Final Fantasy VII Remake -- Spaghetti Mage

 

There are many entries in the Final Fantasy series, but Final Fantasy VII stands out as one of the most memorable. I highly enjoyed playing the remake.  While its been quite awhile since playing the original 3-disc game, I struggled to remember aspects of the original story.  The way the remake moves along with the story is incredible, and the characterization of the characters is strong.  I enjoyed dialogue with Aerith, Tifa, and Barret.  The theme of struggle between those trying to fight evil corporate dictators reminded me of Cyberpunk themes; this theme seemingly becomes more relevant and truthful every year.

The first half of the game is pretty good, but the story moves along slowly, and the sidequests can seem a little extraneous.  After a certain event happens in the game though, the plot picks up.  The story sticks very closely to the original, but the introduction of the whispers adds a new twist to the game which becomes apparent towards the end with the final confrontation with Sephiroth.  Cheap plot twist? Maybe.  But I think it works out great, and allows the writers to have freedom to explore the story in a new way.  

It took awhile for me to get completely used to the combat.  It would be cool to see an option for the traditional turn-based combat.  I honestly don't think it would get in the way of the story.  I also would have liked to see Jessie and other Avalanche characters as playable characters.  Some of the bike fighting seemed a little contrived and clunky.  Red XIII definitely needs to be playable in the next game.

Overall, I think this is one of the best games I've played in awhile.  Final Fantasy VII Remake succeeds in its ability to retell a classic story.  The end is a little confusing, but there are a lot of youtube commentary videos, analyzing and speculating about the ending.  Has fate truly changed? Especially for Aerith and Sephiroth? What does the scene with Zach portend? Final Fantasy VII Remake covers only part of the original game, but the new FFVII series is scheduled for at least 2 more games.  I can't wait to see where the next game takes Cloud and the crew.

Darksiders III -- Spaghetti Mage

When you start a new unknown game, you never know what to expect.  Beginning Darksiders III, I thought the Four Horsemen vs. the Seven Deadly Sins seemed a little corny, but Fury looked cool and I gave it a try.  The more I played, the more I couldn't put the controller down.  The areas of exploration, with all of the secret areas and places you realize you'll reach if you get some new power, really sucked me in, but the story grows in new directions, culminating in the final battle at the end.  All the elements of the game really tie together well in the end.  The growth of the main character is fun to watch as well.  What I thought might be a corny game really impressed me, and was a lot of fun playing.  

Darksiders III is a good blend of a lot of different games. The exploration, difficulty, and boss fights reminded me a lot of the Dark Souls series.  I felt like I saw some Soul Reaver themes as well, and Fury reminded a bit of Raziel.  There are even some Diablo overarching story elements with the war between Heaven and Hell, and the nephalim. 

The combat with the chain attacks and timely dodging never seemed to get old, and I loved switching between the different hollow powers seamlessly.  While it got frustrating at a few spots, I never felt disappointed with the direction the game was taking me.  As a single game within a series of games telling a story, mainly about the apocalypse and the fall of humanity, I am eager to see what's next and where the story is taking us.  I'll probably be playing the series in a mixed order, so maybe I will see where Death is headed next.