My First Impression of Killzone: Mercenary

Killzone: Mercenary is a First-Person Shooter for the Playstation Vita that just came out yesterday in the U.S. There is a campaign mode with 9 unique missions that you must complete to finish the game. There is also the multiplayer which allows up to 8-players to face each other or work in teams. The modes in the game are Mercenary Warfare mode, Guerrilla Warfare, and Warzone--you can tell how much effort they put into naming these different online modes. The first one is a free-for-all style mode. You basically are tasked with killing everyone. The second mode is team a death match mode. The last one is an objective based game with 5 phases. Both single and multiplayer share a common element, the weapon shop. Here, you can purchase new guns, armors, grenades, and special items. With these purchased items, you can customize your loadouts. You gain more loadouts by gaining new levels during your playthrough. This game shares the same basic elements of most FPS games.

My first impression of this game has been positive. If there was one thing that truly stuck out at me, it's the detail and overall graphics in this game. No lie, they are really good. This game demonstrates the capabilities of the Playstation Vita amazingly. There's not one game that I can think of that looks this good right now--I do think it looks better than Rayman and the Ateleir games. Once you see the game yourself, you will understand why I say this is what sticks out in the game. Not the great gameplay, but the graphics.

The selection of weapons is pretty grand for a portable game too. I wasn't expecting so many customizable weapons, armor, grenades, or vault items. It's too bad that you only get a few loadouts, because the amount of customization begs for more. The guns in this game are really fun to use. Right now, I am experimenting the preorder weapon, and man, do I love raining hell on opponents with it. Also, The sniper--which uses the back controller to zoom in and out--is tough to use. The machine guns are as expected and so is everything else.

So far, the multiplayer has been running amazing. It might be due to the limited amount of players allowed in a game, but it's noticeable the difference in quality. I have not once seen slow down in the game. The connection is running well for me too. I haven't been booted from a game yet! And lastly, getting into a game doesn't take a year. It's a few seconds and you are in.

This game is easy to control. One thing I worried about in this game was the controls and how they would respond. I am not disappointed. Once I adjusted my x-axis, I had no problems playing the game. Killzone also makes use of the touchscreen and the back controller pad. I typically select my secondary weapon and grenades with the screen. The back controller pad is used for zooming with the rifles as far as I know. really, the controls in this game are fantastic and easy to use. 

Basically, I have a favorable first impression of this game. If you have a Playstation Vita, I would recommend picking this game up as soon as you can.

Monday Update

So my lack of post this summer has been terrible, but I have had a lot going on so I apologize. It's not easy to balance blogging, actually playing video games, working, looking for good jobs, and having a summer of death. I will try to make more of an effort though, I promise.

Anyway, the games I have been playing are Tales of Xillia and Dragon's Crown. I would be lying if I said both games were not amazing. They may not be 10/10, but they are worth the money and a lot of fun to play. If you asked me which of the two I preferred, I would have to say Tales just because it offers more in terms of everything.

September looks to be a stellar month for Playstation. The new releases consist of Killzone: Mercenary, Valhalla Knights 3, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 ReMIX, and so on. Yeah, that's an incredible amount of games to come out in a month. I am sure a lot more indie games will be coming out on multiple systems too.

There's more going on in the gaming world, but I don't have enough research to really say anything on it.

Anyway, till later.

Tales of Xillia: I Finally got my Copy

Hey fellow gamers, it's been awhile but I am back. I thought I would tell you how ecstatic I am to finally have the opportunity to play Tales Of Xillia for the PS3. This game was one of my most highly anticipated releases for 2013 and I finally got my hands on it. As some of you may know, I am a huge fan of the Tales of series. They are colorful, quirky, and overall fantastical games. Even better is the battle system and it's constant evolution through the series. I expect nothing different from this game.

Anyway, I will write a review for this game when I complete it. I will try to update this blog and let you know my progress. 

