What Games Are You Playing?
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Eternal chibi
Dandy Guy, in Space
I am playing Gnosia on the Switch because I needed more games to play on that console.
It's really really fun. It's quite basic, but it knows what it wants to do and does it well. I am someone that enjoys simplicity when it is done well.
The art is beautiful and the soundtrack is really cool.
This is a game that is easy to play and I will recommend to anyone that is a bit interested.
It's really really fun. It's quite basic, but it knows what it wants to do and does it well. I am someone that enjoys simplicity when it is done well.
The art is beautiful and the soundtrack is really cool.
This is a game that is easy to play and I will recommend to anyone that is a bit interested.
João Gomes
Thousand Master
I can't imagine watching DBZ older, I remember even as a kid being really impatient about the pacing - supposedly Kai clears all that, but Goku going super saiyan, Trunks' first appearance, etc etc... So many all-time hype moments for me, no doubt because of how impressionable I was back then, but they stayed with me.
Anyway, all this to say that I've bought FighterZ twice and played it for maybe 30 minutes lol.
Animation-wise Arc gave CC2 a run for their money, just outstanding work (and more consistent than the anime....) love the fanservice with the finishers etc, you feel a kind of reverence for the source material, it's great.
I'm playing Norco and Tales of Arise and enjoying both (maybe Norco more than Arise so far). All this just waiting for Dead Space anyway.
@Lordhippos that's that good stuff! One of Ragnarok's greatest triumphs is the real evolution in their relationship, loved that
Anyway, all this to say that I've bought FighterZ twice and played it for maybe 30 minutes lol.
Animation-wise Arc gave CC2 a run for their money, just outstanding work (and more consistent than the anime....) love the fanservice with the finishers etc, you feel a kind of reverence for the source material, it's great.
I'm playing Norco and Tales of Arise and enjoying both (maybe Norco more than Arise so far). All this just waiting for Dead Space anyway.
@Lordhippos that's that good stuff! One of Ragnarok's greatest triumphs is the real evolution in their relationship, loved that
Lordhippos
Stand User
I'm liking all of the little convos they have as you go about adds some good depth without dragging you into cutscenes all the time.
Dai
Stand User
Kai is definitely my preferred way to watch DBZ. It hacks over 100 episodes of bloat out and nothing of value was lost. The only downside is that the new footage sticks out, since the digipaint colours are over-saturated compared to the original cel art.
I've been chipping away at the original Dragon Ball for the last few years, and that desperately needs a Kai version too. Every time someone throws a punch or raises an eyebrow you get five minutes of reaction commentary from the peanut gallery.
Aeon
Student Council President
Interestingly I found the game to be a lot more manageable than most other fighting games, an example are the combo trials, I normally cannot beat those things to save my life but here I've so far gotten through around 5 characters; it does seem to play somewhat differently to other 2D fighters though so I was heavily punished for going straight into a match without looking at a tutorial lol.
The tricky thing with the anime is that last I recall watching the first arc was 2018 so I'm thinking I will need to start over to avoid confusion, I normally need to really prepare myself to get through massive anime, when going through such shows, it is best to avoid watching any other anime as they will just distract me; with that said, having just gotten the Dragon Ball Super set on a sale, this is the year I plan to get through this absolute behemoth of a show before starting to watch Dragon Ball Super.
Nearly every time this happens I choose to stop moving to avoid any risk of cutting off the dialogue; it's just that good.
João Gomes
Thousand Master
Wow, that is a lot of time saved - had no idea it was that extensive. That's interesting to the point where I maybe wouldn't mind revisiting it eventually, if that's the case. That must be revolutionary for the rhythm of the series.
Wasn't aware they even added stuff, that's pretty cool even if the disparity is apparent.
Dragon Ball was adorable - my mother enjoyed watching it when I was glued to the TV, she was disappointed with the upgrade (downgrade?) in violence when Z came around.
That five minute comment gets my eye twitching, so vivid are the memories lol.
Uh, videogames. There, not off-topic.
awadama
Cardcaptor
I've started on Persona 3 Portable.
I'd played the other two versions of P3 before, but never the PSP one. It kinda sucks that the animated cutscenes are gone, but oh well.
Being more used to P4 and then P5, this game seems so dated now. It's still enjoyable, but I think a full remake in the style of P5 (as a full price game obviously) would have been better TBH.
Still good though!
I'd played the other two versions of P3 before, but never the PSP one. It kinda sucks that the animated cutscenes are gone, but oh well.
Being more used to P4 and then P5, this game seems so dated now. It's still enjoyable, but I think a full remake in the style of P5 (as a full price game obviously) would have been better TBH.
Still good though!
João Gomes
Thousand Master
There's an apparently solid rumour that 3 is getting a remake and it's pretty far along (6 too) ,so you may be getting your wish.
Portable shmortable, I can't bring myself to get it. Cool for FMC fans but menu-based traversal and no anime cutscenes clashes too violently with my expectation of what Persona is. Worse still, 3 was my first P game. And III my first SMT.
