atomicpoet

atomicpoet, 2 days ago to random

I knew F.E.A.R.: First Encounter Assault Recon was going to be something special.

I’ve liked almost everything that Monolith Productions makes. At this point, they should be regarded as one of the premiere developers for PC. In fact, I just played another one of their games a few days ago – Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor.

But F.E.A.R. is probably the game they’re most known for because, oh my God, was this one of the few titles where the hype was truly worth it.

I remember the year this came out. People were using it to benchmark PCs. If your rig could run F.E.A.R. well, it was a decent machine – that’s how “next generation” this game was.

In some ways, this is a weird fever dream of a game. You’re hunting down a cannibal psychic. He’s chowing down on people like he’s visiting a KFC at midnight. Soon while you’re going off on this hunt, you start tripping balls. And then a creepy little girl shows up and makes things explode.

When you’re not hallucinating, the best part of the game is the A.I. Even for now, it’s exceptional. They don’t just come right at you, they use strategy to flush you out. Sometimes they throw bombs to coax you out of a room, or they flank you at both sides. They react to whatever you’re doing, and this creates a next level immersion.

With all this conversation about A.I., I think it’s important to acknowledge that A.I. has been with use for decades now, and it’s been a core part of gaming for awhile. If it’s done well, A.I. can provide and exceptional experience.

You can really see this with F.E.A.R. when the NPCs have conversations and react to what you’re doing.

The graphics are what many people remember this game for, and with good reason. For 2005, this looked spectacular. Stuff like fire and water effects were incredible.

But for me, the real star of the show is the sound design. This is one of those games that’s recognizable simply by hearing it. It’s got an ambience that chills you to the bone, and I can’t get enough.

I’ve already spoken a lot about Monolith Productions. You’re probably tired of me talking about them. But let me say, for 2005, they made perhaps the best game in the world.

F.E.A.R.: First Encounter Assault Recon screenshot (Steam Deck)
F.E.A.R.: First Encounter Assault Recon screenshot (Steam Deck)
F.E.A.R.: First Encounter Assault Recon screenshot (Steam Deck)

atomicpoet, 2 days ago to random

Look, I never intend on buying a crappy game. All I want is premium gold. But no amount of alchemy will transform a turd into a gold nugget.

That’s how I feel about El Matador.

What I was hoping to experience was Max Payne with some Robert Rodriguez style. What I got instead was something that is simply not fun.

First of all, El Matador depends way too much on bullet time. How bad is it? El Matador has two type of bullet time: one that’s on a timer, the other that’s activating when you jump.

Compounding the whole mess, the only way you can avoid getting shot many times is by activating bullet time. And you end up having to do silly things like jumping into the line of enemy fire just for the off chance you will stay alive.

Speaking of which, I respect games that are hard, but not games that are unfair. If I’m sneaking by a corner and enemies somehow have the clairvoyance to know I’m there, then it’s simply unfair.

Apparently, the reason this game was so hard was because the campaign itself is only 5-6 hours long. So in order to make gamers feel they got their money’s worth, they dialled the difficulty up to insane level. Even “easy” mode is actually hard.

Thing is, the difficulty feels like a con. I know when a game presents a challenge, and when the deck is stacked against you. It’s the difference between chess and slot machines.

It’s too bad because I like the graphics and sound. They appeal to me. But even that can’t save El Matador.

I have a feeling that El Matador killed its developer, Plastic Reality Technologies. Just as soon as the game was released, they closed their doors. They never made another game again.

El Matador screenshot (RTX 3080 Ti)
El Matador screenshot (RTX 3080 Ti)
El Matador screenshot (RTX 3080 Ti)

atomicpoet, 3 days ago to random

DEAL ALERT!!

Fanatical just launched their build-your-own Nexus bundle with three tiers:

• 1 game for C$1.35
• 5 games for C$4.09
• 10 games for C$6.35

Highlights of this bundle include Wolfenstein 3-D, Hands of Necromancy, and Grotto.

https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-nexus-bundle

atomicpoet, 3 days ago (edited 3 days ago) to random

So I had to play Drag Her! – the drag queen fighting game.

The whole concept it too irresistible.

I don’t typically care about drag queen stuff. I’ve never watched Ru Paul’s Drag Race ever. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I realize drag queens have been a thing across many cultures – it is an art form. I’ve just never paid attention.

But a fighting game? Yeah, I’m totally on board. And I’m glad I tried Drag Her!

Because this game is absolutely hilarious. I have not laughed so hard while playing a video game in a long, long time. Whoever made this deserves an award because I was bowled over laughing.

The moves are over-the-top. One of the drag queens hits another over the head with a bloody trashcan! Another has this special move where there’s a Sailor Moon-esque animation – then she brings out this humongous lipstick bazooka.

Then when you get knocked out, the narrator yells “K-Ho!” It’s the little touches like that which give this game so much charm.

