The last seven days I was on vacation with my wife and daughter, so I didn’t play much. I think I needed a real break from work and play. On that note, I brought my Nintendo Switch to play in case of downtime.
I finally won Beyond good and evil. I’ve done all the optional content — collected all the pearls, photographed all the wildlife, and done the Volcanic Treasure and Map to the Past side quests. I can see why this game was hailed as a “masterpiece”, especially for 2003.
There’s a small part of me that hopes a sequel doesn’t materialize. I don’t think Ubisoft knows how to make minimalist games anymore; sure, BG&E is big for its time, especially due to hardware limitations; but that’s what makes it special. I fear they would indulge too much and lose sight of what makes the first game so appealing.
I also decided to pick myself up Legend of Heroes: Paths of Zero. Unfortunately I never played Trails in the Sky. I have a Vita and could buy the PSP versions but I don’t feel compelled to. I’ve played Trails of Cold Steel 1-4 though and I love those special entries.
I’m glad I bought the game on Switch and not PlayStation because I forgot how much bullshit there is. There is no way I could make significant progress on the PS due to commuting, pausing the game during difficult dialogue moments, and hoping my wife and daughter don’t turn off the light switch and eventually the PS5. I bought it too Legend of Heroes: Paths Through the Dawn on PlayStation.
Unfortunately for some, I personally love the slow pace of these games. There’s an incredible sense of world building and character development that really sticks with me. Long conversations can get monotonous, but if you are patient, it will pay off in the end. I’m also impressed with the fantastic voice acting and localization. And the soundtrack is of the highest level.
I’m not too far into the game to give detailed thoughts, but if it continues at this rate, I have a feeling it’s going to turn out to be a very special game. We hope that Trails in the Sky can be ported to modern consoles as this is a series that every JRPG fan needs to experience.
