General gaming discussion

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123552588#Comment_123552588

The appeal is very simple:

Piss is an important resource in Death Stranding.

That's all it needs.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123552588#Comment_123552588

"And we won't mention Elden Ring, which is literally open world Dark Souls, and all that's waiting for you no matter where you go is death. I actually don't understand what makes ER's open world so much better, it doesn't appear that much different from most open world games, but maybe has less/no collectables…"

I think what makes ER's open world so enjoyable is that it invites and rewards exploration. The game map is filled with visual and contextual clues to encourage you to explore or point you in a particular direction for side content. It is also designed with such precision that it feels like everything is so intentionally placed and positioned for both gameplay and also environmental storytelling and world-building. The way the different areas are also linked, how you access some areas that previously felt completely inaccessible, and the wide range of stuff to find, all ties in so incredibly well together. And there is a lot of variety in the stuff you find too. What might seem like a cave you've done plenty of times for upgrade materials suddenly reveals a depth or environment that you never foresaw.

Whereas most open-world maps just have vast empty areas with random enemies in between enemy outposts and occasionally something hidden behind a waterfall because that's the height of level design. And you're just going to those areas because there's a map marker and it's a checklist item.

And I'm not trying to overly mock those types of games, because I'm as much a sucker for them as anyone. I've platinumed both Horizon games, a bunch of the Assassin's Creeds, Ghost of Tsushima etc. But I do think Elden Ring's open world map stands shoulders above most others. There is an intricacy and finesse in the design of the entire map that is mind-boggling.

Potential-Monke

I didn't get to experience much of that in the 6 hours I gave it, so I'll take your word for it! The only map design I really encountered was being warped from the starting area to a mid/late game area with no way back. That killed ER for me!

johnny_ultimate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123552806#Comment_123552806

Personally, I think that bit is one of the funniest gags in the history of video games.

(And there is a way back :))

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123552806#Comment_123552806

Doubt there's anyone who played the game wasn't stung by that. Took me a good few deaths to try and run and get the hell out of there. Extremely satisfying to return when levelled up later and lay waste to anything that moved.

But yeah, that was after 6 hours for you. 200+ hours into the game and on my second playthrough, I was still finding new things, even in areas I thought I'd fully explored previously. Like I said, the level design of the whole environment is so incredibly complex and intricate that it never stopped amazing me.

McFly85

One of the great things about ER/Zeldas open world design is that it never really wastes your time - exploration is rewarded with actual stuff. Armour, weapons, stat boosts etc so going off the beaten path always feels rewarding.

So many Ubisoft-type open world games cheap out on this by littering the world with generic crafting materials instead, which are usually plentiful enough anyway, so it just feels like a chore. I don’t mind having a crafting system but let me find a cool sword or gun through exploration and then let me use materials I find along the way to upgrade it.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123552915#Comment_123552915

Neither game points you in the direction of where to go either. It doesn't use map icons and instead of trusts the player to find an interesting spot and go explore it for themselves. If they see something that isn't obviously accessible then the game trusts them to figure out how to get there themselves.

I'm playing Xenoblade 2 and it's the same form of exploration. Sure the side quests have quest markers but the whole open world is basically go explore and find interesting places. The Xenoblade games even go so far as to reward exp for finding new areas far in excess of what you get from defeating enemies at your level.

johnny_ultimate

Elden Ring has lots of cool navigation, exploration and discovery elements, no doubt. I fondly remember finally figuring out how to get to the top of the cliffs in Liurnia, or the first trip down a well. The reason I’d put it a tad behind Zelda and Death Stranding in the ‘open world innovation’ stakes is that it feels more like a supersized expansion of the existing From formula. Whereas Zelda and DS teams felt like they went back to the drawing board to really figure out what it meant to play and explore in an open world - creating completely new play styles to get there.

I actually think Elden Ring is a better game than Death Stranding ultimately, but in terms of ambition the latter is doing newer and weirder things with its open world design.

McFly85

While it may have been built on an existing formula, the design and implementation of Elden Rings world is phenomenal. How the map gradually increases showing the player the full scale of the world, the amount of hidden dungeons or areas(spotting one thing to go and explore can bring you down the rabbit hole for hours), and it’s a place that can seem almost empty and full at the same time.

