Serenes Forest's Teehee Thread

[Sooks]

16 minutes ago, BrightBow said:

They give a unit a random chance to refresh themselves basically. So they get to do 2 moves.

Rng too... I shouldn’t be surprised from Kaga, but here we are.

[Saint Rubenio]

55 minutes ago, BrightBow said:

It looks all smeared.

I get on an old TV you wouldn't have noticed the individual pixels like you do on an emulator, but I can't say I find these filters to be a better alternative.

 

Yeah, I know what you mean. Most emulator filters look bad, but I think this one is subtle enough that everything is properly rounded without looking like someome smeared butter all over the screen.

Still, a matter of tastes at this point. I like to spruce up most of my older games, I don't like the overly pixely look, but again, that's just me.

[Codename Shrimp]

Well, full thoughts time!

Guess @Armagon @Lightchao42 @lightcosmo and @Interdimensional Observer would be interested?

 

Gameplay

Faster, more combo based and more Action based than XB1. The base combat was certainly a big improvement on XB1 in many regards. Where in XB1 felt kinda more turn based (it isn't, i know, but i hope you get what i mean xD), this felt more like an Action game at times with how fast it was and how you chain everything together in a very fun and fluid way. The changes to Arts, chain attacks, the addition of Specials, etc were all great. And i loved how positioning actually matters quite a bit more over here, and how enemy you could stop enemies from doing dangerous attacks if you time your stuff right, as those attacks put the enemies in a Break/Topple/Launch status for like a second.

However, while i think the gameplay system was much more fun, i think XB1 has XB2 beat when it comes to gameplay in 1 thing

Namely, Boss Design

XB1's Bosses, especially later on, were quite unique and had some cool gimmicks that accompanied them except if that gimmick was spike, that was stupid, which made boss battles feel fresh and unique. In XB2 on the other hand that was often not the case, some of the boss battles felt a bit 'samey', even if their abilities were quite a bit different from each other.

It's strange when i consider that some of the challenge battles had some unique stuff, while main story didn't have much of that?

I also think Characters were a bit more unique in XB1 (There's no one like Melia for example in XB2), however XB2 characters were unique enough, especially with how everyone has a weapon type only they can use and get different Arts with each weapon type.

All in all, Gameplay was awesome!

 

Story

Ike, in a twist of Fate, somehow ends up sommoning Saber and they start the quest for the Holy grail...

Wait, wrong mix of Series xD Sorry, had to do that joke as both a FE and Fate fan

The Story is a Boy meets Girl going on adventure Story. Which works! I remember back then when i finished Future connected and how i liked it more than main game, some told me i would love XB2 then, and they were right.

Major Spoilers for whole game incoming

Spoiler

First of all, i really really love the concept of Drivers & Blades. Maybe because it quite similiar to the Master/Servant concept of Fate, a series which i am a very big fan of. The concept really hooked me, especially with the introduction of Pyra at the end of Chapter 1 and how HYPE that was.

I loved how alive the world was, and going around searching for a way to to SPACE Elysium.

Liked how the Characters complement each other well.

The whole Earth was ancient Society thing was all done quite well, and does serve as a foundation for a saga. 

I loved how almost everytime i expected the game to go cringe, the game surprises me and goes wholesome instead. 

Loved how it didn't go with the usual trope sometimes, especially at the end. It escaped quite a few stuff that i didn't like thanks to that that even XB1 fell into quite often.

The story theme of your accepting your fears and moving forward works well with the adventure the party is doing.

They actually made something good outta of Klaus. I am now actually interested in the greater story and following this where XB1 failed to do so.

The cutscens were EPIC!

WE WILL BEAT THEM, WITH THE POWER FRIENDSHIP!

WE MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER!
WE'LL FIGHT FOR OUR FUTURE!
AND WITH THESE HANDS, WE WILL SEIZE IT!

I'M REALLY FEELIN IT
I LIKE YOUR ATTITUDE

HEALIN HALO!

EYE OF SHINING JUSTICE, LEND ME YOUR POWER!

BLADE COMBO, THIRD STAGE......[EXCELLENT] AWESOME!

THE ENEMY'S ELEMENT IS NOW...DARK!

