@SpoonySpoons Awesome, thanks for the recommendations! My brother-in-law is really into Switch JRPGs too, so hopefully he can lend me something. He recommended Triangle Strategy (the strategy element intimidates me!) and Bravely Default II – he loved the first entry, and has the second but hasn't played it.
Thanks also, @SwitchVogel – I'll put Chained Echos on my wish list!
My history with gaming is a bit funny, as I was a very sick kid and in and out of hospital a lot, so ended up spending a few years out of school and retreating into my own world. This was back in the SNES days, and my favourite games of the time were Secret of Mana and Super Mario World. When I was a bit better with my health and I could go to school and socialise, the gaming slowly fell by the wayside. I ended up selling my SNES and kinda never looking back. Well, not until COVID came about and we were locked down in isolation for months.
I was so stressed out worrying about family I developed insomnia, so took to surfing the net to relax one night stumbled up a video playthough of Breath of the Wild on YouTube. It became my nightly ritual to watch little sections of it as a way to switch off my brain. Not long after, I bought a Switch for my daughter and started playing it at night after the family went to sleep. If you had of told me I'd get into gaming five years ago, I'd have told you you were mad. But here we are!
Anyway, Octopath Traveler II has bought back some cosy memories of my old SNES days, reminding me of those worlds and stories I used to love escaping into in order to avoid reality – for just a few hours at a time, at least.
@johnedwin Did it not sell well globally? It didn't seem to be marketed that well, but man – I'm so glad I took a punt. Especially as I have always avoided turn-based RPGs. This one has really turned me on to others, like the new / old Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster. What do other people recommend for turn-based novices like me who love OTII?
Wow, it's only been out that long?! I picked it up for half-price a few weeks ago, which seems unusual...?
I never played the first instalment, so no I can't comment on how it improved on that outside of what i've read in reviews.
Anyway, it's my first real turn-based battle JRPG and after 25 hours, I absolutely love it. I've got the voice-over set in Japanese, as the English overdubs were a bit over the top for my liking – YMMV.
I have the ACNH version – well, we bought if for our daughter. I'm really gutted because the joy-cons keep breaking. Drift and shoulder buttons nots working. I wish I could buy a new pair of joy-cons that are the same colour, but alas. Only option is to pay to fix them, which we've done twice.
What a bummer that Kate is leaving. I enjoyed her writing very much. A great antidote to so much of the sentiment in gaming that is expressed online by a very vocal minority. I'll miss her voice here.
@Lostsoul666 I actually really like the subtle soundtrack in BotW that changes as weather changes, enemy's get close and you change areas. I think the sparseness of it matches the mood of the game. For TotK though, it looks like it'll need something more dynamic and visceral. The world looks like it's literally falling apart!
This might be the first game / product of any sort that I pre-order. I'm replying BotW now. I forgot how truly great it is. While some people bemoan the vast, open spaces that are peppered with enemies, I love the contemplative design and sense of scale. I might be in a minority – or not, judging by the recent poll – but I quite like the weapon degradation as it keeps me on my toes and helps encourage exploration and trial of different combat approaches.
My thought is that TotK might be a bit more linear in parts, with air temples being essentially dungeons with a maze like path through them, ultimately leading to an end point that can only be accessed via solving of puzzles and battles. The land / earth will be more open world. Less shrines, or even none. In other words, more concentrated gameplay with dungeons that make up a key part of the experience.
Comments 7
Re: Octopath Traveler II Director Talks About The Future Of The Series
@SpoonySpoons Awesome, thanks for the recommendations! My brother-in-law is really into Switch JRPGs too, so hopefully he can lend me something. He recommended Triangle Strategy (the strategy element intimidates me!) and Bravely Default II – he loved the first entry, and has the second but hasn't played it.
Thanks also, @SwitchVogel – I'll put Chained Echos on my wish list!
My history with gaming is a bit funny, as I was a very sick kid and in and out of hospital a lot, so ended up spending a few years out of school and retreating into my own world. This was back in the SNES days, and my favourite games of the time were Secret of Mana and Super Mario World. When I was a bit better with my health and I could go to school and socialise, the gaming slowly fell by the wayside. I ended up selling my SNES and kinda never looking back. Well, not until COVID came about and we were locked down in isolation for months.
I was so stressed out worrying about family I developed insomnia, so took to surfing the net to relax one night stumbled up a video playthough of Breath of the Wild on YouTube. It became my nightly ritual to watch little sections of it as a way to switch off my brain. Not long after, I bought a Switch for my daughter and started playing it at night after the family went to sleep. If you had of told me I'd get into gaming five years ago, I'd have told you you were mad. But here we are!
Anyway, Octopath Traveler II has bought back some cosy memories of my old SNES days, reminding me of those worlds and stories I used to love escaping into in order to avoid reality – for just a few hours at a time, at least.
I hope they make a third entry.
Re: Octopath Traveler II Director Talks About The Future Of The Series
@johnedwin Did it not sell well globally? It didn't seem to be marketed that well, but man – I'm so glad I took a punt. Especially as I have always avoided turn-based RPGs. This one has really turned me on to others, like the new / old Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster.
What do other people recommend for turn-based novices like me who love OTII?
Re: Octopath Traveler II Director Talks About The Future Of The Series
Wow, it's only been out that long?! I picked it up for half-price a few weeks ago, which seems unusual...?
I never played the first instalment, so no I can't comment on how it improved on that outside of what i've read in reviews.
Anyway, it's my first real turn-based battle JRPG and after 25 hours, I absolutely love it. I've got the voice-over set in Japanese, as the English overdubs were a bit over the top for my liking – YMMV.
Can't wait to progress the story tonight.
Re: Talking Point: What Is The Best Special Edition Switch Console?
I have the ACNH version – well, we bought if for our daughter. I'm really gutted because the joy-cons keep breaking. Drift and shoulder buttons nots working. I wish I could buy a new pair of joy-cons that are the same colour, but alas. Only option is to pay to fix them, which we've done twice.
Re: Watch: Zion And Kate Talk About Ace Attorney For An Hour
What a bummer that Kate is leaving. I enjoyed her writing very much. A great antidote to so much of the sentiment in gaming that is expressed online by a very vocal minority. I'll miss her voice here.
Re: Feature: 9 Unanswered Questions We Have About Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
@Lostsoul666 I actually really like the subtle soundtrack in BotW that changes as weather changes, enemy's get close and you change areas. I think the sparseness of it matches the mood of the game.
For TotK though, it looks like it'll need something more dynamic and visceral. The world looks like it's literally falling apart!
Re: Feature: 9 Unanswered Questions We Have About Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
This might be the first game / product of any sort that I pre-order. I'm replying BotW now. I forgot how truly great it is. While some people bemoan the vast, open spaces that are peppered with enemies, I love the contemplative design and sense of scale. I might be in a minority – or not, judging by the recent poll – but I quite like the weapon degradation as it keeps me on my toes and helps encourage exploration and trial of different combat approaches.
My thought is that TotK might be a bit more linear in parts, with air temples being essentially dungeons with a maze like path through them, ultimately leading to an end point that can only be accessed via solving of puzzles and battles. The land / earth will be more open world. Less shrines, or even none. In other words, more concentrated gameplay with dungeons that make up a key part of the experience.
Then again, who knows... Fun to speculate.