Fresh Take - Transformers ONE (Spoiler-free Thoughts)

 Available in Theaters

Synopsis (from IMDB):

The untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.

Thoughts

To be honest I didn't know what to expect going into this one. I am a fan of the series especially Gen 1 as I am an 80s baby. That being said from outset I loved the animation style the bots all looked unique and they made Cybertron look like a living place. I think the story focus being on Orion Pax (Optimus Prime) and D16 (Megatron) is key to making this movie work. I will say the first quarter of the movie is really kid friendly and has the goofy humor but everything turns on a dime once they get to the surface of Cybertron. Once again I think visuals play an important part of this as this is the first time we get to see Cybertron pre Autobot war. We get to see how D16 comes to be Megatron and we also get to see how Orion becomes Optimus. As far as the rest of the cast I thought they did a very good job. The only one I kind of was worried about was Bumblebee but he kinda grew on me as the movie went on. The soundtrack is very well done. I really enjoyed the score. The action for the most part was very good, especially the fight between Megatron and Optimus. I thought they did a good job with it. 

The only thing that I didn't like was in some of the action sequences it was hard to tell what was happening. I know they were going for a more kinetic style sequencing but much like the Michael Bay live action movies there were times in the last act of the movie where it was hard to tell what was going on. Other than that I thought the movie was for the most part fun and enjoyable.

For Parents

The movie is rated PG and has a runtime of an hour and fifty minutes. There are two post credit scenes; one in the middle of the credits and the other at the end of the credits. The movie does have fighting in it and a few interesting action sequences nothing I think that the young ones can't watch. The movie is paced well and doesn't drag in any areas. 

Final Thoughts

This movie is a solid MATINEE. There is a lot to like for fans of Generation One as well as things new fans can enjoy. This is a prequel movie that borrows some story beats from the IDW comics as well as some of the anime that has come out. They mix very well to make a good story and they did set it up for possible sequels if they choose to go that route. What did you think of Transformers ONE? Have you seen it? Please leave a comment and let's talk about it. As always thanks for reading, if you like the content please feel free to share it out.

Trailer

Impressions - Reynatis Demo Thoughts

 Available on Nintendo Switch, PS4|5, & PC; Version played Switch

Thoughts on the Good

Not gonna go into the story details for this post but I will just give my quick thoughts on the demo's good and bad sides from my perspective. One of the things that I like is also one of the things that is a problem and that is the combat. The combat can be fun. Once you get the hang of it, that is. Its fast paced and flashy, it actually reminds me a little of Kingdom Hearts mixed with NEO The World Ends With You. The characters you get to play with are fast and can dish out some nice moves. The music is pretty good here to but the standout to me are the visuals. The game looks great and I am really digging the art style, especially when the characters use their magic it just looks great. I love the character designs and the environment really makes me want to visit Shibuya when I go to Japan. The game really is easy on the eyes. 

Thoughts on the Bad

Here's where I say the combat has a problem. There is a dodge mechanic that when the timing is right can help you gain your magic meter back which in turn allows you to do damage to enemies. It more than likely looked good on paper but in actuality it took a little getting used to. Instead of just dodging at the right moment the player has to essentially in put dodge three times and if done right the initiate an attack. If done right you are gifted a cool sequence where your characters moves at super speed to start a combo and do major damage to the enemy. The frustrating thing is the timing, if it were say like Bayonetta where you only have to hit the dodge once to start bullet time I don't think there would be an issue but the way the have it setup especially when there is more than one enemy on the screen can be a problem. This issue is somewhat mitigated when you get to swap between two characters which basically happens at the end of the demo but its still an issue if the player is having a tough time getting the timing down. That was about the only thing that I found an issue with in all honesty. 

