JDubYes

Yeah, I was saying to someone the other day that I remembered it being a big step forward; things like being able to shoot through windscreens, take out tyres, ride motorbikes, actually properly fly things, and so on, all made it feel so different. I figured I’d give GTA3 a whirl first, but it was Vice City - and that soundtrack - I really wanted to get back to.

Normally I feel like there's a "proper" choice for a game, based on its country of origin, or its setting, but this one feels like it's entirely reasonable either way, totally a player preference thing.

It feels right playing in Japanese, I'm really enjoying it, and I can't imagine switching now, after about 12-13 hours, but if I'd started in English I'd likely feel the exact same way.

I’m not as far through as you both, I suspect, only finished the first dungeon proper tonight, but I’d echo aniki’s sentiments, as I’m loving it so far. Having thoroughly fallen in love with P5 and the Persona formula this year, playing something so structurally similar is very welcome, and I like a lot of the little QoL changes.

I do wonder if I’ll come to like the fantasy elements as much as I do the contemporary style of Persona, or the class-based system as much as the usual Pokedemon stuff, but early signs are good across the board, and it’s started very, very promisingly indeed.

Oh, and Japanese with subs for me. I considered the dub, as it is a fantasy setting, so could’ve gone either way, but the Japanese still felt (and feels) right to me. Not seen any of the dub as yet, but I have no regrets as yet.

Stray
Spider-Man 2
Tekken 8
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
Eiyuden Chronicles: Rising
Persona 5
Luck Be A Landlord
There Is No Game: Jam Edition
Ridge Racer Type 4
Stellar Blade

Grand Theft Auto 3

Time hasn’t been particularly kind, in many ways, but it’s still fun, and I did enjoy having a run through the old neighbourhood(s). Next time I’m at a bit of a loss or need a side game Vice City might be next in line for a visit.

Super Metroid

A timeless classic, basically. No nostalgia or rose-tinted glasses affecting my judgement here either, as I’d never actually played it before. I thought it was genuinely brilliant, to the point where the closest I can come to being critical for the most part is to say that it can be quite obtuse at times, but really that’s more observation than complaint, as I thought it added to the charm, if anything.

I expected to get some enjoyment out of it, to see some things that helped shape and inspire a favourite genre of mine. I did not expect to be blown away by a 30-year-old game still doing so much more than holding its own, to the point where I thought some of the graphical effects were actually still impressive even now. It probably would have probably blown my mind way back when, if I hadn’t changed my mind at the last minute, and plumped for a Megadrive instead, even after obsessing over the SNES for months.

Wonderful stuff, which has left me considering possibilities from within a host of other older games now too.

It occurs to me I forgot to say enough of the positive stuff above. So I should probably do that.

It is very shiny, in terms of technical prowess, and the character designs on the enemies are pleasingly messed up, to the the point where a lot of them reminded me of Dead Space; there’s even a section of the game where it feels like it a bit.

The soundtrack is occasionally mildly inappropriate or grating - there a couple of songs you will hear A LOT - but it says a great deal that I went and found it on Spotify as soon as I heard it was available, as there’s a lot of good there, and a few real standouts.

The combat is really good too. I don’t get enough out of any of these types of games, as the post above hints, as I forget to use too many of the tools available, once I know what works, but this is definitely more focused on the combat than the exploration (which it is still pretty good at), and I think someone with more proficiency in this kind of thing than me - looking at Al here, obviously - could probably make it sing.

I think the other thing that made me like it so much was the slight jank, weirdly - it can often feels like a AA game, especially early on, but then grows into something more, while retaining a little of that slight indie feel, even amongst all the sheen and spectacle it throws at you, especially later on.

The one other thing I forget to touch on was that I do think that any sequel or follow-up could be absolutely spectacular; this is a really good game, despite the little flaws, and the slightly embarrassing touches (that I hear the devs are known for), and so a more refined next offering would very much interest me.

Okay, now I probably sound like I’ve actually described a good game. And confirmed beyond all doubt that I should really post from a larger device in future, especially if I’m going to try and do anything other that bitesize musings.