Kraven

This weekend I intended to dedicate time to Stellar Blade, but after getting the platinum trophy for Rise of the Ronin last weekend, I was trying to find a game that wouldn’t be too long. This lead me to look through my backlog and settle for I Am Setsuna. I needed that cozy, comfortable (J)RPG. I’m currently 90% through and it’s pretty good, despite its handful of flaws.

The first thing that stood out is its minimalistic approach. This was refreshing. The game tells a linear, character driven story that is simple, but compelling. Every party member you acquire has their own unique personality and it’s fun seeing their bond development over time. I don’t think every RPG needs to be this sprawling adventure with a myriad of side quests and mini games. Don’t get me wrong — those things have their place, but it’s nice to have a game that knows what it wants to say and does it in their own fashion.

As I mentioned, there are flaws, or rather pros and cons to several of its mechanics. First of all is the combat. While it is your traditional turn based RPG, it has a sense of depth and customization to it that is fun to toy around with, from varying talisman and abilities you can equip, to team composition that can change the tide in fascinating ways.

Unfortunately, combat is unbalanced. The enemies can move around the battlefield yet you cannot. There isn’t a lot of enemy variety either, so you’ll generally encounter enemies that can self destruct and damage you once they do. And since you’re unable to move out of the way you can’t necessarily defend yourself.

Furthermore, the game does a poor job explaining how its combat systems work. It’s great there’s a lot of variety, but not having a solid foundation in its tutorial system and how things interact with each other can make things overwhelming.

Additionally, one thing that is bothersome is its archaic design in leveling up. You can only have three party members at a time (out of seven). The characters in the background don’t get experience points if they aren’t in combat, so there will always be characters under-leveled. What makes matters worse is that some characters become inactive due to story reasons, and thus there’s an imbalance to management.

As an aside: I’m grinding right now. There is something so trite but relaxing about the grind. All of my characters are at level 45. I’m going to get all party members to level 50 at minimum before doing end-game side quests and tackling the true final boss.

When it comes to the overall map, the environments and dungeon design is one dimensional throughout the entire journey, and very uninspired. Everything is snowy terrain with iced layer dungeons that don’t offer any real thought or puzzle challenges (there is a very charming secret location that actually talks about all of this, in a meta sort of way, and it’s amazing!).

There is also no map markers or quest logs, or if there is, I haven’t encountered it yet during my playthrough. You have to make a mental note where certain locations are at but this isn’t necessarily too hard since the game doesn’t boast numerous side quests, locations and NPCs, and the game provides a fun way to travel later in the game.

Ultimately, while I may be quite critical of the game, it does feature endearing characters and a strong narrative that overwrites its faults. Combat is great and flexible, albeit confusing. There may be a lack of inspiration in its overall game world, but I’m okay with the minimal approach. I’ll definitely be getting the platinum trophy for this one.

I can’t wait for this game. Everything about it looks fantastic. It’s definitely the perfect game to play on my Portal.

I have the game — in fact, I had it preordered and installed days ago. I planned on starting it this morning before I went to work, but I’m actually quite invested in I Am Setsuna, so that’s my focus for the moment.

This sounds great! I have the game preordered and ready to go. It’s wonderful to hear that the combat is always evolving.

How are the trophies? Can you get the platinum on a single playthrough, or does it take multiple?

I might check out Trek to Yomi — I’ll download it at the very least.

I’ve worked seven straight days, but I’m taking this weekend and the subsequent Monday and Tuesday off to celebrate my birthday. I won’t be playing much due to family gatherings and what-have-you, but I did manage to platinum Rise of the Ronin yesterday.

I have to retract my statement from last week — I no longer think it’s Team Ninja’s best game (but it is a great game, nonetheless). The story is extremely convoluted, and the RPG elements, particularly with dialogue choices and story decision(s) have no true meaning. With that said, I did enjoy its open world and activities. Similarly to NiOh 2, the game is way too long. I wish there was a more tighter experience, but I think this trend is going to continue on if the ending to RoTN is any indication.

As of now, I’ll either take a break from gaming until Stellar Blade releases, or I will try Dave The Diver on my PS5. With the acclaim it has received over the last year, I’m tempted to give it a try because it seems cozy and the perfect game to unwind with on my PlayStation Portal. Plus, it’s something different and that’s something I need since I essentially played 200+ hours of third person action RPGs over the course of the last three games (Final Fantasy 7 Remake/Rebirth and RoTR).

