todayimgonnaplay

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: Phantasy Star Portable (1)

This is actually my first Phantasy Star game that I've ever played! I've had this game since I was a kid, but never finished it all these years tbh. I kept getting stuck at a boss in the planet Moatoob. Over the years (and sporadically) for some reason, I kept making new games and never preserving my old ones trying to get back into the game (maybe for space reasons idk, but I also kept forgetting the story). This time, I thought I'll try to finish this game once and for all, but with a new save game lol.

In a way, I'm kind of glad I'm playing this at my current age rather than when I was a kid, because I didn't realize that the game had some political and racial themes. It's a pleasant surprise to see this than the usual ''good guys vs. bad guys in a peaceful, diverse world'' sort of setting. Granted, there are some usual tropes, but that's fine. Amusingly enough, parts of this game reminded me of Mass Effect's plot (or maybe this is just a side effect of my ongoing brainrot over that series), even more so when this game was released in a time period closer to ME2. The main baddies reminded me of Cerberus for the most part, with the SEED being the Reapers lol. However it felt quite cheesy at times that I was reminded of Kingdom Hearts, especially in the later aspects of the story. But anyways, the plot is pretty serviceable and decent for a handheld game!

Gameplay-wise, I feel like it has some serious potential. I have experience playing PSO2 and New Genesis so the mechanics of skills such as Photon Arts, and having different weapons saved in Palettes, as well as the switching of classes felt familiar. It's a system I like. But it technically fails when your AI teammates are almost always utterly useless in battle, only serving to be meat shields for enemies while I have to fend for myself and get the others back up. Another issue is placing the camera on the D-pad which makes it for some awkward camera controls, but this is a common thing for the PSP anyways. I also disliked that getting revival items (Scape Dolls) were randomized loot that you get in missions, which made late-game quite frustrating to go through.

But aside from controls, I feel like it got quite repetitive. That is the nature of PS (in my experience) and most JRPGs, but I feel like the grind can only be enjoyable if the gameplay is. And this is coming from someone that enjoys the original Persona 3 (Portable) dungeon system, I was hooked to that because it had a battle system that brought me back to turn-based games. Part of me wonders if the game was banking on the multiplayer aspect for this platform, which in a way reminded me of the Monster Hunter games, perfect for that field. I don't think there's anything wrong with that if that was the case, but it would be nice to see all types of play adapted for long-term use, especially when the multiplayer feature becomes obsolete for any reason.

I'm a bit mixed on the music. It's quite memorable, as I can remember a lot of the earlier beginning themes way back from when I was a kid, and they would occasionally come to my mind over time. But as I surpassed Moatoob for the first time, I kind of noticed that some of the instruments/sound used sounded...aged? Not like the usual MIDI sounds, but it felt like as if I was almost hearing soundboards used in the 16-bit era. I can't tell if it's an issue with my PSP (which currently has a bit of a UMD disc problem since it's old), or it's actually from the game. Regardless, I do enjoy the melodies that were composed (for lack of a better phrase). Note: While looking for music to attach to this, it seems like a number of songs were pulled from other titles within the series, maybe that could've caused some compression issues? I'll never know.

I'm glad to have finally finished this game after many years, for better or for worse. In fact, I only hear praise about its sequel, and never this title. Heck, I have trouble finding screenshots to put for this game so there won't be much here. I may give the second title a shot in the future!

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: The 3rd Birthday

I've never actually played the Parasite Eve series before. This was my first exposure to it for the longest time, because I thought the cover art looked cool, and it reminded me of Lightning from Final Fantasy XIII. Although I did feel a bit dumb when I finally played it, realizing she's actually blonde and not pink haired lol. Since my PSP is homebrewed, I managed to get a copy of the game online.

On the positives, I have to say this is the most visually stunning game for the PSP in terms of its CGI scenes. They hold up amazingly to this day that it surprised me that this exists on a handheld console. The in-game cutscenes and regular gameplay graphics are also still decent, reminiscent of FFVII's Crisis Core (I assume they either used the same engine or had same dev teams?) which also held up well. But I personally find this to be Square's best looking game for this platform so far.

I also enjoyed the soundtrack, which would be a little unsurprising on my part when I saw Yoko Shimomura's name in the opening credits. As she's my favourite composer, I knew I'd be in for a good time, musically speaking. I could definitely feel some of the Kingdom Hearts-y ness of some of the combat tracks which got me excited!

As for the story, I think it's alright. I'm definitely missing a lot of context considering I'm playing the third game, but the concepts introduced are understandable enough for me to follow in this game at least. I didn't find most characters to be too compelling, aside from Aya, Blank, and Kyle. I've been playing a good number of games containing strong female characters recently, so it was interesting to see a more vulnerable one for a change (even though she has her own journey of becoming strong). I did find the dialogue to be very awkward at times however, as if the localization focused more on translating the original dialogue rather than conveying something natural in English. I'm quite tolerant with the English voice acting for the most part, but a few NPCs stood out as being very wooden, especially Maeda which ended up being distracting while I was playing just from how creepy or bored he sounded.

I have a love-hate relationship with the gameplay. Aside from games like GTA, bits of Metal Gear Solid, Miami Vice and I think a demo of Resistance: Retribution that I played as a kid, I don't have much experience with shooters (even in general). But I did enjoy the mechanics of this one. The Prototype/Driver: San Francisco-esque mechanic of being able to possess bodies was the most fun aspect for me. I found the weapon upgrade system easy to use and understand, but I was confused with the Over Energy system, which seemed to provide buffs or abilities akin to Kingdom Hearts (maybe Birth By Sleep in this instance), which you can level up. Getting the right combination was the most confusing aspect, but otherwise an interesting system nonetheless. I found the camera controls quite frustrating to use which is a bit unsurprising considering how the PSP only has one analog stick, which is primarily used to move around. I wish Square was a bit more experimental with the controls to create something unique, like how they did with The World Ends With You for the DS. But they did have the blueprints for creating a decent shooter. However, I feel like all of this gets undermined by the sheer difficulty of this game that loves to throw spongy enemies and bosses towards you, with no way to heal aside from possessing a limited number of NPCs that appear sporadically. Some parts of the game were downright migraine-inducing, with the game's short length being its saving grace, or else I would've had trouble finishing it.

