Only played for an hour or two. The music, and gory, graphic portrayal of war shocked me coming from a Final Fantasy game...
Need to jump back into it as I haven't played it enough to give it a rating. Adding to backlog.
Need to jump back into it as I haven't played it enough to give it a rating. Adding to backlog.
2017
My 3rd favorite Final Fantasy, only behind VII and Tactics. Replaying it on PS4 confirms that fact. Such an amazing game.
See my original PS1 review of FFIX for my full thoughts.
See my original PS1 review of FFIX for my full thoughts.
My history with the Dragon Quest series extends way, way back to my early childhood...
It goes all the way back on the NES, with the very first title... and this was at the time where it didn't even go by the name "Dragon Quest" yet, being called Dragon Warrior in the States. It was my first JRPG (forget JRPG, it was my first RPG period!)... and for my first experience, I'll bluntly state that I hated it. The menu system was as archaic and abysmal as you can imagine, the game's battles just confused and annoyed me, I hated the way all the dialogue was written - it was probably the one game my uncle owned, that I thought was an absolute piece of trash. Hell, give me Simon's Quest over this any day, at least that game had Bloody Tears! Dragon Warrior's music, on the other hand... shudders
I still have that awful fight theme burned into the early recesses of my memory... here it is if you weren't alive back then, or don't know what I'm referring to. Nobuo Uematsu, it is not...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMga6n9BW7M
All in all, it left such a lasting impression on me, that I was just done with RPGs. RPGs=Bad to my young, naive brain. And that persisted throughout the entire NES and SNES generations; I didn't pick up a single RPG during that time period... it wasn't until Final Fantasy VII on the original PS1 where I fell in love with the genre. But this isn't the review to talk about Final Fantasy, so to continue with my Dragon Quest tale - fast forward a few years and I happened across Dragon Warrior VII on the PS1... at this point, I think I must have felt like an RPG vet, having played many of the early Final Fantasy games, getting caught up on the absolute masterpiece that was Chrono Trigger, and other Squaresoft titles, etc. "Hey! I remember you...," I thought to myself, "maybe I didn't give you a fair shake back in the day... let's see how much you've improved since the first game." So I grabbed DQVII and gave it a go...
Aaaand wow... it was exactly what I remembered from the first damn game. DQVII felt like a damn relic from the past coming back to haunt my ass! It was archaic, old, had terrible graphics for its time, and I don't think I ran across a single battle in over 2 hours of gametime... it was literally the anti-thesis of everything that I loved about my favorite game: Final Fantasy VII. "How are there 7 of these damn things!?" My revisit with the series was a disaster! I recall getting a little further into DQVII, but I just couldn't take it and ended up putting it down for good.
Next up was DQVIII on the PS2... and this is an embarrassing one, but I literally bought the game for the Final Fantasy XII demo disc that came with it (a mistake on my part, I may add)... I remember putting in DQVIII for a short spell, but the moment I saw those menus, it brought back horrible memories, and I put it away. It was as if I had Dragon Quest PTSD.
So now we finally reach present times with the release of Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age on the PS4... I honestly couldn't tell ya what made me even consider giving this game a chance... boredom? Money to burn? I like pain? It all maybe goes back to a coworker of mine bringing it to my attention one day at work... but still, I can't put a finger on what compelled me to order this game... but damn... it is almost unbelievable to say after this sad tale, but I'm so glad I did. I guess the 4th try was the charm!
This was the Dragon Quest game for me... and I think I finally, truly get it. I LOVED my experience with DQXI!
It shouldn't even be a serious question after telling my entire life story, but DQXI is by far the greatest title in the series. No questions asked! So, what changed with this one!? It's hard to really put into words, but I'll try my best without delving into any spoilers...
I still don't know what exactly clicked with me - it still has that "old-school", archaic feel to it, but unlike the first game and DQVII that felt "too old" to me, this one feels just right... it is like comparing an 80's JRPG vs a mid-90's one. Trust me; it makes all the difference!
This game still has "old school" leveling, no in-depth, crazy gameplay systems, standard turn-based combat, etc. But maybe with so many JRPGs opting for a more action approach nowadays, I can appreciate sticking with the "tried and true" formula. I can completely understand if people don't like this game, for many of the same reasons I gave for not liking earlier titles, especially since it keeps close to its series' roots. But I can respect that - I'm glad we have franchises out here that don't try to reinvent the wheel every iteration, and stick with what they're good at, and what its fanbase likes. Tip of the cap to 'em on that!
