WTF did I just read? Fuckin weirdos. That is uncomfortable on so many levels. Poor kid. I remain traumatised from the time I had to remove all the malware from my dad’s computer. That was twenty years ago, he’s dead now, but I still carry the abominable image of him in his wheelchair, pulling his decrepit knob to Thai ladyboys, with the dogs lined up on the sofa watching. Ignorance is bliss. Ho hum, conservatives eh?

Looks like I’m unaware of something horrible. . ?

Lol okay, I do try to listen to recommendations like that - I’ll put it on my list. It’s a pretty long list tho!

So, i started gaming as a kid on the Sinclair spectrum. Though I had a Tandy trs80 before that and a zx81, iirc they both had 1k ram so weren’t really able to do much other than pong. The spectrum, though, had 48k, the BBC b had 32, and they could load and save files to a cassette tape. You could do so much more with them, and on the BBC at least you could code both basic and assembly. Anyway, I really enjoyed gaming on both of them - the graphics were either 8 bit ASCII or basic line drawing, but that didn’t detract from the enjoyment. And I didn’t know that a better visual experience would ever be possible, I was just delighted that games existed.

Later on, I got more into coding and later still into stuff that wasn’t computer related. I had a PS2 for a while but didn’t use it much. Fairly recently I picked up a steam deck and have started playing games again, I’ve got a few decades worth of stuff that I missed - played bioshock for the first time a few months ago! I’m entranced by how much the experience has broadened and deepened from those early platformers on the spectrum - it’s incredible progress.

But I don’t get a lot of screen time so I’m cherry picking - a lot of my wishlist comes from recommendations on here actually.

And yeah, I’ve noticed that some of those recommendations are for games with retro style graphics. I understand that it’s maybe easier for smaller developers - but developers can surely manage 2D without that blocky 8bit look, I think they choose not to and I think it’s a fashion choice. Same goes for sound. I guess if you live long enough, your childhood stuff really does become cool again.

I’ve not played any of the games you mentioned - maybe I’m missing out, but there’s plenty of stuff I find visually pleasing, I’m unlikely ever to run out.

Otherwise, though, I’m happy - albeit slightly perplexed - to see that the pixelated look is somewhat en vogue. Maybe it’ll help the games I so enjoyed as a kid to survive and even find new audiences. It’s just not my thing, not anymore. Personally, I enjoyed games like that when they were all that was available but now my eyes have been opened, I’ve seen the future, and have no desire to go back to my pixelated past!

It’s been a while since I played deathloop but I seem to remember you can only save the game certain times, I think only when you’re in the tunnels and time has passed.

Yeah, I’d travelled to Asia, had a bunch of jobs, and left university by then. Time flies eh.

Edit - probably my age is why I can’t abide games with the pixelated retro style graphics. Having grown up with that stuff I have no desire to return to the days of terrible blocky graphics. Though it’s nice if it enables younger ppl to enjoy older games.

I mean, I’m sure these jobs exist, social media manipulation is neither new or difficult. They’re probably outsourced to India or somewhere though.

But it’s a bit of a pathetic excuse for bad managers to use to cover their failing. I think they should have some sort of evidence before they start squawking about it.

Yeah I’m playing cyberpunk for the first time and really enjoying it. i don’t know how much it innovates, but I’d say it was certainly a good game.

Eve is older than star citizen isn’t it? I don’t play either but I think it’s fair to say eve had a twenty year headstart.

Yeah, me too. I grew up with heavily pixelated 70s & 80s graphics and I have zero desire to return to that now that technology has improved so much that it’s not necessary.

Shame, because it means there are some games that I just won’t enjoy, but so it goes, there’s lots more stuff to play.

Yeah, I didn’t finish it but I loved the style and the colours.

Yeah I’m just now playing it for the first time too. I’m really enjoying it and still have so much to do.

Yeah, I’d buy a DLC for 2016 right now but I doubt I’ll buy Dark Ages, at least not until it’s on sale.

