#while simultaneously creating new characters and replaying act 1

[spindleweedss]

gotta love getting overwhelmed when playing new games </3

[destiny-smasher]

My personal 2020 GOTYs

1) Hades

This game, dudes. THIS GAME. A fraction of the budget, a fraction of the dev team size, reportedly HEALTHY development schedule and management...and imo it offers at least some of everything I want out of a single player video game. I have poured over 60 hours into this and I see myself putting in some more over time and ALL of the time I have spent has felt rewarding and edifying. Clever design, smart writing, organic voice acting, sharp gameplay, and all done at a fraction of the resources of these big budget, bloated games. You love to see it.

2) Final Fantasy 7 Remake (Part 1?)

I went into this year not caring much about this game at all. FF7 was a game I played as a teen, enjoyed, respected, and moved on from pretty easily. This Remake, so far, has done more than I could’ve expected in terms of actually REMAKING a game. It’s literally a new adaptation, and I as pleasantly surprised at just how hard it went. From realizing the world of Midgar into something so full of detail and plausibility, to reiterating and doubling down on its postmodern anti-corporation themes, to making Barret the character I loved the MOST somehow?? Combining everything I love about real-time RPG action with a tactical strategy element long missing from the genre, reimagining and fleshing out characters and concepts into something deeper and more meaningful...I’ve never considered myself a huge FF7 fan but this game was really something, and I absolutely cannot wait for more (and praying they do my girl Yuffie justice). I’ve been super skeptical of Nomura as a director given...the mess that has become Kingdom Hearts, but as it turns out, when he has others to reign things in, some surprisingly nuanced stuff for an anime game can come out of it. It has its flaws, to be sure, but it’s still the most enjoyable experience I had with a big budget game this year.

3) The Last of Us Part 2

I feel conflicted over this one in particular - I feel Neil is not longer a director I respect the way I did back with the first game. I feel Naughty Dog is falling victim to all of the late capitalist issues plaguing big budget game dev. But I also love this game. It’s much more flawed than the first, but that’s mainly because it’s more ambitious and complicated. It’s THE most flawed game on this game, honestly, but overall as a game I am compelled to respect its writing, its gutsier decisions, its art direction, acting, presentation, etc. It’s an impressive game and the most technically impressive game I played all year if not all generation. Props where they’re due, but at the same time, I think this game was poorly directed and I love it in spite of issues with its production, rather than because of some strong vision. That’s the big Sony bucks, I suppose, matched with a dev team willing and apparently somehow able to fulfil what they want to create. I still get the impression there was a bit of ‘design by committee for a mainstream audience’ kind of shit going on - how could there not with something this big? - and as a result I think the game is a bit bloated. Shave off about 3-5 hours from a few spots and it’d be a more focused game, and maybe I’d feel more edified and satisfied rather than weirdly conflicted. Even so, a huge accomplishment and I hope to see more games tackle premises as ambitious as this down the road.

4) Bug Fables

This game technically launched last year but it debuted on console in 2020, and I didn’t play it until then. This is as close to a follow-up to old school Paper Mario as it gets, while simultaneously doing a lot to forge its own identity and even improve on the formula presented in the previous games. Its rough around the edges but that’s mainly because it’s an independent game, and it’s amazing just how well the dev team was able to reproduce the scope and details of this specific subgenre of RPG, all while continuously implementing new game design elements and multiple features that make it feel more modern in its direction. Fantastic stuff, I’m still not even finished with it because I’ve been taking my sweet time, though I intend to finally finish it this month, and I have to say, it’s quite a special game in my opinion.

5) Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout

Absolute banger of a multiplayer game, really love the presentation, the concept, the overall execution, the way the team has been updating the game every month or so in response to feedback and implementing new content. So good to see the battle royale genre FINALLY pushed beyond just...arena shooting. Can’t wait to see where else this game can go over time.

6) Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Somehow this one slipped my mind when I first wrote this up, despite having poured well over 100 hours into it this year. I think part of it is that New Horizons did a lot of things I’ve wanted the series to do for so long, and yet is still far behind in terms of so many other things I wish they would do. Quality of life things prevent me from really re-investing into it, and yet despite that I have to admit it REALLY sucked me in for a solid few weeks and I continued to play off and on for months. It was the perfect game we collectively needed right when it came out and graphically I can’t think of how to really improve on that style. A really relaxing getaway I needed earlier this year, though like with previous AC games, I don’t find myself going back to it as much as I’d think I would.

7) Going Under

A surprise hit for me, this rogue-like swooped in from ‘heh that looks amusing’ to ‘oh wow this is legit just a great game.’ Its weird visuals, funky 3D gameplay, and surprisingly sharp storytelling make for a rogue-like unlike any other and one totally near the top for me.

8) Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Squeezed this in just this past week or so, and this one also satisfied me greatly. I wish we’d see more big budget open-world games like this -- laser focused, not wasting any time, and not being repetitious aside for completionists. So cool to see another team’s take on Miles after how much I fell for Into the Spider-verse, and very glad the team both homages that movie while subverting some expectations fans of the film might have, all while continuing to adapt Insomniac’s take on Spider-Man from a couple years ago.

9) Demon’s Souls (Remake)

As a big fan of FromSoft who never got too far into this one originally, it’s been great to visit it as if it’s a new Souls game with an alternate art style. And a very clean art style it has. This was a good pick to be remastered because many, even FromSoft fans like myself, missed out on it, and it feels unique from its predecessors while still showing a solid foundation they’d go on to build from.

10) Crash Bandicoot 4

An amazingly well done follow-up to the original trilogy, this game GETS what makes old school Crash games good, and it improves upon things in a number of ways, from making Coco the alternate hero, bringing back old faces in new lights, going ham with the visuals both in raw art and unique filters when replaying stages, and giving incentive for completion with so many great costumes. Well done, great old school platforming with modern design sensibilities. 

Honorable Mentions:

CrossCode

This also technically launched before 2020 but I didn’t play it until this year, and I don’t think it hit consoles until this year. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect going in, just remembering that I had enjoyed the demo well enough. This game delivers in most ways you could want from an indie game, with an expansive world of sidequests and RPG growth, a flexible combat system that can be nailbiting and engaging, and old-school dungeon designs with lots of environmental and elemental puzzles that really ask a lot of you. All of this capped with a surprisingly great narrative with characters I grew to love, including a much needed protagonist with a unique identity unlike any in games that I’ve played, as well as extra bits of detail and production values invested at JUST the right moments where the story needs it the most. It feels a bit tedious at times and part of me wishes more of the sidequest content involved direct interactions with the named, recurring characters, but it’s still one of the most impressive and well-done indie games I’ve ever played.

Katana ZERO

Razor-sharp game design, this one. It’s a brief but intensely focused experience that feels like the video game equivalent of a slick, experimental indie film. Could do with some more replayablity for those who want it but what’s here is just damn good and I gobbled this game down like a fantastic, hand-cooked meal at an atmospheric dive bar barely anyone knows about.

Necrobarista

Haven’t quite finished it yet but this is definitely one of the best visual novels I’ve ever experienced just due to how hard it goes on presentation and pushing for a more cinematic and thoughtful vibe than any other VN I’ve ever experienced. The characters and writing feel ripped out of an early 2000′s webcomic, for better and for worse, but all the same, it’s some fantastic stuff and it’s so refreshing to see a game set in Australia tackling a well-worn genre by giving it a new spin.

Slay the Spire

Another personal pick since this released in 2019, and I’m not quite sure which consoles it hit or when, but I didn’t get into it until early this year, and was totally hooked. Fantastically addictive, probably the most well-design deck-building rogue-like I’ve seen, certainly one of my favorite deck-building games in general. Apparently I’ve sunk 50 hours into it this year, more than most on this list, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that number spikes up again at some point.

[bestmarleylove-blog]

The Brand Story Web Marketing Process

On the off chance that sites make them overarch objective it is to make trust in whatever the site is advancing and who's advancing it. It doesn't make a difference if it's an item, an assistance, a business battle, or a thought, in the event that the introduction isn't negligibly sound or ideally persuasive, at that point it flops as a methods for promoting correspondence. 

Convey to the Subconscious Mind 

Marking is frequently thought of as a showcasing technique saved for significant customer item organizations, yet the truth of the matter is all organizations are brands that are either developed so they bloom, or let go-to-seed like a nursery loaded with weeds. Read more here Marley

Promoting beginners regularly consider marking just as far as some physical sign, similar to a logo, yet a brand is the full supplement of remaining impressions coming about because of the considerable number of encounters related with an item, administration or organization. What's more, today, the online experience is an imperative setting for making those encounters. 

By utilizing video, the advertiser has the chance to take advantage of the crowds' subliminal personality, the covered leftovers of both recollected and overlooked encounters; the sort of encounters that structure frames of mind, partialities, and inclinations that educate our choices, above all our purchasing choices. 

Where Businesses Go Wrong 

Where organizations turn out badly is agreeing to just the self-evident, the sensible, and the sane. Brands are shaped in the intuitive, so in the event that your showcasing correspondence doesn't arrive at the subliminal personality, at that point it isn't building up or improving the brand in any significant compelling long haul way. 

