Although I am not at the finish line of P3R just yet, I figured it would be best for me to put out something representative of my love for this game in between sessions, as my thoughts are more thoroughly collected. I am damn near close to 2 consecutive weeks of playing (12/14) and have just breached 60 hours of gameplay. On track to obtain a platinum trophy on my first playthrough, it feels good to be reminded of why I loved an older title I have played, and it feels even better to be reminded that the people behind said game still "get it."

Persona 3 Reload sits comfortably well above the other remakes and remasters of any game I have ever played, and it will continue to do so either for a long while, or forever.

For the longest time, integration of styles and gameplay similar to that of Persona 5 never rubbed me the right way. I was anticipating this game to be a massive stinker. Something in the vein of Atlus trying to cobble together something to milk even more money off of their best selling game. I am sure most people are aware of Persona 5 Tactica, Scramble, and X. I am in not any type of position to commentate on their quality, but the reception of these games amongst my peers has led me to a train of thought to be quite weary of what Atlus decides to output next. But their continuations of an aesthetic spawned from their best selling title into something that is seemingly absolutely unlike it reeked of creative bankruptcy. That being said, I was wrong.

And I couldn not be happier about it.

Everything from the reestablished visuals, voice acting, to the gameplay and even the music. I have not the slightest hint of a complaint or grievance. P3R's UI is an absolute gem to witness, it is fluid, intuitive, and has an identity of its own. The new cast of voices are out of this world, Yuko's especially. All of the voice actors put on a spectacular performance and their ability to encapsulate you in the world of the game is unreal. Having finished P5R's merciless mode and not having that great of an experience, I decided to go into my P3R playthrough with merciless mode, and I am having an absolutely great time with it. Theurgies add much to the strategizing and in addition with keeping the "1 more" system, I enjoy the gameplay so much more for the depth it brings. All of the remixed tracks are wonderful in their own regards, at first stuff like "Mass Destruction" did not rub me too well, but over time I broke in and I love it much like the original track, likewise the others. Truly a remake that lives up to and, in some instances, surpasses the existence of its source. I can not wait to play through P3P and watch the films and whatever extra content there is to finish up the whole complete Persona 3 experience.

Persona 3/FES and Persona 3 Reload will atmospherically provide different experiences (assuming people care about that) but otherwise I honestly can not see a reason to not play this game. It feels so good to be in love with a Persona game again.

hi it's phil back for the game reviews for watchmojo.com i got another review for the- for you this time and this time it's gonna be called dra KEN gard not dragonguard that's dra KEN gard it's rated m for mature it's only for playstation 2 keep in mind this is a one player game there's no online possibilities there is the possibility of toning down the blood but god knows nobody tones down the blood so just forget about that.

this game is a mix of devils may cry action rpg where you have to constantly get your character's hp as we call it health power and magical power up as levels go up now keep in mind that this was made by ubisoft which is a very renowned company for games like this. now this is also offers you a great animations in terms of japanese animation and also effects in between scenes cinematics are a may zing uhh if i don't know if you're a fan of final fantasy or if you know these japanese animation kind of settings but this will offer you the same setting or maybe even more. i was very surprised with the outcome of the ps2 can offer on this game. nevertheless, i would consider you probably umm playing the first title before playing the second because i did not play the first title before and i was a little confused, nevertheless at the beginning of the game you get a little prologue of what previous game offered. now if you go into details into the game there is weapons you can accumulate, items, like any rpg game the idea is to constantly get your levels up so that your strength goes up so that obviously the game becomes easier and you're stronger.

now this was based in ... a magical world where ... you as a character ... named legna with your dragon end up taking over uhh the world and uhh trying to save different destinations with they're called keys, there's a total about six keys to take care of and they all have certain foes to fight to be able to take care of those keys. now, this is the kind of game where you get to the part where you think you're finishing it but there's always a little loop that makes you go on and on! now it's a total of twelve chapters and at the tenth chapter you think it's over but it's not. that's the beauty of the game.

