I love this game so much but, much like the first D:OS, it is taking more than a year to finish it. I tend to play in bursts and then get overwhelmed by some fight or another and put it down for a month or two. I have long been ready to leave reaper's coast and progress the main quest, but I still have so many open side quests that I have not wanted to move on to the Nameless Isle. I should pick it up again.

@Mbun Thanks for the video. Hopefully this will be a good way to share with my daughter. I do remember that the OG animal crossing on Gamecube allowed separate towns for different users but I guess they have moved in this direction. Looks fun.

Really bummed about the one switch, one island thing. I have a 5 year old daughter I was really hoping to introduce to animal crossing (while also maintaining my own island) but I guess I'll have to learn to share.

@Sentinel-Beach I cannot stop playing. Finished it weeks ago but have doubled my play-time in the post-game getting five stars, building roads, achievement hunting etc. Goes to show that the core gameplay here is very strong, even in the absence of plot developments to drive it forwards. I still get frequent emails from the preppers which prevent the world from feeling too dead after the main story concludes. Def gonna platinum this one.

@DIPSET Despite what I said above about the story towards the end, the actual GAME here is one of the most compelling things I have played in years. I finished it weeks ago but am still playing in the post-game just because I love the world and contributing to it. I can see where the complaints are coming from but i feel like there are two sorts of people: those for whom DS resonates with and those for whom it does not. Both perspectives are valid but if you are one of those who like it, I think you will LOVE it in the end. Also, I'm sure you have seen this before in various other threads or articles but what they say is true: rush through chapter 2 and get to 3 asap. You are totally ham-strung until you get access to the vast majority of your tech in chapter 3, after which the game opens up endless possibilities.

Actually went ahead and played episode 5 and finished it today. One last observation: I think more than any other game of this type, the ending felt like MY ending based on choices I made throughout the 5 episodes. The original LiS came down to a binary decision that determined which of two endings you got, no matter how you played the game up until that point. LiS2 factors player choice into its conclusion more than any other adventure game I am aware of. From what I understand, there are up to 7 endings possible based on what kind of example you set for Daniel throughout the series. I am not even inclined to youtube the other 6 endings because they feel like they belong to someone else. I am content with how my playthrough ended because it was consistent with my Sean and Daniel. I think Dontnod should be commended for that.

Since my last post, I have played through episodes 1-4. Gonna try to get through 5 sometime this weekend. I have honestly loved most of it so far. I think many of @DIPSET 's points are valid. It does not have quite the urgency and direction of the first game (no apocalypic world event on the horizon) and some of the supporting characters are douchey, but I actually think that serves more to focus on the brothers' relationship and solidify the fact that they are the constant against a moving backdrop of people who flit in and out of their lives. I do wish they had brought Lyla back in some way as she seemed to be another emotional nexus for both boys but she's tossed away with your cellphone in episode 1/2 (again, haven't played 5). I would say it is on par, but not better than, the first LiS overall. I am glad that they tried something different rather than just repeat what worked last time.) In both games, I do wish they sortof explained the nature of the powers. As it is, Max can control time and Daniel has telekenesis because reasons. If nothing else, I'm definitely excited to see where they go with LiS3. Anyway, I'll update this with my final impressions after I play episode 5.

@Phbz The story feels like Kojima got bit by a radioactive Kojima and turned into Mega-Kojima who then tried his hand at writing Kojima fan-fiction.
Game was great tho...

Finished it last night after 60 hours. No overt spoilers here but vague impressions: man this game is simultaneously the most genius and refreshing thing I have played in years and the game most in need of an editor. I thought MGS4 went off the rails with an hour plus long cut-scene during the final act but it has nothing on this. I have historically been a big Kojima fan in the past and accept his hollywood leanings but the final few hours of this game are soooo in need of more restraint. Two hours of rambling cinematic sequences with dialog that makes little sense all reserved for the final two missions with almost nil interactivity! I absolutely LOVE the gameplay in DS and I just spent the entire ending sequence incredibly annoyed and wishing I was back doing standard deliveries. Clearly, not the imact I imagine Kojima was aiming for. Still my GOTY and there is absolutely mad genius on display here but I am so excited to get to the post game and be done with the finale.

@minamik One of the greats. I would love to see a remaster or, better yet, reboot of fatal frame. Never did get to play a proper version of 4 (had a fan translation back in the wii days) and didnt have a WiiU to play 5. To this day, I consider FF2 to be tied with Silent Hill 2 to be the scariest game of all time.