Gaming
Well, poor console-less me gets to sit on the sidelines for the big release of Red Dead Redemption 2. Alas. Maybe PC version will come someday.
Meanwhile, I've "finished up" AC Odyssey. I think my previous remarks and impressions stand. I would add that there are occasional issues with the targeting system, leading to doing damage to unintended targets (killed the NPC I was trying to protect from a bear in one quest because he was too close when I attacked the bear) during some swings or the odd situation where I would even lock on to one of my own ship lieutenants when boarding an enemy vessel. And, whether you consider it "realism" or a drawback, there are a good number of quest situations where the best outcome is less than perfect - making the "good/heroic" dialog choices does not guarantee innocents will survive and such. Also, sometimes you can talk your way out of a bad situation, but that makes the things that can only be solved with weapons more disappointing - even when that's completely standard in games. It's been a while since I've played a game that offered enough interaction with NPC obstacles not involving the attack button that it sparked a desire for more. I liked the mythical boss fights, though there were only four (and some animal bosses), one of which does (or at least can) not even involve actually fighting.
Without any serious planning or guides, I made my way to what might be the best ending to the personal/family story thread and it was reasonably satisfying, if wrapped up a bit too quickly and neatly at the end. The meta-story cemented Aletheia as my favorite Isu, even with a handful of recorded messages, and presented an "ending" to the present-day part of the story that genuinely surprised me and opened up a lot of possibilities for DLC in other periods (though I don't know if they're worth exploring). The Cult of Kosmos story thread wasn't terribly satisfying in the end. I had long-before guessed who the final cultist was and there's a little exposition with an option to kill them or not - but the choice felt pretty hollow to me at that point.
I'll see where the paid and free DLC go to determine if I play any more in the future, but I still rate it a good game. If I were being truly objective, perhaps a little lower, but I sort of like the AC meta story and the breadth of things to do appeals to me more than the lack of depth takes away.
I also happened to tune back in to The Long Dark Sunday in time to catch the beginning of their 4 Days of Night event. It's interesting to get an additional game mode, but I find the time restrictions a bit of a hassle and it's a scramble to understand the rules of it all. The badges you get for playing a couple hours each day (or 2 of the 4 days) seem to be simple achievements rather than bonuses, but it's still interesting so far.
So, for the event, better clothing seems more available than I'm used to. There are bowls at some houses with 2500-calorie candy bars and sometimes rifle rounds. Tea and coffee can be found, but other foods are absent, making those candy bars the main source of calories to start with. They're good, but fairly rare. This, in turn, renders thinks like can openers pointless. I don't think fishing is an option either. The actual light level varies a little, but it's always pretty dark and constantly night (though they do allow things like reading/sewing that can't usually be done in the dark) Then:
Day 1: No wildlife. That means a lot less danger, but also restricts options on food - a perfect time to run around and scavenge as much as possible, which means missing this day could make the other harder.
Day 2: Demon wolves. Red-eyed wolves are more numerous than usual, making it more dangerous to get around. They don't seem much more aggressive than usual, at least.
Day 3: Aurora. I have yet to see how this plays out, but aurora wolves in the game are generally much aggressive by a long shot, so I expect that. A flashlight can drive them back sometimes, but I haven't found one. Eek!
Day 4: Blizzard and stuff. I'm unclear on this too, but I've read a blizzard will make it too cold to survive, even indoors, without being near a fire. So... I guess hunker down with a lot of firewood!
It's some additional challenge for temporary entertainment, anyway, while I ponder what to play next.
Meanwhile, I've "finished up" AC Odyssey. I think my previous remarks and impressions stand. I would add that there are occasional issues with the targeting system, leading to doing damage to unintended targets (killed the NPC I was trying to protect from a bear in one quest because he was too close when I attacked the bear) during some swings or the odd situation where I would even lock on to one of my own ship lieutenants when boarding an enemy vessel. And, whether you consider it "realism" or a drawback, there are a good number of quest situations where the best outcome is less than perfect - making the "good/heroic" dialog choices does not guarantee innocents will survive and such. Also, sometimes you can talk your way out of a bad situation, but that makes the things that can only be solved with weapons more disappointing - even when that's completely standard in games. It's been a while since I've played a game that offered enough interaction with NPC obstacles not involving the attack button that it sparked a desire for more. I liked the mythical boss fights, though there were only four (and some animal bosses), one of which does (or at least can) not even involve actually fighting.
Without any serious planning or guides, I made my way to what might be the best ending to the personal/family story thread and it was reasonably satisfying, if wrapped up a bit too quickly and neatly at the end. The meta-story cemented Aletheia as my favorite Isu, even with a handful of recorded messages, and presented an "ending" to the present-day part of the story that genuinely surprised me and opened up a lot of possibilities for DLC in other periods (though I don't know if they're worth exploring). The Cult of Kosmos story thread wasn't terribly satisfying in the end. I had long-before guessed who the final cultist was and there's a little exposition with an option to kill them or not - but the choice felt pretty hollow to me at that point.
I'll see where the paid and free DLC go to determine if I play any more in the future, but I still rate it a good game. If I were being truly objective, perhaps a little lower, but I sort of like the AC meta story and the breadth of things to do appeals to me more than the lack of depth takes away.
I also happened to tune back in to The Long Dark Sunday in time to catch the beginning of their 4 Days of Night event. It's interesting to get an additional game mode, but I find the time restrictions a bit of a hassle and it's a scramble to understand the rules of it all. The badges you get for playing a couple hours each day (or 2 of the 4 days) seem to be simple achievements rather than bonuses, but it's still interesting so far.
So, for the event, better clothing seems more available than I'm used to. There are bowls at some houses with 2500-calorie candy bars and sometimes rifle rounds. Tea and coffee can be found, but other foods are absent, making those candy bars the main source of calories to start with. They're good, but fairly rare. This, in turn, renders thinks like can openers pointless. I don't think fishing is an option either. The actual light level varies a little, but it's always pretty dark and constantly night (though they do allow things like reading/sewing that can't usually be done in the dark) Then:
Day 1: No wildlife. That means a lot less danger, but also restricts options on food - a perfect time to run around and scavenge as much as possible, which means missing this day could make the other harder.
Day 2: Demon wolves. Red-eyed wolves are more numerous than usual, making it more dangerous to get around. They don't seem much more aggressive than usual, at least.
Day 3: Aurora. I have yet to see how this plays out, but aurora wolves in the game are generally much aggressive by a long shot, so I expect that. A flashlight can drive them back sometimes, but I haven't found one. Eek!
Day 4: Blizzard and stuff. I'm unclear on this too, but I've read a blizzard will make it too cold to survive, even indoors, without being near a fire. So... I guess hunker down with a lot of firewood!
It's some additional challenge for temporary entertainment, anyway, while I ponder what to play next.
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