Serenes Forest's Teehee Thread

[Sooks]

I like how Luke has more personality than everyone in the last game after two scenes. I want to use him.

1 minute ago, Acacia Sgt said:

They're not 12 years old. lol

I was joking about how all of them suffer from serious cases of baby face. I’m used to it in this series.

Edited November 27, 2021 by Sooks

[null]

Just now, Sooks said:

I like how Luke has more personality than everyone in the last game after two scenes.

And his personality sucks too.

[Sooks]

Does the title Luke gives Kris change based on anything? I feel like the game is making fun of me for choosing default Kris.

[Acacia Sgt]

Hmm, I thought I could participate in the revived Writing Thread... but ultimately, writing for prompts and deadlines just isn't for me. Oh well.

[null]

Not that I can remember.

[Acacia Sgt]

Maybe appearance? Since one of the nicknames is Masked Kris.

[Armagon]

Perhaps my biggest criticism of Sakura Wars is also a very unsurprising one: despite being a dating sim, it might as well point a gun to my head and make me romance Sakura. Which is a shame because Hatusho and Anastasia are best girls.

Related criticism but i have like no way of telling how many trust points i have aside a vague representation in the intermission.

On 11/25/2021 at 7:05 PM, Interdimensional Observer said:

It's not merely "tropes are bad, gameplay gives me something else", it's also me laughing at jokes that I would think I would not remotely enjoy in other mediums. Jokes that might even make me say "yeah no, I'm outta here".

Maybe I hold too high an opinion of myself as someone who partakes no joy in base humor (hard to believe based on how I act here, I know) and is generally no fun. Although it's not to say that I laugh at every smutty jest, and I certainly don't have infinite openness to trashy anime-influenced games, some stuff is beyond my tolerances. Yet, while there is an ambivalent ocean between me and anime/manga -two oceans on anything particularly degenerate- the gulf between me and roughly comparable stuff in a game is significantly smaller, when it exists at all.

Hmm. Yeah, i think i get what you're saying. The medium can make the difference on whether or not you'd enjoy something.

I think i have a similar thing in this regard. I will never read VNs unless there's an actual element of gameplay. Yet i have no problem digitally reading manga, comics, hell even straight-up books. Fundamentally, VNs would be the same (minus the whole alternate routes thing) but why is it that i only have an issue when it comes to VNs?

13 hours ago, Saint Rubenio said:

Kinda like the Whitewings in Gaiden. To their credit, their arrival to Valentia was easier to justify. I mean, they can fly and Valentia exists in the same universe as Archanea, the writers didn't need to go through all the hoops of making them be materialized there by a dumb secret villain for some reason. But otherwise, as far as I know there's very little reason for them to go to Valentia in the first place ("Est was somehow captured by pirates from an entirely different continent" is not a reason, it's an excuse, and a flimsy one at that), they serve zero purpose in the story, their adventures in Valentia don't affect or change them in any way and are never even brought up in the direct sequel to Archanea... they really just exist because the Whitewings were popular I guess. Could've replaced them with three different pegasus sisters and it would've made no difference... Just like in every other game in the series where you get an unrelated, yet oddly similar trio of pegasus sisters.

Tbf, not only was Gaiden the second game in the series but it was at a time when Kaga wanted recurring characters and weapons. The Falchion was very much supposed to be the Master Sword of the series originally, for example.

9 hours ago, Sooks said:

Tier list time.

>Shadow Dragon in A

I genuinely don't remember you playing FE4.

7 hours ago, Sooks said:

Armagon finished all of them (I think)

I did this year. Cold Steel 4 is very base-*gets shot by Shrimpy*

4 hours ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

So no, I'm not going to continue into OG2 right now. Not for a long while, I need a break. Maybe not the six months IIRC that pass between OG1 and OG2, but a little while. -And that completely ignores the scrap iron giant in the room- OG1 Kyosuke's Route. That 28.57% uncanonical storyline must be played to completion before I get to OG2, since it'd be awkwardly weird otherwise.

Don't let my above exhaustion mislead you. I had incredible fun, and I regret nothing. But taking another bite right now would go from full as f*** to, to triggering an explosive vomit reflex.

Congrats. Looks like it was as good as you remember it being, even if it was the upgraded version.

Planning on jumping into NxC next? I think that was at the top of your list when you mentioned it.

5 hours ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Omicron variant already? Not long until we reach Omega, huh...

Why does it sound like a Transformer?

....yes i know the name came first but still...

3 hours ago, twilitfalchion said:

Play that game's version of book 2 before swinging back to New Mystery. Both are great games with their own merits and faults.

I agree, though i'd argue if you want the more visually appealing version, play the OG.

3 hours ago, Saint Rubenio said:

Sheesh, no love for the Boy.

Me and you truly are alone on this. Ya hate to see it.

 

[Acacia Sgt]

3 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Tbf, not only was Gaiden the second game in the series but it was at a time when Kaga wanted recurring characters and weapons. The Falchion was very much supposed to be the Master Sword of the series originally, for example.

