racketboy.com

Thank goodness I wasn't the only one! That was all sorts of goofed up. It took me a few deaths to realize what was going on, too. And it doesn't help that I was frustrated enough by then to get really impatient on the earlier bits. I agree, sane would have been left for CCW, right for CW. I'd have blazed right on through that way.

Games Beaten in 2017 So Far - 112
* denotes a replay

January (10 Games Beaten)


February (12 Games Beaten)


March (6 Games Beaten)


April (9 Games Beaten)


May (14 Games Beaten)


June (10 Games Beaten)


July (20 Games Beaten)


August (9 Games Beaten)


September (14 Games Beaten)


October (7 Games Beaten)


November (1 Game Beaten)


112. Fire Emblem Warriors - Switch - November 1



Anyone who knows my gaming tastes knows that I'm a HUGE Fire Emblem fan. It's my favorite Nintendo IP even surpassing Legend of Zelda and Mario. Fire Emblem Warriors is, like Hyrule Warriors was for Zelda, a big departure for the Fire Emblem series in terms of genre. Like Hyrule Warriors was for Zelda, however, it's a fantastic new take on the series that will likely appeal to fans of both Fire Emblem and Koei Tecmo's musou games and may well serve as a gateway for one of those series for players.



If you've played Dynasty Warriors, Samurai Warriors, or any of the Warriors/randomIP crossovers (Zelda, Gundam, One Piece), then you exactly how this game plays - you run around killing hundreds or thousands of enemies single handedly and take control points while occasionally killing bosses. For those unfamiliar with any of those games, it's basically large scale hack 'n' slash. You've got a handful of ally characters, a handful of playable characters (you can choose what characters you want to be allied and playable before starting a battle), and a gazillion random grunts who die for you. Each character handles a little differently and has different pros and cons, and they all level up the more they kill, so who you choose to play as can have a big impact on changing your gameplay experience.



The game obviously doesn't play much like Fire Emblem given how drastically different the genre is, but it does have a few features that keep it somewhat similar. When you pause and bring up the map, you can give simple orders to any allied unit. For example, you can have an allied unit protect another one, attack an enemy fort, protect one of your forts, attack an enemy boss or sub-boss, or just move to a specific area. It's not as direct control as you'd get in a proper Fire Emblem game, but it's still a nice degree of strategy. Most significantly, however, is that they kept class ups and the weapon triangle intact. There are a small handful of missions that reward you with a Master Seal upon completion, allowing you to promote a unit at level 15 or higher to the next class, granting additional skill upgrades as well as dramatic stat boosts.



The game isn't perfect, however. A lot of folks I know don't particularly care for the stories in Fire Emblem, but even by Fire Emblem standards, the plot of Fire Emblem Warriors isn't especially great. It's not awful, mind you, but it's EXTREMELY predictable and cliche. I typically like the stories in Fire Emblem games, but I found myself a bit disappointed with this one. I predicted the "plot twist" towards the end at the very beginning of the game. The voice acting is especially bad for most characters. There are a few characters who sound fine, but in general, it's...bad. Not mid 90s level of bad, of course, but by modern standards? Yeah, it's not great.



For all of the game's shortcomings in terms of narrative and voice acting, Fire Emblem Warriors more than makes up for that with visuals and music. It's not the best looking game on Switch (although it is worth noting that development began when the Wii U still had another two years of life), but it does look extremely pretty. The real star of the show the soundtrack, however. The game's music is another nod to the Fire Emblem series proper with grandiose orchestral scores that really elevate the feeling of awe behind the massive battles.



