Skeletonframes
Active Member
If Octopath Traveler is still on there, it’s a gem, too. Not sure if you’ve played it, but it’s worth a look for the art style alone.
Everything Video Games!
- Thread starter gouis
- Start date
Fillip J Phry
Well-Known Member
Forgot about that one, need to play that as well!
Fillip J Phry
Well-Known Member
In an absolute buzzer beater of a finish, I completed Final Fantasy XIII last night at around 11:30, for the last day being on Game Pass. I feel like I've got way to much to say on this one, but I'll try not to ramble too much.
Overall, I really enjoyed this game. I have some issues that I will get to, but for the most part I had a positive experience playing this game. I shied away from this one initially due to what seemed like an overwhelmingly negative reception at the time. I now think that a lot of the haters only played for a few chapters.
That's as good a transition as any to get to the negatives. First off, this game is confusing as hell for way longer than it should be. I don't think I really started to get a grasp on anything until at least Chapter 8 (there's 13 total). Combat is way different from anything else I've played. There are 6 different roles any character can take on, and you choose combinations of roles between 3 characters into paradigms, that you can switch between on the fly. I feel like this isn't explained all that well, and took a lot of practice and online walkthroughs to start feeling comfortable. The story also starts off very confusing, with all the l'cie, fal'Cie, pulse fal'Cie, etc. mentions coming at you a mile a minute, as if you know what any of that means. Figuring out how to pronounce those is tricky enough (I played with Japanese audio), but understanding the differences takes some deep reading of the Codex entries. Another issue I had was with the camera, this thing fights you trying to control it constantly, even in the more open areas. There's a lot of hallways, especially earlier on, but even in the wide open areas it can be a struggle to look around you. Finally, some of the random game overs get frustrating. A single group of enemies can range from the easiest thing you've ever encountered, to "hey, lets all attack the primary character at the same time with no telegraphing and wipe their health instantly. Seriously, I struggled more with the enemies on the way through the final chapter than I did with any of the bosses. One final nitpick, a better fast travel would be amazing here - like being able to travel between save points.
Nailing these transitions, let's move on to the positives. First off, the bosses. I feel like most of these were well designed and fair. They also did that classic FF thing where they utilize the different mechanics to get you out of your comfort zone and trying new strategies. I'm sure some people dislike the very linear nature to most of the game, but I didn't mind it. The others in the series are often the same situation, but get less flack for it. In this case, it gives you plenty of time to admire the stunning graphics. This game still looks incredible, even though it's almost 13 years old. The cutscenes are some of the best in the series that I've seen, and had some very hype moments. I like that you can see the enemies on the map, and can time things to get a preemptive strike. I mentioned combat was confusing earlier, but once you get the hang of it, things are very engaging. Seldom did I find myself just pressing A to get through a fight. The paradigm shifting is a cool concept. The stagger system, in which you build up combos to stagger an enemy, exposing weakness and allowing extra damage, is utilized well. I also really like the characters and story. Everyone involved either had very clear motives for being there and fighting how they did, or found those motives along the way. Some of the stuff at the end is a bit confusing, but the ending itself is great and left me ready to play the next one.
I know I wrote more on the negatives, but the things I liked far outweighed what I didn't. While not as impactful on me personally as 6, 7, 9, and 10, I like this one way more than 8, which I replayed last year. I'd say it's on par with 15, and it's been too long since I played the others to have a good opinion currently. For reference, I loved 8 as a kid, but as an adult I see every glaring issue, while the others in time frame all hold up really well. Looking forward to jumping right into XIII-2!
Overall, I really enjoyed this game. I have some issues that I will get to, but for the most part I had a positive experience playing this game. I shied away from this one initially due to what seemed like an overwhelmingly negative reception at the time. I now think that a lot of the haters only played for a few chapters.