There’s no single player arcade mode or campaign. If you want to play this, it must be co-op. Thankfully, there’s both local and online co-op modes available and I had no trouble finding an opponent.

I have no idea who the developer is, but it looks like this is Fighting Chance Games’ first release. I look forward to what the deliver next because Drag Her! is definitely memorable.

atomicpoet, 3 days ago to random

Someone made a drag queen fighting game. I don’t know if it’s any good, but the art style is pretty neat.

And what’s more, it’s FREE!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2446820/Drag_Her/

atomicpoet, 3 days ago to random

Whenever I see a crow looking at my food, I can see the wheels turning.

atomicpoet, 3 days ago to random

If Final Fantasy can no longer be successful on PlayStation then the era of 3rd party console exclusives is truly over.

This is clearly why so many Japanese developers are focusing on PC game development, including Sony themselves.

https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/square-enix-president-bemoans-weak-final-fantasy-sales-and-says-his-restructure-is-existential-our-winning-formula-is-no-longer-effective/

atomicpoet, 3 days ago to random

This is the worst Apple commercial I’ve ever seen.

Apple used to trumpet themselves as a company that empowers creators. But this iPad commercial shows a company that wants to crush creators.

https://youtu.be/ntjkwIXWtrc

atomicpoet, 3 days ago to random

So basically, Xi is Putin’s daddy.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/05/533e57d6979e-putin-xi-meet-to-affirm-unity-in-countering-west-boost-cooperation.html

atomicpoet, 3 days ago to random

Today, 65 games were released on Steam. These are the games I found most interesting:

I’m grouping all these games together because they’re re-releases in the same series.

Close Combat

Close Combat 2: A Bridge Too Far

Close Combat 3: The Russian Front

Close Combat 4: The Battle of the Bulge

Close Combat 5: Invasion: Normandy - Utah Beach to Cherbourg

• this is a World War II simulator series, originally released in the 90s, each which is a tactical RTS
• price: individually, each game is C$7.79, but there’s currently a -15% discount at C$6.62. You can also buy all games as part of a bundle, which has a regular price of C$38.95, but there’s currrently a -43% discount, available right now at C$22.20

I’m also grouping the following games together since they’re part of the same series:

Warlords I + II

Warlords III: Darklords Rising

• a fantasy turn-based strategy series where empires struggle for supreme power
• price: individually, each game is C$7.79, but there’s currently a -15% discount at C$6.62. You can also buy all games as part of a bundle, which has a regular price of C$15.58, but there’s currrently a -32% discount, available right now at C$10.60

Deep Beyond

• a first person interactive thriller about a sea explorer and the mystery of her father’s disappearance, featuring low poly cell-shaded graphics with attractive dithering
• gamepad supporded
• price: C$6.49, but currently discounted -15% and selling for C$5.51

SMYS : Show Me Your Stairs

• a party game where you race your friend to build a tower to the top – with almost reverse-Tetris gameplay
• gamepad supported
• shared/split screen PvP and co-op
• demo download available
• costumes and soundtrack available as DLC
• price: C$13.99, but currently discounted -25% and selling for C$10.49

Baladins

• a choose-your-own adventure 2D RPG with cute paper-like graphics
• gamepad supported
• online and shared/split screen co-op
• price: C$32.50, but currently discounted -10% and selling for C$29.25

MULLET MADJACK

• a cyberpunk boomer shooter FPS with low poly graphics inspired by anime
• gamepad supported
• demo download available
• artbook and soundtrack available as DLC
• price: C$25.95, but currently discounted -10% and selling for C$23.35

Squab

• a 2D precision platformer starring a pigeon
• gamepad supported
• price: C$3.89

Banana Cowboy

• a 3D platformer starring a banana cowboy in a fruit-themed unitiverse, rescuing people from your evil twin
• price: FREE!

Cento

• a rogue-like deckbuilder with rhythm characteristics, featuring pixel art graphics
• gamepad supported
• demo download available
• price: C$12.99, but currently discounted -10% and selling for C$11.69

Wayfarer

• an action-adventure game where you explore labyrinthine caves, featuring low poly graphics
• price: C$1.29

Byte Hack

• a 2D cyberpunk puzzle platformer about hacking your way through an infected computer tower, featuring 16-bit style pixel art graphics with CRT effects
• gamepad supported
• demo download available
• price: C$6.49

atomicpoet, 3 days ago to random

Just because a game can be played with a gamepad doesn’t mean you should. That’s the key lesson I learned from Train Valley.

As for why I tried doing that, I was out and about with my Steam Deck and Train Valley was “playable”. Yes, it’s playable with a Steam Deck, but don’t do it with the default gamepad. Try to use typical keyboard and mouse controls if you can do it.

