JCPhoenix

JCPhoenix, miesiąc temu

Earthbound was probably the first game I was ever really enamored with. Even today, it’s definitely one of my favorite games ever. And it’s probably the first JRPG I ever played, and it’s what started me down a long path of JRPGs.

My parents got me a subscription to Nintendo Power magazine, and I remember reading about the game there and wanting to play it. They didn’t buy it for me when it came out, but I did rent it from Blockbluster a few times. And they did eventually buy it for me for Christmas. It even came with the strategy guide!

Everything about the game was great. I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but it was insanely accessible, even to a then 7-8yo kid like me. JRPGs tend to be darker and complex (though not always). But Earthbound still had complexity, but it wasn’t darker. Yes these kids were having to save the world from destruction, but the story was told in an upbeat, fun way. And it was just the right amount of complexity.

Earthbound is also probably the first game I ever beat. Certainly the first JRPG.

I did try the fan-translation of Mother 3. I didn’t end up finishing it. I got close, but it was far too depressing and different from EB. The game was beautifully done (as was the player-made strategy guide!), but I just couldn’t really get into the story and characters. Just wasn’t for me.

JCPhoenix, miesiąc temu

It’s certainly a fan theory, but that’s not a confirmed thing by any means. The location of the last battles does look the inside of a vagina, looking towards the cervix, but that’s supposedly only a coincidence.

JCPhoenix, 2 miesiące temu

Mainly playing Rimworld, FF7 Rebirth, and a little bit of the Ace Attorney Apollo Justice Trilogy. Also finished the visual Coffee Talk last night.

JCPhoenix, 3 miesiące temu

Final Fantasy XIII had Sazh Katzroy. He’s not the main character (that’d be Lightning), but he is an important playable character right from the get-go. He has his own storylines as well.

JCPhoenix, 5 miesięcy temu

You can use Nitter.net to help “expose” the tweets and threads. Here’s this one: nitter.net/CeciliaFae/status/1749183059877085396

JCPhoenix, 5 miesięcy temu (edited 5 miesięcy temu)

• Barotrauma. Game can be challenging and serious, but also ridiculously hilarious and off the walls, often in the same playthrough.
• Valheim.
• Project Zomboid. You might want to consider upping some of the difficulty with more players, though. More zombies, for example.
• Minecraft.
• Planetside 2. Squad/platoon up and just roll around together. The learning curve, however, can be surprisingly high.
• Battlebit Remastered.

JCPhoenix, 5 miesięcy temu

I picked up Cobalt Core on a whim during this current Steam sale. I don’t really play deckbuilders, but this is a super fun game. It’s a roguelike with heavy FTL vibes. I have yet to get that far in it because…

I’ve been playing tons of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. I bought it during the summer sale on Steam, but only started playing it now. It’s a mystery game similar to the Phoenix Wright/Ace Attorney games (probably because it’s made by Shu Takumi, who also made PW/AA), but instead of investigations and court cases, the main gameplay revolves around limited time travel and then trying to make Rube Goldberg machine-style scenarios to prevent people from dying. And some of the challenges are, well, challenging to figure out how things work together and in what order to use or manipulate items. It’s fun.

JCPhoenix, 6 miesięcy temu

Project Zomboid, hands down. Valheim is good, too.

But only with friends. And that’s case with pretty much all survival games; I won’t play by myself.

I guess Minecraft, as well, but I mostly play Creative. So to me, it’s hardly a survival game.

JCPhoenix, 7 miesięcy temu

FYI, you’re on a Beehaw community right now. This type of needless aggression may be acceptable elsewhere, but not on Beehaw.

JCPhoenix, 7 miesięcy temu

I actually these little minigame ones as opposed to the text captchas or the “Click all the photos of traffic lights.”

JCPhoenix, 7 miesięcy temu

Shh! You’re gonna tempt the DNS demons!