What video does, when done right, is convey on both the undeniable and intuitive levels, making it the perfect Web-correspondence vehicle for making an amazing brand understanding, however just on the off chance that you see how to utilize the introduction and execution components accessible. 

Taking into account how ground-breaking a device Web-video can be, it astonishes me in what manner or capacity numerous regularly canny specialists can decide on below average introductions. The do-it-without anyone's help and client produced endeavors seek the booby prize with the careless corporate bombast - they all overlook the main issue: a powerful rousing introduction must impart on various levels. 

The most effective method to Deliver A Brand Story 

We like to allude to creating, conveying, improving, and dealing with a Web-based brand, as The Brand Story Process. By thinking about your image regarding a story instead of simply some graphical picture, or indistinct statement of purpose, you keep away from a considerable lot of the traps related with inadequate marking. 

A story, any story, has certain central components: 

1. A storyline, plot or circular segment that moves the crowd from suspicious Web-surfers to steadfast clients. 

2. A legend, who vicariously speaks to the crowd and their situation in fulfilling their intuitive needs or wants. 

3. A scoundrel, who speaks to the issues, obstructions, or difficulties that stand up to the crowd in fulfilling those intuitive needs. 

4. A specialist of progress that speaks to your organization's capacity to determine the problem by giving an answer for fulfilling those requirements. 

5. What's more, an organization that structures the introduction in a progression of procedural or sequential video scenes, that sets up and upgrades the brand picture, all while conveying exacting and subliminal advantages. 

Storyline - The Arc of Transformation 

At the core of your image story is your showcasing message and that message must conjure change: a change from disappointment to fulfillment, and not only an introduction of highlights and advantages. 

Your image storyline puts what you offer into setting, and represents the feasible outcomes through onscreen surrogates showcasing the crowd's shrouded plans. A contender can generally cut your cost or include new highlights, yet neither one of the tactics can beat brand dedication dependent on fulfilling subliminal enthusiastic needs. 

Saint As Brand Messenger 

It's not simply the message; it's the envoy. There is not a viable replacement for the individual. No symbol, animation character, or PC produced comparable will give the nuance and subtlety required to impart on the verbal, unmistakable, and intuitive levels. 

The one admonition is that genuine individuals can be 'unreasonably genuine' to their benefit. We once in a while suggest utilizing organization officials before the camera in light of the fact that the camera gets a wide range of signs that the natural entertainer doesn't know about, bringing about an impression frequently in opposition to the planned message. An edgy senior official, regardless of how benevolent, conveying a consoling message to the general population over some item risk issue can really hurt the organization's restoration endeavors if that onscreen moderator is considered dishonest or beguiling. 

He'll Always Be Tricky Dick 

There are numerous instances of this kind of promoting socially awkward act, with Richard Nixon's 1960 TV banter with John Kennedy being one of the most acclaimed. On the radio numerous individuals thought Nixon, the veteran campaigner, won the discussion, however under the entering investigation of the TV camera, Nixon's actual self came through. It was not simply the five o'clock shadow; it was his covered genuine self conveying a negative impression to the crowd's intuitive personality. The negative Nixon brand was built up perpetually, one that never completely recuperated. 

A Brand Should Never Get Old, Ill, or Fat 

Indeed, even constructive response to a genuine character can end up being negative. Take the case of Steve Jobs. His keynote addresses are dealt with like demigod exhibitions, however when not accessible to perform out of the blue, gossipy tidbits start, and even significant enterprises like Apple feel the impact. 

What you truly need to make is a brand character, a representative that can be overseen, developed, and developed into a long haul brand delegate, one who can convey your promoting message and brand story in steady, compelling, and controlled crusades. 

Each Brand Story Needs A Villain 

At the point when we talk about the brand scoundrel we are not really alluding to another character in spite of the fact that that can absolutely be one method for outlining the current issue. As another option, circumstances or situations can be utilized to speak to the issue or predicament. 

Mental issues are frequently not all that straightforward as to be displayed by the dark cap lowlife and white-cap legend. Connecting with saints are regularly spoiled or harmed in a manner the crowd can identify with, and compelling miscreants are less malevolent but rather more they are illustrative of an elective plan. 

Take for instance the ongoing business crusade for 'Cereal Crisps' that is right now running in the Canadian market. The arrangement of spots includes a dad who is attempting to shield his preferred grain from being devoured by his young child in one business, and by his older dad in another. This incredibly cunning effort dives profound into the enthusiastic feelings of hatred and mental issues engaged with the relational intricacy, yet it does it in a comical, happy way, where the crowd can identify with the circumstance, and acknowledge the fundamental message. Here's an instance of hero and adversary, a progressively modern way to deal with the saint miscreant relationship. 

