|
Post by toei on Jan 22, 2018 22:02:54 GMT -5
I've been struggling with a maniacally difficult, obscure PS2 game titled Code of the Samurai. It's a hack-n-slash, except its battle system is built entirely around evasion and counterattack through relatively complex, timing-based combos. The barrier for entry is very high, in that it gives you a few vague screens of explanation and just expects you to master the basics instantly; then, when you think you have, it throws bricks at your face and laughs (this is a bad metaphor for increases in difficulty). The fact is, there is something slightly QTE-ish to its dodging mechanics, something I've never been good at, and its combo system seems designed for a VS fighter rather than a usually simpler single-player action game. I'm probably making things hard on myself, too. You see, part of the reason why you've probably never heard of it is that the English-language version was only released in Europe, in a slowed-down, 50fps PAL version. When I first tried it, something felt definitely off about it, so I tried the Japanese original, and it was instantly more fun in its natural speed. So I decided to play the European release and force 60fps through emulation. Of course, it's entirely possible that this PAL release was adjusted in spots to reduce reaction time and avoid making it too much easier, so that by speeding it back to normal speed, I may be playing something harder than was ever intended. I'm currently stuck at Ch. 6. I'm off for the next two days, and I make a promise to myself; I will make it past that goddamn chapter by the end of my "weekend".
|
|
|
Post by Xeogred on Jan 22, 2018 22:56:41 GMT -5
Never knew about that game but I looked it up and it looks kind of cool, haha. Reminds me of Way of the Samurai but maybe a bit more arcadey with the combat. I can see what you mean about the dodging and whatnot. Did you ever play the Devil May Cry games? Those don't even have a block button so you have to know how to dodge and string combos... even getting hit will knock down your combo meter (if I remember right if you keep it high you get more orbs/experience from enemies after defeating them).
|
|
|
Post by toei on Jan 22, 2018 23:20:27 GMT -5
I'm planning to get into DMC at some point. Code of the Samurai isn't really like Way (another series on my to-do list), it's purely mission-based action, no NPCs. It IS kind of cool, but man. I actually just spent an hour on it and made no progress. There's an optional mission where you have to fight 100 guys in 20 minutes, after a dozen attempts I made it to 68 but at this point there are always 4 at a time, all of whom have lunging attacks, so can never start hitting one without the others immediately rushing you from all sides, at which point you die within seconds. I have no idea how to handle them. I saw a video where a really advanced player just never locks-on to enemies, so his movements are less restricted, but playing like that seems super tricky. Maybe that's what I need to do, though.
I mean, this is a game where a story mission can last 40 minutes easily, and you CANNOT SAVE INSIDE OF MISSIONS. Die once, start the whole thing over. How needlessly hardcore is that?
EDIT- After watching more videos, one thing I haven't learned to do is to dodge mid-combo. I'm usually so concentrated on my timing that I don't even think about it.
EDIT2- I still can't dodge mid-combo, but on my last attempt I made it to 92 out of 99 enemies. When I saw I was so close, I sort of lost my cool out of fear of dying and ran to the corner where the last healing item lay. As soon as I'd reached it I took multiple hits to the back, and my health was about back to the level it was before, except I was now trapped in a corner. At this point my biggest weakness as a gamer kicked in; I started mashing the attack button blindly, hoping to force my way, and I got killed mercilessly.
EDIT3- All this practice made me good enough to beat the main mission I was supposed to do, and things have gotten easier since. I did the next mission without major difficulty, and two more optionals. I'm thinking I might just finish the game within a week.
|
|
|
Post by Xeogred on Jan 24, 2018 18:38:20 GMT -5
The trick I found to easily get 75 Kremcoins in DKC2 worked, so I did that and ran through the Lost World levels again for fun. They're all great and I just wish the Lost World idea was handled better.
True King K Rool was a much easier fight than I remembered. He never moved, but goes on for awhile with crazy bullet patterns. But I remembered him only taking one hit. I thought the fight with him in the helicopter was tougher and goes longer, so there's a lot more patterns to remember.
|
|
|
Post by Sarge on Jan 28, 2018 22:02:50 GMT -5
So I've been slowly inching my way through DKC3. The game feels pretty bland early, but the level design has definitely picked up a bit as I get further. There are some pretty tricky sequences. I haven't hit any mine carts yet; those have been replaced by snowmobiles so far. Actually, I take that back, there was sort of a rail cart level where you can grab the ceiling in spots.
I think I've got 25 or so of the bonus tokens; not great, but not bad. I've gotten the jet skis, and am working my way through the snowy area right now. I'm sure I'll finish this one off, but I do better with it in short spurts. For some reason it just doesn't hold me past around three or four levels (except for one extended run today, actually).
|
|
|
Post by Xeogred on Jan 28, 2018 23:34:38 GMT -5
Have you found DKC3's Lost World? haha, even with the bonus coins, you still have to do something on the world map to find it. Not sure if the bears drop any hints on it or anything.
I like the snow boss a lot haha. I really like the third and fourth worlds. The waterfall and underwater stages are great in DKC3, and I love those new factory stages too. I forget which world is which at that part... it's kind of cool you can hit them up in whatever order you want. The snow world is okay but the last two are awesome.
|
|
|
Post by Sarge on Jan 29, 2018 16:07:38 GMT -5
Heck no. I haven't even been trying to 100% the game, either. I'll just be happy to beat it! I still like it (and the entire SNES lineup) better than the Returns series. The controls make the biggest difference, honestly.
|
|
|
Post by Xeogred on Jan 29, 2018 16:45:44 GMT -5
Here's how you find it haha: www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0jjHyuK-q4I say at least check it out and play a few levels if you have some spare bonus coins or whatever they're called in DKC3. That's what I do when I revisit DKC2-3 thesedays but I don't stress over doing 100%.
|
|
|
Post by Sarge on Jan 29, 2018 18:29:32 GMT -5
Cool, if I'm still in the mood for more, I'll give it a go.
|
|
|
Post by toei on Jan 30, 2018 7:18:32 GMT -5
I broke through my blockage in Code of the Samurai and made it to the final mission, but then I had no time to finish since about a week ago. I hope to get to it today or Wednesday, but I started playing another game in the meantime, a Japan-only Saturn side-scroller called Hissatsu. It's very old-fashioned, feeling more like an early Genesis game than anything I can think of on the Saturn. In fact, I'd compare it to Revenge of Shinobi, though you play as assassins rather than ninjas, and it doesn't control as well. There's this issue where sometimes inputs won't register depending on the timing of your button presses. For example, there's a little delay before you can hit after landing from a jump. It's hard to explain, but it's something that takes a while getting used to. There's an interesting twist though; you pick two characters (out of 4) at the start of every level and you can switch between them at any time. Right now I'm stuck at the 4th stage, which is extremely hard. I made it to the boss once, actually I killed the first guy but quickly died to the second.
|
|