Cassylvania's Miserable Little Pile of Platinums

[Taruta13]

On 5/8/2023 at 5:51 PM, Rally-Vincent--- said:

a marine biologist, discovering new species twice a year that taste equally good cooked as they do raw.

If I were a marine biologist, I wouldn't be trying to eat new fish that I discovered.

 

Also, assuming that Cassy is a guy, I can understand the whole thing. I am glad that he didn't let that incident hang over him and found a better way with his life, saving people from bad games. I might put another thread down here talking smack about KEMCO because these guys either don't know much about making RPGs or they don't care as long as they bring in the bucks.

 

Not saying RPG Maker fare is god-awful, but if you make a lot of money from an RPG Maker vanillaware like KEMCO does, you should use those funds to hire people and start your own small company and try to make a decent RPG that improves on the layout and not use stock art. I'd love to end up making a great RPG that has a really nice meaty trophy list that people love, but that super-hit won't be made on RPG Maker Unite.

[Cassylvania]

On 5/8/2023 at 6:51 PM, Rally-Vincent--- said:

In my school days, I rang up this American exchange student girl to ask her for a date. She declined, which in itself was okay. What was not: She had a couple of guys from my school over who found it fun to listen in and to tell her what to say. The episode made its way round my year (that's how I found out about it). Probaly not a related story, but maybe Joelle just wrote in some art message board how she was incapable to play video games and thus was too afraid to ask out you who probably is a marine biologist, discovering new species twice a year that taste equally good cooked as they do raw.

 

It's a comforting thought! I have at least a couple of friends I still keep in touch with who are married now and they're like, "Yeah, I would've been interested in going out with you. You just never asked." I guess I'm not as blunt in real life as I pretend to be here. Truth be told, I hate being touched and would probably make a terrible partner. I'm not even sure why I brought that up in the last review. Sometimes my mind wanders.

 

1 hour ago, Taruta13 said:

Not saying RPG Maker fare is god-awful, but if you make a lot of money from an RPG Maker vanillaware like KEMCO does, you should use those funds to hire people and start your own small company and try to make a decent RPG that improves on the layout and not use stock art. I'd love to end up making a great RPG that has a really nice meaty trophy list that people love, but that super-hit won't be made on RPG Maker Unite.

 

I have a few of them on my backlog. I think the only one I've played is Marenian Tavern Story, which would be a bigger meme in this thread if it wasn't so obscure. I have Dragon Sinker too, which I think you have played. Somebody here told me it was kinda meh. RPGolf Legends is on my wish list. But yeah, just seeing a game made in RPG Maker is a bit of a turn-off. I actually downloaded it once, thinking I could make my own game. I can't imagine RPG Maker MV is any good on console, but maybe I'll give it a try someday.

 

At any rate, shall we finish my trilogy of PS+ space exploration games?

 

Platinum #382 - Deliver Us The Moon

 

We're back to the cosmos again, but this time a little closer to Earth! Deliver Us The Moon is a sort of walking sim, sort of puzzle-y sort of game developed by some company I've never heard of (KeokeN Interactive) and published by some company I've never played any games from (Wired Productions). If that isn't the worst introduction to a game yet, I don't know what is. But are we being delivered a winner or should this package just be returned to sender? Let's find out.

 

The year is 2059. Hollow Knight: Silksong has just released. XCOM 3 still hasn't. I've platinumed my 200th Atelier game. And Earth is fucked. Yes, it turns out the climate scientists were right all along -- warmer global temperatures DO mean more extreme weather patterns. Our planet is now a barren rock of ocean and sand. The World Space Agency has taken to colonizing the moon and scavenging for a valuable resource called Helium-3, which could support humanity for decades to come. The only problem is communications with the WSA have gone dark. Now, it's up to you to get your ass to Mars the moon, find out what went wrong, restore communications, and save humanity from an XCOM 3-less future.

 

Well, shit's a little more real than it was for Kay, Yu, or Francis. I usually make fun of games that do the whole "save the world" thing, but it's a little different when you're tackling a real world issue that isn't inconceivable to see happening in the near future. This game is probably most similar to something like Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, in the sense that you're basically alone and are wandering through a place that was once filled with activity, listening to audio logs and watching holograms in order to piece together the events that unfolded before you arrived. Much like that game, I could see this being a bit of a controversial title if you aren't into that thing. I'm surprised it's as well-received as it is (at least I think it is), because a lot of people aren't into that thing. They just wanna shoot things in space. This is a game where the story and characters are at the forefront and I think you need to be in that in order to appreciate what you're getting.

