Copanele's collection of trophies and experiences

[DrBloodmoney]

Hell of a write up man!

 

Awesome work - I'm only about 2/3rds of the way through (as you know ?!) but I reckon you and I are on a very similar page with a lot of this stuff - thoughts on Odin, Tir, Boss cheese and fucking Maven for sure, anyways!

 

You're absolutely right about how good the game looks too...

...though it's funny... I've been thinking about this, and - maybe I'm crazy - but I have this strange reaction to Ragnarok's visuals, where I can objectively see that it is potentially the most technically accomplished visuals I think I've played on the console - there's other contenders for sure, (I've not played HFW yet,) but surely any list of the top has got to now include Ragnarok - 

...but I'm not sure it ever really pops off the screen or stands out as much as it should, or as much as other games do for me, because as technically stunning as the visuals are, the actual art-design side of the game is not as interesting?

 

It's almost as if the fact that they went for a "realistic" take on Godly stuff, means that even though it is some of the most technically competent graphics, it never pops as "art" because... it looks like a "real" thing in a world... and we've kind of seen that all already in GoW2018. 

 

The designs are somehow too... pedestrian, even when they are otherworldly, for the increase in fidelity between 2018 and Ragnarok to really feel as impressive as they probably are.

Maybe they look too much like they all could be really made in a Lord of the Rings type movie, so it almost stops registering as interesting in a videogame environment?

 

Possible I'm just being weird, I don't know - I'm reading that back, and it feels like I'm not really articulating it perfectly... but I guess it's this:

 

 

[YaManSmevz]

Good shit as always, my dude! But damn... is Kratos like Batman in the first half of The Dark Knight Rises? Or maybe Nicky towards the end of Casino?

 

"The booze, the Coke, the broads... I mean he got sloppy, he just wasn't the same Kratos anymore."

 

I'm not as excited about this one now, but I am more excited to play 2018?

[Copanele]

1 hour ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Hell of a write up man!

 

Awesome work - I'm only about 2/3rds of the way through (as you know !) but I reckon you and I are on a very similar page with a lot of this stuff - thoughts on Odin, Tir, Boss cheese and fucking Maven for sure, anyways!

 

Hell yeah, can't wait to see your review for it  so far we pretty much had the same experience.

1 hour ago, DrBloodmoney said:

You're absolutely right about how good the game looks too...

...though it's funny... I've been thinking about this, and - maybe I'm crazy - but I have this strange reaction to Ragnarok's visuals, where I can objectively see that it is potentially the most technically accomplished visuals I think I've played on the console - there's other contenders for sure, (I've not played HFW yet,) but surely any list of the top has got to now include Ragnarok - 

...but I'm not sure it ever really pops off the screen or stands out as much as it should, or as much as other games do for me, because as technically stunning as the visuals are, the actual art-design side of the game is not as interesting?

 

It's almost as if the fact that they went for a "realistic" take on Godly stuff, means that even though it is some of the most technically competent graphics, it never pops as "art" because... it looks like a "real" thing in a world... and we've kind of seen that all already in GoW2018. 

 

The designs are somehow too... pedestrian, even when they are otherworldly, for the increase in fidelity between 2018 and Ragnarok to really feel as impressive as they probably are.

Maybe they look too much like they all could be really made in a Lord of the Rings type movie, so it almost stops registering as interesting in a videogame environment?

 

Possible I'm just being weird, I don't know - I'm reading that back, and it feels like I'm not really articulating it perfectly... but I guess it's this:

 

 

I have one thing to say : YES!!!

I actually forgot to cover this point. God of War looks like a technical masterpiece....but it only has the most beautiful foliage in videogames so far...they are beautiful but they do NOT pop off the screen. Honestly the biggest disappointment was Asgard...you bet I was expecting more. 

And I know, the cursed comparison but I can't help it...remember Liurnia of the Lakes with the damn Raya Lucaria academy in the background. That one image awestruck me more than anything in God of War Ragnarok  And that game does NOT look as good as GoW.

 

So no. You are not crazy, I can assure you ?

 

1 hour ago, YaManSmevz said:

Good shit as always, my dude! But damn... is Kratos like Batman in the first half of The Dark Knight Rises? Or maybe Nicky towards the end of Casino?

 

"The booze, the Coke, the broads... I mean he got sloppy, he just wasn't the same Kratos anymore."

