It’s a shame this game didn’t live up to the hype, even though we all expected it to be another Ubisoft experience. I’ll probably pick the game up on a sale. In the meantime, perhaps we can rely on Respawn to make fantastic Star Wars games.
I’ll definitely be picking this up. I loved the original, and I remember this being announced but totally forgot about it. What a great year for games.
I’ll play the waiting game — I don’t mind. I am just incredibly excited by the announcement. Until then, I’ll continue playing the games I have. With that said, if I do get a hankering to play, I might play it on Switch, or play the original on my Vita. I’d prefer to play it on PlayStation with trophies.
I’m not going to lie, I’m not one to give out 10/10s, but I find this game to be incredible in every sense of the word. I just reached chapter 3 and defeated the first main boss, but chapter 2 is what solidified its greatness for me. The amount of secrets you can uncover, from locations and boss fights, and character side quests was mind blowing. And the level design, while minimal, is interconnected in interesting ways. And this game isn’t that difficult (to me). I don’t think it’s as difficult as any Souls game, or even Lies of P. In fact, it’s not even as difficult as Stellar Blade. I wish this game wouldn’t be compared to those titles because of it being an action game, but I digress. To me, I’d classify this game as a modern God of War, but as a boss rush game. And boy, those boss fights do not disappoint, not only from a design standpoint, but also move sets, animations, and cinematic flair. The Tiger Vanguard is a good example. I’m absolutely enamored with this game, so it’s a 10/10 in my book. If I did have to throw out a complaint, it would be a lack of a map, but it’s still easily manageable. All in all, this game may have surpassed Dragon’s Dogma 2 as my GOTY.
I have fond memories as a kid, watching the green power ranger becoming the white one. It blew my mind. I had the sword and everything. So yeah, I’m looking forward to this.
I appreciate that Atlus really wants people to see this game, but I feel like every week there is a new “hour long footage” of the game, or another 3 minute trailer. It almost ruins the hype because we are being over saturated with it early on. Regardless, I’ll be playing it day one.
@Frmknst I disagree. Have you played The New Colossus? MachineGames knows how to create great characters, and in that game the quality level was quite high — really good dialogue, despite being a campy FPS, and wonderful character models. Moreover, the combat/gunplay from MG is far better than anything Uncharted does, and that alone makes the game stand out even more in my opinion.
First and foremost, I want to thank all of those last week that sent out their thoughts, prayers, and condolences regarding the passing of my father. I was really moved by the support you guys shown to a complete stranger. His funeral is this afternoon, so I’m sure my feelings will be running rampant.
As for the game I’m playing - I finally completed Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana and got the platinum trophy. Other than any Dragon Quest game, Ys might be the coziest RPG experience I’ve ever had. It certainly is one of the most well crafted action RPGs in recent memory.
To those that say the story isn’t great — I think that is a misrepresentation. The overarching plot is middling until the final chapter, but the heartbeat of this game is the characters and their personal journeys whilst being stranded on a mysterious island. You see each individual - 24, if you find them all - have their own personality, ambitions, and family. By doing their side quests, you’re rewarded with an enriching experience. Bonds are created, and watching relationships blossom in the midst of a dire situation is really inspiring.
In a way, Ys 8 is the perfect game for me at this particular juncture in my life. Similar to how these characters have their entire lives uprooted by unfortunate events, so have I. You’re able to see how each person grieves the loss of something, and it’s been oddly comforting as I mourn the loss of my father. In turn, this game reminds me of the simple pleasures that we take for granted. Sometimes, in life, the best moments are those spent with loved ones, grilling food or sharing stories. That’s what this game provides in spades. It’s a friendly reminder that life is beautiful.
Now I’m playing Black Myth Wukong. I’m a few hours in and it’s been great so far. It’s essentially a boss rush game, and I’m satisfied with that approach. Moreover, it’s purely an action game—it’s not a Souls-like by any stretch of the imagination. You won’t lose progress or experience if you die, and basic enemies are mainly an easy backdrop for the main focus: boss fights. If you’re a fan of combat focused action games with robust mechanics, with linear but beautiful environments, and thrilling boss fights, this game is a definite must play. I’ll share more of my thoughts next week.
