Arcesius' Pursuit of Completion

[Joe Dubz]

10 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

 

You are correct - on two counts here.

 

Correct that FFVI was FFIII in the states, and correct that FFVI is absolutely the best game in the series!

Ha, why thank you my kind sir!! I guess this 36 year old brain is still good for something then ? That game was such a classic, would love for a remake of that one... Pheonix Down on the Ghost Train for the win!! 

[starcrunch061]

20 minutes ago, Joe Dubz said:

FF6 is also my all-time fave FF game

 

It's actually my favorite game of all time. The SNES version is so much better than the PS1 version.

[DrBloodmoney]

30 minutes ago, Joe Dubz said:

Ha, why thank you my kind sir!! I guess this 36 year old brain is still good for something then  That game was such a classic, would love for a remake of that one... Pheonix Down on the Ghost Train for the win!! 

 

25 minutes ago, starcrunch061 said:

 

It's actually my favorite game of all time. The SNES version is so much better than the PS1 version.

 

The Opera, man. The Fuckin' Opera...!

 

[S_y_n_e_IR_g_Y]

1 hour ago, Joe Dubz said:

Niiiiice, if I remember this correctly, FF6 was released in the U.S. as FF3 back in the day? If that is correct, FF6 is also my all-time fave FF game, followed by 8 then probably 10 for me personally. Not to mention Chrono Trigger is up there with my fave JRPG classics 

 

To answer your question about Pier Solar, I was absolutely stunned at how well that game hit all the old JRPG feels!! I really felt like I was playing one of the old FF games, similar to FF6. If that sounds at all interesting to you, I would very highly recommend that game!! But be warned, the Eternal Slip mini game is the plat blocker for most, so make sure you check that out first before you buy just in case 

 

 

 

That Sounds awesome??

Well i already bought the game a while ago and i know about the slippy Minigame, i hope i start it sooner or later? i already fall in love with the artstyle

 

Soo @Arcesius is there hope, to see the Game soon in your next tier in the Ultra Rare Clean up Event or do you have nightmares from the Slippy Minigame???

[KN_Kirai]

2 hours ago, Arcesius said:

Big quote

 

Gotta say, I played it last year and I don't remember much, but I do remember that some bits were difficult, especially on Hard (looking at you here, stupid Hell House); either that or I sucked at playing the game...Then again I remember that after some tries and after you figure out how to do it, it's pretty manageable.

 

I agree, the game has various flaws that you've pointed out, but at the time I still enjoyed nonetheless: I guess the "nostalgia" won over, even though I didn't play the original until I was in my teenage years.

 

Nice review as always, finally got to hear your complete thoughts on this game ? I know the feeling when you lose interest over something you used to really like; that's pretty much inevitable when you play many games and discover genres that you'd never have thought you'd like before.

 

 

[Joe Dubz]

20 minutes ago, S_y_n_e_IR_g_Y said:

That Sounds awesome

Well i already bought the game a while ago and i know about the slippy Minigame, i hope i start it sooner or later i already fall in love with the artstyle

 

Soo @Arcesius is there hope, to see the Game soon in your next tier in the Ultra Rare Clean up Event or do you have nightmares from the Slippy Minigame?

Awesomesauce, I hope you enjoy it then. Sounds like you are off to a good start!! Haha I'm glad you asked @Arcesius about that, because I was thinking the same! You can do it bud, we can't wait to celebrate that victory with you ?

 

54 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

The Opera, man. The Fuckin' Opera...!

Haha oh boy, can't forget about that...! The feels tho, I swear!! I need to find a copy of this to play, it's probably been 2 decades since I partook!

 

1 hour ago, starcrunch061 said:

 

It's actually my favorite game of all time. The SNES version is so much better than the PS1 version.

That's spectacular man, we really do have an extremely similar taste in games!! That was def #1 JRPG for me, although I have to admit I was pretty smitten with the Breath of Fire series way back then as well ?

[Rally-Vincent---]

4 hours ago, Arcesius said:

P.S. Oh, and despite it being my first Final Fantasy game, FF VII is not my favorite entry. It is probably still in the top-3, but FF IX takes the top spot, no contest there    setups, right??? I mean, it's the perfect setting for having amazing secrets hidden all over the place... 

 

VII and IX... The truth is somewhere in between.

