The last few games you beat and rate them IV

[Frankie Spankie]

Resident Evil 4 didn't age well. It's kind of hard to enjoy a game these days where you can't even move while aiming.

I tried playing it 2016 for the first time and couldn't get past the second act because the controls were so bad. I'd be all for trying the remake they're apparently working on but I'm not a huge RE fan to begin with.

 

[saluki]

I agree on RE4.

I know there are gamers who swear by that game and think it's one of the best ever. I bought it probably 7-8 years ago during a PS store sale.

I've tried at least 4-5 times to get started and I can't. And unlike games such as RDR, where I slowly but surely found more footing on each attempt, every time I try RE4 I get less far into the game.

The last time I tried, either last year or the year before, I didn't even get past the zombie in the very first cabin.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

Figured this is probably the best thread for my question as I don't think it's thread worthy: I've found myself really drawn to both of the recent X-coms, as well as Battletech. I've played them both through a bunch and was wondering if there are any other (relatively recent) games like them? Base building/team building side with turnbased missions? They scratch my itch of building up characters/weapons and then using my 'built to my style' characters in combat. Plus I like the turnbased nature as I tend to want to play at my own pace, and I like the mission format so I find natural break points instead of getting into a constant 'one more turn' situation ala Civ.

I remember this game called Phantom Doctrine that had similar gameplay to XCOM, but it eschews the sci-fi for a cold war espionage setting. It was okay, worth a shot I suppose.

Just beat Dark Souls Remastered on Switch the other day. My only real, objective complaints are the audio quality is pretty bad (only irritating and jarring for certain actions like smashing barrels/tables) and it doesn't run at 60 FPS which seems strange for a past-gen game on a current-gen console. My other issue was that I completely missed the DLC areas (DLC in the sense that they were DLC for the original launch game). If you don't look up how to access them, chances are you will miss them entirely as they are not very intuitive to locate.

I'm playing a New Game Plus now to level up my character in order to play PvP soon. It's insane how much the difficulty curve drops in this game once you hit level 90 or so. In about 45 mins, I already rang both bells and am going to do Sens Fortress now. It's also a fun game to replay as there are plenty of decisions you can make differently on your second play through. I'm excited to play through the DLC areas and obtain the items I missed out on during my first playthrough.

9/10

Damn, you still got the best bosses to fight then.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

I always thought RE4 was ridiculously overrated. I did enjoy the Wii port though, after you get used to the controls it’s alot of fun. It’s by no means a masterpiece though.

 

[Josepho]

SSX3 (Xbox/Gamecube/PS2)

Control: A
Mechanics: B
Effectiveness: A
Story: N/A
Visual: C
Sound Design / Soundtrack: A
Quality Assurance: B
Overall Grade: A-

Really fun, arcade-style racing game that disguises itself as a snowboarding game. The simple usage of the trick and speed burst system is effective, exciting and goes well with the fun soundtrack the game offers. The game is slightly held back with its mildly confusing track layouts, as well as its domino effect that comes from a single crash. There are multiple game modes, tons of collectibles, and several different ways to go through each track, presenting a ton of replayability.

 

[PK Cronin]

Lol wut?

I never played it when it came out back in the day so there's no nostalgia for me. The controls are wonky, the story is awful, there's no suspense, and I don't care at all about any of the characters beyond the fact that I know who Leon is. It's highly regarded in the gaming world, I get that, but it's such a departure from the first few games and that is such a negative for me. I've made it as far as killing the giant and have stopped with zero interest in continuing. There's just nothing interesting about this game to me in comparison to the others.

I've played Zero, 1 (original and remastered), 2 (original and remake), 3 (remake), Code Veronica, and Survivor, and 4 is easily the worst of the bunch for me.

Resident Evil 4 didn't age well. It's kind of hard to enjoy a game these days where you can't even move while aiming.

I tried playing it 2016 for the first time and couldn't get past the second act because the controls were so bad. I'd be all for trying the remake they're apparently working on but I'm not a huge RE fan to begin with.

Similar issues for me. The controls are just so stiff and I just don't find the action compelling. It departs too drastically from the previous entries so that's why I don't like it.

I agree on RE4.

I know there are gamers who swear by that game and think it's one of the best ever. I bought it probably 7-8 years ago during a PS store sale.

I've tried at least 4-5 times to get started and I can't. And unlike games such as RDR, where I slowly but surely found more footing on each attempt, every time I try RE4 I get less far into the game.

The last time I tried, either last year or the year before, I didn't even get past the zombie in the very first cabin.

