ParkestNight's Starkest Lights

[ParkestNight]

Platinum #34, 35, and 36 - Jak and Daxter Trilogy

  

 

I never played the PS2 classics, so I bought the HD remastered trilogy on the PS3!

 

Story:

In Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, the titular characters arrive on Misty Island. Once there, they see strangers collecting eco and what look to be Precursor artifacts. When the two try to leave, they are spotted by a sentry. Jak is able to destroy it, but Daxter is hurled into an eco pool - when he emerges, we discover that his body is no longer that of a human’s. Jak and Daxter leave to find a cure for Daxter and to stop the strangers who were on Misty Island.

 

In Jak II (if I was Daxter, I wouldn't want to be associated with this game, either), Jak and friends are transported five hundred years into the apocalyptic future thanks to an artifact. Jak and Daxter land in Haven City, where the former is tortured and experimented on. Daxter is eventually able to free Jak, but his last experiment is successful - Jak is able to transform into a dark eco version of himself, giving him greater combat capabilities. Of even greater importance though, Jak gains the ability to speak (although misuses it by choosing to be an edgy emo).

 

In Jak 3 (now using numbers instead of Roman numerals, nothing’s consistent), a year has passed since the conclusion of the last game. Jak is currently banished from Haven City for “crimes against the city.” Unfortunately, Jak is still suffering from lingering side-effects from the previous game; he’s still an emo. While traveling through a desert, he is rescued by a group who escort them to Spargus City.

 

Gameplay / Graphics:

In the first game, the platforming and combat is more of a whimsical frolic through an open world.

 

In the second game, Jak is able to use dark eco powers, and the world is more linear; however, the controls are pretty bad, sucking the fun out of driving vehicles. I also hated the escort missions in this particular game. All my homies HATE Jak II.

 

The third game returns to a sort of open world, but all I remember is a desert landscape - still better than II, though.

 

The PS2 graphics are what you’d expect.

 

Music / VA:

Jak’s voice actor in the first game is the best one, in my opinion ?. Most VAs choose to record dialogue, but this one defied all odds and didn’t record even a single line. Jak’s VA in the next two games are fine; it’s just the edgy emo writing I didn’t like.

 

Tricky Trophies:

All of Jak II is tricky, thanks to the ? controls and general lack of fun. I can't bring myself to blame anyone who would use the debug menu in Jak II.

 

Conclusion:

Unless you’re bullheaded and stubborn like me, I’d avoid Jak II altogether (just my opinion, though); otherwise, the first game is great, and the third is decent. Another version was released for the PS4 (with Jak X: Combat Racing), so I’d get the newer version.

[ParkestNight]

Platinum #37 - Back to the Future: The Game

 

Another TellTale title, but I don't recall the story at all. Time travel stuff, I guess (never saw the movies, either. If I could go back in time... I probably still wouldn't).

 

 

                                                                                     

Platinum #38 - Megadimension Neptunia VII

 

The Neptunia series has many instalments, though this is my first and, to date, only game. Confusingly, it's not 7; it's V-2.

 

Story:

Planeptune CPU Neptune and CPU candidate Nepgear discover an old video game console which transports them to the Zero Dimension. This dimension is an apocalyptic wasteland, and to make things worse, Neptune and Nepgear cannot access their powers. To the sisters’ surprise, they find a surviving amnesiac CPU, Uzume. Together, the three of them must traverse the Zero Dimension.

 

It becomes clear pretty early on that story and dialogue is a parody that pokes fun at game tropes and gamers / "weebs," and I found the dialogue rather humourous at times. Party banter is very lighthearted, though sometimes the story takes a darker turn.

 

Gameplay / Graphics:

This game is a JRPG featuring turn-based action combat. You can have up to 4 characters in your party, and you can raise each character’s affinity with one another (which leads to better combat compatibility and access to combo attacks). There's a fair bit of customization of weapons.

 

Each CPU and CPU candidate also has an HDD state (essentially a goddess form) to turn the tide in battle.

 

Music / VA:

The music is just in the background, but the VA really brought the characters to life.

 

Tricky Trophies:

There are a few missable trophies, but they aren’t too bad so long as you follow a guide. No, the worst trophy is the one for collecting all cards from CPU chips (just think of this as a pack from which you receive cards). The RNG is not in your favour, and you can only carry 30 CPU chips (for which you have to grind enemies).

 

Conclusion:

If you enjoy turn-based games or JRPGs, you may want to give Megadimension Neptunia a try. It is available on PS Now, if you have a subscription or a trial.

 

                                                                                     

Platinum #39 - Life is Strange

 

The video game responsible for the greatest dilemma in gaming; Bay or bae.

 

Story:

After years away, Max Caufield returns to Arcadia Bay to attend the prestigious art school, Blackwell Academy. She is reunited with her ex-bestie, Chloe Price, who is not exactly happy to see her. One day, Max is in the school bathroom when she overhears Chloe arguing with a student. Chloe is shot dead after the argument escalates. After a burst of emotion, Max discovers she can rewind time - and prevents Chloe's shooting in the process.