[Baker]

Sigh*

 

The amount of misinformation on this site gets worse every time. I see people claiming VI and IX!?
 

A famous professor came up with the equation a long time ago to settle the debate about what’s the best FF.

 

 

Ofcourse closely followed by X, VIII, VI, IX & XII.

 

@Arcesius Spot on review. I felt exactly the same.

[Arcesius]

3 hours ago, S_y_n_e_IR_g_Y said:

Final Fantasy 6

Final Fantasy 9

Final Fantasy 7 or maybe 10

 

3 hours ago, Joe Dubz said:

Niiiiice, if I remember this correctly, FF6 was released in the U.S. as FF3 back in the day? If that is correct, FF6 is also my all-time fave FF game, followed by 8 then probably 10 for me personally. 

 

3 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Correct that FFVI was FFIII in the states, and correct that FFVI is absolutely the best game in the series!

 

3 hours ago, starcrunch061 said:

It's actually my favorite game of all time. The SNES version is so much better than the PS1 version.

 

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

VII and IX... The truth is somewhere in between.

 

15 minutes ago, Baker said:

Sigh*

 

The amount of misinformation on this site gets worse every time. I see people claiming VI and IX!

 

Ehm... Djentlemen... may I interrupt.... I guess that's on me for not stating it clearly in the OP but.... No disagreeing with me in this checklist! FF IX has the top spot, and that's that!   

 

Seriously though, I can get on board with any pre-X-2 entry taking the top spot for different reasons. Personally, I feel like I played VI too late for it to have had THAT big of an impact on me. I played after XII I believe... I thought to myself that I had to experience the older games at least once and played IV, V and VI on an emulator. I enjoyed the game(s), especially VI, immensely, but by the time I got to it it didn't do anything I haden't seen elsewhere... I mean I can imagine that the world-change for example was pretty amazing back then, but playing it so many years after its release it didn't have the impact it would have had otherwise. 

 

 

3 hours ago, Joe Dubz said:

To answer your question about Pier Solar, I was absolutely stunned at how well that game hit all the old JRPG feels!! I really felt like I was playing one of the old FF games, similar to FF6. If that sounds at all interesting to you, I would very highly recommend that game!! But be warned, the Eternal Slip mini game is the plat blocker for most, so make sure you check that out first before you buy just in case ?

 

2 hours ago, S_y_n_e_IR_g_Y said:

That Sounds awesome??

Well i already bought the game a while ago and i know about the slippy Minigame, i hope i start it sooner or later? i already fall in love with the artstyle

 

Soo @Arcesius is there hope, to see the Game soon in your next tier in the Ultra Rare Clean up Event or do you have nightmares from the Slippy Minigame???

 

1 hour ago, Joe Dubz said:

Awesomesauce, I hope you enjoy it then. Sounds like you are off to a good start!! Haha I'm glad you asked @Arcesius about that, because I was thinking the same! You can do it bud, we can't wait to celebrate that victory with you ?

 

Here to rub salt into the wound, eh?  

 

I would agree though, @S_y_n_e_IR_g_Y. I'd say Pier Solar is worthwhile if you are craving an old-school RPG, but it is "less" than a FF in all aspects: Less complex, less interesting cast, but also less lengthy, less grindy... just less. I can still recommend it though. 

 

As for the minigame.. I keep telling myself "when you complete your next game, you'll start practicing the Slippery game on a daily basis!" Then I do that for like 2 days and stop again... 

 

Once I finish Splasher, I'll start practicing the Slippery game on a daily basis! You'll see...

 

 

2 hours ago, KN_Kirai said:

Gotta say, I played it last year and I don't remember much, but I do remember that some bits were difficult, especially on Hard (looking at you here, stupid Hell House); either that or I sucked at playing the game...Then again I remember that after some tries and after you figure out how to do it, it's pretty manageable.

 

I agree, the game has various flaws that you've pointed out, but at the time I still enjoyed nonetheless: I guess the "nostalgia" won over, even though I didn't play the original until I was in my teenage years.

 

Yeah I didn't want to imply that I killed everything first try... I didn't. But that's what I meant with the "thinking a bit more". You go into the boss fight, you might die, but you also learn how the boss works and what you need to change in your setup to get it next try. 

