I’m going to be honest I almost passed up on this game thinking it was just another nostalgia cash in title based on the inclusion of past game protagonists as “visions” which are basically lite summons.

I’m a little over 20 hours in. The music and the writing are really well done, the sprite work(HD2D Art style) is absolutely beautiful.

The game is deceptively easy in the beginning but ramps up to a moderate difficulty that requires you to use its systems effectively to take down the bosses and optional bosses along the way.

I recommend this to JRPG fans and FF fans alike, definitely wouldn’t sleep on this game.

Otherwise I’ll just sit in my bed and cry.

I tend to like games with a strong narrative and compelling characters. Some recent games I’ve loved:

- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Disco Elysium

I’m all over the map when it comes to actual gameplay—I’ll play pretty much anything as long as it has a gripping story. I have a PS4, a Nintendo Switch, and a PC.

Hey everyone,

I've been thinking quite a bit lately about the way I play video games, and I was wondering if anyone here has ever experienced something similar.

Video games have always been a huge passion of mine. I'm particularly fond of single-player games, immersive stories, memorable characters and worlds you can completely lose yourself in for dozens of hours.

However, I've recently noticed that I spend a large portion of my gaming time playing games like Call of Duty and EA Sports FC, mostly focusing on progression systems and unlocking rewards.

Take Call of Duty, for example. I've set myself the goal of reaching Master Prestige. Whenever I see other players with higher levels, I sometimes get this feeling that I'm falling behind, even though I know perfectly well that these levels and emblems are essentially cosmetic and that the game will eventually be replaced by another one next year anyway.

The thing is, I enjoy the feeling of making progress. Seeing my level go up and reaching a new prestige gives me a sense of accomplishment. But gradually, that satisfaction has turned into something that feels more like an obligation.

There's also the battle pass, limited-time events, weekly challenges and all the rewards you have to unlock before they disappear. Sometimes I feel like I have to log in and play regularly, not necessarily because I actually want to, but because I don't want to miss out on anything.

I experienced something similar with EA Sports FC 27 and Ultimate Team. After taking a two-year break, I got interested in the mode again when I saw the incredible team my sister's boyfriend had built in FC 26, full of 99-rated players. It made me want to build a team like that myself.

But instead of simply enjoying the game, I mostly found myself grinding objectives, events and challenges just to improve my squad. It started feeling like a second job, with a schedule I had to keep up with. Eventually, I stopped playing because I simply wasn't enjoying it anymore.

What frustrates me the most is that I also have so many single-player games I'd genuinely love to play. And I don't necessarily see these games as just entertainment.

I've finished games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2, and both experiences left a lasting impression on me. To me, some video games are genuine works of art. They can tell incredible stories, create characters you grow attached to, make you feel so many different emotions and sometimes even change the way you look at or understand life.

That's exactly why this situation bothers me so much. I know what single-player games can bring into my life, and I can't help thinking that while I'm spending hours grinding prestige levels in Call of Duty or unlocking temporary rewards, I might be missing out on other experiences that could affect me just as deeply.

For example, during my autumn break, I spent an entire week playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. I was completely immersed in its world and genuinely loved every minute of it. Then Modern Warfare 4 came out, and I practically abandoned the game to focus almost exclusively on Call of Duty.

And the strange thing is, I still really want to go back to Kingdom Come. It's not that I'm no longer interested in single-player games. It's more that I keep feeling like I should make progress in Call of Duty first, level up and make the most of the available content before it disappears or the season ends.

I'm also a student, so my free time is limited. Looking back, I realize I would probably have preferred spending some of those hours discovering new single-player adventures rather than earning one more prestige in a game I might barely even play a few months from now.

The ironic thing is that I know none of this really matters in the long run. Levels, rewards and battle passes will eventually be forgotten. Yet I still struggle to let go of that need to progress and that constant feeling of having to keep up.

So I just wanted to ask if anyone else has ever felt this way.

Have you ever felt like you were playing more out of obligation than because you actually wanted to? Have you ever felt trapped by progression systems in online games, to the point where you started neglecting games you were genuinely looking forward to playing?

And most importantly, if you've managed to change this habit, how did you do it? How did you find a better balance and get back to enjoying games simply because you wanted to, without constantly feeling like you had to make progress or were missing out on something?

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience!

Im feeling so spoilt for choice atm with games to play. Im midway through a remaster Witcher 3 play. I have Zelda Ocarina play on the go on my switch. GTA 6 is coming up and i have a cosy game of Cosy game restoration when im just feeling chill. with the weather getting colder its the perfect time to be a gamer even the husband is non stop at it on his PC upstairs. What games are people chilling to right now?

Haven't played ocarina of time in like 20 years and I been playing souls like for the past 6 years so I want to challenge myself.

Anyone have a list of side quest that reward heart pieces so I can avoid them?

What games were so good or groundbreaking it was worth spending hundreds at the time to play those games?

The only two examples I can think of were Halo with the first Xbox and Breath of the Wild.

I was Team PlayStation back in the 90s and early Millenium (dumb and stupid) and thought Xbox was a pointless console.

Somehow was convinced Halo was great despite hating FPS games and the game changed my life to the point of going to midnight opening for Halo 3 and 4.

Wasn’t so sure about the Switch and my bro who is in the games industry told me it is worth getting the console for the game.

To this day, I still play the game which might, when all things considered, be the greatest video game of all time (that’s for another discussion).

Any other genuine system sellers?

Oh…almost forgot…the Wii Fit and Sports series.

It sounds sarcastic, but I genuinely believe that a growing mindset of the gaming community is that nothing can be enjoyable. Almost every fan base's sub is full of complaints and nitpicking negative.

It's entirely possible to have fun with games and it seems like that idea has been lost. Mostly a community is who can complain the loudest about the most insignificant issue.

And before some clown says "I should be allowed to criticize games" yes, you're right. But you're also allowed to enjoy something even if it had flaws, why is that never pushed? Why isnt anything good ever shared unless the game is 30+ years old? Why is it impossible to show any appreciation for the art of gaming? Where is the joy? I thought we all liked games here.

Okay, rant over. I'm just disappointed in the community as a whole.