Note: Played the PSP port. Also, spoilers in the story section.

I've heard Persona 2: Innocent Sin praised as one of Atlus' absolute best games for quite a while, and a few weeks ago, interested in getting back into the SMT franchise, I finally decided I should give it a try. Bottom line is, I see where its fans are coming from, but I can't really say I felt the same way about it.

What is most commonly brought up as Innocent Sin's biggest flaw is the combat, and with that comes an asterisk- the PS1 version is apparently a bit better in this regard, but by the time I found that out, I was deep enough into the PSP port to not want to switch over. As far as the version I did play... yeah, kinda? Mechanically it works, it's just simple and slow as shit. I think I didn't suffer as much as you would on a PSP cause I just held fast forward on every fight (including the final boss- oops), but I can't say that makes it less bad, it just makes it less annoying. On the positive side of things I think this is my favorite demon conversation system in the entire series? I know it's from Persona 1 but there's a proper amount of strategy (well, of trial and error, but close enough) in it without sacrificing personality, not to mention there's a fuckton of unique dialogue you can get. I like the card system for fusing Personas but with the combat being what it is it doesn't really come together as necessary, especially with a lot of high tier Personas actually having pretty mediocre skillsets.

On the flip side, Persona 2's greatest strength is definitely its main cast- each of them is incredibly endearing and they play off each other amazingly in both comedic and serious scenes. Tatsuya, the MC, is inevitably the weakest link due to Atlus' obsession with silent protagonists, but even then there's some neat stuff to dig into rather than a complete blank slate. Eikichi, the "bro" character, has a good amount of depth to him and is actually pretty funny, though he does run into the issue of sometimes being treated as a joke when he shouldn't by the rest of the cast- Lisa Silverman is maybe the most interesting character in the cast, "openly has a crush on the MC and their entire relationship is built around neither knowing what to do about it" is bizarre but simultaneously relatable, and she's overall usually very neat. Maya is probably my least favorite of the proper characters but I appreciate this utter force of positivity that she is in every circumstance, that can very easily be done wrong but it never comes off as irritating in her case. Finally there's Yukino, apparently a returning character from Persona 1- she's really fucking cool, though with every other character sharing a really deep bond you slowly unravel through the game, she feels a bit out of place in that regard. Still there's a really genuine sense of friendship in the cast's scenes together, and I think that when Persona 2 works, it's usually because of them.

When it doesn't work, is in its greater themes and grander scope storytelling- first off capping off the game with an ultimate climax of "is humanity bad or good? beat the shit out of god to find out" is such a fucking trite cliche in JRPGs that I couldn't believe this otherwise pretty original plot was heading in that direction. I'm oversimplifying, there's more to it, I think the overarching villain is a good one, though his actual actions are pretty poorly explained in the game proper (am loathe to admit it but just looking shit up on the wiki helped a lot) and I appreciate the themes of fatherhood and trying to find a purpose tied into it but I dunno, it never clicked. I think the reason why it didn't, and the biggest writing issue with P2, is that it just goes too fast in its second half. Suddenly Hitler and his magic mecha army are attacking the town and we find out who Joker is and we fight him and we find out what the link between the characters is and a bunch of characters have arcs and we learn that like 30 different conspiracy theories are true and we find out that- it's a lot of stuff and none of it has the time to sink in, especially with so many concepts being thrown at you that you're not sure if they matter of you're supposed to understand them. I can see that the things being done here are good, but they, just don't have any emotional impact. Me being stupid might also play a role, though- I missed a few connections that enhance my opinion of the story a lot, and I don't know if it's because IS doesn't highlight them properly or if it's because I just missed them. So I dunno, not the biggest fan I suppose. Definitely interested in Eternal Punishment though.

In its first week, 1000xResist has received near unanimous praise for its story. I am not one of those people. I wanted to make clear what this is on the surface as a caveat for those sucked in by hype but aren’t primed for this sort of experience, which at points was the only thing keeping me going (besides the fantastic somber music).

The prose often consists of punchy psuedo-poetic labyrinthine conversations. I’d say Disco Elysium has poisoned the well here in terms of how its influence has conditioned gamers to treat cryptic rambling as the gold standard for writing in games. I think there was a finesse to the writing in Disco Elysium that made me believe in it regardless of my inability to latch onto it emotionally or intellectually but I must say I tend to feel dead inside by its imitators. This applies to the work of Hideo Kojima and Yoko Taro as well, whose work is similarly convoluted, but have a playfulness about them I find intoxicating regardless. 1000xResist takes itself far too seriously to develop much of a personality of its own, which leads me to a compounding issue here- the clones.

I think using clones is an excellent idea for a more budgeted title like this (fewer voice actors, fewer models) but it’s detrimental to understanding a complicated story when its singular voice actor is talking to herself in limited shades of aloof and tired. It’s a great gear to be stuck in for a sci-fi story I guess but the emotional range is lacking and the supporting voice talent isn’t doing nearly enough to inject the story with much flavour. Differentiation is needed in a narrative with so many twists and turns- because they were all technically the same people, emotionally I treated them as such. I didn’t care. I didn’t understand the stakes. My plot comprehension is pretty poor on the whole, so calling me out on that is fair, but the acting and writing is actively undermining clarity and I do see that as an underlying flaw.

The gameplay is fine. I like relaxing story-driven games without combat. But let’s talk about its derivative elements. If you’ve played your fair share of games in the past 10 years you’re probably well-acquainted with “vision quest” segments that plop you in a hazy psychedelic space with oversized familiar objects placed in haphazard positions untethered by gravity as symbolic waypoints for the fractured psychology of a character’s emotional distress. I am unbelievably tired of this trope, and 1000xResist makes an entire mechanic out of it. TBH it actually pissed me off less in this case just because of its commitment to the bit, but when trying to understand the story in tandem with its other quirks, there’s just layers and layers of inception here I don’t care to sift through.

Again- just my caveats! If you’re predisposed to enjoying these kinds of bendy sci-fi stories, I’m happy you’ll get a lot out of this. Not for me. To give it marginal credit, the prose itself never got anywhere near as bad as the “dumpster Jiao” line in chapter one. There is an overall maturity here I do appreciate despite my objections.

A truly amazing video game narrative that should not go ignored by anyone who is a fan of story-driven titles. The dialogue and the characters are so skillfully done. I don't want to reveal anything, but the game's story is so ambitious and daunting in scale and it somehow pulls it off. It's a game about SO many things and it somehow doesn't lose itself in that abundance of plotlines and concepts.

There were many times where I thought I had 1000xResist figured out, and it continued to prove me wrong and surprise me. Every time I thought I saw all that this game had to offer, it one-upped itself and just progressively rose further and further up the ranks as one of the most engaging and unique game narratives I've seen.

Obviously, as a narrative-driven game, it's the story that's the crown jewel here but it also has excellent art direction. The graphics and animation are nothing to ride home about, but the framing of scenes and how the camera can be utilized makes so many moments feel dynamic and carefully thought out. It's so well achieved that the many setbacks, like the lack of lip movement on characters, or the fact that there's not much animation at all in scenes - especially intense ones - doesn't feel like it takes away from the impact. It compliments the artistry in a way, whether intentional or not.

Talking about impact, another huge factor of what makes 1000xResist amazing is the voice acting. I was impressed by many of the performances in this game, not to mention that every line in this games script is voiced. Considering how much dialogue there is, and the indie nature of the title, that's an incredible achievement. There were a FEW odd deliveries, in my opinion, and some characters that I wasn't super keen on the performances of, but it's overall pretty excellent work.

Oh man, and THE SOUNDTRACK! A game without a beautiful OST is a crime in my eyes and I really liked what was composed for 1000xResist. With how many perspectives and layers there are to the game, it's so fitting that the music befits that as well. There's tracks that are moody, solemn piano pieces and then there are some exciting synthwave-y tracks. It's not super in-your-face like how many video game OSTs can be, but it's just as much part of the genetic makeup of this game as every other aspect.

I don't have many qualms with this game EXCEPT the Orchard. It's a neat hub area, but I found it sort of tricky to get around. The waypoint system's a bit odd and sometimes I ran around in circles just trying to find the right pathway to get somewhere. A map would have been handy getting better accustomed to it because, for the life of me, I struggled with this my entire playthrough.

Other than that, this game is amazing and I will be there day one to see whatever else the team at Sunset Visitor does next.

Absolutely floored. 1000xResist is one of my favorite games in years and quite possibly my Game of The Year for 2024!

Without question, it is the story that shines here. In terms of gameplay, it's a pretty straightforward walking sim with some light dialogue choice systems and a bit of Adventure game dna. That story though?

1000xResist is a scifi narrative game that explores themes of Pandemic, authoritarianism, and the Hong Kong protests. Its world, shaped by the last living human -- a teenage girl -- and her many clones is bleak and uncomfortable. There is a sense of artifice to everything, because their world has no opportunity for anything else. Everything is fake, everything is a lie, and you the Watcher, the one person in the world who gets to know the truth.

The magic of this story is in the execution; every layer and twisting thread is handled perfectly. Far better than I would have dared hope for, and boldly enough to nourish a need that I've had for years.

If you are someone who doesn't mind a walking sim, and if that story description above interests you at all, you MUST play this game.

An ambitious and provoking narrative spanning across many generations.

1000xResist, Sunset Visitor's debut work, is undoubtedly one of my favorite releases of the year. Gameplay-wise, it's mostly a walking simulator with light puzzles, but with some excellent direction, it effectively portrays what it wants at various points. Chapter 2 is a clear example of such display by switching to a different gameplay perspective and utilizing more non-linear memory sequences. Each chapter has a distinct feel to it when it comes to its gameplay/art direction. It does look really low budget at many points, with some amateurish voice work. But I loved the style, vision, and methods the developers worked with in order to capture the game.

The game and its themes centering around the 2019 Hong Kong protests, immigration, COVID-19 pandemic, etc. are very prominent. I'm not well-versed with some of the matters the game links itself to, but I believe everything is incredibly weaved into the story and is properly handled. The allusions can be a bit on the nose at times. However, they're still so powerfully portrayed that I don't really have a problem with it. Even if you aren't familiar with what I've described, I'd still recommend to play it even if you slightly understand these problems more afterwards.

Aside from all this, the game has an intriguing mystery to follow with constantly shifting situations and a great cast to boot. There's a great mystique to the game, with every twist and turn pulling you in. The cast of humans and sisters change greatly over the course of the game (or rather unfold), whether it be for better or for worse. There's a lot going on for this game as it focuses on forgiveness, trauma, and so much more to look into.

Other aspects of the game I loved:

In the short time that I spent with them, I enjoyed some of the minor characters. There were some pretty fun interactions and dialogues.

Though the voicework is not consistently good as stated earlier, there were still some fantastic parts.

There's a common criticism of games as a medium that even their best narratives lack something in comparison to those of books, movies, etc. And while games are what I love, from a narrative perspective I have found that framing hard to disagree with. There are several games that have changed my life, but they are so often unsophisticated in their meaning-making. They are frequently blunt in their delivery and single-purposed, perhaps because it is so difficult to do all of the creative mediums at once and tell a story with interactivity. I love games because of that ambition, and yet...

I think 1000xResist actually defies that notion. And I don't mean to say that as if everyone who plays this will have their life changed forever or whatever, but it IS one of the most thought-stirring games I've ever played. It is utterly overflowing in meaning. It is not impressive merely "because it is a video game," or because of clever interactions that "could only happen in a game," yet all the while it makes shrewd use of its interactivity. It's the kind of narrative where truly nothing is without purpose, and I spent its entire runtime learning how to reinterpret past scenes, adding layers to the meaning that I had already derrived.

I'm afraid all of that is going to come across like I'm just dumping hyperbole on it without getting specific. It is sort of a challenge to articulate what it speaks to, because there truly is so much: it speaks to the experience of COVID-19, of the tension between immigrant parents and their children, of fitting in, of finding one's purpose, of generational trauma, of mental health, and so much more.

"But isn't this just the way? We do not get to choose what we inherit."

My story-driven gamers your going to love this one you NEED to play it.
I don't know where to begin with this title I cannot articulate the level at which this game achieves because it is something above a masterwork but I must press on.
The music is wonderful. The characters are so complex with a lot of depth and the relationship dynamics on display is just gut-wrenching to the point it hurts. Don't let the graphics dissuade your interest because the art direction is so fucking spectacular you'll be surprised with how gorgeous this game can be. The character design is important for a game like this you know if you know or you'll find out hopefully. The designs are very distinct with the outfits and color. The use of color is used in ways I'm just so enthralled by with how little and how much they can me. The VAs really do an amazing job of giving these characters a voice and more.
Red to Blue, Mother.

A bear perfect story with so many layers and ideas that I could dive into everything about it here for hours. It's a completely story based game so I cannot talk about it here.

The only reason I cannot rate it a ten out of ten is because the gameplay is very minimal and I wish there was a bit more puzzle solving with it. But I'm ok as that isn't the point. Another thing is that I also played it on switch which led to a couple crashes and frame rate issues.

Literally check out this game it's incredible. It deserves so many awards

damn. didn't really expect that right after Land of the Lustrous (a singular manga and one of my all-time favorites) ended, an indie game would pop up operating on the same level, about many of the same themes, in its own incredible and singular way. a bit speechless. also very validating proof that we can (and should) demand more of games on a narrative level.
really struggling with star reviews. i used star reviews on letterboxd for a few years before opting for heart/no heart which is also troubled but in general feels better. happy to have another crack at it but it feels weird to not give this 5 stars, but i will stand by how i'm doing things for now at least... (5 stars being the all time top of the top of the top, which this also might be! need to sit on it for a minute)

1000XResist is so skillfully recursive, it folds back on itself so effortlessly, it wrenches your heart out and soaks you in addictive melodrama.

There is a core within the core of this game here. Some of the most on the nose stuff, the relation to the Hong Kong protests, I don't care about and wasn't moved to care for. I thought some of the allusions there were inelegant. I have other raw feelings on this but they're unimportant, the point is that despite not really feeling anything for the game's big metaphor and not being really convinced that I should care, it didn't matter.

1000xResist is such an accomplished angsty brood that any clumsiness can be easily forgiven. It takes on all questions, all comers, and leave them wondering what they've been doing with their lives. It is utterly confident in its voice and as powerful a game narrative as I've ever experienced.

Gonna be hard to go back to Stellar Blade after this.

For years I avoided playing this game because it looked so stupid and silly that I thought there was no way I could have fun. I have no idea why I decided why to go ahead and pull the trigger and start playing it. Turns out it is stupid but it was also very funny and a nice game to be able to turn off your brain and just play. Its weird to say about a game where your a shark that can fly 50 feet out of the water and your sole purpose is to eat everything in sight can be relaxing but it truly was for me.

The best part of this game by far is the narration, voiced by Chris Parnell. Maneater understands its game is off the rails and uses this opportunity to give Parnell some incredibly off the wall and funny lines. The gameplay at first is very fun but it does quickly become a game of hitting the same few buttons to eat anything whether it be a fish, seal, human, great white shark, a boat, or a sperm whale. To be honest though that was part of what I enjoyed about it in a way. I just sat back, turned off my brain, got collectables, attacked humans, and listened to Parnell say funny things. Its not a great game by any means but if you've just played some challenging games or a few long RPG's I think this game is a good option to kind of reset you mentally to get ready for your next challenge or long adventure.

Also fuck Scaly Pete.

2024 games played ranked.
https://www.backloggd.com/u/DVince89/list/games-i-played-in-2024-ranked-1/