Papa_B
Bio
Crazy about anime and games.
“May you find a story that you consider miraculous and one day find your own truth.”
Crazy about anime and games.
“May you find a story that you consider miraculous and one day find your own truth.”
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Popular
Gained 15+ followers
GOTY '23
Participated in the 2023 Game of the Year Event
Well Written
Gained 10+ likes on a single review
Gamer
Played 250+ games
2 Years of Service
Being part of the Backloggd community for 2 years
Donor
Liked 50+ reviews / lists
GOTY '22
Participated in the 2022 Game of the Year Event
On Schedule
Journaled games once a day for a week straight
Best Friends
Become mutual friends with at least 3 others
N00b
Played 100+ games
Noticed
Gained 3+ followers
Liked
Gained 10+ total review likes
Favorite Games
307
Total Games Played
005
Played in 2024
014
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This review contains spoilers
SPOILERS
“No man is happy before his death.”
Herodotus, the Histories
In a dilapidated church, lined with empty pews, a single figure rises from their coffin; crows flee skyward and lotus petals scatter.
Thus begins the era of necromancers.
Tokyo Necro (TN) leads with this delicate scene and though what follows is an undeniably rip-roaring zombie filled cyberpunk bonanza—the kind of game it’s marketed as—it has ambitions to come full circle. The path we take back to this intro arms us with the experiences to challenge it: the residents of this frozen Tokyo must face the past, and in seeing that, we must decide the future. And so the question becomes: are the key players in TN strong enough to sell it?
Dynamic duo—the machine-like So’un and firecracker Ethica—would certainly have you believe so. So’un clings to his AI assisted EX-Brain with standard pistols, hoping it makes all his decisions for him; convert input to output, no more no less. Ethica on the other hand uses a smaller model of EX-Brain paired with a bombastic custom chainsaw—affectionately called Rabbit Punch. One is calm, business like, and just wants to get the job done, while the other intentionally goes against the grain, standing out as if for rebellions sake alone.
The two polar opposites form the heart of TN, and though the rest of the cast have some fantastic moments (and arcs, depending on the route), it was really witnessing how these two change over the course of the story that invested me. Across the four routes, their contrasting stories weave in and out to take many forms. At times So’un finds what he’s been missing all along and grows to value his humanity, but when he does, Ethica finds herself on a downwards spiral, losing her spark and what made her feel alive. It makes it even more heartbreaking when in the next you’ll see the reverse: Ethica living without regrets and So’un shrinking back into his tragic shell. It’s incredibly powerful.
It would be one thing to just knock this stuff out in one route, but it’s really how TN utilises the medium for maximum synergy that makes it all click for me. Every route is fully fleshed out and satisfying in their own right, but also contribute to each other like pieces of a puzzle.
Every time the end credits roll we hear the distinct voice of Sub-Con—the so called AI consciousness of Tokyo—sing us a broken song. But every time it plays, and the further you get, the clearer it becomes, and with it the frozen Tokyo on the menu screen lights up just a little more. It’s an absolutely beautiful touch and loops back to what I said at the beginning: TN knows and shows the cruelties and harsh realities life throws at us, but as you watch So’un fight for his new beginning, or Ethica overcome her past, it finally allows not only Sub-Con, but us, the player to deny the quote it leads on. When our characters follow their emotions, they are lead to happiness, and when they lose them, it all ends in tragedy.
TN's cast is stuck in the past: Milgram, Hokoyasu, along with all our main characters are used to explore a lot of themes. Ethica, however, is easily my favourite. While she is defined by a perceived frivolity, her character firmly denies that people exist to simply survive and her arc in Kiriri’s route is a phenomenal affirmation of homosexuality while also tying it all back to this core idea:
“But there to be something more meaningful out there, just waiting for us to find it.”
The results of the only two choices in TN are incredibly revealing, too. It’s only when Ethica intentionally goes against the EX-Brains decision that she survives, and for So’un, only when he prioritises Iria (his newfound love) over Milgram that he does.
