@Browny Exactly. Both Shin Megami Tensei and Dragon Quest V were doing monster collecting before Pokemon Red/Green, which notably took monster design influence from Dragon Quest.
Not dissing of course, cos I love Pokemon and Gamefreak have been doing some great charity work of late, but I don't think legal action should be taken given that they've taken influence themselves. The Pokemon with guns and open world thing isn't my cup of tea anyways.
I'd personally love a remaster of Melee. The game was so good and pretty much perfect, only thing that is dated in the least is the graphics. There was no trip mechanics, no over powered finishers, chunking weapons was fun, and the closest the series has been to balanced. Very tight controls and amazing gameplay. One of my top 3 games on GameCube and a bonafide classic.
Fire Emblem Engage is an absolute classic for me and I love Pikazo's artwork. I've done 3 playthroughs of the game and look forward to many more down the road. Have my fingers crossed and hoping for some Engage amiibos eventually.
Edit: does my heart good to see all praises this game is getting in the comments. I had quite a lot of genuine, natural fun playing Engage. Good to see I'm not the only one who had a goofy smile on my face playing the game!
Just recently beat Dragon Quest Monsters: the Dark Prince and had an amazing time with it. My favorite team was a Bodkin Fletcher, Metal Slime, King Metal Slime, and a King Cure Slime. Cheesed with status ailments and immunities I did!
Now I'm playing Hogwarts Legacy. Major nostalgia playing it as I was obsessed with Harry Potter growing up. I love the Forbidden Forest especially. Looks exactly as magical and as scarily long and intimidating as I had imagined it. Great game, but I've been easily distracted by my nose and start exploring places I'm not supposed to yet and find I need certain spells that can only be obtained through continuing the story. Open world is a bigger curse than Crucio I tell you!
@Drachma For those to be used choose Focus on, "Weaken the enemy". That sets status ailments moves as priority. Then I'd make sure to have ailment moves(s) put to down arrow(use less) and put your attacking move(s) as up arrow, (use more) otherwise they'll just spam ailment moves and won't attack much.
Also, turn off all moves you don't want your monsters to use. It's kinda convoluted, but I hope this helps. Once you get it, man it's easy to snowball the game.
@Drachma It's all about what "set tactics" you've specifically set up, as that will put emphasis on monster fighting style and "set instructions".
In set instructions moves to be used as priority are indicated by the up arrow. Moves to be used less are indicated by the down arrow. Moves that aren't to be used at all you can put an X over.
Now, back to set tactics. If you're fighting in No Mercy, monsters will always choose the moves that deal the most damage or can kill more enemies at once, unless otherwise noted in set instructions differently or enemy resistance weakness factor. Keep in mind this is a damage fighting style, so moves that inflict status ailment even with set priority in set instructions will almost never be used unless the move itself deals damage. Focus on healing, the trick is to have high priority on healing moves and whatever few attacking moves you want it to use. It will attack until HP hits a certain threshold for a teammate, then it'll heal. If you having healing set as priority in any other fighting style other than focus on healing, don't count on it coming in clutch. Weaken the enemy focuses AI moreso in status inflicting, so attacking and healing are going to be less focus. Setting tactics is the biggest step in making AI do what you want it to do. Then it's a matter of the moves that compliment that play style and setting instructions based on that. Powerful moves that miss frequently are great to turn off in set instructions. Moves that don't heal as much as others or heal randomly are great to either be lessened in priority or turned off in favor of bigger healing moves, preferably AoE healing moves.
It's a matter of knowing what each fighting style does and how to manipulate it's priority of moves that go in tandem with said style. Kinda hard to explain, but once I understood it I steamrolled the game.
Since your issue was certain spells being used, No Mercy is again based on damage inflicting and killing priority. They will tend to use spells that do extra effective damage over neutral damage or over an element the enemy is resistant to.
@Patendo It was honestly really good. Once you figure out how to manipulate the AI of the monsters, the game was hard for me to put down. I didn't experience any game crashes or any of the glitches that's been mentioned. Gameplay loop is pure joy with battling, catching monsters, synthesizing, etc. The story while admittedly rushed, is pretty good. Definitely like a what if situation for DQ IV.
Ugh, imagine me going on NintendoLife and my wife potentially seeing this... booty shot. I swear I'm not looking up hentai honey, I wanted to read news on NintendoLife... "Read" is what she'd reply with air quotes. Back to the couch with you tonight.
@lazyboyblue I've played and beat all the NA released FE games (most of them numerous times) and I can say Radiant Dawn is fairly comparable.
The only things holding it back from being as great is story wise, there are blood pacts, which for spoiler reasons I can't discuss, but it certainly holds some characters back. Gameplay wise, it feels like you don't get as attached to units leveling up, cos ultimately you're going to be using premade broken units like Tibarn or Haar. The ones you get to level up the most, the Dawn Brigade, are weak and the majority are completely outclassed by other units you get later...
...otherwise the story is definitely the ending that Tellius deserved. It really built further upon the war based on racism and quite nicely tied together loose ends from PoR. Combat wise, man I wish FE had kept the uphill battle terrain for better positioning and tactics. That was something that was a lot of fun and I hope gets adopted in FE entries somewhere down the line again. Not to mention, even on "Normal" (translation issue) mode the game was a challenge. It's definitely one of the more unforgiving FE games released in NA and I personally like the challenge. The cutscenes still hold up as pretty and well done to this day. Great game overall, but for my 2 bob is still prefer PoR.
@Zaruboggan Oh man, Soren is an absolute favorite of mine, perhaps my favorite Tellius character. A lot of fun to use in battle and great character. I forgot about that OST! Glad you mentioned it, it's so good!
