Gaming Forums => Nintendo Gaming => Topic started by: KDR_11k on April 09, 2010, 03:11:54 PM
Title: Could use some decision help
Post by: KDR_11k on April 09, 2010, 03:11:54 PM
I'm undecided between FFCC Crystal Bearer, Sakura Wars, Fragile Dreams and Rune Factory, really can't decide which one to try. Though it seems that Fragile Dreams has disappeared from store shelves (was there a recall or has that really sold out?) so maybe the decision will be easier.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: ShyGuy on April 09, 2010, 04:37:44 PM
I haven't played any of those, so I recommend Red Steel 2.
-FFCC2 seems to have been a disappointment, which surprises me. -I don't know anything about Sakura Wars. -Fragile looks like a good adventure game and I will probably get it some day. -I hear Rune Factory is like a Fantasy RPG version of Harvest Moon.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: KDR_11k on April 09, 2010, 05:12:14 PM
-I hear Rune Factory is like a Fantasy RPG version of Harvest Moon.
I guess that's a good way to explain it. Like a mix of Harvest Moon and a dungeon crawler, to be more exact. For one who likes Harvest Moon it'd be a safe bet, there is a lot to do in the game. I haven't played the other games so I can't really comment on the topic at hand, though.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on April 09, 2010, 06:44:52 PM
I like FFCC, Fragile, and RFF for different reasons.
Never touched Sakura Wars franchise.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: ejamer on April 09, 2010, 10:34:07 PM
For the most entertainment value, I'd recommend Rune Factory. That game can swallow days of playing time if it appeals to you.
But Fragile Dreams is probably the game that interests me most. Even if it is a flawed adventure, the game just looks so eerily beautiful that I'm drawn to it.
FFCC: Crystal Bearers looks interesting enough, but I'm waiting for a price drop. Frankly I'd be surprised if it isn't selling for under $30 before then end of the year... and that's is a better fit for "how much" I want the game.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: broodwars on April 09, 2010, 10:52:02 PM
Looks like I'll be the one to chime in on Sakura Wars: it's really good, but it's a classic example of a "guide game." If you're not following some sort of walkthrough or whatnot, you kind of screw yourself over since your responses in the dialogue sequences (which can be very random) determine how powerful your teammates are. The game's designed for multiple playthroughs, as the game simply does not give you enough time to just explore various locations and dialogue possibilities for maximum efficiency on your first playthrough. The game also has some severe pacing issues: there's a distinct "adventure game" side with seas of static images and text (see: Phoenix Wright), and there's a distinct "battle" side with turn-based strategy not dissimilar from Valkyria Chronicles (which this team also made). In my opinion, the two halves do not gel together very well, with the adventure side tending to drag endlessly for periods before the game finally switches to the chapter's given battle. This is a very niche game, but if you're considering buying a Harvest Moon game as an alternative you might be the audience for the game. Just be prepared: this game is wacky. I'm talking Gatekeepers or Vandread-style wacky (which, personally, I find charming. If you're going to be silly, by all means go all the way).
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: NWR_insanolord on April 10, 2010, 12:09:40 AM
Rune Factory. As I always say, "When in doubt, go with Harvest Moon."
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: BeautifulShy on April 10, 2010, 12:16:42 AM
Well KDR it is really up to you on what type of game you want to try out. Sakura Wars is a mix of a dating sim and a strategy game. Rune Factory Frontier a mix of Havest Moon and a dungeon crawler. Fragile Dreams is a action RPG with an emphisis on exploration. The Crystal Bearers is a RPG that has some interesting game mechinics such as Telekensis.
What type of game do you want to play?
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: KDR_11k on April 10, 2010, 02:03:06 AM
I know what the games are about but I can't decide which one to go for.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on April 10, 2010, 02:06:36 AM
Maxi, CRYSTAL BEARERS IS NOT AN RPG.
It's like Zelda meets Boom Blox.
Christ, I should hurry and make some gameplay videos.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on April 10, 2010, 02:07:02 AM
I know what the games are about but I can't decide which one to go for.
Find another hobby and save some money for the meantime?
I vote this. Wait, do you have No More Heroes 2 yet?
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on April 10, 2010, 06:28:29 AM
Not out in the EU yet.
...right?
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: KDR_11k on April 10, 2010, 06:58:49 AM
Dunno, might come soon but I'm not even a third into NMH1 and honestly don't like it much. For comparison I found God of War meh and that's supposed to be the greatest game that genre has ever seen.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: Stratos on April 10, 2010, 03:36:01 PM
This reminds me that I have FFCCCB (...lol...) still sitting unplayed on my shelf. Go with RFF or FFCC I say. I got turned off of Sakura Wars when I watched the trailer.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: KDR_11k on April 11, 2010, 06:29:03 AM
Heh, Amazon says buying RFF, SW and FD together is common.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: ShyGuy on April 11, 2010, 04:33:10 PM
I think Fragile was the unanimous choice here, right?