Overall, The 3rd Birthday is a neat game to try out as a shooter game for the PSP, but maybe you'd have a more convenient time emulating it, as well as getting the whole context of the story by playing the previous two games. I've heard that this title is extremely unpopular by fans which makes me a little afraid to try the previous titles, in fear that I'd end up really hating this one lol. But maybe one day I'll be in the mood to try the rest of the series!

[todayimgonnaplay]

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: Cyberpunk 2077

I watched the anime on release a few years ago, which was what convinced me to finally try this game one day. That is, once I got better specs. Although I recently fulfilled that, I had other games in mind. Unfortunately, the algorithm on other platforms suddenly started springing this game up on me and flashed a couple spoilers (also got to know a major endgame spoiler after watching the anime) which forced me to get to this game next ASAP.

Honestly, I didn't buy into the hype pre-release and didn't care for it even further post-release with the controversy surrounding it. However, I did increasingly hear praise as the years went by, which piqued my interest. And yet my expectations for the game were very weird, having knowledge of random spoilers, watching the anime, hearing praise and yet knowing nothing at the same time. I tried to jump in as blind as I could.

Cyberpunk as an aesthetic is something I have loved for a couple of years now. Sci-Fi or futuristic themes in general always seemed so appealing to explore in my eyes. The idea of having this open world to explore yet also have an immersive RPG experience by the same people that made The Witcher 3 seems like a dream come true. Having played that game recently, I could understand why there was a lot of noise about this one. But I really wish that dream could have been fulfilled. For a game with this kind of setting, I kind of expected to have a lot of brutal decisions and outcomes. You do tend to see that in the main story, but not so much in the side quests, apart from a handful. The V that I had in mind, and the pre-determined personality set in the game, seemed to clash quite a lot. For instance, I wanted to play as a morally corrupt ex-Corpo that would do anything to get his way. Instead, a lot of the times I felt like V acted rather naive and good-natured with no other way to choose otherwise, unless if you get special dialogue options based on your background. At most, I had some leeway in determining V's relationship with Johnny Silverhand for instance, but I wish the same could be applied with other characters. Times when I expected to mess up (as I've heard at least) in some bigger quests such as replying to Saul about Panam, or making a dialogue choice with River in The Hunt, turned out to make no difference in my experience. I just ended up having positive outcomes most of the time. So I had to intentionally try to ''mess up'' -such as not being non-lethal when I should- to have some flawed choices for my character. The only way I see it is that this was likely decided to have V canonically (for lack of a better word) act in a certain way as part of their pre-determined personality. Luckily, Phantom Liberty completely makes it up to me with having more brutal gigs and choices in the storyline, and massively improved my experience.

Another thing that bothered me was the lack of life in the city, but this might be because I'm comparing it to GTA V, where a lot of random events happen rather organically, and NPCs react to your actions (such as the type of car you have, or how you approach them). The closest I've seen are gang shootouts, but they tend to happen in an inconvenient way where I was often shot at early game just for driving around (which is infamous in this game as far as I know, so I won't bother going into it). Interactive dialogue tend to be very random, as they just say a list of lines that are programmed for them. But I give it credit for being visually gorgeous, and having good amounts of verticality which make it fun to traverse around. It also helps that there are a lot of hidden interactions and easter eggs that keep you wanting to explore more.

Those are my major caveats, but otherwise, I do like other aspects about the game. The amount of builds you can have and mess around with is great. I like that you're not stuck to just being one role, such as melee or ranged only, or Netrunner only etc. (unless you want to). Speaking of, Netrunning is a great mechanic that felt very refreshing to play through rather than the usual run and gun tactics. The game loves to reward you by being sneaky and smart, which felt satisfying. Seeing how your points also help unlock dialogue choices or methods of approaching a mission in terms of level design was also great. However, I wished the latter aspect was a bit more flexible. For instance, windows and doors could always be hacked or forced open, rather than just one or the other. Phantom Liberty did manage to address this to an extent, which was nice to see.

Some parts that really impressed me were more of the unexpected aspects. One being the photo mode, which is highly customizable. In fact, I'd say a good chunk of my playtime must've been me taking a lot of pictures. I'd love to see more games have this level of depth for this feature. Another aspect is the romance mechanic. Although it contains the standard companion quests and 'Press this specific dialogue to progress' like other games, it felt highly engaging to share text messages, invite them to your apartment, and do activities (although this gets very repetitive after the first two times), and exchange gifts. It was quite impressive to see that for once, a love interest is reciprocating with my character by being engaged with them both in terms of story and outside moments. But I am somewhat aware that not all characters get the same amount of attention (for context, I romanced Panam whom I heard a lot of noise about prior to playing this), which is unfortunate, but I hope is addressed in future titles.

Overall, I'd say the base game of Cyberpunk unfortunately felt like a watered down version of its preceding title from the studio, as well as potential competitors from others. Although, this could be a mix of having certain expectations yet knowing nothing at the same time. Getting immersed into the world-building was also difficult for me to get into unless I read the wiki outside the game (personally not a fan of excessive techno-babble in sci-fi media unless explained right). It constantly felt like there was meant to be more in the game. But the DLC definitely improved my opinion of the game a lot. Though, I did hear that the updates and fixes have made this a favourite amongst many people, which I'm happy to hear. Despite my experience, I am looking forward to seeing what the next title could offer!

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: Split Fiction

I really enjoyed playing It Takes Two along with a friend, so this was definitely on our radar to play next!

It Takes Two has become my standard for co-op games, since I like the mix of mechanics and having a more friendly experience as opposed to more competitive online play (just not my thing!). It's safe to say that Split Fiction also managed to be on par.

The fantasy/sci-fi hybrid felt like a great fit for us, since my friend is into fantasy while I like sci-fi. It felt like a love letter to both genres, exploring all the tropes from dragons to fighting against corrupt corporations. The neat part is that it goes a little deeper with the main plot of the story, where the protagonists' passion for writing is explored, as well as entertaining the concept of getting to live your stories using technology.

