Aiha's Gallery of Leaves

[Honor_Hand]

Great job, Aiha! Congrats on completing the massive undertaking that is Final Fantasy XII. I know very little about the series but I am aware many of the platinums in them tend to be long experiences. I really enjoyed reading through your time with the game here, especially that part at the beginning where you recounted how you were able to secure console independence at the time with this particular title. No doubt this game holds a special meaning for you; it's when little Aiha finally became a big boy to have his own stuff, lol.

 

As for the game itself, looks interesting, not gonna lie. Your description of the Gambit battle system really caught my attention. It made me think of the Tales of series for some reason in the way how you can set specific actions or parameters for the AI to control your partners. Probably not a good comparison with FFXII here since it sounds like you may have a larger degree of control here on how you want battles to proceed, but it all still sounded very appealing to me.

 

I'm always somewhat unsure about which FF game should I play first if I ever wanted to try out the series. I've already learned that each numbered entry is more or less its own universe, so I could really pick any of them and give them a go to see how they land with me. I tend to favor these entries comprised in the PS1 & PS2 eras because I know people liked them a lot, plus their somewhat retro status now also looks endearing to me. FFXII here looks like it could be a good candidate, especially with the convenience of being able to speed up grinding. Modern emulation is certainly a blessing, eh? Now, there was one thing in particular that really made me focus my eyes on my monitor here to maybe try FFXII at some point. And it was this:

 

On 14/2/2023 at 2:33 PM, AihaLoveleaf said:

 

Did I forget to mention there's a hot bunny girl? Apologies

 

 

Holy smokes! That's some ass-swaying right there. Why, hot bunny girls are a major plus for me, good sir. Consider my neurons fired to try this one up. ;D

Coincidentally, I'm pretty sure I might've seen this gal before during my horniest online searches. Glad to learn she heralds from here. xxD

 

[Sora9427]

DAMN 150 hours in less than 2 weeks? O.o ANd here i am thinking being at 42 hours in 3 weeks is going fast  

 

Congrats on the FF XII Plat! 

 

One of this days i'll get into it too  Like you i played it back on my Ps2 but it was already late like 2009/2010 when i did and stopped once i got a Ps3 i think so i always remained at like 60% of the game, not that i remember much aside from the begging areas, but i liked the gameplay and story i remember.

Reading your review really makes me hopeful that it's as good as i remember, personally (and i Underline PERSONALLY) it's the last good Final Fantasy (aside from XIV but that's different).

 

Damn that Side boss was brutal on PS2, thankfully they nerfed it and made it faster with the X4 speed because for how much i enjoy a challenge i'm always anxious with hour long battle, or should i say i get really annoyed to waste hours of my time if i lose and having to retry all over again!

 

Good luck with Caladrius blaze even if i see you are already basically done with it at this point  

 

 

 

 

[AihaLoveleaf]

22 hours ago, Yuber6969 said:

Congrats! I was always on the fence about FF12 partially due to the gameplay, but moreso due to the story. A political based story didn't sound appealing to me, and you saying that the characters don't really get explored puts me off further lol.

 

But then again, I thought FF15 had a great story, despite everyone shitting on it. I'll give this one a chance at some point, and the gambit system does make me curious now.

Thanks Yuber! FF12 is an interesting sale to pitch; most JRPGs will attract players by merit of their story or characters, neither of which are FF12's strongest points. Admittedly, I had almost completely forgotten the story between my first and second playthrough (lol), but I remembered the combat quite vividly. The gameplay in 12 is great enough though that I still feel compelled to recommend it to others. If you enjoyed FF8 and FF15 -- two games people love to hate for various reasons -- then I have a feeling you'll be into 12's unique battle system.

 

21 hours ago, Honor_Hand said:

Great job, Aiha! Congrats on completing the massive undertaking that is Final Fantasy XII. I know very little about the series but I am aware many of the platinums in them tend to be long experiences. I really enjoyed reading through your time with the game here, especially that part at the beginning where you recounted how you were able to secure console independence at the time with this particular title. No doubt this game holds a special meaning for you; it's when little Aiha finally became a big boy to have his own stuff, lol.

Thank you, Honor. ? It sure was a special point in time for me: at the time, one of my siblings was being particularly stingy with the shared console, so the liberation I felt coming home from GameStop with my own PS2 I could set the rules for was refreshing, lol. Still have that console with me too. If I can ever find room for it under the TV, I'll have to see about putting some new life into it, employing some of the advancements made with the console in recent years.

 

21 hours ago, Honor_Hand said:

I'm always somewhat unsure about which FF game should I play first if I ever wanted to try out the series. I've already learned that each numbered entry is more or less its own universe, so I could really pick any of them and give them a go to see how they land with me. I tend to favor these entries comprised in the PS1 & PS2 eras because I know people liked them a lot, plus their somewhat retro status now also looks endearing to me. FFXII here looks like it could be a good candidate, especially with the convenience of being able to speed up grinding.

You're right in that you can start with any entry that isn't a direct sequel -- so no XIII-2, X-2, etc. As for the PS1/2 era titles: if you're looking for your first experience to have that "wow" factor with impressive presentation, great story, and interesting characters (in my opinion; don't stone me, random bypassers!) then go with FFVII. If you can appreciate a JRPG experience where the gameplay is the star of the show, then XII is not bad at all. Whichever way you go, all FF games from this era have unique combat systems that are all fun in their own way. If the speed boosts in particular interest you, then you'll be pleased to know that it's present in the PS4 versions of FF7, 8, 9 and 12! I think it's also a feature in the FF10 port, but I don't want to accidentally spoil something by digging into articles for that game.