Update

This month has been incredibly inconsistent with my post and I apologize. It's been a very busy July and I have not had access to the internet this whole time. That being said, I do my best to get a few more post in this week.

Tales of Xillia with be hitting the U.S. shelves in two weeks and I could not be more excited. I have been waiting to play this game since I first read about it two years ago. Speaking of the Tales series, it seems that we are seeing more and more being localized and the popularity growing. This is outstanding if you asked me. This means we will possibly see more and more games being localized for all platforms. Really, the Tales games have a great chance of becoming the Final Fantasy's of the West since Square-Enix has essentially fallen from grace with their recent games and public plunders.

There are still a few games I need to play that recently came out. It's tough when games cost so much and you make little money. Anyway, I will try to post more before the end of the month!

A Quick Recap from Absence

Hey guys, it's been awhile since I have posted a blog post. I have been busy with interviews, a holiday, and a death in my family but I am back! It has been a crazy six days in the realm of video games. Today, I am going to break down some of the stuff going on!

Nintendo
My twitter feed was blowing up yesterday with Nintendo and EVO. If you unsure yourself with what happened, here is a quick summary from me. Nintendo apparently blocked streaming access of Super Smash Brothers Melee matches during the EVO. Well that changed quickly and Nintendo will now allow streaming of the tournament. From what I gather, one of the biggest outcry from fans was due to the fact they raised money for breast cancer to allow Melee to be played. I think that's a good enough reason to be mad at Nintendo.

Muramasa Rebirth
If I have gathered any news on this Playstation Vita game, it's that people are liking it. This game came out a few weeks ago and has been doing pretty well. Honestly, the lowest score I have seen so far has been a 3.5/5. So that tells me that this upgrade might be worth the purchase. However, good luck finding a physical copy of the game.


Microsoft 
In a bold, but sane move, Microsoft has changed their mind on DRM and the constant need to always be online. That's right, used games will now be playable. Honestly, this should have been okay from the start. If companies want to sell games, they need to make them good enough to keep playing. They could also make them affordable for consumers who are not exactly loaded. I mean geez, some of the best games didn't cost a fraction as some of these new AAA games.


Tales of Xillia 2
The best news that I have to give to everyone is that ToX2 will be localized. I am incredibly ecstatic about these turn of events. 

That's all for today guys. I will start blogging again since everything has resumed to normal.

Five Game Characters that Kick Ass

I came across an article today listing the ten best game characters and I must say, I don't agree with every choice the author made. I agreed with his selections of Mario, Sonic, and a few others, but some of them were garbage. I decided to make my own list. A numbered list of characters that actually had an influence in the gaming world and kicked ass. Well, only five characters today.

5. Master Chief 
If there was ever a war in the future against awesome looking aliens, I would expect Master Chief to be up front and tea-bagging those newbs. John--which is his real name--is one of the most badass main characters that has ever graced the gaming world. He was a man that did not say much and just got the job done. Aliens invading your world? No problem. Master Chief would take a pistol and pop those grunts back from a mile away. Really, his character is iconic in the gaming world. Not only does he embody stereotypical badassary, but he has a AAA game to back him up. Everyone knows Master Chief. You know he is kind of a big deal when he has his own special Spartan uniform.  
                 

4. Cloud
If I was a chode, I would have just put Cloud's sword. That weapon is widely known in the gaming world because it's a huge freakin' sword. Look at it for a minute and tell me that's not excessive. Well, besides being known for his sword, Cloud is the main protagonist in Final Fantasy 7. He was the embodiment of the franchise for the Playstation. There may have been better games in the franchise on the first Playstation, but Cloud is the one character that everyone knows. He almost always lands in the top 5 in polls for popular characters and rightfully so. Cloud is one kick ass character that knows how to get the job done when it matters. It also helps that he appears in more than one game like Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy Tactics. If you are popular enough to be in more than one game, you are pretty kick ass.

