General What video games have you been playing recently ?

[MarkG]

To carry on the music and tv threads , what pc / console / handheld / mobile games are you playing ?

Currently playing Donkey Kong Bananza on Switch 2. Early on it’s not that difficult and does guide you along as a 3d open world platformer but set so you can’t progress beyond different levels and sub-levels until you clear certain achievements.

 

[Emilio]

My brother-in-law has recently returned from a few weeks in hospital after a serious head collision, which left him with some amnesia. To help stimulate memories from his childhood, he's been coming over to mine to spend an evening each week working our way through old classic games on my N64. I know, the things we put ourselves through for the ones we love, eh

The classic old games do not disappoint after all these years. Mario 64 remains fantastic, as do Goldeneye and Road To World Cup 98, and I'm even enjoying Star Wars: Episode I Pod Racer far more than I remember!

The one issue I've found is that on LCD screens the manner of pixel colour configuration means the image appears a lot darker than it did on the old CRT screens. Even by adjusting the levels and balance, you still end up with a darker image, meaning certain games become much trickier (for example the "Statue" level in Goldeneye, set in a park at night, is now practically impossible to complete). I've done some research on this, and sadly there doesn't seem to be much you can do, short of buying an old CRT screen.

Thankfully this is only a big problem on certain levels/games, so most of the time it's perfectly playable.

 

[Jaboysmith]

NCAA 26 has recently come out, that's a decent game, though with some early release bugs. Star Wars Battlefront is always a classic, and the one I return to the most, as it is probably the one I am competitively best at. For mobile games, Clash Royale as ever is a solid bet, but I have recently been enjoying 'The Tower'. For my laptop, FM is a wonderful game, as it has been for the last couple of decades, while I have also been playing Crusader Kings, particularly with the game of thrones mod. Its a good, if not slightly easy strategy game.

 

[90syeIlow]

My brother-in-law has recently returned from a few weeks in hospital after a serious head collision, which left him with some amnesia. To help stimulate memories from his childhood, he's been coming over to mine to spend an evening each week working our way through old classic games on my N64. I know, the things we put ourselves through for the ones we love, eh

The classic old games do not disappoint after all these years. Mario 64 remains fantastic, as do Goldeneye and Road To World Cup 98, and I'm even enjoying Star Wars: Episode I Pod Racer far more than I remember!

The one issue I've found is that on LCD screens the manner of pixel colour configuration means the image appears a lot darker than it did on the old CRT screens. Even by adjusting the levels and balance, you still end up with a darker image, meaning certain games become much trickier (for example the "Statue" level in Goldeneye, set in a park at night, is now practically impossible to complete). I've done some research on this, and sadly there doesn't seem to be much you can do, short of buying an old CRT screen.

Thankfully this is only a big problem on certain levels/games, so most of the time it's perfectly playable.

The N64 had some incredible games and who can forget the music in Goldeneye aswell as split screen multiplayer back in the day.

I still remember my friends would be laughed at for picking Oddjob as he was essentially a cheat code for being so short and hard to shoot

(I hope your Brother-in-law has a successful recovery).

 

[ScottishYellow]

My brother-in-law has recently returned from a few weeks in hospital after a serious head collision, which left him with some amnesia. To help stimulate memories from his childhood, he's been coming over to mine to spend an evening each week working our way through old classic games on my N64. I know, the things we put ourselves through for the ones we love, eh

The classic old games do not disappoint after all these years. Mario 64 remains fantastic, as do Goldeneye and Road To World Cup 98, and I'm even enjoying Star Wars: Episode I Pod Racer far more than I remember!

The one issue I've found is that on LCD screens the manner of pixel colour configuration means the image appears a lot darker than it did on the old CRT screens. Even by adjusting the levels and balance, you still end up with a darker image, meaning certain games become much trickier (for example the "Statue" level in Goldeneye, set in a park at night, is now practically impossible to complete). I've done some research on this, and sadly there doesn't seem to be much you can do, short of buying an old CRT screen.

Thankfully this is only a big problem on certain levels/games, so most of the time it's perfectly playable.

I ‘ve got my brother in laws N64 in the garage, I can’t get it to work but I bought the N64 controller for the switch and am able to play Goldeneye and Ocarina of time again soooo good. Amazing games from a great console.

