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#1
As palette cleansers I played through a few shorter platform/action games I picked up earlier in the year when they were on sale for $3-4: Strider (2014) on the Xbox One, and Ducktales: Remastered on the X360 (both on my Series X - I love the BC on this system!). The first took me about 6 hours, the second around 2-3 hours. Both were fun and fairly easy, but Strider was a better game overall. I still prefer the original Ducktales on the NES, but the remastered version does have a lot of new stuff added.
After that, out of curiosity (and because it was on sale for $13.99), I played through Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition on the Series X. It only took me 18.5 hours to beat it! What a weird game. It's an action-rpg, and the battle system isn't anything special or interesting. Wish they would go back to turn-based for FF as there are a million action-rpgs to play. The story is a mess with terrible pacing and lots of things unexplained, most characters are lame including those in your party, you just jump from one thing to another then before you know it the game is over. Chapter 13 is like a Resident Evil survival horror game, just tossed in there, because why not, right? The first several hours just have you cruising around in your car doing random stuff. The game does run really well on the Series X, at a smooth 60fps at 1080p. CGIs were beautiful too. I guess if you do a lot of side content and really get into the world building it might be better, but I don't have the time or interest to do 100 fetch quests. On the bright side the dungeons were kind of fun. Overall, for me it's a 6/10 game. Lightning Returns is similar in many ways but a FAR better game!
After that, out of curiosity (and because it was on sale for $13.99), I played through Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition on the Series X. It only took me 18.5 hours to beat it! What a weird game. It's an action-rpg, and the battle system isn't anything special or interesting. Wish they would go back to turn-based for FF as there are a million action-rpgs to play. The story is a mess with terrible pacing and lots of things unexplained, most characters are lame including those in your party, you just jump from one thing to another then before you know it the game is over. Chapter 13 is like a Resident Evil survival horror game, just tossed in there, because why not, right? The first several hours just have you cruising around in your car doing random stuff. The game does run really well on the Series X, at a smooth 60fps at 1080p. CGIs were beautiful too. I guess if you do a lot of side content and really get into the world building it might be better, but I don't have the time or interest to do 100 fetch quests. On the bright side the dungeons were kind of fun. Overall, for me it's a 6/10 game. Lightning Returns is similar in many ways but a FAR better game!
#2
I went back and finally finished Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition (PS4 on PS5). My save file from May of last year was at around 14 hours, so I picked up from there and cleared it in about 37 hours. I had long wanted to clear this one, so I'm glad I can check it off my list. Pretty good game with great visuals and characters (except Patty who is just annoying). Battle system is good as well, but on the downside the story is pretty subpar (with plenty of nonsense) and the pacing isn't very good. Much of the game feels drawn out for no good reason. Anyway, I'd probably give it a 7/10. My favorite "Tales" games are Xillia, Arise, and Rebirth, and I'd rank this one below those, but I don't regret playing through it.
I have Tales of Zesteria and Berseria in my backlog as well, but I don't think I'll play those any time soon as I get burned out on the "Tales" gameplay and need a long break in between games.
I have Tales of Zesteria and Berseria in my backlog as well, but I don't think I'll play those any time soon as I get burned out on the "Tales" gameplay and need a long break in between games.
#3
I played through Final Fantasy XIII on the Xbox 360 when it was first released, and I really enjoyed it. I still own a copy of the game (JP version). I later played through Final Fantasy XIII-2 when it was released (also on X360), and thought it was OK but didn't enjoy it nearly as much as the first game.
A few weeks ago, on a whim, I decided to play through Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII on the Xbox Series X, since I skipped that one on the X360. The XSX version displays the game at a native 4k and it runs at 60fps, so it looks pretty awesome. It took me about 27 hours to beat it and I enjoyed it overall, mostly due to the excellent battle system which was a lot of fun. It is quite an unusual JRPG with a timer that gives you up to 14 days to beat the game. It is a non-linear game that encourages creativity and individuality. As I played through it, I began to think: "This is the kind of JRPG that Yagawa would make!". The flow of getting EP to trigger chronostasis over and over again reminds me of the flow in a Yagawa STG of medalling for score to suicide. I finished up all the side quests I wanted to do around day 6 (about 45 regular ones and 40 of the "Canvas of Prayers" quests), and then just slept at an inn until day 14, took on the last dungeon then the final boss. But you can choose to play it differently, use chronostasis less often, etc. Some bosses become harder if you use chronostasis less often and fight them on later days (like the rank increase in a Yagawa game!). Weak point of the game is the story which was always either silly or nonsensical. The ending is decent -- if you played the first two games it will resonate more.