 

21 hours ago, Honor_Hand said:

Now, there was one thing in particular that really made me focus my eyes on my monitor here to maybe try FFXII at some point. And it was this:

 

21 hours ago, Honor_Hand said:

Holy smokes! That's some ass-swaying right there. Why, hot bunny girls are a major plus for me, good sir. Consider my neurons fired to try this one up. ;D

Coincidentally, I'm pretty sure I might've seen this gal before during my horniest online searches. Glad to learn she heralds from here. xxD

The Viera has to be one of the best additions to the franchise... ever, lol. There's an entire village of them that you get to visit later in the game, so take your time to enjoy the gaggle of hot bunny women when you finally arrive. 

 

Fran has been a great contribution to the pool of horny fanart online. I know she's found her way into my homework and research folders a few times over in recent years. For everybody else out there: go to Gelbooru, search the "Viera" tag and have fun! NSFW warning, of course.

 

20 hours ago, Sora9427 said:

DAMN 150 hours in less than 2 weeks? O.o ANd here i am thinking being at 42 hours in 3 weeks is going fast  

 

Congrats on the FF XII Plat! 

Thank you, Sora! It's easy to sink the hours in with these JRPGs; it's just very satisfying engaging the grind, and completing as much as possible in a playthrough. ?

 

20 hours ago, Sora9427 said:

One of this days i'll get into it too  Like you i played it back on my Ps2 but it was already late like 2009/2010 when i did and stopped once i got a Ps3 i think so i always remained at like 60% of the game, not that i remember much aside from the begging areas, but i liked the gameplay and story i remember.

Reading your review really makes me hopeful that it's as good as i remember, personally (and i Underline PERSONALLY) it's the last good Final Fantasy (aside from XIV but that's different).

If your memories of the gameplay are positive, then you're in for a treat since this updated release is the best FFXII experience yet. Thanks to Trial Mode, you get access to some pretty strong equipment early in the game: including the highly sought after Ribbon! 

 

We've got a lot in common here, because FFXII is actually where I fell off with the series too. I was late to the PS3 (2011) and by then I wasn't in a rush to get around to XIII. There's definitely a noticeable lack of enthusiasm online for both XIII and XV (lol), so I can see why you feel that way. I don't see myself getting into XIV, but I do need to see what all the fuss is about with XIII and XV at some point. Those DLCs in XV are going to be a pain though, so I'll really have to gather my willpower for that part of the experience. ?

 

20 hours ago, Sora9427 said:

Damn that Side boss was brutal on PS2, thankfully they nerfed it and made it faster with the X4 speed because for how much i enjoy a challenge i'm always anxious with hour long battle, or should i say i get really annoyed to waste hours of my time if i lose and having to retry all over again!

I'm totally okay with an easier Yiazmat fight this time around. With the 4x modifier, new players aren't going to have the memorable experience with the fight that PS2 players had at 1x speed, so it's fine with me that the boss can have his attack and defense lowered now. I also totally agree that losing hours of my time to that boss fight would have sucked; I can't imagine the trauma I would have felt if I had lost during the PS2 boss fight three or four hours in, lol.

[Sora9427]

On 19/2/2023 at 6:05 PM, AihaLoveleaf said:

Thank you, Sora! It's easy to sink the hours in with these JRPGs; it's just very satisfying engaging the grind, and completing as much as possible in a playthrough. 

 

If your memories of the gameplay are positive, then you're in for a treat since this updated release is the best FFXII experience yet. Thanks to Trial Mode, you get access to some pretty strong equipment early in the game: including the highly sought after Ribbon! 

 

We've got a lot in common here, because FFXII is actually where I fell off with the series too. I was late to the PS3 (2011) and by then I wasn't in a rush to get around to XIII. There's definitely a noticeable lack of enthusiasm online for both XIII and XV (lol), so I can see why you feel that way. I don't see myself getting into XIV, but I do need to see what all the fuss is about with XIII and XV at some point. Those DLCs in XV are going to be a pain though, so I'll really have to gather my willpower for that part of the experience. 

 

I'm totally okay with an easier Yiazmat fight this time around. With the 4x modifier, new players aren't going to have the memorable experience with the fight that PS2 players had at 1x speed, so it's fine with me that the boss can have his attack and defense lowered now. I also totally agree that losing hours of my time to that boss fight would have sucked; I can't imagine the trauma I would have felt if I had lost during the PS2 boss fight three or four hours in, lol.

 

I Mean i guess but still that's like what 10 hours each day?  That's a lot i could never do that both for work/Tiredness reasons and because i always feel sad going too fast on a game i like (Which i know is kinda stupid with a Backlog in the hundreds of games) 

 

Yeah i've heard the international version improves a lot of things which is nice, as said i played it like 14? Years ago at this point, something like that, so i remember little about it but i was enjoying it after a slow start.

 

Ah, Glad to find a fellow partner in my thoughts! Yeah FF XII was the last good FF and it's not a case in my opinion that the gameplay was still kinda turned based, i Mean the XIII is but pressing X without strategy need 95% of the game it's not what i would call Engaging. I guess you haven't played it since you quote the online appraisal and i would say you don't miss much, in the XIII the gameplay is boring, the character are nothing amazing, half of the world goes behind lightning while for me it's a normal heroine without much to say, the only good thing i remember was some areas desing which was actually really good that' about it. 

The XV i don't even remotely care to play same the new one coming out, for me it's a series i would never care about again, it's just another Action based RPG and a generic one at base, if they ever decide to go back to turn based gameplay they'll have my interest (And maybe make a COMPLETE game not divided in 3 parts like the other Remake) but i doubt it seeing the casual fanbase nowadays prefer this.

Ah i didn't fully read your lines, so you wanna play them, good torture then  

I would actually play the XIV and i don't like MMO but it really catches me, but i don't wanna start another game that i would have to basically play just that for like a year or 2  

 

Well i mean it's still a pretty long fight being 15 minutes far better than 5 hours which was waaay too much  Yeah that would have been such a massive pain and bad memory ? Reason why i'm not a fan of super long battles lasting 40+ minutes, it feels such a massive loss if you lose for a mistake.

