September 2022 Channel Update - A Crisis in My Core
Added 2022-09-18 22:28:44 +0000 UTCHi all,
It’s been a rough few weeks with my IRL work being nuts – I hope you’re all doing better than me over here!!
Today’s is not the most groundbreaking of updates but I do have a conundrum with Final Fantasy 7 towards the end – please let me know if you have any thoughts on it!
TL;DR
Finished: As Dusk Falls, Cult of the Lamb
Ongoing: Dragon Age: Origins
Upcoming: SCORN preview, FF7?
Finished Since Last Update
As Dusk Falls (6 parts): A picture book style choose your own adventure following the lives of two families. The stop-motion animation seems divisive but I got used to it in like five minutes. Engaging, short & sweet, it doesn’t overstay its welcome and I’d gladly welcome a sequel (which seems imminent!) One thing that’s hard for me to see in one playthrough but I’ve heard is done well is that the story can branch off in tons of different ways.
Cult of the Lamb (14 parts): An interesting mix between god-sim management and roguelike with a cute art aesthetic. It has a really addicting “just one more day” gameplay loop, but overall I don’t think it’s too replayable after the main story ends – there isn’t quite enough depth in the mechanics to support prolonged playing. Enjoyed making my followers eat poop though!
I also did “first” looks of:
There are already old, complete playthroughs of both these games on the channel and going through it again really brought back memories. I wouldn’t mind continuing either TBH (esp. Sleeping Dogs because that LP is O L D), but since a LP does exist already it probably would be better to cover “new ground” so to say. Still awaiting a Sleeping Dogs sequel in the year 2022 😭…
Progress on Current Stuff
Dragon Age: Origins: The poll winner! The world is fascinating with what seems to be like 50000 different deep lore concepts, which is always mega fun to learn from scratch. Enjoying it lots so far although it’s taking me a while to get familiar with the gameplay - I don’t think I’ve played anything with this type of micromanagey squad combat (???) before, and I feel like I’d also rather not have to think about all the various skills/talents/attribute upgrades/blahblah lol. None of it is really affecting my enjoyment of DAO though – I am sure we’ll get there eventually!
Upcoming Stuff
This coming week we’ll have a preview of SCORN, a horror game coming out in October. I hadn’t heard of this one before but it looks pretty highly anticipated as it’s been in development for like a decade. If I can handle it I will consider playing the full game... I haven’t played a “real” horror thingy in a while 🤡......
As with before I think my next big thing likely God of War: Ragnarok in November, but something time-sensitive did come up on my radar: Crisis Core Reunion’s been announced for a December 13 release this year.
I know the play order for the original games goes:
Final Fantasy 7 ► Crisis Core
with Crisis Core being a prequel & having content that reveals critical plot points in FF7. However, the new remakes are split into three parts with Crisis Core Reunion sandwiched in between:
FF7R Part 1 ► Crisis Core Reunion ► FF7R Part 2 ► …
As someone who’s only played & knows FF7’s story as far as FF7R Part 1 goes, I feel like I’ve been put in an awkward position where if I want to play CCR on release, I have to consider the impacts of how that will affect my story experience. I did some research & the devs have said this is intentional because they think CCR will just want to make you want to learn more, and fans seem to agree it should be played before FF7R Part 2 because why else would they release it that way. However, I think both statements are more of a “knowledge of Crisis Core won’t affect your enjoyment of FF7(R)”, not “Crisis Core will not spoil plot points to FF7(R)”.
Anyway, bottom line is I think I have two options:
1. Do nothing now, play CCR in December
2. Play OG FF7 now, play CCR in December
Currently I lean towards the second since it’s the option that’ll preserve my reactions for at least one form of FF7 + the release schedule is not super busy right now (though DAO + FF7 + GOW later seems a bit… 💩)
Curious to hear if anyone has any thoughts on this. If I proceed with my plan, I think I’ll have to start very very soon to make the Dec 13 “deadline”!
This is all I’ve got for now! I hope to be able to slot in more games here and there but realistically I feel like I’m burning a candle at both ends with my IRL work being very blah lately. Appreciate your understanding and patience in the meantime...!