Granted, I don't play these games for the narrative, but I did notice that the dialogue seemed a bit weaker compared to It Takes Two. It felt a little more typical in some places, which felt a little awkward to watch.

Although the co-op aspect is the main draw of the game, I also felt that the level design this time around felt a little more isolated and less dependent on both players. Having more experience in playing games compared to my friend, I was often in situations where I was able to breeze through my individual sections and then wait for them to show up to where I'm standing. Whereas, this wasn't really the case with It Takes Two. It made me curious to know whether a pair of casual/non-gamers can comfortably play this game, or if someone has to have some level of experience this time around.

But the game never runs out of creative concepts. Each main chapter, especially the side stories, get very absurdist or whimsical in nature that feel fun to explore. One thing that impressed me the most (and I imagine most people too) was the final chapter. Never have I seen this executed in a video game. It's something you'd have to see to experience it.

Overall, Split Fiction is another great addition to Hazelight's portfolio. I can only see them going further up from here! Hopefully I'll get the opportunity to try out their older games out too!

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: Balatro

When I first heard of this game, it was through the game awards. I was admittedly surprised to see something like this appear on so many nominee lists, but considering the amount of support and cheers I saw for the dev and the game, I knew it had to be good. I'm not a poker player nor am I into roguelites, so this did take a while for me to jump into since it depends on my mood.

But I have to say, it really doesn't matter if you're not a poker player or into roguelites. Despite the handful amount of times I've tried Poker in real life, the rules never really stuck with me. But this game singehandedly managed to be the most accessible version of Poker I've played so far. I expected to get confused or give up on the rules after a few rounds of messing around, but I quickly gained speed and the next thing I knew, I got absorbed into clearing out blinds and feeling ecstatic whenever I hit a straight or a full house. The joker gimicks are quite fun and spice things up a bit, like adding in multipliers in certain circumstances, or how there are tarot cards that also may provide benefits in certain situations. I don't fully understand the rules of it yet, so I pick the ones that seem the most beneficial.

My favourite aspect of the game is the UI. Knowing what combos/variants I can make based on the info from the right and what outcome I can get, while also having easy access to the combo types at all times really helped out. I don't know if this sort of thing bothers people familiar with Poker. It's interesting to see how a game has managed to make something ''niche'' become more accessible yet change things up so that even familiar players can enjoy it.

All in all, this is great to try to kill time (or get sucked into it) and I'm really glad that LocalThunk won many awards for this!

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: Mass Effect 3 (Legendary Edition)

After enjoying ME2 so much, I couldn't think of any other game to play as a break and just wanted to see this through, vying to know what happens next with Shepard and everyone else. It was a strange feeling because throughout my life, whenever I heard anything Mass Effect, it's usually the 2nd game that's lauded and the 3rd game having a mixed reception, mostly in terms of its ending. I had 0 idea what it was other than people referencing a bunch of colours whenever I came across the discussion. But anyways, I will get to this.

Combat-wise, I love this one the most out of the trilogy. I love the fast-paced nature of it along with the flashiness too. The Omni-Blade became my favourite feature, having to see an action shot along with Shepard's screams felt exhilarating to watch everytime and never got old for me lol. Unfortunately, I felt most of the other aspects of gameplay felt very streamlined. Level design became very narrow with barely anything worth exploring (not to mention the lack of detailed datapads to read through), or secret/hackable doors to look at. I think my playtime was padded in this entry just from me searching every nook and cranny for something to explore just in case I miss something. Annoyingly, there are missable items that are directly related to side quests and I wouldn't have known that if I didn't follow a guide. I noticed the camera's interaction radius (for lack of a better phrase) was a lot shorter than the previous titles which made it easy for me to miss things if I wasn't close to them.

Speaking of side quests, I could normally excuse inconveniences in a game. But the journal aspect in this entry is infuriatingly bad. Grouping codexes (that are sectioned into primary and secondary) with quests is definitely a confusing choice. Not to mention all the side quests and main quests are all under one tab with vague descriptions that do not update as you progress is no help at all. I can only assume that the rushed nature of this game was a reason for this. Thankfully there are mods that exist to facilitate these issues. But i'm surprised that this went past QA.

I also noticed that the paragon/renegade choices barely existed this time around. A lot of choices were instead either meant to fill your paragon/renegade bar (which is now a single bar known as reputation) or were made to decide how you'd want to close certain story arcs that were running throughout the series. As much as the current approach is fine (I'm fine with the choices I made), in retrospect I feel like the game subtly pressures you to make certain good choices compared to previous games, since they play a bigger role in the story, which again seems to contribute to the more streamlined nature of this game. That being said, I liked that I still suffered some losses despite trying to play hero (although one particular loss I have in mind could've been done differently imo). The game seems to try to convey that as much as you try to save everyone, you can't save them all, which is interesting to see in a military-style story.

I loved seeing the progression of characters and seeing them grow and trust my Shepard. But I could also see that not all characters (especially the ME2 cast) could have the same priorities. There's a lot of missed potential with them that I wish could've been seen through if the game was given more time to develop.

I also really enjoyed the soundtrack this time around. As much as I appreciate the ambience in ME1, the epic sound in ME3 caught my attention this time around and has me listening to a few tracks on repeat.

Now, about the ending (spoilers ahead of course), I was under the impression that with the amount of backlash that it initially received that maybe the endings got retconned or something of the sort, so I had some level of hope that the series would end on a satisfying note. But instead I was a bit bewildered with what I saw instead. I heard the original versions were worse, which I agree after I watched those too online. I initially got the reject ending by accident since mistook the top-right choices on the wheel being a ''yes I'll choose this route'' and wanted to take some time to decide. But after reloading and looking through all the endings, I can't say they're as horrible as I heard, but they're certainly very...strange. In one way, I appreciate the boldness of the concept and making routes that could spark discussions where no one route is right or wrong (even though Destroy is popular, which is also what I chose). But I find the execution to be a little weak, since the reasoning of the routes are suddenly dumped on you at the end claiming synthetics vs. organics as the central aspect of the series, when in my mind, this never came to mind (or at least I thought it played a smaller role as part of something bigger, aka diversity and unity is our strength). It's a bit disappointing that a paragon-oriented Shepard (or a Shepard that somehow solved the Quarian vs. Geth conflict) cannot bring this up to show proof that things can change. But I feel that these sudden shifts and dumps in lore is something this series suffers from as a whole, unfortunately. I suppose there are mods and fanfics to alleviate this for those that want something else or something more. I did check out the Audemus' Happy Ending mod, which was wonderful to play through! Ultimately I decided that I'm okay with my playthrough having consequences though, so I'm personally fine with the canon endings.

