What Was The Last Game You Played?

[DA Baracus]

Generation Zero

It's like a cross between Resident Evil, Terminator and Fallout. First person view.

It's set in an alternative 1989, in Sweden. You return from somewhere to find that the place has been overrun by killer robots! That makes it sound shite; it really isn't. You can choose to be stealthy and mainly avoid combat or you can choose to attack. The robots come in different sizes and classes mind, and can do a lot of damage. It's open world too. You can level up and can decide to put points in to being more sneaky or being harder, or both of course.

You get an array of weapons that you can add upgrades to. You can also find better versions of each weapon, as there's a weapons grading system. The grading system applies to the attachments too.

You have a carrying capacity, so you need to choose wisely what you take. Safe houses serve as saving points. These have Resident Evil style storage boxes for your equipment. You can also learn how to craft bullets and first aid kits. You need to collect resources for this, or recycle items. You can fast travel between safe houses.

The map is split in to sections, with each getting increasingly tougher. You can pick up other missions and the order you do things in is totally up to you. 

You can die, but there's no perma-death here. If your health goes to zero you can revive on the spot if you have any adrenaline shots (you can collect these at random points throughout the map), but it only puts your health up to 20 (out of a hundred) and you will still be getting shot at. If you don't any adrenaline shots you'll wake up in the nearest safe house.

The map is pretty big, so it's a big game. You learn more about what is happening as you go on, and you start to learn strategies. Many of the robots have weak points that you can shoot. Some can be one-shotted this way. Others can be lured in to traps. You can pick up radios, boomboxes, fireworks and other lures to get the attention of your enemies. You can also pick up gas tanks and EMP batteries, so you could lure a bunch of robots to a radio that had a gas tank beside it and shoot the tank from a distance. Good fun.

Oh, you can do multi-player too. You can host a game (others come in and help you f**k up robots and complete your missions) or you can join other games.

 

Great game. Would recommend.

[DA Baracus]

Route 96

Delightful animated adventure game. You play as a series of teenagers trying to make it to, and cross, a border in the fictional country of Petria (which looks and sounds a lot like the US...).

You have to make a series of choices on your way, and each choice has an effect on what happens next, both to you, the next kids and the story overall (the country is run by a big fascist dickhead and there's an election coming up soon; you can swing votes for either candidate, or even encourage a more extreme solution...).

Each time you play a teenager (first person; you don't ever see them; don't worry, this isn't a shooting game!) is an episode, and each episode is split in to stages. Each stage takes you closer to the border. You interact with 7 different characters across each stage and will encounter them in different places in each episode. No two episodes are the same, and only the stages at the border are similar. Each episode is set after the one that proceeds it, with the final episode being on election day.

You need to watch your health via finding or buying food, and of course you need to watch your cash, which you can find/earn/steal. Each stage ends with you losing health, and you start each episode with a different level of health and cash. You can learn certain skills, like lockpicking, hacking and luck, that unlock different options and paths. All the teenagers you play will have each skill previously learned.

Really enjoyable game. Brilliant soundtrack too. Definitely something different. It's like a point and click adventure, without the puzzles, and it's fun to see how your choices affect the 7 characters and each teenager you play as, as you can alter how each character acts, with consequences accordingly.

Not evey episode will end with you crossing the border. You can get arrested or even die. It all adds to the overall story.

Highly recommended giving this a shot. Beautiful game with a soundtrack that can banging or touching, much like the game itself.

Edited August 10, 2022 by DA Baracus

[19QOS19]

Route 96
Delightful animated adventure game. You play as a series of teenagers trying to make it to, and cross, a border in the fictional country of Petria (which looks and sounds a lot like the US...).
You have to make a series of choices on your way, and each choice has an effect on what happens next, both to you, the next kids and the story overall (the country is run by a big fascist dickhead and there's an election coming up soon; you can swing votes for either candidate, or even encourage a more extreme solution...).
Each time you play a teenager (first person; you don't ever see them; don't worry, this isn't a shooting game!) is an episode, and each episode is split in to stages. Each stage takes you closer to the border. You interact with 7 different characters across each stage and will encounter them in different places in each episode. No two episodes are the same, and only the stages at the border are similar. Each episode is set after the one that proceeds it, with the final episode being on election day.
You need to watch your health via finding or buying food, and of course you need to watch your cash, which you can find/earn/steal. Each stage ends with you losing health, and you start each episode with a different level of health and cash. You can learn certain skills, like lockpicking, hacking and luck, that unlock different options and paths. All the teenagers you play will have each skill previously learned.
Really enjoyable game. Brilliant soundtrack too. Definitely something different. It's like a point and click adventure, without the puzzles, and it's fun to see how your choices affect the 7 characters and each teenager you play as, as you can alter how each character acts, with consequences accordingly.
Not evey episode will end with you crossing the border. You can get arrested or even die. It all adds to the overall story.
Highly recommended giving this a shot. Beautiful game with a soundtrack that can banging or touching, much like the game itself.

