This hack is certainly something. My problem with a lot of hacks is that they play really similar to each other. The amount of times where it is just Sacred Stones 2, with the same kind of Skill sets and not so interesting unit variety.

I will tell you, this hack plays NOTHING like any FE game or hack. At first glance you can already tell that the growths are extremely high in this hack, but would you believe me that Weapons are the most important thing? Even with the growths nearing 80+ or even above 100%, you can complete this game on 0% growths. This game just rewards good plays because it gives you so many useful units, REALLY good tools (Galeforce Swordmasters? Two mounted dancers?)

Intended difficulty is Lunatic Reverse, so the game is made with challenge in mind. Map design is smart with some really good music choices as well. One of the very few FE games that is Player Phase focused as well. Once again, the game gives you so many amazing tools that mostly rewards you if you play your own turn right.

I don't want to go too much in the story other that it is really well crafted. Only one route is finished for now and support conversations still have yet to be added. Once again, I really recommend it if you like the series in general. The game is just so good and I am already replaying it again.

Lloyd Bannings is such a bad fucking character and it's only upsetting because I can't even like Zero the same way I used to largely because of it

Love to make a character entirely about "I overcome the odds" and "I have a mystery backstory" only to have that mystery backstory be the worst written thing you've ever seen

I just watched someone play CS1 after being immensely disappointed by Azure and they immediately lost their mind over Class VII having like
Actual growth and conflict and any writing whatsoever that isn't "We must overcome the barrier...we must save Crossbell...🙂"

im so toxic cause any time someone livetweets Azure I'm just desperate to see them get to CS1 instead

Kiseki discourse would be a lot simpler if Azure fans just talked about their game like this instead of calling you slurs for thinking it's the worst one

Azure fans when characters are written to have flaws, emotions and struggles like actual human beings

Coming to this VN while having read Uchikoshi's modern works (Zero Escape and AI), it is very surprising how much of the VN has its concept later being reused in his future works.

I generally liked how casual the setting felt, despite the general situation what was happening. Very neatly placed info throughout the story that makes you definitely use your brain WHAT exactly was going on. But also very fun to read that you can just enjoy the spectacle what was going on. It has an enjoyable cast too, with some standouts and some who were just fine.

There are obviously routes that are better and more important than the others, but I don't think I fully disliked any, just that a certain one didn't add much to the overall plot (which I was still fine with)

Not gonna go deep into spoilers but man, the reveals are kinda insane for something that came out in 2002? Some stuff that you could pick up by (over)analyzing stuff or being a monkey with a typewriter. And the best part? Everything came together so well and the ending is satisfying and I just don't have any problems with it? Great VN, it really is.

DLC with amazing content, a really interesting stuff to already interesting levels, while also requiring more effort to get through.

Music is even better now, they added a lot of amazing tracks.

Reminder that the content is accessible because the devs added a mode if you die too much, that will make the death wish levels more forgiving. Which is great, I used it for some of them.

This DLC having mixed reviews is why we can't have nice things like an optional content adding extra difficulty and variety (or complete new levels!) to the base game.

I've just realized, I don't even like having fun. Like not really, fun is sorta overrated when you get down and dirty and you really stop thinking about it. Who even honestly likes having fun certainly not I, certainly not the people who have designed this game.

I see what their mentality was here, they thought giving you encounters with enemies that could inflict lethal status ailments with no way to resist it on top of esuna being able to miss a good way to piss you off. You know what, they were dead on and honestly that is the BEST thing about this game.

Normally when I play a game. I intend to have fun. And in a way that is kinda boring right? Like you EXPECT games to be fun. And I REALLY see what they were doing here, you know what they said? Lets put an encounter with SIX enemies that are able to confuse you and kill your whole party and you are gonna LIKE IT!

You really have to respect that, because they had the fucking balls to go against the wave. They said FUCK all of that fun bullshit. And the geniuses behind this masterpiece game design, I say thank you.