Cassylvania's Miserable Little Pile of Platinums

[James_Tonto]

On 26/03/2020 at 3:55 PM, Cassylvania said:

That could work. I like the idea of having more retro-themed genres. I'd also like to have an "Arcade" category, for games like Dragon's Lair and Iron Crypticle. Right now, they're under Shooter, but they're closer to Broforce than Uncharted or Tomb Raider. I'd also like to break up Turn-Based/Tactical RPG, since XCOM and Atelier are very different series. Easiest way would probably be to add a category for JRPGs...

 

It gets complicated, though. Is Medievil a collecathon? What about Alice? Is Peggle 2 an arcade game or puzzle? Where does Undertale belong?

 

A JRPG section would work better, you could put the Atelier games in there, Final Fantasy as well, dragonquest etc. An arcade section isn't a bad idea either, especially when there are literal arcade classics you can buy and earn platinums from, like Pac-Man.

 

As for Alice, I only just finished American McGee's Alice, but I see Madness Returns has collectables. However is collecting things a part of the main game/story? If not, then you can probably put it into the platformer section? Crash collects Gems, Crystals and has to break open crates to do so. You need these to progress in the story, ergo Crash is a collectathon. Yooka-Laylee, you need to collect pagies to advance the story, with other collectables unlocking other bonuses. You need to collect gems in Spyro to unlock new sections of the maps/new worlds, find petrified dragons to unlock new areas and collecting dragon eggs is the primary motivation of Spyro in the third game, so this trilogy are classed as collectathons. Darksiders you can collect certain items, but there's really only one or two times in that game where you need to collect items to progress the story. And the rest is focused on combat arenas and solving puzzles while also platforming.

 

Quote

Oh! When I was moving things around yesterday, I realized that by dragging the game icon from my profile to the OP, it turns the icon into an active link. So, I took the time to update the OP so that every icon will take you to my trophies for that game. I don't think anybody cares to see the time stamps or anything, but it could be useful if you see an image and aren't sure what game it is referring to.

 

Hey it's neat that you did that, nice little addition to the checklist.

Edited April 6, 2020 by James_Tonto
Spelling corrections/typos

[Cassylvania]

On 3/28/2020 at 2:03 AM, James_Tonto said:

A JRPG section would work better, you could put the Atelier games in there, Final Fantasy as well, dragonquest etc. An arcade section isn't a bad idea either, especially when there are literal arcade classics you can buy and earn platinums from, like Pac-Man.

 

I think I'll work on that. One game I can see right away that will cause issues is Darkest Dungeon. It's not a JRPG, but it plays more like that than a tactical RPG. I think that's why I combined all those games when I made the list.

 

On 3/28/2020 at 2:03 AM, James_Tonto said:

As for Alice, I only just finished American McGee's Alice, but I see Madness Returns has collectables. However is collecting things a part of the main game/story? If not, then you can probably put it into the platformer section? Crash collects Gems, Crystals and has to break open crates to do so. You need these to progress in the story, ergo Crash is a collectathon. Yooka-Laylee, you need to collect pagies to advance the story, with other collectables unlocking other bonuses. You need to collect gems in Spyro to unlock new sections of the maps/new worlds, find petrified dragons to unlock new areas and collecting dragon eggs is the primary motivation of Spyro in the third game, so this trilogy are classed as collectathons. Darksiders you can collect certain items, but there's really only one ortwo times in that game where you need to collect items to progress the story. And the rest is focused on ocmbat arenas and oslving puzzles while also platforming.

 

I'd say Medievil is closer to a collectathon than Alice: Madness Returns, as the collectables are completely optional in A:MR (and you can't return to any previous levels). I also wouldn't classify A:MR as a platformer because the majority of the game is combat. From I what remember anyway.

 

I'm just going to have to do the best I can. Some of these games could tell in multiple categories. I classified Blackwood Crossing as a walking sim, but it's not really that different than Last Day of June, which I called a puzzle game, or Grim Fandango, which I called a point-and-click.

 

I just don't want people to see like 30+ games under Shooter and think that's my favorite genre. ?

 

Anyway, I'm a filthy whore. I really wanted to finish Hollow Knight without using the invincibility glitch, but between the Pure Vessel kicking my ass repeatedly, Cities: Skylines coming out with new DLC (including not one but TWO buggy trophies), and my drawing tablet taking the mick, I had to take out my frustration somewhere. And now it's storming. Why the heck is it storming? It's like 70 degrees outside. This is the one time I could actually leave my house.

 

*bangs head on wall*

[Cassylvania]

OK. I got rid of a few categories, including Multiplayer (because let's be honest -- you'll never see me play a game like that again) and the very vague Action-Adventure. I added Japanese RPG and Arcade, moved the games I was absolutely sure about into there, and stuck the rest under Unique. Action RPG remains a hodgepodge. I wanted this category to be true RPGs (at least in the sense that you get to create your own character), but it doesn't make sense to separate the Souls games from Sekiro or Nioh or even Star Wars: Fallen Order, which means HZD, Kingdom Hearts, and probably Middle Earth belong there. God of War is trickier. I think you could make the argument that the reboot has RPG-like elements, but the original games feel like Beat 'em Ups. I'd like to keep games in the same series under the same category whenever possible, so that's where I put it. Along with Hellblade and Medievil.

