Soooooo what'cha playing?

[DragonFlames]

4 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

Also, Please do get the Conquest Ending before you move on to R;B3. You have to experience it like all of us did

I'm definitely planning on getting every ending at some point.

How come Re;Birth 2 is so low for you?

Also, Armagon, you, and I totally hijacked this thread, didn't we?

Edited June 27, 2019 by DragonFlames

[Armagon]

39 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

I remember it has something to do with the joke ending, which among other things requires you to rest 10 times in total

Well i've definitely used rest more than 10 times so if that's a requirement, i already have it.

39 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

There are certain materials you can only gather during certain months of a year (luckily, none of those are needed for fulfilling objectives for the Alchemyriddle) and there's a festival in Arland during December, where you're able to buy otherwise incredibly rare materials, sometimes even mini-boss drops.

Ah, the December festival. Atelier Rorona had it too. So basically, December is the most important date of the year. 

39 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

Really? I had to unlock the advanced objectives chapter by chapter. Maybe the PS4 version is different in that way, or you already did the basic objectives without realizing it?

I don't see why the PS4 and Switch versions would be different. The only differences i know of is that the Switch version is very slightly inferior on the technical side of things.

But no, i didn't have the basic objectives unlocked already. Maybe it's a chapter-by-chapter case.

39 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

I also liked the Makers a lot in this game (with the exception of Red and IF)

Oof. 

Hopefully you grow to like her again, otherwise you might have to skip out on Superdimension Neptune because, despite the game's title, that's IF's spin-off game.

39 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

I know they were meant to be jokes, maybe they were meant to be annoying, too, but Underling and Warechu were easily the worst part of the game for me. Fingers crossed that they don't return in Re;Birth 3.

Big oof

If it makes you feel better, the Warechu of ReBirth 3 isn't the same one as the one in ReBirth 2. I'd argue ReBirth 3 Warechu is funnier.

39 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

I'm also not sure how I feel about Kei, honestly. While I like the idea of there being an aide for the CPUs, and Chika, and Mina - especially Mina - were entertaining and likeable, Kei didn't click with me, to be honest.

Same. And it turns out, nobody remembers Kei anyway.

7 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

(i rate the Nep games as followed: R;B1 8/10, R;B2 6.5/10, R:B3 7/0, MegaNep 8.5/10)

For me, it's:

• ReBirth 1: 8/10
• ReBirth 2: 7/10
• ReBirth 3: 8/10
• Megadimension: 8.5/10

I actually don't think i've given any Nep game a 9/10 or higher, even though it's my 3rd favorite JRPG series. Mainly because dungeon design is still objectively the worst part of the series, even if they have been getting better at it.

Edit: yeah DragonFlames, we totally hijacked this thread. This would've been better for the General JRPG thread but that thread's long been dead. 

Edited June 27, 2019 by Armagon

[Shrimpica]

10 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

Also, Armagon, you, and I totally hijacked this thread, didn't we?

The Nep Train can not be stopped.

 

10 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

How come Re;Birth 2 is so low for you?

The candidates didn't really click with me (until Megadimension, were they really grew on me). Nepgear can not be compared with Neptune as a protag at all imho. Not that Nepgear is a bad character, but Neptune is an amazing protagonist. The Backstory of the CPUs being nonexistant (since it being a different continuity and all) also annoyed me. How/Why are they so close? Did something similiar to R;B1 happen? Those and other questions were in my mind all the time. The Candidates getting closer also felt like a knock off of Nep's Journey in R;B1. Makers kinda getting shafted compared to R;B1 was also a small annoyance. Also, Underling and Warechu.

Also, the grind for the true End was atrocious. In R;B1 it was like 30 Minutes of colloseum fights that also gave me awesome items so it felt rewarding. In R;B2 the Share and lily grind did take me atleast 4-5 hours, which annoyed me to no end.

8 minutes ago, Armagon said:

I'd argue ReBirth 3 Warechu is funnier.

Umo yeah. His Arguements with Arfoire are amazing haha

8 minutes ago, Armagon said:

I actually don't think i've given any Nep game a 9/10 or higher

I almost rated Megadimension 9/10, but the lack of difficulty  (since the R;B games are relatively difficult, especially with fortify enemies on) or a difficulty option, annoyed me a bit. (Atleast Quest bosses and some Story bosses were still pretty damn tough). I knew neps isn't about difficulty and all, but i do enjoy me some challenge.

