What game are you currently playing? Non spam edition

[Lee]

This week I have been mostly playing...

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies​

It's a bit worrying that I've played 34 hours of it in a week, whilst I also have a full time job, where the hell have I had the time?

It's your typical Dragon Quest game where some outlandish plot is revealed and you have to save the day. I love the localisation of it, too often Europe gets screwed over in that market, but I think DQ always pulls out the stops (as VIII did on PS2 and the re release of IV and V on the DS) which just adds to the feel of the game, the humour is great and it really grabs you into the story. I think it adds to it that you start with four pretty much straight off rather than needing to meet characters (like in V where they came and went).

Not at the end yet, but very much enjoying this game.

So what game are you playing at the moment? What's it like? Please post any spoilers in spoiler tags. Ta.​

 

[Барбоса]

Empire: Total War

When I first played it about a month ago, I was not overly impressed as I found it far too easy playing as any of the major nations. However, I perservered and once I downloaded a Total Factions mod that allowed me to play as the minor nations, I have found a whole new level of appreciation for it.

The new strategic gameplay that comes with the enhanced importance of trade and towns to your economy is fantastic. You can have your ability to wage war totally undermined if an enemy force blockades your ports or sacks your towns.

All week I have been playing as the Knights of St John who start their campaign with only the province of Malta, which is not proftable and has no room for expansion. This leaves foreign military conquest as the only possible avenue. Fighting in Europe is a massive undertaking due to the sheer amount of nations as well as the strength of states like Britain, Holland, Spain, France, Austria, Prussia, Russia, Poland-Lithuania and the Ottomans. You would quickly run out of money or be surrounded by enemies.

So instead I have spent my time carving out an empire in India and have fought several wars with the Marthas, who quickly became the largest state in the game. Gradually, through good use of raids and my Mughal allies in the north, I have managed to conquer half of the subcontinent but it has been a long, long road such was the weak state of my starting point. I've also managed to gain a foothold in southern North America. Might have a look at expanding in Europe although finances are still not secure despite the large amount of territory I have conquered.

Really enjoying it.

 

[Dave]

This week I have been mostly playing EA games as the Autumn/Winter schedule heats up for them.

Due to a deal in the store that I work, I managed to get FIFA 11 along with Tiger Woods 11 for the discounted price of just £40, which I thought was too much to pass up on. That is especially true when you consider that FIFA and Tiger Woods are probably my most played series of games outside of Call Of Duty and Crash Bandicoot.

However, upon playing FIFA, I realised that it is pretty crap to be honest. They have made changes to the game play but now I feel as if it is too realistic, to be frank. The problem with that being that you can never score! Now, I know that most games of football will be tight encounters with a team likely only getting through it with a fine margin of victory. That being said, I don’t want this game to be this realistic! I want to be able to score the odd goal from 30 yards away and take the ball around 5 players before calmly putting the ball in the net. The fact of the matter is that most of the pleasure has been taken out of the game and I am less than happy about it.

With that being said, I decided to give Tiger Woods a shot. Truth be told, there is a few flaws in this game too but it is closer to the formula that I like in a game. It annoys me that you can only get new items for your player through XP that you would normally use to make your player better. They still offer prize money for your overall position in any tournament on the PGA calendar but it actually has no use whatsoever if you are not using it to buy items from the Pro Shop, which is insane. However, I do like this game and although it is more of the same for the series, that is the way I like it.

 

[Muffin Top Merkley]

Currently I'm (slowly) playing God of War III.

I arrived late to the whole God of War party and didn't play my first God of War game until early this year after purchasing the God of War Collection.

I really enjoyed playing God of War I, but got bored of the gameplay of II since I played them both back to back. I did however, enjoy the story for the second game more than I did in the first game.

Enough time has past since I played the first two and I am really enjoying the third. The gameplay, while nothing different than the first two games, is starting to get repititious but hasn't been boring, and I am enjoying the story as well.

I'm normally not a huge fan of hack & slash style of games, but the God of War series is an enjoyable franchise with solid graphics and excellent story.

Once I complete God of War III, I hope to move on to Red Dead Redemption & Smackdown Vs Raw 2011.

 

[I Suck Ass]

Minecraft.

If you haven't heard about this game, it is an indie game that is 8-bit and you build stuff. I have been playing multiplayer, not survival. Mainly any of TheOne's servers. Awesome game that you should check out. minecraft.net, not .com.

 

[Uncle Phatso]

This week i am currently playing Wow, Cod mw2, Halo reach, and Dead rising two... omg what a shock.

To be honest i've been playing fucking Wow just to camp and get a new axe for my hunter. Bunch of bs really its a lvl 20 axe and its like 150 gold on the market. I thought to myself ok i'll just go kill for it... wow what a mistake. Its a rare eliete mob and it shows like every 8-12 hours. Yeah so basically me and 500 other hunters are in the caverns at all hours trying to kill it. Seen it once dead with another hunter loling at it.