Totally in the mood for P4 now, but the length is way too big right now. shrug
Portable shmortable, I can't bring myself to get it. Cool for FMC fans but menu-based traversal and no anime cutscenes clashes too violently with my expectation of what Persona is. Worse still, 3 was my first P game. And III my first SMT.
Totally in the mood for P4 now, but the length is way too big right now. shrug
Aeon
Student Council President
Just started playing Star Ocean The Divine Force; so far it's pretty good, I'm liking how you can literally go flying around with DUMA, which even has special collectables dotted around the map and the music is pretty good as well.
One thing that is driving me mad though is just how microscopic the font size is, I thought it was bad in Elden Ring but at least there I could read the text if I sit a bit closer and there was not a lot of reading needing to be done in that game; here it is a major struggle to read even if I sit a bit closer to the TV; I don't understand why developers seem to keep doing this as of late, it was not an issue in the past, why does it have to be one now?.
One thing that is driving me mad though is just how microscopic the font size is, I thought it was bad in Elden Ring but at least there I could read the text if I sit a bit closer and there was not a lot of reading needing to be done in that game; here it is a major struggle to read even if I sit a bit closer to the TV; I don't understand why developers seem to keep doing this as of late, it was not an issue in the past, why does it have to be one now?.
João Gomes
Thousand Master
Norco
This game first blipped on my radar because Thou were involved with the OST and I love those guys. Turns out it's someone else on actual-during-the-game-music duties but the soundtrack is really beautiful, I'm looking into a few themes as I write this - it's brilliant and emotionally effective.
If you're into the new-wave of text-based adventures where the writers flex about the place and carry most of the game, you're at home here. It's that, through a lens of Christianity (but more looking at it in a mythical way, really cool angle), complicated family relations and corporate desolation.
It also seems like one of those cases where it feels like you're missing out on a few winks if you're not from the place, the titular Norco in New Orleans. It feels like it has a local mythology. It's very absorbing.
Graphically it's stunning (but minimalist) with beautiful skyscapes mixed with at times surreal imagery. Refineries and swamps everywhere. Memorable faces. It puts you where it wants you.
In Norco you'll be reading the most beautiful, surreal description of going through an underwater window to end up gazing at a sea of stars up above and 5 minutes later you'll be hearing a detailed account of how a character had explosive diarrhea inside a limo thanks to your meddling. It reminds me a lot of Disco Elysium like that - it knows when it should take itself seriously.
Loved it!
This game first blipped on my radar because Thou were involved with the OST and I love those guys. Turns out it's someone else on actual-during-the-game-music duties but the soundtrack is really beautiful, I'm looking into a few themes as I write this - it's brilliant and emotionally effective.
If you're into the new-wave of text-based adventures where the writers flex about the place and carry most of the game, you're at home here. It's that, through a lens of Christianity (but more looking at it in a mythical way, really cool angle), complicated family relations and corporate desolation.
It also seems like one of those cases where it feels like you're missing out on a few winks if you're not from the place, the titular Norco in New Orleans. It feels like it has a local mythology. It's very absorbing.
Graphically it's stunning (but minimalist) with beautiful skyscapes mixed with at times surreal imagery. Refineries and swamps everywhere. Memorable faces. It puts you where it wants you.
In Norco you'll be reading the most beautiful, surreal description of going through an underwater window to end up gazing at a sea of stars up above and 5 minutes later you'll be hearing a detailed account of how a character had explosive diarrhea inside a limo thanks to your meddling. It reminds me a lot of Disco Elysium like that - it knows when it should take itself seriously.
Loved it!
unknownfate
Pokémon Master
I am currently working my way through Alliance Alive HD Remaster for the PS4. For those who are familiar with the game I can now sail the skies.
Dai
Stand User
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)
This is the first CoD I've bought since the sci-fi themed Infinite Warfare in 2016. I dabbled in some of the more recent ones that went onto Playstation Plus, but none held my interest. The gunplay feels a lot more satisfying in MW2, probably the best it's been since its namesake from 2009. It's fast and responsive for run-and-gunners, but there are also map layouts that make slower, more methodical play viable.
The campaign is a mixed bag. It throws in quite a bit of variety in mission types, and they range from competent to great, but most are things we've seen before, almost to the point of feeling like a Greatest Hits. I guess there are only so many variations on, "Place the target in the centre and pull the switch" when they're not throwing in SF elements and the games still have to work on last-gen consoles. Storywise it desperately wants to be Sicario this time, and apes some of the most iconic scenes from that movie, but it's all executed with typically bombastic CoD tone-deafness. Dialogue is the usual laughable testosterone-soaked nonsense. You will see the Shocking Betrayals (tm) coming a mile away.
