@Th3solution Don't get me started on the loot. I constantly keep finding items that are supposedly crafting items, but which I never have had to use for crafting at all. I don't know what steelsilk is used for after almost 100 hours of gaming. (I could probably find that out in-game if I tried, but so far the game has given me no reason to.)
I'm very near the end now. And will probably get the DLC before finishing. As to what my next game will be, I don't know yet...
@Pizzamorg I think being a headless chicken with regards to how to fight well at the start of Final Fantasy VII Remake is intended. You are granted wiggle room for it, precisely because you are given a learning curve. This is definitely a game in which you want to be using consumables and all types of abilities throughout. So I think you played the way you should.
A good RPG in my opinion means having a combat system that is kind of a puzzle for the player to figure out. Seeing how all different moving parts click together, creating a kind of combat routine, is in my opinion the great thing about every RPG. You'll find that during the game you'll be less focused on normal attacks, dodging and that kind of thing. It becomes purely a game of how to manage your abilities as perfect as possible. I found that by focusing on that, the game becomes very manageable.
I think controlling and managing the abilities of all of your characters is the most important and fun mechanic. I don't think the characters should be like NPC's fighting alongside you, it's what bores me in so many modern RPG's that my party feels like a side-show. In FF7 you have to manage a team, and I love it for that.
And that feeling might have only become stronger since playing FF16, in which your party members are just the perfect companions all the time. They will kill minions when I focus on the boss, they will focus an enemy down when it's staggered. It's all well and great, but they don't add anything to combat. If they weren't there, but all enemies just had less health, it wouldn't have changed anything about the game for me as a player. So yea, I long for FF7's almost perfect combat system.
@MaulTsir I haven’t been able to make much progress yet in SM2 but it’s quite good so far. The opening section with Sandman is brilliant. It looks wonderful and feels great to play. I know it doesn’t trailblaze new ground in the genre, but so far it’s great comfort food for the desire to be a superhero and feel like an athletic BA swinging and punching. 😄
@Kidfried Yeah, the crafting supplies are just really poorly implemented. I suppose you can sell most of them for Gil since they’re often useless, but a few of them are essential for an upgrade later on, and came sometimes require large numbers of them for the upgrade, so I personally didn’t sell any supplies. It seems like I had plenty of Gil to spare also. I should have rounded all the merchants and got all the music for the Hideaway’s juke box since I think I might have had enough Gil, but I couldn’t be bothered.
As far as the NPC companions, I did find FF16 to be quite variable in how much good they did for me. They did help some, but I did a lot of the Hunts without a companion and they didn’t feel that much harder. Maybe a little bit. But I tried for a while to control Torgal with the left D-pad, but found it annoying to try to concentrate on my own attacks and also his, so I always wore the accessory that made his actions automated. They meant that often he didn’t heal me when I needed it and he would abandon an enemy and concentrate on another one that I preferred he ignore, but it was worth not having the stress of controlled and queuing up all his actions.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
Finished my first playthrough of Alone in the Dark. Had a good time with it, so doing a second playthrough as Emily. I don't usually do second playthrough's, but the game went by so quickly that playing it again doesn't seem like a chore.
I'm looking for some recommendations. I have some free time coming up where I'd love to get into another proper game, but I'm absolutely overwhelmed by choice and incredibly limited by my pickiness. Nothing I've wishlisted or had my eye on over the last year is really jumping out at me. I think it's because I'm looking for a new, yet familiarly unique experience and have no idea where to get it.
I usually stick to my adventure, narrative-focused titles with some might say minimal gameplay, but over the last year I had much success venturing out slightly into other mechanics/genres with Hades and Midnight Suns. They felt so fresh and interesting to me exactly because I pigeonholed myself into one specific type of game for so long.
That said, story is still a very important part for me in a video game. I love engaging with strong narratives and meeting interesting characters, but I think I need to venture out into looking for a bit more than exclusively that. That's why I'm not feeling like starting yet another RPG, visual novel or adventure game right now, but I'm still craving that kick of a thrilling story.
So, in short terms, I'm asking of anyone has some recommendations for games with great narratives where the focus is still very much on the gameplay as well instead of just being a walking simulator or RPG or the like. The one caveat I would like to add is no open world games, because those I end up never finishing. A ten to twenty hour experience would be the sweet spot probably, but I'm open to shorter and longer. It can be indie or AAA on whatever console. I'll probably be able to play it somewhere!
@Tjuz Hey buddy! Good to see you around!
So let’s see…
A narrative focused, gameplay driven, non-open world, non-rpg, 10-20 hr experience.
Assuming you’ve done the usuals like Uncharteds, TLoU’s, God of Wars, etc.
Control and Returnal are good shouts but the stories in them are great, but quite cryptic. If you’re looking more for Hollywood blockbuster style storytelling, then these might not land. But if you want more gameplay focus with quirky storytelling then they are both fabulous.
