The Backlog Check-in Vol. 240: 8/6/22: Cult of the Lamb Edition

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Phaseknox
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The Backlog Check-in Vol. 240: 8/6/22: Cult of the Lamb Edition

Post by Phaseknox »

Played: Dusk Diver, Shadow Man Remastered, Sparklite

Finished: Nothing

Playing: Shadow Man Remastered

Added: AeternoBlade II: Director’s Rewind, AI: The Somnium Files, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, Element Space, The Forbidden Arts, Ion Fury, Legend of Ixtona, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, Shadow Man Remastered

I started playing Shadow Man Remastered, this is my first time playing Shadow Man again since playing it 22 years ago on Dreamcast. I liked it back then and played a good bit of it, but I didn’t finish it. I’m enjoying it again now despite it looking and playing dated. The environment graphics look decent with HD textures and colored lighting and it moves at a smooth 60fps, but the characters are really blocky and animate rather poorly. It plays a bit clunky and stiff too, but I’m finding some fun in its third person shooting and platforming gameplay. The levels are fairly well designed as well, they’re nonlinear and offer some exploration. It’s a pretty good classic third person action adventure game, and I’ve been liking it again.



Games releasing this week
Arcade Paradise
Book Quest
City Eye
Cult of the Lamb
Farthest Frontier
Lost in Play
Rumbleverse
Shin-chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation - The Endless Seven-Day Journey
Super Bullet Break
Timothy and the Tower of Mu
Tower of Fantasy
Two Point Campus
Tyrant’s Blessing
Voyage
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isthatallyougot
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 240: 8/6/22: Cult of the Lamb Edition

Post by isthatallyougot »

I started up Dragon Quest XI a few days ago and I'm already a little more than 10 hours into it. It's my first game in the series (I guess I'm going backwards) despite having many of them in my backlog. I really like the presentation and the gameplay, exploring and story are fun. My only reservation so far is that it seems incredibly easy. I'm at level 13 already and I haven't even spent a single skill point (don't know if this is how all games in the series are) for character building for anyone - both because I always play conservative in most games and because I wanted to see how challenging it would be if I didn't open up some new abilities, and well...it's still just as easy as it was in the beginning. Hopefully I'm just still to early because I would like *some* challenge at least. I still have a little more than a month on my game pass trial sub, so I ought to be able to give it all the time I want to fully explore it.
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Phaseknox
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 240: 8/6/22: Cult of the Lamb Edition

Post by Phaseknox »

isthatallyougot wrote: Sat Aug 06, 2022 9:20 amI started up Dragon Quest XI a few days ago and I'm already a little more than 10 hours into it. It's my first game in the series (I guess I'm going backwards) despite having many of them in my backlog. I really like the presentation and the gameplay, exploring and story are fun. My only reservation so far is that it seems incredibly easy. I'm at level 13 already and I haven't even spent a single skill point (don't know if this is how all games in the series are) for character building for anyone - both because I always play conservative in most games and because I wanted to see how challenging it would be if I didn't open up some new abilities, and well...it's still just as easy as it was in the beginning. Hopefully I'm just still to early because I would like *some* challenge at least. I still have a little more than a month on my game pass trial sub, so I ought to be able to give it all the time I want to fully explore it.
The game is easy for a good half of it before it starts to present any sort of challenge, that was my biggest complaint with it. It didn’t bother me too much because I was playing it mostly for the story, characters and overall experience and I also prefer games to be more on the easy side than on the hard side in general, but it was still a little too easy for a good part of it offering no challenge whatsoever.

I really like the game, but I don’t like the main character being a silent protagonist while the rest of the cast are extremely talkative and full of personality. It just makes all interactions between them and the main character come across as somewhat awkward IMO.

I like Dragon Quest VIII more myself, it offers a decent challenge right from the start and I like its story and cast of characters a little more as well. I didn’t realize that you hadn’t played it, I consider it to be a must-play JRPG if you like the genre as it’s one of the best IMO. It’s one that you should have made more of a priority to play over the years. Thankfully with its cel-shaded graphics it should still hold up fairly well when you do finally play it. I feel that it’s something that you should get to sooner rather than later, you’ve already put off not playing it for far too long IMO. I’ve been wanting to play it again, but they unfortunately never made it available for PS4.
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isthatallyougot
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 240: 8/6/22: Cult of the Lamb Edition

Post by isthatallyougot »

Phaseknox wrote: Sat Aug 06, 2022 10:56 am The game is easy for a good half of it before it starts to present any sort of challenge, that was my biggest complaint with it. It didn’t bother me too much because I was playing it mostly for the story, characters and overall experience and I also prefer games to be more on the easy side than on the hard side in general, but it was still a little too easy for a good part of it offering no challenge whatsoever.

I really like the game, but I don’t like the main character being a silent protagonist while the rest of the cast are extremely talkative and full of personality. It just makes all interactions between them and the main character come across as somewhat awkward IMO.

