Topic: What PS4 Games Are You Currently Playing?

Since I've been feeling sick this week, I bought and started Star Ocean: First Departure R on a whim yesterday. It was on sale, cheap, and I've been saying how I should try a new JRPG! It helps that this one is famously on the shorter side, so I can get a bit of a JRPG fill without committing to a 100+ hour experience. I've only managed to get about one and a half hour in inbetween headaches, Real Housewives and naps so far, but I'm somewhat surprised by the absolute exposition dump this game starts with. And more so, the fact that it all feels rather well paced and works. To top that all off, for the exposition dump to actually be a really interesting set-up to this particular narrative. I'm not sure I've experienced any sci-fi storytelling that quite hits these tropes in the same way, so it felt surprisingly fresh for a game that came out back in 1996. Maybe I've simply underestimated how much I'd enjoy pre-2000s sci-fi stories. After all, I also ended up loving Babylon 5. I've just not been exposed to too much from that era.

I will say I was rather confused at the battle system for the first few battles. Unbeknownst to me, this combat is actually not turn-based, but real-time. What this resulted in for these initial battles was my player character standing still while I watched my other parties walk around and do actions. I just kept waiting for my turn that never came, and these low-level enemies didn't last long enough that I realised I was supposed to be doing something. Apparently, I can move around! Shocker! I really appreciate the pixel art on display here too. It's a beautiful mix between pixel-y and more painting style backgrounds. So all in all, so far so good!

Anyone here who's either played this particular one or is a fan of the Star Ocean franchise? This is my first exposure to these games, so I'd love to hear about a fan's thoughts on it or how it's viewed comparatively to the later games.

I've been switching between playing both Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back and L.A. Noire.

Plat wise I have left for Crash 2 is time trials, and L.A. Noire is the collectibles and street crimes.

Next games on my agenda to play are both Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped and Tomb Raider (2013).