Comments 898

Re: Are You "Unsure" About Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade For Switch 2? Don't Worry, There'll Be A Demo

ReaperMelia

@Debo626 From what I've seen, a lot of big action RPG fans still really enjoy it, too. While it has some turn-based elements, it definitely leans more heavily towards the action RPG side of that scale. In a way, Xenoblade's not a bad comparison since that has the auto attacks and then you have timers on your arts. FFVIIR has a standard attack that you can mash as often as you'd like, and every character also has some sort of secondary action that also doesn't take up an ATB charge. You'll need an ATB charge to use items or spells, though. And the ATB meter increases as you attack as well as just slowly filling up over time, so you won't be waiting a very long time to use those. It adds a nice strategic element that's kind of similar to managing art timers in Xenoblade, but they're still very different systems overall. I'd definitely say it's worth trying the demo out when it releases! I personally have some issues with Remake regarding its story (compared to the original game) and pacing, but I still had a fun time with it overall. I absolutely loved Rebirth and thought it improved on those issues, and I'm curious to see how that port holds up when it comes out.

Re: Are You "Unsure" About Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade For Switch 2? Don't Worry, There'll Be A Demo

ReaperMelia

@TrueBlueYoshi It's an action RPG, but they adjusted the old ATB system from FFIV-IX to keep some of the original experience intact. You can use regular attacks freely, but you need to wait for the ATB bar to fill before you can use spells or abilities. Speaking as someone who prefers turn-based games, I'd say the two games so far in the VII Remake trilogy have one of my favorite ARPG battle systems, even if I'd prefer it if they didn't shy away from turn-based combat.

Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (29th March)

ReaperMelia

I'm all-in on Xenoblade X! I'm 35+ hours in and got my Skell license, so I've been enjoying that while clearing out quests before I start Chapter 7! The original Wii U version is my favorite game of all time, and so far, the Switch version has been a great port! I do miss having the Gamepad for the map and FrontierNav, but there are plenty of new improvements to make up for that at least. I know I'll be playing this for a while! It could even keep me busy up until the Switch 2 launches for all I know. I definitely want to spend more time with quests than I did on the Wii U. There were a lot I missed out on.

Re: Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition Confirmed For Switch

ReaperMelia

Waking up to see my favorite game of all time is coming to the Switch years after I gave up hope was certainly an unexpected surprise. I'm not crazy about the updated player models, but I'm glad to see they don't seem to be making any drastic changes to the game. I'm curious to see more of the new features and story elements they're teasing. FrontierNav is going to be a lot more clunky without the Gamepad, so I'd like to know how that's going to work now. Either way, this is a day one buy for me with whatever fancy special edition they put together.

Re: Poll: Do You Prefer Fire Emblem: Three Houses Or Engage?

ReaperMelia

Easily Engage. The more I look back on Three Houses, the more I realize how much I dislike it. It felt like they threw in all of the modern JRPG tropes/mechanics I don't like (school setting, heavy social/dating sim elements, bloated playtime with multiple story routes that are all way too long, etc.). It had some fun combat ideas, but everything around them was a total slog. I got through the Black Eagles story and felt no desire to play through it three more times to understand the messy plot.

Engage had a way more simple plot, but it was dumb, campy fun and I enjoyed that. That being said, it was infinitely better from a pacing and gameplay perspective in my mind. No more mind-numbing monastery tasks, no splitting paths that make you replay the first half of the game all over again multiple times... I had a blast with Engage, personally.

Re: Warner Bros. Games Acquires 'MultiVersus' Developer

ReaperMelia

@LadyCharlie Said publisher already made this studio's first and only game a microtransaction hellscape, so I guess that must have worked out well enough for WB to just buy them outright.

MultiVersus is a fun game at its core, but the awful monetization and battle pass grind made me drop the relaunch. It's a shame PFG had to work with Warner Bros. Games on this one. There obviously wasn't any other publisher choice for a WB crossover game, but WB absolutely ruined a game with a lot of promise and passion behind it. I want to get excited for the Betelgeuse announcement, but I know I'll probably pick the game back up for a few hours before dropping it after I remember how much it shoves microtransactions in the player's face at every possible moment.

Re: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Finally Gets Release Date, I & II Remakes Confirmed

ReaperMelia

@FreasurePlanten I don't think playing in chronological order would be bad, but I think that playing in release order would definitely be a smoother experience from a gameplay perspective on top of making III's big moments more satisfying. DQI is incredibly barebones by today's standards (but still a good time and interesting as a historical game since it's what essentially kicked off an entire genre), and while DQII built on DQI a lot, it's still a bit basic and rough around the edges in some ways (though I'm sure the latter point will be fixed in the remake). DQIII is when the series hit its stride, so it might be tougher to go back to the first two after playing III. All three are good games, though, and I'm curious to see if they do anything to flesh out the first two with these remakes.

