I prefer performance mode if it is decently implemented. For slower games I go for quality mode if the difference is obvious enough. Recent examples that come to mind are Somerville and Forspoken. Forspoken is a strange one, as it is actually a really fast game, but it looked horrible on performance mode and actually worked quite well once I got used to the 30fps. I play on base PS5.

I had exactly this issue at times! Sometimes it felt like Kratos just wasn’t fast enough to react to my inputs, almost felt a bit over animated or something. I’ve dabbled in souls games (only finished Demon’s Souls though), but there the movement and reaction always felt instant and fair.

The first one on PS2 or the version from 2018?

It was the cutscene where Kratos hurls a gigantic column if anyone remembers.

I think Kratos does this in just about every game. I was playing Ragnarok 5 minutes ago and he was hurling pillars at enemies left, right and center :D.

As for 2018: it’s a game with a big focus on combat, exploration and character driven storytelling. I can understand feeling burnt out on the viking aesthetic, but the game feels way more fantastical than historical to me.

Nice to see some more GoW3 love. I adored this game from beginning to end and loved the variation the different weapons brought to the table.

What device do you use to game? If you have a capable PC and are unable to pay for the game, there are simple methods to obtain it for free, for which you should feel zero remorse in my opinion :). Piracy when the person in question is unable to pay for the game is nothing to be ashamed for, and I’ve read multiple developer interviews who endorse this!

You mean 811K ;). At this rate it will only take a few more days!

Again, a Let’s discuss post guided by what I am currently playing: God of War Ragnarok.

Let me start of by saying that I am a big fan of this series. I came late to the party, playing the original 2 games on my overclocked PS vita as part of the God of War Collection. I really liked the first, loved the second and actually absolutely adored the third game on my PS4 pro. Something about God of War 3 just going all the way on this mad destructive rampage really left me in awe. It has multiple incredible set pieces and Kratos truly becomes a vengeful monster in this game. The different weapons all felt amazing, it looked unreal at 60fps on PS4 pro and just was an all round epic experience.

I also played both psp games, which I thought were very impressive for the device, though a slight step down in all areas compared to the main trilogy. Still worthy entries though!

I did not play God of War Ascension yet, as this is the only one stuck on PS3.

I played God of War (2018) a few years later (a year or two ago), and while I did like it, I wasn’t as in love with it as many other people. I felt the combat was often sluggish and the storytelling slow and meandering at times. The design of the different areas was a bit hit and miss for me. There were moments of absolute brilliance (the opening scene, Kratos carrying his unconscious son to Freya, the ending and its impact on their relationship with Freya), but felt a bit too stretched out at times. Still, with respects to presentation, graphics, acting performances and music this was an all time classic.

I now started God of War Ragnarok, and I must say I am really liking it so far. The stakes seem higher, the characters are all interesting and even the combat feels better to me (I started on the hardest difficulty, just to see how long I would be able to hold out, but it actually makes me use the different systems more precisely). I am very hopeful for this one!

I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I’m not going to be having a switch 2 any time soon but I do really like Nintendo games, so I’m glad I’ll be able to get some of the excitement through you :).

I’m a bit sad about the free roaming part being a bit bare bones. When they first announced it I was hoping for the creativity of a Mario Odyssey crossed with Breath of the Wild in a Kart, discovering secrets and fun places everywhere.

Also with respect to pricing: I think it depends on the game to decide what an honest price is. I would gladly give 100 or more for the joy that Slay the Spire has given me over the years. I think that a big and polished Mario game is not immediately the worst offender for being this expensive. It’s when the less polished and more cash grabbing AAA games start to follow this example that it becomes a problem. I do like how some games decide their price points differently, like Clair Obscur for example.

Is Warframe still nice to start out with in 2025? I remember installing it a while back and being overwhelmed by the amount of info and options and not really knowing how to simply progress the story in the original way.

This is the one, playing through 1 for the second time right now and it’s just so good. It’s my first time as female Shepard and I think I like her more than male Shepard!

I agree that this mostly makes sense, but the mouse part of the new joy cons does feel like a new console feature that they wouldn’t have added for a switch pro.

I distinctly remember Donkey Kong Country as my first gaming experience. When my parents needed a babysit, they would often let me sleep at my aunts place. My older niece and nephew also lived their, but the age gap was quite big making it not ideal for us to play with toys together. One day however, my nephew had a SNES from his friend there and he was playing Donkey Kong Country on their TV. I remember being completely entranced by it and being unable to put it down (even though it was very difficult for me at the time). From then on I was always hoping that the “Gaming Machine” would be present if I stayed over, which was often the case as they figured out that this was a very easy way to keep me occupied. I later got a green Game Boy Color, and of course this was my first game for the system. I played it countless of hours, and even though I later got a Game Boy Advance SP, this game would remain in my rotation until I got a DS many years later.

I’ve barely played any of the later installments. I got Donkey Kong Country 2 for the Game Boy Advance when I was young, but found it to difficult and didn’t really like the new protagonist as much. After my DS I became a playstation fanboy for the rest of my childhood and teens.

Now that I have bought a 3DS I’ve started playing Donkey Kong Country Returns. It’s really nice, but I found it a bit overwhelming and haven’t really touched it since.

Also a shout out to the Game Boy game called Donkey Kong, in which you actually play Mario with some incredibly varied platforming for the time. An all time classic!

Outer wilds ending is GOAT gaming moment for me.

True, that same “I wonder what I’m going to discover today?” feeling. Just had an insane run in BP with lots of new stuff an an absolute abondance of all resources. Sadly no antechamber, but I’m getting closer. Also starting to unravel the story, this too seems way more interesting than at first glance.

I totally agree and am currently in the same spot as you, less and less interested in the antechamber and more in the puzzle as a whole!

I too had this at the start. My hint is to indeed make sure you visit all rooms at least once, even if they are bad for your layout for that specific day. Make sure you read the notes you find and make us of the items too. Some items have a clear purpose for the basic runs (just helping out with money or steps) but some seen less useful. It is these items that actually often help you unlock new things though, just think logically where you would be able to make use of them.

Also, there is actually quite a bit of permanent progression / unlocks. This only started happening for me after that long initial phase of just mocking about, but once it starts happening you are better equiped for further discoveries.

My final tip is to actually not see it as a roguelite. You don’t need to just have luck / better insight for a winning run, every run is a new moment to investigate new stuff and attempt new things, not to get better at doing the same stuff like other roguelikes. I hope I’ve explained this well.

I’m also starting to lose myself in Blue prince. I was a bit hesitant in the starting hours, feeling like progress was limited, the puzzle element rather basic and the whole game too RNG based.

But now that I’m further in, I’m really starting to unravel the hidden depth of a lot of its mechanics and secrets. I’m keeping notes on my netbook and it’s starting to become more of a wiki. I’m currently unlocking and discovering new stuff at a very satisfying pace, and my opinion of the game is growing immensely.

If I remember correctly you were also a huge fan of Outer Wilds. While I do understand the comparisons, this does feel like a whole other thing to me. More mysterious and strange, but also a bit more sterile. Outer Wilds is just so filled with love and beauty on top of its mystery, that I cannot fathom any game ever pushing it from the top spot in my favorite games of all time.

Any portable console is amazing for this, as you can literally change the whole context on a whim. A steam deck is nice, but even a used older console like a PSP / Vita or 3DS is amazing for a reasonable amount of money. As most of these systems no longer have legal ways to buy new games, I see no harm in pirating the games. I am doing this with a 3DS right now and going through the systems hit games is just an amazing ride. Currently enjoying Super Mario 3D Land and Bravely Default.

Aged like the best of wines! 🤌