 

You play as Kathy Johannson, who...well, it doesn't really matter. It's part of the story and I don't want to spoil that. Plus, I don't think Kathy even talks. I don't really know why they went with a silent protagonist here, since you are in communication with someone back on Earth, but I guess it helps you to feel more immersed? In which case, I don't know why they opted for a third-person camera... Well, whatever. You spend most of the game exploring the moon station. There is zero combat and very little in the way of challenge. There are a couple sections where you need to be sneaky or are on a tight timer, but you never get sent very far back if you fail. Also, there are "puzzles", but they're like the "puzzles" you see in Skyrim -- you know, where you need a code to access a door and it's scribbled in huge writing on the wall ten feet away. I did that at work once and my boss chewed me out. I'm not even kidding. I had a clue about my password tucked away in my drawer and I was told I could lose my job for that. Well, apparently the people at the WSA are a lot less strict than when I worked for a state nature preserve.

 

There is decent variety in the gameplay, though. This is actually something I've come to appreciate in games like this. Sometimes you get to a section of a game you don't really like and you're like, "Oh no, I hope I don't have to do that again." Then you come to realize that's the entire game. (See: Haven's combat.) Here, if you get to a puzzle or section you hate, it's OK. You just have to hate it that one time. Once you're by that bit, you (probably) won't be expected to do it again. You might still need to do something similar, but it's not like they're recycling the same gameplay elements over and over.

 

As far as mechanics go, you get a few pieces of tech that make your journey a bit more engaging. The two big things I can think of are a little robot droid that follows you, which you can take control of to enter smaller areas, and a plasma cutter, which you can use to cut through locks. Again, it's kinda hard to get stuck in this game because you have very limited abilities at your disposal. A lot of "puzzles" are simply trying to look for things you can cut or fly through. The most complicated puzzle might require jotting down a few things. For me, that's easy because I always have a notebook by my side, but I guess some people might get frustrated if they're trying to brute force it. We need more Myst players. Other puzzles require interacting with movable objects in the room, but they're pretty straightforward. In fact, most of the game is straightforward. I'd say it's deceptively linear, which is probably the way to go with a game like this. Puzzles are generally confined to a single room or suite of rooms, but you feel like you're exploring the whole station. There's also some minor platforming and space floating.

 

No complaints as far as trophies or collectibles go. I used a guide so I didn't have to do any clean-up, but chapter select is there. There's at least one really obscure trophy that probably shouldn't exist (which requires carrying some random object to the end of the level so it can get destroyed in a cutscene (?)), but the rest are for simple things, like completing story sections and...sitting in your space rover for 30 minutes... OK, that one was a little dumb too. (At least there's not as much waiting as there was in EGttR!)

 

Performance, though... Oh boy. Well, the game runs silky smooth, for the most part. It only really stutters when it's autosaving. It's buggy, though, guys. I had to restart a chapter because I was stuck in the monorail. The door wouldn't open. Fortunately, it was literally at the start of the chapter, but I had no idea it was a bug until I ran out of ideas and tried that as a last resort. (Then, later in the game, I thought I ran into the same problem again, but it turns out the monorail door there was NOT supposed to open. Maybe I broke the space-time continuum?) I hear the trophies are a bit buggy too, but I didn't run into issues.

 

Do I have complaints? Yeah, I guess. It's not a perfect game. It's actually very rough around the edges. The voice acting is actually one of the weakest things, I think. The central characters are fine. Again, Kathy doesn't talk, but the VAs for Claire, Sarah, and Isaac do a solid job. The others kinda phone it in. It's weird because I'm not even sure it's the fault of the VA. It might be an audio issue. It just feels like they're in a recording studio and reading lines off a page. It doesn't help when there are no facial animations or detailed character models to work with. When all you have is a character's voice to express emotion, you really need it to sound authentic to be believable, and I think it detracts more than it helps here. That's just me, though. I think the story could be engaging enough that most people who aren't snobs like me could look past it.

 

The rest of the audio is good, though. I liked the music and the sound effects. You really do feel like you're alone in space. It's not scary like I thought it might be, but it is atmospheric.

 

Call me a softie, but I liked this game. I'd say it's the best of my space trilogy. Haven is by far the worst, and The Artful Escape... I'm still not sure how I feel about that one. I'll probably remember it better at the end of the year when I do my awards, but at the moment, this game feels like the most solid experience with the least amount of things I can point to and say, "Bad." It also helps that it's only a 7-8 hour game. That's kinda becoming my comfort area. Something I can finish over the course of a few days, if I'm just playing right before bed.

 

I said after plat #379 that my PS+ Premium subscription satisfaction was at 15%. After these three games, I'm thinking it's closer to 30%. Chicory, LiS: True Colors, The Artful Escape, and this game are at least worth a few dollars each. I think, realistically, I'm not going to reach 100% by the end of next week. I would probably need to play a longer game (like The Quarry or Scarlet Nexus) to reach that. I chose a bunch of shorter games because I felt like, if I enjoy at least a few of them, that's probably better than me playing one long game and potentially disliking it. I can get over a bad taste in my mouth if it isn't in my mouth for long. It's those longer games that really begin to wear on me. I don't feel I have as much patience as I did even a year ago.

