stevencohen
2024
I stayed up pretty much all night playing this. The sun was coming out by the time I finally went to sleep. I got a couple wins though so I am declaring this game “completed.” I’m sure I’ll keep playing but hopefully never that intensely again.
2010
I played through all of this on various days while substitute teaching (don’t tell anyone). Very simple and straightforward. Cool designs. But while some of the platforming areas are interesting to puzzle out, the game is not very fun to play. I got to the final boss arena and ultimately just decided to watch a video of the final battle rather than struggle through it myself. I am somewhat curious to see how the series evolves but it won’t be a priority for me.
I think I’ve finally cracked traditional Yakuza combat - just in time for it to no longer be relevant. Oh well, I still love this world and these characters.
Felt so much like playing Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep but I don’t know yet if that’s a good thing or bad. The game’s need to answer questions about Final Fantasy VII that no one was asking is pretty annoying, but the main story on its own merits isn’t terrible, and at least the game was never really too hard. After playing this, seeing Advent Children, and watching videos about the other Compilation entries, I’m a little worried about Nomura’s expressed goal of tying all of these pieces of canon closer together in the Remake Project; some of it is just Too Stupid.
A good little aperitif before the meal that will be Rebirth. Yuffie is really well developed and it’s cool to play around in this world through a character with a completely different combat style from Cloud’s in Remake. I’m so jazzed for Rebirth.
I love this game so much. Even when the main plot drags in those sections that feel a little padded out, the combat is still incredible. I can’t wait to get my hands on Rebirth.
Well in playing this I discovered that I might actually like metroidvanias - and platforming in general. I’m surprised with how tenacious I was in finishing a lot of those challenges - though eventually I was not up for some of the hardest ones. I also got through almost all of it without guidance; just looking up some collectibles toward the end… and then a final boss strategy page when I was ready to be done with the game. I now find myself curious about exploring more in the genre, maybe Metroid Dread or Blasphemous.
Really fun. The combat did get a little repetitive - there was a good chunk where I was just autobattling - but overall I had a good time and I’m invested enough to be looking forward to Infinite Wealth. I’m glad I got to witness the highs and lows of epic Yakuza storytelling firsthand finally.