I'm a Basic B*tch when it comes to FPS multiplayer, so I've mostly just played team deathmatch online (I haven't installed Warzone). Most of the dozen maps are great (Shipment is trash, but it always was). Weirdly, while I've had a smooth experience online, playing offline against bots has been a buggy mess. As far as I can tell from the game's useless Netflix-style menus, private matches seem to be the only place you can use the Gun Game modifier (ie. weapons get swapped after every kill) rather than it being its own mode. Maybe they buried it because it's so broken; I've had times when either the bots or my character spawn without a weapon, times when bots can't see me, times when I don't appear on the scoreboard at the end of the round, and so on. In the campaign, too, AI pathfinding is trash and I saw an enemy float through a solid wall at one point.
It's weird; this is the buggiest I've ever seen CoD, and yet it's the most fun I've had with the series in over a decade thanks to its strong fundamental gameplay and good map design.
This is the first CoD I've bought since the sci-fi themed Infinite Warfare in 2016. I dabbled in some of the more recent ones that went onto Playstation Plus, but none held my interest. The gunplay feels a lot more satisfying in MW2, probably the best it's been since its namesake from 2009. It's fast and responsive for run-and-gunners, but there are also map layouts that make slower, more methodical play viable.
The campaign is a mixed bag. It throws in quite a bit of variety in mission types, and they range from competent to great, but most are things we've seen before, almost to the point of feeling like a Greatest Hits. I guess there are only so many variations on, "Place the target in the centre and pull the switch" when they're not throwing in SF elements and the games still have to work on last-gen consoles. Storywise it desperately wants to be Sicario this time, and apes some of the most iconic scenes from that movie, but it's all executed with typically bombastic CoD tone-deafness. Dialogue is the usual laughable testosterone-soaked nonsense. You will see the Shocking Betrayals (tm) coming a mile away.
I'm a Basic B*tch when it comes to FPS multiplayer, so I've mostly just played team deathmatch online (I haven't installed Warzone). Most of the dozen maps are great (Shipment is trash, but it always was). Weirdly, while I've had a smooth experience online, playing offline against bots has been a buggy mess. As far as I can tell from the game's useless Netflix-style menus, private matches seem to be the only place you can use the Gun Game modifier (ie. weapons get swapped after every kill) rather than it being its own mode. Maybe they buried it because it's so broken; I've had times when either the bots or my character spawn without a weapon, times when bots can't see me, times when I don't appear on the scoreboard at the end of the round, and so on. In the campaign, too, AI pathfinding is trash and I saw an enemy float through a solid wall at one point.
It's weird; this is the buggiest I've ever seen CoD, and yet it's the most fun I've had with the series in over a decade thanks to its strong fundamental gameplay and good map design.
DragoStark
Student Council President
I finished up God of War III. I am so glad I decided to play through this series, I thoroughly enjoyed them all. Fantastic games. I'm a fan of Greek Mythology too so it was extra fun to see how they played with all the stories.
I'll be going back to God of War (2018) on the PS4. Now that I know more about Kratos' backstory I think I'll be even more invested.
I'll be going back to God of War (2018) on the PS4. Now that I know more about Kratos' backstory I think I'll be even more invested.
Aeon
Student Council President
GOW 2018 and Ragnarok respectively make a ton of references to the old games which just makes it all the more rewarding to have played them; I think they even reference the PSP games at some points though it was a long time since I played them so I'm not 100% sure.
After taking a break in December, I have decided on a new goal for my gaming backlog throughout 2023. The aim is to finish 40 games, whether it's story-focused or Platinum, doesn't really matter as long as there's a point that feels like a complete playthrough.
#1 - Shining Resonance Refrain (PlayStation 4)
Acquired: November 2018
#Bonus (potentially #2 if I make any progress in February) - Nioh Remastered... again (PlayStation 5)
Acquired: February 2022.
Now this is a weird one to talk about. So back in October I played and completed the main story of Nioh via the PlayStation 5 Remastered Edition. I loved the game, put tons of hours into it and made it through the base game's content. However, a part of me felt like I did not have any form of closure with this game for two reasons; some of the collectible trophies weren't picked up, and the Expansion content i.e. DLC storylines.
Nioh 2 is a prequel but it does have elements that take place after the events of the first game's DLC storyline and when you think about how Nioh ends, the story technically isn't over. But there is a hurdle with this point - Nioh's DLC is not an easy entry-point, in fact this is the biggest issue that I have with the way that Koei Tecmo have done this. Long story short, you need strong enough weapons (or Divine equipment as some users have called it) in order to make your way through the DLC content. Many have suggested that you even need to play through the whole game again on a harder difficulty to be prepared. I hate this idea, but at the same time I want to finish the first game's DLC content.
Now currently I did go back and wrap up those trophies that I was referencing. I got the rest of the Kodama collectibles, I got the final Hot Spring that I missed on the final mission (which is easy to miss) and managed to get a few misc trophies along the way. That part I have settled on which is great, but the DLC entrypoint bothers me. You can't just start the level and get out of it that easily, as the game forces you to give up your Amrita if you want to leave the mission - and Amrita is key to levelling your character's stats. Sure the weapons are more important but any additional points to your HP and Attack/Ki Pulse does make a difference bit by bit.
