What are you playing?

[tripredacus]

E.Y.E Divine Cybermancy is a really interested game but the hacking mini-game can get bent.

[Cartagia]

I started playing a Castlevania-like called Infernax yesterday, and it is great.  Cool aesthetic, great music, smooth gameplay.  Big recommend if you like those older style 2D action-platformers.  This is the game Castlevania II tried to be.

[kamikazekeeg]

A good handful of hours into Final Fantasy XVI now and I'm really digging it.  It's kinda refreshing having a dark, violent, medieval setting for Final Fantasy, though it does have just enough of the FF flair with chocobo, moogles, magic, and the big Eikons.  Those fights are so cool and exciting.  Gameplay is solid, similar to Kingdom hearts, but way less floaty, but not fully on super combo crazy deep like a Devil May Cry.  Does kinda of a nice inbetween.  I feel like I'm almost slapping buttons on an arcade stick for a fighter or something with how I'm working out the combat rhythm at times and it's very satisfying getting multiple quality dodges in.  Story is very solid as the settings and character lend themselves to a very grounded story (as much as one can with giant magic beasts in it), that I could see as like a live action story like Game of Thrones.

I will admit to missing some of that Final Fantasy goofyness, some of that out there style, so I feel like by the end of this, I'll want to see them kinda shift back in that direction abit more in the next main game, but would like to keep it more classic sword/magic fantasy like the series was before FF7, or like 9 and 12.  Mix in abit of tech with the fantasy and have some more out there characters.

[bizzgeburt]

I finally (re-)started playing all of my Final Fantasy games in a row, starting with Final Fantasy Origins for PSX. This version of FF1 and FF2 enables you to play the game in 2 different difficulties. First playthrough will be easy-mode. After beating the game the first time, there's an option to load your completed savegame and restart in normal-mode. I still had a completed FF1 save in easy so I started normal mode. FF1 ist already beaten, now I am playing Final Fantasy II, which is one of my favourite titles of the franchise due to it's unique never repeated leveling system. I'm at about 40 hrs now with a lot of story still to play.
I will only consider this FF Origins collection completed as soon as I beat FF2 in normal mode too, but replaying a game right after beating it the first time seems too repetetive to me. That's why I will play Final Fantasy Legend 1-3 for GB between the easy and normal playthrough of FF2. That's the plan so far ...

Those are short games, so they're great palette cleansers. Enjoy! Legend 2 is my favorite of those three.

Sadly, Legend II is the only one out of the three cartridges that isn't working reliably, though I paid a bunch of money for it but I guess I'll figure this out soon as I get to play it seriously.

[undertakerprime]

Got back to my Genesis Mini 2 and after playing a few other games, started up Shining Force CD again and once again could not stop.

Seriously, I wish I had paid attention to the Shining Force games back during the 16-bit era (I remember seeing them on shelves but never gave them any thought). They’re super addicting and I think I like them better than the Fire Emblem series.

When I think about it, I think it’s because of the whole “permadeath” thing. Fire Emblem is fun, but gets especially stressful at the later levels when a single mistake can get a character killed forever. More than once I spent a long time on a level just to make one stupid move and lose an important team member…extremely frustrating. With Shining Force, I know all I have to do is get to the next opportunity to resurrect them. Takes out a lot of the frustration and stress, and makes it much more enjoyable.

[emporerdragon]

Sadly, Legend II is the only one out of the three cartridges that isn't working reliably, though I paid a bunch of money for it but I guess I'll figure this out soon as I get to play it seriously.

While not on the original hardware, the games do have a compilation rerelease for both Switch and Steam. It's called Collection of SaGa: Final Fantasy Legend.

[telly]

When I think about it, I think it’s because of the whole “permadeath” thing. Fire Emblem is fun, but gets especially stressful at the later levels when a single mistake can get a character killed forever. More than once I spent a long time on a level just to make one stupid move and lose an important team member…extremely frustrating. With Shining Force, I know all I have to do is get to the next opportunity to resurrect them. Takes out a lot of the frustration and stress, and makes it much more enjoyable.

That's why I don't like older Fire Emblem games either myself.

[Cartagia]

When I think about it, I think it’s because of the whole “permadeath” thing. Fire Emblem is fun, but gets especially stressful at the later levels when a single mistake can get a character killed forever. More than once I spent a long time on a level just to make one stupid move and lose an important team member…extremely frustrating. With Shining Force, I know all I have to do is get to the next opportunity to resurrect them. Takes out a lot of the frustration and stress, and makes it much more enjoyable.

That's why I don't like older Fire Emblem games either myself.

