Dark Souls really nails it, I think. But I don't consider it to be an "open world" game in the same sense as a Bethesda game. It's more a series of linear paths with shortcuts that can often be tackled in various order. Exploring it the first time, though, it was definitely satisfying to see how the zones all tied…

Seems like it would be a decent money maker, too. The second game was much more accessible, so they'd likely have a larger (and more appreciative) audience now if they released a remaster version of the original.

I'm a Dying Lite man, myself.

Oh really? I thought I'd read that you were maxed out at one per character. I shall have to explore that.

You might be able to find some mods. I know that in Oblivion, I ran one that didn't allow you to fast travel to any of the major cities until you had visited there on foot at least once. It was a nice compromise that forced you to explore more of the world.

I just can't quit Dark Souls. I wish I'd experienced it closer to release so that multiplayer opportunities were more frequent, but I do so love this game (more than the sequel, which is excellent in its own right). I've finally decided to try a Faith-based character. Just got my Lightning Spear miracle and I'm…

Definitely. I spent a few hours with it and came away impressed; they added so much color to the world without changing the original feel of the game. I didn't encounter any performance issues, but I didn't get far beyond Balmora.

Out of curiosity, do you know if it's possible to do enough before the Landsmeet to come to a peaceful resolution, or do you always end up fighting Loghain? The game leads you along as if it's possible, but I'm a bit of a completionist and I've never managed to do it.

You are a better man than I. I couldn't get past the 2nd or 3rd fight in Rook's portion of the campaign on "hard". Do you have a general strategy that you used? Particularly in regards to character upgrades? I always figured max armor break was a given, but I don't think there was any rhyme or reason to my strategy…

I've finally shelved my console (Xbox 360) and purchased a PC controller, and my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner. I thought it would require a lengthy setup, but at the touch of a button Steam turns into an easy-to-navigate interface and lets you view only games that have controller support. Playing these…

I'm not sure what the general consensus is for this game (I certainly love it), but I imagine Goonies II for NES was not well received. Working with that assumption, I'll nominate the main theme:

Did you ever play Fallen Enchantress? I actually enjoyed it more than AOW3 after an extended period because the scenarios seemed more managable in one sitting (some of those AOW maps are so huge they can take ages to complete). There's also a lot of synergy to be had between your combat strategy and your overall…

"otherwise, why make the damn game?"

Do they owe it to the player to provide replayability? I don't think it was billed a such. None of the Bioshock games have been groundbreaking in terms of FPS mechanics. It's about the story, the characters, and discovering the world piece by piece. In that regard, I think they nailed it. Throw in some tremendous…

It's particularly pronounced when it comes to EA Games. Apparently people are outraged that they'd buy Bioware and compromise to seek a broader market for their games rather than letting them slowly go out of business like so many other developers that don't cater to the mainstream.

Divinity: Original Sin is on my list, and my resolution is to get out of my damned completionist state of mind long enough to truly enjoy it. I've restarted three times now without getting more than five hours into the game because I didn't like a choice I'd made. It's time to live with my decisions and forge ahead!

I've got a hankering to play Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest. That seems like an entertaining one to plan out. Would it be cheating if I printed out these maps?

I got to a certain part in a clocktower (I think) that had a platformer element to it. It required a delicately aimed jump with wonky camera angles that was just a shot in the dark with mouse and keyboard. It was a level of frustration on par with the Anor Londo archer ramp run. Only… There was no save point…

Baldur's Gate had things like that. I never much cared for it… If you don't go to certain zones within the allotted number of days, your party members leave. I suppose it's realistic, but I'm the boss around here, Jaheira. We'll do things on my schedule.

Banner Saga is delightful. But do you find yourself continuing after losing battles on hard? I have a terrible case of the "save and reloads", and I just can't handle not running a perfect game. That's not a good quality to have in a game like BS where things are constantly going wrong for you.