 

I'm not as excited about this one now, but I am more excited to play 2018

Hmm , I'd say he's more like Madds Mikkelsen in Star Wars Rogue One after retiring from a life of space imperialism

 

God of War 2018 is another beast altogether I'd say  not as grand, but man is it FOCUSED. THAT God of War I love to bits. You'll definitely have a good time with it  

[Slava]

11 hours ago, Copanele said:

Problem 4 - That fucking Blue circle OH MY GOD SOMEBODY REMOVE THAT SHIT FROM THE GAME. At certain points in the fight, the enemies and bosses charge up an attack, shown by a blue circle. What you have to do is shield bash (L1, L1) in order to interrupt that charged attack. The problem? Bosses flying away from you then doing an AoE Blue Circle attack. You have no way to reach that boss and slam its face with your shield in time and that attack is unblockable so...you eat that attack and pray that you don't die.

 

Is there no other way to avoid it? If so, that does sound like a major gameplay flaw that can't be ignored.

 

11 hours ago, Copanele said:

THE BAD

• my could could the NPCs shut the fuck up while I AM TRYING TO SOLVE THIS PUZZLE BY MYSELF THANK YOU?

 

Bruh, I'd hate this.

 

I actually watched a video on this topic: https://youtu.be/cZgjRcYGkY8

 

It's sad that test audience reactions result in stuff like this. Especially when you can't turn off the hints. 

Edited November 26, 2022 by Slava

[Copanele]

 No. 203 - Arcana Heart 3 Love Max!!!!

 

Platinum Name - Threads of Fate Binds Us Together 

Hardest Trophy - Gold Arcana  get all Gold Medals in Trial Mode

 

Difficulty -  / 10

 

 

For some inexplicable reason (ok, a Platinum Project really), I decided to play the follow up to BlazbluexMy Little Idols x Jojo's Loli Adventure , Arcana Heart 3 Love Max a cute fighting game with cute schoolgirls who can conjure the power of anime, moe and eternal elemental devils with a flick and a wink.

I wrote my impressions about the original Arcana Heart 3 game here so I will spare you from the unnecessary details, since the game is virtually the same. The only thing different is that there were some mechanics added (that I completely forgot about) and the trophy list changed from difficulty based trophies (no more Lilica rollerblades shenanigans) to grind based trophies. And I truly mean GRIND to absurd levels, because you really have to play this game if you want the stupid gallery to 100% completion or to reach level 10. Thank god Turbo Controllers are a thing.

 

I want to say something extra that I forgot to mention in my first review - I love how absolutely bonkers the ideas were in these old anime games. Not only graphics wise, but mechanically also.

It might sound mad weird, but here's a perfect example that I want to show.

Consider this character, Elsa La Conti :

 

She is an immortal overly zealous Catholic nun that uses a cross as a tonfa weapon (excuse the anime side here  ) . Her combat is pretty up close and personal. 

Now what's interesting is her Critical Heart attack , basically her strongest move in the game. She flips a bullet, then you have to quickly input  + 2 attack buttons, in which case she pulls up a gun and shoots you with the power of Jesus Christ. Again, Anime, don't ask.

Why do I mention all this whackiness? Because Up /Down/Left/Right is basically how you do the sign of the cross in Christian religion  

Was it necessary? hell no, the input is stupid, nobody is doing that super in a serious match. IS IT MAD UNIQUE AND GIVES EVEN MORE PERSONALITY TO THE CHARACTER? Hell yeah!

 

That's why I love old anime fighting games. Thank you for coming to my Loli Ted Talk.

Ah yeah...game is good, but since it's on PS3, it's grindy as hell and it may cause uncomfortable discussions at your household, it's probably best if you buy it at a cheap price ? not sure if there's even physical copies anymore.

 

THE GOOD:

• Still them gurls
• Solid gameplay
• Detailed gallery

THE BAD:

• Grindy to a fault
• I have no idea what's the extra stuff compared to the original Arcana Heart 3

Recommendation  - Melty Blood Type Lumina  going through this right now and man it's a blast!

 

[Copanele]

27 minutes ago, Slava said:

 

Is there no other way to avoid it? If so, that does sound like a major gameplay flaw that can't be ignored.

There are ways with a specific build...a realm shift could slow down time and allow you to get close. But if you don't have that...you better pray to the Gods.

27 minutes ago, Slava said:

 

Bruh, I'd hate this.

 

I actually watched a video on this topic: https://youtu.be/cZgjRcYGkY8

 

It's sad that test audience reactions result in stuff like this. Especially when you can't turn off the hints. 

