thecooper878
2019
if you didnt like the ending to y4 you are not real
2019
WE ARE THE YAKUZA 4
2024
This review contains spoilers
I'm going to be real, and this is going to sound hilarious given the Rating, but I went into this game expecting not to like it.
I have had a bizarre relationship with Persona 3, it was the one game of the modern Persona trilogy I could never fully finish despite trying so hard to get into it on three separate occasions, the furthest I got being around the Quarter to mid-point on a portable save file, I have massive gripes with the original game and portable version on a gameplay level that prevented me from finishing the game at the time and so when I went into a persona 3 remake, I expected the same trend to continue.
Boy was I wrong. Persona 3 Reload takes everything that worked about Persona 5 on a gameplay level and improves upon it so much, I genuinely think this game has set a new standard for Persona games and might even be the new definitive one to recommend to newcomers over 5 now, I love everything about this game.
The only real complaint I have of the combat is while its more accessible and fast and fun its still piss easy, regardless the game makes up for it I think with a lot of variety, theurgy and shifting have helped make the fights faster and more flashy, Fuuka is a nav you have a bit more agency with in terms of when she helps you and how, and overall the gameplay stomps on the original.
When it comes to the social links, It's still a little bit of a bummer how there's not much to do at night after dealing with Mutatsu and Tanaka's links but I get why they didn't change that part too much, P3 has a very strong social link cast and I'm glad to say I finished most of them with few notable exceptions on my first runs, the link episodes are frankly amazing and I hope they continue to be the new standard for the series from now on, they expand a lot on Junpei Akihiko, Ken, and Shinjiro. Shinjiro's is especially heartbreaking and its resolution was a huge surprise for me, he became a character who affected me way harder than I thought he would and while I already knew what would happen and didn't like the in-engine cutscenes until then, his death is still a hard-hitting scene. What a character.
All in all, this game truly blew me away, and getting to experience that last half was very touching, Aigis is probably one of my favorite Persona characters Period, and the game uses the riff to memories of you so well so that when it finally plays during the ending, it really hits.
It feels weird to say given that Persona 4 is probably still my favorite Persona game but, persona 3 actually has my favorite ending, this is a truly special game that has made an everlasting impact on me, and I think that's the highest praise any game can be given.
""I have friends...We support each other through thick and thin... Not everything needs to be for some greater purpose. Just caring about someone can be enough. That's all we need to give our lives meaning..."
"It'll be okay. I'm right by your side...Here to protect you forevermore."
I have had a bizarre relationship with Persona 3, it was the one game of the modern Persona trilogy I could never fully finish despite trying so hard to get into it on three separate occasions, the furthest I got being around the Quarter to mid-point on a portable save file, I have massive gripes with the original game and portable version on a gameplay level that prevented me from finishing the game at the time and so when I went into a persona 3 remake, I expected the same trend to continue.
Boy was I wrong. Persona 3 Reload takes everything that worked about Persona 5 on a gameplay level and improves upon it so much, I genuinely think this game has set a new standard for Persona games and might even be the new definitive one to recommend to newcomers over 5 now, I love everything about this game.
The only real complaint I have of the combat is while its more accessible and fast and fun its still piss easy, regardless the game makes up for it I think with a lot of variety, theurgy and shifting have helped make the fights faster and more flashy, Fuuka is a nav you have a bit more agency with in terms of when she helps you and how, and overall the gameplay stomps on the original.
When it comes to the social links, It's still a little bit of a bummer how there's not much to do at night after dealing with Mutatsu and Tanaka's links but I get why they didn't change that part too much, P3 has a very strong social link cast and I'm glad to say I finished most of them with few notable exceptions on my first runs, the link episodes are frankly amazing and I hope they continue to be the new standard for the series from now on, they expand a lot on Junpei Akihiko, Ken, and Shinjiro. Shinjiro's is especially heartbreaking and its resolution was a huge surprise for me, he became a character who affected me way harder than I thought he would and while I already knew what would happen and didn't like the in-engine cutscenes until then, his death is still a hard-hitting scene. What a character.
All in all, this game truly blew me away, and getting to experience that last half was very touching, Aigis is probably one of my favorite Persona characters Period, and the game uses the riff to memories of you so well so that when it finally plays during the ending, it really hits.
It feels weird to say given that Persona 4 is probably still my favorite Persona game but, persona 3 actually has my favorite ending, this is a truly special game that has made an everlasting impact on me, and I think that's the highest praise any game can be given.
""I have friends...We support each other through thick and thin... Not everything needs to be for some greater purpose. Just caring about someone can be enough. That's all we need to give our lives meaning..."
"It'll be okay. I'm right by your side...Here to protect you forevermore."
"DEATH OF A SHADOW."
"YOU TAUGHT ME WELL."
"THAT'S MY BOY.."
