So, with 112 fragments collected, I've finally toppled the vile trio of Bahamuts that made up the ridiculous final boss. Now I'm ready to talk about the game in whole.
FF XIII made enough people upset with it's story, gameplay, etc. etc. whiny etc. that Square Enix felt the need to make a sequel as fast as they could instead of wrapping up production on the longer-in-the-works XIII Versus. While this is a questionable business move, the product of this decision is one of the more interesting works from the Final Fantasy series in recent years. Open progression, a multitude of little things to do, and consistent rewards for playing the game (IE, crystarium points given for finished quests), are just a few of the things that make this a more enjoyable experience than the often weak XIII.
But the story is the most important factor in the JRPG's quality. XIII-2 has a decent plot, but some of the most interesting character choices that I've seen in a very long time. Caius Ballad, ridiculously named and awkwardly dressed villain of the game, is the center of one of the most tragic narratives in the series, and with a small cast, the story carries itself well to the end. However, two things mar what is an otherwise fantastic tale. The first is tone. Having Mog fly around and cutesy things up to an annoying level breaks the bleak outlook on things in half. The other is the language explaining the time travel aspect of the game. I'm not convinced that anyone on the staff ever looked up the word "paradox" in the dictionary, because what the characters are saying when they say "paradox" doesn't make any sense. Sure the word is nice sounding, but it doesn't fit "random object found in a different place in time/space". Artefacts, yes. Fragments, yes. Paradox, no.
Getting around that little thing, the only other issues are some of the same that hit FFXIII. Getting stronger weapons is a miserable process, and so is obtaining enough materials to strengthen up the monsters collected by the player throughout. Gambling in the casino would be a nice diversion, but using it as a requirement for collecting more fragments is short sighted given the difficulty of making money on the slot machines. It should noted that I haven't played around with the chocobo racing yet. I will when I'm dabbling with the post game content, but I didn't want to put that much time in while pursuing the end of the game.
While XIII had a great soundtrack, XIII-2 is a bit of a mixed bag. About half of it is good. A quarter of it is pretty good music, but bizarrely out of place. The other quarter is J-Pop nonsense with horrible lyrics. Seeing as I got the collector's edition, I've still got to listen to the soundtrack to make a clear decision on whether the composer was drunk or just drawing at straws. In addition to the orchestral stuff, there are some slick fusion pieces, a distracting heavy metal chocobo theme, and some light jazz numbers. It's a bit reminiscent of the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack, but not as memorable in the long term.
If you are looking for a recommendation on whether or not to play this game, I say go for it. For all of its faults, it's one of my favorite games in the series since the Playstation era. A strong core plot can be found beneath the silly top half, and one of the best endings I've seen in the series as a whole are waiting to be seen by players who give the time. Having played XIII isn't required to enjoy this game, but it will give some clarity, as well as a couple of bonuses.I've logged 40 hours, so it's not very long, but it's worth the price to play it.
9/10
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
On Lost Games and D Review
Let's have a moment of silence for games lost to the ages due to bankrupt publishers, dead studios, and missing source code.
Or let's read on, because silence isn't exactly what a blog is about, now is it.
A couple of nights ago, I played through D for the Sega Saturn, a first person horror experience also released for the 3DO and Playstation. Developer Warp Studios closed up shop in the early 2000's after releasing D2. Whether the game is in demand by gamers now is in question, as the title, and others in its series, fetch between forty and sixty dollars on average in the aftermarket. Obviously, there is an interest, and some of it may have been sparked by the line of D reviews done by RetrowareTV series Happy Video Game Nerd.
Given the market for horror games, and indie titles as well, the time is right for this series to be revived on XBLA and PSN. A PSClassics release of D would be easy enough, but Enemy Zero and D2 would require ports from the original versions. A PC version of Enemy Zero exists, so there is that to help the process of porting the title if it ever happened.
Other titles aren't as fortunate.
The Panzer Dragoon series had a second chance on the X-BOX, and included a port of the original Saturn title, ported from the PC version. However, Zwei, and the incredibly expensive PD Saga still haven't seen new life. Zwei isn't impossible to find, but fetches a decent price. Saga however is rare. It's expensive. It's on a console that most people aren't interested in. But it was a title that could have sent ripples into the RPG genre had it been release on the Playstation. The original source code for this game has long since vanished, making a port almost impossible.
So, I know I've probably talked these series into the ground (and I still have D to dig into later on this post), but there is a reason. Games like D need to be remembered. Sure it's not perfect, but there is no other experience like it. Panzer Dragoon Saga hasn't been copied by anyone to date, and that is a concept that could be used for great inspiration in a title this generation. Or if nothing else, get these titles ported. Older games need to be kept alive, preserved, and as such, carried on as tradition in this art form. Film and music receive this treatment, so why won't games?
So before I move on, allow me to ask the question-- How does one go about staring the Criterion Collection for Video Games?
_______________________________________________________________________________
D.
Warp Games
Sega Saturn
I'm going to ignore the presence of the uncanny valley for the purpose of this review.
D was released at the tail end of the FMV game trend, and was the first game to use CGI for everything in the game. It plays like Myst, in that the solving of puzzles allows progress through the game. Tonally, it's more in line with The Shining, using a very deliberate pace to tell the story. The voice acting is limited, and still weak, but it doesn't ruin the experience. Neither does the early CG video. The story is decent, and only made fluid by the game itself. Laura Harris has to enter a creepy hospital/castle to find out why her father is killing patients, experiencing bizarre hallucinations, and solving puzzles along the way. Nothing about the game is challenging beyond a couple of a questionable puzzle decisions and the QTE with the knight about 2/3 through the game.Well, there is the two hour time limit you have in which to complete the entire game, but that can be handled with patience on the part of the gamer. Still, D deserves to be played. Seek it out, and experience one of the most unique games you could ever play.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Short but sweet, just like the game. Alright, Script Frenzy starts in two days. I will be writing for a concept I'm calling Memphistopheles for right now. Also, I need to figure out how Criterion got started.