now this is obviously like i've always said the best part of the show where i give mmmy opinion on dra KEN gard not dragonguard remember people there's dragons in this game but it's called dra KEN gard anyways let's just leave it at that. now all i have to say is ummm if you remember our legend i will repeat it again: 9 to 10 was a purchase where you keep the game because it's a-mazing. a 8 to 7 where it's a late rental fee because umm you think you can finish the game in one rental but then you realize that you have to rent it a second time so you end up renting it for seven days just to make sure. and the other one was 5 to 6 where... forget about it. you rent it uhhh maybe for one day and then you put it away and you never look at it again. just joking. nevertheless, i will place this game in 7 to 8 because it's very close to 9 to 10 but it's all seen before. umm very confusing because it gives you a lot of opportunities and a lot of side track missions and stuff like that that i don't really think that follows through the game. now a lot of people will maybe have a different opinion on this than me but i still think that the japanese factor thing of games are getting overwhelming, i mean for sony playstation 2 you can see 25 japanese animation titles come out while there's only one north american coming out at that time. i don't know if it's sony playstation is really more based or powerful in japan, god knows. but go on the website see for yourself, it's all written in japanese. i finished it in 56 hours the game was established to be finished in 85 hours, so it's up to you do your best to finish it but again i repeat myself: remember: it's just a game!

Do you ever stumble in one of those games that, despite not being perfect, it manages to cover certain specific things in such a smashingly perfect way that you can't help but give it the highest score ? Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is that game.

It has debated to hell and back how this game is definitely less balanced than its predecessor, especially due to its slow start and the not-exactly-ideal tutorials which omit some key info and also feel more tedious than they could've been if streamlined better. Yet, despite this, Xenoblade 2 managed to slip into my heart, right next to the first game.

The graphics, of course, make full display of the artistic creativity of Monolith Soft, which is able to put very unique spins on what could feel like familiar views in any other JRPGs, where the classic green plains are placed on the back of an enormous quadrupedal titan, while a complex set of caves, a massive lake and a medieval town are all stored inside the stomach of a huge whale-like beast.

The character-design has been another source of debate, but I've never found it bad, if anything I welcome a JRPG protagonist that seems to be coming out of the 90's in terms of weird, yet uniquely striking fashion. I prefer it to normal-looking clothes at the very least. The rest of the cast pretty much follow suit, going for an unapologetic vibe that fits the previous works of the main character designer, while also featuring some guest artists for some of the non-story Blades, including Tetsuya Nomura at his best on designing the main villains of the game.

As with the first game, the title shines in its main story cutscenes where the animators display an amazing craft in how they handle expressions and movements. I've been a huge fan of their direction ever since the first game.

The gameplay is where those previously mentioned problems start to pop up. Xenoblade 2 isn't a bad game, it's legit great once you understand its mechanics, but it's one of those games that will give to you as much as you're willing to give it back in return. its battle system based on elemental combos requires constant attention and a familiarity of the roles and abilities of the different blades, which can be unlocked through the story, side quests or through an in-game gacha system (one that thankfully doesn't involve real money).

Each blade is also crucial for exploring the world as, depending by their skills, they'll be able to unlock shortcuts or secret passages, some of which will be mandatory for some of the side quests. It's a very intriguing system, but unlocking the different abilities and tiers will take time and the game might sometime block the player's progress because of this, forcing them to grind away at the requirements to unlock the abilities needed to progress.

It all feels a bit too tedious for most people, while others might find themselves just vibing with the game and exploring around, clearing side quests and finding all the side-story content that the different blades will unlock through their own requirements.

For people that will be willing to put in some time, Xenoblade 2 will have lots of rewards of course, but it's undeniable that it won't be worth everyone's time, especially as the game sometimes does lack a bit of guidance as mentioned before.

