General gaming discussion

MikeRyan87 · 12-02-2026 06:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124230432#Comment_124230432

Cool ill look at all new cutscenes so maybe.

johnny_ultimate · 12-02-2026 06:27PM

I'm around 4-5 hours in Silent Hill f - a game I'm enjoying in shorter bursts for whatever reason - and think it's excellent (with a few caveats), and exactly what the series should be doing rather than redundant remakes of the classics. BUT whoever's idea it was to give you a big ****-off spear and then repeatedly place you in narrow corridors where you can't even swing it is the sickest mind of all.

recyclops · 12-02-2026 09:13PM

I was a big fan of silent hill F. Out of curiosity did we all play in Japanese with subtitles. It was one my wife happily sat beside and watched me play. Great unravelling of a story.

dulpit · 12-02-2026 11:16PM

Ya, I'm also adding Cairn to the backlog of games to play. I know nothing about this, but the praise is strong...

The Iron Giant · 12-02-2026 11:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124229807#Comment_124229807

How was the performance? I've heard it can be rough at times.

Zero-Cool · 12-02-2026 11:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124231431#Comment_124231431

It can be on ps5 anyway and the devs said they are working on a performance patch. However, it was only ever noticeable when i was panning around to take in my surroundings after a climb, it never affected the actual climbing bit.

The Iron Giant · 13-02-2026 12:46AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124231444#Comment_124231444

Sold!

Andrew76 · 13-02-2026 09:31AM

I’m also intrigued about Cairn after Zero’s blatant shilling of the game. 😜 Will try out the demo on PS5 first though as I didn’t enjoy Jusant, hopefully this is a lot different.

Retr0gamer · 13-02-2026 09:40AM

Ace Combat 7 > Cairn

Zero-Cool · 13-02-2026 10:24AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124231817#Comment_124231817

The demo was taken down when the full game released. I tried jusant but quickly fell off. This hits different. Also, yes, devs are paying me mega bucks to hype it up on boards 😂

Andrew76 · 13-02-2026 02:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124231944#Comment_124231944

Demo still works so gave that a go at lunch. Maybe played 20 mins and it's ok, her limbs look a bit unnatural at times. Had to enable the V-Sync option on PS5 Pro as the tearing was awful when panning the camera about, although not an issue as it's cheaper on PC so would buy it there anyway. Does the climbing not get repetitive though?

Zero-Cool · 13-02-2026 03:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124232706#Comment_124232706

Not to me anyway, every successful climb to a new flat surface area was such a rewarding feeling. There are some very tricky climbs in the game but finding a good route, making the ascent, unraveling what makes Aava tick and also the secrets of the mountain have been hugely rewarding for me.

Retr0gamer · 13-02-2026 03:37PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124232829#Comment_124232829

How does reaching the summit compare to dropping the shields on a flying drone carrier and pumping its engines and defenses with QAAM missiles while flying upside down in a F35?

Jordan 199 · 13-02-2026 04:02PM

I've had enough! Time to put that flying game Retr0 loves into the swear filter.

*** ****** *

Zero-Cool · 13-02-2026 04:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124232968#Comment_124232968

Much better

Retr0gamer · 13-02-2026 04:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124233151#Comment_124233151

Someone disagrees.

Potential-Monke · 15-02-2026 12:42AM

Ah feck, had a great big spiel written about Psychonauts 2 but fecking refreshed the browser somehow...

Forgotten story short, play it if you haven't. Fantastic stuff. Excellent writing, good story, very well voice acted with new and old VAs returning, some cameos, and some of the best level design in any game I've ever played. Levels within levels, unbelievable tech on display allowing imo the best examples of putting huge 3d levels within smaller levels with zero loading. I can't explain it well, but I often found myself just messing about in the doorways at awe with how they did it.

Like one was a small Outer Worlds type world, ocean with a few islands. Circle it in ~30 seconds small. Some islands have large buried bottles, and you go into the neck and seamlessly continue into a full interior or exterior level that does use the space you just came from but they don't overlap. It's a warp but without warping... again, I can't explain it well, but it often blew my mind. I'm sorry I slept on this for so long. If you haven't played it, I highly recommend it. Easy 9/10.

Anois_ · 15-02-2026 12:45AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124237397#Comment_124237397

Yes it's a great game. First one is good as well and you can still play it on the Xbox.

MikeRyan87 · 15-02-2026 11:56AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124237397#Comment_124237397

Great underrated game, beat it in 2024. Loved the first one back when it was released.

johnny_ultimate · 15-02-2026 12:29PM

Psychonauts 2 is a masterpiece. Such a wonderful expansion of the ideas and premise of the first game, which was already delightful. One of those games where you finally get the sense a studio made the exact game they wanted, without major compromises.

