Yearly Archives: 2016

Opinion: Why I don’t hate FFX-2

FFX-2

I used to hate Final Fantasy X-2. I went from the gripping, sorrowful, and at times, fucking depressing Final Fantasy X [and XI when I had the chance] to Final Fantasy X-2. It was bright, cheerful, but still hiding some pretty dark moments. But I hated it at first. I used to describe it as “Charlie’s Angels: The RPG”. Yuna, Riku, and Paine gallivant around Spira, collecting spheres, learning new things, and unmasking ghosts/stopping crimes. Do they find love, or meaning to their lives, now that the Eternal Calm is upon them? Maybe! Maybe not! I’m not here to tell you the story. But I am here to tell you how over the course of time, I changed my mind. That happens from time to time. Now I didn’t hate everything about it. The Dressphere/Job system? Fantastic. The Garment Grids were cool, the airship was a bigass Harley, roaring through the sky. Old, familiar characters show up, and people have changed, whether for better or worse. They moved on with their lives. Some did, anyway.

LenneYuna

It felt so shallow at first. It was just a way to make a cheap buck and at at the outset, I was offended. I mean sure, I had the collector’s edition guide and a day one purchase of the game, but I’m a Final Fantasy Fiend [no pun intended] and X is in my top three, and my top ten favorite RPGs of all time. X was a gut-wrenching tale of loss, death, and how it affected humans just in general. But that’s what X-2 is about: Moving on. Death, loss happened, and Yuna is trying to prove, I felt, that Tidus was real, and that he didn’t just “stop existing”. Or that he never was. So, she’s trying to find proof in the spheres that the love of her life is real. That’s fucking moving, a real touching series of moments. She experiences some of the “Six Stages of Grief”, going through bouts of Anger [“WHO THE HECK IS LENNE!?”], basically changing her entire life and moving on to try and find happiness, and give others happiness. But ultimately, her goal is to prove that Tidus is real, and wasn’t just a figment of the imagination. It’s pretty touching: She realizes that her life no longer has to be about death and sadness, and instead moves forward.

FFX2shuyin

I really looked at the game the wrong way. As someone who often has trouble moving forward, and getting past earlier events, it in its own special has helped me think more positive. And that’s one of the beautiful things about video games: In their own way they offer a cathartic release or relief from pain. It’s a gentle reminder that things can, and do get better. FFX is all about the endless, horrific spiral of death. FFX-2 is for the most part, light-hearted and cheerful. Sure, the Vegnagun is a demonic world-ending weapon, and only by completing 100% of the game do you see the real ending, but people change, things get better, and a whole world moves forward. I think it’s really quite lovely in that way. I don’t hate FFX-2 anymore.

 

Neverwinter PS4 Launch Gelatinous Cube Companion Giveaway and Raffle

OnRPG has partnered with Perfect World Entertainment and Cryptic Studios to celebrate the PS4 release of Neverwinter! How better to celebrate than a raffle to win a Gelatinous Cube Companion? We’ve got 50 codes up for grabs for the quick, and 45 more waiting to be won by entering our forum raffle!

Neverwinter is a free-to-play action MMORPG that features fast-paced combat and epic dungeons. Players explore the vast city of Neverwinter and its surrounding countryside, learning the vivid history of the iconic city in the Forgotten Realms and battling its many enemies. Neverwinter is available on PC and is free to play digitally on Xbox One with Gold from the Xbox Games Store and PlayStation®4 (PlayStation®Plus not required).

NW_PS4_Gelatinous_Cube_Screenshot

Companion Details:
• Type: Augment
• Quality: Rare (Blue)
• Active Bonus:
o +105 Power
o +105 Defense
*Applies to you as long as this companion is active
• Powers: Ooze
• 2 Defense Slots, 1 Offense Slot

 

To Enter the Raffle:

  • Visit the official entry thread. Sign up for a forum account to post.
  • Tell us your ideal pet/ability combo you’re seeking to claim now that Neverwinter has arrived on PS4!
  • Come back on Monday, July 25th to see if you’ve won!
  • Fifty winners will be awarded and sent their redemption code through our forum PM system.