JCPhoenix, 9 miesięcy temu

I’m a pretty hardcore FF fan who bought FF16 Day 1. I enjoyed it enough. Enough that I finished it, when I’ve only finished two other entries: FF6 and FF10. Neither here nor there, but I usually get pretty close to finishing the games…but then take a break, for like years. Yeah, I have a problem.

Anyway, it’s not like 16 was my favorite FF ever. Nor the worst; just middle of the pack.

I don’t play a lot of active battle games; I like FFs and other JRPGs for the traditional turn-based combat, which 16 did not have. But I also get that that’s a niche market these days and consumer tastes change. I actually like that SE has been experimenting with different combat systems over the years in FFs.

Either way, the fighting system was easy enough for a bad like me to enjoy. But I will also say that the game still felt overly simplistic. A lot of big fights had “cutscene fights,” where you had QTEs; simple QTEs where you literally just have to mash X or something.

The accessories/equipment system was super simplified down to weapon and 3 accessories. Of course you should upgrade your weapon, so there’s no customization there. And most of the accessories were worthless, IMO. There were only a few that really stood out so I used those for most of my run.

Even learning the various summons and their powers was basic. Like it seemed like the system was in place to allow people to choose their own combat style, but that also largely meant that once you settled on a style, there was no reason change unless a stronger summon/power for that style came up. I never felt forced to learn and use a specific summon for a certain fights or anything.

In a way, because SE tried to cater to both the JRPG crowd and the non-JRPG crowd, they ended up with a somewhat mediocre game, that disappointed both groups. Again, FF16’s not a bad game, but it’s not great. Like you said, it’s just “meh.”

JCPhoenix, 9 miesięcy temu

I picked up Starfield on Friday. I’m not very far into it after 12hrs. Been doing side quests and such around New Atlantis and exploring. So far, it’s fun enough. This is the first Bethesda game I’ve played since Fallout 3 (which I didn’t finish). So I’ve kinda come into this mostly blind, which I think is a good thing. It reminds me a bit of Deus Ex: HR/MD, probably because of all sidequest and explo that I’m doing.

Also restarted Triangle Strategy last week or so, after putting it down for a year or two. Had it for the Switch, but then picked it up for the Steam Deck. Been taking my time with that as well.

In FFXIV, I’m in the post-Shadowbringers DLC content. I’ve taken a bit of a break from the MSQ to get the Nier-themed alliance raids, along with the “Eden” full-party raids. I’ve so far only opened two of the three Nier alliance raids, and god are they difficult. But that difficulty means they’re tons of fun. I think I’ve got the first one down pretty well, though I’ve yet to complete it without dying at least twice due to not paying attention to boss telegraphs. The second one is gonna take me a bit more to get through without dying left and right. Prioritizing these over the “Eden” full-party raids at the moment. Did get my MCH to 90 during all the raiding, which means I now my second Lvl 90 class, the first being RDM. Think I might try a healer class next, just not sure which one.

JCPhoenix, 9 miesięcy temu (edited 9 miesięcy temu)

So many of those old adventure games were hilarious. The Monkey Island series, Day of the Tentacle, Leisure Suit Larry, Space Quest. But I was also a kid back then (probably shouldn’t have been playing Leisure Suit Larry…). I wonder if they’d still hold up for me today.

JCPhoenix, 9 miesięcy temu

I’m one of the weird ones who likes Satisfactory over Factorio. I just can’t get into Factorio for some reason. Also didn’t help that my friends who I tried playing with it – who all had hundreds of hours in the game – are the kinds to be like, “No, you’re doing it wrong - the correct/efficient the way to do it is this way…” People, let me learn the damn game. I get being efficient, but let me learn on my own for a bit.

But didn’t matter, just couldn’t get into Factorio.

JCPhoenix, 9 miesięcy temu

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (or rereleased as Tactics Ogre Reborn), to me, is that modernized version of FFT. I like FFT, but I liked that Tactics Ogre game waaaaay better.

