Video Game Thread

[Rob]

Finally played through Cyberpunk 2077 to completion.

I played it a bit around launch, but had to set it aside for personal reasons. Now that they've put a couple years of updates into it, it is considerably less buggy. I only ran into a couple of NPCs stuck in T-poses this time around, and had my motorcycle get stuck upside down (with me on it) just once. Other than that, it was pretty smooth sailing.

This game could have really been something special if it had been managed better. But it was a buggy mess when it came out, and the performance was a nightmare. Both of those issues could have probably been avoided if they weren't trying to drag last-gen along for the ride.

The game itself is a blast. I still maintain that The Heist is one of the all-time great missions in video game history.

Spoiler: show

You sneak into the headquarters of the biggest corp in Night City, and while you're stealing a relic you inadvertently get stuck in the room watching the most powerful man in the world get murdered by his son. You escape the swanky apartment, fall through a glass roof, your buddy gets injured. You help him get out, but he dies in the back of your autonomous war-cab. And when you take the relic to your fixer, he puts a bullet in your head. Then a samurai comes to your rescue while your fixer is burying your half-dead corpse at a junkyard, followed by a high-speed chase. Wow.

The game is at its best when it's got these crazy set pieces. And there are a lot of good ones. The side quests add a lot of flavor as well (exploding penis implant, anyone?). But the gigs [smaller side quests] are pretty repetitive. Could have gone for fewer of those if it meant more development time on the quests. Lore was good. And Johnny Silverhand is great.

There's a new DLC coming out in a few months. For those of you who haven't checked out the game yet, that might be a good time to do so.

[Elon Musk]

the new football manager comes out in 4 days so i plan on seeing no one until thanksgiving at the earliest

[Transmogrified Tiger]

the new football manager comes out in 4 days so i plan on seeing no one until thanksgiving at the earliest

I'm taking the week of thanksgiving off to watch the world cup and this reminder is a critical hit to the prospect of doing anything remotely productive

[UMFan83]

Finally played through Cyberpunk 2077 to completion.

I played it a bit around launch, but had to set it aside for personal reasons. Now that they've put a couple years of updates into it, it is considerably less buggy. I only ran into a couple of NPCs stuck in T-poses this time around, and had my motorcycle get stuck upside down (with me on it) just once. Other than that, it was pretty smooth sailing.

This game could have really been something special if it had been managed better. But it was a buggy mess when it came out, and the performance was a nightmare. Both of those issues could have probably been avoided if they weren't trying to drag last-gen along for the ride.

The game itself is a blast. I still maintain that The Heist is one of the all-time great missions in video game history.

Spoiler: show

You sneak into the headquarters of the biggest corp in Night City, and while you're stealing a relic you inadvertently get stuck in the room watching the most powerful man in the world get murdered by his son. You escape the swanky apartment, fall through a glass roof, your buddy gets injured. You help him get out, but he dies in the back of your autonomous war-cab. And when you take the relic to your fixer, he puts a bullet in your head. Then a samurai comes to your rescue while your fixer is burying your half-dead corpse at a junkyard, followed by a high-speed chase. Wow.

The game is at its best when it's got these crazy set pieces. And there are a lot of good ones. The side quests add a lot of flavor as well (exploding penis implant, anyone?). But the gigs [smaller side quests] are pretty repetitive. Could have gone for fewer of those if it meant more development time on the quests. Lore was good. And Johnny Silverhand is great.

There's a new DLC coming out in a few months. For those of you who haven't checked out the game yet, that might be a good time to do so.

Yeah I enjoyed it. The main story was kind of short and some of the areas (like Pacifica) were almost completely barren. There were certain things in the game where it was clear they had a lot of plans for but had to half ass it due to time constraints. But the story was pretty good and the gameplay was fun. I'm excited to load it back up to play the DLC.

[Elon Musk]

the new football manager comes out in 4 days so i plan on seeing no one until thanksgiving at the earliest

I'm taking the week of thanksgiving off to watch the world cup and this reminder is a critical hit to the prospect of doing anything remotely productive

ive never done the "take a lower division club to the champions league finals" challenge, this might be the year

[squally1313]

Probably a dumb question but is FM worth playing anywhere besides PC? I know they have a phone app, but not sure how limited it is. I know the basic mechanics and seems like a lot would transfer over, given the lack of graphics/game play, but I also know it's insanely detailed.

