School of Attrition: Fire Emblem Three Houses Review

Hello all!

Well well well… we meet again! Its been a while since we last had a review, and here it is! I want to get out these reviews while they’re still fresh in my mind, my thoughts on them more apparent than having to remember from months and months ago. So, here it is! The last game that I have “completed”! Why is it in quotation marks? We’ll talk about that later…

Fire Emblem, for those that are not familiar, was saved by Awakening so many years ago. Fates came out not too long afterward, and while it was a decent game, it was by no means revolutionary. Fates was the last new FE game until Fire Emblem Three Houses (this game) came out. In between the two was the remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden, under the name Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. Here, the franchise was experimenting with some new features as well as a unique art style that I quite like – a softer, almost storybook-esque feel to it. That was two years ago – and before that, Fates came out in 2015. So, its been a hot minute since another in the series has come out, let alone an original.

The official worldwide release date was July 26, 2019, exclusive to the Nintendo Switch. While I had bought the Switch on release, hearing of this game in the works only made me more satisfied that the system was a worthwhile purchase. Ah, all the good games! If you don’t have one yet, I wholeheartedly recommend it. Truly!

Back to the game, however~

As soon as the release date was announced, I went ahead and pre-ordered the game. And, mind you, not just the game; the limited edition version, because I am a sucker for those. Oof, is all I must say. It was a solid $100 plus tax, but was well worth it, considering how much I enjoyed the game (especially my bois!). Included, was:

• An awesome embossed box that looked sweet
• Art book that included concept/character art
• CD selection with more than 30 songs (this is really what gets me… hahaha! The art too, of course~)
• 2020 Desktop Calendar (although, it does include some of 2019)
• Steel book game case
• Of course, the game cartridge (not with different artwork, like the special 3-pack that was Fire Emblem: Fates)

It was a solid game, through and through. I’m glad that the dev team put so much time and effort into making such a vast, intriguing world – satiating all my sweet spots for inter-clan rivalry, political intrigue, and much, much more. Whew. It was almost too much! Just goes to show how realistic it is.

Summary.

When you first boot up the game, you are greeted with the title screen: the name of the game, and an empty throne. It doesn’t take long for a cutscene to play: you’re on a battlefield, watching as two armies go at each other. Two people, a woman and a battle-scared man, face off – it is not a pleasant battle, but one filled with unbridled rage.

The scene fades, and you see a small girl with long, green hair sprawled upon a throne. You are given a choice: male or female, your name, and your birthdate. They don’t mean much; choosing which gender you are, however, allows you to romance certain characters the other may not have access to. After a short conversation, so begins your journey into the continent of Fódlan…

The player character is a mercenary by trade, same as their father, Jeralt. By happenstance, you end up saving the future leaders of each faction from bandits: Edelgard from the Adrestian Empire, Dimitri from the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, and my favorite, Claude from the Leicester Alliance. In the middle of all the territories is a “neutral ground” called Garreg Mach Monastery, home of the Church of Seiros. A quick history lesson: before the formation of the four factions, there was a war between Seiros and Nemesis, the “Founder King”. The Empire rose to power around that time. Further down the line, the Kingdom broke away and formed its own territory. The Alliance did the same, separating itself from both ruling powers – all while the Church of Seiros is keeping the peace among the different factions. As part of their peace-keeping repertoire, they have an army solely focused on weeding out instigators of rebellion and heathenism: the Knights of Seiros. Is that peaceful? Well, who am I to say, if I don’t want to see the next morning…

Surprise! Jeralt happens to be an ex-member of the Knights of Seiros, and is forced to rejoin. You tag along, hired on as an under-qualified professor to teach the kiddos. Just goes to show you that qualifications aren’t everything, yeah? It’s more about knowledge, who you know, and whether you have the resolve to attempt the position. Same goes for those fledgling leaders, and their classmates!

As the new Professor, your job is to make sure your students git gud, becoming effective in battle – and, well, get along with the other students. Split into three different houses (of which you get to choose which one to ally with), are: Golden Deer, run by Claude; Blue Lions, run by Dimitri; and Black Eagles, run by Edelgard. Yellow, Blue, and Red respectively, if you’re choosing for color. You should not. Always choose Claude’s House. Fear the deer! However, some students will have a leg up compared to others, based on their bloodline. Crests are a source of power and sign of nobility in Fódlan, and not every student has one (though some have two! At a cost, however…). These affect certain skills, and trigger during battles for added damage and increased hit rate, among other effects. In addition, those that bear a crest can wield Hero’s Relics, powerful artifacts from old.

Time has passed since the founding of the Church (almost 1000 years), with the time being relatively peaceful. No major inter-faction wars, which is quite the feat. Going off of real-world history, the longest time period where a country has not been fighting with another was Korea (unified at the time) for 500 years. Yes, 500 years. Twice. Two different dynasties for each segment, but yeah. Coolio, am I right? So, for a single “ruling” faction to hold mostly complete power for that long is crazy.

What I am trying to say, you ask? Hehehe~ Well, it’s about time for some war!

It’s not long before there are rumors of conspiracy, and an actual plot to overthrow the Church is found. Centered around – you guessed it – a Hero Relic: The Sword of the Creator, said to be the strongest among the Relics. Sent to defend the item from theft, your students are witness to a horrifying sight: the thief, upon laying a hand on the relic turns into a ferocious beast – a demonic beast, as named in the game. Students as well as yourself, are filled with curiosity – perhaps driven by a need – to find out the truth. What are, then, the true natures of Crests and the Hero Relics? A cookie crumb trail leads to this revelation of a question, this mission the cherry on top.

War is on the horizon, and you must choose who to ally yourself with. This is locked based on which house you chose to teach – however, in one specific route, there are actually two routes. I will not spoil it so you may experience it for yourself, but know it exists: four routes total, not three as was initially believed. Each ending is quite different, the future of the continent beneath your heel. There will be death, and sacrifice – what is war without those aspects, after all? However, you are building a path into the future. Time will eventually share its secrets.

As a side note, I played the Golden Deer route, but have watched my brothers play through parts of the others. I know what happens in all the routes. In order to get this review out to you as fast as possible I only decided to play one, and not all (like I did for FE: Fates). By playing Golden Deer first (and watching/looking up the others), I can say this:

Golden Deer leaves very few questions unanswered. Due in part by the nature of Claude (a truth-seeker with insatiable curiosity and incredible drive), we learn about everything – the secrets in the Church and the other factions, and the true enemy pulling the strings on this puppet show of war. There are some parts that don’t have much of an explanation, which the other routes go more in-depth in their answers. It’s their specialty, after all. Golden Deer just managed to touch on every one – including outside of Fódlan, as well. If you think about it, it makes sense: Golden Deer is formed from the Alliance. You have students that come from all over, and with that many smaller groups of people making up your House, there is a need to not just look at the bigger picture, but all the small pieces that form it. Different groups have different cultures. To be able to get along with so many people takes work, and takes knowing about each place, each culture, whereas the other main factions only have themselves. Golden Deer has a hand in everything, so we must eventually know everything. After all, Fódlan isn’t the center of everything in their universe. Well, according to some, that is… think Galileo and his space research, yeah?

It was satisfying, to say the least. The flavor of the route, I found, was most delicious – nailing everything I look for in games such as this, much better than Fates or, dare I say, Awakening? Naw, Awakening was good. I do believe that Three Houses has more lore involved, though, which I enjoy. It was a good, engaging story – I wanted to know how things played out. I wanted my motley gang of students-grown-up and allies to overcome their setbacks, and create a better world. In the beginning, Fódlan had a lot of red flags. But, after the Golden Deer’s ending (the one with the best outcome, I believe), Fódlan became a better place for everyone.

Gameplay.

Fire Emblem Three Houses is a tactical role-playing game (or, a strategy game, plain and simple). For ease of delivery (and for your eyes), I will be splitting the Gameplay section into two: Monastery, and Battle. Each one functions separately – an all-new feature with this game, actually! We’ll get into the meaty bits in Monastary, however~

Near the beginning of the game, you are asked to choose which House to teach. Gameplay does not differ in the routes, so choose whoever you feel is most aligned with your interests, or whichever has more of your favorite characters. What it does effect, however, is which ending you’ll get and which students you get off the bat (as well as who lives and who dies, to an extent). Try not to stress the choice too much. And while I do think Golden Deer is the best, the others were still satisfying and interesting in their own way. All routes were masterfully done, in my opinion – believable, dynamic, and engrossing. I just don’t agree with how some characters chose to do things, which is okay. It’s good, in fact. People all have varying opinions, so having that in a video game is awesome. I enjoy looking at the various ways in which a situation can be addressed, and discussing them, even if I don’t agree 100%. I can still say, yeah, I understand why they did what they did. And that’s what happens with each route. I really enjoyed the game because of this! Well, enough of me blabbering about myself~

Monastery

The first of the two types of gameplay is exploring, or being a part of, the Monastery. This portion occurs between the monthly story battles, as a kind of respite from the fierce conflict. As a professor, you teach the students a wide variety of topics (off screen, as it’s alluded to). The only education you actually participate in is assigning goals to your students and teaching them. For those not familiar with the Fire Emblem series, they’re separated into skills: Flying, Sword, Bow, Reason (Dark Magic), Faith (Light Magic), etc. There are a dizzying amount of skills to learn. Your job is to parse those down to a select few, so that your students can focus and achieve certain grades. Those grades are the requirements for classes, such as Assassin, Fortress Knight, Wyvern Rider, etc. Your students need to pass an exam (oh, the horror!) in order to change their classes to the one you (or, sometimes they), choose. Note that their level needs to be high enough, as well. You can attempt to take an exam when their grades don’t meet the requirements, but know that your student has a chance of failing. Those seals cost money, dammit! It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Often after a week of classes, your students will step forward with questions, and occasionally to ask to change their goals as well (you can choose to accept the change or not). If you give a satisfactory answer, your Professor Level will rise significantly. What is your Professor Level? Essentially, it gives you access to more activity points while roaming the Monastery, more time for free battles, and allows you to teach more kiddos one-on-one. There are more ways (and vastly more reliable and efficient) to raise your Professor Level, which leads me to…

Exploring the Monastery! This is an all new feature, a first in the Fire Emblem series. A precursor in Fates allowed you to look like you were there – along with your allies – by pressing a button. However, you could not move around as your character model, and as it was on the 3DS, it was quite pixelized (I’m sorry, my sweet handheld, I still love you!). Three Houses looks gorgeous, in my opinion. So, you can walk around – and talk – to every student, and a variety of important NPCs. The most important is, of course, the Gatekeeper. He’s a good boi, through and through. Some may offer quests, which you should try and fulfill. Some give beneficial items, others raise your renown – and, well, some are story, so you have to do them.

By walking around, you can participate in a variety of activities, which use those Activity Points I mentioned before. Every month is a new Tournament (for swords, lances, etc.), which, if won, have prizes and increase your Professor Level. Gardening is also a worthwhile endeavor, allowing you to grow fruits and veggies as well as herbs (that permanently increase stats), and flowers that make great gifts. It will also increase your Professor Level.

However, by far the most efficient way is by… Fishing! Yes, it’s not a JRPG without a fishing mini game, am I right? Well, it’s a fairly straightforward one – hit the button within the certain circle, and you’re golden. However, you need bait, which is limited. To get the best mileage for your Professor Level, stockpile the bait until there is a special fishing day in which you can pull up multiple fish per bait. This increases the EXP gained. In addition, wait until you get a Red fish silhouette or gold. You have three chances before the bait is eaten, so no matter what, get the fish on try #3. Some experience is better than none! It has a pattern to it, so it may take a while to get down, but it’s worth it! Maximize those gains!

Aside from your Professor Level, as you walk around the Monastery you have the option to talk to your students, fellow teachers, as well as the folk that come to visit or do business. These refresh at the turn of every month, so make sure to talk to everyone you can. It can lead to some interesting conversations, as well as immerse yourself further into the world of Fire Emblem Three Houses. As you talk to important characters, you are given multiple options (some not unlocked until later), such as giving them back lost items (yes, it’s annoying, but get those affinity points!), giving them a gift, recruiting them (if they’re from a different house), and finally, inviting them to tea. Inviting them to tea uses up an activity point, however, so spend it wisely. Gifts are, actually, some of the best ways to raise those supports and get students to join your house. They can be expensive (and each one can only be bought once per month!), but they are well worth the investment. As a last note, at the end of the game, you can choose who your unit (and only your unit), can marry, or S-Rank. No shipping lords this time, friends!

In addition, once every time you choose to explore the Monastery you can choose two other people to join you in Choir Practice. This raises your affinity with those chosen, their motivation, and faith. It’s a great way to get some extra EXP for those that require it! Eating food, as well, is a great way to raise affinity and motivation (this being essential for them to get as much out of your lessons as possible). You get to have one meal each time for free, but after that, you need to have the ingredients required for a dish. So, yes, you can eat as much food as you want no consequences. Other people… not so much. Both activities use Activity Points.

Whew. Still with me?

I know it’s a lot, but the game does a decent job of introducing each segment slowly, so you can become familiar with them before moving on to the next lesson (hah! Get it? No? I’ll walk myself out…). It can be, however, a pain to go around and do everything every time. In that respect, I lost some motivation playing the game in the first half (guess no one wanted to have a meal with me…). However, my early efforts paid off, and I was able to go through pretty fast in the second half of the game when the story started gaining speed.

Battle

Finally to the second part! Most of all Fire Emblem games consisted of this, and only this. There were no places you could walk around, or hang around (with the small exception of Fire Emblem: Fates, which was a kind of prototype to this game’s Monastery). It was all going from fight to fight to fight. It was up to you, however, to choose between going on in the story or choosing a Paralogue, which is a side story. Sometimes, there are “Free Battles”, or encounters that have no impact on story. This game also has all three, like many of the others.

The battles are turn-based. For those not familiar, think to board games like chess: either it’s your turn, or it’s your opponent’s turn. Unlike chess, however, each unit (person) can move once per turn (some twice, but that’s got to do with which class and which skills they have). But, so can your enemies. You can only have so many units on the field, so it’s under your best interest to choose which units will be most helpful. Or, to hell with it, choose your favorites.

Why? The game has two modes: Casual, or Classic. Before Fire Emblem: Awakening, all games were “Classic”. That is, perma-death is active: if a character dies, they die. There’s no coming back. With Awakening, however, they introduced a new mode for new or inexperienced players, being “Casual”. Your characters, if they were to die, would be dead for the battle. However, at the start of a new battle, they’d be alive and well. Not everyone wants to play with high stakes! You’re given a choice at the beginning of the game between the two. Choose whichever floats your boat! While I have played Classic before, I felt much more relaxed (we have enough stress in our lives, right?) playing Casual, so that’s what I tend to go with. Also because I love all my characters and they all deserve to live. Yes, even you, Lorenz, and you too, Ferdinad. I can hear the memes now!

Your players are placed upon a grid-clad battlefield, much like our chess example from earlier. Each unit can only move so much, which is shown with the blue squares. On the outside of those are the red squares, or the furthest your attacks will reach (you cannot move there). With a click of a button, you can see where your enemies can reach, too – displayed in purple. You can click on certain enemies, which will be in red. So, if you want to bait one enemy but not the other, this makes it nice and easy to plan. Well, do strategy. Mmm. I do love me some strategy. Well, most games have elements of strategy in them. Fire Emblem just makes it a central mechanic.

