MoodyBlues
1997
Finally played the most popular FF game and it certainly deserves all the praise.
I was hooked from start to finish with only some frictions here and there.
I was kinda disappointed with the gameplay after FFVI. While each character in VI had a unique fighting style, like the Blitz with its combo-like attacks and the Bushido techniques, the gameplay here is just more or less standard Final Fantasy.
The Materia system is certainly more flexible than the Magicite, and it allowed for ease of swapping out party members without the loss of your most used magic (although I was always spending 10 minutes trying to optimize what Materia to equip to each character)
I also liked the many minigames they added and the gameplay sections that differed from JRPG gameplay, like the motorcycle chase and the Snowboard. While some parts of those lacked polish (which is understandable for an early PS title) it added to the charm of the game.
The story was amazing and had some nice twists and turns, though I was spoiled a couple of plot points (you know which), those moments didn't lose their impact.
The dungeons were kinda disappointing, being mostly going from point A to point B, with branching paths every once in a while. There was a couple of dungeons that were pretty cool actually, like the Temple of the Ancients and the last dungeon, but other than those two, the rest are just forgettable.
The boss fights were all great and I didn't have much issue with any of them, and they all had pretty cool designs, especially nearing the end of Part 2.
The final boss has to be the most stressed I've ever been while playing a video game.
Definitely glad I've played this game and it is certainly a must-play.
I was hooked from start to finish with only some frictions here and there.
I was kinda disappointed with the gameplay after FFVI. While each character in VI had a unique fighting style, like the Blitz with its combo-like attacks and the Bushido techniques, the gameplay here is just more or less standard Final Fantasy.
The Materia system is certainly more flexible than the Magicite, and it allowed for ease of swapping out party members without the loss of your most used magic (although I was always spending 10 minutes trying to optimize what Materia to equip to each character)
I also liked the many minigames they added and the gameplay sections that differed from JRPG gameplay, like the motorcycle chase and the Snowboard. While some parts of those lacked polish (which is understandable for an early PS title) it added to the charm of the game.
The story was amazing and had some nice twists and turns, though I was spoiled a couple of plot points (you know which), those moments didn't lose their impact.
The dungeons were kinda disappointing, being mostly going from point A to point B, with branching paths every once in a while. There was a couple of dungeons that were pretty cool actually, like the Temple of the Ancients and the last dungeon, but other than those two, the rest are just forgettable.
The boss fights were all great and I didn't have much issue with any of them, and they all had pretty cool designs, especially nearing the end of Part 2.
The final boss has to be the most stressed I've ever been while playing a video game.
Definitely glad I've played this game and it is certainly a must-play.
2018
The five stages of Yakuza 3:
Denial: "No, I refuse to accept that this game is bad as it seems"
Anger: "This game is bullshit. I'm 4 chapters in and we are still doing orphanage missions and no real story progression."
Bargaining: "Well, maybe the game is not so bad. The story seems kinda interesting."
Depression: "What the hell! Another orphanage sequence, and a goddamn 45 minute-infodumping. This is COMPLETE BULLSHIT"
Acceptance: "Well, at least the last chapter is good and the last couple fights are not a pain in the ass."
Denial: "No, I refuse to accept that this game is bad as it seems"
Anger: "This game is bullshit. I'm 4 chapters in and we are still doing orphanage missions and no real story progression."
Bargaining: "Well, maybe the game is not so bad. The story seems kinda interesting."
Depression: "What the hell! Another orphanage sequence, and a goddamn 45 minute-infodumping. This is COMPLETE BULLSHIT"
Acceptance: "Well, at least the last chapter is good and the last couple fights are not a pain in the ass."
2017
Apologies in advance for poor writing, as this will be my first attempt at writing a review for a favorite game of mine and this may take longer than 5 or 6 lines. With that out of the way, let's begin.
First, I'd like to say that at this time of my life, I don't have many friends, or rather I lost most of them. When I first played this game I rediscovered the joy of gaming and the feeling that I once had when I was on my first playthrough of Dark Souls. The feeling that you are alone in the world with only a handful of NPCs to guide you or be some form of comfort in your journey into the depths of the world. The feeling of getting lost and going deeper than you thought you would, and then finding a shortcut that makes your trip back easier. These were some of the things that made me fall in love with this game immediately.
Further elaborating on the point of me not having many friends, I spent two days living totally alone with no internet connection or any form of contact, and I was having difficulty sleeping at night. But this game saved me from all that; I would just spend the night exploring new areas or fighting bosses and I would be truly happy and not afraid of anything.
