V13 was a BLAST. ( spoilers )

[Vhein]

Yeah, title.

 

Ok jk, i'll do a real post.

 

I think V13 might have been the best update i played so far ( and i think i started to play this game back when it was V9 or something, my memory is short on that one ), both being funny and good at the same time ( that buffed cofagrigus killed me, still rolling on the floor atm, hard to type btw )

 

The story was clean, diverse, and i loved the pathways thing were we could see 3 different story play out at the same time (while being to able play our pokemon on other characters, nice one Jan).

 

I freaking loved the last scene against Puppet Master where the MC would go all godmod and all, kinda my alley, the support the other character gave at that moment was very heartwarming and i loved it ( still crying btw, hard to type btw, still rolling on the floor too, plz help)

 

I really really loved the new and fresh start of the game, almost every chapter got something new and as for me who always restart a game with each update, i was pleased to no end to see new things, really gave some scene more credibility like that part when melia is supposedly dead and everyone is so sad about it, felt real, wasn't like that before and it bugged me in a sense that the sentiment of Ren and Venam weren't really depicted before.

 

Overall a big GG to the team for bringing us so much content in this update and such a good revamp on the earlier content, thanks a lot guys you are amazing, even tho you probably won't read this post, eh.

[Gastronely]

The story is fantastic and all, but what really killed me was Ren calling me bud at the climax with the Puppet Master. Senpai finally noticed me, and I'm happy for that

[enderowl]

Only complaint that I had is I hate the segments that are time based. Like there are just about two instances where the game puts down a timer, but it was so annoying because of that one puzzle during chapter 3!!! Over than that, I loved the entirety of V13 with all of the lore drops and changes in the story that makes the games story flows more fluently. And my favorite addition to the game is that the main MC has dialogue options and they aren't muteopath anymore (Kind of).

[MhicKy]

The only thing I didn't liked about the v13 is the item management
In fact, that's my MAJOR complaint, Item management in both Reborn and Rejuvenation is just too stingy.. We are already at the point our Pokemons are Lv90 and we STILL can't have access to items like Assault Vest, Black Belt, Flame Orb, Choice Specs, etc.. I was expecting that in v13, since we would finally be able to use megas and z-moves, that we would start having access to these, mostly through the GDC Department Store probably but we just didn't.. So while most characters already have end-game Pokemons with end-game items attached to them we still using Plates..

[Saijo]

I'm still at Terajuma Island. But the changes I saw were great.  

[Lucifer Morningstar]

The branched character paths were unique, well conceptualized and added balance to the plot through diverse perspectives. 

Although I did not use the Interceptor's Wish because I was intrigued to learn the other characters' teams and face the challenge of their limitations including the new issued bag that now replaces one's own, I appreciate having the option available to maintain a level of control of what is available to work with whilst spending an extended amount of time as another character. 

 

The aesthetics are more vibrant and crisp and the overall Kingdom Hearts feel particularly with how the SON played into the darknesses of the characters was phenomenal.

While all the stacking revelations felt a bit like stepping into a minefield, they can be summed up perfectly by the chapter title 'Vague Clarity' and inspired intrigue. i.e Did Angie know that it had been her son whom she'd imprisoned in her church and whose gym leader role she had assumed? (side note: Vivian questioning if Angie intended on keeping her child in a cage his whole life was brilliant irony even though it kind of stretches believability that she didn't know what a crib is).

The music strongly conveys the atmosphere, the group talk/investigation mechanic is engaging with how it both allows more than two characters to participate in an event and responds to the room or location in the interactions and there is some nice character growth. Particularly so with Erin declaring herself the Devil to Indraid's God even though a tiny part of me wants to sue her for impersonation because I use the name Lucifer, hehe and Kanon starting to learn to be his own person.

 

Granted I'm in the process of gathering the changes to the existing content via Youtube, what I have seen thus far has for the most part been a massive improvement. 

The regional variants are incredible and there is a lot of added depth and substance such as the Missing Mother quest's outcome. The extension with the inclusion of the homeless and struggling in her secret salon has a stronger sense of Cassandra's impact on the region and that it now ends in reconciliation that triggers the MC's own coping with their mother's being missing as well gives it so much better closure. 

