What Games Are You Playing?

This past April has been filled with more games being played to get through the backlog (despite more games eventually joining at the same time oof).

Completed Game #8 | Touch My Katamari (Vita)

When Sony initially announced plans to close their store, I decided to revisit my Vita (which needed to be recharged due to age) and one of the games I decided to check out was Touch My Katamari, a Vita instalment in Bandai Namco's wacky puzzle type series about dragging everything from tiny pieces to whole planets on a ball.

The Vita version is actually pretty good in terms of gameplay though it's timed and can be quite challenging but the modern controls approach I selected worked out pretty well. It's a very short game though, basically a digital title that got a physical release in the end, but overall worth a visit if you want something short and quick to play on the go.


Completed Game #9 | The 25th Ward: The Silver Case (PS4)

A visual novel spin-off and sequel to the cult classic PlayStation game The Silver Case by Suda51. This one was originally released exclusively on a specific cell phone type but is now back as a remake and more 'complete' compared to its original. It continues to provide the blend of visual novel storytelling and adventure gameplay elements which works as well as it did in the first game.

Personally I am overall conflicted in how I felt about the overall plot of the game because it did not invest me as much as I had wanted. The second story arc I quite liked a lot, probably because it made the most sense in storytelling. There's a lot to like with The 25th Ward overall but it's not going to top the first game basically.

I did manage to get the Platinum trophy however I should warn you that one of the trophies requires spending 8-9 hours straight going through 99 different endings with no way to speed it up and it is boring and bizarre as hell. One ending for instance you do something and suddenly you reincarnate as cheese, like what on earth. Playtime is about 14 hours before the 99 endings route.


Completed Game #10 | Everybody's Golf (PS4)

A couple of years ago I got heavily invested in the Vita version of Everybody's Golf because it's the type of game where it's challenging but addicting to continue and try to overcome the obstacles. I liked it so much that I eventually acquired the PS4 instalment but for some reason it did not click with me in the same way that the other did.

Fast-forward to recently, I decided to revisit the PS4 version as I never really finished it for the collection and thus I continued progress. The game is very different in style due to its open-world look and online focus, but the gameplay is really great and the graphics look great. The issue I have is the continuous repetitiveness in the re-using of maps because I feel having to replay the same map every time, even if its mirrored or has additional wind speed/direction changes, does not justify its issues. What the game needed was more variety of maps without having to spend DLC just to resolve that issue.

Eventually as you go up the ranks, you do unlock more maps but the issues still remain. But overall other than that it's still a solid game in general. I haven't 100% the game but I plan to save it for the PS5 since the Pro version has 4K and 60fps.

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Completed Game #11 | 428 Shibuya Scramble (PS4)

And now we get to the main focus of this post, 428 Shibuya Scramble is a visual novel developed by Spike Chunsoft that was originally released on the Nintendo Wii before eventually getting a western release on PlayStation 4 many years later. This takes the usual formula and replaces the anime visuals with live-action shots that gives it the same feel and look as though you were watching a J-Drama series or film.

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428 was known for having the perfect 40 rating from Famitsu when it first came out, but to be honest it deserves it because the storytelling in this game is really good and concludes on a very satisfying note. You follow many protagonists and your choices will drastically impact everyone's fates so it's up to you to try and make sure they don't end up in a BAD END which can be funny or an oof depending on what the character was doing. It's pacing is also very good and even though there's no voice acting it works really well.


Speaking of BAD ENDs, there are over 80 in the game and most of them are different to each other which have their own quirks. The game is also designed where even if your choices are correct for one person's route, they can still hit a BAD END or KEEP OUT (this means you can't proceed until someone else's actions reach a certain point) unless another person is able to make the right choice in their path. It gets very important during the final moments of the story because every choice matters.

The main storyline can take about 24 hours which is plenty, and there's tons of bonus post-game content also. One scenario is called Suzune which is a heart-breaking story of love, while another scenario is called Canaan which some of you may be familiar with. Canaan is the only part of the whole game where it's actually presented in an anime style because it's written by TYPE-MOON (Fate, Tsukihime).