Overall, ME3 feels like it's held back by what it could've been, considering that it has a strong foundation for it. But regardless, I'm happy to have played through the trilogy and finally experience it. Better late than never!

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: Mass Effect 2 (Legendary Edition)

I was planning on playing this later than intended, but I kept seeing minor spoilers lately with Dragon Age: The Veilguard being quite similar to it, so I hopped on asap before I got spoiled even further. I do see a lot of similarities with it narratively and gameplay wise, though I won't focusing on that.

When it comes to the first Mass Effect, I liked the general story (although I wasn't invested in the actual lore) more than the gameplay itself, which felt like a slog to me. I've previously mentioned that I actually tried ME2 first (only up to Omega) a couple years ago and remember enjoying it but feeling confused with the story, which prompted me to try playing in order one day. I was concerned that if I didn't like ME1 much, I may not end up liking ME2 either. But I'm glad to know I was wrong and that it's still enjoyable!

The gameplay has been overhauled that feels more streamlined and convenient. Gone are those heat sinks and in comes regular gunplay (Bonus points for the justifciation in the codexes). I don't play many shooters but the latter feels familiar and therefore fun enough for me to go through. I also found it interesting that not every enemy goes down by a headshot, as you need to figure out their weakness and use the right weapons and abilities to take them out more efficiently. I've heard people dislike the minigame segments when it comes to bypassing/hacking, but I enjoyed them more this time around compared to the first game which felt frustrating. The mining segments while exploring were also enjoyable. For some reason it felt really satisfying to see large spikes when looking for minerals, although this gets tedious if I was repeatedly doing this task for a long time, so spacing it out is recommended. Speaking of, hacking is a lot more accessible this time around. I played soldier in the first game to start off easy and safe and couldn't figure out how to open things with my squadmates. I decided to go Vanguard this time since I have the habit of getting in close and punching mobs and thought it was suitable for me. Although I ended up regretting this class for most of the game as the enemy AI behaviour has changed to make this a very risky move, until I was upgraded enough to find it helpful lol. I also noticed that the Mako has been replaced with the Hammerhead, which feels a lot less clunky to use. I quite enjoyed using the new vehicle in comparison and no longer have to worry about getting tipped over or stuck in areas. I liked the paragon/renegade system as usual like the first game. Having the new interrupt feature to bring out special actions was also a cool gimmick that I liked. I played paragon with slight renegade to the end in the first game and wanted to do more renegade actions (but lean with paragon overall) this time around, so getting chances to do paragon with a sprinkle of the other in between a single scene was a nice inclusion!

Side quests are the biggest positive change for me here. I recall disliking them in the first game for being tedious and soul-draining. This time they're varied and much more personal to NPCs that I enjoyed doing every single one I could get! The DLC quests are by far some of my favourites from Bioware!

Another aspect I really loved were the characters. I didn't feel too attached to them in ME1 apart from liking Garrus and Wrex, and I didn't feel all that emotionally impacted during that one choicenear the endgame. I thought I'd feel the same here, but I ended up feeling attached to every single squadmate, and even the NPCs themselves! Listening to their stories and backgrounds as well as the events that occur in the game was a lot more intriguing this time around. A variety of themes are present such as ethics, family, and trauma. I did hear that Jacob in particular is the least liked character for a variety of reasons, but I think he's alright. I enjoyed Mordin's character the most, hearing what he has to say about topics like the genophage, and the advancement of society and cultures. It felt so rewarding to get to know them more and earn their trust, even becoming comrades or friends.

I think one of the drawbacks I have is that narratively I don't see a lot of progress with the story from the first one. It feels like a Mass Effect 1.5 of sorts if anything when the focus of ME2 is much more tight. The choice/concept of most squadmates also feel odd for such a high stakes mission, such as having an assassin or criminal. I can only see the justification of it being that there needs to be an extremely diverse group to cover all bases, but I wish it was implemented more deeply. I also feel like some of the dialogue hasn't aged too well in today's standards, such as having to frequently hear the word 'bitch' used against female characters started to get tiring, or one of the DLC quests using a neurodivergent character for pity points (even though I really enjoyed that quest overall). But this is one of those cases where I'm aware that it's a product of its time, so I just usually ignore it and move on.

Mass Effect 2 exceeded my cautious expectations, and I felt bittersweet as I was finishing the game. I'm looking forward to seeing how this all goes in Mass Effect 3, as well as getting into the deeper lore in the meantime!

[todayimgonnaplay]

Dragon Age: Veilguard Spoilers Ahead

Just finished my first playthrough of Dragon Age: The Veilguard and while I had a lot of fun, I can definitely see where a lot of the complaints are coming from.

Preface with this is the first DA game I've ever played, and the knowledge I have of the previous titles is limited.

First things first, the things I liked:

Holy shit the combat. That was crazy. Coming from someone that avoids combat focused games (sims and Minecraft, or any mobile game), or has realized they prefer turn based (Baldur's Gate 3) combat, I absolutely loved DA:V's combat. It felt like I was literally flying around the battlefield, and I was only playing the warrior class. I've heard mage goes absolutely crazy in this game and am excited to try it out. It's also really beginner friendly with combat. I've played some of the Spider-Man ps4 games and those were an absolute nightmare (part of that does have to be attributed to my unfamiliarity with console, but I've never been able to pick it up even after hours at a time playing).