 

Oh Ehi Congrats on Caladrius plat too i see

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by Sora9427

[AihaLoveleaf]

Platinum #52 
Caladrius Blaze (7.54%)
Completion Time: 3 days, 15 minutes

 

 

Finding the right games to get used to a new genre is not always easy. For fighting and rhythm games, the options available to climb the ladder of difficulty are plentiful. Looking for those same first steps to get your feet planted in the genre of shooters proves trickier however, depending on your standards. From the outside, it appears at first as if your picks of poison lie between beasts of games that take no prisoners, or the plethora of low quality trophy lists undeservingly attached to otherwise decent games by unsavory publishers such as EastAsiaSoft. It didn't take long to determine that the latter was not an option; as much I appreciate Play-Asia for satisfying my import fix and their adorably talented VTuber mascot, their publishing wing engages in a level of bad behavior that I don't intend to reward. That said, if you can take a bit of heat, there are shooters that will meet you in the middle with experiences surprisingly accessible to the novice! Caladrius Blaze is one of those games.

 

Originally released as Caladrius for the Xbox 360 and Arcades in 2013, the game was ported to PlayStation 3 the following year as Caladrius Blaze. The title eventually received a PlayStation 4 port in 2016, with the most noticeable difference being the removal of the trophy awarded for booting the game for the first time.

 

For the otaku out there, the art and presentation of Caladrius Blaze are on point. In an experience packed with moé girls and fanservice, the air of the battlefield grows steamier as matches intensify; it's either you or the opponent suffering chunks of clothing removed through the aptly named Shame Break mechanic. Coupled with the hot waifus is a soundtrack that rocks pretty hard, giving vibes of other franchises like Touhou and BlazBlue.

 

Shame broken, and neuron activated

 

Caladrius Blaze leans more towards the bullet hell style of shooter. The game's premiere mechanic is the Element Shot. Each playable character represents a different element, and as such has access to three different special attacks known as Element Shots. The strength and effect of each Element Shot varies, and you're awarded the opportunity to level them up after each stage, provided you've collected one or more Ether Chips. Where the mechanic becomes most interesting is in the fact that you can freely mix and match different Element Shots on different characters as you see fit, allowing you powerful combinations that ultimately make the game approachable at even the lowest level of play.

 

The story in Caladrius Blaze is largely inconsequential to the overall experience. While not to say it's subpar, you can safely turn off your brain while engaging the different modes of play, and enjoy the thankfully provided voice acting for most lines of dialogue. Character performances are done well, and are done by mostly smaller actors, though the PS4 version does bring M・A・O to do the voices of Noah and Nina. Each character's route follows their own personal experiences in a kingdom fouled by its now corrupt King, and their journeys as they force their way through to restore order to their homeland.

 

 

As mentioned, Caladrius Blaze is surprisingly approachable for the novice. New players eyeing the game are likely wondering what the hardest parts of the list are, and how closely the experience lines up with the 7/10 rating in both trophy guides. The game's list has two difficulty peaks: 1LC in Story Mode, and 1CC in Boss Rush. That means clearing the entire Story Mode on Easy or higher without losing a single life and clearing Boss Rush on Easy or higher without depleting your stock of lives, respectively. Those are some mean requirements, but the ability to customize Element Shots makes both goals achievable with a minimum amount of practice. Specifically, certain elements feature abilities that completely neutralize incoming bullets. If you proceed with a character equipped with three of those types of abilities, you can avoid almost all incoming fire as long as you're savvy with your Element Shot charge levels. It may take you a few hours to score your winning runs, but anybody reading this thread has guaranteed done more difficult things in games already. 

 

 

Outside of the aforementioned difficulty spikes, the rest of the list is pretty easy. Most of it is about what you'd expect: playing through each character's story and fully exploring the game's fanservice by seeing each Shame Break. Caladrius Blaze features a difficulty below Very Easy called "Practice", where enemies and bosses will not fire at you at all. You can't use Practice difficulty where it would matter -- which is why Caladrius Blaze is 7% instead of 70% -- but it makes trophy cleanup a breeze once you've gotten past the peaks. Unfortunately, as you close in towards the end of the journey, the most tedious trophies rear their ugly heads -- the worst of which being the godawful grind for 1,000 Ether Chips! The 1,000 Ether Chips trophy will likely be your last, and will require hours of slogging through Level Select after you've taken care of everything else. Caladrius' trophy list is definitely old-school, for better and worse.

 

There are a number of audiences Caladrius Blaze is going to appeal to. You like anime girls? Join the club. Cultured enjoyer of fanservice? Grab a glass of wine and come aboard. Looking for your next shooter? Get in there. The game is extremely affordable if caught on sale, or free if you're subscribed to Plus Extra or higher. Caladrius Blaze is totally rad, and tickles the lizard brain's desire for good gameplay. If you're in any of its target audiences, then add it to your list. Good luck out there.

 

[Honor_Hand]

Excellent coverage here, good sir. Glad to see you taking some time to review such an excellent product aimed exclusively at tickling our lizard brains. I had a great time with this one when I tried it last year.

 

 

Great introduction there for people who are unsure about whether this game will be a good fit for them to dive into this genre. I reckon I was one of those too a few months ago when I ventured into this one. But alas, Caladrius Blaze appeared in the end as the best option for me to try out a decisively cool, yet reasonably approachable game in the genre. I gotta say, though, that trophy guide inflates the game's difficulty a bit too much. That 1LC playthrough and 1CC Boss Rush sound hard, but they really aren't. We've certainly done much more difficult stuff in games out there, as you accurately mentioned. Caladrius here is a rather short game and it gives you plenty of tools to go about clearing the challenges it presents you with. Once you're done with that after a few practice runs, you're left with that grindy 1,000 Ether chips, but everything else is pretty easy. I kinda feel a 5 would be a more accurate difficulty rating for this title.