@Zaruboggan It's such a wonderful game isn't it? A lot of people need to play this masterpiece. Game itself is soooo much fun, but man, that story is something else! Was doing anti-racism messages before it was cool with Beorc and Laguz and just how in depth the story went, be it the easy to empathize with mercenary Ike and his squad or the camp conversations, which filled in plot holes and gave nice rewards. Bexp made the game approachable for everyone both casuals and hardcores alike, plus I liked fixed growths in subsequent playthroughs. Ike and Black Knight, what an awesome synergy for 2 rivals to have. Amazing game~
@Duncanballs DQ 11 is one of those magical games. It managed to break me free from gacha addiction completely and man, what a ride that game was. Made me remember why I like gaming so much to begin with. I couldn't get enough of the battles, story, characters, and that beautiful scenery.
@lazyboyblue Amen! Ngl, I've been saying repeatedly in posts lately that IMHO Engage has the best tactical combat/gameplay of the series and that Path of Radiance has the best story. I've been trying to persuade people to realize this series is so much more than just 3H, (good game btw) which gets continually praised for its story and characters. I feel PoR has better in both regards and does it without wasting my playtime with superfluous monastery downtime. Since I've been making these points I've been getting huge urges to dust off my old GameCube and play PoR again. I've only got a few big hitters left in my backlog, think I'll replay it again sometime this year. The whole series is so amazing though, so I can very obviously see your point lol.
Final Fantasy X. It's one of my personal favorite games of all time that I've beaten multiple times on the PS2. If I could only just now experience it for the first time I can only imagine. The innovative and ingeniously fun CTB combat, the gut wrenchingly powerful story, and a gorgeous OST that is still my favorite to this day with so many pretty, somber songs or dorky ditties. Those graphics and cinematic scenes were ahead of their time. It was a game that was very innovative, that's for sure. Once my backlog gets cleaned a little more I plan to tackle the Switch version.
Conversely, the main game of Super Mario Wonder is fairly simple to average difficulty, (unless using Yoshi and/or Nabbit) however the extra content in the special world is Celeste esque difficulty with interesting platforming mechanics. The special world and areas working up to it are quite challenging that as a veteran Mario player, I quite enjoyed the challenge. It's an easy game to beat, (credit roll) not complete.
Similar can be said of Super Mario RPG. Base game was easy, the post game with the added content was a good challenge.
Ya know, just twiddling my thumbs still waiting for that HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest III the Seeds of Salvation. I'm predicting and/or hoping it comes out this year. They announced that so early and we've only recently got an update on it...
... just hoping that means it's very polished and not a buggy mess like Pokemon S/V. I'd rather a game take a long time and be well made than be rushed out and be a complete clusterduck.
I'm content with the Switch going through the backlog I have, plus I can't really afford another next gen Nintendo console right now. Inflation and car troubles took me from middle class to barely scraping by. I'll get the next Nintendo console, but I'm definitely not in a rush for it, as I'm still enjoying myself anyway.
Just beat Super Mario RPG and then beat the post game. That was time well spent. Wonderful burst of nostalgia that I feel the few added things like combat tweaks and beautiful cutscenes were much appreciated. Very fun throughout.
Now playing Dragon Quest Monsters: the Dark Prince. So far the game has been quite charming. I like playing as the villain of DQ 4. Got some monsters I'm eagerly looking forward to obtaining like Bodkin Fletcher and any of the metal slime family.
@JohnnyMind Absolutely! Veyle is absolutely my 2nd favorite character in Engage. I definitely have a thing for characters with tragic backstories, haha! Yeah, could only pick one, so had to go with Zappy!
I've been eagerly waiting for an Engage Warriors game myself like @UltimateOtaku91 mentioned. Hope we get one more mainline Echoes FE and an Engage Warriors game before the switch successor comes about.
These two characters and just how their paths are so completely inseparable ended up being deeper that I initially thought. For all the bickering there was more to it and how they connected in both worlds. The spoiler reason Erina doesn't have a Persona made for an epic moment and Toshiro legit had more character growth (from wimp to standing firm) than I'm used to seeing in gaming these days, tbh. Gave me a Tidus FFX vibes in context of character growth.
Yunaka is a stunner as a unit too! I've absolutely went into novella esque posts about her, but I wanted to keep it short and sweet. I love her exceptional dodge tanking and crit killing myself. She's just ludicrous as a unit. Glad to have found another fan and appreciate your thoughts on her.
Between Thief and Wolf Knight is a hard choice, whilst both are very fast, Thief class gets a whopping 60 avoid via terrain instead of 30 like every other non covert class. The higher Dex the thief class has over wolf knight makes crit rates slightly higher. Wolf Knight having hobble is absolutely bonkers though and it's nice to have a mini freeze attack without expending staff use or Corrin engage. I mean really, she's so good in both you can't go wrong with either choice. Played 3 different files in Engage and she's a pretty malleable unit from my experience. I like Chloe too btw. She eats like I do lol!
There's a reason she's my profile pic. One of the few characters in Engage with depth. I love the whole happy go lucky facade, but clandestine with edge underneath. I'm a sucker for tragic characters that make something of themselves.
1. Fire Emblem Engage
2. Persona 5 Tactica
3. (Tie) Super Mario RPG/Super Mario Bros. Wonder
5. Dragon Quest Monsters: the Dark Prince
Just recently started DQ the Dark Prince, but man I'm really enjoying it. I can guarantee it's a top 5, just not quite number 1. The Fire Emblem and Mario bias is strong in meh~
No offense to Tears, it's a great game, but my tastes are unorthodox.
Paper Mario the Thousand Year Door is the only game on my wishlist for next year tbh. I played and beat Dark Moon on 3DS (a last gen console) so I feel no need to repurchase it. TTYD I don't own an OG copy so I'm looking to get it~
I did buy Octopath Traveler II and I do plan on playing it eventually, but I'm dwindling down my backlog as we speak to get to it. Dragon Quest Monsters the Dark Prince is one of my planned next plays and Persona 4G had been calling me as well. Been a great last few years of RPGs, so I'll get to it sooner or later.
Nice review btw, gives me something to look forward to.
I think it boils down to personal preference and the FE fandom is pretty well divided on the 2 types: those who prefer strategy combat driven and those that prefer story driven. You fall into the latter and me the former.
