#me: yeah vesperia is fun but not as good as abyss | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

hachimitsuotu · 5 months

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mistral_rondo's Fanfic Recs

I'm a picky reader, I don't read fanfic as much as I used to, (I struggle to read multichapter fics), and I just prefer reading novels. However, I do have a share of fanfics that I enjoy and writers of which I've binge-read their content.

So, if you're curious, here's a few recommendations (in no order of preference):

Tales of

Writer: suspicious-popsicle (dreamwidth, ao3)

Comment: I tried linking to DW, but I'm getting an error message. Oh well. So back when I actually shipped Flynn/Yuri, suspicious-popsicle's fics were my Go To for Flynn & Yuri. They not only have a hefty amount of Fluri one shots and even a chapter fic/series here and there, but they take time to really break into Yuri and Flynn's bond and who they are as characters. Yuri and Flynn have conflict, but they don't outright hate each other. They have believable chemistry in their AUs. Despite their initial feelings on Flynn as a character at the start of ToV, there's no bias when they write from Flynn's POV. In fact, suspicious-popsicle and the First Strike movie (yeah you read that right!) are primary reasons why Flynn Scifo became my favorite character. I highly recommend them if you need Yuri or Flynn character studies. They even have some Ristelle if you're interested.

Step by Step by Misty_Reeyus.

Comment: When I think of a fanfic that basically sums up what I love about Vesperia's characters and their dynamics, this is the one that comes to mind. This is a long one shot, but it's probably the first one I will ever recommend if you want something that's platonic, feel-good, and in-character. Its from Yuri's POV and does not take place in the DE/PS3 world, so there's no Patty. But don't let that deter you.

The Worst Kind of Knight by Planetarial.

Comment: This was written for me for Tales of Secret Santa 2019. YuriLuke is one of my duos, and this prompt fill basically hit everything I wanted to see in a "Yuri and Luke are from the same universe." I admire anyone who's brave enough to think outside the box and write about unlikely/impossible duos, and Planetarial exceeded my expectations. It's probably my favorite gift I've ever received from any "Tales of" exchange I took part in.

Our Days by HannyBoo.

Comment: A fic featuring a rarepair of mine (despite the fic not being shippy) and another amazing "what if [Vesperia] Character was in Abyss/Auldrant". Estelle and Luke are two characters that have so much in common from their upbringing, yet coming out as completely different characters. This fanfic is an AU scenario where Luke ends up in Zaphias following his "memory loss." I absolutely loved everything about this one shot, and not just for the Luke & Estelle, but the Estelle & Guy and Susanne & Estelle. I could talk endlessly on why I love this one shot so much, but it's one of those cases where you go, "I wish [fic] would exist", but in this case it actually does, and you didn't need to lift a finger to write it. Just give it a read if you're interested in the similarities (and differences) between Estelle and Luke.

Shattered by Nightfoot

Comment: Sometimes you just need a chapter fic (with no romance) that involves Flynn suffering, and Nightfoot has you covered on basically all fronts when it comes to this. However, it was "Shattered" that I could not put down for the life of me. It's dark, shows an alternate take on a character that could eerily be possible if you looked at it through a different lens, and does a good job of showing Yuri and Flynn's bond and the healing process. Flynn is fucked up by Estelle (and not in the fun way), who turns out to have been in cahoots with Alexei. But it's more complicated than that and one you're just going to have to read. Take note of the warnings, and I seriously pity those that backed out the minute Estelle shows her true colors in this fic. This is one story that I will definitely remember and come back to. Like "Forsaken" by sturms_sun_shattered (which I ramble about further down), this was a fic that I binge-read. Fortunately for me, I joined fandom late so I got to read it all in one go LOL. But there wasn't a moment in this fic where it switched to a different POV where I went "ugh..." and dragged myself to finish the chapter. It's suspenseful and very strong in the angst and hurt/comfort department. Did I mention there's no romance, too?

How Things Are by vehicroids

Comment: Yeah, I really shouldn't be surprised at how little to nonexistent Sorey/Rose is in fandom, but I still couldn't help but be disappointed. "How Things Are" and vehicroids other Sorey/Rose fic, "Upper Class Ennui", is a very cute but angsty one shot. You can tell there's mutual pining between them, but because Sorey Is Shepherd, things such as romance can't be that easy. If I had to choose one ship that stood out to me after finishing Zestiria, it's Sorey/Rose, and part of its appeal (to me) is that it's impossible. It can't happen because of how the game ends. Thinking of all this makes the one shot in itself more tragic (whether the writer's intention or not). "How Things Are" isn't just a bit of a tragic take on Sorey/Rose and their status, but a good character study for Rose as well. One I recommend if you're feeling adventurous and want something not-Sorey/Mikleo or Sorey/Alisha... or Dezel/Rose... or Rose/Alisha...

~*~*~*

Misc.

- Fandom: Legend of Zelda (BotW/AoC)

Writer: sturms_sun_shattered (note: this account is locked, so you'll need to be logged in to read their amazing fics.)

Comment: The first fic I read by Sun was Forsaken, which features Sidon/Teba in a post-Age of Calamity world where the original BotW timeline was erased as a result of the modern day's Champions interference. Let me tell you: I have never been excited to see a fanfic update. This is the first fic, in a VERY long time, where I was eagerly awaiting the next chapter. The pacing is amazing, the worldbuilding is impeccable, and the characterization is downpat. It made me like Sidon and Teba even more, but also gives us a darker and (imo) more realistic look into a post-AoC.

