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43M's Gaming Journal: A Few New Review and Red Dead 2!!!!


43M

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Getting to the end of the game.  Kinda sad.  Although, I will be playing Frozen Wilds after.     Have about 70 hours into the game.  Could go longer if I went and collected everything, but Im not a 100% guy when it comes to games.   I play the extra stuff Im interested in.  Usually, the collectibles and the ridiculously hard stuff (like some of the hunting trials) I dont worry about unless Im having notable fun doing it.  I love the game, but collecting all the figures, flowers and other stuff just isn't appealing to me.

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 81Udpd3dgaL._AC_SX430_.jpgReview

 

Wow.

So, going into this, I wasn't really sure what to expect.    I heard nothing but good things about it from pretty much everyone, so I didn't necessarily expect this game to be bad, but I have had my hopes raised in the past about certain games that just didnt live up to the hype for me (Skyrim, Deus Ex, etc...), so I had to temper my expectations a little.     Beyond that, I've never been a big bow and arrow guy in games Ive played.   I prefer playing as a sword wielding badass in most games, so I wasnt sure if this would be quite up my alley.

I was wrong.   Dead wrong.

The gameplay in this game is some of the best and most addicting I've ever experienced, and I have a new found appreciation for bow-and-arrow gameplay that I may I have to try it in other games.   However, no game I have ever played has done bow-and-arrow gameplay better than Horizon.   I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt it.     Everything just feels so smooth and refined.   Its easy to get into, but takes time to master.      I had a good bit of trouble early on, especially after realizing you cant really rush enemies, or you;ll be killed very easily.   This frustrated me at first, since, as I said, I usually prefer close quarters combat in games like this, but after I started playing more stealth and getting used to the bow and arrow, I was hooked.     Figuring out ways to take on certain enemies and certain GROUPS of enemies was a lot of fun.   Let me just say one thing before I go on...

I. F%#&ING.  HATE.  STALKERS!!!!!!!

Those freaking slippery Stalkers and their stealth BS got me killed so many times.   I had easier times with Deathbringers and Thunderjaws.     

Anyway, the gameplay is just masterful, and pretty much all the weapons can be fun to use.   I did use my regular bow and arrow most of the time, usually with the hardpoint arrows, but I also had alot of fun using the ropecaster and Sniper bow.     The other weapons were handy as well.  I think the only one I hardly used was the Rattler, because it just never seemed to do much.     Beyond hunting machines, fighting against the tribes and bandits was fun too.  The bandit camps were challenging and often time consuming since there were SOOO many bandits and you had to be stealthy about it, or you could very easily be killed, especially in the earlier bandit camps before you've upgraded your armor.

The story was very good as well.    I dont want to spoil much for anyone who reads this that MAY want to play it, but it wasnt what I expected when I first started.   There is so much you discover about the planet you reside on and what happened to it, and its so engrossing.     I found myself looking for as many datapoints as possible so I could learn more about the lure of the world and everything that happened to lead to that point.   The characters were all terrific as well.     Aloy was a badass, but also a very loving and sympathetic person, which is odd given her upbringing.     Depending who I talked to, I bounced between her being sympathetic and telling certain others to stick it.     The companions and friends you make throughout the journey are memorable as well.    In some games, you dont really end up caring much about the friends you form.  In this one, I did, even ones I didnt interact with all that much.   I am a big Lance Reddick fan, so I loved the part he played in it, and also how he sets things up for a probable sequel.    

Top to bottom, this game was phenomenal, but it wasnt without its flaws, however minor they were.....

The human AI, both friend and foe, could be a little wonky.   The camera sometimes got annoying in certain situations, especially when using the Sniper Bow.    Even though I loved the bow and arrow stuff, I think the close quarter combat could have been done a little better.   Climbing could get annoying at times because I couldnt always figure out what you could climb on.   Usually it was obvious, but there were a few times I went to jump for a handhold on a mountain and fell to my death, but admittedly, it was my fault sometimes.   The skill tree system couldve been done a little better.   I dont like being forced to purchase skills I dont really need or want just so I can get to the next skill.   I also wish there were some better skills for other aspects of the game, rather than ones that are only occasionally useful.   