You Are The Agent of Change 

By receiving the Brand Story way to deal with advertising, you have to acknowledge the thought that your image is an operator of progress. All accounts are about change: change from one state (disappointment) to another (fulfillment). You build your image story dependent on the possibility that your image will change the crowd some way or another. 

Take the 'Multi Grain Cheerios' business including a couple examining the fixings recorded on the oat box: while the obvious message is purchase this item since it tastes great, the basic message is that it helps control your weight hence making you progressively appealing to your life partner, not a subject that any delicate mate would propose. The grain is displayed as the operator of progress: overweight and ugly, to thin and wonderful, while simultaneously expelling the disgrace of slimming down by giving the taste reason to legitimize the buy. 

This business like the recently referenced 'Cereal Crisps' business makes a contention that conveys different messages through the natural spouse wife situation; one that is recognizable to any individual who has ever challenged propose their life partner ought to lose some weight. 

Is it true that you are "Lawfulness" or "Jail Break"? 

Organization: Procedural or Serial 

The two most generally utilized introduction positions are Procedural, think "Peace", or Serial, think "Jail Break". Procedurals follow an exacting recipe that persistently replays the fundamental story circular segment with the setting of every scene stressing the predictable frames of mind, viewpoint, and perspective of the establishment or brand. Then again, Serials move the plot along from scene to scene keeping the crowd in anticipation with respect to what will occur straightaway and whether the brand saint will win the day. 

A standout amongst other Serial promoting efforts each executed was the Nescafe Gold Blend espresso battle that ran from 1987-1992. You can watch the entire crusade from start to finish on YouTube. 

One of my preferred Procedural style crusades is the ongoing Kleenex (Let It Out) battle that was splendidly executed. It played upon the crowd's feelings, recollections, and encounters, while partner those profound situated emotions with their image of facial tissue that is regularly viewed and sold as a carefully commoditized item. 

Accomplishing Something, Isn't Necessarily Doing It Well 

A long way from being prohibitive, these configurations give recognizable structure inside which the organization can build up and upgrade their image, however inability to get a handle on the basic enthusiastic component natural in your contribution will prompt disappointment. A present Canadian promoter attempted to duplicate the Kleenex group without understanding what made the Kleenex battle successful; t

[megatentious]

Shin Megami Tensei 3 Nocturne is still incredible

I just finished a replay of Shin Megami Tensei 3 for the first time in a decade, so I felt compelled to write a big long unstructured essay about it where I’m going to sound like an overwrought crazy person. That’s okay though. There’s just something about this game that really speaks to those of us who find our way in. When you sound like a hyperbolic cultist writing soaring prose to try to meet the game at its level, it’s not a unique reaction. We’ve all been spellbound in the same way, the game is designed to do it. How is it designed to do this? Basically, in every conceivable way! The music and sound composition, the moment-to-moment battling, the environmental art and location choices, the progression systems for both the protagonist and demon fusions, the scope and method of storytelling, the density and depth of the mythological references, everything fits together like a symphony to inspire these feelings. Tension, immersion (lol), and utter absorption. Nocturne is a clinic in how to structure every aspect of your game around a unified vision (finding the strength to survive in a cruel and barren land) without hugely compromising ambition. That this level of design can be sustained over the course of 50 hours for the average playthrough and 70 for those of us determined to reach the lowest depths of the game’s enormous optional (!) Amala dungeon is insanely remarkable. Some of the more adolescent fans of the Shin Megami Tensei series and the broader Megaten franchise lionize this one in particular as being the most “dark” but that’s a kind of stupid and narrow way of looking at it. If you’re a cool person you don’t love Nocturne because it’s “dark” you love it because the game makes you feel like you’re hallucinating. SMT3 is unconcerned with providing detailed exposition and light-hearted character moments, but it’s a game that is overrun with “story” at every turn. And not just in the environmental, piece-it-together Souls series storytelling sense people love to talk about, there are actually a bunch more NPCs around straight up delivering dialogue for you than you’d think! Pair that up with the demon chatting, the compendium entries, the audiovisual cues and the gorgeously directed cutscenes, and the common complaint that SMT3 has no story just seems like nonsense to me. The game isn’t necessarily just dour or unambiguously somber either. Megami Tensei’s roots are in the pulpy trash of 80s light novels, and you see this in some of the humorous demon-focused crassness, the bits of comedic negotiation dialogue, and the seeming mish-mash of myth as aesthetic influences. But the funny paradox of SMT3 is that it’s a game built on a punk-rock foundation of rebelling against what’s proper and mainstream (see any interview with the creators) that is also simultaneously downright austere by today’s standards. Grand and lonely and visionary in tone, careful, measured and meticulous in its design, without an ounce of bloat, nothing wasted or incoherent, it’s just so impressive on every level (I promise I’ll get more specific with my gushing soon). There’s an attitude among some Megaten fans that Nocturne is the one that doesn’t fit in the series, that it’s too different from previous Shin Megami Tensei games, but I don’t think that’s right. To me there’s a very clear throughline, it’s just Nocturne’s antecedents aren’t necessarily found in its immediate numbered predecessor. When it comes to the main and numbered games in this series, you can very easily see the path from Megami Tensei 2 -> Shin Megami Tensei 2 -> Shin Megami Tensei 4, all of which begin years after the apocalypse has occurred and concern themselves with how society persists and political factions collide decades and even centuries into the aftermath. They are the three most readily described as “cyberpunk”, they’re chattier, they’re a bit more clichéd in their own ways (amnesiac gladiator and military academy recruit openings for SMT2 and SMT4 respectively), they let you use guns and their general sensibilities are similar.  