Or let's read on, because silence isn't exactly what a blog is about, now is it.
A couple of nights ago, I played through D for the Sega Saturn, a first person horror experience also released for the 3DO and Playstation. Developer Warp Studios closed up shop in the early 2000's after releasing D2. Whether the game is in demand by gamers now is in question, as the title, and others in its series, fetch between forty and sixty dollars on average in the aftermarket. Obviously, there is an interest, and some of it may have been sparked by the line of D reviews done by RetrowareTV series Happy Video Game Nerd.
Given the market for horror games, and indie titles as well, the time is right for this series to be revived on XBLA and PSN. A PSClassics release of D would be easy enough, but Enemy Zero and D2 would require ports from the original versions. A PC version of Enemy Zero exists, so there is that to help the process of porting the title if it ever happened.
Other titles aren't as fortunate.
The Panzer Dragoon series had a second chance on the X-BOX, and included a port of the original Saturn title, ported from the PC version. However, Zwei, and the incredibly expensive PD Saga still haven't seen new life. Zwei isn't impossible to find, but fetches a decent price. Saga however is rare. It's expensive. It's on a console that most people aren't interested in. But it was a title that could have sent ripples into the RPG genre had it been release on the Playstation. The original source code for this game has long since vanished, making a port almost impossible.
So, I know I've probably talked these series into the ground (and I still have D to dig into later on this post), but there is a reason. Games like D need to be remembered. Sure it's not perfect, but there is no other experience like it. Panzer Dragoon Saga hasn't been copied by anyone to date, and that is a concept that could be used for great inspiration in a title this generation. Or if nothing else, get these titles ported. Older games need to be kept alive, preserved, and as such, carried on as tradition in this art form. Film and music receive this treatment, so why won't games?
So before I move on, allow me to ask the question-- How does one go about staring the Criterion Collection for Video Games?
_______________________________________________________________________________
D.
Warp Games
Sega Saturn
I'm going to ignore the presence of the uncanny valley for the purpose of this review.
D was released at the tail end of the FMV game trend, and was the first game to use CGI for everything in the game. It plays like Myst, in that the solving of puzzles allows progress through the game. Tonally, it's more in line with The Shining, using a very deliberate pace to tell the story. The voice acting is limited, and still weak, but it doesn't ruin the experience. Neither does the early CG video. The story is decent, and only made fluid by the game itself. Laura Harris has to enter a creepy hospital/castle to find out why her father is killing patients, experiencing bizarre hallucinations, and solving puzzles along the way. Nothing about the game is challenging beyond a couple of a questionable puzzle decisions and the QTE with the knight about 2/3 through the game.Well, there is the two hour time limit you have in which to complete the entire game, but that can be handled with patience on the part of the gamer. Still, D deserves to be played. Seek it out, and experience one of the most unique games you could ever play.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Short but sweet, just like the game. Alright, Script Frenzy starts in two days. I will be writing for a concept I'm calling Memphistopheles for right now. Also, I need to figure out how Criterion got started.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Collection Post
I've recently been on quite the collecting frenzy. In two weeks time, I've added quite a bit to my collection, mostly pertaining to my list of "epic collection" pieces. I guess you could just go ahead and call this a "Recent Acquisitions" post, but more, I'm going to ruminate on my ideas about collecting video games, collectors, the retro market, and possibly just the art form itself.
But let's begin with my recent additions to the library.
Bust a Move 2 Arcade Edition -- PS1 Long Box
Wing Commander --Sega CD
Ecco: The Tides of Time -- Sega CD
Resident Evil -- PS1 Long Box
Virtua Fighter 3TB -- Dreamcast JP import
Enemy Zero -- Saturn
Silpheed -- Sega CD
Blood Stone 007 -- XBOX360
Kings Knight --NES loose
James Bond 007-- Game Boy
The World is Not Enough -- PS1
Great Football ---SMS in box
Great Baseball -- SMS in box
The Ninja -- SMS in box
Vortex -- SNES in box
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 -- Saturn
Skeleton Warrior -- Saturn
Panzer Dragoon II Zwei -- Saturn
phew...that took too long.
Now, for those who are disgusted with how much money I could spend on video games, allow me to inform you that that haul didn't cost as much as it could have, and my lovely Jo is the person who paid for some of it. I may have seventy dollars in that haul. I think Jo has seventy five in it. Now, when you pull out the fact that PDIIZ was forty dollars, and that a RE Long Box usually fetches fifty dollars online, I've done very well. But let's not spend too much time focusing on the financial investment involved. Nor the fact that my lovely fiance was also the person who added the modded Saturn to the collection in the past few weeks as well. And a Nook, which I should also make a post about...
But if you are still reading this ridiculousness, then you should note that there is no real trend to my collecting, aside from my bizarre penchant for failed video game consoles. There are a couple of things that I look for when I go out hunting for games. One is long box titles for the Sega CD, Saturn, and PS1. Another is 32X games, which I seek a full library of. Old RPG's that don't cost a small fortune, good deals, and cheap games. Then there is the "Epic List". While, per the name, this should be a list of games with brilliant stories and fantastic design, it is but a list of very specific games and prints that I want to have in my library at all times.