DQXI just felt like a proper adventure to me... one I haven't experienced in a long, long time from a JRPG. And boy oh boy, is it an epic adventure! Lasting me damn near 200 hours before I finally got the platinum... there was something comfy about the whole experience - it immersed me in a way, many RPGs could only hope to accomplish. I enjoyed pretty much everything about it: it's story, characters, world, plot twists, etc. The game felt like pure quality and love! And some of the moments were beyond incredible - there were a couple times I thought the game was going to end, and it just kept going and going... but I welcomed its continuation with open arms. I'm sure if you were a series vet, you'd appreciate it even more than myself!
In summary, if you felt anything like me in the past: you despise archaic 80s RPGs and all their grinding, enjoy the Final Fantasy series more, etc. step out of your comfort zone on this one and give DQXI a chance. It may surprise you; I know it did me!
Appendix Note
One word of caution: This version of the game has absolute dookie water for music - god awful doesn't even begin to describe it... Like even if it was average, hell, slightly below average, this game would have been given a perfect 5/5, but the music and music alone brings it down to 4.5/5. My suggestion is to bring your own tunes if you can stomach doing such a blasphemous thing when playing an RPG... I can't, so I stuck with the ear grating melodies throughout (the main DQ theme is the one and only banger!). Oh well, I guess DQXII has something to improve on in the next release. :)
It goes all the way back on the NES, with the very first title... and this was at the time where it didn't even go by the name "Dragon Quest" yet, being called Dragon Warrior in the States. It was my first JRPG (forget JRPG, it was my first RPG period!)... and for my first experience, I'll bluntly state that I hated it. The menu system was as archaic and abysmal as you can imagine, the game's battles just confused and annoyed me, I hated the way all the dialogue was written - it was probably the one game my uncle owned, that I thought was an absolute piece of trash. Hell, give me Simon's Quest over this any day, at least that game had Bloody Tears! Dragon Warrior's music, on the other hand... shudders
I still have that awful fight theme burned into the early recesses of my memory... here it is if you weren't alive back then, or don't know what I'm referring to. Nobuo Uematsu, it is not...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMga6n9BW7M
All in all, it left such a lasting impression on me, that I was just done with RPGs. RPGs=Bad to my young, naive brain. And that persisted throughout the entire NES and SNES generations; I didn't pick up a single RPG during that time period... it wasn't until Final Fantasy VII on the original PS1 where I fell in love with the genre. But this isn't the review to talk about Final Fantasy, so to continue with my Dragon Quest tale - fast forward a few years and I happened across Dragon Warrior VII on the PS1... at this point, I think I must have felt like an RPG vet, having played many of the early Final Fantasy games, getting caught up on the absolute masterpiece that was Chrono Trigger, and other Squaresoft titles, etc. "Hey! I remember you...," I thought to myself, "maybe I didn't give you a fair shake back in the day... let's see how much you've improved since the first game." So I grabbed DQVII and gave it a go...
Aaaand wow... it was exactly what I remembered from the first damn game. DQVII felt like a damn relic from the past coming back to haunt my ass! It was archaic, old, had terrible graphics for its time, and I don't think I ran across a single battle in over 2 hours of gametime... it was literally the anti-thesis of everything that I loved about my favorite game: Final Fantasy VII. "How are there 7 of these damn things!?" My revisit with the series was a disaster! I recall getting a little further into DQVII, but I just couldn't take it and ended up putting it down for good.
Next up was DQVIII on the PS2... and this is an embarrassing one, but I literally bought the game for the Final Fantasy XII demo disc that came with it (a mistake on my part, I may add)... I remember putting in DQVIII for a short spell, but the moment I saw those menus, it brought back horrible memories, and I put it away. It was as if I had Dragon Quest PTSD.
So now we finally reach present times with the release of Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age on the PS4... I honestly couldn't tell ya what made me even consider giving this game a chance... boredom? Money to burn? I like pain? It all maybe goes back to a coworker of mine bringing it to my attention one day at work... but still, I can't put a finger on what compelled me to order this game... but damn... it is almost unbelievable to say after this sad tale, but I'm so glad I did. I guess the 4th try was the charm!
