Topic: What Game(s) are You Currently Playing?

Just picked up Earth defence force world brothers on sale, bit of mindless entertainment to go along side my grind through my RPG back log (currently working through tales of vesperia, incredible game)
Earth defence force brings back some serious childhood nostalgia!

Gonna try to play at least one new game every week, instead of focusing on a couple of games for weeks or months at a time.

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Criminal Girls: Invite Only (PS Vita)

I've actually played this one for a bit before, but my 20+ hour playthrough this week, which got me though more than 2/3rds of the game, was definitely more illuminating. It's a bit hard to discuss this game in polite company on account of certain gameplay elements, but I'll do my best.

One of a spate of several fanservice-heavy games that released exclusively on the PS Vita in the mid 2010's, Criminal Girls sees you playing as an unnamed main character who is tasked with rehabilitating a group of young female delinquents by leading them through a series of Trials across Hell. Overcoming these Trials will apparently make them spiritually fit to be reborn on Earth.

Functionally, the game is a dungeon-crawler, and the "Trials" are set across four themed, multi-level dungeons. CG does a pretty good job of integrating narrative elements and gimmicks in the dungeons, however, making each one feel distinct from the other. A particular highlight was a winter-themed dungeon where illusion magic is used to isolate and spread distrust among your party.

The battle system is simplistic, but also possessed of a certain tactical aspect because of this. Whenever a battle starts, your party of four girls (at one time, although once you gain your full party of seven girls, you'll be able to freely swap them out with the three that remain in reserve) will suggest attacks and skills to use in battle against the enemy, although you'll only be able to use one skill or attack at a time. So, in any given turn, you'll have to weigh the pros and cons of attacking versus using healing abilities or using support skills that strengthen your party or weaken the enemy. While it can be tempting to go for a powerful attack or offensive skill any time one becomes available, your party will quickly start dying if you don't read the patterns of your enemies and protect yourself when they're gearing up for powerful attacks, or don't keep their HP topped up.

The pool of skills they have available to them at the start of the game is miniscule, but you'll unlock new skills, attacks, and whatnot via the "Motivation" mini-game, which is pretty much the sole reason this game is controversial to begin with. I referred to this as a "fanservice game," but the fanservice/sexualization element is actually almost non-existent outside of this minigame. Unfortunately, engagement with the minigame is pretty much required to complete the game proper, so you can't really ignore it, either. In these "Motivation" mini-games (these were actually called "Punishments" in the Japanese version, but the localizers apparently decided this borderline creepy euphemism was the way to go), your character will engage the girls in sadomasochistic rituals that involve whips, hot wax, electricity, etc. That's the theming, anyway. In reality, you'll be tasked with tapping weird little symbols on the screen (and, frustratingly, the back touchpad) while the camera pans over increasingly suggestive Live2D art of the girls in various stages of disrobement. Although even this art is difficult to appreciate, as the localized release apparently required a thick pink fog to cover the background art as you completed these minigames. It's definitely suggestive, but, at least in terms of the games lewd appeal, you have to wonder at what point the censorship becomes too much. Would a pornographic film still be exciting if the action was almost entirely covered up by a thick fog?

It is worth mentioning that if you've hacked your Vita, it's fairly easy to apply a patch that removes the censorship from the localized release.

Even with the heavy censorship, though, the game's insinuation of sexualized punishments being inflicted on very young looking girls will still scare a lot of people off. It's actually a little annoying, since, once you learn more about the personalities and histories of the girls, you'll see that at least a couple of them are struggling to deal with the emotional fallout of objectification and sexual abuse when they were still alive. And this is in a game where you're whipping them in order to teach them new skills. It'd be like making a game where you kick dogs, but then the game tries to make you care about a dog's history of abuse by previous owners. Pick a lane, seriously! While the mechanic is well-integrated into the game itself, it feels very out of place with the larger thrust of the narrative.

All that aside, it manages to be a surprisingly addictive little dungeon crawler, and despite the super low-budget it was clearly working with, the game's vibrant color palette and sharp character portraits manage to make it look quite fetching on the Vita's stunning OLED screen.

