Dude! I was so fucking surprised at how well Max Payne 3 still holds up. Better than most shooters nowadays.
this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2025
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Just thought I could get a discussion thread going. What is everyone playing lately?
I just finished playing Metal Gear Solid Delta, it was great! I decided to play through the series finally after years of watching video essays on the game, and I'm glad I did! I played Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2: Subsistence through emulation (4k HD for the win!) It was a great experience and I can see why the series is so highly venerated. It holds up remarkably well, and the long cut scenes were really enjoyable. I thought it would be annoying, but I actually found myself looking forward to them. Delta was like jumping forward in time 30 years, but still extremely fun. I'm glad they stayed so close to the source material so I could just play the new release instead of booting up Snake Eater through emulation.
Now if I could just play IV without a PS3, that would be awesome. I might have to try emulation on that, but from what I read, the experience isn't great.
Regardless, now I'm replaying Max Payne 3. This game IS SO FREAKING GOOD. I had forgotten how good it is. The noir narration is just amazing. The gameplay is tight as a snare drum. The art style and visuals are still amazing even when compared to modern games. Rockstar really knocked this game out of the park. I still haven't played Max Payne 1 or 2, and maybe I should. Also, I found out that one of the bands I've recently discovered and have been listening to like crazy, Health, did the score for Max Payne 3. The music is fantastic. If you haven't played it, I highly recommend giving it a go.
Other than those games, I plan to play through The Last of Us 1 for the first time soon. Not sure how "retro" it is, but I think it is borderline given the original release date and hardware. Looking forward to trying it for the first time. I've never had Sony consoles, so I've missed out on a ton of first-party Sony games over the years. Trying to make up for that by playing modern PC releases and through emulation.
So yeah, what do ya'll have going on right now? What do you recommend playing and why?
It's unreal. Just the feel of the game is amazing. Modern gaming is great and all, but something about that 6th/7th generation just hits. It was like the perfect mix of player-focused design and modern tech. There's a lot of games with amazing potential nowadays, but they are ruined by silly design choices like always-online implementation or micro-transactions. The games from the 6th and 7th generations are just so feature-rich and laden with game modes and statistics tracking that it's disheartening to see how far we've regressed in those areas in modern games, seemingly all in pursuit of making the walls have 5% more fidelity than before.
3 was great on it's own merits as a game, but the noir elements were ratched way down compared to the first and second.
Max Payne 2 was... I dunno... damn well perfect for what it was supposed to be in the era it was developed with the technology of the time.
Really? I thought 3 was heavy on noir, but then again, I don't have much experience with that genre. I really should play 1 and 2 when I can.
I'm pretty sure if you played mp2 in an empty sealed room for 14 hours straight you'd somehow come out reeking of whisky and cigarettes.
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I probably played Max Payne 2 from start to finish three or four times. It's superb.
Finished up "my friend Pedro" a couple of weeks ago (absolutely recommend if you haven't played it, especially with a high refresh rate screen), played control for a bit (interesting beginning, but the more you play the more confusing/boring I found it), and been revisiting doom eternal since I just upgraded my PC about a month ago. I was planning to play it through with the dlc expansions, then maybe try cyberpunk after. Also been intermittently playing "golf with your friends" when I have game night, pretty fun to play with friends and doesn't take too much effort.
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I can't stop playing Enter the Gungeon, this is a cry for help. /hj
Also I decided to try Flashback again (Genesis version). This game always seemed really cool but I never progressed far on it since it's so unlike anything else from the era. Kind of surprising more indies don't take a crack at this formula.
I've never heard of Flashback before. That game looks sick! I'm huge into sci-fi and cyberpunk stuff, so I think that might be right up my alley. Thanks for the suggestion!
Max Payne 1&2 still hold up I think. The upshot of using comic book style slideshow sequences instead of cutscenes is that it's aged really well. Story, mood and atmosphere is great in both and I think the gameplay is still pretty decent. Keep in mind 1&2 were Remedy games while 3 was Rockstar, so they will feel noticeably different for better or worse. Most Max Payne fans will say it like: Max Payne 3 is a great game, it's just not a great Max Payne game. It doesn't have that Remedy touch, it isn't good at the things that made the first two so special. Amazing 3rd person gunplay though.
Speaking of, there is a Remedy-themed Humble Bundle online right now with their whole catalogue minus Firebreak for like 30 bucks. Not a bad way to get your hands on MP 1&2. Pretty remarkable value, although with the two caveats that Alan Wake 2 is (1) only playable through Epic and (2) coming to PS+ next month if you have that platform and service.
