[Video Games] What are you playing? (Omikron Edition)

Just to follow up, I finished the main story last night (though still have a lot of side quest stuff I can still do). Definitely an amazing game. I don't like to over-hype stuff like this, and I don't know what I'll think about this game over time (or relative to other greats). But it is really good. Let's just say if this game ended up winning awards for best writing/story, best performance, best soundtrack, best RPG, best game design, best visuals/art, GOTY, etc., I would not be surprised. It really stands out in so many ways. Perhaps some people won't appreciate it, which is OK, but I think for the right person, this game will likely be very special. At least it was for me.

FYI the QTE stuff gets even more involved (aka "worse" for me) later in the game. I actually ended up going with some mods to mostly bypass it, though I'll note this effectively breaks the battle system (it is 100% designed around this system). I don't recommend doing this, but it is something I decided to do personally. I don't think it is even *that* challenging, but I didn't have the patience for it at the time (for multiple reasons). For folks that like this kind of thing (e.g., reading enemy movements/behaviors so you can time the perfect dodge), this probably makes the game experience significantly better than what I had...and you can see how much I enjoyed it. So don't let my dissatisfaction with it bother you. If anything, I'm just being unreasonable.


Anyway for other games, I've also been playing this on the side with my daughter (Clair Obscur not quite appropriate...which I learned after seeing her cry just during the little bit of time I played it with her):

WitchSpring R - I think I might have mentioned this when I briefly played it a year or so ago. I picked it up again, and this time I stuck with it. It is really just a simple, "cute" fun RPG. Very JRPG, but you know if you like/hate this kind of thing. I did like its progression system, which is a bit unique. Not balanced at all, and you can become super overpowered very quickly, but for the type of game this is, I don't mind. I'm pretty close to the end of the game, and I think overall I have a fairly positive impression of it. Wouldn't mind trying another game from this series/developer.

 

Wow, this game got @Salvy and I to agree on something. It really is special.


I could sorta understand people who would rather just watch the game on YouTube, though I do think much of the gameplay and game design is really good. The pacing and overall length is much better than other games in the genre (to the point I was shocked at how good it felt). Think I finished the main story in around 27 hours, so if that's all you want, you don't have to worry about some 80+ hour slog. Also you get more of the amazing soundtrack if you play it. But as someone who also watches a ton of games on Youtube vs playing them, that's perfectly fine (though if you liked it, I do think it is nice to also buy the game). The more people who experience this game in whatever format (and hopefully like it), the better.


OK more games from me:

Harvestella: This is a Square-Enix JRPG with farming mechanics. It does some interesting things gameplay wise even though there are a million games with these core mechanics. Unfortunately this feels like a game with a solid core (decent story, good music, decent gameplay ideas) that just never really came together. It just feels like a bland RPG with bland farming mechanics, bland quests, and some bland characters. Also some typical (Square-Enix) JRPG troupes. I could see the potential in what was attempted, but it didn't get very close to hitting that potential. Sill worth checking out if you can get it on sale, but keep expectations in check.


Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven - I only played this for about 7 hours, and I'm losing motivation to play more. This feels very polished and very well done, but I think the core of the game is just not clicking with me. Maybe I'll give it another shot. It does feel pretty original in some of its gameplay mechanics, so I think for some (including future me), it might end up being a great experience.


Parkasaurus - I've only played this for a few hours, but I feel like that's enough to get a good idea on this game. I really like it. Basically plays like what it sounds like (a dinosaur park management game). It doesn't feel particularly complex or deep (maybe I'm wrong?), but I think I like that. I play this with my daughter, and we have a good time.


Medieval Dynasty - This is part realistic first person RPG, part farming/survival game, part city building. Kinda like Harvestella, this feels like the core of a good game, and while I really enjoyed it....I kinda lost interest after 20 hours or so. Maybe I'll play some more. IMO I think the single player story quests were really boring (and basically just "fetch" or "go here" quests). Some didn't seem very well designed to me. I liked the idea of building my own village and managing the inhabitants, but after a certain point, it just started to feel like other games to me (and not the best). Definitely worth giving the game a shot though, especially on sale (which I think it is for now). Obviously these games can be very fun when you check out the multiplayer too, which I avoided.


Cat Quest (3) - I bought all 3 games in the series and will likely play them all, but for now I went with the latest entry. This is a very lighthearted, cute, simple RPG. Another game I play with my daughter, which of course makes it just about perfect. The game mechanics and whatnot do feel very well done for what it is (at least based on what I've played). If you're in the mood for something like this, definitely a good one to check out (and it too is on sale I think).