As of the time of this write-up I have reached a couple more levels since I last wrote about Nioh's base game. Currently at Level 136 and did manage to beat the first mission on Way of the Strong (the hard difficulty you unlock after finishing the story). My plan is to continue through a few more harder difficulty missions and perhaps The Abyss mode before delving into the DLC.
My backlog so far:
The 2023 '40' Games Goal:
#1 - Shining Resonance Refrain (PlayStation 4)
Acquired: November 2018
Many years ago during my PlayStation 3 hauls I picked up Shining Resonance which at the time was a Japan only release, and about a few years later SEGA decided to bring a remaster over to the west which was pretty cool. Shining Resonance Refrain is basically the same game as the original, but with an additional mode that lets you have two characters join your party. Those two characters don't impact the story in any way but you will get spoiled on specific parts when you speak to them in-between story segments in the town's hub.
The Shining franchise has been around for SEGA for decades and with Shining Resonance it's now an Action RPG with gameplay similar to the Tales franchise. You can control any character in your party and each have their own abilities and weapons. Your party consists of Yuma, your main protagonist, followed by Sonia, Kirika, Rinna, Agnum, Marion, and Lestin. Jinas and Excella were added as playable characters with the Refrain mode from the start.
A notable theme throughout the story is that each weapon the characters in your party wield are like a musical instrument and together they can form songs through the B.A.N.D. system. This is a special group ability that helps you and your team during battles. These can give you boosts to support your health but also make combat easier against enemies with them losing attack power or defence. There are three slots on the bar that appear on the left corner of the screen and you can refill it simply by attacking your enemies.
One ability that Yuma has is being able to turn into a dragon which is pretty cool. The dragon ability is very over-powered as you can rest easy on your health while you destroy everything in front of you, but early on you can end up in a berserk mode which can cause trouble if you're not careful. That said, the dragon only has two-three attacks and that's about it so there isn't much on the customisation part of the combat. I also have an issue with how the transform setup works as you can often end up opening the B.A.N.D. function instead because this is R1 while the dragon is Hold L1 then R1 which is annoying.
In addition to your usual attack move you can also customise your abilites from an elemental attack, regular special attack to healing. These are called 'Forces' and you have four slots in total to fit each button on the controller (L1 + O/X/Triangle/Square). In addition to this there are various 'Tunings' that you pickup throughout the journey. These are orbs that you can equip for each character that offer various abilities; like extra health, magic power, boosts to your attack and defence and more including extra money, EXP outside your party and more.
The EXP outside of your party is called Image Training and that's going to be be very useful because you can only level up four characters in your party during combat so anyone who isn't fighting won't level up. Image Training will not only resolve that issue but will also level up your Tuning trait to get that maximum of Lv30 (if you want to get all tunings in the game, you'll need Lv30 for at least one tuning per character). One feature I haven't really used is the Bond Diagram, where you can customise your traits, because to be honest I wasn't sure how to use it properly, but you can manage without it.
Throughout the game you have a town hub. The town has a bunch of things going on, from resting in an inn to saving your game and even interacting with your companions. If you talk to your companions after being in combat together for at least 5-10 fights you can speak to them overnight which also gives you an opportunity to hang out with them in town (or date if you're speaking to female partners). If you date these characters at least four times, you will be able to unlock their character ending at the end of the game which once done will still let you revisit the others without having to worry about starting a new playthrough.
Also in town is the Grimoire. This lets you go through mini dungeons filled with enemies which can help you acquire more items and level your characters up much faster. Eggs will help you boost your level before post-game content. Also available in the town hub is a synthesis workshop to create more aspect tunings, a tuning setup so you can switch which major tuning you want for each character, various side quests and also speaking to your characters.
I spent 50 hours going through the game to achieve the Platinum trophy and overall I have some criticisms that I want to bring up. The game does have a difficulty spike especially when you are unexpectedly going to control two characters that may not be in your party and will be super under-levelled if you weren't interested in them and didn't know about this beforehand. I put in extra hours just to ensure that I could get past this point in the game (which occurs in Chapter 7).
Another issue I have is that the combat can be repetitive and its saving grace has been the force customisation so that you can have different magic abilities from time to time, and while the dragon combat is fun it doesn't have enough variety to make it more enjoyable. The character designs I really like but the cutscenes are very akin to visual novels but with 3D models so it does feel rather off. Now it could be a stylistic choice but to me it also feels like a budget constraint as well.
In terms of positives however, I liked the companions in the party as well as one of the villains called Zest who has an interesting attitude and backstory which makes him stand out pretty well throughout the storyline. The English dub I also enjoyed a lot and felt the performances were very good. The only issue I had with the characters was that the main villain was generic and obvious from the start, but the ending to the game was great and enjoyed it a lot. I also felt the Norse mythology aspects did feel out of place but that's just personal preference.
The level design of the maps were pretty good and there's enough variety of enemies especially when the weather changes which adds more unique combat experiences. The monsters also level up to help you gain more EXP throughout the story which is handy because you don't want to end up being under levelled. Music is really good and was co-composed by Evan Call, reminded me of Umineko's soundtrack.