 

Moved Far Cry Primal to FPS. Tactical RPGs are now their own thing. I like this the most because they were getting buried under the Atelier series. Wasn't sure what to do with other turn-based  RPGs, like Cosmic Star Heroine or Darkest Dungeon. If you guys have any ideas for the games under the Unique category, let me know. For now, it'll just be a dumping ground for games that just don't seem to fit in anywhere.

 

I contacted Paradox about their glitchy trophies in Skylines. They actually got back to me and said they're aware of the problem and are working on it, so that's cool. I hope their solution involves the trophies just instantly popping the next time I turn the game on, because I already left my PS4 on for 10 hours straight to fulfill the requirement for one of them.

 

I also started playing Langrisser I, which is basically Fire Emblem without the story or charm. It's not bad, though. Just really, REALLY easy. I'm already on the penultimate chapter.

 

And there's this...

 

Platinum #208 - Hollow Knight*

 

Have you heard about this game, guys? I hear it's pretty good.

 

I know my first impressions weren't promising -- and the bitching I'm about to do will make it seem like I didn't have a good time -- but this is a phenomenal game. I am very happy I finally got around to playing it. I'd give it a 10/10 by almost any metric, but there are just a few tweaks I'd like to see that would make it just a tiny bit better.

 

First of all, the sound. The sound is probably the best part of this game. Every bug you kill makes this disgusting squishing sound, and the score is absolutely beautiful. If I had to pick a favorite track, it would probably be Greenpath. I used that area for farming Geo in the early game and later made it my warp spot, just so I always had something welcoming to come home to. There's only one thing that ruins it for me. I don't know about you guys, but I sometimes like to put my controller down when I'm playing a game. It's usually because I'm multi-tasking. Like, right now, the enemy is taking their turn in Langrisser I, so I have time to write this. I can just enjoy the music while I type. Do you know the two most common times in a game when I'm likely to put my controller down? That's right -- during fast travel (because there's a loading screen) and when I'm resting in a safe spot. Why would this be a problem? Well, you see, there are two ASSHOLE NPCs that ruin it. The first is that stag beetle. I love that he exists, and he is very cute, but I wish he would SHUT THE FUCK UP. From the moment you ring that bell to when you leave the Stag Station, he is there, making that annoying grunting sound on a three second loop. I can't tell you how many times I put down my controller during a loading screen to go do something else and then had to pick it up off the floor just to move a few feet away so I could enjoy the silence. Later in the game, you get an NPC who sprinkles you with fairy dust when you're sitting on a bench. "Great," you think. "He's refilling my Soul meter." The problem is he makes noises while he does it and he doesn't bugger off when he's done. You may think these are small complaints, but imagine playing Dark Souls and having a guy sitting next to you at every bonfire and farting every three seconds. Sure, you might find it enjoyable at first, but eventually the novelty is going to wear off.

 

Second, the combat. The combat is probably the best part of this game. It's fluid and tight. I know I haven't played Super Meat Boy, but it feels like that level of responsiveness. I just wish I could slow down time so I could react better to what the enemy AI is about to do. My only gripe is the one I mentioned earlier, which is the brief stun lock that happens whenever you take damage. It's jarring. The analogy I would use here is if I pricked you in the arm every time you messed up in a game. If you fucked up once, fine. Shame on you. But if you messed up a second time because you were busy walloping me across the face, why should you be punished again? It just feels cheap, like the boss can't beat you on its own merits.

 

Fortunately, lot of my issues with combat or gameplay in general can be remedied by using the right charms, which are a neat alternative to stats or builds. The only charm I really have an issue with is Wayward Compass, which I think should have been given to the player freely. I don't see the point in forcing the player to choose between survival and being able to tell where you freakin' are on a map. Do you need an analogy for this one? It's like in The Long Dark, where you are encumbered and have to choose between matches and a can of sardines. How do you know which will be more important when night falls? The difference here is it shouldn't cost you anything to pinpoint your location on a map. This would be OK if exploration was encouraged, but I'm not so sure it is. The problem comes from how currency works in this game. Geo are basically souls from Dark Souls. If you die, you have to return to where you died or your Geo will be lost forever. In Dark Souls, though, you have the option to spend your souls frequently. Usually at a bonfire. In Hollow Knight, there are only a few items you can buy, but they're at specific shops at specific points in the game, and they're almost always out of the way. This becomes problematic because you can end up with thousands of Geo that you can't spend but are forced to recover every time you die because you know eventually you'll come across some item that requires purchasing. This actually makes opening chests in the game a bit of a gamble, because the only thing they're ever going to contain is Geo. Do you really want to carry something that will only become an increasing burden? I almost feel like chests should be randomly generated every time you enter an area instead, as rewarding the player one time for an item that can ultimately be stripped of you seems kinda shortsighted.

 

Honestly, I don't see a reason why you should lose Geo when you die. It works in Dark Souls because the rest of the game is designed around it, but it feels out of place here.

 

Lastly, the graphics. The graphics are truly the best part of the game. Every region is unique. But they don't just look unique -- they FEEL unique. That's an important distinction to make with a game like this. You could slap an ice world and a volcano world in any game and call that unique, but just changing the background isn't enough to make the player feel like they've entered a different area. What I really like here is the music, atmosphere, color, light, and level design all come together to make some spectacular sights. Greenpath feels lush and inviting. Deepnest feels nightmarish and claustrophobic. Fungal Wastes feels like a wet diaper. And City of Tears... Oh, City of Tears. That place is breathtaking, isn't it?