 

And absolutely! If you noticed my "enjoyment ranking" is pretty high here as well! I had a fantastic time with FF7R for the reasons I stated, but I wished its flaws would not have been with regard to those two aspects I mentioned, which for me are crucial to get right in a game like this... 

 

 

15 minutes ago, Baker said:

@Arcesius Spot on review. I felt exactly the same.

 

Thanks man appreciate it. 

[Joe Dubz]

I guess we did hijack your post there for a minute @Arcesius, my apologies ?

 

Back on topic, as always I very much appreciate your detailed review of FF7R!! Glad to have a pretty good idea of the good and bad I have in store for me when I eventually decide to play this one. I have it loaded in my queue to pick up someday when I'm feeling nostalgic!

 

That was def one thing that stuck out to me from way back when, the pretty stale level designs in the game. I see that is something that has not changed with the remake unfortunately enough!

 

[AJ_Radio]

Chrono Trigger trumps all the old Final Fantasy games in my opinion. If they ever re-release this with trophy support that is an immediate buy from me.

[Briste]

9 hours ago, starcrunch061 said:

It's actually my favorite game of all time. The SNES version is so much better than the PS1 version.

 

9 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

The Opera, man. The Fuckin' Opera...!

 

I mentioned this recently in a different thread about how the SNES version was better than the port. The dialogue in the port was screwy in some places and I think they messed up what appears on the Veldt that you could learn for Gau if I remember right. I think it was impossible to complete his rage list on the port.

 

 I utilize all 3 of my save slots on the SNES version....one is right before the Opera scene so I could play it whenever....one is a complete game with everyone level 99 and stats as maxed as I could get them. I made sure before anyone leveled up that I equipped them with an Esper that would increase a stat. My speed stat on Shadow was insanely high. He was absolute beef cake in the coliseum lol....my final save slot is to replay every once in a while. I still have my SNES and a 13" TV/VCR combo that I'll hook up occasionally to play. Celes' theme song remains my favorite Final Fantasy song and is currently the ringtone I use for my alarm clock lol

[AJ_Radio]

1 hour ago, Briste said:

I still have my SNES and a 13" TV/VCR combo that I'll hook up occasionally to play. Celes' theme song remains my favorite Final Fantasy song and is currently the ringtone I use for my alarm clock lol

 

Don't ever sell your SNES. Video game collectors are charging an arm and a leg for those old consoles on eBay and other websites. Thanks to guys like James Rolfe (AVGN) and Mike Matei, old Nintendo games and Nintendo consoles that predate the Gamecube are being charged a fortune.

[Grotz99]

Very nice review @Arcesius, you didn't hold back about the dungeon design which was also an issue I noticed, but still did their best to make them into 3D. Looking forward to the extra content that is being released in the near future. I'm pretty sure I used Barret 90% of the time when I could just because it was easy to sit back and hold down square.

 

I'm sorry, but the best FF game doesn't have a number, but instead the letter T for Tactics. Although, if I had to choose a number, it would be IX as I played that at least 5 times through.

 

I'll show myself out now...

Edited May 5, 2021 by Grotz99

[Danny_Johansen]

A bit late to the conversation but Matterfall is an amazing game. It can be a little clunky at the start but you get used to it quickly. The only downside is that it is to easy, veteran is basically normal. Overall a little short as a result but I found it more enjoyable than Nex Machina.

[Arcesius]

On 5/5/2021 at 6:38 PM, Grotz99 said:

Very nice review @Arcesius, you didn't hold back about the dungeon design which was also an issue I noticed, but still did their best to make them into 3D. Looking forward to the extra content that is being released in the near future. I'm pretty sure I used Barret 90% of the time when I could just because it was easy to sit back and hold down square.

 

I agree, the environments are beautiful.. The graphical elements of the game in general are exceptional. But the corridor-like structuring was so noticeable to me, I wasn't looking specifically for things to criticize. 

It bothered me from the start, but the first time I was really annoyed with the design was when I reached Chapter 8 and spent 20 minutes going in a freaking straight line from the church to the slums... Like, seriously? ? 

 

Not sure if I'll be able to play the DLC since it won't come out on PS4 and apparently I won't be able to upgrade this PS+ version of the game to the PS5 one (at least not for free.. maybe they'll offer a paid upgrade..?). If the only way I can play the Yuffie DLC is by replaying the entire game on PS5 it's a "no thanks" from me. Two playthroughs were more than enough ? 

