Board 8 > .hack//G.U. Last Recode out today [PS4/Steam]

(+) Yeah! (+)

WHO IS HASEO?

caps
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I have this now, but I'm in the middle of a bunch of other games so it will wait
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The story starts to pick up in Vol. 2. I love it. Haseo/Alkaid/Pi is such a killer party. They can get hurt, but they will be too busy berserking everything to death to care.
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GANON1025 posted...

Finally started it today. I could have sworn Vol. 1 starts with the scene of leveled up Haseo attacking the group of PKs, then flashes back to when he first started playing.

Nah, it's always been Tutorial -> Level Up
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Oh hey game. I was wondering when you'd catch up to my leveling spree from last night. It took way less time than I figured. Guess I better grind again to fuck with you.
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Stupid arena boss. Don't tell me to focus on the other members of the party when I'm down a party member. I got my ass handed to me. Changed up and plowed through the leader the right way.
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i have the opposite problem

i always like to beat all 3 members of the opposing team but sometimes i get into a race with my party who decides to target the leader. >_>
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It wouldn't be so bad, if I wasn't always out of sight from an oncoming HAN-GEKI! That's what always seems to happen. When I think I am safe, they counter. When I think they are going to, the other guy on their team does instead, screwing up my attempt.

That's what I get for coming in a level behind for once.
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Well, if you're right up next to the enemy, you're usually good. You can land it before you're intercepted. Though I usually chill on using skills in the arena except to counter myself.
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Almost done with Vol. 2. I leveled up like crazy, and started to be a little sloppy with fighting. I'm actually surprised how much I can be hurt by enemies 5-10 levels behind me. Well, bosses anyway.
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In more "i am slow at playing games" news I am immediately before the final battle of the Vol 1 main plot. But then I'll spend an egregious amount of time in postgame doing things like finishing up the Book of 1000, Abyss Quest, Sidequest Campaigns, and the ultimate "why are you doing this" task - collecting keywords.
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Sakaki must die...annoying prick.
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Watching Warlocks try to melee to save SP is hilariously bad.
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Yay. Arena stuff is done. I get why they did it for one game, but having it in all three was a bit of a nuisance.
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Finished up all my postgame Vol 1 stuff and started Vol 2. Always hilarious to see all the Book of 1000 categories start at Rank 5 except Item/Monster. I was actually surprised that only the Arena one automatically went to Rank 6!

Also surprised/disappointed that Last Recode ported over one of the "downgrades" from Vol 1 -> Vol 2 where now changing your equipped weapon gives you a (admittedly 1-2 second) loading type box. Wonder if that means a few of the other such "downgrades" still exist. I don't think there's any lore/in-game reason it should occur either because if so it should have happened in Vol 1 too but meh.
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More grinding to plow through the game HO!
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So you think it's still holding up? Buying it Friday, and I'm worried that years playing half a dozen Tales games post G.U. is going to make the combat seem stiff.
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I think it does. Mages are still useless, because using three fighter classes do better without wasting SP. I prefer faster attackers too. Less grinding, better visuals, and the story and characters are still the draw.
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Less grinding? You guys have been going on and on about grinding in this and I've never...grinded in a Tales before, lol.

That's not really an issue for me regardless.
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This isn't Tales...

Anyway, it has more to do with level damage modifiers than anything. +/- 3/5 levels means everything. The game gates levels off based on the arena battles too.
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Oh, I assumed you were comparing the two in response to me.
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LapisLazuli posted...

So you think it's still holding up?

Yeah. I mean, it's a bit simplistic but it always was. I still think it's enjoyable.

LapisLazuli posted...

You guys have been going on and on about grinding in this and I've never...grinded in a Tales before, lol.

wait i've gone on about grinding?

There's no need for grinding. There's a flat EXP boost in Last Recode over the originals. For comparison's sake, the first fight in the game gives 390 EXP in Last Recode where it gave 300 in the original. Not sure if that means it's just +30% across the board or what, but you get more EXP.

Level difference is king... to an extent. If you outlevel an enemy by, say, 8 levels, you're going to be annihilating it. The reverse is true... sorta. It may be a bit more extreme in early Rebirth because you're at such a low level/lack of equipment/customize options but I rolled into an area 8 levels higher to me at the start of Reminisce (Level 54 team in a Level 62 area) and I had no trouble with it. Even took on the Doppleganger there when I was done.

Any "grinding" I did was with respect to sidequests (like find Mecha Grunty 50 times, etc.) or gaining keywords which are totally optional. I never had to grind because combat was too tough. The sole exception was the Chaotic PK sidequest which you can unlock quite early in Rebirth and they can one/two-shot at that level but both the sidequest that unlocks them is optional and even if you do the quest, you could just avoid entering battle areas and never fight them until you want. So I just put it off until postgame rather than try to grind to win those.

Strife2 posted...

The game gates levels off based on the arena battles too.

In Rebirth? I didn't think it did. I know Silabus recommends you be Level 20 or whatever but I don't think it's required. The Job Extension quest requires that and it's part of the story but that's the only level gate I recall and I'm pretty sure you'd be past it playing normally to that point.
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Gated off to mean meant, "Level to this or you're in trouble." Given the damage increase, there are situations where you do not need to fight them at or above the level they are (specifically ones where you only have to get them to half health). Still, I only need to go to say 1-2 extra areas (of 8-10 levels above), rather than 3-4 areas (of 5-6 levels above) to get the same benefit than the original. It is not as hard. The problem can be Avatar fights, where I am dumb and take more damage than I need to because I'm lazy.
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Maybe it was just coincidence but having visited/cleared each area given by the plot/quests/forums I was always at or +/- 1 level of all the arena fights.

