Topic: Games you've recently beat

@Th3solution I used to take longer than a lot of people too with games, and I still do with some people as there's no way I'm able to sit there and play a game for days straight. Nor do I want to with some games, especially ones like Horizon Forbidden West. Obviously it's hard to rush through games of that size anyways, but still, games I loved like that one I was more than happy to have it last a month. Also, even though I did do a lot of side stuff in it, it was so long that I didn't go for the platinum. It'll give me something new to do in a second playthrough, where maybe I don't do some of the side stuff I already did but clean that up and maybe end up with the platinum.

Just finish the damn game, you whiny little... I mean do whatever you want, but I'd finish it if you are close.

@Th3solution I wouldn't worry about it too much, games will take however long for you to beat them. If you are having fun, does it really matter how long it takes? One of the reasons I don't bother with sites like how long to beat, as I couldn't care less how games are supposed take to complete.

@JohnnyShoulder Yeah, that’s a good approach — I really shouldn’t worry too much about it. I mostly use the HLTB site as a planning tool for scheduling purposes and making sure I know what I’m in for before starting a game. Usually my times are roughly around the “Main + Extra” category, or between it and “Completionist.”

A good gauge to know I’m in the midst of playing a top tier game is when I don’t really care how much time I’ve spent in the playthrough and I’m not planning in anticipation of the next one. If I just lose myself in the moment and don’t really care about the backlog or the newest release then I’m really resonating with the game.

The main story on Fist of the North star is done. Still will do some after credits mini games and other stuff in the world, like usual with Yakuza gamesx but there is no more focus in it and it's a side thing now.

About the game. The game is from RGG studios, the maker of the Yakuza series and thats noticeable in every way. The story is based on a Manga from the 80s. That manga wad based on Mad Max and the protagonist on Bruce Lee. The protagonist Kenshiro is the successor of a deadly martial arts called Hokuto Shinken. It's a martial art that focuses around pressure points. Which can be used to help or kill people.

Underneath that all lies a Yakuza game. The story is cut into chapters, there are some fun and interesting mini games, like a rhythm game and a management game. Which I won't name exactly for spoiler reasons. The sub stories are also there as usual with some fun and interesting one. Like usual they range from very fun to very emotional. The biggest difference with the main line yakuza games is this game is extremely gory. In every fights enemies explode and a lot of blood flows over the screen. Combat is basically the same as in Yakuza games but with the added pressure points where you have do certain special combos to perform a secret technique which does massive damage.

The voice actors are mainly the same as in the Yakuza series and if you played those you will surely recognize most of the cast. There isn't much music in the game except for 3 tracks when you are riding your buggy in the dessert. Riding a buggy you will do regularly for parts or the story of farm materials you'll need for certain mini games or upgrading the buggy itself.

The story is a bit all over the place. It had some weird twists and isn't as strong as all the other Yakuza games.

Overall I enjoyed and still do my time with Fist of the North star and if youre a fan of how Yakuza games are setup and of the brawler type combat you will enjoy this one as well.

@ThereThere I hope you get around to playing the Yakuza series. I can't recommend them enough. Ever since I discovered them, around the time Yakuza like a dragon came out 1.5 years ago I played all 8 main line games, the spinoffs Judgment and Lost judgment and now this one. I can easily say it's my favorite game series by far. The great stories, emotional rollercoasters of stories, the open world usually in a city which never makes it feel empty with a huge amount of optional side activities make it so there is something for everyone in these games.

@Lavalera I’m still a bit undecided on Like a Dragon.

I like the overall story and characters but it does seem like I’ve rattled through sox or seven chapters with not much happening. And around 80% of the fights I just stick on auto mode with abilities disabled and I’ve won without taking a hit.

@Thrillho I can totally understand, Lad isn't for everyone. I can understand their reasoning for switching the game up in certain ways since of the new protagonist. It's now basically a jrpg. And jrpgs aren't for everyone.
For me it was my first Yakuza game so that might also be a reason why I liked it so much I wasn't used to the other games setup and combat and such yet.
But yeah for people who played it in order and aren't really jrpg players I can understand the change is to large.

I hope you will still like it in the end. For me personally it's in my top 3 favorite ones with 0 and 5 as the other 2.

@ThereThere With the new playstation plus I'm going through some of those games at the moment. I've started Spiderman and next in line are Ys 9 monstrum nox and Spiderman Miles Morales. I've just started console gaming this generation so I still have a lot of playstation classics to go. That's also why I joined this site to read recommendations and impressions from others and even though I don't post often also try to give my opinions and impressions.