Cod wow what can i say, still shitting on kids about a year later. Still using the tryhard class. M4 and spazie. can i say 1.45kd much?

Halo reach comon people. Halo...Shitting on domes with the dmr still. Wow lmfao not really actually from halo 3 till now... i suck ass at online cod and halo is way diff. Still working on solo legendary though, its alot harder than i would believe. 2 days into it right now. Only about a quarter done.

Dead rising two imo isn't that good. Honestly people if you like killing zombies. Go get it. But if you had one and wanted some giant upgrade in the game. Then your fucked. Basically duct tape and the same old shit. Some cool new weps. My fave is the upgraded guitar and amp with the freezer bomb. Throw bomb wait for it to blow and rock out \M/

 

[Spunky]

I'm playing a shit ton of games at the minute, I've bought like six games in the last two months and haven't had a lot of time to play them. Here's what I got:

Fifa11 - Shock! I know.
F1 2010 - Huge Formula one fan, So for me this is racing bliss.
Mafia 2 - Because i've been waiting for this for AGGGGES.
Kane & Lynch 2 - good a couple of good reviews, And was at discount at £25 so i thought fuck it! Impluse buy that i haven't played yet.
Red Faction Guerilla - I've wanted it since last year but had too many sandbox game to even think about getting it then.
Dead Rising 2 - I loved the first one, Another impluse buy.


Most of my time is switching between F1, Fifa11, And i'm slowly working through Mafia 2.

 

[Lee]

Wii sports resort

Seriously on this one, I just needed a week of mindless fun and this game has it, the motion plus really adds to the accuracy.

The Conduit

I started about a month ago but got distracted, now I'm back playing it. Quite a fun game to say the least, not quite at the end but I'm close. Thankfully Conduit 2 will use the classic controller as FPS' with a wiimote hurt my arms!

Sonic 4

Expect a full review in the next few days.

 

[Dave]

This week, I have mostly been mixing up my choice of games and I am actually enjoying it. I think it is also important to note that I decided to go back onto Xbox Live again after being offline for 336 days. Well, I was online but I never played online multiplayer and for good fucking reason. Anyway, whilst my laptop was broken, I decided to try and get back into it and it worked.

So this week, I have been mostly playing FIFA 11, Gears Of War 2 and Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath Of Cortez.

Gears Of War 2 was just an impulse play. I decided that I wanted to try and complete the campaign again and my friend jum ped on board. Together, we have been going through the game once more and having a lot of fun with it. It really reminds me of how awesome the game series is and how entertaining it can be for all the right reasons. Of course, then I get pissed off because Epic have pushed it back to late next year and this deprives me of the opportunity to finish this series off. Gears Of War is one of my favourite series of games and it being pushed back seemed like a huge slap in the face.

Crash Bandicoot is my guilty pleasure and I absolutely love it. I played it when they were released and I could honestly say that it is one of the only series of games that I can still play and enjoy despite the age. I bought this game off of the Live Arcade and have completed about half of it already. It is just a great little game that just gets the job done. Pick up and play, the way I like it.

 

[Slowdude]

This week I have been playing....

L4D2
I got it for $6.66 from Steam 2 weeks ago and I've just been playing it. I'm able to play Advanced with mostly ease now. Expert is impossible for me right now (Normal infected can take you down in 5 hits). Versus mode is full of rage quitters which is a major problem.

TF2
Which I got for $10 4 weeks ago from Steam. What can you say about a FPS? You go in, kill everyone. Stop for a second to eat a Sandvich and continue. I suck at Spy and Scout! The rest are easy, spamming weapons and headshots (As Sniper). I find it hard whether to go in a server where its purely about killing the other team or to actually achieve the objective of the map.

GMod
- Trouble in Terrorist Town. (The name makes no sense)
Essentially Counter Strike crap but no RDM'ing unless your the traitor. Always good for a laugh. The traitor is the bad guy in the game but they are killing terrorists which should make them the good guys? Always confused me.
- Death Run
As the name applies, its a death run. You run and try to survive or you die. I like it on GMod more then CS.
- Construction
Whats the point? I have no idea.

 

[Muffin Top Merkley]

This week (and since it's release) I've been playing Smackdown Vs Raw 2011.

As much as people like to mention that all of the Smackdowns have been the same as previous years, I believe that this is one of the best Smackdown games in the series and can be put into the same category as No Mercy and Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain

While the game does have its flaws, and is no giant leap from previous versions of the game, there is alot new to this game, mostly being Universe Mode which is a hybrid of story mode and GM mode.

There is so much to do in this game, and there is something for everyone to enjoy. Whether it is creating a superstar, move-set, finisher or story, having a exhibition match, playing Universe mode or enjoying a story in a Road to WrestleMania, there is alot of variety that everyone can enjoy.