A few weeks ago, on a whim, I decided to play through Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII on the Xbox Series X, since I skipped that one on the X360. The XSX version displays the game at a native 4k and it runs at 60fps, so it looks pretty awesome. It took me about 27 hours to beat it and I enjoyed it overall, mostly due to the excellent battle system which was a lot of fun. It is quite an unusual JRPG with a timer that gives you up to 14 days to beat the game. It is a non-linear game that encourages creativity and individuality. As I played through it, I began to think: "This is the kind of JRPG that Yagawa would make!". The flow of getting EP to trigger chronostasis over and over again reminds me of the flow in a Yagawa STG of medalling for score to suicide. I finished up all the side quests I wanted to do around day 6 (about 45 regular ones and 40 of the "Canvas of Prayers" quests), and then just slept at an inn until day 14, took on the last dungeon then the final boss. But you can choose to play it differently, use chronostasis less often, etc. Some bosses become harder if you use chronostasis less often and fight them on later days (like the rank increase in a Yagawa game!). Weak point of the game is the story which was always either silly or nonsensical. The ending is decent -- if you played the first two games it will resonate more.
#4
High Scores - Competition Style / Re: World Record Scores - Home...
Last post by EOJ - February 27, 2025, 04:13:50 PM #5
High Scores - Competition Style / Re: World Record Scores - Arca...
Last post by EOJ - February 27, 2025, 04:06:52 PMTrying to catch up on WR scores done in the past few months:
DDP DOJ
2,209,743,650 - A-Shot - SWY
https://x.com/hty_RA/status/1878084652994572682
Dodonpachi Daioujou Black Label
3,554,437,570 - A-Laser - 師匠、ちょっと臨廻転生貸して貰えますか？
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eZxMbrWuUaPJRN7UnoyG8hN3jWTaSvJnSsYnValpvCw/edit
Ketsui
537,027,619 - Omote 2-ALL - SPS - Type A
https://x.com/SPSPUYO/status/1894757604037198034
DDP Saidaioujou
1,254,866,194,678 - 5-Inbachi - ALC - A-Shot (Autobomb ON)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1waFrM-EQA
Dangun Feveron
13,526,735 - Type A - PEG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icKKphhWpnQ
DDP DFK BL (XBOX 360 Port)
2,169,790,837,152 - ALL (w/ Hibachi) - B-Power - LYX
https://x.com/LYX_TEST/status/1882062219804094550
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE8keKtxajU
Deathsmiles Mega Black Label
14,260,845,177 - Rosa - Dame K.K.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eZxMbrWuUaPJRN7UnoyG8hN3jWTaSvJnSsYnValpvCw/edit?gid=56258626#gid=56258626
Let me know if I missed anything!
DDP DOJ
2,209,743,650 - A-Shot - SWY
https://x.com/hty_RA/status/1878084652994572682
Dodonpachi Daioujou Black Label
3,554,437,570 - A-Laser - 師匠、ちょっと臨廻転生貸して貰えますか？
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eZxMbrWuUaPJRN7UnoyG8hN3jWTaSvJnSsYnValpvCw/edit
Ketsui
537,027,619 - Omote 2-ALL - SPS - Type A
https://x.com/SPSPUYO/status/1894757604037198034
DDP Saidaioujou
1,254,866,194,678 - 5-Inbachi - ALC - A-Shot (Autobomb ON)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1waFrM-EQA
Dangun Feveron
13,526,735 - Type A - PEG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icKKphhWpnQ
DDP DFK BL (XBOX 360 Port)
2,169,790,837,152 - ALL (w/ Hibachi) - B-Power - LYX
https://x.com/LYX_TEST/status/1882062219804094550
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE8keKtxajU
Deathsmiles Mega Black Label
14,260,845,177 - Rosa - Dame K.K.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eZxMbrWuUaPJRN7UnoyG8hN3jWTaSvJnSsYnValpvCw/edit?gid=56258626#gid=56258626
Let me know if I missed anything!
#6
N
CAVE Games / Re: Does anyone know the speci...
Last post by Nose Laughin - February 13, 2025, 09:50:32 PM
#7
I finally finished Emio on the Switch last night. Took me about 18 hours. Great VN, just like the first two FDC games on the Switch. This was made by MAGES, and our good friend Makoto Asada.
I played about an hour of Starfield on the XSX, and it's OK I guess, but so far the gameplay doesn't interest me that much, so I'm not sure I will persist with it.
I'm going to finish up Tengai Makyou Zero on the Super Famicom and then play through one of the PS5 games on my backlog. Probably Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth!
