[:plant:] The GFF Game Club [Now Playing: Max Payne] Now with less spoiler tags

Supporting the idea to add Shin to the group and while we're at it we can spoiler lock in the voting discussions for extra transparency.

How ya doing, buddy?

I wasn't suggesting any sort of conspiracy, more that the games you've picked so far have a somewhat you/Skills/Q theme to them. It's only natural you'd want to play things you're interested in playing, if you get me involved I'll not rest until everyone is playing Too Human and Killer Instinct for a month. There's plenty of you running this already and I've got enough on my plate as it is at the moment thanks (Just signed up to a 360 Blood Bowl league that's eating a fair bit of time, a few things here, trying to get a job etc etc).

I think Crackdown would be a fun, silly one to play, Monkey Ball was more of a score challenge idea, the actual game is shit, maybe stick in a Silent Hill game for over-analysis of the story lols and a Tomb Raider game might be fun and you can discuss secrets and shit, Black would be a good choice of fps as there are quite a few ways to approach the game which would be interesting perhaps and at some point I ought to play Skies of Arcadia so put that on the list.

Those would be my suggestions as they're all games I've enjoyed in the past or own and have yet to play, I think there's plenty to talk about while you play them rather than just posting a review after a month and they're not likely to be things people have played recently. There are literally hundreds of similar games though and plenty of others that would fit the bill so don't in any way feel obliged to pick any of those. Also, if any of you think of any fun score challenges, please do post them in the other thread.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

We're actually trying to pick games we think everyone will find interesting, and that the maximum number of people who have signed up might have or have access to (or are able to get access to), what kind of game we think people have time for, something that varies up the style to the last pick somewhat, and other stuff besides. I agree that the picks thus far might not look that way, but that's very much how we've gone about doing it, and I can post the arse-long list of games that's been up for consideration and debated about over the last few choices. If people would like to know the process we've gone through (and read our inane chatter) to make the picks we've had so far I can make that available, I just didn't think anyone would care.

Fair enough if you're too busy, but I think you'd be an interesting contributor to the process (and someone who would do their part), which is why I suggested it. I don't think someone pushing for Too Human or Killer Instant would be a bad thing at all. In fact Too Human is a decent suggestion (though for a quieter month) and if people took to heart the idea that part of this is about exploring games you might not otherwise look at (you know, like how a book club works) you might even get a whole bunch of people playing the game. Hell it's cheap enough these days that I'd definitely consider it, and so far I've had to buy two out of three of the picks.

Just so we're clear I really have nothing against you Shin, I do appreciate your feedback and it is precisely what I asked for, the only thing that irked me was the (not obviously a joke to me, though perhaps you just picked a really bad day for this, but that's a whole other story) swipe at the thread and Philia in your new thread. Though I am now aware that it was in jest so fair enough, no harm done.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

The trick is to assume everything I say is a joke

I think this whole silly arguement was born out of you, me and Skills all having a bad day at the same time, these things happen I guess. I'll certainly carry on contributing to the thread, mate, or at least I will on the months where I join in. I'll probably download the trial version of Ikaruga off XBLA or something if I get ten minutes free and you never know, I might even enjoy it!

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I will play this game until my eyes bleed black and white spores and I'll never beat this game. I'm still gonna try for the sake of this though!

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Unwilling to credit feed?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

If Shin starts sitting on this crucible, I announce now I'll play no games with wing shoes in them.

Fuck that guy.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Denicalis

If Shin starts sitting on this crucible, I announce now I'll play no games with wing shoes in them.

Fuck that guy.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

OK guys, so since we're now getting close to the final day for the current Game Club game, who's been playing? If so, anyone want to share their thoughts so far?

And more importantly, anyone have suggestions for the next game? I'm thinking it should be a small-ish game again because April is another crazy month, but I'm willing to take all suggestions on board. So, hit us with your thoughts.

FELIPE NO

I'll admit I fell apart this month. I didn't keep up with proper attempts at these stages like I should have, but Battlefield seriously monopolized my time.

Despite the fact that I KNOW the patterns for stage 1 and 2, the couple of times I did try it this month my reflexes failed me, and all I could post were 'eh scores. I haven't surpassed the 2ish mill posted in Shin's thread by any respectable amount, not to speak of coming anywhere CLOSE to my old records.

It's kinda sad, actually. I will make a god damn NOTE of it to put some time in tomorrow, again.

I figure this was an unpopular genre for the club, and it's a shame, since there's plenty of easy to access shmups that would make for some decent discussion. What do people think of the genre as this sort of thing? Didn't work? Just a bad choice in it? Anything?

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I definitely would have been up for trying the game out, but like I mentioned in my earlier post I just don't own a system that can play it. I don't have anything against shmups as a genre, I've just never actually played them much. I really don't think it was the game as much this month as it was how busy everyone was with the massive amount of new releases. It more than likely would have happened regardless of what game was chosen, so I wouldn't take it as a knock against Ikaruga or shmups in general (but then again, maybe GFF is full of shmup-hating bastards).

As for a suggestion, maybe we could give Max Payne a try? I admit that one of the main reasons I'm recommending it is because I need motivation to start on it again (I was about halfway through it before my PS3 died and thus I lost my save data), but quite a few people around here seem to like it and probably wouldn't mind playing it again, and I'm sure there are some others who have been wanting an excuse to give it a try as well. I guess it also helps that it should be pretty easy to get a copy (the PS2 and Xbox versions are like $5 at GameStop, and I'm sure you can find the PC version just as cheap on Steam or wherever).