 

Gameplay / Graphics:

The gameplay is very TellTale-like, but with more YA-style of writing.

 

One of my pet peeves in games is when developers introduce a gameplay style that is not well-supported within said game; in the last episode of Life is Strange, there is an admitted short section where Max has to make her way through without getting caught - but the game doesn't feature any stealth (if it can even be called that) until this episode.

 

Music / VA:

The voice acting is great, it really captures the high school vibe and "edginess" only a teen could exude. The music isn't bad, either.

 

Conclusion:

If you like the TellTale style of games, then Life is Strange might be up your alley. Just be aware that the narrative deals with a lot of teen drama (and the YA-type of dialogue that goes along with it). Also, screw bae - Bay all the way.

 

[ParkestNight]

Platinum #40 - Saints Row IV: Re-elected

 

Yes, I did the Saints Row series backwards! Saints Row IV: Re-elected is the PS4 generation’s upscale of the PS3 version.

 

Story:

The Boss (for some reason) is now the President of the United States! People aren’t happy with your presidency, but it doesn’t matter because aliens invade Earth (yes, really). Their leader Zinyak kidnaps your cabinet, which consists mostly of your friends; art (I use that term loosely) imitates life, I guess. The Boss manages to escape to space before Zinyak completely annihilates Earth. It is up to the Boss and any surviving humans s/he can find to take revenge on Zinyak via the simulation (a la The Matrix).

 

Let’s face it, the story is out of this world (for all the wrong reasons, sadly); however, the characters you meet and the gameplay is pretty fun.

 

Gameplay:

In the simulation, the Boss has actual superpowers like flight (well, more like gliding), super speed, and super strength, etc. The narrative was murdered to make this happen, but the super powers honestly make traversal and combat so much fun.

 

If you want more traditional Saints Row fights, you still have weapons and costumes to buy and customize. Unlike in Gat out of Hell, you can customize the Boss however you please, man to a woman (or vice-versa), business suit to birthday suit, etc. You can customize vehicles too, but it’s not really needed when the Boss can literally scale buildings and run on water (After enough upgrades).

 

As for challenges and activities, just know that there’s more than in Gat out of Hell (so, so many). The map is large, so thankfully you can call Homies (AI-controlled allies) that can help you out, if need be.

 

In Re-elected, you can complete Loyalty Missions for your crewmates (which are nowhere close to being as good as those in the Mass Effect series, but it is a nice addition nonetheless).

 

Music / VA:

The voice acting is not bad (you can choose between several voices, including industry first-timers Nolan North, Troy Baker, and Laura Bailey ?).

 

The soundtrack is pretty good, as most of the narrative budget was blown on licensing some very well-known songs.

 

DLC:

Saints Row IV: Re-elected comes packaged with both DLCs.

 

Into the Dominatrix is, as the title suggests, pretty racy (and race-y. There’s a race). I personally enjoyed the other DLC, How the Saints Save Christmas, quite a bit more.

 

Tricky Trophies:

Apparently, the trophy to purchase all upgrades is bugged, but can be avoided if you simply hold off on purchasing all upgrades until after the mission Kinzie’s Gambit. I didn’t take any special care (heck, I didn’t even know the trophy was bugged) and I still earned it without issue.

 

Other than the two missable trophies, the worst part about the game is the grind; finding all collectibles, and completing all challenges and activities.

 

Conclusion:

If you don’t really care about story (and with the recently announced Saints Row reboot coming out early next year, I guess everything is now retconned?), you may really enjoy this game like I did. Re-elected is on PS Now, so you can play it that way. If you're a die-hard fan of the first and second game, then it's likely you'll hate this one.

[ParkestNight]

Platinum #41 - Day of the Tentacle Remastered

 

It’s another PS+ title, but at least I was making the most out of my subscription! I’m not going to cover the story since I don’t remember it that well. There are tentacles, though.

 

Gameplay / Graphics:

This is another Double Fine / LucasArts style of point-and-click adventure, featuring the ability to switch between three friends. With the ability to travel through time, characters can take actions in the past to help their friends in the future, which is a neat concept. The graphics aren't too shabby, either.

 

Music / VA:

I think the VA is good enough, especially considering that the original game was released in 1993. I can't say the same for the music, however.

 

Tricky Trophies:

There are many, many missable trophies - consult a guide and you’ll have no issues.

 

Conclusion:

Please don’t take my inability to remember the narrative as a mark against the game; I really enjoyed it! It was given to PS+ subscribers, and it is also available via PS Now - it’s funny how much PS+ and PS Now overlap, isn’t it?

 

                                                                                     

 

Platinum #42 - The Book of Unwritten Tales 2

 

I got this game via one of Sony’s rare collaborations with Humble Bundle! It’s another point-and-click (this time by King Art), but I love this game.

