 6 items that are available, but I don't know if there are more to unlock. For the time being, I've been able to be pretty successful in several runs regardless of weapon type because each one brings its own strengths and weaknesses. One weapon is the bow and arrow that has a special move that shoots up 7 or 8 arrows at a time hitting enemies at random, or you can choose the shield that gives you more AOE damage. It really just depends on how you feel like playing the game. With most roguelikes, as you do more runs, you'll find yourself learning how the enemies work, how the levels work, how to use the environment to your advantage i.e. traps. Each enemy has different attack styles and some can be far more forgiving than others. Boss fights are the exception as I've seen that bosses tend to have the same set of attacks, just depending on when they use them. I've only seen 2 of the bosses, though the first boss has a couple different variations that come with their own set of attacks that you have to learn and work with. The bone hydra being the furthest boss I've killed, is tough, but manageable. It's one of those bosses that will be easy for some, and tough for others. I've learned that the dash mechanic will come in useful more so with that boss, but extremely beneficial regardless of the enemy. Gives you more room to be technical and evasive. Always use the environment when you can, because one trap could be the difference of you dying, or the enemy dying. Yes, you can push enemies into their own traps if you have the right build. I will say, I've been playing this on the Xbox One Series S, so I've not had any issues as far as frame rate or anything like that is concerned, but I've heard nothing but good things about the other platforms and the PC version itself. I just don't have as much time in the PC version as most people probably do. So honestly, regardless of how you play, you're in for a good time. https://i.imgur.com/FKsTkvA.jpg?1 Psychonauts 2 It's always tough when you see good franchises come back after so long with a sequel to a game or franchise that are beloved. If you've been hesitant about it because you really don't want this to sour the original, throw that hesitation out the window. I started playing this last night and although I'm not far in it yet, Psychonauts 2 is a wonderful tribute to the original while adding many things that make it unique in its own right. It tackles topics like anxiety, depression, angst, and does so with such incredible visuals and dialogue that you can't help but find the game both charming and dark. The characters are all very unique and you'll find yourself enjoying the dialogue AND dialogue choices that come up throughout the game. A good example is when you're speaking to one of the main characters you meet early on, and the story with you and her hints at being romantic, though one sided. As you have dialogue with her, you get to a point that you want to talk about the kiss the two had before this game, and as you approach the conversation, you hear a heart beat in the background giving off the impression that your main character is dealing with the anxiety of speaking to someone about their relationship. There are many opportunities for themes like that throughout, and I'm looking forward to seeing how more of those come to be, on top of of course the visuals that come along with it. And man, the visuals are astounding. I don't want to say much more about this one as it just came out, and I don't want to spoil it. But play it if you loved the first one. You won't be disappointed. |
Hey Key, good to see you back journalling. Excellent article as usual, though this particular subject doesn't really interest me. Still, as someone once said, it's often the way you write that makes a subject interesting, even if you're not interested in the subject. Yeah. I'd say I'm drunk but you know I don't drink.
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https://i.imgur.com/iCVUYd1.jpg?1 Hades: Full Review one more run...one more run...one more run... As much as I would like to, most games I play tend to not receive a perfect score when it comes to my overall feel and taste of the game. Most games either sit between an 8.5 to 9.5 out of 10, more so because there's usually one, two, or a couple things that make the game a non perfect score. However, when it comes to Hades, it checks off all the boxes that would require me to give a game a 10 out of 10 score. Now, what makes this game not only worthy of a perfect score, but good enough to want me to recommend it to pretty much anybody, whether you're a fan of roguelike dungeon crawlers or not. It does so many good things to the game itself and the genre as a whole that it also manages to stick out as its own piece of art in the gaming world. Now, what makes this game so great? Is it the theme? Is it the characters? Is it the gameplay? Yes, all of it. You start the game with virtually no information regarding to the story and what is in store for you when you take your first run. You're given a few tutorials but really, the discovery is all you. In the nature of roguelike dungeon crawlers, the first floor and levels are not the hardest, but they will give you a challene. Enough of a challenge to learn the mechanics, without mastering them. Gives you a taste of the combat and everything else within. What it doesn't tell you right away though, is that you're going to die...a lot. At least when you start. I started playing the console version when it released a few weeks ago, and I can say for certain that my first 5 or so runs were lost within the first 2 or 3 levels, but one I learned the boss mechanics for each floor, the earlier stages became a breeze. So much so that the