Samantha Lienhard's Blog, page 156

Newest Games in My Backlog

Step 2 of Operation Backlog Completion. After looking at the oldest games in my backlog last week, I’ll now look at the newest.

Since I have a lot more new games to play than old games, I’m narrowing the field… only games from 2015 and 2016 will appear on this list.

January 2015

The first month of last year released two games that eventually found their way onto my backlog. First, Grim Fandango Remastered, an adventure game I’d been interested in since before it was remastered. I received it as a gift, and I can’t wait to play it to see if it lives up to my hopes!

Next, Life Is Strange entered my backlog… just last week, when I picked up some games from the Square Enix Humble Bundle. I’ve heard good recommendations, although what I’d seen of it didn’t really appeal to me. Still, I paid $1 for it and a few other games in the bundle, so it’s worth a try. Ludwig thinks it’s better than Undertale, so I have to try it now.

May 2015

That’s right, we have to jump to May for the next new games on my backlog. One is an indie game you might not have heard of, Last Word. It’s a strange RPG in which you battle through the power of conversation. Seems like a fun concept, and I think it will be enjoyable.

Then, of course, there’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Yes, I know I planned to play it when it came out. Yes, I know I intended to play the first two games last year, too. At least I caught up on the novels, right?

June 2015

Batman: Arkham Knight was a veritable disaster on the PC, but I got it for free with my new graphics card, so I can’t complain. I’ve just been reluctant to start, knowing it’s still not as good as it could have been.

August 2015

August saw the release of two RPGs in my backlog thanks to a Steam sale, Labyronia RPG and Labyronia RPG 2. I don’t know much about them, but they get decent reviews… and they were on sale for $0.50.

…As a bundle.

Each game cost a quarter.

A larger RPG release is the Grandia II Anniversary Edition, which I’ve been excited about. I never played the first Grandia, but people say you don’t have to. It looks like Grandia II will be my introduction to the series.

Finally, Steins;Gate should arrive at my door any minute now. It’s a visual novel that stars a self-proclaimed mad scientist… how could I say no? I’d had my eye on it for a while, and last week the PS Vita version went on sale. Now that I have a Vita, I couldn’t resist. I hope to play this one soon.

October 2015

October saw the launch of two big games for me. I bought Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water before I could actually download it, to show my support for the series and survival horror in general. Although I’ve yet to play any previous Fatal Frame games, I hope I’ll enjoy this one.

Then, of course, there was my much-hyped Tales of Zestiria, which I’m currently playing (and logging my progress for all of you to follow along). It will likely be the first new game to disappear from my backlog, as I’m making excellent progress.

November 2015

When I tell people I’m playing a game called G-senjou no Maou – The Devil on G-String, they tend to react oddly. Then I tell them the “G-String” is a music reference dealing with violins, and everything returns to normal. Devil on a G-String is a visual novel described by fans as a “mystery-thriller” or “detective story.” Sounds right up my alley.

November also saw the launch of another anticipated game of mine, Yo-Kai Watch. I’m playing it now, so it should follow Zestiria off the backlog. I’m enjoying it… except for the monster-collecting, which is sort of a central feature. Oops.

December 2015 – January 2016

The most recent games on this list… I don’t technically have yet. One isn’t even out. However, I intend to buy Xenoblade Chronicles X this week, and pre-order Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam in time for its release.

I felt as though my backlog was slowing sinking under the weight of new games, but it’s not as bad as I thought! What do you think of these games? What are the newest games on your backlog? Let me know in the comments!

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Oldest Games in My Backlog

I talk about my backlog on a regular basis, usually to blame it for why I haven’t played [insert popular game here]. But this year, I’m going to make a concerted effort to work through my backlog and finally experience these great games.

Sure, I said that last year and it didn’t work out, but I’m not giving up! Introducing Operation Backlog Completion!

In honor of my new backlog-completion resolution, I thought I’d take a look at the games themselves. I often mention how many old classics are in my backlog… but just how old are they?

So I decided to look at all the games from before the year 2000, looking at their North American release dates only. I excluded remakes (so Tales of Phantasia doesn’t count, since I have the 2006 GBA version) but include straight ports (Dragon Quest doesn’t count because I’m not sure which version the iOS port is based on) to platforms like the Virtual Console.

Let’s take a look.

1999

The most recent games on this list are from 1999, and I have five of them to play… or at least try.

Age of Wonders is a turn-based strategy RPG which I got free from some sort of GOG.com promotion. This might be one I try and quit. Strategy games and I don’t always get along. For now, however, it’s in the backlog.

Dino Crisis is a survival horror game from Capcom about dinosaurs. I watched a Let’s Play of it, but it looks like it’ll be fun to play, as well.

Then there’s Darkstone. Ah, Darkstone… It’s an action RPG, and one of several I “inherited” from someone who never found time to play them. It has… mixed reviews. Maybe I’ll be one of the people who loves it, but those reviews are the reason Darkstone will remain in my backlog a while longer.

Ape Escape is an unusual one, because I actually played and enjoyed it as a kid. I just never finished it. As I recall, I though I was at the end of the game, and when it turned out to be a false ending, I lost heart and quit. I’d love to return to it again and actually finish, especially since my strongest memory of it is the multiplayer boxing mini-game.

