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[Thaimasker]

I will bump up from the second-hardest to hardest difficulty today, hope that will force me to use some of the other systems. The only enemies I have seen that require anything different are the ones with lots of shields like the Petank, but even those rely on the Break Gauge, and so far the best way to build up the Break Gauge is to (you guessed it) parry.

Yeah when I wrote that I didn't understand how the Lumina system worked, I was missing that there is a difference between equipping Passives with Lumina and and equipping the Pictos themselves. However, the larger issue of stats barely meaning anything prevents me from engaging with this system currently. Just basically equip any set of Pictos/Luminas, and then learn to parry the boss you are fighting. My build doesn't seem to matter at all.

I guess I need to get to a boss where I really need to focus on doing damage quickly, I do see how you can stack things for massive damage for instance Maelle's stance + elemental + Marked enemy. But my point is that none of these things really seem to be worth thinking about, you may as well just stop wasting your time thinking about such a flow of turns and just get to learning the parries. By doing so you will gain AP to break the enemy for massive damage, raise the enemy's Break gauge, never take any damage, deal counterattack damage, it just completely dominates every other aspect of the combat system.

I don't really agree on the story either, I enjoyed the prologue hook but since then I have been put off by the pacing and ridiculous, non-stop self-seriousness and melodrama without any sense of tension and release. But I will finish the game before concluding my opinion on the story. That said I don't really understand this platitude of "maturity", it seems like you are saying every JRPG is immature and this game is mature. That's quite a large generalization I really don't agree with at all at the current that I'm at. This feels less mature to me than FFXVI or Metaphor, two recent games, and my reason for that is that it feels like the characters never talk to each other like normal people, they are always saying something witty, ironic, or clever (similar to a Marvel movie although the tone is not quite the same as that). A child has to be entertained immediately and frequently in a story, they get bored quickly. An adult is more understanding of the benefits of long-term payoffs so they have a bit more willingness to get invested in a buildup. So that's why I would say this game doesn't feel very "mature" to me so far. And if I compare it to a non-JRPG game like The Last of Us Part 1 for instance, the dialogue and pacing just does not hold up at all in comparison to something like that.

Metaphor has so much unnecessary dialouge it's ridiculous. They spell out every little thing and beat that information and theme over your head over and over. I couldn't take it anymore and had to quit halfway through despite loving the combat.

This game shows that less is more. It's similar to many books. The books with the best writing sometimes do try to entertain you very often with their dialouge . Like this game.

It might not be as good as TLOU1, but that's the best from over a decade ago.

I'd rather have this games pacing than something like yakuza with 30 min cutscenes or metaphor

And I'm someone that loves super slow paced movies and shows.. But the writing in those makes it worth it.

 

[Arsic]

Love Maelle's ass.

She's 16.

Look at Lune. Or else fbi open up.

 

[Lokaum D+]

The enemy variety is fantastic which makes the combat very fun. When you encounter new enemy is hard to predict how they gonna attack and how you can parry them, it fun trying learn the rhythm of their attacks.


It's completely optional, to me it's doesn't effects my overall enjoyment.

for me it does, i m a completetionist , fuck that, fuck shit like that in video games.

 

[TintoConCasera]

She's 16.

Legal in most countries.

Look at Lune.

Yeah she's pretty as well. Weirdly enough I didn't like her on the previews and trailers, but she looks cute in the game.

Don't get why she's barefeet all the time. Must be another Dark Souls influence lol.

 

[Arsic]

for me it does, i m a completetionist , fuck that, i m frustrated and angry, fuck shit like that in video games.

It ain't worth a swimsuit dog, but also git gud.

Stand in front middle, just aim the direction the shots come from , don't run to them.

 

[Jinxed]

Love Maelle's ass.

 

[Arsic]

Legal in most countries.

Yeah she's pretty as well. Weirdly enough I didn't like her on the previews and trailers, but she looks cute in the game.

Don't get why she's barefeet all the time. Must be another Dark Souls influence lol.

A character you get later is a foot guy. So it all makes sense.

And you and I both know you ain't from one of those 16 is legal countries you sick fuck.

 

[mayham2199]

Legal in most countries.

