It certainly has Hitman-esque elements, and higher difficulties really require that slow, methodical approach that I enjoy in Hitman. Great game with super fun co-op experiences in the campaign, survival and overwatch.
5 Likes
@ZeroGravitas (i was gonna DM you with this but I wanted to share some impressions publicly too)
Returnal: Ooh, okay I’m really going to get invested in this… as much as my time, commitments, and other games can permit lol.
I’m a sucker for sci-fi-based time-loop thrillers and this is going to be one creepy, cool ride (hopefully).
The audio-logs are very well acted and super mysterious. There’s already other versions of her out there, dead, having experienced some loops, ooooh. Seems there’s also some lore drops in the Ship Log that I guess will open up over time/after many deaths. Why’s the planet marked as Forbidden? Hmmmmmmm
Played through the initial cycle until I got killed by some Red mini-boss, then save-quit after some progress in the next one (I just unlocked the teleporter pads).
There was also some creepy black orb in a massive room I came across that I thought was going to be some mini-boss thing, but I guess not that time!
- The idea of only having one weapon at a time but that has multiple functions is cool, especially with the controller haptics and triggers.
- I can clearly see I’m very underpowered right now, as I’m encountering a lot of obstacles I can’t get through like red branches or collectibles in deadly water…
- I haven’t played many Metroid games, but It feels VERY Metroid like. One woman army on a hostile alien planet.
- I LOVE the green retro futurist tech you use to analyze and view the world. Chunky futuristic technology is way cool.
- Odds seem very stacked against me - which is fair - but I keep coming across locked chests and side-doors, and I only ever find one key! Hopefully there’s a system like Hades to increase the chance of finding rare items like that.
- Also like Hades, there are these rooms filled with what look like Alien Facehugger eggs split in 4. At first I thought they were super deadly, so I jumped around them all, but figured out they can be crushed with no penalty. I guess they’re the Vases of this game, with a small chance of items inside.
- also there seems to be some passive currency to accumulate, but I haven’t encountered anything yet to spend it on.
- Also also Selene has heterochromia which is a cool unique character trait. According to a medical file, she actually got it from a past trauma - which I thought was a cool supernatural mystery to put in there - but as it turns out, medically, you can actually get heterochromia from trauma. Look it up! Sounds so fascinating.
Overall I’ve got a great first impression, and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds – and how the Spooky House comes into play I remember seeing a lot in pre-release footage.
8 Likes
lol
lmao
3 Likes
That was one of my favorite revelations. Canonically, Selene has attempted to escape Atropos a lot more times than any one player will ever attempt. It also adds a nice twist to the trope of finding audio logs to discover the back story.
Did you shoot it?
The number of keys you get varies (sometimes greatly) from run to run, but you’ll nearly always have to make a choice about what to open and what to leave behind. The good news is that nothing you need to progress the game/story will be locked behind the side-doors. If I’m remembering correctly, none of the collectibles are either.
5 Likes
The only Metroid game I’ve ever played through and through was Metroid Other M on the Wii. I really quite enjoyed it as a kid.
But this is the gritty, punishing action title Other M wishes it could be!!
I also owned the Metroid Prime Trilogy, but found it hard to get into, as I was a FPS novice.
I no longer have my Wii attached to my TV, but one day when I can set it back up again, I will surely have a better time getting into Prime. The hype for the sequel and fondness for the old games is getting me interested…
3 Likes
Uhhh no!! I’m not shooting the ominous, pulsating orb hanging from the ceiling. Imma let it sleep for now
That’s nice to hear. Though I was kind of hoping for some optional story content or something. Last night I went through the side path, and even used up a key to get past a door, only to be met with a " major health pickup" when I was already at full health. That was kinda dissapointing 
I do like how there’s a Suspend Run feature. It’s crazy that this launched with an all-or-nothing finish this game in one sitting, and if you need to quit or update something, you’ve gotta say goodbye to your progress.
3 Likes
You mean silphium, the green health pickups? When you’re at full health, those become resin, which adds a slot or two to upgrading your overall health. (Three slots=a slight increase to your health bar.) In fact, especially with the bigger ones, it’s often a good idea to wait until you’re at full health to pick them up, if at all possible.
And the suspend feature is definitely a life-saver, especially when you’re trying to prepare for one of the later bosses and you want to take the time to thoroughly scour multiple biomes in one run. I’m so glad I got the game after they added it.
3 Likes
What good is a bullet proof vest, when death strikes from within?
There aren’t many things in the world that I’d call perfect, but Codename 47 is damn close.
8 Likes
Ummm so I’m only on my 4th or 5th loop, but I managed to beat the first main boss of Returnal on my first meeting him. Thank you spooky astronaut
Thanks for the tips ZeroG, ive got dash and melee as the bumpers. (Sometimes I still instinctually use O to dash and waste a consumable though 
)
Probably going to get my butt whooped in Biome 2, but at least I made it that far.
