Octopath Traveller is a game I should have theoretically liked because I have so much nostalgia for SNES RPGs. Unfortunately, it felt more like a proof-of-concept demo stretched to a full-length game than a complete experience in its own right.
I’ve heard that the sequel is better, but I haven’t tried it.
It’s the most accessible Paradox grand strategy game I’ve played.
That still means it’s as dense as pea soup, but its nested tooltip system makes learning the game’s key terms much easier.
One huge advantage Larian had was years of experience making games in this genre, and I doubt many other studios have that sort of corporate knowledge. Obsidian may be the only sizable one that comes close. Maybe Beamdog too, as they are responsible for the Enhanced Editions of all the old Infinity Engine games, including some original content.
It was one of four games I backed on Kickstarter years ago, and now it is the last one to come out. I haven’t played Suikoden, so I only know vaguely what to expect. I do hope I like it more than the other games I supported, though.
I think their situation is somewhat akin to where Bethesda was c2012: they’ve just released the most talked‐about game of the year, a game that was a critical and commercial success despite not being of the general gaming zeitgeist.
I really hope they don’t follow Bethesda’s path.
… there is only passion.
Reporting players for in-game behaviour rarely did anything.
And there was no reporting mechanism at all if they decided to continue harassing you through DMs after the game was over - all you could do was block them.
Maybe they’ll confirm the rumoured Fire Emblem 4 remake? I think enough time has passed since Engage that it wouldn’t be completely overshadowed.
Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga
I’ll say up front that it’s a niche game and isn’t for everyone. This is especially true because most of its aspects outside of the gameplay are pretty unremarkable. But if this is your thing, it’s really your thing.
What makes it so special is that its core gameplay loop is a very satisfying meld of Fire Emblem and Ogre Battle - essentially a turn-based strategy RPG where you control semi-autonomous squads instead of individual characters. And if that description made you perk up just by reading it, you need to go buy this game ASAP.
Now, if that description didn’t immediately pique your interest, I’d check out some gameplay videos instead. Because it fills such an obscure niche, it’s actually hard to know if you’ll like this game just from a brief description. There’s a good chance you’ve never played anything like this, and it will scratch an itch you never knew you had.
They are mostly a toy store now. Last time I visited a GameStop I was told they don’t even stock new games at release, except for pre-orders. There doesn’t seem to be a point in going there anymore.