It's the sort of game only profound weirdos would be able to straight-facedly recommend to others, but, at the same time, I can't ignore its aesthetic and gameplay merits. The difficulty curve is smooth. Despite the heavy emphasis on back-tracking through previous dungeons for side-quests, the process is actually a breeze thanks to a variety of QoL considerations. The simplistic combat manages to maintain a certain level of balanced tactical depth to it that makes boss fights engaging. And the characters aren't terribly shallow.

I was playing Sonic Unleashed on the Wii but I had to stop playing it as I found the whole game structure stupid when compared to the Xbox 360/PS3 version. Like what relevance is it to story progression that I have to get to the end of a Stage without breaking stuff? like really? Sonic is supposed to be about going fast but stupid level design like that is basically encouraging the complete opposite. I will be playing Sonic Rivals 2 on the Vita instead as I didn't finish it back in the day. If I'm patient enough and manage to finish it ignoring the horrendous rubber banding that would mean I would finally have completed all Sonic games apart from Unleashed on the Wii which I will not be going back to.

Just started playing Monster Boy and the Crused Kingdom after finishing Three Hopes.

Yeah here's a link

Well Sonic Rivals 2 can do one the rubber banding is just unbearable. Jesus who made these games? games are supposed to be enjoyable but this game is literally the complete opposite. Possibly the worst game on the Vita.

Still loving Sunbreak, just broken free form the MR-Cap and am pushing towards next milestone of MR10!

Finally crafted some better gear and weapons, and also enjoying the multi-player hunting side of things

assassins creed black flag. first assassins creed game. had no idea they were so fun!

Youtubers Life 2 PS4
I have to start again from the scratch after my latest save data got corrupted. 🥺

@JustMonika just followed you

Still 13 Sentinels, its quite gud! I think i am gonna keep an eye out for Vanillaware from now on

Sigh. I've pretty much locked myself out from being able to complete a side quest/EX-mission in SMT: Strange Journey Redux because I've leveled up my main character to level 99 (using the DLC items that boost your level lol). Unfortunately, one of the missions require your party to be an average of level 45... including your MC. OOPS.

Guess I'll have to wait till New Game Plus. Guess that's a lesson to be remembered for those tempted to cheat using Atlus' DLC items. lol

Enjoying Live A Live.

Metroid Dread - Trying to nab 100% on items before tackling what is (presumably) the final boss. So far I'm sitting at about 72%. I really like the game overall. I do feel that the E.M.M.I. are much better on paper than in execution; they can really mess with the pacing. Shinespark is still also a pain to use in this game. It took me a good while to do everything just right to solve one of those puzzles yesterday.

Kirby's Return To Dream Land (Wii) - I'm only a few stages in, but so far this is a charming Kirby game. It's my first try on a truly modern entry, and it's definitely a fun one! I've already replayed a couple of levels to try to get all ship parts.

@Tyranexx
You double posted the comment. 😛

@Anti-Matter Hah, thanks for the heads up! I deleted the first post. The site lagged out on me, so I thought it didn't go through the first time.

I started Skyward Sword and, I love this slow start, I'm now at the part with that nagging blue lady at the stairs, I'm taking a pop-tart break right now and I can't wait to start diving in to more of this pretty cool game soon.

Youtubers Life 2 PS4
Famous Youtuber Inoxtag is coming.

Started up Ori and the Will of the Wisps. I know people argue about which game is better because of things the sequel does differently, and it has been awhile since I played Blind Forest so maybe I'm forgetting things, but they seem like the exact same game so far. That's not a bad thing, I enjoy them both. I just don't understand how people seem to think the second one is so different. Maybe that will change as I get farther into it.

Just got a Switch OLED on Friday and decided to start with Xenoblade Chronicles.

I think my only complaint is that the map could be better with side quests. You make one active, but there's no marker on the map unless you happen to find them on your own by accident and the pathway (or whatever you want to call it) always just points you in the direction of story missions even if the side quest is active. It's not going to keep me from loving the game, but it is an early annoyance.