Yeah I saw that video too turning off the hints would have helped immensely. 

Like ok, maybe if I was stuck for 5 minutes with the same contraption then yeah a hint would have been ok. But most of the time I barely entered the room and Atreus/Mimir gave me the solution already. It really can ruin your fun..

[Shrooba]

Very nice look on Ragnarok! Oh boy, that Spartan Rage clip was something else, there was no damage going on there! I guess the term "Spartan Rage" actually alludes to the rage the player would feel in that moment! Very immersive, Santa Monica! For what it's worth, I did find it neat how they added different versions of it, prioritizing either risk-taking actions or healing... Or maybe I'm just dumb and forgot if that was a thing in the 2018 version.

Interesting how you mentioned story hiccups. This, for me, was actually my only problem with the game, specifically in one part.
I'll put this in a spoiler bracket of course.

Spoiler

For me, it felt odd how long the Ironwood section was. I mean, I did ENJOY it, but I'll put it like this. It felt odd that I spent a longer time (or at least a very comparable time) riding a yak, throwing pebbles across water, and picking fruit... than being Kratos in Asgard fighting during Ragnarok-- the namesake of the title. I also found it odd how this part builds up the tension with Angrboda and her grandmother, but we just destroy her cauldron and bugger off? No closure? I feel kinda bad for her. We never see if she'll change her ways after now being unable to steal souls from animals. What kind of person will she become? I think there was dialogue of how she does indirectly still look out for Angrboda, but THIS is something that I wish could be developed more, it'd really make Angrboda's character much more interesting. Since the ending is hinting towards an Atreus game, this would be a neat thing to go into, especially as the Giants come into more prevalence.

However, I did really like how they explained Jormungandr. I actually found that part pretty smart, especially since it's Angrboda and Loki's child in Norse lore.

But I did love the game! Fantastic all around and made me emotional at some points. Don't know how I'd score it yet, but I bloody loved it. As for that part I spoke about, I actually wanna know what you think of that section as well.

EDIT: It seems now the spoiler bracket just won't open at all... This seems to be a recurring glitch on these forums. If in any case you can't access it, lemme know.

Edited November 27, 2022 by Shrooba

[Boorish]

16 hours ago, Slava said:

Is there no other way to avoid it? If so, that does sound like a major gameplay flaw that can't be ignored.

Use Onslaught Shield. It's not every boss that back steps and do the blue circle attack. But that shield is either way the best multi-purpose shield. The double tap L1 attack gives you iframes on charging. The game is sort of expecting you to try different shields. You can optimize DPS based on attack patterns.

Edited November 26, 2022 by boorish_brute

[Honor_Hand]

17 hours ago, Copanele said:

 

Difficulty -  / 10

 

 

I gotta reckon that's a very accurate difficulty score right there. xxD

Great work on completing these two games back to back, Copanele. Fair to say you've been to both ends of the spectrum with these two games you played recently, and I'm glad you were able to have a blast with the Love Max!!!!! version of AH3. It's really one of those wacky anime-fighting games that come packing a lot of personality, charm, and uniqueness. It may not be the most balanced thing ever or the kind of game you would host a public tournament about, but damn, is it hella fun.

 

Plus the fan service, although not served in spades like other games out there, is very much welcomed by the true connoisseurs out there. 83 Gotta love those link animations too. They make the game feel so lively and fun. It may be old but it's still a treat to watch and a blast to play, period. I do reckon the grind is even worse in this one compared to the vanilla version, though. ^^;;

 

Quote

THE GOOD:

• Still them gurls
• Solid gameplay
• Detailed gallery

 

Yo, that gallery do be really detailed. x3

 

Quote

That's why I love old anime fighting games. Thank you for coming to my Loli Ted Talk.

 

Enjoyed coming to the Loli Ted Talk. Hope you have a blast with Melty Blood Type Lumina as well. =D

 

[Copanele]

4 hours ago, Shrooba said:

Very nice look on Ragnarok! Oh boy, that Spartan Rage clip was something else, there was no damage going on there! I guess the term "Spartan Rage" actually alludes to the rage the player would feel in that moment! Very immersive, Santa Monica! For what it's worth, I did find it neat how they added different versions of it, prioritizing either risk-taking actions or healing... Or maybe I'm just dumb and forgot if that was a thing in the 2018 version.

Interesting how you mentioned story hiccups. This, for me, was actually my only problem with the game, specifically in one part.
I'll put this in a spoiler bracket of course.