 

47 hours on my save file, but I think only the last 20 were with a guide (and only the last 2 with the invincibility glitch). I would have liked to do the whole game legitimately, but there was no way I was going to get it done in time for the event. I think what I'm going to do, once I see a price drop, is get the game on physical disc (because that cover is sexy) and force myself to beat the Pantheon of Hallownest without the glitch before I am allowed to buy the sequel. That seems like a fair compromise.

 

Also, I want a grub plush.

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by Cassylvania

[James_Tonto]

Nice work on Hollow Knight, I'm aiming to make it my 150th platinum. I own a physical copy I got on Fangamer, the collector's edition with the little brooch. It looks great on my bookshelf of games, along with my collectors edition of Undertale, which I also got from Fangamer. (Although what I didn't enjoy was paying for post & shipping and then additional import fees, at the post office. >=() I wish you luck in beating the pantheon of Hallownest legitimately, I can already feel my fingers bleeding at just the mere thought of going against the whole Pantheon.

[Arcesius]

Well, the fact that you would almost still give this a 10/10 DESPITE using a guide and a glitch says a lot... ? 

 

To be fair, you can retrieve your soul (and Geo) in exchange for a putrid egg, and in my opinion death would be meaningless if there was nothing to lose. But I agree on the compass. I loved the idea of having to purchase the option to map the benches and other landmarks, but the compass could have been free. Although regular enemies don't really pose much of a threat, and there is usually a bench before a boss giving you a chance to swap that thing out, so it didn't bother me too much personally. 

 

I don't know if beating this thing while invincible lets you get a feeling for how tough Pure Vessel and Absolute Radiance are, so I would at least recommend trying to beat them legit in the Hall of Gods, just to get an idea... Then imagine having those two guys waiting for you after a 45 minute gauntlet. 

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by Arcesius

[Rune_Crys]

On 3/29/2020 at 0:25 PM, Cassylvania said:

*bangs head on wall*

 

Yeah, COVID-19 is the bane of us all. I heard that we'll be under lock-down for two months now, and that means no religion or exercise for me until June.

 

I understand why most people are stir crazy. This stupid virus has ruined the economy and the gaming industry. Just stay strong, sooner or later some doctor will discover a miracle cure for this super-flu and we'll be back to normal. ?

 

And congrats on your latest platinum. Don't be afraid to cheat if you need to get past one giant brick wall. The only shame is the one you make yourself, it's just virtual bling anyways.

Edited March 31, 2020 by Rune_Crys

[Cassylvania]

Well, guys. I started Kingdom Hearts 2.

 

No, that's not an April Fools' joke! You can tell by the Struggle Champion trophy on my profile that I totally wasn't expecting to pop when it did so I could bail out on the game early like I did Middle-Earth: Shadow of War and The Witcher 3 because I secretly fear commitment.

 

I'm also a bit bummed that I missed out on the Persona 5: Royal Thieves Edition pre-order. I had to cancel mine because of the whole not-having-a-job thing, but now I'm worried I'll never get my hands on those collectibles.

 

On 3/31/2020 at 0:53 AM, James_Tonto said:

Nice work on Hollow Knight, I'm aiming to make it my 150th platinum. I own a physical copy I got on Fangamer, the collector's edition with the little brooch. It looks great on my bookshelf of games, along with my collectors edition of Undertale, which I also got from Fangamer. (Although what I didn't enjoy was paying for post & shipping and then additional import fees, at the post office. >=() I wish you luck in beating the pantheon of Hallownest legitimately, I can already feel my fingers bleeding at just the mere thought of going against the whole Pantheon.

 

Honestly, I think it's bullshit. I don't mind when a game gets increasingly more difficult towards the end -- that's good game design, in my opinion -- but that jump in Hollow Knight is too much. It'd be like if Dark Souls suddenly asked you to beat every boss using a Guitar Hero guitar. Like, sure, that'd make it harder, but...why?

 

On 3/31/2020 at 2:45 AM, Arcesius said:

I don't know if beating this thing while invincible lets you get a feeling for how tough Pure Vessel and Absolute Radiance are, so I would at least recommend trying to beat them legit in the Hall of Gods, just to get an idea... Then imagine having those two guys waiting for you after a 45 minute gauntlet.

 

I think I would have gotten pissed very early on during the fifth Pantheon when I realized I had been practicing the wrong version of each boss. I had gotten to the point where I was pretty comfortable beating most bosses without losing health outside of, say, Markoth and God Tamer (who I found it easiest just to pogo on, even though I know I'd take damage). Then I saw the crap they pulled on the No Eyes stage. How dare they take away my bottom platform cheese! ?

 

But yeah. I tried to "avoid" taking damage as I went through the bosses, just to gauge how well I would have done in reality. It wasn't pretty. I think I could've gotten by Pure Vessel eventually, but NGK would have been a major issue. My general strategy for the normal Grimm fight is to jump on the wall on either side as soon as he disappears and then jump off as soon as he reappears. Depending what he attack he does, I just needed to double jump + dash + attack (if summoning bats), let him dash under me + attack (either kick), or pull back to the wall and get ready to jump (if fireballs). This...is not an option when a wall doesn't exist. I assume I could just jump first instead, if I got the timing down, but that'd probably take a couple hours.

