#and I feel like the BB elements it did use were poorly written and watered down

[mizukagami-takamagahara]

I 100% agree with your tags about what could have made EE look a little better. I really didn't mind RR as much as EE probably because it at least retained the Blazblue aesthetic and style. RR felt like a weird knockoff Blazblue game, BBDW was an actual Blazblue VN dressed up as a gatcha game (my possibly unpopular opinion is that if BBTAG can be considered a legitimate part of the series so can BBDW), EE doesn't even feel like a knockoff it just feels like Blazblue characters in a completely unrelated game. And from what has been revealed about EE's story this may literally be the case as in that is the whole plot. That I feel is what specifically gives off the "parading around the corpse of the Blazblue franchise" feel to me.

A quick salt warning; I aim to fall somewhere in the range of neutrality on this blog, particularly when dealing with Entropy Effect. I want people to be able to enjoy the game fairly and to feel safe sharing that excitement here! I'm willing to try to meet the game on fair, even ground. That said, when it comes down to my own biased feelings, I would've married BBDW if I could've, and I already have some pretty strongly negative feelings about the studio behind Entropy Effect. So I have a bad taste in my mouth about this upcoming game. I don't plan on being particularly harsh in this post, but I will be sharing my uncensored opinions here. No disrespect meant.

Now. Carl. Oh my god, Carl. I'm dying, Carl.

I played Revolution Reburning while waiting for BBDW to launch, trying to scratch the "upcoming game hype" itch, and the gameplay was super fun! But damn did it leave me with a serious hatred for the game itself and the studio behind it. The game has a story mode that is poorly translated, horribly bastardized/watered down, and just... just really bad. I'd respect it as a fan game, but the fact that it's a legitimate thing just pushes my buttons too damn much. Call it a pet peeve.

Again, the game is fun! It's cool! I really enjoyed playing it! There is not an ounce of doubt in my mind that Entropy Effect will be fun as hell, because this studio knows how to make a fun game.

But I really, really wish they weren't involved in BlazBlue. As I mentioned elsewhere, a lot of my rage comes from this sense that what I personally love about the BlazBlue series [the story, the setting, the world Mori has crafted since his youth] has been placed in a zero-sum game against another totally enjoyable aspect of the series [gameplay, and if I'm feeling bitter, the whims of ArcSys's marketing team.] It's not like these two facets actually need to be opposed to one another. Hell, they should be flourishing in tandem. But after everything that happened with BBDW and Mori leaving the studio, I can't let go of the idea that projects that focus more on gameplay and consumer appeal [such as EE] are being pursued "instead of" or "at the cost of" the parts of the series I love the most. So. I get salty. I do, genuinely, hope that time proves me wrong on this.

You, Carl, mentioned EE's story. Like you said, everything we've seen of it so far suggests this isn't even a real "spinoff" title for BlazBlue, in the sense that spinoffs like RR and CrossTag told their stories using the same building blocks as BlazBlue's setting. I personally don't interpret them as existing within the same canon, but they're undoubtedly using the same material.

Entropy Effect's story and setting seem to be entirely original. They look interesting, but I'm stuck with this feeling of "why the hell did they make this a BlazBlue title, and not just an original one?" Maybe when the game releases it will surprise me and I'll understand, but at the moment, with my current levels of saltiness, it feels like a heartless cash grab.

We know there's some level of turbulence behind the scenes at ArcSys around the BlazBlue IP, since BBDW's failure and Mori's suspicious departure. We also know that in the current media landscape, a lot of executive heads are rampantly refusing original projects and insisting on pumping out installments of franchises that already have a name and a following. I don't have any information on whether or not ArcSys is struggling with this, but it's been a growing problem in the gaming industry for years now.

The worst case of this in my memory is the Dead Rising franchise, another one of my all-time favorite games. Differing visions for the franchise and an unwillingness to support new properties let to an absolute mess on the development side of things, and ultimately the death of the series.

Note; If you're interested in what happened to Dead Rising, Did You Know Gaming has a wonderful video on it.

