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Post by toei on Jun 25, 2021 4:18:07 GMT -5
I can't stand Super C's later levels, so I'm dropping it. I gave the arcade version a quick look too - you can see the similarities with Sunset Riders here, though it's not nearly as refined. You really need two players though, there are way too many enemies otherwise.
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Post by Ex on Jun 25, 2021 7:44:40 GMT -5
You really need two players though, there are way too many enemies otherwise. I have noticed a fair many old two player run 'n' guns and shmups are like that. If the game supports two player simultaneous, it's usually balanced towards challenging two players. So as a sole player you are seriously disadvantaged. Oh well, there's still Symphony of the Night if you feel up to it. Is it ever worthwhile sending more than one person to Asgard per chapter? I honestly can't remember. Going to defer to Sarge on that question. - Last night I put another hour into Landstalker. I completed the Thieves Cave dungeon, which I ended up enjoying more than the Swamp Shrine dungeon. Afterwards, I made it to the next town (Mercator). Last night's session was pretty enjoyable, so I'll continue playing this game. I find myself enjoying the gameplay most, when just exploring dungeon rooms and solving platforming/puzzles without being hounded by mobs of enemies. The combat is too simplistic for me to love that. I tell you what, as big as these dungeons are, I find it asinine that Climax expected the player to manually backtrack out of them once they're completed. I hope to find an item that will let me warp back to towns or at least the dungeon exit. Well I've still got a long ways to go, my opinion may improve further. This may end up being a game that grows on me. Sometimes games start off kinda bleh but eventually evolve into something great. Here's hoping.
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Post by Xeogred on Jun 25, 2021 8:31:16 GMT -5
I can't stand Super C's later levels, so I'm dropping it. I gave the arcade version a quick look too - you can see the similarities with Sunset Riders here, though it's not nearly as refined. You really need two players though, there are way too many enemies otherwise. At least bask in some of the awesome later level themes if you haven't. I love Stage 7-8.
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Post by Xeogred on Jun 25, 2021 12:02:05 GMT -5
I think I can confidently say I'm not going to walk away from Valkyrie Profile loving it. This game has been such an up and down experience so far.
The game points me to the Cave of Oblivion, which is a dungeon with randomized elements and can apparently have enemies that are Chapter 8 level. So you guessed it, everything one shots me and I do 1 damage to them back. I eventually realized that it's kind of easy to run from every battle, so I did so to see if I could net some good treasures. Well the layout of this dungeon changes when it appears and I guess I got a variant that had... nothing!
I'm really starting to speculate that everyone who says "Hard mode is easier", is coming from veterans of the game. People who know immediately what all these systems are and what to do out of the gate. People that know what the extra characters are and their worth. People that know if X dungeon appears then they get to get whatever early on. Otherwise, this game is just completely wonky across all its difficulties and chalk full of trial and error design in many spots. Even in the normal chapter 4 dungeon I just did, it sometimes had encounters that seemed literally impossible and I had to run from.
Think I had some other complaints, but I forgot them. Thankfully I got that other fun dungeon in and built up a really good character to send this chapter.
This game is good when it's good, but it's got some serious issues to me at times. Well, it really is a tri-Ace game after all I guess.
I'm starting to think sidescrolling RPG's peaked at Zelda II.
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Post by Ex on Jun 25, 2021 12:28:03 GMT -5
I'm really starting to speculate that everyone who says "Hard mode is easier", is coming from veterans of the game. I believe your issues are all stemming from playing on Hard Mode. The stuff you grumble about, I can't remember running into when I played on Normal. At this point I think it'd have been preferable if you'd not played on Hard Mode for your first run. I found my entry for Valkyrie Profile in my HLTB records. I didn't note when I beat it, but it was probably 2011 or 2012. These were my thoughts at the time: Time to beat: 26 hours Notes: No cheating or strategy guides used, but I only got the normal ending. I didn't get the "special true ending" because you'd have to have a guide to even know that existed in the first place.
Review:
Overall Valkyrie Profile is definitely a "good game" that consistently hints at greatness, but it lets rampant experimentation get in the way of rational game design a little too often. I won't hold that against it, I admire innovation. I admire those who are willing to push boundaries. But I will hold the byzantine criteria needed to see the true ending against the designers. Still, up until the very end of the game, I had a mostly fun time. And I suppose that's what counts in the end. Even if the only ending I saw consisted of Freya's face and a short victory speech. Well, that is, until I went to Youtube for the "real" ending.
Best five things:
Unusual plot for a JRPG with heartfelt stories within stories. Unusual battle system for a JRPG that is fun and fast. Really nice uptempo OST with lots of variety. Excellent 2D graphics with parallax scrolling and dithering for miles. Plenty of maturely written and well localized dialogue.
