Project X Zone 2 is officially my favorite game of the year (which isn't saying much since the year's just started). Once Segata Sanshiro appeared everything just went CRAZY. It was the funniest thing I'd ever seen.
I think this game has made me laugh far more than the first one did. It's just amazing.
Also they referenced Zoo Race. That alone is a thing to behold.
Actually, speaking of which... I wanted to say some things about the translation.

I usually take what I get from localizations, but I've noticed that there are a lot of things that miiiight not be just translations of the original text. Like, during speaking parts, sometimes how the characters speak don't quite match up with what the dialogue box says as far as tone goes. And there are quite a few cases in which a character speaks in English but the translation changes it up so it sounds more coherent to native English-speakers. Gemini from Sakura Wars seems to be a victim of this sort of thing the most.
Normally I give the localization the benefit of the doubt because I know it must be difficult deciding how to translate various speech patterns in a way that people will understand. But here... It just seems sorta odd. I mean, the jokes are still funny. But part of me is wondering just how faithful they are to the original. But then again, there are just some things that will get lost in translation, so you have to change it up.

Still, Project X Zone 2 is very enjoyable both gameplay and story-wise. I think it's a bit trickier to pick up strategies thanks to how they changed Cross Hits so that only Solo Units will contribute to that and not Support Units. And then there's trying to figure out which Solo Units work well with which Pair Units. I wanna see the various conversations certain characters will have, so I end up pairing bad units together (Don't put Leon with Chrom and Lucina, or Segata with Flynn and Yuri).

(02-24-2016, 05:14 PM)Monobrobe Wrote: I usually take what I get from localizations, but I've noticed that there are a lot of things that miiiight not be just translations of the original text. Like, during speaking parts, sometimes how the characters speak don't quite match up with what the dialogue box says as far as tone goes. And there are quite a few cases in which a character speaks in English but the translation changes it up so it sounds more coherent to native English-speakers. Gemini from Sakura Wars seems to be a victim of this sort of thing the most.
Normally I give the localization the benefit of the doubt because I know it must be difficult deciding how to translate various speech patterns in a way that people will understand. But here... It just seems sorta odd. I mean, the jokes are still funny. But part of me is wondering just how faithful they are to the original. But then again, there are just some things that will get lost in translation, so you have to change it up.

If it's helpful at all I'm fairly certain a lot of times when you have characters that have Southern drawls - or a loud, hillbilly archetype - the comparison drawn usually has the character speaking loudly and in Osakan dialect (as Osaka is about comparable in a business sense, plus some culture sensibilities/hospitality shared between Southern and Osakan people) 

Of course, that wouldn't really carry over so most translations of this material just opt to have the characters speak in Southern drawls (like Mitsune Konno from Love Hina, or...uh, Osaka from Azumanga Daioh) but uh


this character is literally from Texas, so I'm not so sure. lol

I just unlocked every ending in 999. Was really fun, though there are some plot holes nagging at me that the sequels will patch up.

Story of Seasons is on it's way here, I can't wait for some farming action. B - )

Played through Valkyrie Profile a little bit...

It was good. It's not at all a bad game, but...All I ask for in a game is to give *me* something to do. Hitting a single button just to attack an enemy is not enough. I get it, the visuals are beautiful - I haven't seen great sprites like this game's for a while. I just wish it were more of an "action" RPG. This is the same issue I had with Project X Zone.

To be honest, I don't mind if an RPG is turn-based. However, I prefer something more to the likes of the Mario role-playing games. They keep the player involved 100% of the time despite being turn-based (quicktime events during battle, performing actions in the overworld, etc.). They don't hold your hand through the story at all - as the player, you do majority of the work.

I guess I should have chosen a harder difficulty in Valkyrie Profile? Would it have given me a better battle system where I can actually maneuver the characters?

(02-26-2016, 04:16 AM)JazzGW Wrote: Played through Valkyrie Profile a little bit...

It was good. It's not at all a bad game, but...All I ask for in a game is to give *me* something to do. Hitting a single button just to attack an enemy is not enough. I get it, the visuals are beautiful - I haven't seen great sprites like this game's for a while. I just wish it were more of an "action" RPG. This is the same issue I had with Project X Zone.

To be honest, I don't mind if an RPG is turn-based. However, I prefer something more to the likes of the Mario role-playing games. They keep the player involved 100% of the time despite being turn-based (quicktime events during battle, performing actions in the overworld, etc.). They don't hold your hand through the story at all - as the player, you do majority of the work.

I guess I should have chosen a harder difficulty in Valkyrie Profile? Would it have given me a better battle system where I can actually maneuver the characters?

How DARE you shame turn based RPGs!

In all seriousness, I think those types of games bank on the fact that the "something to do" that you mention is in your brain. They fall short when they fail to challenge you... You're not ever really THINKING unless you're being challenged. 

Really though.... I love my turn based RPGs. If EVERYTHING took a shift towards action RPG and they stopped making them turn based, I would honestly probably quit gaming.

(02-22-2016, 05:33 PM)JazzGW Wrote: I will say that Karin is amazing in SFV! Sure, she's a blatant clone of Lili from Tekken, but I think Street Fighter needed someone with her fighting style. The only other Capcom character like Lili would have to be Ingrid, who only appeared in a couple 2D games. Karin was kinda boring and floaty in Street Fighter Alpha/Zero 3, so I'm glad I had an opportunity to appreciate her more as a fighting game character.

Not to be that guyyyy but Alpha 3 (Karin's first game) came out 8 years before Lili's debut in Tekken 5. If anybody's a blatant clone, it's Lili (as much as I also love Lili). Unless what you mean is that her changes in SFV made her more like Lili which I... don't really see?