Each enemy has its weaknesses. Flying mounts are weak to archers, heavy armor units are weak to magic, the list goes on. Always be aware of those, and choose your units accordingly. It’s always the worse when you don’t plan (or forget), and you end up losing some of your best people to a simple error in execution. Some weapons, as well, have bonus effects – the Beast Killer, for example, deals more damage to cavalry (flying included) and Demonic Beasts. Use those to your advantage, too.

Speaking of weapons, here’s the downlow: no longer to mages have to have books of spells. They simply start out with a limited number of each spell per battle. That’s kind of cool, actually, and one less thing to worry about (sort of). For all the other folks, they need them some weapons. There are different grades (iron, steel, silver, etc.), which steadily deal higher damage but require a certain rank to be obtained before you can wield them. A silver sword, for example, requires the unit to have achieved a rank B in swordsmanship to wield it (goes back to teaching! It’s worth it!).

Weapons, as in previous games, have durability. Each attack (not each fight!) uses up one durability. The weaker the weapon, the more durability. It’s important to keep track on each person, so they’re not left in the dust. If a weapon breaks, damage and accuracy goes to the wayside. This leaves your unit vulnerable. Weapons can be repaired for a fee and some materials at the Blacksmith’s. If you don’t have the materials, you can always buy new weapons at the armory (along with shields, rings, etc. that can help raise stats).

When fighting, your unit can use a Combat Art (also new to the game), which, at the cost of more durability, grants the unit extra power or reach. You can’t go whilly-nilly with these for obvious reasons, but in a pinch, they are extremely helpful. You can mix and match these, as characters will generally learn a lot of them. Choose each one based on if you’ll use it, and how helpful it can be. Should even Combart Arts not be able to save you, and you really want to rewind, congratz! There’s a new feature (it was tested in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia) in which you can turn back time. Unique to your player character, it’s called Divine Pulse. You only have so many uses, so be careful. It’ll usually go back as far as you need to, but as more turns pass, you’ll gradually lose points in time to go back to.

New to this game (and boy, as you’ve read, there’s a lot of new stuff), are Battalions. These are soldiers that can follow any unit (as long as they have the required Authority grade, a new skill) into battle. They provide passive support that can level up (to lvl 5), as well as give the unit the ability to use a Gambit. Each Gambit depends on which kind of Battalion you have equipped. These can deal massive damage, and slow/weaken the enemy it’s used on. Some are poison, others heal an area – there’s a wide mix for everyone’s tastes, to use to their advantage! They’re particularly effective against massive creatures, like golums or demonic beasts.

Besides Story battles, if you choose to do something else than explore the Monastery on the Sunday of a week, you can partake in Paralogues (side stories featuring important characters, including your students), or Free Battles to grind some money and EXP. You can also rest, or participate in a Seminar from other teachers. These significantly raise the skills for everyone that attends, and is well worth it once in a while.

Graphics.

The Nintendo Switch is a powerful system. Truthfully, the Nintendo DS-3DS were, too. However, in an age of 1080p and above, there needed to be an upgrade. Whoo boy. Fire Emblem looks gorgeous on the Switch. Utilizing the Switch over the DS for the next Fire Emblem was the right decision. Never before have fans seen, and been able to interact, with characters that populate their game. All connection was made through the story – there were no chances outside of battle to get to know them. And, now, they’re in 3D! They look, and act, like people. No more static sprites! (Well, there are, but only during conversations, and most include the 3D model as well).

As you explore the Monastery, the attention to detail is incredible. Buildings are fully fleshed-out, and items that help create immersion (such as buckets for cleaning, benches, etc.), are placed well. The trees, grass, bushes, flowers – I could go on – all look highly detailed, and mesh with the overall art style of the game. Such aesthetics are what I’ve been dreaming of! Plus, there are a host of cats and dogs that populate the area. Ah, how I wanted to pet them! But no, you cannot! However, the devs heard our plea, and in an upcoming update we will soon be able to pet these critters. My life is now complete!

Going away from the Monastery and into the battles… I mentioned before how the maps are very well done. Each one, much like the Monastery, has a high attention to detail. While you are zoomed out, there isn’t much – in fact, in handheld mode, it looks almost similar to how the maps looked in Fire Emblem: Awakening as well as Fire Emblem: Fates. The true beauty is shown when you zoom down a little, and then some more – it looks beautiful, and almost like you’re exploring the Monastery! In fact, you can even see the soldiers that make up your battalion, if you equipped one on the particular unit you’re looking at. A plus side: you can even move your character in this mode, and watch as they approach and attack the enemy.

These graphics are a huge improvement over the models that were used in Fates, and as such, create more impact. They’re so much more believable: we can see their expression, see their body language. In that regard, we become more drawn to them. They seem more like us, and as such, we see them as people themselves. For this reason, in part, the story is much more effective than it would have been using similar graphics from the 3DS.

Ugh, I can go on and on. I’m a huge visual nerd, and love symbolism and meaning. I won’t get into that – it could be a whole post, let alone a series of posts! Know that the graphics are delicious. I only had a few times, due to the graphical load, that the game lagged. It was not too much of an issue, at least in my opinion.

Sound/Music.

Actually, I’ve been listening to the soundtrack as I write this. Once again, the Sound Designers have done their job magnificently. I fell in love with the soundtrack to Awakening and Shadows of Valentia, and this one is right up there – if not #1. I enjoyed the music for Fates, don’t get me wrong. It just wasn’t as impressionable as some of the others. While there are songs (particularly the early battle themes) that get repetitive after a while, the real treats are those played during special maps. Mm mm mm! There were several times I just stopped playing (Thank God for turn-based!) and listened to the music for a while. Seriously, if you have the time, take a listen yourselves. Its amazing. Up there with Nier Automata in quality. Up there, I say, because I don’t believe anything can beat Nier Automata’s sound design. It’s just too good!

While the music is lit, there’s something else that’s also incredibly enjoyable. The voices! Yes, Fire Emblem Three Houses is fully voiced. This is the first, ever, in the Fire Emblem series. Shadows of Valentia was mostly voiced, but still contained some parts without dialogue. As such, it was a real treat to listen to these voice actors. I went with English voices, and boy, was I happy. Each voice helped to bring the characters to life. You couldn’t help but get invested in who they were, why you needed to protect them, and who you needed to kill to make them happy. Oh, believe me, when most players keep a list! Fully voiced games require a lot of resources, and can sometimes have mixed results. It’s a gamble, for sure, much like anything in the video game industry – but it was one well taken.

Overall, the music was wonderful, and sounds – such as footsteps and clanging of swords – were believable. Each song fit the moment perfectly, and I could wish for nothing better on the music front. Now, another soundtrack to listen to for days straight until I get sick of it! The one true pain for us audiophiles, or for anyone who enjoys music, really.

Last Note.

I thoroughly enjoyed this game. There were some parts that I slugged through, mostly due to my own actions. You can blast through this game without micromanaging it – like I did – and it will still be fun, all the way through. The game itself even gives you an option to auto-teach, lifting a decent bit of weight off your shoulders. So, if you think you don’t want to handle so many aspects, don’t let that stop you. You don’t have to, if you don’t want to.

It has high replay-ability, at least until you achieve those four endings for most casual players. There is a (free) mode that increases the difficulty exponentially: Maddening. Be prepared for pain, and more pain. And also glory, should you triumph over the challenge. This game, especially in recent years, caters to both type of people. I’m relieved to know that they do, as it lets people who are busy still have a fun time playing it without all the added stress (if they so wish. Again, it’s up to the player!).

Players, if you enjoy games that place strategy at the front, you’ll enjoy this game. Your brain will get a good workout, and you’ll be rewarded with a real-world applicable plot, too. If you are a sucker for good stories – and hey, music and graphics too – yes, play the game. All four aspects are married together without a hitch, for the most part. There is some lag, especially when you try to enter the Sanctuary in the Monastery, but it’s minimal compared to how smoothly the rest of the game runs.

Do you like laid back, relaxing games similar to Animal Crossing or Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons? Well, this game may not be for you, unless you’re willing to take a dip into something different. Nothing is timed (some battles are limited in the amount of turns you can take, but there is no time limit for a turn), so you can take your time deciding. Just know that it may not be enjoyable. Definitely try it out if you’re interested, however! It’s always rewarding when you take the plunge and try something new, only to find you love it. Take all my suggestions with a grain of salt – I’m only speaking in generalities. Each person is unique, so I cannot know for sure what a specific person will enjoy. I can only take guesses, and generalize.

Fire Emblem Three Houses was worth the money, and worth the Switch. It hits all those hunger pains I had for something that was rich and deeply complex, but also had its lighter tones mixed in. Character growth was immense. Truly, the characters carried the story, which is essential in any tale. Some overcame their earlier difficulties and time passed; others succumbed to them, never to return. You play this game for the characters (and that slappin’ music!).

I apologize that this review is quite long, and was late – I wanted to make sure I included as many of the important bits as I could, in a way that would make it easy to digest. Without spoilers, of course – because I want all of you to experience it for yourselves, and come up with your own thoughts and feelings. If you’ve managed to make it this far, thank you. I appreciate it. I hope this review has shed some light on the game, and that perhaps, you may find a new favorite! Sharing new, wonderful things to the world is what I enjoy. It’s a constant struggle, though, as sometimes I’d rather keep this hidden gems to myself….

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns – please let me know. I’m here for you all! Even if you just want to gush. Or, even, debate routes and character profiles – I’m open to it all!

Yet we have the strength to scale the walls between us. To reach out our hands in friendship… so we can open our true hearts to one another!”

~Claude, Fire Emblem Three Houses

Logging off,

~Raiju

Let’s Cook Up an Adventure: Little Dragon’s Café Review

Yes, it’s finally here! The review I’ve been promising!

Little Dragon’s Café was released in the US on August 24, 2018 for both Nintendo Switch and PS4. Note, however, that it was ported to the Switch – it was originally made for the PS4. It has since come out on PC.

I was quite excited for this game when it was first announced. Why? Well, it was made to be a spiritual successor to the Harvest Moon series (which, if you’re not familiar, is a basic farming/cooking/business/saving the town/mining/falling in love simulation game). However, the owners of the Harvest Moon name (Natsume Inc.) and the creators split. “Harvest Moon” still exists, but it’s not the same. Instead, the creators use “Story of Seasons” as their new series’ name.

This game, Little Dragon’s Café, was created by the original creators. So, it was going to be great! After all, you get to raise a dragon, too. And run a café! It was a series first. It had elements of Harvest Moon’s more fantasy/fighting sibling, the Rune Factory series (also made by the same creators).

Except… not quite?

It’s similar, but still very different from both Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons and Rune Factory. That’s alright, though. I like different things. But… whew. You’ll see.

Before diving in, I will say this: I did pre-order the game’s limited edition, which included: a collectible box, an exclusive baby dragon plush, 17-track CD with sleeve, and 18 collectible character cards. Was it worth it? Yes. The plush is adorable. The only worthy part of that bunch! What can I say… I’m a sucker for those plushies. Curse you, Persona Q2! But otherwise, not really.

Summary.

You choose one of either twin to play as: the female, or male. You don’t get much personality development, but your twin does (kinda… I played as the female, and I do not know if she acts the same as the male does if the roles were to be switched). You both help your mother run a Café in the middle of pretty much nowhere. It’s pretty good, or so you hear…

It isn’t but a minute later that disaster strikes, with your mother falling asleep and, the next morning, failing to rise. She’s still alive, but for how long? So says a wizard named Pappy, appearing from out of nowhere. Your mother, and by extension your twin and yourself, have dragon blood in your veins. Blood from dragons can be toxic, and has built up in your mother.

The fix?

Raising a baby dragon to maturity. That way, your mother will no longer suffer the ill effects of, somehow, being related to a dragon. Of some sort. Now, where in the family tree…? Lo and behold, you have a dragon! Name it! I should have done Trico, but I named it after my dog… ah, the horror and irony.

However, you two are now alone in trying to run the café. Right? …not quite. It’s not long before three characters decide to take up residence (through the wizard’s power, creating the Little Dragon’s Café (or LDC in-game) Bed and Breakfast). Billy, a relaxed elf(?); Ipanema, a lady with mysterious Dragon-Ball-esque powers; and Luccola, an Orc chef. They would be great help, too, if only they didn’t slack off so much, while someone else was hard at work trying to find ingredients…

While you’re gone from the Café, these three along with your twin run it. Your job is to raise the dragon and help the hangry customers that visit. Yes, hangry! Not all the people are nice. They get better after a nice meal, though!

Throughout the raising of the dragon, special customers will come your way. They require more than just a nice meal. Each has their own problem, and you have to help them come to terms with an answer – a hot n’ ready meal waiting at the end of the tunnel. These are the true highlight of the game; I enjoyed (some, not all of) these characters. Each one, though not always human, acted out a full array of emotions – often embodying one or two in particular. Once you’ve solved their problem, another soon comes to take its place. But, don’t worry! Your newfound friends will still come by to visit, sometimes giving you some nice treats.

In general, the plot of the game is lackluster. Story-wise, some elements (particularly the mother), could be removed with little consequence. She exists only as a plot device – kick starting the twins to, well… manage the café? Help others? Raise a dragon… to help the mother? This wouldn’t have been a problem, if she was brought up more often in the story. Oftentimes, you forgot she even existed. The mother is almost irrelevant. Plus (avoiding spoilers), a certain string of events late game could have been solved in a much better (and easier!) way, simply using… common sense. The story could have been much better, if these characters’ roles were solidified. Instead, the special customers got, well, preferential treatment. Mother and her twins got thrown to the wayside. Tidying up the plot would have made dealing with technical issues worth it. At least, if certain aspects of a game excel while others fall flat, I’m still willing to give it a try. It’s hard to find a game I absolutely hate after I’ve played it. Silver lining, right?

Gameplay.

LDC has several key styles of play: gathering food items, cooking, and helping around the café. We’ll take each one as we go! Fair warning: it’s a bit of a doozy. I’ve sub-sectioned them off to make it easier for your perusement!

Gathering Ingredients

By far, you’ll probably be gathering food items 90% of the time. Why? Because you can’t grow your own foodstuffs. Technically, you do have a garden – but every few days (faster if you use dragon manure), you get pitiful amounts of of each ingredient you have discovered. In the beginning, it’s not much of an issue. However, during the later parts of the game when the café is hustling and bustling, you run out of ingredients. Very. Very. Fast. So, you’re left to scour the wilds for your customers. Sounds like retail/service, doesn’t it? It is, for those of you who have not had one of those jobs. It’s a pain.

Depending on where you are in each area (new areas unlock through helping those special customers I mentioned before) you can get different types of items. The further in-game you are, the better the items you can get (we’ll talk more about this when we get to cooking). Harvest the ingredients is easy: you simply press A or X (depending on the system) on a bush, rock formation, tree, or tree stump surrounding by glowing butterflies. Often, you’ll get to harvest these places many times before they’re empty. You can get all of one item, or all different – it all depends on RNG. For fish, you’ll go fishing (or, later in game, diving on your dragon). These also have glowing creatures surrounding them, and fish silhouettes, a characteristic of the Harvest Moon series. Again, these function much the same as the foraging spots. You’ll also gain access to a hatchery along the coast of your house, which functions the same as the garden.