 

Story:

Throughout the fantastical land of Aventasia, strange magical anomalies occur to transform people, animals, and even inanimate objects into something else.

 

As a result of this unknown threat, Elven princess Ivo is confined to the palace - although she soon discovers that she is pregnant - despite not performing the prerequisite act. Wilbur is a gnome mage who is currently an instructor at Seastone, where ee finds himself at the center of all the odd goings-on. Nate and Critter find themselves as “visitors” of the Red Palace. As this tale unfolds, fate will bring these four characters together - for what, is for you to find out.

 

Aside from the story, I love the video game and movie references scattered throughout the game.

 

Gameplay / Graphics:

Point-and-click. The graphics aren’t exactly state-of-the-art, but they work well in the fantasy setting.

 

Music / VA:

The music isn’t memorable, but the VA is great.

 

Tricky Trophies:

There are quite a few missable trophies that can only be earned in certain chapters, so consult a guide unless you want another playthrough. There is one missable / timed trophy where you have to hit all the symbols in the Drunken Punch minigame.

 

Conclusion:

Hey, guess what else is available on PS Now? This game! The PS3 version of this game was also a PS+ offering at one point, how unpredictable ?.

[rjkclarke]

On 31/08/2021 at 7:15 AM, ParkestNight said:

Platinum #42 - The Book of Unwritten Tales 2

 

Great review - I love that game so much. I've wanted a sequel for ages, or at the very least some ports of the other games onto Playstation...... Yes even the prequel about Critter. I laughed way more at Critter than I probably should have done - every time that you ask him do something specific and he just goes "YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU" always cracked me up way more than I think it was actually meant to.

 

It's nice to see someone talk about that game - it's one of those games I'm really looking forward to talking about myself at some point in the future. It's just got charm coming out of every part of it. For a game that's fairly low key I remember so much of it, very vividly.

 

Keep up the awesome write ups.

[ParkestNight]

7 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

Great review - I love that game so much. I've wanted a sequel for ages, or at the very least some ports of the other games onto Playstation...... Yes even the prequel about Critter. I laughed way more at Critter than I probably should have done - every time that you ask him do something specific and he just goes "YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU" always cracked me up way more than I think it was actually meant to.

 

It's nice to see someone talk about that game - it's one of those games I'm really looking forward to talking about myself at some point in the future. It's just got charm coming out of every part of it. For a game that's fairly low key I remember so much of it, very vividly.

 

Keep up the awesome write ups.

 

Thank you so much! I love the game, too. It didn't look like it had a big budget, but it oozed with charm, imo. I think I liked Wilbur the most, his peppy optimism was great

[ParkestNight]

Platinum #43 - Unravel

 

I’m awful at platforming, so this game had me hanging by a thread; however, it still managed to string me along for the ride.

 

Story:

You play as Yarny, an adorable little red being weaved from its namesake material. Through each level, Yarny will traverse through different environments, unearthing the memories of an elderly woman.

 

The sentiment of the story is beautiful; the developers likened human relationships to yarn. The more we are removed from our loved ones, the more it unravels us - they certainly know how to spin a yarn.

 

Gameplay / Graphics:

This 2.5D platformer features minor puzzles to solve in order to progress. There were enemies that are legitimately terrifying, such as the most aggressive gopher (or mole, maybe?) that will chase Yarny in one level. The collectibles actually weren't too bad.

 

The graphics are beautiful, and the levels showcase different settings, like a forest, a construction site, etc.

 

Music:

The music was simply amazing; it captured the tone and emotions of each level’s unlock memories, evoking emotions ranging from joy to sadness. Within the gameplay itself, the score accentuates the situation in which Yarny finds itself. For example, when the gopher (or mole) chases you, the music intensifies, driving home just how hostile the underground menace is.

 

Tricky Trophies:

The most difficult trophy by far is for completing all levels without dying. It is challenging, especially on some later levels, but you should be fine with enough practice.

 

Conclusion:

If you have any interest in platformers or a good story, Unravel is on sale somewhat regularly. It is also available on EA Play, if you’re subscribed to it already (a month of EA Play seems to go on sale for a buck or two every few months, if you want to wait).

 

If you want a more co-op centred experience, Unravel Two has since been released. I’ve not played it myself, so I’d recommend watching gameplay and reviews before purchasing.

[rjkclarke]

16 hours ago, ParkestNight said:

Thank you so much! I love the game, too. It didn't look like it had a big budget, but it oozed with charm, imo. I think I liked Wilbur the most, his peppy optimism was great

 

You're very welcome!! Oozed with charm is so right!!

 

I was going to say Ivo was my favourite purely to be different. I think she's a close second in reality. You summed it up perfectly though, about Wilbur. He's just a little too memorable not to be my favourite too.