So far, this game is great. I have zero expectations, so I’m having a blast. I’m looking forward to seeing more of the game. One thing I did do was not go into the game expecting a souls-like or a sprawling interconnected world like FromSoft creates—instead, I went in with the impression of it being a linear action game, and I like it that way.
This is great news! I generally play solo even if the game is designed for cooperative play. Monster Hunter Rise was my first MH game and I was hooked for a long time. I’m really looking forward to this one.
This was an awesome announcement. I am one of the few that thoroughly enjoyed Mafia 3 despite all of its shortcomings, and the first two games in the franchise are classics. I can’t wait to see gameplay and how they utilize current gen tech.
I’m excited for this big time. Shockingly, Sniper Elite 5 was my GOTY when it came out, and I think it’s arguably one of the best stealth games ever made. I can’t wait to see what this new entry holds.
I’m really excited this is coming to PlayStation. Granted, I own a Series X, but I prefer trophies over achievements. As an aside - this spells the end for Xbox. We will soon have Starfield, Halo and Gears on PS5, no question in my mind.
Sadly, this doesn’t look like my cup of tea. The premise is cool, but the art style and voice acting immediately put me off. I hope it shapes up to be a great game, though!
I’m actually quite surprised the preview perhaps exceeded expectations. It seems like the remake is adding new layers whilst keeping things original. I like when remakes do that. I wasn’t excited for this game whatsoever, but now it’s definitely on my radar.
My father passed away two days ago so I’m playing the game of regret(s) and funeral planning. Thankfully, I have a wife and work family that is incredibly supportive. But this game is hard, and I am trying to grieve with sarcasm and escapism.
As for what has been played before this unfortunate time, it has been Ys: VIII on the PlayStation Vita. I am near the end of my first play-through, on Nightmare mode, and should be achieving the true ending. It’s a very, very good game. It will hold a special place in my heart because not only is it a well crafted game, but it is comforting me at my most vulnerable, and obviously diverting my expectations in the most unexpected of ways.
I’m glad this franchise is evangelized by so many JRPG fans. It’s truly something special. I never thought with Ys VIII’s story on being stranded on an island would have me dealing with a wide array of problems, ranging from a serial killer, time travel, ghost ships, ancient civilizations, dinosaurs, evolution, farting, a wife of six tempted to cheat on her husband with me, and even a woman who unexpectedly goes into labor, gave birth, and if you do her side quests, lets you become the godfather and name the newborn. What the actual hell? But it works. And I love it.
TL;DR - My dad passed away. I’m heartbroken. Ys VIII is comforting me right now.
I think this game looks great! I don’t mind jank. It could be similar to RoboCop Rogue City in that regard. That game was janky, but it was an absolute blast to play.
@jeff19023 How is this a crap month? Some of the games may not be for you specifically, but there are a lot of great games on this list. The Witcher, Ride 5, Watch Dogs 2, Cult of the Lamb, Timesplitters. These are great games.
On a side note from what I’m actually playing this weekend, tonight my wife and I will be seeing Goo Goo Dolls and The Fray. It should be an excellent concert, and we are both excited.
I’m still playing through Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana on the PlayStation Vita. I’ve currently reached chapter 5, and things are ramping up. This game is an absolute joy.
It reminds me a lot of Xenoblade Chronicles. It’s not as grand in scope, but it has a nearly seamless open world, with varying landmarks and locales populated by all forms of enemies that range in level. As you progress through the story and bring in more castaways to your village, new areas of exploration open up from prior locations. It’s a great design that keeps things fresh as you retread old ground.
Speaking of the narrative, I think it’s paced brilliantly, and it’s a testament to its unique approach to story telling. While it may be bare bones in terms of a grand epic, where there are evil kings and queens, trapped princesses in need of rescue, or some mysterious force plaguing the lands, it makes up for it by telling a relatively simple tale, with a few mysterious questions.
