Kraven

I’m playing Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. I’m in the beginning stages in Chapter 3. It’s been a while since a video game has had me really plan and strategize—no pun intended—with party composition and classes.

The gameplay loop is very addicting, but not entirely overwhelming. It introduces new mechanics at a steady pace, and eases your understanding of transitioning into different classes. Once you grasp how the systems work, you’ll begin to appreciate the multi-layered depth the game offers.

As of now, my main character is classed as a Geomancer/Archer, paired with a Ninja Dragoon Knight that has martial arts abilities and a Black Mage Chemist Orator. We are annihilating enemies with ease. The seems to be a limitless amount of options to suit your preferred play-style.

The story is also compelling, and seems shockingly relevant (kidnapping a princess?). It’s one of these tales that isn’t gloom and doom for the sake of shock value—it has a purpose behind its brutality. With its excellent voice acting immersing you into its conflicts, to the motivations of its characters, you feel part of its strife.

The setting may be fictional, but there are many current commonalities. Life was difficult back in that time period, but hasn’t changed hundreds of years later. Friends can become enemies; motivations for your actions can be environmental; money, materialism, and social status is often more important than a person’s heart; and politics can cloud a person’s rationale.

All of this perturbation translates itself to the video game itself. It’s a reflection of life: strategizing and planning. It will often be difficult. Similar to the various maps—which are beautiful, cardboard cutout sceneries—there will be bumps in the road. You can and sometimes will permanently lose members close to you, but you will also grow stronger by sticking together.

Maybe I’m reading too much into things, and creating analogies where there aren’t none. In the last four months, my personal life has had some turbulence-from breaking my back, my mother-in-law passing, and my own mother getting diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer. In the midst of all this, I’ve had to change “classes” by being who I truly am at home to masking it all whilst at my job. My wife and I have grown stronger from all of this, creating an even sturdier unbreakable bond. And compatible to my marriage, Final Fantasy Tactics is going to be an all-timer for me.

I’m going to do my best not to buy this. I know how my mind works—I think I want to play a Musou game, buy it, and only put a few hours into it. This happens every time. But damn, does this game sound fantastic. I grew up playing Dynasty Warriors 2 and 4 co-op with my best friend, and I’ll always have a special place in my heart for this franchise, but I’m not into them as much as I was when I was younger.

Hollow Knight was my #1 at 101 hours, with Xenoblade Chronicles X at number 2 with 91 hours. It’s almost embarrassing when you see how much time you really spent with a game and avoided everything else in life 😬

It means just that—the next chapter, so maybe Persona 5 Royal 2.0. Lol, I’d love for it to be P6, but I have a hard time imagining that to be the case.

@rushiosan I’d argue that Three Houses has the best writing in the entire franchise. And there is plenty of soul in that game. With that said, I do agree that the GBA games were a cut above, as were the 3DS entries.

I finished all of the prominent side quests and companion missions that I want to in Divinity Original Sin 2, so now I’m focusing on beating the game. I’m hoping to have it wrapped up in a couple of days—and I’m sure I’ll somehow get distracted by another side quest(s) despite saying I am fulfilled.

I did start Donkey Kong Bananza finally. I can acknowledge how great the game is, and its overall delightfulness, but it’s not for me. I find it to be too dense in its content. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an incredible achievement to have a game be tailored toward absolute destruction, yet at its core still be a platforming experience. That’s hard to do, and it’s done immaculately, with an ample amount of secrets, and provides an organic sense of player freedom and expression, it’s ultimately detrimental to my enjoyment.

Sometimes, there is simply too much content. I shouldn’t feel overwhelmed by a 3D platformer. Granted, a lot of my feelings could be remedied if I focused primarily on getting to point A to point B, but that’s not how I play video games. As a result, I feel completely disconnected. That’s okay, though; not every game is meant for everyone regardless of how critically acclaimed it may be.