(02-27-2016, 03:18 AM)Tellis Wrote: Not to be that guyyyy but Alpha 3 (Karin's first game) came out 8 years before Lili's debut in Tekken 5. If anybody's a blatant clone, it's Lili (as much as I also love Lili). Unless what you mean is that her changes in SFV made her more like Lili which I... don't really see?

Na, I'm talking more her changes in SFV...Mostly the ways she moves and animates gives me a Lili vibe, especially since it's her first appearance in a 3D fighter. I might have gone overboard in saying she's a blatant clone. I tend to do that without noticing.

(02-26-2016, 11:39 AM)smell factories Wrote: How DARE you shame turn based RPGs!

In all seriousness, I think those types of games bank on the fact that the "something to do" that you mention is in your brain. They fall short when they fail to challenge you... You're not ever really THINKING unless you're being challenged. 

Really though.... I love my turn based RPGs. If EVERYTHING took a shift towards action RPG and they stopped making them turn based, I would honestly probably quit gaming.

Turn-based just isn't made for me, I guess. And I do know how challenging they can be - I've been down those Pokemon and Final Fantasy roads. Though, the main "challenge" for me I suppose would be having to garner up the patience to level-up your party until you're practically unbeatable. I just don't have the time nowadays . Another reason would be that I grew up with the Zelda and Mana franchises, so I'm more of a hack-n-slash person when it comes to RPGs.

Just played through the first two Metroid games.

You know, with a map and some idea of where you're going, those two games are actually more fun than they are frustrating.

(02-27-2016, 04:12 AM)JazzGW Wrote:

(02-27-2016, 03:18 AM)Tellis Wrote: Not to be that guyyyy but Alpha 3 (Karin's first game) came out 8 years before Lili's debut in Tekken 5. If anybody's a blatant clone, it's Lili (as much as I also love Lili). Unless what you mean is that her changes in SFV made her more like Lili which I... don't really see?

Na, I'm talking more her changes in SFV...Mostly the ways she moves and animates gives me a Lili vibe, especially since it's her first appearance in a 3D fighter. I might have gone overboard in saying she's a blatant clone. I tend to do that without noticing.

Reading all this, I fucking wish Karin even played half like Lilli.

Lilli is so braindead easy to pick up and literally the only Tekken character I can play because of her overwhelmingly simple commands. I straight wreck stepping on people's feet twice and then legsweeping them.

Karin, on the other hand is like
advanced and sophisticated not only in family background or plot but also gameplay. And apparently she counters a lot of common picks in SFA3, which is like really cool but ????
karin's playstyle is as mysterious to me as women are to teenage boys

Two weekends in a row I have tried to get into Glover, but holy shit is this game atrocious. I really wanted to like it, since it's a game I've been wanting to play for twenty(ish) god damn years, but it's just wrong. And the more I play it, the more I wrong it is. The physics are wrong, the overwhelming glitching is wrong, even the visual style is just... off kilter.

Glover, I can't stop loving your character, but damn your game, dude.

(02-27-2016, 11:45 AM)Kosheh Wrote: Lilli is so braindead easy to pick up and literally the only Tekken character I can play because of her overwhelmingly simple commands. I straight wreck stepping on people's feet twice and then legsweeping them.

Karin, on the other hand is like
advanced and sophisticated not only in family background or plot but also gameplay. And apparently she counters a lot of common picks in SFA3, which is like really cool but ????
karin's playstyle is as mysterious to me as women are to teenage boys

Lili's definitely the only reason why I still have my used copy of Tekken 3D - Prime Edition.

I recently did a playthrough of SFA3 (Not beating Mr. Psycho Crusher, of course. Anyone else disappointed that you only have one chance to beat him?) and slowly but surely got used to Karin. The fighting system in general is pretty floaty, but she does have some unique abiliities. My only issue is her Kanzuki-ryuu Kou'ou Ken, because you can only hit the opponent if they're in the air.

(02-26-2016, 04:16 AM)JazzGW Wrote: I guess I should have chosen a harder difficulty in Valkyrie Profile? Would it have given me a better battle system where I can actually maneuver the characters?

Nah, the combat system doesnt change depending on the difficulty. Its just about having a high combo and hitting the enemy while he is in the air to charge your special attack faster and get exp crystal.
And since your party and number of attacks change at almost each mission, you always need to adapt your combo.
Find who can launch the enemy into the air, and who can follow up attack quickly to keep him into the air, and then fine-tune your timing.
Its weird to get into, but its really fun when you get a good party and do perfect combo.
Personnaly, i just cant get enough of...: " It shall be engraved upon your soul! Divine Assault! NIBELUNG VALESTI!"

Currently playing X-Com Enemy Within, Fallout 4, Hearthstone, and Pokemon Platinum off and on between studying. Wouldn't have Fallout 4 on this list, but my playthrough that was ready to beat the game had an issue with quest checks and couldn't progress to the ending I wanted.

My sister got Risk of Rain recently so I've been playing a bit of that. It's difficult but still really fun. Reminds me of The Binding of Isaac, which I've also been playing every now and then.

I've also been playing Hearthstone every day lately, it's pretty much the only thing I consistently play. I'm actually visibly improving, I got up to Rank 13 this season (highest rank yet) and am getting fairly decent win rates in Arena as well (probably averaging 3-4 wins instead of my usual 1-2). Watching Kripparrian and practice is paying off.
Uni starts tomorrow but I'll probably keep playing Hearthstone regularly, one of the cool things about it is that I can just fit in a match or two while I'm taking a break or waiting for something.