Your ship has crashed, and you washed ashore on a peculiar island. Your job is simple: find other survivors and escape. The more people you find stranded the more you can gather resources, acquire basic necessities, and build a safe haven as you explore the island and looking for an optimal approach to escape.
But, the more you explore the island, the more questions start to emerge. Why are there ancient beasts roaming around? Why are you discovering weird notes and journals? Is that really a city that housed an advanced civilization beyond the mountain range, and how did it come to be and why does it look abandoned? Who is this person I keep dreaming about when I make camp? It’s all simple but effective.
Side quests are spread out sparingly, and they are serviceable enough. They are fetch quests, but they make sense in regard to the overarching story, and most of them can be accomplished via the golden path. I’d say it’s quite smart.
There are new gameplay mechanics that are introduced throughout the story chapters, but it’s essentially crafting tools, cooking recipes, and upgrading gear. It’s not all thrown at you at once, so it never feels like a chore to keep maintained because all of it happens organically.
One of my complaints is the difficulty balance between enemies. There are some beasts that could have the same level as you, or maybe one or two above, and they are easy to destroy. Other times, there are enemies the same level as you are, maybe even lower, that pose a significant challenge and can kill you in one or two hits if you aren’t careful. Perhaps it’s due to my character composition and their gear that upgrades their stats, but I don’t think that’s the case because I’ve experimented twitch a lot of variations. To be fair, however, I am playing on Nightmare mode so that obviously plays a huge factor. And even on hard mode, I haven’t necessarily needed to grind, at least for very long, to get past a certain area or boss fight.
All in all, Ys VIII is a fantastic game. With it being my first venture into this franchise, I’m now excited to play other games in its historicity. In fact, Ys X: Nordics looks quite wonderful. Nihon Falcom is quickly becoming one of my all time favorite developers, and I’m ecstatic to hear they want to be quicker on releasing their games to Western audiences. And when they do, I’ll be there day one.
There are a lot of great games sadly leaving, so hopefully people will play them before they do. I would like to also give it a shout-out to Midnight Fight Express - a great game that I feel is under appreciated.
This is great news. I’m slowly making my way through Daybreak. I’m 90 hours in and only on chapter 3. I’m looking forward to the journey. I should be done with it by the time Daybreak 2 releases 😬
I love Dishonored and I love Prey. I also thoroughly enjoyed Weird West even though I never finished it. I can’t wait to see what this team is cooking up!
Does this game feature a robust single player campaign, or is it a game that should be played cooperatively? For an example - The Division 1 & 2 can be played solo, but it’s designed for coop in mind. I don’t want that type of experience. With all of that said, it does sound like an awesome game.
I recently heard about this game on a Summon Signs podcast and thought it sounded and looked incredible. I’m glad it’s coming to consoles! I’ll be picking this up day one.
@Foxhound I am also 80 hours in and on chapter 3. I’m not sure how people are saying this game is only 40-50 hours long. I had to personally take a break from the game, but I plan on jumping back in soon. I’m glad you’re liking it just as much as I am!
This weekend I’m playing Ys: VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana on the PlayStation Vita. I am a big fan of developer Nihon Falcom and their games, but this is my first foray into this particular series.
I’m a couple of chapters in, playing on nightmare difficulty, and it’s been sublime. The game is incredibly well paced, and the setting and story involved is an intriguing concept. You play as Adol, an adventurer on board a Lombardia, a large ship hosting many, when all of a sudden giant tentacles attack the ship and send everyone overboard. You eventually wake up on a deserted island, stranded, looking for other survivors. You’ll slowly build a community, and as time progresses you will continue to make strides to improve your camping lodges, and hopefully eventual escape. All the while, the story elements are slowly drip fed to you, and I’m curious to see how these two sides of the spectrum make contact with each other.
