Readers reveal the last video game they happen to have played and what it says about their general gaming habits.
The subject for this week’s Hot Topic was suggested by reader 84Colbat, and to make sure there was a variety of responses you weren’t allowed to say anything that had been released this year (to ensure everyone didn’t only end up talking about Elden Ring).
Interestingly though, From’s epic did still have a big impact on many people’s choices, with many dipping into previous titles like Bloodborne in order to get in the mood or decide whether they wanted to buy the new game.
You’ve been punk’d
The last game I played was Cyberpunk 2077 on PlayStation 5. I say ‘played’ because I didn’t finish it, after getting bored with it about seven or eight hours in. The thought that I could be playing Elden Ring instead probably had something to do with that but I just found the whole experience very try-hard and aggravating.
I didn’t like any of the characters, the city setting was much less impressive than I was expecting, and the gun combat isn’t very good. The car driving is even worse though and just the thought of playing everything for another 30 hours or so to finish it was too much to bear.
I got it very cheap, by buying the PlayStation 4 version, so I don’t feel I missed out, but it has cemented my feeling that CD Projekt have lost their mojo. I was avoiding Elden Ring because of the difficulty, but the response has been so positive that I’m tempted to give it a try anyway. After the disappointment of Cyberpunk 2077 I don’t see how it can’t be better.
Focus
A Link to Ubisoft
The last game I played for any time before Elden Ring was Immortals Fenyx Rising. I really enjoyed it, even though GC said it was like a Zelda game. I gave it a go anyway and thought it was so good I’d give the original a go too at some stage.
Despite being a Ubisoft game, the protagonist is likeable. She (I played as the female avatar) was not a usual gung-ho action hero. She was full of doubts and wishing that her brother would do it instead. Relatable and in some parts funny. Some tricky puzzles, beautiful scenery and some massive enemies made this game just zing along.
If anyone wants to play a Zelda game but doesn’t want a mute hero to play as, give Fenyx a shot.
Bobwallett
Meaty role
As well as playing Elden Ring, I’m also nearing the final stages of the excellent Disco Elysium. It’d been on my radar for a while, having read a number of positive reviews and having listened to a recent episode of the always entertaining Get Played (previously called How Did This Get Played?) podcast in which the hosts loved it, I finally decided to give it a try.
It certainly does live up to the hype, and I honestly can’t think of any game quite like it. The writing is just phenomenal, and the way in which you can mould your character to be virtually anyone you want brings a new meaning to the term role-playing game.
drlowdon
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88% success rate
I am currently playing Elden Ring (PS5), for obvious reasons, but before that I played and completed eight games this year and parked three.
Completed:
- Halo Infinite – I skipped Halo 5 but fancied returning, so I bought myself an Xbox Series X for Christmas. It was good: 8/10
- Picross S6 – I like Picross and have played all of the S Series on Switch. It was on sale: 7/10
- Down In Bermuda – A puzzle adventure game I had heard good things about and it was very cheap in a Switch sale. Disappointing: 4/10
- Death’s Door – Heard very good things and decided to sign up to Game Pass to play it. Excellent: 9/10
- Pedestrian – Also on Game Pass and looked interesting. Was great until the ending gave me motion sickness: 7/10
- Psychonauts 2 – The main reason for buying an Xbox Series X and subscribing to Game Pass. It was great, thoroughly enjoyed it: 8/10
- Mortal Kombat 11 – Another Game Pass game. Have always liked occasionally dipping into the series. Was nice to finish the story in an afternoon: 8/10
- Forza Horizon 5 – I do not tend to like racing games but the Horizon series has interested me and with Game Pass why not? Thought it was great: 8/10
Parked:
- Thronebreaker – I liked Gwent in Witcher 3 and this was on sale. It just didn’t click with me for some reason.
- Resident Evil Village – Found what I played a bit clunky and the first save point is far too far into the game, especially as I had to restart the whole thing as I selected the wrong difficulty. Arbitrary restrictions like that infuriate me. I eventually got to a point with a creepy baby where I could not use a gun. No idea why people think this was a game of the year contender, especially as the first castle was apparently the good bit.
- Dragon Quest 11 S – I have been meaning to try this for years after playing the very generous demo on Switch and again it was on Game Pass. It is lovely but also easy to the point of tedium.
PazJohnMitch
Chill out game
Been playing Stellaris on and off as a background game to any other games I might be playing.
This game has lots of support, with updates and expansions and feel it has improved since GC reviewed it. However, it is more a niche thing and anybody who enjoys 4X strategy games will most likely have found it.
I generally play this as a chill out game as it’s a completely different beast to Civilization. The music is very trancey as well, which I love.
The little stories within the game and some of the mysteries in the universe are great. Also, it’s a very menacing universe, with the Khanate and lingering crisis which adds to the story building. As a game it’s a real slow burn but that’s one of its strengths.
Have grown to like Stellaris more and more as I play it.
Very pleased consoles can give us grand strategy games now. Really looking forward to Crusader Kings 3 if your review is promising.
Vaughan (tiddleydwarf – PSN ID)
GC: It should be ready early next week.
Welcome return
I decided to return to Hyrule and replay The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild and I’m as hooked as I was first time around.
The level of detail, places of interest to explore, and things to discover is incredible. It has some flaws but I would still put it up there with the best games ever created! Can’t wait for the sequel.
Anon
No going back
Last game I played before Elden Ring was Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair. In fact, it was the imminent release of Elden Ring that prompted me to play it, as I often look for a quick game to get out the way during down time in advance of something that’s going to take me a while and demands all my gaming attention. Yooka-Laylee had been in my backlog since I got it for just a few quid in a Switch eShop sale last year.
Unfortunately, when I’m playing a game I haven’t prioritised, I can sometimes get a bit grumpy with it because I’m more keen on the upcoming release I’m really looking forward to. With Yooka-Laylee’s case, though, I don’t think it was just grumpiness.
I hadn’t played its 3D predecessor, as reviews put me off that, but I’d heard good things about this 2D sequel. When it comes to the overworld map, I’d agree with those, as it was a lot more interactive than I’d expect for a 2D platformer’s map, and parts of its exploration element reminded me of Death’s Door, which I’d just played over Christmas. If the whole game had been in that format, and a bit leaner, I’d have maybe thought more of it.
As it was, I found the actual platforming levels to be pretty uninspired, with mechanics that never felt very satisfying and secrets that were almost always hidden in the same boring way. It looks pretty at times but it’s clear the dev wants to try and recapture something that was big 25+ years ago (specifically Donkey Kong Country) without really considering much in the way of a modern context for it. At the same time, games like Rayman Legends and Celeste stand out for me as prime modern 2D platformers that try and do a bit more.
It made me realise unless a 2D platformer (in the pure sense) does something exceptional I may have gone off the genre and I wonder if that’s influenced by those dark Nintendo years a decade ago, where every second game announced felt like a quick and easy, unambitious schedule-padder with little else to look forward to. The Yoshies, Kirbies, New Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kongs, etc. seemed to be all they could talk about back then and I really started to resent it.
Panda
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