As I mentioned in my Top 5 PS1 Games I Still Need to Play article, I read the manual for Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete repeatedly, but never touched the game. People still seem to love it, and I hope I will too.

1998

Let’s travel further back, to 1998, where we’ll find another game from that list: Xenogears. I really want to play Xenogears. Once I catch up on the Kingdom Hearts series, maybe this will be my next long RPG to dive into.

Tales of Destiny was also on the list, the Tales game I had before I knew it was a series. I love the Tales games I’ve played (yes, including my in-progress playthrough of Zestiria), which bumped this one way up on my list. Part of me fears an older game won’t have the features I love… but I might have that backwards.

Gex: Enter the Gecko caught my eye because it’s a 3D platformer, and you know how much I love those. I actually tried it out earlier this week! …And it aged badly. I’ll stick with it for a time, but this one might leave my backlog by means other than completion.

1996-1997

Two games on my backlog are from the years 1996 and 1997, and they’re both from the same series. Although I call myself a Crash Bandicoot fan, I entered the series with the third game, Warped. Therefore, both Crash Bandicoot and Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back are on my list. Unlike Gex, I felt Warped aged pretty well, so I look forward to giving the original games a try.

Now, where’s our new Crash game?

1994-1995

In a peculiarly similar situation to Crash Bandicoot, I have another pair from 1994 and 1995: the first two Breath of Fire games. I played Breath of Fire III, but neither of the preceding games. Fortunately, they’re both on the Wii U Virtual Console now. Despite a long hiatus in the middle (and by “long,” I mean “many years”), I enjoyed Breath of Fire III and look forward to trying I and II.

Lastly, thanks to another GOG giveaway, I have another 1994 game, Ultima VIII. It could be rough, but we’ll see how it goes.

Those are the oldest games on my backlog right now, but maybe they’ll be gone by next year! What are the oldest games you still want to play? What are your thoughts on these? Which pre-2000 games should be in my backlog that I somehow overlooked? Let me know in the comments.

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Scalebound Delayed to 2017 (and That’s Fine)

Today, PlatinumGames announced that Scalebound, the Xbox One action RPG first shown at E3 2014 (as part of Microsoft’s triumphant redemption), has been delayed until 2017.

Scalebound was previously announced for 2016 (“holiday 2016,” so this might not be a big delay), but they need additional time to ensure the game meets their vision.

Some people are disappointed, frustrated, or even angry over this delay, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s fine. I’d rather a great delayed game than an unpolished or unfinished one. (In light of the Aviary Attorney ending fiasco, I think most people agree.)

And PlatinumGames has a lot to handle right now: not only Scalebound, but also Star Fox Zero, Project Guard, Nier: Automata, and possibly a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game (rumored). They shouldn’t rush to cram everything in.

The holiday season might not be a good release time for them, too. There will probably be a lot of big competition, and Platinum’s games often have small sales to begin with.

I’m not 100% convinced by Scalebound yet, but I’m happy they’re taking extra time to make it great. I love RPGs, and my great love for Bayonetta and its sequel is enough for me to keep my eye on the game.

Platinum also promised to share more information about Scalebound this year, and I can’t wait. Hopefully we’ll see some new scenes that make the protagonist look more likable than he was in the Gamescom footage.

How do you feel about the Scalebound delay?

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Top 5 Anticipated Games of 2016

Welcome to 2016! I’ve looked at the best games I played last year, and while many “older” games are on my list for this year (Kingdom Hearts and Witcher for sure), we’ve also got great new releases to look forward to.

Last year it didn’t go so well… of my most anticipated games for 2015, one was delayed, one suffered launch issues on my platform of choice, two I just didn’t get around to yet, and one I’m currently playing.

But this year I’ll play all of those and my newly-anticipated games. Hah, backlog!

Okay, so the chances of that happening are slim. But hey, you never know.

Note: only games with announced 2016 release dates are on this list. So no Ace Attorney 6, despite my excitement for it.

Let’s take a look.

My Top 5 Anticipated Games of 2016

First up, a familiar face…

5. Cosmic Star Heroine

Appearing on my list two years in a row is Cosmic Star Heroine, an upcoming sci-fi RPG from Zeboyd Games.

Despite being planned for a 2015 release, it’s been delayed, but I’m not worried. Zeboyd shares regular updates on Cosmic Star Heroine’s development, and it’s coming along well.

Both the PS4 and Vita versions were playable at this year’s PlayStation Experience.

And speaking of those versions, Cosmic Star Heroine will receive a limited-run physical release for PS4 and Vita. As a backer, I’ll have one of the first opportunities to pre-order a physical copy… and I probably will.

Cosmic Star Heroine is a traditional RPG styled after games like Chrono Trigger, and I can’t wait to finally play it this year.

4. Project Setsuna

We still know very little about the mysterious Project Setsuna, titled Ikenie to Yuki no Setsuna (Setsuna of Snow and Sacrifice) for its Japanese release.

It was one of Square Enix’s many delightful E3 announcements. It’s a traditional RPG in the style of Chrono Trigger (wait… am I repeating myself?) with an ATB combat system.

In a demon-ridden land where it’s always winter, a maiden named Setsuna goes on a journey with a mercenary and other companions to sacrifice herself in order to appease the demons. The story’s theme is “sadness,” but I assume we’ll still try to fight Setsuna’s fate.