I also finished the book series Shogun by James Clavell. A part of me feels empty now — the characters and world building were so well realized that it’s difficult to think these are fictional characters. I’ve grown attached to many of the interconnected stories within, and it’s hard to let them go. It’s such an incredible story, and might go down as my favorite book(s) of all time.

The first game was great, but I never finished it. The sequel sounds like it’s improving in every aspect. I’ll have to try and go back to the first game and complete it. The platinum trophy doesn’t seem to be too difficult either.

@Fritz167 This game has a critical acclaim dating back from last year. You may find it boring, but that doesn’t mean the game is bad.

This game has been on my radar for a while. I’m glad it has finally come to PlayStation. It’s definitely a game I’ll be playing on my Portal.

I’m glad this franchise, and particularly with XVI, has reached a younger and wider audience. It truly is a great game, and one of my favorites from last year. As an aside - I do hope future Final Fantasy titles will include a battle system akin to 7 Remake and Rebirth. That’s just a personal preference of mine, though — others might disagree.

This weekend I’m working on the platinum trophy for Rise of the Ronin. This could arguably be Team Ninja’s best game yet. And that’s saying a lot considering how incredible and influential the Ninja Gaiden series is — the original and Xbox version(s).

I will say this, however - I’m running into the same issue I had with NiOh 2, which is the game is too long. The fat could be trimmed in their (main) quest design. Currently, I’m 75% through Chapter Two and have 100%’ed each map, and unlocked the third region last night. My OCD brain can’t not do them all along with the open world collectibles. But dang-it, it has captivating combat and an addictive gameplay loop.

I’ve also been reading a lot more books lately. I’m in the process of finishing James Clavell’s Shogun series. Part II is absolutely incredible. After that lengthy adventure I’m going to dive into Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah and the first of a horror trilogy, My Heart Is A Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones.

I am shocked by how good this show is. I’m three episodes in and it captures the vibe perfectly.

This might sound crazy, but that trailer gave me goosebumps. The music is sensational, and the Contra crossover is an amazing addition to an already incredible game. I really can’t wait to play this on my Portal even though I own it on the Switch, Xbox, and my phone.

I’m down for more 2D Prince of Persia adventures. I also personally like the art style. I am disappointed that it’s a rougelite, but it should provide tons of enjoyable hours. My only concern is the difficulty because these games are known for their tough platforming, and having that in a roguelite could get tiresome, but I guess we will have to wait and see how it’s balanced.

Oh, man — this looks so good. The art, sound design, the music, combat, and setting seems incredible.

Good lord, it’s about time! I’ll be losing so many hours and sleep to this game. It’s such an addictive experience, and the epitome of “one more run”.

There isn’t much here that interests me. I’ll definitely download Dave The Diver and see what all the hype is about. MediEvil is also another game I’ll add to my list.

I’m really not sure what my favorite game is this year. I absolutely adored Prince of Persia The Lost Crown, and got the platinum. But I also love Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and put in 110 hours into it. Right now, I’m playing Rise of the Ronin and having an amazing time as well. I can’t make a definitive answer right now, but I’m curious to see how my answer evolves the more I think about it.

This weekend I’m playing Rise of the Ronin. I thought I was going to take a break from gaming since it took me 110 hours to finally beat Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, but this game has its (demon) claws in me.

I want to preface that I think RoTR is a strong 7.5 game. It’s not as polished as prior Team Ninja games. The game can be janky, and the frame rate, even on performance mode, dips quite a bit. I’ve noticed on several occasions the game stutters even during cutscenes. And graphically, there’s much left to be desired. Perhaps the budget for this game wasn’t that much, but thankfully the strengths of this game outweighs its negatives.

As for the positives — it’s addicting as hell, to be honest. The open world has your typical tropes: clear bandit hideouts, find treasure chests, and various collectibles. It’s essentially a Ubisoft playground. But that’s okay. Not every new game has to reinvent the wheel because the game is just fun. The open world activities are also perfectly spaced out — nothing is ever too far away, so it manages to keep you actively engaged and gives you a since of accomplishment in continuous bursts.

The combat is also superb, which is Team Ninja’s bread and butter. Unlike their counterparts, the action is most slowed down. It requires patience and good timing. It may not be as fined tuned as From Software titles, particularly Sekiro, but it’s still Grade A stuff. In fact, it feels more like Ninja Gaiden than it does NiOh and Wu-Long. There’s also a plethora of weapons and combat variety that are all equally balanced and satisfying to use. Each weapon and its class have their own unique skill set and abilities.

