u/Few_Art_768

One of the things I like about CD is it kinda teaches you how it wants you to fight. I was playing through Chapter 8 and encountered Shadow Harpies for the first time. They were frustrating, especially while trying to storm a castle to save the witch-twins.

Having to fight people on the ground and in the air at the same time wasn't new, but having to use only blinding flash was. No way to just clear them all out either, endless respawns. The biggest issue was I never really used blinding flash for anything other than starting fires and getting stuff for my Kuku pot from sanctuaries.

I got into a rhythm after a while and it became easier and easier, by the time I was headed down the mountain I was flashing and stabbing with no worries.

Then, as I was going to upgrade something else on the 'ole skill tree, I saw blinding finisher. I figured what the hell, I'll give it a shot.

Y'all.

It took about halfway through a silly siege for me to really get down how it works, but if I do it right Kliff just auto-deletes 4-8 people. best part is you launch yourself to the closest blinded person, and once you are done knifing everyone there is a green leaf explosion that knocks everyone back. I got the three-blade abyss on my sword as well as the crows attacks, I am really good at taking out the trash mobs now!

I also fought a giant queen crab. I got down everything except how to actually do the damage. it turns out when you are hanging on a giant monster there is both a stab and a pierce option, you gotta hold the button down instead of rapidly tapping. oops. Once I learned that, three quick stabs and she was dead. (well, and kicking the pottery on her head!)

Good news is, once she fell the area exploded in ore and gems, with a port pad right there. I was too lazy to do it right so I used the cool grapple/force palm I unlocked to just hit everything. (mining hat rules for this!)

I added the spoiler just in case, I am only on Chapter 8 but I had a quest to hunt a rogue Greymane in Demenis. I figured it would be in a fortress, but I love being sneaky so I gave it a shot. (all the guards there are still hostile to me.)

It took a while but I made it to the Nature reserve, and what the hell? A bunch of rich furries hanging out, and at the top of the hill a woman like, actively hunting them. I save the day, and the furries hold a gathering thanking me. I buy me a furry outfit and the contract so all my friends can, and head back to Pailune.

Whole thing was like a fever dream, and thats why I love this game. it was 100% a "go here, kill this" quest. but somehow so surreal I waiting for a giant Alice to come and attack.

I am not a huge time-sink kinda player. I usually get in, get a feel for how a game is, get close to the end, and once side quests get boring I finish the game and move on.

One of the things I love about CD is the sheer amount of stuff to do, and how its all wildly different. even combat, it got stale so I invested some points into wrestling, and now I just brawl when bored. its amazing. (and that has lead to some awesome deaths, trying to time the body slam out of flying is my current fav thing to do. i just missed a cliff-bomb and fell to my death at the quarry!)

I was at the end of Chapter 7, and just didn't feel like another siege after the excellent Chapter six. I decided to take a break and wander. I saw an odd tree off in the distance, so I flew over there. Witch hut, but I was missing two stones. found a witch nearby freezing, so I did all of her Sanctums.

Then I wandered to the Kuku pot salesperson because i was getting blueprints from doing the sanctums, and realized this was a whole other thing. I did a few upgrades (having to go back and get the parts from Sanctums,) and I saw they had an upgrade for frost armor. 20 hours back this frost skeleton had whooped my ass, and online folks said you needed 15 ice resistance. I looked up how to get that armor, and then went and got it all. (in the process learned you can go through any waterfall with little stacked stones in front!) I look like an emo-Nazghul now.

wanted to upgrade the suit so I went hunting for big bones and hides. got a few pieces to nine, but didn't know what these scales were that I needed. this set off my favorite adventure to date, trying to get to the island with the scales. I only looked up the location, turns out there are TONS of flying monsters between me and the scales. I dotted along the coast, taking the literal longest rout to stay outta sight of the wyverns, and it worked! I fought some pirates, got treasure maps, then met an ancient dragon. I got all my scales, and quests for three baddies. (I tried one, not a chance in hell yet.)

Got the big three to lvl ten (chest, gloves, boots,) and now I have 15 ice resist. its kinda cool, the blue isn't even on my gauge anymore.

Time to go beat that stupid Ice skeleton king guy. He is also by another giant tower, and apparently I have been neglecting my Abyss quests as well so I think I'll try climbing the ice tower and see how it goes.

