Weekend Gaming Playlist

Finally, all of the holiday travel has concluded, and I’m sure I’m in good company when I say, “I’m happy to have a weekend with absolutely nothing going on.” That said, it seems like a good time to go back and put some time into the games I haven’t finished yet — and one that just came to us.

Dragon Quest XI S

Due to getting sidetracked by Pokemon, I left off with almost half of Dragon Quest XI S to go. Planning to remedy this travesty, I’ll be very happy to once again explore the vast, colorful world of Erdrea to defeat Mordegon and bring peace back to the world. My inability to keep to a questline has me constantly exploring and foraging for resources, so I’m not certain that I’ll get to complete it this weekend, but I should at least be a bit further in the story and equipped with a new snazzy +3 sword or two.

Breath of Fire (Nintendo Switch Online)

With another small batch of games being added to the online offerings, I was excited to see that Breath of Fire 2 was joining the fray. As one of my favorite titles in the series (right below IV, and followed by III,) I figured it would be a good time to make sure I completed my run in the game that started it all. While I always end my playthroughs wondering if we’ll ever see anything else out of this dormant franchise, I am always glad to see it arrive on a new console where I will undoubtedly play it again.

Star Ocean: First Departure R

This won’t be my first time immersing myself in the world of Star Ocean, having last played the PSP port a few years back, but I will say that this time, for whatever reason, I am more excited for it. I think the rich crafting system, and the fact that the adventure isn’t as huge of an undertaking or time sink as some of the more massive adventures I’ve undergone lately makes it quite appealing right now. Star Ocean’s first entry is a wonderful breath of fresh air for someone that just spent over sixty hours completing their Pokedex in Pokemon Sword/Shield, or just finished with a huge title like The Witcher 3 — someone like, well, me.

While I may get distracted by the allure of hunting down a Shiny Noibat in Pokemon Shield, I’ll fight the urge. What will you be playing this weekend?