Shenmue and Skies of Arcadia

[nakamura]

Takes me to -2 then!!

I just don't get the fuss over it. Perhaps it is a more than the sum of its parts thing but I just found it shocking to control, dull to play and even the fighting was stiff. Looking back I can appreciate the whole dynamic world thing, especially at the time it came out but I am surprised the project got the green light when it did from Sega.

[TheNewMonkey]

Nice!!!!!!

Best news i've heard all year!

[speedlolita]

I adored Skies of Arcadia but I don't know if I could stomach the insane random battles now. Perhaps the probable reduced loading times would help soften the blow somewhat.

Shenmue, tried tried tried to like it when it came out. Didn't, hated it in fact. Still if there is a demo it won't stop me trying again.

Did you play it on DC?

As mentioned before, they toned down the random battles in the GC version.

[nakamura]

Yeah on DC, via VGA too and it looked stunning.

[speedlolita]

I really need to invest in an official VGA box..

My poor wallet.

[ToxieDogg]

I feel the same way as Nakamura....love Skies Of Arcadia (have it on both DC and GC) and wasn't overly won over by Shenmue (I didn't hate it by any stretch of the imagination but I found it a very underwhelming experience).

However, I'll be more than happy to give it another chance in HD which will hopefully get the same treatment for Shenmue 2 (which I've never actually played!!) and maybe (possibly? hopefully? doubtfully even?) then they'll greenlight another Shenmue game, just to finish off the story if nothing else....I hate cliffhangers in games left by a lack of sequel.

[Misery]

I'll never understand Shenmue. Never play it, either.

Arcadia though, sounds interesting. Might give that a whirl depending on how much it ends up being.

[pratty]

Arcadia though, sounds interesting. Might give that a whirl depending on how much it ends up being.

I'd normally recommend Skies to anyone, but you might want to be careful Misery with your self professed lack of patience, I played the GC version and I thought the random battles were annoying on that, so the original (if that's what they release) might be even worse.

Apart from that niggle though it's the best JRPG I've played. It has an epic story and some great characters.

[Misery]

Arcadia though, sounds interesting. Might give that a whirl depending on how much it ends up being.

I'd normally recommend Skies to anyone, but you might want to be careful Misery with your self professed lack of patience, I played the GC version and I thought the random battles were annoying on that, so the original (if that's what they release) might be even worse.

Apart from that niggle though it's the best JRPG I've played. It has an epic story and some great characters.

I actually really dont mind random battles. They're a part of the gameplay, is how I see it.

My problem with RPGs (almost always Square's games) is when they feel like they have more emo-filled shiny cutscenes than actual gameplay. When the cutscenes are TO THE POINT and not dragged out, I'm usually fine.

....actually it really is ONLY Square's games that bother me, come to think of it.

Kinda surprised it's taken them this long to do this though.

[pratty]

Arcadia though, sounds interesting. Might give that a whirl depending on how much it ends up being.

I'd normally recommend Skies to anyone, but you might want to be careful Misery with your self professed lack of patience, I played the GC version and I thought the random battles were annoying on that, so the original (if that's what they release) might be even worse.

Apart from that niggle though it's the best JRPG I've played. It has an epic story and some great characters.

I actually really dont mind random battles. They're a part of the gameplay, is how I see it.

My problem with RPGs (almost always Square's games) is when they feel like they have more emo-filled shiny cutscenes than actual gameplay. When the cutscenes are TO THE POINT and not dragged out, I'm usually fine.

....actually it really is ONLY Square's games that bother me, come to think of it.

Ah well you shouldn't have much of a problem with Skies then.
Kinda surprised it's taken them this long to do this though.

[RetroMartin]

Not fussed on Skies of Arcadia, I can play the GC ver on my Wii.

Shenmue however I would like as it means I can keep my DC packed away, and I don't have Shenmue 2. BRING IT TO PSN SEGA!

[nakamura]

Arcadia though, sounds interesting. Might give that a whirl depending on how much it ends up being.

I'd normally recommend Skies to anyone, but you might want to be careful Misery with your self professed lack of patience, I played the GC version and I thought the random battles were annoying on that, so the original (if that's what they release) might be even worse.

Apart from that niggle though it's the best JRPG I've played. It has an epic story and some great characters.

I actually really dont mind random battles. They're a part of the gameplay, is how I see it.

My problem with RPGs (almost always Square's games) is when they feel like they have more emo-filled shiny cutscenes than actual gameplay. When the cutscenes are TO THE POINT and not dragged out, I'm usually fine.

....actually it really is ONLY Square's games that bother me, come to think of it.

Kinda surprised it's taken them this long to do this though.

Funny really as so many of Square's games have tiny amounts of cutscenes compared to actual gameplay. I would say that up to and including last gen, most Square games contained no more than 90 mins of video cutscenes spread over 40+ hours per game.

Final Fantasy VIII and XIII are a bit emo, the rest aren't. Dragon Quest is not emo. Chrono, Mana, Rogue Galaxy, Radiata and many more are clearly not emo.

[speedlolita]

People say Cloud is emo.

Bit different though.

[Mayhem]

Nice... although I played SoA to death on the Cube.

[Misery]

Funny really as so many of Square's games have tiny amounts of cutscenes compared to actual gameplay. I would say that up to and including last gen, most Square games contained no more than 90 mins of video cutscenes spread over 40+ hours per game.

Final Fantasy VIII and XIII are a bit emo, the rest aren't. Dragon Quest is not emo. Chrono, Mana, Rogue Galaxy, Radiata and many more are clearly not emo.

90 minutes of video is about 80 minutes more than I'm willing to watch. Not to mention that it's not ALL video. There's usually plenty of in-game scenes COMBINED with the videos. And I often find the writing rather bleh.

My cousin's comments on FF 13 after he played through it speaks of the problem nicely: "It was the best visual novel I've ever played".

Though I'm MOSTLY thinking of THIS gen when I speak of these. I dont have, nor do I EVER AGAIN WANT.... a PS2 anymore, so none of the games from that or the PS1 era are things I'll be playing.

Now, their OLDER games.... pre-PS1.... I like alot of those. FF4 was good. And I love the first game in the series.

Dragon Quest.... .I never got into. It's hard to say why. I get bored with them FAST, so currently I just ignore the series.


Though, my views on these games are better explained by someone else who does it a bit better. Look up Spoony and his long FF8 and FF10 LPs.... I agree with literally every single thing he said in both of those.