Basically I would love to have something to distract me on my phone for the next few weeks/months on train rides, etc, given the....general state of everything. But not sure how much effort they throw into the app.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Probably a dumb question but is FM worth playing anywhere besides PC? I know they have a phone app, but not sure how limited it is. I know the basic mechanics and seems like a lot would transfer over, given the lack of graphics/game play, but I also know it's insanely detailed.

I loved the tablet version(FM Touch) and was bummed they took it away last year, it was the perfect balance of letting me get into depth on stuff like tactics and transfers while not needing to make individual training plans for 30 players and stuff like that. It looks like they're bringing it back as an Apple Arcade exclusive, so you'd need an Apple device and wouldn't be able to buy it outright, but then again if you're playing it after several months the increased cost is probably worth it. I haven't done the phone version so I can't speak to it, I know from browsing reddit that some hardcore players like playing it while out and about so it's not a complete travesty, but it will be further simplified. Here's how someone on Reddit described the Touch v. Mobile distinction:

Generally, Touch is the full game with some functions simplified or absent - training and scouting are simplified, most interactions (team talks, press conferences, team meetings, etc.) are absent. Or were as of FM21, last time I used Touch. So your tactics and transfers and such are close to the full experience, but other aspects aren't as in depth.

Mobile you can think of as a related but separate game. There's no 3d graphics, players have fewer attributes, there are fewer nations and leagues available (all the top leagues you'd expect are there, but if your dream is to climb the leagues in Colombia you'll be out of luck), and most functions are simplified. It's generally a simpler and faster game.

Which is better is a matter of preference and what devices you have.

[squally1313]

Very helpful, thanks. I'll wait to see the reviews/price to see just how scaled down it is.

[17 Seconds]

fuggit, buying a series x

[Banedon]

the new football manager comes out in 4 days so i plan on seeing no one until thanksgiving at the earliest

FWIW, it's gonna be on Gamepass....PC and Console.

[Elon Musk]

FM23 unlocks in about 3 hours. What saves are we doing?

I've never done an Italian side and I've been debating trying to start a Serie C save and see if i can get promoted to Serie A and eventually play in the UEL/UCL. Thinking about A.C. Trento, cool colors, sick looking eagle on the badge. I'm not sure about Italian league player registration but in Serie C I can't afford anyone anyway so shouldn't be a problem.

Here's to another year of 4-4-2!

[Transmogrified Tiger]

FM23 unlocks in about 3 hours. What saves are we doing?

I've never done an Italian side and I've been debating trying to start a Serie C save and see if i can get promoted to Serie A and eventually play in the UEL/UCL. Thinking about A.C. Trento, cool colors, sick looking eagle on the badge. I'm not sure about Italian league player registration but in Serie C I can't afford anyone anyway so shouldn't be a problem.

Here's to another year of 4-4-2!

I've tended to gravitate towards two types of saves.

1. Big 5 teams with money and/or big fanbases/history that aren't Champions League regulars. Stuttgart, Monaco, Valencia, etc. These are fun because you can get the difficulty curve of rising up the league but have some resources to continue to be excellent. I had a great run of winning Ligue 1 at Monaco even with PSG investing a zillion dollars in their team. The problem is Champions League, you hit a pretty hard ceiling in the knockout stages when you go up against mega clubs that have had 5 years of buying everything in sight. Maybe it's my tactic/lack of flexibility, but the constant cycling to try to get marginal upgrades gets stale when you get closer to a decade in the job.

2. Relegation rescues. Start unemployed then pick a team in trouble that fired their manager and try to keep them up. This is fun because you're up against an immediate challenge, but mostly aren't responsible if you don't succeed. I did one of these with Mainz, got relegated, but then through roster building won the 2.Bundesliga and made Europe in my first year back in the top flight. The problem here is that represents a bit of a ceiling on how much you can do without being lucky and/or leaning on an OP tactic. You won't have the money to reinforce so you have to fight to maintain your place instead of grow it, which is less fun.


What I have never really done and really need to try is a journeyman save. I've always done saves that were club-centric and would turn down international offers, but I think the way to get past the downside of my preferences so far is to start low(not 'semi-pro in Norway' level like some FM freaks, but below top flight and/or Big 5 leagues), and then move on to a new job with greater opportunity once I've moved them as far as I can take them. That way taking over a Barcelona or a Man City feels like a reward/new level more than a cheat code.

[17 Seconds]

now i can't decide between xbox or a ps5. i'm leaning xbox, but i really wanted to play that demon's souls remake (i've only played bloodborne and elden ring)

[Elon Musk]

gamepass on xbox would swing me that direction probably (if you intend on subscribing to it.) I say that not really knowing what PS alternative is

[cl smooth]

Finally played through Cyberpunk 2077 to completion.