Wait, can you get Cursed Mountain? Deep Silver is gone so this will be a collectable.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: KDR_11k on April 11, 2010, 04:41:49 PM
I'm seeing the PC version of Cursed Mountain everywhere, not sure about the Wii version but I'm not very interested in it.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: TJ Spyke on April 11, 2010, 04:58:26 PM
Deep Silver is gone so this will be a collectable.
They are still around, only their Vienna, Austria based studio (Deep Silver Vienna) shut down. In fact, they just published a game last week (Prison Break: The Conspiracy for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3).
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: noname2200 on April 12, 2010, 12:57:35 PM
Rune Factory Frontier is my second-most favorite game, but I didn't like it as much as Rune Factory 2, which you've already played. I haven't played any of the others, though, so RFF may still be the best game on the list.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: KDR_11k on April 12, 2010, 01:00:38 PM
It was Red Steel 2 I played, not Rune Factory. I decided to go the weird route though and picked up Sakura Wars just because it seems like a weirdass game.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: ejamer on April 12, 2010, 02:07:37 PM
It was Red Steel 2 I played, not Rune Factory. I decided to go the weird route though and picked up Sakura Wars just because it seems like a weirdass game.
Let us know what you think of the game! It seems to be getting widely mixed reviews, but certainly looks interesting (and weird) enough.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: KDR_11k on April 12, 2010, 03:47:43 PM
The first two impressions were, in order, "stretching 4:3 graphics to widescreen? Seriously?" and "why are the main character's lines not voiced in segments where all other lines are?" He has a voice in the movie sequences so it's not a case of wanting to keep the voice undefined.
So far it's been almost entirely dialogue but that's expected, had one battle so far. Dialog options seem very right-and-wrong, you get a noise telling you how well you answered... I figure messing that up is part of the gameplay so I won't save scum it (besides you can only save at predefined checkpoints, it's no Phoenix Wright).
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: Mop it up on April 12, 2010, 05:44:35 PM
I'm surprised that IGN didn't knock points off Sakura Wars for being a port of a five-year-old game. Oh well, I'm sure GameSpot will come through.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: broodwars on April 12, 2010, 06:51:09 PM
I'm surprised that IGN didn't knock points off Sakura Wars for being a port of a five-year-old game. Oh well, I'm sure GameSpot will come through.
They'd have to do the same for the PS2 version as well, which scored very well. It can't be helped the Sega refused to bring that game over here for 5 years. They did note, though, that it isn't the greatest port given some framerate issues (which I can't speak for, since I bought the PS2 version).
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: KDR_11k on April 13, 2010, 02:03:08 AM
There's some slowdown when there's tons of alpha on the screen but that's not surprising, every system slows down when that happens.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: noname2200 on April 13, 2010, 03:19:24 PM
It was Red Steel 2 I played, not Rune Factory. I decided to go the weird route though and picked up Sakura Wars just because it seems like a weirdass game.
:-[
Reading comprehension: Not my strong suit!
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: KDR_11k on April 13, 2010, 03:50:29 PM
Hell, I believe they didn't even release RF2 here.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: KDR_11k on April 22, 2010, 10:57:59 AM
*sigh*
I'm slowly inching forward in Sakura Wars and that more out of a sense of duty after I spent all that money on it (I've just started chapter 4). It really doesn't grab me, never makes me wonder what's going to come next or think "I really want to play more of that". So far most answers were too easy, just pick the most clichéd one and you're going to make the most people happy. Combat was similarly easy so far, just walk up to the nearest enemy and bash its head in (and avoid charging ahead with Shinjiro against bosses). The chapter plot will automatically give the chapter's main NPC full motivation and a friendship boost, no matter how much you annoyed them before (I had Cheiron completely pissed off during her chapter but the resolution made the game tag her as my most favored NPC). The only part of the story I cared about so far was the trial and that was because it was all dependent on finding the right evidence to present, not just an automatic victory. The rest is just so uninteresting because it rarely means anything for you, a new evil guy announced? Who cares? Doing a photo challenge to get yet another drawing of one of the NPCs? Who cares? It just fails to build up any form of interest in what's going to happen next, there's no overarching plot present so far to drive things along (just the bad guys talking the usual bad guy talk about summoning their lord but all that means to me is beating up the guy they send out this chapter).