Good to know! Thanks, homie.
I'm definitely going to play 1 & 2. The love for them is overwhelming. I wonder if I'll feel differently than others due to playing 3 first. That'll be interesting to find out.
Megabonk and Balatro. And I've just finished Max Payne 3! Really liked it!
I find it funny how I seemingly randomly decide to play an old game and then find out a bunch of others picked it up around the same time as me. I wonder why that is? Maybe we all got inspired by watching the same video that included a clip or something. Who knows?
But yeah, I'm really enjoying it too. This is my second playthrough. I beat it once a long time ago when I bought it, but don't remember much about it. I'm trying to collect all the golden gun parts on this playthrough. I have like 5 or 6 of the guns done. I currently at the escort part right after the bus escape.
Max Payne 3 is an an amazing. If you like slowmo bullet time stuff you might enjoy"My Friend Pedro"
I've seen My Friend Pedro a couple times in various places. Maybe I should give it a shot. Thanks for the tip!
Finally playing Silent Hill 2, which is scary as heck. (Try playing it with the sound off and your controller vibration on for a bit.)
Still playing Noita a lot.
Also DMing weekly campaigns on Neverwinter Nights.
Noita
I've seen footage from this game in a bunch of different places from the YouTube creators I watch but never knew the name. I might have to check that out. It looks really cool, even if it isn't a genre I typically get into.
The Amiga version of Alien Breed 2. Bitch is hard as nails in a coffin. In comparison the Alien Breed trilogy on PC on hardest difficulty is a walk in the park.
I’ve been playing First Contact Protocol for the GBC and it’s really good!
You know, I should really explore more of what the gameboy color had to offer. The only games that ever saw playtime on my lovely teal GBC were Pokemon Gold, Yellow, and TCG. I still play TCG from time to time through a GBC emulator on my phone. That game was excellent. Its also the only Pokemon games I've ever enjoyed. After Gold, it was just too many damn pokemans to keep track of and I lost interest. 151 was plenty. 251 was more than enough. After that, it's too much for me.
Yeah, there’s so much good stuff released for GB, GBC, and GBA recently! My picks are Goodboy Galaxy, From Below, First Contact Protocol, Glory Hunters, Inky and the Alien Aquarium, Apotris, Pokémon Unbound, and Unearthed!
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Finally picked up Hades II now that it's been officially released and I can enjoy it with all its polish. Already got 30 hours in and can't wait to spend more time tonight. The music is just constantly stuck in my head now.
I've been playing OG Hades for a few days through GamePass. I started it a long time ago but never got very far. I really dig the game and its music and writing, so I'm going to give it the ol' college try to at least make it out of the underworld once. Game is hard, yo!
It gets easier as you learn how to use the boons and weapons and other fifty dimensions of stats to optimize or adjust your build and play for your goals / whatever challenges get presented to you. Your character gets stronger as you acquire buffs the more you play, so the real trick is to just keep playing (as long as you're having fun). I seem to recall there being a bit of a hump at the start before the ball really got rolling; the sequel seems to have leveled this out a bit better, perfecting the already well-made formula.
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I'm playing through hollow Knight for the first time! I have always enjoyed Metroid and most of Castlevania, and with the silk song hype I felt it was time. I have no idea how far along I am, I don't suspect very far based on how full my inventory screen is. And I'm using the strategy of "re explore old areas once you learn a new move", which is working okay, but I'm getting a little annoyed by how much back tracking I'm doing. I want to find the map for the jellyfish area, but I can't get past this black barrier.
There are fun optional platforming areas that remind me of Celeste. Now if I only I had unlimited tries like she did. And the boss battles are challenging and punishing in a way that reminds me of elden ring - everyone has a pattern, and they will hurt you if you are too greedy with your attacks.
Overall I recommend it if you enjoy Metroidvanias
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Not retro, but retro pixel aesthetics. Songs of Conquest is a fantastic RPG
I'm playing Chrono Trigger on my Miyoo Mini and I'm planning to finish it and play Mother 3 (since I finished Earthbound some time ago and really loved it). Also honorable mention when I need a quick time kill: Catrap (GB) and Apotris
I absolutely do recommend playing Earthbound if you still haven't because this really is a story with a soul and I'm astonished that I haven't heard about it before. Also btw this game has an S-tier manual, google it.
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- A Plague's Tale: Innocence
- Blade Runner
- Freedom Fighters and trying hard to make Dominatrix work to play SiN Gold again.
Azure Dreams, PS1 and GBC, I was really surprised how good both versions were when deciding which to play so I'm playing both.