 

He's a very good protagonist for a point and click game - they often need to be quite light hearted and warm, just to reflect the goofiness you often see in the puzzle solving in those types of games. He's such a good example of that. Nice to see a Welsh accent in a video game too. There's only a few that I can think of, Edward Kenway from AC:Black Flag and Drippy from Ni no Kuni are the only two that really spring to mind. There are others I'm sure.

 

Great write up of Unravel by the way - plus the excellent word play you peppered in there. I loved that. Unravel is one of those games I really ought to get to because I'm pretty sure I'd like it.

Nice to know you don't have to be a platforming maniac to have a good time with it, because my platforming skills these days are - well, rusty to be perfectly honest. From what you wrote it sounds like a really worthwhile experience, and I'm all about that kind of thing.

[ParkestNight]

Thank you for the kind words, @rjkclarke! I didn't realize Wilbur had a Welsh accent (I'm not very familiar with any UK accents, for that matter), but I loved Drippy's voice actor in Ni no Kuni! As for Unravel, I'd wholeheartedly recommend it! It's engaging enough without being difficult (save for the no-deaths runs, that is).

[ParkestNight]

Platinum #44 - Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition

 

Welcome to Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition (AKA True Crime: Hong Kong, AKA Grand Theft Auto: Hong Kong, AKA Yakuza: Hong Kong).

 

Story:

Wei Shen is captured and arrested after a drug deal goes south. While in holding, he is reunited with Jackie Ma, an old friend and grunt of the Sun On Yee. Jackie wants to introduce Wei to his boss once they are released. Later, Wei is isolated and it is revealed that he is an undercover cop trying to infiltrate the Triad as part of a sting operation.

 

Wei must confront his past as he struggles to live his double life - an officer of the law, and a gang member. As events unfold, Wei will struggle further to maintain this separation, lest they overlap.

 

Gameplay / Graphics:

The third person combat is reminiscent of the Batman: Arkham style of fighting - punching, parrying, countering, blocking, etc. There is also some gun and melee weapon combat, but by and large, fisticuffs will be most frequently encountered. Also akin to the Batman: Arkham series, Wei will be able to do environmental takedowns / actions. They can be as basic as throwing a guy into a wall, or as brutal as holding a guy’s face to a table saw (but these latter types are rarer).

 

Sleeping Dogs has its own, even less useful version of the Paragon / Renegade system, Police / Triad, but it only serves to gain XP for Wei to purchase upgrades. There are no dialogue choices or anything like that. Generally, do good things - get Police XP; do bad things, get Triad XP.

 

In addition to Triad / Police XP, the game tracks your Stats - basically it challenges you to get the Gold Stat (the best) in each category, such as doing a certain number of environmental takedowns, melee kills, headshots, etc.

 

Like in the Yakuza series, there are a number of minigames to complete, like karaoke, car races, fight clubs, cock fighting, etc. You can also customize Wei’s clothes, some of which have perks (e.g. increase amount of Triad / Police XP gained, bullets do less damage, vehicles cost less, etc) and vehicles.

 

The graphics and animations definitely look a bit aged, but do remember this was originally a PS3-era game.

 

Music / VA:

The voice acting is amazing. The main cast brings to life the intensity, fear, joy, and anger that various characters go through. The main cast speak in English for the most part, but mixes in some Cantonese for added realism. Some NPC lines are pretty memorable, too. My favourite: “A man who never eats pork buns is never a whole man!” These minor but important details really make the city feel truly “lived-in.”

 

DLC:

The Definitive Edition comes bundled with all previously-released DLCs, but the most important are the two "story" ones.

 

Nightmare in North Point takes Wei through a supernatural, spooky scenario where the dead come back to life - as you can probably tell, this one is more fluff than anything. Year of the Snake more closely follows Wei’s more mundane actions as a cop. Neither DLCs are narratively great, but I thought Nightmare in North Point was a fun, Hallowe’en sort of event at least.

 

Tricky Trophies:

Earning 30 Gold Stat Awards is easier in the Definitive Edition because the DLC adds two more categories, so you can ignore the two you have the most trouble with.

 

Other than that, the trophy for completing all open world events gave me the most trouble, though all the collectibles were a close second.

 

Conclusion:

For a game that often goes on sale for under five dollars, I’d definitely recommend it! My only disappointment is that the developers went under, so a sequel is unlikely; however, a movie adaptation is apparently in the works, if that’s more your thing.

[YaManSmevz]

10 minutes ago, ParkestNight said:

Platinum #44 - Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition

 

Excellent write-up! I’ve been eyeing this for quite a long time, started it on the 360 but got distracted. You've definitely reminded me that it's been patiently waiting on my hard drive?

[ParkestNight]

14 hours ago, YaManSmevz said:

 

Excellent write-up! I’ve been eyeing this for quite a long time, started it on the 360 but got distracted. You've definitely reminded me that it's been patiently waiting on my hard drive

 

Thank you! I'd bump it up your list and revisit it if you don't have anything else you want to play immediately!

