The Video Game Thread

[D.Ingram]

Having played like 8 hours of VII... good luck getting a perfect game

I' not doing the elite run (fuck that, it'd take the rest of my life), I just have to fulfill the following;

-At least one of every collectible item in the game (weapons, armour, accessories, sources, items, etc.)
-A complete set of master materia for each character (that's eight) alongside having one of every materia in the game mastered - yes, those two things are different!
-Everybody at Level 99 (except for Aerith)
-Learn all limit breaks
-Complete set of mastered Enemy Skill materia
-Cloud must be chosen at Don Corneo's Mansion
-Recruit Yuffie and Vincent
-Defeat Emerald and Ruby/finish all possible sidequests

If anything, it's the first one that's the absolute hardest, since I missed ONE item in the entire game on my last attempt and I was so fucking angry that I haven't played it for about 2 years now. Getting the mastered Enemy Skills is a tad tough too, but easy enough with ample preparation. I already recruited Yuffie and got Cloud chosen by Corneo so I'm not doing bad. Just got up to the North Coral mountain path.

 

[Keenan]

I just restarted Kingdom Hearts 2 a few nights ago on the PS3 2.5 HD Remix Collection. So much nostalgia. It hurt quite a bit when Roxas said "I guess my summer vacation's... over."

 

[Darkofeden]

I want to get that so bad. One of my absolute favorite series growing up. Rented the first one again for PS3 from Gamefly during the summer but I was busy and never got to finish it again. Gotta see if I can get both for real cheap

 

[Keenan]

1.5 HD Remix is like $20 now. 2.5 just came out, so it's still $40. Still, if you get both, it's like buying four games, plus a shit ton of cutscenes, for the price of a regular game.

 

[D.Ingram]

Just got Vincent. Progress is smooth so far.

 

[D.Ingram]

Also, Verm and I just uploaded the long-teased first episode of Metal Gear Solid DO IT!

 

[Keenan]

Anyone ever play Xenogears for the PS1? Does the story ever pick up? This is possibly the slowest paced game I've ever played. There's also been, if I had to guess, maybe four or so hours of cutscenes in the fourteen I've logged into it. It's gotten to the point where I start dreading the moment characters open their mouths in fear of twenty minutes of dialogue.

Good game, don't get me wrong, just... slow and full of cutscenes.

 

[D.Ingram]

If there's one thing that supposedly defines Xenogears, it's the pacing. It apparently does take ages to really kick into (xeno)gear(s).

 

[Keenan]

Gah. I'm sure it'll be worth it, I just need to play it more. I was distracted by Kingdom Hearts 2 for most of the day today, though.

 

[D.Ingram]

Just finished the Wuati section, I'm MASSIVELY overlevelled (Cloud and Aerith are fucking level 50!) and I'm just concentrating on getting limit breaks for now. Gotta go and win the Keystone from Dio, but fuck that - grinding, muthafucka!

 

[Keenan]

Slowly but surely making my way through Xenogears. Also, the new trailers/gameplay for Bloodborne and Uncharted 4 look awesome.

 

[Darkofeden]

Bloodborne and Uncharted 4 are going to be so awesome. MGO3 is also looking awesome as hell. I miss the online from MGS4 so i'll be sure to play it plenty this time.

I'm also thinking about getting FF7 on PS4 even though I already have it on Steam. I justify it since I play more on consoles than PC

 

[D.Ingram]

Don't even get me fucking started. Squeenix are fucking evil for that level of soul-crushing trolling.

But speaking of which, Cait Sith has just been massive dck and given the Keystone to Shinra. So I'm pretty much sorting out my Gold Saucer business (gotta get dat Parasol!) before I go and get Aerith stabbified.

...Spoilers.

 

[Belac]

Anyone ever play Xenogears for the PS1? Does the story ever pick up? This is possibly the slowest paced game I've ever played. There's also been, if I had to guess, maybe four or so hours of cutscenes in the fourteen I've logged into it. It's gotten to the point where I start dreading the moment characters open their mouths in fear of twenty minutes of dialogue.

Good game, don't get me wrong, just... slow and full of cutscenes.

Not sure where you are getting your numbers but there are only a few short cutscenes in the beginning hours of the game, the longest one is like 1 minute long. The cutscenes basically disappear after 1/4 the way through disc 1.

