What Computer Game Are You Playing Today?

[Jeff]

I started the Diablo III Starter Edition last night. A friend gave me a guest pass last year, though I think anyone can sign up for the starter edition now. I've never played an Action RPG like this before. It's pretty good and I could see myself playing through the story once with my character, but I can't see myself going through again and again with different characters leveling up like the hardcore fans do. The cinematics looked awesome. On the negative side, the first time I logged on to battlenet it locked me out of my account for suspicious activity even though I used the right password, and three different times I was kicked off becuase I guess my internet connection must have stuttered on and off. I definitely won't be paying full price for a full version and it doesn't look like it is going to be on Steam with a hefty Steam sale anytime soon so I guess when I reach the level cap and limit I will be done.

And Jeff, have you still not got around to Uncharted 3 yet?

Technically, there is over 80 games in my backlog (though that includes GOG.com games you get for free for registering and stuff picked up in bundles that I may not ever play), there's no telling when I'll get to it. I know it won't be in my next 4 or 5 games though, as those are planned out.

[Jeff]

I'm about 14% through Grand Theft Auto IV. Not sure if I should be following the main mission, or simply driving through the city running over as many people as humanly possible.

I forgot to ask, are you using the iCEnhancer or any mods? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl0CaRe8YW4 I'm planning to put the latest one on whenever I get around to playing it.

[Jeff]

I've finished Assassin's Creed II on PS3 (with a Platinum Trophy no less) and can now concentrate on Super Mario Galaxy 2, which I have beaten, but I am still collecting stars and have all the green stars after that.

I also just re-started the original Max Payne on PC last night. I had played some of it back around '05 I think, but had to do an OS re-install or repair that wiped out my game and then never got back to it until now. I was actually able to get almost as far last night as I ever was, so I must not have been as far into it as I had thought.

[Jeff]

GOG is giving away DRM free copies of Torchlight for the next 48 hours: ALERT - GOG is giving away Torchlight for free for the next 48 hours: http://www.gog.com/gamecard/torchlight

(For any who don't have an account with them, they also have a host of other free games you get for signing up.)

[Zbigniev Hamson]

I've been playing an awful lot of Minecraft lately. Despite always thinking it looked dull and tedious, and then initially finding I was quite right, I pushed through that initial phase and am finding an immense amount of pleasure is to be found in its blocky goodness.

[Jeff]

Played the first two Max Payne games recently and am about finished with Myst III: Exile. Deus Ex: Human Revolution is up next.

[Rob McCow]

Saints Row The Third all the way for me. It's exactly GTA only with 1,000 times added fun. Various sub-games include riding a quad bike that causes everything you crash into to explode; the self-explanatory 'Tank Mayhem' mode and Professor Genki's Super Reality Climax, where you run through a Japanese-gameshow-style assault course, shooting mascots dressed as animals and beer cans. I'm quite fond of the Shark Gun, which fires meat at an opponent and causes them to be eaten by the Steelport Land Shark, which will appear out of nowhere and gobble them up.

And the ruder, sillier stuff is funny too.

[cullsoft]

Who remembers the old QBasic classic Gorrilas?

http://www.kongregate.com/games/Moly/gorillas-bas

[Jeff]

I have a feeling that the Steam Summer Sale is imminent. Looking at when it has started historically, I'm guessing it will begin tomorrow around 6 PM UK time. Prepare your wallets Steam members.

I finished Super Mario Galaxy 2 this past weekend with all 242 stars and boy was the last one a pain in the rear to get.

Currently playing the original Bioshock on PC.

[Anthony Williams]

Football Manager, Football Manager and more Football Manager!

Whitney is insisting that I give Final Fantasy VII a try soon. Bleh. But we're both looking forward to the Steam Summer Sale starting (tomorrow, apparently) - our wallets may be emptier by the end of it!

[Jeff]

It has started.

Picked up The Cave for 75% off... (edit- and now Bioshock 2)

[Rob McCow]

Bah. What a time for me to say to myself 'I've played enough PC Games lately!'

Tempting, but no.

