General gaming discussion

Retr0gamer · 16-02-2026 11:13AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124239859#Comment_124239859

Shinobi is still excellent but just found that a bit baffling. Shinobi and Ninja Gaiden are series all about flow and Ragebound to me understood that assignment much better. Honestly thought the colour coded enemies that JU has issues with is kind of genius as they are like little puzzles you have to think of your feet quickly l. They feel amazing to nail but missing them just interrupts the flow rather than being a hard stop.

Penn · 16-02-2026 11:25AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124239908#Comment_124239908

Yeah I'd agree with JU about the colour coded enemies in Ragebound (note I haven't played Shinobi for comparison). I agree about the puzzle aspect of them, but at the same time I felt it was something used too much to the point where it mostly just dominated combat encounters in the game.

Didn't make the game bad by any stretch, just would have preferred if that particular mechanic had been used a bit more sparingly.

johnny_ultimate · 16-02-2026 12:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124239933#Comment_124239933

Yeah I don’t hate the system or anything, but there are times when I’m in the flow of the game and suddenly just have to stop and wait for the enemy with the right colour aura to appear to I can take down the tank blocking progress. Or other times when an enemy swoops down in front of me and forces me to waste my power attack simply by getting in the way. There are other times it’s better integrated into the combat and platforming flow, but just personally don’t find it consistently interesting enough to justify it being the main combat ‘gimmick’.

Iseedeadpixels · 16-02-2026 12:41PM

You'll be happy to hear my 16yr old son is starting an Ace Combat run starting with the OG PS1 game.

Retr0gamer · 16-02-2026 01:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124240134#Comment_124240134

Of the old games I've played 1, 2 and 4. All good fun but 4 has a surprisingly good story.

Just a heads up that if he is going to play Ace Combat 3 that he should play the fan translation of the Japanese game. The western release was butchered.

The japanese one is a 2 disc game with a story full of branching paths and different endings. The western release cut out the story and half the levels so it would fit on one disc and gave it a basic mission structure.

Iseedeadpixels · 16-02-2026 02:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124240224#Comment_124240224

I'll let him know....Though he's hogging my Flip 2 to play em so I'm not impressed lol

Retr0gamer · 16-02-2026 02:53PM

I'm playing through Marathon Infinity and just experienced something I've not experienced in a long time.

NFPSHSS

Or to spell it out Nineties First Person Shooter Hidden Switch Syndrome.

So what this is are switches that gate progress in a level but blend in with the wall textures which leaves you wandering around a level for hours wondering did you miss something or is the game bugged.

I didn't have this issue with the first two Marathon games but Marathon Infinity is septic with them. The worst one was a switch I missed because they put it beside a shield recharge button. The switch button is really thin so it looked like it was part of the shield recharge texture.

Bullshit.

Potential-Monke · 17-02-2026 11:30PM

Another fantastic example of shytty gaming practices. TDU Solar Crown is in PS+ Catalogue. Just added. I don't expect much for it, supercars are my least favourite part of other racing games. But I'll try it for free.

Except I cant login. The only interactive screen I have is to press x to login. Then it tries, and fails, and back to the press x screen. No menus, no options, nothing. Just the circle of online only depression.

I'll try again later/tomorrow, but my god this is utter scutter.

Zero-Cool · 18-02-2026 09:01AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124244577#Comment_124244577

I loved the older test drive games as they felt very grounded of taking an every day car and driving around an island exploring so i was very interested in this at launch but it got rough reviews. I still want to try it as one of the screenshots is of a street racing car and looks nice. Like you, i have no interest in super cars in this kind of game.

Retr0gamer · 18-02-2026 11:48AM

Metro gamecentral have an article on upcoming games form Sony's studios and.... It's a bit barebones.

https://metro.co.uk/2026/02/18/every-first-party-ps5-exclusive-confirmed-rumoured-playstation-studios-26952504/

Wouldn't read too much into it, I mean Nintendo have a barebones 2026 lined up and that will change and Sony could do the same

On the other hand they could be all ramping up PS6 titles, which might be a good thing if the PS6 is delayed as there will be a lot of games for it out the gate then.

Potential-Monke · 18-02-2026 11:49AM

I'll find out later if it works yet...

On another topic, I dont see it mentioned much and its out in a few weeks, but what do ye make of Crimson Desert? I'll be honest, I'm impressed with what I've seen and heard so far. It looks amazing, massive and full of content, and i don't just want it to be excellent because of fantasy league...

Retr0gamer · 18-02-2026 11:55AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124245273#Comment_124245273

Im the one that has it as a counter pick so I want it to be a great big honking Jobbie of a game.

It looks interesting and ambitious but some previews mentioned all its ideas don't really quite gel together. I don't really see a new team creating a classic right out the gate but might be a good learning experience for them.

johnny_ultimate · 18-02-2026 12:08PM

I find the art and world design so aggressively derivative and uninteresting in Crimson Desert's promo materials that it'd really need to be doing something exceptionally interesting in game design terms.