 

 

7 hours ago, Danny_Johansen said:

A bit late to the conversation but Matterfall is an amazing game. It can be a little clunky at the start but you get used to it quickly. The only downside is that it is to easy, veteran is basically normal. Overall a little short as a result but I found it more enjoyable than Nex Machina.

 

Oh, well that's a stance I have rarely come across! Glad to hear that people did actually enjoy this game, it doesn't have the best reputation usually, and to put it above Nex Machina is someting alright ?

 

You are actually also answering a question I had.. would you recommend doing Veteran from the get-go then? My first Nex Machina playthrough was on Experienced, which I thought was a pretty good entry level difficulty. If you are saying that Vet in Matterfall is basically that, then it should be good for a first playthrough. 

 

_____________________

 

 

Ok guys, I have one review pending, but that one can wait (until a bit later this week). I want to quickly post an update on the game that has been slowly eating me alive for the past couple of weeks ?

 

So, how is Splasher going? 

 

When I wrote my previous update, I had finished all 22 time attacks for the individual levels, and started going for the full-game speedruns. Well, yesterday I finally managed to secure my second speedrun platinum medal! Here are my times for the Selfish (left) and Standard (right) speedruns: 

 

   

 

These took... way longer than I'm comfortable with ? 

 

Anyways... the last speedrun is the "Gotta Catch'em All" speedrun.. a 100% run (i.e. including getting all 154 collectibles) in 73:40:57. I started learning the route yesterday but didn't have the time to finish an entire run yet. Once the last speedrun is finished, I'll "only" have the no-death run in front of me. Yeah, this is not getting any easier, is it... ?

 

 

So, there is one thing that I wanted to discuss here, since I wonder if I made the correct choice. Imagine yourself playing a game that requires precision.... Splasher, SMB, Trackmania Turbo, My Name is Mayo, etc... What do you choose: D-Pad or Stick? 

 

Usually, the answer for me is D-Pad.. no contest. It was the same with Splasher. I did my entire first casual playthrough with the D-Pad, but then also noticed that there are many sections in this game where you are for instance climbing a wall and need to shoot some ink / water diagonally while you keep climbing. Doing that with the D-Pad is tedious and I had trouble with those diagonal inputs, so I switched to the Stick. 

 

I did all of the individual level time attacks with the Stick, and since they didn't give me too much trouble, I was happy. 

 

But the thing is... one individual level takes about 2 minutes... Playing through the entire game takes 45 - 75 minutes depending on the speedrun you are going for. And let me tell you, after a while, my inputs with the Stick are just not precise whatsoever ?

 

I've lost an entire Standard run on the very last level because I thought I was pressing "left" on the Stick but in reality was pressing "diagonally left-down" and so didn't make it far enough to reach the wall, and fell to my death.. twice in a row, losing over 30 seconds. 

 

I've also died countless times in this section here in level 7: 

 

 

If you are fast enough, you don't need to wait when you reach the saws (they move constantly left-right)... you just jump straight down and should be fine. With the D-Pad, this is easy. With the Stick... I press down and, if I have been playing for a while, often also accidentally press a bit to the left or right... jumping right into the saws. This costs you about 20 seconds... I have died so many times here that now I skip a cycle and instead use down on the D-Pad to safely jump through the saws. This way I lose 2 seconds but don't risk throwing the run.

 

It's situations like these where I have to wonder if I'm making this game even harder for myself by using the Stick for movement... 

 

 

So, my question is... what do you usually prefer, given the choice, and why? 

Edited May 11, 2021 by Arcesius

[Dzware]

Nice progress man! I actually really thought you were gonna run through this game in no time, seeing as how quickly you finished the individual level speedruns. But looks like the difficulty managed to get you too

 

As for dpad vs. stick, it's something I was switching between myself as well when I was playing it (yea yea, I should really go back to it). For 2D platformer I pretty much always use dpad, and it's how I finished my first playtrough as well. There's a sort of aim assist lock on that makes it so you don't have to be that precise anyways, and it works when taking the time. However, for me I found a couple parts, where it was just not accurate enough, which were much easier and consistent with the stick. The most notable was the last section in level 2 where you need to keep shooting water at a wheel to push a laser wall forward, but at the end, the wheel is almost above you, so the diagonal won't work, and pressing up would make you stand still. 