It's not perfect and I for sure have had some frustrating moments (some puzzles and the stupid legendary wolf guy,) but its never rote. There is a lot to do, and it's all very different. as I progress its also cool to see how the various systems interlock. (witch/Kuku/camp progression/story progression.)

Absolutely amazing. I had no idea there was a full war in the game!

It handled everything so well; from the set up, to the execution, to the missions, to the final fight. It had all the usual siege stuff, finding and hitting weak points but it was all the stuff it added.

First off, raising the banners. Having to thin out the enemies just enough around both the banner and the mount spot, then majestically carrying it to slam it in place. having it go slow-motion while carrying the banner was a stroke of genius.

Then you ride and are asked to save a dying man, deep in enemy territory. Hauling ass there on horseback dodging hundreds, finding the spot, killing 30-40 enemies to grab the man, put him on horseback, and ride through the gauntlet in reverse. At this point I'm playing for effect, the Hospitaler thanking you was pretty sharp.

Next you get to fire cannons and wreck towers, then they give you marker arrows to call in shelling. not since Fallout 4 have I seen this in a game, so much fun just calling in air strikes on hordes of enemies.

Next, they have you fight five Davinci tanks. was totally unexpected to see these in a video game. I totally didn't think to call in air strikes, since I got the R1+R2 mega-strike, it killed them in two hits. On at least three of the tanks I was fighting cavalry, foot troopers, and the damn tank, laughing every time it fired and sent us all flying. Not having them marked on the map was great, it lead to a lot of fun "attack the tower" situations where I fought to the top just to get an eagle eye view or fly to another part of the map.

Lastly, its rounded out with another great one-on-one fight with the traitor. This was a much easier fight than Saigord the Staglord, but still quite epic. having all the columns fall as we fought around the room was a nice touch, and the changing terrain did make for some good cat and mouse fighting. I loved at the last minute he tries to beg, after he had dismissed you so readily. it was satisfying to kill him with his own shield.

This was easily my favorite Chapter. All the others set the background and the skills needed to make this work smoothly. I love that I could have left at any time should I need to, but because of all the things taught leading up to this I was able to just make the entire chapter my evenings play.

10/10, I cant believe I'm around 70-80 hours in and still no where near bored. What an amazing game.

One of the things I love about the game is their control over power-scaling. the bulk of strength seems to be in equipment. I had upgraded the hobo gear from the beginning as far as I wanted, and finally decided to get all new armor. The best I could find is literally in the starting city, but once all fully upgraded after taking a round of mining I was a veritable fortress. HUGE upgrade. I love that there's not a million little pieces of armor, most of what I find is situational (like the gasmask protecting from crimson poison.) I am now pretty strong for most areas of Hernand, with a few exceptions. (sanctums still whoop my ass.)

I fought the Crimson Nightmare, and I'm also coming to appreciate the variety of bosses. I also like that the Musou-style fights when taking bases are all wildly different as well. the Crimson base had the poison clouds, and I took the base with flamethrowers everywhere. (as an aside, when the boss there grabs you and shotguns you across the arena was a highlight, I had to pause I was laughing so hard.)

All this lead up to Saigord the Staglord. What a spectacle! I had followed the nobleman that was hunting him on a quest, and had even had some puzzles where I saw memories of him tracking the Staglord.

When I finally got to him, It was just perfect. my skills and equipment were close to even with him, it was truly a fantastic fight. he's weak enough in the first phase to learn all his attack patterns, so when he ramps it up I'm there with him. I liked this fight as much as the Reed Devil, though the buildup to the Reed Devil fight clearly wins, it was so atmospheric.

the whole thing, from execution, to environmental storytelling, to Saigords speeches all leant to the whole experience. Even down to the widow who tracks you down and gives you a knife for avenging her husband. I use the Staglord's shield and that knife and hope to keep them for a while.

I really look forward to what else the game throws at me.

The exploration in this game is insane. It took a while to realize that most quests are stacked on previous quests, so you gotta know a guy (or gal) to get a quest. This means if I travel very far outside my known areas of Hernand, there just aren't any quests. I actually love this.

I get easily overwhelmed with so-called quest backlog, and it drives me a little crazy walking into a town in most games and picking up 30 quests at once. In CD I kinda get to choose the progression, whether its main quest, camp quest, or police quest. (I love bounties!)