On my second play through (first since it was released) of the PS5 version. Loving it as much as I did back in December 2020.

[17 Seconds]

gamepass on xbox would swing me that direction probably (if you intend on subscribing to it.) I say that not really knowing what PS alternative is

gamepass is definitely a big draw

ps5 owners: how cool is the dualsense controller? the xbox controller seems pretty lame in comparison

[cl smooth]

gamepass on xbox would swing me that direction probably (if you intend on subscribing to it.) I say that not really knowing what PS alternative is

gamepass is definitely a big draw

ps5 owners: how cool is the dualsense controller? the xbox controller seems pretty lame in comparison

haptic feedback for certain games is really cool.

[Sammy Sofa]

Yeah, the PS5 controller is much better, and the PS5 has a lot more exclusives, but it has nothing that compares to Gamepass. Sony really botched having a good option along those lines.

[Elon Musk]

AC Trento starts off preseason with a 3-0 win over Novigrad, a Croatian third league side. Simone Saporetti had a goal on a nice 12 yard left footed curler, and a late assist.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

[17 Seconds]

anyone plan to purchase/play god of war: ragnarok when it drops next week?

just got it. i platinum'd the first game.

[Sammy Sofa]

If he can decipher whatever the horsefeathers the plot of those games is supposed to be, then just go ahead and make him president.

[Elon Musk]

Gah, Football Manager is so good.

I'm 11 games into my first season with A.C. Trento in Serie C/A. I'm 6-4-1 and three points off the top with a league leading +11 GD.

My first Serie C tournament game I won in pens 20-19!!!!!! Missed the first PK and hit 20 in a row after that. In the second tournament match there were 12 yellow cards.

I spent every last cent bringing in depth, so the board is mad at me about that, but they're thrilled that I'm in second so it's all good for now. I'm running a goofy 4-3-3 with either an attacking mid on top of a BWM and a BBM against poor teams and a BWM/BBM/DM trio in games im not favored in. Super fun. No idea what my roster will look like next season with all these 1-year contracts but so far so good.

Also, my plan was to try to win the tournament, thinking that would bring in some money for next season. Instead in the second game (a 2-1 extra time win over Montova at home) I sold 10 tickets ...

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Gah, Football Manager is so good.

I'm 11 games into my first season with A.C. Trento in Serie C/A. I'm 6-4-1 and three points off the top with a league leading +11 GD.

My first Serie C tournament game I won in pens 20-19!!!!!! Missed the first PK and hit 20 in a row after that. In the second tournament match there were 12 yellow cards.

I spent every last cent bringing in depth, so the board is mad at me about that, but they're thrilled that I'm in second so it's all good for now. I'm running a goofy 4-3-3 with either an attacking mid on top of a BWM and a BBM against poor teams and a BWM/BBM/DM trio in games im not favored in. Super fun. No idea what my roster will look like next season with all these 1-year contracts but so far so good.

Also, my plan was to try to win the tournament, thinking that would bring in some money for next season. Instead in the second game (a 2-1 extra time win over Montova at home) I sold 10 tickets ...

What tactical style are you using in that formation? I've never had much success doing anything besides Gegenpressing or similar variants.

[Elon Musk]

Gah, Football Manager is so good.

I'm 11 games into my first season with A.C. Trento in Serie C/A. I'm 6-4-1 and three points off the top with a league leading +11 GD.

My first Serie C tournament game I won in pens 20-19!!!!!! Missed the first PK and hit 20 in a row after that. In the second tournament match there were 12 yellow cards.

I spent every last cent bringing in depth, so the board is mad at me about that, but they're thrilled that I'm in second so it's all good for now. I'm running a goofy 4-3-3 with either an attacking mid on top of a BWM and a BBM against poor teams and a BWM/BBM/DM trio in games im not favored in. Super fun. No idea what my roster will look like next season with all these 1-year contracts but so far so good.

Also, my plan was to try to win the tournament, thinking that would bring in some money for next season. Instead in the second game (a 2-1 extra time win over Montova at home) I sold 10 tickets ...

What tactical style are you using in that formation? I've never had much success doing anything besides Gegenpressing or similar variants.

Gegenpress is still the goat apparently. In 22 I had a lot of success with a straight 4-4-2 tiki taka but I don’t have the strikers for that at the moment so I can’t test it out