Community MetaRPG | Hurting. Longing. Dancing to disco music.

Arulan

Lizardman
Dec 7, 2018
538
1,877
93


  • Welcome to the new thread. Any and all feedback is appreciated!



  • This thread is for discussion of all RPGs.
  • What is an RPG? Scholars are working hard on solving the question.



  • On the 1st of every month I'll post a new topic of discussion.
  • This is merely to encourage discussion, not to limit it to a particular topic.
  • Feel free to suggest a topic!
 
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RionaaM

Vogon Poetry Appreciator
Sep 6, 2018
887
2,187
93
It's funny to see an Ys pic in the OT, given that I'm playing the SNES version of Ys 4 (with an English fan translation) at this very moment. I'm currently grinding to face the final boss, which I couldn't beat after several tries. Also stocked several healing items, and I also read a walkthrough for this and the previous boss, since I'm at the point where I really want the game to end (plus I had to check a guide for one specific key item I couldn't find anywhere, so once I've done it for the first time, I don't really mind using it again).
 

ShadowAUS

Swooping Is Bad
Feb 21, 2019
84
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Rural NSW
It's funny to see an Ys pic in the OT, given that I'm playing the SNES version of Ys 4 (with an English fan translation) at this very moment. I'm currently grinding to face the final boss, which I couldn't beat after several tries. Also stocked several healing items, and I also read a walkthrough for this and the previous boss, since I'm at the point where I really want the game to end (plus I had to check a guide for one specific key item I couldn't find anywhere, so once I've done it for the first time, I don't really mind using it again).
How are you finding Ys4? It's definitely not one of my favourite Ys games personally though I have a lot of love for the OST.
 

Kvik

Crossbell City Councillor
Dec 6, 2018
4,149
10,267
113
Downunder.
New thread smell. :02comfy:

I have two unfinished long-form impressions for Scarlet Grace and Fire Emblem 3H. Hopefully, I'll get around to posting it before summer is over. I'm currently working my way through the Dream Arena of Uta2. So I'll write about it as well at some point. :02dead:
 

RionaaM

Vogon Poetry Appreciator
Sep 6, 2018
887
2,187
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How are you finding Ys4? It's definitely not one of my favourite Ys games personally though I have a lot of love for the OST.
Just finished it! It's my least favorite so far. All the others I've played (1, 2 and Oath in Felghana on Steam, and emulated 3 on TurboGrafx-16) had some difficult puzzles and boss fights, but this is the first one that made me check a guide for a puzzle (couldn't find an item, however much I searched for it). I didn't dislike it, but it's kinda weak at times. Bosses were repetitive, and despite having used a guide for the final two, they weren't as hard as the other games in the series (not complaining here, I get frustrated when they kick my ass repeatedly). The music was good, yes, but that's a constant within the series. I also don't like not being able to move diagonally, it makes combat harder than it should be.

I'd only recommend this game if you're a completionist and wanna play them all. Which is my case, since I'm going to play the TG-16 version of 4 afterwards (read that it's better than the SNES one, hope that's true!), and then 5 on SNES. Again, all of these emulated with a fan translation, because they aren't available in English otherwise. Only then will I be free to jump into the remaining PC games, which I've already bought, in this order: 6, Origin, 7, Celceta, and 8.
 

ShadowAUS

Swooping Is Bad
Feb 21, 2019
84
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Just finished it! It's my least favorite so far. All the others I've played (1, 2 and Oath in Felghana on Steam, and emulated 3 on TurboGrafx-16) had some difficult puzzles and boss fights, but this is the first one that made me check a guide for a puzzle (couldn't find an item, however much I searched for it). I didn't dislike it, but it's kinda weak at times. Bosses were repetitive, and despite having used a guide for the final two, they weren't as hard as the other games in the series (not complaining here, I get frustrated when they kick my ass repeatedly). The music was good, yes, but that's a constant within the series. I also don't like not being able to move diagonally, it makes combat harder than it should be.