Shining Resonance Refrain is a pretty enjoyable JRPG by SEGA and while many may prefer the older instalments I had a fun time with the characters, the story and the gameplay was decent enough. Platinum trophy is achievable as there's only two missable trophies that can be sorted out quite early on and most trophies will likely be acquired before you even finish the story.
The Shining franchise has been around for SEGA for decades and with Shining Resonance it's now an Action RPG with gameplay similar to the Tales franchise. You can control any character in your party and each have their own abilities and weapons. Your party consists of Yuma, your main protagonist, followed by Sonia, Kirika, Rinna, Agnum, Marion, and Lestin. Jinas and Excella were added as playable characters with the Refrain mode from the start.
A notable theme throughout the story is that each weapon the characters in your party wield are like a musical instrument and together they can form songs through the B.A.N.D. system. This is a special group ability that helps you and your team during battles. These can give you boosts to support your health but also make combat easier against enemies with them losing attack power or defence. There are three slots on the bar that appear on the left corner of the screen and you can refill it simply by attacking your enemies.
One ability that Yuma has is being able to turn into a dragon which is pretty cool. The dragon ability is very over-powered as you can rest easy on your health while you destroy everything in front of you, but early on you can end up in a berserk mode which can cause trouble if you're not careful. That said, the dragon only has two-three attacks and that's about it so there isn't much on the customisation part of the combat. I also have an issue with how the transform setup works as you can often end up opening the B.A.N.D. function instead because this is R1 while the dragon is Hold L1 then R1 which is annoying.
In addition to your usual attack move you can also customise your abilites from an elemental attack, regular special attack to healing. These are called 'Forces' and you have four slots in total to fit each button on the controller (L1 + O/X/Triangle/Square). In addition to this there are various 'Tunings' that you pickup throughout the journey. These are orbs that you can equip for each character that offer various abilities; like extra health, magic power, boosts to your attack and defence and more including extra money, EXP outside your party and more.
The EXP outside of your party is called Image Training and that's going to be be very useful because you can only level up four characters in your party during combat so anyone who isn't fighting won't level up. Image Training will not only resolve that issue but will also level up your Tuning trait to get that maximum of Lv30 (if you want to get all tunings in the game, you'll need Lv30 for at least one tuning per character). One feature I haven't really used is the Bond Diagram, where you can customise your traits, because to be honest I wasn't sure how to use it properly, but you can manage without it.
Throughout the game you have a town hub. The town has a bunch of things going on, from resting in an inn to saving your game and even interacting with your companions. If you talk to your companions after being in combat together for at least 5-10 fights you can speak to them overnight which also gives you an opportunity to hang out with them in town (or date if you're speaking to female partners). If you date these characters at least four times, you will be able to unlock their character ending at the end of the game which once done will still let you revisit the others without having to worry about starting a new playthrough.
Also in town is the Grimoire. This lets you go through mini dungeons filled with enemies which can help you acquire more items and level your characters up much faster. Eggs will help you boost your level before post-game content. Also available in the town hub is a synthesis workshop to create more aspect tunings, a tuning setup so you can switch which major tuning you want for each character, various side quests and also speaking to your characters.
I spent 50 hours going through the game to achieve the Platinum trophy and overall I have some criticisms that I want to bring up. The game does have a difficulty spike especially when you are unexpectedly going to control two characters that may not be in your party and will be super under-levelled if you weren't interested in them and didn't know about this beforehand. I put in extra hours just to ensure that I could get past this point in the game (which occurs in Chapter 7).
Another issue I have is that the combat can be repetitive and its saving grace has been the force customisation so that you can have different magic abilities from time to time, and while the dragon combat is fun it doesn't have enough variety to make it more enjoyable. The character designs I really like but the cutscenes are very akin to visual novels but with 3D models so it does feel rather off. Now it could be a stylistic choice but to me it also feels like a budget constraint as well.
In terms of positives however, I liked the companions in the party as well as one of the villains called Zest who has an interesting attitude and backstory which makes him stand out pretty well throughout the storyline. The English dub I also enjoyed a lot and felt the performances were very good. The only issue I had with the characters was that the main villain was generic and obvious from the start, but the ending to the game was great and enjoyed it a lot. I also felt the Norse mythology aspects did feel out of place but that's just personal preference.
The level design of the maps were pretty good and there's enough variety of enemies especially when the weather changes which adds more unique combat experiences. The monsters also level up to help you gain more EXP throughout the story which is handy because you don't want to end up being under levelled. Music is really good and was co-composed by Evan Call, reminded me of Umineko's soundtrack.
Shining Resonance Refrain is a pretty enjoyable JRPG by SEGA and while many may prefer the older instalments I had a fun time with the characters, the story and the gameplay was decent enough. Platinum trophy is achievable as there's only two missable trophies that can be sorted out quite early on and most trophies will likely be acquired before you even finish the story.
#Bonus (potentially #2 if I make any progress in February) - Nioh Remastered... again (PlayStation 5)
Acquired: February 2022.
