What Games are You Playing 2018?

[Grefter]

FFD2 - okay they port over way more mobile F2P DNA than I was expecting. It handles all encounters in the same way Record Keeper does where everything is a set number of waves.  They are pretty mindless and easy and can be auto battlefests by default if you get ahead of the curve even a little.

So I will probably champion it a bit less than FFD1.

Ooon the other hand though it does mean it is a stronger fit on mobile where FFD was more “here is a fun budget FF game you have to play on your phone/tablet.  It is great if you can ignore the controls!” Instead I am more annoyed that I have to play it in Landscape.

No Stamina or anything to fight with, just a game that has mobile game core mechanics.  It will probably pan out to be a fun game to play to pass time on public transport.


Good Rec Djinn!

[Luther Lansfeld]

AA6 - I just finished the Investigation of Day 2. This is a rare, bizarre case where I have actually enjoyed the investigations and did not enjoy the trial day very much. I thought the day 1 investigation was fun because it has a cast of colorful characters to bounce off of (and Alhbi, but you can't win them all I guess.)

For the trial, I think that the Divination Seances are really fun partially because Rayfa is so great to piss off and partially because it's a fun and not outplayed mechanic, but the rest of the trial day was a big dud because the 'key witness' is such a lying hack and an idiot, which really drains the tension out of the case and makes the prosecution look really stupid. It's also an overly long sequence which leads you absolutely nowhere. Just throw the bum out! There is so much melodrama. Also, why does the game treat me like I am braindead and flashback things that happen minutes ago?

Day 2 Investigation was quite interesting. I liked the dialogue stuff with Rayfa and the exploration of what makes that character tick, and the scene withDats is really interesting and helps shed a lot of light on the setting and the backstory. That sequence goes a long way to redeeming that character from that dreadful trial. I am interested to see where they go with the relationship between Dhurke, Sahdmadhi, and Apollo. I actually thought Datz would be Apollo's dad though! The Day 1 Trial really soured me on the case, now the Day 2 Investigation has restored my faith in it. Give me your best shot, Day 2 Trial!

[DjinnAndTonic]

FFD2 - okay they port over way more mobile F2P DNA than I was expecting. It handles all encounters in the same way Record Keeper does where everything is a set number of waves.  They are pretty mindless and easy and can be auto battlefests by default if you get ahead of the curve even a little.

So I will probably champion it a bit less than FFD1.

Ooon the other hand though it does mean it is a stronger fit on mobile where FFD was more “here is a fun budget FF game you have to play on your phone/tablet.  It is great if you can ignore the controls!” Instead I am more annoyed that I have to play it in Landscape.

No Stamina or anything to fight with, just a game that has mobile game core mechanics.  It will probably pan out to be a fun game to play to pass time on public transport.


Good Rec Djinn!

Do not be fooled, the game does ramp up in difficulty. Especially some of the side missions. There's literally no penalty at all for dying though, so one could probably brute force it with enough lucky AI exploits or hoping for crits at the right times.

I thought I had made a post about it earlier where I said the game's opening is shit? I was expecting nothing out of the game, especially after it dropped FFD1's awesome Job system. It just happened to deliver a lot better than 'nothing'. Especially the character episode missions. Those are genuinely fun/funny/cute/emotional, depending on the character.

[Grefter]

I figured it will grow into the combat system a bit (RK did as well and the original release was 2015? Which puts it what 12 or so months after Record keeper probably?  And the game clearly owes some of its design to RK...)

But yeah nothing sarcastic in there man.  The opening is weak but going in with 0 expectations and actually liking some of your mobile game or incremental game play loops when you remove predatory business practices and I am completely unironically there.  For me personally this is a decent recommendation for a thing I will happily put time into.

Edit - it also helps with the autobattle fest statement that the autobattle is actually really good, letting you change which moves are queued up on the fly, letting it run kind of like Persona 2.

[Sierra]

Going to put this on the shelf a bit and finish Nier: Automata before really getting sucked in, because wow that is definitely going to happen if I keep going

HEY GUYS GUESS WHAT I DID ALL WEEKEND

Nioh: I'm starting to feel a little sorry for the bosses. Come in with a full Living Weapon gauge, Sloth Talismans and a full stock of bombs, and there's almost nothing they can do at this point. This is more relevant for large enemies, who take more hits from the big bomb and storm kunai. The small, fast and aggressive ones can still be dangerous, but a mage build has gradually cracked this game in half (no surprise there given Nioh's game design model). I'm rarely ever in danger of running out of resources anymore, let alone healing. It's still fun! But bosses are gonna need to step it up a notch to keep up with the kind of bullshit I can do at this point.

