God I hate Wild Arms

I've never seen an RPG, or game for that matter, like this. IT NEVER TELLS YOU WHAT TO DO NEXT! Usually in a good RPG it explains that the character needs to go to location X to do Y. But in Wild Arms you complete the event and that's it. No further dialog. You just explore around forever until you happen to stumble upon the next event in the game.

I got so sick of it and started using an online guide. If I never used it I'd probably still be roaming around and most likely would have stopped playing it. Whatever amount of hours it boasts to have is probably true. I'm around 16 hours or so in, but who knows how close I am to finishing it.

There are parts that thoroughly perplex me how someone is supposed to figure out without a guide. There are essential areas you need to go to that have no visible icon. There only invisible until you get close enough and then it reveals the name of the town/ dungeon. You also have to talk to random people in towns for the next part of the story to start up. Like a random guy in the bar, a mayor, etc. The crypticness knows no end!

It seriously isn't even fun anymore. Also, there are WAY too many random battles. I just wanna finish the damn thing!  The puzzles are still fun, but man the whole game feels like one big puzzle.

What do I do next? Who knows!

Lunar Silver Star Story: Final Thoughts

 

So I finally put some time in this weekend and finished this game. To be honest before I picked it up this weekend I was dreading it. I knew what I had to do next in the game: I had to back track and fight a ton of unnecessary random battles. Nothing frustrates me more in an RPG. I understand having to go back to old cities, but in great games it's streamlined  so it doesn't seem like a chore. So after getting past that part oh boy was I in for a surprise. The 2nd act of the game seemed to drag and frustrated me a bit. But I'm glad I trudged through it because the final act kicked you in the face and didn't apologize! It was one of the more memorable and  unique endings to any RPG I've ever played. So here are my thoughts on the game overall.

Gameplay:

Lunar presents some interesting features in this RPG adventure. There's no unique puzzle dynamic or world exploration means however. Outside of just walking from city to city there isn't much of world map at all. You get an airship but never control it (which is annoying -_-). Stores are standard: buy weapons, items, and armor. No custom upgrades or anything. Although at the end it's pretty cool because your old friend owns a store and lets you take anything you want for free. So before your final assault you can just stockpile!

The battle system is pretty unique. It is turn based, but it's based on how close you are to your enemy. You have to be close enough for melee, Area of Effect attacks, etc. So in that aspect it's kind of unique. Also, each character has a pretty specific role in battle (meleee, caster, healer) so you don't have to worry too much about what each person is going to do each round. It's also nice midway through the game because Alex gets an ability to wipe out an entire group of monsters in one attack so random battles aren't such a nuisance. Overall the game-play is solid and enjoyable

Sound: 

The sound effects are pretty cool. There's some memorable sounds from sword slashes, spells, etc. They did a good job to match the style and graphics. Now as for the soundtrack, it's pretty great. There are quite a few memorable tunes; including the battle theme, Meribia, Luna and Alex's song, as well as the song Wind's Nocturne sung by Jenny Stigile Magallanes in the boat cut scene (from what I gather is pretty beloved in the Lunar series).

Now I did play the PSP version so I don't know how the original soundtrack sounded in comparison. They do repeat tunes quite a bit, but they match the tone of the game so it works. What I really love is near the end they remix a lot of songs. They either  make it sound more powerful/ inspiration or emotional. I especially love all the music in the finally cinema. I now know why the PS1 complete version came with the soundtrack: It's pretty good!

Graphics:

                                                        

So above you'll see a comparison of the opening scene graphics from the Sega Saturn/ PS1 version and the PSP version. I'll have to say the PSP ones are just more appealing to me and I don't know if the PS1 graphics' charm would be enough for me. Anyways, the PSP graphics were a nice upgrade and worked really well. I enjoyed how they looked and they added a lot of character to the game. What i particularly love about Game Arts games is that the text boxes have hand-drawn versions of the characters to show emotion. It adds a lot to dialog and helps you better understand the feeling the writers were trying to get across. 