Meanwhile, earlier this week I got two platinum trophies. The first was for one Nobody Wants To Die (PS5/Portal), which I praised days ago, and secondly was Severed (PS Vita). The latter, which was my first time playing, might go down as my favorite Vita game, right alongside Uncharted Golden Abyss and Persona 4 Golden.
It is a short, but tight experience — 7hrs for 100% completion, without a guide. There is no filler. It’s essentially a first-person dungeon crawler, with a fun map, beautiful environments bolstering an exquisite art style, interesting traversal mechanics, simple puzzles and secrets, but rewarding, excellent combat that continually evolves, and solid RPG elements that mix up gameplay all the way until the end. It also features one of the best implementations of touch screen gameplay that I’ve played in many years. I think it’s safe to say it’s an exceptional game from beginning to end.
Comments 989
Re: Star Wars Outlaws (PS5) - Open World Pledge Produces a Superficial Space Outing
It’s a shame this game didn’t live up to the hype, even though we all expected it to be another Ubisoft experience. I’ll probably pick the game up on a sale. In the meantime, perhaps we can rely on Respawn to make fantastic Star Wars games.
Re: Mini Review: Shadow of the Ninja Reborn (PS5) - Lovingly Restored Classic Shinobi Action
I’ll definitely be picking this up. I loved the original, and I remember this being announced but totally forgot about it. What a great year for games.
Re: Black Myth: Wukong Patch 1.0.8 Promises Loads of Fixes on PS5, But No Performance Boosts
I just beat Yaoguai King "Captain Wise-Voice" last night before bed. He wasn’t too hard—you just have to be patient.
Re: Vampire Survivors Has a Whopping 221 Trophies to Collect on PS5, PS4
This will be the 3rd time I buy this game and I will love every minute. It’s going to be the perfect Portal game during football season.
Re: Sea of Stars Free DLC Throes of the Watchmaker Arrives in Spring 2025 on PS5, PS4
It looks pretty solid. I loved the game but thought the ending dragged on significantly. I wouldn’t mind replaying it and get the platinum trophy.
Re: Turn-Based RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Gets 7 Minutes of Gorgeous New PS5 Gameplay
One of my most anticipated games. This was a surprise announcement during its Xbox reveal, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Re: Incredible Looking Trails in the Sky Remake Is Real, But PS5, PS4 Players Will Have to Wait
I’ll play the waiting game — I don’t mind. I am just incredibly excited by the announcement. Until then, I’ll continue playing the games I have. With that said, if I do get a hankering to play, I might play it on Switch, or play the original on my Vita. I’d prefer to play it on PlayStation with trophies.
Re: Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster Assembles an Army in March 2025 on PS5, PS4
This looks absolutely fantastic. I’ll be getting this day one.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Black Myth: Wukong?
I’m not going to lie, I’m not one to give out 10/10s, but I find this game to be incredible in every sense of the word. I just reached chapter 3 and defeated the first main boss, but chapter 2 is what solidified its greatness for me. The amount of secrets you can uncover, from locations and boss fights, and character side quests was mind blowing. And the level design, while minimal, is interconnected in interesting ways. And this game isn’t that difficult (to me). I don’t think it’s as difficult as any Souls game, or even Lies of P. In fact, it’s not even as difficult as Stellar Blade. I wish this game wouldn’t be compared to those titles because of it being an action game, but I digress. To me, I’d classify this game as a modern God of War, but as a boss rush game. And boy, those boss fights do not disappoint, not only from a design standpoint, but also move sets, animations, and cinematic flair. The Tiger Vanguard is a good example. I’m absolutely enamored with this game, so it’s a 10/10 in my book. If I did have to throw out a complaint, it would be a lack of a map, but it’s still easily manageable. All in all, this game may have surpassed Dragon’s Dogma 2 as my GOTY.
Re: Castlevania Dominus Collection Gathers Dawn of Sorrow and Its DS Brethren on PS5, and It's Out Now
Automatically purchased. This is a great collection of classic games!