As I mentioned, this years addition is no drastic change from last year's game or the year before, but it is my hope that the developers use 2011 as a foundation for all future Smackdown games.

 

[.]

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Game of the Year Edition

In anticipation for the next Elder Scrolls which was announced for 11/11/11, I have gone back to playing that. I genuinely have no idea why i stoped playing that game.

The game itself without any of the expansions is pure brilliance and you can play this game for a month straight and not even scratch the surface of it. The textures in it are brilliant and when i first saw it, i was in awe and i was sold straight away. The differant persnalities of the NPC's is great and the way they interact with one another is brilliant.

The guilds are fun to be apart of and their side quests are fun but some can also be incredibly difficult(Particularly the Thieve's guild) and they keep you entertained in case you don't want to partake in the main quest. The main quest is simple to begin with and gradually becomes one of the hardest quests in the game(As it should)

The add-ons add more hours of gameplay particularly The Shivering Isles and it's beautiful scenery seperating Mania and Dementia. Shivering Isles adds some pleasant humor to the game especially from the brilliant sheogorath and his personality. Knights of the Nine adds a pleasant little side story but it can be very antagonising with the need of a clean slate and no infamy.

Overal this is most likely the best game i have ever played.

 

[Muffin Top Merkley]

This week I've been mostly playing Little Big Planet.

As I anticipate the release of Little Big Planet 2 next month, I decided to refreash myself with the first which I've always really enjoyed.

I've been mostly playing alot of the community levels rather than the story mode itself. It's simply amazing how detailed and beautiful some of these community created levels can be. Some easily surpass actual levels created by Media Molecule.

Little Big Planet is a fun and simple game that can keep a person highly entertained for endless hours.

 

[Lee]

Mario Kart DS

It's five years old but still fricking fun, the only downside is the router in this house isn't an approved Nintendo DS one like my old one was.

A great fun game, with great retro tracks and there's something awesome about playing a racing game on a bus.

 

[newc868]

Pokemon FireRed

Amazingly old since release now but still a great game none the less. Loved the update of Red/Blue and with compatibility to the next generation of Pokemon games + a massive re-playability factor. Worth the £8 I spent for it over a year ago now from a 2nd hand game shop.

 

[Arkham Noir]

There is a thread like this for music, so I decided to make one for gaming.

Simply state what game(s) you are playing these days and maybe share your thoughts on the game thus far. If you have played/beaten the game before, discuss why you were brought back to the game.

I'm playing two games right now; Donkey Kong Country Returns and GTA IV.

I've never played either of them before, but I'm loving them both. DKCR is a straight throw back to the kind of gaming that got me into video games as a kid, and had I played it earleir in 2010, it would have probably been my game of the year. If you haven't played it yet, check it out.

GTA IV is actually my older brother's that I got him for Christmas, but either way, this game is fantastic. If anyone out there hasn't played this game, you are sorely missing out. The open world and the ability to do almost anything are great for killing an afternoon if you don't want to do anything goal oriented , and doing the missions is just as great.

**Edit**

My bad, didn't know this thread already existed

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2

I've been waiting for awhile for this game and I enjoyed playing the first one a fair bit. This was always going to be an interesting release for the fact that it's major selling point was it's inclusion of the never before released outside of Asia OVA: Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans. This game also features several never before featured characters.

All great selling points, but did it cut it? Well yes and no. In terms of it's positive qualities, the graphics are once again a slight improvement on the previous instalment, which were great anyway. The OVA is pretty cool, even though they couldn't dub it for copyright purposes, as are other bonuses such as a stills gallery of moments from the series. The new characters are decent too. However the game-play is repetitive and it's biggest problem is a real lack of a storyline. There's no real story mode which is a bummer.

I enjoy playing this game, even if it is very much a similar game to it's predecessor.

 

[JGlass]

Well I was home for a three weeks where I was sans-Xbox 360, so I resorted to playing SSBM on my Gamecube. I had yet to unlock Mewtwo, Mr. Game and Watch, and many other characters simply because I never got around to it. I also never really played with anybody except Marth, Falco, and Captain Falcon, and occasionally Link. I'm glad I played it so much, because I learned a lot about other characters that's I'm pretty good with. I was really surprised to learn how much of a beast Jigglypuff is, and Peach took me by surprise too. Her side+A and side+B smashes are fucking ridiculous, and she has great recovery. Anyway, I unlocked Mewtwo and Game and Watch and a ton of new stages, so I guess mission accomplished.

But now that I'm back at school with my 360, I'm going to play through Marvel UA 2 AGAIN because I love that game so much. I'll also probably play some more RDR online as well as maybe run through GTA 4:The Lost and the Damned again, even though I beat it 100%, I just love the story and gameplay so much.