If I recall, it was mostly to be the Whitewings, Falchion, Gradivus (hence it being in a random chest in Duma's Temple), and I think Camus too. Surprisingly not Anna, considering she is missing in Gaiden, but then he changed his mind I suppose.

[Sooks]

The structure of the scene also screamed “this means something” because it was inserted in such a weird way, and the title was what that prologue ended on.

Anyway, the prologues in fe12 are definitely puzzles, thus far. But I like them, they’re good at teaching you how to approach the game in a tiny vacuum, but what you’d do here should apply to a lot of the game. Of course, I’m not playing the prologue on normal, where actual first time players likely would be, so if, on normal, you can just throw one unit at everything and not have to think then that doesn’t really matter.

You know what isn’t a good puzzle though? Throwing an arbitrary unit behind a completely random dialogue choice for no reason, and making one of them seemingly essentially useless in the context of the prologue (Gordin, I can’t imagine you ever needing a second archer in these little boxes). Who thought that was a good idea?

4 minutes ago, Armagon said:

>Shadow Dragon in A

Well, this isn’t surprising. Ruben likes the game, after all.

4 minutes ago, Armagon said:

I genuinely don't remember you playing FE4.

It was when fe4 took over the thread a while back. It was a very flawed but very enjoyable game, mainly because everything it did trying to attain the goal of “gameplay story integration” either helped it or hurt it with absolutely no in between. And that was like the entire game lol.

Story was enjoyable and characters were surprisingly well characterized considering SNES. The music is also good.

 

[Armagon]

4 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

If I recall, it was mostly to be the Whitewings, Falchion, Gradivus (hence it being in a random chest in Duma's Temple), and I think Camus too. Surprisingly not Anna, considering she is missing in Gaiden, but then he changed his mind I suppose.

Even then, you still have things like Seliph looking very suspiciously like Marth and the Tyrfing looking very suspiciously to the Falchion.

Don't even get started on TearRing Saga lol.

1 minute ago, Sooks said:

Well, this isn’t surprising. Ruben likes the game, after all.

I don't even hate Shadow Dragon tbh, i just think it's like a prime example of mediocrity.

[Sooks]

Hahaha, the thing with Wrys was genuinely unexpected. I knew the cleric was gonna be a guy but… well, if Ruben is a New Mystery man, I see why Wrys is funny. This is hilarious if you’ve played Shadow Dragon and know him as the random bald dude who was benched immediately. Good one game.

[Acacia Sgt]

Don't understimate Wrys.

[Acacia Sgt]

7 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Even then, you still have things like Seliph looking very suspiciously like Marth and the Tyrfing looking very suspiciously to the Falchion.

Don't even get started on TearRing Saga lol.

And Gaé Bolg is pretty much the Gradivus. So yep.

[Sooks]

Merric just commented on Kris’ blue hair, so yep, his appearance definitely changes dialogue.

Also, Roderick has missed not one, but two 90s. And it’s still the prologue. He really wants to get benched, huh?

Edited November 27, 2021 by Sooks

[Acacia Sgt]

5 minutes ago, Sooks said:

Merric just commented on Kris’ blue hair, so yep, his appearance definitely changes dialogue.

Also, Roderick has missed not one, but two 90s. And it’s still the prologue. He really wants to get benched, huh?

[GuardianSing]

31 minutes ago, Armagon said:

>Shadow Dragon in A

 

 

It's always been interesting to me that while in many video game communities, the list of good and bad games is very similar from person to person, while among Fire Emblem fans, the list of the best games is almost completely different for each person.

[Acacia Sgt]

 

[Shaky Jones]

23 minutes ago, Sooks said:

Hahaha, the thing with Wrys was genuinely unexpected. I knew the cleric was gonna be a guy but… well, if Ruben is a New Mystery man, I see why Wrys is funny. This is hilarious if you’ve played Shadow Dragon and know him as the random bald dude who was benched immediately. Good one game.

But why would one bench Wrys? 

I do like the joke quite a bit. 

8 minutes ago, Sooks said:

Also, Roderick has missed not one, but two 90s. And it’s still the prologue. He really wants to get benched, huh?

Hey, more room for Wrys and Gordin.

1 minute ago, GuardianSing said:

It's always been interesting to me that while in many video game communities, the list of good and bad games is very similar from person to person, while among Fire Emblem fans, the list of the best games is almost completely different for each person.

That's true. FE really has a lot of similar elements throughout the series, but the unique parts of each game tend to appeal to certain types of fans. I for one find Sooks' A tier ranking of SD to be quite based, but I know a few people irl who think it's meh, and it's not necessary for wrong reasons. I'm pretty sure if most people posted their tier list, the S rank games would vary drastically for many, while most other fanbases I know have rather predictable results. BSFE is objectively S

 

[Sooks]

1 minute ago, Shaky Jones said:

Hey, more room for Wrys and Gordin.

So, uh, funny story. It begins with a dialogue option called Yes and ends with a myrmidon called Athena.

