RPG Progress Report

[touchofkiel]

Well Exhume, it's not over yet! You can always fund a fan translation of the 2 PSP KF games.

Me, I still haven't jumped in to the first one yet. Or any other RPG, really... just learned I'm being transferred next month, so I have less time for games... the good news is, once I move, I'll have 3 weeks of spring vacation.

[Exhuminator]

Well Exhume, it's not over yet! You can always fund a fan translation of the 2 PSP KF games.

I plan to play the PSP games, and have acquired them. Also English walkthroughs to help me make my way since I can't read Japanese. Unfortunately those PSP games are not the same thing as the original King's Field games. They have more in common with Wizardry for whatever reason.

[BoneSnapDeez]

While you're at it you should play one of those Japanese Wizardry games.

[touchofkiel]

Yeah I love traditional dungeon crawlers so I was hoping there would be an Eng patch for those 2 games.

Speaking of Japanese Wizardry... there are some JPN exclusive Saturn ports of various PC Wizardry... and I do believe they have English options.

It's always been weird to me, how Japanese devs jumped on the genre when Western devs sort of abandoned it... and now Japanese devs are making the formerly Western Wizardry games, and then those (well, some) are getting localized into English. Full circle I guess.

[Exhuminator]

There are a couple of PS2 Wizardry games that look mighty fine indeed. Unfortunately I don't think any of them are available in English, other than Forsaken Land.

[touchofkiel]

So I did give KF1 (JPN) a try. Tried playing it for a good hour or so. I like what it's trying to do... utterly miminal presentation, brooding atmosphere, little hand-holding. I can even accept the slow pace, and maybe with time I could even get used to the very clunky (and unchangeable!) controls.

But there's no getting around it... the combat is pretty miserable. Just straight up shoddy in my admittedly brief time with it. Once I got the shield in the very first hidden room (ugh that damn skeleton nearly killed me), I could experiment more against the snakes, and found that... the hit detection is not only terrible, but also pretty inconsistent.

Earlier today I watched a bit of a speedrun, and the player was farming golems for a while, and the same thing applied... way too often he would "miss" (sword going right through the golem) and just swing again and hit him. There's very little chance of me getting around that... but that's just me. Disappointing, sure, but I'll definitely give the other entries a try.

[Exhuminator]

Well keep in mind that King's Field 1 was a launch title for the PS1 in Japan. What it managed to do right off the bat, with the brand new tech, was really impressive for its time. I'll be the first to admit the tech hasn't aged well. However, the intrinsic immersion and wonderful game design sucked me in past the outdated polygonal crustiness.

but I'll definitely give the other entries a try.

With each successive King's Field, the combat becomes a bit more polished. King's Field III has no issues with hit detection, or at least not for my play. I mean, you do have to line up your attacks, aim and strike deliberately, quite manually so. But that to me was always part of the fun.

[Kidpanda]

Well, just beat Xenoblade Chronicles. Had to fight the last boss like 2,000,000 times. I'm pretty sure I was underleveled but pulled it out my butt anyway. Great game and one that I recommend playing.

[darsparx]

Well made it to ansem in KHFM but I can't seem to dodge quick enough when he goes flying around. I've gotten him to the final green bar and about half way down and then he pulls that stunt if items didn't take so long to use I'd use my potions to heal...but magic seems easier and i tend to run out using aeroga and curaga....*sigh* I'm so close I can taste it but man this part seems to require quicker reflexes than I have....

[Daria]

Started playing Rhapsody again tonight - mostly just wanted to capture footage for a video. Wasn't saving because the game's as easy as a $2 hooker - and it fucking freezes two hours in. >.<

*grumble grumble*