The MC's relationship with their mother overall is a lot stronger with these such moments peppered in like that. There is another one where her soul or something appears in the theater in Goldenleaf after you defeat Narcissa. Not sure I understand that one but it was nice. 

The public phenomenon of the Chrysolia Manor's appearance super imposing itself over our time period rather than just tucked into a corner of the sewers where only 4 kids ever found it made so much more sense even though the nature of it's appearance still isn't explained and the elaborance of the Blacksteeple Castle arc are two more examples of strong changes. 

There are also some really good character adjustments. I love that Geara is a lot more of a sadistic psychopath such as how now it is he who shoves the MC into the lava on Valor Mountain and even Zetta was like WTF and how Ren stepped up his early game to wanting to overthrow Narcissa (BTW her house's new second story deck is amazing, I would love something like that)!

 

My grievances are few and small.

I'm disappointed that the audino grinder on Route 9 has now been given damaging moves including Knock Off which kind of renders the Lucky Egg useless. I had favored him for being the only one that was Healing Wish exclusive. 

 

I thought Mom's death was a bit less gruesome than when she took Madame X's blade for the MC and the MC watches it penetrate her right in front of their eyes. I think the V12 death is also more fitting with Crescent's order that she sacrifice herself for the MC should it become necessary. The MC's reaction is a lot stronger now though.  

 

Granted I haven't done it and am ass at puzzles without a timer or pursuer, while the plot surrounding the Crysolia Manor's arc has improved, the trials feel overdone, disconnected and distracting from the characters and the objective of the arc. Indraid might be an extremist but this kind of seems as though someone just wanted more puzzles for the sake of adding challenges and didn't consider the necessity. 

 

The last thing is this:

13 hours ago, MhicKy said:

The only thing I didn't liked about the v13 is the item management
In fact, that's my MAJOR complaint, Item management in both Reborn and Rejuvenation is just too stingy.. We are already at the point our Pokemons are Lv90 and we STILL can't have access to items like Assault Vest, Black Belt, Flame Orb, Choice Specs, etc.. I was expecting that in v13, since we would finally be able to use megas and z-moves, that we would start having access to these, mostly through the GDC Department Store probably but we just didn't.. So while most characters already have end-game Pokemons with end-game items attached to them we still using Plates..

 

I still have V12 because I don't understand removing Revival Herbs from the herb shop and I have a Gliscor with Poison Heal but there still isn't a damn Toxic Orb in the game that I am aware of. Poison Heal without a Toxic Orb is almost as useful as any Pokemon other than Mimikyu having Disguise. 

 

Over all, though top notch!

 

 

 

[MhicKy]

@Lucifer Morningstar, in v13 there is ONE Toxic Orb you can actually get, ONLY ONE!!
It's in the port of the Bladestar Underground in GDC which is fairly late too, might I add..

I am kinda upset that you can't acquire Flame Orb through legitimate means.. I had an Obstagoon with Guts just waiting for it.. I managed to steal the Black Belt from that training area in v13 where you had to choose a team with 3 Pokemons of the same type and Ren would fight you with 3 of the opposite type under advantage terrain but I am pretty sure that wasn't intended and probably Jan already patched it, dunno really.. And the fact there's only ONE Focus Sash in the whole game and after you use it's gone forever is also annoying.. Meanwhile Aelita basically produce the damn things..
I am already in the opinion that it takes WAY too long for us to get megas and z-moves, we've been seeing them since Gym9 with Erick, we even get a quest right in West Gaeren that gives more mega stones yet the mega ring is only available far too late after Ryland.. I think after the Puppet Master would had been a good spot to give us the damn thing..

[Vhein]

1 hour ago, Lucifer Morningstar said:

The branched character paths were unique, well conceptualized and added balance to the plot through diverse perspectives. 

Although I did not use the Interceptor's Wish because I was intrigued to learn the other characters' teams and face the challenge of their limitations including the new issued bag that now replaces one's own, I appreciate having the option available to maintain a level of control of what is available to work with whilst spending an extended amount of time as another character. 

 

The aesthetics are more vibrant and crisp and I the overall Kingdom Hearts feel particularly with how the SON played into the darknesses of the characters was phenomenal.