Bottom line:   One of the best and most engrossing games I have played in years.      Highly addictive, beautiful to look at and just a masterclass in gaming all around.   Exclusive games like this are why I stick with Playstation.      

Gameplay:  9
Story:  9
Graphics: 9.5
Value/Replayability:   9.5
Personal Enjoyment:  10

 

Final Score:    9.4

 

FROZEN WILDS NOTE - I purchased Frozen Wilds and started playing it, but I think I may wait to play it when I play through the game again (and I will, at some point).    This addition IMO is best played BEFORE you beat the game.     I wish I had known that sooner.      Either way, I will come back to it.  

Edited by 43M
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The two biggest things I want them to improve on in the sequel are:
 

  1. Making the sidequests and content more interesting/compelling/memorable. I honestly can't remember much of the side content at all, the characters didn't show any emotion, there wasn't really much to learn and find out, just very dull side content.
  2. Making the progression system more extended, and not as easy to max out. All you have to do is repeatedly farm Thunderjaws and put the appropriate attachments on the right outfit and you get OP gear super easy.
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21 hours ago, JTagg7754 said:

I just hope we get a sequel. That is a day 1 purchase for me and if it's PS5 exclusive....... well, maybe not a console purchaser but we'll cross that bridge if we come to it

I cant see how there wouldn't be.  It was successful in sales, set up a sequel at the end and Guerrilla is apparently already developing a big game at the moment.

As for it being exclusive, there are rumors Horizon is getting a PC port, so it may end up not being PS5 exclusive.

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12 minutes ago, FourThreeMafia said:

I cant see how there wouldn't be.  It was successful in sales, set up a sequel at the end and Guerrilla is apparently already developing a big game at the moment.

As for it being exclusive, there are rumors Horizon is getting a PC port, so it may end up not being PS5 exclusive.

I just wanted it to be on PS4 lol. I game very lightly so it takes me forever to get through them. For example, I put 140 hours or so into Fallout 4 and that took me over a year to stop playing and I was playing it exclusively. What I'm getting at is w/ FFVIIR, Last of Us 2, Cyberpunk etc all coming out soon, I won't be getting a PS5 for a very, very long time lol. If the games are backwards compatible like it's rumored, this will not present a necessity for that console though :) 

EDIT: And good news that they're working on a big game right now. I was unaware. Hope they can fix the mouth movements lol. That was my only gripe w/ HZD and if that's all I'm complaining about.... yeah lol

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9 minutes ago, JTagg7754 said:

I just wanted it to be on PS4 lol. I game very lightly so it takes me forever to get through them. For example, I put 140 hours or so into Fallout 4 and that took me over a year to stop playing and I was playing it exclusively. What I'm getting at is w/ FFVIIR, Last of Us 2, Cyberpunk etc all coming out soon, I won't be getting a PS5 for a very, very long time lol. If the games are backwards compatible like it's rumored, this will not present a necessity for that console though :) 

EDIT: And good news that they're working on a big game right now. I was unaware. Hope they can fix the mouth movements lol. That was my only gripe w/ HZD and if that's all I'm complaining about.... yeah lol

Yeah...I was a very light gamer for awhile.  Playing a lot now, though.   

I will likely wait at least a year before jumping to next gen.   It takes about a year or even two before the next gen systems become CURRENT gen, when developers are all in on the new consoles.  For the first year or 2, PS4 and XBOne will still be a heavy focus.

And I have a pretty long backlog of games I want to play.

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On ‎2‎/‎3‎/‎2020 at 4:27 PM, FourThreeMafia said:

I have already played through the Mass Effect Trilogy twice...almost 3 times.  Great games, for sure, but the ending was terrible.

Not interested in Andromeda....train wreck.   

I might end up playing through the trilogy again, someday.

There is actually a mod package that changes the ending to ME3 that makes it a lot more palpable. 

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On 2/24/2020 at 11:04 PM, FourThreeMafia said:

Should finish Spider Man this weekend, then I might play Witcher 3, since the complete edition is $15 on PSN right now...same price I paid for Spider Man.