But again, because I’m stubborn, I decided to soldier on with the gamepad controls. The first problem I encountered is that, though the screen displays gamepad buttons, the tutorial assumes keyboard and mouse. As a result, there’s a lot of trial and error.

And the gamepad controls are not intuitive whatsoever. For example, the D-pad does not select a tile. Instead it selects mode. No, to select a tile, you must use the left analog joystick. And selecting a train isn’t a matter of pressing one button. No, you must select two buttons at the same time, specifically right trigger and “A”.

If that sounds convoluted to you, that’s because it is!

I could have bypassed all this tomfoolery by just using the Steam Deck’s built-in touch screen. And I tried this too. It works so much better than the gamepad.

Nevertheless, my point is that sometimes you should just let a PC game be a PC game – especially with these puzzle-strategy train simulators.

Yes, I realize that PC games have often been ported to console. Sim City for SNES is an example. But let’s be honest, do you like playing these ports on console? Really, does anyone?

I have a hard enough time playing an FPS on console. It’s doable, sure. Yet, keyboard and mouse give me such an advantage, I only use a gamepad when that’s the only option. I’ve been so spoiled by the Steam Deck’s built-in trackpad that I really don’t want to go back to an Xbox or PlayStation gamepad – both which lack one.

Now you’re probably wondering if Train Valley 2 is good. Yes it is. It’s a nice cozy and relaxing game that let’s you putter about with cute trains.

Look at those screenshots. Is there anything more charming? The soundtrack is pleasing.

And oh yes, it has Mac and Linux ports.

But because I spent more than an hour being frustrated by trying to make this work with a gamepad, I’m warning you that not everything is meant for a gamepad.

Listen, PC gaming can be wondrous if you embrace the keyboard and mouse. It’s preferable if get up, close, and personal with a monitor so you can see all those fine details. Let those tiles work their magic.

For this reason, I actually do recommend Train Valley 2 under the right conditions.

Train Valley screenshot (Steam Deck)
Train Valley screenshot (Steam Deck)
Train Valley screenshot (Steam Deck)

atomicpoet, 4 days ago (edited 4 days ago) to random

Also, what even is the purpose of a beard?

From what I can tell, the benefit is that it gives me the option for another face. If I want to be mildly unrecognizable, I can just grow out my facial hair.

But other than that, I have no idea why men grow beards.

atomicpoet, 4 days ago to random

Something I’ve always wondered about is why human females have so much breast tissue when they’re not nursing.

For example, if you look at other primates, they don’t have boobs all the time. Gorillas, chimpanzees, and orangutans don’t walk around with cleavage. That’s a human characteristic.

But humans are odd in other ways. For example, our lack of fur. Also, we sweat. We’re just really weird animals.

atomicpoet, 4 days ago to random

Crazy workout!

I ran 2km in 20 minutes and hit my VO2 max for 5 minutes straight.

Also did 100 squats, did 36 reps with 35lbs dumb bells, and 45 sit-ups. Managed 2:45 minutes of planking. Finished off with 20 minutes of cycling.

So far, I got 12,000 steps in today.

atomicpoet, 4 days ago to random

To be honest, as much as I feel nostalgia for the past, I count my blessings that I’m in the present.

I work for myself. I have no boss. I cannot be fired. My ability to make a living is not impacted by office politics or ensuring someone with more power likes me.

atomicpoet, 4 days ago to random

Found a spot in Vancouver that specializes in Vietnamese coffee!

Broyé on Fraser only sells Vietnamese coffee. Well, okay, one of their drinks is an espresso matcha latte. But it’s still Vietnamese coffee.

And yes, Vietnamese coffee is totally different from every other type of coffee. It is nothing like American or European coffee.

Inside Broyé
Inside Broyé
Inside Broyé

atomicpoet, 4 days ago to random

Hate to say it, but online shopping beats brick and mortar simply because it’s easier to get what you want.

I went to a Sport Check just now, they don’t sell laceless running shoes.

I went to Best Buy just now, they don’t sell 60” inch TV—never mind a dumb (not smart) TV.

Once again, I go with Amazon simply because it has what I’m looking for.

atomicpoet, 4 days ago (edited 4 days ago) to random

Replies like this are not helpful.

Giving people rules on what they should or should not do doesn’t make anyone do what you want them to do.

Especially if you’ve never interacted before to the person you’re replying to, and the so-called “advice” is unsolicited.

You’d think people would know how not to be a reply guy but I’m beginning to think these people actually want to be reply guys.

RE: https://mst.airikr.me/users/edgren/statuses/112447330875480848

atomicpoet, 9 days ago to random

In Marathon, you can turn off the HUD by pressing F1.

This is the first time I’ve ever noticed it, and it makes a big difference. As much as I love Marathon, that HUD is massive.

Here’s Marathon with the HUD and without it. Look at the difference in screen real estate!

Marathon without the HUD