While all the stacking revelations felt a bit like stepping into a minefield, they can be summed up perfectly by the chapter title 'Vague Clarity' and inspired intrigue. i.e Did Angie know that it had been her son whom she'd imprisoned in her church and whose gym leader role she had assumed? (side note: Vivian questioning if Angie intended on keeping her child in a cage his whole life was brilliant irony even though it kind of stretches believability that she didn't know what a crib is).

The music strongly conveys the atmosphere, the group talk/investigation mechanic is engaging with how it both allows more than two characters to participate in an event and responds to the room or location in the interactions and there is some nice character growth. Particularly so with Erin declaring herself the Devil to Indraid's God even though a tiny part of me wants to sue her for impersonation because I use the name Lucifer, hehe and Kanon starting to learn to be his own person.

 

Granted I'm in the process of gathering the changes to the existing content via Youtube, what I have seen thus far has for the most part been a massive improvement. 

The regional variants are incredible and there is a lot of added depth and substance such as the Missing Mother quest's outcome. The extension with the inclusion of the homeless and struggling in her secret salon has a stronger sense of Cassandra's impact on the region and that it now ends in reconciliation that triggers the MC's own coping with their mother's being missing as well gives it so much better closure. 

The MC's relationship with their mother overall is a lot stronger with these such moments peppered in like that. There is another one where her soul or something appears in the theater in Goldenleaf after you defeat Narcissa. Not sure I understand that one but it was nice. 

The public phenomenon of the Chrysolia Manor's appearance super imposing itself over our time period rather than just tucked into a corner of the sewers where only 4 kids ever found it made so much more sense even though the nature of it's appearance still isn't explained and the elaborance of the Blacksteeple Castle arc are two more examples of strong changes. 

There are also some really good character adjustments. I love that Geara is a lot more of a sadistic psychopath such as how now it is he who shoves the MC into the lava on Valor Mountain and even Zetta was like WTF and how Ren stepped up his early game to wanting to overthrow Narcissa (BTW her house's new second story deck is amazing, I would love something like that)!

 

My grievances are few and small.

I'm disappointed that the audino grinder on Route 9 has now been given damaging moves including Knock Off which kind of renders the Lucky Egg useless. I had favored him for being the only one that was Healing Wish exclusive. 

 

I thought Mom's death was a bit less gruesome than when she took Madame X's blade for the MC and the MC watches it penetrate her right in front of their eyes. I think the V12 death is also more fitting with Crescent's order that she sacrifice herself for the MC should it become necessary. The MC's reaction is a lot stronger now though.  

 

Granted I haven't done it and am ass at puzzles without a timer or pursuer, while the plot surrounding the Crysolia Manor's arc has improved, the trials feel overdone, disconnected and distracting from the characters and the objective of the arc. Indraid might be an extremist but this kind of seems as though someone just wanted more puzzles for the sake of adding challenges and didn't consider the necessity. 

 

The last thing is this:

 

I still have V12 because I don't understand removing Revival Herbs from the herb shop and I have a Gliscor with Poison Heal but there still isn't a damn Toxic Orb in the game that I am aware of. Poison Heal without a Toxic Orb is almost as useful as any Pokemon other than Mimikyu having Disguise. 

 

Over all, though top notch!

 

 

 

What is SON referencing tho ? I still don't know lol.

[Vhein]

1 hour ago, MhicKy said:

@Lucifer Morningstar, in v13 there is ONE Toxic Orb you can actually get, ONLY ONE!!
It's in the port of the Bladestar Underground in GDC which is fairly late too, might I add..

I am kinda upset that you can't acquire Flame Orb through legitimate means.. I had an Obstagoon with Guts just waiting for it.. I managed to steal the Black Belt from that training area in v13 where you had to choose a team with 3 Pokemons of the same type and Ren would fight you with 3 of the opposite type under advantage terrain but I am pretty sure that wasn't intended and probably Jan already patched it, dunno really.. And the fact there's only ONE Focus Sash in the whole game and after you use it's gone forever is also annoying.. Meanwhile Aelita basically produce the damn things..
I am already in the opinion that it takes WAY too long for us to get megas and z-moves, we've been seeing them since Gym9 with Erick, we even get a quest right in West Gaeren that gives more mega stones yet the mega ring is only available far too late after Ryland.. I think after the Puppet Master would had been a good spot to give us the damn thing..