Gonna give this a shot. Had a look at the reviews as well and it seems to be well received. You've got the title wrong though [emoji14]

[DA Baracus]

3 minutes ago, 19QOS19 said:

Gonna give this a shot. Had a look at the reviews as well and it seems to be well received. You've got the title wrong though

Ah shit, it's Road 96. Confused me, as there are frequent references to 'Route 96' in the game!

But aye, good game (on Game Pass) and definitely worth a shot.

[djchapsticks]

Finished Road 96 a few weeks back and can confirm, it's a brilliant wee game.

Some characters are really good and make you give a shit about them, others are a complete drag but it's definitely one of those games where you'll play through just one more section and before you know it, you're 3 hours later than you should be.

[DA Baracus]

On 11/08/2022 at 23:17, djchapsticks said:

Finished Road 96 a few weeks back and can confirm, it's a brilliant wee game.

Some characters are really good and make you give a shit about them, others are a complete drag but it's definitely one of those games where you'll play through just one more section and before you know it, you're 3 hours later than you should be.

Haha, definitely agree with this, especially the last line! Some of the things you do and say can change how a character acts and can lead to a redemption arc or a fall from grace. There are some surprises in some back stories.

I'm playing a new game plus now after finishing it (as with other games, a new game plus lets you start again but with all abilities/skills you unlocked available from the start). They've jumbled up the encounters for this mode, so you won't get the same ones in the same order as before. I'm trying to get 100% on all character interactions, as there were three I didn't have that on when I first finished the game.

So far I've managed a few encounters I hadn't seen before. Playing a slightly different way this time.

Going for pushing folk towards protest this time rather than voting for Flores, although being a soft b*****d I couldn't let Alex build the bomb. Big John convinced me otherwise. He's probably my favourite character. I'm hoping I can somehow get Jarod to kill Sonya this time too.

[djchapsticks]

2 hours ago, DA Baracus said:

 

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Going for pushing folk towards protest this time rather than voting for Flores, although being a soft b*****d I couldn't let Alex build the bomb. Big John convinced me otherwise. He's probably my favourite character. I'm hoping I can somehow get Jarod to kill Sonya this time too.

 

Spoiler

I grew to like Sonya over the course of the game when you get to learn more about her. Her brothers are really entertaining as well.

Alex is a wee annoying dick though and so's his spineless bootlicker of a maw. They can both beat it.

I went for a mix of voting and rioting in my choices through the game and sort of got a hybrid ending where two of the folk I liked -John and Zoe - both died (the former at aforementioned Maw's hands) but the Govt. got brought down decisively.

 

[DA Baracus]

2 hours ago, djchapsticks said:

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I grew to like Sonya over the course of the game when you get to learn more about her. Her brothers are really entertaining as well.

Alex is a wee annoying dick though and so's his spineless bootlicker of a maw. They can both beat it.

I went for a mix of voting and rioting in my choices through the game and sort of got a hybrid ending where two of the folk I liked -John and Zoe - both died (the former at aforementioned Maw's hands) but the Govt. got brought down decisively.

 

 

Aye Alex can be nippy but ultimately I felt sorry for him. Agree that his maw (Fanny; chuckle!) is spineless. She knows what is happening but continues doing it.

I did feel a bit sorry for Sonya when you discover what she went through in 86, but then she knowingly and willingly continues to spread lies and propagand, so she can f**k right off.

In my first playthrough Zoe died but Flores got voted in/Tyrak voted out and John and Fanny got together and agreed to fire over the border along with Alex. Two of my teenagers didn't make it across. One got killed at the border and one got arrested beforehand after passing out due to the health meter going down to zero.

Edited August 13, 2022 by DA Baracus

[DA Baracus]

The soundtrack is on Spotify!

[BullyWeeStonehouse]

The game I played on my PS5 today was Donuts 'n' Justice. It cost £1.59 on the PS Store and is a retro 2d shoot 'em up. Each level brings a different gang. Level 1 being a stereotypical American thug gang and the second a yakuza/ triad type gang (I've struggled to get passed that level!).

It's not a game you'll dedicate hours to but it is fun for a wee half hour here and there.

My next game will probably Road 96. I did fancy it a couple of weeks ago and reading the reviews of it on here (coupled with the poor reviews of Saints Row) has convinced me to get it.

[DA Baracus]

On 24/08/2022 at 22:58, BullyWeeStonehouse said:

The game I played on my PS5 today was Donuts 'n' Justice. It cost £1.59 on the PS Store and is a retro 2d shoot 'em up. Each level brings a different gang. Level 1 being a stereotypical American thug gang and the second a yakuza/ triad type gang (I've struggled to get passed that level!).