I like Dragon Quest VIII more myself, it offers a decent challenge right from the start and I like its story and cast of characters a little more as well. I didn’t realize that you hadn’t played it, I consider it to be a must-play JRPG if you like the genre as it’s one of the best IMO. It’s one that you should have made more of a priority to play over the years. Thankfully with its cel-shaded graphics it should still hold up fairly well when you do finally play it. I feel that it’s something that you should get to sooner rather than later, you’ve already put off not playing it for far too long IMO. I’ve been wanting to play it again, but they unfortunately never made it available for PS4.
Thanks for the impressions. I actually love the silent protagonist. I prefer that in any game where I'm role playing as the main character. But, I get what you're saying about everyone else talking up a storm juxtaposed against a mute, ha. It is an odd feeling, I get that.

I'm a bit concerned that you found it lacking challenge, knowing how you feel about that sort of thing. Is there at least some optional content if you want to be tested? I don't need a game to be hard to have fun, but with all the battling you do in a long rpg, I'd much rather have a feeling of some resistance rather than just endlessly going through the motions against waves of enemies. I don't like the feeling of pointless busy work in games.

I bought Dragon Quest VIII (twice) back when it came out because I wanted it to be my first foray into the series. I'm still sure I'll love it, but for whatever reason, I just haven't popped that cork. Still they sit, wishing for some attention. :P And don't worry about any notion of "holding up" graphically. You should know me better than that. :P It looks gorgeous to me, as do so many older games. Maybe I need glasses. :P
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Phaseknox
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 240: 8/6/22: Cult of the Lamb Edition

Post by Phaseknox »

isthatallyougot wrote: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:32 amI actually love the silent protagonist. I prefer that in any game where I'm role playing as the main character.
But you don’t really role play as the main character in Dragon Quest XI, you control them - there’s a difference. Role playing as a main character usually involves creating your own character, and/or having choices in their conversations/dialogue/interactions as well as being able to make decisions that can alter how things progress in the story. But Dragon Quest XI has an already pre-established main protagonist that you don’t create, or have any decision making options when it comes to conversations or how events play out. Silent protagonists just seem like avatars to me as opposed to actual characters with voices, emotions and personalities. They don’t appeal to me, especially not in story and character driven games. I just feel like I’m playing as a mute in games when the main character is silent, it doesn’t make me feel like I’m the character more.
isthatallyougot wrote: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:32 amI'm a bit concerned that you found it lacking challenge, knowing how you feel about that sort of thing. Is there at least some optional content if you want to be tested?
No, not really. The game won’t offer any sort of a challenge until you reach about the halfway point in it which admittedly takes a while since the main game not counting its lengthy epilogue is roughly 80 hours.
isthatallyougot wrote: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:32 amAnd don't worry about any notion of "holding up" graphically. You should know me better than that. :P It looks gorgeous to me, as do so many older games.
Yeah, I’m fine with how a lot of older games look. It’s more about the art design than it is about the technical side of things when it comes to graphics for me. I’ve never been a graphics whore which is why I haven’t been in any real hurry to get a current gen console yet because I’m still fairly satisfied with how games look on PS4. Heck, I’m still fairly satisfied with how games look on Xbox 360. Of course some games benefit from better graphics more than others especially ones that are going for a more realistic look than a stylized one, but graphics have never been that big of a deal to me. Some games don’t really need better graphics than what they already have, here’s an example:



I’ll take the original game’s cartoonish graphics over these ultra realistic state-of-the-art ones any day of the week, but that’s just me.
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crimson_tide
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 240: 8/6/22: Cult of the Lamb Edition

Post by crimson_tide »

Oh, I LOVED DQ11!!!!!! 8 I bounced off. It's harder than 11 but I don't like some of the old school stuff like how they handle death and no respec is allowed. It bugged me because there's so much I want to play around with but feel too restricted. 11 doesn't care. Respec, you can play the harder version (change in the options) and there's harder optional content especially post credits. I loved that it was breezy and really wants you to engage with its systems. It got me into DQ in general. I tried Builders 2, loved that. I dig the Heroes games. I can't wait for 12. I really don't think you're going to find any really challenges in 11. But it is still totally worth the play through if you're willing to give it the time izzy. Especially if it's the S version. Did you know you could play it in 16 bit fully that way?

Played: A lot. Dusk Diver, Shredder's Revenge, Sonic Forces, SFV, Yoku's Island Express, Lost Judgment...I think that's it.

Bought: Nothing

Beat: SFV...bruh, Netherrealm is just out here trying to end Capcom's whole career, huh? What a dull story, it was just awful. It was like some bizarre continuation of the USA Street Fighter cartoon that NOBODY WANTED...and ****ing FANG...oof...