Yeah far and wide item management is compromising for the player, the best option are very limited and / or too late into the game to matter, thing like items specs / assault vest / flame orb / focus sash should be available way earlier in the game and in larger quantity, i used like i don't know how much focus sash in this game through the debug menu and it is a game changer in a lot of fight.

 

And i think we got the mega ring too late for the game too, i don't know how much the story will stretch and how long we have before the end of the story but having the mega ring this late into the game and this tiny amount of mega stone / Z-stone doesn't bring much to the table anyway... Yet i was happy to use mega mawile, damn son he hurts.

[vepper]

The only item I'm really puzzled about being unavailable is expert belt (as it's worse than a life orb, generally) and Wise Glasses (feels like they forgot to put one in since you can get a muscle belt). Choice items are for the endgame. Especially choice scarf.  Assault Vest lets you get away with tanking moves you really shouldn't.  I can get feeling frustrated with there feeling like there's few options, but that's how these games are built, you need to make the most out of stuff that isn't just typical top-end items, TMs, and pokemon. At least 13.5 may add quests for some things, but don't expect Choice.

[Cyphre]

11 minutes ago, vepper said:

Assault Vest lets you get away with tanking moves you really shouldn't. 

Enemies also hit with power they really shouldnt with all cheated EVs, itemed megas and all field effects, so...

[MhicKy]

15 minutes ago, Cyphre said:

Enemies also hit with power they really shouldnt with all cheated EVs, itemed megas and all field effects, so...

I concur..
A lot of Pokemons from Gym Leader have stats over the limited EV, example, Ryland's Nidoqueen literally has 252 in ALL EVs.. A lot of leaders and important battles literally cheat in order to make the game challenging, which is not really the problem, I get it, but if the game will cheat to this degree why can't we have items like Assault Vest then? The AI can literally have it while also having Pokemons with 252 EVs on everything so.. Why is it bad that we have it but not them?

Saki Has TWO megas and a all her Pokemons surpass the 510 EV limit but I can't have a Flame Orb for my Obstagoon 

(PS: Love you, Jan, please don't hate me)

[Lucifer Morningstar]

9 hours ago, MhicKy said:

@Lucifer Morningstar, in v13 there is ONE Toxic Orb you can actually get, ONLY ONE!!
It's in the port of the Bladestar Underground in GDC which is fairly late too, might I add..
 

 

Sweet, thanx! I'll check it out!

 

9 hours ago, MhicKy said:

I am kinda upset that you can't acquire Flame Orb through legitimate means.. I had an Obstagoon with Guts just waiting for it.. I managed to steal the Black Belt from that training area in v13 where you had to choose a team with 3 Pokemons of the same type and Ren would fight you with 3 of the opposite type under advantage terrain but I am pretty sure that wasn't intended and probably Jan already patched it, dunno really.. And the fact there's only ONE Focus Sash in the whole game and after you use it's gone forever is also annoying.. Meanwhile Aelita basically produce the damn things..
I am already in the opinion that it takes WAY too long for us to get megas and z-moves, we've been seeing them since Gym9 with Erick, we even get a quest right in West Gaeren that gives more mega stones yet the mega ring is only available far too late after Ryland.. I think after the Puppet Master would had been a good spot to give us the damn thing..

 

I once used debug to get myself a Toxic Orb but I ended up deleting it without using it because I felt guilty hehe. 

[Vhein]

4 hours ago, Cyphre said:

Enemies also hit with power they really shouldnt with all cheated EVs, itemed megas and all field effects, so...

Yeah, this, we should have those item by now, we suffered enough through those abusive mega EV overlords that jean throw at us :(

[Dausk]

V13 was a pretty good update. As always, I still think excessive dialogue about trivial matters becomes an issue after Chapter 9 (SEC can talk as much as he wants, though). This new update still hasn't sold me on Kanon's, Venam's, Reina's, Huey's, and Lavender's amount of screen time, but at least other improvements were made. The game also looks much better now. I thought there was limited room for improvement, but this update absolutely blew me away in this regard.