Occasionally you’ll come by these rocks with holes in them. When your dragon is tiny, he can run in there, and grab whatever’s inside (often meat, but sometimes other things). As he grows bigger, he can assist you with other forms of harvesting – including, yes, FLYING! It was a good day when I unlocked that feature. It’s so much fun! And, it makes gathering a bunch of ingredients faster.

Of course, you can also get meat. Usually, you can get the dragon to hunt the creatures for their flesh, or (if your dragon is lazy, like mine), you can lure them into chasing you. If you time it right, and run behind a rock, they’ll run into it and turn into whatever cuts they so desire. Sometimes, you’re not always in the best place for that tactic, in which case you’ll have to rely upon your dragon. Either you’ll sneak up to the creature and whistle to get the dragon to attack, or he’ll do it of his own accord. Mine just liked headbutting trees. Don’t ask me why. I didn’t teach him that! For the birds, though, you’ll have to either jump up and touch them – or fly over them with your dragon.

Keep in mind, when harvesting meat and ingredients from trees, the game may glitch and cause the ingredients to be out of your reach. This was a huge issue I had with the game; I lost many ingredients simply because I wasn’t positioned in the perfect area, and it got stuck on the side of a cliff. In addition, jumping doesn’t always work, either, to go after items and creatures. At least, for me, I would glitch on a ledge and be unable to get any height, effectively jumping nothing! It was rather infuriating, when I was racing against the clock to get as many ingredients as I could, while still occasionally helping out at the café (catching those slackers! Argh!).

Cooking

Of course, in order to appease the customers and progress through the story, you need to cook. Most dishes require basic ingredients – such as an egg – that can be switched out for a higher-quality version to make the dish just that much more delectable. Some dishes, in particular those required for special customers, need specific ingredients. Unless it’s required for story, it’s your best guess as to where you can find them. The higher up you go on the mountain, the better (and rarer) the ingredients, but it’s all up to RNG in the end. It’s a pain. Many, many hours of frustration…

I’m getting ahead of myself here. Before you can even cook you need a recipe. Sometimes, your workers (including your twin) will give you recipe fragments when you talk to them. Other times, you must scour the land for shipwrecked boxes that have flags and glowing fireflies around them – one fragment each. Under wood piles or washed ashore, keep your eyes peeled upon your dragon steed! Some are locked until you raise your dragon enough to fly, and after, strong enough to destroy those wood piles. Pacing-wise, it’s pretty standard to keep certain abilities locked parallel to your progress. It actually works out fairly well. Case in point: raising the dragon to get its abilities to unlock the fragments was fruitful. Such efforts satisfied by completion-ist self.

Once you have four fragments of the same dish, you’ll pay a visit to your wizard friend to assemble them – thereby giving you the ability to make said dish. As long as you have the ingredients, that is… hoard everything. You can never have too much, not even of the lower-quality stuff! Once in the kitchen, having selected your dish and your ingredients (including any bonus ones, if it’s made enough, if you so choose), you get to cook.

Surprise! It’s a rhythm mini-game. Cooking based on rhythm isn’t a far-fetched idea; its been done before, and it usually works pretty well. Depending on the type of dish, the music and notes are different. The length of the mini-game is dependent on the difficulty of the dish, too. It would have worked great, if not for… well… the game lagging during the rhythm part. There were times where the display would jolt ahead by a second or so (sometimes more), causing you to get a lower score, lowering the quality of the dish. For those of you not familiar with rhythm games, a single second is a lot of time. It can make or break your score. Your Orc chef can only make as good a quality dish as you make, therefore affecting your customers’ satisfaction; creating a domino effect. One nice thing I will say, though, is if you do happen to run out of a certain high-quality ingredient, it will use the same low-quality one for further orders. It doesn’t always leave you high and dry! I swear!

It’s best to cook a variety of dishes to cater to a variety of customers. You have a limited number of items that can be on your menu at one time, but I found it was just right – not too much, but not too many, either. Enough to have some wiggle room. You can change your menu at any time – to anything you have made before. If you haven’t successfully cooked a recipe, you can’t put it on your menu. Makes sense, right? Now, if only the orc would teach me cool stuff to make!

Helping the Café

… and your mom, while you’re at it.

Helping inside the café is pretty basic, but killer if you’re a rusher like me: you take orders from people, walk back to put the order in (so the chef can make it), then grab the order, and walk back to the customer to serve them. After they’re done, you must collect the plates and walk them back to the wash station. You walk slow. Oh, so very slow. I often left it up to the others, while I just went around collecting ingredients to keep the café running, or just got orders. You don’t have to follow a strict order; you can just serve, or just get orders or clean. Often your workers will specialize in a task, only moving on to another after theirs has been completed. Theoretically, it’s efficient. But the workers often slack off, so sometimes, customers will just be pissed. Just like in real life!

Jokes aside, you have a dragon to raise. You can feed it to change its color, too, which is cool! That’s also how you get dragon manure to fertilize forage points or for your garden to grow faster. However, to really get the dragon to grow, you have to help people. Yes, help – even if you hate them. They will come to LDC in a cutscene, so you know they’re important. Each one, as mentioned before, comes in with a unique problem that they’re running away from. You must help them, through the power of reason(?) and cooking. To progress their story arc, you have to have menu items that cater to their taste; your menu must be ever-evolving in order go through the story. You have to talk to them too, and trigger their cutscenes (which can be a pain sometimes, not gonna lie… curse you, Chou Chou!)

In the end, it all comes down to one dish: one that you don’t know how to make, and neither does the customer. You have to find all the fragments (sometimes bargaining with people around the wilds), assemble them, and make it – usually during café hours. Each dish has a special place within the customer’s heart, unique to them. It can be rather heartwarming to see them brought to tears, remembering their past, their hopes and dreams; cooking can be magical. Much like with trinkets we own, they conjure up memories: the good and the bad.

Your dragon will grow as those customers grew, and soon, hopefully, you can heal your ailing mother. (Remember her?)

Graphics.

LDC’s trailer dropped with less-than-savory comments on its graphics from yours truly. I wasn’t sold on it. When I re-watched the trailer, however, focusing on the overall themes, music, and ideas – that’s when it started to come together.

Despite the sketchy, artistic look, it fits. The game is meant to be lighthearted, sprinkled with serious bits to add some flavor. Honestly, it’s typically what I would think of when dealing with children: times are mostly happy, making new friends and helping them out. However, bad things do happen. Can they ruin your day? Yes. Life? Maybe. But we can move past it, together. Of course, a good meal often helps!

I’m not a foodie, but for many, food is their life. Happiness, sadness, remorse, pain – all can be felt, or, rather, tasted, in certain dishes. It’s different for every one of us. Not to mention, the food often looks absolutely scrumptious. Mmm! Studio Ghibli quality, if I do say so myself.

An issue I’ll point out, though: the loading times on the Switch version of the game (which I played on) was rather… long. Usually I’m pretty okay, but the game took a long time to load. Portable-mode it was a little better, but the game was ported to the Switch. LDC was originally made for the PS4, where the loading times are a little better. There may be an issue with how the game was optimized, but I’m just not sure. It cut into the time that I had to try and gather ingredients, too, causing the game to feel rushed and agonizingly slow.

Overall, it’s a wonderfully cute art style that suits the theme of the game. It grew on me! I’m sure it’ll grow on you, if you do end up playing LDC. Do be warned, though, that some graphical artifacts exist. Some things don’t always look quite right, usually with the shadows; otherwise, it’s quite nice!

Sound/Music.

Music in a laid-back game (for the most part… hehehe!) is essential. LDC did quite a good job in this department. The music fit the atmosphere: light, happy, with hints of adventure. During times of sadness, it also delivered, but not venturing far from its origin. Each song took from each other, managing a distinct yet cohesive feeling of growing up and adventuring.

If you do have time, I’d recommend taking a listen if you can. It’s happy music; perfect for when you need to relax and put yourself in a good mood, or for studying, even.

Not much to say here, honestly! Sorry!

Last Note.

The final verdict is in! How did LDC do~?

Well… if you are a fan of Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons/Rune Factory, you could certainly give it a spin. It may frustrate you at times, but you are sure to enjoy the vast amount of recipes to collect and make, especially if you enjoyed the cooking aspects of the other games. The characters are also solid – they are interesting, even if you don’t happen to like them. However, if you enjoyed more of the farming aspect (as I do), it will surely disappoint. There is no farming, at least not in the literal sense. In the standard gaming sense, that is, farming for “drops”… There’s plenty of that. It can be aggravating some times, when you’re hoping for a particular item!

Looking to get into the series I mentioned, using this game as a gateway? Pass. It pains me to say so, but this game is not a solid game for newcomers. While the mechanics are explained, it is not “true” to the series; there is no farming, no romancing, no competing against others.

Little Dragon’s Café’s premise enamored me. You get to run your own café? With dragons? Farming? Hell yeah! Only… it didn’t really deliver, not to my expectations. Ones, mind you, that had been set by games in the same vein by the same people. In the end, it fell flat. The game was only enjoyable for the characters, and what my imagination took and ran with – promises that were not kept. LDC could have been much better. Sadly, it was not.

I don’t know why – perhaps issues within the studio, due to the separation of Natsume and the original creators of Harvest Moon. Anyone’s best guess, I suppose. Little Dragon’s Café is a charming game with endearing concepts, but its execution lacked quality. It’s a hard pass on me, peeps.

However, if you are interested, there are plenty of playthroughs online that showcase the game. Reading the wiki, too, to understand the characters and story is not a bad idea either. That way, you still get to experience the of friends and what a good meal does for the soul.

Should you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to let me know! I’ll see if I can help!

“What should I do so that I won’t get irritated…”

~Ipanema, Little Dragon’s Café

Logging off,

~Raiju

Those Who Devour Gods: God Eater Resurrection Review

Ah, yes, this game did come out a while ago. However, it is something special, drawing my twin and I together. In fact, we beat this game – God Eater Resurrection – as well as the sequel, God Eater 2 Rage Burst playing co-op. This game, though – whew! I’m glad I had another player to support me through it. It can be downright TOUGH in certain fights. Especially when they only target me. Why!?

Que a video of me, running around the map, chased by twenty Aragami. Jk! It’s more like one or two giant ones, and a half-dozen small ones. All in a days work!

This game was originally for the PSP, simply under the title God Eater Burst, which came out for the PSP in North America on March 15, 2011. (October 28, 2010 in Japan). My twin owns a copy of the game that we got quite a while ago (not on release date; we honestly didn’t know about the series before this game caught our interest, on a shelf at a Gamestop). He was able to play and beat the game, but I was only partway through it before I stopped to play other games. Now you know my bad habits started early… I’m sorry! I loved the game, just… there were Pokemon to capture, you know? We also talked about the possibility of getting the second game over here in the West, but prospects looked grim…

A few years later, God Eater came out with an announcement: they were bringing over the remake of God Eater 2, the first time God Eater 2 would be available. Dare I say, hallelujah!? We were ecstatic. The game also had an interesting bundle: you would get a physical copy of God Eater 2 Rage Burst, and a digital download code of God Eater Resurrection, along with some collaboration DLC. Awesome, right? This finally dropped on August 30, 2016, for PS4, PSVita, and PC.

My brother and I played a little bit of it when it came out, but unfortunately, dropped it for other games – still singing its praises – and eventually got one of our friends to get it. Of course, this lead to constant prodding to play together or catch up, which we did this past month – even beating the second game before her. It was pretty great, not gonna lie, but also REALLY exhausting.

Summary.

You start the game by selecting either a male or female, and customizing your character’s look – the clothes come later, but yes, there’s that too! Whew! And boy, is it fun. The accessories part is where you can add all manner of whizdings, including a permanent “!” (exclamation point) bubble over your character’s head. Devil horns, cat ears, military hats – you name it, they probably have something similar. It’s not an extensive list, but it’s enough to make things interesting. Plus, you can change your hairstyle and accessories at any time (only as you access the terminal), so if you think that ! speech bubble is ruining the serious scenes, don’t worry! Nothing is permanent… maybe. Hehehe.

Now that your character has been created, you’re immersed directly into the world – seeing a post-apocalyptic scenery of long-abandoned high rises that have massive holes. Giant beasts roam the landscape, looking like hellish creations – and you can see them devour and attack their own. These, my friends, are called Aragami.

You see some people, however, letting you know these wastes are not without human life; with them, over sized weapons. They, too, use their weapons to devour the Aragami, retrieving its core in the process. The group then heads back, finished with their task.

A blond man appears afterward, sitting at a respectable desk. He’s the director, who gives orders and directives to those under his command. Keep a close eye on him.

You’re introduced to the main setting afterward: decorated with a wolf insignia, this is the Den, a.k.a. Fenrir HQ, the Far East Branch. Your character appears in a testing facility, with the Director speaking. He explains to you what this place is; why you are here. You’ve been found compatible to be a God Eater, specifically a New Type. That means you can switch between a gun and a melee weapon, rather than being stuck with one or the other. It is up to the God Eaters to protect the remnants of Humanity, scattered across the world in small settlements quite similar to Fenrir, from the Aragami.

It’s not long before you’re introduced to a slew of characters that will soon accompany you on your missions. Kota is first, a new God Eater that joined along with you; he lives with his mother and younger sister. He is an Old-Type God Eater, Gun form. Tsubaki follows, akin to an assistant manager. She used to be one of the strongest, if a tad bit infamous, in her God Eater skills. However, she is now “retired”, and works with paper instead. Her brother, Lindow, is still a God Eater, recognized for his carefree manner and abilities. And his love for beer. We can’t forget that!

You’re called by the Director (Johannes von Schicksal), whereupon you meet his friend and fellow researcher Dr. Paylor Sakaki. They have an interesting relationship (no, not like that; they are friends, but tend towards rivals). Notice the small things in their interactions; it’s interesting to watch, and may give you clues as to what happened in the past, as well as what the future has in store.

Of course, there are a whole slew of other characters, including those of the main cast, such as Sakuya, Soma, Alisa, etc., as well as many intriguing side characters that you can bring along on your missions. For the sake of not boring you and getting to the good stuff, I’ll stop the character introductions here. Just know that there are a variety, and each has a unique personality and story – some you’ll hate, some you love, but you’ll come to enjoy them. Soma, in particular, revolves around main parts of the story – of which you’ll have to play to find out!

The game is split into 3 (more like 2) story arcs, that all relate to each other. Each section was added as an “expansion” for remakes of the game, in this order: God Eater, God Eater Burst, and finally, God Eater Resurrection.

You are put into the First Unit, under the command of Lindow. Your unit exists to deliver the Aragami their dues, harnessing their cores in the process. Aragami cores are a power course, utilized by the technology Paylor Sakaki and Director Johannes created. Using that same technology, the Director has been working on the Aegis Project whose sole aim is to create an impregnable utopia for mankind to live in. Does it seem too good to be true? Perhaps. This basis is from which the second (or second and third, depending on how you cut it) arc sprout, each with a different focus.