8 minutes ago, Armagon said:

ainly because dungeon design is still objectively the worst part of the series, even if they have been getting better at it.

if Death end re;quest is anything to go by, they aren'T rehashing dungeons anymore. Tbf though DERQ is a much shorter game then Neps and you had like a total of 7 or 8 dungeons iirc (which is less then the number of New Dungeons in MegaNep lol)

Edited June 27, 2019 by Shrimperor

[DragonFlames]

8 minutes ago, Armagon said:

But no, i didn't have the basic objectives unlocked already. Maybe it's a chapter-by-chapter case.

Could be. I remember fulfilling objectives from later chapters without realizing it at one point, so I figured it might be the same case for you. But maybe sometimes, the advanced objectives are unlocked along with the chapter itself.

8 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Oof. 

Hopefully you grow to like her again, otherwise you might have to skip out on Superdimension Neptune because, despite the game's title, that's IF's spin-off game.

I will like her if she stops being a jerk, like in the first half of Re;Birth 1. She could also do with a little more defense.

8 minutes ago, Armagon said:

If it makes you feel better, the Warechu of ReBirth 3 isn't the same one as the one in ReBirth 2. I'd argue ReBirth 3 Warechu is funnier.

This does make me feel better, actually.

8 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Same. And it turns out, nobody remembers Kei anyway.

She has at least the funny scene with CFW Brave going for her. Which is probably the only thing I will remember her for if she stops appearing in future titles.

8 minutes ago, Armagon said:

I actually don't think i've given any Nep game a 9/10 or higher, even though it's my 3rd favorite JRPG series. Mainly because dungeon design is still objectively the worst part of the series, even if they have been getting better at it.

Honestly, the repeated dungeons didn't bother me that much. I noticed it, sure, but I'd be lying if I said it annoyed me.

2 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

The candidates didn't really click with me (until Megadimension, were they really grew on me). Nepgear can not be compared with Neptune at all imho. The Backstory of the CPUs being nonexistant (since it being a different continuity and all) also annoyed me. How/Why are they so close? Did something similiar to R;B1 happen? Those and other questions were in my mind all the time. The Candidates getting closer also felt like a knock off of Nep's Journey in R;B1. Makers kinda getting shafted compared to R;B1 was also a small annoyance

Also, the grind for the true End was atrocious. In R;B1 it was like 30 Minutes of colloseum fights that also gave me awesome items so it felt rewarding. In R;B2 the Share and lily grind did take me atleast 4-5 hours, which annoyed me to no end.

Understandable.
Yeah, the grind for Lilly Ranks and especially Shares can get tedious, that's true. I used it as a way to try different team combinations and give everyone a chance to show their stuff, as Nep-Nep would say. Though I gotta say, even despite the grinding, Re;Birth 2 felt a lot shorter than Re;Birth 1, which may or may not be connected to the fact that Re;Birth 2 has a crapload of endings.

[Shrimpica]

14 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

Though I gotta say, even despite the grinding, Re;Birth 2 felt a lot shorter than Re;Birth 1

Yup. R;B2 is alot shorter then R;B1, which made the grind that much more noticeable imo.

 

14 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

Which is probably the only thing I will remember her for if she stops appearing in future titles.

All Oracles except Histy disappear, sadly.

Well, they are playable DLC in R;B3 atleast

14 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

I will like her if she stops being a jerk

This makes me wonder how you will feel about some stuff and about a certain character that is either loved or hated in R;B3

 

btw @Armagoni remember you not getting the True end of R;B1, right? Did you watch it atleast? I am asking because a certain character of SuperNep kinda reminds me of a character that appeared in R;B1 True End.

Edited June 27, 2019 by Shrimperor

[Armagon]

1 minute ago, Shrimperor said:

btw @Armagoni remember you not going the True end of R;B1, right? Did you watch it atleast? I am asking because a certain character of SuperNep kinda reminds me of a characters that appeared in R;B1 True End.

Oh i did. I know who you're talking about but i'm still very early into Super Nep so i don't know if it'a actually her.

 

10 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

Could be. I remember fulfilling objectives from later chapters without realizing it at one point, so I figured it might be the same case for you.

It's probably that, actually. I don't have any of the advance objectives for Ch.4 yet because none of the basic objectives are complete.

 

 

[Zapp Branniglenn]

5 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

Also, Armagon, you, and I totally hijacked this thread, didn't we?

Hey, some of us are still out there playing real games.

I picked up one of those Neptunia games years ago on a PSN sale. I remember nothing of the hour I played but lots of dialogue before putting the game down. The premise made it an easy buy though. Sounding like that World War Blue anime but in the form of a video game and also probably not a softcore porn. Jury's still out on the latter point as far as I'm aware.

