Platform: Steam Deck
Time to Complete: 49 hours
Date Beat: 19JAN
Difficulty Played: Expeditioner (standard)
Personal Difficulty:
This game had a unique difficult curve for me. It started out hard as hell,
because I really struggled with the time based defensive blocking/parrying
aspects, which meant many early Expedition Failed screens. Later, as the ability
to build and specialize characters came through, and especially with the
introduction of Gradient Strikes, I was able to not get better at the game, but
to build around my failings with Pictos, Luminas, skill choices and party
composition. I breezed through the final boss battles with an average party
level of 57 with the help of some of the characters’ personal quests, Maelle
specifically. I think that part of my difficulty with it was having to stream it
from my PC to my Steam Deck, because while it was Verified for the deck, in my
experience it really did not play well (yes, I change the settings to
performance, it still did not help)
Favorite Thing: Undoubtedly the world
design. The urban features were more Belle Epoque/art nouveau the fantastical creations and environments and it felt like a fresh take in the world of video games.
Most Hated Thing: Combat was repetitive.
Grade: B+
The expedition began with a disaster, in an inadvertent yet apt
metaphor where the frantic attempts at gitting gud at the game also lead to the
majority of the expedition dying over and over again. I have since been told
that my efforts to overcome being able to dodge and parry is called an “all hit
run.”
Ultimately, because the majority of the game was spent in combat turns, I
did not enjoy it as much as others. I recognize that it is still a great game,
but I do not think I will be revisiting it at a later time.
SPOILERS BELOW I
told a friend that this game’s central plot was yet another “it was all a dream”
and I still believe that. There’s essentially no difference between the escapism
of a dream and something that you create, just conscious versus unconscious
desire. At the end, when you have to choose between Maelle’s escapism and
Verso’s letting go, I wanted to side with Verso but I had unfortunately locked
myself into siding with Maelle, as I had specced Verso out as a support
expeditioner. The horror ending of seeing everyone doomed to live their happy
yet hollow lives forever was incredibly sad; this was a cruel fantasy while the
Verso ending (which I went back and watched on youtube) is a cruel reality.
I
did not initially see “this was all taking place inside a painting” as what I
thought was the ending, I did think it was as shallow as “defeat the evil
painting lady and it will all be over” (yes, I fell for the classic JRPG false
ending trope), but once this was established and the game truly opened up to the
full breadth of the continent, I began to enjoy it more. The early game’s path
forces the player down narrow corridors through beautiful fantasy landscapes
felt wrong to me; I wanted freedom to stretch out and explore more, but by the
time I got to the open world I was really tired of the gameplay and wanted to
grind just enough to get to the final boss. If I do go back, it will be to
explore the continent more.
I have a few days before I start Caves of Qud. I
might start early. Who’s going to stop me?