Wait, i was suppossed to talk about story and not get sidetracked with Battle qoutes, sorry xD

Something i didn't think the game did well however was Character Death. Vandhal was kinda ok, but i think he needed a bit more screen time, but he works. The others however were kinda ''And i should care, why?'', especially Fan. Nial's ''Death'' was also meh. While it's purpose was to show Nia's powers, i think it could've been done better.

The game also had some weird tonal shift sometimes, but it was only super noticeable in ch2 and 3 iirc.

Also, game overdid it a bit with ''Win battle, lose cutscene'' thing. Even if technically it didn't happen after Ch3, some stronger enemy (Mostly Jin) always appearing to save the enemy was kinda...

Which takes me to the next point: The game needed more enemies/antagonist. Besides Torna, and Amalthus at endgame, there was nothing really Bana doesn't count, which lead to facing the same peeps quite a few times that one should've during one game.

I think it would've been cool if there was a group other than Indol/Amalthus truely misusing and abusing Blades, because otherwise Driver/Blades relationships were mostly shown in a positive light and it made understanding Jin's actions a bit hard when he was fighting against the whole world and not only Amalthus, especially when you consider it was a human who saved him. His ''Blades are Slaves, humans abusive'' thing felt quite...hollow... when it was only Indol, really. Not that i disagree that the power dynamic is shifted way too much in human's favour, but some negative light outside Indol would've made Jin & Team Torna quite a bit more understandable.

Also wasn't big on how the game tried to make Torna redeemable, although thankfully when Rex tried to go naive the rest of the party was like ''Nope, not happening''. Maybe when i play Torna DLC i can understand Jin more?

Also i am not the only one who expected the do something with Lora, right? Yeah i know she's the MC of the DLC, but with how much focus she got in the main i kinda expected her to appear somehow and not stay frozen until Death.

Ending was epic, and was kinda sad, and i was fine with Pyra/Mythra appearing despite it feeling a bit ...convenient... because i wanted them to be happy, but...

I think they should've returned as one person/Pneuma, instead of two. I think the option they went with there is the worst one. Not super bad, but i would've preferred Pneuma ending or dissapearance ending over this. Still, the endig was sweet and i couldn't help but be happy she returned after i saluted Pythra's sacrifice xD

All in all i enjoyed the story!

....

I wrote a wall of text and i didn't get to the characters yet. My brother saw this and was like ''WTF are you writing that's so big?'' lol

Anyway, i will be brief in the next section xD

 

Characters

I liked them quite a bit. If we say from XB1 the only character i loved was Melly, i'd say from XB2 the whole cast stands up to her.

Rex - He is a good smart hard working kid. Although calling him kid is honestly insulting him, even if he is naive. I grew fond of him, but i don't think i would've liked him as much if the cast didn't complement him that well and he them.

Pyra vs Mythra?

Spoiler

The right answer is Pneuma, ofc. xD

Although i think i like Mythra a bit more out of the two, especially since she becomes more active later on.

Pyra is sweet and fine, too!

I loved the Pyra/Mythra contrast, as i usually love stuff like that.

Nia - can we stop having Melias please, Monolith? I love them and all, but come on. Although tbf, Nia wasn't shafted halfway through the game like Melia did and became more important, which made love her more xD

Dromach - FLORA HEALS AN ACHING SOOLS. In hindsight, we was just your wise old guy? Even though that role was already filled better by gramps

Tora - An actually good relevant Nopon. Didn't expect that, and what a good character he is. My spirit Nopon considering he is a nerd and engineer xD

Poppi - . I love her. She's really really good and had quite a development and her moments with Pyra/Mythra were awesome!

Morag - Cool Military lady

Spoiler

And the only normal on in the party. Liked her quite a bit especially as a contrast to all the hacks in the party and how she achieved everything by her own power and training, and how she's trying to do what's right and help Nial.

Brighid - Cool Fire Lady

Spoiler

Loved the whole Diary thing and how she tried confirm what she sees with what's in the book. Works also really well with how the game focuses on Blades and Memories

Zeke - BRINGER OF CHAOS, THE ZEKENATOR!  Loved that guy, even if his first impression wasn't exactly positive. But the world needs more people like him.

Pandy - Ship hard with her Prince tbh especially after her backstory. Protect that smile!