There wasn't a lot drawing me into the story. The entire first encounter in the town is pretty lame and it only gets worse from there. Seems like a lot of gimmicks.

I always thought RE4 was ridiculously overrated. I did enjoy the Wii port though, after you get used to the controls it’s alot of fun. It’s by no means a masterpiece though.

It probably changed gaming in a positive way for other series but I just don't think it fit the RE universe. Definitely an overrated game. I can go back and play any of the older games and they are infinitely more fun. The most annoying thing about the older games is just the fact that every door has a loading animation/screen.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

I never played it when it came out back in the day so there's no nostalgia for me. The controls are wonky, the story is awful, there's no suspense, and I don't care at all about any of the characters beyond the fact that I know who Leon is. It's highly regarded in the gaming world, I get that, but it's such a departure from the first few games and that is such a negative for me. I've made it as far as killing the giant and have stopped with zero interest in continuing. There's just nothing interesting about this game to me in comparison to the others.

I've played Zero, 1 (original and remastered), 2 (original and remake), 3 (remake), Code Veronica, and Survivor, and 4 is easily the worst of the bunch for me.



Similar issues for me. The controls are just so stiff and I just don't find the action compelling. It departs too drastically from the previous entries so that's why I don't like it.



There wasn't a lot drawing me into the story. The entire first encounter in the town is pretty lame and it only gets worse from there. Seems like a lot of gimmicks.



It probably changed gaming in a positive way for other series but I just don't think it fit the RE universe. Definitely an overrated game. I can go back and play any of the older games and they are infinitely more fun. The most annoying thing about the older games is just the fact that every door has a loading animation/screen.

I played it for the first time last year so there's no nostalgia for me either.

I've only played one other RE, but RE4 is supposed to be an action/adventure game, which is apparently unlike the prior games. One thing it is definitely not, is a shooter, which is why the controls work. I understand why one would be turned off by them, but firmly disagree, as the scenarios and encounters the game throws at your are designed with the movement limitations in mind. Combat is about moving to the right position, taking a few shots at the right location of the Spaniards' bodies to kill or disable them, then moving again. Like in the 3D Zelda games, you weren't able to aim your bow while moving until recently, as adding that in would completely uproot combat in those titles. I think your issue may be that you were expecting something different than what was delivered, but in terms of game design/structure, RE4 has few peers.

Also, the story in RE4 is supposed to be a joke. An example of so bad it's good dialogue.

 

[Papa Francouz]

FFVII Remake - 8.75/10

Great music, great characters, great combat. The writing and pacing was questionable at times and the ending was classic Nomura nonsense.

 

[Commander Clueless]

I've been messing around with a few games on Xbox Game Pass lately until my sub runs out, so I have some catch-up to do:

1) Bridge Constructor Portal - Recommended
Great little physics puzzle game with a (slightly over-used) dash of Portal humour. Very enjoyable.

2) Halo Wars/Halo Wars 2 - Recommended
While I don't think they are anything all that special, these two games are well made RTS games with actual freaking campaigns. I might be biased because I miss the golden days of strategy games with good campaigns instead of exclusive multiplayer focus, but I loved these two. While the sequel certainly added to the original, I feel like the original had a better flow to it.

3) Ori and the Will of the Wisps - Absolutely Recommended
Gorgeous sequel to the original that I loved, this game maintains most of the heart while improving the combat features. I do feel like they left some of the original mechanics that I enjoyed behind (most notably the saving-as-a-resource feature), but overall this is the best game I've played so far this year

4) Worms W.M.D - Recommended
It's Worms. Great way to shoot the shit with a buddy while blowing each other up.

5) Monster Sanctuary - Recommended
I don't usually partake of (nor recommend) Early Access games, but this one is a go for me. Fantastic marriage between a platformer with a Pokemon mechanic with an old school JRPG style combat.

6) Fire Emblem: Cindered Shadows (Three Houses DLC) - Recommended
A nice little expansion to my favourite game of 2019. The new characters were a nice add, and the DLC battles were an ordeal, but a fun ordeal. Certainly not a cheap expansion however.

7) Frostpunk: The Last Autumn (DLC) - Recommended
Frostpunk is the game that keeps on getting better, and the latest DLC scenario was no exception. A real gem from a crop of gems in 2018 that continues to climb it's way up the ladder in my books.


----

8) NHL 20 - Meh
My first NHL game since...I think 15? I don't feel like a ton has changed...

Not bad. Certainly fun to be had. Glad I got it on sale.