Also I love that they literally put Hell beside the opening area.

With Zelda, the one thing that really suffers with the true go anywhere approach is the dungeon design. The last 2 games main dungeons have been largely forgettable without being able to know exactly what abilities link has going into them. It’s probably a worthy trade off - making them linear will defeat the point and will have everyone just complete the game in the same order - still though, I used to love the dungeons in older Zelda’s.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123553314#Comment_123553314

The dungeon design of older Zelda just doesn't translate to open world Zelda. In the old games your traverse the dungeon and have loads of stuff blocked off until you got a new gadget that allowed you full access to the dungeon and it's secrets. It's very rewarding. When all your abilities are unlocked from the start then it's hard to pull something like that off, although I'm pretty sure nintendo's designers should and could come up with something better. The closest to that old fun dungeon design was the mine cart dungeon from TotK.

BenK

I'd love a new Zelda game with the old dungeon design approach. A modern take on OoT. The modern versions, while brilliant, are lacking something in comparison.

johnny_ultimate

Shame to see a middling response for FBC: Firebreak. A multiplayer shooter is not at all what I personally want from Remedy, but one of those studios it'd be nice to see succeeding. This one seems a bit DOA though, though hopefully the subscription deals made it a safer bet than it otherwise would have been.

The wait for Control 2 continues.

McFly85

I am looking forward to trying Rematch! on GP tomorrow. Shame there’s no crossplay but 3v3 football by the Sifu devs sounds fun!

Zero-Cool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123556289#Comment_123556289

Raging Playstation didn't get it for PS Plus Extra after the reception Sifu got when it was added their on launch.

Vicxas

Played 2 hours of Doom: The Dark Ages and i've never been so bored in my life. Should i try and persist with it?

Cordell

Nope if it didn't click right away then it may not be for you. It will get more interesting, more weapons, more interesting enemies but it won't be some dramatic change. FWIW for me it was great, I even went back to get all levels to 100% and certainly I will play it again fully.

DeSelby83

The shield and flail once levelled up are great fun. Think I'm on chapter 16 now and have really enjoyed it. I think I prefer 2016 Doom but am enjoying this more than Eternal.

Potential-Monke

€25 cash/€33 voucher for Mindseye...

Iseedeadpixels

Just finished Avowed, not too bad, drags a bit at the end.

Higgo84

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123558030#Comment_123558030

It was a great game but yes you think you are at the end and there is way more left to do.

Iseedeadpixels

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123558140#Comment_123558140

Bonus points for having Lizard Garrus as a party member!

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123557495#Comment_123557495

Oh wow, that was a waste of money.

Maybe try returning it to Smyths saying it doesn't work or someone bought you the game as a gift but you already bought a digital copy and can you exchange it for something else?

Potential-Monke

I found out as I was trading it in... lessons learned. I'll be less reluctant to take chances in the future... probably...

brady12

It's my favorite doom so far . I'm a third the way through. But because the gameplay I have no idea what's going on in the story 😂

brady12

If they patched some bit more I defo get it on sale 😂

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123558464#Comment_123558464

The best is when you take a chance and it works out. Like when I got Doom 2016 on launch day when Bethesda was with holding review copies and it turned out to actually be good

I think the writing was on the wall with the producer already going into ass covering mode before launch about people being paid to bad mouth the game.

J Mysterio

I see there is a 'tactical shooter' called 'Ready or Not' coming to PS5 in July. Developed in Ireland by VOID interactive apparently. Released on PC in 2023 and has good reviews.

https://youtu.be/LVOZ_XIIG6E?si=eBfew-_vEWxHPu8E

johnny_ultimate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123560327#Comment_123560327

Open to correction, but they seem to be 'Ireland based' on paper more than anything. They were previously based in New Zealand, their team seems to be remote (and in many cases pseudonymous), and all their job openings are 'global - fully remote'.

Mr Crispy

Isn't this the one that has openly courted controversy, such as containing alt-right memes, releasing its nightclub level on the anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting etc? I **** hope they have as little to do with Ireland as possible.

johnny_ultimate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123560479#Comment_123560479

Yep. And I think a game about heavy militarised police storming homeless shelters is notably more eyebrow raising in 2025 than 2023 - and it was plenty eyebrow raising in 2023 for the reasons above.