Останні рецензії користувача Jedo

FF4 is the culmination of a couple of strong ideas that came from FF2. Among the pixel remasters, this title is when you start to really see the noticeable progression of ideas from game to game.

The rotating/temporary party members in particular were done really well as a plot device as I found myself way more invested in their individual stories that tied into the big picture. This is also my favorite FF story-wise from the first half of the mainline titles particularly because it presents a balanced dose of both tragedy and resolution with an ending that leaves things open without delivering a cliffhanger.

I really enjoyed following Cecil's emotional journey as he grew through his inner turmoil combined with the help of the cast. I think one of the most important factors leading to this was how he was repeatedly taught (some may even say it was too much) the value of a life not to mention his own. To say that FF4 made me feel at peace is an understatement and after playing all iterations of this universe available on Steam, the Pixel Remaster is definitely my favorite version.

With regards to the music, FF4PR also features my 2nd favorite overworld theme (next to FF9) that really stands on its own. I know a lot of people prefer the older OSTs but the overworld track in particular shows how much detail you can add to a any modern rendition. The track featured expert use of woodwind instruments that really shine through the longer you listen to it. It doesn't have my favorite overall OST, but it was a pleasant and balanced experience through and through.

Please check this pixel remaster of FF4 out! If you are a fan of a good story, then FF4 can serve as a spiritual starting point for anyone who wants to peek into the franchise.

Pixel Remaster aside, FF2 is best treated as an exploratory entry in the saga. It proposes some interesting ideas for the JRPG formula that ultimately disappear just like the many companions that took the P4 slot. I wouldn't call this game my favorite, but it does fit into the bigger picture of progression to see how we ended up with such deeply satisfying FF titles later down the line. Appreciate it for what it is—a short trailblazing JRPG adventure that has some very weird mechanics.

I played this one to 100% without grinding attributes more than what I needed for completion. In essence, I left my attributes up to fate/pseudo-RNG. For several hours, I really thought the game had something against my healer because she basically developed with 1/3 the HP of my 2 other party members throughout the entire game. It's not so bad though because, at its core, the game isn't difficult.

I recommend this game to anyone who is picking up ANY of the Pixel Remaster titles. You owe it to yourself to see how the FF games' mechanics developed over the years. Before you dive into it though, it's important to set expectations and understand a few things about Magic in this game:

1. Magic is largely ineffective without the time investment of leveling each one up. You can beat 90% of the game by just dual wielding your weapons.
   
2. Adding onto that, negative status effects are also ineffective because they require each status spell to be improved individually via repetition to even have a chance of hitting. This means you will need to spend many turns missing inflicting something like Blind before you can see results.

If you end up playing it, expect an insanely good OST that has some truly epic tracks for the overworld and final dungeons! Give the Pandaemonium theme a listen and thank me later.

FF13 is like a beautiful crescendo story-wise that simmers down a bit in the post-game. All of the good bits (in my opinion) are concentrated in the storytelling and musical department. As far as mechanics go, I view it as one of the more experimental FFs out there. I don't hate it and in fact, I even loved it at various turning points in the game. Anyone who has mastered this game's conceptually interesting combat system deserves a pat on the back since high-level gameplay in FF13 is a work of art.

With that said, I don't necessarily believe that the entire combat system is good. In fact, it is riddled with disappointments especially early on when you can only do basic attacks for such a long portion of the game. Additionally, your party gets separated so many times that you can't really experience the best part of paradigms until very late into the story. This isn't much of an issue in simpler turn-based systems in the previous mainline entries, but in FF13, the difference between 2 members and a 3-member squad is going from 2D to 3D gameplay. The stagger mechanic in this game puts me to sleep. Something about reaching 999% to deal maximum damage when farming for late-game upgrade materials/Gil is really uninspired to me. I also dislike attacking turtles so maybe that's where all this negativity is coming from.

Did I mention that the port is clunky at best? Players are required to use other applications to access basic features such as Borderless Windowed mode. They really could have done better here.

What salvaged this title for me was the new music direction which was a unique take on the franchise. Masashi Hamauzu really provided a pianist's version of what Final Fantasy is to him. He's not Uematsu, but he sure as hell learned from the best. It also helped that the depressing struggle of the l'Cie was a more unique story take that kept me engaged throughout the main storyline.

Basically, the 2 beautifully done creative elements in FF13 cancel out the experimental mechanics and the janky port where my negative experiences came from. I am giving this title a neutral vote because I don't have it in me to hate on a Final Fantasy mainline game especially if I honestly did like the story.

Excellent remaster of FF1! The game and UI feel good to play even when playing on PC while using a controller. Everything looks clean and the pixel-style graphics don't look out of place even at 1080p. You can tell that the Pixel Remaster team focused on removing all the clunkiness that previously released FF tiles on Steam have experienced (FF13/FF3 3D Remake).