The stories in the Resident Evil games are actually quite good too, if you don’t mind horror.
How about Guardians of the Galaxy? Very underrated, good story, fun gameplay, mostly linear. Just a traditional “Sony style” story drive 3rd person action game.
A Plague Tale 1 & 2 are really good too. The story and historical setting is quite interesting.
If you want more story and less gameplay (although a step up from a visual novel or walking sim) then Detroit Become Human is great.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is also a favorite that kind of fits the criteria. Story is fairly basic but it’s a unique story. Gameplay is decent. The whole experience is just very impressive with a set of headphones.
If you want a Japanese flair, 13 Sentinels (has some visual novel type sections but gameplay battles also) or Valkyria Chronicles 1 and 4 (story is ok, gameplay is unique tactical style, addictive).
That’s what comes to mind right now. 😄
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@Voltan@sorteddan Thank you both! I haven't played any of those, so with plenty of sales happening right about now I've pulled the trigger on them and they're awaiting me installed on my PC currently. I will let you know how I get on with them once I give them a shot!
@Th3solution Good to see you around still as well! Really appreciate the detailed, thoughtful reply. I actually haven't really played all of the usuals, but at least the ones you've mentioned I can safely say I have... partly. I enjoyed the first The Last of Us back in the day, but I never got to playing the second one yet. I think at this point I'll wait for it to come to PC, though I also have to admit I didn't love the first game quite as much as everyone else. Uncharted I only played the first of, which while I know it's also supposed to be the worst, I don't think that's really my type of game. I like the cinematic nature of it, but I wasn't a fan of the very blockbustery, action-y narrative. I have considered giving The Lost Legacy a shot though since it's removed from the main narrative, so maybe that's a good way to go if I want to give them another shot? God of War I'm sad to say I started and abandoned on two separate occasions. I don't know why, I was enjoying it at the time... but I guess life just got in the way. Now it feels like I can't really go back to that again a third time, haha.
I've actually really enjoyed the Resident Evil campaigns I've seen... which have been from a distance. I've watched my favourite YouTuber play through the entirety of 4 Remake, Village and a big part of 7. I think I should give Resident Evil 2 Remake a shot myself perhaps however, so I've installed that onto my PC as well! Then as for Guardians of the Galaxy, Detroit: Become Human and Plague Tale... I've already played all of those. GotG in particular I absolutely loved. The way they handled the narrative and dialogue as far as I'm concerned should be the benchmark for any action-adventure narrative game going forward. It's sad it's going to be hard to find anything quite like it. I've been thinking maybe Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is somewhat similar?
Hellblade is a great shout! I've always been interested but never committed to giving it a shot. I'll definitely add that to the list. Enslaved, funnily enough, is another one like that from the same studio. I even bought that one as a PS3 used disc ages ago, but never actually booted it up. I still wonder if I should go back for that or if I should just go straight to Hellblade, since it seems to be their more beloved effort.
The most intrigued I am at your suggestions is 13 Sentinels surprisingly! I'd heard of that name before but never really paid it any mind. I think I just wrote it off as a JRPG and called it a day, but having looked further into it after you mentioned it I've actually become very interested. The story seems exactly like something I'd be very much into and the fact that they mix a visual novel style still with combat gameplay sounds very intriguing. I absolutely love sci-fi (side note: making my way through Babylon 5 right now and... whew!), so this seems to be up my alley. It's probably the game I'm gonna give a shot first of all the ones I've been recommended!
Thank you all! I have some more games to give a shot thanks to you.
@Tjuz Glad to be of service, bud. I enjoy comparing notes, giving and receiving recommendations, and thinking back on my own travel log of gaming to remember the highlights. It’s one of the things I love about the trophy system in PSN — it’s easy to look at one’s play history at-a-glance and see what one played over the last 10 years. 😄 So it’s fun to just quickly scroll through my trophy list with the thought in mind of what games might fit your current mood.
Which is why I forgot about Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, as it’s buried pretty deep back in my list, but I have really good memories of it. If you’re still engaged in using your PS3 then it would be a quick recommendation for something to experience on that console. It’s one of many classics locked on the PS3 generation. I do feel like Enslaved is an oft underrated gem that you might enjoy. I haven’t played it since I was a lad and I have no doubt it has aged some, but if you own it already then give it a shot someday. Nevertheless, I do think my favorite of the Ninja Theory holy trinity is Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. But Enslaved and Heavenly Sword have their fans too. I liked all three. The good thing about these NT games is that they are pretty short. I believe Hellblade can be cleared easily in under 10 hrs, which is a rarity nowadays.