This was the Dragon Quest game for me... and I think I finally, truly get it. I LOVED my experience with DQXI!
It shouldn't even be a serious question after telling my entire life story, but DQXI is by far the greatest title in the series. No questions asked! So, what changed with this one!? It's hard to really put into words, but I'll try my best without delving into any spoilers...
I still don't know what exactly clicked with me - it still has that "old-school", archaic feel to it, but unlike the first game and DQVII that felt "too old" to me, this one feels just right... it is like comparing an 80's JRPG vs a mid-90's one. Trust me; it makes all the difference!
This game still has "old school" leveling, no in-depth, crazy gameplay systems, standard turn-based combat, etc. But maybe with so many JRPGs opting for a more action approach nowadays, I can appreciate sticking with the "tried and true" formula. I can completely understand if people don't like this game, for many of the same reasons I gave for not liking earlier titles, especially since it keeps close to its series' roots. But I can respect that - I'm glad we have franchises out here that don't try to reinvent the wheel every iteration, and stick with what they're good at, and what its fanbase likes. Tip of the cap to 'em on that!
DQXI just felt like a proper adventure to me... one I haven't experienced in a long, long time from a JRPG. And boy oh boy, is it an epic adventure! Lasting me damn near 200 hours before I finally got the platinum... there was something comfy about the whole experience - it immersed me in a way, many RPGs could only hope to accomplish. I enjoyed pretty much everything about it: it's story, characters, world, plot twists, etc. The game felt like pure quality and love! And some of the moments were beyond incredible - there were a couple times I thought the game was going to end, and it just kept going and going... but I welcomed its continuation with open arms. I'm sure if you were a series vet, you'd appreciate it even more than myself!
In summary, if you felt anything like me in the past: you despise archaic 80s RPGs and all their grinding, enjoy the Final Fantasy series more, etc. step out of your comfort zone on this one and give DQXI a chance. It may surprise you; I know it did me!
Appendix Note
One word of caution: This version of the game has absolute dookie water for music - god awful doesn't even begin to describe it... Like even if it was average, hell, slightly below average, this game would have been given a perfect 5/5, but the music and music alone brings it down to 4.5/5. My suggestion is to bring your own tunes if you can stomach doing such a blasphemous thing when playing an RPG... I can't, so I stuck with the ear grating melodies throughout (the main DQ theme is the one and only banger!). Oh well, I guess DQXII has something to improve on in the next release. :)
2018
Call me a filthy casual, if you must - but in my opinion, this is the single greatest DBZ and fighting game I've ever played.
Having never played a 3v3 fighter before (didn't have any experience with MvC at the time), this shit was fantastic. The characters, the moves, the quick/frantic pace, swapping in and out characters, using their assists, special finishers pulled directly from the anime, the animation/graphics being so fluid, etc. - I was in fighting game heaven here! And this from someone who doesn't consider themselves to be a fighting game fan...
Very recommended for both DBZ or fighting game fans.
If I had the Dragon Balls, my only wish I'd have at the moment is a next-gen Complete/Ultimate version with improved loading times, and the entire roster from all the DLC brought in... then it'd be Perfect.
West City - this was MY fighting theme. It exudes "black air force" energy. lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOjiG24lXqc
Having never played a 3v3 fighter before (didn't have any experience with MvC at the time), this shit was fantastic. The characters, the moves, the quick/frantic pace, swapping in and out characters, using their assists, special finishers pulled directly from the anime, the animation/graphics being so fluid, etc. - I was in fighting game heaven here! And this from someone who doesn't consider themselves to be a fighting game fan...
Very recommended for both DBZ or fighting game fans.
If I had the Dragon Balls, my only wish I'd have at the moment is a next-gen Complete/Ultimate version with improved loading times, and the entire roster from all the DLC brought in... then it'd be Perfect.
West City - this was MY fighting theme. It exudes "black air force" energy. lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOjiG24lXqc
2020
Unpopular opinion incoming... I'll start this review off saying that this was super unexpected coming from me. After loving DOOM 2016, and hearing the rave reviews for Eternal, I was more than prepared to RIP & TEAR everything in sight! I was pumped and ready to crank up the Mick Gordon tunes to 11!
