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Post by nocturnal YL on Jul 12, 2020 13:03:47 GMT -5
After struggling for a bit, I've finally finished the main portion of Atelier Rorona DX. There was an optional boss that I had trouble fighting, and after following a few guides and not succeeding, I found this guide saying that hiring Astrid (for a whopping 9980 cole) would do the trick (she avoids most attacks). Which means I have all but 4 endings in the first playthrough. I missed chances to raise friendship levels for two characters (that's what I get for playing without a guide until too late), but this is better than I thought. The extra portion sounds pretty difficult, but I'll most likely finish this first before deciding what to do next (probably Totori DX). Also, I was contemplating getting Paper Mario: The Origami King, but now that I've seen the game, I'm less inclined to get it. It does have a better story compared to Color Splash, but it also draws too many parallels with it (including my least favourite: having only 1 save file). Doesn't feel like it will have that much replay value, and the story still doesn't carry enough impact. |
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Post by nocturnal YL on Jul 23, 2020 14:43:40 GMT -5
I just finished the extra year of Atelier Rorona DX. Well, not really "finished" as I didn't reach the end naturally. I just made the item needed for the better ending at the end ofthe 4th month, then took a 240-day short nap to skip to the year's end.
The story is that due to an experiment error, Totori and Meruru get sent here from the future, and they have to gather materials to make the right item to go back. Like the rest of game, while there are interesting character events, the main story is pretty simple.
Turns out the extra year isn't as difficult as it sounds. For starter, unlike the main part of the game where only Rorona can use items, here Totori and Meruru can too. There are new locations and new bosses, but while they can take out the player party in a single hit, specially crafted recovery items can be made to make sure they seldom reach 0 HP, and if they do they can revive at the next turn. You have to be quite unlucky to get defeated.
I haven't fought all bosses, and I'll have to play through the rest of the game normally for character events and grinding for money and equipment for a potential second playthrough.
I don't think I'll write full reviews for these deluxe versions of the older games, or maybe I'll wait for the whole trilogy. This game feels exactly like how it'd feel going back to an older entry of a series. It's old, and everything feels much smaller in scale, but still very enjoyable despite a slow start.
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Post by Nester the Lark on Jul 24, 2020 13:57:04 GMT -5
I started to think again that perhaps I should try an Atelier game, but then I realized I probably shouldn't get into it because I would never be able to keep up with the series.  Since I've had Ys on the brain lately, I've been continuing my nightmare mode run of Ys VIII. It still isn't that hard yet, due to being on NG+ and having a ton of items leftover from the previous playthrough, but then I think I'm still only on chapter 2. I also finished a permadeth run in Cadence of Hyrule. I've done it before, but it was before there was an achievement system added, so there was no indication of it in-game. |
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Post by nocturnal YL on Jul 27, 2020 15:17:04 GMT -5
Tiny update: I finally got around to play the MEGA39's DLC for Project DIVA Future Tone DX. There are slight differences that, when added together, makes Future Tone an easier game overall. Maybe it's my familiarty with Future Tone, or maybe the timing really is different, and the Joy-Cons with the asymmetric button layout and tiny buttons most certainly do make things worse. (I thought of getting a PS4 adaptor before, but decided to wait further.) I managed to get perfects for Ooedo Julianight (HARD ★7.5) and VOC@LOID In Love (EXTRA EXTREME ★8.5), which I struggled with in MEGA39's. I started to think again that perhaps I should try an Atelier game, but then I realized I probably shouldn't get into it because I would never be able to keep up with the series. I'd like to encourage you to get a demo and try, but I'm not sure if the overseas versions have demos. I'll resist the urge to further pursuade you. If you do end up getting into the series, well, there are more than 10 games just on the current-gen systems. There are also Atelier Online and Atelier Marie Plus (mobile port of the first game). |
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Post by Nester the Lark on Jul 27, 2020 21:12:04 GMT -5
I would definitely try a demo, but yeah, there aren't any for the Atelier series on the North American eShop. (Nor on Steam, for that matter.)
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Post by Shrikeswind on Aug 9, 2020 6:53:09 GMT -5
After a very long time away from gaming in general I'm back on my BS. Currently playing Runescape again. Apparently in the year+ since I've been away they have a new skill and there's an island full of dinosaurs, though I haven't been there yet because I came back right in time for a double XP weekend so my attention is elsewhere. Still need to hook up my TV so I can start playing my old games again, though, I've been wanting to crack into Jet Force Gemini again for a while.
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Post by Evie ❤✿ on Aug 31, 2020 15:24:12 GMT -5
After a very long time away from gaming in general I'm back on my BS. Currently playing Runescape again. Apparently in the year+ since I've been away they have a new skill and there's an island full of dinosaurs, though I haven't been there yet because I came back right in time for a double XP weekend so my attention is elsewhere. Still need to hook up my TV so I can start playing my old games again, though, I've been wanting to crack into Jet Force Gemini again for a while.