 

The changes to the old content were the best part for me. I now adore the entirety of Chapter 3 (puzzles included); I think it might be my favorite chapter now. I especially loved the foreshadowing was added in. There were expansive changes in dialogue that improved my impression of the story for the better. Chapter 12 was another outlier for me; in V12, the whole ruined timeline event didn't sit well with me because it was treated very seriously despite the ridiculousness of the situation, so I liked that it was treated more lightheartedly in this version. The update also added a couple more side quests, and these tend to be among my favorite parts of the game.

 

The new content was fine. Angie's return was very underwhelming, and had minimal impact on the story, so I'm not sure why exactly she had to return at all (TBH, we'll probably find out later). On the other hand, the pearl route was very insightful to the game's lore, so it was probably my favorite route. I'm a bit mixed on the platinum route. It had some fun moments but the school sections dragged on a little too long, gaining very little new information along the way. After converging, the rest of the route is solid. Lastly, this is apparently the end of the story's 2nd act; hopefully this means that questions will solely be answered, instead of raised, from now on.

 

I was initially frustrated with some of the balance changes, but the subsequent patches fixed most of my issues with it. I only play in "normal" mode though, so I can see why intense mode players may find the lack of end-game items to be so disappointing. Hopefully they'll be added as side quest rewards in the future.

 

Ultimately, there are varying conflicting opinions among the community regarding the changes made in this update. I bid the developers luck in finding ways to continue improving the game, while finding ways to satisfy as many people as possible.

[fellowry]

Personally i really like this update, The Story is more fluid and most characters actually has personality now and not only there for plot convenience, some latest reveal like  Rune is Puppet master seems kinda forced though and the whole thing with Kiearan  and Clear is too much info dump for 1 chapter, maybe throw some hints here and there in the previous chapter but some of the rework Stories like Melia's Death, Goldenleaf Town and Blacksteeple castle has massive improvement and feels more complete and have more substances. 

 

The difficulty is also get massive up cuz of AI which in my opinion is a great thing, hard fights in intense always has been rejuvenation selling point, but there is some battle that are more frustrating rather than hard (Freakin oversized whale....) and Saki is just plain fuckery lol but i do agree with some people in this forum that this kind difficulty is appropriate for endgame.

 

Boss pokemon with shield is a nice addtion to difficulty, but kinda hit or miss on some fights, for example it makes Rift Gyarados becomes more challenging which is nice but it makes already almost broken Kowapudunga and Rift Hipowdown much more harder, at first i thought this feature was really bad cuz burn and poison did absolutely nothing to chip away the shield but its nice that they patch that and its more managable now.

 

 Contrary to people here i really didn't feel something wrong for the item management though, sure having many focus sash/ choice item early is great but it kinda makes the game too easy, its more fun too beat those guys with full item and unfair IV with the the limited item that we have and some big brain strategy ,at least the sense of accomplishment is higher rather than just slap a team full of choice item and focus sah and Through out the game we are given some seed to counter opponents field so difference in item not really an issue, just try not to be lazy and read the field and use that itemfinder lol. and honestly unfair fight, item, EV and Pokemon is a staple in these kind of Fan Game so i don't know what others are complaining about, but hey that's just me.

 

All in all i love this update, its really worth the wait, there are awesome things and also dissapointing things but thats just how the way it is, you cant just create something that well received by everyone ,they are bound to be some hit and miss whether in balancing or story content. For me it was a really incredible game though, Thank you for Rejuvenation Team for bringing this update really outdone yourself with it.

[Nexen57]

Chapter 15's story was really great and added some revelations so I liked it.

The new OST are all really great especially the one vs the Master of Nightmares.

The early game rework really made it feel way better especially Chapter 3 and Chapter 5's rework was really good.

The only part I disliked was Chapter 12's difficulty : Kenneth was fine but Melia, Melanie and Souta were WAY too hard at this moment of the game.

I felt like the game had a nicer difficulty curve but Chapter 12 was off the charts. (Talking about Intense Mode)

Especially considering the fact that we are still locked in GDC and are not able to Fly.

After that I think only Ryland,Melia's League Administration fight and Clear were too hard.

Hazuki and Saki were not "that" hard because I found the tricks against them ( Torkoal and M-Camerupt for Hazuki and Synthetic Seed for Saki)

Overall V13 is the best update by far and I'm hyped to see V14.