Have a look at the trailer.

With so much confusion around the FFVII remake, I’m even more excited for a new turn-based RPG from Square-Enix.

Setsuna is due out on February 18 in Japan, with a Western release to follow later this year. I can’t wait. Restore my faith, Square-Enix!

(And yes, I know I didn’t include it in my list of most-anticipated turn-based RPGs. My enthusiasm for it surged. Plus I feel more confident about its 2016 release.)

3. Yooka-Laylee

The bear and bird are back!

Well, not really. They’re a lizard and a bat, and they’re named Yooka and Laylee rather than Banjo and Kazooie, but Yooka-Laylee promises to channel the spirit of Banjo-Kazooie.

Back when it was known as “Project Ukulele,” I expressed my hopes that it was a spiritual successor to my favorite 3D platformer… and it is!

With former Rare employees on the development team, Grant Kirkhope involved with the soundtrack, and early gameplay previews that feel like a blast from the past, Yooka-Laylee is shaping up to be the Banjo-Threeie we never got.

Yooka-Laylee is planned for PC/Mac/Linux, Xbox One, PS4, and Wii U, with an intended release window of October 2016.

Just watching that footage fills me with a nostalgia for Banjo-Kazooie. I can’t wait!

2. Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

Yesterday, I realized (to my own surprise) that Mario & Luigi: Dream Team was one of the best games I played last year.

And although I had my doubts about it at first, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam sounds like a game I’ll love. Most of the reviews after its European release praised both its gameplay and writing, and that’s what I want.

People say its funny. Fun. And filled with surprises.

It may be more Mario & Luigi than Paper Mario, but maybe this will help Paper Mario cast off Sticker Star’s shadow and become a great RPG series again!

And so, what is my #1 top anticipated game to be released in 2016?

…

1. Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue

Excuse me, that’s Kingdom Hearts HD II.8 Final Chapter Prologue.

Let’s face it. I’m hooked. I also really like poking fun at this game’s title, but more importantly, I’ve fallen into a deep abyss of Kingdom Hearts and I don’t want to leave.

Kingdom Hearts 2.8, which contains a remastered version of Dream Drop Distance, a new chapter in the story called Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage, and Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover, which (as far as I know) tells the story of Kingdom Hearts χ through cinematics.

(Speaking of which, when is Unchained χ coming out in the West? They promised it at E3, and I want to play it… before 2.8, if possible!)

I hope to catch up on the entire Kingdom Hearts series before this collection comes out. I’ll also need to get a PS4. But neither of those things changes the fact that I’m more excited about Kingdom Hearts HD II.8 Final Chapter Prologue than about any other game already announced for 2016.

Are you interested in these five games? What 2016 games are you looking forward to the most?

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Top 5 Games I Played in 2015

My video game backlog is a black hole where games go to die.

Okay, not really, but I have a lot of old games to catch up on, and sometimes I focus on them more than the new games. So in 2013, I decided that instead of a “best games of the year” sort of list, I would discuss the best games I played that year.

Last year’s was even better, with several 2014 games making the list.

Now it’s 2015’s turn, but first…

Honorable Mentions

Like in previous years, I’d like to give a couple shout-outs to games that didn’t quite make the list.

Hatoful Boyfriend: Holiday Star, for example, was perfect for the season and contained great moments, as my review shows. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening was an unusual experience, and I’m glad I finally played this classic Zelda game. And for all my criticisms, I really did enjoy Dragon Age Inquisition.

For one reason or another, none of those games made it onto my final list. While enjoyable, they are not among the top 5. Which games made it? Well…

The Top 5 Games I Played in 2015
5. Mario & Luigi: Dream Team

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team has a bad reputation because of its numerous tutorials, but it’s not a bad game at all.

In my review of Dream Team, I said it had great writing, but bad pacing, and I stand by that statement. There’s nothing wrong with the way the story, characters, and humor is written in Dream Team. They even try to liven up the tutorials.

Dream Team isn’t a perfect game, but if you enjoyed previous entries in the series, you should endure the tutorials and bad early pacing. You’ll be rewarded with fun writing and a game that deserves its spot on this list.

If the upcoming Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam has to emulate one of them, it should lean more toward Dream Team than Sticker Star.

4.Alien: Isolation

I started Alien: Isolation in 2014 (so maybe it doesn’t fully qualify for my list), but then I had a horror meltdown and took a long, long break.

When I finally returned to it this year, I enjoyed every tense, dread-filled moment.

Unlike developers who have shied away from true survival horror (such as Capcom, which still hasn’t figured out that a third-person shooter in dark, bloody settings isn’t the natural evolution of a methodical series filled with puzzles, under-powered protagonists, and resource management), The Creative Assembly embraced it.

Yet Alien: Isolation doesn’t feel like a retro throwback to classic games. To me, it took those classic gameplay elements and put them in a modern form. And that’s awesome.

Whether I was hiding from the deadly alien, using my meager resources to defeat politely murderous robots, or reading computer logs about the last days of Sevastopol Station, Alien: Isolation was the survival horror game I was waiting for. All survival horror fans should check it out.

3. Kingdom Hearts

In 2015, I finally tried Kingdom Hearts for the first time.