I've never been really into the lore though, as it's tempting to skip through text and I feel the lore is really big to be able to easily learn most of it (at least for me), due to there being lots of quests and text in general.
Yeah, the Archaeology skill just came out recently  . In the first week it was really good for making GP because people would sell the materials to fix artefacts at very high prices (even common ones). Now the materials have dropped in price a lot. My experience with it has felt like one of the slowest skills to level, but I don't know if it gets easier to train. The Runescape wiki has a guide, though. I haven't done much in Anachronia but you can train Agility and Hunter there, although I had at least Level 99 in both when I quit in 2010, so haven't tried it yet.
I was surprised at them expanding a few skills (Dungeoneering/Slayer/Farming/Herblore/Invention) past Level 99 because it takes time already, and the reason I quit was because it felt like a time sink. It does have its own charm though, and I play it in smaller parts to casually train skills/beat quests. Invention is actually relatively quick to get to Level 120 when you've already reached Level 99, but it costs money; I dissembled a lot of Dinosaurhide bodies and Black Salamanders to make it a little cheaper. Herblore can be extremely expensive to get to Level 120, I've heard, and Farming seems expensive too. The Player Owned Farms and raising dinosaurs like you mentioned are interesting. My friend who also came back after a hiatus maxed out really quickly but I still haven't maxed all my skills. These are my current skills.
In terms of quests, I haven't completed many quests at all, which makes them more fun now I came back to spend more time on them. A lot of the time the bosses die too easily because the quests were meant for lower levels.
I've heard a lot of people play Old School Runescape now instead (which now refers to not just the old Runescape and has its own content). However, for me there's still lots to do in Runescape 3.
I'm not that keen on the userbase generally because there are a lot of scammers and people making derogatory comments, but not everyone.
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Post by Shrikeswind on Sept 1, 2020 2:34:00 GMT -5
Small world. I play Runescape too, and also came back recently (over a year-two years ago maybe). I quit in 2010 because of the skill system being built around grinding to get really good (though presently people get 99s/120s a lot more common; so there are less player owned house parties which I miss). It is a lot different now and I spent hours on the wiki catching up with the main features I missed like lodestones, Dungeoneering skill, Divination skill, Invention skill, Priffdinas, Elder Trees, Treasure Hunter, things to make skills/menus easier like the presets, and daily lamps/stars/items (but I don't like microtransactions/loot boxes) to name just a few. I find the trick to getting past the grind in Runescape is to diversify a bit. Training isn't afk in any real way, of course, but you can pretty easily divide your attention without messing up too much. For the bankstandy artisan skills like fletching and smithing (the mining/smithing rework really helped there), there's even a little timer on the progress bar so you can see how long you have to check your emails or watch YouTube. Also a lot of skills these days either have a source of continuous xp (thieving's safes, divination and archaeology in general, the manure pile at the Ardougne farm), and of course Dungeoneering is a decent source of xp in general if you're willing to sink a few hours into getting Beast Mode every floor like me. =P I've never been really into the lore though, as it's tempting to skip through text and I feel the lore is really big to be able to easily learn most of it (at least for me), due to there being lots of quests and text in general. See, that's the thing that really sells Runescape for me. It's a very lore-heavy game, admittedly - even a simplification could fill an essay and going full throttle into it would rival a doctorate's thesis - but I like a good story and Runescape often delivers. Though you'd be surprised on hearing that that I don't have a quest cape - I'm waiting to get Ravensworn before I take on Sliske's Endgame and any quests newer than that. Yeah, the Archaeology skill just came out recently . In the first week it was really good for making GP because people would sell the materials to fix artefacts at very high prices (even common ones). Now the materials have dropped in price a lot. My experience with it has felt like one of the slowest skills to level, but I don't know if it gets easier to train. The Runescape wiki has a guide, though. I haven't done much in Anachronia but you can train Agility and Hunter there, although I had at least Level 99 in both when I quit in 2010, so haven't tried it yet. Anachronia's...not really that interesting, honestly. It's kinda a shame, to be honest. Here's a lost island of dinosaurs that you get to explore! Get ready for Jurassic Par...oh, they're a hunter/slayer challenge. And they aren't aggressive. And they're localized to random patches of the island that you can entirely avoid. I probably should have expected as much, since this isn't the Wilderness or anything, but still, I was hoping for something more dangerous. Archaeology though, honestly, I'm surprised you think it's slow. It goes pretty quickly if you're doing the artefacts, and when you get your research team you can even send them off then log out for the day. In terms of quests, I haven't completed many quests at all, which makes them more fun now I came back to spend more time on them. A lot of the time the bosses die too easily because the quests were meant for lower levels. Your levels are pretty high, but I'm gonna warn you anyways because so are mine - Nomad's Elegy is obscene. Nomad is ridiculously overpowered and the battle is just straight-up not fun. I ended up using a deathtouched dart to finish him off...only to learn it's a three-stage fight, so I got obliterated in round 2. Ended up using 4 darts total to get that stupid quest over with. I've heard a lot of people play Old School Runescape now instead (which now refers to not just the old Runescape and has its own content). However, for me there's still lots to do in Runescape 3. Yeah, I'm very much not interested in OSRS. I don't want to cut myself on all that edge. I'm not that keen on the userbase generally because there are a lot of scammers and people making derogatory comments, but not everyone. Try world 39. The w39 community is historically pretty solid, especially if you start chatting with the clannies. Prifddinas is the big hang out, of course, but you can easily find people to talk to around the world. Though it seems like 2020 might be starting to seep into the community sometimes - feels like there's a few too many political examine texts these days. But I mean it's never been unfriendly if you can find a crowd doing something. |
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Post by Nester the Lark on Feb 8, 2021 12:03:32 GMT -5
So, it's been forever since I updated here.
