Messages

31

General / Re: How do you feel about Store Exclusive CE's?

« on: October 07, 2023, 06:31:52 am »

It troubles me immensely! The biggest problem I have is that with the UK GAME store, they get bonus exclusives - often a Steelbook. The problem is they're price is usually £20+ what I can get on Day One through an online retailer! With Final Fantasy XVI I had to get the Deluxe Edition (Which was also overpriced for a steelbook and cloth...) I got it online but GAME has a 2nd Steelbook. Luckily I asked nicely and managed to snag one from GAME but I might not always get so lucky! I already see the same set up for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth ahead and feel nothing but dread!

I don't tend to go for the huge box editions for games any more, they're just too much but I do at least like to collect Steelbooks but the price of the industry has spiked for certain new releases - £69.99 for a top-tier PS5 game is taking the p'. It's put me off buying games Day One  Unless I consider them essential but then the onslaught of what extras to get and from where becomes too overwhelming.

32

General / Re: August 2023 - Recently Added to Collection/Recently Purchased New

« on: August 30, 2023, 06:58:27 am »

Pretty busy month actually...

PS5
Dark Pictures Anthology, The: House of Ashes
Kena: Bridge of Spirits - Deluxe Edition
In Sound Mind - Deluxe Edition

PS4
Dark Pictures Anthology, The: Man of Medan
Resident Evil 7 Steelbook Edition

PS2
MagnaCarta

PS1
Tomb Raider II
Tomb Raider III

Xbox 360
Driver: San Fransico
Lord of the Rings: War of the North
Monkey Island: Special Edition Collection
Peter Jackson's King Kong
Red Faction: Armageddon

Xbox One/Series (Digital)
In Sound Mind
Remothered
Remothered 2

Xbox 360 (Digital)
Burnout 3: Takedown
Crash Bandicoot 4: The Wrath of Cortex...
Fable 1
Metal Gear Rising DLC - VR Missions

PC
Shenmue III Kickstarter Edtion

Blu-Ray Movies
Dead Space Downfall / Aftermath Double Pack
Resident Evil: Degeneration
Resident Evil: Damnation

33

Video Game Database Discussion / Defining Editions with Dash or Colon?

« on: August 25, 2023, 09:47:55 am »

Hi,

Quick Q. I recently tried to add a game to the Database & missed the Edition details, I went to add them and noticed the request was denied and it was changed to something different:
In Sound Mind - Deluxe Edition (My version)
In Sound Mind: Deluxe Edition (Their Version)
https://vgcollect.com/item/252853

I always thought a Dash was used to seperate the identification of the Edition & a Colon was used should a game have a subtitle like Wolfenstein: The New Order - has this changed at all? Because I don't believe the Full title of the game is In Sound Mind Deluxe Edition. Same geos for a digital title which I just posted:
https://vgcollect.com/item/252852

I have looked at the Official Style Guide to before posting this - https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,22.0.html

34

General / Re: 52 Games Challenge 2023!!!

« on: August 20, 2023, 04:00:30 am »

My stance on XVI is that it is a very good story trapped in a terrible game!

The combat is terribly basic, I had an attack pattern for normal enemies & a pattern for bosses, this needed no variation. This could have easily been solved if they put Elements into the combat system. Take the Bomb Enemy, usually it is weak against Ice but in XVI there are no elements intergrated into the combat system so its just attacks - What's worse is that you gain summon abilities which have no elemental attributes either.

The sidequests are as generic as generic can get, fetch quests or monster hunts - Oh and the seperate monster hunts are all re-skins of enemies you've already beat with the basic combat layout wokring again. As soon as I would advance the story and see al new sidequests appear I'd sigh, it owuld take 2-3 hours to get rid of them at times.

The biggest offence is the Map system. The game isn't open world, which is fine but the game doesn't even have areas that connect - Like in Final Fantasy X or XII. You reach the end of one area and then are thrown onto the map and have to select the next area. This gameplay structure ruins all sense of adventure & journey, it felt like experiencing a heavily cut movie.

XVI is ranked in the lower end of FF games for me, I just found it a chore to play in the end.

35

General / Re: The Masters of Remasters

« on: August 16, 2023, 06:48:46 pm »

The point of this topic is to pay respect to good Remasters?

- If so i have to tip my hat to the Resident Evil 4-6 HD ports on PS4 - Next to no changes to the game but upscaled to 1080p & the perfect way to experience them games (yes, I like RE6!)