7.8/10 too much Snoop Dogg - IGN

----

9) Two-Point Hospital - Not Recommended
I'm normally a fan of casual management games (love to play them while watching or listening to something), but I didn't find this one particularly engaging. Hard to put my finger on exactly why, but the game play loop didn't feel very enjoyable.

10) Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Not Recommended
I love me some chill, casual games as a nice break from whatever big game I am currently playing. AC seemed like a fantastic option for someone who loves games like Stardew Valley, and came well recommended from a large group of dedicated fans.

Unfortunately, as it turns out, Animal Crossing is not for me. While I appreciate slower games, this one is almost too slow....to the point of tedium. Add in certain blocks early on (based on real days) really hampering your ability to dive in to the game, and an aesthetic I personally dislike, and I've determined this was a dud purchase for me.

Don't get me wrong, I understand why people enjoy it. It definitely improves once it starts to open up, but not enough for me to get hooked.

 

[filip85]

2) Halo Wars/Halo Wars 2 - Recommended
While I don't think they are anything all that special, these two games are well made RTS games with actual freaking campaigns. I might be biased because I miss the golden days of strategy games with good campaigns instead of exclusive multiplayer focus, but I loved these two. While the sequel certainly added to the original, I feel like the original had a better flow to it.

You are not the only one...hopefully Red Alert and C&C remasters will be first step in revitalizing this legendary series.

 

[Osprey]

9) Two-Point Hospital - Not Recommended
I'm normally a fan of casual management games (love to play them while watching or listening to something), but I didn't find this one particularly engaging. Hard to put my finger on exactly why, but the game play loop didn't feel very enjoyable.

*gasp*

This has been my favorite game of the past two years (and that's saying something because I hate hospitals). As with a lot of management games, it can be frustrating and confusing until you figure out the mechanics and what you're doing wrong. Once you do, it becomes a lot more fun. I can see why it might be harder to get into for a console gamer, though. I'm not sure how you can even play it with a controller. Games like this have long been designed for PC gamers with mouse and keyboard. This game, in fact, is a spiritual sequel to the 1997 Windows/DOS game Theme Hospital, made by some of the original creators. You don't need to have fond memories of that game to enjoy this one, but it probably helps. I absolutely recommend it to PC gamers who like management games, but, yeah, I'm not sure if it'd really be up a lot of console gamers' alleys.

 

[Commander Clueless]

*gasp*

This has been my favorite game of the past two years (and that's saying something because I hate hospitals). As with a lot of management games, it can be frustrating and confusing until you figure out the mechanics and what you're doing wrong. Once you do, it becomes a lot more fun. I can see why it might be harder to get into for a console gamer, though. I'm not sure how you can even play it with a controller. Games like this have long been designed for PC gamers with mouse and keyboard. This game, in fact, is a spiritual sequel to the 1997 Windows/DOS game Theme Hospital, made by some of the original creators. You don't need to have fond memories of that game to enjoy this one, but it probably helps. I absolutely recommend it to PC gamers who like management games, but, yeah, I'm not sure if it'd really be up a lot of console gamers' alleys.

To clarify, I was playing it on the Xbox Game Pass app for PC. I don't own an Xbox.

It is certainly possible I didn't give it enough of a chance, but after playing for a few hours I decided I wasn't having much fun. I seemed to be doing okay (not failing, but not great).

Like I said, it's hard to put my finger on because I normally like these types of games. It could have been as simple as just not being in the right mindset (I don't really have any tangible criticism), but I have no desire to go back currently. Maybe one day....


Honestly, of my two Not Recommended entries there, that was not the one I expected to have pushback on....

 

[JaegerDice]

It's kind of crazy to expect RE4 to hold up 15 years after it was made.

It was brilliant at the time, certainly one of the most influential games of the modern era. I still think it's more than playable and there are several set-pieces that still hold up. But dear god does it drag in the second half.

 

[robertmac43]

You are not the only one...hopefully Red Alert and C&C remasters will be first step in revitalizing this legendary series.

Still hoping for Age of Empires 4 sooner rather than Later!

 

[Osprey]

To clarify, I was playing it on the Xbox Game Pass app for PC. I don't own an Xbox.

It is certainly possible I didn't give it enough of a chance, but after playing for a few hours I decided I wasn't having much fun. I seemed to be doing okay (not failing, but not great).

Like I said, it's hard to put my finger on because I normally like these types of games. It could have been as simple as just not being in the right mindset (I don't really have any tangible criticism), but I have no desire to go back currently. Maybe one day....