3. Mega Man
I would be a terrible person if I did not put Mega Man on this list. The blue bomber is known for his multiple platform titles and his various spin-off series like Mega Man X and Legends. He's a dude that goes around beating baddies and taking their powers through multiple stage levels. If you have never played a Mega Man game, you are really missing out. He and his spin-off clones are some of the coolest characters to have ever graced the Nintendo and future consoles. Look at him. He's just awesome. It really is a welcome surprise that he will finally be in Super Smash Brothers. I know who I will be using all the time!

2. Samus
Samus is one of the best female protagonist to date. She does rolls, shots lasers like Mega Man, and runs around in a pretty awesome armor suit. It's not often we see female characters as cool as her, but damn can she kick alien ass. It was pretty shocking when gamers found out she was a female upon completion of the original Metroid game. Really, without getting into real specifics, she is the female Mega Man, which makes her just that more awesome.

1. Link
Link. What can I say about this former lefty? Well, for one, he is definitely one of the most popular videogame characters to date. He's probably more famous than anyone on this list and future list I make. With that said, our silent protagonist is always the hero of something who fights Ganondolf or some other evil being to save something. He always carries the triforce of courage with him in his games. Even more amazing, not all the Links are the same. Actually, most are different heroes in their own time, fighting for their own reasons, and usually saving a maiden at the end of the day. Even in this day and age, Link is still as relevant to the gaming world as anyone new or old. It doesn't matter that the series is over 20 years old, what matters is that Link still goes on ridiculous adventures. He still gets it done at the end of the day and that's what matters.

The Wii U : What it Needs to Survive

Let's be honest, the Wii U is not doing well in the markets in its first year. That's disappointing considering it's part of a historied company that has pushed the bounds of our imagination. Nintendo is like the Disney of Japan, they bring the magical and the fantastical to life with modern technology. The future for Nintendo is bleak with the competition it is up against in the coming year with the Playstation 4 and Xbox One. If Nintendo wants to survive this generation, they will have to change a few things. 

The Price

The Wii U is expensive like most new things on the market. It's not unheard of for a console to be around $299.99 or more. Actually, systems have been priced close to that as far back as I can remember. The problem is, it's not working for Nintendo. The only way Nintendo can justify the price is by producing systems with more than 8gb and 32gb hard drives. I am well aware that you can buy external hard drives, but that just adds to the total bill. Sony and Microsoft are offering 500gb internal hard drives for their systems for $99.99 - $199.99 with the possibility of better overall technology than the Wii U*. That's a better deal than what Nintendo is offering. If Nintendo wants to survive, they need to readjust the price of their console.

New Games

I know this is an obvious one to put, but Nintendo is lacking games on its console. Virtual Console games are not going to cut it as "new" games. Many gamers--including myself--own past generation consoles and games that still work. Why would we want to buy those games again? That's a waste of money and a waste of time. What Nintendo needs to do is start cranking out their more famous titles as they have been doing as of late. We need more Mario and more Zelda. I don't care if "critics" say they are stale, they still sell and I still enjoy them.

Nintendo could also benefit buy bringing a new flagship title to the Wii U. They need more than Zelda and Mario to carry them over to this generation. Many kids that enjoyed platforming with Mario or going on an adventure with Link in the late 1980's-1990's are adults now. They aren't spending as much time playing these games and might not be playing anymore. It's time to appeal to a younger, newer generation of gamers with a new mascot. I would argue any genre is fine, as long as the younger crowd can identify. 

Oh, and start making Fire Emblem games for the Wii U since Awakening did so well. Actually tactical role-playing games and other types of role-playing games could make use of that Pad that comes with the system. Nintendo could use more RPG's as well! Are there really any out there on the Wii U? I feel that Nintendo concentrates this genre on their 3DS and it's hurting them. They need to start making more games in this genre ASAP.  

