PS2 Backlog Committee

Played: Nothing

Finished: Nothing

Playing: ?

Added; Nothing

Games releasing this week
Anger Foot
Dead of Darkness
Drapline
Firmament
Grappin
Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley / Harvest Moon: Skytree Village
Into the Emberlands
Irem Collection Volume 3
Mecha Break
No Heroes Here 2
Primordials
Super Mario Strikers
Touhou Artificial Dream in Arcadia

Finished: Octopath Traveler II (platinum)

Now Playing: ???

Added to Backlog: Nothing

Current Backlog: 39 games

Optional boss defeated in Octopath Traveler II! Wouldn't have beaten it without the help of a great strategy video online - that thing is very tough.

Truly impressed with this game throughout my 126 hour journey and I hope they make another one. Most of the stories were great, the battle system worked nicely, and there were enough jobs and skills to create your own cool combinations. You can start with anyone, but the first character you choose has to be in your party until you complete their story...so I'm glad I chose Ochette as I was able to continuously capture better monsters as I ventured forth to fill in team gaps for enemy weapon and spell weaknesses. Highly recommend this game for JRPG lovers.

EDIT: I am an idiot and forgot to mention the music in Octopath Traveler II. It's incredibly well done for sure!

jfissel wrote: ↑Sun Jun 29, 2025 12:49 pm Optional boss defeated in Octopath Traveler II! Wouldn't have beaten it without the help of a great strategy video online - that thing is very tough.

The legend grows! Well done.

jfissel wrote: ↑Sun Jun 29, 2025 12:49 pm Truly impressed with this game throughout my 126 hour journey and I hope they make another one. Most of the stories were great, the battle system worked nicely, and there were enough jobs and skills to create your own cool combinations. You can start with anyone, but the first character you choose has to be in your party until you complete their story...so I'm glad I chose Ochette as I was able to continuously capture better monsters as I ventured forth to fill in team gaps for enemy weapon and spell weaknesses. Highly recommend this game for JRPG lovers.

Agree wholeheartedly. I chose Partitio and had no regrets. I like his story and his Old West hometown.



Played recently: Eiyuden Chronicles: Rising, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

Finished: Rising

Added to backlog: Hundred Heroes

I saw Hundred Heroes was being added to the PS+ game catalog, and I already owned Rising, so I decided to play both.

Rising was very enjoyable for a game that's mostly fetch quests. There's a lot of charm, and the battle system is decent. I was working on the plat but realized it would take many hours of mindless grinding (for example, you need to get all three characters to level 50, and mine were at 41 or so after doing the main game and all the side stuff).

I finished that one and moved on to the main course, which is a straight-up JRPG from the Suikoden dude, and it's pretty much what I expected... a new HD Suikoden. It's good so far, but the battles aren't much fun. I've taken to using "auto" outside of boss fights. Hopefully that will pick up as I add more characters on up to the 100.

Just status quo for me at the moment. OOTP and Inferno Climber, which is quite challenging. I'm about to head to TN for my niece's wedding (one of my 5 nieces, ho boy). Anyway, I'm sure I'll have a good time if I don't spontaneously combust...which is a distinct possibility.

Games added: Horace

Last week: Finished nothing, played Fantasy Life i

This week: Same

Still addicted. Might wrap up the story this week, but I don't really think that means much.

isthatallyougot wrote: ↑Mon Jun 30, 2025 4:38 pm I'm about to head to TN for my niece's wedding (one of my 5 nieces, ho boy). Anyway, I'm sure I'll have a good time if I don't spontaneously combust...which is a distinct possibility.

I don't know whether you'd combust from having to socialize with a bunch of Tennesseans or being exposed to heat/humidity, but if it's the latter, I'm right there with you. It's been brutal. If I'm outside, I must be in water. Thankfully, there's a lot of it around here.

canedaddy wrote: ↑Tue Jul 01, 2025 11:34 am I don't know whether you'd combust from having to socialize with a bunch of Tennesseans or being exposed to heat/humidity, but if it's the latter, I'm right there with you. It's been brutal. If I'm outside, I must be in water. Thankfully, there's a lot of it around here.

Yeah, it's better if you can be in the water for sure. I was thinking about the heat & humidity, but now that you mention it, I might also combust from dealing with family. I'm surely the oddball of the bunch, although from my point of view, they all are. But being in the minority, I'm stuck as the black sheep, ha. But they're all pretty good people - just not like me. I must have been implanted by an alien. I'm impatiently waiting on the mothership.

Played: Not a lot. A little Revengeance, Dynasty Warriors 8 and SMT3.

Beat: Nothing.

Bought: Nothing yet but my cart is full of One Piece games for the Steam Deck from the summer sale. Also eying SMT5 Vengeance. That seems like my kind of SMT game. The protag looks flipping baller!

This week: some combination of actiony games and jrpgs (FF3 and SMT3)

IZZY,, I DID IT!!! I beat that one dungeon with the 4 oni in SMT3. I know exactly what my gripe is with this game: the dungeons are so bland they just kinda run together. I get the.design is based on our world and all but it just doesn't jive with me. I keep trying Tales of Berseria and it's the same issue. Bland dungeon design is apparently my button. Who knew? Also, did you play SMT5? If so, thoughts?

Also, it's summer. I have barely gamed and go back to work Monday. Yeah

crimson_tide wrote: ↑Wed Jul 02, 2025 8:15 pm IZZY,, I DID IT!!! I beat that one dungeon with the 4 oni in SMT3. I know exactly what my gripe is with this game: the dungeons are so bland they just kinda run together. I get the.design is based on our world and all but it just doesn't jive with me. I keep trying Tales of Berseria and it's the same issue. Bland dungeon design is apparently my button. Who knew? Also, did you play SMT5? If so, thoughts?

Also, it's summer. I have barely gamed and go back to work Monday. Yeah

Yeah, I get that complaint. The overall flavor/vibe along with the incredible battle system and fun challenge was so excellent that I didn't mind, but I understand how that could be off-putting. I have never played 5, although I surely am interested in doing so eventually.

Well, it looks like you're back to your 8 minutes of bi-annual gaming again - was that what we had established as your norm?

*********************

I finally found and beat the 3rd boss (and acquired the 3rd purgatory stone - of 5) in Inferno Climber. So fun! Although, now I really have ZERO clue how to progress. There are surely plenty of areas to explore, some routes of which I am currently aware, and I assume I'll uncover the way forward with some patience and determination. Such an underrated/ignored hidden gem. I likey!