What game are you playing? Cont.

[Skeen]

I've been playing Tales of Hearts R while recovering from surgery but to be honest I am sooooooo high on meds I have no idea what the plot is.  I think I broke something and I'm trying to fix it? 

Lol, but do you ever reeeeally know what the plot is in a Tales game? I don't think I can remember the plots of any of the ones I have played. Here's my synopsis of Tales of Graces F: (weird spoilers!)

Spoiler

You and a bunch of friends had a picnic when you were kids and you all remember it really well. Then one of your friends (whose name you never really knew because she didn't know her name) might have died and another one disappeared/went crazy/became crown prince. Then your brother is adopted out to another family for some reason. When you grow up, you find out that your brother hates you, your prince friend is now Howl from Howl's Moving Castle and he's playing the part of Hamlet because he has to kill his uncle, and the nameless girl is still alive. Also, between childhood and adulthood you apparently didn't keep very good touch with your girlfriend. Then, because you didn't have enough friends for a proper RPG, you meet some random strangers and agree to let them follow you around and, guess what?! They're useful to the plot somehow! One of them is some sort of ancient alien, even!

Okay, I think that's all I remember of the plot. That's a surprisingly large amount of plot that I do remember, actually! And I was only on mild opiates when I played that game. Point being: Tales games (and most major J-RPG franchises) have really, really weird storylines.

Now I need to go back and finish playing Tales of Symphonia before I completely forget what was going on in that game...

I LOLed because I actually DO remember the plot to Graces because it was so WEIRD.  But now that you mention it, all the more recent Tales games (Graces, Versperia, Hearts, Xillia, Xillia 2, Zestiria, Abyss remake) have had really long involved plots that just seem so STUPID.  The entire planet seems populated by idiots who never go outside their villages, kings who suck because reasons, the church which sucks because reasons, and spirits that hate humans.  There's never any deep, believable interaction between ANY of the various factions, and the whole world feels ignorant and half-formed.  Like, you discover an entire continent or something and people are all, "Oh that's cool.  I'm gonna go pick carrots now."  The plot doesn't need to be complex, but the world maybe should take it up a few notches! 

It's like, look.  It's a Tales game.  All it needs is a protagonist, spirits, gels, and the Wonder Chef.  Don't reinvent the wheel guys, just let me wail on a bad guy and occasionally pick up a summon spirit.  The more you try to cram in the less it feels like a Tales game.  Zestiria could have been ANY other game out there.  Even the parties are always the same.  Happy-go-lucky cool or under pressure protagonist, protagonist's best friend, whiny spoiled girl with annoying voice love interest desperate to prove she can do anything a boy can that you take along because why not, Hot Chick (sometimes WAY too young to be the Hot Chick but is anyway), Old Guy, child you'd never take on an adventure ever because they're like 5, mysterious emotionless teenager voiced by Tara Strong.   

That said, I LOVED Xillia 2.  It is now my favorite Tales, with Eternia in 2nd place. 

[Flarewing]

My copy of Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness arrived today!

[ringwraith10]

That said, I LOVED Xillia 2.  It is now my favorite Tales, with Eternia in 2nd place. 

I haven't played Xillia 2 yet. Man, I am really far behind when it comes to playing Tales games. But yeah, the Tales games have a formula just like the Final Fantasy games have a formula -- and they don't feel the need to create a coherent plot as long as they are following The Formula!

[Skeen]

That said, I LOVED Xillia 2.  It is now my favorite Tales, with Eternia in 2nd place. 

I haven't played Xillia 2 yet. Man, I am really far behind when it comes to playing Tales games. But yeah, the Tales games have a formula just like the Final Fantasy games have a formula -- and they don't feel the need to create a coherent plot as long as they are following The Formula!

It was MUCH better than Xillia, I thought.  I loved it so much I tracked down the replica pocketwatch that came with the deluxe edition.  As Ludger, you make choices at key moments in the game, and they influence the other characters/plot.  And you can do side quests for each of the other characters, which really helped flesh out their roles.  AND, it's all the Xillia 1 characters PLUS Gaius and Muzet!  I especially loved Kitty Dispatch - your character's fat housecat accompanies the party and you can send him to explore areas you've already been to, and he will bring back items for you.  And since you're searching for 100 other missing kitties, the more kitties you find the better the items your cat will bring back.  As a crazy cat lady, this really appealed to me.   

[flyawayraven]

Been alternating between Sunless Sea and Stardew Valley. I usually swap to Stardew Valley as a reality check after binging on Sunless Sea.

[ringwraith10]

Been alternating between Sunless Sea and Stardew Valley. I usually swap to Stardew Valley as a reality check after binging on Sunless Sea.

Haha, you totally need a reality check after you've been playing Sunless Sea. Do you also play Fallen London? I've been playing that for a few years and was so excited when Sunless Sea came out!

[flyawayraven]

Been alternating between Sunless Sea and Stardew Valley. I usually swap to Stardew Valley as a reality check after binging on Sunless Sea.

Haha, you totally need a reality check after you've been playing Sunless Sea. Do you also play Fallen London? I've been playing that for a few years and was so excited when Sunless Sea came out!

Yes I do! I only started playing Fallen London last week so I'm still exploring. I eventually want to get into the really long quest chains but for now I'm having a great time just doing the beginner stories.

[Kanchii]

I just started playing Dragonquest: Origins! I love it so far! Now I see why my friends have all been obsessed with it for so many years. I decided to start with the original, since that way I can play all three of the games, and plus this one is so old it was only like $6 at my local game stop lol.

[ladybastilla]

I just started playing Dragonquest: Origins! I love it so far! Now I see why my friends have all been obsessed with it for so many years. I decided to start with the original, since that way I can play all three of the games, and plus this one is so old it was only like $6 at my local game stop lol.

Dragon Age is one of my favorite series and Origins is fantastic. Have fun!

I'm trying to decide what I want to buy at the Steam sale before it ends tomorrow. I know I am going to get RPG Maker MV and possibly RPG Maker VX Ace, Tabletop Simulator, the Borderlands package that has all the games, and possibly the Bioshock triple pack they have on for $10. I have $150-200 saved for the sale, so my main concern is really making sure I pick things that I will actually play.

[sparkykandy]

Playing Mystic Messenger right now.  (It's an otome mobile app game.)  Gah, this game.  I just finished Yoosung's route, and I think I would have died if I played the his route the way it's intended to be played.  (The idea is that you play it in real-time.) 

Anyways, I'm taking a mini-break from the game right now.  Yoosung's route was a roller coaster of emotions, and I need a mini mental health break. 

[BlackCurtains]

Addicted to Slime Rancher again.

[Sugar]

A bunch of little games and apps, mostly - I really enjoy Hatoful Boyfriend (ayup, the bird-dating sim), Seeker's Notes: Mysteries of Darkwood (hidden objects and puzzles, plus collecting stuff - I'm in!), and I just started playing Dream City: Metropolis, which is like a cute and free Sim City kind of.

I also started playing Rodeo Stampede, which is satisfying every urge three year-old me ever had of riding on the back of every zoo animal ever.   Srsly, though, it's fun and faster-paced than games I usually enjoy, plus a neat look reminiscent of Minecraft (a bit) and a lot of cute animals!

Also enthusiastically boosting the Dragon Age love - those games rock!  (Partial to Origins, especially.)

[BlackCurtains]

Hatoful Boyfriend is brilliant

[Matcha]

Overwatch has ruined my life ):

[Violet CLM]

I've been playing Downwell long enough to reach (but not beat) the boss on hard mode. Also I started a liveblog of LiEat, not sure when I'll do episode 2 of that but someday.