The Video Game Thread: What are you playing?

[sanctum]

I was finally able to score an Xbox Series S!

Next up

Change of plans, played through Ori and the Blind Forest and it was great.

I'm not sure if I will play though the rest of the series, at least not for the time being.

I started Yakuza: Kiwami over the weekend. Not much to say about it other than it feels like more of 0, but the narrative isn't as fun. Depending how I feel after completing it I might give Kiwami 2 a go, otherwise I'll just jump over 3, 4 and 5 and go straight into 6.

Next up is The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes.

Still haven't got around to it yet.

Bloodrayne remasters are also getting the console treatment sometime next week too, too many games, too little time.

 

[flowersofnight]

Finished up with FF7 here - final party of comet-slingers ended up being Cloud, Tifa, and Red XIII.

This really had a scandalously poor localization for a game that was a big deal and everyone knew was going to be a big deal. Typos everywhere, including the credits, and lots of questionable translations. They didn't even credit anyone for the translation - I wonder if this was an "Alan Smithee" situation.

 

[flowersofnight]

Just finished up with:
THE FOOL'S ERRAND
The Mac version is available for free on the site (in an emulator that can be played on Mac or Windows)
Highly recommended. There's a sequel now too, which I'll probably pick up at some point, but next on the docket is Final Fantasy 8

 

[sanctum]

No posts since December?

I started up Tunic this week. I don't want to spoil anything but if you like the 2D Zelda games then it I highly recommend it.

 

[flowersofnight]

I did indeed buy "The Fool And His Money" and recently finished it.
GOTY 2012
GOTY 2022

It seems the late Stephen Sondheim was a big fan too, and volunteered his services as a beta tester.

 

[flowersofnight]

Just discovered the existence of this "enhanced remake" of Head over Heels for Switch.
Like "Solstice" but with two controllable characters. I couldn't mash the "Buy NOW" button any faster.

 

[~Z e n c h o u~]

bashing my head against the wall in the final floor of Final Fantasy XIV's current savage-difficulty raid tier.

It's my first time raiding with IRL friends, but we have a person in particular who is generally a pain in the ass to interact with and listen to and I honestly don't think I'd ever raid with him again after this.

Also, I completely put Bayonetta 3 out of my mind for years and was pleased to find out it's only a couple of weeks away.

 

[flowersofnight]

Recently got "Live A Live" for Switch, which seems interesting but I've only just started. It's between that, "Head Over Heels", and "Labyrinth of Crete" - no rest as usual

 

[flowersofnight]

Labyrinth of Crete: done but it's the least inspired Cliff Johnson game. Play the others.
Live A Live: 7 great mini-scenarios followed by a miserable slog of a final scenario. Recommended on the whole, I guess.

Now returning to Head Over Heels, which I think seems more daunting than it really is.

 

[~Z e n c h o u~]

I started Xenosaga Episode III up just to feel something.

New Star Ocean is easily the best one since SO3, not that that was going to be hard to achieve.
Also I finally played We Love Katamari. I don't know why it eluded me for so long.

 

[flowersofnight]

New here:
Shadows Over Loathing from the "West of Loathing" team. Currently on sale Very funny game, particularly if you've ever been to MIT.
Avenging Spirit - Original release now costs as much as a luxury automobile, new remastered one was much cheaper. Interesting game concept but seems very short - I got halfway (?) through on my first try. Nice packaging too, with a magnetic clasp.

And yes, I am aware Limited Run Games is a wretched bunch of charlatans on the whole.

 

[flowersofnight]

Now returning to Head Over Heels, which I think seems more daunting than it really is.

Finished this. Rather than providing my own commentary, how about listening to some schizo from academia explain the "strong sexual connotations" and why it's all a metaphor for Prince Charles' failed marriage?
http://www.gamestudies.org/0302/vanlooy/