With that experience in my memory, I'm worried about the future of BlazBlue. I wonder if it was always the plan to make Entropy Effect a BlazBlue title, or if it was originally pitched as its own IP, but rejected unless it could be tied in to an established franchise.

#ao no kokagami #I also suffer from the fact that I am not a roguelite or roguelike fan or a real scifi fan #so even if this game was its own ip I'm just not primed to be invested in it #personally I hate crosstag because though it takes its story from established bb elements #I feel that it massively dropped the ball on every character in its roster #minus the UNIB or additional DLC casts whom I am unfamiliar with and therefore can't have an opinion on #and I feel like the BB elements it did use were poorly written and watered down #I was also really excited for the potential of such an hyped crossover that I feel the game failed to deliver on #tldr my opinion on crosstag is that it's a Smash Bros to Fire Emblem situation #I would have preferred it didn't carry the BlazBlue title so heavily and instead marketed itself as the ArcSys crossover game I feel it was

[derekscorner]

Between KH2 and KH3, which game did you like more, both story and gameplay-wise?

Ah is this that KH2 vs 3 debate I hear is ongoing? Well if you’re in for a sit I can answer that.

Gameplay:

From this angle I quite bluntly find KH2 Final Mix more fun. I’m not going to argue what was arguably better or worse, gameplay preference is a matter of…well preference no matter how many wish to deny this fact.

Not that you do but I”m sure some lover or hater of one will see this and try to retort. o3ob

Anyway; I felt Kh2 final mix was more technical and “harder” if I had to describe the feeling. Like 3 KH2 is normally overly easy but when put on critical mode it’s technicalities shine.I had to learn tactics, I couldn’t spam X or △, and I learned uses for summons. Which I found ironic since the 2 summons are far more useful when you dont initiate their moves.

Like if I let Stitch wander the screen he’ll deflect projectiles and keep my MP full. Chicken Little is a great early Magnet substitute and Peter Pan+Tinker Bell gives you a Phoenix Down.This was an improvement to KH1 in which only Tinker Bell was a spell with decent combat use. 1′s other summons had more supplemental uses imo.

KH3′s summons were nearly win buttons I felt. Simba in particular, while damn spectacle, felt broken. I never bothered to learn them as I didn’t need them. Which I’m sure they have their own uses but I’m not really fond of many control schemes for them so I opt out of it.

In terms of the magic system I felt 2 and 3 were opposites. In KH3 magic is far too powerful, something many have noted. And while you dont ‘have’ to use it that’s not an excuse for a problem. You should choose not to use it not force yourself to ignore it for challenge.

KH2 on the opposite spectrum made magic nearly useless I felt. Many enemies didn’t stun nor have elemental damage. Fire’s AOE animation was good for early Critical game and Blizzard helps that first Hollow Bastion visit but many enemies shrug the base spells off later.In contrast, KH2′s Magnet and Thunder spells can be OP. Reflect in of itself is practically the only spell you’d ever need to use due to it’s nature.

So while many have long rants on either’s magic system I dont really think one trumps the other. each one is equally flawed with issues I dont see ever being addressed.

In terms of keyblade combat I preferred KH2′s because I felt like Sora was automated in 3. I spam X cause I’m a scrub at timing presses (DMC5 is helping me overcome that) and due to this I noticed real quick that Sora’s combos just felt really automated.

Like I’d press X for one hit and get three. In contrast, KH2′s combat is harder. Sora animates combos as fast as my lazy ass can spam X and I’m not floating around like a final fantasy god.

I’m not really sure how to put this feeling into words but I do feel Kh2 keyblades are funner or snappier to combo whereas in KH3 I’m playing a watered down FFXV with it’s hold/press X for combo string.

Both games are so similar outside this issue that I dont see no reason to list likes or dislikes. If anything, from here, KH3 had great quality of life changes. The menu system was easier on the eyes and I’d be a damned soul if I didn’t admit I like switching keyblades mid-combat.

I also really appreciate KH3 finally using Re:Coded’s keyblade ideas. It’s been there since that DS game yet no one every expanded on making keyblades unique since. It was a very foolish step backward to me.

