Spinning Discs is a feature where I collect thoughts on a smattering of games I’ve been playing lately, over the last three months. Often these are smaller works, or games I haven’t finished yet but still wish to talk about.
- Fate Hollow/Ataraxia
- Southern Cross
- Skin Deep
- Ys 1 Chronicles+
- Spring Gothic
- Murasaki
- Star Ocean 6: The Divine Force
- Makai Tōshi SaGa
- Operation Eventide
- Deltarune Chapters 3 + 4
Really was wanting to re-visit the cast of Fate and recalled I had this installed. Having a blast with it. I was surprised by the structure of the game, where it’s effectively vignettes of scenes over the course of three days that loop continually (until you explore enough of the NEW! Scenes, in which case, it’ll start punctuating your final day with new story progression). The slice of life activity and exploration of the characters in a much less tense space is really enjoyable. Currently taking a little break from it though but I’m keen to return to it soon.
Pretty damn short but so aggressive. Having to constantly keep your hand on the SLASH button as you fear for any attack, whether it’s true or not: a twitchy response that makes for a very nervous play…waiting for the chime to warn you. The way there’s collateral damage where you can cut down an npc right in the middle of talking to them or the fact you can even kill them just by passing them by and hitting SLASH because you’re scared it’ll be you instead. It feels dire and comes to a head in the final clash. Ruminated on this one for a while.
Probably the big one for me in recent months, I’ve been waiting for this since it was announced and I had a blast. Somewhat formulaic in its approach but with oodles of slapstick humour and that Blendo house style makes for a tremendously fun time. Been selling it to people as you play as an insurance agent in an alternative 90s whose job is to rescue and protect space-trucker cats whose ships have been invaded and are captured by pirates, and you do so by getting into die hard x loony toons shenanigans by using every tool at your disposal. Great stuff, effusively funny.
I played Ys 1 (Ys Ancient Ys Vanished) sometime throughout last year on the EGGCONSOLE release and had a blast with it, so I wanted to check out the Chronicles+ re-release (mostly for the ease of access to 2) and chose to replay 1, to see how it’s been changed or hasn’t. Still really fucking fun, still a really solid adventure. It’s interesting seeing how some bosses have been tweaked (Bat boss is way easier because there’s a clear tell for when he is reforming that cuts a lot of the guesswork from the original, still keeps you on your toes though). There’s also a great deal of life suffused within the world through all the added visual flourishes such as domestic animals, the clouds’ shadows floating through the fields, grass swaying in the same wind...so on and so forth.
I don’t have too much to say on this one but I liked it. Feels very contemporary, and it’s short in way I think I wanted more from. It maybe ends a little too neatly for the struggles between the two characters but it’s an otherwise decent read.
Really loving it, I’ve been finding myself gravitating towards it when I have the free time. A really nice mix of puzzle/STG, the levels are well paced, music’s great and I love the two player characters and how they feel. Also quite a funny game?? It surprised me how much I’ve been enjoying it. Currently trying to clear the duels on the stage 4 boss with both characters and having fun unlocking the collectables (which tell a little more about the setting/characters/stages.).
Was really in the mood to tuck into a huge RPG recently, despite knowing I usually peter out towards the end of them, and settled on Star Ocean 6. I’m taking my time with it and I’m only still in the first chapter of the game. It starts by letting you pick between Raymond, the sci-fi engineer guy, or Laeticia, the fantasy princess lady, so I chose her. I’m curious to see when the duo protoganists’ story diverges (as an incentive to do a 2nd playthrough with the other). The action combat is really fun, as I don’t have any prior experience with the Star Ocean series, and have limited interactions with tri-ace games in general, it’s been fun learning it all. Not sure what’s new and what’s standard for the series but I guess that helps it to feel like a fresh experience in my eyes.
Or Final Fantasy Legends 1, if you had to say that. Mostly poking away at it while on my work commute. Having fun with it now. There’s a lot I like about it even when it feels very opaque in some areas. Deliciously bite sized in its approach, by nature of being a handheld title, plus the gameboy sparseness ignites the imagination pretty well. I’m not usually one that gravitates to ‘make your own party’ rpgs but something about how the different types of party members (mutants/humans/monsters) and how they each level up in their unique ways is really magnetic. It feels funny at times with it’s directness and some of the encounters (the castle steward, Genbu appearing out of nowhere to kill you.)
Chūnibyō magical girls and transhumanism. Mechabare even. Edgy as hell and revels in it. Maybe a bit dense in some areas and the small cast of characters obfuscate themselves through their waxing and discussions, despite that, their messy relationships and ties still are well conveyed. I try my best to appreciate a work that indulges the creator and is ambitious even if I don’t think it works or clicks with me, and I think Eventide can be messy in some areas but I am compelled by what it’s doing in some fashion, even when I struggle to see the forest from the trees in some moments.
Kindaaaaaa interesting experience with these two….I do love the shift in progression and structure, I really enjoyed the 8-bit secrets in chapter 3 and the special boss in 4, as well the direction the setting seems to be going but I think I’m not as hot on these games in general as I used to be? I think my tastes have shifted every so slightly that it doesn’t quite appeal to me anymore, or in the same way, which is fine. I do admire the excess of all the various modes and mini-games and fights, like just from a structural point, like a ‘making a game’ & ‘presentation’ angle, there is so much in these it’s fucking wild.
Outside of games...well for some reason I’ve been falling back into watching anime more regularly. Not so much seasonal stuff (although I have been enjoying Apocalypse Hotel lately) but just stuff I missed or wouldn’t have had interest in in the past? Been going through Gundam and such as well as watching some other stuff with my sister. Sometimes there's some really cool sci-fi, like Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, which surprised me in the best way.
Reading-wise I’ve been a bit unfocused on... Aside from getting back into reading in general over the last year or so, I started the Mabinogion, which is something I’ve wanted to check out for a long time. It’s very direct in a way I’m unaccustomed to yet it’s fun to softly read out loud, by its nature. A bit tricky to read it on my work commute however haha. I think I would like to read more non-fiction stuff but I struggle to narrow down what I might enjoy. Maybe I need to check out more essays and such from the library.
As for music, I asked a couple of mutuals for some recommendations to shake up my usual rotation of albums. They came back with Weather Report, Ebo Taylor and Esperanza Spalding, which I’ve really been enjoying. I also somehow missed that Yannis from Foals had a new album release (Lagos Paris London by Yannis & the Yaw), so that’s also been in the rotation. Oh and Little Simz has a new album out too huh…