 

I think we'll try to squeeze in two more PS+ games. We might just have to accept we'll be unsatisfied and double up on good games next year. It's not like the value isn't there. I just didn't take full advantage of the service and that's on me.

[Taruta13]

8 hours ago, Cassylvania said:

It's a comforting thought! I have at least a couple of friends I still keep in touch with who are married now and they're like, "Yeah, I would've been interested in going out with you. You just never asked." I guess I'm not as blunt in real life as I pretend to be here. Truth be told, I hate being touched and would probably make a terrible partner. I'm not even sure why I brought that up in the last review. Sometimes my mind wanders.

 

Ah, the curse of being a shy guy.

 

For me, I probably wouldn't mind touching a girl, kissing her or even having sex with her. I'm just not into the whole marriage or having babies thing. My secret pipe dream is to inherit a nice amount of cash from my parents when they die and then use some of it to hire a decent hooker just to lose my virginity. (Because if my folks read my mind or saw this post, dad would totally murder me. ) Yeah, my WARP PIPE DREAM...

 

 

Sorry, I'm sort of channeling Mario right now.

 

But all jokes aside(sort of... ), I don't think it matters that you didn't bring up your haphephobia. It doesn't really affect what we think of you since this is a non-physical social community; I don't even know what you like(or even care to know, my mind envisioned you as a girl until you talked about this situation with a girl, but then again, my name is based off Tarutaru, a FEMALE Lalafell, so in truth, I'm sort of channeling a little woman myself even though I am a fat ugly 50-year old man. Not the gross gamer ugly, just... I don't think any woman would want to kiss my face ) and that anonymity makes us a little more civil. I mean, if you started talking to me face-to-face, I'd probably lower my gaze and not look at you. I'm not very good with eye contact, and thankfully the only physical friend I have(my gym trainer) doesn't mind me not looking at him while talking.

 

I think karma decided that my role in the universe was not to have children but to teach them. I might go download that new Mathland game and play it with my nieces so I get a free platinum and they get some early education.

 

By the by, great review of Deliver Us the Moon. ?

[pelagia14]

14 hours ago, Cassylvania said:

The most complicated puzzle might require jotting down a few things. For me, that's easy because I always have a notebook by my side, but I guess some people might get frustrated if they're trying to brute force it.

 

I'm so glad I'm not the only person who has a notebook within reach when I'm gaming! ?

 

14 hours ago, Cassylvania said:

I said after plat #379 that my PS+ Premium subscription satisfaction was at 15%. After these three games, I'm thinking it's closer to 30%. Chicory, LiS: True Colors, The Artful Escape, and this game are at least worth a few dollars each. I think, realistically, I'm not going to reach 100% by the end of next week. I would probably need to play a longer game (like The Quarry or Scarlet Nexus) to reach that. I chose a bunch of shorter games because I felt like, if I enjoy at least a few of them, that's probably better than me playing one long game and potentially disliking it. I can get over a bad taste in my mouth if it isn't in my mouth for long. It's those longer games that really begin to wear on me. I don't feel I have as much patience as I did even a year ago.

 

I think we'll try to squeeze in two more PS+ games. We might just have to accept we'll be unsatisfied and double up on good games next year. It's not like the value isn't there. I just didn't take full advantage of the service and that's on me.

 

Looking through your profile, you've already played the vast majority of currently-available PS+ Catalog games that are good (at least in terms of games with a shorter length). I think your strategy of several short games versus a single long one is a great plan, though!

 

I have no idea if you are interested in recommendations for PS+ Catalog games that are under 10 hours to beat, so feel free to disregard the rest of this comment if you'd like.

 

I played Concrete Genie for the PSNP Kaleidoscope Challenge and thought it was a decent game. It's about 8 hours to platinum if you follow a collectible guide (I liked PowerPyx's text version over video guides), has chapter select, and no difficult trophies. The story is definitely aimed at kids, but I am a huge sucker for games that have an emphasis on color and/or making your environment more aesthetic. Also, the game has an awful touchpad control for 'painting' that I immediately changed to thumbstick+R2(?) after the opening cutscene where you first use it. 

 

Inside is another option (though I recall you mentioned having a different account at one time, so you may have already played it). I played it many years after release so I didn't love it as much as people did when it first released, but it was still a memorable experience - especially if you aren't completely spoiled about the ending or have mostly forgotten it by this time. There isn't a platinum trophy, but it is about 4 hours to complete and then it has a "checkpoint select" to mop up the few trophies you probably missed on a blind playthrough. 

[Cassylvania]

8 hours ago, Taruta13 said:

But all jokes aside(sort of... ), I don't think it matters that you didn't bring up your haphephobia. It doesn't really affect what we think of you since this is a non-physical social community; I don't even know what you like(or even care to know, my mind envisioned you as a girl until you talked about this situation with a girl, but then again, my name is based off Tarutaru, a FEMALE Lalafell, so in truth, I'm sort of channeling a little woman myself even though I am a fat ugly 50-year old man. Not the gross gamer ugly, just... I don't think any woman would want to kiss my face ) and that anonymity makes us a little more civil. I mean, if you started talking to me face-to-face, I'd probably lower my gaze and not look at you. I'm not very good with eye contact, and thankfully the only physical friend I have(my gym trainer) doesn't mind me not looking at him while talking.