That's as good a transition as any to get to the negatives. First off, this game is confusing as hell for way longer than it should be. I don't think I really started to get a grasp on anything until at least Chapter 8 (there's 13 total). Combat is way different from anything else I've played. There are 6 different roles any character can take on, and you choose combinations of roles between 3 characters into paradigms, that you can switch between on the fly. I feel like this isn't explained all that well, and took a lot of practice and online walkthroughs to start feeling comfortable. The story also starts off very confusing, with all the l'cie, fal'Cie, pulse fal'Cie, etc. mentions coming at you a mile a minute, as if you know what any of that means. Figuring out how to pronounce those is tricky enough (I played with Japanese audio), but understanding the differences takes some deep reading of the Codex entries. Another issue I had was with the camera, this thing fights you trying to control it constantly, even in the more open areas. There's a lot of hallways, especially earlier on, but even in the wide open areas it can be a struggle to look around you. Finally, some of the random game overs get frustrating. A single group of enemies can range from the easiest thing you've ever encountered, to "hey, lets all attack the primary character at the same time with no telegraphing and wipe their health instantly. Seriously, I struggled more with the enemies on the way through the final chapter than I did with any of the bosses. One final nitpick, a better fast travel would be amazing here - like being able to travel between save points.
Nailing these transitions, let's move on to the positives. First off, the bosses. I feel like most of these were well designed and fair. They also did that classic FF thing where they utilize the different mechanics to get you out of your comfort zone and trying new strategies. I'm sure some people dislike the very linear nature to most of the game, but I didn't mind it. The others in the series are often the same situation, but get less flack for it. In this case, it gives you plenty of time to admire the stunning graphics. This game still looks incredible, even though it's almost 13 years old. The cutscenes are some of the best in the series that I've seen, and had some very hype moments. I like that you can see the enemies on the map, and can time things to get a preemptive strike. I mentioned combat was confusing earlier, but once you get the hang of it, things are very engaging. Seldom did I find myself just pressing A to get through a fight. The paradigm shifting is a cool concept. The stagger system, in which you build up combos to stagger an enemy, exposing weakness and allowing extra damage, is utilized well. I also really like the characters and story. Everyone involved either had very clear motives for being there and fighting how they did, or found those motives along the way. Some of the stuff at the end is a bit confusing, but the ending itself is great and left me ready to play the next one.
I know I wrote more on the negatives, but the things I liked far outweighed what I didn't. While not as impactful on me personally as 6, 7, 9, and 10, I like this one way more than 8, which I replayed last year. I'd say it's on par with 15, and it's been too long since I played the others to have a good opinion currently. For reference, I loved 8 as a kid, but as an adult I see every glaring issue, while the others in time frame all hold up really well. Looking forward to jumping right into XIII-2!
I'm dying..
www.creativebloq.com
Goldeneye 007 still features my favourite ever video game design fail
It's an optical illusion that can never be unseen.
www.creativebloq.com
PlayStation Store Blockbuster sale sees PS5 games crash to $7
Assassin’s Creed, Cyberpunk, Spider-Man and more are discounted
www.tomsguide.com
Is Cyberpunk worth picking up while on sale?
PlayStation VR 2 Won't Automatically Work With Older PSVR Games
Backwards compatibility won't be happening for Sony's PlayStation 5 VR headset coming next year, the company confirmed.
www.cnet.com
That said, there are no PS5 games for the VR 1 right? They would all be PS4 games?
So if I got into VR with my PS5 this wouldn't be horrible? Or would I be missing out on some good stuff?
PlayStation VR 2 Won't Automatically Work With Older PSVR Games
Backwards compatibility won't be happening for Sony's PlayStation 5 VR headset coming next year, the company confirmed.
That said, there are no PS5 games for the VR 1 right? They would all be PS4 games?
So if I got into VR with my PS5 this wouldn't be horrible? Or would I be missing out on some good stuff?
this video is just speculation but just because the PSVR1 games won't work with VR2 out of the box, that wouldn't mean that they won't get patched over to work on VR2. just will they make people who owned them on VR1 pay for the games all over again?
Platinumed The Last of Us Part I and starting Part II now.
apparently lots of leaked GTA6 footage was released with the hacker trying to get a ransom from Rockstar
www.dexerto.com
GTA 6 fans concerned for game following major Rockstar leak - Dexerto
Reactions to the massive GTA 6 gameplay leaks have begun flooding in, with some fans worried and others defending the alpha build.
www.dexerto.com
Been playing V Rising with a friend of mine.