Overall, 428 is a fantastic game and highly recommended. It's so good that it's reinvested my interest in playing more visual novels lol. Of course this game is very unique in its approach but the story-telling is what makes the game so good.​

My backlog so far:
#Platform#Game NameGenre
1​
3DS​
1​
Senran Kagura 2: Deep CrimsonAction
2​
3DS​
2​
Tales of the AbyssAction RPG
3​
PC/Steam​
1​
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the SkyTurn-Based RPG
4​
PC/Steam​
2​
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Second ChapterTurn-Based RPG
5​
PS3
1​
3D Dot Game HeroesAction RPG
6​
PS3
2​
Castlevania: Lords of ShadowAction
7​
PS3
3​
CatherinePuzzle
8​
PS3
4​
Drakengard 3Action RPG
9​
PS3
5​
Eternal SonataTurn-Based RPG
10​
PS3
6​
FolkloreAction
11​
PS3
7​
inFAMOUSAction
12​
PS3
8​
Katamari ForeverPuzzle
13​
PS3
9​
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White WitchTurn-Based RPG
14​
PS3
10​
PuppeteerPlatformer
15​
PS3
11​
Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in TimePlatformer
16​
PS3
12​
Ratchet & Clank: NexusPlatformer
17​
PS3
13​
Ratchet & Clank: QForcePlatformer
18​
PS3
14​
Ratchet and Clank: Quest for BootyPlatformer
19​
PS3
15​
Ratchet and Clank: Tools of DestructionPlatformer
20​
PS3
16​
Sengoku Basara 3: Samurai HeroesMusou
21​
PS3
17​
Siren Blood CurseHorror
22​
PS3
18​
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus HDPlatformer
23​
PS3
19​
Sly Cooper: Thieves in TimePlatformer
24​
PS3
20​
Sly 2: Band of Thieves HDPlatformer
25​
PS3
21​
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves HDPlatformer
26​
PS3
22​
Soul Calibur VFighting
27​
PS3
23​
Tears to Tiara II: Heir of the OverlordTactical RPG / Visual Novel
28​
PS3
24​
White Knight ChroniclesTurn-Based RPG
29​
PS3
25​
White Knight Chronicles IITurn-Based RPG
30​
PS4​
1​
Attack on Titan 2: Final BattleMusou
31​
PS4​
2​
Blue ReflectionTurn-Based RPG
32​
PS4​
3​
The Caligula Effect: OverdoseTurn-Based RPG
33​
PS4​
4​
Chaos;ChildVisual Novel
34​
PS4​
5​
Code VeinAction RPG
35​
PS4​
6​
Cyberdimension Neptunia: Four Goddesses OnlineAction RPG
36​
PS4​
7​
Danganronpa 1 ReloadVisual Novel
37​
PS4​
8​
Danganronpa 2 ReloadVisual Novel
38​
PS4​
9​
Danganronpa V3: Killing HarmonyVisual Novel
39​
PS4​
10​
Date A Live: Rio-Reincarnation - 1: Rinne UtopiaVisual Novel
40​
PS4​
11​
Date A Live: Rio-Reincarnation - 2: Ars InstallVisual Novel
41​
PS4​
12​
Date A Live: Rio-Reincarnation - 3: Twin Edition: Rio ReincarnationVisual Novel
42​
PS4​
13​
Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 FortuneSimulation
43​
PS4​
14​
Dragon's Crown ProAction RPG
44​
PS4​
15​
Fate/Extella LinkMusou
45​
PS4​
16​
Fist of the North Star: Lost ParadiseAction
46​
PS4​
17​
Gal*Gun 2On-Rails Shooter
47​
PS4​
18​
Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Infinite CombateAction RPG
48​
PS4​
19​
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of HeavenFighting
49​
PS4​
20​
JudgmentAction
50​
PS4​
21​
LangrisserTactical RPG
51​
PS4​
22​
Langrisser IITactical RPG
52​
PS4​
23​
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold SteelTurn-Based RPG
53​
PS4​
24​
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IITurn-Based RPG
54​
PS4​
25​
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IIITurn-Based RPG
55​
PS4​
26​
Megadimension Neptunia VIITurn-Based RPG
56​
PS4​
27​
Megadimension Neptunia VIIRTurn-Based RPG
57​
PS4​
28​
Ni no Kuni II: Revenant KingdomAction RPG
58​
PS4​
29​
Nights of AzureAction RPG
59​