SMT3’s lineage is, I feel, more directly traced from two other games. SMT1 and (hear me out!) Revelations: Persona. I think it’s easy to link these three games together for several reasons. In all three you begin in relative peace in a current day city, in all three the inciting incident is an occultist ritual, and interestingly in all three the hospital is your first dungeon, deliberately chosen for its uncanny familiarity to create an immediate sense of unease (and also the pretty obvious birth/death location symbolism). These are games centered around the immediacy of disaster and apocalypse, and take modern day locations that are meant to be familiar and subvert them to make them unnerving. Atmosphere is a word I see frequently used to praise all three games (yes there are at least 1 dozens of us, [dozens!] who like Persona 1) and the dream-like, surreal atmosphere in these three games can be strikingly similar. 

So yeah, good lord, Nocturne’s atmosphere. This game is simply filled with astonishing imagery at every point. The art directors managed to make each scene feel somehow weighty and mesmerizing, with aesthetic choices made throughout that are just so thoughtful and cultured. Angels and demons look terrifying and awesome, in that they inspire terror and awe. Gods and goddesses appear benevolent, their facial expressions neutral and lacking in human emotion. Jack Frost remains the best mascot in videogames. There’s well-researched details in the animations and all aspects of appearance (see here for a bit on Baphomet’s posing). The vocal and sonic choices are perfect, like that unsettling blaring soundblast when the statue of Gozu-Tennoh speaks, as if a great and mighty terror is deigning to communicate across worlds.

There are posts that dissect the spiral imagery of the vortex world that repeats over the course of the game. There are entire sites devoted to breaking down the wide range of inspirations for the game's transcendental demon design. Random tumblr people compare the cutscene direction to Ingmar Bergman films, and it’s interesting to see how the cutscenes are frequently in first person or otherwise hide the protagonist, which not only hearkens back to series roots (while saving budget $$$) but also conveys solitude and makes the scenes with multiple demons and figures appear that much more spectacular. On any given day you’ll find a tweet or two or three of people overwhelmed by the game’s aesthetic choices, its virtuoso game over sequence, or title sequence, or pretty much any sequence. It’s the purest expression of a world class artist’s singular vision and is the reason why all of us sound so annoying whining for Kazuma Kaneko to return from his flower field exile.

There’s also a very ingenious way SMT3 supports its themes and that is through the combat. Nocturne is a game about stealing turns. It’s the fundamental principle of the battling, it’s why everyone tells you to keep the skill Fog Breath, and it’s a carryover from the simpler system in SMT1 where the method of stealing turns was using charm bullets or casting Zio to paralyze the enemy before they even have a chance to act. The battle system has a famous Engrish name called “Press Turn,” which is distinct and not to be confused with the One More system from newer Persona games or the alignment based combat bonuses of Strange Journey.

In SMT3, any given press turn encounter depends upon the party composition choices you’ve made, not only the resistances and repels/drains you enter with (two very different things in terms of battle consequences!) but also the moment to moment decision-making of turn management, weighing how to strategically pass to maximize damage output over the course of the fight. Every battle is an opportunity to demonstrate your efficiency and mastery of the systems, and the goal of each encounter is to use foresight and preparation to demolish your foes before they have the chance to even act. Steal turns and survive in a barren land of death upon death, this is the elegance of Press Turn. You’ll hear endless discussion around this game’s difficulty, and encounters generally have teeth to them yeah, but there is a very principled fairness to the battling where combat swings do not occur as dramatically as they do in say, SMT4. SMT3 is balanced perfectly by virtue of its lack of save anywhere option, providing you with tension at all times but also most importantly the tools to mitigate disaster over the long term, which is a deeply deeply rewarding way to survive.