Fire Emblem Warriors is definitely a musou game first and foremost, but if you're into that style of gameplay and a fan of the Fire Emblem series, there is a LOT to love here. It's a much more balanced crossover than the Shin Megami Tensei/Fire Emblem crossover, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, and that will likely be a big relief to long time Fire Emblem fans. Class promotions and the weapon triangle are kept intact, and while there are some big Fire Emblem characters who I felt shouldn't have been omitted from the game, there's always a chance that they'll be added later in DLC, and the characters who were featured are big names from the most recent games - something to be expected, honestly. All in all, there are a few notable flaws in the game, but it's an extremely enjoyable experience and one that I highly recommend to Switch and New 3DS owners.

ElkinFencer10 wrote:

That floor texture though...

ElkinFencer10 wrote:Fire Emblem Warriors is definitely a musou game / it's an extremely enjoyable experience

How many musou games have you beaten before this one?

Exhuminator wrote:

ElkinFencer10 wrote:Fire Emblem Warriors is definitely a musou game / it's an extremely enjoyable experience

How many musou games have you beaten before this one?

Beaten? Dynasty Warriors 7, Hyrule Warriors, Hyrule Warriors Legends, and Hyperdimension Neptunia: Action Unleashed. I've played but never finished Warriors Orochi 3, Samurai Warriors 3, and some One Piece game.

1. Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour (PC)
2. Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter* (PC)
3. Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter (PC)
4. D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die (PC)
5. Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight (PC)
6. Deadcore (PC)
7. Yakuza 4 (PS3)
8. Hyper Light Drifter (PC)
9. Doom 2: Valiant (PC)
10. Resident Evil 7 (PS4)
10. Doom 2: Ancient Aliens (PC)
11. Doom 2: Vanguard (PC)
12. Doom 2: Doom 2 The Way id Did (PC)
13. Doom 2: Community Chest Pack 4 (PC)
14. Doom: Doom The Way id Did (PC)
15. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (PC)
16. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 (PC)
17. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (WiiU)
18. Dishonored 2 (PC)
19. Kirby's Dream Land (GB)
20. Kirby's Dream Land 2 (GB)
21. Super Mario Land (GB)
22. Super Mario Land 2 (GB)
23. Mighty Final Fight (NES)
24. Kirby's Dream Land 3 (SNES)
25. Trip World (GB)
26. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist (Genesis)
27. Aladdin (Genesis)
28. Streets of Rage (SMS)
29. Bare Knuckle (Genesis)
30. Bare Knuckle 2* (Genesis)
31. Bare Knuckle 3* (Genesis)
32. Marchen Adventure Cotton 100% (SNES)
33. Earthworm Jim* (Sega CD)
34. Ghouls'n Ghosts (Genesis)
35. Contra (NES)
36. Super C (NES)
37. Final Fight 2* (SNES)
38. Contra III: The Alien Wars (SNES)
39. Final Fight 3* (SNES)
40. Operation C (GB)
41. Contra Hard Corps [End B] (Genesis)
42. Mega Turrican (Genesis)
43. Prey (PC)
44. Dark Souls 3 DLC: Ashes of Ariandel & The Ringed City (PS4)
45. Spec Ops: The Line (PC)
46. System Shock Enhanced Edition (PC)
47. Tekken 7 (PS4)
48. Nier Automata [Platinum] (PS4)
49. Nier (B) (PS3)
50. Drakengard 3 (A-C) (PS3)
51. FEAR Extraction Point* (PC)
52. FEAR Perseus Mandate* (PC)
53. Transmissions: Element 120 (PC)
54. Ratchet & Clank (PS4)
55. Rise of the Tomb Raider (PS4)
56. Sonic CD* (PC)
57. Alan Wake* (PC)
58. Deus Ex* (PC)
59. Momodora III (PC)
60. Mega Man 7* (PS4, MMLC2)
61. Mega Man 8* (PS4, MMLC2)
62. Mega Man 9* (PS4, MMLC2)
63. Mega Man 10* (PS4, MMLC2)
64. Rockman & Forte* (SNES)
65. Mega Man Legends (PSX)
66. Sonic Mania (PC)
67. Mega Man Legends 2 (PSX)
68. Dishonored: Death of the Outsider (PC)
69. Yakuza 0 (PS4)
70. Metroid Samus Returns (3DS)
71. Blue Revolver (PC)
72. Caladrius Blaze (PC)
73. Crimson Clover World Ignition (PC)
74. Deathsmiles (PC)
75. Ikaruga* (PC)
76. Jamestown (PC)
77. Metal Slug (PC)
78. Metal Slug 3 (PC)
79. Metal Slug X (PC)
80. Mushihimesama (PC)
81. Dead Space* (PC)
82. AM2R* (PC)
83. Trouble Witches Origin (PC)
84. Blaster Master Zero (3DS)
85. Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds (3DS)
86. Dead Space 2* (PC)
87. Yoshi's Woolly World (WiiU)
88. Crash Bandicoot HD (PS4, NST)
89. Crash Bandicoot 2 HD (PS4, NST)
90. Crash Bandicoot 3 HD (PS4, NST)