 

Absolute Radiance would take me a tremendous amount of time to master. Probably at least a week.

 

On 3/31/2020 at 0:23 PM, Rune_Crys said:

Yeah, COVID-19 is the bane of us all. I heard that we'll be under lock-down for two months now, and that means no religion or exercise for me until June.

 

There are lots of exercises you can do at home. I'm doing P90X, which only requires a yoga mat, some weights, and a pull-up bar. You could probably do it without all three of those if you want. Or just do a lot of crunches. Sometimes I like to put on a video game or movie while I workout, like I did yesterday with Kingdom Hearts 358/2.

 

...Am I supposed to understand KH at this point?

[Rune_Crys]

6 hours ago, Cassylvania said:

Well, guys. I started Kingdom Hearts 2.

 

No, that's not an April Fools' joke! You can tell by the Struggle Champion trophy on my profile that I totally wasn't expecting to pop when it did so I could bail out on the game early like I did Middle-Earth: Shadow of War and The Witcher 3 because I secretly fear commitment.

 

You want an April's Fool's non joke?

 

Check my profile. Yep, I started work on Dragon Quest XI and got three trophies on early morning April Fool's Day.

 

Also, you weren't expect Struggle Champion? Well, everyone doesn't expect to win Struggle by getting all 200 orbs, it seems to be much easier in the PS4 version of KH2 than in the PS3 version, you have to actually try to avoid orbs by just gathering a few and running for Dodge to avoid being hit until the timer runs out. Hayner is really easy to get 200 orbs from because he telegraphs his attacks.

[Together_Comic]

9 hours ago, Cassylvania said:

...Am I supposed to understand KH at this point?

 

I've played or watched most of the games, watched several videos, and on the whole made a pretty large effort to understand this game series and I'm still not sure I understand KH at this point.

[Cassylvania]

On 4/2/2020 at 5:11 AM, Rune_Crys said:

Check my profile. Yep, I started work on Dragon Quest XI and got three trophies on early morning April Fool's Day.

 

Good luck on that one. That was such a beautiful game. I can remember that lush grass like it was yesterday...

 

Well, the past week has more or less been like this for me: wake up, play KH2, exercise, play KH2, do chores around the house, play KH2, finish chores, play KH2, go to bed. I feel like I'm a teenager again. I also managed to finish Langrisser I somewhere in there, but I still have to do everything in Langrisser II for the platinum. I hope it's a little more challenging because the first game really only gave me a run for my money during the first map...and that was because I didn't realize it was unwinnable. I mean, the whole "Get out of here while you can!" from the king should've made that obvious, but I was trying to do the hero thing.

 

Anyway, I forgot to post my drawing for the New Years' Resolution event. I put an edited version in that thread, but here's the original. I call it... The Knights of Nine. Or Dumbasses in Shining Armor.

 

 

This picture ended up being a huge pain because my drawing tablet stopped working when there were only a few days left in the event. I wasted two of them trying to fix it and ended up having to do the rest with my 10+ year old backup tablet. If I had more time, I would've added a detailed background. Maybe with piles of gold and a sleeping dragon...

 

These pictures are always a little hard for me to figure out because I start drawing them before I even know what games I'm going to play. Like, I knew I wanted the picture to center around Hollow Knight (hence why I HAD to finish it), but I didn't get the idea to use knights as my theme until I realized HK, Henry, Cal, and Batman were all some version of a knight. Figured Dragon's Lair and Medievil were short enough for me to get done during the event, but I had no idea what I was getting into with Hundred Knight. I really need to stop putting the shortest characters in the back.

 

Doesn't look like there's another event on the horizon, so I guess we're back to simple goals... Let's push towards 100%. It's impossible right now because of broken trophies in Cities: Skylines, but we can probably make progress in KH2. I feel like I have to be getting close to the end of the game now.

[Rune_Crys]

Quote

 

Another great masterpiece. I am jealous of your art skills. I want to make pictures like this!

[James_Tonto]

Hey this looks like a great bit of art! Nice work on the shading, only critique would be some inconsistent sizes and style shifts. Like Ajna, Dirk and Jedi from Fallen Order (Not played it yet, so don't know his name.) Look good, but Batman, Dragonquest character, Sir Dan and Hollow Knight look much simpler and less consistent. I know you had some troubles making the art and don't mean to come off as harsh, if I do. Just offering a little critique. One the plus side, shading and scale of the characters looks good. And I really like the little addition of the background crystals, like they're all posing in a videogame level. Also nice touch giving the Knight, the flower.

[Rune_Crys]

7 hours ago, Cassylvania said:

Doesn't look like there's another event on the horizon

 

I might try to remedy that situation. This community needs events to motivate them to play games during the crisis.

 

I already came up with an idea for an event which revolves around platinuming games with themes based on activities you can do with staying home, like reading(visual novels), watching sports(sports games) or music(rhythm games). If I get it approved and running(yes, I will not be a hypocrite, I will participate as best as possible), I'd love to see you participate in it, complete it and make another awesome drawing of characters from that event.