Walking in the City of Tears, with the calming soundtrack and the sound of rain and the footsteps of the Knight making wet noises was just comforting. Getting lost in Deepnest due to discovering it by accident and getting back up, (Minor spoiler ahead) seeing someone that looks like me and then finding out it is a terrifying boss and beating him, that feeling of triumph and getting over your fears, walking around in the verdant Greenpath, those were all the things that made me truly love this game, and I owe this game so much for being able to spend those two days.
I won't talk about the amazing level design, or the well-designed boss fights, or the 40 charms, or the final boss. You know all those things.
I don't know if it's silly to say that I have a personal relationship with this game, but that's the reality. I love this game and I spent about 45 hours trying to 100% the game.
This was truly an amazing experience and I can't wait for Silksong.
Also, I love Hornet.
First, I'd like to say that at this time of my life, I don't have many friends, or rather I lost most of them. When I first played this game I rediscovered the joy of gaming and the feeling that I once had when I was on my first playthrough of Dark Souls. The feeling that you are alone in the world with only a handful of NPCs to guide you or be some form of comfort in your journey into the depths of the world. The feeling of getting lost and going deeper than you thought you would, and then finding a shortcut that makes your trip back easier. These were some of the things that made me fall in love with this game immediately.
Further elaborating on the point of me not having many friends, I spent two days living totally alone with no internet connection or any form of contact, and I was having difficulty sleeping at night. But this game saved me from all that; I would just spend the night exploring new areas or fighting bosses and I would be truly happy and not afraid of anything.
Walking in the City of Tears, with the calming soundtrack and the sound of rain and the footsteps of the Knight making wet noises was just comforting. Getting lost in Deepnest due to discovering it by accident and getting back up, (Minor spoiler ahead) seeing someone that looks like me and then finding out it is a terrifying boss and beating him, that feeling of triumph and getting over your fears, walking around in the verdant Greenpath, those were all the things that made me truly love this game, and I owe this game so much for being able to spend those two days.
I won't talk about the amazing level design, or the well-designed boss fights, or the 40 charms, or the final boss. You know all those things.
I don't know if it's silly to say that I have a personal relationship with this game, but that's the reality. I love this game and I spent about 45 hours trying to 100% the game.
This was truly an amazing experience and I can't wait for Silksong.
Also, I love Hornet.
1988
A masterclass in masochism and absurd level design.
and this is coming from a guy who used save states at the start of each level
and this is coming from a guy who used save states at the start of each level
1998
A timeless first-person shooter with satisfying gunplay and brilliant storytelling that is also actually a horror game.
This game has a lot of great moments, and some chapters were just straight up masterpieces.
I can't find anything wrong with the game other than a couple chapters taking more than they should be, namely On a Rail and Interloper, with the latter becoming ridiculous in its second half, where you'll be fighting, like, a million Vortigaunts and those mini-Nihilianths, combined with the fact that I had almost run out of bullets because of the Gonarch.
An absolute classic and a must-play, especially when you have that banger playing a couple of times.
This game has a lot of great moments, and some chapters were just straight up masterpieces.
I can't find anything wrong with the game other than a couple chapters taking more than they should be, namely On a Rail and Interloper, with the latter becoming ridiculous in its second half, where you'll be fighting, like, a million Vortigaunts and those mini-Nihilianths, combined with the fact that I had almost run out of bullets because of the Gonarch.
An absolute classic and a must-play, especially when you have that banger playing a couple of times.
I have played this every day since I first started it about a week ago, along with snacks and drinks per the game's suggestion.
This was a breathtaking experience to say the least. The characters feel alive, and the writing was superb.
At some points I felt like the game was talking to me, especially with Jill's struggles.
The soundtrack is now playing in my head all day and I can't stop thinking about the game. I'm gonna miss the hell out of all the characters.
This will become one of those games I play yearly from now on.
This was a breathtaking experience to say the least. The characters feel alive, and the writing was superb.
At some points I felt like the game was talking to me, especially with Jill's struggles.
The soundtrack is now playing in my head all day and I can't stop thinking about the game. I'm gonna miss the hell out of all the characters.
This will become one of those games I play yearly from now on.
1991
It would be more fun if they added, like, a YELLOW character with a funny name like Tails or something.