This wasn’t a series I missed or overlooked before. No, I blatantly ignored it for many years. And you know what? I shouldn’t have.

Kingdom Hearts, though it still seems like a ridiculous concept on the surface, turned out to be a fun action RPG with entertaining gameplay, a good story, and one of the best… what do I even call it? A reveal? Foreshadowing?

Whatever it was (and I have a spoiler-tagged discussion about this particular aspect in my Kingdom Hearts review, if you want to know what I’m making vague allusions to), it’s one of the best I’ve seen, and I loved it.

It took me a long time to get into the Kingdom Hearts series, but I’m not turning back anytime soon. I’ve already played Re: Chain of Memories, which I enjoyed, though its combat prevented it from even getting an honorable mention. Up next, Kingdom Hearts 2!

Next year, will there be another Kingdom Hearts entry on this list?

2.Undertale

Raise your hand if you saw this one coming.

If you’ve spoken to me at all over the past few months, chances are good I mentioned Undertale.

Undertale is an RPG about a human child who falls into an underground realm of monsters, and I really can’t say much more on the matter, because it’s a game best left as unspoiled as possible.

I will say one more thing, though. You might have heard people talking about this game in relation to morality, emotional moments, friendship, RPG genre subversions, and lots of other deep, meaningful topics. Okay, sure. That’s fine. But aside from all that, there’s one thing I want you to know: Undertale is one of the funniest games I’ve played in a long time.

With how much I love Undertale, what game could bump it to #2?

What game stood out to me the most this year?

What is the #1 game I played in 2015?

…

1. Tales of Symphonia

And no one is surprised.

Not only did I make Tales of Symphonia the winner of my personal take on the “Best Game Ever” tournament, I also declared it “perfect” when I reviewed it.

And let’s not forget I cosplayed Martel.

I really loved Tales of Symphonia. Its story, characters, and gameplay were all top-notch. Especially its story and characters. Especially its villain.

Oh man, Symphonia’s villain (whom I’ve finally admitted is my favorite character from the game) just won’t leave me alone! He lurks in the back of my mind, waiting for me to write fanfiction about him.

Characters do that, you know.

I began Tales of Symphonia near the start of the year, and I’m still thinking about it at the end. That’s the mark of a great game! If you love JRPGs and haven’t tried this one yet, you really should.

In 2016, I intend to try its much-maligned sequel, among other Tales games, and continue hoping for a prequel. And when Tales of Symphonia comes out for the PC in February… maybe I’ll dive into it again.

There you have it, the Top 5 Games I Played in 2015.

This list has two notable omissions. First, the Witcher series. Last year, I vowed to catch up on the entire series before Wild Hunt came out. Well, I read all the books, but I didn’t even play the first game yet. Next year!

Second, Ace Attorney. Ace Attorney won a spot on my 2013 and 2014 lists, but Capcom refused to localize The Great Ace Attorney and I didn’t have one to play in time. Next year…?

What do you think of my list? Have you played Tales of Symphonia yet? And finally, what are the best games you played in 2015?

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Holiday Star: A Companion to Hatoful Boyfriend’s BBL Route

Last year, Hatoful Boyfriend amazed me by being actually a really good game instead of the joke it appeared to be on the surface.

After that, I bought the tie-in manga set in Anghel’s AU, backed the Kickstarter project for character plushies, and waited patiently for the sequel, Holiday Star, to come out on Steam.

I’ve now played Holiday Star. Does it live up to the original?

First, Holiday Star both is and is not a sequel. It’s set during the same time period as the first game, and BBL hasn’t happened. Think of how the routes in Hatoful Boyfriend worked. If you followed Ryouta’s path, it was a different story than Nageki’s path. The two routes can’t both occur in one timeline. This is also true of BBL… and Holiday Star.

At the same time, Holiday Star is written as a sequel. It expects the player to know the events of the first game. In particular, if you don’t know the story from the BBL route, much of Holiday Star’s most significant moments will be lost on you. It also spoils details from the first game.

In short, consider Holiday Star a game-length additional route that should only be played after the Hatoful Boyfriend routes, as a perfect companion to the BBL route.

Also, it isn’t a dating sim like Hatoful Boyfriend was. It is a visual novel, split across multiple episodes. So think more BBL in terms of structure. The main story is split across 4 episodes.

The first two episodes have very silly tones, with so much fourth-wall-breaking and ridiculousness it feels weird even for the sequel to a game in which you dated birds.

On the other hand, there are numerous shout-outs and references, including one to Ace Attorney that becomes a running gag. The protagonist occasionally shouts, “I object!” and “Hold on!” (with inferred finger-pointing) much to the alarm of her classmates.

Amid the absurdity of these incidents, you’ll catch a few darker glimpses into the characters’ backstories, especially if you’re familiar with BBL. Still, these first two episodes might feel a little too jokey and bland (though appropriate for this time of year, as they are set around Christmas and New Year’s), without enough to set the game apart.

In the third and fourth episodes, however, Holiday Star truly shines.

Not only does the third episode truly kick the game’s main plot into action, it also changes the art style.

From there on, the game incorporates a more surreal, storybook-like art style that really works well with the change in setting (the “Holiday Star” itself) and its storytelling.