Character creation. Oh my god I'm in love with the character creator. I've seen more than a few people complain that their Rooks always look like a gigachad with the jawline but honestly, skill issue. Like genuinely. It took me less than 10 seconds to figure out how to give my Rook a softer jawline and rounded cheeks. I liked the variety in body types and shapes (looking at you bg3 with your body types boiled down to tits or no tits, and occasionally tall titties or tall no titties).

I will say it was disappointing that, despite all the time spent in character creation, I rarely saw Rook. At most, you can see the general body shape and their face for most of the game. A few armors are more revealing, and let you see more of Rook, but all of the casual wear (that I found, I know I missed a lot of them) seems to cover Rook neck to toe. I would have also liked for some of the tattoos and body paints to have been locked for certain Rooks (either permanently or until a certain point). At minimum, labeled in a way that I got a sense of the world itself.

I knew going into the game that elves in DA were the only ones I ever saw with face tattoos, so my Rook (a human) did not get one despite how pretty I thought they were. But I really feel the vallaslin should have been locked for non elf Rooks in character creation. Sure, you can make the argument that to someone like me, who's playing this game as their first entry, would have no clue why they were locked and potentially be frustrated and confused, but that's what the world-building of the game is there for. I also think it would have been interesting if Rook couldn't paint or tattoo the symbols of other factions on themselves until they'd gotten a certain approval from that faction (i.e. my Shadow Dragon Rook couldn't paint Warden symbols until a moderate or excellent standing with the Wardens), however I realize that would probably be a time-consuming endeavor for the devs.

I also really enjoyed the companions. They're fun and have a variety of personalities, without ever being evil (I'm not really a fan of evil companions). I also enjoyed all of their stories, even if the conclusions for some of them didn't make the most sense (the game pushing you to free the archive despite Cyrian dying for it and it being Bellara's life work, I get that it had the potential to be dangerous, but also that was a wild "good ending" for someone who actively studied history her entire life to just...throw all that knowledge away).

While I would never seek to be in the disapproval zone for any character (I'm a people pleaser and even fictional characters need to approve of me or I'll Cry), I think the companions not being able to have negative disapproval is kind of disappointing. They can disapprove of your choices, but honestly as long as you're still bringing them on quests and completing their personal quests, ending the game with anything less than 8 approval across the board is probably very difficult (my lowest was Neve, who still managed to be at 9.5 by the end of the game, and I wasn't doing anything crazy to win her approval and missed a ton of her quests bc I didn't go back to the lighthouse to talk to my companions enough). It could have been so interesting to have companions that would leave (similar to bg3) if you had low enough approval. It wouldn't even require Rook being evil, they could just be constantly making decisions that companion doesn't like. Or even companions that are less helpful and willing to share their contacts if you keep pissing them off, making you the player less willing to bring them along, but knowing it's the only way to actually get them to help.

Okay, the things I really didn't like.

The romance. What the fuck. Granted, I've only romanced Taash at this point, but holy hell. It starts so strong and sensual (they sniff up your neck for gods sake to smell your pheromones), and then you really don't get too many scenes after that. I'm not really one that cares about romance and sex in games, but if you're gonna promise it, I will be expecting it.

From what I've heard, basically every romance in the game is similar to this. Strong start, weak ending with a fade to black sex scene (I've heard Davrin's is the most explicit, but I think I've heard it said that his is still fade to black after undressing). And like, I have nothing against a good fade to black. I don't need to see these characters bumping uglies, but at least give me some foreplay or something before you do so. Undressing and picking Rook up, then fading away to when Taash and Rook are just cuddled up on the bed after is...kind of disappointing. "You sure know how to welcome someone back." (Stated right after supposedly having sex, which i'm not convinced of considering Rook still had their undergarments on) Yeah, I wish we'd gotten to see any of that, Rook.

The writing. I'm not gonna say it was like, the worst thing ever and god-awful and I'll never play the game again, but you can definitely tell it was sitting in development hell for over a decade. Some of it is pretty shaky (how, in this entire group of people, did no one notice Rook would talk to "Varric" semi frequently, and no one decides to confront them. After Rook helped all of them through their issues. That just feels careless, and like Rook is sidelined in their own story, which we'll get to). Some of it outright doesn't make sense (the codex entries for the Crows and their in game behavior never matches up right; what do you mean this is a brutal group of assassins that torture the children they take in to make them better assassins, but also they're just fun cute freedom fighters). Also, from what I've gathered, Solas just straight up being a liar in the final act goes against his entire character from the previous games? Again, I'm not overly familiar, but even just my experience with DA:V, him turning out to just be a liar feels like it undercuts him massively. After promising Rook he won't bring down the Veil, actually, yeah no he's still gonna do that, except it's partially just a play on words because the Veil won't come down by his hands, but killing Elgar'nan is what'll do it instead. That reveal...feels like it was supposed to be more clever than it actually was. "Oh the god of lies and deception deceived me, how could I have not expected this turn of events?" Like, I'm sorry, it would have been so much more interesting had he done literally anything else.

Rook. Oh my god. Rook feels, at times, like the village idiot. The amount of times they say "huh?" or "um, what?" is ridiculous. My Rook is from Minrathous, it was in the character creation. Viper knows Rook. Neve knows of Rook prior to meeting Varric. Why, as we're walking around Minrathous, is Rook constantly asking questions about things, or having confused responses when Neve explains something inherent to the city. And listen, I love Rook's general attitude. I like how they're kind of feral no matter what response you choose (sometimes the dialogue options are just "pick how unhinged you wanna be"), but why, in their casual dialogue, do they seem to know absolutely nothing? Also, and maybe it's just my game, why does it feel like the companions never really talk to Rook much when you're traveling. They talk to each other almost non-stop, but almost never to Rook directly. About, occasionally, but Rook is normally silent and uninvited to these conversations.

It feels like Rook is an outsider to the companions. And I've seen a lot of people say that it feels like Rook isn't even a main character in the game, which after finishing it, yeah. The companions are the main characters, not Rook. Rook almost takes the mentor role for the companions to make sure they're ready for the final battle, but no one ever checks in with them until after Rook was presumed dead in the Fade. No one ever tries to help Rook through their issues, or ever asks if something's bothering them after they've all decided they need to work through their personal shut before fighting the gods. Towards the end, especially after being in the Fade, it almost felt as though Rook was the companions Varric. There to teach them, build them up, and ultimately die for them.