It's what I like about them! 

[kashell]

A good handful of hours into Final Fantasy XVI now and I'm really digging it.  It's kinda refreshing having a dark, violent, medieval setting for Final Fantasy, though it does have just enough of the FF flair with chocobo, moogles, magic, and the big Eikons.  Those fights are so cool and exciting.  Gameplay is solid, similar to Kingdom hearts, but way less floaty, but not fully on super combo crazy deep like a Devil May Cry.  Does kinda of a nice inbetween.  I feel like I'm almost slapping buttons on an arcade stick for a fighter or something with how I'm working out the combat rhythm at times and it's very satisfying getting multiple quality dodges in.  Story is very solid as the settings and character lend themselves to a very grounded story (as much as one can with giant magic beasts in it), that I could see as like a live action story like Game of Thrones.

I will admit to missing some of that Final Fantasy goofyness, some of that out there style, so I feel like by the end of this, I'll want to see them kinda shift back in that direction abit more in the next main game, but would like to keep it more classic sword/magic fantasy like the series was before FF7, or like 9 and 12.  Mix in abit of tech with the fantasy and have some more out there characters.

Agreed on all this. I'm having more fun than I thought I would. This is the first FF in a long time that I picked up on day one and immediately started.

[kamikazekeeg]

Agreed on all this. I'm having more fun than I thought I would. This is the first FF in a long time that I picked up on day one and immediately started.

It's nice just having a fairly straightforward story and smaller set of characters, especially coming off how sloppy Final Fantasy XV was (I say that as someone that likes the game, but it had problems for sure).  I am a lot further along now and I'm still enjoying the game.  The side quests are all pretty basic stuff, but there aren't tons, and I feel most are a just a nice way to work in a little more world building, as minor as it can be, with a lot of them dealing with either the state of the world (It's screwed), or dealing with the bearers (They are slaves and worse).  Two sidequests I came across in one area were really dark which surprised me out of nowhere lol

Don't even have any serious negatives to the game other than performance could be better, as performance mode isn't consistent like it should be.  I could also use abit more RPG stuff happening, as you get stuff for crafting and upgrading, but it rarely feels like you need to make new gear or keep up with it because you'll probably just get a new item to make a better weapon that you can't even upgrade in the next storyline quest.  That being said, it's nice not having to constantly deal with menu's and inventory management, and all that.  After playing TOTK, FFXVI feels so casual and relaxing in comparison lol  That might be the biggest change with this game, in that you don't have like an inventory full of items.  You won't have like 99 potions or a dozen elixirs, etc...You get 4 potions, 4 high potions, and a tonic that you pick, and that's all you get in a battle.

[alligo]

I just finished Yakuza Ishin which I liked even if it shows its age.
The structure and game design is a bit confusing (constant back and forth to launch a mission)

Good music, the bosses are cool and not too complicated (I was surprised by the end boss or Tokugawa who are not very difficult) 

Substories always so funny, except the one that asks to bring back the same object 100 times (it's useless, seriously)

The management of the farm and the kitchen in another life are nice
the minigames are always good except the last one with the courtesan

The game is very complete even if the farm is horrible for crafting and dungeons.  Good game overall, I enjoyed following the story.

Edit : oh I forgot but the framerate is horrible on PS4, the game crashed once and there was a lot of lag during some cutscenes.

[kamikazekeeg]

I've started to play Grounded again, despite being fairly into FF16 right now, but I saw someone playing it, I remember they put out a content update like two months ago, and the game has a nice sale on Steam (I was playing on Game Pass before), so I figured why not.  This is such a fun survival crafting game, absolutely top 3 favorite for these types of games alongside Subnautica, and maybe Green Hell.  Decided with this run I'll put my main base somewhere a little different, got it over by the big puddle by the hedge, which gives me a lot of clay to use.  I really should finish FF16 before getting absorbed into a game I already beat last year, but couldn't help myself lol

[telekill]

Finished up Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom a couple days ago. I rank it as tied with Twilight Princess as my favorite in the series. Great game.

With the lack of anything new coming out that I really care to play, I find myself in replay mode once again. Currently working on the Game Gear titles in the Sonic Origins Plus release. I've also restarted playing Final Fantasy 7 Remake (PS5) in anticipation of continuing the story early next year.

[vivigamer]

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.

[telly]

In the spirit before Pikmin 4 comes out I've been playing Subnautica and it's really fun! Definitely a unique feel particularly with exploring the open ocean. I'm trying to see how far I can go without consulting a guide (still can't figure out how to build basic rooms for my base yet) lol