Fire Emblem Echoes, Path of Radiance, Injustice 2, Nioh – Just Played

Fire Emblem Echoes released last week, so we’ve been going Fire Emblem crazy! Both for this brand new one (well, brand new remake), and office favourite, Path of Radiance. On top of that, Peter has been getting in early on Injustice 2, starting off this year’s fighting deluge; and Oscar’s finally checking out Nioh!

 

Fire Emblem Echoes — Mitch

Fire Emblem Echoes, Path of Radiance, Injustice 2, Nioh - Just Played 1

 

I’ve started my Fire Emblem Echoes adventure and while there’s no waifu system, it doesn’t mean I can’t pick one the old-fashioned way! It’s time to get out the notepad and pen and replace the weapon triangle with an elaborate waifu grid. I’m actually pretty blown away as I wasn’t sure if I’d really dig Echoes or not, but I’ve sunk a few hours into it and I’m looking forward to playing it more.

 

Fire Emblem Echoes, Path of Radiance, Injustice 2, Nioh - Just Played 2

 

I’m enjoying the new elements (old, if you consider they’re from Gaiden) and hope they’re utilised in some future Fire Emblem titles too, although with only one analogue stick the dungeon navigation can sometimes be a little jarring. That first support chat with Alm and Faye is something, isn’t it?

 

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance — Holly

Fire Emblem Echoes, Path of Radiance, Injustice 2, Nioh - Just Played 3

 

Seeing as my copy of Echoes hasn’t shown up yet, I’ve been filling the void with another run of Path of Radiance. It’s been a nice way to get back into the mindset for playing main series titles, having only played Fire Emblem Heroes for ages, before diving into all the strange mechanics that Echoes carried over from Gaiden.

 

I really love Path of Radiance, and it still holds up as my favourite entry in the series. Everything about the story, characters, and game mechanics is excellent. I’m not going to be able to just put it aside when Echoes arrives either, so roll on playing two Fire Emblem games at the same time. I’m going to have to go for something that doesn’t take much thinking after this, if I don’t get sucked into replaying Radiant Dawn

 

Injustice 2 — Peter

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I think it’s safe to say I’m pretty into fighting games but I actually have never been a huge fan of the NetherRealm Studio fighting games. There’s like a weird janky stiffness to both the animation and the gameplay that’s always been pretty off-putting for me.

 

Injustice 2 is better than previous NRS games in that regard. I mean, it’s still not good but the animations don’t insta-trigger me the way they did in Injustice and MKX.

 

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What really sells me on Injustice 2 is the overall content package it offers. The story mode is amazing – NRS is mastering how to do a story mode within a fighting game, with an interesting superhero tale that weaves seamlessly into fights. The multiverse mode is basically a series of always-changing arcade ladders with interesting little twists thrown in, which does a good job of keeping things fresh for single player. The gear system allows of customisation and a greater feel of ownership and individuality for your characters. And in my time online, the netcode has been fantastic.

 

Injustice 2 is awesome for everyone – DC Comics fans, people who aren’t too serious about fighting games and hardcore fighting game fans alike. They really did a great job of checking all the boxes and giving everyone plenty to play with.

 

Nioh — Oscar

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I’ve been a bit late to the party on this one. I’m a big fan of Dark Souls and Bloodborne, but that’s only made me a little bit apprehensive when approaching “Souls-like” games. Lords of the Fallen was okay, but not a touch on true Souls. But, as I’ve espoused before, I absolutely love how these sorts of games handle online multiplayer and co-op. Which means, if you’re going to jump in, you’ve got to jump in while people are still playing the game. That Nioh clock is ticking.

 

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I’m pleased to be able to report that while Nioh pushes a lot of the same Souls pleasure buttons for me, it does enough differently to feel like its own thing too. The biggest difference is one of the best — the stance system. After just a short time you quickly find yourself adapting high, medium, and low stances to certain situations, reading your opponent’s own stance to know how to counter. Due to that, combat against humanoid enemies works out best. Some demons and bosses can feel a little annoying, but you can use a big magic power-up spells to help out in a pinch.

 

There are things I’m not so fond of — the rarity of the player summoning resource, the rarity-based loot system, the mission structure sometimes feeling like a bit of a slog. But, I’m almost done with the second region, and I’m having a blast. This should be next on the list for Souls fans for sure if you’ve not gotten around to it yet. Don’t let the multiplayer die!

 

What have you been playing lately?

 

Play you next time,

Someday, somewhere!

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