Speaking of hand drawn characters, the part I might love more than anything about the graphics are the cut scenes. They aren't like most RPGs where they make it 3-D, rather there are Anime style hand-drawn animations. It's super appealing and goes well with the style of the game. I almost prefer it to almost any other CG cut scene I've scene. Something about it seems more authentic. The facial expressions are just more believable and you can get more attached to whats going on in the scene as opposed to just watching it for the sake of following the story. The graphics and cut scenes have that certain charm that I can't put my finger on, but are like nothing I've come across before either. I really enjoyed them overall.

Story: 

From top to bottom this story is solid as can be. There is a wide cast of characters that all have depth, a nice back story, and great character development. You can really connect with all of them. It moves at a nice pace but does seem predictable at times. Which is okay with me as long as it is engaging. I really enjoyed following Alex and Luna and wanted to know what would happen in the end. There is a heavy emphasis on the power of love which can be seen as cheesy but I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. The middle act drags a bit, but oh my God does the end of the game kick ass. 

All kinds of loose ends are tied up, there's a few "surprises", plenty of story arcs, new music remixes, and maybe the most unique way to end the game I've ever seen. Normally RPG endings go something like this: Defeat the final boss, final cinema, credits, THE END. But with Lunar you're allowed to walk around and see how the minor characters stories are tied up. It's a welcome change to a pretty standard way to end games. I don't wanna give away too much in case you're planing on playing it but it is awesome overall. I can't help but think it has a hint of Christianity though with the Goddess becoming a human story line. 

Final Thoughts: Play It

Overall this game is good and solid. It's definitely above average, but I don't know if it can really compete with the Final Fantasies of the RPG world. It's not supposed to though. It's a charming love story with a unique way to do an RPG with its hand draw animation and fun cast of characters. I will say the ending part of the game is by far the best. The whole story wraps up so beautifully and makes the whole experience worth it. If you enjoy RPGs at all you should pick it up. I clocked in at around 27-28 hours on the game clock, but I cant be sure how much I really played because I left my PSP on over night one time haha. So you're probably looking at a little over 20 hours if you don't dilly dally around. 

As for my next game....I'm pretty much limited to the PS1 classics library on the PlayStation Network. So right now I'm thinking either Suikoden (A grand scale war-style RPG) or Wild Arms (More action-oriented with a wild west theme).  I'm leaning towards Wild Arms, but what do you think? Let me know! Thanks for taking the time to read this all and continuing to check out the blog. Later Gamers!

                                         

Final Fantasy 7:Either Remake it or Don't!

So I want to start off by saying thanks to Shana for reading the blog and RSSing it! Good to know that I'm writing something worth while! It's all for fun but you know!

So there have been rumors flying around for years that Final Fantasy 7 might be remade on the PlayStation 3. I blame all this hype and ridiculousness on two parties: 1.) Sony. Yeah that's right I'm giving a lot of blame to Sony, why? Well it's for a very simple reason...they could have chosen any other game to show off the graphics. A new racing game coming out, an FPS anything but a graphic face lift for arguably the most popular title Sony has released yet. I know they were thinking "Hey why not make a tech demo for our new system with our most popular game?" But they had to know there would be an outcry for a remake. It looked so good and rabid fan boys went crazy after seeing an updated version of the opening scene of one of the most beloved games ever. And more of the blame gets thrown on to to my second party: EGM(Electronic Gaming Monthly).

They basically took this PS3 tech demo and automatically assumed it was a trailer for a remake even though it clearly said on the video "Technical demo for the PlayStation 3". They couldn't rush to release a comment in their May 2006 issue fast enough that said it was a remake. I'm sure at this point they feel like idiots, but this mistake caused so much hype it was unreal. People were all excited, contemplating what new features would be part of the game, etc.And then to further the hype even more, what did Square Enix do? They released a slew of Final Fantasy 7 spin-offs that included: Before Crisis(A Mobile Phone Game), Dirge of Cerberus(A 3rd Person shooter staring FF7's Vincent Valentine), Crisis Core(An action RPG for the PSP staring Zach Fair from FF7), Last Order: Final Fantasy VII(A short anime-style film retelling the events of Zach and Cloud before the game FF7), and lastly Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children(A feature length film that takes place 2 years after the events of the game.)