The other side of contempt regards the game's story, which takes quite a bit to get going. It's not bad by any means, but the first part of the game is clearly a huge, careful setup that, much like its gameplay, will reward people who will be patient enough to wait for the game's plot to be ripe enough and show its real flavor, which, to be honest, has moved me to tears, as the characters shown their motivations and stories. Unluckily it's hard to talk about the plot without spoiling anything and one might have to make their own essay about just the plot of the game, as it's rich with interconnected themes about one's purpose, life, death and the dramatic nature of a Blade's life. It's a hell of a ride once it gets going, I assure you.

All of this is topped by an absolutely fantastic soundtrack. It shouldn't be a surprise given the track record of the series, but this second title manages to repeat the success of the first game, by having several bangers in its song selections, both in battle themes and location themes, as well as its emotional tunes.

The lows of Xenoblade 2 are quite low due to an excessively tedious gameplay loop that might scare most at first and a plot that has a slow start, but the highs are also among the highest I've ever experienced in the genre. it's worth all of it in my opinion and it's one of those special games that, despite having quite a few crucial gripes, manages to hit me right in the heart and has been worth the whole experience.

No More Heroes 2 is one of the most confusing game sequels I ever tried to wrap my head around. I can't decide if this is pure genius, or if they just fundamentally misunderstood what the original was about. Gōichi Suda wasn't completely hands-on with the Sequel, since he didn't even want to make a sequel in the first place. By his own admission, he didn't expect No More Heroes to blow up the way it did. Grasshoppers game before NMH, Killer 7, wasn't a mega hit, but sold just enough to make them get some amount of notoriety. So it was entirely realistic to expect NHM to play to that same small but loyal niche audience Killer 7 did. That assumption couldn't have been more wrong. No More Heroes sold way better than anyone expected, especially in the west, so a sequel was inevitable. Suda then handed over the game to this Assistant Director, Nobutaka Ichiki, while Suda oversaw the character and scenario writing. Keeping that mind, I think it's 100% more clear why No More Heroes 2 feels so confused. One side wanted to make a legitimate action game with a deeper meaning to it, while the other side, probably Suda, wanted to double down on the bonkers meta aspects. That doesn't mean there are no deeper elements to it, in fact both sides come together quite beautifully. And for all the silly jokes it makes about sequels, how gamers don't really want context, this is a very smart continuation of what No More Heroes buildt.

All the characters have evolved in meaningful ways, there are consequences for even minor things that happened in NMH, and the world has changed in a way that is in line with the events that took place around Santa Destroy. One of the biggest criticisms this story gets is that they supposedly ignore that the UAA was revealed to be a scam and a ploy from Sylvia to get rich, but now it's treated like it's 100% real. Yes, it was all a big joke in the first game, to both Travis and the player, where they thought they worked toward some meaningful goal, until it's revealed right before the end that we all been played for suckers. The game builds up to that joke, signposts Sylvia being a red flag in pretty much every cutscene, and it's completely in Travis character to fall for all of it. Travis still became Number 1 in the end, but walked away basically into self exile. And this is where the Sequel picks up. His absence and the resulting legend of “the crownless king” has now turned assassinations into a commodity, a mega popular trend. And Silvia, being the gold digger she is, takes complete advantage of that boom. What was once a small-time scam is now a legit business simply because it will make her a fuck tone more money. It all makes sense within its own framework. Travis basicly gets roped back into the game because of a revenge plot reveald by the brother of the 11th ranked assassin killed in the trailer for NMH 1, who is also the first boss. Bishop, the owner of Beef Head Video and Travis best friend, gets killed, setting him on a revenge mission to work himself up the ranking again to get the one responsible. Travis has noticeably changed though, having become a lot more reserved and looking for some kind of meaning in his life. And with changed, I don't mean what a lot of people have defined for themselves as change, aka that he has to be a completely different person now. That is not what change means, because no matter how far you go, even a real person doesn't completely change their personality as they get older. Everyone keeps certain core aspects that define them, while maturing into other directions and dropping minor things. And Travis is a fantastic example of this. There is definitely a growth in his personality. He is not as hyped up anymore, he has people he visibly cares about just as much as he is still a weeb deep down seeking the thrill of a good fight. He's not above bouncing off the wall or jerking off to his favorite Moe, but when it comes down to business, he is much more reversed. Old Travis would have probably taken advantage of Shinobu, but new Travis, while he still a horn dog, doesn't seem to care. He has much more defined goals that give him a legitimate human connection with other people and isn't just looking for fast and cheap thrills exclusively

