Hangout The Games Hangout Thread

[Freid]

So I guess Sony is doing a little damage control on their ultra dark ultra violent Last of Us 2 trailer.

I'm kind of divided on it, personally.

On the one hand it's Last of Us 2 what did they expect? On the other, it was over the top. What they showed was just violence with no context. Which just isn't what's good about the Last of Us. It's the context that's important. So I feel like they were trying to shock people and I don't care for that.

What did you all think?

Only went to check it out after reading your post and I personally thought it was fine. Maybe the criticism was partly because the victims were women? Even if nobody would admit it, violence to women is usually more shocking than to men. I personally thought the trailer was fine though, but I haven't played the first Last of Us so I had nothing to really expect.

 

[Jammin]

Only went to check it out after reading your post and I personally thought it was fine. Maybe the criticism was partly because the victims were women? Even if nobody would admit it, violence to women is usually more shocking than to men. I personally thought the trailer was fine though, but I haven't played the first Last of Us so I had nothing to really expect.

I don't the the violence against women is so much the issue as it is you seeing somebody get their arm smashed with a hammer. And it got streamed out to all 250 thousand people watching. With really no warning what so ever. Last of Us is an adult oriented game but adults were not the only ones watching that.

To give the discussion so story context, since you haven't played the Last of Us, there is no recognizable person in that trailer. It's not like the main character is one of those people. Nobody has any idea who those people are or anything about what is going on there. It was just like a 3 minutes cut scene of people getting tortured.

 

[xi0]

Seemed like the trailer was there to show off the game's engine (or Naughty Dog's cutscene expertise... couldn't really tell if it was actually rendered in-game or not). Kids can see much worse flipping through basic cable IMO.

And I don't think you have to really look too far to know what's going on in the trailer -

Spoiler

General consensus is that the woman being hanged is Anna, Ellie's mother. There's some key art drawing a parallel between Ellie and this woman, and the official Twitter seemed to suggest that her name has 4 letters.

 

[Styx]

The DLC for Horizon: Zero Dawn comes out in a few hours. Anyone else plan on playing it/buying it? I'm super excited about it, need to vent my fangirl and it'd be embarrassing to do so by myself.

Seemed like the trailer was there to show off the game's engine (or Naughty Dog's cutscene expertise... couldn't really tell if it was actually rendered in-game or not). Kids can see much worse flipping through basic cable IMO.

And I don't think you have to really look too far to know what's going on in the trailer -

Spoiler

General consensus is that the woman being hanged is Anna, Ellie's mother. There's some key art drawing a parallel between Ellie and this woman, and the official Twitter seemed to suggest that her name has 4 letters.

I doubt that's going to be Anna given some of the rumors that state the new characters will be a big part of the story alongside Ellie (especially the little boy), but I suppose it could be her. Though I'd question how her connection with religious zealots turns her towards the QZ and the Fireflies. Do you have a link to that tweet? I'd love to check it out (and potentially dissect it hehe).

So I guess Sony is doing a little damage control on their ultra dark ultra violent Last of Us 2 trailer.

I'm kind of divided on it, personally.

On the one hand it's Last of Us 2 what did they expect? On the other, it was over the top. What they showed was just violence with no context. Which just isn't what's good about the Last of Us. It's the context that's important. So I feel like they were trying to shock people and I don't care for that.

What did you all think?

I just don't have anything to say about it because it didn't show anything worth discussing. I didn't mind the violence whatsoever, though I can understand any outrage over the lack of a warning about it.

I also don't understand the logic behind "if you show violence on women, it means you support it" at all. The reality is, people get hurt, violently, even women. And in a world ruled by zombie like people and bandits and cannibals, there are going to be dozens of women made victims in the most gruesome fashion. If that's not something you dig, perhaps a horror survivor game should be the last thing you think to play? Just my thoughts on it, at least.

*all my yous were plural and toward the outrage by the way, not towards you Jammin. :P

 

[xi0]

doubt that's going to be Anna given some of the rumors that state the new characters will be a big part of the story alongside Ellie (especially the little boy), but I suppose it could be her. Though I'd question how her connection with religious zealots turns her towards the QZ and the Fireflies. Do you have a link to that tweet? I'd love to check it out (and potentially dissect it hehe).