JCPhoenix, 9 miesięcy temu

Gloria Victis. It’s an MMO with factional PVP warfare that uses directional combat (like Mordhau). I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of these games, but I gave it a try since a friend of mine was interested in it. And I do like MMOs for the story content and to see what players can do with and within the world.

It was horribly boring. The main draw of the game is its PVP, but they definitely tried to also cater to the PVE playerbase, but the quests and story were generic and forgettable. I never even got to try the PVP, which I think my friend said was just OK anyway. I stopped playing after like a week. Apparently, the game is shutting down end of October, after releasing back in February 2023.

Another is the first Watch Dogs. I had played and completed Watch Dogs 2 and really liked it a lot. So thought to try the first one. I knew it was a very different mood and style from WD2, but thought it’d be OK. I can deal with moody and edgy. But it just wasn’t at all fun or interesting. I think I played for a couple hours and then uninstalled.

JCPhoenix, 9 miesięcy temu

I think I’ve tried a couple times solo, but never really put serious effort into it. So I’d play for like 30min then just quit. I think the bad experience with my friends made me just avoid it. Realistically, it just happened to be Factorio that we were playing that time; it could’ve been any game. And it has happened in other games. The one friend who was the worst offender, I rarely play games with anymore. It’s silly, I know.

However, one day, when I’m bored and looking at my Steam library, I will make the attempt again. I feel like I should, but I just don’t know when that might happen. The picking Factorio part; I’m frequently bored staring at my Steam library!

JCPhoenix, 9 miesięcy temu

Fallout 3 was one. I had just transferred to a new college and was dorming. Several of the guys were playing FO3, so I decided to get it, even though I knew almost nothing about FO games. But I knew it’d be something to talk about with people. And it worked, even though I didn’t get that far into the game. Made friends; some that 15yrs later I still talk to on occasion. As far as the game itself, I haven’t played another FO since; just generally not my kinda game.

My gaming buddies now, who I’ve known them for several years, have the attention span of goldfish, so I’ve largely stopped FOMO games purchases. I can’t keep spending money on games they’ll play for a week or two, or less. Though if it appears there’s some longevity, then maybe I’ll jump in. Barotrauma and Project Zomboid are a couple where the FOMO eventually won out, but it did pay off. We’ve sunk hundreds of hours into each game over the last 2-3yrs.

JCPhoenix, 9 miesięcy temu

Really? I do enjoy turn-based games, so that’s good to know! It’s definitely the first-person perspective that I think I just don’t care for. The post-nuclear apocalypse setting I’m into. Looking at some pics, I’m kinda reminded of Shadowrun Returns, which I enjoyed. Is that an apt comparison?

JCPhoenix, 10 miesięcy temu

There was some kinda incident or protest at the beginning. Some guy or guys walked on stage and said something about GTA6 before they were escorted off.

JCPhoenix, 10 miesięcy temu

When Tencent buys all of them =/

JCPhoenix, 10 miesięcy temu

Ultima Online. Idk how it is now, as I haven’t played on vanilla servers in like 20yrs, but you basically just got dropped into the game. Luckily, I had a friend who did play who taught me the basics. Otherwise, I woulda just been running around town aimlessly.

Eve Online is kinda like that, too. Originally, I don’t think there was a tutorial (I started in 2005). Over the years, they’ve implemented a tutorial and iterated on it. Or just completely re-did it over and over again. It was bad. Like Ultima Online, Eve is a sandbox MMO, so no tutorial can show you everything possible in the game. But even the basics felt like not enough and just long and drawn out. The system in place today is certainly better, but players are still better off making friends quickly to learn the ins and outs.

Planetside 2 also originally didn’t have a tutorial. I played the original Planetside back in the day, but the games are pretty different from each other. So it was a bit rough in the beginning. I remember coming across the early biolabs and running around the bottom of it for a quite a long time until realizing there were then “satelite bases” which had jumppads to the top of the biolab entries.