Overall Thoughts

The demo is pretty short. Consisting of the first two chapters of the game. You get to play as both main characters; Nijishima and Marin. There is one side quest that I did and one boss battle. The demo does end pretty abruptly after that battle. The demo took me about an hour to get through with the bulk of that doing the tutorial. I had fun but I can understand if most people didn't, that tutorial and the dodge mechanic is probably going to turn most people off. If you can get the timing down I think it will be a fun experience. I already have this game preordered and am looking forward to it when it releases on the 27th of September. Have you played the demo? Leave a comment and let's talk about it. As always thanks for reading. If you like the content please give it a share and a comment. I appreciate the support. 

GamePlay

Impressions - Legend of Heroes Trails Through Daybreak

 Available on Switch, PS4|5, & PC

Thoughts on the Story & Gameplay

This game is the newest installment (at least as far as North America is concerned) in the Legend of Heroes story from Nihon Falcom. In this game the setting is the Republic of Calvard. If you played the Trails of Cold Steel games then you heard about Calvard. This game revolves around Van Arkride who runs Arkride Solutions. He's a guy you come to for help when you can't go to the cops or the guilds. He works in the gray area between the good and bad guys which has earned him a sort of reputation. The story revolves around him and Agnes Claudel as they try to figure out the mystery of the Genesi and the connection they have to her family. 

The gameplay in this title is both familiar and new. Familiar if you have played any of the previous Trails games. In all honesty this is a great jumping on point if you haven't played any of the other titles in the series. This game actually has elements of both action RPG and turn-based RPG styles. Releasing "shards" in combat starts the turn-based style, its very easy to switch between both styles and there are perks for entering battle with certain timing effects. The system in this game is called Xipha and those are used to basically set up your characters buffs/debuffs, arts, accessories, etc. There is a lot to choose from and the variety helps to tailor characters to how you want them to play. This game clearly builds on what was done in the Trails of Cold Steel games and I think they did a great job with it and that aspect. I found the gameplay easy to pick up but to be clear I have played the Trails of Cold Steel series so that may have helped, however, I do believe that its not hard to get the hang of everything once you start playing. 

Thoughts on the Good

One of things that stood out to me is the gameplay. I was honestly hooked when I played the demo. Switching between action and turn-based once you get the timing down is fun and integral to however you wish to play. The other thing that stood out to me is the story and dialog are very good. They have some callbacks and even characters from other games show up. The music is very well done especially when traveling to different areas. The character interactions are also very well done. The game feels massive and there is always something to do.  

Thoughts on the Bad

My one complaint is the length of some of the cutscenes. Some of them approach Final Fantasy levels of length, with a couple in particular making my controller go to sleep. That is aggravating to me. Another thing that I found to be annoying is the odd times when the voice acting will cut out. For example, a character will say one sentence and then the rest of the exchange is reading. I don't have a problem with it but it can be annoying as to me if there is going to be speaking dialoge then do it for the whole exchange not just part of it.

For Parents

This game is rated T for Teen. There are some heavy themes in the game as well as some foul language, though nothing that's not in any PG-13 action movie. There is violence but nothing gory. There are some scenes of sexual situations and a couple scenes where some of the older characters meet in a nightclub that has some pole dancing. Nothing is to revealing as the ladies are in basically swimwear but it is there. The game is in the Trails series so it is a long game and it is single player. The game will keep the player occupied for a while. I honestly think it would be hard for someone to crank this one out in a weekend to be honest. 

Overall Thoughts/Is the Game FUN?

I am having a great time playing this game. While I haven't played every game in the Legend of Heroes series, I have become a fan since Trails of Cold Steel. For me this game is a FULL PRICE/DAY ONE purchase. Its a perfect jumping on point as it stands on its own from the rest of the series by putting the player in a new country. The characters are fun and interesting. The gameplay does a good job as well being interesting with each character feeling unique. The game is very FUN, 40 hours in and enjoying each chapter. Have you played The Legend of Heroes Trails Through Daybreak? What do you think? Thanks for reading. Please leave a comment and please share as it helps the blog grow.

Trailer