I completely switched to stick after encountering another tricky section in level 4 iirc, but the stick is more uncomfortable for me as well, so I'm still not 100% decided actually. It's actually one of the things that made me take a break from the game, as holding right on stick for long periods is quite exhausting lol

 

I think when I go back, I'll try the dpad again, as it's what I actually prefer, and I've seen videos of people using that, so it definitely is possible. So yea, maybe not a super helpful answer, but just know it's something I was struggling with as well?

[JohnlMatrix]

2 hours ago, Arcesius said:

When I wrote my previous update, I had finished all 22 time attacks for the individual levels, and started going for the full-game speedruns. Well, yesterday I finally managed to secure my second speedrun platinum medal!

Congratulations. Another step towards the plat :-).

 

2 hours ago, Arcesius said:

So, there is one thing that I wanted to discuss here, since I wonder if I made the correct choice. Imagine yourself playing a game that requires precision.... Splasher, SMB, Trackmania Turbo, My Name is Mayo, etc... What do you choose: D-Pad or Stick?

For me, it depends on the game. In SMB, SMBF, Trials Fusion/Rising I play with the D-Pad. I do this simply because I feel like that way I have more control over my character and the movement is more precise.

In games like Trackmania Turbo and Splasher I use the Stick. Don't ask me why xD. It just feels more natural and better overall. In the case of Splasher it is probably due to the required diagonal button presses which could be a bit tricky with the D-Pad.

 

2 hours ago, Arcesius said:

I've also died countless times in this section here in level 7: 

 

I'd just like to mention: When doing the full game speedruns, forget about those cycle-skipping time savers. While they obviously can save you a lot of time, the can also heavily cost you if screwed up because they are at the end of a checkpoint. It's not worth it because you only save about 2 seconds. You save enough time overall if you scarcely die during a run and don't wait all the time for cycles. The section you mention above isn't that difficult to skip, personally I've never had any problems doing that with the stick. However, if it poses problems for you, just wait ;-).

Edited May 11, 2021 by JohnlMatrix

[Briste]

21 hours ago, Arcesius said:

I agree, the environments are beautiful.. The graphical elements of the game in general are exceptional. But the corridor-like structuring was so noticeable to me, I wasn't looking specifically for things to criticize. 

It bothered me from the start, but the first time I was really annoyed with the design was when I reached Chapter 8 and spent 20 minutes going in a freaking straight line from the church to the slums... Like, seriously?  

It's funny...I didn't really mind how linear it was. Midgar was pretty linear in the original so I was expecting it to be somewhat linear. I get what you're saying with the maps truly being like a narrow hallway in places...but I really didn't mind much. I've played so many open world games lately where I feel like I have to scour ever inch of the map to find collectibles and make sure I didn't miss something, that I didn't really mind just following the path and soaking in the story/scenery.

 

I also mostly liked what they did with the story. The added depth was really cool and even the slight changes I was fine with. It's hard to judge until we get the full product. I could see it going very poorly or quite good. I also enjoyed the 'Easter Egg' moments and much preferred this Barret to the original as well. I thought the voice acting was quite good. I mean I'll admit I played this with rose colored glasses on lol

 

I think I enjoyed the combat much more than you. Did you switch around much or just stay on one character? The reason I liked the combat was that the way I played made it feel very much like a turn-based game yet with action elements. I know it's an ancient relic at this point, but I miss that turn-based style a bit and was hoping it'd be possible in the remake. I believe it was turn based on the easiest setting, but I never tried that mode. I made the normal and hard settings feel turn-based by pretty much switching characters every 5-10 seconds as their gauge filled up. i didn't play that way at first and pretty much stuck with Cloud and mashed the attack button...but once I started rotating characters, I had a lot more fun with it and also wooped ass much more.

 

I'll be playing the DLC when it comes out and will also pre-buy round 2 lol I'm totally wearing my fanboy hat with this game.

[Arcesius]

On 11.5.2021 at 10:18 AM, Dzware said:

Nice progress man! I actually really thought you were gonna run through this game in no time, seeing as how quickly you finished the individual level speedruns. But looks like the difficulty managed to get you too

 

Haha yeah, well... The difficulty AND the time I have available to play. I started this game when I was sick and bedridden, and had time to do 3-4 Time Attacks each day... Meanwhile I'm back to my regular self and well... usually only get one attempt per day at a full-game speedrun... sometimes two or three... 