Travis is growing from a snooty teen into a man. The way he goes off on Sylvia on multiple occasions for disrespecting Assassins he has legitimately grown respect for is beautiful. They are my favorite moments of Travis character's arc, and Robin Atkin Downes does a phenomenal job as Travis. You completely buy every line from him. In a game overflowing with mediocre bosses these are the highlights and I think it's not coincident that they are what give Travis life. He is not tired of violence, he is tired of meaningless violence. The endless waves of goons and tired retreads of bosses he already fought. It's another fun reflection on Video Games itself, and I think it no coincident that the longest, most draining level is the one right before the fight with Alice Twilight. The final straw for Travis character arc. The level before you fight her is this endless kill march through a somber sunset. You start the level walking by a giant graffiti mural of Travis face plastered on a building, which I think perfectly represents not what he sees himself as, but what the world sees him as. This giant icon, adored by everyone but himself. The following level has enemies just pour in wave after wave to the point of exhaustion while remixes of the main theme play, only to be interrupted by this beautiful melancholic melody that could have come straight from Silent Hill. And the music for No More Heroes 2 was in fact created by Akira Yamaoka, who was working for Grasshopper at the time after resigning from Konami in 2009. His soundtrack is phenomenal and blows the original games OST out the water. His music is a big part of what makes moments like I just described work so damn well. It's my highlight of the game, no doubt. Contrasting that is the ending, which left me downright confused. I think it's supposed to represent Travis and Sylvia finally breaking free from the cycle of video game violence hinted all throughout the story and becoming actual 3 Dimensional characters having a real human connection with each other beyond being cardboard cut-outs exchanging funny quips. After all, the game's actual framing device is a conversation of a mysterious man, totally not Travis, talking to a stripper, totally not Silva, in a shady sex phone booth where she poetically describes what happened in Santa Destroy. They then ride into the sunset together on Travis Motorcycle as the credit's role. But I could also be totally overanalyzing it, and it's all just incompetent storytelling, very possible.

And if you actually read this far, first of all thank you so much, that's not all a given. Secondly: I think I made it very obvious that I'm of the opinion that everything surrounding the game is far more interesting than its actual gameplay. So to finally close off this insane ramble, I'm just gone quickly say what I thought of the gameplay. It's basically the first game, but heavily streamlined for the worst. Combat is mostly the same, except for different weapons this time like the double beam katana, which is really awesome, and being able to store your special powers instead of them being activated immediately. Most of the bosses are awful this time, and the addition of Shinobu and Henry as playable characters does not help. They control really stiff and combat is even more limited than it already is with Travis. The Open world is entirely replaced with a menu now, which is a shame because Santa Destroy had so much potential. They just didn't bother and scrapped it entirely. Side missions are much worse across the board, since they replaced the gym and jobs with very bad NES style minigames instead of the variety we had before. Where before I wanted to play at least some of the better ones for extra cash, I now never want to engage with them again. And since there is almost no point to money anymore I have no reason to do them anyway. The combat missions were hit with the same unfun stick as well. You can debate how fun they actually were before, but at least we had some variety in the challenges. They are now called revenge missions and there are only two types. Kill Everyone or Kill the Target. You would think at least you'll get some kind of cutscene, since these are the guys who basically kicked off the plot. Nope, just kill the same boring assholes over and over again. I dropped all the side content pretty fast, only forcing myself to do them for the 4 Combat upgrades you can buy, then entirely mainlining the story. Which makes the game so much shorter than the first game, just by virtue of most of the content sucking. I suppose if you're a big fan of No More Heroes like me, you will at least get something out of it, but overall I much prefer the first one over this gameplay wise.