And I don't think I ever dropped below 75% HP in an Avatar Battle. >_>
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Because you play smarter than I do. I am dumb and just shoot trying to stun them. The problem is I keep thinking the stun gauge will go down during skills, when it does not. I keep getting potshotted by small attacks that I shouldn't. I'm not saying this game was ever hard, or that the remake doesn't make this a cakewalk (I only ever had to retry the arena battle with Bordeaux because of bad tactics, not level), but it's not like this is ever meant to be hard.
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The Avatar Dash is OP. You're practically invincible with it. You can technically be hit while dashing but it's pretty rare and it's usually only even possible with attacks like the ones where a dozen or so orbs are scattered everywhere.
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Getting First Place in the Bike Missions still the worst.

well only Course 2 really.

god course 2 is awful

I forget if you get a bike upgrade later through a quest or something that would make it less terrible, but trying to take it on with what you have available when you unlock them is "something." Thankfully ties go to you so I got it by exactly tying the top time.

(I know there's the glitch/trick to auto-win but I don't roll that way)
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Who needs butt rice when you have butt armor?
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Final stretch of Vol. 3. Still gotta study though.
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I've never liked the ending much. Shino comes back last, only for Haseo to run after Atoli, who both Haseo and the game basically label an inferior version. I see the arguments of, "Shino's more into Ovan," and, "It shows Haseo's changed," and all that. I'll take the more self-assured and determined girl over a clingy, clumsy idiot with no self-confidence. Any change for the better Atoli made still doesn't work for me. Perhaps Haseo is just a sucker for dumb people. If you're gonna do that, go for Tabby. She likes him too.

Besides, Alkaid is better than all of them. Haseo/Alkaid/Natsume Sextuple Blade party for the win!

Vol. 3 postgame tomorrow.
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You know, I wondered if Avatar Battles had been re-tuned to also be easier/faster and had concluded they hadn't because it didn't seem like it to me through Vol 1.

After Gorre in Vol 2 I am reconsidering that stance. Its HP bar just melted. I... don't recall it going that easily on PS2. >_>
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Vol. 4 started, and I already love it. All of the VAs seem to have returned, which makes this a hell of an experience. It has a new cutscene style. Less cel-shade engine and pure Anime style. Kind of jarring, but it fits into the game engine still.
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As you hit 4, I just got it!

I don't think I ever intereacted with any of this news feed or fringe content when I played this when it came out.

This fucking Salvador guy OMG.
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I actually have a question for you about Vol 4! I'll put it in spoilers though it's nothing specific that I know of. You can wait until you finish it to answer I'm still in Vol 2 after all: I heard you get (at least one) new character in it. But what I want to know is if you have the ability to send greeting cards to them or anything. Basically if there's any point in holding onto them to use in Vol 4 or if you can use them all up in Vol 3 and not worry.

LapisLazuli posted...

I don't think I ever intereacted with any of this news feed or fringe content when I played this when it came out.

that was a mistake

LapisLazuli posted...

This fucking Salvador guy OMG.

lmao

Especially a mistake to skip Online Jack.
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Oh shit it's Teddie.
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Oh yeah, Pi. I almost never used her because her hair is hideooooooooous.
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Hm, do you ever get more movement options, like a sidestep?
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LapisLazuli posted...

Hm, do you ever get more movement options, like a sidestep?

No. At least not in the original 3 volumes. Assuming you mean combat and not general movement where you do get a bike later (that becomes amazing starting in Volume 2) as well as some teleport options.
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Yeah, combat. That's really the only issue I'm having, since that'd be in just about any modern game of this type. Ah well, just gotta get used to it and I won't even notice.
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More into Vol. 4. It's still odd hearing everyone. Outside of Pi, Atoli, and Gaspard (who seem to crack here and there), everyone's voices are literally the same as ten years ago. I mean, "ACTING DUH," but slipping right back into something after that kind of layoff shows they really wanted to make this work. That or they made an effort to say, "We've changed enough to be different."

Slight thing I know, but it really amps up the nostalgia feels. The only shame is there are too many people to use. I haven't even used Alkaid yet (BOO!) It's what I get for wanting to use Shino and Tabby.
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This game really sucks at letting a character trait lie. What is this, DanganRonpa? I get the joke, now shut the fuck up.
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Oh...OH! WTF just happened and why did things get epic?
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Glad to see that it seems you enjoyed it. Any chance you were in a position to answer that question of mine from before now that you've finished it?

Meanwhile, I just finished the Vol 2 story. Still have postgame ahead of me though.
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According to the game board, Vol. 3 is the true "postgame." Vol. 4 is an added story, but there's no reason to keep greeting cards, because it doesn't let you keep them. The game goes into why, but just stick with 3 if you want post game stuff.
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Okay. Thanks!

Just didn't want to risk missing any interesting E-Mail Chains by using them all up in Volume 3 if that happened to be a thing.
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...Oh, Alkaid is Erin Fitzgerald?

Man, sure wish I was still too young to really care a ton about VAs like back when this came out, lol.
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What's that mean?
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I am not a fan of her work. I just totally forgot what Alkaid's voice sounded like.
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Usually high pitched, but with a noticeable garble or lisp. You can't unhear it. At least with Alkaid, she goes way low, almost cartoonishly boyish. She's still got a mumbly delivery trying to sound "badass," but she makes it work somehow. It helps Alkaid is like the best character or in the top 3. Helps me ignore it and find her endearing.

Which makes up for her ahem...other characters in the game. If she had more lower register characters like Alkaid or Venus from Catherine, I'd probably like her more.
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I'll admit there's still some Chie spite there as well.
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