During the pandemic, I used Wii Fit U for 2 months straight, every day, and I ended up losing 8 pounds. So that counts for something I suppose. True story.

It's a fun package regardless. In particular I like the way they incorporated games that combine both the gamepad and the balance board. The waiter balancing game was a great idea. The Wii U overall was filled with games that didn't take advantage of its hardware so it's nice that this one did.

My only gripe is that it's hard to set it up when you want to mute the tv and listen to something else. That's what the gamepad in theory is meant to do, be an extra screen while you watch something else. But finding a place to put the gamepad in is cumbersome.

Still, I happen to like this title a lot. And I mean, it did what it was suppose to. It was slow, but I did lose weight.

It reminded me a lot of Deadly Premonitions, in both the good and bad way. It's a very engaging experience with a lot of cool gimmicks and a unique vision for the story. It's abstract and out there.

Mechanically it's super simple and slow. The levels are all mostly tedious, but they at least attempt to throw in variety with the driving, and the more open maps.

I think overall it isn't really a great game, but I just like something about it. It's very endearing. The story leaves you wanting to know what will happen. It's paced pretty well honestly.

I'd love to play the sequel some day, but this was decent in its own right. Any game that reminds me of Deadly Premonitions gets brownie points.

So, I kind of messed up my Elden Ring save. After completing the game, I decided I want to start NG+ and cruise through the game, but this time with a magic build and setting me up for the DLC. What I failed to realize was that I would essentially start over, have to get new gear, and play from zero, eliminating my ability to really do much of anything until I reached Rennala at Raya Lucaria, a good dozen or so hours into the game.

That said, I wasn't really excited to start the game again, but I was jonesing for a Soulslike and after watching the recommendation from Nitro Rad. I decided to give this a shot. And man am I glad I did. If I wasn't a responsible adult with things like "a job" and "a baby", I probably would have grinded this out in two days, I was that hooked. And while there are some minor issues, they didn't detract away from my enjoyment overall and I'm happy to recommend this to anyone.

I've always wanted to play a Soulslike as a glass cannon, and I've never been able to do that because, well you die in one or two hits. So I committed to that build in this game and it actually worked out pretty well.

Here was my build. First, I jammed all my XP into Strength. No other stats. It was a bummer to learn you can max out at 30 and not just buff forever. So After that I gave myself some survivability and put the rest into Health, though if I really wanted to commit, I would have put it into Umami (the game's Magic stat). I really liked the shell system, where different size shells affect your dodge roll and move speed, and only gaining certain buffs while wearing a shell. For this, in the late game you get a great shell or two that let you move fast, but also have a decent amount of health. And last, I used the buffs to Stagger %, ATK +, and Charge Atk %. Magic was not necessary here, and the other Right Trigger abilities were just for the environment obstacles.

So the game is pretty easy, I only had a few issues with some of the bosses, but all of them were completely possible. If you're not good at Soulslike game or want to dip in, this is my new recommendation. The colorful presentation and palate creates some beautiful environments, and I got a chuckle every time a new enemy or NPC utilized the trash in the ocean in a hilarious way.

The story is cute. That's about it.

As for the negatives, I really had some issues with hit and collision detection. At times I would stand below and underneath an enemy and it was hit or miss if a projectile would pass through the floor to hit me. I also really was not a fan of some of the input delay on some abilities. There were times where I would dodge roll out of the way of an attack and need to heal. I'd hit heal, but nothing happened. The same thing happened trying to charge an attack after dodging. You should be able to do these back to back and, if this was a harder game, it would have been a much bigger issue. But this gets a pass from me, as skill level usually compensates.

Finally, I wish the map was more useful. You can see where you are relative to the things around you, but it would have been great if you could move it around or pick a fast travel location from it, instead of selecting from a menu.

All in all, I had a great time with this one. It's challenging but not impossible and great for newcomers. Younger players will definitely be challenged though, don't let the cutesy art fool you. There's also enough variety in the builds to really go wild with what you want to do. Also some great easter eggs to other indies and souls games.

Definitely a must play for 2024.

This is a living breathing world, what an experience

From washing a jacket for a hobo, telling a civilian that their love one is dead, playing pinball, and even freaking singing karaoke.

Thank you Disco Elysium for teaching me the following words:
-profligate
-ole​ag​i​nous
-so​lil​o​quy
-lais​sez-faire
-pe​dan​tic
-sangfroid
-caprice
-asininity
-irascible
-pedagogical
-belligerent
-derisions
-sinewy
-fusillade
-parthenogenesis
-silt
-consternation
-predilection
-laconic
-mucilaginous
-cantilever
-aquarelle
-sepulcher
-placating

Eiyuden Chronicle Rising is a game propelled by charm. Charming characters, charming artwork, a charming soundtrack -- one I often found myself humming along to. On the surface, it does a lot right. Dig beyond the topsoil, though, and all you'll find is an idle clicker RPG with an action game bolted onto it.

In fairness, the game does seem to be aware of its own mundanity. You spend most of your time completing fetch quests for villagers, who give you worthless stamps in return, and the main character, CJ, absolutely loves collecting stamps. In a way it almost feels like the developers are calling me out -- like CJ, I'm completing in-game tasks merely for the sake of completing tasks. Next round of gold stars is on me!

The action-based combat is fairly simple, but it's not all bad. The midgame, from about the 2-hour mark to the 6-hour mark, is a high point, as you gradually gain new abilities and integrate new characters into your party. But by the time the game is only at the halfway mark it completely stops evolving. The steady drip of new mechanics dries up, leaving you with little to look forward to besides elemental re-skins of enemies you've already faced.

Despite all my misgivings, however, I was happy to spend some time with this one, and I do look forward to the real, actual Suikoden-inspired game that's dropping later this month. Rising only hints at the political intrigue and struggle that Hundred Heroes is sure to deliver. Hopefully all the little personal touches I added to my weapons and items make the transition intact.