[Armagon]

Bloodstained is great. I discovered a labyrinth underneath the whole castle that seems to link to nearly every area that's on ground level. The Shard that lets you summon a giant hand doesn't really have an offensive capabilities. It can do damage but it's main purpose is to just move big rocks out of the way. You can't even use it to chuck things at enemies. This game is probably the least i'll be reporting on since this one's purely gameplay. Story's textbook definition of generic and the characters aren't that interesting either. But that's ok, because i didn't go into Bloodstained expecting story anyway. Like i said before, i just wanna kill demons.

For Super Neptunia RPG, i recruited Noire and Blanc into the party and battles are starting to get more interesting. I now have access to a healing formation that prioritizes support skills and even has a very small passive healing buff. I also discovered that i can't abuse enemy weaknesses because if i attack and the enemy is resistant to it, my AP goes down, and it's actually possible to get negative AP. The takeaway from that is, go for the weaknesses, it's alright if you don't, just don't go for the resists. You can warp between save points, which is pretty neat but the navigation is probably the worst part of this game. I was supposed to go a library in Lowee and the game made it sound like it was in the city itself. Nope, it's all the way across the damn map. I spent like 10 minutes trying to figure that out. On the plus side, i have yet to encounter any reused dungeons.

For Atelier Lulua, i finally unlocked the Explosive Barrel recipe and used it to progress the plot. I believe this is where it begins to get spoilery, so imma refrain from posting too much about it.

Spoiler

Stia: "I'll come with you, Lulua"

*Doesn't become a party member*

Now my current main objective is to *inhales* fight and synthesize a certain number of times. Oh boy, i'm not a fan of these. I was alright with them in the optional objectives but putting one in the main objectives feels like a way to artificially extend the length of the game. It's not even a hint either like the other objectives are. Instead, it's literally just fight and synthesize until the game decides you did it enough times. If you're gonna tell me to do something a certain number of times, at least tell me how many times i have to do it. I don't like working towards blind goals. Really hope this is a one time thing. For a series that was really good at not making the player grind, this game wants the player to grind at certain points. 

On the plus side, i unlocked the December Festival and proceeded to obliterate Sterk twice in arm wrestling. The Frixell family can canonically beat Sterk in a fight. 

Anyway, i need to figure out how to make a Pickaxe with high enough destructive power because the one i have right now is actually useless. It can't even break small rocks.

 

[DragonFlames]

16 hours ago, Shrimperor said:

All Oracles except Histy disappear, sadly.

Noticed this. Arbitrarily, too. Mina is gone because... she didn't feel worthy anymore (?), Kei wanted to start her own company (it wouldn't surprise me if that turned out to be Avenir), and Chika is lost on a shopping trip. XD

16 hours ago, Shrimperor said:

This makes me wonder how you will feel about some stuff and about a certain character that is either loved or hated in R;B3

This makes me curious as to whom you're talking about. So far, the new characters seem pretty fun to me, namely Plutia and Abnes (who got a cool introduction graphic. What the hell, developers?)

As you might have deduced, I started on Re;Birth 3 today (I also got MegaNep VII on PS4, because it was on sale for 7.99€). The game seems a lot more humorous than the other two. That might change later down the line, but so far, I absolutely love the humor in this one. The new character, Plutia, is very cute and entertaining, beating up enemies with a stuffed cat of all things is fun, too. She also plays off of Neptune's jovial nature pretty well, to the hilarious dismay of Noire, who isn't the actual Noire, but either a clone or a phony, according to Neptune. These three are comedy gold together.
I appreciate the bait-and-switch opening. At first, I was confused to seeing the same situation from Re;Birth 1, except arguably worse, considering how Re;Birth 2 ended, but then it turns out that they all just played a fighting game together. I laughed, because the writers really got me with that one. Not sure about Black Heart having twintails now, though. It makes sense, arguably even more than her "original" hairstyle, because Noire has them, too, but I've gotten so used to the long-haired look that it was the tiniest bit jarring.
Regenerating SP like CP in the Trails games is nice, and I love the UI in this game. It looks amazing.
A great first impression. Let's hope it lasts, shall we?

As for the other endings in Re;Birth 2, I'm planning on revisiting those when I finish the other mainline titles available to me. I also found out that the "VII" in Megadimension Neptunia VII doesn't stand for "7", like I initially thought and confused myself in the process, but "V 2", as in "Victory 2", probably.

10 hours ago, Armagon said:

For Atelier Lulua, i finally unlocked the Explosive Barrel recipe and used it to progress the plot. I believe this is where it begins to get spoilery, so imma refrain from posting too much about it.