Press Turn’s UI really adds to this rewarding feeling.  How terrifying is it when a boss casts Beast or Dragon Eye, and suddenly a string of new turn icons appear? How satisfying is it to see a row of flashing turns, knowing that you’ve fully exploited your enemy? The enemy composition really accentuates this as well, with encounters often designed to avoid easy spam of single elements or physical skills to mindlessly coast to victory. SMT3 doesn’t want you taking any shortcuts, if you want to take advantage of a given demon or magatama’s skillset, you need to pair your choices to mitigate the corresponding weakness, or the enemy’s AI will press their advantage in the exact way you would. It’s a really satisfying symmetry.

There are also other paths to battle that are just as viable. Exploiting weaknesses with a multipurpose magic build is another way to steal turns. Building battlers around skills that maximize critical hits is another way. And if you are terrified of the infamous one-shot deaths that people like to say are the franchise trademark? Equip null-death magatama in between level ups. Raise your luck. Resolve battles before enemies even have the chance to use the spell against you. Raise your speed so enemies don’t get the chance to go first. Get endure as soon as possible. The tools for success are all right there for you! Nocturne tasks you with growing strong enough in this world to ascend to creation, and it provides you with multiple paths to reach this goal.

So, about these multiple paths, let me talk to you a bit about SMT3’s famously unique alignment system. Other games are lauded for their ultimately fairly stupid morality systems but Nocturne breezily operates on a completely different level. Instead of RESCUE and HARVEST in dumb giant gothic font or literally color-coded paragon and renegade meters, in SMT3 you align yourself naturally through story progression with factions concerned with stillness, power, solitude, freedom, or rebellion. Instead of the grand binary moral choice being telegraphed through hideous-looking “Little Sisters” (god I hated that stupid name haha) there’s a rough analogue in  the actually sympathetic but far more complex unsettling-looking Manikins, whose character motif is described by the creators as representing those who lose themselves to the strength of numbers. There’s unfortunately a tiny amount of material in the game to support extremely tedious “canon” discussion, but the game actually works best and most purely as an abstract, impressionistic vision of grand universal themes. Playing through any one of SMT3’s six endings makes the universe feel vast and overwhelming, and asks you to contend with a broader suite of philosophies than ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ and that’s ultimately what I think the developers were most interested in going for.

Something about the prose in Nocturne is also special in a way that is extremely difficult to accurately describe. Like everything else in this game it feels elegant and detached, gods and goddesses are appropriately otherworldly without sounding like haughty stereotypes, lower demons are funny and crass in a way that’s not so on-the-nose. Again it’s very difficult to pinpoint but something has been lost in the writing of the newer games, even a bit as small as how angels and demons in the game actually never name anything directly as God, but instead refer obliquely to a Lord, an Absolute, or a Great Will, Nocturne just gets all the little details right.

As I run out of steam from this braindump, I notice there’s still an essay’s worth of observations in so many other topics that deserve to be discussed. The Tokyo-focused but somehow universal theming of the game’s alignment principles and locale visuals. The insanely expansive but unfortunately compressed soundtrack (see over three hours of unreleased material alone here), where dungeon music regularly evolves to indicate progression, and battle and boss music quantity is generously varied both between and within song. The extremely rewarding fusion system can be plumbed to frankly insane depths, with a demon bestiary that is reasonable to 100%, and the lack of “use it or lose it” demon quality that hits other SMT series games contributing to a better feeling of progression and customization opportunities. The demon negotiation, which rewards your knowledge of mythological connections among pantheons with unique one-time only dialogue. The dungeons, the DUNGEONS. With the exception of an early set of sewers, an apparent shitty dungeon theme RPG tradition, each of these are little masterpieces of aesthetics and design, with their own thoughtfully introduced and iterated gimmick, planned wonderfully for both third and first person, often wrapping in and around themselves in spirals in that very Shin Megami Tensei-specific way.

Even if you think a game like Nocturne seems too dense or impenetrable or boring or random-encounter filled or whatever, it’s worth giving it a real shot for yourself to see if it manages to grab you. We’re no longer in those days in the late 2000s where the game cost exorbitant amounts of money to get, a digital version can be found on PS3 for $10 (with only rare emulation issues in certain dungeon sections), and the disc itself was reprinted and can be found brand new on Amazon if you have a PS2 or want to emulate on PCSX2, where the game looks even more breathtaking. Either way, find a way to treat yourself to an RPG where it is actually appropriate to throw around the term masterpiece. I didn’t really write any of this text no one’s going to read to make a persuasive case to anyone, but sometimes games will inspire you and it feels good to ramble about them. Games like this one are nearly impossible to make nowadays, and SMT3 is something worth cherishing.