Speaking of… as this prompted me to look back at my PS3 games played, another game came to mind you might consider - Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. I played it on PS3 and it now has a new PS5 remaster, it’s worth a look. The story is quaint but moving, it’s not an open world or rpg, has innovative gameplay, and it’s also not a very large time commitment (a really quick 3-4 hrs). Fair warning - the newly added co-op mode apparently makes the game actually worse, and part of the fun is actually trying to control both brothers at once.
Another one that popped up when I scrolled way, way back on the list is The Order: 1886. A very early (launch?) PS4 title, oft forgotten, much maligned, is something of a cult classic now. I know you’re looking for good stories and I think the alternate historical steampunk Knights of the Round setting is really fascinating and the characters are good. Unfortunately its poor sales and critical reception killed the franchise and so the story is unfinished and so that may dissuade you. But again, quite short (7-8 hrs), linear, story-focused, third person shooter style, which can probably be found dirt-cheap. It ticks most of your boxes and I personally really enjoyed it.
As far as the Sony stable of Naughty Dog and Santa Monica games, I’m surprised they didn’t click with you better, but there’s definitely a large emphasis on the ‘big cinematic blockbuster’ presentation, so it can be off-putting for some. If you didn’t like TLoU much, then the sequel probably won’t redeem the franchise, although it’s quite a shift from the first game in the story department. The gameplay is undeniably better, though similar. Interestingly, I have a replay of the Uncharted series on my ‘To Do’ list, so I’ll let you know how I feel about it after experiencing it through new eyes after several years. I already recently replayed UC1 and enjoyed it, but my nostalgia has UC2 as my favorite and I wonder if it will hold up to my lofty fond memories of it. If the setting and characters didn’t interest you in the first, then yeah, your only hope is to see if Lost Legacy works for you since it’s not about Nathan Drake, Elena, and Sully. But the Indiana Jones style cinematic setting is still present.
Regarding Jedi Survivor, I don’t think the game will work for your current state of preferences. It’s really nothing like GotG, except for being space/science fantasy based thematically. Jedi Survivor revolves around large open world maps and Souls-like combat. I think I sank 70-80 hrs into it. The story is entertaining if you like Star Wars lore, but the gameplay and open world exploration is definitely the focus, so I suspect it might be one of those that you struggle to finish (just a hunch). The first game, Jedi Fallen Order, is actually shorter and a little more focused, and many people (including myself) feel like the story is a better too. And the setup is less open-worldy and more 3D Metroidvania-ish. Not to mention the Jedi Survivor story does really rely on having played the first game. If you have played Fallen Order and liked it and want a bigger more open version, then ignore my advice and jump in. I assumed you hadn’t played Fallen Order but maybe you have. 😅
Lastly, a confession on 13 Sentinels. I actually haven’t finished it. 😂 It’s one of those games that I somehow go distracted from and for no real reason didn’t get back to. I really need to rectify that. And you’re right — it ticks all your boxes — story focused in a very unique way, mixing in some occasional combat (which is RTS based, so fair warning), futuristic Sci-Fi setting, not open world, not an rpg. The only issue is the runtime is closer to 40 hrs so take that into consideration. I think I have about 15-20 hrs invested into it. But I’ll say that I’ve never played a game like it and it sounds like you want something fresh, interesting, and different and 13 Sentinels is absolutely all of that. I’m very curious to hear how you get along with it, if and when! It’s actually motivating me to perhaps get back on it and finish it. 😄 (and even more so from @LN78 strong endorsement)
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
I finished DD2 a couple of days back. I got Spiderman 1 last night in the sale, the combat is so good on hard, after that It's between finishing Armoured Core 6, Aliens:DD, DS1 Remaster or Demon Souls.
@Black_Swordsman I got the PS5 for Demon Souls, been playing since DS1 came out on PC. I'm about halfway through Demon Souls, I got a bit burned out because I did another playthrough of Elden Ring, then Ghost just before. Did you check out Armoured Core? A lot of people said it wasn't anything like a souls game, but in terms of combat and difficulty, in definitely is. It's a tough game, that's for sure.
I had a quick go on DS1 last night and i got to say, the combat in that felt better to me than in Dragons Dogma 2, even that basic DS1 style combat...
@mkr That's interesting to know, what you said about DS1 style combat feeling superior to DD2's combat, especially considering the rave reviews that people had been giving about DD2's combat, i.e FightinCowboy on YouTube. I'm about 1/3 through Demon's Souls but have been farming a lot working on an optimal build to breeze through the rest of the game after defeating/if I can defeat False King Allant, as other people on here might know.
Have you ever tried Lords of the Fallen (2023)? Feels like a very good game to me, basically the spiritual successor to the Dark Souls games. Essentially Dark Souls 4 (imo).
Edit: I didn't check out Armored Core, yeah, different people say different things about those games, but I'm not too into robotic stuff so I think I'll give them a pass.
