What Games Are You Playing?

My first Final Fantasy completion since XV!

Completed Game #02:
Final Fantasy X HD Remaster (for PlayStation 4)

In April 2017, I had the opportunity to pick up the rare out of print steelbook for Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster collection. I had never played any of the Final Fantasy titles with the exception of III on DS (barely got through it due to the challenge), XIII on Xbox 360 (I got through the linear part but the open-world part broke me) and XV on PlayStation 4 (finished it in 2017), so going through Final Fantasy X for the first time was both nerve-racking and exciting. The former reason is that I was worried that the core gameplay would be too complicated for me, but thankfully after playing the game, it was better than I had expected.

Final Fantasy X was released for the PlayStation 2 back in 2001 and was eventually remastered for the PlayStation 3 and Vita followed by current-gen consoles later down the line. The remaster contains both Final Fantasy X International and Final Fantasy X-2 in a single package, but for this case, I wanted to only focus on the main installment; Final Fantasy X itself.

The gameplay for FFX is the classic traditional gameplay of traditional turn-based combat. You have 3 people on your team going up against enemies throughout the game and you basically take turns. Much like a number of other RPGs, the people in your team during the combat segments are the only ones who will earn experience, but in this game, the level up system is very different. I did like how you can swap characters during combat and have time to plan and strategically tackle the fights which weren't always the case in earlier installments.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1225050806283657218

This game's level-up system has no mention of 'Lv 99' etc. and focuses solely on earning AP. AP will allow each member of the team to take a slot on their sphere grid which covers HP, MP, Magic Defence, Defence, Abilities, and more. Each character can essentially consume the whole grid and not worry about any overlapping, but like the traditional level up concept, the more AP you earn the more experience is needed before you can acquire them. Each character starts off with their own mini circle where you have a general idea of what skills they will take but over time you will eventually share them around which is handy for tougher battles.

The main portion of FFX is very linear, you go through each area fighting enemies along the way as well as watching the story progress and the boss battles that appear. Just before the final area appears, you will eventually unlock the iconic airship that is a flagship of the franchise that will allow you to backtrack and fight earlier enemies, tackle side-quests, any collectible Al Bhed books you can find, as well as the monster arena which is very useful for gaining more AP.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1225191847024308224

The progression of the story was much quicker than I had anticipated, however, the final couple of areas resulted in a massive difficulty spike so I had to spend a lot of time leveling up the sphere grid for each of the characters. Just before the final area I also decided to spend an additional 15 hours playtime going through the side-content. I collected all 26 Al Bhed books, trained the Chocobo, gathered most of the monsters for the Monster Arena, acquired all of the summons and even grinded to the point where I had Triple AP weapons for most of the team. This stuff is great but very time-consuming so eventually I went straight to finishing the story. Overall playtime was about 54 hours in total (average estimation is around 45-49 hours).

So, now the question a lot of you reading this are probably wondering what I thought of the game in general. To my surprise I really enjoyed it. It's a classic game that I wished I had played when I was younger and the story is pretty good (but quite daft because it's all about defeating Sin and it's just so weird to hear that name). The English dub is stupid but loveable, I mean it has the iconic HA HA HA HA moment that everyone just loves because of how weird it is. Auron is pretty cool and I can see why he was included in Kingdom Hearts II's Olympus section.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1224674168949673984

The only nitpick I have with the game outside of the obvious difficulty spike near the end, is that Lulu's special overdrive move doesn't work properly as it requires you to rotate the right stick which doesn't connect properly. The other nitpick is that I wish the game would include skippable cutscenes especially during the summoning sections and also a Speed Mode would have been handy (this option is included in the PC version of the game).

Overall, Final Fantasy X was a great game to play. The PC version is the best way to go thanks to Boost Mode but the PS4 version is still a solid option if you prefer that route. I won't be delving into Final Fantasy X-2 HD Remaster but I am interested in playing Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age next which is one of the oldest games in my backlog alongside Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth.

My backlog so far:
-- PlayStation 3 -- 23 total --
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Catherine
Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut
Dragon's Crown
Drakengard 3
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2
Eternal Sonata
Folklore
Katamari Forever
Killzone 2
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Puppeteer
Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes
Siren Blood Curse
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus HD
Sly 2: Band of Thieves HD
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves HD
Soul Calibur V
Tales of Xillia 2
Tears to Tiara II: Heir of the Overlord
White Knight Chronicles
White Knight Chronicles II

-- PlayStation Vita -- 14 total --
Bullet Girls
Demon Gaze
Freedom Wars
Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 3
Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed
MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies
Muv-Luv [VN]
Muv-Luv Alternative [VN]
Superdimension Neptune vs SEGA Hard Girls
Touch My Katamari
Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni

-- PlayStation 4 -- 52 total --
428: Shibuya Scramble [VN]
Blue Reflection
Chaos;Child [VN]
Cyberdimension Neptunia: Four Goddesses Online
Danganronpa 1 Reload [VN]
Danganronpa 2 Reload [VN]
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony [VN]
Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Fortune
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth
Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star
Fate/Extella Link
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise
Gal*Gun: Double Peace
GOD EATER Resurrection
GOD EATER 2 Rage Burst
.hack//G.U. Vol.1: Rebirth Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.2: Reminisce Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.3: Redemption Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.4: Reconnection
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven
Megadimension Neptunia VII (Victory II)
Megadimension Neptunia VIIR (Victory II Realize)
Nights of Azure
Our World Is Ended [VN]
Punch Line [VN]
Raging Loop [VN]
Sengoku Basara 4: Sumeragi
Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal
Shining Resonance: Refrain
Steins;Gate Elite [VN]
Steins;Gate: Linear Bound Phenogram [VN]
Super Robot Wars V
Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization
Tales of Berseria
Tales of Vesperia
Tales of Zestiria
Tokyo Xanadu eX+
Toukiden 2
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception [VN]
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth [VN]
Valkyria Chronicles Remastered
Valkyria Chronicles 4
WORLDEND SYNDROME [VN]
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Ys Origin
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this World [VN]
Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma [VN]

-- Personal Computer -- 2 total --
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky First Chapter
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Second Chapter

-- Nintendo 3DS -- 2 total --
Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson
Tales of the Abyss

Completed Games Collection of 2020:
  • January
    • #01 | Kingdom Hearts III ReMIND (for PlayStation 4)
  • February
    • #02 | Final Fantasy X HD Remaster (for PlayStation 4)

