General Video Game Thread

IoleRae

I just picked up Machinist in FFXIV for the very first time.

I have not played anything that melted things like this since old school fire mage with every buff up hitting with pyroblast. And it’s…every couple of rounds.

o.o

Mind, I can’t even get the rotation timed just right yet so I’m not even melting to the extent of the class’s ability.

BloodAngel

Hi-Fi Rush! Boss fights to NIN, the best thing I have played in a long time.

Stylish, Fun, Over the top, Cyberpunk story!

Bessarion

Cultist Simulator is both amazing and awful for folks with ADHD brains.

Loads of spinning plates, combinations of things to remember, different things on different timers and different things to manage… and there’s also never a good spot to pause and hyperfocus means that whoops, it’s been four hours. Definitely do NOT play before bed, but it’s awesome if you need to kill some time.

Pyrephox

@Bessarion said in General Video Game Thread:

Cultist Simulator is both amazing and awful for folks with ADHD brains.

Loads of spinning plates, combinations of things to remember, different things on different timers and different things to manage… and there’s also never a good spot to pause and hyperfocus means that whoops, it’s been four hours. Definitely do NOT play before bed, but it’s awesome if you need to kill some time.

Cultist Simulator is a game I like to say that I can play for hours - but be entirely unsure that I enjoyed any of those hours. It’s absorbing without being entertaining. It does kill time admirably, and there are so many places where it is ALMOST amazing. The lore and atmosphere are cool. But the gameplay is addictively baffling.

Bessarion

@Pyrephox Yeah, I’m discovering that it’s less of a game and more of a fascinating hostage situation.

Livia

@Pyrephox Addictively baffling is a great way to describe it. I’ve played a lot of cultist simulator, nearly 100 hours in it, and it definitely loses something once you figure out how things work, I think.

But I love it so much all the same, even though a lot of the times I go to play it now I just get bored.

Selira

I’ve really enjoyed it, it scratches my brain itch nicely, but yeah Cultist Simulator definitely ends up with a bit of the same gameplay loop. I’m probably going to finish up dancer path on it soon, then go for an advanced ending, then put it away.

Really looking forward to their next game, though, which is supposed to be less grindy and expand on their lore more. Looks like a demo just dropped, might try it out later.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1028310/BOOK_OF_HOURS/

Livia

@Selira I totally meant to mention Book of Hours too, I’m so looking forward to it!

Duke Whisky

Dipped into a few demos and playtests from the Steam NextFest.

Great House of Calderia - Felt like a more story-based Crusader Kings 3, getting that nobility scheming in. Feels very solid, and was good fun.

Lakeburg Legacies - Cottagecore Stardew-type medieval city-building game. Manage resources, and match up couples. Get more villagers. Eventually a monarch. Lacking in content in some parts and the gameplay loop was quite basic. Was nice that anyone could marry anyone with children brought to the city via a stork.

The Great War: Western Front - Made by some of the old Westwood Studios team, RTS game focusing on the Western Front from WW1. Very crunchy and respectful to the horrors that is WW1. Every decision felt difficult to make on the conscience.

–

Other Mentions:

Manor Lords - Probably mentioned this game before here, but it feels like this will be the perfect medieval-themed city builder. Played it in late 2022 after watching development for 6 years, was good fun. Not too difficult either like other city builders, and didn’t feel monotonous.

Blood Bowl 3 - Releasing in a fortnight, Warhammer Fantasy + American Football. Some of the early access reviews have been kind of mixed, plus it introduced a “blood pass” for you to unlock cosmetics. Uses the current rule set but this was a childhood love of a game so I’m so excited about it.

Victoria 3 - Played 1 and 2, this has a lot of the modern refinement you would expect. Release it had severe late-game lag which has improved. Rule a nation during the Industrial Revolution, and reshape the world. Paradox Interactive game so will follow their Grand Strategy model.

Evilgrayson

Pharaoh: A New Era.

The 1999 Sierra classic, remade in a modern engine.

It’s absolutely gorgeous, and the music is just beautiful.

BloodAngel

@Evilgrayson Almost bough that last night. Good to hear it is well done!

Arkandel

I know this stuff happens. I have been told it does, and I believe it. Even so, as a guy-who-games, I’m still shocked each time I see how these things unfold even though - as I understand - are not even rare.

They just never happen to me.

https://i.redd.it/dwqabggr08na1.png

Holy shit dude, what is wrong with you.