It's not a game you'll dedicate hours to but it is fun for a wee half hour here and there.

My next game will probably Road 96. I did fancy it a couple of weeks ago and reading the reviews of it on here (coupled with the poor reviews of Saints Row) has convinced me to get it.

Let us know how you get on with Road 96.

[BullyWeeStonehouse]

3 hours ago, DA Baracus said:

Let us know how you get on with Road 96.

After 2 hours I’m just starting chapter 3. Crossed the border in chapter 1 and got arrested pretty quickly in chapter 2! 
I kinda expected it to be slightly more of an open world game but enjoying it so far! 

[DA Baracus]

1 minute ago, BullyWeeStonehouse said:

After 2 hours I’m just starting chapter 3. Crossed the border in chapter 1 and got arrested pretty quickly in chapter 2! 
I kinda expected it to be slightly more of an open world game but enjoying it so far! 

Aye, I expected it to be open world too, but quickly enjoyed it for it is.

One of my first few teenagers got arrested as well. Was because they passed out due to their energy bar depleting to zero. Easy to happen depending on how you play! After that I always made sure to try to maximise my teens' health

although balanced that with keeping enough cash for bribing the guard at the end if needed or for leaving cash under the rock for those who need it. Also, if you're reading these spoilers then know that if you sneak in to a truck to cross the border then you need a specific skill.

[BullyWeeStonehouse]

58 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

Aye, I expected it to be open world too, but quickly enjoyed it for it is.

One of my first few teenagers got arrested as well. Was because they passed out due to their energy bar depleting to zero. Easy to happen depending on how you play! After that I always made sure to try to maximise my teens' health

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although balanced that with keeping enough cash for bribing the guard at the end if needed or for leaving cash under the rock for those who need it. Also, if you're reading these spoilers then know that if you sneak in to a truck to cross the border then you need a specific skill.

 

For £16 ye cannae grumble!

[DA Baracus]

2 hours ago, BullyWeeStonehouse said:

For £16 ye cannae grumble!

It's on Game Pass (if you're on Xbox).

[BullyWeeStonehouse]

8 hours ago, DA Baracus said:

It's on Game Pass (if you're on Xbox).

I’ve got a PS5 so been playing the Tony hawks remaster for free recently!

[DA Baracus]

58 minutes ago, BullyWeeStonehouse said:

I’ve got a PS5 so been playing the Tony hawks remaster for free recently!

That's a cracking game. Blasted through that and occasionally go back to it too.

[DA Baracus]

Wreckfest

This is basically Destruction Derby. As such, it's great fun. You can play destruction derbies, you can play races, you can create your own tournaments (with mix) and events (you can customise races and destruction derbies) or you can play career mode.

Career mode is basically five tiers. You start out as a local amateur and work your way up to the world series tier. Each 'tier' consists of destruction derbies, challenge events and races. Challenge events are usually gimmicked races. There's one where you have to race the weakest vehicle in the game against the strongest vechicles. You get a head start and need to stay ahead, as if you get touched you'll get smashed up. All races allow you to take and give damage. Indeed, you get bonus targets in each race such as spinning out three opponents or causing a certain number of damage or even wrecking others. Many of the race tracks have sections that interact, like an x style junction so that some cars will cross it 'vertically' and others horizontally. Makes for some good smashing.

Free on Xbox Game Pass. Definitely worth a shot.

[BullyWeeStonehouse]

On 27/08/2022 at 18:35, DA Baracus said:

Let us know how you get on with Road 96.

Completed the story last night. Zoe, John and Alex all died. Two of my teenagers got arrested and the rest made it. Three of the characters you meet I managed to 100% and the rest bar Jarod were pretty close to that too.

Really enjoyed it in the end. The story wasn’t the longest but they rarely are these days!

[DA Baracus]

Ryse: Son of Rome

Absolutely fantastic looking game and cracking story. However, what lets it down is how repetitive the gameplay is, as this a basically a hack and slash game. Each level consists of you fighting the same foes over and over (and I mean literally the same, as there are only 4 or 5 type of standard enemy troops, and every single type looks identical (i.e. they've used the same character models over and over). You get a few bosses, but their attack patterns and how you should attack them are easy to figure out, and a couple of them are really pretty tedious in that it's easy but takes ages.

Shame that such a great looking game and story has been wasted by such limited game play. You are forced down 'corridors' in each level (terrain is designed to funnel you) so you don't get to explore the amazing looking environments. There's a great feature where, after hacking at an enemy for long enough, you get to execute them, with some comical and graphic kills, but again these become very repetive very quickly. A couple of other cool features, like occasionally getting to move in formation and use a shield wall/cover/tortuso and getting to chuck pila can't save this unfortunately, as the game is all combat, nothing else.

Shame really.