Comments 434

Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 575

QiaraIris

Atelier Yumia. As someone who's been playing the Atelier series since the very beginning, it's really nice to see the game actually matures with their audiences.

The new combat system was great, the new open world gameplay loop was still addictive, and somehow they managed to make a new alchemy system that keeps the title fresh after all these years.

And easy 9/10 from me.

Re: Poll: PS5 Fans, Are You Sold on the Nintendo Switch 2?

QiaraIris

Replace? no
Accompany? yes.

it's the same way how I have both PS4 and Switch for their own exclusives. They're not competing with each other in my gaming ecosystem, they're complementing each other.

And of course there are my PS5 and PC as well for graphical intensive games, but Switch will always have its place for their own exclusives that I love. Fire Emblem and Xenoblade series were a good example, too bad the software launch titles for Switch 2 sucks. So I'll be holding off purchasing it, especially at CA$625 for base unit.

Re: Trails Fans Win 2025 as Trails beyond the Horizon Is Confirmed for Fall Release on PS5, PS4

QiaraIris

***** yeah, I did not expect it to be announced this soon but it'll be a day 1 regardless.

Words can not convey adequately on how excited I am that we're finally on the same release schedule with the Japanese as of Fall 2025. Two Trails games in a year and Sky remake global launch, we JRPG fans are eating good this year.

What a turnaround for a series that was so close to never see it released in the west before.

And of course I also can't convey adequately on how happy I am to see a grown-up Altina in the trailer, even knowing about it before. Kid grew up with me alongside the game just like Renee did.

Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Soars Past 1 Million Players at Launch

QiaraIris

This article is certainly charged. There’s a way to report on this without resorting to incendiary lines like “Perhaps the threat of reprisals from Ubisoft for any unwarranted review-bombing campaigns has bad actors running scared?” - which does little more than make you sound like a third-rate gossip rag.

Ubisoft's success is commendable, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Ubisoft+ exists, which is likely why they’re touting “one million players” rather than “one million sales.” Perhaps save the victory lap and smug commentary until actual financial ROI figures are reported.

After all, Veilguard also received glowing praise for its initial player count, and gaming outlets were quick to sing its praises. Yet here we are - its sales fell below expectations, as many of those early players accessed the game via EA subscriptions before promptly canceling.

At the end of the day, you’re supposed to be a journalist. Maybe focus on reporting rather than fanning the flames? Bias has its place in reviews and personal blogs - not in what should be an objective coverage like this.

Re: Saints Row Team Thrown Under the Bus: 'They Didn't Know What They Were Building'

QiaraIris

Raise your hands if you played the first 2 OG Saint's Row and said exactly this when they showed the "reboot" of Saint's Row?

Saints Row has two distinct camp of players, the OG Saint's Row camp (who played and loved 1 & 2), and the NG Saint's Row camp (who played and loved 3 & 4). There are maybe some stragglers here and there that loves a mix and match between these 4 titles, but either way, those were the distribution of Saint's Row gamers.

When the reboot was announced, they somehow managed to alienate every single gamers on those two camps (I honestly have no idea how their target for the game was). I still remember how the trailer and the announcement was received and yet this company and CEO dismissed our concern due to hubris.

Yet here we are, watching this overpaid piece of shuits (pun definitely intended) preaching the same thing everyone been saying on this game years before they get into this realization. What a clown...

Re: Don't Hold Your Breath for Super Impressive Sims-Like InZOI on PS5

QiaraIris

I'll be getting this on PC, and a 3070 with 16GB of RAM is not too much of a stretch these days. Calling that recommended spec "pocket heavy" just shows what people knows about the state of PC gaming right now.

Bear in mind that unless I'm misreading these things, InZoi is releasing in Early Access (at least that's what Steam marked it as). Not Advanced Access, but literally an Early Access where the game is still actively developed as it's released.

Personally, I'll wait till the full launch to try it. They'll probably be well optimized by then.

Re: Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land (PS5) - Relentlessly Charming JRPG Is a Must Play

QiaraIris

The Atelier series are that one game I keep getting on Day 1 when its released and they haven't disappoint me yet. I do love that their protagonists design grew up with their players and Gust somehow still managed to design a refreshing take on the alchemy system this late into the series.

Can't wait to deep dive into this new one with Yumia next week!

Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows' 'Canon Mode' Makes Fans Ponder the Point of RPG Options

QiaraIris

Is this canon mode includes disabling temple destruction or Tori Gate climbing?

Feel free to mark this comment, but this game is going to flop. Yasuke controversy aside, there are just way too many negativity surrounding it for the game to be able to shake it off any time soon. Public perceptions are important, and this title is not getting any major positive vibe at all.

Re: Civilization 7 Dev Promises Key Improvements Ahead of PS5, PS4 Release

QiaraIris

I'd like to thank everyone who actually paid up to CAD160 to beta test this early for the rest of us. I'll definitely wait till the definitive edition launched next year with a deep discount.

I mean, why companies even bother to invest in a QA team is beyond me. When they can just have their gamers actually paid them extra to test the game.