2018
Possibly the best designed side content in an RGG title as of yet. The Friend Events are a brilliant addition and really made Kamurocho feel more alive, and also how different Side Cases overlap with each other made for a bunch of equally hilarious and interesting stories (Sashimi of the Fallen has to be one of my all-time favorite substories).
The minigames are also some of the best the series has to offer, with games like Kamuro of the Dead and Motor Raid being the highlight (I suck at fighting games, so I haven't touched Viruta Fighter 5).
The Drone racing is my favorite racing minigame, second only to Taxi racing in Yakuza 5.
I was planning to do all of the Side Cases, but I got burned out after 40 Side Cases, 38 Friends and 2 Girlfriends, and I was in Chapter 12, so I couldn't resist finishing the game.
The combat is the best in Dragon Engine titles, and I really liked the duality of the focused high-damage Tiger-style, and the wide-range low-damage Crane-style. Playing the game on Hard was a wise choice.
The story was amazing as usual, with the twists and turns characteristic of RGG titles. The cast are all amazing characters and Hamura is one of my favorite characters in the frachise.
The Finale is a 2-hour-long extravaganza of court room drama, over-the-top action sequences, and one of the best final bosses I've ever fought.
The opening drop was hard as fuck.
The minigames are also some of the best the series has to offer, with games like Kamuro of the Dead and Motor Raid being the highlight (I suck at fighting games, so I haven't touched Viruta Fighter 5).
The Drone racing is my favorite racing minigame, second only to Taxi racing in Yakuza 5.
I was planning to do all of the Side Cases, but I got burned out after 40 Side Cases, 38 Friends and 2 Girlfriends, and I was in Chapter 12, so I couldn't resist finishing the game.
The combat is the best in Dragon Engine titles, and I really liked the duality of the focused high-damage Tiger-style, and the wide-range low-damage Crane-style. Playing the game on Hard was a wise choice.
The story was amazing as usual, with the twists and turns characteristic of RGG titles. The cast are all amazing characters and Hamura is one of my favorite characters in the frachise.
The Finale is a 2-hour-long extravaganza of court room drama, over-the-top action sequences, and one of the best final bosses I've ever fought.
The opening drop was hard as fuck.
1997
An absolute delight from start to finish.
The game just oozes joy from the beginning cutscene with colorful characters and goofy anime voice acting.
Liked the lush art style and the cute-looking enemies, and you fight an inflatable dinosaur as a first boss, so that's a win in my book.
The weapons were all pretty good, although not on the same level of usefulness. Being able to change to a certain weapon at the press of a button without having to cycle through them made the gameplay that much more enjoyable.
The game was a little on the easy side for a shmup (It might as well be the only shmup I'll ever beat without using continues), but that didn't make it any less fun.
The game just oozes joy from the beginning cutscene with colorful characters and goofy anime voice acting.
Liked the lush art style and the cute-looking enemies, and you fight an inflatable dinosaur as a first boss, so that's a win in my book.
The weapons were all pretty good, although not on the same level of usefulness. Being able to change to a certain weapon at the press of a button without having to cycle through them made the gameplay that much more enjoyable.
The game was a little on the easy side for a shmup (It might as well be the only shmup I'll ever beat without using continues), but that didn't make it any less fun.
2022
Has some of the best set pieces I have ever seen in a JRPG, or in an FF game. The opera house segment was really unexpected, and Zozo is one of the most memorable areas ever.
I felt the game lose a bit of steam near the end of the first half, especially since I got my ass beat up badly in the Flying Continent, but the second half is where the game really shines.
Having a plethora of side quests and extra playable characters that you can get in any order (mostly) is a breath of fresh air from previous FF titles.
The gameplay was top-notch and a significant step-up from FFV.
My only gripe is that I had to grind a lot for some characters before I attempted the final area, but I guess that just comes with the territory.
The final area is bonkers all the way through, although I spent a solid 10 minutes fighting one of the bosses because of a poorly balanced party.
The final boss was really challenging and I died a couple of times, and I placed the party in the wrong way and had to fight the final final boss with a joke of a party, although they got through just fine.
A JRPG for the ages.
I felt the game lose a bit of steam near the end of the first half, especially since I got my ass beat up badly in the Flying Continent, but the second half is where the game really shines.
Having a plethora of side quests and extra playable characters that you can get in any order (mostly) is a breath of fresh air from previous FF titles.
The gameplay was top-notch and a significant step-up from FFV.
My only gripe is that I had to grind a lot for some characters before I attempted the final area, but I guess that just comes with the territory.
