I got Samurai Maiden as an impulse. I wanted something to do while I waited for Fire Emblem Engage. I liked the art, and I needed something to do. Unfortunately, my interest faded quickly the deeper I got into this series.
You play as a high school girl who finds herself in the past. It has prophesied that she would come to save the world from a great evil. With the help of a group of sexy ninjas, you must now fight against the forces of evil and fulfill your prophecy.
I don’t believe I need to be any more specific because the narrative is as generic as it gets. There is an audience for this game, but it wasn’t me. The writing for this game is bad. This might be due to a poor translation, but I just couldn’t get past it. The voice acting is okay, but it bothers me that they constantly pause after each line of dialogue. I couldn’t get invested in a story that was poorly executed. The only aspect of this game that I liked was the art. Samurai Maiden is a beautiful game, but it remains a shallow experience.
The main gameplay exists within this very stiff hack-and-slash game. As the main character, you fight your way through small dungeons and call on your friends for support. There are some dating sim elements to this game. You gain friendship with your support characters as you use them. You can also form romantic relationships with the other ninjas. You unlock more combos and back story as you develop relationships with the other characters. I liked this mechanic and thought it was an interesting way to handle support characters and worldbuilding. It wasn’t good worldbuilding, and I didn’t care for the dating sim bits, but it was an interesting mechanic.
If you like these kinds of games, you might have a better time. There is enough fan service and cute moments, but the gameplay just isn’t there. For everyone else, it isn’t worth the trouble, especially for the price of $59.99. It looks great, but the game isn’t. But for those interested, you can get it on Steam, PlayStation, and the Nintendo Switch.
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Octopath Traveler 2
I played the first Octopath Traveller and liked it enough to want to play the sequel. It was a cute and relaxing little JRPG with an interesting article. I found the story a bit lacking, but not enough to be turned off by it.
Take control of unique heroes as you make your way through their stories. You are offered enough choices in your playthrough that the game should stay fresh. Some stories were better than others, but if the sequel is anything like the first, it will be a relaxing journey. I might be busy with Digimon World: Next Order when this game releases, but I plan to pick it up when I need something casual.
Octopath Traveller 2 is set to release on February 24, 2023, on the Nintendo Switch and the Playstation 4 & 5. You can preorder yours today! For those considering a physical copy, try using my affliate links: Switch, PS4, PS5
Square Enix also offers a collectors bundle
Get your copy from the official Square Enix website
OCTOPATH TRAVELER II ART ALBUM
This art book features a collection of package art, world maps, and illustrations depicting eight travelers and their Crossed Path. The pages are specially bound to open flat at 180 degrees, making it very easy to view and appreciate the full-size spreads. The cover has a smooth matte finish with foil stamping giving the book a luxurious feel.
※Size: B5 (182 x 257 mm) / Hard Cover Album Bound / 44 pagesOCTOPATH TRAVELER II –Extended Battle Tracks–
This mini OST includes 24 variations of Extended Battle Tracks, with unique intro melodies for each of the eight protagonists, which play when taking on a strong foe. This is a special CD with song variations not included in the complete soundtrack which will be sold separately.
※These song variations may be sold separately at a later date.OCTOPATH TRAVELER II Travelers Bust Set
A set of bust figures depicting the eight travelers, the protagonists of the title. The striking expressions in their respective gazes foreshadow each of their journeys about to begin. Also the background inside the figure package features a map of the Solistia continent. When displaying this map as a backdrop for the figures, it feels the epic world of OCTOPATH TRAVELER II unfolds right in front of you. Of course, these stylish figures can be displayed on their own as well.
※Approximate Figure Size: W 32 mm x D 24.6 mm x H 76 mm
The Legend of Vox Machina Season 2 – Initial Thoughts
With the debut of The Legend of Vox Machina’s second season, I can’t help but remain excited for the fantastic adventure it will be. The season is off to a great start as it sets up the new villains and tells a narrative so captivating, I am impatient for next week. If you haven’t watched the first season, now is a great time to start.
An enclave of dragons has attacked Emon, destroying the newly found home for our group of misfits. Now it is up to Vox Machina to care for the refugees and find a way to save the world from dragons. Can this band of ne’er-do-wells step up and become the heroes the world needs, or will they be another blood stain on dragon scales?