Throughout your journey to uncover secrets and save mankind, you’ll come across a variety of Aragami that will either kick your ass, or at the very least, warm you up for the one that will kick your ass. This game is challenging, all in a good way (sometimes frustrating; but all good games have a little bit of that thrown in. It’s a fine line, though). Some will be integral to the story, while others just serve as an added challenge.

Do you dare challenge Gods?

Gameplay.

If you’ve played Monster Hunter, it’s somewhat similar – but still quite different. How? Well, lets get down to the deets: God Eater is a lot faster. I mean, a lot. Now, I’ve played quite a bit of Monster Hunter. Don’t get me wrong, I still love to play it – it just involved a lot of tracking, and finding the enemy and salvaging for materials. God Eater cuts to the chase, knowing exactly what your inner self wants: to beat the crap out of some giant creature that so very wants to kill you, with over-sized weapons, epic music, and looking stylish. Hell yeah!

The game is driven by missions, which are further categorized into free, story, hard, or important/urgent. Obviously, story missions progress the story, so be careful about taking those unless you feel like you are ready/want to. Free missions are good for grinding materials or for practice. Are you a masochist? Or do you want to challenge yourself? Because some of those hard missions really only fit those two categories. They’re fun, but challenging. Whew!

So, how it works: you have your heavy attack, or slow attack, and then you have your fast attack. These are the only two melee attacks: you mash them to high hell and back, combo-ing your way to victory. You have only a few basic weapons to choose from in the original, but in Resurrection, that list is expanded significantly: now, you have the Charge Spear, Boost Hammer, Variant Scythe, Short Blade, Long Blade, and Buster Blade. Previously, you only had the blades, so this was a welcome addition! Some are faster than others, and each have unique combos to master. You can solo one, or work with a variety if you prefer. The Damage Type varies per weapon, so be sure to check for monster weaknesses! As long as you have a team member that can cover it, you’re generally OK.

However (plot twist!), you also have something called a “devour”. It’s that giant black goop monster’s head that comes out of your God Eater. In the first game, God Eater, you only had the one devour. The newest version, the one I finished, which I would recommend playing (God Eater Resurrection), includes Predator Styles, which changes the kinds of Devours you can do. Each one is locked on a certain use: Hold, Quick, Step, Air, etc. Each section has a variety of styles you can choose to better fit your play style that are unlocked through gameplay. DON’T FORGET, however, that you must ALWAYS devour an aragami’s dead body quickly after you defeat it (they disappear soon after slayed). Why? Because you get materials that are vital for staying on top of your damage dealt and defense given. Even the small fry!

In addition to the hack-n-slash and devour aspect, as a New Type, you have a gun you can change to! It’s a seamless transition, with you often changing within a dash – avoiding an enemy attack with it. In Resurrection, there are three types you can use: Sniper, Assault, and Blast. Each have their own positive and negative points, so it all comes down to what type of play style you prefer. The Bullet Editor exists for you to customize your own bullet, to do a certain amount of damage (or healing!), and the effects that it may cause. There are some people that are really good at this, so take a gander on YouTube. If you don’t feel like doing it, you can find a kind soul elsewhere that has created a good one for you to use!

Of course, if all you do is attack, you’re gonna need some defense. You’re gonna get hit, and if you don’t work up your defense, things are going to get hairy really quick. These, too, have three different types, varying from speed to deploy (how fast you can use your shield), which contrasts with how much they block from the aragami’s attack. Buckler’s are going to give you the fastest deployment, but you’re still going to get damage done to you (just not as much – if you can, dodge, but in doubt, shield!). In between is the Shield. Finally, there’s the Tower shield, which is slow. However, it also results in no damage to the God Eater when it is successfully deployed. Each shield, however, adds defense, so no matter which one you go with it’s always a good bet to upgrade often.

Now, with all of these weapons/shields, there is something you need to keep in mind: attributes. There are four: Blaze, Freeze, Spark, and Divine. Weapons/Bullets can have these attributes/do these types of damage, but for shields, it’s based on resistance. If you’re fighting an aragami called a Vajra, for instance, you’re going to want a Spark-resistant shield, because the Vajra has Spark-Based attacks. The game streamlines this process by allowing you to make Presets, which include your duds, too, if you so wish, so you don’t have to bother reequipping every piece for every battle.

During your fights with Aragami, in the map you will see sparkle spots. You need to get as many of these as you can! If you go up to them and press “O”, you salvage and item. These are important for upgrading/crafting your own gear, along with the aragami bits.

Whew! I know this is a lot of info, but trust me, it’s worth it to know if this game seems interesting or not. There’s some cool mechanics going on here, if you love to tweak and play with things.

Now, for character mechanics: the more often you use other characters and use their buffs post-battle, you’ll be able to see interactions between your character and them (only on non-story missions, however). Through this, you get to know these characters that seemed only partially fleshed-out before. My twin brother loved Gina, while of course, I enjoyed Soma’s. We loved most of the characters, however, whom we had those mini episodes with. In the dark world that these characters inhabit, where hope is but a string among scissors, these brief respites mimic life. Through this, it brings the characters to life. Despite the world facing the apocalypse head on, they still find time to enjoy themselves and others. If they forgot, or forgo these moments, are they still human?

On the more “godly” side of God Eater, many of the aragami are named after gods/goddesses that are apparent in many beliefs. For example, Tezcatlipoca: it’s a god of night and destruction from the Aztecs. In addition, the aragami has a dragon-like motif on it; it’s a nod towards the famous Quetzalcoatl, a feathered serpent god, whose aspects were commonly attributed to many gods. Quite literally, then, you are a God Eater – you devour the bodies of these “gods”, triumphing over their desire to destroy you. It’s an interesting world, and I am fascinated by it.

Graphics.

The game always looked pretty nice in my opinion. The PSP was a great system that allowed for more graphics-heavy games to be played in all their glory. Of course, many years have passed since then, and it has since been outdated (ah, even the PSVita has died…. Curse you Sony!). However, with the newest update for the two-set release of God Eater Resurrection and God Eater 2 Rage Burst… well, the results speak for themselves.

It looks gorgeous. In my opinion, at least. Yeah, some of the physics could be better (actually, they’re really good compared to Rage Burst), but the models are detailed and seem so… well, real. They act like real people. The aragami act similar to animals, but different enough – enough for you to know that they’re not natural, that you should fear them. The moves, as well, are smooth and beautiful. I love it all. Very few glitches, as well.

Is it still dated? Yes, comparatively. I mean, this thing originally came out years ago for different systems. Now, it’s on the PS4, which has the ability to run games with incredible visual quality. However, to upgrade every bit of the game to that standard would not be cost-effective. And you know what? That’s okay. The game was still good. It ran like a champ, had no to very little glitches, and was beautiful to watch. Of course, the animations are done by Ufotable, which always has top-tier work. In fact, they also did the anime adaptation of the game – a watch I highly recommend if you’ve played the game, or are interested in the story but don’t want to play it yourself (of course, it has some new stuff, and doesn’t include everything… only about the 1st arc of the game).

Watch some videos of it. I don’t lie. It’s beautiful.

Sound/Music.

Just like the graphics, this is another thing that really gets me going when it’s done well. And, well, it is. God Eater has music that gets the blood pumping, the adrenaline flowing during those special fights – and even the normal ones. Let’s be honest: there’s nothing quite like that heavy bass, those dark and low reverberations of electronic notes strung together with the high melody that pairs so well with those 8th-grader syndrome over sized weapons, beating the crap out of giant monsters that are a cross from the book of Cthulhu and modern nightmares. It fits so damn well.

Some of the music, though, sounds better remixed for whatever reason. A few of the tracks present in the game showed up in the anime, and I liked those more than the in-game ones. Does that mean they’re bad? No. I still liked them. I just enjoyed the remixes more. Plus, a few soundtracks debuted in the anime that aren’t in the game, and I loved those too. Maybe it was just a lucky strike? Eh. Still good music, though.

New with this version, I believe, is an updated fully-voiced English Dub. Now, usually I prefer the Japanese voices (it sounds more natural, plus audio practice!), but this time around I went with English. It’s actually really good, up there with Persona’s English Dubs. They sounded real, enough for me to see these characters as real people. You could feel their personalities seep into their voices – the way they emphasized certain words, or just plain what they said.

For whatever reason, a lot of English voice actors tend to sound too forced – or that they’re obviously acting – which just ruins the whole moment for me. Japanese voice actors, in my experience (and much, I shall say… ehehe!) don’t usually have this problem at all.

Overall, though, the sound was good – and when I loaded up the game after a long break, and heard the Den’s theme, I couldn’t help but smile; it was time to fight for humanity again. Devour the Gods!

Last Note.

This game took a long time to beat from when I first started it. For that, I apologize. I beat it quickly, however, once I got into it. It is a long game, especially if you farm for materials – my twin brother and I just blazed through the story missions, and not much else.

The game is challenging, but invigorating. If you live for the thrill of taking down giant monsters, close calls, and epic music, you’ve found your match. This game has all that and more. It’s edgy, it’s fast-paced, and boy, will it lick you good if you underestimate it but one second. Trust me. Even those damn Ogretails can kill you if you don’t watch them! Take if from me, so you don’t have to experience it yourself!

Of course, if you love the tracking aspect of a similar game (Monster Hunter), this isn’t your cup of tea. There is no tracking involved. There’s no using your surroundings in the fight to gain the edge – you can’t ride the back of the creature and stab it, either. Not to mention God Eater has more of a plot… but that’s just how the games are. MH allows for more use of your imagination. If you’re into more lax, turn-based games, I would recommend a pass on this one. If you are curious as far as the story and music goes, websites have summaries and YouTube has playthroughs – as well as soundtracks – you can listen to. Of course, always support the Devs if you can! Otherwise, they can’t continue to make these awesome games.

Should you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to let me know! I’ll see if I can help!

Don’t run away… Don’t run away from living! That’s an order!”          ~The Protagonist (one time they talk), God Eater Resurrection

Logging off,

Raiju

Stealing your Heart: Persona 5 Review

 

Ah, yes! It’s only the game I’ve been saying I’ll beat for… how long now? But I finally did it! And to celebrate, I’m telling you all what I thought about the next main installment of the Persona series.

But first, story time:

This game was announced way back when, during a mega-announcement of the Persona franchise on November 24th, 2013. It had an initial release date of 2014, but of course, it was another two years or so before more info was revealed. The release date was also pushed back to an unknown date, before finally settling down on September 2016 for Japan and April 2017 worldwide. And, now, I’ve beaten it a little over a year later.

Since my brothers and I are all Persona fans, we each reserved our own copy of the game – the Take Your Heart special edition, of course. Yeah, yeah – we could share our copies of the game, a fact many friends would cry out with. But the stuff inside? Nope, can’t share that. The merch was pretty sweet, after all:

• Collector’s Box (really nice artwork, if I do say so myself)
• Hardcover Art Book (ooh, so pretty!)
• Steelbook Case w/ Game (so shiny!)
• 4″ Morgana Plush (Cause you should be sleeping)
• School Bag (actually pretty handy, and fits a decent amount of stuff)
• Soundtrack CD, Sounds of Rebellion (Pretty classy)

Maybe stupid, but either way, it was done – and all of us were satisfied. Am I telling you to go out and get yourself one copy per each family member (or three for yourself)? No, no… maybe not. But for us, it was most certainly necessary. Plus, we all need a Morgana telling us it’s time to sleep. Because sleep is good, sleep is wonderful…

Summary.

You play as a teenager (you can name yourself, or go with the default), who is convicted of a crime he did not commit. In fact, he was trying to assist a woman being harassed by a man, accidentally inflicting some injuries on him. Police soon detained the protagonist, and he was expelled from his previous school and put on probation.

Only Shujin Academy in Tokyo, Japan will take you, so you decide to attend. Of course, it won’t be so easy – you’re being monitored by your parents’ friend, Sojiro Sakura, who owns Cafe Leblanc and lets you use the attic as your room. It’s actually quite spacious, if dirty and dusty. Lo and behold, it’s the beginning of your journey, as the Velvet room residents Igor and the twins – Caroline and Justine – tell you, after a long day getting accustomed to your crcumstances. Rather, it’s the beginning of your rehabilitation, inmate, as they so kindly refer to you as.

Awakening from your ‘dream’, it’s now time to head to your first day of school as a transfer student. Along the way, you meet an interesting cast of characters – Ryuji Sakamoto, whom you walk to school with; Ann Tamaki, who begrudgingly takes a ride from a teacher to your school; and, you even get to glimpse a few other characters that will join your team further down the line, as per Persona. However, as you and Ryuji walk to school, you actually stumble upon a Palace – the corrupted desires of twisted adults (though not always) made real, unfiltered; otherwise known as hearts. This is due to an app installed on the protagonist’s phone, the Otherworld Navi, found after their first excursion into the Palace. During this first jaunt as well, the protagonist awakens his power under the Fool Arcana, with his unique Persona Arsene (a wonderful design, I might add, based on a trickster thief). It’s up to you to fix these distorted desires, and bring forth justice, along with your trusty friends. And your pet cat. *cough* Human, Morgana.

These scenes are within the first hour of gameplay, and just serve to tantalize possible players into continuing the game. It is a Persona game, however: it’s a teacher, and as it gives its lessons, we are to learn from it.

The game deals with ideas of corruption, slavery, oppression, and injustice – caused mainly by the twisted adults that surround and participate in the world. It serves as a parallel to the world that we, the players, live in – that there are ragtag groups of young people that know things are not right, that things need to change. “We need justice!” is their cry and motto. However, the characters are seen as childish – of no importance – and are thrown by the wayside, which is quite the mistake (in the game as well as outside). Only the adults matter, right? Wrong.

The Phantom Thieves of Hearts want the world to see what it truly is – and to change it. You target these corrupt adults in positions of power to alter the Metaverse (the population’s collected Palace), which in turn alters reality. However, some have merely turned a blind eye to it, given up fighting it, or succumbed to it – this idea manifests itself in a variety of ways, but in particular, the theme of masks within the game. It is based on a Japanese belief (but there are several equivalents in other countries), that people hide their true selves behind a mask. The English saying of a person being two-faced? It’s the same thing. People put on a front to others, and very rarely show who they truly are. You, and your companions – they want to fix that, by confronting themselves and the truth. (That’s why they rip off their mask to use their Persona in-game). Except, it’s not just their opponents’ masks – it’s the world’s mask, too.

Of course, it’s not easy. It never will be, the game reminds you – while some may find it fairly easy to remove their mask (like your companions), others will struggle or outright refuse. Why? Because lets face it: some of us don’t want to acknowledge, or display, our ugly side so the whole world can see. It’s about growing up. Not in the kid to adult kind of way, but a more spiritual/personal development. Acknowledging who you are, and accepting it; and if you’re unhappy, to change those bits until you are.

The game is full of symbolism like I’ve mentioned, and plenty I haven’t mentioned too; each Palace, whooo boyyyy. I could write a paper on each, I’m telling you. If you’re a fanatic for symbolism, it will reward you.

Enough rambling~ On to the review!

Gameplay.

If you’ve played any of the other Persona games, it’s pretty much the same, but with some differences. If you haven’t, well, good news! I’ll be explaining anyway~ But, bear with me. It’ll be a tad long, and perhaps complicated, but I’ll walk you through it!

