What are you playing?

[Cristiano]

I have the most insane game library imaginable, but I find I go back to some games over and over again. Lately I have gone back to World of Warcraft and finally levelled up high enough to play the new expansion stuff (which is actually a lot of fun). I remain super addicted to Lost Ark as they keep adding fun new classes to it. On the mobile side I am really into Era of Glory and Dungeon Hunter VI, and also Honkai Star Rail.

My two favorite game series (Assassin's Creed and Forza) dropped new games an hour apart last month, so I am also playing a lot of AC Mirage (it is reminiscent of old school Assassin's Creed with the sensibilities of newer games), and Forza Motorsport is the big daddy version of Forza (I prefer the Forza Horizon series, but I am car obsessed so I love all Forza games). The Crew Motorfest, which is Ubisoft's answer to Forza Horizon also came out recently, so I am overwhelmed with great games.

So what are you playing?

 

[Noodles]

These days mostly Fortnite, but I am trying to stop. Its getting kind of old and I am tired of chasing endless BattlePass levels.

I also have been playing this mobile game (its alsomon consoles and soon PC) called Sky: Children of the Light. Its basically just, fly around pretty landscapes and collect things and chill. Gaming as a vibe in a way.

I need to go back to some games I was enjoying but let lapse, like Death Stranding and Final Fantasy 7R.

For a while I was super super into Forza Horizon, but not so much the Motorsport. Series. I have played an absolutely huge amount of FH4. Which lead to playing FH3 and even buying a used Xbox 360 to play FH1 and FH2. I did a month or two of FH5 but got tired of it. I did play some of the Motorsports games at at this point I think I own every Forza game in some form.

Speaking of Forza, I also have been sort of playing this new mobile game Forza Customs, which is basically a Bejeweled clone where you customize cars between rounds.

 

[Lexxi]

I've been mostly playing Tetris. Not same fancy new version. Original Tetris.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Apex Legends at the moment, but mostly because I was so dumb to buy a battle pass. Take my advice: don't start playing it, it's not worth it right now.

Aside that Divinity: Original Sin II by Larian (the game they developed before Baldur's Gate 3), Valheim and Overwatch 2. OW2 just because I had already OW, and have tons of old skins on the account. OW2 as game on its own just sucks as well.

 

[Noodles]

OW2 just because I had already OW, and have tons of old skins on the account. OW2 as game on its own just sucks as well.

Overwatch became so awful, and somehow Overwatch 2 somebow made everything worse.

 

[Khamon]

Practicing to become proficient enough at Hnefatafl to compete in the Viking tournaments.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Overwatch bwcame so awful, and somehow Overwatch 2 somebow made everything worse.

The problems with OW2 are: a) 1 tank only b) so many features deleted, PvE campaigns will never come as they were originally announced, c) Blizzard is just way too greedy, and runs OW2 like one big cashgrab show.

 

[Free]

I recently got Stray and I'm finding it to be the simple, casual style of gaming I need right about now.

 

[Cristiano]

The problems with OW2 are: a) 1 tank only b) so many features deleted, PvE campaigns will never come as they were originally announced, c) Blizzard is just way too greedy, and runs OW2 like one big cashgrab show.

It is sad that Blizzard has managed to fuck up two of its biggest franchises. Diablo IV is not cash shop hell at least, but it is underwhelming and Overwatch 2 has been a huge disappointment.

 

[Essence Lumin]

Satisfactory after a long absence. I might have to get Stray, that looks good.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Since I just got a new computer with a much better GPU I am playing...Skyrim. The ability to install a high end ENB plugin along with weather mods has made the game look totally different. Clear nights are magnificent with the sky alive with stars and light. Dark nights are like a horror game exploring with a tiny pool of light as vampires and werewolves ambush you.

Also finishing Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, since it was making my old machine lag, and Adventures in Castle Heterodyne which is based on the Girl Genius webcomic. You play as the main character of the series, Agatha Heterodyne, as you try to repair your family's insane homicidal sentient castle.

 

[Cindy Claveau]

It is sad that Blizzard has managed to fuck up two of its biggest franchises. Diablo IV is not cash shop hell at least, but it is underwhelming and Overwatch 2 has been a huge disappointment.

I had such high hopes. Played the pixels off all the other Diablos except "Immortal" and I guess I was expecting the game to be more polished by release time. It's Blizzard, after all. They've corrected some of the most glaring issues, but the moment has passed.

I still managed to play some in both seasons so far - to me, seasons kind of take away the whole point of the eternal realm. Gradually, I just stopped logging in. Not because of problems, but because of a distinct ennui on my part. It was starting to feel like a job rather than a game.

 

[Jopsy Pendragon]

Most recently, I'm back in cyberpunk 2077, playing the new Phantom Liberty expansion as a nethacker merc.

Vampire Survivors is simple but addictive. I can play and focus on an audiobook at the same time.

I'm done with season 2 of Diablo 4 (ball lighting sorc), but still poke at with my tornado druid.

Satisfactory's Update 8 still gets a lot of attention from me, and runs great for me now, unlike when it first came out on experimental.

Shipbreaker still draws me in from time to time, just for variety.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

It is sad that Blizzard has managed to fuck up two of its biggest franchises. Diablo IV is not cash shop hell at least, but it is underwhelming and Overwatch 2 has been a huge disappointment.

Add WoW to your list, Dragonflight is not exactly the best extension ever, many people complained about being bored quite quickly. Even many long time addicts I know did that. And their MOBA thingie, Heroes of the Storm, is also dead.