- Another series which has done well is the Yakuza series. The Yakuza 3-5 Remasters are wonderful - Once again preserving the orignal experiences but upscaled and with better framerates. Many are wishing for a Yakuza 3 Kiwami, I loved the game but I am content with what we already have with that collection - Unlike 1 & 2 Which have REALLY benefitted from the Kiwami treatment!

- The Kingdom Hearts compilations are great too - I'd say the PS4 version of Birth By Sleep really enhances the experience. All these games look so crisp and lovely & at least now we don't have to jump around handheld consoles to experience the series - However since these releases there are a lot of complex lore within mobile games...

- Lastly a shout out to the TOSE ports of RPG's on PSP. Star Ocean 1 & 2, Final Fantasy 1, 2 & 4 - All these ports are wonderful - The FF ports arguably look leagues ahead of the Pixel Remasters IMO opinion.

I personally love good Remasters/Ports. I would rather the original experience of a game ported and upscaled than this phase of Remaskes we're in now - I see remakes as an indulgence incomparison, I mean i have enjoyed some but find there is too much focus on them these days. Of course nostalgia sells, so it won't stop anytime soon, but at least with the Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake we're getting the Remastered Collection beforehand, this way I feel content as I have my original game upscaled, so they can do whatever with the remake.

36

General / Re: 52 Games Challenge 2023!!!

« on: August 08, 2023, 05:12:33 pm »

I'm actually playing through the Klonoa games too! There are also GBA games, I just beat Klonoa: Empire of Dreams - A Klonoa 1.5 really. It's a decent platfomer! Very tricky at points but overall enjoyable. I think the story is self contained as it happens in a Limbo area between Klonoa 1 & 2 - I can't see the characters from this GBA game returning in Klonoa 2 anyway.

There is a 2nd Klonoa GBA game set after Klonoa 2 called Klonoa 2: Dream Champ Tournament Which is another platformer Game set after Klonoa 2 on PS2.

The following game seems to be more like an RPG Klonoa Heroes: Legendary Star Medal adventure - This game has been translated online but is meant to be a lot longer than the other games! Further research has stated it to be non-canon.

Also to answer your question I am counting them as seperate games for this list.

37

General / Re: 52 Games Challenge 2023!!!

« on: July 21, 2023, 03:58:45 am »

20. Final Fantasy XVI (PS5)
I beat Final Fantasy XVI this week after 63+ hours... the best way I can summarise the experience is a brilliant Final Fantasy Story stuck within a poorly made game!

The games structure is horrible for an RPG (Certainly for 2023). Rather than navigate through areas after a scenario ends you are given a Map Menu to where you have to select the next area - even if there is only 1 areas to go to... The problem with this structure is that it condenses the traversal element to an RPG & diminishes the sense of adventure! It's more like experiencing a condensely edited movie. Where in previous FF games it's experiencing the parties journey which gives us the time to engage with them.

Second point is the combat. It is terribly basic. I found once I unlocked Lunge & a Monsters Ability to topple an enemy over when their Stagger Bar is half-way I could beat all encounters without thinking. There was a normal enemy pattern & a Boss patern, that was it. Sadly the game doesn't incorporate elements into the Battle System, so there really is no depth at all.

Sidequests... Geez! The game is full of the most monotonous side material you can think of. Most are just generic fetch quests for random NPC's you don't care for - A couple worked for world building and presenting slavery in the world but  the lack of budget and variety left this to feel like chores - Got burnt out after 3 hours of sidequests one evening. The game has Monster Hunts but they're boring too as they're ALL re-skins of enemies you've already seen appear 4-5 times in the game - Really, you'll encounter a Boss in the Story Route & it will appear again & again in the story routes for the game.

So... what's to like? The story is VERY compelling! The world and it's peril is very well realised. I don't typically like Medieval Fantasy settings but the story was well presented - even if heavily inspired by Game of Thrones. Clive is a decent FF protagonist & like all good FF games carries a well crafted character-focused story on his back. You feel for his past and later I was engrossed and keen to support him on his quest. The other characters aren't quite as interesting but they make for a good posy and assist the journey. I won't go into spoilers but it is very well paced (Unless you go through all the sidequests...) and engrossing for start to finish.

Soundtrack is also a highlight! Much more memorable than the last games and genuinely exhilarating.

