this game was really fucking great. it has definitely the most unique combat system in any game i've ever played. i love a lot of the characters (i have a special place in my heart for Shiki and her arc) and the whole vibe of everything is immaculate. it's honestly kinda crazy that this is a DS game in terms of the production value here. the soundtrack is full of bangers, the voice lines are nice, and there's a lot of variety with all of the equipment and fights. some systems in the game are a little weird to me, such as gaining PP for however long you don't play the game, the "trends" system, the way you're limited by how much you can eat in real world time, and the friendship system with shopkeepers. however, for the most part, those don't really negatively affect the experience, so they just end up being little oddities about the game.
i wish i got a little more time with each of the partners, as once you're past their section in the game, you're onto another, never to return (at least for a playthrough straight to the end without using chapter selection). as such, it doesn't feel that worth it to level your partners or give them incredibly lucrative gear or food, since you're not going to even be able to salvage that equipment from them later. i imagine those systems are probably more worth it on higher difficulties, but from a casual playthrough on normal the entire time, they didn't seem to have too much of a point.
i was a little worried that the touch screen gameplay was going to feel weird and janky, and it definitely did at first, but by the end of the game it felt natural. the same goes for the top screen partner gameplay. i turned off auto-play for my partner around halfway through the first week, and while it is incredibly difficult to get used to, once you gain a good grasp of how to effectively dodge attacks and get fusions, it's some of the most satisfying combat ever. the inclusion of the "light puck" mechanic that incentivizes alternating between finishing moves of Neku and your partner is absolutely brilliant, as it lets you shift your main focus ever so slightly for whoever has the puck in order to optimize your damage. i can definitely see how some people could fall in the trap of just blindly spamming to the side for all the partners, but getting over that hump in the learning curve was super worth it, and going for fusions is such a fun little diversion as you tap the shit out of noise on the bottom screen.
the story isn't the most insane thing in the world, but i love the concept of the reaper game. there was a surprising amount of philosophical and intellectual arguments for both the importance of individuality and connections with other people, and i'm here for it. i really enjoy the sentiment of how letting our worlds reach out and collide with other people's worlds isn't something to be afraid of, but something to strive for that can make each of our worlds more special.
overall, i had a fantastic time with this game, and i will consider going for the secret reports and playing the side story "Another Day" in the future. for now, though, that shall wrap up my time with this game. that shit ended with me. loved it.
i wish i got a little more time with each of the partners, as once you're past their section in the game, you're onto another, never to return (at least for a playthrough straight to the end without using chapter selection). as such, it doesn't feel that worth it to level your partners or give them incredibly lucrative gear or food, since you're not going to even be able to salvage that equipment from them later. i imagine those systems are probably more worth it on higher difficulties, but from a casual playthrough on normal the entire time, they didn't seem to have too much of a point.
i was a little worried that the touch screen gameplay was going to feel weird and janky, and it definitely did at first, but by the end of the game it felt natural. the same goes for the top screen partner gameplay. i turned off auto-play for my partner around halfway through the first week, and while it is incredibly difficult to get used to, once you gain a good grasp of how to effectively dodge attacks and get fusions, it's some of the most satisfying combat ever. the inclusion of the "light puck" mechanic that incentivizes alternating between finishing moves of Neku and your partner is absolutely brilliant, as it lets you shift your main focus ever so slightly for whoever has the puck in order to optimize your damage. i can definitely see how some people could fall in the trap of just blindly spamming to the side for all the partners, but getting over that hump in the learning curve was super worth it, and going for fusions is such a fun little diversion as you tap the shit out of noise on the bottom screen.
the story isn't the most insane thing in the world, but i love the concept of the reaper game. there was a surprising amount of philosophical and intellectual arguments for both the importance of individuality and connections with other people, and i'm here for it. i really enjoy the sentiment of how letting our worlds reach out and collide with other people's worlds isn't something to be afraid of, but something to strive for that can make each of our worlds more special.
overall, i had a fantastic time with this game, and i will consider going for the secret reports and playing the side story "Another Day" in the future. for now, though, that shall wrap up my time with this game. that shit ended with me. loved it.