Platinum Trophy Collection:
  • 2014
    • #01 | Saints Row: The Third (for PlayStation 3)
  • 2015
    • #02 | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle (for PlayStation 3)
    • #03 | Hyperdimension Neptunia (for PlayStation 3)
    • #04 | Dekamori Senran Kagura (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #05 | Steins;Gate (for PlayStation 3)
    • #06 | NieR (for PlayStation 3)
    • #07 | No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise (for PlayStation 3)
    • #08 | Asura's Wrath (for PlayStation 3)
    • #09 | Saints Row IV (for PlayStation 3)
    • #10 | The Darkness II (for PlayStation 3)
  • 2016
    • #11 | Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 (for PlayStation 3)
    • #12 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #13 | Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #14 | Gravity Rush (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #15 | Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory (for PlayStation 3)
    • #16 | Resogun (for PlayStation 4)
    • #17 | Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #18 | Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2017
    • #19 | Miracle Girls Festival (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #20 | Senran Kagura Estival Versus (for PlayStation 4)
    • #21 | The Wolf Among Us (for PlayStation 4)
    • #22 | Final Fantasy XV (for PlayStation 4)
    • #23 | Amplitude (for PlayStation 4)
    • #24 | Root Letter (for PlayStation 4)
    • #25 | IA/VT -Colorful- (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #26 | Persona 4: Dancing All Night (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #27 | Gravity Rush Remastered (for PlayStation 4)
    • #28 | NieR: Automata (for PlayStation 4)
    • #29 | The Silver Case HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #30 | Steins;Gate 0 (for PlayStation 4)
    • #31 | Under Defeat HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #32 | Tales from the Borderlands (for PlayStation 4)
    • #33 | Dragon Ball Z Budokai HD Collection (for PlayStation 3)
    • #34 | Life is Strange (for PlayStation 4)
    • #35 | Sword Art Online: Lost Song (for PlayStation 4)
    • #36 | Crash Bandicoot HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #37 | Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #38 | Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #39 | Final Fantasy Type-0 HD (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2018
    • #40 | Corpse Party: Blood Drive (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #41 | Persona 5 (for PlayStation 4)
    • #42 | Zero Escape: The Nonary Games (for PlayStation 4)
    • #43 | Persona 4: Dancing All Night [Japanese Version] (for PlayStation 4)
    • #44 | Marvel's Spider-Man (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2019
    • #45 | Akiba's Trip 2: Undead & Undressed (for PlayStation 4)
    • #46 | Spyro the Dragon HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #47 | Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #48 | Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #49 | Tekken Tag Tournament HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #50 | Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #51 | Taiko no Tatsujin V Version (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #52 | Utakumi 575 (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #53 | Jak II: Renegade HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #54 | Jak 3 HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #55 | Ratchet & Clank HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #56 | Ratchet & Clank 2: Going Commando HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #57 | Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #58 | Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2020:
    • #59 | Kingdom Hearts III (for PlayStation 4)
 
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Finished Judgment (Playtime: 51:44:58) This was a very good spin-off from the Yakuza series that once again makes the most of a relatively small world map (I wish there had been a second area though) which was filled with side cases and activities to whittle the hours away. The story itself was also pretty dark in places and didn’t feel too repetitive or meandering like some of the other titles in the Yakuza franchise.

There were occasional frustrations with the repetitive tailing segments (especially with some wonky AI at times), side mission characters hidden behind difficult mini games (I had to grind SP to cheat at Majhong with a special tile) and limited combat style but overall Judgment stands as an impressive title with a likeable cast of characters and a different approach to the signature Yakuza formula. 4/5

Will probably start Yakuza 3 Remastered next-it’s the only Yakuza title (available in the West) that I haven’t played yet.
 
That first tailing segment immediately put me off. Story seemed interesting but i just can't make myself put up with tedious gameplay like that. If there was just few segments like that then i guess i could deal with it but it's not the case.
 
Thankfully they’re usually not too difficult and the other detective minI games were better (finding a cat in every first-person-perspective investigation for SP was neat.)

Forgot to note but I went with the Japanese audio-no idea if the English dub was good or not.
 
ERe6OInWkAUA5Nm


Completed Game #03:
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (for PlayStation 4)

In July 2017, the same year I picked up Final Fantasy X/x-2 HD Remaster collection, I received Final Fantasy XII's HD remaster as a late-Birthday present. Admittedly I did not start this game until recently since I was in a weird mood to continue playing more Final Fantasy stuff. Final Fantasy XII was released for the PlayStation 2 back in 2006 for Japan & US and 2007 for EU & Australia and was eventually re-released in Japan not long after with the International Zodiac Job System. This version of the game is the one remastered for the PlayStation 4 followed by current-gen consoles later down the line.

So to my surprise, FFXII uses a different gameplay system compared to the previous installments (not including the online game FFXI), it's an action-based role-playing game that features a number of tweaks to the system. The first is the inclusion of Gambits, that allows you to manage the setups for your AI teammates and have everything automatically setup during combat. The second is the License system, which brings back the Job aspect of the franchise but allows you to customise which path your characters should take similar to FFX, each character can have at least two jobs (the first is chosen immediately as they become playable, and the second is available after a certain point in the story). This is actually pretty cool as it allows for replayability since every character has different stats and skills. The versions released after the PS4 version does allow you to reboot the job you've picked. Like FFX, the people in your team during the combat segments are the only ones who will earn experience. It is actually more tedious this time around but the license points will count for each member so you can improve their jobs even if they aren't being used for combat.

While I really enjoyed the combat in FFX, FFXII is a frustrating one to explain because the game's biggest issue is how padded the game is in terms of going from one point to another. You will spend hours trying to proceed and even though teleport crystals are available to skip big portions of the travel, this will give you a disadvantage because the enemy's levels spike up a lot as you progress so it is better to grind and take the long journey than to speed up. I am not a fan of this because FFX handled it a lot better due to its level up system grid being more flexible and even though in that game I had to swap characters around, that was good because each character can be utilized whereas in FFXII it basically boils down to who can kill the enemy the quickest and stay alive the most in the end. The saving grace for the padding issue is thankfully the inclusion of the Speed Mode, which will make the game 2x and 4x faster. I used the 4x option and it just helps. As such the story took at least 36 hours of playtime at level 55 for most of the characters.

