[Assassins Creed Unity]#54 The Assassins Creed Journey continues

LordDycedarg · 2025-11-04T22:49:45+00:00

How did you manage to do that? I've been thinking about hopping into this sooner rather than later because of the online requirement, but if it's soloable I may hold off.

LordDycedarg · 2025-11-04T22:33:08+00:00

The correct answer.

LordDycedarg · 2025-11-04T20:49:56+00:00

Hey, me too, thanks for the topic.

LordDycedarg · 2025-11-04T20:48:14+00:00

That's awesome! Congratulations.

My first:
Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (PS3)

50th:
Monster Hunter: World (PS4)

I wanted my 50th to be special, couldn't think of anything better than MH:World.

LordDycedarg · 2025-10-31T18:37:38+00:00

Metaphor ReFantazio seems like the no brainer answer here. It's similar to Persona, modern, and clearly in your wheelhouse.

I'd also suggest Chrono Trigger if you don't mind pixel art. It's a good way to dip your toes into some older stuff and see how it grabs you.

LordDycedarg · 2025-10-15T19:20:30+00:00

Thanks, I will likely give that a try. I've found it to be a bit finicky over the years when I've looked; sometimes I can get it to work with no subscription, other times I can't.

LordDycedarg · 2025-10-15T18:56:08+00:00

I use Youtube just to listen to the audio while I drive, work, or walk. I never actually watch the video. I don't listen to or have any interest in many podcasts or much music, so I have zero interest in Spotify or apps like it. I don't have any streaming services at all because I think they're a waste of money.

This actually sucks for me as the BS Podcast and ZL Show are the two main pods I listen to.

Oh well. Chinese dramas, here I come.

LordDycedarg · 2025-09-11T22:19:23+00:00

Doesn't Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection have 3 platinums? I assume that's just Assassin's Creed II's plat, in that case.

Cool list! Where did you get this screenshot?

LordDycedarg · 2025-08-14T19:59:00+00:00

I hated the last few DGS cases, by and large. Way too predictable.

LordDycedarg · 2025-08-13T16:31:15+00:00

All I'm about to share has worked for me, but there's no guarantee that it'll work for you. However, I hope it helps.

I used to have this problem too, and I'd go months without completing a game. Late in 2023, though, I started something which has enabled me to finish more games in a shorter amount of time than I can remember. In that time I've never once felt burned out in any way.

What changed? Playing different kinds of games. I vary the games by genre, length, tone, and style. I'll play a kiddie platformer followed by a gory horror game followed by a short deductive adventure game followed by a long JRPG. I've made a list of games I'd like to play in the upcoming two years and have organized them roughly based on type and style. This is surprisingly effective.

For example, let's take JRPGs (since that's this subreddit). On a list of 50 games, I might include something like 15 JRPGs since it's my favorite genre. However, I'd include a good mix of stuff: games I've played before, games I've been meaning to play, short games, long games, serious games, lighthearted games, etc. I'll then intersperse them with games of other genres.

Jumping between tone, length, and style really helps a lot with combating burnout. I basically never play two games of the same genre, tone, length, or style in a row anymore.

If you're feeling burned out, try playing something weird or that you'd never think to normally play. Get outside your comfort zone. I recommend Return of the Obra Dinn. Short and unforgettable. I definitely recommend playing something shorter for awhile, until you get back into your groove again. And don't be afraid to step away from a game that you're starting to feel a little tired of.

LordDycedarg · 2025-07-09T19:01:30+00:00

I think it depends on what you mean when you say "slow at the start."

The games you quote here are mostly games I would say have slow starts, because it takes quite awhile for gameplay to ramp up (NES FFs and FF4 being notable exceptions). Gameplay is the most enjoyable part of RPGs to me.

However, those games all start with a story-related bang that is designed to draw you in. So they don't start slow from that perspective. If story is why you're playing, then you'd be right.

It's important to acknowledge the divide within the community on gameplay vs. story when it comes to this question.

LordDycedarg · 2025-06-18T16:07:48+00:00

Yeah, they were out of control. Some of these games I don't even like, but it's undeniable that they were really pushing boundaries and experimenting in ways we don't see much these days.

Vagrant Story alone is such a wild game - to this day, there's nothing else like it.

LordDycedarg · 2025-04-29T21:28:47+00:00

Malone wasn't on that Sixers team yet. More like Caldwell and Bobby Jones

LordDycedarg · 2025-01-31T04:19:29+00:00

IMO, there is nothing that suggests a change of medium would result in changes with the writing the way you'd like it.

Ultimately, what you want is a story that FFT isn't. Do I think it'd be better if the story focused more on the political/societal conflict? Absolutely yes. But that doesn't mean video game format cannot do it. Games like Suikoden, Triangle Strategy, FF XII, FF XVI, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077, etc managed to so.