PS....Spider Man is really fun.

 

 

Man, enjoy TW3. It's a little aged but another excellent title. If you're trying for completionist territory, see you in 140 hours lol..... If not more. It was my first Witcher game but I will get every one released from now on

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20 hours ago, JTagg7754 said:

Man, enjoy TW3. It's a little aged but another excellent title. If you're trying for completionist territory, see you in 140 hours lol..... If not more. It was my first Witcher game but I will get every one released from now on

Im not a hardcore completionist, but I do alot of the extra stuff I find enjoyable.     As long as I enjoy the gameplay, I am sure I will get 80-100 hours out of it, at least.

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 5c71bf939d.jpgReview

 

This was a pretty "safe" game insomuch as I knew I would get some enjoyment out of it.    Spider Man is possibly my favorite superhero after Batman, so as long as the gameplay and story were moderately entertaining, I knew this wouldn't be a disappointment...especially since I got the complete edition for $15. 

This was an immensely entertaining game that met my expectations, but didn't necessarily far exceed them.   Not really a knock on the game so much, but for as much praise as I saw it get, I kind of had somewhat high expectations, along the lines of the Batman Arkham games.     Speaking of which, it is very clear Spider Man PS4 drew heavy inspiration off of Rocksteady's flagship titles.    Honestly, if Rocksteady made a Spiderman game, I would expect it to be very similar to this.    And that isnt a slight against Insomniac....this type of arcade-ish, beat em up gameplay is probably the best youre going to get out of superhero games.    The gameplay was incredibly fun, controls were generally good and it just felt amazing swinging through the city.   The graphics, as usual in this generation, are extremely impressive.   The city was alive,  New York looked beautiful. and there was a never ending amount to do around the city.   Ha...I actually started getting annoyed because crimes kept popping up so much.    Didnt REALLY annoy me, but...that was alot of crime.     

The story and acting were top notch.    Loved all the characters for the most part.    I actually legit cared about these characters and their relationships....particularly between Peter and Otto.    Miles was done incredibly well.     The developed all of it so well, and even though this isnt an origin story, you felt like you knew these characters very well by the end, and some of things Peter had been through over the years, especially if you did the backpack hunts and listened to Spidey recount things from his past.     Im not going to get into spoiler territory, but there was one part towards the end that was extremely emotional and hard hitting.    

The game, as fun as it was, however, was not without its faults.     While the fighting was fun, it felt way too familiar to the Arkham series.    Again, thats not a BAD thing, but it didnt break  much new ground.   As much fun as I had swinging around the city, the webbing was ALWAYS as responsive as I wouldve liked it.     Sometimes, I found it difficult to get to certain places as fast as I wanted because I would overshoot the area by swinging past it.    Wouldnt care, but sometimes you HAD to get to a spot fast, especially the challenges.    Some of the challenges were insanely difficult just the complete them....much less trying to get the highest ranking.     Too often, Spidey wouldnt latch onto the walls, too, and there was really no explanation....he would just hit the wall, and fall straight down unless I webbed somewhere else, or eventually latched on.     The camera could be SOMEWHAT annoying.   Not enough to hurt the game much, but enough to frustrate me at times.    There were numerous times I was trying to web an object to swing, and the camera would change, and it wouldnt let me do it, because I didnt have a view of it,         Also, while I enjoyed most of the characters, I didnt find Mary Jane annoying at times, and felt like some of her parts slowed the game down.      I have some other minor gripes, but mainly just things I hope they improve upon in the sequel.

Bottom line:   Fun.   Very fun, but hopefully it can be a little more polished  in the sequel.      If you like Spider Man and videogames, this is a MUST play.   

Gameplay:  7.5
Story:  9
Graphics: 9
Value/Replayability:   9
Personal Enjoyment:  8

 

Final Score:    8.6

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On 2/28/2020 at 4:12 AM, FourThreeMafia said:

Next game....

51FdXnfNj6L.jpg

Really looking forward to this.    Hopefully, it lives up to the hype.

I am finishing up some Spider Man DLC stuff.     Hopefully I can start this up on Sunday sometime.  

Be prepared to sink some time into this one

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