So the hype surrounding this game was astronomical. With all these spin-offs of the game, the tech demo, and the hype building surely there would be some sort of announcement of a remake right? No. Unless the developers are living under a rock, which to be fair they might, they have to know that fans want a remake and would be down right ignorant to think that not only would it sell well but also would increase PS3 hardware sales as well. Hell, I know I'd be the first to go out and buy a PS3 if this game ever came to fruition. So why don't they cut the bull crap and make the damn game? Well FF7 Director Yoshinori Kitase said, "We'd have to hire 300 people and it would take about 5 years." Fair enough...but I think that investment would be worth it. Final Fantasy 7 is the franchises top selling game (nearly 10 Mil. units sold) and has a large fan following. Wanna know what makes the hype even worse? Square Enix refuses to deny nor confirm the remake.

 I realize maybe they are thinking about it and that there are many factors involved in remaking this game, but throw us a bone, anything! As recently as March 22 of this year Square Enix continues to play with the idea and CEO Yoichi Wada has said,
"Right now we don't have a clear direction, but many fans have requested we remake Final Fantasy VII...We're going to explore the possibility - whether or not we're going to do it, if we're going to do it, and the platform." 

The Platform? Oh God I hope he's referring to the PS4,Im sure it'll come someday, and not the PSP. Also, last month Final Fantasy XIII producer Yoshinori Kitase said: 

"If it were possible that we had all the right facilities and the right environment to be able to make and prepare a Final Fantasy VII remake within a year, we'd very much like a go at it!"


Thanks for yankin' our chains SE...so either until this game gets made or the world ends fans will continue to demand a remake. It's personally my favorite RPG and game of all time. I haven't made it through all the RPGs yet so that may change. But for now it stands as the biggest title demanding a remake,and a definitive response from the RPG juggernaut would be nice too :). Until then I'll leave with you with a fan made interpretation of what the FF7 remake's intro and start menu might look like. Later gamers!

Moved blog, Lunar Update, and FF7 Music Video

Hey everyone, and by everyone I mean Nick and Bryan, I moved the blog for a few reasons. 1.) The blog.com interface was super slow and glitchy, as Bryan mentioned before, and 2.) since Blogger is affiliated with Google I can put ads on the blog! Not that I'll be rolling the dough, but one can dream!

So Lunar Update! I'm only 5 hours or into the game but I'm freakin' loving it! It's weird considering the original Lunar came out after Grandia, but it feels like it fixed and improved upon everything that made Gradia great. The graphics, are charming, the music is addicting, the battles are fun, and every part of the story seems like its there for a reason rather than just extended the game pointlessly.

Overall I'm really enjoying it and recommend it to ANYONE who has a PSP or loves RPGs. I'm not too sure what the original game is like because I've never played it, but with the new updates I'm sure the old fans will still love it along with the new ones.

That's about it for Lunar for now, I'll have to post more when the time comes. Anyways I just wanted to leave you with the awesome video I found on youtube. It's an acoustic remix of the classic FF7 Theme. I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think. Later gamers!

Grandia: A cool little adventure game.

So recently I completed the Game Arts PS1 classic Grandia. I didn't really know much about the game before starting it. I know that it was for the PS1 and I bought it for my friend Bryan for his 14th(?) birthday. It was on the PlayStation network for only $5.99. I thought heck why not! I'm playing through 2 RPGs I've beaten before (FF7,8) so why not try something new that has some popularity? For a game that boasts having "Over 80 hours of game play" I figured I would at least get my money's worth out of it!

So as soon as started the game the graphics and overall way it played was very reminiscent of Xeno Gears. The towns and backgrounds were designed decently well, but the characters themselves had this weird sprite feel to it that wasn't quite super Nintendo and not quite up to what the PS1 could do. Also the way you way you rotate the camera around with shoulder buttons in towns and dungeons. It has its own charm, doesn't take anything away from the game, and is still playable considering I still play a game like Final Fantasy Tactics. It's weird to pinpoint what era this game is supposed to take place in. It has a semi-modern feel to it with the way the towns are designed and the presence of airships and tanks. However, you spend most of the game in forests, villages, and rural type towns. Anyways I don't want to sit here and review the game per say, but rather talk about my experience as I played through the game and the impression it left on me. 

