Recent reviews by kenner

Edit: I started the game using the classic layout since it seemed better than the standard in terms of what would come naturally to me. After a bit of reading I see there are a lot of complaints about this layout having issues online. I switched, redid all the trainings, and things aren't quite as bad. The game does have awful design in terms of new player progression (What do they expect new players to do other than jump into the story, and maybe do a bit of the basic training? The difficulty ramp is outrageous in the story. It needs to be smoothed or there need to be different difficulties implemented for different level players so everyone can experience the campaign.)

Impossible level AI 2-3 missions into the game that blocks/dodges/reflects everything and doesn't give you a second to think while you're still learning the controls. You get to watch some pretty great visuals while you have no control over your character while a master level AI juggles you the entire time. Real fun experience.

There's an option to lower difficulty but it disables the story branching, which is the main appeal of the story mode in this game. Really lame thing to deny access to.

Typical of Bandai developers, the options menus are missing basic features like the ability to rebind your controller the way you want (same huge complaint with the Monster Hunter series) and the two layouts they offer are hot garbage. There is limited rebinding of some buttons but they're constrained to groups (X skills can only be on triggers, Y skills can only be on A/B/X/Y, etc). And seriously, what game doesn't have a master volume option at this point? Shameful.

Just play Monster Hunter World.

Incredibly fun, simple game. Feels like a real-time version of Worms with Smash Bros style arenas. There's also a free demo with a subset of abilities from the full game so you can try it and see if you like it.

Edit for 0.2: Back to negative on the review. They've turned the game into a mess with the recent bout of changes.

Tried the Javazon and the spear throws would be 1-2 inches off-mouse location frequently - basic mechanical ♥♥♥♥ like this being wrong really breaks any chance of enjoyment for ranged classes that depend on landing shots based on player aim. Melee is still an insufferable experience.

They took a balance that was barely playable and decided to make it easier to trigger ailments (freeze, stun, shock, etc) on players. They thought it was a good idea to make the game more miserable. I'm at a loss. The game director has a stick up his bum about his vision for the game; Unless he pulls it out and starts reading the room this is doomed to be mediocre at best.

I really want to like the game. The graphical updates are great, some of the new mechanics are good. Unfortunately, it's just not a fun experience.

Pre 0.2 review:

TLDR: Mixed feelings on the game as it is. It's not worth spending money for EA. If you're going to play it, play a ranged character. Melee is awful.

I started with warrior and melee feels awful. Almost all the skills have travel animation/repositioning, and in an ARPG where almost all the mobs are constantly zerging you using those skills can ♥♥♥♥ you over. What you end up with is auto-attacking most mobs until you can get some chain effect off of a stun. Meanwhile you're stuck trying to stay on top of bosses/mobs to deal damage. Bosses ability spam, so you're weaving in occasional auto attacks on them hoping to build a stun meter up enough to get a bit of a damage burst. This sucks, and I don't have it in me to suffer through this low level play until some sort of usable kit emerges for the character.

I switched to a necro and the difference between melee and ranged is absurd. I cleared the same amount of content in half the /played time with no deaths on the necro. With melee I was averaging 1 death/level.

I think the way I heard it best put is that if you're playing melee, you're playing a Souls game (without the Fromsoft magic). If you're playing ranged, you're playing a twin stick shooter. Melee needs a lot of work.

In solidarity with all those that have been scammed in non-PSN countries.

Update: Sony caved. Game still good.

Know what was great about Witch Queen Legendary Campaign? Careful level design and balancing, making it challenging and fun. This is not that experience. This is awful.

Really solid VR game; big classic DOOM vibes. Wish more VR developers would take a note out of this game's book and give up on hyper-realism. The art style works so well in VR.

Boring

A buggy mess, especially in multiplayer. If you spend time flattening terrrain to build a base, the terrain will eventually respawn, leaving parts of your base underground. Important things you build sometimes don't show up for players in multiplayer sessions, like teleporters. Weather doesn't synchronize between players most of the time, leaving one player hiding in a ship while another is picking daisies in a firestorm. Game hard pauses on alt-tab, even in borderless. For all the time they had to get this game together, they barely did so.

Say no to Nuffle's ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.