[Jeff]

Here's a handy sales tracker to see all of the games on sale using several sortable categories. http://steamdb.info/sales/?displayOnly=all&cc=uk

I'm waiting for the Sleeping Dogs DLC to go to 75% off and then I'll probably pick that up if it does. I'd be interested in Dishonored at 75% off as well (which would put it at $7.50) but I don't think they will drop it lower than 66% off.

It would be nice if they had that DW game, The Eternity Clock for 75% off too, but it isn't on sale at all so far. It got really poor reviews though so I'm not that worried about it.

[Jeff]

Currently playing Deus Ex: Human Revolution which is fantastic. I highly recommend it.

[Jon Masters]

Retro RPG Icewind Dale

[Phillip Culley]

Saints Row IV - while vastly departed from the original GTA-esque game we first got its still a ridiculous amount of fun!

[Dino]

Final Fantasy XIII.
Managed to get past that boss that had been giving me problems for months. Had a grand tour of Pulse, expanded crystal things, fell further in love with Lightning, got past part 2 of the boss that I'd been having problems with, and am now stuck against the Proudclod, or whatever it's called.
This is still the most heroic fist pumping cut scene I've ever seen in a game:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV-zi2GbZgY

[Rob McCow]

Saints Row IV - while vastly departed from the original GTA-esque game we first got its still a ridiculous amount of fun!

I played through Saints Row The Third a few months back. Think I need a break before SR4 though. The game got ludicrously broken towards the end, as you can upgrade your character to be invulnerable.

Now I am playing Surgeon Simulator 2013 which I got for 2 pounds on Steam. It's very funny. You play the most ham-fisted, drug-abusing surgeon in the history of medicine. Who has to carry out brain transplants. In the back of a moving ambulance. Things get messy!

[Phillip Culley]

I shouldn't worry about SR3 being broken - within half an hour of starting SR4 you can run as fast as an car and jump over small buildings

[Dino]

The Last Of Us.

Got it today (Last copy in the shop!) and even then they tried to get me interested in GTA V (Yes, yes... one day. But not now thanks).
I am liking the game and seem to be progressing well enough. I love how it's Uncharted but without the jokes and with added grimness.
And I was by a drainpipe looking for something to help me get onto a fire escape. I couldn't help but think "Drake would have climbed up that no problem!"

[Dino]

Final Fantasy people!
The demo for the third in the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy "Lightning Returns" is up for free on the PSN.
It's the best looking of the three Final Fantasy XIII titles, and the Dressphere is an easier system than the Paradigm Shift.
The only downer I have on it is, the soundtrack doesn't seem to be up with the standards of the other two Final Fantasy XIII games.
But go to PSN on your PS3 this week and download the demo. Especially if you are sick to the back teeth of the way the franchise seems to be a stuck record on XIII titles.
And I think Lighting is my favourite character from the entire series. Joint second with Cloud Strife at the least. The rest of the internet has reviewers who despise her!

[Dino]

So... a year and a month later... I've finally finished Final Fantasy XIII-2!
Well... I got the end credits but... it never stops does it? I'm glad I've got all the things I've spent many months building up and all that but... when does the game actually end again, please?
P.S. Lightning Returns is out 14th February. Oh yes!

[Rob McCow]

That's why I steer clear of these massive, massive RPGs. I can see myself getting sucked up into them for months and months!

[Jeff]

I played Life is Strange recently, which I enjoyed tremendously. Currently playing Batman Arkham City.

[Rob McCow]

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
I really enjoyed the previous Deus Ex game, Human Revolution and it's a delight to be back in this world, even if I'm doing much the same sort of stuff as I was before. Essentially this game is about crawling around Prague on your hands and knees, occasionally tasering a police officer or thug in the back and hacking terminals to open doors. I've been on a sortie to an abandoned hotel in Dubai, punched a sewer-dwelling cult leader in the face and shown no discrimination when it comes to entering both the ladies' and gents' toilets.

Ace fun and it looks great too. The voice actor for the lead character (Elias Toufexis as Adam Jensen) is really superb and has the most amazing gruff voice. The kind of voice that you might want Batman to have.