--- Double Post Merged, Nov 7, 2017, Original Post Date: Nov 7, 2017 ---

Also, if you compare these two tweets and the choice of art-style here, the parallels are obvious IMO.

Spoiler

The main cultist woman also heavily implies that the woman is pregnant.

Seems like a lot of misdirection for it to not be Anna.

 

[Styx]

Okay, either that's a really good red herring or it really is Anna. And now, the more I look at the woman, I see some Ellie in her. Hmm. Thanks for sharing the tweet, I appreciate it!

EDIT

Finished the DLC by the way. About 15 hours of content for me, and I didn't do all of the side-quests. Anyways, impressions:

Spoiler

Spoiler: Story/detail spoilers

I found myself thoroughly pleased....until the end. Now, it wasn't bad, but it just....stopped. That was it. you get introduced to this new AI, which was attacked by one of the sub-AIs to GAIA, you save it and then that's it. She's all like "bye" and walks away. Maybe I'm missing something, perhaps I skipped something vital and it "lessened" the story for me, but yea...

Beyond that, the content itself was really fun, and very well acted out. I actually found myself enjoying a lot of the side quests (like Gil's!) more than I enjoyed a lot of quests for the base game (which isn't to say those side quests were bad!).

There are also new features, like a new skill tree (very, very helpful!), new weapons (also very helpful), new upgrades, new currency for Cut related merchandise, new powerful enemies and a whole new beautiful map to explore (Yellowstone park yo) which throws you a bit more into the culture of the Banuk.

You also get to know a little bit more concerning Sylens! Which is great in my book.

Spoiler: non-spoiler spoilers lol

Basically, high quality DLC. You get lots of new features, from weapons, armor, upgrades, skill trees, enemies, maps, dungeons, etc plus a 15 hour long quest line (if you skip side quests etc) that is just as good as the base game story, just smaller.

If you love the game and were on the fence, I say get it. If you don't own the game and want to get it, wait and get the Complete Edition. There won't be anymore DLC for this game so it's a safe wait and its $49.99.

Honestly, the quality of the DLC feels a lot like that released for The Witcher 3. And for $19.99 to expand the beautiful world of H:ZD, you can't really go wrong.

 

[Spirit]

In case anyone is interested, Watch Dogs is available for free through Uplay this week:

https://www.google.com.au/amp/www.p...e-copy-of-watch-dogs-through-uplay-this-week/

 

[Styx]

So, EA purchased Respawn guys and there's going to be yet another Titanfall game. Also, if you want to check out Overwatch, it is going to be temporary free to play soon enough, starting November 17 at 11 AM PT . It'll end November 20 at 11:59 PM PT.

Ah, and GOG is giving awaySyberia so get it while ya can. There is also another sale for the Witcher series (Poland games) too, if you're waiting to get the complete edition or any DLC.

https://www.gog.com/game/syberia

https://www.gog.com/promo/20171109_special_sale_made_in_poland_sale

 

[YumaKuga]

Im getting hyped for Ultra Sun and Moon

Gonna get a 2DS and copy of Moon quick this weekend and then get ready for Ultra Moon when it comes out
Cause I wasent gonna buy it, but the Team Rainbow Rocket hype train has left the station finally
Also I cross my fingers for Ralts to be watchable in the wild

 

[Spirit]

EA's Response to a post complaining about their shady micro transaction practices in Battlefront 2 is now the most downvoted comment on Reddit by far
Edit: The Embed doesn't show it, but this has -198,000 Downvotes

 

[xi0]

https://clips.twitch.tv/AdorableTenderCrowLitFam


Hilarious to see EA take all of the goodwill it appeared to have earned from E3 after the disaster that the first game was and turn it into the massive steaming pile of shit that is this game. They just couldn't help themselves, I guess.