 

My biggest real life problem is stuttering -- something that I had as a kid, went away for a while, and then resurfaced in college. I'm still not great at controlling it. I think I've gotten better, but I'm no longer forced into situations that exacerbate it. I'd argue it's one of the worst disabilities to have because it's not socially accepted. It's not like a broken leg where people would rightfully understand if you're unable to, say, run a marathon. I can't think of a single time in my life that I was excused for something because of it (but I CAN think of countless times I've used it as an excuse to not do something). Most people just think I'm shy...which is not socially accepted either, but at least it's understood.

 

I wouldn't wish a speech impediment on my worst enemy.

 

2 hours ago, pelagia14 said:

Looking through your profile, you've already played the vast majority of currently-available PS+ Catalog games that are good (at least in terms of games with a shorter length). I think your strategy of several short games versus a single long one is a great plan, though!

 

The worst part is I paid for a lot of those games that are now available. Even stupid crap like Bubsy and Bee Simulator. If I was willing to expand my length of time to 30+ hours, there are a lot more options out there. Maybe, starting June, we'll dedicate each month to a single PS+ title. Then we can look back next year at this time and see if the dozen or so games I played were worth the price of admission.

 

As far as the games you mentioned go... Concrete Genie is very high on my wish list, but I'm going to wait until I have VR (hopefully once I move and actually have room to, well, move). I don't desperately want VR, but I think there are enough games for it now that I could get my money's worth. (And if I don't, what else is new? I'm getting shafted every time I preorder a game or subscribe to a service.) Inside and Limbo are kinda in the same boat for me. I played them both on PC, I think, and the lack of a platinum...doesn't really bother me normally, but makes playing through them a second time less appealing. I'd pick Inside if I was going to do either of them, though.

 

I like that idea of dedicating a month to a new game. In fact... oh no, guys... the hamster in my head is running on his wheel again...

[pelagia14]

57 minutes ago, Cassylvania said:

The worst part is I paid for a lot of those games that are now available. Even stupid crap like Bubsy and Bee Simulator. If I was willing to expand my length of time to 30+ hours, there are a lot more options out there. Maybe, starting June, we'll dedicate each month to a single PS+ title. Then we can look back next year at this time and see if the dozen or so games I played were worth the price of admission.

 

As far as the games you mentioned go... Concrete Genie is very high on my wish list, but I'm going to wait until I have VR (hopefully once I move and actually have room to, well, move). I don't desperately want VR, but I think there are enough games for it now that I could get my money's worth. (And if I don't, what else is new? I'm getting shafted every time I preorder a game or subscribe to a service.) Inside and Limbo are kinda in the same boat for me. I played them both on PC, I think, and the lack of a platinum...doesn't really bother me normally, but makes playing through them a second time less appealing. I'd pick Inside if I was going to do either of them, though.

 

I like that idea of dedicating a month to a new game. In fact... oh no, guys... the hamster in my head is running on his wheel again...

 

I feel you on that pain. As an example, a few months ago I bought a game on sale (even though I know I'm not going to play it for a loooong while), and literally a week later it was announced that the game would be added to the PS+ Catalog that month. ?‍♀️

Concrete Genie would probably be *incredible* in VR! (And at least you didn't buy the PSVR1 a while ago, I suppose? Since PSVR2 is not backwards-compatible...) 

 

There are a few other shorter PS+ Catalog games neither of us has yet played that I've heard are decent or good anecdotally, so I'm definitely curious to see what your game choices are going to be!

 

Ooooh, I like the direction in which your brain's hamster wheel seems to be spinning! //gives the brain-hamster whatever kind of food hamsters eat to help motivate it ?

[Cassylvania]

On 5/11/2023 at 9:03 PM, pelagia14 said:

I feel you on that pain. As an example, a few months ago I bought a game on sale (even though I know I'm not going to play it for a loooong while), and literally a week later it was announced that the game would be added to the PS+ Catalog that month. ?‍♀️

Concrete Genie would probably be *incredible* in VR! (And at least you didn't buy the PSVR1 a while ago, I suppose? Since PSVR2 is not backwards-compatible...) 

 

There are a few other shorter PS+ Catalog games neither of us has yet played that I've heard are decent or good anecdotally, so I'm definitely curious to see what your game choices are going to be!

 

Ooooh, I like the direction in which your brain's hamster wheel seems to be spinning! //gives the brain-hamster whatever kind of food hamsters eat to help motivate it ?

 

You fed the beast. Now reap the reward.