PS4​
30​
Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New MoonAction RPG
60​
PS4​
31​
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3Musou
61​
PS4​
32​
Onechanbara Z2: ChaosAction
62​
PS4​
33​
Our World Is EndedVisual Novel
63​
PS4​
34​
Persona 5 RoyalTurn-Based RPG
64​
PS4​
35​
Punch LineVisual Novel
65​
PS4​
36​
Raging LoopVisual Novel
66​
PS4​
37​
Robotics;Notes DaSHVisual Novel
67​
PS4​
38​
Robotics;Notes ELITEVisual Novel
68​
PS4​
39​
Saint Seiya: Soldier's SoulFighting
69​
PS4​
40​
Sakura WarsAction RPG / Dating Sim
70​
PS4​
41​
Sengoku Basara 4: SumeragiMusou
71​
PS4​
42​
Senran Kagura Burst Re:NewalAction
72​
PS4​
43​
Shining Resonance: RefrainAction RPG
73​
PS4​
44​
Steins;Gate EliteVisual Novel
74​
PS4​
45​
Steins;Gate: Linear Bound PhenogramVisual Novel
75​
PS4​
46​
Super Robot Wars VTactical RPG
76​
PS4​
47​
Super Robot Wars XTactical RPG
77​
PS4​
48​
Sword Art Online: Fatal BulletAction RPG
78​
PS4​
49​
Tales of BerseriaAction RPG
79​
PS4​
50​
Tales of VesperiaAction RPG
80​
PS4​
51​
Tales of ZestiriaAction RPG
81​
PS4​
52​
Tokyo Xanadu eX+Action RPG
82​
PS4​
53​
Toukiden 2Action RPG
83​
PS4​
54​
Utawarerumono: Mask of DeceptionTactical RPG / Visual Novel
84​
PS4​
55​
Utawarerumono: Mask of TruthTactical RPG / Visual Novel
85​
PS4​
56​
Utawarerumono: Prelude to the FallenTactical RPG / Visual Novel
86​
PS4​
57​
Utawarerumono: ZanMusou
87​
PS4​
58​
Valkyria Chronicles RemasteredTactical RPG
88​
PS4​
59​
Valkyria Chronicles 4Tactical RPG
89​
PS4​
60​
The Witch and the Hundred Knight Revival EditionAction RPG
90​
PS4​
61​
WORLDEND SYNDROMEVisual Novel
91​
PS4​
62​
YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this WorldVisual Novel
92​
PS4​
63​
Ys IX: Monstrum NoxAction RPG
93​
Vita​
1​
Bullet GirlsThird Person Shooter
94​
Vita​
2​
Demon GazeDungeon RPG
95​
Vita​
3​
Freedom WarsAction
96​
Vita​
4​
Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black HeartTactical RPG
97​
Vita​
5​
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1Turn-Based RPG
98​
Vita​
6​
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2: Sister's GenerationTurn-Based RPG
99​
Vita​
7​
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 3: V GenerationTurn-Based RPG
100​
Vita​
8​
Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action UnleashedMusou
101​
Vita​
9​
MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS ZombiesMusou
102​
Vita​
10​
Muv-LuvVisual Novel
103​
Vita​
11​
Muv-Luv AlternativeVisual Novel
104​
Vita​
12​
Superdimension Neptune vs SEGA Hard GirlsTurn-Based RPG
105​
Vita​
13​
Valkyrie Drive BhikkhuniAction
Completed Games Collection of 2021:
#Game NamePlatformGenreMonth
1​
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
PS4​
ActionJanuary
2​
GOD EATER Resurrection
PS4​
Action RPGJanuary
3​
GOD EATER 2: Rage Burst
PS4​
Action RPGFebruary
4​
Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star
PS4​
MusouMarch
5​
Gal*Gun Double Peace
PS4​
On-Rails ShooterMarch
6​
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir
PS4​
Action RPGMarch
7​
Kandagawa Jet Girls
PS4​
RacingApril
8​
Touch My Katamari
Vita​
PuzzleApril
9​
The 25th Ward: The Silver Case
PS4​
Adventure Visual NovelApril
10​
Everybody's Golf
PS4​
SportsApril
11​
428 Shibuya Scramble
PS4​
Visual NovelApril
Platinum Trophy Collection:
#Game NamePlatformGenreYear
1​
Saints Row: The ThirdPS3Action2014
2​
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star BattlePS3Fighting2015
3​
Hyperdimension NeptuniaPS3Turn-Based RPG2015