 

 

Quote

I think when I go back, I'll try the dpad again, as it's what I actually prefer, and I've seen videos of people using that, so it definitely is possible. So yea, maybe not a super helpful answer, but just know it's something I was struggling with as well

 

I mean, many of the platinum achievers have used the D-Pad, so it is definitely doable with it. But they also complain about their thumbs hurting after playing for a while  I think If I had to start all over again, I would still do everything again with the Stick. Sure, it seems to be a bit unprecise at times, but especially for the fulll-game speedruns you can "take your time" (by that I mean you don't need to yolo all skips), so whenever I find a spot where I find myself struggling to be precise, I simply skip a cycle if needed and make sure to not die (huh, easy, right? Pro-tip right there )

 

 

I hope you actually do go back to this game! But who am I to tell you that... I keep telling myself that I'll get Aria done, but havent played that game in months ? 

 

 

23 hours ago, JohnlMatrix said:

Congratulations. Another step towards the plat :-).

 

Thanks!  

 

Quote

For me, it depends on the game. In SMB, SMBF, Trials Fusion/Rising I play with the D-Pad. I do this simply because I feel like that way I have more control over my character and the movement is more precise.

In games like Trackmania Turbo and Splasher I use the Stick. Don't ask me why xD. It just feels more natural and better overall. In the case of Splasher it is probably due to the required diagonal button presses which could be a bit tricky with the D-Pad.

 

What? You did Trials with the D-Pad? How the hell can you even Bunny-Hop with it? ? Damn... And personally I did Trackmania Turbo with the D-Pad... If anything, it shows that both are viable options alright! 

 

 

Quote

I'd just like to mention: When doing the full game speedruns, forget about those cycle-skipping time savers. While they obviously can save you a lot of time, the can also heavily cost you if screwed up because they are at the end of a checkpoint. It's not worth it because you only save about 2 seconds. You save enough time overall if you scarcely die during a run and don't wait all the time for cycles. 

 

Yeah I started doing that with a couple of cycles that I had trouble with... Losing 2 seconds over potentially losing 20 seconds is a no-brainer. In any case, now that I'm on the 100% run, those cycles are often skiped automatically. That part in level 7, for example... since you need to go into the Quarantene-zone right before it, you are automatically off-sync anyways. 

 

 

Speaking of which... I completed my first 100% run yesterday in 92 minutes... I definitely have to practice at least the last 4-5 levels individually, since they are full of Splashers that I didn't have to get during the Standard run  They cost me a lot of deaths and a lot of time ?

 

 

 

4 hours ago, Briste said:

I also mostly liked what they did with the story. The added depth was really cool and even the slight changes I was fine with. It's hard to judge until we get the full product. I could see it going very poorly or quite good. I also enjoyed the 'Easter Egg' moments and much preferred this Barret to the original as well. I thought the voice acting was quite good. I mean I'll admit I played this with rose colored glasses on lol

 

Yeah but even without the rose colored glasses.... These aspects of the game are fantastic. I know of other players, for example @Koro249, that despite not having played a FF game before were blown away by the characters, the story and the world in general.  

 

 

Quote

I think I enjoyed the combat much more than you. Did you switch around much or just stay on one character? The reason I liked the combat was that the way I played made it feel very much like a turn-based game yet with action elements. I know it's an ancient relic at this point, but I miss that turn-based style a bit and was hoping it'd be possible in the remake. I believe it was turn based on the easiest setting, but I never tried that mode. I made the normal and hard settings feel turn-based by pretty much switching characters every 5-10 seconds as their gauge filled up. i didn't play that way at first and pretty much stuck with Cloud and mashed the attack button...but once I started rotating characters, I had a lot more fun with it and also wooped ass much more.

 

I.. did both. I did my first playthrough on Normal as well, and when I started playing I switched characters constantly, not only during boss fights but also against regular mobs. But... I quickly noticed that it simply was not necessary. Eventually I got bored, so I simply controlled one character and would sometimes give commands to the others ?

 

On Hard Mode it was pretty much the same story. There is no need to switch between characters against trash mobs, and so I rarely did. The VR missions and bosses are a different story though. You can completely break the AI by switching around, since most bosses just track the active character. This is extremely useful against for example Bahamuth. The poor guy just doesn't know what to do if you keep switching before he launches an attack ?