Re: Dragon Age: The Veilguard Failed Because It Wasn't Live Service, EA CEO Seems to Suggest

QiaraIris

I can't believe this dipshit is still the EA CEO, what a mental gymnastic he must have done to link the failure to live service game when most live service titles have failed, including their own rebranded FIFA games.

I also completed Veilguard and it was an enjoyable game. Albeit one of your team member literally never shut up about her sexual identity and how she doesn't belong anywhere in the middle of a LITERAL world ending threat.

"I don't know who I am?"
"Oh yeah?? well my people are being kidnapped and murdered by a blood cult, sit down!"

Maybe that's why it failed.

Re: Xbox Rips Off the Band Aid, 'Expect Our Games to Show Up in More and More Places'

QiaraIris

Anyone who's been paying attention knows that the Console Wars has been over since Q3 2024 with their ongoing failure to penetrate the Asian market.

So this news is just the additional white flag cherry on top of the cake.

And as a PlayStation owner, I don't know how anyone with with a PS can be starved with games these days (even in 2024). Unless of course, they're just being dramatic for no reason but being antagonistic or craving for attentions.

Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Dynasty Warriors: Origins?

QiaraIris

Absolutely loving this game—it's a brilliant blueprint for the future of DW titles.

  • The new warzone map is excellent, especially during those intense clashes with massive armies.
  • Combat animations are incredibly fluid, and the combat arts for each weapon are among the best I’ve seen in the series.
  • On that note, The Wanderer’s ability to use multiple weapons feels seamless. Each weapon type is distinct enough that having just one playable character doesn’t feel like a drawback. In fact, it fits perfectly with the story's focus on The Wanderer.
  • The new Musou and True Musou attacks are phenomenal. Even after countless uses, the adrenaline rush hits every time that cinematic plays. The close-up face shots add a real weight to the attack.
  • The officer bond mechanic is vastly improved, with dialogue that adds depth and context to the war and the state of China during that era. For the first time in a DW game, I actually struggled to choose a faction to serve. The emotional weight is real, and the RPG elements here shines - I wished they gave your character choice more impact though.
  • The one-on-one duels are a standout, now featuring perfect parries and dodges. The combat system strikes a great balance—easy to learn but deeply satisfying to master. Parrying Lu Bu’s halberd strike and countering with your own well-choreographed martial arts never gets old.
  • On my PS5, the game runs buttery smooth at 60+ FPS. I’m using a TCL TV with a 144Hz refresh rate, and even in Chapter 4 where the combat starts to involve more and more massive armies clashes, I haven’t noticed any frame drops.

Now, a niche detail I personally loved: the "Bromance of the Three Kingdoms" vibes. Almost every warrior seems either determined to keep The Wanderer or marry him after the war. Some of the max bond dialogue had me blushing, especially Lu Bu’s... less-than-subtle interest.

If there’s one downside, it’s that the mini-battles can get repetitive, and the medium skirmishes are too rare. But overall, this game is a return to the classic DW 1 v Many experience that I love with an added narrative depth, and I couldn’t be happier they released it.

Re: Poll: Are You Playing Dynasty Warriors: Origins?

QiaraIris

Yup, just finished the Yellow Turban chapter. Absolutely one of the best Dynasty Warriors entry to date, especially once you hit the massive warzone. It's like a great crossover between OG DW and Total Wars. Having 10,000 units on the map clashing with each other managed to bring the chaos of war while still keeping the frame rate above 60.

One of the best and smoothest combat in the franchise too, absolutely love the change in musou and true musou attack to give it more gravitas.

Re: Dynasty Warriors 10 Was Cancelled and Reworked Into Dynasty Warriors: Origins

QiaraIris

Absolutely the right move.

After spending a significant amount of time with this game, I can confidently say it’s one of the best Dynasty Warriors experiences I’ve had (and I played all of them)

The combat feels buttery smooth, and seeing over 100,000 characters on screen without any frame drops is nothing short of impressive. The character interactions are engaging, the new overworld map movement is a welcome addition, and the RPG elements with skill points add a refreshing layer of depth.

While this isn’t a numbered entry, it’s a true single-player RPG, and Omega Force never marketed it as part of the main series.

Still, this game marks an incredible return for Dynasty Warriors. I really hope they use it as a blueprint for future numbered titles and the Empire series, because it’s absolutely phenomenal.

Re: Call of Duty's Squid Game Skins Reignite Monetisation Debate

QiaraIris

The bitter irony of a series built on critiquing capitalism’s excesses being reduced to a tool for corporate gain is almost laughable. Instead of a coherent, self-contained story, we’re left with an unfinished tale, a dangling thread that screams “watch the next installment” rather than providing any real closure.

Squid Game has lost its edge, trading its incisive social commentary for the empty spectacle of a franchise being milked for all it’s worth.

Re: Do You Put Your PS5 in Rest Mode or Shut It Down?

QiaraIris

@Shinnok789 This.

I do the same way, always been a rest mode for both my PS4 Pro and PS5 ever since it was introduced and have had no issues whatsoever. The remote download command when I bought my games online was more useful to me and that can't be done when my console is fully turned off.