"Forsaken" aside, Sun's best strengths shine in their ability to extend on the world given to us by BotW/AoC/TotK and push it to its absolute limits and beyond. They are my Go-To for BotW-verse fics, and one I highly recommend if you love the Ritos. They flesh out NPCs, they give Teba the spotlight he deserves, and they're just a damn good writer.

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arcxnumvitae · 3 years

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A non-numbered list of Tales openings (of the games I’ve played) that I think either are good or bad

Good

T.ales of Zestiria: Absolutely my all time favorite one solely because of that Jrock. Do I think it really fits Zestiria well? Not at all! Does both the Japanese version with the lyrics, the English version with the electric guitar, and Ufotable’s pretty animation absolutely slap though? Yes!

Tales of Xillia 2: Also a great song and the visuals are so pretty. I’m also a sucker for media that brings back its opening theme in OSTs and leitmotifs later. TO YOU, YEAH

Tales of the Abyss: My favorite up until Zestiria’s came out and if I had to speak objectively, the more fitting and better one of the series. Bump of Chicken is just good in general but something about karma is great because while it feels like a classic opening to like a shounen, it doesn’t feel generic. And even now years later it still feels fresh. Plus, the scenes shown I feel do great to build up intrigue for the story without spoiling too much. And avoids the fatal flaw of ‘ just character shots battling monsters/lineup of the baddies looking menacing, and not showing anything interesting’. I’m starting the game and I see Luke blow something up, short-haired Luke, and Luke and Natalia being surrounded by guards in their hometown? I’m intrigued! But not spoiled! And my gosh. My gosh, Meaning of Birth. My gosh.

Tales of Vesperia: Okay, the shots are ‘character battling’ but-- Repede, Yuri, Judith, and such a unique song are enough to boost it up in my opinion. What can I say, I love to watch that man work and truly the person who designed Yuri Lowell put their foot in it that day.

Just okay

Tales of Xillia: Now let me clarify-- the song is great. The best part of the opening. But also...the only notable thing about it. All of the visuals basically are the aforementioned character shots battling and baddie of the week lineup...and not much else. A shame. And no Yuri Lowell to at least elevate it. Tragic.

Tales of Berseria: You have a compelling revenge story featuring a cast of morally gray “villain” protagonists and this is the generic stuff you go with? I joke that Zestiria and Berseria should have switched opening themes because Zestiria’s hardcore electric guitar would have fit this so much more, and vice versa. I’m tempted to put it in bad just because I’m so affronted by this being the opening to one of my favorites in the whole series.

Tales of Symphonia (PS3): It’s okay. ....That’s all I can say about it. I know part of the fun is the subversion of the usual Chosen One tropes, and the surprise subversion is part of the fun, but for such a non-traditional story I wish they had teased that more in this opening. I just think of a basic shounen anime. Like, death, slavery, racism, body modifications to the point of body horror, some real messed up stuff but I’m watching them instead fight the monster of the week. Buddy. I wanted better for you.

Tales of Graces f: Pretty song! And it does actually involve story stuff! Maybe it’s just cause I find the game itself “meh” that this opening is also here. Maybe it just feels slower paced to me too.

Bad

Tales of Arise: This opening personally offends me. It walked into my house, sat down at my table, and spat in my cereal. What is this song? Ufotable, why are the visuals so boring? I watched it and immediately forgot nearly everything that took place in it, heck I could barely even remember what most of the party looked like. The only saving grace is Dohalim’s absolutely beautiful face. Oher than that? My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.

#{Save #because I wrote so much #and under the cut because of length and because it's totally unrelated to anything having to do with my muses or rp

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kaleidographia · 5 years

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[Review] Tales of Vesperia: The Brightest Star in the Night Sky Doesn't Shine as Strongly as I'd Hoped

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Warning: Contains allusive/thematic spoilers.

The day is finally here! Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition, containing content previously unseen outside of Japan, has finally been released, so that us English speakers and/or non-PS3 owners can experience the new storylines, characters and features for the first time! Alas, this isn’t a post about that, firstly because this post is going up day-of-release and I haven’t had a chance to play it yet, and secondly because I am writing this from outside of the country and won’t be united with my pre-ordered copy until I return next week, RIP.

Therefore, this post is written from the point of view of someone who has only played the Xbox 360 version. I will try to keep it brief for the sake of not spoiling newcomers to the game, and also hopefully not to complain about things that are fixed (or broken??) in the Definitive Edition.

Tales of Vesperia is a game in the long-running “Tales of” franchise from Bandai Namco, the first one in HD, originally released for the Xbox 360 in 2008, later receiving an updated PS3 version in 2009, exclusive to Japan. Like many older fans, my introduction to the Tales of series was with Tales of Symphonia for the Gamecube, and I fell in love hard; I was therefore extremely excited to play the next games, but unfortunately, I never owned the platforms for them until very recently. Along with Tales of the Abyss, Vesperia and Symphonia form the “holy trinity” of games in the series almost everyone loves; find a Tales fan and ask them their favourite game, and the answer will likely be one of those three (note: I’ve heard very good things about Graces and the two Xillia games, but unfortunately haven’t had a chance to judge them firsthand myself). The three games, while not directly related in terms of plot or setting, share a lot of things in common, as they had mostly the same creative team, often referred to as “Team Symphonia” (as opposed to “Team Destiny” which made most other games since then). One notable difference is the scenario writer, Takashi Hasegawa, while Symphonia and Abyss were written by Takumi Miyajima.

