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Post by toei on Nov 12, 2023 2:36:04 GMT -5
Having two screens on one at the same time takes me out of the experience, basically. A DS isn't flat and you're holding it in your hands so you would naturally focus on the top part, then look down when needed with no issue. With my laptop they're both there at eye level so it makes harder to get absorbed into the game.
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Post by Xeogred on Nov 12, 2023 13:32:13 GMT -5
Well for me it's not unusual to get weird graphical blips like this with dual/triple monitor setups, running my main monitor at 1440p, etc. Some old PC games (Project EDEN) and programs like old emulators just might not be working right. I'll try that option toei posted to fix the duplicate image issue and I'm glad there is an option to turn that blinding white background to black. I have GPU scaling just to 2, seems like the game gets a little chunkier above that. Guess it could be a taxing one for the DS. The upscaling/smoothing options don't like that ideal to me, I'm fine with just blowing the resolution up a bit.
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Post by Chema on Nov 12, 2023 18:45:01 GMT -5
I finished Asura's Wrath (Xbox 360 version played on the Series X).
This game is, for better or worse, an experience like no other. It's a simplistic hack'n'slash with a few on-rails shooting sections and an obscene amount of cutscenes and QTEs, a mix of elements that should have produced really bad results. But the developers knew what they wanted: the most bombastic, over the top anime game ever made. And that's what they made. The game's aesthetics and crazy cutscenes and boss fights kept me pushing forward despite the many gameplay flaws, a feat that no other game has managed. The QTEs were surprisingly enjoyable because the button prompts are usually matched to a consistent set of actions. It's the first game that manages to give illusion of button prompts influencing the cutscene. The QTEs of the true final boss are incredible.
Overall, this is a game that's too shallow for replays, but I'm happy I experienced it for the first time.
+A unique experience +A story so anime-y it's endearing and captivating. +Excessive, over the top cutscenes and boss fights +The best QTEs of the generation +Excellent visuals and sound +Stable 30fps on the Series X
-The true ending is locked as DLC -The hack'n'slash segments are shallow and repetitive. -The hit detection is anything but good -The on-rails shooting segments are boring.
My rating: 7/10.
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Post by Xeogred on Nov 12, 2023 19:29:41 GMT -5
I finished Asura's Wrath (Xbox 360 version played on the Series X). -The true ending is locked as DLC Nice one Chema.
I would like to point out that the true ending DLC, is like another whole episode worth. And the story conclusion/final boss fights are SO worth it... if it's still available to purchase. I'd recommend you check the rest out if possible. (not that I want to defend this lame practice during that gen, the whole game should have been in there from the start...)
Or maybe you did complete it too?
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Post by Ex on Nov 13, 2023 11:38:00 GMT -5
The true ending is locked as DLC This is the reason I've still not played Asura's Wrath, although I own a physical copy for Xbox 360. Does seem like a fun game with crazy QTEs otherwise. If you want more crazy 7th gen QTEs, you might like this one:
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Post by spiffsneed on Nov 13, 2023 18:22:00 GMT -5
Ghost Trick completed! Not sure of my completion time, as I can’t seem to find a counter anywhere, but I’d imagine it’s around average, as I wasn’t stuck on many puzzles for long. I really enjoyed it a lot! Ghost Trick has a lot of similarities to creator Shu Takumi’s better known series, Ace Attorney — - Limited/no effective failure states. This is key to my enjoyment with adventure games, having been raised on the Lucasarts style. Adventure games are opaque enough as is without having failure lurking around each corner.
- Tightly contained puzzle design. As in Ace Attorney, you won’t be able to progress without having achieved the prerequisite steps, and everything you need will be available within the current scene. It’s always clear which items can be manipulated and which exist solely for traversal.
- Memorable characterization. As in Ace Attorney, characters establish themselves quickly, with a combination of distinct speech patterns, character traits and/or visual design. Detective Cabanela, for example, dresses and moves like Elvis, and speaks in an elongated drawl with word choices particular to him.
- Frequent plot twists. The game withholds information from the player, doling new threads out at a steady consistent pace, which shifts the players perspective and understanding of events.