In terms of completion, this is the shortest game in the entire franchise. Makes a lot of sense considering it's the first in both name and spirit. The story is also very simple but allows players a glimpse of the recurring "maintaining world balance" theme in the early numbered titles (the theme of crystals and etc).

FF PR is nearly the perfect game for any JRPG enjoyer who is craving a classic and wants to dive deeper into the franchise and the genre. The one downside is that for someone who may come from a modern gaming background, the lack of a sort item feature in a remastered version may seem odd. Regardless, the game is short and simple, the type of game you can finish over the weekend, but does not cut corners when it comes to important elements like the UI and a good OST.

The price is absolutely fair for what you get and I urge first-time players to possibly give this one a go before you progressively consume/enjoy FF1-4.

FF8 is a solid entry in the franchise that explores a major recurring theme of introspection—looking into one's own consciousness. This is depicted by the many monologues that are frequently used as a storytelling device in both serious/story-related situations and for comedic relief. Initially, FF8 develops a romantic subplot in a way that 90s teens could get behind. As the story progressed, this subplot matures into other themes such as overcoming self-imposed loneliness and developing assertiveness. These themes have remained true from the 1999 PSX release all the way to this Remaster.

This was one of the first few titles in the past which stood out to me due to how they tried to blend in-game movement and FMVs together. A lot of games in that era transitioned in and out of FMVs without the ability to act during that transition. I enjoyed this element in the game because it was a clear sign of progress in the franchise. It's not perfect by any means, but it did a lot to maintain immersion during that era. Admittedly, Squall's face wasn't consistent throughout all the cutscenes and there were some really weird scenes near the end but the overall package was tasteful.

I don't have a lot of special feelings about the combat in this game, but the Junction system is a fun transition away from the Materia system in 7. It's an interesting reconfiguration of how you can customize character stats and roles in the game. It expanded the role of summons/GFs that were explored in FF7 to greater lengths and turned them into equippable/customizable components in lieu of equipment. It's a good system to promote a little bit of creativity.

As far as the remaster is concerned, I don't think there was a significant graphical upgrade. The boosts to customize the gameplay experience (their words) are not enough to objectively say it deserved a 150% price bump. Regardless of this minor observation, I still think the overall price of both the OG and remastered versions on Steam is just about right for getting access to an iconic title such as FF8.

If you are new to FF8, I suggest buying the non-remastered version first. If you are a returning player, check this one out in case you want to play the game with boosts on to speed up some of the slower transitions (such as long-ass ladders). Overall a solid title and an okay remaster.

I struggled with the combat in this game for the first couple of hours because prior to this I had just finished remake part 1. In hindsight, I'm glad the game was mechanically different because it gave me a nice change of pace after the beautiful rollercoaster that is FF7R.

Crisis Core FF7 Reunion is an engaging instanced action JRPG that readily delivers continuous bouts of combat through its mission system. I found myself playing longer sessions thinking "just one more mission" because there's that satisfying sense of incremental progress that hooks you in as each mission cleared builds you up.

The combat is not too deep/complex, but it is strangely satisfying. Aside from the charming arcade and pseudo-rng elements, the combat feels a couple of steps away from something like Dynasty Warriors. While the missions can get repetitive if you strive to clear all of them, some of them are optional and you can still get access to the hardest content without much hassle.

As a remaster, I'm pretty happy with how this game turned out visually. Objectively speaking, the work that was done to remaster this game is of a higher caliber than both FF8 and Type-0's remasters respectively. The new models are easy on the eyes (like Cissnei) and this title which was not native to the PC does not feel out of place. With that said, I would have greatly appreciated access to a photo mode to take advantage of the clear visual upgrade(s).

Performance-wise, I only had about 2 crashes in between loading screens. Thankfully the auto-saves were on point so I didn't technically lose any progress. For the most part, the game ran quite smoothly which is to be expected from a game with instanced gameplay at this visual level.

I'm glad I got to observe this prequel through the POV of Zack because, on a personal level, he is one of the best main characters I have ever encountered among FF titles. If you want a constant hit of dopamine and adrenaline, give this game a look! It's an emotional ride with an interesting backstory about how some of our FF7 favorites came to be.

Before even launching this game, I had already accidentally given it a vote for Steam's Best Soundtrack award while checking out the Winter Sale. Little did I know how much I would agree with my unassuming self.

I'm nearly done with the game, but FF7R has definitely shot up as one of my all-time favorites among all FF titles. I must stress that while it's not the same as the original whether we're talking in terms of mechanics or even artistic direction, it would be very disingenuous to claim that FF7R does not do the OG justice. It doesn't matter if you view the remake as a stealth sequel or some other iteration. What matters is that as a fan of the Final Fantasy world, FF7R delivers additional context to Midgar and the planet it rests on to help fans paint a more complete picture of the series and its beloved characters. To appreciate one unlocks the Materia to further appreciate the other.