Re: Retro Homage Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind Will Make a Late Play for Game of the Year
I have fond memories as a kid, watching the green power ranger becoming the white one. It blew my mind. I had the sword and everything. So yeah, I’m looking forward to this.
Re: Lust Over 16 Minutes of Unedited Metaphor: ReFantazio Gameplay
I appreciate that Atlus really wants people to see this game, but I feel like every week there is a new “hour long footage” of the game, or another 3 minute trailer. It almost ruins the hype because we are being over saturated with it early on. Regardless, I’ll be playing it day one.
Re: Preview: As Uncharted Rests, Xbox Provides PS5 Adventure in Indiana Jones
@Frmknst I disagree. Have you played The New Colossus? MachineGames knows how to create great characters, and in that game the quality level was quite high — really good dialogue, despite being a campy FPS, and wonderful character models. Moreover, the combat/gunplay from MG is far better than anything Uncharted does, and that alone makes the game stand out even more in my opinion.
Re: Preview: As Uncharted Rests, Xbox Provides PS5 Adventure in Indiana Jones
@AhmadSumadi For you, it may; for me it doesn’t. I think it looks fantastic, and MachineGames know how to deliver amazing first person experiences.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 543
First and foremost, I want to thank all of those last week that sent out their thoughts, prayers, and condolences regarding the passing of my father. I was really moved by the support you guys shown to a complete stranger. His funeral is this afternoon, so I’m sure my feelings will be running rampant.
As for the game I’m playing - I finally completed Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana and got the platinum trophy. Other than any Dragon Quest game, Ys might be the coziest RPG experience I’ve ever had. It certainly is one of the most well crafted action RPGs in recent memory.
To those that say the story isn’t great — I think that is a misrepresentation. The overarching plot is middling until the final chapter, but the heartbeat of this game is the characters and their personal journeys whilst being stranded on a mysterious island. You see each individual - 24, if you find them all - have their own personality, ambitions, and family. By doing their side quests, you’re rewarded with an enriching experience. Bonds are created, and watching relationships blossom in the midst of a dire situation is really inspiring.
In a way, Ys 8 is the perfect game for me at this particular juncture in my life. Similar to how these characters have their entire lives uprooted by unfortunate events, so have I. You’re able to see how each person grieves the loss of something, and it’s been oddly comforting as I mourn the loss of my father. In turn, this game reminds me of the simple pleasures that we take for granted. Sometimes, in life, the best moments are those spent with loved ones, grilling food or sharing stories. That’s what this game provides in spades. It’s a friendly reminder that life is beautiful.
Now I’m playing Black Myth Wukong. I’m a few hours in and it’s been great so far. It’s essentially a boss rush game, and I’m satisfied with that approach. Moreover, it’s purely an action game—it’s not a Souls-like by any stretch of the imagination. You won’t lose progress or experience if you die, and basic enemies are mainly an easy backdrop for the main focus: boss fights. If you’re a fan of combat focused action games with robust mechanics, with linear but beautiful environments, and thrilling boss fights, this game is a definite must play. I’ll share more of my thoughts next week.
Re: Black Myth: Wukong (PS5) - A Spectacularly Creative Action Romp
So far, this game is great. I have zero expectations, so I’m having a blast. I’m looking forward to seeing more of the game. One thing I did do was not go into the game expecting a souls-like or a sprawling interconnected world like FromSoft creates—instead, I went in with the impression of it being a linear action game, and I like it that way.
Re: Black Myth: Wukong Has Sold an Astonishing 10 Million Copies in Three Days on PS5, PC
Wow — that is incredible. I’m looking forward to starting my journey in this game later this evening.
Re: Monster Hunter Wilds Confirms NPC Hunters, Perfect for Solo Players
This is great news! I generally play solo even if the game is designed for cooperative play. Monster Hunter Rise was my first MH game and I was hooked for a long time. I’m really looking forward to this one.