I love that keyblades level up, I love that each one has a preference and the only way that could’ve been better is if they adapted Coded’s system entirely and gave each keyblade (or most) it’s own unique combo.

KH2 quite frankly just falls short in a hindsight perspective since keyblades were “stat sticks” and you only ever chose weaker ones for an ability. Which, back then, was a huge step up from KH1.

So KH3 wins in this area I also dont really hate on Kh2 for it since KH2 is a product of the era. This idea of keyblades growing with you didn’t happen till Re:Coded.

As for Shotlocks…I dont like them. I hated them in BBS and I hate them here. It’s not even a comparison to KH2 type of opinion. I hate Shotlocks, I never use shotlocks so I’m going to skip those.

I mean sure, KH2 had limits but the only limits I use are Knocksmash so I can’t exactly praise KH2′s half of that either.

And when it comes to Forms vs Transformations I think both have pros and cons the other lacks. For example, some Transformations are really cool, I love the hammer weapons or the dual pistols.

I also believe the staff transformation is what KH2′s wisdom form should’ve been in terms of how it does magic or basic attacks.

That said, I also really dislike many second forms keyblades have. I never evolve the pistols into the bazooka, I never turn the hammer into the drill, I have those second forms. It’s to the extent I prefer keyblades that have one form such as the staff.

I’m also not fond of the Kingdom Key’s 2nd form change. It’s a neat throwback and I love the outfit recolor but I dont find it fun to use.

Between the two games my favorite forms are Valor Form, Anti-Form, and the Staff Transformation. Odds are I wont use anything else unless I feel particularly bored.

I might use others more often if KH3 forced me to rely on them for tactics but as of right now it does not. This may change with 3 gets it’s Critical Mode DLC. Similar to how KH2FM forced me to rely on forms I hate like Wisdom or Final.

As a concept I will admit that I dislike transformations. I dont like the idea of keyblades becoming magical swiss army knives. KH3 pulled the idea off better than I expected but I dont like it all the same.

The only, and I mean only, thing I felt KH2 did better was tie forms to a meter. In KH3 the commands appear randomly (and often) and I dont gain consequences for using them.

In KH2 this was tied to your Drive Gauge. You had to plan what you used and this is an issue I felt KH3 had as a whole. Rather than shotlocks, I’d have preferred that Focus Gauge to be reserved for my summons and forms so that I could have better control of what I picked and to reduce how broken they are in-game.

The rest is miscellaneous opinions so I’ll rapid fire:

Gummi Ships: always hated them, BBS did Gummi Ships best. Point goes to KH3 here since I can at least skip most of it.

Minigames: I’ve never found a KH minigame fun. No one wins here

Worlds: KH3 wins this aspect too. World towns have actual people in them and when it uses original plots the worlds are quite good. I also appreciate the power to explore and soft platform again. It gives me a more immersive feeling than later titles ever have. (although I feel KH1 was still better than both here)(entirely because of how many small details/cameos/secrets a KH1 world had compared to sequels)

I dont really have a more technical opinion than that. I do however think Arendelle was a horrendous world and I hate to even be there. For a myriad of reasons….reasons that would be a rant post of it’s own.

Lil Chef: I never use the food. I dont care if it’s a good spot for ingredients. If I want to cook stuff I’ll do some irl or play FFXV.

Enemies: KH3 used nobodies more than KH2 did and I find that a damn crying shame. I also felt Unversed were underutilized. KH2 still takes the point here due to the combat points I mentioned above.

KH3 fodder is prettier and can be more elaborate but KH2 is funner to play and destroy them in so KH2.

The Disney Rides: I don’t use them, they break the game. I do like the choo choo though since it’s situational to specific battles. KH2 has nothing akin to these so there’s no comparison, I just wish the rides could be disabled or that they worked more like the train. (set to key fights)

KH2 vs KH3 Commands: Eh both aren’t that good. KH3 spams you commands to shift through and KH2 has so many for spectacles sake that the games get easy. There is no winner here, if anything KH2 should’ve restricted these like KH3 restricts the Train ride summon.