I'd only recommend this game if you're a completionist and wanna play them all. Which is my case, since I'm going to play the TG-16 version of 4 afterwards (read that it's better than the SNES one, hope that's true!), and then 5 on SNES. Again, all of these emulated with a fan translation, because they aren't available in English otherwise. Only then will I be free to jump into the remaining PC games, which I've already bought, in this order: 6, Origin, 7, Celceta, and 8.
Basically my thoughts as well. 5 is the best of the 3, 4, 5 generation so that will be fun. Unfortunately the superior PS2 version was never translated. What did you think of 3? It's a really divisive game in my experience.
 
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Arulan

Arulan

Lizardman
Dec 7, 2018
538
1,877
93
New thread smell. :02comfy:

I have two unfinished long-form impressions for Scarlet Grace and Fire Emblem 3H. Hopefully, I'll get around to posting it before summer is over. I'm currently working my way through the Dream Arena of Uta2. So I'll write about it as well at some point. :02dead:
I've heard a lot of very positive impressions about Scarlet Grace. It might be something I check out this year.
 
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RionaaM

Vogon Poetry Appreciator
Sep 6, 2018
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Basically my thoughts as well. 5 is the best of the 3, 4, 5 generation so that will be fun. Unfortunately the superior PS2 version was never translated. What did you think of 3? It's a really divisive game in my experience.
You mean the original 3? The side-scrolling gameplay was a weird change, no idea why they did that. It wasn't bad, but it kinda held the game back a little. Still, it didn't annoy me like 4 on SNES did at times. I enjoyed Felghana more, even if I hated some of the bosses in that game. But then again, what would an Ys game be if it didn't have bosses that make you hate them? I still have nightmares with the bat boss from the first one, haha.

Sadly I had a problem during the final dungeon of original 3. I saved at the bottom of an elevator shaft, and when I reloaded the save it resetted the elevator position, trapping me underneath. I was completely stuck, and couldn't get out. Just when I was about to quit the game forever (no way I'd replay it after all that time), I found a level password on the internet that put me right before the final boss. I checked a let's play to see what I missed, and it was just one boss (which for some reason seemed very similar to the last one I had fought). So while I claim to have finished this game, truth is I was forced to skip the second-to-last boss.
 

Gevin

Watch Madoka
Nov 16, 2018
1,046
3,194
113
I finished Ys VIII today (courtesy of Queen) and it was pretty good. I had no performance issues so bless Durante for doing an amazing job fixing the port
 

RionaaM

Vogon Poetry Appreciator
Sep 6, 2018
887
2,187
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After 8 years, I decided to go back to The Witcher 1 and continue my playthrough. I had stopped halfway through chapter 2, and as expected, I can barely remember anything. I'm standing in the middle of a small town inside a swamp, with no idea where to go. Luckily the quest log is way more detailed than I imagined, and it also shows character and monster descriptions. But after spending an hour setting up the Steam Controller and skimming through the quest logs, I'm burned out for the day. I do want to continue the game, but it'll have to be another day.
 

ShadowAUS

Swooping Is Bad
Feb 21, 2019
84
158
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26
Rural NSW
You mean the original 3? The side-scrolling gameplay was a weird change, no idea why they did that. It wasn't bad, but it kinda held the game back a little. Still, it didn't annoy me like 4 on SNES did at times. I enjoyed Felghana more, even if I hated some of the bosses in that game. But then again, what would an Ys game be if it didn't have bosses that make you hate them? I still have nightmares with the bat boss from the first one, haha.

Sadly I had a problem during the final dungeon of original 3. I saved at the bottom of an elevator shaft, and when I reloaded the save it resetted the elevator position, trapping me underneath. I was completely stuck, and couldn't get out. Just when I was about to quit the game forever (no way I'd replay it after all that time), I found a level password on the internet that put me right before the final boss. I checked a let's play to see what I missed, and it was just one boss (which for some reason seemed very similar to the last one I had fought). So while I claim to have finished this game, truth is I was forced to skip the second-to-last boss.
Yeah the side scrolling put a lot of people off, my bigger issue was the difficulty or lack thereof - OoF is a lot better. You're not missing anything by having to skip that boss haha.

