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Cruncheons 26: PS Vita, Console Reflections, Amalur, FF XIII-2

E

Eel O'Brian

Member
http://cruncheons.podbean.com/mf/web/v49kdn/Cruncheons26.mp3


Did you miss us? Well, we're back anyway. Doug has some PlayStation Vita impressions and commentary on Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, Final Fantasy XIII-2, and the Mass Effect 3 demo, while in between we all have misty water-colored memories of this waning console generation.

Segment One:

(2:35) Playstation Vita talk

(30:15) Reflections on this generation's consoles, speculation on next-gen systems and the big bad game lockdown

(1:26:00) Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

(1:49:45) Final Fantasy XIII-2

(1:57:45) Mass Effect 3 demo

We'll talk to you again soon(ish)!
 
B

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
Ooh, looking forward to the FFXIII-2 Doug bashing(?). Even though I managed to miraculously commit to completing X-2 and XIII, I couldn't do the same for that trainwreck of an 'RPG'. Quit just around the 40 hour mark, which was LONG after the expiration date my brain was allowing.
 
B

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
Dreams-Visions said:
They sound a bit...less than excited...about the Vita.
Click to expand...

Who is excited though? I have yet to see any gushing on podcasts or websites outside of the Neogaf OT.

Hell, the only reason I am considering one is to enjoy PSOne and PSP classics on a bigger screen. But the whole memory card debacle pretty much killed that dream.
 
D

Dreams-Visions

Member
Brandon F said:
Who is excited though? I have yet to see any gushing on podcasts or websites outside of the Neogaf OT.

Hell, the only reason I am considering one is to enjoy PSOne and PSP classics on a bigger screen. But the whole memory card debacle pretty much killed that dream.
Click to expand...
I have to agree, tbh. GAF could probably get me excited about buying snowcones if I hung around a snowcone |OT| long enough.

But as one with a pre-order that I'm debating on keeping, I don't know what to do. But damn, this podcast is talking about all the same stuff those who are on the fence are talking about. It confirms concerns...but idk what to do yet. I agree with them about the d-pad. It's first class.
 
A

archnemesis

Member
You guys are usually quite informed when it comes to tech talk, but wow you're way off on the Vita talk. The OS is not based off Android and it has 512 MB RAM +128 MB VRAM, not 256 MB. The 3G can't be used for downloading large files and the reason I'm getting it is that some games/apps use the GPS, like Monster Radar and t@g. It's only a $50 difference and if someone comes up with a cool use for it, I'd rather be safe than miss out. I also don't own a smartphone despite not living in a rural area.

Anyway, it's nice that you're back.
 
D

Drinky Crow

Banned
i stand corrected. it's an ugly-ass and terribad ui, and i tend to associate that with The Android Experience(tm). unfortunately, i confused the vita and xperia, there. :-(

nice to know that it has 512 mb ram! thanks for the correction.
 
D

Drinky Crow

Banned
yes! i am very pumped for dw next, which appears to have a lot of the empires games integrated in the larger mechanics. mmmmmmmusou!!!
 
A

archnemesis

Member
Drinky Crow said:
i'll have full impressions next recording. the screen and tech amazes, but the games do not.
Click to expand...
I'm still five days away from owning a Vita, but I think your right about the launch line-up. Most people aren't going to be excited for titles like Uncharted, Wipeout and Hot Shots Golf when there are almost identical versions already available for the PS3.
 
D

Drinky Crow

Banned
some quick game impressions:

uncharted: pretty, but 20 fps and with very clumsy controls. inferior uncharted is not good uncharted, as uncharted 3 demonstrated -- and at LEAST uncha 3 had a good frame rate. pass.

hot shots golf: more MINNA NO GOLFLIKE. buy, but more of the same.

ultimate mvc3: i was wrong. it's a VERY heavily visually downscaled console port experience. i got enough of this with the original psp. pass.

blazblue: looks great. still a console port experience, but at least it wasn't compromised. buy if you like the series.

rayman origins: omg better-than-amazing port. less load times, and plays to the gorgeous screen. BUY.

super stardust delta: dumbed down from the ps3 ssd game, but has better ui and controls. buy if you NEED a twinstick shooter.

wipeout 2048: LOADING LOADING LOADING LOADING. pass.

note that all of these games have a perfectly palatable if not better ps3 equivalent. i'm not saying this as a condemnation of having console games on my handheld, as i WANT console games on my handheld; i just don't ports or functionally identical/equivalent games ACROSS THE BOARD. it's not a good launch, to me, if the hardware doesn't have 1-2 ORIGINAL titles in genres i like.
 
H

Hitokage

Setec Astronomer
To this day, the only thing that really makes me consider getting another Wii is that it has the best version of Dr. Mario. Yes, TGM-style autoshift is just that good.

Shortly afterward I realize I don't have the money to waste on that kind of thing, but that feeling won't go away. :(
 
E

Erudite

Member
It's unfortunate to hear that the fears I had with Amalur after playing the demo came to light. I enjoyed what I played of the demo, but I knew playing beyond the 1-2 hours I did, the issues that were brought up in this episode would really start to bug me. Things like lack of challenge, uninteresting and unnecessary dialogue 'choices', character development that isn't satisfying, the list could go on and on. Doesn't help they slapped a $60 price tag on the PC version.

It'll be a cheap Steam sale pick up for me, now that my fears have been reaffirmed.
 
E

Eel O'Brian

Member
Yeah, Steam sale for me, too.