Visually speaking, this is a stunning FF title. There are a ton of opportunities to take beautiful screenshots (both landscapes and characters/effects). Relative to how PSX FF games were back then, FF7R does a great job of minimizing the use of FMVs and maintaining immersion by expertly blending overworld and skippable cutscenes. I genuinely found myself taking extra long at various points in the game just to look for a beautiful photo mode shot.

The soundtrack in this game is something else! Not only does it brilliantly set the mood throughout the game, but it also offers jams for a diverse group of listeners! It is a given that the base game has a lot of wonderful tracks, but that short stint playing INTERmission really showcased a broad range of aesthetically pleasing music throughout multiple genres! Kame kame kame kame dooraku!!!

I only played this game with Japanese voices, but as per usual Square Enix brought a great cast of veteran VAs. Weiss' iconic voice actor (Jouji Nakata—a legend from titles such as Code Geass, Fairy Tail, and the Fate series) will never get old. FF7R's lineup of VAs is truly top-notch and adds a depth of quality to the characters we have long imagined prior to the days of this remake. They managed to portray how lovingly goofy Barret, Yuffie, and Aerith can be! As an example, the player can really feel Barret's fear of heights as his voice sounds like it's leaving his soul! Aerith's VA in particular did a great job of translating her playfully smug personality during her initial banter with Cloud. Overall this was one of the most satisfying additional bits of context that I can really appreciate from FF7R. Great job!

In FF13, I personally disliked the stagger mechanic. I thought the concept was cool but executed in a less-than-exciting manner. I haven't encountered much of that mechanic since, but it is my opinion that FF7R delivered a much-improved version of the system. The fights don't drag out even on hard mode and it's nice to see that this remains true even when you play a more defensive playstyle in combination with the stagger mechanic. It's not a souls game, but it delivers a happy medium between action and the original.

Really happy I picked this up over the winter sale! The game is a gift to FF7 fans. Considering the amount of effort put into this game, from the beautiful world all the way to the faithful yet different re-exploration of the beloved series, it is worth the price. It's coming in 3 parts and the uninformed would wrongly assume that this has "less content", but they would be wrong. It takes a tremendous amount of effort and resources to translate the original story into a more modern medium. In the end, FF7 fans are getting a larger product in terms of content (this game takes at least 75+ hours to 100%) which I happily welcome. As I approach the tail end of my platinum run, I look forward in excitement for the rest of the trilogy! I sincerely hope SE can maintain this level of quality until the end.

Not sure what they did in Vol. 4 but the UI feels a lot smoother/more responsive when you compare Vol. 4 relative to Vol. 3. Just a little sad that I couldn't pet the dad. Press P for prosperity.

Chained Echoes is my GOTY. After finishing the game 100%, it has successfully reignited my passion for turn-based RPGs and all the charm that goes with them. To say that I feel like I got my money's worth from this game is a huge understatement because, throughout 50+ hours sunk into Valandis and this beautiful story, I was in a constant state of wonder that never even bordered the realm of tedium.

To start off, the combat is what you make it. There is enough customization in difficulty to tailor the game to how you want your experience to be. The crystals are an interesting mechanic, but it is something that I believe has a lot more potential that can be unlocked.

I personally turned my focus toward exploration and the story because I wanted to keep a good pace while writing guides for this game. As a result, I found so many subtle but thoughtful changes that occurred from act to act. Upon noticing how the NPCs evolved as the story progressed, I felt invested in the smaller yet just as meaningful stories they had to tell. I found myself determined to talk to every NPC from Act II onwards because the flavor text definitely turned out to not just be for show. What happens in this world affects all citizens, and it's small details like this that really solidified my interest in the game/story.

As far as collectibles go, I really enjoyed exploring every nook and cranny of the game. I felt that the developer did a great job of encouraging exploration by inserting just the right amount of feedback to point players in the right direction (a yellow orb here and there to alert you of a hidden path, NPC subtext to teach you about an area's mechanics, etc.). I enjoyed the gradual expansion of most areas due to unlocks tied to story progression. It reminded me of how Darksiders encouraged revisiting areas after you unlocked exploration tools to reveal more of the map. Overall, nabbing as many collectibles as I could (chests/caves/buried treasures) was a truly satisfying experience. It felt just right and was never tedious/frustrating.

This review would not be complete without me mentioning the fantastic soundtrack! After visiting a certain village, I had a skip in my step and kept singing Wa Wa, WaWaWA! Unless you are speedrunning this game, I strongly suggest taking your time in each area because there's a lot of fantastic ambiance to take in that's only complemented by such a well-placed sountrack. Huge props to the artist(s)!

Thank you Matthias Linda, the rest of the team, and the publisher for making sure I can end this year with a masterpiece of a game! After such a beautiful experience trying to 100% this game, I feel confident supporting any future titles from this brilliant developer.

What a cute teacup-sized serving of a game!! Finally, I can point to a clicker game that I genuinely enjoyed and DID NOT overstay its welcome. Beautiful and vibrant artwork, simple concept, and good execution. Buy and play it if for a small burst of dopamine.