To Claim a Code:
1. Open a Sony Network Entertainment account on PSN (or use your existing Sony Entertainment Network account).
2. Select the PlayStation®Store icon on the PS4™ system home screen.
3. On PlayStation®Store, select ‘Redeem Codes’ at the bottom of the menu.
4. Enter the code.
5. Once the code has been entered correctly, select ‘Continue’ on the dialog box.
6. Select ‘Continue’ to complete code redemption.
7. Launch Neverwinter and locate the Rewards Claim Agent in Protector’s Enclave to claim your items.

 

Neverwinter PS4 Review: The Definitive Edition?

By Jason Parker (Ragachak)

Neverwinter has been hanging in there, and over the course of the past few years, I’ve played all three iterations: PC, Xbox One, and the most recent, the PS4 launch. Though it came out July 19th, Playstation owners could get in a week early if they were willing to buy the Onyx Head Start pack. What’s that? Paying to play a free game a little early? Honestly, looking at what comes in it, it’s pretty much worth it. A cool mount, a title, a weapon, 20 Enchanted Keys for opening chests, an adventurer’s pack… sounds worth it to me. A lot of people say that Neverwinter is Pay-to-Win, and I don’t really agree with that. It’s a free game. As far as I can see, every single part of the game is accessible without spending money. You might need to grind a while for Astral Diamonds for some things, but you do not have to spend money! Are there perks/benefits to spending money? Of course. That’s how free-to-play games make money. Besides, maybe I’m in the minority, but if I’m playing a free game, and spend a lot of time on it, I have zero issues spending money on stuff for the game, because I’m enjoying what they are putting out. People who say “I absolutely refuse to spend money on this because it is free,” I think that’s a kind of selfish attitude to have.

Neverwinter-PS4_Review36

That aside, it is free, and you do not have to get the Onyx Pack, and when you load the game you have access to the whole game, all eight playable classes, the nine expansions, up to and including The Maze Engine, which is the most recent expansion. I also feel it’s worth noting that you do not need Playstation Plus to enjoy this game, making it freer than ever! Console users don’t always have access to really solid MMORPGs; sometimes they get lucky, with Final Fantasy XIV and Star Trek, but for the most part, if you want a good MMO you play on PC.

Neverwinter-PS4_Review04

That’s just the way life is sometimes. But not these days! The Xbox One port of it was good. I enjoyed it as much as I did on the PC, but I honestly think that the best version of the game lies on the Playstation.  I enjoy and appreciate that the art assets appear to have been updated and redesigned for the console. It’s quite pretty to look at, and it’s one of those MMOs that feels better/feels right with a controller, and the PS4 controller is the most comfortable one to me.

Neverwinter-PS4_Review40

But there is something missing for me though. It’s still an MMO, and it still requires communication. It has the ability to type messages to other players, but without a keyboard plugged in, that just feels so odd.  But you can plug a keyboard in if that’s how you want to play. Or you can just use a voice chat with friends. The choice is yours really.  One of the major drawbacks to playing an MMO is how much time you have to sink in, and games like FFXIV, or WoW force you to drop quite a bit of time in just to get somewhere. But with Star Trek and Neverwinter coming to the Playstation 4, you have options for MMOs that are not only free, but require a lot less time for the most part.

Neverwinter-PS4_Review24

There are lots of solo missions you can go on in Neverwinter that don’t take hours, where you can get experience and progression rewards while getting your fill of a solid recreation of the D&D universe. Speaking of which, Neverwinter is set in Fourth Edition D&D, which is built for action and quick play.  Having spent quite a bit of time playing 4th Edition in tabletop form, I always thought it would do well in a video game, and this is proof positive of that.