7 minutes ago, GuardianSing said:

It's always been interesting to me that while in many video game communities, the list of good and bad games is very similar from person to person, while among Fire Emblem fans, the list of the best games is almost completely different for each person.

I never really compared it to other video game communities, but you are right. That makes it even more interesting!

10 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Hey, my childhood! Based Acacia.

[Sooks]

I really really want Est, but I’d feel like such a monster for saying no to Katarina. Fine, game, have it your way, I’ll take the guy I benched in the last game instead.

[Interdimensional Observer]

55 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Perhaps my biggest criticism of Sakura Wars is also a very unsurprising one: despite being a dating sim, it might as well point a gun to my head and make me romance Sakura. Which is a shame because Hatusho and Anastasia are best girls.

Ah, softly shoving "canon" girls in a game with a dating sim/bonding element. Can't say I haven't heard of that before, and cases where I deviate from the option pushed at me so much that I'd rather push them off a cliff LynxHector is made from Satan's dung.

 

55 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Congrats. Looks like it was as good as you remember it being, even if it was the upgraded version.

Overall, the upgrades help the package. Complete voice acting for battles (none for story), better and more fluid battle spritework (particularly for OG1, which is a little over two years' older than OG2 and boy it shows). And for storytelling presentation, compare these two randomly-selected images.:

and this...

Much better!

There are small argument to be had over how they remixed specific tracks in the OST. Some people might prefer GBA spritework, the maps are easier to read than the PS2 maps with 3D graphics. And some of the battle choreography might not be exactly as one might've liked it to be for an attack here or there. The PS2 fan translation could've borrowed verbatim from the Atlus GBA translations I imagine for a lot of stuff, but it didn't. Which, depending on your level of attachment to the old script, might leave you with mixed feelings.

But those are nitpicks, which do not truly detract from the overall product.

Among the other positives, they added 12 new character battle themes too. And an info page for each and every mech (unfortunately, I don't see any ingame library of them or all the jargon terms that pop up in the dialogue in green), and a few new units (mostly for the enemies) here and there. They made some generally minor plot adjustments here and there that I felt were fine or perhaps even beneficial. They added a mechanic loosely comparable to FE's Pair Up, albeit one that I barely used (the enemies went crazy with it as things progressed though).

So would I go ever back and emulate the GBA versions of OG1 and OG2? I see no reason to. Original Generations, if one can handle the extra burden of PS2 emulation, is superior.

-Not to call either of these games masterpieces of strategy, nor difficulty, if you require those things in abundance in order to stay alive, look elsewhere. And for the writing, well, most of it is a mishmash of mainline SRW games I haven't played and might not be able to without learning Japanese! So it ain't all that original. But I love them nonetheless.😄 

Edited November 27, 2021 by Interdimensional Observer

[Shaky Jones]

4 minutes ago, Sooks said:

I really really want Est, but I’d feel like such a monster for saying no to Katarina. Fine, game, have it your way, I’ll take the guy I benched in the last game instead.

You should feel like a monster for rejecting Gordin

[Interdimensional Observer]

1 hour ago, Armagon said:

Planning on jumping into NxC next? I think that was at the top of your list when you mentioned it.

Sorry for the double post, I spent 53 minutes perfecting the above words.

And yes, I haven't downloaded it yet, but it is my next PS2 game. I need to see Ms. Warrior-Programmer there before XS. Don't ask why, it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, but I'll invent one on the spot and say "as her companions were first met in crossovers, so she must be the same". Given you failed to muster the will to finish NxC pretty early on, my morale has dropped, but I want to see how far I will go with it. I'll drop it if I want to and then head off to Der Wille zur Macht a little sooner than expected.

Though for now, I want to take a breather from the gaming laptop and go back to the Switch to finish NEO TWEWY. I've left that game hanging kinda late in the story (after it fizzled on me with a  ingame hyped-up moment) and need to resolve it first.

Edited November 27, 2021 by Interdimensional Observer

[GuardianSing]

6 minutes ago, Shaky Jones said:

That's true. FE really has a lot of similar elements throughout the series, but the unique parts of each game tend to appeal to certain types of fans. I for one find Sooks' A tier ranking of SD to be quite based, but I know a few people irl who think it's meh, and it's not necessary for wrong reasons. I'm pretty sure if most people posted their tier list, the S rank games would vary drastically for many, while most other fanbases I know have rather predictable results. BSFE is objectively S

 

I like that sense of diversity, there's no one game that everyone agrees is the best or the worst which creates some really interesting opinions from everyone.

I personally liked Awakening for it's relaxing feel. My favorite moments of that game were the small moments between chapters, like preparing for the battle, doing a few challenge maps, checking out all the different support conversations, and training my units to be the best they could be. 

I was shocked to see it ranked lower on most tierlists but with a series as complicated as Fire Emblem it makes sense that different people would like it for different reasons.

 

[Acacia Sgt]

Haha, actually doing that, eh.

... I agree with that one comment, though. Since Sanger is more or less confirmed as future DLC, would be cool for him and the Sakura Wars chars to acknowledge each other due to Project x Zone.