Recent reviews by Luden

I've wasted years of my life and hundreds of dollars on a hat simulator. All I got out of it was mild depression and good pipe aim.





Would do it again 11/10

There are no words that can describe what this game does to those who play. There's no way to describe how this game makes you feel. There's no way you can put a game like this, no, an experience like this, into words.

The argument for "videogames as art" has gone on for a while. Those against the idea bring up games like Postal or Hatred, examples of gruesome ultraviolence with little to no point or story.

However, it is games like this that irrefutably prove that games can and should be considered art. In the words of Jim Sterling, "[Nier: Automata] could only work as a videogame". It thrusts you front and center of the action, and connects you to the story developing right in front of your eyes. It makes you feel what the characters are feeling, and there will be moments where you wish you weren't. You are strapped in for a 30-50 - hour ride filled with high-octane, tight combat, and one of the best videogame plots I have ever had the chance to experience. The agency you are given makes the moments where agency is ripped from your hands that much more impactful.

There's only one glaring downside I can think of beside the issues with the lackluster PC port: You can only play this game once. Even now, I want to go back and play it again, but 1. I literally can't because I deleted all of my save data at the very end of the game to save someone else, and 2. I won't really be playing the game again, because the game revolved around how the player felt. Playing it again would be like re-reading a horror/mystery novel. Why read it again when the reason you liked it the first time was the suspense or discovery?

tl;dr: This is one of, if not, the best games of our generation. And if you don't consider it the best, it's sure as hell the most important game of our generation, and the impact it made, I believe, will be affecting singleplayer game design for years to come.

What can I say other than: "I am pleasantly surprised"?

I've never been someone who usually enjoys MMORPGS all too much. I often run into a problem where I play for a while, burn through a significant amount of content at near inhuman speeds, and then get burned out. However, there's something special about FFXIV's core gameplay loop that keeps me more than happy to have wasted the last two weeks racking up nearly 200 hours. Everything just feels so seamless. If you get bored of your main job (NIN mains represent!), you can quickly switch to a different job and get a completely new perspective and pace. You can easily go from playing a positional-heavy speed demon like monk to a slow, heavy-hitting juggernaut like warrior to a complicated but versatile healer with scholar with the press of a button. On top of that, the combat system is extremely polished. Aside from a few netcode issues with AOE **AHEM** OMEGA **AHEM**, the combat feels visceral and engaging. There is also a more than substantial amount of depth and complexity, but the combat system is still streamlined enough to prevent it from becoming a piano lesson.

On top of that, the story is really well written (hmm... a FF game with a good story, who woulda thunk...). Sure, there's a bit to be desired in some cases (Minfillia serves as a good example) as certain characters recieve little development throughout the course of the story. However, there are still enough good characters that it makes the story compelling. You like the heroes, and you hate the villans, especially if they just keep RUNNING AWAY SO YOU CAN'T RUN THEM THROUGH.

I can't talk much about raiding yet, as I am a few levels shy of level cap with NIN, but I can definitely say that from what I have seen, raiding is a blast. I also adore the tomestone system. Some may disagree, but I frankly prefer this approach. I like that I can get the gear that I need without having to constantly grind a raid for the slim chance that RNGesus will bless me with exactly what I need. With tomestones, I can raid to earn enough tomestones to buy my gear instead.

Finally, I want to discuss the community. This has probably been one of if not THE nicest and most inviting communities that I have ever been a part of. When I was just a little baby adventurer still trying to figure out what end of the dagger was the pointy one, I got scooped up by a FC who was more than willing to help me along on my journey to 70. Not only that, but people were just friendly in general. People running dungeons or raids were always friendly and helpful, willing to offer tips and pointers to the newbies. And it wasn't just when everything was going all right. There were times when I royally ♥♥♥♥♥♥ up (i.e. LBing the ascian instead of the rift when Minfillia gets kidnapped for the umpteenth time) , but the people I was playing with didn't get mad or flame me, they simply told me what I did wrong and how I could fix it the next go-around. That was probably the final nail in the coffin for me on pre-ordering Shadowbringers and adding another few months to my sub time.

In summary, if you're willing to try your hand at something completely alien or you're jumping ship from Beta for Azeroth, you are going to find yourself playing a game that shows how much love, time and effort has been put into it alongside a community that wants nothing but to help you along on whatever path you decide to take with an engaging core gameplay loop and a compelling story.

Tl;Dr: is fun, buy it :P