The Backlog Check-in Vol. 290: 7/22/23: Remnant II Edition

[Phaseknox]

Played: Arcade Paradise, Dark Messiah Might and Magic: Elements, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, Wanted: Dead

Finished: Nothing

Playing: Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

Added: Arcade Paradise, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous

I started playing Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, and I’ve been enjoying it. The remastered graphics look like a PS3 game, the music is orchestrated and I’ve been enjoying the story and characters. It starts out a little slow, but it picks up a few hours in.

The battle system, license board and gambits are a little confusing at first, but I think that I have a handle on them now for the most part. However, a realtime action battle system similar to the one in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning would have been better IMO. Waiting for an action bar to slowly fill before you can attack, cast magic, or use items is kind of annoying. But turning off the battle lines helps, because they look hokey and serve no real purpose. I enjoy the combat more without them cluttering up the screen.

There’s been a little more dungeon crawling than I was expecting, but it’s fine. The one thing that I kind of dislike is that in battle/dungeon areas you see all of the characters in your party, but in areas such as encampments, villages, towns and cities you only see the main character (Vaan). I don’t understand why you don’t see your party members in those areas as well. But overall it’s a good JRPG that has been holding my interest.

Games releasing this week
Anvil
Arcadian Atlus
Arms Evolution: Zombie Destroyer
The Banished Vault
Birth
The Black Pepper Crew
Crimson Tactics: Rise of the White Banner
Demonic Supremacy
Disfigure
Disney Illusion Island
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons
The Expanse: A Telltale Series Episode 1
Grand Emprise: Time Travel Survival
Great Ambitions of the Slimes
Hello Kitty Island Adventure
Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara
Legend of Edda: Pegasus
Let’s School
Lunacy: Saint Rhodes
Mega City Police
Mr. Run and Jump
Music Store Simulator
Offroad Mechanic Simulator
Patrick’s Paradox
Pixeljunk Scrappers Deluxe
Pseudoregalia
Puzzles for Clef
Radiant Tale
Remnant II
Rightfully, Beary Arms
The Room VR: A Dark Matter
Smash Dungeon
Space Cat Tactics
Spectre
Stampede: Racing Royale
Street Legal: Revision
Super Catboy
Super Raft Boat Together
Super Sean 008: Xelar’s Revenge
Supreme Ruler 2023
Sword and Fairy Inn 2
This Way Madness Lies
Undaunted Normandy
Vampire Hunters
Whispers in the West
Xuan-Yuan Sword: Mists Beyond the Mountains
Yggdra Union: We’ll Never Fight Alone

[jfissel]

Finished: Nothing

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

Added to Backlog: Nothing

Current Backlog: 43 games

About 40% through A Link Between Worlds, trying to play more this week!

[argyle]

Games added: Marvel Midnight Suns

Last week: Finished nothing, played Diablo 3 & Midnight Suns

This week: More Midnight Suns, plus I'd like to get back into FF16. Also want to settle on a PS2 game & start that.

[isthatallyougot]

I'm still playing Vexx and having a good time. I've gotten 38 of the wraith hearts, so my play time and progress has slowed last week. I just didn't have the time - not because I'm not enjoying it.

I'm also still playing Animal Crossing Wild World and having fun with that as well.

[canedaddy]

Played recently: Octopath Traveler II, Arcade Paradise, The Simpsons: Hit & Run, a few other PS2 games

Finished: Octopath Traveler III

Added to backlog: nothing

Current backlog: 31


I finally finished Octopath over the weekend after 100+ hours. That last boss fight was crushing me until I learned the advantage of having a Chubby Cait in hand. I had caught one earlier but butchered it for meat. Took a while but caught another and then beat the game.

There's an optional FINAL final boss that is absolutely ridiculous. I'm pretty overleveled (all eight characters in the 80s) and have done everything else in the game, but even playing intelligently (attacking its weaknesses, using buffs the right way, etc.) I didn't take a single hit point off that SOB in two tries. I see some approaches online that list specific builds and actions for each of the eight characters, but screw that nonsense. So no Octopath platinum for Cane.

After I beat that, I played a little of Arcade Paradise, and I'm somewhere between my buddy and Phase. The gameplay loop does have some addictive qualities, but the arcade games generally are meh... the GTA/Pac-Man mashup had promise, but the execution isn't quite there. I might go back to it, we'll see.

My PS2 story is in that thread, but I've settled, for now, on the Simpsons GTA clone.

[Phaseknox]

I played a little of Arcade Paradise, and I'm somewhere between my buddy and Phase. The gameplay loop does have some addictive qualities, but the arcade games generally are meh... the GTA/Pac-Man mashup had promise, but the execution isn't quite there. I might go back to it, we'll see.

The sim portion of the game had the potential to be more than what it is, and the arcade games on offer are meh like you said. The game in general just feels half-baked to me. I like the premise of it, but the execution is lacking IMO.

By the way, did you check out the deals thread and see that A Juggler’s Tale and King’s Bounty II are currently on sale at the PS Store? This goes for j too who I know was interested in them as well.

[jfissel]

By the way, did you check out the deals thread and see that A Juggler’s Tale and King’s Bounty II are currently on sale at the PS Store? This goes for j too who I know was interested in them as well.

I saw - thanks! Unsure if I'll buy anything right now though.

[argyle]

I fired up FF16 last night & immediately started falling asleep. Not the game's fault, just hard for me to play an RPG at night after a full day at work.

[canedaddy]

By the way, did you check out the deals thread and see that A Juggler’s Tale and King’s Bounty II are currently on sale at the PS Store? This goes for j too who I know was interested in them as well.

I just grabbed A Juggler's Tale. Thanks for the word!

[Phaseknox]

I fired up FF16 last night & immediately started falling asleep. Not the game's fault

I just grabbed A Juggler's Tale.

Nice, I look forward to your impressions when you play it. By the way, Shady Part of Me is also on sale for $4.49. I think that you might like it as well.