Ah yes, I have been playing Monster Hunter Wilds for over 70 hours now and it seems the "main story-line" is over yet. The normal mode basically was the "entry mode" or "extended tutorial", and now i was finishing the "second part" of the story in hard mode.

I assume at some point Capcom may continue the story, as i feel the story all of a sudden came to an end. It feels like Capcom was pushing the release but was not actually finished. Most likely they did not even have the intention because it may become added on a addon with fresh content.

Anyway, the game was so far surely "worth it", providing over 70 hours of playtime already, without any grind.

Nonetheless, at this point i was finally arriving at the "true endgame", with the slaying of "Arkveld" in hard-mode, which is done at HR40, always.... because the HR (Hunter Rank) is capped until Arkveld has been beaten. The HR will turn into a blue name tag at this point which basically means "true endgame unlocked". At Hunter Rank 8 the "entry endgame" will be unlocked, which is resulting into a green name tag. Sure, the equipment can be optimized and upgraded but i had no need for it. The final fight was surely demanding but fair. Whats clear, the fight was in need of up to 30 min of full focus; to much failures and it would be over as there are limited resources and not more than 2 incapacitation allowed. I got 50 min but i never was in need of more than 30 min... probably because i got a rather offensive play-style so i usually risk a lot but can hand out a lot of damage.

With the slaying of Arkveld in hard moce the first "Rarity 8" equipment will become available as well, which is basically "Legendary". I was never refining my equipment up to this point because i had the feeling "it is not worth the troubles until i get the true high end gears"... and so far this "strategy" was working for me as i had no need for.. Now as i was arriving there, i finally will start to "look into it" and will try to optimize my gears and weaps, which surely can take more gametime than what i currently got and not sure how much i can achieve "In the next 100 or even 200 hours".

My hunter rank is now 42. The first Rarity 8 weapon, Nershock... a bow... i got is basically the "entry legendary", there are surely even more astounding legendary items available, but it will need a lot of hunt and "gathering the required items" for it... so basically "end game grind"... which is the first time i actually will start to grind. Making "daily hunts", looking for upgrade, items and whatelse.

There is the option to build Rarity 8 stuff from Rarity 8 shards, known as "Artisan Crafting", which should be the most powerful items available, but so far i did not get Rarity 8 shards and i currently dunno where to get them, i will have to find out. The first thing i will be working at is simply to get the "basic Rarity 8" for now at nearly every spot.

Whats surely somehow hidden but important: Those very high rank weapons got a "special sharpness capacity", so it means it does not go to green-level only, it goes past beyond this "basic sharpness"... which means it will stay sharp for longer and in general... especially for weapons that does a lot of hits, a lot of mid-battle "sharpening" can be avoided. So, they are clearly the best weapons someone could ask for.

Endgame character selection https://ibb.co/d0fRG42W
Nershock https://ibb.co/fVs6s5sy
Legendary trees https://ibb.co/4ZzSDy6t
Highest ranked squad member https://ibb.co/Gfx8tZ2Z
All 29 large monsters unlocked https://ibb.co/WNz3dThS
First true open world https://ibb.co/NvvVNxm
Tempered, a veteran high rank monster https://ibb.co/zVhLYWhQ
Jin Dahaad, can be nasty if stuff goes wrong https://ibb.co/Xxy3bYxp
Rey Dau... master of lightning https://ibb.co/Mkv5krL7
Gore Magala, surely a nasty fight https://ibb.co/VWNXYYGk
Sure, thats Arkveld https://ibb.co/5h09yw6t
Yet, he can be "handled" for certain https://ibb.co/v4cSyxrJ

Getting back into Deus Ex has been an exercise in forgetting all previous stealth games accumulated learned reflex when it come to knock out enemies from behind without triggering an alarm.

The reason is that the Baton (and the Electric Prod too) was oddly coded to have a bonus to knock out on Torso/back area , while having none to the Head. Meaning if by reflex you struck an enemy in the head, it would not knock him out but make it alert to your position as it was never doing enough damage in 1 hit to the head to knock out .

So i had to re-learn to focus on back torso area to knock out enemies without drawing an alarm :D

But other than that, it's still a fantastic game

Currently in the 2nd main mission, at Battery Park

Total War Warhammer 2 - High Elf campaign

Tecliss arrives at Ulthuan after abandoning the expedition set deep into the dessert. Together with the Lizardmen armies, the dark elven forces are quickly defeated. During one of the battles he conjures forth his 'signature move'. A condensed ball of lightning that hisses and cracks over the battlefield. Of course, the very nature of lightning is 'chaotic'. Therefore 'hits' are not a given.

edit: I might call the campaign won if the Dark Elfs are sent back to their Gods

HR 61 on Monster Hunter Wilds and Tempered Arkveld "on farm status" now, which means doable in 15 mins a run.