  Reveal hidden contents

For me, it felt odd how long the Ironwood section was. I mean, I did ENJOY it, but I'll put it like this. It felt odd that I spent a longer time (or at least a very comparable time) riding a yak, throwing pebbles across water, and picking fruit... than being Kratos in Asgard fighting during Ragnarok-- the namesake of the title. I also found it odd how this part builds up the tension with Angrboda and her grandmother, but we just destroy her cauldron and bugger off? No closure? I feel kinda bad for her. We never see if she'll change her ways after now being unable to steal souls from animals. What kind of person will she become? I think there was dialogue of how she does indirectly still look out for Angrboda, but THIS is something that I wish could be developed more, it'd really make Angrboda's character much more interesting. Since the ending is hinting towards an Atreus game, this would be a neat thing to go into, especially as the Giants come into more prevalence.

However, I did really like how they explained Jormungandr. I actually found that part pretty smart, especially since it's Angrboda and Loki's child in Norse lore.

But I did love the game! Fantastic all around and made me emotional at some points. Don't know how I'd score it yet, but I bloody loved it. As for that part I spoke about, I actually wanna know what you think of that section as well.

EDIT: It seems now the spoiler bracket just won't open at all... This seems to be a recurring glitch on these forums. If in any case you can't access it, lemme know.

Heyo ! Yeah please send me the spoiler in a PM and I will return with an answer  Because I am really curious.

Truth be told, this really doesn't feel like a game for everybody. Like, I did not like it, but I admit it's a very good game.

4 hours ago, boorish_brute said:

Use Onslaught Shield. It's not every boss that back steps and do the blue circle attack. But that shield is either way the best multi-purpose shield. The double tap L1 attack gives you iframes on charging. The game is sort of expecting you to try different shields. You can optimize DPS based on attack patterns.

Ok, this one is on me. I did not experiment with other shields (used the parry and the original fixed shield, with different ronds on them), maybe I should have diversified that shield combat. On this point I agree with you here  

 

2 hours ago, Honor_Hand said:

 

I gotta reckon that's a very accurate difficulty score right there. xxD

Great work on completing these two games back to back, Copanele. Fair to say you've been to both ends of the spectrum with these two games you played recently, and I'm glad you were able to have a blast with the Love Max!!!!! version of AH3. It's really one of those wacky anime-fighting games that come packing a lot of personality, charm, and uniqueness. It may not be the most balanced thing ever or the kind of game you would host a public tournament about, but damn, is it hella fun.

 

Oh yeah, the true difficulty is explaining to your significant other why a chinese android with massive badonkers is beating the shit out of a kid who draws ugly green monsters  

But damn, what a fun game this was!

(Also what a crazy boss Paracelsia is! )

2 hours ago, Honor_Hand said:

Plus the fan service, although not served in spades like other games out there, is very much welcomed by the true connoisseurs out there. 83 Gotta love those link animations too. They make the game feel so lively and fun. It may be old but it's still a treat to watch and a blast to play, period. I do reckon the grind is even worse in this one compared to the vanilla version, though. ^^;;

I gotta say, they really put work in those losing pose link animations ? 

But yeah, jokes aside...the grind was horrendous. Suffice to say, I am not stacking this game.

2 hours ago, Honor_Hand said:

 

Yo, that gallery do be really detailed. x3

 

 

Enjoyed coming to the Loli Ted Talk. Hope you have a blast with Melty Blood Type Lumina as well. =D

 

Heheh, I can already tell you, the blast is guaranteed, that game is pure style  

[Boorish]

47 minutes ago, Copanele said:

Ok, this one is on me. I did not experiment with other shields (used the parry and the original fixed shield, with different ronds on them), maybe I should have diversified that shield combat. On this point I agree with you here

I played on Give Me No Mercy so I expect your experience to be different. The flow of the game can be vastly different for different difficulty level. If you've been getting through encounters without having to experiment with your shields then that's on the difficulty. I do not like games which have sudden difficulty spikes and expects you to use hidden/bespoke mechanics. Tanking blue circle attacks on No Mercy difficulty was not really something I could get by. This was also partially due to me refusing to level up anything that took resources and was only using stuff I got from quests; I didn't want to miss any trophies during the end game. In hindsight I could have spent a lot of the shit I hoarded. I am also watching someone play this on Give Me God of War on Twitch and they've been deliberately applying status effects on enemies which is something I completely ignored. They also chain sick combos which looks so cool. Makes me want to play it again.