Holiday Star doesn’t have an abrupt shift like the BBL route, but instead follows a more gradual path. Its humor remains, but becomes tempered by a stronger story. More serious elements emerge.

It’s hard to say more without spoilers, but let’s just say Holiday Star doesn’t lack the emotional impact of its predecessor.

What I really love about the story, though, is its subtlety. Some aspects are presented directly, but others aren’t. They’re left to implication. Holiday Star’s darkest, most twisted revelation is never said outright, but when all the pieces are put together… wow.

The game also has several mini-episodes. Some are funny, some are set in an alternate universe where the Hatoful House incident never occurred, and one even lets you see each bird’s human form if you choose.

Human or partridge, Shuu is as twisted as ever.

A gallery unlocks pictures as you play through the story, including some not used in the game, and finally there are 6 “radio” segments where the characters answer questions from fans. All are worth checking out.

Holiday Star is a shorter game than Hatoful Boyfriend, taking me 6 hours compared to the original’s 8. However, since it is a visual novel rather than a dating sim, there is much less repetitiveness. (Sadly, it is also buggier than the original, though it should be straightened out soon.)

Holiday Star was very special. It doesn’t carry the shock and impact of Hatoful Boyfriend, but it’s enjoyable and intriguing. I can’t recommend it to someone who hasn’t played the original, but if you have? Then absolutely get Holiday Star.

Have any questions about Hatoful Boyfriend or Holiday Star? Let me know in the comments and I’ll answer to the best of my ability!

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Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories – Cloaks and Cards

After the first Kingdom Hearts got me hooked on the series, the next step in my journey was Chain of Memories. To be more specific, Re: Chain of Memories.

Or, to be even more specific, Re: Chain of Memories from the Kingdom Hearts 1.5 Remix, just like how I played the first game.

Since the game is split into two sections, let’s talk about each separately.

Sora’s Story

The core storyline follows Sora, immediately after the events of Kingdom Hearts. He, Donald, and Goofy are looking for Riku and King Mickey, and their search takes them to Castle Oblivion.

Guided by people in black cloaks, Sora ascends Castle Oblivion in search of the truth, though he loses his memories along the way.

And to progress, he must use cards.

Oh, cards…

Chain of Memories uses cards for both its maps and combat. I liked the way the map cards work. You sort of build your own dungeons, picking which room goes where as long as they’re a high enough value to get past the door. I enjoyed that, although it took away most of the exploration.

For combat, cards are used for everything: attacks, magic (even cure), summonses, and items. Cards with higher numbers “break” cards with lower numbers (stopping your action), except for 0. 0 cards can break any number, but also can be broken by any number. In theory, I love the strategic thinking this system requires.

In practice, I hated it.

Ironically, the combat system inspired the combat in The World Ends With You, which I love. There’s no nice way to say it, though. I despised Chain of Memories’ combat system. Trying to manage my deck, pick the best cards, set up sleights (special attacks formed from multiple cards), and react to my opponent’s cards, all while running and dodging like a traditional action RPG drove me crazy.

Fortunately, Chain of Memories knew how to handle me. Every time it forced me to endure a battle so terrible I wanted to abandon the whole game, it introduced another character in a black cloak from the “Organization.”

These people, and the story, is what really kept me interested in Chain of Memories.

Of course, Disney was still involved, beyond just Donald and Goofy. Each floor of the castle is a Disney world… the same worlds from the first game, in fact. The repetition didn’t bother me, because I felt Chain of Memories actually used them really effectively.

The Disney stories fit in thematically with the main plot of Chain of Memories so well, it’s admirable. The problems faced by the Disney characters, and the slight alterations of their stories, all work to complement Sora’s story.

Even though the Disney stories are integrated well, the real story in Chain of Memories is Sora’s journey through Castle Oblivion, and his interactions with the aforementioned cloak-wearing weirdos. The plot takes some nice twists and turns, and it intrigued me with its larger universe and world-building. (It also makes me wonder again why Kingdom Hearts includes Disney and Final Fantasy when it obviously has its own original story it wants to tell… but never mind.)

I enjoyed the characters, the questions raised about memory and identity, and the vague hints dropped about Nobodies.

And when I finally made it to the end, after an admittedly awesome final battle, it unlocked a second story.

Reverse/Rebirth (aka Riku’s Story)

The second part of Chain of Memories follows Riku. It’s technically known as Reverse/Rebirth according to the title screen, which means I was playing Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories – Reverse/Rebirth as part of the 1.5 Remix. I love Kingdom Hearts titles.

Riku’s story plays a little differently. While the card system is more or less the same, his decks are locked and the cards changed automatically during the course of the story. He can also engage in “duels” when you and your opponent use a card with the same number. Breaking enough cards in a battle triggers Dark Mode, where he has access to powerful sleights.

In general, I enjoyed Riku’s combat slightly more, except for two things: 1) I was so bad at duels, the duel tutorial boss almost killed me, and 2) the lack of a “cure” card really hurt.

Unfortunately, Reverse/Rebirth has even less exploration than the main game. Remember how well I said the Disney worlds integrate with Sora’s story? They don’t even try in Riku’s. The Disney worlds are there solely to give Riku things to fight in between more cutscenes about the Organization.