That being said, FFXII does have some good aspects. The world of Ivalice is really cool and well done and the characters are all likeable. Vaan I know gets a lot of flack but I didn't mind him as the story progresses. Balthier is actually my favourite of the group, partly due to his English voice which fits his character, and I liked Fran as well and I can see why her race became a popular one among the community. The story overall was solid and the final act was okay but doesn't have a strong and memorable villain compared to other games in the series.

Overall, Final Fantasy XII is a good game that has a couple of issues in various aspects. The story, characters, world-building are all superb, but the combat is alright with a lot of frustrating aspects here and there. Heck, the menu setup is so off-putting that I couldn't tell if I could use items and magic during the menus or not compared to Final Fantasy X and Kingdom Hearts.

Also, those bloody traps are just daft.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1231017316839776256

My backlog so far:
-- PlayStation 3 -- 23 total --
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Catherine
Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut
Dragon's Crown
Drakengard 3
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2
Eternal Sonata
Folklore
Katamari Forever
Killzone 2
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Puppeteer
Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes
Siren Blood Curse
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus HD
Sly 2: Band of Thieves HD
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves HD
Soul Calibur V
Tales of Xillia 2
Tears to Tiara II: Heir of the Overlord
White Knight Chronicles
White Knight Chronicles II

-- PlayStation Vita -- 14 total --
Bullet Girls
Demon Gaze
Freedom Wars
Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 3
Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed
MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies
Muv-Luv [VN]
Muv-Luv Alternative [VN]
Superdimension Neptune vs SEGA Hard Girls
Touch My Katamari
Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni

-- PlayStation 4 -- 52 total --
428: Shibuya Scramble [VN]
Blue Reflection
Chaos;Child [VN]
Cyberdimension Neptunia: Four Goddesses Online
Danganronpa 1 Reload [VN]
Danganronpa 2 Reload [VN]
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony [VN]
Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Fortune
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth
Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star
Fate/Extella Link
Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise
Gal*Gun: Double Peace
GOD EATER Resurrection
GOD EATER 2 Rage Burst
.hack//G.U. Vol.1: Rebirth Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.2: Reminisce Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.3: Redemption Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.4: Reconnection
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven
Megadimension Neptunia VII (Victory II)
Megadimension Neptunia VIIR (Victory II Realize)
Nights of Azure
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3
Our World Is Ended [VN]
Punch Line [VN]
Raging Loop [VN]
Sengoku Basara 4: Sumeragi
Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal
Shining Resonance: Refrain
Steins;Gate Elite [VN]
Steins;Gate: Linear Bound Phenogram [VN]
Super Robot Wars V
Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization
Tales of Berseria
Tales of Vesperia
Tales of Zestiria
Tokyo Xanadu eX+
Toukiden 2
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception [VN]
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth [VN]
Valkyria Chronicles Remastered
Valkyria Chronicles 4
WORLDEND SYNDROME [VN]
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Ys Origin
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this World [VN]
Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma [VN]

-- Personal Computer -- 2 total --
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky First Chapter
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Second Chapter

-- Nintendo 3DS -- 2 total --
Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson
Tales of the Abyss

Completed Games Collection of 2020:
  • January
    • #01 | Kingdom Hearts III ReMIND (for PlayStation 4)
  • February
    • #02 | Final Fantasy X HD Remaster (for PlayStation 4)
    • #03 | Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (for PlayStation 4)

Platinum Trophy Collection:
  • 2014
    • #01 | Saints Row: The Third (for PlayStation 3)
  • 2015
    • #02 | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle (for PlayStation 3)
    • #03 | Hyperdimension Neptunia (for PlayStation 3)
    • #04 | Dekamori Senran Kagura (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #05 | Steins;Gate (for PlayStation 3)
    • #06 | NieR (for PlayStation 3)
    • #07 | No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise (for PlayStation 3)
    • #08 | Asura's Wrath (for PlayStation 3)
    • #09 | Saints Row IV (for PlayStation 3)
    • #10 | The Darkness II (for PlayStation 3)
  • 2016
    • #11 | Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 (for PlayStation 3)
    • #12 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #13 | Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #14 | Gravity Rush (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #15 | Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory (for PlayStation 3)
    • #16 | Resogun (for PlayStation 4)
    • #17 | Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #18 | Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2017
    • #19 | Miracle Girls Festival (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #20 | Senran Kagura Estival Versus (for PlayStation 4)
    • #21 | The Wolf Among Us (for PlayStation 4)
    • #22 | Final Fantasy XV (for PlayStation 4)
    • #23 | Amplitude (for PlayStation 4)
    • #24 | Root Letter (for PlayStation 4)
    • #25 | IA/VT -Colorful- (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #26 | Persona 4: Dancing All Night (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #27 | Gravity Rush Remastered (for PlayStation 4)
    • #28 | NieR: Automata (for PlayStation 4)
    • #29 | The Silver Case HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #30 | Steins;Gate 0 (for PlayStation 4)
    • #31 | Under Defeat HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #32 | Tales from the Borderlands (for PlayStation 4)
    • #33 | Dragon Ball Z Budokai HD Collection (for PlayStation 3)
    • #34 | Life is Strange (for PlayStation 4)
    • #35 | Sword Art Online: Lost Song (for PlayStation 4)
    • #36 | Crash Bandicoot HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #37 | Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #38 | Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #39 | Final Fantasy Type-0 HD (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2018
    • #40 | Corpse Party: Blood Drive (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #41 | Persona 5 (for PlayStation 4)
    • #42 | Zero Escape: The Nonary Games (for PlayStation 4)
    • #43 | Persona 4: Dancing All Night [Japanese Version] (for PlayStation 4)
    • #44 | Marvel's Spider-Man (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2019
    • #45 | Akiba's Trip 2: Undead & Undressed (for PlayStation 4)
    • #46 | Spyro the Dragon HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #47 | Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #48 | Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #49 | Tekken Tag Tournament HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #50 | Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #51 | Taiko no Tatsujin V Version (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #52 | Utakumi 575 (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #53 | Jak II: Renegade HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #54 | Jak 3 HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #55 | Ratchet & Clank HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #56 | Ratchet & Clank 2: Going Commando HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #57 | Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #58 | Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2020:
    • #59 | Kingdom Hearts III (for PlayStation 4)
 
I finally finished Yakuza 3 Remastered (Playtime: 56ish hours.) This is the weakest in the series for me, though it wasn’t without its charm. Sadly the limitations of the earlier games reared their head with some of the sub stories being hidden behind completing tedious and clunky mini games and having to eat one food or drink item at a time was a pain (Kiryu ended up eating more shrimp Bait than anything else.) The combat too felt a bit limited and the storyline was a bit throwaway but overall a decent game that’s overshadowed by the better titles that followed it. 3.5/5

Next up is the Final Fantasy VII Remake demo.
 