First and foremost, Persona is 1/2 slice-of-life simulation game, 1/2 turn-based dungeon crawler. I’ll explain each portion in that order, to help you all out!

Like the other Persona games (really only P4, as P3 just had a cursor to go to places), you run around a 3D environment to get to places outside of the Palaces. Ones you have visited before you can fast travel to, which will be really handy when you have a lot of errands to run. Which you will. Trust me! But, compared to P4 (which originally came out for PS2), P5 looks drop-dead gorgeous. Especially on PS4, which I highly recommend getting it for, rather than PS3. It’s actually really fun to run around places, overhearing people’s conversations and such. Well, maybe that’s just me… Hehehe. You can unlock more places through story, or by reading books. It’s helpful to get as many places as you can, as they’ll be helpful for your Social Links. You can also work at some shops (increasing your skills, which are necessary for some dialogue choices, such as Proficiency, Charisma, Knowledge, etc.), or study, as well as a variety of other options to enhance your character. Honestly, it can be a little overwhelming sometimes. There’s no harm in doing just what you feel like doing, or looking up a guide, especially for getting the most out of your Social links.

Speaking of, Social links are a major part of the game and are based on Tarot cards. Each one is unique, and it’s a way for you to get closer with the people around you. You should, and in some cases, have to, but they’re beneficial, so do them anyway. Social links let you gain beneficial skills in combat (as well as in the world, like cheaper prices or upgrades), all while getting closer to people. All of your teammates have a social link, and when maxed out, their Persona gets a form change. However, not all important NPCs get a social link, simply because some are baddies. Always keep a look out, however! Try and finish as many as possible, as they give you a little treat at the end. Plus, many stories are heartwarming and heartwrenching – of course, all deal with twisted society screwing over those who don’t deserve it. However, I do feel as if some could have been better – and I’m not saying which ones, because each were intriguing in their own way. Simply put, I just felt some Social links from previous games were more engaging than P5’s. And, yes, you can still romance a female companion. No return of the female protagonist!

But, don’t forget! You’re a student, after all, so make sure to balance your social time with your studies. Gasp! Just like real life? If only it was this easy… Time for the fun part: beating stuff up! Give ’em the old slice-and-dice, razzle dazzle style!

Instead of dungeons being called, well, dungeons, they’re called Palaces this time around. They’re the manifestation of a person’s distorted desires, and so each Palace will have different themes to represent, as well as different dungeon mechanics. Some will have security spotlights, while others will just have your standard ‘if an enemy spots you, they’re gonna get you’ kind of deal. If you do get spotted (i.e., not performing a sneaking attack from behind boxes, tables, etc.), there is a gauge that will increase, indicating the boss’ alertness, causing the dungeon enemies to increase in power (they can ambush you more often). It also increases the chance of better treasure, too, and rarer enemies useful for fusion. Just be careful! If the gauge gets too high, you’ll be forced out of the dungeon, and must return another day. This can really put a kink in your plans!

On these maps, you have your 3D character that runs around, followed by your teammates (this was the same for P3 and P4). You have enemies seen on the field, designed appropriately for each dungeon (one has police officers, others have waitresses, etc.). What’s different in P5 is that, in order to attack with an advantage, you must sneak up behind them. The Palace environments have various objects that you can interact with, including furniture to hide behind with or the ability to vault across ceiling supports. When the time is right, you strike, and wham! you’ve got them in a bind. However, if you’re too loud or walking around in the open (very un-phantom thief like), you will lose your chance and may end up surrounded, which is a huge pain in the butt. Sneak like mad! In previous Persona games, you only had to approach the enemy from behind to gain an advantage. This adds a lot of flavor, contributing to the overall Phantom Thief-esque feel to the game.

Once combat is initiated, it’s turn-based. You have your basic attack, which costs no SP, and is unlimited. It was the same in previous Persona games. However, new to this one, is the addition of a gun: it has a limited number of bullets every time you enter the Palace. However, once it’s a new day, they’re restored. Convenient, right? Of course, then there’s the good stuff – using your Persona! Your friends have the same Persona with the same element attributes throughout the game. It’s only you, wielding the Fool Arcana (of the Tarot card deck; its number is 0, indicating unlimited possibilities), that can change your Persona to be anything. It’s extremely useful, so you can cover elements that your teammates don’t already do. You can also change mid-battle to cover all sorts of weaknesses the enemies might have. Just be careful of your SP, however, as constant use may leave you high and dry when you need it most. (Note: You get different Personas through successfully persuading demons, or through fusion, which occurs in the Velvet Room. It’s not too complicated, though! You do have a level cap, so be careful with that.)

When you hit all the enemies’ weaknesses, you can perform an All-Out attack, which has a cool ending bit for whoever initiated it. Or, you can try and persuade the demons (potential Personas) to join your team. However, you have to choose the right answers, depending on their personality type. Whoo boy. Now more anxiety talking to people in a game! This feature, of wooing demons to join you, is a standard feature on the other Shin Megami Tensei games, of which Persona is a derivative from. They’re also good games, so I recommend checking them out if you like the more fighting-side of Persona.

Whew. This is a lot of information. I hope you’re still with me!

One last thing to mention (since all Persona games are quite complex in their game mechanics), are the puzzles within the game. If you enjoy a good challenge, you will be rewarded. They’re not made to be too hard, but if you do find yourself stumped, there’s no shame in looking up some of the answers, if your goal is to experience the story. If you like challenging gameplay, try thinking with a different perspective. It may reward you!

Overall, it’s a good mix of action and slice-of-life gameplay. The tutorials are a tad long (it’s learn as you go, which helps), so if you’re itching to get into the combat, you might be in for a long ride. It can seem a little slow in the beginning, but the pace gets going fast not long after. It’s a lot of info to take in all at once, that’s for sure. If you’re new to the Persona games/series, it’ll be tough, but well worth it. Less you have to know for playing the others!

Whew. Deep breaths. I’m done, for now, on the Gameplay section. If you do have questions or want clarification, please let me know!

Graphics.

I am always weak to the shinies. This game has it, obviously.

Persona 3 and 4 had beautiful character sprites, but the modeling was… well, it was advanced for that generation, which made it okay (considering it was for the PS2). By today’s standards, it’s dated. Not Persona 5. The characters have a unique style about them, and look like they belong alongside the raucous world they inhabit. They’re gorgeous to look at, and the mannerisms that each model displays tells of the kind of person they are. You, the player, are experiencing a living world. It moves with you.

In addition, the animations during special scenes are, as always, top-tier. The previous Persona games had them as well, and they are always a treat to watch.

The color of this game is red: for thieves, for revenge, for justice and the blood that covers it. It’s visceral, and it fits the theme well. For the record, Persona 4 was a little more happy, with its main color being yellow; Persona 3 was gloomy and dark, its color being blue. So, it fits. (The picture up top showcases it, and boy, it really is eye-catching.)

Combine that bright red with white and black, and that’s their overall color palette: from the UI to the school uniforms and costumes, it’s all there. It ties in quite well. I loved the UI’s style; however, it seemed too busy in many places, like there was too much going on. If you’re messing around in the menus a lot, or are playing for extended periods of time, it can give you a headache. It’s nice, and pleasant to look at, but it moves around a lot. Those high-intensity colors take a lot of focus for the brain to process, along with movement (if you’re already prone to getting headaches, or have brain damage), can cause some issues. If that sounds like you, make sure you take regular breaks. The game will always wait for you, so no rush!

That was really my only complaint from the graphics department. Only, there are some important events that I felt should have been animated (I know, already a massive amount of money to make). The character models work okay for most, but for some, it felt like an animated scene would have made it stick all the more, and make you feel that much stronger. Still, though, really good. I’m drooling all over again!

Sound/Music.

You know me enough by now to know I love the sound/music involved in games. If you don’t, well, here’s your PSA. Music matters a lot to a video game, and in previous Persona games, they’ve delivered. This one?

Kinda.

It’s a little bit of a shame, honestly, but that’s how it goes. The singer for the vocal tracks changed, but strangely enough, that’s not what got me (in fact, I love their voice, though it did take some getting used to). Rather, it was the unvoiced tracks that failed to make me completely in love with it, as it was for P3 and P4 (with the exception of a couple). They were certainly pleasant to listen too, but they got old fast… and it’s not because the game is 100+ hours. In a way, most of the music is meant to be in the background – just adding a little character here and there. It accomplished that. But, it did not woo me like the tracks from the previous two games. I can’t put my finger on exactly why, but it fell flat between the early-middle and early-late parts of the game. Then the new tracks came in, and I thought to myself, “Ah, this is Persona. I’m home!”

Igor’s voice actor also got a change, to a deeper one. It was startling the first time I heard it, but eventually, I adapted. Don’t know why, though, I kinda like the older (and wierder) sounding voice more. Still, this new one grew on me. It’s not bad. But… I can’t say much on this topic. If you’ve played the game, you’ll understand~~

That said, most of the dialogue is voiced, which is a real treat. Plus you have the option to listen to it either in Japanese or English – and actually, like the other Persona games, the English Dub is pretty good. They usually rank high in my top English Dub games, a reason which I may talk about in a later post.

Last Note.

First off, I want to apologize for taking so long to beat this game. Every month on the Progress Update, I said I was going to beat this dang game (I did enjoy it, I just have to call it that~). And, month after month, I didn’t. So, while this may not make up for it, I’m releasing my review of Persona 5 earlier than originally planned. I had wanted to get reviews up for games I’ve long since finished. But, well, here it is. I hope it’s not too much to wade through!

The game is long, and complex – that’s why the review seems neverending and rather in-depth. If you have only smatterings of time to play video games, this one may not be it, unless you’re willing to be in for the long haul. If you’re passionate about story in games (as well as all that symbolism!), it’s worth it. It’s a great standalone game for those new to the series, while still a treat to old fans. Of course, JRPGs are not everyone’s cup of tea. It does lean on the more slice-of-life half, but it’s still an enjoyable game, and a wonderful installment into the series.

As I mentioned before in the Summary, this game deals with a lot of topics that are important – and worrisome – to not only people my age, but people of all ages, and all walks of life. It can be in your face about it at some times, but that, in part, is its message – don’t be lax about what is going on around you. Have the courage to stand up for justice! Who knows – maybe something wonderful will happen.

There’s no such thing as the “real” world. What each person sees and feels– Those are what shape reality. This is what gives the world infinite potential.”               ~Morgana, Persona 5

 

Logging off,

~Raiju

You’re a good boy, Trico: The Last Guardian

This game was a long time coming, as I’m sure many people know. It was first announced way back in 2009 (yeah, a long time ago, I know!), but was in works way before then, from around when the original Shadow of the Colossus was released (2005). It was promised out in 2011, but no dice. And again a while later, the rumors being it was restarted a number of times. However, the word on the street throughout the years was that yes, it’s still happening. While it was originally planned to be a PS3 release, it was moved to PS4, finally coming out December 6th, 2016 (while I was in Japan! So I had to wait to play it…).

I was able to secure the limited edition version of the game, which was pretty snazy, if I do say so myself. It came with:

• A steelbook game case (that looks hella cool!)
• Premium statue (of sleeping Trico, with the little boy on his head)
• 72 page artbook
• Sticker sheet (still unused, I might add! I would hate to use them…!)
• Collector’s box

I was glad I did, even if it was a tad pricey (worth it!). And, thank you to my brothers, who picked it up for me while I was gone. But, shame on them for threatening to play it, too.

I had actually gotten interested in this game back when it was announced to come out in 2011, but then lost track of it afterward. It wasn’t until later I found out about more information regarding its development that I became a hard-follower (stalker?), and began to track its progress with a combination of love and torment. Finally, however, it was announced; I watched the newest release trailer, and instantly fell in love with Trico. He’s a good boi. A really good one. Who can’t resist his face, and his personality? Agh, it gets me every time.

Summary.

You are a young boy with strange black tattoos that wakes up in a rather strange cave, with broken structures along the rim. In the middle of the cave is a circle made of stone, with a large chain anchored to it. Following along its length, the other end tethers a magnificent, if bloody, beast: Trico.

When you first meet the puppy-cat-bird beast, he’s pissed. He’ll snap and kick at you, his eyes glowing red. You’ll have to work your way around the room, finding barrels of food (blue-glowing butterflies?) and give them to Trico. In addition, you’ll be pulling out all those nasty spears that are embedded in his body – from here on out, too, so you better get used to getting ’em quick! The way Trico whines when you pull them out is a tad too heart-wrenching. It’s similar to removing a splinter from your dog’s foot, only a thousand times more painful – or so I assume. I haven’t been impaled by a spear, ya know?

Once Trico has become accustomed to you, you can then free him from his bondage – and it’s official. You two are now on a journey to leave this godforsaken place full of horrors. You’ll leave the confines of the cave, and find a mirror that – when pointed at something – causes Trico to shoot lightning out of his tail. Rad, am I right? If only Watson did that… Or, maybe, it’s too much power for one pup. But not for Trico!

Through caves, in and around mountains, jumping from ledge to ledge – and maybe even flying!? – Trico travels along with you, the boy, on a journey to get you back home. And, hell, why not throw a few mysteries in along with it? It becomes apparent later on that this tale is a recounting of an older version of the boy, reminiscing of times past.

However, what seems like a normal adventure back home becomes twisted: there is something larger at play here, and much, much more dangerous. You come across Sentinels, or living suits of armor, that attack Trico with spears, and grab you – a defenseless boy – and drag you into a strange, other-worldly portal that just spells “No!” So don’t do it. Don’t let them catch you!

Of course, that’s only scratching the surface – and I’ll stop myself before I mention anything that might be considered a spoiler.

Gameplay.

If you’ve played the other Team ICO games, the gameplay would be very similar. In The Last Guardian, you have no weapons. Your only weapon is communication. Funky, huh? But it’s a cool concept, and I loved how they pulled it off! You can motion towards things, and call Trico’s name in the beginning of the game to get him to do stuff. You can climb on his back, too, so he’ll jump around where you want – if he feels like it. And sometimes, it’s a big if (or so I’ve heard, from some people. He seemed pretty obedient to me, but that’s the awesomeness of the game! Each experience will be vastly different!). In the end, though, you’re very limited on what you can do, and it’s fitting. You’re a kid, after all. A kid wouldn’t be able to wield some all-powerful weapon and bring down legendary monsters, more so when he’s alone.

Training a pet is hard, and that’s exactly what you have to do with Trico. You’ll feed him, as I mentioned before, as well as pull out those spears. ALWAYS pull out those spears. Trico will love you for it. In addition, you can see the blood on his feathers – you’ll want to pet him so that it’ll rub off, looking all prim and pristine again. You don’t have to, but a bloodless Trico is a happy Trico. And really, you should be petting him all the time anyway. If you don’t, well… Shame. All the shame!

You’ll have to pay attention, too, to how Trico is reacting – the colors of his eyes tell his emotions. When he’s happier than all get-out, they’re green. Pissed or scared, red – and a yellowish-white if he’s feeling a little apprehensive, or cautious. Pay attention to where he’s sniffing and poking his head into, too, as you’re given very little direction in the game. It can take forever to get from place to place, but that’s the point – it’s discovery, and bonding with a creature. Of course, once you play through it a couple times or more, it’s actually pretty short. A wonderful time, though. Plus, those darn puzzles will seem so blatant the second time around. But, hindsight is 20/20, as they say.