After 8 years, I decided to go back to The Witcher 1 and continue my playthrough. I had stopped halfway through chapter 2, and as expected, I can barely remember anything. I'm standing in the middle of a small town inside a swamp, with no idea where to go. Luckily the quest log is way more detailed than I imagined, and it also shows character and monster descriptions. But after spending an hour setting up the Steam Controller and skimming through the quest logs, I'm burned out for the day. I do want to continue the game, but it'll have to be another day.
I would probably just restart W1 if it had been that long. The early parts of W1 are the worst parts (Chapter 2 is certainly not my favourite) but if you can push through there's a solid euro-jank gem under all the faults.
 

RionaaM

Vogon Poetry Appreciator
Sep 6, 2018
887
2,187
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Yeah the side scrolling put a lot of people off, my bigger issue was the difficulty or lack thereof - OoF is a lot better. You're not missing anything by having to skip that boss haha.


I would probably just restart W1 if it had been that long. The early parts of W1 are the worst parts (Chapter 2 is certainly not my favourite) but if you can push through there's a solid euro-jank gem under all the faults.
I enjoyed those first chapters a lot. Don't know why I stopped playing, since I was having fun and loving the story. It's just that I put 18 hours into the game, and don't want to have to do it all again.
 
Monthly - Favorite RPGs of the Decade - February 2020
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Arulan

Arulan

Lizardman
Dec 7, 2018
538
1,877
93


Our first monthly topic!

You can create an ordered list, limit your selections to a number, or just talk about one game. The format isn't important. The goal here is to have a discussion on the RPGs of the past decade we feel strongly about. BlueOdin Feel free to re-post your thoughts.

I think I'll always see the 2010s, specifically starting at 2013, as a new dawn for the genre. The decade or so prior had been marked with the closure of several CRPG developers such as Black Isle and Troika, and the decline of developers such as BioWare and Bethesda. There were a few highlights, such as the titles developed by Obsidian, but by in large it felt like a very depressing time. Then it all changed. Crowdfunding showed many developers that the audience for CRPGs and other genres outside of the mainstream were still very much there. Valve's decision to open the floodgates on Steam gave any developer the opportunity to publish their game on the largest platform in the world. These and other events have created a games industry where indie developers have flourished. There is more variety and quantity than ever before, and I'm often amazed at the quality of games that appear from first-time or relatively unknown developers. I'm really excited to see where it goes from here.

Feel free to share your own general impressions of the decade as well. I didn't touch on changes as it relates to JRPGs.

I'll follow-up with my own favorites over the coming days.
 

BlueOdin

Dec 3, 2018
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I feel the last decade was very strong. As someone who only really started to play videogames on a bigger scale for different reasons and saw RPGs as their genre of preference the 10's produced almost as much catch up for my increased means of income than the 90s.
 
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Arulan

Arulan

Lizardman
Dec 7, 2018
538
1,877
93
I still have to play Pathfinder: Kingmaker, but I'll probably support Wrath of the Righteous all the same. I've heard some very positive impressions of Kingmaker.
 
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BlueOdin

Dec 3, 2018
995
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In the same boat. Was able to snag an Early Supporter tier and looking forward to it. What I heard about Kingmaker is what compelled me despite never playing it.

But Wrath won’t come out until at least next year so it gives me time to play Kingmaker... maybe...
 

sauce

Babushkats
Dec 3, 2018
541
479
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My only regret for missing the vote for goty is that I couldn't cast one for SaGa Scarlet Grace. I have failed you, Urpina 😭
 
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BlueOdin

Dec 3, 2018
995
2,665
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Been playing Elex these past few days and really like it.

It's probably very unpatriotic from me and I bring my nation huge shame that the only Piranha Bytes game I played is Risen 2 (I liked it) and Gothic 2 with cheats when I was younger. To change that I decided to start Elex.