I have said this before, The Legend of Vox Machina is a great series for those who know nothing about fantasy or dungeons and dragons. While the series is heavy with easter eggs for fans of Critical Role and Dungeons and Dragons, knowledge of either isn’t required to enjoy the story. Even if you aren’t a fan of fantasy, I dare you not to like this story.
The voice acting is as amazing as you’d expect from a cast of this caliber, the art is beautiful, and the story will keep you on the edge of your seat. I have seen the campaign that this series is based on, and despite knowing how everything ends, my heart still races when Vox Machina faces danger. This is just a testament to the scale of how epic this series can get. The action is well-choreographed, the stakes are well-established, and the heroes are imperfect enough that the danger is still palpable. The series does a fantastic job at making you fall in love with a group of assholes that begin to find their call to heroism, and they reluctantly take the call.
If you haven’t seen this series, it is a great time to start. I must warn you, this series is graphic. It is full of nudity, profanity, and gore. Viewer discursion is advised. That aside, it tells a fantastic story for an adventure that I am sure will be amazing. I am excited for what is to come, and you should be too. You can stream it on Amazon if you have a Prime membership.
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Tales of Symphonia Remastered
Come February, Bandai is remastering Tales of Symphonia and bringing it to the Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, and Xbox One. I am loving this trend of bringing these classic games to a modern audience because I missed out on a lot of them growing up. Now that I have money but no time, I will try to squeeze in as much as possible.
Tales of Symphonia Remastered is a JRPG that seems to have a decent story and an interesting combat system. Aside from the visual upgrades, the remastered edition is promising co-op modes, 3D animated cut scenes, and a fantastic adventure to set out on. If you are a fan of the original or are looking for a classic JRPG to get into, check out Tales of Symphonia. The game is set to come out on February 17th, 2023. You can preorder your physical copy today, otherwise you will need to wait till launch for digital. For those interested in physical copies, please consider preordering through my affiliate links: Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch.
Bandai also offers a chosen edition that includes the game, a steelcase, and stickers if you would like to spend the extra $10.
GrimGrimoire OnceMore
I’ve noticed that Nintendo has been trying very hard to bring classic titles to a modern audience. I for one am in full support and am excited for what is to come. These aren’t just simple ports, at least they don’t promise to be. These seem to be full-on remasters with updated graphics and improved gameplay. I hope this will be the norm for the rest of the Switch’s lifespan.
The first remastered game I want to bring to your attention is GrimGrimoire OnceMore. This is a fantasy real-time strategy game. Play as Lillet as she enters her first year at Magic Academy and learn from the different schools of magic. Use the magic you learn to summon minions and cast powerful spells to defend the school from disaster. Can you save the school before it is too late?
The art looks great, the story seems interesting, and it is promising fantastic world-building. The game looks to play like a tower defense game. I may not be good at the genre, but it is one of my favorite genres. Whether it is the custom games from Warcraft 3 or Orcs Must Die, I’ve spent more hours than I’d care to admit obsessing over ways to stop the hordes. GrimGrimoire OnceMore is looking to be a very relaxing experience that I will probably pick up at launch to see how good the world-building is.
According to the official website, this version promises a myriad of improvements to the gameplay, and art, and it will even come with new features. As nostalgic as I am for the classic era of gaming, I can’t help but be grateful for the quality of life changes that come with the modern age.
The game is set to release for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 on April 4, 2023. You can preorder your copy today! (Amazon Affiliate Links)
The Collectors Edition is also up for Preorder
Preorder from the official NIS store (Switch)
Game Review: Dragon Quest Treasures
Dragon Quest Treasures was an impulsive buy for me. I liked the art and was familiar enough with the title to risk sinking some time into it. I knew nothing about this game going into it except for having a vague memory of playing the first Dragon Quest on the original Gameboy. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was ready for an adventure. I was relieved to find this game a comforting and casual experience that I can recommend to those interested in this title.
Dragon Quest Treasures is an RPG adventure game where you play as a young protagonist in search of buried treasure. With the help of monsters you befriend along the way, you aim to form the mightiest crew of Treasure hunters in all the land. But with so much competition doing the same, this task will not be easy.
The game is geared toward a younger audience, as reflected in language, art, and humor. Treasures have a simple story that is very linear and easy to follow. The story requires very little attention. It is almost negligible against the gameplay, but it was nice to hit the cut scenes, and I even laughed at a few of the puns, but there isn’t anything deep to sink into.