Honestly, of my two Not Recommended entries there, that was not the one I expected to have pushback on....

That makes more sense. It's a game that probably doesn't hook you in the first few hours and, like I said, takes some time to learn. For maybe the first 5- 10 hours, you're probably doing most things wrong or inefficiently and not taking advantage of all of the areas of the UI. Once you learn, you start to get a handle on the game mechanics and the game becomes more fun and addictive.

 

[mmalady]

Had a blast with Fallen Order...first time playing a Star Wars game and didn't know what to expect...found it really challenging but thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end
Also finished A Plague Tale....totally different than my usual choices but loved it....I recommend it to anyone looking for something different

 

[PK Cronin]

I played it for the first time last year so there's no nostalgia for me either.

I've only played one other RE, but RE4 is supposed to be an action/adventure game, which is apparently unlike the prior games. One thing it is definitely not, is a shooter, which is why the controls work. I understand why one would be turned off by them, but firmly disagree, as the scenarios and encounters the game throws at your are designed with the movement limitations in mind. Combat is about moving to the right position, taking a few shots at the right location of the Spaniards' bodies to kill or disable them, then moving again. Like in the 3D Zelda games, you weren't able to aim your bow while moving until recently, as adding that in would completely uproot combat in those titles. I think your issue may be that you were expecting something different than what was delivered, but in terms of game design/structure, RE4 has few peers.

Also, the story in RE4 is supposed to be a joke. An example of so bad it's good dialogue.

None of the RE games are shooters and all of their controls work a lot better (for the ones I've played) than RE4. Tank controls and fixed camera angles are a staple for the original RE games, which are known as being difficult to use, but are much more smooth and better dialed in than the controls on RE4. It's just stiff and inconsistent for me. You're talking about movement limitations and designed, but that's exactly what the games that came before it are so much better at. They added an element to the game that made situations more difficult, tense, and fun from a problem solving standpoint. RE4 is precisely as you said, move to an open area and shoot a few times, then move again and do the same thing. There aren't really small corridors and they mistake increasing the amount of enemies for making something harder.

You're right that what was delivered isn't what I expected. It was a complete shift for the franchise and I really don't like it. I don't expect any RE game to be a run and gun shooter. Older games had players stand still while shooting, without a laser sight, and it was infinitely better that way. The story in RE4 is supposed to be a joke? The "it's so bad it's good" was acceptable in the earlier titles (until they were remade) but RE4 shouldn't be treated with the same kindness. There were too many titles between the original and the RE4 for it not to have been more polished on that front, especially when they abandoned everything else about the series in that title. Lastly, even though the dialogues in the original game(s) were quite bad (and boy were they ever), the feeling in the mansion, the music, everything about the atmosphere helped add to the creepy and unsettling nature of the games. That's what RE4 misses most.

That's my two cents anyway, or maybe ten.

If they remastered 4 I'd be interested in giving it a shot to see if they could improve on it, but I really wanted to see a Code Veronica remake isntead.

 

[Osprey]

I did play Infinifactory, it's why I was so interested in Opus Magnum. I've been meaning to play it since it was released but it part of the Humble Bundle choice so I figured now was as good a time as any.

I was just reminded that Zachtronics has another game, Exapunks. It came out a year after Opus Magnum and has a similar 96% rating on Steam (seriously, can this Zach guy and his studio do no wrong?). It looks similar to a game that I played a few years, called Shenzhen IO (which I recommend). Have you tried Exapunks yet? I'll probably play Opus Magnum first, since it's slightly older, but I definitely want to get around to both.

 

[Frankie Spankie]

I haven't played any other Zachtronics games. That one looks like it requires knowledge of coding from the trailer, which I have none. I'm not sure how good I would be at it.

 

[Frankie Spankie]

Trover Saves the Universe - 8/10

More Justin Roiland brilliance here. If you like Rick & Morty, you'll like this. It's short, it only took me 4 hours to complete. There's some basic game play that's decent but it's all about the humor. I also recommending Accounting VR (Legacy), it's free and has the same humor. If you're not sure you'll like this, give Accounting a shot first. If you like it, you'll also like this.

Team Sonic Racing - 6/10

I'm a bit torn on this game. The adventure mode is short unless you're going to 100% it. I just did the necessary races and finished it in about 5 hours. There are a few different race modes and in all honesty, the standard race mode is the only fun one. The driving physics are actually really good IMO, probably the best for a kart racer. I actually like the way it feels more than Mario Kart as far as drifting goes.