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Completed Game #04:
Ys Origin (for PlayStation 4)

Many years ago I tried out the demo for Ys Origin and I was pretty curious but never managed to finish it because the boss kept defeating me. Fast-forward to March 2017 and I acquired the game through PlayStation 4 thanks to Sony's Third Party Productions and publisher DotEmu. Due to the recommendation that Ys I & II should be played first, I put the game on-hold ever since. Fast-forward once again to this month, and I finally started to progress with the game.

Ys Origin is an action role-playing game that takes place 700 years before the events of Ys I, following a different group of characters and the whole game basically taking place in a tower full of dungeon style levels. Each level has enemies that you need to whack and along the way, acquire new items to support your character as well as gaining access to higher levels whilst defeating the bosses of each area.

Ys Origin has the unique take of including three story campaigns. Yunica, Hugo, and Claw. Yunica and Hugo are both very similar in terms of story but they have different gameplay movesets; Yunica is a mix between close combat and long-distance attacks, and Hugo is more focused on long-distance attacks. The third character Claw is unlocked after finishing the other two's campaigns and is more focused on close combat which can up the difficulty a lot if you want to play on higher difficulties. I finished each character on Normal difficulty and actually found Yunica to be the hardest overall while the other two gradually getting easier as you progress through the tower.

In addition to the usual combat, every time you hit an enemy the XP multiplier increases until you reach x1.99 and you can keep that going as long as you find an enemy and whack them a few times (getting hit by an enemy won't lose the streak thankfully) and there's also SP bonuses that you can unlock such as reducing effects from poison, better protection on armour, speeding up recovery and more. The highest level you can reach is 60 and I got as high as 50 before finishing the campaigns.

Overall, Ys Origin was a solid game to play and great fun. The only negative I have is that because you have to playthrough each campaign to finish the whole story, that means replaying the same levels three times which can be draining at times. Thankfully the campaigns are relatively short with an average time of 5-7 hours overall for each one.

Ys Origin is available to play on PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One and PC.

My backlog so far:
-- PlayStation 3 -- 23 total --
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Catherine
Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut
Dragon's Crown
Drakengard 3
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2
Eternal Sonata
Folklore
Katamari Forever
Killzone 2
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Puppeteer
Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes
Siren Blood Curse
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus HD
Sly 2: Band of Thieves HD
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves HD
Soul Calibur V
Tales of Xillia 2
Tears to Tiara II: Heir of the Overlord
White Knight Chronicles
White Knight Chronicles II

-- PlayStation Vita -- 14 total --
Bullet Girls
Demon Gaze
Freedom Wars
Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 3
Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed
MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies
Muv-Luv [VN]
Muv-Luv Alternative [VN]
Superdimension Neptune vs SEGA Hard Girls
Touch My Katamari
Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni

-- PlayStation 4 -- 52 total --
428: Shibuya Scramble [VN]
Blue Reflection
Chaos;Child [VN]
Cyberdimension Neptunia: Four Goddesses Online
Danganronpa 1 Reload [VN]
Danganronpa 2 Reload [VN]
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony [VN]
Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Fortune
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth
Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star
Fate/Extella Link
Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise
Gal*Gun: Double Peace
GOD EATER Resurrection
GOD EATER 2 Rage Burst
.hack//G.U. Vol.1: Rebirth Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.2: Reminisce Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.3: Redemption Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.4: Reconnection
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven
Megadimension Neptunia VII (Victory II)
Megadimension Neptunia VIIR (Victory II Realize)
Nights of Azure
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3
Our World Is Ended [VN]
Punch Line [VN]
Raging Loop [VN]
Sengoku Basara 4: Sumeragi
Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal
Shining Resonance: Refrain
Steins;Gate Elite [VN]
Steins;Gate: Linear Bound Phenogram [VN]
Super Robot Wars V
Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization
Tales of Berseria
Tales of Vesperia
Tales of Zestiria
Tokyo Xanadu eX+
Toukiden 2
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception [VN]
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth [VN]
Valkyria Chronicles Remastered
Valkyria Chronicles 4
WORLDEND SYNDROME [VN]
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this World [VN]
Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma [VN]

-- Personal Computer -- 2 total --
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky First Chapter
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Second Chapter

-- Nintendo 3DS -- 2 total --
Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson
Tales of the Abyss

Completed Games Collection of 2020:
  • January
    • #01 | Kingdom Hearts III ReMIND (for PlayStation 4)
  • February
    • #02 | Final Fantasy X HD Remaster (for PlayStation 4)
    • #03 | Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (for PlayStation 4)
  • March
    • #04 | Ys Origin (for PlayStation 4)