Identity

Now that I mention games and appealing to a younger generation as well, what is the Wii U's identity? The console with the enormous tablet? The console that has an abundant of Mario and old people games? That console that I use as a bookshelf? Honestly, I have no idea what the Wii U's identity is today. When I see other consoles, I see that it conveys a message to me. The Playstation 4 says, "Hey, I am going to be a portable PC that will have a great library." When I see the Xbox One, I see a system that will appeal to entertainment, the movie/game experience at the comfort of your home. The Wii U needs an identity that will make people want to buy it. I have no desire besides it being a Nintendo console with a giant tablet. 

Conclusion 

Nintendo can change a few things to survive this generation. I only named a few things, but even these three changes could save the console. Nintendo needs to stop being stubborn and take a hit for a little bit in the wallet. It will work in their future and ours later on in the Wii U's life.

*I say possibility of better technology since the systems are not out yet. I also say this since I take into account more than the actual hardware.

New Age Video Games: My Rant

Lately, I find myself playing a lot of older video games and action role-playing games. This ranges from games like Shinning Force I  to Phantasy Star Online to Persona 3. These are games that I have beaten multiple times over the last two decades and yet, I am still playing and finishing them with much enthusiasm. I don't really find myself finishing many new games. I honestly think the last game I beat that's new was Fire Emblem: Awakening. That's a problem when most major games will cost you $59.99 for a new copy of what might sit and collect dust on your shelf. 

I know why newer games don't hold my interests and I bet this rings true to many gamers. Video games are becoming interactive movies. When I turn on a game and start playing, I don't ask to sit through 30-minutes of cutscenes and asked to press buttons the whole time. That's no fun to me. I want to move my character(s) around the map, battling foes, and winning the hearts of virtual princesses. I don't want to sit there while some stereotypical angry white guy is beating up some baddies for me while I press a button on screen. What am I, 3 years old and learning shapes? It's insulting as a video game enthusiasts to be treated as a child in a digital world.

A great example of this is the beginning of Uncharted 3. When you first start the game, you are lead into a bar scene that goes on for an eternity. Once the actual game play starts, I am moving around and coordinating button presses against the gang. The game even tells me what buttons to press and mash. That's not fun at all. Well, depending on the game, it can be a little fun, but if I wanted to play Dance Dance Revolution, I would of laid down a mat and started jumping up and down like an idiot.

There really is a difference between compelling story telling in a movie and in a video game. Take an example from one of my favorite games, Final Fantasy IX. Not only is there a great story with great scenes, there was an actual game to play. You had to spend time building up your characters equipment, magic, and levels. I didn't just press a bunch of buttons for 40 hours to feel like I sat through an expensive movie. I was part of that game and story. If I wanted to see a scene, it wasn't just given to me, I had to find it or progress through the story to see it. Now, I have to progress through movie scenes to find the actual game. That's the difference. When a game company made a compelling story, the game play was still valued more. What these newer game developers are doing is forgetting that one value. They are valuing the cinematic over the game play. That sucks.

I understand that these games aim for sales to make money. I know these games need to appeal to a large demographic to make sales meet. Why does it have to be at the expense of actual game play? There is a reason why Retro/Indie games are becoming popular now. These developers keep the game part of video games in their products. They are not looking for a blockbuster interactive movie, but know they will make their money delivering an awesome product for me to play.

What happened to the gaming industry? Has it become such a huge machine that it forgot why it exists in the first place? Hopefully, with this new generation of gaming, we can get back to playing actual games.

Uncharted 3: My Rant

It's rare that I ever get really aggravated at a video game. There are moments where I might be frustrated by a single to a few scenes or may be some Dance Revolution button scheme, but I was blown away today by controls. That being said, Uncharted 3 has to have some of the worst controls I have ever had the misfortune of using. How can anyone play this game and say it's great when the controls are terrible? I will say that the story of the game is captivating, but the experience was ruined by loose controls. First of all, moving is a clumsy obstacle. Moving left or right is uncomfortable and riddled with pauses. Jumping is terrible and that makes jumping onto walls aggravating. I can't even go on. Thank god the story and the cinematic experience of the game were amazing or I would have told everyone to avoid the game.