4​
Dekamori Senran Kagura
Vita​
Music/Rhythm2015
5​
Steins;GatePS3Visual Novel2015
6​
NieRPS3Action RPG2015
7​
No More Heroes: Heroes' ParadisePS3Action2015
8​
Asura's WrathPS3Action2015
9​
Saints Row IVPS3Action2015
10​
The Darkness IIPS3First Person Shooter2015
11​
Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2PS3Turn-Based RPG2016
12​
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater HDPS3Action2016
13​
Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus
Vita​
Action2016
14​
Gravity Rush
Vita​
Platformer2016
15​
Hyperdimension Neptunia VictoryPS3Turn-Based RPG2016
16​
Resogun
PS4​
Arcade Shooter2016
17​
Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls
Vita​
Third Person Shooter2016
18​
Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game
PS4​
Adventure2016
19​
Miracle Girls Festival
Vita​
Music/Rhythm2017
20​
Senran Kagura Estival Versus
PS4​
Action2017
21​
The Wolf Among Us
PS4​
Adventure2017
22​
Final Fantasy XV
PS4​
Action RPG2017
23​
Amplitude
PS4​
Music/Rhythm2017
24​
Root Letter
PS4​
Visual Novel2017
25​
IA/VT -Colorful-
Vita​
Music/Rhythm2017
26​
Persona 4: Dancing All Night
Vita​
Music/Rhythm2017
27​
Gravity Rush Remastered
PS4​
Platformer2017
28​
NieR: Automata
PS4​
Action RPG2017
29​
The Silver Case
PS4​
Visual Novel2017
30​
Steins;Gate 0
PS4​
Visual Novel2017
31​
Under Defeat HDPS3Arcade Shooter2017
32​
Tales from the Borderlands
PS4​
Adventure2017
33​
Dragon Ball Z Budokai HD CollectionPS3Fighting2017
34​
Life is Strange
PS4​
Adventure2017
35​
Sword Art Online: Lost Song
PS4​
Action RPG2017
36​
Crash Bandicoot Remastered
PS4​
Platformer2017
37​
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back Remastered
PS4​
Platformer2017
38​
Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped Remastered
PS4​
Platformer2017
39​
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD
PS4​
Action RPG2017
40​
Corpse Party: Blood Drive
Vita​
Horror2018
41​
Persona 5
PS4​
Turn-Based RPG2018
42​
Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
PS4​
Visual Novel2018
43​
Persona 4: Dancing All Night [Japanese Version]
PS4​
Music/Rhythm2018
44​
Marvel's Spider-Man
PS4​
Action2018
45​
Akiba's Trip 2: Undead & Undressed
PS4​
Action RPG2019
46​
Spyro the Dragon Remastered
PS4​
Platformer2019
47​
Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage Remastered
PS4​
Platfomer2019
48​
Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon Remastered
PS4​
Platformer2019
49​
Tekken Tag Tournament HDPS3Fighting2019
50​
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy HDPS3Platformer2019
51​
Taiko no Tatsujin V Version
Vita​
Music/Rhythm2019
52​
Utakumi 575
Vita​
Music/Rhythm2019
53​
Jak II: Renegade HDPS3Platformer2019
54​
Jak 3 HDPS3Platformer2019
55​
Ratchet & Clank HDPS3Platformer2019
56​
Ratchet & Clank 2: Going Commando HDPS3Platformer2019
57​
Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal HDPS3Platformer2019
58​
Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash
PS4​
Third Person Shooter2019
59​
Kingdom Hearts III
PS4​
Action RPG2020
60​
Zero Escape 3: Zero Time Dilemma
PS4​
Adventure Visual Novel2020
61​
Deadly Premonition: The Director's CutPS3Action Horror2020
62​
Gal*Gun Double Peace
PS4​
On-Rails Shooter2021
63​
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir
PS4​
Action RPG2021
64​
Kandagawa Jet Girls
PS4​
Racing2021
65​
The 25th Ward: The Silver Case
PS4​
Adventure Visual Novel2021
66​
428 Shibuya Scramble
PS4​
Visual Novel2021
 
