Board 8 > February Game of the Month Club ft. GRIS, Horizon: Zero Dawn, and Ys II

(+) Yeah! (+)

KCF0107 posted...

I'm up to 37% in HZD. I've only done about 10 story missions, but even with having purple weapons, I still struggle with certain machines (I don't want to see another giant bird for awhile). Thus, I have been doing some side quests/errands and going through bandit camps and cauldrons for extra experience and capabilities. I don't really like the caludrons from a gameplay standpoint, but I like the rewards.

If you've got the "Complete Edition" I might recommend you try some of the Frozen Wilds content. You can get some "Purple+" weapons there that feel a good bit more powerful. You can only buy them with the currency from that content though, so you'll have to hunt around for it (there's a map you can buy) or play through some story missions. The machines there are a good bit more difficult too but...you should be able to manage.

The Caludron power is very useful for "thinning the herd" at the beginning of an encounter, provided you can sneak up to a creature. Another thing that helps are the double/triple arrow power.

Is anyone else annoyed at the ridiculous load times? If I die it feels like 30 seconds to respawn. And if I try to fast travel it feels like a minute.

---

KCF0107 posted...

I'm up to 37% in HZD. I've only done about 10 story missions, but even with having purple weapons, I still struggle with certain machines (I don't want to see another giant bird for awhile). Thus, I have been doing some side quests/errands and going through bandit camps and cauldrons for extra experience and capabilities. I don't really like the caludrons from a gameplay standpoint, but I like the rewards.

Stormbirds are one of the strongest enemies in the game and arguably the toughest to actually fight, if you're having issues with them it's pretty normal.

---

Missed my nominations.

Cody11533 posted...

Interested in playing Horizon, but not gonna have time this month.

I'll go ahead and nominate Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

---

Well, started green land in Gris.

Nominate: Omori

---

Seanchan posted...

Last thing, if you're looking to play GRIS, it's on sale on Steam for the next few days - $6.79 (60% off).

I'm not much of a PC gamer, like, at all. But this seems too good to pass up and risk waiting for a sale on a console that might not happen. How complicated is it to get a Switch Pro Controller working on Steam? How about Steam Link? (This sure would be an opportunity for me to actually use that)

---

Underleveled posted...

I'm not much of a PC gamer, like, at all. But this seems too good to pass up and risk waiting for a sale on a console that might not happen. How complicated is it to get a Switch Pro Controller working on Steam? How about Steam Link? (This sure would be an opportunity for me to actually use that)

If you have the USB to usb-c it's pretty streamlined, Steam supports pretty much any controller. Though you may have to play in big picture mode. I used my Switch Pro controller for a long while on it.

---

ViolentAbacus posted...

If you have the USB to usb-c it's pretty streamlined

This is just the cable that plugs the pro controller into the Switch dock, right?

---

Yep, that's it. You'll have to play wired, so the cord may feel a bit too short, but it works.

Other than big picture mode there shouldn't be any more steps, but if there is it just involves going to the settings and changing the controller configuration to the Switch Pro controller which you can find a step by step guide fairly easily

---

Mr Crispy posted...

Nominate: Omori

Supporting this

Still not sure what I'll do with my own nominations, yet.

---

ViolentAbacus posted...

Yep, that's it. You'll have to play wired, so the cord may feel a bit too short, but it works.

Other than big picture mode there shouldn't be any more steps, but if there is it just involves going to the settings and changing the controller configuration to the Switch Pro controller which you can find a step by step guide fairly easily

Thanks for the info. I'll probably buy this.

I did a bit more grinding and side stuff in HZD and am now at Lv 23 and going back to story missions.

---

Great, now I've reached a boss that I can barely even make a dent in. Worst part is I have very little reserve health and options because I spent it all getting to the boss.

---

I beat said boss but.. damn it was long, difficult, and nerve-racking.

---

Haven't posted much but I have been playing Horizon Zero Dawn. Due to some unexpected life events, I haven't been playing as much as I thought I would. I've been doing lots of exploring and side content, but I'm currently on my 8th main quest with around 15% completion. I think I'm at level 14.

---

I am now up to around 55% on HZD with around 11 story missions finished as well as a ton of side quests and all but two each of the bandit camps and cauldrons. I finally defeated one of those stupid Stormbirds. It took me around 100 arrows, but I was lucky to find one in the jungle area that was secluded, so I could focus solely on it. The toughest fight that I have faced up to this point though was a Stalker-Infested Corruption Zone where I ended up having to fight five of them. I died twice, so it ended up taking me 30 or so minutes.

