Thursday's Classic Game

                  Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire

I am sure many of you are familiar with Dynasty Warriors. I am sure many of you are familiar with the story that goes along with the game. Well, before there were Dynasty Warriors games, there was Romance of the Three Kingdoms. These games similar to the Dynasty Warriors Empire games. You take control of a kingdom and try to conquer a waring China. It is a tactical strategy game that thrust you into conquering your neighbors will taking care of your own cities. Think of it as the original Total War. I will be fair, I am a little under the weather so my post will be weak today. You can pick up this classic in the Playstation store. Go, do it right now. 

Yes, command that poorly pixilated army

Valkyria Chronicles

This tank really is a beast in this game

Sorry for the long absence guys. It was a busy weekend. I worked and played with my new PS3. Let me tell you it is worth every penny. I decided to pick up a copy of Valkyria Chronicles too. I have got to say, this isn't a game you should miss.
This game takes in a World War II looking universe. Gallia is being invaded by The Empire-the resemblance to Nazi Germany is uncanny--and you must defend this small kingdom.  You take control of a small militia under the command of Welkin who was studying to be a botanist before the war. I have not gotten far enough yet myself so there is most definitely more to the story.
The game plays like a cross between a tactical RPG and a third-person shooter. You move the character like Star Wars Battlefront but you get a limited amount of movement points. You also control a tank and 5 unique units. These units are scout, shock trooper, lancer, engineer, and sniper. It's important to diversify your squad if you want win.
One aspect I find to be a key element is the leveling system. You gain experience by winning skirmishes and spend those points to train your troops. The way it works in this game is that it levels a unit type opposed to a specific character. It's a great system that makes leveling up seem less tedious and time consuming. You can also "level" your gear by purchasing upgrades from the R & D Shop. It's important to do this if you want to survive the upcoming battles.

When it comes to presentation, this game is unique. I really do enjoy the art style. It has a special feel to it that I honestly can't describe in words. The story really does sound like a typical World War II story with all its references to the history of that war.

I could talk about this game more but I suggest that you give it a try. It will be worth your time.

Thursday's Classic: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

I recall opening this box for the first time

It's that time again. I give you a classic game and you go play it for hours on end. What game is in store for this week? A game that was almost as classy as its original counterpart, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Over a decade ago, this game came out in Japan and impressed as much as its parent game. What makes this game so unique? Well, the plot for, one is a more fantastical story. To make it short, you follow the story of a kid who gets sucked into...wait for it...a Final Fantasy game and must return Ivalice back to normal.

I do have to say, this was one of my favorite games to play on the GBA when I was younger. Well, not too young since I was 15, but young enough. I still play this game to this day like its brand new. One thing that definitely stood out was the overall picture of the game. While the first FFT had darker color tones to portray the darker story, this game is the complete opposite. If I had to describe it, the graphics were a whimsical experience.

                      If you enjoy quirky Tactical RPG's, I recommend this one today! Go play!

An End of an Era: Sony to Reveal New Playstation

Sony will reveal information about the new Playstation today. What might they tell us? I am hoping it will be that new controller that is floating around the internet. Although it's following the pattern of the previous systems, there looks to be a screen on it and a speaker (Look at the holes on the controller). I wonder if it will be similar to the Wii's remote and make noises during game play. I also wonder what the new specs of this system will be and the launch titles. Will this system be backwards compatible? Will this system function alongside the Playstation Vita like a controller? We will find out tonight!

When thinking about this announcement, we must come to a realization that this current generation of consoles are coming to a close. What along generation it has been too. I mean, these systems have been going for 7-8 years now. That's a really long span of time. This generation has produced some of the most memorable games. We had Halo 3, Dark Souls, Call of Duty 3, TES: Skyrim, etc. We also had some forgetable games as well with Final Fantasy XIII (no, I did not like this game at all), Sonic the Hedgehog, Duke Nukem Forever, and so on.

Countless hours had been spent bagging newbs in Halo 3

For many of us, we spent plenty of our later high school days and all of college with these systems. Just countless memories of shooting, rampaging, puzzles, and all of the other stuff. I hope this generation brings us a new opportunity to relive these fun times with our friends and those angry people online.

A New Metal Gear

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance has made its way onto home consoles the United States today. You take control of Raiden who was one of the main characters in the previous Metal Gear Solid games. I have not had the opportunity to play this game yet so I will not post the plot or story. I don't want to ruin the game for myself by spoiling it. So far, it has received positive reviews. That's a good sign that it's worth picking up soon. To persuade you to make this purchase, Toys"R"Us is offering a $40.00 gift card for the purchase of this and Crysis 3. I know because I work there.