Welonz
PS. Haven’t forgotten the Q&A – I’m making progress! There are quite a bit of repeat questions so you may want to look at previous Q&As in the meantime if you had any burning inquiries. I’ll probably not go over those ones too much so this can actually come out sometime in our lifetimes… 😬
Comments
I am aware it's out but haven't slotted time specifically for it - wouldn't say it's out of the question but I'm not sure when/if I'll get to yet atm, sorry for the wishy washy answer!
Materwelonz
2022-09-22 19:07:26 +0000 UTCI am aware it's out but haven't slotted time specifically for it - wouldn't say it's out of the question but I'm not sure when/if I'll get to yet atm!
Materwelonz
2022-09-22 19:04:24 +0000 UTCI haven't! Looks interesting, thanks for letting me know about it
Materwelonz
2022-09-22 19:02:57 +0000 UTCBefore FF7R (Part 1) I'd have said that your lack of knowledge of the original games helped to give you a unique perspective which you shouldn't readily give up I think now it's clearer that these new games are being treated more as a continuation of the story rather than a pure retelling and the devs are making the soft assumption that people are already familiar with how things played out in the original. I mean, there are spoilery things in the <i>trailer</i> for Crisis Core Reunion, never mind the game itself It's a tough call but, as always, your reasoning is sound and, time permitting, a playthrough of the original FF7 before Crisis Core may be preferable
Adam Hughes
2022-09-20 12:29:52 +0000 UTCHonestly I'd love to see you play the original if you can manage it! I recently finished the main campaign of the remake and having played the original before I had a ton of questions so I'm wondering how you'd react to the retreaded parts and beyond. If you opt to play the PC version I'd suggest this mod for the best experience. There are more mods that add additional enhancements but this is the simplest way to glow up FFVII atm and remain faithful to the original release: https://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=20434.0
Rachel Alexander
2022-09-20 07:24:23 +0000 UTCDidn't play FF7 but I kind of feel the opposite way. We already know FF7 Remake is making changes to the original story, and they've decided to release the prequel in between 2 parts, so that must be the way they intend it to be played, and it's probably safe to do so. Plus it's a prequel so you might learn things you didn't know yet but normally it shouldn't be able to spoil what's going to happen in FF7 remake part 2 either. I'm not against you playing the original, but imo it would be better later, after you've played the whole remake / remaster, rather than in the middle of it. (And with DAO and GOW incoming, that's going to be a lot tbh, and possibly confusing?) Also Final Fantasy or Square Enix seriously what's with these titles?! Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion Hope things get better at work! And still shocked that you so casually said you're going to play Scorn! lol
naoxmon
2022-09-19 23:32:24 +0000 UTCHave you heard about Haiku the robot? https://howlongtobeat.com/game/102595
Dave
2022-09-19 15:11:28 +0000 UTCOption 2 as a completionist would mean an hour episode per day for FF VII, if you want to finish it before December 13th. You could skip 100%ing all mini games though, and postpone optional post-game bosses until after Crisis Core. That will make it a lot more manageable. You can also consider playing the PS4/5 port or FFVII Windows Edition, because they allow increasing combat speed. Or a mod for the Steam version. I think starting God of War and Crisis Core immediately on release is important for your channel growth.
mat3
2022-09-19 14:34:21 +0000 UTCNo idea about the main question of the post, but thanks for considering Scorn! The game really looks very promising, getting some SOMA vibes tbh.
Dave
2022-09-19 14:26:37 +0000 UTCI'd love to watch you play the original FFVII! I loved that game when I was a kid, but it's been so long that I don't remember many details anymore. It'd be fun to watch someone who never played the original and as a story refresher for myself! :)
Kassina42
2022-09-19 13:59:24 +0000 UTCI would love to see you play the original final fantasy vii.
Berlen Alberto
2022-09-19 12:34:38 +0000 UTCI cannot help with the Crisis Core and OG FF7 (I have only played the remake) but the most important thing is your health, I would rather you skip CC than you getting burnout
Bookwyrm
2022-09-19 07:55:53 +0000 UTCHonestly you should probably be done with Dragon Age: Origins by say mid November or even before GoW. The game isn't really that long. If you don't jump straight into Dragon Age II i like the idea of playing og FFVII before Crises Core. It's a fantastic game that's firmly on #2 on my all time games list haha.