I'm going to need to pick up a new game in the not to distant future. I'm thinking SVR 2011, but I'm open to other suggestions.

 

[J-Dogg]

The one game i've currently been playing excessively is Dead Rising 2, its a fantastic game, the story is good, the characters are cool, the protaganist Chuck is a badass, also the combo weapons are so damn awesome it makes zombie killing heaps fun. I also like how you can rescue survivors and some will give you rewards, the levelling up system is good, as you can unlock cool skills from wrestling moves to martial art moves. You can get inventory slot upgrades same with health, attack and speed stats too. Another good thing about the game is the superb soundtrack, humour and corny puns.

Another bonus is, each time you restart the game your progress from the previous file is always carried over, i'm also doing my 4th play through of Dead Rising 2, its become an addictive game plus its newest DLC albiet short is still funny and good to play. Its odd now that Dead Rising 2 is my current faourite game at the moment.

The second game i've played most recently is Red Dead Redemption's, Undead Nightmare DLC, no wonder this was a acclaimed DLC, it is short on missions but its a cool little stand alone story, the soundtrack is beautiful and the fact its a zombie apocalypse in 1911 is great.

 

[JGlass]

The second game i've played most recently is Red Dead Redemption's, Undead Nightmare DLC, no wonder this was a acclaimed DLC, it is short on missions but its a cool little stand alone story, the soundtrack is beautiful and the fact its a zombie apocalypse in 1911 is great.

Loved the story, and the game play was great. I even loved all the extra challenges, and including the four horses of the apocalypse was a nice touch (if you haven't found Death yet, you are in for a real treat, it's a BEAST). However, after you finish all that stuff there isn't a lot left to do except ride around and kill random zombies. The gang hideouts are all gone, and they don't get attacked often enough to keep things interesting. I purified every town fairly quickly, and I've only had two or three of them come under attack since. Still, it's a very enjoyable game.

 

[Alberto_Del_Burrito]

I've been playing Fifa 11, and MLB 2k10 non-stop as I am a huge sports fan.
Fifa 11 isn't as good as 10 but the updated rosters makes up for it.
And MLB 2k11 doesn't come out until March, and spring training starts in a little over a month's time.

 

[J-Dogg]

Loved the story, and the game play was great. I even loved all the extra challenges, and including the four horses of the apocalypse was a nice touch (if you haven't found Death yet, you are in for a real treat, it's a BEAST). However, after you finish all that stuff there isn't a lot left to do except ride around and kill random zombies. The gang hideouts are all gone, and they don't get attacked often enough to keep things interesting. I purified every town fairly quickly, and I've only had two or three of them come under attack since. Still, it's a very enjoyable game.

Yeah i know, but its always good to restart again, but the main game i play at the moment is Dead Rising 2 and im addicted to it, but im getting back into playing SvR 2011, i still haven't finished the 3rd month of my 8 month created storyline.

 

[UniversalBomb]

Lately I've been been playing Black ops.

Black ops: Black ops is a fun multi-player with the updates from Mw2. The pros and cons of it to me.
Pros: Campaign is just beautiful. No more Danger close, OMA, and Commando. Maps are better suited. Its the cod4 style. Wager match. Claymores are more realistic, theres no loud click so quit complaining. Barely any Quick scoping clan/fan boys. Dolphin diving. Zombies are back so that boosted my attention. Kills from killstreaks don't carry over so a benefit over campers. The emblem and clan tag on your weapon. Lastly, COD points balance everything out.

Cons: Even though the Commando perk is gone, why is there an incredible distant knife? The Grenade Launcher on some of the guns make it look stupid like the AUG. RC-XD is like a predator missile on wheels. Spawn systems sometimes, I got a 6-20 kd on nuketown because we got raped with a hine. The lag, even with 4 bars I suffer. This will hopefully be fixed, but there are plenty of people sick of emptying entire mags into people and it not registering the kill. Sound ****ing is fun but it takes awhile to adapt.

 

[Arkham Noir]

Last night I went back to a game that has slowly been climbing my list of favourit games ever:

This is actually the first DragonQuest Game I have ever played. I was watching a video game review show back at the start of December and they were discussing the best handheld games of the year. This game was recommended so I decided to pick it up. I only buy games that have replay value or take awhile to beat( I like getting my moneys worth) .This game took me 65 hours to beat, and that's just the main story! It was so incrediblly worth my money and would recomend it to anyone who was/is a fan of Pokemon games.This game follows the traditional Japanese RPG style gameplay (like turn based fighting), and has a pretty good story to go with it.

Now I just have to try and figure out those damn treasure maps.

 

[StrangeStatic]

Just recently bought:

Traded in Red Dead Redemption, Halo Reach, and Smackdown vs Raw 2011 to get this. Not that far into it, great game so far. I've played Assassins Creed One and Two, they were both great games. I think Brotherhood is going to be the greater out of the three in the series.​