Recent reviews by DEV14NT

Objectively a C-Tier jrpg, low B at best.

Subjectively probably one of my top 10 favorite games.

Worth it on sale, I'd like to say full price but I honestly just can't without knowing just how much of an SAO stan you are personally.

Pros:
- Aincrad + Character Creation = Win
- Beautiful atmosphere
- Satisfying (though repetitive) combat ainmations
- UI actually based on SAO
- Temu Elden Ring gameplay

Cons:
- Supporting cast of the roleplayer from Asuna's guild in the Abridged series, Sykkuno cosplaying as Yuuki from Mother's Rosario, Sachi but alive and her himbo BF, and the token lore dump friend to avoid having to show players more lore in an intuitive and gameplay driven fashion.
- Tedious mob spacing during overworld quests. You will be on your way to something, whether it's a chest or an objective or just an item on the ground, and mobs seem to appear one at a time to a point where after you're finally out of combat you are half way across the map from the point you were almost at initially.
- Lack of player agency as far as interacting with companions and the world. This is less of an RPG and more of a visual novel in that singular sense. You are playing the character they want to be in the story, even if that's not the character you were imagining.
- Annoying repetitive voice lines while exploring. It's almost worth playing the game in Japanese as an American simply so my ears can't actually register what they're saying.

Just know that I really only got so wordy with the cons because I care about SAO as a franchise and really want this game to be great. I think it has a boatload of potential, whether or not that gets seen through we'll have to see though.

I can't really begin to describe how heart-breaking it is to see the state of the company the really fostered my passion for the fantasy genre. Thousands of hours of my life and several hundred dollars of buying multiple editions for several platforms of Elder Scrolls and Fallout games, only to find out Bethesda has allowed a horrible, hateful rhetoric to poison them.

Do better.

I can't really begin to describe how heart-breaking it is to see the state of the company the really fostered my passion for the fantasy genre. Thousands of hours of my life and several hundred dollars of buying multiple editions for several platforms of Elder Scrolls and Fallout games, only to find out Bethesda has allowed a horrible, hateful rhetoric to poison them.

Do better.

I can't really begin to describe how heart-breaking it is to see the state of the company the really fostered my passion for the fantasy genre. Thousands of hours of my life and several hundred dollars of buying multiple editions for several platforms of Elder Scrolls and Fallout games, only to find out Bethesda has allowed a horrible, hateful rhetoric to poison them.

Do better.

The only show of competency from Bethesda in the last 10 years is a 20 year old game... That's probably not even the worst part about that, but I will leave that to your own research.

11/10 probably not playing anything else for a few years.

Edit: I can't really begin to describe how heart-breaking it is to see the state of the company the really fostered my passion for the fantasy genre. Thousands of hours of my life and several hundred dollars of buying multiple editions for several platforms of Elder Scrolls and Fallout games, only to find out Bethesda has allowed a horrible, hateful rhetoric to poison them.

Do better.

Dark Souls III.... How far we have come, eh? Now, I know not many people are going to read this, but this game has just brought so much joy to me that I feel I must repay it somehow, and not with the money I spent on it. First of all, I would like to say that I have never finished Dark Souls I, but I did play a lot of Dark Souls II on Xbox, and it was really where I fell in love with the games. I have gotten through a small portion of Dark Souls I, but I only obtained it a few days before DSIII was set to launch, and barely played due to my excitement. All of this to say, that of the aspects I love so much of each, DSIII has taken almost every single one of them, and on top of that, they made co-op with friends so much better than in it's predecessors. Miyazaki is truly a genious, and in this installment has fixed everything that I believe was wrong in DSII, and delivered a great feel to the game, very similar to that of DSI. The lore of the world is quite imense, and one of the best things of it is that it is comprised almost entirely of headcanons. This has been a well known and mostly loved feature of the series. It continues to it's fullest in this one, with numerous references and easter eggs to both games, which I would rather not spoil for those who have not gotten this game. It really brought me in. The beginning, the mystery, the bosses, how the world was linked with itself, the level design... It was all amazing. I currently have a character about to start NG+4 and I am very far from starting a new character to main. The NG+ system in this game is far superior to what DSII had, in the fact that it isn't all just in adding mobs and upping their damage and health to rediculous levels. They made enemies quicker, run after you longer, harder to read. Sure, they did more damage, but it's not to the point where it is game breaking, and unreasonable. It is difficult, and the margin of error decreases with each playthrough, but that is what keeps it interesting.

The gameplay of DSIII is very similar to that of DSI. They brought back quick Estus, and the Ember system is much more well designed than that of the Human Effigies and Humanities. The difference in weapons isn't entirely moveset strength, so in this way it resembles DSI and not DSII. The weapon skills, however, do show some DSII resemblence bceause of that. Different weapons are good for different boss fights, and they even have a sword that is much stronger against four or five bosses.

I say if you are looking for one of the best feeling ARPG's around, this is the one for you. With the fixed co-op, and even an in built offline mode if you just want to play by yourself without disconnecting steam/wifi, then this is the game you need. You will become immersed, and attached to your character as you progress through the first game, and even moreso through NG+ and NG++. This is honestly everything I could have wanted from a Souls game. If it truly is the last one, it is certainly a great way to end it. I'd rate it 10/10 for personal taste, and 9/10 for an objective point of view, as there are some things I could see people not enjoying, but not to the point of game breaking. From Soft, Bamco, you guys have really outdone yourselves with this one.

You are starting to see a pattern right?

Edit I can't really begin to describe how heart-breaking it is to see the state of the company the really fostered my passion for the fantasy genre. Thousands of hours of my life and several hundred dollars of buying multiple editions for several platforms of Elder Scrolls and Fallout games, only to find out Bethesda has allowed a horrible, hateful rhetoric to poison them.

Do better.

Do I even need to explain why everyone should own this?

Edit: I can't really begin to describe how heart-breaking it is to see the state of the company the really fostered my passion for the fantasy genre. Thousands of hours of my life and several hundred dollars of buying multiple editions for several platforms of Elder Scrolls and Fallout games, only to find out Bethesda has allowed a horrible, hateful rhetoric to poison them.

Do better.

OBLIVION IS EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edit: Seeing my youthful innocence promoting this game out of the sheer joy it was to play it for the first time on PC makes this hurt so much more. I can't really begin to describe how heart-breaking it is to see the state of the company the really fostered my passion for the fantasy genre. Thousands of hours of my life and several hundred dollars of buying multiple editions for several platforms of Elder Scrolls and Fallout games, only to find out Bethesda has allowed a horrible, hateful rhetoric to poison them.

Do better.