Re: Surreal Turn-Based JRPG Bloomtown: A Different Story Begins in September
This looks surrreealgood. I’ll definitely be picking it up next month.
Re: Poll: Are You Playing Black Myth: Wukong?
I’m finishing up Ys 8 in the coming days and then I’ll be playing Black Myth Wukong. I can’t wait — it looks and sounds awesome.
Re: Preview: Dying Light: The Beast Pulls a Lost Legacy as DLC Turned Full PS5 Game Impresses
I loved the first Dying Light but I didn’t play the 2nd. This upcoming release looks fantastic, though, and I’m excited to play it once it releases.
Re: Mafia: The Old Country Takes Gangster Series Back to Its Roots on PS5
This was an awesome announcement. I am one of the few that thoroughly enjoyed Mafia 3 despite all of its shortcomings, and the first two games in the franchise are classics. I can’t wait to see gameplay and how they utilize current gen tech.
Re: Sniper Elite: Resistance Delves into Occupied France on PS5, PS4 Next Year
I’m excited for this big time. Shockingly, Sniper Elite 5 was my GOTY when it came out, and I think it’s arguably one of the best stealth games ever made. I can’t wait to see what this new entry holds.
Re: Xbox's Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Comes to PS5 in Spring 2025
I’m really excited this is coming to PlayStation. Granted, I own a Series X, but I prefer trophies over achievements. As an aside - this spells the end for Xbox. We will soon have Starfield, Halo and Gears on PS5, no question in my mind.
Re: Hands On: Black Myth: Wukong PS5 Performance Isn't Perfect, But It's Perfectly Fine
I have the game downloaded and ready to go. I’ll check it out later this evening. I can’t wait — it looks fantastic!
Re: Gallery: PS5, PS4's The Thing Remastered Looks Gnarly as Ever in Fresh 4K Screenshots
I can’t wait for this. I love everything Nightdive does.
Re: Poll: What PS5 Games Do You Most Want to See at Gamescom 2024?
If I’m being honest, there is only one announcement I’d like to see, and that is DLC for Lies of P. I think it’s time for it.
Re: Skies of Arcadia Inspired RPG Sky Oceans: Wings For Hire Swoops onto PS5 in October
Sadly, this doesn’t look like my cup of tea. The premise is cool, but the art style and voice acting immediately put me off. I hope it shapes up to be a great game, though!
Re: Preview: Silent Hill 2 PS5 Grows in the Right Ways for Anticipated Remake
I’m actually quite surprised the preview perhaps exceeded expectations. It seems like the remake is adding new layers whilst keeping things original. I like when remakes do that. I wasn’t excited for this game whatsoever, but now it’s definitely on my radar.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 542
My father passed away two days ago so I’m playing the game of regret(s) and funeral planning. Thankfully, I have a wife and work family that is incredibly supportive. But this game is hard, and I am trying to grieve with sarcasm and escapism.
As for what has been played before this unfortunate time, it has been Ys: VIII on the PlayStation Vita. I am near the end of my first play-through, on Nightmare mode, and should be achieving the true ending. It’s a very, very good game. It will hold a special place in my heart because not only is it a well crafted game, but it is comforting me at my most vulnerable, and obviously diverting my expectations in the most unexpected of ways.
I’m glad this franchise is evangelized by so many JRPG fans. It’s truly something special. I never thought with Ys VIII’s story on being stranded on an island would have me dealing with a wide array of problems, ranging from a serial killer, time travel, ghost ships, ancient civilizations, dinosaurs, evolution, farting, a wife of six tempted to cheat on her husband with me, and even a woman who unexpectedly goes into labor, gave birth, and if you do her side quests, lets you become the godfather and name the newborn. What the actual hell? But it works. And I love it.
TL;DR - My dad passed away. I’m heartbroken. Ys VIII is comforting me right now.
Re: Never Has a Game Looked So Good Yet So Jank as PS5's Neo Berlin 2087
I think this game looks great! I don’t mind jank. It could be similar to RoboCop Rogue City in that regard. That game was janky, but it was an absolute blast to play.