But sadly, while Mick Gordon may have at least delivered, the game itself just didn't do it for me... and based on critical reception, it truly makes me feel like I'm a severe outlier. Like am I taking crazy pills here?!
So, just up front, take what I say with a grain of salt, and by all means try it for yourself... but in my opinion, I was not a fan. I thought they literally took everything that made DOOM 2016 great and switched it up. The definition of trying to fix what was NOT broken. Every Single Change, I took exception with... where some saw it as being an evolution in the Doom formula, I saw it as a huge step back, with so many unnecessary and poor design decisions.
Firstly, I hated how disconnected it felt from 2016 - I swear, it felt like I missed a game in between or something... the serious/dark tone replaced by a much sillier, over-the-top, arcade game. The graphics and enemy designs look worse here and seem much more cartoony than its predecessor. It truly felt like a downgrade to me in more ways than one...
As for its story? Laughable. Its campaign fell flat and felt utterly ridiculous too. I mean, is this some kind of self-parody? Did I miss the joke somewhere? They went all in on the memes here too... it truly felt like they were trying too hard. The developers shoving in your face: "look how cool Doomguy is" vs him being more natural in his badassery.
Lastly, and most importantly, there is the gameplay - I could forgive everything else, if they at least nailed this part and I enjoyed the gunplay... but I don't...and in fact, this is where I had the most issues with it!
2016 was a love letter to the franchise. Bringing Doom back from the brink of hell itself, and restoring glory to its good name after a long slumber and the weird attempt into survival horror with Doom 3... Eternal though? Damn, where do I even start?! I hated pretty much all of the changes they made here. To me, this doesn't even really feel like an FPS game - more like an "arcadey", puzzle game with a bunch of platforming thrown into the mix, forcing you down a very singular path in how it wants you to play it.
Limiting ammunition so you are forced into this constant cycle of weaponry rather than allowing the player their freedom in how to tackle enemies and certain situations... no, here you are forced to confront situations and defeat enemies using the same tactics every time... rinse and repeat.
What they did to the chainsaw, should be considered a crime against humanity... I just couldn't stand this gameplay loop and got tired of it real quick. And did I mention, I hate the hub world...
By the time I was at the halfway point, I just wanted it all to be over... but this game is long, and it feels even longer, especially when you are forced into these abysmal platforming sections. There is absolutely no way I will be playing the DLC to this... and I fear with this game's popularity, I may just not be the target audience for the next Doom unless they revert back closer to their 2016 iteration. I'm not holding out much hope...
Easily the most disappointed I've been with a game since perhaps Mass Effect 3's original release on the Xbox 360...
But sadly, while Mick Gordon may have at least delivered, the game itself just didn't do it for me... and based on critical reception, it truly makes me feel like I'm a severe outlier. Like am I taking crazy pills here?!
So, just up front, take what I say with a grain of salt, and by all means try it for yourself... but in my opinion, I was not a fan. I thought they literally took everything that made DOOM 2016 great and switched it up. The definition of trying to fix what was NOT broken. Every Single Change, I took exception with... where some saw it as being an evolution in the Doom formula, I saw it as a huge step back, with so many unnecessary and poor design decisions.
Firstly, I hated how disconnected it felt from 2016 - I swear, it felt like I missed a game in between or something... the serious/dark tone replaced by a much sillier, over-the-top, arcade game. The graphics and enemy designs look worse here and seem much more cartoony than its predecessor. It truly felt like a downgrade to me in more ways than one...
As for its story? Laughable. Its campaign fell flat and felt utterly ridiculous too. I mean, is this some kind of self-parody? Did I miss the joke somewhere? They went all in on the memes here too... it truly felt like they were trying too hard. The developers shoving in your face: "look how cool Doomguy is" vs him being more natural in his badassery.
Lastly, and most importantly, there is the gameplay - I could forgive everything else, if they at least nailed this part and I enjoyed the gunplay... but I don't...and in fact, this is where I had the most issues with it!
2016 was a love letter to the franchise. Bringing Doom back from the brink of hell itself, and restoring glory to its good name after a long slumber and the weird attempt into survival horror with Doom 3... Eternal though? Damn, where do I even start?! I hated pretty much all of the changes they made here. To me, this doesn't even really feel like an FPS game - more like an "arcadey", puzzle game with a bunch of platforming thrown into the mix, forcing you down a very singular path in how it wants you to play it.