Now this is a weird one to talk about. So back in October I played and completed the main story of Nioh via the PlayStation 5 Remastered Edition. I loved the game, put tons of hours into it and made it through the base game's content. However, a part of me felt like I did not have any form of closure with this game for two reasons; some of the collectible trophies weren't picked up, and the Expansion content i.e. DLC storylines.
Nioh 2 is a prequel but it does have elements that take place after the events of the first game's DLC storyline and when you think about how Nioh ends, the story technically isn't over. But there is a hurdle with this point - Nioh's DLC is not an easy entry-point, in fact this is the biggest issue that I have with the way that Koei Tecmo have done this. Long story short, you need strong enough weapons (or Divine equipment as some users have called it) in order to make your way through the DLC content. Many have suggested that you even need to play through the whole game again on a harder difficulty to be prepared. I hate this idea, but at the same time I want to finish the first game's DLC content.
Now currently I did go back and wrap up those trophies that I was referencing. I got the rest of the Kodama collectibles, I got the final Hot Spring that I missed on the final mission (which is easy to miss) and managed to get a few misc trophies along the way. That part I have settled on which is great, but the DLC entrypoint bothers me. You can't just start the level and get out of it that easily, as the game forces you to give up your Amrita if you want to leave the mission - and Amrita is key to levelling your character's stats. Sure the weapons are more important but any additional points to your HP and Attack/Ki Pulse does make a difference bit by bit.
As of the time of this write-up I have reached a couple more levels since I last wrote about Nioh's base game. Currently at Level 136 and did manage to beat the first mission on Way of the Strong (the hard difficulty you unlock after finishing the story). My plan is to continue through a few more harder difficulty missions and perhaps The Abyss mode before delving into the DLC.
My backlog so far:
# | PC/Steam Backlog - Game Name: | Genre: |
|---|---|---|
1 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky | Turn-Based RPG |
2 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC | Turn-Based RPG |
# | PlayStation 3 Backlog - Game Name: | Genre: |
|---|---|---|
1 | 3D Dot Game Heroes | Action RPG |
2 | Castlevania: Lords of Shadow | Action, Hack n Slash |
3 | Catherine | Puzzle |
4 | Drakengard 3 | Action RPG |
5 | Eternal Sonata | Turn-Based RPG |
6 | Folklore | Action RPG |
7 | inFAMOUS | Action |
8 | inFAMOUS 2 | Action |
9 | Katamari Forever | Puzzle |
10 | Puppeteer | Platformer |
11 | Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time | Action, Platformer |
12 | Tears to Tiara II: Heir of the Overlord | Tactical RPG, Visual Novel |
13 | Way of the Samurai 4 | Action |
# | PlayStation 4 Backlog - Game Name: | Genre: |
|---|---|---|
1 | 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim | Tactical RPG, Visual Novel |
2 | AI: The Somnium Files | Adventure, Visual Novel |
3 | Black Clover: Quartet Knights | Action, Fighting |
4 | Bullet Girls Phantasia | Action, Shooter |
5 | The Caligula Effect: Overdose | Turn-Based RPG |
6 | Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions | Sports |
7 | Catherine Full Body | Puzzle |
8 | Chaos;Child | Visual Novel |
9 | Conception Plus: Maidens of the Twelve Stars | Turn-Based RPG |
10 | Cyberdimension Neptunia: Four Goddesses Online | Action RPG |
11 | Danganronpa 1 Reload | Visual Novel |
12 | Danganronpa 2 Reload | Visual Novel |
13 | Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony | Visual Novel |
14 | Date A Live: Rio-Reincarnation - 1: Rinne Utopia | Visual Novel, Dating Sim |
15 | Date A Live: Rio-Reincarnation - 2: Ars Install | Visual Novel, Dating Sim |
16 | Date A Live: Rio-Reincarnation - 3: Twin Edition: Rio Reincarnation | Visual Novel, Dating Sim |
17 | Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories | Adventure, Simulation |
18 | Dragon Quest Heroes II | Action RPG, Musou |
19 | Dragon's Crown Pro | Action RPG |
20 | Fairy Tail | Turn-Based RPG |
21 | Fate/Extella Link | Musou |
22 | Final Fantasy VIII Remastered | Turn-Based RPG |
23 | Full Metal Panic! Fight! Who Dares Win | Tactical RPG |
24 | Gal*Gun 2 | On-Rails Shooter |
25 | Gintama Rumble | Action, Musou |
26 | GOD EATER 3 | Action Hunter RPG |
27 | Gravity Rush 2 | Action, Platformer |
28 | The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures | Visual Novel |
29 | The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve | Visual Novel |
30 | Gundam Breaker 3 BREAK EDITION | Action, Arcade |
31 | Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Infinite Combate | Action RPG |
32 | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven | Fighting |
33 | Kotodama: The 7 Mysteries of Fujisawa | Puzzle, Visual Novel |
34 | Langrisser | Tactical RPG |
35 | Langrisser II | Tactical RPG |
36 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel | Turn-Based RPG |
37 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II | Turn-Based RPG |
38 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III | Turn-Based RPG |
39 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV | Turn-Based RPG |
40 | Legend of Mana | Action RPG |
41 | Megadimension Neptunia VII | Turn-Based RPG |
42 | Megadimension Neptunia VIIR | Turn-Based RPG |
43 | MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA | Fighting |
44 | Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm | Action, Fighting |
45 | Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 | Action, Fighting |
46 | Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 | Action, Fighting |
47 | NEO: The World Ends With You | Action RPG |
48 | Neptunia Virtual Stars | Action |
49 | Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars | Action |
