Sanctuary RPG has some old school charm with a lot of additions. Pretty fun game.

Bioshock: Remastered

It crashes a lot, and when that happens, it sometimes deletes the last save.
I installed the original version, but the game crashes when trying to load a remastered save. I guess I'll just deal with the crashes... I don't feel like re-playing the game from the beginning. (and I'm not sure that the original is actually more stable)

Right now, it's one of the most unstable games that I've played in the last years - even worse than Deadly Premonition (tweaked). No online tips have helped with this.

Civilization V

I like this much more than Civilization VI and it runs much smoother on my computer.

Found a Super Nintendo port of Super Mario Bros. (not All-Stars), and managed to complete " -1" there. Unfortunately, this level (which is 4-2 underwater and loops back like in the NES version's " -1") has a koopa that can't be avoided followed by a hammer bowser who is very difficult to swim past (I couldn't manage). Since I wasn't fire mario when I entered the level, I had to start over and do the glitch (which I still can't do consistently) again.

Also, this port has a nasty bug; bowser will not die when hit with fireballs. Hence, while I was able to fry the undodgeable koopa, I still had to get hit by hammer bowser's hammers in order to pass.

Edit: Also (but unrelated), in the Apple 2GS version of Bard's Tale, I just one that one battle with the Vampire Lords and Demon Lords, though this time the third enemy stuck around longer. Now, the question is, if I go on to the sequel, should I:
* Transfer my party over
* Start a new party, but hack the Spectre Snare into the store, or
* Start a new party with no hacked inventory?

Edit 2: I just managed to get past that undodgeable koopa, and was able to die far enough right in the bowser fight to respawn at the midpoint with bowser not there.

Right now I'm playing Quake 4, specifically the False Dawn mod. Since I'm such a lousy player, I'm getting my behind thoroughly kicked.

Shenmue 3 now that I found out it can be run on an Intel HD 620.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla

The overarching plot is a mess, only played through Origins and a bit of Odyssey so I don't really understand the whole Isu/Alien crap, but the self contained story in Valhalla itself is interesting, it's nothing to write home about, but I liked it nonetheless. There are even a few interesting characters. Too bad that the MC is nothing but a bystander for most of the time, at least that's what I thought while playing through the game.

The combat is simplistic, but it gets the job done. The different mechanics like climbing are way too clunky, I hope they fix it with patches. There are way too many bugs in general. :P

Despite all the flaws (and believe me, there are many) and the repetitiveness I liked the game, hell I'm still playing after 80+ hours and I honestly might get the season pass, even though I despise those things. This game is this years gaming guilty pleasure for me. :P

Getting into Blood Omen 2 after finishing the first 2 Soul Reaver games years ago. Once again, despite the clunky controls and graphics that did not age well, the lore just sucked me in.

What classic games would you say it's most comparable to?

(For example, how does it compare to the likes of Rogue, Wizardry 1, Ultima 1, Dragon Quest/Warrior 1, and other games of that vintage?)

Hello dtgreene!

I would not compare it with those classic roleplaying games.

It utilises ASCII-art but not in the way the original "Rogue" or similar ASCII games. "Sanctuary RPG" displays its Items, character and enemy portraits, landscape background images and interface in ASCII-art.

The game is in a pseudo first person perspective, but you do not actually move within the game world. Its movement is node-based and more akin to "Shadowgate" and "Uninvited". The battle and level up system is heavily inspired by japanese roleplaying games and puts a focus on its combo and relative positioning (again without an actual movement) mechanics. Besides that it features a very basic 'crafting' element and a little tavern simulator (which I have not explored, yet).

In my opinion, the closest thing I have played would be the "Sword of Hope" game(s) on Gameboy.
Although, "Sanctuary RPG" does not take itself serious, and encourages multiple playthroughs (attempts), unlocking new options for your character generation/selection (as in "Desktop Dungeons", for instance).

I enjoy it a lot in somewhat short bursts!

Kind regards,
foxgog

Sounds interesting. (I have played both Sword of Hope and its sequel.)

How does the save system work?

(Also, do you happen to know if the game runs in WINE?)

(I notice that the game is currently on sale for very cheap.)

Hello again, dtgreene!

Unfortunately, the game's save system resembles those of the so-called 'rogue-likes/-lites'.
It does save your current progress and any unlocked extras automatically. But when your character dies, the game displays a funny semi-randomly generated summary (character history) and deletes the current character's save file. Then you are to start all over again with a new character and usually some increased initial options available based on the unlocked content.

If you are inclined to do so, you can back up the character save from within your operating system before your character fails and overwrite them again, when needed. (Since, I tried "Exanima" and "Jump King", I do not have a problem with doing that.)

Sorry, but I have not tested "Sanctuary RPG" on Linux, Wine or similar, yet.
If you are in doubt their is the original (non-Black Edition) version of the game available for free from the developer to give it a test run. Although it is quite cheap with the current discount to just try it out in its current full release.

Kind regards,
foxgog

Shadow Empires

after breaking a resource chain in half at the start of the week this morning i finally had time, was not tired enough to delve into the details for creating a oversight for the 2 new resource chains though resource chain might be the wrong word for describing the entirety of production and mining income of a up start nation after a grand apocalypse.
At least now i'm satisfied about all the essentials that are created in positive numbers, the only thing i'm missing is enough manpower on one of the chains since i also linked a couple of brigades and divisions to the just erected headquarters but what i can do i trade the amount of trained forces from one HQ to another if enough logistic points are available, logistics are now even worse then ever but i did manage to relief the accumulating stress levels for the prior sole first HQ. In a couple of months balance will settle in and certainly if there are some smart choices made regarding the expansion of the logistics number set with the freshly created HQ

With Shadow Empires as main entertainment i do casually entertain myself with ongoing campaigns or stories in games that i know by heart such as a Total War Warhammer 2 or Rome II, a bit of Halo, Kingdoms of Amalur or Darksiders. Nothing to serious or set in a dedicated plan but just what comes to mind in those evenings you are actually planning on not doing anything else ( and certainly not break your head over the challenges found in SE )

"Commence hull-cutting!"

"We have reached the central computer."

Whipping my marines into shape in X3 Albion Prelude. The poor Argon keep losing ships to me.

Submarine Titans
Interesting but will never be my favourite. Boring story, rather boring missions and high difficulty, even on "Easy AI".