SHINOBI EXECUTION.
"YOU TAUGHT ME WELL."
"THAT'S MY BOY.."
SHINOBI EXECUTION.
2015
Bloodborne is a game I went into not expecting to honestly like, I'd tried to get into it two times previously but never really could, which was weird because at the time I had greatly enjoyed Dark Souls.
Now that I finally played the game fully and appreciate it, I can say that maybe I had been too quick to write the game off initially.
I think the best part of this game and something all the other Souls titles(except Sekiro which I can't comment on because I haven't played as of writing) haven't replicated yet is its overwhelming aggressive playstyle, it is incredibly fun and a stark contrast from Ds1 especially.
This isn't to say there aren't some things that don't peeve, me, first of all(and this is purely a personal gripe due to how high my expectations were) I found myself disappointed with the main bosses, the late game/final ones and DLC one's carried the roster of them for me. The other issues are ones of minor inconveniences like having to farm heals or the fact the bonfires in this game suck ass.
Overall though, I have to admit it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and it's a game that holds up, the atmosphere and horror aspect are truly great.
Now that I finally played the game fully and appreciate it, I can say that maybe I had been too quick to write the game off initially.
I think the best part of this game and something all the other Souls titles(except Sekiro which I can't comment on because I haven't played as of writing) haven't replicated yet is its overwhelming aggressive playstyle, it is incredibly fun and a stark contrast from Ds1 especially.
This isn't to say there aren't some things that don't peeve, me, first of all(and this is purely a personal gripe due to how high my expectations were) I found myself disappointed with the main bosses, the late game/final ones and DLC one's carried the roster of them for me. The other issues are ones of minor inconveniences like having to farm heals or the fact the bonfires in this game suck ass.
Overall though, I have to admit it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and it's a game that holds up, the atmosphere and horror aspect are truly great.
2017
im ngl this game is carried by the ending and story hard for me, i didnt like the new engine combat, the side stories kinda sucked, and overall the experience was very disappointing on a gameplay level.
but also I CAN FEEEEL THE SOUND OF YOUUUUR BREATHHHH RAHHHH
but also I CAN FEEEEL THE SOUND OF YOUUUUR BREATHHHH RAHHHH
2022
As someone who's Played dark souls 1 and 3, Elden ring is practically the perfect culmination of everything fromsoft does very well, but also, some of their worst habits are here too.
Exploration and atmosphere are genuinely some of the best in the series, while there are some obvious weakspots(liurnia of the lakes cough cough) this game stomps on dark souls in the pure variety of area and their exploration, while ER is still in the same vein as the old games that dont hold your hand it always feels fun to explore and even 95 hours in you're still gonna be finding new areas and things to explore and fight.
While on that note of hand holding, it is a little nice that this game does make things more clear, the main objective for the most part is always very clear, and the lore is actually digestible in a way that doesnt rely on external sources too much for you to get whats going on and the lore of ER, the only compliant i have is this clarity is not extended to quests as by their later stages they evolve to once again wiki-diving to know how to finish them.
The thing that probably bothers me the most in this game is difficulty and the boss design, this game has some of the worst instances of fromsofts artifical bullshit, nevermind the late game difficulty spike, the bosses in Elden ring are incredibly cruel and have some moves specifically designed to do nothing but spite the player, whats even worse is bosses and mini-bosses that early on feel unique lose that luster with how the game reuses the bosses so hard.
I think overall this may be the best experience of the fromsoft games in terms of how cohesive it is, the boss design is a disappointing fumble, especially with comparison to DS3, i think with bosses more in line with that level and consistency, this game would be literally perfect.
Exploration and atmosphere are genuinely some of the best in the series, while there are some obvious weakspots(liurnia of the lakes cough cough) this game stomps on dark souls in the pure variety of area and their exploration, while ER is still in the same vein as the old games that dont hold your hand it always feels fun to explore and even 95 hours in you're still gonna be finding new areas and things to explore and fight.
While on that note of hand holding, it is a little nice that this game does make things more clear, the main objective for the most part is always very clear, and the lore is actually digestible in a way that doesnt rely on external sources too much for you to get whats going on and the lore of ER, the only compliant i have is this clarity is not extended to quests as by their later stages they evolve to once again wiki-diving to know how to finish them.
The thing that probably bothers me the most in this game is difficulty and the boss design, this game has some of the worst instances of fromsofts artifical bullshit, nevermind the late game difficulty spike, the bosses in Elden ring are incredibly cruel and have some moves specifically designed to do nothing but spite the player, whats even worse is bosses and mini-bosses that early on feel unique lose that luster with how the game reuses the bosses so hard.
I think overall this may be the best experience of the fromsoft games in terms of how cohesive it is, the boss design is a disappointing fumble, especially with comparison to DS3, i think with bosses more in line with that level and consistency, this game would be literally perfect.