 

I wished Characters interacted a bit more, but there was plenty of interaction and i really love the Heart-to-Heart system here. Although some could be timed/placed a bit better.

 

Other Stuff

Music - A+. 

Quests - a chore. Not as bad as XB1, but everything is better than XB1 when it comes to quests

Tutorials - wtf, Monolith?

UI - Good, but sometimes i felt i need more indications on status effects and stuff.

Outfits - were kinda stupid ngl, but at the same time while everyone is easy on the eyes or has stupid outfits, game doesn't go full cringe because of them? Ya know what i mean, how in other RPGs outfits like that would lead to alot of stupid moments and comments. Not the case here, they just live in a society where that's the norm so no embarassing or stupid stuff xD

 

All in all, a solid 8/10. Could've been a bit more, but there are so many little things that add up that otherwise could've made the experience a bit better, ya know?

Edited February 8, 2021 by Shrimperor

[Sooks]

I just broke the USB cable that I use to charge my pa4 controller and also the only one I have. Heck.

[Benice]

21 minutes ago, Sooks said:

I just broke the USB cable that I use to charge my pa4 controller and also the only one I have. Heck.

FFFFF

F

[Benice]

2 hours ago, Saint Rubenio said:

Oof... Yeah, we need a new stream to sate the Berwicklust.

Subscribe to Twitch.tv/Benice for more Berwick content!

But don't because it doesn't exist

[Sooks]

17 minutes ago, Benice said:

Subscribe to Twitch.tv/Benice for more Berwick content!

But don't because it doesn't exist

F for your parents then.

Edited February 8, 2021 by Sooks

[Benice]

Just now, Sooks said:

[/s]F for your parents then.

Maybe someday. Once I get a good microphone, PC and self-confidence!

[Armagon]

20 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

However, while i think the gameplay system was much more fun, i think XB1 has XB2 beat when it comes to gameplay in 1 thing

Namely, Boss Design

XB1's Bosses, especially later on, were quite unique and had some cool gimmicks that accompanied them except if that gimmick was spike, that was stupid, which made boss battles feel fresh and unique. In XB2 on the other hand that was often the case, some of the boss battles felt a bit 'samey', even if their abilities were quite a bit different from each other.

Yeah, I can see this. Xenoblade 1, X, and even Torna do have at least one cool gimmick fight in the late game. The closest I can say about Xenoblade 2 for that is the Aeshma Core, I guess? Where you got to cut the cables.

Although the optional Ophion fight is kinda interesting in the sense that it's the only enemy in the entire game that is immune to Driver Combos.

But I do agree that the Challenge Mode does come up with more interesting scenarios.

24 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

also think Characters were a bit unique in XB1 (There's no one like Melia for example in XB2), however XB2 characters were unique enough, especially with how everyone has a weapon type only they can use and get different Arts with each weapon type.

Yeah, admittedly, due to the Blade mechanic, the uniquness in playstyle between characters is not as big as in the other games. It's still there but I can see it being an issue for some people.

26 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

also think Characters were a bit unique in XB1 (There's no one like Melia for example in XB2), however XB2 characters were unique enough, especially with how everyone has a weapon type only they can use and get different Arts with each weapon type.

Spoiler

Regarding Haze's death, I know this is reviewing XenoblaDE 2 specifically but I do wonder if you'll change your mind on that after playing Torna. Since Haze is a main character there, one of the benefits to playing Torna first is that Haze's death actually has the intended impact. At least that's what's generally agreed upon, your own opinion is still yours.

I don't think there should've been more villains. I think Mikhail is ok, Ahkos is meh and Patroka is bad, but Jin, Malos (my favorite villain in the entire series actually) and Amalthus served their roles well and I like that the final boss is someone you met at the start of the game. In general, I like that Torna were the primary antagonists throughout the whole game, even after Amalthus reveals his true colors.

That said, I do agree that perhaps the game could've shown a bit more Blade misuse, even if you do see some of it with Duhgall in Ch.2, Praxis' Blade Quest also has a bit of that. And it's only vaguely brought up but Zeke does say that the reason he was attacked by bandits was because "Pandoria looks pretty damn human for a Blade" and since he followed that up with the mention that some people sell Core Crystals with "pretty pictures of the Blade inside" does have the fucked up implication of Blade sex trafficking. 

