Recent reviews by JEEVES

Good devs.

Baaaad publisher.

Proper nostalgia.

'Overwhelmingly Positive' is overwhelmingly justified.

Big Points and Flips = Dopamine
Comical Bails = Laughs
+ Fast Bike goes *ticktickticktickticktickticktickticktickticktickticktickticktickticktickticktickticktickticktickticktick*

Pam param.

A steep learning curve and a true need to focus on communicative and cooperative tactics (for any level of success) make a game that knows how to sap your time and mental energy, sometimes to the point of fatigue.
But if you get the HLL bug, the games mechanical loop can be incredibly rewarding.

Some of the scenarios I've played in have been incredibly cinematic and memorable; suriviving bombing runs by diving behind cover with a split second left, to see the enemy army pushing the control point post explosions - myself, knowing I'm about to be swarmed being one of only 3 left on the point, I set a satchel charge for 60 seconds on the cover that saved my life just moments ago - I stand up and spray bullets down the road and into the approaching smoke of attackers grenades - I'm picked off by a flanking marksman..

Enemy troops footsteps are heard close as I lay in the mud bleeding out - my satchel explodes finishing me off, but increasing my kill tick by 5.

10/10, will gladly sprint up Hill 400 to get mowed down by MG fire again.

Danger, crafting, survival mechanics, BBEG's, a small dev team who don't monetise everything, Co-operative play, a sense of continuous progression through gear upgrades and biome exploration, jam making.

What's not to love?

1. This is a Grindal Grindtasy game, so expect some (Many; many many many many) JRPG and Fantasy clichés (Over the top BBEG's, plenty of character stereotyping and the need for a new 9-5 grind (without pay) if you wanna get anywhere near 100% for e.g).. I mean, they're not all bad per say, the Viera are pretty dope; Rabbit Ladies are cool.. Especially if you're into leeegs. *Cough* Moving on.

2. Graphics are actually not horrendous considering the games age and they're certainly nostalgic if nought else (although I've ran into missing textures and blacked out models from time to time).

3. If you played the Western version of this game in the gUd olD DaYs then you may find this version a little odd with its 'jobs' system - leaning you into progressing your toons along considerably narrower play styles and roles within the party; it's nice for some, not for others. It does however make it waaay more difficult to min/max without a guide or a savants mind.

4. Balthier; for some reason everyone loves that dude.

5. Vaan; for some reason the devs created him as a.. kind of nobody - yet he's the main toon. Big 'ol lack of compelling progression too; if anything he's comedic relief, and still rarely so.

6. I'm not sure why I'm numbering all of these haphazard statements.

13. Don't play Grindal Grindtasy 13 if you like good games. No, YOU have them in YOUR library..

7. Why is it only Gurdy seems to be able to fly?

Gun play - 👍
Visuals - 👍

Everything else - 🙃

If you dont mind the piss-poor graphics, odd character vs environment presentation, mildly cliched 'baddy' tropes and long segments of neccesary mob grinding: this game is an old gem, attested by many to be the best FF game there is.

The characters, setting, lore, meta and it's topsy, turvy, twisty story form together one of the best JRPG narratives to come out of the gaming industry.

10/10 - Would gladly spend 5 minutes running up stairs, listening to Barrets complaining again.