 

Other than that, your write-up here on the game was great. For anyone that's open to fanservice, loves rock, and is looking for a gateway game into this genre, Caladrius Blaze does an excellent job. Plus it can be gotten for pretty cheap nowadays, too. ^^

 

Quote

As much I appreciate Play-Asia for satisfying my import fix and their adorably talented VTuber mascot,

 

That was darn cute. >w<

 

Edited February 24, 2023 by Honor_Hand

[AihaLoveleaf]

On 2/24/2023 at 0:54 PM, Honor_Hand said:

Excellent coverage here, good sir. Glad to see you taking some time to review such an excellent product aimed exclusively at tickling our lizard brains. I had a great time with this one when I tried it last year.

 

On 2/24/2023 at 0:54 PM, Honor_Hand said:

Great introduction there for people who are unsure about whether this game will be a good fit for them to dive into this genre. I reckon I was one of those too a few months ago when I ventured into this one. But alas, Caladrius Blaze appeared in the end as the best option for me to try out a decisively cool, yet reasonably approachable game in the genre. I gotta say, though, that trophy guide inflates the game's difficulty a bit too much. That 1LC playthrough and 1CC Boss Rush sound hard, but they really aren't. We've certainly done much more difficult stuff in games out there, as you accurately mentioned. Caladrius here is a rather short game and it gives you plenty of tools to go about clearing the challenges it presents you with. Once you're done with that after a few practice runs, you're left with that grindy 1,000 Ether chips, but everything else is pretty easy. I kinda feel a 5 would be a more accurate difficulty rating for this title.

Thank you kindly, Honor. ? I think a 5 may be about right; the game requires your constant attention when going for its hardest trophies, but the learning curve remains relatively low. Touhou Genso Rondo felt a lot tougher in comparison, since there actually was a learning curve, and some gud that had to be got before those Boss Rushes started going down. I think it's also a worthy experience just witnessing what actual 1LC and 1CC runs are like firsthand -- it really makes other shooter lists that much easier to comprehend when you really know what those sorts of runs truly entail.

 

The Ether Chip grind blows, unfortunately, but hopefully it doesn't scare anybody off since the rest of the experience is valuable enough to be worth the tradeoff.

 

On 2/24/2023 at 0:54 PM, Honor_Hand said:

That was darn cute. >w<

Yeah, PAM is great. Pokémon S/V badly needed voice acting, and having her show up for Iono's role would have been about as exciting as Iono's reveal itself. ? I hope that the same mistakes won't be made come Gen 10!

[Yuber6969]

On 21/02/2023 at 8:05 PM, AihaLoveleaf said:

There are a number of audiences Caladrius Blaze is going to appeal to. You like anime girls? Join the club. Cultured enjoyer of fanservice? Grab a glass of wine and come aboard. Looking for your next shooter? Get in there. The game is extremely affordable if caught on sale...

 

Congrats! I'm definitely into the fanservice games, and the SK mechanic of the clothes getting torn off appeals to me for sure. I'm basically new to the genre, so that 7/10 put me off, but after reading what you and Honor said, I'm gonna wishlist it.

 

Is there an in-game gameplay timer? Wondering how long the game is.

[AihaLoveleaf]

15 hours ago, Yuber6969 said:

Congrats! I'm definitely into the fanservice games, and the SK mechanic of the clothes getting torn off appeals to me for sure. I'm basically new to the genre, so that 7/10 put me off, but after reading what you and Honor said, I'm gonna wishlist it.

Thanks Yuber! Yeah, while I wouldn't say the game is completely trivial, it's really not as bad as the guide ratings make it appear. It's a valuable experience in that you experience some of the "heat" that the shooter genre has to offer -- 1LC and 1CC clears -- but with amazing fail-safes that allow you through without being the Neo of bullet hell dodging. Plus it's rich with that good old fanservice.

 

15 hours ago, Yuber6969 said:

Is there an in-game gameplay timer? Wondering how long the game is.

No in-game timer that I know of, but my Exophase shows 28.9 hours. Came out underneath the PSNP guide estimate, and that's including both the Ether Chip grind and the few hours of retries needed for those difficulty peaks. The game can feel like an eternity when you're down to the grind, but it's comparatively not that long of a game to complete.

[CelestialRequiem]

Oh, now, here we go. Looks like you found something that is stimulating in more than one cognitive medium. Coupling fun mechanics with cute girls can only result in ?.

 

Well done with this one. Long had my eye on it and of course MOSS delivered the goods with the girls and a quality shmup. I appreciated your observation on where this calls in terms of shooters and its sub-genres. Interestingly, I owned the physical for this game at some point, though was lost in a move like 5 years ago. I haven't looked on eBay as I'm scared of what I would find in terms of its pricing, but I was able to get the game for a comically low price, like yourself, on the PSN store.

 

...Sol Cresta can continue waiting for now, however, your reward will not only be met with a prestigious platinum for mastery, but you're treated immediately for engagement:

 

 

We await for your next cosmic adventure.

[AihaLoveleaf]

18 hours ago, CelestialRequiem said:

Oh, now, here we go. Looks like you found something that is stimulating in more than one cognitive medium. Coupling fun mechanics with cute girls can only result in .

 

Well done with this one. Long had my eye on it and of course MOSS delivered the goods with the girls and a quality shmup. I appreciated your observation on where this calls in terms of shooters and its sub-genres. Interestingly, I owned the physical for this game at some point, though was lost in a move like 5 years ago. I haven't looked on eBay as I'm scared of what I would find in terms of its pricing, but I was able to get the game for a comically low price, like yourself, on the PSN store.