 

How to Justify a PS+ Subscription in 12 Easy Steps

 

LAAAAADIEEEEEEES AAAAAND GENTLEMEEEEEEEN... welcome to the stupidest idea I've had yet! If you thought last year's new-game-every-week challenge was crazy and totally unnecessary, wait until you hear the rules for this one. But first, a little context for those of you new here or who haven't been reading my recent reviews from the PS+ catalog...

 

Put simply, we're at war here. I am an extremely frugal person. Scrooge McDuck is basically my role model. When I spend money on something, I expect to get something of equal or greater value in return. I've learned never to buy cheap paint or cheap sneakers because you usually get what you pay for. At the same time, I'm not going to spend an exorbitant amount of money on an expensive watch or sports car when a practical one will do. To me, it's always about getting the biggest bang for your buck. That's why I try to frame most of my reviews in the context of how much value you're getting out of a game. If I could remember to, I'd always try to finish my reviews with a price that I think is fair for that title.

 

Unfortunately, most people aren't so good with their money, and companies today (and historically, really) have found ways to make you not even realize how much you're spending. Live services are particularly good at this. (And for as much praise as I've given Genshin Impact, I realize how much of a money sink gacha games can be.) Subscriptions can be a good deal, but I think a lot of people would change their opinion on them if they actually went back at the end of the subscription term and calculated the value of what they received versus their mindset when they signed up. I know I have. And while I'm mostly doing this for entertainment, not because I actually feel I have been ripped off, I think it's a good lesson in trying to stretch that dollar as far as it will go.

 

The reality is that PS+ has won. We're 10 days away from the renewal date of my annual subscription. I've probably gotten about $50 worth of a $120 expense. The only way I see me walking away from this first year with my head held high is if I take a chance on a long RPG like Scarlet Nexus and consider it worthy of a full price PS5 release. Considering I'd only have about a week to do that, I'm more likely to be burned out than to receive any sort of satisfaction in my decision. I will concede that PS+ got the better of me. It got more out of me than I got out of it.

 

But... the journey to making PS+ our bitch is only beginning. We now know what we're up against. And we can beat this, guys. We can make PS+ worth every penny...by forcing me to play its catalog. Oh, that's right. PS+ just wants us to look, but don't touch. How many times have you scrolled through the catalog of games, deciding what to play, and not picked any of them? That is a win for PS+ and I will not stand for it!

 

STARTING NEXT MONTH, GUYS... We are going to spin THE WHEEL OF FATE. We will select TWENTY-FOUR games, slap them on that wheel, and spin once a month to decide what game I will start (and try to finish) the following month. No excuses. No backing down. If we can average just $10/game -- something that SHOULD be doable, if we're including longer titles -- then we'll have gotten our money's worth.

 

Why 24 games? Well, it wouldn't be much fun if we knew I was going to play every game on the list, would it? I mean, obviously we'll choose 24 games that I'd be willing to play, but we don't have to necessarily make them good games. I'm OK throwing in a few landmines there. After all, when I suffer, everybody wins. But, for the most part, I think we should stick to titles that are worth playing. After all, let's not lose sight of our goal here.

 

I'll do the first roll after Memorial Day, which gives us about two weeks to finalize the list. I'm open to suggestions. I already found about two dozen games that I'd be willing to play, but there are a lot of games on the service that I know very little about. I'll try to keep the rules simple here:

• It has to be a game on PS+ that I do NOT already own. Obviously, that includes any game I've already played. I know you don't have access to my full library of games, but it kinda defeats the purpose if I'm playing something from my backlog or that was recently given away as a free monthly title.
• Preferably, no paid DLC. Besides my usual gripes, again, it kinda defeats the purpose if I have to pay money on top of the subscription fee to get the game to 100%. Free DLC is OK.
• Preferably, no online trophies, unless whoever suggests it is going to help me.
• I don't care too much about length or difficulty, but anything more than 100 hours or an 8/10 in difficulty is going to need a little justification or research on my end. Remember, I'm going to try to be doing this while actively playing other games, as well as working on my ever-growing backlog.

I'll add any suggestions to my list and see where we are in a couple weeks. Depending on how many suggestions we get, we may need to figure out a way to remove some.

Edited May 19, 2023 by Cassylvania

[slicknick3822]

2 hours ago, Cassylvania said:

I wouldn't wish a speech impediment on my worst enemy.

I used to talk like Elmer Fudd when I was a kid. I went to speech therapy and fixed it pretty quickly (I was like only 5 or 6). It still slips out, usually when I'm talking quickly. I also grew up with a deaf grandma so obviously she doesn't talk completely correctly either. I guess that's why I've always done my best to try to understand people with impediments and accents without judgement. They don't control it and it's probably more frustrating for them than the person listening.

[pelagia14]

Omg, this idea is amazing - not stupid at all!

 

A few thoughts on the mechanics:

1. If you end up with a list of more than 24 games, some could be held in 'reserve' in case one of the 24 games is removed from the PS+ Catalog during the twelve months. 

2. If you end up with significantly more than 24 games, maybe there is an epic bracket-style voting thing that takes place? ?

