The Backlog Check-in Vol. 192: 9/4/21: Life is Strange: True Colors/Tales of Arise Edition

[argyle]

By the way, did you get a PS5 again? You mentioned having Horizon Forbidden West preordered, and I assume that it’s the PS5 version.

Nope, PS4 version. Probably won't get a PS5 until they release a redesign.

And while I've probably always somewhat preferred Japanese games, I've definitely been more interested in Western AAA games in the past than I have been recently.

[crimson_tide]

JRPGs I really want to get to sooner rather than later: Strikers, LIke a Dragon, DQ XI & Xenoblade 2 - honestly not sure what order to put those in, but since I'm definitely playing Arise when it hits and then Metroid Dread when it hits a month later, I'm guessing probably Strikers first? Since it's RPG but also hack 'n slash, so shouldn't be TOO much RPG overload after Arise. And I'd like to play it while P5 is still relatively fresh in my mind.

Speaking of, I mentioned that I finished Hades but I didn't really give any final thoughts - it's fantastic. If you like a good hack 'n slash rogue-lite, you absolutely can't go wrong with it. The way your deaths play into the story and you keep learning more about the different characters/gods as you keep playing really hooks you in story-wise. The gameplay is tough but fair & addictive, it definitely has that "one more run" pull that makes it very difficult to put down. And graphically it has this great graphic novel look that I love. It's by Supergiant Games who also made Bastion, which I loved as well. I *really* need to get around to their other two soon-ish, Transistor and Pyre, because I've heard nothing but good things from those as well.

First...dang that's a solid lineup of jrpgs knowing how you love Xenoblade. I loved like a dragon and DQ11S. But P5 Strikers smacked me with too much at once and I couldn't find a groove. What I did play was a straight up sequel to P5 (not Royal) complete with all the talking...so much talking .

I do also need to give those Supergiant games a go myself. Even though (and yes, this is the hottest of takes) I didn't care for Bastion, I could see the care and quality they put into their craft of that game. I would probably go with Pyre, that struck me as the most interesting .

[Phaseknox]

By the way, did you get a PS5 again? You mentioned having Horizon Forbidden West preordered, and I assume that it’s the PS5 version.

Nope, PS4 version. Probably won't get a PS5 until they release a redesign.

Since you have an Xbox Series X and can play multi-platform games on it there’s probably not a big need for you to have a PS5 right now. I personally don’t plan on getting a PS5 unless the disc drive in my PS4 stops working which thankfully hasn’t been having issues lately.

And while I've probably always somewhat preferred Japanese games, I've definitely been more interested in Western AAA games in the past than I have been recently.

Perhaps it’s the same for you too, but my mood often changes with what I’m most interested in playing. A while back I got into a side scrolling action platformer/Metroidvania mood, and bought a lot of them during PS Store sales. Then later my interest in them somewhat dwindled, and I haven’t played them since. But I will when I inevitably get in the mood again. I’ve been in a Ubisoft style open world action adventure mood lately playing through Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Valhalla, dabbled in some Immortals: Fenyx Rising (which I really liked) and playing through Odyssey again more thoroughly including its expansions which I didn’t play the first time. But now I’m starting to feel some fatigue with those kind of games, so I’m probably going to go back to Diablo III and finish it after I finish Odyssey. But I want to get in a JRPG mood so that I can finally play this Persona 5 game that you kids keep raving about.

I do also need to give those Supergiant games a go myself. Even though (and yes, this is the hottest of takes) I didn't care for Bastion, I could see the care and quality they put into their craft of that game. I would probably go with Pyre, that struck me as the most interesting .

I didn’t really care for Bastion, either. However, I really liked what I played of Transistor and look forward to going back to it again when the mood strikes me.