sonicbacon123
Woah cool systems given to you early and quality of life! It only took them 6 games! Story and gameplay loop really do nothing new. Was going through the motions, that combined with this being perhaps the easiest game made the whole playthrough very blah. Or I'm just fatigued after so many games and so little change. This may be one of the best (or most popular) for PVP but it's nothing special single player wise.
Played Lion War hack with WotL translation added. Proof job system is the goated gameplay system in FF. Addicting in it's simplicity and freedom. Soundtrack and writing are something else. Not to mention the actual scene direction. Dialogue is not wasted. Pacing is perfect. It is expertly crafted. This kind of attention to detail is so rare in JRPGs.
2009
Did not care for the open world traversal sections between missions. The moody soundtrack is wonderful though.
Can Anamanaguchi do more game OSTs
2000
Has to be some of, if not, the best character work in the series. It is very tight, well paced and done naturally through interactions with one another. Gameplay is a mixed bag of things I really like and really don't like. Things started to fall of for me half way into disc 3. Endings is still nice though.
Got my hopes up with the unique dungeon at the start before going back and forth between internet padding and actual dungeons. Bonus points for said dungeons being obnoxious. Disappointed with the boss fights. Biggest plus is double soul improvements. Liberation missions I actually liked but its a fraction of the game time. And that is all that really makes this one stand out. The majority is just another BN game making you run around doing errands.
So much potential in a concept like this. A roguelike where you choose a NetNavi to control. Online functionality, every boss, tons of content. This game is not that. There is a reason this game doesn't give you full control of your Navi but it still isn't as fun (though it often it results in fights being easier). A BN game boiled down to the internet portion with the tried and true time wasters. It's a more shallow experience down to the surprising similarities it shares with mobile games.
Double Soul is better than grinding for Styles. Too bad both version exclusives and story RNG leave you with only 3 to use. Want more souls and chips? NG+. Completing the game? NG++. Most of the story scenarios are filled with time wasters and contrivances. Limiting the player to a fraction of the ones with unique bosses so they will buy both games and play them thrice is absurd. Not that having them all in one game would be much better because even those scenarios are full of obnoxious padding.
Strong character work continues from Phantom Hourglass. Happy to say dungeons are much improved upon. It's a shame getting to them requires the most tedious form of travel yet. The train is too slow and far less engaging than traveling by foot in other entries. I would hold this game in higher regard if it weren't for that tedium. I can't imagine myself replaying this game for the dungeons and bosses because I'd have to go through so much boring filler to get to them. Also the flute sucks.
2018
Fun & short puzzle platformer. Movement feels good especially the swinging. Wouldn't be much fun w/o a partner. Love the ability to piggyback on the other player. A very nice feature when their is a gap in skill level or strengths of each player differs.
Some of the stronger character work in a Zelda game. The trio of Link, Ciela, and Linebeck had me smiling in most cutscenes. Rest of the game is otherwise fine. Something satisfying about being able to play the game entirely with the stylus. It uses every feature of the DS you could think of. The ability to write on the map for puzzle solving is nice. Rolling and detection of drawing symbols are my only real issues control wise. Sadly dungeons, exploring and music are mostly bland affairs.
Sprite work is absolutely gorgeous. Rest of the game fails to impress on most fronts for me. Not against hearing classic themes but 3 times now they rely on so much old and it has even less great new tracks than the Oracle games. The dungeons are a major downgrade in challenge and half feel closer to the more common linear 3D dungeons. Worst of all it's padded like crazy. Standard abilities and overworld rewards are gated by kinstones. Dashing with your sword out has to be unlocked now???
Played it as my linked game and it wasn't long before I realized it was my favorite of the two. From the seasons mechanic, to the items (magnetic glove, magic boomerang, roc's cape are all much preferred to the power glove and switch hook), to the dungeon themselves, to certain pieces of music such as Tarm Ruins and Temple Ruins, and the subterranean land of Subrosia. While not as powerful or as complete an experience as Link's Awakening, it is top tier Zelda in the gameplay department.
Not as big on the time travel mechanic as I am the seasons mechanic because it was done before and, time wise, using the harp is more tedious than the rod in OoS. There are some great dungeons but the bizarre control change for swimming after getting the mermaid suit is my biggest reason for preferring the other version. Swimming becomes obnoxious. The reuse of music and graphics is why I ultimately end up preferring Link's Awakening to either Oracle game. Nonetheless, Ages is still an enjoyable game.
No doubt the constraints during its development lead to its best parts. Love how removed it is from the typical setting and story, the somber mood, the main and side stories, a lot of emotion conveyed with little dialogue. Yet I didn't enjoy playing it as much as its older brother. The most interesting side content is in the minority compared to just how many items there are to get. I'd have liked more dungeons and could've done without stray fairies.