On the Fence with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

After Fire Emblem debuted at the beginning of the month on the Nintendo 3DS, another popular franchize will grace Nintendo on both current generation systems. That game would be Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. Some people are probably wondering what is the difference between this game and the one on the original Wii. Well, to put it in layman's terms, it is just a graphically updated version of Monster Hunter Tri with added content. The added content consists of new monsters and areas to explore. So why am I on the fence on getting this game? I'll tell you now.

One reason I am hesitant about getting this game on the Wii U is that I don't own a Wii U. I will probably wait until Wind Waker HD comes out for it before I consider purchasing it. That is all I need to say about the Wii U version. The 3DS version is a whole different story though since I own one. The 3DS version is simply a portable version of the game. That's really cool if you think about it but it has to be missing a big component to it. What could it be? Oh yeah, there isn't any online capabilities for the game. How do you not include something like that for such a popular game? I will give it to Capcom though, they allow you to pick up your progress from either system and play on the other. That is pretty cool in my books. That deserves bonus points. They really should have allowed for online capabilities with a small party at least. With all the new content, no Monster Hunter fan should take a second look this game. If you are on the fence like me, it might be worth waiting until the fourth installment comes around or pick up a cheap ($17.99 used at Gamestop) used copy for the original Wii and give it a try.

My Most Hated Boss

As I adventured through the internet today, I came across an article on Kotaku.com (what does that name even mean?). A journalist on the site wrote an article about his most hated videogame villain. It got me thinking, what boss did I hate the most and why? My most hated boss was Dr. Robotonix's giant robot in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. I could not tell you how many times I tried to beat him and failed. The game leaves you with no rings and you are expected to beat a giant fricken robot. What made it worse was that you had to restart the entire game if you lost all of your lives. Yeah, this was before Sonic 3 allowed you to save your games progress.

This thing ruined childhood dreams

This boss was tough for someone that was five--I got the game in 1993--and painfully miserable when you failed. I really hated this boss and I will never ever enjoy facing him again.

Thursday's Classic Game

How many of you are familiar with the Legend of Zelda series? I am sure pretty much all of you are and if not, you have not stepped outside since the 1980's. I will go with the flow this week and choose a Gameboy Color Legend of Zelda that I think all of you need to play.

Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Ages

They really did have some epic music in commercials

In these fantastical Legend of Zelda games, you take control of Link and try to save the two Oracles from evil. You know, the typical LoZ story. Either way, this was a pretty fun game. What was an awesome feature...SPOILERS...is that you could carry one game over to the next. It even extended the story for you. Yeah, if you can find a copy go pick it up and play.

Tuesday's Classic Selection

How many of you are itching to play an old school videogame but can't decide what you want to play? Because of the massive library of videogames out there, it becomes almost impossible to choose what you want to play. Well look no further. I am going to dedicate Tuesday and Thursday posts to classic games you need to play.

Why must there always be a blonde in JRPG's?

 Golden Sun for the Gameboy Advance is a must play classic for you RPG fanatics. This game and its 2003 sequel, The Lost Age, did very well back in the early 2000's. Even critics praised this game. I would argue that this is one of Camelot's masterpieces.

Golden Sun is set in the world of Weyard. This world is covered in continents and water that spill into nothing at the ends of the world. The main character is a guy named Isaac that goes to stop some people from bringing Alchemy back into the world. Yes, that was an incredibly abridged version but I don't want to spoil the entire story for everyone. Especially if you have not had the chance to play the game.

What makes this series unique from any other rpg is the Dijinn.They are creatures that can boost stats and do some serious damage during battle. You can say they are the same as a summon from the Final Fantasy series but also act as a set of magical armor. It's awesome and really beneficial for your party since you can mix-and-match these creatures like clothes.

If you can still find a copy of this game at your local store, pick it up. If you can't, that stinks but there are other means I won't mention to let you play this game. GO PLAY IT NOW!

I Want a new Shining Force Game

Damn skeletons

I want a new Shining Force game and I am sure many of you do too. It's been too long since I have been able to play a tactical rpg game on level with Fire Emblem and without archaic graphics (sorry hipsters, old school graphics were terrible in retrospect). I think it is time for Sony to bring those games to our shores now. Yes, Shining games are still released in Japan yearly due to what I am assuming is their popularity over there, but we get nothing. The last time a Shining game was released in America was what, 2007? That is already 6 years ago. In case you were curious what that game was, it was Shining Force EXA for the Playstation 2.

Want to know what system would benefit from this? The Playstation Vita. Unlike Disgaea, Shining Force would be a recognizable name to people outside of a niche market. That's important when you want to boost sales of your console and attract more companies to develop games for said console. Shining Force games would play beautifully on the Vita. Look at Fire Emblem. It plays well and looks great on a less powerful system. You also have an option to develop controls for the touch screen and the touch pad on the back of the system. Imagine moving your units by touching the screen and moving them along a grid? I would feel like a real commander and that would be awesome. With the wifi ability of the PS Vita, you could create multiplayer battles with units you acquire over the course of the game. I could go on and on about possibilities. Sony needs to get the ball rolling on this now.