Limiting ammunition so you are forced into this constant cycle of weaponry rather than allowing the player their freedom in how to tackle enemies and certain situations... no, here you are forced to confront situations and defeat enemies using the same tactics every time... rinse and repeat.
What they did to the chainsaw, should be considered a crime against humanity... I just couldn't stand this gameplay loop and got tired of it real quick. And did I mention, I hate the hub world...
By the time I was at the halfway point, I just wanted it all to be over... but this game is long, and it feels even longer, especially when you are forced into these abysmal platforming sections. There is absolutely no way I will be playing the DLC to this... and I fear with this game's popularity, I may just not be the target audience for the next Doom unless they revert back closer to their 2016 iteration. I'm not holding out much hope...
Easily the most disappointed I've been with a game since perhaps Mass Effect 3's original release on the Xbox 360...
2016
An excellent return to glory for Doom. Fast paced, twitch shooting that revived the FPS genre for me. I have been so sick of the yearly CoD games, never been a fan of Battlefield, and have fallen out of favor with Halo, so this was a welcome return to form.
The only thing that holds it back from a perfect score for me is a couple bugs I ran across during my run. Unfortunately, they were pretty consistent too - sound/audio breaking being the most annoying of the bunch.
But otherwise, this was more than fantastic - the graphics, level design, guns, music, etc. I loved the dark atmosphere, serious tone, and story/lore that is explored during the main campaign. Pure fast-paced fun!
The only thing that holds it back from a perfect score for me is a couple bugs I ran across during my run. Unfortunately, they were pretty consistent too - sound/audio breaking being the most annoying of the bunch.
But otherwise, this was more than fantastic - the graphics, level design, guns, music, etc. I loved the dark atmosphere, serious tone, and story/lore that is explored during the main campaign. Pure fast-paced fun!
2019
"JACKPOT!"
And here it is!!! The legendary Devil May Cry 5! Talk about a night and day difference compared to DMC4, and much closer to the masterpiece that is DMC3!
This is the game where Nero officially comes into his own, and had me finally buy-in and recognize him as a worthy successor in the DMC franchise. I used to be all "Dante or bust", but Nero is a ton of fun to play in this game and is a great character in his own right.
The action gameplay has never been better - with 3 playable characters, and so many ways to play and look stylish. This surpasses even DMC3 in the action-gameplay department, a game I consider to be my all-time favorite action-game. I don't know how those madlads at Capcom did it... but they did! It is that damn good!
This game is pure adrenaline, action, badassery - gameplay triumphing over everything else! I LOVED it!
The only negative I can think of is that some of the late game locations start to look a little "samey" and I wasn't a huge fan of the level design in those areas.
Otherwise, this is a game for action game fans. I still think DMC3 is my favorite in the series, but this one is not far behind it...
A few quick bullet points
-- Do I actually prefer playing as Nero in this game over Dante?! Say it ain't so! Those Devil Breakers are just too much fun.
-- Devil Trigger song is GOAT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnAoq3_6f5M
-- Has one of the best usages of "FUCK YOU!" in a game ever... probably the all-time best.
-- Final boss fight is legendary and tons of fun!
-- Endlessly replayable with plenty of challenge and difficulty modes.
-- One of Capcom's best!
And here it is!!! The legendary Devil May Cry 5! Talk about a night and day difference compared to DMC4, and much closer to the masterpiece that is DMC3!
This is the game where Nero officially comes into his own, and had me finally buy-in and recognize him as a worthy successor in the DMC franchise. I used to be all "Dante or bust", but Nero is a ton of fun to play in this game and is a great character in his own right.
The action gameplay has never been better - with 3 playable characters, and so many ways to play and look stylish. This surpasses even DMC3 in the action-gameplay department, a game I consider to be my all-time favorite action-game. I don't know how those madlads at Capcom did it... but they did! It is that damn good!
This game is pure adrenaline, action, badassery - gameplay triumphing over everything else! I LOVED it!
The only negative I can think of is that some of the late game locations start to look a little "samey" and I wasn't a huge fan of the level design in those areas.