I appreciate it, Mister. ? Shame to hear about that lost copy of Caladrius; that would be one sweet game to have up on the shelf. Your hesitation to check eBay reminds me of my situation with Otomedius Excellent: I should have bought that on 360 when it was still cheap, but I missed the boat and dare not see how much it's floating around for, compared to what I could have bought it for instead. That, and my 360 is busted anyways -- lol. 

 

18 hours ago, CelestialRequiem said:

...Sol Cresta can continue waiting for now, however, your reward will not only be met with a prestigious platinum for mastery, but you're treated immediately for engagement:

Those thighs are richer than the owner counts for all four stacks of the game. If there's a title that badly needs the Plus Extra treatment - it's Sol Cresta.

[AihaLoveleaf]

Platinum #53
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth2 (19.91%)
Completion Time: 2 weeks, 4 days

 

 

Note: "mk2" refers to the PS3 original Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 while "Re;Birth" refers to the trilogy of remakes for the Vita. Check my review here for first-time impressions of the PS3 original

 

The review posted of Re;Birth1 not too long ago primarily focused on the differences between it and the original it was based on, while also covering noteworthy changes to the experience. Though Re;Birth1 featured a few unfortunate cons that held it back from being a definitive experience, things are looking much better in its sequel, and thanks to a few welcome improvements has become my favorite gameplay experience in the series so far. This review will also focus on both differences and improvements between mk2 and Re;Birth2.

 

Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2—developed by Felistella and Compile Heart, and published by Idea Factory International in 2015 in the West—is a PlayStation Vita remake of Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 for the PlayStation 3. Unlike Re;Birth1, which was almost a completely different game compared to its original, Re;Birth2 more closely resembles mk2 while further improving on the new gameplay systems introduced in the last game.

 

As was the case with mk2—Re;Birth2's events don't occur in the same timeline as Re;Birth1. The second entry in the original PS3 trilogy rebooted the continuity, a change still reflected in its remake. Playing Re;Birth1 first is still recommended though, as Re;Birth2 is going to assume you're already familiar with its characters and universe. 

 

 

I mentioned before that Re;Birth1 was almost an entirely different game; that's largely due to the remake having an entirely new script, leading to an experience that only somewhat resembled the original. Re;Birth2 however follows its original very closely. As far as the original Japanese audio is concerned, lines spoken are either 1:1 or close enough to be good enough. The script has been altered in places to make room for new characters, which is relatively inconsequential to the experience. The English translation has been redone by Idea Factory International though, so expect the text to look a little different from what you may or may not have read on the PS3. IFI's translations for the Re;Birth series are generally a bit less memetic, but don't expect miracles if you were annoyed by the liberties taken in NIS America's scripts.

 

Graphics also received a makeover to bring Re;Birth2 in line with the rest of the series. Re;Birth2 replaces mk2's 3D models in story scenes with hand-drawn 2D models. 2D models exchange mobility for better facial expressions and a less dated look. Check the comparison below:

 

 

Gameplay is largely the same as Re;Birth1—that being mechanics based on Victory with its own unique addition known as the "Remake System", allowing you to create items, dungeons and enable convenient features. The Remake System adds some wonderful quality of life improvements, and ultimately removes a lot of the tedium present in previous titles.

 

Noteworthy addition to Re;Birth2 is Stella's☆Dungeon—a minigame meant to emulate a turn-based, roguelike RPG. You're responsible for guiding Stella—Gamindustri's moe anthropomorphization of developer Felistella—to the end of all the world's dungeons. Just like a real roguelike, Stella's level drops back to 1 after each run, and she's at risk of losing all her items if she dies! Though mostly a cute diversion, conquering Stella's☆Dungeon is necessary for the Platinum, and does pay out with items that will aid you in your playthrough. Make sure you're staying on top of clearing new dungeons as they appear, though; clearing every dungeon in the minigame requires several real-life, unskippable days in total!

 

 

Coming back to the Remake System for a bit: Re;Birth2 adds one small feature that removes a lot of tedium—Symbol Attacks can give you rewards now. Quick bit of background: Symbol Attack is a feature introduced in mk2 that allows you to get the drop an enemy encounter by striking an opponent with your weapon on the overworld. While mostly used to earn you a pre-emptive attack, you did eventually have the option to completely nullify an encounter if you were overleveled compared to the enemy. This largely proved useless, as it also nullified XP and items... until now. The Remake System in Re;Birth2 now allows you to create a toggle that rewards XP, Items and Credits for a successful Symbol Attack - effectively an easy button that lets you skip battles with monsters that you're stronger than, while still reaping the benefits. This addition shaves hours off your playthrough, and makes the game's required grinds far more bearable than they would have been otherwise. Kind of like FFXII's Gambit system, some may find it a bit too cheesy for their tastes, but I had a blast with it. Any features in a JRPG that let me get to the fun stuff sooner is a big plus for me.

 

Like most games in the franchise, Re;Birth2 offers a selection of DLC for you to open up your playthrough more than you'd be able to without. The good news is that there isn't much of it, and it's relatively cheap; you can clean out the game's DLC catalog for about $5! The bad news is that DLC is basically required if you don't want to lose your mind going for the Platinum. Remember Stella's☆Dungeon? Losing your items to the minigame's "permadeath" can set you back several hours when you eventually succumb to RNG. Fortunately, the DLC gives you access to an "Insurance" Plan that lets you keep Stella's items upon defeat. Other DLC purchases increase your level cap by several hundred levels and give you access to powerful items, which can only help with the rest of the game's content. If you're starting Re;Birth2, I strongly recommend you just suck it up and grab the DLC for the sake of your sanity.