[rjkclarke]

12 minutes ago, ParkestNight said:

 

Thank you! I'd bump it up your list and revisit it if you don't have anything else you want to play immediately!

 

I would second this @YaManSmevz - It's a fantastic game. If I was ever going to start doing stacks of games, I'd probably do Sleeping Dogs for sure. It's so good. Well worth anyone's time.

 

I think there's a strange irony in it, in that realistically Sleeping Dogs is a lot like people who've not played the Yakuza series think that it is. In that - it's essentially GTA outside of America, I don't think it's still a common opinion, but it used to be amongst those that hadn't played it, that Yakuza is essenitally GTA in Japan, when it isn't remotely similar really. Sleeping Dogs is very close to being a Hybrid of GTA and Yakuza, I think. So I'm glad you bought up the similarities.

[wajbsb]

Thank you for your write ups, I have enjoyed reading them. Its been amusing reminding me of the games I've already played (we have similar memories) and I l like your sense of humour, your writing style is impeccable. It's a shame that "paid" reviews aren't the same as yours but I guess they don't get to have the same amount of time with the game

[ParkestNight]

2 minutes ago, wajbsb said:

Thank you for your write ups, I have enjoyed reading them. Its been amusing reminding me of the games I've already played (we have similar memories) and I l like your sense of humour, your writing style is impeccable. It's a shame that "paid" reviews aren't the same as yours but I guess they don't get to have the same amount of time with the game

 

Thank you so much, you're too kind! There's much I can improve on (for example, I don't always catch my grammatical mistakes, run-on sentences, proper punctuation, etc), but I am glad you enjoy my little write-ups. I don't think my writing quality is exactly up to snuff with "paid" reviews, but again, I am flattered!

[ParkestNight]

Platinum #45 - Deponia

 

Deponia is the self-titled first game of the tetralogy. I believe this game was included in the same Humble Bundle as The Book of Unwritten Tales 2, and this one is also a point-and-click game.

 

Story:

The story takes place on a planet called Deponia. Long ago, a group of people left the surface in favour of a floating city called Elysium. With each passing generation, their history and ties to the planet were lost to time, and now the denizens of Elysium believe that Deponia is a dead, uninhabited world.

 

Rufus is a citizen of Kuvaq (and somewhat of a grifter), a town made mostly out of junk. He has always wanted to leave Deponia behind and actively works towards his goal - Elysium. Rufus manages to build a rocket to take him there, but of course, it breaks mid-flight and he lands on an Organon (Elysium military) ship. There, meets his eventual companion and love interest, Goal, while stumbling upon a plot to destroy Deponia. Somehow, Rufus - a man arguably unsuited for the job - must foil this plan.

 

The described situation above seems rather dire, but the story features quite a bit of humour, too.

 

Gameplay / Graphics:

This point-and-click game doesn’t do anything new gameplay-wise, but the art style and animations are well-detailed and crisp.

 

Music / VA:

The introductory songs to each act are enjoyable, if not particularly memorable. The VA for the cast are great.

 

Conclusion:

I think, at cheapest, Deponia was on sale for under two dollars on the PSN Store. At that sale price, I’d highly encourage you to try out this game.

[wajbsb]

22 hours ago, ParkestNight said:

 

Thank you so much, you're too kind! There's much I can improve on (for example, I don't always catch my grammatical mistakes, run-on sentences, proper punctuation, etc), but I am glad you enjoy my little write-ups. I don't think my writing quality is exactly up to snuff with "paid" reviews, but again, I am flattered!

With the greatest of respect,
I think you underestimate yourself. The viewpoint from creator to consumer is always slightly different.

I think your writing is exemplary.
I live in the UK, I have seen far worse grammar and punctuation from people that have English as a first language.

I would only recommend that you never stop writing - for someone, whether it's a random stranger, a family member or a friend. You have a gift with language and you use it well. Don't underestimate yourself! From the UK and a random stranger on the Internet, thank you,
I am grateful for your energy, effort and ability to entertain.

[ParkestNight]

44 minutes ago, wajbsb said:

With the greatest of respect,
I think you underestimate yourself. The viewpoint from creator to consumer is always slightly different.

I think your writing is exemplary.
I live in the UK, I have seen far worse grammar and punctuation from people that have English as a first language.

I would only recommend that you never stop writing - for someone, whether it's a random stranger, a family member or a friend. You have a gift with language and you use it well. Don't underestimate yourself! From the UK and a random stranger on the Internet, thank you,
I am grateful for your energy, effort and ability to entertain.

 

Wow, I am truly touched. Thank you so much!

[ParkestNight]

Platinum #46 - Mass Effect

 

Finally, I’ve reached the first (the last, for me) game of the Mass Effect trilogy.