Now, I know Rook doesn't actually die, and the companions do spend a lot of time rescuing them, but it feels...brushed over. I've seen some different things from others, but none of my companions brought up how much they missed Rook after getting them back. None of them checked on Rook except Taash, who even then, let it drop fairly quick. The relationship between Rook and their companions feels very one-sided. Rook so clearly cares (and cares deeply) about their companions, while the companions seem at times nearly indifferent to Rook.

Anyway, these are just my thoughts that I needed to get out. I don't normally go on tangents about things like this, but I don't have anyone to talk to about this game irl and it's been driving me up a wall.

I don't hate the game, and that's a lot of the reason I've been hesitant to interact with anything critiquing it because some critiques have been valid, some have really, really not been. I liked the game, and I will be replaying, but there's some issues that are hard to look past.

This is a little rambly, and I didn't check over to make sure it made sense, but...yeah.

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

This game has been in my backlog for a looong while but it only took The Witcher 4 announcement to really get me intrigued and finally jump into it. Prior to this my only experience has been watching at least season 1 of the show, as well as Nightmare of the Wolf which were enjoyable, but I don't remember much of it.

Honestly, I'm not sure where to start. For a game released in the 2010s, so much of it has been held up so well that I can see why it's praised so much. The world feels so alive with its diverse cast of characters and encounters that I'm surprised I haven't seen more of this in more recent games.

One thing that stood out to me was that every quest tackled in the game didn't feel useless. Everything had a story to tell, from influential figures to peasants trying to make it through each day. The option of getting to know them felt very intimate that made me respect the job of a witcher, and Geralt's character in general (however you shape him to be). I also liked how the game had a lot of investigative elements. Getting in Geralt's head and knowing how he pieces up events really shows how good he is at his job and helps provide a bigger picture to each quest.

The story was excellent from start to finish. I won't say much to avoid spoiling, but I found it interesting how there are large-scale events occuring in the world that you slightly take part of, yet the main focus of the game is a lot more personal. Being able to play as someone that can indirectly have a lot of influence with how the world changes yet act as an everyday man doing their job was a very refreshing thing to see.

I'm also unfamiliar with Slavic folklore in general but seeing its uses in the game alongside other philosophical and social elements seen in other cultures that you scour through as you explore (especially when reading) was a really nice touch. I'd love to play more games like this that show diverse concepts and use 'more niche' cultures in games.

And for a game that has dark/mature themes like other RPGs, I was surprised to see how it tackled subjects like love and loss. I've been used to seeing games that like to focus on war/politics and social issues yet feel gritty and violent. Seeing the side effects of it was unexpected but very much welcome.

The music is also another highlight for me. A lot of the atmospheric tracks really blend well with the places you visit. I enjoyed hearing how layered the tracks are and how they blend and transition as you walk around. Battle themes are also just as great and really get me pumped when I'm fighting off monsters. I've been listening to them non-stop lately and definitely are the types of tracked I'd listen to for years to come. Though it's a shame that a lot of the tracks I like are not officially available.

My only issues would be that the combat feels quite clunky (mostly the sword fighting aspect) and is my least favourite part of the game. It feels reminiscent of Persona 4 where my depth perception keeps failing me as I'm always too far to hit. Although strong attacks are effective, they take longer than usual to wind up compared to other games, and the magic system feels awkward at times with how its set up. A faster way to change signs and potential upgrades for regenerating them would be a nice addition (although the latter could be game breaking).

Horse riding was also very clunky. Perhaps playing Red Dead Redemption 2 spoiled me, but there were way too many times where I was constantly stopped by random obstacles or ledges that it was better to just run on foot than deal with this.

Another thing that I just realized while writing this, is that the photo mode did not make it clear that using the save screenshot button doesn't remove the UI. So the majority of scenic pictures I took still have the UI in them... I wish I knew of this a lot early on (iirc Dragon's Dogma 2 or another game lets you know that the UI should be hidden to take screenshots successfully)

This genuinely has shaped up to be one of the best RPGs I've played, and even in general. I'm stoked to play the next title, especially with Ciri taking the main role!

[todayimgonnaplay]

When it comes to discussing action games, perhaps one of the most important factors to consider is the combat. While other action-adventure games may have better stories or worlds to explore, the games in this list will feature some of the most addictive combat in gaming that will keep the player amazed for days at a time.

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: Dragon's Dogma 2

I've got 0 exposure to this series other than being recommended to check out the game, so this was a blind experience from start to finish

The character creation is one of the most extensive I've seen (which is a bit unsurprising since Capcom also makes Monster Hunter), that ranges from making some really nice looking characters, to really goofy ones. However I do wish it didn't have to cost to edit appearances after creation. Races are also just restricted to two which felt limiting, but I wasn't too peeved about it.

Combat wise, this is a real treat. The pawn system is just so interactive in how they really try to assist you all the way. I've seen my pawns carry a downed teammate to me to help me revive them. If I'm down, they help me up and vice versa. Winning feels rewarding when you get to cheer together by high-fiving or raising your fist in the air along with a few words. Outside of that, it's also convenient that they can lead you to the quest marker if they know about the destination, or collect items for you.

Unfortunately, this gets bogged down by some other aspects that maybe is a staple in the series, but just isn't for me.

Although I really enjoy the pawn system, the banter that plays gets extremely repetitive. Sometimes the AI can act a bit silly where they run into walls, or try to lead me to a quest but we end up running around in circles instead. It feels like a system that has the most potential but still needed some ironing out. Weight management in the game becomes cumbersome when the game calculates your equipment + all other items you own in the game which can reduce your speed the more you carry. Having to constantly send things over to other pawns can get tedious, and I could somehow not consistently keep an average weight despite having a heavy set character with a skill and some equipment that allowed me to carry more weight (as well as certain consumable items). If the game allowed for unlimited fast travel like other games, this wouldn't bother me. But the game often forces you to run on foot instead, with the only alternative being Oxcarts that frequently get ambushed. I do like to explore, but often times it felt like a chore when sometimes I just wanted to get from point A to B, but instead constantly get encounters every few seconds or so.