The final area is bonkers all the way through, although I spent a solid 10 minutes fighting one of the bosses because of a poorly balanced party.
The final boss was really challenging and I died a couple of times, and I placed the party in the wrong way and had to fight the final final boss with a joke of a party, although they got through just fine.
A JRPG for the ages.
1998
Played the DX version with 60FPS and Dreamcast conversion mods and it was a pleasant experience throughout.
Aside from some camera issues and boring gameplay segments (Amy and Big campaigns), the game is pretty damn good.
I liked the inclusion of Adventure Fields and just walking around talking to random NPCs.
The OST is a blast, and Open Your Heart is a banger.
People who say this game is bad don't know how to have fun.
Aside from some camera issues and boring gameplay segments (Amy and Big campaigns), the game is pretty damn good.
I liked the inclusion of Adventure Fields and just walking around talking to random NPCs.
The OST is a blast, and Open Your Heart is a banger.
People who say this game is bad don't know how to have fun.
One of the most games ever created.
1994
As an Arab, seeing Molokheiya in one of the most influential games ever made brings a smile to my face
2021
A good puzzle platformer that makes good use of an interesting mechanic and doesn't overstay its welcome. It also suffers from irritating design choices that were somewhat frustrating. Awesome game nonetheless.
2018
Decided to replay this absolute gem (crystal?) of a game.
My first playthrough was somewhat incomplete as I didn't collect all strawberries (only 130 or so), didn't collect all crystal hearts, played only the first 2 B-sides and consequently didn't touch chapter 8.
So, I decided to remedy that this time.
And so, after 26 hours, 6127 deaths, and a lot of cursing and raging at the game and its developers, I have gotten the platinum trophy.
This is my first ever platinum so I'm absolutely happy right now.
The A-sides were all amazing and chapters 5 and onwards are absolute bangers. My only gripe is that I had to restart chapter 7, like, 4 times or so because of all the missable strawberries and I was going for a full clear.
The B-sides were difficult as hell but were enjoyable to an extent, my favorite B-side has to be chapter 5.
The C-sides were easier than I expected them to be and didn't take me as long. I also liked the idea of a super-long room at the end to test your ability and patience to the max.
My favorite C-side also is that of chapter 5, and I was laughing from sheer enjoyment of its final room.
My only complaint is the new mechanic introduced in chapter 8 C-side with no prior training, and then adding that new mechanic as the final hurdle in the final long-ass room. I have died 484 times in that C-side and 80% of those deaths was in that room. I took two days off to calm my mind and have finished it first try right now, so that's okay.
I also found that about a third of my deaths were due to my inability or inaccuracy of moving the analog stick the right way, so next time I'm gonna play it with a keyboard.
I still haven't touched Farewell as I've learned it is supposed to be super long and the most difficult chapter, so I'm gonna take a few day off and attempt it with a clear head.
Peak platforming.
My first playthrough was somewhat incomplete as I didn't collect all strawberries (only 130 or so), didn't collect all crystal hearts, played only the first 2 B-sides and consequently didn't touch chapter 8.
So, I decided to remedy that this time.
And so, after 26 hours, 6127 deaths, and a lot of cursing and raging at the game and its developers, I have gotten the platinum trophy.
This is my first ever platinum so I'm absolutely happy right now.
The A-sides were all amazing and chapters 5 and onwards are absolute bangers. My only gripe is that I had to restart chapter 7, like, 4 times or so because of all the missable strawberries and I was going for a full clear.
The B-sides were difficult as hell but were enjoyable to an extent, my favorite B-side has to be chapter 5.
The C-sides were easier than I expected them to be and didn't take me as long. I also liked the idea of a super-long room at the end to test your ability and patience to the max.
My favorite C-side also is that of chapter 5, and I was laughing from sheer enjoyment of its final room.
My only complaint is the new mechanic introduced in chapter 8 C-side with no prior training, and then adding that new mechanic as the final hurdle in the final long-ass room. I have died 484 times in that C-side and 80% of those deaths was in that room. I took two days off to calm my mind and have finished it first try right now, so that's okay.
I also found that about a third of my deaths were due to my inability or inaccuracy of moving the analog stick the right way, so next time I'm gonna play it with a keyboard.
I still haven't touched Farewell as I've learned it is supposed to be super long and the most difficult chapter, so I'm gonna take a few day off and attempt it with a clear head.
Peak platforming.