Ultima IV NES CIB (maps etc)
Final Fantasy NES CIB (maps, etc)
Vandal Hearts PS1 (CIB)
Gun Nac NES (doesn't matter)
Xenogears (PS1,CIB, print doesn't matter)
Snatcher (SEGA CD, CIB)
Panzer Dragoon (cib, Saturn)
Panzer Dragoon Saga (CIB Saturn)
Lunar 2 (Sega CD, CIB)\
Super Mario Bros. 3 NES CIB
32X Library (9/38 so far), CIB not necessary, but nice.
Castlevania franchise (CIB not required for Cartridge games)
NES Star Wars Games (Loose or CIB, though CIB would be nice.)
Zillion (SMS, boxed at least.)
Resident Evil Code Veronica X (GameCube, CIB)
Dark Wizard (SEGA CD, CIB)
Might and Magic (Genesis, CIB)
Vay (Sega CD, CIB)
Earthbound (SNES, any, don't spend a fortune though)
D (PS1 or Saturn, CIB, Long Box...although I don't think there was a Jewel Case Reprint)
D2 (DC, CIB)
Sonic 1 and 3 CIB (not expensive at all. More of a waiting game at PNT)
Myst PS1 CIB
Shenmue 2 (DC Euro Import or XBOX CIB)
Popful Mail (Sega CD CIB)
Shining Force CD (Sega CD CIB)
Secret of Mana (SNES, loose is fine)
Resident Evil Long Box PS1
Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei (Saturn)
Enemy Zero (Saturn)
That is copied straight from the notepad file I have it in, so please ignore the format. And as you'll see, this list makes no real sense. Some of these games are recommendations that I take very seriously. Some of these games are classics, cult classics, or just unique enough to make a part of the collection.The unique stuff is the most fun. Games like D and Enemy Zero will never find a wide enough audience to warrant a remake of any kind, so Panzer Dragoon is a fantastic rail shooter, and that's one of my favorite genres. The most expensive game on the list belongs to that franchise. Some would question why would I specifically need a Long Box variant of Resident Evil when there are other versions with more replay value. To that I just say, look at the long box variant art work, the inlay design, and even the booklet. There is a lot to appreciate. It's just a shame that none of the best games in the Playstation library were ever released in the long box format. I would have loved to have seen what Square would have done with the Final Fantasy artwork had the style continued. Cover art seems to be part of what a lot of collectors are impressed by, which is why there are places like The Cover Project and Game Rave online.
But then there are the obsessive Library collectors, who don't even play the things that they collect. I've read about a collector who has a compete collection of PS2 games, all sealed. What is the point of collecting if you don't play the games collected? But that is just a small note. The increase of collectors, mostly library collectors, has caused aftermarket sellers to raise the price of games higher than they should be. Namely the Saturn games I collected have skyrocketed in recent years for no other reason than that retro games are in demand now. This is due in part to people buying the games, and of course, supply and demand dictates that the price should go up. But sadly, that means that these games are becoming more expensive because someone ultimately wants to make more money off of new collectors.
This is why I found myself in the shop of a reseller at a flea market on Saturday, disgusted by the prices of some of the most common games in the retro market. This guy had Tetris carts marked for twenty bucks, and no, it wasn't the Tengen unlicensed cart either. Nor should Mario 3 be twenty five dollars loose. No one should ever spend $2500.00 on sealed Saturn games. Where did this mindset come from other than that there are people who want to make money on the stupid anyway? There isn't a precedence for this, I shouldn't have to spend twenty dollars on a copy of MK3 on the Saturn when there is a trilogy set on X-Box Live Arcade for ten bucks. It was a common title on the console, with Digital Press rarity rating of 2.
This has turned into more of a rant than anything, but then again, I'm tired. I just got off work, and I'm ready for some sleep. Tomorrow I will play some games, and hopefully make it through work without as much chaos as I witnessed tonight. However, the hunt will continue, and I will be gaming. But seriously, I need to get some videos online, and talk to people with some actual game footage. If anyone actually reads this and knows of a cheap shelving solution, please drop it in the comments, because there is a lot of overflow that I keep having to flex around on my shelves. Perhaps I can just start with a collection video and go from there. But I'd have to find people who'd care enough to watch. Anyway, gamers, keep playing.
But let's begin with my recent additions to the library.
Bust a Move 2 Arcade Edition -- PS1 Long Box
Wing Commander --Sega CD
Ecco: The Tides of Time -- Sega CD
Resident Evil -- PS1 Long Box
Virtua Fighter 3TB -- Dreamcast JP import
Enemy Zero -- Saturn
Silpheed -- Sega CD
Blood Stone 007 -- XBOX360
Kings Knight --NES loose
James Bond 007-- Game Boy
The World is Not Enough -- PS1
Great Football ---SMS in box
Great Baseball -- SMS in box
The Ninja -- SMS in box
Vortex -- SNES in box
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 -- Saturn
Skeleton Warrior -- Saturn
Panzer Dragoon II Zwei -- Saturn
phew...that took too long.
Now, for those who are disgusted with how much money I could spend on video games, allow me to inform you that that haul didn't cost as much as it could have, and my lovely Jo is the person who paid for some of it. I may have seventy dollars in that haul. I think Jo has seventy five in it. Now, when you pull out the fact that PDIIZ was forty dollars, and that a RE Long Box usually fetches fifty dollars online, I've done very well. But let's not spend too much time focusing on the financial investment involved. Nor the fact that my lovely fiance was also the person who added the modded Saturn to the collection in the past few weeks as well. And a Nook, which I should also make a post about...