The strategic combat was much more involved in Engage, but it never became convoluted. There's definitely more you have to think about in battle, which I thoroughly enjoy. Battle animations themselves haven't been this tight since the GBA era. The graphics are the strongest of the series being as this game is trying to do more with the switches capabilities than even 3H. Art will always be subjective, but as for me personally I quite liked it. The story is cartoon esque, but at least it's not full of plot holes or trying too hard like Fates, (which I love those games btw). Engage most characters are just like the vast majority of FE characters: tropes with 1 dimensional personalities. However there are a few that I genuinely like:
Yunaka: paints the happy go lucky facade, but clandestine behavior that tries to hide that undeniable edge underneath, which completely goes out window on the battlefield where she becomes quite intimidating. As unorthodox as she tries to act, she's a tragic story running away from her past as an assassin. Orphaned from a young age, the man who took her in was an assassin. She learned the tricks of the trade from him and became an exceptionally talented assassin herself. Her last job screwed with her head though: her last mission was to kill him. She finished the job, but the psychological damage made her desperate to change her ways. Outside of that, she's a compendium of knowledge when it comes to weapon facts, has extremely sharp eyes, and more or less takes over as strategist when you meet Yunaka in her intro chapter. She is also exceptionally talented at acting, whether it be drama (supports with Seadall) or her phenomenal voice acting where she can imitate countless characters and Emblems alike with uncanny precision. (Laura Post her VA has amazing range and talent)
Veyle: is another with a tragic backstory, but has spoiler reasons I can't really go into, but whether it be her one sided love for her father or her atrocities she's been manipulated to do, she's well written too. She's naturally sweet and compassionate, feels remorse, and her propensity for spicy food rivals my own, lol.
And the twin dragons in the DLC are very nicely written as well, but again, spoilers and unfortunately they're hidden behind a paywall...
So yeah, the only thing I can't defend too much is the story and -most- of the characters. There's a few character stand outs, but most are fairly 1 dimensional and I'm a sucker for Saturday morning cartoon esque story, what can I say? Forgive the long novella esque response, but I kinda wanted to share my perspective as to why I personally love Engage so much. But yeah, as a friendly suggestion, absolutely get your hands on Path of Radiance. That game actually has a phenomenal story, hope you like~
@Joker1234 Agreed on the gameplay part, but the worst story is typically agreed to be Fates. Plot holes, Corrin dindu nuffin, Fateslandia, (unnamed continent) etc, etc. I swear the fan base likes to make Fates the whipping boy and these are just some of the negative criticisms I've read.
I liked Engage's story for what it was: maybe it was cartoon esque, but it didn't pretend to be otherwise. The Jugdral games need the Echoes treatment so NA people can see some of the good old days story wise though...
@gamingxaidan I was thinking the same thing. Fire Emblem Engage should be ranked higher. A lot of people loved the game. Has the best combat/gameplay and graphics of the series, and for my 2 cents it had the best battle animations as well. Even had a few character stand outs. I absolutely adore the game. It's my obvious GOTY, followed by Persona 5 Tactica, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and Super Mario RPG.
I do know that a lot of 3H fans tended to dump (got review bombed somewhere iirc) on it for being closer to classic FE formula and having less focus on relationships and downtime life simulation. I like both 3H and Engage, but I prefer strategic combat to be the focal point, as I've never been a fan of life simulation. Whilst I enjoyed 3H, I felt the monastery segments were artificially adding story and playtime and just kinda superfluous. I did however, like it's story driven approach otherwise. FE isn't known for strong stories, but Path of Radiance had a strong narrative that pulled at the heart strings quite a bit and had a very good anti racism message. The game really took it's time not only to elaborate and polish the story, but actually had plot filling, entertaining side stories at camp that usually ended in rewards. If it is wasn't for the fact that PoR is ludicrously expensive to buy, I would wholeheartedly suggest PoR for those who prefer story driven FE like 3H over strategic combat say like Engage. This whole series is full of amazing games, I kinda wish they'd all get the love that 3H does amongst the fan base.
I'm having a nostalgic blast (I've played the original game) whilst enjoying the changes made in Super Mario RPG. This game is such a joyride! Already have 5 stars collected. This is the remake I didn't know I wanted~
@DemonKow I'm glad to hear your opinion on it actually. It's so frustrating, cos the game is undeniably good, but as you said can step on its own toes. I was hoping I wasn't the only one who had such conflicting experiences with the game. Normally if a game does this I shelve it immediately, but the charm is still there enough to keep me playing.
I have been playing off and on (mostly off) of Triangle Strategy this week. I'm at a crossroads with the game. The game is very pretty and has a wonderful presentation. The combat is also fun, WHEN you can get to it, which there lies the problem: the story is exceptionally well written, but this game is so text heavy and the voice acting is poor that you'll slog through like half an hour+ worth of dialogue before getting to a battle. This creates pacing issues for me, where I still want a meaty story, (especially with how good the story is going already) but I feel that it just needed to trim the fat and spend more spread out time across the story, fights, and the limited exploration that it has. Exploration could've had a bit more for sure. Still a fun game nonetheless.
Fire Emblem Engage was my number 1 favorite game as well as my most played this year coming in at a whopping 396 hours and counting.
Was very thankful that the game was a return to classic form FE, whilst adding it's own innovations with the unorthodox emblem rings/bracelets. Excellent combat/gameplay (best and most fun of the series IMHO) and pretty graphics/art. Had a few character stand outs too. I'm thankful for Engage, cos had FE kept on with downtime life sim like 3H monastery segments I was questioning if I was gonna continue playing the series. It was still a good game, but as for my own personal tastes go, I've never liked life sim in games. It felt like artificially adding story and playtime. I still feel story wise FE hasn't topped PoR though. Argh, now I wanna replay PoR now that I mention it...