Platinum Trophy Collection:
  • 2014
    • #01 | Saints Row: The Third (for PlayStation 3)
  • 2015
    • #02 | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle (for PlayStation 3)
    • #03 | Hyperdimension Neptunia (for PlayStation 3)
    • #04 | Dekamori Senran Kagura (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #05 | Steins;Gate (for PlayStation 3)
    • #06 | NieR (for PlayStation 3)
    • #07 | No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise (for PlayStation 3)
    • #08 | Asura's Wrath (for PlayStation 3)
    • #09 | Saints Row IV (for PlayStation 3)
    • #10 | The Darkness II (for PlayStation 3)
  • 2016
    • #11 | Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 (for PlayStation 3)
    • #12 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #13 | Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #14 | Gravity Rush (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #15 | Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory (for PlayStation 3)
    • #16 | Resogun (for PlayStation 4)
    • #17 | Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #18 | Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2017
    • #19 | Miracle Girls Festival (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #20 | Senran Kagura Estival Versus (for PlayStation 4)
    • #21 | The Wolf Among Us (for PlayStation 4)
    • #22 | Final Fantasy XV (for PlayStation 4)
    • #23 | Amplitude (for PlayStation 4)
    • #24 | Root Letter (for PlayStation 4)
    • #25 | IA/VT -Colorful- (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #26 | Persona 4: Dancing All Night (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #27 | Gravity Rush Remastered (for PlayStation 4)
    • #28 | NieR: Automata (for PlayStation 4)
    • #29 | The Silver Case HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #30 | Steins;Gate 0 (for PlayStation 4)
    • #31 | Under Defeat HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #32 | Tales from the Borderlands (for PlayStation 4)
    • #33 | Dragon Ball Z Budokai HD Collection (for PlayStation 3)
    • #34 | Life is Strange (for PlayStation 4)
    • #35 | Sword Art Online: Lost Song (for PlayStation 4)
    • #36 | Crash Bandicoot HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #37 | Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #38 | Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #39 | Final Fantasy Type-0 HD (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2018
    • #40 | Corpse Party: Blood Drive (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #41 | Persona 5 (for PlayStation 4)
    • #42 | Zero Escape: The Nonary Games (for PlayStation 4)
    • #43 | Persona 4: Dancing All Night [Japanese Version] (for PlayStation 4)
    • #44 | Marvel's Spider-Man (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2019
    • #45 | Akiba's Trip 2: Undead & Undressed (for PlayStation 4)
    • #46 | Spyro the Dragon HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #47 | Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #48 | Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #49 | Tekken Tag Tournament HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #50 | Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #51 | Taiko no Tatsujin V Version (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #52 | Utakumi 575 (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #53 | Jak II: Renegade HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #54 | Jak 3 HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #55 | Ratchet & Clank HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #56 | Ratchet & Clank 2: Going Commando HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #57 | Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #58 | Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2020:
    • #59 | Kingdom Hearts III (for PlayStation 4)
 
Worked my way through the Final Fantasy VII Remake Demo last night and it’s got me pretty excited to play the rest of the game.
 
The most extreme rent-seeking game of all time: Animal Crossing: New Horizons!

(We can all see the gleam in Tom Nook's eyes)

/umiko
 

Completed Games #05-07:
DOOM, DOOM II: Hell on Earth, and DOOM 64 (for PlayStation 4)

Back in January, Bethesda and id Software released a new patch for the classic DOOM and DOOM II games on current-gen consoles, which offered a number of changes that have now officially made these ports to be the best version outside of PC. Better frame rate, better weapon select, quick save support, and also add-on mod support depending on availability. As such, I had picked them both up for £3.99 each and played them throughout this weekend. I won't talk too much about these two because I had already beaten them in the past. But what I wanted to talk about the most is the release of DOOM 64 for the current-gen consoles since Friday 20th March, the same day that DOOM Eternal had been released.

DOOM 64 was released in 1997 exclusively for the Nintendo 64 and many people thought this was a port of the original two DOOM games like the PlayStation and other consoles. This is actually not the case. DOOM 64 was developed by Midway (known for Mortal Kombat) and is a continuation of the events of DOOM II: Hell on Earth. This is a very interesting game for a number of things. The first is that this is not the same as the others, and what I mean by that are a few things - tone, music, presentation, game design, and weapons.

Tone & Music - This is a very dark game, most notably by how you literally can't see a thing unless you increase the brightness which unfortunately is the first thing I recommend you do before starting the game because low visibility ruins the game a lot. I can see what they were going for but it overstays its welcome fast. The music is also a gloomy ambient experience which is similar to the original PlayStation release, and notably, both were done by the same composer.

Presentation - The graphics in this game are really good and intriguing. The demon designs have a clay-like design to them which does look inconsistent when you look at the earlier games, but they look great in the end and I have no issue with them.

Game Design - There are around 39 levels in this game. 25 main levels, 4 secret levels, 4 fun levels, and 6 lost levels. The lost levels are a new addition to the 2020 release of the game (much like how the Lost Mission was a new addition to the BFG Edition of DOOM 3). The concept of the levels is similar to the previous game but the environment does change a lot more and there are tons of booby traps around which can throw you off a lot. A bit annoying if you ask me, but a nice change of pace in parts and adds a sense of horror to the player.

Weapon - The main weapons are back and you even get the shotgun pretty quick when you start. The new addition is the Laser Gun which can be powered up and become a much deadlier weapon if you can locate and acquire three Demon Keys that are scattered across three secret levels. These keys are also integral in making the fight against the final boss easier.

Overall, DOOM 64 is a solid addition to the franchise and despite not being developed by id Software, it is officially part of the canon and now makes DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal officially a continuation of the earlier games. Don't sleep on DOOM 64 because it offers some great content and you don't have to worry about any Arch-Viles because they aren't in it thank god.

DOOM 64 is available to play on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch (coming soon) and PC.

My backlog so far:
-- PlayStation 3 -- 23 total --
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Catherine
Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut
Dragon's Crown
Drakengard 3
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2
Eternal Sonata
Folklore
Katamari Forever
Killzone 2
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Puppeteer
Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes
Siren Blood Curse
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus HD
Sly 2: Band of Thieves HD
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves HD
Soul Calibur V
Tales of Xillia 2
Tears to Tiara II: Heir of the Overlord
White Knight Chronicles
White Knight Chronicles II

-- PlayStation Vita -- 14 total --
Bullet Girls
Demon Gaze
Freedom Wars
Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 3
Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed
MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies
Muv-Luv [VN]
Muv-Luv Alternative [VN]
Superdimension Neptune vs SEGA Hard Girls
Touch My Katamari
Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni

-- PlayStation 4 -- 52 total --
428: Shibuya Scramble [VN]
Blue Reflection
Chaos;Child [VN]
Cyberdimension Neptunia: Four Goddesses Online
Danganronpa 1 Reload [VN]
Danganronpa 2 Reload [VN]
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony [VN]
Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Fortune
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth
Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star
Fate/Extella Link
Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise
Gal*Gun: Double Peace
GOD EATER Resurrection
GOD EATER 2 Rage Burst
.hack//G.U. Vol.1: Rebirth Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.2: Reminisce Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.3: Redemption Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.4: Reconnection
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven
Megadimension Neptunia VII (Victory II)
Megadimension Neptunia VIIR (Victory II Realize)
Nights of Azure
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3
Our World Is Ended [VN]
Punch Line [VN]
Raging Loop [VN]
Sengoku Basara 4: Sumeragi
Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal
Shining Resonance: Refrain
Steins;Gate Elite [VN]
Steins;Gate: Linear Bound Phenogram [VN]
Super Robot Wars V
Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization
Tales of Berseria
Tales of Vesperia
Tales of Zestiria
Tokyo Xanadu eX+
Toukiden 2
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception [VN]
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth [VN]
Valkyria Chronicles Remastered
Valkyria Chronicles 4
WORLDEND SYNDROME [VN]
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this World [VN]
Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma [VN]