[operationrainfall]

Title Opaline – 2 Fates 1 Love Developer Aldorlea Games, Warfare Studios Publisher Aldorlea Games Original Release Date Nov 20, 2012 Genre RPG Platform PC

Aldorlea Games had first made its way onto my personal radar after seeing an auto recommendation through Steam while looking into another game. I tend to ignore these, but what had caught my eye that day was the first Millennium game in a 5-part series. After having played, reviewed, and being pleasantly impressed with the overall quality of the entire Millennium series, I had wanted to take a closer look at other productions coming out of this small indie developer. What sticks with me about Aldorlea is the fact that these games are rarely produced by a team of more than three or four individuals. Production with such limited manpower is remarkable all on its own. However, now I wish to find out whether the quality I experienced with Millennium proves consistent. And so the entry from Aldorlea that recently caught my attention is Opaline – 2 Fates 1 Love.

Opaline at its core is one part world saving, one part love story, as one would hope since “love” is in the title. Our story begins in the small remote town of Hermon, where Gallow, an orphaned young man, has been selected as a True Knight candidate; a guardian responsible for protecting the world against the Blight. His childhood friend Liza, whose family looks after Gallow, is grieved to see him leave the village to begin his training. As Gallow leaves, Liza walks with him a final time, but through a series of events, is herself charged with a role to play in the unfolding events that will engulf the two.

The Blight, a powerful, evil force once contained, had been released during the previous kingdom-wide war. Four warriors were responsible for this act and, in repentance, have since established the Crusaders, a group of knights that prepares for the eventual returning threat. This group is the one that recruits Gallow as a True Knight candidate. But before he can begin, the Blight strikes, pulling both Gallow and Liza into a world-wide struggle that forces the two apart. With unknown destinies and a budding love, the two have everyone’s hopes on their shoulders.

The story of Opaline is a familiar one to the RPG genre with a few unique elements along the way. The “2 fates” aspect sees our heroes going down their own paths as they grow and learn of the conflict they’ve been pulled into. As one would expect, this part of the narrative challenges the relationship between our two heroes. Several times during the story, the two meet up again, progressing the love story aspect and letting us, the players, know how things are going for them. In terms of its execution, the world saving elements of the plot are fairly straightforward, as the heroes must go about their ways to defeat the villains. What I like about this part of the plot is the inclusion of a growth theme, as the two heroes learn and seek out the means to become the legends they are meant to be. It adds needed substance to a plot device many have seen before, while also adding depth. I also like how the growth aspects compliment the love element, as they both serve to deliver an engaging, lighthearted story. Yes, there is strife and conflict, but I enjoy how the game keeps a more cheerful, hope-filled tone throughout.

I do feel let down when it comes to the love story itself. If love is in the title, I expect there to be significant depth and development in this regard. Unfortunately, what we get is far too little to satisfy. I will applaud the developers for the few bright spots, such as the final moments of the intro scene or Gallow’s stowaway scene, as they’re charming and brilliant. However, I expected far more than what is actually provided. The quality is there, but the quantity is not and what results is more of a longing by the player rather than an acceptable level of immersion. While the relationship between Liza and Gallow is described as having gone back further than the start of the game, we obviously don’t see that. Yet, I felt too much of the ongoing plot relies on that past reference and, again, the result is a love narrative lacking genuine growth between the two.

Opaline’s character development also suffers from a lack of quantity. Quality is not the issue; the few glimmers we do get are great, but the lack in content hurts the overall story. Only three of the characters are memorable enough to care for by endgame, as the others just feel like extras or filler to address a need in gameplay. Simply put, more is needed. Badly. This is especially evident because of the love narrative and its shortcomings. If we are to care for, or root for, the developing love between Liza and Gallow, we need to know more about them besides their resolve to do the right thing. Instead, the story throws you and its characters into the world-saving almost immediately. We are to just assume Gallow and Liza are good people, so they can be trusted to save the world, just like that. As gamers, we already get it that the good guys are going to do the good guy things and stop the bad guys. That’s a given. I expected more in terms of personality away from the heroism and world-saving elements, but we rarely see it. The few moments we do get to see within the characters’ thoughts towards one another, as well as their shared moments are all outstanding, but they are too few and far between. Yet, there is also a charm here, magnified by Gallow and Liza’s innocence and genuine care for one another. Those few nuggets are enough to hold a player’s attention, as it did mine, but it left me wanting. I really do want to know more about these characters because there are high quality moments to be had. Overall, story and characters needed far more development, more detail, and more depth.