50 | Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered | Turn-Based RPG |
51 | Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom | Action RPG |
52 | Nights of Azure | Action RPG |
53 | Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon | Action RPG |
54 | One Piece Burning Blood | Fighting |
55 | One Piece Unlimited World Red | Action |
56 | One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 | Musou |
57 | One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 | Musou |
58 | Our World Is Ended | Visual Novel |
59 | Persona 5 Royal | Turn-Based RPG |
60 | Persona 5 Strikers | Action RPG, Musou |
61 | Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney | Visual Novel |
62 | Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All | Visual Novel |
63 | Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations | Visual Novel |
64 | Punch Line | Visual Novel |
65 | Raging Loop | Visual Novel |
66 | Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-: Prophecy of the Throne | Visual Novel |
67 | Resident Evil 6 | Action Horror |
68 | Resident Evil: Revelations | Action Horror |
69 | Resident Evil: Revelations 2 | Action Horror |
70 | Robotics;Notes DaSH | Visual Novel |
71 | Robotics;Notes ELITE | Visual Novel |
72 | SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays | Tactical RPG |
73 | SD Gundam G Generation Genesis | Tactical RPG |
74 | Secret of Mana | Action RPG |
75 | Sengoku Basara 4: Sumeragi | Musou |
76 | Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal | Action |
77 | Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster | Turn-Based RPG |
78 | Star Ocean: First Departure R | Action RPG |
79 | Star Ocean: The Last Hope HD Remaster | Action RPG |
80 | Steins;Gate Elite | Visual Novel |
81 | Super Neptunia RPG | Turn-Based RPG |
82 | Super Robot Wars 30 | Tactical RPG |
83 | Super Robot Wars OG: The Moon Dwellers | Tactical RPG |
84 | Super Robot Wars T | Tactical RPG |
85 | Super Robot Wars X | Tactical RPG |
86 | Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet | Action RPG |
87 | Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Sessions! | Music, Rhythm |
88 | Tales of Berseria | Action RPG |
89 | Tales of Vesperia | Action RPG |
90 | Tales of Zestiria | Action RPG |
91 | Tokyo Xanadu eX+ | Action RPG |
92 | Trials of Mana | Action RPG |
93 | Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception | Tactical RPG, Visual Novel |
94 | Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth | Tactical RPG, Visual Novel |
95 | Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen | Tactical RPG, Visual Novel |
96 | Utawarerumono: Zan | Action, Musou |
97 | Valkyria Chronicles 4 | Tactical RPG |
98 | Valkyria Revolution | Action RPG |
99 | Wing of Darkness | Action, Arcade |
100 | The Witch and the Hundred Knight Revival Edition | Action RPG |
101 | WORLDEND SYNDROME | Visual Novel |
102 | Yakuza 3 Remastered | Action Beat em up |
103 | Yakuza 4 Remastered | Action Beat em up |
104 | Yakuza 5 Remastered | Action Beat em up |
105 | YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this World | Visual Novel |
106 | Ys IX: Monstrum Nox | Action RPG |
# | PlayStation 5 Backlog - Game Name: | Genre: |
|---|---|---|
1 | Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII -Reunion- | Action RPG |
2 | Cyberpunk 2077 | Action |
3 | The DioField Chronicle | Tactical RPG |
4 | DOOM Eternal | Action, Shooter |
5 | Judgment | Action, Beat em up |
6 | Lost Judgment | Action, Beat em up |
7 | Neptunia ReVerse | Turn-Based RPG |
8 | Nioh 2 | Action Souls RPG |
9 | Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit of Wonder Labyrinth | Metroidvania RPG |
10 | Relayer | Tactical RPG |
11 | Resident Evil 2 | Survival Horror |
12 | Resident Evil 3 | Survival Horror |
13 | Star Ocean: The Divine Force | Action RPG |
14 | Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin | Action Souls RPG |
15 | Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania | Puzzle |
16 | Tactics Ogre Reborn | Tactical RPG |
17 | Valkyrie Elysium | Action RPG |
18 | Yakuza 7: Like a Dragon | Turn-Based RPG |
# | PlayStation Vita Backlog - Game Name: | Genre: |
|---|---|---|
1 | Bullet Girls | Action, Shooter |
2 | Freedom Wars | Action |
3 | Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart | Tactical RPG |
4 | Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed | Action |
5 | MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies | Action, Musou |
6 | Muv-Luv | Visual Novel, Dating Sim |
7 | Muv-Luv Alternative | Visual Novel |
8 | Superdimension Neptune vs SEGA Hard Girls | Turn-Based RPG |
9 | Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni | Action |
# | Nintendo Switch Backlog - Game Name: | Genre: |
|---|---|---|
1 | Fire Emblem: Three Houses | Tactical RPG |
2 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero | Turn-Based RPG |
3 | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | Action RPG |
4 | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Racing |
5 | New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe | Platformer |
6 | Senran Kagura Reflexions | Simulation |
7 | Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury | Action, Platformer |
8 | Super Mario Galaxy | Action, Platformer |
9 | Super Mario Sunshine | Action, Platformer |
10 | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Fighting |
11 | Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition | Action RPG |
12 | Xenoblade Chronicles 2 | Action RPG |
| No. | Game | Console | Acquired | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Shining Resonance Refrain | PS4 | 2018 | Action RPG |
Eternal chibi
Dandy Guy, in Space
Lucky_Deity
Straw Hat Pirate
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line - Demo (Switch)
Still a few weeks until the game releases but have already sunk 9 hours into the demo, adore the 3DS titles (and still disappointed we never got the DQ title over here) and this is more of the same which is perfect.