The Tales series is known for its reliance on anime and JRPG tropes, often used in a way that plays off cliché expectations only to then layer plot twists and character development and produce a much deeper experience than what would be expected from the get-go. When used effectively, these methods produce a story that is both fun and emotionally challenging. Tales of Vesperia is no different, offering a cast of archetypes that should be highly recognizable to those familiar with the genre, and yet this may be best set of characters in a Tales game. The party has impressively good banter, chemistry and dynamics and several scenes had me laughing out loud or yelling, and I never had a bad time watching their relationships unfold.

Unfortunately, the game spares little time fleshing out backstories or learning more about each individual character outside of the main plot. By the end, I was left wanting, as the cast was so endearing and vibrant, yet I knew next to nothing about them aside from what had been relevant to show onscreen. I longed for more information about where they had come from and how they had gotten where they were, but it is a testament to the strength of the character writing that their storylines reached a satisfying conclusion despite this relative sparse amount of information about them. “Backstory is not story”, Craig McCracken and Frank Angones were fond of saying to fans of Wander Over Yonder, but for a game with the size and scope of a 60-hour JRPG, not providing that window of information feels like a hole in the worldbuilding.

Mechanically, Vesperia builds on the model established by Symphonia and refined in Abyss, where combat takes place in a 3D arena and the player can run around, hit enemies and rack up combos fighting game style (the franchise calls this “Linear Motion Battle System”). While Symphonia was in 3D, it restricted the player to a single side-to-side corridor of action. Abyss added the ability to run around in 3D space by holding down a button, a feature Vesperia also has. This makes combat easier and more fun, as nothing is quite as satisfying as avoiding an attack and then running around and hitting the enemy from behind. And, as the game allows up to four players controlling different party members, and I have a player 2 (shoutout to my roommate Opal), Vesperia’s system is the most well-suited to multiplayer. If nothing else, I never felt lost while on the battlefield yelling for backup. The one major flaw is that boss fights come with massive difficulty spikes and I often had to grind and formulate careful battle plans with Opal just to not get continuously massacred by bosses.

Storywise, Vesperia starts off very strongly, sort of peters out near the middle, and then the third act falls apart. At first the theme is anti-authority, with a protagonist who grew up in the slums, neglected by nobles, who became a knight and then quit out of disillusionment when it turned out all they did was squabble about politics, and the inciting incident and early driver of the plot is his quest to “fix the plumbing” as a popular Tumblr text post put it. It’s clear Yuri has all the reason in the world to not trust authority and he even goes full vigilante against unjust abuse of power, but while this thread seems like the most important theme in the story, after a while so many other elements come into play it ends up lost and doesn’t really make much of an appearance except to highlight the differences between Yuri and Flynn’s approaches to life and how they prefer to help people. On its own it’s a compelling idea, but it never gets the follow-through it deserves, and my expectations were certainly subverted—but in a bad way.

It’s hard to talk about the third act without spoilers so I will probably come back to it for a proper analysis at a later date, but its ultimate message was already kind of limp in 2008 and is even more laughable now. For a game whose initial premise was so strongly against authority, the ultimate resolution of the main conflict reads as incredibly daft in light of just about everything that is happening in politics at the moment. There’s a very strong environmental allegory and the comparisons to climate change are not subtle, but the writers probably bit off more than they could chew because realistically trying to solve this problem in the time the story allotted would have been next to impossible; I still would have hoped the implications of the given solution had been actually explored instead of settling for an “oh well, guess everything’s been fixed now”.

I’m being harsh about the plot because to me Vesperia has a lot of wasted potential. Don’t get me wrong: I do love this game. It is in fact up there with the holy trinity as far as my opinions of the series go, but it lands in third place out of the three because it just fails to live up to what its first half promises about the world it created. To put it bluntly, if the story had just ended at the conclusion of the second act, it would have been much stronger. That the game continues for another 20 hours on a completely different track with an unsatisfying, unrealistic conclusion is a huge shame because it brings down what could have been a real masterpiece of tropey anime JRPG narratives. I live for that stuff, there’s a reason I want to play every Tales game, but that’s what makes this letdown the most disappointing. At least the characters themselves get good conclusions; it is unfortunate I can’t say the same for the main plot.

Despite all this I think Vesperia is a worthwhile experience, and one of my favourite things about is its aesthetic sense. Every location is immersive, polished, and the pinnacle of what I want to see in a videogame, to the point I dream of Symphonia and Abyss remakes made in the same style (and every other game in the series, to be honest, but that seems unlikely with the direction it’s taken since then). I genuinely cared about the party and I wanted to see them succeed and I was ultimately happy that they did even if I did roll my eyes a lot. The combat was so satisfying and so fun to play with a player 2 it makes me twice as mad that Zestiria’s camera goes completely wild during multiplayer and prevents me from joining in. I should note that for someone who plays as many games as I do I am notoriously terrible at them so I heavily favour story over mechanics, but Vesperia is a game that reminds me that engaging gameplay can make a huge difference. Yeah, I suck, but at least I’m having fun while sucking. That’s more than I can say for a lot of games.

If you like JRPGs, games that let you run around and hit things, or fun and intriguing character dynamics, you’ll probably like Tales of Vesperia. If you’re looking for a coherent story from start to finish, you’ll probably disappointed, but there’s just enough there to keep you engrossed until the end. Overall, Vesperia is solid, and the parts it fumbles aren’t bad enough to ruin the whole thing, but hopefully the extra content in Definitive Edition helps to smooth it out; I’ll have to find that out for myself.

Aside from how it messes up the voice acting this time around. Oh, Bamco.

