What games are you playing right now?

[Felstaff]

I'm on level 276 and I hate it. Candy Crush, that is. It's infuriating that my thumb automatically guides its way through my labyrinthine app folders to find it whenever I whip my phone out my pocket.

I had a similar thing with MDK. I'm not sure I ever got past the second level, but I have fond memories? Like the first two Oddworld games, Magic Carpet, and Premiere I remember being so in love with them, but also not getting very far through the game at all?

I would say I'm excited for the Helm's Deep release of Lord of the Rings Online, but I've had the game since April 24th 2008 (one year after it was released) and my only character is only on level 65 (current level cap is 85). Helm's Deep stuff won't happen until I'm at least 83. I'm barely out of the Mines of Moria as it is (and that expansion pack came out in 2009!) I don't play MMOs with any sort of regularity. Not since 2006, when WoW-fever was upon us all.

I recently acquired FFVII on Steam. Not being a JRPG fan, back in 1997 FFVII was my only real foray into the world of teenage blond females saying " ... " a lot. However, it's made me realise just how poor I was at understanding game mechanics as a teenager. I don't know how I managed to complete it first time around, as I would randomly slot materia into whatever slots they go into without realising that some combinations worked better than others. Also XP and mana growth rates were things I'd just overlook.

On some level I think I had more fun back then, when I could enjoy a complex game without having to optimise elements based on mathematical understanding of game mechanics. Of course, doing so probably added an extra 50-60 hours of game time as I technically didn't know what I was doing, but like I said I was having fun, so it mattered little. Looking back on LotRO, my kinship are always chatting about how to get the "DpS on their RK so that when the patch nerfed the Champs there would be more LoC to use in RFK". Call me old-fashioned, but I spend the majority of my time thinking 'Christ, I'm in Middle Fucking Earth! Wooooo!" Gaming the system can be exciting, yes, but I hope I never let it detract from the immersive experience that I try to plummet my keister into when I double click that icon in my special games folder.

[Liriodendron_fagotti]

I never did much with MMOs* - never played WoW or anything, but I did get the free version of LotRO because yeah, it's in Middle Fucking Earth. It was pretty enjoyable, but once I hit level 30 and started really being constrained by being a free player, I left it.


*Except RuneScape in middle school, of course.

[Lethal Interjection]

Candy Crush.

Lethal, I am now about 26 levels ahead of you. Where's your game, boy?

Candy Crush smack talk is the lowest form of smack talk.

And as I mentioned on Skype chat, I'm playing solely on my computer*, not on my phone. So you've got double the play time I have.

*And even this has been diminished as my sister was living out of that room for most of the last 10 days.

[Kimra]

To be fair I long since surpassed the levels the phone game goes up to. So all I have gained by using my phone is more stars in earlier levels.

[Liriodendron_fagotti]

After 14 years, I finally beat MDK.

This is probably akin to the feeling of winning the presidency/prime ministership/chancellorship/premiership.

Edit: Just bought and downloaded MDK 2 (HD). Life has meaning once more.

[Liriodendron_fagotti]

Geoguessr!

[Lethal Interjection]

I feel like someone has linked this before. I've done this before, and the only place I can imagine that I got it from was from this board (or maybe a skype chat).

[Liriodendron_fagotti]

My friend and I started playing it after this xkcd.

[wolf]

I finally broke down and bought a PS3 a few months ago. Right now I'm bouncing back and forth between GTA V and CoD Black Ops II (usually zombies and usually Die Rise). In my old age I'm starting to become more conservative and the amount of times GTA uses "nigga" makes me really uncomfortable.

[Felstaff]

Disliking an offensive word doesn't necessarily make one a conservative. In many cases, quite the opposite.

Also you must remember that every GTA script has been horrendous. Much as I love Vice City and San Andreas, I can't help but wince at the woeful dialogue.

I will be getting a PS3 for Christmas. I've been out of the console game now for, ooh, donkeys' years: my last console was a Wii, but I only ever used it for BBC iPlayer and streaming my music library over Orb. And throwing the stupid Wii steering wheel at Mario Kart. The last purely gaming console I owned was a GameCube. I have always been, and will continue to be, a PC gamer.

Any game recommendations? I wish to play The Last of Us, and maybe burn through the Uncharted series. Also I saw ICO/Shadow of the Colossus for PS3. Is that, like, an enhanced version?