Again, those cutscenes were interesting enough that I kept playing. I really enjoyed the story. And if there’s one good thing I can say about the lack of a heal card, it gave me a greater appreciation for Mickey.

Riku’s story is significantly shorter than Sora’s, and culminates in a boss fight so terrible, I thought I might not actually beat the game after all.

After two hours of agony, I beat the final boss and officially completed Chain of Memories!

Overall… I liked it. It’s given me more reason to be glad I picked up the Kingdom Hearts 1.5 Remix. I like the Organization and the overall plot, and I can’t wait to see where Kingdom Hearts 2 goes. (Despite having 1.5, I’m not watching the Days cutscenes until after I play KH2. I’ve been told it’s better that way.) The gameplay had some unique ideas, some of which was pretty fun.

But I hope I never have to break another card ever again.

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New Email Subscription Service

This is mainly a message to my email subscribers, letting you know I am no longer using Feedburner. Instead, I’ve switched to Mad Mimi.

If you’ve already subscribed, you don’t have to change anything. The emails will just look a little different when they arrive.

If you haven’t subscribed, you can do so by entering your email address here or using the form in the sidebar.

You can read the full blog posts in your email, although there are a few benefits to visiting the full site instead:

Fancy content (tables, numbered lists, spoiler tags, etc.) doesn’t display right in the feed format. Don’t worry about seeing spoilers, though. Content within spoiler tags doesn’t show up at all.
Related posts are listed here on the site for each post.
The feed does not recognize updates to a post as new content, such as when I add new parts to my LP. (More reason to follow me on Facebook and Twitter.)
You can only leave comments here on the site.

Fortunately, each email also includes a link to the post in question. You can always come here if you want to see the original post.

And for those of you using RSS readers, you should use this feed URL, although the Feedburner link should continue to receive updates.

Once you’ve received a post or two, let me know how it works out. Is this new format better than Feedburner’s, or do you wish I hadn’t switched? What features do you like the most?

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Undertale: A Strange, Amazing Game

It’s finally time to talk about Undertale. Undertale is best experienced with as few spoilers as possible, so I’ll try to keep this review spoiler-free.

(I may eventually write a second article with spoilers, since there’s so much to discuss there, but this one is safe.)

When I started Undertale, I had no idea what to expect. None. This is the main reason I got the “neutral” ending my first time through, and you know what? I’m glad I did.

On that first playthrough, Undertale captured my heart with its charming characters and humor. I didn’t know it was a funny game. In fact, from the way people talked about it, I expected it to not be a funny game.

The wacky cast of characters was a pleasant surprise. From a spaghetti-obsessed skeleton who thinks he’s a lot cooler than he is, to a killer robot with a hilarious Final Fantasy VI shout-out, I loved them all.

Even Muffet.

Only #Undertale could make me call a spider adorable.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) October 28, 2015

(And yes, even Alphys, who seems to be one of the most-hated characters in the game. How could I hate a mad scientist?!)

The characters were, at times, so ridiculous I laughed out loud. Optional conversations made it even better, such as an absurd debate between two characters about whether the elevators at opposite sides of the area were labeled “R” and “L” for “Red” and “Light Green.”

For a long time, I didn’t have much to say about the story. It had a simple concept, and the characters were what really made Undertale great. After my second playthrough, however, my opinion changed. Undertale’s story is simpler than what you’ll find in a big JRPG, for example, but…

All the pieces of the story work together really well.
It could only be told through a video game.

I noticed things during my second playthrough. Pieces of foreshadowing that really helped demonstrate how well the story works. Undertale’s story is made up of several different pieces, which all fit together in just the right ways.

And it had to be a game. Undertale told as a book or movie wouldn’t work. The same basic story would be there, but then it would become just that: basic. The player’s agency, the breaking of the fourth wall, and other aspects I can’t mention because of spoilers all transform it into something more impressive than its core plot.

Not to mention little goofy things, like when I used noodles to heal myself in battle.

The characters are fantastic, the humor is great, and the story is perfect for its format. What about the gameplay?

Undertale’s gameplay is odd. I don’t know exactly how to describe it. It’s sort of a turn-based RPG (what? combat handled through menus?? no modern gamer will enjoy– oh wait…) but not quite.

Attacks are timing-based, and defending involves evading attacks in a format best compared to a very mild bullet hell. You can Act during battle instead of attacking, which lets you pick from a variety of non-combat actions. With the right actions, you will be able to Spare an enemy.

Finding the right actions to spare enemies added a puzzle element to battles, which I enjoyed. There are also a few puzzles on the field, though most of it is structured like an RPG. And as you progress, you find plenty of shortcuts, so backtracking isn’t an issue.

The music is also glorious.

After my first playthrough, I bought the soundtrack, because there are so many great songs I can’t stop listening to!

Undertale is filled with references and little brilliant moments. It even referenced Ace Attorney! (Compare Turnabout Sisters to Dating Start. If you think it’s a coincidence, you eventually have to find a specific piece of “evidence,” and the character in question has a breakdown.)

After the neutral ending, I already recommended Undertale to everyone I talked to. Then my second playthrough showed me it was even better than I thought it was.

Minor Undertale spoilersI wanted to play the genocide/no mercy run, but I’m not sure I have the heart. I might watch someone else play it, instead.