I started Assassin's Creed Odyssey. So far it seems very similar to Origins - which is fine by me, because I loved Origins!
 
I finished up Red Dead Redemption today and it still holds up well as a modern classic. That said, the Mexico segment of the game felt repetitive in mission structure and if I never have to heard cattle again in a video game it will be too soon.

I am now looking at replaying Red Dead Redemption 2.
 
Completed route C/D/E of Nier Automata finally last night......honestly in love with this game and glad I played it over time so I could appreciate it and let it sink in, I'm just doing all the quests and weapon parts now because I'm completionist, but I think after that, my next PS4 playthrough will be Yakuza 0!
 
Atelier Ryza 2
Unsurprisingly, this plays a lot like the first Ryza game; it has the same synthesis and combat systems with only minor tweaks. The main addition is a handful of new traversal options. There's a giant squirrel thing that you can ride around on. Ryza can swim, opening up underwater exploration in a couple of areas, which is fine, but not quite Tomb Raider. There's also a rope for swinging across gaps, but that just involves pressing X on particular spots to execute a canned animation, which was disappointing.

The other main difference from the previous game is the emphasis placed on exploring ruins. This feeds into an interesting system where you hunt around for fragments of old documents, and then piece them together to make sense of that location's past.

I don't know if it was because I was already familiar with the synthesis system, but it felt a lot quicker and easier to craft overpowered gear than in Ryza 1. Combined with enemies dropping so much experience that my party was levelling up every battle or two throughout the game, and the whole thing was a cakewalk. The final boss was so easy and underwhelming that after beating it I immediately checked online to see if I'd missed a quest to unlock a true final boss, but no, that was it. Not that this was a problem, really; I play Atelier games to relax, so I don't want hair-tearing difficulty.

Overall, I enjoyed this one about as much as Ryza 1 (which is to say a lot). I like the synthesis system in the Ryza games, but I think I preferred the story and structure in Atelier Firis for sticking with its more lighthearted tone throughout. It looks like the theme for the Ryza sub-series is going to keep veering back to a stock defeat-the-ancient-evil plotline. While I'd prefer it didn't, it has enough of the core Atelier experience still going on too, so I'm looking forward to the almost inevitable Ryza trilogy-ender, if one gets made.
 
Finally got top spot in one of the PvP modes in Princess Connect:
Screenshot_20210504-183359.png
I'll admit I cracked and looked up tactics on the reddit page.
The other mode is a lot more difficult. You need 3 decent teams and in the top 1000 you can't see 1 of your opponents teams, in the top 500 2 and, I assume (only got to 500 once), top 100 all 3!
 