I wasn't into it at first - not a fan of "craft this to get this" games, but the fighting part of the game kept me into it.
It's still in early access - and shows from time to time.
playvrising.com
I wasn't into it at first - not a fan of "craft this to get this" games, but the fighting part of the game kept me into it.
It's still in early access - and shows from time to time.
Home | V-Rising
playvrising.com
Max Sterling
Well-Known Member
Picked up Half Life 2 VR Mod. It's really well done, but I'm not familiar enough with moving around in VR to not get incredibly motion sick while playing.
New PS5 Launching With Detachable Disc Drive, Says Insider - PlayStation LifeStyle
According to known insider Tom Henderson, a new PS5 is in the works and is planned to arrive on store shelves in just a year.
www.playstationlifestyle.net
EvanBenner
Well-Known Member
I got it for $10 as a PS4 disc then waited for the PS5 upgrade to start playing. Set it aside due to general business, and I think I'm working on area 3 of 6, so maybe somehwere near the half point of the main storyline. Enjoying it overall. Def worth the $10 I paid even having not finished it yet, and there'll be DLC down the road that sounds interesting.PlayStation Store Blockbuster sale sees PS5 games crash to $7
Assassin’s Creed, Cyberpunk, Spider-Man and more are discounted
Is Cyberpunk worth picking up while on sale?
Hemotep
Well-Known Member
I'm very far behind on the thread, so apologies if anyone's already talked about this. But I recently downloaded Grid Legends for a change of pace and it's easily one of the most fun games I've played. I love the story mode and the variety of cars/races. I'm eager to get past the rookie stuff so that it's more of a challenge, but for not having really been found a racing game I've loved since the very early days of Grand Turismo and Need For Speed this one is hitting the sweet spot of being able to play for fifteen minutes here and there without a lot of commitment.
Jeff Lerner
Well-Known Member
My son, 13, just bought himself an Xbox Series S with his allowance that he's been saving for years. He will primarily use it to play NBA 2k online with his friends, but I plan to use it some too. A few questions for a total Xbox noob (we have a Switch):
- Should I get Game Pass?
- Any other games that are must-haves? On the Switch I've enjoyed puzzle games and Mario Odyssey. The open world games intrigue me, but nothing that's overly complicated.
- What are some good games that are local multiplayer?
- Anything I need to know about the parental controls for a 13 year old?
Hemotep
Well-Known Member
I like the game pass. I don't get to play much but it lets me try out a bunch of games to see if anything catches my attention.
I don't have Xbox, but I'm currently thinking about trying to grab a PS5 or Xbox and the #1 selling point for getting the Xbox for me would be Game Pass.
Microsoft seems to put every one of their games on Game Pass, and with all the big studios they're about to acquire in a year or two it'll be flooded with their best, AAA games all for the equivalent price of 2 games a year. not to mention all the other 3rd party developers that'll put their games on Game Pass day 1. if you love playing lots of games it's an amazing deal.
wokeupnew
Well-Known Member
yeah Game Pass truly has everything and anything you'd want to play. Sometimes I scroll through the lists of games and think there's not a lot of options but mostly beause I've played most of the good ones on there lol.
If you like Odyssey/puzzle games try Hollow Knight, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Ori and The Will of the Wisps. Those are metroidvania platformers that are challenging but A LOT of fun.
Enaz Fox
Well-Known Member
game pass is awesome and the xbox is a solid console but i've been locked in the ecosystem since halo 2 in my basement so take my words with a grain of salt.
sony gets some great exclusives but as Tillman mentioned, microsoft buying up those studios should make things interesting. discord chat just got added as well so along with them being extremely open to cross platform play they are now allowing private chat (cross platform, there has always been xbox only private chat) which is nice.
if you like mario odyssey I'd recommend psychonauts 2, great platformer with super unique visuals. parental controls do exist but I don't have a ton of experience with them. if you get Live/Game Pass Ultimate it works across multiple accounts on your xbox. forza horizon is also a ton of fun, great visuals along with fun racing that is open world based.