That reminded me that I didn't die for the longest of time, and my first time that I died was when I intended to rapel down from one of the protruding branches from a cliff, but either I had to jump off at a very specific point or the prompt never showed because I just straight up plummeted to my death. I don't particularly care for the saving system in this game, but in that instance, I didn't lose much progress.

Also, I have yet to face a boss, so I am confused as to what darkx is talking about. I have fought a few named NPCs from side quests, but they were basically the same as the normal enemy that they are most similar to. Are you considering scripted fights with normal machines like the Rockbreaker in Blood on Stone or the Corruptor in The Womb of the Mountain to be boss fights?

---

I wonder what darkx feels about some of the fights at the end of the Cauldrons. There's one in particular that was rather tough for me because of being in such a confined space.

I have to say I really think the menus in this game suck. Why are there's no options to sort or at least "star" your favorites? Very annoying.

Also, did you know that Handling controls the speed you can draw and reload? After disdaining those coils in favor of damage for so long I finally decided to look it up online. Turns out, they ARE useful!

After spending the last 10-15 hours just fucking around exploring and doing some of the Frozen Wilds content it was a bit of an eye opener going back to the main game's side quests. Search item, show path, follow path, kill things at end, run back to quest giver. I mean that's "part and parcel" for the genre but damn has it felt so...rote. It has been cool though to see how much easier things are due to the combination of better weapons, better skills, and better game knowledge.

---

I haven't done any cauldrons. I honestly don't even know where to look.

The thing I referred to as a "boss" was the Deathbringer at the end of the Grave-Hoard mission

^That is quite a bit further than most/all of you are in the story.

---

Underleveled posted...

I haven't done any cauldrons. I honestly don't even know where to look.

The thing I referred to as a "boss" was the Deathbringer at the end of the Grave-Hoard mission

^That is quite a bit further than most/all of you are in the story.

Yep, have no idea about that story mission.

Have you done the Tallnecks yet to uncover the map? Once you do that, the Cauldrons will appear as blue Greek symbols (i.e. blue symbols that aren't Hunting Grounds or Bandit Camps. Definitely worth doing.

Speaking of Bandit Camps...
I met Nil before the first camp. Then I ran around the world and eventually cleared out all the other camps. When I finished the last one, Nil appeared outside that camp and was basically like "that was fun doing that with you, too bad it's over" and I was thinking, "This is literally the 2nd time I've seen you..." I'm assuming he's a character you're supposed to meet more often but my route though the world meant that didn't happen for me?

---

I've done two or three Tallnecks. I think I've seen those symbols, so I'll check them out.

---

I've put in about 30 hours, and I am level 37. I've pretty much exhaused all of my side quests, I am saving the hunting challenges for post-game, and I have just one cauldron and bandit camp left, and I am thinking about waiting to do Frozen Wilds until post-game. I wish that I cared about the main story more, but I just don't have much interest. I think that I am on the 15th or 16th story mission.

---

I didn't play yesterday or today, so I'll get back to it tomorrow night.

Just a reminder to everyone (myself included) that this is the short month.

---

Nominate Carto and Halo: Combat Evolved.

I'll play VA-11 HALL-A if it wins, but I'm not interested enough to use another support.

---

Now Level 39 in Horizon with almost 70% complete for the main game. Still bizarrely only 10 completed main quests. I did finish getting all the collectibles though! Have 3 corruption zones left. Finally went to Meridian and did some of the stuff there.

In getting one of the vantage points I climbed all the way to the top of a mountain that I have to imagine is where either a significant or end game story happens. The Vantage Point said it was near The Mountain That Fell (or something like that). There was a brief cutscene for a Stormbird. I basically avoided it and continued forward. I got to an area where I could climb some more but then I couldn't figure out a way forward even though it was clear there was some place higher up to go. So I just turned back and figured I'll be back here later.

---

Nominate Fallout 1 and One Step From Eden

---

TheArkOfTurus posted...

One Step From Eden

Support

---

Closing in on 80% for Horizon, did a couple of big story missions in a row. LOTS of exposition, like an almost ridiculous amount. It's amusing to just warp to a campfire exactly where I need to go next because I'd already explored that area for fun a few dozen hours ago.

I didn't find either of the 2 fights with a Deathbringer too difficult, at least with my current load out and skills. I feel like I've had way more trouble with some of the other big, high end machines or when I get overrun by 3-4 mid-tier machines like those damn Stalkers.

---

I will support Carto since I have had it downloaded on my XB1 for months.

I will also support Quantum Conundrum since Abacus bought it for me, and I feel like every time they get on GameFAQs each day, they head straight for the GotM topics hoping to find me supporting it. They find out that I haven't so they quietly sob to themselves, ruining the rest of their day.