To wrap up, while I do agree with a few peoples sentiments about TN not having the strongest prose, for my money it more than makes up for it with flawless theming, some inspired use of the medium, and a lot of heart. It’s a wonderfully constructed setting about people keeping a dead city on life support, and our characters literally fighting the dead (the past), but it’s only when they break away from it all and reach for that future that things truly begin to change for the better.
The dead cannot be loved, but despite our mistakes, we don’t have to join them yet: push for a new tomorrow, sit on the lotus throne together, and fill the world with colour.
“We’ll start our lives anew and live not for the past, but for the future; not for the dead, but for the living.”
“No man is happy before his death.”
Herodotus, the Histories
In a dilapidated church, lined with empty pews, a single figure rises from their coffin; crows flee skyward and lotus petals scatter.
Thus begins the era of necromancers.
Tokyo Necro (TN) leads with this delicate scene and though what follows is an undeniably rip-roaring zombie filled cyberpunk bonanza—the kind of game it’s marketed as—it has ambitions to come full circle. The path we take back to this intro arms us with the experiences to challenge it: the residents of this frozen Tokyo must face the past, and in seeing that, we must decide the future. And so the question becomes: are the key players in TN strong enough to sell it?
Dynamic duo—the machine-like So’un and firecracker Ethica—would certainly have you believe so. So’un clings to his AI assisted EX-Brain with standard pistols, hoping it makes all his decisions for him; convert input to output, no more no less. Ethica on the other hand uses a smaller model of EX-Brain paired with a bombastic custom chainsaw—affectionately called Rabbit Punch. One is calm, business like, and just wants to get the job done, while the other intentionally goes against the grain, standing out as if for rebellions sake alone.
The two polar opposites form the heart of TN, and though the rest of the cast have some fantastic moments (and arcs, depending on the route), it was really witnessing how these two change over the course of the story that invested me. Across the four routes, their contrasting stories weave in and out to take many forms. At times So’un finds what he’s been missing all along and grows to value his humanity, but when he does, Ethica finds herself on a downwards spiral, losing her spark and what made her feel alive. It makes it even more heartbreaking when in the next you’ll see the reverse: Ethica living without regrets and So’un shrinking back into his tragic shell. It’s incredibly powerful.
It would be one thing to just knock this stuff out in one route, but it’s really how TN utilises the medium for maximum synergy that makes it all click for me. Every route is fully fleshed out and satisfying in their own right, but also contribute to each other like pieces of a puzzle.
Every time the end credits roll we hear the distinct voice of Sub-Con—the so called AI consciousness of Tokyo—sing us a broken song. But every time it plays, and the further you get, the clearer it becomes, and with it the frozen Tokyo on the menu screen lights up just a little more. It’s an absolutely beautiful touch and loops back to what I said at the beginning: TN knows and shows the cruelties and harsh realities life throws at us, but as you watch So’un fight for his new beginning, or Ethica overcome her past, it finally allows not only Sub-Con, but us, the player to deny the quote it leads on. When our characters follow their emotions, they are lead to happiness, and when they lose them, it all ends in tragedy.
TN's cast is stuck in the past: Milgram, Hokoyasu, along with all our main characters are used to explore a lot of themes. Ethica, however, is easily my favourite. While she is defined by a perceived frivolity, her character firmly denies that people exist to simply survive and her arc in Kiriri’s route is a phenomenal affirmation of homosexuality while also tying it all back to this core idea:
“But there to be something more meaningful out there, just waiting for us to find it.”
The results of the only two choices in TN are incredibly revealing, too. It’s only when Ethica intentionally goes against the EX-Brains decision that she survives, and for So’un, only when he prioritises Iria (his newfound love) over Milgram that he does.
To wrap up, while I do agree with a few peoples sentiments about TN not having the strongest prose, for my money it more than makes up for it with flawless theming, some inspired use of the medium, and a lot of heart. It’s a wonderfully constructed setting about people keeping a dead city on life support, and our characters literally fighting the dead (the past), but it’s only when they break away from it all and reach for that future that things truly begin to change for the better.
The dead cannot be loved, but despite our mistakes, we don’t have to join them yet: push for a new tomorrow, sit on the lotus throne together, and fill the world with colour.