* replay



That wraps up the whole original Crash trilogy! The N-Sane Trilogy is an amazing collection and bang for your buck. My plan going into this was just to have something simple to pass some time with while I focused on another game or two with so many big releases lately. I only planned on hitting up Crash 1 and taking this slowly saving the sequels for another time, as I did say the Sly collection, or the Ratchet & Clank trilogy, etc. Low and behold I was instantly hooked on Crash and blasted through each game, I could not put these dang things down and wanted more! None of them were that long, the replay value can be high if you want the collectibles and to master the levels in two forms: 1) getting all the boxes which can be pretty tough, and 2) time trials running through the levels. I was thinking about maybe going for the platinum on Crash 3 since it was the easiest of the three, but after realizing the relics I earned for the time trials I attempted was only the Bronze/Sapphire when you need Gold/Platinum for the trophies and some hidden levels, I said screw it for now haha. Blasting through the three games in a row was a crazy challenge in itself and I feel awesome conquering them.



For some context, I was an N64 kid to the core. But I was exposed to Crash Bandicoot 1 off and on as a kid, some friends had it and of course I saw the humorous commercials at the time. Ah, the days when mascots ruled the industry and console makes lovingly threw snark at one another. The funny thing is a lot of people knock on Crash himself and to that, I can tell you after beating the original three games, I still can't describe the character or stories... and it's entirely moot! It doesn't matter. Her's a furball that jumps and spins, in cool colorful worlds with vibrant levels and variety. That's all the backstory I wanted and cared for. There were tons of moments throughout these games that felt like SNES era Rare. I wouldn't even be surprised if Naughty Dog were influenced by Donkey Kong Country or something.



The Crash games hold up well for a 3D platformer from the 32bit era, because the games work on fixed static camera angles. An excellent modern comparison would be with Mario 3D Land/World, I have yet to play Land but absolutely loved World. The camera will pan around sometimes for some sidescrolling parts, which I absolutely loved. Frankly I'd love to see more 3D platformers like these or maybe have some to discover. The Crash design feels like it's nothing but pure NES tendencies at work. You need to get from point A to point B, and I just love that. Less is more! Crash doesn't try to be a ridiculous collectathon or riddle you with too much junk. The difficulty is also Contra level material. Crash has no health points whatsoever, aside from the occasional shield you MIGHT find in a level here and there. But besides that, you have to do everything perfectly. So the tension is constant and you must be precise in your deliberate platforming and dodging of enemies. The checkpoints are fair enough and you essentially do have infinite lives, though hitting a game over mid level will just force you back to the very beginning so you'll lose out on any checkpoint progress. I would say that Crash 2 is one of the hardest games I've beaten this year.