But if you are still reading this ridiculousness, then you should note that there is no real trend to my collecting, aside from my bizarre penchant for failed video game consoles. There are a couple of things that I look for when I go out hunting for games. One is long box titles for the Sega CD, Saturn, and PS1. Another is 32X games, which I seek a full library of. Old RPG's that don't cost a small fortune, good deals, and cheap games. Then there is the "Epic List". While, per the name, this should be a list of games with brilliant stories and fantastic design, it is but a list of very specific games and prints that I want to have in my library at all times.
Ultima IV NES CIB (maps etc)
Final Fantasy NES CIB (maps, etc)
Vandal Hearts PS1 (CIB)
Gun Nac NES (doesn't matter)
Xenogears (PS1,CIB, print doesn't matter)
Snatcher (SEGA CD, CIB)
Panzer Dragoon (cib, Saturn)
Panzer Dragoon Saga (CIB Saturn)
Lunar 2 (Sega CD, CIB)\
Super Mario Bros. 3 NES CIB
32X Library (9/38 so far), CIB not necessary, but nice.
Castlevania franchise (CIB not required for Cartridge games)
NES Star Wars Games (Loose or CIB, though CIB would be nice.)
Zillion (SMS, boxed at least.)
Resident Evil Code Veronica X (GameCube, CIB)
Dark Wizard (SEGA CD, CIB)
Might and Magic (Genesis, CIB)
Vay (Sega CD, CIB)
Earthbound (SNES, any, don't spend a fortune though)
D (PS1 or Saturn, CIB, Long Box...although I don't think there was a Jewel Case Reprint)
D2 (DC, CIB)
Sonic 1 and 3 CIB (not expensive at all. More of a waiting game at PNT)
Myst PS1 CIB
Shenmue 2 (DC Euro Import or XBOX CIB)
Popful Mail (Sega CD CIB)
Shining Force CD (Sega CD CIB)
Secret of Mana (SNES, loose is fine)
Resident Evil Long Box PS1
Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei (Saturn)
Enemy Zero (Saturn)
That is copied straight from the notepad file I have it in, so please ignore the format. And as you'll see, this list makes no real sense. Some of these games are recommendations that I take very seriously. Some of these games are classics, cult classics, or just unique enough to make a part of the collection.The unique stuff is the most fun. Games like D and Enemy Zero will never find a wide enough audience to warrant a remake of any kind, so Panzer Dragoon is a fantastic rail shooter, and that's one of my favorite genres. The most expensive game on the list belongs to that franchise. Some would question why would I specifically need a Long Box variant of Resident Evil when there are other versions with more replay value. To that I just say, look at the long box variant art work, the inlay design, and even the booklet. There is a lot to appreciate. It's just a shame that none of the best games in the Playstation library were ever released in the long box format. I would have loved to have seen what Square would have done with the Final Fantasy artwork had the style continued. Cover art seems to be part of what a lot of collectors are impressed by, which is why there are places like The Cover Project and Game Rave online.
But then there are the obsessive Library collectors, who don't even play the things that they collect. I've read about a collector who has a compete collection of PS2 games, all sealed. What is the point of collecting if you don't play the games collected? But that is just a small note. The increase of collectors, mostly library collectors, has caused aftermarket sellers to raise the price of games higher than they should be. Namely the Saturn games I collected have skyrocketed in recent years for no other reason than that retro games are in demand now. This is due in part to people buying the games, and of course, supply and demand dictates that the price should go up. But sadly, that means that these games are becoming more expensive because someone ultimately wants to make more money off of new collectors.
This is why I found myself in the shop of a reseller at a flea market on Saturday, disgusted by the prices of some of the most common games in the retro market. This guy had Tetris carts marked for twenty bucks, and no, it wasn't the Tengen unlicensed cart either. Nor should Mario 3 be twenty five dollars loose. No one should ever spend $2500.00 on sealed Saturn games. Where did this mindset come from other than that there are people who want to make money on the stupid anyway? There isn't a precedence for this, I shouldn't have to spend twenty dollars on a copy of MK3 on the Saturn when there is a trilogy set on X-Box Live Arcade for ten bucks. It was a common title on the console, with Digital Press rarity rating of 2.
This has turned into more of a rant than anything, but then again, I'm tired. I just got off work, and I'm ready for some sleep. Tomorrow I will play some games, and hopefully make it through work without as much chaos as I witnessed tonight. However, the hunt will continue, and I will be gaming. But seriously, I need to get some videos online, and talk to people with some actual game footage. If anyone actually reads this and knows of a cheap shelving solution, please drop it in the comments, because there is a lot of overflow that I keep having to flex around on my shelves. Perhaps I can just start with a collection video and go from there. But I'd have to find people who'd care enough to watch. Anyway, gamers, keep playing.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Final Fantasy XIII-2, Writing, and Some Other Nonsense
Around twenty hours and thirty fragments into Final Fantasy XIII-2, I realized how much I miss the Chrono franchise. Sure, the Final Fantasy series still holds my attention far more than most RPG's, but the magic isn't quite as strong. At least, not until XIII-2.
Everything about this game screams out for me to dump an inconceivable amount of time into the game. It's too bad that the story, protagonists, and framework of the game kind of hurt it. Serah is an idiot, with ridiculous dialogue. Noel has an interesting past, and is a character I like to follow, but his ramblings about time are repetitive and don't drive the narrative. With all of the melodrama spread like fine butter over this story, it's a surprise to see that there was real potential here.