 

That also allowed me to not use a single MP agains The Arsenal on Hard. Just switch between Barret and Aerith, keep them separated, keep your distance, and simply control the one character that is not being targeted... Easy win. 

 

 

As for the easiest setting being turn-based.. it's not. If you play on Classic, you are playing on Easy but... the characters attack automatically ?? You can basically AFK fights, which is what I did for leveling up some Materia as preparation for the Ultimate Weapon challenge. Just put some VR-challenge on Classic difficulty and come back 3-4 minutes later. 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Arcesius

[det_gittes]

23 hours ago, JohnlMatrix said:

For me, it depends on the game. In SMB, SMBF, Trials Fusion/Rising I play with the D-Pad. I do this simply because I feel like that way I have more control over my character and the movement is more precise.

Did you do the backwheel stuff (Pipe Phobia, the backwheel skill game in Rising) with the D-Pad as well? Personally, I can't even imagine playing the D-Pad in these two games as there's so much nuance to how far you lean back / lean forward which is fairly easy to do with the stick, but I know it must be possible with the D-Pad if it's possible with a keyboard (and there are top tier PC players using the keyboard).

 

@Arcesius Ha, looks like we were asking the same question at the same time and you beat me to it ?

Edited May 12, 2021 by det_gittes

[JohnlMatrix]

41 minutes ago, Arcesius said:

Yeah I started doing that with a couple of cycles that I had trouble with... Losing 2 seconds over potentially losing 20 seconds is a no-brainer. In any case, now that I'm on the 100% run, those cycles are often skiped automatically. That part in level 7, for example... since you need to go into the Quarantene-zone right before it, you are automatically off-sync anyways. 

 

 

Speaking of which... I completed my first 100% run yesterday in 92 minutes... I definitely have to practice at least the last 4-5 levels individually, since they are full of Splashers that I didn't have to get during the Standard run  They cost me a lot of deaths and a lot of time ?

Congrats yet again, another step has been made :-).

If you're up for a tip: You have already mentioned it yourself but PRACTICE THE LAST LEVEL. I had a run in Gotta Catch'em All mode where I was well on pace only to screw up the plat medal by dying about 20 times in the last level. Got a little nervous plus hadn't completely memorized how to get each Splasher. When doing a practice run of the level, figure out what ink is best for each situation. There are Splashers that you would normally spray with water but it's way faster and just as consistent to use the yellow (bounce) ink. The golden drops shouldn't be a problem. You'll have enough if you don't avoid every enemy and don't neglect the golden trails on purpose.

 

41 minutes ago, Arcesius said:

What? You did Trials with the D-Pad? How the hell can you even Bunny-Hop with it? ? Damn... And personally I did Trackmania Turbo with the D-Pad... If anything, it shows that both are viable options alright!

Yep, I can bunny-hop with it just fine xD. I don't know why, started out using the d-pad. After some time switched it up for a couple of minutes and it didn't feel natural, probably because I was already used to the d-pad. So I just stuck with it and it worked pretty well.

 

38 minutes ago, det_gittes said:

Did you do the backwheel stuff (Pipe Phobia, the backwheel skill game in Rising) with the D-Pad as well? Personally, I can't even imagine playing the D-Pad in these two games as there's so much nuance to how far you lean back / lean forward which is fairly easy to do with the stick, but I know it must be possible with the D-Pad if it's possible with a keyboard (and there are top tier PC players using the keyboard).

Yes, I did both of these with the d-pad. Didn't have too much trouble with either of them. I get that when it comes to leaning precision the stick is far supperior. However it just worked for me although Pipe Phobia took me quite a few tries xD.

 

I wanted to mention it, but you beat me to it: I'm in awe of those people who rush through extremes and ninjas using a keyboard. It's probably the same like me using the d-pad, it just works. Looking at one of the best in the world, IBlubbiI, he's using a keyboard and is way up there in terms of Trials skill. Especially the fact that we are able to apply throttle control with R2 and keyboard users basically have to mash a button with the right timing just baffles my mind.

Edited May 12, 2021 by JohnlMatrix

[Briste]

On 5/11/2021 at 2:27 AM, Arcesius said:

So, there is one thing that I wanted to discuss here, since I wonder if I made the correct choice. Imagine yourself playing a game that requires precision.... Splasher, SMB, Trackmania Turbo, My Name is Mayo, etc... What do you choose: D-Pad or Stick? 