Worst five things:
The hidden true ending's discovery criteria = ridiculous. Too many areas are hidden and only accessible if you don't play the "hard" difficulty. Too many playable characters = overexposure I can't keep up with all these motives. Some really bad platforming at times due to shoddy jumping physics. The game was just too easy on "normal".
Rating: 8/10
For me side-scrolling action-RPGs peaked with:
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Post by Sarge on Jun 25, 2021 14:02:49 GMT -5
Xeogred: I feel like you can just watch your evaluations and send up a couple at a time, and make sure Odin isn't peeved. You're going to recruit so many folks that you can't use 'em all, anyway. Sounds like the dungeons are more puzzle-heavy in Hard mode, which is probably what's giving you the most consternation. Since I did Normal, I didn't run into a lot of that, so maybe playing on Hard wasn't the right call if you don't care for angling at the best ending. How far are you in? toei: Super C definitely doesn't pull any punches. I guess I'm immune to some of the tricky bits since I've played it a fair amount, although honestly a lot less than the original Contra. But a ton of my Contra skills obviously translate over. Which later stages were giving you the most issues? I find one of the trickiest bits is when you lose the Spreader in the vertical elevator shaft where the bubbles come at you. You can see how much evading I had to do when I didn't have it in my 1CC run. Ex: Glad you got at least some enjoyment out of your last session. Those dungeons gon' get bigger, though, let me tell you. They're a significant part of the challenge, much more so than the combat.
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Post by toei on Jun 25, 2021 14:22:39 GMT -5
I disliked the elevator level, and that annoying bit with the bubbles at the beginning (it's not hard, just a waste of time that gets tiresome as you replay the level). Didn't mind the climbing level after that, although again, falling "off" the screen but not really is some BS. The next top down level is just trash, though, with those mouths that appear below you too quickly to move out of the way and all that other nonsense.
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Post by Xeogred on Jun 25, 2021 14:34:32 GMT -5
I'm 11 hours in and about halfway into chapter 4. I think I'm taking issue with the format of the game itself though. But maybe things change in the back half? Maybe a real actual larger story starts to unfold, or Lenneth actually gets some character development? Because there's nothing to say up to this point, other than... there's a war in Valhalla I guess. The little pockets of stories for the characters you recruit are cool and somber, but I'm not sure how much these bite sized stories will do for me in the long run.
If you guys ever replay this on Hard, I guess maybe you'll be able to confirm my suspicions or not about some of these nitpicks.
The only real comparison I can think of is Odin Sphere in a way. But I didn't like that game much at all after awhile. Valkyrie Profile is better but hopefully I can get through it, since the formula is kind of iffy so far. I finally have a nice battle party that can do tons of combos and keeps getting more skills, but alas... I'm going to ditch one of these characters soon. There's just so many little bizarre things about this.
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Post by paulofthewest on Jun 25, 2021 19:29:56 GMT -5
Taloon's biggest advantage is he has a really large HP pool. Defense isn't as good as Ragnar, though. Alena's big thing is her stat growth (she gets massive boosts in Strength and Agility, the latter of which calculates into Defense), and as Xeogred says, her critical hit rate. She can get a crit rate all the way up to 64/256, or 25%, where the numerator is her level. Standard crit rate is only 1/64. So by the end of the game, you'll probably be sitting at around level 40, which means she'll have a 15.265% chance for a crit. Pair that with the Stiletto Earrings (low base attack but attack twice) and you've got a true melee powerhouse. Taloon just rocks right now. While his stats are mediocre, his AI is super useful for the dungeon crawls (which is what most of the game is.) He usually: 1) Uses an item (so I keep ice sword on him and he blizzards everyone) 2) Calls in the merchants, which appears to be 3x attacks. 3) Tells a horrible pun (and the enemies no longer attack.) 4) Sing the lullaby (enemies asleep) 5) Those sand. 6) His attack isn't bad Now if I can find a heal armor/weapon for him, I'll all set. As for Alena, what are the game designers doing? Now I'm at level 25, she has the highest strength, agility, and luck. Yes, the little girl has more strength/agility/luck then burly Ragnar, or the *Hero*. Her defense is fine. I took your advice and bought the Stiletto Earring and she criticals a lot. My party: Hero, Ragnar, Alena, Taloon. I fed mystic nuts (bonus MP) to Hero since he is the only party healer. With Taloon and Alena in the party, I don't use much healing. Also, I was going to give the game a nod because I didn't have to use a guide, but at some point in Chapter 5, I lot track of what I suppose to be doing. So sadly, ya, I had to look it up. Maybe Ex can make an AA group for us guide users.
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Post by Ex on Jun 25, 2021 20:39:10 GMT -5
So sadly, ya, I had to look it up. Maybe Ex can make an AA group for us guide users. Using a guide to get back on track after not playing a JRPG for a while is sanctioned. Just don't play games on easy mode*, and we won't pull your HRG membership card. *
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