Have you been spending hours trying to pass a level? Or maybe you are completely addicted to a newly bought game. Do you have a question about a game or would like to share something else? In the Weekly Discussion Thread, you can do it all!

Please don’t forget to use the spoiler tag as soon as you start talking about a storyline.

  • Funderpants English
    3•9 months ago

    Just finished Sea of Stars on PS5, true ending. Loved the way they improved on most aspects of SNES era RPGs , I just wish the story had been as impactful as the awesome gameplay, but I compare everything to Nier Automata so the bar is high.

    Picked up Star Ocean First Departure R, and almost immediately regretted it, especially in comparison to Sea of Stars. Wandering aimlessly trying to trigger the next event , talking to every NPC in the village trying to move the plot along with barely a clue on where to go, that old design may have worked in 1996 but it’s just not worth the time anymore.

    I think I’ll drop it and maybe try Starfield on the PC, or I’ve got final fantasy stranger of paradise sitting in my unplayed collection.

    • DarkMetatronEnglish
      2•9 months ago

      I recently played Phantasy Star on the Master System (the original from 1987) and I really loved the game in general, story was fun and the characters (as little as you see from them) were cool. But I have two issues with the game

      1. The huge, multi level first person dungeons without a map and without any landmarks to navigate by.
      2. Hardly any information on what to do next or where to go, just walking over the map until you find, by chance, the correct place or NPC to get further.

      Both points made me drop the game about 2/3th in. I don’t have the time for that kind of gameplay, I am not 12 anymore.

      So yes, those old game mechanics are problematic. And it’s in so many old JRPGs, Star Ocean, Phantasy Star, the early Final Fantasy games. Really sad.

    • @ioslifeEnglish
      1•9 months ago

      I didn’t realize Star Ocean was out already. I really liked what I saw from the announcement in the NDirect. Shame to hear it doesn’t fix some of the outdated design of early RPGs. Guess I’ll check out some more reviews.