The antagonist, Caius Ballad (whose name is just as ridiculous as his giant winged sword), actually walks around with the real tragedy of the game. I won't ruin anything, but the things that happen around him are actually compelling, and could have made for one of the best stories in the franchise. There just isn't enough drive to the plot. However, I also think that if they locked the focus on the plot, it would have detracted from the gameplay. There could be a balance to be struck, with a longer story arc than exists, but it's not here just yet. I'm looking forward to the next two chapters, and the finale, because the game is actually quite good. Sure, it's not FFVI or even IX, but it's a sight better than X-XII, and pushes beyond the weaknesses of its immediate predecessors.
But there are other things going on in the world beyond this game. By the way, the Collector's Edition version is spectacular. The packaging is lovely, the art book a nice little addition, and the four disc soundtrack stealing the show. While I wish they'd kept the artwork from the announcement photo, it's not a hideous design. The soundtrack itself is...well...schizophrenic. The orchestral bits are pretty good, and there are some other moments that are alright, but all of the battle music is awful. Death metal fused J-Rock doesn't fill with me excitement when I'm cutting down giant monsters.
I just jumped back on the game for a second there didn't I? Okay, let's just move on.
Instead of working on my short story, Dead City Center, or editing my novel, currently titled either Crusader, Weakness, or something else...I'm writing this blog and playing this game. The short story I'm working on right now is a great little oddity, and an absolute blast to think about, but a nightmare to structure and write. I will be finishing, and then editing it. I want publication. A portfolio. I want work.
And as for work, I'm still at CVS, I'm working very hard, yes, and it sucks away a lot of time. I do like being at home more though, and life has improved in that regard. Spending more time with Jo just sweetens everything about my existence. Getting off work means more than it ever has.
So, here's the coming soon.
--Finish Dead City Center
--Edit more of Weakness
--Create a cover and Ad Campaign for the novel.
--Begin the kickstarter program
--Find a publisher for Dead City Center
--Beg some media types to do a story on the novel and its kickstarter.
Now, I do fully realize that no one will care about this beast of a book just yet. This will take a lot of work, and I hope that my friends will spread the word. Just a little share on their facebook page will be all that it takes.
And I pray that it helps with the stuff that is tabbed on my browser right now.
Let's see what happens folks...
Recent Library Additions:
Final Fantasy XIII-2 Collector's Edition (XBOX 360)
Sonic and Knuckles (CIB, Genesis)
Mortal Kombat II (32X)
Everything about this game screams out for me to dump an inconceivable amount of time into the game. It's too bad that the story, protagonists, and framework of the game kind of hurt it. Serah is an idiot, with ridiculous dialogue. Noel has an interesting past, and is a character I like to follow, but his ramblings about time are repetitive and don't drive the narrative. With all of the melodrama spread like fine butter over this story, it's a surprise to see that there was real potential here.
The antagonist, Caius Ballad (whose name is just as ridiculous as his giant winged sword), actually walks around with the real tragedy of the game. I won't ruin anything, but the things that happen around him are actually compelling, and could have made for one of the best stories in the franchise. There just isn't enough drive to the plot. However, I also think that if they locked the focus on the plot, it would have detracted from the gameplay. There could be a balance to be struck, with a longer story arc than exists, but it's not here just yet. I'm looking forward to the next two chapters, and the finale, because the game is actually quite good. Sure, it's not FFVI or even IX, but it's a sight better than X-XII, and pushes beyond the weaknesses of its immediate predecessors.
But there are other things going on in the world beyond this game. By the way, the Collector's Edition version is spectacular. The packaging is lovely, the art book a nice little addition, and the four disc soundtrack stealing the show. While I wish they'd kept the artwork from the announcement photo, it's not a hideous design. The soundtrack itself is...well...schizophrenic. The orchestral bits are pretty good, and there are some other moments that are alright, but all of the battle music is awful. Death metal fused J-Rock doesn't fill with me excitement when I'm cutting down giant monsters.
I just jumped back on the game for a second there didn't I? Okay, let's just move on.
Instead of working on my short story, Dead City Center, or editing my novel, currently titled either Crusader, Weakness, or something else...I'm writing this blog and playing this game. The short story I'm working on right now is a great little oddity, and an absolute blast to think about, but a nightmare to structure and write. I will be finishing, and then editing it. I want publication. A portfolio. I want work.
And as for work, I'm still at CVS, I'm working very hard, yes, and it sucks away a lot of time. I do like being at home more though, and life has improved in that regard. Spending more time with Jo just sweetens everything about my existence. Getting off work means more than it ever has.
So, here's the coming soon.
--Finish Dead City Center
--Edit more of Weakness
--Create a cover and Ad Campaign for the novel.
--Begin the kickstarter program
--Find a publisher for Dead City Center
--Beg some media types to do a story on the novel and its kickstarter.
Now, I do fully realize that no one will care about this beast of a book just yet. This will take a lot of work, and I hope that my friends will spread the word. Just a little share on their facebook page will be all that it takes.
And I pray that it helps with the stuff that is tabbed on my browser right now.
Let's see what happens folks...
Recent Library Additions:
Final Fantasy XIII-2 Collector's Edition (XBOX 360)
Sonic and Knuckles (CIB, Genesis)
Mortal Kombat II (32X)
Friday, January 6, 2012
More on Final Fantasy XIII
I finally finished it. I put final nail in Orphan's coffin, and it's done...at least the story is. Now I'm obsessed with the missions and side quests. Good job, Square. You kept me in on this one...somehow.