 

 

I really want to throw Death Stranding into the ring (since it is such a polarizing game - though one I love very much) but the PSNP guide lists it as 100h and 3/10 difficulty. My game completion times are usually 10-20% higher than PSNP guides, but my time put into Death Stranding was 95h so it's no joke.

 

So instead, I'm going to "nominate" Final Fantasy VII Remake (assuming it's not on your backlog) since I see the only FF game listed on your account is OG FF7.

 

[Cassylvania]

2 hours ago, slicknick3822 said:

I used to talk like Elmer Fudd when I was a kid. I went to speech therapy and fixed it pretty quickly (I was like only 5 or 6). It still slips out, usually when I'm talking quickly. I also grew up with a deaf grandma so obviously she doesn't talk completely correctly either. I guess that's why I've always done my best to try to understand people with impediments and accents without judgement. They don't control it and it's probably more frustrating for them than the person listening.

 

I kinda wish I did the Elmer Fudd or even Porky Pig thing instead of what I have, which is no sound at all. I go to speak and I'm unable to make the sound I want, so I either have to substitute the sound or word with something else (which leads to awkward sentences) or I have to deal with prolonged silence. Those "pauses" are the worst. I try to talk fast so I that I don't "trip" over words, but it just makes the pauses all the more noticeable when they happen because I'm stopped dead in my tracks. I know it's probably a lot more uncomfortable for me than the person listening, but what's happening is I'm physically choking. I never realized this until a few years ago. You have those vocal flaps that protect your airway when you swallow so that food doesn't go down the wrong pipe. My brain or whatever treats sounds as "things", so that when I get caught on a word, it thinks I'm choking and blocks my airway to protect me. So the harder I try to force out the word, the more I'm unable to breathe. It's simple to say, "Just relax," but it's not an anxiety thing. It happens to me even when I'm alone or in a friendly environment. It's probably worse in stressful situations, sure, but I imagine it's what it feels like to drown. I want to say it doesn't affect my life, but that would be a lie. I've just more or less come to accept it as a part of me.

 

It's stupid too because you get in these situations that no person should have to deal with. I've actually thought about changing my name because of it. I never again want to be in a situation where somebody asks me for my name and I can't respond. There's no escape route for that one. Every conservation is a maze, snaking my way through dialogue and having to come up with synonyms and filler words on the spot so that I can at least pretend I can articulate a rational thought. I would repetitive sounds over silence any day, because at least you can breathe when you're making a noise. My whole life is like when you can't shout in a dream. I'm basically living a nightmare every day.
 

Wow, I get really dark sometimes.

 

2 hours ago, pelagia14 said:

Omg, this idea is amazing - not stupid at all!

 

A few thoughts on the mechanics:

1. If you end up with a list of more than 24 games, some could be held in 'reserve' in case one of the 24 games is removed from the PS+ Catalog during the twelve months. 

2. If you end up with significantly more than 24 games, maybe there is an epic bracket-style voting thing that takes place?

 

 

I really want to throw Death Stranding into the ring (since it is such a polarizing game - though one I love very much) but the PSNP guide lists it as 100h and 3/10 difficulty. My game completion times are usually 10-20% higher than PSNP guides, but my time put into Death Stranding was 95h so it's no joke.

 

So instead, I'm going to "nominate" Final Fantasy VII Remake (assuming it's not on your backlog) since I see the only FF game listed on your account is OG FF7.

 

I like the mechanics and I'll add FFVII Remake as the first game on the list. I think technically it was free monthly game on PS+ a couple years ago, but not the PS5 version (which is what I'd likely be playing)...? Correct me if I'm wrong. Death Stranding would probably be a no because of the length. If I was super interested in it, maybe, but I have a feeling I wouldn't have very many good things to say about it. Call it a hunch based on the reviews I've seen.

 

I don't know what's fair. Everybody gets to nominate one game? I don't think we have an audience of 24 people here. Maybe like...two or three games each? But games with more votes will be given higher priority if we go over the limit? I dunno. I make things up as I go.

Edited May 12, 2023 by Cassylvania

[Taruta13]

5 hours ago, Cassylvania said:

As far as the games you mentioned go... Concrete Genie is very high on my wish list

Heard from my gym trainer that the devs of that game have shut down so no more games from them.

 

Also, I don't think any game is as bad as Heirs of the Kings. I'd love to do a thread where I rip apart every KEMCO published title I've ever played and mock them for being so stupid.

 

I hope you try the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters. I just platinumed Final Fantasy 2, which everyone hates, and I really enjoyed it. They used PSP remake backgrounds with tweaked original spritework. I also played the games with original soundtrack as I feel that's how you should experience it. Not saying the remixes suck, but that's what the music player is for.

 

Trying out Final Fantasy 3 next. It was a cool game and the Crystal Tower raids in FFXIV are based on that game. Speaking of that, I need to get back to work putting my Lalafell through A Realm Reborn.