Game is ambitious but clearly made on a budget that probably was missing a 0 or two. You notice it here and there where some things look a bit rough and the foliage in the world could be a bit denser but nothing that bothers me too much. There is also the voice acting (playing it in German) which is pretty mediocre and reuses a lot of voice actors. Doesn't concern me too much because I read the subtitles and then skip the dialogue.
The designs are great, I like most of the quests so far and the dialogue is pretty good in them. I also like that npc behaviour changes depending on which order you do quests or speak to them. Designwise I also like the mix of sci-fi and fantasy and the use of colour is pleasing to me. The factions are interesting though I am definitly going to join the Clerics because the Berserkers are lame and the Outlaws just suck so much.
I also like the jetpack and I think it is a good decision that they give it you so early so you can get a nice feel for it. It enables some nice mobility options for the verticality. And it is also useful in getting around enemies which might kick your ass. And there are a lot of those in the world.

My only real two gripes are the protagonist and the combat system. I guess the bald gruff white guy is a staple at this point but to me it is kinda grating at this point. I hope they change it up in their next game though I could see some parts screaming in pure anger if that hapepens.
My other complaint is in the combat system. It has some good ideas with its combosystem of chaining light and heavy attacks together while at the same time charging a special attack you can put into your combo. There are also possibilites with the jetpack and ranged combat and magic. I had to use the phrase but while it uses good ideas it doesn't feel that good. It's deliberate but also unresponsive and sometimes I have no idea if my attack hits or won't sometimes. Direction is hard to control sometimes. Also hope that for their next game they get the time to polish the combat system a bit more.

I want to say they should get more budget but at the same time a lot of Elex works because of its jank. And I don't think they could be as ambitious with more money on the line.
 

EdwardTivrusky

Good Morning, Weather Hackers!
Dec 8, 2018
7,276
12,381
113
I've often voiced my love of PB/RP games and i'm glad to see more people giving ELEX a go and enjoying it. Sure it has some problems but i'm a fan of over-ambitious and under-budget games like this. The Risen series, especially the Pirate themed Risen 3, Two Worlds, Raven's Cry Vendetta, ELEX etc. I also want to give Spider's first game "Mars: War Logs" a go and finish Greedfall too.

One thing i will say about ELEX is don't spend points bit-by-bit as there's no gradient or scaling between values. It's more of a gate. So if a weapon needs 30 points in a stat and you have 25, wait until you get 5 more before investing them as you won't get any benefit by having 28 points.
 

Kvik

Crossbell City Councillor
Dec 6, 2018
4,149
10,267
113
Downunder.
The recent Vagrant Story 20th anniversary made me boot the game up again last night. The dialogue in the intro is just too good. It's one of those rare games which demands your attention from the get-go. I'm not sure if I'm going to continue on with the game since I already have so many other things to play, but maybe in the Autumn.
 

Oldschool PC

Junior Member
Nov 23, 2019
104
204
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This seems like it will be an unpopular opinion, but Piranha Bytes has fallen just as badly as Bethesda and Bioware ever since Mike Hoge left. It has little to do with budget, but a general lack of understanding on the finer details of what made the Gothic series awesome.

They get cut a lot of slack because they are underdogs, but rest assured that if Bioware made Elex, it would be considered worse than Andromeda.
 
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Alextended

Segata's Disciple
Jan 28, 2019
5,461
8,524
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Risen 1 was pretty good, if streamlined. Didn't like the others. Elex seemed more Risen 1 than those though so like they're returning to form. Could be wrong.

Of course people would pile on Bioware if they made it because their audience in recent times has been completely different to old school CRPG audience.
 

Oldschool PC

Junior Member
Nov 23, 2019
104
204
43
Risen 1 was good, but that's because Mike Hoge and other veterans were still working there. Only a single person is left remaining at Piranha Bytes that worked on the Gothic series, and he's not all that good in my opinion.

Elex was definitely better than Risen 2 and 3, but that's not saying much considering how awful those games were. The Gothic series is still unmatched.
 
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ShadowAUS

Swooping Is Bad
Feb 21, 2019
84
158
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26
Rural NSW
Risen 1 was good, but that's because Mike Hoge and other veterans were still working there. Only a single person is left remaining at Piranha Bytes that worked on the Gothic series, and he's not all that good in my opinion.