#Review #Tales of #Tales of Vesperia #videogames

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maouzenigame · 3 years

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>but that isn’t what you asked about so I won’t do that. // hey, i won't say no, and i've been following your work for going on seven years now so i do place credit in your taste

Alright then, going with the ones I’ve actually played...

Phantasia is where it all started, and got several upgrades from its original Super Famicom version. The one I played was the Full Voice version for the PSP, which did a decent enough job of updating it for more modern sensibilities.

Characters are great, villain is awesome, etc etc. Definitely worth playing so long as you stay away from the GBA port.

Dhaos was right.

Destiny was my introduction to the series. I found a copy at Gamestop way back when, and skipped like a full week of school just to play through it because I loved it just THAT much.

Great characters, and Lion is Best Boy who deserved better than he got.

Eternia is weird in that there’s nothing in particular that I absolutely love about it (aside from the special INDIGNATION cutin) yet it still completely sucks me in whenever I start playing it. So I guess I do kind of love the game as a whole?

Battle system for this one saw a huge upgrade from the previous two entries, and is the earliest one that 100% holds up to this day gameplay-wise with no alterations to it whatsoever.

All hail Secondos.

Destiny 2 is a direct sequel to the original Destiny, and was the point at which the teams developing the series were split into two.

Characters are nice, but the battle system can get really frustrating if you don’t know how to time the gauges and all that.

Though hiougi were already a series staple, this is the first one to really go ham with the intricacy and number of ones you could do. My personal favorites were Zankuutenshouken(called the attack name out loud it along with Kyle every time I used it in the game) and SHINTENREKKUUZANKOUSENPUUMESSAISHINBATSUKASSATSUGEKI.

Judas best.

Buruaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Symphonia serves as a prequel to Phantasia, and is the other branch of the dev team split.

It was the first game to ever get me to even come close to Chrono Trigger’s place as my Favorite Game Ever, and I completely broke its battle system by my third playthrough.

The OP for its Gamecube version held the title of best-directed of the entire series for years, and I think I’ll go watch it now that I’m thinking about it again.

My only real complaint is that its magic and moves in general are pretty bland, especially after the glory of SPECIAL VOICED CUTIN HIOUGI INDIGNATION in Eternia.

Regal best.

Abyss was the second game from Team Symphonia, and was sadly rushed for release in order to make it in time for anniversary. Still pretty good though, and holds the honor of being the first game in the entire series to make every single character feasibly playable.

you could technically do so in all the previous games, but CHRIST playing as collet is the opposite of fun

Loved the huge twist midgame, though the story kind of lulls later on.

Rebirth was the second game from Team Destiny, and serves as the first departure from the traditional TP system that every game in the series had up until that point.

Presentation was good, but the story honestly never really pulled me in and I still have yet to finish it.

I did get my copy signed by Hiyama, though!

Legendia was a total departure from everything else at the time. Charadesigns weren’t by Fujishima or Inomata, music wasn’t from Sakuraba, the dev team was completely different, all the animations were mocap, etc.

Despite my misgivings though, the series had never let me down so I preordered it at full price from Himeya (RIP) and WOW THIS GAME IS TRASH DO NOT PLAY IT.

Seriously. It’s garbage. Disappointment and regret.

Tales of Destiny 2 Remake. Like the name says, it’s a remake of the original Destiny, in full PS2 sprite graphical glory. With its battle system updated to a fully-realized version of Rebirth’s CC system. And it is GLORIOUS.

Team Destiny went all-out with this one, and it freaking shows. They took a game that I already liked, gave it the absolute best battle system that the series had to offer at the time, beautiful visuals, and glorious flashy awesome aerial combo glory.

The game really makes you feel like a Swordian Master.

And then if that wasn’t enough, a year later they put out a Director’s Cut with an entire separate scenario from Lion’s perspective and Jesus Christ this game is a masterpiece.

Innocence is the second handheld game that was meant to really be its own standalone thing, and it’s pretty good for what it was.

Then a few years later, they came out with a full remake for the PSP that really makes it worth playing.

Battle system is fairly simple but still good, and the story really got to me at points.

Ricardo best boy.

Inanna is TRASH.

Asras did nothing wrong.

Vesperia started out as an Xbox 360 exclusive, but then got a PS3 version that added another character and made Flynn fully playable and THEN it got a Switch port that’s also the latest release for the series as a whole.

It’s the last game by Team Symphonia, and is pretty much the culmination of everything they learned over the years as far as gameplay goes.

The characters are also great, and the story genuinely shocked me by how hard it went at points. But with that said, it definitely drops off near the end.

Yuri is easily the coolest mainchara of the entire franchise.

Graces is the game that finally dethroned Symphonia as my second-favorite game ever. Because it’s great.

It’s the last game by Team Destiny, and is once again the culmination of literally everything the series has shown up to that point. Characters, battle system, visuals, it’s all up there in quality.

And yeah, I love it. Because it’s great.

It’s also the last game to use Production IG for its anime cutscenes, after this point they switched over to Ufotable.

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metavanaj · 5 years

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What the hey, AJ? | First Assault [Volume: January 2019]

YES, THE TITLE IS COMPLICATED.

Hi - if you’re reading this, you know the drill. My name’s MetaVanAJ, insert quirky catchphrase and/or ‘your mum’ joke here. Welcome to the first volume of ‘What the hey is AJ play...ing?’ Yeah, the title isn't the greatest but hey it rhymes...mostly. I just thought I’d use this as quick way of communicating what I’m playing (or going to play) at the moment, & hopefully give some quick recommendations, to pique your interests in some really good stuff. As much as I would love to do a video version of this, I feel I would lose the spontaneity behind the idea; once I get my shit together I’ll do one of these in video form, someday. The only reason I’m writing this now is because January 2019 is so jammed packed with excellent NEW titles (despite most of this article being about ports & remakes), that I literally won’t be able to keep up. And I can’t even keep up in an off-season so this is just exponentially worse. So, ‘what the hey is AJ playing’ in January 2019?

Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes

(Platform(s): Switch | Release Date: Jan 18th)

Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes is taking another core title hostage so please buy this game. Joke aside, I am still looking forward to this title. Like everyone else, I’m a bit iffy and uncertain about how the gameplay is shaping up but I’ll be picking this up day one. Why? For one reason only, of course: Suda51. You see Goicha Suda is a brand - he is a different, ‘special snowflake’ and he makes different ‘special snowflake’ games. His name has been slapped on various works the past decade, and then some, but he actually hasn’t directed a game since 2007’s No More Heroes, on the Nintendo Wii. Travis Strikes Again marks his return to the directorial seat, albeit an odd-way to do so. But hey, this means pure unadulterated Suda-vision, the same vision that gave us Killer7 and No More Heroes; meaning narrative-wise we’re up for, what the kids call, some wacky shit. That and being able to blast through this with a bud, in co-op, will ease any of the pain, if the gameplay isn’t to mechanically engaging. Pain divided...is worse - why would you subject your friend to that?

Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition

(Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC | Release Date: Jan 11th)

I saw someone call the ‘Tale of’ series the McDonalds of JRPGS - I don’t think that’s an accurate metaphor but hey it’s an interesting way to open up a paragraph, no? Tales games tend to be a bit ‘same-y’ but it’s a bloody excellent formula and the fact they’ve released so many of these over the years just goes to show the formula works. Don’t like the characters, story & setting of one Tales game? Play the next one - gameplay remains the same, fundamentally. I won’t dive into the gameplay deep here but let's just say the ‘action’ is pretty decent in this ‘action-RPG’. Personally, you can’t go wrong with any Tales after Tales of the Abyss (Symphonia didn’t click with me, my bad). Apparently, Vesperia is one of the best in the series, so if it’s half as good as Abyss, and what I’ve seen of Xillia, then this is definitely worth a buy - especially on Switch, so you can take this bad boy on the go. Don’t worry, high-frame lovers: it was 60fps on the 360 in 2008, it’ll a good time, trust me. And this is one also has a dog with an eye patch in it...and a pirate midget. The definitive edition also adds all the extra goodies from the japan exclusive PS3 port, which is all the more reason to pick up a copy now. LIKE RIGHT NOW.

New Super Mario Brothers U Deluxe

(Platform: Switch | Out now!)

Eh, I’m not super excited about this game in particular but moreso the idea of the game itself. Shocking fact: New Super Mario Bros. games have been decent this entire time. The games have no spunk, in terms of story and presentation, but boy is the level design tight & fun. If you’re looking for a good 2D platformer on Switch, get Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, or hey even Shantae ½ Genie Hero. The other big 4-player party-style offerings however, have been kinda meagre offerings. Super Mario Party looks boring and soulless, Kirby: Star Allies is patronisingly easy to a point of being ‘unfun’ (and that’s for a Kirby game), and I forgot how to casually play Smash without crushing people’s dreams. Super Mario Bros. U is a great platformer and even greater with a few buddies but I’m not clamouring to get it at full price. I still strongly recommend it though if you’re just looking for some 4-player platform ‘em up fun. Comes with Luigi U too, that’s nice - surprised they didn’t charge us for it, all over again. That’d be almost as bad as charging a full 80 Australian dollars for it...oh wait.

Resident Evil 2 [2019 remake]

(Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC | Release Date: 25th Jan)

Legitimately thought, I don’t need to sell you this one. You saw the trailer, you’re probably already hyped that Resi is ‘returning to its roots’; whatever that means. Personally, I haven’t touched Resident Evil up until recently, as I am a big baby when it comes to jump-scares. I know their coming but I still go through the physical shock of getting scared by set jumps. The titles I have been delving into (and loving) of late, have been Resi 4, 5 & 6...all at once - and I wonder why I can’t tame the backlog? Anywho, that’s why I am excited for the Resi 2 remake. Why should YOU be excited? The Resi 2 remake takes from all the best components of the series, and smooshs them together to create something extraordinarily beautiful - the actual horror elements and sense of claustrophobia through environmental design from the first three classic games, the tight gameplay formula from the modern Resi formula (4, 5, 6) and the beautiful new engine from Resi 7. Resident Evil 2 (2019_ is like a best hits album of everything the series has achieved so far. Play it, yeah - you owe it to yourself.

Kingdom Hearts freaking III

(Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One | Release Date: 29th Jan)

At this point, you are either on the Kingdom Hearts hype train, or you live in beautiful bliss of the Kingdom Hearts hype train. I got in an abusive relationship where whenever I thought about Kingdom Hearts 3, I would angrily playthrough the entirety of Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix again. I’m better now - I spend my days now complaining about Dream Drop Distance like a good boy now. That being said: I’m a fan like everyone, I’m getting this Day 1, and I payed an extra 20 Australian dollars, on top of full price, for the deluxe edition. If you’re wondering why you should buy Kingdom Hearts 3, all I’m going to say is it’s going to be epic. It’ll have a rippling behemoth impact on anyone who’s touched a game from the Eastern shores, like Final Fantasy XV did, at its release. If you’re a newcomer, obviously start with Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2, as they are the finest action-RPGs I’ve ever played, in my short time on this earth. But if you’re even remotely invested in the series, you’re already drooling - that fabled release of KH3 is so close I can practically taste it. It tastes so good. I SWEAR TO GOD THOUGH IF I SEE ‘FLOATY COMBAT’, I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’ll DO. I’ll see you at the end of it all...

Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal

(Platform(s): PS4, PC | Release Date: 18th Jan)

Woah, that last one got a little emotional there. Anyways, this one’s an easy sell: BOOBS, BUTTS, ANIME BABES, & BODACIOUS BLADES. Senran Kagura Estival Versus was a interesting musou that showcased some promising gameplay elements; I actually had to activate more than two brain cells at once, during my playthrough. Shocking, I know. Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal is a remake of a 3DS game (Senran Kagura Burst), which consists of gameplay more akin to a 3D-Beat-’em-up. It simply looks like a bit of a meatier Estival Versus so I’m keen to check it out & see how deep the game mechanics well is. If you’re looking for a fun light action romp too, you should as well. The presentation, which I won’t delve into here, is often what is a bit of a turn off for newcomers - I personally have never been swayed by it either way it. Sure, it’s a bit saucy but it doesn’t detract from the fact that whatever the Senran Kagura series tries its hand at, is often a pretty fun & polished experience, albeit a slightly shallow one. This one isn’t necessarily a ‘must get’ but they’re not charging full price so it is definitely worth an investigative playthrough, if you can get past the ‘fan-service-y’ presentation.

Well, that’s it for the first volume of ‘What the hey, AJ?’ Next time, I hope to adapt this into video form & hopefully spin in a few funnies, as well as just tighten up the structure. Next time, probably won’t be all new releases either - I’ll probably end up doing another just if I find that everything I’m playing, at any given time, is amazing. I have, and always will be, MetaVanAJ - stay cool, fools. Actually, that was mean calling my audience fools. Stay cool, individuals.

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buscemifan · 7 years

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here’s some zestiria thoughts

you’re free to disagree, this is just my opinion

i dont like this game. heres a few reasons why

I have at least ten hours on my playthrough and it STILL does not feel like the game actually started. I can’t even pinpoint why. I feel like I’m just going through the tutorial exposition. and due to the nature of the game and having so much of your journey hidden from you, it feels like that feeling won’t ever go away.

Alisha leaves. Actually all of the characters should leave except for Alisha. Her fighting style was fun and I loved her come back Alisha

The lore is so boring. Most of the other tales games have wonderfully vast universes that manage to incorporate social commentary into amazing worlds (symphonia with separation of church and state/racism, vesperia with corrupt govenrments, Abyss with the individuality of a person and human life, etc.) but from what I can tell Zestiria is pure lore.

its not even good lore?? like. you’re the sheperd. remove the evil please. where’s the gray morality? every other tales game makes you think about this decision may be good for me, but not for someone else, but not zestiria. why is it so perfect? the only person who cares about the hellions being purified or whatever is the Bad Guy, so. who cares. definitely not me

speaking of that, the whole game is set up within the first two hours and then that’s it! you’re off! have fun being the world’s errand boy! sorey goes around and does a series of convoluted sidequests that are so forgettable and “point A to point B” i can’t but feel like i’m checking stuff off of the world’s most mundane to-do list. plus lailah keeping information from you just kind of feels like if your mom was telling you to do a bunch of chores for a surprise, but never tells you what the surprise is.

you cannot have a world that vast with lore so deep and then make the plot so streamlined. I don’t need a star on a map that’s 5 feet in front of me when you told me to go 5 feet forward.

what the heck is mikleo’s personality?? maybe this is just the fandom but I interpreted mikleo as a snarky and immature boy that holds sorey in a high regard and is willing to make sacrifices for him and only him. but there’s like 18 different mikleos floating around. whatever makes your ship sail, I guess. personally, i think he’s rather boring, but he’s pretty, so it’s fine, right?

oh yeah can the normin shut the heck up. they ain’t cute. stop tryna make me like them bamco

why do they not explain the lore more. I understand that I keep hammering this and maybe it’s better in Berseria (I don't know, i haven’t played it) but if Zestiria wants to be respected as a standalone game, then it needs to act like it. seraphim physics are NEVER explained. they’re invisible, but do they have mass? can you bump into them? why can they carry visible people with no repercussions? are all the clothes they wear invisible, or only when they’re on their bodies? can they change clothes? WHAT ARE THE RULES

i’ve been trying to beat around this bush but. it’s not fun. games gotta be fun. otherwise just make it a movie or smth. the gameplay is a snooze, the battles are clunky and awkward (if you’re gonna replicate the graces style, don’t give it that style without giving it the speed). the most fun I’ve had playing this game are in the accessories screen

The field banter is cute and all, but there isn’t enough to make it fun. You hear the same conversations a million times.

malevolence is so, so dumb. people make bad decisions, people are evil. don’t blame it on some weird purple space dust. it’s just human nature. have sorey try to purify a person and his behavior not change. have sorey struggle to understand how can still be evil, I purified him? sorey living with seraphim and trying to understand how a human could do such horrible things; they had so much going for this game and they wasted it ALL and I’m pissed

please tell me why I should care about Rose. like the game clearly couldn’t decide if they wanted the cool & collected assassin or genki happy girl or quirky hipster girl and tried to make her all three. i don’t care for any of her except her introduction, when she’s all “I could kill you if I wanted.” That was the best Rose. bring her back

i literally don’t care about any of the cast, sans Alisha and maybe Zaveid. Sorey is great but he’s a pretty boring protag and everyone else either annoys me in one way or another or just wasn’t a good character in the first place. maybe they just weren’t the right cast for the game?? i’m not sure. but i dont care

the game looks gorgeous but it moves so awkardly

also the whole “no speech bubbles” thing was great in theory but it misplaces the player’s priorities. older games were better in that respect because voice acting would indicate an important scene, and newer older games were the best because you’d get non voiced speech bubbles, then voiced speech bubbles, then voiced captions at the bottom. it helped you differentiate what was important! with zestiria, every scene treats itself like it’s the most important scene in the whole game, and I’m not sure what information is actually relevant to the plot

anyway that’s my thoughts. kudos to you if you actually like this game, glad you could get enjoyment out of something I couldn’t