Best Video Game Moments Part II

With such a giant library of games out there, it's almost impossible to get through them all or even know all the games out there, especially the most obscure ones. That's a bummer since so many amazing games have come out in the last 20 years and many of you will never have a chance to play these games. Well, almost a bummer since many games tend to not be that great anyway. Don't worry though, I will help you in this installment of Best Video Game Moments. Hopefully, if you have not tried the game out yet, you will give it a go through whatever means necessary...which you should if I am posting about it.

Nothing gets you pumped up like an action scene. Especially where physics need not apply. From sword fighting to blowing people up, game developers know how to get us wild up and ready. It's too bad that many of these scenes are repetitive and always the same. It's truly a rarity when one really sticks out at you for being something new and unique. That's why I give this honor to Devil May Cry 3's first cut scene. You know, the one where Dante beats everyone up.

Now, Devil May Cry has been one of my favorite game series since the first one came out a long time ago. It is one of the best action games I have ever had the opportunity to play. I bet many of you didn't know that DMC was supposed to be a new Resident Evil. Well now you know.

In this scene, Dante beats up a lot of bad guys. He does some crazy badass moves, and beats these demons down. What makes this scene one of the best moments is that Dante is awesome. He gets ambushed and stabbed multiple times, only to start kicking ass. Really, how many games does this happen? Not only that, he turns a jukebox to jam out while slicing opponents down.  You really can't get anything more ridiculous out of a character who basically doesn't care. Just watch the scene play out. Instant badassary.

Why Games are Important to Me

At the time of writing this, I finally hit 1,000 page views. Thank you to everyone that reads my blog! I never thought I would reach that number in less than 6 months, but I did. So again my viewers, thank you. For this occasion, I want to share with everyone why video games are so important to me. I can always blog about games, but it never really makes sense unless you know why that is.

Video games make me feel involved. Have you ever went to a movie or looked at a painting and thought, "Hey this is really nice, but something is missing". That's because you can't be involved in the person's story telling, you can only view and be in awe or disgust with the product. When I watch a Batman movie, I find it entertaining to watch as he purges crime from Gotham City, but I am not involved in this said purging. The minute I begin playing a game like Demon Souls though, I feel like I am involved in my created character's struggle to survive. I understand the pains and tribulations that he must go through in order to complete his objective just as I can only watch Batman struggle without really understanding those two subjects.Video games make me feel involved and that's important to me.

Many video games allow me to craft my own character and determine his or her development. What's entertainment if you are not fully involved with your own created persona? I can't bring to life other people's creations.  When I create a character, I am creating a person that will develop in the developer's own world. An example would be in Fable.You choose the path to be a good guy or bad. When I look at a picture, that variable is already set for me. Either the guy in the picture is good or the guy in the picture is bad and I have to deal with it. Well that sucks. When I have the ability to craft my own persona in a game, that is important to me.

Lastly, games are just fun. While I can only spend an hour watching some crappy movie, I can play a great game for more. I do find it entertaining to explore new worlds that could never exist. I don't care if some bank is being robbed in Batman, I care more that a giant dragon is about to rain hell on some poorly crafted cottages in some random meadow. I'll let the police do their job and the paper work while I tame the mega-beast. I get bored watching people do stuff. Why not throw me a flippin' controller and let me take passenger seat in a Warhog. Why not let me craft my own fun? Don't set the standard of fun because you

Basically, video games are important because I am involved more with them. I am the hero, not the spectator. I could go on-and-on, but it's Saturday and most of us want to go have fun! Until tomorrow or Monday. 

