Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

[AnimeGamer183]

Holy fucking ball sacks the last Dungeon in Star Ocean 4 is INSANE! By far the craziest dungeon I have ever seen in a JRPG. It has 8 areas, and oh no its not as simple as just running straight through the 8 areas, you go through a door in 1 area and are put in the middle of another area you were at before and are forced to find the next destination, you go through certain doors and enemies immediately aggro you and initiate battle and often you cant even see them, if it wasnt for the fact I was using a guide, you could get lost in this thing for hours and hours and hours. Oh yeah did I mention there is only 1 save point in it at the very end right before the end of the game? ITS NUTS! Did I also mention there is another 3 area dungeon before you even get to the entrance to the final dungeon (a dungeon within a dungeon)? And the one before has various orbs scattered through out that emits light over so much space that you have to disable, and if you dont and get caught in a battle while within the light, you cant use magic at all in that battle. Absolutely brutal last 10 hours of the game, and I actually enjoyed the challenge even though it was frustrating. I know alot of people hate on Star Ocean 4, but man its such a solid game filled to the brim with content, ill write up a final thoughts in the Review topic later after I beat the last few bosses (I had to turn it off after I finally got the last save point).

I started this game at the beginning of August, and have played 81 hours so far. FINALLY I can move on to something else, I have been busy with life and trying to do other hobbies and interests and I feel like this game has been glaring at me for a while now, I almost didnt finish it but mustered the motivation to get through with it and I am really glad I decided to play this game, its a good old grind out dungeony good time.

[OL]

^^If you like insane dungeons, give Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne a try. Nothing but an asskick and a half the whole way through.

[AnimeGamer183]

This might sound shallow, but im too hyped for Persona 5 right now to even touch any other SMT game. Also the battles in SO4 arent really what make it difficult, its just long and tedious in other areas, battles in general are well balanced in it though, but slightly on the easier side.

[Monkei]

Holy fucking ball sacks the last Dungeon in Star Ocean 4 is INSANE! By far the craziest dungeon I have ever seen in a JRPG. It has 8 areas, and oh no its not as simple as just running straight through the 8 areas, you go through a door in 1 area and are put in the middle of another area you were at before and are forced to find the next destination, you go through certain doors and enemies immediately aggro you and initiate battle and often you cant even see them, if it wasnt for the fact I was using a guide, you could get lost in this thing for hours and hours and hours. Oh yeah did I mention there is only 1 save point in it at the very end right before the end of the game? ITS NUTS!.

Insane and nuts? I guess it's a matter of taste and perspective, but to me that sounds like garbage. Cheap and frustrating "tricks" to artificially lengthen a dull experience - a good example of annoyingly bad game design and Japanese developers lagging behind.

[Himuro]

The fact Tri-Ace, the makers of the greatest jrpg combat and dungeon design (imo) with Valkyrie Profile 2 is stuck making mediocre Star Ocean games tears me apart.

[OL]

^^I've actually just gotten the urge recently to finally tackle the Valkyrie Profile series. Played a few hours of the first a ways back (enough to have an affection for it), but never finished of course.
There's just the roadblock of so much amazing shit coming out at the moment that I can't really start in on it. But I've got that urge. Good to hear the second game is something great, as I've literally looked up nothing about it previously.

[Himuro]

^^I've actually just gotten the urge recently to finally tackle the Valkyrie Profile series. Played a few hours of the first a ways back (enough to have an affection for it), but never finished of course.
There's just the roadblock of so much amazing shit coming out at the moment that I can't really start in on it. But I've got that urge. Good to hear the second game is something great, as I've literally looked up nothing about it previously.

I'm a complete stan for Valkyrie Profile series.

The first one has a better story but the sequel has by far better gameplay. I think VP2 is the better game while VP1 is the better experience. IMO, VP2 is the best RPG of the ps2 generation as well as being the most underrated. People talk about Breath of Fire V: Dragon Quarter more than VP2 even. Ten years later, barely anyone mentions it because it didn't meet peoples expectations from the first one (again, great story). The story and characters aren't as good but boy oh boy, that sweet, sweet gameplay.