For some reason, Undertale is often compared to EarthBound. They… aren’t alike. They have similar graphics and worlds I might describe as “quirky,” and some of the battle text could be compared, but that’s where the similarities end.

Undertale is really a special game. I loved it, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes RPGs and humor.

If you’ve played Undertale, what was your favorite thing about it? And if you haven’t, does my review make you more inclined to?

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Screenshot Let’s Play: Tales of Zestiria – Part 26-50

Updated: Dec 20, 2015 @ 6:29 PM

Looks like the first 25 parts of my Tales of Zestiria screenshot Let’s Play was a bit too much. The editor explodes if I try to add more text.

Let’s see if this can carry us through the next 25! And if there aren’t 25 more parts? We’ll use the remaining space for Alisha’s DLC and other fun activities. Right now, I’m really enjoying Tales of Zestiria.

Part 26 - It's Sidequestin' Time!

Last time on Let’s Play Tales of Zestiria, we did some sidequests, found lots of iris gems, and tried to figure out malevolence (again). This time, we’ve still got plenty of sidequests…

Starting with Gododdin!

We return to the village and find Slenge awake. However, he seems a bit distracted.

Forsea, however, got there ahead of us and knows why Slenge is shaken by his dealings with the false Shepherd Malfore.

Great. Malfore knows who Slenge is, and he’s blackmailing him.

Well, not exactly. They made a deal. If Slenge turns over control of the fake Elixir market to the church, they’ll leave him in peace.

They’ll also buy their ingredients from Gododdin, so the village with have a legitimate source of revenue. Even if it’s still contributing to a bad cause.

Our party is okay with this, and Forsea agrees to become Lord of the Land.

She also gives us some more cheery news.

Really? After all that, he’s going to die? Geez…

We also have some new Lord of the Land options from Forsea.

Gododdin is fine… or as fine as it’s going to be, so we leave and continue exploring side areas for quests, treasure, herbs, and skits.

Such as this skit, about rabbits, which Sorey and Rose both proclaim to be “yummy,” much to Dezel’s horror.

Sorey offers to cook a delicious rabbit for Dezel, but the seraph refuses. Since Rose and Sorey still intend to eat one themselves, he does the only thing he can.

Aww, Dezel’s really an animal-lover, isn’t he?

By the way, I forgot to mention it last time, but I’ve begun to encounter one traditional, hated RPG enemy…

MIMICS! Oh yes.

Add in the Lord of the Land Boon that refills treasure chests, and Mimics have ambushed me all over the place. They’re tough, too!

This bout of exploration is pretty great. I’m strong enough to beat those mini-boss enemies I skipped earlier, AND I have all my seraphim abilities now so I can access new areas.

For example, remember the inaccessible shortcut to the Bors Ruins from Lamorak Cave?

Ta-DA! I beat the mini-boss ahead of it, too.

But let’s save that for now and take the long way back to the Bors Ruins, for added exploration.

…

…

…

Back to the shortcut!

It feels strange to be in Hyland again. The little town of Marlind is doing well, Griflet Bridge has been fully rebuilt, and–

Alisha! I thought we’d never see you again!

We tell her about our search for the trial shrines, and she gives us a good piece of information.

This is a video game. What are the chances a major character tells us about a ruin that’s NOT one we need?

Lady Maltran has gone ahead to check it out. Hmm… I’ve been wary of Maltran ever since that story we heard about her and the hellions…

Alisha’s still being treated like crap by Barlow, like being sent out to inspect bridges even though she’s a princess and a knight.

But she’ll endure for the sake of her people.

She’s also pleased Sorey has found a good Squire, though Rose isn’t pleased when Alisha compared her to Sorey. (She then apologizes, to Sorey’s dismay.)

Now, we could go check out the new ruins, but we still have sidequests. Back in Ladylake, we find a pickpocket–a hellion pickpocket. We intervene so we can purify him.

The guard objects, and Rose blackmails him, saying she knows why the pickpocketing problem is so bad. While they argue, the kid escapes.

Rose and Dezel chase after him, and the guard confronts Sorey.

The people jump in on Sorey’s side, however, so the guard relents.

I catch up with the others. Rose wants to follow the boy, to see if he’s still a pickpocket dsepite being purified.

She also explains just what she insinuated the guard was involved in when she mentioned the pickpocketing problem.

Harsh… though after how those other kids were slaughtered, this feels mild in comparison.

The boy goes to a hideout, but Rose still isn’t satisfied. She needs to know whether he’s in it of his own free will or not.

Lailah objects, but we promise to only follow and observe.

The gang of kids comes out, and they’re all laughing and boasting about how they’ll steal stuff. And they’re barely malevolent at all.

Okay, I think we’re on track again. Since these kids believe they need to steal to survive, they’re not malevolent despite their cruelty.

It’s clear the boy isn’t being bullied or manipulated. When the gang arrives at the sanctuary, the game gives me a choice.

Wow, the first real choice since we fixed the bridge!

I decide to report them, but Rose objects. She runs to the kids, who scatter, and gives the boy a lecture. It doesn’t work.

Then she agrees to turn them in.

Wait… did the assassin really think a stern talking-to would change their ways?

Oh well. We discuss the situation with the priest, and… oho, what is that?