Combat felt very challenging at first and forced me to really strategize how I play which was great. But at some point when you a hit a particular level range, the difficulty dies down and everything becomes a lot easier to hit. The only challenge that remained was the amount of time spent beating it. However, this isn't a dealbreaker for me as I like ARPGs and hack and slash elements which more or less can fall into this.

Lastly, the save system in this game really baffled me. Having a single save file that can autosave in troubling situations often had me feeling frustrated as I'd sometimes mistakenly get into a bad encounter or accidentally enter an area I shouldn't have. This forced me to waste time in figuring out how to get out of said situation and just go on my way. I'd expect something like this for games that have a hard mode, but that isn't the case here.

Overall, there were a few things I really enjoyed in this game, namely the pawn system, and the overall combat. I'd love to see something similar in other RPGs that want to focus on parties. Unfortunately the other aspects of this game simply made me feel relieved that I'm done playing with it. It is recommended for those that really like to do a lot of self-management, down from menus to exploration.

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: Sonic X Shadow Generations

This was a title I was looking forward to this year! Being able to finally play as another Sonic character in years was something I was really excited about. Although I'm not a Shadow fan, seeing how much attention he's gotten this year along with him appearing in Sonic 3 has been delightful to see! I'll only be covering the Shadow aspects of this game.

I have to say, this game really made me appreciate Shadow even more than before. He's a great anti-hero that hasn't been able to be fully utilized after Sonic 06'. Seeing the game tackle his traumatic past again was something I didn't expect (I went in blind, avoiding much of the promo apart from Dark Beginnings, which was great), but welcome to see.

Visually, this is the best I've seen from Sonic to date. Frontiers was great although I still kept it on par with Sonic Unleashed's art direction (x360/PS3 versions). But seeing how expressive and let loose Shadow was had me in awe with every scene! The environments also look great, and weren't afraid to be used cinematically either. It does get a bit repetitive that levels do stick to cinematics at the end, so I hope it gets turned down a bit in future games. Otherwise, a welcome change.

In terms of gameplay and level design, it seems like they stuck with what worked in Frontiers, and refined it further. It's fun to see all the different paths and methods you could take to finish a level. It's more fun with the abilities that Shadow can unlock, which also look really cool! I do however, have some issues with the movement sometimes being a little slippery and wish that the game had the same types of refinement options that Frontiers had. I was also not a fan of the last two mechanics introduced for Shadow as part of his Doom Powers, as they felt a bit clunky to use.

Sound-wise, I like the sound design in how it matches the atmosphere. Hitting things really feel satisfying in this game! Music-wise, I do prefer the original tracks more than the Generations remix (which is sort of the same stance I have with the original Generations music). But there are some tracks I like more, such as the Sunset Heights remix.

Overall, I'm really happy to see that Frontiers wasn't a one hit wonder. At this rate, Sonic could be on a good track in terms of the games! A great time to be a Sonic fan indeed!

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Having gotten into this series this year, this was one of my most anticipated titles of 2024! I've finally managed to beat it after nearly 100 hours into the game!

One of the things this game has knocked out of the park is definitely its environmental design. There's a nice variety to go on, from closed off corridors in an inhabitated place to more open areas similar to Inquisition but a lot more controlled this time. I often did find myself stopping just to take in the sights and use photo mode (although I'm more of a fan of taking combat pics instead), and sometimes you find some neat details, from finding a cat café in Minrathous to finding limbs sticking out of trees in Arlathan forest. As for the art style, I wasn't quite happy with it at first, but it's somewhat grown on me as I played.

Technically speaking, this game runs like a dream. Barely any stutters, tears, or pop-ins that sometimes can occur with other games thanks to loading shaders up-front rather than real-time. If I'm required to wait a bit (only for the first time, really) before being able to play, it's a compromise I'm willing to take if it means having a smooth experience while playing. The amount of options you can control in settings to fine-tune your performance is also great, as well as gameplay features and accessibility!

Combat is pretty different from Origins to say the least, and more evolved from Inquisition (minus the tactical aspect). I don't really think about combat when I think of Dragon Age, so I'm not really bothered about the change. I personally like Action RPGs, so this felt really enjoyable to play. Being able to unlock abilities and passives in your skill tree felt very reminiscent of Final Fantasy X, which was neat. I do wish there were more variety of skills, or maybe this depends on the class (as I played Warrior). But as fun as the combat is, I found the enemy AI to be very repetitive as I progressed, with not a lot of variety both in behaviour and in design, apart from bigger quests. It was also unfortunate that the party members didn't feel as useful as they do in previous games, but are rather just there for the sake of using skills and combos. It doesn't help that the aggro level in this game is solely directed at you that at many points, the game gets extremely busy to focus on. Fortunately, the settings do allow you to tinker with this, but the companions still don't feel as useful. It's akin to how party members in Kingdom Hearts 1 felt like decoration some of the time by constantly getting knocked out, except they can't die but you can, and reviving is weirdly done in this game for some reason.

The music is a bit of a hit or miss for me. I don't usually listen to Dragon Age soundtracks as much, although the themes for Origins and Inquisition (and Solas' theme) are memorable enough to still stay in my head. Veilguard on the other hand took quite a while for the music to stick in. I enjoy a number of the combat themes so far, but I've noticed that a lot of the music is either very repetitive, or drowned out which makes me barely notice it compared to previous games.

The weakest aspect for me is the writing, which is what a lot of online discourse is going on about. It feels like a lot of the building blocks are there, but they never get expanded upon. Lines tend to repeat or be over-simplified so I never really get to delve deeper into Northern Thedas or the characters as I'd like. I noticed a lot of the finer details are instead hidden in missable dialogue, codexes and some of the environment design instead.

Overall, this was a fun game to pass time with and to get closure on Solas' journey after Trespasser, but it wasn't what I expected from this series in particular. I'm a new fan to this series, so I can imagine there's a lot of emotions, both good and bad for longtime fans. Hopefully people either find some enjoyment or closure to this entry however they can!