It took a little bit for me to get hooked, but once I did, I plowed through the game. The difficulty curve is pretty good, though it seems a bit bell-shaped, with the most difficult puzzles being in the middle of the game. Overall, none of the puzzles were too hard, though several had me thinking for a bit. I only had to look at a walkthrough for one particular part of the puzzle in Chapter 9 that I think could have been visually telegraphed a bit better (it’s not immediately clear that your partner in the puzzle is able to perform certain physical feats, though the game gives you a couple of dialogue clues to nudge you in the right direction). The Chapter 9 puzzle is in some ways the beautiful apex of the games puzzle design. It takes place in the game’s largest area by far, which the game has smoothly introduced to you in previous chapters by have smaller puzzles take place in each of the larger area’s sub-areas. So, by the time you’re presented with a puzzle that spans the entire space, you’ve mentally integrated a full understanding of various mechanics that add up into a wonderfully complex puzzle. The plot is quite good, and is very internally consistent with the rule set it establishes. There’s nothing extraneous, so it’s very rewarding when the smaller, less obviously related pieces fall into place. There are some themes in the plot the are present but not super fleshed out revolving around the juxtaposition of people’s core identities and the identities they’ve come to identify with in their lives; characters who have died and witness their living selves often have revealing commentary on themselves. In the end, if I had to distill a message from the game, I’d say that it advocates compassion and understanding, letting the player know that the surface appearance is rarely reflective of the underlying truth of a person. If there were one thing I would change/add, it would be this: in the final third of the game, the core mechanics expand due to the presence of another character, which in turn increases the possible complexity of the puzzles. Though the puzzles do take advantage of this, I think it could have been expanded a bit more. Great game! Gets a 9/10 from me. I started playing several other very different DS games to see what sticks: - Space Invaders Extreme - Enjoyed this a lot when it came out, and my goodness, this game is still absolutely superb. I think this is genuinely an unsung masterpiece. I’m on the last stage of the “Easy” path (which is still really difficult) and hoping to wrap up soon before giving the harder paths a shot.
- Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes - Brilliant game, though I’m in the second area (after the initial Elf forest), and it gets brutally difficult. I really like it, but I’m not sure I’m good enough to get through it.
- Flower, Sun and Rain - Expectedly obtuse, given it’s a Suda 51 joint. The core gameplay isn’t very compelling and seemingly attempts to deliberately alienate the player in some ways, but that’s Suda’s whole thing, so I’m intrigued to experience more. The game has a Groundhog Day conceit, where the protagonist repeatedly experiences a single day, getting a bit further each time, but always concluding with a plane exploding. The music, visuals and dialogue are funny, unusual and intriguing, so it definitely has my attention.
- Knights in the Nightmare - A shmup mixed with a tactical RPG. Such an interesting, unique game, and I think it’s finally clicked for me.
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Post by bonesnapdeez on Nov 14, 2023 6:58:48 GMT -5
Space Invaders Extreme is awesome! Second gen games are still getting great sequels that are just slipping through the cracks.
I was surprised by how much I liked Arkanoid vs Space Invaders too, though I suppose that's 8th gen (? chronologically at least, it's an iOS/Android game). Eventually it got too grindy though.
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Post by Ex on Nov 14, 2023 12:08:55 GMT -5
I'm glad to read you enjoyed this one spiffsneed. As far as Shu Takumi's work goes, I think Ghost Trick outclasses the Ace Attorney games, at least the ones on DS anyway. And its stylish animation is in a class of its own, fairly innovative game design as well. I hope you check out Last Window while you're on a DS adventure game kick. Somebody in the USA has to beat that game other than me. As for the other DS games you mentioned: >Space Invaders Extreme Never played. >Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes A lot of people praised this one back in its day, and it's been ported elsewhere since. To me it looked like an action-puzzler so I wasn't interested back then. I guess it's an action-puzzler but with a plot? I still don't get it. >Flower, Sun and Rain I played this one. It's a horrible, terrible, naked emperor pile of crap. I've played other Suda games I've enjoyed, but this sure isn't one. >Knights in the Nightmare This one's always looked intriguing to me. I've read the barrier to entry (grokking the gameplay) is difficult, but reads like you figured it out. If you stick with it, I'll be keen to see your enlightened take. Mixing bullet-hell with SRPG is definitely unique.
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Post by Sarge on Nov 14, 2023 12:40:07 GMT -5
Yeah, a 9/10 sounds about right. Fantastic game, and man, that twist hit me hard. I hear the remade version is also great, and it's good to see folks perhaps rediscover the game.
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Post by bonesnapdeez on Nov 14, 2023 15:32:57 GMT -5
Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes mogs pretty much everything on the DS. Utterly destroys everything else within the Might and Magic series too, though that series is a huge pile of disparate experiences.
Ingenious puzzle RPG combat and Western "anime" aesthetics that actually look decent.
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