#thoughts #zestiria tag #thats for me i dont want to put hate in the tag

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qrhymes · 7 years

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Tales of Berseria Analysis – Tales Series Retrospective.

My heart is a flame that will not stop burning.

I love the Tales franchise; it’s a series to which I have, not only, a lot of emotional attachment but is also a series that defined a lot of my interest when it comes to what I want in a narrative, and the experience of me playing Phantasia, Symphonia and The Abyss during these specific times in my life, when I had 13, 14 and 17, (And for the record I didn’t play Tales of The Abyss until 2011) just felt like how, with each game, I learnt something new I about my own taste and how important were certain elements for me in a story, characters, themes, characters-dynamics, etc. culminating with Tales of the Abyss that was (and still is) a game that just blow my fricking mind, the story, the characters, the themes, the ending (Oh my god that ending…I don’t care what anyone says, the one in Tataroo Valley was Luke…)…It hit me in the right time and in all the right places…and then I start to get fun with the rest of the franchise. (And in respect to other Mothership Titles I still have to play Hearts and the Japanese exclusives without an English translation…still waiting for Rebirth and Destiny’s director’s cut)

And then we reach this period of…I don’t know…polarizing entries…I’m not pretty sure when these started (I would say Graces but I’m not sure) but yeah. And while I understand where they complain come from, the true is that there is just one game (I haven’t played Tempest) that I have several issues with (Later for which one), and for the rest of the games…well…

Xillia has its problems (and it feel rushed) but for my was the closest to reach this pick that set up The Abyss, Xillia 2 has…ok, a lot of problems, but that moment, when I said, “You know what? Fuck Bisley, Fuck Chronos, Fuck this lovable party, Fuck Elle, Fuck Alt Milla, I just won’t kill Julius again” and sorry for go a little off topic here, but the bad ending just fucking destroy me, I got so invested in this relationship and in Julius character that I just couldn’t bring me to do it again, and any game, FUCK, any work of fiction that manage to get me this emotional deserve some kind of acknowledge even if is in a less than perfect game…going back to topic, even if it was more like a side project I love Tales of Innocence, Graces was…Look they had cool ideas but I fell that they felt short in their execution, Vesperia has…not the best story but the main party makes up for most of the issues that I have with the game and then Zestiria… Zaveid, you are pretty cool, you know? You’re great; you are fricking amazing (Edna is also pretty good) your game is…not as good as you, and is not awful, but isn’t as good as I wanted to be…

So the question that you may be asking “Wait, “was” the closest to The Abyss? That means that Berseria…?”

HAHAHAHAHA

Short answer. The game is fantastic, and even if is too soon for me to say if is better that Tales of The Abyss, it did gave the emotional experience that The Abyss give me so many years ago. I finish the game late at night, I looped Velvet’s theme in my phone, I leaned back in my bed and I just started to reflect about what I had just played, the character, the story, the themes, the feelings that the game give , why Velvet’s theme is so fucking amazing?, etc.

Tales of Berseria is an amazing game…the remaining question is Why?

Why Tales of Berseria works so well?...

PD: Ok, this, initially, it was going to be just about my thoughts about the overall game and…then I wrote like 15 pages in one night…You know, the night was long, the game was awesome and I end writing more of an analysis that a little commentary, so I say to myself Why not? Of course it took me a few more days to make readable all the shit that I wrote that first night (Because the stream of consciousness is kind of chaotic) and there you go.

Part 2: The Elements of a Wonderfull Game

Part 3: Velvet’s character arc - Blindness and toxicity

Part 4: Rokuro’s and Eleanor’s character arc - Obsession and Conflict.

Part 5: Laphicet (Phi)’s and Eizen’s character arcs - Coexistence and Romanticism.

Part 6: Magilou’s character arc - Contradictions.

#tales of #tales of series #tales of berseria #tales of zestiria #tales of the abyss #bandai namco

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mystomachfeelsawful · 6 years

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4:10 PM

I can’t say a lot of things for lots of reasons.

TOP 5 (which I can talk about). In no order.

PLAYS

The Last Wife was my biggest surprise of the year. I went into it thinking I’d hate it, but was charmed by the pace of the script, the quick staging, the ensemble and pretty much everything about it.

Passing Strange made me actually appreciate a musical which I’ve long hated.

Prince Hamlet made me get Hamlet for the first time.

Fish Eyes Trilogy was a masterclass in BAM.

Superior Donuts had one of my favourite fights I’ve ever seen on a Toronto Stage. Corner Gas meets violence. So much heart and an incredible set.

BONUS CREDITS: Delirium, Pearle Harbour’s Chataqua, True North Mixtape, Less, Dolphin,

FILMS

3 Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - Loved how you cared about every single character.

Lady Bird - Coming of Age done right. So economic aside from a kind of extra ending.

Get Out - I’ve never seen Luke cry in a theatre before or an entire theatre cheer when a hero finally gets his justice. I’ve also never felt as relieved as I did when the ending came. So well thought out.