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: Mass Effect: Legendary Edition

Note: This is only about the first Mass Effect and not the rest of the trilogy or series.

My first experience with the series was actually with Mass Effect 2. I really enjoyed that but felt disconnected with the story, so I decided to play it in order when I get the opportunity. And so I finally had the chance to play the first one!

I wonder what did it feel like for people who played this at launch, as I've yet to see many in-depth sci-fi RPGs out there (apart from Starfield, which I haven't tried yet), and whether it's a niche that'll stay a niche or is waiting to be more popularized. I do recall a couple of sci-fi based entries in the last couple years that have caught interest, but haven't been very noteworthy. Regardless, Mass Effect does seem to be the type of series that is a good entry point for those wanting to get into the genre.

For a remaster, I think it visually looks appealing despite the obvious age. It's not atrocious by any means, but nice enough to enjoy the environments the world likes to present. From futuristic cityscapes, to barren wastelands and even lush plains, there's a nice variety for a small number of visitable areas.

I can also see that despite the morality system of being a good guy (Paragon) or a bad guy (Renegade), the game does try to prop you up to be a heroic leader for the story it sets out. But envisioning the type of person you want your Shephard to be is definitely the highlight of the game and adds a lot of nuance to your relationships. One aspect I really love is how there are a lot of sociopolitical themes in the game, and characters (including yourself) can take stances that either end in animosity, agreement, or you can simple agree to disagree. It made tensions in the world feel real.

Unfortunately, I felt like the general gameplay was a drawback. Side quests often felt uninteresting and repetitive with a couple of them requiring you to roam around confusing maps (I personally disliked th layout of the Citadel) or do fetch quests, which made me give up on them and focus on the main story. Puzzles such as decryption felt thoughtless too that I had to brute force my way through or at some point, just use up currency to get it over with. The driving sections were also one of the weakest parts of the game where it ends up being very clunky (as well as general combat). Enemy AI also didn't feel very challenging either and often just stood around or would come charging at you. I suppose that is to be expected with older games, but it's surprising for a remaster.

That being said, the lore does feel like the main hook of the series which is definitely worth delving into. So I'm looking forward to checking out Mass Effect 2 once again and see how my Shephard's journey continues!

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: SomervillIe

I came across this game on YouTube and it reminded me greatly of Inside, which I enjoyed (although I prefer Limbo), and so I gave it a try.

If you're looking for a game that really scratch that Inside itch atmospherically, this is definitely the game. The visuals, sound effects and the vagueness of the story are all top notch and on par with the Playdead's games. You play as a father who finds their family missing after presuming him dead in a post-apocalyptic sci-fi war event. But you also gain a mysterious power in exchange that can disintegrate objects based on light. Some alien spherical objects can also assist you in doing the same.

Unfortunately, this is the only plus point I can say about the game. It takes a show, don't tell approach which is what Inside/Limbo succeeded in and is what works best in video games, but takes it to the extreme in that it's very difficult to figure out what you're supposed to do next. Having this issue in the middle of a game is one thing, but figuring out what to do right at the beginning did not leave the best impression in mind. This has to do with both the puzzle design, and the lack of input being registered when interacting. Good puzzle design works well with lighting, perspective, and placement of puzzle elements so that the player can subconsiously be guided on how to solve it using logical skills. This game seems to lack that at times, as it takes time to figure out what exactly the power can do.

As for input, there's no control mapping or any guide on what buttons can be used, so I had to spend a majority of my time pressing random buttons hoping something worked out. Even if some controls are a no-brainer to know such as movement, it's still essential to teach the player how to play. Otherwise, having button prompts pop up on screen would work great as an alternative. I've only seen this occur once in game so far, which gives me the impression that the button prompts must be bugged.

Somerville is worth trying for the experience, but I'm not sure if it's worth finishing personally. I do hope others have a better experience instead, and would like to see future titles from Jumpship be able to reiterate this into a more enjoyable experience.

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: It Takes Two

I've heard a lot of praise for this game although it took me quite a while to get to it as I mostly play single player games, until a friend was willing to play it alongside with me. The game only requires one person to own it, so a friend can play it with the free friend pass!

I've played a few co-op games that were nice to pick up and play during a nice night: Valheim, Overcooked, Operation Tango, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds/PUBG, Monster Hunter Rise, and so on. Although I don't tend to stick with multiplayer games for long as they tend to rely on certain mechanics as the core part of the gameplay which feels repetitive to me, whereas I love me a story focused game which is often single player. Never did I think that a co-op focused game could do exactly that!

I went into the game completely blind expecting it to be cutesy and chill but got whimsical, creative, and a little dark instead. Having to play as a couple in the process of divorce while tying in the theme of connection by working together seemed like it would be another cliché gimmick, and it can be. But the game gets you invested in its gameplay. Each and every segment is unique and not repetitive, putting you in various unique segments with a theme, like having to use a nail and hammer to platform your ways through, or using space boots to walk around any non-aligned surface while another person grows and shrinks while bringing in all kinds of game genres, from RPGs to shooters to hack and slash. They're so random and yet they make so much sense in the game. Not a single moment felt boring in that sense.

The game's difficulty is also very decent for the most part (as someone that plays easy mode) making it suitable for just about anyone to play the game alongside. There may be a few frustrating moments but only a handful. So it's a great option for those who prefer less stressful games. There is a lot of co-ordination and learning patterns required, but nothing brain wracking.

I was also not expecting it but the game's art direction and general graphical quality was highly impressive. It felt great to just look around and admire the environment as we waddled through the levels or cutscenes. The music and voicing also fits in great alongside these segments.

One of my favourite aspects of the game are the amount of minigames and interactables present in the game. They're optional, but highly rewarding for people who like to explore, allowing you to get a chance to have a breather or get some competitive spirit going. They weren't needed in the game, but they're great and highly appreciated touches.

Overall, It Takes Two really takes co-op games to another level that I'd love to see in other co-op games (if similar ones don't exist already). I'd definitely consider this to be one of my favourite co-op games, if not my top.