Most played games-
1. Fire Emblem Engage- 396 hours
2. Ni No Kuni Wrath of the White Witch- 105 hours
3. Chained Echoes- 92 hours
Engage and WotWW were indeed my favorite games I played/genuinely enjoyed this year. Whilst I did enjoy Chained Echoes, it probably wasn't in my top 5 favorite games I played this year. Engage has become my favorite game of all time. Addicted, I know~
...maybe some of us are tired of open world games. When every game starts doing the same thing it loses its luster. Open world can really make story telling go out of order and makes things equally as convoluted as it is confusing. For my own personal tastes though, games like BotW and TotK are really bad for my OCD perfectionist side as I always feel like I'm missing something. Plus, I'm older now and can't give as many hours to gaming as I used to and those games really don't respect my time. I also like knowing that I CAN explore a bit, but I do like having a set path to get back to. I like old and new Zelda alike, but to put down your own fan base as just driven by nostalgia acting like your way is clearly better is wrong. People have differing opinions and you should respect that. Zelda has gotten where it is through the efforts of the old and new alike. Both types should be made going forward.
Just beat Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. Was actually a pretty good warriors game. Had it's fair share of tactics you could do and ended up being a pleasantly enjoyable experience, as I much prefer traditional Fire Emblem. As of beating 3 Hopes, I have now not only beat every single mainline FE released in the NA, but I've now beaten all of the spin offs as well. Still waiting on FE 3-6 to get official translations...
In other news, the next game I'll be playing is Triangle Strategy. Game looks like it'd be a lot of fun. I've had it on my wishlist for a long time. Got it for 50% off on black Friday, so I finally got my greedy SRPG loving hands on it.
Just beat Persona 5 Tactica and man, what a joy ride that was. The story started out slow, but when it found it's stride, the story definitely hit all the feels and was the beautiful continuation of the phantom thieves I wanted. As for the gameplay and combat, it was fun from the get go, but only got better the later the game got and the more persona's I crafted. By the end I was smiling like a kid as my Skull/Michael combination blasted everything into oblivion.
Am currently playing Fire Emblem Three Hopes. I've beaten every mainline FE game released in NA and also every spin off except for this title. Decided I'd finally give the spin off 3H warriors game a try and it's been fun so far.
Hype. DQ 3 is one of those classic JRPGs that really hit a sweet spot with me. Just a genuinely enjoyable experience that made me happy to hear it was going to get modernized.
Excited for Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince. If the demo is anything to go by, I'm in for a good time. Then again, I'm a die hard Dragon Quest fan.
Also excited for the DLC for Scarlet/Violet. I've long shelved those games cos of all the bugs, but I read one of the added Pokemon in the DLC is Dodrio, which is one of my personal favorite Pokemon of all time. Going to give the game another chance and see if there are less bugs and performance issues. I miss dynamaxing, cos those tera raids were a mess with lag when I was playing.
@Diowine You're in for a treat bud! As a side note the graphics are better in Engage and the game definitely has more strategy involved. Maddening the AI is smarter and won't target characters they can't hit or damage, mentioned this since you seem to like a challenge.
@Diowine Depends on what you're looking for. Fire Emblem Engage legit has some of the best (if not the best) combat and gameplay of the series. The game is ludicrously fun. Brought back the weapon triangle and the added innovation with the emblem ring/bracelet implementation and skills ended up adding a lot more strategies that work both for and against you, as bosses will have some of them in game. The maps are very well designed and the game is beautiful. The story is decent enough, but there are a few character standouts that make it worthwhile. (See Yunaka as my profile pic. She's very well written. Veyle is interesting too.) The game doesn't get bogged down with a lot of the superfluous fluff of the monastery segments of 3H, however objectively 3H has the better story. I personally prefer Engage over 3H, but both games are great and both should absolutely be played.
Comments 526
Re: Pokémon's Former Chief Legal Officer "Surprised" Palworld Got This Far
@Browny Exactly. Both Shin Megami Tensei and Dragon Quest V were doing monster collecting before Pokemon Red/Green, which notably took monster design influence from Dragon Quest.
Not dissing of course, cos I love Pokemon and Gamefreak have been doing some great charity work of late, but I don't think legal action should be taken given that they've taken influence themselves. The Pokemon with guns and open world thing isn't my cup of tea anyways.
Re: Best Super Smash Bros. Games Of All Time
@-wc- Nice to see another Melee fan!
I'd personally love a remaster of Melee. The game was so good and pretty much perfect, only thing that is dated in the least is the graphics. There was no trip mechanics, no over powered finishers, chunking weapons was fun, and the closest the series has been to balanced. Very tight controls and amazing gameplay. One of my top 3 games on GameCube and a bonafide classic.
Re: Best Super Smash Bros. Games Of All Time
Whilst I prefer the character variety in Ultimate, Melee has by far the tightest gameplay mechanics and will always be my favorite.
Re: Fire Emblem Engage Artist Celebrates First Anniversary With New Artwork
Fire Emblem Engage is an absolute classic for me and I love Pikazo's artwork. I've done 3 playthroughs of the game and look forward to many more down the road. Have my fingers crossed and hoping for some Engage amiibos eventually.
Edit: does my heart good to see all praises this game is getting in the comments. I had quite a lot of genuine, natural fun playing Engage. Good to see I'm not the only one who had a goofy smile on my face playing the game!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (January 20th)
Just recently beat Dragon Quest Monsters: the Dark Prince and had an amazing time with it. My favorite team was a Bodkin Fletcher, Metal Slime, King Metal Slime, and a King Cure Slime. Cheesed with status ailments and immunities I did!
Now I'm playing Hogwarts Legacy. Major nostalgia playing it as I was obsessed with Harry Potter growing up. I love the Forbidden Forest especially. Looks exactly as magical and as scarily long and intimidating as I had imagined it. Great game, but I've been easily distracted by my nose and start exploring places I'm not supposed to yet and find I need certain spells that can only be obtained through continuing the story. Open world is a bigger curse than Crucio I tell you!
Re: Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince Has Already Surpassed One Million Sales
Can't say I'm surprised. I quite enjoyed myself with the game and the DQ monsters formula is something that needs to be revived.