Baby Driver - Style for dayyys. Jamie Foxx, Eiza Gonzalez and John Hamm kill it.

The Disaster Artist - Made me sniffle a bit I loved how they didn’t go for the cheap laugh in making fun of Tommy Wiseau. You really get that he tried to make this movie in spite of his utter lack of ability.

Bonus Credits: It, The Florida Project, Ingrid Goes West, Coco, Shape of Water, Logan, Wonder Woman, A Silent Voice, Your Name

Games

Dragon Age Inquisition - I sunk 80 hours into this and still haven’t beaten it.My quinari mage will reign someday.

Persona 5(!) - Futaba’s social link is probably my favourite social link in all personas because it deals with anxiety, trauma and agoraphobia in a way that I dunno....just works for me. I also love how you’re actually an underdog in this one. Everyone hates you because you’re a criminal, so the bonds you form are actually REAL. Sure there’s a load of problematic stuff (which is IMO, more a problem with Japanese RPGs as a whole regarding the way they treat women and queer folk), and the villains are saturday morning cartoon characters, and the plot falls apart at the end, but I think the idea of a bunch of losers banding together will ALWAYS appeal to me. It’s the only Persona where i cared about the main story more than the social links. In fact, it’s also the only persona where I didn’t want to romance anyone because they seemed like real, cool, people.

Breath of the Wild (my first Zelda! - If Studio Ghibli and Skyrim had a baby. I loved how the story existed if you sought it out, but wasn’t there if you didn’t make an effort to find it. I loved Zelda’s character development. I loved how much PERSONALITY the world had and how sparse it was. I didn’t like the young female voice acting (why are they speaking in their headvoice). And that SCORE THOUGH. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mETAEJY_rk8

Tales of Berseria - Combat was completely underwhelming and the backtracking sucked, but there was something so endearing about playing as antagonists that I really appreciated. Especially considering how in the first hour you burn half a bishonen’s face off. I also cried like a baby. Next to Abyss, one of the best Tales stories for me. Too bad the combat is broken and the world is boring af. If only they could have the world of Vesperia, the story of Abyss/Vesperia and the combat of Graces (which they almost did, but Velvet breaks the game), then we’d be set. Also, get Go Shiina back. Motoi needs a break.

Doki Doki Literature Club - Um. Yeah. I beat this 12 hours ago and can’t stop thinking about it. 2017′s undertale for me. I loved how not only it bent the game save file, but also fucked with the game files itself. One of the more interesting meta narratives I’ve come across. It also raises (though could be explored deeper) some of the problematic elements of moe visual novels, especially in that Monika seems to be unable to control how much she loves you due to her programming. Monika’s awareness that she’s in a game and her frustration toward her affection toward the player created some neat subtext in terms of female characters’ agency vs how they’re written. Super well thought out.

Experiences

2017 was a year of trust for me. Trusting myself, processes and knowing when to let things be.

Silk Bath - continues to be an unexpected surprise. We nearly sold out our entire NSTF run and have a little residency through tarragon’s workspace program. I also think that we’re finally learning what the heart of the play is about and how to work together as a collective.

Bathtub Girls/Weesageechak/Cahoots - I got my first pro dramaturgy gig this year and finally worked with artists who I’ve never met before. AHHH. Both experiences were illuminating in radically different ways. I think, if anything, working as a dramaturg has given me the ability to trust in other artists more. From the work with the foremen, to being in natural resources and now training as a dramaturg, I’d like to think I’m becoming a better collaborator and facilitator rather than dictator director. Madeleine Says Sorry this summer (an unexpected hit) had a very different directorial process because I feel I trusted the artists more than I usually do. I still have my usual rigor, but sometimes letting things happen and planting seeds is better than bluntly throwing someone down a corridor so to speak.

Knife - continues to be developed at Factory. I’ve never been in development with a script this long, but it’s so informative to be in a process where a company is invested in it’s development first rather than rushing it to the stage. It’s been all sorts of challenging in ways where I feel I’ve almost got it, but then missed, or moments where I think I’ve blown it and it actually works. I think one of my biggest realizations from 2016 was that I can’t rush work out. And with Knife, I’m learning the benefits of taking my time, but also what a longer commitment feels like when the inside (does that sound gross). As it continues to shift and change, I’m excited to see where it goes. It’s good also knowing that someone has your back. I’m going into a workshop in April, but there’s still loads more work to do, which is both daunting and exciting.

I NOW KNOW HOW TO MAKE BEEF STEW WITH TENDER MEAT - So like not really an accomplishment, but fuck it, it’s actually a big one. Beef Stew is my favourite food of maybe all time. More than sushi, more than pasta, more than anything. My family on my mom’s side used to run the only Chinese restaurant in levack. They had to feed miners, so they learned how to make their food. It’s a family recipe that’s not really a secret, but no one knows how to make it as good as my Poi Poi. My version is a little different, but it tastes great! - and this is weird - it makes me feel more a part of my family than anything else.

Knowing when to leave - I left two theatre companies I helped found this year. There are a lot of reasons associated with this (both personal and not so personal), but I think I’m figuring out what I want as an artist and my personal ethos in making work. And there’s some things I’m not willing to compromise.

2017 was a development year, but strangely enough by NOT putting out so much work, I feel even more connected to my community and my peers through my work. I feel like - if just a little - I’m more present in shows and conversations. But most importantly, I think I’m not trying as hard as I used to. I’m trying to let my work speak for itself and live a normal, beef stewy life.

Onwards!

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