Currently, I am playing Broken Sword 5, one of only two games I have purchased from GOG.com (the other being Alan Wake for $2.99, which I am yet to play). I tell a lie, I managed to get Fallout 1, 2, and Tactics for free the other day. It's rather gorgeous, and back to the classic 2D pointy-clicky of yore. Huzzahs all round. Huzzah!

[Lethal Interjection]

I finally broke down and bought a PS3 a few months ago. Right now I'm bouncing back and forth between GTA V and CoD Black Ops II (usually zombies and usually Die Rise). In my old age I'm starting to become more conservative and the amount of times GTA uses "nigga" makes me really uncomfortable.

Hey, welcome back!

I too have recently acquired a PS3, though I'm alternating between NHL14 and GTAV. I've been really impressed with the last one. They really stepped up the game, I think. Way more vehicle types, especially flying, and way more things that require a bit of a learning curve. Plus really crisp, nice graphics.

[wolf]

Disliking an offensive word doesn't necessarily make one a conservative. In many cases, quite the opposite.

Also you must remember that every GTA script has been horrendous. Much as I love Vice City and San Andreas, I can't help but wince at the woeful dialogue.

I will be getting a PS3 for Christmas. I've been out of the console game now for, ooh, donkeys' years: my last console was a Wii, but I only ever used it for BBC iPlayer and streaming my music library over Orb. And throwing the stupid Wii steering wheel at Mario Kart. The last purely gaming console I owned was a GameCube. I have always been, and will continue to be, a PC gamer.

Any game recommendations? I wish to play The Last of Us, and maybe burn through the Uncharted series. Also I saw ICO/Shadow of the Colossus for PS3. Is that, like, an enhanced version?

That is true. I just remind myself I'm not the one saying it and then go shoot random people on the street. Mass murder? Fine. Racial slurs? No! I haven't had a chance to play many games but The Last of Us and Red Dead Redemption are on my short list of games to buy/try. I'm just lucky my friends have many games I can borrow since I'm poor.

My recommendation list:
- The Uncharted games. Interesting enough and easy to play.
- X Com. It's like an old school, turn-based, tactical game, which for me was a huge plus.
- The Walking Dead (the one where you follow Darryl and Merle). It's also a really easy game but has replay-ability since there are "random" missions that pop up
- Assassian's Creed (Enzio trilogy) What's not to like? Running around hiding and killing people
- Call of Duty Black Ops II. I just want more people to play zombies with

Hey, welcome back!

I too have recently acquired a PS3, though I'm alternating between NHL14 and GTAV. I've been really impressed with the last one. They really stepped up the game, I think. Way more vehicle types, especially flying, and way more things that require a bit of a learning curve. Plus really crisp, nice graphics.

Thanks Lethal!

It is impressive. I can't get over how large the map is! I like how they brought back the stats for the characters.

PSN name: Cymland

[Lethal Interjection]

It is large, and more importantly, it isn't progressive like the previous installment(s)*. The whole map is available right away. I love the fact that there are many animal types. Before I'd even gotten to the third character I'd been killed by a cougar on 3 occasions. I think the most impressive thing to me thusfar has been the graphics on the ocean and the ability to dive. Really sweet.

*I'm not really sure about anything pre-Liberty City, as I never played them through, just tooled around.

[wolf]

It is large, and more importantly, it isn't progressive like the previous installment(s)*. The whole map is available right away. I love the fact that there are many animal types. Before I'd even gotten to the third character I'd been killed by a cougar on 3 occasions. I think the most impressive thing to me thusfar has been the graphics on the ocean and the ability to dive. Really sweet.

*I'm not really sure about anything pre-Liberty City, as I never played them through, just tooled around.

The more I play GTA V, the more I feel like it is the greatest game ever invented.

You're right, have the entire map open at the start is great. I still haven't unlocked Trevor and I've hunted down cougars and deer on the Sanchez will driving off of a cliff and surviving. I love Franklin's special ability! Customizing cars! Running people over and stealing their cash!.... It's probably a good thing I don't live in America and have a valid driver's license because this stuff must be a hoot IRL.

[Kaharz]

Started replaying Final Fantasy VII on PC. I got it when it was cheap during the last steam sale. I haven't played it since its release a long time ago. I'm enjoying it and it passes the hours I spend sitting it my truck at work in a mud hole waiting to have to do something.