The weekend's boss roundup:

Centipede Demon: 1
Dumpling: 6-7
Bake sale: 0 (no-hit kill)
Cold as Ice: 4-5
Tragic cat battle: 1*
Too ridiculous to spoil even by suggestion: 0 (he hit me once at the end of Living Weapon--damn, no title!)
Bloody Tears: 0 (no-hit kill, didn't outlive the Living Weapon gauge)

*I insisted on doing this one 100% melee, not even using support spells; I ran out of healing and didn't notice until watching the video afterward.

How did I not mention the mimics before? Nioh's mimics are the best. It is my mission to make all of Japan's mimics happy.

[NotMiki]

It's still fun! But bosses are gonna need to step it up a notch to keep up with the kind of bullshit I can do at this point.

Oh, they will.  Especially if you pick up the DLC.

[Niu]

GBF - The gacha keeps on forcing Titan on to me. Just how many time I have to say that I don't want to grind Baal?

On the other had I got enough copies of Tezca to FLB it. I also got Yggy to make a good use of it.

I also got the Light version of pyscho les. Good timing.
I am finishing up my Zeus grid this year, and she'll certainly be helpful to me team.

[Sierra]

The small, fast and aggressive ones can still be dangerous

CASE IN POINT: around a dozen deaths to the Edo Castle boss. Nimble little minx, isn't she? Sloth Talismans don't help much when the boss constantly dodges them! And, probably, flies across the arena and kicks you in the face for trying. I tried a lot of different approaches here--the usual bomb and spell spam, poison, paralysis, wind damage for the slow effect, auto-life and buffs/debuffs--but nothing ever worked except doing it the old-fashioned way, which is to say actually memorizing her goddamn moves and just running it pure melee.

Then the next boss did basically all the same awful shit I'd been doing to bosses the whole game and also suplexed my face into the ground just to drive the point home. Okay, game has had enough with my cheese, I get it. Should note that boss quality is on average quite high in this game (Seath x3 wasn't inspiring, but I guess there's gotta be a gimmick boss somewhere to stay true to formula).

That Iga Ninja full set bonus looks delicious. I just need the sword! Had a copy earlier but scrapped it for parts (it'd be obsolete by now anyway--I just need the smith to be able to make this stuff already).

At some point William converted to Japanese underwear. I wonder when specifically in the game this happens.

Umbrellas are surprisingly dangerous!

[NotMiki]

The small, fast and aggressive ones can still be dangerous

CASE IN POINT: around a dozen deaths to the Edo Castle boss. Nimble little minx, isn't she? Sloth Talismans don't help much when the boss constantly dodges them! And, probably, flies across the arena and kicks you in the face for trying. I tried a lot of different approaches here--the usual bomb and spell spam, poison, paralysis, wind damage for the slow effect, auto-life and buffs/debuffs--but nothing ever worked except doing it the old-fashioned way, which is to say actually memorizing her goddamn moves and just running it pure melee.

Then the next boss did basically all the same awful shit I'd been doing to bosses the whole game and also suplexed my face into the ground just to drive the point home. Okay, game has had enough with my cheese, I get it. Should note that boss quality is on average quite high in this game (Seath x3 wasn't inspiring, but I guess there's gotta be a gimmick boss somewhere to stay true to formula).

That Iga Ninja full set bonus looks delicious. I just need the sword! Had a copy earlier but scrapped it for parts (it'd be obsolete by now anyway--I just need the smith to be able to make this stuff already).

At some point William converted to Japanese underwear. I wonder when specifically in the game this happens.

Umbrellas are surprisingly dangerous!

Iga ninja set is boss, yes.  Makes cutscenes with Hanzo a little confusing tho.  Also does not come with clock cat - IMMERSION RUINED.

AA6

Datz is a delight.  His facial expressions are perhaps the best thing about the game.

[Shale]

I have played games recently!

Axiom Verge: Played, beat, started a replay on hard. This game rules, it's an atmospheric platformer that owes a huge debt to Super Metroid but also does its own thing in a lot of ways and plays really well. Highly recommend on the off-chance that I'm not the last metroidvania fan in the world to buy it.