I'm still not incredibly satisfied with the game, but there is something to be said for the fact that I"m nearing 70 hours of total play time, and I'm still burning forward. I plan to finish up before I get XIII-2 at the end of the month.
Considering the nonsensical way that the game works, it's still impressively difficult to get through some of the missions. There is one enemy that takes something like twelve of the same piece of armor, maxed to it's capabilities without moving it up to the next level of armor, to even live through one of the attacks. And that's not even close to the most difficult marks to take on. 12 missions left, and I'll be done with that...then I have to take on getting five stars on everything.
And on that note, let's make a short note on that particular title...
I'm going to try a gameplay blog of that one as time passes...maybe just a twitter feed about my progress or something. That would be nice.
Okay, another short note on this whole thing--I got a strategy guide for Final Fantasy Anthology. It's pretty cool. Yes, I have completed both of the games in the set, but I still wanted the book. It will likely encourage another run through it, just because I'm slightly batty. That and my last run was monumentally better than my first, and I can even take down Kefka before he does anything seriously damaging. Yay for carefully stacked Relics and Weapons.
Perhaps there is something to that whole "Play Final Fantasy VI Again" bit....hmmm
I will consider that for something. Or maybe even the whole series. Which would me acquiring a PS1 copy of Final Fantasy Origins or Dawn of Souls for the GBA, which would match the strategy guide I have for it (thank you again Sandy!).
Anyway, signing off after this rambling bit.
Go away!
I'm still not incredibly satisfied with the game, but there is something to be said for the fact that I"m nearing 70 hours of total play time, and I'm still burning forward. I plan to finish up before I get XIII-2 at the end of the month.
Considering the nonsensical way that the game works, it's still impressively difficult to get through some of the missions. There is one enemy that takes something like twelve of the same piece of armor, maxed to it's capabilities without moving it up to the next level of armor, to even live through one of the attacks. And that's not even close to the most difficult marks to take on. 12 missions left, and I'll be done with that...then I have to take on getting five stars on everything.
And on that note, let's make a short note on that particular title...
I'm going to try a gameplay blog of that one as time passes...maybe just a twitter feed about my progress or something. That would be nice.
Okay, another short note on this whole thing--I got a strategy guide for Final Fantasy Anthology. It's pretty cool. Yes, I have completed both of the games in the set, but I still wanted the book. It will likely encourage another run through it, just because I'm slightly batty. That and my last run was monumentally better than my first, and I can even take down Kefka before he does anything seriously damaging. Yay for carefully stacked Relics and Weapons.
Perhaps there is something to that whole "Play Final Fantasy VI Again" bit....hmmm
I will consider that for something. Or maybe even the whole series. Which would me acquiring a PS1 copy of Final Fantasy Origins or Dawn of Souls for the GBA, which would match the strategy guide I have for it (thank you again Sandy!).
Anyway, signing off after this rambling bit.
Go away!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
News
Well, it's been a while, hasn't it? Believe it or not, I have been busy. Since my last post, I ran a pretty heavy run with PopArma.com, and after that, I wrote a book. Yes. A whole book. Not just started, but completed. Sure, it's somewhere between a novella and an actual novel, but it's done and awaits the editing stage. Some who read this blog (I hope there is someone anyway) are probably wondering where my other work is, what this book I finished is, and what is next.
The book I finished is tentatively called Weakness, and is a fantasy novel deconstructing the character archetypes found in Japanese RPG's. It's a dark little book, and was written in just over thirty days as part of NaNoWriMo. I succeeded in writing 50k words in a month, and finished things off in the days following.
I know that this wasn't one of my earlier works, but it was one sitting in my head. It's done now. Once I edit the ugly thing, I'll get to work on finding it a proper home. But until then, I'm going to get back to The Alternative, which I've been working on bringing to prose. I have comic scripts that I need to go around deleting so I can get it published properly once I get it ready as well. But the fact is, those are my giant outlines, and I'm building the book around those. I have about 17k words on it now, and I plan to have it written by the end of February.
The editing stage for Weakness will be completed by the end of March by my best figures, and I will begin shopping it around a bit once the first ten to twenty thousand words are edited. I will then plan the editing stage for Alternative vol. 1 and begin writing book two.
People who have discussed book two with me (entitled Road to the West) know how excited I am to get to that one. They are probably wondering why I'm not so excited about the first one, and its simple: I wrote it once, and I'm having to rewrite it now. Sure. it's completely different, but it's still a repeated story. That and Road to the West is a book I'm genuinely pleased with in terms of direction. It has legitimate drama, I feel, and will be a better book than either Weakness or Alt. Vol. 1.
In other news:
I now work from a new office. In the past month, I have moved to Louisiana, and am settling in to do new things from my new living space. Hopefully some of it will make some money and I'll be able to do this kind of thing full time. But that is all in due time. I will probably have to get a second job to pay off school loans I accrued earning my degree, and that will definitely put a hole in my plans until I adjust. We will just have to see how it works out.
However, there is something exciting I'd like to announce though--I will be doing something game related, and I will hopefully do something on video as well.
I'd like to get back to video game blogging, and I have a lot of stuff to comment on. But the most exciting thing I have in my mind is a video review series unlike anything I've ever seen before. I'm definitely going to have to experiment with it, but my workspace is arranged in such a way that I have a good shot at pulling it off this time. I just need to pick a title to do the first trial with.