  Reveal hidden contents

Stia: "I'll come with you, Lulua"

*Doesn't become a party member*

Now my current main objective is to *inhales* fight and synthesize a certain number of times. Oh boy, i'm not a fan of these. I was alright with them in the optional objectives but putting one in the main objectives feels like a way to artificially extend the length of the game. It's not even a hint either like the other objectives are. Instead, it's literally just fight and synthesize until the game decides you did it enough times. If you're gonna tell me to do something a certain number of times, at least tell me how many times i have to do it. I don't like working towards blind goals. Really hope this is a one time thing. For a series that was really good at not making the player grind, this game wants the player to grind at certain points.

It's 10 times for each. I admit that those times bothered me a little, too.
The Explosive Barrel is really useful in battle up until the endgame. I suggest making a few more of those.

10 hours ago, Armagon said:

On the plus side, i unlocked the December Festival and proceeded to obliterate Sterk twice in arm wrestling. The Frixell family can canonically beat Sterk in a fight.

Most hardcore arm wrestling ever. XD
You can actually challenge him more than once, too. I don't know if you get anything out of it, since I never beat him a second time, but it's worth it just for the cutscenes alone.

11 hours ago, Glennstavos said:

Hey, some of us are still out there playing real games.

I was just joking about how many of the posts in this thread are from Armagon, Shrimperor, or me. I didn't mean to disregard anyone who also posted here.
Also, real games? You joking? Everybody knows that "real" games are Fifa, Call of Duty, and every bad mobile game. Lol!!!eleven!11ONEone!!1

[Shrimpica]

16 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

. I also found out that the "VII" in Megadimension Neptunia VII doesn't stand for "7"

don't worry, even Google get's it wrong xD

17 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

was on sale for 7.99€). The game seems a lot more humorous than the other two. That might change later down the line, but so far, I absolutely love the humor in this one. The new character, Plutia, is very cute and entertaining, beating up enemies with a stuffed cat of all things is fun, too. She also plays off of Neptune's jovial nature pretty well, to the hilarious dismay of Noire, who isn't the actual Noire, but either a clone or a phony, according to Neptune. These three are comedy gold together.

Another thing: If you've watched/played Steins;Gate, you would notice that Noire shares VA with Kurisutinaaaaaaaa and Plutia with Mayushii. Perfect Combination xD

19 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

Regenerating SP like CP in the Trails games is nice

I loved the System myself tbh. Made me use Skills so much more then in R;B1 and R;B2

21 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

I laughed, because the writers really got me with that one

''gottem'' -Writers, probably.

21 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

A great first impression. Let's hope it lasts, shall we?

Humor in R;B3 is greaaaaaaaat. Especially when ''she'' joins on the fun.

[Armagon]

12 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

This makes me curious as to whom you're talking about. So far, the new characters seem pretty fun to me, namely Plutia and Abnes (who got a cool introduction graphic. What the hell, developers?)

I will say that you've already met her but at the same time, you haven't.

14 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

I also found out that the "VII" in Megadimension Neptunia VII doesn't stand for "7", like I initially thought and confused myself in the process, but "V 2", as in "Victory 2", probably.

Yes. As in yes, it actually stands for both. See, it's really clever. "VII" stands for Victory II. But, the ReBirth trilogy was relased before Megadimension. Add the original trilogy and that's six mainline games. Therefore, Megadimension Neptunia is the seventh mainline Neptunia game. The "VII' has double meaning. So you were right the first time.

18 minutes ago, DragonFlames said:

You can actually challenge him more than once, too. I don't know if you get anything out of it, since I never beat him a second time, but it's worth it just for the cutscenes alone.

Yeah, you don't get anything out of it other than Sterk being obliterated again. It's hilarious.

2 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

I loved the System myself tbh. Made me use Skills so much more then in R;B1 and R;B2

Same, though the downside is that EXE Drives are probably at their least useful in this game because they share the gauge with SP. 

3 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

Humor in R;B3 is greaaaaaaaat. Especially when ''she'' joins on the fun.

I'm so glad ReBirth 3 introduced the cutscene viewer because "her" scenes are hilarious.

[DragonFlames]

18 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

I loved the System myself tbh. Made me use Skills so much more then in R;B1 and R;B2

Same here!

15 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Yes. As in yes, it actually stands for both. See, it's really clever. "VII" stands for Victory II. But, the ReBirth trilogy was relased before Megadimension. Add the original trilogy and that's six mainline games. Therefore, Megadimension Neptunia is the seventh mainline Neptunia game. The "VII' has double meaning. So you were right the first time.

Those sneaky, sneaky people...

Speaking of people, I've heard that the core team for the Neptunia games actually consists mostly of women. I couldn't check for myself, because the credits have fun 2D animations in them. This doesn't change any of my thoughts about the games, I just find it interesting, if true.

16 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Yeah, you don't get anything out of it other than Sterk being obliterated again. It's hilarious.