Treasure hunting makes up most of the gameplay. I found this to be an interesting mechanic until it wasn’t. Collecting treasure comes in the form of scavenger hunts, random dungeons, and story quests. I liked that treasure hunting becomes an alternate way to level up your characters, but it gets repetitive. That said, it was neat to see your base fill with treasure as you progressed. I became obsessed with filling the treasure not only to unlock helpful boosts, but also to see my base get nicer.
Combat is where it gets a bit tricky to recommend this game. On the surface, it appears simple, but there is an unexpected layer of complexity to it. It is not so complex that it loses its casual standing, but complex enough where putting thought into your builds makes a difference in how quickly you can progress through the story. I was able to do well enough with picking monsters I thought were cool, but I could see areas where min-maxing is a deal. I recommend playing whatever you find fun. The types of monsters you use, the food you give them, and the gear you hand them make a difference. Aside from how you build your crew and what ammo you carry, combat isn’t too varied. You can either beat an enemy with your knife until it dies or shoot it with your slingshot. There are instances where you don’t even need to fight if you have a strong enough crew to fight for you.
If you haven’t guessed by now, my only complaint with this game is that it gets repetitive. The combat, the quests, and treasure hunting never changes. Sure the types of monsters you fight get tougher the deeper you get into the story, and you get access to different abilities, but there was nothing new to keep me hooked for longer. Treasure hunting also loses appeal after a while, and it began feeling like a chore if I played too long. It never got so bad that I quit the game entirely, but it meant I was only playing this game in short bursts.
In the end, I liked the game enough to not regret spending the $60. I like that it is a casual experience that I can pick up and not become too invested in. The art was cute, and I liked how different it felt from the games that I was used to. However, I believe $60 is a bit much to ask for. If you are getting this for kids, it’s a cute enough title that will keep them entertained. If you are looking for a casual title to relax to as you take a break from your busy schedule, I think you can find $60 of value in this game. For everyone else, however, I would wait for a used copy or a sale to justify what you are getting. If you don’t mind the nearly mindless repetition and lack of story, this is a solid game worth your attention. You can get this game for the Nintendo Switch.
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Movie Review: Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
With the craziness of the holidays behind me, I finally got around to watching Avatar: The Way of Water in theaters. I watched this movie in 3D, and if you are thinking of watching this movie, I suggest you do the same. The 3D in The Way of Water is not a silly gimmick to sell tickets but is successfully used to create a truly breathtaking experience.
There are a couple of issues to keep in mind before you decide on which format to watch. If you are someone who easily gets motion sickness, watch this movie in 2D instead. I got motion sickness towards the beginning, and although I eventually got used to it, it made the first few minutes of this movie unpleasant. It will be impossible to sit through three hours of motion sickness. If you are someone who suffers from frequent migraines, watch this movie in 2D instead. My wife got one of the worst she has ever experienced, and while she enjoyed most of the film, the migraine ruined her experience. She won’t be watching any 3D movies in the future.
The Way of Water deals with the aftermath of the initial conflict between the Navi and the Sky people. Jack has since become the leader of his tribe and has started a family on Pandora. For the years that follow the conflict, he and the Navi enjoy their peaceful lives on Pandora. But this peace is short-lived when Sky People return, this time with more advanced technology. Earth is dying, and its people look to Pandora as their potential new home. But for Pandora to replace Earth, the Sky People must eliminate the defiant Navi. Will Jack and the Navi ever find peace on Pandora, or will the sky people claim the planet as their own?
The Way of Water is a beautiful movie. You should watch this movie just to experience the beautiful alien planet. The creatures, the cultures, and the ecosystems have all come together to create a fantastical narrative. Every scene of nature is vivid, and I appreciate the work put into the movie to make it all so realistic. The acting was fantastic, and the story is solid, but I will admit that this movie could have been shorter. There are a lot of scenes in this movie where Cameron shows off the technology he used for this movie. There are a lot of beautiful shots of swimming, for example, that look cool but only pad the film. I am glad I watched it, but I needed an intermission.
The conflict in this movie is what made this movie for me. Cameron does a fantastic job at making the battles and action feel epic. Despite knowing the outcome, I was so invested in the plot and characters that I was still anxious. I was consistently at the edge of my recliner with my nails digging deep into the pleather. I won’t deny that there are slow parts, and the story isn’t perfect, but I never felt the need to leave the theater. If you find yourself getting bored, I am here to assure you that it gets better. Use the boring bits as your intermission.