Moving on to gameplay, Opaline is mostly an old-school RPG, but with a few appreciated twists. Plot and combat drive the campaign, as our heroes are separated and players experience the story from two different perspectives. I like this because it allows multiple plotlines to play out simultaneously. We also have the chance to manage teams with varying styles and skillsets. At the beginning of the game, combat is almost bland to the point of repetitive. However, as the game progresses, combat becomes more intriguing with the need for strategy. Mastering stat boosts, elemental affinities, ailment skills, multi-hit skills, and having a grasp on when to use them and against whom will all influence your success in combat. When the two teams join, selecting who you bring will also heavily impact success, especially at endgame. While it may not be anything new or innovative, its implementation is tight and it helps to break the monotony that may stem from the turn-based style. I also compliment the fact that leveling up and difficulty scaling is perfectly implemented. I feel the game, in terms of challenge level, is incredibly fair, so much so that I would say Aldorlea is a gold standard in this regard. Developers from other studios, such as Kemco, can learn much from this small indie.

Only a few bugs and none are game breaking.

Outside of combat and the main quest line, there are a collection of subquests and Secret Rooms to find. Subquests are common fare, ranging from simple collection quests, to deliveries, and enemy hunts. Besides items or money, subquests always yield experience points, which is a welcome help. Although they are not the most intriguing or innovative, these subquests do add to the overall experience and charm of the game. My only complaint about subquests is the lack of tracking. There is no system to remind ourselves of the subquests that are open or available, nor of their completion conditions. You’ll have to do your best to find them and remember their requirements. As for the Secret Rooms, this has typically been a complaint of mine throughout my reviews of the Millennium series games, but here, they are indeed easier to find. With the Millennium series, mouse controls, specifically the pointer, was helpful when there was a corresponding change to the pointer icon, indicating a hidden secret. Not all the Millennium games implemented this and Opaline, too does not. However, Opaline does an excellent job of indicating a Secret Room though visual cues on the map. If you see a peculiar object or a random extra jut in the wall, chances are good that there’s a Secret Room nearby. Their rewards, in that they often hide excellent weaponry or armor, are very much worth the effort in searching for them. On my first playthrough and without any guide, I managed to find most of the Secret Rooms with minimal effort; it’s nowhere near the level of anxiety, cheapness, and tedium seen in several of the Millennium games. Finally, there is a grading system, which grades you according to completed subquests, Secret Rooms found, and how many times you saved your game. Similar to the codenames you earn in the Metal Gear series, grading and titles are shown at endgame and depending on how impressive or humorous your grade title, you may be encouraged to replay the game for a better one.

With no helpful icon changes, check everywhere, as you never know what’s hidden…

Aldorlea’s aesthetic efforts for the Millennium series impressed me overall and it was a major factor I had looked forward to in my play of Opaline. Unfortunately, Opaline’s aesthetics leave much to be desired. The game is still presented in a familiar, pleasing 16-bit style reminiscent of the classic RPGs from the 90’s and in the current Aldorlea style. The use of RPG Maker mixed with custom tilesets and assets create a beautiful world that’s fun to explore. Beyond this, however, the visuals are uninspired. The portraits are rather bland and there are no full-body or torso shots; only head portraits. Also, there are only two real pieces of art, the title screen and a CG that gets reused. They clearly had a talented artist, as these two pieces are beautiful, but just two is a crime and to recycle one is inexcusable. I’m very let down here, as I’ve seen far better from Aldorlea. As for the audio, the music selection is strong, pairing tracks appropriate to the events and circumstances on-screen. In the past, Aldorlea has used public domain music and I believe this is the case again, as no composer was named in the credits. Regardless, the quality of the music is solid and its implementation is satisfactory. Audibly, Aldorlea is on point, however, as visual aesthetics have been a nonissue in the past, the degree of letdown I felt here really makes it stands out greatly.

So many opportunities to incorporate artwork… This and the title pic above is all we get.

Overall, I enjoyed Opaline. Its roughness is noticeable, but the entirety of the experience is pleasing. It’s full of charm and has some brilliant moments that will keep you engaged until the end. I’m giving Opaline a 3 out of 5 stars because what it does right it does extremely well. Yet, it’s a far cry from a 3.5 or 4 because, plainly, it needs so much more. More story depth, more relationship development, more character development. It has the foundation and makings of something truly special, but it’s disheartening that the game falls short of its full potential. The price of $15.99 on Aldorlea’s website is completely absurd (no, it’s not a typo), but the $5.99 price on Steam is wholly acceptable. In spite of its shortcomings, it was still a pleasure to play; I’m genuinely glad I did so.

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[easyreview cat1title=”Overall” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”3″]

TBT REVIEW: Opaline – 2 Fates 1 Love Title Opaline – 2 Fates 1 Love Developer Aldorlea Games, Warfare Studios Publisher Aldorlea Games