Glorious!

19 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

Humor in R;B3 is greaaaaaaaat. Especially when ''she'' joins on the fun.

 

14 minutes ago, Armagon said:

I will say that you've already met her but at the same time, you haven't.

I'm so glad ReBirth 3 introduced the cutscene viewer because "her" scenes are hilarious.

Are we playing the pronoun game now? XD

Another thing I forgot to mention is that the English dub is actually quite good in Re;Birth 3. There are many lines that aren't voiced, but the overall direction and quality is much better than it was in Re;Birth 1. It helps that Nepgear and Plutia are voiced by two of my favorite English voice actresses, but even Noire's voice got better in this game, after she has been one of two main reasons to play the first two games with the Japanese dub, the other being Japanese Purple Heart. I have the Japanese voice over downloaded, since it was free, but I think I won't need it this time.

[Karimlan]

Just got my copy of Bloodstained last night. Having a blast so far. 

had to stop because of work *grumble*

[DragonFlames]

3 minutes ago, Karimlan said:

Just got my copy of Bloodstained last night. Having a blast so far. 

had to stop because of work *grumble*

I'd like to get Bloodstained, too, because what I've seen and heard/read of it is pretty great, but seeing how I can't even complete a single 2D Mario game and platformers in general are not my strong suit, I think this will be a game I'll have to pass out on.

[Karimlan]

Hey, prior to me getting SoTN, I can count the number of 2D Mario games I was able to finish on one finger. XD

[Dai]

1 hour ago, Karimlan said:

Just got my copy of Bloodstained last night. Having a blast so far. 

had to stop because of work *grumble*

Hear, hear. I got it the day after it came out-but my work week had started. Then I tried to play five days later on my day off, when I actually had the time to-but the storm knocked out the power. I managed to get through about half the bosses the next day, but I had to start my work week, which I’m in the middle of. It ain’t fun having to stagger my gameplay like this.

[Armagon]

Got the Double Jump Shard in Bloodstained. So now i'm going back through the castle areas and getting to places i couldn't to before. Intrestingly enough, there's still some places i can't reach even when using the double jump at the apex of the first jump so i'm assuming there's a triple jump somewhere later down the line. Also the theme for the Tower of Twin Dragons area is amazing. Has a very Falcom-ish feel to it. Can totally imagine this playing in Trails.

As for Super Neptunia RPG, i've finally gotten Vert to join the party. With that, the four CPUs are reunited. Gameplay's opening up, as i've now got access to four different formations. I have yet to encounter any particularly challenging boss fights. In general, this game seems to be on the easy side. As long as you use formations properly and you bring up the menu to see what enemies are resistant too so you can avoid losing AP,  you should be fine.

As for Atelier Lulua, i've made it to Ch.5. I've got Niko to join the party. What a chad. Uses two anchors to fight. Real pirate hours. I've also finally met Meruru again. Her voice got a little deeper, which is a bit odd since it wasn't that deep in Atelier Meruru. I also challenged Sterk to another round of explosive arm wrestling. Guy was holding back the first two times. Because the third time, he beat me twice. Had to break out the Mario Party button mashing to beat him the the third time. Also i didn't mention this before because it completely slipped my mind but i was happy at seeing Mimi again. She was the MVP throughout the early game of Atelier Totori and Atelier Meruru. Everything's going good. Imma go fill out some optional objectives and- 

>Do a certain number of battles and synthesis again
Game, i just did this on the last chapter. You really want me to do it again, huh? But if it's anything like the last chapter then, wow, Ch.5 was extremely short. Gotta say. i'm still curious as to why this game has a lot more plot than any of the other Arland games. Like, the Galaxen ruins have lore to them now whereas in the previous Arland games, it was just "hey, these are ancient ruins". Guess they wanted to do something special for the 10th anniversary of the Arland series. Gotta say, they're doing a good job.

 

11 hours ago, Karimlan said:

Just got my copy of Bloodstained last night. Having a blast so far. 

Eyyy. I know you're playing the Switch version like me and you were a bit concerned regarding the comparisons to the other versions. Is it working out for you fine?

11 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

Are we playing the pronoun game now? XD

I'm going to assume you've already met her. I mean, she's on the title screen and the OP, so you already know what she looks like. It's just funnier when you don't see her coming and then it gets funnier when you do see her coming because she is inevitable.

I'm going to assume this is why me and Shrimperor played the pronoun game here. At least, that's the reason i was.

Edited June 29, 2019 by Armagon

[Shrimpica]

7 hours ago, Armagon said:

I'm going to assume you've already met her. I mean, she's on the title screen and the OP, so you already know what she looks like. It's just funnier when you don't see her coming and then it gets funnier when you do see her coming because she is inevitable.