Elex was definitely better than Risen 2 and 3, but that's not saying much considering how awful those games were. The Gothic series is still unmatched.
Elex was pretty decent, I mean it's obviously budget but I enjoyed it and got quite a lot of play out of it - though I also have a high tolerance for jank. It's still nowhere near Gothic but I would put it on par with Risen 1 in enjoyment for me personally.

------

I've been a JRPG mood so I've loaded up Bravely Default for the first time since the week it released. It's currently my exercise bike game on 3DS so I should be able to finish it this time around as the backtracking shouldn't bother me overmuch when playing on autopilot.
 

BlueOdin

Dec 3, 2018
995
2,665
93
Finally at the point in Elex where I don't have to run away from everything anymore. Now I can point my plasmarifle at their feet and make them trip the whole time when they try to run to me.

About to join the Clerics because the Berserkers are boring and the Outlaws just suck so much. The Clerics have at least cool looking armor.

Probably going to start Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together and Scarlet Grace once I am done with Elex (and my bachelor thesis)
 

Ascheroth

Chilling in the Megastructure
Nov 12, 2018
5,119
11,978
113
I'm still playing Gujian 3 (in Act 3 now and things are getting intense).
I really really like the game a ton, but you do need a high tolerance for awkward english, lol.
 

Dandy

Bad at Games.
Apr 17, 2019
1,515
3,753
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Not a lot of activity recently, but nonetheless I'll be back after PAX East.

Baldur's Gate III!
Baldur's Gate is like the only thing I care about right now. Can't wait to see the reveal! Feels like Christmas.
 
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BlueOdin

Dec 3, 2018
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Finished Elex. Great game! Will now dive into Piranha Bytes backcatalogue this year and probably next year.

Started Final Fantasy XII. Again I should add because I played it on PS2 when it came to Europe but dropped it sometime. I am kinda torn on it. On the one hand it is RTwP which sucks. On the other hand the gambit system is great and (at least in the beginning) I can have the game on 2x speed and run through the areas doing jack shit. Which makes things faster and this game maybe not as much of a timesink.

Then there is Ivalice that is probably one of my favorite game settings because I adore Final Fantasy Tactics (Advance) so much. I also remember liking the character cast but I don't have every member yet. Though one character is from a design basically "Chewbacca but a sexy lady" so I don't think Matsuno's thoughtprocess was pretty close to "I want to fuck Chewbacca!" There are a lot of similarities to Star Wars that I didn't notice when I was younger but now just jump straight in my face.

What I am constantly struggling with is the camera. Some of the problems come down to playing the game mostly in 2x speed but even when I am running around in normal speed I have problems with it. It's too close to the character for my liking and controls not very well. But I guess that are some of the problems of a PS2 re-release. Then there is also Final Fantasy stuff like boss fights with no setup whatsoever. You just come to a point and because you are at the end of something there must be a boss fight I guess. Never was a fan of that. Numbers will probably get too big soon, too, so balancing is out of the window, too.

Need to play more of the game to comment on story.

Funnily enough I also started the 3DS version of DQVIII, the game I didn't buy back then on PS2 because I spent my money on FFXII. Didn't get it after that because I lost a bit of interest in JRPGs not named Pokemon. Apart from DQ1+2 it is the DQ that has grabbed me the least from the start so far. Something feels kinda off for me. Maybe I can put my finger on what exactly later on because otherwise I like it. The battle system is tried and true and I like their idea of spending the skill points.

Always something nice about playing a Dragon Quest.
 

Knurek

OG old coot
Oct 16, 2018
2,437
5,998
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Funnily enough I also started the 3DS version of DQVIII, the game I didn't buy back then on PS2 because I spent my money on FFXII. Didn't get it after that because I lost a bit of interest in JRPGs not named Pokemon. Apart from DQ1+2 it is the DQ that has grabbed me the least from the start so far. Something feels kinda off for me.
You can probably sense the game was developed by certified shitty jRPG developer called Level 5.
 