I played about an hour of Starfield on the XSX, and it's OK I guess, but so far the gameplay doesn't interest me that much, so I'm not sure I will persist with it.
I'm going to finish up Tengai Makyou Zero on the Super Famicom and then play through one of the PS5 games on my backlog. Probably Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth!
#8
N
CAVE Games / Does anyone know the specifica...
Last post by Nose Laughin - January 14, 2025, 07:07:11 PMMight be a bit of an odd question, but does anyone have a photo or else of the Ketsui bosses with their lengths and widths and weight readable? They were sold as stationary at the 2018 Matsuri, and there also appears to have been a screensaver with them in the same year, though I can't find either. So far I've only got the Stage 1 and Stage 4 bosses (Bullfrog and Cinderella Amber); I'd really appreciate it if someone were able to help me out here with a picture of the stationary or otherwise.
Examples:
(in the back)
Examples:
(in the back) #9
After playing through Albert Odyssey on the Saturn, I've moved on to Tengai Makyou Zero on the Super Famicom (the new English translation), and I'm also playing through Emio on the Switch because I kept putting that off to play other games.
I got an Xbox Series X for Christmas, and that has been fun to explore as well. About half of my digital X360 games play on it. I mostly wanted the console for the Killer Instinct Classic 1 and 2 games, as I am a big fan of those and I haven't played them since the arcades in the 90s. I found a copy of the Definitive Edition, as apparently that's the only way to play them now unless you subscribe to Gamepass (which I have no interest in doing). It's also nice to have them on a disc. I also got Starfield for my XSX, but not sure when I'm going to get around to playing that.
In other news I played a credit of SDOJ on my X360 to see if I could still 1CC it (inspired by the recent Switch port which I have not played and do not intend to buy unless it's dirt cheap), as I haven't played it since I sold the PCB a year and a half ago. First try, and I pulled out a 1CC with A-Shot (using a $14 third-party wired pad with annoyingly loud clicky buttons). Still got it.
Nice to see the leaderboards are still up and the replays are available to download (unlike the Switch version!).
My Japanese X360 was made in August 2010, so it's over 14 years old. Pretty amazed it still works perfectly (though the wireless pad stopped working years ago).
I got an Xbox Series X for Christmas, and that has been fun to explore as well. About half of my digital X360 games play on it. I mostly wanted the console for the Killer Instinct Classic 1 and 2 games, as I am a big fan of those and I haven't played them since the arcades in the 90s. I found a copy of the Definitive Edition, as apparently that's the only way to play them now unless you subscribe to Gamepass (which I have no interest in doing). It's also nice to have them on a disc. I also got Starfield for my XSX, but not sure when I'm going to get around to playing that.
In other news I played a credit of SDOJ on my X360 to see if I could still 1CC it (inspired by the recent Switch port which I have not played and do not intend to buy unless it's dirt cheap), as I haven't played it since I sold the PCB a year and a half ago. First try, and I pulled out a 1CC with A-Shot (using a $14 third-party wired pad with annoyingly loud clicky buttons). Still got it.
Nice to see the leaderboards are still up and the replays are available to download (unlike the Switch version!).My Japanese X360 was made in August 2010, so it's over 14 years old. Pretty amazed it still works perfectly (though the wireless pad stopped working years ago).
#10
First time there's been a home port of an EXA arcade game, pretty interesting & exciting! Releases on 23 January, digital only for now.
https://x.com/grevUST/status/1876827370210173259
All the gameplay changes from the EXA game will be in there, and that's the important thing. According to Shou at EXA, EXA's English localization, videos, title screen art, and added voices cannot be included for contractual reasons, but that's not a big deal as it's mostly fluff. I don't expect this port to achieve the EXA version's 2 frames of input lag due to the Switch being incapable of doing this in any game (AFAIK), but if the Switch version can achieve 3-4 frames of lag, it'll be acceptable.
I still have the original version on my Xbox 360, and it even works on my Xbox Series X!
https://x.com/grevUST/status/1876827370210173259
All the gameplay changes from the EXA game will be in there, and that's the important thing. According to Shou at EXA, EXA's English localization, videos, title screen art, and added voices cannot be included for contractual reasons, but that's not a big deal as it's mostly fluff. I don't expect this port to achieve the EXA version's 2 frames of input lag due to the Switch being incapable of doing this in any game (AFAIK), but if the Switch version can achieve 3-4 frames of lag, it'll be acceptable.
I still have the original version on my Xbox 360, and it even works on my Xbox Series X!