 

Story:

In Mass Effect, humans have long since discovered that they, in fact, are not the only intelligent life in the galaxy. There are many alien races, such as the long-lived Asari, the militant Turians, the immunocompromised and nomadic Quarians, and many more. Many of these races cooperated and formed The Council, a commission at the Citadel. Not all of the races have a representative seat on the Council itself, but each race at least have ambassadors to lobby on behalf their respective races’ interests.

 

Commander Shepard is an elite N7 soldier who is a candidate to become a Spectre, a special agent authorized by the Citadel to complete their missions with total impunity. If chosen, Shepard would become the first ever human Spectre; however, another Spectre named Nihlus must endorse Shepard’s appointment. The plan is to meet at Eden Prime, where Nihlus will evaluate Shepard’s competence during a mission to collect a Promethean beacon.

 

The mission is a failure; a rogue Spectre named Saren Arterius betrays and kills Nihlus, and the Promethean beacon is destroyed. The resulting explosion shows Shepard visions of a future threat known eventually as the Reapers, a race of sentient synthetics that annihilate all organic life in 50,000-year cycles. The Reapers are now believed to be a myth, but this is the beginning of Shepard’s trilogy-spanning war against them.

 

Gameplay / Graphics:

This game leans a bit more slightly towards RPG elements than the following two games, which I liked, but the combat definitely isn’t as smooth or well-developed.

 

Driving the Mako was horrendous, but is thankfully is not present in 2 and 3.

 

The game was released in 2007, so the graphics aren't amazing.

 

Music / VA:

As always, the music set the tone, and the VA delivered - I’m Commander Shepard and this is my favourite voice acting on the Citadel.

 

Tricky Trophies:

The Insanity run is once again the largest hurdle between you and the Platinum, but the challenge can be somewhat alleviated by doing it on NG+ or higher so you have better gear and abilities from the get-go.

 

It was also a bit grindy having to use certain abilities X number of times (especially since generally wouldn’t use them otherwise), but just remembering to use them was probably hardest part of that.

 

The most annoying trophies, however, are the ones for completing most of a playthrough with each of your six squadmates. Since you can only have two in your squad at once, this results in a minimum of 2.5 playthroughs.

 

Conclusion:

Play this on PC if you can, or via the Legendary Edition (which also doesn’t have the grindy squadmate trophies) released just a few months ago. If you play this game after 2 or 3 like I did, go in with the expectation that this game isn’t as streamlined in the gameplay department. If you do that, your experience will be great!

Edited September 5, 2021 by ParkestNight
Forgot to include a category

[ParkestNight]

Platinum #47 - UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late

 

 

Me when I first read the title: 

 

This PS3 game was a PS+ offering when PS3 games were still included. I can’t remember the story at all, but like any 2D fighting game, the main draw is the gameplay. The game features 19 characters, and the art style and the animations are crisp and smooth. The developer, French Bread, was also behind Melty Blood, which I was pretty into back in the day.

 

 

                                                                                     

 

Platinum #48 - Steins;Gate

 

Story:

Okabe Rintaro stumbles across a girl’s corpse. Panicked, he sends a text message to his friend Daru about the incident, but something strange occurs; things around Okabe change, but no one else seems to be notice. By chance, he runs into Kurise (the girl whose body he had found earlier), who is alive and unharmed. In addition, his text message to Daru had arrived a week before he sent it. Rintaro comes to the conclusion that the microwave he’d been working on is a time machine that can send messages back in time.

 

The narrative has a lot of dark twists and turns, and is worth a playthrough if you like a good story - it's an emotional rollercoaster.

 

Gameplay / Graphics:

This is my first visual novel, where you make choices that will determine which ending you get. Looking back, I don’t know what I was expecting, but at the time I thought the game was too text-heavy (to past me - it’s a visual NOVEL, man!).

 

I have to admit I got confused more than a few times not only by the overarching plot, but what I was even supposed to do at any given moment. The dialogue really goes into fine details, so some of it went over my head.

 

The anime art style is great.

 

Music / VA:

The music did a good job of setting a scene’s mood, but I don’t feel like I can judge the Japanese voice acting (with English subtitles) since I don’t understand the language.

 

Conclusion:

I still remain a VN newbie, but I can attest that the story is great; however, if you’ve never played a visual novel, I’m not 100% sure Steins;Gate is the best one to start with (especially since the story is somewhat convoluted). 

Edited September 6, 2021 by ParkestNight

[ParkestNight]

Platinum #49 - Borderlands 2

 

Borderlands 2 is the popular sequel to 2009’s Borderlands. I played this via the Handsome Collection on the PS4, which comes bundled with Borderlands 2, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and all of their respective DLCs.

 

Story:

This story takes place about five years after the defeat of the Destroyer. Handsome Jack is the President of Hyperion and he has taken over most of Pandora while mining the planet’s Eridium under guise of bringing world peace. Rumours of a new Vault spread, bringing six more Vault Hunters (four base game, two via DLC) to Pandora in search of it.