Edited April 6, 2020 by Rune_Crys

[Cassylvania]

On 4/6/2020 at 3:23 PM, James_Tonto said:

Hey this looks like a great bit of art! Nice work on the shading, only critique would be some inconsistent sizes and style shifts. Like Ajna, Dirk and Jedi from Fallen Order (Not played it yet, so don't know his name.) Look good, but Batman, Dragonquest character, Sir Dan and Hollow Knight look much simpler and less consistent. I know you had some troubles making the art and don't mean to come off as harsh, if I do. Just offering a little critique. One the plus side, shading and scale of the characters looks good. And I really like the little addition of the background crystals, like they're all posing in a videogame level. Also nice touch giving the Knight, the flower.

 

That's the problem with trying to tackle multiple characters from games with different art styles. I have a much easier time making a human character like Cal or Henry look like a cartoon than a cartoon character like DQB2 looking human. I was pretty content with the picture when I only had the five characters in the front. I didn't even want DQB2 in there, but I knew I wasn't going to get in ten games otherwise.

 

The only two that gave me trouble towards the end were Sir Dan and Hundred Knight. That's when my tablet stopped responding. I had to do Hundred Knight one line at a time. Every time I lifted the pen, I'd have to unplug the tablet, plug it back in, and tweak the settings to get it to allow me to do the next line. It was EXTREMELY aggravating. I also had to do some of the shading with a mouse.

 

It might be better in the future for me to tackle one game at a time for these drawings. It gets tricky because I start doing these without a clear picture in mind of what the end product is going to be. Like here, for example, I knew I wanted nine guys hitting on Ajna (I didn't realize she was sixteen until I played the game, okay?), but I didn't know what games I'd be playing, or who the guys would be, or what they'd be doing. I also thought I'd be allowed to play the Shovel Knight DLC for the event, so I had to scrap my ideas for King Knight...which sucks, because he would've fit the theme nicely.

 

But yeah, that's something I've been thinking about doing. Maybe a quick drawing for every platinum I get. On my old account, I did that for my first 30 platinums, until I was spending more time with a pen in my hand than a controller.

 

On 4/6/2020 at 3:24 PM, Rune_Crys said:

I might try to remedy that situation. This community needs events to motivate them to play games during the crisis.

 

I already came up with an idea for an event which revolves around platinuming games with themes based on activities you can do with staying home, like reading(visual novels), watching sports(sports games) or music(rhythm games). If I get it approved and running(yes, I will not be a hypocrite, I will participate as best as possible), I'd love to see you participate in it, complete it and make another awesome drawing of characters from that event.

 

I'll keep an eye out. I can't promise a drawing for every event, but I do try to complete every category. It's very weird right now having the freedom to play whatever I want.

 

Though it did get me this...

 

Platinum #209 - Kingdom Hearts II

 

Regardless of warnings, Critical Mode doesn't scare me at all.

 

Yeah, I went for a one playthrough approach. I was a little worried that it'd ultimately take me longer than beating all the data bosses on Beginner, but I don't think any of them took me longer than an hour. I even managed to beat two on my first try (Saix and Xigbar) and two on my second (Demyx and Luxord -- although I knew the strategies beforehand). Axel gave me the most trouble. I generally found I could glide around and wait for my MP to refill with most bosses, but not him. It also helped a LOT when I realized I could stack Donald and Goofy with ethers. I assumed they would waste them on themselves.

 

I'm probably going to regret that I'll always associate this game with a global pandemic, but it really was the perfect thing to occupy my time. Long, meaty, and unabashedly cheerful. The story makes no sense, but I can't think of a character I don't like. I think what I enjoyed the most, though, was the sheer amount of content. I get a little antsy when I see platinums nearing the 100 hour mark, but I never felt like I was doing something tedious or wasting my time. Two playthroughs might have changed my mind.

 

I wonder why I didn't get into this series sooner. I know I said I had been meaning to get to it when I started KH1 a few years ago, but I'm talking about the early 2000's. This seems like something I would have jumped on when I was in high school. I guess it's because I didn't have a PS2 (okay, that's not true -- I know we had one at some point), but it's not even something I remember considering. It just completely stayed off my radar, which is weird because you guys know how much I love Disney.

 

I haven't decided what's next. I don't want to wait another year before playing BBS, but I'm not sure I'm ready to jump right into it. I wish I knew how long this shutdown was going to last. I've heard everywhere from the beginning of May to August. That's almost all of baseball season. If it ends up being that, I could probably even clear up to KH3.

 

What are you guys occupying yourselves with these days? Are you taking my route of playing the lengthiest games in your backlog, or is it business as usual?

Edited April 9, 2020 by Cassylvania

[gruffiiti]

Nice job on finishing KH2 @Cassylvania. I never made it past the first half hour of KH1 if Im being honest. The controls were so janky I was having a hell of a time with it. I may go back one day but it wasn't the right time to tackle it then.

 

Currently Im working my way through The Walking Dead series as they have been in my backlog for quite a long time. I figure I can get an episode or two done in an evening so shouldn't take too crazy long. Also been giving some thought to adding Spider-Man or AC: Odyssey into the mix and working on both simultaneously. Either way my game time hasn't changed and I still only have late evening to play as work still consumes most of my day. 

[Rune_Crys]

20 hours ago, Cassylvania said:

It's very weird right now having the freedom to play whatever I want.