If you haven’t watched the original, you don’t have to. I don’t remember what happened in the original, but I never felt lost by the events in this one. The movie does a great job of summarizing the crucial events from the first one to keep everyone up to date. If you are on the fence, don’t be. Go watch this movie in theaters. Avatar: The Way of Water is worth the theater experience, even if you watch it in 2D. As of writing this review, you can still watch this movie in theaters.
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Lost Ark – Impressions
I have been on a search for the next MMO that will fill the void Phantasy Star Online 2 has left behind. I need a laid-back experience that I can pick up on the little spare time I have left that doesn’t feel like it is another job. As part of this search, I decided to give Lost Ark another chance.
I tried Lost Ark when it first came out and quickly gave up on it. At the time, I thought the grind was too slow and boring. I tried different classes but couldn’t find a combination that stuck. It’s been a while since I last played the game, and I believed that enough time had passed where the experience would be different this time around. I was surprised by how different the experience was, but I’ve also learned this game isn’t from me.
For those who don’t know, Lost Ark is an MMO action RPG that is similar to Diablo, but different enough to not be considered a clone. It promises an engaging story, an open world, and fun combat. Unfortunately, I kept skipping the story, so I can’t speak on that part of the game. I didn’t like that it was only partially voice-acted, and none of what I read hooked me enough to keep reading.
But story aside, this game is beautiful. The settings, the special effects, and the aesthetic are breathtaking. Lost Ark has an impressive character creation that should satisfy anyone ready to dive into this game. I lack creativity and usually just played around with whatever templates were available.
Combat was a lot of fun when I finally found the class that worked for me. I loved tinkering with the abilities and trying to find a build that worked best for me. I love it even more that there are build guides baked into the game. You no longer need to worry about going to third-party sites when all the builds are just a press of a button away. The grind was still slow, but boss fights and dungeons bring a much-needed disruption to the monotony.
My biggest issue with the game is that the grind is too much for my schedule. It is still slow, and it can grow stale. I won’t ever be able to get to the point where the game gets fun, and I’ve made peace with that. The grind may not be as bad as other MMOs I’ve played in the past, but it is bad enough for a warning. Sure I could pay money to boost my character to the end game, but that would defeat the purpose. My favorite part of any MMO is building a character from scratch and finally getting to an endgame.
I liked this game and would play it if I had more time. I understand that my expectations for an MMO are unrealistic, but I can still cling to my hope. If you are curious about this game and like the genre, there is no harm in trying it. It looks great, it is easy to pick up, and it’s free. You can download and play Lost Ark on steam!
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Game Review: YS IX: Monstrum Nox
I got to play YSIX: Monstrum Nox when it was free on Amazon Luna, and I quite enjoyed the experience. This isn’t a promotion for the platform, it was a game I was interested in, and I got it free through my Twitch Prime membership. If you don’t know, Luna is Amazon’s cloud gaming solution. For 9.99 a month, you are able to play any game in their library without the need to download the games. This is a great solution if you have a good and stable internet connection but don’t have the money for the hardware. I mostly played on my iPad, but it ran nicely on my PC as well.
YS IX is an action RPG that sort of plays like Genshin Impact. You take control of characters with unique abilities as you try to solve a mystery and fight monsters. I was able to solve the mystery immediately, but I enjoyed the journey. The game is divided into chapters and each is dedicated to a playable character you unlock along the way. The stories are a bit of an anime trope, and the cast is full of familiar archetypes. I like anime so I had no problems with the story or the characters.
The gameplay is a lot of fun. Like any RPG, you can craft items, buy upgrades, and change the skills you use. I am not the best at theory crafting so I often went with whatever was fun. The game is limited in its exploration, but I was here for the story anyways. Combat was fun and the game does a good job of keeping it fresh by giving you new characters and abilities to use as you explore the city and advance the story. I loved that I could switch between characters at will so I was always allowed a unique combat experience. There is a slight grind as is tradition in these types of games, but I didn’t feel like it was that bad. I never felt the need to spend hours fighting the same mob in the forest in order to advance. This is also a pretty contained game, I was able to finish it quicker than most of my RPGs, but your mileage may vary.
This game is the 9th installment of the YS series, but it isn’t necessary to play any of the others. This was my entry to the series, and I never felt lost. Outside of a few references to the previous game, the story in IX exists independently. YX has been announced for 2023, and I can’t help but feel excited about more news.