Yeah she's pretty as well. Weirdly enough I didn't like her on the previews and trailers, but she looks cute in the game.

Don't get why she's barefeet all the time. Must be another Dark Souls influence lol.

She can only fly if she has barefeet.

I like Maelle as character but that's it. She looks like a child beyond that.

 

[TintoConCasera]

A character you get later is a foot guy.

lmao, I love this game.

And you and I both know you ain't from one of those 16 is legal countries you sick fuck.

But I am! Age of consent in Spain is 16, as it is in most of Europe.

 

[Lokaum D+]

It ain't worth a swimsuit dog, but also git gud.

Stand in front middle, just aim the direction the shots come from , don't run to them.

sadly its not a git gud situation here, its just bad bad BAD design, its was already bad at parkour mini game, this was way worse.

 

[owandeseis]

I guess I need to get to a boss where I really need to focus on doing damage quickly, I do see how you can stack things for massive damage for instance Maelle's stance + elemental + Marked enemy. But my point is that none of these things really seem to be worth thinking about, you may as well just stop wasting your time thinking about such a flow of turns and just get to learning the parries. By doing so you will gain AP to break the enemy for massive damage, raise the enemy's Break gauge, never take any damage, deal counterattack damage, it just completely dominates every other aspect of the combat system.

Yea, for story, other than making some tougher combats a bit easier and shorter, you don't need to dive too much into it's mechanics and builds.

Now, for the side stuff, unless you are ready to spend an hour parrying and attacking an enemy, you'll want to focus on improving the build, dealing 20-30k? per turn when an enemy can have like 5 million HP or more won't be fun.

I don't really agree on the story either, I enjoyed the prologue hook but since then I have been put off by the pacing and ridiculous, non-stop self-seriousness and melodrama without any sense of tension and release. But I will finish the game before concluding my opinion on the story. That said I don't really understand this platitude of "maturity", it seems like you are saying every JRPG is immature and this game is mature. That's quite a large generalization I really don't agree with at all at the current that I'm at. This feels less mature to me than FFXVI or Metaphor, two recent games, and my reason for that is that it feels like the characters never talk to each other like normal people, they are always saying something witty, ironic, or clever (similar to a Marvel movie although the tone is not quite the same as that). A child has to be entertained immediately and frequently in a story, they get bored quickly. An adult is more understanding of the benefits of long-term payoffs so they have a bit more willingness to get invested in a buildup. So that's why I would say this game doesn't feel very "mature" to me so far. And if I compare it to a non-JRPG game like The Last of Us Part 1 for instance, the dialogue and pacing just does not hold up at all in comparison to something like that.

Hmm first time i read that dialogues in Exp 33 are like that, i don't agree, i found dialogues great tbh.

And curious, i also compared this game to TLOU 1 myself 1-2 days ago, thinking about games that could give me goosebumps or be moving, i played ND's game just a couple years ago, i liked it and found it a very solid game, but this is some steps above IMO.

I also found TLOU to have pacing issues, if a game's characters/story is good, i really don't mind talking scenes, so i liked these walking moments talking with Ellie, but the puzzle / dumb stairs moments were simply boring, and that game's duration is like half of Expedition 33, which should help with the pacing.

But yes any comparison is pointless until you finish both games.

 

[GymWolf]

Love Maelle's ass.

 

[mayham2199]

Got the swimsuit for Lune this morning. Kind of disappointed they went with the granny panty of swim suits but other than that I'm rockin it.

 

[SlimySnake]

Love Maelle's ass.

 

[SlimySnake]

Just in this one i have crashes so often.
I had crashes in FF7 Rebirth, but like 1 every few hours. Here is every 10 minutes.

I read that is a common issue with UE games and appears random.

I used to have fatal error dxgi device removed that was exclusive to ue4 and the matrix demo which was the only ue5 game available at the time on my 12gb 3080. But i did have other crashes too. In the end i ended up replacing it for a 10 gb model which had a lower 320 watt tdp and never ran into that error again.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Hope I'm not the only one reloading saves in the middle of a boss fight just to try and beat it in the most stylish way possible.