Otherwise, this is a game for action game fans. I still think DMC3 is my favorite in the series, but this one is not far behind it...
A few quick bullet points
-- Do I actually prefer playing as Nero in this game over Dante?! Say it ain't so! Those Devil Breakers are just too much fun.
-- Devil Trigger song is GOAT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnAoq3_6f5M
-- Has one of the best usages of "FUCK YOU!" in a game ever... probably the all-time best.
-- Final boss fight is legendary and tons of fun!
-- Endlessly replayable with plenty of challenge and difficulty modes.
-- One of Capcom's best!
I'm not going to lie... I kind of hated this game. And it was incredibly hard to force myself to get through it, but I wanted to make sure I beat it prior to DMC5's release.
It's not terrible by any means (it isn't Devil May Cry 2 for instance - far from it), but the backtracking in the 2nd half of the game, and all the re-used boss fights really hurts the experience.
At the end, I just wanted it to be over... I don't know why, but even-numbered DMC games are rough man... let's hope if they release DMC6, that bucks the trend.
It's not terrible by any means (it isn't Devil May Cry 2 for instance - far from it), but the backtracking in the 2nd half of the game, and all the re-used boss fights really hurts the experience.
At the end, I just wanted it to be over... I don't know why, but even-numbered DMC games are rough man... let's hope if they release DMC6, that bucks the trend.
I think it does what it does very well - and that is tell an engaging, tension-filled story, in a sci-fi / android-filled setting, with excellent graphics, and choices that really feel like they matter. It was a much better outing than my previous experience when playing Heavy Rain.
It is good to be played in bite-size chunks, as it can get pretty tense in moments and sometimes brought feelings I only got from playing horror games at night. Of course, playing it blind is the only way to go!
I play these types of "choose your own adventure" games a single time, and that is how I consider "my story" turns out (ok Tidus...). And I was relatively satisfied with my character's arcs and conclusion... 2 of the 3 had good, satisfying endings... but I was a bit peeved at a single choice screwing me over with Kara's route... that was utter bullshit.
However, nothing beats the moment I went over to a friend's place, who was also playing the game at the same time as me (this was shortly after I had beaten it), and I was watching him play as Connor in the station... and then I witnessed one of the funniest things I had ever seen. He had no leads... and just... gave up... I was dying laughing as he watched in horror at such a shitty ending for a character. I still have no idea how he ended up screwing himself so bad, but it sticks with me, as this game is pretty devoid of any humor... it constantly keeps its intense, serious edge to it throughout.
Couldn't have happened to me though... :) But if it did, this game would have most likely been given a much lower score... So be careful with your choices when playing.
Connor Main Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AjNEE1UVgE
It is good to be played in bite-size chunks, as it can get pretty tense in moments and sometimes brought feelings I only got from playing horror games at night. Of course, playing it blind is the only way to go!
I play these types of "choose your own adventure" games a single time, and that is how I consider "my story" turns out (ok Tidus...). And I was relatively satisfied with my character's arcs and conclusion... 2 of the 3 had good, satisfying endings... but I was a bit peeved at a single choice screwing me over with Kara's route... that was utter bullshit.
However, nothing beats the moment I went over to a friend's place, who was also playing the game at the same time as me (this was shortly after I had beaten it), and I was watching him play as Connor in the station... and then I witnessed one of the funniest things I had ever seen. He had no leads... and just... gave up... I was dying laughing as he watched in horror at such a shitty ending for a character. I still have no idea how he ended up screwing himself so bad, but it sticks with me, as this game is pretty devoid of any humor... it constantly keeps its intense, serious edge to it throughout.
Couldn't have happened to me though... :) But if it did, this game would have most likely been given a much lower score... So be careful with your choices when playing.
Connor Main Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AjNEE1UVgE
2017
Fun with a group of friends/family.
I only played this game with a handful of coworkers. Jumping online to play late into the night, drinking a bunch of beers, and shooting the shit. Fun times were had.
Once everyone fell off the game, I did too. The game itself is nothing special and would be a tiresome chore and incredibly boring if by yourself. I will never return to it. Rating is given based on my brief time playing it with buddies and my overall experience.
I only played this game with a handful of coworkers. Jumping online to play late into the night, drinking a bunch of beers, and shooting the shit. Fun times were had.