So the other day I decided to just explore the entire southern coast. rock climbing, swimming, flying. I found a massive rock formation, climbed to the top, and was rewarded for it. I fought some pirates, found some strongholds, and just basically enjoyed wandering around, looking for question-mark teleport pads and the challenge puzzle cubes. Because of them, its not even fruitless exploration, when I do any quests usually I have been there and there's a port-pad nearby. Anytime I get frustrated, I just go wandering.

On the combat side I got a halberd to mix up sword and board, and I got the drop-kick fighting upgrade. Since then I have been running around like Tony Jaa, just kneeing people out of existence. I hit a guy square in the chest and his dropped loot, a shirt, went flying off. I kicked the dude out of his clothes. I actually had to pause I was laughing so hard. It's also great for encouraging people to go off cliffs, and is awesome for large groups, They fly like bowling pins. I did bump into some Inquisitors, and learned not everything in Hernand is easy pickin's, haha. I also fought a Bear, that was one hell of a fight.

One thing I've learned is CD works better for me if I go at a slower pace, the second I feel like I need to rush or it feels like a job, I go do something else. I really feel like it has its own rhythm, and it for sure is a "journey is the point" kinda games.

This brings me to my favorite part so far, the Reed Devil questline. (no spoilers.) Every part of this story was amazing; from the atmosphere, to learning what happened, to tracking him, to the final area, to fighting him. it was some of the most cinematic and dreadful questing I've done in any game, for a long time.

I think I lucked out in that I started the questline right at the beginning of my gaming session, so I was able to see it all through in one take. Classic folk horror vibes, I really hope there are more stories like this in the quest chains.

I fired it up and wanted to just explore the town a little more, try to slow down. I started hunting all the question marks and papers on the map. I found a church and part a a map to treasure. OK, cool. I beat a kid at rock, paper, scissors, and later lost to him. He's crafty.

In the tavern you first go into to arm wrestle, there were two question marks. I figured out they were upstairs, so I went and looked and found a poker game, I think? there were a lot of people and it was crowded and smokey, but I couldn't get the question-mark person or object. While trying to see with my lantern, I accidentally "aimed" and whacked someone with my broom. All hell broke loose. The tool-tip told me to run, so I skedaddled on out but by the time I hit the street my bounty was 5 or 6 silver and some change. I tried to run and hide, but no luck, I was a wanted man. "The Broom Bandit," I called myself.

After hiding for five minutes like its GTA, I was still wanted. Not seeing any other way to clear my good name, I just walked to a guard to turn myself in and he stabbed me till I went to jail. They took my 40 copper, and I was in the literal negative. went and sold everything that wasn't gear, and that left me with nothing, except a clear name and a trust axe. Crime doesn't pay, or does it? The dude that arrested me explained bounties. I had found a bunch of bounty fliers, so I went and punched an old lady at the church till I could tie her up. (apparently that's cool with the guards, but not an accidental broom whack?!?) I carried her to the hoosegow and got paid. so that's that, I'm the Mandalorian now.

I caught a beggar in the town. I trekked WAAAY out in the wilderness and caught a goblin. (and learned about traversing the countryside to boot!) I learned I could carry him on the horse for a trek back home. I caught another dude. this was getting addictive. I got a guards hat to match my brothers of justice. I do things along the way, like learn to fish. I catch a fish for the nice horse lady, and buy some horse shoes and stirrups. I am getting upgrades. I am flush with cash, I got something like 15 or 20 silver.

Then, everything changes. I met a guy who said some bandits had taken over his boss's winery. I head over there, and for the first time fight more than two peeps at a time. they kept coming, I must have killed eight or ten before they tucked tails and ran. Go back to the dude, he says boss wants to meet you. go to boss, he says a quarry got taken over by bandits, along with their boss driller-killer and could I clear them out? Sure I say, I can easily kill another 8-10 people and a boss. I prepare extra oats just in case, and head over to the quarry, dispatching a few ruffians on the way.

Y'all.

At first I didn't understand, there were bad guys EVERYWHERE. I fought them in waves and learned pretty quick how to fight groups. I felt like John Wick at first, but that morphed into the first time I played a Musou game, killing hundreds and duckin' Lu Bu. (IYK,YK.) By the end, I was Jason Voorhees, hunting down the last archers and hidden men. I had to have killed 80-90 people? 150? little x's everywhere, no chance to carry all the plunder. Di9dn't matter, I was covered head to toe in red justice. I freed the whole camp and killed all the bandits, except the Boss. couldn't figure out how to get the gate open, so I hopped it and had my first proper boss fight. 'Ole Drilldo wasn't too tough with clearly telegraphed move sets, so I killed him in a few tries.