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I've been planning on replaying both back to back for a while now, so I'm open to the suggestion~

We'll be sure to discuss it when we do.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I played the demo, wasn't impressed enough to buy the full game. I like slightly slower paced shooters where the screen isn't necessarily full of bullets, plus I like ones with power-ups. SWIV is awesome, as is Raptor Call of the Shadows and Xenon 2 is great, not just for the Bomb the Bass soundtrack.

Maybe you should have a quick headcount of who's going to play the next game once you've chosen it? It's all well and good saying Max Payne is the game du jour but if there are more people playing Bad Company 2 this month, would it not make sense to make that the game to discuss.

What's actually coming out this month anyway? The only new thing I'm tempted by is Resonance of Fate which is out here today I think, not seen anything else on the coming soon chart that inspired me to lay out for a full price launch title.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Well the original idea was to dig up older games people might have missed or have but need that extra kick to go ahead and finish/play them. New releases usually have their own threads for discussing anyway.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I'm not adverse to the suggestion of a more recent release particularly, though Bad Company 2 is probably not a great pick for the next month.

I know Crackdown is one suggestion floating around, and we can add Max Payne to that list too. Anyone have any other thoughts they'd like to submit?

As for Ikaruga, I plan on giving it another play this weekend at some point, and whilst it's certainly a decent game the problem for me is that I just don't enjoy schmups that much. They can be fun, but I just don't have that bit of my brain that makes people want to perfect whole levels and chain the entire game. Basically if I survive long enough to make it to the end of the stage then that's a major win for me. I can see the appeal, but it's just not my cup of tea I guess.

I do like Ikaruga's colour swapping mechanic an awful lot though, I think that's a very clever twist on schmups and the ability to absorb bullets of one colour and the tactics involved in which colour you choose to shoot out (do you risk damage for dealing more vs. playing it safer) creates a lot of depth from a simple set up. For that reason alone the game has kept my interest far more than any other schmup has done in a long time.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I fired off a few ideas to Skills yesterday. I think the next game should have some sort of multiplayer aspects to get people talking. That said, here are some that I can remember:

Crackdown - Been mentioned several times, and hasn't been played by toooo many people here. I don't think. A shitload of fun once you max out your agility rating, or have a co-op partner.

Army of Two - Yes, yes, the stigma behind it, I know. But it's dirt-cheap now, has decently strong multiplayer (mainly co-op, but there's competitive modes too), and it's a game I know a lot of you haven't played.

Bionic Commando - Stigma, blah blah. Totally underrated, and people who haven't even played it bitched about it, which bugs the shit out of me. There's multiplayer, but not particularly strong. I mainly just want to see how people react to the game when they actually play it. Very cheap now, too.

Also, just for the hell of it, I mentioned Full Throttle. Just because it should be an option in every choice you ever make.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I don't think Army of Two's problem is stigma but more that it's such a bad game, slightly livened up by splitscreen co-op. You're still playing co-op of a fairly bad game, with more of the fun coming from interaction between the two of you, and not so much with the game. I imagine co-op over online with that game is a pretty empty experience.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Qwarky

I don't think Army of Two's problem is stigma but more that it's such a bad game, slightly livened up by splitscreen co-op. You're still playing co-op of a fairly bad game, with more of the fun coming from interaction between the two of you, and not so much with the game. I imagine co-op over online with that game is a pretty empty experience.

Well, it's certainly less forgiving than something like Gears of War for going out on your own. Part of the fun is relegating different combat roles for you or your partner.

I wouldn't say the first one is bad unless you're just forced to play with the AI. The second one with AI is still not great, but better than the first.

It might be kinda cool to do more co-op games for game club, frankly. It would be like having a workout partner that pushes you to come to the gym. And it might make the game experience mean a little more having shared it with a friend.

That being said, I didn't play Ikaruga at all this month because I own it on gamecube, and I sold my gamecube/don't have a wii, so.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Qwarky

I don't think Army of Two's problem is stigma but more that it's such a bad game, slightly livened up by splitscreen co-op. You're still playing co-op of a fairly bad game, with more of the fun coming from interaction between the two of you, and not so much with the game. I imagine co-op over online with that game is a pretty empty experience.

This is the stigma I'm referring to; people have said it's a terrible game, and as such you are expected to just leave it be. Well... it's gotten cheap enough to actually risk it, and if you buy it from a place like Gamestop, you could return it within the week if you were so mortified by it that you needed to be rid of it.

And you talk like there isn't a chat system for people to interact with one another when playing the game online. Of course it doesn't trump sitting next to someone you know and playing it locally, but online multiplayer isn't bland-- just play a game with a tit like Skills on the other end.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

"This game has a stigma."

"Because it's terrible. It has awful controls, a lousy mechanic and it just sucks."

"THAT'S THE STIGMA TALKING!"

Sometimes something just sucks. Move on.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

If he wants to present an argument, that's perfectly fine. All he said was that it's bad, so I offered an explanation. Making something out of an innocent exchange, Deni.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I'd definitely favour something with a co-op element, games are always more fun with other people and the dynamic does rather change with a human companion, if only because you inevitably spend more time fucking each other up than cooperating (Always wear a gas mask in co-op Rainbow because getting constantly flashed by your team mate is bad enough without getting tear gassed too).

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OK then, so what co-op games do people suggest? Crackdown supports co-op but it's more two people in the same game instance rather than having to work together (that's not to say it isn't fun, because it most certainly is), the Rainbox Six games do too. Left 4 Dead 1/2 perhaps? Army of Two? Any other thoughts?

I was speaking idiomatically.

SWAT 4 is pretty good co-op

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Rainbow Six Vegas 2, either two player co-op or four player terrorist hunts. I'd even be happy to pick up the first one as it's never much more than £5.

Also GRAW has pretty decent co-op to it and even Halo 3 is good fun with a team of you all together.

FELIPE NO