Later on, you’ll eventually be able to tell Trico what to do better (kinda spoilerish?), but only because you’ve been in each others company for a long time by that point. Enjoy it, though! And don’t forget to use the mirror (which you lose, then get back later) to strike down enemies with lightning! It’s the best! Mwuahahaha!

Graphics.

Considering this game was meant to be on the PS3 (and I watched the trailer for what it was going to look like), it looks absolutely wonderful on the PS4, even without having the Pro. Each feather on Trico’s back is individually rendered, so when he’s moving or wind is blowing, it looks so beautifully realistic. Everything looks beautiful. Everything. The water, to the way Trico moves (so real too, he’s exactly like my dog! They’re a perfect match! Honest!), everything! Agh, I could go on for hours about it.

I had very little lag, as well, which is a plus for such a visual-heavy game. Scenes were placed just right for maximum impact: for example, if you were high up in a perilous location, you could see down, down into the depths, and it would induce a type of fear. The depth acheived, in more ways than one, contribute to the overall atmosphere of the game, and really immerses you into the world. Having lifelike physics in a game where you’re basically training and bonding with a pet really gets that mood, that feel going for you – you almost forget it’s a game. At times, it’s frustrating, but in others, it’s rewarding: just like a pet in real life. Agh. Too good!

Sound/Music.

The cries from Trico always got me. I could not help but picture my own pets crying out in agony as I wrenched spears from their bodies, but also those cries of happiness as I tossed those barrels of whatever to be munched up. Trico sounded like a real, believable animal.

Of course, there’s the soundtrack too! Now, as you all may know (or not, but now you do!) I love soundtracks. They’re some of my favorite parts of a game, that can make a good game only better if it works well. Often I’ll pick out some tracks to listen to over and over again, loving them for the piece of music they are. But, The Last Guardian was different. It wasn’t like that. Don’t get me wrong; the music was good. It fit in very well where it needed to; especially the Sentinel music causing some unnecessary stress and anxiety. Man. They got me every time with that one. It still sends chills down my spine!

But, it was just that. It was meant as a background to the greater experience. In many games, the music is also the epicenter of the scene, drawing as much attention to it as it does to the characters, or whatever is happening during that moment. The Last Guardian‘s soundtrack was the exact opposite. It faded into the background, providing that little extra for our minds to wander and explore as we would. Now, if there was no music, that would be wrong; it would sound strange (it does happen at some parts, but it’s intentional, and done to great effect).

While the music was good, it never stood out – but that’s still a good thing. It works for the game, and that’s what matters, in the end. It’s absolutely wonderful background music, to listen to when you’re thinking or studying, walking in the woods, or just around. It’s not meant to be anything more than that.

Last Note.

If you’re a fan of Team ICO’s games, you need to play this one. It was worth that miserable, teeth-aching wait. Honestly. It’s similar to the other games, with the wonderful emphasis on character-character connection that, no doubt, fans of the studio love. So go play it.

Now, it’s not for everyone; it’s no hack n’ slash, so if you love to button mash, this isn’t it. But, it’s a great breather from those types of games. There are puzzles to challenge your mind, and its rather fun to play and teach a creature like Trico. Heck, if you’re thinking about getting a dog or cat, or even a bird, this game would be a good starter to give you a feel on what it’s like to have one (minus all the fighting, platforming elements, though. But the puzzles? Yeah, there’ll be those, I guarantee you).

It’s more of a slow-paced game, though it does have those fearful, chilly moments. It’s heavy on the emotional connection side, as you literally form your own bond with Trico as you go. If you’re into those types of stories and games, I’d definitely give it a whirl. It was an enjoyable experience, and not a waste of time – just make sure you take care of your own pet, too, right? Don’t abandon them for Trico! All in moderation!

To like is to want, but to love is to give.”               ~Erica Anderson, Catherine

Logging off,

~Raiju

What is a VN(Visual Novel)?

Hello all!

I’ve been meaning to do a post like this one for a long, long time. It has been mentioned in various reviews on games as well, particularly on Daganronpa and Super Danganronpa 2. The topic is, of course, what is a visual novel?

Now, most people know visual novels by its acronym, VN (which I’ll henceforth use to explain all about them).

VNs came about in Japan around the 1990s, a style of interactive media different than video games. Take movies and books, for example, and mash them together: it’s basically a visual novel. However, add a little bit of you in. Now, what do I mean by you? I’ve mentioned this before in my ramblings of my love of video games: the story wouldn’t happen without you. A movie can play in the background, not needing a person to watch it for the events to happen. A book already has been laid out; the story is there, if you only take a glance or read it. The next step is the VN, or a digital version of a choose-your-own-adventure story. The step after that, of course, is a video game.

But back to the VN. Often, they have choices that lead to any number of endings; these endings are hidden through code, unlike in the choose-your-own-adventure books I would often try to read straight through, or skip around just cause ( I knew how they worked. I was just… curious, is all). Sometimes, these choices are timed to imitate life where you often have to decide in the heat of the moment, accepting your fate wherever your choice led you (hopefully your day-to-day choices are not life or death, though!). This can cause some hella stress, not gonna lie. Whew. Especially when you can’t read the choices! Well, I can get most parts… but I’m still kinda slow. Getting there, though!

However, there is a kind of VN called a kinetic novel. It is fundamentally the same as a visual novel, but without choices; it follows one path. A structured book, in a sense, except built with code and has art and backgrounds and music. Either style are guaranteed to be a joyful experience, especially if you like reading and video games.

A VN, if you haven’t guessed already based on its full title, will have a lot of words. VNs can have even more than actual novels, some reaching over 100,000 words or more, which is around 400 pages. That’s a lot of text to put into code, making sure the right background is displayed, the characters and their expressions played at just the right moment with the accompaniment of music. In fact, I dare say (though I love books) VNs are much, much more work. Keeping all the choices and words that follow them, all the way until an ending is hard work; and a lot of words. So, if you don’t like reading much, these may not be for you.

But, the art can be wonderful – often more stylized than in many games, because they are static in nature. Sometimes, since they are anime-inspired, you’ll have animated introductions. Recently, though, many VNs have incorporated expressive expressions; they actually move, or breathe, eyes can blink; there’s a never-ending combination. As technology advances, so do the creations that result from them.

The addition to art and music, anyway, to a “book” is a dream to me, honestly. I’ve always wanted something like that to put the book to, and I often had music playing in my head and the characters images in my mind along with it. I still think it’s good to have that, though, and books will never disappear; but VNs are just as valid, and still cater to the imagination. Though, I may be taking this too far. It’s still relevant in a sense, however.

Some VNs also have playable aspects in them, similar to mini-games. These often work hand-in-hand with the plot; though not always. It takes the VN closer to a ‘true’ video game, but they’re still a VN. They can be done really well, or… the results can crash and burn, bringing down the VN as a whole. It’s a risk, and done well, can enhance the experience.

Still, they are a joy to play, and many have really good stories.

So. You’ve made it this far. Do you want to know how to play one?

Now, the mechanics behind a VN that everyone needs to know to play one are fairly simple. They come standard in pretty much every one, with little variation. I’ve got an example below from one of the best VNs, Steins;Gate:

So. Usually the characters are not this large, but Mayuri (the character on screen now) is looking into the face of the main character. VNs may often do this, simulating a close-up of a character’s face to create immersion. Generally, the characters are smaller. They can move around the screen (sliding side to side, or up and down). Their faces will also change to show emotion during scenes, and may lead to a CG. A CG is a special drawing made to commemorate an event, but theoretically can be anything.

Now, on the bottom left you can see an auto and a skip button. The Skip button, depending on your settings, can skip all the text you’ve read so far, so it makes it easier to get all the endings of a game. Or, it can skip all the text, which I don’t really recommend.

The auto button is for people who want to lay back and let the text and voices go on by themselves (did I mention many VNs have voices for each character? It’s so cool! Some are fully voiced, others only have portions and some only the special scenes are fully voiced. Of course, not every VN has voices). Usually, players will hit enter to read the next line or left-click. Auto just bypasses all of that, although it tends to be slower than most people (at least me and my brothers) can read. However, settings can change many things, so feel free to mess with those too.

Now, sometimes these buttons will be hidden and can only be accessed by a hidden menu, so as not to disturb the gaming experience. Usually, the ESC or right-click will bring it up. Additional buttons are SAVE and LOAD. MAKE SURE to save often; especially before a choice in case you screw up. I cannot tell you how many times its saved my tail! If you’re playing a romance-style game, too, sometimes there will be an option to check your affection level with the romance-able characters. Make good use of this! It’s very helpful~

And, always, you’ll have a text box where it has the character’s name that’s talking. If there are a plethora of characters on the screen, it can help a lot to keep track of who’s saying what, though creators tend to know to keep the character limit down. Usually it’s in the top left or right hand corner of the text box, but in this example, it’s on the bottom.

There are many variations to how these buttons are displayed, as well as UI; but overall, they function about the same from one VN to another. I hope this helps you, those who are new! And I’m open to answer any questions at all about them!

However, please note that not all VNs SFW. VNs often are portrayed as being hentai – which is not all wrong, I have to say. There are many, MANY VNs that cater only to people who want that kind of game. However, there are many that are not like that; Steins:Gate, for example. There are romance ones, too, that don’t have explicit content, like many of the Otome games that are coming out increasingly in the west.

The Danganronpa series, too, is actually a VN. Now, yes, it’s also a video game. That distinction I’ll be talking about in a later post, but long story short, VNs are video games. There are VNs out there for everyone, just like there are video games for every taste. It’s all just a matter of knowing where to look and finding what you want; which is the hard part, I’d have to say. It’s the same for video games.

VNs, nowadays, are increasing in popularity in the west as well. They’re ever popular in Japan, too, so many companies are bringing over their games to sell here (in the States). That’s both a blessing and a curse; something, too, I’ll talk about in another post. This one’s already long enough, and the issue with bringing over games is a huge one.

But, those are VNs: a mix between a book, a movie, and you. The story cannot happen without you. A VN is the bridging point between books and movies to video games; the middle child. They’re wonderful, with whimsical stories abound in them. If you want the more explicit content, too, there’s that as well. They’re a wonderful medium, and I hope more people will be able to enjoy them.

If you have any questions or comments, do not hesitate to let me know!

 

Logging off,

~Raiju

2B or Not to Be: NieR: Automata Review

(Picture from official artwork and promotional stuffs)

Whew boy. This one’s gonna be a doozy. First off, I wanna say I absolutely love this game. It is a masterpiece, in more ways than one. I’ll go into more specifics later, but… whew. Is it a perfect game? By all means, no. It still has some flaws. But, then again, a perfect game does not exist – a discussion for another time.

Anyways, story time first!

I was actually on board with this game from the beginning, I believe – since it was first announced. I had picked up NieR a while back, but hadn’t finished it completely yet. Still, from what I had played, I absolutely fell in love with the characters and the world – the story along with it. Not too soon afterward, NieR: Automata was announced. Needless to say, I was hooked from the first trailer – and continued to watch and re-watch the trailers during my study abroad in Japan. It was getting down to the wire about pre-orders, and I had just heard about the Black Box edition of the game.

Now, it was expensive. I wasn’t gonna splurge on this unless I conversed with someone about it. I had a friend whom I talked to about all manner of things, and I brought up the question with her. Through a much heated debate, she convinced me to get it – ah, woe my bank account! But, after the fact, I’m glad I did. It was worth it, for how much I love the game, and love (hate) the mastermind Yoko Taro. I couldn’t play it until I got back from Japan however, and it was a painful wait – my brothers sending me pictures of it as it arrived.

I wasn’t able to even start the game until this summer – which, I am glad I waited. Else, my studies would have suffered tremendously (I had The Last Guardian to blame for that instead, which also came out when I was abroad). I was sucked into this game, and I beat 2B’s route fairly quickly. I dragged a little through 9S’, just for the fact it was fairly similar to 2B’s – because it was supposed to be – but, I just can’t replay games very well. It takes a lot for me to be able to replay them. Thus, this game had enough different things through 9S’ viewpoint (plus, I love the guy) that I was able to power through, to the darker meat of the game.

I’m glad I did – cause as soon as I finished his route, I barely saw the light of day until I had completed all the main routes.

Did I mention I also platinumed the game? Yeah. I did that too. It’s one of my three platinumes – the others being from Persona 4: Dancing All Night and an otome game.

Whew. I’d like to say I know this game quite well?

Anyways, onto the actual review!

Summary.

Non-spoiler, of course. Starting from the beginning, you play as 2B, a YorHa unit sent to gain intel, as well as destroy, what has been designated a Goliath-class weapon. 9S is sent to help 2B on her mission, as the rest of 2B’s unit has been destroyed. As the story progresses, 9S ends up wounded after saving 2B – only for her to destroy the Goliath-class weapon and be reunited. However, numerous amounts of the same enemy appear around them. To complete their mission, the two detonate their black-boxes, “killing” themselves.

As they are androids, as long as they upload their “consciousness” to the Bunker, they can get a new body easy-peasy. Anyways, the story really starts here, after the prologue (which was also the demo for the game. Really good too, mind).

The Bunker, in essence, is the YorHa units’ home base, headed by a person known as the Commander. 2B and 9S are sent then to help out the Resistance on Earth, against the the machines. The machines were created and are controlled by aliens – whom YorHa also wants to get rid of, to make Earth inhabitable for the humans again. Said humans live on the moon, directing YorHa.

It’s essentially Androids vs. Machines, with their respective masters on either side. Androids are programmed to be utterly faithful to humans, in addition getting human-like emotions as well as their appearance (hence androids, not machines). However, things get hairy very quickly; 2B and 9S finding out things are much, much more complicated than things appear to be.

I won’t go too much into detail, but yeah. The game is meant to look at humanizing machines, what is ethical and not, and so much more. It’s rich in symbolism and meaning, something the previous game had as well.

Also of note, there are 26 different endings (27 with the DLC). Only 5 of them are major, that I would recommend you ABSOLUTELY get: A, B, C, D, and E. Endings A and B are only about half the game – you miss so much if you only play through one, or two max. After you beat endings A and B, there is a short preview of the next part of the game – so enticing – and you must “start” again; not from the original beginning, however. This is where things get dark fast. You thought the first two were dark? Hehe, that is an understatement. This game will tear your heart out, rip it to pieces, stick it back together again only to burn it to ashes, giving it back once it gives you a dark, knowing smile. Ah, it was wonderful~

The story is not for the faint of heart, that’s for sure. It’s mature, and I’d advise against letting younger players take a crack at it. AT LEAST 16 and above, with parent supervision – or, well, 18+ is okay. No matter your age, you want to know somebody whose played it to talk it out. It’s excruciating being the only one to have played it, unable to share the sadness and the touching moments… the happy, funny times, as well as the ones that were so depressing and heart-wrenching.

You have been warned.

It’s good, though, honest. If you’re into darker stories, like me.

Gameplay.