I understand the feeling. I'm used to having a day where I have to go to the gym for an hour and then buy groceries, and then there is a day I go to church(Dad told me we would be attending Easter Mass even if we have to do it like a drive-thru service, because the Bishop said Lent was cancelled and the rituals didn't matter anymore), so it's odd that the only time I have to leave the house is to stock up on food. I can adapt, but I'm sure a few people hate this life because they like to go out with their dates or sleep over or hang out and have parties. And with isolation means that I have abandoned all sense of decency so I have to force myself to take a shower every so often because I don't have to be face-to-face except for one hour of hitting the grocery store... wearing a face mask and rubber gloves. *sigh*

 

I guess the Virus does hit everyone in its one way. (Funny, when SARS hit the US, I never had to wear a mask but now this super-ultra flu is so deadly that I can't go out without one. Hopefully medicine can find a solution before any more gaming conventions or charity marathons are canceled.)

 

Oh yeah, great job platinuming KH2, glad you got into the series. Once I get Disgaea 4 Complete+ done, I'll start plans for the Kingdom Hearts series. Probably Re: Chain first as I platinumed that on an older account and found it easier than I had feared once the mini-games were done. I will probably do the two-run mode because I really am paranoid. I died a lot in Critical Mode due to the Large Bodies, but if I force myself to play the hardest mode first, the Beginner modes will be cake as I know the strats. I don't mind doing a <100% trophy run of KH3, which I like the best, but a glitch in the digital copy I have made it so that one chest in Monstropolis wasn't counted after I opened it and it was lost, meaning I couldn't complete that trophy. If I do KH3 again, I'll carefully save before each area to ensure that every chest gets counted. The Flan minigames are tough too but I can find guides for those.

 

I also have the Dark Cloud series, Ni no Kuni Remastered and FFXII Zodiac Age as well as Dragon Quest Builders 2(which I wanted to stream but don't know how) and DQXI to work on. Busy year.

Edited April 10, 2020 by Rune_Crys

[Cassylvania]

On 4/10/2020 at 1:08 PM, Rune_Crys said:

Once I get Disgaea 4 Complete+ done, I'll start plans for the Kingdom Hearts series. Probably Re: Chain first as I platinumed that on an older account and found it easier than I had feared once the mini-games were done. I will probably do the two-run mode because I really am paranoid. I died a lot in Critical Mode due to the Large Bodies, but if I force myself to play the hardest mode first, the Beginner modes will be cake as I know the strats. I don't mind doing a <100% trophy run of KH3, which I like the best, but a glitch in the digital copy I have made it so that one chest in Monstropolis wasn't counted after I opened it and it was lost, meaning I couldn't complete that trophy. If I do KH3 again, I'll carefully save before each area to ensure that every chest gets counted. The Flan minigames are tough too but I can find guides for those.

 

I also have the Dark Cloud series, Ni no Kuni Remastered and FFXII Zodiac Age as well as Dragon Quest Builders 2(which I wanted to stream but don't know how) and DQXI to work on. Busy year.

 

All great games. I was actually thinking of doing Ni no Kuni Remastered during the lockdown, but I'd really like to see it drop below $30. I already have the original on PS3, so that seems kinda steep for what I imagine are just slightly improved graphics.

 

Good job on Disgaea 4. I'm not sure if I'm going to do that one. I'm pretty sure I have that on PS3 as well, but that's a very grindy plat. Does the Complete+ version make things any easier?

 

On 4/9/2020 at 5:25 PM, gruffiiti said:

I never made it past the first half hour of KH1 if Im being honest. The controls were so janky I was having a hell of a time with it. I may go back one day but it wasn't the right time to tackle it then.

 

It gets better once you gain certain abilities. It was actually kinda weird for me going from KH to GoW, because I kept trying to use glide in mid-air and getting Kratos killed. ?

 

...Oh, did I forget to mention? Here you go.

 

Platinum #210 - God of War

 

So, I've been looking forward to doing this one, but not for the reason you think. This isn't my first time playing or even platinuming this game. This was actually one of the earliest plats on my old account, and it kinda got me into the basic tropes of trophy hunting (collectibles, challenges, speedrunning, etc.). The reason I was looking forward to doing it again is because I remembered it being one of the hardest platinums I had at the time and I wanted to see if my skills got better over the past decade or if old age has finally caught up to me. The fact that I got it done in under two days tells me all I need to know.

 

I know Challenge of the Gods #10 gives a lot of people trouble, but I managed to do it on my fifth try with Rage of the Gods. I had a much harder time with #8. I think it's just easier for me to be extra skilled for one minute than semi-skilled for eight. Less chance to fuck up that way, you know? Probably why I'm not good at endurance runs.

 

Anyway, why did I choose to play this now? Well, one of the biggest concerns of 2020 is clearly going to be where I'm going to put my PS5. (Do you think it'll be delayed?) I have my PS4 in my closet and my PS3/Switch on a shelf below the TV. I also have a Moana and Maui Funko Pop between them. That doesn't leave a lot of spare room. The thing is, though, I don't use my PS3 as much more than a glorified Netflix machine. My only reason for buying one last year was to play XCOM:EU and maybe a couple of other games. If I can clear out my entire PS3 backlog before the PS5 releases, I'll have no reason to keep it on the shelf anymore. As long as the PS5 plays Netflix...

