Without relying on RNG that much isn't the same thing as not the same thing as not relying on it at all. Thank you for saying it's RNG dependant and needs to be known about beforehand to deal with.
Monolith are indeed hacks when they're in charge, every game they've made since 2015 has you unable to make story progression until you do some complete nonsense that shouldn't matter. For XCX it was affinity missions being mandatory despite you having to go out of your way to do those. I just mentioned the chapter 9 gate. Torna blocks you multiple times until you finish enough sidequests. Sidequests shouldn't be ****ing mandatory for beating the main game, the main game is what should be mandatory for beating the main game.
Yes, I used Shenmue 3 as a comparison because Shenmue at it's core was always meant to portray a repetitive every day life and the futility of revenge. The ** design is deliberate, though it serves a narrative purpose. Like how NMH1 is literally a plotpoint and part of the narrative of Travis being an unstable person. Monolith makes ** mandatory because they thought it was a good idea with no narrative reason to let it slide.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised that your average XB2 stan sees someone telling someone who's interested in the game to keep that in mind so they don't get stuck and get a more enjoyable experience and get upset for saying the game isn't completely flawless. Because giving advice to enhance the experience is a bad thing, right?
So Shemnue 3 is better because getting kick in the balls ton of time as meaning?
I showed this video before because I know those pitfall the games has, and want peoples who want to play it to know them so that they don't get **** like the people you mentionned before.
Like, if I was a average stan, I wouldn't warn anyone about the game problems or the like, in fact, a thing I often say is that the tutorials are bad, there's no point in denying it, they're bad, and that's why I let peoples know about it & show them stuff that can make their experience better.
Does it excuse the game? No, does this game as alot of flaws? Yes, but while XB2 indeed as lots of flaws, it also has lots of good, and if peoples can enjoy said positives, then great! If no, well, they aren't wrong, but I tried my best to help.
I could argument that Torna sidequests, while they shouldn't mandatory to advance the story indeed, are important in other way, I won't go there because it's past midnight here.
I'm ending this debate to say that, really, I don't think I did a good job here with my wording & getting too harsh at time, and for that, I I deserve getting call out in places.
However, I don't think your argument is flawless either, and while our opinion wil be always be opposite, when it come to XB2 at least, I say those 3-4 years of seeing your argument hasnt convince me to call it a piece of trash or the company who made it a bunch of hack.
I will defend this game, I will support the company to make better game & learn from their mistakes, and I will make peoples have the best time possibles with it, if they need help that is. Even if I have to show them the worst probems with it and risk losing them halfway through.
With that all said, have a good night, and take care you all.