With that said, I do have a gripe with its combat and weaponry. You can only equip two weapons — primary and secondary (I’m not talking about the guns, bows or shurikens) — and sometimes you’ll encounter enemies where the two weapons you have aren’t built to fight the enemy you’re facing. And the game usually has multiple enemies at once, and maybe one of your weapons work against one of those enemies, but nobody else. I typically brute force my way through them, but it’s a system that is somewhat misguided. I get the incentive — the game wants you to experiment with various weapon types, but it shouldn’t force you change your preference. This is eventually remedied by unlocking different stances for all weapon types, but it takes a while to achieve that.

In tangent with the combat is a skill tree, with four difference classes: strength, dexterity, charm, and intellect. I think this is one of the better skill trees in a game. The majority of abilities are actually beneficial and I find myself genuinely thinking about my decision when spending skill points. All of these things provide a healthy balance to suit your play style, so I enjoy the freedom of choice.

There is a lot more I would like to discuss, but this is already lengthy as is. At the end of the day, I don’t need a genre defining masterpiece. Sometimes, I just want to turn my brain off. I’m content with an unremarkable story and characters, albeit historical. I just want to mindlessly hack-and-slash people. And that’s what Rise of the Ronin does in spades. I’m having fun, and that’s what gaming is all about.

Props to Rise of the Ronin. I’m currently playing it and it’s surprisingly great. I’d say it’s a strong 7.5. I’m having a blast with it.

I haven’t played much this week due to work and family visiting from out of state. Unfortunately, I won’t have much time this weekend, either. If I manage to squeeze in some gaming sessions, I’ll be attempting to finish Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

I’m currently on the last chapter and it has been an evocative experience. I’ve put in roughly 105 hours into the game, with all side quests and world region activities completed. In a way, I’m excited to see the end of the journey, but sad as well, as I’ve grown even more attached to these characters than I did in the PS1 original version.

Once I finish Rebirth I plan on starting Rise of the Ronin. Everything I have read about this game seems to be exactly what I enjoy about Team Ninja games, but expanded upon in ways I’m thrilled to experience. I’ve also been reading James Clavell’s Shogun. I finished part one a few days ago — nearly 700 pages, and I’m a quarter of the way through part two — so my mindset is honed in on this era of history that should be a good time to delve into.

I knew Immortals would get there eventually, but I hope this provides the game a much needed audience. The game is surprisingly very good, and it deserves more attention.

This sounds incredible — and I’ve been waiting for this game for years. In fact, it’s one reason why I bought mine several years ago. I’m glad to see it have that PS3-era feel (possibly my favorite era in gaming) but with that modern touch that we are used to. Evil West did this recently, and I cannot recommend that game enough. I’m really looking forward to Stellar Blade, and what’s more is that it releases a couple of days after my birthday so that is stellar news.

This has been one of my most anticipated games in years. I’ll probably give the game demo a download — maybe I’ll get to it this weekend if I manage to beat Rebirth. I’m two chapters away. And then Rise of the Ronin is calling my name, and I should beat that by the time Stellar Blade releases.

I have it downloaded and ready to go. I am going to wait until I finish FF7 Rebirth, which I thought I was going to this weekend, but chapter 12 said no to those plans. The game opens up in a massive way. Hopefully, I’ll jump into it next week.

Awesome news. I remember playing this game religiously back in the day. I’d love to see more games of similar nature make a comeback.

After several days off work, a break from gaming, and a relaxing vacation with my wife, I’m back to playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. I didn’t think I’d have much to say since I’ve spoken about the game for the past two weeks, but alas, I do.

According to my PS5 clock, I have 80 hours logged into this game and I have no desire to slow down. I’m currently on chapter 11. Rebirth seems to hits its prime starting in chapter 9 and onward, from gameplay, map design, and story perspective. It’s as if there was a newfound confidence in the development where they discovered the perfect balance between juggling open world activities and the main story.

I’m absorbed in the characters and world. I’ve completed all possible tasks per each region. The best thing about these side quests and activities is that if you do them, such as finding the protorelics or play Queen’s Blood, you’ll obtain rich backstories that really expand on your party members. I’m compelled to invest my time because the game respects it. There are a plethora of intimate moments between all of your characters. It’s truly remarkable how much depth is in this game. And it never stops being mogical, ahem, I mean magical

That’s not to say there aren’t faults in the game — there certainly is. In later regions traversal can be infuriating because it forces you to use the chocobo to reach differing locations that are mandatory. It doesn’t feel organic. I appreciate how the game incorporates fresh ways to explore via chocobo, so there is always a new mechanic to keep you engaged.

The regions themselves are gorgeous and fun to explore, however. Each location feels genuinely distinct from one another, and this is strengthened by its exemplary soundtrack that feels compatible with the environment. It’s easily one of the best OSTs for a Final Fantasy game I’ve ever heard.