Retr0gamer · 18-02-2026 12:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124245352#Comment_124245352

It's problem with all the Chinese and Korean games, but it's what sells over there I guess.

That and turbo gooner bait like stellar blade.

Andrew76 · 18-02-2026 12:27PM

Almost looks like there is too much going on in Crimson Desert. Also, a nitpick, but man alive they need to tone down the wind effects - looks ridiculous with grass and trees bopping about like they're in a rave. Elden Ring had it to a lesser extent, off-putting.

johnny_ultimate · 18-02-2026 12:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124245408#Comment_124245408

I also tend to be put off by excessive particle effects in a lot of these high fidelity modern games, as they often don't play nice with upscalers and make the game look pretty shimmery as a result.

It can work - Returnal managed it - but given Crimson Desert looks like it will need to be upscaled on most hardware, it might have that shimmery UE5 look despite not even being a UE5 game.

JimBurnley · 18-02-2026 12:33PM

I actually like the look of CD. A case of whether they can pull it off, both in terms of enjoyable gameplay for how much there appears to be going on, and also performance which I heard might not be best consoles and need a high end PC. I'm hopeful, let's see how it reviews...

Retr0gamer · 18-02-2026 12:46PM

This is kind of depressing.

Basically Roblox is effectively the videogame industry

Andrew76 · 18-02-2026 02:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124245459#Comment_124245459

Count yourself lucky if you've never heard the term 'admin abuse' in relation to Roblox! 😁 99% of the 'games' on it are absolute scutter, nothing but money making exercises.

CatInABox · 18-02-2026 02:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124245459#Comment_124245459

I knew you'd read through it Retro, and I knew you'd be depressed at most the stuff in there too….

Sorry. 🤣😓

Potential-Monke · 18-02-2026 02:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124245374#Comment_124245374

I've never played Bayonetta. But I woild put it above SB for gooning after the clip I saw yesterday where the camera pans down her hole, between her legs looking upwards and on up the front, past leboobs, and onto her face while she essentially dares you to look and touch... SB just let's you change her clothes! They weren't as blatant with the camera angles and deliberate cut scenes.

Excuses for Bayonetta in 3...2....1..…

Retr0gamer · 18-02-2026 02:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124245795#Comment_124245795

Ah yes, an opinion about something you never played.

The subtle difference between Bayonetta is that she owns her femininity and sexiness. It's empowering and she uses it and isn't afraid of it. She's also designed by a woman.

Can you make that argument for Stellar Blade?

It's a good game but it's also problematic.

Potential-Monke · 18-02-2026 02:49PM

So women making women sexy is good, men making women sexy is bad. Got it.

I'm not looking to start an argument BTW! Just funny that some things are accepted and others not. I also disagree with the gooning term. One cannot ~~goon~~ edge and play a game properly at the same time! At least I cant anyway...

Penn · 18-02-2026 02:56PM

I'd also say Bayonetta is fun (both the gameplay and character) and those moments are more used for stupid, outlandish, tongue-in-cheek humour than actual titillation. The character in Stellar Blade is just "sexy young-looking robot woman in skintight clothing" for the sake of it, and it adds nothing except for titillation.

I wasn't really a fan of either game, and even those moments with Bayonetta I mostly just laughed or groaned (no, not like that), but I also do think there's a stark difference between the two.

Retr0gamer · 18-02-2026 03:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124245858#Comment_124245858

It's more that Bayonetta being sexy is part of her character. She isn't just sexy just for male gaze. It's plays into everything she does and how she acts. She's sexy, she knows she is sexy and she doesn't exist in the world just for men to oogle at her. In fact she's very much the boss and a step ahead of all the men. She exudes confidence. As a result she is just a really fun and humourous character

Stellar Blade on the other hand just feels like the girls have been made sexy to sell more copies of the game. There's no reason for it, it doesn't play into the game or narrative at all. And the fact that they have such idealized proportions and a baby face is a little uncomfortable.

Zero-Cool · 18-02-2026 03:18PM

Ah lads, next thing you know ye'll be giving out about Quiet's outfit in MGS V. She breathes through her skin lads! It's not that hard to understand!!

Potential-Monke · 18-02-2026 03:22PM

[Insert Well Actually meme]

Main designer on SB did say he created her to be sexy because he didnt want it to be realistic compared to the approach at the time of many other games to make the MC realistic. And I agree, I don't want realism in a game about space androids fighting space monsters. I think it was more his comments on how they spent extra time on her... assets and back because that's what you'll be looking at for the majority of the game, that made people lean towards the gooning aspect of it. Then the costumes, which in fairness are completely optional.

That and Nikke... probably toned down at bit in comparison tbh.

Not sure why Bayonetta was never on my radar. Seems like a nearly naked woman with good fighting and sex appeal would have been right up my street back in the day. I feel like I did try one at one point. So I'll take yer word about her being empowering, etc. If they do a Capcom-level remake, I'll give them a go!