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The Power of Sustain in Bravely Default 2’s Combat System
Combat in Bravely Default 2 is a little different than what you may be used to—first of all, it’s turn-based combat, but the game also uses a Brave and Default mechanic that you may have never heard of before. In combat, you save up Battle Points (BP) by using “Default” (think of Default as a defense battle command), and once you’ve built up enough BP (2-3), you can use them all up to attack several times in a row using “Brave”. You could, for example, save up BP to string together a chain of up to four moves when you’re in a tough bind—use a Phoenix Down on a fallen…
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Bravely Default 2: You Won’t Want to Put it Down
Time to take off work and hole yourself up with Mt. Dew and pizza for a week—you won’t want to put this game down once you have your hands on it, because the story (and the gameplay) are actually that good. But if you don’t want to take my word for it, I’ve went into more detail below in my review of Bravely Default 2. If you’re afraid of spoilers, stop here. ✋? There are spoilers (from parts of the demo) in this review. You begin the game as a young sailor who has washed up on Halycon’s shore, somewhat affected by amnesia, with no personal belongings of your own. All you…
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Persona 5 Strikers: An Invigorating but Linear Sequel
The Phantom Thieves are back in Persona 5 Strikers to once again save the hearts and souls of millions—but if what you’re expecting is a familiar sequel, think again. Upon first loading the game, the familiar animations hit you in the face, and the Phantom Thief team dashes through the screen in all of their glory. And similarly to the beginning of Persona 5, you view a scene of Joker pulling off a super big heist, but the familiarity stops there. If you’re afraid of spoilers, stop here. ✋? There are spoilers in this review. Persona 5 Vibes: A Brief Overview By typing in a passcode and adding one of…
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Video Games I’m Looking Forward to in 2021
The year of COVID-19 was a particularly long, rough year for all of us, including the video game industry. A lot of releases were pushed back (and for good reason!), and even with the release of the new PlayStation V and the Xbox Series X, there just wasn’t a lot of positive and uplifting news for video games. A lot of developers had to adjust to new stay at home orders, and in turn this either broke some games, or encouraged developers to take the time to make games even better before release. But with New Years just around the corner, it’s time to take a look forward into the…
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‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ For The Holidays
I’ve always been an introvert, so being able to celebrate the holidays from the comfort of my home without needing to visit friends and family is ideal, and Animal Crossing delivers. The Animal Crossing series always offers amazing experiences for players, and starting late November (in North America), Animal Crossing: New Horizons starts seeing changes to the weather—snow flurries will eventually cover the ground in a blanket of snow, and Isabelle is true to her word—any holly bushes you’ve planted will begin budding, Christmas lights will start going up around your island, Nook’s Cranny and Resident Services plaza slowly receives more holiday-themed decorations, and the days begin getting shorter. You…
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Stardew Valley: Still Amazing Years Later
Stardew Valley is more than just running a farm and setting up a daily routine. Within the first few days of in-game gameplay, you’ve built your own system: wake up, check the weather, think about whether or not you’re going to the mine, water your crops, tend to your animals, say hello to your neighbors, go fishing, hit some rocks, go to bed. Sometimes you can’t go to the store due to store hours or holidays that must be meticulously planned around. You’ll start asking yourself questions like: Am I out of animal fodder and when does the store open? I have too much in my inventory, should I sell…
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The ‘Animal Crossing’ Experience
One of Nintendo’s greatest, weirdest strengths has always been its ability to create something that appeals to a concentrated, nostalgia-related experience, and Animal Crossing on the Nintendo Switch is no exception. Animal Crossing is a long-running video game franchise about a human player living, working, and camping in various forests populated by anthropomorphic animals. It sounds pretty weird, but I swear it’s the cutest game you’ll ever play. Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched at a time where most people were staying indoors, unable to visit family or friends due to COVID-19 safety precautions, so it’s no wonder the game sold 22 million copies in just under five months from the…
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How to Profitably Allocate Your Time in ‘Friends of Mineral Town’
A lot has changed in the Friends of Mineral Town remake, including the addition of more lucrative means to make a profit on your farm. There are plenty of chores and errands to do in Friends of Mineral Town as the game progresses, but what are the essential tips to turn your farm into a self-sustaining money-maker? Here are a few basics plus seasonal tips to make the most of the different seasons in Friends of Mineral Town. Bear in mind, some of these can be spoiler-y. If you’re looking for a clean-slate experience, this guide may not be right for you. Happy farming! NOTE: Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral…
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I Tried To Kill My Chickens In ‘Friends of Mineral Town’
In a perfect world, your farm animals will never get sick or die from old age, and that’s exactly what you get in Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town. In the remake however, things have changed. Let me preface this by saying, in every Harvest Moon title before now, you could kill your animals by neglecting them—maybe you accidentally hit them with a tool while doing field work, or perhaps you couldn’t make it outside to feed them during a storm. In the original games, your animals could even die from old age. In fact, in Harvest Moon DS, to convince the Witch Princess to marry you, you had to…
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5 Best Changes In the ‘Friends of Mineral Town’ Remake
The Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town remake has received several quality-of-life improvements, not to mention the new art-style, and most of which I can’t argue with. However, there were a few changes that stood out amongst the rest. If you’re an old fan wondering why it is now referred to as Story of Seasons, the short answer is that the newer games now go by their original Japanese title—Marvelous split from Natsume in 2014, and since Natsume owned the rights to the Harvest Moon title, the name has been changed to Story of Seasons. Some of these can be spoiler-y, so if you’re looking for a clean experience,…