Another criticism I have is the bloat. There is an over abundance of activities and mini-games to do. Some of the content could be trimmed, but thankfully the majority of it is optional. But less is more. Later in the game when you get to explore the Nibelheim region, my feelings is that it has the perfect amount of content. The map isn’t too large and everything is condensed in a small package. With all that said, these flaws don’t diminish the genius of this game. I’d rather have too much of Final Fantasy 7 than not enough, and the bloat isn’t a mandatory component.

I haven’t even scratched the surface of what I’d like to discuss about this game—story, materia builds, combat, and the little nuances—but my write-up is already long enough so I’ll end it here for now. Perhaps I should start up my own website to have deeper discussions without a character limit. Nevertheless, I will say this: Rebirth is just that — a game favored by nostalgia, but can stand on its own as a brand new experience that, to me, outshines the original in many ways.

This is an awesome upcoming update. Maybe I’ll do a second playthrough once all the DLC releases, and get the platinum trophy. I just have to beat the game on Final Fantasy mode or whatever to get the trophy.

The overall reviews seem to be mixed — settling around a 7 to 7.5/10. From all the review sources I trust to read, anyway. I’m fine with that score. I don’t always need a “GOTY” conversation game. I’m looking forward to playing this soon!

This sounds absolutely incredible, and another adventure that’s going to sink hours out of my life. I really enjoy exploration in games, especially if it feels like I’m carving my own path and discovery. I can’t wait to get my hands on this.

I haven't played The Callisto Protocol yet — I plan on it when I decide to clear my backlog. This doesn't look half bad, though. I'm a big fan of top down games, particularly shooters. This has a similar graphic style as Hi-Fi Rush which I like a lot. I'll probably check it out at some point — it seems like a perfect fit for my Portal.

@MomsSpaghetti Agreed. And, it looks a little bit slower than NiOh, which is another aspect I prefer. I like being able to see my movements, where as in NiOh I could barely see my actions due to how fast the combat animations were, and the color palette. Don’t get me wrong, those games are amazing — but I’m just more interested in RotR than those games.

I know the reception on the previews have been mid at best, but it honestly sounds fantastic to me. Most of the complaints I’ve heard is regarding difficulty, and it not being as tough as prior Team Ninja and Souls-like/borne games. To me, that’s a positive. There’s also negativity on the graphics, but I don’t care about that. The other complaint I’ve seen is about the open world and how it doesn’t do anything to reinvent the wheel, but I don’t need that. Honestly, everything I’ve seen from this game has me excited.

I’ll probably add this game to my download list. I’m a little too consumed by FF7 Rebirth to play anything else. Maybe I’ll sneak this in once I beat it and take a mild break from open world games.

I haven’t played much since last weekend. My work schedule has been hectic, and my wife and I took a mini vacation during the weekday(s). She surprised me with NBA tickets to my favorite team, so we spent several days out of town relaxing. But it’s healthy to take a break from gaming once in a while.

If I do find time this weekend, I’ll be spending it playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. I am currently in the infamous Gold Saucer area and it has been a magical experience so far. My feelings on the game have only grown deeper — this is an amazing reimagining of an all-time classic. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds.

I really enjoyed this game, although I thought it dragged on a little too much near the end. I would eventually like to go back to a NG+ and perhaps get the platinum trophy.

I’m looking forward to the story DLC. This has been my GOTY so far, and I got the platinum trophy.

There’s not much that interests me, but it’s still a solid month! I’ll definitely add Marvel Midnight Suns to my download list, though.

Interesting — everything mentioned in this write-up sounds great to me rather than “good”. It’s nice to see Team Ninja try and expand on their formula and do new things within their games. Whether that’s a hit or a miss, we will find out, but I appreciate it nonetheless. I’ll definitely be picking this up.

@MrGawain There’s nothing wrong with that, though! I played the game on day one when it released on Xbox and it’s an amazing game. I’ll more than likely pick it up on PlayStation.

9/10 for me. It’s absolutely phenomenal despite the carry over of Remake’s jank.

This weekend I’m playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. I’m seven chapters deep, and I’ve 100%’ed each region. I’m taking my time and really absorbing this sprawling world. It can feel a little too bloated at times, but the story (which I won’t discuss due to spoilers) and moment to moment gameplay is a genuine blast.

So far, the game is living up to my lofty expectations. The combat is a lot more balanced than its predecessor, and more dynamic too. It might be my favorite battle system in an RPG ever. It’s a wonderful mix between exhilarating action and classic turn-based decisions. It’s an impressive feat that keeps you constantly engaged.