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: ShyGuy on April 22, 2010, 11:42:30 AM
Should have gotten Fragile.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: broodwars on April 22, 2010, 11:50:45 AM
I'm slowly inching forward in Sakura Wars and that more out of a sense of duty after I spent all that money on it (I've just started chapter 4). It really doesn't grab me, never makes me wonder what's going to come next or think "I really want to play more of that". So far most answers were too easy, just pick the most clichéd one and you're going to make the most people happy. Combat was similarly easy so far, just walk up to the nearest enemy and bash its head in (and avoid charging ahead with Shinjiro against bosses). The chapter plot will automatically give the chapter's main NPC full motivation and a friendship boost, no matter how much you annoyed them before (I had Cheiron completely pissed off during her chapter but the resolution made the game tag her as my most favored NPC). The only part of the story I cared about so far was the trial and that was because it was all dependent on finding the right evidence to present, not just an automatic victory. The rest is just so uninteresting because it rarely means anything for you, a new evil guy announced? Who cares? Doing a photo challenge to get yet another drawing of one of the NPCs? Who cares? It just fails to build up any form of interest in what's going to happen next, there's no overarching plot present so far to drive things along (just the bad guys talking the usual bad guy talk about summoning their lord but all that means to me is beating up the guy they send out this chapter).
Judging by my recent viewings of the Sakura Wars TV series and movie, that's pretty much what the entire franchise is like. It's a dating system that just happens to have battle system. It's simple, but I enjoy it. I'm not playing it at the moment because I just got Shadow Hearts Covenant in, but I do want to get back to it.
If it makes you feel any better, my birthday's on Wednesday and I did ask for Fragile as a gift (and Wii Sports Resort, for that matter...mostly to get a Motion + and play some basketball). So Fragile likely got a sale anyway. ;)
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: Stratos on April 23, 2010, 04:10:53 AM
I'm slowly inching forward in Sakura Wars and that more out of a sense of duty after I spent all that money on it (I've just started chapter 4). It really doesn't grab me, never makes me wonder what's going to come next or think "I really want to play more of that". So far most answers were too easy, just pick the most clichéd one and you're going to make the most people happy. Combat was similarly easy so far, just walk up to the nearest enemy and bash its head in (and avoid charging ahead with Shinjiro against bosses). The chapter plot will automatically give the chapter's main NPC full motivation and a friendship boost, no matter how much you annoyed them before (I had Cheiron completely pissed off during her chapter but the resolution made the game tag her as my most favored NPC). The only part of the story I cared about so far was the trial and that was because it was all dependent on finding the right evidence to present, not just an automatic victory. The rest is just so uninteresting because it rarely means anything for you, a new evil guy announced? Who cares? Doing a photo challenge to get yet another drawing of one of the NPCs? Who cares? It just fails to build up any form of interest in what's going to happen next, there's no overarching plot present so far to drive things along (just the bad guys talking the usual bad guy talk about summoning their lord but all that means to me is beating up the guy they send out this chapter).
Nice to know my instinct was right about this game. It is totally not up my alley.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: noname2200 on April 23, 2010, 01:10:33 PM
Hmm, that's unfortunate. I liked Valkyria Chronicles, so I'd had hopes for this one. Pity.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: KDR_11k on April 23, 2010, 02:16:15 PM
The combat system seems nice in theory but in practice it feels like the only approach is to clobber anything in range. Then again that's a complaint I have against many SRPGs.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: Mop it up on April 23, 2010, 04:38:25 PM
I was considering buying Sakura Wars if I found it cheap since I like to try different types of games, but if that description is accurate then I may not bother.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: KDR_11k on April 23, 2010, 04:49:25 PM
Well, beat Ep4, the fights were still too easy, the gimmicks don't come through at all. In the first one there were flying generators dropping poison and the poison had to be defeated within 3 turns of spawning but it didn't matter that much, you can let three (out of four) of 'em expire and even then you can still clean it up with the super move of your new and highly motivated (increased movement points) character. The boss fight is a trial and error affair, the first time I got obliterated while figuring out the boss's abilities, the second time I moved slowly, focus firing on the heavy weapons (the boss only had two and one didn't cover the area you could attack it from, easy pickings) and defenders, leaving him crippled and unable to attack since even the heavy weapons died without getting an attack out. Then it was just a matter of leisurely picking off the weak point (yeah, there was some gimmick involved but again taking it slow and focus firing will prevent that from dealing any damage).
The game isn't bad but it doesn't try to keep you involved either.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: noname2200 on April 24, 2010, 07:42:07 PM
Thanks, you saved me $30. I picked up Monster Hunter instead.
Title: Re: Could use some decision help
Post by: Stratos on April 24, 2010, 08:12:33 PM