The weapons feel REALLY lacking. Nothing feels very powerful. Mario Kart for example has some really powerful weapons you can get if you're trailing and this just doesn't have any at all. The items feel like you pick them up just because they're there. The tracks were pretty fun and the music was good.

This is obviously Team Sonic Racing so there are teams. Teams has their pros and cons. The big con is you can lose a race even if you finish 1st because the AI finishes in the back of the pack. It's a racing game, I don't know why they wanted to punish you by giving you pointless teammates. On the other hand, trading items is a neat idea and they give you multiples instead of just 1 so there's a benefit to trade. I also really like the drafting aspect, that was a nice touch. You can even boost teammates with that.

Overall, I'd probably give the game a 6/10 and wouldn't recommend it unless you really want a kart racer but even then, I'd recommend waiting for a steep discount. Sonic Racing Transformed is cheaper and more fun. I'd just go for Sonic Racing Transformed if you want a kart racer.

 

[Shareefruck]

Final Fantasy VII Remake - 2.5 (Good)

This one's really difficult to rate because it does so many things perfectly and lovingly and then suddenly spits in your face/gives you the middle finger and concludes on the dumbest sentiment ever. I kind of love it and hate it at the same time, so I'll just break down each aspect separately.

Soundtrack
Absolutely masterful. Massively improves on the original, and unquestionably the strongest aspect of this remake.

Production Values
They obviously poured money into this thing-- Production values are VASTLY superior to the original and top of the line in the industry, which by itself doesn't really matter to me, but it's actually backed up by beautiful art direction and visual storytelling. Looking up and seeing that plate is god damn awe-inspiring. People complain about textures, and they're not exaggerating, but who ****ing cares-- if anything, these flaws only allow you appreciate how well the art direction holds up without them. Fidelity is never what makes a game good or bad.

Game Mechanics
The battle system is another massive improvement on the original-- People who prefer turn-based to this are insane, IMO. It marries the strengths of turn-based and action without having either of their weaknesses. The difference in play-styles between characters is excellent and well balanced, and it's a blast to play. The one big flaw/frustration in the battle system is the fact that your limit break gets interrupted by in-game cut-scenes, and all of that damage in addition to your bar randomly and arbitrarily gets completely wasted for no reason. That and materia combinations don't get as interesting as they eventually got in the original game, but this is all forgivable/reasonable in the grand scheme of things-- if anything, there's extremely promising room for further improvement/refinement in future installments. That said, nobody should be arguing that the gameplay is brilliant to the degree that From Software games are, or anything like that, IMO. It's just really good and no better.

Map Progression
Outside of the optional side content, it's entirely linear, but I completely disagree with people who think that this matters in any way-- linearity is not an inherent flaw, and most of the time it's a superior approach to open-world, especially when it comes to storytelling. The problem with the flow of this game is that the open sidequest towns consist of completely uninspired and pointless fetch quests. Traversal also often feels padded and uninteresting (which is not a trait exclusive to linear games), even though the excellent mise en scene really makes up for that a lot of the time.

Characterization
Characterization/designs are absolutely perfect for every character besides Sephiroth, which is utter trash. For the former, every nuance is perfectly represented and expanded on, and characters are easier to become emotionally endeared and attached to-- The most notable "Yeah, we know we pulled this off" moment was when you're about to part ways with Aerith and it's made out to be a reluctant "don't want to leave yet" thing-- Totally effective character moment that could have easily fallen flat if the chemistry wasn't there but didn't, IMO. This applies to the main cast, the supporting cast, and the Shinra villains. New characters are nothing special, but serviceable (aside from Roche, who sucks). Sephiroth, however, is horribly misrepresented as some dumb brooding Naruto Anime villain telling Sasuke to get stronger for him or something. No build-up, no development, no payoff, but for some reason gets a gigantic dramatic climax that nobody should care about-- just pure and nonsensical fan-service that takes the best part/arguably the entire point of the Midgar story and completely ruins it.