Edited May 12, 2023 by Taruta13

[Mori]

I'd suggest Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Spider Man: Miles Morales and Chorus. All three are on the easier side of difficulty and also dont take countless hours to complete. 

 

Depending on what the trophies will be like, I'd also suggest Humanity.

Edited May 12, 2023 by Mori

[Taruta13]

Hey Cass... guess what game is getting broken apart by a speedrunner in Summer Games Done Quick 2023 on May 30th?

 

Quote

8:06 AM

CrossCode

EpicYoshiMaster

1:35:00

Any% No Menu Glitches

Edited May 12, 2023 by Taruta13

[Grotz99]

Not sure if this has come up for you before, but all the Yakuza games are on there....Start with either 0 or Kiwami, you're welcome.

 

Since the Yakuza games can be long, I'll throw in some big titles, that I know isn't usually your thing, like Returnal (which I started recently and found out you can co-op with a friend) and Horizon Forbidden West (although I bet you have that sitting waiting to be played already?). Since you already played Until Dawn, Quarry is another awesome cheesy teen horror game.

[Puppeter04]

1 hour ago, Grotz99 said:

Not sure if this has come up for you before, but all the Yakuza games are on there....Start with either 0 or Kiwami, you're welcome.

 

Since the Yakuza games can be long, I'll throw in some big titles, that I know isn't usually your thing, like Returnal (which I started recently and found out you can co-op with a friend) and Horizon Forbidden West (although I bet you have that sitting waiting to be played already?). Since you already played Until Dawn, Quarry is another awesome cheesy teen horror game.

You are gonna be recommending Yakuza to everyone? I don't feel special anymore.. 

 

But excellent recs here for you Cassy, I second all this. And as always, I've been enjoying your reviews, I'll leave a longer comment here soon when I'm done studying! Keep it up!

[Cassylvania]

8 hours ago, Taruta13 said:

Hey Cass... guess what game is getting broken apart by a speedrunner in Summer Games Done Quick 2023 on May 30th?

 

My girl Lea. That's a criminally fast time in a game that took me hours just to beat one (literally every) dungeon.

 

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions, everybody. Let's review what we have so far.

 

I'll accept FFVII Remake, R&C: Rift Apart, Spider-man: MM, and Chorus, keeping in mind that I have very little experience with FF games, have never played a Ratchet & Clank game (is this one even on PS+?), think superhero games/movies/anything are overrated (though I did like Marvel's Spider-man), and have no idea what Chorus is. We'll wait to see a trophy list for Humanity.

 

As far as @Grotz99 games go... OK, Yakuza has been recommended to me more often than any other series in this thread. I don't know why everybody thinks I'm going to like that. My get-out-of-Yakuza free card is that I technically already own Kiwami, since it was given away for free, and I planned on playing that first. However... since I did agree to these rules, I wouldn't be totally against putting Yakuza 0 on the list and then giving myself the choice to play either of those if I end up rolling it.

 

Returnal is an iffy one. I'll put that in reserve for now. I think I'd like it, but I'm not sure it's something I could commit to playing in a single month. I'd have to do a little research. It also has DLC, I believe. So does Horizon: Forbidden West. I'll add that, assuming the DLC is free. Keep in mind that I thought the original game was average at best and probably wouldn't play it by choice.

 

I'm OK with The Quarry.

 

That gives us about seven or eight games right now. You guys have only hit a couple games that I was considering, which is what I was hoping for. Keep 'em coming.

Edited May 12, 2023 by Cassylvania

[Grotz99]

48 minutes ago, Puppeter04 said:

You are gonna be recommending Yakuza to everyone? I don't feel special anymore.. 

Everyone needs a little Kiryu Kazuma in their life.

23 minutes ago, Cassylvania said:

As far as @Grotz99 games go... OK, Yakuza has been recommended to me more often than any other series in this thread. I don't know why everybody thinks I'm going to like that. My get-out-of-Yakuza free card is that I technically already own Kiwami, since it was given away for free, and I planned on playing that first. However... since I did agree to these rules, I wouldn't be totally against putting Yakuza 0 on the list and then giving myself the choice to play either of those if I end up rolling it.

 

Returnal is an iffy one. I'll put that in reserve for now. I think I'd like it, but I'm not sure it's something I could commit to playing in a single month. I'd have to do a little research. It also has DLC, I believe. So does Horizon: Forbidden West. I'll add that, assuming the DLC is free. Keep in mind that I thought the original game was average at best and probably wouldn't play it by choice.

 

I'm OK with The Quarry.

Ah, I didn't read your Horizon post or it's been a while and unfortunately the DLC isn't free, which I'm waiting for a sale on. Also, forgot about the single month limit...my bad, these are kinda lengthy, but good bang for your buck.

 

Heads up on The Quarry since you are going to 100% it, it does require almost 4 playthroughs. I have 1.5 to go and had to take a break, might go back in October or for Gaming with Numbers if that starts again.