When he hears the iris gems are important to our quest, he’s more than happy to hand it over.

So many Shepherds! It’s pretty cool.

We theorize why there aren’t that many Shepherds around anymore.

Rose wins for best theory.

I wonder if we’ll ever actually find out, or if it’s going to remain vague? If they’re linked to Maotelus, surely we’ll learn something…

Next, we go to visit Alisha, but she’s not at home.

She’s hunting down spies now? Alone?!

Well, since she was accused of being a spy, it might be personal.

Oh? Interesting.

Mikleo says it’s not true since he’s never heard of it, but I’m not convinced. Origin Village, eh? Hmm…

We stop at the inn, and Sorey asks Lailah if she could have been the Lord of the Land.

Wasn’t the “personal journey” with a Shepherd to smite malevolence? Besides, if every seraph is expected to be a Lord of the Land, and not be allowed to travel or enjoy life, that’s pretty harsh…

We also have a skit about the pickpockets.

Dezel doesn’t buy that excuse for an instant.

Do you know that feeling from personal experience, Dezel?

Next, we head up to the ruined village where we saw the “ghost” hellion the last time we were here.

As with the others, we’re strong enough to beat it now.

Your soul can become a hellion? How? Is it like a progression, like how fully-corrupted seraphim become dragons?

We backtrack through the forest next, opening new paths and finding treasure (and Mimics). Also this… weird blue rock stuff… which doesn’t trigger a skit.

Was this an early Discovery Point and I forgot it?

A brief skit also mentions how powerful Gramps is.

Hmm… Ekseo-level seraph, maybe?

Okay, now HERE’S something worthy of a Discovery Point!

…It IS, Zestiria, don’t lie to me.

(Why does it exist if no one in the game will comment on it?)

Gramps is back in Elysia now. He gives Sorey grief for leaving home, we return his pipe, and Lailah suggests we take some time to relax.

After I talk to all the NPCs in the area, I go to eavesdrop on Lailah and Gramps a bit.

Lailah addresses him as Sir Zenrus. They seem to know each other from back when she traveled with the other Shepherd.

What happened to him, I wonder?

Hey… That Shepherd in the Earthen Historia scenes looks a lot like a long-haired Sorey. And Gramps adopted Sorey and Mikleo?

What if that Shepherd is Sorey’s father? (And Mikleo’s? And what if Lailah is… maybe I shouldn’t follow this train of thought any further.)

Mikleo wants to ask them about it, but Sorey says they’ll reveal it if it’s important. (Yeah, Lailah has never kept a secret from you or anything.)

Meanwhile, our lead from the forest told us to go back to the aqueduct to find Alisha, so we head there just in time for a confrontation.

She presents her case, but they’re very upset with her. Apparently this suspicious guy was trying to negotiate peace with Rolance.

No one told Alisha because… they hate her. And because her lack of information make her come to the wrong conclusion… they’ll hate her more.

Yeah, Alisha really gets dealt a lousy hand.

They leave, and leave behind an iris gem for some reason.

It shows how close Lailah and the previous Shepherd were. This distresses her.

We have one more sidequest to do, because I missed Rose’s clue when we were in Pendrago. I return to Pendrago and sleep at the inn to learn about “the howling season.”

…That’ll do it.

It’s a tough boss battle, but we finally purify the… uh… talking cat seraph, Morgrim. She has a different perspective on human & seraph relations than most seraphim do.

Yet she agrees to bless the city, using the sacred inscription as her vessel, so that’s fantastic!

On my way out, I can’t help but notice these people. Two priests and two distinctive NPCs, one in white and one in black.

Who are they? What is the prince doing that worries them?

After all these sidequests, I can actually check up on two in Ladylake, so I head there to find the pickpocketing children (yes, they’ve already been let go) and Alisha.

The children are now being taken care of by adults who gave them actual honest jobs, as well. Aw, now that they see they can survive without stealing, surely they’ll–

…Okay, Dezel’s right. These kids are jerks.

Oh well, we did what we could. Let’s go find Alisha, then, and… Wait a minute!

These four again?! How are they in both Ladylake and Pendrago? I shall definitely keep my eye out for them from now on…

We reach Alisha’s house, but as we draw near, she’s talking her maid what happened after her false accusation against the liaison. They forgave her, but she had to apologize and beg. We also get a little more insight into her political situation.

Alisha’s father belonged to an offshoot of the royal family, but her mother was a commoner. This is why the other nobles don’t respect her, and why she tries so hard to prove herself.

She’s distraught over what happened, so we decide to leave her alone for now.

Well, that’s that! You know, Dezel’s really growing on me. I didn’t like him when he joined the party, but between his love for dogs and bunnies and his over-excitement over finding rare bugs (I didn’t share that skit), he can be oddly adorable despite his hostile exterior.

Next time I played Tales of Zestiria, we’ll head for the ruins and the second trial!

When I first started this LP, I tried to keep each part short. Lately, I’ve made the parts longer, such as this one. Do you prefer screenshot Let’s Play segments that are long or short, and why?

Like what you see enough to play Tales of Zestiria yourself?

Buy Tales of Zestiria from Amazon

Buy Tales of Zestiria from Play-Asia

Buy Tales of Zestiria from Steam

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