 

Either way I had so much fun the bosses in this game. They do the big monster fights so well. It's a great blend of spectacle and mechanics. As opposed to some games where you slash at the monster's feet for 5 mins before they die (you know which game I am taking about!) The only gripe I have about the combat system is that the stunning enemies from runic attacks is inconsistent. This sometimes is infuriating. Also encounters with wombo combo and projectile enemies at the same time. Atrocious.

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by boorish_brute

[Copanele]

12 minutes ago, boorish_brute said:

I played on Give Me No Mercy so I expect your experience to be different. The flow of the game can be vastly different for different difficulty level. If you've been getting through encounters without having to experiment with your shields then that's on the difficulty. I do not like games which have sudden difficulty spikes and expects you to use hidden/bespoke mechanics. Tanking blue circle attacks on No Mercy difficulty was not really something I could get by. This was also partially due to me refusing to level up anything that took resources and was only using stuff I got from quests; I didn't want to miss any trophies during the end game. In hindsight I could have spent a lot of the shit I hoarded. I am also watching someone play this on Give Me God of War on Twitch and they've been deliberately applying status effects on enemies which is something I completely ignored. They also chain sick combos which looks so cool. Makes me want to play it again.

 

Either way I had so much fun the bosses in this game. They do the big monster fights so well. It's a great blend of spectacle and mechanics. As opposed to some games where you slash at the monster's feet for 5 mins before they die (you know which game I am taking about!) The only gripe I have about the combat system is that the stunning enemies from runic attacks is inconsistent. This sometimes is infuriating. Also encounters with wombo combo and projectile enemies at the same time. Atrocious.

 

I think the bosses in this game are better gameplaywise, even though they are a bit less spectacular. Of course, some exceptions being the Maven boss and that stupid Gna fight which was inconsistent as hell (runic attacks, as you mentioned). However, this game did not make me feel like I want to invest too much time in learning the specifics of the combat like say, Devil May Cry 5 or... God of War 2018  I don't know what went wrong there but I really was "you know what, I will pick the Steibjorn armor and just wail at the enemies until they die". Had a build focused on stunning, Permafrost/Immolation increase rate and mad defense to the point where it went above the in-game bar and ONLY then I could deal with all the stupid combo stuff that the enemies spawned.

I will try to have a look at a GMGOW playthrough, just to see how this game actually looks like on ultimate punishment difficulty. 

[Boorish]

18 minutes ago, Copanele said:

Devil May Cry 5 or... God of War 2018

Wouldn't say GoW is a technical marvel (gameplay wise). It's just fun to play. It's more of a spiritual successor to traditional hack-and-slash game, modernizing it to better fit with a narrative driven game. DMC5 is probably just an extremely polished hack-and-slash game, from what I've seen.

Edited November 26, 2022 by boorish_brute

[Copanele]

16 hours ago, Shrooba said:

Interesting how you mentioned story hiccups. This, for me, was actually my only problem with the game, specifically in one part.
I'll put this in a spoiler bracket of course.

  Reveal hidden contents

For me, it felt odd how long the Ironwood section was. I mean, I did ENJOY it, but I'll put it like this. It felt odd that I spent a longer time (or at least a very comparable time) riding a yak, throwing pebbles across water, and picking fruit... than being Kratos in Asgard fighting during Ragnarok-- the namesake of the title. I also found it odd how this part builds up the tension with Angrboda and her grandmother, but we just destroy her cauldron and bugger off? No closure? I feel kinda bad for her. We never see if she'll change her ways after now being unable to steal souls from animals. What kind of person will she become? I think there was dialogue of how she does indirectly still look out for Angrboda, but THIS is something that I wish could be developed more, it'd really make Angrboda's character much more interesting. Since the ending is hinting towards an Atreus game, this would be a neat thing to go into, especially as the Giants come into more prevalence.

However, I did really like how they explained Jormungandr. I actually found that part pretty smart, especially since it's Angrboda and Loki's child in Norse lore.

EDIT: It seems now the spoiler bracket just won't open at all... This seems to be a recurring glitch on these forums. If in any case you can't access it, lemme know.

NOW i can see your spoiler tag and..can I be honest and say that I completely forgot about that game segment and boss fight? ? i mean it was an interesting story segment but man it was so forgettable for me, i don't know why. Probably because of the same reasons you mentioned.

Jormungandr explanation was pretty cool though, I will admit.

 

Damn it's annoying to write around story spoilers ?