Re: Talking Point: Nintendo's Still Making Them, So What amiibo Do You Still Want To See?

ReaperMelia

I'd buy absolutely any Xenoblade amiibo, but my top picks for each game would be Melia, Elma, Nia, and Eunie. I'd also love to see more FE characters (Azura and some of the Engage characters to be specific) and Geno. I'm sure there are plenty others I'm forgetting, too! I love amiibo, and I hope we see a big resurgence soon. The sparse releases have me worried that the line's coming to an end.

@Ralizah Alm and Celica (along with the rest of the FE line) got reprints in Europe and Japan to coincide with FE Engage's release if you're in either of those regions or if you're able to import from them. I live in the US, but import prices still went down significantly. Not sure if they're still at decent prices, but I got them on Amazon.

Re: Evil Dead: The Game Has Been Cancelled For Nintendo Switch

ReaperMelia

It's sad to see the game only really lasted a year in terms of major support (the last major update was months ago, they just waited a long time to make this announcement). While I do prefer single-player games, this was a fun and unique take on the asymmetric horror genre that was really cool as a huge fan of the series. There were still plenty of characters they could have added - they didn't even do anything to tie into the new movie, which was a massive hit. I haven't played in a long time, but I'll have to boot it up again soon. Here's hoping we get another game in the future.

Re: Mortal Kombat 1 Datamine Ignites New DLC Character Rumours

ReaperMelia

@Kyloctopus Ash was scrapped at the last minute due to a rights dispute. There was an in-game message when the season pass was complete that mentioned Ash as one of the characters, so we know he was actively in development and probably almost released. I'm a huge Evil Dead fan, so I was following that situation pretty closely in the hopes it would pan out. Unfortunately, they were going for Army of Darkness' iteration of Ash, and the rights for Army of Darkness are notoriously tough to secure (To the point where the sequel show legally couldn't directly reference it because even the series creator couldn't get the rights back). I remember there was speculation that the Joker was a backup character in case the plans for Ash fell through since they could base him off of his appearances in other NRS games, but I don't know if there's any real evidence behind that.

Re: Konami's Suikoden I & II HD Remaster Has Been Delayed

ReaperMelia

Yeah, I'm starting to worry it's going to be silently canceled. It was announced almost a year ago, and unless I'm forgetting something, I don't recall any news coming after that original announcement until today... I kind of get the feeling this and the Dragon Quest III remake are games we'll never see at this rate.

Re: Retro-Inspired Indie Sea Of Stars Sold 100,000 Copies On Its First Day

ReaperMelia

I had originally planned to hold out for the physical, but I've waited for this for too long... I got a digital copy on PS5, and I'll pick up a physical copy on Switch as soon as that's out. If any game's worth doubling down on, I think it'd be this one! Haven't had a chance to play much yet, but I'm very excited to get into it!

Re: Talking Point: Zelda: TOTK Isn't A Shoo-In For GOTY 2023, And That's A Good Thing

ReaperMelia

It'll probably come down to TotK, Baldur's Gate 3, and Starfield (even if it's a broken mess, I'm sure it'll still get a ton of love like Cyberpunk did). Haven't played the first two and I have zero interest in the last one, but they seem to be the games getting all the buzz this year.

Unless there's some big surprise that makes me change my mind, my GOTY will most likely be Final Fantasy XVI. It's an absolutely brilliant entry in a series that hasn't had a mainline game I've loved like this in decades. Between the fun combat and the gripping storyline, it would take a lot for anything to take its place in my eyes. RE4 Remake is a close second. I'd say it's more consistently great than FFXVI, but FFXVI's peaks are definitely higher.

Re: Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Scores Octopath Traveler DLC Update

ReaperMelia

@YoshiF2 The developers said in an interview that FFXVI isn't one of the mystery packs because they want to play a game before making levels for its music. It's safe to assume Octopath II is also off the table since they said they also hadn't played FFXIV Endwalker yet. That being said, they did suggest they could decide to add more DLC later, so there's always hope we'll get them eventually!

Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (June 24th)

ReaperMelia

Final Fantasy XVI will be my main (and maybe only) game this weekend. I've been waiting years to play it, so I'm planning to focus on it pretty hard! I might squeeze in a little Street Fighter VI since I was almost done with World Tour and feel bad about getting sidetracked now. If I play anything on Switch, it'll probably be the original Doom since I've been replaying that lately.