I work a crane, get a magic rock, and head back to the boss. he was happy, game said he might have more work, but nothing right now. My plan next game is to get the rest of the Hernand bounties, and find the eighth flyer I am missing.

What the hell happened? one second I am the Broom Bandit, scourge of Hernand. Next I am a paragon of justice catching bounties. Somehow that leads me to racking up a body count that would make Rambo blush. The combat was indeed a huge surprise (Neat it has one-on-one and crowd fights with equal fun,) as was the ability to bring the bounties in alive. (haven't killed one yet!)

How is my second day so wildly different than my first, but equally fun? It's been a long time since I played something that was just a blast to play, I can't wait to see what's next.

This game is insane.

I now know what its like to just walk into Ankh-Morpork and start living.

I went into this game 100% blind, and I still refuse to look anything up. I can already tell from the character tabs that this is gonna be nuts. not a problem, I love crunchy games and overlapping systems.

so first impression, combat is great. was able to pick up pretty quick, cant wait to see how new weapons and builds work. Then I didn't fight for many moons and forgot. you can bump into people and they get mad.

Story seemed fine, though I did mostly make this post for the tonal whip-lash. It starts with a standard two-clan fight, We are the Greymanes, they are the Bears. We hate the Bears, the Bears hate us. The Greymanes are a surly lot, seems they all hate each other so for now I am pro-bear. Then the Bears attack, we get into a huge fight, learn some skills, then the boss shows up.

I am a regular to these games, so its pretty simple test. Stab him a few times, and get hit back. I do 5% a hit, he does 30%, so its a fake-fight. I just stand and let him kill me and sure enough, cut scene! With my smiling throat freshly slit, I'm now an avatar or god or something, and have a magic bracelet.

Which is weird that this is the second game with a magic cuff I played in the same year. (Go Fray Holland!)

so I go through the parkour/light show/focus-with-lantern training, and by this point don't recall how to do anything. Meh, I'm sure I wont need it. Then I get dumped into a hovel in town. I kill some guys and get a horse.

I catch some grasshoppers, pick flowers, wander the town. Very Bucolic, I meet my fellow sell-swords and some giants in my slum. Head to town; I beat a guy arm wrestling, to get a coin, to give to a beggar, to go in the sewers, to rescue a maiden, to learn the maiden and beggars are gods. (Who's Maidenless now, Bear!)

My new god friends tell me I gotta do kind acts, ok cool. I get TWO NORMAL MISSIONS Y'ALL! go get wood, and go get ore. Oh thank god. I finish those, oops, that's not the kindness mission. I also cook fish for a butcher. (also learned mission markers are super important, the ore guy wanted them to go to his apprentice, who is of course a god.)

Back to insanity. I help catch a cat, for a kid, who of course is another god. I think the entire world is all gods at this point. I find a lovely couple and CHIMNEY SWEEP THEIR HOUSE. (This is a thing you do in an RPG apparently, learn to sweep. If I am able, I will max my sweeping skill till I can kill one of the many gods in town.)

The nice couple continue fighting and give me fancy clothes. I can now go to the castle. I meet the beggar/maiden gods, learn air parkour, and now have enough money for a fancy new saddle for my horse. (which is actually useful. most games I just run on foot. I swear I forgot there even was a horse in Tainted Grail.)

On the road I encounter some bandits! Its been literal hours since I fought, but hack them to pieces fairly easy enough. Thank god I have stacks of baked oats so I heal. I find another cat, pick it up, pet it, but I don't see anyone missing a cat so I awkwardly put it back down. I also learn to pet the dogs, maxing at 45% trust. I gotta find a way to give them food I think, pets only go so far.

Nothing in this game makes sense. nothing is cohesive. The controls are a hot mess, mostly because I cant remember how to do ANY of the million little things and have to reference the tutorials constantly. (which are neatly organized, thank god.) The story veers and staggers like excited Biker halfway through his sixth beer at his first day at Daytona Bike Week.

I haven't had this much fun playing a game in a long-ass time. I am Genuity curious just how deep the rabbit hole goes, but hell even if they added ZERO new things its gonna take me a pile of hours just to do these tasks competently. And the world is just so odd. You think its generic and then its just not.

This rarely happens, but I gambled on a full-price game have 100% gotten my money's worth. Gonna be a hot minute before this gets routine. This game is JOY incarnate. 10/10, too many notes.