The demo contains 30 songs and 30 characters across FF2, FF5, FF7, FF13, FF14 and FF15 with a level cap of 30 for characters during the demo (will be higher in the full release). I've maxed out all 30 characters so far and perfect chained all songs on Normal and Expert (with a few all Critical as well) as well as at least finished every song on Ultimate with all A rank or higher minus two (got B rank). The songs which have a Supreme mode is a bit much for me atm, need more practice.
Really can't wait until the full release, wish these two weeks would hurry up now 😂 and would highly recommend if you enjoy the previous entries or enjoy rhythm games and / or FF music in general.
Still a few weeks until the game releases but have already sunk 9 hours into the demo, adore the 3DS titles (and still disappointed we never got the DQ title over here) and this is more of the same which is perfect.
The demo contains 30 songs and 30 characters across FF2, FF5, FF7, FF13, FF14 and FF15 with a level cap of 30 for characters during the demo (will be higher in the full release). I've maxed out all 30 characters so far and perfect chained all songs on Normal and Expert (with a few all Critical as well) as well as at least finished every song on Ultimate with all A rank or higher minus two (got B rank). The songs which have a Supreme mode is a bit much for me atm, need more practice.
Really can't wait until the full release, wish these two weeks would hurry up now 😂 and would highly recommend if you enjoy the previous entries or enjoy rhythm games and / or FF music in general.
Dai
Stand User
Cotton Fantasy
My shmup preferences usually lean towards vertical-scrollers, since they tend to be faster-paced with shorter levels. Cotton Fantasy is a horizontal-scroller, but it's quickly become one of my favourite shmups of recent years, and that's factoring in the huge number of new and older shmups available on Switch.
There are six playable characters from the outset (and a seventh that I haven't unlocked). Some have drastically different play styles, and at least a couple are loving references to other games made by Success, such as Psyvariar and Umihara Kawase. The cute-'em-up visuals are charming, and enemies explode like pinatas full of score items when you hit them with a special attack. Bullet patterns favour reflexes and tactics over memorisation. The score mechanics are fun and easy to grasp, being quite reminiscent of DeathSmiles.
Levels don't outstay their welcome (an issue I often have with hori shmups). After the mandatory first stage you can play the next five in any order, with variable rank making sure it gets harder as you progress.
If you're not used to the insane price tags that Japanese shmups sometimes command, you may balk at the £35 for Cotton Fantasy. It does get knocked down to half price in PSN/eShop sales quite often though.
My shmup preferences usually lean towards vertical-scrollers, since they tend to be faster-paced with shorter levels. Cotton Fantasy is a horizontal-scroller, but it's quickly become one of my favourite shmups of recent years, and that's factoring in the huge number of new and older shmups available on Switch.
There are six playable characters from the outset (and a seventh that I haven't unlocked). Some have drastically different play styles, and at least a couple are loving references to other games made by Success, such as Psyvariar and Umihara Kawase. The cute-'em-up visuals are charming, and enemies explode like pinatas full of score items when you hit them with a special attack. Bullet patterns favour reflexes and tactics over memorisation. The score mechanics are fun and easy to grasp, being quite reminiscent of DeathSmiles.
Levels don't outstay their welcome (an issue I often have with hori shmups). After the mandatory first stage you can play the next five in any order, with variable rank making sure it gets harder as you progress.
If you're not used to the insane price tags that Japanese shmups sometimes command, you may balk at the £35 for Cotton Fantasy. It does get knocked down to half price in PSN/eShop sales quite often though.
Gemsy-chan
Baka Ranger
Completed Fire Emblem Engage. Took me a while to get into it and like the characters compared to when i played Three House, but once i did it was very enjoyable. Unlike Three Houses there's not really any need to replay unless you get the expansion pass.
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