Eric H.
2022-09-19 05:55:10 +0000 UTCPlaying Crisis Core before FF7R Part2 would only make sense if they derail the remake story in part 2 even more. And I would absolutely love watching you play through the OG FF7. Thank you for even considering it. <3
hereticgrim
2022-09-19 05:16:56 +0000 UTCI can't offer much help on FF7, but I just want to say that playing three long games simultaneously is quite difficult, and you should always prioritize your mental health first. However if you can manage it, then it would be awesome to see the og FF7 on the channel. If you enjoy the experience, then you can probably open up to playing other old JRPGs as well.
Purbayan Chatterjee
2022-09-19 04:42:26 +0000 UTCI havent followed up with whats what with the devs regarding crisis core reunion but natural impression is not to play it unless you finished rebirth. That said, like you said, they consiously chose to release crisis core reunion before rebirth. Its all too suspicious. I do support your idea of playing og7 in order to avoid any possible concerns plot wise. You lose out on the whole new player approach and opinion but at the same time you would be up to scope with the fanbase as we wouldnt need to avoid plot points im discussions. If you choose to play og ff7, i strongly recommend you watching the advent children movie after.
Bahamut
2022-09-19 04:38:58 +0000 UTCI could only dream of this outcome, but PLEASE do play the OG FF7! The main reason being me wanting to see you play it, buuuut I do think it would let you understand and appreciate Crisis Core better, and see why people are freaking out about the Remake (in both positive and negative ways). So if you can somehow fit it in your schedule then please, definitely play the OG!
j
2022-09-19 04:35:47 +0000 UTCPlaying the OG first will be better as an experience, and I think will also enhance the Remake experience going forward. As a person who seems to enjoy stories, I think you would like it more.
Hans Olav
2022-09-19 04:06:17 +0000 UTCIf things get too busy, you could always put DAO on low-priority for a while and release episodes for it slowly while focusing more on the time-sensitive things. (even though I'm really into this series now lol) If you continue it into the next DA games, it'll go on pretty long, so this'll probably be inevitable sometimes. I don't know much about FF, but I get the impression that playing 7 first would be a good idea, especially with you being very story-focused. It does sound like a lot of games to pack into that timeframe though; if stuff needs to be adjusted to account for life things, I'm sure we'll be cool with that! A happy welonz makes a happy community! :D
Zak Kollatz
2022-09-19 03:32:39 +0000 UTCImmortality is a fun ~10 hour experience. It's very Sam Barlow — great ideas, good execution, so-so writing — though a bit more explicit than YouTube would allow without age verification. Would definitely watch Welonz play.
Jonathan B.
2022-09-19 02:38:40 +0000 UTCI’d say if you are planning on playing CC, then yes, definitely play og FF7 first. Also would just really love for you to play it anyway lol But don’t stress yourself too much! Excited for whatever you decide!!
Mary Schwartz
2022-09-19 02:00:24 +0000 UTCI don't really know what the best option is for the upcoming games. I'll leave that up to others with more FF experience to offer their opinion. Please be careful not to burn out trying to take on more that you can handle. You have such an amazing community here and on Youtube, I think whatever you choose, people with be happy with it. I know I will.
Neyka
2022-09-19 01:53:47 +0000 UTCI can't offer an opinion on Crisis Core since I haven't played it, but I would love to see you play the original FFVII, if you can fit it into the schedule. Two big RPGs on top of God of War does sound kind of daunting. Hmm, I'm not really being helpful here so I'll just offer you some moral support. You're the best! 👍👍
Blue72
2022-09-19 01:41:11 +0000 UTCIt seems the consens is is pretty torn here too. I never really considered that you might play the OG FF7 but I do think it'd be a great experience. As long as it doesn't burn you out too hard on it, as people said it can be a long game. But also the experience of a older gen ff game is pretty amazing, might even open the avenue to other titles further in the future! I'll be happy whichever path you take!