Dec 5, 2018
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Since last week I've been playing SaGa Scarlet Grace.
The questions at the begining gave me Bal (which AFAIK it's the most "linear" character), His story doesn't seem to have much going for it but the game is still interesting.

It took me a few deaths and some trail and error to understand the battle system but it eventually clicked and now I'm enjoying it a lot.
 
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Arulan

Arulan

Lizardman
Dec 7, 2018
538
1,877
93
Between slow activity and a lack of motivation on my part this thread has withered away. We'll see where it goes from here.

In the meantime, I'll continue to post here when I have something to share RPG-related, such as...



I found this to be a good read. He references a lot of fantastic dungeons.
 

Rosenkrantz

Once Punched Man
Apr 22, 2019
1,020
2,306
113
Between slow activity and a lack of motivation on my part this thread has withered away. We'll see where it goes from here.

In the meantime, I'll continue to post here when I have something to share RPG-related, such as...



I found this to be a good read. He references a lot of fantastic dungeons.
Great read. I wish I was capable of formulating my thoughts on RPGs half as good as Felipe. That dig at Mass Effect tho, BioWare isn't going to recover any time soon.
 
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Arulan

Arulan

Lizardman
Dec 7, 2018
538
1,877
93
I've started playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance again. It has been a long time coming. I've been wanting to do a Hardcore campaign with all of the DLCs (that I didn't see last time) for a while now.

It's up there with The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Gothic I & II, and Fallout: New Vegas as one of my favorite open-world RPGs. The game goes to great lengths in its simulation and quest design to make you believe in its world. I'm hesitant to say immersion, as I feel it's used so often to lack the meaning I want to convey, but it's an incredibly immersive RPG.

It also looks fantastic!





 
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texhnolyze

Child at heart
Oct 19, 2018
3,581
8,584
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Indonesia
Trudogard releases today. Give ATOM a try if you haven't. It even has controller support now!



In other news, Colony Ship is shaping up nicely for EA release. They've just updated the demo which I remember I haven't really gave a fair chance.
 
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Arulan

Arulan

Lizardman
Dec 7, 2018
538
1,877
93
That isn't what that is. They are teasing a games showcase that is happening in lieu of E3. They might show Disco there though? Maybe!
That's what it looks like. Still, I'm hoping we'll hear about the Disco Elysium DLC soon.

I finished the first half of A Woman's Lot DLC for Kingdom Come: Deliverance. I really enjoyed it. Getting to play that part of the game from Theresa's perspective was really interesting, and they flesh out a lot of the characters in your home village.
 
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BlueOdin

Dec 3, 2018
995
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Playing Gothic 2 currently for real this time after a short time with it during school. Had a bit of a rough start with it because leveling up took longer than in Gothic 1 and everything kicked my ass even more. Part of it was my character building but others is the combat calculations which can be pretty brutal and really frustrating. Mainly because enemies can crit pretty often which results in being one-shotted out of nothing.

But I just joined the mercenaries which is probably one of the first tipping points if other PB games are anything to go by.

But I really like it. Quickly becomes one of my favorite (and essentia) rpgs and might become one of the games that I replay every (year). Then probably with mods beyond the fixes. I currently have the D3D11 renderer installed and will probably remove it. Just wanted to see how it looks like. Looks alright. The rain effect is a choice though. Funnily enough it makes the game look how I remember it looking with more dense foliage and more saturated colours.
For future runs I might also look into the MiniMod Balance which changes some things like removing the increase in learning points which came with NotR

Even more so with Gothic 2 than with Gothic 1 or Elex it is more fascinating playing it in German. Usually play my games in English for various reasons but since Gothic 1+2 is pretty integral to videogames in Germany (at least anecdotally) I play it in German. Can’t quite describe it but reading „Zum Großbauern“ and „Zur Taverne“ as videogame as videogame directions as intended instead of just being a translation is a new feeling to me.

It should also be said that Gothic 2 is even more diverse in its game population than Gothic 1. While the main population is still white it is still refreshing seeing black and arabic characters when some new European RPGs can’t handle that. Even Elex had only one black character iirc.