But besides those instances, everyone is chil with Blades so I can see where you're coming from.

I agree with you on the ending. Takahashi did say he considered only having the Aegis girl who you chose in Ch.8 showed up but he changed his mind. 

I think my bigger issue with the ending is that Pneuma chose to sacrifice herself in the first place. I'm cool with her coming back (even if she did split into two), I like to see it as part of Klaus' final gift, but I'm like "well why couldn't she just self-destruct Aion remotely" since we know Artifices can be remotely controlled. I do not think the sacrifice should've happened in the first place but it's not like I think the ending is bad anyway.

 

 

43 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

Tutorials - wtf, Monolith?

Xenoblade 1: *easy to understand tutorials*

Xenoblade X: "what do you mean we have to teach the player how to play the game?"

Xenoblade 2: *bad advice*

Thankfully Torna tutorials lean more towards Xenoblade 1 tutorials. It still doesn't tell you everything but since the game is a much more streamlined experience, the tutorials work in it's favor.

45 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

Not the case here, they just live in a society where that's the norm so no embarassing or stupid stuff xD

Yep. Especially in the case of Rex, he just wears what the salvagers of that world wear.

49 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

All in all, a solid 8/10

Nice nice. 

You obviously won't do it right now and I know you don't like to replay games that often but if you ever want to, Xenoblade 2 NG+ is actually worth doing. It's like one of two games I can say that about, the other being CrossCode.

You get access to seven new Rare Blades, an additional Driver Affinity Chart for everyone (Zeke gets a unique Eye of Shining Justice skill that significantly increases the power and speed of his attacks for a short while) and just in general, if you wanna do a difficult Custom run, NG+ is the best bet.

[Sooks]

7 minutes ago, Benice said:

Maybe someday. Once I get a good microphone, PC

Better start saving!

7 minutes ago, Benice said:

and self-confidence!

Better start focusing on your positive aspects!

[Benice]

Just now, Sooks said:

Better start saving!

Aye. Actually, I'd better get a job. (I also need to save in case the France exchange trip is avaliable next year!)

1 minute ago, Sooks said:

Better start focusing on your positive aspects!

I feel like my voice is the part that makes me the most nervous, actually. Kinda wack, since IRL I don't care about that stuff at all!

[Sooks]

1 minute ago, Benice said:

Aye. Actually, I'd better get a job. (I also need to save in case the France exchange trip is avaliable next year!)

Better start practicing your French then too, because iirc you said you’re not that good at it. But after that you can become le magnifique!

1 minute ago, Benice said:

I feel like my voice is the part that makes me the most nervous, actually. Kinda wack, since IRL I don't care about that stuff at all!

I mean, if you only care about what other people think, not everyone doesn’t care.

But if you ask me and my 14 years, someone’s voice isn’t a big enough deal that it would actually get in the way of anything important, barring any Canadian traditions I don’t know about or singing, I guess.

[Benice]

2 minutes ago, Sooks said:

Better start practicing your French then too, because iirc you said you’re not that good at it. But after that you can become le magnifique!

It's kind of like...I can SPEAK French, but I can't really converse, if that makes sense. I can write, read and comprehend (sorta, French people talk fast) but have little experience with actually using it. But yep, that'll be important too.

[Codename Shrimp]

11 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Spoiler

but I'm like "well why couldn't she just self-destruct Aion remotely" since we know Artifices can be remotely controlled.

 

Spoiler

Well, the problem wasn't the Aion but how everything was falling on Alrest. She couldn't control that remotely

 

12 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Xenoblade 2 NG+ is actually worth doing. It's like one of two games I can say that about, the other being CrossCode.

You get access to seven new Rare Blades, an additional Driver Affinity Chart for everyone (Zeke gets a unique Eye of Shining Justice skill that significantly increases the power and speed of his attacks for a short while) and just in general, if you wanna do a difficult Custom run, NG+ is the best bet.

Yeah i just saw a video about that...

Would've been cool if all that stuff got automatically unlocked in post game as well without NG+...

Maybe if i take the switch with me while visiting my parents i might take a try at it haha.