Neverwinter-PS4_Review18

The controls are pretty easy to use. They’re a little clunky at first while trying to figure out where exactly I’m going to use all of my damn abilities. I won’t lie though, I don’t like that it takes two buttons to jump. Thankfully this isn’t really a platformer that is going to get you killed for delaying a jump. The mount is one button, but jumping is two? I don’t agree with it, but at least it’s a fast way to get on my horse and go! Combat is easy to handle on a PS4 controller, and while it does honestly feel clunky or weird at first, you acclimate in no time. And there is plenty of content to explore. The positive thing about this game being out since 2013 is you have three years worth of content to explore without having to wait.

Neverwinter-PS4_Review43

The UI makes sense still, and the advent of the touchpad makes it easier than the Xbox One to navigate. Pressing it will move a box around the UI to allow you to get around the screen with ease. Both consoles are easy to play on and use, and again, free to play on all three. But the definitive version for me is without a doubt the Playstation version.  Is it because it’s the latest one so it has the most updates at once? Possibly. But it is the prettiest version of the game, the easiest to control, and offering nine expansions right out of the gate? That is SO much content for free for anyone who wants to experience the game on the Playstation. With the current crop of MMOs on PS4, it’s far and away one of the very best.

 

Neverwinter-PS4_Review37

A Deal You Can’t Miss

Conclusion: Great

From what I understand, Neverwinter requires a Gold Membership to play online, but you do not need Playstation Plus to enjoy it on the PS4, yet another fantastic reason to consider it there. After all, you don’t need a PC subscription to play online on a computer, so why should you have to pay extra for it on a console? It’s a prettier version, the controller’s touch pad makes it more accessible, and quite frankly, if I were to suggest someone play Neverwinter [and I have lately], I would recommend this version. I have never felt this was a pay-to-win game, but it might be a little slow going at first. The Onyx Starter Pack does definitely alleviate a bit of that pace, but nobody is under any pressure to do so! Neverwinter is a fantastic look into the Forgotten Realms of the D&D Universe, and if you’re looking for an in-depth fantasy experience for your console, to play with friends or even make new ones, this is the title for you.

Life is Strange, Free to Play?

Life is Strange Bus Ride

You heard it! You might have already heard it, but for everyone! Episode 1 of Life is Strange will be free to play. It’s been out for a while and some of you might ask what the big deal is. Life is Strange is one of the most well-known Telltale titles. It’s a five part game that’s completely story driven. It does some interesting things with turning time backwards, to see how events unfold. It’s a game based entirely on choice, consequence, through the advent of turning back time. Changing time affects the present and future, which is amazing.  I haven’t completed it, and I already own part 1 on PC, because it was given to me during an interview for episode 2, waaaaay back at Pax Prime last year. I don’t play enough Telltale games, which is weird because story-driven titles really do it for me. That’s my wheelhouse, such as it were.  This is not only a well-told story, but it’s beautiful. It’s a living, breathing world. It’s easy to get lost in.

Life is Strange Tracks

The time manipulation thing doesn’t interest me all that much though. It kind of makes it feel like cheating, having a main character who can manipulate time to change events. I think it would make every choice matter more if she couldn’t. But that’s not the point! I really think this is a good move on Square-Enix’s part. Did it not sell well? I can only assume it did because they made four more parts after this one! But it’s taking the drug dealer approach. “First one’s free, kiddies.” So, they offer part 1 for free, hook them with what is a compelling, and intriguing story. From there, players who enjoy Telltale, and love a good story are going to want to buy the other games to experience the story, to see how far the rabbit hole goes. Granted you could watch someone play it on YouTube, but is that really the same as doing it yourself, making the choices you want to make? No, it sure isn’t. I encourage all of the Sony users who can to take advantage of this, to see how they feel about the story. It’s not for everyone, but I think it will capture the attention of a lot of new players, who will become fans. It’s a bold move, and I want to see how it plays out for them.  Maybe we’ll get more Telltale?

What do you guys think? Fans of the Telltale game style? Any series you want to see receive the story-driven treatment? Feel free to let me know!