Video Game Roundup

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Beat it! Kind of a silly and confusing ending, though it still had heart. I like how it played with expectations and was able to make something that felt new with them, instead of a rerun of the original game. Overall I feel like the people that don’t feel this trilogy have valid points, but those that just wanted a straight remake of the original game are a bit too anchored in the past. We’re in the 2020’s, and games are just different now, both from a development perspective and also from a business perspective. As much as there is a want for something more true to the original, this adaptation of the original is true to this strange decade. We should all be happy that this isn’t a more financialized product, which is what is happening to so much of games today.

I’ve enjoyed Remake and Rebirth, and I think I’ll be happy playing Revelations when it comes out next year. And also, let me just say that somehow Tetsuya Nomrua has become such a leading figure for game design for these games, and it’s surprised me. His KH-style take on this Remake trilogy is amazing.

Star Wars Outlaws

Picking this back up to beat it, and started a new save. It’s fun! I can understand why this game didn’t score well, but I’ve always thought it was successful. It does feel authentic to what an Outlaw would be in Star Wars, as the game prioritizes you rolling with the punches and moving ahead vs. a more MGS-style stealth experience.

It also looks good, plays well, and the UI is really well designed. I think it will fare better as time passes from it’s release.

I beat it, and while the ending isn’t amazing, the whole package of the game is worth it. Very happy with this one.

Victoria II

I played a game of this as Japan, and it’s still a fun time. Playing it again for the first time in probably 7 years, I can definitely understand why Paradox went in the directions they did with Vicky 3, namely their bigger focus on pops. Vicky 2 will always be the most arcadey of their offerings, and so if you want to play a Paradox game but not spend 40 hours on a run, this is your game.

It’s also worth noting how ambitious Paradox has gotten over time. Vicky 2, along with EU3, are a decent simulations, and in their time were a breath of fresh air. No one had seen a game like them back around 2010. Now, Paradox’s games are deeply intertiwned and complex simulations of many different parts of statecraft. It makes them amazing triumphs of game design, though I wonder if it’s always in the service of fun gameplay (looking at you EU5!).