NathanTheMHFan
Honestly this might be my favorite Falcom game ever.
The gameplay was fun and satisfying. I had a ton of fun trying out everyone's different play styles, and I was actively encouraged to use everyone. Hummel and Ricotta I used less, but they were still fun. Flash Moving and Flash Guarding took a while to master but it made the combat more fun once I got the hang of it. And outside of combat, I loved the exploration aspect. The Isle of Seiren actively encouraged me to explore its every nook and cranny, and going back to previously inaccessible areas once I got the appropriate Adventuring Gear was always a treat.
The OST is an absolute banger. Probably in my top 3 Falcom OSTs of all time. When Sunshine Coastline first played, little did I know that it was only a preview to an absolutely banging soundtrack. Hope Alive in particular is my favorite Falcom boss theme now.
As for the setting, apart from what I already mentioned above about exploration I quite liked the feel of the island. As a Monster Hunter fan, the Isle of Seiren gave me a similar vibe to the Deserted Island/Moga Woods from Monster Hunter Tri, which added to my enjoyment. And I loved Castaway Village, and each castaway endeared me in their own ways. I actively searched for castaways to rescue and maxed out their approvals, I was that endeared to them.
The core party was also a joy to be with. Laxia, Sahad, Hummel, and Ricotta all were very fun and endearing characters in their own ways and I was attached to them all, and Adol, while a (largely) silent protagonist, was cool too. But the real star of the show has to be Dana herself. She's such a well-written character, her struggles and suffering were heartwrenching to watch, and her unyielding determination despite the odds being stacked against her was downright inspiring to see. Dana has become one of my absolute favorite characters in fiction and has officially surpassed Estelle as my favorite Falcom character.
So yeah. Ys VIII was great and I enjoyed my time with it quite a lot.
Dana Forever!
The gameplay was fun and satisfying. I had a ton of fun trying out everyone's different play styles, and I was actively encouraged to use everyone. Hummel and Ricotta I used less, but they were still fun. Flash Moving and Flash Guarding took a while to master but it made the combat more fun once I got the hang of it. And outside of combat, I loved the exploration aspect. The Isle of Seiren actively encouraged me to explore its every nook and cranny, and going back to previously inaccessible areas once I got the appropriate Adventuring Gear was always a treat.
The OST is an absolute banger. Probably in my top 3 Falcom OSTs of all time. When Sunshine Coastline first played, little did I know that it was only a preview to an absolutely banging soundtrack. Hope Alive in particular is my favorite Falcom boss theme now.
As for the setting, apart from what I already mentioned above about exploration I quite liked the feel of the island. As a Monster Hunter fan, the Isle of Seiren gave me a similar vibe to the Deserted Island/Moga Woods from Monster Hunter Tri, which added to my enjoyment. And I loved Castaway Village, and each castaway endeared me in their own ways. I actively searched for castaways to rescue and maxed out their approvals, I was that endeared to them.
The core party was also a joy to be with. Laxia, Sahad, Hummel, and Ricotta all were very fun and endearing characters in their own ways and I was attached to them all, and Adol, while a (largely) silent protagonist, was cool too. But the real star of the show has to be Dana herself. She's such a well-written character, her struggles and suffering were heartwrenching to watch, and her unyielding determination despite the odds being stacked against her was downright inspiring to see. Dana has become one of my absolute favorite characters in fiction and has officially surpassed Estelle as my favorite Falcom character.
So yeah. Ys VIII was great and I enjoyed my time with it quite a lot.
Dana Forever!
I'm gonna be quite harsh here.
This expansion is highway robbery.
Its asking price is way too high to be justifiable, since it adds NOTHING new to the gameplay--no new Artes, no new systems, nothing. A lot of the enemies are just reskins from the base game, which I've already grown to dislike over time. Speaking of, the story didn't make me feel anything, Nazamil is a nothing character, and this overall just feels like one long side mission in the base game, with all the repetitiveness that comes with it.
Overall, this is a nothingburger expansion that is way too pricey.
This expansion is highway robbery.
Its asking price is way too high to be justifiable, since it adds NOTHING new to the gameplay--no new Artes, no new systems, nothing. A lot of the enemies are just reskins from the base game, which I've already grown to dislike over time. Speaking of, the story didn't make me feel anything, Nazamil is a nothing character, and this overall just feels like one long side mission in the base game, with all the repetitiveness that comes with it.
Overall, this is a nothingburger expansion that is way too pricey.
2020
My favorite Persona game, full stop. I know knives will be aimed at my throat for preferring this over Persona 5 Royal or even Persona 3 FES, but I'll stand by this.
2016
My favorite Tales game, full stop. The combat isn't the best out there (Vesperia will always have my favorite combat, and even Arise surpasses Berseria in terms of combat imo), but it more than makes up for it with its stellar characters and story.
2019
Don't care what anyone says, this will always be my favorite entry in the entire series.
1994
My absolute favorite Final Fantasy. While I consider 9 to be the best on a technical standpoint and my second favorite overall, 6 will always be the closest to my heart.
My favorite Monster Hunter, and my absolute favorite video game of all time.