-- Personal Computer -- 2 total --
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky First Chapter
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Second Chapter

-- Nintendo 3DS -- 2 total --
Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson
Tales of the Abyss

Completed Games Collection of 2020:
  • January
    • #01 | Kingdom Hearts III ReMIND (for PlayStation 4)
  • February
    • #02 | Final Fantasy X HD Remaster (for PlayStation 4)
    • #03 | Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (for PlayStation 4)
  • March
    • #04 | Ys Origin (for PlayStation 4)
    • #05 | DOOM (for PlayStation 4)
    • #06 | DOOM II: Hell on Earth (for PlayStation 4)
    • #07 | DOOM 64 (for PlayStation 4)

Platinum Trophy Collection:
  • 2014
    • #01 | Saints Row: The Third (for PlayStation 3)
  • 2015
    • #02 | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle (for PlayStation 3)
    • #03 | Hyperdimension Neptunia (for PlayStation 3)
    • #04 | Dekamori Senran Kagura (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #05 | Steins;Gate (for PlayStation 3)
    • #06 | NieR (for PlayStation 3)
    • #07 | No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise (for PlayStation 3)
    • #08 | Asura's Wrath (for PlayStation 3)
    • #09 | Saints Row IV (for PlayStation 3)
    • #10 | The Darkness II (for PlayStation 3)
  • 2016
    • #11 | Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 (for PlayStation 3)
    • #12 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #13 | Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #14 | Gravity Rush (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #15 | Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory (for PlayStation 3)
    • #16 | Resogun (for PlayStation 4)
    • #17 | Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #18 | Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2017
    • #19 | Miracle Girls Festival (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #20 | Senran Kagura Estival Versus (for PlayStation 4)
    • #21 | The Wolf Among Us (for PlayStation 4)
    • #22 | Final Fantasy XV (for PlayStation 4)
    • #23 | Amplitude (for PlayStation 4)
    • #24 | Root Letter (for PlayStation 4)
    • #25 | IA/VT -Colorful- (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #26 | Persona 4: Dancing All Night (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #27 | Gravity Rush Remastered (for PlayStation 4)
    • #28 | NieR: Automata (for PlayStation 4)
    • #29 | The Silver Case HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #30 | Steins;Gate 0 (for PlayStation 4)
    • #31 | Under Defeat HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #32 | Tales from the Borderlands (for PlayStation 4)
    • #33 | Dragon Ball Z Budokai HD Collection (for PlayStation 3)
    • #34 | Life is Strange (for PlayStation 4)
    • #35 | Sword Art Online: Lost Song (for PlayStation 4)
    • #36 | Crash Bandicoot HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #37 | Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #38 | Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #39 | Final Fantasy Type-0 HD (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2018
    • #40 | Corpse Party: Blood Drive (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #41 | Persona 5 (for PlayStation 4)
    • #42 | Zero Escape: The Nonary Games (for PlayStation 4)
    • #43 | Persona 4: Dancing All Night [Japanese Version] (for PlayStation 4)
    • #44 | Marvel's Spider-Man (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2019
    • #45 | Akiba's Trip 2: Undead & Undressed (for PlayStation 4)
    • #46 | Spyro the Dragon HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #47 | Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #48 | Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #49 | Tekken Tag Tournament HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #50 | Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #51 | Taiko no Tatsujin V Version (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #52 | Utakumi 575 (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #53 | Jak II: Renegade HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #54 | Jak 3 HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #55 | Ratchet & Clank HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #56 | Ratchet & Clank 2: Going Commando HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #57 | Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #58 | Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2020:
    • #59 | Kingdom Hearts III (for PlayStation 4)
 
Finished my replay of The Witcher 3 (not sure of the playtime). This is a great game that story-wise drags a bit in the final act. I didn’t get around to replaying the DLC as they’re pretty expansive on their own.

My next playthrough will be Final Fantasy VII Remake.
 
Last edited:
I tested out Doom 65 and i have to say that ACTUALLY the Doom 64 port even of the darkest setting doesn't seem to be close to darkness of the original which disappointed me a bit. Otherwise a seems like great port and really interesting doom title.

But what i'm mainly been playing is Animal Crossing and Icewind Dale. The PC version of Icewind would have been more convinient version but the PS4 version actually plays really well. I would say that the biggest down side is when it comes to casting because there's only 3 quickslots even though there could easily be five but you cant change the quick weaponslots to magic which is stupid because mages don't really need those slots for weapons.
 
Been playing a lot of Super Animal Royale lately. I don't really care much for battle royales in general, or shooting games for that matter. But it has cute animal skins and costumes that you could unlock, and it's the unlocking part that kept me playing. There's also like 900+ over levels you could progress towards; I've only hit 80 recently after a few weeks of play.

Tried Doom Eternal. Not a fan, especially with my slow reaction and constantly getting slaughtered. I'm also not a fan of games with Easter Eggs that you can find throughout the levels. Yes, they're not necessary, but the game doesn't feel completed if you just ignore them, which bugs me. I just used a video walkthrough to get all those secrets 'coz I couldn't be bothered searching for them while trying not to be torn apart by demons. Usually, I do enjoy games that just kill monsters to vent my frustration like Serious Sam, but Doom is a strange beast that's a mix of adrenaline-pumping action and reactive strategy.

Reinstalled Hitman 2 recently now that I got a new PC. Runs better and with less lag, but only because I'm forced to turn down the resolution settings with this smaller-sized monitor. And I'm also locked out of the highest graphic settings either probably because of a lack of RAM. I particularly enjoy sandbox games like Hitman, the kinds where I get to make my own choices and play it in different ways. Gets a lot of replayability.
 
Completed Game #08:
Final Fantasy VII Remake (for PlayStation 4)

I have never played the original before, but I was excited enough to acquire the first instalment of the Final Fantasy VII Remake series by Square Enix. The first instalment remakes the first 1/3 of the original PlayStation's first disc apparently and there's a lot of effort put into this. The good news for those who had yet to play it and are reading this, I won't be spoiling the story because that would be unfair, plus as I haven't played the original I can't rant either haha.