But there is hope at least for WoW, since Chris Metzen returned to Blizzard, and is responsible for the next extension trilogy - World Soul Saga.

For me the most ironic thing about Diablo is that nowadays the game which sets the standard at which Diablo is being measured ironically is "Path of Exiles." PoE is basically a wet dream for most hard core Diablo fans, and you can loose yourself in the monster which they do call skill tree with 1325 skills to choose from:

When Diablo IV was released, PoE 2 was being announced a little bit before - but for summer 2024. So probably PoE2 will wipe the floor with Diablo IV, since the underlying issues with that game cannot be changed so easily. PoE is free to play, you do pay for convenience features, like inventory tabs. But it is a really fair of monetisation they do use, and you can completely play the game also entirely free if that's what you want to. Compared to the 70 bucks cash grab for Diablo IV a very good point for them.

 

[Noodles]

The problems with OW2 are: a) 1 tank only b) so many features deleted, PvE campaigns will never come as they were originally announced, c) Blizzard is just way too greedy, and runs OW2 like one big cashgrab show.

The battle pass is INCREDIBLY grindy too. Especially eith the expiring bonus quest things.

 

[Knutz Scorpio]

The Sims 4, probably too much of it.

If there's something trying to kill me while I'm enjoying the scenery, especially other players, then it's definitely not for me. I'd rather watch cut scenes and play throughs on YouTube.

 

[Cristiano]

Add WoW to your list, Dragonflight is not exactly the best extension ever, many people complained about being bored quite quickly. Even many long time addicts I know did that. And their MOBA thingie, Heroes of the Storm, is also dead.

But there is hope at least for WoW, since Chris Metzen returned to Blizzard, and is responsible for the next extension trilogy - World Soul Saga.

For me the most ironic thing about Diablo is that nowadays the game which sets the standard at which Diablo is being measured ironically is "Path of Exiles." PoE is basically a wet dream for most hard core Diablo fans, and you can loose yourself in the monster which they do call skill tree with 1325 skills to choose from:



When Diablo IV was released, PoE 2 was being announced a little bit before - but for summer 2024. So probably PoE2 will wipe the floor with Diablo IV, since the underlying issues with that game cannot be changed so easily. PoE is free to play, you do pay for convenience features, like inventory tabs. But it is a really fair of monetisation they do use, and you can completely play the game also entirely free if that's what you want to. Compared to the 70 bucks cash grab for Diablo IV a very good point for them.

LOL I am just now caught up in WoW to start Dragonflight and I am enjoying it, but I think WoW's best days (and maybe MMOs in general) are behind it. I am having fun for now with it. It is my understanding that Dragonflight is better than the previous expansion at least. Hopefully the new focus on the future trilogy will breathe some life back into WoW.

I was sad about Heroes of the Storm - it is the only MOBA I have ever lliked and the crossovers with other Blizzard games were a lot of fun. It didn't set the world on fire like League of Legends did, but I still think they abandoned it too soon. The focus on the casual as well as the hardcore has always been important and I thought HotS did that well.

Path of Exile leaves me cold, even as a huge fan of ARPGs. I know a lot of people cum all over themselves about that game, but I just don't get it, It seems clunky and unpolished to me, and that skill tree is ridiculous. I have gone back to it from time to time, but meh.

 

[Noodles]

I basically had to quit WOW because I was getting obsessively completionist in mindset about its many collections, but all of it is all RNG hard to get.

I think I did do Loremaster through, which is like a collection. Up through, whatever was before Battle for Azeroth. Thats when I stopped.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

LOL I am just now caught up in WoW to start Dragonflight and I am enjoying it, but I think WoW's best days (and maybe MMOs in general) are behind it. I am having fun for now with it. It is my understanding that Dragonflight is better than the previous expansion at least. Hopefully the new focus on the future trilogy will breathe some life back into WoW.

The problem with Shadowlands is mainly its unbelievable lame main story line. A big part of the expansion is about Sylvanas, who finally goes totally unhinged and wrecks chaos whereever she goes. Then the jailmaster happens and

Spoiler

in the end the surprised player learns that Sylvanas never was the wrongdoer, but instead under the total control of a powerful entity in the background unheared before named the jailmaster, who used her like a puppeteer. So she's the victim here, sort of, most of the time acting against her own will.

And on top of that this jailmaster has the personality of a brick, and is as interesting as a pile of dirt. Smart ass move, Blizzard.

Noodles: yeah, the OW2 battlepass is not worth its money, also most of the skins are just mediocre at best. On top of it they are charging up to 20 bucks for some skins you could just loot back then in OW1, so yeaaah!

 

[Cristiano]

The Sims 4, probably too much of it.

If there's something trying to kill me while I'm enjoying the scenery, especially other players, then it's definitely not for me. I'd rather watch cut scenes and play throughs on YouTube.

I go through phases with the Sims 4. I just got the horse ranch expansion on sale so I will play with that (though I am still annoyed they stripped horses out of Pets and made it Cats & Dogs). I am also playing the multiplayer mod with my partner - it works fairly well with some quirks. I hope the Sims 5 does have legit co op in it. For some reason the weirdos in the Sims forum freak the fuck out if you even hint at wanting multiplayer, but it sorely needs it. Not a full on MMO like The Sims Online was, but collaborative coop with friends would be nice.

The Whicked Whims mod also added some life to The Sims 4 for me. Truth be told I become obsessed with making my Sim have sex with everybody lol. It is an incredible detailed mod - it surprises me how many options it has. There is also the corresponding wonderful whims which has a lot of the features without the emphasis on sex. It is incredible what mods can do for the Sims 4.