Re: Elsie Is a Stylish Roguelike Action Game Shooting for PS5 in September
This looks really sick, and I love the animations. September is shaping up to be a great month for gaming.
Re: The Plucky Squire Launches on PS5 This September, Day One on PS Plus Extra
This is great news! The game looks absolutely adorable, and unique. I can’t wait to play it.
Re: 15 PS Plus Extra, Premium Games Announced for August 2024
@jeff19023 How is this a crap month? Some of the games may not be for you specifically, but there are a lot of great games on this list. The Witcher, Ride 5, Watch Dogs 2, Cult of the Lamb, Timesplitters. These are great games.
Re: 15 PS Plus Extra, Premium Games Announced for August 2024
This is one hell of a lineup! Timesplitters is an awesome catch! And Cult of the Lamb is another great game!
Re: Halloween, Ash vs. Evil Dead Getting 16-Bit Platformers, Launching This October
I’ll be buying both of these games day one. They are two of my favorite franchises, and they actually look pretty solid.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 541
@3Above Yeah, I was shocked that both bands will be playing tonight, and we couldn’t pass up the opportunity. It’s definitely nostalgic for us!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 541
@Mostik I just bought Still Wakes The Deep. I plan on starting it in the next couple of days. How difficult was the platinum trophy?
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 541
@mac_da_man Glad to see you enjoyed Nobody Wants To Die and got the platinum! It’s an excellent game, despite some parts being slow.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 541
On a side note from what I’m actually playing this weekend, tonight my wife and I will be seeing Goo Goo Dolls and The Fray. It should be an excellent concert, and we are both excited.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 541
I’m still playing through Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana on the PlayStation Vita. I’ve currently reached chapter 5, and things are ramping up. This game is an absolute joy.
It reminds me a lot of Xenoblade Chronicles. It’s not as grand in scope, but it has a nearly seamless open world, with varying landmarks and locales populated by all forms of enemies that range in level. As you progress through the story and bring in more castaways to your village, new areas of exploration open up from prior locations. It’s a great design that keeps things fresh as you retread old ground.
Speaking of the narrative, I think it’s paced brilliantly, and it’s a testament to its unique approach to story telling. While it may be bare bones in terms of a grand epic, where there are evil kings and queens, trapped princesses in need of rescue, or some mysterious force plaguing the lands, it makes up for it by telling a relatively simple tale, with a few mysterious questions.
Your ship has crashed, and you washed ashore on a peculiar island. Your job is simple: find other survivors and escape. The more people you find stranded the more you can gather resources, acquire basic necessities, and build a safe haven as you explore the island and looking for an optimal approach to escape.
But, the more you explore the island, the more questions start to emerge. Why are there ancient beasts roaming around? Why are you discovering weird notes and journals? Is that really a city that housed an advanced civilization beyond the mountain range, and how did it come to be and why does it look abandoned? Who is this person I keep dreaming about when I make camp? It’s all simple but effective.
Side quests are spread out sparingly, and they are serviceable enough. They are fetch quests, but they make sense in regard to the overarching story, and most of them can be accomplished via the golden path. I’d say it’s quite smart.
There are new gameplay mechanics that are introduced throughout the story chapters, but it’s essentially crafting tools, cooking recipes, and upgrading gear. It’s not all thrown at you at once, so it never feels like a chore to keep maintained because all of it happens organically.
One of my complaints is the difficulty balance between enemies. There are some beasts that could have the same level as you, or maybe one or two above, and they are easy to destroy. Other times, there are enemies the same level as you are, maybe even lower, that pose a significant challenge and can kill you in one or two hits if you aren’t careful. Perhaps it’s due to my character composition and their gear that upgrades their stats, but I don’t think that’s the case because I’ve experimented twitch a lot of variations. To be fair, however, I am playing on Nightmare mode so that obviously plays a huge factor. And even on hard mode, I haven’t necessarily needed to grind, at least for very long, to get past a certain area or boss fight.