I'm going to assume this is why me and Shrimperor played the pronoun game here. At least, that's the reason i was.

Yup. He has to experience ''her'' like we did xD

 

[Jingle Jangle]

I have completed Spider-Man ps4 and all of the dlc included. An amazing game that made me felt right at home with the previous Spider-Man games. The responsiveness of the controls sold the game for me, it was easy to zip around the city. The combat was weighty,  where Spidey punches had force behind them, which lead to some interesting encounters due to the enemy variety. The writing was surprisingly well done, Peter Parker is fleshed out without falling into the trappings of him being a manchild same goes of his allies and supervillains minus Mary Jane. Who they tried to make into another version of Lois Lane but without the charm. From the impressive set pieces to the down to everyday life the game manages to keep things interesting. Those frequent stealth missions really slowed down the game. I understand that Miles and MJ and important to Parkers' life but it's such a drag after playing as Spider-Man.

Overall the game was better than the sum of its parts. While doing nothing revolutionary, it refined the superhero gamed choosing the best aspects of Spider-Man to focus on.

[DragonFlames]

13 hours ago, Armagon said:

As for Atelier Lulua, i've made it to Ch.5. I've got Niko to join the party. What a chad. Uses two anchors to fight. Real pirate hours. I've also finally met Meruru again. Her voice got a little deeper, which is a bit odd since it wasn't that deep in Atelier Meruru. I also challenged Sterk to another round of explosive arm wrestling. Guy was holding back the first two times. Because the third time, he beat me twice. Had to break out the Mario Party button mashing to beat him the the third time. Also i didn't mention this before because it completely slipped my mind but i was happy at seeing Mimi again. She was the MVP throughout the early game of Atelier Totori and Atelier Meruru. Everything's going good. Imma go fill out some optional objectives and- 

>Do a certain number of battles and synthesis again
Game, i just did this on the last chapter. You really want me to do it again, huh? But if it's anything like the last chapter then, wow, Ch.5 was extremely short. Gotta say. i'm still curious as to why this game has a lot more plot than any of the other Arland games. Like, the Galaxen ruins have lore to them now whereas in the previous Arland games, it was just "hey, these are ancient ruins". Guess they wanted to do something special for the 10th anniversary of the Arland series. Gotta say, they're doing a good job.

Mimi was playable, too? Huh, I had no idea.

As for Niko, he's a great tank, since he learns a skill that heals him for a portion of the damage it deals and he can erect a barrier that nulls one attack to himself. He's less good as a support member, though. I haven't managed to get his support skill to trigger even once. Like Ficus, he ended up getting benched toward the end, too. He's a pretty cool character, though. I like him.

Progressing through Re;Birth 3, the girls can finally use HDD. Iris Heart is... interesting. Going from a sleepy airhead to a dominatrix is one thing I certainly had not expected. After seeing her in action, though, I have to say I understand why Noire was so afraid of Plutia getting angry. Holy hell... I do like how her entire moveset changes, though. It's a neat little detail. Her being able to heal feels a lot more ironic now.
I also find it ironic how this version of Black Heart's outfit is lighter colored than her original's, and thus lighter colored than the other two CPUs I have on my team right now. In the first place, Black Heart having white hair while her human form has black hair is something that kind of confuses me. It would have been more fitting if it stayed black, like Neptune's hair that stays purple when she transforms. Otherwise, I don't have anything against the white hair. It looks neat.
I'll say this right now: Plutia, Neptune, and Noire are a better comedic trio than Neptune, Compa, and IF. These three just work so damn well together.
I switched to Japanese voices out of curiosity to see what Plutia sounds like in the original. I prefer her English voice for both her human form and Iris Heart. Noire is still MUCH better in Japanese, especially as Black Heart, Neptune is still good on both sides, Purple Heart is better in Japanese.
You two were right, by the way. Warechu is SO much better in this game. Arfoire is back, too. She also has her Deity of Sin-form, which initially floored me, but she went down surprisingly fast. The one thing that slightly bothered me about this is that Neptune didn't react to that at all, seeing how she actually fought the Deity of Sin. Funny, however, that Arfoire kinda recognized Neptune.

I do have one criticism: So far, every dungeon was aesthetically reused from Re;Birth 1, even the music. That doesn't dim my enjoyment of the game, but after Re;Birth 2 made a leap forward, it feels like Re;Birth 3 is a step back in this regard.
I love the revamped Stella's Dungeon, though. It's so much better than Re;Birth 2's version, if only because you can access it from anywhere and don't need to return to town. The individual "Change Items" and "Add Enemies" plans for dungeons seem to be a thing of the past, too, since I've only gotten "Change Dungeon" plans so far that do both.