Storytelling Structure
Story beats/chapter structure, which is the thing I care most about this game, is very Jekyl and Hyde. Some chapters are an absolute masterclass in adaptation, vastly improving what they were in the original, whereas others are dumb, pointless, or borderline narrative-destroying. This would be more or less my breakdown:

• First bombing run and returning to Sector 7 is absolutely masterful adaptation
• Bumming around in Sector 7 wasn't particularly terrible or great
• Bike sequence with Roche is pointless and bad
• Jessie's house sequence is a good addition
• Infiltration mission and return to Sector 7 is a good idea in theory but very badly executed
• Sector 5 drags badly-- stretching it to three chapters is a bad decision, but the story beats are fine
• Aerith sequences from the Church to the end of Wall Market are absolutely masterful adaptation
• Sewers were whatever
• Train graveyard sequence is completely pointless nonsense that misses its emotional note completely
• Sector 7 plate sequence was pretty good, albeit a little too action-movie-trope-y for my liking, and that Cait Sith moment was such a moronic thing to include.
• Aftermath of the plate sequence was excellent, although I didn't care much for the Wedge part.
• Getting up to Shinra HQ was fine
• Beginning of Shinra HQ was really good, especially the stairway sequence-- the high budget Ancients presentation was cool as well
• The Jenova, Hojo, and Red XIII sequence is absolutely horribly adapted-- The original way that they did this was far superior
• The Whispers setup and involvement throughout the game completely undermines every important moment that takes place and makes them anti-climactic. Especially all the moments where they physically move characters from point A to point B
• The Whispers payoff is absolute narrative-breaking nonsense that is just flat out a bad storytelling idea, even if we were talking about a completely different property than this one. I mean honestly, even if something that everyone was okay with messing around and going wild with like Back to the Future used "micro-managing fate ghosts" as a storytelling device, it would likely turn out awful.
• The big boss fights at the end and the ending afterwards are absolute narrative-breaking nonsense

Themes
While they nail the original game's themes in Midgar, the grander meaning behind what the game is ultimately trying to say is absolute self-indulgent nonsense and ultimately turns into a self-defeating argument that's anything but promising when it comes to future installments. The game first lovingly crafts an authentic loveletter to the events/ideas/spirit of the original and this results in the narrative/character development being really strong, engaging, and cohesive, and then for some reason it actively argues AGAINST this wildly successful approach with the payoff of the Whispers sub-plot, stupidly choosing to disregard the spirit of the original in favor of really stupid sub-plots, and proceeding to give examples of what they want to do moving forward that are observably poorly written and total cop-outs when it comes to storytelling.

The experience of playing this game was essentially the equivalent of going on a memorable date where the other person demonstrates that they're absolutely wonderful, loveable, and worth connecting with, only to end the date seeing them randomly push an old lady down a flight of stairs.

As it stands, I think the original's story is stronger than this one so far, but the remake stands on its own and is a good game just on the merits of its non-story elements alone (and the story, despite its narrative-breaking faults, still at least has SOME merit). As it stands it's still probably the best entry point into the franchise for people new to it.

Context:
Final Fantasy Tactics - 3.5 (Great)
Final Fantasy VI - 3.0 (Very Good)
Final Fantasy IV - 3.0 (Very Good)
Final Fantasy VII - 3.0 (Very Good)
Final Fantasy IX - 2.5 (Good)
Final Fantasy VIIR - 2.5 (Good)
Final Fantasy V - 2.0 (Positive)
Final Fantasy XII - 1.5 (Neutral)
Final Fantasy VIII - 1.0 (Negative)
Final Fantasy X - 1.0 (Negative)
Final Fantasy III - 0.5 (Bad)
Final Fantasy I - 0.5 (Bad)
Final Fantasy XV - 0.0 (Terrible)
Final Fantasy XIII - 0.0 (Terrible)
Final Fantasy II - 0.0 (Terrible)

 

[Frankie Spankie]

I've been flying through my backlog so far. A lot being shut down due to coronavirus certainly helps but I feel like I've been able to focus on single player games even more lately because I feel like online games just keep getting worse and worse...

Distance - 9/10

I backed this game on Kickstarter and stupidly waited this long to finally play it. I don't know what I was thinking, the game was a blast. It's short, with only 3 campaigns. All 3 campaigns can be beat in about a combined 3 hours.. But it's great the whole time. It's essentially a racing platformer with the emphasis on the racing. You control a car that you can jump, control with boosts, etc as you fly through some beautiful futuristic tracks along to some great music. It's great fun, it plays like an even more arcade-y Trackmania. I suspect if you like Trackmania, you'll also like this game. I personally wasn't a huge fan of Trackmania but I loved this game because of the controls you get while in the air. Overall, it's an awesome game that I think everyone should play. The price tag is a bit steep but there's mod support with plenty of workshop maps if you want some extra value.