 

 

Going in with the previously recommended DLC, your trip through the trophy list won't be terribly difficult—even the required superboss goes down like a chump if you've broken the level cap. Strap yourself in for a long playthrough though, because you've got a lot to do. Like mk2, Re;Birth2 has a ton of endings for you to see - up to a total a nine with the addition of an ending path new to the Vita. Getting said endings will require hours of manipulating shares and raising Lily Ranks between characters. Thank God Symbol Attacks were buffed to help you out! Stella's☆Dungeon, though largely an idle task, does need to be completely conquered, and will take days of real-life time to get done. Even after finishing all other requirements, my Vita sat in sleep mode for a few days afterwards simply to complete all of Stella's dungeons. 

 

If you've already played through Re;Birth1, then you may as well give Re;Birth2 a playthrough. Players that weren't impressed with the previous game should find that this is where the series begins to pick up. If you just want more waifus, you'll get them here with the proper introduction of the little sisters, as well as the triumphant return of one of the best girls in the franchise. Unlike Re;Birth1, Re;Birth2 is a lot more faithful to its original, so you can take comfort knowing that you aren't missing out as much this time around as you may have if Re;Birth1 was your introduction. Before I move on to Re;Birth3, I've got a couple of spin-offs to get to, so hopefully I'll be able to cover those sometime soon.

 

[Yuber6969]

Congrats! I hope to join you in the plat club sooner rather than later, but man I am so behind lol.

 

I'm only in chapter 5, but I'm enjoying it so far. Way better than the first game, which I honestly felt was so overrated but I didn't want to get crucified by the community.

 

I hope I unlock that Symbol Attack upgrade soon, cause I really want to start making more progress. After you told me that there's a 13 hour dungeon to clear, I really want to start progressing faster lol.

Edited March 18, 2023 by Yuber6969
Typo

[AihaLoveleaf]

20 hours ago, Yuber6969 said:

Congrats! I hope to join you in the plat club sooner rather than later, but man I am so behind lol.

 

I'm only in chapter 5, but I'm enjoying it so far. Way better than the first game, which I honestly felt was so overrated but I didn't want to get crucified by the community.

 

I hope I unlock that Symbol Attack upgrade soon, cause I really want to start making more progress. After you told me that there's a 13 hour dungeon to clear, I really want to start progressing faster lol.

Thanks man. ? You've got some hefty gaming projects in front of you right now, so your current pace is understandable.

 

Glad you're enjoying it so far, though. I was thrilled to see that everything made it in for this second remake - it's a big improvement over the unfortunately truncated story experience of the last game. Have fun with those updated Symbol Attacks; that alone has probably spoiled me, so I better be seeing the feature return in every main entry from this point forward. ?

[Taruta13]

On 8/10/2022 at 10:44 PM, Cave Johnson said:

I glossed over Hana's list of roles on the wiki the other day when doing research, and with the number of anime she's appeared in, you've got a lot of watching ahead of you. Similarly, a good buddy of mine recently shared a list of Cute Girls Doing Cute Things for me to check out, and the list inspired me enough to give it a shot, so that will be my own slow burn of an anime project for the next little while

 

I saw the Cute Girls Doing Work list and saw NEW GAME! and read the description. Damn, if I ever decide to get into subbed anime, that series will be my first. I mean, cute girls working on a video game RPG?!!?? My kind of girls!

 

I'll be heading on a plane to Orlando tomorrow at the crack of dawn. (It'll be four hours to Miami and then another two to Orlando on a second plane) and I hope that my PS5 doesn't get melted by the x-ray device or they say I can't take it. ) So I have a lot of Vita games on board.

[Taruta13]

On 2/14/2023 at 0:33 PM, AihaLoveleaf said:

Platinum #51
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (11.54%)
Completion Time: 1 week, 4 days

 

I should be sleeping but I just have to say, this is one of the games that I bought physically and have to platinum. *SIGH*

 

Nice to see you platinumed a game I have to work on. I was worried it'd all be anime NepNep and those booby ladies.

 

Well, gotta shut this down. I'll see you in five days or so. *yawn* ?

Edited March 20, 2023 by Taruta13

[AihaLoveleaf]

19 hours ago, Taruta13 said:

I saw the Cute Girls Doing Work list and saw NEW GAME! and read the description. Damn, if I ever decide to get into subbed anime, that series will be my first. I mean, cute girls working on a video game RPG?!!?? My kind of girls!

 

I'll be heading on a plane to Orlando tomorrow at the crack of dawn. (It'll be four hours to Miami and then another two to Orlando on a second plane) and I hope that my PS5 doesn't get melted by the x-ray device or they say I can't take it. ) So I have a lot of Vita games on board.

NEW GAME! does look pretty sweet. The girls are cute, and the music is catchy—as it should be for a CGDCT anime. There's a NEW GAME!... game as well, but it's not looking like an English version is coming, given how old it is by now.

 

Good luck getting that PS5 through airport security; that's a chunky boi to get through a flight unscathed. The Vita is a great idea though, since you can easily take it on board.

 

11 hours ago, Taruta13 said:

I should be sleeping but I just have to say, this is one of the games that I bought physically and have to platinum. *SIGH*

 

Nice to see you platinumed a game I have to work on. I was worried it'd all be anime NepNep and those booby ladies.

 

Well, gotta shut this down. I'll see you in five days or so. *yawn*

FF12 can be a long playthrough, but those hours fly by on 4x, and if the gameplay clicks with you then you'll be engaged the entire time anyway. Enjoy it when you get around to it.

 

There will be a lot of Neptune booby ladies showing up, considering I have at least ~13 games left to catch up with the series - and I'll eventually need a PS5 for one of them. There are other things in the pipeline too, though largely niche content as well.

 

Have a safe trip, man ? we'll see you when you get back.

[Honor_Hand]

Well done, man. Congrats on obtaining that new Neppy platinum over there! =D

Fair to say you've come pretty far with the series by now. Now that you've played Re;Birth 2, for someone like me who has only played Re;Birth 1, what makes more sense next? Playing mk2 or Re;Birth 2? Judging from what I read here, it seems the more logical option would be Re;Birth 2 but I want to hear what you think about it.