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

Despite receiving glowing reviews across the board, I was very wary about buying this. In general, I hate tower defence games, and I'm not as enthusiastic about Vanillaware as most people (the only one of their previous games I really enjoyed was Muramasa). Well, after finishing the game with 55 hours on the clock, this is my new favourite Vanillaware game by a wide margin. More than that, it's one of the best games of the last generation.

The battles are vaguely reminiscent of Front Mission, and a lot more enjoyable than I expected. I thought I'd be rushing through battles to get back to the story, but I ended up liking both parts of the game equally. I was disappointed by the abstract tactical view used for it at first, since it doesn't sell the sense of scale of giant robots fighting giant monsters, but I got used to it fairly quickly. Also, considering the insane number of enemies the game throws at you in later battles, I don't think the game engine could have handled more complex graphics. The epic final battle brought the framerate to its knees on my base PS4.

The story (which makes up the bulk of the game) somehow manages to make its chaotic, non-linear structure work, and the countless mysteries are compelling. Aside from some sections that are gated by overall story progress, you can play the 13 characters' stories in almost any order. This works better than you would think because the story doesn't just have one or two twists--it has all the twists. Figuring out how all the story fragments piece together becomes a broader meta-game in itself, and there's a database that lets you review unlocked information and view previous scenes again. The story references a slew of SF classics, and at times it strays from homage to outright plagiarism, but it incorporates so many different plot elements that it ultimately carves out its own identity instead of feeling beholden to any one influence. I was also pleasantly surprised at the high quality English voice acting. The Japanese dub is available as an option, but the English actors are so good I never considered switching.

I can't recommend this game highly enough. Even if you think it's not for you, I suspect you will be pleasantly surprised.
 
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

Despite receiving glowing reviews across the board, I was very wary about buying this. In general, I hate tower defence games, and I'm not as enthusiastic about Vanillaware as most people (the only one of their previous games I really enjoyed was Muramasa). Well, after finishing the game with 55 hours on the clock, this is my new favourite Vanillaware game by a wide margin. More than that, it's one of the best games of the last generation.

The battles are vaguely reminiscent of Front Mission, and a lot more enjoyable than I expected. I thought I'd be rushing through battles to get back to the story, but I ended up liking both parts of the game equally. I was disappointed by the abstract tactical view used for it at first, since it doesn't sell the sense of scale of giant robots fighting giant monsters, but I got used to it fairly quickly. Also, considering the insane number of enemies the game throws at you in later battles, I don't think the game engine could have handled more complex graphics. The epic final battle brought the framerate to its knees on my base PS4.

The story (which makes up the bulk of the game) somehow manages to make its chaotic, non-linear structure work, and the countless mysteries are compelling. Aside from some sections that are gated by overall story progress, you can play the 13 characters' stories in almost any order. This works better than you would think because the story doesn't just have one or two twists--it has all the twists. Figuring out how all the story fragments piece together becomes a broader meta-game in itself, and there's a database that lets you review unlocked information and view previous scenes again. The story references a slew of SF classics, and at times it strays from homage to outright plagiarism, but it incorporates so many different plot elements that it ultimately carves out its own identity instead of feeling beholden to any one influence. I was also pleasantly surprised at the high quality English voice acting. The Japanese dub is available as an option, but the English actors are so good I never considered switching.

I can't recommend this game highly enough. Even if you think it's not for you, I suspect you will be pleasantly surprised.
I'm not a massive gamer but this one of the best games I've ever played and the only one I've platinum trophied. As you say the story is amazing, the acting is amazing and the artwork is absolutely incredible.
 
I've been feeling like playing games again to cheer me up, so I've just started with Crusader Kings III. I don't think I really play this game the way I'm supposed to, more like it's Medieval Sims, but with incest and murder. I got so attached to the tutorial character that I haven't even started any new games. Once I became King of Ireland I just stopped expanding and concentrated solely on marriages and alliances and internal politics so no-one will ever threaten my grip on power and in the process, I'm slowly turning every royal family in northern Europe into albinos through my current King's nine children (only two of which were by his first wife, who was awful, so he divorced her and married his Bavarian giantess mistress and theirs has been a beautiful love story of near-constant baby-making). I'm so upset now though that I can't grant my favourite giant gay albino bastard daughter any landed titles due to Catholicism not allowing it that I'm seriously considering heresy. I don't think the Pope can touch me at this point, I mean we are both secretly witches already.
 