You should get this game if you are in the market for something new. The combat feels great, the story is fine, and the art is awesome. YS IX: Monstrum Nox is available on PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and Amazon Luna.
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WoW: Dragonflight First Impressions
Blizzard sent out a trial for their new Dragonflight expansion, so I decided to give it a try. I’ve played World of Warcraft on and off since vanilla, and I played a lot of Shadowlands. I played Shadowlands until Nvidia no longer supported my graphics card which was right around the time Blizzard was in the middle of their big scandals.
I have since moved on to other MMOs and haven’t resubbed because I don’t have time. I made time so that I could no-life the limited experience Blizzard had gifted me, but I wasn’t very impressed. They should have allowed me to get a lot farther into the story because there wasn’t enough to grab my attention in what little I played. I felt like I was barely scratching the surface of what the expansion had to offer. A few extra levels would have left a better impression.
I love the look of this expansion. I love how vibrant the Dragon Isle looks and the aesthetics of the armor and creatures that fill it. I played as the new Dracthyr race introduced in this expansion and was a bit underwhelmed. The visage (human) form had some nice customizations, but I wasn’t a fan of the dragon form. This is a personal issue. If you like the dragon aesthetic then it should be fine. I didn’t think it was as cool as it could be. The new race comes with new mechanics that make travel in the new zone very fun. You can fly around either with the Dracthy’s natural abilities or with a dragon mount you unlock by doing the story.
Flight in this zone is limited by a stamina bar that fills automatically over time. From my understanding, you can obtain more stamina and flying abilities the deeper you get into the game, but I didn’t feel limited by what I started with. Flying makes Dragonflight a better expansion than Shadowlands because travel in Shadowlands was annoying and cumbersome. Unfortunately, these flying mechanics are reminiscent of those introduced in Guild Wars 2 a while ago, and I would rather be playing GW2.
I thought leveling at this time was more fun than in Shadowlands, but that isn’t saying much. I was eventually bored and underwhelmed by the experience. I get a lot of joy from the grind of leveling and not from dungeons, although I will dabble in PVP from time to time, the leveling grind is what makes an MMO for me. While this expansion doesn’t feel as big of a grind as others have, I had trouble convincing myself to keep playing. I appreciate the attempt to make this game fresh with the introduction of a new class, race, and mechanics, but it grew stale as the novelty wore off. Maybe I have outgrown this World of Warcraft, or have become accustomed to a more active experience like those of games like Guild Wars 2 or Phantasy Star Online 2. I just can’t justify subscribing to something that won’t get fun until I am deep into the end game.
The worst bit of this game is that it isn’t stable. With a worse graphics card on a worse setup, I was able to play Shadowlands on the highest settings without issue. I encountered performance issues in Dragonflight that affected my gameplay. Spells would take moments to register if they registered at all, and frames would drop. I wasn’t alone in my experience; global chat would flood with people complaining about the sudden spikes in lag and instability. I expect these types of performance issues from launch or an MMO made by a smaller company, but this is World of Warcraft. This is an established title from an established company, and we are far into the launch. Performance did get a little better the deeper I got into the story, but I had to die more than usual to get there.
I tried out the Evoker class that comes with the Drachyr race. I thought it was an interesting change in pace that introduces some interesting mechanics, but I will probably switch back to my shadow priest if I ever upgrade to this expansion. I loved the mobility of this class and the lore behind it, but combat kind of grew stale for me. Maybe this class is better the deeper you get into it, but I will never know.
One of my favorite additions to this expansion is the new UI. It is so pretty, and it offers more customization than previous expansions. I remember having to load my game with all these add-ons like Bartender and Bagon to make the game more efficient. These features are now all baked into the game. I spent a lot of time rearranging my UI, setting up my skill bars, and reading through all the settings before playing this game. It is a much-welcomed experience, but I can’t believe it took this long for it to happen.
So is this game worth the purchase and the subscription? It isn’t for me. I wasn’t hooked by the story, which is one of the reasons I play World of Warcraft, leveling is boring, and the game is buggy. A lot of the new mechanics that are introduced in this game are mechanics that Guild Wars 2 has had for a while now, and I would much rather play Guild Wars 2. I had a lot more fun with Guild Wars 2 End of Dragons expansion than I did with this game. The story is better, and the gameplay is a lot more fun.
I always end up buying back into World of Warcraft, but this time I am glad I got to try it first. I think this expansion is a neat concept, and it does bring in much-needed improvements, but it isn’t for me.
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