The main reason I am so noncommital on the Vita is that I'm just not much of a handheld gamer, and $250 is a lot to lay out on something I'll likely only drag out of the drawer every few months and play for a day or so. It certainly does tickle my gadget nerd bone, though.
 
K

Kevtones

Member
I agree, the dialogue choices are pointless in Amalur. Love that the game can be played in such bite-sized chunks though. Aside from the dialogue, there's very little tedium.


Playing on hard helps (although it's still pretty easy aside from a few fights).
 
T

The Take Out Bandit

Member
Eel O'Brian said:
I believe he does now, but only had some hands-on time when we recorded. Expect more in-depth impressions later.
Click to expand...

DAMN IT~!!

I was looking forward to another wonderful exhibition of more money than sense and Doug importing a Vita. :p

Drinky Crow said:
yes! i am very pumped for dw next, which appears to have a lot of the empires games integrated in the larger mechanics. mmmmmmmusou!!!
Click to expand...

YES!

Sorry guys, I can be a director in online games when I see teams floundering. More trying to be helpful and offer guidance. Although a switch can be flipped and I'll go R. Lee Ermey on players that aren't pulling their weight in team based games. Being closer to 40 than 30, I think I'm just sick of people getting into a game where teamwork is required and wasting my f*cking time.

I do prefer playing games locally too despite getting my online gaming console wishes. It is about context and relationships. When my pasty middle aged ass starts with faux gangsta-isms with my chocolate pals the insanity and laughs are off the charts. Or just somebody saying something random and the room being incapacitated and unable to proceed without fits of giggles.

More importantly people just aren't raging cocks. I've had people be cocks when they're losing online, but the one that just confuses the hell out of me is when they're a raging cock AFTER THEY WIN!

What?

You beat me.

Handily.

But you still need to talk shit?

How small is your dick? Or how oversized is your clit? :|
 
B

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
Drinky Crow said:
yes! i am very pumped for dw next, which appears to have a lot of the empires games integrated in the larger mechanics. mmmmmmmusou!!!
Click to expand...

Lots of touch screen fluff too. :/ Boss duels are full-on screen-wiping finger spasm minigames now. The new macro-management options in the campaign mode look great though.

No Disgaea 3 yet?
 
C

Castor Krieg

Banned
They are right that the Japanese like "gearish" UI, but that is a cultural thing (so yes, he is racist lol) - they like to tweak and learn new hardware, whereas people in the west want to have things as simple as possible.

However, Vita UI is anything but complicated. It's a great UI, XMB was also an awesome UI.
 
B

BlueTsunami

there is joy in sucking dick
I'm also with Eel O' about hoping nextgen open world games are actually open. Open cities, open houses, open dungeons. This is one thing that console developed games has really dragged down. Oblivions and Skryims outer areas tend to feel like a glorified wold map when compared to what can really be done in regards to openness.
 
J

Joseph Merrick

Member
BlueTsunami said:
I'm also with Eel O' about hoping nextgen open world games are actually open in regards to various places. Open cities, open houses, open dungeons. This is one thing that console developed games has really dragged down.
Click to expand...
yeah, stupidly I thought they'd actually have this done for skyrim. dur. no one's ever written about windows you can actually look through in the elder scrolls

if next gen can't handle proper all buildings hollowed out and enterable in a open world game. or you can't jump through every window in the next NEXT proper gta. just cancel the whole generation.
 
D

Drinky Crow

Banned
the vita ui is no more "tweakable" than android/ios/wp7, but what it *is* is grotesquely, eye-flaying fugly. bubbles? gradients? bezels? plastic? it's every nasty skeiuomorph from late 90s web, and aliased to boot. also, it's confusing and absurd in layout and metaphor.
 
B

Brobzoid

how do I slip unnoticed out of a gloryhole booth?
It aint got shit on the late 90s until it has dancing babies and burning skulls.
 
G

Gattsu25

Banned
I loved this episode.

The pure cynicism present in the "reflections on the current gen" section perfectly captured my feelings on this gen. I honestly can't think of a single comment that I disagreed with :\
 
GhaleonQ

GhaleonQ

Member
I enjoyed this episode too much. It was like a deep tissue massage FOR YOUR BRAIN.

I want to see other people's reactions to Tri-Ace's Beyond The Labyrinth, which might either be an enjoyable exercise in jankiness or a weaboo tribulation. Either way, I'd like to hear another take.
 
H

HamPster PamPster

Member
Time for a cruncheons kickstarter? You guys could raise like $300 bucks, enough to cover a vita for Doug!

Episodes like this make me glad to be a PS3 owner. All this talk about annoying kids online and my PS3 is blissfully quiet. I don't play online much but I keep trying too because it seems like a great way to just kill some time. Right now I'm playing Gotham City Imposters and my god I'm terrible. I'm like 6 hours in and I don't think I've even killed 100 people yet :/ At least no preteen is cracking his voice slinging racial epithets at me and all the gadgets are fun... I just need to skip to my cruncheons phase and stop trying to convince myself I like playing online and start reading more

Speaking of, I'm always looking for a heads up on what books you review next so I can check them out prior to the episode. Cruncheons book club! Even idle thumbs is doing it.
 
Alex

Alex

Member
Amalur's MMO trappings sound as banal as Xenoblades, but I bet it doesn't have that mid 90s clunk UI to wrap those ten million context devoid gather quests together!
 
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