Even when a tutorial was introduced, it was pretty crap. Like sure you learned the basics of how to move, and how to shoot, and how to spawn vehicles. But the game is so much more than that. Big parts of Planetside 2 is understanding the map and environment, flow of battles, where each bases’ capture points are, and of course positioning. And that’s all stuff you don’t get in the tutorial because there are so many different bases and the continent are large. Plus, some of that can only be learned by playing the game. Which can be frustrating when a player is dying 50 times in a row while getting a single kill (if they’re lucky), because they don’t yet understand anything I mentioned.

JCPhoenix, 10 miesięcy temu

You’re right…It’s the best! 😎

It’s an OK game. I say that, yet I keep getting sucked into it. Quit for like 10yrs, then I came back in 2018. Stopped playing again at the start of 2022, only to come back again at the start of 2023. I have a problem…and her name is Eve!

JCPhoenix, 10 miesięcy temu

Agreed. I’m in the one of the null blocs, and have been since for last 4-5yrs. I’m not particularly deep into the community, either the alliance or Eve in general, but I just like playing with other people. Are F1 Tidi blobs fun? No, but I’m still playing with people. Logi wing can be fun, trying to get everything organized, and then keeping cap chains organized and going while get melted. I was doing FW earlier the in year, which is ofc much smaller scale, so I got to chit chat and know the regular gang that I ran in. Which was nice.

Compare that to FFXIV, where I really don’t have to talk or work with anyone, other than in instances. A single player experience in a world filled with others doing their own single player experience. Yeah there’s community, but it never feel like it resolves around the game; it’s all just extraneous stuff like nightclubs and stuff.

Gameplay wise in Eve, I feel like I’ve done everything I’ve really wanted to do in the game. After this many years of playing, the mystique and curiosity is gone. But the players do still make it interesting from time to time. Thank god for that.

JCPhoenix, 10 miesięcy temu

Playing Danganronpa v3 and FF7 Crisis Core Reunion, both on Steam Deck.

I started Danganronpa a couple weeks ago. And so far, it’s definitely the weakest of the main trilogy. I really don’t like any of the characters. They’re all just too edgy, weird, and/or outright dumb. And not in a funny endearing way often seen with characters in the first two installments. I just finished the the second class trial; the twist there was pretty stupid. The first trial and murderer at least made sense and was unexpected. This second murderer, while also unexpected, just had the dumbest reason; totally unbelievable. That said, the game itself isn’t terrible. And the story is just interesting enough that I wanna see where it goes.

I started FF7 Crisis Core Reunion last week and I’m still in the early stages of it. Don’t really have any opinions on it so far. After finishing FF16, I was in the mood for another action-based FF game, so tried this out.

Continuing to play FF14; still in Shadowbringer expansion (SHB). I’ve been taking my time with it as I had to level up a Machinist so that I can take advantage of the experience gained from MSQs. I finished the Titania trial over the weekend. I am enjoying the level of difficulty with SHB; I felt like Stormblood was a walk in the park. Admittedly, I was massively overleveled through most of Stormblood, but even with level adjustments, it felt easy. So it’s nice to see some challenge again.

Also I’ve gotten back into Eve Online after taking a few months off again. Idk; null blob fleet stuff is something to do, I guess.

JCPhoenix, 10 miesięcy temu

I remember when Sony announced they were stopping production on backward compatible PS3s. I ran out and got one, because I still had PS2 games I wanted to finish. The BC PS3s were more expensive than their non-BC counterparts. And the PS3 was already an expensive machine.

I think I played 2 or 3 PS2 games on it. And never with consistency. Plus, these older games looked terrible on modern HD screens. And frankly, I was more interested in playing current gen titles. For example, I got a PS5 so I could play FF16. Not so I could keep playing FF15 or FF13. It really ended up being a real waste of money to buy that more expensive PS3.

And many of the games eventually re-released on other platforms: PSP/Vita, Steam, Switch, later-gen consoles, etc. I play a lot of JRPGs, so that helps.