 

Borderlands 2 features a better, more fleshed-out story compared to the first game. The four playable Vault Hunters from the previous game are now important NPCs in 2, in addition to the return of Mad Moxxi, Marcus, Scooter, Tiny Tina, Tannis, etc.

 

I believe the story and characters are among the reasons why many (including myself) claim Borderlands 2 is their favourite of the series.

 

Gameplay / Graphics:

The combat is more fine-tuned and the characters feel more distinct from each other, especially since you have six playable Vault Hunters. Getting gear is more fun, and the weapons and their manufacturers also have more of an identity now.

 

In contrast to the brown-and-grey palette of the original Borderlands, there is more colour and environmental variety. Personally, I thought the main and side quests felt less repetitive and more memorable overall (RIP Face McShooty).

 

Music / VA:

The voice acting is great, some of the characters’ tirades are something to behold. The music is alright, but the opening song isn’t as iconic as Cage the Elephant’s “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” (imo).

 

DLC:

Disappointingly, Captain Scarlett and her Pirate’s Booty, Mr. Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage, and Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt are just sort of there, but Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep is a must-play. It's playful and fun, while also exploring characters’ emotions (in a Borderlands game, I know).

 

There was also Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary that was released in 2019 to get players interested in Borderlands 3 (that had yet to come out at the time). It was released for free as part of an update, and it deals directly into events that will unfold in 3.  The DLC itself isn’t good or bad, but I find it surprising that Gearbox would release a DLC for the game after such a long time.

 

Tricky Trophies:

Most of Borderlands 2’s trophies you may have issues with are on the grindy and time-consuming side, like completing every Rank 1 challenge on a single character; however, the biggest obstacle holding you back from the Platinum will probably be defeating Terramorphous the Invincible. I completed this one with a group, and I would suggest the same for anyone else going for this.

 

Conclusion:

Borderlands 2 is better in almost every way compared to its predecessor, and it is available via the Handsome Edition either on PS Now or on PS+ (if you redeemed the offer at the time).

[ParkestNight]

Platinum #50 - Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag

 

This is my introduction to the Assassin’s Creed series (I own most of the games, but have only played three - my backlog grows ever larger).

 

Story:

I can’t remember the “modern day” story (and neither was I interested in it), but it honestly felt like the writers’ afterthought, so I’ll just cover Edward’s story.

 

In the Caribbean, Edward Kenway chances upon the Templar-Assassin conflict when he kills a rogue Assassin and assumes the dead man’s identity. Thinking only of treasure, he attends a meeting in Cuba consisting of the upper echelon of Templars. Eventually, Edward is exposed as an imposter and is pushed to help the Assassins find the Sage. The story further includes pirates and their attempt to create a republic away from the laws of the British and Spanish Empires.

 

Gameplay:

Assassin’s Creed obviously emphasizes stealth assassinations as the optimal method of reducing enemy numbers, and it was satisfying to get through encounters without getting discovered. It was really cool to be able to scale buildings and get air, double, and other types of assassinations. If stealth is no longer an option, the combat is okay, but the kill animations can be absolutely brutal; thankfully, the enemies are nice and will politely wait to fight you one-on-one. You have a number of swords and guns to choose from, as well as a number of outfit options.

 

As a ship captain, you can sail the high seas and take part in naval battles, which can be rather cool. You can also go on some deep-sea treasure hunts (which I wasn’t too fond of), but harpooning and killing a killer whale (for a trophy, to be fair) was more distressing than eliminating droves of enemies. Many cite the sailing and ship combat to be their favourite part of the game, but it personally grew old for me before too long.

 

Some of the mission constraints were tough; there was one in particular with two assassination targets to be killed simultaneously, but it took me almost forty minutes to set up. To be fair, there were probably better opportunities that I missed, but that constraint annoyed me.

 

The mission structures were okay, but Ubisoft asks you to rate each mission at its end. I found it somewhat annoying since the game (and plenty of sequels) had been out for years by the time I had played it, so my opinion wouldn’t have matter anyway.

 

I had a lot of fun (especially on Wanted) in the multiplayer mode, but I can’t say how many active players there are now.

 

Music / VA:

The music wasn’t very memorable, but the sea shanties were lovely - the only part of sailing I really enjoyed to the end. The voice acting of the main cast was great.

 

DLC:

There is one multiplayer-related DLC (which I wasn’t interested in), but there is one story DLC featuring Adewale (an Assassin that Edward meets in the main game) as the protagonist. The DLC is available both as add-on content to Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag and as a standalone title (which was a PS+ offering at one point).

 

Tricky Trophies:

None of the trophies are particularly tricky, but reaching Level 55 in the multiplayer mode is pretty tedious.

