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I'm getting close to the end of Fallout 3. I've loved this game. I'm combing the internet looking for a likely successor. Unfortunately I don't care for fantasy, war (in the all-war-all-the-time manner of many great games), or much science fiction. So that presents a problem. One of the things I liked most about F3 was its real-worldness. Alternative history is fine. What do I get immersed in next?
What about the Assassin's Creed series? I prefer 1st person, and AC has that as an option. The screenshots on Moby look pretty darned good. I missed puzzle solving in F3 and ACII is classified as with "puzzle solving elements". Starforce, ugh, and I'd have to make sure it can run on my 2.5 year old computer. The first game in the series can be had for a song, so I might just try that and see what I think. ACII has a heftier price tag and I'd want to be sure I'll enjoy it before making that investment.
Any thoughts on AC? Other suggestions? All appreciated. I wish I wasn't so damned picky. Really.
"…you just keep on trying 'til you run out of cake."
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Double posting was certainly unintentional. I was having a hard time maintaining a connection to Tap. Maybe the problem was Tap servicing, or maybe it was Comcast. I aint' senile yet.
"…you just keep on trying 'til you run out of cake."
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No problem Spike. We have been having some outages at our host recently - usually 20min or so. They should go away. Your double post has been destroyed.
Life is the misery we endure between disappointments.
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Spike, you may want to steer clear of AC II [PC] as it's still sporting Ubi's draconian on-all-the-time-even-for-single-player internet connection. It's been reported that the DRM has been cracked but not sure how you feel about that sort of thing.
You simiply must embrace the fantasy!
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Thanks Toger. When I was reading about the game I didn't think to look at dev/pub info. I'll have to think on this. I hate DRM and I'd guess that I'd hate always-on even more - even if I could trust my internet connection. I don't know if I'd want to go the hacked route either. Oi. Life can be difficult. Morally ambiguous choices, and all. [Image Can Not Be Found]
"…you just keep on trying 'til you run out of cake."
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Spike, don't bother with AC1. In the end it will probably just deter you from buying AC2, which is a very, very good game. Though I don't recall it having any puzzle-solving elements; some mild platforming elements, yes, but the only real solving of puzzles to be had is involved with deciphering the 20 glyphs spread throughout the game, which actually borders more on stupid and frustrating than good puzzle solving.
As far as "alternate histories" go though, the Assassin's Creed series is shaping up to be pretty epic (read: far-fetched but entertaining).
Though to clarify one thing you mentioned, it is all-the-time a 3rd person game. The only time you ever have a first-person perspective is when you use "eagle vision" to detect enemies and such; you can't actually walk around that way.
As far as other, similar games, if that is what you're looking for, Arkham Asylum is good fun. Again, though...not a terrible amount of puzzle-solving.
When in doubt, there's always this: http://store.steampowered.com/.....wse/under5
If being wrong's a crime I'm serving forever
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I used to avoid fantasy and sci-fi rpgs too but after playing the fallouts your choices get limited. Sounds like you like the first person aspect and open world. Going out on a limb and out of your specs but you might want to look at Morrowind. It has a very real world feel to it even though it's obviously fantasy. Same devs as Fallout 3...not sure about the actual team... If you get into it you can wander like you did in Fallout 3. The graphics are dated but you can find a great review of it right here by Steerpike. I think I put something 300 hours into it. No puzzle solving though. Actually one of my favorite non-adventure games with great puzzles is Half Life 2. That is probably not your cup of tea though. It's a shooter but you really have to stop and think and look at the gameworld as a series of puzzles to solve.
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I'd highly recommend Penumbra: Overture and Penumbra: Black Plague if you've got the brass for them. They're first person adventures, largely centered around puzzle solving and are set in the real world. The only catch is that they're scary as hell. Check out my review of the first episode here it will tell you all you need to know as well as where to get the demo from. Apparently the second episode, Black Plague (which I haven't played yet) does away with the melee/combat completely so it distills the experience into its core strengths: story, horror and puzzles.
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Oblivion.
First person.
Avoid armor.
Play a human.
Learn to use mods.
Huge world to wander.
Spec warrior (realistic) rather than mage (fantasy).
Never use instant-travel; always walk or ride horses.
Stifle your orc'n'elf racism & learn to live with 'em (as do some races in Cyrodiil).
Disappear into a parallel world for 500 or so hours. [Image Can Not Be Found]
Please anyone else, add suggested Spike-'straints so she can tolerate a fantasy world.
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Yesterday my (gaming) glass was half empty. Today it is half full.
1. Gregg (thanks!) reminded me that I've had the Penumbra Collection (all 3 games) on my Amazon wish list since last year. I played the demo and kinda liked it, but I had almost no keyboard control experience. After all this time in F3 that's no longer a problem. I can do horror (odd, since I am so darned picky about games). I just checked Amazon and the Collection is <$10. Gonna snatch that one up.