 

To do that, though, we're going to have to finish the entire GoW series, KH Re:Coded (which means, yes, I will need to play BBS soon), and maybe Demon's Souls. I dunno about that one. I've played it so many times. The only other game I can think that I'd really want to play on the PS3 again is Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, but I wouldn't be surprised to see that remastered at some point. For the rest of the PS3 library, I think it's just going to be remaster or bust for me. I'm not going to be able to get to every game I want to play. I need to accept that. There are enough games already out on the PS4 that the PS5 could be delayed until 2025 and I'd still not run out of stuff to play.

 

Now, I think I have played God of War 2, but I don't remember platinuming it. I hear it's easier, so I'm not sure why. It's a one playthrough platinum and I'm pretty sure I finished it...

[Rune_Crys]

1 hour ago, Cassylvania said:

Good job on Disgaea 4. I'm not sure if I'm going to do that one. I'm pretty sure I have that on PS3 as well, but that's a very grindy plat. Does the Complete+ version make things any easier?

 

A few things, like giving the Cheat Shop from newer titles and a "Konami Code" you can input in the title screen to skip the tutorial levels and unlock all of the DLC character maps on the outset... but it's still pretty grindy as you need 100% ship parts, items, and see all of the skills(although the Fuka and Desco DLC will allow you to view three boss skills which were once missable at any time), so yeah, it's still pretty grindy although you can get through the main story much faster now as the DLC characters give you a faster access to Level 99 grinding. greenzsaber took 41 hours to get the plat due to the 100% trophies, so if you don't like that, then it's probably not for you. Disgaea 5 and DIsgaea 1 Complete take only a fraction of the time despite having to beat some really tough post-game bosses in them for trophies. :\

 

1 hour ago, Cassylvania said:

I was actually thinking of doing Ni no Kuni Remastered during the lockdown, but I'd really like to see it drop below $30.

 

They'll probably discount it for a summer sale since they could make a ton of money off RPGs due to the national lock-down preventing people from leaving the house and having to play games or die of boredom, so they'll get a ton of sales. I mean, the current sale slashed all of the old Disgaeas by 55% so I repurchased both Disgaea 5 and Disgaea 1 Complete for only $44! They also slashed a lot of popular LEGO games too, need to go back and do LEGO Jurassic World for PS4 some more so I can get closer to that platinum. On second thought... nah, LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7 need my attention for the Platinum Title event.

[Cassylvania]

 

On 4/11/2020 at 7:56 PM, Rune_Crys said:

A few things, like giving the Cheat Shop from newer titles and a "Konami Code" you can input in the title screen to skip the tutorial levels and unlock all of the DLC character maps on the outset... but it's still pretty grindy as you need 100% ship parts, items, and see all of the skills(although the Fuka and Desco DLC will allow you to view three boss skills which were once missable at any time), so yeah, it's still pretty grindy although you can get through the main story much faster now as the DLC characters give you a faster access to Level 99 grinding. greenzsaber took 41 hours to get the plat due to the 100% trophies, so if you don't like that, then it's probably not for you. Disgaea 5 and DIsgaea 1 Complete take only a fraction of the time despite having to beat some really tough post-game bosses in them for trophies. :\

 

 

They'll probably discount it for a summer sale since they could make a ton of money off RPGs due to the national lock-down preventing people from leaving the house and having to play games or die of boredom, so they'll get a ton of sales. I mean, the current sale slashed all of the old Disgaeas by 55% so I repurchased both Disgaea 5 and Disgaea 1 Complete for only $44! They also slashed a lot of popular LEGO games too, need to go back and do LEGO Jurassic World for PS4 some more so I can get closer to that platinum. On second thought... nah, LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7 need my attention for the Platinum Title event.

 

I don't mind a 41 hour plat, but I thought Disgaea 4 was around 200 hours. That's pushing it for me. I remember doing Disgaea 5 for so long that I'd hear the overworld song playing in my head even when the TV wasn't on. And Fuka's theme song is enough to drive anybody insane.

 

Is there a reason you keep buying games you already own? I can understand wanting a physical edition (like I do with Hollow Knight), but I assume you're talking digital.

 

Platinum #211 - God of War II

 

Yeah, I've played this before. (I looked through a Let's Play of GoW3 and I'm pretty sure I played that too.) 

 

Not much to say here. The challenges were easier than in the first game, and I'm glad there's not a speedrun trophy. I'm obviously a big fan of Norse mythology (one of the reasons I became a Vikings fan, dontcha know), but I think it'd be cool if Kratos revisited Greek mythology in one of the newer games. Maybe a reimagining of GoW 1-3. Just think what they could do with a bigger budget and the processing power of today's consoles.

 

I have GoW 3 Remastered on the PS4 (I assume that was a free PS+ game?), but I'm not sure if I should play it next or Chains of Olympus. Has anyone played the non-numbered games? Are they worth it? I have CoO and Ghost of Sparta, but not Ascension. I guess I could always play it through PS Now if I'm too cheap to buy a physical copy.

[Together_Comic]

1 minute ago, Cassylvania said:

I have GoW 3 Remastered on the PS4 (I assume that was a free PS+ game?), but I'm not sure if I should play it next or Chains of Olympus. Has anyone played the non-numbered games? Are they worth it? I have CoO and Ghost of Sparta, but not Ascension. I guess I could always play it through PS Now if I'm too cheap to buy a physical copy.