AA6: Just started case 5. Not a perfect Ace Attorney installment by any means but I'm really enjoying it; there's a lot of variety in the cases and I like the Divination Seances. Case 4 was.....very weird, though? It's a random introductory-style case except it's stuck in the penultimate slot, and while there are a lot of fun moments with the GUEST ASSISTANT they also serve to undermine Athena compared to where Dual Destinies left her. So that's a strike against it. In general I have greatly enjoyed the Khu'rain stuff, though, so I'm looking forward to 6-5, and case 2 was also neat so I'm willing to call 6-4 a one-off misfire.

[Sierra]

I bought Axiom Verge! I just haven't played it.

Nioh: Ishida's generals both got stomped with no trouble whatsoever. Sloth Talisman -> Weakness Talisman -> Power Pill -> Living Weapon. Done when the timer runs out.

Giant-Sized Nito Thing was awful, though. Why is this in the gaaaaame. Unquestionably the worst boss Nioh has thrown at me. It proves that old Fromsoft boss rule yet again: the bigger they are, the crappier a fight it will be. His attacks seem to hit everywhere, it's often difficult to tell what the hell is happening, where he falls seems completely random and costs you a lot of damage time when you predict the wrong landing spot, and what was the point in spawning random mooks into this already terrible fight? Ugh.

[Grefter]

If only there was a Soulslike game where most of the fights were against human shapes opponents that were only a bit bigger than the player character🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 Darksouls2bestsoulsLaggy

FFD2 - up to Chapter 2.   No idea how many chapters there are but I am super ready to unlock more party members or costumes for the main three.   Not because I dislike these ones or anything, I just want to see what the fuck they do with them.

[NotMiki]

I have played games recently!

Axiom Verge I couldn't really get into.  Lots good going on in the game, both in terms of art and presentation, and in terms of how the powerups frequently give you a solution to a movement problem that is not the solution you thought you would have.  I just...kinda got the feeling like the game's creator has issues with women?  That's true in a lot of games, butit felt different here...

I liked AA6's final cases lot.  Other DLers, I think, liked them less (or at least liked the finale less).  Will be interested to hear your take on it.

Giant-Sized Nito Thing was awful

p. much.  I kinda feel like the generals were an apology in advance for it.  It's not the last large boss, but it's the last large boss that is also awful.

[Luther Lansfeld]

AA6 - Simon likes Sadhmadhi about as much as I do. I'm glad at least someone calls him out for his hypocritical, unethical garbage.

[Grefter]

Fire Emblem Warriors - So I have been playing a lot of Azura and trying to level Oboro.  I also need to level Niles

it okay bbe gme i still love u even if ciatos hates you and thinks you are trash not worth mentioning

[Luther Lansfeld]

AA6 - Finished Case 4. Simon 'King Tsundere' Blackquill makes everything great. <3

[Shale]

I do love that he saved a man's life because he was too goddamn lazy to find a new noodle shop.

[DjinnAndTonic]

FFD2 - up to Chapter 2.   No idea how many chapters there are but I am super ready to unlock more party members or costumes for the main three.   Not because I dislike these ones or anything, I just want to see what the fuck they do with them.

Chapter 2-2 is when I think things start unlocking in any meaningful way. Go do the Tower of Babel fights. Not only are the rewards great, but that's basically 90% of the good challenges in the game. Do note that if you do them, you'll probably be so high-leveled that the story fights will be pushovers for the rest of the chapter.

The side Episodes should unlock soon, too, I believe? Those are unlocked based  on the number of skills you've mastered with each character. They aren't challenging fights, but they do provide passive stat boosts and occasionally new Signets. And you get the awesome character vignettes that make up 90% of the 'good' storytelling in the game.

New characters will coming Soon(TM). I can give you specific Chapters, but really you should just be able to power through the story pretty quickly if you can beat the Babel Tower challenges, so whenever you want a new party member, just blaze through following the Main Quest markers.

[Grefter]

Yeah man I was vague on specifically where I was and unlocked the fourth party member like 15 minutes later on my way to my flight back to Melbourne.

Tower of Babil is neat and aside Stories is a cool thing.  Kinda like the stories in Lost Odyssey, less well written but at least feel like they are part of the same game.  Some of the early ones were like 5-10% stat boosts at the time, so pretty significant.

[VySaika]

Hollow Knight - First ending get. Final boss was...easier than a bunch of other bosses, tbh. Won on second try. Went and progressed some more optional plot stuff which apparently will make the second ending gettable, but before that I'm off to the arena to get those out of the way. The arena area in HK is...not great, imo? It overstays its welcome pretty hard, each Trial is just mind numbingly long and so far in the first two the biggest danger is fatigue instead of any given wave of enemies. The giant hopper when the walls collapse in on you in the second trial is pretty bs, though.