I'm not saying DD2 is bad, it was good in a lot ways, just that the combat is very easy, therefore the combat itself, mostly, lacks tension, the world itself has tension though.
As for Lord of the Fallen, I tried an, erm, "unofficial demo" on my laptop recently, because I saw the PS5 version is £21 on Amazon atm. I have to say it did seem good, ran well too. I think I'll wait and get on PC for peanuts at a later date.
@Th3solution You're not the only one who enjoys taking a trip down memory lane and scrolling down the trophies! Maybe I do that a bit too often even. Not great to be stuck in the past with your gaming, though it's always great to reminisce. Besides, how else are you going to get that satisfying trophy notification noise other than to play new games?
You just make me more and more interested in Enslaved! Sounds like it's finally time I dust that off and give it a proper shot, though maybe I will just buy it on my PC now as my PS3 is currently in a different country from me, haha. Ninja Theory games in general have always been ones that interest me greatly conceptually. I just never actually dipped my feet into them to know if I fall in love with them or not! Brothers is another one I've heard great things about indeed, but never tried. I believe it was TotalBiscuit's favourite video game back in the day (if you know him)? I do know the big spoiler of how the game ends however, so would that ruin my experience with it?
The Order 1886 is an interesting shout! I'd completely forgotten about that game as clearly many have at this point. I do also still remember when it came out and the vitriol that was thrown at it. It's funny to think how different expectations were there, because I think a lot of the criticism it received back then it would not so much now. The world building they did in that game did always sound intriguing, so maybe I would have to dip my toes into that. I'll look into it!
To be fair, I didn't dislike the first Last of Us at all! I had a good time with its story and the gameplay was generally fine (though easily the worst part about it), but it just never quite hit the highs for me that it seemed to for many people. The sequel having improved gameplay already sounds like it would be an improvement to my enjoyment, even with the... sometimes controversial nature of the actual narrative. I've been very spoiled on what exactly happens in that game, but I'd still be open to playing it as I think it sounds like a very different experience narratively than you would have in your typical gaming blockbuster.
I haven't played Fallen Order actually! I think what made me look into Survivor more at the time was that it seemed more like a galaxy-spanning adventure than the first one, which as far as I remember just took place on a world with much backtracking? Or at least, that's what I believe I heard as one of the main criticisms back when it came out. If I'd really need to try the first one narratively though, of course I will not skip to Survivor as it would grind my gears missing out on important information! I didn't realise the combat was very Souls-like however. I'm not a big fan of... difficulty in my games. I like to just chill, play through the game without too much restarting and feel like a badass. I don't actually feel rewarded from putting in the work to become a badass, haha. I'm here to play out a fantasy and going to the gym isn't part of that!
Well, just alone being able to sell me on 13 Sentinels not having even seen the end of it speaks volumes about the game clearly! Unless of course it all falls apart in the end and you'd have doomed me for ever getting invested.. but! Judging from @LN78's comment on that end, it doesn't sound like that's the case. I'll see if I can possibly start it later tonight. I'll let you know how it goes if I do and maybe then we can have some discussions around that!
With my newly found short bit of free time, I've picked Midnight Suns back up. I had let it fall to the wayside for a while having started my new job, but I'm glad to be back in this world and playing cards. It remains such a fun gameplay loop, though there's definitely a part of me that's starting to tire of the Abbey dialogue a bit already. Maybe not so promising considering I only just finished the first out of three acts, but I can always take a chill pill and not engage with every conversation if ever it becomes fully too much.
I think the end of Act I and with it the introduction of a new area injected a badly needed sense of discovery again. I'm glad to be adding some new characters to my roster again and see some new landscapes, enemy types and missions. New York City had started to feel a bit monotone after thirty in-game days spent in it. I'll still be returning for the rest of the DLC missions which are finally starting to open up again, but the mixture will be nice. I'm about fourty hours into the game now.
I've also finally finished all of the Abbey exploration. Or at least however much of it is available to me right now.It feels good knowing I can entirely focus on the missions and building my team now, even if I did enjoy my time running around using spells everywhere. It all felt very satisfying watching areas open up as I progressed through the world. I even did that final trial completely underleveled just because I was excited to get the final spell and break some walls I had only been able to stare at helplessly before. Mostly, it feels good having to hear less of Agatha harping on about whatever the mystical flavour of the day is.
I'm shocked by how many "big things" have already happened narratively in just the first act though. The loss of Avengers Tower, the Sanctum, that one time we infiltrated their head of operations through a mirror... Normally these events would be like Act 2 things at the earliest! I wonder how they keep up this pace and have everything just get bigger and uglier, but it definitely helps to keep you invested in the story. First up though, time to finally continue those aforementioned DLC missions. That Storm icon has been teasing me long on the map long enough!
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