The Hot Topic Returns

[shinymcshine]

Retro gaming in the future with physical copies will be weird, a mess of some broken games (assuming online support for patches will be eventually switched off - so you'll be stuck with the vanilla, day one, version).

 

I know this isn't unique to this generation - but pretty much everything nowadays gets a post release patch, often to fix significant issues.

[spatular]

Yeah i mean i like physical because i like the idea of having stuff to play in the future when the online stuff is turned off but thats becoming pointless with day 1 patches/ updates etc. physical still makes sense if you get stuff day 1 as its often cheaper in the launch period.

[Sly Reflex]

I don't think I've seen a physical game since before Covid. Division 2 and Anthem. Two absolute logs.

[Snaggletooth]

Yes its an odd one, you can plan for it in the mid term, I have a 4TB hard disk for the PS4 with all my games installed and updated to the latest patched version, so even if the PS4 dies, I can replace that, now when the harddisk dies, thats another thing entirely.

 

I assume we will get to a point where somebody may work out a way to reverse engineeer the patch on a jail broken system and leave it an online fan repository online, Honestly though I think will continue be reliant on fans keeping things alive.

 

I will continue to collect for PS5 physically, but only because I have started, more so for the fact I can trade in the stuff I dont want.

[Nag]

31 minutes ago, Snaggletooth said:

I have a 4TB hard disk for the PS4 with all my games installed and updated to the latest patched version

 

Just out of interest do you actively manually check that every week or something as, in my experience, that's not how the PS4 works.

[Snaggletooth]

Depends, most of the ps4 games I have are well over 2 years old and rarely get patched. 

 

I tend to do a sweep on my games every 2 to 3 months to check. But at this point its barely worth checking. 

[Nag]

 

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Readers discuss their usual tactics for beating video games and how they decide when to give up and when to multitask.

 

The subject for this week’s Hot Topic was suggested by reader Fennel, who asked what you count as beating a game and if it just means having completed the story or everything 100%.

 

Everyone had a slightly different approach and while most agreed that getting to the credits counted as beating a game, others liked to go further, especially for trophies and achievements.

 

[DANGERMAN]

beating the game for me is generally seeing credits. It depends a bit, for old arcade games and fighting games, if they were games I'd bought rather than an emulator or whatever, I'd arbitrarily do a bit more. So for a fighting game I'd beat it with every character, or unlock everyone, whatever. Everything else though, once the credits roll, unless it's the bad ending, it's complete

 

In terms of how, I will sometimes have multiple games on the go, usually across different platforms and styles. I play a lot of rpgs, and while I haven't completed any recently, I tend to dip in and out of them, so it might take me 2 years or more, but I'll dip back in for another 20 hours here and there until it's done. I suppose the next game that might realistically count as one of those is Shin Megami Tensei V, maybe one of the Yakuza games I'm a bit in to.

 

In terms of giving up, it's rare I just decide to stop on something, generally it just happens, you move on, kind of intend to go back, then realise you don't actually want to

[OCH]

When I completed Silent Hill 1, for whatever reason I wasn't aware the game had multiple endings. I got the "bad" ending and merely thought 'Oh? That ends on a bleak note.' I got an ending and moved on. That's enough for me. In fact I think the only game I played through multiple times to unlock various endings was Eternal Darkness. Even the Souls series, I'm typically satisfied with one ending each entry. 

 

Platformers and RPG's though. I try to go 100%. See all there is to see. Some, like Disgaea, take a long time to get to that point. It's also why I can talk you through the steps to resurrect Gremio in Suikoden. Become a Vandalier in Vandal Hearts as well as a weirdly near-encyclopaedic knowledge of Chocobo Breeding in FF7.

By the same token, getting everything in say Mario 64 or Banjo Kazooie. Became a project of weeks after beating the final boss.

 

Fighters - character unlocks (in-game), arcade endings, story mode. Since I'm not competitive in the slightest anymore. When those solo feats are done. So is the fighter.

 

Giving up is rare. It does happen. One previously known example of my giving up is Fallout 3, back in the day. On GTM I mentioned I got bored of the game and abandoned it. Just as I got control of a robot? I recall being told I was right near the end. But oh well. But it all mostly comes down to my memory. Returnal, for example. I think I'm still on the desert biome (Level 2 or 3?). I haven't sacked it off, I just started playing other games and left it at that point.

[Nag]

I really really hate sacking off games before they're completed but in rare occasions it's definitely for the best... if a game ceases to be fun or is genuinely just bad then it's just not worth the hassle if powering through.