Re: Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Scores A New Chrono Trigger Update Next Week

ReaperMelia

Poor Chrono Cross didn't get a mention in the article or even really specified in the official announcement (outside of in the name of Scars of Time) even though it's got a stage in the pack as well. It deserved better... I can't believe they're only giving it two tracks in Theatrhythm. I only played a few hours of it back in the day, but I remember its music being fantastic.

Re: Poll: So, Will You Be Getting The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom?

ReaperMelia

I'll get it when it drops to around $40 on sale. As much as I loved BOTW, I'm just not excited for this one. I don't enjoy sandbox games, so the fact that it's going much more in that direction has me feeling disappointed. The world map reuse doesn't help, either. Exploration was what I loved about BOTW, so if there's not a whole new world to explore, I can't really bring myself to get excited. The price point doesn't help either. So yeah, I hope everyone who gets it at launch enjoys it, but I'll be holding off for at least a year. Not like I'm out of games to play right now, anyway.

Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (May 6th)

ReaperMelia

I finished the main story in Xenoblade 3 Future Redeemed last night. It was an absolutely fantastic finale to a storyline I've been following for over a decade now. I'm super excited to see where things go for the next entry, especially with how Future Redeemed ended! That being said, I do still have plenty of sidequests to work on, so I'm sure I'll get in more of it this weekend. Of course, the Splatfest is also a part of my plans. Not really sure about other platforms, honestly. Monster Hunter Stories on 3DS, Bioshock 2 on Steam, and Super Star Wars on PS5 (which still feels weird) are all possibilities.

Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (April 22nd)

ReaperMelia

I was going to jump right into Final Fantasy V since my physical Pixel Remaster collection came in... but Nintendo had to go and announce that Future Redeemed is out next week, so I fired up Xenoblade 3 again so I could refamiliarize myself with it and work on the side quests since I still have a lot to go. It's been fun returning to this one! That being said, I can't help but feel like what I'm doing in it is just a way to pass the time for the story DLC.

On other platforms, I started up Bioshock 2 on my Steam Deck. I've only played a bit so far, but I'm not particularly impressed yet. It kind of just feels like a less imaginative version of the first game. Of course, I'm hoping it'll open up a bit more as I keep playing. I might get in some more Monster Hunter Stories on 3DS as well, but I'm not sure if I want to have any other RPGs going while I'm preparing for Xenoblade's DLC.

Re: Poll: Which Was Your First 'Final Fantasy'?

ReaperMelia

The NES version of FFI via Wii Virtual Console was my first game in the series. I learned about it back when the first Kingdom Hearts came out, but I never got to try it until way later on. While I liked it, IV is what made me love the series. VI is my favorite, though!

Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (April 15th)

ReaperMelia

I feel like I'm going to start slowing down on the Resident Evil 4 Remake at this point. At this point, I mainly just have to do my S+ runs, but I'm starting to feel like I want to get on to some other games. The S+ runs will probably be things I pick up from time to time when I really feel like it. That being said, it would take a lot for something to be able to compete with it for the title of my personal game of the year. It's possibly in my top 10 of all time! I'm not sure what I'll move to next on the PS5. It's pretty tough to follow up the amazing experience I've had with RE4make.

On Switch, I've picked Death's Door back up. I feel like I'm making pretty good progress in it. If I manage to power through it this weekend with time to spare, FE Engage's DLC will probably be what I tackle next. I'd also like to get in some more Pokemon Stadium.

On other systems, I've still got Monster Hunter Stories and Rhythm Heaven Megamix going on 3DS. I'd like to fire up Twilight Princess HD on the Wii U soon, too. Not really sure what to go for on the Steam Deck.

Re: Round Up: The Reviews Are In For The Super Mario Bros. Movie, And They're All Over The Place

ReaperMelia

@Dm9982 Some movies might be for turning your brain off for an hour and a half, sure, but many are very thoughtful, heartfelt stories that invite viewers to think about the world, characters, and themes/messages. I've seen plenty of movies that have affected me in ways that wouldn't be possible if I just shut my brain off and didn't engage with them. I'm not saying every movie needs to be nitpicked, but there are plenty of films that are more enjoyable if you think them through, too.

Of course, this looks like one of those movies where you're just meant to turn your brain off for 90 minutes, and if it pulls that off well, that's fine enough with me. But I think dismissing any critical thought as unnecessary does nothing to help the situation. There's room for both approaches to exist.