This Weekend in Gaming

The weekend is finally coming to an end and a new week dawns on us to feel defeated. Speaking of defeated, I felt like that after playing on the lunatic difficulty in Fire Emblem: Awakening. Honestly, there is a tough difficulty level and then there is the lunatic difficulty in Fire Emblem. Oh, and to show how much of a masochistic I can be, I selected the classic mode option. You know, the one where troops permanently die. Yeah, I had to restart my game after loosing way to many of my guys.

Anyway, I had to work most of this weekend so I did not get to game as much as my heart desired. I tackled a new difficulty in Fire Emblem and that is about as far as my weekend went. I read that the Wii U and the Playstation Vita are not doing well as projected. I mean, what do you expect when a system cost $250.00 and more? Plus the Wii U has no original games worth buying currently when people still can play there Wii games on their Wii's. For the Playstation Vita? The memory cards are still killing them. Not that you cannot justify the price compared to paying for extra memory in an iPod. With that comparison, Sony needs to realize that their gadgets don't have as intense of a religious following as apple products and it's time to tone down the price.

Well anyway, I need to get ready for work. I promise tomorrow I will have a meatier and fatter blog post that will make your heads explode.

Four Games That I Think You Should Play

With all the games out in the market today, it is always a tough choice when it comes to where your money will be well spent. I am here to make that choice for you. This list will get you through the month of February and possibly longer if you shoot for the stars and try and beat them all. I

It wouldn't be Final Fantasy without a dragon destroying something

1. Final Fantasy IX - If you have not had the opportunity to play this Final Fantasy yet, you are really missing out. As a kid, this was my favorite Final Fantasy game and one of my favorite games of all time. Heck, it still is one of my favorite games to play. FFIX is one of the few games that have managed to stick around and still be as great as it was in 2000. Yikes, the game is almost thirteen years old and I would still play this game over most games that come out today. The characters and the story may be right out of a classic JRPG portfolio and yet it still remains intensely satisfying to play. The characters really do draw you into their fantastic journey and their personal dilemmas. Right now you can add this game to your collection for $4.99 through the Playstation Network. Not only are you getting a great game for cheap, you can even carry it around with you if you own a PSP or Playstation Vita! Let's pray that they eventually make a graphically updated version of this game in the near future. GO BUY IT NOW.

Air guitar anyone?

2. Code of Princess - I am sure many of you might have seen this game in the Nintendo eShop or in your local videogame stores if they still supply it, but this is one game that has definitely been looked over by many. It is actually a really fun beat-em-up game that you can play solo or with friends. If it were not for this game, I probably would have lost my marbles when Hurricane Sandy hit and took away our power for almost three weeks. Anyway, the cast of characters are interesting and cooky. It also has a killer soundtrack and awesome visuals. The controls are easy to figure out and the game play can be rather smooth with most of the characters having a unique move set. It's a fun game to pick up from time-to-time so get your hands on a copy before it's to late!

Belran really was the best part of this game

3. Lord of the Rings: War in the North - I am well aware that I mentioned this game a few post back, but it is just that fun of a game. LOTR: War in the North is a western type of RPG that allows up to three people to complete the main game and collect goods. This game demands team work or you will be stuck with really terrible equipment. Despite the games short comings like the occasional glitching, I can still play this game with friends for hours. Give it a shot, it can't be more than $20.00 at Gamestop right now.

Battles are this intense

4. Medieval II: Total War - This game, that's all I can start with right now. This game was a huge improvement of Rome Total War that came out almost a decade ago. For those that have never played a Total War game, you really are missing out. This is a military/political/society simulator that demands hours of game play to conquer most of Europe. You can go into battle and control units and defeat your enemies or simulate it and focus on maintaining your city-states. This game will demand at least half a day from you if you choose to try and beat it in one run. As long as you have a decent computer, you will be able to run this hidden gem on your computer. 