Been playing Ys Origin. Finished all three character routes and unlocked the Arena Mode, where I've also unlocked the Felghana version of Adol. Now working on unlocking the alternate versions of the main characters.
Been working slowly through Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light. Having already played the DS remake, this isn't really anything new for me, but there's something special about being able to play the original Fire Emblem. Sure, it's rough and primitive, and lacks a lot of quality of life improvements (thank goodness you can rewind to previous turns in this version), but I still appreciate it. The game might have been a bit overwhelming for me if I had actually played it on my NES as a kid, but as an adult, I can still take myself back to the frame of mind I had then and enjoy it for what it is.
Also, the 8-bit character animations are cute.
I also finally bought Panzer Dragoon: Remake, because it was on sale for 75% off. I've already beaten it on all three difficulty settings, but it's a fun playthrough, and I expect I'll still replay it. As far as rail shooters go, it won't be replacing Sin & Punishment 2 or Star Fox Zero as my all-time favorites, but I'm glad to have finally tried a game in such a classic series. I look forward to the Panzer Dragoon II Zwei remake.
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Post by Nester the Lark on Jul 17, 2021 8:45:18 GMT -5
So, I've been playing exactly what you probably think I've been playing...
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox - I'm over a dozen hours into this so far. In a nutshell, it's essentially Ys VIII shoehorned into a different context. Pretty much every gameplay beat from VIII has an equivalent here. I had somewhat mixed feelings about VIII, and I think I have slightly more mixed feelings about IX. I'll go into detail after I've gotten a bit further in the game.
R-Type Final 2 - This has become my go-to game this year. I didn't expect that I would be playing this game as much as some RPGs, but its sandbox-like approach and frequent content updates make it really inviting to keep jumping into. Not only has it quickly become one of my favorite Switch games, but one of my all-time favorite shmups, as well.
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Post by nocturnal YL on Jul 17, 2021 13:23:00 GMT -5
Good to see R-Type Final 2 ending up being good. The whole "traditional game series getting a crowdfunded sequel" actually had me worried for a bit.
I've always heard that Ys IX is essentially Ys VIII but slightly worse, so I guess that's the case for you too?
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Post by Nester the Lark on Jul 18, 2021 9:47:59 GMT -5
R-Type Final 2 did get a somewhat lukewarm response when it first released. I can understand the issues people had with it, but it still appealed to my personal sensibilities. With the updates and DLC over the past couple of months, its been improved a lot, and it looks like it will only keep getting better. Kazuma Kujo has been quite ambitious with it, and he's been treating it like a passion project. When all is said and done, it just might end up being the ultimate R-Type. Maybe I should mention that I did contribute to the crowdfunding campaign, but only at the 500 yen level, which converted to about US$4.80, so it was more of symbolic gesture. At that level, the only backer reward I received was "the creator's heartfelt expression of thanks." When you think about it, that's something that's worth no amount of money... Well, 500 yen, but besides that.  For Ys IX, I've heard divisive opinions. Some think it's one of the best Ys games, and others think it's one of the weakest. I think there are some things it does better than VIII, some that are worse, and some that are both better and worse at the same time. I have complicated thoughts, but I'll go into detail about them soon. |
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Post by Nester the Lark on Dec 7, 2022 11:23:15 GMT -5
They say that being online too much is bad for your mental health, but being stuck without an internet connection for over six weeks isn't all it's cracked up to be. I just felt disconnected and out of touch.