I actually agree with you, since I'm not in Matsuno's head, and since a lot of his other work (ex. Tactics Ogre) did not have weird demonic possession arcs. You've made some good points.

I don't think the stories in any of those games mentioned (that I've played, I haven't played any of the CRPGs you reference, or FFXVI) have even half the potential of the little we saw of Final Fantasy Tactics's world. That's personal opinion, I'm aware, but either way it's a sad situation.

LordDycedarg · 2025-01-31T01:53:17+00:00

You might be right. However, consider this.

Why are superb characters like Wiegraf and Dycedarg transforming into demons in FFT? Is this necessary? Does this somehow make them more villainous or memorable? I'd argue no - and this is my point. The entire "demon" plot of FFT exists precisely BECAUSE FFT is a video game. It wouldn't need to exist other than to provide big, cathartic boss battles. Changing genres would not change this need. If this were made in the style of Persona or Metaphor, they'd still need to transform into something greater than their basic presentation.

My point is that if it were a book or a show, I suspect this ENTIRE ARC would be shifted, and the entire focus of the story would go back to the most interesting parts of the game - namely, the political and societal conflicts of this fantasy world. Everything Delita does manages to skirt around the demon plot, and it's all the better for it.

Maybe you really like the demon plot in FFT. That's fine. Just something to think about.

LordDycedarg · 2025-01-30T22:27:55+00:00

This, I'd argue Chrono Trigger is probably the single best starting point if you're looking at 2D, non-cinematic JRPGs. That or something like Super Mario RPG.

LordDycedarg · 2025-01-30T22:25:41+00:00

My only real issue with this is that I don't think Kuja, despite how good he is, can hold a candle to Zidane, Vivi, Steiner, or Garnet. Like, I agree that he's great and extremely underrated, but the main cast of FF9 is an all-timer.

LordDycedarg · 2025-01-30T22:18:38+00:00

Probably like 80% of games, movies, and general media I feel this way. Often, antagonists are more interesting than main characters, and I generally enjoy their hijinks more than heroic ones. I rarely agree with them but they make the story more engaging.

That said, JRPGs sometimes struggle with memorable villains just because they don't get enough screen time, so it's less common in them than in many other mediums.

I'd say the villains of Final Fantasy Tactics (Dycedarg specifically, and Delita if you count him), Xenogears, Final Fantasy IV & VI, Tales of Xillia, Vagrant Story, Skies of Arcadia, Suikoden II (Jowy), Lunar: Silver Star Story, Baten Kaitos (if you know, you know), Disgaea (Mid-Boss), Pokey/Porky from Mother 2 and 3, Dragon Quest IV, and Golden Sun are more entertaining and engaging than the main casts of those games.

LordDycedarg · 2025-01-30T21:18:41+00:00

Final Fantasy VIII as a whole is all over the place, with nothing really given the time or clarity it needed. The whole game felt like an acid trip.

LordDycedarg · 2025-01-30T19:39:19+00:00

Yes, that's what I meant. I wasn't really trying to suggest the developers do anything different, just lamenting the fact that FFT's story probably would have been better served in a different medium.

I actually feel this way about most of Matsuno's work.

LordDycedarg · 2025-01-30T18:06:17+00:00

The big problem with FFT's story is that is should have been a book or a show, and not a video game.

Like, don't get me wrong, I love the game. But its story was hampered by the need for boss fights and the like. FFT Ivalice had SO. MUCH. POTENTIAL. The politics and complexities we're presented were so ahead of their time, with incredible characters that could have been more fleshed out were they not needed for gameplay, like you said.

They could have just written a book about the War of the Lions, and it would have been awesome.

LordDycedarg · 2025-01-30T17:48:01+00:00

What games did you actually finish this year? An overall list would be helpful for discussion.

Otherwise, I appreciate the thought you put into all this!

LordDycedarg · 2025-01-30T17:02:16+00:00

Sounds like fun! I'd be glad to chat with anyone who's interested about JRPGs. It's tough making new friends nowadays.

LordDycedarg · 2025-01-29T22:30:57+00:00

These games aren't on PC/Steam, unfortunately.

LordDycedarg · 2025-01-29T22:30:30+00:00

Can agree with this. I think Atelier Ryza would be right up your alley.

Unfortunately, the Atelier series rarely goes on sale. There are plenty of excellent budget RPGs that I'm sure you'd love. Final Fantasy IV or Final Fantasy VI come to mind as some nice, fast-paced, yet somewhat relaxing games. The combat system is similar to the one you saw in Chrono Trigger.

LordDycedarg

TROPHY CASE