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Ive been playing through the gens 1, 2, and 3 Armored Core games, and got most of the way to my second ending on 3 before my controller broke. The x and square buttons both go into rapid-fire when held down, making maneuvering even more difficult and the tougher stages fully impossible.
So I jumped ahead to Formula Front since you can play it fully with Ai controls. Im seeing a lot of complaints about this title online, but I personally love the pure engineering challenge it offers. Fiddling with my mechs is the best part of the series imo, so this one is easily my favorite non-core story title so far. Would recommend to anyone that likes experimenting with different builds and sinking time into deep thought on strategy and counterstrategy. Good stuff
I have fond memories of playing AC in Walmart when they used to have the demos in the electronics section you'd have to break your neck to play because the monitors were so high. After the great experience I had playing Elden Ring (my first souls-like), I decided to jump into ACVI when it came out. What a great game. I still haven't beaten it, as I just haven't been in the mood to play lately, but I intend on finishing it at some point soon.
Playing through Golden Sun again after picking it up and dropping it an hour in for the last few years. I remember getting into the Djinn/class system a lot when I played it growing up, and its still a pretty unique system. Im kinda regretting not playing the QoL/reworked ROM hack, but thats for another play through in a few years
I got goblin cleanup but my work hours are too many to play it much before digimon comes out.
I completely forgot I purchased this game like a decade ago. I need to actually go play it.
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There's too many games to play on my list right now. At the moment, I'm playing through Tokyo Xtreme Racer on PC. Loved the series from PlayStation days, but really fell in love with the RPG elements and gameplay from the Dreamcast series and PS2 series.
Also planning a playthrough of Silent Hill f. I haven't played a Silent Hill game since 3, so I'm looking forward to playing f.
And just casually playing in the background when either TXR or SHf get hectic/frustrating, I have Earth Defense Force 6 and Infamous Second Son on PS4 to mellow out with.
I literally just installed and started playing TXR myself. I'm a racing game freak and I had never tried the series before. Figured it was time after seeing the HokiHoshi video on it. I mainly do sim racing, but it's nice to play some arcade every once in a while. I've been getting my fix with Dirt 2 and NFSU2 underground2.net mod.
Resident Evil 7. The last game I played was RE5 and I really didn't enjoy it. It's been years but I played the remake of RE2 when it came out and loved it. Picked up 7 and 8 during a recent steam sale. So far RE 7 is shaping up to be one of my favorites in the series.
Resident Evil is one series I've never been able to garner the gumption to get into. I played about 30 minutes of RE4 remake through GamePass and it's just not for me, I believe. I'm not a horror fan anyway, but was hoping the gameplay would draw me in. Maybe I'm just missing something.
I'm sorry to hear that but I totally get it. Horror games aren't for everyone. I haven't played the RE 4 remake but it's on my list! Gamepass is great for exactly how you experienced RE4. Unfortunately for me it's made playing games a bit like picking out something to watch on Netflix. Just too many options.
Tell me about it. Choice paralysis can be a bitch! Throw in steam and emulators, and I've never been short of things to play. Sometimes, it's just hard to determine what game fits the current vibe. I've found myself getting into narrative-heavy things lately and really enjoying them.
The thing about GamePass for me, is being able to try out things I would never have otherwise. The most recent for me was Clair Obscure: Expedition 33. That game was the most amazing entertainment experience I've had in gaming, maybe ever. I'm so glad I got to play it. Never would have had that opportunity without GP. If you like rpg's/jrpg's at all, I highly highly highly recommend it. It was the first jrpg I've ever played and it had me totally enthralled.
It drive me nuts sometimes. I used to spend about 20 minutes a night looking over my game library thinking about what kind of mood I'm in. Lately I have been trying to stick to one game at a time but it doesn't always work out either.
GP is great for trying out games. It has already saved me from buying a few games I ended up being disappointed with. But I've also been really surprised by games I didn't think I'd enjoy. I have heard a lot of good things about Expedition 33. I'll give that one a go after I finish RE7!
When the Xbox is free, Borderlands 4. (Just finished the main story and going back to grab up all them side quests)
Otherwise, my wife and I take turns beating each other at Tetris & Dr Mario.
My fiancé is a Borderlands fan. She really digs the Tiny Tina stuff because she's a huge D&D nerd. I'll have to let her try Borderlands 4 at some point.
I have to lead with 4 is MUCH better than 3.
It wasn't a BL2 level of story, but with all the QoL advancements since then, it's probably more fun to play than 2 would be today.
And I would love to see some Bunkers & Badasses in this one!
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