Games The Gaming Lounge: Beyond

[nachtschicht]

Dust storm during a Outsider cutscene. I've no idea what he said

 

[Gee]

I'd consider that bad game design, when Corvo, Daud and Billie don't have that problem. With them you can play however you want. Emily being the odd one out doesn't feel intentional. And it's really only Far Reach that's an issue. The rest of her abilities feel different enough from Corvo's while still allowing a similar play style. Far Reach feels like no one tested it.

The mansion is very pretty. Although I feel like I only got to appreciate it at the end after taking everyone out. When the Clockwork Soldier showed up in the first room and the floor was still moving I jumped down to hide. And had nowhere to go. But it immediately tipped me off to go in the walls I did spend way too much time wandering around flipping switches (getting zapped and dying to a pylon ) after dumping Anton outside. Actually the room where Anton is kept felt too easy, but I guess it's designed to keep him in, not Emily out.

Did you have a favorite room? The lobby is a pretty good introduction. I like the workshop with the spinning floors, but his bedroom is also nice. Less showy, but the transformation is cool (and it has the view of the city). I think my favorite part is still that I can run around in the walls.

Oh. Why does the game let you collect the little numbers the Soldiers have? I feel like that did nothing Even went back and destroyed the Soldier that didn't activate, just in case lol.

I don't remember having any gameplay issues with Far Reach. Heck, I don't remember if I actually picked that ability. You could use FR for non-traversal uses like grabbing consumables or keys from guards. I think you can also grab a body and use it as a shield.

I don't particularly have a favourite room in the mansion, but I really liked the transforming floors and rooms, playing with the switches and all. There's another level later that I also consider to be a fantastic level design. There's also a gimmick in that level and how Arkane implemented it is amazing work.

Those badges from the Clockwork soldiers are for an achievement if I remember correctly.

 

[nachtschicht]

There was that one time when I tried to get down from the roof without breaking my ankles and grabbed a knocked out guard instead. He was flung through a closed window in the ceiling, came down through another closed window, and then fell down two floors. Somehow he lived? I also set myself on fire not grabbing a bottle of something flammable fast enough. Ignore Emily getting tangled up in her abilities, it's fine.

Nice. I always want to ask for specifics, but. Spoilers

Ah. Well. I'm not using GOG's player, so no achievements. That's alright.

 

[nachtschicht]

Excuse you? Where are my abilities? Made it through the loading door and had to stop again... oh no.

Pedro Pascal felt a little wasted. I took out both leaders, I'm guessing you get a little more if you pick his character's side. Oh well. They're both terrible

 

[Lily Adler]

 

[blueharvest]

 

[Sithborg]

Smash Bros fans in tears over Rivals of Aether making it into Evo 2026 over any Smash.

 

[Lily Adler]

Smash Bros fans in tears over Rivals of Aether making it into Evo 2026 over any Smash.

Oh cool. That's the Smash Land developer.

 

[Lily Adler]

Someone finally decided to showcase workplace harassment can happen to men, too.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

A decade on from Gamergate, how has the games industry changed for women?

Some of gaming's most influential women share their experiences, along with what still needs to be done

www.gamesindustry.biz

 

[blueharvest]

 

[nachtschicht]

Happy to report that being without powers is not that bad (but I'm also not outside, that helps). I'm like a detective with a magnifying glass, but it's spooky.

Also, building bone charms with 4x the same attribute is ridiculous. 4x faster when crouched + 4x faster when carrying bodies, I am flying across the map. Never tried stacking them like this in DotO.

 

[Gee]

Happy to report that being without powers is not that bad (but I'm also not outside, that helps). I'm like a detective with a magnifying glass, but it's spooky.

Also, building bone charms with 4x the same attribute is ridiculous. 4x faster when crouched + 4x faster when carrying bodies, I am flying across the map. Never tried stacking them like this in DotO.

I don't know if you intend to do multiple playthroughs, but a powerless one is honestly quite fun.

 

[nachtschicht]

I'm gonna do Corvo next, absolutely with powers, I miss them.

But I cleared most of the area outside the mansion. Once I'm done inside I was gonna try getting around with no powers, see how that goes. I've been seeing ways to get around without abilities all game, way more than in D1. I just really like Blink, without refusing those powers at the beginning of the game I won't be able to resist.

 

[Lily Adler]

Someone made a Temu Fears to Fathom.

 

[Lily Adler]

Lowkey I would love a Dualshock with Xbox buttons and Nintendo D-Pad.