 

[Jammin]

https://clips.twitch.tv/AdorableTenderCrowLitFam


Hilarious to see EA take all of the goodwill it appeared to have earned from E3 after the disaster that the first game was and turn it into the massive steaming pile of shit that is this game. They just couldn't help themselves, I guess.

I just hope this can save the next Dragon Age game.

I'm not a big EA game consumer these days. That's like the only game left they've got which I actually care about. And there is pretty much no way to have lootboxes in a single player tactically focused CRPG without ruining it. So I have been bracing for it to get either cancelled or ruined because that seems to be the direction the wind has been blowing. But I hope against hope that all this somehow gets them to back off of the games as a service bullshit long enough to get that game out without turning it into essentially Dragon Age Andromeda. Which is the last thing anybody needs.

--- Double Post Merged, Nov 15, 2017, Original Post Date: Nov 15, 2017 ---

Also how happy is Activsion right now?

With their critically well received Call of Duty game with a purely cosmetic lootbox system. People were a little pissed off about the launch issues and that they incentivized people to watch other people open loot boxes. But all that's forgotten now because EA's slimy business practices made COD look downright charitable.

 

[Spirit]

I find systems like Overwatch with its lootbox system to be much more accomodative for the playerbase. We know the maths behind them, get all new content that isn't cosmetic for free, and the developers actually take feedback from reddit and the forums into consideration.

 

[xi0]

Overwatch's system is still shit. Players are pushed into spending money for lootboxes during events because the pricing scale is increased 3x the normal rate. That's completely intentional and exploitative. There's something to be said for just paying for what you want immediately and that's that. OW's system would be way more ideal if it was set up this way in addition to whatever slot-machine lootbox shenanigans they want, but perhaps their data tells them they make more from the current scheme, or they dislike the stink that might come from having paid cosmetics in a paid game, dunno.

 

[Jammin]

I don't like any of it really.

I consider it manipulating and exploiting people who are susceptible to developing a gambling problem with the promise of a payout that doesn't really exist. Which, as bad as that is, I'm willing to accept in certain types of games. Like if it's Free to Play. Then sure, they gotta make their money somehow. I don't like it but I accept it. Or if it's a loot farming game then I don't really have problem with having loot boxes unless they mess with in game drop rates to try and make gamers use them(Like Diablo 3's auction house fiasco).

But if it's a $60 dollar game where loot boxes are part of the progression or shoehorned in at the cost of the gameplay mechanics. No. Just no. I'm not going to pay for the privilege of having the enjoyment of a game held hostage until I pay more. I'm perfectly happy to pay for a fun game but I refuse to be extorted by one.

 

[TrienDarkform]

EA... there's a reason they're on my blacklist.

Boycotted 17 years and counting now...

 

[riki]

Looks like FromSoftware is going to have a new game:

 

[Jammin]

Looks like FromSoftware is going to have a new game:

Hmm, I assumed they where working on Bloodborne 2. I wonder if this going to brand new thing or something attached to that universe.

EA... there's a reason they're on my blacklist.

Boycotted 17 years and counting now...

Really?! All EA games?

I find that surprising. On the one hand I admire your resolve on the other you must have missed a lot of great games. In terms of games publishers EA is the worst of the lot but the studios they eventually ruin have put out some amazing games in the meantime.

-----------------------------------------------

On a slightly different note I have to wonder if we're not going see a drastic shift in the whole industry after the way Battlefront 2 has sort of exposed the dirty side of the lootbox craze. Not only is there the PR disaster, and sales hit that comes with that, but also the prospect of real regulation starts becoming a real thing or if governments start taxing lootbox games they way the do other gambling outlets.

Companies like EA may not care about general morality or trading something of value for fair price but therre a lot of financial risks to this sort of thing that they are all a lot more aware of today than they were 3 months ago.

 

[z.5]

For anyone who doesn't already know - you can get World in Conflict for free from Uplay.
Not sure when the deal ends, but think it's not for too long.

Supposedly, they will also give away the good Assassin's Creed, for free, at some point soon.

 

[riki]

Sony just announced there will be a Shadow of the Colossus special edition and PS4 Pro enhancements