RPG Progress Report

[prfsnl_gmr]

I'm still trucking along in King's Field IV. Technical issues aside, it is a pretty great game, and I have a stong suspicion that it is the best "metroidvania" game on the PS2.

[Exhuminator]

I have a stong suspicion that it is the best "metroidvania" game on the PS2.

Without a doubt.

I am interested in your opinion of how King's Field IV contrasts with Demon's Souls. Some folks say that Demon's Souls is the spiritual successor to King's Field. Others disagree. Since you've played both, how do you think they compare?

[prfsnl_gmr]

I have a stong suspicion that it is the best "metroidvania" game on the PS2.

Without a doubt.

I am interested in your opinion of how King's Field IV contrasts with Demon's Souls. Some folks say that Demon's Souls is the spiritual successor to King's Field. Others disagree. Since you've played both, how do you think they compare?

It is apparent that some elements of King's Field influenced Demon's Souls, but they are very different experiences. The game's have very similar atmospheres, but there is more of an emphasis on exploration and puzzle-solving in King's Field. King's Field is also more deliberately paced. Demon's Souls, in contrast, moves very quickly, and it is very focused on combat and character building. (In other words, I think King' Field clearly influenced Demon's Souls , but I would not consider Demon's Souls to be King's Fields spiritual successor.)

I did make one, very drastic character building choice at the beginning of King's Field IV, and I think the designers implemented the choice in a very interestng way. Early in the game, I acquired the clarity bracelet, which quituples my magic points. You can sell it for a whopping $37,500 gold at the beginning of the game, and I did that to "finance" my adventure. (I bought great weapons and armor and a heap of heling items, and I am slowly working my way back to the $50,000 gold required to re-purchase the bracelet.) In doing so, however, I basically locked myself into a "melee" build pretty early in the game since I do not have enough magic points to make casting an effective battle strategy. (And, likewise, I do not have enough magic points to effectively upgrade my casting abilities.) I am very good at hitting things, however, and I am progressing through the game relatively quickly. It would be interesting to play back through the game with a "magic" build, however (i.e., by deciding to keep the bracelet) to see how it alters the mechanics.

[Exhuminator]

Demon's Souls, in contrast, moves very quickly, and it is very focused on combat and character building.

Does Demon's Souls or Dark Souls have any puzzles at all? Or are both purely hack'n'slash action?

I basically locked myself into a "melee" build pretty early in the game since I do not have enough magic points to make casting an effective battle strategy.

In KF1, KF2, and KF4 I tried to maintain a balance between melee and magic for offense. I liked to hit an enemy with a low level spell to stun them for a split second, then come in with a strong melee attack.

However, in KF3 I purposefully went for a magic build as solely as possible. KF3 has some super awesome spells. Eventually you gain the ability to summon ice dragons, create lava tidal waves, bring meteors from space down on enemies, stuff like that. I don't know if the spells in KF4 ever get that good, because I didn't focus on magic as much in that one.

[prfsnl_gmr]

Demon's Souls, in contrast, moves very quickly, and it is very focused on combat and character building.

Does Demon's Souls or Dark Souls have any puzzles at all? Or are both purely hack'n'slash action?

With the exception of one very awesome boss battle, Demon's Souls does not have any puzzles in the traditional sense. (In other words, there are no "find the red key to open the red door" puzzles.) Nonetheless, the combat and, particularly, the bosses are difficult enough that they almost function as puzzles. That is, you need to think very carefully about your strengths, your weaknesses, your inventory, the environment, etc. before you approach a new siatuation. There is no right approach to overcoming the game's many obstacles, but some approaches are certainly easier than others. I found the game very stimulating mentally, and I think tht you will enjoy it when you get around to it.

[Xeogred]

Just drop everything you're doing in life right now Exhuminator and play Demon's. Now.

[Exhuminator]

Just drop everything you're doing in life right now Exhuminator and play Demon's. Now.

After Shadow Tower and Shadow Tower Abyss, I shall. Chances are I will get to the game within the next year or so.

I've been trying to give my old OG Xbox some love lately. I'm thinking about trying out Fable: The Lost Chapters tonight.

I really want to find something awesome to play on said Xbox. I recently put hours into Far Cry Instincts Evolution, SWAT Global Strike Team, Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, and Phantom Crash. All of those proved disappointing and I plan to sell them. I was really heartbroken by Evolution because the original Instincts was tremendously better. Turns out Instincts and Evolution had different lead game designers, so it makes some sense at least.

[prfsnl_gmr]

I've been trying to give my old OG Xbox some love lately. I'm thinking about trying out Fable: The Lost Chapters tonight.

Have you beaten Call of Cthulhu, Chronicles of Riddick, and Panzer Dragoon Orta?

[touchofkiel]

You should definitely try out Fables. It's a not a bad game when you haven't bought into Molyneux and the media's hype (as I once did, back in the junior year of high school...). Be warned though - it's incredibly shallow and very easy. But still a good time.

[Sarge]

Oh, they also remade Fable on 360. I don't know that it looks that much better, or if they resolved some of the technical issues, but it's an option. (I found my copy quite cheaply.)