first boss is basically a way to test out if my build for that run is good or not. Spoiler alert, most of the time, the run is not good enough, at least to what you perceive is a good run. However, the game manages to give you enough buffs and intersting items, that even on a bad run, you can learn a thing or two to bring into your next run i.e. how the boss mechanics work. The other neat thing, is that although you will die a lot, you never for a second think that its the fault of the game. Everything the game throws at you is either fair or challenging but do-able. And let me tell ya, there will be quite a few challenging moments throughout. I've done about 50 attempts at completing the whole game, almost always falling short on the last boss. I've beaten the entire game once, but I've yet to do it again. The last boss is no joke and you have to not only be strategic, but have a good enough build that can inflict enough damage to make you feel at least a little worthy of fighting him. That goes for all bosses really but it's especially important when taking on the final boss. Getting to the final boss is no joke either. Each floor comes with its own traps and ways to either take down the enemy, or take down yourself. Certain items will be good for certain bosses where there not good with other bosses and vice versa. I will say, as much as I think the final boss is really tough, the one that comes on the floor before is much harder, as you've got sort of an Ornstein and Smough type deal. (2 bosses at once) Hard as ****, but do-able. The theme of the game takes inspiration from Greek mythology, so the powerups and "boons" you receive are those in relation to the gods of Olympus, i.e. Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, etc. You play as Zagreus, son of Hades, and your main goal throughout the whole game is to escape the underworld. However, the treck to do so is not so easy. Again...do-able, but not easy. The game itself is played in the perspective of top-down ala Diablo/Torchlight/Path of Exile, but plays in the style of a game like Dead Cells, in relation to the combat. However, although I love Dead Cells dearly, not even that game could get a perfect score from me. At least nowadays. Upon release, I would've definitely given Dead Cells a perfect score, but I cannot do that fully knowing that there is a game, Hades, that does the formula insurmountably better. There's been a lot of hype surrounding this game as people are finding it for the first time whether it's through GamePass, PS5, or Steam. It's been getting close to if not receiving perfect scores from multiple outlets giving the game universal acclaim. Rightfully so. It's not everyday the gaming world is blessed with not only a solid release, but a solid game throughout its updates and subsequent console releases. I can easily see this game being in my top 3 games to play for many months if not years to come, unless I finish everything first. But I like to take my time with these games. One reason being that my hands get really sore the longer I play games, so I have to cut myself short from time to time. That's ok though, because each time I jump in, a new experience is waiting. If reading this doesn't give you the impression that I think this game is phenomenal, well...this game is phenomenal. I definitely recommend it for those not only interested in a solid rogue like, but are also looking for something that takes Greek mythology and does it well. Also, it helps that all the character designs are beautifully made, making you feel even more connected to the characters you discover throughout your runs. It's quickly becoming my favorite release in the past 2 or 3 years, and it's also going to be up there as far as game of the year goes for this year. Though, that goes for the console release as the game initially released on Steam months earlier. Again, just a good example of how good this game is. Comes out in early access and a year later sees a console release while also maintaining it's universal acclaim. Now don't even get me started on the soundtrack. Even though I'm going to talk about it anyway. Just take...yknow, the likes of Doom/Doom Eternal, and take all the heavy hitting guitar riffs from those, and throw them into another soundtrack...and you have the Hades soundtrack. I didn't know how much I would love the soundtrack until it started playing heavier and amazing riffs at times of gameplay that mattered most. Like...the tracks will change into something more technical the crazier the fights are. Really nice touch. Nothing like listening to heavy metal while destroying enemies with various attacks and motions. I will leave the review here as I feel I will spoil too much. I really don't want to spoil anything because the first run is the most important, and not knowing anything will make the experience richer and more interesting and it allows you to learn the way the game works on your own. Don't watch any videos of it until you've played it yourself. It's not worth spoiling it for yourself. Or anybody for that matter. Play it. |