The Best Setting for RPG's

As I continued on my journey in Ni no Kuni, I began to wonder what engrossed my attention to this particular game. It's not like the story was all that unique to the genre. It has your basic rpg hero plot. You go around the world with your posse to make the world a better place by defeating whatever evil entity is making it terrible. When it comes to combat, the magic and familiar system is nothing unique as a concept since I have seen it in the Tales games and yet, I knew there was something that drew me to this game. It was something that I had not seen in many video games as of late. What was it that drew me to this game and other role-playing games?

Real Pastoral Setting

It's always the setting of the game. Look at the best role-playing games to date. They are set in a pastoral world that you would see with stories such as The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. It makes perfect sense. For some reason, that type of fantasy setting always gives you a mystical feel. That's why they are perfect settings for writing some of the greatest stories in both literature and video games. When I play a game like Valkyria Chronicles, my eyes light up and my imagination runs wild. When I play something too industrial, too city-like,  I feel that my taste need to be more matured and perfectly logical to enjoy. It makes sense if you compare it to a Shakespeare play. Just like in Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream, one of the themes that the author is trying to illustrate is that the outside of the city is the place where magic can happen while the city is where logic and reason can only occur.
 
Weather it be a Legend of Zelda, Shining Force I/II, or even a Final Fantasy game, I am always traveling in a pastoral setting. Maybe it's the bright green grass and the clear blue skies that make me feel adventures and the fauna that the surroundings produce. Maybe it's knowing that I will be traveling long distances not knowing exactly where I am going. Heck, maybe it's knowing that magic exists and there is logic to it in these unique worlds. Whatever it is, the best setting for the role-playing experience is the pastoral setting. You can never go wrong with it. 

Tales of Symphonia Unisonant Pack Confirmed for the PS3

That's right, for all the Tales loving fans out there, one of the best games in the series is being remade for the Playstation 3. It was both confirmed at the Tales Festival and to be localized in the West! That means we will have an opportunity to play this great game again in HD with the added bonus of Dawn of the New World. This is great news for new fans to the series and to those that never had the chance play this spectacular game. I can't tell you how excited I am, even if it's a remake of two classic games.

The release of this remastered game tells me two things. First, it tells me that Namco Bandai actually cares about their fans in the West and listens to us in generally. They realize that people over here actually enjoy playing there fantastic games and that makes them willing to localize it for us. Two, it tells me that the fan base for the Tales games are continuously growing in the western world. It really should be no surprise since the popularity of videogames has exploded--it still begs the question why it still is a stigma to many--and more and more people are playing them. Despite how niche the rpg genre is in generally, it still has a huge following of loyal fans willing and ready to play and even Namco Bandai knows that they should capitalize on the situation.

I really am excited for this game though. It's been too long since I have had the chance to play Tales of Symphonia and I will finally get the chance to try Dawn of the New World. For newcomers to the Tales series, not many make it out here, so it's kind of a big deal. After the break, you can find the trailer for this game.

A Quick Wednesday Update

It's been another slow day in the videogame world. There hasn't been much reported and that's all due to the upcoming E3 event. I think by now that everyone is aware that Nintendo will be holding demo events in various BestBuys. The Vita will have a big showcase for us too. I am sure much more will be revealed about the new PlayStation and Xbox systems.

If you are wondering what I am currently playing, it's a charming game called No no Kuni. For anyone that hasn't had the opportunity to play it, it's a JRPG about whimsical adventures and saving stuff. It's like a cross of Narnia and Spirited Away with a blend of some worldly concepts.

That's all for today!

5 Kick Ass Songs in Videogames

It's Monday and I am back from Ocean City, Maryland. It's been over a week since I have had a chance to blog about one of my favorite things, videogames. I thought, what better way to kick back into this blog then to write about some kick ass songs in videogames? Let's be honest, videogames have some of the best music out there. Heck, some songs top charts all the time. For this piece, I am only going with music that plays during the actual game. So here are 5 of the many that I personally enjoy and I hope you enjoy as well!