 

Conclusion:

The best place to start off the series is probably Assassin's Creed II via the Ezio Collection (I partially played the first game, but it's rough), but I'd recommend Black Flag, especially if you enjoy pirates, sailing, etc.

[ParkestNight]

Platinum #51 - Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

 

This is the last game of the series that features “traditional” Assassin’s Creed gameplay mechanics before the shift to open world, RPG-heavy gameplay in Origins and beyond.

 

Story:

Near the end of the Industrial Revolution, the Assassin Brotherhood have no real presence in Templar-controlled London. Evie and Jacob Frye are twins following in their Assassin father’s footsteps to wrest control of London from the Templars, one district at a time. The twins interact with some very famous figures like Charles Darwin while waging their war on the Templars - out of the Frye-ing pan and into the fire. Again, there's a modern day Assassins story, but like in Black Flag, I don't remember or care about it.

 

Personally, I thought Evie was more likeable, whereas Jacob is just a hothead.

 

Gameplay / Graphics:

In Syndicate, the combat is less about parrying and timing, and more all-out brawling. Of course, stealth assassinations is still the intended method of defeating enemies.

 

The combat and traversal is smooth, the twins are given a pulling device to quickly move from building to building via ziplines.

 

Music / VA:

The voice acting is great as always, though the music isn’t memorable.

 

DLC:

There is one major DLC, Jack the Ripper; however, I don’t have it and can’t make any assessments one way or the other.

 

Tricky Trophies:

There is one grindy trophy for destroying 5,000 destructible objects (eg. other coaches, mailboxes, etc.) with your carriage. My recommendation is to travel exclusively by carriage (and not fast travel) until you earn this trophy.

 

Conclusion:

If you want a more traditional Assassin's Creed game, you can't go wrong with Syndicate. 

[ParkestNight]

Platinum #52 - The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief

 

This one is another point-and-click game developed by King Art (the same developer behind The Unwritten Book of Tales 2).

 

Story:

Years ago, an infamous master thief known only as “The Raven” was shot and killed. Now in 1964, there is one of two jewels known as the Eyes of the Sphinx are stolen; however, the masked perpetrator supposedly has the same MO as The Raven. The remaining jewel is guarded by your character, Swiss constable Zellner, as it is transported via train to its next location. Also on the same train is Detective Legrand, the man responsible for taking down The Raven.

 

This story will have you finding clues and solving puzzles to unravel the intrigue behind the Eyes of the Sphinx.

 

Gameplay / Graphics:

This point-and-click game more or less has the same art style as The Unwritten Book of Tales 2, except in a less fantastical setting.

 

Music / VA:

The music wasn’t noteworthy, but the voice acting was decent enough. Constable Zellner's VA definitely helps to make him more likeable.

 

Tricky Trophies:

There’s nothing tricky per se, just a lot of missable ones that require you to complete some specific actions. Follow a guide, and you’ll be fine.

 

Conclusion:

I don’t like this game quite as much as The Unwritten Book of Tales 2, but The Raven has its own charms and mysteries to solve. Both the original PS3 version and the PS4 remaster are on PS Now, if you want to try it out. If so, I'd recommend the remaster over the original solely because you can download PS4 titles from PS Now.

[ParkestNight]

Platinum #53 - Oxenfree

 

Olly olly Oxenfree! The developers of this game are educated, as they went to Night School - that's dedication.

 

Story:

The premise is simple enough - a group of teenagers go to Edwards Island, and things go wrong.

 

You play as Alex, and after you and friends unleash some supernatural power you must investigate and ultimately stop it if you want to leave the island. The narrative never crosses the boundary into horror (for which I’m very grateful), but there are quite a few creepy and dark twists and turns.

 

Gameplay / Graphics:

Oxenfree features an interesting mix of very basic platforming (if you can even call it that) and branching narratives. Instead of characters talking in cutscenes, you are able to move Alex as you make dialogue choices that can result in different endings. As such, communication is an important part of the game, as the narrative heavily emphasizes radio frequencies, etc.

 

The art style is gorgeous, I love the character and location designs. I loved how they made the supernatural seem otherworldly by incorporating more geometrically sharp angles and shapes in addition to dark, violent colours to signal to the player that something is very, very wrong. In contrast, the mundane world has more soft curves and roundness, and calming colours.

 

Music / VA:

The music is phenomenal, setting the tone of scenes, ranging from carefree teen frolicking to tense, creepy moments that screech in and out of hearing. The voice actors were equally amazing - all of them felt natural, like they’d been actual friends for years.

 

Tricky Trophies:

Oxenfree has a few missable trophies like finishing the game while never speaking, but nothing tricky.

 

Conclusion:

Nothing in the world is Oxenfree - that’s just how unique it is. It is a short experience, only a few hours in length; however, the story and price point (if on sale, it’s usually under five dollars) makes it completely worth the purchase. Also, the recently-announced sequel is slated to for release next year, so your timing couldn’t be better! Leave possible?