[Copanele]

 No. 204 - Unpacking

 

Platinum Name: All Moved In 

Hardest Trophy: Tidy Whiteys  I legit had to restart the level because the underwear went bonkers  

Difficulty: 1/10

 

Platinum Every Genre event kinda forced me to go out of my comfort zone (muh fighting games  ) and try other stuff that I would normally never play. The non-fiction category was abit of a headache because most non-fiction games are either super grindy simulators or...NHL/NFL/NBA games. Among those options however there was this little game called Unpacking. Heard decent reviews about it, it was mad cheap and easy (without it being Shovelware) so there I went unpacking.

 

Unpacking is...exactly what the title says. The game follows a woman's life from childhood to adulthood, every level meaning a stage of her life. You first start small with her room, then moving to the dorm, followed by small apartments, big apartments, back to parents and in the end to a house of her own. The unpacking gets even more and more complex the further you advance in the game.

 

The gameplay is...let's say fun at first, but gets annoying later. First of all, the way I unpack shit in real life and the way the game expects me to unpack is not mixing at all. I had to move to a new permanent apartment this year so believe me when I say I am a master at packing AND unpacking. This game forces me to basically throw every shit on every counter I can find  

You can arrange them if you are patient enough but when you have to sort the 20th salt/pepper container, you kinda lose your patience. So in the later levels I went with "fuck them, i will put everything on the table, i will sort them later".

 

An example of a beautifully arranged room. Done by a pro, I would never have the patience to arrange like that  

 

My silly subjective rants aside, the game is actually interesting conceptually. It has a good logic (you can't put your frying pans on the floor you animal!) and it won't let you progress to the next level until you have put everything in its place. Sometimes you can find a random boot in the bathroom packages, so you do have to move it to the bedroom or hallway, depending on the level.

One actual small issue is that, the game having a pixel artstyle, it's quite tricky to figure out what happens or what some objects are.

 

This was most obvious when it comes to the story. Unpacking has quite the interesting and deep story....which I completely missed big time because I could not figure out what some crucial items actually were. Since the pixel art was a bit messy, I just shoved shit into the drawers until it worked.

Spoiler

The story actually shows that the girl went to university and at some point she moved in with her boyfriend, to which she broke up afterwards and had to go back to her parents' house. This was underlined by her various items depicting the breakup such as having to hide a picture with her and her ex in a drawer.

My lizard brain understood that she had a nice job then she got fired and had to go back to the suburbs to her parents cause her ass was broke.

This once again proves that I will always miss the point of story based games.

After reading the actual story online, I was "damn, ok, good one developers!" and I got a bit more of an appreciation for the game.

 

In the end...this is a zen game where you unpack stuff. Or at least it is supposed to be zen, I got more frustrated because of my unpacking rules  But even with that, I actually recommend this game. If you find it at a discount, even better.

One thing is accurate...every time you move you realize that you hoard way too much shit in your life  because 1 out of 4 boxes is filled with unnecessary stuff that you can't bring yourself to throw away.

 

THE GOOD:

• it can be actually relaxing
• pixel artstyle looks pretty decent
• has a good story (if you get the point, that is)
• You get a trophy for putting an electric device in the bathtub. Perfect simulation of real life unpacking, when you are sick of all those stupid items.

THE BAD:

• The details on items can be very fuzzy
• Sometimes the items placement doesn't make much sense
• If you are not a fan of unpacking stuff, this might not be for you

Recommendation - Catlateral Damage  so picture this, after you unpacked and sorted out everything...a cat comes in and tips everything over and makes a mess out of the house. Well, you can play as that cat  

It's the only thing that came to mind right now.

[Grotz99]

Glad someone had an honest review of the GoW, I'll be waiting on it for a bit. I actually don't remember a ton from the last GoW, but I remember vividly the abuse he inflicted on Harpies for some reason in 3. Those parts where you stabbed them to make them fly you somewhere...oof

[AJ_Radio]

It's been a while since I read this thread. Pretty good write ups of your last few platinums. Good to know you're still using the good ol PS3, well to be honest I appreciate everyone still playing on that console. So many classics and gems still worth playing on it.

[Copanele]

7 minutes ago, AJ_Radio said:

It's been a while since I read this thread. Pretty good write ups of your last few platinums. Good to know you're still using the good ol PS3, well to be honest I appreciate everyone still playing on that console. So many classics and gems still worth playing on it.

Thanks! Poor PS3 has been abused nonstop lately  and I sure hope it will hold up, because I have more PS3 games lined up for next year.