Surprisingly, it’s not your standard hack n’ slash game. If you’ve played NieR or the Drakengard series, it’s essentially the same thing. For those of you unfamiliar with those games, I’m going to try my best to explain:

It’s one part bullet hell, one part hack and slash, with a dash of other things added in. On the field, you play as your character (whoever you are at the time), with a pod that shoots projectiles. You cannot change the L1 function, but you do have a variety of choices for your L2. Of course, you must first collect them before being able to equip them. Then, you have your X for attack and Triangle for your heavy attack (or hacking if you’re playing 9S. Accidental hacks out the wazoo – but, it’s useful anyway). That’s your hack and slash.

In addition, the field can be either of two types: fixed, or un-fixed. The fixed version is akin to platformers, which is what it could be called instead. It can make it difficult sometimes, but it can create an amazing effect, particularly when it’s used effectively (which is most cases, in this game).

The other part of combat is aerial. You are in a flight unit, and have a mix between a “physical” attack and, of course, your projectiles. This is also more generally fixed, but is often a kind of mix between the two. Either way, it’s lots of fun. The transition between the two types of field combat was smooth, never jarring; the pan helped a lot in that regard, but it felt natural. It was almost better, I think, to have some be fixed platformer-style. It decreased the need to have large rooms, and showed a lot of the scenery – telling its own tale, and therefore providing a deeper, richer experience. The artful style of the fixed field and fixed aerial is absolutely stunning; they improved a lot upon NieR, making a truly engaging experience, especially so in certain battles.

Another point to mention is that you can upgrade your android – often needing more space, of course, but you can plug in chips that add certain effects, such as auto-heal, increase melee attack/defense, increase projectile attack, etc. The list goes on and on. There’s no ultimate combination, but I do think I had a pretty good one, if I do say so myself (Never died with it! Too boss!)

You can get up to three different pods, and upgrade them as well, increasing their power. You also have a wide variety of weapons to choose from, to create different styles of gameplay, from bracers (or gloves), spears, short swords, and long swords. Not to mention, you can switch between weapon sets and pod programs on the fly with only the press of a button, increasing the fluidity of combat. It’s fun in this game to hack and slash, and if it seems like it’s getting repetitive, it’s so easy to switch it up. I never found myself bored of the combat system. It’s fast paced action, and some battles can truly be grueling if you didn’t prepare – or, on the flipside, invigorating. Some fights I’ve hardly felt that much adrenaline running through my body (not to mention the feels, of course… ugh….. it still hurts!).

Each place as well is unique – every one having their own drawing point. I could get lost for hours (in a good way) in the forest region, but it was never a boor to visit the other zones. Care was put into the creation of the game fields, and it was a joy to play on, exploring every nook and cranny.

I do have to say, however, that it is not perfect. The lock-on system can be rather temperamental, the pod along with it. The lock-on will generally move targets if there are a bunch of enemies close together, which can be a pain if you want to target a specific one. However, it does work pretty good with bosses and single enemies – or, ones that are more spread out.

Graphics.

With 1080p graphics, the game sure does look beautiful. I’ve seen some people running the game in 4k, but alas, I have no such means. It would no doubt be beautiful, though. The game ran really well on my playthroughs, only occasionally hiccuping to buffer a new, large section. In addition, there were parts in the game that had large amounts of smoke and fog – or, particle effects – and it still ran really smooth. Note, this is on the PS4, not the PS4 Pro. I can only assume its performance would be better on the Pro version.

The trees and grass looked wonderful as well (you can look up pictures), and the water was also real-looking, adding to the overall realism aspect. It added to the immersion, and really made me feel part of the game. Those moose and boars, though… watch out! They really pack a punch. But, nicely done, looking realistic – and acting, as well. In fact, all the animation was superb; all of it realistic. The androids were made to act like humans, and they do; the machines are limited by their machine functions, and that is reflected in how they fight and move – even how they converse. The animals as well. You can tell the team put a lot of time and effort to make everything just so – the animated scenes icing on the cake, it was done so well.

Sound/Music.

You probably already know. I have not been able to stop listening to this soundtrack (in fact, I got it before the game came out stateside…. ah, it’s just too perfect!). The series’ music never disappoints. I was captivated with NieR’s, and now I am with NieR: Automata’s. It’s beautiful music on its own, and with the addition of the story and characters in the game, it creates and unforgettable experience.

I usually end up listening to games in their native language, if I can – usually Japanese. However, this time around, I tried out the English voices. Needless to say, it was a wonderful experience. The voice actors portrayed the characters well, and it was believable – just like in NieR. I felt for the characters, and with the combination of their voice acting, the music, animation, setting, everything – it was simply beautiful. You can hear the hurt in their voices, their despair (particularly 9S’. His voice actor is quite talented).

I ask that you take a listen to the soundtrack, as it is moving (but beware of spoilers in the comments). Many of the tracks use what is called Chaos language, or a made up language that was designed to sound foreign to everyone – I’m not sure if Yoko Taro himself came up with it, but he was involved. It’s haunting and beautiful in its own way, and quite fitting for the game.

Actually, every music piece is so perfect, it’s hard to find one out of place… none come to mind, rather. It flows so well, and fits the theme. It’s a well-paired marriage of music and story, a symbiotic relationship causing each other to shine ever brighter.

Last Note.

If you are a fan of dark games or media, you MUST play this game. Yoko Taro loves to dwell on the darker sides of humans and humanity (strangely showing it through androids and machines this time, but oh so right). His themes are mature, and thought-provoking. They leave you with something you can’t quite pin down, but also steal a piece of your soul (or maybe that’s just me…?) It’s worth your time, however. I guarantee it.

Again, if you are a fan of RPGs and JRPGs, it is also a must. The gameplay is fun, and the boss fights – particularly the ones towards the end – are fun and invigorating. Then again, you can change the difficulty setting at any time – so if fights are too easy, make it harder. If you really just want to enjoy the story, the game has a mode where it will auto attack and evade, so there’s that option too.

I do recommend, however, that people play NieR – or at least watch a playthrough – before playing NieR: Automata. It’s a good standalone game, but you get so much more out of it if you play the previous game. I don’t recommend reading a summary – you lose much of the character that comes with it. Then again, you don’t absolutely have to.

If you’re new to RPGs/JRPGs, like lighter or fluffier stuff, this game is simply not for you. If you’re really curious, look up a summery or watch a playthrough online. But, be warned. It is not for the faint of heart. I enjoy these kind of dark themes and stories, but I also know not everyone does, and that’s okay. Just listen to the sound track instead, and play it anyway (actually though, be prepared if you want to. Honest.) The sound track is so good though… so good!

I should also tell you, there is funny stuff as well to balance out the serious. It’s a good balance in my opinion. But, it’s nowhere near fluffy and “friendship can save the world” stuff that many games have. Oh, it’s quite far from that. Though, of course, there are still many Japanese game/anime tropes within – so do be prepared. Part of it is Yoko Taro, though. Also, it’s not super in your face. It’s hardly noticeable when you’re fighting and focusing on the story, but I thought I’d mention it anyway.

It’s still one of my all-time favorite games. I will never forget it. It will always stay on my shelf, reminding me of the time I played it, the lessons, the epiphanies it brought with it.

A future is not given to you. It is something you must take for yourself.          ~Pod 042, NieR: Automata

P.S. Honestly. Have tissues ready. Beware of spoilers to listening to the music. And most importantly, have fun, and enjoy the symbolism and meaning in this awe-some game.

 

Logging off,

~Raiju

Everyone Loves (Hates) Dragons: 7th Dragon III: Code VFD Review

(picture found here)

It’s a niche game, alright. I remember when it was first announced – I had an interest in it, but I wasn’t too sure, so I decided to pass. However, as it got closer and closer to release date, my older brother brought it up again, and I looked into it more.

I realized that it was something akin to the Etrian Odyssey series, if any of you are familiar with that one (it’s another niche series… man, I do like my niche games!). It wasn’t a first-person dungeon crawler – it was 3rd-person, in that you could see your character walk around. However, some of the other implementations were quite similar, in that you could customize your party: what they looked like, their class, and their name and such. I always like those, because then, it really feels like your party. Hell, you could even choose your character’s voices! And they had Hiroshi Kamiya! What’s not to love?

Anyways, I ended up pre-ordering it about a week before it came out, and got the nifty artbook with it. It looks gorgeous, by the way – the sprites are well done, albeit some are quite scanty, but what can you do? They’re pretty, and that’s what matters.

I was quite surprised by this one, needless to say – it was a pretty good game back in Japan, but this guy was the first one of the series to come over to the States, on July 12th, 2016 for the 3DS. It’s a good, solid JRPG – and I loved it. It was enjoyable – and well worth the price, for the game I got. Before I start to ramble, however, let me get to the actually review:

Summary.

The story takes place in the year 2100. After you have finished choosing your main “player” character, you are let loose to walk around. You hear a rumor about a game, called 7th Encount, that only people with special tickets can get in. You ask the weird rabbit-like creature to get in, but he blocks you – you MUST have the ticket (darn rules!). Soon after, you meet an important character by the name of Mio (she reminds me of Nanako, somehow…) who has two tickets, and wants someone to play the game with her.

So, being the nice person you are, you decide to play with her. You are the only one actually doing the fighting, along with two companions you create before you enter the game world – Mio (if you’ve played the Persona games) is the helper, or Navigator. In essence, within this VR game, you are being tested by the creators – Nodens Enterprises – on whether or not you have what it takes to, essentially, save the world. And? You fail.

I’m joking – of course you pass. Unless you fail? I beat it, so I’m not sure what happens if you fail. After that, the weird rabbit-doll thing (he’s actually living) called Nagamimi (it means long ears in Japanese) brings you to Nodens Enterprises headquarters – where you’re met by the masterminds, Julietta and Allie. You find out that dragons are coming, and humanity is going to get wiped out. However, there is a slight chance – if you’re willing to take it – that fate can be altered. The effects, even now, are taking place due to a plant called Dragonsbane which herald the arrival of said dragons – which cause sickness, eventually killing them. Some are abnormally resistant to it – a.k.a. you and your team – but you still can feel its effects. However, you have the ability Dragon Hunter, which enables you to fight the dragons.

Whew. Still with me?

So you agree, and the adventure begins. You go to different worlds using a time machine to go on a quest to defeat all the True dragons, to get a chance to defeat the 7th, and final, one called VFD. Of course, there are side missions galore that go into side stories (well worth it if you ask me) and, later on, you can unlock places within the headquarters to spend time with people (going on dates! Shoujo-ai and Shounen-ai included!). And, yes, eventually you can unlock a Cat Cafe with all the cats you save. Because what’s a game without cats? Nothing, I tell you!

The story, overall, is really pretty good. You have important named characters that are fleshed out, and seem like real people – though, some can be fairly flat. There is no branching storyline, if I remember correctly, but there are choices that make small impacts on how characters react, kind of like an approval rating. Even the high dragons had personalities! How cool is that?

There’s also an opposing organization to Nodens called ISDF, which has a character named Yuma… and Yuma!! I love the guy. He’s been added to my game crush collection. Anyways, the group shares the same enemy – the dragons – and at times work together. But Nodens’ a private company (did I mention they’re a game company?), so they can’t be trusted… perhaps. ISDF is a government agency, which also can’t be trusted. Things get complicated, but all good stories are that way.

That ending though… I could kinda see it coming, but there were parts I was surprised. Still good, but sad… that’s for sure.

Gameplay.

If you’ve ever played a Tales of game, it’s fairly similar. The places where you don’t have to fight have a few people scattered about that you can talk to, with your main party walking around. Yep, all three of ’em! Whoever’s the leader you control, while the others follow you around. Some people will ask you questions and opinions, others will tell funny things… it’s pretty great.

It’s the same in the dungeon, except this is where it’s more like Etrian Odyssey. You have a gauge that, once it turns red, you will run into an enemy. However, you have larger enemies which are dragons that move around the map. They’re quite strong, so I’d avoid fighting them until you know you can win. However, these are all regular dragons – occasionally you’ll come across High Dragons, which are like mini bosses. They have some pretty epic music – I actually like it better, along with the regular dragon music, than the default True Dragon music. Of course, once you get through the dungeon, you will be greeted with the True Dragon. In similar Etrian fashion, you can see this guy from where you stand, and it’s pretty great.

The level design in this game is also really good. The places really fit with where they are, and they provide good fun to explore. It utilizes a good “3D” feel, in that paths go up and down and you can really ‘feel’ your character make their way through the dungeon – plus it’s gorgeous. Really.

As for battle mechanics, it is a basic turn-based system. You have regular attacks, you can defend, and then you have your specials – which can do all sorts of things, based on which class you are out of 8. In addition, you unlock these classes as well as different portrait styles as you go through the game – separated by the different areas: Atlantis, Tokyo, and Eden. It has a total of 32 different portraits, with 3 color variations for each, so there are plenty of combinations, especially adding the voices on top of that! (There’s 40 different voices. Holy crap!)

In addition, when you beat dragons, you get Dragon points, which you spend to make the headquarters better and bigger – which I recommend you do. It’s got cool stuff, plus it’s beneficial anyways, so why not? So, fight every dragon you come across. It’s great EXP too, which you’re gonna need for the final boss. Trust me.

The gameplay, while basic and fairly simple, has a wide variety of combinations – and, to be honest, I think that’s its strength. It’s solid, and that’s what matters – plus it’s easy to understand. You can get cool abilities later on, too, which are epic. Trust me. I LOVE using them.

Graphics.

It’s for the 3DS, so of course it isn’t 1080p. Does that make it a bad game? No! It’s great! The sprites in-game are quite cute (Look to Fire Emblem: Awakening and Fates), and get across in the game really well. They have portraits when they speak, which are really well done (again, Fire Emblem). The backgrounds fit well with the chibi-characters as well, and while it is a serious game, it has a lot of comedic elements – which, of course, suit their cute appearances. In all, it actually looks really good for a 3DS game.

For enemy design, the dragons are by far the best. Each dragon is different – though, of course, you can run into the same dragon – but there was obviously a lot of work put into them. However, the basic enemies are rather… basic. I get it: dragons are the main point of the game, and they are quite memorable – especially the True dragons – but taking the basic enemies and recoloring and renaming them is… well, it’s not great, but it works. There are occasionally new enemies, which is good, and I understand why it’s done, but… well, they’re a little underwhelming. It’s still pretty good overall, though.

Sound/Music.

There are some RPGs that have rather basic, but still good music that fades into the background (then again, that is generally the point for background music). However, this game (cause its name is long to keep using) has really good music. Now, I know – I say that for many games, but I do mean it every time. If it has bad music, I’m gonna say so. Music can make or break a game, I believe – it carries its weight. Even mediocre games, if they had amazing music, it could still be an overall enjoyable experience. However, if the music sucked but everything else was still good – it’d feel weird. It wouldn’t work.

But this game is the exact opposite. It has music that fits with what’s going on, and epic music when it needs it – though, I’m still not a fan of the default True Dragon music… I liked the High dragons’ much better. However, the special True Dragons’ music was epic. Hands down, perfect. Overall, sounds made sense as well – there was no awkward moments, as far as I can remember, which has happened before. Take a gander and listen to its OST – its strange at first, but in the end, you grow to like it. From the get go, though, it fits the theme of the game really well.

Last Note.

It’s a solid JRPG. If you have a 3DS, and are a fan of RPGs, especially JRPGs, I’d recommend this game – especially if customizing your team is your thing. You can’t do everything, but it’d be really hard to do that, especially with a system like the 3DS – so, I believe what they have is phenomenal.