https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.c...g?t=1660316311 CULT OF THE LAMB My writing is a bit sloppy as I have not done it in a while so please forgive me if some sentences don't make sense. Now, onto the review. When I preordered this game, it was solely based on the name alone, as I had literally seen nothing about it other than Youtube thumbnails showcasing it. I did that on purpose as I did not want to spoil any of this game before I played it for myself, and man I'm sure glad I didn't have it spoiled. All I really knew before I played is that it was not only getting a lot of attention on the internet, but it was also highly anticipated even before it garnered the attention it did. Seems like something that would've 'just' slipped under my radar, however I dove in as soon as I could, and of course as soon as I heard it was a brand new roguelike. I like roguelikes. Cult of the Lamb at it's core is a roguelike ala Binding of Isaac, Hades, etc. The combat is your typical hack'n'slashy type deal, with a variety of different weapons and sub weapons to use at your disposal throughout each run. You get upgrades in the form of tarot cards, and some weapons are stronger than others and can be leveled up to be even stronger. It's nothing too hard to grasp, especially if you've spent many countless hours on Hades. The combat is very similar however a little simplified in Cult of the Lamb, which for me, is honestly aiming more towards a positive and not a negative. I like simpler combat when it allows for more creativity in the forms of upgrades, etc. Tough combat is still appealing as it can be very satisfying to finally hit a tough combo, but I don't necessarily hate a simpler combat style either. It works very well here, at least I think so. On the other side, while it is a roguelike at it's core, with upgrades and all that fun stuff, it also doubles as a farm sim ala Don't Starve. As the name would suggest, you are the leader of a cult, and while you are progressing through rooms and levels in the roguelike aspect of the game, you are simultaneously building up your cult with building upgrades and doing quests for your followers to increase their loyalty to you, their faithful leader. While that sounds simple on paper, the game really shines with how deep and refined the farm sim aspect truly is. Everything you level up has a skill tree, or several skill trees that allows you to unlock new buildings or upgrades that help your cult progress through the days and nights, or helps you in your combat escapades in the dungeons. You can sort of prioritize your upgrades to help you more in combat, or to help you more in your cult. I personally have been focusing more on my cult, and less on the combat side. But both are a joy to lose time in. The thing that really allows this game to shine, at least for me, is how fun and addicting the game is to play. Never feeling like your rushed through one aspect of it to get to another. It's all laid out in such a way that you can take your time with it, while also constantly feeling the pressure of the health of your cult, and also making sure you're taking on the bosses in the dungeons. Both are rewarding in their own ways, and both never feel rushed. I've lost count of how many times I've sat for hours just decorating my cult and doing quests for my followers. The gameplay mechanics, the graphics, everything comes together in such a way that everything feels like progression even if you're just putting a potted plant somewhere. More on the building side of things. If you're into games like Starcraft or the like, this game does things those games do by giving you buildings that allow you to collect resources at your cult. You can tell your followers to harvest them for you while you go and fight in the dungeons. Resources like lumber and stone tend to be the most important resource for basically building anything in your cult. And simultaneously, you can path your way through the rooms to collect even more resources if you want to, or you can just go fight to fight and beat the rooms that way. Or...you can just tell all your followers to worship your shrine and upgrade your cult that way. It's your choice, faithful leader. Now, the followers are not always convinced that they should be a part of your cult. Sometimes you'll come back from the fighting, and one of your cult members has been shouting profanities about your cult and it's up to you to deal with it. You can either convince them to believe in you again, or you can just throw them in prison and let them deal with it that way. The choice is yours. Or...just sacrifice them. It benefits your cult. So yeah, the game basically tells you to do it. So...do it, faithful leader. If for nothing else, Cult of the Lamb takes two genres that I personally never thought would have worked together, and blows those opinions out of the water. This game is certainly better than I expected, however going in with no expectations makes that rather easy to do. But at the same time, the game in general has been getting very positive reviews and I would highly recommend it for people that are in the mood for another roguelike. It's been a bit of a dry spell since Hades but this one is very good. The important thing to remember as well is while it does take a lot of inspiration from games before it ala Binding of Isaac and the like, it still manages to stick out as its own with cute yet creepy graphics and an arsenal of upgrades and fun interactions to have with your followers. Don't get me wrong, Hades, Dead Cells, Binding of Isaac, they're all great. And so is Cult of The Lamb, oh faithful leader. |
Hey Key! Welcome back, dude! :beer: :thumb:
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https://i.imgur.com/mSOo0oT.jpg Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands I would like to preface this post by stating that I don't think Ghost Recon Wildlands is necessarily a bad game, in fact it is quite good with a lot of unique things going on that separates it from other games in its genre. However, that there lies it's main issue, it pulls inspiration from a lot of other games, that even with its own uniqueness, it still feels like a lot of other games I've played before. So, what is Ghost Recon Wildlands? Well, from the bit that I played of it, and by bit I mean full completing all the missions and side missions in the first area, the game is one of those Shadow of War / Assassin's Creed Origins type deals where the game lays out everything you need to do, whether it's collecting money from someone, or stopping a vehicle mid trip in order to help your own team with supplies and whatnot. Or going on the main mission of the area and completing all of what it has to offer there. And don't get me wrong, it's fun. I typically really enjoy these types of games because it allows you to sort of spend your time doing whatever you want without really feeling like you have to rush through certain sections. Obviously, much like other games, there are certain areas that you cannot (or should not) go until you've gotten a bit stronger. At the same time, the game doesn't necessarily tell you NOT to go, just that it isn't advised. But, if you've been driving around in the same area for countless hours doing missions and things, it is always nice to enter a new part of the map that makes the game feel fresh. Which, speaking of the map, is much bigger than I anticipated. And that's not always a bad thing, especially if you like to complete games like this in its entirety. Without spoiling too much or giving too much away, the game is a lot of fun to play, and with its own uniqueness, it does feel different than other games that have gone with the same style. Which I think is a compliment to the Ghost Recon series in general, as even back in the earlier days of Ghost Recon, they always felt a little bit different than your typical first person shooter, and I've always enjoyed the games because of that. Unfortunately, to its own detriment, the game stops feeling unique and different a few hours after you start playing and understanding what the game is going for. Which again, I say that with the notion that I actually prefer these types of games over other genres more often than not. But a lot of these types of games do the setting well, but fail to keep it interesting enough to make you want to complete the whole map. Shadow of War, for me, has done this the best, where it always feels like new and exciting taking on different maps and missions, etc. Ghost Recon Wildlands has it's own unique missions and things like that, but it doesn't stay interesting for very long. It's always "oh here's the same type of mission you just did but in a different part of the map", and while it is fun as a completionist to do these missions, it's only fun for that reason. Otherwise it just feels like a slog. Now, while the missions and all that may not stay captivating for very long, the setting of the game and the graphics help it immensely to keep the game interesting and honestly fun to play. The game is absolutely beautiful and keep in mind that I'm playing this on the Xbox Series S so I am a bit biased, but man the game is truly breathtakingly beautiful. Sometimes the sun will hit certain areas and you just can't help but stop and enjoy the scenery. On top of that, the driving mechanics are probably some of the best driving mechanics I've ever seen in this style of game. Even games like GTA have some refining to do when it comes to the driving, but Ghost Recon Wildlands does it so well that when you're driving across hills and landscapes, you feel like you're in complete control of your driving. It doesn't feel clunky, it doesn't feel off, it feels honestly great. It's certainly one of the few times I've actually really enjoyed a driving mechanic in a game like this. Another shining example is Saints Row 3. I remember spending hours and hours just driving motorcycles and cars full speed on the streets and just having a great time. The controlling of vehicles can be very hit and miss, but this one does it very well. After the initial excitement of the gameplay dies down, the game doesn't necessarily stop being fun, more-so it just starts to feel like you're doing the same thing over and over, and with a map as expansive as this one is, I just don't think it's worth my time to try and go through it all to 100% it. I had originally planned to do something like that, but with as many games that have done this genre well, I just don't see the point in trying to do everything I can in a game that I'm not fully 100% sold on. That's also assuming as you go further into the game, it doesn't get any more interesting. Which I can't say for sure as I have not gotten much further since the last time I played it. Too busy playing Cult of the Lamb. The real question is though, is Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands a bad game? No, far from it honestly. It's actually a great game and a nice refreshing look at a genre that has been hit on the head so many times that all the games start to merge together at some point. Does that keep me from recommending it to others? Nope. I honestly would say that if you're a fan of the Ghost Recon series and you want to see which direction they brought this one, you should definitely check it out. I'm not saying I'll never play this game again or at the very least complete it, but it just doesn't have enough momentum for me to keep playing it. Better than I expected? Absolutely. But for some, it's probably only going to be a lot of fun for a few hours. I just think it's missing but a few things, but overall does what it needs to do, and for that, it still shines through. It's certainly better than a lot of games coming out recently, but it still doesn't do a whole lot to make it stick out more than it is. |