Yeah I’m currently playing cyberpunk for the first time and am loving it. Haven’t played Witcher 3 either, though that’s on my list. Had a twenty year break from gaming until I got a steam deck recently so have loads to catch up on!

It’s an old one, but the Outrun soundtrack was proper catchy.

They should be required to transition the game into an offline mode!

Seems to me like this would be good business sense too. Wouldn’t people be more likely to buy their next online game if you felt there was a good chance you could keep playing it after a few years? Instead they’re going to get a reputation for making products with a short shelf life.

I’m playing it for the first time at the mo, seems great to me.

The general sentiment among those folks was that Eternal skewed too far into “combat puzzle” territory, where encounters felt like they had prescribed “solutions” that you needed to perform to succeed reliably.

Nailed it, that was exactly my problem with Eternal.

Didn’t realise the village had cashed in on that incredible fuckup, fair play.

Fuckin shame, I was hoping for more of the 2016 vibe.

I’ve just started playing it for the first time, seems to run fine on my steam deck.

I played the first one or two long ago, I think it was early 00s. They were great, I was living in a big, long-abandoned commercial building we’d squatted and had a big screen (for those days) I’d found & fixed, amp and speakers likewise. I’d get stoned, stay up late playing alone, so atmospheric and proper scary. I really enjoyed them.

I am sure I’ve forgotten enough plot to enjoy playing remakes but I’d be playing em on steam deck, and I’m a little worried they wouldn’t live up to my memories.

When I was a kid in the 80s this sort of business model was common with TVs and video recorders, then with early PCs. The machines were too expensive for many people to buy, so they’d rent instead. Cheaper consumer electronics killed this off, but as living standards get tighter maybe we’ll start seeing rentals becoming a thing again.

I like to see good animal or bird life in games, really ups the immersion for me if it’s gotta good algorithm. Do they react if you kick em? An I think ppl have enjoyed looking after animals in computer games as long as there’s been computer games. I remember these tamagotchi things in the 80s or 90s, little LCD screens with some sorta animal you had to look after by pressing a tiny button.

I’ve been enjoying your screenshot posts, cheers

There’s something I like about those cat pics. Maybe it’s the way they look almost cat, but not entirely. Do they move like cats?

Thanks, I’ll try out just cause 3, looks fun!

Yeah that’s fair, I never got to play GTA3 so vice city was my mind-blown moment.

I’ve not played any of the Yakuza games but they are definitely on my list.

I felt much the same about vice city. Changed my understanding of what games could be.

I was playing on Sinclair spectrum and BBC b computers in the 80s but this kinda rings a vague bell. I’ll ask my brother and get back to you if he remembers anything

Don’t know about 90s, but Jet Set Willy was pretty great in the 80s

I’d buy that.

Thanks for taking the time to put this together. I dunno if you are aware but there’s also a steam deck sub here and they’d probably be happy if this was posted there too.

Hope you feel better soon.

I just have this feeling that someday soon we’re going to look back at this time and wish we’d stood up and acted while we could. I’m not advocating murder - but we’re voting in elections and having endless online discussions while the world is circling the drain.

I’ll check it out, cheers!

I’ve not played it on another platform for comparison but it seems to run great.

Yeah, it also puts off people like me who are crap at games but still want to enjoy them. I am in my 50s and missed a couple decades of gaming. Recently got a steam deck and been trying to catch up. Recently finished bioshock! And I’m about halfway through doom 2016, enjoying it a lot. But I know I’m shit, I’m playing on little bitch difficulty and I still got stuck on a boss for two frustrating weeks.

My point is that some of their market is going to be people like me who don’t have time to put hundreds of hours into learning the mechanics but just want to have fun for an hour here or there and blow up some monsters.

I’ve got autism and I’m not doing sieg heil even when I want to stop a taxi. Let alone on the main fuckin stage of the US with the world watching. Fuckin nazis back in power.

Rolling stone? That’s disappointing. Yeah I’ve seen similar shit in the media. But I’m thinking if it acts like a nazi and looks like a nazi it is probably a fuckin nazi. it’s pretty fuckin alarming, a lot of people died getting rid of them last time they gained power.