Yes, it gets about 1000% better. I had the same experience in the beginning and was thinking “wtf is this game? It’s so clunky and I can barely do anything properly.” But if you stick with it you slowly realize that’s an intended feature that slowly melts away early-mid game. You’re meant to start off a literal peasant and grow into something more. And that growth also comes with actual proficiency in the game’s systems - be it sneaking, crafting, rizzing it up, or fighting. It was a slog at the beginning but I ended up putting many hours into that game with like three or four play throughs to try different play styles. Once you level some of the stats I also found it could actually be super relaxing game where you can literally just stroll through the forest, explore, and have a chill time. In addition to, you know, going into war in full plate to slice and bonk some baddies.

-hops on nix soapbox- As someone currently trying to set up a NixOS server, your bullet point descriptions of it are incorrect except maybe the last 2. You’re just describing Arch.

In fact Nix tolerates user error extremely well and arguably makes every effort to be error-proof. A wrong user config means it flat out won’t compile and just revert to the past working config.

I agree it’s a pain - at first - and requires a strong base knowledge of how Linux in general works. -hops off-

Favorites of mine: Here we are Juggernaut, Pearl Of The Stars, Sentry the Defiant, Atlas, Vic the Butcher, You Got Spirit Kid, Toys, The Pavilion, Comatose

Loved their first 4 albums then dropped off after a few years… came back to listen after they released their first “non-Armory Wars” album, Color Before the Sun - loved it. Went back and listened to their full catalogue. They are currently my favorite band. Seen em a few times headlining and at fests. Their fans are inclusive, passionate, nerdy, and it makes it fun.

Vagrant Story and Parasite Eve

Played them as demos back when that was a thing and I didn’t get why there’s spheres popping up making battle stop (semi-turned based combat) and why there’s a dude named Ashley.

Tried again a couple years later after playing FF7, connecting that they were all by squaresoft, and it all made sense. Absolutely became a couple of my favorites.