Absolutely flipped my shit lol, but beating Gaiden just further reinforced the Yumi stuff... what a phenomenal game, just absolutely crushed about Shishido, the moron.
So that final chapter was just bonkers from beginning to end and I loved it to death: great mix of fighting, exposition, music and plot: that final battle was something special and it harkened back to Aizawa's in 5.
That ending though... I have never blubbered at a game that much in my life, I looked like I had been crying for hours after I dried the last tear. Again, I just see my son in Haruto so much, in terms of looks and mannerisms: after raising my son for the past (almost!) 2 years, RGG Studios just got the baby characters' physicality down PERFECTLY.
I'm so glad that they put in the end scene, it has me anticipated for, not so much a happy ending for 8 (as we know it probably won't be), but we can tie up a big loose end in terms of Okinawa and the kids.
The team just did an absolutely amazing job with storytelling in those last few scenes though, I feel it is the best story sequence they have crafted for the series and this is even with the incredible job in 1's ending, Rikiya's death in 3 and the final shot of 6: these are powerful, moving scenes and they show the prowess of RGG Studios.
Will review it on Saturday, hopefully to be published on Gfaqs on Monday. I would give it a 9/10 as of now (as it IS a sidegame, so even though it was over 30 hours for me, the series usually boasts 100+ hour experiences), despite being the classic RGG experience from the getgo, it cannot compare to a more-comprehensive experience of the games above it.
Updated rankings!
7>Lost Judgement>5>3>Judge Eyes>0>6>Ishin!>Gaiden>Kiwami 2>Kurohyo 2: Ashura Hen>Kiwami>Hokuto ga Gotoku>Kenzan!>2>4>1>Kurohyo: Shinso>Dead Souls
Updated Favourites:
3>5>1/Kiwami>6>Gaiden>7>Lost Judgement>0>Ishin!>Judge Eyes>Kurohyo: Ashura Hen>Kenzan!>Hokuto ga Gotoku>Kurohyo: Shinso>4>Dead Souls>2/Kiwami 2
I am so looking forward to 8. Played about an hour of the demo and it seems superb thus far, but I know this is going be north than 100 hours (probably north of 150, for a full platinum, if they follow suit with past games).
Bring it on, cannot wait.