Finished Azure Striker Gunvolt, but since it ended in a cliff hanger, started (and finished) Azure Stricker Gunvolt 2 (both comes in same bundle). The second game is very similar to the first one, but with some more powers, another playable character, and QoL features.
Power ups also work a bit differently. Though I preferred the original one for that. Other than that, it felt like an improvement over every aspect.
After that, started Octopath Traveller. The game is so beautiful. This is my first 2D-HD game, and while I have seen many trailers of different games that use this visual style, actually playing the game made me fell in love with it.
Game is a pure JRPG, loving everything about it, except that each characters are completely separate, even when they are in party there is no interactions between them, it’s like others don’t exist. It’s basically story of 8 different characters, that just happen to be traveling together, without ever talking to each other.
I am still in early game though. Have just recruited my 5th character, but haven’t cleared their initial story yet. Difficulty seems to be increasing with each new character recruited, but haven’t had much trouble with it yet.
Last, but not least, still playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and will probably be playing this for many months. On paper, it didn’t seem like a game I would enjoy too much, I am generally not a fan of too much realism in games, but I am really enjoying it. As you repeatedly do something, you get better in it, and the difference is very obvious, so it makes the “grind” worthwhile, though that doesn’t mean the game isn’t fun when you are learning stuff.
Well, that’s all about me, what about all of you? What have you been playing lately?
Oh boy, have fun with Octopath! The main criticism is absolutely valid, but to me it and the sequel are the New Age Retro JRPGs that actually nail that old school feeling.
So I’ve played and beaten the first DLC for Sparks of Hope, Tower of Doom. It’s a roguelike mode, which is a genre I generally don’t enjoy too much, so reaching the end of the story once is all I need. It’s 33% completion, but that just denotes the characters and Sparks you’ve gotten at least one and individual enemies encountered, so true completion is nothing but grinding until you fill out that list. Not thanks! I don’t know how random the first playthrough is, but I essentially got my main game setup on a silver platter within the first few floors, so I’m not complaining!
Then I started the second DLC, The Last Spark Hunter. I haven’t played much yet, but It’s essentially just one more world of main game, but it looks really nice. I haven’t really been a fan of most overworld environments, but this one is really dense and nice to look at. Also, you basically start at level 30 and get to grow from there, so that’s one of my previous gripes adressed, even if it’s a little late.
In Arkham Knight, I finished off the Catwoman challenges. A lot of repressed memories from Arkham City came back… I really hate playing her. You can stand under a vantage point, looking straight at it, and not get a prompt to whip up there. Now I’m doing Azrael and he’s basically Batman with a few gadgets missing, so it’s a nice breather. He can even glide! I don’t think his cape-strips should allow him to do that though… That’s where my suspension of disbelief gets shaky.
And I finished Antichamber. It was kinda funny, in my first plathrough years ago I was stuck in a dead-end, looking at progress through a window for a long time. This time, even though I really didn’t remember much about the puzzles, I made that progress quite naturally and I found myself unable to find my way into that dead-end!
Yeah, I am New Age Retro JRPG is a good way to define it. And I am loving that old school feeling.
I understand your feeling about Tower of Doom, this is how I am with rogue likes too, but it’s interesting to see your journey of Sparks of Hope, as it seemed in the start that you didn’t like this game at all.
How many more characters are left after Azrael? And what’s left after challenges?
Man, Antichamber is such a confusing game. I don’t remember if mentioned it last time, but I looked it after you mentioned it last time and found that I have game on steam from some old humble bundle. I have played a bit of it, and I am not sure what’s happening. I ran around for a while, then died, then was in start again, then ran around some more. I think I progressed a bit, but I am not even sure what I am doing or how. 😀 Haven’t even touched it after playing it that one day, you just reminded me of it again.
There are still 3 more characters after Azrael. Arkham Knight really upped the ante here. City had 4 playable characters total, Knight has 8! If I wasn’t such a big fan of Predator Maps, I would say it’s too many. After the challenges, I’m technically done, though there’s one more achievement in the main mode I’ve been too lazy to get, so I’m saving it for last. Nothing difficult, just something that never occurred naturally.
And to make sense of Antichamber, you need to drop your expectations of things making sense. This is the type of game where jumping over a pit makes you fall and walking into it lets you cross. Where the upstairs is next door. Just let the currents carry you and don’t try to understand why the water is dry.
Hmm… that is interesting about Antichamber, will give it another try.
Good luck with your last challenges!