One thing I really appreciate is how everything has a purpose. Mini-games such as Queen’s Blood and Fort Condor (and more) have their own mysterious yet compelling storylines, and are worth experience. Side stories are somewhat bland from a design perspective, but feature brilliant character development.

I’ll try and be as spoiler free as possible — there are two quests I’ve been involved in that expound on the characters. The first one revolves around Barret’s relationship with Marlene, and how he expresses his love for her and is worried about her future. The second relates to Cloud’s incentive on his asking price of 2,000 gil for his mercenary work. It becomes an inside joke within the party which is heartwarming in and of itself, but there is also a backstory to that particular price that has emotional weight behind it.

While there may be a Far Cry-esque nature to its open world, nothing feels like wasted space. The game simply respects your time. I can’t wait to explore further into some iconic locations from the PS1 original, and even though I know what is to come, I still find myself curious as to how things will unfold. To me, that is a sign of a masterful game that respects its legacy and modern audience.

I also purchased Vanillaware’s Unicorn Overlord. I’ve only put two hours in. Initially, it was a little jarring, not being able to strategically choose your actions like your typical turn based (S)RPGs, but once I came to terms with it and found enjoyment in unit management, the game really started to become special. This is shaping up to be a brilliant ride.

I bought it, but I’m not sure when I’ll get around to play it. I’m currently playing Rebirth, and I don’t like juggling more than one game at a time. I might dabble in it this weekend, though, just to see how it fares.

This doesn’t sound too terrible. Considering the type of game this is, most of these trophies should unlock through a natural playthrough. Depending on length, I may attempt to platinum this.

I’ve been waiting for this review before I jumped the gun and bought it. I’m glad to see it turn out wonderfully. I’m definitely purchasing it right now.

How are the trophies, btw? Does the platinum troll right take multiple playthroughs or can everything be done in a single run?

Rise of the Ronin and Stellar Blade are on my list of games to buy. Dragon Dogma’s 2 is a wait and see. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is consuming me so I’m not sure when I’ll get to these games, but we are eating good right now.

@AFCC Yeah, the synergy abilities are confusing. There are ones you can do whenever, as long as you hold R1 and have abilities connected to your party members. But the other synergy ones, those confuse me, and I’m unsure how you build them up to use them. I have managed to use them a couple of times, but not sure how I got there in the first place. The tutorial on it is a little confusing. If you figure it out, let me know!

Earlier in the week I finished up Resistance: Retribution and got the platinum trophy. It was a solid game, but makes me yearn for a remastered trilogy that I know more than likely won’t happen.

With that said, my main focus this weekend will be Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. I don’t often find myself genuinely excited about upcoming games, but I’ve been antsy for a while regarding this sequel, and my wife has been getting quite annoyed with my excitement (ha-ha). I’ve finished the first two chapters and it’s been an unexpected magical experience. Perhaps that’s the nostalgia speaking, but I’m enamored.

From what I’ve played so far, the game seems brilliantly paced. There have also been compelling story moments that provide genuine intrigue, and a heartfelt cast that I’m happy to see again. This is bolstered by an exemplary soundtrack that hits all of the right notes and exactly the right times.

In terms of gameplay, the combat is more refined, with the difficulty seemingly more balanced than its predecessor. There are so many added layers that enhance the action in brilliant ways. Sometimes it can be hard to manage all of the possibilities, but once things click then it’s an extraordinary battle system that just may be my favorite in an RPG.

I also love seeing the PS1 classic come to life in full force — the scope of this game is staggering. Unfortunately, much like any sequel that wants to expand on the original’s idea(s), but also become an open world game, the experience can feel daunting and overwhelming. There are a ton of systems and mechanics at work, and they all have their own leveling system. But the variety to customize your play style is really awesome and adds a lot of depth to how you approach the game.

My only complaint at the moment is the slow movement. Similar to the first game, when the game forces you to walk slowly in certain parts of the story, that mechanic is back. Sadly, those moments are intertwined with gameplay, such as climbing up yellow painted rocks, or more interactive story beats.

There isn’t much left to say since I’m not that far, but I’m highly impressed. Sure, the game could crumble beneath its feet, but if it can keep up this momentum then I think we are in for something incredibly special. I can’t wait to see how it ultimately turns out.

I’m here for whatever Team Ninja does. I think this looks great.

I’m most definitely playing it. So far, the biggest compliment I can give the game is that everything is so much more refined and polished compared to Remake. It’s fantastic so far.