My goal is to earnestly start Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. It has sat on my cross media bar for months, tempting me regularly, only to be too intimidated to start since I’ve been playing meaty RPGs as of late. Interestingly enough, I’ve never played this game; my time was spent with the Gameboy Advance version, and I have fond memories of it. I’m looking forward to seeing why this game is hailed as one of the best in its genre, if not the greatest.

For a very brief less than a second moment, I thought the picture used for the article was Phantom Blade Zero and got very excited.

This is very saddening. I for sure thought BG3 would make its way to S2, but I guess not. Hopefully, Metaphor will still make it.

I was just wondering what I should play this weekend. I’m glad I didn’t have to think too long or hard about it.

Nothing for me this week, thankfully. I have too many games to play as it is. I should be finishing up Divinity 2 in a couple of days, and I’ll probably start Donkey Kong Bananza before FF7R and Dragon Quest 7 comes out.

I’ll eventually get back to finish the first game in this new story with Van. I loved my time with it, but after 80 hours and little over halfway through the game, I got burned out. It’s a brilliant game, however, much like the other titles in this long running franchise.

Hopefully this is their focus. I loved my time with Indiana Jones and glad that a game from that IP was made and praised by others, but the whole time I was playing it I was thinking of Wolfenstein. It’s one of my favorite franchises, and the gunplay is always top notch.

So, how is the demo … ? I couldn’t tell by the comment section.

I finally reached Act 3 in Divinity Original Sin 2. I’m still utterly blown away by the depth this game has to offer, not only from a gameplay perspective, but also its quests and companions.

But in terms of combat, I’ve usually always play as a barbarian or rogue assassin/archer, yet I’ve grown to be enamored with the sorcerer class. It’s been a blast — quite literally — and it’s incredibly OP if you can use the right talents, and have equipment that provides elemental buffs. This may just be my “go-to” class for future games, or even existing ones such as Baldur’s Gate 3.

And then there are the quests, main and side that continue for multiple chapters. I love how open-ended they can be, and really matter depending on your choices. I’m seeing ramifications for my actions in Act 1 as I venture into the final act. Oh, I’m also befriending members of the Black Ring and then betraying them in the utmost satisfying ways.

I’m really curious to see how much Larian continues to evolve with their new Divinity game. I personally believe Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of, if not the best game ever made on different levels, so to expand on their expertise is going to be very interesting.

I think now, I feel comfortable dipping my toes into another game to play in between sessions in Divinity; Cronos The New Dawn has been tempting me for months.

I’ll for sure be getting FF7R even though I’ve played and beaten it twice already. I’ll also keep my eye on Ys X Nordics — a favorite franchise of mine. And lastly, Dragon Quest 7. I am not completely sold on the art style, but if the game reviews well I think I can grow to enjoy it.

I need to give this game another chance. I played for about 10 hours and found the majority of the characters insufferable. I’m sure there is character development along the way, but I just couldn’t find myself attached to any one specific person. If it wasn’t for that, I enjoyed the game in terms of story and combat.

This weekend has snuck up on me. I’ve yet to prepare throughout the week about what game(s) I’ve been playing. The tl;dr version is Divinity Original Sin 2. I’m in Act 2 now, and let me just state for the record - the opening hour left me devastated. I truly wasn’t expecting the implications of my choices to play such a pivotal role fairly early in the game, but I was wrong. But hey, I can talk to ghosts now, so that’s cool.

One of my favorite franchises. I hope they enjoy their well deserved break, and come back with a new announcement of some sort, or Switch 2 upgrades for their current games.

I made this comment over on PushSquare, so I’ll repeat it here:

I dislike the use of AI, but I also see a couple benefits. In my opinion, BG3 is one of the greatest games ever made. Up until now, nobody had a clue that AI was used in some of their work. So, the question is, why is it a big deal all of a sudden? Does it somehow make the game lesser than? No. The same goes with Clair Obscur. I’m not saying I am for AI — I am definitely not — but I’m wise enough to know that it will make some lives easier regarding game development, and if the recent articles leaking out about BG3 and Clair Obscur were never brought to the light then everyone would still be praising the games, none the wiser.