 

[Lightchao42]

@Shrimperor Since you're done with the game now, here are some things you might be interested in reading (obviously they contain spoilers for the last chapter).

Interview with the developers discussing the ending and other things (also talks about Torna, but there aren't spoilers for it)

Information on the backstory that came with a figure of Siren

Edited February 8, 2021 by Lightchao42

[Sooks]

12 minutes ago, Benice said:

It's kind of like...I can SPEAK French, but I can't really converse, if that makes sense. I can write, read and comprehend (sorta, French people talk fast) but have little experience with actually using it. But yep, that'll be important too.

No that makes sense.

I’m trying to learn a second language too. Although trying with an asterisk because I don’t really do anything outside of class.

[Armagon]

10 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

  Reveal hidden contents

Well, the problem wasn't the Aion but how everything was falling on Alrest. She couldn't control that remotely

 

Spoiler

Yeah but blowing up Aion was the solution to that. So I'm not sure why she couldn't remotely give it the order to self-destruct.

But eh, it's just my alternative take.

 

11 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

Would've been cool if all that stuff got automatically unlocked in post game as well without NG+...

Well tbf, the devs were like "yeah NG+ is silly because you've already beaten the game, continuity be damned" although perhaps the special merchants that show up would've been nice to have on a normal file.

Still though, at least T-elos is a post-game unlock. And she is the best Greataxe in the game so I'll take it.

[Benice]

7 minutes ago, Sooks said:

I’m trying to learn a second language too. Although trying with an asterisk because I don’t really do anything outside of class.

Relatable.

Also, WHY IS PERUN'S SECOND AFFINITY CHART ROW SO HARD TO GET

[Codename Shrimp]

4 minutes ago, Lightchao42 said:

@Shrimperor Since you're done with the game now, here are some things you might be interested in reading (obviously they contain spoilers for the last chapter).

Interview with the developers discussing the ending and other things (also talks about Torna, but there aren't spoilers for it)

Information on the backstory that came with a figure of Siren

Thanks for the links!

Spoiler

 

Quote

Within the Orbital Ring, there is a massive academic institution known as Aoidos. This massive institution was formerly confined to a small university laboratory. But at the beginning of the 21st century, a scientist from that laboratory found a certain magnetic abnormal matter in Africa. This matter, later to be known as the Gate, was at first simply an intriguing artifact that was stratigraphically out of place, being so technologically advanced. As research continued, it was proven that the Gate was a perpetual motion machine that defied the laws of energy, and also that this was the source of the magnetic abnormalities being detected. In response to this, the Unified Government*1 formed a research institution for further study, and because this institution required a vast amount of resources and people, Aoidos was born.

 

Interesting

Quote

Spoiler

During this time period, the Unified Government set up three orbital tower Bean Stalks on the equator (First tower: Rhadamanthus, second tower: Aeacus, third tower: Minōs), and these towers were connected to the lower orbital portion to create the Orbital Ring. This project was set forth by Aoidos, and the Orbital Ring was meant as a way to further study the Gate far from the surface of Earth. At this research facility, a governing artificial intelligence collective known as the Trinity Processor was raised to maintain the Gate. The processor, using Biocomputer*2 elements, was raised in a virtual reality to gain a personality, and this system would be used to govern the Gate.

 

Spoiler

Let me guess:

The Personalities were Presley, Pneuma and Malos?

Quote

Takahashi: While we don’t have any save data or gameplay that carries over directly from the main game into Torna, we do have some visual surprises cued up for those that clear both games.

hoo

Quote

There’s been some talk among players about how many of the blades turned out as attractive women. Could you give us some insight into the design process behind the blades?

Takahashi: So, we worked with a large number of character designers on Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and when giving our requests for character designs to them we didn’t go so far as to specify whether we wanted male characters, female characters, or beasts. Instead, we gave them elements of those characters and how we would like them to perform in battle. We left it up to the designers at that point, and we ended up with a lot of females, and I think that’s the best answer I can give.

Haha

Shift all the blame to the Artists, eh? xD

Quote

Spoiler

Takahashi: [Laughter] Originally we envisioned the ending sort of in an Inception-style where you would see a cutscene with Rex’s core crystal glowing, and that would be the end of the game

 

I think that would've been a bit better tbh

Quote

Spoiler

The players have been through this incredibly long, trying the experience of completing the game, so why not give them a happier note to finish on? 

