In the OG game, Cloud would, HEAVILY IMPLIED to being raped by gay strongmen in the Gold Saucer cutscenes and it never gets addressed. This game, nor in the remake doesn’t want to pull punches. At least, that’s what I remember.

I have a copy too. I liked the game for what I’ve played as it felt like an extension of the VP universe with a return to form of a dark story across lands. Decent tactical RPG system too.

Typical, insulated man-children. Afraid of the world, but feel they deserve to own it.

Whew, quite an essay of an observation there, but well said. What it boils down to is that these executives have NO INTEREST in functioning as a public company and selling products to consumers, and more like trying to create a money train that protects their decisions. They’re hallowing-out Square Enix and passionate…

Yeah, the Valkyrie Esylium game and Tri-Ace, if I remember, was stuck between two projects: Star Ocean: The Divine Force and this, and most of the VE team were pulled for the former, which may explain the game’s engine change.

To be fair, the Valkyrie Profile games never really had a good franchise going, and most of…

Yes, and when it comes to games, storytelling is a whole set of challenges as it is a different medium. I’m pretty confident that the low standards in storytelling isn’t just a matter of product, but socio-economics as well.

As someone who values good writing and characterization, I’ll admit I’m not wholly sure if my high expectations and sense of nostalgia are cheating on me behind my back, or that I focus too hard on what’s going on the writers’ heads. More so, I may be mixing up the plots of Triangle Strategy and OP2 - I think I…

Then they’re digging at the bottom of the well from a writing standpoint. Yahtzee Crowshaw’s review of it summed my feelings of the game’s feel. It’s a stock FF plot with a GoT theme taped to it. That’s not passion nor actual inspiration, I’m afraid, but rather - checking boxes and doing homework. But I’ll give them…

Unlike FF16, those two games felt like they were done with passion even if the latter isn’t all that great. Nice OST though.

My first avatar was a Bard, then I class-changed to Wizard and fell in love with the utility it brings. I exploit the NPC vendors limited AI and force refresh their inventory, always going out of my way stealing their scrolls, potions, and arrows often that I don’t stray from having my wizard learn from them. I have…

The Underdark is basically Act 1.5. I think this is your starting hub world for other paths and races. I recommend saving the Grove if you want to recruit Halsin later. Also Karlach “always on fire” is part of her arc and can be resolved in Act 2.

I would normally agree, but I feel it extends to how he is as a marketing gimmick. He’s pretty bitter and he channels that bitterness towards his passion, which is drawing and storytelling. He’s one of those old guys that “are too angry to die/retire.”

Larian Studio’s CRPGs let you have so many ways of acquiring that item that grabbed your attention. For me, it’s good ol’ fashioned pickpocketing: Have one party member distract the shopkeeper, and your skilled rogue goes behind them and robs them blind. BG3 expanded on this by limiting your dialogue distraction…

You referring to the Deep gnome slaves quest? If so, yep. I realized my mistake and wasn’t under the impression I was under a time limit just by getting some items in camp, and not even resting. This game does try to hint to you that you’re on a “Time limit” but I felt it was a little vague in this case

I was hoping they’d explore the other dragons that were in both games. Ah well.

Typo on my part: “Studio heads” Not SAG-AFTRA. I need to stop ranting when drinking...

Yep. WAG is full of people who are economically aware enough and it’s open class warfare. The more the SAG-AFTRA stalls and subtly promotes ‘anti-worker/artist’ rhetoric and acts to save a dime, the more they lose value to their competitors that conceded to WAG.

WAG’s knowledge and effective means are proof that…

The issue is that they WANT this and will continue trying to normalize it - they do not care for the unethical repercussions as long as it’s not them. They have been showing their growing disdain towards labor as whole that only got worse with the pandemic. Since they know they can indirectly dictate our lives and…

I doubt it. Crime benefits capitalists; they need a ‘social and federal excuse’ to turn desperate people into free prison labor instead of actually rehabilitating them and turning them into well-adjusted, functional citizens again. It’s part of why you constantly hear about “crime waves” on news to stoke the fears…

A whole new meaning to neuro-plasticity. Haha, I hate this world...