@ThereThere not yet. But it is on my list with it being available on Ps plus extra. I didn't really know if it was really my thing so I held off when I heard it was coming to ps plus. I was subscribing anyways and now I can basically try it out for free. And if I really like it I'll probably buy it anyways later on

I finally platinumed Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood recently! It was a hard plat but glad it's over with lol.

Especially disliked the Tank and Glider Leonardo missions...

@KidBoruto congratulations… I have it (& Revelations) lined up for later this year. I’ve heard all about the tank mission but not the glider… hopefully it was worth the pain 😉

@colonelkilgore It made me question why I care about the platinum, for sure lol.

I beat YS VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana and got the true ending.

... I'm... Conflicted about this to be honest.

I was kinda glad it was getting to the end as it had dragged it's heels a bit too much, which in turn made the combat feel a bit stale. It's frantic and fast paced... but not deep enough and a rather button mashy getting past the 20 hour mark.

And I clocked 45 hours to actually finish it.

I was not a huge fan of the defy fate/destiny thing it became at the end with Maia and the Lacrimosa of evolution, Dana becoming a goddess for some reason and a kinda, sorta, not really "I think therefore I am" bit there at the end too? Story kinda waffled along and didn't really do much til the end craziness either with some very generic and kinda out of place parts too like the ghost ship.

I did enjoy the combat though when the game wasn't spinning it's wheels and I really did like the characters quite a bit. The Isle of Seiren was a nice setting too.

The music was good in the moment but there wasn't anything that stood out to me either or that knocked my socks off.

I think Adol should've been a voiced protagonist too. The choices didn't really add anything and he has enough of a personality that he didn't need to be mute 95% of the time aside from a few choice moments and callouts in battle.

Overall it was... fine?

It's not a bad game by any means (It's definitely well made and rather polished too) but unfortunately I wouldn't say it was anything special.

It just didn't quite resonate with me and it's something I'll honestly probably forget about in the not too distant future.

@HallowMoonshadow I’m kinda glad I’m not alone in this. I dropped off Ys VIII after about 6 hours despite enjoying the other 6 games in the series I’ve played. I think it might be because I played it on PS4 instead of Vita and so the mindless nature of the combat stood out a bit more.

@Ralizah is quite a fan of the title as is @Lavalera and I know it's got a rather stellar reputation among the Falcom/YS community but yeah I totally feel you @nessisonett even though this is my first YS.

... I know Cold Steel absolutely drags it's heels and then some in the story department too... But it's turn based so it's always at that same kinda baseline compared to YS's action which after a number of hours I kinda realised it reminds me a bit of a Warriors game's combat... which I despise the combat of

I even took a 3 week break at the 20 hour mark to try and alieviate this and it didn't help.

... Honestly I'm looking forward to whatever the one with "Souls" elements is supposed to be like.

@HallowMoonshadow Sorry to hear it didn't resonate with you as it did with me. I can understand if you dislike the warriors style combat you didn't like the combat in this one either. But oh well different people, different taste right hope you like the next game you are going to play better than this one

@Kairu Congrats! There really is so much to do in the game too, especially with the DLC.

The coliseum was really tough but I managed to complete all of the levels there. The pantheons were too much for me though. The Grimm Troupe is also a great challenge and the final boss a great challenge.

The Path of Pain is also very deserving of its name if you ever get round to that!

Which ending did you get by the way?

@Kairu I think that’s the “worst” of the endings! Most of the “good” ones depend on tinkering with a special charm you can find in the abyss. There’s also a second boss as part of the final fight with those endings.

The Path of Pain is very well hidden and no chance I’d have found it without googling it. It really is brutal but my pigheadedness meant I had to finish it. There’s not really much to gain from doing it though.

I had to give up on the pantheons as it started to sour my taste for such a wonderful game. It’ll always be a platinum just out of reach for me..

@Thrillho @Kairu I'm the same, I stopped playing when I realised I wouldn't be able to do the pantheons without pulling too much hair out and possibly unleashing one too many swears. Would love to have the talent to do it but I watched a video of someone going through them all and the ease at which they did it made me realise just what I'm missing in terms of skill.

The path of pain I didn't finish either but go to admire the design of the platforming in these deadly areas. There's some really cleaver stuff that's gone into HK and I can't wait to see how they've continued that with Silk Song.