So as I start to go through the beginning stages of the game I'm loving for one big reason: the game isn't taking itself too seriously. It isn't trying to be the super over the top epic. It's just about a boy who wants to go on adventures and one day decides to live out his dream. I can also relate to the characters and story more this way. There are a lot of scenes where your having dialogue with the town bully, your younger friend who looks up to you, and your mom who hassles you about being late for dinner. None of this is done with cliche dialogue, but done tastefully and with voice acting so you can really feel the emotion behind the dialogue.

 

It feels like a coming of age story in a way. This kid Justin is a reckless energetic boy who experiences everything from leaving home, love, loss, growing up, standing up for what you believe, amongst many other areas you grow as a person in your life. I loved every second of this story and was sad when it was finished, for more reasons than one.


This is exactly the type of game that I miss and that isn't made these days. Sure the graphics are nothing to call home about, but the voice acting is good and gets you into the story more, the animated cut scenes are cool and add to the overall experience, but more than anything it's an engaging and relate-able story. It's easy to follow, you want to keep going to see what happens next, and is an overall satisfying experience. It brought me back to that golden age of RPGs and is basically the inspiration for this blog. Let's keep it real though; it ain't no Final Fantasy, but it is an awesome game overall and is well worth checking out. 

Games these days aren't made like this for one reason or another. There seems to be a bigger emphasis on innovation; whether it's the battle system, the graphics, or the level up system. I think developers sometimes forget that RPGs are story driven. Way back in the day, RPGs were text based and relied heavily on the story. Now a days the rely too much on graphics while the story takes a back seat. I think the PS1 RPG days were the perfect transition period when stories were still the focal point and the graphics complemented the story well with out over-shadowing it.


I may or may not do a video retrospective/ review on this game so you can get a better feel for what I'm talking about. I'll just wrap this up by saying that it was fun to play an old style RPG that I've never played before and still find it entertaining. Sometimes games like these don't age well and going back to play them can be difficult (especially when the graphics aren't up to par). However, there was nothing that I would really change about this game. For $5.99 on the PSN it's TOTALLY worth the price and your time. Go check it out if you haven't already. 

Right now I'm in the middle of Lunar Silver Star Story Harmony (The PSP Remake) and only being a few hours in I'm falling in love with it. The music, characters, graphics, just everything! It's made by the same company that made Grandia, Game Arts, so I'm expecting a similar experience! Thanks for reading this, if anyone's actually reading it haha, and keep playing! Later gamers.

This post was originally going post this on the intro blog, but it got long so here is a longer opinion based blog about why I started this...

See I haven't bought a "Next Gen" console because frankly there's no game that seems worth buying any system for. I'm expected to pay $600+ just because there's a new gaming system? I literally have bought 4 PS2's in my lifetime (sad I know :P). One when it was BIG and new, one slim one, one to replace the broken slim one, and then a final brand new slim one from the store to replace them all.

I would rather do that then buy a new expensive system, a new library of games, and also make some games obsolete (PS2 games aren't backwards compatible on the PS3).

So if I'm not playing new games what am I playing? Old PS1 RPG's, mostly. Sure I'll pick up a Resident Evil or Madden now and again but nothing has captured my imagination or created so many fond memories as RPG's have. In my opinion games are the best median to tell a story. Not only is there a visual aspect to where you can see what's happening, a text aspect to a certain extent, but the biggest feature is the immersion aspect. What other median of story telling allows you to literally control the story and be the characters?

That being said I think that the PS1 has the best RPG's of any console or PC gaming system. It was that period where 3-D was new and improved the graphics, but not quite at the point where graphics superseded the story. The story was always the main focus and the stories in these games are better than most books I've read or movies I've seen.

