Of course, I was heading down this path--to not checking in on my two Animal Crossing: New Leaf towns every single day, at least for a few minutes--before I nabbed all of the above from the 3DS eShop, but I'm not sure I would've done so as quickly as I have without their "help."
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| Illustration by leav |
A couple of examples: Airu de Puzzle (PSP), Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (3DS) and Shin Megami Tensei IV (3DS). And then there are a few older games that I've wanted to sink my teeth into for some time, like Contact (DS), Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon (Wii), Opoona (Wii) and Touch Detective (DS).
There's also the Feb. 7 release of Bravely Default to consider--because once that sucker's in my hands I probably won't even think of playing anything else until I've beaten it. (Assuming I don't falter at the very end like I did with its predecessor, Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light.)
Anyway, all of this is just a really long-winded way of saying, "I'm finally free of New Leaf's grasp!"
I'm not entirely sure why I feel the need to share that here, but rather than overanalyze why that may be let's just celebrate the fact that it means I'll be playing--and, as a result, blogging about--a lot more games in the next six or so months than I did in the preceding ones.
This is change we can believe in.
ReplyDeleteWell, Steve, I'm glad to hear you've at least given it a try. I'm kind of amazed you're even considering picking up the full retail game after reading your thoughts on the demo, though.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, based on what I've been told, it seems the full game's actually quire different from the demo in a number of important ways. Apparently there are very few (if any) fetch quests in the full game--which is funny, since that's basically all the demo is! Rather, the full game seems to be a "typical" RPG in that it focuses on story, going from town to town, etc.
I can't say I agree with any of your other comments on the demo, but that's OK--they're your opinions, just as my thoughts on the game are my opinions.
Anyway, if you do end up getting the full game, I hope you enjoy it. There's little worse (in the gaming world, at least) than spending $40+ on a game that you end up hating.
Ha! How did I know you'd comment here, Steve? :P
ReplyDeleteI assume my complaining about Animal Crossing was why you wrote this, right?
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I can tell you, Steve, is that everyone I've talked to who has played both the demo and the full version has said that the full version is MILES better than the demo. Also, there are little or no fetch quests in the full game--which, again, seems weird to me, given the focus on them in the demo. Anyway, I'm glad to hear you do, in fact, like the demo to some degree. There's hope for you yet, I guess ;)
ReplyDeleteHaha, congrats on breaking free of New Leaf! After a few weeks back with it, I'm starting to lose interest yet again. Which is good, since I have so many other games that need playing! New Leaf is just too addicting, that it's impossible to play any other game when that has my attention!
ReplyDeleteNNNNNEEEEEEVVVVVEEEEERRRRR!!! OK, so maybe I will be back. At some point :)
ReplyDeleteHey there, Random J! Did you turn down the difficulty to "Easy"? Or turn down the number of random encounters you face? Also, are you properly using the Bravely/Default system--i.e., spamming Bravely against easy foes and strategically using Default against tougher ones?
ReplyDeleteDon't worry. The demo is basically a spoiler free slice of Bravely Default cake ;)
ReplyDeleteThe characters and story are much more detailed in the game.
Actually I think the demo is perfect as is :)
ReplyDeleteThere are no spoilers which is great!
In the actual game characters have their voice etc (tho I will admit I have switched to japanese voices).
The online features are kinda neat in the full game. You can "summon" friends. So basically a friend has to select Send during battle so that means your next action will get transmitted. I had a friend who had an attack power of over 400k LOL (they maxed out everything in the game). To break the 9999 limit you use SP during combat (1 SP regens every 8 hours in game that includes sleep, BUT not if you suspended or closed the game).
The village construction goes up to Level 11 and you get free items every few hours from it. All village items can be purchased thru the red merchant (the one that gives you a Save option).
I will agree that the demo does throw you into the deep end and initial combat can be gruesome, but if you can survive and level up a little bit you'll get past that.
Ah, that's good to hear. Thanks, Igor!
ReplyDeleteSo do I, Igor--at least basically. I only mentioned the part about the lack of characterization and story because I think some others--folks on the fence, esp.--might prefer a bit more "oomph" to the experience. Anyway, I'm glad to hear the full game is even better!
ReplyDeleteYea I can understand that. But then the demo would give away spoilers etc so I can kinda see why the demo is its own thing and has no relation to the main game
ReplyDeleteI didn't think of it that way before. Maybe that's why the folks at SE did it as they did? Also, they probably wanted people to be able to get right to the gameplay, rather than slog through a bunch of text, etc.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I just have to say I love that illustration you included! So cute.
ReplyDeleteI think I was really into Animal Crossing for about 5 months before I pretty much stopped completely... So I understand that you'd want to move on to other things right about now ;) After a while it becomes more a matter of just wanting to play something new rather than getting tired of it, doesn't it?
Yeah you really had play around with menus to figure things out. Putting config under tactics was an odd choice.
ReplyDeleteI ended up learning there was a way to get an extra villager and that you can exploit it to get several but you can only get the villager(s) before a certain point so I deleted the demo, Re-downloaded it, and fought the bosses on hard. I'm currently on the robot boss fight that's after the dragon.
As for the censorship I don't care to much since I'm probably not going to use said outfits and agree about the whole chibi character thing you mentioned but I still find censorship wrong (other than aging up the characters).
I still haven't played this one, but my son was hugely addicted to New Leaf. It was finally Pokemon that got him to play something else after weeks glued to his screen. Now it's Monster Hunter Wii U.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I would've expected overall difficulty and encounter rates, etc., to appear under "options" or something. Oh, well!
ReplyDeleteI've heard about that free villager exploit, too, but I also heard about it too late--and I had no interest in going back and starting over again. Plus, I have two NA 3DSes, so I've just been giving myself an extra villager each day. I'm up to seven now. Woo!
Hey there, Anne! Yeah, my moving on from New Leaf has more to do with me wanting to play other games than it does with me disliking New Leaf in any way.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it just starts bothering me at some point that I'm completely and utterly addicted to a particular game. It just feels ... wrong. I mean, I don't mind being addicted to a game for a month or two, but five or six is too much for me. So, I force myself to move on.
Ah, yes, Pokemon! I really have to get back to that one myself. Also, it doesn't surprise me at all to hear that it was the game to pull your son away from New Leaf. Also, it's great to hear he likes MH3U!
ReplyDeleteI don't if this true but I heard villagers won't move on days you don't play unless that were thinking about doing so the last time you played for at least six months. Also I think the stores don't randomize what they're selling until you start the game for the day.
ReplyDeleteIf it weren't for the snow-people I probably wouldn't be playing every day. I also need to finish up my museum's art collection. If you want you could give me a list of the paintings/sculptures you need and I'll give you my list and I'll keep an eye out for what you need.
Well, that's nice to know, if true. As for exchanging lists of needed paintings and sculptures: I'm not against doing something like that, Sam, but I honestly don't know when I'm going to play the game next. It's been a week now, and I have no desire to check back in. I'll let you know if I do, though!
ReplyDelete