Backwards compatibility is something I really don’t care about. It’d be nice, I guess. But I still have my PS3 and PS4. If there’s something I really want to play, I can boot those up. Or just see if the game is available on Steam.

JCPhoenix, 10 miesięcy temu

Not the original commenter, but I did pay the extra $100-150 for the PS3 for backwards compatibility. In retrospect, I shouldn’t have. I played maybe like 3 PS2 games on it. I was far more interested in then current-gen games. I sorta got swept up in the hype of BC back in the day, especially when Sony stopped production of BC PS3s. I literally ran out and got one before they all disappeared; I still have it.

Looking back, the option wasn’t worth it. But we’re different people, different consumers. Our needs and wants differ.

JCPhoenix, 10 miesięcy temu

I just want to know more about the world and backstory in Paradise Killer. I bought it on a whim a couple years ago, mainly because of it’s aesthetic, vaporwave and all. I like mystery games too, like Ace Attorney and Danganronpa (playing v3 right now). But I didn’t know much about the game beyond what I saw.

But I was instantly captivated by the lore. Like tell me more about these alien gods that humanity has imprisoned. Tell me more about the past island sequences. Tell me about the next island sequence and the characters at the bar. I want to know more about the lives of the citizens. Even LD’s story; why did she come under the influence of a demon? Though maybe that was explained and I just forgot. The game teases these via the story, but it never explains everything. Not a story has to explain everything, but it definitely kept me engaged and intrigued. And wanting another game in this universe.

JCPhoenix, 10 miesięcy temu

I’m thinking about doing this as well. My Steam Deck runs fine like 99% of the time, so I don’t see why a gaming desktop with Linux wouldn’t work.

Plus, I’ve always been looking for a reason to use Linux daily. I’ve messed around with SUSE and Ubuntu here and there and use it for some homelab stuff, but Linux has never been my daily driver. Which means I’ve never really learned it the same way I’ve learned how to use and navigate Windows, or even Mac (I forced myself to learn OSX/MacOS several years ago when I bought a Macbook as my daily driver for productivity). This could be it.

JCPhoenix, 10 miesięcy temu

Sandbox MMORPGs, like Eve Online or Ultima Online. The vast majority of MMORPGs since at least WoW (potentially even before that with games like Dark Ages of Camelot, etc) have been Theme Park MMOs. Which are fun; I’ve played plenty and still do play them. But I think the sandbox is more fun. Certainly has more possibilites.

JCPhoenix, 10 miesięcy temu

Oh yeah? I haven’t played UO since 2003/2004, and I’ve largely stayed away from the free shards. Just had boring experiences in the past. But I might give this a try. Idk why, but I’ve been itching to check it out again. thanks!

JCPhoenix, 10 miesięcy temu

Me and FFXIV (3+ yrs). Me and Eve Online (8+ yrs). Me and Planetside 2 (10+ yrs). Me and most games.

JCPhoenix, 11 miesięcy temu

There’s a couple that I really enjoyed. I haven’t watched an LP in quite awhile.

(Mater)Welonz’ “Judgment” LP is probably my favorite. She was thorough.

I also like Christopher Odd’s (Mr. Odd) “Prey (2017)” LP.

JCPhoenix, 11 miesięcy temu

I’m still playing through it, but am nearing the end. I like the combat system. At least for bosses and mobs that can be staggered, it’s not just button mashing. I’ve been playing with the various Eikonic abilities to find combinations and “rotations” that I like or are appropriate.

I will say, I think FF7R’s combat system is better. FF7R actually keep a vestige of the old turn-based system – which I’m a fan of – where you can at least pseudo-pause and think about what spell or ability to use, or whether to switch to another character, or just think about what the next move should be.

That said, right away, I thought FFXVI is middle of the road as well as others are saying. Is it my favorite entry in the series? Absolutely not. But is it my least favorite (FFXV)? No way.