 

Also, I'm pleased to hear that the grind is much bearable in this game compared to the first Re;Birth as that was the only thing that dragged down my experience with it. Especially since I platinum'ed that one at the time without using any of its DLC, so the heavy grinding at the end really put me off. The DLC in this one doesn't sound too expensive, and if it can help shave the grind down in a massive manner, then it should be worth going after it. Not gonna lie, though. Your description of Stella's☆Dungeon sounds like it could be painful if tackled the normal way, but if the DLC helps that much, then damn, we're better off securing that to avoid any potential frustrations.

[AihaLoveleaf]

23 minutes ago, Honor_Hand said:

Well done, man. Congrats on obtaining that new Neppy platinum over there! =D

Fair to say you've come pretty far with the series by now. Now that you've played Re;Birth 2, for someone like me who has only played Re;Birth 1, what makes more sense next? Playing mk2 or Re;Birth 2? Judging from what I read here, it seems the more logical option would be Re;Birth 2 but I want to hear what you think about it.

Thanks Honor! ?

 

Since you started with Re;Birth1, you're better off just going ahead into Re;Birth2 and onwards. There is a benefit to going from the PS3 trilogy into Re;Birth1 - in that you see the story with a wider lens than the fresh newcomer, but since you've already played R;B1 then you're better off finishing the Vita series and maybe saving the PS3 games for the distant future if you ever find yourself in the mood to replay the series. Also, a couple of spinoffs released between Re;Birth2 and 3—Hyperdevotion Noire and Neptunia U—but I'll get back to you probably sometime soon-ish on whether Victory/Re;Birth3 knowledge is needed to enhance those experiences.

 

33 minutes ago, Honor_Hand said:

Also, I'm pleased to hear that the grind is much bearable in this game compared to the first Re;Birth as that was the only thing that dragged down my experience with it. Especially since I platinum'ed that one at the time without using any of its DLC, so the heavy grinding at the end really put me off. The DLC in this one doesn't sound too expensive, and if it can help shave the grind down in a massive manner, then it should be worth going after it. Not gonna lie, though. Your description of Stella's☆Dungeon sounds like it could be painful if tackled the normal way, but if the DLC helps that much, then damn, we're better off securing that to avoid any potential frustrations.

I'm loving the reduced costs of DLC in the Vita series so far; the bill for DLC added up very quickly in the PS3 games, and it was a pretty considerable cost if you wanted to try to get a full experience. Anyway, you'll definitely want it for Re;Birth2, and even the trophy guides are mostly going to assume that you purchase it.

 

If you haven't played any Roguelikes, there may not be much point of reference to understand the pain of what Stella's☆Dungeon would be like without DLC, but if you've experienced permadeath/hardcore in any past games, then imagine that pain transplanted into a Neptunia game—It'll justify that purchase in a hurry.

[Taruta13]

On 3/20/2023 at 1:06 PM, AihaLoveleaf said:

Good luck getting that PS5 through airport security; that's a chunky boi to get through a flight unscathed. The Vita is a great idea though, since you can easily take it on board.

 

Well, the PS5 managed to make the trip safely to and back from Orlando... safely back for the most part as when I unpacked it, it somehow squished open some hotel shampoo my mom smuggled into the bag that I put the console in(the controller and wires were in my own bag) and got a nice coat of hair soap. Thankfully it should be fine because it only shampooed the upper left corner of the outside casing.

 

The Vita has seen better days, and is taking a well deserved break. I did get my 140th in Sly Cooper 1 on the second plane from North Carolina, though.

Edited March 25, 2023 by Taruta13

[AihaLoveleaf]

Platinum #54
幕末Rock 超魂 "Bakumatsu Rock: Ultra Soul" (20.56%)
Completion Time: 1 week, 4 days

 

 

At a time when the Project DIVA series was at peak popularity as choice for rhythm gaming on the handheld, Japanese developers sought to capture a bit of that lightning using different IPs. For a developer that didn't focus on the genre, Marvelous' brief period of dabbling in the rhythm game space produced impressive results: including Senran Kagura Bon Appetit and IA/VT Colorful—both of which brought their own unique spin on the format while offering a bit extra in the way of hilarious fanservice comedy for Bon Appetit, and excellent presentation combined with a list of songs you won't be seeing in a Miku game anytime soon for IA/VT Colorful. Bakumatsu Rock keeps the streak going, bringing together its own brand of energetic, challenging gameplay, and an engaging story with a cast of characters that you can't help but love.

 

Bakumatsu Rock: Ultra Soul (超魂 is pronounced "Ultra Soul", and not its individual Kanji readings) is an updated version of Bakumatsu Rock that originally released for the PSP in early 2014. There wasn't much of a gap between PSP and Vita releases though, as Ultra Soul showed up only a few months later in September of the same year. As you can probably infer from the pretty-boy cast, the series primarily targets the Josei (adult woman) demographic, but there's also overlap for those that enjoy the action and energy of Shonen media. True to its title, Bakumatsu Rock: Ultra Soul is a rhythm game all about Rock—the game's title itself being a nod to the song Ultra Soul by popular Rock band B'z.

 

 

The game's story is an alternate history of sorts, based on Japan's Bakumatsu era. The Shogunate controls the region; its citizens in a brainwashed state through use of Heaven's Songs—a selection of songs approved by the Shogunate that maintain the people's pacified state. Rock songs have the power to cleanse people from their zombie-like pacified states and return them to normal, which makes performing Rock music a capital offense punishable by death. Holders of the "Piece Soul", like our hero Ryouma, have the ability to influence the masses with their music for good or evil, so he sets out to put together a group that will save Japan with the beauty of rock.

 

"I'll change the world! I'll change it myself! So—listen to my song!"

