The Backlog Check-in Vol. 285: 6/17/23: Final Fantasy XVI Edition

[Phaseknox]

Played: Jade Empire

Finished: Nothing

Playing: Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Added: Nothing

I stopped playing Jade Empire mainly because of technical reasons such as really dated graphics, and constant long load times. The graphics are somewhat blocky with low res blurry textures, and the environments/levels are broken up into separate small sections that have to load and the load times are long. I played a lot of the game, but I couldn’t handle those aspects of it any longer so I quit playing. Also, there’s too much long drawn out dialogue. The characters prattle on forever, and most of the conversations are boring. And your character is a silent protagonist which annoyed me. You can select dialogue responses in conversations, but your character doesn’t actually speak them. Your character never speaks, not even during cutscenes. Compared to other BioWare RPGs such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age and Mass Effect this one isn’t as good IMO.

I started playing Kena: Bridge of Spirits, and as expected I’m really enjoying it. It’s a classic style third person action/adventure/platformer at its finest. The graphics are gorgeous, they’re colorful with impressive lighting. The gameplay is tight and responsive, and the combat is fun. There’s also more platforming than I was expecting. The music is another highlight. Utilizing the little rot creatures for light environment puzzle solving and in combat is done creatively, and adds to the overall experience. It’s a fairly linear game which fine for the most part, but there’s also no denying that I think that it would have been even better if it was an RPG which it had the potential to be. It does feel a little antiquated in its rather straight forward design structure that’s light on story, characterization and exploration. But in terms of being like a PS2/GameCube/Xbox generation linear third person action/adventure/platformer, it’s really good and something that I think that everyone here would like.

[sonuckles]

I've been putting a weirdly large amount of time into Titan Quest Anniversary lately. I wanted to play Diablo, but I don't have it in the Deck so TQ was the next best thing I had.

I put a little time into Tears of the Kingdom as well. I love the game but just haven't been spending much time on it.

[canedaddy]

I need to check out Kena at some point. Maybe Titan Quest too. Tell me about it, 'nuckles! I see it's $5.99 on PSN.


Played recently: Octopath Traveler II

Finished: nothing

Added to backlog: nothing

Current backlog: 31


Still very much enjoying Octopath II. I'm up to Chapter 4 on all the characters. Their stories vary widely, from silly fluff to political intrigue to super-dark, but somehow it all works.

[argyle]

Games added: Nothing

Last week: Finished nothing, played Tears of the Kingdom & Diablo 4

This week: Same.

I think I may wrap up Zelda in the next week or two. Not that I'll have done everything, but I think I'm starting to see an end to the side stuff I want to have completed. The game is just so dense - not just big, but just packed with stuff to do. It's crazy. Easily GOTY, there's no way anything will top it. I'll be happy to eat my words, but I really don't see it happening. This may very well be the best game on the switch, and keep in mind that one of my GOATs - Xenoblade - is included in that.

Grabbed the FF16 demo, and I may have underestimated that one. I haven't gotten very far yet, but what I've played so far is really good.

[Phaseknox]

I need to check out Kena at some point. Maybe Titan Quest too. Tell me about it, 'nuckles! I see it's $5.99 on PSN.

I played a lot more Kena: Bridge of Spirits, and while I’m still enjoying it I’m not enjoying it quite as much as I originally was. It starts out like an action platformer mainly consisting of somewhat linear traversal, combat and platforming with a few puzzles here and there. But later the environments start opening up more with puzzles scattered everywhere, and there’s less combat and platforming. I preferred it when it was more straight forward because the pacing was better, now I’m at a point in the game where I’m in one big open area and it’s a little daunting figuring out where to go and what to do in it. The game went from feeling like an ongoing adventure to feeling like a bunch of individual challenges to overcome in an open area which I don’t find quite as appealing.

As for Titan Quest, I enjoyed what I played of it. It’s like an ancient Greek mythology Diablo. I didn’t play too much of it, but based on what I did play of it I would say that it’s definitely worth $5.99 if you like isometric view action RPGs similar to Diablo.

[jfissel]

Finished: Tchia (platinum)

Now Playing: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, ??

Added to Backlog: Nothing

Current Backlog: 43 games

Haven't put much time into 3DS Zelda yet, also unsure what I'm playing on PS4/5 before the next PowerWash Simulator DLC comes out on the 20th (Spongebob based, lol).

[Phaseknox]

I stopped playing Kena: Bridge of Spirits because I got bored running around the big open area that I was in trying to figure out puzzles. The game was great in the beginning when it was primarily a linear action platformer, but they had to go and screw it up by turning it into more of an open-ended puzzle game. I might play it again in the future since there’s a lot that I like about it, but the emphasis on puzzle solving later in it is off-putting.

I started playing King’s Bounty II again because I really like it, and I want to finish it. I’m playing as the ditsy dingbat do-gooder farmer’s daughter because she’s adorably dorky. I understand the combat mechanics more now, so hopefully I’ll do better this time and actually be able to finish it.

[crimson_tide]

Played: Marvel Midnight Suns (****, I love the ****ing **** out of this ****ing game!!!!!) ...oh and Sackboy with the child...oh and Odin Sphere on the train

Bought: Nothing

Beat: Nothing

Received for Father's Day: NOT STREET FIGHTER 6 !!!!! I got two caps. Which is not Street Fighter 6. I could have just bough it for myself weeks ago. I just knew someone in the house was getting me Street Fighter 6. I'm super salty about it.

So Midnight Suns has just bodied my gaming time. I am having an absolute blast with this game. I love the card based combat. I love the wandering the of my Abbey base in a pocket dimension. I love petting my dog and cat daily. I love the dumb message board system the heroes bicker on incessantly. I love the dumb clubs you join and the interpersonal dynamics of the Midnight Suns and Avengers. I love the writing and characters. I don't love the story. I don't love the music which is trying way too hard to sound like The Avengers movies. I don't love the lack of enemy variety thus far but whatever. It is also ugly as sin...except for Captain America. He's gorgeous with amazing shoulders. So I am over Blade (who started book club to spend time with Captain Marvel and not me ) and now the Hunter is going after Captain America. But I digress because this game is just tangents the game and I can't stop playing it. The game is really ugly and glitchy on PS4, the music cuts out constantly and it's just very plain looking in most cases. However, everything else is so good, I can't put the game down. I don't even think I'm out of the first act yet and I have just been pouring so much time in to it. It is absolutely NOT for everyone. I love it and can't put it down.

[jfissel]

Played: Marvel Midnight Suns (****, I love the ****ing **** out of this ****ing game!!!!!) ...oh and Sackboy with the child...oh and Odin Sphere on the train

Bought: Nothing

Beat: Nothing

Received for Father's Day: NOT STREET FIGHTER 6 !!!!! I got two caps. Which is not Street Fighter 6. I could have just bough it for myself weeks ago. I just knew someone in the house was getting me Street Fighter 6. I'm super salty about it.

Bummer. That's all I have to contribute, sorry.

[canedaddy]

Received for Father's Day: NOT STREET FIGHTER 6 !!!!! I got two caps. Which is not Street Fighter 6. I could have just bough it for myself weeks ago. I just knew someone in the house was getting me Street Fighter 6. I'm super salty about it.

Man, I wish I got two caps. I got ... nothing. (Well, aside from a heaping helping of steamed crabs and time to watch John Wick 4 with my son-in-law, both of which were priceless.)