 

 

 

[Cyphre]

9 minutes ago, Nexen57 said:

After that I think only Ryland,Melia's League Administration fight and Clear were too hard.

And the Reshiram, the Dragon of Resetting and Savescumming, as we play as Lavender. 

[MhicKy]

18 hours ago, Cyphre said:

And the Reshiram, the Dragon of Resetting and Savescumming, as we play as Lavender. 

That fight is just plain RNG..
Even after realizing my only chance was to keep using Yawn to get it to sleep, my first two attempts on this strategy were foiled when it literally woke up by turn2 three times in a row.. Jesus.. Some fights are way too unfair.. I wish that fight was one of those were you don't need to win..

[SoulN7]

My turn.

 

When I calculated how much time was passed since V12's release and V13's, I decided to making a new character, so in the attempt to see the new changes. And I didn't expect SO MUCH CHANGES.

 

Before V11(I think it was that Version when they changed all of the MCs' designs), I always picked Axel as my character (the OG Axel), because I liked his design more than Aevis's one. But then, with Aevis's new  "serious" design, I picked him from that moment. V13 changed a bit his design (his hair are a bit longer), still I liked that change. When I got in, I didn't expect a complete rework of S.S. Oceana, with even Nancy's new design (and the Crescent's hidden dialogue). I was really glad that my character is capable of making choices for talkings, letting his character development growing and finally giving to him the needed "emotion" I wanted to see in a "mute character". I liked all of changes in story events, such as battling Venam before helping Melia in Goldenwood Forest, it has more logic than battling Venam when Melia is in danger. I appreciated Nim being just someone that "wanted to see us feeling better" than being annoying with some stealing or forced battles. Then, I appreciated many "breaks" our character took (like Melia's "death", after saving Garbodor in West Gearen or more).

 

Skipping other events, because I can't talk about everything, I loved when my character was going to have his own "emotional moments" (reuniting with Mom in Blacksteeple and with her spirit in the Rift Chandelure's quest, where he feels like "warm", but he know that is not real and he have to go on Mom's death) and "mental breakdowns", like when he saw Mom's death, with the gang worrying about him because it was like a week he was on "isolation". These gives more development and emotion for our character, our will.

 

Then, outside the inner battles, I liked some "important battles", like against an enraged Geara and an unsure Zetta in Valor Mountain, I felt sorry for him, I though for a moment that he was realizing for who is fighting. When my character returned back to life, with mons being fully healed and he has to fight Z/G's teams with 1HP's? It was priceless, for me.

 

I loved the last chapter, because there, we finally had some answers: what is the Interceptor? Why we are so important for the story? Why Erin, Alice and Allen were banned in the Unown Dimension? Who are US? Despite many questions were created, due to this chapter, I finally saw more informations, like Crescent's deep care for MC, why she is supposed to be important for our character's development, Angie's return, Puppet Master' true identity and motivations for what he want to do. Why Kieran and Clear do "those things". First Archetype's informations thanks to the old Garufa's "lab".

 

And finally, why "our past ourself" is important.

 

I liked MC's tragic past and the resolve to be substitued by someone from another world to take his own responsabilities as Interceptor and "judge of countless lifes and the world itself". And that "someone" is just...us. I still wanted to know about "us" and why we were selected to be the one to take place of the MC we choose. In my run, however, I saw his first "awakenings", like when I managed to beat him in Nightmare Realm and making him understand why we have to fight. For our new friends(Melia, Aelita, ...), for avenging the lost ones. That me and him were together, as one. I found that, with the "wrong" dialogues, he will shout "LEAVE US ALONE!!", meanwhile, with others, he, this time calm, will said something like "We have to do it, uh? We can't hide from our responsabilites. We are finally able to understand. We are sorry." Then, when battling Puppet Master, he will appear twice, one when talking to us, to let us know that he will fight, this time, giving us the power of the Interceptium Z, and the second, to finally merge with us and accessing for the first time the power of the "Interceptor's form". Those gave me goosebumps.

 

In the end, many of the new ost were really epic, like the one against "our past ourselfs", Puppet Master, Rivals and more.

 

I'll stop here, because there are many things I wanted to talk about, but I don't know when I will end, lol. I hope more of good things in V14 (or V13.5?), like here in V13.

Edited August 31, 2021 by S7rife