In addition to the game review series, I'm looking to move to vlogging instead of the written thing. If I pair the series and the vlogs, I will do well to gather views and possibly get representation on a site where such videos are collected. However, a good portion of my vlog stuff will be oriented around my novels, editing, and the processes of getting them published. This is going to be part of my marketing if I self publish though, so we'll see what happens. I just hope I don't scare my viewers off with my dull narration of my own activities.
Anyway, now that I'm done clearing my throat to head into 2012, I'm going to go sit down with Alt. Vol. 1 and see if I can crack that 18k mark before the day is out, and start the new year off right with a daily word count exceeding 1000 and beyond.
The book I finished is tentatively called Weakness, and is a fantasy novel deconstructing the character archetypes found in Japanese RPG's. It's a dark little book, and was written in just over thirty days as part of NaNoWriMo. I succeeded in writing 50k words in a month, and finished things off in the days following.
I know that this wasn't one of my earlier works, but it was one sitting in my head. It's done now. Once I edit the ugly thing, I'll get to work on finding it a proper home. But until then, I'm going to get back to The Alternative, which I've been working on bringing to prose. I have comic scripts that I need to go around deleting so I can get it published properly once I get it ready as well. But the fact is, those are my giant outlines, and I'm building the book around those. I have about 17k words on it now, and I plan to have it written by the end of February.
The editing stage for Weakness will be completed by the end of March by my best figures, and I will begin shopping it around a bit once the first ten to twenty thousand words are edited. I will then plan the editing stage for Alternative vol. 1 and begin writing book two.
People who have discussed book two with me (entitled Road to the West) know how excited I am to get to that one. They are probably wondering why I'm not so excited about the first one, and its simple: I wrote it once, and I'm having to rewrite it now. Sure. it's completely different, but it's still a repeated story. That and Road to the West is a book I'm genuinely pleased with in terms of direction. It has legitimate drama, I feel, and will be a better book than either Weakness or Alt. Vol. 1.
In other news:
I now work from a new office. In the past month, I have moved to Louisiana, and am settling in to do new things from my new living space. Hopefully some of it will make some money and I'll be able to do this kind of thing full time. But that is all in due time. I will probably have to get a second job to pay off school loans I accrued earning my degree, and that will definitely put a hole in my plans until I adjust. We will just have to see how it works out.
However, there is something exciting I'd like to announce though--I will be doing something game related, and I will hopefully do something on video as well.
I'd like to get back to video game blogging, and I have a lot of stuff to comment on. But the most exciting thing I have in my mind is a video review series unlike anything I've ever seen before. I'm definitely going to have to experiment with it, but my workspace is arranged in such a way that I have a good shot at pulling it off this time. I just need to pick a title to do the first trial with.
In addition to the game review series, I'm looking to move to vlogging instead of the written thing. If I pair the series and the vlogs, I will do well to gather views and possibly get representation on a site where such videos are collected. However, a good portion of my vlog stuff will be oriented around my novels, editing, and the processes of getting them published. This is going to be part of my marketing if I self publish though, so we'll see what happens. I just hope I don't scare my viewers off with my dull narration of my own activities.
Anyway, now that I'm done clearing my throat to head into 2012, I'm going to go sit down with Alt. Vol. 1 and see if I can crack that 18k mark before the day is out, and start the new year off right with a daily word count exceeding 1000 and beyond.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Yar's Revenge XBLA Review
Yars Revenge remains one of the only classic Atari games to not to have earned a following akin
to Pac-Man or Galaga. So I was surprised to see a modern revival, especially a decade after this kind of
experiment was last attempted. Still, I’m not one to turn down a good rail shooter, so I jumped into the
game, expecting to have a pretty good time at the very least.
However, what I found was a particularly demanding shooter, playing on the tradition of Panzer
Dragoon, featuring a camera that whips the viewer to the next wave of oncoming enemies, and carrying
them around massive boss fights. This seems glorious on paper, but it has many unfortunate flaws.
First and foremost, the controls are needlessly complicated. Maneuvering your insectoid lead character
around the screen and guiding her shots requires both thumb sticks, and numerous buttons controlled
an interesting variety of weapons. Adjusting to split of flight and shooting between the two controls is
trying, and makes the game inaccessible to fans of the hit Atari game. Even when adjusted to this aspect
of the game, the hairiest moments will still cause some confusion, and damage can be found en masse
as a result.
Beyond the clean and almost sterile loading screen, a series of lush jungle settings and caverns
awaits, calling upon a palate of moist greens and dry dark earth tones. Unfortunately, this type of
setting comprises the majority of the game, only stretching the visuals out into the sky to offer variety.
Thankfully, the graphics are quite nice. The enemy animations are fairly standard in comparison to Yar,
who floats around the screen gracefully whilst painting the sky with laser fire. Cut scenes at the open
and close of each level are performed as a comic book, sans text bubbles, and feature a Japanese anime
art style. While this seems out of place, it’s effective, and doesn’t distract form the story that it attempts
to tell any more than the quickly disappearing subtitles. Due to a lack of voice acting, this text is the
players’ only connection to the story. The story itself is poorly written, and seems unnecessary. It gives a
reason for Yar’s constant insecticide, and nothing much else. The included comic tells a better tale, and
it was originally penned in 1981, around the release of the original. In stark contrast, the sound design is
bland. The soundtrack is filled with uninspired techno, cheapening the sweeping landscapes over which
Yar dies so many times. Laser and missile sound effects are equally stale, but are at least effective, and
don’t distract from the overall experience.
On rails shooting hasn’t really aged in the decade since it was last really implemented, so
Yar’s Revenge performs admirably as it glides from point A to B over the aforementioned landscapes.