 

As for what I consider completed that can change depending on the type of game and, to some extent, the achievement list... some games I'll consider finished with a one and done run and seeing the credits. In regards to achievements/trophies there's usually difficulty based unlocks that'll require multiple runs and if I think the list is a doable one I won't consider the game "completed" until I've unlocked those things.

[shinymcshine]

If I've played something for >10 hrs then I'll generally finish it to credits (unless there's some horrendous difficulty spike or game crashing bug) - but, esp. with PS+ & Gamepass, then I will try things which might be outside my preferred genres, and sometimes they get binned off early.

 

I'm pretty surprised, based on % achievements/trophies, when I get the one for basic game completion, to see <10% have gotten it - think Pathfinder:WotR (PS4) was at 7% - and whilst I recognise that it's a time sink - there's loads of adjustable difficulty options (if needed) to ease you to the conclusion.

[mfnick]

A game is finished if I see credits. Everything after that is extra. There are some exceptions, such as Nier Automata which actually carries on the story and has new content after credits. They’re very rare though.

 

I used to basically play every game I started to completion. I’ve definitely change in recent years though. I realised I was spending far too long doing something I wasn’t keen on or actively disliking & asking myself why?! It’s a hobby I’m meant to be enjoying myself but just wasting time. I’ll give games a fair shake but I’m much more likely to bin them off if I don’t like them these days. Unless they’re short, as in under 5 hours then I’ll still probably finish them. 
 

As for Achievements/trophies. Love them. If it’s a game I love, they’re attainable or just easy I’ll go for them. Then I’ll count a game as 100%’d rather than just finished. 
 

 

[spatular]

Yeah usually if i see the credits ill count something as complete, well in a single player story game anyway. Shmups and rhythm games, or any short game i like (rez) are different as ill often play them through loads of times. Or racing games i might finish the main game but keep playing the timetrials. Sometimes if i really enjoy a game i might play past the credits, if possible.

[Nag]

 

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Readers try to decide what their favourite Nintendo video game is, from the early days of Super Metroid right up to Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom.

 

The subject for this week’s Hot Topic was suggested by reader Onibee, who was inspired by this week’s release of Super Mario Bros. Wonder and the (assumed to be) imminent announcement of the Switch 2.

 

Given the wide range of options there was no real agreement, although Super Mario World, Zelda: A Link To The Past, and the two most recent Zelda games got the most mentions.

 

I can't say I've got many to go on... so Metroid Prime takes it.

[mmmark]

Hmmmm based purely on thinking back which one gave me the feels the most I'd have to say Link to the Past.

 

My parents got me a used snes with LttP and Mario World for my birthday. I even went to pick it up with my dad as he knew I’d know if it was in decent knick.

 

Anyway I got it home, connected it to my little tv in the bedroom and stuck on LttP. Being the north of England in January it was dark, grim and rainy. I start LttP and it’s dark, grim and rainy. Proper felt immersed immediately. 

[OCH]

I've mentioned before that SMW and LTTP are practically perfect. Lylat Wars and Majora's Mask, are held in similarly very high esteem.

But when they say "favourite Nintendo video game" are we talking 1st party titles or those exclusive to Nintendo machines? Because the latter opens up the floodgates on tons of stellar 3rd Party and Handheld games. Early Castlevania, Mega Man, Goemon and Eternal Darkness, for example.

[Nag]

Given that it's only first party titles mentioned in the question we'll stick with those...👍

[mfnick]

Super Mario World is almost gaming perfection. I didn’t properly play that until the GBA release either & still think that which proves how good it is. So that would be my choice. Metroid Prime as a close runner up. 
 

I did fucking love Zelda OoT back in the day and it was my #1 game of all time for many years but for some reason as time goes by I look back at it less fondly every year to the point it barely registers as one of my favourite games anymore. I really couldn’t say why though. 

[DANGERMAN]

hmm, I think Mario Galaxy might be the best thing they've ever made, and it'd be up there for me. In terms of favourite, Wii Sports or Excite Truck? There's a few games of theirs from the Wii era I really liked actually, Metroid Prime 3, Kirby Canvas Curse, Smash Bros Brawl

 

Advance Wars was good too, and that DS Fire Emblem

[one-armed dwarf]

Probably BOTW or one of the first two gen Pokemon games.

 

Don't give a shit about Mario, or platformers in general. I'd probably enjoy Metroid Prime but the fov and camera movement makes it feel like shit to play, personally