 

Spoiler

Big Agree with this, so even if it's convinient i can kinda close my eyes because i also wanted it haha

Although i still would've liked to see a more expansive epilogue, ya know?

9 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Well tbf, the devs were like "yeah NG+ is silly because you've already beaten the game, continuity be damned" although perhaps the special merchants that show up would've been nice to have on a normal file.

''Let's Player just do whatever he wants for replaying a 120 hour game'' xD

[Sooks]

In what world does it make sense that you can’t give someone chocolate or a stuffed animal if they are distant toward you, but only if you’re sleeping in a car together?

[Codename Shrimp]

You know what's XB2's Story biggest mistake though?

Spoiler

we never got the 5th rule of the Code

 

[Interdimensional Observer]

34 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

Thanks for the links!

The thing you put in the spoiler box right below the above sentence...

Spoiler

Is very much based on ideas from Xenogears. Not that you'd ever play that b/c it has random encounters, although watching a good LP might be up your alley.

Not only that, but the "magnetic abnormal matter" is not original to Xenogears. It is a blatant pull from 2001: A Space Odyssey, a 1968 sci-fi novel from Arthur C. Clarke. Said novel has a mysterious monolith planted by aliens on Earth in Africa.

Monolith Soft did not plagiarize Clarke, no more than any Western medieval fantasy writer who has orcs, dwarves, and elves is plagiarizing Tolkien. Clarke is one of the well-known greats of sci-fi literature, he made certain common ideas and symbols popular. Just as George Lucas would later make lightsabers very cool. Xenogears also borrowed a concept from his Childhood's End, and named one of its characters after a notable character from that novel, albeit the name -Karellen- got slightly botched into "Karelian" because English > Japanese > English again.

Also, how Monolith uses the concepts borrowed from Childhood's End and 2001: A Space Odyssey is certainly different from Clarke's originals. Childhood's's Overlords are echoed in XG's Solaris, but in this case only the general concept -a group floating in the sky monitoring the masses on the surface- is shared.

 

Edited February 8, 2021 by Interdimensional Observer

[Lightchao42]

42 minutes ago, Armagon said:

  Reveal hidden contents

Yeah but blowing up Aion was the solution to that. So I'm not sure why she couldn't remotely give it the order to self-destruct.

But eh, it's just my alternative take.

 

Spoiler

If I were Klaus, I probably wouldn't give Logos and Pneuma remote access to a weapon "that exists solely to destroy the world" if they were under the control of humans, so I would headcanon that Klaus removed their ability to control Aion remotely once he reprogramed them into Blades.

 

35 minutes ago, Benice said:

Also, WHY IS PERUN'S SECOND AFFINITY CHART ROW SO HARD TO GET

That requires you to do "good deeds" around Alrest. There are a few methods of doing so, but you only need to do three. I can tell you what they are depending on what locations you've reached in the story.

[Benice]

7 minutes ago, Lightchao42 said:

  Reveal hidden contents

If I were Klaus, I probably wouldn't give Logos and Pneuma remote access to a weapon "that exists solely to destroy the world" if they were under the control of humans, so I would headcanon that Klaus removed their ability to control Aion remotely once he reprogramed them into Blades.

That requires you to do "good deeds" around Alrest. There are a few methods of doing so, but you only need to do three. I can tell you what they are depending on what locations you've reached in the story.

I've got one of three, (I think it's the "pay the guy 15g at the start of the game" one) and have just unlocked Mercenary expiditions.

Edited February 8, 2021 by Benice

[Lightchao42]

Just now, Benice said:

I've got one of three, (I think it's the "pay the guy 15g at the start of the game" and have just unlocked Mercenary expiditions.

I assume you're still in Uraya? If so, there's a kid in Fonsa Myma who wants a Coral Nopon Chess Set, which can be bought from Nopox Hobby Store in Argentum after completing the merc mission Cooking Display (which requires development level 2 in Argentum, which you might not have yet).

There's also one in the next area that has you give a Golden Cylinder to someone, so you can be on the lookout if you don't have one yet.