Let's start with the gameplay first. FF7R has switched from traditional turn-based RPG gameplay to action RPG in a similar way to Final Fantasy XV (both of which Nomura worked on), however, what makes FF7R's gameplay so unique is the Active Time Battle mechanic (known as ATB). ATB was in the original and is back in FF7R as a cooldown of sorts. Basically you need to keep approaching the enemy or are able to wait long enough to fill a bar or two. That bar can then be used to activate an ability skill, magic skill, item or a summon. Magic still requires MP but will use up a bar regardless. Summons and Limits are also in the gameplay but they take time to be used, but the latter does not affect the ATB bar usage.

Materia plays a huge part in managing your abilities and skills for each character. In every battle you earn AP and this contributes to slowly filling the star completion of a materia, but in return, it will unlock more power and useful supporting abilities. For instance, a Fire materia starts off with Fire but as you fill in the AP amount, you will eventually unlock Fira and Firaga. Other examples include Poison, HP Up, MP Up, Assess (which scans an enemy's weakness), Magnify and many more. You can swap materia around between each character which you will probably need to do a lot in the latter half as you will have one on one (or two on one) boss fights.

Weapons can be levelled up as well. You have the option to have the game automatically fill in the SP for you or you can manually choose which abilities you would like to use, for instance, Attack Power, Magic Attack Power, and Percentage Damage for Magic. Each weapon also comes with a special ability that upon usage will permanently stay with you so you can switch to different weapons without losing it. For instance, Cloud's Infinity End, Barrett's Maximum Fury, Tifa's Starshower, and Aerith's Ray of Judgment are all my favourites in terms of doing massive damage at boss fights.

Combat as a whole is surprisingly really well polished. Attacking enemies hasn't been a complete issue but while there have been times where it can be challenging, it's basically all about being tactical and switching characters to balance the fight. When pressing Command, time slows down which gives you a bit of a breather to choose your next move. You can also pick what move your teammate should do without playing them which can make battles a lot easier especially as they don't activate their move unless they have reached their opponent. Especially as for your own character, the move will start immediately and the enemy would run away at the last second if you are not careful enough. During every battle, if you can exploit their weakness, the pressure bar will slowly fill, and once it has been filled completely it will activate stagger mode. Stagger mode is where you need to obliterate your enemy to take them down sooner.

Outside of combat, the game offers a bunch of side stuff from side-quests where you speak to people, sometimes fight enemies or acquire items, and in return get rewarded. There are also some mini-games available from darts, exercising and a really fantastic rhythm segment that I won't spoil but it makes me wish it could come back in some shape/form as a Theatrhythm instalment. If you do miss out on collectables and side quests they will be accessible again through Chapter Select upon completing the game's storyline. You will need to use Chapter Select anyway because two side quests are only accessible through that method.

Let's talk about presentation, this is a well-presented game with a ton of good looking surroundings. The character models look great and they attempted lip-syncing across both the cutscenes and general dialogue throughout. The skybox in some parts does look very noticeable so it can be very off-putting but the areas around you like buildings and characters are polished. Like some have noticed, I also spotted some texture issues at times which can easily be fixed with a patch but at the moment it often looks weird.

The music offers an interesting variety with traditional orchestra and various genres that can be heard as you walk past a vending machine. The vending machine is where you can buy items/weapons/armour/accessories, and they are located next to a bench which restores health and magic. You can save manually anywhere you go and when you load the game you are back in that exact same position so you don't have to worry about revisiting a cutscene or something like a lot of games do.

Now the one that will get people talking about the most (outside of the game's final act) is the length. I have spent additional time going through the side quests and mini-games, and as such it has taken me 35 hours 43 minutes to fully finish the main story with an additional 2 hours to sort out the last two side quests. UPDATE: One thing that I forgot to mention is that this game does have choices which do have some effect in the storyline and especially the final act's fights so choose a bit carefully as you progress.

Overall, Final Fantasy VII Remake is a well-polished and almost perfect introduction to the project. The gameplay is great, the presentation is lovely but needed a bit more polish, the side stuff is a nice feature, and the final act offers more questions than answers for everyone. The story overall feels like a Season 1 of an anime than an Episode 1. Do I recommend folks to get this game at full retail price? Considering how much content is placed in this game I say yes but only if you don't mind linear aspects which this game does have a lot of. I got my money's worth after spending £80 on the Deluxe Edition and I look forward to the next instalment of the project.

Final Fantasy VII Remake is available to play on PlayStation 4, with Xbox and PC coming 2021.

My backlog so far:
-- PlayStation 3 -- 23 total --
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Catherine
Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut
Dragon's Crown
Drakengard 3
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2
Eternal Sonata
Folklore
Katamari Forever
Killzone 2
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Puppeteer
Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes
Siren Blood Curse
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus HD
Sly 2: Band of Thieves HD
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves HD
Soul Calibur V
Tales of Xillia 2
Tears to Tiara II: Heir of the Overlord
White Knight Chronicles
White Knight Chronicles II

-- PlayStation Vita -- 14 total --
Bullet Girls
Demon Gaze
Freedom Wars
Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 3
Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed
MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies
Muv-Luv [VN]
Muv-Luv Alternative [VN]
Superdimension Neptune vs SEGA Hard Girls
Touch My Katamari
Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni

-- PlayStation 4 -- 53 total --
428: Shibuya Scramble [VN]
Blue Reflection
Chaos;Child [VN]
Cyberdimension Neptunia: Four Goddesses Online
Danganronpa 1 Reload [VN]
Danganronpa 2 Reload [VN]
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony [VN]
Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Fortune
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth
Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star
Fate/Extella Link
Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise
Gal*Gun: Double Peace
GOD EATER Resurrection
GOD EATER 2 Rage Burst
.hack//G.U. Vol.1: Rebirth Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.2: Reminisce Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.3: Redemption Remastered
.hack//G.U. Vol.4: Reconnection
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven
Megadimension Neptunia VII (Victory II)
Megadimension Neptunia VIIR (Victory II Realize)
Nights of Azure
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3
Our World Is Ended [VN]
Persona 5 Royal
Punch Line [VN]
Raging Loop [VN]
Sengoku Basara 4: Sumeragi
Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal
Shining Resonance: Refrain
Steins;Gate Elite [VN]
Steins;Gate: Linear Bound Phenogram [VN]
Super Robot Wars V
Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization
Tales of Berseria
Tales of Vesperia
Tales of Zestiria
Tokyo Xanadu eX+
Toukiden 2
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception [VN]
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth [VN]
Valkyria Chronicles Remastered
Valkyria Chronicles 4
WORLDEND SYNDROME [VN]
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this World [VN]
Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma [VN]