Re: Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince Version 1.0.3 Out Now, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
@Drachma For those to be used choose Focus on, "Weaken the enemy". That sets status ailments moves as priority. Then I'd make sure to have ailment moves(s) put to down arrow(use less) and put your attacking move(s) as up arrow, (use more) otherwise they'll just spam ailment moves and won't attack much.
Also, turn off all moves you don't want your monsters to use. It's kinda convoluted, but I hope this helps. Once you get it, man it's easy to snowball the game.
Re: Players Need To Start "Feeling Comfortable" With Not Owning Games, Says Ubisoft Subs Boss
That's like when companies started forcing self-check out around here: better expect theft.
Re: Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince Version 1.0.3 Out Now, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
@Drachma It's all about what "set tactics" you've specifically set up, as that will put emphasis on monster fighting style and "set instructions".
In set instructions moves to be used as priority are indicated by the up arrow. Moves to be used less are indicated by the down arrow. Moves that aren't to be used at all you can put an X over.
Now, back to set tactics. If you're fighting in No Mercy, monsters will always choose the moves that deal the most damage or can kill more enemies at once, unless otherwise noted in set instructions differently or enemy resistance weakness factor. Keep in mind this is a damage fighting style, so moves that inflict status ailment even with set priority in set instructions will almost never be used unless the move itself deals damage. Focus on healing, the trick is to have high priority on healing moves and whatever few attacking moves you want it to use. It will attack until HP hits a certain threshold for a teammate, then it'll heal. If you having healing set as priority in any other fighting style other than focus on healing, don't count on it coming in clutch. Weaken the enemy focuses AI moreso in status inflicting, so attacking and healing are going to be less focus. Setting tactics is the biggest step in making AI do what you want it to do. Then it's a matter of the moves that compliment that play style and setting instructions based on that. Powerful moves that miss frequently are great to turn off in set instructions. Moves that don't heal as much as others or heal randomly are great to either be lessened in priority or turned off in favor of bigger healing moves, preferably AoE healing moves.
It's a matter of knowing what each fighting style does and how to manipulate it's priority of moves that go in tandem with said style. Kinda hard to explain, but once I understood it I steamrolled the game.
Since your issue was certain spells being used, No Mercy is again based on damage inflicting and killing priority. They will tend to use spells that do extra effective damage over neutral damage or over an element the enemy is resistant to.
Re: Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince Version 1.0.3 Out Now, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
@Patendo It was honestly really good. Once you figure out how to manipulate the AI of the monsters, the game was hard for me to put down. I didn't experience any game crashes or any of the glitches that's been mentioned. Gameplay loop is pure joy with battling, catching monsters, synthesizing, etc. The story while admittedly rushed, is pretty good. Definitely like a what if situation for DQ IV.
Re: Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince Version 1.0.3 Out Now, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
Ironically late, being as I just beat the game in the wee hours of this morning. Just my luck.
Re: Mini Review: Shinorubi (Switch) - A Curious Shooter That's A No-Go In Docked Mode
Ugh, imagine me going on NintendoLife and my wife potentially seeing this... booty shot. I swear I'm not looking up hentai honey, I wanted to read news on NintendoLife... "Read" is what she'd reply with air quotes. Back to the couch with you tonight.
Re: Nintendo Expands Switch Online's GBA Library With Two RPG Classics Next Week
Teh hype is real in meh!
Re: Talking Point: What Game Do You Wish You Could Forget?
@lazyboyblue I've played and beat all the NA released FE games (most of them numerous times) and I can say Radiant Dawn is fairly comparable.
The only things holding it back from being as great is story wise, there are blood pacts, which for spoiler reasons I can't discuss, but it certainly holds some characters back. Gameplay wise, it feels like you don't get as attached to units leveling up, cos ultimately you're going to be using premade broken units like Tibarn or Haar. The ones you get to level up the most, the Dawn Brigade, are weak and the majority are completely outclassed by other units you get later...
...otherwise the story is definitely the ending that Tellius deserved. It really built further upon the war based on racism and quite nicely tied together loose ends from PoR. Combat wise, man I wish FE had kept the uphill battle terrain for better positioning and tactics. That was something that was a lot of fun and I hope gets adopted in FE entries somewhere down the line again. Not to mention, even on "Normal" (translation issue) mode the game was a challenge. It's definitely one of the more unforgiving FE games released in NA and I personally like the challenge. The cutscenes still hold up as pretty and well done to this day. Great game overall, but for my 2 bob is still prefer PoR.
Re: Talking Point: What Game Do You Wish You Could Forget?
@Zaruboggan Oh man, Soren is an absolute favorite of mine, perhaps my favorite Tellius character. A lot of fun to use in battle and great character. I forgot about that OST! Glad you mentioned it, it's so good!
✌️
Re: Talking Point: What Game Do You Wish You Could Forget?
@Zaruboggan It's such a wonderful game isn't it? A lot of people need to play this masterpiece. Game itself is soooo much fun, but man, that story is something else! Was doing anti-racism messages before it was cool with Beorc and Laguz and just how in depth the story went, be it the easy to empathize with mercenary Ike and his squad or the camp conversations, which filled in plot holes and gave nice rewards. Bexp made the game approachable for everyone both casuals and hardcores alike, plus I liked fixed growths in subsequent playthroughs. Ike and Black Knight, what an awesome synergy for 2 rivals to have. Amazing game~
Re: Talking Point: What Game Do You Wish You Could Forget?
@Duncanballs DQ 11 is one of those magical games. It managed to break me free from gacha addiction completely and man, what a ride that game was. Made me remember why I like gaming so much to begin with. I couldn't get enough of the battles, story, characters, and that beautiful scenery.