So... while I found every second of the actually story a delight, I simply did not enjoy playing the actual game... which is an odd polarizing experience to feel. Usually I am more for having a good story within a game but the gameplay is so unremarkable & side content so tedious that i really brings the overall experience down. If playing I would avoid most side content - You can tell the important ones as they have a + icon on the map, beyond that right at the end of the game there are a few character focused ones which are decent but i regret wasting so much time on games poor side content. Sadly for me this sits on t he lower end of the FF Series Ranking for me.

38

News / Re: Adding Rating Images

« on: July 15, 2023, 01:42:00 am »

A welcome addition! Thanks putting in the effort!

39

Site Feedback / Re: Image Editing Guidance - Poor Quality Images Being Re-Uploaded

« on: July 12, 2023, 12:59:47 pm »

The problem is that the images which are being replaced aren't of better quality but justified because they feature stickers/holograms. The Madden one I mentioned wasn't a photo from a personal collection, it was taken from eBay:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166185177403?hash=item26b168913b:g:qx8AAOSwoF1kd1Iq&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4LliXnm958Oh5MaqqE12MoHBD8%2BIN6%2FpeAcpCcJXr91kfBZNd3K%2FBSo9fJ3%2FalnTBvRwR83GHWY9O2jx%2BW8Jv%2FjsmYy20Cfd8AaWmXqkws8GJPwU0pk0HgboOeae3IqUfKxiPPo86nRFaBRV1QlyKY2Ll4knd2Pm7au%2FVOht1zLTjIBUcpJA3nJrnnvWgkIhywFcGvSqKs8KuJHlZlCKURcqWGp5iNox90QXNGKEUuuYfVgrWSMwfJo33kEjFfBCtwGoHINA9AgnH4q8YauVQ0TvPz4kz%2BesvxF7qpnK%2Bmv%2F%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4qOuLCpYg

I don't mind if there is an image which replaces the one I offered aslong as the quality isn't diminished.

40

Site Feedback / Re: Image Editing Guidance - Poor Quality Images Being Re-Uploaded

« on: July 11, 2023, 12:50:36 pm »

The problem is I do offer better representations yet it is denied or instantly replaced by a shoddy image as mentioned before. I can find countless examples of this:
https://vgcollect.com/item/249267 - Light in the Image
https://vgcollect.com/item/244393 - Poor Lighting
https://vgcollect.com/item/231970 - Poor angle/framing

I'm all for getting authentic images, but not at the expense of quality - Especially if it comes to a peelable sticker or a photo taking priority because the item is sealed.

When discussing database items, link to which items you're referring to. 249568 is one item you're concerned about. The original submitted stock art looked something like this.

The above item has acceptable quality and adds important information lacking from the stock art. If you are making such efforts for incorrect stock art, then you may as well do the same for actual art—but that is your prerogative.

The image I posted for that listed wasn't Provisional but of the items packaging as is. Your image you have taken/retrieved has an extra Hologram, but the lighting reflection and angle is poor. Where as my image was a clear depiction of the front cover. i don't mind if there is an image which replaces the one I offered aslong as the quality isn't diminished.

41

Site Feedback / Image Editing Guidance - Poor Quality Images Being Re-Uploaded

« on: July 11, 2023, 09:37:48 am »

Hello,

I've already made note of this issue before but it is still happening - https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,12144.0.html

I am not just referring to PS1 titles either. I recently added a bunch of sports titles with clear stock images, yet soon after I find they have been replaced by poorly taken images from eBay. A lot of the time this is often justified by hologram stickers over the games sealed packaging... All I see is it brings the quality and effort I put into the site down and it is frustrating.

I can understand if the photos have more details but if they're going to replace a clear stock image it needs to be clear also, meaning:
- Not taken at a poor angle.
- Not taken with light reflecting on the packaging, ruining the image.
- Not taken in a low light making it unclear.

When I use images for the site I do make effort to make them presentable, I put them into photoshop, crop and resize where needed. So it is annoying to see that work put aside to see a shoddy image in its place.

Like everyone contributing, I want the site to be a great resource and look presentable. But there are times I am now hesistant to work on the site as i expect the details to soon be replaced by less quality material. I know the Admin team here works hard and I am glad there are people who check all details to be approved to stop any ol' junk appearing on here but this is something I feel needs a closer look upon.

I see on the topic about Styke Gudies this is to be addressed next, so I wanted to put this forward for consideration:
https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10837.15.html

42

General / Re: What are you playing?