5. Tales of Symphonia - Fighting of the Spirit

When this Tales game came out on the GameCube in the early 2000's, it was ambitious and awesome. How do you compliment ambitious and awesome? You do so by adding a soundtrack to compliment such greatness. If any Tales song stands the test of time or more beloved, it's this one. Just go look up all the remixes and covers of this song if you don't believe me. This theme originally appeared in Tales of Phantasia and since its debut, has been arranged for other games in the series. It really captures the essence of what an RPG's sound track should include. I posted the best version of this song below, enjoy.

4.  Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow - Battle Theme

Everyone who had a childhood can hum this tune on a whim. This theme would play anytime you encountered a trainer ready to be clobbered by your insanely powerful Farfetch'd or Mewtwo. These trainers had no idea what you were about to throw at them, but by god, you would sweep them with water gun.  

3. Final Fantasy VII - Battle Theme

If there was any game that people cream over like bacon, it's Final Fantasy VII. I do admit that this is my favorite battle theme in any of the Final Fantasy games. It really works on building up a climax and really pumping the adrenaline while killing cacti people and other weird monsters. I decided to post a video below that really demonstrates what a few guitars with videogame music can do, especially with a theme as awesome as this.

2. Halo Theme

Nothing gets you driving more reckless then blasting the Halo theme down the highway. You know it's time to man your make believe gunner's turret when this song starts playing and your friend is swerving out of the way of a newb pistol shot. This song really should have been looped during any match that had any multi-man vehicles in it and an open world to boot, like Valhalla.
  

1. Guilty Gear X2 - Holy Orders

Yes, this is my number one kick ass song for this post. You don't even know the magnitude of this on a Richter scale. That's all I need to say about this epic tune.

That's it for today guys, enjoy.

Date Set for Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5

According to the Playstation Blog, you will finally be able to own this updated masterpiece September 10, 2013. For anyone that cares enough, if you pre-order this game soon, you will get a limited edition art book. A really cool item to keep on your coffee table to impress your friends with...or have them question your maturity in my case. This is a must have for both collectors and fans. It was a great game for its time and a unique one at that. For anyone who has not played this game in the past, this is the perfect opportunity to see what all the hype of these games are about.

Personally, I think it's great that an updated version of this classic is coming out. Many of the younger generations or people who were not really into gaming in the early 2000's really missed out on a gem. Now, they will have a chance to play and live through Sora's tale as he tackles adventures in Disney worlds with his companions, Donald and Goofy, while looking for King Mickey. You encounter various characters from Disney and Final Fantasy during the course of the game. You even team up with some of them while in their worlds! I am not going to spoil the game so I am stopping there. Will I purchase this item? I think I will. I wish they packaged both 1 and 2 together but I will take what they give.

Ys: Memories of Celceta and Why I am Excited

Ys: Memories of Celceta is a re-imaging of the two Ys: IV games, Dawn of Ys and Mask of the Sun set to be released in September. If you are unfamiliar with either of these games, don't worry since both versions never made it out West and both versions came out in the early 1990's. Thanks to XSEED, we will now have the opportunity to play Falcom's retelling of these tales. The basic premise of the story follows Adol Christin and his exploration of the Celceta forest.

I can't lie, I am really excited that this game will be localized. The Playstation Vita is lacking in localized rpg games and I feel it's suffering because of it. So far, the Vita only has PSP rpgs and Persona 4: Golden. That isn't enough to quench my thirst for epic tales and experience grinding. I am aware that the PSP has some awesome rpgs to play, but I want to see the Vita's full potential being used on new games here. If this game does well in the West, I think it will open up a door to more game releases here. It might make these game companies give up on holding their reservations about releasing games here.

I will leave this post with some images of the game for you guys to look at.

