DEREK EX MACHINA, created by author and editor Derek L.H., is a blog dedicated to exploring the effect that video games and film have on people.
All tagged RPG
Persona 3 Reload doesn’t need to exist, but I’m glad that it does. This remake is a case of refinement over reinvention - aside from a fresh coat of paint and a couple additions here and there, Reload is ultimately concerned with presenting Persona 3 in a way that’s on par with Atlus’ more recent titles. In that context, Reload is as great of an execution of this mission as you can get.
Many people love NieR Replicant because of its ambition, unconventional approach to gameplay and storytelling, and such ambition is admittedly alluring. While it doesn’t shield my eyes from the clear issues that hold the game back from true greatness, I still feel that NieR Replicant is a game that deserves to be experienced, if only to get more people thinking about how games can continue to telling captivating stories only capable through the medium of video games.
Especially in an era where RPGs are leaning towards telling more complex, adult stories, it was incredibly refreshing to visit the world of Grandia. The battle mechanics are satisfying and strategic, but the true magic of Grandia lies in its ostensible charm in its storytelling, worldbuilding, and characters. Grandia invites players to give in to their natural senses of adventure, wonder, and curiosity, and it gloriously succeeds in doing so.
The JRPG genre is not as hard to get into as some may think. The games discussed here are proof that the genre is capable of being welcoming to newcomers. Regardless of which JRPG you start with, know that the genre is beloved for a reason. They transport players to other worlds to explore, offer various characters to talk to, and deliver gameplay experiences that can be strategic, stylish, and satisfying.
Overall, Strikers’ combat is incredibly satisfying and feels like it accurately captures the spirit of the original game’s combat. In fact, that statement can be applied to the entirety of Strikers - it’s a game that convincingly captures the spirit of Persona 5 while offering a new scenario for the Phantom Thieves to go through.
Ys IX is an Action RPG that I can easily recommend to just about anyone interested in the genre, as it effectively nails almost everything it tries to do. From the game’s fast-paced, exciting combat that has a high skill ceiling for players to master to the game’s wonderfully told story and its engaging, rewarding side content, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox stands as one of the genuinely best Action RPGs in recent memory.
Recommending Cyberpunk 2077 is tricky. While it has some significant issues in its gameplay and content, I truly feel that it’s worth experiencing just for the story missions that exemplify some of the best storytelling and worldbuilding that the cyberpunk genre has to offer. It’s truly rare to see a game that so well realizes its story, characters, lore, and world. It’s just a shame that so many gameplay systems and mechanics aren’t nearly as well-realized.
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy to announcing a project, nor is there a one-size-fits-all strategy for promoting a game pre-release. However, the differences in CD Projekt Red and Square Enix’s approach to marketing their biggest titles of 2020 do highlight that some strategies are more healthy and responsible than others. In an age where hype culture is so prevalent in the realm of gaming and in a year where two games suffered significantly different fates in large part due to how they were hyped and presented to the public, the term “hype responsibly” rings ever true.
There’s very much a strong core to Yakuza 3. There’s nothing explicitly bad or unenjoyable at the game - it just feels like a victim of a series that naturally improved its execution of its ideas over time. Later games refining what Yakuza 3 brings to the table isn’t the fault of Yakuza 3, but it does highlight how unpolished and unrefined Yakuza 3 is as a result.
[V]ideo games deserve to be commended for the comfort that they provided to hundreds of millions around the world in ways that no other medium could possibly replicate. This piece will be a reflection on the relationship between 2020 and video games, specifically the video games that provided an opportunity for us to cope and survive through a year of unprecedented anxiety and uncertainty for so many.
Nioh is a reminder that games do indeed still offer challenge to players, and through that challenge, it crafts players into becoming more attentive, more empowered through overcoming hardship, and more confident that they can learn any skill and conquer any challenge if given perseverance, adaptation, and the will to continue learning and mastering what’s available to them.
Resonance of Fate can only truly be appreciated by RPG faithful - and even then, I can’t guarantee that they’ll enjoy the plot nor the inevitable spike in difficulty in the late game. All others wanting to play something unique should unfortunately look elsewhere.
Octopath shows some slight flaws that even hardcore JRPG fans can't entirely ignore. But what Octopath gets right far outweighs what it gets wrong. If you've ever enjoyed a JRPG, new or old, the world of Octopath Traveler is a place well worth visiting.
The separation of characters' stories and the frustrating limits of the characters' interactions with one another create a narrative experience that feels very fragmented. This fragmentation causes Octopath to feel like it hosts a party of characters that happen to be going on quests that take them in the same direction, rather than a party of characters that feel like they're going on a quest together.
