Great review. The game checks all the boxes. I am just about at the end but the third act has caused me to lose quite a bit of steam (narrative wise). Just an incredible game and I am so thankful it exists!
Reading this makes me incredibly excited to get to this game. Grief is indeed a difficult and delicate topic to tackle, and I appreciate games that try to handle it tactfully. Happy to hear that that's the case with this game as well.
Did you play the game in English or French? I was thinking of playing it in French because of the setting, but I'm not sure currently.
I played it through in French, and thought the French VAs did a great job - good enough that when I switched to English in NG+, as good as they were, I was too invested in everyone's French voice that it just felt wrong to me.
So I started out playing it in French, because I'm rusty and I wanted the listening practice. I loved the French VAs, they were amazing! But I switched to English not long after because I heard that the VA for Verso is Ben Starr, and having just finished FFXVI I wanted to have more of the same, you know? But I'll definitely play NG+ in French, I loved it too much to not do that haha
I will have to check this out -- too many are raving about this game for me to ignore now!
Maybe the minimap was a purposeful omission from a story perspective? It's an expedition so you aren't supposed to know exactly where you are going? I understand though, that from a player perspective, that can be very frustrating! Great post as always!
I got lost more than a few times, and I'm very good with in-game directions and orientation!
I agree that omitting a mini-map is very thematic. However, the game also scatters Pictos everywhere around the map. Some you'll need for late game too, as they are very good and often hidden in some weird nooks and crannies.
A map would just help you explore every inch of each area. It could even be one that's hidden with fog until you traverse to the location? Guides online ultimately fix for this, but I'm always a little critical when that's the solution?
Worth seeing right to the end, if you can get there. In Act 3, you are fine to go straight to Lumiere. Will be a challenge, but doable with a end of Act 2 party -- if that helps!
My party was way overlevelled, and I one-shotted the final boss.
GTA blinked and pushed their release because they couldn’t compete with this GOTY! Great review, the emotion of this game really hit me more so than possibly any other game.
Great review. The game checks all the boxes. I am just about at the end but the third act has caused me to lose quite a bit of steam (narrative wise). Just an incredible game and I am so thankful it exists!
Just go finish it. I got a bit of enjoyment out of min maxing, but even that hit a ceiling.
You don’t want to one-shot the final boss, like I did. Takes away all the dramatic tension when the big bad goes down in one hit lol.
Reading this makes me incredibly excited to get to this game. Grief is indeed a difficult and delicate topic to tackle, and I appreciate games that try to handle it tactfully. Happy to hear that that's the case with this game as well.
Did you play the game in English or French? I was thinking of playing it in French because of the setting, but I'm not sure currently.
I played it through in French, and thought the French VAs did a great job - good enough that when I switched to English in NG+, as good as they were, I was too invested in everyone's French voice that it just felt wrong to me.
So I started out playing it in French, because I'm rusty and I wanted the listening practice. I loved the French VAs, they were amazing! But I switched to English not long after because I heard that the VA for Verso is Ben Starr, and having just finished FFXVI I wanted to have more of the same, you know? But I'll definitely play NG+ in French, I loved it too much to not do that haha
English! The English voice acting is top notch — and star studded too.
I will have to check this out -- too many are raving about this game for me to ignore now!
Maybe the minimap was a purposeful omission from a story perspective? It's an expedition so you aren't supposed to know exactly where you are going? I understand though, that from a player perspective, that can be very frustrating! Great post as always!
Thank you!
I got lost more than a few times, and I'm very good with in-game directions and orientation!
I agree that omitting a mini-map is very thematic. However, the game also scatters Pictos everywhere around the map. Some you'll need for late game too, as they are very good and often hidden in some weird nooks and crannies.
A map would just help you explore every inch of each area. It could even be one that's hidden with fog until you traverse to the location? Guides online ultimately fix for this, but I'm always a little critical when that's the solution?
I agree, if online guides become a fix for a game, there's something missing from the game. Maybe the fix is a toggle-able minimap?
In either case, I can see myself wandering and getting lost without a minimap...as even with a minimap, I've gone the "wrong way" 😂
I'm loving this game and hoping to finish it this week. Very good review and agree with your critique so far.
Worth seeing right to the end, if you can get there. In Act 3, you are fine to go straight to Lumiere. Will be a challenge, but doable with a end of Act 2 party -- if that helps!
My party was way overlevelled, and I one-shotted the final boss.
GTA blinked and pushed their release because they couldn’t compete with this GOTY! Great review, the emotion of this game really hit me more so than possibly any other game.
I'm glad I'm not the only one! Yeah, its beautiful on a lot of levels with so many incredible moments. But the ending itself really hit me.
It's up there for me for GOTY too.
I’ve been meaning to pick this up too. So many games to play, so little time. Thanks for your work, love reading.
Thank you! Well worth it, especially at its current price tag. I find 40 hour games to be a good length too.