Islanders - 7/10

Islanders is a neat little city builder mixed into a puzzle game. Buildings are free to place down. Every X amount of points (it progresses more until it reaches 100 and it'll continue being every 100 points,) you will have a "pack" of units to select from. Within each pack, you will get a set amount of pieces you can put down anywhere at no cost. The trick is that each unit you put down gains points from being in proximity to other types of buildings. For example, mansions get more points from being near other mansions but not houses, saw mills gets bonuses from being near lumberjacks, lumberjacks get bonuses for being near more trees, etc. The goal is really to just see how far you can go until you inevitably run out of buildings. After you reach a certain target for each island, you will unlock the next island but you don't have to proceed to it. Going for the high score, you want to stay on an island as long as possible.

The game is quite relaxing. It's not overly difficult but there is some thought process into where you place buildings. It was really fun playing while almost on the side while I watch something on a secondary monitor or while eating. My only complaint is that since it's not in a grid, you often place something just a hair out of the best spot and you can ultimately lose space for several houses on a border of a cliff because you placed the first building just a hair too close to it. There are also levels that you can place docks in which you can build buildings on. You can place these docks right next to each other so you can continue building on top of them as tight as possible but sometimes the docks are a T shape and you can place a dock just off enough that you'll be forced to have a small gap.

Overall, it's definitely a fun little game. It's cheap too with a modest price tag of $5 at full price. I definitely recommend picking it up even at full price if you're interested in a city builder/puzzle game. It took me about 4 hours to get 100% achievements after playing mostly casually for the first 3 hours and trying to get the remaining achievements in the final hour. There's definitely plenty of replay value after you 100% it though!

 

[x Tame Impala]

Been replaying Far Cry 4. It got some flack for being too similar to 3, but I don’t care. More Far Cry is fine with me.

It does a really good job of immersing you in the landscape.

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

Final Fantasy VII Remake - 2.0 or 2.5 (Positive/Good)

This one's really difficult to rate because it does so many things perfectly and lovingly and then suddenly spits in your face/gives you the middle finger and concludes on the dumbest sentiment ever. I kind of love it and hate it at the same time, so I'll just break down each aspect separately.

Soundtrack
Absolutely masterful. Massively improves on the original, and unquestionably the strongest aspect of this remake.

Production Values
They obviously poured money into this thing-- Production values are VASTLY superior to the original and top of the line in the industry, which by itself doesn't really matter to me, but it's actually backed up by beautiful art direction and visual storytelling. Looking up and seeing that plate is god damn awe-inspiring. People complain about textures, and they're not exaggerating, but who ****ing cares-- if anything, these flaws only allow you appreciate how well the art direction holds up without them. Fidelity is never what makes a game good or bad.

Game Mechanics
The battle system is another massive improvement on the original-- People who prefer turn-based to this are insane, IMO. It marries the strengths of turn-based and action without having either of their weaknesses. The difference in play-styles between characters is excellent and well balanced, and it's a blast to play. The one big flaw/frustration in the battle system is the fact that your limit break gets interrupted by in-game cut-scenes, and all of that damage in addition to your bar randomly and arbitrarily gets completely wasted for no reason. That and materia combinations don't get as interesting as they eventually got in the original game, but this is all forgivable/reasonable in the grand scheme of things-- if anything, there's extremely promising room for further improvement/refinement in future installments. That said, nobody should be arguing that the gameplay is brilliant to the degree that From Software games are, or anything like that, IMO. It's just really good and no better.

Map Progression
Outside of the optional side content, it's entirely linear, but I completely disagree with people who think that this matters in any way-- linearity is not an inherent flaw, and most of the time it's a superior approach to open-world, especially when it comes to storytelling. The problem with the flow of this game is that the open sidequest towns consist of completely uninspired and pointless fetch quests. Traversal also often feels padded and uninteresting (which is not a trait exclusive to linear games), even though the excellent mise en scene really makes up for that a lot of the time.

Characterization
Characterization/designs are absolutely perfect for every character besides Sephiroth, which is utter trash. For the former, every nuance is perfectly represented and expanded on, and characters are easier to become emotionally endeared and attached to-- The most notable "Yeah, we know we pulled this off" moment was when you're about to part ways with Aerith and it's made out to be a reluctant "don't want to leave yet" thing-- Totally effective character moment that could have easily fallen flat if the chemistry wasn't there but didn't, IMO. This applies to the main cast, the supporting cast, and the Shinra villains. New characters are nothing special, but serviceable (aside from Roche, who sucks). Sephiroth, however, is horribly misrepresented as some dumb brooding Naruto Anime villain telling Sasuke to get stronger for him or something. No build-up, no development, no payoff, but for some reason gets a gigantic dramatic climax that nobody should care about-- just pure and nonsensical fan-service that takes the best part/arguably the entire point of the Midgar story and completely ruins it.