 

I have played and platinumed ascension.  Its very similar to what I remember from the PS2 God of War games.  If you like those, you will probably like ascension.  The only annoying part is that you have to complete the multiplayer tutorial for a trophy (because this is from the era when everything had multiplayer) which requires you do buy an access code that is way to expensive considering you will probably never use it beyond the trophy. Not to mention it is beyond dead. 

[James_Tonto]

19 minutes ago, Cassylvania said:

I have GoW 3 Remastered on the PS4 (I assume that was a free PS+ game?), but I'm not sure if I should play it next or Chains of Olympus. Has anyone played the non-numbered games? Are they worth it? I have CoO and Ghost of Sparta, but not Ascension. I guess I could always play it through PS Now if I'm too cheap to buy a physical copy.

 

Heya I have played the non-numbered games and I would honestly recommend all of them, even Ascension. Though I'm not a 100% sure if Ascension's platinum is still doable, cause there's one online trophy or at least one for doing the online tutorial. I genuinely enjoyed the entire series and would recommend you go and play them all, it really gives you more appreciation for Kratos in the Norse mythology era. Since you'll have played through and seen all the crap he had to do, all the monsters of Greek mythology and gods that had to be slain by him. And everything he lost along the way (No spoilers from me. Just go play the games ?)

[Rally-Vincent---]

2 hours ago, Cassylvania said:

 

 

I don't mind a 41 hour plat, but I thought Disgaea 4 was around 200 hours. That's pushing it for me. I remember doing Disgaea 5 for so long that I'd hear the overworld song playing in my head even when the TV wasn't on. And Fuka's theme song is enough to drive anybody insane.

 

D5 takes significantly less time than D4. If D5 was too long for you, D4 probably isn't best right now, although you can cut down time with item duping. But why not try D1 complete? It's shorter because it is the first of the series, and it's one of my favorite games of all time. Laharl, Etna and Flonne are hilarious.

[Rune_Crys]

3 hours ago, Rally-Vincent--- said:

D5 takes significantly less time than D4. If D5 was too long for you, D4 probably isn't best right now, although you can cut down time with item duping. But why not try D1 complete? It's shorter because it is the first of the series, and it's one of my favorite games of all time. Laharl, Etna and Flonne are hilarious.

 

Being the first of the series means that it's got the least quality of life updates. This is a port of the PC version which doesn't have any of the quality of life updates that the recent ones have(it has no cheat shop to boost EXP gain) so you have to rely on capturing monsters which you fuse together by throwing them into each other and you have to bring them to extremely low HP to have a chance of capture or your base is destroyed and you Game Over or have to quit back to base. Also, one trophy requires you to get a special item which you can only get by going through 100 floors of a legendary Item World without leaving at all. Not trying to be Negative Nancy here but you have to be seriously dedicated and accept that you will have to reload the level a zillion times before luck gets on your side. I just had to quit recently as I couldn't capture a Level 56 enemy in Level 4-1.

 

Go with Disgaea 5 first, it has so many quality of life features that you can easily cheese through the main story with Usalia's Overload.

[Rally-Vincent---]

11 minutes ago, Rune_Crys said:

 

Being the first of the series means that it's got the least quality of life updates. This is a port of the PC version which doesn't have any of the quality of life updates that the recent ones have(it has no cheat shop to boost EXP gain) so you have to rely on capturing monsters which you fuse together by throwing them into each other and you have to bring them to extremely low HP to have a chance of capture or your base is destroyed and you Game Over or have to quit back to base. Also, one trophy requires you to get a special item which you can only get by going through 100 floors of a legendary Item World without leaving at all. Not trying to be Negative Nancy here but you have to be seriously dedicated and accept that you will have to reload the level a zillion times before luck gets on your side. I just had to quit recently as I couldn't capture a Level 56 enemy in Level 4-1.

 

Go with Disgaea 5 first, it has so many quality of life features that you can easily cheese through the main story with Usalia's Overload.

 

There is hardly a need for a cheat shop in D1 complete. The trophy you mentioned isn't that big a deal if you are leveled up and reincanated and equipped with good gear, and of course, advance via gates rather than clearing every floor. Mothman as bouncers for people you throw on them can help cover distances. Use a low level legendary item if going for that trophy. Also, why catch monsters in D1? Just powerlevel in CoO 3 and reincarnate. Statistician farming is a bit annoying, but grinding is in Disgaea's DNA.

 

The characters are definitely worth playing D1. Also, it's not a good idea to start with the higher Disgaea games if you plan on playing D1. Can't miss a feature that you didn't encounter in later games that way.

[AJ_Radio]

I would just play every God of War game you haven't put on your profile @Cassylvania.

 

I still consider God of War 1 thru 3 to be some of the best and most memorable experiences of gaming I've had in my 27 years of playing video games. Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta are obviously not as good, but considering that they were done on a lower budget and on a handheld initially, they are still decent.

 

Ascension is basically the 'black sheep' of the franchise. It has a forced online that you have to get a trophy for but thankfully there's no actual multiplayer involved. You originally had to get a pass to access the online, hopefully PlayStation Now has that part covered without you having to go through the hassle. Story wise Ascension is more cartoonish and lacks much of the epic cinematics that made God of War 3 awesome. While I consider it weak in several categories, it's still worth playing.

 

Just play and finish every game in the series. It looks good on your profile.

 

I don't know if you're going to touch Assassins Creed or not. I'm still waiting for you to play the series.