Operation Backlog Completion 2026

I Finally Finished Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (Base Game)

 Reviews, Video games  1 Response »  Tagged with: , ,
Jul 102019
 

Just under a year ago, I started Final Fantasy XIV for the second time and vowed that this time I would stick with it to the end for the sake of the story.

And I did!

I mean, I got distracted by the Gold Saucer too. But after just under 108 hours of gameplay, I completed the main story of the base game, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.

You really can play a lot of Final Fantasy XIV by yourself if you just want to experience a story. Dungeons and trials (bosses) are the main things you’ll need to team up with other players for, and that’s what pushed me away the first time. I disliked going through dungeons with other people, mainly because they’d rush through while I wanted to look around and take my time.

So I joined up with a nice Free Company, and thanks to the other players there, I made it through the dungeons and could largely enjoy the story the way I wanted to.

Now, when people praise the story of Final Fantasy XIV, they’re mainly talking about the expansions, not A Realm Reborn itself. For the most part, A Realm Reborn’s story is just… decent. It’s bogged down by a lot of filler quests, which annoyed me, but then I reached a certain point in the plot where things got shaken up a bit and I was genuinely invested in what would happen next.

(Ironically, it occurred shortly after the point where I quit the first time… although I remember going to Coerthas even though I wasn’t that far in the plot, so apparently my first attempt to play Final Fantasy XIV resulted in me wandering to random places before giving up. On the other hand, the Coerthas section was one of my favorites in the game, so I might have been wishing I was there in the plot instead.)

The plot had some good moments, and overall I enjoyed myself much more this time around. I picked up Heavensward during the free promotion earlier this year, so I’m looking forward to progressing through the in-between quests to reach it.

I’m happy I stuck with Final Fantasy XIV this time, and I don’t intend to quit anytime soon! Have you played Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn? How do you feel about it and its expansions?

Pokémon Sword/Shield: Gigantamaxing, New Characters, & More

 Video games  8 Responses »  Tagged with: , ,
Jul 082019
 

A new trailer has been released for Pokémon Sword and Shield, revealing a new gameplay mechanic, more Pokémon, and two characters I’ve got my eyes on as the game’s villains.

Pokémon Sword and Shield have been taking a lot of heat lately for the decision to remove the National Pokédex, but as someone who has never transferred my Pokémon from generation to generation, it doesn’t bother me personally (although I understand a lot of people do and dislike this change).

Anyway, the big feature introduced with the new trailer is “Gigantamaxing.”

While we already knew about Dynamaxing, where your Pokémon becomes huge and more powerful, certain Pokémon can instead take on a Gigantamax form, where they also gain a special G-Max Move specific to their species. It sounds to me like a cross between Mega Evolution and Z-Moves.

Drednaw and Corviknight were revealed as two Pokémon with Gigantamax forms.

The trailer also introduces some new Pokémon: Alcremie, Yamper, Rolycoly, and Duraludon. Of these, the only one that really stands out to me is Alcremie, which looks delicious cute.

From the Pokémon Nintendo Direct, we already knew the Pokémon League in this region is a major deal, and the battles to become Champion are broadcast on TV.

The new details explain that you must be endorsed by someone to enter the Gym Challenge, and then trainers who beat all eight Gym Leaders can compete in the annual Champion Cup.

In addition to the Champion, Leon, who was shown previously, we’ve now gotten to see some more key people. Chairman Rose manages the Pokémon League and also runs a large business, his secretary/vice president Oleana manages the company, and I’m calling it right now that these two are villains.

They also introduced a couple more Gym Leaders, a Fighting-type specialist named Bea and a Ghost-type specialist named Allister.

Update: I missed this the first time, but apparently Bea is exclusive to Sword and Allister is exclusive to Shield.

Finally, if you get the Double Pack, you’ll get Dynamax Crystals that let you face Dynamax Larvitar and Dynamax Jangmo-o in Max Raid Battles regardless of version. Larvitar is normally a Shield-exclusive Pokémon while Jangmo-o is Sword-exclusive. Digital copies of the game purchased before January 15 will also get 12 Quick Balls.

How do you feel about Gigantamaxing and the new Pokémon? Do you think Rose and Oleana are villains? Share your thoughts on the latest Pokémon Sword/Shield news in the comments!

Robotics;Notes Elite and Robotics;Notes DaSH Localization Confirmed

 Video games  No Responses »  Tagged with: , ,
Jul 052019
 

One visual novel I’ve been hoping for localization news about is Robotics;Notes.

Robotics;Notes is part of the Science Adventure universe, along with Steins;Gate and Chaos;Child (which I still need to play), as well as the other visual novels in their respective series.

Well, my hopes have been fulfilled! At Anime Expo 2019, Spike Chunsoft not only announced a western release for Robotics;Notes Elite, but also for its sequel, Robotics;Notes DaSH.

Robotics;Notes Elite, which unlike the similarity in their titles is not akin to Steins;Gate Elite but rather is simply the definitive version of Robotics;Notes, will be out in 2020 for the PS4, Switch, and PC. Its sequel will follow later that year.

The story involves a robotics club that uncovers some sort of conspiracy, and if it’s anything like Steins;Gate, I’m sure it will be exciting.

From what I understand, Robotics;Notes DaSH also ties a bit more directly to Steins;Gate.

I’m looking forward to both of these visual novels… and in the meantime, I really ought to play Chaos;Child! Are you interested in Robotics;Notes?

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