2. Today I was telling my son that I was sad to be nearing the end of F3. He reminded me that some time ago I mentioned the mods from Dustin Jackson (An Evening With Mr. Manchester, etc.). For some years I've enjoyed reading of Yapette's adventures in modding here, and thought I might install Jackson's mods – at least one of which is puzzle-filled. Ooh, RPG AND adventure game. I wanted to wait until I was finished, or close to finishing, the base game and add-ons so that I wouldn't take a chance on goobering up my game. But I think I'll download one of the mods this week and have at it.
3. Half Life 2 (thanks Scout): looks like The Orange Box and HL2 GOTY are in my future. You've all raved about Portal, so now is my chance to get that one in the bargain.
4. Xtal: 3rd person: bleh. I'll rethink this one as well. I'll also look into AA. I occasionally look in at Steam, but since I'd rather have a hard copy I tend to forgo download-only games. Yoomurjak's Ring was an exception because I really, really wanted it and download was the only way I was going to get it. But I COULD try some cheap Steam games. That way, if wasn't sure about a game and ended up not liking it I won't have lost much.
Just in case anyone thinks I'm a total dolt for playing F3 for 500+ hours…it's not that the game was hard. In fact I think it could be harder and I'd still love it. (I'm not talking about difficulty level, exactly, I'm talking about figuring out what needs to be done and then doing it.)
I started playing on Dec.1st. 2 weeks later I told my son how much I was liking it. He'd heard a bit about the game but wasn't sure he'd like it. I gave it to him for Christmas and he started playing on Jan. 1. We agreed that I'd play slowly and give him time to catch up so we could play together. After about a month, and at about level 13, he started having glitsch problems. He didn't know about the patch and I forgot to tell him, so he patched and started the game over. So while I was waiting for him to catch up I sought out random encounters and did side quests and repeatable quests. I combed the Wasteland and gathered goodies by the ton. I repaired and traded to the point where I am now almost invincible, and quite well-to-do by Wasteland standards (about 270,000 caps, best armor and weapons, loads of ammo and aids, etc.) Then he bought the add-ons since he, too, was having fun. Turns out he has only about 5-6 hours a week to play, whereas I have at least 3x the time. So a few weeks ago we decided that I'd play at my own pace. I've completed all the quests in the base game with the exception of the Rivet City politics and drug addict ones, and the similar ones in Megaton. I've finished Broken Steel (my favorite of the add-ons so far), Point Lookout and Anchorage (so short). Last night I met Wernher, freed some slaves, and got my self dressed as a slave. Wernher is waiting for me at the railroad tunnel, and tonight we will head to The Pitt. Several more days and I will be finished. Then mods, and some games you've all suggested.
One thing bothers me. In the base game there are 325 skill books. I have been all over the Wasteland during my waiting. I've only found 279 of those books, some of them in odd or difficult locations. Out of sheer stubborness I'd like to find the outstanding books just to say I did. They certainly can't help me at this point, but it bugs me that they are out there and I haven't found them. I guess I could say that this was a quest that I've given to myself. [Image Can Not Be Found]
Thanks everyone. As usual you've been of much help.
"…you just keep on trying 'til you run out of cake."
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Spike, you should give the early Fallouts a chance. I don't like the isometric view either, but I got so absorbed in the games that I forgot about it. Try a demo. GOG is a good place to get older games. They are fixed so they run nicely on newer computers.
I loved Half-Life 2 and Portal is great too. I'll never foget the ending with that great song. Then you have the extra episodes as well to play.
Penumbra Overture is fun and then I played the sequel, but figured I had enough and didn't play the third.
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Yapette said:
Please anyone else, add suggested Spike-'straints so she can tolerate a fantasy world.
You could send the Togeraptor to tear a hunk out of my right brain. [Image Can Not Be Found]
I was the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew kid. Not the fairytale kid. I've got an odd sense of humor and a slightly warped imagination, and I'm not very serious and grown-up, but fantasy somehow fails to connect with something deep inside me. I got no clue why.
Two games packed and ready to ship in a few days.
Yap, I remembered what you said about the Garden Gnomes. I've got about 30. But what I really fell in love with are the Nuka-Cola trucks because they remind me of the metal cars and trucks I played with as a kid. So I've got about 25 of them lining the railings and wall on my Megaton porch. If'n I get bored I can place the Gnomes in double file coming up the ramp!
Pokey: another vote for Penumbra makes it a must. I'll look at GOG for the early FO's. I can always give them a try at the right price.
I'm looking forward to Steam for Mac which appears to be coming out this week. Sometimes my Mac hardware doesn't play well with Windows software, so PC-only games on my Mac might make me like Steam more and be willing to forgo discs for smoother playability.
"…you just keep on trying 'til you run out of cake."
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Spike, I hope you realized my post above was a joke. Didn't mean to insult by suggesting you harbored hidden racism. I tried 4x to add a smiley but only the text (characters) posted so I finally edited 'em out.
Now, here's a mystery for your Hardiandrewness to solve: at the top of this very box in which I type are grayed out: — (bold short line) and a sad face wearing sunglasses followed by ${..}
…
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We're still working out a kink or two related to the recent SimplePress forum upgrade. It does not always (ever) play nice with our chosen theme. Please bear with. : )
Spike, I second Morrowind - an unforgettable masterpiece from the same developer (and, I think, pretty much the same team) as Fallout 3. Oblivion I enjoyed less. You may be more comfortable in Morrowind becuse it's a much less "traditional" fantasy setting - it's more Gormenghast than Lord of the Rings, if you catch my drift, while Oblivion is very classic fantasy.