5 Likes
Nicely done. 
I got close the first time, but it took a couple of tries before I took down Phrike.
Told ya. 
4 Likes
Also making my way through Spider-Man Miles Morales.
Are my comments too long? Well here's another one
Oooh the swinging and the swinging tricks have gotten such a massive upgrade already! When soaring through the air, holding Square and using any combination of Fwd/Bkwd/Left/Right inputs on movement activates different tricks.
There are so many ways to flip, twist, roll, reverse, spread out, twirl, and much more! It really adds so much fun to traversal, along with the plenty new swinging animations that can happen like upside-down or backwards web-swinging.
I also love the new animations for perching and various other spider-movements. They show off Miles’ lack of skill in those areas which is great.
I’m not too much of a fan of the combat animations. Miles isn’t really a fighter, but the way he moves around and engages in combos just doesn’t flow as well as Peter Parker’s Spidey does, it looks a bit weird IMO.
(It also takes quite a bit longer to take down enemies, but I’m just used to my fully-upgraded Parker who can deal massive damage in one short combo)
The side-missions and Activities (mini-side-missions) are a great improvement here. The fact they’re easily viewable on this ‘Spidey App’ where people can ‘submit requests’ for help really help make it feel like a down-to-earth neighbourhood superhero.
I don’t totally like that once you activate one, it locks you into completing it, and you can’t do any side activities, or leave mid-way to focus on a story mission – opening the “app” again doesnt work – (you can abort a mission but you’d need to replay it again) but so far they’ve sent me to unique indoor locations and feature some good electric circuit-puzzle-solving.
Random Crimes In Progress are also back (and you can pick which specific type you want anytime in the app) they’re also a little more in-depth with some dialogue and a sequence of objectives/unique systems (stop enemies from breaking into truck)
The social feed is also back and a great way for the writers to flex their muscles lol. There’s just so much about the city, the season, the story events to read about from the perspective of random internet users, usually in a funny way.
There’s also the New Peter Face which I’ve honestly warmed up to a bit, even only seeing it for a short bit.
He looks like he could be in his early 20s, though I think they smoothed his face over a little too much, plus I’m just not used to seeing that face in that iconic Spidey costume, and using that iconic Spidey voice. The voice is really what’s going to trip me up too.
Ooh, and I really like Miles’ new Solo Spidey/Spider-Training suit he gets from Peter at the start. The 80% Blue material with the iconic red mask make it stand out great, plus the baggy mask and gloves are a fun touch.
7 Likes
got a few plates spinning at the moment:
playing the stanley parable: ultra deluxe with my nine year old, which is a treat. this is very much my kind of game and it’s nice to see my kid’s brain melt at some of the mind bending philosophical concepts the game breezily dishes out.
i tried fortnite for the first time. it’s fun for a marketing platform. played three games of duos with the nine year old, won all three. beating the snot out of children feels pretty good.
still jingoistically knifing away enemies of the west in modern warfare 2. it’s a different game when you rely solely on melee, shield and throwing knives (though i’m still unlocking bits in between). it gives me a warm feeling knowing that i’m really fucking people off (you can tell). takes a little while to adjust to the knife throwing at the start of a session, but i’m picking it up quicker each time.
sliding, diving, wall-running, bullet timing, environment deforming, cyber punking, first person shooting, severed steel, is a bit of a dream game for me. think superhot or max payne with tron aesthetics. it could do with a little more weight to everything, but it’s a lot of fun. looking forward to getting good at it and recording some ridiculousness.
i have rimworld: console edition and neon white waiting in the wings, but haven’t got around to tucking into them yet.
think that’s it?
7 Likes
Due to christmas I’ve also started a whole heap of new games and started finishing up some old ones
Currently speedrunning the final half of spider-man Remastered new game plus on ultimate difficulty to keep my total playtime under that of sekiro’s (despite me planning to replay sekiro later so it wouldnt really matter). It’s been very easy and I’m surprised I haven’t died yet.
I’ve also started the second dlc of Doom Eternal and it’s been kicking my ass in a real good way. Another first person shooter thats been kicking my ass in a really good way is Ultrakill a game I’m surprised is this deep and fun despite me only knowing the funny memes beforehand
and despite me being a massive pansy and hating anything horror related (thank you resident evil 1 remaster) I’ve bought and started the Resident Evil 2 remake. god i hate it so much (in a good way)
6 Likes
Crazy how the cinematography of a 20 year old game is so much better than what we get today
2 Likes
that’s my favorite phone game.
5 Likes
It’s the superior title of the two.
3 Likes