Final Fantasy: I dont like FF games but I consider the ones of Kh1 part of the main cast. Their alternate KH selves are important to me. The lack and fading of FF over the years is quite honestly something I dislike and 3′s total lack of them is inexcusable to me. KH2 takes this point since I got to at least meet Leon and crew again.

Then there’s the story.

Anyone that’s followed the blog or met me knows I strongly dislike the direction of KH’s story. It’s not a matter of things others debate, I do not like it. I hate it and I’m still teetering on quitting.

I wont even go into the points cause I’ve made a whole series of posts about my story gripes. I wont link them since this isn’t a shameless plug, I just want to iterate that my issues with the story has driven me to make 20+ tangents plus the older more angry rants.

Others liking it is fine I think, I get easily annoyed if someone tries to excuse something out of nostalgia or adoration, but generally anyone that likes it while admitting faults or agreeing to disagree is fine. (you do you folks)

If I had to rank them I feel KH2 is where a lot of issues started and I feel a lot of issues got worse after since the sequels tried to “fix” that mess. If left alone KH2 would’ve been a poorly written entry and a good stopping point for any disillusioned fan.

KH3 as a contrast tied up everything after 2 up til 3 itself. I do not consider the story good, the pacing is very jarring because it lacks a mid point, it’s weighed down by all the BS prior to it.

I do not feel attachment for the “trios” of the series, I find the repetition of them annoying. I find it a shame most have more dev time than the originals they’re cloned based on.

And I frankly dislike Xehanort as a villain. He’s not interesting, his motives seem to switch with several report entries and I dont eve get the satisfaction of ending him like I did Xemnas or Ansem.

I was entirely indifferent to the entirety of this game’s narrative as I played it. Something that worried my friend @blackosprey because I was so tired I could not even care enough to hate it.

I did fine the trios reunions well done. I dislike them for a list of reasons but they were coming back anyway, their fates sucked prior, so those were well done. I finally felt hype when the LW appeared (only to vanish, fuck you nomura) and in the final battle.

The ending was confusing to me. So many got a happy ending so I fail to see the logic of Sora vanishing. The Luxu reveal, which I found fucking hilarious, was the only sequel bait needed.To have Sora just up and die felt like a stupid decision and I’m sure many more found it insulting.

And when mentioning Luxu I dont mean it in a sarcastic fashion. I genuinely find him funnier in retrospect due to this retroactive change. Nearly every line or scene he’s said is now funny as hell because he’s this ancient troll. I consider it the first legitimately earned twist Nomura has made in ages.

Still, KH2′s writing and story isn’t great either. I could rant why, I have ranted why, but despite it’s flaws it was an “ending” to me.So if asked 2 or 3 I will pick 2. The writing in Kh2 is bad for lots of reasons but if I ignore the Ansem reports it’s no a story about Xehanort.

Ignoring one KH2 report let’s me live this simpler story of Sora and a scientist gone mad and the journey to stop him. It had a lot of stupid things or one of the worst “twists for twists sake” moments ever in the ‘two ansems’ reveal.

But still, I can play Kh2 and be in a KHverse where Xehanorts, Keyblade Wars, Ceremonies, timelines, sleeping worlds, data world abuse, and clones upon clones dont exist.

It’s not nostalgia so much as everything I came to dislike was post KH2. KH3 was all about these things I dont like. My favorite for key and nostalgic reasons is KH1, my pick of the question is Kh2.

KH3′s best assets that can’t be contested was it’s graphical evolution. I played KH3 three times back to back due to this, I came away from KH3 wishing KH1 or 2 looked like this. No game prior contests the look.

So all in all, as I reread this, it’s largely a mixed bag. Neither game is grand but I prefer KH2 because combat is more fun to me and it’s not tied down by a narrative and mythology I’ve come to hate.

I can play KH1, CoM, and KH2 and never be annoyed about something I loved going in a direction I hated.

#kingdom hearts #kh3