Storytelling Structure
Story beats/chapter structure, which is the thing I care most about this game, is very Jekyl and Hyde. Some chapters are an absolute masterclass in adaptation, vastly improving what they were in the original, whereas others are dumb, pointless, or borderline narrative-destroying. This would be more or less my breakdown:

• First bombing run and returning to Sector 7 is absolutely masterful adaptation
• Bumming around in Sector 7 wasn't particularly terrible or great
• Bike sequence with Roche is pointless and bad
• Jessie's house sequence is a good addition
• Infiltration mission and return to Sector 7 is a good idea in theory but very badly executed
• Sector 5 drags badly-- stretching it to three chapters is a bad decision, but the story beats are fine
• Aerith sequences from the Church to the end of Wall Market are absolutely masterful adaptation
• Sewers were whatever
• Train graveyard sequence is completely pointless nonsense that misses its emotional note completely
• Sector 7 plate sequence was pretty good, albeit a little too action-movie-trope-y for my liking, and that Cait Sith moment was such a moronic thing to include.
• Aftermath of the plate sequence was excellent, although I didn't care much for the Wedge part.
• Getting up to Shinra HQ was fine
• Beginning of Shinra HQ was really good, especially the stairway sequence-- the high budget Ancients presentation was cool as well
• The Jenova, Hojo, and Red XIII sequence is absolutely horribly adapted-- The original way that they did this was far superior
• The Whispers setup and involvement throughout the game completely undermines every important moment that takes place and makes them anti-climactic. Especially all the moments where they physically move characters from point A to point B
• The Whispers payoff is absolute narrative-breaking nonsense that is just flat out a bad storytelling idea, even if we were talking about a completely different property than this one. I mean honestly, even if something that everyone was okay with messing around and going wild with like Back to the Future used "micro-managing fate ghosts" as a storytelling device, it would likely turn out awful.
• The big boss fights at the end and the ending afterwards are absolute narrative-breaking nonsense

Themes
While they nail the original game's themes in Midgar, the grander meaning behind what the game is ultimately trying to say is absolute self-indulgent nonsense and ultimately turns into a self-defeating argument that's anything but promising when it comes to future installments. The game first lovingly crafts an authentic loveletter to the events/ideas/spirit of the original and this results in the narrative/character development being really strong, engaging, and cohesive, and then for some reason it actively argues AGAINST this wildly successful approach with the payoff of the Whispers sub-plot, stupidly choosing to disregard the spirit of the original in favor of really stupid sub-plots, and proceeding to give examples of what they want to do moving forward that are observably poorly written and total cop-outs when it comes to storytelling.

The experience of playing this game was essentially the equivalent of going on a memorable date where the other person demonstrates that they're absolutely wonderful, loveable, and worth connecting with, only to end the date seeing them randomly push an old lady down a flight of stairs.

As it stands, I think the original's story is stronger than this one so far, but the remake stands on its own and is a good game just on the merits of its non-story elements alone (and the story, despite its narrative-breaking faults, still at least has SOME merit). As it stands it's still probably the best entry point into the franchise for people new to it.

Context:
Final Fantasy Tactics - 3.5 (Great)
Final Fantasy VI - 3.0 (Very Good)
Final Fantasy IV - 3.0 (Very Good)
Final Fantasy VII - 3.0 (Very Good)
Final Fantasy IX - 2.5 (Good)
Final Fantasy VIIR - 2.0 or 2.5 (Positive/Good)
Final Fantasy V - 2.0 (Positive)
Final Fantasy XII - 1.5 (Neutral)
Final Fantasy VIII - 1.0 (Negative)
Final Fantasy X - 1.0 (Negative)
Final Fantasy III - 0.5 (Bad)
Final Fantasy I - 0.5 (Bad)
Final Fantasy XV - 0.0 (Terrible)
Final Fantasy XIII - 0.0 (Terrible)
Final Fantasy II - 0.0 (Terrible)

So much wrong with that Final Fantasy ratings list.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

Damn, you still got the best bosses to fight then.

So I think I screwed myself. I only beat the first boss of the DLC and then get rekt by the other two (that dragon and Artorias). The issue is that I'm playing new game + so the difficulty is higher, and I made a PvP build and don't want to increase my level since apparently 120 is the meta for being able to find more people based on the ranges for who can play against each other. So I either start a new game with a different character, or say screw level 120 and keep leveling up my guy. God damnit From, Software.