« on: July 09, 2023, 03:32:55 am »

I'm late to the Final Fantasy XVI conversation due to been super busy IRL but this week I have plunged 25+ hours into it.

Overall I am enjoying it, the story and characters have pulled me in and there have been plenty of exhilirating moments. However... I don't like the gameplay. The stucture of the games navigation is horrible. I can't stand having to use a Menu (World Map) to transition to locations. The problem with this is it diminishes the sense of adventure, you don't tend to travel as when you select the location on the map you're pretty much there. Later you can go about your own way and re-visit locations but there isn't much point.

The sidequests are generic as possible, I find myself skimming the dialogue as i am not interested half the time. With FF  I look forward to sidequests/mini-games which differ from the main game - Chocobo Racing, Blitzball, Triple Triad! FF hasn't utilised this well for years, sure XV had fishing but that's almost an industry mini-game trope at this point.

Then there is the combat, I'm not a Turn-Based Purist! I do enjoy Action-RPG's but XVI's combat has little variation:
Attack - Evade at right times - get Stagger Bar Half Empty - Use Tug Spell - Use Special Attack - Get Stagger Bar Fully Empty - Spam All the Specials - REPEAT. Every Encounter I have had has been like this. Because of the narrative way you obtain Elemental attack it is not utilised into the gameplay, so there aren't really any unique weaknesses for enemies.
For normal enemies I find I use Lunge - Attack - Ground Grapple (Using the grapple to evade incoming damage) - REPEAT.

I just find the gameplay really uninspiring, even navigating the landscape areas, there are too many invisible walls where there is no need for them. There is little effort put into seeing the enemies interact with each other like I have seen in other RPG's, nor is there any way to get a pre-empt reward.

For me the real pull is the story, it is compelling and I really have enjoyed my time with the characters. But as a game, it just feels very basic. I'll see how I feel upon beating the game but I can't see my opinions changing too much.

43

General / Re: Anyone else suck at finishing RPGs?

« on: July 09, 2023, 03:16:25 am »

I find in general with games I have lost interest with post game content - unless it has interesting story details I'm already over the game. This also goes for DLC, if there is big stroy content in DLC and I have already moved onto my next game, iwont go back and play it until I re-play the game years later. When the game ends I am sucked out of the experience and invested in anotehr so new DLC almost feels like I would be experieincing it out of context. i still haven't played all the DLC epsiodes for Final Fantasy XV - Partly because I know they cut the 2nd Season pass and put it in a book...

I try to keep to one main story game at a time, but took so long with Legend of Dragoon it has fallen on the side, I won't touch it again until I beat XVI at the very least. Then for games like Persona, while I enjoyed Persona 3 FES it DRAGGED ON!!! Due to Persona's calendar game structure, it's not like other games where you explore extra content at your will you have to experience each day as it is and usually the main story of JRPG's can be 40-60 hours, Persona 3 FES took me 120+

I think I will be fine with Final Fantasy XVI, but I have heard there are other difficulty modes upon completion, I won't be bothering with that, I just want to experience the game and be done with it.

44

Video Game Database Discussion / Steelbook Catagory Suggestion

« on: June 27, 2023, 10:44:55 am »

Hello,

I've had difficulty adding a Steelbook entry (I won't go into it in this topic...) but felt it was worth putting my two cents through on the matter.

I've noticed a lot of the images on the section are inconsistent, some have both sides in the same image for example. Yet I thought it would be best to have the following:
Front Image - Front of the Steelbook
Back Image - Back of the Steelbook
Disc Image - The Inside of the Steelbook layed flat

The reason for the 3rd image is to display the interior. I believe this would be the best place to do so because really none of these Steelbooks will have games in them - Otherwise they would be listed in the games catagory (PS4 (EU) for example) - Either that of the Steelbook would be inlcuded within an Edition and once again listed within the appropriate game catagory. So with the disc image being free would it not make sense to utilise it this way?

45

Video Game Database Discussion / Re: Duplicate List 2023

« on: June 27, 2023, 10:20:55 am »

Before we had a Steelbooks catagory, I thought that made sense. But now we have a seperate catagory for Steelbooks alone wouldn't it make sesne to display the interiror if it featured unique artwork?  Because if the disc for the game was inclulded it would be a certain Edition not just a steelbook and wouldn't be in this catagory.

As for the barcode, none of the GAME Steelbooks came sealed, I watched the colleague at GAME open a box of them and none of them were sealed but it is the same item and does not need 2 listings.