 

Bakumatsu Rock brings together an endearing mix of characters and personalities. Ryouma (the red-haired one) is your classic case of the dense main character whose density levels approach critical mass. Despite his naivety, Ryouma is tenacious, with a magnetic personality that easily breaks down the walls of those around them and brings others to his cause. Takasugi (the blue-haired one) is a short-tempered hothead that easily loses his cool and often finds himself bickering with Ryouma when his boneheaded personality proves to be too much. Katsura (the green-haired one) is the brains of the group, making use of his countless inventions to either cause trouble, or get the heroes out of it. Being the most level-headed of the group, Katsura is often the one mediating Takasugi and Ryouma's tussles. Supporting characters are part of individual pop groups, like the Shinsengumi—a group based on the Japanese boy-band format, and Dark Cherries—a girl-group based on Japanese idol units. Shoutout to Dark Cherries by the way for having best girl Ouno, who is all kinds of moé.

 

"Sooo~, I'm gonna sing~ and dance~ with everything I've got! Smile~!"

 

The rhythm game portion is functionally similar to Project DIVA, but with a different presentation. Icons coast towards the judgement line at the bottom of the screen to be tapped in time with the music. Charts make use of both the D-Pad and face buttons, but unlike DIVA you can't alternate the two between different note types. If you're a fan of Japanese rock, chances are the tracklist will do it for you. In my teen years I enjoyed (among other things) Visual Kei and VK-adjacent J-Rock like L'Arc~En~Ciel, Dir En Grey, Plastic Tree and others—so Bakumatsu's flavor of Rock successfully invoked my 2000's J-Rock nostalgia. Your score grading is primarily based on accuracy, so it's possible to Perfect (full combo) a song and still come out with a B-Rank, though it's unlikely to happen in higher difficulties due to the increased number of notes. 

 

The game's trophy list is a lot more challenging than you might expect based on the Platinum's ~20% rarity. Most of the list is easy enough, requiring completion of the entire story—something you should definitely treat yourself to if you can read it. The hard part comes, of course, from the rhythm game. You're required to obtain A Rank on every song, on every difficulty. The margin for what qualifies for A Rank is pretty wide, meaning you can skate by with a relatively sloppy performance as long as your accuracy is good. Similarly, the margin for hitting "Good" notes (think SAFE for DIVA players) during songs is pretty wide as well, meaning you can sometimes mash your way out of what could have been a combo break if you react quickly enough. 

 

 

Despite the above conveniences though, Bakumatsu Rock still proved fairly challenging on Ultra Soul difficulty. Even at my current skill level in the (non-arcade) DIVA format, Bakumatsu's gameplay is just different enough that it created a learning curve I had to get used to. While not the toughest rhythm game I've had to endure, I still had to devote a bit of time employing my usual learning tactic of watching YouTube playthroughs in slow-motion while practicing the inputs with a disconnected DualShock between my own attempts to score new A Ranks. Fortunately, charting in this game is mostly logical; notes pair together in ways that feel intuitive, like  following  - so you'll catch on rather quickly. The only song where things seemed to fall apart was Ride On The Wave, a chart loaded with difficult triplets that don't seem to contain an easily memorable pattern. 

 

If you dig rhythm games, Bakumatsu Rock: Ultra Soul needs to be on your shopping list—even more so if you can read Japanese, as the story is hilariously awesome. The game can be pretty tough though, so if you're still budding in the genre, then you might save it until you're ready for something a bit more intermediate. Ignite your soul, unleash your passion, and let's rock!

 

"Let's take back our freedom, our passion, our souls!"

Edited April 3, 2023 by AihaLoveleaf

[Deadly_Ha_Ha]

I wish I was AihaLoveleaf

[Honor_Hand]

Superb work on this platinum and write-up, Aiha.

 

I saw you talking about this game on Discord, and man, perhaps I'm not too familiar with J-rock, but anything that falls into the rock category gets my highest of approvals when it comes to music. That being said, considering how much I struggled with Neon Drive recently (it took me 630 attempts to perfect that last song in the game...and I know because the game keeps track of it) I don't see myself trying this one anytime soon. It looks awesome, it's just that my skill level on rhythm games is way, way lower than I originally expected, lol. xxD

 

But hey, thanks for the sweet review here. It's always nice to learn about these otherwise obscure games. =D

[AihaLoveleaf]

54 minutes ago, Honor_Hand said:

Superb work on this platinum and write-up, Aiha.

 

I saw you talking about this game on Discord, and man, perhaps I'm not too familiar with J-rock, but anything that falls into the rock category gets my highest of approvals when it comes to music. That being said, considering how much I struggled with Neon Drive recently (it took me 630 attempts to perfect that last song in the game...and I know because the game keeps track of it) I don't see myself trying this one anytime soon. It looks awesome, it's just that my skill level on rhythm games is way, way lower than I originally expected, lol. xxD

Thanks Honor. ?

 

Bakumatsu's rock-fueled gameplay is totally rad, but holding off for now is for the best. It's worth revisiting the idea after a DIVA game or two, or Marvelous' other rhythm games. That playcount for your last song in Neon Drive is pretty incredible, and also very relatable. Huge kudos for sticking out the skill grind all the way through. Persistence is one of the most valuable traits in this genre; very few are going to be rockstars straight away.

 

1 hour ago, Honor_Hand said:

But hey, thanks for the sweet review here. It's always nice to learn about these otherwise obscure games. =D

No prob! That's what I'm here for.  I love putting the spotlight on niche games, and the parts of them that would have otherwise gone unexperienced. 

[Yuber6969]

Congrats! Thanks again for summarizing the plot; it's a shame that I wasn't able to read it when I played the game.

 

I was happy that the game had a decent amount of challenge. The fact that the difficulty trophies didn't stack was annoying though.