A little while back, I did do an entry about Runescape and my time spent on it. Given that I am still playing the same account that I created over 15 years ago, I thought it would be fun to spend some time and talk about things I'm working on right now and where my account currently stands as far as xp gain and whatnot. As to be expected, I spent a lot more time playing Runescape back in the day, however I do find time here and there to spend time playing on my account. I've always enjoyed going back in after taking breaks periodically. And especially with having an account for a game as long as I have with this one, I feel like it's always fun to go back in and do things I didn't do before, like working on skills or killing bosses. Though, lately I have been doing things like fishing or runecrafting that allow me to be a little more afk while I focus on things in the real world. Some days Runescape is just in the background making progress, and sometimes all my focus is in on it. Just depends on what I feel like doing. The nice thing about how vast Runescape is, is how much there is to do whether you feel like paying attention to it or not. Now, in the past few months, I've started to find a little more time to play as there have not been too many releases this year that I have spent a lot of time on. Not a lot of great games coming out, however I have played some good ones. But, with that comes progress, and I've posted below a screenshot of my current Runescape account with my last lvl gained being on September 1st, 2022 where I got my Runecrafting level 75. My current goal on this account is to get all my levels to level 80 and above. https://i.imgur.com/GeRaczX.png my total level will be 2345 once I gain one more total lvl At my current pace of playing Runescape, I don't have any plans of maxing my account completely, however it's definitely one of those goals that I think will happen as I just play the game at the pace that I am. I'm getting the most enjoyment I've ever gotten with Runescape, and a lot of it has to do with how I'm playing with a much more relaxed outlook and not necessarly worrying too much about getting as much experience as possible, but continuing to find ways and set up personal goals that allows the game to be fun for me for so long. The other obvious part of it is that I love grinding in games, which probably has a lot to do with not only continuing to enjoy Runescape, but it's a big reason for my enjoyment of Path of Exile as well. Been playing both games simultaneously so it's been a good time for gaming for me personally. As I continue to progress on this adventure, I will post updates here as often as I see fit as Runescape right now is probably the only game that I will make a significant amount of progress in to allow for more writing on said topic. And as was said before, I don't have any real plans to fully max my account, but it is possible. I'm nearing 99 agility at the moment, so I will post screenshots when that happens as it's always fun getting the capes for your 99 skills. And as you can see above, I've gotten many of them. So much more to come! So stay tuned |
My Journey With Runescape: Milestones and Personal Goals CAPES CAPES CAPES, FASHIONSCAPE FASHIONSCAPE FASHIONSCAPE If you've been playing Runescape for a while, you probably already know the idea behind achievement capes or capes of distinction as they are properly called. Either for achieving level 99 / 120 in a particular skill, or you claim your veteran cape from the starting town, whether it be for playing the game for 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, and even most recently, the 20 year cape. Given to those accounts for having an account as long as the cape calls for. I have achieved the 5 year, 10 year, and 15 year capes respectively given that my account is around 17 years old at this point. A few more years until I achieve the 20 year cape, which I have not seen anybody wearing in game, or at least not as often as the other 3. The 99 / 120 achievement capes take a little bit of time to get, but can also be a personal goal set by oneself to get the capes for the skills that you tend to love the most. And even more-so you have the max cape given to those that have achieved at least level 99 in every skill available in the game. Personally, I have always loved the look of the max cape: https://i.imgur.com/21WeWs7.png I personally have not received a max cape given that...y'know, I have not maxed my account. But the cape is definitely worth pushing for based on the looks alone, and of course the customization. For my account, as it currently stands, I've achieved level 99 in mining, fishing, fletching, cooking, woodcutting, firemaking, attack, smithing, and agility will be up next with a current level of 96. And of course, I have indeed gotten the achievement cape for each of these respectively. On top of this, I have also achieved at least level 70 in each skill, with only a few skills to go until I have reached level 80+ in each skill, which lends itself to another set of capes that I am currently working to complete. The particular capes are called milestone capes, which are rewarded for getting a certain base level across all skills, increasing by increments of 10 up until level 90. They come in a range of colors as you can see below: Spoiler for image:
Again, I am currently a few skills away from having 80+ in all skills. Super stoked get the rest of the capes as I go along. And of course, as you know, Runescape is a very expansive game, so these particular milestone capes / capes of distinction is just scratching the surface of what is possible for your account. These are just some of the things that are achievable the more time you spent on your account. Again, I reiterate that I have a crazy good time grinding in games like this, which I know is not everyone's cup of tea. But I have a good time, and I feel like one's own enjoyment of something is good enough. |