Penn · 15-02-2026 01:30PM

Started Nioh 3 yesterday but have gotten stuck on the first boss. Think I made a mistake jumping to this from Dark Souls 2, because the combat is messing with my brain. I keep trying to dodge through attacks (I'm guessing there are no i-frames in the dodge moves), plus the stance switching is throwing me off, especially with one style where pressing R1 helps recharge Ki/stamina, but gives you a different move in the other stance, and blocking the red attacks requires changing stance... Just can't seem to get any flow going with the combat at all.

Not sure if I'd be better going with a different game for a while or powering through.

Andrew76 · 15-02-2026 01:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124238123#Comment_124238123

Go into the menu options and separate the burst counter and switch stance actions - so tapping R2 will counter, hold R2 will switch stance. Or you can change the button config type so burst counter/switch stance requires holding R2 and pressing either square or x etc. Either are better than the default imo.

Penn · 15-02-2026 09:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124238140#Comment_124238140

That helped a bit, but after trying that boss again for another 30-40 minutes, I'm going to drop the game for a while. The combat just isn't clicking with me at all, and I definitely think I'm trying to play it too much like a Souls game. Even on my best attempt I barely got the boss down to half health.

It feels like more my issue than the game (though I would have definite concerns with the hitbox of some attacks which I definitely f*cking dodged), but there's just a disconnect somewhere between what the game wants me to do and what I want to do.

The Iron Giant · 16-02-2026 12:28AM

Finally got around to playing and finishing Shinobi Art of Vengeance. A truly brilliant 2D action platformer.

Story is functional to move the action along but the variety of enemies, bosses and stages mixed with engaging and progressive combat really makes for an enjoyable and fun run through. It felt challenging without being unfair and it's a game that's really hard to find any meaningful fault with.

Highly recommend it.

Retr0gamer · 16-02-2026 01:08AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124239465#Comment_124239465

Block pushing puzzles. The block pushing puzzles felt superfluous and just slowed the game down. Found Ninja Gaiden Ragebound much as a result of being a bit more confident in it's game design.

Andrew76 · 16-02-2026 03:31AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124239202#Comment_124239202

That's fair, defo no point sticking with something that you're not gelling with. That boss was starting to annoy me too, not sure how many times I died to him. Came back to the demo after maybe a week of not playing, spent about an hour refamiliarising myself with the controls and combat, re-specced my levels and some ninja points, learnt a few new spells and was able to take him down first try. Installed the full game and now I'm hooked - fecking love the combat (as a ninja anyway). 🙂

Penn · 16-02-2026 09:10AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124239575#Comment_124239575

Yeah I was thinking about it last night and felt like it was similar to trying to go from having played Tekken the last month, to now trying to jump straight into Street Fighter. It's not just moves and buttons, but it feels like the style and flow of the gameplay is too different in Nioh to Dark Souls (despite the core concept of the games being so similar) that I need a buffer game in between to get me out of the Dark Souls gameplay mindset. I'm trying to dodge things I shouldn't be, not watching my Ki meter enough, enemy tracking and hitboxes are a bit iffy. If anything it feels more Sekiro-ey.

It does seem like a game I'll enjoy (haven't played but always been interested in the previous games) so I will return to it further down the line, just need to rewire the brain with something else.

The Iron Giant · 16-02-2026 10:56AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124239511#Comment_124239511

Yeah that's fair, they were entirely superfluous alright. That said, they were only really in that one level in the base (I think) so they'd already slipped my mind.

Thanks for the rec, I might give NGR a look 😊

johnny_ultimate · 16-02-2026 11:06AM

I’ve played around equal amounts of Ninja Gaiden and Shinobi and honestly find Shinobi the stronger game. It’s not as challenging, but I find its combat more dynamic and expressive.

NG is perfectly solid but honestly find it a little dull at times, and still think the colour-coded power attack system gets in the way as often as it works.

johnny_ultimate · 16-02-2026 11:12AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124239662#Comment_124239662

I think Ni-Oh is probably a middle ground between the fast paced action of a Ninja Gaiden and the more controlled combat of a Souls game. It does take a bit of time to adjust, though once you get past the first boss in Ni-Oh 3 the game’s open world stuff is a lot more forgiving and accessible than the often brutal skill check bosses (at least going by the demo). It plays much more like a standard action game there, and plenty of opportunities to level up quickly.

I think for the first two major bosses - both very tough fights - the key is just not to be greedy and get a strong attack or two in even if a third is tempting. The first boss also has a mechanical reveal built in around two thirds of the way in that makes the back half of the fight somewhat more forgiving.

That said, there’s something about the series that always makes me feel like I’m a missing a key mechanic in combat, even when I’m pretty sure I’m not. It just doesn’t quite fully come together for me, as enjoyable as the games often are when you finally get into the flow. And once again: **** the loot system :)

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