Is this a game to get a 3DS for? No, I don’t believe so. It’s a great game, but is it ground-breaking? No. It’s a niche game – rarely do these games cause many people to buy a new system to play. If you’re not into niche games, especially ones that have a more anime/manga-esque style, it may not be for you. However, most JRPGs are like that, and I think if you don’t mind it, you would still enjoy the game a lot.

But, beware – it has boobs, boobs everywhere. That’s just how the style is, and while I don’t hate it, I don’t like it, either. Whatever floats their boat – but, since their character design is pretty good, I’ll let it pass. It’s not hyper-sexualized in the game, either, so I believe it to be ok. It’s a good buy, and since its been out for a while, it’ll be cheaper as well. Go ahead, add another one to your collection!

If history is to change, let it change. If the world is to be destroyed, so be it. If my fate is to die, I must simply laugh.               ~Magus, Chrono Trigger

Logging off,

~Raiju

Gettin’ down with some Shadows: Persona 4: Dancing All Night Review

(Picture found here)

I know, I know. It’s been forever. I’m sorry. School, man, school. And, FYI, I have secured a study abroad opportunity in Japan – the mecca of many games! – and am writing this review in said country.

So. This game. I beat it within the first week of me getting it, which was almost a year ago. Whew. How time flies, am I right? That also means that this is almost a year late. I know. I’m slow. You know that already. I always promise to get better about it, and then something steps in my way. That’s just how it works, unfortunately, for me.

It was good game – a guilty pleasure for sure, if I’ve ever had one. Atlus, stop milking this series, as well as Persona 3. I’ve only got so much money and patience – as well as others – but, since I am a hard-core fan, I had to get the game. The special edition, of course. Was it worth it? Yeah. Hell yeah. I saw practically  no one in that full week, besides when I went to class or had to grab food. Mmmm, just remembering it makes me feel all fuzzy… but also full of embarrassment. Thanks, Atlus.

Anyways, it came out in America on September 29th, 2015, exclusively for the PSVita. Almost the one-year anniversary, yeah? The special edition that I got came with one half of the tarot cards set (the other half in the Wild Card edition of Persona Q), a vita skin, which I love (but my case likes to tear off), a two-disc sound track full of all the awesome music you “dance” to, a bunch of costumes and a bonus song, a vita pouch, and a Teddie keychain. That sly bastard. In addition, you could also get a premium Persona 4: Dancing All Night PSVita. It’s pretty cool, but… you know… money?

I beat the crap out of this game. Seriously. Every song, every difficulty. I whittled my hours away to do this, and passed with Excellent on every SINGLE GODDAMN SONG. Whew. I couldn’t play it for a while afterward, which is to be expected. Every now and then, however, I go back to it. I also managed to fanagle one of my friends into getting it as well – actually, make that two (both were Persona fans – one more than the other).

This game, however, does have CANON story. It supposedly actually happens – and is therefore not a spinoff, so to speak. Oh, Atlus… well, actually, the creators of Persona.

But is the game for you? (if you’re a persona fan… well… yes.)

Summary.

The game takes place about a month after the epilogue in Persona 4: The Golden (the same, essentially, as Persona 4). Rise has returned to the great old world of entertainment, but is teaching the rest of the Investigation team how to dance in order for them to be her backup dancers in a special performance. However, as most things go in games, the unplanned happens. Rise instead will be performing with Kanami from “Kanamin Kitchen”, who was mentioned in Persona 4 briefly as Rise’s junior. So, no Investigation team.

Of course, in Persona 4 fashion, the rumor of a certain video playing at midnight will transport you to the other side – and you will never wake up again. This time, it’s a video of a dead idol. Of course, Naoto, Rise, and Yu decide to try out the rumor – as they’re the only ones in the city – and are taken to the “Midnight Stage”.

Here, you get the tutorial to play the game. After that occurs, you are told that Kanamin Kitchen is being held hostage, and are returned, whereupon you soon meet up with the rest of the Investigation team. They all decided to rescue them, and head in – splitting into two groups, or two different story lines, so to speak. Kanamin’s manager gets pulled in as well, to protect Kanamin – who, eventually, also gets pulled in. Your sacrifice was for nothing but plot!

The idols each turn into a shadow, of course, and you are forced to dance to form a bond with the shadows and free the idols. While all this is going on, the real world is continuing – and they find out that all of them are missing. You meet Dojima and Nanako (Nanakooooooo!), in which Kanamin (before she gets pulled in) is rescued by Dojima, and teaches Nanako how to dance so the two can perform on the stage together – and guess what? Nanako is viral! She way too good~. Ah, Nanako!

Of course, things get interesting, (no, really! Honest!) and you eventually figure out why this channel is a thing, why the major Shadow chose the idols, especially Kanamin, and how it all ties back to one moment in history. If you’re like me, and like to find meaning and symbolism in everything, you’ll get a happy one from this. It has some deep stuff – despite the kind of game it is – and leaves you with some insightful knowledge, considering how the one idol died.

ANOTHER NOTE: DO THE STORY LINE FIRST. IT UNLOCKS ALL THE SONGS, SO YOU’LL HAVE TO PLAY IT ANYWAY. BUT IT’S STILL REALLY GOOD. Good old classic Persona writing, that’s funny and serious and insightful all at the same time.

Gamplay.

Ever play a rhythm game before? No? Well, this is gonna be hard. For reference, I’ll use a picture below:

(Picture found here)

This will make it a lot easier, I promise. Sorry for those on mobile though – it may be quite hard to keep scrolling back up to the picture. Also, it has to be Nanako and Yu. It can never not be Nanako and Yu. (double negative for the win!)

Now, you do have the whole Persona-aspect of the game. Text, talking, choosing some answers (the responses hilarious). Indeed, an aspect of the game I really liked was that you were inside Yu Narukami’s head, and really got a sense for him as a character. While him not having a personality was for the player to be able to cast their own upon him, it was a nice change – a feat that the writers pulled off quite well.

However, as this is a rhythm game, that is essentially the game, you have to “git gud”. Take the picture above. The two curved lines would make a circle if you connected them with the same slope. This is important because, during the game, you’ll get blue and rainbow circles that will slowly grow out of the middle, as will all of the notes. Once these guys reach the middle of the two yellow lines, you push in any direction the control stick, the one that looks like a circle (Ingenious, right? Right?). You want to get these, as these can increase the score, but more so the rainbow ones – as they will lead to a fever time. Awesome stuff happens during Fever Time. However, if you miss them, your score won’t decrease. It’ll only help you, as far as I know.

The yellow notes (shown) are regular one-hit notes. Once they reach the center of the circle, hit the corresponding button (Up, Left, Down, or Triangle, Circle, X). You don’t use the buttons closest to the screen, which is something that other rhythm games don’t do (as far as I know as well). It’s strange at first, especially if you’ve been playing the popular Hatsune Miku games, but it is actually fairly comfortable and easy, in a sense. You’ll also get green notes, which you hold until the end. Pink notes will be connected from one side to the other, and you will have to hit both buttons at the same time, or it doesn’t count.

Once you make your way into the harder difficulties (Easy through Hard at first) it can get pretty crazy (FYI, if you don’t miss a note, it’s called KING CRAZY), but it’s not too bad. once you unlock the All Night difficulty, that’s when things get CRAZY. That’s where most of my life for that whole week went, guys. ALL OF IT. Anyways. When you’re playing story, you can choose your difficulty. I recommend playing on a lower difficulty just to get used to the way it works, even if you’re a rhythm game veteran, because it can be quite disorienting.

Not to mention, you can change their outfits and accessories, so definitely check out their store. Its got a lot of cool stuff, and to put your character in your favorite or interesting costumes is really fun. They’ve got the skimpy clothes for the girls (if that’s your thing) but they also have costumes from previous Persona games (even Persona 2!) as well as the guys’ cross-dressing costumes. Oh hell yeah. Sign me up!

Once you beat the story there is the free dance, which you go all ham and git gud evn bttr. This is where you’ll unlock All Night mode, which is Hella Hard. Ever play Hatsune Miku? Hardest difficulty, on some of the hardest songs? Yep. Mega check. P4: DAN is got ’em. In addition, you can also make the songs easier – or, you masochist you, make it near impossible. Think Hatsune Miku was too easy? Welcome to Persona, baby. Whooooo boy. Look up some videos. It’s pretty insane, man. Whew.

Graphics.

F-ing gorgeous. Look up some videos, seriously. The way the characters are animated, designed, ah – it’s all so smooth and pretty! It takes its tributes from anime, obviously, for sure. It does it well – I really have no complaints. The more Persona-like parts of the game are also of Persona quality (Meaning really good, if you don’t know the series) and you’ll see a lot of similar scenes, but also a lot of new ones. It’s refreshing and nostalgic, all at the same time.

If you’re not a fan of anime (um, you don’t have to, put Persona takes quite a bit of stylization and ideas from it), you will probably not like it. If you don’t mind, but like rhythm games, give it a try. See if a friend has it, or ask someone if you could borrow it while they watch, or ask around more. It might just be your cup of tea.

Sound/Music.

Hehehehehe. Trick question, as this game is all about the music. You’ll hear music from, obviously, Persona 4 (and The Golden). However, there is also some music from Persona Q, Persona 4 Areana 1 & 2, as well as a few others. In addition, you can purchase a Hatsune Miku version of a Persona song, as well as Adachi and Marie ones too. There are still others, as well.

One of my favorites is the “Best Friends” Banvox Remix. It’s so good! But, really, I liked all the songs but maybe a select few. I will say this: some songs you will hate – you may like the song fine and well, but when you play it, that’s when the feelings really come out. It’s part of the reason why I like the Banvox Remix – it’s so fun to play. Others, while I enjoyed playing them (I really did) were really hard. Super hard. And when that one song you like starts shredding you, you’re not going to like it as much as you did before. Ugh… the flashbacks!

Last Note.

If you’re a Persona fan, especially of Persona 4 and The Golden, I recommend this game. Why I’m not saying you must have it? Well, there are a lot of Persona 4 games that are, technically, spin-offs. People are getting annoyed – but with the incoming release of Persona 5 in America and elsewhere – it has been stemmed a little. Plus, I know that rhythm games are not for everyone. My older brother isn’t particularly good – and neither is my friend. However, they can still enjoy it, especially since the game has an easy mode for those who aren’t as good with those kinds of games.

However, if you like rhythm games, even if you’ve never heard of Persona before, I’d still recommend it. Would you get the full enjoyment out of it? That’s a no – because it’s fun to see these characters you came to love return again, and if you’re new, you won’t get that. Can you still enjoy it though? That’s a definite yes. It’s got a new twist, so to speak, for veterans of such type of games, and provides yet another title to master.

In the end, it’s up to you if you want it or not. I definitely enjoyed it, and if another kind was made (God forbid) I would probably get it. As I mentioned before, it is probably best if you are on the fence about it to ask around and see if you can borrow a copy from another person to try it out (make sure to return it! This has happened to me before…. my precious games…!)

And with that, my fellows, Dance. All. Night!

“I don’t look back anymore. I don’t regret. I look forward.”               ~Watch Dogs

Logging off,

~Raiju

The PSVita: Is it worth it?

(Image found here)

Let’s face it: the Vita was sold as a wonderful, handy-dandy portable system that could connect to the TV via the PSTV, or Playstation TV. Persona on the big screen? Hell yeah! People were led to believe that the Vita was like another controller for the PS4, a companion that held ultimate power.

However, that was not the case.

It could only connect a few select games from the PS4, and even then, it supposedly didn’t do a good job (I don’t have a PSTV, so I can’t check it for myself). The Vita suffered terribly from this “false advertising”, selling not nearly as much as its predecessor, the PSP. I have the quotes about the “false advertising” for a reason – the company did say it would connect with the PSTV, which it does, and you can view your games on it. On that note, it is not strictly false advertising, at least in my opinion. Were they fluffing it out a bit too much? Yes, of course. But Sony wasn’t flat out lying.

Flat out, the Vita suffered from this. People believed they were lied to – that the Vita was ridiculous, and was over-priced ($350 for it’s debut? Yeah, I have to agree). But, in order to draw a fair conclusion, one most overlook it – even if it was a big part of the original hype behind the Vita. Just the system, and yourself. That’s it.

My older brother was the first out of the family to buy the Vita, in its old, clunky, expensive version. He bought it on Black Friday solely for the purpose of playing Persona 4: The Golden. Dedication, man. Whew. It had a battery that didn’t last as long, but it had a gorgeous array of colors – the blacks were true blacks, due to its OLED screen. However, that also caused it to suck up a lot of battery power. But, hell, it looked gorgeous!

I had played my older brother’s Vita, and liked it considerably, as did my twin. Around the time we were thinking of getting one ourselves, the newer version came out – the PSVita Slim, that you could only get at the time in a bundle with Borderlands 2. It had a longer battery life, sporting an LED screen, and was lighter. The buttons also were placed differently, making it easier on the hands and wrists for longer gaming sessions – supposedly. So, we got it. And we loved it.

So, is the Vita worth it?

Depends on who you are, really. If you loved the PSP, you may wish to get the Vita – but know that it isn’t the same, to don’t expect it to be. First, it’s gonna be a hell of a lot quieter, since the disc reader is gone – its all small cartridges, that are even harder to lose than the Nintendo DS games. How they did it? I don’t know, but they did.

And, believe it or not, there are, actually, a lot of good games made specifically for the Vita. To name a few: Gravity Rush, Persona 4: The Golden, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Super Dananronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, Soul Sacrifice, the list goes on… There aren’t nearly as many games for the Vita as, say, the 3DS, but it’s still got quite the selection. Not to mention, you can digitally download many PSP games from the Store, and play them on the Vita. Too bad there’s now no excuse for not playing those old classics…

It’s definitely an investment, though. It’s still $200, but that’s the same price as the Nintendo 3DS XL, so it’s a nice drop from the original $350. You do have to keep in mind, though, that it is a dedicated gaming machine – it’s portable, but is still similar enough to a console.

Also, for those that are Nintendo fans, you should think about it too. The graphics on the 3DS can often be quite pixelized – this is not so on the Vita. The graphics are amazing – gorgeous 1080p. It looks beautiful, and combat looks fluid. I even dare say it’s better than the PSP, for those that are one the fence about moving up.

Given that evidence, do you think it’s worth it?

I do, because I love playing video games on the go – especially in today’s society, where we have little time to dedicate to gaming. In order to satiate the fix, you need to sneak in bits every now and then, and portable systems are the way to do it.

If you are choosing between a 3DS and a Vita, my advice would be to look at the kinds of games you like to play more, and choose accordingly. While both have similar genres, Sony tends to have more FPSs than Nintendo. Both have RPGs, so either one is a safe bet on that. Their games also are similarly priced, which is a nice tidbit.

Again, though, it’s all up to you, the gamer, to decide.

It is a really good system, especially for how much it costs. It has a lot of nice little touches, and really is a well balanced, fun to play product. Don’t let others’ hate for its history stop you.

If you have any questions, please feel free to let me know; I’m always willing to help! Whether it be about the system and whether or not you should get it, to the games that are played, or anything else!

Well then, without further ado!

 

Logging off,

~Raiju