All in all, Ys VIII is a fantastic game. With it being my first venture into this franchise, I’m now excited to play other games in its historicity. In fact, Ys X: Nordics looks quite wonderful. Nihon Falcom is quickly becoming one of my all time favorite developers, and I’m ecstatic to hear they want to be quicker on releasing their games to Western audiences. And when they do, I’ll be there day one.
Re: The Smash Hit Vampire Survivors Finally Comes to PS5, PS4 Later This Month
Well, it looks like I know where the rest of my summer gaming will be going to. Such a great, addicting game.
Re: PS Plus Extra Loses Five More Noteworthy PS5, PS4 Games
There are a lot of great games sadly leaving, so hopefully people will play them before they do. I would like to also give it a shout-out to Midnight Fight Express - a great game that I feel is under appreciated.
Re: NISA Committed to Bringing Falcom's Trails and Ys Games West at a Faster Pace
This is great news. I’m slowly making my way through Daybreak. I’m 90 hours in and only on chapter 3. I’m looking forward to the journey. I should be done with it by the time Daybreak 2 releases 😬
Re: Fans of Dishonored, Prey 'Will Be Happy' with Weird West Dev's Next Game
I love Dishonored and I love Prey. I also thoroughly enjoyed Weird West even though I never finished it. I can’t wait to see what this team is cooking up!
Re: Preview: Space Marine 2 Is a PS5 Blockbuster That's Worth the Hype
Does this game feature a robust single player campaign, or is it a game that should be played cooperatively? For an example - The Division 1 & 2 can be played solo, but it’s designed for coop in mind. I don’t want that type of experience. With all of that said, it does sound like an awesome game.
Re: Beloved, Sekiro-Inspired Action Platformer Nine Sols Rated for PS5, PS4 Release
I recently heard about this game on a Summon Signs podcast and thought it sounded and looked incredible. I’m glad it’s coming to consoles! I’ll be picking this up day one.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 540
@Foxhound I am also 80 hours in and on chapter 3. I’m not sure how people are saying this game is only 40-50 hours long. I had to personally take a break from the game, but I plan on jumping back in soon. I’m glad you’re liking it just as much as I am!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 540
This weekend I’m playing Ys: VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana on the PlayStation Vita. I am a big fan of developer Nihon Falcom and their games, but this is my first foray into this particular series.
I’m a couple of chapters in, playing on nightmare difficulty, and it’s been sublime. The game is incredibly well paced, and the setting and story involved is an intriguing concept. You play as Adol, an adventurer on board a Lombardia, a large ship hosting many, when all of a sudden giant tentacles attack the ship and send everyone overboard. You eventually wake up on a deserted island, stranded, looking for other survivors. You’ll slowly build a community, and as time progresses you will continue to make strides to improve your camping lodges, and hopefully eventual escape. All the while, the story elements are slowly drip fed to you, and I’m curious to see how these two sides of the spectrum make contact with each other.
Meanwhile, earlier this week I got two platinum trophies. The first was for one Nobody Wants To Die (PS5/Portal), which I praised days ago, and secondly was Severed (PS Vita). The latter, which was my first time playing, might go down as my favorite Vita game, right alongside Uncharted Golden Abyss and Persona 4 Golden.
It is a short, but tight experience — 7hrs for 100% completion, without a guide. There is no filler. It’s essentially a first-person dungeon crawler, with a fun map, beautiful environments bolstering an exquisite art style, interesting traversal mechanics, simple puzzles and secrets, but rewarding, excellent combat that continually evolves, and solid RPG elements that mix up gameplay all the way until the end. It also features one of the best implementations of touch screen gameplay that I’ve played in many years. I think it’s safe to say it’s an exceptional game from beginning to end.
Re: Hand Animated PS5 Platformer The Eternal Life of Goldman Looks Incredible
Wow — this looks incredible. I’m definitely going to keep this on my radar.