Depending on what you want out of rpgs (for me it's mostly gameplay) VP2 is a top-tier game. For me it's one of the top 5 best RPGs I've ever played.

Here's a sample of the battle system. My favorite RPG battle system of all time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pdNw8tb2tc

And here's the first boss fight that really puts the battle system to its full potential. Amazing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bQj3cBF3L4

This is without mentioning the amazing dungeon design.

I would kill for VP2 HD.

[AnimeGamer183]

Holy fucking ball sacks the last Dungeon in Star Ocean 4 is INSANE! By far the craziest dungeon I have ever seen in a JRPG. It has 8 areas, and oh no its not as simple as just running straight through the 8 areas, you go through a door in 1 area and are put in the middle of another area you were at before and are forced to find the next destination, you go through certain doors and enemies immediately aggro you and initiate battle and often you cant even see them, if it wasnt for the fact I was using a guide, you could get lost in this thing for hours and hours and hours. Oh yeah did I mention there is only 1 save point in it at the very end right before the end of the game? ITS NUTS!.

Insane and nuts? I guess it's a matter of taste and perspective, but to me that sounds like garbage. Cheap and frustrating "tricks" to artificially lengthen a dull experience - a good example of annoyingly bad game design and Japanese developers lagging behind.

I completely disagree and found them to be a welcome change from the usually linear run straight through with no set backs design many JRPGs cling to. I commend Tri-Ace for breaking that norm, and just coming with something DIFFERENT just for the sake of variety. Also its well balanced, as long and frustrating as it is, its pretty fair, the monsters arent super strong where you constantly wipe, you might have a character die from time to time but thats it, its tedious in other ways than just hard battles like the usual JRPG (or way too easy ones), I like that it throws some hardcore elements at you (also the game in infamous for having the most trophies to get than any other game, and the hardest Platinum to get period, if you are into the trophies and achievements look no further). Keep in mind this game originally came out in 2009 on Xbox 360, so there is also that, the PS3 version (the one im playing) came out the following year.

[shredingskin]

At last I fucking got panzer dragoon saga emulating right.

So fucking hAPPY.

[Kintor]

I'm impressed, Saturn emulation is alway so tricky to get playable. Still, can't beat playing Panzer Dragoon Saga on the original hardware:





Next to Snatcher and Knuckles Chaotix, Panzer Dragoon Saga is the pride of my collection.

I saw this copy on eBay from a local seller some years ago at a decent price. I jumped on it immediately; sold my entire collection of Magic the Gathering cards to cover the cost. It was worth it, Panzer Dragoon Saga is one of the greatest games that I've ever played and a true masterpiece on the Saturn.

[KidMarine]

Absolutely. It fucking rules. Still got my launch day copy I got at RRP.

[Raithos]

I wish I had PDS more than any other game lol. I've got some titles that have shot up in value that I might sell one day in order to purchase a copy. I doubt it though. It moved into ridiculous price territory long ago. Most I've ever paid for a game is $170. And there was only 250 of those!

Although I remember trying to buy it off eBay when it was $150 still. My mom wasn't having it

[Henry Spencer]

Panzer Dragoon Saga really does have 10/10 Art and Music. I so want to buy it, since Panzer Dragoon is one of my favourite game series SEGA ever put out (think only Shenmue and Yakuza are higher, PD sits on the same level as Shinobi for me and I absolutely adore the Shinobi series as well), think I may just go all out for my birthday and get it for myself as a treat. It's the last PD game I haven't played yet (aside from Mini).

[Sonikku]

phpBB [video]

So who's getting psyched for a Switch?!

[Mr357]

Panzer Dragoon Saga really does have 10/10 Art and Music. I so want to buy it, since Panzer Dragoon is one of my favourite game series SEGA ever put out (think only Shenmue and Yakuza are higher, PD sits on the same level as Shinobi for me and I absolutely adore the Shinobi series as well), think I may just go all out for my birthday and get it for myself as a treat. It's the last PD game I haven't played yet (aside from Mini).

If you can't bring yourself to buy a legit copy, burn it and use the swap trick if you have to. It's one of those masterpieces that you'll be kicking yourself for not playing sooner.