March 2025
It's a long abandoned fairly uninteresting RPG. There's really not much to talk about and if you somehow come across it you should definitely avoid it. I think the last update was like 8 years ago.
Final HR and MR
HR 230
MR 103
Finally some quality Rise content. The game completely removes the abhorrent horde mode and continues on with quality hunts. Every map it introduces is also far better designed than that of the base game removing much of the pointless verticality. I didn't notice much of a difficulty ramp though the variant of the flagship is one hell of a fight. The new swap move system is… well I didn't really use it until post-DLC game at maybe MR 75. It might be because of Great Sword but they just didn't seem that interesting until I got to certain builds. All in all this makes Rise a much better game to what I previously considered just a decent entry.I did grow fatigued as the grind got real around MR 100 where it just felt like it took far too long to level up just for some variants, but all in all satisfied.
Rating: 7/10
Recommend? Yes, if you somehow own Rise without owning this, this is a must have.
This is what a DLC should be. A complete contrast ot the main game and overall improvement compared to the first DLC. We get an entirely new land to explore. One that is vibrant and looks like a painting of Italy with colorful flora and brimming with life. Everything about this DLC is just a fantastical journey beginning to end. The map seems far more condensed as well, no longer needing to traverse large areas of nothingness hoping to find a quest. On that note, it even offers a checklist in case you are worried about missing anything (after the GWENT collection, we desperately needed this). Each area feels like it has a purpose and story. Speaking of, the story is nothing short of amazing. In fact, I'd even say it's better than the base game's which is a feat. We get even more well written characters with involved plotlines, though some characters seem to require some book knowledge though they ease them in well enough. We also get plenty of expanded skill trees, armors, and a special venue that I was pretty satisfied with. Only downside really is the lack of a genuine love interest though I think that plays off my issue with how the base game handles the love interests.
Rating: 11/10
Recommend? It's simply a must play.
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2What a weird game. Through and through it is just weird. It abandons it's beat em' up gameplay for a run and gun style game yet... it still has the option for some of the beat em' up but really you just want to be shooting the entire time. Plenty of special infected to give the game variety, but the problem occurs when the game puts you in small areas with a bunch of these and you end up getting stunlocked to some degree which is more than mildly frustrating. Not to mention the PS3 controls aren't exactly accurate or well thought out. It unfortunately also keeps the very limited inventory system despite crafting and material gathering being just as important as before along with the fact you now require ammunition to carry. Also much like the Yakuza's of the time, chapters focus on each character and all combine to create a complete story and as such some chapters are more interesting and important than others. In fact, one might question the purpose of some characters at all.
The only thing more crazy than the concept is the story. It just is off the rails from the beginning and the twists and turns of the end are just some insane B-level movie ideas that I could not really have expected. Though I am mostly referring to the things that happen rather than the actual plot itself. The overall plot is kind of... forgetable. It just isn't that interesting compared to everything else that is going on throughout the game.
Rating: 3.5/10
Recommend? Not really, maybe if you want all things Yakuza but this game doesn't even have much for minigames or sidequests not that it controls all that well even if it did.
With Clive having been announced for Tekken 8, I thought it was high time I got around to this FF entry finally.Needless to say I was not disappointed by the DMC inspired combat though it did take a while before you get access the more interesting customizable movesets. Once you get there though, it's pretty damn amazing. The eikon boss battles can vary but many often provide insane and brutal moments that had me immersed in every second. That being said, the inclusion of quick time events felt odd and forced, not to mention the invasive UI that came with it. In fact, the menus and pop up titles are some of the bigger problems of the game. When you win a battle it is immediately followed up by freezing time and popping up with effectivley a "You Win" message. It really takes you out of the moment, especially with such a realistic aesthetic game. Clive proves to be an amazing character and the theme throughout the game is strong while bleak, much like the world you traverse and the quests you accept within it. Much of the supporting cast are also great with Cid, Jill, and Torgal being standouts along with plenty of the antagonists as well. I did find the final villain to be a bit on the duller side and the ending didn't quite create a final grand moment though I won't divulge. I did find it interesting that despite it's more medievil setting, it reminded me of some general similarites with FF7 in it's story, themes, and characters. Perhaps the work on the FFVII Remakes had some influence.
DLC: Echoes of the Fallen - Not exactly a full on DLC as much as an additional dungeon. Thus it's pretty short as you don't get much of a location, side quests, or story. That being said the boss was insanely fun with a fantastic boss theme to boot.
The Rising Tide - Now this is a DLC. You get a brand new land to explore that is far more vibrant and beautiful than the bleak mainland you traverse. There are plenty of new characters, side quests, and even new abilities to learn. The final boss doesn't quite compare to that of Echoes but we do get plenty of other great battles throughout all within a well self contained story. It's odd, in a lot of ways that the release of these DLCs mimicks very closely to the release of the Witcher 3 DLCs, but I digress.
Rating: 8/10
Recommend? Yes, but just be prepared more for action than your typical JRPG with a focus on more "adult" tones.
Congratz for your Witcher 3 completion, long game !
Thank you. It was quite a journey that probably would have been smoother had I not dropped it for several years… Glad to have finally finished it though.
Ah ! I feel you ! I dropped it up too a few years ago (when Geralt goes back to the castle) and now don’t have the courage to learn again. Kudos even more to you to have found the motivation.
Hell yeah, Blood and Wine was great. In some ways its the Greatest Hits of the Witcher 3 and showed CDPR could present it all in a smaller, condensed package. I think the vineyard finale is a decent send off for the romance part of the game, though.
I’ll agree on the vineyard, it’s more there was a haphazard love interest in this DLC if you can even really call it a love interest. Though I got what I deserved, I think it’s more fitting (in my eyes) to have Geralt as a single dad on his estate.