 

[Scotchegg]

I ‘ve got my brother in laws N64 in the garage, I can’t get it to work but I bought the N64 controller for the switch and am able to play Goldeneye and Ocarina of time again soooo good. Amazing games from a great console.

I loved both of those games on the N64 along with Rouge Squadron and Banjo-Kazooie

Games seemed to be so much better in the 90's! I don't play as much as I'd like but recently played the Final Fantasy 7 remake series on PS5 which also takes me back to those times.

 

[Emilio]

I ‘ve got my brother in laws N64 in the garage, I can’t get it to work but I bought the N64 controller for the switch and am able to play Goldeneye and Ocarina of time again soooo good. Amazing games from a great console.

It took me a while to get mine to start again. Ended up buying an RCA AV to HDMI converter (about £8) and a new power adaptor (£34), which finally did the job. Hope that helps.

Ocarina is brilliant!

 

[MJB]

To carry on the music and tv threads , what pc / console / handheld / mobile games are you playing ?

Currently playing Donkey Kong Bananza on Switch 2. Early on it’s not that difficult and does guide you along as a 3d open world platformer but set so you can’t progress beyond different levels and sub-levels until you clear certain achievements.

Playing DKB (and Mario Kart World) on the Switch 2. Both great and the whole family plays em too.

 

[Whingit]

Gran Turismo is my go to at the moment, the online time trials in particular but wish they had more endurance races. Red Dead and GTA still get played a fair bit, and a couple of the Need for Speed ones along with the remastered Tony Hawk games. Looking at getting a Switch so I can do all the old and new Marios.

 

[stu_tay]

Desperately waiting for FM26 as with no FM25 got a bit fed up of winning the champions League with Oxford united on FM24 CoD to de-stress from life and various RPG's highly recommend No man's sky.

 

[Whingit]

I have a hunch that the new FM will be a massive disappointment.

 

[stu_tay]

I have a hunch that the new FM will be a massive disappointment.

Yep, things don't sound great for the developers, however I'm staying optimistic

 

[RgYellows]

The N64 had some incredible games and who can forget the music in Goldeneye aswell as split screen multiplayer back in the day.

I still remember my friends would be laughed at for picking Oddjob as he was essentially a cheat code for being so short and hard to shoot

(I hope your Brother-in-law has a successful recovery).

Slaps only.
Licence to kill.
Big heads.
No oddjob.
No screen cheating.

 

[SteMerritt]

Too much Nintendo on here, SEGA RULES...

Been dipping in and out of Avowed, Atomfall, and if I want a quick blast of something back to Vampire Survivors. Also play a lot of iB Cricket on my Quest 2.

Really all of this is just killing time until the next Elder Scrolls comes out.

 

[QR]

Bloody kids!!

Get a real life. Go for a walk in countryside, start a collection of something interesting like stamps or coins, learn to play an instrument (the penny whistle is not expensive), become a butterfly spotter, and if any of that doesn't get you off your games, hey, get a ball and use your jumpers as goalposts! Isn't it.

 

[SteMerritt]

Bloody kids!!

Get a real life. Go for a walk in countryside, start a collection of something interesting like stamps or coins, learn to play an instrument (the penny whistle is not expensive), become a butterfly spotter, and of any of that doesn't get you off your games, hey, get a ball and use your jumpers as goalposts! Isn't it.

OK Boomer.

 

[Mike_H]

Sonic on the MegaDrive - and as for recently, was about 15 years ago.

 

[stu_tay]

Too much Nintendo on here, SEGA RULES...

Been dipping in and out of Avowed, Atomfall, and if I want a quick blast of something back to Vampire Survivors. Also play a lot of iB Cricket on my Quest 2.

Really all of this is just killing time until the next Elder Scrolls comes out.

IB cricket any good? Did you buy the starter kit with it? Keep thinking about getting it. Played countless cricket games on PS, majority been dreadful.

 

[holdsteady]

Not playing as I am s**t at most modern games but I enjoyed watching my nephew play through red/dead 2, like watching a film where you can shout advice to the protagonist for him to ignore. Still beat him at sports games if we have even teams, he can just about beat me at FIFA if he is one of the elite and I am Oxford though, so FIFA is the last game I played.

Other than FIFA occasionally play a retro game like Sonic or Mario, find modern kids games like fortnight terrible or the adult ones too complicated to just pick up and play given the limited time I have.