Videogames and Politics

When I finally completes Tales of the Abyss 3DS last week, I felt like a better person. After a week passed, I realized why I felt this way. I actually played a game with a great story that was once and can still be relevant to our society today. Now, it might not speak to gamers who had the luxury of being conscience in the early 2000's, but the story does speak to the rest of us who knew of the political issues of the time. Tales of the Abyss tackles issues like human cloning and international diplomacy from a threat of environmental destruction and the attack from another nation. Minus the issue of the threat of war, environment and human cloning topics were big in the early 2000's. Actually, both were a wedge issues in both the 2000 and 2004 elections in the United States. This game really does give us a view point on how difficult these topics are. Take the cloning issue in this Tales game. Do the clones have the right to exist, are clones nothing more than bodies to use in war, or can clones really be their own person? Topics like this really drove the game to be one of the better RPG's in terms of story. Not that the battle system wasn't awesome in it either.

My main point is that Mixing videogames and politics topics do make for great stories. It allows the current generation of gamers to see a different perspective of how these issues might affect a character and his overall development while being able to relate to the issue themselves as real people. It also allows new gamers and people who were not conscience during that time to understand what shaped our current society. Kids who were born in the mid-90's and later would not properly understand how big of an issue human cloning was in the early 2000's. Heck, being a teenager did not mean I fully understand the implications of all these topics. Really, games are a great way to show people current and former political situations. Plus, who doesn't feel involved in a games story when it uses topics that we are familiar with? Anyway, mixing politics and videogames does create a great story. As long as they don't get too carried away with it.

Soul Sacrifice Demo: My Impressions

I was left with a choice in this game. Do I sacrifice or save this tainted wizards life? I had made my choice and sacrificed him to gain new destructive powers. I was ready to continue to the next mission, no matter how brutal the next encounter will be on my character. I was armed with mostly ice spells and healing spells to tear my opponents up. I knew the next battle would be brutal.

It actually was pretty hard. It took me a solid 17 minutes to take down the Giant Harpy. Oh yeah, this giant harpy had a fat woman's face. No, this was not part of the main stories harpy either but a trials boss. I had used up a lot of my spells before this beast went down. I was basically clinging on to life thanks to my A.I. allies. Things definitely got harder after that because I had to take down a Cerberus and it's tough. I had to use up all my magic, burn my skin for a really powerful spell. and sacrifice an ally just to beat this monster. If the rest of the game pans out like this, I am going to be in for a fun nightmare.

My overall impression of the game has been positive. I am enjoying the Monster Hunter-esqe feel to the game without it actually being Monster Hunter. I am loving the fast pace, magic slaughter-fest this game brings to the Vita. I like that I can choose to go all ice or fire based magic but still use the similar basic magic as other elemental wizards. The magic is pretty unique and if timed perfectly, can be pretty devastating to the monsters. I also like the aesthetics in this game. The colors--even though a darker tone--are very vivid and the costumes are fashionable for a videogame. I can even tell the difference between my character and another person's character during battle. The worlds are beautifully crafted and the enemies are fearsome looking. I find the detail in this game to be A+ material for a handheld. Finally, the controls respond well. I honestly had no problems attacking or moving my character around. I just wish they would add a jump button to this game. Here is hoping for one in a future update

This game has so far reeled me in. I am enjoying this more than most games I have played in recent memory. I find it to be a great alternative to Monster Hunter if you are into faster moving battles. The full game comes out April 30th so be prepared to be sacrificed!

My Second Game: Tales of Graces f

I finally managed to get to the second game I need to finish. I decided to tackle the Tales games first so I am working on Tales of Graces f. It make sense to beat games I already started anyway.
I do have to say that this franchise is still as good and corny as I remember. The Tales series still has some of the best fighting to date. You get to do crazy magic stuff while free roaming around a battle area. The music scores are still great. It pumps you up during battle or reflect while traveling through a snowy city. The characters are still corny but unique. They are fantastical and yet, bring something that is relatable to you.
Okay, time for me to continue to grind!