My Journey With Runescape: Keeping Things Fresh and Fun I like to do a lot of different things on my account, mostly because there are just so many different things you can do, whether it be questing or working on your skills. As is typical for pretty much any MMO, the more you progress, the more stuff that unlocks that allows you to the progress even more, to then unlock more stuff. Obviously, as a starting account, it is sometimes a little nerve-wracking to figure out where you want to start. I always recommend to either look up things to do as a starting account, or just go in completely blind and figure things out as you go. When I started back in the day, nobody really knew what they were supposed to do, and that made the game feel more fun and fresh as it was your own adventure. For me, it still feels that way because I still go about it that way. Keeps things mysterious and it's always fun to figure things out for yourself. To name a few things, one thing I have enjoyed doing over time is kingdom management or more specifically called, Managing Miscellania, which in itself is a repeatable reward from completing the Throne of Miscellania quest which is quite easy to complete if I do say so myself. Given that the quest is easy, and the reward is repeatable for as long as you want, I'd say it's one of the more important things to get done as soon as you can. Basically, you are running a kingdom, and you set your workers to do certain things and collect certain resources that will help you progress in other parts of the game. Resources being things like bird nests that can have seeds and jewelry in them, or collecting wood for you to train fletching, firemaking and whatever else. Currently I have my kingdom collecting various types of herbs and seeds as I will need to get my herblore skill to 80 sometime in the near future. This allows me to passively prepare for said grind as I go do other things. It's one of those features that you can check in once a week, as opposed to feeling like you have to check on it daily. All you have to do is keep your kingdoms faith in you up, which you can do by simply doing skills around the kingdom until you have 100% favorability for that week. Doesn't take long but just a couple minutes of your time. Then you can enjoy the rewards for that week. Or longer if you choose to wait. Along with that, I tend to get a lot of enjoyment out of simply gaining experience in various skills and then switching to doing more afk things, as I said in a previous post. Not a lot of excitement to talk about however I will say, as you get your levels up and up, the grindiness takes a bit of a backseat which opens itself up to finding more efficient ways to gain experience in skills. One of my favorite being mining, as you can get yourself a ore box that allows you to hold up to 120 of any ore you mine, allowing for less time traveled to banks as your inventory can only hold up to 28 items. So these extra things can be really useful to help you can more experience and less time traveling. (which is why I have gotten my mining lvl up to 103, and am currently working to get that skill to 120). See image below for example: https://i.imgur.com/kneDAXW.jpg Otherwise, y'know, as there are lots of things to do an unlock, I don't seem to run out of things to do. However, a lot of people like to say there isn't much to do. All I will say, is that you can pretty much just do whatever you want. Don't feel stressed about grinding all day. That's just one part of the game as a whole. |
When it comes to choosing which skill I tend to consider my favorite, there are a few factors that come into play. How much fun is it? Is it rewarding? What is the experience? This, amongst other things play a role in choosing my favorite skill in Runescape. And while there are some that take a close 2nd, actually there are several, the one that always sticks out to me is mining. Is mining a fun skill? Well, for me it's not to do so much with how fun it is to train, but from the amount of time you can spend afk and still train the skill, it can certainly be relaxing. I find that when I'm training mining, i'm usually either taking a break from something else that I'm working on, or I just feel like adding more to my collection of ores in my bank. I'm currently level 103 in mining and I am currently working passively to get this to level 120, so that I can get my one and probably only level 120 cape, also known as a master cape. As is probably obvious, this cape is an upgraded version of the previously achieved skill cape that you are rewarded when you reach level 99 in any particular skill, in this case being mining. Getting a master cape and I suppose any cape for that matter is completely up to choice. However, it certainly would make sense to aim for a master cape if you're planning to train the skill even after you've achieved 99. And in this case, with my level being at 103, I'm certainly going to keep going until I reach that 120 level. I mentioned this in my previous post but another big factor into why mining is my favorite skill is the addition of the ore box which allows for a lot more efficiency as well as a decrease of time loss between experience gains. Of course, one of the not so main reasons why it's fun to train mining is for the little chit chats here and there with other people who are also training mining whether it be for the mining pet, getting mining to 99, adding to your ore collection, etc etc. Also, I was lucky enough to get a mining pet during my level 99 grind. And obviously, if you ask me in a few months, my favorite skill will probably change. But, most likely I'll always have mining as a skill that I know will satisfy that need to grind experience in something. |
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