 

[geary]

I used to have fatal error dxgi device removed that was exclusive to ue4 and the matrix demo which was the only ue5 game available at the time on my 12gb 3080. But i did have other crashes too. In the end i ended up replacing it for a 10 gb model which had a lower 320 watt tdp and never ran into that error again.

Interesting...I have a 3080 10GB, but is underclocked via Afterburner...Maybe this could be the reason.

 

[Danjin44]

Hope I'm not the only one reloading saves in the middle of a boss fight just to try and beat it in the most stylish way possible.

I also do that especially when the fight is clearly not going in my way……honestly it's fantastic feature.

 

[mayham2199]

Hope I'm not the only one reloading saves in the middle of a boss fight just to try and beat it in the most stylish way possible.

Can you reload in the middle of a boss fight? Or are you force closing the game and then going back in?

 

[TintoConCasera]

Can you reload in the middle of a boss fight? Or are you force closing the game and then going back in?

On PC at least, you can press select to bring up the menu which has the option to load a save. No need to force close nor force a game over.

But only during your turn tho.

 

[SlimySnake]

Interesting...I have a 3080 10GB, but is underclocked via Afterburner...Maybe this could be the reason.

that definitely could be. run it at factory settings. i had issues underclocking this thing as well.

this game can go from 250 watts all the way up to 320 watts within a span of a second. literally a close up of a character's face just crashes my fps from a locked 30 fps with only 70% gpu utilization to 21 fps.

 

[mayham2199]

On PC at least, you can press select to bring up the menu which has the option to load a save. No need to force close nor force a game over.

But only during your turn tho.

Damn I've been forcing close. Going to feel like an idiot if the option is there.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Going to feel like an idiot if the option is there.

I played and beat Metal Gear Rising without realizing I could lock the camera onto enemies. Worst of all, it wasn't my first time playing the game and I already used that feature in my previous playthroughs.

Hope this makes you feel a bit better.

 

[Imru’ al-Qays]

Just got to Act III, the game is literally a sequel to Dark Souls 3 lol

 

[Imru’ al-Qays]

I don't really agree on the story either, I enjoyed the prologue hook but since then I have been put off by the pacing and ridiculous, non-stop self-seriousness and melodrama without any sense of tension and release. But I will finish the game before concluding my opinion on the story. That said I don't really understand this platitude of "maturity", it seems like you are saying every JRPG is immature and this game is mature. That's quite a large generalization I really don't agree with at all at the current that I'm at. This feels less mature to me than FFXVI or Metaphor, two recent games, and my reason for that is that it feels like the characters never talk to each other like normal people, they are always saying something witty, ironic, or clever (similar to a Marvel movie although the tone is not quite the same as that). A child has to be entertained immediately and frequently in a story, they get bored quickly. An adult is more understanding of the benefits of long-term payoffs so they have a bit more willingness to get invested in a buildup. So that's why I would say this game doesn't feel very "mature" to me so far. And if I compare it to a non-JRPG game like The Last of Us Part 1 for instance, the dialogue and pacing just does not hold up at all in comparison to something like that.

I don't think this game's story is mature compared to a game like Witcher 3, but it's head and shoulders above every JRPG (excluding Nier) released in the last. . .15 years? FFXVI's story is great for like four hours and then goes completely off the rails, and Atlus has been on a downwards trajectory since SMT3 and Metaphor is no exception.

 

[N30RYU]

Damn I've been forcing close. Going to feel like an idiot if the option is there.

Is there on PS5... just press the touchpad while your turn and load last saved game.

 

[Saint Boot Gaming]

10/10 for me.

Which ending did you pick? There's multiple.

Spoiler

Chose to fight Maelle, but already know what happens when you fight as Maelle instead.

Mod edit: Please use spoiler tags

self edit: Sorry about that.

 

[adamsapple]

..............

You wanna spoiler that there, friend?

 

[near]

This is an open spoiler thread now? FUCK'S SAKE! I'm out, I'm done with this thread.

 

[TintoConCasera]

This is an open spoiler thread now? FUCK'S SAKE! I'm out, I'm done with this thread.

Honestly I have the feel that every OT is spoilerland, which is why I barely interact with them until I've beaten the game.