Glen Jones
2022-09-19 01:25:08 +0000 UTCOh wow I don’t understand some of the comments here saying it’s okay to play Crisis Core before FF7. Crisis Core’s story is dependent on you already knowing a HUGE FF7 plot twist. I do not recommend this.
Jeffrey Hardy Quah
2022-09-19 01:07:05 +0000 UTCIf I don't play a game at release it becomes far more unlikely that I'll ever get to it - there will be other things coming out in 2023, and putting off CC still doesn't address whether I need to play the OG beforehand.
Materwelonz
2022-09-19 00:11:31 +0000 UTCPleeease play OG FF7. The story is not nearly as impactful without the basis of the original story for context. None of the characters matter unless you already know the important ones from the original and how the story unfolds. There is a reveal in FF7 that makes Crisis Core so much more impactful.
Nesadi
2022-09-19 00:00:42 +0000 UTCHonestly welonz, I dont think it would be bad for you to play crisis core and then ff7R part 2. I dont think it's all THAT spoilery unless you already know things from the original ff7. I think square enix put it in between the 2 parts to make everything more cohesive for newcomers, so it shouldnt affect your experience with 7 remake.
Jennifer Barrowman
2022-09-18 23:27:17 +0000 UTCWow I would NOT have guessed you'd look into Scorn but it looks like an absolutely visually amazing game!! I'll look forward to it even if you just do a first look because I certainly don't have the guts to play through that atmosphere myself😂🥲
Jin
2022-09-18 23:10:21 +0000 UTCAs much as I love hearing your voice as you play my favorite titles... Don't take on too much at once, FFVII is a long game!
Daniel Svensk
2022-09-18 23:09:39 +0000 UTCMaybe you could make a poll on twitter ? It could help to see what people think would be less detrimental to your experience.
Jack Frost
2022-09-18 23:04:50 +0000 UTCWould anything explode if you didn't play Crisis Core in December? We'll still be in the throes of God of War's love song by then and FF7 Remake pt. 2 is out late 2023 to early 2024. Just tossing that idea out there...
Eric Holm
2022-09-18 22:59:47 +0000 UTCHave you thought about playing Immortality? You played Her Story and Telling Lies so I was wondering if that was on the table.
Evan!!
2022-09-18 22:58:33 +0000 UTCas a diehard ffvii og fan, i'd love to see you play it but it is long. I think it took me like 30hrs? Still i know that crisis core will spoil things in the main story
Claire Vallina
2022-09-18 22:54:24 +0000 UTCYou made me go check HowLongtoBeat again and for some reason I had the "main story " playstyle of about 36 hours imprinted in my head - looks like that should be adjusted to more like 50+ 😬 I didn't think FF7 was that long since people mentioned the Midgar section (= all of FF7R Part 1) was <10 hours in the OG! With that understanding I don't know if I have another solution for this though! I feel like just going straight into Crisis Core Reunion is gonna end up being controversial.
Materwelonz
2022-09-18 22:50:38 +0000 UTCI believe doing Crisis Cores remake would be a better idea before playing OG FF7! OG FF7 would probably spoil more plot points then Crisis Core and I think Crisis Core would /enhance/ the future experience of FF7R part two rather than spoil it completely! Maybe OG ff7 could wait until ff7r is complete? but that also seems so far away haha
morealike
2022-09-18 22:50:12 +0000 UTChello, you are cool. do you think you may be playing the new Sam Barlow game Immortality? i enjoy watching you playing this type of game because you're good at saying out loud little connections & things i didn't notice or put together on my own, but if not i will play it myself. thank you!!
okglass
2022-09-18 22:43:02 +0000 UTCOkay I love you Welonz, but are you seriously talking about starting a FF7 playthrough (which is very long) while in the middle of Dragon Age and with God of War out in two months? Remember when you tried to play Witcher 3 and RDR2 at the same time? I just don't want you to repeat mistakes and/or get in way over your head.
Eric Holm
2022-09-18 22:39:45 +0000 UTCWelonz going back to horror ? hell yeah !
Captain Kashup
2022-09-18 22:38:24 +0000 UTC