Vicarious Visions did an amazing job with this trilogy, remastering them from the ground up on a new engine. I still weirdly in a cool way got PSX vibes while playing these. They were drop dead gorgeous and some of the best looking games I've seen this gen, next to the newest Ratchet & Clank game. These random pictures from the net do not do it justice at all. Color goes such a long way. I never beat the original Crash 1 back in the day nor was I more than a casual fan, so I did not notice the intricate differences between the physics, but I don't think it really matters. So with my little exposure to Crash, straight up having never played 2-3 back in the day, I hope this is all a nice testament to how much fun this whole package was for me. The variety was consistent throughout the entire trilogy, with Crash 2 being the toughest of the bunch. It beefed up all the enemies and the levels got spacier, so your platforming had to be more precise. 3 introduced a few vehicle stages that admittedly aren't the best, but not a huge issue either. Also I really have to point out, in 2017 I have played a lot of platformers, both 2D/3D and any weird mixes in between, boss battles are sometimes really lazy in this genre, but wow the boss battles were really creative and cool in these with ideas I don't think we've ever seen again. For my money, I thought Jak & Daxter was terrible and could not stomach much of Jak 2 at all. The Crash games are infinitely better.

Beyond impressed, had a blast with this.

I will be honest, a lot of folks hyped up Woolly World. And it was great fun, easily the best Yoshi game since Yoshi's Island! But I kind of slept walk my way through the entire game and didn't have much to say when I beat it. Crash was the polar opposite and demanded skill, I had about 10x more fun with these. Now if I grab a Switch sometime soon I wonder if it will be weird going into Odyssey shortly after these, since that one sounds quite easy too haha.

Remember, challenge is not the point of Super Mario Odyssey, the exploration is.

Oh yeah, I know they shouldn't be compared and are different ultimately in the end haha.

Also don't want to make it sound like Crash = hard = GOOD! But I loved how tough and mechanically simple it was, pure bliss. I should get 3D Land sometime soon to get another Fixed Camera 3D Platformer fix.

Xeogred wrote:3D Land sometime soon

3D Land is legit fantastic.

If you're looking for a hard platfomer, I suggest one of these:

Games Beaten in 2017 So Far - 113
* denotes a replay

January (10 Games Beaten)


February (12 Games Beaten)


March (6 Games Beaten)


April (9 Games Beaten)


May (14 Games Beaten)


June (10 Games Beaten)


July (20 Games Beaten)


August (9 Games Beaten)


September (14 Games Beaten)


October (7 Games Beaten)


November (2 Games Beaten)


113. Sine Mora EX - Switch - November 2



Sine Mora EX was a bit of an impulse pre-order for me. I obviously love getting new retail Switch games to support the system and have something else to play on it, but I'd never heard of this particular game despite the fact that it's an enhanced port of an older game. What sold me was that it was advertised as a story driven shmup, something that I don't see very often. Although I suck at it, I'm a huge fan of the shmup genre, and having that with a legit story AND on the Switch was more than enough to sell me on it.



The first thing that stood out to be about Sine Mora was the visuals. The game is absolutely beautiful, and while that's expected to a certain extent from modern shmups, the environments and pseudo-2.5D perspective with regards to enemy spawns really impressed me. The bosses are also EXTREMELY well detailed and truly beautiful. They take place in multiple phases, and most of them have short transition scenes between the phases that move you around to a different side of the boss. It's a really well executed way to give a 2D game a feeling of three dimensional depth.



Unfortunately, the story failed to hold my attention. It's something about time travel, some empire of furries or something, and some dude trying to avenge his dead kid. That's about all I got from it. It's not brimming with clarity, and the story telling itself is a bit dry. The voice acting doesn't help - it feels rather dull and amateur. The story has potential - it's an interesting enough premise - but the execution leaves a lot to be desired.



Sine Mora EX is a stunningly beautiful and addictingly fun to play shmup that unfortunately falls a bit short with the attempt to deliver a compelling story. Fortunately, however, the gameplay and graphics are more than enough to make up for the lackluster story and meh voice acting. With the game's being available on a whole host of platforms, pretty much every gamer has access to the game on one system or another, and I definitely recommend it for shmup fans.