One interesting new mechanic is that characters gain stats when they do certain things, like having them do their victory pose at the end of the battle or jumping a certain amount of times. I say "interesting" because I don't know what I make of this yet. It's a cool way to gain stats without levelling up, and it also gives you new plans that benefit that character (I got one that raises Neptune's max HP, for instance), but I fear the character I use as a leader will be the only one who can actually do anything later down the line.

The opening theme song kicks ass, too. I remember this one from the Rate the Video Game Song above thread, and it was basically the catalyst that sparked my interest in the Neptunia games.

Edited June 29, 2019 by DragonFlames

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

I made some good deals with Steam's summer seal. 

Tales of Berseria was one of them. 

I played the game already (even 100%), but it was the PS3 version in JP, so finally time to enjoy this game in a language I understand. 

However I have to work on the resolution. The movement speed on the map and in battles leaves to be desired so far. It is slow as hell. However I should be impressed already that a Tales of game runs on my laptop.

For now it will be mainly a side game. Focusing on the Trails in the Sky games first. 

 

[Shrimpica]

2 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

Iris Heart is... interesting.

ayy you finally met her.

2 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

but I fear the character I use as a leader will be the only one who can actually do anything later down the line

Nah. Although i advice you to change leaders to unlock leader effects. Even if Neptune's leader effect is the best.

Also, to unlock the Exe-drive of Most characters you will need to use 100 Skills with said character

2 hours ago, Rosalina said:

Tales of Berseria was one of them

Berseria is a pretty damn good game tbh. One i really loved and don't regret putting 150 hours into (Well, Ex dungeon was a pain tho)

2 hours ago, Rosalina said:

Focusing on the Trails in the Sky games first. 

Have Fun 😄

And remember, Estelle is Bestelle!

[Armagon]

10 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

Mimi was playable, too? Huh, I had no idea.

Yeah. Her usefulness kinda decreases as the games progress but she was good for early games. Speaking of playable characters from earlier games, Sterk and Rorona are the only two characters that have been playable in all four Arland games. I haven't gotten either of them yet btw, i just know they are. Totori and Meruru are playable in Lulua as well but they only join the party through DLC. DLC that isn't even out yet (doesn't come out until late July). I found this out through the eShop

If you ever get around to playing the Arland trilogy, i recommend replaying Lulua after playing them. I think you'll appreciate it.

In case you're curious, here's a list of characters that aren't playable in Lulua but are playable in at least one of the Arland games (i'll spoiler it in case you don't want to see it)

Spoiler

• Lionela (Atelier Rorona)
• Keina (Atelier Meruru)
• Pamela (Appears throughout the Arland series, but is only playable in Atelier Meruru. Also she's in every Atelier game to my knowledge but i don't know which ones she's playable in besides Meruru)
• Mimi (Atelier Totori and Meruru)
• On the flip side, Piana is in Atelier Totori but isn't playable.

 

10 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

Iris Heart is... interesting. Going from a sleepy airhead to a dominatrix is one thing I certainly had not expected. After seeing her in action, though, I have to say I understand why Noire was so afraid of Plutia getting angry. Holy hell... I do like how her entire moveset changes, though. It's a neat little detail. Her being able to heal feels a lot more ironic now.

That moveset change is one of the reasons why Pluta/Iris Heart is great. It's a good attention to detail and it also makes it so that Plutia going HDD isn't always a win button like it is for the other CPUs..

 

10 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

I do have one criticism: So far, every dungeon was aesthetically reused from Re;Birth 1, even the music.

You get used to it.

See, this is what i'm talking about when i say that dungeons are objectively the worst part of the series. It's not that they are bad, it's that a lot of them are reused. Even Megadimension doesn't escape from it, despite having much better dungeons.

10 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

but I fear the character I use as a leader will be the only one who can actually do anything later down the line.

Imma be honest, a lot of these are rather trivial. I kept Neptune as the lead throughout the whole game (i have this thing where i like keeping the protagonist in the controllable slot of the party unless the game says no or i give myself a reason to put others in the playable slot) and no one really fell behind (this is because everyone gets EXP, regardless if they are in the party or not).

 

10 hours ago, DragonFlames said:

The opening theme song kicks ass, too. I remember this one from the Rate the Video Game Song above thread, and it was basically the catalyst that sparked my interest in the Neptunia games.

It is indeed the best OP in the series, though Megadimension's four OPs (yes, four, you'll see why when you play it) come really close.

Let me know when you get to Ch.4. The requirements for the Normal and True Ends start at Ch.5 (btw, in case you're curious, to get the bad end, just ignore the requirements).