 

I keep forgetting to answer the most recent topic in my post and have to backtrack lol

 

I am for sure a D-Pad guy. I really don't like games that could benefit from having the D-Pad be used for movement force me into using the stick. For open world games, the stick is fine, but for anything 2-D that involves more precise movements...D-Pad. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with me playing with only a D-Pad option for the first 15 years or so I played games, but I also find I'm not as precise with the stick as well. Left, Right, Up, Down end up being slightly diagonal....which I guess would mean you can be more precise with the stick, but I'm definitely not lol.

 

Love that you've been adding videos to your reviews....they are really entertaining and make me realize how far away I am from being really good at video games lol

[Arcesius]

Alright, no time (or enough progress) for a proper update on Splasher... A short one should be possible, right? I was gone over the holidays and had no time to play ? I finished a run when I came back though and set a new PB at 75:22. 

 

With the platinum medal sitting at 73:40, I am pretty close! Especially since I have about one minute that I can save for "free" in a single level. Hopefully I can grab that last platinum medal soon, since I'll be again gone next weekend ?

 

Anyways.. let's review the last game in the queue, shall we? Short review for a short game. 

 

 

Rise & Shine

 

 

 

The Pitch

Being at the wrong place at the most inopurtune time, you become the new carrier of Shine, a talkative weapon and the only thing capable of saving Gamearth from being destroyed by... No spoilers here! 

 

 

 

 

The Best

Most aspects of Rise & Shine are pretty solid. The game itself is a mix of many genres, combining elements of 2D shooters, bullet-hell and puzzle platformers, and as such takes you on a pretty diverse journey. As you progress through the game, you get new types of bullets which are then either used to kill new types of enemies, or solve new types of puzzles. There is quite a bit of variety here, which is really nice and keeps the game fun ?

 

Now, gameplay is one thing... Usually the most important aspect, of course. But the elphant in the room, the center of attention, the first thing that catches your eye when you see anything related to this game.. is the unique aesthetics. 

 

The game - if comic-style is your thing - is gorgeous! Everything is hand-drawn, and there are multiple parallax scroll layers, no tiling, no repetition. It is incredibly well made, and it really makes the game stand out as a piece of art. ?

 

 

 

The Worst

Actually, I cannot think of anything related to the most important aspects (to me) of the game (graphics, music, gameplay, performance, etc...) that can be described as "bad". HOWEVER, there is one oversight by the developers that is - frankly speaking - stupid. 

 

After finishing a regular playthrough, you unlock Ironman Mode. As usual, if you die, your save is deleted immediately. We know how these modes work. 

 

Now... In Chapter 7, there is a story-related death. There is no way to avoid it. Can you guess what the oversight is? ? Exactly! The game just sees that you died, and it deletes your progress! Obviously you can keep playing the game as normal, but you lose all your upgrades (number of bullets / clip). That's.. pretty shit ?

 

Other than that... really, I cannot think of anything worth mentioning here. 

 

 

The Challenge

The game itself is relatively easy to finish, especially thanks to the plentyful checkpoints in each Chapter. So, even if you die, you don't lose a lot of progress. During the normal playthrough, that is. 

 

Achieving 100% in this game could have been pretty challenging due to having to complete the game on Ironman Mode. COULD have been challenging, but game auto-saves after each chapter, so save-scumming is possible.

Now, guides suggest that you cannot do this after Chapter 7 due to the aforementioned story-related death, as it deletes your progress and you cannot longer select "continue" when reloading your backed-up save. I was prepared to practice the shit out of this game but... it is misinformation. You can save-scum your way aaaaall the way to the end of the game ? (though you need to complete each chapter deathless.. there are no checkpoints). 

 

In this case, I actually didn't mind to find out that the game can be cheesed. It is a good game, and it was fun, but only because it was pretty short. I don't think I would have enjoyed to practice the game for hours and hours ?

Edited May 18, 2021 by Arcesius

[The Devils Reaper]

Hey, @Arcesius just dropping in to say, nice checklist man. Impressive stuff ?

 

It's crazy you added Crypt of The Necrodancer on a 100% profile as well. I hope you pull it off, best of luck!