Re: Round Up: The First Impressions Of The Super Mario Bros. Movie Are In

ReaperMelia

I'll give it a watch at some point. I don't think it looks amazing, but it looks like it'll be enjoyable at least, which is something I never thought I'd say about an Illumination film.

As for the discussion on modern movies existing solely to sell merchandise/sequels, this is the movie equivalent of arguing that every modern game is a soulless cash-grab full of microtransactions. There are plenty of great films by passionate creators these days. People just tend to only focus on superheroes, Disney, and a few major franchises rather than seeking out anything new and different.

And note that I don't think there's anything wrong with enjoying superheroes, Disney, and franchises. People can like what they like. There are a number of franchises I like. I'm just pointing out that there's much more to film than those three things, and I find it to be dismissive to make those represent the entire industry. It would be like writing off indie games because you don't like Call of Duty or Fortnite.

Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (April 1st)

ReaperMelia

Splatoon 3 (Go Team Nessie!) will be my main Switch game. I might pick Death's Door back up soon, too. I should probably get through that before I start on the Fire Emblem DLC.

Resident Evil 4 Remake's still taking a lot of my attention as well. I finished my first run, so I started my second earlier today! It's definitely my new favorite RE. I can't wait for the Mercenaries DLC! I might get in some more Monster Hunter Stories and Rhythm Heaven Megamix on my 3DS as well.

Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (March 25th)

ReaperMelia

Yeah... sorry Nintendo, but Resident Evil 4 Remake's going to be taking most (if not all) of my game time this weekend. I admittedly wasn't a huge fan of the original, but this remake is a serious contender for my favorite RE yet. I've been having a blast with it so far!

While I'm not sure how many games I'll play on other systems, I can say I'll be doing my final 3DS/Wii U eShop checks this weekend to get anything else I'd like to pick up. I've already picked up quite a few games this last month, but there are still a few more I'd like to get. If I need a break from RE4R, I'll probably fire up Monster Hunter Stories on my 3DS and make some more progress in that.

Re: Square Enix Adding 'The World Ends With You' Music Update To Theatrhythm Final Bar Line

ReaperMelia

@Dpullam Melody of Memories was pretty much Kingdom Hearts Theatrhythm, they just shifted to 3D visuals. It plays very similarly otherwise. The RPG aspect in Theatrhythm is much more in-depth since you can fully customize your party rather than choose from presets, and each character learns new abilities that can be equipped to suit whatever needs you might have. If you enjoyed Melody of Memories, I'd highly recommend checking out Theatrhythm Final Bar Line! The demo has 25 tracks to play if I remember correctly, so it has plenty of content to help you decide if you want to pick it up.

Re: Square Enix Adding 'The World Ends With You' Music Update To Theatrhythm Final Bar Line

ReaperMelia

I'm really glad TWEWY's getting DLC tracks! It's nice to see someone give the game some love after Square's consistently thrown it under the bus throughout its history. While I'm glad the tracks that were in Curtain Call are back, I'm even more excited for all the new Neo tracks. They chose some fantastic songs to bring in. Of course, if we get even more DLC beyond the three passes they've already announced, I'd love to see the series get at least one more pack. There are too many great songs to just give it one pack and call that good.

Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl: Duel - Mega Man X2

ReaperMelia

I don't like either one, but I chose the Japanese cover. It's cluttered and kind of like an early precursor to modern movie posters that just throw a ton of faces together and call it good, but it's better than... whatever's going on in the western cover.

Re: Countdown: 3DS eShop Spotlight - Rhythm Heaven Megamix

ReaperMelia

I've been struggling to decide between this and Fever on Wii U Virtual Console. I played a bit of Fever back in the day through my library, but I've never owned a Rhythm Heaven game before. I liked Fever, but it sounds like this one has most of the games from Fever. Would this be the best one to pick up, then?

Re: Countdown: 3DS eShop Spotlight - Dillon's Rolling Western

ReaperMelia

If I only got one of these games, which one should I go for? I'm probably going to pass on the third because of the price, but I'd like to try 1 or 2. Not really sure if I want to get both since there are some other games I want to get as well, so I figured I'd ask which one is the definitive entry.

Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (February 18th)

ReaperMelia

I would be playing Theatrhythm, but the save-corrupting bug has me scared to boot it up now. Instead of that, I'll probably be playing games like Death's Door, Splatoon 3, the GB/GBA NSO collections, and maybe some Hades.

I'd also like to get back to The Quarry on my PS5. I was at least halfway through... I also need to figure out what to play next on Steam and 3DS.