 

Edited June 30, 2019 by Armagon

[indigoasis]

I feel like I'm late to this, but I'll share what I'm playing.

I'm going through Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology after putting it off for a while. I forgot how much fun the game was. I'm doing a normal run-through right now, but I plan on doing the Deadly difficulty setting later after I beat the game.

[DragonFlames]

12 hours ago, Shrimperor said:

ayy you finally met her.

You haven't kept this a secret for nothing, that's for certain. She freaking broke Noire of all people.
"GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND..."
I haven't laughed this hard in a very, very long time. XD

12 hours ago, Shrimperor said:

Nah. Although i advice you to change leaders to unlock leader effects. Even if Neptune's leader effect is the best.

Also, to unlock the Exe-drive of Most characters you will need to use 100 Skills with said character

I have Neptune's leader skill unlocked. Does it work for every party member or just Neptune?
That's what the "Unlock Skill" plan was about? Awesome. I did grind Neptune, Plutia, and Noire to 100 skill uses. Now I just need the item to unlock them.

12 hours ago, Shrimperor said:

Berseria is a pretty damn good game tbh. One i really loved and don't regret putting 150 hours into (Well, Ex dungeon was a pain tho)

My favorite Tales game by far. At least story-wise. The dungeon design is my only real criticism with this game, as it is kind of bland in places.

7 hours ago, Armagon said:

Yeah. Her usefulness kinda decreases as the games progress but she was good for early games. Speaking of playable characters from earlier games, Sterk and Rorona are the only two characters that have been playable in all four Arland games. I haven't gotten either of them yet btw, i just know they are. Totori and Meruru are playable in Lulua as well but they only join the party through DLC. DLC that isn't even out yet (doesn't come out until late July). I found this out through the eShop

If you ever get around to playing the Arland trilogy, i recommend replaying Lulua after playing them. I think you'll appreciate it.

In case you're curious, here's a list of characters that aren't playable in Lulua but are playable in at least one of the Arland games (i'll spoiler it in case you don't want to see it)

  Reveal hidden contents

• Lionela (Atelier Rorona)
• Keina (Atelier Meruru)
• Pamela (Appears throughout the Arland series, but is only playable in Atelier Meruru. Also she's in every Atelier game to my knowledge but i don't know which ones she's playable in besides Meruru)
• Mimi (Atelier Totori and Meruru)
• On the flip side, Piana is in Atelier Totori but isn't playable.

 

I was trying to avoid telling you that Rorona and Sterk will be playable at some point. Then I can spill the beans: these two are very, very strong, especially Rorona. Both were part of my "ultimate strategy", too. Once they joined and I got everyone else to 100% friendship, my team was like this:
Front row: Rorona - Lulua - Sterk
Back row:        Eva    -   Piana

I had no idea Meruru and Totori were playable through DLC, actually.

An interesting list, to be sure. Pamela being playable is... interesting, considering who she is. I figure Piana would be too young in Totori to be playable, since she's supposedly "only" 21 in Lulua.

7 hours ago, Armagon said:

That moveset change is one of the reasons why Pluta/Iris Heart is great. It's a good attention to detail and it also makes it so that Plutia going HDD isn't always a win button like it is for the other CPUs..

She becomes pretty strong, all things considered. I do prefer normal Plutia's SP skill. Dropping stuffed animals on enemies to kill them is hilarious. It even does more damage against some enemies than Cross Combo or Lace Ribbons.

7 hours ago, Armagon said:

See, this is what i'm talking about when i say that dungeons are objectively the worst part of the series. It's not that they are bad, it's that a lot of them are reused. Even Megadimension doesn't escape from it, despite having much better dungeons.

I definitely get where you're coming from now.

7 hours ago, Armagon said:

Imma be honest, a lot of these are rather trivial. I kept Neptune as the lead throughout the whole game (i have this thing where i like keeping the protagonist in the controllable slot of the party unless the game says no or i give myself a reason to put others in the playable slot) and no one really fell behind (this is because everyone gets EXP, regardless if they are in the party or not).

I'm in the same boat. That's why I had Nepgear in the lead for most of Re;Birth 2. I say most, because there was a period of time where I had different folks in the lead.
For example, when the Four Felons were reborn and appeared in the different lands, I used the people "native" to those lands to fight them, e.g. Neptune, Nepgear, Compa, and IF for Judge in Planeptune. The fight against Magic was the hardest like this, predictably.

7 hours ago, Armagon said:

Let me know when you get to Ch.4. The requirements for the Normal and True Ends start at Ch.5 (btw, in case you're curious, to get the bad end, just ignore the requirements).

Alright, gotcha! I started Chapter 3 earlier.