Wow. Where has the time been going? May seemed to have ended so quickly that I did not realize that we are in June now. I try to have these done by the first of each month, but yeah.

Games Finished

Continuing my trend from last month, I have found some success in finishing some games. There were a ton of games that I started playing this month, and that is where most of my time was spent. I am happy to say that the first game that I finished this month was one of the first four games that I got for my Nintendo 3DS back in 2013.

Shin Megami Tensei IV was a beast of a game for me at the time. I had played Person 3 and 4 at the time, and I got far in Strange Journey and Devil Survivor 2 before this game. Mainline Shin Megami Tensei games are known for their difficulty and interesting themes of law and chaos. My biggest difficulty in the game was getting lost all the time. I am terrible with geography and at the time, I refused to use a guide to help me through the game. What made things even more difficult was me landing the neutral ending on my first playthrough. Throughout the game, you have to answer questions and do actions that affect your alignment rating. You never see this rating throughout the game and you only get a hint to where it is from a guy at each Hunter’s Association. My alignment was toward the Chaos route during the last chapter before the lock. I based my choices and decisions toward Law during that chapter, and I was surprised that I landed the Neutral route. Unless you are using a guide, there about an 8% chance to get it. That is when the game really got hard, as I had to run around Tokyo and find random quest to fulfill the requirements for the main story. After all these years, I finally gave in and used a guide to get me through the side quest and put this game to rest. I highly recommend playing this game as the combat is satisfying and the amount of customization makes each playthrough unique (and you know since Shin Megami Tensei V is never coming out you might as well play the last good one).

The last game that I finished this month was Final Fantasy VII: Remake. I had thought about writing a separate post about this game, and I might eventually. I really enjoyed this game. I know that there is a lot of backlash from fans of the original game, but I knew from the start that this was not going to be a one-for-one remake of the original. The advertisements and interviews proved that, so I don’t understand why people say they were deceived by it. Anyhow, that is the topic for another post.

I really enjoyed atmosphere and music of the game. I played the original beforehand, but most of the beginning stuff faded with my terrible memory. I never really got the full atmosphere of Midgar in the original, but this game gave me a full understanding of the city and its people. I enjoyed all the little character moments and made a drinking game with Kat every time someone said the word “shit.” While some scenes felt campy, the original was weird and awkward at the same time. My favorite moment was have to be the Honey Bee Inn scene. Perfection.

I knew I was going to like the combat and I’m glad I was not disappointed for the most part. With a few more tweaks, I could see this as one of the best action RPG battle systems. I was worried that it was going to be a hack and slash feast, but there is a surprising amount of strategy that goes into each fight. Understanding enemy weaknesses plays a big role as bosses in this game do not play around like they did in the original. The different phases that they go into to protect weak spots and change tactics prevented me from shutting my brain off. I liked controlling Cloud most of the game, but I was surprise by Aerith’s gameplay that I found her enjoyable as well. I wanted to enjoy playing as Tifa and Barret, but for me at least, they felt situational and I avoided using them if I had to. The only other big complaint I have about the battle system is the camera. I already have a big problem with controlling the camera in most games, but I felt like the camera was not helping me during some fights. I tried adjusting them in the options, but I could not find a happy medium for me. Hopefully they fix this issue in the next game.

I am really looking forward to the next game in this side series. I did find things at the end to be weird and could have gone a different route to still reach the same conclusion. For someone who has no attachment whatsoever to the original Final Fantasy VII, I liked what I played and I’m looking forward to more of it.

Currently Playing

I have been in a Dark Souls mood lately. I have been playing DS2 by myself and DS1 with one of my good friends. Co-op Dark Souls is so much fun and getting through the game feels like a breeze. I will probably eat my words later, but DS2 feels easier than the previous. Maybe I have just grown as a player, but minus a few areas, this game has not been a problem for me.

Outside of Dark Souls, Me, Kat, and a friend of ours have gotten back into Overwatch. This is one of those games that I just enjoy playing with or without friends. The team aspect and the fact that I can play support is enough to make me keep playing.

Lastly, I started playing the first game in The Legend of Heroes: Kiseki series; Trials in the Sky. Trails in the Sky is charming and I feel in love quick. Since my computer was still out of commission, I bought the PSP version on my Vita. It…played. Something about PSP games on the Vita slows things down and add blurry resolutions. The PC version runs like a dream and has a turbo mode to speed things up. I’m normally not one to complain about graphics and whatnot, but if you decide to play these games, get the PC version.

New Additions

After playing heavy RPG games, I needed a break and branched out to other genres. I had the urge to play a shooter for once. Since my PC was under repairs, I bought Star Wars Battlefront II for the PS4. I enjoy it now that the pay to win stuff is out, but veteran players have a big advantage over newcomers. The game is free for PS Plus members for the month of June (of course something goes free after I buy it). A fun indie game that I bought was What the Golf? Developed by Triband, this is a fun game that uses golf physics (if golf physics is even a thing). You are given different objectives to get your “ball” to the goal. It is really fun and I have been enjoying it. The last game I acquired this month was Code Vein. I wanted to pick this up last year, but I am a cheapskate and like to wait for sales. Take Dark Souls and make them anime vampires. That is the vibe I get from it and I like it.

Plans For Next Month

I have no real big plans for this month. I have been doing secret Monster Hunter streams just so I can get comfortable with streaming. I’m lacking in the conversation department, but I hope the gameplay in Monster Hunter is entertaining enough for me to start small conversations. I normally will post on my Twitter when I go live. Other than that, I have a good feeling that I can finish one or two games this month. Nothing is really stopping me from doing so, although my mood plays a big part in that.

Numbers and Stats

May 2020
Games Finished: 2
Games Added: 3
Finish Total: 199
Total Collection: 684

Achievements Earned:
Steam: 8
PlayStation: 41

Most Played Game: Final Fantasy VII: Remake
Most Played Console: PlayStation 4

Current Games in Progress:
Dark Souls Remastered
Dark Souls 2
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

Thanks for reading,

DanamesX