Wish the mods would enforce some kind of rule against them, although one would expect that people in 2025 know how to put something behind a spoiler tag but I guess that's too much to ask from some people.

 

[rofif]

Can someone honestly comment on this?
I see everyone saying it's a masterpiece and shortly after commentating that it's only done by 30 people...
Like, is it judged by "indie game" or AA game category?
Does all the praise it gets is because ALSO it's done by small studio or is it just good no matter what? If this came oue exactly as is, from... idk... square enix, done by 3000 people. Would it be received the same?

btw, I am sold ok? Don't attack me. Just that the disc is fkkkkn kinda unavailable right now lol. sold out! But it's ok. I am playing other stuff rn
edit: btw, I have spoiled myself first 60-90 minutes(prologue)... up to the stuff that happens. So hopefully I didn't spoil myself for the biggest twist and etc in the game?! The prologue is kinda nothing special story wise imo. We've seen that in some other movie 10 years ago. you know which one.

 

[Danjin44]

Does all the praise it gets is because ALSO it's done by small studio or is it just good no matter what?

It getting praise simply because the game is SUPER good! being indie, AA or AAA has nothing to do with it......is just DAMN GOOD game.

 

[TintoConCasera]

rofif good visuals, great art direction, amazing music, one of the best turn based combat systems in any JRPG, mature characters, mature story.

Doesn't matter how many people worked on this. It's a good videogame and if it was published by Square or Atlus it would be just as good.

Hope you get your physical copy soon bro.

 

[near]

Honestly I have the feel that every OT is spoilerland, which is why I barely interact with them until I've beaten the game.

Wish the mods would enforce some kind of rule against them, although one would expect that people in 2025 know how to put something behind a spoiler tag but I guess that's too much to ask from some people.

It's just general thread etiquette to spoiler tag major stuff. I mean, it's not an old game - if it had been out for a few months, sure, fine. But it's only been out for six days. There have been a couple of minor spoilers in this thread that I can overlook, but major stuff is just annoying as hell.

I think a mod can enforce it if it's marked in the OP that spoilers should be tagged, then someone can report violations as breaking thread rules. But honestly, in OTs, it kind of goes without saying. It's just a general rule of thumb.

 

[rofif]

rofif good visuals, great art direction, amazing music, one of the best turn based combat systems in any JRPG, mature characters, mature story.

Doesn't matter how many people worked on this. It's a good videogame and if it was published by Square or Atlus it would be just as good.

Hope you get your physical copy soon bro.

thanks!
hope so. I could get it for friday but I don't want to overpay so probably next week. I am avoiding spoilers which I am hoping there are many after the prologue \
Also, I was never into turn based so it's a gander for me but why not.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Also, I was never into turn based so it's a gander for me but why not.

I'll think you might like this even if it's turn based. Think something like Paper Mario, but with more depth and challenge.

 

[mayham2199]

It's just general thread etiquette to spoiler tag major stuff. I mean, it's not an old game - if it had been out for a few months, sure, fine. But it's only been out for six days. There have been a couple of minor spoilers in this thread that I can overlook, but major stuff is just annoying as hell.

I think a mod can enforce it if it's marked in the OP that spoilers should be tagged, then someone can report violations as breaking thread rules. But honestly, in OTs, it kind of goes without saying. It's just a general rule of thumb.

Agreed I thought we kind of all knew to keep it spoiler free but I guess not. Thankfully I didn't see the spoilers you saw.

 

[Fbh]

Can someone honestly comment on this?
I see everyone saying it's a masterpiece and shortly after commentating that it's only done by 30 people...
Like, is it judged by "indie game" or AA game category?
Does all the praise it gets is because ALSO it's done by small studio or is it just good no matter what? If this came oue exactly as is, from... idk... square enix, done by 3000 people. Would it be received the same?

btw, I am sold ok? Don't attack me. Just that the disc is fkkkkn kinda unavailable right now lol. sold out! But it's ok. I am playing other stuff rn
edit: btw, I have spoiled myself first 60-90 minutes(prologue)... up to the stuff that happens. So hopefully I didn't spoil myself for the biggest twist and etc in the game?! The prologue is kinda nothing special story wise imo. We've seen that in some other movie 10 years ago. you know which one.