@lazyboyblue Amen! Ngl, I've been saying repeatedly in posts lately that IMHO Engage has the best tactical combat/gameplay of the series and that Path of Radiance has the best story. I've been trying to persuade people to realize this series is so much more than just 3H, (good game btw) which gets continually praised for its story and characters. I feel PoR has better in both regards and does it without wasting my playtime with superfluous monastery downtime. Since I've been making these points I've been getting huge urges to dust off my old GameCube and play PoR again. I've only got a few big hitters left in my backlog, think I'll replay it again sometime this year. The whole series is so amazing though, so I can very obviously see your point lol.
Re: Talking Point: What Game Do You Wish You Could Forget?
Final Fantasy X. It's one of my personal favorite games of all time that I've beaten multiple times on the PS2. If I could only just now experience it for the first time I can only imagine. The innovative and ingeniously fun CTB combat, the gut wrenchingly powerful story, and a gorgeous OST that is still my favorite to this day with so many pretty, somber songs or dorky ditties. Those graphics and cinematic scenes were ahead of their time. It was a game that was very innovative, that's for sure. Once my backlog gets cleaned a little more I plan to tackle the Switch version.
Re: The Easiest Nintendo Switch Games
Conversely, the main game of Super Mario Wonder is fairly simple to average difficulty, (unless using Yoshi and/or Nabbit) however the extra content in the special world is Celeste esque difficulty with interesting platforming mechanics. The special world and areas working up to it are quite challenging that as a veteran Mario player, I quite enjoyed the challenge. It's an easy game to beat, (credit roll) not complete.
Similar can be said of Super Mario RPG. Base game was easy, the post game with the added content was a good challenge.
Re: Talking Point: Our 2024 Nintendo Gaming Predictions
Ya know, just twiddling my thumbs still waiting for that HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest III the Seeds of Salvation. I'm predicting and/or hoping it comes out this year. They announced that so early and we've only recently got an update on it...
... just hoping that means it's very polished and not a buggy mess like Pokemon S/V. I'd rather a game take a long time and be well made than be rushed out and be a complete clusterduck.
Re: Talking Point: Could Nintendo Go Another Year Without A Switch Successor?
I'm content with the Switch going through the backlog I have, plus I can't really afford another next gen Nintendo console right now. Inflation and car troubles took me from middle class to barely scraping by. I'll get the next Nintendo console, but I'm definitely not in a rush for it, as I'm still enjoying myself anyway.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (December 30th)
Just beat Super Mario RPG and then beat the post game. That was time well spent. Wonderful burst of nostalgia that I feel the few added things like combat tweaks and beautiful cutscenes were much appreciated. Very fun throughout.
Now playing Dragon Quest Monsters: the Dark Prince. So far the game has been quite charming. I like playing as the villain of DQ 4. Got some monsters I'm eagerly looking forward to obtaining like Bodkin Fletcher and any of the metal slime family.
Re: Feature: Best Switch Video Game Characters Of 2023
@JohnnyMind All we can do is cross them fingers and enjoy the amazing Switch while it's still here. Cheers my buddy.
Re: Feature: Best Switch Video Game Characters Of 2023
@JohnnyMind Absolutely! Veyle is absolutely my 2nd favorite character in Engage. I definitely have a thing for characters with tragic backstories, haha! Yeah, could only pick one, so had to go with Zappy!
I've been eagerly waiting for an Engage Warriors game myself like @UltimateOtaku91 mentioned. Hope we get one more mainline Echoes FE and an Engage Warriors game before the switch successor comes about.
Re: Feature: Best Switch Video Game Characters Of 2023
@Kalcheus Underrated comment.
These two characters and just how their paths are so completely inseparable ended up being deeper that I initially thought. For all the bickering there was more to it and how they connected in both worlds. The spoiler reason Erina doesn't have a Persona made for an epic moment and Toshiro legit had more character growth (from wimp to standing firm) than I'm used to seeing in gaming these days, tbh. Gave me a Tidus FFX vibes in context of character growth.
Re: Feature: Best Switch Video Game Characters Of 2023
@OwenOtter Hiya papaya!
Yunaka is a stunner as a unit too! I've absolutely went into novella esque posts about her, but I wanted to keep it short and sweet. I love her exceptional dodge tanking and crit killing myself. She's just ludicrous as a unit. Glad to have found another fan and appreciate your thoughts on her.
Between Thief and Wolf Knight is a hard choice, whilst both are very fast, Thief class gets a whopping 60 avoid via terrain instead of 30 like every other non covert class. The higher Dex the thief class has over wolf knight makes crit rates slightly higher. Wolf Knight having hobble is absolutely bonkers though and it's nice to have a mini freeze attack without expending staff use or Corrin engage. I mean really, she's so good in both you can't go wrong with either choice. Played 3 different files in Engage and she's a pretty malleable unit from my experience. I like Chloe too btw. She eats like I do lol!
Cheers!
Re: Feature: Best Switch Video Game Characters Of 2023
Yunaka~
There's a reason she's my profile pic. One of the few characters in Engage with depth. I love the whole happy go lucky facade, but clandestine with edge underneath. I'm a sucker for tragic characters that make something of themselves.
Re: Video: Felix Shares His Top Five Switch Games Of 2023
1. Fire Emblem Engage
2. Persona 5 Tactica
3. (Tie) Super Mario RPG/Super Mario Bros. Wonder
5. Dragon Quest Monsters: the Dark Prince
Just recently started DQ the Dark Prince, but man I'm really enjoying it. I can guarantee it's a top 5, just not quite number 1. The Fire Emblem and Mario bias is strong in meh~
No offense to Tears, it's a great game, but my tastes are unorthodox.
Re: Switch Online's 'Missions And Rewards' Brings Back Previous 2023 Icons
That's awesome since I've saved up a lot of points and strongly remember running out and missing a few at one point.
Re: 30 Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games To Look Forward To In 2024
Paper Mario the Thousand Year Door is the only game on my wishlist for next year tbh. I played and beat Dark Moon on 3DS (a last gen console) so I feel no need to repurchase it. TTYD I don't own an OG copy so I'm looking to get it~
Re: Soapbox: It Feels Like Everyone Forgot The Best Switch RPG Of The Year
I did buy Octopath Traveler II and I do plan on playing it eventually, but I'm dwindling down my backlog as we speak to get to it. Dragon Quest Monsters the Dark Prince is one of my planned next plays and Persona 4G had been calling me as well. Been a great last few years of RPGs, so I'll get to it sooner or later.
