The Miscellaneous PC & vidya Games Thread

[Darth Wagtaros]

Looke like Anno 1800 requires you install some Ubisoft bloatware too.

[Syt]

Looke like Anno 1800 requires you install some Ubisoft bloatware too.

All Ubi titles do, unfortunately.

[Josquius]

Amazing they're still hanging onto that. Haven't most publishers dropped it?

I've got a ubisoft game or two I would have played if not for them being locked off in uplay.

[Syt]

Amazing they're still hanging onto that. Haven't most publishers dropped it?

I've got a ubisoft game or two I would have played if not for them being locked off in uplay.

They also offer a sub that gives access to all their games.

But yeah, of the various publisher stores, I feel theirs is the worst to use.

[Zanza]

Anno 1800 is a great game even with that stupid Uplay launched and the terrible Ubisoft Shop. The DLCs are not strictly needed, but add quite a bit of depth.

I tried Planet Zoo to play it with my nephew and it has a really hard to understand user interface when trying to build your zoo. I got frustrated there quickly.

[Grey Fox]

Amazing they're still hanging onto that. Haven't most publishers dropped it?

I've got a ubisoft game or two I would have played if not for them being locked off in uplay.

No, most still use them. They are still growing actually.

[Josquius]

I've been playing mafia definitive edition.
Some years ago I played and really liked mafia 3 so gave this a go....
It's very pretty certainly but my god is it linear. Its shocking how much effort they put into this open world city, with backyards and everything represented, yet you're railroaded through main story missions only with zero exploration or side quests.

Amazing they're still hanging onto that. Haven't most publishers dropped it?

I've got a ubisoft game or two I would have played if not for them being locked off in uplay.

No, most still use them. They are still growing actually.

Guess I've been lucky in the games I play. Didn't I hear something on EA dropping off with theirs?

[Grey Fox]

You did. They've replaced Origin by EA Desktop.

[The Brain]

Finally played a full game of Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence. Started a game and fiddled around a bit some years ago, but now I sat down and played. If you have played any of Koei's Nobunaga or Romance you know what they are like I guess. I was entertained and found it pretty engaging. It's not super realistic or anything but it certainly feels a lot more Sengoku than for instance Total War: Shogun 2. Managing officers, towns and castles, entrusting far-off provinces to loyal (?) underlings etc. Supply has to be considered, both total stockpiles and that armies on the march don't run out. Diplomatic contacts both with other clans and with the Imperial court.

The UI is mostly reasonable, but sometimes a bit limited. In some situations you don't see officer portraits, which makes it harder to remember which guy is which when you have scores of them. Some choices that pop up give you a chance to check more info on what you're choosing, but some are just "Yes or no?".

There are historical simple cut-scenes showing various interesting events, as long as you haven't messed up those clans enough yet.

Historical knowledge of Sengoku Japan is nice but not required. My first daimyo (of the Echigo Uesugi) adopted Nagao Kagetora as his heir ("ooh nice stats on this one") before I realized that that was the guy better known as Uesugi Kenshin.

Clans and officers are Conservative, Neutral, or Progressive, and how progressive you are determines which policies you can enact and how loyal various officers are to you.

IIRC my game was on normal difficulty, and I had no real problems on the road to victory. I don't know how much of a challenge the game can get on higher difficulties.

Beyond the ususal options you can make maidens officers and not just marriage material, and you can also use samurai cat faces instead of the usual portraits (haven't tried this). The normal portraits are in the Japanese "not really historical but still somewhat realistic" style.

One thing that bugged me at first was that they put the family name last, so Oda Nobunaga is "Nobunaga Oda", which is not how it is done in the vast majority of serious English-language books on Japan. But I got used to it.

One problem at least at the difficulty I played is that battle carries very little risk. If you have more troops and a better commander you can fight a hundred battles without fear. Reduces frustration sure, but also historical accuracy.

[crazy canuck]

War tales, still in early access, but is a compelling sandbox RPG.

You're playing a band of Mercenaries, and so one of the main things you have to keep in mind is making the payroll and also keeping them fed. The game has good economic and crafting mechanics. There are also a number of interesting decision points. The skill and combat systems. Also have a fairly compelling quality so that if you're not careful, you can lose yourself in the game for several hours.

[Sophie Scholl]

Historical knowledge of Sengoku Japan is nice but not required. My first daimyo (of the Echigo Uesugi) adopted Nagao Kagetora as his heir ("ooh nice stats on this one") before I realized that that was the guy better known as Uesugi Kenshin.

I had the Super Nintendo and Gameboy versions of Nobunga's Ambition (and the SNES version of Liberty or Death by KOEI), so this was fun to read your thoughts on a much newer version. I vaguely recognized Uesugi Kenshin's name, so I did a quick wiki read and... there's a whole theory that he was actually a she?! Absolutely fascinating! Thank you for indirectly leading me to something really cool and personally relevant! 

[Josquius]

I can only imagine how impossible it is to play for those without the learning curve patience.

i still have that a train manual open.... Someday...

[Tamas]

Thanks for the review Brain, I thought it was interesting and worth having a look so headed to Steam to buy it. Just to realise I own it already and played it a few hours about 5 years ago.   

[mongers]

Which of the Settlers series do you think was the best?

I just fancy playing one, but can't forthe life of me remember which I've played and liked.

[Syt]

I've only ever played II, but I liked it a lot at the time.