“We’ll start our lives anew and live not for the past, but for the future; not for the dead, but for the living.”
Lackgirl's amusing one-two punch banter is the meat on its bones and it relies heavily on the power of the VA's to deliver the humour in a way that makes up for the small scope of the world. Thankfully, I think they accomplished that, and though Lackgirl's world is a bit claustrophobic, it feels intentional; like we are slowly getting our bearings alongside Satsuki, with the introspective focus allowing for an interesting light to be shone on all the players we are introduced to so far.
A few of the story beats are pretty good, but could've used more buildup. Tsumugi's story in particular felt like money cashed in just a touch too early, enjoyable for sure, but her dynamic with Kana and the Valiant squad deserved just a bit more imo. Similarly, the game cuts off super abruptly and right in the middle of a really intense part. This doesn't bother me too much as I'm invested enough to buy more, but players looking for a well rounded experience won't find it here with this part 1.
Overall I quite enjoyed the first step in Satsuki's story to understand herself and the world around her, and I think if you like character focused stories with colourful players forced to clash with one another you will too. Be it the combative Mizuha, the unsteady Satsuki, or the unwilling Izumi, no one is ready for what the world has and will throw at them and I am excited to see what Lackgirl's plans are for the future of this cast and setting.
See you again, Miss Reality.
A few of the story beats are pretty good, but could've used more buildup. Tsumugi's story in particular felt like money cashed in just a touch too early, enjoyable for sure, but her dynamic with Kana and the Valiant squad deserved just a bit more imo. Similarly, the game cuts off super abruptly and right in the middle of a really intense part. This doesn't bother me too much as I'm invested enough to buy more, but players looking for a well rounded experience won't find it here with this part 1.
Overall I quite enjoyed the first step in Satsuki's story to understand herself and the world around her, and I think if you like character focused stories with colourful players forced to clash with one another you will too. Be it the combative Mizuha, the unsteady Satsuki, or the unwilling Izumi, no one is ready for what the world has and will throw at them and I am excited to see what Lackgirl's plans are for the future of this cast and setting.
See you again, Miss Reality.
While it feels a touch disingenuous to leave a negative review for a chunky game like Octopath after only ten hours, what I've seen in those ten hours was enough to convince me it wasn't cutting it (again).
If you are someone whose main criticism of Octopath 1 was something along the lines of: "The characters don't interact, and have nearly zero reason for teaming up with each other," then I'm here to tell you it's much the same. It would have been comical when aspiring merchant Partitio joins up with warrior Hikari on his quest for vengeance had it not been so stupid. Even better when hometown dancer Agnea joins the fray when her goal is to become a star performer.
The foundations of friendships and alliances in Octopath was always its achilles heel. No one is here to question its techical capability, so when such an obvious flaw (and one so vocally criticised!) is seemingly ignored like this, and the only notable changes thus far have been to combat I'm left feeling lukewarm.
I'm rarely satisifed by more of the same in media, so when a promising game like Octopath had a real shot at improving critical flaws with it's structure and characters I jumped at the chance to see it do so. Sadly however, it hasn't learned from its mistakes, and I'm not willing to roll the dice on another four individual stories of potentially wildly varying quality for forty hours.
If you are someone whose main criticism of Octopath 1 was something along the lines of: "The characters don't interact, and have nearly zero reason for teaming up with each other," then I'm here to tell you it's much the same. It would have been comical when aspiring merchant Partitio joins up with warrior Hikari on his quest for vengeance had it not been so stupid. Even better when hometown dancer Agnea joins the fray when her goal is to become a star performer.
The foundations of friendships and alliances in Octopath was always its achilles heel. No one is here to question its techical capability, so when such an obvious flaw (and one so vocally criticised!) is seemingly ignored like this, and the only notable changes thus far have been to combat I'm left feeling lukewarm.
I'm rarely satisifed by more of the same in media, so when a promising game like Octopath had a real shot at improving critical flaws with it's structure and characters I jumped at the chance to see it do so. Sadly however, it hasn't learned from its mistakes, and I'm not willing to roll the dice on another four individual stories of potentially wildly varying quality for forty hours.