Thanks to a wide variety of weapons, the steep difficulty can be tamed a bit with the help of homing
missiles and different lasers, and a shield which restores your ship’s energy. The shield is given out
fairly frequently, and you’ll find yourself quite thankful that you have such a thing as your shield gage
is reduced from the nineties down to the forties by a single wave. The enemies lack the variety of the
weapons, relying on a few models with swapped colors, but ultimately only differing in the amount
of damage that they take before dying. This isn’t a game breaker, however, as the challenge is still
implemented around the patterns in which new combatants enter the screen. Keep in mind, this game
is very hard. If you are new to rail shooters, try some other titles first, and come back for this one later.
If nothing else, try the cooperative mode. A second player is apt to assist with the hundreds of onscreen
enemies that a typical run through launches each minute.
Easily the most disappointing aspect of the game is the selection of bosses. Instead of being a
creative, and reflex testing challenge, gamers are introduced to behemoths intent on their destruction
that launch the same attacks in the same order until enough lasers are eventually shot into them
that they die. What makes this a crime is the time it takes to bring down these colossal beasts. Their
bottomless health meters drags the confrontations out, and kills the excitement built up from the levels
preceding the battle.
There isn’t enough to bring enough gamers back for another run. The six levels can be repeated
on three difficulties, and little is unlocked to satiate the many gamers, leaving them feeling wary about
the 800 points spent on the title. While the game offers an intense rail shooter experience, there just
isn’t enough to bring players back once the credits have rolled. It’s fun, fast, and diabolically difficult. It
to Pac-Man or Galaga. So I was surprised to see a modern revival, especially a decade after this kind of
experiment was last attempted. Still, I’m not one to turn down a good rail shooter, so I jumped into the
game, expecting to have a pretty good time at the very least.
However, what I found was a particularly demanding shooter, playing on the tradition of Panzer
Dragoon, featuring a camera that whips the viewer to the next wave of oncoming enemies, and carrying
them around massive boss fights. This seems glorious on paper, but it has many unfortunate flaws.
First and foremost, the controls are needlessly complicated. Maneuvering your insectoid lead character
around the screen and guiding her shots requires both thumb sticks, and numerous buttons controlled
an interesting variety of weapons. Adjusting to split of flight and shooting between the two controls is
trying, and makes the game inaccessible to fans of the hit Atari game. Even when adjusted to this aspect
of the game, the hairiest moments will still cause some confusion, and damage can be found en masse
as a result.
Beyond the clean and almost sterile loading screen, a series of lush jungle settings and caverns
awaits, calling upon a palate of moist greens and dry dark earth tones. Unfortunately, this type of
setting comprises the majority of the game, only stretching the visuals out into the sky to offer variety.
Thankfully, the graphics are quite nice. The enemy animations are fairly standard in comparison to Yar,
who floats around the screen gracefully whilst painting the sky with laser fire. Cut scenes at the open
and close of each level are performed as a comic book, sans text bubbles, and feature a Japanese anime
art style. While this seems out of place, it’s effective, and doesn’t distract form the story that it attempts
to tell any more than the quickly disappearing subtitles. Due to a lack of voice acting, this text is the
players’ only connection to the story. The story itself is poorly written, and seems unnecessary. It gives a
reason for Yar’s constant insecticide, and nothing much else. The included comic tells a better tale, and
it was originally penned in 1981, around the release of the original. In stark contrast, the sound design is
bland. The soundtrack is filled with uninspired techno, cheapening the sweeping landscapes over which
Yar dies so many times. Laser and missile sound effects are equally stale, but are at least effective, and
don’t distract from the overall experience.
On rails shooting hasn’t really aged in the decade since it was last really implemented, so
Yar’s Revenge performs admirably as it glides from point A to B over the aforementioned landscapes.
Thanks to a wide variety of weapons, the steep difficulty can be tamed a bit with the help of homing
missiles and different lasers, and a shield which restores your ship’s energy. The shield is given out
fairly frequently, and you’ll find yourself quite thankful that you have such a thing as your shield gage
is reduced from the nineties down to the forties by a single wave. The enemies lack the variety of the
weapons, relying on a few models with swapped colors, but ultimately only differing in the amount
of damage that they take before dying. This isn’t a game breaker, however, as the challenge is still
implemented around the patterns in which new combatants enter the screen. Keep in mind, this game
is very hard. If you are new to rail shooters, try some other titles first, and come back for this one later.
If nothing else, try the cooperative mode. A second player is apt to assist with the hundreds of onscreen
enemies that a typical run through launches each minute.
Easily the most disappointing aspect of the game is the selection of bosses. Instead of being a
creative, and reflex testing challenge, gamers are introduced to behemoths intent on their destruction
that launch the same attacks in the same order until enough lasers are eventually shot into them
that they die. What makes this a crime is the time it takes to bring down these colossal beasts. Their
bottomless health meters drags the confrontations out, and kills the excitement built up from the levels
preceding the battle.
There isn’t enough to bring enough gamers back for another run. The six levels can be repeated
on three difficulties, and little is unlocked to satiate the many gamers, leaving them feeling wary about
the 800 points spent on the title. While the game offers an intense rail shooter experience, there just
isn’t enough to bring players back once the credits have rolled. It’s fun, fast, and diabolically difficult. It
just happens not to be for everyone.
6.5/10
So, I'm a hair late posting this particular review up here, but it was originally penned for a possible job writing video game reviews. Obviously, I didn't get it. Oh well.
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