Anyway Xenogears is a slower paced game for a while but it really picks up once the main plot takes over. The first bit is pretty much Fei trying to figure out what to do before all hell breaks loose(and holy shit does it break loose). It is a dialogue heavy game but the story is so much more complex and insane than almost any JRPG you can find. Lots of surprises and badass villians. It takes an investment in the beginning though and the first playthrough takes around 40-50 hours unlike say FF7 which takes maybe 30 (unless you power level).

Xenogears is my favourite Square game along with Chrono Trigger and of course FF7. It is a more mature game though and the story is crafted slowly and meticulously.

 

[D.Ingram]

Chrono Trigger is glorious.

 

[Keenan]

Not sure where you are getting your numbers but there are only a few short cutscenes in the beginning hours of the game, the longest one is like 1 minute long. The cutscenes basically disappear after 1/4 the way through disc 1.

Anyway Xenogears is a slower paced game for a while but it really picks up once the main plot takes over. The first bit is pretty much Fei trying to figure out what to do before all hell breaks loose(and holy shit does it break loose). It is a dialogue heavy game but the story is so much more complex and insane than almost any JRPG you can find. Lots of surprises and badass villians. It takes an investment in the beginning though and the first playthrough takes around 40-50 hours unlike say FF7 which takes maybe 30 (unless you power level).

Xenogears is my favourite Square game along with Chrono Trigger and of course FF7. It is a more mature game though and the story is crafted slowly and meticulously.

I'm not talking about the anime ones (Which are awesome), I just mean the cutscenes that happen when characters get to talking to each other for long periods of time. And yes, it was a bit overexaggerated, but my point still stands.


Just saw that FFVII on the PS4 will cost $16. Wow. Fuck that.

 

[Belac]

I'm not talking about the anime ones (Which are awesome), I just mean the cutscenes that happen when characters get to talking to each other for long periods of time. And yes, it was a bit overexaggerated, but my point still stands.


Just saw that FFVII on the PS4 will cost $16. Wow. Fuck that.

Ohh. I never really considered those to be cutscenes, just you usual exposition and dialogue. In that case you are screwed. . Xenogears is very dialogue heavy all the way to the end. It kind of has to be, there is so much information to take in on the characters the politics and history of the world. I actually liked thst aspect of the game. I wpuldnt want every RPG to be that indepth but it worked for Xenogears due to the nature of the story which is constantly changing and getting into more serious concepts. Hopefully you enjoy the game enough to stick with it though.

 

[Keenan]

Damn.

It's all good, though. I still reeeaaally like this game. I'm up to the Goliath facility, so I'm sure I still have a ways to go.

 

[Belac]

Yeah you have a long way to go yet, that's around the point where things really start to get serious actually. I'd say the real starting point of the main story is just before you got to Kislev with the whole Red Gear fucking Bart up and Elly getting more involved . Anyways sweet game, it's too bad it didn't get wide recognition like FF7 because most people who played it really loved it. It just didn't reach the same audience.

 

[Belac]

I' not doing the elite run (fuck that, it'd take the rest of my life), I just have to fulfill the following;

-At least one of every collectible item in the game (weapons, armour, accessories, sources, items, etc.)
-A complete set of master materia for each character (that's eight) alongside having one of every materia in the game mastered - yes, those two things are different!
-Everybody at Level 99 (except for Aerith)
-Learn all limit breaks
-Complete set of mastered Enemy Skill materia
-Cloud must be chosen at Don Corneo's Mansion
-Recruit Yuffie and Vincent
-Defeat Emerald and Ruby/finish all possible sidequests

If anything, it's the first one that's the absolute hardest, since I missed ONE item in the entire game on my last attempt and I was so fucking angry that I haven't played it for about 2 years now. Getting the mastered Enemy Skills is a tad tough too, but easy enough with ample preparation. I already recruited Yuffie and got Cloud chosen by Corneo so I'm not doing bad. Just got up to the North Coral mountain path.

That sounds excruciating. Most of those are pretty easy, getting to Level 99 is nothing once you hit Northern Crater and finishing all quests, mastering materia and beating the weapons is simple. But getting all items is a bitch when you consider that some are one-time only items and often way off the beaten path. I'm assuming you have a strategy guide handy for that one, either that or you have a photographic memory.