I need to get around to playing this. I did play about two hours and enjoyed my time with it, but got distracted by life and never went back. Maybe I’ll jump into it during the first week of January.

This list is a good reminder that this year had some absolute gems. Absolum, Hades 2, Donkey Kong, Hollow Knight Silksong, Ball x Pit, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Cyberpunk 2077, The Hundred Line (these are all games I played on Switch), and there is many more. Choosing a GoTY is difficult unless you are talking about exclusives, and if that’s the case Xenoblade Chronicles X takes the crown by a country mile. If we are discussing second and third party games on the Switch 2, Silksong is GoTY. As a whole (all consoles included), Clair Obscur Expedition 33 takes home the crown. I got the platinum for it on the PS5 and loved every second. I hope it gets a Switch 2 port.

I forgot this game came out this year. I really enjoyed it although there were several headscrathing moments. I don’t buy physical games ever, but I did with this one because it came with a Pip doll that my daughter wanted real bad.

My Switch 2 GoTY is Hollow Knight Silksong. It was such an incredible experience, and I’m excited for its upcoming DLC.

Other games that are runner ups include: Cyberpunk 2077, Divinity Original Sin 2, Absolum, Ball x Pitt, Hades 2, Cronos The New Dawn, and Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter.

This weekend I am playing Divinity Original Sin 2 for the first time. I’m unsure why it took me so long to sample it considering BG3 is one of my all time favorite games. My assumption was that Baldur’s Gate 3 was a culmination of the Divinity franchise, so am I really missing anything? The answer is a resounding yes.

I had the day off work Tuesday and zero obligations for the day, so I decided why not. What I thought would be an hour of time wasted before returning back to Night City turned out to be eight hours—my wife’s entire work shift—and I’ve just now left Fort Joy.

I’m already attached to the party members I have. Their questlines have started off significantly strong, and with the brief quests I’ve tackled in the first area, I can see how my decisions will more than likely have long-lasting implications.

What I find impressive is how rich and alive the world feels. There is an abundant amount of options to approach each quest. This level of player freedom provides an immense level of independence that results in reactionary results from NPCs and the game world. The world is your oyster, and it’s up to you on how it turns out.

With that said, I hope there is an option to respec your character. More often than not I struggle in RPGs with making particular builds—whether that’s from equipment, what stats and attributes to give each character, and party composition. I could remedy this by watching YouTube tutorials but it dampens my experience with discovering things myself.

My only complaints are the mission structure, but that’s becoming easier to navigate and understand; and the controls. It’s a bit archaic in terms of managing party members and equipment - it is clearly meant for PC (I’m playing on the Nintendo Switch 2) so I can’t fault it entirely. Nonetheless, those grievances are minuscule compared to the overall product.

I don’t understand how Larian does it, but they are masters of their craft. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them, but I can presume it will turn out incredible.

Hopefully the game runs well on the Switch 2. These days it’s always hit or miss. Regardless, I’m looking forward to it.

Cyberpunk might be one of the most impressive ports I’ve ever seen. Moreover, it’s an incredible game overall. I’m also playing DoS2 right now and it’s been sensational.

Hell yeah; this game rules, and is one of my favorites of the year.

This is awesome! I thought about picking it up on the PS5, but I was holding out hope for a Switch 2 release because it seems like the perfect handheld game. I’m glad to see my patience paid off; I can’t wait for this.

I’ll be playing this game for the first time later this evening. I’m really excited; BG3 is one of my all time favorites.

GOAT status. I’ll be there as soon as it releases.

@Fiq_Strife You and me both. If I take that game on the go I will be so happy. I’m sure they will eventually port it.

Awesome news! I haven’t played this game but have been tempted to get it for the Switch 2 despite how blurry it looks. I guess there is no reason not to hold back now. I’ll be picking this up later this evening! I can’t wait to see what the hype is all about — BG3 is one of my favorite games of all time.

I’m killing thugs and stopping conspiracies in Phantom Liberty, and Hasta La Vista’ing my way through Terminator 2D: No Fate.