There's some games that I can't get my hands on unfortunately (X-Blades for instance) so I had to go for a PS Premium subscription. Streaming kinda sucks but eh...

[AJ_Radio]

2 hours ago, Copanele said:

Thanks! Poor PS3 has been abused nonstop lately  and I sure hope it will hold up, because I have more PS3 games lined up for next year.

There's some games that I can't get my hands on unfortunately (X-Blades for instance) so I had to go for a PS Premium subscription. Streaming kinda sucks but eh...

 

The big issue is PS3 is now in the realm of "legacy", meaning it's in the same camp as PS2, PS1, Nintendo 64, Super Nintendo, etc etc etc. What used to be cheap games a decade ago in 2012 are now 'pay me $30 PLUS 10 - 15 for shipping'.

 

Lollipop Chainsaw is fucking atrocious in terms of price. Some other games like Shadows of the Damned, Bionic Commando, The Saboteur that are beginning to rise in price. The shit I played in my college days is now pay me an arm and maybe you'll get a physical copy used.

[Infected Elite]

disregard prev message

Edited December 5, 2022 by Infected Elite
respect Copanele

[Copanele]

solved.

Edited December 5, 2022 by Copanele

[Infected Elite]

1 minute ago, Copanele said:

I would prefer if you two keep your vendetta outside my checklist, thanks

not a problem mate.

Also, in KOF XV, i swear, Vanessa is solid! Her and Leona are sick af. 

[Copanele]

 No. 205 - Cult of the Lamb

 

Platinum Name: Godhood 

Hardest Trophy: Master of Chance  defeat all enemies in Knucklebones

Difficulty: 3/10

 

This roguelike/roguelite genre never ceases to amaze me  I started with the eternally charming Hades, a wonderful take on the Olympian legends (with some button mashing), then I have been captured by the Mesoamerican civilization with Curse of the Dead Gods, a game that toned down the storytelling and severely amped up the gameplay aspect. I absolutely loved both games, especially because of their artstyle. I really wondered what wacky game will come up next in this genre?

 

Well, I sure wasn't expecting to play something like Cult of the Lamb, another roguelike game with a wild twist - you are the last lamb on earth, sent to the slaughter by the 4 resident gods in order to prevent the resurrection of a 5th god. The moment the executioner's axe lands on you, the imprisoned 5th god saves you, grants you his magical crown and asks you to start a cult and defeat the other 4 lords in his name. Since you have no other saying in the matter, you comply and begin your adventure. A very simple premise done extremely right.

 

From the screenshot above you can tell that the artstyle is on point. The lamb and the characters are especially drawn in a cutesy way, just to emulate that disturbing "Happy Tree Friends" feeling, where an innocent lamb with a cute smile can shank one adorable giraffe in seconds. The cuteness only applies to the lamb and your base however, since the dungeons that you will traverse are home to some of the most grotesque monsters out there. The bosses are especially disturbing, resembling Eldritch horrors most of the time.

 

Never trust a happy lamb in the cover of the night

 

Throughout the game, you will have to do 2 main parts: Managing your cult and Going to crusades

 

Managing your cult is probably the part that will take the most time. Following the dogma "every god needs followers in order to remain a god", your main target is to convert various animals to your cause and manage them accordingly. Most of the NPCs are rescued from dungeons and they are transported to your base, where they await to be converted. Once converted, they can be assigned to various tasks like gathering resources, farming or most important praying. Having your followers pray is very important, since they generate the most critical resource of them all - faith (or whatever it's called). This "spiritual" currency is used to upgrade your base with more advanced buildings and technologies, which in turn will keep your followers happy and occupied.

So the classical religious circle is : pray -> build -> assign -> repeat. Kinda like Animal Crossing with Blood sacrifices  

 

Speaking of sacrifices, your followers have to be kept happy or else they will dissent and spread the false word of the anti-Lamb. For that, you have to take them to the church and bless their ears with Sermons and Rituals. A sermon is a quick faith boost where you will get some Lamb upgrade points (required for abilities) while rituals are special ceremonies where you get a significant boost. However, you must be very careful what type of ritual you do, some followers will not like it too much if you sacrifice one of their kind to the mighty Tentacle Monster. 

Considering that you also have to find various hidden merchants and minigames AND side-quests, expect to spend most of your playthrough in management mode. Which was quite addictive to be honest, the managing aspect of this game is quite well done.

 

You can even awaken your inner Gordon Ramsay for your followers!