This week: Lost Judgment and some Dusk Diver here and there plus whatever the kiddo decides we're playing :) .
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isthatallyougot
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 240: 8/6/22: Cult of the Lamb Edition

Post by isthatallyougot »

Phaseknox wrote: Sat Aug 06, 2022 1:38 pm But you don’t really role play as the main character in Dragon Quest XI, you control them - there’s a difference. Role playing as a main character usually involves creating your own character, and/or having choices in their conversations/dialogue/interactions as well as being able to make decisions that can alter how things progress in the story. But Dragon Quest XI has an already pre-established main protagonist that you don’t create, or have any decision making options when it comes to conversations or how events play out. Silent protagonists just seem like avatars to me as opposed to actual characters with voices, emotions and personalities. They don’t appeal to me, especially not in story and character driven games. I just feel like I’m playing as a mute in games when the main character is silent, it doesn’t make me feel like I’m the character more.
For me, "role playing" exists on a continuum. Perhaps I should have said "identify with" to make things more clear. I find it much easier to identify with (role play/step into the shoes of) a character if they're not running their mouth - if they're a blank canvas from that standpoint.
Phaseknox wrote: Sat Aug 06, 2022 1:38 pm No, not really. The game won’t offer any sort of a challenge until you reach about the halfway point in it which admittedly takes a while since the main game not counting its lengthy epilogue is roughly 80 hours.
I did a bit of reading on this as well, and it seems most felt like the game is just really easy outside a few bosses and/or post-game content. I didn't know going in so I didn't bother choosing any of the added difficulty modifiers. But I've already spent 15 hours with it and I don't want to start over, and I'm enjoying myself despite the relative lack of resistance, so I'll just continue and if I ever were to play it again (if I love it enough), I'd look at bumping up the modifiers.
crimson_tide wrote: Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:20 pm Oh, I LOVED DQ11!!!!!! 8 I bounced off. It's harder than 11 but I don't like some of the old school stuff like how they handle death and no respec is allowed. It bugged me because there's so much I want to play around with but feel too restricted. 11 doesn't care. Respec, you can play the harder version (change in the options) and there's harder optional content especially post credits. I loved that it was breezy and really wants you to engage with its systems. It got me into DQ in general. I tried Builders 2, loved that. I dig the Heroes games. I can't wait for 12. I really don't think you're going to find any really challenges in 11. But it is still totally worth the play through if you're willing to give it the time izzy. Especially if it's the S version. Did you know you could play it in 16 bit fully that way?
Yes, I appreciated the option to easily respec, even though I haven't even bothered to add any abilities yet, but I saw that option was available. And I did know that you could play through in 16-bit style, which is an incredibly cool feature imho. I'm having a great time with it though, and it's probably one I'll want to add to my collection (at least digitally) at some point. (I'm playing on Game Pass right now.) Man, prince Faris of Gallopolis was cracking me up yesterday. What a poseur. :P
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Phaseknox
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 240: 8/6/22: Cult of the Lamb Edition

Post by Phaseknox »

isthatallyougot wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 10:00 amFor me, "role playing" exists on a continuum. Perhaps I should have said "identify with" to make things more clear. I find it much easier to identify with (role play/step into the shoes of) a character if they're not running their mouth - if they're a blank canvas from that standpoint.
I get where you’re coming from, but that only really works for me if I create my own character and I’m able to choose different dialogue choices for them in conversations and/or make story altering decisions. Playing as an already pre-established character without any option to do those things basically feels like I’m controlling their physical actions and movements, but not really role playing as them. A pre-established character not having a voice doesn’t make me identify with them more, it actually makes me identify with them less because I have no idea who they are since they never say anything. I realize that’s intended to allow the player to invent who the character is to make them feel like they’re in the role more, but that has never worked for me. I always feel like I’m playing a mute character, and I find it annoying and unrealistic that they remain completely silent without saying anything or showing any kind of emotion or personality throughout the course of a game. I actually like characters that I play in games to talk a lot, because it makes them feel more real than remaining silent all the time.
Last edited by Phaseknox on Sun Aug 07, 2022 6:51 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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jfissel
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 240: 8/6/22: Cult of the Lamb Edition

Post by jfissel »

Finished: Stray (story)

Now Playing: Final Fantasy VII Remake, Stray

Added to Backlog: Nothing

Current Backlog: 43 games

Didn't get a chance to play Stray again as I've been concentrating on beating FF7R...currently in chapter 16, which is seemingly close to the end. So, hopefully it'll be completed this week!

Did someone mention DQ XI? :P Enjoy, izzy!
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Phaseknox
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Re: The Backlog Check-in Vol. 240: 8/6/22: Cult of the Lamb Edition

Post by Phaseknox »

I stopped playing Shadow Man Remastered because it’s too directionless. I was enjoying it for a while, but the interconnected environments are too big and maze-like making it difficult to figure out where you need to go or what you need to do next to proceed. I was enjoying exploring and finding new areas to go to for a while, but it eventually becomes too much and without a map it’s easy to run around in circles trying to find new areas to access. The dated blocky graphics and same-y looking textures make it even harder to determine where you’ve explored and where you haven’t. It’s easy to get turned around, and lost.

I started playing Ion Fury, it’s a 90s style FPS that’s a love letter to fans (such as myself) of classic FPSs like Duke Nukem 3D and Shadow Warrior. It looks and plays like an authentic FPS from that time period, and I’m really digging it for that reason. It plays fast and frantic offering appealing retro 3D graphics, well designed levels and cool music. Duke Nukem 3D and Shadow Warrior were a couple of my favorite FPSs back in the day, and I’m liking this as much if not even more than them.

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