Real Quick Night Post

I figured I would give my Nintendo 3DS a rest today after dominating armies in Fire Emblem: Awakening and talk on a few subjects to close out the night for everyone. I think I will number these subjects tonight for you to find what you want to read and agree with or rage at the keyboard with. Yeah, I will do a little table of contents.
1. PS3 and why it is still worth purchasing the bundles

2. Shinning Force II and the quick rage quick


1. Who would have guessed Sony would give us such epic bundles at the supposed end of the PlayStation 3's lifecycle? I think everyone should be raising their hands on this one. Is this a sign that Sony is milking whatever they can for this system? Yes and no. Are any of these bundles worth purchasing? Ahh, yeah. How can it not be worth it to pick up one of these awesome bundles when they come to market, especially if you don't own a PS3 like I do. The new bundle coming out in March features a red PS3 and a God of War compilation as I pointed out in a previous post. It looks brutal and I know where my $300.00 from my already depleted (thank you Sony and Nintendo) account is going. With an amazing library that has become affordable and future games coming for this system still, it is almost a steal. Sony is also known for not letting their consoles die, look at the PS2 that finally ceased to be marketed. I think the bundles and the gaming speaks for itself (Tales series, God of War series, Kingdom Hearts series, etc).

2. I had to pull myself away from Fire Emblem today. How did I do that? By playing a game I have not played since the early 1990's when I was a weeee little lad. Yeah, that game was Shinning Force II and yes, I raged quick faster than a duck quacked.  Talk about a game that is hard. Right off the bat I was getting my butt handed to be by some ghost. How did I ever beat this game when I was younger and less aware of how to win games? If the game had any calming quality for me, it was the old school castle atmosphere and the fantastic sound track.

Another Snowy Day and Fire Emblem

Today is another new day to spend countless hours in front of a screen and play videogames, especially if you are in the snowy tri-state area. Trust me, I won't be doing much more than planting my rear on my friends couch and playing Fire Emblem: Awakening for a good portion of the day. For most of us in North America, we have had the blessing of playing this game yesterday through digital download. If you were really lucky, you were able to get your hands on a physical copy of this enormous game. It took me over 8,000 blocks (I think that is 1.5ish gbs) to download this game. You know this game will amass some serious playing time and possible achy muscles.

So let me tell you, this game is phenomenal. I know that you probably have heard every review site and most gamers tell you that much, but I am going to tell you one more time. It has to be one of the best games I have played on a handheld console in awhile.  I am going to break down my run in this game so far.

As I fired my game up, I decided to brave it and choose the option of allowing my characters to die in battle if they were defeated and man, that was a BIG mistake. Even on normal difficulty, one wrong move could land you into an ambush from your enemies. If the character is not strong enough to handle the onslaught of attacks, expect to restart the game if they fall in battle. It's incredibly frustrating if you really like the character or were working towards a character like Donnel. Again, be prepared to restart your game if you value a character and they defeated in battle.  
As I learned from my mistakes in battle, I began to really feel like the tactician your character is supposed to be. I am finally moving my characters like chess pieces on the board and bringing my opponents into submission. This game's enjoyment increases as you have more opportunities to wage war against stronger opponents and strategy becomes a big part of the game. Sorry, I need to go play some more so I will post more later!   
A quick note. It's a typical JRPG story. The End. 

A Couple of Things on a Snowy Sunday

Starting tomorrow in North America, we will finally be able to play Fire Emblem: Awakening for the Nintendo 3DS. As previously posted a few days ago, this is one game that I am truly looking forward to this year. The anticipation to pick up or digitally download this game is driving me up the wall. At least I will have work and the Superbowl to distract me for the time being.

All though I have never once touched an Animal Crossing game--I really should at some point since I am blogging about videogames--newish information has emerged about the version for the Nintendo 3DS. Apparently, South Korea will be playing this game for all hours of the day starting February 7 while the United States and most likely Europe will be waiting until the second quarter of 2013.  Oh well, not like we are new to waiting for a game to be localized in the West.

How many of you have had the opportunity to view the Killzone: Mercenary trailer for the Playstation Vita? If you haven't, do so right now. The game looks absolutely brutal. You get to shank a guy's crotch and finish him off with a chest stab. It seems so unnecessary that it's awesome. This game looks to bring the First Person Shooter (fps for short) to the handheld console in a mean and powerful way. This game looks like it could save the Playstation Vita from becoming irrelevant to all bro's all around the world.

That's really all I have time for today. Tomorrow, I think I will write something spectacular when I am not gaming. 

PS3 God of War Bundle out March 13

I hope you have spare change this coming March because Sony has unveiled a new Red Playstation 3: God of War bundle for sale. This puppy is loaded with 500gbs worth of storage and will grant you access to PlayStation plus for 30-days! That is one whole month for those who don't subscribe to PS+ to see what it's all about. For anyone like me that does not own a PS3, this will be the perfect pick up so we can own and play what is considered a collection of one of PlayStation greatest games...or at least one of the most talked about games in its libraries. This system will also contain God of War: Ascension, which is an upcoming prequel to the God of War series. The story is set years prior to the first game as Kratos searches for redemption for his past sins. The multiplayer is what defines this game with its royal rumble style gameplay. Check it out if you are a long time fan or a new comer.