Ultra Sun - Made a team based on Tiger Mask W which I recently watched. There was a Fire/Dark cat as a starter, so it was kinda easy to do.
Team
Incineroar: Takuma(aka "Tiger the Dark"). Kicked a lot of ass and took a lot of names. Darkness Lariat is a great move, and Malicious Moonsault is the single most extra thing I have seen from any pokemon game. Summon a ring of fire under the enemy and then diving body press on the enemy right through the ring making it EXPLODE. This is a great pokemon.

Lycanroc(Midnight): Kevin(aka Kevin Anderson aka Miracle 2). The loyal dog to Takuma's Tiger the Dark of course. Arguably overall game MVP, he did work every time I needed him to and was my go to pokemon for "I don't know how to deal with this". My designated fairy slayer with early Iron Tail from surfing BP. Also had a unique Z move which I obviously used.

Hawlucha: Tanahashi(aka "It's The Ace"). The first of our actual NJPW wrestlers instead of fictional characters. With Hawlucha available early and going for a wrestling theme, it was a no brainer to pick one up. Very good through the whole game, Flying Press is a neat move and fittingly one of Tanahashi's own signature moves is the "High Fly Flow" which is basically a flying press. Good stuff. I ran either a Lum Berry or no item for Acrobatics on him the whole game, shoutouts to Poke Pelago making berry farming painless enough to use in game.

SHINY RIBOMBEE: Haruna(aka "Spring Tiger"). Wasn't originally planning to use Ribombee with a wrestler theme, but when I found a shiny cutiefly I had to. One does not pass up the opportunity to use a shiny in game. My designated special attacker, since I did need one, and also my Amulet Coin holder since honey gather wasn't super useful. Surprisingly fast and hard hitting, just couldn't take much abuse in return ever, probably my most knocked out 'mon. Ah well, can't be perfect. Also the first of our Divas(and the only one to make the final cut, sadly).

Bewear: Makabe(aka Sweets Makabe). The second actual NJPW wrestler, and also the only one who voiced himself in Tiger Mask W. Respect. A burly dude who is a notoriously big fan of sweet stuff, so I just thought Bewear was a perfect fit. Fluffy is a great ability, tank hits all day and give back with high attack power. Was speed+ nature(SpAtk-) so I was constantly outspeeding things that surprised me. Even after playing Sun before US, I forgot how much gen 7 is the gen of slugs. Got him Thunder Punch from BP as well, for some coverage.

Kommo-o: Okada(aka...well, don't know if he has any nicknames. He is the champ though, and also basically Japanese Ted Dibiase). The latecomer to the team, and also an NJPW wrestler, Okada...didn't really help all that much in the final stretch but was able to chip in a bit. Dragon/Fighting is a fun typing at least. I didn't level him enough to get Close Combat which would have helped. Clanging Scales was neat though, and I wanted to get the unique Z move for it but found that was aftergame. Alas.

Honorable Mention to:
Crabominable: Queen Eliza(beth). One of the other divas from TMW(who is buff and wears blue, hence being the crabrawler). She...hit hard. And that was about it. Was too slow and didn't have enough defenses, so I was always switching her out instead of actually cleaning up a fight, hence getting dropped for Okada near the end. Had a good run though.

Unsure how much of the aftergame I'm going to do though I hear there is a lot of it. Definitely a big step up from Sun overall, though I wish the final fight after the elite four hadn't changed the way it did.

[Shale]

AA6: finished investigation day 1 of case 5. Count me in the "love it" camp so far. This trial.... probably won't be as good as I want it to be, but the setup rules.

[Luther Lansfeld]

I haven't finished the investigation yet of 6-5, but I really like this case so far! I love Dhurke. He hits all the right notes, being affably dorky and adorable.

[Shale]

6-5 trial day 1: That wasn't quite as good as I wanted it to be, but it was still pretty darn good!

Investigation day 2: Very good. Juggles the various characters well, and promises payoff for a lot of stuff that's been building since case 1. Also, Edgeworth should only ever appear wearing a dog as a necktie from now on.

Trial day 2: I'm only up to the second witness, but still: o_O

[Luther Lansfeld]

Trial Day 1 is good. I love Sarge.

<-Dhurke appreciation month

[Shale]

Calling the final epiphany of the trial: NAYNA IS QUEEN AMARA

Update: okay, I wasn't giving the game enough credit with that one. Works for me.

Also, DEER