It's one of the best JRPGs I've played in years (at least so far, haven't finished it), and that has nothing to do with how many people worked on it. The combat, art direction, writing and world design are better than MANY games with much bigger teams and budgets
The fact a core team of 30 people made it is just an added element that makes it all the more impressive and kinda makes you wonder WTF some of these other studios are doing.

There are obviously some aspects where you can spot the lower budget. Like the opening area has some crowds with a ton of repeated character models, and every now and then you can see a somewhat awkward or stiff animation. Some of the menus also aren't quite as refined as they could be.
But it's honestly minor stuff, and it's at those moments when remembering the context in which this game was made makes it easier to look past some minor flaws

 

[TintoConCasera]

Game's amazing, just wish they didn't have the janitor code the platforming mechanics.

 

[vodka-bull]

One thing I really hate, but that's a me problem, is the lack of a mini map in areas. I got so used and spoiled by having a mini map in literally every modern game.
It's really difficult for me to find my way around the sections and not completely lose track, or to remember which part of the section I've already searched for items and which part I still need to go through.

 

[Gaelyon]

Got the swimsuit for Lune this morning. Kind of disappointed they went with the granny panty of swim suits but other than that I'm rockin it.

That's the Belle époque style, it fits with the overall theme. But yeah.

 

[Critical Hit]

I see everyone saying it's a masterpiece and shortly after commentating that it's only done by 30 people...

My only complaint is that everyone says it's a masterpiece at the start of the game. A lot of games have a great start and not so great ending, but metacritic is already 10/10.

 

[adamsapple]

Game's amazing, just with they didn't have the janitor code the platforming mechanics.

I was like nah it can't be that bad .. then I hit tide cavern. I don't even know what's beyond this platforming segment, maybe some shitty pictos I'll never use, but holy shit this 'platforming' is fucking atrocious.

Why... Why is it even in the game?

 

[ProtoByte]

Can someone honestly comment on this?
I see everyone saying it's a masterpiece and shortly after commentating that it's only done by 30 people...
Like, is it judged by "indie game" or AA game category?
Does all the praise it gets is because ALSO it's done by small studio or is it just good no matter what? If this came oue exactly as is, from... idk... square enix, done by 3000 people. Would it be received the same?

Well for one, it was not made by 30 people. Low estimate is like 110, but it's probably closer to 150. Still "impressive", but the hyperbole is insane.

Yes, Ubisoft 1-2k person projects are bloated (the number of devs is often overestimated for their games) but whatever you think of AC Vahalla or Shadows for example, the scale of those games absolutely dwarfs this. And difference in resources required for real-time combat systems as compared to turn based is pretty large just by itself.

Persona 5 was made with 70 or so core employees back in 2016 for example - probably the final number is closer to 200. Tales of Arise was made by closer to double that or more.

Every now and again, there are certain games that become pet proof for a segment of the gaming internet's opinions - this is especially true of RPGs.

Also worth mentioning that I think this game got an outsized amount of investment/help from other parties - you don't get B-list Hollywood talent on a project like this out of nowhere. Also, French government funding is practically guaranteed. Not hating, just facts.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Well for one, it was not made by 30 people. Low estimate is like 110, but it's probably closer to 150.

Where do you get this from?

 

[Mr Moose]

Just finishing the prologue, not sure what the 3 things I bought with the token things do.
Going to change my back paddles to parry and something else.

 

[Dacvak]

I don't have anything to add here, but we're on page 33, so I guess I'll just say:

I hate RPGs, but I've been LOVING this game! So that says something!

Great job, French folks!

 

[Saint Boot Gaming]

You wanna spoiler that there, friend?

Did it not work? I tried to spoiler something else yesterday as well, but it ended up hiding the entire post somehow. using spoiler tags is easier at gamefaqs. My bad on that.

 

[RedC]

One of the characters referred to when life gives you lemons, make lemonade expression.

Such a uniquely American expression, this is my first time hearing it in such a European, specifically French, work.

Is that expression popular in Europe?

 

[Saint Boot Gaming]

Just finishing the prologue, not sure what the 3 things I bought with the token things do.
Going to change my back paddles to parry and something else.

I never found where to use that key, sadly.