Nice review btw, gives me something to look forward to.
Re: Best Nintendo Switch Games Of 2023
My favorite games of 2023-
1: Fire Emblem Engage
2: Persona 5 Tactica
3: (Tie) Super Mario Wonder/ Super Mario RPG
Definitely a bias for Fire Emblem and Mario~
Re: Best Nintendo Switch Games Of 2023
@Solaine Hey, to each their own!
I think it boils down to personal preference and the FE fandom is pretty well divided on the 2 types: those who prefer strategy combat driven and those that prefer story driven. You fall into the latter and me the former.
The strategic combat was much more involved in Engage, but it never became convoluted. There's definitely more you have to think about in battle, which I thoroughly enjoy. Battle animations themselves haven't been this tight since the GBA era. The graphics are the strongest of the series being as this game is trying to do more with the switches capabilities than even 3H. Art will always be subjective, but as for me personally I quite liked it. The story is cartoon esque, but at least it's not full of plot holes or trying too hard like Fates, (which I love those games btw). Engage most characters are just like the vast majority of FE characters: tropes with 1 dimensional personalities. However there are a few that I genuinely like:
Yunaka: paints the happy go lucky facade, but clandestine behavior that tries to hide that undeniable edge underneath, which completely goes out window on the battlefield where she becomes quite intimidating. As unorthodox as she tries to act, she's a tragic story running away from her past as an assassin. Orphaned from a young age, the man who took her in was an assassin. She learned the tricks of the trade from him and became an exceptionally talented assassin herself. Her last job screwed with her head though: her last mission was to kill him. She finished the job, but the psychological damage made her desperate to change her ways. Outside of that, she's a compendium of knowledge when it comes to weapon facts, has extremely sharp eyes, and more or less takes over as strategist when you meet Yunaka in her intro chapter. She is also exceptionally talented at acting, whether it be drama (supports with Seadall) or her phenomenal voice acting where she can imitate countless characters and Emblems alike with uncanny precision. (Laura Post her VA has amazing range and talent)
Veyle: is another with a tragic backstory, but has spoiler reasons I can't really go into, but whether it be her one sided love for her father or her atrocities she's been manipulated to do, she's well written too. She's naturally sweet and compassionate, feels remorse, and her propensity for spicy food rivals my own, lol.
And the twin dragons in the DLC are very nicely written as well, but again, spoilers and unfortunately they're hidden behind a paywall...
So yeah, the only thing I can't defend too much is the story and -most- of the characters. There's a few character stand outs, but most are fairly 1 dimensional and I'm a sucker for Saturday morning cartoon esque story, what can I say? Forgive the long novella esque response, but I kinda wanted to share my perspective as to why I personally love Engage so much. But yeah, as a friendly suggestion, absolutely get your hands on Path of Radiance. That game actually has a phenomenal story, hope you like~
Re: Best Nintendo Switch Games Of 2023
@Joker1234 Agreed on the gameplay part, but the worst story is typically agreed to be Fates. Plot holes, Corrin dindu nuffin, Fateslandia, (unnamed continent) etc, etc. I swear the fan base likes to make Fates the whipping boy and these are just some of the negative criticisms I've read.
I liked Engage's story for what it was: maybe it was cartoon esque, but it didn't pretend to be otherwise. The Jugdral games need the Echoes treatment so NA people can see some of the good old days story wise though...
Re: Best Nintendo Switch Games Of 2023
@gamingxaidan I was thinking the same thing. Fire Emblem Engage should be ranked higher. A lot of people loved the game. Has the best combat/gameplay and graphics of the series, and for my 2 cents it had the best battle animations as well. Even had a few character stand outs. I absolutely adore the game. It's my obvious GOTY, followed by Persona 5 Tactica, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and Super Mario RPG.
I do know that a lot of 3H fans tended to dump (got review bombed somewhere iirc) on it for being closer to classic FE formula and having less focus on relationships and downtime life simulation. I like both 3H and Engage, but I prefer strategic combat to be the focal point, as I've never been a fan of life simulation. Whilst I enjoyed 3H, I felt the monastery segments were artificially adding story and playtime and just kinda superfluous. I did however, like it's story driven approach otherwise. FE isn't known for strong stories, but Path of Radiance had a strong narrative that pulled at the heart strings quite a bit and had a very good anti racism message. The game really took it's time not only to elaborate and polish the story, but actually had plot filling, entertaining side stories at camp that usually ended in rewards. If it is wasn't for the fact that PoR is ludicrously expensive to buy, I would wholeheartedly suggest PoR for those who prefer story driven FE like 3H over strategic combat say like Engage. This whole series is full of amazing games, I kinda wish they'd all get the love that 3H does amongst the fan base.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (Christmas 2023 Edition)
I'm having a nostalgic blast (I've played the original game) whilst enjoying the changes made in Super Mario RPG. This game is such a joyride! Already have 5 stars collected. This is the remake I didn't know I wanted~
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (December 16th)
@DemonKow I'm glad to hear your opinion on it actually. It's so frustrating, cos the game is undeniably good, but as you said can step on its own toes. I was hoping I wasn't the only one who had such conflicting experiences with the game. Normally if a game does this I shelve it immediately, but the charm is still there enough to keep me playing.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (December 16th)
I have been playing off and on (mostly off) of Triangle Strategy this week. I'm at a crossroads with the game. The game is very pretty and has a wonderful presentation. The combat is also fun, WHEN you can get to it, which there lies the problem: the story is exceptionally well written, but this game is so text heavy and the voice acting is poor that you'll slog through like half an hour+ worth of dialogue before getting to a battle. This creates pacing issues for me, where I still want a meaty story, (especially with how good the story is going already) but I feel that it just needed to trim the fat and spend more spread out time across the story, fights, and the limited exploration that it has. Exploration could've had a bit more for sure. Still a fun game nonetheless.