 

[Lily Adler]

View attachment 158573

Lowkey I would love a Dualshock with Xbox buttons and Nintendo D-Pad.

https://a.co/d/1AFeRLS

This exists, but:

 

[Lily Adler]

Ratatouille on steroids.

 

[blueharvest]

Sony Launches AI Censorship Tool, PS5, Xbox and Nintendo Consoles Targeted

Sony has patented a new AI tool aimed at providing censorship

www.gamingbible.com

 

[Lily Adler]

 

[nachtschicht]

Had my first CTD with this game. Fun. Instead of trying again, I painted myself a little whale It's from one of the posters in the first game/dlc, I believe.


Anyway, Abele's palace is so ugly, wow. It's kind of fun to climb around on, but wow. Wow. Yuck. I think it's on purpose? I also spend hours trying to find the double, only for him to be in the one spot I didn't check. I looked, saw some guards, and moved on. First thing I did find was Abele, literally bee-lined for him over the roofs without meaning to. Ridiculous.

If a character seems nice I don't steal from them anyway, but I've started to not pick up all the money I find, because I don't need it. Annoying. Runes get picked up to stop the notif from popping up, I wish I could turn that off. I wonder how difficult it would be to only steal from your targets, slow down the upgrades. Sounds like fun.

This better not crash again.

 

[blueharvest]

 

[nachtschicht]

That is too many witches wtf.

 

[blueharvest]

RAM Price Increases Could See Next-Generation Console Releases Delayed

Insider Gaming has learned that the ongoing price increases in RAM due to the rise in AI could delay the next generation of console releases.

insider-gaming.com

 

[nachtschicht]

Well, I beat it. 42h 28m. I don't like witches nor their dead hounds, glad that's over. Witches aside, knowing the palace so well from the first game made the last mission extra fun. How dare they turn that hallway into a bathroom

I have to play D2 again as Corvo, but so far I'd rank the games:

D1
DLC1
DotO
D2 (as Emily)
DLC2 (more witches )

Not Good to Bad, they're all good games, but some are definitely better. And honestly, it mostly comes down to gameplay. For my playstyle and from a versatility standpoint, I'd rank them Corvo and Daud, then Billie, then Emily. It's still a bit of a hassle, but I can make Billie's abilities work. Emily seems to be designed to stick to ground level, which is the last thing I want to do in these games. Not very versatile at all. I get it, here's what the game gives you, just roll with it, don't try to force it. But the first game is so good at letting you play however you want, this feels like a downgrade. Again, I still have to play as Corvo. I just wish I could play as a new character and still have that freedom.

Spoiler: this is so long omg

(If all this sounds too negative, remember I'm German. Pointing out something good doesn't come naturally. I'm trying.)

Not really any new memorable characters. Billie, Sokolov and Delilah we already know. I remember some random NPCs over named characters, like the shopkeeper with the drunk husband upstairs. Didn't steal from her. Wish I could send her some cash, though. I guess I like the doctor, whatever her name was. Also, wtf is up with the homeless guy. How is he getting around? Why can't I give him more money?

Story wise, it does what it needs to do, like the first game, like DotO. I think they're all about even, for me. They're all nicely tailored to the characters. I know there's more going on, and I'll read a note here or there, unfortunately I give up trying to read everything fairly quickly. I need it read to me so I can do other stuff. I don't care much for a villain's sob story, the whole XYZ Made Me Do This thing just leaves me cold. Both Delilah and Daud have one of those moments and it's like, whatever dude. You also made choices. I'll take the almost cartoonish bad guys from the first game over her any day. Too much salt.

Where would you go for vacation? A hot sunny beach or a stormy coast? For me Dishonored is all moisture and grime and mud. Cold, humid north. Both D2 and DotO seem to be more like the warm, dry south. Which is fine, but also weirdly cheery. I was missing something like the flooded district. More dank sewers. The sanatorium got close, though. The time shift mansion as well. Both mansions are fun, actually. The Dust District was kind of annoying, those dust storms were useful...oh, never. I wonder if that exists for no power playthroughs. I was mostly just sitting around waiting for it to pass. MGSV this is not.

I miss tallboys, is that weird? But without a proper Blink I'm also glad they're not around. Actually, apart from Jindosh, it's like there have been no innovations in over a decade, all the tech seems more of less the same. This is not a complaint, it just seemed odd. (I guess they invented POCs, but I'm not sure that counts lmao).

Anyway, gotta play as Corvo now.