---

Monthly Progress
GRIS - Metal, Ark, KCF
Horizon
Ys II

Nominations
Abacus - Quantum Conundrum
Ark - Fallout, One Step Eden
Cody - Spyro 2, Jedi Fallen Order
Crispy - Omori
darkx - Yoshi's Woolly World
KCF - GNOG, Sayonara Wild Hearts, A Case of Distrust
JONA - VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
Metal - Halo CE, Carto

Supports
Abacus - Eden
Ark - Omori
KCF - Carto, Quantum
Metal - Sayonara

Drawing probably on Wednesday

---

HZD Update:

Game Completion: 39.57%
Playtime: 25 hours, 30 mins
Level: 31

Main Quests: 18
Tallnecks: 5 (completed, except for the one in the DLC area)
Bandit Camps: 5
Cauldrons: 2
Corrupted Zones: 3

Vague story spoilers (related only to how much/little I have to go, no plot spoilers): At one point something that someone said made me think, just for a bit, that I was on the last story mission, but that didn't feel right because it seemed early and there were still too many loose ends. Turned out it wasn't, but according to a guide I only have four left.

---

Seanchan posted...

Closing in on 80% for Horizon, did a couple of big story missions in a row. LOTS of exposition, like an almost ridiculous amount. It's amusing to just warp to a campfire exactly where I need to go next because I'd already explored that area for fun a few dozen hours ago.

I didn't find either of the 2 fights with a Deathbringer too difficult, at least with my current load out and skills. I feel like I've had way more trouble with some of the other big, high end machines or when I get overrun by 3-4 mid-tier machines like those damn Stalkers.

The first one wasn't hard at all for me because it was stationary. The second one ultimately ended up being more long and annoying than difficult. After about a dozen tries of dying almost right away, I finally ended up breaking the fight by keeping my distance circling the perimeter of the room and spamming fire arrows and sharp shot arrows while jumping to slow time. I probably used well over a hundred arrows between the two. I'm sure that's not the way that fight was intended to go but I finished it.

---

Underleveled posted...

The first one wasn't hard at all for me because it was stationary. The second one ultimately ended up being more long and annoying than difficult. After about a dozen tries of dying almost right away, I finally ended up breaking the fight by keeping my distance circling the perimeter of the room and spamming fire arrows and sharp shot arrows while jumping to slow time. I probably used well over a hundred arrows between the two. I'm sure that's not the way that fight was intended to go but I finished it.

The first one was cake. There was a little area I could just peak my head out of to take a shot. First tear arrow took off like 80% of it's health; guess I hit it in the right glowy spot. I fired half a dozen "regular" arrows that did no damage and then I eventually hit a spot that took it down.

My experience with the 2nd was pretty much the same thing, except it only took 3-4 tries. I was busy sniping the humans and didn't know it would destroy the platform out from under me, so I fell to my death. Took a few more tries before I was able to kill most of them first and then rappel down without getting seen. Then I did the same circle strafing and trying to hit it in the glowy/vulnerable bits. Eventually it went down but it probably only took me a few dozen good hits as I've got the charge shot from the DLC and a bunch of purple damage and handling upgrades.

---

KCF0107 posted...

I will support Carto since I have had it downloaded on my XB1 for months.

I will also support Quantum Conundrum since Abacus bought it for me, and I feel like every time they get on GameFAQs each day, they head straight for the GotM topics hoping to find me supporting it. They find out that I haven't so they quietly sob to themselves, ruining the rest of their day.

I was, it's been crushing my spirit every day I hadn't seen the KCF support, but now my day has been made! I can throw away the sweater made of tears that I was making.

---

Seanchan posted...

The first one was cake. There was a little area I could just peak my head out of to take a shot. First tear arrow took off like 80% of it's health; guess I hit it in the right glowy spot. I fired half a dozen "regular" arrows that did no damage and then I eventually hit a spot that took it down.

My experience with the 2nd was pretty much the same thing, except it only took 3-4 tries. I was busy sniping the humans and didn't know it would destroy the platform out from under me, so I fell to my death. Took a few more tries before I was able to kill most of them first and then rappel down without getting seen. Then I did the same circle strafing and trying to hit it in the glowy/vulnerable bits. Eventually it went down but it probably only took me a few dozen good hits as I've got the charge shot from the DLC and a bunch of purple damage and handling upgrades.

Yeah I used the same strategy for the first one. I just hid behind the wall and it never even saw me as I lobbed arrows at it.