Orange Box is also a great suggestion. There'll be a learning curve with some of the more actiony elements, but I think you'll really appreciate the story, settings, and gameplay.
It's amazing how few soup-to-nuts "detective" games there are out there. For the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew kids, there's just less to be found. Isn't that odd?
Life is the misery we endure between disappointments.
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Yapette said:
Now, here's a mystery for your Hardiandrewness to solve: at the top of this very box in which I type are grayed out: — (bold short line) and a sad face wearing sunglasses followed by ${..}
…
Yap, the sad face wearing sunglasses is the well-hidden spoiler tag. It will ungrey (is that even a word?) once you've selected some text to spoiler-tag. Although we've had some issues where it will work for a while, then decide to goober (love that word. Thanks, Spike!) itself up.
According to the tool tip, the ${..} is to highlight code. That one doesn't "light" up until you select text.
@Spike - based on what you did as a child, I think we're twins separated at birth. I didn't read fantasy until well over the age of 30 and I'm extremely picky about what I will and will not read. I love the Kindle app's preview feature. I get a much better feel for a book from reading the first few chapters than the jacket blurbs, which lie from time to time.
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Yes, it's sci-fi and fantasy all rolled into one, but I would recommend Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic for sheer fun.
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Yap, I saw no racism. I got what you were saying: open my mind a bit, and do so while clinging to a bit of the familiar. Good advice.
Toger: I was a weird kid who turned into a weird adult. I hated dolls and was always so disappointed when given them. I kept asking for an erector set and other like stuff. How could anyone think that a doll was a good substitute? I played in the dirt with the boys using popsicle sticks to make roads for our metal and rubbery little cars and trucks. Played baseball. Climbed trees. The girls were so boring, especially afteer Barbie came out. I got one as a present once and she never had any clothing other than the black and white bathing suit she came with. I tried to mold my daughter in my image but it didn't take. She wanted dolls and dresses. My son was SO much fun. I finally got my erector sets, although they came in the form or Legos, Capsella, etc. More baseball, and Matchbox cars and trucks. Who says you can't remake your past?
Funny thing is that I've played a few of the Nancy Drew games, and although they are well made, and not super easy, I don't find them interesting. I haven't tried Hardy Boys because I'd guess they'd be more of the same.
Thanks Jen. One more to look into. What I'm really looking forward to now, having started this thread, is the mods for F3 and then Penumbra. Also eagerly awaiting Rhem 4 which should be out in the next few weeks. A puzzle-fest if ever there was one. I love a game that makes me want to tear my hair out from time to time. The Agon/China episode is also high on my list. I wish the unplayed adventure games on the shelf were calling more loudly to me.
P.S "You could send the Togeraptor to tear a hunk out of my right brain." should have said "left brain". I am almost as left-brained as they come. [Image Can Not Be Found]
"…you just keep on trying 'til you run out of cake."
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@Spike, when you start Overture fire up a topic in Bollocks detailing your trials and tribulations. I got stuck really early in the game (probably not even 1.5 hrs) and haven't played since. As much as I wish I had a more creative, puzzle-solving brain, I just don't and I usually suck at adventure games a lot more than the average person.
@Steerpike, do you really hold Morrowind in a much higher regard than Oblivion? Technical advancements that the difference of 4 or however many years makes aside... the games side-by-side compared, would you say Morrowind is better? That's just an honest question out of curiosity. I've owned both, on Xbox and Xbox 360, respectively. Past tense stressed...I sold both games out of frustration. I've just wondered if I should ever go back (on PC, of course).
First Morrowind, I bought it back whenever the hell it was somewhat new, and I just played it for probably an hour, didn't like the fact that people got angry at me for stealing, and quit forever. I am the lamest Morrowind player ever.
Next Oblivion, I probably lasted 2-3 hours at that one. I was just getting into the game when I was bit by a crab and essentially paralyzed because I lost a good amount of carrying capacity, and I refused to drop my current gear, so I was literally stuck between my stubbornness and a hard place. Needless to say Oblivion got sold then and there.
If being wrong's a crime I'm serving forever
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@Spike: Be sure to post how you get on with Penumbra: Overture in t'Bollocks forum, I'm keen to see what you make of it. 😉
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*laugh* Yeah, xtal, I really disliked Oblivion. Partly my fault; I went in with unrealistic expectations fueled by a tremendous love of its predecessor.
Morrowind had its share of issues, to be sure. Technically speaking Oblivion is definitely the superior game, but I liked the complexity of Morrowind's story and history, the bizarreness of its landscape, and the overall flavor of Morrowind much better. In a lot of ways I think it's a no-accounting-for-taste thing. Some people preferred Oblivion for the same reason.
I was literally stuck between my stubbornness and a hard place.
I picture xtal sitting there, jaw set, controller in hand, watching his health go down, flatly refusing to drop anything. It is a perfectly formed image. 🙂
Life is the misery we endure between disappointments.
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