Edited May 12, 2023 by Grotz99

[Baker]

Yakuza 0. 
 

Well since you played I Am Setsuna how about Lost Sphear and Oninaki? 
 

I’m subscribing to Ps Plus Extra soon and I’m curious about this trio of JRPG’s from Tokyo RPG Factory. Are they any good?

[Mori]

22 minutes ago, Cassylvania said:

I'll accept FFVII Remake, R&C: Rift Apart, Spider-man: MM, and Chorus, keeping in mind that I have very little experience with FF games, have never played a Ratchet & Clank game (is this one even on PS+?), think superhero games/movies/anything are overrated (though I did like Marvel's Spider-man), and have no idea what Chorus is. We'll wait to see a trophy list for Humanity.

 

Returnal is an iffy one. I'll put that in reserve for now. I think I'd like it, but I'm not sure it's something I could commit to playing in a single month. I'd have to do a little research. It also has DLC, I believe. So does Horizon: Forbidden West. I'll add that, assuming the DLC is free. Keep in mind that I thought the original game was average at best and probably wouldn't play it by choice.

 

Rift Apart comes to PS+ Extra next week and in Chorus you control a spaceship with the smoothest controls I've ever seen in a space game. Don't worry it's not "hardcore" at all unlike other space games that bombard you with 10 different protocols on how to start the engines.

 

I also enjoyed Marvel's Spider-man but it became a tad too much towards the end with all the collectibles and misc stuff. Miles Morales does not overstay it's welcome, except the New Game+ playthrough unfortunately.

 

Returnal DLC is free, Horzion DLC is paid.

[Cassylvania]

13 minutes ago, Grotz99 said:

Ah, I didn't read your Horizon post or it's been a while and unfortunately the DLC isn't free, which I'm waiting for a sale on. Also, forgot about the single month limit...my bad, these are kinda lengthy, but good bang for your buck.

 

To be fair, I just went back to read my HZD review (plat #102) and...wow, I was lazy in 2018. Did I even write reviews? I just posted the plat image and called it a day? You guys wouldn't let me get away with that shit now.

 

6 minutes ago, Baker said:

Yakuza 0. 
 

Well since you played I Am Setsuna how about Lost Sphear and Oninaki? 
 

I’m subscribing to Ps Plus Extra soon and I’m curious about this trio of JRPG’s from Tokyo RPG Factory. Are they any good?

 

Added and added. I liked Setsuna, but... well, there's a lot of buts. If you like wanting to take a nap while playing a game, it's a good choice. That's not necessarily a complaint. It's just long and grindy and has a color palette and soundtrack that will lull you to sleep. The other two games you mentioned ARE on my list, so they're easy to include.

 

8 minutes ago, Mori said:

Rift Apart comes to PS+ Extra next week and in Chorus you control a spaceship with the smoothest controls I've ever seen in a space game. Don't worry it's not "hardcore" at all unlike other space games that bombard you with 10 different protocols on how to start the engines.

 

I also enjoyed Marvel's Spider-man but it became a tad too much towards the end with all the collectibles and misc stuff. Miles Morales does not overstay it's welcome, except the New Game+ playthrough unfortunately.

 

Returnal DLC is free, Horzion DLC is paid.

 

Ah, OK. Rift Apart will stay on the list, Horizon will not. I think that puts us at nine total.

 

If I roll Chorus, I'll probably need to complete another trilogy of space games. That should be a requirement.

[Rally-Vincent---]

I'll put in the ring:

 

Enter The Gungeon

Magicka 2 (you can solo it if you want to)

Observation

 

[Cassylvania]

22 minutes ago, Rally-Vincent--- said:

I'll put in the ring:

 

Enter The Gungeon

Magicka 2 (you can solo it if you want to)

Observation

 

I'll add Observation. I can't add Magicka 2 since I own it already. I'm assuming it was free at some point? Enter the Gungeon... I actually bought. I'd like to start it once my active games get back to single digits.

[Briste]

Well most of the games on there that I've played, you have too....except for all the Final Fantasy's....I'll recommend The Forgotten City, which is only like 10 hours ish I think and I enjoyed quite a bit and is something I think you'd like enough. I'll also echo the Spider-Man Miles Morales and Final Fantasy 7 Remake since I really liked both of them as well.

 

I'd say Ash of Gods and Jotun, but you own those already...I'm actually surprised on how many games there are available that I'd want to play. I like this project of yours and can get behind it

[Taruta13]

Have you tried Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom? The PS5 version is now on the PS+ catalog. I really enjoyed that game and got into it after seeing a Games Done Quick runner called Tinahacks(who runs an GDQ Hotfix showcasing RPGs, my favorite genre, by the way) ran an any% version on an unpatched Switch version.

[Rally-Vincent---]

9 hours ago, Cassylvania said:

 

I'll add Observation. I can't add Magicka 2 since I own it already.

 

Are there 24 games you don't already? Asking for a friend.