 

[holdsteady]

IB cricket any good? Did you buy the starter kit with it? Keep thinking about getting it. Played countless cricket games on PS, majority been dreadful.

Over the years I have played a few cricket games, from Howzat on the spectrum to the Brian Lara on Playstation and found them impossibly hard, which always made me wonder if it just doesn't translate well to being a game. Only one I have ever enjoyed was stick cricket on the ipad, but that eventually becomes to easy.

 

[Jolteon]

My time is mainly split between two games at the moment - Baldur's Gate 3 whenever my partner wants to game with me (we've racked up about 1000 hours couch co-op in the last 2 years just on this game ), and Monster Hunter Wilds when I'm gaming with "the boys".

My partner is due for major surgery in August where she'll be confined to the bedroom to recover for 8 weeks, so I'm going to buy her Tales of the Shire as a cozy recovery game to help stop her going mad during recovery.

 

[SteMerritt]

IB cricket any good? Did you buy the starter kit with it? Keep thinking about getting it. Played countless cricket games on PS, majority been dreadful.

It is pretty good, and being a full motion VR game it helps if you can actually bat a bit! If you ramp the bowling speeds up it is an insane challenge. Of course, the game is just a batting simulator so don't expect any team management options. They have played about with adding bowling, but I've not given that a go.

I didn't get the starter kit, but it is essential to get a set of controller handles. Don't go for the ones that have a Velcro strap holding the controller in though, asking for trouble with those. I have something similar to this...

Quest 2 Handle Extensions

Don't know if there are Quest 3 equivalents.

 

[SteMerritt]

Over the years I have played a few cricket games, from Howzat on the spectrum to the Brian Lara on Playstation and found them impossibly hard, which always made me wonder if it just doesn't translate well to being a game. Only one I have ever enjoyed was stick cricket on the ipad, but that eventually becomes to easy.

I always thought that until VR. This you have to bat properly, get in line with the ball and play proper shots. Facing spinners is a particular challenge. Facing the quicks is great fun on the harder levels.

 

[holdsteady]

I always thought that until VR. This you have to bat properly, get in line with the ball and play proper shots. Facing spinners is a particular challenge. Facing the quicks is great fun on the harder levels.

Never played any VR, suppose this is sort of what is what built for.

 

[Mojofilter]

I'm pretty addicted to the chess.com app these days, if that counts. I will also occasionally dust off a ps3 and play fifa17

 

[holdsteady]

I'm pretty addicted to the chess.com app these days, if that counts. I will also occasionally dust off a ps3 and play fifa17

I still play a few old FIFAs I have on PS4, in one Hanson is a vital midfield cog in a league one season I am playing, like a parallel universe.

 

[Mojofilter]

I still play a few old FIFAs I have on PS4, in one Hanson is a vital midfield cog in a league one season I am playing, like a parallel universe.

Its always curious who they rated and didn't. It feels like very little attention was paid to the lower leagues (unsure if is still the case) and they just sort of guessed on stats.

 

[holdsteady]

Its always curious who they rated and didn't. It feels like very little attention was paid to the lower leagues (unsure if is still the case) and they just sort of guessed on stats.

I remember Rob Dickie having quite a low rating after he was pretty much our best player but maybe they are behind on the lower leagues.

If they were to have the proper stadium, faces etc for Oxford players in a new game that would make me tempted to buy it, which would mean me getting a PS5 so am sort of glad they don't.

 

[stu_tay]

Its always curious who they rated and didn't. It feels like very little attention was paid to the lower leagues (unsure if is still the case) and they just sort of guessed on stats.

Player ratings in FIFA are mainly data driven, they say that they use scouts but not sure I trust FIFA/EA on that one

 

[stu_tay]

My time is mainly split between two games at the moment - Baldur's Gate 3 whenever my partner wants to game with me (we've racked up about 1000 hours couch co-op in the last 2 years just on this game ), and Monster Hunter Wilds when I'm gaming with "the boys".

My partner is due for major surgery in August where she'll be confined to the bedroom to recover for 8 weeks, so I'm going to buy her Tales of the Shire as a cozy recovery game to help stop her going mad during recovery.

Only been told good things about Monster Hunter wilds!!!! £60+ is the disappointment though