-- Personal Computer -- 2 total --
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky First Chapter
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Second Chapter

-- Nintendo 3DS -- 2 total --
Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson
Tales of the Abyss

Completed Games Collection of 2020:
  • January
    • #01 | Kingdom Hearts III ReMIND (for PlayStation 4)
  • February
    • #02 | Final Fantasy X HD Remaster (for PlayStation 4)
    • #03 | Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (for PlayStation 4)
  • March
    • #04 | Ys Origin (for PlayStation 4)
    • #05 | DOOM (for PlayStation 4)
    • #06 | DOOM II: Hell on Earth (for PlayStation 4)
    • #07 | DOOM 64 (for PlayStation 4)
  • April
    • #08 | Final Fantasy VII Remake (for PlayStation 4)

Platinum Trophy Collection:
  • 2014
    • #01 | Saints Row: The Third (for PlayStation 3)
  • 2015
    • #02 | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle (for PlayStation 3)
    • #03 | Hyperdimension Neptunia (for PlayStation 3)
    • #04 | Dekamori Senran Kagura (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #05 | Steins;Gate (for PlayStation 3)
    • #06 | NieR (for PlayStation 3)
    • #07 | No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise (for PlayStation 3)
    • #08 | Asura's Wrath (for PlayStation 3)
    • #09 | Saints Row IV (for PlayStation 3)
    • #10 | The Darkness II (for PlayStation 3)
  • 2016
    • #11 | Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 (for PlayStation 3)
    • #12 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #13 | Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #14 | Gravity Rush (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #15 | Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory (for PlayStation 3)
    • #16 | Resogun (for PlayStation 4)
    • #17 | Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #18 | Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2017
    • #19 | Miracle Girls Festival (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #20 | Senran Kagura Estival Versus (for PlayStation 4)
    • #21 | The Wolf Among Us (for PlayStation 4)
    • #22 | Final Fantasy XV (for PlayStation 4)
    • #23 | Amplitude (for PlayStation 4)
    • #24 | Root Letter (for PlayStation 4)
    • #25 | IA/VT -Colorful- (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #26 | Persona 4: Dancing All Night (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #27 | Gravity Rush Remastered (for PlayStation 4)
    • #28 | NieR: Automata (for PlayStation 4)
    • #29 | The Silver Case HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #30 | Steins;Gate 0 (for PlayStation 4)
    • #31 | Under Defeat HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #32 | Tales from the Borderlands (for PlayStation 4)
    • #33 | Dragon Ball Z Budokai HD Collection (for PlayStation 3)
    • #34 | Life is Strange (for PlayStation 4)
    • #35 | Sword Art Online: Lost Song (for PlayStation 4)
    • #36 | Crash Bandicoot HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #37 | Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #38 | Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #39 | Final Fantasy Type-0 HD (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2018
    • #40 | Corpse Party: Blood Drive (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #41 | Persona 5 (for PlayStation 4)
    • #42 | Zero Escape: The Nonary Games (for PlayStation 4)
    • #43 | Persona 4: Dancing All Night [Japanese Version] (for PlayStation 4)
    • #44 | Marvel's Spider-Man (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2019
    • #45 | Akiba's Trip 2: Undead & Undressed (for PlayStation 4)
    • #46 | Spyro the Dragon HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #47 | Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #48 | Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon HD (for PlayStation 4)
    • #49 | Tekken Tag Tournament HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #50 | Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #51 | Taiko no Tatsujin V Version (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #52 | Utakumi 575 (for PlayStation Vita)
    • #53 | Jak II: Renegade HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #54 | Jak 3 HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #55 | Ratchet & Clank HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #56 | Ratchet & Clank 2: Going Commando HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #57 | Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal HD (for PlayStation 3)
    • #58 | Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash (for PlayStation 4)
  • 2020:
    • #59 | Kingdom Hearts III (for PlayStation 4)
 
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I also completed Final Fantasy VII Remake (Playtime: roughly 44 hours with some idling and reloads). I did most of what was offered outside of one or two Chadley tasks and the sidequests only available by reloading and playing through a specific chapter (I may go back and fill in some of these gaps in the future and if I do a replay.)

I thought the game did an overall good job of fleshing out a section of the original game that I didn’t feel as fondly about compared to the rest of the story. Some of the design was absolutely gorgeous and I’m keen to see what they do next.

I think what this game really nailed were the characters-they’ve all been suitably fleshed out, especially Avalanche crew who had a limited presence in the original game.

Some issues I had were occasional issues in combat, some lacklustre sidequests and occasionally padded out sections here and there. Certain music choices were also a bit questionable and...odd to say the least.

Story-wise I can’t really give a definitive opinion as this is just the first part of a bigger overall plot but I think it did Midgar justice-curious as to how certain changes will and/or could factor in later on.

My next title to play is Persona 5 R which I‘ll
Be playing through with the Japanese audio.
 
HWR said:
I also completed Final Fantasy VII Remake (Playtime: roughly 44 hours with some idling and reloads). I did most of what was offered outside of one or two Chadley tasks and the sidequests only available by reloading and playing through a specific chapter (I may go back and fill in some of these gaps in the future and if I do a replay.)

I thought the game did an overall good job of fleshing out a section of the original game that I didn’t feel as fondly about compared to the rest of the story. Some of the design was absolutely gorgeous and I’m keen to see what they do next.

I think what this game really nailed were the characters-they’ve all been suitably fleshed out, especially Avalanche crew who had a limited presence in the original game.

Some issues I had were occasional issues in combat, some lacklustre sidequests and occasionally padded out sections here and there. Certain music choices were also a bit questionable and...odd to say the least.

Story-wise I can’t really give a definitive opinion as this is just the first part of a bigger overall plot but I think it did Midgar justice-curious as to how certain changes will and/or could factor in later on.
Click to expand...
Yeah I definitely agree on the padding part. It's very noticeable in a lot of places. I'll still give the game at least a high 8 to a low 9 out of 10 overall.
 
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