Re: Fan-Made 'Link's Awakening DX HD' Port Taken Down By Nintendo
Send me a Link!
oh...
Re: Feature: Nintendo Switch Year In Review 2023 - Our Most Played Games
Fire Emblem Engage was my number 1 favorite game as well as my most played this year coming in at a whopping 396 hours and counting.
Was very thankful that the game was a return to classic form FE, whilst adding it's own innovations with the unorthodox emblem rings/bracelets. Excellent combat/gameplay (best and most fun of the series IMHO) and pretty graphics/art. Had a few character stand outs too. I'm thankful for Engage, cos had FE kept on with downtime life sim like 3H monastery segments I was questioning if I was gonna continue playing the series. It was still a good game, but as for my own personal tastes go, I've never liked life sim in games. It felt like artificially adding story and playtime. I still feel story wise FE hasn't topped PoR though. Argh, now I wanna replay PoR now that I mention it...
Re: Your 'Nintendo Switch Year In Review 2023' Stats Are Available Now
(Dunno how to post pics)
38 different games played
1,402 hours total
Most played games-
1. Fire Emblem Engage- 396 hours
2. Ni No Kuni Wrath of the White Witch- 105 hours
3. Chained Echoes- 92 hours
Engage and WotWW were indeed my favorite games I played/genuinely enjoyed this year. Whilst I did enjoy Chained Echoes, it probably wasn't in my top 5 favorite games I played this year. Engage has become my favorite game of all time. Addicted, I know~
Re: Zelda Producer Responds To Fans Who Want A More "Traditional Linear" Adventure
...maybe some of us are tired of open world games. When every game starts doing the same thing it loses its luster. Open world can really make story telling go out of order and makes things equally as convoluted as it is confusing. For my own personal tastes though, games like BotW and TotK are really bad for my OCD perfectionist side as I always feel like I'm missing something. Plus, I'm older now and can't give as many hours to gaming as I used to and those games really don't respect my time. I also like knowing that I CAN explore a bit, but I do like having a set path to get back to. I like old and new Zelda alike, but to put down your own fan base as just driven by nostalgia acting like your way is clearly better is wrong. People have differing opinions and you should respect that. Zelda has gotten where it is through the efforts of the old and new alike. Both types should be made going forward.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (December 9th)
Just beat Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. Was actually a pretty good warriors game. Had it's fair share of tactics you could do and ended up being a pleasantly enjoyable experience, as I much prefer traditional Fire Emblem. As of beating 3 Hopes, I have now not only beat every single mainline FE released in the NA, but I've now beaten all of the spin offs as well. Still waiting on FE 3-6 to get official translations...
In other news, the next game I'll be playing is Triangle Strategy. Game looks like it'd be a lot of fun. I've had it on my wishlist for a long time. Got it for 50% off on black Friday, so I finally got my greedy SRPG loving hands on it.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (December 2nd)
Just beat Persona 5 Tactica and man, what a joy ride that was. The story started out slow, but when it found it's stride, the story definitely hit all the feels and was the beautiful continuation of the phantom thieves I wanted. As for the gameplay and combat, it was fun from the get go, but only got better the later the game got and the more persona's I crafted. By the end I was smiling like a kid as my Skull/Michael combination blasted everything into oblivion.
Am currently playing Fire Emblem Three Hopes. I've beaten every mainline FE game released in NA and also every spin off except for this title. Decided I'd finally give the spin off 3H warriors game a try and it's been fun so far.
Re: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Is Now Being Playtested, Says Series Creator
Hype. DQ 3 is one of those classic JRPGs that really hit a sweet spot with me. Just a genuinely enjoyable experience that made me happy to hear it was going to get modernized.
Re: Video: 12 Exciting New Games Coming To Nintendo Switch In December 2023
Excited for Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince. If the demo is anything to go by, I'm in for a good time. Then again, I'm a die hard Dragon Quest fan.
Also excited for the DLC for Scarlet/Violet. I've long shelved those games cos of all the bugs, but I read one of the added Pokemon in the DLC is Dodrio, which is one of my personal favorite Pokemon of all time. Going to give the game another chance and see if there are less bugs and performance issues. I miss dynamaxing, cos those tera raids were a mess with lag when I was playing.
Re: 129 Switch Games You Should Pick Up In Nintendo's Cyber Deals Sale (North America)
129 games I should pick up?! I've learned today that NintendoLife is very ambitious about their gaming!
Re: Nintendo Of America Announces Cyber Deals eShop Sale, Up To 80% Off
@Diowine You're in for a treat bud! As a side note the graphics are better in Engage and the game definitely has more strategy involved. Maddening the AI is smarter and won't target characters they can't hit or damage, mentioned this since you seem to like a challenge.
Anywho, hope you enjoy the game!
Re: Hori Unveils New Dragon Quest Slime-Themed Switch Controllers
Oh man those are cool. Having cute little slimes all over everything smiling back at you- 👌
Re: Nintendo Of America Announces Cyber Deals eShop Sale, Up To 80% Off
@Diowine Depends on what you're looking for. Fire Emblem Engage legit has some of the best (if not the best) combat and gameplay of the series. The game is ludicrously fun. Brought back the weapon triangle and the added innovation with the emblem ring/bracelet implementation and skills ended up adding a lot more strategies that work both for and against you, as bosses will have some of them in game. The maps are very well designed and the game is beautiful. The story is decent enough, but there are a few character standouts that make it worthwhile. (See Yunaka as my profile pic. She's very well written. Veyle is interesting too.) The game doesn't get bogged down with a lot of the superfluous fluff of the monastery segments of 3H, however objectively 3H has the better story. I personally prefer Engage over 3H, but both games are great and both should absolutely be played.
TL:DR combat/gameplay and graphics Engage>3H
Story and life sim 3H>Engage