Once everyone fell off the game, I did too. The game itself is nothing special and would be a tiresome chore and incredibly boring if by yourself. I will never return to it. Rating is given based on my brief time playing it with buddies and my overall experience.
2016
My personal favorite of the Dark Souls trilogy and an excellent conclusion to the series.
Miyazaki & From Software, to no one's surprise, have done it yet again and crafted another masterpiece. DS3 has amazing level design, excellent gameplay, building upon all of its predecessor's achievements, is incredibly challenging (imo DS3 is the hardest game in the series), contains some of the most beautiful locations and vistas, and has an emotionally charged and epic final boss fight to wrap it all up. It is a perfect Souls experience.
I will be sad if we never see a Dark Souls 4 come to fruition, but as they say, all good things must come to an end... and hey, I can at least hold out hope for a Bloodborne 2 or Sekiro 2 instead. :)
Abyss Watchers - I LOVED this fight... even dying like 10 times to them, I enjoyed every single attempt I made.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_oqsbeCTB8
Soul of Cinder - this song hits HARD if you have played DS1. Probably my all-time favorite Souls theme...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooCb7rwKfBI
Miyazaki & From Software, to no one's surprise, have done it yet again and crafted another masterpiece. DS3 has amazing level design, excellent gameplay, building upon all of its predecessor's achievements, is incredibly challenging (imo DS3 is the hardest game in the series), contains some of the most beautiful locations and vistas, and has an emotionally charged and epic final boss fight to wrap it all up. It is a perfect Souls experience.
I will be sad if we never see a Dark Souls 4 come to fruition, but as they say, all good things must come to an end... and hey, I can at least hold out hope for a Bloodborne 2 or Sekiro 2 instead. :)
Abyss Watchers - I LOVED this fight... even dying like 10 times to them, I enjoyed every single attempt I made.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_oqsbeCTB8
Soul of Cinder - this song hits HARD if you have played DS1. Probably my all-time favorite Souls theme...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooCb7rwKfBI
2019
Maybe I wasn't in the right headspace when I attempted to play this game the first time... I love me some Hideo Kojima, so I may give the Director's Cut of Death Stranding one last chance to see if it connects with me at all.
The first go around I think I played for 8 or so hours before putting it down for good... I'm just not sure about the gameplay loop here...
There is one thing about this game though that knocks it out of the park - and that is the soundtrack in this game slaps hard! Low Roar has been added to many a playlist of mine. Super chill and relaxing tunes to vibe to.
The first go around I think I played for 8 or so hours before putting it down for good... I'm just not sure about the gameplay loop here...
There is one thing about this game though that knocks it out of the park - and that is the soundtrack in this game slaps hard! Low Roar has been added to many a playlist of mine. Super chill and relaxing tunes to vibe to.
"Quit bein' so gloomy! This is the year of the Jets! Fuck the Patriots!"
I loved 95% of this game and it was going to be my all-time favorite Danganronpa game... at least up until the 2nd half of the last trial of the game. Up to that point, it was a 5/5, but it stumbled for me a tad at the end. The meta-commentary just didn't land for me, unfortunately. I was OK with the ideas presented in the ending, but I hated how they went about executing it... The silliness reached an all-time high during that final trial, and it all felt a bit too on the nose and came off a bit stupid.
Regardless though, that doesn't detract from me loving the game as a whole. It has the greatest first trial in the series BY FAR, has the most gruesome and depressing executions, and it overall has the greatest presentation and style of all 3 mainline games.
The trials were great as always - and I loved the introduction of the Scrum Debates. I wish they were used more often, but the music and premise of those were hype as hell.
The "truth vs lie" theme was an enjoyable and interesting difference to its predecessors, especially after being knocked over the head so many times with "hope vs despair".
Kokichi is a fun stand-out character here as well, but I still prefer Komaeda from DR2. I really liked the cast of characters in DR3 overall outside of a couple exceptions. But that goes for all the DR games.
I wish we could have more Danganronpa, but maybe it is a good thing they ended it here before running the franchise into the ground. I will miss the wonderful, weird settings, zany characters, heartbreaking losses, and insane murder mysteries/plot twists...
"Some lies can lead the world to hope... Some truths can lead the world to despair... So I don’t think anyone can really say which is more right in the end.”
Clair De Lune
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpsN6b95DAQ
I loved 95% of this game and it was going to be my all-time favorite Danganronpa game... at least up until the 2nd half of the last trial of the game. Up to that point, it was a 5/5, but it stumbled for me a tad at the end. The meta-commentary just didn't land for me, unfortunately. I was OK with the ideas presented in the ending, but I hated how they went about executing it... The silliness reached an all-time high during that final trial, and it all felt a bit too on the nose and came off a bit stupid.
Regardless though, that doesn't detract from me loving the game as a whole. It has the greatest first trial in the series BY FAR, has the most gruesome and depressing executions, and it overall has the greatest presentation and style of all 3 mainline games.
The trials were great as always - and I loved the introduction of the Scrum Debates. I wish they were used more often, but the music and premise of those were hype as hell.
The "truth vs lie" theme was an enjoyable and interesting difference to its predecessors, especially after being knocked over the head so many times with "hope vs despair".
Kokichi is a fun stand-out character here as well, but I still prefer Komaeda from DR2. I really liked the cast of characters in DR3 overall outside of a couple exceptions. But that goes for all the DR games.
I wish we could have more Danganronpa, but maybe it is a good thing they ended it here before running the franchise into the ground. I will miss the wonderful, weird settings, zany characters, heartbreaking losses, and insane murder mysteries/plot twists...
"Some lies can lead the world to hope... Some truths can lead the world to despair... So I don’t think anyone can really say which is more right in the end.”
Clair De Lune
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpsN6b95DAQ
The perfect kart racing game... if only they could have fixed the lengthy loading times, this would easily be a 5/5. Maybe a next-gen version would resolve the issue... They aren't atrocious, but they are long enough to detract from the overall experience and getting back on the track.
I love Mario Kart; it is my childhood kart racer... but it has to relinquish the crown to the superior racer: Crash. There is no blue shell bullshit, artificial difficulty, and "fun for all ages" Mario racing here - Crash doesn't play any games. This is your "git gud" kart racer that is purely skill based. The more time you put into it, the more you feel yourself getting better and better.
I recall mentioning to my cousin as I was playing on the Medium difficulty mode, that there would be no way I'd be able to platinum this title - Hard mode was insanity, and the time trials were even crazier... well, after a couple weeks of putting in work, I was rewarded one of my all-time favorite platinum trophies. :)
Excellent and addicting game.
I love Mario Kart; it is my childhood kart racer... but it has to relinquish the crown to the superior racer: Crash. There is no blue shell bullshit, artificial difficulty, and "fun for all ages" Mario racing here - Crash doesn't play any games. This is your "git gud" kart racer that is purely skill based. The more time you put into it, the more you feel yourself getting better and better.
I recall mentioning to my cousin as I was playing on the Medium difficulty mode, that there would be no way I'd be able to platinum this title - Hard mode was insanity, and the time trials were even crazier... well, after a couple weeks of putting in work, I was rewarded one of my all-time favorite platinum trophies. :)
Excellent and addicting game.
A fun, remade collection of the original Crash Bandicoot games. However, be warned: this bandicoot brings a bit more challenge than your typical 3D platformer, so don't expect plumber or dragon difficulty...
Crash Bandicoot
Good remake of a mid-90's, 3D platformer. The bridge levels can be absolutely ridiculous though. If you can get past those, you can beat the game.
3/5
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Personally, this is my favorite Crash Bandicoot game. Much more refined than its predecessor. Was the first one I played as part of a demo disc back in the PS1 era.
4/5
Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped
The ending of the Crash trilogy. Another solid 3D platformer. It does show its age with some of its controls though - in particular during the vehicle levels...those were beyond frustrating.
3.5/5
Crash Bandicoot
Good remake of a mid-90's, 3D platformer. The bridge levels can be absolutely ridiculous though. If you can get past those, you can beat the game.
3/5
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Personally, this is my favorite Crash Bandicoot game. Much more refined than its predecessor. Was the first one I played as part of a demo disc back in the PS1 era.
4/5
Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped
The ending of the Crash trilogy. Another solid 3D platformer. It does show its age with some of its controls though - in particular during the vehicle levels...those were beyond frustrating.
3.5/5