Video Games

[Kryptonic]

I'm playing RDR 2 again on Steam Machine on the TV. Incredible game. Doesn't require you to play RDR 1 first. Currently on sale on Steam and one of the best games ever made. I prefer it over GTA.

Yea, the gameplay from rdr2 is gonna be more inline with how gta6 plays from what I’ve seen and agree it’s one of the best games ever. GTA 5 is fun for the 3 protagonist you get to play as.

[Mori Chu]

I own RDR2 on Steam and played it for about 2 hours but found it pretty complex (lot of button combos to memorize) and tough (initial tutorial missions were hard for me). Also I was trying to play it on a Steam Deck so the performance wasn't quite there. Maybe it'll run better on the Steam Machine? I can give it another look.

[AmareIsGod]

I own RDR2 on Steam and played it for about 2 hours but found it pretty complex (lot of button combos to memorize) and tough (initial tutorial missions were hard for me). Also I was trying to play it on a Steam Deck so the performance wasn't quite there. Maybe it'll run better on the Steam Machine? I can give it another look.

That's definitely how I felt too at first. Chapter 1 is the worst part of the whole game, it's a linear tutorial slog in the snow and it throws all controls at you at once. The game doesn't actually start until chapter 2 when the map opens up. You quit right before it gets good.

The controls stop mattering after a few hours, it's not a twitch game, it's slow on purpose. There's also a toggle to run setting in accessibility that fixes the button mashing, and aim assist does most of the work in fights (but you can definitely disable aim assist if you want. I use gyro mapped to joystick).

The Deck was the problem. Lower res, maybe 40 frames per second? I'm running it on the Steam Machine at 1440p locked 60 on high and ultra settings and it's a completely different game. Genuinely the best looking thing I've played on it. Give it one more evening and just ride around after chapter 2 opens up. Don't rush the story, treat it like a place instead of a game. That's when it clicked for me.

[AmareIsGod]

Also, I only play RDR 2 in first person. It is incredible.

[Kryptonic]

Also, I only play RDR 2 in first person. It is incredible.

I tried the GTA V in first person and it's actually kind of good if you mess with the controls; but the killer was the dodge/roll.. LOL, that just felt janky and went back to third person. Maybe they've patched it, which is always possible and cool with these games and how the developers have been supporting it forever.

You see CDProject Red is doing another Witcher 3 dlc and free major update? Looks awesome and a reason for me to go back to it after about 10 years.

[Mori Chu]

I will definitely try RDR2 again on Steam Machine. (Will need to tell it to install and let it sit overnight; the thing is like 111 gb, oof.) I had that sense that you described, that it would get better after I got out of the first few rigid tutorial hours, but I never could quite get there.

It sounds like you guys are saying I don't need to play RDR 1 first? I do own both, and have not played through either. What would you say about RDR 1 vs 2 in terms of a starting point?

BTW one thing I wish were true about all these open-world exploration games is, I wish they were more Breath-of-the-Wildy. Specifically I wish they had more puzzles and things similarish to shrines. A lot of these games, you just explore around and gather twigs and berries, and you occasionally talk to a peasant and he gives you a side quest to kill four orcs or find his chickens or whatever. Or you follow the map to the next main quest and cutscene. All that is fine, but I want me some puzzles and thinking, too! I know that not every game dev wants that in their game, but it seems like almost none of them have any of that kind of content, which makes my heart sad.

The closest I ever found to BotW-like feeling was Immortals: Fenix Rising, the Greek-themed game. It has "vaults" which are almost exact ripoffs of BotW shrines. I really liked that game. But it was an unabashed BotW ripoff through and through, but that was fine, because I want more games like that! Give me pirate BotW, ninja BotW, Greek BotW, Cyberpunk BotW. I'm here for them all.

[AmareIsGod]

I will definitely try RDR2 again on Steam Machine. (Will need to tell it to install and let it sit overnight; the thing is like 111 gb, oof.) I had that sense that you described, that it would get better after I got out of the first few rigid tutorial hours, but I never could quite get there.

It sounds like you guys are saying I don't need to play RDR 1 first? I do own both, and have not played through either. What would you say about RDR 1 vs 2 in terms of a starting point?

BTW one thing I wish were true about all these open-world exploration games is, I wish they were more Breath-of-the-Wildy. Specifically I wish they had more puzzles and things similarish to shrines. A lot of these games, you just explore around and gather twigs and berries, and you occasionally talk to a peasant and he gives you a side quest to kill four orcs or find his chickens or whatever. Or you follow the map to the next main quest and cutscene. All that is fine, but I want me some puzzles and thinking, too! I know that not every game dev wants that in their game, but it seems like almost none of them have any of that kind of content, which makes my heart sad.

The closest I ever found to BotW-like feeling was Immortals: Fenix Rising, the Greek-themed game. It has "vaults" which are almost exact ripoffs of BotW shrines. I really liked that game. But it was an unabashed BotW ripoff through and through, but that was fine, because I want more games like that! Give me pirate BotW, ninja BotW, Greek BotW, Cyberpunk BotW. I'm here for them all.

RDR 2 is the better overall game and prologue so you can play RDR 1 after and it will actually make better chronological sense.

[AmareIsGod]

Also, I only play RDR 2 in first person. It is incredible.

I tried the GTA V in first person and it's actually kind of good if you mess with the controls; but the killer was the dodge/roll.. LOL, that just felt janky and went back to third person. Maybe they've patched it, which is always possible and cool with these games and how the developers have been supporting it forever.

You see CDProject Red is doing another Witcher 3 dlc and free major update? Looks awesome and a reason for me to go back to it after about 10 years.

I saw that! Love me some CDProject Red. Amazing devs.