The only large monster still not beaten yet is "Tempered Jin Dahaad"°°° which is the most nasty bitch i ever experienced. Mainly because he is able to freeze me and he will then use a single pointed breath, when i am unable to move, in order to wipe me out. As well, a lot of AOE which makes it hard to avoid damage, However, i have now increased "bind resist" and was improving defensive gears for my "second build" which is Insect-Glaive with Gun-Lance. It is probably "doable" now, still no easy fight.

°°°Actually he just right now has been beaten by my Gun-Lance defensive build. The "defensive gameplay style" i have to use here is completely different vs. the usual offensive build. Instead of a lot of dodge, which is nearly useless on Jin Dihaad as he just makes way to much AOE, i use a lot of blocks. So i had to learn using "block"; this seems my best and nearly only way which is able to kill him. It is really awesome if so many of his AOE can just become blocked. Although, so far he is the only one i can not avoid using this "defensive style". At least i think my setups are foolproof now.

Elemental gears is not really needed if correct food-boost used, but, different weapon builds (defensive and offensive) is a must have!

Takes around double the time of Arkveld (15 vs. 30 min), so, not a rewarding "farm boss":

Equipment is mostly maxed out now and the possible improvements are not big anymore. The only thing missing is armor infusion. This is probably the very final "refinement step" with very rare materials. Total playtime around 100 h. I currently can not play Online on the locked PSN network (only game i got with this issue), although i see not much reason to go past HR 100 up to the next big addon (with hopefully more monsters). Until that point i just will make some event runs from time to time and trying to improve some hunts, just for fun. Perhaps if there is more content i may check out Online possibilities, but so far it is just not worth the price asked.

My first artian weapon, the Tiltkreise, has recently been made too. The bonus involved is a bit hard to "manage" because Capcom was making "fixed seeds" for every account. Means, every weapon got a certain predetermined bonus which is always fixed, making it pretty much a "roulette" with rather limited chances of overcoming it. No matter what, the bonus i got is actually pretty fine, as i do love a lot of "crits" and was optimizing the build for.

I think, Online play is definitely "pay to win", at least for PSN users (Steam users should be able to freely use the rather crappy Capcom servers) as, some very hard hunts can be done in few mins using it, while anyone playing offline got a much harder time by using the rather weak NPCs, Nonetheless, the game can be beaten completely offline and at least there is no need to worry the servers will ever go down.

Tempered Jin Dahaad, just nasty for me https://ibb.co/rRGDgKLT
Artian craft table https://ibb.co/KzqzMpSx
Tempered Arkveld at a mystical place i enjoy https://ibb.co/B5M5yzkY
Tempered Investigations https://ibb.co/Pz5b0KMF
Defensive build (Insect Glaive, Gun-Lance) https://ibb.co/LDhyrJM8
Offensive build (Dual Blades, Bow) https://ibb.co/twqjrF9S

After escaping from prison, trying to knife fight a big robot in deus ex

How did it go?

So, i felt depressed and would'eya know.... not 1 but 2 SE games on sale....

I just had to buy those games, you know. Because of the depression and all.

The 'Frontline' game managed to put a little smile back on the face.

Kinda looking forward now to the FFXVI experience!
i've set my limit for tonights at 300W! *evil laughter because of the depression and all.....

Gnnnihihihi... being a bit stuck ATM, but I just noticed the weather (2nd pic for reference). :)
Given that we've not heard back, probably not too well. ;)

not so good :D

fortunately, once pirated the robot wasn't a threat anymore

Meanwhile, can't even relax in a Hong Kong bar coverup of some Triad without a cyborg attacking one of my new friends
(still Deus Ex )

Was feeling nostalgic today. Needed to load this one back up. :)

Kyrandia 2: Hand of Fate

Right now I'm playing a fair amount of Battletech with the Advanced 3062 mod.

Preparing to terminate the puny resistance, Yah.
John Connor thinks he's so smart, i know where you left ze minigun stupid.

the reason is usually file size. Nothing above 480kb is accepted

FF XVI

killed a blighted something something ...

You know what, Andromeda looks sleekr!

(Deus Ex)

Oh you have some nice secret base there my friends, it would be a shame if someone inflitrated it to take some things.