 

Crusading is very simple in comparison. You select one of the 4 dungeons (you unlock a dungeon by collecting enough followers and praying to a huge altar), you select one weapon and one spell at the start of the dungeon and off you go trying to slay the gods and their cohorts. In each random rooms you get various boosts via "Tarot Cards" which will either improve your life, your damage or your item drop rate.

To be honest...the combat part was the dullest of the two. I couldn't wait to be done with the combat slog just so I can restructure my followers and give new sermons to them. 

Unfortunately, the combat also has some small issues. Usually the game randomly decides to aim to a far away opponent, which means you will mistime your rolls or attacks. Also the enemies have the bad habit to usually ignore your attacks and dodges and simply hit you. 

Still, despite not being as great as the management system, the combat can be entertaining as well, once you get some good Tarot cards and get the flow of the game.

 

The Lamb vs the Plagues of Egypt...or just a very ugly frog

 

I had a lot of fun with this game, however I have to mention that the game is buggy as hell still. Enemies get stuck in the background, the lamb itself gets stuck into his followers, followers can glitch in the buildings...the game is far from a stable state. Nothing game breaking, I have heard that the previous versions had the platinum unobtainable, however these bugs are still annoying, especially when a good crusade run is ruined by a glitched enemy. The saving system is also hit and miss, so you might have the displeasure of realizing that the game forgot to autosave 15-20 minutes ago.

 

Still, I can't deny that this game is mad addictive. You will always be in search for resources and trying to please (or kill) your followers  it's only because of the bugs that I have to say you should probably wait for a discount for this game....or a patch.

Otherwise, great game  I see why it was nominated for Indie of the year!

 

The good:

• the most adorable murderous lamb ever
• the artstyle itself is great
• Managing your cult is addictive

The bad:

• Wish the combat was abit more fleshed out
• Lots and lots of bugs

 

Recommendation - Hades  Yes yes, I mean the Supergiant game  Curse of the Dead Gods is also a good option!

Edited December 24, 2023 by Copanele

[Honor_Hand]

Excellent review. I have heard of Cult of the Lamb before, so it was nice learning what this small indie game is all about.

 

I gotta say, I need to try some of those roguelikes/roguelites one of these days. I am not particularly thrilled by their RNG stuff but I continue to hear many people having fun with them and whatnot. Cult of the Lamb here sounds like it focuses more on scratching that itch of micromanaging that we know and love from strategy games. Now, pretty sure the gameplay is entirely different here, but it's nice to hear the devs were able to add so much depth to the part of managing your cult.

 

Shame that the game is in a somewhat buggy state. I think I remember hearing about the platinum being unobtainable upon release, so it's nice to see the devs working on polishing and fixing their game up, at least. ^^

 

Quote

Kinda like Animal Crossing with Blood sacrifices  

 

Accurate but not sure if I'd want to spectate such a scene, lmao. xxD

 

Quote

to the mighty Tentacle Monster

 

Oooooh, I've seen plenty of hentai to know about the mightiness of this monster. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

[Copanele]

10 minutes ago, Honor_Hand said:

Excellent review. I have heard of Cult of the Lamb before, so it was nice learning what this small indie game is all about.

 

I gotta say, I need to try some of those roguelikes/roguelites one of these days. I am not particularly thrilled by their RNG stuff but I continue to hear many people having fun with them and whatnot. Cult of the Lamb here sounds like it focuses more on scratching that itch of micromanaging that we know and love from strategy games. Now, pretty sure the gameplay is entirely different here, but it's nice to hear the devs were able to add so much depth to the part of managing your cult.

 

Shame that the game is in a somewhat buggy state. I think I remember hearing about the platinum being unobtainable upon release, so it's nice to see the devs working on polishing and fixing their game up, at least. ^^

It really did awaken some long forgotten skills. I really forgot how fun strategy/sim games could be, where you spend hours trying to get the game's most efficient  economy/sacrificial pool in this case.

 

The devs do apply patch after patch, so I am glad they are fixing this, the game deserves it.

10 minutes ago, Honor_Hand said:

 

Accurate but not sure if I'd want to spectate such a scene, lmao. xxD

Oh it's not that bad :> just a conversion, a dance around the fire, a meal with your friends, a knife in the back. All in a Sunday's work!

10 minutes ago, Honor_Hand said:

 

Oooooh, I've seen plenty of hentai to know about the mightiness of this monster. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

You could say that the followers are in a better place now ?