I’m content with this decision. I’m excited to see how this plays out—it looks like a fantastic entry to the franchise. Hopefully, this game sells well on the Switch 2 and motivates Capcom to port over the RE4 Remake.

I’m a little bummed that Diablo 4 didn’t get announced Switch 2 port announcement, and I wish there was more 3rd party Switch related content. Overall, though, it was a good show and a lot of great game announcements.

All the negatives sound like positives to me, and the positives alone have me making the purchase. I was planning to buy this game regardless of scores or price, so I’m looking forward to playing later this evening.

I’d love to have this as a poster—it is gorgeous.

It’s kind of surprising since both are niche franchises, but it’s to be expected. Overall, great numbers for the Switch 1&2.

It feels like an old-school The Legend of Zelda game in terms of dungeons/keys. I’m personally enjoying it quite a bit. I’d rank it an 8/10, with the 1st Prime game being the pinnacle of the series. However, MP4 is nowhere near a bad game.

@LinktotheFuture Thank you for saying this; it is much needed in a space (gaming) where I’ve never met more of an entitled bunch.

Sure, why not, I’ll buy and play it again.

This will be a day one for me.

Tomb Raider for me. Demonschool, a game I had been looking forward to for years, disappointed me big time. Oh, well, not every game can be a hit and that’s okay. I’m glad other people have been enjoying it!

In terms of Switch related games, Hades 2, Xenoblade Chronicles X and Silksong are my top choices. As for an overall pick, Clair Obscur is my GOTY.

It’s been quite the month, from my car wreck, to my mother in law passing, and this week(end) I’m in Tennessee and Georgia for a wedding. It was a 13 hour journey, but it’s been fun so far.

Meanwhile, I have my Switch 2 with me and I’m playing Cyberpunk 2077. I played it on the PS5 and got the platinum for it. Even still, I can’t believe how damn good this game is on the Switch 2. It’s hands down one of the most immersive experiences I’ve had. It’s gorgeous, and plays smooth as hell. Additionally, I’ve realized I hadn’t actually played the Phantom Liberty DLC, so it feels like a fresh playthrough.

In addition, I’m playing Metroid Prime 4. I’m only a few hours in, and whilst it is quite linear at the moment, I find it to be wonderful. Personally, it invokes the same feelings I had when I first played Halo: Combat Evolved. I know there are issues—empty desert, chatty NPCs, and linear dungeons—but these things haven’t swayed my opinion negatively.

MP4 may not innovate the genre forward or have any revolutionary mechanics, but I don’t need it to. All I wanted was more Prime Metroid, and that is what I have gotten. The game still has the feeling of isolation, and very atmospheric locales. This is all bolstered by excellent sound design and a superb soundtrack.

It may not be worth the 18-year wait, but I’ll always take more Metroid over no Metroid.

I absolutely love it. For me, it feels like a genuine “next gen” console from Nintendo. And while I do love Nintendo IPs, these last six months has had me playing more titles handheld than PS5, which is saying a lot. For example, Cronos The New Dawn is sublime, and Trails in the Sky plays perfectly. And now I’m playing Cyberpunk 2077 and am blown away by how smooth the game runs and plays. It’s truly a mind blowing experience, and this is coming from someone who got the platinum for it on PS5. These little experiences are what really sell me on the console.

@JRM9 Imagine being this mad at a free update for existing owners.

One of my favorite games of all time. I’m looking forward to revisiting the Old West again.

@johnedwin On OpenCritic it’s at 82% which is good. Sure, you can have higher expectations, but what expectations did you have? Did you really expect Metroid to reinvent the wheel for the genre, or were you expecting more of the same? It’s a double edged sword. If anyone is familiar with the Prime games, it’s essentially a FPS-Halo-like. That type of gameplay may feel outdated now—not bad, but generic, all things considered—but it’s classic Metroid. And all of the typical trappings for Metroid are present here. I don’t really see how people are bent out of shape for having high expectations that nobody ever seems to elaborate on.

I guess for people an 80% average is not good. Good lord. I understand that people have higher expectations for a Nintendo first party IP, but it’s obviously not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination.