Lyze
2023
I’m partial to late night gaming, and though I have nodded off laid out on my couch after putting the controller down, never have I fallen asleep while actively holding the controller and playing a game, and even less so during a boss fight. But thats exactly what happened while I was playing Forspoken. Its actually something of a milestone for me, to play a game that actually put me to sleep while actively playing it.
That being said, this game wasn’t as terrible as I expected it to be. The setting and lore are all excellent in concept, though I wish they belonged to another game, a better one that doesn’t rush it’s plot threads and character development to the point where every major event it crammed in the last few hours of gameplay. The combat and abilities were actually pretty fun, however, though they could be a bit choppy at times. What I believe is the worst aspect of this game is the open world, if you can even call it that. Save for a few tougher enemies and the occasional horde, the world is devoid of any life or interest apart from the occasional dungeon. An empty open world isnt an open world. Again, a lot of what this game has to offer is really cool in concept, but its the execution that is lacking. Its a shame, really. This really could’ve been something special, especially coming from Square Enix.
That being said, this game wasn’t as terrible as I expected it to be. The setting and lore are all excellent in concept, though I wish they belonged to another game, a better one that doesn’t rush it’s plot threads and character development to the point where every major event it crammed in the last few hours of gameplay. The combat and abilities were actually pretty fun, however, though they could be a bit choppy at times. What I believe is the worst aspect of this game is the open world, if you can even call it that. Save for a few tougher enemies and the occasional horde, the world is devoid of any life or interest apart from the occasional dungeon. An empty open world isnt an open world. Again, a lot of what this game has to offer is really cool in concept, but its the execution that is lacking. Its a shame, really. This really could’ve been something special, especially coming from Square Enix.
Team Tifa again (She's canon now)
Ch. 12 is peak, would play again
Ch. 12 is peak, would play again
2021
Genuinely some of the best combat I have ever experienced. The mechanics are as smooth as butter, and everything from the abilities to the most normal of attacks just feels right. That being said, the combat heavily carries here, because while the story is nothing egregious, it did feel rushed and choppy at times. The characters themselves are written decently well enough, though some are definitely left underdeveloped. Overall, an experience that Im actually looking forward to reliving when I eventually play Kasane’s route.
This game made me switch from Team Tifa to Team Aerith.
In all seriousness, this game was a hell of an experience. The music is masterfully composed, and the graphics, consistent for the most part, are beautiful. The main cast have so much chemistry together, and it’s tied together by the voice performances. It took me a while to get through this game, but I’m so glad I took my time because I was able to enjoy the little things along way and take everything in properly. I can definitely see myself coming back to this game for a replay in the future.
In all seriousness, this game was a hell of an experience. The music is masterfully composed, and the graphics, consistent for the most part, are beautiful. The main cast have so much chemistry together, and it’s tied together by the voice performances. It took me a while to get through this game, but I’m so glad I took my time because I was able to enjoy the little things along way and take everything in properly. I can definitely see myself coming back to this game for a replay in the future.
Literally one of the greatest games of all time.
Goated.
Goated.
2020
I played the original beta for it back in the day and found it to be mediocre at best. While controlling decently enough, general gameplay was monotonous. My experience with the beta led me not to purchase the game upon release, and the general consensus surrounding it ensured that I never would. I'm not even sure this game is worth the 8 dollars it sometimes goes on sale for.
2017
Upon finishing Route A, I was left wanting more. The OST and visuals are beautifully done, and I rather had a blast with the combat. I only managed to get one alternate ending in this playthrough, and it was because I ate that damn fish (Screw that fish. I hadn't saved before I ate it and had to redo an hour and a half of side quests and level-grinding). Also, 9S is a real one.
2023
This review contains spoilers
Fire Emblem Engage may be nothing more than just an anniversary title in the eyes of some, but I believe it is much more than that. The immense success of Three Houses was a testament to the fact that this series still has much to offer for years to come, and that was demonstrated perfectly here. I will say, however, that storyline and character writing was better done by Three Houses, while Engage reverts to the much more simple and traditional Good vs Evil, in this case, "Good Dragon vs Evil Dragon." Some plot threads such as Alear being Veyle's sibling are telegraphed ones but are harmless nonetheless. The character writing, similarly, reverts to much more simple and straightforward characters as opposed to the sometimes morally gray writing of Three Houses characters such as Dimitri and Edelgard (Though they all still committed war crimes), which isn't to say that the characters aren't interesting, quite the contrary. What really sticks out in this entry is of course the core gameplay. Unlike Three House's Academy Arc, which is a slog to get through after the first playthrough, Engage allows the player to jump right into the fray of battle without needing to first spend hours grinding social sim aspects and such in the hub world. The fights themselves are the best they've ever been, especially with the great additions of the Emblems and the break mechanic. The maps are a noticeable improvement over past entries (Especially Three Houses) and are fun to play through. The music, while still composed really well, is in my opinion, a downgrade from that of Three Houses, though Im sure that some can argue the contrary.
Final thoughts:
-The Crown Royals are pretty decently written, notably Ivy and Diamant
-Character designs are really well done
-Storyline is generic but harmless
-Dialogue can be cheesy and corny, but doesn't detract too much
-OST is just alright
Final thoughts:
-The Crown Royals are pretty decently written, notably Ivy and Diamant
-Character designs are really well done
-Storyline is generic but harmless
-Dialogue can be cheesy and corny, but doesn't detract too much
-OST is just alright
2017
When I first played this oh so many years ago, I thought it was decent enough. Looking back, it's pretty painfully mid. The cast of playable characters being mostly from Fates and Awakening kinda sucks, especially considering the absence of anyone from FEs 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. The story is awfully generic, and not in a harmless Fire Emblem "Beat the evil" story, no, its just bad. Gameplay is meh and the mechanics are whatever.
This review contains spoilers
While I wish that the side story was a tad bit longer, the restricted classes and limited gold added an extra element of strategy to the general gameplay. The new characters included, the Ashen Wolves, are charming enough characters, with Hapi and Balthus being my favorite of the bunch. Prior to playing, I only knew about the Aelfric twist, which is honestly so telegraphed that I didn't mind going in with that knowledge. The new maps offer a decent amount of challenge, especially with the locked character roster and limited resources. However, I do not believe that this is worth $25. For what it is, it's not even worth $20. I recently managed to snag it for $15, and I do think that this is a fair enough price point for the overall package, which at the end of the day, is a decent enough addition to the base game.
This game is something of a mixed bag for me. On one hand, the series has never looked better. The graphics really are outstanding, though once again, Lara's hair is the most visually impressive piece. The story is decent enough, probably my favorite of the three, though it can feel rushed and muddled at times. I can especially appreciate the focus on Aztec and Mesoamerican history/mythology this time around, and it brings to the game some of my favorite locations and artifacts of the series. The gameplay is more or less the same, though slightly fine-tuned. Overall, the story is decent, though can feel choppy, but the graphics and gameplay are very much there, and it culminates into what really feels like a true Tomb Raider game.
2021
Played it for about 10 minutes, and dropped it thereafter. It should only be a single star, but I'll give it some props for the character designs/art style, which is still being generous.
This review contains spoilers
Not unlike Uncharted 4, Lost Legacy is absolutely visually stunning. The lighting, the colors, the water effects, everything works off of each other so nicely to create this graphical showcase. Being originally an expansion to Uncharted 4, there isn't a lot of substance here in terms of story, but what we do get is more than enough. Chloe and Nadine bounce really well off each other, and Sam's inclusion was a pleasant surprise. I believe it could be argued this is an overall better game than Drake's Fortune, and even did the convoy sequence better than Among Thieves, but considering that it's not meant to be anything more than an expansion, 2-4 are still better experiences.