But ever since then this genre has taken a downturn I feel. This is no clearer than the PS2 abomination know as Final Fantasy 10, See Final Fantasy revolutionized the RPG genre as a whole and made it more mainstream. Although this is up for debate, Square Enix put out 3 of the best RPGs of the PS1: Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 9. With the improved graphics of the PS2 there was no doubt that Final Fantasy 10 was going to blow our damn minds! The graphics were amazing and it had a lot of hype. Too bad all that hype fell flat on its face...

See the biggest problem with Final Fantasy 10 was that the way you traveled around the world was extremely linear in comparison to the recent games. There wasn't really a "world map" or any vehicles to a certain extent. It also felt very cooker cutter. Walk around, puzzle, boss fight, cut scene. Rise and repeat. I know the old games did that too, but with this one it was SO OBVIOUS! It was just boring and to be honest I just couldn't finish it and I haven't to this day.

Okay so maybe 10 was just an experiment and we should give the series another shot right? Well here comes Final Fantasy 11 an MMORPG. What a disappointment! We had to wait even longer for another game. Then came Final Fantasy 12. Honestly this might have been even more hyped than 10, but for different reasons. See this was supposed to take place in the world of Ivalice, the world in the legendary game Final Fantasy Tactics. The teasers and screen shots all looked promising and amazing. But again it just plain failed...The characters were boring, the leveling up system was weird, it was boring, and my personal biggest disappointment was no Nobuo Uematsu (the music composer for all the previous games)! So all the charm was out. The only interesting character was Balthier but he didn't have nearly the game time he should have.

So this is about the point I gave up on any new console RPGs being good. I gave it the old college try but they just didn't entertain me and were more of a chore than anything. I played a few random games here and there like Tales of the Abyss and Kingdom Hearts (which is actually pretty amazing). But nothing grabbed me like the games of old...Final Fantasy 7...Chrono Cross...Xeno Gears...Tales of Destiny. I was pretty much convinced that good RPGs were dead.

But then the nail in the freakin' coffin came only as of late. Now I much preface this by saying that I haven't even played one second of this game, but only heard resounding negative reviews from it, outside of possibly being the best looking game of all time. Final Fantasy 13...the game that killed RPGs? We'll see. The complaints seem to go something like this 1: LINEARITY. The game seems to be a flurry of straight corridors with almost no towns. This takes out the exploration aspect of the game that made so many older games fun. 2:Only being able to control one character in battle. People are kind of on the fence with this one. 3: The data log. Why do you need a data log of definitions and explanations to tell a story? I shouldn't have to read cliff notes before reading a story. 4: It feels more like an interactive movie than game. There seems to be an overwhelming amount of cutscenes with a limited amount of puzzles which leads people to think this game would be a better movie than game.

So with all the recent flops with RPGs and the advent of the PS1 classics on the Playstation Network I've been getting into old RPGs that I never played and have been playing them on my PSP. This has inspired me to also start a collection of every PS1 RPG. This will be an expensive hobby but it's like having a library of books. RPGs are just another median to tell a good story. And PS1 RPGs seem to be the best. Currently I own these titles: Final Fantasty 7, Tactics, Xeno Gears, Chrono Cross, Legend of Dragoon, and Harvest Moon. My collection is small but it'll grow fast. I recently also beat Grandia and am in the middle of playing the remake of Lunar: Silver Star Story.

So look forward to a blog about Grandia soon and thanks for checking out the blog. Later gamers!

I started a gaming blog...why?

Welcome gamers, friends, or random people who are here to make fun of my nerdiness...mostly people I'm sure to make fun of my nerdiness =).

Anyways I decided to make a blog recently, why may you ask? Allow me to explain...

I think in general people have a tendency to compare things from their childhood to recent times. Nothing can compare to what was great in our childhood right? Was there a better show than Family Matter Is? They just don't make characters like Urkel anymore do they?

Well I'm doing the same thing only with games...sort of.In this blog I'll be talking about PS1 games, mostly RPGs, why they're better than most other library of RPGs, my thoughts as play through all these games, and my personal journey to collect every PS1 RPG ever made. What a long Road Ahead...