Crusader Kings III
I've watched a couple of play throughs of CK II by a YouTuber called ManyATrueNerd plus he's now done a CK III one as well. Looks like you could sink days into it and still see something new.
They brought Stellaris to the consoles and it played OK, but I got a bit lost once my empire got bigger as there's so many plates spinning at one time. So I'm hoping they bring CK over, but at the same time not 😂
 
Recently finished all the Danganronpa games on the PS4 (with the final anime that completes the story from the first two in between) finally after having started in November, only to hear they're all being released on Android & iOS imminently.... Aahhh would've been so much easier if I'd been playing on a mobile in the first place heh.

Anyhoo, my first visual novel style games to play and great fun with really fun & varying gameplay, especially the courtroom sections. Surprisingly interesting characters that, despite seemingly annoying on initial impressions, were quite effective in drawing you into the stories & their mystery elements. Monokuma seems to be a beloved character but I found him & his 'posse' immensely irritating. The final game, my favourite, not so much as broke the fourth wall, as ripped it out and repeatedly clobbered one over the head with it. Great fun and am very tempted to get the mobile versions as well heh.
 
@Geriatric hedgehog I'm glad you had fun with them! It's one of my favourite game series (I played them on Vita and I'm very slowly/occasionally playing through again on PS4).

If you're looking for something similar in gameplay (but definitely not tone), you might like the Ace Attorney games. They don't have a load of different minigames for the trial scenes (which are my least fav parts of DR TBH), but the general style of play is pretty much the same (something happens, go around some places looking for evidence, then present it in a trial).

AA is a lot more gentle/funny in tone than DR (but still has plenty of emotional moments) - it's got a lot of really great writing and characters and the music is really catchy too. Plus, most of the series is available on pretty much anything that can play games (most of them are available on mobile).
 
Root Film
Really enjoyed this VN. I'm very much into murder mysteries so this was right up my street. Each chapter being it's own mystery and then everything coming together in the final few chapters. It's a linear story with only one ending so no need to worry about the true ending. Just play the game, enjoy the story and solve the mystery.
 
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AA is a lot more gentle/funny in tone than DR (but still has plenty of emotional moments) - it's got a lot of really great writing and characters and the music is really catchy too. Plus, most of the series is available on pretty much anything that can play games (most of them are available on mobile).
Thanks for the info, and would definitely want to have more of that mode of gameplay. Good to know AA is available on mobile as I had assumed in the past that it was mainly on Nintendo handhelds like the DS. Will definitely try that out at some point!
 
I'm really enjoying Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir right now.

It's giving me a lot of Another Code/Root Letter vibes, which is always a great thing!
 
I'been mainly playing PS2 games on emulator lately. I restarted Shadow Hearts i almost reached halfway point when i was told that i should play Koudelka (PS1 game) before continuing so i switched to that. I'm on the disc two and i think the game is interesting for it's time, but i don't really swing either way when it comes to it.
 
I'been mainly playing PS2 games on emulator lately. I restarted Shadow Hearts i almost reached halfway point when i was told that i should play Koudelka (PS1 game) before continuing so i switched to that. I'm on the disc two and i think the game is interesting for it's time, but i don't really swing either way when it comes to it.
Koudelka has the distinction of being probably the only JRPG set in Wales, and it's atmospheric, but it hasn't aged well overall, especially the painfully slow battle system. I seem to remember that playing it on a PS2 sped up loading times for battles at bit, but they were still sluggish.

From what I recall, Koudelka has stronger links to Covenant than the first Shadow Hearts. It's been a long time since I last played those games though.
 
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