What are you playing?

[Kugelfisch]

Ah, that's a good hint. I've got trouble recognising when I can throw enemies. I know there are visual indicators. But in a crowd that just gets lost on me.

[rabidtictac]

I do my best to avoid engaging Jeanne in a button-mash QTE for a reason. I swear the PC port doesn't register your input fast enough to actually have a consistent way of winning.
I vastly prefer DMC4+5 with Nero's "Push single button to beat the shit out of stunned boss" system.

The mashing QTEs are actually way less bullshitty than the normal ones in Bayo. I'm just going to assume the PC port runs at higher framerate and the game's actual speed is increased when you increase your frame rate. Fapanese games love to pull that shit, where they lock the entire game to a specific FPS.

Edit: I checked and it sounds like the timers are the same as on xbox 360. Yeah, those mash timers aren't generous, but they are still better than the "press x to not die" timers.

The truly infuriating QTEs are the barely-visible ones that pop up for a half second and murder you if you fail to hit the right button in time. Bayo is full of that shit. As well as platforming sections with an awful camera where you have to quickly jump on collapsing platforms. Too slow? Die instantly. All of these deaths tank the fuck out of your rank for the level, too. You could play a level perfectly, fuck up a QTE and get a shit rank. They're counted as full deaths just like if you had died in combat.

[ebin namefag]

Video games are tiresome.

[Kugelfisch]

Bayo 2 is miles better than the first game. I had to force myself to finish the first and hated the last few hours.

[rabidtictac]

Bayo 2 is miles better than the first game. I had to force myself to finish the first and hated the last few hours.

The core of the combat is fun. Grace and Glory are fun and Jeanne was fun when the game wasn't forcing me to do QTEs.

But god damn is Kamiya fucking obsessed with distractions from the core gameplay!

I've heard mixed things about bayo 2. Some say it's much better than the first because of the tighter mission structure. Others say the combat is dumbed down from bayo 1 and full of added jank. Bayo 3 reception is even more mixed. I've heard some say Bayo 3 has the best combat in the series. Others (rightly) point out the game performs like dogshit on the switch and has terrible visuals.

I ultimately decided to replay bayo 1 because I thought it would be the "best" of the games. But unless level design improves dramatically soon, I'd place Bayo 1 firmly in the "fun but flawed" category of action games. Definitely below NG2 and NG Black. Black and NG2 have shitty bosses but at least those are still part of the core gameplay loop. Ninja Gaiden 1-2 have no QTEs and no instant death platforming challenges.

[Kugelfisch]

I haven't played Bayo 3 yet. 2's combat isn't dumbed down. I'd even say it's more varied.
Neither have anything in NG or NG2. I don't think Platinum can ever reach those spheres and I know current Capcom sure can't.

[rabidtictac]

Current Team Ninja can't, so what hope does anyone else have? One of these days, I will force myself to play Razor's Edge. I played about one level worth and turned it off. QTEs, walking segments, a scripted stealth kill, awful story... It's everything you hate about modern games shoved into ninja gaiden for no reason.

[Kugelfisch]

I will never play that game. Team Ninja died when Itagaki went.

[rabidtictac]

Devil's Third is still out there and Wanted Dead came out not long ago. I'll probably pick up Wanted Dead once its price drops. The fact the mainstream journos hate it so much has convinced me there might be a reason to try it out.

[Kugelfisch]

I finally made it to the Club at age 20. I always had at least one stupid death in the first level.
There honestly isn't all that much difference between 21 and 20, since the death counter was at zero on that run and one year hardly matters. But it was an ego thing.

Man, you can absolutely not button mash ever in Sifu! Every attack needs to be deliberate. More so than in most other Beat 'em Ups. But you can absolutely clown on the goons when you have them figured out and use your skills wisely.

I'll route the Club now. I'll want to get most shrines and stay young to get a better shot at the museum. The latter part of it just grinds me down.