But I did do a lot of gaming.
At least I was able to download to second wave of DLC for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 before going offline. It wasn't very long, and I'm not sure exactly why Ino needed to be paid DLC, but it had a lot of fun references to Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
I also went looking for all the unique monsters, and I found all but four. One of the missing ones is a super boss. Once I got back online, I checked to see where it was, and honestly, I'm shocked I haven't stumbled upon it considering how many times I've been through that area.
Also, I spent time in the challenge mode.
And speaking of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, I actually went back to that for a while, also. XC2 has such an insane amount of content that I still managed to find things to do that I had never done before. XC2's combat is overly convoluted and kind of a mess, but in a good way. Overall, I still prefer XC2 to XC3.
One fun thing I did in both games was turn on the auto battle option. It's interesting, because it made me feel like I was in more of a "coaching" role. I was more focused on planning and preparation, and then I would just watch my team execute the play. The best part is that you can toggle auto battle on and off at will during gameplay, so if I didn't like what I saw the AI doing, I could jump in, take care of things, and then hand it back. Unfortunately, XC3 doesn't let you use auto battle against bosses, unique monsters, or in the challenge mode, but it still made grinding a lot less tedious.
Believe it or not, I also went back to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. I finished off the Ballad of the Champions DLC for a second time.
And finally, I spent a lot of time on Stardew Valley. I've really gotten into it, now. There's actually a lot more content in the game than there initially appears. It also has a lot more mature themes than I was expecting. The residents of Stardew Valley have some pretty dark stuff going on under the surface.
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Post by Nester the Lark on Jan 5, 2024 15:20:49 GMT -5
So, I finally worked up enough courage to start playing Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse. I’m about six hours into it so far.
Being a remaster of a game from 2008, it’s very much an old school survival horror game. It follows the original Resident Evil formula pretty closely in that you wander around a labyrinthine complex, look for keys to open up locked doors, solve arbitrary puzzles, and occasionally fight an enemy or two. In fact, in a post Resident Evil 4 world, I’d say it feels a bit formulaic even by 2008 standards. But for what it is, it’s done well.
As a remaster, the character models look really good, and the FMVs were all redone. Textures in the environments, however, are quite pixelated, and don’t seem to have been touched up much, if at all. The original Wii controls have been adapted to work like they do in Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, but feel slightly clumsier than they do in that game.
I think the game could’ve used a few more QoL improvements. Its save system feels out of date in that there is no quick restart if you get a game over. Die in a boss fight? You’re going to reload from your last save point, even if it was 30 minutes ago. I understand that that’s the "survival" part of survival horror, but modern games are still better at respecting a player’s time.
(EDIT: Forgot to mention that there was an infamous bug in the Wii version that prevented the player from ever being able to get 100 percent and unlock everything. That has been completely fixed in this version.)
Combat is very similar to that in Maiden of Black Water where you use a combination of analog sticks and gyro controls. The gyro aiming can be adjusted, or even turned off, but I personally prefer them, as it feels more natural and is much more precise than sticks alone. In general, I find the combat much more challenging than in Maiden of Black Water due to the ghosts being less predictable and the timing for a Fatal Frame seems much tighter.
Overall, I’m quite enjoying it so far. It’s a good remaster, but the game does feel like a product of its time.
On a side note, I can’t find any evidence that Gust worked on this game like they did with the port of Maiden of Black Water. That’s too bad, because it would be funny if YL and I both ended up playing Gust games.
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Post by nocturnal YL on Jan 7, 2024 2:14:15 GMT -5
Just checked the staff credits. Yep, it's (partly) Gust. For some reason, KOEI TECMO's official website listed this and Maiden of Black Water as being unassociated with any of their sub-brands, like with Monster Rancher. Both are originally TECMO IPs that didn't fit in KOEI TECMO's post-2016 brand system (propbably because neither series had new entries besides ports). Searching for the producers and directors of Mask of the Lunar Eclipse shows that Makoto Shibata joined Team NINJA, Masahiro Yuki worked on Grasshopper Manufacture's The 25th Ward: The Silver Case and TECMO's Deception IV before that, Keisuke Kikuchi has moved to Gust since working on Nights of Azure, and Suda51 and Ren Yamazaki are, obviously, from Grasshopper Manufacture. The remaster is directed by Masafumi Takano from ω-Force. The producers are from Gust. |
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. In the first week it was really good for making GP because people would sell the materials to fix artefacts at very high prices (even common ones). Now the materials have dropped in price a lot. My experience with it has felt like one of the slowest skills to level, but I don't know if it gets easier to train. The Runescape wiki has a guide, though. I haven't done much in Anachronia but you can train Agility and Hunter there, although I had at least Level 99 in both when I quit in 2010, so haven't tried it yet.