I imagine I'd have an easier time with the second one now that I have some stronger weapons. The most recent story quest I did had a fight against a big machine at the end and I think it only took me one try (maybe two but if it did the first one was like, I died instantly) and was much quicker for me to finish.

---

One of the things that has made the game easier for me is knowing that you actually have to build up the gage for a machine to be affected by a status effect. I figured that once it had the little icon over its head it was affected, but not until after like 12 story quests did I finally see as a hint on a loading screen that you actually had to build it up.

---

Underleveled posted...

One of the things that has made the game easier for me is knowing that you actually have to build up the gage for a machine to be affected by a status effect. I figured that once it had the little icon over its head it was affected, but not until after like 12 story quests did I finally see as a hint on a loading screen that you actually had to build it up.

LOL, yes! Took me a while to realize that as well (probably read the same hint). You can get that pretty quick though when using double/triple shots.

I'll say again that this game has some bad "on boarding"/tutorials/menus.

---

Seanchan posted...

when using double/triple shots.

---

They are skills you can unlock

---

Yup, I mentioned it on page one. It let's you notch multiple arrows. It's pretty handy!

---

Ok, started Ys 2 today as well.

Finished up the mines/shrine and the aftermath to open up the way to the next dungeon.

---

Beat Ys 1 last night, so I'll likely be starting Ys 2 today

---

Seanchan posted...

I wonder what darkx feels about some of the fights at the end of the Cauldrons.

Sigma was pretty easy. Xi took me a long time but wasn't difficult. Rho was tricky. Haven't done Zeta yet.

---

Just had my first battle with a Stormhawk and did pretty well. Only took me one try and didn't lose too much damage, especially compared to fighting Deathbringers. Now there is only one machine I haven't encountered (aside from DLC-exclusive ones). It's in the top right of the machine catalog, next to the Fire Bellowback.

---

Oh hey, by coincidence I recently played both the Turbo CD and Famicom versions of Ys II. Maybe I can get a point in this thing I otherwise pay no attention to!
*Checks.*
...Finished one on January 30th and the other on January 31st. Wow. Recently beaten waiver I guess!
Anyway, uh. Turbo CD version is good (probably isn't better than the Steam one overall but I only went through that one once several years back) but don't play the Famicom version unless you're crazy like me!

bump combat forever

---

The TCD version is actually preferred by many fans, for the soundtrack and combining the two games together.

Though it probably affects Ys 1 more than 2, since the Eternal/Complete version of 1 has an absurdly low level cap and jacks up the difficulty of a couple bosses to an insane degree compared to the rest of the game.

---

I've just entered the "point of no return" in HZD. I saved a separate file just in case I find myself to be underleveled (no pun intended). I'm going in at level 33 so if i make it through, you guys who have done way more than me should have no problem.

---

Started Ys II today and also resumed my 3-year old Horizon Zero Dawn save file (I was only like 3 hours in, barely passed the tutorials and such)

A race to the finish!

---

Well, this is one of the most accomplished gaming feelings I've had in a very long time. I'll post a full write-up in the other topic soon, but for now...

darkx has beaten Horizon: Zero Dawn

---

Mr Crispy posted...

The TCD version is actually preferred by many fans, for the soundtrack and combining the two games together.

Though it probably affects Ys 1 more than 2, since the Eternal/Complete version of 1 has an absurdly low level cap and jacks up the difficulty of a couple bosses to an insane degree compared to the rest of the game.

I also played both the Famicom and Master System versions of Ys I (would not recommend either!) shortly before those. Given how those were also balanced around "get to the level cap or at least close to it if you want to beat the bat boss" I'm assuming the original 80s computer versions of Ys I did something like that too. Probably for the best that Turbo CD Ys I deviated there, though.

seemingly unpopular opinion: none of the 80s versions of Dark Fact are at all hard and at least on Normal Mode Ys Chronicles Dark Fact isn't too bad either (just loaded up my Ys I save on Steam, won in less than 10 tries, beat him again the attempt after that), although the speed and amount of projectiles do make the fight feel perhaps a little dumb.

---

Nom:
The Last of Us Part II

Support:
Halo: Combat Evolved

---

AxemRedRanger posted...

seemingly unpopular opinion: none of the 80s versions of Dark Fact are at all hard and at least on Normal Mode Ys Chronicles Dark Fact isn't too bad either (just loaded up my Ys I save on Steam, won in less than 10 tries, beat him again the attempt after that), although the speed and amount of projectiles do make the fight feel perhaps a little dumb.

With the right equipment the projectiles hardly matter imo it's the ground disappearing thing that sucks

---

Change my Fallout nom to Blasphemous

---